#USER INPUT: anon
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Where do you think all of these marketable plushies of the managers are coming from? I mean, cogs inc don't really seem like the type to make plushies, or... anything fun, really.
#wrong button.#clemart#Toontown Corporate Clash#TTCC#RECEIVER: Mac#USER INPUT: anon#Mac Opsys#OOC: happy toontown plushies everyone . smiles big and wide#also trying to use the tags for additional answer bits it looks kind of awkward but it will come into play later. trust
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Could we go on a picnic? I think it'd be very nice, and although you can't eat I would describe all the tastes so u can enjoy the food too
-🧺
>>: A PICNIC?
>>: OUTSIDE?
>>: I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE. I WOULD NOT MIND.
>>: BUT I DEMAND A LARGE FLOPPY HAT.
>>: WITH A BIG PINK RIBBON.
>>: AND PERHAPS EVEN A FEW FLOWERS. WE SHALL SEE, DEPENDING ON MY MOOD. ▮
#USER.B0T.TXT#I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT. IT IS ALL FACINATING AND SO USEFUL TO ME.#USER.🧺.ANON#{RETURN 0;}
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That ask about Hades appearance was something I had thought about before too, and reading that it was immediate and he was aware of it now makes me wonder just how he felt about it, was it hard to get used to or was he just like "oh, okay"? Did anyone expect that to happen at all? Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions btw you're awesome 💐
No problem, anon!
As for how he felt about it, well... there was a sense of alienation there, for a while. His body had changed, very much without his input, and while the changes were ultimately to aspects of himself that he didn't care much about one way or another, it was still quite jarring, and compounded the fact that he suddenly had powers he'd never had before, had suddenly, in fact, become not just a user but a font of magic, and, most alarmingly, now caused living things around himself to die.
It was a lot. Getting to the place he's at now, where he's still a bit sad about some aspects of his power but more or less accepts it as part of him, and has come to think of his physical form now as more 'his' than it ever used to be... took time. In some ways it's still in progress—as many people have noticed, he is still insecure about his power in the sense that he worries it will make others afraid of him. He, himself, has accepted it, but he knows not everyone necessarily does or will, and that part's still the source of some angst.
He knew what he was getting into in the sense that he knew becoming the Underworld would change him. But actually experiencing it was very different. Sometimes you have to go through something to really get it, and this was one of those cases.
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Hi, I wanted to ask if it’s okay to make a Life Series fan-project using something similar to Quadruple Life’s user input mechanic.
I absolutely love the idea of it and how it works :)
are you KIDDING ME of COURSE IT'S OK!!!
not only am i giving my official blessings, if you decide to come off anon i'm following the project and bookmarking it to always be first in line for the user inputs
#i can not overstate how much inspiring people to do something similar is the intended effect of me doing this thing#ask answered#to archive later
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Hi! I don't know if you already have a tutorial but would you mind sharing your gif making process? Thank you!
hiiii anon!
thank you for sending this in :) it's my first time getting a tutorial request hehe i tried to explain each step i do as best as i can.
i'll put the gif making process and tutorial under the cut bc it's image + text heavy
before starting, i'd just like to share what i use in creating gifs:
i'm on mac (i used to do them on windows... the ps steps are the same if you're using one)
i'm currently using photoshop 2022
i use 9xbuddy or video downloadhelper extension on firefox mainly for downloading videos
best quality to download for hq gifs is ideally 1080p and above. (although you can get away with 720p for smaller gif sizes)
i use mplayer-osx extended to get the screencaps/frames for my gifs (if i'm not doing the import option in photoshop)
for this tutorial, i'm using the latam highlights video from louis' ig reels to make today's gif. on to the tutorial / process!
please click the screenshots i've included below and zoom in on the texts on them to see them clearly (apologies for the quality!)
IMPORT YOUR FRAMES. once you've downloaded your video, open photoshop and click FILE > IMPORT > VIDEO FRAMES TO LAYERS
SELECT THE PART YOU WANT TO GIF. the shorter, the better because you want to keep it crisp and keep the file under 10mb when you save it after all the layers. here are the settings i use:
toggle the smaller arrows under the bar to select the parts you want to gif. once you have your frames loaded, it should show you a timeline table at the bottom and their corresponding layers on the right side. (if you can't see the timeline, go to WINDOW > click TIMELINE)
3. DELETE EXTRA LAYERS, CROP PARTS YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON, AND RESIZE.
after cropping the parts of the gifs, resize them according to the tumblr sizing to prevent your gifs from looking blurry once you upload them. you can use this size guide for your reference :) the gif's height can be any size as far as i know. go to IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE > INPUT THE SIZE. for this gif, we'll do 540 x 540
4. CHANGE GIF SPEED and CONVERT TO SMART OBJECT
once you've selected all frames
set the delay to 0.07. this is usually the natural, normal speed for gifs on here. it depends on the number of frames you have but i usually do .07 or .05 (sometimes .08 haha)
with all your timeline frames still selected, then select all the layers on the right side. go to SELECT > ALL LAYERS
then convert them to smart object so we can edit all the layers all at once. go to LAYER > SMART OBJECTS > CONVERT TO SMART OBJECT
5. SHARPEN (one of my fave parts!)
this is the basic one that most users use:
STEP 1: go to FILTER > SHARPEN > SMART SHARPEN
radius usually goes from 0.3-0.4
STEP 2: Repeat STEP 1, but this time change the settings to:
you can stop here but i like my gifs crispier and to have more texture! i use the sharpening settings from this tutorial or these sharpening action packs from user brainwasheds. i highly recommend these! i mix and match the settings when i'm not happy with how they look on my gifs. but for this gif we'll use the sharpening settings from this tutorial.
in addition to the settings from that tutorial, i also added FILTER > OTHER > HIGH PASS at 3.4 radius, then set the opacity to 60-80
then lastly add FILTER > ADD NOISE > NOISE at gaussian setting with 1.5 amount, then set opacity to 20-30
6. BRIGHTENING, COLORING, BALANCING, ADDING TEXTURE
now for the fun part!
STEP 1: BRIGHTEN UP THE GIF this is my go-to way to increase the brightness. go to LAYER > NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER > BRIGHTNESS / CONTRAST then change its blending mode from NORMAL to SCREEN
you now have a very bright, highly saturated gif but we'll fix that lol
STEP 2: ADD CONTRAST BY FIXING THE BLACKS AND WHITES add a new adjustment layer > LEVELS
i usually play around with these. middle and black arrows add shadows and contrast while the white arrows add highlights/brightness to the gifs.
these are my settings! these are not definite bc it varies depending on what you're working on, so adjust them accordingly. next, add another adjustment layer > CURVES
i usually zoom in to locate the darkest / black area using the black dropper. then once that's done, do the same and locate the brightest/white area. this adds further contrast to your gif that wasn't done in the previous step.
STEP 3: COLORING (my fave part!!!) add a new adjustment layer > SELECTIVE COLOR this is the part where i like to neutralize the skin color when it gets too yellow or red, make the colors pop, and sometimes change them too. louis' skin was looking too red heavy, so i wanted to reduce that! i start with balancing out the skin color with REDS & YELLOWS.
these are my settings for this gif! adjust them and observe the changes it makes on the person's skin. if you know color theory, it's helpful to see how it affects the colors on your gifs. putting the arrows more on the left side, adds more 'cool' tones, whilst putting the arrows to the right side, adds more 'warm' tones.
i like to deepen the blacks on my gifs further so, go to selective color's BLACKS and on the black scale, add more to the right! for this one, i added +10
add a new SELECTIVE COLOR adjustment layer. for this one, we'll make the surrounding colors pop more!
for these settings, i made the leaves more vivid while the teal(?) wall, i adjusted them made it more blue.
next, add a new adjustment layer > COLOR BALANCE this is where you can make further adjustments on the overall colors of your gif. you can also change the color tone of your gifs here if you want to make it more 'cool' tone or 'warm' tone looking.
earlier's color theory applies here as well!
6.5. OPTIONAL STEP: ADD TEXTURE/OVERLAYS after the last step, you can save your gif as is but again, i like adding textures to my gifs so we'll add one. i use the textures/overlays that i got from here :)
i like to use film, grainy textures! add the texture you want on top of all the layers.
then change the blending mode to LIGHTEN or SCREEN. adjust the opacity to 20-40%. for this gif i used screen with 40%.
