#(okay this guy is underrated in my opinion! not necessarily my favorite but i think he deserves some credit as a bond villain)

[danieco]

Anzu

Ngl I was getting I worried I wasn’t going to get Anzu and I was like: Am I a joke to you? I have no reputation at all? I am a little joke?? /jkjk THANK YOU

• First impression: I mean... The Token Girl, but I liked her. I probably thought she was bossy but I remember being on her side when Mai was introduced in a way that I now recognize was just some gross internalized misogyny. (Oh, Baby Me, how far we’ve come. How far we have to go.)

• Impression now: Unstoppable because she works hard and she’s an optimist. I think an underrated aspect of Anzu (other than literally everything about her because she cannot be overrated) is that she’s also one of the most confident characters on the show (her soul room is literally walled in mirrors and Shadi comments how confident and comfortable someone would have to be with themselves to have their soul manifest like that), and I think that gets overlooked because she’s not arrogant the way the others (all dudes ofc) frequently are. 

• Favorite moment: GOD... I think maybe when she stands up to Kaiba... but which time, Duelist Kingdom or Virtual World... I honestly don’t remember either clearly (someday I will finish the reread/rewatch!!) but instinct is telling me Virtual World even though I don’t really even remember what she says to him, so... that one?? The flippant way she tells the story about knocking out a guy at Burger World is also a top moment. Oh or the time everyone’s panicking because the possessed professor is about to kill Jounouchi and she hits him with a globe, saving Jou’s life. Or... no no okay I’ll stop. Except that time that Mokuba--okay I won’t go on but you get the picture. 

• Idea for a story: SO MANY, I have an embarrassing number of Devotionshipping posts in my drafts (a pairing I didn’t even like before)... I also like the idea that Miho goes with her to NY to be her roommate (Miho gets a job at a department store because she wants to become a stylist/personal shopper). Anzu does dance professionally for awhile but eventually semi-retires to Japan where she still takes gigs occasionally but mostly teaches at her own dance studio. 

• Unpopular opinion: I actually don’t see that much on Anzu most of the time but I think much like people can make Yugi seem like a wet blanket without really thinking about it, people can write Anzu as a buzzkill like she doesn’t A) break rules when it suits her, B) take some pretty dumb risks and C) throw hands when dudes get out of line. 

• Favorite relationship: Anzu is one of those characters that I can see as being an asset to literally anybody, like there is no character you can hold up that I wouldn’t go “Yes, they would benefit from having Anzu as a friend.” (Actually my only reversal there is I do think Anzu would benefit more from Mai becoming her friend, because she needs a female role model.) My brain has been 60% Devotionshipping and 40% a dub version of Miho now for a hot minute buuuut... I’m gonna go with Kaiba, actually. It’s mostly conjecture but I think the way she’s able to balance standing up to him and sympathizing with him has BIG friendship potential. They’re both ambitious. The fact that Anzu’s not into Duel Monsters could actually be an asset: they’d have to connect over something else (story idea: pending; not found) but that would bypass Anzu being a threat to Kaiba’s ego (not even because she could beat him necessarily but because he would just haaave to show off how much he can crush all competition), which I think would make them becoming friends easier. 

• Favorite headcanon: All her dreams come true and her life is as lovely and happy as she deserves. Okay maybe something a little more specific... Her family is genuinely really proud and supportive of her. There’s a few reasons I think this is the case but yeah, that’s the base I think she’s coming from. 

[musingsofanunorgainizedmind]

Top 10 Things I Love About Supernatural

It’s been almost half a year since the show ended and now that the dust has settlIed, I just want to list ten reasons I love this show. Despite it’s flaws, it’s been quite the ride.

1. Team Free Will

When I first got the idea to make this list, I originally planned on doing entirely separate entries for “Sam & Dean” and “Destiel”. Except then I wanted to pay tribute to “Sastiel”. And then I wanted to do an entry for “Team Free Dads”. By that point, I was already halfway through the list and I hadn’t even moved on from the main characters. A few months ago, I made a post about why I love every single pairing in this group. Obviously, Sam and Dean are a legendary duo. Obviously, Dean and Cas have an unparalleled story. Obviously, Sam and Cas are an underrated team. As for Team Free Dads, I’ve always had a soft spot for father/mentor figure characters and and all three tackle the role in different ways. I love Jack, too. I love how everyone in this bizarro family is “broken” in some way. We’ve got the Allistair’s prized pupil, the spawn of satan, the boy with demon blood, and the angel who nearly obliterated all of heaven. But they help each other heal by being supportive and seeing the good in each other. They all love each other so deeply and when together, nothing can stand in their way. Not Michael, not Lucifer, and not God himself. They tore up the book and wrote their own story. And it was a pleasure to watch it all unfold.

2. The Suppporting Characters

To list every single supporting character I have loved and lost in this show would take way too long. I don’t know if it’s the writing or acting performances, but I love pretty much every single supporting character on this show. Even villains like Azazel or Allistair are top-notch villains. Hell, I even like characters like Metatron, Lucifer, Mary, and John! Characters like Rufus, Charlie, Crowley, Rowena, Kevin, Ellen, Jo, Bobby, Gabriel, Balthazar, Mick...how am I not supposed to love them??? All of their stories were cut so short. I’d watch a show about any of these characters. The Wayward Sisters were robbed. So many ships were gone too soon (Sam/Rowena, Dean/Jo, Cas/Meg, Etc.). So many heartbreaking deaths. I want to be best friends with all these characters. Why be a “dean-girl” or a “sam-girl” when you can be a garth-girl? A kevin-girl? A claire-girl? A bela-girl? There are so many great characters with interesting and compelling backstories and so much untapped potential. I could go on forever on this, but I digress.This show has one of the best supporting casts I have ever had the pleasure of watching.

3. The Themes

It’s no accident that I got addicted to this show at the time that I did. Namely, my Senior Year of College and 2020. Graduating college and entering the “real world” felt like it’s own sort of apocalypse. 2020 definitely exacerbated my worst tendencies. Messages like “family don’t end in blood”, “you can write your own story”, and “always keep fighting” really resonated with me. I could definitely relate to the feelings of insecurity these character’s felt and the ways they suppressed/repressed their issues instead of facing them. I could relate to the feelings of not fitting in and I could definitely relate to the loneliness. This show helped remind me that I’m not alone. That it’s okay if my values and identity don’t line up with the what I envisioned for myself. And, most importantly, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that I should never give up. If Dean, Sam, and Cas can keep moving forward despite their demons and despite how bad it gets, so can I. Regardless of how the story ended, these themes resonated with me and I’ll still hold them with me. A single episode can’t take that away.

4. The Fun Episodes

This show has so many legendary standalone episodes. Changing Channels. Ghostfacers. The French Mistake. Fan Fiction. Tall Tales. Bad Day at Black Rock. When this show goes for the absurd, it goes all-in. It takes the risks it needs to take, it gets completely insane, and it pulls it off. So many of these episodes could have easily been the moment that the show “jumped the shark”. Yet, time after time, the show delivered on it’s potential. I don’t know how much I can say about these episodes except that they made me laugh out loud, made me fall even harder for these characters, and that they’re the episodes I remember best. If I were to rewatch any episode, it would be one of the fun ones. This show knew how to not take itself too seriously and how to poke fun at itself. I’ve always had a soft spot for shows that can make me laugh and cry (X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel, Doctor Who, etc.), and this show definitely nails the fun part. 

5. The Sad Episodes

Death’s Door. Hammer of the Gods. Despair. Carry On. Abandon All Hope. In My Time of Dying. Swan Song. When this show wants you to cry, it doesn’t pull the punches. It gets downright devastating. No character is safe. Literally every character you love will either be forgotten or will die. Or both. The amount of trauma Sam and Dean have to go through is insane. Both have literally been to hell and back. Both have killed countless people, including innocents. When this show decides it wants to wreck you, it’s overwhelming. I sobbed when Bobby died. I sobbed when every single member of Team Free Will died for the final time (I still can’t watch any of those scenes). I still wish Jo, Ellen, Charlie, Kevin, Mick, and Gabriel had been given more time to tell their stories. Being a hunter means a life of endless angst. Being an angel or demon doesn’t get you off the hook, either. I remember going into this show thinking it couldn’t hurt me. My favorite character type is “mentor/father figure”. But holy hell...I don’t think every single sad moment was necessarily good writing, but when it was? Damn. 

