#anyway.. 1/3 of the evil is defeated

[3416]

After Auston said the team was so close this year I find that unfollowing really odd :/

Yes, most likely reading too much into it, but.

honestly.. gklfsdjf now that multiple people unfollowed him, there probably IS something to it. but they all say "oh the team's so close" every year, lol. last year the team didn't feel close to me at all... it was a LOT of new faces after actually beloved teammates (bunts, holl, kerfoot, sandin, etc) were lost to trades and ufa after 22-23 and that's why i personally felt really disconnected from the team as a whole last year anyway, lol. domi/bertuzzi/reaves all threw a big wrench in the vibes to me so. it kinda tracks that there's something off there.... i thought bert's tenure here was a little odd..... like keefe clearly didn't like him or think he put in the work or SOMETHING based on the way he was moved all around the lineup.... but now i'm curious what could personally have been going on too in the locker room klfsjdkflsd

[narsh-poptarts]

my dark link thoughts coalesced into wonderful headcanons and crazy amounts of forced perspectives and dutch angles

also sorry HW i would have included your dark link(s) but i do not have passion for your game <3 maybe next time

Some thoughts below

I have thoughts about dark link that boil down to basically two things: 1. it's always the same dark link, and 2. dark link has a very difficult time changing.

No matter how many times dark link is brought into existence, he is formed from the shadow of link usually to test link's will. that shadow can be duplicated (as seen in HW) but generally speaking it's the same guy, sharing the thought space, you know how it is. In terms of sentience/thinking for himself, I don't think there's all that much of it. He is a dark reflection/shadow of link, so shares his abilities and thought patterns (for combat) with added aggression and. evil. i guess.

As said by navi, "conquer yourself", and all that. He's a challenge to the inner will power.

That being said!!! he can have a little bit of individuality, as a treat. Just in the form of being mean and sadistic <3 he's got thoughts, he's not just a combat doll (tho in times of low power, or a greater power having the reins, he reverts to that), so he can be frustrated, vindicated, happy, etc etc. though when your thoughts are mainly "evilevilevilevilevil" your idea of these emotions are a bit skewed.

When he's summoned for each different link, i hc that it's all the same magic, so the same dark link every time. he "remembers" in an abstract sense of his role in the same way a link or zelda "remembers" their own reincarnation. tho his is less of a reincarnation and more being used over and over again. a persistence.

The iteration that's summoned reflects the current link at the time, the part of link that needs testing/defeating, so it's not an existence that he himself can change to match the present. he's locked to that first copy/shadow only. So if he were to have a second encounter with an older link, he'd look like the first time they fought, unless he was specifically re-summoned. i hc he's got limited magic, so this is not something he can do himself.

in a links-meet scenario, his form would be limited to those specific forms of the links, and it would always be the points in time in which he first encountered them, unless there's other magic either he or someone else has access to to allow him to change forms to match.

now you might be saying at this point "wouldn't he be a weaker match if he was put up against an older link?" yeah probably lol. but also!!! i like the idea that with the limited magic he has, he's able to change juuuust enough to stay relatively evenly matched. being able to play to different strengths and all that. but the base stuff is still the same, so he is decently easy enough to read if link remembers the kind of stuff he was pulling back when he originally fought dark link.

dark link also knows about all this so while limited to the particular skillset, is able to adapt slightly.

but yeah been thinking a lot about a links-meet au where dark link is there choosing a different link to be every time he appears to the party.

though there are a couple links that he never impersonates in their games!!! so can't change into those guys unless he gets a new round of copycat magic.

Anyways goodbye guy standing there with standard camera angle, i have dutch angles and forced perspective

[quasi-normalcy]

Details of each evil plan are below the cut!

Daimon Bok, "Bloodlines" (TNG):

Track down the son of a woman with whom your nemesis had sex the right number of years ago for him to be the boy's father

Somehow re-sequence his DNA so that he will read genetically as his son without him noticing or suddenly develop markedly different features

Threaten your nemesis's fake "son" with death so that your nemesis will ride into save him, hopefully bond with him as if he were his son

Take him onto your ship and threaten to kill him

Not profit

Vedek Teero, "Repression" (VOY):

Discover a Starfleet mole in the terrorist organisation you're a member of

Instead of exposing this mole to his comrades, plant an unconscious trigger in his brain

Wait until after your terrorist organization has been utterly routed, the planets it was fighting over have been razed or depopulated, and even the enemy that it was fighting has been defeated and placed under military occupation

Then, when your mole is on an isolated ship situated 30 years away at maximum warp, send him a subliminal message with the trigger phrase to reawaken the zeal of his ex-Maquis crew members

(Presumed) Wait 30 years for the ship to come home so that it can renew the good fight against the empire that no longer exists for planets that you no longer live on

"John Harrison", Star Trek into Darkness:

Get woken up from a 300-year slumber by an evil admiral who wants you to build weapons for him, on pain of your crew's lives.

Somehow succeed in this despite the fact that your technical knowledge is 300 years out of date and weapons design is really not your field

Steal your sleeping crew members and hide them someplace safe (inside the torpedoes you're building)

Attack Starfleet Command and then beam to the planet with which the evil admiral really wants to start a war

Pray that the evil admiral will (1) not look inside the torpedoes and (2) order the captain that he sends to kill you to not look inside the torpedoes

Pray that this captain will follow the order to not look inside the torpedoes, but not follow the order to fire them at the planet without delay

Get captured on purpose

Pray that the captain will personally interview you; pray that he will suddenly decide to open the torpedoes after all

When the Evil Admiral shows up in a much more powerful ship, pray that he won't just destroy the ship that you were on

Pray that the captain will take you with him on a dangerous mission to the more powerful ship; crush the evil admiral's head with your bare hands

Sweet! Now you have a more powerful ship! Get the Enterprise to beam your crew over

Don't bother to check what's in the torpedoes...

The Borg Queen, Star Trek: Picard, season 3:

Assimilate a guy who doesn't want children

Modify his testicles while he's assimilated so that, on the off chance that he ever escapes assimilation and has the children that he doesn't want, they will have incredible organic Borg transmitter powers

Just keep these special testicles around for a rainy day. Have no other means of building organic transmitters.

Years later, when your collective has been utterly devastated by a virus, find out that the special testicles have produced a special son

Make an alliance with some shapeshifting aliens who have no particular reason to ally with you to kidnap the special son, plant organic receivers in the brains of the younguns

Hope that the special son will just randomly come to you anyway when the shapeshifters fail

Somehow hide a giant Borg ship in Jupiter's great red spot without anyone noticing; activate the transmitter

When the younguns come over to your side, announce that your (chronically depopulated) collective will no longer bother assimilating people; instead, you'll just kill everyone who isn't already a member

(Presumed) Fend off constant attacks for however many centuries it takes for your few thousand drones to breed appreciable numbers; conquer the universe

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters with Random Hobbies

This is months later, but at the time I'm writing this, there's a big trend on tumblr of people sending around Picker Wheel polls--is that still going on?

Anyway, I saw this post with a Hobby Picker Wheel, and I used it to assign random Cosmere characters random hobbies! Let's see how it goes!

1. Lezian tries...weaving

Lezian: I HATE THIS Lezian: I HATE SITTING STILL AND I HATE YARN AND I HATE THAT THIS STUPID LOOM IS SOMEHOW DEFEATING ME Lezian: DIE LOOM, DIE!!!!! Raboniel: That's the fifth loom he's broken. Leshwi: I don't think fiber crafts are for him.

2. Charlie tries...reading

Charlie: Wow, this is so relaxing! Charlie: In a book, the evil sorceress can't actually hurt me! Charlie: ... Charlie: It is maybe a little boring, though.

3. Demoux tries...model airplanes

Demoux: It's so weird. Demoux: I don't even know what an "airplane" is. Demoux: And yet...I am SO invested in getting this right. Galladon: Demoux, please, the Seventeenth Shard has left you like a hundred messages. Demoux: I'm BUSY.

4. Lightsong tries...pickleball

Lightsong: So...is the ball the pickle? Is the net the pickle? Is the racket the pickle? Lightsong: ...Am I the pickle? Llarimar: Your Grace, please, your opponent is weeping. Lightsong: Not my fault I'm freakishly good at all sports.

5. Lirin tries...horseback riding

Lirin: I just don't see the point, really. Lirin: I have legs for walking. Lirin: Riding may be faster, but it's also higher. And angrier. Kaladin: I...agree with my father about something? Lirin: You don't have to sound that surprised!

6. Dilaf ties...cycling

Dliaf: HAHAHAHAHAHA Dilaf: WITH THIS DEVICE I SHALL SPREAD THE WORD OF SHU-DERETH FAR AND WIDE Dilaf: WHILE MOWING DOWN HEATHENS WITH MY METAL HORSE Dliaf: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Hrathen: You're not built for hobbies.

7. Bleeder tries...crossword puzzles

Bleeder: This...this is impossible! Harmony: You can't put down "murder" as the answer to every clue. Bleeder: STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO

8. Elend tries...swimming

Vin: 👀 👀 👀 Elend: Swimsuits sure are...revealing. Elend: Are we SURE this is the right size? Vin: WE SURE ARE

9. Vin tries...archery

Vin: It's fine, I guess. Vin: Kinda a slow way to bring death to your enemies, though. Vin: One at a time? Really? Archery range attendant: Please ma'am you are scaring the children.

10. Painter tries...single-player video games

Painter: [With tears in his eyes] Painter: Finally...the lonely hero all in black...saving the world....is me. Yumi: Is your Warrior of Light riding a...really fat chicken? Painter: ITS NAME IS NIGHT WALKER

[snailstrailz]

Ratigan is among my favorite villains not just because he's the perfect example of a classic villain and a good adaptation of Moriarty, he's just well written too.

Not necessarily in the backstory or twist department like Turbo, but just in the way he's handled as an agonist. You feel his presence before he's revealed. SOMEONE had to send Fidget for the kidnapping, and that someone is evil. I could go into the genius of the first scene, but the steaks are set instantly.

When we actually get to see the guy, (through Basil's fruity ass and his framed picture of him) he wastes no time launching into a musical number 1 out of 3 songs of the whole movie, which two of them are his. (Not to mention he has a doll of Basil full of pins to mirror the picture Basil has, damn how bad was the breakup dude). This number shows off his entire range, from triumphant self- aggrandizing to waxing poetic about how much he dislikes getting foiled and his fun getting ruined.

-To what happens when you offend him. For the mere crime of calling him a rat, which he is- the drunken mouse gets fed to a cat while the other henchmen watch. (I kinda wonder WHY he's so upset by this, it's never really elaborated on, though interestingly it seems he's trying to stray from the typical associations of being a rat by surrounding himself with poshness and dressing like a gentleman)

But despite these monetary slips of his composure, he usually fixes himself and acts calm and collected as he sentences people to their deaths.

