#hyperfixation discussions

[mrmubbetbubbet]

does anyone else not like knowing people irl who have the same interest in something or hyperfixation that you do and like, i dont like that?? that might mean im selfish or its morally wrong or whatever but like no i want to be alone and no one else likes this like i do please leave me alone

[bluejulius]

what got you to ship Eretlout??

[sappsorrow]

WHY does fandom seem to happen entirely on discord now?? not to be all ‘back in my day’ but it used to be you could make art/gifsets/fic and people would comment or reblog, and if they liked it enough they might even follow you and interact with more of your work (or you!) now there are just these various discord echo chambers where fanon dominates and if you’re not a member then you and your contributions to a fandom essentially don’t exist.

[calliecopper]

Ian Gallagher Being His Own Person, and Why That's Controversial

A meta about Ian's story during his time away from Mickey, and the hate his character receives for it. Inspired by @dazzle02 :)

How many times have you heard somebody say that they skipped season 8 of Shameless because Mickey wasn't in it? How many times have you heard somebody say that season 7 is only good during Mickey's episodes, or that the story is boring without Mickey in it, or that Ian's S6-8 arc was boring without Mickey? How many times have you heard somebody proclaim that Ian wasn't a good partner to Mickey?

Mickey is undeniably THE fan favorite character of the show, and with that comes a tendency for fans to defend him tooth and nail, even when he is in the wrong, and refuse to see any other points of view. Characters who go against Mickey in any way receive a harsh amount of criticism that sometimes is not fully justified. This applies even to Mickey's main connection to the story: Ian.

During season 5 and onward, some fans hold Ian's actions against him very harshly when I feel he deserves a bit more empathy. Of these, there are three main things people criticize his character for during seasons 5, 6, and 7 that I feel are not given proper analysis and thought by fandom.

Disclaimer before we get in because people feel very passionately about these two: Every interpretation of a character is entirely unique to each individual viewer, and these are just my opinions. This is in no way an anti-Mickey post, so as you read, keep in mind that any criticism toward him is not meant to make him out to be a bad character. Don't bite me.

Season Five: The Breakup of All Time

I think a large part of why people get so upset with Ian for the breakup is because of the growth Mickey experienced in seasons 4-5 leading up to it.

Mickey in seasons 1-3 is in extreme denial of being gay, and when he grows feelings for Ian, he lashes out and treats Ian like shit. Seeing Mickey's slow growth starting in season 3 brought interest to his character, and in season 4 with his major growth during his coming out, he becomes very compelling to a viewer. After all the angst that it took to get Mickey to finally open up, there's a natural desire to see that positive growth and relationship development continue. When Ian throws a wrench in that by breaking up with Mickey in season 5, people get upset, and they're going to direct that toward Ian because he is the easiest to blame.

There's the sentiment of, "Mickey came out for Ian, took care of Ian, and supported Ian when he needed him most despite his faults. Why is Ian leaving Mickey in the dust when he now needs him most?"

This is honestly not an unreasonable thing to feel when looking at things from Mickey's perspective.

But, when you take a look at Ian's character, and you really think of his motivations in that moment, his decision to break up is actually very understandable. Ian didn't break up with Mickey because he thinks Mickey is a bad partner or because he doesn't love Mickey enough. He broke up with Mickey because he thought that's what was best FOR Mickey.

I think comparing the breakup to their fight over marriage in season 10 to be an effective way to understand Ian better.

In season 10:

"How do you know you love me? Huh? How do you really know? I'm bipolar, right? I don't know who I am from one day to the next, and I can't guarantee shit. So why do you wanna spend the rest of your life with me?"

- Ian to Mickey, S10E9

Compare this to this conversation during the breakup:

"You used to love me. Now you don't even know who I am. Shit, I don't know who I am half the time... You don't owe me anything."

"I love you."

"The Hell does that even mean?"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E12

I feel that Ian's mindset is pretty similar in these two moments. In season 5, he is still grappling with his diagnosis, and he has no frame of reference of how a healthy life with bipolar can look. Everybody has been comparing him to Monica, and he himself seems to oscillate between thinking he is like her and not like her, so in his mind, he has nothing to offer anymore.

Then, in season 10, in his mind he proved himself right. He tried to get his shit in order, lived happily and found peace with his diagnosis, and then he fucked it up. He had an episode, and he lost everything he fought so hard to have. He has practically ruined his life because he DID what he FEARED he would:

"I hate the meds. You gonna make me take 'em?"

"You get fucking nuts when you don't."

"Are you gonna want to be with me even if I don't?"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E12

That conversation isn't Ian saying he isn't going to take his meds, given how in season six, he IS taking his meds. I interpret his above statement to be a warning to Mickey. Because Monica has tried to get on her meds before, has tried to get better, and has failed many times. IAN has gone off his meds willingly twice now. This is him telling Mickey, straightforward, "I do not like the meds, and there will always be a risk of me deciding not to take them."

And in seasons 8-9, he does exactly that. He goes off his meds, and he destroys everything he built for himself. That's part of the reason why he hesitates to marry Mickey in season 10, and part of the reason he breaks up with Mickey in season 5.

Ian views himself and his disorder to be a burden on the people he loves. He believes that Mickey will be better off without him.

"I don't want you sitting around, worrying, watching me, waiting for me to do my next crazy shit."

- Ian to Mickey, S5E12

Because Mickey HAS been doing that. Ever since he was diagnosed, Mickey has been watching Ian like a hawk, acting like a nurse, which frustrates Ian.

"Fuckin' nurse now?"

[...]

"I'm sick of your whiny, pussy crap. I don't need a fucking caretaker, alright? I need the shit-talking, bitch-slapping piece of Southside trash I fell for. Where is he? The fuck is he, Mickey?"

- Ian to Mickey, S5E10

But, of course, Mickey doesn't see it that way. To Mickey, Ian is anything but a burden he wants to unload.

"It means we take care of each other. [...] It means thick and thin, good times, bad, sickness, health, all that shit."

- Mickey to Ian, S5E12.

Mickey would do anything for Ian. He confronted his worst fear by coming out, stayed with Ian even after the infidelity, defended Ian after he kidnapped his son, and tried his best to understand a mental illness he had no prior knowledge about. Yet, Ian still won't commit to him. After everything, he still isn't good enough.

"I'm not saying never!"

"No, you're just saying you don't love me enough now."

- Ian and Mickey, S10E9

And Ian, meanwhile, thinks that HE isn't good enough for MICKEY. He has been diagnosed with a lifelong condition, one that he has seen ruin lives firsthand, something that will be a part of him for the rest of his life, and he doesn't wanna tie Mickey down to that life.

It's all one massive miscommunication.

Finally, I think the part that is the most confusing to fans regarding Ian's mindset during the breakup stems from his moments with Monica in S5E11 and S5E12.

Specifically, the parallels between these two conversations.

"Ian, there's always gonna be people that are gonna try and fix us. And you can never make those people happy. Like it breaks their heart just to look at you."

"Yeah, um, even Mickey now."

"He's your boyfriend, right? [...] I'm sure he means well, but you need to be with people who accept you for who you are. And they're out there. You should never apologize for being you."

- Monica and Ian, S5E11.

Vs.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Too much! Too much is wrong with me. That's the problem, isn't it? Too much is wrong with me, and you can't do anything about that. You can't change it. You can't fix me, 'cause I'm not broken. I don't need to be fixed, okay? I'm me!"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E12.

Monica's interpretation of the relationship seems to paint Mickey in a negative light. "He means well, but he doesn't get it," or something along those lines. Based on her previous experiences with the diagnosis, she has come to the conclusion that people like Mickey or Fiona, who try to get them to take medication and are saddened by the diagnosis, are being controlling, and do not love them for who they really are. That's why she always went back to Frank; he actively tried to get her to NOT take her meds or get better, and did not encourage her when she DID try to get better. So, to her, being off her meds IS the TRUE version of herself, and the people who can not accept that do not accept her.

But I think, while Ian's lines parallel Monica's, that he does not think the same way that she does.

Toward the end of season 5, Ian seems to do a complete 180 from his previous statements on his similarities with Monica.

"You flushed your pills? You get thats a full-on Monica move, right?"

"I'm not Monica."

- Ian and Fiona, S5E8

Vs.

" [...] Cause they all say how alike we are."

"That's probably not a compliment."

"Uh... No, I think it is."

- Ian and Monica, S5E11

This happens in the wake of his arrest, after Ian's siblings talk about him to the military police. Many of their comments seem to hit Ian in a way that makes him feel misunderstood or like a burden.

Debbie: But he's been acting crazier for longer than that.

Lip: Yeah, at least this past year.

Officer: How would you characterize his behavior?

Debbie: Compared to how he used to be... He's different.

Lip: He'll go back and forth from, you know, being depressed, to, you know, incredibly wound up. I mean, he ran off with a baby for no reason.

Debbie: He almost hit me in the head with a baseball bat.