6. The Biblical Themes

I’m not a relgious person. But, despite this show being steeped in Christian mythology, it really touched on my feelings about the Old Testament in a profound way. Well, really just Ben Edlund and Robbie Thompson did. I’ve never seen a show really hit the overall feel of the bible the way this show does. The idea of Angels as mystical and terrifying creatures. The idea of God as a flawed father figure with a penchant for wrath. The sheer epicness of the biblical stories. The idea of family members constantly being turned on each other. Cain and Abel. Jacob and Essau. Moses and Ramses. Moses and Aaron. Abraham and Isaac. The bible is full of stories of family drama. This show doesn’t always give angels and demons weight. Sometimes it’s silly and stupid and cheesy. But when it hits right? It’s epic. This is more of a personal thing I love about the show, but definitely a plus!

7. The Music

The early seasons music is so good. I really miss the classic rock of the golden era of the show. I mean, there are still some great musical moments later on, but damn. I loved hearing songs I recognized and I loved learning new songs. I loved when the song and the scene hit perfectly in time (Death’s intro. Cas’s return in Season 13.). Also Supernatural wouldn’t be Supernatural without the ‘Carry On My Wayward Son’ song at the end of every season. Even at the end of a season I didn’t love, that recap would always get me pumped. Also Chuck singing Fare Thee Well? Dean and Lee singing together? Fan Fiction? All great. 

8. The Cast & Crew

I never care about the actors or actresses in a show. I definitely don’t bother with the names of specific writers and directors or their styles of writing/directing. They’re just random people who happen to write for or play these characters I love. They’re not actually the characters. But these guys? Well, for one, I’m pretty sure half this cast actually is their character. At least to some degree. They’re also just...really cool people? Who are all friends? They make a point to do community service, to interact with fans, and to promote positive ideas. Jared’s Always Keep Fighting campaign. Misha and GISH. The fact that they all participate in fundraising opportunities and encourage fan engagement. Do they all have issues? Definitely. Have they said stupid things? Yes. But the good far outweighs the bad. They’re an entertaining bunch whether onscreen or not and I hope they all do well in whatever their future endeavors may be.  

9. The Fandom

I joined this fandom late. To be honest, I thought this fandom was obnoxious before I found myself a part of it. Now that I’ve been in the trenches? It’s got it’s ups and downs like any fandom. There are some parts that are more toxic than others. A lot of people yelling that their opinion is the only opinion. But overall? The good outweighs the bad. And the good? The good is great. Some fanfictions I’ve read are better than actual books I’ve read and just as moving. The fanart? Incredible. I love reading all the metas about random aspects of the show I never would have noticed. I love the music videos and I love the analytical videos. In real life, I’ve made many friends through our mutual love of this show. Hell, even getting sucked into GISH once or twice has given me some solid memories and brought me closer to friends. I wish all fandoms were this much like family. I’m so glad I got to be a part of this fandom and I can’t wait to continue being a fan. After all, nothing ever stays dead in Supernatural.

10. The Chaos & Insanity

Season 16 has been a time. First, Destiel went canon. Then suddenly Sherlock was having a 5th season, Putin was retiring, and Georgia was going blue. Destiel going “canon” and Joe Biden winning the presidency will always be correlated in my mind now. Things in the fandom went from quiet to blaringly loud real fast. Carry On happened. The fandom went into a civil war. I can’t even remember half of what happened in Season 16, but it’s been a wild ride. There’s been ups (my personal favorite being the french dub and the Saileen wedding). There’s been downs (Jared’s controversial statements and the original scripts being leaked). At one point Misha Collins had sex with Bill Clinton???? It’s been a wild time. It’s honestly gotten me through the end of this pandemic. At least it’s entertaining. I would say that at least all the craziness is over, but is it ever really over? Every time I say that something else completely insane happens. But it’s been fun. I’m glad I started watching this show despite my reservations and here’s to whatever happens next. 

[allsassnoclass]

I would like a director's cut for Puzzle Pieces OR the lashton christmas present one you wrote for my prompt about what other gifts you had they do

well for the Christmas one (that was teacher!lashton, yeah?) I can tell you that I did not have a good time picking out the presents lol. I low-key hate choosing gifts for fics (I have a prompt from November that includes gift-giving that I still haven’t done yet for this reason).  I don’t consider myself a very good gift-giver, so figuring out what characters would give each other stresses me out.  In the end I couldn’t come up with a singular gift that would be expensive or meaningful for this Luke for a secret Santa, so instead I gave Ashton too much inspiration and let him choose multiple gifts.  I found half of them by googling good/meaningful gifts and picking what I thought Ashton could/would feasibly get.

I’ve already talked about Puzzle Pieces a while ago here but I will say more things under the cut (spoiler warning, obviously lol). some day I will combine these two asks into one director’s cut master post

so puzzle pieces. my baby. my pride and joy.  this idea started forming back in May (I know because I was looking through my asks to Helen on her blog recently and I mentioned it).  It took a while to get to though, because I needed to let it simmer in the back and wanted to work on too close to see first.  I love soulmate aus that include platonic soulmates without specifying what soulmate is which type, and I really like the idea of soulmate aus where first physical contact produces a color, so you don’t necessarily know if you’re soulmates right away.  two things somewhat bother me about soulmate aus and one of them is that once two people discover that they’re soulmates it’s easy smooth sailing with no buffer period.  like whenever two soulmates meet for the first time and then kiss after five minutes it’s very ???? to me because you don’t know that person!!! you don’t know them!!!!! part of what I wanted to show in this one was the development of a relationship between everyone, and one way to do that was to make First Touches a big deal so the boys didn’t necessarily know they were soulmates right away with the exception of malum, but they were babies and little kids sometimes become bffs within 2 minutes anyway so I figured that was okay.  how our society would change if soulmates existed in a distinguishable way is something I've thought of a lot, and that manifested as it being a Big Deal to touch someone for the first time in this fic.

originally, way back in the day, I was going to have a different color for each pairing, but that was going to get really messy really fast, so instead I gave each person their own color that they leave on everyone else.  I talk about why I chose each color in the other ask.

two of my favorite scenes to write were the scene right after the recording studio where Ashton tells Michael about his dad and the scene where Ashton touches everyone else for the first time.  I just really like Ashton/mashton lol but I also felt like the scene in the car fixed another thing about soulmates that bothers me: love takes work!!! I really wonder how many soulmate relationships would be happy ones if we had marks to designate soulmates in the real world. I wanted to ensure that our soulmate relationships in this fic were not friends/partners because they’re soulmates, but because they genuinely enjoy each other and put work into the relationship.  revealing that soulmarks could theoretically disappear like Ashton’s dad’s did was one way to put that in context of the greater universe.  earlier in the fic I mention also that soulmarks show how easy it should theoretically be to love someone, not that you love them.  they are not a guarantee.  giving Ashton abandonment issues made his acceptance of the boys as his soulmates that much sweeter in my opinion, because accepting their marks was his way of saying that he trusts them to put in the work to love him.

