#it doesn't even really rank up there with the most problematic ships

[diamondcitydarlin]

hey i had a wild and crazy idea, just bear with me here bro, but maybe if you're beetlebabes dni you should try not going in the tags constantly to announce that to everyone who is the exact thing you're trying not to interact with. idk just a thought! like consider that we all know you exist, no one who has shipped beetlebabes for any amount of time is unaware that there are people who find the pairing and the people who ship it disgusting. i know that this new film must have all of yall huffing massive amounts of copium to deal with it all, but you could also just, yknow, not interact with it at all. not talk about it. stay in the lane of things you actually like instead of treading on other people's fun bc your disgust with it makes you feel entitled to try to shut it down. just put it in your bio if you feel that strongly about it and move on with your life maybe? choose happiness instead of bitterness? focus on improving yourself and your life instead of trying to play fandom cop every day? just thoughts, do with them what you will!

[larothoughts]

anti-ship adjacent ships: liujiu and qijiu

so there's this weird thing that's happening in svsss of all fandoms that reminds me a lot of voltron's klance and sheith fiasco AKA the formation of what i like to call anti-ship adjacent ships

basically, when someone's favorite ship is more indicative of them being an anti-shipper of another ship.

i've had to start excluding liujiu in my ao3 searches because more often than not, the fics that come up are yqy-bashing and what?? this is svsss, right? mxtx's trashiest, most problematic, harem-bicycle-shen-yuan svsss? what is this moral outrage doing in my degenerate danmei fic space, and why are you mischaracterizing yqy just to make an excuse to hate on him??

i've had a few thoughts on the rising dichotomy of shen jiu sympathizers both validating sj's bad behavior and hating yqy for enabling the same behavior. and then shipping him with lqg because liujiu is 'less toxic.' As an old lady fanfic reader who's trawled through all the godforsaken dead dove ships of the old livejournal kink_meme, i'm writing these out because making sense of things helps me cope and i am too old for this shit

(this is actually more 'why anti-qijiu' word vomit than liujiu specific--it just so happens that so many liujiu fics are bizarrely anti-qijiu.)

narrative reasons for anti-yqy liujiu fic:

aka why an author finds it easier for the plot to bash qi-ge

accepting either romantic or platonic qijiu means trying to fix qijiu. this is hard. yqy and sj already have a proven history of failure, while sj and lqg (aka author's ideal white-knight love interest) would be the perfect do-over. making yqy a clear abusive villain sj must cut off ties with 'for his mental health' solves the problem without having to fix things. it frees the author to write what they thought qi-ge should have done to 'save shen jiu right.'

on the same note, liujiu have nearly no canon crumbs. the author can write them however they want without being constrained by their canon relationship.

why lqg over other possible ships? other than yqy, lqg is one of the few characters with any sort of previous relationship with sj. lqg is canonically hot, has strong (even if negative) feelings towards sj, and has no textual or subtextual canon ship (beyond a one-sided crush on shen yuan, with lbh getting in his way lol.) he is also the same generation as sj and thus avoids any age gap squicks like with sj's other ship partners (looking at you tlj)

yqy is the only person in cang qiong with higher authority than shen jiu. while other peak lords are antagonistic, all are ranked lower and can't get in liujiu's way the same way as yqy can as a sect leader. not even the old palace master has the same power because he's the head of a different sect. so if you really want to write a villain abusing their (implicit) power over shen jiu, yqy is the only one that fits the bill.

lbh, as sj's disciple, does not fit the same abuse of power trope even if he becomes an op demon lord. as for bingjiu, lbh's brand of diabolical stalkerish yandere is so over-the-top it's hard to equate him to any real relationship. it's easier to twist yqy's passivity to villainy because it's closer to reasonable human behavior.

if one is coming from the tgcf fandom, yue qingyuan is the closest junwu-adjacent character in terms of personality and rank (on the surface.) so it's easy to transfer any junwu hate to yqy by giving him all of junwu's worst traits and making him 'junwu-lite'

same thing as above but with mdzs and the lan xichen hate for his inaction regarding his own little meowmeow (jgy).

personal author-reasons for anti-yqy liujiu fic:

aka when the character himself doesn't matter

let's get a silly one out of the way: maybe the author only headcanons top shen jiu and most qijiu has sj being a bottom. lqg gives off better hot twinky bottom energy than submissive-but-still-tops yqy. this does not explain the anti-shipping though.

less silly: an author is projecting either themselves or other people in their real life onto their fic, and changing the character's personalities to match their real life projected counterparts (even if ooc). sj is a clear abuse-survivor insert, which shoe-horns other characters into roles that real people in the author's lives have. i think yqy is often seen as the insert for someone who 'could have helped but didn't.' there are many valid reasons why someone would be more mad at the person who averted their gaze rather than their actual abuser, but that doesn't change the fact that qijiu's relationship in canon is so much more complicated.

(it's easier to hate enablers instead of abusers, because hating abusers and inviting confrontation is dangerous. most of the time, enablers won't hurt you directly. they are the safer person to hate.)

an author thinks they could have saved sj better, that qi-ge had more than enough time to fix things and his failure not to do so must be punished by taking away his sj-simp-card and throwing him into the villain bin. this is similar to the phenomenon where an author hates the wife of canon anime couples b/c the author could clearly wife him better. and then writes a fic bashing said wife.

an author sees a messy relationship and equates messy with abusive. in reality many relationships can be messy but not abusive, messy but still fixable, but due to their personal experiences they see any attempt to do so as toxic. in this scenario yqy is often the abuser-insert and his ooc characterization takes after the author's own abuser.

specifically in fics where lqg has the personality of a cardboard cut-out: using liujiu to tell others they are still pro-ship, when in reality they dislike qijiu for their own reasons (and can't help but write it in their fic). it really reminds me of middle school lol like kids trying to find their identity by hating another identity. the whole 'ew pink is overrated, i hate preps which means i must be a nerdy rebel' and then two years later you realize you're not a nerdy rebel after all, you just based your entire identity on what you thought was the opposite of what you hated.

why i try not to read anti-qijiu liujiu fics:

aka write whatever you want, but sometimes i have to choose not to read

authors can write whatever they want. we're all doing this for free, so it's expected that a lot of fanfic have venting and some self-imposing onto a fictional character. i don't expect authors to NOT put themselves in their fic in some way. at the same time, however, i hope authors are self-aware enough to not bash another character just because that character reminds them of someone irl.

aka i get uncomfortable when i read a fic that has an author's obvious real-person insert. i'm not reading svsss fic anymore, i'm reading the author's version of punishing their abuser using fiction. i love transformative media that adds onto the canon! i love different interpretations even! but i'm here to read svsss? where are the svsss characters??

i'm not into character-bashing in general. i think the point of svsss and all of bingqiu's misunderstandings is the fact that good/evil is not a binary. sy spent the whole series fearing the 'evil' binghe despite the fact that post-abyss binghe was a complex person, causing a chain reaction of disaster. hell, shen jiu is the king of gray characters! he is a scum villain, evil and misunderstood, to be a sj-fan means to understand that no one is entirely good or evil. so it's even more cognitively dissonant when a pro-sj fic is so categorically anti-qijiu, as this often paints sj as good/misunderstood and yqy as bad.

