#(and all of my livelihood)

[patchodraws]

so do we know why Sammy’s family has cut ties with her in Chaos Theory? like… have they given a reason that i missed or are we still speculating? and if so, what are your speculations about it 👀

[foxaoxarts]

BEE KISS TOMORR- *dead* /j

If anyone wants to watch me drawing this like a little victorian child then the timelapse is below the cut 🤣

(FLICKER WARNING. It's all through out so be careful!👍 )

[sailforvalinor]

"We need not look anywhere but to the eyes of our Savior for our true identity, an identity which is profoundly complex, unfathomable, deep as the sea, and yet can be boiled down to one little word: beloved. That's it. And that's why it's so silly (and perilous) to use your gifting to clothe yourself with meaning. Those clothes will never quite fit.

I once heard someone suggest that in the new creation, the work of our hands will at last be equal to what we were able to imagine. But in the meantime, living as we do in dying bodies in a dying world, our best work always falls short of the initiating vision. Toil and trouble, thistle and thorn, we push through the brush and come out bloody on the other side, only to realize we've ascended a false peak. It's difficult, yes. But it doesn't change a thing about who we are."

-Andrew Peterson, Adorning the Dark

[kizunarae]

a mismatched mess: a fitz and molly essay

In my re-read of ROTE, I am struck again by the profound mismatch between Fitz and Molly. Neither complements the other, and their relationship is fraught with tension and incompatibility. However, what really compels me to write this is what seems to be the prevailing sentiment within the fandom that places the blame squarely on Fitz’s shoulders. I believe that this perspective is an oversimplification and rather unfair to Fitz. The demise of their relationship was not unilaterally caused by Fitz; rather, it was a shared unraveling.

I will be focusing solely on events up to the end of Royal Assassin, avoiding spoilers for subsequent books. I will put it under a read more as it will be long...

I want to disclaimer that while I may appear fairly critical of Molly's behavior, I do not think she did anything particularly wrong and do believe her emotions and reactions are largely justified. It is just precisely because of who she is (and who Fitz is) that I believe they are a bad match. Additionally, I think Fitz's wrongs have been hashed out extensively so I will only briefly touch on points I disagree with and not elaborate overmuch on his failures in their relationship.

I will begin with their first reunion in Royal Assassin. Fitz has just returned to the Keep after being on his deathbed for several months. Each person he encounters barely recognizes him through his wasted and sickly appearance. Fitz, embarrassed by his weakness, pulls a foolish move: he claims to be drunk when a passing serving girl—none other than Molly—crosses his path. His attempt to save face and avoid interaction turns futile. And yet, despite the evidence that Fitz is clearly sickly in appearance, Molly's first reaction is not concern. It is not to hear his side of the story nor to find out how he has been, nor consider anything that he may have gone through. Instead, she is focused only on her own experiences, and her own feelings and thus responds only with pure outrage and begins firing off accusations with misplaced anger.

Without basis, she accuses him of courting her and then abandoning her. I think many take this claim at face value, because "Fitz should have known what he was doing" (as Patience also intoned). However, let's consider the books have established a three-year age gap between Fitz and Molly. Thus, in Assassin's Apprentice, Fitz would have been begun "courting" Molly at around the age of 13-15 while Molly was 16-18. Even without viewing this through a modern lens, this claim feels like a stretch to me. Imagine expecting a young boy, barely schooled in social norms, to understand that strolling through town with a childhood friend equals courtship. No words or actions passed between them that indicated anything more than friendship. I believe Patience's scolding and instructions were fitting and commendable. However, Molly’s internalization of this narrative against Fitz seems misplaced and unfair, given her knowledge of their shared history and relationship.

Then, after he shares his concern for her about what he saw in his dream. She accuses him of purposely scheming and attempting to deceive her; that he must have heard her whole story in the tavern and is just making fun of her. This is again a very unfair characterization for her to place on Fitz; nothing she knows about him should indicate that he would do something like this at her expense.

She has a right to be upset that Fitz kept his true identity from her. But he also had a right to do so. She gave him no grace and despite his apparent weakened state, she did not allow him to give any explanations. Worse, because of how Fitz is, he immediately accepts her view of the situation and berates himself for not realizing the courtship, despite having had no tools of his own to recognize that. This pattern continues throughout their relationship.

And this, in essence, is what makes Fitz and Molly such a toxic pair. She accuses him of things he does not intend or cannot change, and he, like a sponge, absorbs them as truth, eroding his own perspective and identity. And on the other side, I believe Molly deserves someone who will challenge her. Someone to stretch her boundaries, broaden her horizons. A companion who could wholeheartedly dedicate their life to a family and business together in partnership. Because, while not necessarily a flaw, she has blinders on and focuses largely on her personal happiness and fulfillment. She does not want to bother with thinking of the realm, the raiders or the help other families may need. This is a chasm between her and Fitz, whose heart bleeds for his people's misfortune and feels a duty to his station and Kings. Instead of embracing and appreciating Fitz's compassionate heart and will to make the Six Duchies a better place, she frequently berates him and minimizes his feelings by accusing him of only being a mere king's pawn unable to think and choose for himself.

