#a place that is both yours and fundamentally foreign

[lilaabard]

THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSE — A PIRANESI PLAYLIST (listen)

of monsters and men, lakehouse / tamino, a drop of blood / george ogilvie, foreign hands / susanna clarke, piranesi / agnes obel, it's happening again / afrakite, grown apart / susanna clarke, piranesi / of monsters and men, under a dome / radiohead, in limbo / susanna clarke, piranesi / tamino, the longing / aurora, under the water / david o'dowda, the world retreats / and more

[fortunatelychaoticphantom]

Why is the fact that Jesus and Jews were from Israel considered controversial? It’s what we’re taught at school (and for Christians - church) in the US.

I’m genuinely asking, this isn’t sarcastic. No one I know has ever disputed that fact before.

Hello!

You're referring to this post.

It's controversial because denying the connection of Jewish people (especially Ashkenazim but not only) to the land of Israel is a fundamental aspect of post-modern antisemitism.

Classical and modern antisemitism, particularly in Europe, relied on the Jewish people's foreignness to dehumanize them. It was obvious they were Not From Here, despite living there for centuries and longer, and many demanded that they Go Back To Where They Came From. And then they did.

But antisemitism didn't go away just because Israel was founded, it simply morphed, just like it had between its classical phase (centered on religious otherness, religious "crimes" and blood libels) and its modern phase (centered on race theory and economics).

Of course, right-wingers are still classically and modernly antisemitic. They usually don't bother to hide their hatred, it's pretty fundamental to their ideology and identity (though there are aspects of hiding, especially with holocaust denial). But the left has always been just as antisemitic as the right. But it has also grown in the post-modern age, after world war 2, with specific ideologies, centered around notions of humanism and the importance of human and minority rights. And antisemitism doesn't sit well with these notions, especially not after the holocaust... So something had to change. Unfortunately, it wasn't the antisemitism.

This is a classic cognitive dissonance; I feel something (hatred for Jews) that is inconsistent with my ideology (hating people based on their ethnicity is bad). In such instances you can either 1) work to change your actions (it doesn't matter what I feel, as long as I don't harm Jews, and eventually I might change my feelings for them); or 2) change your believes (Jews aren't a category worth protecting).

Now, "hating Jews" is still a big no-no in western left circles. Even now you can't actually directly say it (obviously this was true before October 7th. It seems like even these rules are changing as we speak). So westerners needed to do two things: 1) white-ify the Jewish people (especially the Ashkenazim) and 2) shift the focus on Israel.

The white-ification of the Jewish people is a major theme is western leftist circles in the past 70 years, especially in the US because of its complicated history with race and ethnicity, but it's prevalent in many other countries as well (it should be noted that Jewish people themselves have contributes to this phenomena for many reasons, but this is not the place for this discussion).

In the post-modern age, "whiteness" means "evil" and it is connected to European and western imperialism and colonization. So, essentially, they change what being a Jew is - a white person, as opposed to a Levantine person. This is where some of these people will do mental gymnastics to deny where Jews are originally from, whether denying modern Jews have anything to do with the historical ones (and many choose this route) or somehow both admitting they are from Israel but saying it doesn't matter because it happened a long time ago and then with the same breath talk about how Palestinians are the indigenous ancient people of the land (they are both indigenous, the world is just that stupid). Now, since white people are evil, they are open for criticism, especially if they are colonizers. And since Jews are white now, it makes no sense for them to live in the Middle East.

Which brings us to refocusing their criticism on Israel. Here, people have to walk a fine line between a legitimize political criticism of the Israeli government and the society itself throughout the years (and there are MANY justified criticisms...) and just being antisemitic. Unfortunately, western leftist circles tend to lean more heavily into the latter. And, again, as has been particularly evident for the last three weeks, their focus is on identifying Israel as colonizing enterprise, not just beyond the 67' Green Line, but by it's very nature of existence, since Jews are white now and don't belong there.

And now, once again, they call us to Go Back To Where We Came From (just to be very clear - Palestinians and the rest of the world are doing it as well), despite that part of the world literally saying "don't bring them here, they are not from here", like they always did, just like the post OP was sharing. Only those Europeans aren't saying "Jews are from the Land of Israel and they deserve to live there", they are just saying what the entire world has been saying for the past two thousand years - we don't want Jews anywhere, period.

They don't give a shit about where Jews are from. Some of them say we're from Europe for the sole purpose of destroying Israel. And they would gladly displace millions of Jews and send them to live again with the people who tried and nearly succeeded to annihilate us. Everyone else just don't care, as long as they can hurt us, but also refuse to accept us as their own. And trust me - if and god forbid when millions of Jews will once again become refugees, not a single nation around the world from which We Came From would take us in. Not one.

I know that people know where Jews are from, but the fact remains that huge sections of the world right now, especially on the left side of the political map, will actively deny it.

Because the truth is - the world doesn't give a shit what Jews are or are not. The world doesn't give a shit where Jews are from or aren't from. The world doesn't want Jews in Israel, and it doesn't want Jews anywhere else.

The only place the world deems the Jews to belong to is their graves.

[lovelybrooke]

I don't suppose you wanna do an isekai reader for jjk too? I /loved/ the one you did for one piece and would love to see your take on it with jjk characters too!

I swear, some of you read my mind. I wanted to write for Isekai reader but didn't know if anyone would want to read it, since people mostly seem to want to read The Last of Us stuff (I'm not complaining, I love your support). Though, I couldn't resist writing my thoughts below. I would love to write more of this, so feel free to request.

The reader being transported to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen would be fundamentally different than let's say, One Piece or Genshin Impact since the world of Jujutsu Kaisen is mostly the same to modern day Japan, minus the curses. So, when the reader gets transported there, they're not really going to know the difference until they see one of the characters.

The smartest decision in this case would to be to avoid them at all costs, since it's likely that if you mingle with their affairs, you could end up in big trouble. This would work for a while, since I don't imagine you would have high curse energy due to the fact that you're from another world.

However, your presence alone raises suspicion, as some sorcerers are able to tell that you just don't belong. Like I said however, you're able to mask it easily, playing off your aloof and strange behavior as due to the fact that you're a foreigner.

Gojo is definitely the first one you officially meet, him befriending you because he finds you interesting. It isn't until a few weeks of knowing you that he starts to pick up on how weird your presence is.

He starts to think you're some weirdo kid, because when he investigates you, he can't seem to find anything about you. No parents, no friends, no education. It like you just appeared out of nowhere. He knows you can't be a curse, so who are you. He struggles for a while before just asking you.

Gojo doesn't believe you when you explain your situation. Though, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing in the world. He's surprised that a world without curses exists, but kind of disappointed that it's fundamentally the same to his world. Gojo wants to believe you're crazy but can't really come up with a better explanation for why you irk him so much. You choose not to tell Gojo about the fact that you knew him already, or the fact that you knew him at all, since that would only complicate things.

Gojo agrees to help you find a way back home, his explanation being that he's bored and you're interesting, which doesn't make you feel better about your chances returning home. Gojo's idea of "help" is acclimating you to curses and his job as a sorcerer, since you'd have to get used to it eventually if you plan on being here for a while. He's not all bad, he lets you stay at him home while you find a place to live and work. He's not always around, his teaching position taking up most of his time.

When he is with you, he goofs around a lot, gossiping about his students with you. Your time with him allows you both to build a nice friendship, Gojo happy that there's someone who actually likes him, even if it's because you've never seen someone as strong as him. He likes how carefree of a kid you are, gleefully unaware of the dangers of this world.

Eventually Gojo does introduce you to his students, who absolutely love you. Gojo doesn't lie to them about your situation, telling they straight out that you're from another world. Most of them don't believe him, however some, namely Yuji, want to believe it's real. Yuji is fascinated with the idea of you being some insanely strong Jujutsu sorcerer from another world, even when you tell him that's not the case. Eventually, the others warm up to you and the idea that you come from another world.

The students absolutely love you and encourage you to move into the dorms with them. Gojo is against it, since you technically aren't and a student. It's definitely not because he doesn't want you to move out with him. You also decline, saying you need to find your own place since you're on your own. Gojo knows that isn't happening. You're just a kid, you don't need to live on your own.

You spend a lot of time with the students, mostly the first years, however they all like being with you. Yuji and Nobara love asking you questions about your world, only stopping when Megumi forces them to leave you alone so he can hang out with you in peace. Speaking of Megumi, he doesn't really ever believe that you're from another world, but he can't deny the feeling of pride he gets when you see how strong he is during training.

The second years also love you and are sad they didn't get to meet you sooner. The only one who really believes you is Toge, Panda and Maki both thinking isn't bull. However, they find you interesting, so they don't mind it. The all hate that they can't spend as much time with you, since your closer to the first years, and there definitely a little rivalry between them.

The whole time you're there you haven't really had to deal with any curses, Gojo being there to protect you at all times. However, that doesn't mean they aren't aware of you. Sukuna, sadly, is one of the first curses you meet since Yuji's his vessel. You don't really worry about him, since Yuji has him under control, but you never know how he's feeling, which makes you kind of nervous. You try to avoid talking about your world around Yuji, since you're afraid of how Sukuna might react.

Sukuna himself goes through an emotional roller-coaster when it comes to you. At first, he sees you as nothing as a crazy human who is vessel is obsessed with. However, as Yuji spends more time with you, he starts to warm up to you. You intrigue him, and he eventually starts to view you as his crazy human. If you ever get caught up in battle and Gojo isn't there to protect you, Sukuna is demanding Yuji get you to safety. He denies that he cares about you, but his behavior says it all.

You meet Getou and his followers later, Getou being surprised that Gojo is so obsessed with some week human. I image that he knows about you, stalking you when he's in Tokyo. Like Sukuna, he doesn't really care about you at first, however as he continues to learn about you, he starts to understand why Gojo is so obsessed with you. He sees you as someone who needs protection, and he's the only one who can provide that. You don't see him often, but when you do, he's trying to convince you to leave the sorcerers and gone him, so he can protect you.

When Getou can't watch over you, he's getting one of his lackies to watch you for him. Usually, Mahito watches over you, much to Getou's hatred. Getou knows how spontaneous Mahito is, and so he really dislikes whenever he messes with you. However, Mahito finds you absolutely adorable. You're just some small, defenseless, human who he could destroy in one blow. Not that he would do so! He just finds you so interesting. So many strong sorcerers and curses are obsessed with you, even though you're nothing special. Maybe it's your soul? He doesn't know. He'll have to wait until Getou's ready to take you to find out.

You're never going home. That's for curtain. With the strongest curses and sorcerers obsessed with you, you're never going to get the opportunity. Gojo constantly tries to get you to forget about leaving, claiming that his students would be devastated if you left, which is true. Gojo works with his students to make sure that you never have the opportunity to leave, since one of them are constantly with you. It gets overwhelming; however, they always claim that it's for your protection. Honestly, their possessiveness might just push you towards the curses, though it's not likely since Gojo won't allow it.

A/n: I'm going to scream, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 isn't free on Crunchyroll.

[phoenix-fell]

Anti-Bumbleby criticisms answered with BB analysis - Big post

As expected, as Bumbleby gets more attention from the show, the anti-BB crowd have surfed in on their tidal wave of bitter lemons. So, I’d like to put my degree, job and training to use and compile my thoughts down in one place - a one-stop shop if you will - it’s long and will be largely unfiltered as I tackle the weirdest and most common criticisms and BB analysis. (I kinda miss Bumbleby analysis Megaposts, I might make one sometime to go alongside this as a point of reference as most I’ve seen end around Vol 6).

