#I love the dynamic where they risk their own reputation constantly just to see each other

[eye-of-the-hawk]

Buff mercy? Buff mercy.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

The Owl House zodiac signs

I decided to match zodiac signs with TOH characters because why not. Info from https://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com.

Luz: Libra

Strengths: Cooperative, diplomatic, gracious, fair-minded, social Weaknesses: Indecisive, avoids confrontations, will carry a grudge, self-pity

Likes: Harmony, gentleness, sharing with others, the outdoors Dislikes: Violence, injustice, loudmouths, conformity

They are in a constant chase for justice and equality, realizing through life that the only thing that should be truly important to themselves in their own inner core of personality. They will be inspired by good books, insurmountable discussions and people who have a lot to say. ibra representatives are highly social and put their friends in the limelight, but sometimes raise their expectation bars too high, but will often help others understand the other side of their personal conflicts and trouble with other people.

She enjoys being taught about new things and enjoys talking about herself and her personal interests, just as much as she likes sinking deep into her partner’s life. She is charming, intelligent, and finds solutions to problems that arise along the way with certain ease.

Eda: Sagittarius or Aries.

Strengths: Generous, idealistic, great sense of humor Weaknesses: Promises more than can deliver, very impatient, will say anything no matter how undiplomatic

Likes: Freedom, travel, philosophy, being outdoors

Dislikes: Clingy people, being constrained, off-the-wall theories, details Freedom is their greatest treasure, because only then they can freely travel and explore different cultures and philosophies. Because of their honesty, Sagittarius-born are often impatient and tactless. The fun-loving Sagittarius enjoys making and spending money.

Aries

Strengths: Courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate

Weaknesses: Impatient, moody, short-tempered, impulsive, aggressive

Likes: Comfortable clothes, taking on leadership roles, physical challenges, individual sports

Dislikes: Inactivity, delays, work that does not use one's talents

Aries rules the head and leads with the head, often literally walking head first, leaning forwards for speed and focus. Its representatives are naturally brave and rarely afraid of trial and risk. They possess youthful strength and energy, regardless of their age and quickly perform any given tasks. They are continuously looking for dynamic, speed and competition, always being the first in everything - from work to social gatherings.  They are tolerant of people they come in contact with, respectful of different personalities and the openness they can provoke with simple presence. Their circle of friends needs a wide range of strange individuals.

Independent and ambitious, an Aries often knows where they want to go at a young age, separating from their family a bit early. They will take on family obligations when they need to be taken care of, never refusing more work as if their pool of energy is infinite. They live in the present and aren't that focused on the future, and this can make them irrational and hasty when it comes to financial decisions. Still, they seem to always find a way to earn money and compensate for what they have spent.

King: Leo

Strengths: Creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous

Weaknesses: Arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy, inflexible

Likes: Theater, taking holidays, being admired, expensive things, bright colors, fun with friends

Dislikes: Being ignored, facing difficult reality, not being treated like a king or queen

Aware of their desires and personality, they can easily ask for everything they need, but could just as easily unconsciously neglect the needs of other people in their chase for personal gain or status. Leo is generous, faithful and a truly loyal friend, born with a certain dignity and commitment to individual values. Tuned to themselves for the most part, they tend to become independent as soon as possible. Still, a Leo will do anything to protect their loved ones.

Willow: Taurus

Strengths: Reliable, patient, practical, devoted, responsible, stable

Weaknesses: Stubborn, possessive, uncompromising

Taurus likes: Gardening, cooking, music, romance, high quality clothes, working with hands

Taurus dislikes: Sudden changes, complications, insecurity of any kind, synthetic fabrics

They are loyal and don't like sudden changes, criticism or the chase of guilt people are often prone to, being somewhat dependable on other people and emotions they seem to be unable to let go of. Still, no matter their potential emotional challenge, these individuals have the ability to bring a practical voice of reason in any chaotic and unhealthy situation. People born in this sign are loyal and always willing to lend a hand of friendship, although they can be closed up for the outer world before they build trust for new social contacts they make. Many of their friendships begin in childhood with a tendency to last them a lifetime.

Gus: Gemini Strengths: Gentle, affectionate, curious, adaptable, ability to learn quickly and exchange ideas

Weaknesses: Nervous, inconsistent, indecisive

Gemini likes: Music, books, magazines, chats with nearly anyone, short trips around the town

Gemini dislikes: Being alone, being confined, repetition and routine

They are fascinated with the world itself, extremely curious, with a constant feeling that there is not enough time to experience everything they want to see. Gemini's changeable and open mind makes them excellent artists, especially writers and journalists.

Lilith: Virgo

Strengths: Loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical

Weaknesses: Shyness, worry, overly critical of self and others, all work and no play

Virgo likes: Animals, healthy food, books, nature, cleanliness

Virgo dislikes: Rudeness, asking for help, taking center stage

This is a sign often misunderstood, not because they lack the ability to express, but because they won’t accept their feelings as valid, true, or even relevant when opposed to reason. Their goals and dreams still have strictly defined borders in their mind. People born with their Sun in Virgo are very dedicated to their family and attentive to elderly and sick people. They understand tradition and the importance of responsibility, proud of their upbringing and everything that made their mind be as dominant as it is.

