#everyone is special and unique and thinks different and expresses themselves different

[yeahthatsweedfart]

i think furries r really fuckin cool tbh.

[astrogre]

Astro observations 2

Disclaimer: I would like to confirm that my observations are the niche ways in which a placement may manifest, it is the way I’ve noticed it in others, the people around me, celebrities, myself and in my studies. It is not the doctrine wide broad way the placement occurs for everyone.

Jupiter 7H can have a reputation of wanting EVERYONE. Anyone with a pulse, they like everyone, usually their dating history is so diverse that if you put all their love interests in a room together it would be the most strangest group of people. Drake has this placement and he is known for wanting, going on dates with or having a relationship with Nicki minaj, Ice Spice, Jorja smith, JLo, Kylie Jenner, Tyra Banks, Sza, Hailey Beiber, Serena Williams, literally everyone. Marilyn Monroe also has this placement and people would say the same about her. With this placement it can make the native have interest with a lot of people. You can have plenty of potential partners.

Having 12H placements Sun especially can make you feel like your gifts, talents, purpose or whatever planet topic is in it, was made for others. Like serving an ungrateful, complaining customer that ends up eating the entire plate anyway. You individually may not be selfless but it feels like the planet in the 12H benefits others and not you. It feels like a fire that burns to keep others warm.

Conjuncts to the MC (planets and asteroid) show what you are most known for in the workplace, what you’re like at your best self too. Any placements conjunct to MC show what you are like at the peak of your life and how you act in your career and what are known for in your career. That’s how MC can indicate what your career is because it focuses on who you are at your best and how others see you in the workplace and go off from there. Eg. Aquarius MC conjunct Uranus and Webb may indicate you being tech savvy at your best self so astrologers may assume you’re in tech industry or well known online, but you can still be for an example a doctor that aids in treatment with technology, your MC sign doesn’t mean you exclusively work in the industry the sign represents, it just shows you the way you work in the industry you pursue

Neptune 1st housers may look completely different to their parents. Like you can see a hint of their parents features on their face but they don’t look that much like them. They can be born with features that are contrary to their birth parents like red hair and blue eyes in an all brunette family. Or it can be a subtle difference like they appear as if they’re from a different country, people guess their ethnicity incorrectly like all the time.

With Neptune 1st house There is nothing particularly special about these natives physical appearance in particular, they MAKE themselves special. The way they carry their physical body and animate it, is what makes these people so different and admired. They’re like puppeteers for their physical bodies. This is a continuous pattern I’ve seen, like if you just saw these people on the street sure -you’d think they’re pretty.. but not necessarily “otherworldly”, what makes these individuals perceived as such is the way they control/express their behavior. I have noticed Neptune here makes people VERY controlling over their appearances, it does make me question if Neptune is a subtly secretly controlling planet, if it manipulates subconsciously, like a child conveniently stepping on other’s sandcastles when running on the beach so they don’t have to wait their turn for the buckets, these natives can accidentally bring about their ideal version of themselves to reality and everyone is like who is this??? It’s more so like they customised their avatar in their head and showed it to everyone here in the physical plane. It’s like they made themselves a game characters in a world full of civilian people, that’s why they’re so unique looking, it’s because they wrote themselves .

Unpopular opinion but Scorpio Venus isn’t a fun sexy placement that everyone hypes it up to be. It can make you constantly end up in relationships that have weird power dynamics and are just unhealthy. You may struggle to be in a soft loving relationship because it’s not intense enough but that just leads you/partners to manipulate and themes of control in your relationship. Sure, it may be considered“hot” but not healthy. Not love.

Also another thing I’ve realised with this placement, feminine natives attracted to men PLEASE don’t intentionally flirt with someone. You’re already so intense and magnetic without realising it that if you intentionally flirt with men it’s so extreme like a 0-100, that it can overwhelm/scare them because of how predatory it may feel 💀. If a man isn’t pursuing you, he’s not interested because your always appealing and screaming out a mating call even if your physically doing nothing.

Lilith opposite moon natives can have mothers who impose traditional lifestyle and beliefs on the native. For an example the mother may be controlling and imposing her ideas of humbleness, modesty, and traditional masculinity/femininity on the child. Defensive, like she is everything but a mother herself but subjects you to standards she cannot even amount to.

Uranus 2H feel like everything that makes them feel good and safe can be taken away in an instance. These people KNOW what it’s like to have the things they love abruptly taken from them over and over again by others or by nature, until they may even struggle to value the great things they have anymore. 2H rules your values and self worth, for these natives it gets to an extent where they don’t even value themselves because once they finally start to accept themselves they’re shown a perspective to them that they cannot accept.

It is said that the degree of a placement shows which age that planets energy starts to become active. Not sure how true that is but when you look at your natal chart, try keeping it in mind for yourself and look back to when you first had an experience under the themes of that planet. E.g for sun, when and what age did you feel seen, Venus who and how old were you for your first love or romantic partner

Sun conjunct Lilith. People with this placement may deal with their fathers highlighting the most non conforming features of themselves, the smallest of things you do will be escalated, this can manifest as slut shaming, being degraded for the way you are because you’re not “soft”, making you out to be like a chaotic mess, villainising you. Imagine having a loud snitch exposing your most “cancellable” traits. Britney Spears has this exact placement and I went to test if my hypothesis is true:

For Britney this placement is in the 3rd house which rules communication, hence why her father made comments about her like this, but say if it was in the 2nd house it could be done by a father providing less for his child because he deems them unworthy due to their non-traditional traits. This illumination of shame is done by the themes of the house this aspect is in.

All the Sagittarius influenced natives I meet always play a loud an instrument. I’ve seen it in Sagittarius suns especially and also in sag stelliums. I have no idea why, but they always do. They play things like drums, electric guitar. I’ve also seen that they can play piano and other instruments but it’s actually not their main instrument to play and if it’s not instruments they have an interest in LOUD hobbies, like cars.

Pluto in 11th house can have one of those character AI boyfriends, be in a relationship with their NPC rpg girlfriend/boyfriend, or they can just straight up play otome games and deeply feel like they have a connection to the character, these are the kind to marry their VR chat girlfriend and play mystic messenger.

Also Pluto 11Hs if your dreams and ambitions were to be vocalised to your peers, they may find you egotistical or someone to watch out for. You are a BIG dreamer. It’s giving Azula. I think Pluto 11H natives learn to keep their ideas to themselves if they want to be successful.

Natives with Aphrodite (1388) in 1st house, when describing you people may argue on the appearance or how you may present yourself as, or who they believe you are, alike to when the men witnessed Aphrodite in mythology, they would say “she had beautiful blonde hair and a soft voice” and another man would scream at him and say “nay, she was a red haired bold aggressive woman who goes for what she wants” this is because the men see what they want to see in her, they see their ideal beauty, but can both identify it’s the same person. When they see her in person at the same time they will only see what they think she is and will not be able to see her for herself. Could indicate in your reputation, you are idolised like Aphrodite but only being liked for your beauty/the persona they project on you.

Saturn 3rd house can make you have siblings that whip you up into shape, being a catalyst or aid to your best self, whether in a harsh way or a progressive way it depends on the sign. E.g Billie Eilish has this placement and her brother Finneas is a key aid to her success today by being the one who writes her music, and Kylie Jenner has this in Aries but her sister Kendall was her competition, worst critic, extremely condescending and critical of her body, her image, her skills even making fun of her for having lip injections in interviews etc which forced Kylie to feel insecure changing everything about herself but lead her to the popularity she has today.

Scorpio Mars isn’t a fun placement either, so many say that these natives are blessed, after all, Mars is in rulership, it gives them will power, survival instinct and makes them a shark. But people don’t discuss how being a Scorpio Mars can make you hurt others further than intended, it’s like tactically pulling the jenga block excited for your opponents next go but instead- you make the entire tower fall on your their face, they hurt themselves crying and the game ends bitterly. You won but at what cost? You can overestimate what people can take, and inevitably your loved ones may become the sorry victim of your sting. I think deep down Scorpio Mars natives know how much they hurt people and sometimes wish they weren’t so intense. I always think of Omni man from invincible having this placement.

Was working as an external motivational speaker for a school and this Gemini Sun teacher was so prim and proper, he’d sit crossing his legs and always be making sure students were extremely well behaved listening for anyone talking like this:

I’d say rather strict. He was timely, efficient hated tardiness and I knew he was a bloody mercurial with that prestige desk organisation and flick of fingers while typing (such sass),I thought he was a Virgo but, when I pried to get his birthday (which was very difficult as he was professional and loved etiquette). He was actually a Gemini Sun. Gemini suns you guys have the goofiest of smiles and energy but you can be scary to work under. It’s SO funny how differently Gemini suns treat those on the same authority standing as them compared to the ones they’re supposed to oversee. They’re like 👨‍⚖️🔎⏰ as a boss, but personally like: 🌸😃🌈 to their colleagues. You guys also have very snappy and sassy comebacks to disrespect it’s hilarious to watch outside looking in how you even come up with such remarks. I’ve also noticed you guys can be sucky and adoring towards your bosses, but strangely it works.

Capricorn MC, how does it feel to live my dream?? People with this placement are the most high earning, most dominant or the most respected and well known person in their field. Whether it be politics, modelling, office, technology, teaching, literally everything.. if you have Capricorn MC the way you handle your work is with an extreme amount of meticulous efforts. You go through the small print terms and conditions, execute the process with full clarity which is what makes you guys so successful. You don’t fuck around, Examples of people with this placement are Martin Luther King, David Beckham, Kendall Jenner, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Heath Ledger, Nikola Tesla, Jeff Bezos, Alexander the Great. Notice how they’re all contenders for the title “Greatest of all time” in the fields they’re in. When they say that Saturns influence makes you established and remembered throughout history, it’s true. With Capricorn MC, you’re probably the first to set a record in the work you do and will be remembered as one of the foundations of the future.

I don’t want to reinforce stereotypes about Pisces moon. However, I’ve noticed that you really shouldn’t jokingly insult these guys. I think it’s because of their inclination to read between the lines and the underlying meaning of words that are said. They really don’t take criticism very well because they pick up the hidden meanings, e.g I once lived with one and he jokingly told me he’s going to lock me out of his room so that I don’t rob him and then I asked in all seriousness“why would I rob you?” And he was hurt and explained it’s because my question suggested that i thought he didn’t have nice clothes. (Which is true, im not interested in menswear nor his style). Perhaps this is a me thing though because im rather forthright with what I say. Maybe Pisces moons aren’t so sensitive, maybe we’re just cruel to them.