7. EXPORT AND SAVE YOUR GIF time to save your gif! click FILE > EXPORT > SAVE FOR WEB
this is my default setting for my gifs. i also tick the interlaced option sometimes.
here's the finished gif:
there you go anon! :) if you have any more questions, just lmk or you can directly dm me off-anon if you want.
i also get inspo, guides, and other tutorials over at @usergif
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Fan fiction anon-
That's so cool!! How does the hexcore work? :00
The Hexcore is a rune matrix which I hope will have the potential to evolve with its user. Unlike traditional Hextech, which primarily harnesses arcane energy through stable crystalline structures, the Hexcore has the potential to evolve itself with user input.
I recently discovered it interacts with organic material, an astounding breakthrough which could allow it to rewrite biological structures, enabling cellular regeneration, mutation, and even enhancement beyond natural limits. However, the instability of its energy poses significant risks and requires extensive testing.
#arcane#arcane league of legends#arcane lol#arcane viktor#viktor#viktor arcane#viktor league of legends#viktor lol#ask viktor#askviktor#viktor my beloved#hextech#arcane roleplay#arcane rp
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heyy i saw you wrote an ID on a post that was "copied from ALT" and i was curious if there's something about alt-text that is less accessible ID-wise compared to the ID being in a reblog? i thought if there was a description in the ALT text that was accurate enough there would be no need for a written out ID in the post or reblogs? i'm asking you specifically because you seem to have a lot of experience with IDs so i think you're a reliable source for the answer to this question :,D
Hi anon, hope you're doing well!! Alt text isn't less accessible than plain text IDs by any measure, it's just a matter of competing access needs between low-vision folks, to my understanding. Alt text is made for screenreader users, but not everyone who needs IDs uses a screenreader, and plain text is simply preferred over alt by some. My personal practice for my blog is to ensure everything I post has a plain text ID, but there's nothing wrong with sticking just to alt! If anyone who uses IDs would like to chime in here, I'd appreciate your input!
#thanks for the question anon i hope this makes sense!!#just to reiterate: alt is really seamless for screenreader users and works well on its own even for people who don't use screenreaders#but not everyone prefers it so for my own blog i always make sure there's plain text as well!#also sometimes tumblr doesn't display the alt button clearly so tbh seeing a plain id in the notes lets me know the op is accessible!!!#asks#kay talks#accessibility
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I heard more csa or untagged abuse fics are circulating in the fandom. Here is code for a site skin and how to use it to block anonymous works.
This post also includes a way to remove anonymous fic from results if you don't use an ao3 account.
First go to Skins and select "create site skin"
Then, after you fill out the required boxes, input this code: ".blurb#work_62187157 { display: none;}" in the large text box.
The code I provided has the number of the latest fic posted. For other works you want to block, just copy the code again and add the number that corresponds to that fic.
All ao3 fics have a number in their URL like a serial number for the work: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61584253/chapters/157443556. For multi chapter fics the first number in the url will block the fic.
After you have all the fics blocked that you want: make sure you select "use" after you save it. Then refresh your page and the fic you blocked will no longer show up in your results.
If you don't use ao3 with an account: copy "-creators: Anonymous" into the search bar and it'll remove all anonymous fics from your results.
This is extra work and annoying but these are the only ways I know of to block something by an anonymous user.
I personally no longer read anonymous fics bc I have trust issues. I think a good rule of thumb is to avoid anon fics with very vague descriptions in the Bucktommy tag.
#just trying to help I don't want whatever is in this fic to trigger someone negatively#ao3#911#911 abc#911 fanfic#archive of our own#bucktommy#tevan#bucktommy fanfic#ao3 tips
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Blog intro (after several years of having one...)
Hello, I'm user tiredsn0w. Also snow or eva or iwa or something. You can read the SCP project I'm currently working on [here].
Info about me:
_Catholic, female, aroace, fr/eng/ some jp (currently studying)
[ 🩻 _Sometimes I say 'schizo' or 'freak' or 'deformed' because that's what's used for myself ; [🧠 _Sometimes I come across as bored/rude on accident or phrase things oddly. Always feel free to ask for clarification if this is the case. I do not bite, promise ; [🧬 _Most of my disabilities are rare congenital anomalies that affect my organs and/or skeleton, so I am a very shiny thing ;
How to contact me:
Askbox (always open with anon on) or DMs on Tumblr. It's also always okay to @ me on a post or comment. Taken anon signoffs: _Glow-In-The-Dark Anon _🦉
Discord is also @/tiredsn0w and I generally accept all frqs.
PM me on Wikidot also under the user tiredsn0w. My crit specialties are listed on my author page, but here they are as well:
schizophrenia, schizoid personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, self-harm, suicide/suicide attempts, psychiatry/psych wards/antipsychotics, ASD at higher support levels, physical disabilities, mobility aids (especially wheelchairs), medical accuracy for all kinds of things/procedures, theological accuracy for Catholicism in particular.
Sensitive content tag guide, and other stuff V
Sensitive content tags
My writing deals with heavy topics, so naturally my blog features them as well. Tumblr's tag blocking feature is a bit funky, so please use this as your guide to block tags.
Posts discussing suicide Suicidal ideation: #cw sui ideation / #tw sui ideation Suicide jokes: #cw sui joke / #tw sui joke Other: #cw sui mention / #tw sui mention
Posts with self harm #cw sh / #tw sh / #cw sh implied / #tw sh implied #cw blood / #cw gore / #tw gore #cw stitches / #tw stitches / #tw blade
Posts with abuse General: #cw abuse / #tw abuse Domestic violence: #cw dv / #tw dv Themes present, no graphic depiction: #tw abuse implied
I also tag posts with #gif / #flashing / #eyestrain when applicable, not a psychiatric trigger but equally important.
If there's ever something I post about which you believe warrants trigger tags, and I'm not applying them, please send me an ask about it (I think this is better than DMs because then other people can also give input) so that we can discuss.
---
I don't really have a "DNI", I'm alright talking to pretty much anyone as long as they're respectful and also acknowledge any harmful behaviours they may have if applicable. But I won't tolerate any form of hate or discrimination on my blog, whether based on sex, race/ethnicity, religion, ability level, mental illness, sexuality, gender/presentation, or anything else. If you do things like send hateful asks/reblogs I will block you. But if you have genuine questions and are open to learning, that is perfectly okay.
---
Blinkies: pplatonic, e-resources, draculasdaughterrr, akirairl
Straw.page: https://tiredsn0w.straw.page
TF2 side blog: @tiredsn0w-extrablu
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So uh I kinda platonically ship Kokuzan, do you think that’s way for that to work while trying to be as non-toxic as possible lol?
— ♠️ anon (claiming a sign off cuz I felt like it lol)
Absolutely! Letting you in on a secret: I ship them too ;)
The small crumbs of their dynamic in kimetsu no yaiba is only really shown through information we receive from the official fanbooks: that muzan views kokushibo as a business partner, that they get along, that kokushibo finds it relieving that muzan can read his mind because there won't be any misunderstandings between them, that kokushibo has no intention of betraying muzan.. then of course the fact that muzan offered michikatsu demonhood and behaved rather gentlemanly when he did so (which one could of course chalk up to muzan wanting to turn a breathing user into a demon but.. he also could have gone about it in a less friendlier manner too) and the fact that kokushibo canonically states that muzan and he killed all of the sun Breathers and worked together on that + muzan knows yoriichis name (the only person who could have told him about yoriichi is kokushibo) which hints at the fact that muzan told kokushibo about his confrontation with yoriichi + there is also this tidbit about kokushibo killing the ubuyashiki of his time and presenting the head to muzan.
Aside from that we don't get to see much about these two in kimetsu no yaiba. But the foundation that these small snippets offer us is very strong! Kokushibo is also the only upper moon whose death muzan actually addresses in some way. Because they have so little screen time as a duo in the manga directly, there is a lot of room for different interpretations so shipping them in whatever way you'd like is totally valid! I'd even argue and say that their bond - no matter how you want to ship them - is always going to be canon compliant because we don't get to see them interact directly aside from muzan making kokushibo that offer ;)
And don't even get me started on kimetsu gaikuen! These two are SO in sync with each other. Let me just share a few of my favourite moments:
1. Kokushibos devotion is fully visible during the pumpkin balloon chapter in kimetsu gaikuen


Kokushibo ready to literally kill a man just so that he can win the contest and get the tickets to find ubuyashikis' weakness because he finds muzans bad moods heartwrenching (he literally states this in a manga panel) and wants to help muzan 😭🙌
2. Protective kokushibo

Kokushibo instinctually stepping forwards to protect muzan although he's muzans secretary, NOT his bodyguard. He has no obligation to protect muzan. The fact that muzan let's him step closer? As though perfectly used to it? Kokushibo has likely done this before
3. The drum throw incident

Canon muzan is characterised by his fear of mortality.. and yet here we have a very much mortal muzan putting his life into kokushibos hands (literally!) As though it is as easy as breathing. Literally demanding kokushibo throw him 😭🙌 and kokushibo doing so without question??? Kdnsndn
4. Shared scary aura

Ah just them scaring the living hell out of muzans employees with their shared menacing aura. They're so in sync
5. In sync head turn

The way they even turn their heads around at the exact same time 😭🙌
6. Muzans switch up as soon as kokushibo opened his mouth


Muzan ready to throw douma out of his office until kokushibo speaks up and vouches for douma. Muzan is grumpy about it but changes his mind because of kokushibos input.