Amity: Scorpio or Capricorn

Strengths: Resourceful, brave, passionate, stubborn, a true friend

Weaknesses: Distrusting, jealous, secretive, violent

Scorpio likes: Truth, facts, being right, longtime friends, teasing, a grand passion

Scorpio dislikes: Dishonesty, revealing secrets, passive people

They are excellent leaders because they are very dedicated to what they do. Scorpios hate dishonesty and they can be very jealous and suspicious, so they need to learn how to adapt more easily to different human behaviors.

Capricorn

Strengths: Responsible, disciplined, self-control, good managers

Weaknesses: Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst

Capricorn likes: Family, tradition, music, understated status, quality craftsmanship

Capricorn dislikes: Almost everything at some point

Capricorn speaks of each natural chain reaction of fear, Immersed in their secrecy, they face the world just as they are – brave enough to never run away, but constantly afraid of their inner monsters. Capricorn women are ambitious, persistent, responsible and reliable. She only wants to find someone to make her smile, and can’t wait to open up and feel the real pull of emotion that makes her warm up to the possibilities that lie in the future. It will take some time for her to lower her guard and feel safe and comfortable enough to show just how sensitive and caring she can be when she is in love.

Edric and Emira: Aquarius

Strengths: Progressive, original, independent, humanitarian

Weaknesses: Runs from emotional expression, temperamental, uncompromising, aloof

Likes: Fun with friends, helping others, fighting for causes, intellectual conversation, a good listener

Dislikes: Limitations, broken promises, being lonely, dull or boring situations, people who disagree with them

Aquarius-born have a reputation for being cold and insensitive persons, but this is just their defence mechanism against premature intimacy. They need to learn to trust others and express their emotions in a healthy way.

[illprotectyou-hearteyes]

I didn’t get around to writing a role reversal fic, but I took notes on how I imagined it playing out, so I’m cleaning those up to post here :)

I. Ethan the Tech:

In the films Benji is known for his extremely high turnaround rate in addition to his skill. I don’t necessarily think that’s the case for Ethan as a tech; he’s not especially fast, he just Does Not Give Up. The IMF gives him the projects the other techs have declared impossible, because he will keep working at them until he finds a solution or they decide they need him for something else and tear the project from his hands. (He actually has a pretty impressive turnover rate as well, but that has less to do with speed than with the frankly horrifying number of hours he works).

In a similar vein, Ethan didn’t start out at the top of his class. No one picked him out as a natural talent at tech work, because frankly, he wasn’t. He became one of the best through sheer Tenacity. 

He’s pretty discontent as a tech, though. He enjoys the work itself well enough, but from the start he’s disturbed by how little information they’re given regarding the context and purpose of the projects they work on, and one day when he pulls on a loose thread he learns some horrifying secrets about what the IMF is willing to do. After that he tries to figure out the context of each project and does the occasional tampering when he sees fit, but the IMF is paranoid about people like him and keep their techs in a stranglehold to prevent it. So there’s only so much Ethan can do, and he is in a constant state of guilt/anxiety that whatever he is currently working on will be used for harm.

His inspiration for joining the field is a pretty direct reversal of the film. Through some series of events Benji asks him to do something ... not strictly on the books, and Ethan not only does it but positively jumps on the chance. That’s what gets into his head that field work would force the IMF to give him all the information relative to the missions he worked (this proves only half-true at best; but this is still a relatively young and innocent Ethan), and that it would put him in a position to directly affect how the IMF’s orders are carried out. And if it means getting to work with the IMF super-agent who is always failing so endearingly to present the cool and collected image that’s expected from him and who has about as little respect for the agency as Ethan himself, well. He’s not about to object.

II. Benji the Field Agent

This Benji is a better fighter than his film counterpart due to his training having been more focused on it/more experience, but it’s far from his greatest asset. What really made him a legend in the IMF was his analytical skills and the creativity of his problem-solving—where others are stuck on protocol and rote strategy, Benji approaches each problem purely on its own terms. 

His survival and success is also aided considerably by the face that newer teammates are desperate to prove themselves to this IMF legend, while those who have known him for any period of time inevitably have their “MUST PROTECT AT ALL COSTS” instincts awakened at full force. They’d never let on, because he’d think it meant they saw him as a particularly vulnerable agent, when it really isn’t that at all. It’s rather something about how even this Benji dampened by trauma is so undisguisedly human; how he looks after them in a way the IMF never did; how for him this work is about doing good, not ‘doing the job’. He allows them to grasp back onto the hope of making the world better motivated them to become field agents in the first place before the IMF beat it out of them; he reminds them that the world is worth saving and in the process (accidentally) becomes, in their eyes, the most important one of all to save.

I kind of like the idea, though, that Benji does put on a bit of a show of being hardened, and on a verbal level he justifies his constant defiance of the IMF not on a moral basis but on the basis of their orders not making sense. Literally no one whose been on more than one mission with him believes this, but they let him pretend they do. Ethan has his suspicions from the start but has some level of anxiety that the facade might be the reality. If I was actually writing a fic it would lead to a more polished version of this exchange:

*Benji makes a choice that from a strategic perspective is completely illogical and is purely to reduce risk to civilians and/or team members* 

Ethan: But Benji, that … doesn’t make sense. 

Benji: I KNOW I KNOW. It’s about protecting people, okay?? 