Also these natives are incredibly intelligent in terms of understanding emotions. I’ve noticed that they can easily grasp why certain people do certain things which is what makes them known to be “empathetic or forgiving” but it’s really because the concept of deep and complex emotions isn’t difficult for them to grasp. They’re like the Einsteins of human nature. And when I speak of empathy, that doesn’t mean they they can do no wrong, that’s a common misconception about Pisces moon, there are bad people within every placement but strangely Pisces moons if they are “bad” end up being forgiven for it because they garner sympathy from others. E.g Kim Jong-un, Edgar Allen Poe, Kesha, Coco Chanel, Kendrick Lamar, Vanessa Hudgens, Hilary Clinton, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Kanye West, Michelle Obama.

Fama (408) conjunct Mercury can indicate being well known for your ideas and thoughts, they can stand out or perhaps the way you communicate them does. You have an attractive mind that garners attention from many, people love to hear what you have to say, it’s like being lady wistledown from bridgerton. Ben Shapiro is an example of someone with this placement. He speaks very fast and is a famous conservative speaker engaging in debates with political royalty.

Ascendant conjunct Chiron forever being attacked for their appearance really saddens me. These natives can be treated normally but then once they do something that others don’t like, their appearance will be promptly targeted. E.g Margot Robbie (brutally called mid because male viewers didn’t appreciate her in the Barbie movie), Peter Dinklage (think he complained about dwarfism being represented in cinema but I can imagine he must have also grown up with a lot of unkind words), Priyanka Chopra (people coming for her when she married a Jonas brother), Selena Gomez (I don’t even know why but people attack her for her body apparently), Abraham Lincoln (this man wanted to free slaves I bet they made caricatures of him during the 1800s).

Venus in 10H, why is your relationship a Google search away. Everything we know about your love life is against our will. I know you love your partner but please. These natives can end up telling on themselves about the nature of their relationships. Examples: Jayda Smith (red table), Johnny Depp ( his released audio recordings), Billie Eilish (made a whole documentary about her relationship to her ex boyfriend) David Bowie (spoke pleasantly of his wife Iman any chance he got in many interviews), Kristen Stewart (cheating at award ceremonies).

Aries Mercury people are extremely motivational, they really know how to make others do something simply by their words, it can be for the bad or for the good E.g The rock (Dwayne Johnson) , Adolf Hitler, Albert Einstein, Queen Elizabeth II, Amber Heard, Mark Zuckerberg, Al Pacino, William Shakespeare. These natives can make an understaffed workforce win the battle because they remembered what you said, they’re usually quoted and the people with this placement can have really empowering but simple one liners that make you want to beat on your chest like King Kong and seize the day. Very influential and honestly the best people to have a pep talk from.

[aggresivemenace]

Oh, to be a Trazyn's precious little treasure... pt. 1.

Warnings: bad written OOC, power imbalance, wattpad ass cringe. Sorry, not sorry. Cringe is my vent therapy. No proofread, we die like warriors. I'm writing it like half awake

• humans always fascinated Trazyn.

• of course, he would never admit it out loud, but they did.

• their entire history is an incredible little tale of overcoming, struggle, and suffering.

• no claws. no fangs. no natural armour like shells or thick skin. no horns. no fast legs. no strength. no poison.

• only thin, warm skin. little brittle bones. weak muscles. addiction to oxygen. carbs, proteins, fats, H2O. just carbon based little things. poor ones indeed.

• and yet Imperium of the Humankind is one of the strongest forces in known universe. this fact alone was fascinating.

• the second thing Trazyn found admirable is how different humans are. one can't find two of the same specimens, and even twins would have differences.

• uniqueness is what he absolutely loved about this race.

• he secretly found humans adorable, like little cute animals. before biotransference, Necrontyr's culture was very pet-friendly.

• necrons are just minds trapped in mighty flawless metal bodies, but their emotions, memories, and other things that sentience gave them.

• maybe they have no souls, but it doesn't matter that they don't experience emotions and feelings.

• so one of the things on his wishlist was to get himself a little human. of course, not just any baselines necrons manage to catch, but something special and peculiar, just like Trazyn likes.

• so he just ordered to present him every baseline captured in action or even bought on black markets (usually humans sold there are some kinds of psykers, mutants and other interesting specimens)

• he looked for something outstanding. mesmerising. beautiful. captivating. something, what deserves to be intact of biological death and rot through milleniums of years.

• and...finally he got you.

• he immediately noticed something captivating about you, among others.

• of course you were absolutely terrified of him, especially because you've never seen a necron, only heard about them from rumours and books.

• just a scared little clump of warm flesh, they got him from some disgusting drukhari hellhole, where everything and everyone could be sold or bought

• Trazyn has no idea why he picked you out of dozens of other humans.

• maybe it was your gaze or eyes in general.

• your face. hair. body type? shit humans call "aura"?

• this question doesn't bother Trazyn. He chose you because he wanted to. you are his now, not a single creature in whole Universe has the right to question him.

• you're a precious part of his infinite collection, so he's generous with you.

• he already has experience and knows how to treat human-like creatures, who are mentally and emotionally similar to humans. Trazyn knows that you need safety, food, and warmth.

• you know, who I am talking about.

• now you're caged in your own room. no doubt fancy and very comfortable, much better than anything you saw in your homeworld. but you're still captured by huge robotic creatures, without any idea what comes next.

• your mind is panicking, and you're going through every single circle of mental hell, trying to catch the poor remains of your sanity fading under pressure of everlasting fear.

• you're not suitable for a conversation and a proper meeting with your new owner. It will come a bit later, as you manage to calm yourself down a bit.

• Trazyn will wait. he has a lot of time at all.

• he already did it once, he knows exactly how to treat you properly, at least he thinks so.

• while you're trying to adapt yourself for new life, he's watching you sometimes, you don't even notice it.

• he's interested in your actions, facial expressions and enjoys his new distinctive things.

• young human woman is a beautiful view to behold, even for a some xenos, especially if they're humanoid themselves.

• he will wait. and then, he will satisfy another of your needs - a company.

• but now... a bit more patience.

[mind-less-boy]

Why has Spider Man become a trans icon?

It’s a popular head canon between multiple spider man movies, tv shows, and other media, that Peter Parker is a trans boy (cuz lets be real, brother is just a boy 15 and kicking ass) Many fans, especially queer fans, like the head canon that he’s trans. But why? 

Disclaimer: I’m not saying that it’s an “incorrect” or “bad” head canon, I myself am a trans man and like this head canon. I’m not at all trying to “debunk” the head canon, I just find it fascinating that Spider man was given such an honor (lol)

So a basic overview of Peter Parker’s typical Spider man journey: 

He’s just a normal kid, going to highschool and getting by just fine

He gets bit by the spider and suddenly discovers all these new things about himself 

He decides to hide it, even around his closest family in fear that they won’t understand, that they’ll hate him, or just the knowledge that he could put them in danger if they knew

Revealing his true identity could (and has) out him in immense danger

Eventually, friends and family find out and love him for it, but the rest of the world doesn’t have to know because what only matters is his friends and family

Now of course, this is very broad since every version of Spider man is slightly different, no one is exactly the same. For example, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker just has the standard abilities, while Miles Morales Can turn invisible and produce lightning. Toby McGuire’s Spider man produces webs naturally while Gwen Stacy (who is confirmed to be trans in ATSV I believe)  has web cartridges. 

While yes, it can just be that the fans think that Spider man gives off trans vibes or because he acts like a trans fan, it often is, I think it’s also for a much, much deeper reason.

Peter Parker had to hide who he was from the entire world because he was scared of how it would affect his life. He was essentially living a double life. 

Trans people, myself included, often have these same feelings. We’re afraid of revealing our true identity in fear that we could be in danger or people simply won’t accept us. We lead a double life in the way that we have our true selves, with our desired gender expression, and we have what everyone else gets. 

Peter eventually tells his most trusted friends and family and they help him in every way they can and support him (of course they may not understand that whole “I shoot webs outta my wrists and stick to walls!”)

More often than not, trans people tell their friends first, their most trusted friends, and get their support and acceptance. Through this, they get courage to come out to parents which can go very different ways. People finding out the Peter Parker was spider man is either very positively or very negatively received. 

All this to say, we relate to Peter’s story. Having to hide your identity and only telling very few people. You hide something special about you (although, I don’t know many trans people who can stick to walls or shoot webs) 

I’ll leave this with one last thought. It’s been said that spider man wears a mask so that anyone can imagine themselves whine the mask. Spider man could be anyone, any identity. Any race, gender, sexuality, height, heritage, absolutely anything. That’s what makes spider man unique. He can be anyone and can be imagined as anyone. This makes it so much easier for, in this case, queer people to put their under-represented selves into the shoes of a hero who's respected and loved by all.

I just thought this was such an interesting thought and i wanted to say something about it. Feel free to share your own opinions on it, these are just my thoughts.

[evillemons]

BTS MBTI types

Controversial? Sort of? I am not an MBTI expert by any means, nor do I think it should be taken too seriously, but it's fun to analyze the boys nonetheless. I would love to hear what other people think :) See the MBTI types of their girlfriends here, and the masterlist for other fun content.

RM - INFJ

There seems to be a huge debate around whether Namjoon is an INFJ or ENFP, and while I see both in him, I lean towards the former. He is incredibly introspective (if not a little brooding) and intrinsically wise. He is often misunderstood and claims to feel like an “outsider”, which is characteristic of INFJs. He really does strike me as the lone wolf type - a uniquely insightful, intelligent, and open-minded leader that bears a heavy burden in order to make a difference in the world. He truly is a one of a kind, deeply special human being.

SUGA - INTJ

I am not sold on Yoongi as an INTJ because he also suits INTP and ISTP, and he even has a more visible sympathetic side lately. However, he is theoretical, speculative, organized, and practical like an INTJ. He’s extremely logical and hard working, and has a hard time expressing his feelings or receiving affection. He is also highly reserved, independent, and somewhat perfectionistic and likes to have control over his work. INTJ’s are known as one of the most intelligent types, and that comes through in the form of his musical innovation.

V - ENFP

Tae’s unusually creative thought process, emotional vulnerability, social nature, and spontaneity render him a pretty clear ENFP. ENFP’s are enthusiastic, imaginative creators who are people-oriented and expressive communicators. They often drawn to the abstract and intuitive nature of art and love to search for deeper meanings within humanity. V also highly values his individuality and freedom, and comes across as unconventional and mysterious.

j-hope - ESFJ

This ray of sunshine is undoubtedly an ESFJ. He’s incredibly social and vibrant around his members, and serves as a sort of human energy charger that everyone gravitates towards. His radiant energy and dependability makes him a well-loved and an essential member of BTS. ESFJ’s are also extremely organized, preferring structure and planning to spontaneity. His strong sense of duty and unwavering mentality shine through as a dance teacher and leader - despite his caring nature, he will not hesitate to hold people accountable for their actions.

