#my thoughts and theories

[kitsunesakii]

You have piqued my interest so…

Heh…

If you ever wanna write that rant at some point you have at least one person who is thoroughly interested 😋

(Picture me laying at the edge of your bed twirling my hair and kicking my feet like a teenage girl in a 1980s movie looking for hot gossip)

Ok bet

Firstly I want it noted that this is personal opinion so I don't wanna be killed over this.

✨Character development✨

I'll be honest I was a little surprised at how little we got when it came to our two main peeps for character development- more on the actual relationship wise.

Let me explain- with Sasha we learn that she has a firey spirit and isn't afraid to tiptoe around Jon (something we see in season one, whereas Tim definitely tries to not start fires [again season one and season two Tim]) She isn't afraid to speak her mind and she was the only other one that knew Gertrude, even if just a little. We know she's got computer skills and is pretty brave, (we know this since she had that showdown with the stranger and held her ground) although it's hard to talk about character development over a character that dies season one, so let's look at Tim

We know 'development' wise he goes from docile and eager to avenge his brother to angry and desperate to avenge his bother. He goes into a self destructive route and over all we lose him as an ally to Jon relatively quickly.

Honestly in my opinion I always thought Jon seemed more at ease with Sasha, way more than anyone else. The fact that she challenged him in a way no one else did kinda adds to this but whatever - she ended up as the blonde in every slasher film (Jonny must have known that if she would have lived she would have become too powerful, ahh, I digress)

(Note I'm only gonna analyze the original crew because my main argument is the weak link in the 'love' story)

Now we really don't see a lot of Martin... Ever? We know he's under qualifed (at least in Jon's opinion) we don't get a lot of him until season three and season four... Which is fine, but we don't really ever find out a lot about him besides the fact that he likes Jon (and the fact that we learn that through a conversation between two OTHER characters- like they were worried we wouldn't put it together- is kinda a red flag but again I digress)

Now let's talk about Jon, he definitely goes through character development... We watch him from going from unsociable will say whatever without a filter to absolute mental collapse to realizing without relying on others he's gonna die to finally allowing people to care for him.... Kind of.

In actually we watch him realize that he took for granted the people that -tolerated him at best and ignored him at worse- to -being surrounded by people who hate him (Melony, Bassira, Daisy, Tim, need I go on?) And having to journey mostly alone.

I was always a bit confused on why it seemed like fan art and fanfiction depicted Martin and Jon's relationship more "loving" than the actual story

In my eyes it always seemed like Jon clung to Martin in a toxic way since Martin was the only one who gave him positive attention. And character wise it makes sense, into season four Jon is completely alone and missing the one person that ever seemed to like him. In his eyes he's killed everyone that seemed to give a damn and now Martin is all that's left. This is ok character wise! This makes sense! But here's where the plot lost me

Into season 5 I was so genuinely confused because I couldn't understand how we went from "ah the one person that cared doesn't care any more and I miss them dearly" straight into "I love him with my whole heart."

Now if this had been the whole point- like a toxic yaoi - "they only cling to each other because they are emotionally damaged and somehow make each other better kinda but can't love each other in a real way" - but it wasn't- at least I never got that idea from the fandom

Instead it went into full love story which just... Didn't do it for me

Let me try and break it down

Season one and two Jon barely notices Martin, hating him at worse and irritated by him at best

Season three every one is too busy with the murder mystery to even think about those two relationship wise. And while Martin helps Jon every way he can it still seems like Jon just takes him for granted, now into season four Jon is alone and desperate for human connection and misses Martin -(FOR THAT REASON)- it makes sense that when he finally gets him out of the lonely that he'd cling to the other (again back with that toxic emotional co dependency) but relationship development wise it just seemed too fast

We get into season 5 and Jon's saying things like "I love you" and "yes Martin, you're my reason" and I just don't think he'd be at that point yet. I'm not saying they can't get to that point, I'm not saying that they couldn't work because of personality reasons.

