#also it doesn't come from toh

[welcometogrouchland]

[ID in alt text] my magnum opus

[these-detestable-hands]

I hope romantic subplots go out of style in the near future

[snakewithawitchhat]

Bill Headcanons

I have enough of these to fill up my guts whatever that means

Includes: Normal, readerxbill platonic, readerxbill romantic, freaky stuff he into

Normal

He definitely said skibidi once because he had no idea what it meant or where it came from

He would probably honest to god enjoy interacting with an iPad kid because he thinks they're fucking funny

Tea person over coffee

Probably reads books on the randomest subjects. Mostly they all have human psychology in common, though. Or anatomy.

His favorite kids movie is Wreck It Ralph, favorite adult movie is Shawn of The Dead (He doesn't believe British people are actually real and finds the movie funny), favorite horror movie is probably something really obscure and is just plain goreporn or something like that.

(In my opinion) I feel like if he had a more anthropomorphic form (legs and arms and body) it would probably be something VERY weird core or something like that. Like, extra limbs, weird ass colors, and random effects. He'd probably keep the triangle imagery, though.

Would definitely just say random ass shit to freak people out

He has a thing for teeth. Not, like, a weird thing or a sex thing. He just really thinks they're cool.

If he had an iPad... he'd spend all day either being your standard reddit user or an iPad kid.

Probably like King from The Owl House sometimes.

Speaking of TOH, he met The Collector once. He thought the kid was neat and played a few games of chess with him before leaving. Probably one of the inspirations for The Collector's insaneness

He also met The Core from Amphibia. Or at least knew the core existed.

His favorite human color is either red, yellow, or orange. It's really everything on the hot side of the color wheel tbh.

Platonic X reader

Dream invasion time-- He would SO rummage through your mind if you made a deal with him.

If you pissed him off, he'd probably jab a fork in your arm while possessing you. He wouldn't be as insane as he was with Stanford's body, though. He wants yours to work properly.

Dream demon or not, he probably had a Drea- NIGHTMARE... it was SO a nightmare... about having more fun with you if you built the portal.

Would be touchy. Not in a weird way (if you ask, he'll stop) but he'll just, like, pat your shoulder or something like that.

If Weirdmageddon 2 happens he is SO finding you and inviting you to his party. You're coming, too. You don't got a choice. Womp womp.

If one of his friends were to eat you, he'd probably be disappointed as all hell, but it really depends on how close you are with him. Besties? He'd kill that monster and resurrect you with the parts left. Just acquaintances? Who are you again?

Would still possess you even after he gets a physical form. (he likes to prank you)

Romantic X reader

Clingy bastard. If your insert is mortal, he'll be by your side 24/7 if Weirdmageddon is happening. Even if your insert ISN'T mortal.

Would be even MORE touchy.

He'd set up boundaries and be clear with his own while probably ignoring yours. (he isn't a great partner)

It's probably a toxic one-sided relationship at first. Bill is NOT a good person at ALL. He always had a goal in mind. He sees his romantic interest of you as a little thing that just ALSO happened.

Probably gets flustered by affection really easily if you're the one showing it.

He won't know much about human affections, so you'll probably have to show him the ropes.

Before you do THAT, though, he'll probably just bite you (with his freaky fucking eyeball mouth thing). Not even as a sexual or possessive thing. He just likes to bite you. It's like an awkward thing he can't control. Get too close and he can feel your warmth? Bite. Bite. BITE. It's not light stuff, though. It's always hard enough to draw blood. Purposeful or not. (It's not on purpose)

He doesn't get JEALOUS, but he does get a little insecure if you start getting infatuated with someone else.

If you're hurt from someone, you BEST know he's overprotective as fuck. Your puny mortal body is pathetic, but if you lose it, he loses you, too.

You aren't aging ever again. You aren't DYING ever again. No. He won't let you die ever. Body is giving out? Here's a new one. Forgetting...? No, he'll plant more memories in your mind. He's too late and you're dead...? No you aren't... You'll always be conscious. Whether your body is rotting around your mind or not.

Sex junk

Sadist. 100% all the way. Not even light things, like slaps. No, if you consent, he will full on break your bones.

He doesn't feel sexual gratification like humans do, so it's more of just something he'll do to either please or displease you. Whichever one, it's almost always about how you feel.

He doesn't have a dick, so you'll be on the receiving end always. Unless you REALLY want to give.

He has a giant eyeball on him. He definitely likes to watch.

Always tops because there isn't much you can do to dominate him. He'll try to let you if you really wanna, but it probably won't be the easiest.

Blood kink. That's it. He thinks it's so pretty on you. Especially if it's yours.

[captainmera]

i never realised just how much tgb had changed how i thought about the characters (mostly vee) until yesterday when i was re-looking over my toh fan-art. You wrote them so well that i forgot that it wasnt all in the show. like how vee and gus weren't shown to being best friends, vee never got to be angry/shocked by hunter or just willow still holding a little grudge against amity. They are just cool details and im so clad they were added! ps your great

Thank you! Wow that's very flattering! I'm glad you are enjoying it!

I really like Vee, and the more I think about the gang's time in the human-realm, the more I sit back in my chair and think "Ah man, these arcs are really necessary and interesting though.."

Vee also holds a lot of plot, as a basilisk. We can speculate what the reason is that they were extinct, for example (grimwalkers were extinct too).

Wat I really enjoy about TOH's characters are how easily and smoothly they weave into each other's themes and arcs. Their personalities and histories makes them all perfect friends to both build them up and break them down. It's a chefs kiss.

Vee is no different! The set-up for her character was perfectly slotted in to what the other characters needed for their time in the human-realm. And the theme I think the human-realm was supposed to embody.

The demon-realm arc for Luz was a hero's journey, but because of the foil of the trope, and that the point was that: there is no hero/chosen one actually, and the rebels didn't make it in time like in the books, and just because it's a different realm it didn't mean Luz could escape - escapism is temporary.

Dana has said grief and hope are core elements of the story, and she chose to tell it through a foiled trope of being chosen/hero's journey, layered with a religious trauma lens.

To me, looking at Luz as the main character, means looking at her as a nerdy girl in need of escapism, wanting to find purpose, and avoiding her emotions about her dad's passing.

The return to human-realm would be, for Luz, a turning point where TOH turns from being about a hero's journey and a journey about the steps of grief and healing - at the end of it, she will find the light.

Vee, to me, is kind of like a new take on the guide character. She is not a guide, in the sense that she has all the answers, but rather all the truths.

She was right when she told Luz she had everything and still chose to run away. They're not the same. Vee is also a lot better than Luz at being normal and fitting in, something Luz has been playing off and avoiding facing. Luz sees herself as being different as a bad thing, she tried to run away to a place where "weird" was normal and that didn't work out. Now she's back home and feels that it's all her fault bad things happened, because she is herself. And the person she is is different. And different didn't mean special, just different. Of course she's depressed.