I know I've mentioned this before but Michael wasn’t ace until about 4 days before I posted.  I’m pretty sure there was a conversation about ace rep in fics that I witnessed in the early early days of the club and then I looked at the (almost finished) doc and was like. hang on a sec. I could add two sentences and as its written right now this guy would be ace. so that’s what I did! because it turns out a lot of Michael’s “is this platonic or romantic” dilemma/crisis fits really well with my ace experience.  write what you know, amiright lads?

also an underrated line in this is Calum is an old, comfortable sweater, but Luke is like a favorite pair of shoes.  They both fit him perfectly.  He feels more at home when either of them are around, and although the love he has for Calum is different, he thinks he could love Luke just as much.  He thinks he might, by now. like bruh that’s the point of the whole fic! loving people differently, not less/more!!!!! also I just really like that comparison of the clothing items.  feels good feels authentic.

the first time this was referred to as an ot4 fic it threw me off because it’s not romantic between the four of them but I like that people say it’s an ot4 fic because the mashton and muke friendships are just as important as malum in my eyes, although I love malum in this dearly and think they’re super super cute.

also initially I thought it was going to be around 8k.  whenever I give myself a word count limit I think a fic will be, I exceed it.  that’s fine though I'm okay with that. it’s a lot more important to tell the story in the amount of words it needs than to either rush it or elongate it.

anyway those are the puzzle pieces thoughts for the night, tune back next time for more that I'll inevitably be able to dig up because I will never get tired of talking about this fic

[waveridden]

seb townsend?

i am going to assume you meant either seb or mike and this was a mistake, or possibly you do not know blaseball and have successfully reverse-engineered these two names from my posts without realizing that it is two characters. but i am stalling homework so you will get both characters. tossing under a cut just bc it’s long as hell

sebastian telephone

favorite thing about them

he’s a NICE BOY... he’s very excited and cool and happy to be here and he’s just like. the kind of person you enjoy spending time around

least favorite thing about them

fucked up that he died twice. that shouldn’t happen

favorite moment

i actually do not know enough about steaks lore/etc to have one although i will say the moment in hall stars where he got incinerated again was one of the most devastating things i have ever experienced

brOTP

jess obviously and i especially think we as a fandom need to zoom in more on the fact that the seb telephone from season 4 on is from another dimension because can you imagine being jess telephone and spending your whole life with your brother weaker than you and relying on you and then one day he’s replaced by someone who’s almost exactly the same but not quite. i think that would be horrible. also it’s fucked up that he was never on the team at the same time as allison because i feel like they could be a really good “someone will die” “of fun!” pair

OTP

townseb because it’s the world’s saddest concept. you know what the timeline is like? sebastian gets reality-swapped in the season 4 elections. that means they get two seasons where they can spend time together, and then mike is in the shadows and seb gets incinerated about three months later. and then mike is out of the shadows during hall stars, and then seb gets incinerated again instead of getting released. it’s all about the timing and the almost-maybe-what-if of it all it’s about the stars never quite aligning but they keep trying anyways

nOTP

i don’t really have one? i mean i’m no expert but i have seen seb/conner haley and i would love for someone to like. explain that to me. because based on my knowledge level (ie wiki pages) i don’t get it

random headcanon

he’s actually a really good cook? like not a Professional Chef but makes a mean carbonara, that kind of a thing.

unpopular opinion

i see him listed as one of the “Main Characters Of Blaseball” a whole bunch and it’s like. he’s not. it’s nice that you think he is but i disagree with you. (i mean also i think part of the fun of blaseball is there are no Main Characters other than, like, jaylen and jess and maybe landry, but i digress)

song i associate with them

i truly don’t know but cola made a townseb playlist and i have been thinking about parallel universe by clara benin for a week now so i’m going with that

favorite picture of them

i don’t know about “favorite” but this made me cry for like five minutes the other day so it’s top of mind

#

#

mike townsend

favorite thing about them

mike townsend is the kind of guy who will help you move into your new apartment. not because you’re, like, friends with him, but because you needed an extra pair of hands and he’s around. he’s genuinely just happy to be here. he’s just like... a fundamentally decent person.

least favorite thing about them

he’s such a fucking pushover. grow a spine michael

favorite moment

the first time he retreated into the shadows and absolutely nobody knew what to do or how to handle it. also this is less of a moment and more just a thing i enjoy but i think it’s SO funny that there’s lore about how he can strike out jessica telephone. like that’s the one thing he can do and that rules

brOTP

i know a lot of people go in for mike/jaylen as good friends and i think that’s very good, and i enjoy mike and lenny a lot. but i am here to make the case for allison abbott, who always kind of pushed him around (as a joke) and took him for granted (he’s a very nice guy) and then suddenly he was gone? and oh shit it feels kind of mean that they kept calling him a disappointment and a fuck-up and making jokes about how bad he was? and as soon as mike was out of the shadows she called him and was like. hey i was kind of a dick to you and i think it was in a bad way, can we try and be better friends now

OTP

once again i love townseb, and i think tillsend is pretty good, but i think like... okay. i was trying to explain to someone recently that part of the appeal of tillman/mike/declan is that they are all kind of dirtbags but they are different kind of dirtbags. but also i think mike/declan are very compatible dirtbags and it’s a truly underrated dynamic

nOTP

mmmmm not sure i think you could sell me on a lot of ships with mike in them. although i do think he’s gay as hell

random headcanon

only drinks coffee because everyone else does. if he’s left to his own devices this man has two modes and they’re water and red bull

unpopular opinion

i think he should be allowed to be mad at jaylen? like not necessarily Bitter Enemies or anything but i think there is a little bit of tension inherent to that relationship like. speaking personally if i gave up my life and existence for someone and then that person killed a bunch of people and scattered my friends across the country, i might have a hard time picking up a normal friendly relationship with them

song i associate with them

i mean all the garages songs. is that a copout

favorite picture of them

i am incredibly fond of this art of mike and jaylen

[mrfunnybone]

THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; MUN & MUSE - MEME.

FILL OUT & REPOST ♥ This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm. TAGGED BY: Stolen from @battleshell TAGGING: @ladydreemurr @wdvoided @puzzlebones @flametendingbartender, @the-judge-of-bones @witchandateashop, and @bravest

MY MUSE IS:   CANON / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless / complicated

Is your character popular in the fandom? YES / NO. [Some would say overly so.]

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  YES / NO / IDK. [ somehow...yes? Apparently?]

Is your character considered strong in the fandom?  YES / NO / IDK. [ Yes. Most players agree that Sans fight is one of the toughest in the game, and the Gaster Blasters do pack a punch.]

Are they underrated?  YES / NO / IDK. [ Underrated? Certainly not. Overrated? Hmm..]

Were they relevant for the main story?  YES / NO [Hot take, but as of now, there are no CANON facts 100% supporting the idea that Sans was tied to main story plot elements. If you took him out, the actual story wouldn’t change much, you would just go straight to Asgore’s fight. ]

Were they relevant for the main character? YES / NO / THEY’RE THE PROTAG. [ Sans is one of the main monsters that the MC interacts with, and acts as the Judge near the end of the game, which reveals a lot of unknown information to the MC.]

Are they widely known in their world? YES / NO. [ The scene in Grillby’s seems to suggest that, at least in Snowdin, Sans is well-known and well-liked.]

How’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL. [ While fellow Grillby customers and a few other Snowdin residents seem to like him, he’s also seen to irritate other characters with his laziness, bad jokes, or shenanigans. Even Undyne admits that she’d fire him, but he always manages to do the bare minimum to avoid it being justified.]

HOW STRICTLY DO YOU FOLLOW CANON?  — I do! Though I also offer my own spin on San’s backstory and my own interpretation of canon hints. 

SELL YOUR MUSE! AKA TRY TO LIST EVERYTHING, WHICH MAKES YOUR MUSE INTERESTING IN YOUR OPINION TO MAKE THEM SPICY FOR YOUR MUTUALS.  —  Jokes in the face of nihilism and a juxtaposition to the field of science, Sans is full of contradictions in a fairly entertaining and interesting way. He appears to be incredibly intelligent, but talks and dresses like he’s any ol’ joe. He appears to have symptoms of depression but still acts fairly chummy. He is both one of the hardest fights you’ll apparently face and yet only needs one hit to be defeated. Sans apparently cares for nothing and yet also holds his brother in very high esteem. He appears difficult to get close to, yet he bonded with a stranger over bad jokes and kept a promise to her even though he never even knew her name. Sans can be defined by both what he is and what he appears to be. 

