#Orion pointing to El saying this is my girlfriend

[functionalasfuck]

I love how Liesel is to El what El is to Orion. Someone who forcibly yanks them from the scruff of their neck away from a cliff with sound logic and higher intellect when they’re about to stupidly jump off.

[izartn]

Rereading the scholomance series, and on the bit after El and Orion have their first time and wow.

Orion knows so so well there's something incredibly wrong with him, from the way he seems to have been avoiding getting more intimate with El bc he fears feeding on her mana (the implication it was this from the start of his mana starvation on senior year, not just the general risks El fears) to how he breaks down sobbing right after they have sex because she's the only (first) right (human) thing he ever wanted, and he explains he only ever wanted to hunt mals and suck their mana since he was little so he doesn't resent his parents for letting him do that (and he knows exactly what el thinks of that but orion is grateful, bc yeah. mawmouth-boy amalgama he needed it) (and the were desperate to make him more normal, except in golden enclaves we discover they're at fault orion is like this and wow.) and how he knows going fucking nuclear on the Shanghai Enclaves and co who tried to murder El wasn't normal, and that it unsettled El. I love that he remembered that it scared her, bc he doesn't want to, and tht after the incident he thought on it all and decided he didn't want to be that kind of guy.

I mean, getting angry and trying to reflexively retaliate when someone tries to murder you and El (whom he adores) I get it, most of us aren't heroine El Higgins as much as she likes to pretend she isn't, but that scene lasted more than just the moment, El got her giant shield, and then Orion demonstrated he's got a fucking nasty temper and a reflex for going to inflict gruesome violence, after taking the most chilling seconds on book canon trying to process just what almost happened to them both, but mostly El on his PoV. El tried to redirect him like twice and he went back to try very intently to have his chance offing Yuyan, Zixuan and Co, the second one when Magnus came with New York and the rest of allied enclaves thanks to Liesel and wwiii magician versión almost gets off was O.o, until El threatens everybody with mass destruction which brought back Orion to the world of, oh yah my scary girlfriend who could kill everyone in this room including myself is awesome. Dude.

It's the way you end reading all that scene and their conversation almost at the end of the book, and you feel El is not getting what Orion is trying to say, missing that there is something really really wrong with him. Because I think senior year Orion has had no choice but notice all the ways he doesn't make sense, and the way he seems to always need more mana from mals so much he starts looking mad to the outsiders and not caring for anything else (I think it feels to him like executive disfunction in that he gets into a loop of "I should be doing homework x but I can't bc I first need to hunt mals except I can't find any so I'm tired so I can't do anything") , to the point he starts fearing taking El's which almost happens in the library if not for Precious (hello??? rereading that having read the golden enclaves sent chills through my skin, holy shit) and I think he must have noticed by then. Because Orion is simultaneously more observant and more out of touch than he seems on first impression.

Agh no wonder he decides to stay behind and disappear into the void with the Scholomance, I wonder if face to face with mawmouths and his own almost lost of sense of himself to the rush of mal-mana consumption right at the end of The Last Graduate he realiced what he must be and just. Choose it as the only option so as to not go mad and hurt(eat) El. Must have killed him.

No, given The Golden Enclaves I'm sure this is exactly what happened. Orion needs a hug so so badly.

And then he passes that last book lost on the hunger, then goes through a grueling purification to bring back what's left of his sense of self and humanity, with the knowledge that hes more like a mawmouths but back (but still a monster inside) , discovering his mother did this to him after killing hundreds of kids actually, and she may love to get her hands on El and use her (which Orion isn't thrilled about), and the enclaves may go to war in wwiii magic version (this time for real) , and you know, no wonder he quits trying to stay (alive, as a person) a quarter to end or so of The Golden Enclaves.

I love him, I want his perspective on a spin off novella or something after canon, bc it has to be the most weird mix of super transparent and also heartbreakingly sad and heartwarming once you read between the lines, and because I want his super subjective PoV on Galadriel because he loves her so so much in both the adorkable teenagy way and in a "you've saved my life and existence and the world makes sense bc of you" which has to scare them both a bit. Also Orion PoV on the rest of characters now he isn't blinded by the hunger and he can actually interact with others and have interests of his own. Fascinated by his possible hobbies.

[sebeth]

Young Justice: Away Mission

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

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 Young Justice: “Away Mission”

  August 4th, New Genesis: Orion converses with Forager and the Bugs, a lesser species on New Genesis.

