#ESPECIALLY about all the mirrorings and parallels between them

[outmakingmoonshine]

The conversation Syd has with Shapiro in 3x10 is of course about the job he offered her but the main questions of the conversation are: Has Syd told Carmy yet? Why hasn't she told Carmy yet? Does she still want to tell Carmy? When is she going to tell Carmy? Then a noncommittal agreement that she will tell Carmy "soon". As much as it's about the job offer, all these questions are about Carmy too. The questions are forcing Syd to think about why she can't just tell him, and deep down she knows why. (S1 Syd wouldn't have hesitated this long to tell Carmy and take the offer, especially since the way he's been treating her in S3 is worse than what made her leave in 1x07. Syd, unlike Carmy, is more aware of the kind of treatment she does and doesn't deserve.)

So we can assume as their conversation comes to a close and Shapiro walks off giving her a minute alone to think, Syd's mind is on Carmy and the reason only she knows, why she hasn't told him.

Well just after Shapiro walks away and Syd has her moment to think Big White Cloud by John Cale plays through the next few shots

(Syd's in a room full of wine bottles, mind you. I don't wanna divert the topic too much but in the table scene, the wall of alcohol bottles is always behind, above and "weighing down" Carmy's side of the table for the entire 5 minute zoom in. The table they're both fixing "their side of" which represents their relationship and them "keeping their side of the street clean." <<Thank you to @yannaryartside for writing this incredible meta! I think the bottles represent Carmy and him being a type of addict, in repeating traumatic patterns, not necessarily an alcoholic.)

The chrous of the song repeats the same lyrics over and over again starting from the last shot of Sydney and ending at the first shot of Carmy, with a Chef Terry & Syd parallel transition scene connecting them.

The lyrics:

Oh I love it, yes I love it Oh I love it so Oh I love it, yes I love it Oh I love it so Oh I love it, yes I love it

I think the song is about more than just Carmy, but I think it's also strongly about Carmy. Especially based on all the questions Shapiro was asking right before it. It's also about the restaurant Syd's been building and everyone working there too, but I think this might be subliminally telling us why Syd hasn't told Carmy yet and why she doesn't want to. She loves the restaurant, she loves the family they've built there together and the most painful, frustrating part that's keeping her from jumping at Shapiro's offer is she loves Carmy.

The Syd and Shapiro scene ends with Syd walking out and if the camera was following her like it follows Chef Terry in the video, we would be seeing Syd's back walk away. Instead the next shot is CT's back walking away. She walks up to this hanging art thing, stops to admire it for a second, then sees Carmy pass behind her and goes to find him.

The Chef Terry transition scene makes it seem like these two scenes of Syd & Carmy aren't connected by this song but the CT scene is a mirror of this scene of Syd looking at the same art earlier in the episode:

In both scenes the art is in the shot first, Syd/Chef Terry walk into the shot, they stop to admire the artwork for a second, (they linger a bit longer in CT's scene to drag out the space between the shots of Syd & Carmy while this song is playing) then they both walk away to find Carmy.

They also walk in the same way. The CT scene is the perspective we would've seen if the camera follwed behind Syd like this when she walked up to the art when she arrived but the camera in Syd's scene is waiting where the scene ends in the hallway that Syd walks down. You can see the same plant in front of the grey wall on the left of CT that's on Syd's left as she walks past, the design on the white wall, the flower arrangement ahead that Syd walks towards etc

The scenes are almost identical, they're just shot from different angles so they look and feel completely different. But imagine if it was Syd in CT's scene, the resulting conversation Chef Terry had with Carmy outside is exactly the kind of open, honest conversation Syd & Carmy need to have.

Also notice Syd walks down the hallway into the restaurant to find Carmy but finds a very absent, unfocused version of him. Chef Terry turns back the way she came and goes out of the restaurant to find Carmy and she finds a more present, attentive version of him. Sydcarmy deperately need to connect outside of work. It was magical when they did in the apartment in 2x02 but then he didn't show up to Kasama and started dating Claire...which shouldn't have been an issue if their connection & story was just about work & friendship!

The song continues to play and as the third "oh I love it" comes in we go to a shot of Carmy with his back to us facing a bright artificial light. (Remember he left Syd behind in the restaurant? Syd is represented by natural light, not artificial light and we know it's likely Carmy goes back to Claire in S4, hence him looking into the artificial light here with his back to the restaurant where Syd is. And maybe coincidence, maybe not, the last line Syd said before the song started playing was "I'm right behind you". Chef Terry, who was just mirrored to Syd, walks up behind him.)

Also the clothes rail on the left looks very similar to the one we saw Sydney picking her chef's coat from in 3x09 while trying to figure out how to break the news to either Carmy or Shapiro and those look like Chef's coats, just like Sydney had on hers.

And I just left the start of the conversation between Carmy & Chef Terry in because it sounds so sydcarmy coded, further making the point that these scenes are connected to their story together.

Chef Terry tells Carmy later in their talk that she's closing the restaurant because she just wants to go out and live life and Carmy seems to think about that and wonder if he could have that too. Considering Carmy's willing to bend over backwards to keep Syd around and doesn't seem to give anywhere near the same energy to anyone else, I'd say he wants to be able to do that with Sydney but doesn't feel like it's possible because she wants a star and he's determined to make her happy, even if that means suffering in the darkest parts of his mind for months just to get it for her.

[follows-the-bees]

Filmmaking analysis time!

How cinematography, blocking, and camerawork in S2 eps 6&7 show Ed's and Stede's emotions.

Since season one, red has been used to show the love for each other: the red of the silk and Stede's new red shirt in both moon scenes. We also know that purple comes out more as Ed falls in love with Stede.

So let's talk about Calypso's Birthday and Man on Fire.

The lighting during this scene is full of color, the reds, purples, and blues. Besides being classic bi lighting, it incorporates the red and purple that we know represents Ed's and Stede's love.

They are swimming in it. Yet, they aren't the same blockingwise, they aren't as close as last season, there is still stuff between them that needs to be spoken. They are standing by each other, their bodies turned inward, and a giant red flower sits bright and center between them, showing how large and full the love they have for each other is.

These purples and reds diminish when Ned Lowe crashes the party. His presence brings a screeching halt to the healing and good times the crew and particularly Ed and Stede are having. He not only crashes the party but right before Ed and Stede were about to dance. This giant wrecking ball that symbolizes Ed's pirate past brings in the harsh blue and green lighting and ups the trauma for both men. Green lighting is used to show that things are off, it is off-putting and fills the scene and audience with unease.

Gif credit

The purple lighting stays very subtle during this whole scene, but as Ned insults everyone, and brings up all of the still unspoken insecurities of the men, the blue shines more, especially on Stede as he makes his choice to have Ned walk the plank. We see immediately how that affects Stede, his trauma comes roaring back, he's shaking, and has tears in his eyes. He retreats back to his cabin.

Ed on the other hand is also experiencing trauma here. While helping out and being around Stede, he has been treading water, trying to figure out what he actually wants in life. And the embodiment of that, when he was at his lowest after S1, when he was trying to break the record has come back to taunt him and the man he loves. He chooses to check in on Stede.

This is when the lighting and camerawork change. We are now inside and the lighting is warm, glowing from candlelight. Ed has a yellow glow behind him when Stede opens the door, like he is the beacon of light in this storm of emotion and trauma that Stede is experiencing from his decision to kill Ned. To cross that boundary when with the rest of the crew he used his usual positive people management style.

Pay attention to their positions here, cause this upcoming choice makes this scene feel off. The pull into the room and the subsequently slam into the wall and kiss are flipped. Along with the quick movements in each shot, this triggers a little part of our brain that realizes something is off even if we don't know why. Read more about the mirror shot in this meta analysis.

When Ed and Stede decide to be together for the first time, to numb the traumatic pain in their desperation and love for each other the lighting is different. It turns a warming orange/yellow glow, showing the softness of the situation.

These men desperately love each other and want to be together. They both agree to this night, Stede pauses before kissing Ed, waits until Ed nods his head and gives consent then pulls Stede in.

And when Stede closes the curtains, the lighting is back to red and purple. The two colors symbolizing the love these two have for each other.