Which makes the climax of the movie all the more impactful. When Basil was faced with seeming defeat, he resigned into self-pity, but when faced with his cape caught in the gears, Basil getting away after foiling his master plan, and most importantly- being outwitted- he finally, truly, loses his cool.

While pursuing Basil in a blind rage, he loses large portions of his clothing hot damn and fully resembles the stereotype of the ragged, dirty, sharp-toothed sewer rat that was inside him all along, going as far as running on all fours.

As intelligent as he is- he's short-sighted. He doesn't leave a henchmen to make sure Basil doesn't escape, he didn't have a plan B for the case the robot queen failed. He tackles Basil to what could have been both of their dooms, And in his rage- he doesn't notice Basil pickpocketing him and distracting him with the very bell that he'd used to sentence people to death by cat, momentarily snapping him out of his rage and distracting him. In which time, Big Ben chimes, which sends him plummeting, a grand end to a grand villain.

Anyway this post was just one big excuse to talk about that one gif. Goodnight everybody!

[thestoryteller-thedreamer]

The Lack of Lore in Dragons Rising

Warning:

This is a really long essay rant about Dragons Rising. You probably won't agree with all, or even most of what I have to say, and that is totally alright. This is just my take on Dragons Rising so far.

Also, I have not seen any of the new leaks for Season 3 Part 2. All of my issues could be resolved in those episodes for all I know. I do talk about things that happened in Part 1, so if you haven't watched Episodes 1-10 of season 3 and don't want them to be spoiled, maybe don't read this post.

Anyway, I've warned you. What you do next is your own decision.

Dragons Rising has introduced us to all of these interesting concepts in the past fifty episodes. The Forbidden Five, the Source Dragons, the wolf masks, the prismatic blades, shatter spin, rising dragon technique, the missing characters, and the freaking merge itself. All of them feel like they connect in very nuanced and intricate ways with the already established ninjago lore, but we are given none of their history, only the action scenes that utilize them. Which is starting to feel less like a mystery and more like an oversight. 

Let’s go back to Season 1 of the entire show. Right off the bat, we are introduced to the Serpentine. The main characters give us a bit of exposition in the form of bickering in the first episode, describing the Serpentine, their role in Ninjago history, and the mystery/ legends surrounding them. We continue to get a glimpse into the various Serpentine tribes, including their abilities, their power structure, their intertribal relations, and their desires within the first few episodes. By the midpoint of the season, Wu has revealed the backstory of the Great Devourer as well. And it doesn’t feel like too much exposition is going on. The season, for all of its other flaws, flows fairly smoothly and is full of action.

In Season 2, we meet the Overlord, and are immediately given his history with the First Spinjitzu Master. In Season 3, though not a lot of new lore is added, returning characters and the new technology of the Digiverse are both explained to some extent. Both seasons 4 and 5 handle the lore excellently, at least in my opinion. We are shown the histories of Garmadon and Wu, respectively, continuing to see glimpses of their troubled pasts as the season goes on, without feeling left in the dark for too long. Similar things can be said of most, if not all, of the other seasons. 

However, in Dragons Rising, we are given none of that. 

The characters claim to have a backstory (Egalt and Rontu say the Forbidden Five are an evil “unlike anything you’ve ever seen”) but what we are given is so lackluster that it feels forgettable. Part of what made the Forbidden Five so boring in Season 3 is how little we know about them. Most of our information comes from posts by the writers, not the actual show itself. Their powers are barely explained, the relationships between all of them other than Nokt and Rox (the two siblings) aren’t even present, and I have no idea why they want Thunderfang or what they plan to do to the merged lands. Conquer them? Destroy them? Declare the doughnuts must be eaten every third Tuesday of the month? I don’t know! Older villains, like Garmadon, Harumi, Morro, Chen, Aspheera, Kalmar, Unagami, and Nadakhan all had very clear, if also very misguided, goals. I don’t know what these new villains want! Gosh, I can’t even keep their names straight. They have really cool designs, but I get Zarkt and Drix confused all the time. 

Not to mention, the Forbidden Five were built up as the greatest evil in all the merged lands, only to be immediately defeated by Thunderfang. Creating an even more powerful villain for our heroes to face would work if the writers actually raised the stakes. As it is, these latest villains don’t feel anywhere near as threatening as those that actually came with a cost- Lloyd having to fight his dad, Zane dying to the Overlord, Nya merging with the sea to defeat Wojira, even all of the cubing that happened while in Prime Empire. Like the entirely evil Oni, they work really well as a background threat, but as soon as they appear in action, they are pretty underwhelming (and both the Oni and Thunderfang were defeated by a fancy Spinjitzu move). I think it would be more beneficial if the villains stopped threatening the entire world, and instead honed in on something more personal, such as hunting down one of the main ninja for revenge or something, or trying to steal their powers so everyone is “equal” (aka, Legends of Korra). 

Or the villain isn’t even a real villain, but they are trying to keep the ninja from something they want, like figuring out the secrets of the Merge, finding the truth about Wu, or recovering Jay’s memories. Lowering the world stakes and raising the personal stakes could actually be far more gripping than constantly raising the bar for who is the ultimate evil. 

Okay, so what about the Source Dragons? It feels like the writers go back and drastically change everything we already know about the First Spinjitzu Master and Firstborn. It gives me the same whiplash sensation I had finding out that Lloyd was part Oni and part Dragon. In hindsight, Lloyd’s heritage is an interesting concept. And so are the Source Dragons! But right now, it feels like my entire understanding of Ninjago history is falling apart at the seams. Not to mention, we don’t get a dramatic Mystake storytelling moment for the Source Dragons. We are told they exist and are super powerful and supposedly give everyone their elemental powers… but not much else. Where do they live? What makes them so powerful? Why did they decide to give powers to people like Cinder and Zeatrix? Why do the Source Dragons give evil people their elemental powers? How could they refuse to interfere with mortal affairs unless they are being threatened, especially since doling out powers that way could be the cause of some of Ninjago’s problems? 

Oh, and will the show ever care to discuss the Wolf Masks? How did Ras get his hands on them while he was busy in Imperium? At this point, it seems like he has a backup plan for a backup plan for a backup plan for a backup plan (Dragon Icons with Arin to make up for Nokt betraying him and using the elemental powers for himself to make up for the blood moon ritual not going as planned to make up for Beatrix not doing what he wanted to make up for his tribe kicking him out.) What is this guy’s deal? And how did he get an entire army of faceless, nameless soldiers to wear his masks and help him take down the world? In Season 4, at least Chen offered his followers the appeal of a snake cult on a tropical island. I’m seeing none of those benefits for Ras’s minions. 

And don’t get me started on the Prismatic Blades. What the heck are these things? They are made from “soul energy?” Has someone been harvesting souls to turn them into swords? Why does looking through them allow someone to see invisible demogorgon soul sucking spirits? How did Rapton, not to mention Dorama’s puppet, get his paint spattered pinchers on one of those things? What is up with the sword that shattered during the tournament? If these are the only things that can bust Thunderfang free, why weren’t they hidden better? Or if they were, how were they found? At least in S1, when the ninja were searching for the Fangblades, we were given a bit more explanation. We had a fancy map with their locations, a Clutch Powers bit where he “found” one and turned it into a trophy, a dramatic battle in an erupting volcano… Yes, they fight over the prismatic blades. But the fight locations don’t feel important the way they do in S1 of the original show. 

Ooh, and what about the missing characters? Crystallized ended with an absurd number of side characters all teaming up to help the ninja rebuild their monastery. At the start of Dragons Rising, they are not only gone, but forgotten. We’ve had a few beloved side characters make guest appearances- Dareth, Fugidove, some of the elemental masters at the Tournament of Sources… but the others haven’t even been mentioned. I think it would be ridiculous to try to fit everyone into the plot. This ensemble show has a cast swollen way past anything reasonable. But maybe give us a cameo of Harumi living her life, or Skylor running her noodle shop or Benthomar and Vania being the best king and queen one could hope for. Give us Garmadon and Vinny walking through the crossroads, and an angsty teen Unagami addicted to his phone, and Nelson jealously watching Arin fulfill his life dreams. It can take place in a quick fly by, where their relationship to the ninja isn’t explained, but older fans have a moment to freak out and scream at the top of their lungs when they see their babies for a few seconds. 

Now for the Merged Lands. Yes, this is a kid’s show. But I feel like after several years (which, btw, why are they so vague about the time span? They are always like, the merge happened “several years ago,” but never give us an exact date, and it drives me crazy!) the different combined realms would have formed some sort of political understanding. We are given no glimpse into how Ninjago decides to interact with Imperium, or the Cloud Kingdom, or the Wyldness. At the very least, I would have expected some reaction to Imperium declaring the ninja as enemies of the state from Ninjago. How dare the foreigners try to capture their beloved heroes?! Only the Ninjago City police and the *new ninja* are allowed to put them in jail! We have no interactions between them, or even reminders that old businesses and characters still exist. (NGTV news, the mayor, that police commissioner with the twitchy eye…) It feels like Ninjago’s culture has been erased, and none of the other merged lands have become prominent enough to replace it. The beautiful city that gets destroyed every other season and feels a little bit like home when I see it on screen isn’t relevant any more. 

The show really wants to have new lore. It hints that it is there, it tries to dump it on us in repeated blasts of the same boring exposition. But I honestly can’t see it. Or maybe I just can’t get excited about it because it doesn’t feel personal enough. Unlike the earlier seasons, where villains targeted the ninja specifically because of Wu and Garamdon’s past, or trying to steal their powers, the heroes are so detached from this current wave of baddies that it doesn’t seem to matter. Saving the world for the sake of saving the world is good and all. But you know what is great? Saving the world for the sake of saving your friend. Stopping the villain merely because they kidnapped someone you love or tried to steal your teammates powers or broke your brother’s heart or made your already elderly teacher even more old. 

The lore is connected to the world, not the characters. And if it doesn’t matter to the characters, then it really doesn’t matter to the audience. 

[right-there-ride-on]

Chronology of Major Gyjo moments (sources cited)

Gyro refuses to leave Johnny behind despite making it a point that he won't be slowed down by him

Chapter 14 - Across the Arizona Desert: Continuing on the Shortest Route

2) After being attacked, Johnny states the only one he trusts is Gyro

Also, early example of Johnny being willing to give the corpse up to save Gyro (even before Sugar Mountain!)