Jungkook - ISFP

This is another clear typing for me, Jungkook is blatantly ISFP. He is innately artistic, adventurous, self-expressive, and open-minded. Despite their highly introverted and independent nature, ISFP’s are known for being sweet and caring in relationships, and it is no secret how fond and protective JK is of his members. He can also be quite sensitive due to his perfectionistic tendencies and emotional receptivity; he is often too hard on himself and seems to struggle with self-esteem at his core.

Jimin - ENFJ

I fluctuate between ESFJ and ENFJ for Jimin, but settled on the latter because he seems to be more future-oriented rather than present-focused. ENFJ’s are incredibly empathetic and caring people who tend to put others before themselves. Jimin naturally and instinctively lends a hand to his members when they are in need and constantly thinks about how is actions affect others. He is also quite the perfectionist, which is characteristic of ENFJ's. The only detail I am uncertain on is that ENFJ’s are quite the creative and abstract thinkers, and I am not sure I see this within him.

Jin - INTP

Jin is tricky because his media persona seems to be quite different from that of his real personality. He could also be ENTP, although he is very introverted and doesn’t seem to engage in much conversation outside of the people he is comfortable with. His sarcastic and dry sense of humor is particularly characteristic of an INTP, and he is also straightforward, logical, and blunt. Although INTP’s are often stereotyped as cold and unexpressive, he has a goofy side that is childlike and wholesome.

[luguangs]

why you should read Mystic Prince if you enjoyed ORV

Mystic Prince / Prince of Myolyeong (묘령의 황자) is a fantasy and action-adventure manhwa with art & story by Aheuredal (아흐레달) and in my humble opinion, an absolute hidden gem. it's literally one the best manhwas i've ever read (among the top 2) and i've finally gathered my thoughts enough to try to articulate why i love it so much, and hopefully convince you to give it a chance!

here's the official summary on webtoon:

An immortal emperor rules the Kingdom of Yeol, a divine country blessed by gods with awesome powers. After a thousand years of peaceful rule, the time has come for a new emperor to be chosen. This is determined by a series of trials, in which twenty princes with special powers who have trained since birth must compete. As all princes of varying personalities and agendas gather to partake in the trials, intrigue and possibly even bloodshed seem all but certain. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the other princes, the Fourth Prince Jeok-yeon Ryu hides a secret he must guard with his life.

anyway i literally made a carrd for this, that's how much i care about this manhwa and i worked very hard on it!! you can find the carrd here*

(* also if you hate daily pass like me pls note that there's a fan translation as well! just keep in mind that some episodes have ost but you can find the links to youtube on the carrd as well. but if you enjoy it please do try to leave likes, comments, and a good rating on webtoon to support the creator!)

Mystic Prince is incredibly unique in terms of story and execution that i can't really compare it to anything else but here's why i think you'll enjoy it, especially if you also liked orv:

strong-willed MC who's not naturally skilled but works extremely hard

said MC is willing to suffer and hurt themselves to achieve their goals (aka kim dokja-esque tendencies)

seemingly cold and aloof ML with yoo joonghyuk vibes at first, naturally gifted and seems to look down on everyone

...but is actually head over heels for MC and just doesn't know how to express his feelings

ensemble cast of incredibly complex and well-developed characters with different personalities and motivations

MC seems a little dense at times but they have a tragic backstory that explains why they're Like That

incredibly bisexual vibes !! like literally off the charts

slowburn romance that is cooking up such a great meal

MC and ML have actually known each other for centuries

characters go through trials that involve risking death

extremely unique lore and world-building

i said ML before but there are actually multiple potential MLs with how much complexity all the character dynamics have

beautiful character designs (literally over 10+ within the main cast and they're all so unique)

evocative writing and heartfelt monologues that seem taken out of a book of pure poetry

narratively significant motifs of fire and water (à la orv's black/white and reader/protagonist)

profound and realistic depiction of the inner feelings and troubles that the characters go through

incredibly heart-wrenching original soundtrack! (actually made me cry)

some of the most gorgeous art i've seen in any manhwa (seriously pls just open the 1st episode and look at the first few panels)

[spoilers below for chapter ~10]

delicious gender fuckery

MC is actually cross-dressing afab (i personally hc them as genderqueer; korean doesn't have gendered pronouns but the official tl uses she/her pronouns)

bonus: they're built like a fucking tank (as seen here) like hello??? which is so refreshing to see for an afab MC

plus they're also canonically lacking in empathy but still deeply compassionate which again is really refreshing

i'm sure there's even more stuff i'm forgetting but these are just some reasons off the top of my head why i think this manhwa is so amazing

please do give Mystic Prince a chance, it's an absolute delight!! there are multiple beautiful covers but here's a couple of them, BE ART BAITED <3

and finally some of my personal reactions to Mystic Prince and also a note regarding the content warnings under the cut!

feel free to skip this part lol but personally when i look for recs, i love when people tell me their emotional reactions and how passionate they are about it! so if this tells you anything,

this is the ONLY manhwa to have made me cry so far (yes that includes the orv webtoon, but not the novel ofc) like actually ugly sobbing with snot and tears and everything lmao

(it's not all sad though! this manhwa will have you clutching your heart one moment and then cackling out loud the next)

and it's also the ONLY manhwa i've ever spent actual money on before the fan tl picked it up just so i could read the advanced chapters (i'm notoriously cheap so this says a lot imo)

and i'm not alone in this, every other comment on webtoon is people saying the exact same thing. the general consensus is that this is 100% a hidden gem (webtoon DP my behated why'd you have to shoot yourself in the foot like that)

also regarding the content warnings on the carrd: this was my first time making a list of cws (i don't think anyone else has made one yet?) and i was a little hesitant to add them, so i sincerely apologize if i missed anything!! if anyone else has anything else to add (cws or otherwise) then please feel free to send me a message and i'll be happy to edit it!!

(btw this was inspired by this post which is also a great summary for why u should read a cnovel called mist unlimited)

[mickstart]

hello! since i know you’ve been a lifelong ferrari fan i wanted to ask your opinion on the new era we’re entering right now. i’ll be honest with you i never really cared for the wcc but i’ve been a fan of lewis for years and i was full of doubts when his move to ferrari was announced. do you think he realistically has a chance at getting comfortable fast enough in the team and the car to compete for the wdc? like i know a lot depends on the characteristics of the car but most pundits seem to think that he has no chance against charles. and also, i guess slightly different topic but still related, what’s your opinion on the way a lot of ferrari fans see charles, like he will never leave ferrari and he basically represents all their hopes and dreams? do you see yourself in that?

Hey! I think it depends on a lot of factors that are hard to predict like the state of the car, random incidents, chance, team dynamics we'll never know about, etc but I personally think Lewis' Ferrari transition (estrogen could fix her?) has gone way smoother than I expected it to so far. Like, Lewis in a Ferrari felt so weird a few months ago but it just already feels just... Normal? If that makes sense? Which I think is a good sign for how quickly he's adjusted to the team. He's clearly putting a lot of work in to merging with Ferrari's (to their detriment sometimes) unique team culture from language learning to the food in maranello.

And the PR has been STUNNING, and. Uh. Ferrari has not been good at PR. For a long time. So that tells me Ferrari are letting him bring his own flair to the team instead of suffocating him. Like that photoshoot with the impeccable fashion to officially "debut" him as Ferrari has Lewis written all over it. Fashion is one of the big ways he expresses himself and I'm so happy he was able to use that for a big high pressure moment. It's not something Ferrari would come up with by themselves I think.

And as for the car a few people have said this Ferrari looks like it suits Lewis. I'm not a mechanics expert but something about the oversteer balance and where this cars center is match really well with the kind of car Lewis favours. I think worst case scenario we're looking at a Next Year wdc fight.

As for Charles... Okay read more BC I rambled and speculated.

Yes I think Charles always has a special place to the tifosi and a unique relationship with them. He's the first and only driver from the Ferrari junior driver program to make it to the big team. He has deeply personal history with the team. After a decade with no championship and personal tragedies for the tifosi, Charles winning at MONZA felt like the second coming of Christ I'm sure. He not only feels bonded to Ferrari, he not only gave hope, but I think he's connected to Grief in a lot of ways for the tifosi.

But Ferrari haven't been giving him the number one driver treatment he deserves and, I'll be the one to say it, we haven't had a championship in nearly 2 decades. Charles feels so bonded to the tifosi's hopes and dreams because those hopes and dreams are so big and desperate at this point. To me the tifosi religious reaction to Charles is less about Charles than it is about how badly we want to be winners again, it's... Okay I'm biased but it's not about Charles. It's about Michael.

We - I can't speak for all tifosi but at least some of us - treat Charles like a Messiah because we want another Michael to come in like the Messiah and lift us up seemingly by himself. We want to go back to the 00s days where we ruled Motorsport and Michael was our vanguard. We want a man like Michael who can give us hope. It's like when seb joined the team and someone said to him point blank "Michael gave us hope. You will now give us hope." Ferrari have felt directionless and confused since Michael left, doubly so since we lost his presence behind the scenes. Michael brought his own people in, he shaped the team around him, he did bonding days with the team all the time so everyone was working as one.

When Seb came in everyone said he would be Michael 2. When Charles came in everyone said finally someone to take us back to our glory days (Michael). When Mick joined F1 people talked about him going to Ferrari and picking up the legacy. When Lewis comes in as a seven time world champion, everyone says This Is Just Like Michael All 7 Time WDCs Love Ferrari.

Charles' connection to the tifosi in inimitable and unique and I WANT him to finish his narrative and win a wdc with Ferrari. But the tifosi will follow anyone who can carry their hopes and fill Michael's shoes and Charles hasn't really been able to take charge of the team the way he did. And I think he knows that because he was trying to be more ruthless last year with Carlos and the number 1 driver strategies. I think that's why everyone is so wary of a Lewis and Charles rivalry. This could be a dangerous or great moment for either of them. That's kind of good in a way. Even footing, neither of them is going into this disadvantaged. I'm scared and a little excited.

[serosblunt]

DekuSquad: Showering with Them (Pt. 2)

DekuSquad x (Gender-neutral) reader

Characters: Iida & Uraraka

Warnings: Mentions of nudity and hints at spicier scenes, struggles with mentla health; negative self-talk and body image issues touched on.