I'm saying that the pacing of the story's narrative goes against the immediate switch from season 4 to season 5

In my opinion it would have been way more satisfying of an ending if during season 5 we got a more gradual relationship building that crescendos at the final episode. I think it would have fit character wise- Jon would have had to explore his more vulnerable emotions whilst trecking through the horrors he basically created (it's not his fault but we all know he blames himself) and Martin would get to shine as a character who pushes emotional vulnerability while finally sticking up for himself and pushing against Jon's stubbornness. By the end of season 5 Jon would come to grips with the fact that he actually does love Martin and the final sacrifice + kiss would end up being so much more emotionally satisfying. I think it would also do the characters justice more since it seemed like by the end it really was "the Antichrist and the Antichrist's plus one"

But who am I to talk? I am a mere moral with human opinions that don't have to dictate how you feel about the characters! I still absolutely loved the podcast and would recommend it to anyone!

BUT THANKS FOR LISTENING TO MY TEDTALK

[afterartist]

Tiny… oversight in the planning

Re-visiting Colour theory for a Uni assignment and I can’t get over the fact that, with his red visor, Sounders would 100% be colourblind

N e ways, bonus images without the text for u (cause im proud of the perspective on Screamer okay shush)

[xx-sketchy-xx]

I kept thinking about how Mabel said she thought he was dead while being possessed… and it doesn’t take long for blood flow to stop. So I had a thought that none of the injuries caused by bill would truly appear until dipper was back in control. So any fork stabs, bruises, scratches, would only appear when his blood was flowing again.

just a thought

[goosetooths]

he's connected the dots. he's connected them.

[lucabyte]

monologue

[thepandalion]

ok no I need to talk about this

the reason ralsei is changing is because of susie

the way he said it, darkners that are based on memories of loved ones can "only appear in specific darkness". meaning, originally, ralsei was kris' memory

and, similarly, gerson was presumably Alvin's?

except. gerson came back. it's the third sanctuary. a different dark world. but he's still here. and why?

because SUSIE remembers him. she wrote alvin the letter from him. she fought him and won and came back to look for him. because now he's in her memories, too.

following that logic, of course ralsei is in her memories too. more prominently, too, each time she returns to an adventure. he strays further from the blurry memories kris has, into something that's both theirs and hers

and, while we're at it, maybe ours, too. we shape him with our choices because we're part of this team too

[hyohaehyuk]

Just want to remind everyone that loustat had their 1st time on Valentines Day. Lestat the last romantic 🤭

[hajimedics]

I'M NOT YOUR DOLL AND I'LL THINK FOR MYSELF AND I'LL LIVE FOR MYSELF

[riskylittleturtle]

Tendencies - Dragon Sylus

Dragons sleep on their treasures, it's a way of guarding it, keeping it safe from other's and being sure no one can get to it without waking them up. Sylus is that way too, has a little box of his favourite gems and such tucked away under his bed. His greatest treasure though, is you. He sleeps best with his head in your lap or pinning you under his weight as he lays over you. His favourite place to nap is on you, head on your stomach and arms wrapped around your back, your laptop settled on his back as you type up reports. Will stay there all day if you'd let him.

Dragons rarely share their hoards and treasures, in fact they're known to be very protective and territorial over them. When a dragon allows someone access to their hoard it can be seen as a sign of respect and acceptance, but it is most often a sign of courtship. Sylus gives you his black card and tells you to go crazy. With bank systems it's strange to have cash and change on hand, gems and jewelry aside, and so giving you his black card is his way of sharing his hoard with you.

Dragons view having territory and hoards as a sign of power. The more treasures a dragon has, the more territory that belongs to them, the stronger and more respect worthy the dragon is. Sylus is filthy rich. He's the leader of Onychinus and by extension he rules the N109 zone. On top of the Onychinus base he has safe houses all around, places that belong just to him (and now to you). When he tells you to go crazy with his black card it is not only his start to court you through offering you his hoard, it is his way of showing you that he has plenty and that he'd be a good mate for you.

Dragons present gifts and offerings to please their mates. Sylus pampers you. He offers you new weapons almost constantly. If you've ever played the claw machines with him you know if he fails to get a plushie he refuses to switch with you until he's gotten you one. When you return from showering after working out he's replaced your clothes with newly bought of the same thing. He has his chef prepare a full course meal for you, and buys you breakfast. The list goes on.

