#all i want for him is the ability to form meaningful bonds with more than one person

[killajust]

binghe's fandom is very committed

[leiflitter]

So, Mystra-

The more I think about her, the more I want to egg all of her statues, because I am honestly convinced that she's likely way more embroiled in Gale's fall from favour than she seems- and that she likely never cared for him in any meaningful sense.

This is gonna be long, gang.

Also I am 1000% up for screaming about Gale/forming an anti-Mystra union so y'know let's be pals

My thoughts are thus:

She has likely always known about his potential and capability of power. He was a child prodigy, after all- and she's a GODDESS. From the first time he truly used the weave, he was on her radar.

This also makes Gale's relationship with Elminster seem too convenient. As much potential as Gale demonstrates, it's also important to remember that Elminster is Mystra's chosen- and Mystra's chosen are often tasked with upholding and protecting balance in the weave. There are countless wizards that Elminster could mentor- so why Gale specifically?

The same is true of Gale's magical education. I've seen plenty of speculation about his possible potential as a sorcerer, and there's a lot of questions around the circumstances of him entering the Blackstaff Academy- as well as a confirmation of his power when he, a little baby trainee wizard, uses The Actual Blackstaff to cast a spell.

As an aside, Gale's little story about his misadventure with The Blackstaff is especially scary when taking into account that the staff is very devious, and it's primary purpose is to protect Waterdeep- although this is again speculation, I don't think the portal to limbo was just the spell going very, very wonky. I think the Staff, sensing Gale's ability and (through the very clear context clues of him using the fucking staff that you normally would need to attune to and that belongs to the top fancy wizard in waterdeep) his ambition, decided that he was clearly a potential threat that might be better off being quietly removed via Death Slaad.

We also know of at least one story of a young, powerful wizard who, y'know, led to the death of Mystryl and the loss of all magic- in part because he lacked the discipline that he should have learned at Wizard School.

So Gale comes along. Karsus 2.0- he's back, he's human and- most importantly- he's lonely.

How better to neutralise him as a threat than to make him loyal to her? Why would she cast aside a possible asset when she could use him?

The main problem with her plan is Gale himself. She can get him into wizard school. She can get Elminster to mentor him. She can make sure that Gale gets the best magical education, so hopefully he will be content and settle for being an archmage.

She can't, however, account for Gale's brain. Let's be honest, Gale is neurodivergent as fuck, and magic is his number one special interest. He was never going to be content to enjoy magic a "normal" amount, so no matter how many hours he may spend being taught about how great Mystra is and how the limits she sets are to be respected... he won't stop learning, growing more powerful, becoming more and more of a threat to her.

So how does she cement his loyalty? By getting personal. This is why him being isolated is important- it gives her an advantage. She can be number one without any effort. If he has an actual bond to her, not just the concept of her, then he won't be dangerous. Except, again, she's assuming that he'll be like so many other mortals and be so awed by her presence that he'll finally be satisfied. But he isn't.

Why the fuck would a goddess take someone so clearly, deeply intense about magic into her personal realm? Why would she show him all the power he would never be able to access?

Because, to her, he's just a mortal. There has to be a point in which he'll either be sated or he'll realise his limits and give up, because he's just an extremely powerful ant in comparison to her. Mystra has never considered getting to know Gale. If she had, she'd have realised that doing the grand tour of All The Magic You Can't Ever Do was a huge mistake. That making herself the focal point of his entire existence was an absolutely dogshit move.

Gale throws himself so hard into Being Mystra's Best Boy because he has nothing outside of magic other than his mother. He summoned his best friend, and he admits that he has colleagues and acquaintances, but nothing much else. He and Elminster clearly care for each other, but it's clear that Mystra's placed barriers between them- and even if they were able to be best buds and make friendship bracelets, together, they're at vastly different stages of life.

It's also likely that Mystra's interest in him led to his isolation. He has been marked as Special- the old gifted child problem where him being So Smart So Magic meant he bypassed the social side of things.

So of course he wants to prove himself, to impress her- his entire metric for his self-worth is Being A Wizard. He says he's bumped uglies with mortals before- but he doesn't mention anyone specifically. And, let's be frank, the man has a case of foot-in-mouth syndrome- if he had any meaningful romantic experience before Mystra, you know he'd have brought it up at least once. "Ah, autumncrocus- back in my apprentice days I picked a bunch for the object of my youthful affections. Unfortunately I hadn't realised they were allergic- but they certainly appreciated the gesture, if you catch my implication... Once they stopped sneezing, of course."

She becomes his whole world. He wants so desperately to be on her level, to be what he thinks she deserves- and yes, it was incredibly stupid of him. However, what the fuck was Mystra doing?

Throughout BG3, high approval Gale is actually incredibly receptive if you tell him not to persue power. Yes, his earlier mistakes may play into this, but I find it hard to believe that he'd be any less receptive to Mystra.

To quote- "I pouted. I pleaded. I swore my ambition was only to serve her better. But she only smiled and told me to be contented."

So, then, why did Mystra not actually engage with Gale on this?

Because she never cared about him.

She tried all the options she thought would work on a mortal, and when they were done she didn't consider trying anything else. She never knew him well enough to understand his motivations- he should have been satisfied with Magic Sex because surely any mortal would be. She couldn't even consider that his love wasn't just him liking the company and getting laid, that he'd still want to prove himself to her. To be worthy of the Mystra she'd let him believe in.

And when he fucked up- if she had helped him, even in a tiny way, then she'd have achieved her goal. Imagine if he'd come to her, agonised by the dark magic within him, and she'd been merciful. The way you would be, if you loved someone. If she had actually known Gale? She'd have done it.

But Mystra doesn't see it as an act of love gone wrong. To Mystra, it's proof that she can't control him, that his potential isn't worth whatever effort she'd need to put in.

She abandons him to die- expects him to go on a pilgramage into the wilderness and just go boom.

When he doesn't? She decides that, fine, she'll deal with it- by sending Elminster to tell Gale the good news! She'll "forgive" him if he detonates himself, honest! He trusts Elminster, Elminster's a father figure to him, he'll do what Elminster tells him. Except that's another example of her not understanding Gale in the slightest. Instead of hope, she's rubbing salt in his wounds- she's flexing her power and showing Gale that his bond with Elminster was always conditional on Mystra's approval, and that Elminster's loyalty lies with her.

No wonder Elminster sent a construct- it's the closest thing he can do that isn't abject refusal.

I am gonna stop rambling now but in conclusion:

Mystra, you absolutely suck. Get wrecked. I hope Bhaal shits in your pocket dimension.

[thetwilightroadtonightfall]

Do you have any headcanons for if Ephemer actually was an empath? Like: how would that affect his relationships with the other Union leaders? Or maybe it could be a reason he connected so easily with Ava?

(re: this post)

Honestly, I wouldn’t be super surprised if it turns out to be canon, because it seems like every relationship he forms in canon ends up being profound in some way, with him leaving an impression on people. So if he really is a kh empath, maybe that would explain those traits. y’know. Aside from him just being a really nice person

but anyway! Headcanon time!

I don’t think he’d actually know he’s an empath. He doesn’t use the ability at will. Each interaction he has is meaningful mainly because they happen naturally

I suspect Ava might know though. Or at the very least, she’d pick up on him being good at understanding people as something special

The main way he connects with people is by sharing something about himself, then inviting the other person to do the same. You can actually see this with Player, where he tells them a secret literally seconds after they meet. Then when Player tells him about an experience they had, he takes genuine interest and decides to help them look into it

Sharing so much often leaves him vulnerable though. With people knowing more about him, he gets made fun of a lot, which isn’t actually fun at all if you’re not close to the people doing the teasing

He asks a lot of questions because he’s curious by nature, but also because he wants to dig deeper into why people feel the way they do. This can either deepen his bond with someone, or make the other person clam up. Not everyone likes being questioned

He gets overwhelmed when there’s a lot of tension in a room. It weighs down on him more than it does for others

He subconsciously tends to take on the feelings of the people around him. Ven brings out a peppier side of him. While Skuld and Lauriam tend to make him more mellow and down to earth

He has the most trouble getting a read on Brain, because he’s so guarded and speaks in riddles. Eph often feels like he’s being too overbearing with him (he’s not), and for a while, he actually thinks that Brain doesn’t like him at all. In reality, they just have different personalities. Brain has a deep respect for him, and once he realizes Eph’s concern, he starts poking fun at him and sharing stuff with him more as his way of showing that he does care

[celestial-specter]

Once more, it’s time for:

Aftermath’s battle simulation: How one scene reintroduces us to Clone Force 99, and possibly foreshadows later events in the series.

(Part 3)

Following the realization that their training blasters are useless against the live-fire droids, Hunter instructs the group to improvise, as is their talent.

This moment is an interesting contradiction to how Hunter behaves over the remaining course if the first and second seasons - once Omega joins their group and Crosshair leaves it, he becomes intensely focused on protecting the family he has left, thinking through and intensely questioning each decision he makes. This first becomes obvious in the very next episode, Cut and Run, when Hunter doubts his ability to provide for Omega and believes it is best to leave her with Cut’s family.

As the squd leader, Hunter likely feels individually responsible for the loss of Crosshair, and we see him become increasingly risk-averse in an attempt to prevent losing anyone else. He believes the best way to keep his family safe and together is to stay out of Rex’s clone rebellion, a decision which brings about further fallout after Echo chooses to leave anyway.

Hunter, despite his care and trust for his family, has become very individualistic, attempting to take sole responsibility for his family and shouldering all the blame when things go wrong. He has become very wary of the influence of outsiders, as shown by the early stages of his friendship with Phee. He has seemingly forgotten that the core strength of his squad is their unique ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and the trust they have in each other to improvise and work in sync.

Hunter then says ‘If Tarkin wants to test us, let’s not disappoint him.’ While this statement is obviously applicable to the very real test that Tarkin is putting the group through in this scene, I believe that this statement also applies to the batch’s continuing story arc. As genetically defective clones, they have always been separate from their fellow brothers, and have developed a very close bond as a result. The real ‘test’ that the batch undergoes throughout the show is their relationships with each other coming under intense strain, and their squad splitting apart as a result.

