#also it's ok to be corrected/challenged like it's not the end of the world. there's no shame in learning

[moonymode]

i think there's plenty of discussion to be had about when/how it's appropriate to change a character's race in fanworks and i think it's prudent to understand the motivation behind that change when it happens, especially because many times people are only perpetuating racism in fandom under the guise of inclusivity. for instance, when a character who IS textually marginalized on the basis of being literally "too animal" is given darker skin (and even worse and yet SO frequently also made to be larger/more aggressive/more sexual than they are in canon, traits that are deliberately exaggerated in comparison to white characters) then i think you absolutely have to examine that choice. at the very and i mean very least, you need to be thoughtful and deliberate in your portrayal. and like there's nuance right like we can explore how adding a different racial context changes or possibly even deepens the existing text while also being conscientious of racist tropes and remaining open to constructive feedback. and i'm definitely not saying you should have to justify every portrayal that deviates from implicit whiteness, just that good intentions don't justify accidental bigotry.

[pineconnie]

Hi hi uhm I’m too scared to post this as an actual thing and I’ve already talked to all my friends about this so I thought you’d like to hear about it instead ^_^

I’ve kinda been thinking about wifies line of ‘no two stars in the Minecraft sky touch eachother’ from end barrens and how that relates to what we know from the wifies debunk

Yeah I know wifies technically wasn’t the one to say the line, but instead a hallucination of him from wato’s mind. You can even tell in the way she replies with ‘when I first found that out I got really depressed’ as if she had already heard it before and their brain was just reusing the information to put on wifies. But for a moment I’d like to think that wifies had actually said that to them at some point, and wato’s mind was simply reusing that memory to make the fake wifies seem more real.

TAKING THAT ALL INTO ACCOUNT I think wifies sharing that piece of trivia specifically is so interesting to me because. It doesn’t matter. It’s useless information. Wifies -or, clonefies, rather- was specifically designed to complete challenges and escape prisons for the sake of content creation. Knowing obscure trivia was important to his success, it allowed him to use that information to find his way out easier, to escape, to fulfill the purpose he was created to do. But the ‘no two stars touch eachother’ thing is useless. It doesn’t serve any purpose other than to be an interesting fact. You can’t use that knowledge to your advantage in any way so who even cares? I like to think that we can use this to infer what wifies thinks of himself and the role he plays in this world. His original is dead (to his knowledge). he’s escaped the real prison he hadn’t even known he was trapped in. He no longer has a purpose. Which, in a way, is kind of beautiful. It means he has the freedom to do whatever he wants forever. It means he has nothing to live up to, no one to please (although he still chases this purpose despite that). He can choose to fill his brain up with as much useless trivia as he could possibly want, and no one is there to stop him or correct him or fix him. He’s able to be *himself*, just a lone star in a night sky, existing for only himself.

OHHHHH NONNIE I LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS THANK YOU SM FOR SHARING!!!!!!!! the two stars being evilfies and clonefies ohhhhh my god..... i love that line so so much too :((

my interpretation of it WAS that wato saw her and wifies as the stars, and the wifies saying that was like. their subconciouses way of trying to tell them that he wasn't real, bc they cant touch, it was the loneliness seeping through. BUT im stealing wifies actually saying it before now bc that's such a big fuck you to what he was designed for. (the lone star symbolism too oughhhh)

^^ i think another thing wifies was doing to like. have his own stuff for himself was the horror/arg stuff? clonefies being in the ARGs is a very self indulgent hc but he also brings up 'i have no mouth and i must scream' to parrot in one of the uu eps which like. he doesn't have any reason to look into, other than it being something he's interested in. which like its a tad worrying for how hes feeling BUT I THINK ITS GOOD FOR HIM OK

[elftwink]

finished reading lightlark yesterday. ben-affleck-smoking.jpg

i want to complain but there's so much that i genuinely dont know where i would even start. got out the second book from the library because i was curious to see if it was any different since it had been published after the criticisms of the first book were published and i quit after 3 pages because this time I already know nothing will change. if you describe most stories as being woven, this novel was fraying and coming unravelled. loose plot threads everywhere and it only became more obvious it would not come together.