Description: Same as my Bakusquad showering thoughts, just with DekuSquad! Part three is coming for Tsuyu, just having writer’s block :)

—————

Iida loves to shower with you, and I mean LOVES. It’s his favourite part of the day, and you both end up in the shower at the same time everyday thanks to his meticulous extreme planning and schedules.

Duty comes first for Iida, but he finds seperating his work/life balance easier than most. Although some days more than others, it’s draining to be the boss, to detach himself so much that it takes him half the night to break-free of his ‘work’ mindset.

On those occasions, it takes a touch more persuading to get your gentle giant close enough to you to lead him back to his sanctuary, where his heart truly belongs.

After setting the temperature, you manoeuvre so you can both settle under the soft stream of the shower.

If stress was visible, you were sure you would be able to see it rolling off of your boyfriend in waves. It was if each droplet on his skin caused more of his tension to melt away.

He practically fuses to you as you hold him beneath the shower head. He was so different in those few small moments, not that you minded one bit.

He would kiss your shoulder where his forehead now lay, softly and unhurriedly; unobstructed due to his glasses laying just beyond your little haven on the benchtop.

Maybe that was what made your shower-cuddle sessions so special, his complete lack of care for anything that wasn’t you.

You were special to him, beyond that in fact.

A truth clearly demonstrated in that you were the only person on earth allowed to mess up his routine- whether that was in the evenings for your shower, or *cough cough* other business *cough cough*.

By the way, he totally has a code word for when you two are getting it on ;)))

Beyond a post-shave balm, your bespectacled boyfriend wasn’t fussed about skincare, although he often liked to sit and watch you put layer after layer of product on, what in his opinion, was your already beautiful face.

And he definitely doesn’t shy away from asking you relevant questions. However, he always rejected your advances if you came at him with creams or oils.

When you two do eventually begin to unwind for the night, barely a word is spoken.

The simple undertaking of kisses and light touches exchanged on the way to bed help push Tenya over the edge of his relaxation- ensuring he’ll get some proper rest for the next day, rather than staying awake, wracking his brain for solutions to work issues.

It also made you feel more loved and significant than you could express. The few minutes you both spent in your cramped apartment ensuite only solidified your bond- your intimacy and connection, surrounded in an unbreakable love and burning reverence.

There is no one better to boost your self-confidence than Ochaco. The woman has never said a derogatory thing to, or about you, nor have you heard of her saying such things through other people.

She was always so uniquely kind, never attacking first, not even out in the field. But if she was provoked enough, that villain would almost certainly be leaving the scene crying.

Your girl was tough as nails when she needed to be, and you loved that fire inside her.

You saw glimpses of this passion if you had slipped a little that day and talked down to yourself, or if you stood in front of the bathroom mirror a little too long.

Everyone has things they don’t like about themselves, Uraraka knew that. And she would be naive to think you were any different.

But aggressive or negative self-talk was banned in your house.

She wanted you to be honest and open about your feelings, yes, but never critical of your thoughts or emotions.

One method your loving girlfriend used to combat this was cute, flirty post-it notes left on your bathroom mirror.

That way whenever you looked at your reflection, you would be seeing what she saw in you too!

You had to admit it was a good system, especially since most mornings she was often through with her shower and out of the house before you were often awake.

Your bubbly girlfriend prided herself on being the loveable rescue hero. The safe, trustworthy looking person children and adults alike could come to and know to look out for.

A part of that look was her signature plump cheeks. You would often find yourself staring at them, marvelling, and wondering how she got her skin to be so bouncy and perfect.

After laughing lovingly at you for the millionth time for that particular occurrence, she finally gave up her secret skincare routine.

Soon after stealing this tightly guarded wisdom, you found yourself poking your own cheeks instead of Ochaco’s; which would soon become the subject of many a post-it note.

You honestly couldn’t ask for a better partner to do skincare with. She always made you try new products together, so neither of you missed out, and she never failed to keep your supplies stocked, even when you forgot yourself.

Uraraka wants you to feel comfortable in your own skin. And while her respect rivals Izuku’s in terms of your privacy, that certainly didn’t stop her from sneaking the odd glance or two when you weren’t looking.

Then again, you aren’t completely innocent of that either ;)

—————

[ateez-himari]

[240824] ETERNAL PROJECT

[NEW UPLOAD FROM TAEMIN]

태민 (TAEMIN) @/TAEMIN_BPM

[#태민] ETERNAL owes its success to the talented young producer at the head of this project, who spent time within hectic schedules creating this masterpiece. Himari has now been part of my team for four years and keeps surpassing previous works with every release, I truly would not have made it to this point without her creative vision.

From recording demo tracks in hotel rooms to putting together instrumental drafts in the car between events, she truly did put everything into this album. At only 22 years old her leadership has brought divided opinions together and her artistic soul made unique harmonies from unexpected styles. I can not properly express my gratitude towards this wonderful young woman, but know that without her this album would not have been what it is today.

The influence she has had on the industry at such a young age is truly something rare, and I can confidently say that her and ATEEZ's careers will see nothing but success. Turning everything she touches into gold no matter how nonsensical it may be, she truly is the second Hand of Midas. Please enjoy plenty of rest when these next schedules end and take care of your health, our Himari ❤️I will ETERNALLY be grateful for your presence

#TAEMIN #ETERNAL ##히마리 #애이티즈

Translated from Korean by Google

09:35pm · 24 Aug 24 · 4.3M Views 85K Reposts 859 Quotes 2.5M Likes

mikah @/himaswife Replying to @/TAEMIN_BPM I can't believe she went from thinking about leaving the group because of hate to leading huge projects for idols as successful as Taemin. It's kind of strange seeing her growing up this fast right in front of our eyes 🥹 The talent this girl has is really unbelievable especially considering how different his style is to ATEEZ

Hotteokie N.1 @/yunhosbuckethat Replying to @/TAEMIN_BPM we forget too quickly that she was given a FULL KOMCA MEMBERSHIP before 3Racha, who are an absolute production powerhouse and even won 'best creator' at the AAA last year (also with all those royalties this girl has to be secretly rich-)

GOTTA WORK GOTTA WORK @/lightuptiny Replying to @/yunhosbuckethat it's not even a secret anymore 😭some people noticed that she was using a black card in certain videos and are pretty sure it was pulled out of her wallet. Bang Chan and her are also standing at the same number of credits right now (193)

왔다 갔다 @/yeosangiecookie Replying to @/TAEMIN_BPM I love their synergy so much, every album is always somewhat experimental in the style it uses but even though it's risky the results are breath taking 🙌 sexy concepts are pretty common for Taemin or the industry in general but this really makes you feel the sensuality, it drags you in, I honestly can't get enough of this duo

Uyu @/bulleobulleooo Replying to @/TAEMIN_BPM I'd like to remind everyone that S-Coups himself wrote in an instagram story; 'There's something very special about this girl, it's almost like she was created to make music, she's almost music herself.' when he shared a screenshot of 'Shadow' playing on Spotify

sweethwa @/weonfirewihomhae Replying to @/TAEMIN_BPM J-Hope and Jungkook went to her for their solos for a reason and as much as people like to say it's because she's privileged to have known them for a long time, they've known other producers for a long time as well. she's so versatile in her own sound that she's able to work with almost anyone because she takes their creative vision on as her own. just look at behind the scenes where she talks with Hongjoong and Mingi, she's able to use everyone's ideas to create something that has one single voice. artists tend to gravitate towards her because she finds inspiration in the people themselves, in their souls, that's what makes her so special

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 16: Crossing Paths - Episode 3: The Winter Troupe's Role

Guy: I see… I was curious how the sequel would turn out, so this is what it is.

Tasuku: Guy-san’s role is fitting for him.

Homare: And as its predecessor did, it is quite nice to see the way it connects people’s lives.

Tsumugi: While some roles have changed and some haven’t, mine and Azuma-san’s roles are in a quite unique position.

Azuma: Right. But I’m glad the two weren’t separated. It may be different in a sense, but there’s still the hope of a continuation.

Hisoka: … Yeah. I think it’s really good.

Banri: Since there’s a scene from Michael’s childhood included, we’re gonna need an ensemble of child actors, too.

Tsuzuru: That’s not something any of you guys can play a double role for, huh…

Izumi: I’ll try to do something about that.

Tasuku: So we’ll be using this script for 4Q.

Guy: I’m starting to feel the tension.

Tsumugi: Everyone has been working hard to raise our rank, we can't afford to let it fall

Tsumugi: We absolutely must get into the top 10 and be nominated.

Tsumugi: I’ve watched the performances of all troupes in the top 20, and you can really pick up on the effort and craft that’s been put into each and every one of them since 1Q.

Tsumugi: I think moving up even one rank will be difficult.

Tsumugi: On the other hand, all members of the Autumn Troupe showed tremendous growth during 3Q… They all pushed themselves to their limits and achieved this result.

Tasuku: Both famous and talented companies, as well as newer companies that have been attracting attention have been increasing the quality of their performances.

Homare: It seems that victory will not fall into our grasp so easily.

Izumi: Ever since the debut act-off with GOD-za, the Winter Troupe has always been entrusted with the most demanding roles.

Izumi: I believe that it’s precisely because of everything you’ve experienced that you’re shouldering the most pressure out of everyone.

Izumi: I do feel bad every time, but this is something I think we can entrust to you because of who you are… No one else can be our anchor other than the Winter Troupe.

Izumi: I’m not the only one that thinks so. I believe everyone in Spring, Summer, and Autumn shares the same sentiment.

Tsuzuru: We also did our best with the thought of connecting to our anchor because we believe in you.

Banri: Make the last one count, like ya usually do.

Tasuku: We can’t really say that we can’t do this when you tell us all this.

Guy: As an actor, It’s an honor to hear that.

Hisoka: I really want us to be nominated.

Homare: Right. That is our duty, after all.

Azuma: We just have to go at it.

Tsumugi: Let’s do our best right now, even if we can’t see what’s ahead of us.

Izumi: (They may not be expressing it out loud, but I’m sure they’re feeling the pressure and responsibility more than ever before.)

Izumi: (But even more than that, I can feel the passion each of them are feeling towards this performance.)

Izumi: (They want to reach the end without regrets, no matter the outcome… That’s why I want to make sure I support and watch over them properly.)

-

Banri: That’s ‘bout it for today’s meeting. Director-chan, ya got anything else?

Izumi: No, that’s all.

Banri: Well, next up’s the read-through. I’ll be lookin’ forward to it.

Tsumugi: We’ll have to read the script.

Tsuzuru: This goes without saying when the Winter Troupe’s involved.