Chapter 27: Tusk (Part 3)

3) Gyro disobeying his father and familial tradition by giving in to his urge to save Johnny (and thereby fight like a 'true man' for what he wants)

Chapter 35: The True Man's World (Part 3)

4) Gyro putting his faith in Johnny to defeat their attacker. When Johnny thinks he's failed, he cradles Gyro's face and asks for forgiveness. (it's a major moment. to me)

Chapter 44: A Silent Way (Part 5)

5) Ok this one is just a little sus but I'm putting it in anyway: Gyro dreaming of that time he slept with one of his patients, only to immediately wake up and have a domestic scene with Johnny. For what purpose...?

Chapter 45: The Promised Land Sugar Mountain (Part 1)

6) Johnny gives up the corpse parts for Gyro (again), immediately followed by them drinking away their sorrows into the sunset. Who's doing it like them.

Chapter 48: Tubular Bells (Part 1)

7) Gyro finds the Golden Rectangle, previously described as, “… the foundation for every perfect structure for beauty" (Chapter 43: A Silent Way, Part 4) in Johnny eyes, and refuses to answer Johnny's question about where he's finding it. The implications of what Gyro thinks of Johnny's physical appearance are obvious.

Chapter 52: Wrecking Ball (Part 2)

8) Gyro sacrifices his hand, his only other point of reference for the Golden Rectangle, in order to save Johnny from a hit he probably could have tanked. Even Gyro looks a little surprised at himself... Also, they are all over each other this arc. Gyro is especially protective.

And, a little later:

Chapter 53: Wrecking Ball (Part 3)

9) Once it's revealed that Valentine intends to kill the rest of the racers (at least the ones who pose a threat to him), and makes an attempt on Johnny's life, Gyro attempts to convince Johnny to drop out, implying that he would drop out with him.

Of course, this is immediately followed by Johnny begging Gyro to, at the very least, help Lucy and see what she knows about the corpse parts. Seeing Johnny's distress at being so close to his goal only to have it snatched away from him convinces Gyro to stay in the race (something that will ultimately get him killed) and theorize how they can use the spin to defeat Valentine (via the stirrups). He tries to play it off but goddamn he is in love with him.

Chapter 72: Ticket to Ride (Part 2)

10) Shuiesha coloring may imply that Johnny is wearing Gyro's shirt beneath his own?? It's got the same collar and everything.

First appearance of this coloring choice is Chapter 63: 7 Days in a Week

11) Exchange of secrets no one else knows (they are each other's most important person!)

This panel in particular:

Chapter 76: D4C (Part 9)

12) And last but not least, thee set of chapter titles ever, in which Valetine attempts to bargain with Johnny to spare his life in return for bringing back Gyro. Johnny refuses, not because of any moral quandary about saving the life of an evil man, but because the Gyro brought back would not be the same. On top of that, he recognizes Valentine as a liar.

When it's all over, Johnny just breaks.

And that's the end of the chapter!

Chapters 88 and 89: Break My Heart, Break Your Heart (Parts 1 & 2)

13) Johnny's Goodbye (I like this scene more in b+w what can I say)

Chapter 95: The World of Stars and Stripes (Outro)

Obviously Johnny and Gyro have a lot of smaller moments too, but these are the ones that come to mind when I think of them!

[ozzo-the-wozzo]

A VERY long theory post on how Miraculous might handle the possibility of Marinette losing her memories, based on… 90s Sailor Moon!

So I am a HUGE fan of 90s Sailor Moon, and it’s pretty well known that the show serves as a huge inspiration for Miraculous alongside other shows! Anyway, they have an amnesia arc at the start of the 2nd story arc of that show, and seeing the Marinette amnesia crumb planted in the latest ml episode, as well as the fact we’re in the 2nd story arc of ml, I have a sneaking suspicion that sailor moon’s amnesia arc can be drawn from for speculation on anything they might do with Marinette!

BIG spoilers for Sailor Moon below, and without further ado, here we go:

SO, let’s start with a summary of everything that happens in 1st arc of Sailor Moon that provides necessary context of the amnesia arc. You can skip past this section to the parts in pink that have the actual theory if you want, but this context helps make things less confusing:

1) Usagi gets assigned to be a sailor guardian by this cat called Luna (You can see her as a mix of Tikki and Master Fu, but she mostly serves the same role as Tikki in the show), and throughout the season other girls get assigned to be sailor guardians and they become part of this big ass friend group.

2) Meanwhile, Usagi and her love interest, Mamoru, hate each other in their civilian forms throughout the season, but as heroes she had a big crush on him as his persona ‘Tuxedo Mask’, who would come and save her if she was having trouble in a fight. In other words, lowkey og love square but if they were enemies as civilians:

3) Anyway, this all comes together at the end of the first arc where Usagi and Momoru have a reveal (quicker than miraculous, I know) and in turn find out they were the moon princess and earth prince in a past life. After this reveal, Mamoru gets mind controlled by the villain and turns evil, and when everyone going on a mission to save him and defeat the big villain, it ends with EVERYONE EXCEPT USAGI DYING. She has to use a power to defeat the villain that causes her to die as well, but not before she MAKES A WISH FOR HER AND HER FRIENDS TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE THAT REWRITES THE UNIVERSE, causing the arc to end with EVERYONE’S MEMORIES WIPED, INCLUDING USAGI.

Already, I’m sure you can see the similarities that are arising, but onto the 2nd arc + how I think this will tie together:

During the 2nd arc, we start with basically a refresh of the show with Usagi having her memories wiped as per the wish, but due to evil arising once more, LUNA (who, again, I compared to tikki) has to restore her memories to have her fight evil again. Usagi then wants to restore the others memories desperately so that she won’t be alone, but doesn’t want them to give up their normal lives and be put in harms way. Also, she tries to get Mamoru to fall in love with her again, but since he lost his memories, he doesn’t like her anymore, like he did at the start of season one:

So what do I think will happen? I don’t necessarily think EVERYONE’s memories will be wiped like in sailor moon, nor will a wish to rewrite the universe be involved, at least not YET. BUT, I do think that the reveal will happen, Marinette will lose her memories after a fight (possibly in a fight involving evil Adrien like in the Sailor Moon), and then Alya, Adrien, and Tikki will be hesitant to restore her memories when all is said and done because she has finally become a NORMAL GIRL, with a NORMAL LIFE, and they don’t want to take that from her.

THE PHRASING OF THE INTRO BEING SOOO SIMILAR TO USAGI’S WISH IN SAILOR MOON IS CRAZY, and idk it feels like this could be such a cool idea, especially if by this point the public has turned on the old ladybug for lying and they want to try and spare Marinette from that! IT ALSO PARALLELS MARINETTE SHIELDING ADRIEN FOR HIS PROTECTION, WITH HER NOW ON THE RECEIVING END (it’s worth noting Mamoru being left in the dark is a big thing sailor moon season one as well, no so much an insecurity of his but bro doesn’t know anythingggg compared to Usagi for awhile).

THIS WOULD ALSO PROLONG REVEAL SHENANIGANS LIKE IT DID IN SAILOR MOON !! Again, Usagi had to try and make Mamoru fall in love with her again without telling him anything, and this becomes the man focus of the first arc of the season!!! (Mamoru also has a part of him that gets separated from his physical form and becomes an alternate version of tuxedo mask to protect her despite his memory loss, but I don’t think they’ll rope that in lol.)

Guys I know this is a little out there and INSANE but I am SO convinced of this at least being mirrored a LITTLE bit in the show, especially since, as you can see, a LOT was pulled from this show already for miraculous. Here’s to the crazy amnesia arc we might get that might break our hearts… I’m sat! (also watch sailor moon bc clearly if you’re a miraculous fan you’ll LOVE it).

[hivemuthur]

The Game of Teaching Body - Ch. 4.

viktorxfemale!reader mature! (for now, I will mark later chapters as explicit when the time comes)

AU university, AU modern era, slow burn, frenemies to lovers, teasing, pinning, banter, eventual romance and therefore smut, Viktor is simultaneously a menace and needs a hug, TA Viktor

Ch.1. | Ch.2. | Ch.3. | Ch.5. | Ch.6. | Ch.7. | Ch.8. | Ch.9. | Ch.10. | Ch.11. | Ch.12.

word count: 5,4K

tag: #the game of teaching body

summary: Plot thickens! From now on, I will be dipping more into Viktor's POV from time to time. Anyways, there is a party, and you know what happens at parties.

Cross-posted on AO3 + POV3rd Person Version

—

“One fucking evening this entire month we have free, and we have to do this,” Sue scoffed, emptying the lab bin into a giant rubbish bag. It was your turn for weekend prep, and unfortunately, there was no malicious intent behind it—the schedule spoke the truth. It just happened to land on the Friday Mel had invited you to a theatre department party.

“Which one do you want? Washing the glassware or laundry?” you asked, your mind elsewhere for the past week. Not that you needed a reminder of the night of your performance, but people greeting you with “Aaron Burr, sir” more often than you wished for certainly didn’t help you forget.

“I’m sorry, is there really not one offended bone in your body? This is gross,” Sue hissed, grimacing at the chewing gum she had to scrape from underneath the workbench.

You shrugged, offering her an apologetic glance. “I think my soul fled my body a long time ago, Sue. Also—if we do this fast, we’ll only be fashionably late.”

Sue grunted in defeat. “Fine. But! Can we at least have a little fun with it?” She dramatically pulled a small speaker out of her handbag and started the Hamilton soundtrack.

You responded with an exaggerated eye roll and a sigh, but you didn’t stop her.

At first, you were determined to focus on the task and finish as quickly as possible. But by the third song, your resolve wavered. Soon enough, you were screaming your lungs out while furiously washing beakers, joined by Sue, who was waving lab coats theatrically before hanging them out to dry.

You were so absorbed in your performance that you didn’t notice Jayce peeking through the little window in the TA’s office.

“Uh… do you think they know we’re here?” Jayce whispered into the quiet space of their tiny room, as if you and Sue could somehow hear him over the clamour you were making.

“I doubt it,” Viktor replied with a subtle smile, not lifting his eyes from the notes he and Jayce were preparing.

“Well, should we tell them?” Jayce asked, glancing at his partner, but he couldn’t suppress a giggle. When their eyes met, they both burst into laughter, snorting at the chaotic spectacle unfolding in front of them—you and Sue wreaking havoc with what had to be the worst version of Hamilton the world had ever seen.

“Definitely not,” Viktor said, shaking his head as he rose from behind the desk. He stepped up to the window beside Jayce, stealing a brief, inquisitive look at the scene before him.

Jayce shot him a questioning glance, an incredulous smile playing on his lips. “Viktor, you’re evil,” he whispered loudly, his tone equal parts amused and scandalized. When Viktor didn’t reply, Jayce hesitated before adding, a little shyly, “Should we… record this?”

“Definitely yes,” Viktor said without missing a beat, nodding a few too many times. An evil smirk spread across his face, his sharp features illuminated with mischief.