Ethan: I knew it!! But then why … 

Benji: I have a reputation as the coolest agent in the IMF—don’t ask me why, I’ve got nothing—but that’s what gets me on the important missions, where I can really help. I can’t admit to such a sappy core motive. Besides, if the glove fits and all that. Incompetence drives me up one wall and down another. Everything we do is life and death, you’d think they’d hire people with half a brain!! But nooo [etc]” 

(at this point Ethan is spiraling about some mistake he made and whether Benji would judge him incompetent)

(spoiler alert he doesn’t)

(Ethan doesn’t bring up the mistake here, though. Instead): 

Ethan: Benji, despite how it’s going to sound I really really don’t mean this as an insult, but you suck at the ‘cool guy’ act. That’s not what people love you for.

(Benji pretends to be insulted but it’s actually the most touching thing anyone has ever said to him. He tries very hard to focus on that instead of the fact that Ethan maybe-possibly just implied he was one of the people who loves him. He fails)

III. Dynamic on Missions:

When Ethan joins the IMF, he takes “MUST PROTECT BENJI AT ALL COSTS” to a whole new level. When pressed he says it’s because Benji is so critical to the IMF’s work and because with how much he does to protect others, someone’s got to protect him. It’s a perfectly true answer, and if it’s also kind of because he might be a little head-over-heals-in-love, there’s no need to mention that detail.

This does NOT help with Benji’s guilt complex about having been a key factor in why Ethan transitioned from tech to the dangers and trauma of field work. (He knows about this because Ethan told him as much one day when Benji was feeling insecure about his abilities. The revelation might not have had the intended affect.)

Unfortunately Benji’s guilt and fear for Ethan (and maybe also definitely being wildly in love shhhhhh) leads to him convincing himself that Ethan is more of a tech person than a field agent, and while he’s invaluable to have on-hand in the field it only makes sense to keep out of the more heightened danger-spots. This is not only a miserable failure (Ethan has a habit of rushing in anyway, the most annoying part of which is that his judgement is usually good), but results in Ethan feeling like Benji doesn’t trust him and/or he’s doing something wrong, even though he can’t figure out what. This in turn results in him constantly trying to prove himself and making even riskier decisions.

Ummm stuff happens, they communicate and are happy, The End

[jerrykatt]

Voltron/Percy Jackson Xover Part 2

Here's part one. I'd recommend reading it before coming back to this.

And so, now we know that Leo was rejected by his mother's family, his own aunt labeling him a diablo, a devil. We know that he was shunted off into the system with little sympathy and even less kindness. We know that the memory of his mother's death haunts his steps like an eldritch phantom. But now another death plagues him with suffocating guilt. The death of the man who chose to be left behind in a firestorm, knowing that his death was mere moments away but willing to face it head on if it meant he could save one small fledgling life.

He didn't remember much in the aftermath, that much was certain what with the shock that set in.

The fire giving one last heaving roar, reminiscent of a dragon's destructive fury. The unnatural explosion of force rocking the building. A woman's silhouette, standing tall and sinisterly pleased with her spiteful vengeance, throwing one last malevolent sneer in his direction before sinking into the earth below her feet.

The ringing in his ears and the ladder being blasted backwards.

Falling and screaming. An unmerciful impact with the pavement and his vision going black.

Waking up in a hospital, alone and unwanted.

It was all too much of a blur for Leo's young mind to comprehend in his traumatized state. But one of the things he did remember, besides the hole in his life where his mother should have been, was finding out the fireman's name. Or at least, the last part of it.

Kogane.

(That's where we see Keith fit into this chapter of Leo's life.)

Like Leo, Keith was also unfortunately placed into foster care. I haven't decided yet on how they meet after the fire. Perhaps they were sent to the same group home? Maybe they ran into each other after running from their respective foster families, sleeping under the same freeway overpasses? Either way, they might've become friends for a short time and then the classic reveal happens - Leo finds out Keith's last name, and ultimately the fact that his father was Fireman Kogane.

Leo can't face him anymore, not with the knowledge that he was reason his friend's father went up in flames. His flames.

He runs. And Keith? Well...

His mother's glaring absence, His father's death, and now his friend's unexplained rejection.

Each cut into his chest like a knife, as sharp as the blade he kept strapped to his belt.

The same blade that gives him a goal. A purpose.

To find his past. To find some answers.

(Anything to distract from the gnawing resentment, the aching loneliness)

So yeah. Keith takes it hard. But this is the perfect place to pause and explain EXACTLY why I chose Krolia to be Aphrodite in this AU. And, ultimately, why I thought Keith being the son of the goddess of love made SO MUCH SENSE. AND ALSO LETS NOT FORGET SEASON SEVEN ADDING MORE SPICE TO THE MIX

Let's start with Krolia. Krolia and Canon!Aphrodite have... little in common when it comes to personality. At least with the depictions I've read in PJO where Canon!Aphrodite apparently approves of her children breaking hearts (It's apparently a rite of passage in Aphrodite's cabin if I remember correctly). And the fact that her negative traits could be summarized in how one of her demigod children turned out (I'm looking at you Drew). Anyways here's where my idea comes in.

Sit up and away from your computer screen and take a look around at the world. Times are changing, standards are being shattered and rebuilt with each passing day. The concept of beauty itself is being torn into different directions. We have people who still prefer the classic hourglass figure, the full lips and sultry eyes, the flawless skin and the soft spoken nature of a damsel in distress. People who want the pretty princess bride, the stay at home wives.

Not necessarily weak in some aspects, but definitely not at the strongest potential either.

Still, it is the usual form that Canon!Aphrodite takes with little difference made when approaching each potential lover.