Guy: …

Tasuku: …

Izumi: Everyone’s absorbed in the script. I should prepare some tea.

Homare: Ah, I have some absolutely delicious tea that I obtained at a little café just the other day.

Homare: It is a special drink that was made only on the day I purchased it, and I thought you all just had to try it. Thus, I made the impossible possible and got my hands on a few leaves.

Tsumugi: I’d really like to try that.

Azuma: Oh, I received some Western sweets some days ago, we could try them with the tea.

Hisoka: I wanna eat them.

-

Izumi: Do you think we’ve steeped the tea for long enough, Homare-san?

Homare: Hm, I’d say it’s just right.

Tsumugi: It smells wonderful.

Guy: It’s jasmine.

Homare: Yes. Perfect for you, is it not, Guy-san? You should let Citron-kun try some later as well.

Guy: I’m certain he will be happy.

Izumi: It’s so tasty.

Homare: It seems a part-timer created this blend of flavor. He’s got quite the skills, yes?

Homare: I was truly impressed by the artistic flavors in his tea. What a remarkable young man.

Hisoka: … It’s rare for Alice to get along with someone.

Tasuku: I can pretty much imagine what kinda person you’d have to be for that to happen…

Tsumugi: Where is the coffee shop you’re talking about?

Homare: It’s a darling little shop near Veludo Station.

Homare: It seems it was this very shop’s part-timer that picked up the item Misumi-kun dropped.

Izumi: Ohh! So that’s the shop you’re talking about.

Guy: He must be quite the expert, seeing how he has Arisugawa’s approval.

Tasuku: All tea tastes pretty much the same, though.

Tsumugi: That’s not really true.

Homare: I implore you to try more varieties. They are completely different depending on the leaves' place of origin and the season.

Hisoka: … So tasty.

Tasuku: All you’ve been doing is eating those sweets.

Azuma: Fufu, I’ve got seconds, if you want.

[Doorbell ringing]

Tsumugi: Did someone order something to be delivered today? 

Tsuzuru: Oh, I’ll go get that.

-

Towa: Hello!

Ibuki: Heya.

Keiku: …

previous episode | masterpost | next episode

INSTE POSTS:

Alice.A

The other day, I made everyone some black tea with the leaves I was given. The jasmine aroma was quite well received. #SpreadingFlowers #UniqueFlavors #TheFaintFragranceDances

[mamorosmalnarts]

my favourite music albums right now with my fave songs from them!!! (not including singles)

keep in mind that these are NOT classics and i have a very obscure music taste

very long post YIPPIE

soerii & poolek

ARANYALBUM.TORRENT1

first of all who the fuck let these two make music

second of all, this is a REALLY great EP with memorable songs and fun vibes!!! soerii & poolek have never been a serious duo but i think this might be one of their most professional albums!!!! (the album's name in english is Golden Album)

please DO inform me if there is a soerii & poolek concert that i might not know aboht, because i'd love to attend one someday!!!!! :3

altough i'm kinda disappointed that they didn't put the original version of Forró Tél on the EP, since i recently discovered it and i liked it better than the album version. it stood out for me how the lyrics isn't really rhyming and i found it interesting! :D

also huge kudos to Miki357, he's one of the best videoclip directors in here!!!

supernem

TUDOMÁNYOS FANTASZTIKUS POP

i've been listening to supernem since this june and i haven't regretted it ever since!!! ^v^

a very fun and energetic album!!! i like how it also has some more chill songs, interludes, as they always put in some of that in their works. i've dug deep enough in this fandom to discover TFP isn't just a simple album, it has meaning behind it - (fun fact incoming) their lead singer is fond of space related things, so that might be a reason why they decided to go with this topic. (the album's name translates to Science Fiction Pop)

WEEKEND

i think weekend is a worthy last album! i think it's quite different from most of supernem's albums, since it has the classic start to end structure with an intro and a more chill songs that can be counted as an outro, a sort of goodbye.

even though i could never attend any of their concerts and i am sad about it, i'm hoping for a reunion concert in the (not so) distant future, cause i would LOVE to see them live!! 🥹

punnany massif

SHEN KICK

this is the album what made punnany massif get into the music industry for real (Telik) and even though it's long, it's well built up!! i also love how creative the album cover is! i can't properly translate it's name to english, since it's a hungarian word play.

if you read shen kick out loud, you get the hungairian word senkik, which means nobodies.

also this band holds a very special place in my heart, they have managed to grown into my special interest and i've been to 4 of their concerts as well!!! i'm a huge fan of their work and i've drawn several fanarts of them, which already got recognised. ^_^

FEL #2

if you are familiar with the bands i've mentioned earlier in this post, you might think that Partizán, Pt. 2 is my fave song but you were so wrong.. :3 ( i love Partizán tho, one of the first PM songs i've ever heard including Élvezd)

i love how fel #2 is a perfect mix of songs and interludes. might be one of the albums which includes more than one known song from the band.

ALSO hot take, please don't come at me, but in my opinion Punnany Massif has NOT worsened since the releases of new singles and albums. and as an artist i totally understand that they are going through seperate phases, the way they express themselves in music changes over time and some of you just can't accept it. y'all are blinded by nostalgia. not saying that their old albums are not as good as their new ones, just that everyone has a different music taste and even though you do not like it, you don't have to take it personally if someone does.

phew.

hiperkarma

KONYHAREGÉNY

i love konyharegény (kitchennovel in english), which was my first hiperkarma album that i accidentally started listening to. youtube's ordering of albums was very weird and i thought it was their frist album so i just started listening to it. it has been my fave ever since.

it's my fave album because of how well organised this album is, each song is unique and they match each other's vibes!

SZÓLNI KELL

szólni kell (need to be warned/told) is hiperkarma's most recent album, which turned out really great in my opinion!! ^^

i love the comeback of the color red in the album cover, since it has kinda been the signature color of the band since the beginning. also i like the stretched font, i think it's cool!!

this album is also well built up, but it rather has a calming down effect, as the songs go from energetic and fast from calm and slow.

also it's DIABOLICAL to put Jószerencsét on the end of the album, that's my fucking mental breakdown song, it just makes me CRY 💔

hey so

i think that's all!!! please ask if you have any questions about this post, because i would LOVEEE to ramble about my niche music taste to you guys!!1!1!!!

okay bye

[splanana-bitz]

i am asking you about your special interests. rant about all of them to me if you wish. go off my friend :)

Holy shit, you are now my new favorite person-

A lot of my special interests right now mainly center around Will Wood, ROTTMNT, and human behavior as a whole.

With Will Wood's music, whether he intends it to be or not, is just so profound and well made and really makes me happy. The symbolism, the seemingly needless, lengthy words, and the themes he explores overall are just ground-breaking to me and I could analyze his stuff for days on end with a burning passion. And the way his music (both old and new) sounds?? LIKE WHAT??

I swear, no two songs of his sound the same, and I mean it in the best way possible. The pacing, the instrumental choice, really everything just feels uniquely respective to its own song and I am drooling over it.

Will Wood is easily one of the best musicians I have ever had the pleasure of discovering. When I found his stuff, I hadn't had a musical hyperfixation in actual years, but boy did listening to the normal album change that.

Like I said, the lyrics, the sounds of the music, and (what I believe is) the continued theme of normalcy while each song still tells its own theme/story?? It's just perfection to me, really-

As for ROTTMNT? Don't even get me started!

The animation is lively, colorful, and has a delightful, anime-ish style to it that just makes the whole show eye candy to me. The boxy(?) movement in certain scenes, the shading (especially in the movie), and the character designs?? Omg the character designs-

I love how Rise broke what I feel was the "copy-and-paste" style of design for the turtles, unlike the previous series (I'm not saying other TMNT shows were bad, but good lord the designs (looking at you, 2012) were...awful-). Each design feels respective to its own character and the diversity in appearance really helps the turtle's personalities, fighting style, and expression shine through.

And the turtles themselves? I simply just adore what the show did with their personalities and how they gave them more depth and really humanized them. Especially with Raph and Donnie. Especially Raph and Donnie.

Raph always came off as just "the angry one," and there was seemingly no reason for why and there was nothing else to him, when I tried getting into older series, and at times, it made me dislike him as a character. But in Rise? They made him into a gentle giant with different likes, dislikes, interests, strength, weaknesses, and gave him reason to be angry in certain scenarios, rather than feeding us the usual "pissed off all the time" Raph. In Rise, he just comes off as a reasonably tired, realistic older brother that cares about his family and just wants the best for everyone, even if there are times he comes off in the wrong way.

And I could go off about Donnie for days

But to keep it as short as I can; Donnie is to die for in Rise. He is more than just the "tech guy." He is shown to indulge in different interests and hobbies, he has vulnerable moments, he's sarcastically witty and deadpan, just everything I could want in a character like him.

And the way they handled autistic representation with Donnie?

*chef's kiss* 11/10 👌

He comes off a realistic, neurodivergent person that isn't weakened by his condition, and is instead just accepted as he is and plays a vital role to the brother's chemistry, unlike in most shows where the autistic character feels like an inconvenience, a man-child, an un-empathetic asshole, and/or too indulged in their hyperfixation to be useful, or that's all there is to them as a person.

Rise just got so many things right and I adore the show for it!

And lastly; with human behavior? It's certainly not as strong as the last two fixations, but I still find it rather interesting.

Everything we have been taught since birth feels black and white, especially with people's intentions and emotions. But, I don't think that's the case at all (in 95% of cases). People each have their own thoughts, feelings, and reasonings for why they do x, y, z, and I may not know everything about it, but Jesus Christ, it intrigues me so much.

Thank you so much for asking about my special interests =)

I apologize it took a while to answer, I've been busy with school, my job, and trying to finish the first part of the Black Box Warrior analysis (which I should hopefully have posted in the next day or two-)

[cosmichighpriestess]

I've been observing people from a distance for a long time, not in a way that I'm trying to use it against them but to understand and gauge where their state of consciousness is at and how I can learn from them. I have observed as many people as I possibly could from every culture from every walk of life you can think of. I've observed them. I could write an entire book about what I found but really what I found is that, people interpret Earth and life through a third dimensional level of consciousness which is all an illusion and also I found that there are no two people exactly alike, everyone is unique, everyone has something special and different to offer even if they appear to be NPCs. Indeed, they are not, they have forgotten who they are. It is extremely damaging and limiting to be calling other versions of yourself non player characters. There are no soulless background characters, there are only people playing in the dark, (evil people) pretending to be something they are not, who have simply forgotten they are sons and daughters of God. That is the short answer to when you were behaving in a dark way, you are pretending to be something you are not temporarily. Because you have free will.

