#clear-a-path

[frankensteined]

casting spike growth during the cadazor fight resulted in a visual that i could write essays about

[clockwayswrites]

5 Times the JL Learned Batman was Married and the 1 Time They Met the Spouse.

One. Two. Three. Four.

Four.

Clark stood up and positioned himself between the door and his injured teammate before it even opened, though not much before. His own delayed reaction made sense when it opened to show one of Batman’s teammates. While for the longest the League had thought Batman ‘worked alone’, they were now aware of there being a variety of heroes in Gotham, even if they were far from sure how many there might be or who those heroes were.

Nightingale was a notable exception what with his influence on the newest generation of heroes.

The young man flashed Clark a cheery smile and a little two finger wave. The motion almost distracting with the bright blue that marked the fingers.

“Hey Supes, I got notified that B was laid up.”

Clark paused. “You did?”

“Yep, I’m down as B’s emergency contact for Justice League matters. Feel free to confirm it if you want,” Nightingale said and leaned against the door frame with an easy shrug. “That’s exactly the sort of paranoia that B would approve of.”

It really was was, Clark thought. He grabbed the tablet that he had been using and pulled up Batman’s personnel file. It was a sparse file, of course, but clear as day Nightingale listed was next to ‘emergency contact’. Under his name as an alternative was ‘Condor’.

“Who’s Condor?”

“Me,” rumbled the man who stepped up behind Nightingale. He wasn’t as tall as the other hero, but he was broad. His lower face was covered in some sort of sleek gas mask, though Clark’s focus was pulled to the red lenses of the domino mask.

He certainly made for an intimidating figure.

Nightingale rolled his eyes. “Dramatic.”

Condor just shrugged. “I’m here to be the muscle.”

Clark’s brow furrowed. “For… what?”

“Oh, we’re taking B home!” Nightingale, well, chirped and pushed himself off the doorway.

Clark stepped in the way. “Batman needs to stay under medical supervision.”

“We know. We’re taking him to the Batcave. There’s a full medical set up there and we already have Batman’s personal doctor on hand to look him over,” Nightingale said as he smoothly edged his way around Clark. “Not that we don’t think you all have done your best! Just that way we’ll have his status for our files and he can recover at home.”

“Besides, you don’t want you-know-who to get wind that B is laid up like this and come storming the castle,” Condor said and came to take the other end of the medical bed.

Nightingale gave an over-the-top shudder. “Yeah, best to avoid that, he’s not having a good week already.”

“I, no, I don’t know who,” Clark said with a frown, though he did finally step out of their way. He couldn’t really tell them no, they did have control over Batman’s care. Still, he carefully watched them undo the clasps that would let them take off the top of the bed like a stretcher.

Condor lifted his end of the bed. “B’s husband, of course. Guy’s a little protective.”

“A little?” Nightingale asked as he pivoted with his end of the bed so they could start walking. “Calling him ‘a little’ protective is like calling what happened on Monday a ‘little’ multidimensional incident.”

Condor shrugged, the bed shifting a little with the motion, though it barely rocked Batman. “Okay, so maybe he’d rewrite the world for B if it came to it. That’s exactly why we’re getting B back to the Cave where he can be safe and settled before his paramour gets back from dealing with that ‘little’ multidimensional incident.”

“Right,” agreed Nightingale. “Thanks for looking after him, Supes!”

“You’re welcome?” Clark replied as the two heroes left the room, Batman carried between them.

[tainebot01]

Saying farewell to the fanon names, in my own special way…

[thekittyokat]

you ever just have a lot, a LOT of feelings all at once about a character and not even remotely enough words or brainpower to FORM the words to describe everything you're feeling. so it feels like you may explode. yeah

[kaiserouo]

anyone wanna talk about how op overguard is?

[sleepyvib-es]

Jason who everyone believed would be great and Percy who knew that everyone except his mom believed he wouldn't amount to anything unless he proved himself. Percy who chose to make the Great Prophecy be about him so Nico wouldn't have to carry that burden after losing his sister. Jason who chose to confront Caligula alone so Piper would live after the oracle told him he or Piper would die.

Percy who believed he would die at 16. Jason actually dying at 16.

Imagine if Percy and Jason actually had the chance to have a genuine conversation about how being sons of The Big 3 hurt them in different but similar ways bc of what was expected of them and bc of how they were treated by people. Percy and Jason knowing that they can't really show weakness or insecurity or ever say that they were scared bc everyone at their respective camps were counting on their leadership.