And on the other end of the spectrum, we have people who are attracted to independence, intellect, and strength. They want someone as either an equal or more than that. They like big biceps and thick muscular thighs.

We especially have people who don't care for what their precious people look like and end up adoring every part of them anyway. These people are muddled in the middle of the spectrum. They want something more raw, more real. It doesn't matter if the person is thick or thin, hairy or bald, or if they're missing a limb or two. A big nose? Bad breakout of zits? Trust me, for these people, it only adds to the charm.

I'd imagine in this turbulent world where opinions of beauty were being bounced around like a particularly ill aimed bouncy ball (one that would more than likely smack you in the face rather than land safely back in your hand), Aphrodite would end up having an identity crisis.

God's and goddesses have a sustainability that is based on mortal's worship and the strength of their domain. Aphrodite had enough mortals immortalizing her presence in art and literature to keep her remembered, that certainly wasn't the problem. Neither was the concept of love. Love was universal, the goddess of love understood that more than anyone. The problem was that Aphrodite's physical form was constantly fluctuating due to her the part of her domain pertaining to beauty being... constantly reconstructed? Stretched thin? I'm not sure how to describe it. All I can tell you is that Aphrodite ran from Olympus as she felt her powers getting out of hand. Maybe Haggar/Gaea and Zarkon/Uranus had planned to amplify the effects of what a changing society can do to a godly being? Perhaps Aphrodite was chosen to be a test subject to see if such a thing could be used as a weapon?

Regardless of the cause, the goddess fell to earth. She crashed outside a certain fireman's house and when she woke, her form had settled into the one we all know and love - Krolia's. Yep, purple skin, dual toned hair, pointed ears, claws, inhuman eyes, the whole package. I'm not kidding. Also I'm pretty sure if she hadn't sustained a concussion (and hadn't been so... pleasantly distracted by Kogane nursing her back to health) she would have screamed bloody murder at her reflection. She's at least grateful that she managed to keep her mile long legs (even if they now had her towering over most mortals) As it is, her powers are temporarily rendered useless because of the strain of her transformation.

Also the panic attack that she had once everything registered didn't help. Thankfully Kogane managed to calm her down, with a soothing voice and gentle rough hands.

Things settle. At first when they make introductions, she mixes up two of her usual aliases "Kristine" and "Olivia" and ends up blurting out "Krolia" instead, much to her horror. And after an awkward minute of panic she also reveals more than what she was intending to bargain for. Oddly enough, the goddess reveals her true nature right off the bat and Kogane takes it in stride just like he did with the whole Canon!Alien issue. Usually she keeps her lips smartly sealed but.... right now? She's doesn't have the confidence that comes with her preferred, perfect yet almost plastic form. She's disoriented and confused and homesick and a little fucked up in the head right now.

Kogane helps her through it. And with him guiding her, she discovers new things about herself, and is reminded of the better parts of who she is and who she could potentially become.

To no ones surprise, they fall in love. And to Krolia's surprise, she ends up WANTING to stay, even -ESPECIALLY- after giving birth to this man's child. His son. Her son.

Their son.

But monsters from Tartarus have always lied in wait. She leaves just like in Canon. Because of one too many close shaves with beasts and traitorous gods alike trying to snatch away her new found happiness and self discovery. She leaves to protect the person she loves most.

Their son. Keith.

((Again I'm on a tight schedule (needing two jobs sucks sometimes) so I'll wrap this up and talk about Keith))

Now you may want to ask why I chose Aphrodite? Why didn't I choose Hades to be Keith's godly parent? It would have matched his basic demeanor, the basis to his character - the loner (also awesome undead powers would've have been a plus!!). Why didn't I chose Ares? Keith is a phenomenal fighter! Why not Zeus? His fighter pilot skills makes him second to none in the skies!!!

My answer is this: Keith has an unfathomable AMAZING capacity to love.

Think about it. Remember that the reason that he rejects people is because he knows just how much he's risking when he's putting his heart into someone's hands. You only see that in a person who's had their heart torn to pieces by the unspoken consequences of abandonment.

Finally, Look at what this guy has done for a dying man. IN CANON TO BOOT.

Look at what he's done for Shiro even back before his feelings evolved into what can be interpreted as romantic, when his relationship with the man was purely platonic in a mentor/student dynamic level. He SUPPORTS Shiro. He doesn't pity him. He doesn't coddle him. He doesn't look at the fact that Shiro most likely has only a few more years left in him before his body breaks down. He sees his friend that has every right to pursue his dream instead of wasting away on a military base that cares more for its fucking reputation than it's actual students (I resent the Garrison for lying about the mission, make no mistake. THEY EVEN TOOK THE SIDE OF THAT SHITTY BRAT WHO MADE SNIDE REMARKS ON KEITH PARENTS!!! WTF?!!).

This is the man that's promised to never give up on him. The one who reminded Keith that, most of all, he can't give up on himself. And Keith? My Defensive, prickly, hold-everyone-at-arms-length son? What does my firecracker boi do?

He takes it to heart. He fucking takes it to heart.

Now fast forward again - we have Keith beautifully beating the crap out of Iverson and other "high ranking" officials who essentially now see Shiro as a liability, as someone who cannot be let free with his new found knowledge on extraterrestrial life. We have him basically breaking multiple laws to get Shiro out and onto to his bike so he could drive them and their Tagalongs to safety. We have Keith running to Shiro AGAIN AND AGAIN. It doesn't matter who stands in his way - Zarkon could suck on a lemon and those wild beasts on that remote planet in 'Across the Universe'? They can Quiznak right off because He will never give up on Shiro. Enough said.