(the only character-bashing i don't care about is the old palace master mxtx clearly wrote him to be bashed so throw him in a fire)

i don't mind liujiu actually, i think the dynamic has potential (see all the sj harem fic i've read lol) but qi-ge is such a big part of sj's character that vilifying/getting rid of him does sj a disservice too? sj has a shit ton of bad coping mechanisms, these aren't going to be magically fixed if yqy gets his limbs chopped off as 'just punishment' (??) for not stopping sj from abusing his own students (????)

in conclusion

there is no point to this rambling, and you don't need to agree with me on anything. these are just thoughts i had when trying to figure out why anti-ship adjacent ships even exist. the moral outrage is giving me war flashbacks of anti-sheith klance fans using their age gap as justification for their own ship, rather than liking klance for... being klance.

(I briefly considered going over all liujiu vs qijiu morality arguments, but if you're an sj fan i feel like morality arguments are pointless. he is an angry feral scum kitten who hits kids, no sj-fan has the moral high ground here.)

it's always unfortunate to see so much anti-shipping spilling into fandom, since by default most of us are living in the fringe minority anyway. further dividing us is just going to sink the whole ocean ala the death of livejournal and chinese ban on ao3. there's no point in ships if there ain't an ocean to sail in! aren't we all here because we are fans of these stories???

bonus

to make up for what must feel like a huge anti liujiu wall of text, here are some of my general thoughts on how their relationship would work. i'm more familiar with sj so most of these are from his pov.

while sj often has schemes upon schemes upon schemes, when it comes to anger/criticism/negativity, he's scathingly honest. lqg, a fellow honest asshole, is often on the same wavelength. once misunderstandings are cleared up and lqg realizes sj will do whatever it takes to protect big bro yqy (and thus the sect), they're able to work together as a ruthless team against cang qiong's enemies.

let's also assume fixing sj's emotional issues stops him from the worst of his scumminess aka whipping his disciples half to death.

teamwork -> enemies to lovers -> only one bed trope???

sj needs someone who will overtly believe in his goodness, and lqg, once he realizes the mistakes in his assumptions, is a loyal wall of support. unlike qi-ge who must always play diplomat, lqg blazes over all social cues. who cares if this looks bad on cang qiong, he'll throw down with anyone if his boo is insulted.

lqg is upfront and honest. there are no hidden plots for sj to be paranoid about in lqg, he's a Good Man through-and-through. if lqg has problems, he'll tell him. if he needs to apologize and sj tells him why, he'll do so. and if sj asks him a question, he'll always do his best to answer.

while lqg knows sj has trauma and a dark past, he will never truly understand what it was like. and that's exactly what sj wants. he likes how lqg knows him more as he is now in the present vs. someone who has lived through the same past. being with him is a reminder that he is now a powerful peak lord, not the starving street rat he once was.

for lqg, sj is like a complex puzzle box. an enigma so outside of his understanding of how the world works, he can't help but be drawn to it. he used to equate scheming with evil, but once he realizes much of sj's scheming was for the good of the sect, he lets himself be impressed by sj's intelligence. the fact that sj became a peak lord from nothing shows a certain type of strength-- and lqg has always appreciated strength.

a big roadblock in their relationship was sj's antagonism towards yqy (their sect leader whom lqg respects.) once qijiu reconcile (or sj stops being so disrespectful to yqy in public) lqg is better able to see him as an ally vs. an enemy.

sj rewards this loyalty by taking care of lqg's hidden enemies, because straightforward brutes are especially susceptible to devious snakes like that. sj would know. whether or not he tells lqg can go either way. he tells lqg if only to stop lqg from hearing it elsewhere and assuming the worst; or he doesn't tell lqg because he knows lqg trusts him and confusing his mind with schemes would just make him grumpy for not understanding.

...even if he's cute when he's grumpy.

[masochist-marmot]

In defence of "problematic" ships

CW: references to abusive relationships

There seems to be a growing mindset in fandom spaces that a ship is not valid if it's somehow problematic. Interestingly, the criticism towards a ship is rarely formed as "I don't like it"/"it makes me uncomfortable". Instead, they often attack the shipper with a "you must enjoy being abused and will end up being killed by your partner" or whatever.

Can we not?

First of all, and I'm so sorry to break it to you, but these characters are not real people. They have been constructed to serve a narrative. And seeing an interesting dynamic on the screen/page/whatever and thinking it's worth exploring does not mean you want to be inserted into that situation, nor does it mean that you endorse it in real life. It makes me wonder if these people even understand what fiction is for. I've had my share of toxic relationships, and I'd rather not get into another one. So it's a good thing that I can explore these dynamics safely without putting myself in danger.

And before you bring up the danger of romanticising abuse, I get it. There's plenty of media out there that depicts abuse and toxicity as somehow desirable qualities, and I understand that media can reflect and influence the audience's worldview. This is where you pause for a second, put on your media literacy goggles, and try to see what's actually being said. Depiction does not equal endorsement. Also, shippers are usually just existing in their own spaces and not affecting the wider public in any way.

Secondly, I see a lot of variations of "these characters are not in love because they are not good to each other". Hello? Are we seriously going to claim that romantic feelings only exist in their most pure, uncomplicated, healthy form? Interestingly enough, these sentiments are usually applied to queer ships. When Honkai: Star Rail dropped an animated short containing a prolonged and incredibly sapphic dance scene that ended in Black Swan being mentally (though unintentionally?) violated by Acheron, I saw so many comments along the lines of "I thought it was pretty gay until the mental flaying happened". I mean, it's still pretty gay. Just because you don't think it's healthy, doesn't mean it stops being queer. Are we just that afraid of showing problematic queer representation? We are people, and our relationships will be messy, and I think it's okay to show that. Though once again, I'm aware that for a long time it was all that could be shown, and that wasn't great either. I just feel like the pendulum has swung a bit too much towards the other end.

