#adding a missing moral compass

[magntx]

What type of villain are you?

Then Let Me Be Evil

You never wanted to hurt anyone, but the world never gave you a choice. You did the best you could with what you had, but every innocent mistake you made was held against you when it counted, every crossroads led you down the wrong path no matter which way you went. No matter what you did, the odds were stacked against you. It wasn't fair, and you are sick and tired of being told what a monster you are for things out of your control. Well, fine.

They want a monster? YOU'LL GIVE THEM A MONSTER!

Tagged by: @hexsreality <3

Tagging: @prplhawk , @wolverinetm, @shieldslinger, @defyxoblivion and anyone else that wants

[gothamite-rambler]

Bruce telling Selina who Nightwing is after he revealed he was Batman

Many, many years ago…

Catwoman was working with a new hero in Blüdhaven named Nightwing. He had a handsome face, easy on the eyes, and knew Batman well. Seizing the moment, she decided to flirt with the new hero, unaware that he was the first Robin.

Catwoman (laying on a seductive voice): I let Batman have his time with me, but since he’s not here… how about you and I—

Nightwing (nervously backing away): I am not interested! I have no interest in dating anyone, especially not you!

Catwoman (leaning forward): Dating is pushing it. I was thinking—

Nightwing (shouting the first part): I’M A GOOD CHURCH BOY! I reject your wooing! My vow of celibacy is strong, and we’ve got to stop a bank robbery, or the mob, or whatever it is. After that we go our separate ways platonically!

Nightwing speed-walked away, then quickly spun around, walking backward.

Nightwing: Don’t look at my ass! I am not in the mood to be seen as a bakery and nothing else! I will hit you if you don't quit with your unwanted advances.

Catwoman (holding her hands up): Okay, okay, geez. You’re a sexy prude and since you're uncomfortable... I guess I can put a pause on my feminine charm until you’re ready.

Nightwing: Yep, yep, yep. Never happening. Walk in front of me.

Catwoman giggled, holding her tail as she walked forward. Nightwing silently dry-heaved, recalling the days when this woman used to give him hugs and girl scout cookies.

Nightwing (thinking): I gotta tell Bruce… when I feel like talking to him. She has no idea, and I don’t like that. I miss being treated like a kid, at least here. Adding this to the WTF moments of being a hero. Curse this body I was gifted!

... Present day ...

Bruce: Alright, you saw everything. What do you think?

Selina: The cave is nicer than I expected, being a cave and all. Why the dinosaur statue?

Bruce: I like dinosaurs and always wanted a statue. Got that from a heist. It’s pretty cool, isn’t it?

Bruce looked at the dinosaur statue with a genuinely happy smile, reminiscent of his younger years. Selina found herself thinking it was adorable, Bruce was always cute, even in his quirkiest moments.

Selina: Aww, that’s such a sweet and innocent answer. I wasn't expecting that.

She kissed Bruce on the cheek, making him smile.

Selina: And don’t worry, I’m not going to betray you or tell everyone who you are. I know you were worried about that, but my love and trust for you is surprisingly strong.

Bruce: I was honestly fearful of that happening. Especially because… Talia might’ve said you’d be vindictive enough to do such a thing.

Selina (suspicious): She said it differently, didn’t she?

Bruce: What she said I'd rather not repeat.

Alfred (saying it for him): She said “that feline whore would be the first to betray you because she has no moral compass.” She’s wrong, and upset that he chose you over her.

Selina: I figured as much. Her jealousy is kind of funny, considering it doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m usually civil with her and no offense, she’s just as prickly as a cactus.

Bruce (sincere smile): Did I look like I was about to be offended?

Selina laughed, easing the tension in the room, though Bruce was clearly anxious about the next secret he was about to share.

Selina: My point is, Brucie, I’ve been working on my more toxic traits over the years… but I’d never hurt you that way. And you told me this five years ago, I’m still here.

Bruce: That’s true.

Selina: And if I ever did stab you in the back, you’ve got enough info on me to do the same.

Bruce: I won’t do that. I… I love you too much. Even though I disagree with some of your ideas on handling crime, I want to see where this goes.

Selina: Hm, a few years ago I never thought I'd be with you and we'd be working together as a couple, crazy how time has flown by. We haven't aged poorly at all. Score!

Selina giggled, playfully placing a hand on Bruce’s chest. Bruce sighed, chuckling. Alfred stayed six feet away watching the two like it was one of his soap operas.

Bruce: This is going well so far. Which makes the next thing I’m about to tell you pretty stressful. You’ve always been flirtatious in your days as a villain.

Selina: My coquettish behavior is how I like to act, especially with attractive people. I’ve toned it down since then. You'll get the full package though.

Bruce (tense): Uh-huh. Selina, sit down.

Selina took a seat in the Batcomputer chair, crossing her legs and ready for whatever news Bruce had for her . With the Batcave out of the way all that was left were some clarifications on her main morals.

Alfred hummed as he walked past, pretending to dust random objects. Bruce shot him a glance, hoping he’d leave. Alfred shook his head and stayed, clearly intent on witnessing the scene.

Bruce: Alright, I guess Alfred is staying. Um… Kitty, no... nicknames don't work. This feels awkward enough as it is. Selina, your reaction to what I’m about to tell you will really determine whether you stay with me. Okay?

Selina: Whatever you have to say, I won’t freak out. Honestly, you’ve already shared some pretty outlandish stuff. I’m just excited to learn more. Relax, pookie, I can handle it.

Bruce nodded, then got up to retrieve a folding chair, returning and taking a seat in front of her. He found some humor in the fact that Selina had flirted with his son, unaware of who he truly was, and while he didn’t hold any ill will toward her or either of them, he didn’t want her to defend her actions or something worse.

Bruce: Okay. You know Tim is Robin, Barbara was Batgirl and is now Oracle, and you met Jason, who’s still Red Hood, or whatever. You got the basics.

He paused, staring at the rocky cave ceiling.

Bruce: Now, on to my first Robin. He was my oldest son, Dick. He created the entire identity. We got in an argument when he was in his junior year of high school and eventually I fired him. Some time later, he went on to become Nightwing.

Selina: (delayed shock, leaning forward with a confused smile) …What?

Bruce: He’s Nightwing. He created that hero persona himself. Got the name from Superman, ridiculous source, in my opinion, but I grew to like it. He designed both suits, the one with the deep V-neck and—

Selina (slowly realizing): A black and blue striped unitard.

Bruce: Yep. Robin first, then Nightwing. I’ve been keeping that secret for weeks. Dick told me to hold off on telling you. We agreed that this moment needed to be built up, and now that you’ve seen the cave, I thought I’d weave that into the conversation.

Alfred: After I told you to.

Bruce: You gave me a little nudge.

Alfred (sassy): A little?

Bruce and Alfred exchanged a glance, debating whether Bruce or Alfred was the one eager to reveal Nightwing’s true identity. Selina remained silent, blinking quietly, her expression neutral.

Selina: Sorry, can you repeat some of that? I could’ve sworn you said the first Robin, the little boy in the colorful leotard, you’re saying he is Nightwing? That just can’t be… he was like a teenager when I last saw him in the Robin get up.

Bruce: You didn’t say anything wrong. Nightwing started as my first Robin, then when he stopped being Robin after I fired him he became Nightwing. The Discowing was a sight for sore eyes when I first saw it, but very memorable. Right?

Selina: Mm-hm.

Bruce: Do you remember hugging him the first time you met? He was so happy that day, even when I arrested you.

She nodded, biting her lip to hold back her emotions.

Alfred: Dick wasn’t of legal drinking age or an adult when he moved to Blüdhaven and became Nightwing, protecting that area, right, Master Bruce?

Bruce: Yeah, he was college age, just graduated high school. I was in my twenties when I adopted him. Selina, you were around my age then.

Selina swallowed nervously.

Selina: Sorry to focus on this, but the kid I met in the kitchen earlier, he was your Robin from age eight to seventeen?

Bruce: Yep. He graduated early. He’s a smart kid.

Selina: And he became Nightwing around that time… I was done with high school nearly a decade ago, while he was… um, little... he was raised in the circus?

Bruce: Yep. May his parents rest in peace.

Her dread at being reminded of his orphan status made her face pale. She bit her bottom lip, processing this new information. This reaction seemed to ease Bruce’s nerves, he knew he had to be there for her, but honestly, it was almost funny. Alfred walked over with a teacup, passing it to Selina.

Alfred (giving a head up): It’s vodka.

Selina: Thanks.

She took a long sip, then looked at Bruce and Alfred, who exchanged a knowing smile. This made her down the entire cup then shook her head.

Bruce (calm and relaxed): He was going through a breakup and grief over losing Jason during those middle years of being Nightwing. He hated being treated like eye candy. I sided with him when random women treated him like a sex object, because I've always seen how he’s a skilled fighter and a smart guy. Just thought you should know that.

Selina nodded, lowering her cup. She related, she’d been dismissed for her skills, her looks, her reputation as Gotham’s top villain and anti-hero. She’d felt the need to prove herself, and while she’d found a good middle ground, she realized men went through similar struggles, especially someone like Nightwing.

This new understanding made her feel more guilt.

Bruce (leaning forward): You still with us Selina?

Selina hesitated, recalling the days she flirted with Nightwing, thinking he was just a guy working with Batman, unaware of his true identity. It was fun, confident behavior, but not when the person was a teenager. She’d only wanted to make Batman jealous.

Selina: I have to ask... did he ever have a substitute?

Bruce and Alfred: No.

Selina: That’s… that’s amazing. Such a hard worker! So he’s been Nightwing since he was a teenager? Wow. While I was drinking gin and tonic, evading the law, and playing my coquettish Catwoman routine, he… holy kitty litter. He just graduated high school.

She pressed her forehead, eyes darting, voice trembling.

Selina (whispering, spiraling): That’s why he was so nervous when— Oh that’s why he hid in the kitchen. I gave him graham crackers when he was ten, and now I’ve propositioned him for sex. I’m going to hell.

Selina gulped feeling bile rise in her throat.

Bruce: What's wrong?

Selina (nervous): Nothing! Um… Bruce, I might’ve met Nightwing before I knew who he really was. I knew you two knew each other, but I didn’t realize he was your son, the cute little Robin you adopted after his parents died.

Bruce: Yes, and?

Selina: I was mad at you. I thought flirting with Nightwing, who I believed was an adult- which in retrospect wouldn't excuse how I acted. Anyways I was being petty and flirted with him.

Selina scratched her head laughing nervously.

Selina (fanning her face): Whew, is it warm in here?

Alfred: You want to tell her?

Bruce: Alfred, she’s got something important to say first. Selina, whatever it was, you can tell me.

Selina: You won’t be mad?

Bruce: Depends on where you’re going with this.

Selina: Yeah, fair. I had no idea he was the first Robin, how old he was, or that... sweet Jesus— I sound like one of those creeps from To Catch a Predator!

Bruce: No, no. They’re lying on those shows while being fully aware they're committing a crime. You were unaware he was my teenage son. While I'm not happy you used him for that, your reaction now is reassuring. Did you do anything with him?

Selina: Kind of... Well no, but hear me out... I never kissed him or did anything sexual, thankfully. He turned me down every time, and after a while, I just thought he was a prude. We didn’t talk again after he shooed me away.

Bruce: He said he was still bound by his vow of celibacy?

Selina: Yes. Oh God, I propositioned my boyfriend’s son for sex.

She covered her mouth, nearly vomiting, her face flushing with embarrassment. Bruce crossed his arms hiding his enjoyment, while Alfred chuckled.

Selina: He had to be eighteen or nineteen when I last talked to him! I thought he was in his early twenties, mid at worst.

Bruce: Nope. Nineteen. He watched a lot of SpongeBob back then, too.

Selina: SpongeBob? That’s adorable. I get it too, that's a pretty funny show.

Bruce: Well—

Alfred: Bruce, just let it go.

Bruce: I don’t get the hype, and I’ll say my opinion every time.

Alfred rolled his eyes. Selina, meanwhile, lowered her hands, face burning with shame.

Selina: Something in my mind told me to back off, but I went with my feelings instead.

Alfred: He would squirm talking about it too. So bloody funny.

Bruce: Alfred, do you have to be here?

Alfred: I love this kind of drama. You know I do.

Bruce: Unfortunately. Selina, relax. Dick already told me everything.

Selina: I need to apologize to D— Richard— wait, he told you?

Bruce: Yeah. About a year after we made amends. He wanted to know if I’d ever had sex with Barbara. I almost lost my lunch when he asked. We have that in common, Selina.

Selina (placing a hand on her head): You flirted with your friends daughter?

Bruce: God no. Jim said he'd shoot me in the crotch if I ever did too. I respect it.

Selina: Same and that means we’re not completely close. I want to vomit. When he was Robin, he made me so happy, the little boy who wore that Robin suit you adopted when his parents died. I wanted a son, because he was so sweet. I can't believe I didn’t connect the dots…

Bruce (leaning forward, whispering): I made a similar mistake with who someone really was outside of the mask. It never crossed my mind to woo Barbara, since she became like family. I focused on Batman. But I nearly fell off a roof when I found out she was the daughter of Commissioner Gordon.

Alfred: That was the second time you nearly fell off a roof while with a Gordon. That’s always good for a laugh.

Bruce: Yeah, what Alfred said. The mind blocks out a lot. I was surprised you hadn’t guessed who the others were after I unmasked myself. But I also worried, what if she’d defend that she asked my teenage son for to go back to her apartment and have sex? I'd snap and call you every name in the book cause I don't agree with people who do that fully aware.

Selina (covering her eyes again): Aww, that’s so fatherly. This might be the worst thing I’ve ever done. I'm so sorry.

Bruce: You're forgiven and all that, but it's not the robberies, or working with villains, or that time you—

Selina: That was just me living on the edge. I’ve become a better person. You made bad choices too, being reckless, your rainbow-colored suit, the time you tripped on your cape, or when you stabbed Joker in the hand.

