#II Nature

[ciderbird]

academic bias is so funny because you’ll be reading about the same historical event and one person is like “Despite the troubles that befell his homeland and near constant criticism of the court King Blorbo remained strong in the face of adversity” and the other one is like “after letting his people carry the brunt of his cringefail decisions Blorbo the Shitface refused to listen to any reason and continued to be a warmongering piece of shit. Also he was ugly.”

[temeyes]

to this day, they still don't believe him

[alicent-archive]

the thing is. the THING is. no one. absolutely NO ONE thought Aegon would be able to rule. he was this piece of clay to be moulded by Otto, Alicent, and the small council. the only thing those people wanted from him was his uselessness. and the FUNNY thing is. he FAILED at being useless.

Aegon, the family failure, failed at failing.

[sodamnbored]

Leo: *frantically rubbing himself down with balloons*

Nico: What on earth are you doing?

Leo: I’m about to try asking Jason out.

Nico, sarcastically: Sure, that explains everything.

Leo, impatiently: I need it to go well. Look at that face. He must have people hitting on him all the time, so I need a way to stand out.

Leo, grinning: So I’m going to use static electricity to create an electric shock when I casually touch him, so sparks will literally fly when I ask him out.

Nico, amused: Okay, well have fun tricking Jason into falling in love with you.

[allyriadayne]

AEGON TARGARYEN AND JACAERYS VELARYON: PARALLELS AND FOILS

Criston: Eldest son against eldest son. Harwin: It's hardly a fair match.

[meteors-lotr]

Lotr + The Hobbit as The Onion Headlines

[affectionatecorpse]

I'm once again getting overly philosophical over horror movies, so here's a study of the death angels from A Quiet Place as observed by a very enthusiastic animal loving veterinarian.

Every time people talk about death angels, it is, understandably, about how violent they are. These creatures are brutal and merciless, and will tear apart anything that makes too much noise. Hence the title of the movie.

Death angels are frankly terrifying, and show no empathy towards the creatures of the planet they invaded. No living thing is safe from them.

... so here's why they COULD be--

Look. Death angels are simply not suited for our planet. It's a noisy, chaotic place full of noisy, chaotic animals. From humans, to raccoons, to birds, to cats, nearly everything in our world is a potential trigger for a noise sensitive animal such as these.

But that's exactly what they are. Animals. And no one seems to remember that fact. People talk about them as though they themselves are sentient, anthropomorphic monsters, but the way these creatures act mimic many real life animals. Animals that don't belong here, but are trying to survive here. On a noisy planet covered in water, which they despise and cannot swim in.

Death angels are completely blind by nature, as seen in many other creatures such as cavefish, moles, and my personal favourite, the olm. Due to a lack of sight, they very clearly use echolocation in the film, to scan their surroundings and... well, not get dead. But echolocation is far from their only tool, as their ears are the strongest asset they have.

Their ears are INCREDIBLY sensitive. Just the slight ticking of an egg timer when heard from their perspective in the first film, is like a pounding drum in their ear. This is fine in a naturally quiet planet, but if a very subtle tick is that loud, then imagine the rest of the noise. Screaming. Explosions. Crashing. Little toy planes. Holy CRAP, that's gotta hurt.

Sounds that loud would definitely cause extreme hearing problems from pressure over time, and easily result in lifelong illnesses and disabilities such as deafness, infection, and so forth, if not stopped. It's going to be painful. It's literally bursting their ear drums inside their heads, and you can't explain to an animal why it hurts. You cannot rationalise with wildlife about treatment and self care. An injured and scared animal is always going to turn hostile, no matter how docile they may be normally. You can't explain to a lion with a knife in it's belly that you can stop the pain if it just doesn't attack you. You can't explain to a death angel that it needs to go somewhere more isolated instead of just destroying the source of the noise to shut it up.

Going to backtrack here a sec. Remember how I mentioned echolocation being another asset this creature has? Which means the slightest movement, the tiniest breath, can immediately allow you to be seen by it. With ears that good, too? It can see you from ages away. It knows you're there. Which means they DON'T attack for sport.

