#al yells

[jays-therapist]

So much of who Yukio is stems from his self-hatred.

He wants to be an exorcist because he hates how weak he is. A lot of the contempt he holds for his brother derives from a desire to be like Rin, and not like himself. The way he remembers his own childhood is distorted by his self-hatred, as he struggles to focus on memories where he isn't inadequate.

I think the reason he hates who he was as a child is because he’s associated all of his worst traits to "Pre-Exorcist Training" Yukio, where he felt truly helpless and unable to do anything about his fear. Becoming an exorcist kind of gave him a sense of power? By learning about what he’s afraid of and how to deal with it, he now has control. At least, I think that was the idea behind it. What he doesn’t understand (and what Shirou probably didn’t consider when he gave his baby a gun) is that he’s not really overcoming his fear of demons. He’s just compensating for it, and clinging tight to any source of control he can get. Deep down, the fear remains; he still feels helpless, with a whole bunch of terrible coping mechanisms as a bonus.

(I also think this is one of the reasons he has such violent reactions to losing control, specifically towards his own body, like when he stabbed his arm to prevent himself from panicking in the Kyoto Arc.)

And he gets worse, because as he reasses the goals he had when he was a child (partly due to Toudou’s influence), he can only focus on all the ways they are selfish. A seven year old becoming an exorcist because he wants to be stronger only reinforces Yukio’s self-hatred, because it’s a self-oriented goal. Rin wants to be an exorcist so no one has to die for him like Shirou did. Shiemi wants to be an exorcist so she can protect others the way they’ve protected her. Bon wants revenge for the Blue Night and how it affected his family, and on and on and on. Yukio is surrounded by people who have experienced incredible pain, but focus on those around them. More and more, Yukio is seeing himself as the outlier, whose selfishness only serves to build upon itself. As he says, “I’m so obsessed with myself I can’t see anyone else!”

And like, that’s why I think the line “I’m strong because I had you!” holds so much weight, for both Rin and Yukio. For Yukio, it’s a realization that he loves his brother more than he hates himself, you know? He didn’t just want to be strong so he could surpass his brother. He wanted to be strong for his brother, and was inspired by him. It was that love that pushed him forward, and it’s that love that allows him to heal, a little bit.

This is best shown in the flashback he has later in Chapter 130 when they’re getting ready to square up with Satan. Earlier, I said that Yukio’s memories are distorted by self-hatred. Here, in this scene, we see a memory free of that bias, where Yukio, once shaking in fear, takes Rin’s hand. Yukio is brave, and able to overcome his fears with support, it just took him awhile to realize this.

Therefore, even though so much of Yukio is built upon hatred, he’s slowly recognizing just how much he loves and has loved.

[kartsie]

Jason’s greatest weakness: angry babies with knives

[breadandblankets]

Duke: "So then Ra's went-"

Damian: "You know that's not grandfather's name right"

Duke: "Hm?"

Damian: "that's not his name it's a title, you're supposed to say the whole title, his name isn't 'Head'"

Duke:

Damian:

Duke: "She give me Ra's on my Ghul til I…"

Damian, sighing, unsheathing a sword: "Thomas, I know you will survive this, so I will not be holding back"

[whalehouse1]

Victor: Did you know Batman had contingency plans for every hero in the world?

Dick: …Yeah, I helped with some and have my own.

Teen Titans: WHAT!?

-

Roy: I can’t believe both Bruce and Dick have contingency plans for us heroes, talk about mistrust, right Jay.

Jason: …

Outlaws: YOU DICK!

-

Bart: I just heard Batman, Nightwing and Red Hood has contingency plans for all of us. Tim you gotta tell them that’s not right.

Tim: But I have the same plans and some extra if the first don’t work.

Young Justice: WHAT!?

-

Birds of Prey: I’m glad you’re not part of Batman’s inner circle Oracle, turns out they have contingency plans for all of us. How can we trust someone who doesn’t trust us.

Oracle: But you trust me.

BoP: ARE YOU KIDDING US!?

-

Jon: So you have plans I guess?

Damian: To take you all down? Of course, doesn’t everybody?

[ahbogman]

reunited.

[simonettastefanelli]

"Mickey, you had me worried when I didn't get in touch with you."

[crystallizsch]

i feel like i'm being teased with crumbs.

CRUMBS

of Mr. Jamil Viper sir in the Savanaclaw manga

(credits to turtlesoupscans for the translations!)