Alfred: She’s got you there.

Bruce chuckled in agreement.

Selina: Bruce, I’m sorry. Besides not knowing it was who he was, how I acted with him to get back you was wr- wr- damn this is difficult. I was... in the wrong. I want this to work, not be that petty. Pettiness is fun, but not this.

Alfred: She’s really changing.

Bruce: Alfred, go pretend to dust the weapons or something.

Alfred shrugged, humming as he walked off. Bruce sighed, lowering his girlfriend's hands from her face then placed a hand on her knee.

Bruce: I’m guilty of wanting to make you jealous, too. You came onto my son, but you’re not defending your actions, and I married Talia. We made mistakes, but no laws were broken. You don’t have to apologize to me. Honestly, I find this pretty funny.

Selina (pouting): Glad you’re amused, I feel like vomiting.

Bruce: That’s why it’s funny. I love ironic humor, even if I can’t laugh right now, my ribs are still healing. Come on, that’s funny.

Selina let out a soft laugh, her tension easing as she continued to chuckle, head bowed, hand on her forehead.

Bruce: The world hasn’t exploded. I’m not cutting ties. Everything’s fine. But I’m not the one you should be apologizing to. He’s upstairs, probably in the kitchen or his old bedroom.

Selina: What if I avoid him forever? Never bring this up? Or get someone to wipe our memories?

Bruce: Avoiding him would be difficult. We made amends, and I want to keep that relationship good. Ignoring it would only cause unnecessary tension and awkwardness, and erasing that every awkward moment from your mind would only lead to that third act in the Jim Carrey movie.

Selina: You know all this, but you struggle to do the middle option thing?

Bruce: I’ve been aware of the irony since the ‘90s. I know what I’m talking about. It’s a weight off your shoulders to do the right thing, talk to him. Dick isn’t going to be hostile, and he won’t run away. I think he wants to settle this, but a lot of things happened that got in the way. Take him to an arcade or something.

Selina (joking): What about Chuck E. Cheese?

Bruce: You’re joking, but he does like the pizza there. You might be onto something.

Selina (playfully shoving her boyfriend): You’re being so unserious about all this. But honestly, it’s helping.

She then stood up, sighing.

Bruce: Want me to come with you?

Selina: Not yet. Just wish me luck, and don’t send Alfred follow me. I can tell he’s messy and loves secondhand embarrassment.

Bruce: You’re not wrong. He watches a lot of trash reality TV. Good luck.

Selina took the long walk up the stairs in the Batcave to the main part of the manor, burdened with a necessary but awkward task.

Pt 1

To be continued... currently deciding if Chuck E Cheese is the best place for this since the pizza was lowkey good, but I don't want to infantilize a grown man, but like... if I was Selina I'd be spiraling too lol.

[piplupfluffwritingstuff2]

Christmas Snippet 2024

Merry Christmas everyone! Here's a present for you!

Villain was just about to open their next present when the doorbell rang. The chatter and laughter from the team died down. Who could that possibly be?

“Maybe it’s Christmas carolers?” Sidekick asked.

“At our base?” Supervillain asked, “unlikely.”

The doorbell rang again, followed by weak yet persistent knocking.

“I’ll get it,” Villain said, setting their parcel down.

They headed to the foyer and opened the front door. They stood frozen in shock for a few minutes.

“Well, Villain? Who is it?” Henchman called.

Villain took a minute to find the words. In front of them stood their very own nemesis, Hero, shaking in their hero suit and staring up at them with big, sad eyes.

“I um… I didn’t know where else to go,” Hero said quietly.

Villain blinked. They had never seen Hero like this before, all pathetic and so terribly small. And injured, they noted, as bloody patches on their suit grew wider and redder.

“Villain, come on,” Supervillain put a hand on their shoulder, “who is- oh!”

“S-sorry,” Hero chattered, “I can leave, I didn’t know you were having a party.”

Hero choked on a sob at that last part, as though the very idea of parties was traumatic to them.

“Come inside,” Supervillain said.

Villain opened the door wider for them, holding an arm out should Hero need steadying. It turned out that they did; they were just over the threshold when they collapsed into Villain.

Villain half-carried Hero inside, setting them down in their armchair that they had been sitting in just minutes before.

“I-I’m staining your furniture-” Hero protested.

“Meh, it adds to our aesthetic,” Sidekick said dismissively.

Henchman draped Hero in a blanket and handed them a mug of hot cocoa.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Villain asked gently.

Hero shook their head, tears forming in their eyes.

“It just, it hasn’t been a very good Christmas,” they said quietly.

They did start sobbing at that, their tears making little ripples in their drink. Supervillain took the mug and set it on the side table. After a while, Hero sniffled.

“Can you tell us who did this to you?” Henchman asked.

Hero wouldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. Hesitantly, they nodded.

“My team,” they said.

The criminals exchanged quick, bewildered glances with each other.

“Your team?” Supervillain asked, “why would they-”

“Said I was making us look bad. Everyone else has impressive powers and then there’s me who’s only good for ‘whipping up homemade popsicles.’”

Villain’s hands curled into fists, but they tried to contain their anger for Hero’s sake.

“They d-did all this,” Hero gestured to their wounds, “then said not to come back.”

Hero put their head in their hands and started crying once more. Sidekick put a hand on their shoulder in an attempt to comfort them.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with their Christmas presents now,” Hero said.

“They don’t deserve-” Henchman started to growl.

Supervillain held a hand up.

“Well, you know, Christmas isn’t over yet,” they said, “would you like to celebrate with us?”

Hero looked up.

“We can have a room made up for you just how you like it,” Supervillain offered, “you won’t be alone, and you can stay indefinitely, or for however long as you feel comfortable.”

“But I’m not a-” Hero started, “I can’t do what you all- I’m not a villain.”

“So what?” Villain said, “we could all use a moral compass, you’d be our live-in hero!”

“You don’t have to answer right now,” Supervillain said, “how about we get you patched up and go from there?”

Hero looked taken aback, as though kindness from others had eluded them all their life.

“Yes please,” they said.

…

It was well into the evening when Hero started showing off their favorite party trick- making it snow indoors. Sidekick tried to catch snowflakes on their tongue while Henchman brought in a tray of cookies. Supervillain added a few flames to the fire with their powers.

“Where did Villain go? They’re missing the snow!” Sidekick said.

“Right here!” Villain answered, coming inside with a present.

They set it down on Hero’s lap. Hero blinked, then looked up at them with wide eyes.

“You didn’t have to do this!” they said.

“Oh I think I did,” Villain smiled.

Hero tore at the wrapping paper and opened the box underneath. They stared slack-jawed at the gift inside. A fleece, weighted blanket with snowflakes scattered across the fabric.

“I hope it’s okay I kinda ran with the superpower theme,” Villain said nervously, “but I know you get cold faster than anyone, and the weight helps with anxiety and- oh!”

Hero had jumped up and hugged Villain as tightly as their stitches would allow. Villain hugged them back.

“I love it, thank you,” Hero said, squeezing tighter.

“Yep,” Villain choked out, “can’t breathe.”

Hero finally released them, beaming widely.

“Hey, look!” Sidekick pointed to the ceiling.

The pair looked up at the mistletoe dangling over them.

“Oh, Villain, you don’t have to if you don’t want to-”

Hero was cut off by Villain’s lips pressing gently against theirs. Hero had never felt this close to melting before.

Henchman and Supervillain cooed, clapping soflty. Sidekick stuck their tongue out, regretting that they had pointed the plant out.

“Merry Christmas, Hero,” Villain said.

Hero smiled, the sparkle back in their eyes.

“Merry Christmas, Villain.”

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[casscainmainly]

Have you read the recent chapter of boy wonder? I feel like it ties nicely with what you were talking about recently like robin, the mantles relationship with poc and batman

Adding your second ask here: "And also robin as being able to be a symbol for the collective and community. Sorry for being so scatter brained I sent the other ask without completing my thoughts😭 I was really interested in how you'll react to the recent chapter and hearing your thoughts on it. I'm not really good at analysis but reading yours are always fun"

I'm really happy you sent this ask because I've been meaning to read The Boy Wonder for ages and I never got around to it, so this was the push I needed!

You're spot on that so much of issue #5 connects to what I was discussing in my Duke Thomas and the Robin Mantle post. In fact, Damian giving the R symbol to the would-be robber directly parallels Duke giving the symbol to Daryl:

The Boy Wonder #5 / Batman (2011) #45

In both, they view Robin as a connection to their families and to the wider Gotham community, as the grounds for both individual and societal change. And honestly this makes sense, given that Damian is the predecessor, both chronologically and spiritually, to Duke's Robin.

Damian as a character of color is fraught with difficulty. The set-up of his story invites a dichotomy between the evil, Asian, brown-skinned Talia and Ra's, and the kind and caring White Wayne family. Morrison's demonisation of Talia is symptomatic of this issue. This is something The Boy Wonder mentions, too; Ra's is aggrieved not only at Damian betraying him, but at Damian siding with a rich White man, the opposite of every ideal he was raised with.

But in The Boy Wonder and in canon, the dichotomy is not so simple. Boy Wonder has Damian acknowledge both his 'demon' and Bat sides, with the social movement aspect coming from his mother, not from Bruce. It's also important to anti-racist readings of his character, as well as a general understanding of Damian, that he did not need to learn compassion. He already had it - one of his earliest moments in Morrison's run is feeling devastated at failing to save Sasha. People saying Dick taught Damian to feel things are missing the point: Damian already felt things, and what he learned from Dick was how to process and use those feelings.

(It's also important that Damian's first Batman was Dick, the first Robin, and retroactively the first Robin of Colour.)

Damian as a character moves from the restricting, White-centric legacy of the Batman into the freeing, colourful legacy of Robin. Another parallel to Duke and We Are Robin:

The Boy Wonder #5 / We Are Robin #1

Robin has always stood for youth, but this notion of the future starts with Damian (as Bruce's heir) and flourishes in Duke (as one of Gotham's many heirs). They are the future, which means the future is a place of colour.

One thing I liked more in Boy Wonder than We Are Robin is that Damian starts the movement, whereas WAR has... Alfred (this is a bad move for many reasons but this post is too long already). Damian credits the core moral principle - wanting to change the world in a communal way - to Ra's and Talia, which shows that Damian's morals do not come from the Batfam. Once again, the Robin mantle is not only a connection to the Bat, but a connection to the wearer's original/other family, as it was for Dick and Duke.

In all three cases, the other family is a family of colour. This is why I think Dick works better when his Romani heritage is acknowledged; the Dick-Damian-Duke lineage is a nuanced exploration of the ways kids of Colour navigate the White world, in which Robin functions as a celebration of difference and a rebellion against assimilation. It's a progressive journey: Dick is White-passing and has mostly lost touch with his roots, Damian (ideally, when Talia is written right) equally loves both sides of his family, and Duke is unapologetically, unequivocally Black.

Which is why, though I enjoyed Boy Wonder overall, I'm extremely puzzled why Duke wasn't in it. Like, Damian just started We Are Robin!!! Why would you do WAR and not include WAR characters? Merle could've easily been Duke, and the comic would've been richer for it. (Also why is Babs here?? She says like two lines and is not part of the Robin legacy. Steph being Batgirl or Robin would've made more sense).

I can kind of understand Duke's omission (though this comic pulls so much from We Are Robin it feels like it owes Duke a cameo), but Dick's role was strangely small. It seems like Damian didn't start as Dick's Robin here, but that point is so essential to his character that once again I'm puzzled. There is so much more to be done with Dick, especially with the last issue being a meditation on the Robin legacy.

But it was still a fun read, and Damian is so adorable throughout I can't be mad at it. I hope this post makes up for how long it took me to get to this ask!!

[synergysilhouette]

10 Disney hot takes/unpopular opinions (Part 7)

I'm sure the title is self-explanatory. You know the drill! Check out part 6 here.

Phoebus is Disney's best main-supporting character--I know I stated this objectively, but obviously "best" is subjective. I always appreciated his kindness and strength, and while he doesn't really grow in viewpoint since he always has a strong moral compass, his allegiance changes, and we love to see it when a good guy stops working for the bad guy! Only wish he got to sing.

2. Aurora's dress is the best Disney princess gown--I think it's because of the uniqueness of it; the sharp elements instead of rounded aspects, as well as the pink color (which helps her stand out; blue pits her against Tiana, Jasmine, and Cinderella). Plus I love when merchandising gives her a blue AND pink dress.

3. Eric should've sang in the musical and he and Ariel should've gotten to talk after the battle--I'm glad other adaptations (the live-action remake, the Broadway adaptation, and the anniversary special) have fixed the singing part, but I do feel like it was a missed opportunity to not have Eric sing in the film. It's kind of disappointing actually that it's actually other characters who sing most of the songs rather than the main character (who only gets 1.5 songs) and her love interest. Plus I always wished we got a reconciliation scene between Ariel and Eric rather than a "back to square one" approach they did.

4. I think Disney could get away with more (censored) violence--Kind of an oxymoron, but what I mean is that "Pocahontas" and "Mulan" got away with violence in a way that was still digestible for a younger audience. Not saying that every Disney film needs a lot of violence, but when violence is warranted, they can do so by getting creative with how it's shown, rather than it being offscreen or skipped over.

5. Mirabel should be a Disney princess--I know some people see the DP line as kind of elitist and only admitting "a certain type" of heroine, but aside from adding diversity to the line by being the first Latin-American princess/first South American princess/first Disney princess with glasses, she's also a well-written character who's personality and heart makes her join the line without feeling like she's just there for the sake of optics.