And one last thought. I'm sure you guys have seen the leaked scenes of Keith staying by Shiro's side while he's in the healing pod, his vitals showing that his conscious is not assimilating with Kuron's body. I'm sure you've seen how Keith pleaded with Allura to think of a way to help them. You probably heard Allura regretfully admit that there wasn't anything she could do to help anymore than she already had. You saw Keith in his disbelief, in his grief. You saw him slam his fist onto the healing pod, head hung low wand pleading to the man within to fight. To stay.

"You can't do this to me again"

And miraculously, Shiro wakes.

I didn't plan on giving Keith Charmspeak. I only planned on giving him an IMMUNITY towards other Charmspeakers. And even now I still stand by my decision on NOT giving him such a power. Because it makes this scene, when adapted into my AU, have THAT much more significance. He didn't need any godly gifts to bring back the man he loves, his own voice, rough and raw and full of desperation.... it was enough. It was MORE than enough.

"Keith you saved me." "We saved eachother"

[kbrown78]

My Thoughts: Torn by Rowena Miller

Before going into this book, it sounded like there were a lot of things in it that I would like. It seemed similar to the Swords and Fire series and I was looking for similar books until the last book came out. There was also the appeal of having a protagonist that is a really good tailor. I've actually been looking for stories with characters that are good at sewing or weaving, and this is the first one that I was able to get (outside of East by Edith Pattou, which is really good). Starting out this book had a lot of potential: the protagonist was a good tailor and business savvy but naive and the conflicts between nobility and working class are building. Unfortunately the book quickly fell apart. The characters suffered no development and became increasingly annoying, the conflicts between the classes was kind of problematically written, and the climax felt more like an anti climax. I finished this book feeling pretty disappointed.

Characters: So Sophie, the protagonist, is a 26 year old woman that is unmarried and enjoys running her dress shop. I would say it's good to have an older, more mature protagonist that isn't in their mid thirties, but as the story progresses Sophie makes worse decisions and shows that she really isn't that mature. I do give a thumbs up for her insisting on staying single because she wants to keep her independence and knows that her job provides plenty of money for her, but this part of her becomes insulting when she falls head over heals for a noble but turns down every working class man that is interested in her. She's a good business woman because she cares about her work and adds her own charms to her work which appeals to the nobility and brings in more money and customers. I almost thought that the author was going to make Sophie and unlikeable protagonist: she considers everyone but nobles beneath her, only cares about her own work, but she's very good at what she does and cares very much for her shop. I actually hoped for this, and I usually don't like unlikeable protagonist, but nothing that I hoped for happened. She tries to portray herself as this sweet, innocent girl that doesn't like conflict (which is understandable) but she ignores any problem that she faces hoping that will make it go away and she constantly lies to and subtly insults almost everyone she knows. The cherry on top was when her shop gets shut down because it's under investigation. The one thing that she has made very clear is that she loved her shop and it's reputation was important to her. But instead of trying to something about it, she just walks away like it isn't her problem. Her passive and passive aggressive attitude made her so insufferable, to the point where she was one of my least favorite characters of this year. There was also her brother Kristos, who was selfish, stupid, and manipulative. He keeps pressuring Sophie to participate in his rebellion, but when that doesn't work he essentially uses her and manipulates her into compromising her morals and getting other people hurt just so he can achieve his goal. During this whole time he keeps glorifying the main villain Pyord, who is clearly a slimy character that has created a cult of loyal followers, and Kristos comes off looking rather stupid for not seeing that Pyord is only out for himself. He is passionate and has good ideas but he gets easily carried away, isn't as smart as he thinks he is, and really doesn't respect anyone least of all his sister, so again another very unlikeable character. There's Theodor, Sophie's love interest, who I did like. He's a in line for the throne but his passion lies in botany. He's very sweet and I prefer love interest who are nice guys, but he was a little bland, maybe because he didn't face any development or conflicts. Then there was Lady Snowmount, or Viola, who I liked but I think was underutilized. She's well liked among the nobility, has a flair for planning social gatherings, but is also shrewd and a progressive. But she only served two purposes: introducing Sophie to Theodor and bring Sophie into the nobility's social circle. She had the makings of a great character but she wasn't in the story much. There are plenty of other side characters I could discuss but I'm only going to briefly bring up two: Alice and Penny, who both work in Sophie's shop. Penny was very simply written, she's a romantic who, much like Kristos, gets carried away. She had a bit of negative character development, starting out being a cheerful character but ending up being quite a brat who is rather mean when Sophie gets her out of jail because of her connections to the nobility. On the other hand is Alice, who is much quieter than Sophie but is hardworking and very loyal. She does display some internalized prejudice, which means that she has room for development, but is still a decent character. I think Alice and Viola were my favorite characters because they were only ones I actually liked. Everyone else was at best flat, at worst completely unlikeable with no real redeeming qualities.