The same is true for all the other characters. Vee gets to reflect their truths too, simply by being crafted, narratively, into being the guide.

Hunter gets to face his actions as the GG, come to terms with the nuances of his bad actions, whatever reason he committed what he did. Find forgiveness not just from Vee but himself too. He gets to start over, just like her. She shows him it's possible.

Gus gets someone to share his dream with, his love and enthusiasm for the human realm. A place that Vee feels is more home than where she came from. Gus gets to grow as a person, both morally and intelligently. As does Vee, she gets somebody who shows her that she doesn't just have to be a refugee, she can have a purpose here. She can be an ambassador.

Willow was set up to have an arc where she mistook her newfound magical and physical strengths (she is working out a lot in canon after she changed track), for inner strengths. Willow is a sensitive girl, and a bit of a berserk (I mean she was willing to burn her own mind just to hurt Amity). Willow having to face Vee, who isn't physically stronger than her but is significantly further down the road of being internally strong, is something Willow can learn from. Perhaps even have conflict with! (but more so a conflict with herself than with Vee, really.)

With Amity, Vee has a simpler role. I think to Amity it's more so showing that it's possible to live in the human realm, and giving her hope that going back and forth is a future for everyone who wishes to do so. Creatively speaking, I think Amity and Vee more so to bounce off one another for the plot, rather than character growth or decline.

Camila, I think, is the most interesting. Because she has now spent approximately a year with Vee, half of it thinking she was Luz and having feelings about her daughter having changed so much, the line "I'm glad youre still creative" comes to mind. As well as the terror of losing Luz again. But also, because she has had her own unseen arc and development with Vee, and them having bonded into a foster family that we never got to see glimpses of, it goes without saying that Camila has already done the internal work to take on more kids if that's necessary. I think she saw these kids by her door and thought "yep. They're mine now too." Vee, I think, is interesting to toss into the family dynamic between Luz and Camila, who seemingly are misunderstanding one another significantly. Vee sees them both, and can be a voice of reason when it comes to it. Or if it would come to it.

ANYWAY MY RANTS ARE LONG. IM DONE. THANKS FOR READING.

[theprinceandthewitch]

See... part of me actually wants to know what Dana's thought process was with Luz's and Hunter's relationship.

Like... why did she decide to make Luz's type of boy "angsty warrior princes" even though Luz's type of boy could have been literally anything else?

Why was Luz's relationship with a prince highlighted as important since WBW? Even going to far as to make Luz write a romantic scene between her and a prince in Sense and Insensitivity. Hunter would not make his debut until season two, but they felt the need to bring him up in SAI.

Why wasn't there more of an effort to make sure Willow was there for all of Hunter's important moments?

Why did they keep hammering in the Lunter = Caleb/Evelyn parallels, even when Luz was dating Amity? If you want to argue Luz had to be there for all of Hunter's moments because she's the protagonist, it doesn't explain why they wrote these parallels. Especially the ones that came up in Hollow Mind and Thanks to Them.

Why is Luz honest with Hunter in Thanks to Them when she has never been honest with how she feels with any other character -- not even her girlfriend? What makes Hunter different from anyone else? She could have just kept how she actually feels to herself and it would have changed nothing. It's not like Hunter wouldn't have given his speech to Luz if she didn't tell him how she feels... cuz she literally tells everyone how she feels after Hunter comes back to life. This decision is strange and unbelievably haunting... because Thanks to Them brought up the Caleb/Evelyn lore in an episode where Luz's relationship with Hunter was the focus... oh okay... i guess this is nbd then. Like I'm just supposed to not make a big deal abt Luz being honest without having the truth forced out of her... okay. I guess i also shouldn't make a big deal about the other choice to have Hunter know Luz's secret in Hollow Mind.

You really just did that for reasons that are toooootally not shippy, huh? Mhm, okay! Sure, I believe you! [this is sarcasm, btw]

Why did WAD make Willow stand in front of Flapjack's grave with Hunter, even though the only other character with significant ties to Flapjack is Luz? WAD even made it clear Luz feels guilty about Flapjacks death... but she still isn't shown to pay respects to Flapjack post timeskip... WAD is gaslighting me into thinking Willow has significant thematic ties with Flapjack... as if she has a deeper relationship with that bird than Luz did. And just to make it even worse, they give EVERYONE Flapjack tattoos even though no other characters besides Luz and Hunter are tied to Flapjack. Especially Amity... like girlies first and last conversation with Hunter was when he made her feel bad about her relationship with Luz in Eclipse Lake... but the show is gaslighting me into thinking Amity and Hunter are friends or something. TOH LOVES tricking me into thinking certain character relationships exist...

I'm not going to ask why Hunter is unconcerned with Luz not coming through the portal right away in FTF because I already know the answer. This episode exists almost exclusively to make sure Hunter's arc ends with him holding pinkies with Willow. FTF is really funny for pulling this little stunt at the beginning because it's completely out of character for Hunter LMAO. Not sure why they've made such a big deal about Luz's and Hunter's relationship, just to pretend like it doesn't exist in FTF; only to then bring it up in WAD by having Hunter and Amity guide Luz out of the illusion... nightmare thing. They just cant stop bringing up Luz's relationship with Hunter even when both of them are dating someone else, it's so crazy.

[sepublic]

Christianity for Dana Terrace and TOH

I have to wonder about and consider The Owl House as an expression of Dana Terrace's own nuanced relationship with Christianity. We know she was raised in a Catholic school, and we've heard of the out-of-context incident where she got put into a headlock by a nun as a child (idk if context even matters in this scenario);

Plus, there's the show's obvious critiques of Christianity, via Belos' fanaticism and demonization of witches, plus his superiority complex and belief in predestination. And then we have Tarak bonding with King as a potential father figure, even being mistaken for his dad, only to sacrifice him anyway for the Grand Huntsman despite whatever hesitations he has; This story beat echoes the tale of Abraham and Isaac. The Emperor’s Coven/Cult is clearly Catholic.

But at the same time, we have Steve's reminiscing over the Titan as perhaps just some dude who doesn't know what he wants, either; And he's saying this as a former member of the Emperor's Coven, which itself applied a very Christian understanding of the Titan via Belos. We have Luz meeting the Titan in-person, and seeing that he's not some deity but just a person who meant well and tried his best.

The show emphasizes people being able to improve and get better and needing that chance, plus what I've said about Luz possibly being meant to represent a more positive, accurate portrayal of Jesus Christ; She dies and is resurrected with the power of the Titan, who isn't quite God but maybe she is in a meta sense? It's complicated.

So to psychoanalyze a real life person through their art (which I guess is what single author classes does to a mf), I have to consider that it's not as simple as Dana condemning Christianity as a whole; More than likely, a specific brand of Christianity, namely Evangelicalism, Catholicism, etc. We have to remember that what we often criticize as Christianity is more so a specific denomination, or group of; Christianity is a widespread religion comprised of countless different takes and interpretations of the Bible.

