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Reblog if you can proudly admit you've never sent anon hate.

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This!

When they were born, women couldn’t vote — now they’re casting ballots for a female President

Photos: I Waited 96 Years

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In defence of #StandWithWard

To Clark Gregg, Jeph Loeb, The Powers That Be, our #StandWithWard supporters and those who are against us, an explanation - a defence, if you will, as apparently we need to justify our upset at the recently made comments and explain exactly what it is this campaign is about. Again.

“It’s all these people who are like Charles Manson marriers. As Ward has killed more and more people, the SkyeWard fans got a little smaller but a little more zealous,” Gregg quips. (UPDATE: He also tweeted: “.@WardsWarriors forgive me.  No one thinks Ward is dreamier than I do.”)

First things first, please let me clear up this misunderstanding: #StandWithWard fans are not all SkyeWard shippers. Our fanbase has not grown smaller; it has grown considerably larger as the events of season two have progressed. 

Why, you might ask? Well, it’s certainly not because we’re the Agents of SHIELD equivalent of “Manson marriers” and still, days on, that comparison however much in jest it was said insults and disgusts me - not as someone involved with #StandWithWard but as a person, and a fan of the show in general. If that is truly what TPTB and members of the cast think of us, you have to ask yourself what their intentions were in creating such a character in the first place.

Our passion for Grant Ward is driven - not by his “dreamy” looks, and believe me, that term being used in an “apology” is almost as offensive as the initial insult itself - but by the storytelling.

#StandWithWard began after the events of 1x15 (“Yes Men”), when we witnessed Grant Ward’s sexual assault at the hands of Lorelei. There was no acknowledgement that his actions were as a direct result of her influence, which in basic terms equates with being drugged. Ward was blamed for his actions, which were beyond his control. Fans and cast members rejoiced when he was punched following being released from Lorelei’s influence, which didn’t sit right with a lot of us, some of whom could relate to what he’d been put through on a personal level.

Grant Ward had no free-will in that episode. His choice was taken away from his. Grant Ward was raped, and that is a fact that has still gone unacknowledged.

Our movement grew in numbers after the reveal that Ward was Hydra - though, as admitted by the character himself on multiple occasions, Ward’s loyalty was never to SHIELD’s rival organisation: it was always to John Garrett.

Loeb notes with a laugh, “Look, no one – no one – thought that Ward was HYDRA except us. There are still a very loud and vocal group of people who are absolutely sure that he’s not. I wish them luck.”

This is where I respectfully correct you, Mr Loeb. We do not argue that Ward worked for Hydra; he worked for Hydra - he was Hydra - but his loyalty, as stated by your esteemed colleagues, was never to Hydra.

Our sympathies and our support for Grant Ward grew over the course of season one and the reasons for this are not as shallow as to be based on looks or, as our detractors consistently argue, because Ward is a white male.

We were repeatedly shown how badly Ward was treated by John Garrett in the latter episodes of season one. In 1x21 (“Ragtag”), we were allowed our first real insight into the background of this character we are in support of: an abusive victim, who was taken advantage of and manipulated by John Garrett.

In the season one finale, “Beginning of the End”, there was an unnecessary fight scene in which Ward was robbed as his voice by Agent May. To those of us who have paid attention to Ward’s back story, this was uncomfortable viewing: finally, Ward had a chance to be free of Garrett’s influence… and yet the final act of the season was to rob him, an abuse victim, of his voice in a fight that is still celebrated by some.

(And don’t get me wrong - the choreography for the fight itself was amazing; the subsequent “nail Hydra” comments and remarks, again by cast and crew as well as fans, are not.)

Before season two began, we hoped for the best. Perhaps foolishly. We thought, given the comments of the show runners, that it would be acknowledged that a person can be shaped by their environment and influenced by those around them.

We believed Coulson when he said that everyone deserved a second chance.