Relationships: I think another aspect of this book that was disappointing compared to the Swords and Fire series was that there was way too much of focus on the romance and there wasn't any healthy family dynamic. I was okay with Sophie and Theodor's relationship, particularly in the beginning because of how sweet it was. Then that sub plot began to overwhelm the narrative and put an emphasis on how forbidden there romance was. Also Sophie constantly lied to Theodor and withheld information from him, which wasn't only stupid on her behalf but also added an unhealthy feel to the romance. Sophie and Kristos are siblings but really don't act like it. They both look down on each others interests and make it very clear to each other. Sophie does make enchanted caps to keep Kristos safe, which is good, but how does Kristos thank her. He fools around with her workers even after she's told him not to, tells Pyord about her sewing circle which is very special and private to her, pretends to be held hostage so that she is forced to sew a curse (which she is against doing) which results in several people getting hurt, then tells her it's all for the greater good. I didn't think Sophie was a great sister, but Kristos was a terrible brother who was willing to risk his sister being arrested or even killed just to achieve his own goals. Sophie is something of a mentor to Penny and Alice, and her only friends are the group of charm casters, but she doesn't treat any of them well. Again she lies to Penny and Alice, even after Alice gets hurt, only gives her young Pellian friend a job when it's convenient for her and them lets her prejudicial attitude dictate what this friend is allowed to do. Viola is immediately willing to take Sophie in as a friend, but again when she's attacked at her house Sophie says nothing, and it's clear that the character isn't much more than a plot device. All in all I would say that Sophie makes a bad sibling, a bad love interest and a bad friend. So not someone you would want to be attached to, in my opinion.

World Building: I believe this world is inspired by the French Revolution, and it does feel like that. With the nobility having all the positions of power and the working class beginning to revolt. Then we get glimpses of other countries, like how Kvyest is closely tied to it's church, and that Pellian is very backwater but is known for creating charms and curses. Unfortunately, that's about it that I get of the world building. Part of the reason for this is that Sophie is so ignorant about the world around her that she would be able to tell you anything other than the latest fashion trend of the nobility. She doesn't grow in her knowledge though, isn't curious about learning new things that are very relevant to the conflict currently happening, so we get at best impressions not just of what other countries are like, but also what her home city is like. I personally love detailed worlds and the fact that this is an adult fantasy with minimal world building is definitely disappointing.  

Writing: This is going to hard separating the material for this section from the material for the dislike section, because I do think the theme of the book was solid and there were some valid points, but the author went about it the wrong way. First there's a very obvious caste system, even though no one talks about it. The only obvious distinction is between the nobility and the working class. Again the nobility hold all the seats of power while the working class have to struggle to ensure they have a job everyday. It's shown that groups can just take another culture's history and identity and use it for their own gain, which can be wrong. Riots are messy because it's a weighted game of who said what and usually the people that need the change the most are the ones that are most affected by the riots. A few leaders speaking for the best of everyone, without actually discussing it with various people and groups. This are all valid issues that are good for conflict and discussion. The problem is that the author clearly favors the nobility, to the point where she portrays them all as sweet and innocent, with no issues or wrong doings, while the working class are always portrayed as a mindless mob that is eager for violence. This is rather problematic. The world is not black and white, and while there are some good nobles like Theodor and Viola, I refuse to believe that all the nobility is pure. Then, to add insult to injury, portraying the working class as mostly brute males that trigger happy and only interested in really furthering their own goals is unrealistic. Would those people exist? Yes. Would they be a source of conflict? Absolutely. Would all working class people be just like that? No, so don't portray them as that. I was initially interest in the problems of men speaking up for the women and telling them what's good for the women, and the women standing up for themselves, but that isn't brought up at all except when Sophie is rejecting another marriage proposal. Also, there being not just classism but racism that needs to be dealt with, though that's never addressed. This book has several good sources of conflict for debate that could span a whole series, but reduces it down to nobles are good and any one else isn't. Not only was that a problematic narrative to read about, but it was also so irritating.

Dislikes: So I've made it clear that there are several characters I hated, mostly Sophie, and that the narrative had good source material but took a rather snobby tone with it, but there were a few other issues I had with the book. One was the racism. I've already stated that Sophie and Alice insists that Sophies one friend stay in the back while working so that they maintain the appearance of a wealthy business. This girl is Pellian, and they are described as having tan skin. Sophie is Pellian but dresses and acts very Galatine, while her one friend doesn't. So there's that and the fact that Pellia is always described as back water makes it clear that those in Galathia think less of that country. The real kicker though, as when Nia, a foreign diplomat, is killed. Now Nia was a competent character and she had distinctly dark skin. When I read that she had been killed I rolled my eyes and thought that the one character that was killed off was the one with the darkest skin tone. I don't think the author intentionally but in those racist elements, but they are there and it's a problem. The other problem I had that I haven't previously talked about was the ending. It was super rushed and just a blur where I didn't really get what happened. Everyone seemed fine then suddenly we are told the king was killed but that's it. A new king is crowned, Theodor becomes the crown prince, and Kristos somehow redeemed himself. First, I don't think Kristos really redeemed himself because it was so quick and he didn't really do anything. Also there was a lot of build up to this ball, and then almost nothing comes of it and Sophie is just hiding for the majority of it and is told what all transpired. There is so much telling and not showing in this book in general, but here it's particularly frustrating.

Final Thoughts: This book started out with so much potential for growth, but never delivered on any of it. The conflict is quite shallow actually and all the morals and world building is portrayed as very black and white, which I don't like seeing in a narrative. Sophie was an annoying and frustrating character that undergoes no character growth even though she sorely needed it. There were really no good, wholesome relationships in this book, of any kind. Basically this book was just a disappointment and I have no idea if I'm going continue with this series.    

[yusi-posts]

Role Reversal: What if Women Behaved Like Men?

