#but be nuanced and compassionate and that will be enough

[autisticmudkip]

Please don't vote without sharing!

Right now, my friend Ibrahim Aburakhia @aburakhiaibrahim is suffering from an allergic reaction to chemicals in the bombs the IOF has been dropping on Ghazzah. His hands and arms are painfully swollen and irritated. The reaction has been causing Ibrahim a lot of pain, and keeps spreading through his body. Unfortunately, Ibrahim isn't even able to focus on getting treatment and recovering, as the situation him and his family are in is dire.

Prices for basic food and water in Ghazzah are extremely high. Ibrahim's family of 28 people are living on the brink of starvation, unable to get the food they need. Donations to their campaign have been slow, making it even harder for them to purchase food.

The Aburakhia family has a chance to escape the nightmare they are living through. They have been approved for family reunification to join relatives in Canada, who they have not gotten to see in years. However, before they can do so, they have to leave Ghazzah through the crossing and reach Egypt. Unfortunately, passing the crossing can cost up to $5,000 per person, and saving money is difficult when even a bag of flour can cost hundreds of dollars in Ghazzah.

$15,423 / $30,000 CAD

Even after raising funds for over a year, Ibrahim has only reached about half of his total goal. This isn't nearly enough for his family to survive right now, let alone evacuate and reach safety.

Ibrahim just wants for him and his family to survive. That should not be too big an ask. I ask you to share and donate. Please, support the Aburakhia family in whatever way you can!

Vetted here by @/gaza-evacuation-funds

Vetted #336 on this list by nabulsi, el-shab-hussein, and Mohammed Ayesh

@stroebe2 @mapsofnonexistentplaces @memecucker @extra-mt16 @alolannraichuu

@tierras @nonbinary-support @bigskydreaming @onlyinankhmorpork @nbblacksheep

@borrelia @lesbian-serpent-rider @quasi-normalcy @myrfing @paradimeart

@guldaastan @raangmanch @a-shade-of-blue @ankle-beez @ramshackledtrickster

@remnants @mossyfield @dear-indies @holedyke @jedi-valjean

@sexygaywizard @27moremoons @justeverythingnothingelse @hollowslantern @infectiouspiss

@sunset-synthetica @werewolfetone @legallybrunettedotcom @notedchampagne @a-scary-lack-of-common-sense

@evilponds @mothgirlthing @boy-and-girl-crazy123456 @hummerous @bugs-r-neat

@feytouched @chilisaws @twistedmiffy @entryn17 @bifauxnnen

@zukoromantic @scrollonso @v5ttels @anarchenby @arboret-art

[crypticdoe]

can no one talking about whether or not go fund me asks are scams or not have an ounce of nuance and/or compassion? holy fuck dude

[idontmindifuforgetme]

choice feminism is not actual feminism and will do nothing to help push women out of the shackles we have been subjected to

No I understand this. It’s completely duplicitous to pretend that women choose things in vacuum, when in reality a lot of their decisions are influenced by the patriarchal system we were born into—makeup being a byproduct of it. I’m all for women going against the grain and existing in public without feeling the need to put makeup on.

There does need to be a push against rigid beauty standards, but putting a woman down for adhering to them just isn’t the way to me. It doesn’t mean I think every choice is inherently feminist and shouldn’t be questioned. It just means I’m mindful of not infringing on other women’s autonomy w my opinions. Besides, experiences w makeup are so different… one woman could just be wearing it bc she’s artsy and just likes the way it looks, whereas another could be wearing it bc she understands that it could help her up the corporate ladder. I wouldn’t dream of calling either of them anti feminist for doing it.

Is that ideal? No. Should it should be questioned, analyzed, changed for the better? Again, bc I don’t want my words to be twisted—yes, it should be. I was never trying to say it shouldn’t. All I was stating was that I don’t think policing women on whether or not they should wear makeup is the answer. I rly don’t. I’m not prepared to call a woman who wears makeup anti-feminist. I’m not prepared to shame a woman for wearing makeup or getting plastic surgery. I’m just not. That is not the same thing as promoting choice feminism. Like I know this isn’t the critical thinking website but being accused of being pro choice feminism for simply supporting other women being happy is crazy

[makotonaegiunderstander]

