#Narrative theory

[cephalopod-celabrator]

One of the best things about discworld is that the whole thing is just a giant genre tug-of-war, and genre shifts are sometimes very dangerous. Get too much magic in a place? Well, then it shifts from funny ironic fantasy to full on major high fantasy, which sounds fun until you realize that high fantasy has dragons and otherworldly monsters. A fairy godmother makes everything fairytale, but the sheer force of cliches sort of eliminates free will. A pair of skilled killers come to the city hoping to take it by the shorthairs, but keep on getting traumatized by the various monsters that are just around. There's a politician very aware of how the story keeps dangerously veering into lovecraftian horror. The elves from fairyland actually turn the genre into alien horror, not whimsical fantasy. I know people say that "discworld is sci-fi in fantasy clothes" and that has a lot of truth to it, but that shortchanges the constantly shifting barroom brawl of genres that is the discworld.

[thatkaseyjames]

📖✨ New video essay just dropped: Why Books Still Matter ✨📖

I'veeee been thinking a lot about books the last few weeks, what makes them stick, why some haunt us for years, and ink on page can live rent-free in your head for years. So I made a video about it.

This one dives into: – How stories outlive the people who wrote them – Why banned books say more about society than the books themselves – Interpretation vs. intent – That weird electric feeling when a book hits just right – And a little peek at the fantasy series I’m writing 👀

It’s part of my video essay series Through My Eyes, where I talk about the media that shapes us and the stories that leave a mark.

💬 Come yell at me about your favorite books

[aggressiveguitarnoises]

i have media studies exam (although mock so its fine) that i didnt study for so im gonna force myself to practice by applying barthes narrative theory to season 1 hannibal (vaguely tbh cuz its the whole seasom but ok)

hermeneutic codes(how do u even pronounce this omfg) :

enigma codes, they are def crucial to this show as each episode raises more and more unanswered questions as the audience continues watching the show, questions like who is commiting the crimes, is will ok, does he know how fucked up his clocks are, is crawford fucking stupid, is abigail ok, what the hell is hannibal doing, why are they using cat guts for strings, are the dogs gonna live oh my god please can the dogs be okay for once

usually done by leaving cliffhangers for each episode

it drives the audience forward and interests them so they continue watching the show to find out the answers to their questions

its also a convention to use hermeneutic codes for horror crime shows like hannibal

Proairetic codes:

action codes, the actions done to drive the narrative forward, previous events drive other events into action. ngl this one is fucking stupid to apply i dont get if i ever apply it correctly

in hannibal, proairetic codes tie a lot with hermeneutic codes as the actions of the characters raise questions for the audience questioning their choices and makes the audience wonder what will happen next. the action creates tension and makes the audience wonder how the created problem(if there is one) will be resolved. for example when hannibal lecter called abigails father to inform him that "they know" and that fbi is on the way. this drives the narrative forward as then the audience wonders how the characters will react and wonder how the actions will affect the story. this action ended up with abigail becoming an orphan and their suspect dead, creating a few side plots and introducing new characters. this constant tension created by each action drives the narrative forward and engages the audience to continue watching the show

semantic codes:

connotations, things associated with something, the deeper level meaning of a symbol. this one is hard yet so easy cuz theres literally SO many of them

they basically give insight into the plot and characters, building personalities and maybe even starting the deep questions the audience will have

for example, for hannibal, hes quite sophisticated, the semantic codes for that would be how he wears suits all the time, his overall style and his acquired taste. those things connote sophistication, wealth and even control and power (especially the suit and his high respected position as a psychiatrist)

but another thing that can be derived from things like how hes always careful, always has a cloth that doesn't leave any fabric fibres, how he doesn't use anything digital, only physical things like journals to leave no traces, the fact that hes literally eating his evidence lmao, his knowledge and experience of human anatomy and mind connote that hes a careful, experienced, ambitious man and prob(definitely) is a serial killer

symbolic codes:

it has such an easy concept that its literally confusing to understand. its basically symbols, binaries, a thematic/structural device, but it's basically about themes and contrary signs specifically, which is ig why its kind of difficult to understand since its specifically binary symbols

some symbolic codes in hannibal would be life vs death, clearly a reoccurring theme with all of the crimes happening, good vs bad, murderers and their victims, health? both physical and mental? stability? work vs personal life? idk its so hard to pin point it even tho its so easy and common idk

a better example woukd be the bad vs good binary used in star wars with ghe colours of light sabers