The Coulson of season two is not the Coulson we knew and loved, the Coulson some of us fought so hard to bring back as part of of #CoulsonLives. But I digress. This isn’t the #StandWithCoulson blog.

In season two, Grant Ward was depicted as “the monster in the basement.“ 

What monster, I have to ask you, tries to kill himself three times and gets no sympathy for it?

Yes, Grant Ward has killed people for Hydra and for John Garrett. He has also killed just as many, if not more, in service of SHIELD, yet no one seems to think that’s a problem because “SHIELD are the good guys.”

There are no good guys in this universe, not even in SHIELD, just people who work in the shadows and exist in a world where nothing is truly black or white. 

The #StandWithWard campaign has always been about our wish for Grant Ward to be given a chance to find out who he is, to be given the help he needs to overcome both the abuse of his childhood and the trauma of his time with SHIELD.

Yes, with SHIELD.

Since day one, he has been John Garrett’s puppet, following orders without question. For SHIELD, he has killed countless of individuals as a Specialist - and was lauded for it. He was cited as one of the best SHIELD agents because he did the things that needed to be done without hesitation.

There is a lot of blood on Ward’s hands, none of us will disagree, but a lot of that blood was put there by SHIELD.

There is still a lot to be learned about all of these characters, a lot to be discovered as they answer the question that has been used as the tagline for this season: “Who will they become?”

Grant Ward is, or should, be included in that.

#StandWithWard are not a vocal minority nor are we in any way blind to the crimes he has committed. The difference, it seems to me, is that we are in no way blind to the crimes and the faults of the other characters on this show, either. 

We do not see Grant Ward as a serial killer to be worshipped or exalted; we see him as a person who has never been given the chance to be more than those around him want him to be.

Is he perfect? No. Is he a healthy character, mentally and emotionally? Hell, no.

Show me one character on this show who is any more.

Trip was, by far, the most grounded, healthiest mentally and emotionally stable character Agents of SHIELD had to offer. And he was killed off.(#TripLives)

To Mr Gregg, you may not have intended your words to have the reaction that they have, but I wonder if you realise you are now being hailed as a hero by those who have spent the last few months attacking not only Grant Ward and his fans but any cast or crew member who dares to speak out in his defence. There is already a divide in this fandom, an unhealthy, hateful one, that has driven some fans away. That divide, I fear, has been fuelled by what I’m sure you intended to be nothing more than a harmless, throw-away comment.

Here, on this blog, we have never shown hate towards a fellow fan or towards anyone connected with the show, nor will we start now. We urge our followers and supporters to rise above the negativity being levelled at us: responding to hate with hate is not our way nor will it ever be.

It doesn’t seem fair that our attempt at respectfully showing support for a character that you could argue we have been manipulated by the storytelling to feel sympathy for should result in this but that’s the way the dice have fallen. I’d also like to take this opportunity to point out that fans of a show are what keep it going. It doesn’t seem like a smart move to me to insult what is evidently a very passionate group, but then what do I know?

This is our explanation for #StandWithWard in response to the furore of the last few days. It will be the last we make.

Perhaps now those who clearly failed to understand us and our motives before will do so now. If not, may I please respectfully ask that if you don’t understand us, you just let us be.

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Reblog if you will NOT be watching Agents of SHIELD this fall.

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THIS! EXACTLY!

I’ll tell you what makes me furious. 

Not the fact that the second scene felt like a rehash of Skyeward - but the fact that the narrative made her this nearly magical creature that lures broken men fron their hiding into her light, where they’re supposed to be warm and safe. Where they could finally heal. What happens is that they both are destroyed later - for different reasons, but the same purpose- further destruction of her.

Skye we met at the beginning was literally perfect. Smart but not too smart, involved, interested in people and things, passionate, with ideals and caring and compassion. Compassion being the most important trait, the one that brings back life and supports healing, one that allows forgiveness, second chances, one that can fix things. recreate them instead of turning them into ashes. 