Fiona: Our mother was bipolar, so we know what it looks like. She put us through Hell, and- I'm not saying you put us through Hell, but when they're manic they can be destructive.

Officer: In your opinion, does he require medication?

Fiona: Yes.

Officer: Is he unable to care for himself?

Fiona: Sometimes, yes.

So, when Ian talks to Monica when they reconnect, Ian expresses loneliness and a feeling of isolation.

"I'm really glad you came, yknow? I just... I needed someone to talk to who... gets it."

- Ian to Monica, S5E11

When Monica tells Ian to not be ashamed and that she loves him for him, she is kind of acting like his Frank. The meds have been taking a toll, and recovery is so difficult that running with her and getting validation from the only other person who could "get it" is an easy choice to make. I think the combined factors of Mickey treating him so delicately, his siblings laying out his flaws so plainly, and his mother's open acceptance creates a feeling of bitterness or shame, and Ian is hoping to find comfort in his mother.

But it doesn't go the way he expects it to.

At the diner, he thinks that Monica is going to prostitute herself for money, and is relieved when she doesn't. It's likely he was thinking of his own stint at the Fairytale in this moment.

Then, he recalls a moment from his childhood that he does not look upon fondly, only for Monica to refer to it as "good times."

He meets Monica's partner and discovers he is an aggressive teenage meth dealer that she is helping to sell the meth.

I think Ian has a true moment of clarity during this. He had thought that he was vindicated, that everybody else was wrong, that they didn't understand, that Monica was right, and that he was perfectly fine just the way he was. But then he sees what Monica considers to be "a happy life."

"Ian, I'm finally happy. People like us, we can be happy. I love him, and that's the most important thing, to find somebody to love, right? Who loves you back for who you are. I want that for you. I love you. We're gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay."

- Monica to Ian, S5E12.

Monica's perception of life is warped. What she considers a good life is living in a trailer selling meth. Good memories are traumatic memories for those around her. True love and support is an aggressive teenage dealer, or Frank Gallagher.

A simple drive to Ian was a horrifying kidnapping to Svetlana. Doing a porn that was no big deal to Ian was a betrayal of trust to Mickey. Joining Monica and ignoring the calls of his well-meaning but ignorant family to Ian was a painful and worrisome disappearance to them. Ian's perception HAS been warped, and he's crashing back to reality, realizing that he has run off with MONICA, realizing that he can't continue down the same path as her, and needs to go home.

He's come to accept that he is bipolar. He's internalized what his family has kept repeating, that he is just like Monica, and looking at her living like this, believing that she is living well, is terrifying to him.

So he goes home, believing that he is just like his mother, and he's doomed to be a piece of shit. He goes back, and he breaks up with Mickey. Because he doesn't think that people like him can be happy, and he doesn't think he'll be okay. And that isn't something that Mickey can change. Too much is wrong with him, and Mickey can't do anything about it.

Really, it's just a matter of Ian operating under the "if you love them, let them go" mindset, and Mickey interpreting it as a rejection. It's the two of them both believing they are not good enough for the other and internalizing it instead of properly communicating.

TL;DR: Ian's breakup with Mickey in S5E12 is not done in a healthy OR selfish mindset. To him, he will do nothing but drag Mickey down, and in his unmedicated and clearly altered state of mind, he thinks the best thing is to let him go.

Season Six: Dating Caleb and Other Blasphemy

The first time we see Mickey in season six, it's behind a pane of glass in an orange jumpsuit.

Mickey had tried to murder Sammi, Ian's half-sister, and had been sentenced to prison for 15 years. It's established that Ian has not been to visit Mickey much and is trying to move on past that time in his life. But, upon being bribed by Svetlana, Ian visits, and during this visit Mickey asks Ian a question:

"You gonna wait for me?" - Mickey to Ian, S6E1.

And when Ian shows hesitation:

"Fuckin' lie if you have to, man, eight years is a long time." - Mickey to Ian, S6E1.

So, Ian replies:

"Yeah. Yeah, Mick, I'll wait." - Ian to Mickey, S6E1.

Before even meeting Caleb, fans absolutely tear into Ian for his decision to not commit to Mickey in this moment. They call it selfish, or out of character, or unfair to ice Mickey out when he is going through this difficult time.

But, let's look at it from Ian's position.

Ian has dealt with abandonment issues his entire life, with both Monica and Frank being unstable and infrequent providers during his adolescence. Throughout his relationship with Mickey, they had been separated on three separate occasions, one of which was entirely voluntary on Mickey's part. Now, due to committing a major crime, Mickey has been sent away for up to fifteen years. They would both be in their thirties by the time Mickey would be released, or close to it if he got out early, and that's not even considering that he was actively taking part in jobs / activities that could extend his sentence, like stabbing people.

Ian has dealt with recurring disappointment and abandonment his entire life, and throughout their time together, Mickey hasn't really established himself as stable.

Now, before you bring out the pitchforks;

"But Mickey was there for Ian and supported him through seasons 4-5. He grew as a person and proved he IS reliable."

Yes, that's true. He did undergo massive development that allowed him to be a better partner and more reliable person to Ian. But, canonically that period of time only takes place over a few months.

Mickey, for the better part of 2-3 years, was NOT a good partner to Ian. Multiple years of an unsteady situationship is not so easily forgotten. Yes, Mickey 1000% had valid reasons for acting the way he did. It's made very clear in S3E6 and S4E11 why Mickey hides his sexuality and lashes out when forced to confront it. But that isn't an excuse. His reasons for acting in a negative way towards Ian the first three seasons is understandable, but he went about it in a bad way.

Not to mention that, despite his growth, Mickey has just been sent to PRISON. No matter how you spin it, his decision to go after Sammi was NOT justified and does not necessarily bring forth confidence in his reliability and stability.

It's not unreasonable for Ian to not want to wait for over a decade for a man who has not always been the best for him. It sucks as a viewer who is invested in them, but Ian was not in the wrong.

Beyond (justifiably) selfish reasons, Ian also already thought that he was bad for Mickey, was worried that he would ruin his life, and with Mickey's justification for his torture attempt being that he did it FOR Ian, that Sammi had it coming because of what she did TO Ian, Ian probably felt responsible for that as well. There was probably a level of guilt in Ian from the whole situation, both for Mickey being in prison and for leaving him there.

But from his point of view, it's better for everybody to try and move on.

What really bothers me about this criticism toward Ian is the sense that he OWED Mickey his time and loyalty. Because Mickey had given and sacrificed so much for Ian during seasons 4-5, it's like people think Ian is then obligated to return that for Mickey, no matter what Mickey did. It's a very transactional way to view the situation, and it just leaves me with an icky taste in my mouth. Nobody owes anybody anything in that situation. Ian does not owe Mickey companionship, and Mickey did not owe Ian support when he got put in prison in season 9. Returning to Ian was Mickey's decision to make, and not a decision Ian was obligated to make in season 6.

Now, onto the actual "dating other people" part of the conversation.

For months, Ian has done nothing but get his meds on track while working at Patsy's, then at the janitors job on Lip's campus. During this time, Ian expresses having a very low sense of self-worth.

"He as smart as you?"

"No."

"Yeah, he's smart."

"Lip is the genuis of the family."

"So that gives you an excuse for not finishing [high school]? You seem plenty smart, and Dav's uniform doesn't really suit you."

- Ian, Lip, and Professor Youens, S6E3

And:

"This is it for me, Lip. This job. This is where I land."

- Ian to Lip, S6E3

Which Lip comments on in a very concise way:

"Yknow, he thinks... Being bipolar means he's doomed to be a piece of shit like our mother."

- Lip about Ian, S6E3

Ian feels no sense of purpose during these months. He feels he has no worth and that he is doomed to work a dead-end job and have no happiness. He thinks he is just like Monica.

That only changes when he witnesses an accident on the highway, and he saves a woman's life by pulling her out of a burning car.

This leads us to Caleb.

Now I'll admit, this is where I take issue with the storytelling, because this would've been a PERFECT way to segue into Ian's EMT arc, but regardless of what I personally think would've been better, the way it plays out in canon does actually still make sense for Ian's character.

After saving the woman from the burning car, Ian collapses due to smoke inhalation and exhaustion. A firefighter on the scene provides Ian with oxygen, thus saving his life. Ian immediately fixates on this particular firefighter.

Now, Ian has a very complicated relationship with feeling his emotions post his diagnosis. In season five, when he is numbed by his meds, the only way for him to feel again is through pain, via self-harm or starting physical fights, and sex. In fact, sex plays a major part in many aspects of Ian's life.

From the age of fifteen, Ian had been consistently subject to sexual abuse. He's been used for his body by countless men throughout his teenage years and has been oftentimes reduced merely to his sexuality and what he can provide to his partner. Even Mickey, in season 2, tells Ian as such in a panicked rage.

"You think we're boyfriend and girlfriend here? You're nothing but a warm mouth to me."