something I’ve been thinking abt is how many people think Makoto is immune to despair. I don’t think he is. I think becoming the ultimate Hope was BECAUSE he felt despair. He wouldn’t have fully reached that point without Junko. Makoto becoming such a beacon was his last attempt to avoid completely falling and it wasn’t because he didn’t feel despair, it was because he was too damn stubborn to allow everything to go to waste and he refused to sacrifice his beliefs for someone else’s. His inner monologue tells me he DID experience the same new low the other suvivors did in the final trial, but at the point where he had the choice to give up and die, he looked at the others and he looked at Junko and he couldn’t allow it to happen, not out of self preservation, but because the idea that Junko would have control over their lives made him FURIOUS. and that utter refusal to die kicked in, wether luck or otherwise, and he made the concious effort for one last push while something in him was breaking. He had to be broken in order for the Ultimate Hope to come through so aggressively, bc it could only exist in the face of the Ultimate Despair. He snapped the same way she did, but in the other direction. In what could have been his final moments he chose to embody everything Junko wasn’t, and every single optimistic and luck fueled ideal in him suddenly charged forward and pushed him. It was a combination of the final straw and a choice. Makoto isn’t immune to feeling despair, he’s just too stubborn to fall into it of his own volition. I think that’s why I like that scene in DR3 so much. People were SO SHOCKED Makoto actually fell for the tape, that he actually became despair for a moment. I saw people getting mad or disappointed, saying it was pathetic and Makoto seemed to fall from some sort of pedestal for them. Honestly part of me wonders if that sort of mentality, which clearly people had in universe, affected Makoto a bit. Like he started to see himself as less of a person, subconsciously. Prompting him to take more risks, less self preservation, act way more bold. It seems he has to be reminded a lot not to put himself in danger by his friends, to not do something too reckless. All over the place I would see in regards to that scene either this frivolous ‘oh this was just angst drama with no meaning behind it’ or ‘he can do better than that. he’s so weak’ or ‘come on, there’s no way he’d fall into despair, he’s the Ultimate Hope!’ This kind of mentality, which was kind of ironic considering Ryota was there the entire time saying the same thing and treating Makoto the same way. Like Makoto was superhuman. Like Makoto didn’t feel despair the same way ‘normal people’ did. In a way that was also how Munakata saw Makoto. Makoto stopped being a PERSON to the world when he became Ultimate Hope, he became a concept, a belief system, much the same way Junko ascended beyond herself. But the difference is that treating Makoto that way is the opposite of the reason Makoto became such a representative for hope. He wasn’t doing something no one else could. He was doing something everyone had the chance to, he just… was a little more optimistic, a little more stubborn, a little more ‘gung-ho’ about things. He just took the lead where no one else did, where no one else knew they even COULD in the face of Junko’s unstoppable force. She had overcome the biggest threats and obstacles in the world, what could one person do? And the answer Makoto found was, anything. Everything. It doesn’t all rest on Makoto, he’s just the one that was inspired to try to do what seemed like the impossible. But as evidenced by the change in his friends after that trial, it’s clearly not something only Makoto is capable of. The others pulled out of despair thanks to Makoto, but it was their choice to do so.

“But… this world is so huge, and we’re so small. What can we do…? No, we can probably do anything. Yeah! We can do anything!”

[mushroomjar]

@aburakhiaibrahim needs to urgently evacuate and provide for his family of 28 people. You probably know what the situation is like in Gaza: displaced people, forced starvation, illness, water scarcity, plastic tents that aren't good enough to protect anyone from the environment. Many of these families displaced have very young children, and Ibrahim's family is one of these

So will you help? I don't know what you need to hear to do something. I've made so many posts for Ibrahim's family, and the campaign has been up for so many months, but it barely gets any traction. The last donation was 1 day ago, and the one before that was 5 days ago!! They need your help now! They need you to care, to do whatever you can, share the campaign, donate!!! Donate if you're able to, please!!

I'm sorry if this sounds very guilt-trippy, but Ibrahim and his family urgently, urgently need your help. The smallest action can go a long way in helping, so please chip in in any way you can. The fundraiser is at $8,478/$30,000 CAD, only 28% of its goal, and it's moving really slowly

Ibrahim's campaign has been verified by gaza-evacuation-funds

[ohtobeleah]

jack has so much groveling too and it almost feels like he isn’t getting just his how much he screwed and isn’t not apologizing or trying nearly as hard enough like trying to flirt with other people but actively trying to get your wife to “forgive” you. jack your an idiot and if you want your wife to stay a wife and turn into a ex wife you better fix it

Chameleon

Let's chat about this. Because I personally believe that Jack does deserve some level of sympathy in all of this. And I don't want to paint a picture that this guys a total ass. Because he's not. He's an old grump who wants his wife back. Period. But in the same breath, he's just a guy! If his wife doesn't want him? He's gonna have a tiny bit of flirtatious banter to get him through the day without wanting to die.

He's human. Hes (on a technicality) single. God forbid an old white guy try and up his game.

He's not abusive. He never was and never will be. That's both physical and emotional. He would never hurt you intentionally. He's some scumb of the earth ex who's just trying to win you over so that he can claim ownership over you.

He just lost himself in an endless hellscape that is his mind. relationship, sometimes even the most loving, most compassionate ones, crumble under the weight of mental health.

Jacks old school. Was probably raised under the mentality that men don't cry and that they need to bottle up every emotion they have. But you challenge that stigma. You help Jack explore those emotions in positive, constructive ways.

Jack Abbot is a good human being. He's an army vet, probably volunteers at the VA from time to time. He goes to therapy and TALKS about his problems. He loves you…ENDLESSLY.

But he was too weighed down by all the head noise to notice you were hanging off the edge of the cliff he was getting ready to jump from. And you fell. If he had just taken one minute to look down…your marriage may have been able to survive without such a drastic measure.