words cannot describe how fucking irritating, presumptuous, needlessly stubborn, and flip-floppy the main character is. if you're asking how she can both be stubborn and change her opinion on a dime it's because no matter what her opinion is she believes in it 100000% and will not ever let up on it UNTIL some stupid ass plot contrivance happens and suddenly she believes the opposite thing with equal enthusiasm but without any actual character reason. girlie acts suspicious of everyone all the time and is somehow STILL betrayed like FOUR TIMES??? her stubbornness is I think meant to be a character trait (or flaw, idk) but due to the way the world is so fucking undetailed and the characters only act because the plot requires it (because they are paper thin and have no motivations. Isla also has no motivations or agency its just harder to spot because she keeps telling you in her narration that she has sooo many motivations omg she's so complex... ok well then can ms. complexity like do ANYTHING other than follow other people's plans???) it comes across as though obstinate stubbornness simply is the correct way to act because of how the plot bends itself to make isla's stupid assumptions correct. shes never incentivized to change her behaviour nor is it challenged in any substantial way (one characters calls out her stubbornness but it's clearly meant to be part of a cute bicker back and forth to build the romance. it isn't cute it comes across as though they dislike each other. when they end up together the characters also seem confused. wow what a great romance where neither party is quite sure why they like each other. ok)

and I want to be clear I have no problem with stubborn characters, nor do I think all characters need an arc to be less stubborn. but it's so poorly written it seems even the author, hell, even the character herself, has NO IDEA why she is acting this way other than that she is a stubborn person. no thought is given to why people are stubborn or how being stubborn (and needlessly antagonistic) will impact your interpersonal relationships. there is no consequence, by which I mean there is no causal link between the events of the plot, the facts of the world, and the way people behave. at all. this book was a series of events, none of which ever connected together in any meaningful or even slightly clever way. the plot twist comes out of left field but you can guess it several pages in advance of the reveal because of how hamfisted it is so it starts to feel like isla is just stupid or pretending to be stupid because there's no other reason she should not be able to see this coming because of how spelled out it is (I mean, aster clearly thinks her readers are stupid enough to need that kind of spoonfeeding, but in her defense I suppose you need to spoonfeed is you refuse to lay any fucking groundwork or do properly paced foreshadowing)

Isla is a characters whose internal monologue tells you all about how skilled and talented and independent and strong willed she is, all the while following orders from anyone who gives them with only a snarky quip to try to cover the cognitive dissonance produced by the lack of agency Isla actually has vs the amount she tells you she has. Isla barely passes the sexy lamp test, and the only reason she does is because sexy lamps can't be injured dramatically. also the other women basically exist exclusively so isla can be #notlikeothergirls, and by the end of the book all the other female main characters end up being evil anyway. maybe this kind of shitty faux feminism would have been compelling 10 years ago, but this was published in 2022(?I think). what the hell is this

can't even get into the worldbuilding because it would require another 17 paragraphs. soulmate pov tiktoks have more consequential worldbuilding than lightlark

[evelhak]

I was googling if a certain book was on the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge and somehow the war on the character was in the first search results side by side and I thought it was funny. 😂

Ok, well, the first one was more about how Yale isn't like she said but the hate for the character in general was also mentioned and a part of the point there. Meanwhile the second one actually starts with how she did do wrong things but it's about how she is criticized way too harshly and hated for mistakes anyone could have made and often victim blamed too.

I'm on about this again, I know, but I have a particular dislike for when characters (or humans too ofc) are not truly being criticised for their mistakes but actually just being hated or punished for not being perfect, because the audience expected them to be a role model of some sort.

A lot of people claim that it's the show's fault because the character was framed as a role model, which just doesn't make any sense to me. It's not an educational show. It's entertainment. It's about someone really young who is striving to do the best they can. And it's obvious from the very first episode that this is a sheltered teenage character learning new things, having a ton of first experiences, and the way she handles them is not nearly always at first the best one, and sometimes she also just has a bad day. That's an integral part of the journey. That's the whole point. That it's okay to make mistakes, you'll learn and you'll survive past them. Because the story is describing humanity. It's not trying to give you straight answers. If you feel like a character betrayed you by not reaching the standards you hold them to, the problem is yours.

Yeah, everyone has blind spots and faults but if you perceive a character (who is honestly a really realistic portrayal of a human being under her circumstances) to be initially so perfect that you have to scrutinize her to find faults and when you do you blow it out of proportion and she's suddenly the arch villain of her generation, just for being human then maybe the problem is that you misinterpreted the show to begin with and held her to standards she was never meant to be held to.

It's just a big pet peeve of mine when characters aren't treated as means to understand human beings and reflect upon your views of the world, but instead as some sort of reflection of your morality based on which character you love or hate and having a 'correct' opinion on who is irredeemable and who is actually just a victim and not responsible for anything they do. That's where this usually seems to culminate.