In the morning, the bright yellow lighting is back. The beautiful morning sky in the background looks serene and idyllic, but it also puts our characters in a shadowy haze in the foreground.

They are still in the warmth, the afterglow of being together. Ed gets nervous and brings Stede breakfast in bed. (A parallel to Doug and Mary). They have an intimate conversation where Ed opens up about seeing mermaid Stede while in Purgatory. They have now been intimate in all forms of the word.

But there is still something off, just like with the mirrored images. Stede is shirtless, open, feeling safe. Ed has ditched his leather clothing, his Blackbeard persona, and is now in fine clothing. And I can't confirm but the inside of the robe looks purple. But his robe is closed, which can be read as still hesitant, even if it's subconscious. And they have the same body language of all of the last episode. They are sitting apart, not touching, but still comfortable facing and leaning into each other.

And this bliss continues outside where they open up more. The lighting is bright, pretty, they are surrounded by greens and tans, glowing still. Stede tells him about the multiple letters in bottles he has written. They are opening up about things but they are still avoiding what needs to be talked about - the trauma, their different paths that seem to be emerging.

And then finally, when the fight happens, all of the uneasiness from the mirrored shot, the close but not yet close enough body language, all of these choices come crashing down just like the relationship.

The light is muted. They have spent part if not all of the day apart. So the lighting indicates that it is approaching sunset not only in time but in their relationship, the foreshadowing of Ed breaking up with Stede and leaving.

Ed has already made up his mind. He is leaving to be a fisherman. He thinks what happened the night before - and by that - the moving too fast part was a mistake. While they both love and want each other, Ed is self sabotaging - in a direct parallel of last season - thinks he has ruined Stede, spiralling and choosing like he's done in the past to completely run away from the darkness. He needs to learn that he can embrace both (all) sides of himself without losing himself.

Stede tries to save it. Responds to Ed saying "this can be whatever we want it to be." But then things escalate, things aren't explained. Stede doesn't realize what the fish means to Ed, and saying he lied about the quality of the fish is Ed's view of them, "they are the fish."

They need to talk, about what they want, their diverting paths, finding common ground, and learn how to be in this relationship.

They believe the exact opposite of the truth. Ed thinks he's ruined Stede and that Stede won't love him if he's not Blackbeard (the chin convo!) And Stede thinks he isn't good enough for Ed (and everyone, that is why he goes a little crazy when people recognize him - in a direct parallel to Ed during the dinner party in 1x5.) And Ed doesn't love his softness.

All the lighting reaffirms just how much these two love each other, but the blocking, mirrored camerawork, and fast movements show the underlying unresolved tension that has been building up and ultimately leads to this rift.

[sea-changed]

i. Reading Looking For The Good War has, among many other things, I think really helped me to clarify and articulate what I find so disquieting about "Points" as an episode. (Which is not all of it! There are certainly plenty of scenes that I find fascinating and/or enjoyable to watch.) But:

"It is much easier to tell a sentimental war story with a happy ending, in which valor eclipses causes and reconciliation triumphs over everything--a comedy, in other words--than it is to tell another, unsentimental kind of story." (page 89)

This is what it is, exactly--"in which valor eclipses causes and reconciliation triumphs over everything" could more or less be the logline of "Points." This is most egregiously evident to me in the scene of Nazi general's surrender, but the scene where Winters tells the Nazi officer to keep his sidearm is also I think highly indicative of this drive towards reconciliation, however rotten, above all else. And Samet articulates that wonderfully, and articulates as well the cost of this type of narrative:

"Yet sentimentality does more than shape the way we commemorate wars. It informs all those cultural and sociological attitudes in the shadow of which wartime and postwar policies are crafted, and it prevents a more productive and enduring sympathy that, in cooperation with reason, might guide our actions and help us become more careful readers of war's many ambiguities and false seductions." (page 83)

ii. The layers of dislike I have for the Nazi general scene are manifold; the mirroring of Winters and the Nazi general and thereby Easy Company with the Nazi soldiers feels incredibly sinister, perhaps most aggressively so in its weird push to rehabilitate the Nazis as soldiers, and thus to both foreshadow (within the world of the show) and echo (in the world of the audience) the archetypal defense that Nazi higher-ups would put forward at Nuremberg and beyond, that they were just following orders.

iii. The mirroring of Winters and Easy Company with the Nazis is clearly intentional, and somewhat bizarrely explicit ("You've found in one another a bond that exists only in combat among brothers") and maudlin (the panning shots over the Nazi soldiers' faces and wounds), and by the end the urge to parallel the two leaders and the two armies--indeed, to collapse one into the other, in order to make them functionally the same--seems to cause a sort of scriptwriting amnesia about who these words are actually being said by and to. Once again the greater historic context makes this especially chilling, Operation Paperclip being perhaps the most salient point to evoke. (I am also haunted, forever, by a statistic that Michael C. C. Adams cites in The Best War Ever, that a September 1945 survey of American GIs found that 22% believed the Nazi treatment of Jewish people to be justified. Granted, this survey would not have been taken using modern sampling methods, and who knows what the sample size was to begin with or what soldiers in particular were being surveyed. But still.)

iv. The scene leans heavily into the idea of a unique soldierly bond that unites not only each individual army within itself but bonds the two armies together. ("You've found in one another a bond that exists only in combat, among brothers who've shared foxholes, held each other in dire moments, who've seen death and suffered together.") Besides being disquieting for reasons I state above, I think it's notable that the Nazi general's speech emphasizing the brotherhood of soldiers happens directly after the short scene between Winters and Sobel, wherein Winters chides Sobel on a point of military ritual ("We salute the rank, not the man"). Sobel is outside the brotherhood; he doesn't understand how to be a soldier; whereas the Nazis are within the brotherhood, so much so that they are allowed to articulate its terms. (This is egregious no matter what, but becomes all the more so when it is framed as a Jewish man being excluded from the "club" of military brotherhood while WASP Americans and literal Nazis are allowed in.) (Meanwhile, Liebgott occupies a sort of bizarre placement in this scene, there to ventriloquize--indeed, perhaps neutralize, or even legitimize--the Nazi general's words, but not speak for himself.)

v. This gets to another point that Samet makes that stuck out to me, about the inherent tautology of military culture. She quotes William Styron, who in a 1964 review of General Douglas MacArthur's memoir said:

"Anyone who has lived as a stranger for any length of time among professional military men, especially officers, is made gradually aware of something that runs counter to everything one has been taught to believe—and that is that most of these men, far from corresponding to the liberal cliché of the super-patriot, are in fact totally lacking in patriotism. They are not unpatriotic, they simply do not understand or care what patriotism is. [...] A true military man is a mercenary [...] and it is within the world of soldiering that he finds his only home." (Samet quotes Styron on page 233; I'm quoting here from the full review)

The point of being a soldier is to be a soldier; the point of the military is to have a military. She also has this to say--especially saliently, I think, for obvious reasons--about Ambrose, and his perspective specifically in Citizen Soldiers:

"By means of emphasis and convenient omission, Ambrose preserves his focus on unity, not division; right, not wrong; liberation, not subjugation. Paradoxically, given that he makes so much of American idealism, he often subordinates a consideration of causes altogether to a veneration for the magnificence of the army itself. The creation of that army, rather than the victory it made possible, becomes 'the great achievement of the American people and system,' just as the nation's 'greatest nineteenth-century achievement' had been, according to Ambrose, 'the creation of the Army of the Potomac' rather than the end it eventually secured--the abolition of chattel slavery." (page 46)

Here we are back to the first Samet quote from above: valor eclipses causes and reconciliation triumphs over everything. To be a military man--to be part of the club, the brotherhood, the "bond that exists only in combat"--is to "subordinate a consideration of causes altogether to a veneration for the magnificence of the army itself." The country and the cause that the Nazi general and his soldiers fought "bravely, proudly" for become sublimated, while that bravery and pride, stripped of more specific meaning, is extolled. What matters, by the time this scene happens--and it's the last scene in the core section of the episode, followed only by the close of the frame structure with Winters and Nixon and then the baseball scene-cum-epilogue--is not the American cause that Easy Company was fighting for, and certainly not the Nazi atrocities they were fighting against, but rather a reconciliation that views the experience of war as preeminently important. Sobel, who did not experience combat, is dismissed; the Nazi general, who did, is legitimated.

vi. And that, I think, is the core of the message that Band of Brothers promotes. Fandom often refers to the show in passing as propaganda, but I'm not sure that really gets to the heart of what it is, in the end, saying. I would suggest that it's not merely propaganda; it's a recruitment poster. It's not selling truth, justice, and the American way (or if it is, it's doing so only incidentally); it's selling the experience of being in the military as a transformative and ultimately positive one, that unites (a certain subset of) men through the unique crucible of battle, beyond any concerns about what, exactly, one is fighting for. So long as you know when and how to salute, you too can be a part of the brotherhood.

vii. All of which gets back to the scene earlier in "Points," when the Nazi colonel surrenders to Winters. The colonel first makes the explicit parallel between the Nazis and the Americans, and between himself and Winters in particular: "I wonder what will happen to us, to people like you and me, when there are finally no more wars to occupy us." He serves to explicate here more or less exactly what I was saying above: he sees himself and Winters united as military men, above and beyond their particular countries and causes.

