#I thought it'd be a good story

[wanderingmind867]

Oh, motherfucker. I hate to swear, but this issue made me want to swear. Of course the sons of the serpent were led by the Chinese Communist! Of course! Of freaking course! I hate this issue. I'm sorry but it's atrocious. I hate it. I'm not going to want to reread this anytime soon. Leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Now hopefully this is the last dumb cold war story in this collection:

Edit: I still feel really weird having swore here. So I'm going to try and pretend I didn't do it, because it's making me feel all awkward, for some reason.

[andorerso]

Felicity Jones as Jill Barker True Story (2015)

[fictionadventurer]

I went into Ruth expecting a dreary read. How could a Victorian "fallen woman" story be anything other than dark and depressing? So I was shocked right from the beginning to find a sweet, gentle, romantic story. The dressmaker's apprentice who sits in the coldest, darkest part of the workroom because that's where there's a panel painted with flowers that remind her of her country home? How could I not adopt her as a favorite character? Ruth's innocent, romantic outlook on life gave us some beautiful descriptions of the scenery of both city and countryside, and my imagination went on overdrive to create very vivid images of the story. Even the love story, which we know is going to go very wrong, starts out sweet, with a kind, charming love interest who only shows flashes of just how wrong his character is going to go.

Even after Ruth's fall, the story is so gentle, putting Ruth among kind people who are willing to risk and sacrifice a lot to help her. And then the story gets almost too gentle--after some initial struggles with depression, Ruth resolves to bear her troubles patiently and work toward virtue, and her sweet, too-innocent character gets flattened out into someone who's just Good. Life just goes on, with things generally going well, and every potential turn toward drama results in someone deciding to be reasonable, which can make the story drag.

But, in a story like this, the lack of drama becomes the plot twist! It is refreshing to see characters who don't always jump to the worst conclusion or take the worst action, who pause and consider the whole story and act like decent human beings.

And in the places when the drama does kick in, it's good drama. Painful drama. It's also (especially in the last section of the story) melodrama. There were sections of the book where I was rolling my eyes at the cookie-cutter Victorian path the story was taking--but then there'd be one line or one moment that would just stab me in the chest because of how beautifully specific it was to this story. Just enough to elevate it from something bland to something unique and fascinating.

I often had the thought that this book could be about a third of its length without losing anything--yet it should also be just as long as it was. If the story cut all its repetitive musings about Ruth's regret, and used that space to develop the side characters and and show the plot instead of telling us about it, it would be a much deeper story. I found myself wishing Gaskell had reworked this one later in her career--the way that North and South was a more skillful reworking of the issues explored in Mary Barton. In a way, she sort of did in Wives and Daughters, with the story of Molly the quiet innocent getting tangled up in the intrigues surrounding her headstrong, flirtatious stepsister Cynthia serving as a more layered, personality-flipped version of the story where headstrong, sheltered Jemima gets tangled in the story of quiet, sweet Ruth and her past romantic intrigues. (The doctor at the end of the story also feels like a proto-Mr. Gibson).

Yet I'm still fascinated by the themes specific to this story. Contrary to expectation, this "fallen woman" story isn't about sex, or gender, or how unfairly women are treated (though it does touch on that in the end). It's about sin. It's not questioning why Ruth's behavior is considered a sin or looking to dismantle the society saying that it's a sin. It comes from the Christian perspective of saying that sin is real and harms people--so how are we going to deal with that?

The story shows lots of people struggling with temptation, failing, and dealing with the consequences (or harming others with the consequences). Sin is always a case of either not caring enough to do the more difficult, good thing, or a case of "the ends justify the means", where people rationalize their bad behavior as something necessary in this specific case. It always leads to harm, but some people--and some sins--suffer greater consequences in the eyes of the world, whether or not they deserve it. I wish the story had developed and resolved this theme better in places, but the raw material there is fascinating food for thought.

This book is Gaskell at her preachiest, but also Gaskell at her kindest. It explores deep, difficult issues in a very loving way. As a story, there are ways it could be better, but I'm very glad I read it. Perhaps I'm making a point to be kinder to it because I know it's the type of story that today's readers tend to judge harshly. But amid my issues with the story, there are some lovely images, some great messages, and some wonderful characters that going to be living in my heart for a long time.