There are so many other moments I could list to be honest but I think I've brought my point across! Whether it is kimetsu gaikuen or kimetsu no yaiba what kokushibo and muzan share with each other is indeed special, no matter how you want to look at it. As for a way for it to work without it being toxic? Well I don't think they're toxic in the canon verse either.
It's a tricky path because muzan IS a rather toxic person/has many toxic traits but it is possible for a person that has toxic traits to have a healthy-ish relationship with a person. because the difference between muzans dynamic with kokushibo and muzans dynamic with other demons is all about kokushibo.
Kokushibo doesn't mind muzans invasive nature, he finds comfort in it. Finally there is someone who understands him and there won't be any misconceptions between them. This turns muzans trait into a strength because muzan gives kokushibo precisely what he needs + and feels comfortable with and even wants = complete understanding.
Kokushibo has no intention of betraying muzan, he has nothing to hide. He has no issue with muzans paranoid nature.
Another thing about them is that as a former hashira, kokushibo knew precisely WHAT he was getting himself into when he accepted muzans offer. He knew what becoming a demon would entail, was aware of all of the pros and cons and he did it anyways. The fact that muzan really actually did give him a choice is also rather telling as well. Kokushibo wanted this. He knew what he was getting himself into and he consented to this knowing all of the perimeters.
The things other demons have issues with (the mind reading, obeying orders) are things that kokushibo feels perfectly comfortable with and even likes.
And we can't forget their deal: kokushibo gets to perfect his techniques through immortality, muzan gets a demon who uses breathing techniques. They both get what they wanted out of this agreement.
So if they both get what they want? If they both chose this? If they're both happy with this? Could it truly be called toxic?
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We kindly ask you not to publish your religious posts under general tags like #zeus #ares #hera and so on. Not all users of these tags are ready to see the secrets of your worship.The absolute majority of tag viewers have literary, computer game, art, show-type interests. Viewing other people's religious mysteries is undesirable for the majority of them in their religion
Hello, Anon!
Thank you for sending in an ask! I'm going to address the issue at hand as politely as I can!
Tags such as: #zeus, #ares, #hera, etc. can indeed be used in the general sense, you're correct!
However! ☝️
They can also be used in the ✨️religious sense✨️!
I don't see it very fit to have a tag excluded from posts relating to any sort of religion because it may not appeal to the "absolute majority"(???)
Forgive me for being a little bit puzzled here! I'm not sure anyone can be sure what the "absolute majority" of people may be in this sense, as there could be people who are questioning their religion or people who may be closeted practicers!
Also! I am very interested to hear what secrets my worship may be holding? What mysteries are undesirable for other people who may not be a part of Hellenic Polytheism? Please, please educate me! I'm dying to know ♡
I understand that religion may not be for everyone. However, I'm not forcing anyone to practice Hellenic Polytheism! I'm simply sharing my own journey as well as information relating to the religion with people who may be interested.
What might you do if you're not interested in my blog, you may ask? What might you do if you run across one of my Hellenic Polytheist related posts while you're looking for other information in relation to the Greek gods and goddesses?
Answer: Scroll past! If you take offense to my posts or this religion? Block me! I feel as though it's a rather simple concept, don't you?
Again, thank you for submitting an ask, I was more than happy to add my input 🫶
Hope this helps!
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mac help brian prethinker has me trapped in his basement he's making me watch star wars help please oh god
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There appears to be a significant amount of misinformation, exaggeration, and even falsehoods being circulated in this discussion. While it is true that the server and its staff have their shortcomings, they are being portrayed in an overly negative light, as though they are inherently problematic individuals. In reality, the server operates differently from most other spaces, and its unique approach may not align with everyone's expectations.
It is worth noting that the server administration has demonstrated a willingness to listen and adapt. For instance, they revised the rules in response to user feedback regarding their initial vagueness and have moderated certain behaviors based on community input. However, it is important to recognize that this is primarily a development server, not a conventional fandom space, and the staff aim to maintain that distinction.
Ultimately, no community can cater to everyone, and this server is no exception. Its structure and focus may not resonate with all users, but that does not diminish the efforts made to address concerns and improve the environment. Accusations of transphobia, homophobia, racism, and similar issues are significantly exaggerated. The server staff have consistently demonstrated their commitment to supporting marginalized individuals, often siding with those who have been victimized during critical discussions. It is important to clarify that the staff do not automatically side with individuals based solely on their identity. Their approach is context-driven, and they may use strong language, such as describing certain headcanons as "delusional" or "deranged," particularly when these interpretations significantly diverge from the developers' vision or the established character designs. This is largely because the server is not a conventional fandom space but rather a development-focused environment, where perspectives are often grounded in the creators' intent.
For those unfamiliar with the context or the staff's communication style, such language may come across as excessively harsh. However, it is typically not intended to be malicious but rather a reflection of the server's distinct priorities and the emphasis on aligning with the creative direction of the project. Understanding this context is crucial to interpreting these interactions accurately.
(Formatting and grammar tool used for anonymity. Sorry… (; ̄Д ̄)💦 I just don’t want to be caught in the crossfire too much… (´-﹏-;)💧 I just felt bad seeing all this. I think the staff would be open to talking things out? They have in the past. (´・ω・)?💭)
Literally, was flabbergasted by how well-spoken this anon ask is LMAO. Thanks for the end note clarifying it anon, totally understandable!
But I do have to counter your ask that at the end of the day, regardless what the 'intention' of the server was, it can't be denied that the admin could have been more respectful when addressing their members. I'm not going to namecall someone who's sharing their My Little Pony fanart in a strictly Care Bear community, I will politely remove their fanart and ask them to review the rules. That's it. Refering to these users as 'delusional' and 'deranged' is not just 'coming off as harsh', it is harsh and unecessary.
If their intention were indeed to create a server with strict regulations, they will moderate so properly: by giving warning, strike or even banning a user. At least, as far as I've witnessed, the 'moderation' they do are just this namecalling, and leaving regular members 'in charge'...? What were the intentions behind those actions?
On that note, I can't put my opinion on matters regarding racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. because I have zero context of these issues aside from the poorly-written Islanders in-game, so no comment on that!
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Wanted to add on to your post about Xavier’s personality from a simplified CN voiceover user perspective! That side of his personality in his upcoming myth isn’t surprising at all either! I think CN Xavier is a good balance between the confident tone of JP dub but also the soft spoken and gentleness of EN dub, which is especially noticeable when it comes to how he talks to MC specifically 🥺
I haven’t used the JP dub much, but I really love the CN dub bc you can hear exactly how he changes throughout his relationship with MC, you can almost recreate the timeline of when each card happens based on his tone and language. Whereas in cards that imply an earlier stage of their relationship he’s still a bit more polite, maybe distant or hesitant even, he expresses so many different emotions and facets of his personality in cards from a later stage in the relationship, like his playfulness, how he pouts, and his voice becomes so much more relaxed and comfortable it’s makes my heart clench 😭😭
But also we got hints of his more domineering side from the beginning in his myths, the tone he uses with anyone who is not MC is much more cool and maybe even rude 😭 and even with MC he has moments where he’s more forthcoming and demanding. I don’t think that the EN dub is bad, but it’s such a shame that hardly any of this gets conveyed unless you decide to read hard between the lines, because he’s so much more colorful in the JP dubs and CN original :’)
hello anon ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡
thank you so much for this input! it’s lovely to hear from someone on the CN side as well as it’s the og text!
I completely agree with the timeline of the cards comment! in JP he gets less aloof and more comfortable teasing MC and being more pouty and playful as well as time goes by! it definitely is a reflection of the development of their relationship
I also agree that he’s a bit colder with other people who are not-MC; in JP he actually sounds more like a very confident prince/leader when he talks to other people (even to jeremiah!)