Percy and Jason who had their own distinct journeys to be the heroes they became and both journeys were valid and important but did Jason and Percy ever believe for a second that they were important not for their parentage and achievements but because of who they are and actively chose to be

[bennetsbonnet]

Much has been made of Mr Darcy's "confession" to Elizabeth that he does not converse easily with strangers. It is repeatedly used to support neurodivergent interpretations of his character. And I suppose that when taken at face value, a character confessing that they do not easily converse with strangers and struggle to catch their tone or appear interested in conversation can absolutely scream AUTISM! (I say as an autistic person myself)

But this line is often taken in isolation. When considered in terms of the passage in which it appears in Chapter 31, it appears far less of a smoking gun than may initially be suspected. After some discussion about Elizabeth and Darcy's prior acquaintance in Hertfordshire, Colonel Fitzwilliam asks Elizabeth for information about Darcy's behaviour there. She readily supplies it:

'Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of,' cried Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'I should like to know how he behaves among strangers.' 'You shall hear then—but prepare yourself for something very dreadful. The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball—and at this ball, what do you think he did? He danced only four dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner. Mr Darcy, you cannot deny the fact.' 'I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly beyond my own party.'

What Darcy leaves out here is that it was he himself who chose not to be introduced to anybody. As we learn from the description of his behaviour at the Meryton assembly in Chapter 3:

Mr Darcy danced only once with Mrs Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party.

Anyway, Elizabeth correctly does not buy his excuses. Not only does she respond with a cutting sarcastic remark, but she tries to bring the discussion with an end by speaking to Colonel Fitzwilliam:

'True; and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball-room. Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your orders.'

But Darcy does not get the hint and continues conversing with Elizabeth rather than quitting while he's ahead. However, I don't believe him to be missing a social cue here. Rather, this is an exceedingly conceited man who cannot conceive that anyone would not want to speak to such a Superior Being as he and more-so, is determined to defend himself from a perceived slight against his impeccable character.

Then we come to the passage containing the oft-cited line which allegedly contains proof of his neurodivergency:

'Perhaps,' said Darcy, 'I should have judged better, had I sought an introduction; but I am ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers.' 'Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?' said Elizabeth, still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'Shall we ask him why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world, is ill-qualified to recommend himself to strangers?' 'I can answer your question,' said Fitzwilliam, 'without applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the trouble.'

Once again, Elizabeth does not buy his excuse for even a single second. She's fully aware of all the advantages a man such as he will have received in society (opportunities not open to women, might I add!) and draws attention to that fact. It's a brilliant, cutting line from her and she really set that one up for Colonel Fitzwilliam to deliver the knockout blow.

Not only do we have the testimony of Mr Darcy's cousin, that 'he will not give himself the trouble,' to appear cordial to strangers, but we have evidence from Wickham too. Although after this statement, Wickham quickly goes onto misrepresent Darcy's kindness to the poor, which contradicts Mrs Reynold's later testimony, I do believe Wickham to be telling the truth (for once!) here, when he tells Elizabeth in Chapter 16:

'Mr Darcy can please where he chooses. He does not want abilities. He can be a conversible companion if he thinks it worth his while.'

Which, again, demonstrates that Darcy is capable when he wants to be. That is the crucial point. Autistic people fundamentally lack the ability to understand social cues, they cannot turn it on and off as they please because they are snobs.

So, now we come to the infamous line about Darcy's supposed social struggles, and I hope that I've provided enough context to the line to make you see that it should not be taken at face value:

'I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,' said Darcy, 'of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.' 'My fingers,' said Elizabeth, 'do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I will not take the trouble of practising. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman’s of superior execution.'

Again, Elizabeth is not buying his excuses for even a single second and tells him if he feels like that, maybe he should put the effort in. She has seen him in numerous social settings and been thoroughly unimpressed with his behaviour which, when you consider his rudeness to her at the Meryton assembly, she has every right to be.

So, what do I make of the line?

Well, I think it's abundantly clear that Darcy absolutely can speak to people when he wants to. Perhaps, in his mind, he struggles to make that deeper connection and make friends easily. But making friends is not always easy, it's a process you must invest time and effort into. If you do not do that, it stands to reason that you will struggle. Plus, if you hold others to ridiculous standards (as Darcy does) without recognising and fixing the flaws within yourself, you're not going to have deep, lasting friendships.

While this quote may appear to be a moment of vulnerability where he does confess a fault of his, which is astounding given his pride, personally I do not think it was not a soul-searching exercise. It was to make Elizabeth stop grilling him. It was self-serving. Although, I don't think he's entirely lying. Darcy is veeeery careful with his words and though this statement is not considered and perhaps comes out rather abruptly, it doesn't necessarily follow that it isn't true. I can imagine that it is probably something he's felt for a while, yet it is a rather desperate attempt to defend himself from a woman who sees right through him.