Dragons take promises very seriously, the idea of breaking a promise to them is worse than almost any crime. Words are an extension of their existence. Sylus also takes promises really seriously. You say "I'll be done in five, promise." and he stares at you like you've just sold off all of his gems and thrown his black card back in his face when it takes you six. Promises don't have to include the word, you tell him "I'll text you tonight." and he's spending the entire night waiting for his phone to ring with that silly little ringtone you picked out.

To a dragon, falling for lies is one of the worst things that can happen to them. Sylus doesn't realise you're lying to him once, as you tell him you aren't injured after a mission - you really aren't, the only evidence of your pursuit a single tiny scratch on your arm that barely even draw blood - but as he see's the cut later, fingers ghosting over the scratch and expression absolutely wrecked because you were injured and he didn't know, because you lied that you weren't and he couldn't tell you were lying to him.

Dragons have very different morals than humans. They're more focused on instinct and self interest. Their morals are very important to them, though dragons have been known to change their morals to better fit those of their mates. Sylus has no problem killing when he needs to, and he doesn't believe too much in the ideas of redemption or people changing. You however, as a hunter, have at least some belief that people can change - you also know that this doesn't apply to everyone, that multiple things have to be taken into account if someone is trying to redeem themselves. You also believe that some people are better dead, but that for some murder is too easy of a way out of things. Sylus doesn't change outright, he still firmly believes most people aren't worthy of second changes. But he starts considering which of his business partners to kill and which to give other punishments to, starts to leave people he might have killed to prevent future problems be as long as they don't intervene with his own plans.

Dragons are (violently) protective of their hoards, mates, and young. They will do anything to protect what is theirs. Sylus originally only had his gems and money (hoards), but then he took in Luke and Kieran (young), and finally he had you (mate). Any slight against what's his is absolutely unacceptable to him. Someone makes a comment about Luke and Kieran's masks? They're never seen again. A thief breaks in to try and steal his jewels? No one who enters the Onychinus base with bad intentions makes it out. A hunter from a different team made a bad comment about you during a mission? They apologize profusely the next day and aren't part of any future mission collaborations with your team.

Dragons view their scales very highly, for a dragon to give someone it's scale means they trust them wholeheartedly. It's a sign of respect, that they are acknowledging you as worthy. A dragon giving you it's scale can be a sign that they view you as an equal, or even that they view you as one of theirs and that they will protect you and answer their call. Sylus doesn't have scales now, but he's given MC both a brooch (from the main storyline) and a feather (the gift interaction).

[sunseed-fandump]

I feel like Eternal Sugar Cookie is an interesting case in confirmation bias. And just to be clear, I’m talking about her characterization. Time and time again, she uses the fact that the cookies who leave, always come back to her, as “proof” that her place truly is what she says it is: a paradise that everyone wishes to willingly remain. But as we see in Episodes 9 and 10, it’s the sweet scent given by ES herself that draws hordes of monsters to attack whoever leaves. She is actively sabotaging their ability to find happiness anywhere else but within her garden and using this to validate her claims both to others and to herself.

But as much as she says it is for the sake of others – or rather, “for their own good” – this comes off more like she’s trying to protect herself. Eternal Sugar has ZERO coping mechanisms. She cannot handle any form of emotional pain, be it something as small as disappointment or as large as Hollyberry leaving. The minute things start going wrong, that angelic mask slips.

Maybe at the beginning, the idea of the garden was made with good intentions, but soon Eternal Sugar relied on it more than anyone else. It is the only thing that keeps her from experiencing the pain of her own bleeding heart. However, over the years, that wish has since twisted into something a lot more poisonous.

Eternal Sugar says she’s pursuing happiness for all, but in reality, she’s only pursuing her own Happiness. It has to be HER garden and it has to be PERFECT according to how she defines perfection. Everyone has to follow HER rules. SHE knows best. DON’T do things she won’t like or else wind up a statue. There can be NO COMPROMISE. You could be the safest and happiest cookie on Earthbread, but if it isn’t within HER garden, then clearly you MUST be miserable! Things can only go her way, and her way alone.

But it’s the right way, isn’t it? Just look at how many cookies come flocking to her garden! Just look at all those smiles! She can’t possibly be in the wrong if everyone is happy! (Forced or otherwise…)

If you love something, set it free, and if it truly loves you then it will return. And oh, look how fast those cookies come running back!