NOW THE OPPOSITE, LIST EVERYTHING WHY YOUR MUSE COULD NOT BE SO INTERESTING (EVEN IF YOU MAY NOT AGREE, WHAT DOES THE FANDOM PERHAPS THINK?).  —  Sans is credited with far more than he’s actually due by the fandom. He doesn’t seem to really care for you, the player, like Toriel or other monsters do. He’s not a hero, past or present, like Gerson or Undyne. He doesn’t really help avoid the player getting hurt or captured like Papyrus does. He doesn’t push the plot forward and he doesn’t take action; as a character, Sans is purely reactive, and if he were the Main Character, that would be a huge flaw. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RP YOUR MUSE?  —  I first joined the Tumblr RPC as a Frisk RP Blog, way back in the day, and that was because I stumbled across a Sans RP blog that I found very interesting. This character that I had largely not put too much thought in during the game suddenly had a very complex narrative and I loved reading his dialogue (it didn’t hurt that the mun was clearly a talented writer). Eventually, I realized I wanted to try my hand at writing him too, and so I started my own Sans RP blog.

WHAT KEEPS YOUR INSPIRATION GOING?  —  you guys. The fandom, the artists, the other Sans/Undertale RP blogs, the fanfiction authors— when I start getting bored or stale, you suddenly present this indie game, and by extension Sans, in a new angle that draws me back in. Thank you. 

SOME MORE PERSONAL QUESTIONS FOR THE MUN.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO / I SINCERELY HOPE I DO? [ Some of my old favorites in the Sans RP game, I think, did a bit better job of consistently getting his character right. Still, I hope I give him justice too.]

Do you frequently write headcanons?  YES / NO / SORT OF? 

Do you sometimes write drabbles?  YES / NO 

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day? YES / NO [ Often! When I’m actively writing him, anyway.]

Are you confident in your portrayal? YES / NO / SORT OF? [ I am! Like I said, I think there have been others who did it better, but I wouldn’t say my portrayal is bad.]

Are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO. [ Most of the time! Sometimes I get writer's anxiety, and it doesn’t help that Tumblr gets me at my rawest. I have no editor, my posts normally receive just a brief proof-reading, and I’m sometimes experimenting for the first time with a particular genre/scene/style. I wouldn’t point to all of my writing here as my best or strongest work, but I can write solid stuff.]

Are you a sensitive person?  YES / NO. / SORTA. [ I wouldn’t say I’m sensitive in terms of people criticizing me, personally, but I am sensitive to other people. When something bad or unfair happens to someone, I usually feel upset for them. It can get very emotionally exhausting.] 

DO YOU ACCEPT CRITICISM WELL ABOUT YOUR PORTRAYAL?  —  I would say so! In general, I’m used to critiques for both writing and art, as I’ve taken courses that incorporated both heavily. 

DO YOU LIKE QUESTIONS, WHICH HELP YOU EXPLORE YOUR CHARACTER?  —  Absolutely!

IF SOMEONE DISAGREES TO A HEADCANON OF YOURS, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?  —  Not necessarily! I’m always interested in hearing different takes, but if someone said, “I don’t agree,” and didn’t follow up with an explanation on their own, I wouldn’t ask for one. 

IF SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH YOUR PORTRAYAL, HOW WOULD YOU TAKE IT?  —  Kind of the same as above. I would be interested in hearing why if they offered up why, but otherwise, I’m not really going to ask because they don’t OWE ME an explanation. For example, I like a lot of books, and I don’t like a lot of books, and that’s not really a judge of their quality as much as it is my own personal taste. Number one rule as a writer, you have to learn and accept that your stuff won’t appeal to everyone. 

IF SOMEONE REALLY HATES YOUR CHARACTER, HOW DO YOU TAKE IT?  —  I get it, haha. Characters that are hyped up like Sans are easy to get annoyed by. Even if he wasn’t hyped up, though, again, it makes sense that someone wouldn’t like him. Just like a book, a character can’t appeal to everyone. 

ARE YOU OKAY WITH PEOPLE POINTING OUT YOUR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS?  —  Please do! It’s embarrassing when I catch them later, hahaha. 

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE EASY GOING AS A MUN?   —  I think so! I try to be, anyway. Sometimes I worry I’m too casual with slipping into IM’s or commenting on posts, but so far I don’t think I’ve scared anyone off, so that’s good. 

[juniperhillpatient]

Harley Quinn, Xander Harris, and Katara, for the ask meme

under the cut to avoid spamming people’s dashes lol 

Harley Quinn: 

Why I like them:

sapphic brain & monkey brain both wanna say “sexy scary clown lady” but truly it’s because she’s a complex badass with a morally gray compass 

Why I don’t

this isn’t harley’s fault but - oo many characterizations due to how many canons there are & how many people have written her...people fight about whether she’s an empowering character, whether modern characterizations of her are true to her character, etc, etc...I don’t have the energy lol. again - sexy badass clown lady <3

Favorite episode (scene if movie)

I mean...Batman the Animated Series “Mad Love”

Favorite season/movie

I am but a basic bitch & a simple sapphic. Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey movie changed my life 

Favorite line

This line from Gotham City Sirens lives rent-free in my head: 

After all this time--all these years--you and I have history. I know what you think of me. You think I'm just a doll. A doll that's pink and light. A doll you can arrange any way you like. You're wrong. Very wrong. What you think of me is only a ghost of time. I am dangerous. And I will show you just how dark I can be.

Favorite outfit

Oh god...we’re talking about a character with a VERY diverse wardrobe.....I can’t choose

OTP

Poison Ivy <3

Brotp

Cassandra Cain or Selina Kyle <3

Head Canon

Harley has a soft spot for children <3 Not necessarily a head canon depending on what you consider canon lol 

Unpopular opinion

It’s annoying when people act like shipping her with Poison Ivy makes you morally superior to shipping her with Joker. She’s a fictional murderous clown. I totally get the appeal of her & Joker as a psychotic duo lol (yeah yeah “he’s abusive in some canons”...dude...it’s a superhero comic with like a million versions of canon...it ain’t that serious) I guess basically people just need to not take shit so serious 

A wish

MOAR MARGOT ROBBIE MOVIES!!! 

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen

Can’t really think of one lol 

5 words to best describe them

Bad Ass Sexy Mother Fucker 

My nickname for them

idk lol 

 Xander Harris 

Why I like them

Heart of the friend group, Buffy’s chosen family, amazing kind-hearted soul who deserves all the love 

Why I don’t

he’s got a few “nice guy Tm” qualities, I admit 

Favorite episode (scene if movie)

The Zeppo! 

Favorite season/movie

Ooh it’s hard to choose...Maybe this is unpopular but seasons 1-3 Xander was...soft. His crush on Buffy didn’t bother me the way it bothered some fans though lol so I get it if other people didn’t like him as much back then. IDK Xander is always Good. In every season 

Favorite line

I know I already said ‘The Zeppo’ was my favorite but the line “I like the quiet” hits so hard every time...Also obviously his little season 7 speech to Dawn 

“They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie, to be the one who isn't chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me. I saw you last night. I see you working here today. You're not special. You're extraordinary. “  

Favorite outfit

IDK all his flannels are iconic 

OTP

Therapy & happiness 

Brotp

Xander, Buffy & Willow <3 

Head Canon

IDK but I need more information about his homelife :( 

Unpopular opinion

He is an important character & Buffy would punch the people who hate on him 

A wish

That some of his more Nice Guy Tm characteristics could’ve been dealt with more effectively in the writing & that he hadn’t been such a shitty friend (ALONG WITH ALL THE SCOOBIES) to Buffy at the very end 

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen

IDK the show is over & I don’t read the comics lol 

5 words to best describe them

Lovable valuable soft valid king 

My nickname for them

IDK lol 

Katara: 

Why I like them

Um.....See EVERYTHING about her. She is a badass hero & a soft & caring queen & she loves her brother & her friends SO MUCH. She’s got some of the most terrifying powers ever. Like she could easily take over the entire world / kill all of her enemies. But her true power lies in her KINDNESS. She has trauma & anger & flaws but at the end of the day she cares SO MUCH. The line “I will never turn my back on people who need me” lives rent free in my head okay 

Why I don’t

N/A

Favorite episode (scene if movie)

The Painted Lady 

Favorite season/movie

IDK every season of Avatar is so good...