Hunter once again lifts his helmet, and whistles to gain the attention of Wrecker and Tech from across the training ground. He could have caught their attention through a number of other ways, but chooses this method specifically. To me, this references how Hunter’s best leadership quality is his human nature - he is naturally caring and unafraid of his squads differences, including the differences he himself exhibits - they are a strength, and not a weakness.

Moving on to Wrecker and Tech, Hunter’s use of hand signals here highlights the key difference between the pair. Tech easily understands the complex signals which Wrecker struggles to learn. This shows that Tech is far more comfortable with a different style of communication than speech - he prefers gestures which clearly indicate what he is required to do, with no room for misunderstanding.

In contrast, Wrecker struggles to understand these gestures. He prefers to keep things simple, preferring a method of communication which is universal for all. While Tech’s intelligence wins out in this scene, the opposite is true when the audience see each of the brothers try to form bonds with other characters. Wrecker quickly forms a close relationship with Omega, while she and Tech struggle to find a common ground due to their alternating attachment and communication styles. Wrecker becomes fast friends with Shep, while Tech struggles to connect with Phee. Even Tech’s interactions with Romar in Ruins of War are an example of how he has to put in more work to find meaningful connection with those outside of his brothers.

However, in this scene, Tech clearly exhibits care and understanding of Wrecker, simplifying Hunter’s plan down to ‘What we did on Felucia’.

When they begin their new battle strategy, Echo splits off from Hunter and Crosshair, running along the outside of the training ground. As his training blaster is useless against the droids, it can be assumed he is only doing this to distract them. This change in position shows that Echo has his own path, separate from the rest of the batch. This movement puts him out in the open at an increased risk of being hit, and running along tilted, uneven ground, representing the danger of his choice to join Rex’s rebellion.

Due to Echo’s distraction, Wrecker is able to take down one of the droids, and Echo returns to take down another. Tech then arrives, utilizing his own skills to begin reprogramming one of the droids. This could foreshadow Tech, Echo, and Wrecker being the three members of the team focused on fixing the Eriadu railcar once it sustains damage. In that moment, Echo uses his scomp arm to try and override the system, Tech climbs on top of the railcar to fix it from above, and Wrecker attempts to physically hold the railcar together when it begins to fall apart.

In my opinion, Tech climbing on top of the reprogrammed droid is also direct foreshadowing of him climbing atop the railcar - both are instances of him attempting to use his own skillset to reprogram imperial technology to save his family.

During this time, Hunter and Crosshair have remained together, but are pinned down behind a barrier taking heavy fire from the droids. To me, this moment represents not physical closeness, but a shared desperation as they realize the severity of their circumstances by the end of series two. They are both trapped in their own situations - Crosshair in Mount Tantiss, and Hunter on the outside with no way to get to him or to Omega. By the beginning of season three, I believe both of them will have reached a state of despondency in their respective fights - Crosshair definitely seems to be exhibiting this in the few clips we have seen of him in the trailer, but I believe Hunter may deal with his emotional fallout internally, and refuse to accept help from others. Either way, they are both stuck, with no ideas on how to move forward.

[fumifooms]

What do you think of Lamari (Laios and Namari)? Both as a ship and the relationship between the two.

I don’t like it sorry broski 😔 Seeing them interacting in ep 9 again made me see the appeal more, it’s cute how they interact, how they trust each other’s abilities and judgement! But ship wise…… I can’t. I’ve been seeing cute fanart of them around though, and I know a few people on discord that like them too. Like hmmm I guess I can see the appeal in the dynamic even if it doesn’t grab me but I can’t form a narrative for them… Usually I need both to truly get into a ship, a dynamic I find fun or interesting + some sort of progression and impact it’d leave on the characters, I don’t really see the character/relationship arc that’d happen, or at least not one eventful enough for me. When it comes to how I think their relationship is during canon, I see it as being professional and hinting at maybe friends, a neutral rather than negative thing mind you.

With Laios, well I’ve spoken about his character and arc before a bunch, but with Namari the part that interests me most is the whole exile thing, how she works hard to fit in both with keeping a good work reputation and shaving, for example, and how she’s not all that good with it because of presumably her bold personality... Because of this and more, and spoilers but I’ve planning on making a rarepair post about it for a while, I like shipping her with Toshiro mainly. I think that she balances out his doormat tendency but his cool attitude would be soothing and grounding and- Well gdbdgdg you see how it is. And to a certain extent I can see why people would want to apply the same logic to lamari, but… I don’t even think Namari and Laios would be able to bond over both being foreigners much tbh, I feel like Laios would sort of remain an odd mystery to her and though they could connect in a weird roundabout way I don’t think they’d exactly understand each other— and see this is the part of lamari appeal I get, the sort of tentative tension of "oh you actually respect me. That feels… Rare. And nice." Thouuugh like I was saying to be fair, it’s true Laios also tries and fails to fit in so that could be an interesting angle to go at it with. I think Namari wants stability and I just don’t really think it complements Laios well. I think trust’s the most important thing with Laios so on his side him liking her enough to be interested or open to a relationship I could see, though in a kinda mild and dry way imo… Like with Laios especially when defining how he and someone fall in love, there are sort of two modes right, and of course these coexist to some degree, but there’s Laios being his partner’s silly goober, and there’s Laios being very mature, more of his subdued stoic but composed self, all king-like, the more like connecting through meaningful conversations side. And idk how to put it into words but with lamari, I feel like Namari being paired with him doesn’t give a fresh spin on the former, and with the latter I feel like they’d always keep missing each other halfway communication wise, I don’t see them ever getting to that level where they deeply intuitively know and understand each other and how they work, maybe Laios -> Namari yes but Namari -> Laios I don’t see it, like I said I think it’d remain like, a mystery that nags at her and she might feel attracted if anything, but I can’t see them as more than casually dating idkk idk.

Namari has that fun ‘gets fired up about what odd things Laios is doing and reigns him back in’ dynamic but it’s something that literally so many other characters have too. I’m not knee deep into Namari yet so who knows maybe I have a wrong angle, but I did start giving her some thoughts bc I have a fic I have in mind for toshimari I wanna do. But yes it’s cute how protective she can get even if it’s shouty or tough love, like how she looks out for Laios’ equipment and for him not to get scammed, or brings in Toshiro here in the convo because she doesn’t want Toshiro to do his conflict avoidance thing and not stand up for himself & stay in the party even if it sucks hah. That bold borderline rude protective personality of hers with that awkwardness with intimacy/non-professional relationships is what’s unique to her I think, but yeah the laios & namari duo strikes me as strangely distant yet strangely interested coworkers who exhange glances over the cashier desk but personally I can’t see myself doing anything with that.

I’m not here to say it’s a bad ship or anything obviously! It just really doesn’t call to me personally and I don’t see stuff with them that I’d find interesting to analyze, if anything it’d involve the wider party a lot. I do want to make a masterpost on Laios’ career history and the old members of his party so I might analyze how Namari and he interact in those pre-canon comics idk. But yeahh like I find nothing to dig deeper at personally, you could make cute fics of them hinting at interest between the two, if Laios went to get drinks with her at a tavern etc etc, but all I see with them is just what canon straightforwardly showed us and I don’t get the urge to explore the possibility of them at all.

Sorry to disappoint, but yeah I won’t be a good source of lamari content or thoughts. I have wayy too many drafts I actually want to get out so I’ll be storing further Laios & Namari analysis for a big maybe, one day. I feel so bad I really hate to be negative at all and as a fellow rareshipper I send u my best wishes truly, good luck y’all deserve fellow stans and content. Feel free to leave pro-lamari arguments in the comments or reblogs if you want idm but preferably not asks (and just don’t be aggressive & don’t expect me to respond/react 🫶) like truly this post isn’t meant as a diss but anon asked me about my personal thoughts so… I love youuu lamaris hope y’all thrive 🙇🙇

Trying to think of crumbs and it’s true she blushed when she saw him in his cape at the end so y’all got that W. Namari having a thing for tallmen is so real

Edit: oh she went with him for equipment shopping… Ok that’s cute

[tales-of-sweets]

Zagi's Tragic Need For Validation

I don't think that Zagi became obsessed with Yuri the moment he met him or that an interesting fight alone was what motivated him to chase Yuri the ends of the earth. I believe he was out for Yuri's blood, yes, but not for blood's sake but instead because of what it symbolized... This is a headcanon/interpretation that I've probably talked about a million times before, but I'm thinking about it again! Since it chronologically references the events of the game and includes sources/examples it's pretty lengthy so I'll put it under the cut!

The first time he meets Yuri he's on a job and, while it seems to be the first worthwhile fight he's had in a long while, he leaves willingly when he's called to retreat (well, willing in the sense that this is the only time we ever see him retreat mid-battle while he's still in perfect fighting condition).

The next time we see him he's on yet another job, eager to kill "something", his choice of words even with Yuri right in front of him and they seem to recognize each other.

Zagi doesn't actually seem to acquire any fixation on Yuri at all until after the second battle, specifically after he's defeated... and Yuri compliments him. Even after what we can clearly see Zagi believes is a failure on his part (worth noting that in the official translation he says "...I-I retreated..." instead of "...I-I'm finished..." even though they both convey a similar feeling.)

From this point forward, we never see him taking another job or working with Leviathan's Claw. Hunting down Yuri appears to have become his full time fixation. Zagi to me seems like an incredibly lonely man. He is isolated by his own abilities and his inability to relate to others in a meaningful way. He has reached a level of skill that few can comprehend, let alone match (things that are corroborated by this skit here:

He takes pleasure in killing and victory but has not known the rush nor the bond of a fair fight in so long. For all of his hooting and hollering about wanting to kill Yuri, I don't think that's exactly what he was truly getting out of this whole thing. I don't think that's actually what he was chasing. That was the first time he'd found someone on his level and that was the only time Yuri ever complimented him so to me it seems like what he's really chasing is that same high of validation. A connection. He wanted Yuri to come at him with full force, to find joy in their fights as he did, to connect with him... but he only got that the one time. All future instances involved Yuri dismaying at his presence, swatting him off like a pest, fighting him only to remove him as an obstacle. So many of his lines feel like validation seeking, not only in the form of wanting friendship, but more in the way of just wanting to be recognized period. For example:

He tried to make himself stronger, augmented himself, taunted him, but there was always some bigger issue that held Yuri's attention, something greater than him. To me, that played a huge role in why, in the end, he had to make himself Yuri's priority even if it meant destroying himself in the process. While the whole "you can't break the seal without my arm" bit is a little contentious (poor wording? an outright lie? mistranslation?), the truth of the matter is that, in a last ditch effort, he made himself Yuri's number 1 priority. He was now an important part of his quest, not just an annoyance to be brushed aside. Yuri had to take him seriously now.