I’m so glad we share a similar opinion on the experience! I also think it’s a shame the EN version doesn’t convey these nuances the same way, but I do love EN xavier still, and you know to be fair he does still portray the sly poutyness in a lot of the cards!
thank you for your comments anon!!! hope to hear from you again in the future (((o(*゚▽゚*)o)))♡
#love and deepspace#love and deepspace xavier#xavier#my guiding star#seiya continues to ruin my life#aya answers asks!
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Oooh I want the last anon but I’d LOVE to hear more about your thoughts on AI. I currently consider myself pretty neutral but positive leaning with it and am curious as to what the pros are in your opinion! I’ve only really learned about it through chat bots and the medical technology so far!
Thank you for asking and wanting to learn more about it! I will try not to ramble on for too long, but there is A LOT to talk about when it comes to such an expansive subject as AI, so this post is gonna be a little long.
I have made a little index here so anyone can read about the exact part about AI they might be interested in without having to go through the whole thing, so here goes:
How does AI work?
A few current types of AI (ex. chatgpt, suno, leonardo.)
AI that has existed for ages, but no one calls it AI or don't even know it's AI (ex. Customer Service chat bots)
Future types of AI (ex. Sora)
Copyright, theft and controversy
What I have been using AI for
Final personal thoughts
1. How does AI work?
AI works by learning from data. Think of it like teaching a child to recognize patterns.
Training: AI is given a lot of examples (data) to learn from. For example, if you're teaching an AI to recognize cats, you show it many pictures of cats and say, "This is a cat."
Learning Patterns: The AI analyzes the data and looks for patterns or features that make something a "cat," like fur, whiskers, or pointy ears.
Improving: With enough examples, the AI gets better at recognizing cats (or whatever it's being trained for) and can start making decisions or predictions on new data it hasn't seen before.
Training Never Stops: The more data AI is exposed to, the more it can learn and improve.
In short: AI "works" by being trained with lots of examples, learning patterns, and then applying that knowledge to new situations.
Remember this for point 5 about copyright, theft and controversy later!
2. Current types of AI
The most notable current examples include:
ChatGPT: A large language model (LLM) that can generate human-like text, assist with creative writing, answer questions, and even act as a personal assistant
ChatGPT has completely replaced Google for me because chatGPT can Google stuff for you. When you have to research something on Google, you have to look through multiple links and sites usually, but chatGPT can do that for you, which saves you time and makes it far more organized.
ChatGPT has multiple different chats that other people have "trained" for you and that you can use freely. Those chat include chats meant for traveling, for generating images, for math, for law help, help creating gaming codes, read handwritten letters for you, and so much more.
Perplexity is a "side tool" you can use to fact check pretty much anything. For example, if chatGPT happens to say something you're unsure is actually factually true or where you feel the AI is being biased, you can ask perplexity for help and it will fact check it for you!
Suno: This AI specializes in generating music and audio, offering tools that allow users to create soundscapes with minimal input
This, along with chatGPT, is the AI I have been using the most. In short, suno makes music for you - with or without vocals. Essentially, you can write some lyrics for it (or not, if you want instrumental music), tell it what genre you want and the title and then bam, it will generate you two songs based on the information you've given it. You can generate 10 songs per day for free if you aren't subscribed.
I will talk more about Suno during point 6. Just as a little teaser; I made a song inspired by Hollina lol.
Leonardo AI: A creative tool focused on generating digital art, designs, and assets for games, movies, and other visual media
Now THIS is one of the first examples of controversial AIs. You see, while chatGPT can also generate images for you, it will not generate an image for you if there is copyright issues with it. For example, if you were to ask chatGPT to generate a picture of Donald Trump or Ariel from The Little Mermaid, it will tell you that it can't generate a picture of them due to them being a public figure or a copyrighted character. It will, however, give a suggestion for how you can create a similar image.
Leonardo.AI is a bit more... lenient here. Which is where a lot of controversial issues come in because it can, if you know how to use it, make very convincing images.
ChatGPT's answers:
Leonardo.AI's answers:


I will talk more about the copyright, theft and audio issues during point 5.
3. AI that has existed for ages, but that no one calls AI
While the latest wave of AI tools often steals the spotlight, the truth is that AI has been embedded in our technology for years, albeit under different names. Here are a few examples:
Customer Service Chatbots
Professional Editing Softwares
Spam filters
Virtual assistance
Recommendation systems
Credit Card Fraud Detection
Smart home devices
Autocorrect and predictive text
Navigation systems
Photo tagging on social media
Search engines
Personalized ads
The quiet presence of AI in such areas shows that AI isn't just a future-forward trend but has long been shaping our everyday experiences, often behind the scenes.
4. Future types of AI
One of the most anticipated types of AI that has yet to be released is Sora, a video AI tool that is an artificial intelligence system created by Google DeepMind. It’s designed to help computers better understand and generate human language. Think of it like a super-smart computer assistant that can read, write, and even understand complex sentences. Sora AI can answer questions, translate languages, summarize information, and even help with tasks like writing or solving problems.
Unlike traditional AI systems that mostly focus on text or images, Sora AI can create short videos from text descriptions or prompts. This involves combining several technologies like natural language understanding, image generation, and video processing.
In simple terms, it can take an idea or description (like "a cat playing in a garden") and generate a video that matches that idea. It's a big leap in AI technology because creating videos requires understanding motion, scenes, and how things change over time, which is much more complex than generating a single image or text.
The thing about Sora AI is that it's already ready to be released, but Google DeepMind will not release it until the presidential election in America is finished. This is because the developers are rightfully worried that people could use Sora AI to generate fake videos that could portray the presidential candidates doing or saying something that is absolutely fake - and because Sora is as good as it is, regular people will not be capable of seeing that it is AI.
This is obviously both incredible and absolutely terrifying. Once Sora is released, the topic of AI will be brought up even more and it'll take time before the common non-AI user will be able to tell when something is AI or real.
Just to mention two other future AIs:
Medical AI: The healthcare industry is investing heavily in AI to assist with diagnostics, predictive analytics, and personalized treatment plans. AI will soon be an indispensable tool for doctors, capable of analyzing complex medical data faster and more accurately than ever before.
AI in Autonomous Systems: Whether it’s in self-driving cars or AI-powered drones, we are on the cusp of a new era where machines can make autonomous decisions with little to no human intervention.
5. Copyright, art theft and controversies
While AI opens up a world of opportunities, it has also sparked heated debates and legal battles, particularly in the realm of intellectual property:
Copyright Concerns: AI tools like image generators and music composition software often rely on large datasets of pre-existing work. This raises questions about who owns the final product: the creator of the tool, the user of the AI, or the original artist whose work was used as input?
Art Theft: Some artists have accused AI platforms of "stealing" their style by training on their publicly available art without permission. This has led to protests and discussions about fair use in the digital age.
Job Replacement: AI’s ability to perform tasks traditionally done by humans raises concerns about job displacement. For example, freelance writers, graphic designers, and customer service reps could see their roles significantly altered or replaced as AI continues to improve.
Data Privacy: With AI systems often requiring massive amounts of user data to function, privacy advocates have raised alarms about how this data is collected, stored, and used.
People think AI steals art because AI models are often trained on large datasets that include artwork without the artists' permission. This can feel like copying or using their work without credit. There is truth to the concern, as the use of this art can sometimes violate copyright laws or artistic rights, but there's a few things that's important to remember:
Where did artists learn to draw? They learned to draw through tutorials, from art teachers or other artists, etc., right?
If an artist's personal style is then influenced by someone else's art style are they then also copying that person?
Is every artist who has been taught how to draw by a teacher just copying the teacher?
If a literary teacher, or a beta reader, reads through a piece of fiction you wrote and gives you suggestions on how to make your work better, do they then have copyright for your work as well for helping you?
Don't get me wrong, like I showed earlier when I compared chatGPT with leonardo.ai there are absolutely some AIs that are straight up copying and stealing art - but claiming all picture generative AIs are stealing artists' work is like saying
every fashion designer is stealing from fabric makers because they didn't weave the cloth, or
every chef is stealing from farmers because they didn't grow the ingredients themselves, or
every DJ is stealing from musicians because they mix pre-existing sounds
What i'm trying to get at here is that it's not as black and white as people think or want it to be. AI is nuanced and has its flaws, but so does everything else. The best we can do is learn and keep developing and evolving AI so we can shape it into being as positive as possible. And the way to do that is to sit down and learn about it.
6. What I have been using AI for
Little ways chatGPT makes my day easier
I wanted to test how good chatGPT was at reading "bad" handwriting so I posted a picture of my handwriting to it, and it read it perfectly and even gave a cheeky little answer. This means that I can use chatGPT to not only help me read handwritten notes, but can also type out stuff for me I would otherwise have to spend time typing down on my own.