Orions’s an ass – he reneges on a trade and cheats the Bugs out of their property.

Happy Harbor: Brion and Gregor converse over the phone. Brion wants to go home.

Big Bear of the Forever People arrives. Bear enthusiastically greets Conner, Wolfe, and Sphere.

Bear’s a barrel of fun. It’s too bad he doesn’t make more appearances in the series.

Megan offers to summon the team to help the Forever People with the attacks on the Bugs.

Bear asks if the sleeping Wolfe will accompany the team: “He’ll, uh, sit this one out.”

Conner tells Megan: “You’ll have to go without me. Dick and the others are on their way and I need to stay here with Brion.”

Megan’s not happy – she admits she only offered the team to help Conner help his friend. Yep, trouble in paradise. I don’t see the couple making it to the end of the season.

Also, as leader of Young Justice, shouldn’t Megan have summoned the team because a helpless species is being attacked by an earth-based threat? Not to score brownie points with her honey.

El Paso: Traci 13, Jaime, and Bart are watching Gar’s television show. The trio’s phones summon the trio to the Watchtower. Traci 13 was Jaime’s girlfriend in the pre-New 52 era. Is the duo dating on the show? It won’t make the Jaime/Bart shippers happy but maybe they can settle for an OT3 instead of an OTP?

The Watchtower: Cassie is on the phone with Tim: “Ugh, I get that, Tim, but why didn’t you tell me?”

Yeah, this couple isn’t making it to the end of the season either. It doesn’t bother me as they were thrown together last minute in the previous season (with no buildup) and the mainstream DC universe pairings – both pre and post-New 52 – were both awkward and boring. I have no investment in this couple and there has never been a reason for me to be invested in this couple.

Big Bear boom tubes Miss Martian, Static, Traci 13, Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl to New Genesis.

Conner shows Brion the hidden part of his house: “My fortress of semi-solitude.”

Dick, Artemis, Jeff, and Halo arrive via Zeta Tube.

Dick admits he hacked the Justice League computers to give Halo and Brion access to the Zeta Tube.

New Genesis – Bart is bummed Tim isn’t on the planet as he would “pick up on all the clues”.

The King of the Bugs demands to know why Forager summoned Big Bear and Young Justice.

Bear proclaims: “I am friend to Orion but the Orion you met was an imposter. The real Orion is away from New Genesis.”

Back to Conner’s house. Jeff states Jace would have liked to been at the meeting.

Conner: “Forgive me if I don’t want the mad scientist knowing where I live.”

It should be noted Lucas is at the meeting. It’s been bothering me who “Lucas” is until he admits he “accidentally led the Joker to Mount Justice” at their age”. Snapper Carr!

The group is hesitant to admit Brion and Halo into Young Justice. Halo’s amnesiac. Conner states: “I know it might be hypocritical coming from me but Brion’s a walking ball of anger right now, always on the verge of blowing up.”

Cue explosion. Brion is practicing with his powers.

New Genesis: The Bugs meet with fake-Orion.

Megan discovers Orion is using telepathy. Megan, in true white Martian form, confronts Orion.

Back to practice time with Brion. Brion loses control. Lucas wails about his “trees”. I thought this was Conner and Megan’s place.

Brion’s clothes disintergrate. A highly-embarrassed Brion orders Halo “Don’t look!”

Halo attempts to comfort Brion: “Do not be upset. You are nicely shaped.”

Halo practices her powers and discovers a new color: yellow. It causes energy blasts.

The fake Orion is Megan’s little brother: M’Comm.

M’Comm doesn’t want to be called by his “green” name. He insists his name is Ma’Alefa’Ak. I’m not typing that out every time he makes an appearance so M’Comm it is. I’m fairly certain he made an appearance in the Martian Manhunter series.

M’Comm wants a revolution on his home planet.

The two siblings battle and M’Comm wins.

Brion attempts to leave the group. He admits he doesn’t know what he needs.

Conner counters: “Direction, purpose, a clear goal.”

Dick tells Brion “We’ll help you find your sister.”

Brion stays.

The Young Justice and Big Bear battle M’Comm’s forces.

Traci 13 mentions Zatanna has been mentoring her.

The Bugs attack both sides except for Forager who aids Young Justice.

M’Comm murders his minions, threatens Forager, and escapes.

The King (Mantis) banishes Forager.

Megan brings Forager home with the team.

End Credits are a sleeping Wolfe.

The best parts of the episode were Brion and Big Bear. What can I say, I like their “no indoor voice” approach to life.