abstractroses101

[abstractroses101]

I think Joaquin and Sam is everything I have wanted from a mentor/mentee dynamic in the MCU.

People can talk about iron man and peter all they want, but THIS, falcon and captain America, is what true teacher dynamics looks like.

An overly enthusiastic kid who wants to do right in their idols eyes and an idol who doesn’t treat them like glass. Sam will let Joaquin gain experience because he knows it’s important.

Joaquin begging to be a part of the action and Sam letting him do so in dire circumstances, trying his best not to let his PTSD stop him from allowing Joaquin fly.

From what we see in the movie it looks and sounds like Sam never lets Joaquin fly solo. He always has him on coms but never up in the air by himself, keeping him right where Sam can reach him in case anything happens. Sam is overprotective but not coddling and it’s what I love so much about their relationship; Joaquin will always push to do more and Sam will always be there to rein him in while giving him the space to improve.

And I think it adds onto that guilt Joaquin feels in the hospital, likely knowing that him falling out of the sky triggered Sam in a way that Joaquin never wants to let happen again. He wants to be better he wants to do right by Sam, and be worthy of the Falcon title. Even though Sam already knows he is. Because Joaquin cares and loves Sam just as much as Sam loves and cares about him. There is this silent communication between them that goes both ways, I won’t let anything happen to you.

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Sam Wilson is really just so damn cool.

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Sam Wilson: Double Consciousness

One thing I love about Black superheroes is that they all (in their own ways) celebrate different aspects of the Black experience.

T'challa, in the first Black Panther film represented Afro-futurism and Pan-Africanism.

Shuri, in Wakanda Forever, represented Black grief and the pain of loss.

Luke Cage represented African American pride and resilience

Tyrone from Cloak and Dagger represented the fear of living as a Black person in a white dominated space.

Miles Morales in Into the Spider-Verse, represented the creation of an individual identity (he even uses his graffiti skills to paint his own Spiderman suit). Each hero represented a specific aspect of the Black experience.

But Sam Wilson has always occupied a specific space that (until this moment) had yet to be filled. Sam Wilson, as an African American man, and as an African American Captain America, represents double consciousness.

(Potential Spoilers after the cut)

Double Consciousness, in this context, is a term that was coined by WEB Du Bois in his book The Souls of Black Folk in which he states that:

"It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife – this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He does not wish to Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world and Africa. He wouldn't bleach his Negro blood in a flood of white Americanism, for he knows that Negro blood has a message for the world. He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in his face"

In essence, to be a Black American is to be a creature of two warring worlds, and it also means that the Black American must be ever aware at the fact that every move we make is not only going to be used to judge our character, but also the character of every other Black American. And Sam Wilson is aware of that fact.

In both The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam brings up the fact that he knows the world is watching him and hating him simply for being a Black man who represents the United States. When Sam is juxtaposed against Isaiah Bradley, another Black Captain America who the country abandoned, Sam is reminded of how this country has always treated Black men and women.

And, sadly enough, Sam could also be looking at his own future. During Brave New World, Sam is ever honorable, ever compassionate and ever empathetic to everyone around him (even when their actions do not warrant Sam's kindness). Because, once again, Sam is aware that his actions (whether negative or positive) will have a greater impact on more than just himself. And that kind of pressure can lead to bitterness. It can wear a body down.

Sam states:

"Because if I’m not on point, I feel like I’ve let down everyone who is fighting for a seat at that table.”

Isaiah Bradley has always had a rocky relationship with the US, just like all African Americans have, So it makes sense to me that Sam Wilson may also be thinking about Isaiah each time he picks up the shield. When African Americans create something (be it a movie, or a tv show, or a play) that centers on the Black experience, there is an added pressure to overperform to prove the validity of the project and the validity of Black narratives. When The Wiz, a film that was originally going to be seen as "The First Black Classic" bombed in 1978, many Hollywood producers and film historians credited that film's failure as the reason why Black-led franchises are/were seen as box office poison for so long. Even with the success of 2018's Black Panther film, there are still people who're gun shy about centering Black narratives in the mainstream. So, if Sam Wilson were to fail as being Captain America, or if Sam Wilson were to represent himself in a way that is less admirable, it would have an effect on Isaiah's legacy, it would have an effect on Joaquin, it would have an effect on (potentially) Isaiah's grandson.

And even still, during the prison scenes in BNW, when Isaiah is locked away and Sam comes to visit him, Isaiah states:

"The last thing I want is for any of this ugliness to touch you."