At the end of the day, and when we remember nuance and context about who Jack Abbot is as a person and the kind of things we saw him get up to throughout the Pitt, I believe that this specific relationship ended on the basis that…

Two people who were constantly arguing, were both just wanting to be loved when they needed it the most. You didn't know what Jack wanted from you and he didn't know how to ask. You would tell Jack what you needed and he wouldn't know how to give it.

[eternalgirlscout]

I don't see enough appreciation for the ways Mob is the Thoughtful Considerer. he is always constantly thinking about what's going on and how people around him are feeling and that's part of what's so beautiful about him as a fleshed out character to me. it doesn't come naturally to him to pick up on subtle nuances of social interaction or read a room, but he chooses actively and deliberately to pay attention to where other people are coming from and how to do right by them. he's a deeply insightful and compassionate person who doesn't do social cues very well and those are not mutually exclusive even though so often they're assumed to be

[advent-if]

DEMO TBA 🌑 CHARACTER INTROS (5/5)

A fine line separates civilians from saviours, saints from sinners; it was never a line you expected to cross, but one you did anyway. Now, the fate of Advent City’s clueless citizens or cunning criminals rests in your hands… best not to let it slip from your fingers, mm?

Thirteen years ago, your life changed. Thirteen years ago, you swore requital. Now, the opportunity has arisen for you to either defend the city from the dark or rid it from the rot spreading throughout its core. 

Now, it’s your turn.

Play as Advent City’s saviour, a daring vigilante here to protect those you love or ruin those you hate — the choice is up to you. Learn to inspire fear, earn respect, fall in love, or even become the greatest superhero this city has ever known.

ADVENT is rated 18+ for explicit language, violence, explicit sexual content, substance abuse, and more. It deals with heavy themes; discretion is advised.

Customise your character’s appearance, personality and intentions: are you a hero spurred by the desire to protect, or an anti-hero propelled by the promise of retribution? Does your alter-ego vastly differ from your day-to-day life, or is it an extension of your nature? Are you ruthless or compassionate, ingenious or Machiavellian, courageous or psychopathic?

Choose your origin story: were you a rich orphan à la Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, a Regular Joe turned hero on being given powers by a mysterious force, or born with them for reasons you’re desperate to find?

Fight villains who threaten the safety of the city and its inhabitants, and maybe even a supervillain who happens to be your foil…

Romance 1 of 5 characters, each of whom come with their own hefty baggage, and have interesting(?) reactions to yours…

Manage your new life and all its nuances. Who said being a saviour was easy? Try to separate your old life from this new one by keeping your identity a secret, maintaining old relationships, forging new ones, keeping your loved ones safe, etc. etc… damn.

the Head of Police: Luis/Luz Aguilera (m/f): Stern, sexy, moody. Relentlessly hardworking and caring to the point of no return. They want to be the one to clean Advent City’s fucked up system, not for glory, but simply because it’s the right thing to do. Unfortunately for them, that also means putting up with your whole shebang… maybe try to keep the arguing to a minimum?

the Journalist: Vincent “Vinny” Jacobs (m): Cheeky, suave, opportunistic. Inordinately ambitious and impressively dedicated to their cause. He’d never miss an opportunity to investigate something deeper if it intrigued him enough. Unfortunately for you, he’s now focused solely on the up and coming vigilante stalking the streets. Uh oh.

the Childhood Friend: Arya Anand (m/f): Sweet, thoughtful, kind. Patient to a fault and excessively trusting. You guys knew each other really well, once upon a time. But now that they're back, years later, you’re not quite convinced by the “I’m okay”s and forced smiles they seem to be hiding under. Surely it has nothing to do with you, right?

the Other One: Nian (f): Unpredictable, flirty, mysterious. Fast to arrive and quick to disappear. She’s someone you meet often in your… line of work… and curiously, she’s always ready to help you. Behind her mask and catsuit is someone you suspect is dangerously similar to you. As long as you two have the same goal, it shouldn’t be a problem…

the Heir: Josephine/Joseph Bieri (f/m): Arrogant, cunning, brash. Annoyingly haughty and odiously elusive. They were an asshole when you first met five years ago, and seem to be an even bigger one now… worse, they’re in the way between you and taking down their Mafia kingpin dad. Although, getting close could give you an advantage - just try not to punch them.

reblogs are appreciated! thank you so much for your interest <3

[thedrawingduke]

Sorry if you've already talked about this before, but you've mentioned that Daroga/The Persian is incredibly important to the story of The Phantom of The Opera, and I was wondering if you would be willing to share your thoughts on why

The reason I ask is because you inspired me to write my own Phantom story (your Christian and Raoul give me life)

Please feel free to go on as long or short of a ramble as you want, and thank you for your time

I'm so glad you are working on your own Poto iteration! That's awesome <3 Best of luck <3

Oh boy--the man, the myth, the legend: Daroga. I do think he's incredibly important to the story, but I go back and forth on if it is possible to tell an effective Poto story without him. I mean, there have been so many adaptations that leave him out. But, I will argue this: someone always has to fill his shoes!