Winters doesn't look thrilled about the comparison--but then almost immediately tells the Nazi colonel to retain his surrendered sidearm. I suppose this is supposed to read as magnanimous and fair-minded on Winters's part, but it also serves to reinforce the Nazi colonel's own words, validating the colonel's prioritization of their shared military positions above and beyond their allegiance to the countries and ideologies they were (at least nominally!) fighting for. As the scene itself shows, giving up a sidearm is an expected part of the surrender process, both practically and symbolically; by refusing it Winters is stepping outside military precedent--indeed, bending over backwards--to help the Nazi colonel retain dignity as well as firepower. On its own it is, I think, a frustrating and uncomfortable scene; in the broader context of the episode it sets up and reinforces the Nazi general's speech later on and the ways that Winters and the show itself find meaning in paralleling and reconciling the Americans and the Nazis with one other. (The Nazi colonel knows how to salute; and when he does so, Winters salutes him back.)

viii. Of course it's historically true that American soldiers tended to identify with German soldiers and civilians much more than they identified with people from Allied countries, as Samet herself and even the veteran interviews at the beginning of "Why We Fight" document. (And I don't believe that paralleling the Americans and the Nazis is necessarily something to be dismissed out of hand.) But because the end of "Points" is so overtly sentimental, paralleling the Americans and Nazis serves not as an indictment of American soldiers' amorality but rather as a rehabilitation of the Nazi soldiers and officers as soldiers and a paean to military culture divorced from meaning or cause. As Samet says--"valor eclipses causes and reconciliation triumphs over everything." The military, as an institution, whether it be American or Nazi, becomes the greater good of the war; while the causes those militaries were fighting for become not only secondary, but recede entirely.

[transmascutena]

okay so i love drawing parallels between characters -- and i especially love drawing parallels between characters who seemingly have nothing in common -- and in a show where every character is a mirror of one another, i think kozue and utena might be the two who are the least alike. so i wanna talk (ramble) about them.

what does it mean that kozue and utena both have an injured ankle on their 'date' with akio?

i think it has something to do with restricted movement meaning restricted agency.

utena's injured ankle means she can't walk on her own, which means she would not be able to escape her situation if she wanted to. kozue on the other hand can walk, and chooses to go in the car, but i think they're both ultimately in a similar situation of believing they have more agency than they do in their relationships with akio.

kozue is more convinced of this because she's used to using romance and sexuality to get what she wants. she believes that she is using akio just as much as he is using her, and is fine with that arrangement (this is, i think, similar to touga's mentality. they both believe they're getting something out of their relationships with akio, which is why they stay.) but, of course, no matter how nefarious your intent is, it will never make up for the power imbalance between a child and an adult.

utena is... well it's more complicated. i don't think she's at all aware of what she wants, and she certainly does not think that akio is using her. (if anything she might think she's using him, and feels guilty about it.) she doesn't stay despite the abuse, she stays because she doesn't know about it. kozue knows akio is a bad person and doesn't care -- utena thinks he's a good person. akio takes advantage of both of these things in a pretty similar way. he makes all of his victims think that they are entirely in control of their own actions, even when they aren't. he makes kozue believe she is just as selfish as he is, and he makes utena believe that everything he does to her is her own fault. both of these things also conviniently serve to make sure neither of them ever tell anyone. (not entirely true. kozue does tell miki on his car ride, but it doesn't end up mattering at all)

then there's how they each got their injuries. utena's was either directly or indrectly akio's fault, depending on interpretation, whereas kozue's came from a decision she made that had nothing to do with him. i think this mainly reflects that kozue is not part of akio's plan in any significant way, whereas utena obviously is. he needed to personally restrict utena's agency, whereas he only took advantage of the way kozue has limited her own agency via the choices she makes (and the structure she lives in that pressured her into said choices, of course. i hope i don't sound like i'm victim blaming.) this again ties into kozue being able to walk despite her injury where utena can't -- kozue is much more free to leave her situation.

[symbologic]

Soul-Bound in Wano: The Spooky Simpatico of Luffy and Zoro

Just finished Wano, and wow. I'm surprised there isn't more talk about the crazy parallels between Luffy and Zoro throughout the arc, but especially the raid. It's like Oda was trolling us with how perfectly they mirror each other in places.

Of course, there's the whole shared "wandering samurai" theme in Acts I and II, and then there's the heartwarming scene with them both freaking out over spilled soup. (Side note: I wouldn't be shocked if Zoro's anime-only sake scene was stuff Oda had to cut from the manga – it totally fits Oda's style with Zoro.)

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. We've got a ton of other stuff too:

Zoro uses Conqueror's Haki to injure Kaido because they're all desperate? Boom, Luffy digs deep and starts doing it too.

Zoro gets bandaged up like a mummy? Well, guess who can't move because he fell in the ocean?

Both of them get their own team of doctors? How lucky!

Zoro gets revived with an injection? Here comes Luffy, fueled by some meat!

Zoro declares he'll become a GOD if that's what it takes? 🤔 Makes you wonder what that means for Luffy...

Death himself shows up for Zoro? Not good! Now Luffy's literally in cardiac arrest! Speaking of, Zoro's looking rough. Those sunken eyes, man...

Thank god they're both too stubborn to die. And guess what? They get put right next to each other, while people pray for them to wake up

And wouldn't you know it, they wake up at the EXACT SAME TIME

This can't just be a coincidence, right? It feels like they're on some spooky, soul-bound level where Zoro's fate weirdly determines Luffy's. Which actually slots so, so neatly into Wano and its recurring themes of fate! Hell, Oda himself even said in an SBS (the one about Zoro's family tree) that Zoro's story is that of a strange, twisted fate he's completely clueless about.

Honestly, I love that for them.

Zoro might not get a whole arc dedicated to his backstory like Nami, Robin, or Sanji. But the choices he makes carry a surprising amount of weight in the grand scheme of things.

[sunflowerabyss]

Hi!! Omg i just discovered your stories and i LOVE them!! There's not enough fics about older remus, i love that you write for him🙌🏼 so i have a request: Could you write something with Older remus and younger reader who is Severus's little sister? (Like maybe Tonks age). Where they met at the Order but him and Sirius don't trust her at first because she dresses in all black (very typical witchy aesthetic, just like Severus) and has a serious resting face so she doesn't look very friendly... but then he realizes she's actually shy and sweet and bubbly.

Idk, that's the general idea i have, you'll have to see how to make them end up together🤭 Btw, if you don't like the idea don't worry! Just ignore it😁

Dances in the Dark

Pairings: Older!Remus Lupin x Fem!Younger!Reader

A/N: Awww, first off, thank you for your kind words! I love older Remus and feel like he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. I hope I lived up to your expectations, it was a fun write!

Warnings: Age gap (reader is 25), Fluff

___________________________________________________

As Severus Snape's younger sister, you were a study in contrasts. At twenty-five, your age belied the depth of experience etched onto your features. Growing up in the shadow of your elder brother's reputation had forged you into a resilient and independent witch. The Snape bloodline ran thick with a unique blend of brilliance and tenacity, traits that manifested in both Severus and yourself.

