#(a character trait that’s been consistent from the start)

[chromieclipse]

I'm new here and sorry if it was asked already,but I just cannot express in words how much I love your art style, and when you draw fun gang you're amazing at showing character traits and emotions, can you maybe give some drawing tips? It's been so long since I've drawn, but deltarune really makes me wanna make art again c:

I'm happy to give a few tips! I'm not the best teacher, but I'll talk about some things that I think about and keep in mind when drawing, designing, and doing art in general.

Focus on the idea more than the literal/realistic interpretation of what you're drawing.

For a long time I struggled over anatomy, proportion, and trying to make things "make sense" in my artwork. It made me really dislike a lot of my stuff for a long time, especially my humanoids, as they didn't look "good enough". It was only once I started focusing more on shapes and shape language that I started to become more confident in my work, and much happier with the way my art looked.

2. Study, study, study - oh, and trace.

I think there is a LOT of merit in studying how others do art, doing studies of bodies, movement, and backgrounds; it's not the only way to get better, but it IS easier to improve once you start to get the basic concepts down.

I also think that tracing in order to learn those things is not only important, but can be much more helpful than just eyeballing and trying to go with what you see - I really, REALLY struggled to get down certain shapes and ideas until I started tracing human bodies and artwork from people I liked- HOWEVER. NEVER post your traced artwork as your own, never claim it as your own; it is studying and learning, and even if you're proud of it, you should respect that it was not originally your work. Tracing to learn is important, but to then claim it as your own is dishonest and bad practice.

3. Nobody has one consistent style.

Most, if not ALL artists have multiple styles, and art styles are constantly shifting and fluctuating as you improve, see artists you enjoy, and incorporate aspects of their style into your own. You don't need to be consistent in your art, it isn't a requirement or necessity. This is something I tried to have for a good few years, but eventually gave up, because my art kept changing and developing, lmao.

4. Experimentation.

Continuously doing the same kind of art is fine, but if you're looking to improve, do things that are experimental and totally different from your typical style. Use different brushes, try to use too many overlays or use brighter colors, do lineless work or paint something for a change. While it may not be something you enjoy necessarily, trying different forms of creating shapes and getting colors will help you not only learn what you DO like, but might help you figure out a better means of doing what you already do!

5. SHORTCUTS!

Not even kidding, I don't color things the "typical" way of coloring in with a pen, I use a select fill tool that references a specific layer. Find things that speed up YOUR process for YOUR work without sacrificing quality or enjoyment! Before I found this means of coloring, I really disliked that part of the process; now, I actually really enjoy it!

6. Sometimes less is more.

Don't feel required to shade everything accurately, to make every piece a masterpiece; you need to draw shittily first in order to draw good later. Half-assed doodles, things sketched then shaded with no color or lineart, skipping lines altogether - Don't always focus on how amazing something looks, you'll drive yourself crazy. I mean, just look at the "comics" I post - they're by no means beautiful, consistent, or complete illustrations, but that doesn't mean they're not fun to do or that people don't enjoy them! Doodling and not putting your all into every single thing you do is important not just to practice, but to also prevent burnout.

7. Be willing to step away and come back to a piece later.

This is something I really struggled with for a long time, but you don't have to finish that drawing in just one sitting, or two, or even five. Everyone's process is different, and everyone's drawing speed isn't the same. I'm a fast artist, but that doesn't mean that someone slower than I am at art is less passionate or "good" than I am.

Not to mention, sometimes waiting a day or two and then coming back to something can help you either see it's better than you thought, or see things you missed upon first drawing it. I do this often with my larger pieces; even stepping away for a few hours and doing something else can be a big help.

8. Comparing your art to others is counterproductive.

I saw a post recently that really spoke to me about things like this, but I'm not sure where it is - the basic gist is that you may not be bad, you may just be surrounded by people who are good.

The idea is - just because someone may be "better than you" at something, it doesn't mean your work is BAD either. Not to mention, artwork is INCREDIBLY subjective; what I enjoy may be very different than what you enjoy in art, and that's totally okay!

An example is I really don't like the process of painting, just, in general. It's a drag, and I dislike it; that doesn't then mean people who paint are automatically worse or better than me, they just happen to have a process different than my own, with different results to how their work ends up looking, and different ways their art is "good". Different art and different styles have different things that are considered "good" about them - and even then, that's STILL subjective from person to person. Don't get lost trying to be "as good" as someone else, or comparing yourself to people around you; your work is still worth existing, regardless of quality.

9. Only listen to advice YOU want to incorporate into your art.

This might seem antithetical to this whole post being about advice, but that's the thing: artwork and style are incredibly personal. I see a lot of references on "what to do vs. what not to do" in art, and I don't think we should be policing how people draw? Who cares if it's unrealistic or kind of silly-looking; if it's fun and you enjoy it, and it's not hurting anyone, it doesn't matter. Make hands way too big, draw those wings too small, put eyes right on the forehead; its YOUR artwork, and if people don't like it, it's not for them.

10. It looks bad before it gets good.

Artwork is a skill, and not everyone inherently has the gift of hyperrealism. I don't even LIKE to draw realism.

The point is, if you don't like your art, if you think it looks bad, if you think it's not good enough - keep drawing. Everyone starts somewhere, and it's taken me years of practice, referencing, self-teaching, trial, and error to get to where I am now.

This is art I did 13 years ago:

Meanwhile, now my art looks like this:

You WILL get better. Just like any skill, it takes time, practice, and perseverance.

11. Draw for YOURSELF.

Your art isn't for anyone but yourself. Drawing just to seek out popularity, to gain attention, to be noticed - it's hollow, and you start to think about the numbers more than you're enjoying the work you're creating. Doing art as a career is a choice you can make, but it has to be YOUR choice, something YOU opt to do. Doing it for fame and attention may be fun at first, but it'll eventually become stressful - what if you don't draw enough? What if you post something wrong, and lose followers? So on and so forth.

I'm currently VERY invested in Deltarune, and very much have it as a special interest - but that won't be forever, and I know that. When I eventually move on, maybe people will unfollow me, but that doesn't mean my work doesn't have worth, y'know? Plus, hey, maybe some people will stay with me and follow original stuff I make, and even if they don't, that's okay. I can't force people to stay, and I don't want people to feel they HAVE to - focusing too much on the numbers, on making people happy... it'll fuck with you, I learned that the hard way back in the Undertale fandom days.

Your art is for you. Do what brings you joy, and don't focus too much on the attention it'll bring. I didn't even think I'd get attention on my silly doodles, but here I am, y'know? Regardless - my point stands lmao.

-

I think that's about it? I can't think of anything else. Sorry this turned into such a ramble, but I'm very passionate about people getting into artwork. I hate seeing beginner artists be disincentivized from drawing because they aren't good enough, or they don't get attention on their stuff, or people say their art is bad - so is EVERYONE'S when they start out. You're not gonna be a master in a day.

[psychhound]

spiritkeep is an upcoming multiplayer campaign-length ttrpg that helps players heal from trauma through play

spiritkeep is a community restoration game where the player characters comprise a special taskforce who undertake missions such as diplomacy, intelligence gathering, rescuing potential allies, seeking boons from powerful spirits, stopping ecological damage, and more in order to heal their dying town ... whether they're trying to be helpful, running from legal consequences, seeking stability, or grasping at belonging, this group of lost souls are on this journey together. there is no giving up until this place can be a home

players collaboratively craft a region and a town together in a world full of nature, diverse peoples, and spirits. then, the game master guides them on journeys into the world designed to help players heal from complex trauma during long-term play

a sunfolk knight and naturefolk/wisp shepherd by @paladinbaby

player characters in spiritkeep are based on storybook tropes. their archetype and paragon define the role they fit into in the story. are you a knight or a shepherd? a revolutionary or a ghost? a damsel or a trickster? your choice out of 18 total options gives you abilities called keywords that shape how you interact with the mechanics and the world around you

more about playbooks

sneak peek at the lonesome and the minder

though almost everyone in spiritkeep is human, humans in this world are diverse and often magical. you probably come from one of several lineages that has been bound to the magic of the world by the many kinds of spirits that live around you. sunfolk burn bright, but have to be careful not to hurt others. animalfolk have been blessed - or cursed - with the traits of predators and prey. you may even come from a mixed lineage, meaning there are many hundreds of possible combinations to start your character with

more about lineages

sneak peek at dreamfolk, wisps, and mixed lineages

in spiritkeep, players work collaboratively to flesh out the world and its local cultures and societies as well as the town they're trying to restore. but in this game, the world is always animist, full of nature, and full of many kinds of spirits. you may seek help from the great spirit of the mountain ... or the meek house spirit who lives in your fireplace. a human-like spirit may accompany you to aid you on a journey ... or you may struggle past the nightmare of a violent spirit beyond your comprehension

through it all, you must take care of your own personal spirit, through which you can unlock memories, heal from harm, gain advancements and boons, and even change your role in the story

more about worldbuilding

a dreamfolk wayfarer by @astrophysician

players interact with the mechanics through a full set of dice, rolled in pairs. choosing which dice to roll indicates the level of effort your PC is putting into their action. larger dice are a limited resource gained through rolling the smaller ones, meaning you have to pace yourself and learn from failure in order to have a better chance to succeed later. however, consistently putting all your effort into actions can lead to burnout, which leads to conditions, which leads to breakdowns ... potentially harming yourself or the mission

your stats indicate various strategies you can take to overcome a challenge rather than concrete skills, and are also added in pairs. they represent how you think, how you embody yourself in the world, and what you value. there are no good or bad stats to have, only different strategies helpful in different contexts. will you roll Gentle + Tactful to sway the nervous princess to your side? will you need to roll Grounded + Hardy to safely weather the sudden storm?

more about mechanics

game masters are supported in spiritkeep with varying levels of NPC creation, lists of prompts, roll tables for missions and complications, and a great amount of advice. GMs will have a lot of agency over the story without pre-defining the narrative or character arcs, guided by the players' collaborative worldbuilding as well as prompts and questions built into the PC's playbooks

the game is designed based on scholarship from therapeutically applied ttrpg, trauma, play therapy, and disability experts. the creator, Luka Brave (that's me!), has a masters degree in writing studies and psychology with a focus in game studies, and a work history in neurodivergent-focused social work, disability advocacy, and community service. spiritkeep is the subject of my thesis

an animalfolk alchemist by @bbonbonss

if you want to support the project, you can help fundraise by buying my games (currently very on sale!):

fundraiser for art and promo materials

fundraiser for therapeutic gm training

and if you like my work, you can follow along with me:

here on tumblr

on my itch

on my website

on my bluesky

questions, feedback, or offers of collaboration or sponsorship can be sent to psychhoundgames (at) gmail (dot) com

[bum-tan]

Honestly, I'm genuinely surprised that Cartman isn't the bicycle of the South Park Fandom and that the ships involving him aren't as enjoyed as other ships.

Don't get me wrong ! I love Creek and Stendy, and I believe they are popular in their own rights; I just find it weird that ships with Cartman aren't nearly as popular as they could be, especially considering the fact that almost every prominent character has material and a bit of chemistry with him in the show.

For instance:

-Cartman's rivalry with Kyle and their complex frenemies/love-hate dynamic with intense interactions due to often conflicting morals and ideals, which is the base of many episodes. The fact that their very identities are complete opposite from one another, but they still share similar key traits such as being stubborn, egotistical, and driven. Their mutual obsession and the odd codependent nature of their relationship where they just have to one up the other. The constant back and forth where Kyle wants Cartman to change and become a better person, while Cartman wants to break Kyle and prove he is just as bad, if not worse than him. Of course, let's not forget that on the occasions where they do team up towards a common goal and set aside their differences, they work efficiently together. Moreover, they get along surprisingly well when they simply hang out and there is no clashing beliefs or morally charged disagreements. But what makes this ship truly interesting is that despite everything, it has been shown multiple times that they still care for each other, which adds even more nuance to their overall dynamic.