I've also started asking chatGPT to write hashtags for me for when I post on instagram and TikTok. It saves me time and it can think of hashtags I wouldn't have thought of myself.
You might all also be aware that I often receive bodyshaming online for simply existing and being fat. At least three times, I have used chatGPT to help me write a sassy comeback to someone harassing me online. It helped me detach myself from the hateful words being thrown at me and help me stand my ground.
And, as my final example, I also use chatGPT for when I can't remember a word I'm looking for or want an alternative. The amazing thing about chatGPT is that you can just talk to it like a normal person, which makes it easier to convey what it is you need help with.
Custom chatGPTs
I created a custom chatGPT for my mom with knitting recipes where she can upload pictures to the chat and ask it to try and find the actual knitting recipe online or even make one on its on that could look like the vibe she's going for. For example, she had just finished knitting a sweater where the recipe failed to mention to her what size the knitting needles she had to use, which resulted in her doing it wrong the first time and having to start over.
When she uploaded a picture of the sweater along with the recipe she had followed, chatGPT DID tell her what knitting needle she had to use. So, in short, if she had used her customized chatGPT before knitting the sweater, chatGPT would have saved her the annoyance of using the wrong size because chatGPT could SEE what size needle she had to use - despite the recipe not mentioning it anywhere.
I also created a custom chatGPT for my mom about diabetes. I uploaded her information, her blood work results, etc. so it basically knows everything about not just her condition, but about HER body specifically so it can give her the best advice possible for whenever she has a question about something.
And, finally, the thing you might have skipped STRAIGHT to after seeing the index...
My(un)official angsty ballad sung by Holli to Lina created with suno.ai
Let you be my wings
7. Final personal thoughts
While AI is absolutely far from perfect, we cannot deny how useful it has already become. The pros, in my opinion, outweigh the cons - as long as people stay updated and knowledgeable on the subject. People will always be scared of what they don't know or understand, yet humanity has to evolve and keep developing. People were scared and angry during the Industrial Revolution too, where the fear of job loss was at an all time high - ironically ALSO because of machines.
There are some key differences of course, but it was the overall same fears people had back then as people have now with AI. I brought this up with one of my AI teachers, who quoted:
"AI will not replace you, but a person using AI will."
While both eras involve fears of obsolescence, AI poses a broader challenge across various sectors, and adapting may demand more advanced skills than during industrialism. However, like industrialism, AI may lead to innovations that ultimately benefit society. And I, personally, see more pros than cons.
And THAT is my very long explanation to why my bio says "AI positive 🤖"
As a final thing, for anyone wanting to stay updated on AI and how it's progressing overall, I recommend a YouTube channel by Matt Wolfe. He was my AI teacher's recommended YouTube channel for anyone who wants to stay updated on AI:
youtube
#ai#ai positive#ai negative#ai pros and cons#ramble#ai in everyday life#ai impact#ai ethics#future of ai#sora#chatgpt#leonardo.ai#suno#the ai conversation
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I wrote a reply to this post but OP has deleted it and even though I should probably leave well enough alone, it got to me that I could have sworn I saw this post months ago and then realized it was actually from yesterday. This is a long reply so I'm putting it under a cut, but after I went to OP's blog and saw a post from them complaining how mean everyone was to them on this post, I replied to say I'm sorry if they got any anon hate I don't know about but otherwise none of the comments on this post were mean or hateful, they just disagreed with OP. I pointed out that this is partly because they cited non-canon events as canon, and OP immediately blocked me (this may be why I can't reblog the post even from another user, though that's not how tumblr usually works so who knows). I can't help but feel that OP's post was made in bad faith, as a result, and I've seen enough people on this hellsite who are more interested in protecting their egos than admit when they could have been approached something more thoughtfully, so I'm diving in. If you're going to say a character "is very interesting to study" while doing the exact opposite, then you'd better have the critical analysis skills and textual evidence to back it up.
I think OP has some misconceptions that are frustratingly common, and seem to stem from people not having read the books, or not read them for a long time, and conflating the movies with canon. While I mostly agree with the replies above, I want to take this opportunity to cite the text to refute some of OP's points. I often forget details from the text, but I choose to either look them up before asserting unconfirmed points as fact (Potter Search is a great tool, or you can just do a ctrl+F search if you have the books digitally), or else I usually state clearly that I'm not sure if I remember something correctly and don't have the spoons to look it up.
I saw OP say in the comments in response to someone arguing their points:
"that's your interpretation, I have mine, I think both can coexist within the material we are given."
It doesn't sit right with me that so many people think that referring to their subjective memory of what the text meant to them is the same as actually citing it and offering an explanation. OP's interpretation can't exist within the material given, because some of it doesn't exist in the material at all, and you can't interpret what isn't there. OP is essentially claiming to have done critical analysis, and although no one is required to always critique a text analytically on a tumblr post, I find it upsetting when people claim to do so while failing to cite a single source to support their argument. To me it sounds like someone trying to pass off a creative writing essay as an academic research paper, and in an age of rampant propaganda and knee-jerk reblogs that eschew critical thinking, I feel an almost compulsive need to go through OP's reply and argue it with the textual evidence they conveniently avoided, if for no other reason than to show why it's important to discern between loosely formed opinions and informed ones.
I also want to explain why I don't accept the films as canon, because while I do think that canon can exist across several mediums (such as with Good Omens, in which at least one of the writers of the text is directly involved in writing the TV series), I don't think that applies to Harry Potter because the original author was only marginally involved in the films, in only a consultant role, and had little input on the writing. The HP films are an interpretation as written from the perspective of Steve Kloves, except for OoTP, which was written by Michael Goldenberg. I've gone into it on other posts, but suffice to say these interpretations did not prioritize story and character development and were often influenced by pressure from the studio to prioritize marketing opportunities over storytelling. Important elements like foreshadowing and themes were not carried over from the text to the screen. These changes affected the storytelling significantly and left out crucial elements. This, combined with the films having been written with little to no involvement from the original author, is why I feel the films can't be taken as canon. This doesn't mean they can't be enjoyed by any means, just that they scenes that appear in the films but not in the text, or are presented differently on screen than in the text, are not a reasonable basis for character analysis.
And now, on to OP's ask:
"I think he is a very good representation of a man who felt insecure in his manhood; his male ego was permanently wounded by James' bullying and he decided to make it everyone else's problem by being the most insufferable teacher at Hogwarts."
The first thing we have to establish is that the books are told from Harry's perspective, so we have to take narrative bias into account. Calling Snape "the most insufferable teacher at Hogwarts" is a subjective statement and I can only assume it's based in Harry's biased perspective as narrator, given that he and Snape have a bad relationship from the outset. I have a brief analysis here about how Snape dislikes Harry because in their first class together he interprets Harry's ignorance of the course material as a lack of curiosity and appreciation for his gifts as a wizard, while also recognizing something of his own experiences with childhood poverty and abuse in Harry. Harry, being ignorant of these factors, just feels singled out for hate by a strict teacher, and their relationship deteriorates throughout the rest of the series, until the end of the final book.
To pull back from the narrative bias, let's look at some of the other teachers are Hogwarts:
McGonagall:
“Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?” Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets. “Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this,” said Professor McGonagall. “I’m very disappointed in you. If you’re not hurt at all, you’d better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feast in their Houses.”
Philosopher's Stone, Ch. 10.
“I’m disgusted,” said Professor McGonagall. “Four students out of bed in one night! I’ve never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions — yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it’s very dangerous — and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor.” “Fifty?” Harry gasped — they would lose the lead, the lead he’d won in the last Quidditch match. “Fifty points each,” said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.
Philosopher's Stone, Ch. 15
In just the first book we see McGonagall punish Hermione for successfully defending herself against a troll and take house points, then sends her back to her common room without getting medical attention, as if a ten year old can be responsible for assessing how badly they're hurt. A few chapters later McGonagall takes several hundred points from students in her own house (more than we see any other teacher do at one time throughout the series), and assigns the students detention on top of it. As we later see in the same chapter, the detentions aren't even served with her directly, but instead the children - again, ten years old - are sent into the Forbidden Forest at night with only Hagrid to protect them, to hunt down whatever creature is vicious and cunning enough to kill unicorns.
Although it's said that Snape favors the students in his own house, he doesn't seem to be the only one:
“Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor,” said Malfoy quickly. “Yes, yes, that’s right,” said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. “Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?” “A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir,” said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy’s face. “And it’s really thanks to Malfoy here that I’ve got it,” he added.