- Mickey to Ian, S2E8.

(No, I'm not saying Mickey sexually abused Ian. But he did contribute to the way we see Ian default so heavily to objectifying and sexualizing himself.)

So, due to this recurring trauma, Ian has a tendency to default to sex as the primary way of getting satisfaction, be it emotional or physical.

So, when Ian gets a rush of adrenaline from the crash, after months of that numbness, he chases the emotions in the most effective way he knows how.

Ian goes to the firehouse with cookies to give as thanks to the firefighter who saved him, but with a clear ulterior motive of getting laid. When he finds out that the particular firefighter (who happens to be part of the "gay shift" which is an odd writing choice) he saw on the highway is married, Ian meets Caleb. In this scene, they speak all of one line to each other when Caleb invites Ian to a firehouse softball game. The next time we see them on screen together, Ian acts very flirtatious toward Caleb, which sets forth their relationship.

"You ever pitch?"

"... Usually, but I'm open depending on what you're into. Where we doing this?"

"Follow me."

[...]

"Wait, we're actually playing softball?"

- Ian and Caleb, S6E5

I think Ian receives hate for this simply because he's expressing interest in a guy that isn't Mickey. Fans get the impression that Ian is moving on too fast or that his interest in Caleb is sudden or rushed. However, I think the rushed nature actually works to show Ian's intentions. In this moment, Ian is not really looking for a full-on relationship. Given how little they interacted thus far, the fact that Caleb wasn't even who Ian was originally interested in, and how Ian's comments consistently err on the side of sexual, its safe to say Ian was just looking for a hookup. In fact, it's Caleb who pushes so hard FOR the relationship.

Mickey, in a deleted scene, hooks up with an inmate right after talking with Ian. If Ian's relationship with Caleb had only been a fling or hookup, I don't think Ian would've been as heavily criticized. As it is, fans get upset at this relationship because it IS a relationship. They go on dates, Ian starts staying with Caleb, and really they seem to be very domestic.

But I don't think Ian was as dedicated to the relationship with Caleb as fans make him out to be.

From the jump, Ian seems uncomfortable with the quick-moving pace of it. At first he only seems interested in sex with Caleb, but upon the negative reaction that provokes, Ian conceded to going on a date with Caleb (which is a bit of a slap in the face to Mickey fans after Gallavich's ruined date.)

"[...] I was hoping to get my hands on your hose."

"Is that what this is to you? A fuck?"

"You say it like it's a bad thing. Come on, let's get out of here."

"No. I knew you were younger than me, but I thought you were a grown-up."

"Fuck. Okay. Okay. Hey, I'm into you, alright? I thought you were into me."

"I am."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't stick my dick in just any guy."

"What do you want, then?"

"Seriously? Do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Yeah."

"A date."

"With, like, flowers and chocolate and shit?"

"No, we could skip the flowers."

"Okay. You're on."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E5

(Side note, pulling a "is that all this is to you" after two non-romantic interactions is not just quick in terms of hookup culture, which Ian is more attuned to, but is quick in any terms. More on that later.)

During this date, Ian is visibly very uncomfortable. Some would chalk this up to him having never been on a date before, and the writing even seems to imply that,

"Okay, look, I have no idea what I'm doing. My last boyfriend wasn't much of a talker, his idea of a conversation was to insult me a bunch and then punch me right before we banged."

- Ian to Caleb, S6E6

but that's actually not true, DESPITE the writers forgetting that.

"You know, Mickey and I never went out on dates. Ned never took me out, Kash and I fucked in the back of a convenience store, and I don't think jerking off strangers in a nightclub counts, so..."

- Ian to Lip, S6E6.

He actually HAD gone out on a "date" with Ned in season three, where he was visibly less uncomfortable than on his date with Caleb. He also went to many loft parties during his time dancing at the club, wherein he blended in very well and was able to sorta chameleon himself with the northside crowd. I think the show wants us to believe his discomfort is from him "never having been on a date before" or being unfamiliar with a "slower" pace, but I think his discomfort actually would stem from him just genuinely not being interested in Caleb in a romantic way, and thus feeling awkward on a date that's in a more romantic setting (compared to his one with Ned, which was undoubtedly more sexual.)

I also think his discomfort stems from being completely out of his element. Ian has taken a massive hit to his confidence since his diagnosis, so his Southside roots bring about a bit more hesitancy in him than it might have before, and he may be less confident in his ability to chameleon. That's why, during the date, Ian shows discomfort with Caleb when he shows more "class" than Ian.

"Usually, I get a bunch of apps to share. You good with that?"

"[Uncertain hum] ... Appetizers! Sure, yeah, big- big fan of apps."

[...]

"You seem like a very pensive kinda guy. You an only child?"

"Uh, no."

"Brothers and sisters?"

"A bunch, yeah."

"Older or younger?"

"Both."

"What about your parents? Both still alive?"

"... Yeah."

"... Fantastic. I'm learning so much."

[...]

"Where I'm from, people communicate with their fists."

"Where's that?"

"Southside."

"Mmm. Hands of steel. Okay, so you're a street rat. A brawler."

"Is that a problem?"

"Only if you make it one."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E6.

Then, beyond their first date, we have the actual relationship to dive into.

Throughout his scenes with Caleb, Ian seems to oscillate between neutrality, discomfort, or mild enjoyment in the situations he finds himself in.

There's this interaction, for example, where Ian lets Caleb take charge in defining their relationship:

"So what are we doing?"

"Whatever you want, I guess."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E7.

Or this moment:

"What are you smiling at?"

"I like having you over here. What are you smiling at?"

"I like having a purpose."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E8.

Or when Caleb invites Ian out with his friends, and we see Ian slip into his chameleon persona, mirroring the petty mannerisms of the most vocal participant of the conversation, as well as avoiding diving too much into his personal history.

"You haven't told me which one is your ex."

"Guess."

"Old guy, pink sweater."

"How'd you know?"

"Ooh, a redhead, Caleb? Does his carpet match his drapes?"

"You're a good sport."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E8.

[...]

"If we had known you were bringing a middle school student, Caleb, we wouldn't have come to a place that cards."

"Oh, no, it's cool, I don't drink. I hear it makes your skin old and leathery."

"That's-that's how we're playing this?"

"Hey, you threw down first."

"Where you from, kid?"

"Back of the Yards."

"Local boy. What's your story?"

"Story?"

"Who you are, what you do, how did you meet this chocolate bundt cake?"

"Met him at the firehouse."

- Ian and Gregory, S6E8

[...]

"We like this one, Caleb. Don't we, Gregory?"

"I mean, If young, beautiful, and kind of a smartass is something to like, sure, fine, I guess we do."

- Caleb's friends about Ian, S6E8.

OR, in a deleted scene where Caleb expresses frustration at Ian keeping the distance between him and Ian's family, as well as Ian's lack of communication, while Ian seems unbothered or even perplexed by Caleb's frustration.

"So, where'd you sleep last night?"

"Home. Got done at three, told you I'd be late."

"Yeah, like nighttime late, not next day late."

"Well, I didn't wanna wake you, and I had to go back there to grab some stuff: clothes, towels..."

"Where's there?"

"Home, you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Back of the Yards."

"Right. You did mention that once. I still don't know where it is or who I'd call if there was an emergency?"

"Uh... my brother, I guess? Or my sister."

"Brother or sister. Okay. I'll just track down Ian Gallagher's brother or sister on the internet."

"I'll... put their numbers in your phone."

"Great."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E11 deleted scene.

OR any of the follwing:

When they go to get Ian tested for STDs, he is visibly uncomfortable having Caleb in the room with him.

He is only comfortable revealing his bipolar disorder if it is done in exchange for another secret from Caleb.

He isn't very comfortable sharing his past, only references his previous relationship in a lighthearted manner, and he only reveals his sexual history upon feeling pressured to do so, which he purposefully presents in a callous way.

To me, the entirety of Ian and Caleb's relationship reads as Ian's desperation for validation through sex, which leads to him putting up with a relationship he isn't entirely comfortable in or commited to or ready for. To me, it seems like he's truly just looking for companionship in any way he can get it.

Out of everything, though, I think what really gets to fans most about this storyline is the constant comparison of Caleb to Mickey as a means of demonizing Mickey.

Throughout the entirety of Ian and Caleb's relationship, there is a constant comparison between the two relationships, seemingly with the intent of painting Mickey as a horrible partner.

When Ian tells Lip about his upcoming date with Caleb, he remarks that he never went on dates with Mickey, which comes off as an unnecessary jab.

During his date with Caleb, Ian talks about his lack of effective communication skills, which reflects negatively on Mickey, to the point Caleb brings forward the idea of domestic abuse.

During the wedding that Ian attends with Caleb, Ian mentions Mickey's marriage to Svetlana, and he uses a tone that comes off as belittling the situation and how difficult it was for Mickey.

There's this line, when Caleb asks Ian to kiss for the first time:

"Can I kiss you?"