Jayce laughed quietly, pulling out his phone. They leaned closer to the window, trying to stifle their giggles as they recorded your exaggerated tap dances and overly dramatic singing. You belted out all the roles at once, seamlessly switching from one caricatured voice to another. Sue, meanwhile, danced around you, waving lab coats like pompoms in a cheerleader’s routine.

“Viktor, we kind of need to leave, though,” Jayce whispered, glancing at the clock on the wall. His expression grew worried. “I promised Mel we wouldn’t be late.”

“Well, we can’t leave now, can we?” Viktor replied, still peeking through the small glass window, the smile never leaving his face. “They would eat us alive if they knew we were here.”

Jayce groaned softly, torn between his promise to Mel and his unwillingness to interrupt the chaos before him.

“Besides,” Viktor added, nudging Jayce lightly with his elbow, “I think this… experience might come in handy one day.”

Jayce turned to him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “What are you planning in that evil head of yours?”

“Ah, nothing too harmful,” Viktor said with an innocent shrug, though his amused tone betrayed him.

You and Sue carried on with your impromptu performance, finishing triumphantly with the last song of the first act. You spun theatrically, slapping the autoclave door shut with a loud clang, while Sue hefted a giant rubbish bag—now roughly the size of an adult human—over her shoulder with an exaggerated grunt.

Still laughing and singing, you exited the room, your voices and footsteps echoing loudly through the corridors.

Viktor let out a satisfied hum as the sound faded. “Well,” he murmured, stepping back from the window, “that was thoroughly entertaining.”

Jayce shook his head, pocketing his phone. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet,” Viktor said with a grin, “it’s your phone that now has the priceless recording on it.”

***

The party was already in full swing when Sue and you arrived. The soft buzz of laughter and conversation drifted out through the open doors of one of the theatre department's scene rooms, spilling into the dimly lit hallway. Inside, strings of fairy lights crisscrossed the ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over the modest but well-decorated space. Students from various years and departments milled about, sipping drinks from mismatched glasses and occasionally breaking into animated conversations. The party felt exclusive but relaxed, an invite-only gathering of the social and the curious.

“Okay, this is cute,” Sue said, surveying the scene as she adjusted the strap of her bag.

“Yeah,” you replied absently, your eyes scanning the room. You didn’t exactly feel like you belonged among the artsy crowd, but Sue’s excitement was contagious enough to keep you from bolting. Also, Alice was going to be there.

Before you could venture further, a familiar figure waved at you. Mel. She was stationed near a small bar set up at the far end of the room, looking as effortlessly glamorous as ever in a sleek black dress. Her smile was wide as she approached, holding a glass of wine.

“You made it!” Mel greeted, pulling both of you into a quick hug. “Sue, Y/N—I was starting to think you’d bailed.”

“Not a chance,” Sue said with a grin. “Though you can thank lab duty for making us late.”

You chuckled lightly. “Yeah, but we brought the energy of ‘cleaning under duress.’”

Mel raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want to know. Just grab a drink, mingle, and enjoy yourselves. Theatre kids know how to party.”

Before long, another commotion near the entrance caught your attention. Viktor and Jayce had arrived. Viktor looked sharp as ever in his typical understated style, though there was a slight flush to his cheeks, as if the cold night air had left its mark. Jayce, on the other hand, was already waving enthusiastically to familiar faces.

“Speak of the devils,” Mel said with a smirk, watching the pair approach.

Sue elbowed you. “You think they followed us here?”

You snorted. “What, and crash an artsy party? Highly unlikely.”

As Viktor and Jayce joined your group, you couldn’t help but notice how both men exchanged glances and smothered giggles.

“What?” you finally asked, narrowing your eyes.

“Nothing,” Jayce said, failing spectacularly at looking innocent. His grin widened as he glanced at Viktor, who was suspiciously quiet but equally amused.

“Seriously,” Sue added, crossing her arms. “What’s so funny?”

Viktor tilted his head, the barest trace of a smirk tugging at his lips. “Oh, nothing of importance.”

You and Sue exchanged confused looks but decided to drop it, instead dispersing into the party. Sue quickly made a beeline for the bar, striking up a conversation with Alice and a couple of theatre students. You, however, drifted aimlessly for a while, chatting briefly with a few familiar faces.

It wasn’t long before you spotted Ambrose. He was leaning casually against a wall, his drink in hand, wearing the same easy confidence he’d had when you first met. The warmth in his eyes made it slightly worse. You had completely forgotten about him.

“Y/N!” he called, weaving through the crowd toward you. “I was hoping I’d run into you.”

“Hey, Ambrose,” you replied, keeping your tone polite but guarded.

“So,” he said, a small grin playing on his lips, “you never reached out. I thought we had a connection at that party.” He looked at you expectantly, making your stomach twist.

You shifted uncomfortably, your grip tightening slightly on your glass. “Yeah, sorry about that. Things got busy; you know how it is.” You scolded yourself for how weak your response was. You’d once gotten this kind of response from a boy, and it had hurt you deeply. Now, you suddenly understood why people didn’t bother taking that extra step to soften the blow.

Ambrose’s smile faltered for a moment before he recovered. “Sure. Maybe next time, then?”

“Maybe,” you replied, your tone dismissive but still polite.

As soon as Ambrose turned his attention elsewhere, you exhaled deeply, needing a moment to yourself. You were hoping to find Hale, but before that could happen, you slipped away from the main party area and into the adjoining dressing rooms. The lights above the vanities cast a softer, more diffused glow, and the quiet felt like a balm. You scrambled up to sit on top of one of the vanities, stealing a quick glance at your own reflection before turning away from it, letting your gaze wander across the room. Your mind raced, jumping from Ambrose to Sue and her new girlfriend—and, reluctantly, to Viktor. He looked nice today, but the glances you caught from him were, at the very least, unnerving.

“Ah, there you are,” came a familiar voice from the doorway.

You turned, startled, to see Viktor leaning casually against the frame. His posture betrayed the alcohol in his system, a slight sway giving him away. His cheeks were flushed, the top buttons of his shirt undone, and—your gaze caught on a detail that immediately soured your mood—a faint lipstick stain marked his cheek.

You raised an eyebrow, a wry smile creeping onto your lips. “Well, well. Someone’s been busy.” The words felt bitter on your tongue, and you forced a smile to stop yourself from hopping off the table and walking out. What was this reaction?

Viktor blinked, momentarily confused, before following your gesture to his cheek. His hand flew to the spot, his fingers brushing the stain as realization dawned. “It’s nothing,” he said dismissively, though the redness in his face deepened.

Your tone was light, but Viktor caught the stiffness in your smile, the way your eyes darted briefly to his cheek and then away. Was it bothering you? The idea made his heart lurch in a way he wasn’t ready to unpack. He didn’t think of himself as someone who inspired jealousy—especially not from you. Yet, the way you teased him now, your words just a shade too sharp to be entirely playful, sent a quiet thrill through him.

“Oh, sure. Just your typical party accessory,” you teased, though you couldn’t entirely mask the twinge of hurt you felt. Your stomach twisted itself into an even tighter knot as the fake smile glued itself painfully to your face.

Viktor stepped closer, his usual sharpness softened by the haze of alcohol. As he leaned in, he couldn’t help but notice how the soft light cast shadows on your face, emphasizing the curve of your lips. Lips he had stolen too many glances at tonight. How many times had he caught himself doing it now? Five? Six? More? It didn’t matter. The alcohol had stripped away the discipline that normally kept his thoughts in line.

“You seem… preoccupied,” he noted, his voice steady despite the warmth in his chest and the growing fog in his thoughts. He took a few wobbly steps toward you, his cane resting inches away from your knees, which dangled from the vanity table.

You quirked an eyebrow, leaning back and crossing your arms. “Do I? Maybe I’m just wondering if you’re collecting lipstick prints as a hobby now.”

The smirk that tugged at Viktor’s lips was faint but maddeningly confident. He could feel your gaze flicker to the stain again. Did it bother you that much? Your discomfort struck a chord in him—half guilt, half triumph. It was petty, but knowing you cared, even in this small way, sent an odd sense of satisfaction curling in his chest.

“Jealous, are we?” he asked, his tone teasing but quieter now, his accent rolling heavier as the alcohol loosened him further.

You scoffed, rolling your eyes. “Please. I’m just concerned about your… hygiene standards.” You waved your hand around him dismissively.

He chuckled, low and warm, the sound lingering between you. His eyes darted back to your lips before he caught himself. He shouldn’t be doing this—thinking like this. Somehow, whatever this was between you had already gone beyond the possibility of remaining casual. But the distance between you felt too small, the air too charged.

“I’ll have you know it was entirely unsolicited,” he said, his smirk growing despite the twinge of nervousness fluttering in his chest.

“Mm-hmm,” you replied, narrowing your eyes playfully. “And yet, you didn’t wipe it off.”

“Perhaps I forgot,” Viktor said, leaning in slightly, his voice dropping lower. “Or perhaps it’s a memento.”

Your laugh was light, but Viktor swore he saw a flicker of something else in your expression. Were you embarrassed? Amused? Hurt? He couldn’t tell, and it frustrated him more than he cared to admit.

You shook your head, fighting back a smile. “You’re impossible.” You let your head drop for a second, seeking a brief reprieve from your forced expressions, from his eyes on you. The wine burned in your stomach, and your fingers clutched the edge of the table a bit too tightly.

You kept your gaze fixed on the floor, willing your thoughts to steady. Viktor’s chuckle echoed faintly in your ears. You didn’t register the moment his hands moved to your ribs, pulling you in as he collided with your lips in a clumsy kiss. Instinctively, you spread your knees to let him closer, and he immediately obliged. One hand slid to cradle your waist, while the other kept your face close to his by your neck, his grip tight—on the border of pain.

He was hot beneath your lips, his body uncertain, his mouth greedy as if he expected you to push him away. You felt his urgency, and as your palms travelled to his hips to pull him closer, he took the invitation instantly. When your soft body pressed against his chest, he couldn’t hold back a groan that reverberated down your throat. You gave in to the kiss completely, tangling your fingers into his hair as he held you tightly, his grip on your neck unrelenting.

He wanted the kiss to be rough, rushed, and meaningless. No, he didn’t want the kiss to happen. But as it unfolded, he wanted it more and more, finding himself melting under your touch, gentle and welcoming, as if you wanted it just as much as he did. The jealousy in your eyes made him want to reassure you that the lipstick stain was nothing—just a clumsy, patronising kiss from Mel for finally accepting her invitation to something. His thoughts clattered drunkenly in his head as he poured himself into you, your body rocking underneath him, his trousers tightening, your scent assaulting his senses.

He almost told you how he had wanted to kiss you instead of handing you the phone back in his office, or during the cigarette you shared, how he had taken it from you to place his lips where yours had been seconds ago, how much you pissed him off in class, and how he had no idea what to do about it. Instead, he groaned painfully at the pressure between his legs and muttered only, “Wait,” as he pushed himself away from you.