-His evolving relationship with Butters, that started off as extremely harmful and one-sided, is now a more balanced friendship. Butters, who is nice to everyone in general, is especially nice to Cartman and seems to hold him in high regards not just because/in spite of being afraid of him. He is more likely to choose Cartman's side every time there is a conflict and often provides unconditional support. As for Cartman, he has stopped tormenting Butters and he is even nice to him on some occasions due to Butters' loyalty. Furthermore, it has been shown that Cartman confides in Butters, which indicates a certain level of trust on his end, cementing that Butters is a close friend he can rely on. Of course their relationship is still far from perfect, but Butters isn't as naive anymore; he is now familiar with Cartman's cruel nature, having been personally subjected to it. Butters will stand up to Cartman when he reaches his limits and openly express his frustration at times because he no longer blindly chases after his approval. Nevertheless, he still sticks around and helps Cartman because he does care about him.

-Kenny being Cartman's best friend and arguably the one who understands him the most out of anyone in the gang due to their similarities like having the same humor, which usually makes Kenny go along with Cartman's antics, and the same interests (anime, video games, horror movies). The fact that they both have dysfunctional households (Kenny's troubled home with parents who always fight, and Cartman being the son of a neglectful single mother); as well as the fact they're both outcasts because Kenny is poor and Cartman is fat (poor, fatherless, his mom is a whore-) which are all things they can bond over. The occasional rivalry they have (the coon), though not as intense as the one between Kyle and Cartman, is still entertaining. How the show sometime hints at Cartman being aware of Kenny's multiple deaths and immortality (more consistently than other characters like Stan or Kyle, mind you) which adds more potential to their dynamic. Their mutual care for one another albeit in an unconventional way. Adding to all of that is how their relationship has its highs and lows, but they still ultimately remain close friends.

-The fact that Stan is one, if not the only person, Cartman is ever consistently nice to; while he may rip on him for having a crush on Wendy and for being too sensitive at times, it's never truly mean spirited more than it is to tease him. Most of the animosity he showcases towards Stan stems from him, more often than not, siding with Kyle during disagreements as Kyle is the most "reasonable" between the two. More proof of that would be how Cartman will sometime go out of his way to help Stan out when he is distressed, without any ulterior motives or grand agenda whatsoever. He will also encourage Stan when the latter forms his own opinion and acts on his own accord, all while disregarding others' expectations. Of course, this is all only when Stan isn't getting in his way, because it's still Cartman we're talking about; but even then, it's apparent that he likes Stan, even if the other doesn't seem to particularly like him. They do have moments, though, where Stan seems to genuinely enjoy Cartman's company when the other kids aren't around. All in all, their dynamic is just as compelling as the others to explore.

-The episode where Wendy has a crush on Cartman and kisses him. That episode clearly shows they can get along when they work together and that Wendy can find him attractive. However, their overall relationship throughout the show is tense and antagonistic; Wendy is not scared to call him out and put him in his place for what she thinks is just, that alone makes her stand out to Cartman because she doesn't match the image he has of girls (His passive mom, other girls at school who'd rather just ignore him, the girls in the media he consumes etc.). While he usually dismisses Wendy or makes fun of her, he does feel intimidated by her, as shown in the episode where she beats him up. Cartman seems especially mean to Wendy since he dislikes being so openly criticized, especially by a girl. However, it can also be inferred that he respects her even if it's in his own twisted way. As for Wendy ? Well, she is frustrated with him mainly due to his obnoxious and bigoted behaviour, but doesn't harbour personal hatred towards him like Kyle. The implications and potential of their dynamic are what makes the pairing interesting.

Obviously, there is also Cartman's entire relationship with Heidi before and after they started dating, which I don't think I even need to expand on as it was canon in the show and had its dynamic fully explored throughout season 20. All of this, despite Heidi not even being a recurring character as opposed to the ones I previously mentioned along with others like Craig, and his friends (Clyde, Tolkien, Jimmy, Tweek, etc.) which, by the way, I could go on and on about as well (shout out to people who shipped or still ship Cartman's rare pairs).

Clearly, Cartman is a very compelling character, and he has interacted with almost every kid in the show. There are people who have shipped characters for less (Dip, for example, which is also a ship I like, so I am part of those people), so why not ship him sometimes ?

It's understandable that some fans just don't like Cartman due to how much of a bad person he is, (he is supposed to be hated. Afterall, he represents so much of what is wrong in our society), so it would feel wrong for them to put him under any other light than "horrible bastard". Other fans are just not comfortable shipping him in general since he doesn't fit the usual aesthetic as he is fat (I would argue that doesn't necessarily make him ugly, but I digress).

I for one think it's okay to like Cartman and it's worth addressing that ships involving him deserve more love. Does this mean I condone his actions and agree with his problematic mindset? No. I like him in the realm of fiction only, and that doesn't stop me from exploring and playing around with his character in ways like shipping (whether romantic or platonic).

A ship isn't always "this would be so cute and nice, and it's totally canon!" Sometimes it's "This relationship is fascinating, and exploring it further would be really interesting." It's really fun too.

Got too deep there for a moment lol. Anyways, thanks for reading until the end if you're still here and have a nice day. I'm out !

[eyeless-vagabond]

Ok going on a rant about Antoine and Arthur cause I’m going bonkers about it.

This whole scene, Arthur holding Antoine in the rain, trying to share his warmth with the soon to be dead. Consoling the man who’s helped him through his doomed quest with lies.

Arthur hates cultists, pretty much a defining character trait at this point. The utter vitriol that man holds towards them is truly uncanny.

Furthering that point, the Antoine from Arthur’s timeline was prolific, and caused the demise of at least dozens in his journey to free Shubnegrath. Lead that widow from Harper’s Hill to madness. Left her to rot. All for the sake of his goals.

That Antoine is everything Arthur despises. But what does he do when this alternate Antoine is dying against him?

He flips the narrative.

“But I saw the man you were to become… a great man, a passionate, loyal man. Devoted to a cause, unyielding, uh- and unapologetically true to yourself, you- you did wonderful things”

You can hear it in Arthur’s voice as he says it, you can tell just how much his prejudice and emotion is trying to take over. But this moment isn’t about him, it isn’t about cultists, it’s about Antoine.

He took those he hates and plucked the positives from them like splinters. Cultists are loyal, passionate, they are true to themselves and at the end of the day, they did do wonderful things. Things the cultists thought were wonderful. Just because Arthur doesn’t think so doesn’t mean there was no wonder involved.

But the kicker, the thing that kills me, stabs my guts and makes me scream.

“Was I kind?”

Nxkamdnsnsnsnsnkownw NO! He wasn’t. Especially according to Arthur’s well, everything. Cultist-Antoine is the antithesis of ‘kind’ in Arthur’s books. So what does he do?

“The kindest.”

He lies.

“Compassionate yes, caring, loving.”

All lies, or unknown. And god does that make this scene so much better.

“Did I have love?”

“The purest kind, the love of your friends.”

And doesn’t that just fuck me up. Antoine was a cult leader, and if anything has been consistent in this podcast it’s that cult leaders are some of the only true monsters out there. The widow from the island wasn’t a monster but someone corrupted, the patrons of the ‘evening star’ were not monsters but Lawson most certainly was.

I’m sure Arthur truly views friendship as the most precious to him. But if he’s still talking about cult-Antoine then just think of what he’s conflating? Worship and blind devotion scrubbed down to its bare bones of faith and friends. That he’s willing to over look all the shit, to scrub Antoine’s sins so throughly to give him peace. Blissfully ignorant to the monster he became.

Or Arthur could have just started talking about French Antoine and how he was regarded so strongly. Whether it was Vale, Alia or Everard, Antoine was loved by them.

Either way I think it’s a fascinating character moment for Arthur. The fact he’s willing to not only overlook but put positives to cultists shows just how much Antoine meant to him.

God this podcast has killed me

[caldella]

HB S3 Crack Theory: What if its Focus on Addiction is as Much About Loona as it is Stolas?

AKA: We want Stolas and Loona to bond, and this would be a way to have that while HB breaks our hearts as usual. A very long almost 3k post, and a theory based on little show clues which might be very wrong but won't escape my brain.

TW: Alcoholism, binge drinking. CW: Vomiting

So I've had this theory floating around in my head since the HB team said that S3 will focus on family and addiction. I'll admit it is very much a crack theory, so don't @ me that it seems like I'm basing this off really meager clues. I'm aware! That's kind of how crack theories are.

Theory:

Stolas does indeed have an alcohol problem, but Loona has a more concealed, more consistent one and will be the individual in the Stolitz family who actually needs support. Stolas will surprisingly be the one to discover it and get her to open up about it.

Why Do I Think Loona Might Have an Alcohol Problem?

Because HB as a series has a habit of hiding information in small, unaddressed details that have more meaning when you watch them back later. And I've noticed a few things across the two seasons that might be hints...

HINT 1: Past History According to the snotty Hellhound in Queen Bee, Loona has already been puke drunk at parties before, to an extent of being shamed for it. She's already a distant outsider, and it looks like her destructive form of partying made her a laughing stock to some of the Hellhounds. It's also uncertain if her dialogue about being reminded was just trying to distance herself from this asshole, or if she was literally blackout drunk at the previous party and didn't remember it at all.

HINT 2: Brushing Off Self-Destructive Behavior Loona had no concerns with Blitzø chugging the keg of Beezlejuice (which concerned even Bee) and went into denial that he was self-destructing at the party. This could have been just her assuming he was fine all the time - Blitzø always presented himself as bulletproof to the team. It also could've been her usual standoffish attitude, or her trying not to leave the party because she was finally fitting in. OR it could be because she really didn't see a problem with him going this hard, because she's done it before.

HINT 3: Handling Drunks Despite having no current friends and a very loner lifestyle in Queen Bee, she was pretty knowledgeable with how to handle someone extremely drunk. Her previous party experience might've been a one-time thing, or might've been a situation she found herself in more than we knew.

HINT 3: Hiding Alcohol/Casual Day Drinking EDITING IN THIS ONE IN THANK YOU @blitzwhore !!! At the beginning of Ozzie's, Loona was drinking on the job while reading a magazine featuring an article from Verosika, on how binge drinking was sexy.

There was also bottle of booze in Mastermind. This is the one that started the theory for me (because I totally forgot about the Ozzie's one). Loona had a bottle of alcohol hidden in her work desk. She specifically had it in a spot that no one else checks. That drawer was unchecked enough that she had the I.M.P. photo in there where Blitzø wouldn't scribble out his own face. There was no reason for her to have a bottle there unless she planned to drink during the workday (apparently AGAIN, as has now been pointed out to me), maybe when the rest of the crew was out on a mission and wouldn't notice.

HINT 4: Coping with Stress Via Alcohol After the Sinsmas battle, Loona was eager to turn the rest of the Sinsmas celebration to drinking. This could just be her trying to engage in the Sinsmas Hellhound gluttony, or could be a coping method she uses for stress on the regular.

NOT A HINT, BUT HONORABLE MENTION: The concept of Loona being hungover at inappropriate times was an idea they were toying with way back in the pilot episode. The pilot is not canon, and it might be a character trait they decided to scrap. I can't call it a hint. But I can present it as something that was a possibility for her from the start.

If Loona Does Have an Alcohol Problem, Why Wouldn't Blitzø Notice?

There are a few potential reasons:

ROSE-TINTED GLASSES Blitzø insists at basically every turn that Loona is perfect just how she is. He overlooks serious personality flaws and lets her get away with mouthing off to M&M frequently. This love was probably critical to her trusting him as an adoptive father, but it also means he's turned a very blind eye to her genuine faults.

PRIVACY Blitzø is a great and supportive father. He loves Loona unconditionally and wants to be involved in her life. But when he's not slathering her with physical affection and praise, he actually gives her a lot of space. This has probably been critical to her developing trust, but there are entire parts of her life he and the audience never see. We've never seen the inside of her bedroom, which to me is an indication that Blitzø rarely, if ever does either. She's able to go off to Bee's party with little more than a note on her door - no text or anything about where it is - and he doesn't question it. And again, her workspace is respected so much that she has that unscribbled photo of the I.M.P. crew in the top drawer.

Blitzø may have stalked M&M throughout S1 but always gave Loona explicit privacy throughout both seasons. If she has been concealing any problems, it would be a lot easier to do than people realize.

(Personal note, I bring the room and the drawer up because of experience with a close person in my life who hid their alcoholism this way. They would drink at night, hidden in their room, and store alcohol in their closet where it wouldn't be discovered.)