Within the MCU Isaiah and Sam's stories are linked. Not just through the fact that Sam brought Isaiah's story out into the light, but also because they are both Black men who have held the mantel of Captain America, and whether they like it or not, their destinies with that legacy are intertwined. One will affect the other. They are each other's keeper.

Sam Wilson, rather through happenstance or fate, is the embodiment of Double Consciousness. Luke Cage, in both his comic book series and his Netflix show, was free to exist as a person outside of the white gaze. He could be angry, sad, fearful, etc, and not have to worry about how his actions would affect the larger community outside of Harlem. Sam Wilson does not have the luxury. So, when Sam is faced with a microaggression (such as being called "Son" by Ross), he is forced to hold his tongue. Sam Wilson is expected to react with kindness and decorum in the midst danger or disrespect, not because he can't fight back, but because he knows how the weight of his actions will affect those who look like him.

And Sam Wilson, a Black man without the soldier serum, is still expected to do everything that Steve Rogers (and to a lesser extent John Walker) do. Sam Wilson must do twice as much work with half as many resources. And if that's not the embodiment of the African American experience, I'm not sure what is. Many African American genres of music were created out of necessity and transferring what knowledge we could salvage onto new instruments. In short, African Americans had to improvise with the tools they were already given and create something new. Jazz and Blues was created because Black slaves were not allowed to use drums, so those rhythmic patterns were transposed onto guitars and horns.

Sam is expected to carry a large amount of physical labor (simply fighting as a human being without the serum clearly takes a toll). But he's also expected to do a lot of emotional labor as well. Through BNW Sam acts more as an ambassador for the US than a soldier. It is canon that in the MCU Sam speaks English, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese and he uses those skills to extend diplomacy to other nations and other people. In BNW, it was Sam who was responsible for deescalating international tensions with Japan, and it was Sam who managed to avoid a war through peaceful negotiation rather than war mongering (as Ross wanted to do). Even during the fight with Red Hulk, Sam had to resort to other means to achieve results (something that Steve or John Walker would've just brute forced their way through). Even while Sam was being shot at in the air, he never lost his cool because (like many African Americans) he is not afforded that privilege. John Walker, in TFATWS is allowed to murder and stain the shield with blood, but no one would ever say that white men like Walker are the problem with America. Yet Sam (and Isaiah) are far too familiar with the fact that a Black man screwing up will result in the judgement of everything that is associated with Blackness and Black people. So, they must find solutions without the use of violence. Sam must be diplomatic when the easier solution would be violence. Sam must be able to communicate with others on their own turf or in their own language during tense situations (like when he spoke Japanese to the fighter pilots).

Sam Wilson does not have the serum, but he does have wings. So, he adapted. Sam Wilson does not have the super strength needed to work the shield the same way Steve does, so Sam adapted and improvised. Just like Jazz music, Sam Wilson turned a perceived fault into a creative strength. He had to use his linguistic skills, his counseling skills, his flight capabilities, psychology and his boundless optimism to do the impossible.

A very hurting thing for Black Americans - to feel that we can't love our enemies. People forget what a great tradition we have as African-Americans in the practice of forgiveness and compassion. And if we neglect that tradition, we suffer.

-Bell Hooks

The fact of the matter remains, Sam Wilson embodies so many aspects of the African American experience, even when he doesn't mean to. Compassion. Improvisation. And the constant idea that this country can choose its better angels. In a way, Sam Wilson occupies a space that Luke Cage, T'challa, Shuri, and even Erik Killmonger cannot. It is a piece of the African American experience that takes a slug in the face and still gets right back up. The Black American tradition of making the impossible a reality through nothing but sheer force of will. Steve Rogers might have been the one to say the words "I can do this all day," but Sam Wilson lives them.

And he comes from a centuries old tradition of people who have been living them.

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I've been laughing at this dumb Tiktok for like seven minutes

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heard a gay man talk abt how he still calls his husband "buddy",,,,

james buchanan "bucky" barnes i know what you are

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I love that Sam and Bucky's relationship is much healthier now.

They always used to look like they were physically unable to stay away from each other. Which is great to witness when you're a shipper, but not something you want in a relationship.

If you look at Sam/Steve or Steve/Bucky, they're always had the kind of friendship where they were able to do things separately. But Sam and Bucky? They've never been able to do that.

Sam and Bucky, have been "inseparable" (Sebastian's words not mine), ever since we saw them together in Captain America: Civil War. And they weren't even supposed to be that close but they were always paired up together.