Cultural codes:

literally cultural and social conventions, knowledge that comes from the outside world of the text, specific connotations used

example, FBI for crimes and america, religion and faith, the whole fbi units especially medical, even Christmas is a cultural code as its a celebrated event of certain social and cultural and religious conventions

bruv i cant think of any more examples even tho i know theres so many

hope yall enjoyed my silly analysis of hannibal as my media studies application practice if u read it all xx

[twosides--samecoin]

also, unsure if you ever read pokemon fic, but if you appreciate music informing the reader of a character's personality and diegetic music, you may enjoy "make you suffer" by girllikesubstance on ao3. i certainly did! it's written like an action movie but with solid characterization; i literally cannot recommend the author's work enough.

Oh, I have not, thank you for the recommendation!

"Diegetic music", for anyone who's never heard of it, refers to any in-universe music or lyric that is interacted with or acknowledged by the characters. The musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is entirely diegetic music, performed by the characters; however the intro theme of that show is not.

I consider music a main character in the fic. It started with choosing song titles for chapters and the fic title, then it snowballed into, "How do I indicate to the reader Music Is Happening in a natural way that doesn't always need me introducing, like, 'a guitar rang out/a solemn voice sang', etc?" How do you solve the characters hearing what the reader can only, well, read? Sure, I have some playlists on Spotify to follow along, but as Marshall McLuhan said, "the medium is the message". It must be clear in the writing that music is playing. A new voice has entered the room.

One of my favourite novels is Ulysses by James Joyce. He had a masterful talent for cacophony and onomatopoeia. Several threads of conversations and voices and thoughts all happening at you on one page. And he just goes for it.

I chose to solve the problem by having my own style guide. Lyrics just happen as though they're a person speaking, they're just italicized to indicate it's a recording. Here's an excerpt of one of the most successful examples of diegetic music I have written in the fic, from the chapter Thunder Road.

The radio DJ’s voice interrupted the silence. “Hi, it’s Delia, we got the weather monitor fixed. It’s only a few degrees below freezing tonight and I’m not in a sour mood anymore, so.. Here’s a favorite, for my favorite. Here’s Thunder Road.”  Olivia’s eyes widened as harmonica and piano played together. She turned towards the radio. “Are you serious right now?”  “What?” RJ asked.  "..The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways. Like a vision, she dances across the porch as the radio plays.." Jack smiled. He knew what this song was about and wondered just how well she knew it. He caught Olivia’s eye as she turned away from the radio. RJ saw Jack’s shit-eating grin and knew it meant he figured something out with her. A smile that could mean he was having fun, or he could checkmate you.  The same glance Olivia and Jack shared about him earlier. "..Roy Orbison singing for the lonely, 'Hey that's me and I want you only,' Don't turn me home again, I just can't face myself alone again.." “I- what, why are you looking at me like that-”  “Good song, huh?” he responded, smiling at her. "..Don't run back inside, darling, you know just what I'm here for.." RJ didn’t quite understand what Jack was getting at. The radio was low enough that he could hear the music, but the lyrics were harder to hear from across the room.  “Bruce fan?” Jack asked her. “Yeah, um.. I like him.” Jack’s heart melted. “My wife, Nora, was a huge fan. We have the first seven albums on one holotape,”  “Wait, no way-”  "..So you're scared, and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore.." “Yeah, way. How many Bruce albums you got in this vault, huh?”  “I don’t,” Olivia told him, looking almost apologetic. “I only get to hear Bruce when he’s on the radio.” 

[queer-as-used-by-tolkien]

Wait- I'm super intrigued by your bio. "Story theory." What is this referencing? Is there a particular story theory??

ahh, my bio!

"Main fandoms: GW2, Middle-Earth, and reality. Fiction enthusiast and student of story theory. What is reality but the story of the Creator, the Author, the Word - Jesus Christ?"

Needs some updating, clearly - I've moved GW2 activity to a sideblog and I need to add Miraculous Ladybug. But your question is abt story theory! Thanks for asking! Let's dive in!