Especially as readers, we know this isn't the whole truth. We’ve witnessed Fitz’s tears for a dead child cradled in his arms, felt the fire of vengeance burning within him against the raiders. Molly has not, and yet, it does not seem she cares to know. To each of Fitz's explanations, she complains and argues. While we only get the taste of a few of these encounters, Fitz comments that it is a frequent topic of contention between them.

Molly wants Fitz to fit into her mold and she wants what makes her happy to be what makes him happy. She longs for the days when Fitz was only Newboy. She says she just doesn't understand the things he tells her, and yet I feel this is the same "not understanding" that Fitz employs with the Fool; in fact, it is very much understood, it is just not what they want to acknowledge as truth. Because Fitz is not Newboy, and because she subconsciously blames Fitz for not being Newboy, she thus does not put in effort to know and accept Fitz for who he is. I do not consider her calling Fitz as Newboy throughout Royal Assassin a simple nickname; to me it speaks of Molly desperately trying to reverse time and put Fitz back in the box she liked him best in.

I think exactly how little Molly knows Fitz is further illustrated by the Nighteyes-as-Fitz scene. It is a weird and, in some ways, humorous scene, but what struck me is how Molly appears to know Fitz so poorly that she did not sense anything amiss about an intimate encounter with a literal wolf in Fitz-clothing.

Returning to Fitz's identity and 'lies' throughout their relationship, I personally do not believe that Fitz owed her the truth of his identity from the beginning. It was a deeply personal matter and I believe it was not wrong for him to keep it private. As a young boy, he felt his status as a bastard was deeply shameful, and it is no wonder he would not share it. In my opinion, he would have a duty to disclose if he had truly begun to court her, however he was never given this chance.

So, did he continue to lie after his identity was revealed to her? I do not believe so. He shares much with her about what he does, and about Verity and King Shrewd. It is not a question to me that he would not be able to disclose every detail of what he knows; his knowledge of his kingdom's affairs and his identity as an assassin are not entirely his secrets to share. There are surely modern equivalents of this as well. It is hardly unusual to be unable to share some portions of one's work with one's partner. However, Molly deems this as unacceptable and unforgiveable, despite her lack of interest in what he does— a further inherent incompatibility in their relationship. Instead of offering understanding and support for the isolation that Fitz must feel for being in such a position with his Kings, she resents him for things he has no real power to change. Keep in mind if he had left the Kings' protection at the time, his life would surely have been threatened as Chivalry's was lost. Molly should be able to understand this, and yet she cannot see past her current unhappiness.

In her time at the Keep, Molly also puts a large amount of pressure on Fitz. She is out of her element, she has had a traumatic experience, she knows no one at court. And so, she often complains to Fitz that he doesn't spend more time with her. In a very unhealthy way, she attempts to force him to be everything for her at the Keep— her only social outlet, her support, her protector. Due to this, her resentment for Fitz and his choices grows with every moment he is not with her, and she spends much of their time together asking him to turn away from who and what he is to start a life together.

In the end, both hold the other up as idealized versions one could never hope to fulfil; Molly wants Fitz without his royalty or passion for his people. Fitz yearns for Molly, stripped of independence, her self-driven, entrepreneurial nature tucked away. In their relationship, they offer only moments of fleeting comfort punctuated by feelings of sadness and blame. They cannot fulfill each other's expectations. Molly is unable to bolster Fitz's confidence in himself and the peace and acceptance he desperately craves remain elusive. And likewise, Fitz cannot offer Molly purpose or allow her the sense of security she desires under which to prosper her business and family.

And so, these two are ill-matched and ill-fated, clinging through each other to the last vestiges of a childhood they wish they did not have to leave behind. 

[littlekingbergara]

You should just stop talking about how mad you are that they walked back on their decision - a LARGE part of the fandom could not afford a subscription, YOU weren't one of those people - therefore you have no idea how it felt to think you had to say goodbye to them and their content.

actually it's my blog and i'm allowed to feel however i want and post whatever i want and YOU do not have to read it. also some of the people who couldn't afford it are my friends and they were sad but they weren't being fucking awful miserable goons about it like apparently that large part of the fandom felt was appropriate.

[egberts]

i no longer argue with people on facebook. it wasn't good for my mental health at all. instead i just drop my morally superior take and then laugh react when people try to argue and they get. so. mad.

[furute]

ive watched trolls band together 7 and a half times now in the past 4 days its becoming a problem i dont get bored of it i just keep it on loop whenever im at my computer

here is a document of insanity

[literaila]

"mom says that i'm better than you,"

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

sorry, i just had to take a breather there bc he called her MOM!!!! they way their relationship has been developing is so CUTE. the dynamic between the two is something ill never get overrr!!! also, i cant lie that i literally giggled to myself abt that part with gojo bc that shit was FUNNY!

tbh im so excited to see how the whole family dynamic will change as they get older, as things change & happen (especially if there's gonna be angst). and as always, once again, you ate this up <3

(pst...just a question...will yuji ever show up in the series?)