TIA for anyone who actually takes the time to read my ramblings and please feel free to give your thoughts/analysis and I’ll edit it in. FIRST EDIT - 8th Mar 2023 presenting labels and sexuality in Remnant - 4th from end.

Credentials: Double major 1st class grad in Literature and Creative Writing, specialising in fairy tales and WLW representation in media. Recipient of dissertation award exploring character psyche and the presentation of psychological themes. Literary critic, writer and content specialist. 

Let’s start off with a cracker from Reddit!

“Why couldn’t the BB scenes be more of a background thing? Why do they need to focus on them like they’re a main plot or something?”

Is... Is it stuffy under all that homophobia? I could easily rhyme off a string of sarcastic quips like ‘gee, I wonder why, it’s almost like it’s important to the development of two of the main characters or something.’ But it’s so lost on some people that I’mma spell it out:

We’ve seen Blake and Yang’s trauma painted across the screen from ‘Burning the Candle’ when Yang first confesses her abandonment issues, to the White Fang / Adam arcs that gave us a picture of the abuse Blake has endured - not just as a Faunus, but from her partner (“Adam used to get into my head, make me feel small.”), right through to their separation that dealt with their respective issues with running away/being abandoned and the shared trauma which has tied them both together indefinitely. They’ve been apart, they’ve repaired their relationship, they’ve grown together. In a current volume that’s so inherently focused on character’s individual development, seeing Blake and Yang together was almost inevitable as they’ve been so completely involved in one another’s development throughout the entire series. This is without going into their fairy tale allusions that tie them together which I’ll go into further down or the references to Yin/Yang and numerous romantic tropes that show how integral they are to one another’s characters. Contrary to belief, it’s not romance for the sake of romance - in this instance, the romance very much strengthens their development individually.

Asides from all of this, it was decided from the very beginning that Yang would lose her arm (foreshadowed in the Yellow trailer). The moment they decided that Yang would lose her arm protecting Blake, was the moment a decision was made to invariably tie these two narratives together on a very fundamental level.

But also, don’t clown yourself into thinking you’re not a homophobe if you think any LGBT content belongs in the background whilst also rejoicing any onscreen developments between straight ships.

“If BB was meant to be a thing then they wouldn’t have had Sun as a romantic interest.”

Is there a universe where love triangles and bisexuals are a foreign concept?

But in all seriousness, I think that certain corners of fanbases seem to struggle with any concepts that are non-linear; something I often see with anime. By ‘linear’, I mean: love interest introduced > build up > canon > together forever. As opposed to ‘non-linear’; a character that goes on their own journey of discovery and, through which, has more than one interest and path over time and has the ability to change their mind. The show was never a ‘romance’ as a primary theme; it’s an action/adventure which has some romantic subplots. But to honest, Blake changing her mind shouldn’t really be this much of a shock to the fanbase given that our FIRST ever interaction with Blake, in her TRAILER, is her changing her mind about her partner (and first romantic interest) and deciding to pursue a new journey. A scene which is actually referred back to in the Season 6 opener when Blake uncouples the train and sees what she believes to be a hallucination of a hooded Adam on the opposite carriage, foreshadowing the importance of that original decision later in the series (“you didn’t leave scars, you just left me, alone”). 

The arc that follows Blake thereafter is inherently tied to Adam (amongst other important themes), who is predominantly based off Gaston and the rose (or curse of the rose) from Beauty and the Beast. Blake and Yang are interchangeably alluded to as both Belle and the Beast throughout their character arcs from as early as the Red Trailer: “Black the beast descends from shadows / Yellow beauty burns gold.” and as recently as Blake describing Yang to the Hunter Mice in Vol. 9 Chapter 1. I can rhyme off these allusions until I’m blue, but again, I may save this for a master post.

The story that Blake is based on is a love triangle - she was never meant to have one set path from the beginning and romantic interests were always meant to play a huge part in Blake’s story/development; she was always going to have a romantic decision to make after conquering the curse / Gaston. Blake being haunted by her first romantic interest is foreshadowed in the ending of her trailer and first referenced in her conversation (with Yang) at Mountain Glen, and becomes an undeniable path of exploration once Yang loses her arm to Adam at the end of Volume 3. Let it be noted that Sun was present when Yang announced she was going to find Blake at the Battle of Beacon - a decision was made here for Yang to be the one to lose her arm protecting Blake, as was Adam’s poignant promise to take away everything Blake loves - “starting with [Yang]” or, otherwise, the solidifying of this romantic subplot. Which, again, is called back to with the infamous line: “What does she even see in you?” besides the obvious subtext, it’s setting the stage for these parallels between Adam and Yang, past and future, the previous love interest identifying something in Blake that used to be reserved for him, now directed towards Yang.

This season began with Blake declaring that Yang “seems scary, but isn’t”. Because, once Belle knows the Beast isn’t scary, she allows herself to fall in love (conveniently, this is said whilst walking through a fairy tale).

I could go into a big post about romantic foils and the ways in which Yang, Adam and Blake are all foils to each other but I might make a separate post instead for anyone new to the FNDM. Either way, I feel it’s worth mentioning as it’s Blake who directly compares Yang to a past love interest who was designed with semblances and characteristics that mirror each other. Point being, no one should be shocked that Blake has multiple interests given the character and fairy tale she’s based off and heavy allusions where Yang is concerned.

“Oh yeah, because Yang ‘literally purred at guys in their underwear’ Xiao Long and Blake ‘literally kissed a boy’ Belladonna are clearly bisexual because of [insert out of context reasons]” and “yes but Monty said...”

1. You mean... the one, and only one scene in 9 entire volumes where Yang shows any interest (albeit jokingly) in a guy, and the literal scene directly before she sees Blake from across the crowded room and proceeds to never express interest in men again? (Ignoring the very obvious implied trope here). And, in fact, only expresses interest in a woman from this point onwards? This is your frame of reference? Personally, I find it quite lovely that Yang’s perspective is never the same from the moment she sees Blake. Asides from this, while ‘bisexual’ is the label that these guys have gone with, Yang’s sexuality hasn’t been confirmed outside of being sapphic - it’s not outside the realm of possibility that she is, in all likelihood, lesbian. It’s important to note here that any young character expressing an interest in a man would not invalidate that same character being a lesbian. In fact, if we apply this to real life, it’s not uncommon for people not to realise that they’re queer immediately (I myself didn’t until I was 21). But in the opening episodes of the series especially, I’d very much chalk this up to writers exploring the characters.

2. As for Blake - there are, from what I remember, three kisses in the entire show so far. The one between Jaune and Pyrrha - on the lips after prolonged romantic allusions between the two (their romance is explicitly referenced by Nora - “practice what you preach, Pyrrha.” - almost fitting that it’s Nora to call out the Bees in Season 7 - A Night Off, no? Neat little parallel for y’all). The one between Ren and Nora after trying to work out the status of their romantic relationship - again, on the lips. And the one where Blake says goodbye (and thank you) to Sun by kissing him... On the cheek. (So hot, I know). Which is immediately followed up with Sun telling Neptune “it was never about that”. One of these is not like the other, can you guess which? I’ll wait.

As for referencing Monty - I could go on all day about this one, and the quote most notoriously used is ‘they’re a sisterhood’. Firstly, let me just say that I find it disturbing that anyone would use the show’s deceased creator as ammunition, whilst also disregarding his other comments on LGBT rep - specifically, ‘maybe there are LGBT characters there now / they’re just kids rn and figuring it out / it needs to be earned’. But also, it’s really disturbing and egotistical that anybody would pretend to know what Monty wanted better than the crew he handpicked, worked with, collaborated with and was friends with (special mention to the fact that his own brother is one of the cast). If you truly want to honour his legacy, then show respect to the people he put his trust in.

“I don’t have an issue with BB, but why does it always have to take away from Yang’s moments with Ruby?” / “All Yang’s feelings for her sister transferred to Blake.”

One from the hall of fame. The age old question of ‘can a girl have a romantic partner and still care about her family?’ I wish this wasn’t a serious question, but there are actual sides of the Fandom that seem to think that Yang’s forgotten about her sister that she raised because she has feelings for someone and that the sole purpose of Yang’s existence is to be her sister’s keeper.

I’mma address this on 3 fronts. 1 - Logistically, the episodes for RWBY, excluding the intros, are 15-20 mins long currently and typically oversee several different storylines particularly as the cast grows larger, leaving us with... What? About 5 minutes of team RWBY interactions? It’s not a lot of time to pack in character development, relationship development, plotline, strategy etc. so often if they’re wanting to develop more than one relationship, they will alternate between putting these themes in the background (such as the yellow in Blake’s sword, references from other characters etc.) and foreground, and some developments have to be shoulder-to-shoulder to fit them in. This isn’t an indicator of how much one character cares for one another and is more a demon created by people’s perception of how they ‘think’ a protective sister should act.

Additionally, it should be noted that Yang fawning over Ruby and not allowing her to develop other relationships outside of her sister, would actually offer us nothing from a development perspective for both Yang and Ruby’s characters and would, instead, steer these two strong female characters down a path of co-dependency. 

2 - It feels like a very easy excuse for Anti-BB folk to throw out there, conveniently forgetting how great of a sister Yang actually is (contrary to the number of RWDE videos I’ve seen arguing otherwise, as this is an essay I could write in itself). These very often take isolated incidents out of context and conveniently forget important information like Yang 1. Literally sacrificing herself twice to protect her sister 2. Sacrificing her entire childhood to raise her sister and 3. Importantly, the fact that Ruby is her (self-sufficient) Team Leader needs to be factored into their dynamic, as Yang gives her space to find herself as a leader and steps in when her sister actually needs her - not when the audience thinks she does. People hear ‘protectiveness’ and seem to think that this should mean that Yang should be overbearing. 

3 - Anyone who says this doesn’t have siblings. I have older and younger siblings and, having largely raised my younger sibling, I can safely say that I still love them even when I’m in a relationship. I also feel extremely secure in arguing/disagreeing with any of my siblings because I inherently know they will still be there at the end of the day - a sibling love goes deep (referencing ‘Fault’ from Volume 8). However, in a romantic relationship that is not established and very new... you will feel insecure, that’s normal, it doesn’t have the luxury of established stability that siblings do, and therefore you will overtly express more anxiety about this as a result. It’s a very strange concept that if you have a sibling, you need to give them all of your attention and ignore any love interests. Yang has gone through her own traumas, she has every right to care about others, heal herself, and have a life that isn’t defined by being a caretaker for her sister. ESPECIALLY as she already gave up her childhood to fulfil this role, unselfishly AND as the person she’s bonding with is best poised to understand Yang’s trauma. Yang as a character deserves to receive the love she constantly gives out. Again, this is a demon born from the fact that it either doesn’t reflect the relationship commentors have with their siblings, or the fact that they’re *imagining* how that relationship should be.

Bonus picture below: Yang putting aside her anguish for Summer Rose, who she considered to be her mother, to prioritise comforting her sister about that same loss.

“I hate BB shippers because they pass off BS interactions as platonic. BS made more sense, there was no build-up to BB until Vol 6 and they let the BS build-up go to waste to force BB.”

First off, there’s nothing wrong with BlackSun as a ship. Shipping shouldn’t be dictated by canonicity and people have the right to ship it and to their opinions. And while a few of these seem to have referenced BS, I don’t actually think that BS shippers are at fault for the hatred coming this way, but rather that the ship seems to get used as ammunition from the Anti-BB crowd - to summarise, Anti-BB and BS shippers are not synonymous. I personally don’t ship BS, but I do enjoy the debate and actually think that Sun is a very important part of Blake’s development and arc. There did seem to be some form of mutual attraction between Blake and Sun. Had they gone down that route, I wouldn’t have hated it, I just never felt excited by it, which seems to be a large consensus amongst BB fans. An appreciation whilst feeling there was a better alternative.