It gave us these 2 iconic scenes:

We saw them getting even closer in Avengers: Endgame, with Sam comforting Bucky at Tony's funeral.

And who did Sam turn to when faced with the biggest decision of his life? Bucky. Not Steve, his best friend. He looked at Bucky for reassurance.

Even at the beginning of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, when they were supposed to be angry with eachother, Bucky wouldn't leave Sam's side.

And at the end of the show when they solved all of their problems, Bucky basically moved to Sam's hometown.

It's not only their scenes together, but also the way the cast and crew talks about them, Sebastian said they were inseparable, in the Captain America: Civil War Press tour. Anthony said that Sam and Bucky "can't do without each other" in the FATWS press tour.

Anthony also had this headcanon that Sam visited Bucky every other weekend when he was in Wakanda, during the Avengers: Infinity War press tour.

Even the cast members see Sam and Bucky as an item, and never expects them to stay away from each other for a long time.

As Malcolm Spellman said; "they are family in a way that feels like will last forever in the MCU"

In Captain America: Brave New World we saw a much more mature version of Sam and Bucky's relationship. They're able to do their own thing, and still be there for one another when they need to.

They know where they stand in eachother lives and are comfortable with it. Bucky's picture is literally front and center in Sam's office.

There's no way tfatws!Sambucky would have been to do separately things for such a long time ... Bucky would have asked to go on missions with Sam or Sam would have stayed with Bucky during his campaign.

I really like that Sam and Bucky are now in a place where they can indeed be without eachother when necessary, but still know how important the other is in their life.

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U can watch Star Wars so many times and it doesn’t prepare u for how dumb Star Wars is. For one thing I think we gloss over how kenobi (who has definitely been at the club. Please.) describes the mos eisley cantina as the worst most villainous place ever and then u get inside and it’s a pack of muppets vaping

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Here is your mission.

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Me: do you ever think how every Captain America had to watch their best friend either die or have a near-death experience?

My dad: …what do you mean

Me: Steve had to watch Bucky fall off a train and get his arm ripped off; Sam had to watch Joaquin fall into the ocean, almost killing him; and John had to watch his best friend get thrown across a room and die on impact.

My dad: …

My dad: Well now I am.

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what are they watching?

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collection of posts for a very specific dynamic

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A Prince Restored, A Lover Lost

Title: A Prince Restored, A Lover Lost

Artists: @capcavan and @another-random-stranger

Beta: quill_and-ink (AO3)

Rating: Teen and Up

Pairings: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood

Word Count: 24k+

Summary: A SH 2x12 canon-divergent story where Magnus isn’t rescued by Alec and is executed in Valentine’s body by the Clave. His last moments of life are that of absolute agony…

…until the moment he wakes up in Edom and in the company of Asmodeus. 

Given a second chance at immortal life, Magnus returns to New York only to discover that, despite the seemingly fleeting moments he’d spent in death, decades have passed in the mortal realm. 

In a desperate attempt to reconnect with the Downworld/Shadowhunter family he was just beginning to build, Magnus finds everything and everyone changed. And the one he misses the most…he can’t find at all.

Devastated and unmoored, Magnus returns to his loft. And while the place is mostly the same (aside from inches of dust and stale air), it's the pile of mail at the door that stops him short. Because among the credit card applications, coupon sheets, and charity solicitations, are letters. Letters upon letters and each is labeled to mark the passing of time - Day 3, Day 64, Day 378, Day 1104 - all written in a heartbreakingly familiar hand. 

Through Alec’s words, the events after Magnus’ passing begin to unfold. And with each painful letter, a hopeful path back to the man who had the makings to be Magnus’ greatest love begins to be revealed.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49775434/chapters/125643631

This fic was created for the Shadowhunters Mini Bang 2023: Presented by the @malecdiscordserver. 

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

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Most people are lucky to have even one great love in their life. You have found two

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Spoilers for Wind and Truth

I am not finished with W&T but I just read the Kata/Dance scene with Kaladin and Syl and this song is them in that moment

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A Sorrow Shared~ Adolin and Kaladin sharing in their grief after the storming of Kholinar. Non scene specific, just an idea I wanted to convey.

A very personal piece that i did when I was coping with my own loss. Adolin and Kaladin really embody the strength I needed the most during that time, and I'll always be forever grateful for these two. 💙

Support me on Ko-fi | Prints| Commissions

[abstractroses101]

today I had the urge to draw Adolin and then decided that he deserves to have his spouses loved ones with him. well... he did have Gallant in the first iteration.

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I think Morgie and Hook should have kissed, same with Red and Chloe