By story theory I primarily mean 'what is the art of storytelling, and telling stories well.' I mean the big things such as the study of character arcs, narrative themes (a quite extensive field on its own), plot structure, symbolism, truths and lies, the role of backstory and character motivation, major, side and background characters, narratively condemning or exalting various traits, qualities, actions, etc. etc. as well as, perhaps, the more basic concepts such as show-dont-tell, scene-and-sequel, narrative foils, etc.

What story theory is NOT is things like grammar, how to use punctuation, paragraphs, or quote marks, formatting chapters, and the like.

As far as I know there is no 'one particular' story theory, although I suppose different people have different answers to some of the questions (such as how many acts are in one story or how many basic types of stories there are).

I have learned most of my story theory from K.M. Weiland's blog, Helping Writers Become Authors, as well as the book Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain.

As a side note, I particularly love seeing how fiction mirrors reality and I do greatly believe we are all living stories, that the world has its story, that History is God's Story, and so on. That's what makes fiction compelling - because we've lived it or seen it lived. God is the author(ity) of the universe and I think that's beautiful.

And I love analyzing it lol.

I can answer more specific questions as well if you like! I llve this subject! Thanks for asking!

[yourfavouritenpcandcats]

🧿 Why We Crave Chosen Ones: Psychological and Cultural Roots

The Enduring Appeal of Being “Chosen”

(Part 3 of 4: The Chosen One Project)

In a world often marked by uncertainty, chaos, and injustice, the idea that one individual could be destined to set things right is irresistibly comforting.

Despite its predictability -or perhaps because of it- the Chosen One trope endures. Across books, films, games, and myths, audiences return again and again to stories of heroes marked by fate.

But why?

What deeper psychological and cultural forces draw us to these narratives? And what happens when the fantasy of destiny begins to work against the stories themselves?

🌟 The Mythic Need for Meaning🌟

Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949) argues that myths across cultures share a common structure because they address universal human needs: the need for purpose, transformation, and reconciliation with mortality.

The Chosen One, in this framework, becomes a vessel for hope.

Their journey reassures us that suffering has meaning, that trials lead to growth, and that the individual can triumph over chaos.

In an era increasingly shaped by disenchantment -the erosion of religious, communal, and mythic frameworks- the Chosen One offers a modern substitute for ancient sacred narratives. They provide a way for readers to experience transcendence through fiction.

When we read about a Chosen One, we are not merely entertained.

We are invited to believe, however briefly, that destiny itself has a plan.

🌟 Psychological Comfort in Narrative Coherence🌟

Beyond mythic resonance, the Chosen One also fulfils psychological needs for coherence and agency.

Research in narrative psychology suggests that individuals are drawn to stories that offer clear beginnings, middles, and endings.

Stories that affirm that actions have consequences and that lives have arc and meaning.

The Chosen One trope creates a powerful narrative coherence:

The world is broken.

A figure rises.

Change is inevitable.

In a reality often defined by randomness and systemic complexity, this structure provides catharsis.

It reassures readers that even in the face of overwhelming odds, individuals can matter -and that destiny can intervene when human will alone seems insufficient.

Especially for younger readers, narratives of exceptionalism offer a potent emotional anchor during periods of identity formation and uncertainty.

🌟 The Danger of Narcissistic Fantasy🌟

However, the same features that make the Chosen One trope comforting can also make it dangerously hollow.

As Anthony Rella critiques, the myth of the Chosen One can encourage a narcissistic fantasy: the belief that one’s mere existence, rather than one’s choices or efforts, guarantees significance.

When poorly handled, Chosen One narratives:

Strip agency from protagonists (they succeed because they must, not because they earn it).

Flatten character development (external destiny replaces internal growth).

Create unrealistic expectations in audiences about individuality and “specialness.”

In these cases, destiny becomes an excuse, not a challenge.

The hero succeeds because the narrative demands it -not because they struggled, learned, or sacrificed in meaningful ways.

Worse, when every hero is “chosen,” narratives risk implying that those who are not exceptional by birth or fate are simply irrelevant -an idea at odds with the humanistic ideals many of these stories aim to affirm.

🌟 A Tension Between Fate and Choice🌟

At its best, the Chosen One trope dramatizes the tension between fate and free will.

The most enduring Chosen Ones -from Frodo Baggins to Buffy Summers- are not defined by their prophecies alone.