Believing all the development between Sun and Blake was ‘wasted’ is also very closed-minded given how much he helped Blake in the White Fang arc and also disregards the importance of their friendship. BS has the potential to be one of the best and most supportive friendships in the series, I stand by that.

That said, I don’t think it’s entirely wrong to acknowledge that a lot of (not all) interactions between BS were platonic from Blake’s pov while Sun’s feelings were more explicit. The only real hint I saw of Blake reciprocating was a blush at the Vytal festival. Maybe the dance at a stretch, but there’s hints at both BS and BB and I will fight you on it. Now, it might be a question of timing; Adam was still a prevalent threat during this time which will have been weighing on Blake given the resurgence of the White Fang, and is clear when Adam rocks up seeking vengeance in Volume 3. For this reason, I honestly think it would have been disingenuous to have explored Blake in a full relationship with anyone at this point given these loose ends, and Blake undergoes a lot of development over volumes 4-6 as a direct result of this.

Additionally, if BB didn’t begin until Volume 6 then that means that BS had 4-5 volumes to happen - 2 of which where they were in their own arc, separated from the main cast. It didn’t happen. What happens instead is Blake’s guilt over Yang weighs heavily on her while she deals with her arc and Sun helps her come to terms with this, ultimately redirecting her back to her team, and Yang, while Sun’s interactions with her become increasingly platonic from his side.

Lastly, the only way you don’t see build up for BB, is if you actively will yourself not to see build-up. If you replace Blake and Yang’s moments with Sun, I don’t feel there’d be any misunderstandings on how these moments are supposed to be interpreted. Take off the hetero goggles, and we’re cool. 

But on a sidenote and personal pet peeve of mine, the cries of ‘BB is forced while BS had build-up’ will forever irritate me - BB has a slow burn, a full arc, developed from a friendship and partnership as well as several tropes and allusions without going into too much detail. BS, firstly, never ended up happening, but it starts when Sun runs past, winks at Blake, magically knows she’s a faunus, then proceeds to follow around a girl he doesn’t know for two days who, at his own admission, didn’t speak that whole time. But... BB is forced? I’d say it’s subjective, but logic defies when this is the barometer for a natural introduction of a romantic pair.

“BB is ‘queerbait’”

Let’s address the ‘Goliath’ in the room, shall we? ‘Queerbaiting’ gets thrown around like a reflex at the moment by pseudo-fans who I don’t believe actually know the gravity of their statements or the meaning behind the word. I often see this slur paired with BB being strung out to keep the shippers watching. Now, there’s an essay in itself that could exist in this section, but are people really still clowning themselves that a show that’s explicitly shown that it wants to have queer representation in the cast and foreground is ‘queerbaiting’ it’s audience? Even weirder for me is the part of the FNDM saying that it’ll be baiting if they make BB canon. Please stop this nonsense and do some research.

Now, one thing I would like to tackle is that, sadly, some will still see pairings on the show through heteronormative glasses, so let me use that here. If the pair were a m/f couple and had several seasons of development and increasingly intimate moments, there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that 1. It was heading in the direction of canon and 2. That it was a slow burn romance that’s building to its’ climax. Interestingly, the show actually does use the hetero goggles to frame BB on several occasions by paralleling this budding romance with several straight ships such as Arkos and Renora. Why? Because this is a narrative technique often used by writers to frame LGBT romances to separate them from ‘just friendships’ and, let’s face it, use an unconscious heteronormative bias to their advantage.

“BB is badly written, they barely interacted in volumes 1-3 then didn’t speak for two volumes.”

Tickle me pink. Volumes 1-3 are a very strange reference point for ‘in-depth’ development between characters. Crumbs, sure. The odd scene, absolutely. But let’s be real here - the show started as a low budget web series with an onus on cool fighting scenes and, most importantly, the episodes were around 5 minutes long whilst entertaining teams RWBY and JNPR, the White Fang, the Vytal tournament and several other plots. Nobody particularly interacted much but the writers did the best they could with what they had and the rest is left to us, the audience, to interpret that relationships are developing off-screen. Though from a critique POV in the interest of fairness, I would say the current season is a breath of fresh air by re-focusing the plot on the central characters as I think the show can sometimes be guilty of taking on too many plotlines.

As for volumes 4-5, while they’re in different continents, it’s obvious that they’re prevalent in each other’s arcs. Whether it’s Yang admitting she’s struggling with Blake’s abandonment - in the same episode the first lesbian character is revealed confessing their feelings to Blake (sidenote, all of team RWBY left Yang, and it’s Blake she’s mad at, this was always meant to be framed differently to her other teammates and IMO the struggle they go through is meant to frame the characters coming to terms with the depth of what they mean to each other), the parallels of them both getting onto the ship (named ‘Pride’ - wink wink), or Blake actively struggling to talk about Yang, yet referencing it when Sun is hurt (“Not again!”) showing it’s at the forefront of her mind. All of which culminates in their reunion in the Vol 5 finale.

Is it the best writing ever? No, nothing’s perfect. But they do explicitly use parallels throughout the series to drive the narrative forward as a foreshadowing tool to strengthen subplots.

“Blake being bisexual makes no sense - she was interested in Sun, it just seems so out of the blue, she and Yang just seemed like friends to me.”

Funny, because she and Sun seemed like friends to me too.

There are so many things I wanted to fire back at this, from the insinuation that if a woman first shows interest in a man then it’s out of the blue that she’s bisexual now that she’s showing interest in a woman... Like, how do you think it happens for bisexuals IRL?! Did you want her to burst onto the scene in Volume 1, announce she likes men and women, and then express explicit simultaneous interest in both of them? Start a harem? Proposition a throuple?

This particular take amuses me most of all as someone who is very openly bisexual. Yes, she and Yang seemed like friends. Great friends, in fact. That hold hands and blush and want to spend all their time together. And check each other out when the other isn’t looking. And make excuses for casual physical contact and flirt and giggle like a couple of giddy teenagers. Just like me and my ‘best friend’ did, before I realised I was bi. I’m sure that a lot of people thought it came out of the blue for me too. Blake being oblivious to being bisexual until it becomes too obvious to ignore is actually a very realistic scenario.

Bonus headline - just because you don’t understand/identify with something, doesn’t mean that it’s not good representation or realistic. I feel it’s also important to mention Blake’s VA, Arryn Zech, is bisexual and has spoken numerous times on the matter. The reason I bring this up is because it’s clear that the way in which the bisexuality of her character is presented on the show is actually something that’s incredibly important to Arryn - because good representation is significant. 

Presenting labels and sexuality on Remnant: A Theory and - “BB is a terrible representation of LGBT and your critique ignores the female and LGBT people that have spoken out against it.”

They say, to someone who is both female and LGBT. Credit to the Anon who charged into my inbox to accuse me of the above - hope you enjoy. Now, there’s a couple of things I’d like to cover before I go into how sexuality is perceived in-universe. The first is that if you use this argument against someone who is queer without seeing the belligerent hypocrisy of your statement, please check yourself as, clearly, you only care about LGBT voices on representation when it aligns with your own rhetoric and ready to dismiss any narrative to the contrary from that same community.

Secondly,  the queer/LGBT community is a vast and vibrant community of *individuals* with their own opinions and own voices. I didn’t nominate anyone to speak on my behalf, just as I don’t speak on the behalf of the rest of the community. Moreover, any art is open to interpretation. My opinion does not override theirs, nor does their opinion erase my own. And, believe it or not, it’s quite possible to have two or more differing opinions within one community without being at war with one another. I respect their opinion, just as I hope they respect mine.

We clear? Great. Onto the analysis! Huge shoutout to @crimsonxe​ for the brilliant discussion and assistance with the analysis in the comments that helped me construct this section! You’re awesome.

Let’s dive in with the headline - Homophobia doesn’t appear to be an issue on Remnant and labels don’t appear to exist, in the sense that it doesn’t appear anywhere in-universe. Now just to pre-emptively disclaimer: this may change, but in 9 volumes and however many supplementary materials, we’ve not heard any labels or had any representation of this type of discrimination. If that changes, I’ll happily remove this. 

So why is this important, you ask? Ultimately, when you take away the inherent ‘fear’ that a lot of the LGBT community face IRL along with prevalent ignorance towards the community and society’s insistence on labelling sexualities and gender identity, it creates a world divorced from our own and is, from a narrative point of view, a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it allows the characters to explore themselves in a non-discriminatory environment that is inherently more fluid and free, whilst the audience will inevitably want to compare that to their own experiences. But we can’t - not properly - due to the still very real stigma and discrimination that exists in our own world. Instead, what we see are characters who express an interest in other characters and find other ways to allude to their preferences or identity. A prime example of this would be May, canonically a trans character, who does not use this term in-world but instead says, “To the Marigolds that meant I wasn’t their son, and I made sure everyone knew I wasn’t their daughter.” This is a theme that is poignantly reflected in the accompanying media for the series - such as the books; for instance, Coco, canonically lesbian, referring to “breaking the hearts of many women.”

How does this tie into the relationship with Blake and Yang? Glad you asked. If you bear in mind that Remnant has a very fluid outlook on sexuality and more of a ‘love who you love’ ethos which is blind to gender norms, it immediately subverts the assumption that interactions between m/f are romantic while f/f are platonic. It’s an open field, if you will. BB is a steady build from partner/best friend (though I’d argue that at least Yang had an immediate attraction, with Blake figuring herself out) with interactions that become increasing more intimate. Eye rolls and jokes become winks and innuendo (“I love it when you’re feisty!”), nudges become intimate hugs (Burning the Candle), become hand-holding (it isn’t coincidence that these two have held hands more than any other pair in the series), becomes pining, blushing, forehead touches (BB and Renora - remember those parallels), which evolves into flirting and... More. And yes, some of their interactions will still resemble the friendship they built their foundations on. But in a world where labels don’t exist, that journey from friend-to-lover is much more subtle and embedded in a gentle upwards curve of increasing intimacy.

“BB is only happening because the horrible BB fans demanded it, the show caved and gave in to the toxic fanbase, it wasn’t planned from the beginning.”

I’ve seen this in so many places, like a broken record. I have no doubt that there are BB fans that are fanatical, and I’d never justify the behaviour of any so-called fan that resorts to death threats or violence in any way. I’m hoping this surely must be a minority that has, hopefully, shrunk over the years as the audience has matured. However, this also really isn’t how shows work... 

As many have pointed out in recent weeks, the show would be a very different landscape altogether if CRWBY were, in fact, that easily swayed by fans; namely, I’m thinking of Clover/Qrow, Pyrrha, Penny etc. While I don’t doubt that show-makers pay attention to the fanbase where needed and where it’ll be beneficial (seeing how fans react to developments, if allusions are clear etc.), sending death threats or whatever is actually much more counterproductive than anything else. But also... You’re not on the crew, you’re not part of those discussions. I feel confident that Miles, Kiersi and Kerry aren’t writing BB content with a gun to their head.