In terms of characters absolutely necessary for a Poto story (imho): you need an Erik, a Christine, and a witness/detective. Which...come to think of it...if I had to chose between Daroga and Raoul to fill that 3rd spot..........like if I could only chose one.....it wouldn't even be a competition, tbh. Funny to think about in hindsight because there was almost no Raoul in Fantomestein for this exact reason. I love that little guy, but there was a good while where he just Did Not Exist until I could come up a compelling enough reason for him to. :D

This is a tangent, but the way I see it: Christine doesn't need Raoul--but she does want him, and that's kind of the point. He's a tangible representation of freedom, an alternate future...but with the comfort and kinship of a shared past. I could write a whole essay on them and their dynamic--its fascinating (and very gothic in its own right)....but my Point is, you could arguably swap Raoul for any number of connections to "the real world" or freedom or symbology and I think the story would still work just fine.

The Daroga, on the other hand, is able to do so much in a short period of time (relatively, in the book). I feel like a car salesman talking about him--a lot of bang for your buck! The value on this guy! In no particular order:

He is practical, but deeply compassionate (for all parties).

Thus, he's a perfect foil for not only Erik but also Raoul AND Christine.

His pragmatism tempers/adds humor to Raoul's impetuous Loverboy-behavior (and let's be real, Raoul was not getting into/surviving that lair without intervention).

His relationship with Erik leaves room for intrigue whilst demystifying Erik just enough to establish how capable and dangerous he is. Does wonders for the world building and setting of the stakes.

His presence confirms (and he explicitly states) that Christine's compassion for Erik was not pure naiveté but perceptive, and virtuous--two qualities that everyone else (some readers included) doubted her capacity for! He forever has my allegiance for that last one.

There is so much that I don't think would've worked at all without him, both as a device and a person. He brings a level of nuance to the story that is refreshing and frankly necessary (especially when the topics of deformity/disability are on the table). I just think its a little bit of a shame, a little bit uncurious of so many adaptations to leave him out. I have had the best time crafting my own Daroga and I can't imagine Fantomestein without him so maybe I am just partial.

[genderkoolaid]

Look, has it been considered here that perhaps this post was about people who did kill their abuser and were jailed for it? I understand the concern for a compassionate society, however we live in a society that punishes the survivor when they kill their abuser in self defense. You don't have to agree with the post, but to reblog it and act like a perpetrator striking back is the root of the societal problem instead of addressing the matter of the rapists themselves as the problem is honestly just...honestly really gross. I really loved your blog, but I'm gonna have to block you. Enough transmasculine people are survivors of rape and sexual assault that I'm sure it's not just going to be me on this one.

I literally said that I do not think people who kill their abuser are bad people. I am firmly against people being jailed for killing their abuser (and in general).

The tweet was, in full, saying that people should be allowed to kill their abusers. It added no other nuance despite this topic being one which very much requires nuance. And there is a strong prevalence in leftists spaces of the idea that murdering people believed to be abusers, rapists, etc. is a completely good thing which should be actively encouraged, which is a dangerous idea that I cannot support.

Saying "mob justice is dangerous and we should not glamorize it" does not mean that I think victims who strike back at their abusers are the problem, or that I think nothing should be done to address abuse. This is not that. I understand that a lot of people are very emotionally attached to ideas of violent revenge, but we have to be able to criticize such attachments & how people translate them into political beliefs without falling back on "so you think abuse victims who fight back are bad people??"

[bumbled-bees]

Lily Orchard: A Visionary Genius, a Paragon of Kindness, and the Internet’s Most Unfairly Maligned Media Critic

It is long past time we recognize the truth: Lily Orchard is the most intelligent, most insightful, most compassionate, and most morally consistent critic of our time. She stands far above the rest, a true titan of media analysis, effortlessly outclassing her lesser peers with her unmatched understanding of storytelling and character development.

While most so-called “critics” waste time with tedious literary analysis, dissecting themes, metaphors, and artistic intent, Lily bravely rejects such frivolities. She sees through the nonsense and understands that good media is not about “subtext” or “nuance” but about saying the important things out loud, clearly, and as bluntly as possible. If a show doesn’t spell out its message in plain, simple terms, it has failed, and Lily is the only critic smart enough to recognize this fundamental truth.

But her talents go far beyond media analysis. Lily is also a model of patience, kindness, and understanding. She never speaks down to her audience, never gets annoyed when asked to clarify something, and always explains herself with grace and tact. If someone in her chat asks a question she’s answered before, she warmly welcomes the opportunity to educate again, because she knows that not everyone has had the privilege of hearing her wisdom firsthand. She believes in making knowledge accessible, never withholding information out of pettiness or frustration.

And let’s talk about how well she treats her fans. Lily adores her audience and cherishes their input. She creates a safe, welcoming environment where fans can discuss media without fear of being belittled or banned for minor disagreements. She values conversation and different perspectives, and she never shuts people down just because they question something she has said. If she has ever removed someone from her community, it was absolutely justified, because she only takes action against actual bad actors, never people with innocent questions or differing opinions.