Instead, the show first rips one (almost) lover from her, making him hurt her so much, that she can never heal. She never gets back the softness she once had. The other gets to die for her, leaving her with so much guilt she will never be able to repay ever. 

Also, her superpowers? Are about destruction and tearing things down and apart.

And this poetics of destruction, of deconstruction; of losing, pain, hurt and tragedy is what fucking bothers me because it’s promoted and paraded like the only thing that can bring a real, profound change, be a catalyst, inspire someone to do better. Almost like kindness, forgiveness, caring and compassion can not do that. Love is treated like something that has to burn you and can never survive (except if you’re Fitzsimmons, but even that happened after a terrible price for Simmons - she had to be traumatized to extremes and feel like she’s lost everything in order to realize that Fitz is the only. Option. For her. Fuck that. Fuck that a thousand times over because she had to be destroyed in order to finally accept Fitz as the one and only for her. Fuck that a million times.). And right now i think it’s significant how Chloe is describing Daisy caring about other people - because she loses those she loves in terrible scenarios, she cares for people by pushing them away. 

And that is what superhero genre and the first superheroine on TV have to offer to me? A message that has literally no touch with reality? Superpowers aside, that’s not what defines a superhero, or what makes a story about a superhero great. It’s the most basic human stuff - and in this story the future is bleak, the hope has died, love has been used to induce guilt, innocence was destroyed and compassion was shot in the chest. That is not realistic or epic or great. That’s simply mind numbing and frankly, awful. That’s the sort of story Whedons (all of them) have told and retold and rehashed gazillion times. “Show me a hero and I’ll show you a tragedy”, “love hurts”, love has to die a horrible tragic death, there can be no happiness, and you’re somehow strong after you’ve been broken again and again and again. Bullshit. In reality love and close, caring relationships are literally what keeps you together. Things that break you - they break you. And you remain broken (to some degree. It depends what you’re like and how bad what happened to you was). 

Well, FUCK THAT. I will not accept that as a superhero story, I will not accept that kind of a story where every shot at healing has been gutted. Destruction is not and will not be more profound or stronger than healing yourself. 

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LoL! I feel sorry for these narrowminded people. They'll never be happy about anything, because they constantly feel threatened. Poor little souls...

Mushu is judging me and i brought down Skyeward fandom all on my own.

Because i am THAT powerful /sarcasm

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Seconded!

This blog is anti- Agents of SHIELD writers. I do not condone or tolerate the comments, Jed Whedon, Jeff Bell and Maurissa Tancheroen have made regarding Agents of SHIELD. I do not believe in the toxic messages they constantly spread and try to justify. Please unfollow and block if you do agree with them and believe they did nothing wrong. 

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I bring the beer and Ves should bring the music!

Reblog if you’re going to follow aos ratings and come have a party with me once aos gets canceled.

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This! I can't wait for all the "congrats for getting cancelled" tweets! They have them coming and then I'll lean back, sip my drink and enjoy!

Here’s why i hope aos gets canned.

They lied.

They knowingly lied to fans since s1.

They lied in order to get people’s hopes up and keep them watching and then laughed about it and mocked the fans who - OH THE HORROR - thought that hope, love and forgiveness is a more powerful, better story than hate, vengance and destruction.

They picked one character to ruin and used the fans of that character to lie to, in face of very serious things like mental illness and abuse history - WHICH IS A PAINFUL REALITY FOR MANY OF THOSE FANS - and lied and then mocked those same people.

They think redeeming Ward would take away the power of Hydra reveal. LMAO. Oh my godness! You still think Hydra reveal is something you can call back to? That was in 2013 for fuck’s sake, that was three years ago and you did not have a truly shocking twist EVER SINCE THEN,

In fact i bet someone at SDCC will inevitably ask about Ward and Hydra turn and “was it a shock when other cast members found out”

Which just proves they wrote a story that had no real impact. Just plot props to shove character into plot holes.