Lastly, the ‘it wasn’t planned from the beginning’ war cry is a tale as old as time. Like Beauty and the Beast. (See what I did there?) Asides from the fact that 1. Yang and Blake were actually the first created out of the team, and made with each other in mind, regardless of in what context (check out the original character designs/concepts) 2. Even if it wasn’t planned from the beginning, what difference does it make? There are tonnes of examples where the writers have felt the chemistry between two characters as the story’s gone on and decided to put them together (case-in-point from outside the anime world.. Chandler and Monica from Friends). In fact, while some writers like to plan every element of their plot from the beginning, there’s a great many writers who allow the characters to steer the plot as they grow - especially arcs with romantic undertones. The series was made predominantly for the action - it’s not a romantic series, so if they didn’t plan it from the beginning that wouldn’t be unusual, especially given that the episodes of the first few volumes are literally 5-10 minutes long. But regardless of whether the romance of the two was planned or not planned, it does not make it any less meaningful.

But let’s be real, the issue at heart isn’t that they weren’t sucking face in the first 3 seasons, it’s that they thought Blake would be with a guy, and she chose a girl. To which I say... Get over your bruised ego, and move on.

“BB fans deserve the hate they get because of x, y, z and cos it has toxic shippers.”

And you’re... Not... Toxic? If you’re an Anti-BB shipper and go out of your way to stalk and comment on BB tags/accounts just to harass shippers etc, then are you any better than the toxic fans you supposedly hate? To me, following BB tags and looking at BB content whilst being an Anti-BB shipper is so weird, why you trying to hurt your own feelings?

Also, saying that innocent shippers who are just living their best life should bear the burden of the toxic FNDM, is literally the definition of tarring everyone with the same brush. Some of us just want to eat our crumbs in peace, and from our POV, you’re the toxic ones being disrespectful. Bonus point: others being toxic does not give you licence to be hateful to anyone you come across that doesn’t agree with you.

“I’m no longer watching the show cos it’s trying too hard to be ‘woke’”

This ain’t an airport, you don’t need to announce your departure. But since you are, if your issue is the gay representation in the show then wake up and look around... We’re everywhere. The show is literally just reflecting the diversity you see day-to-day; but you keep sipping that haterade, my dude, we’re here to stay.

[smytherines]

I often wonder if I would feel differently about The Staircase Scene if I had seen SAF when it first came out in 2016. The first time I saw it was probably around October or November of 2023, and like... the context is different now.

Whatever we want to say about the personal story arcs of these characters (and I know I'm in a tiny minority because, for me, killing Owen does not constitute a satisfying close to Curt's arc, that's totally fine), there is the very real issue of the sociopolitical context that this scene takes place within- both in their time (1961) and in ours.

One very cool thing about SAF is that, in order to understand these characters better, a lot of younger queer folks end up learning about the Lavender Scare, about Executive Order 10450- which officially prohibited gay people from working for the US government- for the first time. That's an incredible, precious thing to me. Yay queer history! It's important!

The show itself never addresses the fact that both the US and UK governments had very public, very brutal campaigns equating homosexuality with communism with being a traitor to your country. But if you want to understand these characters, and especially write fanfiction, you're really incentivized to teach yourself some fundamentally important aspects of queer history.

In the 54 Below concert, before singing Not So Bad, Brian Rosenthal talks about how when they were developing the show they thought N@zis were more or less a thing of the past, that they're fully aware of how differently that song might be taken now after an escalation into a more open embrace of fascism in the US. And they're absolutely right about that.

But I think that's also perhaps an issue with the staircase scene, or at least it is for me. Obviously homophobia and transphobia were not "fixed" in 2016, they were still massive problems resulting in violence and discrimination and brutality. But institutionally, at least, you could look at the situation and point to some things that were gradually getting better.

In 2016 trans youth in my state were legally allowed to receive gender affirming care. In 2024, they are not. It's not that homophobia and transphobia went away and then came back, but there was a very real resurgence of the use of the media and of governmental power to inflict pain on queer & trans people and chase them out of public life- bathroom bans, gender affirming care bans, Don't Say Gay laws, trying to make drag illegal, equating queer and trans people with pedophilia. There has been a big cultural shift back towards the same kind of violent governmental moral panic that our beloved Curt & Owen would have lived under.

Whatever we want to say about these characters and this story (and there's tons of fascinating debate there), there is still the base of a gay man killing his ex-lover ostensibly to protect US foreign policy objectives. Killing the man he loves- or loved, at least- to protect the secret that he is gay. And that hits different for me now.

I watch that scene and it is heartbreaking on a personal level, but its also heartbreaking as a queer person who just wants to scream "your government will destroy you for being gay, you don't owe them shit!"

Owen tries to explain that the surveillance network is happening, that the future won't wait for Curt to catch up. Barb has been saying she's working on the same thing for the US government the entire show, but Curt just kept ignoring her. And I just want to say "Curt, honey, what do you think your government is going to do to you with that surveillance system? Do you think you're useful enough to keep around even though you have sex with men? Because I promise you they will not care."

It feels tragic to me because on some level it seems like Curt would actually be safer with another gay man having control of all the world's secrets than he will be if the government he has dedicated his life to gets their hands on that same technology.

And the thing is, having a tragic ending doesn't make the show bad. This show is great. This scene is spectacular. It makes you think, it makes you feel things, it does all the stuff that great art is supposed to do. Absolutely none of what I'm saying here is meant to denigrate the show as a musical or a story or even a queer story. I hope it doesn't come off as me saying "actually this show is bad," because I don't feel that way at all.

Clearly I live and breathe this show. That's why I spend all my time on here analyzing every scene, every frame, every facial expression. I love this show so much that I can't help but deconstruct it and look at all its component parts- including the sociopolitical context both now and in 1961. Because that context, despite never being explicitly mentioned, is important to our understanding of these characters.

I love these characters so much that it's actually pretty difficult for me to watch A2P7 anymore, because the staircase scene is so emotionally devastating to me that it's hard to try to swing back into that more comedic tone (even though Spy Dance is a certified bop).

I'm not even sure what my point is with all of this, other than to say that Spies Are Forever is a show that is great and fun and funny as written/performed, and becomes gradually more emotionally devastating when you rewatch it or when you understand the subtext of it. When you can engage with the themes of gender and sexuality, surveillance and technology, trauma and trust, and tease out even more satisfying theories around this show.

So yeah. It's a musical. It's about spies.

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

ROUND 4 MATCH 11

Claude propaganda:

"To say Claude has trust issues is an understatement—you have to spend half the game earning his. (Claude isn't even his real name!) Once you have it, though, he's absolutely ride or die for you until the stars go out. He is so full of heart and ambition: He wants both sides of his heritage to get along, he wants to open borders and eliminate xenophobia and promote equality between commonfolk, and deep down, I think he craves a partner to stand with him at that new dawn, or an equal who sees his vision for the future and will fight for it just as hard. Nobody believed in him when he was a kid, but if you put your faith in him, he'll return it tenfold. Some people don't like that he's calculating, or has to leave the player character at the end of the game to go back to his homeland, but both are necessary elements for his goals to change things. He will always come back, and everyone who bets against him and his love for his companions is wrong with a big fat W. #KhalidForMostDatablePrez"

"Claude is a fun little onion of facades. He calls himself the embodiment of distrust, he acts like he's carefree and without worries, an unscrupulous schemer--and so many in universe buy into that hook line and sinker. He's used to others viewing him with suspicion and uses it as armor to obscure his not-so-dark truth: that he cares immensely, that he values minimizing the loss of life, and that above all he has so much hope that people will fundamentally choose to do better given the choice.

His front guards a center that his conflict filled world would be happy to tear apart. As the child of people from two nations in constant conflict--one of which is explicitly isolationist and dehumanizes those outside its church's reach--he hasn't really had a place where he can be without his facade. As a child he thought he could run, but when confronted with the fact that this hatred existed no matter where he ran, he chose to instead try to create a more just and kind world.

His inability to let others in beyond his facade at first may lead to a sense of distance, but isn't it then all the more satisfying when you're allowed in? All he wants is a little trust, a little faith, and--like what he wants to give everyone--a chance to be better.

And like that you got a charming young lad with a fun personality that your grandma would be thrilled to have stay forever."

Fane propaganda:

“Okay yes he starts off as quite pompous, but he goes through SOOO much growth over the course of the game.  He discovers his people have formed a force of world-devouring monsters and even though he still loves and sympathizes with them he acknowledges that the world he is currently in, the world that is YOUR home, is worthwhile and worth saving.  He is literally stuck in a world that is alien and foreign to him and with your help he sees that it has value and beauty. Solas Dragon Age WISHES he had what Fane has. Get yourself a skeleton man who will forsake his dying world for you because you taught him to see the beauty and wonder in life.”

[pizzapasta23045]

KAEYA HANGOUT ANALYSIS

Qubad: Fate means to send the machinations of war to every corner of the land, to fan the flames of conflict till they engulf the entire world...  Qubad: Fate would see my sword tainted with the blood of innocents, that the bright banner of my homeland might fly in every nation known to mankind. 

It so perfectly tells you what will happen in Kaeya's story without actually saying it. It's utterly lovely.

Firstly, it points out that Kaeya does not like violence, does not want it and he hates that fate wants him to be active participant in the creation of violence.

The homeland in the story could seem to be reffering to Khaenri'ah if you don't think about it too hard. But, weirdly, it reppresents both at different times of the play. In the beginning, fate wants the homeland to win, which would imply it's not exactly a 1:1 to Khaenri'ah unless the heavens have a weirdly convuluted plan as they themselves are the ones that destroyed it to begin with. It is also a place with a god, as you can tell in multiple points in the story.

Qubad: When I departed my beloved home to fight in a foreign land, I did so to honor his wishes and for my duty to our people.  Qubad: Alas, is this fate's grand design... Is this fate's grand design... Qubad: Must it be so...?

Kaeya was, in a way sent to fight in a foreign land. Not in the sense of physically fighint but in the sense tha he's an agent there for a specific goal we are not privy through.

He's placed in the impossible position of having to choose between Mondstadt, the place he loves and Khaenri'ah, his homeland who he owes a duty to. Fate, not his father decided this. His father has not helped the situation, his father has harmed him, but in the end he is not the one that created the problem in the first place. As Kaeya's himself points out here.

Kaeya: Yep, "inept" is a good word for it. Honestly, it might even be a little too civil to describe a god who turns fathers against their sons and is bent on endless warmongering... don't you think?

While there is clearly an arger towards his father, Kaeya does not see him as a bad person but as someone who was forced to be evil. A victim of manipulation, just as much of a pawn of this game as Kaeya himself is. The god (Celestia) is in the end the main problem. Because he set up the twisted system in teh first place.

 Qubad: I, Qubad, will spend the rest of my days in a foreign land, till I breathe my last in a place far from home. Qubad: But I shall not bow to the will of fate. I am no pawn in heaven's plan. Qubad: Gundafar, my dear mentor... You have always been like a father to me. It brings me only anguish to bid you farewell.  Qubad: But I must walk this path, or freedom dies by my hand. Goodbye, my tribe and kin. Farewell, sweet land of my birth.

The important part of the hangout is this. "I shall not bow to the will of fate. I am no pawn." Kaeya makes his decision. He's made up his mind finally. He knows what he should do.

Now. What is that?

Well, we can see in the play in Kaeya's improv that he'll say goodbye to his mentor who was like a father to him. He also says goodbye to his kin and his tribe. He isn't picking either the side of his family of choise and his blood.

What we see here is fundamental. Kaeya shouts it at us. He is not picking either side, because both have significance to him. It's important to realize that the thing with his sides, that is also made up. It's a construct set up by the gods. Neither side is whooly right or whooly wrong. The Heavens WANT kaeya to choose.

Kaeya: If you don't like the script, just walk off the stage and join the audience. You always have a choice.