I've also seen a lot of comments to the effect of "he said he hated him so your ship is invalid". I will excuse these comments if you're on the autism spectrum and have difficulty reading past the literal meaning of words, otherwise, let's dig up those media literacy goggles again. In the next paragraph I'm going to vehemently defend my beloved akeshu, so massive spoilers for Persona 5 Royal.

In his confidant rank 8, Akechi says to the protagonist, in no uncertain terms: "I hate you." And the next time you see him alone, he shoots you in the head (it's complicated, okay?). So you could take this and run with it and go bash akeshu shippers over the head with it. Or you could try to analyse his actions and motivations over the course of the entire game and come to the conclusion that his hatred is a shorthand for a bundle of complicated emotions. Morgana even picks up on it after you fight him later in the game: "You don't really hate Joker, do you?" What Akechi actually feels is admiration and jealousy, since he feels that the protagonist has been handed everything he himself had to work so hard for. It's companionship for his first ever friend and respect for a worthy rival who will rise up to all of his challenges. It's regret that he couldn't have met Joker earlier in life when his master plan wasn't already in motion and his only driving force in life. All of this bundles up in something the emotionally stunted teenager can't and probably doesn't want to unpack, and he settles on what's both very simple and familiar to him: hatred. Which he probably latches onto so that he's capable of putting a bullet in the head of the only friend he's ever had. I could (and honestly, probably will) rant about Akechi on other occasions, but I'll leave it here for now. The point is: If the best you can muster for invalidating a ship is this, I honestly don't feel like I have to listen to your opinion.

Just to be clear, I don't think you need to go find the justifications for your ships in the actual text. In this rant I've mostly brought up ships that stem from how the characters interact in canon. (Though oddly enough, queer ships tend to be subjected to this kind of scrutiny way more than straight ones.) But sometimes it's fun to explore the most unlikely relationship dynamics by shipping characters who barely even interact. They're not what I find personally interesting, but go off. You will never find me gatekeeping ships. Even if it's Hisoka/Gon, in which case you're free to do your thing but I hope I'll never see it.

TLDR; I'm sick of people attacking each other over problematic ships. The characters aren't real, you can't hurt their feelings. But I am, as hard as that may be to grasp sometimes.

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Ranking Izuku Ships

I got bored and looked for a tier list for Izuku ships but couldn't find a good one. So here is my ranking of Izuku ships.

As well, some ships will have (Problematic) beside it. Meaning it is a problematic ship. I don't ACTUALLY ship these, but they're fun to think about and plot AUS for it.

(Also if any ship is not here ... send an ask I guess?)

Also none of these are poly. That's a different ballpark, and yes- send an ask if you want.

So, here we go:

Into the Abyss (Awful ship, I hate it.)

BakuDeku. Never will write it as anything but a horrible relationship which it is, and will NEVER EVER consider it. Even when I eventually write the Bakugou redemptions I have planned for some fics, I will NEVER have them as anything but semi-friendly.

1/10, not a fan at all

TogaDeku. I'm not a fan for numerous reasons that boil down to: I think Toga is overrated and I prefer her as a villain. I have a singular idea for the Woo Izuku storyline for her, and an idea for a Lesbian!Izuku but other then that... nah. Not my thing, and usually I avoid the fics with this.

3/10, I'd read it but I'm not that into it.

I'll just shoot out these cause I have the same opinion of them: They're not bad but I can't find any good fics about them that don't give me borderline homophobic vibes or veer off into crack fics.

MomoDeku, JirouDeku, OjiroDeku, NejireDeku, HagakureDeku, HatsumeDeku, KoudaDeku, SatoDeku

5/10, the true middle

TodoDeku. Yes I said it, but frankly, the entire fandom is filled with TodoDeku fans and while I can see it, I find the relationship a bit stale after the fifteenth story where Todoroki gets a crush after the sports festival and then is an oblivious mess and they make Todoroki out to be an idiot and UGH. It just got weird and awkward after the fifteenth fic. (And then honestly again the good ones follow the same formula and I can tell where it's going and bleh).

IzuOcha. Similar to TodoDeku actually. I just find it... not vanilla I like vanilla... it's like... chicken pasta. It's not a bad ship and I'll read a fic or two. But it just doesn't work for me. No wait it is vanilla. I need sprinkles or chocolate sauce to make it great. But it's not a bad ship.

IzuTsu. I mentioned before I have issues with Asui lately, and I still have this issue, but I think it's related to the fact that a lot of fics with her end up with her and Ochako with Izuku and... a lot of the time it is vaguely homophobic. And again: it's hard to find good fics with her. But she's not D tier since I do like the pairing.

6/10, the ships I like to read/may write

ShigaDeku (Problematic) Look, I don't ACTUALLY ship it but it's a fun thing and I like making up AUs. It's cursed enough and messed up enough it's really good to read. Also, most of the people writing it acknowledge that it is messed up. Or they explore that it is vastly AU, and that Shigaraki totally has to go through an entire personality change or Izuku does and yeah.

DabiDeku (Problematic) Similar to ShigaDeku. I just also like the cursed feelings from it cause bad boy older brother. That's all I need to say. Just... Dabi knowing his brother has a crush and being that one ASSHOLE who goes for it. I can't help it!!!! But also again, very problematic and most writers know it.

IzuMina I don't know why but I just LIKE this little pairing. It's cute and fun and I love the idea of bubbly Mina happily dating Izuku and GAHHHH. I love it.

MelissaDeku I don't know why but this is also a really cute pairing? I like it more then the others, so I wrote it here.

ShoujiDeku I have no explanation other than giant teen and tiny teen is adorable.

TokoDeku Shunshine gamer boyfriend with emo/goth edgy boyfriend. That is all.

AoyoDeku Look with the manga spoilers... this lifted it high very high. And I LOVE THE DRAMA. Also it's just hilarious and cute.

8/10, I would be fully willing to ship it.

KiriDeku HIMBO BOYFRIENDS. Except one is really smart, but like... yeah no they're both idiots it's just Izuku's idiot factor gets kicked in when he gets to experiment or he's training. But yeah: HIMBOS.

KamiDeku Disaster bisexuals who are utter messes and one is a flirt who will make the other an entire mess? YES.

RodyDeku I have not actually seen the full movie... but the scenes with this? YES JUST YES. CONMAN AND HERO! ROAD TRIP YES

MonoDeku This is one of the ships that I love solely cause I think Monoma could have been the better Bakugou and I like the rivalry that COULD have happened between them. Actual RIVALS TO LOVERS AND NOT BULLY AND HIS VICTIM.