"I thought kissing comes after you've had sex a bunch of times."

"Ian, kissing comes whenever you want it to. Even now."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E6.

Then, there's Mandy stating that Caleb was better than Mickey.

"A hot black fireman. Also an artist."

"Upgrade from my brother."

"I miss Mickey, but uh... This new guy's nice."

- Ian and Mandy, S6E9

These near constant comparisons to Mickey are frustrating to fans, because it can often feel like Ian, or even just the writers and the narrative, are trying to belittle Mickey's character and reduce him to a one-note toxic ex, which completely spits in the face of the development that he went through. THAT is what is most frustrating to fans.

Because it's true that Mickey was not always the best partner. In real life, Mickey would be a walking red flag, and Gallavich would be undeniably toxic. But that applies to EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in Shameless. That is the entire point of the show. None of them are particularly good people. They all do shitty things, but they all have compelling reasons for doing it. That's why we can look at these characters and feel connected to them instead of just absolutely hating them.

It's a really odd writing choice for a show that focuses on morally gray characters, or the idea that nobody in the show is really a good person, to decide to play moral high ground in this particular instance, and have Ian suddenly turn his nose up at Mickey's behaviors.

But is this really how Ian feels?

Because, as established, Ian is VERY good at playing chameleon. He is good at shaping himself into whatever a partner wants him to be. He mirrors his partners mannerisms, beliefs, and attitudes.

And Caleb, for all that the story wants to make us believe he's better than Mickey, is actually not the best partner either. Not just for cheating on Ian in season seven and then gaslighting Ian about it; he shows some toxic behaviors in season six as well, including being lowkey judgmental about Ian's Southside roots.

Take, for example, Caleb implying that the Southside is trash, but that he can see the beauty in Ian despite being from the Southside:

"That's my latest. I love to find the treasure inside the trash. Trying to find the secret life in things. What it wants to be instead of what it is."

"Is that what you're doing with me?"

"Good question. Can I kiss you?"

- Ian and Caleb, S6E6

(Which, funnily enough, this line from Caleb goes pretty against the sentiment that Monica had in season five, of Ian finding somebody who loves Ian for who he already is, as Mickey did.)

Or, for another example, Caleb judging Ian pretty heavily during the softball game for being "not grown-up." Simply because Ian expresses sexual interest in him above romantic.

"Cmon, let's get out of here."

"No. I knew you were younger than me, but I thought you were a grown-up."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E5.

Which, as I pointed out before, is really strange behavior. Participating in hookup culture isn't something that Ian needs to be shamed over. There's a sentiment of "Hooking up is beneath me, it's immature," to Caleb's tone, which is unfair. Now, he has reasons for this, that being his experience with getting HIV from a hookup who lied to him, which draws a pretty interesting parallel to Ian.

"Don't worry, guy I did the scene with said he was clean."

"He didn't use a rubber? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E5.

Vs.

"Guy in college. He lied to me."

- Caleb to Ian, S6E8.

(Which I actually find to be a very interesting plot point and is actually a pretty good scene.)

So, while Caleb was not wrong to put forth a boundary by not hooking up, he was wrong for acting as if IAN was the problem in the situation. Not to mention, his behavior at the game is very strange when taken into account how little they've interacted thus far. He had understandable reasons for his negative reaction, but he went about it the wrong way. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Anyways, I could talk about the relationship between Ian and Caleb more, but that's not what the point of this is.

The point I'm trying to make is that Caleb, however covertly, expresses a negative or biased view toward the Southside lifestyle. And Ian, being the type to mimic his partners, follows along in that.

Ian already fears that he is going to be left. He is afraid that showing Caleb who he really is and not being the idealized version of himself will lead to Caleb breaking up with him.

"I'm enjoying it while it lasts."

"You think he'll dump you?"

"Well, I've told him I'm bipolar, and my family's screwed up, and he took it pretty well. But it's one thing to hear it and another to live it, so... We shall see."

- Ian and Mandy, S6E9

So, he chameleons. He makes himself the treasure in the trash. He distances himself from the image of a brooding, Southside street rat.

Because, after so long of constant pain and numbness during and post his diagnosis, Caleb is the first good thing he's found.

"I haven't been this happy in a long time."

- Ian to Caleb, S6E8.

And really, everything that I just talked about doesn't matter when you think about it that way.

No matter how dedicated or invested Ian was in his relationship with Caleb, it still provided him with companionship and validation, which as we know, is something that Ian has an unhealthy dependence on to find self-worth.

And I don't think Ian was wrong in searching for that connection simply because that connection wasn't with Mickey. He could've been well and truly in love with Caleb, and he wouldn't deserve some of the hate he receives for his canon actions.

It's easy to look at Ian's relationship with Caleb and get frustrated because of all the time that was put into Ian and Mickey's relationship. But beyond the instinctual negative feeling that comes with seeing Ian with anybody other than Mickey, his relationships outside of Mickey deserve to be analyzed and observed for what they actually do for HIS character, and not just immediately cast aside as unnecessary or ooc.

So, to summarize:

Firstly, Ian wasn't selfish for not waiting 15 years for somebody in prison. Whether he was serious about Caleb or not, Ian was under no obligation to dedicate himself to Mickey. Ian did not owe Mickey anything simply because Mickey was there for Ian when shit got tough. If they had been together, sure, Ian would've been a lot shittier for leaving Mickey alone. But as it was, they were broken up, and even if they hadn't been, Ian would've had every right to not want to continue seeing Mickey after his decision to harm Sammi, just as Lip was justified in not wanting to be with Mandy anymore after she ran over Karen.

Secondly, Ian dating Caleb wasn't bad for his character. In fact, I think their relationship in season six was actually a very interesting way to progress Ian's character and get more insight into his mind and how he operates.

Thirdly, Ian and Caleb's relationship deserves to be analyzed for what it is, rather than what it isn't. Just because Ian is not with Mickey doesn't mean that he doesn't undergo some huge development in this season, both in and outside his relationship with Caleb. Furthermore, Ian entering a new relationship gives us the opportunity to see more sides of his character, and as such the relationship should be analyzed as it's own separate entity, and not just as a hurdle in the way of Gallavich.

Fourth, Ian was not just waiting to cast Mickey aside to jump on the next dick possible. I've seen this criticism before, and when looking at his actual arc at the beginning of S6 and analyzing his general character, that's just simply not true. Entering a new relationship is not equal to immediately disregarding Mickey.

TL;DR: The hate Ian gets from this season mainly stems from "Ian date somebody aside from Mickey, bad Ian" without any further thought behind why he enters the relationship and what the relationship actually means to him. There is no separation in the minds of fans between Ian and Mickey, and therefore, Ian having experiences and an identity outside of Mickey is negatively perceived.

Season Seven: Putting His Own Wellbeing First

This one will be less long winded than the previous one, because I have less to say on it, honestly.

During the entirety of Ian's bipolar arc, it is pretty clearly shown that to maintain mental wellness, Ian needs stability.

When Mickey shows up and asks Ian to run away with him to Mexico, that's threatening to uproot every amount of stability Ian has managed to secure the past two seasons of the show.

I honestly don't see as much hate directed toward Ian for his decision to leave Mickey at the border as I see for his previous decisions. I'd say the main thing I actually see directed toward this season is just that Ian's story is boring without Mickey in it. Mostly because he enters another new relationship with Trevor after his relationship with Caleb, which really just follows the cyclical Shameless cycle of, "Don't know what to do with a character? Give them a new love interest!" But because I talked about the judgement for non-Gallavich Ian relationships above, I don't particularly feel like doing a deep dive into the Ian and Trevor relationship in this meta.

What I want to talk about relates to the Mickey Mexico storyline, though, and that's the hate other characters recieve for trying to dissuade Ian from going.

After finding out that Mickey escaped from prison, Fiona and Ian have the following conversation:

"What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep. You ever, uh, think about about what would've happened if you'd run off with Jimmy-Steve?"

"Lying sociopath Jimmy-Steve? My life would be a nonstop psycho-thriller. I definitely dodged a bullet with that one."

"What if nothing ever gives you that same thrill again? Still feel like you dodged a bullet?"

"I don't know. Probably. Where's this coming from?"

"Things have been weird between me and Trevor since Mickey got out."

"You mean since Mickey busted out of prison and has got half the Chicago Police Department circling the Southside looking for him."

"Can't get him out of my head. Just trying to stop myself from doing something I shouldn't."

"You turned your life around. Mickey would set a match to it. You've done really great without him, and I'm really fucking proud of you."

- Ian and Fiona, S7E10.

I've seen this conversation criticized many times because of how "unfairly" Mickey is treated in this scene. But I truly think that nothing said in this scene was wrong, and Fiona was 100% right.

In the past, Fiona has definitely shown a prejudice against the Milkovich family before. Specifically with Mandy, Fiona seems to look down upon her and disapproves of the relationship between her and Lip. This on its own is unfair treatment and is annoying to witness.