6. "If I Never Knew You" is the greatest Disney love song--I've said it before, but not on a hot take post. It stands out as a song that isn't about the sweetest moments of love, but the darkest elements and consequences of love. Not saying I want the next Disney couple to have a sad ending like Pocahontas and John Smith, but a love song when all seems lost is really unique, and I kinda wonder if this song would've won an Oscar if it had been included in the final cut.

7. We need more complex stories with complex antagonists--I feel like Disney has started telling more complex storylines with "Frozen," "Zootopia," "Big Hero 6," "Encanto," and "Raya and the Last Dragon," and I want them to continue to. Obviously you want a story with a happy ending and something to please the kids who may want something uplifting, but that doesn't mean you can't have more grey-area movies with the protagonist having to change/grow their perspective, and the antagonist not necessarily being a villain.

8. "Tangled" is the wrong movie for Disney on Broadway to be working on--While I understand that it's a popular film, there are renaissance films that should've gotten that treatment before, as well as "Moana" and "Encanto" feeling like better ideas, especially in order to capitalize on their viral impact.

9. "Frozen 2" has the most (emotionally) impactful soundtrack of the Revival Era--I've thought a lot about this, but while Disney always has an emotional song or two in their musicals, "Frozen 2" is an emotional journey from start to end; even the fun songs like "Some Things Never Change," "Lost in the Woods," and "When I'm Older" have a profound meaning to them, a sense of change that Disney should've brought into the 2020s with them. While I found the film narratively clunky, all of the songs (even the ones I wasn't big on) still left me with a feeling of fufillment, like I had just went on an amazing journey of self-discovery. Mature movies like that usually aren't musicals, so I'm glad this was.

10. The Bronze Age is one of my least-favorite Disney Eras--If you know my channel, you know my opinion on animal-centric films; not a fan, with "Zootopia" being an exception because I loved the plot AND they were somewhat human in the world/setting. Almost all of Disney's films during this era were animal-centric, and none of them were good enough for me to be engaged. And while I find "The Black Cauldron" underrated, I do kinda wish Disney had made it a musical instead.

[lionheartedmusings]

i will never not be endlessly fascinated with pomme and q!bad's dynamic, especially now after the egg disappearance, purgatory, and returning to the island.

because pomme's adoption wasn't this huge emotional moment or him stepping in for someone who wasn't there, their bond was built out of time and care and love, to the point that it was just the next natural step in their relationship. even after that, it took a while for pomme to call q!bad dad because she was nervous and wanted it to be at the right time -- q!bad was aware of it too, because when she did call him dad for the first time he melted, took a photo of the sign, and made it not a big deal per se but acknowledged that it was a meaningful moment between them. then they moved on and kept going as usual.

their time together is cherished and not an afterthought -- yes, when her french parents are on pomme will always do the rounds with them! of course, she wants to spend time with them! q!bad's time with her is after, and they both know that in an inherently healthy and comforting way. it's their schedule, and even if she's with q!bad and one of her other parents log on off stream she'll go to hang out and q!bad only *once* interrupted that time, and it was to ask for her opinion on footage when he thought someone was in his house.

pomme is also both a mini-bad in a lot of ways inherently, and his absolute antithesis. they both share vicious anger when those they love are endangered, are fiercely protective and paranoid, are planners and worries to a fault... i don't think pomme would be surprised to hear what her dad did in purgatory at all, even if it would make her sad. that's where they're not similar at all: pomme is vengeful too, don't get me wrong, she's an eye for an eye girlie *but* she has a level of restraint that q!bad doesn't, and a moral compass that actually sees right and wrong vs. something i care about and something i don't. q!bad has been anchored by pomme before, brought to heel so to speak, in a way that needed no convincing because there's a level of trust there that's inherent.

and yet pomme knows and q!bad has acknowledged that dapper is his priority -- not in terms of love, never that, but still a priority. and that's just okay. pomme knows she's loved, she knows her dad adores her and she also knows that she has other parents that love her whereas ultimately dapper doesn't. she knows her mom q!baghera would prioritise her, and so would q!antoine, and q!aypierre, and q!etoiles -- it's okay that q!bad doesn't because he's looking out for her brother and she loves her brother more than anything.

the one thing that's interesting to me about their dynamic is the fact that pomme is loud and proud about being q!bad's daughter and has expressed frustration that people don't know / acknowledge her as his kid, but q!bad is almost reluctant to say she's his more often than not.

i can count on one hand the times he's corrected someone when they mention only dapper, or added that pomme is his too... and yet in private to him it's always dapper and pomme. he grieved them both in their time away, left pomme a message, checked her room too. he sang her happy birthday and got her the flowers she likes. he lost it when the eggs went missing not at seeing dapper's empty bed, but pomme's. he, in the throes of his memory loss and confusion, proudly said "this has got to be pomme's, this is exactly how my daughter would organise things" about the egg rooms.

there's a duality there that is fascinating and confusing and seems... purposeful on q!bad's behalf in a way i truly can't figure out entirely.

maybe he's trying to protect her, to distance himself from her in the rest of the island's minds so if something goes wrong she can be safe in a way he knows dapper could never be -- after all, elquackity didn't take pomme, he had no idea she was his.

i guess it's all about love, anyway.

[hummingbird24220]

Chapter Five: Surprisingly Useful (Unfortunately)

The chaos had passed. No marines in sight. No alarms blaring. No one screaming about stolen limbs.

A miracle, honestly.

The Thousand Sunny glided peacefully over calm waters, sun high, wind warm, and—for once—no one was yelling your name in anger.

You were sprawled out under one of the lawn chairs, belly-up, sunglasses tilted askew, a piece of toast on your chest like a lazy offering to the gods.

“I think I’m finally relaxed enough to die,” you mumbled.

“No dying on the deck,” Sanji said as he passed with a tray. “It’s bad for morale.”

“You’d miss me.”

“I’d miss my silverware,” he muttered.

You waved lazily.

Luffy was napping in the Sunny’s figurehead hammock, mouth open. Usopp and Chopper were working on a bug-catching contraption, arguing over net sizes. Nami sunned herself with a book, and Robin sat nearby, quietly sketching…you. Again.

You noticed. She noticed you noticing. Neither of you commented.

Peace.

Until Franky came stomping across the deck holding the previously-stolen marine leg.

“Alright, fuzzball,” he said, dropping it next to you with a dramatic clank. “We’re gutting this thing today.”

You blinked. “…Is that a threat or an invitation?”

“Workshop. Now.”

Inside Franky’s workshop, you were surprisingly focused. Claws retracted, goggles down, fur singed in three different spots from minor malfunctions—but your tail wagged excitedly as you peeked into the guts of the high-tech prosthetic.

“Okay, so if we reroute the wiring here,” you mumbled, “and rework the piston seals, we could boost the force output by, like…twenty percent.”

Franky blinked. “You know how hydraulics work?”

You shot him a look. “Do I look like someone who doesn’t regularly take apart things I shouldn't?”

“…Fair.”

You held up a tiny bolt. “This little guy is stuck. Gimme your small drill.”

Franky handed it over automatically. “You even know which tool—”

VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT—

Bolt popped off.

Franky stared.

You leaned back, wiped your hands, and said: “Chaotic doesn’t mean useless, baby.”

By midafternoon, word had spread.

You’d helped Chopper rewire one of his medical machines.

Tightened a screw on Zoro’s sword sheath without being asked.

Even fixed Nami’s compass after it had been slightly off.

(You may have also slightly broken it first, but no one needed to know.)

Usopp watched you tinker with a busted slingshot launcher and said slowly, “So…you’re like that one raccoon.”

You tilted your head. “Is that a compliment or…?”

“It’s absolutely a compliment,” he said, already handing you more parts.

Later, after dinner, you were curled up like a cat in one of the hammocks, tail twitching, grease still smeared on your cheek.

Robin passed by and handed you a cup of tea.

“I think they’re finally seeing your usefulness,” she said calmly.

You sipped it with a shrug. “Yeah, well. Can’t just be the chaotic loot gremlin every day.”

Then you reached into your shirt and pulled out Sanji’s fork.

“…Mostly.”

She smiled.

From the kitchen: “HEY! I JUST COUNTED THOSE!”

You sipped your tea again.

“Reflex.”

-------

The next island was quiet—just a sleepy port town with crumbling stone streets, salty air, and seagulls that sounded like they owed someone money. The Sunny docked without incident, the crew excited to restock, explore, and stretch their legs without immediate threat of capture, gunfire, or you stealing someone's pants.

(That happened once. They weren’t wearing them at the time, but still.)

You stuck close to the ship at first, lounging on a crate and watching as the others drifted into town. You picked at a loose screw from the dock, rolled it between your claws, then dropped it into your pouch—just in case.

Zoro passed by, sword slung over his shoulder, heading toward the edge of town.

“Oi. You coming?”

You blinked. “To… what? Watch you stare at walls and get lost?”

He stopped walking but didn’t turn. “Nami wants someone to keep me on track.”

“Ohhhh. Babysitting.”

“Optional,” he muttered, then added with mild annoyance, “You are the least annoying option today.”

You stretched, tail flicking. “That is both flattering and offensive.”

Still, you followed.

You ended up trailing him through back streets and alleyways, correcting his turns without saying a word. Occasionally, you pointed with your tail like a fleshy GPS. He grunted each time, stubborn, but never turned the wrong way after that.

Eventually, the two of you stopped at a little shop near the edge of town. Nothing fancy—mostly odds and ends, fishing gear, tools.

Zoro grabbed some oil for his blades. You, meanwhile, crouched near the back wall, inspecting a set of ancient navigational maps and a rusted compass tucked in a dusty corner.

“You’re wasting time,” Zoro said.

You didn’t answer right away. Your eyes traced the strange, uneven markings on the maps. Something about them itched at your brain.

“…These are coded,” you muttered. “Probably old smuggler routes. Look at the ink—these markings were added after the original cartography. Whoever used this didn't want just anyone following.”

Zoro stared. “How do you even know that?”

You shrugged. “I used to… read a lot. Before.”

“Before what?”

You paused. “Before I had to stop reading and start surviving.”

Zoro didn’t say anything for a while. Just watched as you traced a claw along one of the routes.

You glanced up. “What?”

“I think you’re smarter than you act.”

You blinked. “You think?”

He gave a faint, crooked smirk. “Well, you also shoved a fish into Luffy’s pants last night and yelled ‘BOUNTY BOOST.’ So.”

“It was funny.”

“It was chaos.”

You grinned, then gently rolled up the smuggler’s map and tucked it into your shirt.

“For research purposes,” you said.

He just snorted. “Don’t let Nami catch you.”

“She won’t. I’m subtle.”

CLANG.

A metal fishing rod fell behind you. Zoro sighed.

You shrugged. “Mostly subtle.”

Back on the Sunny that evening, as the sky went orange and Chopper proudly showed off new herbs, Nami counted the crew’s spending and Luffy tried to eat a barrel, you quietly unrolled the map on the deck under dim lantern light.

Robin walked by, glanced down, then did a double-take.

“…Where did you get that?”

“Little shop. Back alley. Guy didn’t even know what he had.”

She leaned closer. “You know what this is?”

You nodded. “Smuggler routes. Probably twenty years old, but some of the marked islands aren’t even on the current map logs. Could be lost ports. Maybe even a weapons stash.”

Robin looked at you with new eyes.

“You should show Nami.”

“…Maybe later,” you said, rolling it back up.

Robin smiled faintly. “Smarter than you act.”

You groaned. “Not you too.”

“You’re not fooling anyone,” she said, sipping her tea.

You flicked your tail and muttered, “I am a mysterious enigma, and you are all ruining it.”

From across the deck, Sanji shouted, “WHO TOOK MY SALT JAR?!”

You froze.

“…Unrelated.”

[blood-and-poetry]

you know it's very much on brand for me to fall in love with a romance option that's a bit undercooked and abandoned by the devs. But at least Minthara IS a romance option and she is the first video game romance option for female player characters that I actually really really love. I romanced all of the wholesome sweet and quirky (and sorry, often times bland. I love you Josephine and Liara but yea) women in games but the ones I was really interested in were always not romancable at all, just a fling/kiss/one spicy scene or only available to male characters. And in the latter case when I installed a mod to romance them the romance was written horribly because it was made to please some 16 year old gamer boy.

So it's very much a "I take what I can get/a win is a win" situation and I feel bad about complaining. But when I realized that there isn't a sex romance cutscene for Minthara (not counting the one we get in act 1 if we kill the Tieflings because her romance hasn't even started then and it can be missed by people who have a moral compass (not me though lmao)) and how it seems like even the people who put her in the game don't really like her.. I realized that things will probably never change lmao. On one hand it makes me appreciate the Minthara romance even more but on the other makes me frustrated that they have one of the most fascinating characters on hand with an absolutely amazing voice actress and just leave it at what it is right now. I know they added some stuff since release but still.