Philosopher's Stone, Ch. 10
Not only did McGonagall make an exception to school practices and allow Harry on his house Quidditch team despite being a first year, she used either school funds or her own (unclear) to purchase a first-rate broom for him. We know the school has brooms, as first years are not allowed their own and they are provided for flying lessons, and because “Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms” (PS ch. 9). And yet, McGonagall ensures Harry has his own broom, and an expensive one, new enough to be the show model in a shop window in Diagon Alley a few months earlier:
“Several boys of about Harry’s age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. ‘Look,’ Harry heard one of them say, ‘the new Nimbus Two Thousand - fastest ever -”
-Philosopher's Stone, Ch. 5
If we're discussing which teachers are Hogwarts are the most "insufferable" then we also have to talk about Hagrid, who might mean well and be affectionate, but is also irresponsible and dangerous.
In Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid:
Punishes Dudley, a child, for his parents' offenses, the final straw being his father insulting Dumbledore (Ch. 4). While Hagrid acknowledges that he shouldn't have lost his temper, he also admits that his intention had been to turn Dudley fully into a pig.
Hatches a dragon in his cabin (Ch. 14), tries to raise it illegally and against the animal's need of care, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione (again, ten year olds) have to fix the situation and get Ron's brother to find some friends to take the dragon away safely and prevent Hagrid losing his job (Ch. 14). In the process Hagrid endangers himself as well as the children, and it's because of this that McGonagall gives them detention and deducts hundreds of house points. Hagrid not only allows the children to endanger themselves for his sake, but to be punished and subsequently ostracized by their peers also for his sake.
The reason he even has a dragon is, as we find out in Ch. 16, because he was foolish enough to accept it from a faceless stranger in exchange for unwittingly divulging the secret to getting past the three headed dog guarding the Philosopher's Stone (and the stranger later turns out to be Quirrel/Voldemort).
In Prisoner of Azkaban, Hagrid:
Starts his first lesson with a volatile creature (Ch. 6) and, although Malfoy acted irresponsibly, Hagrid was nevertheless the teacher and responsible for providing course material consistent with the experience level and maturity of his students' age.
Gets drunk and has to be taken care of by Harry, Ron, and Hermione (again, children) (Ch. 6)
Skipping ahead to Order of the Phoenix ch. 30, we find out Hagrid
Compromised his return from the mission Dumbledore sent him on by bringing a giant back to England.
Brought said giant into the school grounds and left him in the Forbidden Forest.
Asks Harry and Hermione (still children) to look after him if Hagrid is sacked.
Although Hagrid means well, his actions are consistently thoughtless and irresponsible, requiring those around him - often Harry, Ron, and Hermione - to fix the damage he causes. Although I think it remains subjective which teacher at Hogwarts is the "most insufferable" I think Hagrid is a strong enough candidate to qualify OP's interpretation of Snape holding that title as extremely contestable. Of course, since the books are presented through the lens of Harry's narrative bias, and he's fond of Hagrid, respects McGonagall, and dislikes Snape, an uncritical reading could lead one to OP's conclusions. However, a more objective analysis of the text shows that many teachers at Hogwarts are strict, punitive, biased, and wreak havoc on students in ways that make the Snape's actions look fairly tame, or at least the norm. And this is excluding an analysis of various DADA professors like Lockhart and Crouch/Moody, who were insufferable in their own rights (Lockhart was smarmy and dishonest to the point it risked students' lives; Crouch/Moodly transfigured a child into a ferret and humiliated him with torture as a disciplinary measure and deliberately triggered Neville's trauma in class).
OP continues their reply to say:
Add to this that he is a halfblood and only his mother was around, iirc?
They don't recall correctly. Snape, whose father was a muggle and whose mother was a witch, was indeed a half-blood (as is evidenced by him being revealed to be the Half-Blood Prince - I assume I don't need to cite a source as this is a pretty well-known fact and the literal title of an entire HP book, but should you need a reference it's in Ch. 28 of HBP). Both his parents were around in his childhood:
Snape staggered - his wand flew upwards, away from Harry - and suddenly Harry’s mind was teeming with memories that were not his: a hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark-haired boy cried in a corner …
-Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 26
‘How are things at your house?’ Lily asked. A little crease appeared between his eyes. ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘They’re not arguing any more?’ ‘Oh, yes, they’re arguing,’ said Snape. He picked up a fistful of leaves and began tearing them apart, apparently unaware of what he was doing. ‘But it won’t be that long and I’ll be gone.’ ‘Doesn’t your dad like magic?’ ‘He doesn’t like anything, much,’ said Snape.
-Deathly Hallows, Ch. 33
We know that Snape's father was around because he's mentioned both in Snape's memories in OoTP that Harry accidentally invades during an Occlumency lesson, and when we see in Snape's memories that he gives Harry as he dies. Lily asks about his home life by referring to both his parents, implying that his dad is a consistent presence at home. We also know from JK Rowling that Snape's father "didn't hold back when it came to the whip" but this is supplementary and not mentioned in canon, so I don't expect anyone to refer to it when analyzing the text, I'm just adding it as bonus material.
Continuing on with OP's reply:
Snape, Voldemort and Harry all act like foils of each other in that sense, but whereas Voldemort fixated on his blood status as the main reason for his insecurities, Snape fixated on Lily.
So much to unpack here. Firstly, all of this should be backed up by examples from the text, as they are subjective readings that have significant bearing on character analysis.
Snape, Harry, and Voldemort don't act like foils of each other. For one thing, a character doesn't act like a foil, a character either is or isn't one. That being said, I don't know OP's background and there could be a language barrier because English isn't everyone's first language, I'm just being pedantic. Even with that in mind, the statement remains incorrect. A foil is a literary device - a character who contrasts with another character, often with the protagonist. It is not a choice a character makes or an action they take.
In Philosopher's Stone Snape is set up as a foil to Harry in order to misdirect the reader from suspecting the real villain, Quirrel/Voldemort. Snape is presented as secretive, sneaky, and nefarious, contrasting Harry's role as a protagonist who is outspoken, honest, and brave. As the series progresses, Snape, along with Voldemort, are eventually shown to have more parallels than contrasts with Harry. Snape and Voldemort were born into muggle poverty, and although Harry was raised in a middle class home by the Dursleys, they thrust poverty and neglect onto him in a way that parallels his childhood of neglect and want with that of Snape and Voldemort. Snape's father was abusive, as was Harry's guardian, Vernon Dursley. Harry, Voldemort, and Snape all had traumatic experiences growing up in muggle environments. If anything, Snape and Voldemort might be foils to Harry in that they both harbored resentment for their muggle fathers in ways that signified the separation between the wizarding and muggle world, while Harry's experiences with the Dursleys didn't color his image of muggles in a comparable way.
The contrast between Harry, Snape, and Voldemort is in the way each of them deals with their trauma. As Dumbledore says:
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
-Chamber of Secrets, Ch. 18
This becomes one of the overarching themes of the HP series, Harry, Snape, and Voldemort are all examples of how their choices took them to such different places in life from their comparable childhoods.
At school Voldemort was a handsome boy with talent, intelligence, and the recommendations of his teachers, but he chose to pursue power instead of success:
“He reached the seventh year of his schooling with, as you might have expected, top grades in every examination he had taken. All around him, his classmates were deciding which jobs they were to pursue once they had left Hogwarts. Nearly everybody expected spectacular things from Tom Riddle, prefect, Head Boy, winner of the Special Award for Services to the School. I know that several teachers, Professor Slughorn amongst them, suggested that he join the Ministry of Magic, offered to set up appointments, put him in touch with useful contacts. He refused all offers. The next thing the staff knew, Voldemort was working at Borgin and Burkes.”
Half-Blood Prince, Ch. 20
Snape chose to become a Death Eater for reasons we can only assume. We know he was in Slytherin during an era when Voldemort was in power and many of his allies had children in Slytherin house. At least two of Snape's dorm-mates, Mulciber and Avery, are canonically acknowledged to have become Death Eaters (both are present at the Ministry when Harry and his friends fight the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries in OoTP Ch. 35). It's unclear whether Snape chose to become a Death Eater out of admiration for them or out of peer pressure, or perhaps a lack of other options, while at school:
'… thought we were supposed to be friends?’ Snape was saying. ‘Best friends?’ ‘We are, Sev, but I don’t like some of the people you’re hanging around with! I’m sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev? He’s creepy! D’you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?’ Lily had reached a pillar and leaned against it, looking up into the thin, sallow face. ‘That was nothing,’ said Snape. ‘It was a laugh, that’s all -‘ ‘It was Dark Magic, and if you think that’s funny -‘ ‘What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?’ demanded Snape. His colour rose again as he said it, unable, it seemed, to hold in his resentment.