10/10, OTP! OTP

ShinDeku Look, I love these two and I cannot stop thinking about them and I fucking LOVE THEM. I know that people think he's over hyped but MAN I fucking LOVE THIS.

IiDeku ACTUAL RIVALS/FRIENDS TO LOVERS THAT IS GAY I FUCKING LOVE IT. BOTH ARE FERAL ASSHOLES WHO FOLLOW THE RULES BUT TOTALLY THROW DOWN. I LOVE THEM!!!!

[calliecat93]

Valentines' Day List: Ranking The Disney Princess Couples

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Whether you are with the love of your life, still waiting for Cupid's arrow, or are 100% happy single, I hope that you are having a wonderful day. So for the past couple of years, I've been doing lists for the holiday. A Top 10 Ships list (that is now outdated hence why no link), Top 10 Disney Couples, Top 5 Disney Love Songs, and a Top 5 Spones Episode List for Star Trek TOS. What's in the cards this year?

Well after forgetting, the only thing I could come up with was a Ranking List. In this case, we're going through all the main Disney Princess pairings and I will rank them from least favorite to favorite. I'm also going to count Frozen cause why not? However, this will NOT include Merida, Moana, and Elsa as they do not have any canonical love interests at the time of this writing. Also a note for Pocahontas, I am focusing this based simply on the context within the film. We know about the inaccuracies and such that I don't feel like going into here, so just be aware that I am talking about the pairing simply based on the in-film interpretation. And of course, these are just my opinions, so please take it all with a grain of salt.

Everything clear? Good. Then let's begin!

#11. Snow White/The Prince

Right at the bottom is the first ever Disney Princess romance. No, it has nothing to do with the whole 'he kissed her while she was asleep' argument. People have tried to demonize the film by saying the prince denied Snow White's consent and I could write a whole essay on why that's stupid... and I kinda sorta did a few years back. But The Prince is ultimately a plot device with little to no screentime and not even extended material to y knowledge has seemed to do much to further the relationship. The guy doesn't even have a name (Florian is the one I see pop up the most but IDK how official it is). It may be one of my very few fleeting hopes for the remake to explore like they did Cinderella.

That's pretty much my only complaint. It's fine. It's cute. I'm happy that Snow White is able to finally be happy after all the Hell the Queen put her through. But that's really all that I can say about it. It's just... a thing that exists cause we need the kiss to awaken Snow White. But hey, everything's gotta start somewhere and without this we wouldn't have had anything else. So it deserves our respect.

#10. Anna/Kristoff

Back when Frozen came out, it was praised for addressing and calling out Disney's cliched 'fall in love at first sight/marry a guy he girl just met' trope. It's meant to be against rushing romance, especially when you know absolutely nothing about the guy... and then proceeded to do precisely that with Anna and Kristoff. Oops. I think the two are cute and fit together, don't get me wrong. But Dear God their development is REALLy bad. It's very rushed and comes out of nowhere which I wouldn't have an issue with... but because the movie outright rubbed in our faces how you shouldn't do this and that is a bad thing, it makes it really hard to ignore. And trust me, I tried. And no, Anna waiting like... a day or so longer than with Hans doesn't excuse the execution. Really the whole message when taken as a critique of the there Princess films is incredibly problematic and outright inaccurate, but that's for another day.

I go back and forth on how much I like these two as a couple. You can even see how different my opinion was back when the film first came out. Anna is my favorite character while Kristoff is okay and gets more 'meh' as time passes. I watch them during the movie and like their interactions, but they come off more like bickering buddies than anything prior to them finding Elsa. Then Kristoff worries and cares for Anna... and then Fixer Upper happens and it feels even MORE forced. Then in Frozen II, Anna misunderstands Kristoff various times and ultimately ditches him without really any thought or care about it in order to support Elsa. Which is great, sisterly love and all and to be fair she did apologize, but it really shows how much the film really didn't care about their relationship. That's not going into how the movie in general treated Kristoff as useless with even Olaf being more relevant and like he was just there cause there would be questions about where he was otherwise. But then we get to him proposing and Anna's reaction and... God these two give me so many mixed signals.

If I have to accept that Frozen III is happening, I REALLY hope that they give Anna and Kristoff the treatment that they deserve. Because ironically in the first film's attempt to call out rushed romances, it created one itself with all the problems that it tried to criticize its predecessors over. It's far from the worst romance ever, it has a lot of cute moments and I do think that the two are a good match. I just need the films to realize that.

#9. Pocahontas/John Smith

As I said, we are going to just focus on how this is presented in the film and leave it at that. These two are... okay. Pocahontas is a film that legit gets me emotional and has since I was a kid. But looking back, even now knowing the actual history, I wonder '...why did this have to be a romance at all?'. I know they were going for a Romeo and Juliet vibe, but I feel like it may have been stronger had Pocahontas not been aged up and just became friends with John, ultimately willing to risk her own life to save him and stop the bloodshed. It would certainly cause fewer ugh... unfortunate implications, let's just say that.

I feel like I like the atmosphere and presentation more than the actual relationship. The film has so much beauty and Alan Mencken's score is just so beautiful. Whenever I watch everything from Pocahontas visiting John before his execution to the very last scene of her waving goodbye as the ship sails away... dang it, the emotions! You all have no idea how many times I've listened to the end credits version of If I Never Knew You. There is a reason I listed that as my Favorite Disney Love Song a few years back.

But once I finish the movie and get back down from the emotional high, I think it over and again go '...why is this a romance? did it really need to be?'. And I kind of just forget about it until I decide to put the movie on again. I can never bring myself to hate this film due to how it impacted me, though I acknowledge its problems and how upsetting it can be for people. But ultimately the romance is just forgettable at best to the point that I sometimes wonder if the second movie pairing Pocahontas with her RL husband John Rolfe really was that bad of a move. But best to not think too much more on that

#8. Aurora/Phillip

This is Snow White/The Prince done better. Not a surprise since the film reused some of the early ideas for Snow White, but still. Of the three original princesses, this is the best-done relationship. This may make you wonder why Cinderella ranks above it, but I'll go into that in that entry. So these two are cute. Phillip certainly proved his love by fighting Maleficent and her forces and by his kiss awakening Aurora. As I said above, the 'the kiss was non-consensual' argument is a non-issue for me and we're just gonna leave it at that.

There's not a lot more to say honestly. They had a bit more development in their meeting than Snow and her prince did, we have Phillip saving her, and... yeah that's it. I don't dislike them by any means. I can't think of any negative points aside from maybe it's rushed, but that was just the nature of things back then. It's a Hell of a lot better than how it goes in the original stories. I like it better than the other three I already listed, just not as much as the seven below. That's really it. Sometimes you just like something cause you do, nothing wrong with that.