And IIRC (a source would be helpful), I think Dana even clarified that her experience with Catholic school wasn't wholly negative either? She did not consider herself abused, or at least abused abused. Her feelings might be mixed, especially because one doesn’t need to personally experience the worst to know about it; That is another way in which one might become critical.

I don't think Dana is outright resentful of Christianity as a whole, she might just have complicated feelings, criticisms, and thoughts; Tbf, this is how many denominations came to being. So when I see Steve reflecting on the Titan, and Luz getting to meet him... I think these scenes are, in a way, Dana making peace with the idea of God in her life; Getting to consider her relationship with and belief (or lack thereof) in him, and his paternal status to the world as a whole.

She's also recognizing his fallibility, God is a person and like any person his insight and support is illuminating, but not all-encompassing; It's not doctrine, it's just advice, from one person to another. So when the Titan reassures Luz, or Dana, he's not saying she's the specialest chosen one in the world; He's just someone with a lot of experience who can provide some guidance and clarification on life, not unlike Eda.

The Titan saying goodbye to Luz feels like Dana being able to part on -ultimately- good terms after resolving that major anxiety in her life, on a final note that is no longer resentful and more a fond memory overall. It’s her moving to the next stage of her life, as Luz herself does, now able to carry and believe in herself, and not need that same guidance to figure out what to do.

It’s a coming of age moment appreciating what was given by a paternal figure, with Dana now comfortable exploring other beliefs and practices after making her farewell with Christianity by realizing it isn’t absolute, yet still treasuring what it was able to give her. So she carries on what she can, at least in spirit, like… Luz and the glyphs, remembering them, and now having her own palisman to continue her love of magic that the Titan helped support. So we have both the narrative meaning to Luz behind all of this, and the real-life significance for Dana herself, which aren’t quite the same but there is overlap. And there’s also the other meaning for Dana in how the Titan represents her father, which we’ve already discussed.

So The Owl House and the storyline of the Titan could be Dana's own nuanced takeaway from Christianity; Her exploring how she feels about it, what she appreciates, what she doesn't, how it fits into the rest of her worldview. And I don’t think Dana is trying to convert anyone, nor condemn those who feel irreverent. I think she’s more about deconstructing Christianity to reconstruct it.

Be Gay, Do Witchcraft of course, I think there is a catharsis in exploring that. And also, because the sentiment behind that phrase might be less about Christianity being inherently evil, and more so that many queers don’t care what evangelicals think of them anymore; So sure, we’ll humor your fears for fun, we ARE the demons we’re accused of being. It’s like Eda saying “Well we ain’t!” in response to Belos’ claim that humans are inherently better. Plus demonized belief systems that aren’t Christianity deserve validity as well, hence the pagan influences being portrayed positively, with the narrative questioning the dismissal of certain ideas being ‘demonic’ or ‘savage’.

And of course, co-existence IS possible. And I find this important because it can be easy to just dismiss religion entirely in an edgy internet atheist type of way, but in the end one must reconcile that religion means a lot for a lot of people, many whom ARE chill and willing to co-exist; The narrative presents the spirituality of the Boiling Isles as something precious, for example. All belief systems are valid, not just these select few.

And maybe they don’t have to be mutually exclusive with queerness or “alternative” lifestyles, because a lot of people from these demographics aren’t quite comfortable with just getting rid of religion entirely, and they’re entitled to still maintaining that connection. If feminists can still have a nuanced relationship with femininity, so can believers with their religion.

People are simply asking to be allowed to exist and practice their beliefs in peace, they aren’t really calling for the eradication of the other. Just as queers don’t actually intend to abolish heterosexuality, they just want to be left alone. Let people decide how they feel about certain things, instead of making them get rid of it for their own good; That is every individual’s personal choice, just as yours is. And that feels relevant, given how much Choice is a theme in this show, and especially in the finale in which Luz meets the Titan properly, with the Titan emphasizing this agency to her.

[mdhwrites]

You said the arcs of certain characters in TOH have an 'Us vs. Them mentality.' I take it that's because, as you say, the narrative pins the bad qualities of certain characters on separate parties (e.g. "Amity's flaws are only because of her mom"), but would you care to elaborate further on said mentality and how it sticks out to you in TOH?

So shockingly, not really. It plays into it but I am actually inherently talking about the same sort of mentality that Belos perpetuates but back onto Luz. After all, if you look at the main cast by even mid season 2 we have a problem forming. Eda: Has lost her criminal edge, has no personal interests, is defined by being nice in a way befitting Luz's worldview. Momma Eda.

Amity: No longer is studious and hard working but instead focuses more on her girlfriend and her nerdy interests. Is also now just nice. Was only shown genuine care by Luz, instead of just trying to fulfill her nerdy desires, once she finds out Amity is into Azura.

Lilith: Has turned into a nerd and given up on any ambitions that had led to her previous actions, becoming a nice cool aunt. Only now has Luz tried to form any relationship with her (admittedly, she didn't get many chances before now).

Hunter: Has only been being given kindness because he has shown a capacity for kindness that Luz only really started showing him, beyond not wanting him to die, once he showed he had a nerdy interest in wild magic.

Gus: Was a nerd from go and always nice, even if he could be slightly selfish.

Willow: By mid S2, is essentially out of the show for the past half season, has never had a strong personality and is just nice. Yes, she'll start her jock stuff soon... And never have a real conversation with Luz again, at least not until S3 maybe? So a full season where Luz and Willow, after Willow might have stopped being nerdy/an outcast, where Luz doesn't have an interest in her anymore.

And uh, just as a reminder to S3, Hunter gains a scifi interest post redemption and Luz explicitly listens to NOTHING her mother says to her during her big speech in For the Future until she reveals herself to be a secret nerd. At that point, suddenly Luz dials in.

For TOH, a show supposedly about the individual and self expression, characters either lose their personality and/or gain the personality that matches LUZ. There is less character variety in interests and personalities than even 90s cartoons much of the time by the end of TOH because these characters all lose so much of themselves fitting in with the good guys, especially the redeemed ones.

This is where your argument for this does come into play. I'll frame it as the fandom likes to with Amity: "She didn't have Luz in her life yet."

Amity is only a bitch while she is hanging out with the wrong crowd. Socialites, those with ambition and jocks. The Luz enters her life and despite the fact that the ONE time Luz ever calls Amity out for being a bitch being when Amity is being a bully to King and clearly trying to get a rise out of Luz, making that moment meaningless, that simple fact starts warping Amity. Starts making her turn back to her good, nerdy side. And because this is such an inherently good thing, there is no difficulty in doing this. She needs no motivation, no calling out, nothing. She just needs to desire to be like Luz/liked by Luz. She can discard her entire friend group and do things that should get her disowned with how evil Odalia is and face zero consequences because... I guess that's the power of becoming a nerd.

