#character dynamics explored

[mo1kkai]

Some technically difficulties but we are back

[that1notetaker]

Getting out of the comfort zone can be uncomfortable.

[crimson-rots]

saddest thing that can happen to 2 guys with freak shit going on is people calling them boyfriends. yes i know theyve got something homosexual going on but brother it is NOT that

[alexisinnocent]

I don't really like the debate about Duke Thomas on if he's the "normal one" or "just as crazy" as his siblings because it's based on a false dichotomy that limits Duke's characterization in a fandom that already doesn't really know where to place him. The long story short is that Duke is like his siblings which is to say he does whatever based off of his sense of morality and he often has no scale of normal human behavior.

I'm pretty sure that the idea of him as the normal one comes from Wayne Family Adventures. (Though if this predates it in fandom please let me know). WFA chooses to play into his newness to give insights into the dynamics of Wayne manor and the larger batfamily.

I don't necessarily think this is a bad choice. I'm pretty giving to adaptations because it's hard to summarize 80+ years of comics into an easily digestible form. However, it was clearly written by a team who didn't have much insight on what to do with Duke outside of that, so his newness and uncertainty become his characterization and by extension him being the "regular one" in the family. The fandom that hasn't engaged with Duke outside of WFA run with that.

Which leads to jokes, skits, and fics where Duke is not only misrepresented but underrepresented. In a family filled with weird people with distinct dynamics what's the new, normal guy to do but sometimes stand in a corner and throw in a responsible one liner.

As a response people get frustrated with Duke's lack of inclusion in fics, skits, and jokes, so they bring up all the things that prove he's just as wild as his siblings (such as getting shot and thinking it's cool or jumping out of a cop car though my personal favorite is when he breaks into the iceberg lounge). However, without context this still isn't Duke. He doesn't just do insane things for the response he has a very clear characterization.

Duke is a child genius who has a huge problem with authority, primarily motivated by helping his community (though in the time between his parents disappearance and goign to live with Bruce he is a bit of an adrenaline junkie as a coping mechanism).

So, if we revisit some of the actions listed above:

Duke gets shot and thinks it's cool: This is Duke in his peak adrenaline junkie time, when he's riding the high of We Are Robin and all the potential negative consequences of superherodom haven't settled in yet. (This is also the period of time when he's getting into fights and is a bit of a playboy).

Duke jumps out of a cop car: This is Duke with his problem of authority (particularly cops) especially when they are trying to stop him from doing what he thinks is right. In this case, stopping him from We Are Robin duties. (This is also why he sneaks out of his foster homes looking for his parents).

Breaking into the iceberg lounge: This is peak Duke. It's him using his genius intellect to crack open a case and because he refuses to ignore it when he can help chasing the lead himself. It's also a little bit his adrenaline junkie sense as he's absolutely more reckless when there's a lot of external pressures.

TLDR: Duke is not the normal one. He's also not just a series of his wildest actions. He's a 16 year old, who wants to help the world and his own way of going about that, wether that's within or outside of our conception of normal behavior.

[chloesimaginationthings]

oughh.. your movie william affers design is too silly… love him ❤️

Tbh I haven’t drawn him nearly enough, gotta fix that

[fennelwasp]

“If he touched those memories, if he recalled the naive, childish hope he’d still held in his grasp when he shared that toast with his father, the tears he’d swallowed might spring back up. Not in front of Dankovsky. His pride had suffered enough.”

Fanart from chapter one of the beautiful fic “Bread and Twyre” which you all SHOULD READ!!!!!!!!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64218295/chapters/164812855

[sleepyvib-es]

tbh all i wanted from hoo was more developed friendships

[retquits]

hewwo i love your fanart BUT i dont know much about ur ocs !!!! is there an oc(s) of yours you'd like to ramble about?? xx

thank you so much for asking?! 😭😭😭 AHH

actually, i'm really obsessed with my fields of mistria oc, monroe!!

💙 i have a full page dedicated to him here 💙 (including his bio and a lot of unpublished art that i'll post here eventually - i'm addicted to drawing him)

he's a very weary ex-adventurer with a pretty unpleasant past who moved to mistria in hopes of just quietly disappearing/fading away. he's malnourished, has terrible posture, doesn't know how old he is, has big feral cat energy, and doesn't know how to handle people being kind to him. i love him and his silly blue farm so much

[kokoasci]

weekend sketch dump

[cozymochi]

*sneaks in with a potato sack*

Don't mind me! 😃

*proceeds to make several traps with tres leches cake, Fugu, and Basil pesto pasta*

Just pretend I'm not even here! 😊

*sets all the traps and hides in the bushes with Rook*

I'm definitely not trying to kidnap people! 🤭

👁️👄👁️ …Scary.