#7. Mulan/Shang

You would think that this would be near the top considering that Mulan is my favorite movie of all time. But I never loved it due to its romance, which while not irrelevant is a side-element compared to it being so major in the other seven previous films. Mulan isn't driven by love like Aladdin and Aurora, nor is it love at first sight like Snow White and Cinderella. She meets Shang while posing as a boy and he's her commanding officer. Before we go further, for this film at least Shang being Mulan's superior is a non-issue, especially since nothing happens until Mulan's out of the military anyways.

These two are cute. They start off simply as commander and trainee and Shang is frustrated with 'Ping', even kicking 'him' out. But Mulan refuses to give up and earns Shang's respect, and even friendship. She outright risks her life to save him during the avalanche despite being injured, that's nothing to sneeze at. She's clearly crushing on Shang and Shang may be crushing on 'Ping', I'm not very qualified to go into that since I honestly never saw it. His feelings get more complicated after discovering the truth and he's upset... but it doesn't last too long with him ultimately trusting and accepting Mulan and her abilities. Then we get awkward Shang at the end and it just cracks me up XD

We end the film with the early signs of them forming a relationship and being able to get to know each other. Shang gets to know Mulan as she truly is. Mulan gets to know Shang away from the battlefield and from him being her captain. Mulan II focused on them getting engaged... and that's all I wanna say about it. Yeah, as much as I love Mulan and like the two fine, the romance meant very little to me over the focus on finding one's true self. But I know that especially for the bisexual crowd, Shang was so important to people and this relationship in turn means something to people. And that is a beautiful thing. But for me they're good and they rank above the others cause it's Mulan.

#6. Belle/Beast

There was a time when I was indifferent to the film, let alone the romance that is at the heart of it. But now that I'm older and especially seeing all the arguments about them from all sides, those times have changed. I love them. Are they perfect? No. Beast is a temperamental brat who only wants Belle's love to break the spell. Belle is there only because she took her father's place and wants nothing to do with the Beast and his behavior. It seems like they're a match made in Hell... but then something happens. They change. Belle, after the Beast saves her from the wolf, is grateful and ultimately tends to his wounds because she's just too kind, but still stands up for herself. Beast, touched by this kindness, finds he wants to return it and starts to experience happiness for what may be the first time in his life.

When it becomes clear that the Beast is a damaged person who despite his issues is able to make himself a better person is when things change. The Beast doesn't become kinder for Belle... well okay maybe a little but that's not the main thing. The Beast became kinder because of Belle, as shown when he gives up his chance to become human again so that Belle can rescue her father. Why? Because he loved her so much that he let her go. And Belle tried to defend the Beast from the village and returned to try and save him, proving how much she'd grown to care for him.

The Beast gave Belle the one thing that she wanted: to be loved for who she was. Not because of her beauty. Not as some kind of trophy. But because the Beast genuinely loved her. A love that she returned and thus freed the Beast from the curse. It's such a beautiful love story. Is it for everyone? No. As much as I've disagreed with some of the arguments, I can see why the Beast's behavior may make people uncomfortable and how it may enforce an 'I can change them!' mindset even if indirectly. But I think that this is that kind of story done well with Belle never letting the Beast treat her poorly and the Beast taking it upon himself to change. They bring out the best in each other and earned their happy ending. And when it comes to tales as old as time, that's all I could ever want.

#5. Cinderella/Prince Charming

Some of these rankings were due to movie preferences. Chances are I would have ranked Aurora/Phillip above Mulan/Shang, but since I had similar feelings about both it boiled down to me liking Mulan more than Sleeping Beauty. Which is why Cinderella/Charming ended up here in Number Five. Let's face it, they have a similar issue as Snow/The Prince with Charming IDT ever having an on-screen name until the live-action remake. If I was counting the remakes I would use Ella/Kit's relationship as a justification for the placement and it may have even been higher, but I'm not so ah well.

Some of it boils down to nostalgia. Cinderella was one of the first movies I ever saw and is very special to me. Another big reason is what the relationship means for Cinderella herself. Cinderella endured significant emotional abuse, but always found a way to remain kind. Especially after her step-family destroyed her mother's dress, seeing her at the ball and just so happy as she dances with the prince is beautiful. And Charming looking up, seeing her, and forgetting about everything else as he personally approaches her, especially with how bored he'd been with all the girls going up to him? Perfection. 100% perfection.

Sadly, Charming has the same issue as Snow White's prince in being more of a plot device than an actual character, hence why I can't rank this higher. To Disney's credit they have given Charming a few moments of characterization in other works such as the DTV films, the third one especially doing him a LOT of good. But even without it, sometimes you just like a ship because you like seeing the one-half happy. Seeing Cinderella happy and loved at long last? How could I ask for anymore reason to love these two?

#4. Ariel/Eric

These two are adorable and I love them. Is it another fast-paced one? Yeah, although at least we kind of have a justification for it. Speaking of said justification. Yes, Ariel made a rash decision in becoming human. Does that make her and Eric's relationship bad? No. Eric is what Ariel always imagined about humans. He's friendly, brave, and outright risks his life to save his dog. Who wouldn't fall for that? He's also the first human that Ariel got to see up close and thus she becomes infatuated. Chances are it would have stayed like that if her father didn't take the actions that he did and Ursula used Eric as the catalyst for Ariel taking the deal.

When we finally get the two to interact, it's just adorable. Ariel is living out her dream with her crush. Eric, although infatuated with the mermaid that saved him, is nothing but kind to Ariel. He, a royal who could leave Ariel with anyone else and leave it at that, takes what he thinks is a shipwrecked mute girl back to his home and gives her the royal treatment just because he's a good man. The two's interactions are just so cute with Ariel being so excited and expressive even without her voice and Eric being won over. It's just... dang it they're so cute!!! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Is the pairing perfect? No. I get it, it's rushed and overly idealistic. Do I care? No. It's a Disney Fairy Tale. I'm here for the warm fuzzies, not cynical reality. And these two ALWAYS give me the warm fuzzies. It's at Number 4 only because I think the Top 3 have more development between the pairings, but it's still in one of the top spots. People will likely always criticize the movie for Ariel and her decisions and I guess we'll see if the remake addresses those things. But for me, I'll always love these two and getting to be a part of their world.

#3. Tiana/Naveen

This could have easily been a miss. Tiana's an independent working woman aiming for her dreams, sacrificing any free time and personal life to do so. Naveen is a spoiled playboy who loves to party and has no sense of responsibility which has caused him to be cut off and left to his own devices. They are such opposite personalities. It would be so easy to make us hate their interactions and make the pairing seem forced. But despite how fast-paced it is, it doesn't feel forced at all.