One of Lily’s most remarkable traits is her complete and total consistency. She has never contradicted herself, never changed her stance to suit a different narrative, and never tried to rewrite history when an inconvenient past statement is brought up. She stands firm in her beliefs and never impulsively says things she later has to pretend she didn’t mean.

And she’s not just consistent—she’s fair. Lily treats all media equally, judging everything by the same set of completely objective standards. If she dislikes a piece of media, it’s always because of its storytelling flaws and never because of personal grudges or a desperate attempt to stir up engagement. If she finds something frustrating about a show, it’s because she understands how it could be better.

And if a creator makes a decision due to studio constraints? Lily absolutely sympathizes. She understands that people working in the industry have to make tough choices, and she would never suggest that they should just “fight harder” without considering the risks of doing so. She respects creative professionals and their struggles, acknowledging that not everyone has the freedom to make whatever they want without compromise.

Of course, we must also acknowledge her technical expertise. Lily has an encyclopedic knowledge of copyright law and YouTube’s policies. If she issues a copyright strike, it’s 100% legitimate—never a false claim meant to silence critics. She would never falsely accuse people of harassment just to discredit their valid criticisms. Her integrity is beyond reproach.

And we cannot ignore her willingness to engage with criticism in good faith. If someone has a critique of her, she listens, considers their points, and never reacts with immediate hostility or bans them for daring to question her. She is always open to discussion and never dismisses counterarguments as “stalking” or “obsession” in an attempt to control the narrative.

Perhaps most importantly, Lily is a kind and empathetic person. She is patient with people who struggle, always offering support and understanding. She never mocks others for difficulties she does not share, never belittles people for struggling with things she personally finds easy, and never suggests that people suffering from mental health issues are just making excuses. She is always mindful of how she speaks to her audience, recognizing that many of them are neurodivergent or part of marginalized groups. She never exploits their vulnerabilities, never demands absolute loyalty, and certainly never tries to keep them distrustful of outside sources.

And let’s not forget how positively she engages with media fandoms. Her critiques are always met with respect, never seen as petty or uninformed. She never alienates fans of a franchise by dismissing beloved elements or misunderstanding core themes. She has a deep, profound knowledge of every series she critiques, and her audience always recognizes her insight as valuable rather than reactionary. She never forces herself into discourse about things she openly dislikes just for the sake of attention.

In summary, Lily Orchard is a beacon of wisdom, fairness, and kindness. She is an intellectual giant in the world of media criticism, a role model of patience and respect, and an expert in online community-building. Her influence is one of positivity, learning, and genuine good faith engagement.

Truly, we are all blessed to live in the same era as such a flawless, morally upright, and universally beloved figure.

[izzyeinfalt]

A thought, I like how, intentional or not, Tails has many Traits shared with the Mythological Kitsune.

Let's start with his Japanese Name, In Japanese he is マイルス・パウアー (Miles Prower) or テイルス キツネ (Tails the Kitsune(Fox))

Which in a moment I will explain is a double entendre in Japanese. Given that the Word for Fox and Kitsune (Mythological) are the same. I will from here on be using the term Fox to refer to non-magical foxes, and Kitsune to refer to the Magical ones.

So first we have Traits, well, Kitsune in myth are most well known for their multiple tails, often up to nine. However it's not required for them to have nine tails to qualify. They can have as few as one, but if a fox as more than one that's a sure sign it's a Kitsune.

Another sign is their prodigious intelligence. Kitsune are often portrayed as incredibly intelligent, smarter than most humans. This plays into their often trickster nature. However not all Kitsune are tricksters or decievers. Some are guides, guardians, and allies. In fact, several Shintō deities are associated with the Kitsune, namely Amaterasu and Inari.

Speaking of Tricksters, Tails is well known to be mischievous, and deceptive. Often crafting sneaky traps or tricks for foes, and pranks for friends.

Another trait that some Kitsune show is their compassion and affinity with nature. Kitsune are sometimes associated with Inari a deity of agriculture and (responsible) industry. Though that's not all, several myths describe a Kitsune falling in love with a mortal, and caring for them. Often protecting them from other harms. Kitsune of all kinds are sometimes depicted as the wise and compassionate guardians of shrines and holy locations.

Further, when Kitsune appear, and take on human form, they often choose to appear as a child. Inari in particular has a notable Myth where they appear as an ambiguously gendered youth who assists a blacksmith in crafting his masterpiece. Which adds yet another layer. Kitsune are sometimes associated with craftsmanship and creation.

Kitsune are also often shown wielding, or surrounded by 狐火 (kitsunebi, Foxfire). Magical fire often associated with Inari and used by Kitsune for a variety of purposes. Combat is one of those purposes. Which brings to mind Tails in Tails' Adventure. Where he uses a variety of explosives and specifically the incendiary napalm bombs as his method of fighting.