[phoenixcatch7]

Why can't we have a batman is the spirit of Gotham au?

He already is, in meta, in character, in theming. Him and the joker. He is so very built upon what Gotham is made of, and Gotham builds from what he needs in turn, the setting of his story.

What if that is the reason he can take damage that would permanently ruin a physical career and come back? What if that's how he's managed to maintain his no-kill streak to such an extent? What if that's how he manages to maintain such high maintenance and all consuming identities?

For the heart and soul of a city containing all extremes, the richest nobility and the lowest of the poor, the cruellest villains and the most compassionate heroes, orphaned children and ancient lineages, a city rooted in fear and madness and grit-teeth determination and hard won kindness, what better choice could you find than Bruce Wayne?

But what if he wasn't alone in that? What if Gotham has sunk to such a low because its spirit is damaged and corrupted?

For the heart and soul of the cruellest city in the dc universe, the most unrelenting and uncaring, the one that practically laughs at your pain and suffering as you try to make it through another day, what better choice than the Joker?

[silverware-is-interesting]

I literally NEVER do asks but I have to,

As predictable (being his number one fan ever) I really want anyyyy tidbits about Sonny,,, I need to know more about the beloved, i need to know,,,

anyways, is it okay that I made a band au version of my recently made oc? An idea just sprung into my mind and I can't get over it. Already drew it n everything but I wanted to double double check.

Band au my beloved <3

so, there's not all too much i can really say if i ever do anything, since most of the things i've thought about are pretty plot-relevant. i can try to put a couple things

so, he still dies but he's not quite as, well, helpful. he kinda fell into a slump sine he worked so hard on everything with the band and, in his lifetime they weren't really all too popular. so he's been in some piece of tech, a computer still, and thinks things over.

oh, he's been almost erased from company history, not in like a gaster way though, more like the company blacks out any images of his face

i'll make him a little bio once i have enough n decide if i'll actually make a story of this or kinda just release little tidbits little-by-little. what i could tell you is the songs in the playlist i had added because of sonny's involvement in the story though

i have a few little sketches of his (concept) design so here, have a concept (not great quality screenshots)

they'll probably change but y'know. it's somethin' though

as for ocs, yeah. that's perfectly alright. band-ify your little guys if you want! basically the only guideline is that they can't have an instrument that someone else in the band has (though, a guitar or different type of drum are both alright) and kinda have a rock-esc aesthetic to them OH! and tag me! i'd love to see them!

yeah,, my beloved too

[obeymeow]

nightbringer lesson 14 FUCKED ME UP in several ways but primarily I've spent the last 48 hours making myself sad over the solomon backstory we got. specifically I have, for no reason, latched onto that one chapter in the Kids event where baby solomon cried because he felt so guilty over being responsible for that spell. and that just feels a touch more depressing in context

[blinkbones]

i didnt really like the last scene of Primal (s2) but thematically it makes perfect sense and i can't be mad at it. Primal, besides being a visual delight of cartoonized gore & character design, is a story about the continuation of life. The second season could not make it more clear, with the emphasis put on the egg-laying scene, managing to imbue the long close-up of a cloaca with a sense of poetic wonder; and even more so, with the darwin episode, in which charles darwin explains primal theory before getting to play action hero. (this episode was honestly so shameless about having fun; it's a gem). This episode being the only one with dialogue that most of the audience would understand, as well as the only one breaking away from the main story, highlights its importance and makes it almost a demonstration of the series as a whole: one that openly chucks historical accuracy to the side to play with the concept of violence as a means of survival. what it doesn't mention, however, is the subsidiary theme of the importance of "family", aka the group one belongs to. It shines through with the main duo, and of course with the subplots of the giant and the vikings. With all this in mind, I can't argue against the thematic coherence and near necessity of the final sex scene--i may not have liked it, but it fits in with the narrative. As the caveman slowly dies from the wounds inflicted by the only being that could beat him (a godlike avenger), mira gazes at his paintings and gets a sense of his loneliness. They have travelled far together and while she may have found her village again, her previous lover is long dead. In many ways, they belong to one another and are "family" already (with the lizards too, of course). It's true that the scene, while quick, does not shy away in a classic fade-to-black--i'd call it off-puttingly intimate--but the series is very adult; it spreads intestines over just about every episode. And most of all, it's not grotesque or ridiculous--it's a tender rekindling of hope, symbolized by the dinosaur-riding daughter in the last images.