And when, at last, he was defeated, he thought maybe then Yuri had seen his value and worth, that at last their fight had resonated with him.

Of course we all know how that ended. While I have many issues with the way this ending was handled, I think we get some interesting insight from it that I believe lends some credence to this interpretation:

I think it's worth nothing that almost everyone expresses some sort of sympathy and understanding towards Zagi in the end, except for Yuri. While it is a very valid and plausible interpretation to think that Yuri still doesn't care even after his death, I personally choose to consider the fact that Yuri, as we have seen time and time again, is not very upfront with his emotions and is not always the quickest to admit when he's wrong. I think he could see the tragedy of the situation, I think he could recognize that he really hadn't understood Zagi's intentions, and it's my personal theory that that's precisely why he took a more forgiving approach when confronting Duke in the end. I cannot, in any way, fault Yuri for not stopping to befriend the guy who, for all intents and purposes, seemed intent on killing him. But I also can't help but see the tragedy of the situation from Zagi's perspective. Raven states that something changed after Zagi met them. While it's hard to imagine him as an upstanding citizen or pleasant person to begin with, he probably wasn't always like this.

Raven lends a little more insight too, one of the skits following his demise:

Yuri, Duke, the Don (not shown in the screenshot, though Raven does reference him and Belius), they were held together by the bonds they shared with people who understood them. I think there could have been a chance for Zagi to have turned things around, not let his obsession with Yuri consume him to this degree. Hell, I don't even think it's improbable that he could have become an ally, put his energy into something more productive (as Yuri put it several times over). I don't think Zagi was always doomed to this fate, I think he just met the wrong person at the wrong time.

[guideoftime]

Hey hey. Listen! As the year comes to an end I just wanted to tell everyone thank you for putting up with me. For coming back after Sheik and I vanished for five months for medical reasons, for putting up with my crazy ass son. I never really thought he would get much traction, I’ve remade his blog a few times before in the years, and the Zelda fandom always seems so small. But we’ve had a lot of fun with you all, and getting to explore the Sheikah and their culture. My silly little passion over them that spawned three fanfics that nearly reach 300k together in words, that created Sheik, to carry over here and get expanded with all of you just warms my heart.

I want you all to know, as those positive Reblog thingies go around, that you’re all incredible writers. We follow and write with you becuase we admire your writing, your interpretation of your characters, the bonds we get to form. The greatest thing about human creation is no matter who picks up a character their unique interpretation of that character and their story is always what makes them stand out. Link for example, the possibility in adding onto his story and the unique way everyone interprets his character, is what makes writing with each version of him regardless of the universe so special.

Creativity in its purist form is a talent. It is a skill that is cultivated and nurtured through years of doing it. It is an art with words and something no one should ever feel less for their version of doing it. You could use every single big word in the dictionary, but it’s your ability to paint a picture and hook the reader that matters far more than if you use the word like three times in a sentence or string poetry instead.

No one should ever feel as if they’re less than someone else because the reason we write with you is for your version, not someone else’s. I want to engage with everyone on the dash, I want Sheik to form meaningful bonds, I want to enjoy writing with you guys and I really have.

So thank you so very much. And I hope you feel pride in what you do.

Remember to eat, drink water and take care of yourself.

[semi-imaginary-place]

While I do understand wanting better versions of the supports that were in the game for example a Dimitri Raphael support chain about Raphael helping Dimitri process the trauma of losing his parents, or adding an Ashe Yuri support since they share similar childhoods, or deleting half the Claude Ingrid support chain because the whole thing would have been better as a C-B support chain. Most of the time the people crying about wanting more supports getting what they want would only make the game worse. What is the harm in more supports you ask dear strawman? Well, the ratio of B and A supports itself and their distributions are a part of character characterization.

Let us take Sylvain as an example. I see so many people saying such things as "Sylvain and Bernadetta deserve an A support!" "Sylvain and Marianne are so cute we were robbed of an A support" and these statements almost always have more to do with shipping (which is always highly biased on the individuals personal preferences) than what actually makes sense for the characters involved. if you pay attention these people are usually calling for romantic A supports. The fact that Sylvain despite having many B supports has only 4 A supports, the lowest of any student provides further provides evidence for what is implied throughout his lines in the game. Most other students have closer to 9 A supports so Sylvain's 4 is highly unusual.

The low number of A supports is inline with Sylvain's characterization in game as someone who has destroyed their ability to form meaningful bonds with other people. If you look at who Sylvain A supports with, they all have something specific that let's them get through to Sylvain while dodging the loaded minefield he has designed so he has flimsy justification to say they only interacted with him for superficial qualities like his family name, crest, money, looks/etc. Ingrid and Felix are Sylvain's close childhood friends that have known him for most of their lives and whom Sylvain cherishes and is loyal to. Mercedes and Dorothea are two of the most emotionally intelligent and competent characters in the entire cast, the two of them could crack anyone open. Mercedes and Dorothea are also two women Sylvain is interested in as his latest conquests which keeps his interest and allows the relationships to deepen when the two of them eventually push.

Sylvain has long closed his heart so only those already in there or those that can navigate along a knife's edge have the chance to actually achieve emotional intimacy with him. If the game were to have had more A supports for him that would have changed his characterization. The low number of A supports serves as evidence of how messed up Sylvain is that Felix, Ingrid, Mercedes, and Dorothea are the only people that can get around his self sabotage habits and numerous coping mechanisms to get at the person beneath them. Sylvain dates women in a really toxic manner and actually forming a genuine relationship with him is like navigating a minefield most people can't so it. When women break up with him for cheating and lying he uses it as justification that women after him only want him for his crest and family status but also advertised himself with those very traits. You have to wade through like 15 miles of bullshit and fake doors and booby traps with Sylvain. And the only people who can do that are Felix and Ingrid who already have an established trust bond with him, Mercedes who is a saint and very kind and patient, and Dorothea who has some of the highest social intelligence and can see straight through his bullshit to the heart of his insecurities.

But let's look at a few of Sylvain's B supports and see why it wouldn't work. Bernadetta and Marinne both can't break through that final push because they are weight down so much by their own issues. There's lots for Marianne and Sylvain, their problems with the crest system and their love of horses, but Marianne's character development really only happens on Verdant Wind and even then she I think she'd be too clumsy to close the gap with Sylvain during the span of the game. Because a relationship isn't just about 1 person doing things for the other like Sylvain helping Marianne with her problems, its both of them coming together. Dimitri is a similar case, and additionally Dimitri just doesn't get it. Ingrid similarly also gets taken in by superficial personas but she's so intensely loyal that she manages to brute force her way through. Dedue isn't particularly invested in Sylvain they find mutual respect but there isn't a spark. Ashe and Annette are similar cases where they come to appreciate Sylvain but can't get through to him. The Lorenz one was comedy and very funny, they hate each other. They are both flirts but that is all they share, they are complete opposites in almost every way under that. Lysithea doesn't really like Sylvain she's come to like a neutral by the end of their B support. Hilda sees through Sylvain's fake ass and doesn't want him. Sylvain's not interested in Leonie. Flayn is too savy of Sylvain's bullshit to get too close. Manuela also realizes Sylvain is a fake little bitch and also doesn't want him. Dorothea and Mercedes were the only two that went "I can fix him" and actually had the skills to do so.

Now you might have noticed that some of the B support characters above might have been able to reach authentic emotional intimacy with Sylvain given some more time and you would be correct. So far I have only talked about what happens in canon in the game. It is totally possible with many of these that given the right circumstances and catalyst Sylvain and another character could have gotten much closer or it could happen after the curtain falls for the game. As always it is important to be able to distinguish that actually happens in a work from the infinite possibilities that lay outside of canon.

side note: Sylvain even has less A supports than most of the Church members. The only two in base game with less supports are Gilbert who is a sad sack of shit and deserves less, and Rhea who is nonplayable, has issues, and has shut herself away from the world to all but Byleth.