Your magical abilities exceeded those of many your age, a fact that had earned you a place within the Order of the Phoenix. The decision to allow you to join the ranks was met with skepticism, especially from Remus Lupin and Sirius Black.

It was this very similarity that triggered distrust among some Order members. Remus and Sirius, in particular, eyed you warily, wary of potential deception or hidden agendas.

The first time Remus Lupin laid eyes on you, he couldn't help but draw parallels between your demeanor and that of your older brother. Dressed in all black, your attire mirrored Severus's signature aesthetic, and your serious resting face painted you in the same guarded hues. You exuded an aura of stern determination, an exterior that echoed the standoffish nature associated with the Snape name.

Sirius Black, ever the provocateur, couldn't resist making a snarky comment. As they stood in the corridor outside the meeting room, Sirius leaned in, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Did you notice, Remus? Little Miss Snape over there is like a mini Snivellus. Same brooding aesthetic, same unimpressed face. Bet she's got a cauldron of bat spleens hidden in that black dress of hers."

Remus shot Sirius a disapproving glance, his eyes narrowing. "Sirius, she's here to help. Let's not jump to conclusions quite yet."

Sirius chuckled, undeterred by Remus's disapproval. "Right you are, Moony. But a Snape is a Snape, and you know how much I trust them."

Remus sighed, realizing that getting Sirius to see past his biases would be a battle of its own. Truth is though, Remus isn't sure if he can trust you either. Sure, Severus helped him brew Wolfsbane, but that was under Dumbledore's order. Remus still wouldn't trust him as far as he can throw him.

As the meeting progressed, Remus couldn't help but keep a watchful eye on you. The air thickened with tension, and the wariness in the room mirrored the doubt that clung to you.

He observed from a distance, noting the way you isolated yourself, much like Severus. Yet, amidst the stoicism, there were subtle moments that caught his attention--a fleeting smile, a quiet chuckle at a fellow member's joke. These small glimpses contradicted the Snape facade, hinting at a more complex persona beneath the surface.

After the meeting concluded, Remus decided to approach, determined to unravel the mystery behind your Severus-esque facade.

"Severus's sister, right?" Remus inquired, his voice a blend of curiosity and caution. You met his gaze, and the intensity in your eyes surprised him. It was a gaze that held secrets, a silent challenge.

"Yes. Y/N," you replied, your tone measured.

"It's good to have you here with the Order."

"It's good to be with the Order."

Remus nodded, though uncertainty lingered. Over the following weeks, he observed you from a distance, noticing your tendency to retreat into the shadows, engrossed in books and spellwork.

Remus eventually found himself enchanted by the subtle charms of you. As you immersed yourself in the world of books, Remus couldn't help but notice the endearing quirks that made you all the more captivating. The gentle kick of your feet, an unconscious expression of joy, as you delved into the pages of a captivating novel added a playful touch to your serious demeanor. During spellwork, your movements were a graceful dance of magic, revealing a finesse and dedication that spoke volumes about your skill. In moments of solitude, Remus caught the soft chuckle you tried to stifle at the humor within the pages of a book or the unexpected outcome of a spell. The quiet library echoed with the delighted squeal that escaped your lips when you ventured into the realm of romance novels, a momentary lapse into unabashed joy. Your serious exterior slowly cracked, revealing a shy and sweet nature that few took the time to uncover.

Every night at Grimmauld Place was draped in an uneasy stillness, and the weight of the impending war pressed heavily on your shoulders. Unable to find sleep, you found refuge in the dimly lit library, the soft glow of candles flickering in tandem with the music streaming quietly through an old record player. Your fingers traced the edges of an old book as lyrics danced in your ears, a desperate attempt to find tranquility in the chaos.

Remus, too, roamed the halls restlessly, unable to succumb to the embrace of sleep. The subtle melody of muggle music drew him toward the library, and as he entered, he discovered you immersed in the world of both literature and music. The sight was enchanting--you, surrounded by the soft glow, lost in the rhythm of the night.

A gentle clearing of his throat alerted you to Remus's presence. Startled, you turned around, a sheepish smile playing on your lips. "Sorry if I woke you up," you apologized, the sincerity in your voice echoing in the quiet room.

Remus shook his head, a small smile forming. "No need to apologize. I was already awake. Mind if I join you?"

A nod of agreement passed between you, and Remus took a seat across from you. The awkward tension that had lingered in the air seemed to dissipate as he asked, "What keeps you up at this hour?"

You sighed, your eyes reflecting the weariness that clung to your soul. "Just trying to find some peace amidst the chaos, I guess."

Remus understood, a shared sentiment etched on his features. "I feel the same. The world outside these walls is anything but quiet."

The conversation flowed naturally as you both discussed the music, finding common ground in the tunes that resonated with you. The library transformed into a haven where the war seemed distant, if only for a moment. As one song faded into another, a daring thought crossed your mind.

"Would you like to dance?" you asked, your voice carrying a hint of vulnerability.

Remus blinked in surprise, his expression softening. "Dance? Here?"

A mischievous grin tugged at your lips as you stood, offering your hand. "Why not? Sometimes, we need a little escape, don't we?"

Remus hesitated for a moment before accepting your hand, rising to his feet. The room became a canvas for an impromptu dance, the soft music wrapping around you like a protective cloak. In the quiet elegance of the moment, you spoke words that had lingered unspoken.

"I know my presence brings uncertainty, given Severus's reputation," you confessed, eyes searching Remus's for understanding.

He nodded, his movements mirroring yours in the dance. "It did, at first."

The admission hung in the air, but instead of casting a shadow, it became a bridge between you. Remus continued, "But I've come to see the person behind the name, the one who finds comfort in the quiet of the night, just like me."

In the midst of the war's cacophony, you and Remus found a moment of respite, a connection forged in the gentle sway of a library dance. As the mellow notes of the music enveloped the dimly lit library, you found yourself in a moment of quiet intimacy with Remus. The dance had woven a delicate connection between you, as Remus' arms encircled you, holding you close.

Feeling a surge of courage, you rested your head against Remus's chest, finding solace in the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat. It thudded beneath your ear, a rapid tempo that betrayed a subtle undercurrent of nerves. The music continued, its gentle melody seemingly synchronized with the quickened beats of Remus's heart. Remus tightened his embrace.

The library, with its flickering candles and ancient tomes, became a sanctuary where the chaos of war retreated, leaving only two hearts finding each other.

Unbeknownst to you both, Sirius stood in the shadows, a silent observer of the scene unfolding before him. His eyes, typically sharp and filled with mischief, softened as he witnessed the unspoken bond between Remus and Severus Snape's sister. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, a rare moment of warmth and understanding. As he quietly retreated back to his room, he couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Severus is gonna be so mad.

[ladyofthebears]

I am going insane- i want to rip my hair out

Alicent WAS the VICTIM in the show. She was made to marry a much older man whom she did not love who martially raped her and gave her children at age 15-16.

But what EVERYONE seems to be fucking ignore is that fact that Aemma was a victim too. Aemma only had a SUCCESSFUL pregnancy at 15. She was married at fucking 11 and had miscarriages before finally having Rhaenyra four years later. Everyone is always infantilising Alicent and making it seem as though her abusive actions are justified because of her victimhood BUT AEMMA WAS A VICTIM TOO. One could even argue Aemma had it worse then Alicent in many ways though i will not be because both of their pain is unimaginable and fucking valid.

Overall, the parallels between them just further my devastation of Alicents continuing the cycle of abuse. Aemma lost a multitude of children, she was married at age 11, her mother died giving birth to her, she nearly died giving birth to Rhaenyra, yet not once did she ever behave the way Alicent did. Alicent lost her mother, was at her powerful fathers command, and felt so fucking alone and WAS THE VICTIM. Yet, she became the victimiser the day she sharpened her pain to use as a knife against others, ESPECIALLY her children.