But in this particular case, absolutely nothing she is saying is wrong or biased simply because Mickey is a Milkovich.

People take the line, "Mickey would set a match to it," and compare it to his behavior in late Season 4 through season 5, where Mickey is taking care of Ian, and say that Fiona is being untruthful or hypocritical. If Mickey had never been sent to prison, or even if he had just been released legally, and Ian was simply thinking about cheating on Trevor and getting back with Mickey instead of running away with him, then the criticism toward Fiona would be more justified. But as it is, Mickey is a wanted fugitive, and Ian running away with him would make Ian a fugitive as well, and WOULD effectively set a match to the life Ian had spent the past two seasons working toward. He would be giving up a career he worked hard for and fought to have, he'd be living in stressful conditions on the run, he'd have no support system, and he would have less ease of access to his medication. Running with Mickey would have been the wrong decision for Ian's wellbeing, and honestly, Mickey should never have asked Ian to go with him.

I think that many people have rose colored glasses on when it comes to Gallavich, specifically with Mickey, and that makes it harder to view these moments unbiased. But, looking at it objectively, Mickey was so wrong for asking Ian to come with him to Mexico. He KNOWS that Ian needs stability with his bipolar diagnosis, and he KNOWS that this would be a stressful life he'd be forcing Ian into.

Simply put, he's acting selfishly in that moment. Having your own interests in mind is not always a bad thing, but in this specific case, Mickey would have thrown a huge wrench into Ian's life is Ian hadn't made decisions in HIS best interest.

Again, I have less to say on this as I did other subjects, because to me it feels much more cut and dry. Mickey was in the wrong here 100%, Fiona was not being wrongfully judgmental toward Mickey, and Ian was not in the wrong for not going with Mickey.

After so long of seeing them apart, it makes sense to want to see them together again. So when Ian, again, is the one making the decision to end their relationship, fans are going to lash out at him and those around him.

But it's important to put aside biases and allow your favorite character to be in the wrong occasionally. Mickey is not perfect, and criticism against him, both from characters in the show and fans, is not unfounded nor unjustified.

TL;DR: Mickey was wrong for asking Ian to uproot his life and run to Mexico, and calling that out isn't defamation of his character.

To End This Yap Session:

Ian is by no means a faultless character, and he is not exempt from criticism both inside and outside of his relationship with Mickey. However, I often feel that the criticism he faces is for the wrong reasons, and not much contemplation or exploration is done on him as much as it is for Mickey.

I love Mickey. He's an amazingly complex character, and his relationship with Ian is one of my favorite parts of the show. But in being a complex character, he is also an imperfect character.

I feel that many fans get very protective over their favorite characters, to the point that anything that goes against that character's interests is labeled as bad, and any criticism toward his character is disregarded immediately.

In this particular case of Gallavich, I feel that post season three, fans often see things from Mickey's point of view without looking at Ian's as much. This meta was simply to give my own thoughts on Ian's most "controversial" moments among fans. Obviously this is mostly condensed to season six and his relationship with Caleb, which I feel is the biggest example of jumping to conclusions and only seeing the surface level of his character.

However, I would like to acknowledge that Ian is also an insanely popular character in the Shameless fandom. While he is misunderstood in many instances, he is given much more sympathy and understanding than many other characters in the show, especially many of the female characters. This long-winded meta is only focused on the concerning tendency for fans to link Ian's identity to Mickey entirely without allowing him to be an individual, but a majority of the time he is still a beloved character who is treated favorably by fans. Compared to a character like Debbie, Ian sees much more support, and I feel that the energy I put toward this meta and trying to understand Ian should also be applied to (almost) EVERY character in the show.

Anyways feel free to leave thoughts.

[xiaq]

After setting up for an onsite demo, I was talking to the project owner in the conference room, waiting for everyone else to arrive, when I noticed this giant pile of post-it note cubes in all different colors, all mixed together. And I was like. No. Absolutely not.

So I reached over and, while still chatting, got them all sorted by color and then lined my color stacks up in ROYGBIV order, nice and tidy.

Project owner: Ah. I see you have a touch of the 'tism as well.

Me: Whoops.

Project owner: Probably half the people that will be in this room do too, you're among friends.

[cloudyjamjohn]

Egbert, Gender, Disappointment, and Freedom.

This is my house and I will say what I want, but to start here is a disclaimer: This is a big long rant of my thoughts! I don't mind explaining stuff in further detail but be kind! June Egbert is canon and nothing can change that. But if you're going to act like Egbert can't be read as transmasc or nonbinary in the original texts I do think you're being deliberately obtuse. The idea that the transmasc and genderfluid john headcanons that persisted for years before the popularization of June Egbert were all a result of projection and had no substance or reasoning is disingenuous. If you firmly believe John and June can NOT coexist and are certain you won’t change your mind this post isn’t for you. Now then this is my rambling thoughts on why I love genderfluid John and believe his existence would save him. When June first became popularized as a headcanon many of the points people brought up, akining them to their personal trans fem experiences were some of the same points other people used for trans masc john- but, for lack of better wording, it was like looking at these experiences through a funhouse mirror. Where some people perceived June as clinging to the toxic aspects of masculinity to cope with what she thought she needed to be and just remaining miserable for it, others perceived trans masc john as doing the same. Overcompensating for different reasons in a sense. Did June cling to it because it was what her dad wanted? Expected? Did John cling to it as a comfort? Something necessary to be a “man”? The original comic gives us no definitive answers, but something everyone can agree on is these ideas of being manly, strong, and (maybe) insensitive/jerky do Egbert more harm than good. Is this entirely intentional though or is this a result of people not perceiving John as a whole?

Outside of moments where John verbally reasserts his manliness and toughness, where do John’s interests lie? Jokes and practical japery, magic, video games and movies, and paranormal lore. Dissecting these only one of them may really explore John’s inner feelings of gender in Homestuck- his love of movies. John loves action and apocalyptic films, expressing his love of the traditionally masculine, rough and manly male leads with admiration for the female characters sprinkled in here and there. For Con Air he projected heavily onto the male lead, idolizing the idea of being a strong hero, standing up for what’s right, and (most interestingly) being reunited with a loving wife and daughter. While someone could brush this off as June looking for a role model in what she thinks she is supposed to be, or perhaps misattributing some kind of romantic attraction to a feeling of “wanting to be him”, I think it goes deeper than that. If we were to remove the concept of gender from this entirely it shows that Egbert wants to be strong, a hero, and part of a loving family- specifically in the role of a caretaker who is desired and respected. John only ever defends his adoration when other people mock or belittle him for it. His hatred for the film only manifests during a time John’s own self hatred and grief were at an all time high, his denouncement of ConAir not really being targeted at Cameron Poe but himself and his frustration of being (mostly) isolated and confined. 

Is this even about gender anymore? Let’s look further.

While some people do think Dad was abusive, or June hated him, I have to disagree. Because despite young Egbert perceiving their father as this pinnacle of manliness, is that what you actually saw? Because despite dad Egbert being sharp, strong, and gentlemanly he did a lot of things that weren't traditionally masculine. A single father raised by a single mother, he baked often and taught John the art of pranking- one of their greatest joys and something June stopped doing in the epilogues/BC despite it being one of her favorite things and an integral part to her character. Dad never belittled John, each of his letters full of praise and support, almost heavy handedly so. While he would often use gendered language- such as "son", "man", etc.- the idea that any of it was malicious, as if to curb any femininity June might show, seems a bit of a stretch. Dad Egbert remained silently worried, perhaps the only true poignant evidence of toxic masculinity, when John suffered from nightmares and scribbled his inner hatred over his posters in the colors of those he considered his friends.But maybe he did ask, and maybe John didn’t understand because he couldn’t see his own writing on the walls. Which led to the miscommunication and Dad Egbert trying to support his child’s “interest” in harlequin dolls with matching gifts.

The truth of dad egbert is he is a man who was loved, whose corpse John discovered at the tender age of 13, and was never properly mourned.

How does gender play into this???

It doesn’t, and that’s the issue. Egbert, despite their quirks and the uniqueness of their circumstances, is a character people project onto and relate to. They are a trusting character who despite their skepticism loves their friends and does their best to believe in them. Personalized cards on their birthdays, gifts catered to them, thinking of them fondly, listening to them not because they want to but because they TRUST them- even when their friends belittle them, mock them, blame them. Karkat projects his own self-hatred onto John. Dave projects his bro’s expectations onto John. Vriska projects her entire EGO onto John.

And they take it. Because John struggles with their identity, their grief, their communication, their responsibilities, and their own self hatred.

Because John HATES himself and he doesn’t want to disappoint others and have them hate him too. They expect him to be a leader when he just wants to be their friend. They expect him to be a “man” so he tries to fit that role. They expect him to take care of himself and he doesn’t know how, having always followed what others asked of him even if they wouldn’t do the same for him.