You are beyond reproach. You can only do good. Same goes for Hunter. Despite YEARS of potential propaganda and the like, Luz just getting into his life and admittedly jabbing at Belos/him a little, is all it takes for him to embrace the inherent goodness, displayed by his nerdiness about wild magic, and start becoming a better person. For this, he loses his home but that is only seen as a positive because indeed, he got away from those hostile that made him a bad person. He could now be a good person because he no longer had those influences and could embrace Luz's way of life.

With the show's themes, why is this the case? Shouldn't their base personalities be allowed to exist? Shouldn't a wide range of ideologies and the like be allowed since that is a part of self expression? Instead, when people don't like Luz approves, they are disapproved by Luz and either need to get the fuck out or conform.

And this is all without getting into how she becomes Jesus in the last episode...

None of this is intentional but if someone told me that the show felt hostile to them because they didn't consider themselves a nerd or because they tried to get somewhere in life, I wouldn't blame them. The show has a weirdly narrow belief in who is a good person. Who is allowed to exist in the main cast, a problem that cascades issues into a lot of its themes. I mean, this is the first show I've ever had to ask if character arcs are actually hurt the themes of the show because of this, a blog I sadly couldn't refind.

There is admittedly an element of this where I might not have thought about it without the fandom. Most people I know who are multi-fandom still agree that TOH is aggressive against others, even for a fandom. That it lashes out and blames others for its problems. Almost like a *gestures at the thesis*

And that doesn't help make any of this be less uncomfortable unfortunately. See you next tale.

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I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[bengiyo]

Hi, what's your 30 favorite Asian BL characters from dramas or series you've watched? (unless you don't have that many) Thanks.

Nonnie, respectfully, that's just too many characters to write about. However, I have written about The Knowing and why I identify with those characters, and I've written about Framboise, one of my favorite characters of all time.

However, now is as good a time as any to join @lurkingshan and @waitmyturtles in reaffirming my love for Dynamite!

In her post, Turtles talked about how Dynamite and Fire are products of internalized and externalized homophobia. Shan went on in her post to talk about how their story works because of how Fire shifts as he becomes comfortable with himself and his relationship with Dynamite.

I think part of why I feel so protective with it comes to Dynamite and his friends is that I care so much for fem gay men and the kinds of visible queers that don't get loved, especially when they're assertive about themselves. It was always obvious to me why Dynamite, Prem, and Samsee were together. They're all lonely queers who don't expect others to love them or take care of them.

I've noticed over the last decade that fandom really struggles with friend groups like these. It was somewhat similar with the SCOY quartet on the front end, especially Toh. I often wonder if there is a component of visible queerness or gender play that doesn't reach sections of the audience. However, as a gay man who is loved and protected by queers like this, these are my best friends. You've heard my best friend on @the-conversation-pod when David guests, and he is one of those queers. He is a fighter. I am not.

Prem and Samsee clearly know Dynamite's story. The crux of why Samsee is upset with Dynamite at the end of episode 9 and going into episode 10 is because he felt like he should have been trusted with something important about Dynamite. Samsee is the kind of man who is like Whoopi Goldberg: He doesn't want people in his house. However, he opens his door for Dynamite when he loses his apartment, and keeps letting him live there even when he's pissed. Samsee believes in his friends and loves them. Dynamite is the de facto leader of their friend group because they love and trust him. Dynamite is more than just his persistent attraction to Fire.

Dynamite likes Fire because Fire protected him from what clearly reads as a bashing. Dynamite has been thinking about that for years, and toughened himself up because of white Fire inspired in him.

We also know that Dynamite lost his parents to homophobia. You don't get a queer like Dynamite if they're loved and supported by the people who were supposed to do it. You get this when he's loved and supported by the people who chose him. I keep my guest room ready because we sometimes have to take care of a friend in the local community.

When Fire gets serious about Jane and weird about Dynamite, he backs off, forcing Fire to come after him. He knows that Fire is also into him, but he isn't going to be jerked around. It's the sincerity of Dynamite's attraction that makes Metha force Fire to reckon with how he's suppressing who he is.

More than anything, it's that Fire admits this to himself when he can't put up the front anymore. Dynamite is so important to me because so many of us who were closeted are like Fire. We pretend like we don't like gay men chasing us, like Intouch chasing Korn in UWMA, and then we lose them! You will lose confident gays like Dynamite if you treat them like shit and keep calling them annoying. Their friends will call you DL trash and you will not be invited out.

I just love Dynamite so much. He is the kind of gay character I love the most in BL. He's a kinda fem gay man who is earnestly pursuing his hot, super fit love interest. He has the support of his visibly-queer friends. He knows what he wants out of his relationship. He supports his partner through a major difficulty while still being clear about what he wants as secondary to his partner's safety. He is passionate about his goals, and wants to succeed with his friends (I ugly cried about their dish narrative in episode 10).

We have a fully-realized queer character surrounded by complex, layered queer characters. His story and those of his friends are about queer love making people's lives better. He will always be a favorite, and I really hope the people in the audience who've struggled with him can find more ways to appreciate him.

[icestardragonhc]

Just some thoughts about Belos/ Philip Wittebane from TOH (ramble)

For all of his shortcomings and aborent qualities he has one single thing that makes him stand out among a cast of characters with plenty of positive and lovable personality traits. He's the most hopeful character in the show. Lemme explain:

When he really shouldn't be. Sure it's part of his delusion but at the end of the day he doesn't have any good reason to do anything he does in the story and deep down, he knows that. Ultimately he does everything he does to justify the death of his brother. But that's clearly not his true wish. All he want is his brother back, take back what he did and make that his brother never left. Return to a version of reality that can never be obtained. His brother will never return and he knows it. Considering he killed every grimwalker copy, the 20 or so he made of Caleb. Despite being a smart man, he refuses to grow up and accept change (or death) as we see in Hollow Mind. For 400 years. This child like naivity translates into a neverdying hope that finishing his plan will change anything, fix anything. It's not even about personal revenge as much as it is an escape from reality. He could have wiped out Caleb's decendants anytime in the 50 years he had total power in the empire or even way before that. But he didn't. Killing the Grimwalkers also seemed to upset him but he deems it a necessary step to fix what went wrong all that time ago. But the Grimwalkers never are like his brother, they only vaguely resemble him. For him it's not killing his brother again and again (ignoring he's killing actual individuals), it's rebuilding him stone by stone. It's all for nothing. It serves no purpose and is meaningless. And I think he knows. But he refuses to accept it, no he is completly unable to accept it. Much like a child who can't accept that a specific obscure and crazy dream of his will never come true. This dedication to that meaningless cause is even more visible once the Collector pretty much oneshots him at the end of season 2. He's reduced to a puddle, a soul without a body and he's most likely in a perpetual state of pain and confusion, now returned to the human realm that is nothing alike to what he left behind. Which he can't even interact with properly like he wished to do. Giving up, just dying would be easy and probably is an attractive alternative to his constant state of agony. Yet he clings onto the last bit of life remaining. Despite his carefully made masterplan he took decades if not centuries to realize failed horribly. Knowing he will have to face the seemingly all powerful Collector eventually who squashed him like a bug. He stays alive against impossible odds to "right his wrongs". For the slightest chance to see the reality he gaslit himself into believing was possible. A reality where his borther could have stayed, for a reality where his actions were justified, a reality where he didn't waste the entirety of his extended life, a reality where he's the hero, not the villian. He clings onto hope like a scared, hurt beast. Hope is powerful and scary. It can make a normal man go through hell and become what he swore to destroy. Hope as much as it can build a new future can also raze it to the ground. The sweet and horrific duality of hope.