In the show, Alicent makes it obvious that she will have the final say on her children’s marriage which MAKES IS SO MUCH MORE INFURIATING to remember she marries her 13 year old daughter and 15 year old son. Makes it so maddening after her “queer customs line”, makes it SO disheartening after her own victimhood just to make her daughter a even MORE severely and painfully wronged victim (again pain should never be compared, i only mention this because objectively Helaena was married younger and gave birth younger. Despite Viserys and his fucking pedo rapist actions, he was never violent w Alicent in the way Aegon is with everyone. And MAY I REMIND YOU, Aegon had not one BUT TWO Bastards born on the silk streets in the same moon as his twins birth?)

Why THE FUCK is Alicent always the victim and justified in her actions and Aemma is just given “oh thats so sad”. Why does it seem like no one else notices the wretched mirrors of each other they are yet, the fandom doesn’t seem to give a flying fuck about Aemma besides to throw her death onto the pile of shitty things Viserys did?

Aemma Arryn deserves so SO much more then what we are giving her.

Aemma Arryn was a queen, and a victim, and through it all a loving mother despite never having one of her own.

Aemma Arryn does not deserve to be forgotten so easily.

[rwbyrg]

If it's alright, I'm just curious, do you have any thoughts of your own or theories about Oscar or Ruby or both of them in terms of v10? To add, do you have any theories for the merge and how it will end up for both Oscar and Ozpin? Like will it be a good or bad thing? Sorry if these questions seem vague lol

Of course it's alright to ask! I do have many thoughts and a handful of theories. I'll admit most of them are wishful thinking since there's truly no way to tell where the story will go until it actually happens. But if I were to distill it to the ones I'm most expecting and why, then I'd probably say:

Expansion on Ruby's solo arc that kicked off in V9

Acknowledging the setups (plural) between Ruby and Oscar's arcs

The merge-curse is eventually broken (blame the allusions)

I'll elaborate a bit below.

1. Expanding on Ruby's Arc

What we saw Ruby go through in V9 is very much not the end of that particular plot line, imo. We saw a bit of this in Justice League: Part 2 and the final ep of RWBY Beyond where she talks to Clark and Yang about her struggles a bit. Ruby needs to learn how to both ask for and accept help from those around her so the weight of everything she's carrying doesn't crush her. Especially now when they're down to the wire and she's come back as a resurrected martyr who's face has been used at the centre of the resistance movement she's now helping to lead. How will she live up to the expectations and pressures of that impossible pedestal when she's only a human girl with very normal knees who's barely keeping it together? Also, while I don't know exactly how they're going to address everything she experienced, and I struggle to imagine her speaking about Neo's Horror House to anyone directly... that sort of trauma doesn't just go away once it's over. So I would be very surprised if the effects of it didn't ripple throughout the remaining chapters of the show. Especially when every other member of RWBY has seemingly had the bulk of their main character arcs already. It's long overdue for Ruby to get that time in the spotlight. Which does sort of lead into my next point...

2. Acknowledging the Setups in Ruby and Oscar's Dynamic

For starters, we've got the merge and ascension parallels to address. Ruby and Oscar have always mirrored each other's issues around identity, choice, fear, responsibility, leadership, etc., and this buildup seems to be coming to a head following V9. From Oscar's "I'm just going to be another one of his lives, aren't I?" to Ruby's "What if you could be anyone?", and how the two of them will relate to each other in light of those contrasting - but similar - experiences. Especially with Ruby having just come back from the tree to find Oscar fighting against the merge harder than ever before. But we also have their attachments to each other to sort out as well. Ruby and Oscar have been watching each other's backs in different ways since V5, their reunion hug in V8 was interrupted where no other "pairing's" was, and they were the only "pairing" still to be split up between the Ever After and Remnant. Not to mention that, while they were separated, Ruby was pushed to a breaking point after being shown an illusion of losing Oscar, while Oscar was back in the real world eulogizing about how he lost Ruby. CRWBY doesn't setup relationship parallels and focuses as intensely and intentionally as this without pay off at some point.

Again, while the specifics are nearly impossible to predict, I'm expecting a bit of a Dojo Scene Reprise, heart-to-heart of sorts, and/or, something that puts those attachments to the test. My immediate thought is that this test will finally push Oscar to unlocking his semblance since getting shot, falling from Atlas, being kidnapped, and tortured were all not enough to make it happen. (Although my wishful thinking is that it unlocks in a happier moment, I think that's much less likely.)

If I were to engage in pure speculation on this, my easiest bet is that it will come at the hands of Tyrian. When our Little Prince was first introduced, it was almost as if he was waking from a nightmare of that villain laughing with glee at the opportunity to hunt down a certain rose. And with this being the Vacuo arc with Ruby and Oscar getting a lot of focus, and Tyrian already on the prowl within the kingdom, it would make a lot of sense. The little prince fated to have a confrontation with a venomous antagonist in the desert over his attachment to a rose is about as textbook as it gets. (I could also see it go to Cinder or being delayed until they follow through on the threat of Ruby being kidnapped by Salem, if that's the route they decide to take. But again we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.)

3. Oscar and the Merge

I'm not entirely sure where they're headed with this one between now and the resolution... but I do think the resolution itself will otherwise be a happy one, if not bittersweet. RWBY is a story about breaking cycles, and Oz has been part of one of the longest on Remnant since the very beginning. Pairing that with this show being, ultimately, a happy story, as well as a looking at two of Oscar and Oz's shared allusions, I can only imagine they will be separated by the end.

The first allusions to mention are from The Marvelous Land of Oz. Princess Ozma (aka Oscar) is the rightful heir to the kingdom and next in line to take over when it's time for the wizard to retire. It's very clear that - however this plays out - Oscar is the final incarnation. Typically, when one ruler leaves the throne that's it. They're gone. Oz has fiddled with Remnant's history for countless millennia now in his endless fight against Salem. When the dust settles and it's time for Remnant to rebuild, it should be up to the new generation to take charge without his influence from "the old world" in the mix.

From a Little Prince lens - for those unfamiliar with the book - the aviator (aka Oz) spends much of the story waffling about the little prince he is stranded with in the desert... only to be very sad when his new friend leaves him behind to go home to the stars. RWBY is already subverting this story a bit with Oscar being the one wanting to be rid of his pilot instead of the other way around. If I were to guess how the show will carry this further, it would be that Oz moves on, but perhaps with some lingering attachment on either (or both) sides. Maybe a bit of a "all this time I wanted it to end, but now that it's finally happening, I wish I (you) didn't have to go".

At least that's what seems to make sense to me, thematically speaking. Oscar will be irreversibly changed by these events even if he is freed from the curse, however. There is no question about it. Because that is what the Hero's Journey is all about.

The hero leaves their farm and they fall through a new world. It is both horrifying and exciting in equal measure. And throughout it all they are changed by the experiences they have and the people they meet - both good and bad, within their control and outside of it. And when the quest is finally over, there is grief. Because you are not the same person you were when you left home, and you can never truly return to what you had and who you were before it all happened.

This is also, coincidentally, just what it means to grow up. Which - while not the only one, and certainly not unique to Oscar's arc alone - has always been one of the loudest allegories hiding within the merge to me. We meet and know people, we don't always have a say in how long they can stay and how they change us... and then one day they are gone, but their influence and our memories of them stay with us. And then, as RWBY has taught us since the very beginning, we keep moving forward despite it all.

( @creatoriamari tagging you here just in case to make sure you get the notif because I don't know if it still works if I saved the ask as a draft. 🙇‍♀️)

[i-heart-hxh]

Is there really a married couple dynamic between Killua and Gon? If so, any examples of similarities to other couples in the anime?

The director of the 2011 anime thinks so!