Yes, Eternal Sugar is absolutely in the right. And anybody who says otherwise, clearly just doesn’t know any better….

At least, that’s the faulty logic she’s been living by for centuries.

[flicklikesstuff]

Have you guys ever thought too hard about Crunchy Chip’s over-the-top avoidance of sweets? Because guess what?

I SURE did-

We all know that eating sweets in the Dark Cacao Kingdom isn’t as unforgivable as Chip makes it out to be. The citadel literally has some sweets stored that Fishgatto took in his benefit before.

Caramel Arrow’s fav drink is literally brown sugar milk tea (Like meeeee :D). Not even Dark Cacao himself is strict on it since he has given Chip a pass on the treats a number of times.

As far as I know, I believe no other Dark Cacao denizen is actually that strict on that rule? (I may be wrong idk)

So then, why is Chip like this?

…….

This is going into more theorising territory, but it’s been heavily implied that Chip has spent his entire life (if not ever since his childhood) in the wild. His voice lines point to this. He lives in the mountains, can set up camp by reflex, hunts with the pack, and overall just has a love for being outside.

Also, most likely raised by wolves even? I feel like his story below was meant to be about how he first met and was saved by Dark Cacao since it parallels the bit when Wildberry shares how he first met and is taken in by Hollyberry. While it’s not stated how old he was in that time, I’m going to assume somewhat young enough near Wild’s age if we’re seeing the two stories as parallels?

(After all, this sequence is meant to show why these two cookies are the best, most loyal options to be entrusted with their monarch’s soul jam. It makes sense to me that they’re parallels of a first-meet.

AGAIN, this is my interpretation only!! This story could really be taken as something else too.)

And I’ve been thinking. Assuming IF Chip has spent his childhood in the wild, he must’ve been isolated from cookie civilisation/cookie social circles for a period of time.

Until he was ‘saved’ and then taken in to train and become a warrior and Cream Wolf Captain. With his childhood spent not growing up in a typical cookie home and instead, his heart being always in tune with the wild more, there’s bound to be some dissociation with his fellow Dark Cacaoians.

(This is also the guy who doesn’t know what a delegation is despite being a man in his mid 30s tops. Adding more into my theory that he’s somewhat detached from society.)

………..

Getting to the point, what if this isolation is the explanation? Chip has mentioned that his job has him needed at the kingdom’s borders, thus making him even more distant from other cookies.

And even then, the others even agree so that his rightful place and the place he’s most expected to be in, is in the mountains.

Not saying that this is a bad thing. Not at all! He loves his job. I’m sure Chip loves being in the mountains with his wolves. He’s mentioned how he’s missed and is fully content being there a bunch.

It’s just that…. Does he ever feel a longing to belong? After all, it’s an ingrained thing to desire connections. Not just with the wolves but also, with his very own people too. Does not growing up among other children cookies just like his other fellow warriors had, ever get to his head sometimes?

Does it ever make him feel….isolated and distant in a sense?

Unless, this could be fixed of course. He could really, really, really commit to the values every warrior should have. And Discipline is one of them! If he’s dedicated to the bit, then he could convince himself that he truly does belong and IS a Dark Cacao warrior.

He’ll prove it if he must! To the king, to the others, to himself!

He feels the need to greatly appeal and prove to Dark Cacao so much that he does have a place in this kingdom after all. Why wouldn’t he? He’s kept strict to every rule and expectation, right??

If we consider that the theory he grew up isolated in the wild as a kid could be true, this means Chip has felt like an outsider ever since he could remember.

Being a Dark Cacaoian by blood/jam. But at the same time, still not fitting in. Its tough. (Not projecting nope.)

Btw, this may or may not reminded me of someone else….

Mr. “Would rather be in the silence of the Royal Gardens than loud-ass parties and talking and I’m fully aware how weird that sounds coming from a Hollyberrian cookie.”

*coughs coughs*

Totally not spreading my Wildchip propaganda but I just thought it’d be neat if they talk about how they love their respective kingdoms and would die to serve them but also-also, it lowkey feels weird and kinda hurts to not actually fit in with your own fellow cookies. Also WHAT, you’re an orphan adopted by your Ancient too???

………….