[xjulixred45x]

Since you write for TOH and write for Character!readers too, can I request Luz, Amity and Hunter with an Angel dust reader? I saw the one you wrote for a Stolas reader and I was hoping if you could do this too.

Hello! Yes that's right! Thanks for the Request

(I JUST KEEP SOME TRAITS FORM ANGEL OF THE PULOT BC LETS BEING HONEST, THE CANON ANGEL SHOULDN'T BE LET NEAR CHILDREN)

Luz Noceda, Amity Blight and Hunter with a Angel Dust Reader

Genre: Headcanons

Reader: male

Warnings: Reader has a horrible family life so acts like a jerk to cope, it's not a excuse thoug. References to toxic relationships on both sides, fluff-comfort.

Luz Noceda

Luz was probably the second to interact with the reader. just sharing a table in the beast handling class.

reader specializes in controlling small animals and insects, mainly arachnids.

so OBVIOUSLY Luz was VERY interested in it right away.

However, it was quite difficult to interact with the reader.

not because he distanced himself from people, at all, but rather that he used extreme...methods to get attention.

like using a giant spider creature to tie someone to the ceiling for example (and refusing to let them go for the rest of the week) or stealing things from other people's cabinets with small spiders.

and of course, there was the reader himself.

He acted extravagantly and exaggeratedly, but Luz could tell that he really just wanted attention, no matter if it was positive or negative. It made her sad.

so she decided to be his friend!

They're like Angel and Charlie fanon basically.

The reader goes to the owl house when he wants to get away from his own family, to the pleasure of Luz and the concern of Eda.

He is partly a bad influence friend, but more than anything because he doesn't know better (or rather his own family doesn't want him to improve no matter how screwed up he is).

Luz teaches him more about empathy and respect, so he tries to apply it to certain situations that he finds favorable. and to a certain extent it works, he no longer messes with the students like before.

READER.LOVES.A.KING. She tickles him, she holds him like a baby, she makes him spider-themed clothes, she finds him so adorable!

Luz sees this and KNOWS that there is something good with reader, it is a fact.

Luz is also very protective of the reader when it comes to her family or certain relationships that put her in trouble, she won't think twice before getting in front of the reader and taking out the glyphs.

and Luz also defends him from those who still hate him for his bad jokes or previous attitude. He is learning and improving, but really appreciates the extra help.

although he still needs help to know that it is not just a project for Luz and that they are still friends:'(

Imagine the reader speaking in Italian (context: Angel from the pilot is from the Italian mafia) and Luz speaking in Spanish together🥺some words are similar, so it would be fun if they spoke a strange mixture to tell inside jokes without anyone understanding(Eda is very proud).

Luz and reader have definitely pulled a few pranks on Hootie in retaliation for eating some of reader's pet spiders (may they rest in peace) and have a good time.

Hootie no but that's another story lol

reader is definitely the guy who makes Luz THIS FACE 😏 when he notices her crush on Amity and collects information about her as if he were the fucking CIA and the FBI TOGHETER.

he's a surprisingly good wingman lol.

Overall, it is a very healthy and sweet pair.

Amity Blight

oh boy...

probably the one who first met the reader.

and even A LOT OF POTENTIAL as he could.

since the reader's family is full of gangsters - I mean, BUSINESS MEN, so it wouldn't be strange to think that Odalia would be interested in their... services.

and thanks to this Amity has interacted with the reader since they were both children. both with their different demons to deal with.

On the one hand, Amity had her toxic mother and absent father, but at least she had her brothers as allies...sometimes.

That was the first thing she noticed as a reader.

He doesn't have ANYONE.

His brothers reject him, his father hates him and his mother does not even figure, he is alone against them, against the world.

He and Amity identify with each other and become "allies" from a young age.

not friends, just allies.

allies for when the other needs something, whether socially or...in other things.

I would say that while Amity is a bully, reader is a mean Girl. and who Amity genuinely likes, since they understand each other in more personal ways.

Thanks to this, the reader has more immunity to his practical jokes and even Amity finds some of them funny when they are directed at the right person.

but eventually Amity matures, and so does the reader, and they begin to see each other more closely, because if there is anyone who knows what they go through, it is the other.

Amity fears being rejected, yes, but it is something that the reader also feels, they both demonstrate it in different ways. one seeking approval, one seeking attention.

so Amity tries to make it clear to the reader that you don't have to be special or fall into a category to get attention, you just have to be genuine with it.

They both definitely go to the library to relax, I don't think the reader reads Azura but he listens to Amity rave about her.

Amity will also probably suggest that the reader get a job there so they can be away from their family. like her.

The reader, even with all her flaws, makes it clear to Amity that she doesn't have to be outstanding either, in fact he likes her more when she's a book nerd or when they're out of school, when it's THEM.

Amity definitely goes straight to violence when the reader's family tries to hurt him :)

They are definitely both divas when they are together.

I can see the reader being that friend who helps you choose an outfit, and does that with Amity constantly (or helps her dye her hair)

They both match lol.

The reader likes Amity's palisman, constantly putting it in a bag and walking it (much to Amity's concern).

When Amity goes through the situation with her family, you can bet that reader has an army of spiders after him as he breaks into Blight Industries😅

and he is also the one who cheers the loudest for Amity in the fighting tournament.

in general, two children from dysfunctional homes being functional with each other💜

Hunter

definitely the one who met the reader last.

and probably by the time he had already settled into the Hex squad group.

or else..

Let's say they met when the Flyer Derby happened. reader decided that he would give Willow a hand because he couldn't find Luz or Amity (and thanks to his familiarity with spiders, he can imitate several of their movements IN THE AIR very well).

and Hunter knows him like that, like a teammate.

Similar to Vainy, Reader relies primarily on defense, but uses something...peculiar.

"SPIDER SHOTS LOSERS HAHAHAHAHAH"

Yep, he can basically launch spiders like they were projectiles.

Hunter must have been like "look at that potential"

although in general everything was half ruined when he wanted to make them have the secret of the emperor's coven and all that...