Not only is it fun to watch these two bicker and clash over their differing lifestyles, but they really did need each other. Naveen needed Tiana to realize his flaws and find the initiative to both take responsibility and have the drive to care for someone outside himself. Tiana needed Naveen to realize that there's more to life than just working and to see that even if she can't reach her dream she has what she needs: love. It's so cute when the two start to bond and start to realize what the other person needs, willing to sacrifice their own needs for that person. They even accept being frogs when it seems they've lost their chance, happy that they can be together.

As I said it's very fast-paced. It's kind of a common trend in the Disney Princess films directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. Yet they somehow do it SO freakin' well. Like I said it was so easy to screw this pair up, but Tiana and Naveen are well-written characters who don't cross the line into annoying and their development comes off as more funny and sweet than annoying. They're great and I love them~!

#2. Aladdin/Jasmine

I adore them so much. I can say that about most of these, but these two? IDK what it is. Maybe it's A Whole New World. Maybe it's the beautiful magic carpet ride along the night sky. I don't know, but I know I love it. Aladdin's a street rat who wants to be seen as more. Jasmine is a princess who just wants her freedom. When the two meet it's love at first sight. Their interactions are so cute and natural and their chemistry just sparks instantly. Despite being from completely different worlds, they connect to feeling trapped in their lives and it's just so beautiful and God I love it~!

The only issue is Aladdin feels unworthy because he's a street rat and Jasmine is obligated by law to marry a prince. Thus once he gets the lamp, he decides to lie and act like he thinks a prince would. What goes horribly wrong as Jasmine is no prize to be won. She liked Aladdin because he treated her as a person and related to her. As far as she's concerned, Prince Ali is just another stuck-up asshole who wanted her for her looks and money and she ain't having it. It's only when Aladdin drops the act and acts like himself that he starts to win Jasmine over, even if he still lies once she figures out he was the same boy she met before.

Once the truth is revealed and Aladdin proves himself by saving the kingdom, the two are free to be together. Aladdin chooses to be true to himself. Jasmine is given the freedom to choose who she wants to love. Jasmine loves Aladdin because he loves her for her. Aladdin loves Jasmine because of her independence and beauty inside and out. It's again a very fast romance, arguably the biggest offender of the 'love at first sight and makes bad decisions due to it' argument (which ironically Aladdin is probably THE most guilty protagonist of this yet he never gets heat unlike the girls, but that's all I'll say). But I don't care. They are adorable and the extended material, DTVs, and the series only made me love them more. I recommend the episode The Secret of Dagger Rock where you get to see what happens when you both kidnap Jasmine's man AND make her mad. You'll NEVER question why Aladdin fell for her when you see that XD

As much as I love these two, there was only one real choice for number one. And it wasn't even close. You all know what it is.

#1. Rapunzel/Eugene

I normally hate going for the obvious, but sometimes there's a reason that it's... well, the obvious. I love these two together so much. Admittedly that can be blamed on the series to some degree, which also really helped Aladdin and Jasmine be in the number two spot. But even discounting that I just love their relationship so much. It starts off as hilarious then becomes sweeter and sweeter until by the end you're bawling your eyes out from sadness then from pure happiness.

Rapunzel is a sheltered girl wanting to see beyond her tower. Eugene, going by Flynn Ryder, is a thief pretending to be something he's not. When the two meet at first Rapunzel has him agree to take her to see the lanterns and Flynn is trying to trick her into giving back the crown he stole. But ultimately they start to bond with Flynn revealing his true name and Rapunzel letting him know about her magic hair, Rapunzel is finally able to connect with someone away from Mother Gothel and Eugene is able to be himself and trust someone after only being with himself for so long.

There are just so many beautiful moments after that. The two having fun in the kingdom with Eugene going out of his way to ensure that Rapunzel has the best time imaginable. The two talking about dreams and finding a new one. The entire I See the Light sequence, which is one of the most beautiful Disney moments ever. Then the ending where Rapunzel is willing to be locked away by Gothel forever just to save Eugene. Eugene, despite dying slowly and painfully, cuts Rapunzel's hair to free her. "He chooses that over his own life"You were my new dream." Just... just everything oh my God. Now, of course, Eugene survives and the two get their happily ever after, and out of all of the happily ever afters, theirs feel the most powerful and it only got better in the series.

Just talking about it now makes me emotional. It's just so beautiful and pure and everything I dream of when it comes to love. These are two people that found what they needed in each other and they're both willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the other's sake. It's done in such a fun yet beautiful way and I just love them. I know I've said that about almost all of these, but this one? Aside from Mickey and Minnie, this is the best romance that Disney has ever done bar none. It is my favorite of the Disney Princess romances and while I know to never say never, it's gonna be tough to ever top this one.

And that's all for this year! Hopefully next year I won't forget. Maybe I'll finally do a new version of that Top 10 OPT list, we'll see. But thank you all for reading and have a Happy Valentine's Day~!

[hrtiu]

I’m not really sure if I ship rexsoka yet - some people are saying it’s like really bad since he knew her when she was a kid but like he obviously wouldn’t have seen her in a romantic light until she was older so? Idk just people hating on problematic ships getting in my head and I’m not sure

Hey Anon! Thanks so much for asking, I'm glad you trusted me enough to feel like I could provide a helpful answer. I'll do my best!

First things first: you are never under any obligation to like a ship. If it seems like something you should like but for some reason you just don't, that's fine! Spend your energy on things in fandom that excite you without any reservations.

That being said, if you like Rexsoka and the only thing holding you back is the sense other people in the fandom have given you that you shouldn't, I'd encourage you not to worry too much about what other people think. If you'd like to understand the criticisms people make against Rexsoka and the reasons why I don't find them compelling, keep reading.

The most common argument people make that nobody should be allowed to ship Rexsoka is that it Ahsoka is underage, or that even if she's not underage in the fic/art you're consuming, she was underage when Rex first met her, and that means that any romantic relationship between them is still "icky." Below is my response to that criticism:

1. It's all about the execution. Every ship has the potential to be problematic. I've seen fic for very wholesome ships that the author managed to turn super dark and put in a lot of heavy elements. I've also seen ships that seem like you couldn't possibly make not-gross come out sweet as a cinnamon role in certain fics or fanart. Along that same vein, I've seen Rexsoka fics that made me feel very uncomfortable and seemed to not address age/rank/power imbalances between them at all, or to address them in ways that I wasn't comfortable with. I've also seen fics that approach the potentially problematic issues in their relationship thoughtfully and respectfully. That's why I tend to shy away from making blanket statements about any one ship. The way two creators approach the same ship can be vastly different, and one can make you uncomfortable while the other can wrap you up like a warm blanket.