And even not Egbert can not meet the expectations of the audience. There will be people who are disappointed if “John” ceases to exist, and people who are disappointed if “June” isn’t all she is. There are people disappointed with June’s clothes and figure despite her being nothing more than a nameless silhouette. Too feminine. There would be people who would be disappointed if she was too masculine. 

While people criticize the genderfluid John headcanon for its “only” root being set in John’s aspect of Breath- freedom and change- I think they’re missing the mark. Because it can also mean to be unbound. Unbound from the expectations and the worries of others, shifting on a whim to whatever feels most right. Freedom of expression, a shift from role to role, a trickster god who stands center stage as whatever they wish rather than a stone-stiff silhouette.

While genderfluidity may sound like a compromise to some, a cop-out to not disappoint anyone, I think it would save John from disappointing themselves. It’s not just about expression after all, them being a woman or man may bring personal euphoria but it doesn’t fix their destroyed relationships. It won’t suddenly make them a more sensitive person, a less anxious person, a person unburdened by responsibilities no matter what some people might think. That would take work.

But, while it may be hard to empathize for those of you who aren’t nonbinary or genderfluid or even trans, feeling free from the burdens of a binary can be invigorating. Not having to worry about how well you present, how “right” or “wrong” you are, is freeing. I truly believe John cutting ties with these self/peer-imposed expectations would leave him room to grow, to look inward, to not worry about changing on the outside but rather on the inside.

That’s my take on the matter at least. At its core I really do believe Egbert’s biggest issues aren’t their gender but rather their grief, lack of support system, and possible undiagnosed autism. I think genderfluid john would be awesome, but therapy would probably be better. Either way June is awesome and I hope she stands center stage with John one day, like Roxy and Roxy. Either that like army of John and Junes lead by a single John that has shed their flesh and moral form, that would be super cool.

Be kind to others and don’t spread hate! <3

[right-there-ride-on]

Who do we think had worse parasocial relationships in their racing days johnny or diego

[sunnyknight-original]

My masterpiece is complete, enjoy it…if you dare…

This took a while but enjoy my 52 slide slideshow that somehow has plot twists for some reason! It’s newbie proof too! I explain quite a bit of background that most people probably already know, but its concise enough I feel

(Twiggy don’t look at this I SWEAR 🫵 wait till Monday)

[fandomsfordays21]

I always find it upsetting that there isn't very much crossover content between ULTRAKILL and Murder Drones. I don't mean in the sense of them fighting each other, either.

I mean, sure, it would be really cool to watch V1 fight N, V, or Uzi but imagine them just... interacting.

I mean, we know that V1 has at least SOME sentience outside of its hunt for fuel. All of the machines in ULTRAKILL do, to some extent. I think it would be neat to see how V1's intelligence would interact with that of a Disassembly Drone or a Worker Drone.

V1 was designed to be a weapon. They were made during a time of war, after all. Not only that, it's heavily implied that V1 was the machine designed to END the war. V1 was made to destroy fucking EARTHMOVERS for God's sake, it had to have been intended to be a last charge.

That is the difference between Machines from ULTRAKILL and the robots/drones from MD. Drones, whether Worker or Disassembly, were designed with intended sentience and human-like behavior. They have expressive faces, they have humanoid bodies, they have emotions that obviously seem to be an intended feature considering the previously mentioned expressiveness. A Machine from ULTRAKILL, though, gained that sentience from their fuel source.

In the lore of ULTRAKILL, blood is the fuel of all life. All living things run on blood, and all living things bleed. Machines from ULTRAKILL have both these characteristics, and are therefore alive. This is not only a technical thing, there's evidence of Machines being sentient. The Gutterman's poem, Mindflayers and the Swordsmachine both caring about their appearance and partaking in body modification, Mindflayers specifically being stated to make a body FROM SCRATCH and being so upset when it's damaged that they fucking SELF DESTRUCT. This isn't even mentioning the fact the Swordsmachine is a type of celebrity, so much so that he has admirers that copy his form, that being the red and blue Swordsmachines, named Agony and Tundra respectively. This also means that Agony and Tundra CHOSE names so they could be unique. Even V2 shows this sentience in the form of getting enraged when she is hit with the Knuckleblaster, the arm that V2 stole. The Earthmovers even show some sentience, as they are tragically stated to have reached for heaven while shutting down, like they were asking for help from the God that was no longer there. Even the Terminals with them creating the style meter and with them cheering or booing you while in the Cybergrind.

Even V1, despite being the player's vessel and having no ways to obviously display a personality or intelligence, has actions or traits that could imply it. Taking the arms from V2, the line of text "You're not getting away this time." When V2 runs away during the 2nd fight. This meaning V1 probably intended to kill V2 back in Limbo and was salty about V2 running away again. This is interesting though, because despite V1 showing signs of being upset when V2 runs away, they don't kill Gabriel after either encounter. You could easily prescribe this to "Well Gabriel can't continue the plot if he's dead." but it is pretty strange that V1 acts upset when V2 runs away again, triggering a chase, but let's Gabriel leave both times without complaints. Not to mention the fact that when V1 reads books, they tend to mostly focus on text involving Gabriel, deeming that "The rest of the text is irrelevant". (Also the thing of calling skeletons Hank for some reason? Who tf is Hank, Hakita? Is he a real guy that V1 knew or is this a show of creativity of V1's part?)

Do you think the machines of ULTRAKILL would be envious? Envious that these little drones get to have freewill? That they were designed with intelligence and the ability to express it? Would a Mindflayer be jealous of the pre-built feminine forms of V or J? Would V2 be jealous of the Disassembly Drones and their ability to regenerate? As they never have to scavenge for parts in order to have two working arms? Would V1 be jealous of the voiceboxes the Drones have? Because they are organic sounding and fluid? (We are assuming here that V1 has the SAMS system voice they are commonly portrayed as having.)

Most of all, would a Machine be jealous of the abundance of resources the Drones have? That they don't have to explore the deepest pits of Hell, leaving behind a war-ravenged wasteland that was once Earth? That they can have society instead of constant war? That even though some Drones have to consume oil to live, that it can be consumed anytime? That they don't have to fear for when the fresh stuff runs dry? Would a Machine harbor hatred that these Drones have been blessed by humans with their intelligence, while it had been cursed unintentionally?

And especially, what would the Drones think. What would they think of these barbaric creatures? What would they think when the steel is cut and they see the pulsing flesh and blood underneath? What would they think of the cold optic of V1 or V2, knowing that there is a thinking and feeling mind behind it. Would they think of them as monsters? Beasts? Demons? Or would it be similar to a human seeing an alien? Unfamiliar and frightening, especially when they show the ability to communicate.

Or, you know, you could have V1 explaining how an ULTRARICOSHOT works to Uzi and effectively making her railcannon more dangerous, that works too.

[splinteredsweets]

i'm gonna go insane

whenever i watch the opening of wreck it ralph i can't help but wonder ... ok so originally and for years i've always thought the other bad guys just didn't fully understand how much shit ralph has gone through for his entire life and they have better lives which i think is in parts still true , as they do appear to have get-togethers often and they seemingly have other friends while ralph had no one , but i unfortunately don't feel like that's the extent of it and that there's more to it than that .

on one rewatch something about their phrasing bothered me ... 'we've all felt what you're feeling and we've come to terms with it' like this could either - again - mean just that 'we didn't exactly like doing bad things but as bad guys it's our job to' but then i thought ... what if they also experienced a similar situation of mistreatment by their good guys and npcs ? what if they still experience that ? but it's just easier to deal with because they all have each other ? if bad-anon isn't just for 'im bad and that's good' but like the only place they find acceptance ?? bc like when ralph is walking home from pac-man's , the other characters he comes across say 'bad guy coming' like ??? do all bad guys experience this ??? but we just don't get to see it ??? ralph is the only one stopped by surge protector in the instances we see but who's to say the other bad guys don't get stopped on occasion too and we just don't see it ? or maybe they're let off easier bc they've 'accepted their place' . oh my god .

and at the end of the movie , ralph is treated better by the nicelanders , which is good ofc , but how are the other bad guys doing ??? if they've been through something similar , are they being treated better too ??? i sure hope so ... like maybe there was like some kind of meeting offscreen like 'hey can we stop outcasting bad guys for just doing their jobs please' idk ... i just have a horrible terrible feeling there's no way the other bad guys aren't facing or at the very least have faced similar discrimination . it's just easier to deal with bc they've had to forge a community to support eachother . because no one else will give them the respect after-hours . im sure someone else has mentioned this before idk i just need to get it out b4 i lose my mind

i could phrase this all more eloquently but i think i might just end up overthinking myself to death i tend to do that a lot

[bbubblerum]

My Problem with Paladins

Okay so, this is gonna be a long post not like much I've done before but I must RANT haha! This will be specifically focusing on the 5e(2014) version of Paladins because I have not played anything 2024 and probably won't.