Favorite line

Oh I guess I kinda listed it above ^^

Favorite outfit

Her & Zuko’s matching Southern Raiders outfits are too good 

OTP

Azula <3

Brotp

Sokka!! Or Aang. Or Suki. Or Toph. Or Zuko. The gaang <3

Head Canon

Not really a “head canon” as much as it is a personal opinion but...Katara’s anger is an underrated character trait. We don’t talk enough about how she has anger issues 

Unpopular opinion

Overlooking her flaws & making her into a perfect Motherly Tm figure is literally just as annoying as making her into a bitch for having flaws. What makes her so good is that she is a REAL flawed character with issues 

A wish

Katara gets therapy & a happy peaceful life <3

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen

Can’t think of one? 

5 words to best describe them

Amazing bad ass traumatized queen 

My nickname for them

IDK lol - “painted lady” ? 

thank you for the ask friend <3 <3 <3

[wordssometimesfail]

Leave me alone I really am going to bed but give me prime numbers to wake up to

*muah* Sleep well and enjoy

2. Your most rewatched movie. I have no way of verifying this, but proooobably The Fellowship of the Ring. 

3. A movie you quote on a daily basis. I’m sitting here, wracking my brains, trying to think of a single movie that I quote on even a semi-regular basis, and literally the only thing I can think of is The Office, which is not a movie. But it’s the truth, unfortunately, because I am a basic bitch. 

5. Top 5 films of your favorite actor and actress. I GENUINELY don’t have a favourite actor or actress, I have a harem, and when asked to name all the members I will forget like six. I have been advised one of my favourite actors is Will Ferrell, in which case my top 5 Will Ferrell movies are (in no order): Megamind, Stranger Than Fiction, Step Brothers, The Other Guys, and Zoolander. 

7. A movie storyline you wish you had actually lived. EASY - the plot of Labyrinth. I desperately want to be drawn into a nonsensical quest in a magical world of my own design, befriend some monsters, and have them party in my room. 

11. Favorite quote(s). 

The “It’s like in the great stories” monologue from The Two Towers The entire iocane scene from The Princess Bride “Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great... You have no power over me.” 

13. Top 5 favorite male performances. Anthony Perkins in Psycho, Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, Richard Gere in Chicago, Bernard Hill in The Two Towers and Return of the King, Leonardo di Caprio in Shutter Island. These are literally the first 5 things to pop fully formed in my mind that actually fit the criteria, so I’m missing a thousand things. 

17. List all you’ve seen from [insert actor/actress/director]. HA, you didn’t specify one, so I don’t have to answer this question :P 

19. An underrated actress. Does Amy Adams count? She’s an A-lister, but I really love her performances and I feel like people don’t talk about her enough.  

23. An overrated director. Wes Anderson - I’ve never really been a fan of his style, honestly. Also Jon Favreau because he has no vision, or if he does, it’s buried under ten feet of overproduced Disney notes. 

29. Your first favorite actor. Probably Leonardo di Caprio? I’ve honestly never had all-time favourite actors/actresses (more like... a stable of myriad faves), but when I was a teenager I decided I needed a Favourite and I picked di Caprio because I had just seen What’s Eating Gilbert Grape for the first time and was obsessed with his performance. 

31. Favorite animated film. Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Catch me trying to sing the Latin chorus bits in “The Bells of Notre Dame” and FAILING. HORRIBLY. 

37. Share an unpopular film opinion you have. The Shining is a lifeless, cold piece of shit that saps the humanity from its characters to the point where Jack Nicholson is absolutely wasted on a shallow, albeit terrifying, version of his book counterpart. Also, I didn’t like No Country for Old Men, it was boring, and I don’t care how technically excellent it was. 

41. How many movies have you seen (rough estimation)? I... have no idea how to answer this question because numbers have no meaning, but... okay, so when I was a kid I once made my mom count all the VHS tapes we had, and there were well over 100, and that was when I was very young, so. Hundreds by this point. No clue how many. 

43. A film that scarred you. The Black Cauldron. 4 year olds... shouldn’t watch that movie. 

47. Movies that you think everyone should watch (not necessarily your favorites). The Princess Bride, so you can get all those references people keep making to The Princess Bride. 

53. Favorite silent film. Uh... I have seen like. 1 silent film, so Nosferatu :P 

59. Least favorite genres. Substanceless action (no likeable characters, no heart, no point). 

[chillin-at-partys-bar]

THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme

fill out & repost ♥  This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.

My muse is: canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless

Is your character popular in the fandom? YES / NO (Though he’s only in a few panels, I think he ends up being many people’s first fave?)

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom? YES / NO 

Is your character considered strong in the fandom? YES / NO

Are they underrated? YES / NO (I think he’s very nicely rated, but also parts of him need more attention)

Were they relevant for the main story? YES / NO

Were they relevant for the main character? YES / NO / THEY’RE THE PROTAG.

Are they widely known in their world? YES / NO

How’s their reputation? GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL 

How strictly do you follow canon?

I try to follow what is known at the moment. I’ve done math to figure out when people would be joining his crew, and I try to stick as close to canon as I can. However, we don’t know a lot about him or his crew honestly, so I end up supplementing a lot of my own things. I do have an intense, crippling fear of being wrong so I try to only make safe headcanon guesses even though I know most people won’t care. Also, I'm not a huge fan of no women seen so far on his ship so I just... adjust some things and stick my OCs there. I have a feeling I know part of why there aren’t any women, and I don’t like it even if it fits in with sailor and pirate lore, so I’m just gonna fix that bit. Shanks is so decent otherwise. 

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals.

Shanks has a lot of different parts to him. He’s great because he can get along with most everyone for an evening of drinking. He doesn’t care who you are, and he’s really hard to upset but he can definitely troll other characters very well. He’s kind and will rescue your character from certain death if need be, but he’s also strong and will challenge them if they threaten those he loves. He can be a really fun character to ship with as he loves very hard and people mean a lot to him. So if someone writes with him he is guaranteed to have strong thoughts on yours and will be more than likely to call them a friend by the end of the day. He’s also very attractive and good with kids, so that’s nice. He’s very much a pirate too, so if you want a pirate for your story but you don’t want the kind that will strike you down, he’s a great option. He’s forgiving too so you can screw him over and he’ll find a way to forgive you. Maybe. Depends on the kind of screw up. He’s also got a long range in terms of moments to play in his life, some really dramatic canon moments and some headcanoned ones. So it’s very possible to write with kid, teen, young adult, and adult Shanks. 

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?

It can be a bit difficult to create conflict with Shanks. Although it lets him pull off some great crack moments and have some great fun chaos, it also means that even powerful antagonists are hesitant to challenge him or fight him. Or even bring harm to him as canonically it means starting a fight with the Red Hair Pirates - which it’s also canon that not many are eager to do. This means a lot of the threads end up being talking or verbal threats as the opponent may make threats or Shanks will threaten but he doesn’t feel action is warranted unless action is done against him or a friend (if that makes sense). And even then circumstances mean a lot. I’d love to be able to play more physical rps and put him in more harrowing positions, but it’s difficult with how powerful he is and his reputation. 

What inspired you to rp your muse?

I actually really, really like pirates. I have some books on pirates and I’m really drawn to stories about pirates. A long, long, long time ago I had just read a cheesy romance novel called To Catch a Pirate and I really wanted another book where the pirates weren’t necessarily the bad guys. I was volunteering my summers at the library at the time and they had the first volume of One Piece. I set my sights on Shanks and never looked back. He’s just everything I crave in a pirate story. The dashing rogue with a heart of gold, you know. So I was sold. 

What keeps your inspiration going?