[blametheeditor]

In Terms Of Agreement Will afton make an appereance? What is he ?

Afton, our favorite owner of Fazbear Corporation and torturer of Scott's! Will he be gracing us with his presence in the battle over a single soul that may or may not be worth it considering the time and effort but the three involved are too stubborn and proud to simply forfeit?

Fortunately for Fritz, he won't be appearing anytime soon. But as the series progresses he most certainly will! The most powerful demon in hell who overthrew the original ruler can only be held back for so long.

Unfortunately for everyone else, Afton's not going to be happy when he does appear. He didn't start out as a powerful demon and had to claw his way to the top with hard work and dedication just like everyone else, collecting thousands of souls without anyone's help...at least in the beginning. Once you reach a certain point, you become a target that's worth more than a hundred guaranteed souls, so he found a few demons to stay by his side. As long as he keeps them happy, what could go wrong!

He's actually the one who implemented the competition. Don't get him wrong, he enjoys a good show of numerous demons and monsters tearing each other apart in order to obtain a soul, but it wasn't productive. Because instead of only two demons needing to reform after losing, it ranged from five to fifty, most of which would've won a different soul during that time instead of letting the angels get it. Limiting who can compete for one soul was the best way to get everyone what they wanted.

And to be honest, everyone was happy! It's Afton's other transgressions that led to a select few working together to keep their ruler from enforcing certain decrees not everyone would agree with. Maybe they went a little too far, but hindsight's 20/20. And Afton will make sure they regret it.

But they can worry about that later. Right now Vincent, David, and James refuse to admit they might be a little too invested in their current custody battle. Despite how Fritz feels about his situation, at least he isn't facing someone like Afton.

[famewolf]

'It’s like the sun has entered Gary’s very soul. Every part of him burns with those words as they pound with each beat of his heart. Engulfing his body in divine flames, he is consumed entirely. This is all that exists.' - Chapter 1 of Better the Devil You Know

finished editing the first chapter of a project I wrote 2 years ago and plan to finish in November. it's a wordy, indulgent fic about my two favorite traumatized men from a campaign long, long ago.

it is explicit in nature, though the first chapter is mild, the content warnings are marked in the tags.

[shopcat]

i've decided if some sort of theoretical atla animated film about the earth avatar has to be set in the modern verse it should either be like INCREDIBLY different from ours to stop things from being ... bad. and that the spirit world influences have really ramped up so that it still feels like magical realism or w/e. but alternatively it would just be really good if it wasn't set in like the 2020s but very obviously the 70s-90s that would be awesome for me personally

[being-of-rain]

pretty covers!

[wanderingmind867]

I like Gnosticism. This polytheistic version of Christianity wherein the material world was created by a fake god, Yaldabaoth/The Demiurge. This was the god of the old testament, I believe. And the New Testament was about Jesus coming to try and teach people about the truth behind the formation of the earth. I don't know it all too well (I'm no scholar), but I like what I heard. I also like the idea I heard wherein Jesus dying and coming back to life was possible because Christ (one of the many gods) entered his body when he was baptized and left his body when he was nailed it the cross. It'd interesting. I'd love to see some YA Fantasy take on the Gnostic mythos. It would have to be a YA Fantasy style book though, because I struggle to read anything beyond the Percy Jackson or Harry Potter level. And the old english of the religious texts is impossible to understand for me. Here's a link to a page I read once on the subject of Gnosticism:

[morninkim]

Rise of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Evil Empire Aliens

After 10,000 years... It’s free.