MORE OBVIOUS VS. HIDDEN ADDICTION It'd be dumb to skip over Blitzø's experience with loved ones and addiction. Cash, Barbie, Verosika: he's been around it plenty. But from our limited audience view, these addictions were more obvious. Cash was shown to be drunk and slurring from his first appearance, and Verosika was also drinking in hers. Barbie went straight from rehab to selling drugs from the human world as "honest work." Their addictions/relationship with drugs all show up regularly in their everyday lives.

However, Blitzø in The Circus didn't notice that Stolas had been literally gulping absinthe up until they were face-to-face. He was surprised to see Stolas binge drinking the same way in Apology Tour, as if it was his first time seeing it.

He's also had a long streak of convincing himself other people in his life were 'fine.' Until Apology Tour, it was easier for him to engage with Stolas believing that he couldn't be physically/emotionally hurt. He convinced himself that his shitty breakup tactic with Verosika was excusable until she forced him to realize how much it hurt. While he's been good at hiding his own struggles and self-hatred, he's not been good at recognizing when other people were doing the same.

If Blitzø Wouldn't Notice Loona Had a Problem, Why Would Stolas?

TAKING OVER HER SPACE In taking over Loona's job at I.M.P., Stolas is now using the desk and anything else she previously had. If there's more alcohol stashed, he will run into it. He's also sharing the apartment with her and Blitzø. If there are spaces that have quietly become "Loona's" over the years that Blitzø doesn't touch, he won't realize it. Stolas is also accustomed to everything he does being judged and unaccustomed to taking up space; I'd envision he'd want nondescript places to store items like his diary/smut journal. If Loona had any more alcohol stashed away in places Blitzø doesn't use, it's quite possible Stolas will discover it by accident.

FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE If Stolas discovers alcohol being hidden around the office or apartment, he'll probably figure out pretty quickly what's going on. He himself is working with a binge drinking problem and knows the signs.

Stolas not only knows what it looks like to have private struggles, but he knows what it looks like when someone is hiding them. He hid his abuse, his depression, and possibly his binge drinking from everyone, even Via, for a good 17-18 years. He's accustomed to being overlooked and concealing personal issues so loved ones don't have to deal with them. He also has very recent experience on how that mentality does more damage in the long run.

Wouldn't Stolas Also Need Help With His Drinking?

Maybe. Recovery is a very individual process based on a person and what options are available to them. With Stolas, his drinking will likely be something he actively struggles not to slide into for a long time, if not forever. But it's uncertain whether or not he will continue the binge drinking. It is obvious going back over episodes that Stolas has an individual drink in hand frequently, so he might have a problem with daily consumption. But his binging seems to only come up specifically as a coping method. He starts by portioning with a single glass/cup and transfers to chugging the glass or a whole bottle when his stress reaches a tipping point. He's accustomed to not being part of 'the fun' and coping with emotional pain while no one else bothers to notice.

However, it seems like he already went between Mastermind and Sinsmas without alcohol. Going cold turkey while also going without his powers or his anti-depressants must have been one fucking combo, but the bottom line is he's likely been sober for weeks or a month as of the end of S2. And when Loona brings out the drinks at the Sinsmas party, he silently excuses himself out of the room. Given his emotional state, he likely knew he would end up binge drinking, so he left to avoid the temptation.

None of this means he's 'over' his alcohol problem or will never fall back to it or need help. Actually, one alternate I'd considered is if HE would try to hide alcohol somewhere and discover Loona's already being hidden. But either way, he's shown awareness that he doesn't want to binge around Blitzø and the I.M.P. crew. Loona turns to alcohol to de-stress in this moment, but Stolas knows it will make him worse and avoids it. Whether or not Stolas will need help in the form of counseling or rehab, he's taken the first steps of recognizing his problem and removing himself from situations that trigger it.

If Stolas Figures Out Loona Has an Alcohol Problem, Wouldn't He Tell Blitzø First?

I really don't think so.

Blitzø is Loona's father, but again, Stolas knows what it's like to conceal issues and how frighteningly vulnerable it makes someone to potentially have them. He's also lived for a good 18 years with Stella, where he had to walk on eggshells and word himself carefully to avoid her anger. His personality approaches situations with scripted wording and attempts to be as unassuming as possible. After the post-Ozzie's conflict with Blitzø, he sent texts trying to talk about what went down, only to back off and assure Blitzø that he was just worried when Blitzø brushed it off. He doesn't like to press issues or make decisions for someone.

He's also used to choices he makes 'for the better' blowing up in his face: the trip to Loo Loo Land, the Full Moon situation, the divorce, the accidental hurt he caused Via, etc. He wouldn't trust himself to make choices for Loona. I'm sure he would want her to tell Blitzø, if his opinion comes up. But if anyone in the Stolitz family would be able to quietly, unassumingly discuss this with her without her feeling like she was being judged or pressured, it would be Stolas. Loona tends to close off at the first sign of judgement or pressure.

And I think Loona would be nervous admitting her problem to Blitzø.

Why Would Loona Be Afraid to Tell Blitzø?

Again, Blitzø is a great father. Despite Loona's anger issues and distant personality, his affections never wavered, and it's clear by the end of S2 the trust between them is basically unbreakable. Blitzø has experience with loved ones having addiction problems and even them needing rehab. He would know the obvious signs of addiction and the treatment process, and he'd want Loona to get better. So, why would Loona hesitate to get him involved?

BLIND AFFECTION Blitzø's unwavering love for Loona might make her uncomfortable opening up about this with him, out of fear that he might blame himself for missing it. She pushed him away a lot in the first season/early S2, but she's always felt she could act however she wanted and they'd be fine. But this is a serious problem, and he could think he failed as a father by missing it and blindly believing in how 'perfect' she was. Loona might have an attitude, but she does love Blitzø. And she's afraid of being abandoned, even if she logically knows Blitzø would never actually abandon her. She could be afraid of being the daughter who failed Blitzø despite his unconditional love, and she wouldn't want him to feel like he let her down that severely.

OVERPROTECTIVE Despite the privacy he gives Loona, Blitzø is prone to overreacting and treating her as younger than her age. If she did have a serious problem like alcoholism, Blitzø would potentially blow his reaction out of her comfort zone and try to enforce drastic steps that she would resist. She has trust and some defiance issues, which would make it difficult to be open to counseling/outside help. She would likely need gentle reassurance to go forward. "Gentle" is something Blitzø is capable of, but not when he's panicked about his precious Looney-Tooney.

And I absolutely can't see Loona doing inpatient rehab, which Blitzø might jump to since his ex-girlfriend and sister went that route. Rehab facilities feel too similar to her isolation at the adoption facility and could dredge up old trauma. We saw how difficult it was just to get her to the hospital for her Hellbies shot. Adult Loona is only as functional as she is because Blitzø gave her a stable home life for the last 5 years. I think a rehab facility would feel like being locked away again: literally the worst thing for her.

PREVIOUS TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM Spring Broken was the first time we saw Blitzø interacting with someone facing alcoholism. And it just so happened to be his ex, who he had an antagonistic relationship with. In multiple parts of the episode, he used Verosika's drinking as an insult and shamed her for leaving rehab. If this stuck with Loona, she'd be afraid to open up. Blitzø would never approach her this way, but she could fear that he'd pressure her into rehab until she was "better enough," despite inpatient care being a nightmare for her specific forms of trauma.

Why Would Loona Potentially Discuss This with Stolas?

Again, Stolas has experience trying to word things more gently and privately. And he's typically a follower, not a decision maker. If Stolas discovered that Loona had a drinking problem, his first step wouldn't be to plan what needed done. He would likely ask her what she thought she needed for help. Whether or not they brought the problem to Blitzø would be up to her. Again, he concealed his own abuse and mental health issues for years. He would want her to open up to Blitzø about it, but he doesn't have any room to demand it or decide to tell Blitzø on his own.

Drinking is also a specific issue he's struggling with, and I think he would be willing to divulge that to her, so she doesn't feel so alone. Their backgrounds are drastically different, and hers has more in common with Blitzø's, but she and Stolas have similarities. Both of them know what it's like to grow up friendless, the odd one singled out at events, the subject of derision among their entire social class. If Loona took up drinking to cope with her lasting stress or trauma, Stolas would understand it personally. He also knows firsthand how important Blitzø has been to becoming a better person after that, and how Loona would be afraid of hurting him.

Also, Stolas would likely feel invested in helping. He's probably going into S3 struggling with a feeling of uselessness: he's lost most anything he feels gives worth to anyone else. He doesn't know how to function in normal working reality and probably feels like a complete failure and dead weight. But this is a situation where he might not be useless: where his specific cheering-on-from-the-sidelines support would be exactly what was needed. As stated, he knows the longterm damage that comes from burying personal problems too long. He would not want Blitzø's daughter to go down that route.

It would also be a parallel to Seeing Stars and the end of Sinsmas: Stolas reassuring Loona to keep trying would be a reflection of Blitzø convincing him to keep trying with Via. It would be a reflection of how Loona herself reassured Octavia that Stolas was trying, too. Stolas is someone Loona would be able to open up to without judgement, without drastic emotional responses, and knowing he wouldn't divulge the information to anyone without her permission. Stolitz family bonding, but in that uniquely heartbreaking Helluva Boss way.

Conclusion:

This is just a crack theory and based on admittedly not huge evidence. This could be making a mountain out of a molehill. I'm an expert at reading too much into things. But at least now it's out of my brain! Time will tell what comes for Season 3.

[cupids-diner]

hey! so I'm kind of obsessed with your writing ☠️ it's all soooo good, i was wondering if you could do a fic where the reader is a ballerina? (I'm also obsessed with your moodboard because I did ballet when I was a kid 😭) with Damian Wayne plsss, because I just LOVED how you write him nd I thought it would be cute.

Beneath the ballet’s shadow - Damian Wayne

A/n: I love getting requests for Damian and generally any of my favorite characters from shows/movies. Especially when I get to write for specific types of readers (ex: ballerina!reader) because I like looking up stuff to include in the story! I’ve also noticed how my formatting of my stories change with the stories, like there is some consistency but not a lot, Y’know?

Warnings: none

Rating: fluff

Damian Wayne wasn’t one for distractions. His life had been built on discipline, precision, and a resolve far beyond his years. Yet, for reasons he couldn’t quite pinpoint, he found himself regularly at Gotham City Ballet, watching you.

It had started innocently enough. He had accompanied you once, claiming he needed to ensure your safety as you walked through the dark streets of Gotham. But after that first time, something kept pulling him back. Maybe it was the grace in your movements, the way you seemed to defy gravity with every leap and pirouette, or perhaps it was the quiet contentment he felt in your presence, a rare feeling for someone like him.

You’d catch him sometimes, leaning against the doorframe of the practice room, arms crossed, expression unreadable. “You know, you don’t have to keep coming,” you’d tease, wiping the sweat from your brow.

“I’m simply ensuring you’re not slacking in your training,” he’d reply, the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. But in truth, he admired your dedication, your focus—traits he valued in himself.

One day, after practice, you sat beside him on the worn wooden bench outside the studio. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the city, softening the harsh lines of the buildings. Damian was unusually quiet, even for him, staring out at the horizon as if deep in thought.

“You know,” you started, breaking the silence, “I appreciate you being here. It means a lot.”

He glanced at you, his sharp green eyes softening just a fraction. “It’s nothing,” he replied, but the words felt heavier than usual.

“No, it’s not nothing,” you insisted, a gentle smile on your lips. “You’re always here, watching. It��s like you care or something.”

Damian felt his heart skip—a rare, unfamiliar sensation. But he maintained his stoic demeanor, merely raising an eyebrow. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he muttered, but you could see the faintest hint of a blush creeping up his neck.

You laughed softly, the sound like music to his ears. “Okay, okay, tough guy. But seriously, I’m glad we’re friends.”

Friends. The word hung in the air between you. Damian had never had many of those, never allowed himself the luxury. Yet, with you, it felt different. There was no pressure, no expectations. Just… peace. He didn’t need to say anything more; you seemed to understand him without words.

As you leaned back on the bench, your shoulder brushing against his, Damian felt an odd warmth settle in his chest. He wasn’t sure what it meant, or why it felt so significant. But for now, he let it be, content to simply sit beside you, watching the sun dip below the skyline, the weight of the world momentarily lifting from his shoulders.