Personally, none of my Rexsoka fics have any romance happening between Rex and Ahsoka until she's at least 17. In most of my fics they don't get together in any way until they are both well into their forties, but I have one where they get together right around the Siege of Mandalore, where she is either 17 or 18. I personally don't have a problem with them getting into a relationship when they are both adults, though I can understand that some people just have a negative gut reaction to that. And that's fine! Nobody has to like Rexsoka! But I also think it's reasonable to enjoy a romantic relationship dynamic between them as adults and I don't think it's fair for other people to say you're not allowed to.

2. Clone dynamics in Star Wars do not have perfect one-to-one equivalents in real life. You can see my thoughts on this subject in more detail here, but the basic idea is that any comparison of clone relationships to real-life relationships is bound to be imperfect. For example, some people don't like the idea of Rex and Ahsoka getting together later in life because Rex knew Ahsoka when she was only 14 and... I guess that makes them practically siblings? Or that means that he'll only ever see her as a child? Honestly, even in a real-life situation I don't really get this reasoning. If a boy met a girl when he was 18 and she was 12, I don't think that should stop them from falling in love and getting married if they reconnect when she's 32 and he's 38. But anyway, that comparison doesn't even fully work, because Ahsoka isn't just a little girl to Rex. She's his Commander! In real life, what 14 year old girls are going around leading battalions of adult soldiers? By that same token, what 20 year old men have only lived 10 years? And what 20 year old men are serving as soldiers while also being property of the government?

There are a lot of potentially problematic elements in a relationship between Rex and Ahsoka related to their power imbalance, their age difference, their difference in life experiences (they are both extremely sheltered and inexperienced throughout TCW--Rex even more than Ahsoka I'd argue), and more. And none of these elements has a direct, one-to-one equivalent in real life. All of these potentially problematic elements deserve careful examination from creators making fanworks, but I don't think any of them disqualify Rexsoka from ever being an "acceptable" ship.

So those are my thoughts! Ultimately it's up to you if you want to ship Rexsoka or not, but I say if you're into it you should go for it! The Rexsoka community has been really kind and welcoming to me and I think you'd enjoy it.

[kimium]

For the character ask: Natsu (fairy tail) and/or Junko (danganronpa)

(From this ask HERE)

Thanks, Anon! You picked some great characters! This is long, so the rest is under the cut!

Natsu (Fairy Tail)

Sexuality headcanon

Natsu is bi/pansexual. To me he is the kind of person to not really notice gender, but rather someone's fighting ability/kindness. He has shades of himbo, which probably adds to me thinking he thinks all genders are cool and interesting.

2. OTP

I really like NaLu (Natsu/Lucy). I think the big reason why I like it is because they are friends first and foremost. They bicker, care, and support one another as friends. So, even if I didn't ship them, I would be on board with them as friendship duo. However, since I ship them I think their friendship is an excellent springboard for romance. Many straight ships in media just bank on the characters being together because "they're a man and a woman", but have no chemistry. I think Natsu and Lucy have a ton of chemistry and thus they're my OTP.

3. BROTP

Natsu and Sting both have dumbass energy that when combined create an even stronger dumbass. I really love their interactions during the tournament arc and I like how they're sort of foils of one another, with Sting also being a bit of a hot-head.

4. NOTP

Natsu/Erza. To me they have sibling energy with Erza as the older sister and Natsu her little brother. They both care for one another and are there to hold one up, but both have some dumbass energy that's just enough for them to both get into stupid situations of their own doing.

5. First headcanon that pops into my head

It's been a long while since I watched Fairy Tail so I cannot remember if this is canon, but I think Natsu loves spicy food. Not only does he like spicy food, but it doesn't affect him. He can eat some of the hottest peppers in the world and barely flinch while others are Dying.

6. Favourite line from this character

Oh boy... there are simply too many episodes and lines for me to remember. So, I think I'll go with a scene, because that's easier. I have two scenes in mind.

The first scene is during the tournament arc when Natsu says something along the lines of "one point matters in the end" as he's competing in his first "battle". What I like about this line is how Natsu believes in always giving things your all, even if you think you're going to "lose". I think that mindset is very important for people to have, especially young kids, who don't know how to deal with loss and try to give up.

The next scene is a softer one: it's when Natsu first sees Zeref during the S-Wizard rank arc. I like this scene because upon first watch, everyone is as confused as Natsu. However, if you re-watch the scene, the tragedy, joy, heartbreak, and sorrow are so plain to see in Zeref's face that for a moment he forgets everything except Natsu.

7. One way in which I relate to this character

I think I relate the most to Natsu's unwavering kindness. He sees the best in people and that's how Lucy entered the guild: he simply believed she's a good person and gave her a chance. And that's what Natsu represents to me: chances. He never believes people cannot have another chance at redemption and that's a quality I think is very admirable.

8. Thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

Look, if I named everything Natsu does that gives me second hand embarrassment, we'd be here all day. He's just a goofy character and unapologetically living his best life. I suppose if I had to pick one thing it would be the motion sickness? But that's a shared trait all dragon slayers possess, so it's not just Natsu who embarrasses me.

9. Cinnamon roll or Problematic Fave?

This boy is the very definition of a cinnamon roll.

Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa)

I'm forewarning everyone: Junko is the character in Danganronpa I am the most "head empty" about. This doesn't mean I don't like her, it's just I'm pretty neutral.

Sexuality headcanon

I don't really have a sexuality headcanon for Junko. I just don't think Junko has ever thought about her sexuality and wouldn't care about gender. If she is looking for someone to date then she'd want someone who is interesting and not boring, which whittles the cast down to like two people? I think?

2. OTP

I don't really have a ship for Junko. I know in the light novel, DR0, she has an interesting relationship with Matsuda, but since I haven't really read the light novel (just a summary) I don't have an opinion.

3. BROTP

Again, I don't really have a clue. I guess if we went with a "non despair AU" then I think Junko and Naegi being a BROTP would be hilarious. Mostly because I think it would consist of a Very Confused, but Polite Naegi and a Junko who goes around calling Naegi her "bestie".

4. NOTP

I don't ship Junko with anyone so therefore I don't have a NOTP with her too.