[toukatan]

i need loid and yor to fall in love already and kiss bc this slow burn is killing me (but i love it tho). we're already at 60+ chapters and we've only had crumbs, except maybe for that almost (fake) kiss. but i guess it's already been established that they've got a loooong way to go. especially since loid keeps holding himself back bc, as frankie said, with their job, they're not supposed to form (genuine) relationships. however, i hope there'll be some shift in loid soon, bc im dying for some romantic development

sigh aren’t we all waiting for them to kiss and fall in love anonie? you know, despite there only being 60+ chapters so far i am absolutely loving the slow burn between loid and yor. there are moments here and there but they really are meaningful and hold weight to them.

since we’re here can we just talk about a few loid moments ? because i think we can all agree that yor is somewhat there but let’s go on about loid being all “it’s for the mission” yeah sir my ass that line between fake and true is blurring.

the communication between the two is everything. the way loids was having some doubt in his ability to be a parent but yor reminds him that anya gave him a perfect 100 points— and then yor starts panicking saying it’s not her place to tell him what to do but loid interrupts yor and tells her this is exactly her place. he relies on her to be everything that he is not. the communication between them is so freaking good. tears.

the whole playing the perfect mother/wife role. loid doesn’t want yor to have to live up to that role as the way society expects someone like to her to be, how those ideas constrict you and you lose yourself — he just wants yor to be exactly who she is, who she’s always been. (he understands this well)

and after that frankie’s comment ‘don’t tell me you feel guilty for doubting her?’ comes to his mind, perhaps he did feel guilty for doubting her and her intentions.

loid’s always reassuring yor that she’s doing enough, there’s nothing more than he can ask of her and it’s all true. hell even fiona could see that he was being genuine. WISE? their greatest agent? twilight? telling truths and smiling genuinely while doing so? who would’ve thought.

and then we have the whole meal, chapter 35. god i love this chapter, there was a vulnerability here that loid displayed to yor when he was talking about his past, his mother specifically. how he spoke so fondly of his mum and how he always felt a sense of security being held by her. now he sees it in the same way yor cares for anya, it reminds him how he felt and knows anya feels the same way but with yor.

loid twilight whoever he is never speaks about his past, so for him to share this with yor— tears.

small moments too. they’ve been together for a while now that both he and anya do feel a little lonesome without her. they are family your honour. do not separate.

loid noticing when somethings wrong with yor: when yor came home with bandages on her hands, going straight to bed and not eating with them

when her injuries were visible from missions of course. he sure is v attentive when it comes to his girls.

i’m just gushing at this point and could probably go on forever but these were some of the moments that came to mind when writing.

but the development between the two is slow, steady, it’s gentle, it’s subtle. it’s just so them. i have to say it: their love languages are— words of affirmation, quality time and acts of service. and i’m certain in the future we’ll see the two of them finally come to terms with how they feel. as of now it’s obvious that they are care for one another, i understand loid (twilight) forming genuine relationships while being a spy is dangerous. you’ll end up either hurting yourself or those around you.

but little does he know that this “fake family” bond is already looking real. loid needs them as much as they need him.

(plus you know what slow burn means? angst, angst is gonna be there before any of these grown dorks get it together, we love pain. once thorn princess gets assigned to twilight it’s over for us)

[captnjacksparrow]

Hey sparrow!

I have a question. Surprisingly it’s not SNS which I hope that’s okay. It’s about Hashimada.

I’ve read back to your other posts (to make sure I don’t ask the same question because I tend to do that) I see that you like these characters too. So I feel a bit comfortable talking about this.

I see some fans compare their relationship to Naruto and Sasuke’s. Some say Hashimada is a stronger bond than SNS. Tbh, I thought both bonds as the same, they’re both meaningful on both sides.

Now, I’m aware they’re friends and nothing more. I accept that.

Now on to my question.

So, Madara got Hashirmara’s cells and flesh to connect with him to gain more power ( I haven’t reached to this part so I’m sorry if I got his motivation or reasoning wrong) and this results to Hashi’s face forming on his chest.

Idk why but that kinda reminds me of a couple or boyfriend/girlfriend getting a tattoo of their significant other.

I’m not saying that’s exactly what’s happening just to clarify. It’s just a harmless take.

Anyways, what do you think? How do you view their relationship? Why do you like it? Do you think Hashimada is similar to SNS? Lastly, do you believe their bond is stronger than SNS?

Now, I’m aware they’re friends and nothing more. I accept that.

This is very wrong...LOL.... @larrycherry04

Calling them 'Just Friends' or 'Brothers' is just incomprehensible for me. They were openly flirting with each other throughout the series and nobody bothered to give a damn about it. They were so intense, Man!!!!! So intense to the point that they were the first couple in Narutoverse I realized inherently.

I see some fans compare their relationship to Naruto and Sasuke’s. Some say Hashimada is a stronger bond than SNS.

Why is it that people always want to compare Apples with Oranges???

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HashiMada and SNS

SNS and HashiMada were separated by 7 or 8 decades and both of their ideals were very different. It's like comparing the love of our Great-Great-Grandmom Generation's Love Story with Our Generation.

It's simply a waste of time and pointless.

However, I see many difference between them Personality-Wise.

HashiMada's(HM) daily life was far worser than SNS. HM didn't know when they will die or how long will they live because of the Clan Warfare happening on a regular basis which was the major problem during their era. Whereas SNS lived in a peaceful Era compared to HM. Their lives were never in Danger unless you go on some Dangerous missions. They could totally choose to stay in the village and remain safe, which is a luxury HM never had.

HM found their common ground in their 'Loss of Brothers' and 'a passionate dream to change the Shinobi World'. SNS bonded over their common ground in 'Loneliness'.

Madara doesn't know the meaning of the word 'Subtlety'. LOL. Whereas Sasuke was very subtle in showing his love. Very Subtle to the point where people still think Sasuke never liked Naruto.

Madara never once openly proclaimed that he will kill Hashirama. Ever. Yes, They battled against each other for non-personal reasons but Madara never said, “I will kill you, Hashirama” . While Sasuke said “I’ll am going to kill you, Naruto”, many times. Although I understand his reasons.

SNS had an honesty that HM lacks. Everytime Sasuke wanted to kill Naruto, there will be a warning first. Whereas Hashi went behind Madara's back and stabbed him. Madara went behind Hashi's back and concocted some Moon Plan. Though I understand, why HM did what they did.

Madara never had any issues with openly acknowledging Hashi's abilities, infact Madara was screaming his name like a cockatoo about how better Hashi was in everything and how everyone else sucks. LOL. Whereas it took 698 chapters for Sasuke to acknowledge Naruto.

HM battled each other for reasons bigger than themselves. For the clan. Later for the shinobi world. SNS battled each other only for their personal reasons. VoTE1 was all about ‘I won’t let you get away Vs I can’t turn my back’.... VoTE2 was about ‘I want to be alone Vs I won’t let you be alone’.... LOL.. That's why SNS battles sucks in terms of Grandeur or variety of Jutsus. Because it always looked intimate.

HashiMada's Reunion in War Arc was the absolute Troll of the Century. SNS reunion in part 2 was unsettling and unintentionally seductive.

HM never played ‘Tsundere’ card, Man!!!... They were very open and flirtatious. SNS was a slow-burn, tsundere one. In Part 1, Naruto was the Tsundere one, in Part 2, it was Sasuke...

HM was very similar to Romeo-Juliet in a Ninja warfare world. SNS was all about ‘Chasing my love for 4 years’ from Naruto’s side... ‘I won’t let any of you mere striplings lay a finger on my love... I am the only person to kill him but I really can’t kill him’ from Sasuke’s side. LOL..

At the end of the day, I love both of the ships in a different way.

SNS will be my favourite forever, though!!! And HM is my first ship.

Idk why but that kinda reminds me of a couple or boyfriend/girlfriend getting a tattoo of their significant other.

BWAHAHAHA!!! You are not alone in this..... 

I was Blushing so hard, without knowing why, when Madara revealed that tattoo for the first time.... I didn’t intend to Ship them at that point... But definitely that behaviour doesn’t qualify under ‘Friendship’ let alone ‘Brother’... And that’s why I told you, ‘You are very wrong’ in the beginning of this post!!!!

LOLLLL..... 

Why do you like it? 

I like HashiMada because this ship made me to understand Madara from an emotional perspective. Before that, I only thought of him as a Cool, Badass and Nice Looking Villain. 

When you look at him from the Narrative Point of view, Madara was the ONE AND ONLY person to have 3 different flashbacks to be told by 3 different people. 

First, We heard about him from Itachi, as a Uchiha clan member. It gave us some information about how Madara was perceived from the eyes of his very own clan members. With the way Itachi talked about him, Madara was portrayed as a power hungry person who stole his Brother’s eyes for the sake of Power.

Second, we heard about Madara from Obito, as Fake Madara, another Uchiha Clan member. That flashback portrayed Madara as a victim and it had lots of lies. He shamelessly lied about how he was never involved in Kyuubi Incident. 

Third, the flashback from Hashirama. This is where we saw the ‘Loveable’ side of Madara. Like how he was very interested in changing the Shinobi World of his time. And How he was so heartbroken when he was forced to break up with Hashirama.. He awakened his Sharingan for Hashi, Dammit!!! And the Name ‘Konoha’ was coined by Madara..... It’s like they both adopted a baby together and named it... LOL..

What Kishimoto was trying to say here is, Every person who did some irredeemable things will always have some lovelier side too. Zabuza killed many people for fun and earned a nickname called ‘A Demon’... But when you view him from the POV of Haku, he was not a complete Monster. 

Similarly Madara’s adorable side was shown to us by Hashirama. This is actually a Romantic Trope... LOL... A guy may be a monster to the entire world but towards that one girl, he will become a child and loveable person.... (Beauty and the Beast says, ‘Hello’......)

When I finish that flashback, I realized three things,

Madara was not some mindless villain. 

How come, Hashirama, a person who don’t belong to the Uchiha Clan can portray Madara in such a nice manner?? 

Why the hell Hashirama is portraying the story as if he sacrificed his ‘Great Love’ for the sake of the Village but not a ‘Friend’??? LOL.... This is when I totally shipped them from the bottom of my heart. 

And that’s why I like HashiMada because it showed me a different Madara that I’ve come to like. Let’s say,

Aren’t they just adorable???........ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Do you think Hashimada is similar to SNS?

The only similarity I could find is that both the pairs found some ‘Unexplainable Connection’ between them on their first meeting... And Both the Uchihas evolved their Sharingan when they their trying to break up from their counterparts. 

Both pairs are the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra. 

And both pairs have Senju/Uzumaki and Uchiha lineage.

Other than that, I didn’t find any similarities between them. 

Do you believe their bond is stronger than SNS?

Again, I don’t want to compare who is stronger because it is unreasonable. This story has been built upon the bond of SNS.... So, HM is a side story which has the disadvantage of Narrative time dedicated to it. And yet, with the minimal amount of time, I realized that ‘They love each other’ without anyone’s influence.

Usually, People claim that HM’s bond was weaker because Hashirama killed Madara. This is where I disagree because Sasuke also rammed his Chidori into Naruto’s chest... Thanks to the plot armour and Kurama’s healing ability, Naruto didn’t die. So, this gesture can’t be used to measure the strength of the bond, in my opinion. 

But look at how Madara behaved after Hashi came to the Battlefield????

Lollll..... A Reunion of the Century, in my opinion!!!!!

Madara never asked Hashirama about killing him at any point. They just behave like nothing happened between them. And I feel, that’s the strength of their bond. That is, to forget everything and start over from the beginning....