Characters are tools. Aside from driving the plot forward (because I'm more into character driven stories:) they are there to demonstrate relationship dynamics, behavioural patterns, all sort of gravity of a particular situation, personality traits, and so much more, and you can obviously criticise how the story portrayed some elements or characters but also people kinda need to understand that a story is never objective and it isn't meant to be. It's kind of the whole point of stories to empathise with the point of view. That doesn't mean you shouldn't look outside of it, it's just that if you feel like a blatant, huge, character defining, story-wise very obviously intentional mistake like sleeping with someone's husband or dropping out of school "ruined a character" then maybe you need to consider that you might be rejecting the story because you didn't want this character to be human or something?

Like, the whole point of writing characters in character driven media (which Gilmore Girls very much is) is to give people opportunities to take the character's perspective and try to understand how they ended up doing what they did, how it makes sense for the character and how this can enhance your understanding of other people and yourself. If fiction like this is approached with a desire to judge, and not with curiousity and understanding at the forefront, then what is the point? (Understanding doesn't equal excusing something by the way.)

If you've done all this work and just don't like Rory or someone else as a character, I'm not talking to you. Taste is subjective, that's cool, I'm not saying anyone has to like Rory. I'm just sad about the approach and the completely misguided reasons to hate her and declare her "the worst". That's different than just not vibing with her.

But I guess thinking Rory Gilmore is a supervillain just shows to what extent people are capable of twisting situations and dynamics and exaggerating things in their head when they're disappointed.

[prettyflyshyguy]

Psst don't tell anyone but I'm cooking rn and you're all invited to have a slice when I'm done. Have a cheeky unhinged and unedited writing WIP from me really challenging myself today after watching half a 3hr long video essay that set my brain on fire. Needs work but I'm feeling Ok about it so far.

Maybe it’s the danger, he considered. It was a fabricated, separated thing. To be enjoyed inside the screen where it stayed, you were safe from the blood splatter and the pain and the suffering. You can take what you want and leave the rest, at least normal people could, he corrected. He wasn’t ever so lucky. Maybe it accounted for the frustration he felt, maybe it was a source of the resentment he was so deeply trying to quell as he walked. The world was an ugly and horrifying place as it was, even worse when you were cursed with the knowledge of what was also out there hiding in the shadows. He ducked into a back alley, away from the blinding sting of the street lights, away from the droves of pedestrians that stumbled drunkenly to their next destination. It’s got to be the danger. He’d had casual conversation with Lisa before about Ben’s father, letting his curiosity get the better of him, probing for information. A part of him still left unsure, or maybe he just still wanted to believe there was a chance it might’ve been him. He seemed like a dangerous guy, from what little information she offered. There was an allure to the mystery, the power, he’d admit that. He knew it excited people, he’d used it before a thousand times with women to great success - he played the part and reveled in it, but part of him was always left yearning. He could never truly be honest with anyone, not about what he did, who he was. Lisa was an outlier but even then, he had refrained from telling her everything. The lifestyle on the road, the pocket knife in his boot, the scars on his body, all left questions unspoken and unanswered - perhaps a thousand different stories were fabricated in the minds of the women he’d laid with before. None would be close to the truth. He was no stranger to fantasy, as Sam would often mistake his jokes for needing to be reminded there was a difference between what he watched after dark and how things played out in the real world. But this was different, this was crazy, this was about monsters. Monsters that ‘liked watching you sleep’. Monster’s that ‘might hurt you if you stay’. Monsters that ‘wan’t more than anything to bite you’.

He paused as he reached the end of the alley, lurking briefly in the shadow of a building as it draped him in comfort of his own isolation. Perhaps his complaints on the film were too harsh, perhaps there was an ounce of realism to its presentation. He moved to rest against the building wall, squinting out from the darkness into the brightly lit street spread out ahead of him. He pictured himself in Lisa’s bedroom, towering over her sleeping form in the dark. How must’ve she felt when she awoke. How scared she looked when he–

He violently slammed a fist into the wall beside him, cutting the thought short. It hardly hurt as much as he felt it ought to, which made him feel even worse. He vaguely recalled something Sam said when their investigation began, ‘when the fantasy becomes reality it’s a nightmare’. He’d brushed it off as some sappy academic bullshit at the time, giving it and anything else in regards to the topic no consideration. If glitter and halloween costume fangs were enough to get in someone’s pants, there was something to it, he admitted. But it was still a fantasy. A role play of sorts brought into the personal from the digital space. Maybe these girls never believed they were going to meet a real vampire, maybe all along it was just playing with the fantasy. Maybe they were expecting someone like the sparkly freak out the back of the bar that he had accosted before he got attacked. Perhaps they were just looking for a connection, someone that shared something with them in a life defined by social alienation, seeking it out through niche chat rooms in dark corners of the internet. He could reconcile with that.