Viktor's breath was heavy, and his chest rose and fell rapidly with the frantic rhythm of his heart. He felt the warmth of your body still pressed against his, the softness of your touch still lingering on his skin, and yet the moment he pulled back, a cold weight settled in the pit of his stomach. His hands were still trembling slightly, a mixture of desire and something darker, something unsure, gnawing at him.

You looked up at him, confusion clouding your expression. “What’s wrong?”

His mouth went dry. He didn’t have an answer—didn’t know how to explain what was happening inside him and that it was ugly. His mind was a chaotic mess of tangled thoughts that all fought each other, hurting his brain. He had kissed you, wanted you, he felt you, and the feeling was stupid, it was silly, and it was great. But now, in the aftermath, the thrill of the kiss was quickly replaced by the terror of his own compulsion.

“Nothing,” he said quickly, too quickly, trying to mask the truth. “I just… sorry, I got carried away.”

Your brow furrowed as you looked at him, almost searching for some kind of explanation. “Um, did I make you feel like I mind?”

“No,” he answered sharply, a little too sharp. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes flickered away from yours. He could still taste you on his lips, the feeling of your hands on his skin, and it made his heart beat harder, faster, but also painfully. He could feel the weight of his own indecision.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the rush of emotions made him feel dizzy. The pull to kiss you again was so strong, but so was the part of him that was terrified of what that meant. You made him feel amazing, and he scowled internally.

“Just don’t think much of it,” he said finally, his voice lower now, trying to make it sound casual, though it only made the moment heavier, dragging him lower and lower. “I’m sorry.”

He looked at you, seeing you still there, still waiting for some kind of explanation. The disappointment flickered in your eyes, and it made him want to reach for you again, to erase the distance he had just created. But fear held him back. He wasn’t used to this—wasn’t used to feeling this… exposed.

Viktor ran a hand through his hair, avoiding your gaze. “I shouldn’t have—” He stopped himself, unsure of what to say next, unsure of how to make sense of what was happening inside him. “Forget it, I’m... drunk,” he muttered, almost to himself, trying to regain some semblance of control.

But the damage was done. The warmth that had enveloped you both now felt like a distant memory, replaced by an awkward silence that felt too heavy to bear.

You felt so many things at once. In the span of mere minutes, Viktor had managed to make you realise not only that Hale was right, but that you could accept it—and worse, that you wanted it. But you worked faster than Viktor. In the ten seconds it took for him to pull back and mumble his apologies, you had already played out five different scenarios of how this could end.

You were ready to pick the one where you confronted him immediately, demanded an explanation, but then Hale’s words came back to you: You were a king. And you bowed to no one.

So, you pushed your anger and hurt aside.

Sliding off the table with practised ease, you cleared your throat and left the room with a steady, measured pace, not sparing him a single glance. Back at the party, you slipped effortlessly into your role. You danced with Hale, smiled, and joked with Jayce. You had a heartwarming chat with Mel, kissed Sue goodnight as your friend fled the party with Alice, and laughed at things that, later, you wouldn’t remember.

And then, when you finally returned to your empty room, when the music and the laughter faded into silence—you cried your eyes out.

***

Sue abandoned you for the entire weekend. You didn’t mind—you completely understood the flutters of new love—but being left alone with your thoughts proved disastrous. Your ambitious plans to study for two days straight fell apart under the weight of anger, hurt, and disbelief swirling inside you. Instead of being productive, you did absolutely nothing.

You spent hours pacing up and down your room, practising scathing speeches you imagined delivering to Viktor, each one sharper and more damning than the last.

By the time Sunday evening rolled around, you decided you couldn’t stay cooped up any longer. You snuck into the lab, determined to practise the tedious exercises you’d be running through in class the next day. You were at the awkward stage of university where most students had a vague sense of the direction they wanted to take, but still had to slog through the general science classes to check them off the list.

You slouched over the lab bench, your notes scattered haphazardly under the dim overhead light. You hadn’t even bothered to change properly, opting for sweatpants pulled over your pyjama bottoms and a baggy hoodie that was far too warm for the room. Your hair was tied back messily, strands clinging to your face as you worked through a particularly mind-numbing formula. You scribbled furiously, the dull scratch of your pen filling the otherwise silent space.

When you finally set your pen down, stretching your arms above your head, the sound of the door creaking open startled you. You turned to see Viktor stepping in, his gait uneven, the weight clearly favouring his good leg. His usually composed figure looked gaunt and worn, exhaustion etched into his features.

He stopped when he saw you, his expression briefly flickering with something unreadable before he schooled it into indifference. “I didn’t expect anyone to be here this late,” he said, his voice calm but with a hint of weariness.

You said nothing, your gaze dropping back to your notes as if he hadn’t spoken at all. You ignored him entirely, scribbling a note in the margin of your paper.

Viktor’s lips twitched—whether in irritation or amusement, you couldn’t tell. He crossed the room slowly, setting his cane down carefully with each step. When he leaned against a bench across from you, the faint bruise on his lower lip caught the light, and your stomach twisted.

“I’ve decided not to trust Mel with invitations anymore,” Viktor said, a dry humour lacing his words. He gestured vaguely, his eyes skimming over the room rather than meeting yours. “After that party, I woke up feeling dreadful and can barely remember a thing from the evening.”

You froze mid-scribble. You set your pen down slowly, your head lifting to meet his gaze, your expression icy. “Tell me, Viktor,” you said, your tone sharper than broken glass. “Does Jayce breach some kind of university ethos by being friendly with us, or was it a conscious choice for you to become a wanker?”

Viktor blinked, visibly taken aback, though he quickly masked it. He leaned on his cane, a faint smirk tugging at his lips despite your venomous tone. “Do you ever take prisoners?” he asked, his voice low and measured, though his eyes searched your face as though trying to unravel your fury.

“Never, it’s not in my nature,” you replied coldly, your gaze burning into his. “Especially not when someone can’t handle their shit and decides to take it out on me.”

Your words struck like a lash. Viktor’s smirk faltered, his posture stiffening. He stared at you for a moment, his tired features betraying a flicker of something raw—shame, frustration, or perhaps a mix of both. “Is it in your nature to be cruel?” he asked softly, his voice almost too quiet to hear.

He knew you were painfully right. He had completely lost control that night, panicked, and given you no chance to reconcile. He had made the decision for you. But he already knew what your decision would have been, surely. So why were you so angry?

Viktor’s hand tightened around the back of the chair he leaned on, his knuckles turning white. The room was oppressively quiet, so quiet he could hear the gears shifting in his head. You still hadn’t answered him, your jaw set tightly as if refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

“Nothing to say?” he asked, his voice quieter now but edged with frustration. “It’s unlike you to hold back, Y/N.”

Your head jerked up at that, your eyes narrowing. “Maybe I’m learning restraint.”

Your tone cut sharper than he expected, another small jab that landed too close to home. Viktor drew in a breath and forced himself to stay calm. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to close the gap between you or leave before this conversation spiralled even further out of control.

“Why are you like this?” he asked, almost to himself. He sounded tired, even to his own ears. “You won’t even try to understand—”

“Understand what?” you snapped, your voice rising suddenly. “That you can’t handle it? That you’d rather pretend nothing happened than admit you actually wanted it? Even though you walk around with a fucking bruise on your mouth that I left there?”

Your words hit him like a slap. Viktor stiffened, his brow furrowing as he looked away, searching for some invisible anchor to steady himself. Of course, he remembered everything. He had spent around half an hour staring at himself in the mirror on Saturday morning, ghosting his fingers over the bruise.

“You’re wrong,” he said finally, though the words came out slower, more hesitant than he intended.

“Am I?” you stepped closer, your arms crossed over your chest as though shielding yourself from him. “Then explain it to me, Viktor. Why did you do it?”

The question caught him off guard, your voice cracking just slightly at the end, and he hated how it made his chest tighten. He opened his mouth to reply, but the words wouldn’t come. Because the truth was too dangerous and too stupid simultaneously.

He shifted, leaning against the table, his head tilting as if to dismiss the gravity of your question. “Do what?” he asked, feigning ignorance.

Your expression darkened. “The kiss,” you said slowly, enunciating each syllable as though daring him to dodge the question again. “Why did you kiss me, Viktor?”

He hesitated, the silence stretching between you like a chasm. His lips parted, a dozen half-truths swirling in his mind before he finally settled on the one that felt safest.

“Because I was drunk,” he said, the words coming out more clipped than he’d intended. “It was a mistake. I let myself get… carried away.”

Your eyes flickered, just for a moment, and he forced himself to look at you, even though guilt burned behind his ribs. “I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea,” he added, his voice softening.

You stared at him, your jaw tightening as if physically holding back your reaction. For a moment, he thought you might yell at him, hurl something cutting and sharp his way. But you didn’t.

Instead, you shook your head, a bitter laugh slipping out. “Right. Of course. A mistake.” Your voice wavered, just enough for him to catch it, though you quickly composed yourself.

“Y/N—” he started, but you cut him off with a raised hand.

“Don’t,” you said, stepping back from him. “Just don’t. You don’t want to give me the wrong idea? Fine. Message received.”

Your words were laced with venom, but there was something fragile beneath them. You turned away from him, picking up your bag from the desk and slinging it over your shoulder. Viktor watched you, his stomach twisting as you headed for the door.

You paused just before leaving, your hand resting on the frame. “You know,” you said without looking back, “you’re not as good at lying as you think you are.” And with that, you were gone.

The door clicked shut, leaving Viktor alone in the silence of the room. He exhaled shakily, his hand running through his hair as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. None of it. And yet, deep down, he knew he’d only made things worse.

[multishipper001]

I don't see much discourse about Study Group, although it's an absolute masterpiece, so let's put some content out here!

1.) The characters

Oh my babies. Hats off to the author, because he really can make a diverse set of people! Each character has a fleshed out backstory, defined goals and ideals (that are shown to clash with others, be it enemies or allies).

They're all very-human like in some way, with just enough cliché to make it enjoyable but not predictable.

(spoiler for chapter 252-253: I didn't know what choices Gamin and especially Geonyeob would make until the very last moment. Geonyeob had two choices ahead of him, and it heavily determined his future and showed a glimpse of what kind of person he is, how far he's willing to go for revenge... It surprised me, but boy was it an interesting chapter!)

You can't help but root for each and every one of them, prepare to get emotionally attached to them all!!

2.) The plot

This part deserves its own category.

The synopsis tells the base of the story. A high school boy that forms a study group, with the goal to enter university.

Easy, right? Simple goal, one that can be achieved if you study hard, right?