The next time the reader saw Hunter was in Hollow Mind, because he was at Luz's house.

He definitely laughed at how Hunter was talking to Flipjack🤣

but when Luz and Hunter returned from Belos' mind, reader could SEE the trauma in Hunter's eyes, the PURE FEAR.

and he felt...bad for him...

Let's say that thanks to this he is one of the quickest to accept Hunter into the Hexquad, not only because of his genuine repentance, but because he reflects a little of himself in him.

and Hunter is no stranger to this.

When Hunter asks the reader why, he is honest, telling him how he used to do exactly the same thing as a defense mechanism, hurting others to feel better, to satisfy others...

...and they still hurt you and leave you behind...they make you feel worse about yourself...

Hunter can relate this to Belos, but realizes that the reader goes through this with his own family and also empathizes.

Both are a strange duo, Hunter alternates between being the most intimidating to being the one who protects the reader tooth and nail (for a change)

Hunter definitely has trouble understanding reader humor, but he thinks her spider-themed outfits are incredible.

low key, he envies her ability to sew, but eventually they both embroider things to pass the time and do bonding.

Without realizing it, Hunter begins to adopt some humor to joke with his reader😅 everyone fears for their lives.

The reader definitely teaches Hunter certain mechanisms that help him in a healthy way to manage trauma and panic attacks, whether it is mind fullness, breathing, physical exercises, lists, etc.

reader LOVES Flipjack and you can bet he makes him clothes (and he also makes clothes to honor him when what happens happens :')).

FOR GOD, READER HAS TO TEACH HUNTER FASHION SENSE.

I think they could even both do sparring or play flyer derby when they're very bored, or the old cabar un oyo, boy stuff.

In general, Hunter empathizes with the reader on another level, and both work based on that. a good pair of friends without a doubt :3

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

[welcometogrouchland]

Also I forgot to mention on here when I had my initial moment of hype but:

POST HOOT ON FRIDAY NIGHT WITH EACH AND EVERY WRITE FOR FOR THE FUTURE FUCK YES!!!!

[the-caretakest-of-the-caretakers]

TOH Hunter headcanons (Golden Guard) (hurt/comfort and whump)

I made a list of my headcanons for Hunter in his Golden Guard era! I'm rather nervous about posting this-

I must warn, this account is focused on whump. Whump is a subgenre closely similar to hurt/comfort in which an author puts a fictional character through physical or psychological pain. Please, do not read if that could make you uncomfortable.

This list will contain mentions of:

Panic and anxiety attacks

Disordered eating

Physical injuries

Mild physical illness

Don't read under the cut if those matters are triggering to you.

- Hunter has nightmares about events he hasn't experienced per se, but that were experienced by previous grimwalkers in his position. Most of his nightmares involve Belos killing him, which amplifies his need to please the emperor in fear that his nightmares will become real.

- Hunter has some disordered thoughts when it comes to eating, since he's been taught that he needs to earn such a "luxury". He may have nutritional deficiencies due to this, such as anemia.

- On the same vein, it's likely that Hunter gets weird cravings often, both from anemia and from undereating. Occasionally he might even have binging episodes where he sneaks late at night into the kitchen and starts eating without others knowing, not even cooking the raw food.

- Flapjack acts like an emotional support animal to him. He follows Hunter everywhere and rests on his shoulder whenever he's tired, or if he needs comfort. Flapjack has also supported Hunter through panic and anxiety attacks, nuzzling into his chest.

- Wearing his Golden Guard armor aids him a lot when trying to show a calm facade, as he can hide his face, as well as limit the tremors when his body gets shaky. It gives him a sense of power and belonging as well. Therefore, he feels especially vulnerable when he's not in his armor.

- He suffers from Complex-PTSD. Sometimes, he gets emotional flashbacks that trigger anxiety and panic attacks. Hunter doesn't know what a panic attack is, but he's really ashamed of suffering from them. He just assumes it's a normal thing he has to learn to stop on command.

- Hunter is actually very emotionally sensitive. Since he was never allowed to show it, though, his body got subconsciously used to expressing his emotional stress through physical symptoms. Therefore, it's not unusual for him to feel "off" (with intense migraines, fatigue, stomachaches...) after an emotionally charged day.

- He snaps at people when they show concern for him, since he thinks he's being mocked or seen as incompetent. Other coven members never really showed concern, after all. The only person who has ever shown any sort of remote care for him before has been the emperor, and that kind of care was always conditional. Hunter feels like he has to prove his strength to everyone who tries to treat him like "someone" instead of "something".

- The Emperor's Coven had little-to-no actual medical assistance. The usual procedure for wounds was to bandage them without cleaning them beforehand. Hunter never questioned it. Most of his scars are from injuries that were never treated properly.

[flower-boi16]

TOH and Amphibia Vs Helluva Boss: How To and How NOT To Make A Sympathetic Character

Anybody who watches Helluva Boss would know that Viv doesn't exactly know how to write sympathetic characters with Stolas. I talked about this before but the reason why most people can sympathize with Stolas is because there's nothing about him you can even sympathize with, he has NO sympathetic qualities except for having a mean wife ig, but that doesn't excuse him of his actions.

The thing is, making a character sympathetic is not a bad thing in itself, it's actually a pretty easy way to get the audience to like and root for a character in your story, especially your main character. But the problem comes when the character isn't sympathetic despite the story wanting you to sympathize with them, and well, Stolas is that character. A common issue with Stolas is that he's constantly absolved of his mistakes and treated as if he did nothing wrong, and that's a bad thing because well, the audience can't sympathize with a character that's a bad person who is always coddled and excused of his mistakes.

The thing is though, while unlikeable characters are hard to sympathize with, there are ways to keep your character sympathetic while also acknowledging when they fuck up. Just take a look at Marcy Wu from Amphibia for instance; Marcy is a character you can sympathize for since she's afraid of being alone, and she clung onto her friends and was upset that she was going to be separated from them, fearing that she would end up being alone and their friendship being torn apart, so she intentionally got them stuck on Amphibia so they wouldn't have to leave.

Marcy's motivation is something you can sympathize for but you can also acknowledge that what she did was fucked up, and despite still portraying her as sympathetic, the show doesn't try to absolve her of her mistakes and excuse them, the narrative fully acknowledges that Marcy still made a selfish mistake and doesn't excuse her actions, regardless of her sympathetic motivations for doing so.

Then there's another character from Amphibia's sister show, Hunter. I got a comment on this post saying that "Woobified UwU soft boy Belos is Hunter", which is what got me to make this comparison in the first place because...Hunter, like Marcy, is not woobified. Woobification is when a character that was previously portrayed as an asshole with little sympathetic qualities is suddenly portrayed as an UwU soft boy that we are supposed to sympathize for when the audience can't.