Overall, it is what it is I guess

[thelaurenshippen]

re: that *chef kiss* PERFECT Franken-Drummer post and tumblr not being all over The Expanse, I know right?? it’s such an amazing show with so many delightful, complicated characters yet it’s so unfairly slept on! maybe because S1 takes awhile to get going and ppl give up? idk but it makes me sad that I have so few ppl to squeal about Drummer and Amos and Bobbie and Christjen and Ashford and Naomi (ad infinitum) with 😭🚀😭

WHY ARE PEOPLE NOT OBSESSED WITH THE EXPANSE HELLO!?!?! there's literally so much to love about it oh my god. you're right, it DOES take a second to get going but once it does!!!

for those of you who have not read or seen The Expanse series (I myself have yet to read the books), let me tell you why you'll love it:

political space drama with incredibly distinct cultures and phenomenal world building, if you're a details girlie (gn), you're gonna go nuts

the found family vibes!!??! are off!?!? the charts!?!? (minor spoilers for the first few episodes) four people are thrown into a situation in which they accidentally become the most important people/fugitives in the whole galaxy and most of them DO NOT trust each other, what could possible go wrong, and even better, what could possibly go RIGHT

Christjen Avasarala. you are not ready for her. most powerful mover-shaker on earth with the most incredible outfits you've ever seen, refined elegance with the filthiest mouth, plus she's got a classic "whatever those two have going on is so gay it veers into something else entirely" with her younger protective knight lady, Bobbie

Bobbie. the "not to be a lesbian but oh my god" post is made for her. we meet her in the show for the first time when she arm wrestles a robot and WINS. you will be begging for her to step on you with her mech suit

speaking of women I want to step on me Camina Drummer. angry revolutionary pirate queen of my heart. do you miss the unique agony of 2000/10s queerbaiting but want it to be not baiting somehow? this show does that, idk how else to explain it. the most agonizing sapphic pining you've ever seen but it's textual and also not painful because its gay. don't worry, Camina fucks, just not the girl she wants most (also spoilers, but this is not a bury your gays show don't worry)

Jim Holden is literally just Some Guy who becomes the special fantasy chosen one because he simply cannot stop Getting Involved. nosiest bitch in the universe, I love him.

imagine you're a girl who leaves your shitty ex and gets a normal industrial job on a spaceship, only to have a six foot, two hundred pound killer dressed as a mechanic imprint on you like a baby duck, and its unclear whether he wants to fuck you or call you a little sister but he definitely WILL kill for you and will do literally anything you say and then you both end up caught up in a weird galactic war by mistake and there's this other guy with a captain america level moral compass and he's cute and you're into him except your shitty ex is still out there with the biggest secret you have and meanwhile your best female friend is the coolest person you've ever met but you don't think you can be what she needs and you're holding your family together, you're holding the universe together and all you want is justice for your people but unfortunately you've gone and fallen in love with the accidental most important man in the galaxy. well, every day Naomi Nagata wakes up

Praxideke Meng. botanist of my heart. literally tames the rabid guard dog that no one else could. gentle and able to stay gentle because of said dog. which brings me to...

Amos Burton. I saved him for last because he is my guy. he is THAT guy. canonically aromantic pansexual king. are you into guard dog characters? do you find yourself drawn to the "sorry my love language is acts of service and all I'm good at is killing people" characters? amos burton is like seventeen tumblr posts come to life. previously mentioned enormous killer dressed as a mechanic, former heels wearing "I didn't always work in space" sex worker who is always rolling into brothels and being like "you guys unionized?", gives a shit about basically no one in the universe except his crew and every single child in the galaxy, accidental comedian because he cannot stop saying weird shit, not a nice or good person but a loyal one, and one who is always trying to relearn the empathy that was carved out of him as a young person. every time he goes homicidal to protect one of his chosen people (crew + any and every child), an angel gets its wings.

fin.

[saffiroll]

All gems for my II Gem Au (i hope i didn't miss a character

If you have any questions about this Au, the askbox is open!

•MePhone4- Aqua Diamond

•MePhone4s- Red Diamond

•MePhone3GS- Grey Diamond

•Albite- Toilet (One of the gems that directly serves Aqua Diamond, gives news often)

•Lavander Jade- MePad (Another servant of Aqua Diamond, makes reports and often replaces Aqua in occasions where he cannot be present)

▪︎▪︎▪︎PS, All the Diamonds of this era refuse to have and or own Pearls▪︎▪︎▪︎

•Yellow Apatite- Lightbulb (Guard gem/fighter, always accompanying Pieteresite)

•Pieteresite- Paintbrush (Mural artist, pretty high-quality gem)

•Peridot- Test Tube (Technician)

•Rubellite- Fan (Keeps an eye on homeworld log dates)

•Golden Spinel- Cheesy (Entertainer, built to be your "best friend")

•Silver- Nickel (Observes gem production, makes sure they have good resources to come out properly, can fight if needed)

•Fine Silver- Silver Spoon (ONLY observes and does analysis on gem creation, works along Silver/Nickel, makes sure they look polished)

•Lavander Sapphire- Candle (Future Vissiooonnn)

•Red Thulite- Balloon (deemed useless, a soldier gem)

•Bronzite- Suitcase (manages materials that are carried within injectors to other planets for gem production and colony starters, often around Silver/Nickel)

•Bi-Colour Tourmaline- Baseball (Can heal, manages grouping and escorting newly made gems)

•Pink Kunzite- Bow (Communicator, works with signals that connect to other colonies)

•Vivianite- Tissues (Simple gem, doesn't do much, usually observes other gem activities)

•Yellow Kunzite- Dough (Random guard, quite lazy)

•Actinolite- Pickle (Messenger boy, delivers important info)

•Bloodstone- Taco (Former messenger girl that worked with Actinolite, now turned rebel)

•Howlite- Marshmellow (Calm gem, works around the human zoo sometimes, rare gem)

•Red Beryl- Apple (Gem warrior, often accompanying Howlite)

•Citrine- OJ (Public speaker, always talking with White Zircon)

•White Zircon- Paper (Lawyer Gem)

•Hypersthene- Microphone (Usually a gem that replaces other gems, a substitute you could say)

•Pink Chalcedony- Soap (Homeworld's official cleaner, friends with Hyperstene)

•White Selenite- Salt (works with Grey Selenite, works around the reef where pearls are made)

•Grey Selenite- Pepper (helps White Selenite with working around the reef)

•Black Druzy Quartz- Bomb (quartz that specializes in explosive manufacturing)

•Fused red spinel- Cherries (entertainer)

•Conjoined Psilomelane (black & white)- Yin-Yang (observes activities along with Vivianite, talks with fused red spinel often)

•Yellow Jasper- Trophy (Quartz soldier)

•Periwinkle Tanzanite- Cabby (Has information and reports on all gems, their activity and general state)

•Kunzite 2.0 (later they gave themselves the identity of Prehnite)- Bot (Does what Kunzite was supposed to do, before they found out they weren't really her, they were just a robotic body with Kunzite's gem shards added in, so they developed their own identity later and now they work along with Periwinkle Tanzanite)

•Bubbled/Corrupted Smoky Quartz- Box (former quartz soldier)

•Zebra Jasper- Knife (Quartz soldier)

•Green Sapphire- Clover (Brings good predictions with her future vision)

•Kaolinite- Tea Kettle (Brings good morale and compassion to fighter and soldier gems)

•Cinnabar- Lifering (Specializes in gem care and fighting)

•Benitoite- Blueberry (the diamonds don't know what to do with him so he just kinda, sticks around)

Idk about Goo and Floory tho.

[positivelybeastly]

Goats Gremlin Gibber-Jabber part 2:

Oh we’re so back baby

Ahem ahem. First thing on the itinerary: Welcome back! Missed youuuu <3

Second thing:

HANK PUT EMMA BACK TOGETHER WHEN SHE WAS SHATTERED????

Hi in this session of my gibberish thoughts, my friend and I with our blogs made hank and Emma a thing, and there was something about them that made us so ill for them together. Granted my hank isn’t exclusive, but something with Emma clicked. And then. AND THEN

The fucking shattering of Emma, Hank discovering it after he had planned to try and cheer her up?

And then him DEDICATING himself to put her back together. And like like he got so far???

HE GOT CRAZY FAR BEFORE JEAN INTERVENED WITH THE PHEONIX.

I’ve been lost in the sauce from that moment on.

The fact that when someone said “Oh nobody liked her.” So everyone was a suspect, and he went “I liked her.” And then the fact he was convinced she couldn’t actually be dead, and then spent that time putting her back together even when the pieces were in the hundreds of THOUSANDS.

I’ve become ill from this (/pos) and I wanna hear your take on this section cause I just aaaagh.

Sincerely,

that weird fucking goat that keeps popping up and biting people.

Adding your addendum here so I can answer all in one go. :)

So, like . . . okay.

Hank and Emma's friendship is really special to me, and it all ties back to the way that Grant Morrison conceptualised Hank, when they came on to write New X-Men. It's worth noting that neither Hank, or Emma, were actually meant to be on the team when Morrison first pitched their story, they were originally going to be Colossus and Moira MacTaggert, but both had recently died. This is why Emma gets her diamond form secondary mutation - she's acting as the bruiser of the team in absence of Colossus.

So, how does Grant Morrison conceptualise Hank?

No dark secrets. Nothing to hide. The sweetest guy. The best heart.

These are the architects of modern X-Men, by the way. Morrison and Hickman. This is how they see Hank McCoy, and though they may have many flaws in their writing styles and their stories may fumble certain things, I think that they have an opinion worth noting. Their effect on modern X-Men is undeniable.

So, Emma and Hank meet, and they already have chemistry. They are both incredibly sharp, incredibly brilliant, incredibly witty, incredibly cultured individuals, and though they may (at this time) have very different moral compasses, it's very clear that there's a spark of friendship already, especially when you compare Hank's immediate sympathy to how Jean treats her literally a page later.

Something that's underrated about Morrison's Jean is that she's kind of not very nice a lot of the time, but you understand why. She's going through some shit in this series, and she has a very, very, very valid reason to hate Emma after Dark Phoenix, so her trying to reach out is what she thinks she should do, but calling her a bitch is what she wants to do, really - and Emma doesn't give a fuck. Or at the very least, she's very good at making it look like she doesn't give a fuck.

This is another aspect of why I think Hank and Emma have such good chemistry: they are both masters of control and appearance. They both spend so, so, so much time cultivating a specific image so that they can't be hurt - Hank obfuscates and hides behind big words, big concepts, big gestures, while Emma snarks and affects cool, sniping at anyone who might dare get close.

Like recognises like. I almost think it's a sort of game for them, to perform and poke at one another, knowing that they each know each other's secrets, but with an unspoken agreement that they won't go too far.

Emma jabs and pokes and prods, and Hank shuts her down in three sentences. If there were any malice or anger in this interaction, it wouldn't stop the way it does. There's no lingering animosity between them, there's no heat. It's two theatrical bitches in superhero clothes pretending that their personal lives aren't a mess by being extra bitchy at one another, and I think that they love that.

It's also worth noting that Hank, at this stage, is still an extremely moral presence, an unquestionable good guy (Threnody revisionism notwithstanding, don't at me, I've heard it before), and Emma is very much not. She's still the woman who was part of the Hellfire Club, who worked against the X-Men, who was part of Genosha, Magneto's regime - but Hank doesn't browbeat her with it. It only ever comes up when he's convinced that she's turned on them.

A moment of panic, but Emma doesn't take him to task for it - if anything, I like to think she might have actually been a bit grateful, because it made her plan seem all the more authentic, to have someone screaming that she can't do this. He then immediately apologises, and compliments her. It doesn't come up again. He judges her by her current actions, not by her past, and this is something that's very consistent with Hank, if you look at the wider tapestry of his life, because who else does he judge by his current actions and not his past?

Oh yeah. Hank forgives. Hank understands.

And I always find it interesting how he takes Scott and Emma's affair. He doesn't criticise Emma for it, but he does take Scott to task. Why? Well, it could be Morrison's take on who's responsible for the affair bleeding through, but I think it's more that Hank knows that Emma is still working on herself, still improving her behaviour, still in the process of becoming better, and he's willing to give her the space to do that, but Scott?

Scott, I think Hank believes has less of an excuse. But again, he doesn't make a thing of it until it comes to a boiling point. He warns Scott, and Scott doesn't listen. And when it's all said and done, Hank makes it clear that Scott and Emma's lives may be their own, but he has his own feelings on it, and he's capable of holding multiple emotional viewpoints at once.

Like, this is a lot of leeway and a lot of grace that Hank is affording Emma here, considering she was just as guilty of initiating the affair as Scott was, if not more so - but again. He expects better of Scott. He knows Scott knows right from wrong, and where his obligations lie, and he expects him to be faithful to his wife. Hank knows Emma is flirting, being very sexually open, but he knows that that is partly affectation, partly bait, partly exploration, and partly a fuck you aimed at Jean, who she just plain doesn't like. Harping on at her about it will not make her stop, and will only drive her not to trust Hank. And it becomes increasingly clear, as the series goes on, that Emma does trust and value Hank, quite a lot, actually.

Now, it's not like Emma needs an excuse to be cruel and to make a scene, but that's not really what this is, is it? Look at the order in which she addresses the journalist. She's offended - "I beg your pardon!" - but what at? "This man is a world-renowned scientist!"

She doesn't take offence to the idea that people hate mutants because trouble follows them where they go. She takes offence to her being insulting to Hank specifically. She elevates Hank, and degrades her opponent. This is not something Emma does often, she usually just skips to the degradation! Hank doesn't even expect it! Look at the little lines around his head in the panel with Emma blown up large in the psychic landscape! He was absolutely going to let that comment go by, and not make a thing of it, and Emma chose to make the moment about standing up for him, and he did not expect it.

But he values it, nonetheless. And he puts his paw on her, and thanks her.

Reminder, this is how she reacted to another man putting his hands on her just a few issues before.

Now, granted, we don't see where Logan's hand is, but the man's generally a gentleman, despite his reputation, so I think she just doesn't like to be touched . . . generally. But she doesn't mind it when Hank touches her, and thanks her for standing up for him. Something which she does not do for many people. Reminder, this is how she reacts to Jean having a straight up psychic fit in front of her.

Like, there's a degree to which this is bravado and humour, because Emma is tending to Jean here, but I guarantee you that this is not how she would have acted if Hank had been the one to fall in distress.

And going back to the panels where Logan is helping her up - I don't know if it's just me, but there's something very purposeful in the fact that Emma and Hank are both on the right hand side of the page, with Emma engaging her diamond form so that she doesn't have to feel, denying her own compassion, while Hank stands in shadow, looking mournful, defeated, quietly furious, unable to do anything but feel his compassion.