THINK AGAIN

First of all, and this is not a spoiler, our mc SUCKS ASS at studying. Like I'm not the best at studying either but he's on a whole new level. He puts time into it, is dedicated, tries his hardest... And still can't.

(I read theories that he may have a disability that affects his studying, like dyslexia or something, and it's very much possible!)

He's in an environment where people don't expect him to study since he's bad anyway, and actively try and sabotage his every attempt to get better grades & enter uni.

(Sounds cliche and weird but it makes sense if you learn about the plot later)

Every new character comes into the plot because of the study group he forms —directly or not directly, but they get in contact with the study group in a way later on.

And you know what's good about it?

The main character DOESN'T CHANGE.

He's not going "I'm powerful and cool now, so I'll choose the easy way out/focus on fighting instead/aim lower/etc," NO.

He's had a goal since day 1, and he's clinging to it like a fucking LIFE LINE.

There are arcs ofc, but the main goal is set, and the characters are slowly marching forward, doing their best to reach it.

3.) Realism

One more great thing? NO CLICHÉS

I'm taking about the story here.

There's NO "the power of friendship saves the day", no "the evil villain gets defeated simply because he's the evil villain", no "mc gets what he wants easily because he's the main character".

(and no "every girl falls for mc and he builds a harem around himself bc he's the mc". There's barely any romance in it, and it's not forced or unrealistic)

There are forces in front of the main character which affect his story, yet he cannot fight them because he's still a child, or a student, or a part of a system that is made to oppress him. Corruption, manipulation, crimes... It's realistic in the best way, with no easy way out.

There are highs and lows for our characters, and for a few moments, after a cool fight where they won, you might fall into the mistake of thinking about this story like any other : "oh, they're going to win after all! They're the main characters, they'll make it! "

... Just for the issues of the plot to slap the naive thought out of your head not even a chapter later.

Corruption is rooted deep, and this story portrays it beautifully : how getting rid of one, two or several causes won't make it all disappear.

To what extent people can be controlled by money and power.

How the powerful uses the weak, how the wealthy use those below them for their own benefit.

How adults would rather destroy children's futures and lives just to squeeze a few penny out of them and get rich from their misery.

The main character is idealistic in a corrupted world, refusing to give up on what he thinks is right —where most people around him choose the easy way out and give up their beliefs, their present and future for quick cash, for promises of wealth and power.

He is their mirror, their proof that you can stay true to yourself and fight through your misery, even if it's hard, even if it seems absolutely hopeless.

There are many arcs, and each show different approaches to this, but this is the core essence of the story. That you can choose the easy road, but you don't have to. You can fight for your goals even if everyone says you'll fail.

And so many people can't see past the fight scenes and the "action manhwa" tag, thinking that if the story doesn't show them some peak badass mc-gets-what-he-wants-through-fighting moment, the whole thing is trash.

Yes, this is an action manhwa, with fights. But it isn't about fighting.

And lastly, honorable mentions to this gem:

4.) Portrayal of stereotypes

Best parts coming up!!

As usual, every story has stereotypes portrayed in them.

How men are stronger than women, how gangsters act or rich kids behave. How bullies and nerds interact.

They don't gloss over these stereotypes.

Women are physically smaller and weaker. Rich kids are assholes, bullies are cruel and victims are weak.

They don't make them magically gain courage, change their behaviour overnight OR make these things seem cool.

They make changes.

Step by step, they are influenced by each other (not just the mc, but other characters as well: they exist even when the mc isn't present). They're weak, and powerless, but they learn to be brave. They find a way to fight : maybe they don't become martial artists overnight, but each one of them develops their own method to survive in their fucked up life.

If they need to study better, they ask their friends and teacher for help. If they need to fight, they do so for the sake of protecting themselves and what is important to them : family, friends, a cause.

None of them are made as a gear to move the plot forward, they're their own characters. And they have clichés. They have stereotypical behaviours, and maybe even look stereotypical. But even so, they're not making it their only personality trait : they're complex, and flawed, and make mistakes.

And it's beautiful.

Oh god I love this story dearly.

[frogkicks]

Why do you ship deathstar? Not asking out of malice I just genuinely wanna hear your thoughts.

I hope you have a pleasant morning/afternoon/night :]

I love Wander and Dominator because I see the potential for interesting characterization, and telling a good story. As a writer first and an artist second, that's how I tend to judge ideas. I'll explain some of the reasons why I think that.

I'm not going to justify all my points, since that'll take forever and it's OK if I don't "convince" anybody. If you get me, that's awesome, if you don't, that's totally fine! This is a lighthearted opinion piece, and I'm not trying to one-up other ships. Please don't take me too seriously!

Nobody cares about Dominator except Wander

I'll keep my ideas for a redemption arc vague, since I may explore them in the future. If it were to happen though, I feel the best setup is Dominator's defeat at the end of Season 2, and she should be separated from the main characters for part of it. However, I don't think it's possible all by herself, and there's nobody else as willing to forgive or help her as Wander.

All of the galaxy's natives hate her for destroying their homes. She toyed with Hater's feelings throughout the show, count him out. Peepers hates her for turning his boss into a lovesick fool and dominating "their" galaxy. Sylvia is clearly capable of getting along with her, but it was limited, and she organized the effort to destroy her in "The End of The Galaxy". Basically, Dominator isn't deserving of a second chance from anybody. Wander is the only one currently willing to offer it anyway, and I like the idea of it building to their first constructive interactions.

To be fair, he was definitely afraid of her. Dominator was a uniquely devastating threat, and as a competent villain, it was impossible to figure out her vulnerabilities. That drove him crazy, until he finally realized she was lonely in the Season 2 finale-- which isn't why she's evil, but the lack of company motivated some of her habits.[1] He proceeds to save her life, and after everything, tells her "it's never too late for a fresh start."

This is an absurdly forgiving and compassionate guy. We'll never know how many villains Wander reformed, but his efforts span over 1000 years. She might be a cut above the rest, but in his own way, he is too.

Wander's strengths cover Dominator's worst flaws

Wander has experience in areas Dominator lacks. She needs him far more than he needs her-- especially after being "a bit of a pill" to him-- which is fine, Wander and Sylvia are the same way. I'll explain why these two are still a great team in a moment.

Dominator is callous, emotionally immature, and socially stunted. "The Night Out" emphasizes all of it, and the ending suggests she might've never had a friend. Meanwhile, Wander is far more compassionate, emotionally mature, and experienced with relationships. He seeks nothing for himself,[2] loves the hate out of evildoers, and had plenty of close friendships.[3] I really like the idea of Wander, perceived as "dumb and hopeful and pathetic," turning out to be wiser than her and her needing to learn from it.

At the same time, he's not condescending at all. That's important in the beginning with how haughty Dominator is. I imagine Wander being himself and extending kindness, until she's reached the end of herself and humbled enough to accept help from him. I don't like the idea of shoehorning romance into their reconciliation, S2 was clear about it not redeeming her. This is simply laying the groundwork for it.

Wander and Dominator together might be overpowered

Deathstar is a bit of a "double the trouble" dynamic for me. Wander might not need Dominator as much as she needs him, but I don't think anybody else will simultaneously keep up and enhance the effects (good or bad) of whatever he does. I feel like Sylvia tells him, "You probably shouldn't do that," and Dominator tells him, "You should probably do it like this."

These two share strengths: perceptiveness and strategy. Wander reads villains like a book, figuring out their problems, and intentionally provokes them to get their attention while planning things to help them. Dominator reads her targets like a book, figuring out their vulnerabilities, and intentionally provokes them for attention or exploits their weaknesses for an advantage. I like the thought of her being the villain that stumped him so long, because she's as skilled as playing with people as he is!

If they fell in love, they would be a power couple. You're wedding a seasoned traveler to a technical genius with unmatched engineering skills. Despite their potential, I don't like sidelining Sylvia in their dynamic for a few reasons. For one thing, her grounded mindset is still valuable. Wander and Dominator are adventurous, and since he's optimistic and she's full of herself, both susceptible to thinking they can handle anything.

my favs. they are zilly

ok, i ship it because i think it works, but i am not a robot. i wouldn't love Deathstar as much if it wasn't my top 2 favorite characters. by themselves, i love them as super interesting and cute sillies. put together, their designs are so freaking cohesive idk,,,

Wander meets the greatest villains in the galaxy and wants to befriend them. it's so funny imagining that meeting THE villain eventually makes him go "smh who left this perfectly good wife here" 😭 my dopey headcanon: she's a special (severe) case and that makes her redemption admirable and attractive in particular,,, he thought he's seen it all after living so long

i love him looking up at her for 1 frame. he is so little!!! 🥺 she didn't pull him off btw. is it only shock or is she touch starved and in denial? goofy ahh green spoon. what is wrong with her??? oh right shes evil 🔥

i like when their eyes derp out and they did thE SAME FACE?? WAIT WHY ARE THESE BOTH FROM SEASON FINALES TOO. HELLO???

Thank you so much for asking. At the time of posting, everything I wrote applies to my current vision of Deathstar, whether or not I conveyed it yet.

[bbsmuts]

Draft List

This is a list of all my drafts, current and future. An idea from @banananutsmuthie. As for the upcoming drafts, I'll be adding them over the days I redevelop them.

IN PROGRESS:

#1 title: The Fall of An Angel Idol(s): TWICE Tzuyu Words so far: 4.36k Expected words: 10k Expected release date: April 30th, 2025 Summary: In a dystopian future where earth is ruled by the evil and lustful demon king Lord Eodun, there is only one mighty enough, prudent enough, great enough to stand up against his will. The renowned White Lady, the One of Pure Heart, Chou Tzuyu, is known for her grace, beauty, upstanding moral character, and sheer determination to tackle evil. With intent to take down Lord Eodun, she launches an attack on him but quickly finds out that he is not to be tested. His power far outmatches hers and he defeats her. Forced to endure the relentless torment he puts her through, Tzuyu must resist his will at all costs lest she fall to the lustful treachery he revels in. But in breaking and finally submitting to his will, she discovers a new, immoral part of herself she never knew before... Picture(s):

UPCOMING (SPOILERS): These are smuts I'll probably be releasing in the next year. They are not necessarily put down in order of preference or confirmed plan. All titles, idols, summaries, pictures, and release dates are subject to change at any time. The release dates are probably skewed anyway because I'm busy all the time.