I agree with what he said, although of course there's a limited degree to which this comparison applies because we are talking about two young boys (who aren't even in an actual romantic relationship yet), after all. :p The ways they resemble a married couple in my opinion include, but are certainly not limited to:

Extreme trust between and reliance on one another

Being synchronized in their actions and thoughts in many cases (as if they've been together a long time)

They have a good understanding of each other and insight into how the other thinks

They bicker over silly things, but quickly go back to getting along after disputes

They essentially lived together in the around two years they were together. They were with each other almost constantly during that time, and there's a degree of domesticity and closeness/comfort to their relationship as a result

They talk to each other almost non-stop, to a point where we see them chattering away in the background frequently

They work together towards common goals by default and generally only compete for fun

To quote Hiroshi Koujina (from the post linked above), "Gon is the free-spirited husband, and Killua is the wife who silently supports him" <- I think this is a good summary of their dynamic within this context, LOL

It's hard to compare them to many couples in the series because honestly, HxH doesn't have many actual romantic couples to begin with. Togashi tends to kill one half or more of the romantic couples he sets up, often before they get to have a good life together. Think Squala and Eliza, Pokkle and Ponzu...

However, Meruem and Komugi are parallels to Gon and Killua, and that's essentially undeniable with how many layers of parallel/similarity exist between the two pairs. That's a topic for a whole other post (I could go on and on, and it's hard to summarize), but the way Meruem and Komugi's relationship develops is also telling of Gon and Killua's dynamic because the two are intended to exist in comparison with each other and reflect each other.

One of Komugi's final lines to Meruem was essentially an old-fashioned way to accept a marriage proposal ("I may not be much, but please, let me accompany you"), and Meruem and Komugi complete a lovers suicide (like Killua was considering doing with Gon). Obviously these character pairs are separate, and it's not as though I think Gon and Killua will suffer the same fate, but I do think it's very meaningful (especially in conjunction with the loads of other subtext present in the series) that Togashi chose another pair with obvious romantic subtext to mirror Gon and Killua, and that that relationship ended with "marriage" in an abstract sense.

Even Komugi's phrase I mentioned above has similarities with Gon and Killua, with Killua's, "Gon. You are light. Sometimes you shine so brightly, I must look away. But even so, is it still okay if I stay at your side?" It's essentially saying the same thing as Komugi's phrase.

I'd argue there's also some degree of parallels with Ging and Kite, Knuckle and Shoot, Kacho and Fugetsu, Kurapika and Pairo, and most likely others, though of course those aren't romantic in nature. I do think the fact that there are so many points of comparison is interesting, though, it reinforces the themes of the series that Gon and Killua exemplify.

Also, just a silly little sidenote, but Nagareboshi Kirari from the 2011 anime does have wedding bells in it. Take that as you will!

I hope that's helpful!

[t4tstarrailing]

ena and sunday connections (aka: i'm so fucking big brained)

so an anon requested that i repost my analysis from my old blog back in january on ena and sunday connections. i will not lie, that post was made in a semi-feverish state and i did kinda feel insane when i was talking to a moot over discord about it. i did not save it for that reason but, anyway, um.

for the first part, i am going to discuss everything around that time that we officially had available (no leaks, as leaks are always subject to change and couldn't be considered "accurate" for character analysis purposes at that time). aka, sunday's livestream chibi. under the cut, i will discuss spoilers and my vindication and my thoughts on current theories that are apparently popular???

so, first of all, ena and sunday are very clearly inspired by Catholicism. like, sunday's name is fucking sunday. ena looks like a walking catholic church. also

ena looks strikingly similar to the virgin mother mary. mother mary is frequently seen with a veil, and ena is very clearly wearing a veil with a halo around their head... which mother mary is also frequently depicted with. ena's color scheme also matches the color scheme that mother mary is frequently depicted with -- white, ivory, blue, and red. you can see the red in ena's rosaries, which are also a big thing in catholicism. mother mary is frequently depicted holding something in her hands, be it baby jesus or the immaculate heart, and ena is very obviously depicted holding an orb filled with planets. so the connection to catholicism is fairly obvious with ena. yes, i will address the big ass eye. but for now, let's move to sunday

okay. i'm gonna be completely honest, just looking at these character's color scheme is enough to indicate some sort of relationship to each other. sunday's color scheme being strikingly different from his sister robin's, who notable matches xipe's color scheme far more. literally, down to his eyes matching ena's gold and blue. but the most important thing to point out on sunday are all the eyes that he has on him. there's three in his crown, there's a massive eye in the center his shirt on his chest. and, while his 3d model wasn't available at the time, there are even more eyes. i think his jacket alone has 4.

however, again, at this time we didn't have the full official model. just the chibi. but even with the chibi, the similarities were fairly striking and obvious.

also, sunday has had jesus christ parallels from the beginning, integrated into his character design. for one, his halo looks like a crown of thorns. there's thorns on his coat, there's two literal nail piercings in his wing. guy has never once been able to beat the jesus christ allegory allegations. pair that with ena's very clear mother mary parallels and, well... you've got a very obvious relationship between them.

okay. that was the gist of the original post. i feel like i posted something about robin and how she mirrored xipe more, but it wasn't as developed as the sunday and ena parallels.

discussion of 2.2 spoilers and criticism of some current theories i've been seeing, specifically fenge biyos secretly being ena and aventurine, by connections, being blessed by ena.

ummmmm, can we talk about that date? that date on the discord screenshot? 01/06/2024?

... yeah, anyway. i feel so fucking vindicated right now. but i'm also shocked that no one else pointed it out because of how fucking obvious it felt to me. the eyes, the mother mary and jesus christ parallels, the color palette, catholicism. all of this from character design alone, i feel like should have been a dead giveaway for their relationship that did end up becoming canon as of 2.2.

so. some folks may read this and wonder "hey, what do you think the theory that fenge biyos is actually ena?"

and if i'm being completely honest, it's a massive stretch and i will be honestly shocked if it's confirmed canon. i'm sorry. i thought it was ridiculous since the beginning, especially since sunday has far more coding to be related to ena than aventurine.

"but aventurine's eyes match the big eyeball in ena's art!"

okay. something unto death also has three eyes that shut that have a similar color scheme to the eye in ena's art. this connects both ena and fenge biyos, especially since it has three eyes on its left wing (and it's specified that fenge biyos is depicted with three eyes on a left palm). but it's not related to fenge biyos at all. also acheron's eyes have a similar color scheme to the one in ena's artwork, but she isn't related to ena at all. i know that aventurine's eyes are a big deal, but this argument is a fairly flimsy one if i'm being honest.

but more importantly, we know this very important detail about avgins worshiping the mother goddess

the avgins believe that, if you create statues or compose hymns for her, she would turn her gaze away from you. you would no longer be protected by her if you crafted hymns in her name.

and ena's biggest form of worship is through song and hymns. in fact, their biggest faction is called the Beyond the Sky Choir faction. the only way to hear their voice is through music. in fact, you can no longer hear ena's voice because the only records that we have in-canon can no longer be played because the last Phonograph of Order was destroyed.

it would literally not make sense for fenge biyos to be ena for that reason alone. because the primary form of worship and communication for ena is seen as a form of heresy for the mother goddess.

another point of contention is that we have seen the jewelry that is made in avgins' worshipping practices. and it looks like it has the Nazar in it, which is notoriously not related to catholicism.

see the 3 beaded parts with the dark center, light blue circle surrounded by white and blue? that looks exactly like a Nazar, or the evil eye, which comes from an ancient belief and practice not at all related to catholicism in the slightest.

now, if this were a rosary that looked like the one's in ena's portrait (white, gold, and red), i would be more inclined to think that there are some connections. but, there isn't. in fact, it just lends more credence to aventurine and the avgin's turkish romani coding (moreso the turkish part, not necessarily the romani part. i wasn't able to find anything accurate about romani religious practices using Nazar, as all the sources that came up with massively whitewashed and not from actual romani sources) than anything. in addition, what the mother goddess represents just... does not match ena's path at all. the mother goddess represents fertility, travels, and trickery, which isn't necessarily a stark contrast to the concept of order, but it is definitely not related to order.

but also, from a worldbuilding standpoint, hoyo would be shooting itself in the foot the mother goddess was secretly ena because. well, if they made the mother goddess to just be ena, you'd be destroying a very interesting plotline that her existence introduced. you'd be destroying the worldbuilding that non-aeon believers bring to the table.

yeah, so, that's my thoughts on it lol. i think sunday and robin being ena's specialist children, as it's been revealed as of 2.2, is another way for sunday to parallel aventurine's story. and we all know that hoyo loves a good parallel between their characters. however, i am not inclined to believe that fenge biyos and ena are the same beings.