I think just the character and the new interactions that we get to come up with. Also, he’s a really unique character to rp culture as well. He’s insanely powerful, which is something that is more frowned upon with creating OCs for better or worse. Also, because he really won’t abuse this power except for like, something silly, I get to really play with him. I feel I also get to help people play with versions of their characters they haven’t been able to play before. Characters who are used to strong-arming and violence to get their way suddenly can’t do that, because Shanks is too powerful. So they have to come up with another way to express themselves and seeing these muns work with their characters to figure that out is really fun. 

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you do your character justice? YES / NO

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO

Do you sometimes write drabbles? YES / NO

Do you think a lot about your muse during the day? YES / NO

Are you confident in your portrayal? YES / NO

Are you confident in your writing? YES / NO

Are you a sensitive person? YES / NO

Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal?

I’m going to be honest. I really need to steel myself for criticism. I’m a perfectionist to the point where it’s really, really bad sometimes and I have walked away from a character because one person said they didn’t like how I played them. I try to go back to that character but I just can’t really. RP is fun for me, and I want this world to be a place where I can feel free to do what I want. So I prefer no feedback here. 

In before someone says “but criticism is how you grow” - okay. I get that. I really do. I’m a graduate student so I’ve had feedback from teachers. I have a few writing groups where I get feedback on my creative work. I get feedback on things that are meant for a larger audience and I get the feedback often. It hurts a bit but I am getting tougher. A few weeks ago, my group ripped apart (in the nicest way possible) a comedy sketch I was proud of. It took a bit to get over but now it’s better than before. 

So here I might not open things up for critique. I don’t really want to hear it (I accept positivity because I’m a jackass like that). If you don’t like how I write Shanks, that’s fine. Please don’t tell me and leave me be and let me do this my way. If you want to critique something of mine, let me know and I’ll give you a short story, some character notes for a book, one of my sketches, my sitcom pilot script, or my full-length movie treatment, hell I have a 2500-3500 word reflection essay for my grad program due next week so read that. Those- feedback, yes please. I need them to be stellar. This? No. Shanks is my toy and I’m here for fun not to worry and stress and get anxious about posting.

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character?

I accept questions! I also accept questions asking about my decisions. Those I don’t view as criticism and working through my thought process can be helpful. Some answers might not be as complete as others but I definitely do accept them!

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why?

Not really. I don’t even want to know they disagree unless it’s a huge problem. I had a disagreement over a headcanon once get super out of control and the person got angry with me so... I really don’t want to know. Unless it’s something significant I guess? But I can’t think of anything that would be of that magnitude. I just want to have a good time. Please just let me have fun my way and if you really hate it, just write Shanks yourself and let me be. 

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it?

I don’t want to know. This is the theme here. Just don’t tell me. I don’t see the point in telling me you don’t like how I write. I am very sensitive sometimes and I’m working hard through therapy and my own work to not be so sensitive, but I’m just not prepared for that sort of feedback here. In my writing groups, yes - definitely prepared for disagreement and push back on decisions. Here? No. Please no. If you hate my version of the character that much, please just block me. Or just vanish into the abyss. Don’t tell me. I will try to avoid being sad about it but I will not be successful. I know it’s not great and I really don’t want people to try and tell me to get over things like this because I know I need to and I’m working on it but gyah. Now I’m upsetting myself, haha. i cry easily guys. 

Some people: i don’t care if the truth hurts. I’d choose the truth over a lie any day. 

Me: no just fucking lie to me if you have to tell me something. let me be ignorant here.

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it?

I’m sure some people hate Shanks. And that’s different from hating my portrayal. He’s not my character, so whatever you want to do go ahead and hate. I don’t like a bunch of other characters in the world. Just remember whenever shitting on a character, and this is something I learned while interning at Marvel this last year: every character is someone’s favorite. So in Marvel that meant you had to treat every character with respect. Even if it’s like, Electro in Spider-Man - he’s someone’s favorite character so treat him with respect. That doesn’t mean let him get his way, just don’t treat him like junk or a filler. 

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors?

See above with “trouble making mistakes.” Also, but why?

Do you think you are easy going as a mun?

Wow, this whole thing makes me look difficult - doesn’t it? I’m really just here for fun and to enjoy myself and have a good time writing. I do think I’m pretty laid back about things, I don’t have triggers and I’m really forgiving about mistakes. If someone needs to talk to me about something technical that’s fine and I love hearing ideas. I just also want to keep this as a place for fun, you know? I want to make sure I’m not afraid to come on here and write some things, so I just try to make it a space for me to be comfortable. 

That’s about it, congrats for filling out!

➸  Tagger: @godlivesonthemoon and @seraphiixa ((thank you guys so much!!))

➸ Tagging: u and ur face

[diamond-song42]

Card Shark 16: Meadowbrook’s Mask

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and welcome back to Card Shark! Today I’m covering the artifact of my favorite Pillar of Old Equestria! And it’s just… okay? Let’s put on and explore “Meadowbrook’s Mask!”

The mask, the myth, the legend. Play one to your home and it halts Mane Characters from being involved in Faceoffs. Note the word “involved.” That means the Mane Character’s power is blocked from the Faceoff (think Marble Pie and Rumble-style) AND they can’t use their abilities to benefit the Faceoff. Gallus can’t get you an extra point. Tooled Up can’t flip you an additional card. Cruise Director can’t put an Earth Pony token into play (if you’re into that sort of thing). I would include more, but I’d have to check with some more advanced players so I don’t deliver misinformation. There are some cards which could really be hit hard by this, namely Ambassador of Honesty. No more Diligent apple farming for you! This mask blocks AoH's ability to gain power counters to redistribute. About time AoH got nerfed a bit. I’d also wager that this could stop Thorax (since he can get SO powerful) and Maud Pie (as an alternate farmer). Not too shabby for a mask that, from the looks of it, you can hardly see out of!

So what’s the problem? Well, compared to the other Pillars’ artifacts, this one is just… alright to use. There are so many Manes in the game these days that DON’T rely on Faceoffs to do damage. Ambassador of Friendship usually sits at home to gain you AT. Nurturing Nature can be at home and help confront a Problem. Scootaloo doesn’t move things until the end of the turn when all Faceoffs have been completed. All the Seaquestria Manes do their thing during the Main Phase. These guys don’t have much to lose during Faceoffs. I’d like to think this card could stop Gallus, but I just don’t think he’ll see much gameplay, period. Like I said before, Ambassador of Honesty may be the biggest threat this card can stop, but since it’s already been banned in a couple tournament formats, I doubt the impact will be as big as it currently seems.

Here are some cards that love this little mask:

*Fluttershy, Nurturing Nature. As mentioned before, Nurturing Nature can donate power to a Problem while remaining stationary at home. A Mane like Nurturing Nature also doesn't bring the pressure of including your Mane in lots of Faceoffs - this allows other Faceoff-oriented cards to shine. Win-win for the Element of Kindness and the Pillar of Healing!

*Sweetie Belle, Cutie Mark Crusader. But let's say you want to use a non-Yellow Mane and/or be safe to keep the Mask in play. There's no real way to avoid Resource removal in this case, but you CAN get your Resources back with this (in my opinion, underrated) Mane. Bewitched Beavers got you down? Sweetie Belle swings in and saves the day! Valley Trend not a fan of your selection? Too bad, so sad!

*Cozy Glow, Seeds of Doubt, Rainbow Dash, Total Grinch, and other like Troublemakers. In case you have a Mask and want to force your opponent into Faceoffs, Troublemakers like these can disrupt their playing field and force them to rethink their strategy. Rainbow Dash (along with others such as Ahuizotl and Pink Parasprite) can move Friends your opponent prepares to counter the Mask’s effects. Cozy Glow forces opponents to retire a Friend that would be involved in the Faceoff before said Faceoff. It’s not necessarily a huge roadblock, but an annoying one nonetheless.

Thanks for reading another installment of Card Shark! I hope the holiday is being kind to you, no matter where you are. Diamond out!