In that moment, he didn’t need to be the son of Batman, the heir to the League of Assassins. He was just Damian, a boy quietly, contentedly falling for his best friend. And that, he decided, was enough.

A/n: does anyone know where I can watch more Batman/batfam movies/slash shows? I have Netflix, Hulu, and Disney plus and like miscellaneous apps to watch movies on but they’re almost always unavailable on those platforms. I plan on creating like a schedule for when I post because I go back to school soon, I was supposed to go back yesterday but my mom forgot to register me so.

[all-pacas]

Top 10 Chase moments.

wait it's. it's hard to think of ten. what are the criteria. wait

in no order, here's 10 things i enjoy:

whenever he bonds with a kid, especially since he does it the same way every time: give them candy and talk to them on their level (about girls with the kid in cursed, aliens with the kid in cane and able). he's sooooo big brother (you ever notice, btw, how he's not like this with teenagers. he is so dismissive of teens he hates them so much. reason #87 retcon sister makes so much sense to me)

he's lowkey such a troll? i love when he lets his inner petty self shine, making fun of cameron in spin nonstop, poking at foreman and pretending he wants to be in charge in s7, he really enjoys Instigating and it's very silly

this is turning into a personality trait list uhh another moment i like: that petty side of chase rarely manifesting into stubbornness. in cursed he's mad at rowan so he decides to brute force test for EVERY auto-immune disease out of spite. in post mortem he's mad at treiber, so he decides to lock himself in the basement and brute force symptoms out of spite. he's so lazy 85% of the time and then he gets annoyed and works his ass off and is so good at it. house absolutely must hate this about him

in "poison" there's a moment where the kid is having a seizure and the subtitles say CHASE: Stay calm, and the words that chase utters are "stay cool, mate," and i think this is so funny. inexplicably

when cameron describes his apartment as "decorated by a drunk rugby player." so specific. so mysterious. i don't know what it means but i'm sure it's atrocious.

him becoming best friends with park's grandma. incredible. a++. it's funny on the face of it, them hanging out and playing card games, but it's also both sad and heartwarming. this man just wants a family!! it took him almost forty years but he's getting there!!

i love the running joke that chase isn't just good looking, but THE most attractive human on the planet, a 15 in the world of 10s. in the world of the show, other characters are average to good-looking (not beautiful actors), but not chase. he is THAT pretty. it is so funny to me. cameron was hired for her looks but chase is the one house spends more time objectifying. incredible.

his utter lack of fashion sense. his sweater-vests are an improvement over his horrendous color and pattern coordination, but it's still such an... old man fashion choice, you know? there are so many ways to style a shirt and tie and look fantastic and chase consistently goes "no, i will dress like a 60 year old/in the dark instead."

that his retcon sister calls him robbie. this COULD be a childhood nickname, but i also absolutely believe chase is the type of grown man who, in his late thirties, would still introduce himself as "robbie." very rich kid of him. love it.

whenever, despite chase's stated desire to be distant and apathetic and aloof, he completely fails. falls over himself, dripping compassion and empathy. he hates the nun in damned if you do; the second she gets upset he trips in his haste to pray with her. he sees thirteen upset and spends all of after hours desperately trying to help her. he's mad as hell at cameron in lockdown, but the second she starts crying he drops everything to comfort her. he is so fucking bad at this!!!

BONUS, RELATED TO ABOVE: that chase is the world's worst liar. i bet house has invited him to poker night entirely to clean him out and win thousands from him. i bet chase thinks he's a pretty good liar but literally no one has ever once been fooled.

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

So, uh, to recap on the ladies of Andor, the pinnacle of progressive writing according to internet consensus:

Bix: After her character consisting only of "good at mechanics", formerly crafty (in the first Ferrix arc) and "traumatised", Bix gains a new character trait this arc - helpless rage and ✨✨✨drug addiction✨✨✨! Goodie. I'm so mad at this arc for her. We never see this woman happy independent of her trauma. We see her make happy for men - the shopkeep, Cassian occasionally, Brasso and co. in the first arc - but the only time we get an unobserved smile is when she gets her big Girlboss Yay Feminism revenge. And the featurette has everyone going "oh this is her moment", "this scene is about her" - IT'S NOT!! It's about Gorst! It's more trauma porn! Her happiness and functionality once again are dependent on men! She couldn't save herself from her trauma - she needed Cassian to help her get the drop on Gorst (and let's ignore how fucking improbable all that is for a moment, how does he even know where Gorst is???), and her happiness is fully dependent on Gorst living or dying. Her character does not EXIST without him this season. Why do we only ever see her take charge of her life to kill her abusers? The only other positive thing she's done for her life this whole season is to clean up the apartment, and she was doing that to *checks notes* hide her drug habit from her overprotective boyfriend. Feminism!! Please don't read this as an indictment of people struggling to cope with trauma, or substance abuse - I'm just so tired of everyone acting like this is such an uplifting, empowering narrative for this character, because I really, really, really don't see it.

Bringing up Maarva and Kerri as people Cassian failed to protect and nothing else is so telling. That's not even what happened! He was abducted as a child, he didn't abandon his sister, and what was he going to save Maarva from? Old age?? But that's their whole narrative purpose to the writers I guess...

Mothma: Well, I know the constant political downward trajectory is her whole thing, but we really spend the whole arc seeing her do nothing but failing to convince other politicians (mostly men) of anything and being made to look like a fool for even bothering. So far all we've given her this season is being too soft and emotional (which, by the way, is why it's a little odd to me they're pinning the same thing on Cassian - why do we need this narrative redundancy here?). And her one "big moment" (read: over thirty seconds of uninterrupted talking) she gets to have this arc is either a front for Kleya's and Luthen's business or a pointless and reckless lashing out at Krennic's overt imperialism and propaganda.

Dedra: Yeah, she's holding all the strings, but in a weird way, her whole narrative is dependent on Syril now, and I have a bad feeling this is all leading up to him being butthurt about being used. It's a great spy storyline, but just like Mothma's part, great as it is, in combo with the deeply uncool treatment of Bix, it starts to feel like an unfortunate pattern.

Cinta: I actually liked her scenes a lot! Especially the scene in the café - it had an interesting ambiguity, for a moment there I was wondering if Cinta was running Vel, getting back with her to keep her on track on someone's orders. I think I may be giving the script too much credit here, given how weirdly stilted the other two romances were handled this arc it might have rather been a case of "the writer really thinks lovers talk that way". But even if it was an accident, I think that would be an interesting feature in the show, because they're the one couple who genuinely seem to be compatible and on the same page about what they want! And I get that they were making a point to get her killed so uselessly, by friendly fire, on accident. But man, this show refuses to give a woman happiness, even for the span of a timeskip. Whenever any of the ladies seems happy or get something she wants for herself, you can already be sure she's about to die or have something incredibly heinous happen to her immediately after. And the execution of that scene pissed me off, because if that scuffle had even just been relocated to the tunnel entrance, I would have bought it. But no, they're in a really wide, mostly empty alleyway, the blaster was mostly pointed at a wall and trapped between the two men wrestling for it, and you don't even see anyone being close behind them, and yet Cinta not only manages to get hit but instantly killed - what are the fucking chances? And yes, it's a metaphor, but again, with the overall bad aftertaste, it feels targeted and cruel at this point. With how little we got to see of Cinta, it really made her death seem like an afterthought. Like Brasso, this could have packed a punch, but we knew so little about her and had seen her even less, so it just fell flat.

My only positives(ish):

Vel: Her character is really growing on me! She has such a nice, well-executed, subtle development compared to most other characters on this show. She's clearly learned from Aldhani, and she's learning from Mothma and Luthen, too, and her resentment at the life she's leading is so beautifully expressed by her last scene: The greatest punishment she can imagine is recruitment to her cause. Because that's what she's doing to this guy. Recruitment. This is on you forever, this is all your life is now, you owe me and everyone whatever you have to make up for this. That's so heartbreaking, and so real. Am I pissed that Vel is constantly and pointedly denied happiness at absolutely every turn? Yeah! But at least for her, it feels like there is a little more agency, because she chose this life, even though she clearly has options. For her, it feels a little more tragic and narratively weighty, and less like a pointless onslaught of misery.

Kleya: I love her so much. And I could (and should) point out that it feels a little shallow to have her be completely reduced to "being the only competent person among men who are losing their shit at all times". We know nothing else about her, other than that she is Girlboss(TM). But, unlike with Bix, we actually see her be outstandingly competent completely on her own merit all the time, and even though the script neglects her, too, there is an implication that she has actively and deliberately sacrificed the rest of herself to be this spymaster - instead of the writers simply forgetting to give her anything more. And I just think Elizabeth Dulau is KILLING IT. In a weird way, Kleya is giving me the power fantasy that most Star Wars gave to little boys. It's not exactly a win for feminism - it's yet another flavour of "women can either be competent and powerful OR express their emotions and be vulnerable with people" - but I do have a soft spot for her, and her moment at the exhibition was the tensest shit I've seen this whole season. Nothing more gripping so far than watching this woman attempt to turn a screw.

[eisforeidolon]

Question: You guys have been so close for so long, what would you say each other's greatest character trait is and why?

Jared: As people? And I have to say this in front of him?

[Jensen theatrically turns to Jared, crosses his leg, and props his chin on his hand to listen]

Jared: I mean, where do I start, honestly? But I'd say one of the things that has been abundantly obvious to me, and I relied on for almost the last twenty years? Is he doesn't give up. He doesn't give up - not on a project, not on a person. He just goes, like, alright, one step at a time, let's do it. Not that he doesn't get down, I mean, we're all humans, we have good days and bad days [Jensen nods]. But when the shit hits the fan, he's - I always said he'd be a good, like, Navy Seal or something. 'Cause he's just like, okay, what's next? I can't change that, what are we doing? Like, didn't you just hear, the camera broke, the stage is on fire. And he's like, alright, well, can we get something from tomorrow's work? Like, he's just sort of like, alright - he goes. And that, that - I don't want to say it's confidence, because it doesn't come from a place of arrogance, or some ego? It just comes from alright then what can we do? And so it's infectious to go like, well, that guy over there, Jensen, he's still ready to get after it, even though everything went wrong and everything broke and everything's on fire, he's still ready to carry on. To borrow the name of an episode. So I think that that permeates a lot of his life, whether things are great or things are not great? He just goes, like, okay, cool, what's next? I can't change that, so what can I do, what can we do? And he doesn't put - he's not one of those drill sergeant, hey, I'm ready to do it, you better do it. But you see him doing and well, if he can do it, then maybe I can, too. So it's a very hopeful attitude, that I really appreciated. [Jensen pats Jared's leg, Jared pats his back]

Jensen: There are many, so I will pick one. And one that I admire and I, you know, wish I had more of is his appetite for knowledge in the things he becomes even remotely interested in. He can take a subject, any topic, and wonder about it. And he doesn't continue to wonder very long. I just kind of sit in that wonderment for a while, oh, that's - I wish I knew more about that. Oh well. Jared dives deep. And almost in just an insatiable appetite way of wanting to know more and that zest for knowledge and life is - it's inspiring? But it's just so unique and powerful for somebody to have that and have that drive to wanna know so much more about so many different - I mean the guy is insanely intelligent in a way that - I always knew he was smart, I always knew he had a really great head on his shoulder, but. Shoulders. Two just stunningly muscular shoulders. But he gets an interest in something and he just digs in so, like, amazingly. And any subject - if it's academics, if it's wanting to know about - like I'm always like, hey Jared, what supplements should I be on? Because I know he knows all about it. Or hey man, I'm looking for a book right now, what are your recommendations? And he'll give me thirteen, fourteen recommendations. He just has - his brain works in just such a brilliant way that I've always been in awe of how he's able to do that and do it consistently. You know he doesn't burn out, he doesn't tire out with the zest that he has for wanting to know more about life, and it too is infectious. And I was it was more infectious, I wish I would be infected with it completely. But I get a little bit of it and it's inspiring for me to wanna just know more and learn more and have that desire for knowledge the way he does. It's really really impressive and I think it's had an amazing impact on his life and the way that he can relate to so many different - you put him in a room with anybody and he will have a researched knowledgeable way of communicating with just about anybody and everybody on almost any topic. And that to me is just incredible, so. And again, that's one of many things that I could say, but that one just popped to the front. [Jared squeezes Jensen's knee and then puts his hand on his back]

[splonk-fox]

The flaws of Jax and Ragatha, and why they matter to Pomni's character arc.