WHY IS HE SO JBJKDJSVKK

[ingravinoveritas]

Following up on this excellent post from @nightgoodomens, it really is astonishing to see so many people in the GO fandom misunderstanding the characters/personalities of Aziraphale and Crowley. While I by no means am against people having head canons or differing interpretations, it has become frustrating to see people pushing their ideas about Aziraphale and Crowley onto others and declaring them to be official canon, leaving no room for any kind of discussion.

One of the things spoken about in the above linked post is the denigrating of Crowley, which seems to be a near constant in the fandom at this point, particularly in relation to the "apology dance" scene. (Which, to be fair, is chock full of soft!Dom Aziraphale vibes--thank you, Michael Sheen.) What seems to keep getting missed is that the entire apology dance routine is something that Aziraphale and Crowley do to each other. There is just as much of a possibility that Crowley sat there with a similarly smug look on his face and let out a guttural, snakey "Very nice" when Aziraphale did the dance in the years he listed off, because they play this game together.

Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship is one of equals, and I think this is also something people seem to not understand well. It seems as though a lot of fans who project themselves onto Crowley want to be taken care of, and so they want to believe the same of Crowley, and that the reason he wants to be taken care of is because he is broken. But someone doesn't have to be broken to want someone to take care of them. Sometimes the people who are a shambles on the outside can be dominant, just as sometimes the most buttoned up, put together people can also be submissive. And sometimes the people who look in control on the outside can feel not at all that way on the inside.

But this nuanced thinking seems to increasingly be difficult for many GO fans, particularly those who spend a great deal of time on social media, a place where people are either blindly praised or denigrated and torn down, and where such behavior greatly reinforces that binary, black-and-white mindset. We so badly want the world to be clear-cut--good vs. evil, heroes vs. bad guys--but very often that just isn't how things work. And it is exactly what Terry and Neil were trying to speak against in the GO book (and subsequently, the TV show).

The other thing that I think influences a lot of fans' perceptions about Aziraphale and Crowley is their chosen corporations (i.e., Crowley being thin and Aziraphale being plump). There is an automatic assumption that thin somehow equals more vulnerable, and for all of the emphasis that is placed on Aziraphale and Crowley being genderfluid/nonbinary/not subscribing to traditional gender roles, it's Crowley who seems to be viewed as more androgynous/femme, and is therefore looked at as inherently vulnerable. Meanwhile Aziraphale is thicker and viewed as more masculine, and therefore he is somehow inherently not vulnerable. Yet if the body types were reversed, it seems highly likely that fans' attitudes toward them would be much different.

(It also saddens me that this seems to mirror the fans' treatment of Michael and David, where Michael serves as a target for the fans' venom and is seen as less desirable/more threatening because he presents more traditionally masculine, while David is not targeted or attacked and is seen as more desirable/less threatening because he presents much more androgynously. Consequently, many fans find it easy not to sympathize with Michael, and when you can readily disregard someone's feelings, it becomes easier to see them as "less." In the case of Aziraphale and Michael, it leaves no room for either one to be vulnerable and is unfair to both of them.)

What I have always taken away from Good Omens--and from Michael and David's portrayal of Aziraphale and Crowley and how deeply they both understand these characters--is that Crowley doesn't need to be a perfect angel for Aziraphale to like him. He just needs to be a little bit of a good person. And Aziraphale doesn't need to be a perfect demon for Crowley to like him--he just needs to be enough of a bastard to be worth knowing. Neither one has to fully subscribe to the other's outlook or point of view to listen to what they have to say.

Aziraphale and Crowley meet in the middle. In the place that becomes their side, and where they take care of each other, fight with each other, and love each other. And that's more than most of us could ever ask or hope for...

[andy-clutterbuck]

ANDY PHOTOGRAPHED BY GIANFRANCO TRIPODO IN 2017

[tizniz]

Seven Sentence Sunday ⭐️

Tagged by: @diazsdimples, @wikiangela, @daffi-990, @actualalligator (who posted an AMAZING story for me 🩵), @cal-daisies-and-briars, @spotsandsocks, & @exhuastedpigeon - if I missed anyone I apologize. My brain hasn't been good.

I was going to actually NOT post today because...my mind...but then I managed to write last night/really early this morning and feel good about it. Although if this goes live or not is dependent on how quick I get it done before I lose power again.