When you are living in a higher state of consciousness, you won't even have a desire to act that way, or play that game anymore because you know that it doesn't serve you well because you already passed that level. But of course you can always learn from it if you choose it again. Also I've observed that most people have low self esteem as a result of not feeling worthy, beating themselves up, suffering and thinking that God is judging them harshly. Why would God want to see itself suffer ? Why should you ever feel unworthy if you were born worthy? It's not even a question for Source.

Most people also believe that people are separate from them. Not realizing everyone they encounter is another version of them. No matter how far you travel in the multiverse, you're just meeting other extraterrestrial versions of you. No matter how different that person is from you, they are another aspect of you. Not everyone is as they appear to be, never judge a book by it's cover. You have not walked a day in their shoes, you have no idea what they are really like or what they have been through. Most people don't realize they are in a trance, they are walking around asleep, they are in a state of hypnotism everyday because they wake up and truly believe they are separate from all life, all beings, all animals, all fish in the sea, all plants, all trees, but it's an illusion.

You are everything. Limiting beliefs of good verses evil keeps us separated and keeps us from evolving into a peaceful world. You are always, always being guided by your higher self. Even if you feel you are not ready. Your higher self, already saw all the other versions of you in other timelines and knows the best way to go. Spiritual evolution is the realization that God is expressing its fullness in you and in everyone else you encounter. It has no other awareness than itself. Now, people can ignore that they themselves are an expression of God all day that is why you are there as a reminder of the love they need to remember exists within them too. Once you realize war is an old outdated activity of the collective belief in separation which must be experienced in order for us to learn from it, to learn it doesn't work and evolve beyond beliefs of separation and duality you will understand and see people expressing their beliefs of separation everywhere. Do not deny them their truth.

They are playing it out, they are living and experiencing it as very real but do not judge them either. Just see it the way Source sees it, and let them be themselves. You can offer your love, your compassion, your understanding and forgiveness in the face of their darkness. If you have no choice but to be there in it with them, then offer your love and compassion from your heart center (remember it's always burning with love no matter how dim) and say to yourself, I see you, I see you as God pretending to be human, I know who you really are as Source and I forgive you, I forgive myself and I love us both. I will continue to change and grow within to see it reflected outwardly. I will stop pointing the finger and let you off the hook because I am the only one responsible for defeating my own demons. That is not your responsibility, that is solely mine. I forgive us both and I use my ability to forgive in every chance I get so that I can see peace in my world reflected outwardly by feeling peace within myself first.

[yanderefairyangel]

Avatar worship in Engage

Ok, so replaying 3H after Engage made me realize how awful the avatar worship is in this. I wasn't even 2 minutes in that the Academy trio all of a sudden all want Byleth because ... ? Because. Yes.

And I still remember how this exist for no reason so... how about I talk about one form of Avatar worship that IS relevant to the plot and the themes of the game ?

Yes, in Engage it IS plot relevant. Let me explain.

Other then the fact that the reason why the characters acts like this is because they know (compared to 3h) that Alear is supposed to be their deity (even if it was a scam), the main reason why this never bothered me is because I knew that the characters didn't liked Alear : they like the Divine dragon. Not Alear. The Divine dragon.

In general when people want to make a point that everyone becomes an blabbering idiot in front of the Lulu they just show you clips of Chloé, or the Stewards or Merrin.

Chloé I hope I don't need to explain why it's a bad example since she has donquijotism and Alear is far from being the only thing she looks at with stars in the eyes..

Now the twins and Vander

So we have the two biggest fans of the Divine dragon nearly fainting and screaming right ? They have the same freaking reaction in front of Lumera

And I am not adding their special dialogue when fighting Lumera in chapter 2

As for Merrin, well ....

I don't think it is exagerating to say that she has this reaction in front of anything cool since her support with Veyle has more worship then the one with Alear...

Another thing I'd like to point out is that if you look up in the allies notebook, the allies that are supposed to like Alear are marked as liking the Divine dragon. Not Alear. The Divine dragon. And if you argue it's the same thing, I can only show you the other allies note where Alear's name is featured : go to check Sommie, and it will says it likes Alear not the Divine dragon. Go to check Veyle's it will indicate she likes her older sibling, not the Divine dragon (not to mention not once does Veyle refers to Alear as the Divine dragon, not even before she learns they are her sibling). And if you look up in Nel's entry, while in her likes, it will say she likes the Divine dragon, in her dislike, what is featured is "when Alear sleeps too much".

In short, liking the Divine dragon and liking Alear are different things because someone can like Alear simply because they are a Divine dragon. Which is why Alear, other then their very humble and sweet and craving for connection nature, is so uneasy with it.

We all recall that at the begining of the game when Lumera hands them the ring of the connector, they initially refuse because of how they forgot their promise and only when they remember said promise will they accept to wear it ? Or the whole fell Xenologue ? Or how in their supports with Nel Alear is stressed at the idea she still view them as their alternate selves ? Well, it's because when the characters praise the Divine dragon, they don't praise Alear. They like them purely based on their high birth.

And example of that in Merrin and Alear's support.

Wh-what ?

You think I.. I am ... a rarity ?!

Of course ! You, Divine one, are the only Divine dragon alive in the world !! You are a unique and rare and special being !!!

A rarity.....

Can you see from the look on their eyes they don't like that ? Can you see from the way they repeat "rare" that they hate that ?

It's been established that Alear is a polite and sweet person. They use very polite expressions, they mentions how they want to prove their worth, for instance when Lumera gives them Libération, they say they will show themselves worthy of this gift, and they often decline the praise they receives by telling or showing that they aren't extraordinary. They don't like being put on a pedestral because they are being treated like a person they aren't : the Divine dragon.

And it's not only because they actually aren't a Divine dragon, but mainly because as explained in that post Alear is kind of in a state of confusion after their long millenial sleep and they kind of accept that they are the Divine dragon because people are pushing this on them, this is obvious from their early dialogue when they get pressured a little by learning they are revered as a god in this world and they make a commentary about how they don't even know who they are when they are supposed to be that godlike being...

They are amnesiac and confused and are constantly treated as if they had accomplished a miracle when they are just an average person in reality and they don't like it because not only do they feel like they don't deserves it but mainly because it's not the kind of person they are

And that's no wonder Alear feels this bad when you know they have subconsious memory so they are being treated like the person they want to become but they didn't become yet : a hero.

And in case you believe I am gaslighting you let me present my next evidence : Fell dragons.

If Divine dragon are loved only because of their nature, Fell one are hated only because of their nature, quote any of Veyle's support and you'll obtain this evidence. After all, in the main story, when Alear acts very harsh against her, she believes they hate her because she is the child of Sombron since it was something she experienced as a child and costed her mother's life leading her to hate her nature as a dragon. She hates it so much that she got rid of her dragonstone and that even Sombron, you know the dad of the year, knows that she rejects her nature. The Fell twins too : in the DLC, the Firenese are incredibly harsh towards them and even Zelestia mentions how she used to be wary of them. However, it's only with worshipper of the Divine dragon that they feel like that. When she is in front of worshipper of the Fell dragon however, Veyle is treated nicely and they like her but not because it's Veyle, but because she is a Fell dragon.

So like for Alear, Veyle hates the "affection" she can receives due to her Fell nature. It's shown in her support with Merrin where she begans to fear that Merrin might like her only because she is a dragon or the one with Citrinne where she refuses Citrinne's gift because it reminded her of the offering the followers of Sombron used to gift her.

With one difference being that Alear dislike that because they are being seen as a person they aren't while Veyle dislike it because she hates anything that might reminds her of her Fell nature.

From that we can see that originally, the relationship people have with the dragons is based on their birth. Which is te EXACT opposite of Engage's message about how birth don't matter but your actions and what you want to do with your life.

This exist precisely for the characters to all learn that lesson : that's not on birth or another one's action you should judge a person, but only on their own deeds. It's on who they truly are.

This is the same mindest that Alfred has in his support with Diamant and Yunaka ; he saw Brodian were kind, so he has no reason to judge them on a face they don't have in front of him. He does the same thing with Rafal, and this is worth noting that it's a nice parralel to the Fell Xenologue where Altfred was very, very ressenting towards Nel and "Nil"

And all of these is a set up for chapter 20 where the reveal that Alear is a Fell dragon isn't so much about them having an existencial crisis then making a point that now their allies are following Alear, not because of their Divine dragon nature, but because they are Alear. Chapter 22, they are wary of Alear being a Corrupted but once they are sure it is the Alear they know and love (sorry) they are fine with them having turned into the monster that they have been fighting to death and were threatening their kingdom.

All the members of our cast actually learn to know this dragon beyond their nature and to appreciate them for they are rather then for whom they though they were before developping. This goes along with how Alear is slowly stepping into their role as the Divine dragon, as a leader as this time they gain their allies's trust for who they are rather then just being the Divine dragon.

And you see this behaviour I just talked about ? Lumera had to deal with this too. Because Lumera, despite being surrounded by people who "love" her feels very lonely because she lost her entire family and she needs to still fight all alone to protect the people, people who can lost faith in her if she doesn't accomplish the miracle they asked her to perform, such as Mauvier's mother losing faith in her because she couldn't save her husband. They don't know Lumera for whom she is and Lumera can't show them her weak side making her feel even lonelier, until she met Alear, someone whose loneliness she could relate to. She was craving for contact, connection and genuine bond as equal with someone, and Alear happened to be that someone.

And this is something Alear and Veyle keeps craving for. Alear doesn't want followers, they want friends and friends who treat them as an equal.

That's why all the supports where someone starts off "worshipping" Alear as Alear express how much they don't like it and would rather be treated as an equal, or if Alear is aware of how important they are to said character even with the whole gimmicks, they would allow them to continue realizing that them as the Divine Dragon was important to said character : example, with Framme they accept to let this continue upon realizing how much faith means to her and how much and long she used to yearn to finally meet and interact with Alear, hence her enthusiasm is from wanting to meet Alear and not just "OHHHH Divine one!" and Merrin, who they though at first considered them to be a rare animal before realizing Merrin simply wanted to help in a way and did that because she wanted to know them better even if she will acknowledge she didn't do it in the best way. When she goes on to explain how she enjoys Alear's company, they soften to the idea and are glad at the idea they can share with Merrin more about themselves and that she actually wanted, like Framme to know them better, not that she was just after them because "OOOO Divine one!"

Veyle and Alear are people that experienced loneliness for a long time and craves for genuine relationship with people so it's no surprise that they would be uneasy with being treated this way.