[krokodile]

Matilda! :)

• my favourite character

Matilda!  I wish I had a more outside the box answer here, but I’m forever in awe of Tim Minchin for creating the most believable little girl in fiction since Ramona Quimby.  And she’s a wonderful character.  She’s brilliant, sure, and has pretty awesome superpowers, but more importantly, she’s kind, she’s brave, she’s determined, and she believes in doing the right thing, to the point where the thought of doing anything else outright offends her.  But she’s also so human - I love how seriously she takes herself, and I love how unintentionally funny she can be.  I love how she’s silly and childish when no one’s looking.  I love how her superpowers are driven by anger she hasn’t yet learned to control or express healthily (because living in that family would absolutely be psychologically damaging).  She can be a bit judgmental, she can be incredibly mischievous and downright devious.  It’s impossible not to love her.  

• a song that reminds me of my favourite character

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EExwffrNBMg

(This seemed like the appropriate cover to choose for Matilda!  I’d actually never seen this before right now.)

• a character that deserved better

Bruce.  That boy’s gonna need serious therapy.  

• an unpopular opinion about one of the characters

Mrs. Phelps is entirely underrated and overlooked.  People often refer to Matilda as being alone in the world until she meets Miss Honey, and that’s bs - Mrs. Phelps is a great friend to Matilda and cares about her so much.  

• the character that has the best development

Miss Honey is really the character who develops the most over the course of the show, but I’m going to break out another unpopular opinion and say Mr. Wormwood; at least the ones who play him as reluctant to leave Matilda, or those who simply come to realize that she’s a remarkable child, rather than the villain he’s made her out to be in his life.  Honestly?  THAT gets me every time.

• my least favourite character

Michael.  A couple of guys did make him absolutely hilarious but most of them just get annoying to me after a while.  

• the character that I relate to the most

Mrs. Phelps.  Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.

• the character (if any) I have an inexplicable crush on

I think my crush on Miss Honey is entirely explicable.  

• my favourite version of my favourite character (which production? who played them?)

I really don’t know how to compare the Broadway girls to any other productions because I’ve not seen them.  And my favorite version of Matilda?  I feel like that’s a different question than just my favorite Matilda.  I enjoyed watching Ripley Sobo the most, and I feel like she gave a ton of thought to the character and was the most natural in the role.  But the girl whose interpretation of the character I liked most was probably Gabriella Pizzolo.  She was so serious and thoughtful.  Very quietly observant.  Mimi Ryder, Ava Briglia, Aviva Winick, Fina Strazza and Bailey Ryon also made really interesting choices for the character.  They aren’t necessarily my favorite Matildas (my top five would probably include Oona Laurence and Brooklyn Shuck, and I adored Eliza Holland Madore, Rileigh McDonald and Alexandra Vlachos as well), but they were the ones I’d point out as the unique Matildas who had really interesting takes on the character.  

I may have overthought the question, but…this was more interesting to think about than just naming Ripley as my favorite Matilda yet again ;)

As far as Miss Honeys go, I’ve grown to love them all (though I didn’t get to see Ashley Hale), even the ones I initially didn’t like.  And there are so many ladies from the West End I’d give anything to have seen - Gina Beck most notably, but also Biancha Szynal, Charlotte Scott and Lara Denning.  And I was damn curious about Paula Brancati.  However, Allison Case owns that title for me.  I wasn’t sure about her when she debuted but by the second or third time I’d seen her, I was won over.  She took the character to some really dark places, both overt and subtle.  You could just enjoy her playing the character as sweet, sad and broken, or you could think about all the little moments that painted a bigger, incredibly depressing picture.  Plus she was so sweet with her Matildas and worked brilliantly with all of them.

• a random headcanon about one of the characters

Mrs. Phelps is trans, Miss Honey is homoromantic asexual, they’re madly in love and the best parents Matilda could have ever asked for.

Okay technically that’s more than one but I’m standing by it.

@humansrushby thanks for letting me talk about one of my favorite things of all time :)

[jr4de]

Fic Writing Meme

@redcap3​ tagged me, and I always love things like this!

What is your total word count on AO3?

844536, coming up on a year of writing. I was kinda hoping to break a million words in a year, but things at work and in real life have meant a fairly slow month so that may well not happen. However! I suppose I have two or three chapters of several things written, so I guess I could always post those if I wanted to pad it out XD

How often do you write?

I try to write every day, but that doesn’t always happen. Usually I can get some out, though - and amount written varies from day to day of course. Some days I’ll go at it in all the free time I have and only end up with a thousand words, sometimes I’ll knock out a complete 7500 word fic in an hour and a half, just depends, heh.

Do you have a routine for writing?

MUSIC! That’s about it, really; sit somewhere - at home, coffee shop, what have you - and put on some headphones and start playing some music. I joke that playing it louder forces words out of my fingers faster (because of the increased pressure in my ears, right? XD).

All kinds of music, usually just shuffling my library or a large chunk of it - lots of people say they need instrumentals, but I’m happy with whatever. Vocal, instrumental, pop, rock, synth, classical, all kindsa stuff. Often I’ll tailor the musical selection somewhat to the subject matter - SoaOW was written to lots of Depeche Mode, Shiny Toy Guns, Fad Gadget; slightly strained and synthy stuff to go with the neo-dystopian setting, y’know?

What are your favorite kinks/tropes/pairing?

Hmmm. Well, I suppose I’d say “not necessarily”. I don’t think I’d say that I’ve written particularly much in the way of kink-driven stuff, although what I’ve considered has been rooted in character anyway in a way that- well, I don’t know if it’d exactly count, but I suppose someone can tell me when I write it, heh.

Tropes? I like some tropes, I like when they’re used fairly subtly; one that I think will usually be found in my works is that the good guy wins. People don’t die (and stay dead) for no reason!

(...and yes, the “and stay dead” is definitely important because I am known to occasionally kill or nearly-kill good characters for uh... well, just go read BSN or SoaOW if you want to see XD but they don’t stay dead!)

Pairings? Oy, just fuck me up. I love ‘em. I've got a soft spot for polyamorous groups given my own real-life Venn intersection there, heh. One that has a special place in my heart, certainly, is Winston/Orisa - for two reasons: one, I have written the only fic with that ship so far on Ao3, and two, every single person who has ever commented on it has said the same thing which essentially amounts to “Okay, when you said Winston/Orisa, I was dubious, but these two are so freaking cute!” And you know what? They really are.

Do you have a favorite fic of yours?

Oh dear, favourite? “Favourite ______” is a sure-fire way to make me waffle for a good long time, haha!

I think my favourite in general will probably be “Both Sides Now”, for now - almost a half-million words of action and interpersonal relationships, weaving in backstory for Overwatch’s earlier days and fall. I don’t think it’s the be-all and end-all, though, not nearly.

I think... my favourite underrated fic of mine is “Used to Be”. It’s a shorter thing, introspective and reflective, Fareeha sitting at Ana’s grave and wondering over what their life was like, and wondering why she hasn’t cried since the funeral. I just really like how the portrayal of Ana as a beleaguered and wearied mother and soldier came out, and the way it dealt with grief. I like the turnaround and how the ending mirrors the beginning, and several little turns of phrase in it, and I think it’s not got particularly much notice because there’s no romantic ship involved. Just a daughter and her mother who she misses, but doesn’t know quite how to deal with that feeling.

Your fic with the most kudos?

“Both Sides Now”, hands down. “Streets of an Orphaned World” is holding at around two-thirds of that, my nearest contender, but it’s been finished so long that it’s highly, highly unlikely to close the gap in my opinion XD

Anything you don’t like about your writing?

Honestly, it depends on the day. When I’m having good days, then it’s all pretty great - but when I’m having bad days? Uh, everything. The description’s somehow simultaneously pedantically excessive and still inadequately sparse, the dialogue’s choppy, the prose is stilted, words are overused, aaaaaand basically it sucks XD

...but that’s just the bad days. Most days? Most days I like it pretty well, but I’d say a commons ticking point with me is this: the length.

Don’t get me wrong, I like being able to write longer things, but I would also dearly love the ability to write short ones. I can write a 20k fic in two days, and I have done as much, but writing something short? Writing a chaptered work that doesn’t break sextuple digits? That’s really fucking hard for me. I would love to be able to write shorter stuff, but it just takes an absurd amount of effort for me to do so.