I sincerely feel that rather than comparing which one is stronger, I would prefer to treat both the ship as a separate entities.

And in my opinion, I always considered HM is a trend-setter for SNS.... Because, when you finish the series, both SNS and HM stands out as a different bond as compared to other friendly bonds like Kakashi/Obito, Shikamaru/Naruto or brotherly bonds like Itachi/Sasuke, Raikage/Killer Bee.... 

The strength of HashiMada can be realized from fandom’s reaction to it. I’ve literally seen many non-shippers and shippers claimed, “I would pay any money to watch a series based on Hashirama and Madara’s Era rather than this Boruto bullshit”.... And that’s my stand as well. 

If someone tells me Kishimoto can’t write Romance... Then I would simply show them HashiMada onto their faces because it is very Short, Sweet, Cute and Tragic at the same time. 

To put it simply,

HashiMada is a great ship which is very different from SNS in many aspects and it has its own Strengths which SNS lacks. That’s why, I don’t want it to be compared with each other.

[stupid-sloot-headcanons]

I feel like on the "Selfish and Horrifying" meter, Sho is probably the least horrible of the Persona edgevillain boys...by like a very, VERY small margin. An almost nonexistent margin tbh.

Akechi and Adachi both take advantage of a Darling, especially since I think Adachi wouldn't initially view them as anything more than an outlet for his boredom. Like yeah, the world is still meaningless and sucks, but some free (albeit unwilling) pussy and someone to cook meals for him is pretty nice. He has a leg up on Akechi since Adachi has actual good relationships with people like Nanko, Dojima, and Yu. Like I don't know (and he doesn't either, I imagine) if that's genuine love for the closest thing to a family he has, but it stands to reason that he COULD develop a similar meaningful connection with a Darling. I think he's more likely to just want to use them though.

Akechi manipulates them by using his past and his own issues against them, and turns their sympathy into a way to keep them tied to him. He's one of two Wild Cards to weaponize their Personas for nefarious purposes, and it's only through a metric ton of effort/shit happening in Royal that he's even able to form meaningful connections with others. But this might cause him to double down on Darling; now that he realizes he can actually have feelings, then he wants to do that with them too! He's got actual friends now who know his real self, and he's still shocked that Darling was able to put up with all the hell he put them through. So he wants to make it up to them by being the closest thing to "good" he can be. It's broken and still fucked up, but he wants to try.

In P4's True End route and in Ultimax, Adachi clearly wants to atone for what he did and agrees to be taken to jail for the murders. So I think that he'd decide to cut ties with Darling entirely, just for their own sake. He kidnapped them, assaulted them, and they deserve a chance to move on from what he did to them. If they continued to seek him out in prison, he'd be surprised (especially since I imagine he'd confess to the cops for what he did to them, so they have NO reason to visit him in prison as their convicted assaulter). I think he'd assume they just have a form of Stockholm Syndrome and urge them to stop visiting him for their own sake. But if they keep insisting, he'll say they must be hopelessly broken to keep coming back to talk to him. He won't turn them away anymore, but he doesn't really like it either. It's difficult to find a way to atone for hurting people when one of your victims is so broken and warped by you, and it's all you can see/hear when the visit you in jail.

Sho is the one who would be unlikely to have a Darling in the first place, and getting feelings like that confuses/angers/scares the shit out of him. He was raised without any ability to connect with others and is, to put it bluntly, a sociopath with symptoms taken to a cartoonish extreme. He straight up says he can only experience bonds with others by trying to kill them in a fight to the death, after all. Empathy and sympathy is something that he can't even grasp. And while it'd be astronomically difficult, he might develop an interest in a Darling that spirals out of control. He's very distrustful of others, so those gentle/kind Darlings seem like (at first) they'd bore him or confuse him a lot. Why are they so eager to help him without anything in return? Are they trying to earn his trust and use him layer on?

A Darling that's a fighter/Persona user would have a far quicker time catching his interest. Maybe they're a "gentler" one like Fuuka, or they're a special case where they can use SMT spells without needing a Persona to "channel" shit through and they fight that way (which annoys him, since he can't carve off bits of their Persona the way he can with everyone else in Ultimax). And it pisses him off that they keep trying to "help him" and ask why he's doing all this while fighting him. Does it fucking matter? Focus on the fight, you idiot! He's about to kill you!

It would take a persistent kindness and a LOT of compassion on Darling's part for his interest to form. Throughout most of the story he dismisses bonds and sympathy as what weaklings do to cope with their own inferiority alone, and he comes to view Darling as his complete opposite. And their stupid tenacity in trying to reach out to him is equally annoying and interesting, similar to how he feels about Yu consistently trying to connect with him. But Yu, he's a fellow Wild Card like Sho. Why would some random nobody below his level of power be so determined to do that?

I think he'd spend what little spare time he has in the story occasionally just peeking in on Darling when he's not trying to fight/kill them. He just wants to know who he's dealing with, and see what their real goal is in gaining his trust. And when he discovers there IS NO hidden goal, he kind of...malfunctions. It just doesn't make sense to him. So he'd fixate more on them to prove that whatever they have in mind, they're wrong and he's going to kill them to prove it.

After the story ends, he wakes up in the hospital in Inaba and realizes that even if Ikutsuki threw him away, he still can't completely hate him. And that feeling makes him wonder what other bonds he has with people like Yu, Labrys, and...that one naive idiot who kept trying to reach out, despite their weakness. If he's going to take this chance to form bonds and find new meaning, he wants to explore it with them.

He's not really sure HOW to do that, so his go-to is to just follow them around/stalk them for a while before confronting them. They wanted to connect with him, right? Well here he is. He'll explain what his life was like since they may not have been there for that whole exposition dump, and then say that he's going to stick around for a while to learn more about them. It's only fair, considering how hard they pushed their way into HIS life.

He'll follow them around even if they say they don't want to befriend him after all the shit he did, or that they just need some time alone for a while after he tried to kill them and their friends so many times. But he's not gonna be able to let them be. They were so stubborn before about connecting with him, and NOW, when he's finally open to it, they say no? Nah, fuck that. He's part of their life whether they want it or not. He was planning on traveling the country/world to find himself, but no matter how long he's gone he always comes back to his Darling in the end. They'll think he's finally left after a few months, only for him to break into their home and crawl in bed like it's his own and like nothing happened. Darling's the closest thing he's got to a home, anyway.

[str-essi]

Compatible Hearts: A simarkus essay

Cover pic by @rumithe

This is for simarkus week day three, Compatible hearts. Thank you @sheyshocked for organizing<3

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I'm tired of listening to people talk about Markus’ route as less than. It’s always about how incoherent everything is. I’m not trying to deny it, but I also think there’s no such thing as a perfect game, or a perfect story. It may be because I’m a fan, but to me the plot doesn’t have to be revolutionary as long as it conveys emotion.

What gets me in the sense of the game’s ‘flaws’ and if they are flaws at all, is the unfinished ‘Simon’s route’ aka. everyone’s favorite theory!. The follow-him-instead-of-North-choice that has no impact, the fact that he’s the one to give Markus his heart if she's unavailable: what does it tell us? The ship’s popularity indicates that a lot of players picked on it: Simon seems almost obviously in love with Markus, yet it isn’t explicitly there. If Simon was supposed to be a romanceable character, the plan was scrapped.

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So why? There are these two people that scramble trying to relate to each other, whose relationship is never made entirely clear, whose bond seems to blossom on the moment of the other’s death. Why is it so captivating? The writing doesn’t support them, but the incompleteness itself makes it. What we are not given emphasizes the question: is love less meaningful if it’s not explicit? Because it’s certainly present in these narrow windows of time, the liminal spaces; it is to love within few resources, in the context of death, in the eye of the storm. Are theirs not a love story in its barest of forms, never to have each other truly? I feel like the less there is the more power this ship has: it’s love persisting… And I don't think it exists only in the eye of the beholder. How could the choice to ‘follow Simon’ be meaningless when later on in the church he tells Markus “We’ll follow you”... Isn’t that all the reciprocation we craved?

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I can’t stop thinking about how perishable they are. How many different ways Simon dies for Markus. That’s half of the most maddening thing: combined with the lack of actual romance it’s just crushing. It’s like he’s there just to die. Like he is an afterthought to his creators.

You’ve probably heard this Iliad quote before: “Gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment may be our last.” In their case it has double the weight because in principle, androids are immortal. They just chose to give it away by deviating. Connor-60 asks the question: “Why did you have to wake up, when all you had to do was obey?” Why did they? When Markus converts androids, they don’t hesitate to take the offer. Why would they risk everything in seconds?

Besides the awareness of themselves as a person, I think half the appeal is in the meaning of it. Not even in the wilderness life is all about self-preservation and completing tasks: you know, like bears like to sit down and enjoy the view! It’s the ability to see beauty and acknowledge it: to care for someone and be cared for in return: to have meaningful experiences and after the fact, appreciate your memories. All tales of immortality revolve around the person’s memories, filtered through “I don’t want this feeling to end”. Our experiences make us who we are: we’re constructed from our emotional reactions to rejection, connection, longing, love.

The pursuit of these experiences, to feel something meaningful, is at the core of being a human and what I think drove us to create androids in DBH; to continue the pursuit of it, or to give it to someone else. Just think about homecare androids! In Liminality I wrote: “What he’d been built for and what he wanted was the same. He was made to love the same.” about Simon, and that's what I feel like the affinity of deviants is: they’re us.

Our hearts are compatible.

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To have all that in a course of a single gameplay was beyond amazing to me. I wish I could see it again for the first time. I saw all of their loyal honesty, the raw, modest, quiet love. They have something deeper than a companionship. It was devotion.

And the most appealing thing about it is never what you'd expect it to be -they fall in love and live -but what it is, and that's a struggle. Simarkus is an illusion of player's control, a half-collapsed route, the ruins of a linear romance… It's a struggle to understand and stay alive, the struggle of which makes it, that defines it… It’s the delicate fragility of their togetherness -they don’t get to say “I love you” and walk away. There are vanishingly few endings in which they do.