You always have a choice. There is always a less obvious choice. The Heavens do not control anything.

Qubad: My dear audience, I ask you this: Do you believe in fate? If fate decreed that your life was to end in tragedy, what would you do?

The point it's making about Kaeya's story is fundamental to both his and the travler's story. Kaeya's life is to end in greatness and tragedy as his constellation says. It's written in the part. But Kaeya is no pawn, and Kaeya will not turn back, as freedom itself, as a concept dies. Unlike his father, he will not let himself be tainted by hate and preperpetuate the cycle of violence that the warmogering gods want him to do.

Anyways this is my coming out as a "Kaeya isn't picking either Khaenri'ah or Mondstadt he's picking the secret third option the heavens don't want you to know about."

[kaorusan241]

ok so, summer holidays after endgame. anne's admitted to st. mungo's to be more comfortable. fig was MC's legal guardian so she and sebastian are both orphans. so they're allowed to stay at hogwarts just for this summer, but they cannot leave the grounds apart from hogsmade and during day hours. also due to being extremely watched, they cannot fall to their shenanigans again, so they're forced to be good. this brings them together even more. so a lot of fluff, healing and a first kiss? no smut

I’ve given this a go, sorry if it’s crap! For wider reference, my call for prompts is HERE.

Sebastian Sallow x Slytherin! MC | When Term Ends

The concept of a ‘summer holiday’ doesn’t mean much to you. Having grown up in the abject poverty of east London, the idea of relaxing happily with family, swimming in lakes and frolicking in fields, is entirely foreign.

When you first came to Hogwarts, you’d done your best to control your shock and delight at seeing entire tables stacked with chicken, vegetables and gravy, beef stew, freshly baked bread and a variety of soups - to be able to eat like this every day is something you’re still getting used to.

How funny, that despite the immense power you hold, the sight of a simple meal is still the thing that brings you the most comfort.

Hard benches, strict lines, attendants in monochrome uniforms, no curtains, floor coverings, or privacy. The constant sense that everyone around you on the street while you sold matchboxes or paintbrushes considered your poverty a choice - a result of a fundamental lack of effort.

You wish with all your soul that you’d been aware of Hogwarts sooner - to experience this level of freedom and joy for just three years feels cruel.

You wish you could curse the bastards who visited the slums for sport, to hell with the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.

You sigh, putting your book down on the table and watching the flames flicker in the dull green light of the common room. You look at your hands, so different to someone like Imelda’s. Your skin bears the evidence of all that you’ve been through, everything that makes you who you are.

You don’t know if it’s because of the ancient magic that bristles under your skin, but since the holidays began, you’ve struggled to keep a lid on your anger. You feel restless, caged in by the weight of fixing everyone else’s problems.

Take Sebastian, for example. You know that you’ll never fully understand the depths of his devotion to Anne, as an only child yourself. Your own feelings about the situation are so conflicted, you can scarcely imagine how Sebastian must feel.

Solomon was complacent in his search for a cure, you agree with him on that much. But Solomon was only doing what Anne had asked him to do, to stop looking, to let her cope with the symptoms by herself. Given the amount of suffering she’d experienced at Rookwood’s hands, shouldn’t Anne have been allowed that choice?

A life dictated by a feuding brother and uncle, on top of everything else… you grit your teeth, irritated again.

Sebastian is your friend, someone you want to trust to protect you. But he’s also a complicated character - it’s part of what drew you to him in the first place. You could sense something under the surface, even before you spoke to him. A languid charm that hid something much darker underneath.

Sebastian had a family who loved him, who wanted to protect him from the dark arts. A family who cared about what happened to him, who didn’t dump him in the streets and leave him to fend for himself.

He’d thrown all that away, for what? Knowledge?

You don’t believe for a second that Sebastian had done it with entirely pure intentions. He might well believe that everything he’s done, every curse he’s cast, was for his sister’s sake. He might even try to pretend that killing his uncle didn’t matter.

You know him better than that.

Speak of the devil and he doth appear.

“Didn’t expect to see you here”, Sebastian drawls, taking a seat next to you with a tired huff. It’s supposed to be a joke, but falls flat.

You were the only two Slytherins asked by Headmaster Black to stay in the castle over summer. Ominis was free to go, probably because he hadn’t witnessed two deaths in the span of a week. Thestrals might even start to pity you at this point.

“I have nowhere else to go.”

It’s honest, maybe too honest, and slips out before you can stop it. Sebastian just nods sagely.

You’ve never gone into detail about your past, but you know he senses the darkness in you, too.

“It’s been over a month, and still no invitations to join you on a quest. Don’t tell me you’re back on the straight and narrow?”

“Ah yes, because you’d know all about that.”

Sebastian laughs, and you feel yourself smirk. Anyone else listening would have been horrified at how flippantly you just referenced Solomon’s murder, but you weren’t about to argue about it, and you certainly couldn’t ignore it.

“Fair enough.”

Sebastian kicks his feet up onto the table, stretching his arms out behind him and crossing them behind his head. He glances at you, trepidation clear in his eyes.

“So… Professor Fig. How are you holding up? I didn’t spend much time with him, but I know you two were close.”

You feel hollow at the mention of Fig, empty after the promise of a stable home had been snatched away from your grasp.

“I’m fine. Neither of us are any stranger to grief, Sebastian.”

A pause. Sebastian sighs, sitting up from the sofa and leaning his arms on his knees.

“I know what you must think of me, now. I did this for Anne, but even she won’t speak to me. Thinks I should dwell on the consequences of my actions for a while.”

“Sebastian…”

“Even if I had been sent to Azkaban, even if you’d all turned me in, I doubt she’d have visited me. Maybe a fate entwined with the dementors is what I deserve.”

“No.”

Sebastian jumps at your insistence, turning to look at you in surprise.

“I don’t agree with you killing Solomon, but I also know that it was accidental. You let your anger get the best of you. The dark arts are powerful, but need to be wielded with care.”

“Do you think Anne might come to understand, with time?”

“Understand what? That you had to do it? No. Until you recognise that your inexperience with the dark arts led to this, she’ll never understand you. The only way she’ll ever come around, is if you frame it as a terrible mistake.”

Sebastian laughs again in surprise at that, and you turn away slightly, blushing.

“Sounds a little… manipulative? To twist recent events in my favour? Perhaps I’m rubbing off on you after all.”

You can’t help but smile. “Regrettably, yes.”

“In all seriousness though, I’m grateful to you for standing by me, through it all. I don’t know how to repay you.”

You look at him fully, noting the sincerity in his dark eyes, the bags underneath them. It’s been weighing heavily on him, you realize. The idea of being left alone.

“Are you afraid that without Ominis and I in your corner, you might get drawn into something worse..? Something you’d regret?”

“Maybe. I still intend to study the dark arts, to get better control over it. But without Anne I don’t have the same motivation as before. She was my other half, my best friend.”

You wince sympathetically, placing a hand on his shoulder, drawing it up and down the soft fabric of his robes in an attempt to comfort him.

“I can’t pretend I understand. Anne is wonderful, but I didn’t do all this for her.”

Sebastian furrows his brows. “If not for her, then why? Why did you go to such great lengths to help me?”

“Everyone I’ve ever cared about, has abandoned me, or died.” You don’t know where the words are coming from, but it feels like a dam has burst. “Everyone.”

You lift your hand from his shoulder, standing to pace near the fire, feeling its heat gracing your ankles as you walk.

“I know that you cared about Anne, that you love her. But she’s not dead yet, Sebastian. There’s still time for us to find a way to cure her, something that doesn’t involve blood sacrifices, or dark arts we can’t control. The people I’ve lost? They’re gone. I’ll never understand what it feels like for you, watching a part of yourself suffer in that way. But I do know what it feels like to be betrayed by family.”

Sebastian approaches you cautiously, as if you’re a wire about to snap.

“You’re talking about your childhood, aren’t you? The orphanage?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’ve kept parts from me, but it can’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t. I just-” your voice cracks, and you turn away, hiding the tears before they fall.

“I just need to feel wanted. Like someone cares about me. I want to find someone I can trust completely, who won’t force me to stand on my own.” You swallow, steeling yourself.

“When you drifted away, out of my reach, towards magic that I don’t understand, it broke me. It felt like I was right back to where I started. Back to reaching out in my sleep, begging my parents not to leave me behind.”

“I could be that, for you.”

“What?” you quickly wipe your eyes, looking back at him. He’s standing straight, staring at you with a steely resolve that you’ve rarely seen on him.

“I could be the person that stands by your side. That you could trust. I know I’ve made some mistakes…” Sebastian rubs the back of his neck, guilt still radiating off him in waves. “I’ve made mistakes, but…”

He comes closer to you then, gripping your forearms tightly.

“Listen to me. I would never hurt you. You can trust me. After everything you’ve done for me, everything you are… how could I ever leave you?”

You suck in a breath. Here is Sebastian, admitting that you’re one of the three people in the entire world he cares about. That he wants you by his side.

“I.. thank you, Sebastian. I appreciate it.”

Sebastian stares at you, looking for something. You feel yourself heat under his gaze, wondering whether or not he believes you.

“Why do you think I go on quests with you? Spend so much time with you? Do you think it’s out of the goodness of my heart?”

“No… I thought that maybe… you wanted to learn more about ancient magic? That you needed it for something, thought it might help you cure Anne.”

He looks slightly affronted at this. “You think I was just using you? This whole time? That I don’t care about you?”

“No, that’s not it. I know you care. We’re friends.”

“Friends.” Sebastian laughs, incredulously.

“Have you not been paying any attention to the way I’ve been looking at you, this entire school year?”

Your heartbeat races. Are you about to have a heart attack? You don’t know where to look, the eye contact is too intense and you need to leave, you need to get out of here -

“Look at me.”

Sebastian lifts one hand to your face, turning your head, so gentle, despite all the anger you know simmers inside him.

“It’s different with you. I … like you. I want to be there for you, for you to depend on me. You can depend on me.”

It feels like every muscle in your body has frozen. You don’t attempt to speak.

“If you choose me.. I promise, I will never let you down again.”

It overwhelms you, the feelings you have for Sebastian. Everything that you would do for him. It feels all-consuming, the way that you take on his problems as if they were your own. Now he’s saying you can depend on him, that you don’t have to struggle through this alone.

You gently place your hands above his where they rest on your face, and lean forward. The kiss is feather-light, Sebastian doesn’t even seem to register it at first, but then he grips on to you. You feel like you’re falling.

Author’s Note: I don’t have a PS5 myself / have been using my friends, so my knowledge of this game is going to be a lot more limited than other writers. I can only write the characters as I see them, and I enjoy doing so, but things like detailed lore, specific plot points etc. might have inaccuracies. So if that’s vital to people, they should look for writing elsewhere.

[opencommunion]

Dispatch from the Palestinian Youth Movement

“The foremost demand to anyone inside the West, inside the imperial core, is to oppose the genocidal drumbeat waged by Zionist and Western leaders alike. The Palestinian people of Gaza have asked for the bombing campaign to stop, the blockade to end once and for all, and for humanitarian aid to enter. But also and more broadly, what we are asking those who wish to be in solidarity within the West is threefold. First, struggle through organizations and your workplaces and your communities and in the streets to demand an end to both the current genocidal campaign and for an end to the entire system of settler colonialism that has strangled Palestine for the last century. Second, go on the offensive: demand sanctions against Zionism; no more weapons, no more money, no more cultural or institutional cover. We want the total anti-normalization of a Zionism that has once again shown its face to the world. Finally, understand Palestinian resistance as fundamentally just and as a means of survival for our people; it will not stop in the weeks and months to come, and you must be prepared not to waver again.