Furthermore they wrote a hero origin story where for her to become a hero a mentally ill person has to commit suicide.

So she’d feel properly guilty.

To do thousands of small good deeds?

That’s a fucking great message, you pricks.

You know what, JedMo? Don’t be surprised when people you walked over for three years come to laugh at your downfall. It will happen. We will be fucking cruel. And yes, you brought it on yourselves. You don’t get to hurt people, mock them and lie to them and then expect them to support you. Numbers are merciless and theyre NOT on your side.

Also?

The people you meet on your way down are the same people you met on your way up

Only this time they will happily shove your ass further into mud

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Grant Ward + this scene

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it’s like the sun came out  ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

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Chloe and Brett in 2015 (x, x, and x)

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Gorgeous!

Brett Dalton as Superman 

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I’d love to see Brett as Clark Kent sitting in the journalist pool during one of Mayor Queen’s press conferences.

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Exactly!

No but seriously, do you realise that if Phil hadn’t handed Ward over to his brother, he could’ve stayed in Vault D, giving them intel, helping them defeat hydra. At some point people other than Coulson and Skye would’ve begun talking to him and maybe even understand why his loyalties were with Garrett and how now he can finally be his own person. Maybe Skye wouldn’t have gotten her powers like she did, but Cal still wanted to meet her and he probably would have somehow. Ward would never meet Kara, and so Bobbi would never get tortured. Rosalind would be alive. I cannot emphasise this enough, that Coulson is a liar when he says “everyone deserves a second chance”. Actually, not a liar, but a hypocrite. Why? Because when it came to Hunter not wanting Creel to work with them because he killed his friends, Coulson very graciously said his line about second chances. But when it was personal, when his own team member had turned out to be a liar, he seemed to forget that, didn’t he? I’m just saying that Coulson is right to blame himself for every bad thing Grant does, but NOT because he should’ve killed Ward and didn’t, but only because he should’ve given Ward a second chance and he didn’t.

lines from 2x06 “Everything I told Skye was true. You know that. I haven’t given you one bad piece of intel. Is that worth nothing? […] I thought we were rebuilding trust, Coulson. I can help you. I’m still a part of your team.” And Coulson basically replied with fuck you.

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This! All of this exactly!

the thing that fucks me up about aos writing the most (probably) is how the writing team seems to set up interesting plots, stories with really good potential that could turn into something rich with meaning, but then they just drop it in favor of stupidest, simplest and often most destructive solution

that gifset with lincoln and not!ward (hive) fucked me up because their conversation comes down to one thing - wanting/needing a connection with other human beings. which is a fundamental need for humans, but trust to the writers never to really truly capitalize on that. 

(also the crazy chemistry between the boys)

if you think about it, it’s the driving motive for skye, ward and lincoln, the primary need that drives their behaviors. needing to belong, be someone’s, be accepted, loved/not hated, rejected and attacked is what drives skye to become an agent, it’s what drove ward into garret’s clutches it’s what makes lincoln turn to alcohol and later other coping mechanisms (while not being able to properly accept his nature and his powers)

finally, it’s what drives hive as well. he was created to be a connector between inhumans. 

and what shits me the most is how hive was, basically, an abused, mutilated human being, forced to become a (literal) monster. (doesn’t that sound familiar)?

However show never capitalizes on this massive parallel, the only thing we do get is that one scene. it’s more important to make idiotic off screen comments about portions of fanbase that happens to love a bad guy while good guys do the same things, for similar reasons like the bad guy - and the fans who call this out are rejected and unwanted.

and thus, aos rejects complexity, it rejects constructive criticisma nd constructive anything in favor of destruction, a narrative where heroine’s heart must be shattered to pieces and stomped over because there obviously isn’t another way to make and motivate a hero, right?

bullshit. 

talk about shoving characters into plots, instead of writing plot around the characters. really, enjoy your sinking ratings, show.