Yusi Wang

Speculative Feminism and Sustainable Future

Project 2: Processing Media, Final Draft

Nov 15, 2019

Nowadays, various forms of media portray gender dynamics in many ways that might be very different from the real world we live in. People have certain beliefs and ideas about gender roles, and these ideas and stereotypes are often challenged by different forms of media. For example, the film in 2018 called The Favourite written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara invites us to imagine being in a world where women are the dominant figures, and men feel pressure to obey rules made by women. In reality, people live in the world of dualism where male is the dominating figure, and we receive news and stories in the media about how men are abusive in a relationship, or how most men are very competitive and have the power to make decisions in the political world. Men are these goal-oriented and skillful figures who are more powerful than women.

Based on the scholarly article “Girls Just Wanna Not Run: The Gender Gap in Young Americans’ Political Ambition”, the female office holders in the United States is a very small percentage. For example, only 20 percent of the US senators, 17.8 percent of members of the U.S House of Representatives, and 10 percent of State Governors are women (Lawless and Fox 1). Basically, the article uses lots of data and surveys to prove the gender gap in political ambition among college students. The data proved that “young men are more likely than young women to be socialized by their parents to think about politics are a career path”, and that “young women are less likely than young men to receive encouragement to run for office -- from anyone”(Lawless and Fox 6,12). The reality of our lives is that there exists a big gender gap in political ambition, and it is hard to change that based on all these expectations and beliefs of parents, teachers, and even ourselves. Similarly, another article on “Women's Issues and Their Fates in the U.S Congress” further supports the statement that not only gender gap exists in the political world, but also only 2 percent of bills related to women’s issues actually become law, while only 1 percent for women’s issue bills sponsored by women themselves (Volden et al. 679). These problems and unequal power dynamics between male and female prevail in our society, and some people get used to this situation pretty fast.

In the film The Favourite, the roles of men and women are reversed, which provides an alternative world that is autonomous to our dominant culture. Throughout the film, there are many specific moments of transformation and complicity that demonstrate how women are dominant in sexual relationships, political power, and finally, in making decisions for themselves to achieve their long-planned goals.

Set in early 18th-century England, The Favourite is about the relationship between three women: Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, her cousin Abigail Masham, and the Queen Anne (Lanthimos). While England is at war with France in 1704, Queen Anne is in poor health, and her secret lover is in control of governing the country (Lanthimos). Abigail, Sarah’s cousin, comes to search for a job because her father sold her in a gambling competition. After finding out the sexual relationship between Sarah and Anne, she uses different strategies to please the Queen, and eventually started a sexual relationship with Anne, while Sarah focuses on politics and war. The two constantly fight for the Queen’s favourite for gaining power and love, while the male characters in the film are portrayed as playful, subordinate, and purposeless.

By looking at the sexual relationships between Sarah and the Queen, and Abigail and Samuel, first Baron Masham, the audience are invited to observe how women manipulate their partners and obtain power, which is unusual in our real world stereotypes. In the very first scene of the movie, after the Queen is dressed up by multiple maids with luxurious clothing, Anne says with a firm attitude that Sarah should be willing to do anything for her, because love has no limits. This first conversation between the two women sets the tone for the whole film that they are fighting for love, within that are unavoidable sacrifice and loss. The audience learns that these two women love each other in the beginning, which is evolutionary because it is unusual and not appreciated by most people around that time in history. As the story goes on, Abigail comes in searching for a job. She is a woman with a kind heart, and willing to endure humiliation and difficulties in order to get what she wants. She finds herb in the forest to cure the Queen’s injured leg, and she goes into her room without permission. Even though Sarah whipps her for entering the room, she gains Sarah’s trust aftering Anne felt better after the herb is applied. Later, Sarah teaches Abigail to shoot birds with her in the huge backyard of the palace, and the male servants throw the birds into the air. The two women have a political conversation. Abigail is curious why Sarah fights hard for the war and is willing to send her beloved husband to the front of the line knowing that his life is at risk. Sarah says, “It is right. If we don’t do it, they’ll gather forces and be over here cutting us all into chops within the year… There is always a price to pay. I am prepared to pay it” (Lanthimos). In this scene, it is unusual to see two women shooting together talking about politics these days. The fact that Sarah is very clear-minded and willing to sacrifice men, even her own husband, for peace of the country demonstrates her power in the romantic relationship as well as her ambition for the greater good of the country. In real life, we think that men often goes fight for war because they wanted to do so, and women wait at home desperately wanting to hear even just a few words about their husbands.

In another scene, Samuel, first Baron Masham, shows affection towards Abigail when he sees her in the forest. When Abigail is in her room, he comes in all dressed up with delicate and royal clothing and is heavily covered in makeup. The exaggerated wig and eyeliner, heavy foundation and bright red lipstick show that the man spent a lot of time preparing to see Abigail. On the other hand, Abigail is not afraid to see him in the room at night, and she rather said in a playful tone, “what an outfit” (Lanthimos). And Samuel looks at Abigail and plays with his wig, “I thought it might be too much” (Lanthimos). Here it is surprising to see that Abigail is so comfortable talking to a man who just came into her room in the middle of the night, knowing that he is powerless in doing anything to hurt her. She knows how to control the man, while Samuel feels extremely shy and uncomfortable, and fear that Abigail might not like his makeup and outfit. This is exactly the opposite in what people experience in real life. We hear all these stories about men invading space, abusing and raping women, and women are so powerless to do anything about them, afraid to even speak up. Colleges have to affirm students that there are resources on campus for people to safely talk about these issues. However, in this scene, we see the change of power between men and women. Their conversation continues. The man confesses that he is totally intrigued by her, in turn, Abigail stands up and rubs his face aggressively, and says, “You are handsome”(Lanthimos). He tries to kiss her, but Abigail bits his lips and says that she does not allow it and pushes him out of the room. Throughout this encounter, Abigail remains logical and calm the whole time, while Samuel tries hard to understand and please the woman, but fails.