#1 title: Game Start Idol(s): BLACKPINK Rosé Expected words: 6-7k Expected release date: May 31st, 2025 Summary: Rosé was only planning on having a drink or two. Maybe a little Netflix, and a nightcap. She'd invited over a close friend, (undecided name; male) for a drink, but before she knew it it had turned into truth or dare. Tipsy and pliable, she agreed to a dared game of poker despite being terrible at it. But it wasn't normal poker, no. It was strip poker. Never one to turn down a challenge, she'd accepted. Several rounds later, after being decimated in every single one of them, she'd found herself outmatched and naked. Things got heated pretty fast, and one little drink spiraled quickly into several loads pumped inside her. Picture(s):

#2 title: Field Trip Part 4: Malkia Wa Makahaba (Finale) Idol(s): BLACKPINK Jennie & Lisa, Jeon Somi, EVERGLOW E:U, TWICE Sana & Momo, G-IDLE Minnie, and ITZY Ryujin Words so far: 1.20k Expected words: 12-15k Expected release date: June 30th, 2025 Summary: Jennie, Jaali, Yusufu, Chiumbo, Aboyo, and Kariuki set out to retrieve Somi immediately following the end of FT3. After her initiation into the harem, Somi along with the other girls gets a little taste of exhibitionism as an extensive public scene takes place. Afterwards, the whole group goes back to Kenya, where more gangbangs (and humiliation for Somi) ensue. Ultimately, Somi grows to enjoy being treated like the slave they've turned her into, just like the rest. Though the others are much appreciated, Jennie remains the crowd favorite, securing her spot forever as Malkia Wa Makahaba. Picture(s):

#3 title: Boss Taming Idol(s): TWICE Tzuyu Expected words: 6k Expected release date: August 15th, 2025 Summary: Sick and tired of being mistreated by his boss, an employee finally decides to do something about it, to a much more pleasurable end than he expected. Picture(s):

#4 title: Good As Gold (Redux) Idol(s): TWICE Momo Expected words: 5k Expected release date: August 1st, 2025 Summary: As a tribute to @xiaoondc for his help in building and then rebuilding my account, I'll be rewriting this smut to the best of my memory, as the original can't be accessed now. Momo has been sent to retrieve a solid gold relic from the tomb of a dead village chief. Upon exiting with the relic, she finds herself faced with fifty very unhappy natives. She wakes up naked and tied up, being questioned about her presence in the tomb. When she is unwilling to give answers, they resort to less civilized tactics. Picture(s):

#5 title: Field Trip (Redux) Idol(s): BLACKPINK Jennie, Jeon Somi Expected words: 6-7k Expected release date: August 15th, 2025 Summary: As another tribute to @xiaoondc for all his help, I'll be rewriting the lost masterpiece that was this story. Jennie is on a sightseeing trip to Kenya and upon getting on the bus, she meets a fellow Korean, Somi. Together they travel to a rural Kikuyu village, where they are set loose to explore on their own. But when they stray too far an trespass onto the sacrificial grounds of an altar underneath a Mugumo tree, they quickly find out that this village harbors far more lecherous inhabitants than they thought. Picture(s):

#6 title: Overwatch Idol(s): aespa Karina Expected words: 7k Expected release date: September 15th, 2025 Summary: A group of civilian warriors set up camp while passing through a destroyed, war-torn city and Karina is put on overwatch. But as she keeps an eye on the surrounding landscape, she is sneaked up on by a rival group. But instead of death, she's given the pounding of her life. Picture(s):

#7 title: Domination of A Doppelganger Idol(s): BLACKPINK Rosé, Allissa Shin Expected words: 7-8k Expected release date: October 10th, 2025 Summary: Tired of being bullied about her visual similarity to Rosé, Allissa calls up a friend who also knows Rosé and arranges a little get together. She's finally able to release some of the tension and anger she's felt, and in so doing helps Rosé to realize the submissive side of herself. Picture(s):

#8 title: Not of This World Idol(s): IVE Wonyoung Expected words: 7-8k Expected release date: October 31st, 2025 Summary: These weird dreams have been happening for a few weeks now. I don't know why, but I've been having odd dreams where a sexy...someone has been fucking me. She looks almost human, but she isn't...she can't be human. It's time for Wonyoung to pay him a visit while he's awake...this should be fun. Picture(s):

#9 title: The Seven Realms of The Black Keep's Reign - Phase I Idol(s): A fucking lot of them, I haven't chosen them all yet Expected words: At least 40k Expected release date: January 1st, 2026 Summary & pics coming later

#10 title: The Seven Realms of The Black Keep's Reign - Phase II Idol(s): A fucking lot of them, I haven't chosen them all yet Expected words: At least 45k Expected release date: April 15th, 2026 Summary & pics coming later

#11 title: The Seven Realms of The Black Keep's Reign - Phase III Idol(s): A fucking lot of them, I haven't chosen them all yet Expected words: At least 50k Expected release date: July 31st, 2026

#12 title: The Seven Realms of The Black Keep's Reign - Epilogue Idol(s): Haven't decided them all yet, but not as many as the previous chapters Expected words: 8k Expected release date: August 31st, 2026 Summary & pics coming later

[likeburningcoal]

………*sigh* Quest for Camelot shadowpeach AU where Macaque is blind after the FFM fires and ends up living in a deadly forest. Then at some point Wukong runs into a demon that strips him of his power and takes the others hostage so he has to wander through a deadly forest without magic to find a super powerful artifact (that the demon is also searching for) to save the day. So now the two monkeys meet up and Macaque looks completely different after the fire with fur scorched black and he can’t see Wukong to recognize him (it’s been so long they no longer remember each others voice). The two monkeys begrudgingly travel together and slowly start to actually like each other. Cue finding out the demon is following them and Macaque saving (the currently not immortal) Wukongs life, but getting hurt in the process. A lovely “looking through your eyes” moment (the whole point of this AU). They find the artifact and say goodbye but Macaque overhears the demon plotting to catch Wukong and realizes three things, 1. He never actually asked the monkeys name, 2. That monkey, was in fact the king he’d followed for years before he was injured protecting FFM, and 3. Wukong is still mortal with an evil demon chasing him down. So Macaque leaves the forest for the first time in forever and goes to warn Wukong. Big final battle, demon is defeated, love saves the day.

Anyway it can either take place during the journey in which case Tang Sanzang plays the role of the captured mother figure. Or it can take place during the LMK timeline and MK and Mei take on the role of the annoying two headed dragon only way less annoying because I hate that thing with a burning passion. Or my personal favorite, a mix of both so Wukong meets MK on the road and it’s super cool because now he has a mentee.

This AU would also work WONDERS for spicynoodles BTW, honestly it would probably fit better but the shadowpeach one came to mind first so that’s the one I wrote about this time.

[mostbelovedaewwrestlertournament]

Most Beloved AEW Wrestler Tournament 2: Week 5

We're rocking and rolling, friends and comrades

Total votes thus far: 257,570 (average of 76 votes per bracket, down from 99 last week)

The Ties

Huge week for ties, bringing our total number of them up to 26

Now I had this sneaking suspicion that at this point, there's probably been someone who has had two ties, which could lead to the mythical 3 way tie.

So far, Colt Cabana has tied with Action Andretti and Vincent and Matthew Jackson has tied with Kazuchika Okada and Nicholas Jackson. For the mythical 3 way tie to happen, Action and Vincent would have to tie, which we'll find out on Day 80 and Okada and Nick to tie on Day 108. I'm doing my best to not influence results, but you guys would make me so happy if we can pull off at least one 3 way tie.

The Crushing Defeats

Now this has never happened before, but I'm gonna have to present the unanimous victories one at a time. Firstly, a regular Orange-over-Nick victory

Now, for the first time, we had a double unanimous loss for Kamille to Toni Storm and Will Ospreay

And also for the first time, a double unanimous win for Julia Hart to Vincent and Aaron Solo

The Top 20

Below are the stats for the top 20 for days 29-35

The Undefeated

Neither our undefeated nor our unvictorious have changed since last week, but I'll drop their stats anyway

The Midcard

Since it's an odd day, I figured there wouldn't be anyone who had a perfect 50/50 split of wins to losses and I'd have to wait for next week to post them again. How wrong I was

Clever lad decided to have a tie

The Stock Market

Kenny Omega - 1 - 1 (=)

Orange Cassidy - 2 - 2 ( =)

Kris Statlander - 3 - 3 ( =)

Adam Page - 4 - 4 ( =)

Wheeler Yuta - 5 - 5 ( =)

Toni Storm - 6 - 11 (+5)

Willow Nightingale - 7 - 9 (+2)

Swerve Strickland - 8 - 8 ( =)

Eddie Kingston - 9 - 6 (-3)

Jon Moxley - 10 - 7 (-3)

Konosuke Takeshita - 11 - 10 (-1)

Jay White - 12 - 12 ( =)

Chuck Taylor - 13 - 13 ( =)

MJF - 14 - 15 (+1)

Julia Hart - 15 - 14 (-1)

Mariah May - 16 - 16 ( =)

Samoa Joe - 17 - 17 ( =)

Will Ospreay - 18 - 18 ( =)

Kyle O'Reilly - 19 - 20 (+1)

Nyla Rose - 20 - 23 (+3)

Daniel Garcia - 21 - 21 ( =)

Kota Ibushi - 22 - 19 (-3)

Matthew Jackson - 23 - 22 (-1)

Harley Cameron - 24 - 27 (+3)

Hook - 25 - 25 ( =)

Kyle Fletcher - 25 - 26 (+1)

Queen Aminata - 27 - 30 (+3)

Kazuchika Okada - 28 - 24 (-4)

Kip Sabian - 29 - 29 ( =)

Jamie Hayter - 30 - 28 (-2)

Nicholas Jackson - 30 - 33 (+3)

Christian Cage - 32 - 36 (+4)

Katsuyori Shibata - 33 - 32 (-1)

Athena - 34 - 31 (-3)

PAC - 35 - 40 (+5)

Hikaru Shida - 36 - 34 (-2)

Claudio Castagnoli - 37 - 35 (-2)

Brody King - 38 - 41 (+3)

Bryan Danielson - 39 - 37 (-2)

Evil Uno - 40 - 38 (-2)

Powerhouse Hobbs - 41 - 50 (+9)

Mark Briscoe - 42 - 46 (+4)

Danhausen - 43 - 47 (+4)

Mercedes Mone - 44 - 52 (+8)

Buddy Matthews - 45 - 44 (-1)

Riho - 46 - 48 (+2)

Marina Shafir - 47 - 53 (+6)

Emi Sakura - 48 - 51 (+3)

Komander - 49 - 39 (-10) TIED FOR MOST SPOTS DOWN

Killswitch - 50 - 42 (-8)

Jack Perry - 51 - 49 (-2)

Juice Robinson - 52 - 45 (-7)

Anthony Bowens - 53 - 43 (-10) TIED FOR MOST SPOTS DOWN

Matt Menard - 54 - 54 ( =)

Penelope Ford - 55 - 65 (+10) MOST SPOTS UP

Abadon - 56 - 58 (+2)

Mark Davis - 57 - 60 (+3)

Darby Allin - 58 - 57 (-1)