Enjoy some more from Survival Eddie (which is NOT an AU might I add) that still needs a proper title.

“Have to.” Eddie sways forward, Buck catching him as his right leg gives out on him. “Can’t carry me.” “Yes, I can.” Buck insists but Eddie shakes his head. It isn’t that he doubts Buck’s strength, but more about the fact that carrying him will mean slowing him down when someone is clearly after them. “Eddie.” “Please.” Eddie insists as his other leg gives out, Buck more or less holding him up now. “Run.” “I’d listen to him, pretty boy.” Another voice chimes in, but Eddie can’t turn his head to look at the source, all he can see is Buck’s wide, blue eyes. “Or you can join him. Your choice.” “Buck.” Eddie whispers, “Run.” Buck looks from the stranger to Eddie and back, before slowly lowering Eddie to the ground, careful to prop him against a tree, his fingers brushing along his cheek gently. “I’ll be back.”

Tagging more for sharing since it's late: @hippolotamus, @disasterbuckdiaz, @fortheloveofbuddie, @bucksbackwardcap, @actuallyitsellie, @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove, @theotherbuckley, @jesuisici33, @theplaceyoustillrememberdreaming, @monsterrae1, @epicbuddieficrecs, @elvensorceress, @eddiebabygirldiaz, @spagheddiediaz, @wildlife4life, @evanbegins, @devirnis, @buckaroosheart, @perfectlysunny02, @nmcggg, @smilingbuckley, @watchyourbuck, @loserdiaz, @excuseme-greentea

Let me know if you want to be added or removed 🩵

[itsindiana]

gang i don't know what to do with myself i need more than 2 more bad batch episodes . c'mere and yap about anything bad batch / clone / etc etc related i need to feel alive

[jays-therapist]

I don't know if this a hot take or not but I really disagree with the idea that Yukio is jealous of Rin's power and physical strength? Rather, I think it's Rin's emotional strength that Yukio envies.

I have a lot to say about this lmao, so I'm just gonna put it all under the cut that way people who don't want to read this long ass analysis don't have to. Also, manga spoilers.

Blue Exorcist is a fun shonen manga because it measures strength outside of just "how hard can i punch this dude." Often, when characters talk about getting strong, they're talking about wanting to be mentally resilient; they want the ability to persevere, to be independent and face their fears/emotional turmoil on their own. Shiemi is a good example of this, I think. She constantly talks about being strong, but usually in the context of naviagting the world after living so long in isolation, and struggling to support her friends. Yes, she wants to get physically stronger, but at the core, she just genuinely wants to have a strong spirit (like a weed), and to be emotionally strong enough to help carry her friends' burdens.

Now, back to Yukio.

The biggest reoccuring theme in Yukio's jealousy is how he puts his brother on a pedestal, while constantly downplaying every good thing about himself (they both do this lol). You'll see this a lot in the examples I bring up.

There are four scenes I really want to focus on when discussing just how Yukio defines strength: his flashback in Chapter 29, his inner monologue in Chapter 37, his suicide attempt in Chapter 93, and That Time He Shot Rin in the Head in Chapter 96.

In Chapter 29, Yukio has this five-page montage of flashbacks, depicting specific moments where he felt both admiration and envy for Rin. And each of these moments highlight Rin's empathy, his care-free behavior, his kindness, his ability to inspire others, his desire to protect his little brother. Not his habit of setting things on fire.

This is important because Yukio fundamentally believes that he is not a good person. He believes he is not kind, selfless, or brave. When he, as a child, cries because he can't adopt a puppy he wanted, he's envious that Rin is just happy to see the puppy in a nice home. When his brother rushes to save him from bullies, Yukio's upset that he couldn't do it on his own, that his brother feels he is so weak he can't even take care of himself.

From Yukio's perspective, these are examples of Rin either outshining him inherently or looking down on him. No matter how strong Yukio gets, he will never not be able to feel bad for himself when the puppy is given to a different family. He will never be able to prove to his brother that he can do things on his own. He was born with this weakness and he can't seem to kill it. He can't win, and he hates it.

In Chapter 37, after defeating the Kraken, Yukio and Rin have a little heart-to-heart. Here, we see Yukio's true feelings towards Rin's claims of "surpassing him", which is that Rin already does. Yukio feels that if anyone needs to surpass anyone, it's him. He will always come up short where it counts, whenever he needs to let things go or be more empathetic. Yukio is strong of body, but weak of spirit.