After Abigail gains admiration and trust from the Queen, Anne granted the opportunity for Abigail to marry Samuel, despite the difference in their status and power. Abigail finally changed from a maid to a person with status and power, and she uses Samuel’s love to gain a luxurious life. There is a scene where soon after they get married, Abigail dresses in fancy outfit holding wine in her hand, flirting with some other guys at a party, while Samuel looks at her angrily but helpless at the same time. Abigail does not care about how he feels, because she already has power and reputation in hands. This scene emphasis that once the woman got everything she wanted, she abandons the man in the relationship. Again, this challenges the idea of male domination in real life and gives the audience a fresh take on how women manipulate men to gain power. Last scene about woman domination in a romantic relationship is when Samuel wants to have sex with Abigail, but she does not care and instead talks about how to best use her power to manipulate Sarah, and that she is always ready to fight whenever she needs to. While talking to herself about how to make a plan to defeat Sarah, she still manages to satisfy the man’s need for sex using her hands. These short yet powerful scenes illustrate the female domination in romantic/sexual relationships, which show the audience how male and female roles can be reversed.

Second, there are several crucial scenes from the film that demonstrates women domination in political power. One of the scenes starts with two men waiting to see the Queen to discuss about making peace for the war. Sarah came for the Queen to make decisions. She states that the Queen felt strong for the war instead of making peace. Sarah has decided to double the land tax even though the man, Mr. Harley thinks the decision is madness. They argue about love for the country, and she is willing to give up anything, even the last man to fight for victory. The man disagrees and asks to see the queen. Sarah says, “State it to me. I love comedy” (Lanthimos). The man wanted to say more, but Sarah cuts him off again, “Your mascara is running. If you’d like to go fix yourself, we can continue this later” (Lanthimos). The man is angry but does not know what to say, he stares at her closely, Sarah stares back, the man and runs away in madness. After he left, the other man warns Sarah that “A man’s dignity is one thing that holds him back from running amok.” Sarah smiles, “Sometimes a lady likes to have some fun”(Lanthimos). This brief exchange between Sarah and the man demonstrates women's power in political decision-making, and that she is not afraid of speaking her mind, and even has fun arguing with men. This scene makes it possible for a man to lose dignity for a woman to have some fun when discussing politics.

In another conversation between Mr. Harley and Abigail, he wants to ask for her help on updating important political decisions that Anne and Sarah are making. At first Abigail refuses to help, because she wants to stay true to Sarah who gave her a job. But later, as she becomes more powerful and finds out the sexual relationship between Anne and Sarah, she wanted even more power. Therefore, for her own goal, she gives some information to Harley but not all, to exchange for an opportunity to marry Samuel. Even though on the surface Harley successfully avoided the doubled tax on land, the audience knows that Abigail is the ultimate winner of power. This favor exchange illustrates how Abigail, as a woman, can utilize her knowledge about the Queen to make a political decision for the country that is eventually for her own good. Men, in contrast, are depicted as foolish and helpless characters that have to listen to obey the women all the time.

One of the scenes depicting the activities of men further implies the reversed power dynamics of women and men compare to real life. In a huge and magnificent room in the palace, a man stands naked in front of fifteen other well-dressed men, and he is covered in fruits and cakes. Basically, these well-dressed men throw tons of food to the naked man to have fun. They also set up routes for ducks to compete with each other and see which one runs the fastest. They are depicted as if they have nothing else to do. These men do not care about the country and power because they have no purpose in their lives.

In the film The Favourite, women are dominant in their romantic/sexual relationships and political stances. Most importantly, they are able to make decisions for themselves and for their own successes. We see these women as independent individuals who work hard for their goals and dreams. It is very interesting to see the contract between female and male characters in this movie: one is depicted as driven, motivated, smart, skillful, and free, whereas the other is depicted as playful, pleasing, dependent, and purposeless. This complete role reversal provides the audience an alternative and imaginative world that is the opposite of our real world dominant culture and tradition. It invites the audience to think about what is it like to live in a world where three women are in the power of determining the faith of an entire country. It invites the audience to rethink on why the concept of feminism exists, and why is it that some people try hard to promote equality for all. It invites the audience to walk in someone else’s shoes, and to feel the emotions and feelings that are not usual in our daily lives.

Works Cited

Lanthimos, Yorgos. “The Favourite.” YouTube, uploaded by YouTube Movies, 27 November 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5rNSBaR1Hw&has_verified=1

Lawless, Jennifer L., and Richard L. Fox. Girls Just Wanna Not Run - American.edu. https://www.american.edu/spa/wpi/upload/girls-just-wanna-not-run_policy-report.pdf.

Volden, C., Wiseman, A., & Wittmer, D. (2018). Women’s Issues and Their Fates in the US Congress. Political Science Research and Methods, 6(4), 679-696. doi:10.1017/psrm.2016.32