Hunter does not fit this because not only is he actually deserving of sympathy by the narrative but is also, like Marcy, not absolved of his mistakes. I'd take a look at Any Sport In A Storm, where Hunter kidnaps the emerald entrails to force them to join the EC. The episode does a lot to show how Hunter is indoctrinated and he thinks that he is doing the right thing and that the EC is good, he thinks he was doing his friends a favor and they will thank him later, which shows that Hunter is not a bad person, he's just brainwashed.

Later in the episode though, Hunter realizes that what he did was wrong thanks to Steve and he goes out of his way to fix his mistake. Hunter is still a sympathetic character to the audience, but the show doesn't absolve him of this mistake, it acknowledges what Hunter did was wrong and it makes him go out of his way to fix his mistake.

Hunter and Marcy are characters that the audience can sympathize for, but the viewers and the show itself can acknowledge that these characters made mistakes and the shows don't try to coddle or excuse it, while still keeping them sympathetic and likable without woobifying them.

My point here is this; you CAN have Stolas be a little bit sympathetic, but you first need to give him more sympathetic attributes AND also not absolve him of any mistakes he makes, the narrative should acknowledge Stolas's fuck ups and make him fix them, while being able to keep him sympathetic. Though I would rather have the show not try to make Stolas sympathetic at all buuuuut hey if Viv wants to make Stolas sympathetic she could have done it better.

[negrowhat]

The Thumb Kiss Trope

Recently (like yesterday) I rewatched Wedding Plan and in ep 3 a thumb kiss was featured that was kind of glossed over by us all. Ever since then (like the past 12 hrs) I've been thinking about how I need more of this trope in my life. It's such a good trope and so under-used.

Sure we have different variations of a barrier kiss; My School President used that trope as a running gag up until the last ep. And we see people place their full hands between their lips. TinCan had a really cute kind of transfer kiss featuring Can's hand in Love By Chance, but nothing hits like the Thumb Kiss trope for me.

So why is the Thumb kiss such a vibe for me? Because it's the flimsiest of barriers to prevent a real kiss. It highlights the tension between the two characters, they both seem to be very interested, but it just isn't the right time for a real kiss yet. In my mind that thumb is a bookmark for the real kiss that is coming soon.

DON'T WORRY I HAVE EXAMPLES!

SoloGui from Oxygen the Series. We get their thumb kiss in ep 4. There are a couple reasons Solo does not kiss Gui in that moment; he didn't have permission, he didn't want to push Gui too much, and mainly because he was under the weather. But he couldn't just let the moment pass without a brief romantic interaction. At this point in the series, Solo is really just trying to gauge Gui's interest in him so he can figure out how to proceed.

Of course Gui responds like it's a real kiss, he kisses Solo's thumb too and then they both pull away. In the novel version, Gui is actually disappointed about Solo's thumb being there because he wanted it to be a real kiss (he's never kissed anyone before despite being a popular campus moon). BY THE WAY Nut Supanut from Pit Babe stars in Oxygen and it's a really cute, lowkey series with good communication. I highly recommend it, ALSO THE SIDE COUPLE IN THAT SERIES IS TOP TIER!

NueaToh from Secret Crush on You. Their thumb kiss happens in ep 2. It's not so secret that Toh is in love with P'Nuea, but we soon discover that Nuea is also kind of enamored with Toh. He goes out of his way to hire Toh as a photographer for his sister's birthday party (btw she's a fan of Toh's photography) and anyways, Toh and his bestie Jao are hanging out with Nuea and his friends and they play that good ole King's card game (you know the one! It's the only time we see cards in these series) and Nuea and Toh are dared to kiss.

We know Toh wants to and so does Nuea but Nuea doesn't want to turn his first kiss with his crush into a party game so he literally smirks at Toh and pushes his thumb between their lips. Nuea knows Toh likes him and he's sure Toh would be fine with their first kiss happening any kind of way, but Nuea wants to make sure Toh knows he's kissing him on purpose so he's going to wait.

ALSO half the cast of the Sign are in SCOY and I HIGHLY recommend the series to anyone who hasn't watched it, Billy is PHENOMENAL as Nuea. Saint produced SCOY as well and it's a good mix of cringe, spice, and pretty much all the characters are queer. I just hope you don't mind stalking as part of the plot (I can explain more if you're interested! I promise it's not that bad)

LomNuea from Wedding Plan. Sailom and Namnuea are vibing from Day 1 but Sailom and his fiancée Yiwa have contracted Nuea to plan their upcoming wedding. To Nuea, Sailom is going behind Yiwa's back to pursue him and he's having mixed feelings about that. Sailom is actually just a man in love with his wedding planner and trying to find the best way to explain a delicate situation without sounding selfish or manipulative.

Their thumb kiss happens in ep 3 and at this point Lom is trying his hardest to keep his intense feelings in check. He's parked outside of Nuea's apartment preparing to drop him off and he thinks Nuea is sleeping. He apologizes and places his thumb on Nuea's lips and kisses his thumb. When he pulls back Nuea is wide awake and Sailom declares that he's going to kiss him and they do kiss. Namnuea kisses him back.

Their situation is a little different because they have kissed already but it was a quick and playful kiss and Lom kissed him because he was trying to calm Nuea down (I can't explain it but it does work) and by ep 3 they are both very aware of the other's feelings. This is one of the moments where Namnuea gives in to his feelings for Sailom, which he immediately regrets.

One could argue that's what this particular scene visually represents. Sailom has a clear understanding of how he feels about Namnuea, which is why we can see him so clearly. Meanwhile Nuea is shrouded in darkness, he still needs some clarity.

I tried to go down my list of watched BLs to figure out if any other ones featured The Thumb Kiss and I couldn't find anymore which is TRAGIC. It's such a fun trope. I scream every time I see it and I wish it was featured more. I need more of this specific trope.

[theprinceandthewitch]

I still don't see how people can legitimately argue TOH was subverting romantic expectations when it doesn't... actually do that.

In order for this kind of subversion to work, you need to address why Luz and Hunter getting together is detrimental to them. But at no point do the writers actually show us WHY Hunter and Luz aren't a good fit for each other. You'd expect them to be very careful in how they go about writing Luz's and Hunter's relationship - like making sure Willow is the most important character to Hunter's arc.

But they don't actually do that - instead of having Willow act as the catalyst for Hunter's arc it's Luz. She is there for all of Hunter's important moments... which is not what you would do if your goal was to actually subvert romantic expectations. Another thing you don't do is make Luz and Hunter parallels to past lovers who are deeply tied to the story's villain.

People tend to use Witches Before Wizards as evidence of a subversion of romantic expectations... but that was used to foreshadow Belos' true nature and Hunters' relationship to him [Sense and Insensitivity does this as well... like they rlly wanted to make it clear Belos' and Hunter's relationship was something integral to the story]. I also need to point out WBW comes right after the first episode - which has a talking point about how you shouldn't punished for something as innocuous as shipping. So to have the first episode be proceeded by an episode that establishes Luz's relationship to a prince as something VERY IMPORTANT because of how it relates to the story's villain is... hmm... suspicious to say the least. I don't think this is something they'd do if their goal was to create an argument against Luz and Hunter getting together.