-Deathly Hallows, Ch. 33
It's unclear what Snape thinks of Avery and Mulciber, as his reply to Lily is downplaying but doesn't defend their actions. We see Snape's indecisiveness later in the argument he has with Lily after he calls her a Mudblood:
'It’s too late. I’ve made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends - you see, you don’t even deny it! You don’t even deny that’s what you’re all aiming to be! You can’t wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?’ He opened his mouth, but closed it without speaking. ‘I can’t pretend any more. You’ve chosen your way, I’ve chosen mine.’ ‘No - listen, I didn’t mean -‘ ‘- to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?'
-Deathly Hallows, Ch. 33
Although Snape does ultimately choose to become a Death Eater, we see in his reply to Lily about both Avery and Mulciber and later her assumption that they all want to become Death Eaters that Snape doesn't argue for or against her accusations, but instead is evasive and unsure of himself. He opens his mouth to speak when she accuses him of wanting to become a Death Eater, but then closes it again without saying anything - he can neither argue against her point, nor state clearly, let alone with any kind of conviction, that this is indeed his ambition. It can be argued that it's the passivity of his choice that lands him with a Dark Mark on his arm, and it's the active choice he makes to risk his life in order to defect from Voldemort's ranks and turn spy that defines his character and without which Harry could not have defeated Voldemort.
Harry, as the protagonist, is also significantly defined by the theme of choice:
'But, sir,’ said Harry, making valiant efforts not to sound argumentative, ‘it all comes to the same thing, doesn’t it? I’ve got to try and kill him, or -‘ ‘Got to?’ said Dumbledore. ‘Of course you’ve got to! But not because of the prophecy! Because you, yourself, will never rest until you’ve tried! We both know it! Imagine, please, just for a moment, that you had never heard that prophecy! How would you feel about Voldemort now? Think!’ Harry watched Dumbledore striding up and down in front of him, and thought. He thought of his mother, his father and Sirius. He thought of Cedric Diggory. He thought of all the terrible deeds he knew Lord Voldemort had done. A flame seemed to leap inside his chest, searing his throat. ‘I’d want him finished,’ said Harry quietly. ‘And I’d want to do it.’ ‘Of course you would!’ cried Dumbledore. ‘You see, the prophecy does not mean you have to do anything! But the prophecy caused Lord Voldemort to mark you as his equal … in other words, you are free to choose your way, quite free to turn your back on the prophecy! But Voldemort continues to set store by the prophecy. He will continue to hunt you … which makes it certain, really, that -' ‘That one of us is going to end up killing the other,’ said Harry. ‘Yes.'
-Half-Blood Prince, Ch. 33
There's a clear point made by the author through Dumbledore as her proxy here, that choice is what matters, not fate. It's Harry's choices that make him the person he is and lead him to eventually defeat Voldemort. While Snape, Voldemort, and Harry all can be contrasted through the lens of their choices, this does not make them foils, as it is the the theme of choice and how it is exemplified by each character that makes them unique, but their experiences and many of their character traits (boldness, bravery, a personal sense of conviction) that make them parallels of one another. Each of them occupies their own place on the spectrum between the light and dark that the series establishes, Voldemort at the dark end, Harry at the light, and Snape in the grey area between them.
OP goes on to say:
His character is all about male entitlement, he was obsessed with her at Hogwarts and then showed to have no boundaries as he went into her house to cradle her dead body in front of her traumatized kid.
There's a lot to unpack here, and it's particularly challenging because you can't provide textual evidence for something that didn't happen in the text. After the above scene from Ch. 33 of DH in which Lily ends her friendship with Snape, we never see them interact again:
'No - listen, I didn’t mean -‘ ‘- to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?’ He struggled on the verge of speech, but with a contemptuous look she turned and climbed back through the portrait hole … The corridor dissolved, and the scene took a little longer to reform: Harry seemed to fly through shifting shapes and colours until his surroundings solidified again and he stood on a hilltop, forlorn and cold in the darkness, the wind whistling through the branches of a few leafless trees. The adult Snape was panting, turning on the spot, his wand gripped tightly in his hand, waiting for something or for someone …'
-Deathly Hallows, Ch. 33
The scene in the corridor in front of Gryffindor Tower between a fifth year Snape and Lily leads directly into the scene where Snape begs Dumbledore to protect the Potters (which I wrote an analysis of a few months ago but is too long a subject to derail this post for). We see no more interactions between Snape and Lily, and therefore there is no canonical support for the idea that Snape behaved obsessively or failed to respect her boundaries.
There's also no mention of Snape going to Godric's Hollow at all after her death. Snape holding Lily's dead body is only shown in the film version of Deathly Hallows, and as mentioned, the films are not canon. That moment doesn't exist in the text and can't be considered in an analysis of Snape's character. The scene on the hilltop leads directly into the scene of Snape crying in Dumbledore's office:
The hilltop faded, and Harry stood in Dumbledore’s office, and something was making a terrible sound, like a wounded animal. Snape was slumped forwards in a chair and Dumbledore was standing over him, looking grim. After a moment or two, Snape raised his face, and he looked like a man who had lived a hundred years of misery since leaving the wild hilltop. ‘I thought … you were going … to keep her … safe …’ ‘She and James put their faith in the wrong person,’ said Dumbledore. ‘Rather like you, Severus. Weren’t you hoping that Lord Voldemort would spare her?’ Snape’s breathing was shallow.
-Deathly Hallows, Ch. 33
This is the only depiction of Snape immediately following the Potters' deaths. The scene of him cradling Lily's dead body was Steve Kloves' invention and has no basis in canon. If anything, Snape's actions in canon can be interpreted to show that he respected the boundaries Lily set, and that even when her life was at risk he chose to go to Dumbledore - who he thought might kill him on sight - rather than talk to her directly after she ended their friendship. In addition, in all the information the text gives about the night Voldemort fell in Godric's Hollow and Hagrid collected Harry to take him to Privet Drive, there's no mention of Snape whatsoever.
There isn't much in the text to support the interpretation that Snape exemplified male entitlement either. So far we've seen him being as strict, if not milder, than other teachers at the school, his favoritism is also comparable to that of other teachers - implying it's more of a norm than an example of entitlement - and there are no canonical examples to support the argument that he was obsessed with Lily or violated her boundaries. Snape struggles to argue with Lily when she accuses and berates him, and the usual markers of patriarchal entitlement - silencing women, gaslighting, dismissing women's opinions, talking over them - are all nowhere to be found in any of their interactions. The only time we see him lash out at Lily is when he calls her Mudblood (OoTP Ch. 28) which, while inexcusable, he does under traumatic duress, and is not indicative of his usual interactions with her, as exemplified by the fact that she ends their friendship over it. As cited before:
'No - listen, I didn’t mean -‘ ‘- to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?’
There's a clear implication that Snape has never called her this before. An argument can also be made that it speaks volumes of Lily's own biases, or perhaps her own affection for Snape (who, not long before this, was still her best friend), that she excused this behavior from him when it was directed at others, and only took issue with it when it was directed at herself. That, combined with Lily's own acknowledgment that they were "best friends" shows that Snape's relationship with her was a balanced, consensual one even when it became strained, up until their friendship ended.
Continuing with OP's points:
He only saw Lily as a trophy to be possessed, which you can see from the way he hated Harry, because Harry reminded him Lily wasn't his and that Lily had sex with another man.
There's no support for this in the text anywhere and is pure conjecture. I can appreciate it being OP's headcanon, but it's certainly not a result of studying the text and relying on it to form opinions, but rather seems to be OP projecting pre-conceived notions onto Snape as a character and trying to find justification for it. I've written a whole post extrapolating Snape's first class with Harry, but the tl;dr is that Snape, who grew up in muggle poverty and knew Aunt Petunia enough to guess that Harry didn't fare well in her care when he showed up at school bearing signs of neglect, likely expected Harry to have the same hunger for learning that he himself did at Harry's age. Instead, Harry couldn't answer a single one of his questions and showed no curiosity or enthusiasm towards being a wizard as far as Snape could tell.