They are defined by what they choose to do with their burden.

They remind us that destiny may open the door, but it is choice that walks through it.

This tension creates the emotional and philosophical stakes that elevate Chosen One narratives beyond mere wish-fulfilment.

As modern fantasy continues to evolve, this tension becomes even more crucial. Readers increasingly demand stories where characters shape their fates -not where fate shapes the characters.

Why Destiny Still Matters (Carefully)

The Chosen One endures because it offers us hope:

Hope that order can emerge from chaos.

Hope that meaning can arise from suffering.

Hope that individuals can still shape history, even when the world feels immovable.

But when destiny replaces agency, that hope turns hollow.

Understanding the psychological and cultural roots of the Chosen One prepares us to see where the trope can grow -and where it must be challenged.

🧿 Project Navigation:

In the next and final section, we explore how modern Fantasy writers are breaking, reimagining, and reshaping the Chosen One narrative for a new era of storytelling.

Start here: ➡️ [The Chosen One: From Sacred Myth to Fantasy Staple (Part 1)]

➡️ [Typologies of the Chosen One (Part 2)]

➡️ [Breaking Destiny (Part 4)]

[idrawtooslow]

YOU are the Snowflake of whom the Prophecies foretold!

[nicholasandriani]

A Writer’s Credo Free Printable

A Writer’s Credo: Embrace the blank page: See it not as an empty space, but as a canvas ripe with potential.  Write with honesty: Let your authentic voice shine through, even when it’s uncomfortable.  Read voraciously: Immerse yourself in the works of others to learn and be inspired.  Observe the world: Pay attention to the details of everyday life, they are the seeds of great…

[penumbra-the-unicorn]

@lost-tardis-room this is so fitting of our theory

Do you guys subscribe to the theory that (at least, starting in NuWho) the Doctor can, somewhat, subconsciously control his regenerations?

Like, of course, 8 wanted to be a warrior, so he became the War Doctor (I know that he drank a potion for that, but that might’ve just been lemonade according to the Target Novelization).

War wanted to be the hero, to earn the title, the Doctor, again, so he became 9.

9 wanted to be someone who was the perfect partner to Rose (human), so he became 10.

10, in his vanity, wanted his final regeneration to be young, so he became 11.

11, after all the heartache, wanted to be more distant (and also what they said in series 8), so he became 12.

12 wanted a kind, fresh start, so he became 13.

13 wanted to open up to someone, so she became 14.

14 wanted time to heal, so he split off 15.

This is not an original theory, and I'm not even saying that I buy into it fully it, but it's interesting. It would be interesting if the Doctor had a tiny bit of control over their regeneration (Romana did, somehow) and most of the time his wants either backfire or only half work.

What do you think?

[mercutio-the-velaryon]

Mel and Viktor being drawn to each other but repelling each other at the same time... Ughhh you know I critique the fuck out of the writing sometimes but someone COOKED HERE

[cephalopod-celabrator]

I love characters in stories who are just having a ball of a time as everyone around them suffers. They're rarely protagonists because suffering is really useful, and arguably necessary, for character growth. But like the supernatural entity that could solve all the good guys' problems but fucking with them is way too fun. The campy villain living their best life and serving cunt as they commit atrocities. These bitches came here to have fun and that's what they're going to do, no matter how much trauma, death, and complicated plotlines are happening around them. Character development? Never met her, was too busy loving life.

[robtopus]

Thinking about the relationship between extradiegetic and autodiegetic narration. Some people would argue that any autodiegetic narrator is, by necessity, intradiegetic (part of the narrated world), and I still hold the position that it is likely, but not necessary -- Genette himself uses In Search of Lost Time as an example, and that narrator is both extra- and autodiegetic.

Now, I'm currently working on conceptualizing a project and thus obviously thinking about my narration and narrative entities. The narrator who writes about their experiences is meant to be intradiegetic, and I realized that I can make that explicit by having another narrator whose sole purpose is to say "Rudolph writes"; but I can also have this other narrator be present implicitly, if they provide chapter titles or epigraphs, for example. And then I could move up another level if "Robert writes" is put before the chapter title so we'd have an unnamed narrator, an unseen editor (named Robert) and the person whose writings Robert is editing, who is called Rudolph. Robert could then at some point comment on the writings of Rudolph, opening up further avenues of narration and reporting.