[hanafubukki]

Silver’s UM & MC Connection/Malleus’ Power and the Blessing by Meleanor

I’m still thinking about the “Have I see you before” line from Silver in the trailer. I talked about this line before and how it made me so curious about him when I first saw it (also the shipper in me screamed)

With the context of book 7, I’m looking at this line with brand new eyes. Especially after the whole MC being cursed/blessed theory

We know that Silver has the ability to travel into anyone’s dreams, even Mickey’s dreams. Which means that he has the ability to travel across worlds/dimensions.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

MC comes from a different world, so what if this is what Silver meant? What if he had unknowingly traveled across worlds/dimensions and met MC in their dreams? And he just?? Forgot?? But it happened enough times that he has a vague sense of familiarity with them?

There have been parallels with MC and Silver multiple times but very subtly, such as the camera, ability to use the sword, etc. (more can be seen in the link)

(It also make you wonder if Silver has unknowingly seen the dreams MC has of the great seven)

And with the way MC is spending time with the dream squad, more connections between two is had. Especially when you consider they both have a ‘hero’ role right now. MC and the blots/Silver and saving Malleus and Lilia.

Ray(@moonlightequin1) and Kallisto (@prince-kallisto) talked about death and rebirth, and in this case, it applies as well.

Dreams can be seen as a type of death, and waking up from it a type of rebirth. So in a sense, this cycle of constant, deaths and rebirth keeps happening. Who has been constantly waking and sleeping? In this cycle? Of course it is MC (with their visions) and Silver (with his dreams), and again the connection is there given how Lilia mentions they have such similar states as well.

@chernabogs mentioned how media love to depict souls seperated from the body, so maybe MC body is somewhere else but their soul is in twisted wonderland, but what am I trying to say? Maybe Silver was able to see MC through a mirror or a dream before they isekaied. Or if we go back to timeloop theory, maybe Silver saw them use the sword then through MC visions.

So you’re probably wondering where does Malleus come into the equation? Because we already see the connection with Silver and MC.

As you can see, Meleanor is weaker than Malleus, who is much younger than her. So I can’t help but wonder if that was done on purpose?

I’m already suspicious about Maleficia and her lack of action in the past, but also right now when it comes to stopping her grandson.

What if, she and Crowley (maybe one of them have divination powers as mentioned in the linked posts) had this all planned. I also found it weird how Lilia was suddenly made to leave the school and hence being one of the reasons for Malleus to OB. When this dragon fae hasn’t OB his entire life given how he grew in isolation and people feared him and how that obviously made him feel lonely and ripe for an OB.

What if this was all planned so Malleus would be stronger? And they need him for that very reason, to be strong so they can use him? Or maybe they need that stone from him specifically, maybe something about a stone from him would be special. Maybe as strong as the stone Meleanor had?

Maleficia won’t stop Malleus but that’s why the stage was set for others to stop him, namely because no one would be able to stop Maleficia is she OB but someone could stop Malleus.

Another thought was that, Malleus is the poster boy. What if they made him this strong for a reason? What if their aim was to make Meleanor’s blessing true??

Make Malleus into someone who would be a great benefit to the fae but someone whom the humans would fear (chernabog??)

Make Malleus into a true villain, feared by all, because then Meleanor’s wish became true didn’t it.

(With the help of Crowley and Maleficia, you can’t tell me some part of the queen doesn’t want revenge. Especially when they killed her daughter. We haven’t heard about grandfather either. And Malleus was locked in the castle, Lilia tried to teach him to like humans but Malleus still had a dislike initially before meeting Silver, so where did that come from if not from someone else Malleus knows? His grandmother?)

Hope that made sense, I feel like I was everywhere with this one lol

[heliza24]

Let’s talk about parallels between Wilhelm and Sara in Season 3 of Young Royals

Because there are so many! This is a continuation of sorts of this meta that I wrote about them being A and B plot protagonists in season 1 and 2. I don’t know that I would describe them exactly that way in season 3, but I do think their plots, character arcs, and themes are meant to mirror each other very closely this season.

One of my favorite things about the parallels between Wilhelm and Sara this season is that comparing them really makes you hold Sara’s friendship with Felice on the same level as Wilhelm’s romantic relationship with Simon (and Sara’s with August) which I think is so important. Both Wilhelm and Sara go through breakups over the course of the season (I think Felice’s reaction especially frames her friendship breakup with Sara similarly to a romantic breakup, which I love). And both of their arcs are about mending those relationships.

Sara and Wilhelm both need to experience the world outside of Hillerska before they can mend those relationships. Sara is able to glimpse some independence, even just through getting her license. The whole world is open to her now, as Felice says in ep 6. I don’t know that she would have been able to make her decision not to go back to August without experiencing that freedom. And Wilhelm also needs to experience the full force of what life in the monarchy would be like before he is able to decide to leave it. Because of this they also act as our window into the two different worlds outside of Hillerska, the palace and Bjarstad. They create the larger context in which we understand Hillerska this season.

I love that both of their journeys of personal growth are symbolized through cars. Wilhelm is always getting trapped with his mom or a member of the court in a fancy car; it’s where almost all of the monarchy’s most onerous instructions on how to live are delivered to him. So it’s huge when he leaves his parents in the chauffeured car at the end of episode 6 and goes to find Simon, Felice and Sara in Sara’s beat up used car. Meanwhile, Sara has traded in horses for the car. This is stated pretty explicitly when her dad asks her if she would like to work with horses and she declines, saying that she has come to realize that horses are simply traded by rich people as status symbols, and her dad suggests she get her drivers license since it will help with any job she wants. In seasons 1 and 2 Rousseau is pretty heavily associated with August, along with the pressures put on August and the other elite kids at Hillerska to conform to expectations (@bluedalahorse has written the Bible on that here), so the fact that Sara swaps out the horse for a car that can take her anywhere feels like a step away from both August and the prescriptive norms of Hillerska.

Sara and Wilhelm both reject what they saw as their destined future. This is obviously really clear for Wilhelm; he assumed he would be prince and then king after Erik died, and his greatest moment of character growth is when he decides he doesn’t have to fulfill that assigned role if it will keep him from being happy and living authentically. I love the scene where Sara talks with her dad about her fears that she will fail in the same ways that he did because she also has autism and adhd. This is a less clear-cut assigned destiny, but that fear of becoming a self fulfilling prophecy is equally overwhelming, especially because Sara has already let down someone she cares about in a way that’s not dissimilar to how her father breaks promises. The fact that she’s able to come to terms with her dad’s influence in her life, but realize she really is in charge of her own future, is really powerful. (I also think it’s such smart writing about the way disability and internalized ableism can really affect your self image).

In order to break free of those predetermined destinies, both Sara and Wilhelm need to see a father/mentor figure as more than black and white. Wilhelm needs to acknowledge that Erik wasn’t perfect, and did help contribute to some of the abusive traditions of Hillerska. Sara needs to recognize that even though her dad isn’t a perfect parent, she still loves him for the care he is able to show to her and wants to have him in her life. I love that both Wilhelm and Sara learn to hold multiple conflicting emotions about their loved ones. They can be disappointed by some of Micke and Erik’s actions, but they can still value their relationships with those family members and recognize them as complex, complete people.

They also both go on a similar journey with how they see August. Wilhelm comes to recognize that August is both a perpetrator and victim of the class system and Hillerska’s systemized abuse. Sara similarly realizes that August is an adult who needs to be responsible for his own emotions. She’s no longer interested in saving him from his complex feelings of guilt, and recognizes his potential to find self healing. Both of those new assessments of August grant him more maturity and complexity than earlier in the show. (They also reflect the way that August grows, in fits and starts, over the course of season 3. If there was a season 4 of the show, I think we would really see August respond to Sara and Wilhelm’s new attitudes towards him in a way that would fuel future character growth).

Viewing Erik, Micke, and August more complexly also allows Sara and Wilhelm to forgive themselves for the ways they are similar to those people. They are able to acknowledge the shame they feel around their actions, but also forgive themselves in the same way that they forgive others.