To me, the most beautiful route is: Markus meets Simon, loses him, Simon returns to him, he gives him his heart. And intended or not, despite what it came to be or did not, all of it between them seems inherently romantic, the promise to at least be with you until the end, the thing most of us crave innately.

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Even if he wasn’t given the chance to show it, it’s there in all of his deaths. Even if he does it all for just one person: he risks himself to be known by him and us the same. And so, we see Simon die over and over again because it has an impact on us. The reaction is human, and that is the beauty of story-driven games even if they are not revolutionary: and it’s the same beauty in every piece of art.

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Maybe I'm just cheering for the underdog, relentlessly searching for beauty in the little things. Even so, I wouldn't change my experience for anything; I love simarkus<3 And if you read this far I assume you do too. <3 Cheers for us!

Ps. If you vibed with this, read Liminality <3

[the-ferocious-kittyrose]

My complicated opinion on Keith Kogane

Keith Kogane is definitely one of the more popular characters in the VLD fandom. People love brooding emo bad boys.

My feelings on Keith are... complicated. I definitely don’t hate him. I have a lot of problems with the character but I don’t think I could ever bring myself to actually hate him. Mainly because I kinda relate to him. We both have problems controlling our emotions, interacting with people, and making friends.

And we both have trouble believing there are people who truly have our best interests at heart and won’t abandon us because we’re a burden.

What I do hate is the way his character was written and the way it negatively impacted the characters around him.

There are definitely a lot of factors that contributed to VLD ending up the way it did. But to me, Keith and the writers insistence on pushing him to the forefront was the poison that killed the show.

Ok, before we get into this whole rant I feel like I should talk about the things I do like about Keith.

I like the premise of Keith’s character. He’s half Galra and never really fit in on Earth. He didn’t act like the other “normal” kids so kids made fun of him and adults didn’t want to deal with him. So in order to protect himself from the pain of rejection he would put up a tough angry facade and push people away and reject them before they could reject him.

This is something that really resonates with me personally having grown up neurodivergent. It’s awful growing up in a world that isn’t made for people like you and not knowing how to interact with or connect with your peers. Especially when you don’t know why you’re like that.

You learn to avoid social interaction because it always ends up negative. You put up walls because you don’t feel like anybody understands you or what you’re going through.

I know the writers probably didn’t intend to code Keith as neurodivergent. They just wanted Keith to be a hothead with abandonment issues, but nonetheless, this interpretation means a lot to me.

I also really like his relationship with Shiro. Keith is so used to being left behind and abandoned that when he meets someone like Shiro who’s patient and genuinely cares it’s new and strange. He’s so ready for Shiro to abandon him, even telling Shiro to send him back to the home, but Shiro refuses to leave him and tells Keith ethat he’s never going to give up on him.

It’s also interesting to see how their relationship develops over time. It’s clear Keith trusts Shiro, but you can tell that that fear of abandonment is still there deep down. In S2, Keith tells Shiro that he’s like a brother to him, and then in season 6, he takes the extra step and tells Shiro that he IS his brother and that he loves him. And for someone like Keith, telling their friend they love them is a big scary thing.

And also it’s just great to see a platonic “I love you,” especially between two guys. Don’t be afraid to tell your bros you love them!!!

Now let’s talk about the stuff I didn’t like.

Keith doesn’t have much going for him in terms of personality. He’s just sorta brooding and serious all the time. He does make jokes occasionally but it’s rare. The writers were more focused on making him cool and badass rather than fun.

I always loved the idea of Keith as a cocky carefree asshole who doesn’t give a shit about rules/laws and is kinda rude/aggressive but has a heart of gold deep down and would do anything for the people he cares about. (Just like a cat.)

I would also make him more alien esc. In terms of design I like the idea of Keith having red eyes with narrow pupils and fangs. And also just small things like the way he walks and holds himself. He growls and bears his teeth when he’s angry, his hair puffs up when scared, he’s fast and agile, disappearing and reappearing without making much noise, small things.

Then you have his race and sexuality. I have no doubt in my mind that Keith was intended to be a straight white dude. A lot of people see him as gay and Asian but there’s no evidence for this in canon. Acxa was originally intended to be his love interest and his race was never mentioned in canon. His name isn’t even Kogane in canon. (And the race of the voice actor doesn’t equal the race of the character. If that was the case Shiro, Hunk, and Lance would be white.)

They should’ve totally made Keith Japanese like he was in the original. It would’ve been so easy! Just canonize Kogane as his last name and have the book say he’s half Japanese half Galra. They could’ve also done what they did with Shiro and keep his og GoLion name. Just have him be Akira Kogane. Definitely cooler than “Keith.”

And as for his sexuality, I definitely think they should’ve had Keith be gay. But well get to that Later...

I also don’t like how they handled the whole Krolia thing. Not only was it crazy rushed, but it completely goes against the shows theme of found family.

Keith’s arc should’ve been about overcoming his abandonment issues and learning to accept the paladins as family. But instead they just get rid of the abandonment issues by just giving him his mom back.

I know a lot of people love Krolia but I don’t feel like she should’ve been introduced in anything other than flashbacks. Because Keith’s mom isn’t really that important. The show is about found family and friendship, not blood relation.

You can definitely have Keith learn about his mom and his family, but I feel like giving him his mom back was too much.

Personally, I always headcanoned that Kolivan was Keith’s grandfather or just a close friend of Krolia’s, and when Keith showed up at the Blade’s base Kolivan recognized the blade as his Krolia’s. Keith could learn about his mom through Kolivan telling him about her, how she was a great person and warrior who died fighting to make the universe a safer place for her son.

Another thing I didn’t like was the whole Keith leaving the team for the Blades thing. I know why he did it, he felt like the team was gonna reject him, he wanted to be more useful, and wanted to learn about his family, but I feel like you could’ve touched on all that without having him abandon his team.

One of the biggest problems with the show is that they did a bad job at establishing the paladins as friends, they feel like coworkers more than anything, and I feel like Keith being absent for two seasons contributed to that.

And his absence is hardly addressed. The team forms Voltron perfectly without him and no one ever says they miss him. Keith doesn’t even seem like he missed them after being gone for two years.

And a lot of the weight was taken out of that Keith v Kuron fight by the fact that Keith and Kuron hardly interacted.

That whole thing amounted to four things, Keith meeting Krolia (which I don’t think should’ve happened), them finding the colony (which was a dumb plot I don’t think should’ve happened), Keith aging up two years (which was weird and unnecessary), and Keith meeting Kosmo (which is... complicated).

I don’t think this plot was necessary. Keith should’ve stayed with his team.

Then you have his relationship with Lance. I know people are very sensitive about this topic. People have very strong opinions about whether or not Keith and Lance were intended to be romantically coded.

Personally, I do like Klance but I don’t believe they were romantically coded. I think if you want them to get together some things would have to go differently.

For example, the bonding moment. In canon, Lance tells Keith, “we make a good team.” I don’t see this as referring to him and Keith. I think he was talking about the whole team. If you want it to be about the two of them, I feel like it should be Lance telling Keith something like, “ya know, you’re not so bad after all,” and then Keith smiles and responds, “you’re not so bad yourself.”

Another example could be the scene where Lance comes to Keith with his insecurities. (Whether it’s as a leader or a friend.) This scene was weird in canon, Lance comes to Keith for advice and Keith basically tells him to just stop thinking about it.

I would prefer if Lance brought up to Keith how he doesn’t feel like he’s good enough or that he doesn’t have, “a thing,” and Keith is completely dumbfounded like, “what are you even talking about?” He goes on about all the good shit about Lance. Talks about how Blue chose him, how he’s a great shot, how he’s good at dealing with people, meanwhile Lance is standing there in shock as Keith says all these nice things about him.

Over all you would just have to develop their relationship more. More meaningful interactions. And if you want the relationship to be romantic you would have to establish that early on. Establish that one or both has romantic feelings for the other in like S1/S2 because if you wait too long it’s gonna feel forced/out of no where.

And then... you have the Black Paladin arc... I’m gonna be real with y’all, this is the arc that killed the show for me, for a few reasons.

One, even ignoring the whole quintessence bond thing, it makes no sense for Keith to be the bp. He doesn’t fit the role. I adore Shiro but choosing Keith as his successor was a dumb move. I get that he saw potential in Keith but they’re are fighting a war, there’s no room for favoritism.

Shiro should’ve chosen Allura as his successor. Not only does she have actual leadership experience, but you would only have one paladin in a new Lion instead of three.

If a lifeguard breaks his leg and can’t work, he should choose an experienced swimmers to take his place, not his little bro that’s still in water wings in the hopes that it’ll teach him to swim.

Two, Keith being the bp doesn’t help his arc. Keith’s arc is about overcoming his abandonment issues and learning to be a team player, he doesn’t need to be the leader for that.

VLD should’ve been about the paladins growing into the best versions of themselves they could be. Their development shown by unlocking new abilities in their respective lions, new forms for their bayards, and new Voltron bayard power ups. They shouldn’t have to change lions and themselves.

Keith and Red have a strong bond and work great together. Keith and Red are both temperamental, unpredictable, and have issues with trust. Keith having to fight to get Red to trust and open up to him mirrors how others have to fight to earn Keith’s trust and get him to let down his walls.

It would’ve been interesting to see them grow together. Keith has no emotional connection with Black.

We never even get to see them bond. Keith just suddenly becomes the “perfect” bp/leader because he got over his mommy issues

Three, it’s a MASSIVE disservice to Shiro’s character. Shiro put all the work in earning his position as the bp, he literally fits fought Zarkon on the astral plane to earn her trust, yet Keith is the true bp? What?

It sucks. Sendak told Shiro that a monster like him could never be a paladin and the writers went and proved him right. Hell Shiro didn’t even get to kill Sendak, Keith got that too.

And don’t tell me, “but he got the Atlas!” REALLY!? A massive Deus ex machina that required absolutely no effort from him to acquire!? Filled with a bunch of rando background characters no one gives a shit about!? You’re totally right, that 100% makes up for it.

I could go on and on about how the treatment of Shiro in this show (and fandom) is blatantly ableist but that’s a rant for another time.