Perhaps that's something that Emma admires in Hank. The fact that he has no dark secrets, that he does, in at least some ways, wear his heart on his sleeve; that he has no choice but to feel. He is a good man. And it's easy to forget, in a world where cynical media and cynical people surround us, but there is something charismatic and likeable and warm about good people. Even if you might consider them foolish, people who fail to be good often envy those who try, even though they might face insurmountable odds.

Hank's refusal to accept that the world has to be a place of cruelty and disbelief and skepticism and fear has a way of rankling the cynics around him. It's one of my favourite things about him.

It has a way of paying off.

How often does Emma Frost listen to someone again . . ?

And then . . . yeah. We come to the assembly.

"Fuck you, I liked her."

She listened. She laughed. She spoke Byron back to him. Do you ever think about just how often Hank gets that? Fucking never, I bet!! It must just be so refreshing to quote, and for the other person to know.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society where none intrudes, By the deep Sea, and music in its roar: I love not Man the less, but Nature more, From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been before, To mingle with the Universe, and feel What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal.

Of course it's a romantic poet. Of course it's Byron.

And then, the assembly . . . ouuuuuuaghhh . . .

Like, people love for their characters to have feats, right? People love that Storm was the Regent of Arakko, and faced down the Horsemen. People love that Cyclops put the Void in a little box in his mind and told it no. People love that Jean chased down Enigma all the way through space and time and destroyed him. People love it when all the things that epitomise a character come together in a moment that speaks to the truth of them - their strength, their control, their refusal to give up. It's not just about power, it's about what that moment says about their personality, right?

What's Hank's?

It's putting together a 11,100,277 piece puzzle of a human body. Not with textbooks and screens around him, but by memory - and why? He says it's because he always loved jigsaw puzzles as a child, but that's not the real reason, is it? It's because it's important to him that she be complete, that she be afforded respect. It's important to him that someone showed that they cared.

It's because he thinks that there's a chance.

It's hope. It's sheer, bloody minded hope. 11 million pieces. It's insane. And yet. He did it, and it worked, and she was whole again.

Roses and wine and a good book and a baritone rendition of Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice . . . oh, Hank. He even calls himself la bete, the Beast - a codename we know he doesn't really care for all that much, especially in light of his recent mutation - just so that he can affect playfulness and brightness and infectious good mood.

He really cared for her. And she really cared for him.

I seriously miss this dynamic. It was really very beautiful.

And thank you for the welcome back! It's good to be back!

[babacontainsmultitudes]

Let's Talk About Lincoln And His Dads, Okay?

I think people claiming that Lincoln and Grant "aren't so different after all" because, like everyone else in the show, they both have blood on their hands, have mostly missed the mark on where the core of Lincoln's issues with his dad(s) lie in the first place.

Moreover, I'm tired of people insinuating that Lincoln's troubles pale in comparison to Normal's or Scary's or Hermie's, and I'm tired of people saying that Lincoln is overreacting, or that Lincoln is a hypocrite for calling out his dad's behavior, or that he is in the wrong for setting boundaries, or that he's ungrateful, or that he's responsible for ensuring his dad's emotional wellbeing and not the other way around!

*breathes* So let's. Let's finally talk about Lincoln and Grant (and Marco also him).

[WOAH THERE! Hey you, yeah you, this is a long-ass post, mhm, it's one of those, so please keep that in mind before venturing below the cut. Maybe grab yourself a drink or a bite to eat first, yeah? Additionally, sorry the transcript stuff is a bit messy in this one, tumblr has a 30 image limit and well, I had to find workarounds. Also, I haven't yet added alt text for the transcript screenshots- I plan to when I have a bit more energy for it, but I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause in the meantime!]

Part 1/4: "Honesty is hardly ever heard, and mostly what I need from you"

Lincoln is certainly a pacifist at heart (in more recent times important examples of this include Lincoln's refusal to harm Scary in the Swallows household, as well as Lincoln being the only one of the teens to successfully avoid using violence in front of d00d during their most recent standoff with Willy), and in good paladin fashion functions as the group's moral compass the majority of the time.

Despite this, Lincoln's morals are not so simplistic and idealistic as to not differentiate between different motives for violence, nor does he view acts of violence in and of themselves as signs that a person is "evil" or "irredeemable". He can for example, see the difference between the acts of Willy and those of the kiddads, as he tries to explain when confronted by the other teens on the matter:

In fact, even after Grant tells Linc all of this during the incursion:

Lincoln's primary goal is still to save his dad first and foremost, then offer him the room to explain himself, without immediately chalking him up as a bad person because of what he has done.

Lincoln certainly doesn't approve of Grant and his violence, though he can understand that things are seldom black and white. But the killing is far from the only issue here. In fact, it's not even the main issue.

Grant creates a foundation based on trust and accountability whose importance in the Li-Wilson household is hammered in from the very first episode.

And we see throughout the early episodes of the season just how strongly Lincoln believes that Grant would never lie to him.

Then of course the incursion point encounter happens. There are several elements of this encounter that we will gloss over for now and go back to later, but of immediate importance is the fact that this interaction serves as direct confirmation for Lincoln that his dad has in fact been lying to him his entire life.

Additionally, he learns that Grant possesses a deep hatred of himself, wants to die, perceives himself as "broken beyond repair", and fears that Lincoln will somehow wind up just like him. That's a lot for one kid to have dropped on them, let alone all at once and without warning!

So- Lincoln wants to confront his dad after this both because he wants his dad to explain himself and take accountability for his dishonesty and for his actions more generally, and because he is concerned for his dad's wellbeing.

Now let's look at how Grant has, over the course of the season, responded to Lincoln's attempts to get him to take responsibility for his actions, and talk about his mental health:

The first thing Grant does is pull a classic Wilson "we'll talk about it later". Then the very next thing he does is lie to Lincoln again, now pretending that his plan is to fix things with Erin by offering her a gift (when of course he's actually set out to steal the sun)

Then as a deflection when Lincoln further tries to confront him about the lying, he indirectly equates everything he has kept secret from Lincoln (see the incursion point stuff) to "little white lies" and, contrary to the philosophy he so heavily instilled in Lincoln, argues that sometimes lying can protect the people one cares about:

Which as a point of interest I would like to compare and contrast to something Lincoln says in an earlier episode:

"lies can protect" vs "protecting is also trusting"- anyways moving on,

From there Grant's plan to steal the sun eventually comes to light (heh) and gets foiled, forcing the teens to be the mature ones in the situation and try to negotiate something with Erin. While he is certainly disappointed by everything going on, however, Lincoln's priorities vis-à-vis Grant are still, first and foremost, to ensure that he is safe, and when time allows for it get an apology from him and get him to talk openly about everything he has withheld. At this point in time Lincoln, while obviously angry at his dad, still very clearly cares about his dad and just wants to be able to talk with him without all the lies or deflection or excuses.

Then the teens are backed into a corner when their attempts at negotiation go sour, and ultimately wind up helping Grant steal the sun. Once that is over, Lincoln tries to confront his dad again, now with regards to some of the things he said about himself:

(Do note that last bit especially as it will be of relevance in the next section)

Then after Grant ignores the other teens when they try to talk to him, Lincoln calls him out and once again asks him to apologize, in part for having told Lincoln previously that they were dangerous and that he was not to hang out with them:

(as you might have guessed, Grant does not apologize).

Then it is established that the "zone of truth" in the Li-Wilson household isn't actually a spell but an agreed upon promise between Marco, Grant, and Lincoln to tell only the truth when someone calls upon the zone of truth, further cementing the degree to which honesty is an important Li-Wilson family value. Whilst in the zone of truth, however, Grant beats around the bush with regards to his intentions, and the teens ultimately decide that they do not want him to come along with them to the church of the doodler, as he is untrustworthy, in addition to Lincoln saying that he needs some space for his own sake. Grant then pretends to respect this decision, though he is in fact once again lying through his teeth, and sneaks back on later.

Before exiting the bus for the first time, however, Lincoln tries to get his dad to open up a bit about his feelings. Grant's response?

Time after time after time, Grant refuses to confront himself and address anything from what occurred at the incursion, and in fact adds on to everything with a whole new slew of lies, and with each failed attempt at connection the rift between Lincoln and Grant increases. And Lincoln, true to his values and how he was raised, is not a hypocrite in wanting openness and accountability from his dad. Lincoln is not and has never acted like he is perfect and beyond making mistakes, but Lincoln takes responsibility for his actions, even when the degree to which he is actually complicit in the crime at hand is questionable. He writes a letter to the families of the firemen because he feels responsible for their deaths. He apologizes to Taylor for lying to him about the bracelets and helps not only Taylor but also Nicky escape the clutches of the FBI, even though the consequence of doing so could easily have been his own death. When he thinks he may have inadvertently lead Hero on, his immediate decision is to take accountability for it and clear things up. All of this in addition to consistently apologizing to his friends when he thinks he may have hurt them for one reason or another.

This is also an important thing to consider when we talk about the place of violence in the show. Yes all the characters, including Lincoln himself, have had to kill at some point or another for the sake of survival and protecting the ones they love. But Lincoln does not use the blood on his hands to justify violence in future decisions. Despite the fact that he has had to kill before, Lincoln, as mentioned in the beginning of this essay, continues to try incredibly hard to act as pacifist whenever he can, choosing to protect those around him with as little collateral damage as possible. Does he have a perfect track record? No! Does he still try his damned hardest to choose kindness and mercy? Absolutely! And this is an important distinction especially between Lincoln and Grant.

And then Grant kills Terry. Now Lincoln must shift his priorities towards protecting his friends from his dad, but in running after Scary still finds himself forced to confront him. So what does Grant have to say regarding his actions?

Both Lincoln and Scary are right to be furious with this response, Terry Jr. is dead and all Grant can offer in response is what is essentially another excuse. Grant's mental state does not absolve him of responsibility or accountability for his actions, which as Lincoln points out (and repeats later) consist not only of the singular choice of shooting Terry, but of every choice he has made before and after that. "I'm sorry your dad is broken" obviously doesn't bring Terry Jr. back, but perhaps more importantly demonstrates that Grant is still not willing to reflect on his actions any further than that and work on himself moving forward.

So Lincoln does what is perhaps the most difficult thing he has done in his life, and disowns his father. This is not a rash, impulsive decision. As established, Lincoln has given Grant many chances throughout the season to address his behavior and at least fucking *talk* with Lincoln about his mental state, but he refused. He refused, not because he means harm, but because Grant truly believes himself to be fundamentally broken and irreparable, and doesn’t see the effect that his own suffering is having on his son. This, in addition to continuously failing to take Lincoln seriously and treat him as more than a little kid, both in failing to listen to Lincoln's voices of concern as well as in disregarding any of his proposals to go about things differently (whether that means avoiding violence, trusting rather than lying, or both).

So when Lincoln says:

"It's not about what you just did now, Dad. It's all your choices. You chose me. There wasn't some passion, or, or just a kid. You chose me as your kid, knowing you were broken. You can't take that back. And… I love you, and I hate that you made me love you, when… you are who you are and you knew it."

This isn't Lincoln saying that Grant should not have had a kid because he is mentally unwell or has trauma, it is Lincoln saying that Grant continues to make choices without acknowledging his agency in those choices and the effect they have on those around him, instead choosing to pin his mistakes on his perceived brokenness without any resolution to do something about that.

And before you say, "but Grant didn't have a choice in becoming Lincoln's parent since he saved him from the Titanic":

This simply isn't true, as strictly speaking there was nothing stopping Grant and Marco from putting Lincoln up for adoption if one or both of them did not feel themselves to be ready or capable of taking care of a child and

Ignoring Lincoln's exact phrasing, "choosing to be a parent" is not just about the literal choice to have a child, it's about every choice you make before and after that. It's choosing not to express your concerns over parenthood with your spouse, which based on Grant's track record:

-Is definitely in-character for him. Conversely, in Marco's case, it may be choosing not to ask your partner about their feelings on the matter (because, really, asking Grant on the spot while literally on a sinking ship if he's okay with adopting the baby they just found is kinda rough). It's choosing not to go to therapy (not that we know whether Grant specifically did/does or not but all the same). It's choosing not to apologize when your child is upset with you because of something you did. It's choosing not to take them or their friends seriously. It's choosing to lie instead of trust. It's an endless amount of choices that Grant (and Marco) made every step of the way!

As a final note for this section, what's particularly unfortunate is that even with Lincoln's disownment, Grant still has failed to show any major signs of change. Note this telling exchange (from episode 40):

Grant: I-I understand that. I just thought. Just something that just occurred to me. Hey Dood.

Dood: Yeah?

Grant: Why did you kill those two guys?

Dood: Because I love you so much and I wanted to protect you.

Grant: Okay. That's all I wanted to know.

In which Grant is still making excuses rather than owning up to or apologizing for anything or striving to change his behavior in the future. What's great about Grant's "point" here too is that the two guards that d00d killed were absolutely unnecessary deaths, so this example does anything but work in Grant's favor.

Part 2/4: "My mother hates her body, we share the same outline"

But this is only part of the problem. As aforementioned, we learn early on and see repeated on multiple occasions that Grant thinks ill of himself to the point of believing that he deserves death, and does not want Lincoln to be anything like him.

This affects Lincoln in two major ways. Perhaps most obviously, it leaves Lincoln greatly concerned for his dad's wellbeing, which in turn acts as his main motivation for trying (and failing) to get Grant to explore and explain those feelings. Additionally, however, Grant's self-loathing also has a passive but deeply damaging effect on Lincoln's self-worth. The most important indication of this is when Lincoln says:

"Okay. Look, Scary, I just... You know what? I don't even care. I just needed a friend and I don't know… I don’t know what you're going through, but… no, my dad always said you can't love somebody unless you love yourself, right? Well, last time I asked him if he loved himself, he… He doesn't. So… I don't know, so maybe he doesn't love me either. And you seem to know what that's like, and, you're my friend! You're dealing with these things and I'm just here. I just, I don't know! I don't love myself either! I don't know! But I know that more people will die if we can't do this together, and you're the only person, like, in this group— I mean you guys are, I mean— [sighs] Look, you can go. I'm not going to stop you. You go if you want to go. I'm done."