So, with this in mind, when Yukio falls to his knees in Chapter 93 and says, "I was weak, and I couldn't get any stronger," he doesn't mean, "damn. wish i could've harnessed the demon power in my eyes to blow shit up." No, he's admitting defeat. He tried so hard to be strong, both physically and mentally but especially mentally, and he failed. He couldn't carry burdens like his father and brother could, like his friends could. He was cruel and cowardly. He hurt people he loved, and as long as he continues to live, he will keep hurting the people he loves.

What is strength to Yukio? It's resilience. It's taking risks. It's independence. It's Rin.

(Or at least, how Yukio sees Rin. As I've said before, he likes to put Rin on a pedestal.)

In contrast, weakness is cowering. It's waiting for someone else to solve the problem. It's hurting good people who haven't faulted you. It's Yukio.

That leads us to Chapter 96, and this---

This is kind of the crux of it all. Yukio is suffocating on his own perceived weakness and seeking to escape it. Here, Yukio is burning every bridge (the fact that this is literally taking place on a bridge is pretty ironic) that could possibly allow him to return to the Order to ensure he does what he needs to do. To be strong, he needs to be independent. To be independent, he needs to be alone. He can't let his brother solve all of his problems anymore.

So, like. Yeah. In conclusion, I think Yukio is heavily inspired by his brother's strength of character, just as much as he feels abased by it, and that's why his ideas of strength steer closer to broader concepts like bravery and self-determination rather than "let's hit the gym and summon Satan." He uses physical strength as a mask to conceal his perceived emotional weakness.

[jesncin]

Jon is an ALcoholic...

HEH!

[peachpopfizz]

the last song + final minute of hazbin hotel (s1) has me

[mm-lurking]

Happy Birthday Al-Haitham~

Inspired by @dragolypso (Adrawnymous on Instagram)'s Al-Haitham's birthday post. You can check it out here. Just a quick drabble I wrote while being out of my mind. It's written in second person btw. Warnings: fem! reader and slightly suggestive at the end, that's all Word count: 449 - It’s his birthday. Does he care? Not really. He has never been one for loud and wild celebrations yet he didn’t completely decline birthday wishes and get-togethers either. The soft rays of morning sunlight illuminate through his stained glass windows as he sighs and turns his head away from the light. His wife on the other hand, is fully awake smiling at his sleeping form as she turns to her side and admires him.

“Happy birthday sleepy head.”

She leans towards him and softly taps his cheeks.

“Mmm.”

Eventhough his eyes are closed, she can tell he’s awake by how he turns his face towards her and yawns. She smiles wider and places her hands on his bare chest, tracing circles on it trying to wake him up.

He slowly pries his eyes open and blinks, stretching like a cat before staring at her. She has propped herself onto his chest, looking into his emerald eyes with a big smile on her face. Her hair falls on his skin tickling him as she breathes slowly.

“It’s your birthday Haitham. Happy birthday my love.”

He wraps his arms around her and smiles, thanking her before pulling her closer. To his surprise, she resists and shakes her head. Right before he’s about to say something she presses a finger to his lips and giggles as she pushes herself away from him and gets up from the bed. He frowns at the loss of warmth from her body but watches her closely as she goes to her cabinet and pulls out a neatly wrapped present. The box looks simple yet elegant with the geometric design and a bright red ribbon on top. Her giggle fills the room again as she approaches their shared bed and shyly pushes the box towards him.

“Oh?”

There is a smirk on his face as he looks back and forth between the box and her. 

“Open it.”

She asks of him but he stares at her instead before beckoning her to come closer. Just as she sits on the bed, he pulls her into his arms causing her to yelp as she finds herself against his sculpted stone chest.

“Haitham?!?”

There is a firm grip on her waist again preventing her from moving eventhough she wasn’t trying to escape. A gasp slips from her mouth as she feels his fingers under the hem of her shirt.

“That’s not quite the present I expected to unwrap,” he says as he gestures to the gift box on the bed. She would give him a reply if it weren’t for the way his fingers were climbing up her spine causing her to shudder.

“Why don’t I unwrap you instead?” ⋇⋆✦⋆⋇ ©mm-lurking 2024 do not copy, steal or reuse my work.

[ends-of-the-wayward-storm]

I love these guys.

Aww, they know their friends so well—mood swings and eccentricities and all.

FRIENDSHIP!! (Have I mentioned I love these guys?)