And finally, the fact that they are being treated this way when in reality they are a Fell dragon explains why they feel like they don't deserves it : as a Fell dragon, Alear killed and hurted many people. They are no hero, they died during their redemption arc and even without memories they still bear some disgust for their past selves action hence why they recall themselves in chapter 3 with this evilish smile or that they look horrified seeing their appearances changing in the bad ending to the one they had 1 000 years ago, as if nothing had changed. That's the same mindest as Rafal in his support chain where he thinks he did so many awful things he doesn't deserves to be forgiven and in his C support with Alear, when the latter tells him they want him to be happy because they like him, it caused him to be surprised and not to be pleased since he thinks he doesn't deserves someone as kind as Alear as his friend nor any form of love for that matter.

This ties pretty much into the thematic that Engage's story deals with. This is actually meaningfull. We have these characters acting against the message delivered into the game then actually learn said message through their interaction between Alear and them but also with each other. And that's mainly because of how Alear is allowed to react to said endless praise and how it developps

[narcissusbrokenmirror]

Caleb said "our gifts are so rare, so special" as if not every ghost can do it, plus when Willie looked surprised after Alex said he could become visible playing with Julie.

However, my vision on Caleb is that he is a liar manipulative predator. so obviously he'd try to make the boys feel special and unique before trapping them into a spell.

So i think ghosts can have tons of abilities that all they need is time and practice to control, like when Alex learned how to hold things properly. So here is a list of things i think ghosts can do in the jatp universe:

Transportation: ofc. we've seen it. they poof in. They poof out. No biggie. Except how far it goes? How many ghosts can they transport? Can they transport lifers? it's probably the easiest ghost skills to have.

Objects Summoning: sure they can summon their instruments bc is attached to their souls but i doubt they can't learn to summom any object they put their mind to, if they can play it, they can conjure it. Could be learned through concentration, bc it might sound easy like poofing from place to place, but it'd involve traveling actual material objects through space, and since touching and holding stuff is also something u need to put your mind to it, certainly it also needs concentration.

Energy Control: Willie can flick the cop's vehicle lights. and flicking lights has always been a ghost thing. They could definitely learn that skill for special stage effects, watch the tv w/o touching the remote, pass messages, freak someone out, create a distraction, infinite possibilities. I also think they could absorb that energy within themselves and release it somewhere else.* It could be learned through concentrating and finding the right timing (i think Alex would master it.)

* if ghosts are made of energy and air there's no way they can't interact with other kinds of energy. magic and science are just like batman and bruce wayne.

Levitating: Caleb can levitate, other ghosts might as well. i think they could achieve by meditating and learning to clear their mind. (Reggie would kill it y'all) they could also lift other objects without actual touch them. imagine their final battle with Caleb and just as they are going to lose, Caleb falls on his face bc someone (reggie) tried to catch a heavy object and it accidentally hit Caleb's head?

Becoming Visible/Tangible: They can do it, we've seen it. ofc it was a magic move after a power of friendship moment, But, i believe they could figure out how to control who can see/touch them and who can't, my guess is that they'd have to visualize and wish to be perceived by someone. same goes for being heard or not. (Luke can work this one easy bc he has a need to be perceived) and since Caleb can make a whole bunch of ghosts appear and disappear, im sure Alex could make Willie visible for Julie.

Possession: im gonna guess this is some unethical shit bc u can actually damage someone's soul by trying to hijack their body. but im sure they could impersonate someone and absorb their energy, so u can control them better. Caleb is putting it off tho.

Energy Sharing: this one is very oc if im being honest. but imagine a ghost having such positive or negative energy from feelings he suppressed or expressed vividly before they died, so they could project that energy in a way that could affect people and ghosts around them? It might not be the best power bc its kinda nonconsenting, but it can also be hard to acknowledge they have a power like that.

That's mostly it. I dont think Willie knows all of the ghosts skills, i guess Caleb just lied to him as he did to the others, but he can groq out of it and learn. Sure some of these requires some focus and that might be hard for Alex, but learning skills can go different for everyone. sure one is gotta get it easier than others but these boys are musicians, they're used to combining their different skills together.

[du9on9]

Thoughts on Season 2 of Good Omens

I’m writing this little post to explain why I’m so crazy because if you’ve been following my tweets for a few days, you’re probably wondering why this person is so crazy.

I am not an atheist, nor am I a theist. In general, I reserve the idea of God because I recognize that it is a very meaningless exercise. If I had to choose a strict position on God, I would follow the opinion of the recently deceased Jean-Luc Nancy.

“Theism and atheism are just metaphysical symmetrical presuppositions about existence.”

From this premise, I like the phrase “Good Omens” because I think the writers who created them are certainly showing the best humor that people living in a monotheistic-Christian culture are capable of. The Christian dichotomy of the world they created, good and bad, is just a symmetry premise, like the Nancy quote above. Whether a symmetrical premise necessarily establishes an antithesis requires a bit more thought, but in this worldview, there is a strange antithesis. And they express it as bureaucracy. This is a very funny point because by its very nature, bureaucracy is a necessary condition for conflict and a sufficient condition for cooperation. And season 2 completely fulfills this proposition. So bureaucracy is a pretty fun environment and premise to be in, where there is a symmetrical premise of good and bad.

In this symmetry, humans are either marginalized or excluded. And there is an angel, and a former angel, who is confused between these symmetries. Two beings who see the symmetrical premise as a matter of choice…

The reason I thought this series was so unique is because it really speaks to the isolation we’ve been through over the last few years, and how it’s affected people (and why the hell we’ve been so understaffed). From the people who couldn’t pay their rent because the lockdown had just been lifted, to the hellish (dental) masks they wore in case they looked grotesque to others, to the relentless set photography that props up the series, to the actors who were willing to put in the work. I thought it was a (rather blatant) satire like Don’t Look Up until about halfway through (despite the presence of the final sequence in S2E6, all of these attempts stand up pretty well). As I said above, the series uses the symmetrical premise of the time-honored Christian tradition and the entanglement of “bureaucracy” in our reality to create a narrative, which makes it an appropriate series to show the situation and tragedy of our inevitable (or self-imposed) “isolation”. At least, that’s how I felt halfway through.

In the past few years, despite the harshness of the environment, there have been countless works, and the OTT industry has become a strange speciality. The rise of the dual (post-)apocalyptic genre (normal apocalypse is inevitably SF) has been interesting — it’s a great option that has a genre grammar that can be used to express the isolation we’re experiencing (and hopefully make it last), and people have found a lot of empathy and comfort in it. The kind of reassurance that we will be reunited and live and love again. (A number of factors lend themselves to thinking of Season 2 as sci-fi, and Season 1 was a quasi-apocalyptic show.) No other show, at least that I’ve seen, has made the pandemic so tangible.

Recent events aside, isolation is still a valid factor in the pandemic, and in that sense, love has always been effective. How many people and works have screamed over the years that it’s the sense of connection that can break the isolation (whether this message has worked in the real world… I’m not sure). Season 1, released in 2019, was about maximizing the benefits of “visualizing” the original. Everyone was delighted with the (belated) visualization of the Good Omens. At the time, I saw it as a tribute to the work and to the author who passed away. But now season 2 has taken a different turn (*not really a turn, more of a new opportunity to move away from the tribute aspect), pointing to a story about isolation, and a different look at what led to that isolation, which is probably why the pandemic was invoked.

I don’t know what Neil Gaiman intended (it’s a lie, and it’s painfully obvious), but I suspect he has a similar idea to mine: that what matters to humans is not whether there is a God or not, but how religion is practised. The result of the conventionality of religion is not (maybe) blindness, but “unawareness” itself. From beginning to end, (really fucking end!!!!!!) the work provides symmetry, and symmetry is derived from this symmetrical premise.

The repetition of the same group of figures (I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are surrogat of Aziraphael and Crowley), the angelic device of ‘Gabriel’ (ha-ha) and Beelzebub with his ‘face’ switched, the antics of God and Satan over God’s favorite ‘Job’, and the choice of Crowley and Aziraphael to stand between them. Or, the resurrectionist.

The superimposition of seemingly obvious elements all builds to a final moment: at a time when Crowley is feeling ashamed of Gabriel’s oblivion of his interest in the face-swapped Beelzebub (we don’t know why), the impact of the romance between the Archduke of Hell and Heaven’s Supreme fucking Arc Angel Gabriel on Crowley is enormous. This former angel, also the negligent demon was as cunning as a snake. While everyone else was looking on in disbelief at their respective bosses’ bluster, the clever snake saw a definite possibility. Just as they realize the possibility, the two humans they’ve been trying to unite come and whisper to them, “Speak”. There are countless self-replications of the same behavior in the series, such as this one. Like that moment when you fall unconditionally in love when you take shelter from the rain under the eaves, or the voice in Eden that whispered to you, “Desire”. Finally, demons can make up their minds. In fact, listening to the human story probably didn’t make Crowley the demon decide. It was the angel who helped him decide.

“They loved each other so much, and that love blinded them, that they never asked each other how they wanted to be loved.”

I think this is a euphemism because here I already think the power game (discussion) between them is never established in the first place. (More precisely, they can’t ask each other about love.) I re-watched the last sequence many times because I couldn’t believe my eyes. I couldn’t believe my eyes: the loose set-up, elements, and reasoning eventually culminate in the ultimate conflict. It’s not an Armageddon kind of conflict.

The conflict between the two manifests as “bureaucracy” because, by their very nature, they “must” be systems. They are born out of the symmetry premise, they are inevitably part of the system, and by virtue of being part of the system, they are pillars of the ‘structure’. The difference here goes back to the symmetry premise, as one is inherently and necessarily the defender of the system and the other is inherently and again, inherently the questioner/doubter of the system. As I said above, it’s not the presence or absence of a god that matters, but how religion conventionalizes people. In other words, whether or not we are able to recognize the structure itself, and whether or not we are able to detach from it and recognize the whole.

The ‘conventionalization’ of religion is not, strictly speaking, blindness, but ‘unconsciousness’. Therefore, the angel is a structure in itself, in its ‘unconscious’ and ‘unquestionable’ conventionality, and the ‘system’ that recognized the ‘structure’ has gone to hell. Therefore, the crawl is an anomalous system. And this relationship is the expression of bureaucracy. Including the union of the two. Those angels who were there when the pillars of structure created the universe, those angels who saw the possibilities of the universe and thought of other alternatives. But sadly, we know the truth: they are representations of bureaucracy itself, at the end of its symmetry.