And while I am aware that my current project is an outlier in how much I am concerned with reporting, with memory and with representing and retelling reality, I'd still argue that thinking about narrators and their relationships with each other and with the 'world at large' is something every writer can profit from, even as many writing tips relegate the finer aspects of narration to little more than a footnote.

[skaald-of-the-hearth-fires]

OH OH OH I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT POF IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY

(sorry, a break from your regularly-scheduled PS-era DE shenanigans)

The Commander is recovering (read: running away) from a traumatized past (read: best friend and superior Marshal Trahearne up and DYING BY MY HAND) and!!! if you notice!!

througout S3 ALL THEIR FRIENDS are falling away. (except Taimi, bless her heart.) half of DE? dead, injured, or mysteriously vanished. even Rytlock trudges off to the Black Citadel halfway through. Canach? yeets off to explore his freedom. Braham? let's not talk about him. that was BadTM for the Commander. the one person who might've understood the "just lost a loved one" and he's taking it WHOLLY differently from the Commander. Kas? up and leaves when Balthy comes calling. Jory? Injured, out of commission. Rox? with Braham bcoz SOMEBODY needs to look after him.

So Commander just lost their bestie, not a one of their friends BOTHERED to check up and ask how they're doing (except Taimi, bless her heart, but let's not trauma-dump on the sixteen-year-old) before yeeting off to whatever their business is. Comm is NOT in a good way.

Oh! and apparently killing dragons is bad now!

Yeah, Commander is in a GREAT mental place. before PoF even starts they yeets themselves down a volcano with the line, "there's a god and an Elder Dragon down here, but feel free to join" Comm, what are YOU doing down there?? get the yeet out and grab a bestie or two! OH RIGHT, none of them care! (except Taimi, BLESS HER HEART)

(well I mean, they DO care, they just have. poor ways of showing it. don't realize the Commander is slowly crumbling under the weight of expectations! grief! loss of purpose! loss of community! bc to the Commander it deffo looks like none of them care. they's just a dragon-slaying tool.)

Baby Aurene tries to be the emotional support puppy through all of this but that's just another responsibility the Commander has to deal with, what with training and etc, and it's just. So Awkward with Caithe there.

yeah no, Comm yeets down the volcano expecting to die and have done with it. dragons need to be protected? fr. guess I'm not needed anymore! and I might have doomed the whole world! if not the whole world is doomed anyway bc, have we established, Elder Dragons are Not Good for mortal civilizations.

Taimi yeets in and saves the day and COMM ENDS UP NOT DYING. OH JOY.

yeets off to Elona in a suicidal haze bc what else to do??

AND THEN THEIR BESTIES SHOW UP! and OP described this better than I can but this is Commander's recovery arc.

their friends are HERE for her. Rytlock and Kas and Canach!! Even Vlast up and DIES in their place! and they has their friends now! and there IS ways to kill the dragons safely!

still nobody has dealt with the grief over Trahearne dying, y'know, the thing that kicked all this off-

so then Commander up and DIES to Balthazar, goes through all their memories and comes out the other side teary-eyed and returning to their legacy and the line from a song who you are is not who you've been HITS

and the Commander STOPS being fatally independent and recruits Awakened resources and proves themselves and leads a whole army against the baddie, just like the good old days :))

GUILD WARS 2 IS A STORY ABOUT UNITY!!

The whole yeeting personal story is about bringing races together, bringing Orders together, bringing Destiny's Edge together to FIGHT THE DRAGONS. Mordremoth wreaks havoc on the Pact by DIVIDING them with the whole anti-sylvari stuff going on!

S3 is about how you really can't get things done by yourself. NOTHING the Commander tried to do in S3 actually got done. (except the stuff with Caudecus ig.) Jormag and Primordus? NOPE! Balthazar? nope! Comm had to go off and uproot a completely irrelevant dead mursaat to have any kind of finale to the season.

Stuff only got done in PoF once the Commander actually started working with people. S4 continues addressing the Trahearne issue (masterfully squeaking by only mentioning him once) but still, the story has us bringing factions, nations, etc. together into the "extended Pact" to bring down Kralkatorrik.

and then... well, I'm still trying to figure out/process IBS. but there was definitely a theme of unity there, too, between "United Legions" and the numerous, numerous, numerous allies we had for Dragonstorm.