Within the two episodes of The Amazing Digital Circus that have been released so far as of writing this post, there have been two characters who have been given the most attention and depth out of any of the cast (ignoring Pomni obviously), and those two characters are Ragatha and Jax.

The duo consisting of the kindhearted optimist and the meanspirited pessimist have without a doubt become some of the most interesting characters to analyze within this series so far thanks to how much meaningful screentime and character depth they have been given within the the two episodes that we viewers have been fortunate enough to witness with our very eyes.

But why is this? Why is it that these two have received special attention from the writers so far, and what role do they play in Pomni's character journey? Well I believe I may have found the answer, and it's unfortunately one that does not spell a good future for these characters. But to truly understand where I am coming from, we must first understand who these two characters are and how they relate to our main protagonist.

To start off with the kindest of the duo, we have already learned quite a lot about Ragatha thanks to the two episodes she has been featured in so far.

Her most prominent character trait is without a doubt her kindness. She is the first person to really be genuinely nice to Pomni upon her entrance to the circus and spends the rest of the episode showing her around the place and trying her best to help her get settled in.

She's also someone who doesn't like to be overly blunt with her responses, such is shown when Pomni asks how they leave the circus, to which Ragatha, instead of just saying that she couldn't, phrases it in a way that makes it sound as if they simply haven't found a way to leave yet, this was obviously done in an attempt to not freak Pomni out too much, though this doesn't really go anywhere thanks to Jax.

Now that's great and all, Ragatha's a nice person, you can easily observe that through casual watches of the show, looking deeper however, you can see that there is a lot more going on with Ragatha than she would like to make you believe.

Insecurity is another trait that Ragatha has that, while not shown off as prominently as her optimism, is still very important to Ragatha's character.

As we see in episode 2 of the series, one of Ragatha's biggest fears is not being liked. She vents to Kinger about how she feels like Pomni doesn't really like her that much, and that clearly scares her. And why wouldn't it? The end of episode 2 makes it clear that one of the most important things in this show when it comes to keeping the main cast mentally stable, is their sense of community.

They're all in this together, they have each other's backs and will do their best to be there for each other when it's needed. That is what is communicated to us within the second episode through Kaufmo's funeral.

This segment of the episode, while somber in its tone, is also one that instills hope within Pomni and the viewer. Because it shows that despite everything, the circus members do care about each other. That abstraction is something that affects everyone and it isn't something that is just brushed off immediately, which if you recall, was the crux of Pomni's fears as seen at the beginning of the second episode, the fear of being forgotten, the fear of no one caring.

"I don't even remember her name honestly" - Dream Jax.

So with how the importance of community has been firmly established within this show's messaging at this point, it should be no surprise that Ragatha's biggest fear is not having that community. Of people not liking you, of people hating you. So how does Ragatha solve this?

Repression, that's how. Of all of Ragatha's personality traits her tendency to not display her true feelings towards things are without a doubt the most damaging.

The best example of this is how she reacts to Pomni abandoning her for the exit. The pilot would lead you to believe that she was mad at Pomni for doing this, that she didn't trust her anymore because of this selfish act.

And yet, that's all brushed to the side in the following episode. Ragatha is back to her optimistic self and is saying that everything is fine! That it was completely understandable and that there was no bad blood between them. Yet you can tell that isn't the whole truth, that Ragatha really didn't get over what Pomni had done to her that easily.

Now do I think Ragatha hates Pomni or secretly resents her? No, not really. I do think she's being honest when she says that she doesn't hold anything against her for doing this. But that doesn't mean she wasn't hurt by it. We can see clear as day from the pilot that this did affect her, so why does she act like she doesn't?

Because, from her perspective, her feelings do not matter. The only thing that does is to make sure Pomni is able to adjust, to make sure that everyone is happy, that everyone is still somewhat sane within the circus, and so she compromises her emotions in order to do this. Gooseworx has even said it herself that Ragatha often says things she doesn't necessarily mean in order to ease tensions. She doesn't want to cause conflict, she doesn't want people to fight with each other because she understands how important community is to the members of the circus persisting.

Yet in the midst of all of this, what Ragatha fails to realize is that with how she currently handles things, she is paving the way for her own mental break.

Ragatha, in her attempts to be there for others, has walled herself off from others being there for her. By lying about how she really feels about things, by acting as if she is fine, she is not allowing herself the emotional vulnerability necessary for others to be there for her when she needs it.

The closest thing we have had to this so far is with Kinger, and while having someone she feels comfortable enough to lament her feelings around is a good thing, this is one person, one person who is... not exactly mentally stable, to put it lightly. Is not exactly an end all be all solution to her problems.

Kinger being the only person who Ragatha can rely on is only gonna work for a limited amount of time, the more she represses, the more she hides her true emotions and clear mental instability, the closer she is to meeting a cruel fate, one that no one would be able to save her from because no one even realized there was something wrong with her. For in her pursuit to make everyone else happy, she has sacrificed her own happiness, as a result.

And then there's Jax.

Jax, in a lot of ways, is pretty much the polar opposite of Ragatha. While her leading trait is kindness, Jax's leading trait is being a complete and utter asshole. And while Ragatha is all about answering things in a roundabout way to ease stress, Jax is all about the blunt answers.

This is best shown to us in the pilot when, in the same scene where Ragatha tries to answer Pomni's question of "how do I leave?" in a way that wouldn't stress her out too heavily, Jax goes straight in with the "you can't". Jax is a pessimist, he has accepted that there is no way out, and is simply riding things as they go by.

Jax's leading character trait is all about causing as much chaos as he can for the sake of his own satisfaction. He doesn't care about how others feel, the only thing he cares about is causing as much chaos as possible simply because he can.

Yet that isn't all that's going on with Jax, there's something deeper here, something more complex.

When it comes to the scenes everyone points to when saying that Jax has a lot more going on with him than meets the eye, the scene where he reacts to Kaufmo's funeral is the one everyone looks at with an analytical lens, and that's for a good reason.

For I think this little scene might just tell us a lot more about Jax than we think.

One thing that I've come to notice about Jax's brand of chaos is that it's very reliant on others' reactions. All of the chaos he causes, all of the absurd and awful things he does are for the sake of seeing how others react. From throwing Pomni over the side of a truck and attempting to use her as a human bridge, or literally everything that he does to Gangle, it's all reaction-based, and that made me realize that, despite how selfish and uncaring he acts towards everyone else, community is still the one thing that truly matters most.

He needs the others so that they can react to his hijinx, as they are what give said actions meaning. If he had no crowd to watch as he acts like a shitty person, then he has no reason to do anything. But that is also where Jax's true character flaw comes in, his selfishness.

With how Jax is constantly pushing others around for the sake of his own amusement, Jax is very clearly a self-centered person. He is someone who is in it for himself and no one else. Who cares if others don't like him? Who cares if others despise him? As long as he gets to see funny things happen to people, he is gonna be okay.

But what happens when that method is no longer effective? What happens when the others don't give him the reaction he wants? What happens when he can no longer use chaos as a way to distract from the pointlessness of his reality?

Well, as scary as this may be to think about, Jax won't really have much of anything to fall back on. His cruel actions have wrote him into a corner. No one likes him, that much is obvious. And while Jax seems content with this now? What happens when he is put in the position of needing someone else's help?

Well, then he'll have no one, and it's ironically for the exact opposite reason to Ragatha. Ragatha's problem is that she is constantly repressing her emotions, despite the fact that she has people who care about her, she doesn't open up to them because in her eyes, her feelings are secondary to others'.

Yet Jax is the opposite, he's honest, he is self-centered, and that's also why he is one of the members who are in this most danger.

In a show that seems to be about how important community is and how important it is to stay together and be there for each other? To have a character who is the complete opposite of that. To have someone who doesn't care about others, who won't be there when someone else is hurting. To have someone who is actively making things harder for everyone... that just spells out demise.

Jax's true weakness is that he does not have a community who will be there for him when he needs it, he was never there for others so why should they be there for him? Meaning that when Jax is at the end of his rope, crying out for help, no one will listen, because as cruel as it sounds, most of the members would probably be happy that he's gone.

While this does admittedly rely a bit on speculation, I think what I've stated above might be the true reason for why Jax looked sad for a moment when the other characters were talking about the funerals held for those who have abstracted. Because in that small moment, he realizes he might not get a funeral of his own when he "dies", or if he did, no one would really have anything nice to say about him.

And that fear, that knowing of how the way you've built yourself up by putting others down has lead to everyone hating you, to everyone not having a single good thing to say about you... that is terrifying. And yet he hides it, he walks away, he refuses to attend the funeral because then he will have to be confronted with the uncomfortable reality of the fact that he won't die as someone who was remembered for doing good things.

The only thing he'll be remembered for, is how much everyone hated him. And all of that brings us right back, to Pomni.

I said at the beginning of this post, as well as with the title itself, that Ragatha and Jax matter to Pomni's character arc, but why is this? Sure they're both main characters so obviously they're going to influence her journey going forward, but how exactly does any of this matter to Pomni? It's simple really.

Ragatha and Jax represent two extremes, they represent what happens when you lean too far in one direction. In one case, it is caring too much about others and not caring about yourself, and in the other, it's caring too much about yoursef and not caring about others.

Pomni has already shown traits of both Jax and Ragatha. She has shown an empathetic, kindhearted side as seen in her interactions with Gummigoo, and she has shown a selfish side, as seen when she abandoned Ragatha for the "exit" in the pilot.

Pomni has shown herself to be both selfish and selfless. But what part of her matters more? Simple answer, both. It is important to care about others while also taking time to take care of yourself. Ragatha and Jax show what happens when you forget to do one of these things.

By always taking care of others, you're forgetting to take care of yourself, and by always taking care of yourself, you fail to take care of others. To find a healthy balance is to do both. To be aware of your own mental health while also making sure that others are doing okay too. And this is something that Pomni will need to realize if she is going to make it in the circus.

And this is where Jax and Ragatha become important. I believe these two will show Pomni how important it is to keep a balance of things. To not lean too far in one direction, as if you do, it spells bad news for you either way. And how will this be communicated to her and the audience?

Abstraction.

Think about it. If Ragatha and Jax's harmful practices continue without change and they end up abstracing because of it, that will be a wakeup call to Pomni, it will show her the flaws of being too selfless, and too selfish. Is it an extreme way to communicate such message? Sure, but it's also one that can't be ignored.

We, the audience, and Pomni, would see first hand the consequences of leaning too far in either direction, that if you don't find a balance, you will end up like Jax and Ragatha did.

And that's why I think these two in particular have been given so much screentime and attention these past two episodes. Because they are meant to show us the most extreme versions of Pomni's most prominent character traits.

The ability to care about yourself, and the ability to care about others.

Of course, I might be wrong in this assessment. We are far too early in the show's runtime to truly predict any big events like this. But from a narrative standpoint, I believe this interpretation makes the most sense in the way of showing us the audience, and Pomni, what truly matters. It's not just about you, it's not just about others, it's about both.

Thank you for reading.

[tumblingxelian]

If I may ask with an open enough mind, might I hear out your thoughts on the character of Chloe Bourgeois? I don't expect an answer right out the gate so don't rush on my account. I'm merely trying to collect varying perspectives over what's become a uniquely controversial character.

Oh my that is a doozy of a question, I've debated no less than three separate videos on the topic and multiple essays to boot. Still, she's on my mind and the thing I am working on is obstructing me from modelling or writing but quires breaks to let stuff load so I have time for a longer ask:

So, what are my thoughts on Chloe Bourgeois?

Exactly where to start is rather tricky, so forgive any digressions or rambles.

Chloe is thematically the everyday reality of an Akumatized person.

What I mean by this is that Akuma victims are people in states of emotional distress, tribulation or trouble. Who thanks to the enabling of a power greater than themselves are both encouraged and enabled to lash out at others with borrowed power.

These people are meant to be sympathetic, their emotional tribulation taken advantage of, their situation, methods and thought process untenable. But they do need to be stopped from doing harm, and then healing needs to begin, with some effort made to redress the issue that led to them lashing out in the first place.

Akuma victims are the supernatural theme, Chloe is the reality.

Of course, some might claim she has no reason to have issues but...