When the angel hears Metatron’s offer, he is pleased. If he accepts Metatron’s offer, he can clear the name of the anomaly, the “doubting being,” and reinstate it as a “being” in its own right. That’s a level of authority, a conscious authority. All of this is again anomalous, and according to Metatron, Crowley, who disrupts the “order” with unnecessary questions, is unable to determine Aziraphael’s true intentions. This is true of Aziraphael as well. Whether or not Aziraphael can actually do it, it is not easy to change the structure within a bureaucracy represented by a structure. A witness to this is Crowley. But the ‘unsuspecting’ angel dares to change the structure because he loves him so much, and because that love can never be ‘wrong’. There is a wall here. An insurmountable wall between the seemingly romantic phrase “they love each other so much that it blinds them, so they never ask how they want to be loved”… Actually, this proposition is derived from the symmetry premise above. A wall between those who cannot be wrong and those who are made to be wrong. It is therefore (I dare say) inevitable that they should fall in love. For combinations of signs become ‘symbols’, and they manifest themselves in certain ‘omens’.

It was a very long story. The reason I have to tell this story so long is because I have seen possibilities in the faces of angels and in the faces of devils. If I had to name the greatest discovery or invention since the beginning of the history of video, I’d say it’s the close-up. Without having to explain the word close-up, the greatest thinkers have rallied around a concept that fills everyone’s minds. We can record human trembling!

After hearing Metatron’s proposal, the angel can’t contain his excitement. Metatron says, “Tell this story to your friends”. Aziraphael runs (emotionally). Crowley has been preparing the ‘confession’. Before the confession can take place, Aziraphael spits out an excited, almost confessional, praise of God. “Only, even nicer!” says Aziraphael in exultation. The matter of the unquestioning lottery. Was Crowley “conscious” of authority here? He asks again and again if The angel said no to Metatron’s offer.

We could have been us.

Crowley has a momentary flashback. Tears well up in his eyes… He’s in tears. At this point, Aziraphael falls into chaos. The close-up is an achievement, as we can see his fluttering pupils and quivering eyelids.

The confession is torn between disappointment and impossibility. Crowley ‘revisits’ the possibility that he has long sought but (ironically) never reached, only now, in the face of complete impossibility. Like their bosses, we can do it too. Like their bosses, we can do it too. Even when the love in front of him has taught him that ‘nothing lasts forever’, the desire never dies, but it surrenders (approaches) to a certain authority, an unconscious authority. All of Crowley’s acts, then, are trapped in a symmetry that can never be reconciled, even though he loves above all else. He cannot refute the angel who speaks of the impossible, so all he can say is ‘good luck’.

In fact, it is Aziraphael’s antithesis: ‘You don’t understand, no, I understand much better than you do.” I’m doing this for you, so why don’t you understand, and since there can be no such thing as angelic cries, I can only dismiss you as offended. Turning around and saying, “No nightingales,” Crowley puts an end to this love. There are no witnesses to the love, who witness the angels dining at the Ritz. (Despite my dislike of Michael Sheen, this scene is exquisite; it’s one of the few times we see Sheen’s face.) The angel’s confusion is beyond comprehension. Crowley’s “We could have been us” is a cry and a testimony. ‘We are both exceptional situations(conditions)’.

He grabs him by the scruff of the neck. Lips collide. We witness a clenched fist. The hands of an angel with nowhere to go. The lost hand cannot reach out to embrace its lover, because it is literally lost in all of this.

The lips part and the surprised angel says, “I forgive you.”

Forgive for what?

There’s a lot of thought going on here. Is it forgiveness for an unauthorized kiss? What makes forgiveness possible when there is nothing to forgive? If this constitutes forgiveness, what is next? But the devil says, “Don’t bother.” The devil stopped crying. There was the sound of a bell closing the bookshop door. Where the devil left off, the angel stares in surprise and confusion, breathing heavily and pursing his lips. His gaze is unfocused.

What I have seen, right here, is the beginning of sin. In other words, it’s the first anxiety that occurs to the angel. It is not merely a surprise, but the germination of another possibility. What is conceived here is the existence of a sexuality that was not possible (or necessary) for the angel. Søren Kierkegaard once spoke of “anxiety as the result of sin without guilt”. Surprisingly, this scene echoes Kierkegaard’s theology and philosophy of religion, as it is the moment of conception of original sin beyond Eve. “With the sinful nature, sexuality was established. At that moment, human history begins (…) The presence of original sin is anxiety.”

You don’t need to know what this means. To be honest, I don’t. But the moment of original sin was so intense that these words immediately came to mind. This can’t have been the first time Crowley and Aziraphael had touched. Crowley was forced to “give up” being with his one and only love because of his prior understanding that he could not “be an angel,” and he could not be made to understand that point. The system cannot persuade the structure.

But always, ‘events’ create a series of exceptional circumstances. The pebble that fell on the surface of the water created a ripple, and this ripple was the event that awakened the angel’s sexuality. Thus, Crowley had never before touched the angel in such a way. By not transmitting the trembling itself as an overt object of desire, the angel was transmitting overt sexual desire, and upon realizing this, the angel (being an angel, of course) must ‘forgive’ Crowley, for it was the harboring of desire that caused original sin, and with this original sin, sexual desire was born, and it was this that pushed Adam and Eve out of the Garden. For six thousand years, the fire-fist Aziraphael, the gatekeeper of Eden, has worn original sin! Along with sexuality. No wonder the angel was surprised by the demon’s touch, not because it was daredevil, but because it felt so “sexual,” and with it the understanding of “sexuality.” But in order for original sin to be established here, it must be the result of something happening within the individual that is not recognized as sin. The ‘consequence of sin without a consciousness of sin’, and therefore the point at which this emotion that I perceive as an expression of an order that can do no wrong, cannot be sin, is at the same time the sign of anxiety in Aziraphael’s eyes that proves that this is lust.

I talked about close-ups earlier. From the bust shot to the close-up, we hear the angel’s breath after the demon exits. Shaky vision, lips pressed against fingertips. (Even if I don't like Michael Sheen that much… the actor’s set-up for this entire sequence was so subtle that I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed.)

The aforementioned symmetry premise is rippled. Derived from the symmetry premise, the two Signs were determined (already in Season 1) to be anomalies to each other, but at least the incumbent Angel probably didn’t expect his anomaly to elicit this level of anomalous emotion, because he was a bureaucratic good (and a Sign) who couldn’t truly be an anomaly. That the two signs that saw the expulsion of Adam and Eve would result in this ‘repetition’ thousands of years later was unthinkable for an angel, much less a ‘demon’ who already had a sinful nature. I mentioned self-repetition earlier, and this is also self-repetition. If there is a variable here, it is that the angel was already an anomaly, and only he himself was unaware of it (not religiousizing, customizing, or conscious of goodness), and only the devil, who already knew of the presence of the demiurge in goodness (‘You really are a bastard’), gave the angel original sin by giving him a kiss of lust, by transmitting its tremors with his breath. I thought to myself. The only one who knows what he’s doing here is Crowley, the questioner/doubter. The lowly devil, at the moment of renouncing love, leaves having instilled a minimum of corruption, and therefore only the possibility of corruption. There is no more evil than this.

The angel breathes in, hard and fast, and sweeps a hand across his startled chest. It’s hard to tell why he’s crying, because there are so many assumptions involved, but here’s what’s happening. The devil cried, the angel cried, only the nightingales didn’t, because there was an abandonment of not only the opposition of the symmetry premise but of symmetry itself, which is to say, there was an abandonment of the ‘possibility of events’.

Funnily enough, however, I saw new possibilities right here, because the conventionalization of religion was shaken by the very moment when two people who loved each other too much that they never asked each other how they wanted to be loved, especially after the angel first recognized individuality, were infused with sexuality and acquired a sense of guilt. Here, religion would indeed become possible. And it can give birth to a new order and discipline. And I’ve replayed this scene dozens of times over the past few days because it’s so compelling and amazing. I don’t actually think Crowley has given up on loving Aziraphael. (I really don’t.)

It’s not an abandonment of love, it’s an abandonment of symmetry.

So I take this as confirmation that the story will no longer be told without sexuality between these two. This was a clear departure from season one.

All of this lust, angst, and potential sinfulness aside, Gaiman and the show’s intentions are clear. It’s a “bureaucracy” critique. It’s a critique of bureaucracy. Therefore, the series does not shy away from the “pandemic. Well, I don’t really need to make any predictions about what season 3 will be like, but let’s do it anyway: Crowley will probably run away from the problem (assuming there is a problem). Aziraphael will confront the problem… but not solve it.

But there is always an alternative. Ah, it would be love. So Crowley will personally (slink) down to heaven to rescue the troubled (trapped) angel. Such are the actions of those whose existence is a possibility.

I don't think I've ever analyzed a sequence with this much excitement. I've watched the series over and over again in the four days I've been writing this. I've seen it in other languages, not my mother language, too. It reminded me of my past life when I sat through Kierkegaard's seminar and said I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. Alas, Mr Kierkegaard, this is what it sounds like: the genesis of anxiety is clearly tied to guilt.

I honestly don't know why I wrote this post, but I wanted to excuse myself for having to buy and study the BL love scene. Honestly, I cried during the opening sequence of season 2. Because the stinging critique of 'a representative system' and 'bureaucracy', where the birth of the universe has been reduced to wallpaper for humanity, hurt. Here's the difference between Aziraphael and the other angels. For he recognizes that to doubt is to be 'risky', but the risk always includes 'adventure'.

The nameless angel at Aziraphael's side then could not love him 'yet', because he was (at least) then in a state of unconscious convention. But as a possibility, always as a seed, there was always the possibility of original sin, like Eve and Pandora in desire. The possibility of subversion.

Whether original sin is bad, whether guilt is bad, is another story, because, as the title of Good Omens suggests, all of these things (like the command to love because not to be sinful) are only premises, and humans live in the present.

("Anxiety is an expression of the fact that we are fully human.")

There are a lot of stories I wanted to tell but didn't. In fact, Gabriel and Beelzebub are the play's most important devices: they're the driving force behind the story, they're proof that their respective factions require cooperation, and they're Good Omens.

There's also the story of Nina and Maggie. They've been tossed around between the angel and demon, but because they're human, they're also descendants of Eve, and so they've learned desire from the beginning of time. They throw stones back at the one who awakens their desire, causing ripples. These are also Good Omens.

I didn't even tell the story of Metatron. Angels are better than anyone at emulating human emotions the higher up they get, and they're also better at erasing that humanity. I'd like to talk more about this point another time.

As I said at the outset, I'm neither a theist nor an atheist; I'm not ignorant of Christianity, but I know very little about it, and I'm sure I'll get a lot wrong, so bear with me. Thank you for reading this long post.

**English is not my primary language, so there will be a lot of errors, so please forgive me.