Also classic Lincoln move to say he doesn't care then proceed to hug Scary through an Eldritch Blast. In this essay, on why people misuse the word "apathy" in applying it to Lincoln,

Though the issue comes up again in a less obvious but very interesting way when Lincoln says that:

Which I assume probably seems pretty out of left field. To explain a bit what I'm trying to get at here, consider the following scenario:

Your parent, who you care about immensely, possesses certain qualities (say, idk, intrusive thoughts or mood swings or delusional thoughts or *something*) that they possess great shame over, and truly, wholeheartedly believe makes them "evil" or unlovable or even outright deserving of death. Of course, you do not believe that your parent is any of these things, it hurts to see that they feel this way about them-self, so you try your best to support them, even if you know deep down that you are their child and this should not be your responsibility. Your parent does not see the effect that their mental state is having on yours, does not take your voices of concern seriously, and mostly leaves you feeling like you are talking to a wall.

This hurts already, but it gets worse. You are your parent's child, and you are human, and so you inevitably find yourself with some of the characteristics that your parent loathes so much in them-self. Maybe you have similar thought patterns. Maybe you've made similar mistakes. Your parent doesn't love them-self because of these qualities that you now see in yourself, so how can you be sure that they do not hate you for them too? Do they believe that you deserve to die for these things as well? Your parent obviously assures you to the contrary, after all, they love you more than anything. But your parent fails to offer any meaningful line of distinction between their flaws and yours (after all, there isn't one, not really), and continues to assert that, unlike you, they really do deserve to die. Your parent is a hypocrite, and their reassurance does little to convince you.

Hopefully that makes some sense. With regards to the "dreams about killing my dads" part, mostly what I'm trying to say is that these dreams, while certainly very different from Grant's conscious thoughts about violence, still tread the line of mimicking them to some degree, and Grant's "I deserve to die because of how my brain works, don't be anything like me because that's bad!" really doesn't leave Lincoln with a healthy way to process and interpret this fact about himself, even if these dreams don't actually say anything about who he is as a person.

Anyways all that to say, on multiple levels Grant's unwillingness to even try to love himself and treat himself better has been having effects on his son that he can't even begin to realize, in addition to everything discussed in the first bit.

"But baba," I hear you say, "what about Marco? Why has Lincoln seemingly disowned both of his dads?"

Part 3/4: Three is the loneliest number

Well, I think there's a couple things going on here. For one thing, I think in a sense Lincoln sees his dads as kind of a "package deal", which is to say that from his pov disowning Grant means Marco would have to pick a side, and though it pains him immensely (as we see evidence of on several occasions), Lincoln would ultimately rather give up Marco than have Grant be left alone without either of them, because he will always love and care about Grant, and because he's selfless that way.

Additionally, for a good long while, Lincoln doesn't actually appear to harbor any resentment towards Marco:

However, this later part of the season has brought with it a new wave of disillusionment, and in its wake Lincoln has finally come to question the last major issue characterizing his relationship with his parents: social isolation.

We have known from basically the first episode of the season that Lincoln has lived a very isolated, lonely life, and that the only reason he's even going to public high school now is because he finally convinced Grant to let him:

As a side note, I have seen discussion of the fact that since Lincoln was rescued from the Titanic, it's possible that he was homeschooled solely because he did not legally exist. The above statement from Matt seems to work against this theory, in addition to the fact that if Lincoln was missing legal papers to get into elementary school... That would also prevent him from going to high school. Also, I mean. If you actually were to find an abandoned baby there's a whole legal process you're supposed to go through, and since Lincoln surely wouldn't have any close blood relatives around, that would still leave the possibility for Grant and Marco to adopt him legally if they wanted to (and if they chose not to go through said process, that's kind of on them?). Which isn't to say that this theory is out of the question, but in any case being homeschooled is one thing, whereas the actual degree of social isolation Lincoln goes through growing up is way more than just that, as we will delve into.

Now, we know that Grant eventually puts an end to Lincoln and Normal seeing each other on the basis that Lark and Sparrow are dangerous, which... Itself is actually fair tbh, in particular given what we now know about Hero. Not fair to Lincoln or Normal, obviously, but understandable. Much less acceptable, is the fact that Lincoln actually grows up without any friends his age whatsoever:

We understand of course that the motives behind this extreme social isolation are not malicious or otherwise done with ill-intent, but that doesn't make this even remotely okay! Of course then Lincoln is very clingy and perhaps even territorial over his dads, to the point where one of his biggest fears is his parents having another child who would take some of their attention away from him- they've created an environment in which they are basically all he has!

As a direct result of this, Lincoln gets lonely very easily, and when he finally does make some friends of his own, he will do anything and everything for them, even if it means risking his own life (at least then he isn't alive and lonely!)

This is also why Lincoln is so especially distraught after the loss of Mr. Kicks, a digital avatar whom he considered his best (and only) friend.

Additionally, Lincoln's fear of returning to his lonesome childhood creates an unfortunate scenario in which he cannot be honest with his dads about the fact that he is being bullied at school

Even though that is definitely the case (and in fact we see it first-hand on many occasions), because to do so would run the risk of his dads taking him out of public school, and that, to him, is worse.

Lincoln beginning to view this aspect of his childhood (the isolation but also the over-protectiveness and overbearing attitude more generally) for what it is is why Matt's intros have recently shifted from "schooled at home" to "schooled in prison", in addition to pretty directly saying that high school was like heaven compared to his home life (in episode 40), and I don't think Lincoln is even remotely in the wrong for looking back at his isolation and thinking "hey, even if you had good intentions, that was kind of fucked up actually, and I need to distance myself from you for my own sake."

Not that Lincoln wanting freedom from his overbearing dads is a new thing! I mean apart from what one can logically infer from Lincoln convincing Grant to let him go to public school, Matt does drop a bunch of telling details here and there such as Lincoln's favorite sound being "the silence of being home alone and free". It's just that now is when these feelings are finally starting to come to the surface.

It is also something that Lincoln naturally would hold against both Grant and Marco, because they are both aware of and responsible for this aspect of his upbringing (whether Marco acted actively or as an enabler in the matter notwithstanding- though I would look no further than both Grant and Marco getting red cards the one time they tried letting Lincoln play soccer with other kids to observe how that family dynamic plays out), hence feeling the need to cut himself off from the both of them in order to set a long-overdue boundary. That said, to be honest with you, I really don't think he's actually all that upset with Marco, and would mostly just like to see him again.

If the events of the Titanic help to ease any aspect of Lincoln's frustration, it would be this one. Not in the sense that it magically makes what Lincoln went through growing up okay, but it does still recontextualize Grant and Marco's degree of overbearingness and (part of) why they are how they are, and I absolutely think that Lincoln would have sympathy for that.

So, where does that leave us?

Part 4/4: What remains (+ the case study of Scary)

"But baba," you say, "Grant and Marco are not just their mistakes! They've both done so many things right as parents, and they love Lincoln more than anything!"

I turn to you, tears in my eyes. "I know," I say, "I know, but that does not contradict or erase the fact that they have inadvertently hurt Lincoln in many, many ways, and he has a right to be upset with them, and express that, and set boundaries if he feels the need to."

You sigh. "So do you think Grant is a good dad or a bad one?" you ask.

I shake my head. "He's just... He's just a dad. A dad who's had a rough swing of things from the beginning. He never meant to hurt Lincoln, and I truly believe he's got a good heart, but I want to see him try harder. I need to see him try harder than he currently is to better himself, for Lincoln's sake as much as his own."

Is... More or less how I feel. I absolutely agree that as a parent Grant obviously gives a shit, and my intention here is absolutely not to say "hey actually, Grant is awful!"

As I mentioned at the very beginning of this essay, however, collectively I have found over the course of the season that Lincoln's trauma and struggles have gone severely understated and undermined, sometimes to the point of even turning him into the bad guy or depicting him as acting dramatic for a decision that I think was very brave of him, actually. So... It does feel necessary to me to point out that, as much as I care about Grant and recognize that he's suffered immensely too, he's still made a lot of mistakes over the course of the season, and still has a lot of room to grow as a person.

As things currently are, I would not blame Lincoln if he did not forgive Grant by the end of the season. Do I think that's what's gonna happen? No lol.

If you'll excuse a mini side-tangent, because for now I don't really want to make this a separate post, the mid-season evolution of Lincoln and Scary's relationship is actually a great case study for Lincoln's capacity for forgiveness, in addition to his inability to give up on people:

Tony Pepperoni's murder is, I would argue, an attack against Lincoln most personally (relative to the other teens). Aside from Lincoln having the strongest pacifistic tendencies of the group, it's in his home, it's in front of Marco, as established in the 3rd section Tony Pepperoni, by virtue of having been over for dinners at the Li-Wilson household before, is someone Lincoln knows more personally than the other teens and one of the only people in his life he could have possibly approximated to a friend. Most importantly though, Scary goes behind Lincoln's back in letting Willy out and disclosing the location of the party, and that is a significant breach of trust.

So Lincoln kicks Scary out of the house (and more or less out of the group by extension) because protecting the others from her is the most important thing at that point in time (sound familiar?). For the next bit, Lincoln's behavior towards Scary becomes a juggling act of keeping a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't cause more harm (and yes, it's also when they are meanest with each other), but also keeping a close eye on her to look after her (a notable example of this being that he doesn't leave her behind in the hall of mirrors, even when it would have been easier and perhaps even "beneficial" to do so in the context of the anchor quest).

And yet despite all the mutual hostility, Lincoln without question also fights the hardest to get Scary back. He breaks the pick as a sign of trust (and as Freddie put it: "that's love babeeey") and to show her she's welcome back in the group, follows through on this decision despite the fact that it creates a temporary rift between him and the others (Normal and Taylor) who oppose her return (perhaps a good time to also say as a reminder that Lincoln was the most against letting Willy out in the first place), breaks a door down to protect her from Willy even when everyone else in the house treats him as crazy for doing so, refuses to fight Scary when she goes on the offense, and hugs her through a god damn eldritch blast because he can't let her leave and hurt more people but still cares about her to the point that he would literally choose to die before hurting her or giving up on fighting for her. Like, if that's not love and forgiveness, I don't fucking know what is. This in addition to him encouraging the others to go easy on her and otherwise looking out for her past that point.

So do I think Lincoln Li-Wilson has it in him to forgive Grant in spite of it all? That is a resounding yes from me. Will the events of the Titanic facilitate this if only by painting Grant's situation in a more sympathetic light and showcasing some of his virtues? Totally, I mean, there's a reason Anthony decided to make the arc go this way. But will I be a bit disappointed if this forgiveness comes without any major growth on Grant's part? Also. Also yes yeah.

MM. I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO END THIS ONE TBH. Heh. Well, thank you for one thing, for taking the time to read a post this long. If you're reading this not too long after I posted it I am most definitely pacing around rn going "oh god they hate it!" but uh. Well that's a me problem lol. Anyways, I hope this proves to be at least somewhat insightful? ...Yeah no apart from that I really am struggling to end this properly and honestly I'm real sleepy lol so I'll just say again (whether you agree with the points listed here or not) THANKS FOR HEARING ME OUT Y'ALL AND TAKE CARE.

[rahuratna]

Hi Rahu!!! My Nanami-loving, schmutt-reading, STEM-girlie, critical-thinker friend! Today I bring up a character who I have been actively avoiding thinking about: the one and only Satoru Gojo.

My overall reactions to Gojo are very mixed. Season one, I didn’t really pay him any mind. Season two, his his fighting scenes though 🫣🫣🫣 Let’s say I finally understood the appeal.

This morning (it is 3 AM), I’d like to discuss Gojo’s perceived loneliness. Maybe another time, when I take a deeper dive into how Gojo’s powers actually work, we could talk about calculus? But these are just fragmented thoughts floating around my head. I just have random questions on when Gojo had to learn calculus for his technique (he seems like the type to sleep through the lessons… did Yaga force him to study??) and what happens if you duplicate a Gojo and divide his infinity by another infinity. You get indeterminate and what happens then?

Uhh, anyways 🙂‍↕️

——————————//——————————

Context: For me, I found it really hard to see Gojo as an individual person. Until recently, I only really payed attention to Gojo and Geto as a pair. That’s why I want to take some time to look at things through Gojo’s perspective of the transition to independence… because I’ve been actively procrastinating thinking about it despite drawing thirst traps of him—

Question: Is Gojo lonely? At first I said yes, but my only reason was because I solely focused on what he doesn’t have: Geto. And that’s quite simplistic of me. I didn’t acknowledge the type of relationships he had with his colleagues and his students because I only viewed Gojo as half of a pair to Geto. That is why I would like to revisit the reasons why I (and perhaps other members of the JJK community) think that Gojo is lonely, specifically through a comparative, discourse, thematic analysis the lenses of his different relationships.

Discussion: I think about how in our previous discussion, we talked about how Gojo did not need Geto anymore as a moral compass after the Riko incident. In this way, Gojo outgrew his friendship with Geto not only because of their different values (remember how their ideologies were always opposite of each others), but rather because of the extent to which they commit themselves to their ideals. This means that Gojo would not change who he is and his beliefs for Geto. It shows the beginning of Gojo’s independence as he becomes more rooted in the cause he fights for.

Is this independence— through motives and strength— a big factor into this perceived loneliness? Yes, I think so. He lost Geto because of the magnitude of their commitment to different beliefs, and his strength mitigates any room for reliance/codependence of his colleagues. But it also brings up the following question: to what extent does Gojo create meaningful connections with others besides Geto, and how does this change the initial hypothesis of perceived loneliness?