-ur lurker <33

now we’ll wait another ten years for megumi to even think about calling gojo dad.

you guys really want them to go through the pain and suffering, huh? they can’t be happy? reader was literally just complaining about freezing time so nothing had to change, and now she has to endure canon?????

yeah, i’m interested to see how they’ll deal with that too (or, more accurately, if) (or if i’ll deal with it). i may be cruel in specific moments but i am no gege akutami. i’ll have to level up first

(please you think i’m going to let princess yuuji not be apart of the story??? leave megumi alone forever??)

[andromedaexists]

i would love for there to be one fucking corner of the internet that isn't tainted by AI please and thank you

[gxlden-angels]

Christians: Nothing should be over the Lord! You should give your money to the church because it belongs to Him!

Me, deciding I love my cat more than Jesus:

[3416]

Listening to good luck babe! by Chapelle Roan and can't get this brain rot several years in the future 1634 AU out of my head because it's just SO Mitch coded. I've never understood why all the fanfics have Mitch as this super out there confident gay when he's arguably the most jock like good Canadian boy that wakes up decades later and realizes oh shittt.... meanwhile Auston confident bi king has been seeing dudes on the DL for years and like lol. Lmao even get back to me when you get over yourself and realize this isn't ever going to go away idiot... good luck babe!!

i really need to get into chapelle roan... loved everything i've seen and heard, i'm just not in a music headspace rn, idk but LOVE THIS. YOU GET ITT TT T T T TTTTT

i try to cut fic characterization some slack bc we all see them differently obv, and if i put myself in the shoes of some of these writers, esp back when auston and mitch were rookies... they prob DID look different than they do now with a more fully formed picture year after year. auston more the calm/quiet/repressed one and mitch the flamboyant rookie who latched himself onto 4983242 men and was open and happy w his emotions before he kinda got smothered by the hate and media..., so i get where the initial thoughts come from but. you are absolutely RIGHT that where they actually stand as people in an rpf canon space imo is like......... mitch is heavily like Just Bros ! Just Dude Things ! Wanna spend my life around my Guys and it's where I'm happiest and most myself ! while going and following the conventional path of marrying your longtime teenage sweetheart with 2.5 kids (ok just zeus for now) in the suburbs of your hometown. auston's certainly come into his own in a lot of ways externally, which i love to interpret that as internally too... figured out what he likes and doesn't... knows himself pretty well. splits time between his fancy condo townhouse in toronto where he calls home now but ALSO in his massive ass summer mansion in arizona. best of both worlds in lots of ways.

[novelconcepts]

I just. How are the studios not fucking embarrassed yet? How are they not just wallowing in awareness that they are the baddies? I understand wealth separates a man from his common sense and, uh, soul, but. How are you looking at a bunch of artists who are asking for basically the bare minimum, going “yeah, no, I need my yachts”, and you’re NOT aware how pathetic you look? The biggest loser energy in the world.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

So, if I start reading translations online for chapters, do you think I have to start over from chapter 1, or do you think that knowing changes that were made, I won't lose much if I start from where I last finished in playing in the EN version?

I think EN is mostly the same as JP, but key parts of the experience definitely get left out in EN. It’s fine to just play through the localization if you’re looking to generally understand the story. You don’t need to start from the beginning to follow what’s going on. I suggest reading translations if you have the time for it or just cross referencing them if you sense that something feels “off” in the EN version.

There is no comprehensive compilation of all differences between JP and EN; it would be very difficult to search up and educate yourself on every localization change. However, I encourage you to go out of your way to look into these differences when possible; it’s an interesting study of our cultural differences.

Please also note that there is considerable cut content from episode 5! You’ll need to search up the missing scenes on Youtube for the “full” TWST experience.

See the tags for a surprise—

[fooltofancy]

as far as i can tell i'm not shadowbanned, but also like

...... that's pretty drastic lmao

[sendmyresignation]

one of the things about where are your boys tonight i really appreciated and, to me, seemed like the most significant thrust of the book (but never garnered much attention, imo), was the focus on the business side of things and particularly the way the many bands never saw long term success or stability or the way a lot of very young people were taken advantage of even after making their labels and handlers metric butt-tones of money and this really culminated with the discussion about paramores record deal and the inherently coercive nature of making a 14 year old sign a record deal (not even really mentioning that record deal was 20 fucking years lmao) and yet i still see people argue she was an industry plant or whatever. sorry ig one of my fatal flaws is i give child stars the benefit of the doubt considering the fundamental exploitation necessary for that position to exist or whatever

[sssaturnsnake]

hey so i just got ruthlessly yelled at, threatened, and almost beat by my father for being pro palestine. i know i dont post about it much here (mainly because tumblr doesn’t show me much of it - twitter’s where i usually go for that) but i will always be pro palestine. forever and always. my father’s actions have not dissuaded me and have instead only made my views stronger, because i know one day he’ll look back on this and see he was on the complete wrong side of history. i know people have been through worse due to supporting palestine, but comparative suffering is stupid. until israel ceases to exist, i will side with palestine.