So a bit of background. I have been a DM for dnd for about 6 years at this point, running for at least 10 Paladins and Playing a Paladin once. So in risk of being overconfident, I know what Paladins are like and I(think?) I know what I am talking about! Over this time I have gained a strong dislike for Paladins as a class, and in fact I believe it is the worst designed class in 5e by FAR.

This is not to tell you that you should not play Paladin. I am not your DM. It is just for you to read and think about as either a DM or PC.

Explanation:

My problem with Paladins is that each class is based off a Core Class Fantasy. Rogue is the Thief, walking through the shadows and scouting locations, Fighter is a skilled warrior who is capable in almost any scenario, Wizard is a master of the arcane who is knowledgeable on many subjects and always has a spell for any situation etc. Paladin's Core Fantasy as a class is the Holy Warrior, Arthurian Knight etc. That is a very strong Core Fantasy. But this is not what brings a lot of people to this class because the fantasy has shifted with 5e.

My understanding is that previous editions had stricter requirements for becoming a Paladin(being a certain alignment etc) and so it was a bit more powerful to compensate. 5e removed these requirements rightfully because they were boring and unnecessarily restricted character concepts. But 5e in an attempt to stay in line with other editions kept them as unusually powerful.

Each class is good at certain things by default, Druid is good at Support and Control. Healing or buffing party members and laying down spells like spike growth to control the battlefield. Fighters have decent Armour Class, Decent Hit Points and Decent Damage. Wizards are good at Damage and Control etc. This is where the Paladin stands out from other classes, it is good at too much.

The Paladin has the BEST Support ability in the game in Aura of Protection, which if a player knows to put a 20 in Charisma throws off the balance of the game so much that it actually breaks. Spellcasters by the book simply no longer function. No spell or saving throw effect will be reliable in any capacity against most of the group. Having a single Paladin in a group throws out creatures like Beholders(a very iconic and fun creature) because they use almost exclusively Saving Throws.

They also have the single best Damage ability in the game in Divine Smite. A Feature where you can add up to 6d8 after you hit. Allowing you to essentially destroy critical hits as a mechanic. This feature quickly outperforms almost all other damage features and spells in the game, and single handedly breaks multiclassing. A Sorcerer or any other spellcaster can multiclass for 2 levels at any point past 9th level and get the ability to use this ability on the level of a 17th level Paladin. God forbid you ever come across a Bladesinger/Paladin multiclass, because that will stretch your sanity as a DM.

On top of these game breaking abilities, Paladin's Hit Points are only outclassed by Barbarians. Tied with Fighter and Ranger at a d10 Hit Dice. Along with this, they also get proficiency with Heavy Armour and Shields, allowing them some of the highest Armour Class in 5e. They do TOO much. This has caused the shift in the Core Fantasy of Paladins. Their fantasy in what I have seen is no longer a Knight or Holy Warrior or anything of the sort, it is being the Best. The Paladin is the best class in 5e, because it was not designed well. Its only shortcoming mechanically is what, movement speed? Stealth(unless you go for the equally as powerful Dexterity based Paladin)?

Why This Is Bad:

The reason I have a problem with all this is not because I hate powergaming or minmaxing. Frankly that is kind of ingrained in my group at this point. We have all been playing and DM-ing for many years and we like to exploit parts of the system within reason. I have had many Assassin Rogue/Gloomstalker Rangers and Swords Bard Archers in my group and it has always been a lot of fun. My problem with Paladins is honestly just how much they increase the work of the DM to make combat tolerable. Because of how good their Saving Throws and Damage are, you have three choices:

Buff your monsters Saving Throw DCs and Hit Points

Use Higher Level Monsters

Let your party Steamroll every combat

All of these have their own problems. Buffing your monsters and using higher level monsters results in 1-Shotting anyone outside of the Paladin's Aura of Protection, and turns most fights into a Hit Point Slog. But not doing either of these results in all fights being over in less than 2 rounds and essentially giving into the Paladin's Core Fantasy of being OP and getting to live out an empty Powerfantasy. I have tried all of these, and it is an incredibly difficult balancing act that means if you screw up even slightly, the combat is deeply unfun.

Paladin is profoundly Anti-Fun in its design. The only person having a good time is the Paladin and even then that doesn't last past the first few times they 1-shot a god haha. Paladin is one of my favorite classes in fiction, I love the IDEA of Paladins but the mechanics are just "What is the Best Thing we can give a Player Character?"

What I will Be Doing In the Future:

Okay so we are out of the weeds of my rant, now I will be actually be giving advice and explaining what I am doing with my statement.

I have been very much considering straight up banning Paladin in my games. This is a pretty brute force method of dealing with this and people won't like it, but I do really think that it will make the games I run better. Banning is not fun, but this class has legitimately caused me IRL stress.

However, I do think I have it in me to "Fix" Paladins. I love the 4e version and its sister class the Avenger. I think I am good enough to Homebrew a version of this class that maintains the class fantasy but has less of the problems I have discussed because this class has a LOT to offer! I love the flavour of the class, and I think the Subclasses of the Paladin are some of if not the best designed in the game. It actually feels like the subclasses were made by a completely different company. The fact that your subclass determines your 20th level feature is genius and I love every one of them. With a special place in my heart for the Oath of Conquest and Oath of Ancients.

I will likely be banning the class at some point in the future until I can homebrew and playtest a new version. Because I think honestly just tweaking Divine Smite and Aura of Protection can save this pile of burning tires. If you have read this far, thank you for putting up with me and please let me know what you agree/disagree with I am very open to new points of view on this.

Why You Should Not Listen To Me:

In my current campaign I have let my Paladin player Smite on Bow Attacks and given his character an Oathbow that has been buffed significantly. They are level 12 and they are 1-shotting Tarrasques. <3

[user-needs-new-hyperfixation]

ldkajflkdja that moment when Jayce is on his knees and he's still snarling and fighting and then he looks around and realizes. this is it, this is the moment, it's over, and he just...relaxes, breathes out, eyes going soft and wide right before he closes them and just submits to it grrrr he's so pretty

[lizzybeeee]

Everytime I wake up in the morning and see a bunch of notifications on my DATV critical posts I know that a bunch of northern hemisphere people have just finished the game lmao

[calebtsm]

For those who don’t know Shelly is my favourite toon mostly because of how she acts and how she is personally wise

I love her goofy little personality with her hyperfixation on dinosaurs (the tism is strong with this one🔥🔥🔥)

She is really nice to the other toons and I feel so bad for her that she gets forgotten or inorged and honestly I feel that

I there’s also the fact that I have athazagoraphobia (the fear of being forgotten/ ignored) that Shelly also has but it’s sadly littery and the fact she is so happy when Bassie remembers her and acknowledges her which is sweet

Im gonna call out @qibsichan, @bazyboo13 and @idiotsmart-cozy-cottage/ @idiotsmart1 for calling me Shelly which I’m happy and also “guys WTF😭” it both a compliment and insult like amigos why?😭/lh /j

Shelly is still my favourite regardless and tell me who your favourite toon is (I also love Bassie and Astro as mains)

[redwolftakesthemoon]

anyway allow me to give you my unsolicited thoughts on toh (in episode order). this will continue to be updated but this is after 3-4 rewatches within the past month (after not being into it ever)

S1 Ep 2 Witches Over Wizards: how did I not realize until now that the second episode (Witches Over Wizards) is fully an allegory for the last episode like-- Luz gains friends while in a strange magical world and finally gets a magic staff but the land turns sour and her friends are puppets and she has to defeat the higher being that is puppeteering them. Uhm. Also there's a vegetable themed pet with bat wings (String Bean reference)

S1 Ep 15 Understanding Willow: "Where were you born?" -Gus, to King. This is definitely foreshadowing the discoverys about King's birth place

S2 Ep 7 Lost in Language: "The Owl shack?" - Amity. Owl shack reference?? The shack in the woods in s3??

S2 Ep 1 Separate Tides: "I can't change the past, but I can still change the future!" - Luz

Okay but she literally changed the past and indirectly invented the coven systems and helped Belos with everything so

"I do know that you're standing in a plant that eats flesh" - Hunter

He loves his research.

"And try not to get into trouble? The emperor is not a merciful man."

Firstly, past experience :( poor child. Secondly, he was trying to protect her!!

S2 Ep 4 Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances: sorry but there are a lot of references that probably aren't actually but:

"we've tried blah blah blah" like in that "ad" in Odd Squad. Also, the whole Warlock thing is a "reference" to tat one MLP episodes with the Film Flam brothers

S2 Ep 6 Hunting Palisman: pretty sure Amity stayed home because she was grounded about her hair.

Not a theory or anything but Luz's face when Flapjack meets Hunter is just so damn CUTE I love her

"These out bursts are... Painful. And so is watching you fail" - Belos

OMG he's so fake that was so deliberate he was obviously trying to make Hunter think he wasn't doing that on purpose. But later in Hollow mind he shows Hunter that the hand thing does happen in command and he was doing it to Hunter the whole time. I wonder if that's how he got his face scar?