It is 4:00 AM and I am a slow and exhausted… so I’ll leave the conversation pretty much open and on this note:

I think it’s easy for an outside observer to compare Gojo’s connection with Geto with the one he had to his peers and his students. It initially seems so small compared to the enormity of what Gojo and Geto were. But that isn’t necessarily true. Here, the value of the different types of relationships we have are subjective. If I were to make a guess, Gojo does not undervalue his other relationships even if he’s not as close to them. He does not consciously put the value of relationships on a scale trying to determine which is more meaningful and which is less. Especially with his students. This is why I think that perhaps I had previously overestimated perceived loneliness. It was because of a narrow-minded outlook focusing only on loss rather than what he gained.

That’s it for now, but perhaps when I wake up I’ll be adding a couple more ideas that I missed in the comments. In general, I don’t think I added much that was insightful… it was more sort of a detailed prompt. But I think that’s cool too since I love hearing about what you have to say! Happy Friday, Rahu, and enjoy the weekend ahead!

Courtney 🧡💜

Hi Courtttttt!! @courtneedsleep *rubs hands* It's time to chat about Gojo! But seriously, thank you for this. I've been actively looking for a proper outlet to explore my own thoughts on this man, and you have PROVIDED. And I would LOVE a deep dive into the calculus, but I'm going to leave that for another juicy analysis, since this is one is already pretty long. 

I definitely saw the appeal of his character from the beginning, but like you, didn't really feel particularly attached to him. He was charming. He was funny. Obviously very powerful and exceptionally confident in his own abilities.

In the beginning, I didn't perceive him as particularly lonely, considering the flippancy with which he seemed to process deeper emotions. It was during the exchange event arc that I began to see the layers to his character.

The concern he showed for his students seemed overshadowed by his own devil-may-care attitude, but later highlighted the faith he had in their abilities. Outwardly, he seemed flippant, as always. But when I re-watched, in the context of what I learned about his character later, his actions took on a new significance.

It starts with his training of Yuuji and Yuuta. Gojo specifically selects these boys who are marked as pariahs, even in the jujutsu world, for the power and potential for great destruction they represent. He devotes himself to their training and shows delight at their development. I realised, as I continued watching, that this delight wasn't so much directed at the evolution  of their power, but the evolution of their souls and characters, things he knew would be singularly defining in their development as the powerful sorcerers they became.

Yuuji and Yuuta were later able to overcome fear, uncertainty, their own weaknesses and more importantly, embrace their own weaknesses in order to become not just very strong, but utterly exceptional sorcerers in their own right. A lot of this was not just due to Gojo's mentorship, but his unwavering belief in them.

On my first watch of season 1, I thought that he showed disappointingly little reaction when Yuuji 'died' after having his heart ripped out. Now knowing just what kind of losses Gojo suffered over time, and the brutal nature of the world of sorcery, I understand better just how much gravity he expressed when he thought that Yuuji was dead.

This brings me to the subject of his loneliness. You're absolutely right about the tendency to view him and Geto as a 'pair', and thus weave their character development inextricably together in our minds. I also had this tendency, when I started watching season 2, but I suppose my awareness of the potential depth of Gojo's character left me looking for more. I wanted to see this formative stage in his evolution as a sorcerer, how what happened with Geto might have transformed his thought processes on many things in the jujutsu world.

The significance of Geto to Gojo, and vice versa, cannot be understated. It is obvious, from their interaction, how much they valued and respected each other, and were also kindred spirits looking to right wrongs in jujutsu society. As we touched on in a previous discussion,  the rift came after Riko's death, and the manner in which they both processed that.

Gojo's independence, as much as it is flaunted, also has its limits. Throughout the time I noted the rift with Geto forming, I also wondered how much of Gojo's change also occurred because of the subtle brainwashing that came with being openly acknowledged (and self aware) as the 'strongest sorcerer' of modern times. In the end, he truly did become a weapon, as tragic a fate as the one suffered by Geto. His fierce belief that he HAD to enact some form of change in the jujutsu world was also a form of conditioning, based on his abilities. It was much easier for everyone to identify the flaws in Geto's thinking because he was on the wrong side. The curse user side.

Gojo's loneliness is apparent, but not because he doesn't have real connections, or people who care for him (and people he cares for). His interaction with Nanami, for me, is one that highlights this. Gojo's power is terrifying to those not on the same side, as seen in the Shibuya arc, where an entire plan (and many sacrifices) were foreseen by the enemy, simply to seal him away. And yet, he places so much value on leaving Yuuji in the care of a sorcerer like Nanami, someone strong, intelligent and competent, but not in the same league as Gojo, power-wise.

Why? Because, as we learn, Gojo does value compassion, heart, dedication to a cause, and the lives of the younger generation, all qualities and beliefs enshrined in the core of what makes Nanami the type of sorcerer he is. Gojo cares for Nanami and values him as a friend, not just because he is one of the old guard, but because he genuinely cherishes everything that Nanami represents as a sorcerer and a human being. He may have irritated the living daylights out of Nanami, but at the end of it all, they had each other to fall back on, when all else in the world of sorcery failed the very tenets of what they believed was right.

So, in what way was Gojo truly lonely? In the way that reaching the rarefied heights of true power can make you. He was alone in ability, in the precocious genius of sorcery he was, in the role he was subconsciously forced to take on as a natural result of what he represented in jujutsu society. Returning to the idea of his conditioning, he could have taken no responsilbility at all, maybe even followed the same path as Geto. But he didn't. Not even the bone-deep kinship he felt for Geto could turn him away from his core beliefs and the role he knew he needed to play,  not just for others, but for his own peace of mind.

One could say that Gojo's loneliness was self-imposed, in a sense. One could also take some comfort in the fact that this self-imposed isolation was precisely because of how much he cared for and valued those around him.

Gojo knew how much his students, colleagues and friends valued him. He knew the sacrifices they'd have to make, in order to survive the brutal world they existed in. He knew that like him, they'd experience loss, death (in some cases, their own), fear, moments of hopelessness, defeat and overwhelming odds. He also knew, with some unerring certainty, that they would rise above those challenges and face their fates with courage, dignity and the fierce hope that is born from experiencing true despair.

How did he know this? One can only speculate. I do think, however, that it stemmed from a torch he had passed on, an unquenchable fire, a tenacity that showcases itself clearly in his students and successors. Gojo had such faith that his will would be passed on, that they would win. In this, he was never truly alone.

Thank you for yet another beautiful analysis and ask (I rambled so much with this one, because I have so many THOUGHTS) and I appreciate all the analytical meals you feed me!

[anjuschiffer]

Repairing a Broken Hero (if you can even call me that) Chapter 3

...i swear...I'm trying to catch up on fics QQ

tags: @toodaloo-kangaroo @vixen-uchiha @fairlyfatale @battybatbat @angie500

-

Chapter 3

PREV | FIRST | A03

“Any luck?” Tim asked, Bruce picking up the shouting in the background. He had changed out of his alter ego and was now in the Batmobile, reading Flash’s report. He didn’t find her nor did he find a corpse.

As the saying went. No news is good news. 

She was still out there. Somewhere. ”Did Hood-”

“No. He refused to talk to me. But I left the file behind in case he changes his mind.” Bruce quickly added, noticing another incoming call appearing on his screen.

Black Canary.

Oh, that wasn’t good. “Robin, I’ve got to go.” Without waiting for a response, Bruce hung up and picked up the next call. “Ca-“

“I just read Flash’s report and Oli  just filled me in. What were you thinking? Sending Red Beetle after Mr.Freeze? You put her against her biggest nightmare, her trauma…

What was going through your mind when you made this mission for her? From the looks of it, she clearly wasn’t.”

“She needed to face her issues head on.” He defended himself. “She can’t be part of the Justice League until she learns to reign in her anger and rage.”

“But not this way.” Dinah huffed. “She shouldn’t have been forced to face it on her own like she has been for the past seven years. 

For the past seven years, she didn’t have anyone to guide her, to train her. She had to learn everything by herself…

She was still a kid, Bruce…she still is a kid…and it’s our job to help her manage the rage she’s been carrying in her for the past seven years. Not add to it. 

She was already wary of us and now? I’m afraid we made it worse.”

Bruce went silent knowing Dinah was right. But what choice did he have? 

They didn’t know anything about her and they couldn’t find anything about the supposed defeated nemesis.

Not a single remnant was found regarding Hawkmoth and when Diana interviewed the girl and found out she used magic, it caused Kent to go on high alert. 

While he was usually okay with magic, something about the alleged heroine didn’t sit right with him, pushing him to ask Bruce to test the girl’s moral compass. 

Something about the look in her eyes and the way her magic felt around him; Kent hated the hollowed look in her eyes and the way her magic tended to slither around her, as if desperately trying to anchor itself onto anyone within her range. 

As if trying to stabilize itself with the help of someone else. “-even listening? We have to find her before-”

“Flash didn’t find Red Beetle at her last known location and I couldn't get…the help I needed to try and find her.” Bruce struggled to say, especially that last part. “We’re going to need the services of a certain detective.”

“I hope it’s not who I think it is.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a choice.” Bruce informed her, steeling himself for what was about to happen. “A magic user is missing, we’re going to need his help.

See you at the Tower.” With that, Bruce made his way back to the WatchTower, contemplating his decision. Dwelling on the thought for a while, he finally huffed before opening up his glove box and taking out what seemed to be a die. 

He crushed it between his fingers before calling Robin again.

“B? What’s-”

“A certain detective will be making his way there. Give him a briefing on the situation. I should be there in 10.”

“On it.” Robin rogered, hanging up with a click.

Bruce hoped this man would still be there when he got there. Then again, there was no telling if he was going to actually help them.

After all, he was a con man first before a detective and a mage…

-

“A cryogenic freezing chamber…” Marinette scoffed as she let go of him, Victor let out a breath, bringing his hand to where the knife was held against his throat, the tips of his fingers feeling the impression left behind. 

He propped himself up, watching as Marinette made her way to the equipment, the furious heroine not once blinking as they held eye contact. 

He hated the way she glared at him, the way her shoulders squared against him. It was a complete 180 from the heroine he was speaking to moments ago.  

She looked exactly as she did when they first met: feral. 

He watched as she raised an arm and then suddenly-

“Marinette! Don’t!” He cried as he reached out towards her when he realized she was about to shatter the glass. “It’s Nora’s! That’s all I have left from her!” He watched her stop her blade a centimeter away. “It doesn’t work anymore.” He explained, noticing her hand shakily lift itself away from the chamber.  

Marinette let out a cry before punching the wall beside them, retracting her hand from the hole she made. 

Dust fell from both her hand and knife as they rejoined Marinette’s side. 

Victor watched as she huffed and puffed, her grasp tightening on the blade in her hand. 

“To think it was you who made this.” She growled out, turning to look at him with glossy eyes. “You.”

“I made it for my wife. I made it to-“

“You made her suffer!” Marinette cried out. “You were making her suffer!”

“She was not suffering!” Victor yelled. “She was in a comfortable slumber, waiting for me to find a cure for her!”  Victor defended himself. “She was-“

“In your delusion of grandeur, she was quietly rotting away, her illness eating away at whatever was left of her! You’re selfishness-“

“It was not a delusion! And I was not selfish! You have no idea what you are talking about!” He yelled, his hands now fists that shook violently at his side. “I made sure the chamber lowered her body’s functions to prevent her cancer from-“

“Tell me the truth Victor.” Marinette quietly said. “In the end, it was all for naught, wasn’t it?” She walked up to him, the tears in her eyes more prominent. 

“If it weren’t for my creation, Nora would’ve already been- I loved her Marinette- no. I love Nora and will forever love her. I love her ‘til this day, Marinette.”

“You just couldn’t accept her fate…your fate.” Marinette said, dropping her transformation. “You couldn’t accept her death because it meant accepting the fact that the two of you weren’t meant to be toget-”

“I let her go, Marinette.” Victor said defeatedly, turning away from her. “I don’t know what Gabriel did that filled you up with all this anger and rage, I don’t know what went on that made you react this way upon seeing Nora’s stasis chamber, but let me tell you one thing.” Victor looked her dead in the eyes. “I wasn’t cretinous enough to keep her alive when I realized I made her cure too late.” 

He walked to the chamber, placing a hand over it. 

He looked at his wedding photo he had placed against the inner wall, a place where he believed Nora would see upon waking from her deep slumber. “By the time I made her cure, Nora’s cancer had already progressed so much that my cure would not have been able to reverse the illness…

So no, I do not think- I do not believe keeping Nora alive while I looked for a cure was for naught. 

I made the cure. 

It was supposed to cure her…

My only flaw was forgetting the most crucial factor against this being a success: time.” 

Victor turned to Marinette. “If I had the chance for a do-over, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’d do it all over again…anything for Nora.” He looked at Marinette, the girl still glaring at him, tears running down her face.

“Even if it meant stealing and killing…again?” Marinette asked.

“In a heartbeat,” he replied with no hesitation. 

“And what if you had a kid?” Marinette threw the curve ball, watching Victor’s eyes widen, his eyes softening a bit. She watched as he ran the thought in his mind, the frown he had turned into a thin line. “Would you still-”

“I would.” Victor said firmly. “But not at the price of making her-our child suffer…if…” Victor held in a warble. “If Nora had left me behind a child…then I would’ve cherished the child to bits. 

After all, that child would be the last thing Nora would’ve left me behind in memory of her.

A gift of our love for one another…

Our love in a tangible form…

Why wouldn’t I care for it? Why wouldn’t I cherish the last remaining piece of Nora?” 

Marinette stood there stunned, trying to understand the man before her. A man who told her he killed and stole to find a cure for his wife. A man who didn’t hesitate to kill if it meant being one step closer to saving his wife…

A man who would stop his madness if only he had a child to hold him back and reign in his sorrow…

Marinette let out a sob, causing Victor to take a step closer to her. “Marinette, are you-”

“You were just like Gabriel…planning, scheming, hurting those around you…all for the supposed sake of your dying wife…” Marinette managed to say despite the tightness in her throat, wiping away her tears. “And yet…you are nothing like him.