Her mother is negligent and largely absent. The time they spent together prior to Queen Wasp, consisted of Chloe praising, giving gifts and trying to please Audrey. Only to be torn down, ignored, rejected or have her efforts disparaged. The woman doesn't even get her name right and the only means by which she earned even a scrap of approval was through being cruel. Something explicitly encouraged by the show's main character which is ???. 

Though it seems Audrey got bored with her fairly quickly regardless.

Audrey is unrelentingly hostile, selfish and cruel and encourages these traits in others and only avoids turning them on a person if they are sufficiently useful, or a match for her in viciousness. You are either her victim, her tool, or a conspirator. This is a hilariously awful parent, the damage she can do limited only by her sheer lack of interest.

Andre is somehow worse.

I am going to ignore the reading undertones of subtext into things but suffice to say that ratchets him up from just a bad parent to kill him with fire parent.

What we see with Andre is a man who explicitly taught Chloe to lie, cheat, intimidate, extort and bribe people to get what she wants. She is fourteen, and has been doing this since before she was in double digits. She's not bad because there's something innately wrong with her, she behaves badly because she's been explicitly taught that was the proper way to conduct herself.

We know full well Andre is capable of reigning Chloe in, be it gently in the Christa episode or with disciplinary action in Kung Food. However he only does this when it suits him, or her actions might cause him problems. For all his alleged affection for her, or her alleged influence on him, Chloe's always on the end of a leash Andre can and will tug back on the moment he feels like it.

This isn't just bad because it's so blatantly hypocritical and self serving. It's bad, because it means he enables Chloe's most self destructive and harmful traits so long as they don't impact 'him'. Given also that he is the one who, to put it charitably, raised her, that means the consequences and fallout of her actions should fall on him.

The fact he is presumably the one who encouraged Chloe to impersonate his wife, given Audrey didn't start rewarding that behavior until Queen Wasp, is also bad parenting. Like even if you ignore the disgust factor, its just fucking awful parenting and like everything else he taught her. It contributed to the fact Chloe is a social pariah hated by most people she has to spend time around.

Because let's get to the next stage, subversions!

In most shows like ML, Chloe as "The mean girl" would be popular, or at least feared, able to pose a threat in a social context, and is usually insulated from the more magical issues.

None of this applies to Chloe.

Even if we don't treat Origins as the shows starting point, she's already only tangentially involved in class stuff. Her fathers hotels own doorman outright says she has no friends, extremely out of pocket of him. & Origins sees one of the first things said to him being that Chloe is a brat and he halfway ditches her before 24 hours are up, and keeps her at nominal arms length for the rest of the series.

We can talk about how there's reasons for this, sure, but the thing that's interesting here is the subversion.

Chloe's mean-ness has not won her friends or influence as it does other mean girls in fiction, such as Heathers or Mean Girls.

Instead, it's made her barely tolerated by her peers and this only grows worse for her as the show goes on leading to her ensuing isolation which only worsens her condition and attitude. This is something Chloe is even varying shades of aware of, as she tearfully confessed to Ladybug when hiding from her Akumatized father. She knows something is wrong, but doing things differently goes against everything her parents taught her or exemplified, so it's not a shock she struggles.

Similarly, compare how Bonnie from Kim Possible could actually out-compete Kim for the role of cheer captain. 

Can Chloe beat Marinette in anything?

No, not really, or least the narrative never lets her do so even when she does have the skills for it, such as 8 years of ballet losing to nice vibes.

This is much less interesting than the previous point because it's basically just the writers using Chloe as a speed bump which gets boring after a while.

Then consider how Totally Spies own Mean Girl, Mandy is rarely tied to the actual adventures save maybe in a way other civilians are; leaving altercations with Clover as civilian affairs.

Does this apply to Chloe?

Fuck no XD

Chloe's frequently targeted by AKuma, even when she either shouldn't be singled out, (Ivan, everyone was scared) or for comparatively minor transgressions (Nathanial, his teacher screamed at, insulted & shook him) or outright targeted by the main villain of the show. (One who has known her since she was an infant!) 

Even before she had a Miraculous, Chloe was a frequent target of violent murder attempts. But this is largely treated as neutral, or even as comeuppance for bad behaviour. The issue is, the sheer scale of what she's being targeted with is so completely disportionate to what she did, assuming she even did things wrong, that it comes off as more unfair than anything else, & liable to give trauma. 

Especially as the show has double standards at times.

I think often-times the writers neglected to actually think through their karmic punishments for Chloe.

Take Pixelator, 

Chloe is the one who recognized Jagged, helped her father, and actually did her fucking job, but is the only student not rewarded with a concert ticket despite having done nothing to piss Jagged off.

Or how when her locker was broken into she's largely dismissed and needs to threaten the principal with her father to get a response. One might say this is abusing her power, but A, it's her dads power and B, we see with Lila later that the principle will basically just bow to whoever can make the bigger fuss. This isn't a Chloe issue it's a Damocles issue and I think being upset people broke into her locker isn't exactly unfair.

Similarly, I noted above how Chloe loses to Marinette even when she shouldn't logically do so. 

A bigger example of the narrative short hand delivered is the fact we see other characters do stuff Chloe does and get free rides.

IE, Kagami can dramatically strut into a fencing hall talking the most boastful shit, actually lose more or less legitimately, Akumatize and still be treated with sympathy and become a hero.

Chloe boastfully auditions to be Ladybug for a music video, but actually is the best audition scene, but loses out to positive vibes, gets angry & through her father lashes out, gets punished & no one gives a shit about her side of the story. 

To be clear, I like Kagami, I find this comparison interesting, I just don't think the show realized that it did this or does stuff like this a lot. 

That whole episode also demonstrates what I said at the start, about Chloe embodying the thematic of Akuma, IE, anger or distress, powerful sponsor, lashing out, ETC. 

So the double standard in how she's framed and treated VS Kagami is framed and treated becomes a weakness of the writing and show. 

We also see this with stuff like her & Marinette sabotaging Kagami, but Marinette largely getting portrayed sympathetically for doing so while Chloe isn't. 

This creates the impression the problem isn't Chloe's bad behavior, it's with her mere existence.

IE, she's the audience and writer's punching bag/designated target, so it feels like the writers just kind of don't bother a lot of the time actually making her wrong or thinking through the implications of their story beats with her, or other characters' behaviour. 

This stuff is present in Season 1, much more overt in season 2 and basically caps off season 3 which is where I stopped watching.

Cos like, the villain who's known her since forever has been actively trying to utilize her through the seasons, who explicitly aimed to puther in a state of severe emotional distress, ambushed her in her own home & had her parents in his grasp.

Right after the show's hero blatantly walked back a previous ruling that kept Chloe from being Queen Bee, (& did so for selfish and if one considered HK targeting known heroes, incredibly callous reasons)

But we're meant to hate the 14 year old for responding badly?

I would also argue stuff like this is a large part of what makes Chloe such an ensemble dark horde to the fandom. Not just because one can read into things about her history and character, but because the author's hand is so heavy it actively hurts and hinders its own narrative in order to harm Chloe and so feels unfair.

Some final notes I couldn't place elsewhere:

Akuma don't usually harm their loved one's. Chloe's mother tried to kill her on sight & then kept looking for excuses to do so & finally did. Andre turned the powerful & willful Audrey into a simpering hanger on and wanted to do the same with Chloe, which again, yikes.

When fused together they declared her incapable of loving anyone but herself. A fact blatantly disproven already but even in the episode itself with her demanding their release in exchange for helping Hawk Moth. & then tried to fucking EAT HER.

Her butler, school friend and teacher seemingly love her more than her own parents.

As an aside, Sabrina's explicitly encouraged to work for Chloe by her father as it makes her "Useful" which has loads of implications. But at least one can't blame Chloe for Sabrina's character.

Madame Bustier, when Akumatized uses having "Taken care" of her father as a lure to try and get Chloe to come to her. So again, yikes if one wants to read into it as it means even as an Akuma who was upset by Chloe, Bustier perceives Andre as the threat/problem to her.

Chloe by all accounts seems to live alone in a hotel suite, not even one of the fancier, super suites but like... The walls are 50% glass with no curtains, that lead to publicly exposed areas (as we see interviews with Jagged being conducted in them) and there's almost nothing to identify it as a space she lives in. Hell, the pictures on the wall are often blank and it seems she's lived here alone since she was a toddler.

That would have calamitous impacts on a Child's psyche & development! 

Despite her portrayal, Chloe was shown to be extremely good at being Queen Bee in many respects.

She almost soloed Mayura.

She is the first person shown able to resist Akuma, got civilians out of an Akuma infested train cart & protected Sabrina during the second red Akuma swarm.

She was able to quickly and easily keep up with Ladybug on the roof tops and using a similar weapon & travel style creates a visual parallel between the two which carries implications of them being counterparts. 

But most especially Chloe proved herself a skilled and heroic combatant during Heroes Day; covering for the other heroes without orders, doing so easily & needing to be targeted by multiple villains all with personal ties to her to be brought down, while protecting other heroes.

But that never really gets acknowledged.

So much like with "Nearly being brutally murdered for being kind of a dick" this sense of narrative imbalance engendered sympathy from those who notice.

I also find it fascinating that Chloe is, despite spending her life surrounded by abusers and enablers both, that she, without any real guidance, managed to soften their behaviors on her own.

Yes she buys Sabrina presents in luew of saying sorry, but she also spends time with her and does fun stuff, Andre just buys her off. She wants Adrien at her side and the like, but she doesn't actually try to stop him from befriending people she hates, Gabriel tries to keep him locked up. She doesn't like losing, but compares her relatively mild huffiness or brief theatrics to Audrey's violent response to merely being snubbed.

She's already doing better than all of them despite explicitly being taught or demonstrated, or victimized with all the wrong lessons and is fourteen.

Chloe also obviously has a deeply unhealthy understanding of relationships as seenin in how she recreates her parents awful dynamic with everyone around her. 

IE,

Andre fawns on Audrey, who is domineering, never satisfied and harsh at best. Chloe acts accordingly with Sabrina, while fawning on her mother and Ladybug who are much the same though  for different reasons. She's internalized this deeply unhealthy dynamic and applies it to herself as much as she does to anyone else.

This is just one element of the fact she honestly seems deeply troubled on a social level. I mentioned earlier that Chloe seems to know "Something" is wrong with everyone hating her & is clearly unhappy about it. But also seems unsure how to fix it, or what the source of the problem is.

The fact she often doesn't seem to get social cues, even from people she's treating like a peer, such as Ala or Adrien, gives off the sense that her problems go deeper than just "Being a brat".

This is further emphasized by the fact that so much of her daily persona seen is her doing an impression of her mother. Or otherwise putting on a show to try and get her dad or Kim, or the principle ETC, to do something.

Because when she's "upset" it's all theatrical prancing and squeals of daddy and then it's over.

But when she's actually upset, like panicking over losing Adrien upset, or breaking down cos Ladybug chose another hero with a known identity over her (Said by Kagami in the episode so we can't pretend it's not true). Chloe usually builds up to a brief explosion followed by a collapse, or just collapses outright into a panicked, curled up state. One that in one instance seemed to be intentionally drawing comparisons to an infant, but again give what we know that says less about her & more about Andre.

Basically, Chloe's life is a performance, we rarely see the real her, because she's always trying to play a role she thinks she's meant to, in order to be liked and successful & is confused, hurt and lonely because it's not working the way her family promises or demonstrated it would.

I also think it's interesting how Marinette & Kagami both firmly instruct her to stop bothering about seating arrangements. Like, we see he react to insults and anger with anger back, but those firm instructions seemed to make her actually inclined to listen, or at least intimidate rather than rile her up.

Also on the insults front, I think it's notable with the pariah angle that Chloe did basically become an open target. No, she doesn't do herself any favors, but her efforts to do video assignments, or participate in art class getting naught but degrading insults. Or her simply not participating in Madame Bustier's birthday causing the class to collectively tear into her says a lot.

Also much like with Damocles, Chloe getting away with mean-ness is not a Chloe thing, the other students get away with it too. At most getting a mild "Well that was kind of mean" which gets shrugged off.

So again we are back into one rule for Chloe another rule for everyone else, which engenders sympathy or frustration in many of the audience. 