(Story-relevant info and context under the cut)

Dr. Finster has been hearing whispers in his head for the past 50 years, roughly since he acquired this strange artifact found on the Moon. It started sparingly at first, once or twice a year at most, however in the past few months - since the appearance of Goldar and the Power Rangers - they’ve become more frequent. Louder. It says it can help Promethea defeat these invaders, help the Power Rangers, help the Earth.

It just needs energy.

An alert comes in on the base’ security systems, Goldar has appeared just outside the perimeter. The voice beckons Finster to go.

“The Power Rangers will come. I just need the energy from their transformation. Take me to them.”

Finster resists at first, but is compelled, sneaking himself and the artifact out in the panic as Goldar makes his approach to Promethea base. Of course, he’s intercepted by the Power Rangers, their teleportation scrambling Promethea’s video relays. No one in the base sees what happens next. But they feel it.

The Rangers - too occupied with their battle to notice Dr. Finster hiding nearby in the desert brush with the artifact - call their Dinosaur powers and transform, releasing a pulse of multicolored energy.

And the artifact opens.

Everything is swallowed in darkness in an instant as a shape begins to form between the two factions. Piercing red eyes. Gold markings. And sharp claws.

The shadow wastes no time in attacking the Rangers, taunting them. It calls them “incomplete”, “weak” and “lacking”. Questions where their sixth is.

Beaten down and near defeat, the Rangers make a stand. They refuse to give up, combining their attacks to deal a solid strike to the shadow.

It shudders from the damage, weakened.

And retreats.

Goldar withdraws as well. There is no honor in taking another’s kill. He must go find where the shadow went, and leaves the Rangers to lick their wounds.

Following their defeat, Alpha V alerts the Rangers to something new he’s detected. Something that may lend them the help they desperately need.

Or rather, someone...

Meanwhile, the shadow streaks across the desert to the city, finding a lone girl in a green hoodie in an alleyway. It senses... Insecurities. Loneliness. Strife. Exactly what it can take advantage of. It draws itself over the girl, taking root in her mind and controlling her body.

Later, in the body of the girl (or Tommy Oliver, as it had found in her head) and having created its own garments with its magic, the shadow finds Finster at his small apartment downtown. It thanks him for freeing it. But she requires more from him.

“What was it you called my urn? Rita Repulsa? Yes... yes, I like that name.”

[raiiny-bay]

monster boyz... documentary...

[normalest-of-knees]

Listen I absolutely love the Tree Lady/Blacksmith! She's wonderful and cool

However, I do feel that we get a bunch of info and lore that contradicts a bunch of things or starts to make other info fall apart

Namely, the getting through the door thing.

In the 9th episode, the Cat's explanation that Neo can't go through because she has nothing to go back to made enough sense to me.

Ok, sure! Perhaps Afterans cannot leave? Or, perhaps the Cat can't because they are important here? Who knows, but that's an interesting rule! Cool!

Then the Blacksmith explains about the Brother Gods and how they were given a door to leave, and the door would be open for them to return whenever they like. Including, any of their creations.

So then.... why couldn't the Cat leave??? My best guess is the Gods made it so that the Cat couldn't leave, so that they can stay and do their job for them. But that seems cruel (though, making a creature to take over your job for you and to take on everyone else's burdens but never have it's own burdens eased is also super cruel)

The Cat just wanted to go explore and find out why they were abandoned, how is that wrong?

Also, that "you can't get through the door without attachments to another world" thing seemed quite arbitrary afterward. Yes, the group have reasons to go back, but it just doesn't seem to matter anymore after the Cat is.... dealt with

And side note: does this now mean that the Tree/Blacksmith is THE God of this universe? As Ever After seems to be the origins of everything now. I know it seems the Blacksmith isn't necessarily the actual Tree, but still. She's quite important

And why didn't anyone ask her how to deal with Salem????? Is that not important?? Doesn't hurt to try, right?? Worst she can say is "That's for you to find out" or something...

Thank you for giving Ruby therapy, Blacksmith Tree Lady, but jeepers crappers I wish you were utilized better

[phantatrix]

With ao3 down, part of me wonders if I should start crossposting my fics?? I guess it wouldn't hurt since I generally cross-post my art on different sites. Something for me to think about tonight