Lee Moriarty - 59 - 55 (-4)

Adam Cole - 59 - 56 (-3)

Ruby Soho - 59 - 61 (+2)

Malakai Black - 62 - 62 ( =)

Isiah Kassidy - 63 - 59 (-4)

The Beast Mortos - 64 - 66 (+2)

Sting - 65 - 64 (-1)

Hologram - 66 - 63 (-3)

Skye Blue - 67 - 72 (+5)

John Silver - 68 - 67 (-1)

Thunder Rosa - 69 - 69 ( =)

Anna Jay - 70 - 71 (+1)

Yuka Sakazaki - 71 - 68 (-3)

Bandido - 72 - 70 (-2)

Nick Wayne - 73 - 78 (+5)

Cope - 74 - 73 (-1)

Trent Beretta - 74 - 74 ( =)

Austin Gunn - 76 - 75 (-1)

Red Velvet - 77 - 77 ( =)

Deonna Purrazzo - 78 - 76 (-2)

Keith Lee - 79 - 79 ( =)

Lance Archer - 80 - 83 (+3)

Colten Gunn - 81 - 84 (+3)

Leyla Hirsch - 82 - 81 (-1)

Billy Gunn - 83 - 79 (-4)

Dustin Rhodes - 84 - 81 (-3)

Matt Taven - 85 - 90 (+5)

Serpentico - 86 - 87 (+1)

Roderick Strong - 87 - 93 (+6)

Ricky Starks - 88 - 86 (-2)

Shelton Benjamin - 89 - 89 ( =)

Angelo Parker - 90 - 84 (-6)

Mr Brodie Lee - 91 - 88 (-3)

Bryan Keith - 92 - 92 ( =)

Marq Quen - 93 - 94 (+1)

Taya Valkyrie - 94 - 91 (-3)

Dante Martin - 95 - 95 ( =)

Luther - 96 - 96 ( =)

Diamante - 97 - 97 ( =)

Big Bill - 97 - 104 (+7)

Leila Grey - 99 - 103 (+4)

Kiera Hogan - 100 - 100 ( =)

Darius Martin - 101 - 98 (-3)

Max Caster - 102 - 105 (+3)

Johnny TV - 103 - 101 (-2)

Ricochet - 104 - 106 (+2)

Bobby Lashley - 105 - 99 (-6)

Lio Rush - 106 - 110 (+4)

Angelico - 107 - 112 (+5)

Cash Wheeler - 108 - 111 (+3)

AR Fox - 109 - 102 (-7)

Dax Harwood - 110 - 113 (+3)

Brian Cage - 111 - 109 (-2)

Alex Reynolds - 112 - 107 (-5)

Mike Bennett - 113 - 121 (+8)

Rey Fenix - 114 - 114 ( =)

The Butcher - 115 - 108 (-7)

Brandon Cutler - 116 - 119 (+3)

Mercedes Martinez - 117 - 116 (-1)

Colt Cabana - 118 - 115 (-3)

Wardlow - 119 - 119 ( =)

Dr Britt Baker DMD - 120 - 117 (-3)

Tay Melo - 121 - 118 (-3)

Matt Sydal - 122 - 122 ( =)

Scorpio Sky - 123 - 123 ( =)

Lee Johnson - 124 - 125 (+1)

Jeff Jarrett - 125 - 124 (-1)

Jay Lethal - 126 - 126 ( =)

Action Andretti - 127 - 127 ( =)

Peter Avalon - 128 - 132 (+4)

Griff Garrison - 129 - 131 (+2)

Dralistico - 130 - 130 ( =)

The Blade - 131 - 128 (-3)

Toa Liona - 132 - 129 (-3)

Ortiz - 133 - 133 ( =)

Bishop Kaun - 134 - 139 (+5)

Rush - 135 - 136 (+1)

Dutch - 136 - 138 (+2)

Michael Nakazawa - 137 - 134 (-3)

Sammy Guevara - 138 - 137 (-1)

Preston Vance - 139 - 142 (+3)

Chris Jericho - 140 - 135 (-5)

Josh Woods - 141 - 140 (-1)

Vincent - 142 - 141 (-1)

Shawn Dean - 143 - 145 (+2)

Madison Rayne - 144 - 148 (+4)

Paul Wight - 145 - 144 (-1)

Tony Nese - 146 - 143 (-3)

Ariya Daivari - 147 - 149 (+2)

Satnam Singh - 148 - 151 (+3)

Saraya - 149 - 147 (-2)

Aaron Solo - 150 - 152 (+2)

Kamille - 151 - 146 (-5)

Anthony Ogogo - 152 - 153 (+1)

Miro - 153 - 150 (-3)

Rebel - 154 - 154 ( =)

Serena Deeb - 155 - 156 (+1)

Nick Comoroto - 156 - 155 (-1)

And now for my favourite part and yours:

TAGS OF THE WEEK

Things heating up in the FTR fandom with @mackdaddyofthecravate and @rosabellbelieve making good arguments

@13-kuehe-und-ein-melkeimer giving us the permission we needed

@sarahcakes613 for making dream sandwiches

@sendhook for dropping prayers in the tags

@schmidtho for revealing a very serious medical condition

@chuckstaylors for leaving tags I can't even comment on

@homoeroticgrappling I already gave love to these tags but I want to again

@himbos-hotline for giving us insight into the events of February 12, 2000

@gh0st-patr0l for giving it the ol college try

@daphne-minor for painting a picture of a happy marriage

@throesofincreasingwonder for a perfect use of emojis

and finally @spinetacks for recording the struggles of the people

I love you all so much for all the participation in this tournament. You all make the effort worth it

Also I've got a few surprises lined up for this PPV week so stay tuned ;)

[orionhelluvaranting]

Okay, now let's talk about smth positive, shall we?

Mammella! (or Golden Goose if you wish)💰🦢

Recently I think about them a lot. It's like a brainrot and I can't help it! They're just perfect together 💕 So today I wanna talk about them. Sorry, I've cloged the entire critical fandom up with them, I hope you're not mad at me for this 🥺👉👈

I've attached the Shipping Chart so it wouldn't be so empty right here 🎪 Credit: divider by @saradika-graphics

What are the cons of this pairing? Well, for starters, they definitely have a lot in common:

extroverts;

over-reactive;

evil but entertaining;

rich and royal, proud to be like this;

repulsion toward 'plebs' and those who are close with them (classistic asses, in short);

enjoying being in the spotlight (probably)?

As you can see they have similar worldviews and life priorities. Great chemistry could be built on this.

Also they seem to suit each other's preferences. From "Mastermind" we've grasped that Mammon likes royal rich women who wouldn't mind going out into town with him (i can see Stella enjoying this kind of activity). And Stella during conversation with her friends complained about Stolass being a boring stiff and having a scrawny twig ass; she clearly doesn't like his imp-fucking tendencies too (it's easy to guess Mammon have none of this).

There is visual compatibility as well. Their bodies are predominantly white which is basically an universal color. And the clothes/aesthetics - green for Mammon and pink for Stella - are complementary.

Besides I think they could bring something unusual into Hellaverse. I'll go from least to most interesting:

1) No twinks 🥢

It's not a secret Vivziepop adores twinks. They're her type or something because ALL of her OTPs (Stol!tzø, F!zzarozz!e, VoxVal, Angelhusk) contain at least one twink. And here we are having a 'woman x chubby man'. There's the beauty in their twinknessless, don't you think? Look, I have nothing against twinks. You're cool, guys, just a bit overrepresented in Hellaverse.

2) Royal x royal 👑

Also Vivziepop loves putting power dynamic into her ships. Stol!tzø, F!zzarozz!e, BeeTex (is that their ship name, right?) are quite obvious examples. Even Lucilith and Chaggie kinda fall into this category too. However, Mammon & Stella aren't like that at all. They were born nobles and would prefer to remain as ones forever. Yes, Mammon is one rank higher but come on, it's such a small difference.

3) Villain couple 🃏

There are a lot of antagonists in Helluva Boss. Almost as many as couples! So it surprises me these two elements haven't crossed paths yet.

4) Uplifting the stakes 🎰

Many peeps in the critical community would likely agree on two things:

Stella is a highly relevant antagonist; essentially, the greatest evil of the (Stol!tzø) story. But she's powerless at all points.

Mammon is a highly powerful antagonist, the most influential, authoritative and rich of all. But he's completely irrelevant for the main cast.

Therefore, if these characters united, they'd complement each other's villainous potential. Mammon - being interested in Stella - would have a better chance of noticing the main characters. And Stella - being under Mammon's protection - could've gained more resources for her revenge on Stolass and the company. Moreover, it would be extremely difficult for them to defeat her.

Finally, I'm gonna list the tropes they match to:

Size difference. It's not that big of the deal (pun is unintended) but I know a lot of people like this sort of stuff;

Celebrity Power Couple (kinda?);

Birds of a Feather;

Unholy Matrimony

That's the potential I see in this couple. However, I know they'll never be canon. It's for the better though! This way they could never be ruined for me.

Anyway...

If you find this pairing interesting then maybe you'd like to visit my main blog. There are a few arts of them. Recently I've posted some suggestive content with a poll so you still have time to vote if you want to.

Thanks for your attention, folks!

[mariuspompom]

The fandom will be a better place when the """neutrals""" finally admit that they would have absolutely LOVED GoT's ending had it not been for 1) Sansa's rape arc, 2) Jaime's character assassination, and 3) how quickly it wrapped up. If we had one-two more seasons building up mad queen Dany, if Sansa never got raped and if the defeat of the Others felt more earned, the clown takes we now see on HotD would be all over the place about GoT as well: "power corrupts", "it was always meant to end this way", "that's the way George intended it and you are just crazy targ stans if you thought that Dany would become Queen after all that", "no one deserves power because monarchy is bad u guys", "Jon was never meant to be a classic prophecy hero because subversion", "Sansa was always meant to be QINT, Arya is a wild spirit who never cared about power so she can just conveniently fuck off", "Dany went cuckoo but at least she saved the world so it's nuanced", "the fall of the Targaryen dynasty was inevitable", "maybe the mad queen arc was not strIctLy necessary but there was no place for Dany after the defeat of the Others so she would eventually die anyway, bittersweet ending y'all" etc etc etc. Like I can see those takes so clearly, they would have LOVED that shit. But the way GoT executed all that made this ending seem so ridiculous that the "neutrals" can't even theorize about it anymore without backlash and that's what they're mad about, not the main premise of the ending itself. And their takes on HotD prove it. But when they talk about GoT they're like "oh the ending was so bad, they made her evil in the span of OnE sInGLe epIsOdE 😱😱😱 baD writing y'all. what would have happened if she survived? guess we'll never know that's so sad ☹️👀" like shut up your bias is showing from a mile away lol