Also I find her & Adrien's friendship conceptually fascinating. because like... Adrien outright admits that he totally understands sabotaging a train to try and win a parents love. Meaning he both can likely imagine himself doing the same and also does not grasp how fucked up it is to think one has to go to such insane lengths for someone who treats them like trash.

Am I speaking about Audrey or Gabriel?

Trick question, it's both!

As a sort of final cap off, I quite enjoy the fact that Chloe's so aggressively defiant. Yes she can get scared & panic, but like. She spent 95% of her Stoneheart kidnapping oscillating between bored, pissed off and irritated.

One can say it's a fight based trauma response and I agree, but it's also just a fun dynamic to have for a character who'd normally be relegated solely to screaming damsel.

So yeah, I think she's a fascinating character in concept and at times execution. Who subverts, twists and breaks expected tropes tied to her archetype in fascinating ways but who's handling leaves me wanting, I hope this was useful! 

@princess-of-the-corner @generalluxun @maestro04yayyy you might like this post too!

MAJOR EDIT!

I can't believe I went through Chloe's entire persona section & neglected to mention the fact that her efforts to flirt with guys always come off as so awkward and in-genuine compared to her enthusiastic adoration of Ladybug.

[jokeb0i-art]

As someone who's been trying to get into the Batman comics, do you have a recommendation of what to start with?

you can with start with anything that looks interesting to you going off the cover and title alone

Batman comics are (mostly) episodic but change with time and vary WILDLY in tone, so a "good" place to start only depends on what kinds of stories you like and which characters you're interested in

since I like Batman & the Joker most of my recommendations will include them in some way:

if you're interested in lighter and sillier stories and don't mind some outdated writing Batman #1 is a VERY fun place to start, these stories also include Robin more consistently if you're interested in Bruce as a character and don't mind some pretty messed up horror the New 52 explores his character with a lot of depth if you want to learn more about Batman's main villains, the Batman Confidential comics have a few different stories focusing on some of the most iconic ones, it will give you a good sense of what their personalities and core traits are like, as well as their relationships with batman if you want iconic, self contained, stories and GORGEOUS art, many books by artist Tim Sale and writer Jeph Loeb are fantastic, I also recommend the Superman stories they've done together if you'd like to see Batman as part of an "odd couple" pairing, the Worlds Finest comics are a lot of fun, these pair him up with Superman and their personalities bounce off each other very well, this series also has a modern version currently in print apart from that, Batman comics tend to have these things called "runs" which are teams of artists who work together on a certain number of issues, I already mentioned two of them, but most of my favorites were done in the 70's & 80's like the Moench/Jones run and the Grant/Breyfogle run, and again, you can pretty much start these anywhere you want

also, as if you didn't have enough to choose from, here are a few of my random faves:

Batman: Kings Of Fear

Sleighride by Paul dini

Batman: Dark Prince Charming

Batman: Last Knight On Earth

Batman #608 (Anarky's Debut)

Batman Adventures

Batman: Year 100

Harley Quinn: RWB #14,

Batman /superman #52 ect. ect. ect.

to cap this off though, I would stay away from things like The Killing Joke or The Dark Knight Returns until you read other things more suited to your tastes, they'll certainty be pushed on you and are iconic for specific reasons but aren't necessarily the best Batman has to offer (IN MY OPINION)

[aihoshiino]

i've said this before but for all the problems i have with the movie arc specifically and how OnK more broadly sort of loses focus on/interest in Ai's story from then onwards, i'll never be grateful enough for how well rounded of a character the additions we get to her in that arc make her. obviously prior to that she was already fantastic, but the movie arc really doubles down on humanizing her in a frankly quite risky way for a character OnK needs you to sympathize with as much as ai: it allows her to be weak, selfish and flawed, and capable of hurting other people.

pre-movie arc ai's one real major transgression is her keeping the existence of the twins a secret, but this is in defiance of the entertainment industry's particular taboos and double standards, taboos and double standards that OnK posits as being plainly immoral - as such, it's not really anything ai is doing wrong.

even when the story starts digging into her dirty laundry as per the needs of aqua's investigations, the information we as readers get never paints ai as anything worse than having been a bit standoffish once upon a time. the stories continues to reinforce our understanding of ai as a victim who has been either harmed, neglected or both by pretty much everyone in her life and how this treatment has affected her. imo, the story does a very good job of painting a picture of a life basically defined by consistent, down to earth miseries without it feeling excessive or like overwrought pitybait but the fact of the matter is still that the ai we get to know is someone whose worst traits only seem to harm herself rather than causing her to behave in hostile or antisocial ways that direct harm outwards.

then comes the movie arc and we see how those flaws can twist into things that do, in fact, point outwards - ai's learned fear of vulnerability and her terror in the face of rejection and hostility can become cowardice when placed in the context of her outright refusal to have emotionally difficult conversations with people who are trying to reach her. her self-isolation makes her push away and reject when people offer her vulnerability and she is so used to having to make decisions for and protect herself, in having no other people in her corner that she can consult and have reciprocal dynamics of care with, that it leads her to be selfish and self-centered, making decisions for herself and other people and acting on them because she's decided it's what's best without consulting the other party or really taking into account their feelings.

and it all makes perfect sense! i remember being sooooo nervous going into the production phase of the movie arc because we got that bit with gotanda purposely riling up ruby where it seemed like they were setting up ai to have been a secretly deeply angry and bitter person and that just didn't make sense to me - ai to me had always been characterized not by bitterness but by self-hate, contradictory resignation and hope and a terrible loneliness. to my relief, this is also the route the movie arc takes with her - when ruby has her breakthrough, this is in a moment where ruby finally comes to understand ai as a "fragile girl" who was "always crying". and these flaws as properly fleshed out by the movie arc make perfect sense for a girl like that - a fragile person who's had to learn imperfect methods of protecting herself because nobody else will do it for her.

i'm not kidding when i called this risky, too! there really were a surprising amount of people who saw the nino/ai conflict and the hikaai breakup and lost sympathy for ai, especially in the latter case. i saw a lot of people assigning her blame, saying that she should have or shouldn't have done XYZ thing and that it was her own fault for how things turned out. but that's the risk you run when you allow a character to make a real, honest to god mistake that hurts other characters in turn.

for everything else the movie arc does wrong, this was the thing it had to do right. the ultimate conclusion of Ai's posthumous arc is a complete breaking down of the "perfect" Ai, both as an in-universe public figure and as a fictional character - in other words, humanizing her. but that can't be done without an acknowledgement of ai as a flawed human who has just as much power to cause pain as the people who hurt her in turn do.

[thesexymanscholar]

Intro Post:

Wassup. My name is Fizzy! I’m 21, use They/It/She pronouns and have a disturbingly intense fascination with Tumblr Sexymen.

What is this blog for?

With the shutdown of the sexyman wiki, I fear there has been a recent lack of sexyman research. As a former editor and contributor, I feel I am qualified to start my own archive that is more concentrated. I will also reblog fanart that features sexymen and generally discuss this topic.

What counts as a tumblr sexyman?

This is a complicated question but I have narrowed it down to a few traits:

- Unconventionally attractive: this can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as artstyles, nonhuman/fantasy traits or a morally grey/villainous nature. There has to be a genuine level of “hear me out”. As such, characters like Makima from Chainsaw Man or Sebastian from Black Butler do not count as sexymen.

- Chaotic fandom following: no matter what, fans are just not normal about this character

- Tropes: the character has certain traits that are consistent amongst other sexymen.

Tags:

#archives - the posts about specific sexymen

#asks - self explanatory

#studies - suggestions from you guys to determine if a certain character counts as a sexymen

#reblogs - self explanatory

Sexyman Discord:

Anyways, enjoy the chaos!

[fattummyt]

Halsin/Plus-Size Tiefling Reader - "The Canary in the Coal Mine" - Chapter 1 - The Caged Bird Sings

Summary: Your Tiefling clan have successfully managed to capture the Archdruid known as Halsin, imprisoning him in your hideout residing in The Nine Hells. As a guard, your duty requires keeping watch of him in his cell, yet, despite his incessant humming and whistling, he somehow manages to capture your heart, blurring the forbidden line between guard and prisoner.

Tags: Forbidden Love, Prisoner x Guard, Temptation, Flirting, Reader Is Not Tav, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Protectiveness, Eventual Romance

Warnings: Explicit

Author's Notes: Any use of the Infernal language spoken by characters is indicated [“Like this!”] If some of the Tiefling traits, world building, or lore sound kinda off, I’m new to the BG3 series and D&D as a whole. Enjoy yet another story about everyone's favorite Damsel in Distress, Halsin.

Read it on AO3 here!

“I feel that I should say thank you. For whatever you did just then.” You didn't answer, but upon staring you found yourself taken with his features for a moment. His eyes, a strange assortment of colors, but his smile, a rare delicacy. [“Despite your image having been high on our bounty lists for years, I'm surprised. You're actually quite handsome in person… for an elf.”]

A high pitched sound, a whistling, echoed quietly in the cavernous halls leading up to the guardhouse door.

This was… abnormal among the caverns of the Nine Hells. Especially amongst your clan who preferred the crackling of flames to even idle conversation.

As you fetch your keys, unlocking the door opening to the relatively under-used guard house, you're greeted with a sight of your fellow guard slamming her foot against the newly occupied metal cell. 

[“Quiet, you imbecile. How many times must I threaten you to stop that haggard squawking?!”]

That earned her the peace she'd required as the room fell silent afterward.

She acknowledged you before you’d the chance to properly greet her, your superior. 

[“He's a noisy thing.”] She nodded in his direction as you approached, maintaining a fair distance from the cell. “He” watched you warily from inside as she continued.

[“Constantly talking and chirping. I don't know what he says. Perhaps the surface traveling members would understand him. Regardless, if he gets too noisy, a bit of a threat will get you your way.”]

Looking over him now, he appeared fairly sizable. Tall and muscular in a way you'd not anticipate an elven man to be. He’d worn some form of druid attire, layers with leather bindings, leaves adorning his shoulders, an emblem decorating his chest.

Physically, and given his bounty's title, he was more than capable of committing violent attacks and harm, however flora, or vegetative Earth magic, had little use this deep below where igneous rock addled every surface.

Whatever reason he may have for not attacking, success such as this was rare considering your clan are amongst the weaker born of Tieflings. You've no idea how such a small squadron managed to kidnap him with no loss of life.

[“He speaks English, more than likely. I can speak some of the common surface languages. If he provides any information that could be of our benefit I will report back.”]

That made the female huff with surprise, or rather pity. “The morning guard reports that he’s continued musing nearly non-stop.” Her hand fell heavy against your shoulder. [ “ May anger temper your patience like a mighty sword.”]

Soon enough she'd left, and with her, the last bit of interaction you'd receive for the next 4.5 hours until the evening meal arrived.

True to her report, it took less than a half hour before he started speaking. Not directed at you, perhaps to nobody, for that matter. 

“That's a rather fine shawl.”

You knew not what he spoke of, and paid no mind to his rambling. Consistently he'd move about his cell, walking himself dizzy nearly back and forth, occasionally pausing and stretching his muscled limbs or fanning himself.

If nothing else, watching him provided you ample entertainment as you sat at your stool across the way, gnawing at a bit of tough jerky you'd purchased for the occasion that you'd grow hungry between meals.

“That looks quite delicious. May I have a bite?”

You could laugh at the audacity of his request. Of course, laughing would indicate you'd understood him, and you weren't interested in letting that slip as of yet.

You simply scowled, watching with one eyebrow curled as he slid a hand through the metal bars, pointing to the food in your hand, miming.

“I’m very hungry. Could I have some of your food, please?”

[“It's too tough. You cannot eat it.”]

He looked puzzled, gesturing to his mouth again then his hand.

Surely as a primarily omnivorous species, his teeth were not strong enough, sharp enough, to chew and process the rather hard and tender meat jerky that was present around here.

In just a short moment there’d be a cook arriving to provide you your lunch, along with his. But humored, and bored out your wits end, you decided to placate him, rising to your feet and approaching his cell.

[“If you're truly hungry enough, you can eat this.”]

“Oh my, thank you. I can't thank you enough, I've been—” His sentence dropped short as he witnessed you spit the food from your mouth into your open hand, careful to not let an ounce of crumbled meat drop to the floor, before sliding your hand through an opening in his bars.