Thankfully Emilio and Nyoka aren’t that easily fooled by cartoonish means. …Cecil though— :(

But it’s okay, Rook’s a little very weird quirky, but he’s nice to his fellow Science Club peer.

He gets him some food afterwards.

[bottombaron]

oh ok so its the usual no-homo bullshit you always hear, good to know.

[theclownghoul]

The way timebomb would have ate as rivals to reluctant allies/friends (with potential undertones) in S2 while heading a chaotic revolution of Zaun will never not haunt me.

[potato-lord-but-not]

Around 8 months ago (I can't believe its been that long either) you answered an ask about what Arthur Lester and his 3 bf's ideal positions were (top/bottom/switch), and, just out of curiosity, have you changed your mind at all about your answers? Or is John still a top, Oscar still a bottom, and Noel & Arthur both switches?

ITS BEEN THAT LONG ?!?!!?! good god oufghc anyway anyway- I think that has changed a bit and I’ll put my ramblings under cut bc well. there’s probably a bit more detail than you want out on your tumblr dash

okay Arthur hasn’t changed, he’s still a switch in my heart. I think John is still mainly a top, but he dabbles in switching positions. Like if someone realllllyyyy wants to top he’ll be like “okay :)”

Noel is definitely just a top, and he tried being the bottom once and was content to not try it again (even if Oscar was patient and gentle). Although he does top, he’s not much for penetrative sex. He has some problems getting like, physically aroused (also aforementioned preferences- he’s a bit of a voyeur, he’s got those monsterfucker tendencies, whatever the fuck he and the butcher had going on) and therefore likes to get creative with it. He definitely likes to have a bit of control during sex, not being possessive but just being in the lead.

Oscar is mainly still a bottom but I think he can switch it up if he wants because he’s hot like that. Im pretty sure this might directly contradict my earlier statements, b u t- it took him a while to be comfortable being the top, because he’s had very negative connotations with that position. He didn’t like the idea of the power imbalance during sex it could make, and that he’d be the one creating it. With enough patience tho he was willing to give it go with someone he trusted (Noel probably, and although that didn’t do much for Noel he was still great at giving pointers). Annddd I think that’s why I like bottom John and top Oscar together bc they’re going against their usual preferences and trusting the other to give them something they don’t usually get.

I feel bad for writing whole paragraphs for Noel and Oscar and jarthur just gets to share a single sentence um OOPS- uhhh o k a y

John! a switch with top preferences! he gets really aggressive with Arthur but that’s just because Arthur matches his energy. I think he also talks a lot during sex, mainly giving affirmations and praise. With Noel tho- if he’s still human then they’re just having a teasing match. Noel likes to bring out the flirt and get under John’s skin, and John is trying so hard to keep up without just being an ass. Monster John and Noel tho? all bets are off and they’re getting real freaky with it. John still makes sure to be careful and check in often incase he does something that might hurt Noel. And Noel’s like sweetheart I don’t caarrrrreeee pleaassseeee get those tendrils around me. And with Oscar he’s verrrryyyyy careful. Like he could most definitely get more rough with him, but he doesn’t want to do something wrong and have Oscar never want to be near him again. So he’s real gentle, placing more emphasis on foreplay and closeness than actual sex.

and Arthur! the guy I think about the least somehow! sorry king! a switch that is a horny little freak at heart. He’s up for a lot of things and will be down to try anything if his partner thinks they’ll like it. He’s definitely got more of a dominant personality, and I think that’s verryyy evident with, surprise surprise, Parker! Those two had some wweiirrdddd dynamics going on and thought of flirting and sex like some kinda secret game they both wanted to win. Arthur gets manipulative sometimes, but only if he knows the other person would enjoy it. I think since he’s aro, he’s got less romantic attachment to sex, and thus just really likes having sex to unwind or have some fun.

OUG I RAMBLED TOO HARD SORRY I’ll leave

[k1tty5]

im constantly afflicted by a terrible illness and there is no cure. have a sketch

[bluepr1ntyy]

Hi offers they

i love adult shino a lot . i love the doomed sblings raven and shino dynamic !!!

both sillies;; @echoiarts and @blue-kohina

tags ;;

@yeloenk @meglyfer @lushciqqs

[bum-tan]

The reason Bill hates Stanley so much is because of how similar he is to Bill.

And yet, unlike him, Stan won. He got his good ending together with his live loved ones.

Even though Bill is so much greater than he will ever be. Why does Stanley, the liar, deadbeat, good for nothing, husk of his own self. Why does that pathetic miserable man has it all ?

But Bill has nothing.

It's not fair.