'Evil' is a concept rarely seen in nature. Yes, a lot of humans can be evil. And yes, many creatures can be too. Animals hunt for sport as well. Cats, for example! Although even then, I wouldn't describe it as evil. Calling the death angels evil implies they're attacking out of malicious intent, which just isn't true. In moments of panic, they'll destroy. But they are fully aware of humans around them.

Humans need to breathe, and can't stay perfectly still very easily. The death angels would be able to see our main cast at several points, even when they're being quiet. They don't attack whenever they locate a sign of life. For example, the scene in the basement. Being that close, whether the water was running or not, that alien absolutely would've heard Evelyn and the baby's sharp breaths. It didn't care. It was clicking at them almost curiously before it heard the bang of the silo, to which it ditched them to stop the sound.

This scene is a great example of why they don't kill for sport. Injured and young animals are especially easy prey for a creature built so strong and nimble. Evelyn is shown to be terrified of the mere presence of this thing, but it never actually does anything in the scene. It moves about. Ignores her movements in the flooding water. Investigates the baby. Clicks curiously at her while she backs away. It moves slowly and on all fours, when we know while aggressive, they will stand up on their hind legs (unless sprinting) and move very fast.

This implies it was in... well, not a submissive position, but a nonthreatening one. It wasn't baring it's teeth (as best it could), it had it's claws tucked up and unused, and was in no way in a primed-to-attack mentality. Until the silo made a loud bang. And even then, it could've quickly sliced up the two in the basement before running off, but it DIDN'T. It just left, without a moment of hesitation.

Let's also acknowledge the anatomy.

This is a carnivore. With sharp teeth for ripping apart prey, sharp claws for defence, and thick armour for protection from it's natural climate, as well as strong, long legs for running, this is absolutely a meat eater. The fact it's so well equipped makes me wonder if their natural prey is just as dangerous as them, which is why they have such tough skin. Or if they themselves have something above them in the food chain.

They seem to be pack animals, as usually others aren't far behind when one is about. Such as the trio by the Abbott house, the few at the docks, the ones by Emet's hideout, and even that group sliding down the building in the Day One clip I keep seeing as a gif. With their knack for running included, I wonder if they function like lions? Blending into their environment back home, clicking to hear prey, then the whole pack going on the chase when their target is vulnerable, in a way.

I got distracted. My point was, in a year, all the bodies from past victims vanished. All those people in the town who were swiped left and right just vanished from the town. They couldn't have decomposed in such short time, which means something moved them when it was safe. Something like a carnivore needing food after it felt comfortable in the silent aftermath. The argument that they do it for sport is one I see all the time, and it's just not true.

Everything needs to eat. Carnivores need to eat. Animals need to protect themselves from suspected danger. They never eat on screen because whenever they're on screen, they're surrounded by noise and are DISTRESSED. Have you ever had a sick pet? Most of the time, it won't eat when it's ill because it's too stressed, uncomfortable or in too much pain. When having their ear drums assaulted, a death angel isn't going to sit down with a cup of tea and a grilled cheese. Also, I won't add it because there's blood, but in the scene with the old man screaming in the woods, after it attacks, you can actually see it go back on all fours and sniff about the aftermath, like a hungry predator catching prey to eat. This was probably the first and currently only on screen proof of my claim.

By all means, not all animals are meant to be tamed. Jordan Peele's Nope said that best. Yet I can't help but wonder about the individual. Every animal is completely unique. Some will tolerate more than others. Due to their realistic nature and the similarities to actual animals, in specific circumstances, could they be befriended?

Anyway keep an eye out for A Quiet Place 4 where someone has a pet one that wears doggy ear protectors and accepts meat in exchange for pets-- /j

[doomsdayartificer]

Using the Helldivers vs Sony battle as an illustrative example to teach gamers about the power of unions and collective bargaining as effective tools for opposing corporate chicanery.

[divineandmajesticinone]

KISS X KISS X KISS: Love ii Shower (2023) "Sensei, you're so mean. I only want to be happy, but... It's hurting me. I got it."