5. First headcanon that pops into my head

Junko spent WEEKS deciding what Monokuma looks like and what kind of voice and personality she wanted to give Monokuma. Like, she literally did not sleep for almost an entire week planning what she wanted for Monokuma. All the Monokumas we see in Towa City are either beta concepts she scrapped or ideas she wanted to implement but didn't fit the "school" vibe she wanted. Also in this process I think she sewed a lot of stuffies and thus her (and Mukuro's) room were covered in bear plushies.

6. Favourite line from this character

I think my favourite line from her is from Danganronpa: Another Episode (Ultra Despair Girls), "Oh well. I suppose I'll leave the rest to you. Though, the next time I see you you'll be someone else entirely. I hope the future is one you cannot predict."

I think I like this line because it's directed to Kamukura and the call back to SDR2 (since you play SDR2 before AE, even if in the timeline SDR2 is after) makes me so happy.

7. One way in which I relate to this character

Junko is a twin and so am I. The thought of what she did to Mukuro, while utterly horrific and tragic, is strangely something I can understand as an act to "create despair." Not just for Mukuro who was betrayed but for Junko who did the betraying.

8. Thing that give me second hand embarrassment about this character

In the final trial for DR1 when she's flipping through personas and lands on the really crass one with her tongue sticking out... yeah... I know that her personalities are reflecting the final members of the trial (so this one is for Touko), but yeah... never liked that.

9. Cinnamon roll or Problematic Fave?

I want you to take Problematic Fave, put it at the beginning of the spectrum, then put Junko as FAR AWAY to the other side of the spectrum. That's just how much of a problematic fave she is.

[thejeweloftheworld]

82 posts created

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

I just got a stark reminder of why theater kids are the best.

I went to a high school production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in a town I've never visited before. It was a great show. (I didn't care for the musical but that wasn't the actors' fault.)

After the curtain call and cast/audience mingling, someone turned on Bohemian Rhapsody.

Do I even need to say more?

But I will, because:

Snoopy standing on his dog house shaking a trashcan on the first "throw it all away"

Multiple cast members screaming for Schreoder and dragging out the prop piano on "mama" followed by dramatic piano playing

Lucy and Charlie Brown scream/fight singing back and forth during the demon arguements

The crew member that decided to turn the spotlight back on and start swinging it around

The full cast hug circle near the end followed by them all "dying"

Did I mention that this was opening night?

27 notes • Posted 2021-07-14 04:34:12 GMT

#4

Uhhhhhhhhhgggg. I have a shipping problem.

Some context:

For me, there are two kinds of ships: those where I think two people would be a nice couple and would like to see them get together and those where I think they would make a terrible couple but the story possibilities are interesting.

Most of my "problematic" ships fall into the second category. There is, however, a recent exception:

Blitzo x Stolas

For those who aren't Helluva Boss fans, these two are in a quid pro quo sexual relationship. Stolas is in love with Blitzo and occupies a position of considerable power over him. Stolas is royalty while Blitzo is an imp, basically second-class citizens in hell. Blitzo's business is also entirely dependant on Stolas's continued support. Stolas is also cheating on his wife who is very much not okay with it.

Blitzo has no interest in Stolas sexually or romantically but he's comfortable with the transactional nature of their relationship. He's even shown to be proud of his manipulation of such a high-ranking member of society. However, is shown to be disgusted and uncomfortable with Stolas's public flirting and over the phone harassment.

It's a deliberately nuanced situation.

My problem is that I really want these two to get together as a couple, especially after the most recent episode, and that makes me feel really icky. From what I can tell, a lot of the fandom feel this way.

28 notes • Posted 2021-06-06 16:22:52 GMT

#3

Bill had decided to be merciful, which, of course, meant that he had found a new and exciting way to be unspeakably cruel that did not result in the deaths of everyone involved.

- A random unconnected line that popped into my head

67 notes • Posted 2021-07-20 23:51:48 GMT

#2

Some of My Gravity Falls Headcanons.

Dipper goes back to school and becomes an instant heartthrob. His summer transformed him from an antisocial loser to a dark and mysterious loner.

Wendy started babysitting really young and, without much else to do, brought the kids to the Mystery Shack. That's how she got to know Stan.

Manly Dan noticed when Stan replaced Ford but made the mistake of asking McGucket about it. Neither of them remembers this encounter

Mabel and Gideon give it another shot at some point. (I'm not saying it went well.)

Gideon really wants to talk to Ford but can't work up the courage.

Ford wants to "have a chat" with Gideon but doesn't trust his temper.

Wendy and Gideon become frienemies after Weirdmageddon because Gideon can't relate to kids his age and Wendy doesn't trust him to give up magic.

Ford had a meltdown after seeing the shapeshifter in Dipper's form when he locks up Mr. Whats-His-Face.

Ford "dismantled" the portal with a sledgehammer.

Stan was really upset by the Marilyn incident.

Bill is genuinely afraid of (sane) McGucket.

149 notes • Posted 2021-07-08 12:28:39 GMT

#1

I've seen a lot of posts (and videos and theories and fanfics) explaining how x character is a lot like Bill. Well, I would like to propose that:

Each member of the Zodiac represents a different part of Bill's personality.

Gideon is his greed, power lust, and possessiveness

Pacifica is his superiority complex

Robbie is his persecution complex

McGucket is his avoidance of his past

Soos is his thoughtlessness

Wendy is his facade ("Says he's happy/He's a liar") and irresponsibility

Stan is his apathy and dishonesty

Ford is his ambition

Mabel is his toxic idealism (the world should be this way and anything else is bad)

Dipper is his obsessiveness and scheming

This list isn't perfect as these traits and issues match multiple characters but I like to think of characteristics as things they had to overcome throughout the show.

Gideon began to care about others, respect their autonomy, and live a simple life

Pacifica accepted that she's not a perfect being and started on the road to self-improvement

Robbie trusted the goodwill of others and appreciated the good things in his life

McGucket took accountability for his past

Soos became more self-aware and aware of how his actions affected others

Wendy opened up about her problems and took responsibility for others

Stan expressed his emotions honestly rather than stewing in them

Ford found happiness in the simple things in life, the things he already had

Mabel acknowledged that the world wasn't (and probably shouldn't be) perfect

Dipper loosened up and accepted that even with all the knowledge in the world, he'd never have total control and that was okay

I really like this interpretation because rather than overcoming Bill in some big fight, they each overcame little bits of him in themselves. The Zodiac didn't work because Stan and Ford still hadn't fully worked through their issues. Stan wasn't ready to forgive Ford or acknowledge how important his family was and Ford was still clinging to his glorious purpose of defeating Bill Cipher.

Please feel free to add on or ask questions. This was a little on the spot so it could probably do with a little more fleshing out.

153 notes • Posted 2021-07-07 18:53:58 GMT

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