S2 EP 12 Elsewhere and Elsewhen: "You witches come up wth the worst lies" well, she was actually not a witch but a human, which I think was something about you, belos

HOLYYY All the parallels between Hunter/Caleb and Eda's Dad goes crazy. Thesar in his left eye like flapjack, the scars on his hands, the hair as someone pointed out. "So someone new can learn the trade" Hunter learned the trade!! Cutie!!

S2 Ep 15 Them's the Breaks, Kid: Luz writes "Petrification BAD" in her notebook next to her glyph notes :( I bet she's thinking about Eda's Petrification

S2 Ep 18 Labyrinth Runners: Galderstones being a good gift for the emperor because he needs them to make new grimwalkers

Emira's hand and Skara's arm disappears for a few seconds

S2 Ep 20 Clouds on the Horizon: Hunter, when he is playing as Luz, teleporting with his powers to help Willow (don't know how that worked. He doesn't have magic)

"Sounds like I joined the wrong coven" says Alador after King says he gets a lunch break. Are you implying that Odalia doesn't let her husband have a lunch break?? I still hate them both but come on

THE WAY LUZ LOOKED AT AMITY AS SHE WAS TRYING TO BREAK THE CAGE 😭😭 I ACTUALLY LOVE HER SO MUCH THEY'RE SO CUTE GOD

Okay I know that Luz wanted to face Belos and such, which i assumed was the reason she made Gus switch her and Hunter. But I just realized that no, she realized what Belos would do to Hunter if he found him and was like "nah man don't you dare kill my brother take me instead and I will kill you" 😭❤️ God I love these random ass characters my goodness golly willy wonkers

I'm, like, a little stupid but in the scenes, if you actually look, you can very obviously see Gus straining to keep up the illusion. Even when he falters other illusions, he keeps this one up and you can see his hand rings and him sweating from the effort. Good good details I love this show

S2 Ep 21 King's Tide: Cutie patootie Hunter spinning his staff to defend Willow from rocks. Also him not using his right arm because sigil :( bro has suffered too much

Just thought it was a funny bit of foreshadowing that the guy with the tall top hat ducks at the beginning to foreshadow the top of it coming off in the fight

"Have you as my right hand? I'd sooner cut off my whole arm." And then Eda's right arm gets cut off

You think Terra was the one who realized Raine was planning something and then asked Belos to put her and Graye beside Eda/Raine in the draining spell so that she could figure it out and stop it?

"I don't want to see another human life destroyed by this place!" He's talking about Caleb, but I think rather he should be talking about himself.

Sorry this isn't an Easter egg or whatever I just think the way Belos looks at his clothing when Luz insults his fashion sense is so funny he's like "wait what's wrong with my outfit :("

King's.... Tide? And then... The eclipse makes the tides go out? I see what you did there

S3 Ep 1 Thanks to Them: Vee saw her friends being sad about their parents and she went back to the historical society because she wanted to help them T-T I love her

I might be crazy but is the "It came from the dirt" poster in Luz's room a grimwalker reference? I may be reading to deeply into this

This isn't an Easter egg hunt they say Luz located the Titan's blood is so similar to the way people find the stronghold in Minecraft

The back of Vee's phone case has the guy from Nightmare before Christmas on it

Belos totally can't swim. Embarrassing (why did he start drowning immediately)

"Caleb. You would stab me in the back??" "You did it to him first" idk why but this made me giggle he LITERALLY stabbed him with a knife.

Not sure which is first, but the same girl who saw the monster (Belos) on the side of the road is also in the library with Amity and the book thingies

"Who cares about the ripple affects??" Hunter is a ripple affects man 😔 who cares about him tbh /silly

The way Amity recites nearly exactly what Luz said to her several months ago really does that she was listening. They really love each other

S3 Ep 2 For The Future: Raine realizing what they did to Eda's arm. Also Eda going harpy mode and Raine being love struck. 10/10 adorable moment

Camila: "It's not good if you try to hold it all in" and the FACE she MAKES. She's had experience :(

Boscha has a crab headband 🥺 very cute (like her palisman Maya)

I can't get over Hunter reaching for his staff that's not there and him hearing the bird chirping and thinking it's flapjack Im gonna cry (also Hunter in FTF is just 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼)

Eda's hair is like Evelyn's.

S3 Ep 3 Watching and Dreaming: The way Amity is pulled from Luz in WaD is just like how Luz is Pulled from Camila in the episode where she visits the human realm and meets Vee

In the owl house remains, there are imprints on the walls that I assume line up ett he stuff in there before.

"The archives". There are a bunch of photos with the Collector's memories. Maybe the archives is actually his mindscape or something similar?

This is a very baseline observation, but I thought it was adorable how Eda had her moment with Luz teaching her how to make a spell circle for the first time, and then King had his moment when they did the "weh" together

Misc: Raine wasn't actually brainwashed; they used the bard magic to change the effects of the tea that Terra gave them so it wouldn't effect them. Smart smart. I like them now which is disappointing

"This is too much, even for you"- Alador to Odalia, Clouds on the Horizon

And then "This is a bit much, even for you!" - Amity to Boscha, For the Future (proof that Boscha has a crush on Amity /silly)

Palistrom trees are rare because Belos harvests then for grimwalkers and to eat the palismen

Bro they had a titan this whole time for blood (they probably didn't want to cut King open anyway lol) (maybe it wouldn't have worked anyway since the Titan created the isles and his blood gotta be different than King's? Idk)

The book that shows Grimwalkers shows: Galderstones as hearts, Stonesleeper lungs, and Palistrom wood used as keratin (skin, hair, nails)

In the one where Gus has new friends - "Illusions are just so.... y'know?"

And then in Labyrinth Runners, the head witch does ths same shit

GUYYS did Belos do that to Flap???

The only thing Hunter is allowed to customize about his appearance is his socks, I bet, in the coven. I bet he has a lot of fun socks. I think this is Also part of his obsession with making clothes and custom e accessories and things

In s2 last episode and s1 last episode eda and Luz both do a spicy toss

The hand thing that Darius did that one time? I don't like how it's portrayed in the fandom. He did it because he was going to "hit" Hunter. We know he wasn't actually, but it scared Hunter. It wasn't out of affection. He was threatening Hunter but he decided he liked him, and a he did a fake hit. But it wasn't affectionate. The fandom likes to make art where Darius does this to Hunter as if it were a little headpat, but is not. I don't like it.

All the Plantar family frogs show up: Hunger has a Sprig plushie, and in TtT, HopPop is on the wall of the vet clinic, and Luz drew Polly in her notebook. HopPop is also on a book one one Willow's dads gives her

"The emperor is not a merciful man" - Hunter "The emperor is not a forgiving man" -Kiki

Tiny cute note!! Camila is specifically studying the Ice glyph in the credits of TtT, and in FtF, that's specifically is the one she remembers!

Vee uses the same bat in her first appearance vs TtT

I'm definitely reading into this too much tbh but whatever: the last thing on Gus's bucket list is to be the surprise in a hollow cake, and then in the lastish episode of that season, King is the surprise in that cake when everything is all sad

King has an exoskeleton lmaoo

I think Willow, Gus, and Hunter all like panting after he saves them from the vines in FtF parallels Luz and King and Eda in WaD

As mentioned by someone somewhere, Darius's goop parallels Belos's very much. It even has the same eyeballs in it, and I feel like Hunter is very brave to stand up to him in that episode :))

Collector definitely has abandonment issues. "I don't like being alone" "And where is he now?" and he's always like... "Don't leave me!!" Sad. I like them.

In s2ep15 Eda calls Bump "vice princy B" and in FtF they call him "Princy B" and I love that for him

In one of the first season episodes, King won't admit that he misses Luz. In FtF, he openly admits it immediately :(

[hightidejellyfish]

Oh, “Deltarune tomorrow” this, “GTA6 got delayed again” that, “we’re getting Silksong-” well how about we shut up for five minutes??? I don’t even mean this in a rude way, as it is perfectly fine to be excited about something new, but if it’s the only thing you ever talk about until it releases then you need to chill the hell out. I’m so tired of obsessing over something for so long that I’m disappointed when I finally get to experience the fucking thing because I’ve made up this perfect image of it with thousands of what-ifs and theories. Half of the time I don’t even know when something releases until people say “we’ve been waiting so long for (blank)” and I’m just wondering when the goddam idea was even conceived. It’s also SO horrible and rotting for your brain that unless you have the capacity for hyperfixation of a GOD, then you will fell burnt out about said thing and you will go into a recessive slump because it doesn’t bring you the happiness that it did before. I also know exactly how that would feel because it’s happened to me before and it sucks like a motherfucker. Please think about anything else for any allotted amount of time, or god forbid be bored for a second (it’s good for you, I promise), I am literally begging you.