Both Sara and Wilhelm have specifically let down Simon in pretty big ways (Sara by secretly dating August, Wilhelm by perpetuating the royal family restrictions onto Simon). But they are able to recognize those mistakes and reconcile with Simon.

Wilhelm and Sara both leave the monarchy (Wilhelm literally, Sara by refusing a relationship with August), but they also leave a kind of prescriptive romance behind. Wilhelm says no to having to monitor Simon, to having to roll out his relationship in a certain way to please the court, and to having their future together mapped out and their decision around children made for them. Sara says no to a smaller set of requirements, but the traditional ways that August sees romance are so influenced by the monarchy (which is in turn so influenced patriarchy) that they are similar in some ways. Sara says no to having to do August’s emotional labor, to managing him so that he will fit the image of a good heir. She says no to waiting for him to visit on weekends while he does military service. She says no to this grand plan that he has. (This was @bluedalahorse’s point originally that she shared with me, and honestly I think it's so smart). Wilhelm chooses a romantic relationship that he and Simon are free to create together without rules; Sara chooses a friendship based on honesty and support. Both are valid options that give the characters a sense of peace and freedom. And they would not have been able to make those choices without all of the growth they went through over the course of the season.

I think Sara and Wilhelm's arcs compliment each other so well, and it was one of my favorite things about season 3. I loved watching both of them get to grow so much and end up in such a happy place.

[poppystheories]

The irony of this page alone...

Yeah, that's your nemesis. And your other half. And your son. And maybe your former friend. And the kid you traumatized that one time.

And you can't recognize him as any of these things because you're both so irrevocably changed. And its all your own fault.

The paneling here is especially clear about these two being parallels and mirrors of each other; of being two halves, separated. Allen's Innocence and curse sit between them. The Earl is confused, Allen unwavering: because to the Earl's subconscious, the person before him being an exorcist must make no sense, but to the current Allen, being an exorcist is the one thing he's sure of.

And, frankly, Allen looks amazing here.

[spuffybot]

Crush is such a good episode. Like seriously…

1. The parallels between Dawn and Buffy are amazing. The way Dawns crush on Spike mirrors Buffy’s crush on Angel. Buffy was already a Slayer at Dawns age. By the time she met Angel she’d lost so much of her childhood. Falling in love with a 100+ year old vampire seems plausible. Dawn, not so much. We see her crush as amusing and cute but we know it’ll never happen. And not just because Spike is enamored with Buffy, but because Dawn gets to be a child. Dawns youth and innocence have been protected. It feels icky and wrong to think of her with this grown man. Buffy never had the luxury of being a child, of being protected.

2. The way Buffy genuinely has no idea Spike likes her. It’s so quintessentially Buffy. Her little “huh” when Dawn points it out is gold. Especially since this is AFTER Spike shows up at the Bronze just to “hang out”.

3. Spikes wardrobe. UGH. It’s perfect. The way he plays with lighter colors to show his commitment to the light. The way he puts his whole body into everything that he does. The way clothing is linked to identity for him. His entire look is crafted to express himself and he manipulates that expression to suit his needs and his feelings.

4. The dynamic between Spike / Dru / Buffy when he has them tied up in the basement. Honestly this is a top tier performance from Juliet Landau. Her comedic timing is on point. And James Marsters is giving it his all. He’s giving creepy stalker / deluded serial killer / “but I’m a nice guy” vibes and it is flawless.

5. Speaking of James’s performance, even though this is very much Spike at his most deluded and still mostly evil self, he gives us subtle glimpses at the true change that is to come. The way he softens with Dawn and Joyce. The genuine hurt on his face when he realizes Buffy has revoked his invitation. The way he immediately unchains Buffy and levels up at her side to fight the moment the danger to her becomes real. He never pushes it too far, you still read his crush as comical and absurd, you still know Spike is evil, but in the context of what is to come…these touches add so much depth.

6. “You were sleeping the sleep of the knocked unconscious” might be one of my most quoted lines in the entire series. I say this a lot because it’s just such a good line.

7. HARMONY. Ugh the way she comes in and shoots Spike and cat fights him. She never fails to make me laugh.

8. The moment where Buffy and Spike stand side by side, allies again, ready to take on Dru and Harmony if need be. It’s so perfect. This is their relationship at its core. From the end of season 2 to the end of season 7. Hate or love, friends or enemies, these two will stand together and fight.

9. Xander laughing about Spikes crush. This moment of lightness from Xander broke my heart a little bit. Buffy’s death breaks everyone but it steals Xanders joy and belief that everything will be ok. Season 5 Xander is still capable of seeing the funny in Spike loving Buffy. Season 6+ Xander can only see the danger.

I could go on and on but these are probably my top moments.

[amuseoffyre]

I'm having so many big thoughts and feelings about the episodes and am all aflail over the fact that there are parallels between the penultimate episodes of both seasons.

This needed to happen. It needed to because Stede has still been very much plastering over a gaping crack that hasn't been addressed. His solution to fixing things with the crew is "throw money at it to cheer them up". He hasn't acknowledged that Ed may not want to be where he's at right now.

The fact that Ed comes to the cabin to offer some kind of comfort after Stede's actual first kill and Stede chooses to put actions over words? Aaaaa. Especially after him saying he does better in the field and that "I kind of black out and my body takes over", which very much feels like the scene in the cabin. He's just reacting, adrenaline fuelled and after a massively stressful situation, and doesn't even stop to use his words.

Meanwhile, Ed has been taking time. He's been sitting with things. He's been processing things. He is picking himself up, brushing himself down and figuring things out and this? All of this? Is very much like a mirror of Stede's arc in episode 9. He needs the time to piece himself together and work out where he actually fits.

It's still early and my brain is still turning it over, but there's something in the parallel of people who have known them for decades (Chauncey and Jackie) looking at them and saying "you changed that person" and it not necessarily being a good thing.

[wretchedamaranth]

Today in Non & White/Phee & Tee parallels:

This disgust, which reverberates from White's hallucination into Tee's own hallucination, reminds me of Non reading slut-shaming Twitter posts:

Which highlights the stigmatisation of overt queer sexuality, and the idealisation of purity as opposed to "unethical" or non-monogamous sex, specifically between young, gay men. The connotation of "filthy" is obviously sexual here -- White is filthy, even diseased (the lesions...) because of the assumptions Tee makes about his fidelity. I don't think White cheated, but to me, that's not even the point. What is important here is White's anxiety about Tee's paranoia.

Tee's accusation in White's hallucination represents on a personal level what the twitter posts that Non reads represent on a systemic level -- the disgust, and the underlying fear, of deviant sexual desire. In DFF, there are several kinds of deviant sexuality: queer, non-monogamous, crossing the boundaries of hierarchy -- the latter with Keng and Non.

All three are conflated within this anxiety, there isn't a separation between Non's queerness, for example, and Keng's coercion of Non, even though there should be, because all kinds of non-normative sexuality and sex are seen as a threat against the status quo, against the importance of social reputation that mandates a certain level of "cleanliness". It's why those twitter posts at once condemn Keng for having sex with a student under 18 and, at the same time, shame Non for his perceived lack of chastity, and don't seem to see the contradiction.

It's not incidental that Non breaks so thoroughly after this video is posted, after his reputation and that of his family is irretrievably damaged, after he loses his boyfriend who is morally disgusted with him. Non, and White who is his mirror, absorb the anxiety about sexually active gay men, young gay men in particular who are perceived as especially filthy for their defying the purity associated with their youth. Phee and Tee who condemn them are also affected -- Tee's disgust is especially relevant because he fears being touched by White, by catching his disease.

The fear of being a social outcast is another reason, on top of personal betrayal, why Phee and Tee so viscerally reject Non and White, why they push them away and literally tell them to "get lost". Of course, Tee acts this way in White's hallucination because White is the one who has this once latent and now overt disgust at his own perceived deviance, which is only compounded by Tee's actual jealousy.

I don't have anything coherent to say, really, but it's worth looking into the fraught relationships among what is perceived as deviant sex/sexuality, stigmatisation of said deviance, outcasting from within and outside those spaces, and reputation/social standing/face.