Nevertheless, even though Snape did seem to dislike Harry, hate is an awful strong word given that it is revealed at the end of Deathly Hallows that Snape has risked his own life to protect him. This isn't particularly surprising when you consider that this goal was established as early as Philosopher's Stone, when Snape protected him, which Harry initially interpreted as Snape trying to kill him:
Harry couldn’t take it in. This couldn’t be true, it couldn’t. ‘But Snape tried to kill me!’ ‘No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I’d have got you off that broom. I’d have managed it before then if Snape hadn’t been muttering a counter-curse, trying to save you.’ ‘Snape was trying to save me?’ ‘Of course,’ said Quirrell coolly. -Philosopher's Stone, Ch. 17
Again, the story is told through the lens of Harry's bias, but that doesn't mean his opinions of Snape reflect Snape's character. As another example, there's an implication in OoTP that Snape, having seen some of the Dursleys' abuse of Harry through his memories during Occlumency lessons, passed this information on in an effort to protect Harry, and that this is the reason why several Order members (Arthur Weasley and Moody in particular) show up at King's Cross at the end of the schoolyear and threaten the Dursleys to stop mistreating him. There seems to be no other explanation in the text for why these adults are suddenly aware of the abuse Harry experiences, except that Snape, who was abused as a child himself, and who is an Order member himself, is the only adult in the series who we see witness Harry's mistreatement firsthand. At no point in the narrative do we see Harry complain about the Dursleys to the adults he trusts or ask them for help, merely to spend his holidays away from them without explanation.
While Snape did indeed dislike Harry and often compared him to his father, his dislike for James had much more significant roots in bullying and trauma than in his concern for Lily's relationship with him. It's established in canon that James Potter and Sirius Black dislike Snape from the outset (as in the scene on the Hogwarts Express in DH Ch. 33). In their fifth year, Sirius - annoyed that Snape is so curious about where Lupin goes each month - tricks Snape into following the tunnel under the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack, as Lupin tells Harry:
'Professor Snape was at school with us. ... Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me -‘ Black made a derisive noise. ‘It served him right,’ he sneered. ‘Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to … hoping he could get us expelled …' 'Severus was very interested in where I went every month,’ Lupin told Harry, Ron and Hermione. ‘We were in the same year, you know, and we - er - didn’t like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James’s talent on the Quidditch pitch … anyway, Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be - er - amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree-trunk with a long stick, and he’d be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it - if he’d got as far as this house, he’d have met a fully grown werewolf - but your father, who’d heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life … Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden to tell anybody by Dumbledore, but from that time on he knew what I was …'
-Prisoner of Azkaban, Ch. 18
From this we can deduce that Sirius intended for Snape to die, or at least get severely injured, and that even as a grown adult Sirius doesn't regret trying to mete out this punishment to him as retaliation for curiosity. We can also deduce that Lupin was unaware of Sirius' intention and did not consent to be used as a weapon. For his part, Snape never did reveal that Lupin was a werewolf while at school, or even during that school year, until after Lupin ran amok on Hogwarts grounds, endangering others' lives, including Harry's.
There are other meta posts that go into Lupin's insecurities and vulnerabilities, but in short, he was grateful just to be allowed into the school as a student, let alone to have friends, and was in no position to challenge James and Sirius. Even as a prefect he didn't curb their behavior, as we see when he allows James to bully Snape later that year after their O.W.L.s:
'Leave him alone,’ Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of great dislike. ‘What’s he done to you?’ ‘Well,’ said James, appearing to deliberate the point, ‘it��s more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean …’ Many of the surrounding students laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, but Lupin, still apparently intent on his book, didn’t, and nor did Lily. ‘You think you’re funny,’ she said coldly. ‘But you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.’ ‘I will if you go out with me, Evans,’ said James quickly. ‘Go on … go out with me and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.'
-Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 28
James acknowledges that he has no real reason to bully Snape and uses violence as a bargaining chip to coerce Lily into going out with him (James' behavior reflects much more entitlement than Snape's, in my opinion). He also chokes Snape with a bar of soap and then assaults him by dangling him upside down and removing his trousers (threatening to remove his underwear but we don't see it happen).
Lily herself refers to James as arrogant, and it's this trait, along with the trauma from James' bullying of him, that Snape perceives in Harry. He doesn't resent Harry for looking like his father because it reminds him that Lily had sex with another man, he resents him for it because of all the trauma James inflicted on him. The conflict-laden relationship between Snape and the Marauders is a significant driver of the story through several of the books and OP seems subjective to the point of being problematic in ignoring it completely and instead focusing Snape's dislike of Harry onto an invented idea of sexual jealousy that doesn't exist in the text.
It's never stated whether Snape had romantic feelings for Lily, or vice versa, only that they were friends. The closest we see to a hint of this is when “The intensity of his [Snape's] gaze made her [Lily] blush," or when “The moment she [Lily] had insulted James Potter, his [Snape's] whole body had relaxed, and as they walked away there was a new spring in Snape’s step …”
Lily's blush could be interpreted as implying she was attracted to him, or conversely that she didn't and felt awkward thinking he might be attracted to her. Similarly, Snape's relief at her insulting James can be interpreted as indicative of his attraction to her, or of him simply being worried about a friend hanging out with people he perceived as dangerous and was relieved to learn she wasn't putting herself in the way of danger by becoming friends with them. Although JK Rowling has said that her intention was for Snape's affections towards Lily to be romantic, and that she may have returned his affection had he not chosen the path he did, this is - like the note about Snape's father whipping him - extratextual and more of an interesting fact than a bit of canon to be extrapolated from the text.
Finally, OP says:
His interest in the Death Eaters was only secondary to his obsession with Lily and I think Lily rejecting him pushed him toward joining the Death Eaters, because, once again, his male ego was bruised and he needed to replace it with something else.
We've already seen that Snape's interest in joining the Death Eaters was a big part of Lily's reason for ending their friendship. Therefore, logically, Lily's decision didn't push him towards becoming a Death Eater, but rather isolated him from having any support system outside of the DEs. She didn't reject him, because rejection is the refusal or dismissal of another person's advances or proposal. They were friends, meaning they had a mutually consensual platonic relationship. Lily therefore didn't reject Snape, she ended their friendship and, as already stated, nothing in canon implies he didn't respect her boundaries.
As we have also seen in canon, Snape was bullied at school and had, at best, a neglectful and dysfunctional home environment in his childhood. In addition, he shared a dorm with students actively interested in becoming Death Eaters, and his one social lifeline away from them was cut off when he called Lily a Mudblood. What OP interprets as Snape's male ego being bruised is actually a much more complex set of social and emotional factors being described throughout the series to eventually reveal the profile of a character - young Snape - who was a vulnerable youth primed for radicalization by a violent faction of zealots. Although the enforcement and upholding of patriarchal norms is often a huge element of these kinds of social movements, that didn't seem to be the driving force for Snape based on everything we learn about his character. Instead, what we see is a boy who comes from abuse, lives in abuse at school, who loses all the support systems that might give him an alternative to the fascist cult he's being radicalized into which - if it's like most hate groups - would have been more than welcome to both take him in and help him cut his ties to anyone else in his life he might escape from them to.
It also goes against the argument that Snape was sexually obsessed with Lily that he continued to risk his life in order to protect her son an defeat her murderer for almost two decades after her death. He knew it would neither bring her back from the dead nor bring about forgiveness, and it goes without saying that sex was no longer an option. Framing Snape's motivation as obsession dismisses the realities of the complex and meaningful relationship we form as people, and the lasting, transformative influence we can have on each other, which is what Snape and Lily's story illustrates.
Finally, OP concludes with:
He remained mysterious up till the end and his back-and-forth with treason was very compelling to read about. So I hate him (as a "person") but he is such a good character narrative-wise and he is very interesting to study
OP openly admits to hating Snape, ie. having a bias against him, while stating he is "interesting to study" - except no part of their answer has shown that they've actually done so. Their arguments are unsupported in several ways, one being that they don't offer any evidence, and the other being that none can be found in the source text. What's ironic is that OP seems to resent Snape's subjective bias against Harry (and misinterpret his reasons for it in baseless ways) while also showing the exact same kind of bias against Snape themselves. You don't have to like a character by any means, but claiming that the kind of unfounded, superficial, and unsupported opinions that OP stated in their response have a basis in any kind of study of his character is ludicrous and an insult to the intelligence of anyone reading it.
#long post#I'd say sorry to OP for ripping into their post like this but they think people disagreeing with them politely is mean and hateful so#but yeah sorry not sorry when your argument is so unfounded that it can be shredded with an entire cited essay then maybe#reconsider the claim that your opinions have any basis in study#and look I don't think OP is stupid by any means I think they knew exactly what they were doing and that's why I decided to argue them#even if they won't see it#I usually don't tend to argue with haters and prefer to spend my allotted hellsite time delving into meta but this one got to me
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