The Western governmental response has been military and economic carte blanche and material support. These nations have withdrawn much of their foreign aid to the Palestinian people at a moment of utter crisis; leaked documents suggest that the US State Department has instructed its bureaucrats to avoid issuing calls for de-escalation or ceasefire. Secretary Blinken visiting the Philadelphia-born prime minister of the Zionist entity while he is initiating genocide of Palestinians is an affirmation of total US government support and a guarantee of intelligence and military resources to be placed at the Zionists’ disposal. EU leaders, too, have embraced the death merchants of the “Second Nakba” in a lurid display of global settler phantasmagoria. Students and activists are being rounded up from the streets and campuses for their brave defenses of the Palestinian resistance. Germany is leading mass arrest campaigns and seeking to ban the Palestinian prisoners’ movement from their country; England and France are seeking to ban symbols and expressions of Palestinian solidarity. Your voices and your bodies are needed now.”

[alexilulu]

Books I Read in 2024, #6: Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (Greg Stafford Steve Perrin Jeff Richard Jason Durall and friends, Chaosium Inc., 2019)

A bronze age-styled fantasy epic setting originally published in 1975 (as White Bear and Red Moon), Glorantha is one of the founding touchstones of fantasy storytelling in the RPG space that draws upon historiography and a firm integration of magic and mysticism into the firmament of its setting.

My first experience with Glorantha, like a great deal of others, was King of Dragon Pass. I don't remember exactly where I first heard about it. It's either on SA in the LP subforum back in the early 2010s or Tumblr in the same era; if it's the latter, Jared is entirely to blame for this, and probably because of him telling me stories about it in my car over the years.

King of Dragon Pass is a management game in which you play the tribal leader of a Heortling group exiled from their homeland in the wake of Belintar's accession to the throne in the Holy Country of Esrolia, forced to travel to the forbidden land of Dragon Pass where centuries ago the Dragonkill War wiped the land clean of all human presence. For you see, the Dragonkill War was named not for what we did to the dragons, but what dragons did to humanity.

Glorantha is like that.

Glorantha sticks in my mind easily, to be honest. It draws such a stark picture of itself so quickly you can't help but feel arrested by how committed it is to being itself. The Gods are so real that reenacting their greatest deeds invests you with their awe-inspiring power, and the Runes they wield are so bound into the fundament that embodying and studying them allows you to manipulate reality directly yourself.

The game itself is straightforward; every skill is rated from 0 to 100, and you roll 2d10 to roll under your skill rating, which you can further influence by channeling your passions or the Runes that represent you. Its character creation is delightfully baroque and fitting with the focus on historiography: you roll to generate the general lifepath of your parents and your own history in the last 21 years of Dragon Pass' history, during an eventful lead-up to the Hero Wars starting in 1625 when the world will enter a true tumult as empires face off.

I really just love the little things about the world here. Glorantha is detailed in the way that only a seasoned reader of history would be, with a light touch to give you plenty of room to imagine your own tribes in the region, the foibles of each village that give it real texture. The book grounds you in the idea of being from each ethnic group, the stereotypes others hold for them and the realities of their lives.

More than once it states that the Orlanthi recognize 6 gender roles and 7 forms of marriage, which is both a refreshing acknowledgement and also just a good reminder that societies for centuries have seen things in ways that would be foreign to the modern reader, and that you have to think of these societies in the context they've been shaped by.

The various pantheons of the world rule. I could evangelize about Orlanth, the god of storms all day, but it rules that the chief god of the largest and best-known pantheon, the Lightbringers, is the god of the season of utter disaster where life becomes cheap and dangerous, which i suppose makes sense as far as who you would beg to for survival during.

It's combat is dangerously swingy, in a way that kind of rules, in that you can plan for a lot of bad things to happen but you really can't stop that 5% roll from putting a javelin through your soft palate. This is your granddaddy's RPG, there's no luck recovery methods. You die, you beg the local priest for a resurrection and pay him handsomely for the privilege and don't do that shit again.

It just sticks in the mind for me. Very few other RPGs take the sort of careful, historically and culturally-focused bent on producing and placing a world in the way that Glorantha does. It feels lived in and loved, with a clear idea of itself and what it wants to be. I wish I could say the same for more games in the space.

[kaurwreck]

do you have any general headcanons about bsd that you're fond of? sort of alternatively, any interesting tidbits about the irl authors to share? your blog has taught me a lot, maybe even a bit against my will 💀 irl authors were so funny ANYWAY ty so much for oversharing because i enjoy it a lot!!

I've been chewing on how to answer this because I have so many headcanons I'm so fond of, but it felt too self-indulgent to pour headcanons on you when I could offer facts as an alternative.

I post what I learn because it excites me, but also because I think it's wrong to have the resources I do without striving to share them. Since I haven't been writing fic like I used to, analyses and factual deep cuts are also all I have to offer the community in return for the joy this media brings me. It's not what everyone always wants, but it's the only other way I know how to engage.

That said, at least this time, I'm going to share several of my headcanons (some of which are theories) instead. But, so that I'm not completely wasting anyone's time, I'll also include one (1) Akutagawa fact at the end, if only because I think it's devastating 🧡

the Executives

Chuuya and Verlaine have a monthly standing appointment with each other to smoke and drink Bordeaux and wax poetic in French in Verlaine's depression hovel. It's a pretense for Verlaine to tell Chuuya about Rimbaud, and for Chuuya to listen and remember so that he can be the edifying stele Rimbaud's grave wasn't afforded.

It's also so they can vent, gush, and gossip.

Kouyou and Verlaine both want to dress Chuuya and bicker over it, especially ahead of formal events and special occasions. Chuuya and Verlaine are closer in taste, so Verlaine often prevails, but where Chuuya won't accept Verlaine's suggestions without inserting his own street urchin, delinquent flourishes, every so often he allows Kouyou to dress, accessorize, and accent him to her heart's desire (especially if she hasn't seen Kyouka in some time).

Chuuya does not, ever, listen to or humor Mori's wardrobe suggestions.

When the Executives convene for a meeting requiring conensus or a quorum, Mori places a maneki-neko in the seat reserved for Dazai as a proxy. (It used to be in Dazai's seat all of the time, but it was repeatedly vandalized, so now Mori otherwise stores it in his desk.)

Chuuya is a workaholic who's leisure is often occupied by engagement with interests relevant to his professional development; Kouyou maintains strict boundaries around her leisure time (namely spent on or to provide for Kyouka), and Mori is only not-working when he's spoiling Elise, although he usually works through that too.

As a result, Chuuya and Mori spend the most time together, and Chuuya is so used to co-working with Mori in Mori's office that he forgets it's not also his.

Chuuya maintains the Port Mafia's relationships with foreign syndicates, contacts, and illicit trading partners. This is for several reasons: he's a polyglot, and it furthers and maintains his other languages; Kouyou thinks it's good for him to practice diplomacy and negotiation; Mori is aware the organization prefers Chuuya as his heir and wants him well established with their business partners should Chuuya succeed him; Chuuya has friends in Europe he enjoys visiting when the role requires travel; and it deters malicious foreign interest in the Port of Yokohama since Chuuya reminds those who don't consider Japan a world power in the aftermath of the Great War that Yokohama is stewarded by a hot tempered guard dog who can control the most astronomically influential fundamental force theorized by physics.

Chuuya's half-mullet is a reference to both Verlaine's side ponytail and Kouyou's half-bangs.

Mori is asexual.

the Agency

The Agency office has a spare room that Fukuzawa has furnished and decorated to be a relaxing reprieve for mindful repose. The Zen room, colloquially. Dazai uses it to masturbate at work, Ranpo uses it as a spare pantry, Yosano has appropriately pointed out it should be a lactation room for accessibility and equity but uses it to read and write erotica when bored, Kunikida uses it for the nervous breakdowns he doesn't want the others to see (and to smoke), Kenji has never once needed it, Tanizaki and Naomi use it for unspeakable acts, Kyouka uses it for shikantaza as Fukuzawa intended, and Atsushi isn't aware it exists.

Atsushi isn't allowed to have prolonged screen time because Kunikida thinks he's too impressionable, which is why Kunikida won't let him have a smartphone or a tablet. He's going to be very annoyed when he learns that Ango allowed Atsushi to use his tablet unsupervised during the Hunting Dogs arc.

Atsushi doesn't know about bills, pensions, or investment portfolios because Kunikida is maintaining his for him without him noticing. (Kunikida intends to teach him about each and transition small responsibilities, but only once Atsushi turns 20.)

Kunikida also maintains Dazai's, or at least he tries. Dazai keeps finding the accounts and draining them on sake, gambling, elaborate attempts to tease others, and impulse purchases.

I do not think Dazai has any savings from the Port Mafia; I think he spent what he had during the two years he was in hiding, and that he's never been capable of resisting ridiculous purchases for elaborate machinations. Like, he once paid a man who took the same train as Kunikida every day to stand near Kunikida and sneeze without covering his mouth at the exact same time every day for almost a year. Then, on a day when Kunikida had several important meetings, Dazai asked the man to sneeze 37 seconds later than usual. It ruined Kunikida's entire day; he had to take paid time off to recover from the aftermath.

Yosano treats Kunikida like a little brother and nurtures and chides him. She doesn't baby him, though, because he responds best when he has high expectations to meet and because he externalizes his frustration in a way she genuinely doesn't have the patience to tolerate. This is to his benefit; it humbles him and keeps him from becoming too condemnatory and punitive.

Dazai and Yosano slept together when he first joined the Agency. They haven't since, but they have a mutual understanding that she can and does use (i) his self-flagellating, psychosexual attraction to her and (ii) his habit of objectifying competent, compassionate women as victims of his attraction to manipulate him for his self improvement and her sometimes sexual gratification. He's usually fine with it; she doesn't when he isn't.

They're also aware that they sometimes remind the other of Mori (well before they became aware of each other's pasts with him) so they maintain a level of emotional and physical distance to protect themselves and each other. Mostly, this distance is pre-calculated and mutually respectful. But sometimes it's not; sometimes, it's punitive and petty.

Yosano and Dazai have never explicitly negotiated any of the above, nor have they ever needed to. This is another way in which they remind each other of Mori, and so their synchronity ensures their distance.

Atsushi thinks Kyouka is under his care, but Kyouka and the rest of the Agency know that he's under hers.

Tanizaki's feigned harmlessness is to deflect attention and scrutiny, but it's also part of his 24/7 BDSM relationship with Naomi.

Dazai is the only stray cat Fukuzawa knows better than to smother, which is why Dazai may wander but will always slink his way home.

Atsushi's selectively acute perceptiveness into the hearts of others renders Dazai unusually vulnerable and bare in such a way that Dazai covets. But it's also why Dazai frets enough about Atsushi's perception of him that he changed clothes before seeking him out and tried to explain himself at the end of Dead Apple. That Atsushi didn't need him to is why Dazai wanted to; Atsushi engenders a drive in others to meet his faith in them energetically and with sincerity. He has no idea that he has this impact on others; which is why Lucy and Akutagawa also want to drown him.

There are enough spare dorms that Kyouka and Atsushi don't need to share; Fukuzawa, Ranpo, Yosano, Kunikida, and Dazai just all agreed that Atsushi and Kyouka would be happier and do better if maintained as a pair. And Dazai thought it would be funny to lie.

etc., Etc.

Kouyou speaks, acts, and dresses like an oiran in reference to irl!Kyouka's favorite and most consistent character archetype. Non-coincidentally, irl!Kyouka's preference for writing seductive, powerful, maternal, victimized, narratively damned women characters was Oedipal in nature.