Even if you wanted to make a case by using Eclipse Lake as evidence for Hunter and Luz being bad for each other - it still doesn't work. Yes, Hunter, in Eclipse Lake is technically making a choice between Luz and Belos like he did in Hunting Palismen. But here's the thing: this choice isn't used BY THE WRITERS to argue why Hunter and Luz would be bad for each other. If it was intended to be used against Luz/Hunter then Luz's perception of Hunter would have changed and his choice would be used as a point of contention between them. This would have been a perfect way to insert Willow into Hollow Mind instead of Luz.... but they don't do that.

They don't do that because Hunter's and Luz's relationship was never intended to be painted in a negative light.

In fact, Hollow Mind goes so far as to parallel them with Caleb and Evelyn. And I'm not talking about making Evelyn's appearance more like Luz than Willow. I'm talking abut stuff like this:

Must I rlly point out why this is so crazy... just look at the bottom left corner...

here's a more HD version of the painting:

There's also the parallel of Caleb/Hunter being "lured away" from Philip by a witch from another world... with the bonus points of Evelyn/Luz expecting the arrival of a new family member. Which is unbelievably haunting to me btw LMAO.

Thanks to Them takes it even further by telling the story of Caleb and Evelyn.... while Luz is dressed as a witch and Hunter is cosplaying as a human... and they made sure Luz was sitting right next to Hunter when the story was being told... I'm not making this shit up - that's literally what happened. Once again, this was another moment that could have been given to Willow instead of Luz.... but it's not.

[A/N: Seeing Luz sit next to Hunter with her gf right before the writers release the Caleb/Evelyn bombshell on them is so fucking funny. This entire episode is a joy to sit through because it reads like an episode written by someone who doesn't like Lumity and Huntlow. I don't know how they could have written the most anti-Lumity and anti-Huntlow episode in the show accidentally, but they did. 10/10 episode tbh.]

Then there is Luz's association with wolves highlighted by Hunter's newfound love of wolves... then there is Flapjack only letting Luz use him during their fight with Belos... then there is Flapjack flying to Luz instead of Willow when he's on his deathbed... FINALLY, there is Hunter coming back to life looking like Caleb and pleading with Luz - who is still dressed as a witch - to help him fight his grand-uncle-brother.

I also want to note Willow's costume in TTT takes design cues from Evelyn's stereotypes. I don't think this was intentional, because if it was then that would have been used to foreshadow Hunter NOT ending up with Willow. But it is very funny to me and I like to think that it was a sneaky move done by a Huntlow hater in the crew... I know I would do something like this if I was forced to make Hunter and Willow a thing LOL.

So yeah, you'd think they'd give all this stuff to Willow instead of Luz, since they intended to culminate Hunter's arc with him holding pinkies with Willow instead of helping Luz fight Belos.

At this point you're probably thinking... hmm... if the writers always intended to make Luzs and Hunters relationship detrimental to their stories, then they're not doing a very good job at it. And you'd be right... because they never intended to write an argument against it in the first place.

Even though they wanted Hunter to be paired off with Willow, they never bothered to make sure she's there for all of his important moments. Instead, Hunter's important moments are given to Luz - the only character in this show who has a thing for angsty warrior princes with tragic yet compelling backstories.

And I havent the faintest fucking idea why they though this was a good idea... but I sure do know it wasn't because they wanted to create a compelling argument against Luz/Hunter.

[crimeronan]

hey what is wwaitsoatl?

oh! it's what we are is the sum of a thousand lies, my most popular toh fic by FAR and the thing most toh people here started following me for. back before i got sucked down the princess luz hyperfixation rabbit hole. it's a fic that takes more work to write than any of my others because it has an incredibly involved drafting & editing process. bc i am a perfectionist.

the premise is a canon divergent timeline wherein belos suspects that hunter lied to him at the end of hunting palismen. and completely wrecks hunter's shit forever. and infects him with curse goop in the process. and darius (who, Very Importantly, does not yet have a friendly rapport with hunter) trips over the kid's half-dead body.

and freaks.

and kidnaps hunter n takes him to the owl house. bc that's the one surefire place of refuge on the isles.

there are a bunch of emotional threads, hence why it's novel-length and not even finished yet despite being about just four characters chilling in a house together.

mainly it's about:

hunter unraveling his cognitive dissonance and cult brainwashing in an AU where he doesn't have all of hollow mind's answers; his feelings are Incredibly complicated and messy & he gets incredibly mean and snarly about it

darius grappling with the fact that his own grief and resentment blinded him to a kid who Very Much Needed Him, darius dealing with the fact that actually he never DID grieve his mentor or his mentor's dead family

darius and hunter developing a rapport in a timeline where hunter very much has Not broken out of all the cop shit that darius disdains So Much. so darius is so fucking exasperated and tired all the time

eda trying desperately to help hunter learn to live with a curse / chronic pain / chronic illness, while having very little faith in herself to begin with

luz feeling Horrifically guilty about hunter's curse and injuries, bc she thinks she should have clocked the abuse and brought him home with her or otherwise stopped it

hunter developing an almost immediate and pathological emotional attachment to luz because of her kindness, which complicates all of his complicated feelings WAAAAAY MORE

eda, darius, AND luz all desperately trying to get hunter to admit that he's been abused and that what happened wasn't his fault. you would not believe how fucking long it takes.

i'm actually really, really, Really proud of it -- it's rare for one of a writer's best works to be their most popular, but this genuinely is one of mine. if not my best work, period. there's a lot of nuance and messiness and emotional complexity and grief and arguing that i'm SO happy with.

also, despite the subject matter, it's often extremely lighthearted. some of the funniest dialogue i've ever written is strewn throughout all these serious emotional threads.

i'd apologize for how long this response is but this story is a heart project and has 67,000 published words on ao3 so far. (the chapter i'm writing rn will likely be another ~8,000 words, then there are a couple more chapters to come.) so there's a lot to say!!

it's my most popular ao3 fic for any fandom, ever, in the 12 years i've been on the site. the response has been WILD. if you sort by kudos, it's the 31st most favorited owl house fic Of All Time, the 7th most popular fic involving darius, and the 5TH most popular hunter & luz relationship fic. again, of all time. which is. insane.

people have been very kind and patient with me having been too sick to work on it for a while. there was a seven-month break between chapters 8 and 9, and if i finish chapter ten soon then there'll have been a nine-month break between chapters 9 and 10. so i don't know how many people are actually going to come back to read it, a lot of ppl have moved on from the fandom and such. but i'm extremely extremely extremely grateful to everyone who's given it a look!