Even in EoD we were bringing unlikely allies together.

The Commander's character flaw is deep independence? YOU BETCHA, the whole 10-year narrative arc is about the Commander's various struggles with the questions - independence? unity? loneliness? friendship? can I do it myself? trust vs protectiveness vs pride? when do I step back (IBS)? when do I step forward (PS)? how far do I step forward (S3 vs S4)?

I'm actually deeply interested to see what SotO is doing on that theme. I've heard complaints before about DW treated the Commander after they died, so is this similar or is it more pronounced? /rhetorical (I don't want spoilers lol)

Replaying POF. Something really deeply funny about how alone the Commander feels going into path of fire. Like if the Commander has a character flaw it's hyper independence.

So the commander is going into the desert to fight the god of war and you only ask for a ride. That's it. And if you would have asked some Shining blade more than likely could have been spared, you could have gone to the pact for aid.

And Then half your friends who aren't busy or bedridden or mad af at you, show up any fucking way. Rylock just like "what up hear you where tussling with the god of war, I want in" he has zero clue that it's the same dude he met in the mist he's not even there for atonement his just there for vibes.

Speaking of just vibes. Coming in with "I was bored heard you where here so like what's up? Where are we going?" Canach is like "I don't have an evil woman to boss me around.... Sup commander" once again no atonement, he already did that. He's just bored.

Then we have our bravest little toaster Kasmeer. This bitch is a believer. A

Believer. Believer.

But one thing about Kasmeer Meade is that she's your friend and guild mate first and foremost, and a believer in the six second. Kasmeer believes in you more than she believes in the gods she was raised to believe in. I just wish they explored that more in story.

Kasmeer believes in you more than gods. She believes in her friends more than gods.

Canach would bet on you everytime.

Rylock believes in your leadership more than the most important thing which is his legion. Which he was tribune for.

Which is why it's night and day from what's going on with SOTO. All the sudden no one gives a fuck about where you are. And that's why it's jarring and over all doesn't feel right.

[joncronshawauthor]

A Dissociative Potterverse: Exploring an Alternative Reading of Harry Potter

Imagine this—young Harry Potter, our spectacled, raven-haired hero, never escapes the dank, dark closet beneath the stairs on Privet Drive. Bit depressing, isn’t it? But this is where we start to delve into a narrative blender that purées J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world, a pinch of Chuck Palahniuk’s ‘Fight Club’ and a dash of Susanna Clarke’s ‘Piranasi.’ Bear with me, and don’t spill your…

[dansemacabre]

(tw unreality!)

ayo new theory just dropped and bad news! the implications are cosmically horrifying

in the bulletin from time baby in book of bill, he says bill is a “danger to narrativity”, and that he risks the fourth wall. this kept bothering me. why reference the fourth wall here? why have time baby reference it? yeah the heaven page and shit is a bit meta, but thats just how bill talks, right? Well i was a fool

when you put “seven eyes” into the lost files site, this warning pops up from the oracle question mark? from journal three:

the therapese at the bottom translates to “set coords for dimension: r34lity”.

and putting r34lity into the website gives us this image:

the text below it reads they found a new home. those are “real” fucking images. the henchmaniacs are in our “reality”. the cryptids page might not have been a goof goof bit- they were “real”. (“real” meaning our reality in the book of bill sense of it but still our reality. is that tracking.)

none of the rest of the cast actually references us as a specific audience, or the fandom, or acts like we know them at all. the cast addresses everything they write to a mystery “reader” who needs to be saved from the book’s influence.

meanwhile, in the book of bill:

because bill’s not talking to a mystery “reader” who’s reading this book.

bill fucking sees us.

bill sees reality. REALITY reality. like this earth the one with alex hirsch and gravity falls the show and tiktok and shit. book of bill is a book in our reality for us the reader. (ie. there’s a reference to “they both reached for the gun” if you put gun in the website, which would only make sense if bill was sentient in this “reality” right now.) and someone is trying to get here to hide from him. maybe they’re already here.

[manichewitz]

straight men will write stories where two men choose each other over women over and over and again and the narrative will continuously emphasize the bond between the two men over all other emotional connections…and then get confused when queer people relate to that for some reason