[visenyaism]

Okay I simply must ask, what are Cersei and Rhaegar’s kids Aegon and Rhaenys(? - I assume that’s what they called the other daughter) like? Do they get along with their sister?

hmmm i think Rhaenys inherits her father’s melancholy and solemn sense of purpose, but very practical. not a big believer in magic or prophecy. why would she be. that’s all reserved for her brother who is going to save the world that’s what everyone says. has a genuine passion for statecraft that no one in her life humors or encourages aside from the occasional books sent by her uncle tyrion or her grandmother rhaella on a quiet day who might listen to her and nod quietly. her mother loved her when she was a little porcelain dress up doll toddler but has little regard for her any older. shunted between being betrothed to her uncle viserys and her brother aegon depending on if her father or grandfather has more power at court but really she’d be happiest as like. master of laws in her own right. neutral towards her brother, has a healthy amount of disdain for visenya ii because rhaenys recognizes the same thing in her that exists in viserys and aerys and maybe also her father as in there’s something living within you that makes you destroy everything you touch. she doesn’t understand it and doesn’t want to.

Aegon is pretty messed up given that Cersei is trying to groom him into the perfect extension of herself prince-king she was never allowed to be and Rhaegar is trying to groom him into being the messiah. Don’t think he ever gets the chance to be his own person or develop a personality outside of crushing pressure that externalizes as arrogance. when his parents’ marriage falls apart and both of them are trying to win Aegon over to have him be like their puppet heir he crashes out, is not seen at court for six months, comes back wrong. Not close with either of his sisters, not even the one he’s engaged to, because he’s not really close with anyone. readily apparent that he cannot take off the mask or turn off the messiah prince persona because there is simply nothing underneath. if Dany brings back the dragons in this at all it’s definitely his death that does it.

[prolibytherium]

The absolute lowest caliber of nature documentaries are the ones that are like, styled as tournaments debating which 'scary' animals would win in a fight. I kind of love them. They're always like:

NATURE'S BADDEST

Narrator who perpetually sounds like he's in a nerf gun commercial: THE RHINOCEROS IS UP TO 3000 POUNDS OF SHEER MUSCLE AND ANGER. THEY CAN CHARGE AT OVER THIRTY MILES AN HOUR, ENOUGH TO TRAMPLE ANYTHING UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN THEIR WARPATH.

[footage of a rhino charging] [footage of a rhino tossing its horns]

Interview clip of whatever actual biologist they got for this: Yeah you probably could not outrun a rhino.

Narrator: YOU CAN'T RUN......AND YOU CAN'T HIDE.

[footage of a rhino chasing a dude] [footage of a rhino chasing a lion]

Interview clip of a guy who got attacked by a rhino once: I was attacked by a rhino once.

[shaky reenactment footage showing closeups of an actor screaming and flailing in some bushes, presumably from rhino POV]

Narrator: IS NOTHING SAFE FROM THESE BOISTEROUS BADDIES?

Interview clip of whatever actual biologist they got for this: Most species of rhino are threatened, and a few species are critically endangered and very close to extinction. They're subject to a lot of pressure from poaching and habitat loss.

Narrator (momentarily kind of solemn): IT SEEMS EVEN THIS UNRULY UNGULATE CAN'T STAND UP TO EVERYTHING LIFE THROWS AT IT..........

.....EXCEPT PERHAPS... A CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[footage of a rhino flipping over a car]

[same footage of a rhino flipping over a car in slow motion] [car crash sfx] [screaming sfx] [guitar riff] [inexplicable bear roar sfx]

Narrator: THIS TON AND A HALF MASS OF MUSCLE, HORN, AND FURY MAY BE BAD... BUT HOW DOES IT FARE AGAINST OUR NEXT CONTENDER... THE TARANTULA?!!

[footage of an utterly harmless spider set to scary music]

[fulgurbugs]

alright i’m done take it off my hands

[todayontumblr]

Thursday, February 8.

You may

When the going gets tough, the tough get nothing but the very best: all the serotonin money can't buy. So if you, weary traveler, should come to our door this most oppressive Thursday, February 8, like an impoverished Robin Hood fox cartoon, bespectacled, bedraggled, and be shaking a measly tin of coin in our direction, then welcome. Let us fill your tin with all the crumbs we can muster—and then some.

[fayriequeene]

[soulspark]

[389]

Magnificent Mare, 32"w x 28"h, Oil and Gold Leaf on board THOMAS BLACKSHEAR II