[“Not hungry, suddenly?”]

The look on his face was one of shock and as soon as you met eyes your serious façade cracked, laughing rather foolishly as you covered your face.

“Oh, I see. This is quite funny to you?” His pronounced brows drew together, darkening his expression.

You've yet to halt your laughing, further amused by his now passive aggressive response.

Though your enjoyment was quite short lived.

You're aghast when he actually cups your hand, leaning down and pressing his mouth against your palm. You gasp, nearly squealing, as you snatch your hand away, cradling your saliva laden phalanges to your side.

[“Disgusting fool.”] You cursed, scrubbing your hand against your dress bottoms. [“Touch me again and I'll feed my fingers down your throat.”]

Standing there he chewed quietly, offering no answer to your threat until he swallowed wholly, finishing it.

“Do you have any more, then? Preferably a dryer piece.”

He flinched, backing away from the wrought iron bars as your spear pierced through one of the openings, narrowly missing the center of his chest. 

[“Do not trifle with me.”]

The door swung open and in stepped your fellow Tiefling, a metal tray and a stone molded bowl in hand. Their eyes surveyed the scene briefly, curiously glancing over the bright fading blush that bloomed outward from your chest, their lips said nothing as they approached.

[“Thank you, kindly.”] You muttered, taking the much larger platter, returning your spear to its leather holster across your back as they glanced over at him, as if ensuring he still remained breathing.

It appears a palpable tension remained between you two that could be sensed by your colleague as they answered. [“Typically I'd offer the bowl directly, but I shall leave feeding up to you to decide.”]

With that, they made their exit, leaving you both to settle in your jumbled tapestry of nerves. 

He made no move to acknowledge the bowl held in your hand, surely evading any desire to tempt your anger.

[“Hands out.”] You spoke, and slowly he moved to approach the bars, undoubtedly having recognized the phrase from his prior feeding earlier in the day.

[“I've half a mind not to even feed you for your hubris.”] You spat, offering the bowl to his waiting hands.

“I apologize—” You flinched, moving the bowl out of his reach pettily, before resting it in his grasp.

[“You've 4 more hours to spend with me tonight. I insist you tread lightly.”]

He made little sound for the remainder of your meal. Despite having finished his much sooner, likely due to the nature of the varied table scraps that were offered to him, he patiently waited, standing, holding his bowl until you had finished, rising to come fetch his dish.

His fingers caressed along yours now, smooth and gentle, heating your already molten skin before you jerked away. You've experienced enough of his unwarranted touching for today.

The rest of the evening followed what was essentially the same pattern as it did prior to your attempted snack break. 

He'd entertained himself with quiet yet audible humming before whistling various tunes to the echoes of the hollow room.

This has become your routine since the prisoner's arrival roughly one week ago today.

This prisoner—the Archdruid, his name lost on you—was different. Unlike the others captured by your clan in the past, he didn't seem stricken. He showed no fear despite your presence, and despite the guards many threats, very little contempt. Despite his meals considering arriving extremely late. Consisting of nothing more than left over table scraps discarded while preparing the guards meals.

Surely it must've been a struggle for the overgrown elf. Yet he seemed unbothered... Or better yet, accustomed to this experience; this way of existence. 

Heeding your colleagues' threats to throttle him, he still hummed to himself and whistled for entertainment, but only in your presence now. Perhaps he'd learned of your higher tolerance for aggression over the week. Considering your initial interaction, he'd grown needlessly comfortable with your presence during his time here. That made his eventual decline in health all the more obvious to you.

You entered the guardhouse perplexed to not be greeted by the sound of low humming.

Your colleague sat with her head leaned against the wall, her delayed response to your entering that indicated she'd likely been asleep. She yawned behind you as the metal of her blade scraped against the stony wall, no answer to your greeting.

Looking upon him, the prisoner named Halsin, as you'd come to learn, appeared rather strange to you. Despite his movements, occasionally wiping away sweat and blinking, he's much more sluggish, lethargic. In fact he'd removed his blanket from the bed, instead resting atop it on the stone floor.

[“What's wrong with him?”] You asked, grabbing the attention of your sleepy superior. 

[“He was like this when I arrived. Just lying around on the floor. He hasn't spoken at all.”]

[“Not even to ask to relieve himself?”]

That question earned a shrug, nonplussed by your line of questioning.

You knocked on his bars, earning a frustrated groan from him before replying, voice harsh and dry sounding. “If you're not providing a meal, leave me alone. I don't wish to be bothered.”

You waved over your colleague. [“When is the last time this one had been fed?”]

[“Who knows? Feedings are only scheduled during the morning and evening shifts. At least he's been quiet, for all I care.”]

You turned to her, tone turned accusatory as you shortened the distance between you.

[“Did you at least give him water?”]

[“What do I look like, a butler? He can drink his own sweat for all I care. He's made plenty of that.”]

Color surged in your chest as you pointed your gaze at her.

[“He's a mortal, fool. And a wood elf. What feels like a cozy warmth to us Tieflings could feel like a savage blaze to him. If he doesn't remain hydrated he'll perish before we're even able to trade him in for a bounty.”]

Flames burst forth from her balled fists as she advanced upon you now, standing nearly horn to horn, mere inches taller than you as she grit.

[“You will watch your tongue underling. He is the Archdruid of one of the largest druid settlements on the surface. If he's as powerful as his bounty claims, he will manage to survive without another pail of water for 12 hours.”]

Anger pitted at the root of your tongue, yet you swallowed down, instead saying nothing as she moved to leave the room.

Halsin looked on in quiet intensity as you remained there, bright, intense color visible up your back to your neck.

As soon as the door slammed shut you crossed out of his view, entering the store room nearby, a converted cell nearest the entrance that's gone unused for long enough that it now houses foods and nonessential overstock.

Your fellow guards have raided it in secret from time to time, particularly a few bottles of cheap mulled wine that had been cleverly replaced with water to avoid detection.

You returned to his cell, banging on his door and he lifted his head, though his hair appeared clung to his skin, his brows drawn in an almost intimidating, unpleasant expression.

“Liquor?” He scoffed, waving you off. “There's nothing you need of me. I'd prefer to rest, as I'm quite tired.”

[“Come here. Imbecile.”] You whispered, urgently beckoning him closer, and though you spotted an eye roll, begrudgingly he rose to his feet.

The bottle’s glass shoulders clinked against the metal segments; too wide to pass through the bars.

Lethargy hung heavy in his brow as even his eyes remained nearly half lidded as he stared upward at you, puzzling. “Surely you don't intend to feed me that, do you?”

You tipped the bottle, the first splash landing squarely over his chin and he recoiled, stepping back.

[“Hold on. Just sit still—please.”]

With little time to waste, you grabbed him by his fitted collar, pulling him closer against the bars, holding him in place.

He coughed, cursing as he clung to your arm. This was unsafe, allowing a prisoner to grab you, but the bottle was growing lighter in your hand and despite his initial protests, he seemed to be adjusting, swallowing the water now.

[“Quickly now, before another guard arrives.”]

Slower now, he began to breathe through his nose, drinking down the more even stream that spilled from the bottle mouth, allowing you to release your hold, instead cradling his chin between your fingers.

As keys turned in the door you quickly pulled away, crowding the bottle behind your back. Your less than pleased looking superior had returned, with a bowl of scraps in hand and a pail of water.

[“I managed to track down his feed. The prior shift forgot it.”]

Approaching now she looked at him warily, his face and front seemingly drenched with wetness, before sliding the stone bowl along the floor. [“You sweat like a pig on a spit.”] She spat.

She called over to you. [“He looks disgusting. Make sure he eats both his meals.”] You say nothing in response, but as you're edging closer to the store room she intercepts, snatching the wrist you'd hidden behind your back.

[“What is that you have there?”] She trilled. [“Drinking on the job carries a heavy punishment if reported to the prison warden.”]

She tossed the bottle back, merely a few drops making contact with her tongue as she grimaced. [“Woman, you've nearly finished the whole bottle.”] She blinked. [“Hardly tastes like anything. Lost its edge.”]

You nearly missed the catch as she tossed it back to you. [“Make sure this isn't seen by the others.”]

You nodded quietly before she exited, leaving a tense rhythm to your heartbeat. You sighed with relief as you returned to your stool, the bright colors previously adorning your flesh having faded back into their even red and orange hues.

He sat crouched, scooping the now empty bowl into the idle pail of water before bringing it to his lips.

“I feel that I should say thank you. For whatever you did just then.”

You didn't answer, but upon staring you found yourself taken with his features for a moment. His eyes, a strange assortment of colors, but his smile, a rare delicacy.

[“Despite your image having been high on our bounty lists for years, I'm surprised. You're actually quite handsome in person… for an elf.”]

Similarly he does not answer, returning back to the outstretched blanket decorating the floor of his cell.

You're delighted to hear as he quietly begins humming to himself again. A gentle, solemn tune that accompanies the timber of his voice.

You enjoy it.

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[blazepanda17]

“He’s a Nazi”: Why This Episode Hurts—And Why It Might Be the Point

The Handmaid’s Tale S6x07 Thoughts

So many Nick fans are spiraling right now, and I get it. This episode hurts. It feels like a slap in the face after six seasons of complex character work and a slow-burn emotional arc. Suddenly characters are echoing online discourse—calling Nick a Nazi, reducing his relationship with June to superficiality or betrayal, framing his actions in the most black-and-white terms possible. It’s jarring. It’s frustrating. It feels like the show is invalidating everything they’ve spent years building.

But I want to offer another lens:

What if we’re not meant to agree with these characters? What if the tonal whiplash is part of the point?

This calls out the representation equals endorsement logical fallacy. Just because characters are voicing negative comments about a character doesn’t mean the writers actually believe those things about Nick. They’re trying to stay true to character intentions and emotions.

Every character in this episode is seeing Nick through the distortion of grief, fear, jealousy, and pain:

Luke lashes out from a place of deep insecurity, loss, and jealousy.

Lawrence mocks Nick to deflect his own hypocrisy (because let’s be real—Lawrence is just as guilty).

June is bleeding from heartbreak and is trying to armor herself by hardening her view of Nick.

Moira has some understanding but is still hurt by the failed mission and murdered women.

Even Rita, who knows Nick, is pushed away by his self-loathing.

They’re all projecting. And what do they project? The exact same arguments people have used online for years:

“He’s just hot.”

“He’s a Nazi.”

“You’re an idiot to trust him.”

“You’re romanticizing abuse.”

“He only helps to protect himself.”

It’s internet-level discourse… coming out of the mouths of characters who have no room left for nuance. And that should tell us something.

Because here’s the thing: the writers have shown us who Nick is. They’ve shown:

His quiet acts of resistance.

His refusal/reluctance to rise in a system that rewards cruelty.

His aching need to protect the people he loves.

His awareness of his own complicity—and his growing discomfort and despair with it.

So when characters start telling us that he’s a villain, it rings hollow. Because it is hollow.

The show is asking us to do the work of remembering what’s been shown, not just blindly believing what’s being said in moments of emotional chaos. That’s good writing (assuming that’s their intention and they don’t utterly fumble the last 3 episodes). It respects the audience’s intelligence.

And no, this episode isn’t a victory lap for the “Nick is evil” crowd. It’s a trap. It gives them exactly what they’ve always said—and if the story continues with the integrity it’s had so far, they’ll find out just how shaky those takes really are.

So yes, it’s hard to sit in the discomfort of a weekly release. It’s hard to watch a character you love be misunderstood, even within the story. But this? This feels like a setup for catharsis. For vindication and truth.

Nick isn’t done.

And neither is the story they’re telling about him.

Maybe I’m making this all up and projecting my own opinions onto the writers. But I need to stay hopeful. This show has always been incredibly nuanced, so let’s stay in that nuance and complexity. Trust the writing we’ve seen, not just the words characters say in emotionally charged moments.

Edit:

I forgot to add another thought. The term “Nazi” being used multiple times to describe Nick but not Lawrence or Serena at face value feels like a shock. At second glance, it feels grossly irresponsible. But now after careful thought and analysis, this continues to reinforce the point I made above. The writers want us to confront why it feels jarring.

If they wanted us to believe Nick is a Nazi, they wouldn’t make his most consistent trait be protecting the vulnerable at great personal cost.

That means we, as the audience, are meant to question it.