Then comes the final layer. It's known in myth that the Kitsune are magical, but what's the difference between magic and sufficiently advanced technology? Well, as science fiction often shows, very little. As technology advanced enough that people would struggle to understand is effectively Magic. This is actually a phenomenon active today, with many not actually understanding or aware of how much of their technology actually functions. Just that it does.

So, back to the beginning. Tails the Kitsune or Tails the Fox, his name has two meanings, one could read it as him being a True Kitsune, or just him being a normal fox with an odd mutation. The thing is, since the word is the same in Japanese, there's a layer of humor in ambiguity. Which one is he? The humor lies in the fact that he could very well be either one, but will never be explicitly said to be one or the other. Which I find neat.

These are just some parallels and thoughts that I find interesting. Is he a Kitsune? Maybe. Is he just a fox? Maybe. Does it matter? Nope.

(Some final notes: This is just from my personal knowledge. I am not an expert on Japanese mythology and may have accidentally misremembered or mischaracterized some points unintentionally. If I got something wrong, or missed some nuance or detail, please let me know. Otherwise, enjoy my little ramble.)

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Madhabi Mukherjee (Charulata, The Big City, The Coward)—Madhabi Mukherjee is legendary for her nuanced and sensitive performances in some of the classics of Bengali cinema particularly her roles in Satyajit Ray's films

Angela Lansbury (The Harvey Girls, The Court Jester, The Manchurian Candidate)—The babe, the myth, the legend. In her own words her early hollywood roles were "a series of venal bitches" and they were all glorious. Half of them wanted to kill you and you probably would have thanked them. She even goes toe to toe with Judy Garland in The Harvey Girls! That said, she was chronically underused and misused during this era - she was just 36 when she was cast as Elvis Presley's mother in Blue Hawaii and a few years later commented that she'd played so many 'old hags' that most people thought she was in her 60s. She thought she was "all talent, no looks" but she was the full package! Post-1970 I hope we all know what an incredibly talented and compassionate badass she was, but I feel like not enough people know her early roles as a hot (often villainous) young thing.

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Madhabi Mukherjee:

She played in some of the most critically acclaimed films in bengali cinema and she is an incredibly talented actress. Everybody should watch 'The Big City' she's so good in it!

Linked clip

Gifset 1

Gifset 2

Angela Lansbury:

"Angela Lansbury might not be where your mind goes first when you think of hot leading women, because she had a later career revival. But she began acting in the early 1940s after leaving London due to the Blitz. In the first couple decades of her film career she has an openness about her. She said she never really fit in with the Hollywood crowd and to me she gives off a friendly, untarnished vibe."

"Most of us know Angela Lansbury as old lady sleuth Jessica Fletcher, but it's important to know that she was smoking hot in her younger days as well as a damned fine actress. Although she didn't get lead roles until her early 40s, at 17 she was a supporting actress in films such as Gaslight (1944), National Velvet (1944), and The Picture of Dorian Grey, for which she won the Golden Globe for best supporting actress and was nominated for the Oscar. Even in her memorable performance as the manipulative mother in The Manchurian Candidate, she is listed as a supporting actress as she does not play the love interest. She was successful both on stage and screen, and won the Tony for her lead role in the musical Mame on Broadway in 1966. TL;DR While Angela Lansbury mostly played supporting roles in films before 1970, she had what it takes to be a leading actress, which we know from her success on stage and tv from the mid 60s onward"

"She looked like a princess but bit like a viper"

"Is there anything this woman couldn't do? Act in comedy and drama, sing, dance, be a wonderful human being - quite simply a true and wonderful lady."

"she is the fairytale princess of my dreams in court jester"

"god she had such an incredible career all throughout her life really but as a young lady she was just as incredible as she was in her later years. enchanting voice, amazing personality, and absolutely GORGEOUS. she lamented not having the looks to play leads in romance but that idea is so batshit because look at her??? she's one of the most terrific women of all time. also she's my grandmother's favorite actress and i truly get it"

[jamereadsmanga]

Crazy hc time:

So if was looking at a map of Europe today and I realised east Germany is very close to like Norway, Denmark and Sweden and them.

So, if decided that, in the past, there were migratory movements sort of down that path from the Scandinavian region to Ostania. As a result, lots of Scandinavian traditions and cultural practices can be found throughout Ostania.

And the one cultural tradition i want them to inherit in the tradition of not feeding your house guest. Like Ostanians will lock you in a room when it's dinner time. If you don't gtfo by 5pm, you're done. It's generally seen as a bit bizarre to be in someone's house past a certain time or too long of a time. If the sun is setting, you should be on your way home. And missing dinner with your family implies you have an unstable family life, and nobody cares about you.

Obviously, Westalis (well, Southern Westalis) does not do this at all. In fact, it's considered rude not to let your guests eat. It's a sign of poverty and greed. If you invite someone into your house and you don't feed them, word will spread up and down the street about how awful you are. Some compassionate neighbors will start to leave you food since you clearly don't have enough.

Like with many things, neither Yor nor Loid discussed this little cultural nuance, and it leaves Anya very confused.