Nothing -sob- at all.” She sank to the floor. 

“Gabriel?” Victor asked, “why are you-”

“Why couldn’t he be like you?” She asked him, furiously wiping away her tears. “Why wasn’t he more pragmatic? Why wasn’t he you?” Marinette let out another sob. “If he was…then maybe…maybe…maybe I wouldn't have blindly tried to join the Justice League.”

What? What was she talking about? She had impulsively tried to join the Justice League? For what reason? “If Gabriel had just loved his wife the way you loved Nora, then he would still be here.

He would’ve been at my-”

“Marinette, who are you talking about?” Victor placed a hand on her shoulder. “Who would’ve been-”

“Adrien.” She answered with a sniffle. “If it weren’t for Gabriel, he still would’ve been in Paris. He would’ve been here with me. 

It’s all his fault!” She screamed, slamming her fist against the floor. 

“Who is Adrien?”

“Gabriel’s son… my first love…and…my one and only partner who fought by my side all these years…” she let out a dry laugh. “Can you believe I found that out when I was taking down my nemesis?”

“But what does Adrien have to do with you joining the Justice League?”

Marinette wiped her face one more time before facing Victor with dull eyes.

“He’s missing. He’s been missing for the past year. And my magic isn’t enough to locate him. I need someone else to help me try and find him.”

“Who do you need help from?”

Marinette wiped a tear away, staring as it sat perfectly round on the tip of her finger.  

“John Constantine.”

“

“Tim, why is he here?” Cassandra asked Tim, who was quickly condensing Marinette's information into a single document to read to Constantine. The boy was so immersed in trying to finish the summary as he only answered Cass with a grunt. 

The guy came out of nowhere. 

One minute they were just sitting near the zeta tubes and the next, a giant yellow portal opened in the middle of the floor and Constantine stumbled into headquarters with a lit cigarette in hand and muttering under his breath. 

A ‘how fucking dare you,’ and a ‘you’re using the favor now?’ was heard as he closed the portal behind him. To add on to his annoyance, everyone ran to him when he asked for Batman, he was ignored.

“Are you going to help us find Red Beetle?”

“We’ve lost contact with her while she-“

“-already told all you bloody kids I don’t know why I’m he-” John noticed Tim and walked up to the boy, causing him to jump when he put his shoulders on him. “Baby Bat, where Bat’s?” Tim looked at him appalled by the nickname, but John ignored it. “Bastard had the nerve to call me on my day off-”

“First off, it’s Robin. Second, he’s running late and told me to debrief you on what’s going on.”

John leaned back, crossing his arms. 

“Alrighty then. Yap away.”

“We need your help finding-“

“You want me to help you find someone?” Constantine looked at the others in the room and back at Robin. “Bats called me to help him find a person?” He laughed. “And he’s suppose to be the better detective-“

“If he’s asking for your help it means he couldn’t find her through normal means.” Robin seethed, a scowl forming. “We need you to locate her through magical means.”

“And I’m assuming it’s this Red Beetle everyone and their bloody mother have been crying about?” John asked the obvious, earning glares but he kept smirking. 

“Red Beetle was online when her two trackers turned off and when someone went to check the scene, she was nowhere to be found.

She disappeared without a trace.”

“Uh huh.”

“So we need you to help us-“

“I’ve heard enough.” John opened a portal and was going to head back when he felt pairs of hands pull him back and tell him that he needs to help them. “If she couldn’t be found through your means and if I do end up locating her, then -more often than I can count- she’s in a magical bind and I’m not dealing with whatever shit that would be.

I didn’t tell Bats I owed him a favor for him to drag me into one of your manhunts on a rogue.”

“So you’re not going to help us look for her?” Jaime asked. “If she’s in a bind, then we have to-“

“I’m not going to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, you daft. I know when to stay in my lane. And this-“

“We just need you to locate her Constantine.” Baan spoke up, startling the kids. “We’ll handle the rest.”

“Well, look who decided to finally show up. You should’ve started there, Batsy. What would’ve been better if you were here to begin with instead of these blokes.” John dusted his coat and disposed of his cigarette. “They’re not exactly in their right minds to be taking charge of this manhunt, wouldn’t you say?”

“They’re not in charge. But they are worried about her.” Bruce looked at the teens, some glaring at Constantine till while the others just followed him with their eyes. Observing every movement he made. “How fast can you locate her?”

“Don’t rush me, love. Gotta focus well if you want me to find this girl.” Bruce grunted. “Now, if you kids could move, I’d appreciate that.”

Constantine watched as the teens stepped away from him. “Lovely and now that I have room to breathe again, let’s get this started, shall we?”

Bruce watched as John prepared himself, pulling out a needle from an inner pocket of his coat. “These suckers are to find, ya know? Sold a kidney for this one.”

“There’s no way he did, did he?” Garfield asked. 

“I mean, the man did sell his soul already.” Tim bluntly replied, the others looking at him with a horrified face. 

“I’m going to need the kids full name. And a photo of her.”

John noticed Bruce’s silence, which was hard to miss with everyone else keeping their mouths shut. “Bats. This isn’t going to work if you don’t give me her full name and her photo. Do you want me to find the kid or not?“ Constantine waited for an answer.

Instead, Constantine was given a photo of the girl with the name ‘Marinette Dupain-Cheng’ written under her face. John looked at the photo, not hiding the shock upon seeing her face. “Are you sure this is the girl you’re looking for?” He asked Bruce, Bruce wondering why the usually unserious man was asking him such a question.

“Why are you asking?

“Just a heads up, I might not be able to find her.” John didn’t give Bruce time to ask what he meant by that as he closed his eyes and lifted the needle in front of him. 

They watched with bated breath as he conjured a magic globe, the needle lifting from his fingers as he muttered a spell under his breath. 

They watched as the pin flew off, twirled once around the holograph Earth before it started to sputter and then break, not startling John. He turned to Bruce and narrowed his eyes.

“How in the ever loving fuck did you lose a Guardian, Bats?”

NEXT

[monebula-art]

SPOILER MENTION FOR YYH LIVE ACTION

Positivity post about the new live action but it does contain some spoiler mentions as I rant 💜

Okay listen— I understand the Yyh live action felt a little speed-run and rushed. I understand that certain comedic and character build moments were lost because of it. But imagine you’re the you of 20 Years ago, and you’re watching this for the first time.

I cried during the scene with Keiko and Atsuko— I cried when Yusuke is holding the beam to save Keiko.

I loved how they added Keiko INTO the story as an actual motivation and element of Yusuke’s moral compass. I loved that Kuwabara became involved and interested in Yusuke’s life after his return and I love how they became friends who did things together! I loved his enthusiasm and worry for Yusuke and insistence upon being his rival.

I loved Kurama’s cool and collected acting, but how his care was so obviously simmering beneath the surface of his calm. It’s exactly what I’d expect of Kurama.

Hiei was, as a Hiei lover? Perfect, I didn’t like him quite at first but then he SPOKE and I was hooked. His voice and brutal style of fighting but EVERYTHING he does is for the sake of his sister and his concern for her— and eventually his concern for the other team members as well. I know we didn’t get as many comedic moments as was experienced in a 56 episode 2 season of series like in the original but that’s kinda to be expected? And we got a lot!

Honestly Yusuke’s flying kick at Kuwabara made me choke on my drink, the fight with Gouki was kinda amusing though I did miss the ‘Of course I heard you I’m just stupid’ line.

I enjoyed the banter between Yusuke and Kuwabara and I loved how Kuwabara’s concern for his friends and feeling in adequate in protecting them was his driving force!

The entire training montage with Genkai was AMAZING and fighting her was so funny she was running this boy in circles and I was living for it. God what a legend.

The scenes at the end on the boat where Hiei strolls up and tells Kuwabara to stop talking to Yukina, Kurama getting in between them felt so FAMILIAR and good!

The scene where Toguro comes to her is different and yet so very much the same as in the anime. The dialogue is exactly the same but delivered in this quiet and intimidating and intimate setting. I know we lost out on a lot of the context for it so the scene at the end where they part ways isn’t as impactful— I get that. But we the FANS know the context, so I was absolutely enthralled and bawling at how beautiful it was.

Hiei’s scene with Yukina!!!! I didn’t think they would do me like that but they DID and I was SCREAMING we were SO CLOSE.

Ugh. I loved it. Was it ‘perfect’ as in a perfect 1-1 adaptation? No. Some emotional elements were lacking because of the rush. I’ll admit that.

But was it perfect? Made me happy, perfectly nostalgic as a 20 year fangirl of this series??? Abso FUCKING lutely.

[girl4music]

WILLOW: “It's horrible! That's me as a vampire? I'm so evil and... skanky. And I think I'm kinda gay.”

BUFFY: “Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was.”

ANGEL: “Well, actually...

*gets a look from Buffy*

That's a good point.”

Can we discuss how ‘Doppelgängland’ presents a study case for Vampire Willow being like human Willow if Willow was suddenly missing an internal moral compass? I talk about Willow’s repressed sadism a lot and some overwhelming evidence for it is that there exists a vampire version of her in canon that’s a literal sadist and is just as evil as Angelus is. That enjoys inflicting torture and pain purely for fun. That has a good old time being indisputably sadistic.

Dark Willow - even though she has a soul and is human - thrives in the killing and the torturing of Warren and Rack. Yeah, she’s corrupted by black magic and feels nothing but vengeance, anger and hate. And yes, the people she does end up actually killing deserved it. But the point is that this is what she can be like even when HUMAN, even when ENSOULED. So Vampire Willow is interesting because that’s a Willow that isn’t either human or ensouled and how sadistic and evil she can be without an internal moral compass and without her humanity is reminiscent of Dark Willow.

And so I can’t help thinking that maybe that vampire has nothing to do with the demon that “possesses” Willow. Maybe the reason why that particular vampire is “so evil… and skanky… and kinda gay” is because that’s the human that the vampire is informed by. That it’s because it’s Willow why Vampire Willow is like that.

And I know it’s just for jokes why they had Angel start to say what he did in response to Buffy’s comment to Willow in trying to reassure her that that vampire is just an evil demon and has no bearing on her character at all… But I really wish we had got to hear what he was going to say. If I had to guess I feel like he was going to say something like “Well, actually… that’s not quite true. A vampire’s personality is still informed by the human that died even if it is not the person it was.”

But with Vampire Willow… the question is just how much of alternative human Willow informs her and how much is really just a demon from the ethers “possessing” the body of the alternative human Willow that died? You would think adding this particular situation on to the soul lore would be in support for it being demon possession… but I’m not so sure that that is so when much of the Willow that we see later on is what we get with Vampire Willow.

See for me, ‘Doppelgängland’ comes off more as foreshadowing than it does in being an addition to the soul lore that provides evidence for the perspective that vampires are a demon possession of a dead human because it does the entire opposite in telling and showing that to be the truth as they give us a significant look in to what Willow would be like both without a soul and without her humanity - which for me don’t mean the same thing because I don’t think of the soul that way. See, I have a very specific understanding of what a “soul” is and I don’t think of it as the human itself or as the person itself. I think of it as an internal moral compass for the human or person.

Which then further means if that human or person is suddenly bit by a vampire and dies - it doesn’t come back as a vampire because its body is possessed by a demon. It comes back as a vampire because IT IS a demon. A newly created or newly born demon in a human body that is informed by both the demon AND the human respectively. That’s why and how it can’t be a possession by the demon or human because possession means it’s an entirely different entity from the demon or human. And a vampire isn’t because it’s a half-breed of both the demon and the human. So it is still the same entity that died all the while becoming a newly created entity. It is, essentially, a resurrection or reincarnation of the human or person that died but just with personality traits and qualities that are only evil and sadistic in nature depending on what the human or person could be capable of that the newly created demon exacerbates in them with abandon.

Vampire Willow is a very interesting study case for this because what she is depends on whether human Willow can be capable of being that evil and sadistic all the while being a human. And… she can… as Dark Willow eventually and inevitably shows us. Yes, for her to get there it required the themes of power corruption, addiction and vengeance… but the point is that she was still capable of it. And, for me, it only just proves that if somebody that pure can become that evil and sadistic as a human… then so could we all.

Vampire Willow is not a study case for vampires being entirely different from their human counterparts. It’s a study case for learning that they are or can be alike if they’re missing an internal moral compass and therefore their emotions or desires were not being repressed. Vampire Willow is an uninhibited entity. They make that very clear in the writing when using it in juxtaposition with human Willow’s inhibitedness. Willow even acknowledges that both her and Vampire Willow feel like the world’s “no fun” anymore but then recedes that acknowledgement in the final scene, realizing that being “reliable dog geyser person” isn’t so bad. That she could actually be the entire opposite to that and she never wants to be like Vampire Willow if this is the pain and damage that she could cause.

So Vampire Willow truly is what we would get if human Willow was completely free of all constraints on her good character. If she suddenly believed that she didn’t need to be the good person she always is and could do what she wants without any thought for the risks or consequences of her actions and choices and without any concern for any pain or damage she may cause through her carelessness and recklessness. It is very much in her capability and nature to become what we see of Vampire Willow’s appearance. And I think that if Xander had not have been able to save Willow in ‘Grave’, this is precisely what Willow would have become. Not simply just Dark Willow. But Evil and Sadistic Willow. She would have lost her humanity.

Fortunately… she still possessed an internal moral compass and so her humanity won over the battle and Vampire Willow remained just a fantasy in fan-fiction. But it does give me pause to realize that Willow’s selfishness, arrogance and entitlement in Season 6 would still inform everything that Vampire Willow is precisely because she is the human psyche for her.