I think perhaps Darcy does realise that he isn't as naturally gifted as other men he knows (such as Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Bingley) when it comes to forming acquaintances. However, he looks outwards and turns that bitterness against the world rather than looking inwards, reflecting upon himself and improving his manners which would be the correct thing to do. Thankfully, he later does this, but it took him twenty eight years...

In addition, Darcy appeared to have been under the illusion that he could coast by on Pemberley's reputation... which has always worked... until he met Elizabeth. For perhaps the first time, he encounters a woman who is not awestruck by him and his reputation and delivers the rebuke that he always needed.

So, while personally I'm inclined to believe there is some truth to his statement, as Mr Darcy is many things but he isn't a liar, I think it is said in desperation. His feeling stems from him knowing what he should do, but he can't be bothered to enact it... rather than any inherent social deficiency stemming from being neurodivergent.

Although, even if he does struggle socially, it's still no excuse for the rudeness he displayed to Elizabeth! My main issue with neurodivergent readings of Darcy is when they are deployed to defend his behaviour, when they attribute his rudeness to any potential neurodivergency and when they excuse his laziness. That is an awful message! Autistic people who struggle with social cues often do not, nor should they, go around insulting others. They should and often do put plenty of effort into being considerate and polite. In fact, I think, if anything, a love of rules makes us more likely to have good manners, rather than the reverse.

Ultimately, I'm not sure this line makes Mr Darcy the sympathetic-poor-sweet-innocent-shy-boy-autistic-representation that people want him to be. In fact it makes him look even worse, if anything. On matters such as these, he is every inch the conceited proud man he was widely believed to be at the Meryton assembly. Luckily, Elizabeth is an incredibly smart woman, who doesn't fall for it and immediately calls him out on his behaviour in a way that he has never experienced before. As she should!

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

If I might inquire from the polytheistic community,

What in the ever-loving FUCK is with this seemingly common attitude that the gods view us as nothing more than a speck in the universe, not remotely worth their time or affection? That we are worthless to them unless there is some special reason they should pay us attention? That they don’t have a care for us at all?

I escaped that mindset from a cult I was forced to be in, foolishly thinking I’d be safe from it in polytheism, but instead it seems to just get reinforced, discouraging me from it altogether. That cult taught me that I was worthless to my god; that I was no more than the dirt under his divine feet, and that it was a privilege to be loved by him and seen as worthy by him, even though I was fundamentally worthless and pathetic. I don’t ever want to feel that way with any god ever again.

The lack of certainty when it comes to the gods makes it so hard for me to subscribe to one mindset or another. I can neither confirm nor deny that the gods care about us, that they care about me. So it feels really easy to be swayed from one mindset to another. It’s hard to feel like people saying “the gods care about us—about you!” Isn’t just some kind of self-soothing gesture instead of a fact.

I’ve been away from polytheism for over a year now due to the struggles I have with it + my mental health, but this mindset a decent chunk of people have about it puts me off of coming back to it. Why would you even worship gods who could not give less of a shit about you? More importantly, why do you feel the need to push those views as a fact when nobody can know for certain save for their own experiences?

[phoenixyfriend]

something something one of those those "Jango falls for Courtesan/Stripper/NightclubSinger/TrophyWife!Obi-Wan" AUs...

But instead Obi-Wan actually being a sex worker, he's undercover and still a Jedi, and either:

They split ways and run into each other a few months later with Obi-Wan in full Prude Beige Knight mode OR

The situation goes pear-shaped while they're still flirting and Obi-Wan has to break cover to grab a senator and jump out a window and suddenly this half-dressed glittery Person is batting away shots with a lightsaber and there's a bratty twelve-year-old who ALSO has a lightsaber threatening people with I Will Eat Your Liver if they keep staring at his dad's ass just because the sequined sheathe dress tore in a sexy place

[shkika]

thoughts on watcher if you've had time to play it?

im so happy you're here we welcome you!- rough wip

rambling in the tags about the dlc!

[photoclic64]

Vergerette rude Rough-stemmed Fleabane

Photographie : JM. SUHUBIETTE

[deepspacenova]

The storms that you’ll encounter in the future — they shouldn’t exist in this world.

[pastelaeqy]

sorry started thinking about dbh after so long. apologies guys. yes Connor is my favourite. He’s a combo of like all my favourite character tropes and I love a good (question mark) story about robots.

something something the end poem and being alive and playing the game. had this bad boy in the wips for so long.