Dazai's skill, like Kyouka's, was transferred to him, which is why he's incapable of controlling it as effectively as other touch-based skill users like Hirotsu and Chuuya control theirs. Dazai's skill was transferred to him by Natsume and is a fragment of Natsume's own skill (his nine lives, so to speak).

Skills are shaped by and manifest in response to their users' intense and often unmet or insecure needs and desires. Much like any coping mechanism, they're constructs as deeply ingrained as personalities once formed.

Kyouka and Dazai's limited control over their abilities is a psychological barrier rather than a matter of in-universe physics.

Atsushi is the white tiger, Akutagawa is the azure dragon, Dazai is the black tortoise, and Chuuya is the vermillion bird. They're the four symbols, and they embody four of the five phases (while grappling with the fifth).

Natsume brought Dazai to Mori, and followed Dazai to Fukuzawa.

Ango, Kunikida, and Chuuya have a group chat to coordinate the keeping and care of Dazai, but Ango is habitually kicked and then begrudgingly allowed back in.

Agatha Christie directs the Order of the Clock Tower from where she's imprisoned in the Elizabeth Tower (nèe the Clock Tower, misnomer Big Ben). This is less a headcanon and more a substantiated theory— if you notice, the room Agatha Christie is always depicted as being inside in the manga has wood panels that are reminiscent of the oak paneled walls of the irl prison room in the irl Elizabeth Tower. The anime iteration more generally references elements of the Elizabeth Tower's Gothic Revival design in the room's symmetrical and ornate carved details, decorative moldings, arches, tracery, vaulted ceiling, heavy and curved and elaborately patterned furniture, etc., etc. Her skill being called And Then There Were None and her cold, calculating, sadistic personality also suggest she takes after Judge Wargrave, who was both the righteous condemner and among the righteously condemned.

As for your irl fact: Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's children did not call him dad; they called him Ryu-chan.

[tokoyamisstuff]

Breaking Bonds Ch. 1

Glossu Rabban "The Beast" Harkonnen x F! Reader

Synopsis: Many were involved in the forced union of you and the Count of your homeworld - how will you cope; on a foreign planet and trapped with a literal beast? Notes: Arranged Marriage, Lankiveili! Reader, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn Chapter Warnings: Slight Angst A/N: My new friend @cinnamon-mey inspired me to finally start this fic that's been sitting in my draft for an eternity. If you search for a good Rabban short, check out her work right -> Here! ❤

"Amour, amour, everyone wants to tame you. Amour, amour, in the end we're caught between your fangs. Love is a wild beast! You fall straight into her trap. She stares right into youe eyes. Enchanted when her gaze meets yours." - Rammstein

"WHY WOULD MY UNCLE MAKE ME WED THIS LOWLIFE? WHY?!"

Rabban's voice cut like thunder through the strained silence, his shouts being followed by what you could only decipher as the wreckage of furniture.

You were in the room next to his, both you and the slaves flinching with every sound. Still, they wordlessly continued preparing you for the ceremony, harshly tugging on your hair that was so foreign for them to maintain.

His voice was just as you imagined, you thought: As frightening as the man himself, and dripping with intense hate and rage.

There was no way he had only now been informed about this arrangement.

Maybe he did simply hope there'd be another way around, who knows? That'd make two of you.

Reality began to dawn on you as you watched the Harkonnen maids work on you in the mirror. According to their tradition, you were dressed in all black - a fitting theme, for it truly felt like a funeral more than anything.

Another clash from your fiancé's room, followed by screams and someone calling out for a medic.

This man's fury could direct itself against anyone or anything, even if absolutely unprovoked. It was enough to be in his vicinity at the wrong moment...

...the place you were destined to be from now on.

Tears dwelled in your eyes and even though you did not understand their language, they gesticulated for you that the time had come.

You were led to the altar like a lamb to the slaughter, aware of your fate but unable to prevent the inevitable.

Never before had a walk had felt this long yet also agonizingly short.

As you walked down the aisle, your glance wandered aimlessly through the hall avoiding to look at Rabban for as long as humanly possible at any cost.

A pityful attempt to prevent yourself from breaking down right then and there - at least not futile until now.

You couldn't help but notice the lack of anything that might indicate the current celebration. There was no decoration, no music, nothing.

Something to get used to, living with those people from now on.

Many eyes were locked on you, most of them unfamiliar. They were observing you warily, degrading even.

Some of them you had never met before, and still they had decided over your fate - or rather doom - without any remorse, only ever having their own benefit in mind.

Of course your own family was not allowed to attend - the fact that you roamed these halls freely was proof of their desperate measurements.

But in the end, you were just another slave.

A cruel tactic, marrying you off to the man that was tormenting your entire homeworld for decades already.

Well, toying with other people's lives if the end justified the means - that was the fundament the whole Empire was build on.

For a sheer moment, you locked eyes with the Reverend Mother - another player to whom you were nothing more than a mere pawn.

They had raised their hopes of you birthing a gifted daughter, fit to join the ranks of the Bene Gesserit. While you had no connection to the order whatsoever, Rabban's mother had been one of them. So it was not completely impossible for your offsprings to carry huge potential.

Even though being forced to reciprocate with one of this monstrous race terrified you beyond belief, so did the thought of your child being robbed from you right after birth.

Maybe it was better this way - the abomination you'd bring forth with the Beast would grow up to become just as evil as the rest of them.

You also spotted Baron Vladimir among the crowd, first row of course and seemingly very proud of himself. Of course he'd attend, being the one to suggest this alliance in the first place.

The Baron was not particulary fond of the idea that inferior genes would once again taint the Harkonnen bloodline, though he thought of Rabban just as lowy. Most important, it might end the uproars on your home planet and assure them safe trade of the precious whale fur once again.

He couldn't care less about Rabban's future, let alone a heir of his lends. If anything, it would be a nuisance for the Baron's initial conspiracy to help his favoured nephew Feyd take over the lead of House Harkonnen.

Because by law, the firstborn Rabban and his bloodline would be first in order of reign, no matter how much your inferior blood might taint it.

However, the unison between the self-proclaimed Count of Lankiveil and the last remaining native royal house of the planet would hopefully bring about permanent peace.

Settling things like this would spare him the expenses and resources of wiping the rebels out through force.

This was also the reason your family had given you - their only marriageable daughter - away voluntarily, knowing very well what unspeakable terrors the Harkonnens could otherwise unleash onto the remaining populace.

In the end, the Baron was satisfied with the outcome. You were composed and intelligent, yet knew your place. A fitting counterpart for the dull and erratic Rabban, possibly even keeping him from poor decisions that'd be bad for their business.

After knowing what the Harkonnens were capable of, you were sheer too terrified to become an actual threat. You'd gladly accept your role and sacrifice for your people without daring to ever strive for more, he was sure of it.

Everything else could be dealt with later, Vladimir thought.

"Remain as still as a corpse" you reminded yourself as you had reached the destination besides your soon-to-be husband. "Thus is the virtue of a lady."

You gulped harshly, desperate to make your body obey even in the face of fear - in contradiction to your own survival instincts.

However, when Rabban finally lifted your veil you were unable to keep your body from shaking, strangled sobs escaping your throat ever so frequent.

No one seemed to mind your current state of being, though you were certain even the last one among the audience could notice your very obvious distress.

After all, it was no secret that this marriage was fake. A trade in exchange for peace...

...and all consequence that came along with it you alone had to bear.

A firm grip under your chin forced you to look up to the man, and when you ultimatively saw this frightening man eye to eye, the last bit of your resolve disappeared.

You did not care anymore - anything would be salvation compared to whatever awaited you with the monster that was the man you had been promised to.

The Count himself however seemed rather unimpressed by this whole scenario.

In the end he was nothing but the shell of a man with no own will. Even this marriage was just another order for him to follow.

Not even the Emperor would know what kind of inhumane measurements were necessary to break this literal beast into utter submission like that.

Rabban had never cared about politics of some sort - whether he was to be here or slaughter himself through the rows of your people, it did not matter the same...

...though admittedly, he'd enjoy the latter option way more.

It was sheer impossible to know what he was thinking as he scanned your face, keeping an indifferent expression - and yet his stare was burning holes into you.

Even while doing nothing spectacular, his vile aura alone was making you shrink down in fear.

An embassador of the emperor was in charge of the ceremony, however both of you did not pay his speech any mind. You were still frozen on spot, gaze glued on each other like hunter and prey - expecting one to strike as soon as you'd be inattentive.

"I do" he spoke, his relentless eyes still fixated on your face - and only when those words reached your ears you realized that the ceremony was already in full swing.

In huge contrast to earlier, Rabban's demeanour was now all calm and collected - at least on the outside...

...and yet his voice was still boiling with anger underneath. A deep almost-growl, sending a chill down your spine as it echoed against the walls.

"And you, Y/N Årud: Do you take Glossu Rabban Harkonnen to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Cold dread dropped to your stomach like lead, and it took everything inside of you to not faint from the horrifying anticipation.

Remembering the reason you were chosen - the fact that your sacrifice would ease the burden of your folk - gave you just enough strenght to continue this farce.

There was no escaping it either way - this was your cruel, cruel destiny.

You blinked away the burning tears on the rim of your eyes, ramming your nails into your palm to level yourself. Refusing to do so much as look at him again, you took a deep breath and finally wrung out the words everyone expected of you:

"I-I...yes, I do."

----

Årud is a Norwegian reference, meaning something like "river's clearing"

[Chapter 2]

[thatone-highlighter]

I just got through the Earthlings arc during my SU rewatch and im absolutely facinated by Jaspers character

She’s such an effective antagonist for so long because she clashes with every other character so fundamentally. She’s got this completely foreign to the show worldview that is shown to be contrary to what the rest of the show is trying to say but she still feels like a real person and when you think about her she’s just as much a product of her circumstances as anyone else. She doesn’t want to talk it out with Steven because why would she? She was literally born to fight as has been doing so since the second she was born, it’s all she’s ever known and has been drilled into her head that that’s what’s expected of her, she’s rewarded for fighting well and watches as others are punished for doing badly, either by losing or by facing consequences for failing.

And then there’s the whole “perfect solider” part of her character. She was literally born more capable and with a higher status than everyone else. But because of the way home world is structured to reward her and punish people like the off-colours, she’s been indoctrinated into thinking that the reason she came out on top had nothing to do with how she was made and everything to do with her behaviour and attitude. Peak “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” type person but because it’s a fictional story you can see what happened to make her this way. Her and amethyst are fundamentally different, they’re different quartzes, they were born in different places, they were just created differently, from the start jasper was always going to be better at some things than amethyst and amethyst would be better at others than jasper. But because of the way jasper has been “raised” for lack of a better word she doesn’t see that, she doesn’t understand that her and amethyst are simply different gems who were made different, she’s better at fighting and is picture image of what a quartz “should” be so that means it’s possible and anyone who can’t live up to that standard simply isn’t trying hard enough. And she even manages to get that into amethysts head, if jasper is capable of this then that means that amethyst must be too, even tho that’s simply not true. Through no fault of her own amethyst would have to try infinitely harder to achieve even close to where jasper is, jasper started out with a huge head start and trying to play catch up does nothing but hurt amethyst. It’s such a good analogy for so many things I think

Her main role in the story is serving as a character who simply refuses to talk it out with Steven, but again, why would she? From her perspective the entire reason her life is like this, she reason shes spent her life fighting endlessly, all the suffering shes lives through, its his fault. Rose Quartz started the war she was quite literally born to fight in. Rose Quartz also ended that same war by killing the only person jasper ever had to look up to, forced her out of the only reason she had for existing (both as in to fight the war and to serve Pink Diamond). And then heres Rose Quartz once again, saying she wants to help her? Where was she offering help when jasper when she was living to fight as much as she was fighting to live? Where was this „help“ when she shattered Pink Diamond and Jaspers entire world with her? „Help“? Help my ass shes the reason everything thats gone wrong in jaspers life went wrong in the first place

And then she gets poofed at her lowest point, gets removed from the story entirely until Future, and Future does nothing to make anything better for her! Last jasper knew the person shes been seeking revenge on her entire existence cant even be bothered to remember what she did, and then she loses herself to the Earth and corruption, the very things she prided herself on being better than.