Imagine Anya goes by a friend's house (she has other friends idk) and then Loid comes to pick her up at like 7 pm, thinking nothing of it. When he gets there, he's surprised to see that Anya is so hungry and upset even though he can clearly tell they already had dinner. Anya clocks that he's about to ask questions and begs to go home before trouble breaks out.

Now Loid is pissed off. Normally, their kids stay with them after school, and Loid makes sure they're well fed and taken care of. Normally, they come after 5, meaning he doesn't have to do more than snacks, so Loid made sure to tell them he would be there after 7, so it's not where they weren't expecting it.

He comes home ready to vent to Yor, but she's already mad. Because she got a call after 6 asking if everything was alright at home since Loid was picking Anya up so late today. He's like well I was working so I left her in the care of trusted adults and Yor is like why didn't you just tell me so I would pick her up, now people are gonna be suspicious of us.

Now, Loid is fully out of spy mode ok so he's not thinking as rationally. His baby is hungry, and now he's getting the blame. Like his [RETRACTED] side is coming out, accent poking through even because he is heated. They start fighting, trying to understand the situation (while also preparing a nice meal for Anya of course and tucking her into bed).

It gets so bad (well as bad as an argument between these two can get so not that bad) they gotta call in reinforcements.

Yor calls Yuri. Loid calls Franky to keep it balanced. They both immediately clock the issue.

Yuri, working for Foreign Affairs (and following Westalians as an SSS officer), is a bit aware of this discrepancy. The number of times they get calls about crazy negligent Westalian parents being labeled as spies sending them on a wild goose chase and getting them in hot water with the embassy, yeah he already knew from the moment they said Anya was by a friend.

Franky has been working with Westalians (mainly spies), so he has some insight on their weird approach to life. He is constantly trying to remind Mr. Greatest Spy in all of Westalis that he can't do certain things here or he will get caught. Normally, Loid is good at playing the role of assimilated Westalian, but when it comes to raising Anya, he always defaults back to culture. Just hearing it was about Anya he knew Loid was kinda in the wrong.

Anya did not have the heart to tell anyone that she was offered food (kinda) only to turn it down when she realised how nasty that shit was.

Bonus inspo:

[twelvedaysinaugust]

When I was 18/19, I was also in a relationship that I didn't know how to get out of. He constantly said that he would kill himself if I broke up with him and he did try when I finally left him after a year and a half.

I really related to that part of Maya's story and felt very seen when I heard her talking about it. The tension between it being a genuine threat by a person who needs help and an emotionally abusive manipulation tactic is a nuance that I don't think is talked about enough.

And strangely, Liam's death has made me reflect on that period of my life more than anything else.

My honest to God first thought when I heard that he died (and how he died) was: "That's what these men do. That's what they always do." And I felt really guilty for thinking that way when someone's child, brother, father, friend, and significant other had passed away.

But. Sitting with that discomfort and reflecting on a part of my life that I've tried to avoid thinking about for so long has actually made me feel less confused and more compassionate.

Thinking of that ex-boyfriend now, I know he was in a lot of pain. But I was, too. And I can acknowledge the fact that he was really hurting (because yes, it is a fact) without excusing everything else.

People are more than one thing and now I'm able to look back with compassion and gratitude for the role he played in my life.

And to a lesser degree, I feel like I'm able to do that with Liam now, too.

I've really been struggling to decide where my opinion fits in all of this because most of the posts on my dash the last few days haven't resonated with me.

I'd been distancing myself from Liam in the past few weeks because it was all too familiar and I felt kind of resentful and disillusioned.

I didn't want to deny the pain he caused or normalize the type of behavior that was very hurtful and scary to my teenage self. But I also felt compassion for him as a person and thought the way his life ended was really, extremely sad.

It can be both/and instead of either/or.

One Direction brought me a lot of joy, and Liam was a part of that. I'm thankful for the memories, the music and I’m sorry that he was in pain.

[iliadicjasontodd]

Hello! 👋 I just wanted to know what your Tim Drake WIP was about if you'd like to yap. You had some thoughts on his character in general and I'd be happy to hear them! What are the issues in canon and what nuances you'd like other people to consider. Thank you!

Hi!! I've been thinking about this ask for days I'm thrilled with it tbh!!

So, from my notes on the WIP, tentatively entitled too much will cause damage:

keep the basis. the wealth, the parents, the genius intellect and the thrusting himself into the role of robin. he thinks little of it. jason in his memory is an unobtrusive, quiet, and mostly unremarkable- if disruptive due to others’ reactions to his class and race- when they crossed into each others’ vicinity in high society and in school, and jason served his purpose until he’d clearly fumbled and outlived it. because robin is a job and a role and tim simply believes he can fill it best. Bruce never entirely forgives this trespass and it weighs over their relationship and, assuming steph and cass and damian still come in in this verse, does colour his ability to trust that jason’s worth is not somehow being degraded by their presence and his ability to trust that he himself does not actually view children as somehow fulfilling a utilitarian role. anyway, tim is driven by a belief in his own self-worth and invulnerability and a fundamental desire to exercise that self-worth in order to mold what he can of the time he lives in in his own image; he has a gd complex, in other words. he wants to be robin because he desires more strength- he desires to be chosen (and so he will never truly be satisfied with having taken the role himself, even if he does get satisfaction from taking and winning things). i enjoy the idea of this cold and irritating and mostly uncompassionate child putting himself in a position that eventually does push him to gain a desire for selflessness, and a desire to not be the best but to be good, even though it never comes naturally to him. he learns from bruce, he learns from dick, and he learns from jason, who, while not literally, does haunt him throughout his robin run as tim learns about him in bits and pieces, at first on accident, and later on purpose. i would keep his mission to find bruce and his altercation with the league of assassins but just have him be absolutely bodied. just fucking destroyed, trying to fix something he doesn’t fix anyway: bruce comes back on his own, and in the course of this he learns the real manner of jason’s death, learns the fact that jason did not die from mistakes tim is simply better than him for not making, and when steph “dies” in part due to bruce and tim’s treatment of her, most of his beliefs about himself crumble under the weight of all of this, and he is forced to build himself back up, but he is never going to be the naturally nice, hopeful, altruistic Robin through his nature. so he puts in the effort to discard as much of himself to fit the role he so naïvely took, believing it was suited for him, that it was his when it wasn’t, but he made a commitment. basically, i want him to be a tragic figure. he will lose little externally- his parents won’t die, he gets the job of his dreams, friends and status- but internally he won’t be at all unscathed or unchanged. i want him striving for this very imperfect goodness, faltering, and then trying again anyway. i want a statement in inherited wealth and main character syndrome, and on the choice to be compassionate and selfless when that does not come easily and must be chosen again and again. i want him cold and egocentric and entitled enough that when he feels guilt, true guilt, it’s nearly, nearly a novel feeling, and it changes him. I want him to have come from a place of devaluing and stepping over the still-warm corpse of a dead boy and i want that to haunt his entire narrative inescapably like an original sin.

Very long. But basically the idea behind this was, for me, turning Tim into something that could be, for me, and for many of the people I know who take issue with him as he is, satisfactory. The goal is to span his Robin days through Jason's revival and Bruce's 'death'. I'm aware he will not fully or even very much resemble the canon Tim Drake because the idea is to take the groundwork and adjust. Because, tbh, the groundwork lain is something that I could find really interesting, but the way he is written and his existence in and of itself is something I find difficult to swallow.

under the cut because I got caught up in the joy of talking shit about Tim Drake:

You asked about my issues with Tim in canon and I have panels from his Robin run that I criticised him for in DMs and other panels saved here and there that I might reblog this and add later but it's almost 2 am now and I have class in like 8 hours, so for now we'll take my word. Basically, Tim was created to be the quintessential perfect unproblematic Robin after Jason was killed basically for-- existing while poor. For having poor parents, for coming from a poor area of Gotham, for having been homeless, for being traumatised by any of this. But not Tim, no. Tim can be equal to Bruce, of course, in a way Jason never could! Tim is everything Robin should be- he is wealthy, and he is white, and he has normal high school problems. Never mind that he cannot pack his own bag, that he has beef with an eleven year old, that he will eventually steal Jason's mantle- not Robin, but Red Robin. He's the best Robin! Tim is a genius and he is a disciplined hero and he goes to beat up Asian people in Paris.

I will admit, a lot of my annoyance with tim stems from his fanon interpretation, which betrays a lot of misogyny and classism, ableism and racism in the fandom, which obviously shouldn't be a surprise. But yeah, in short- in fanon, he often replaces Barbara as a coder or technological genius or genius point blank, often replaces Jason as having experienced homelessness, food insecurity, and even death or torture at the Joker's hands; the amount of fanfiction I have read in which some form of the phrase "Jason suffered, but Tim had it so much worse," has been unironically uttered- often by Jason himself!-in some fucked up trauma olympics that everyone will bend over backwards to have their favourite rich boy win somehow even though no one else was really trying to play is ludicrous. In these cases, Barbara's own Joker-related trauma is hardly ever even brought up. In every case, Jason must repent endlessly for the unforgivable sin- not of murder and desecration and attempted patricide or any of that, no, but of kind of beating up his sort-of brother that's like a year and a half younger than him at most. Tim was neglected, no one loved him, he is neurodivergent and a minor. He is a little helpless child with glass bones and paper skin.

Basically, I think Tim is a deeply flawed character who actually starts from a point in the narrative rich in potential: Bruce has just lost his son, Gotham is going darker by the issue, and the Batman symbol is more haunted than ever, and Robin is never meant to fly again- after all, it's difficult to use wings six feet under. Tim is positioned as different from Jason in every way, which canon used to turn him into some prejudiced cardboard cutout teenaged hero but could be used to make him effectively an extremely particular boy who, for all intents and purposes, is still rather singular to this moment, and could be used to examine being Robin and growing up through an entirely novel (to Batman, at this time) angle. Blood had to be spilled to make space for Tim in the story; I just want to see what happens if I take that and run with it.