[mtg-cards-hourly]

Clear a Path

"Why do guards always look surprised when we bash them?" asked Ruric. "I think they expect a bribe," said Thar.

Artist: Karl Kopinski TCG Player Link Scryfall Link EDHREC Link

[holloweiss]

they’re literally her guard dogs, im so obsessed

[yannaryartside]

Michael and Sydney: let yourself be

I just had this thought; I hope I can make sense of it. I want to talk about the show"s themes on what allows people to be themselves, pursue their dreams, and defend their identity, particularly amid toxic and abusive elements (family, industry, surroundings).

Long post under the cut, a yappy, unorganized meta. tw discussions of depression and addiction.

If you had to go on personality alone, what character would you say is the opposite of Michael? Michael was an outgoing guy who would command the attention of a room, making sure to read everyone and dial all situations. You may think Carmy is his opposite (we will talk about him later).

But in reality, the character who is shown to struggle with social situations the most throughout the whole show is Sydney.

Sydney has struggled with her leadership skills (commanding a room) and her ability to dial social situations (hiring new staff, dealing with the berzatto antics) for 3 seasons now.

And I think that is pretty interesting. These characters were constructed in a certain way, and there may be an extra theme in the background here: the audacity to be real to the world and to yourself.

Michael spent most of his life pretending to be a version of himself that could carry out his role in the family. He was the glue that kept the family feeling like family, making gatherings enjoyable, minimizing Donna's faults, and bringing everyone together. Is it possible that Michael never had a chance to show his real feelings growing up, and that is likely the reason he learned to use drugs to manage his emotions and hide his depression (because living a lie 24/7 has a toll on the heart).

He had a genuine talent with people (the same one Richie has), but he slaved himself into the role of "glue of the family," preserving the toxic systems around him and, more importantly, never recognizing how that dynamic had hurt him so much. He never gave himself a chance to dream his own dreams, maybe because he was afraid of being nothing without the role he had been fulfilling for so long. In that family restaurant, the one his father left behind, the same way he left him behind, the restaurant he desperately wanted to keep his siblings out of. He was protecting them, and he was also hiding.

(pause to cry, I love Michael so much)

Sydney is a person who is always herself; she has her heart on her sleeve and shows who she is and what she cares about constantly despite being brought down over and over again. Despite how much it hurts her, she doesn't want do do things in a way that is contrary to her nature and values. When presented with the toxicity of the kitchen (that Michael used to run and that Carmy made even worse), she battles fire with little drops of water (patience and firmness) that build up to create the ambiance of trust within the staff today.

Sydney wanted to make a difference because she believed everyone has a chance to do better. And Michael thought it was his duty to keep things the same, despite how awful it all was even to himself.

He believed in Carmy's potential to the point of excusing his belief that he could never do better than what he had done.

This is also illustrated by the show of how much the staff felt threatened by Sydney in s1, because they believed (kinda like Michael) that they never could be better of what they had, that there is no better, not for people like them. Better is for geniuses and people without baggage.

They believed change would prove them inadequate, and Sydney showed them the chance is to support you, not destroy you.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORST PART OF THIS IS?

Neither of them had any choice. Yes, we are all creatures of fault with a chance to change, but 75% of our being is preprogrammed. We are the people that we have built ourselves to be to survive in the world around us.

Sydney had a chance to let herself be and Michael didn't.

Sydney had an incentive (a loving parent) to recognize her own feelings and identity growing up. Michael didn't. Despite how flawed she may feel, at least she knows the basics of who she is; Michael could never look at himself and his wounds because that would be admitting he didn't want to play his usual part anymore in the facade that was the happy Berzatto family.

Both the Berzatto and the Adamus are working class (besides mafia links that may have put them in a financial crisis). Yet, Mr Adamu can encourage her daughter to follow her dreams in an industry as unreliable as fine dining. Meanwhile, Michael was told: "you are gonna do the same shit as your father because that is what you are supposed to do"

My last point is back to the dinner and the party afterwards.

It is not an accident the most confident we have ever seen Sydney is at a table surrounded by mentors and peers. She values her experiences and dreams and is eager to share, be nurtured, and nurture others. That is the basis of connection. You cannot connect if you are hiding.

Carmy was in the same party, hiding in his fear of his abuser, and previously, he had desperately tried to fit in the frat party to the point of pretending to be someone else. Carmy pretends to be Michael, but Michael never allowed himself to meet his true self.