It sucks. I want to like Keith! He had the potential to be an amazing character but the writers just kept on trying to turn him into something he wasn’t and it ruined him for me.

They kept trying to turn Keith into the main character and ignored that ALL the paladins are the main characters. It’s an ensemble cast! You don’t have to have everything come back to one guy.

[revedetendresse]

Only the 6th episode and you can already tell there’s more to Jarod & Parker’s relationship than “You run, I chase”.

She had a clear shot, she even threatens to shoot him in the back but she doesn’t do it. Instead her bullet makes him drop the envelope. The whole “they want him alive” would have been nothing more than an excuse. She could have just shot him in the leg and he probably wouldn’t have able to outrun her.

But she didn’t take the shot. One shot and she potentially could have brought him back to the Centre and yet... They haven’t seen each other in how many years huh? People drift apart, friendships break all the time... Theirs happened so long ago it shouldn’t have any impact on her ability to do her job...right? But it does. The bond they had as kids is still there in a new form but it is there. She grew up with him, to her eyes he’s not some project name or Centre property despite all the derogatory names she calls him. Most bonds made in childhood/teenage years never last but theirs? It survived time itself, along with manipulation and lies. It just proves how much they meant to each other then. How meaningful was their friendship for their bond to survive 3 decades...

Which is why her inaction speaks volume. She didn’t want to hurt him. That is the first proof she’s actually incapable of hurting him. They want to use her connection to him to bring him back, but what they fail to see, it is exactly the reason it was never going to work. Her heart isn’t in it. To bring him back, you have to do whatever it takes. She didn’t take the shot, he escaped. You can draw the conclusion yourself.

Sydney makes a remark, asks her why she changed her mind. She claims she didn’t change her mind but missed. He isn’t fooled and neither are we, right?

[misssunflowersandsangria]

At Home with You

Happy @inoshikachoweek week and happy best friends day!  I love every incarnation of Team 10 so I really wanted to write something at least for the last day.  Thank you to @thespookymoth and @pewpewpew for hosting this week!  Hope that you enjoy! 

Prompt:  Best Friends

Summary:  When you’re best friends home and family can take many different forms.

*

**

At Home with You

**

Ino

“There you are!”  Curious brown eyes looked up hearing a familiar voice. Inojin grinned watching the deer trot over towards him excitedly. 

Inojin pet the deer’s fur affectionately, thankful that he seemed to still remember him.  “I’m sorry I haven’t been around a lot lately.”  The animal didn’t seem to mind and welcomed the loving touches.  

“Come on buddy, let’s take a walk. I’ve got some time before I have to go home.” Inojin could have sworn there was some understanding in those soft eyes as the animal fell into step with him.  

The peace and solitude the dense forest provided was much needed after so many difficult and grueling missions. He found solace in the twilight with his faithful companion by his side. 

The pair took breaks along their walk to eat and drink. Their gait relaxed and steady with no goal or end in sight. Inojin would feed the animal treats and pet his soft fur.  All the while the deer nuzzled in familiarity into his gentle hands. 

Coming to a stop they relaxed by the water. Inojin reclined into the deers side to sketch the landscape. Nestling into the deer’s soft fur and comforting warmth.  It was this quiet slice of heaven away safe from the noise. 

“So this is where you’ve been running off to?” 

Inojin looked startled, surprised by the amused looks on his Uncle and Aunt’s face. 

Subconsciously Inojin stepped forward placing himself between the deer and them. 

“We don’t mind you coming here but you need to let your parents know where you are.”  Temari gently scolded him.  

Shikamaru looked curiously behind Inojin. A familiar deer posed as though it was ready to defend its friend if necessary. 

“I assume your visits have to do with the deer behind you?” 

“I come by when I dont have missions to see him.”  Inojin admitted with a sigh.  There was no way to lie his way out of this. 

Temari and Shikamaru were surprised by the revelation.  Shikamaru recognized the deer as the injured one that Inojin had found and he had treated.  He remembered Inojin being terrified and distraught, hoping the deer might make it through. They didn’t quite realize how much of an impression the experience had made. 

Temari had seen him earlier heading towards the forest where he was able to walk about freely. It seemed odd though that he was going there alone. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” 

Inojin shrugged, not really having a response. He thought it might be embarrassing to admit having grown attached to the deer.  

“I couldn’t…I couldn’t save Akkun. So when I was able to save this one I felt connected to him I guess.”  

They knew all about that little creature that he’d bonded with during the mission in Iwagakure. Ino and Sai had considered getting him a pet to help with his grief but worried it might be too soon. 

Shikamaru moved forward towards them, kneeling in front of him.  “Your grandfather used to love walking through here too.”  

“Really?”  Inojin asked surprised but always happy to learn anything he could about his grandfather. 

“The Yamanaka jutsu can be very difficult mentally and spiritually. He always found reconnecting with nature as a way to reset.  He even had his own favorite deer. Shikadai’s grandfather would complain that he was out here more than him.”  Shikamaru remembered when his father would go out into the dense forest to check on his friend. 

“Inojin attachments and bonds are a wonderful thing. Companionship and friendship make life meaningful.  They aren’t something you ever have to hide.” Inojin smiled up at Temari, her words having a lifetime of experience behind them. 

“Did you give him a name?” 

“Aki, I found him on the first day of Fall.”  

“Well thank you Aki for taking care of Inojin here.”  

Shikamaru kindly rubbed the deer’s head.  Sure the Naras were known for their connection with these animals but he was thankful that Inojin saw their value as well.

“Let your mom and dad know, okay kid. That way they won’t worry.”  Temari guided him gently.  She could understand his draw towards the Nara forest.  She would often escape there just to have some quiet.  

Inojin nodded, grateful that he didn’t have to keep his trips a secret.  That he could tell his parents and his teammates about his friend.  He’d been wanting his parents to come join him for a while now. 

“Let Shikadai know you’re coming out here.  He’s supposed to be guarding and keeping this place secure.  Seeing as you’ve been able to come in and out undetected means he’s not doing his job.”  He laughed but hoped his friend wouldn’t be too upset. 

The trio remained out there in the fading sunlight as more deer came forward recognizing the clan heads.  Enjoying the mystery and wonder of it all.

Inojin at times was just like his father.  He struggled with certain social cues and norms.  Often finding himself confused by some customs. But he found there in the quiet of the forest, with his faithful friend, and family a feeling of home. 

Shika

Shikadai took a tentative taste before a thoughtful look crossed his face. 

“It needs something.” 

Karui took a spoonful of the broth before nodding. “You’re right. Go ask your Uncle Chouji for more tomatoes.”  

Shikadai went into motion and made his way over to where the Akimichi was prepping the ingredients.  ChoCho would often complain about her parents but Shikadai found them to be warm and welcoming.  Always genuinely happy to see him. 

“We’re gonna need more diced tomatoes.”

“You got it, kid.” 

Shikadai wasn’t sure when it happened exactly. He’d been over at the Akimichi’s one night for dinner and had been roped into helping. Despite his silent complaints, he’d actually enjoyed the cooking process.  It was almost like a science experiment. Mixing the ingredients to get the perfect reaction. After that day he’d come by ever so often to learn more techniques and to try out various recipes. Who better than an Akimichi to teach him to cook? ChoCho loved it when he came over, as he often made enough for her to try a new dish.  

Today he had something special planned. His uncles had sent him a recipe for his mom's favorite dish from Suna. He wanted it to be a surprise so he’d made his way to the Akimichi kitchen. 

“My dad taught your grandfather how to cook,”  Chouji told him with a grin. Shikadai looked up, never having heard this story. 

“When they were younger your grandmother was just as good of a cook as she is now.  Uncle Shikaku wanted to impress her.  It was a complete failure.  Apparently, he managed to burn through not only the food but multiple pots and pans.  He was banned from cooking on Akimichi lands for a while.  After my dad forgave him he gave him a few less-flammable lessons.  It wasn’t too helpful but there was some improvement.  Your father is no better.  For being geniuses they sure are useless in the kitchen.  You might be the only hope for the Nara line.”

Shikadai smiled at the thought.  His mother had mentioned something similar to him when he’d helped her a few times.  It wasn’t a skill that Naras were known for nor would it be one that he advertised.  Still, it was a useful ability and oftentimes a needed distraction. 

Karui yelled a few additional items they needed and he stood next to Chouji prepping the additional items.  

They added the required ingredients, checking the flavor as he went along.  The two Akimichis watched him with a smile at his attention and precision.  Temari’s look of pure determination on his face and his movements were all Shikamaru.  Like the dish he made, he was a perfect mix. 

“I’ve got to hand it to you kid.  You’re a natural.  You’re always welcomed in my kitchen.”  Karui praised him after tasting the completed recipe. 

She affectionately ruffled his hair. “Your mom is going to love it.” 

Shikadai recalled those precious times together around a table with warm food between them.  

A home-cooked meal was the perfect reminder of home.

Cho

“Thanks again for coming by!  Your wife is going to love the flowers.”  ChoCho yelled out to the customer.

She then worked to spray down the counter then watered a few of the plants.  It was a quiet day at the store but she loved it nonetheless.  The Yamanaka flower shop was one of her favorite places in the village. She was getting older.  Their team missions were more complicated and layered. For her. working at a place that was so normal was a needed reprieve.

It started a few weeks ago.  Inojin had begged her to cover his shift while his parents were off on a mission.  She agreed only after he offered her a king’s ransom in snacks and a no-questions-asked favor to be cashed in the future.  After getting a quick training session and learning the ropes she thoroughly enjoyed her time there.  She was in the company of flowers and got to meet and interact with people all over the village.  It was a natural fit.  From then on ever so often Inojin would ask her to fill in.  She’d whine and complain which increased Inojin’s offerings but she’d ultimately agree.

“ChoCho!”  She smiled brightly seeing the Yamanakas walk in.  They knew that she was there for the afternoon but assured her they’d be back as early as possible.  

ChoCho idolized Ino.  The  Yamanaka Clan head was strong, wise, and beautiful.  ChoCho loved her mom but she was still an authority figure.  Ino was her cool Aunt.  Since she could remember the blonde had assured her that she’d be a willing confidant and support.  There were a few times that she elicited her help and advice.  