And then suddenly shes brought back and „hey guess what! That war we created you to fight in? The one you created your entire person around? The one you lost Everything in? Yeah so it was pointless. Actually the person you idolised for the past 6000 years is the same person who you thought killed her and have been seeking vengeance on for the same amount of time. Crazy how that happens. Anyways so do you wanna come hang out with us now that we sorted that out and were chill about it?“

Can you even IMAGINE what that feels like? No wonder she runs off into the woods and becomes a hermit what else is she supposed to do! Shes got nowhere to go! Her entire life has been turned on its head and she’s expected to just move on! That’s ridiculous!

And thats just the backdrop for her appearance in Future. When she finally does appear they kill her and thats the first and only time we ever see her happy. Someone Finally speaks to her in a way she can understand and she actually dies, and uses that to find herself a purpose. If steven is powerful enough to shatter her, a feat never before seen by a gem, then sure she can serve him, anything to give her life purpose again. and then they just forget about her! Steven literally ditched her in his house! They pull the rug out from under her Once Again. but now she can be „normal“ now she can do what other people want her to do so they all assume shes „better“ now.

I think future did her so dirty the original show handles her character So Well and im not really sure how else they could have gone further with her character because people like Jasper in real life dont really change. And if she were to change and agree with steven it would feel like the show saying steven was right and jasper was wrong and she should have listened to him from the start. Shes such an interesting character to delve into because shes the antagonist yes but shes a very specific type or antagonist that doesnt appear very often and when it does its not with as much backstory, even if just implied, or delving into the thoughts behind the actions. Its so interesting to me

[thesobsister]

A January 3 letter from Biden campaign staffers

Dear President Biden, we need a ceasefire now.

Dear President Biden,

We write to you as the current staff of your re-election campaign. As we work to mobilize voters to cast their ballots for you in 2024, we must take a moment to acknowledge our tremendous grief, and the grief shared by countless other Americans, toward the violence occurring in Gaza.

We joined this campaign because the values that you — and we — share are ones worth fighting for. Justice, empathy, and our belief in the dignity of human life is the backbone of not only the Democratic Party, but of the country. However, your administration’s response to Israel’s indiscriminate bombing in Gaza has been fundamentally antithetical to those values — and we believe it could cost you the 2024 election. Therefore, we join your 2020 campaign alumni in imploring you to:

Publicly call for — and use financial and diplomatic leverage to bring about — an immediate, permanent ceasefire;

Advocate for de-escalation in the region, including demanding that Hamas release all hostages and that Israel release the over 2,000 Palestinians in administrative detention being held without charge;

End unconditional military aid to Israel;

Investigate whether Israel’s actions in Gaza violate the Leahy Law, prohibiting U.S. military aid from funding foreign military units implicated in the commission of gross violations of human rights;

Take concrete steps to end the conditions of apartheid, occupation, and ethnic cleansing that are the root causes of this conflict.

Like so many others, we continue to be devastated by Hamas’s attack against Israeli civilians on October 7th — it was a vile assault, one that touched the consciousness of the country. The subsequent killing of 20,000 Palestinian civilians, however, has struck the same societal nerve. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past by allowing the actions of Hamas to justify such further violence against civilians.

Israel’s attacks in Gaza have had one of the highest civilian death tolls of any conflict in decades. Children have been caught in the center of it, many of them killed by bombs made in St. Charles, MO. In the past 88 days, over 1% of the population of Gaza — including countless women, children, and premature babies — have been killed, while almost 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes. There is no safe place for innocent civilians to go, no shelter, and no humanitarian assistance. What we are witnessing in Gaza, as highlighted by countless experts from around the world, is a genocide.

You have said numerous times that silence in the face of human rights violations is complicity. We agree, which is why we are speaking out now. Every minute that passes without a ceasefire is another life that is lost — a life that could have been saved with political action from you. As your staff, we believe it is both a moral and electoral imperative for you to publicly call for a cessation of violence.

The majority of Democrats support an end to Israel’s military campaign. Americans, especially young Americans, feel extraordinarily passionate about this issue. In fact, 72% of voters under 30 — a key Democratic voting bloc — disapprove of your handling of the conflict in Gaza.

Biden for President staff have seen volunteers quit in droves, and people who have voted blue for decades feel uncertain about doing so for the first time ever, because of this conflict. It is not enough to merely be the alternative to Donald Trump. The campaign has to shift the feeling in the pits of voters’ stomachs, the same feeling that weighs on us every day as we fight for your reelection. The only way to do that is to call for a ceasefire.

This Administration’s profound sense of empathy is one of the reasons we felt inspired to join your reelection campaign. Now, we have faith that you will listen to the two-thirds of the country and three-quarters of our fellow Democrats who support a ceasefire. Complicity in the death of over 20,000 Palestinians, 8,200 of whom are children, simply cannot be justified. Only with an end to violence can we achieve a real and lasting peace that upholds the right to self-determination, safety, and freedom for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

Sincerely,

17 Biden for President Staffers

[tradesignalsbusiness]

Mastering forex signals for trend following: a comprehensive guide

The foreign exchange market, or Forex, is a dynamic and ever-changing arena where traders seek to capitalize on currency price movements. One popular trading strategy is trend following, which involves identifying and following the prevailing market direction. Forex signals play a crucial role in assisting traders to navigate the complexities of trend following. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the intricacies of Forex signals for trend following, helping you understand how to leverage them effectively for successful trading.

Understanding Trend Following

Trend following is a strategy that seeks to capitalize on the directionality of market prices. The basic premise is simple: identify the prevailing trend and place trades in the same direction. Trends can be upward (bullish), downward (bearish), or sideways (range-bound). Successful trend following involves entering a trade at the beginning of a trend and exiting when the trend shows signs of reversal.

The Role of Forex Signals

Forex signals serve as triggers for traders, indicating opportune moments to enter or exit a trade. These signals are generated through a thorough analysis of market data, including technical indicators, fundamental factors, and sometimes a combination of both. For trend following, signals become particularly crucial as they guide traders on when to jump on a trend and when to step aside.

Key Components of Forex Signals for Trend Following

1. Technical Indicators:

Moving Averages: These are fundamental tools in trend following. A moving average smoothens price data to create a single flowing line. Traders often look for crossovers, where short-term moving averages cross above long-term ones, as a signal to enter a trade.

Relative Strength Index (RSI): RSI measures the speed and change of price movements. A high RSI may indicate overbought conditions, suggesting a potential reversal, while a low RSI may indicate oversold conditions, signaling a potential buying opportunity.

Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD): MACD is a trend-following momentum indicator that shows the relationship between two moving averages of a security’s price.

2. Fundamental Analysis:

While trend following is predominantly a technical strategy, incorporating fundamental analysis can enhance the accuracy of signals. Economic indicators, interest rates, and geopolitical events can significantly impact currency trends.

3. Price Action:

Pure price action analysis involves studying the historical price movements of a currency pair. Identifying patterns, such as higher highs and higher lows in an uptrend, can provide strong signals for trend following.

Choosing a Reliable Signal Provider

With the plethora of signal providers available, it's essential to choose a reliable one. Consider the following factors:

Track Record: A provider's historical performance is a crucial indicator of their reliability. Look for providers with a consistent track record of accurate signals.

Transparency: Transparent signal providers disclose their methods, including the criteria for generating signals and their risk management strategies.

Risk-Reward Ratio: A good signal provider should have a clear risk-reward ratio for each signal, helping you manage your trades effectively.

Implementing Forex Signals for Trend Following

Once you've selected a signal provider or developed a reliable system, the implementation phase is critical. Here are some tips:

Risk Management: Set clear risk parameters for each trade. This includes defining the percentage of your trading capital you're willing to risk on a single trade.

Position Sizing: Adjust the size of your positions based on the strength of the signal and the volatility of the market.

Stay Informed: While signals provide valuable insights, staying informed about broader market trends and events is crucial. Unexpected news can impact the Forex market.

Continuous Evaluation: Regularly assess the performance of your chosen signals and be prepared to adjust your strategy if market conditions change.

Conclusion

Forex signals for trend following can be powerful tools in a trader's arsenal, helping to identify and capitalize on market trends. However, success in Forex trading requires a comprehensive understanding of both the strategy and the market itself. By combining technical indicators, fundamental analysis, and a disciplined approach to risk management, traders can use Forex signals to navigate the complex world of trend following with confidence. Remember, no strategy guarantees success, and ongoing learning and adaptation are essential for long-term success in the Forex market.

Source:

[sidecar-shaman]

MASSIVE OUTER WILDS SPOILERS AHEAD

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Please do not click this if you haven’t completed the whole game yet

Ok, just us who beat the game now? Good.

I saw the start of a video game soundtrack tournament poll featuring Outer Wilds vs Sayonara Wild Hearts and it reminded me of a detail from the OW soundtrack that I haven’t seen anyone else mention. But before I get to that, I want to point out that I was hesitant to vote in this poll. 

For some reason, the OW soundtrack doesn’t really come to mind when I think of good soundtracks. My first thought if someone asks what my favorite video game soundtrack is would be probably either Celeste or Hotline Miami, both great in their own right, but they both function fundamentally differently from the music in Outer Wilds. Those, and many others, follow the simple function of being background music to set the mood for each level. If you took them away, each game may feel a little more hollow, but would still play pretty much the same.

What struck me about Outer Wilds’ soundtrack is how much the songs are baked into the gameplay. Travelers is played by all the Hearthian astronauts themselves, End Times signals that the sun is about to go supernova (and in my headcanon is the actual signal being sent back in time to launch the probe cannon), Final Voyage fades in to tell you that the time loop is over and you need to Get Your Ass To The Vessel Now, and the songs for Timber Hearth/flying in space/the Sun Station/inside Ash Twin Project/etc. fit so well with the vibe of each area that they just felt like background noise that each place had naturally drifting around. 

Hell, the game ends with a song. Music is so fully immersed in the experience that I didn’t even register it as separate from gameplay. So for that reason it doesn’t come to mind when I think of my favorite soundtracks. Because I don’t think of it as a soundtrack. I think of it as ambience, a trail to follow, worldbuilding and a warning to fucking gun it. 

Which brings me to my little detail. When everyone is gathered around the campfire at the end of the game, and everyone plays their part in Travelers, you are of course also joined by Solanum (and The Prisoner if you completed Echoes). Solanum’s part is new to the song you have been hearing during you journey, as she points out herself: “This song is new to me, but I am glad to be a part of it”. 

But what I noticed is that while everyone else is playing either long whole note chords or simple eighth note rhythms, Solanum is the only one playing with syncopation. 

A traveler from beyond the stars, beyond time, an explorer like the rest of us, eager to join in and play a song with us simple but curious Hearthians, can’t help but add her own flair. Add in rhythms that would likely be foreign to the Hearthians. 

And the song is so much better for it.