So anyways, I probs dug too deep into what should’ve been a comedic trivial thing of a character and made it into a mini sad-fest. Whups.

Though, it could also be simply that Chip’s just really dedicated while silly about it buuuuuuuut, that’s not as fun to analyse.

TLDR: “I didn’t have normal childhood like other cookies so I sometimes feel like not truly belonging but that’s not true because I DEFINITELY am a Dark Cacao Warrior and I can prove it by overcommitting to the bit.”

Btw, Happy late Bday Crunchy Chip <3 🎉💖

[snogfairy]

"apparently if we do a miracle together it all works a bit too well" listen LISTEN i think this is why. i think the magnitude and power of that miracle they did together is what alerted the metatron and why he has come to separate them by all means, because they have not realized yet quite how powerful they are together and what that could mean!! this is why, i think???? they used to do each other's miracles and temptations for each other, but never with, and that could change everythign and could get in the way of certain Ineffable Plans (that i don't think are necessarily God's, looking at you villain metatrash)

[egophiliac]

:) hello! :D hope you have a nice day and absolutely do not think of the possibility of one of the last story cards being of silver! and that his groovy will very probably be crying!!! THERE'S SO MANY CRYING PEOPLE IN STORY CARDS LATELY!!! SPECIALLY LIGHT USERS!! I AM!!! SCARED!!!! bc so far we got Lilia and Sebek in the beginning book 7.... so at the end.... so we're missing story Silver... and Malleus is the one with less cards, so they might add one for him... but... the tears... ego.... THE TEARS!!!! EGOOOO!! (LOVE YOUR ART BTW EVERYTIME I GET A NOTIF FROM YOUR BLOG I RUN HERE TO SEE!)

(thank you! 💚💜💚)

YES I am ALSO like...90-95% convinced that we're going to be getting a story card for Silver once we wrap around back to diasomnia. 👀 especially because the way things are going, Silver will be the only character whose dream we haven't seen -- yet???? -- and that just. y'know. makes me wonder!

although I do think it would be VERY funny if he got a story card and the groovy was just "regular Silver except with one beautiful single crystal tear". this is actually a lot coming from him.

(he used up all his emotion yelling at a baby that one time, there's none left for a proper groovy-level cry.)

[the-impulse-to-love]

i still can't get over the fact how the new album is even in arcadia.

like. take me back to eden, and now even in arcadia.

take me back to eden, which is a paradise that was inhabited in and later lost due to the sin of eating the forbidden fruit.

even in arcadia, which is an idyllic paradise of a real region in greece. a concept that was romanticized and explored during the renaissance that is said to be unobtainable and lost.

and the phrase "even in" -- referring to the phrase "et in arcadia ego," roughly meaning "even in arcadia, there i am." a phrase used as a title to painter nicolas poussin's painting (left) depicting three shepherds and a woman. yet, this work was inspired by a work of the same name done by artist guercino (right), done about a decade before. and his work has themes of memento mori, a reminder that death is always There, with the image of a skull reinforcing the idea of the title.

all just to say...

vessel wants to be taken back to eden -- back to a way when things were idyllic and perfect. and yet, if he obtains this, if he somehow gets to arcadia, he's met with the harsh reality that his paradise is unobtainable and lost. "i" -- whether that be sleep, death, or some other figure -- they are still there in what appears to be paradise, even if vessel wants to escape from them...

[elder-dwarf]

HUNTR/X outfits

I love the attention to detail in the outfits for Golden and What It Sounds Like.

The outfits are a representation of what they are feeling. For example:

When Golden is first released Rumi has the most black on her outfit. It’s a physical representation of the shame she has. Zoey and Mira have less shame than Rumi, therefore less black.

But…

As the movie continues the more shame everyone starts to have. HUNTR/X is being torn apart and we see how that is affecting each of them through the amount of black in their clothing.

But that all changes at the end.

When Rumi, Zoey and Mira finally accept their faults and let go of their shame they didn’t have any black clothing, despite wearing it moments ago.

And that also explains why the Demons always wear black. Just like Jinu said, all they feel is their shame.

[sanska]

Ariadne explaining how to navigate the labyrinth (and after) to Theseus. It’s important, she’s committing treason for you Theseus, don’t look at her like that.