“We appreciate you coming by to help us,”  Sai thanked her with a soft smile.  He wasn’t a man of many words but he was always kind and welcoming towards her.  His smile reminded her very much of her teammate.

“I love it here.  I get to see so many people and hear a lot of different stories.”  Her favorites were always of nervous individuals hoping to find that perfect bouquet to impress a special someone. 

“It’s a pretty special place.  Your grandfather still buys your grandmother flowers every month on the 7th.  When I'd come here to help my dad I always loved seeing him come in.  I'd help him pick out the flowers to give her.”  ChoCho fondly thought about the blossoms that would consistently fill their home.  She couldn’t help but love how connected their families were.  

 Sai helped her move a few buckets of flowers to refill the shelves.  “When your father started dating your mom he didn’t know what her favorite flower was so he ended up just buying all of them,”  Sai recalled that day.  

He’d come to spend time with Ino when the Akimichi had come in a panicked state.  Their team had argued back and forth about the best arrangement of flowers until Shikamaru convinced Chouji to just buy them all and figure out Karui’s favorite later. 

ChoCho grinned surprised by the sweet story.  Surprised that the old man had some moves back in the day.  

Her father had come by earlier to her embarrassment but they had worked together to arrange a beautiful bouquet for her mother. She often wondered at their relationship but their love was something undeniable.  ChoChohoped that her teammates took notes about how to treat those they loved. 

ChoCho fell into step with the Yamanakas helping to clean up before she was set to leave.  And of course, she was on her way to see her team.  

“You’re always welcome here, you know that right?”  Ino assured her. She had a special bond with the Akimichi.  It wasn’t always easy being the female in their trio.

Surrounded by a melody of flowers and the warmth of family, this was just like a second home.  

“I know.”

* **

The 17th generation of InoShikaCho sat together in the cramped booth talking about everything and nothing all at once.  A similar scene of love and familiarity having occurred many times in the past.  

At times the pressure to uphold their family’s legacy could be suffocating.  Certain heavy expectations and hopes were placed on their shoulders.  But they knew at the end of the day they were luckier than most.  They were teammates and best friends.  Not just by circumstances but by choice.  No matter what happened in this life, because of that bond they’d always have a home. 

*

**

Did you see what I was trying to do here?  I love the customs that each family has but I like to see them interacting with each other.

Life got pretty hectic so writing needed to take a back seat.  I’m thankful that I was able to write what little I could.  I hope to be posting more regularly soon.  Thanks for your support and good vibes. 

 My sincere love, thanks and admiration for everyone who supported this week!  You are all amazing!  Love, love to you all!

[manie-sans-delire-x]

My thoughts/analysis of We Need to talk about Kevin

From abnormal psych class paper:

The character I chose to analyze and diagnose is Kevin Khatchadourian from the 2011 film, We Need to Talk about Kevin. Brilliantly depicted by star Ezra Miller and various other child actors, Kevin is an angry, emotionally detached boy who struggles in his complex relationship with his mother. We see the unhealthy relationship develop between the two through-out the film as Kevin grows from a baby to a young man, ending in tragedy as Kevin achieves his ultimate revenge against his mother by massacring the rest of their family as well as several classmates in a school shooting.  

After carefully noting Kevin’s behavior and the way he and his mother Eva interact when he is a young child, I have decided to diagnose Kevin with reactive attachment disorder (RAD). The diagnostic criteria from the current Diagnostic and Statistical manual (DSM-5) for RAD reads as follows: 

A. A consistent pattern of inhibited, emotionally withdrawn behavior toward adult caregivers, manifested by both of the following: 

1. The child rarely or minimally seeks comfort when distressed. 

2. The child rarely or minimally responds to comfort when distressed. 

B. A persistent social or emotional disturbance characterized by at least two of the following: 

Minimal social and emotional responsiveness to others 

Limited positive affect 

Episodes of unexplained irritability, sadness, or fearfulness that are evident even during nonthreatening interactions with adult caregivers. 

C. The child has experienced a pattern of extremes of insufficient care as evidenced by at least one of the following: 

Social neglect or deprivation in the form of persistent lack of having basic emotional needs for comfort, stimulation, and affection met by caring adults 

Repeated changes of primary caregivers that limit opportunities to form stable attachments (e.g., frequent changes in foster care) 

Rearing in unusual settings that severely limit opportunities to form selective attachments (e.g., institutions with high child to caregiver ratios) 

D. The care in Criterion C is presumed to be responsible for the disturbed behavior in Criterion A (e.g., the disturbances in Criterion A began following the lack of adequate care in Criterion C). 

E. The criteria are not met for autism spectrum disorder. 

F. The disturbance is evident before age 5 years. 

G. The child has a developmental age of at least nine months. 

Specify if Persistent: The disorder has been present for more than 12 months. 

Specify current severity: Reactive Attachment Disorder is specified as severe when a child exhibits all symptoms of the disorder, with each symptom manifesting at relatively high levels. 

Kevin displays behavior that meets both criteria A and B. As a baby he cried constantly, reportedly even when held, showing an inability or unwillingness to be soothed. As a toddler he shows defiance, disinterest in social interaction, and a refusal to engage in play, such as when his mother is attempting to play with a ball with him and he refuses to roll the ball back or respond in any way, instead staring at her with a sullen expression. Kevin also refuses his mother’s pleas to say the word “Mommy”. As a slightly older child, Kevin continues to act defiantly and shows anger, ripping up the paper when his mother attempts to school him, immediately soiling his newly changed diapers on purpose, throwing food against the wall and onto tables, breaking his crayons, making nonsensical noises to irritate his mother, and destroying his mother’s artfully decorated room. When he is taken to the doctor to be examined, he shows no expression, does not speak, and stiffens his body. When his baby sister is born, he purposefully sprinkles water onto the newborn, causing her to cry. It should be noted however that in one instance Kevin seems to relax his cold exterior and accept comfort from his mother, shown by the scene in which he falls ill and cuddles with his mother while she reads him a story. He even apologizes for her having to clean up his throw-up. Unfortunately, as soon as he is feeling well again he is back to being rude and rejecting any attempt of hers to take care of him, refusing her help to change his clothes.  

As for criteria C, although Kevin has not experienced extreme abuse or neglect, I believe Kevin suffered from a traumatic birth as it was mentioned that his mother was resisting. His mother Eva did not desire a child, especially not one as difficult as Kevin, so she emotionally neglects him and is cold to him. Eva makes it very clear to him that he is unwanted, telling him straight to his face that she was happy before she gave birth to him and not correcting him when Kevin mentions that Eva does not like him. In one instance, she is accidentally too rough with him and breaks his arm, which Kevin later refers to as being the most honest thing she ever did. Kevin also meets the criteria of D through G, and his symptoms are persistent. I would say Kevin has moderate to severe symptoms as he does exhibit all listed symptoms quite regularly.  

I believe Kevin’s psychological problems may also have developed into conduct disorder (CD) as an adolescent and then antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or psychopathy in adulthood, especially after taking into consideration the mutilation of his sister’s eye and the killing of his sister’s guinea pig, his father, his sister, and several classmates. He shows no guilt or empathy, appears to have shallow emotions besides anger, and shows no evidence of having affection or emotional bonds to anyone. He is also very manipulative; putting on a fake act of normalcy for his father, turning his parents against each other, and navigating the legal system to get his best outcome. However, I know that children with RAD can also be violent and if not treated, behave in a way very similar to conduct disorder in adolescence and ASPD or psychopathy in adulthood. The main reason I chose to focus on RAD over CD or ASPD is because I believe the root of Kevin’s problem is immense pain at being rejected and unloved as a child and that he harbors a deep desire to have that connection but is unable to accept affection.  He is so focused on and consumed by his anger towards his mother, while someone with true psychopathy may be more detached and indifferent. I also leaned more towards RAD given that he showed symptoms from such a young age and did not seem to have any problems outside of his issues with his mother, such as acting out in school or engaging in petty, impulsive crime. I do wish that the film showed more of his interaction with his peers. Lastly, I felt RAD was a more accurate choice because of the subtle signs of it that are associated more with RAD than CD, such as stiffening his body when others try to hug him, making nonsensical sounds, and not making eye contact as an infant, although that may not have been intentionally put in the film. Either way, his parents certainly needed to talk to professionals about Kevin when he was a child. Had they done so, perhaps they could have prevented the tragedy of both his life and the pain he inflicted on others.  

Response to tumblr ask:

I agree! I would have loved to see how he interacts at school, what he does when he’s alone and has spare time, and more of his childhood.

I think he had multiple reasons:

1- To make his mother suffer since he obviously has a lot of anger and resentment towards her

2- Because he doesn’t feel much positive emotion and gave up on ever feeling pleasure or enjoyment from regular life. Normal life is incredibly boring for him. He wanted to DO something- real, meaningful, make something happen. He wanted to Live. I very much relate.

3- He enjoys the attention he gets from it.

We talked about this in my forensic psych club- whether we should give interviews and all this attention to violent criminals. Our society is fascinated by them to the point where we make movies and books. People sell and collect memorabilia. They have fan-girls writing love letters and showing up to their court sessions, even fighting each other over them. It’s pretty crazy. But on the other hand, it’s important that we study them. Or is it? There’s a debate about everything.

4- His philosophy and world view. 

He is very nihilistic, he doesn’t believe life “means” anything and right/wrong doesn’t exist/is just a matter of opinion or viewpoint. His actions don’t really matter either, nothing does. I used to think exactly like he did when I was a teen, and I still do in a way.

As for your last question, it’s easy to forget one way of thinking when you’re in another. It’s hard to remember how one state was when you’re in a different one. Also, as shitty as outside life can be, life in prison is even shittier. Makes you appreciate the ability of choice and being able to do things, even just to walk around outside or buy an icecream cone. He was also only 15 at the time of the crime, and in the last scene he’s 18. A lot of chemical changes and neural development happens in that time. He matured- his way of thinking about himself, the world, and the others around him changed.