Now something you do like?

Hmm. I think I have some good lines. Some good points. Overall, I’d say... the flow. I think I have fluid writing, that can kinda sweep you away if you let it - to the point where you maybe don’t think about how long it’s been since somebody talked, or how long this paragraph of thoughts has been carrying on, where you don’t think about the chapters and the pages and the words until you realize that you’ve read a hundred thousand words already and yet, still, you’re only a quarter of the way through.

I like that.

I like my dialogue, even though I know a lot of what I write in it is stuff that, it is said, should not be written in dialogue. I have misspoken words, and epithets, and pauses and lots and lots of punctuation - em-dashes and semicolons, chunks of word broken up by actions, italics and emphatics because that is how people speak in my world. The people around me gesture. They squint. They get halfway through a word, stop, frown, shake their head and start again from the beginning. They shout. They make up words. They use pet names, or teasing ones, or whatever else.

I like that.

Most of all, though, I think what I like about my writing - what I hope for, and what I always love to hear confirmed when I get feedback - is that it makes people think. Somewhat, sometimes, about some things. Or at least about some thing, singular, because I want it to be fun and enjoyable but I’d also like it to do something.

If someone can read my Satya/Symmetra, and walk away with maybe just a slightly more in-depth view of what Autism might entail in an everyday space, what it’s like maybe when their classmate or friend or family member or lover is having a bit of an issue, a bit of A Problem, and if that person can then maybe bring that understanding and make things a little better, that’s what I want. I like that.

If someone can read my Amélie/Widowmaker, and gain maybe a bit of a deeper understanding for trauma or sociopathy, that lack of what we might sometimes call basic human empathy, and realize that lacking that doesn’t inherently make somebody a bad person - that’s what I want, I like that. If someone can read any of my old guard - Torb, Ana, Rein, Jack, Gabe - and see something new about PTSD, or see the same in Tracer; if they can get some calm from Zenyatta or some hope from Tracer or some anything, from any of them, from me, then that’s what I want.

What do I like about my writing? That people take it away with them. That they take it, and they cut out the bits that they love, and they carry those bits around right next to their heart.

I love that.

Tagging people! @madame-kiksters @oinkyblanketpig @thesoundofthunderstorms @app-jelly @twoheartedalien2-0 Sure, those seem like some good folks; do this if you want! If you don’t, don’t! I’m not your real mom. XD

[tvwolfsnake]

can you think of any relatively recent Good Films that have flopped financially, i hear "make good movies" said a lot as an anathema to financial failure, even tho lotsa bad films manage to succeed. nowadays with review aggregate sites people tend to think if its good theyll hear about it and itll succeed. do you think the flop-then-classic still exists?

(finally finished my response to this. had to let it sit in my drafts for a few days because it got unmanageable. sorry for the wall of text)the answer is: yes, but I understand what you mean about it being...different.

first off, I just gotta say: I hate “make good movies”. it’s one of the most ignorant statements I’ve ever heard about the commerce of art, especially the film industry, and it just keeps coming up. thank you for bringing it up in this context because I’ve been meaning to yell about it for ages. I have problems with current hollywood, yes—I’ve listed them out enough—but the answer is never as simple as “make good movies”. so much, so goddamn much of the film industry is based in pure luck. bad movies can make a lot of money and good movies can bomb. it’s timing, it’s environmental factors, bad ad campaigns, uncommunicative titles, lack of stars, presence of overexposed stars, too funny too serious too light too heavy too long too short too trivial too dense, and you can guarantee that hollywood will take the exact wrong lesson from its failure, compounding the problem. it’s likely that probably everyone reading this post has a favorite film or two that they don’t realize flopped massively at the box office. and it’s shocking, oftentimes! I think the shawshank redemption is probably one of the most popular “favorite movies”. I liked it okay, but a lot of people clearly consider it the best film they’ve ever watched, based on imdb ratings alone. (not, obviously, that this is an indication of the film’s relative merit, just an aggregate of a certain segment’s opinion on its merit.) and it bombed. barely made half of its budget.(a quick primer on what constitutes a profit on a film, since I know it’ll get asked otherwise: yr easy rule of thumb for american films is that 50% of the domestic gross goes to the studio. it’s less well-defined for international box office, but a rule of thumb I’ve seen floating around is ~33%. so if ½ of the domestic box office and 1/3 of the international don’t add up to a number greater than the budget, yr film likely didn’t make a profit. it probably didn’t anyway, because advertising budgets are not counted in the film budget but are expected to be recouped through the gross. some people have said that marketing budgets can typically be estimated as equal to the budget of the film. I don’t think this is always true but regardless, it is there. this, yes, is how BvS made ~$800 million and still probably failed to make money. to say nothing of hollywood accounting.)all this and I haven’t even gotten to the real meat of why this meme sucks: ARTISTIC QUALITY IS NOT MEASURED BY PROFITABILITY. I KNOW IT’S IN RESPONSE TO HOLLYWOOD LAMENTING THE POOR PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN FILMS AT THE BOX OFFICE BUT THE POPULAR DISCOURSE AROUND FILM IS INEXORABLY TIED TO FRAMING BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE AS A WIN/LOSE NARRATIVE AND WE NEED TO BREAK AWAY FROM THIS AS A CULTURE, HOLY SHIT.anyways the phrase is just so self-congratulatory. “yes. I have solved the problem of you sucking so much. have you considered…sucking less? take a moment to bask in my genius.” always doubt oversimplifications. I’m a much bigger fan of the phrase’s more thoughtful cousins where people actually take a second to come up with potential solutions to the problem that don’t involve sticking to the same old thing. I mean, I’m skeptical, because hollywood is notoriously risk-averse and has built up a culture where, for once, they do have a sure thing on their hands, thanks to how they’ve stacked the deck, but regardless, “how about making more films that don’t center a white cishet male default” is an actual worthwhile suggestion. that film can still bomb, sure, but audiences do not just crave familiarity. they crave a fresh outlook too. and when it comes to artistic merit, better an interesting film that bombs than a boring film that makes a couple mil. but hollywood, unfortunately, is purely profit-driven gambling. they have many directions they could experiment in that they just won’t.(until, of course, one person tries it and succeeds, and then suddenly it’s the norm, we need twenty of that, option every script even remotely related, quick, quick!)aaaaanyways, in answer to the actual question: this is a hard one, because flop-then-classic often requires time for the film to pass through the “cult” stage and it’s difficult to gauge audience consensus. in general I think it’s too early to tell, but I will hold up pacific rim as a potential example. it’s an easy one because in at least the online popular consciousness there was an immediate outcry over its box office performance. unlike most flop-then-classics, where the word-of-mouth style “did you hear this film you missed is actually really good?” moves slowly and can take decades, the theatrical release of pacific rim was a constant litany of “you need to see pacific rim, here’s why”. I’m not saying it’s a modern classic, but films need time to reach that point anyways. what it is is a popular movie on home video and VOD. here’s how I know: studios don’t typically give sequels to films that didn’t make their money back unless they think they can reach a bigger audience thanks to success after the theatrical run.in response to yr first, slightly different question about what I’d consider to be good recent films that didn’t make their money back: also difficult. a lot of what’s been great in the past decade or so has been smaller fare, not necessarily the wide release stuff, and there’s definitely a subculture hyping up certain indie films, which is great but makes it easy to forget that many of them fail. so here’s a mix of studio fare and indies with a wide release that I thought were good and did not make money: speed racer (I know), green room, scott pilgrim, the nice guys. edge of tomorrow famously underperformed to the point that they renamed it for the home video release. pop star: never stop never stopping is underrated as hell. I dunno if operation avalanche really counts, because lionsgate buried it and botched the release besides, but it’s damn good. finally, I liked man from uncle a lot. in a decade full of films with “high stakes” that are no stakes at all, it established emotional stakes and even gave itself permission to have a little fun. and not marvel’s focus-tested quippy fun. fun.