His thoughts were interrupted briefly as a small crowd walked past on the sidewalk near where he was brooding. The overwhelming sound of laughter mixed with heartbeats made his head spin and his stomach churn, consuming his mind. They passed by quickly but the feeling in his body lingered long past when he couldn’t hear them any longer. If only people knew what it was really like. Deep down a part of him wished there was no cure, that it would be simple. He’d died once and Sam… survived, for lack of a better term. It would mean he didn’t have to live like this. An animal driven by an inescapable hunger hiding under the surface of a human facade.

[secretsofthestorymakers]

Ok, last post about Wish for now, I promise! A few years ago, I was writing a lot of short-ish analyses on various Disney Movies, and I remember I actually wrote one for Wish based only on the song This Wish! So I thought it would be fun to go through my analyses from over a year ago and see how correct I was now that I’ve actually seen the movie…

The black text is all direct quotes from what I wrote over a year ago. The purple is my comments on it now.

09/12/22

Considering that it is over a year until this movie comes out (the current date is 9/12/22), I am fully aware how ridiculous it is that I’m already writing an analysis on it. The main character, Asha, appears to be princess-like, although she may not be actual royalty. (I personally think she isn’t royal or high-ranking at all, since I think that will work better with the story and themes). That is actually true, although I still think she is Disney Princess coded. When I listened to More for Us (This was the original title for This Wish) the other day, I was literally crying, and that is with it out of context. It is a beautiful song that combines the simple magic of The Golden Age with the power of the universal truths and complex themes of The Revival Era. It is a perfect I-want song, and showcases Disney at its heart as a beautiful celebration for its 100th anniversary.

09/13/22

I finally found the lyrics to More for Us! (This Wish) Now that I have the lyrics, I can analyze the song properly. Also, after reading the lyrics, I’ve changed my mind about what I think the themes will be and where the story will go. Seriously, by giving us the I-want song, Disney gave us the most valuable single piece of information they could give. I have a LOT to say about these lyrics. Who is “us”? Now, I’m thinking that either she is part of a minority group in her kingdom, ehhhh, that is not true or that this is kind of a kingdom where the rulers (presumably the people who live in the tall palace-like building on the left side of the concept art) control/harm the people in some way. That was spot on. Knowing Disney, I would assume the first option, but the way she says “open their eyes to all lies” implies some sort of combination of the two options. I’m thinking that themes could be something like, action, making choices, standing up, etc. I will stand by those themes, in a way. They certainly aren't the only ones, but they are definitely present (think “if not us, then who and when” from Knowing What I Know Now. I would also say a theme is how knowing the truth can change your perspective. And a bit about willful ignorance in the way that the people unquestioningly gave their wishes to Magnifico because it was easier than trying to pursue them themselves. It appears that Asha is on the edge of something when she sings this. She’s had some sort of realization that sets her apart from everyone else in her world, but she hasn’t taken the step to act on it yet (“I’m past dipping my toes in, but not past diving in”). By challenging Magnifico and learning about the wishes, she’s gone too far to go back to her life just as it was, but she hasn’t made a decision on how to act on this yet, but she knows she needs to. By the end of the song, she has made her decision to act on her realization/feelings. Mhhhmmm not quite. I think she knows she needs to act already when she starts singing, she just doesn't know how. And that’s what Star shows her. She gains strength and confidence throughout the song. It acts as an I-want and a catalyst, as most of the recent I-want songs do. Yeah, that is definitely true. I find it interesting that the I-want itself was the catalyst, but I love it. It feels very Disney. Asha says “the way you always taught me to.” Who is “you”? My guess would be some sort of (likely dead) mentor figure like a parent or grandparent. Yeah, Disney’s pretty predictable with the dead parents. It does make sense story wise though. Whether this is the case or not, whoever “you” is has clearly had a significant impact on Asha, her personality, her values, and how she views the world. They will be an important part of the story, even if they’ve died before the movie begins. Her father was actually mentioned directly less than I predicted, but I still think that what he taught her about the stars’ guidance stuck with her and is the reason she wished on one to begin with. So in a way, her dad did have a big impact on the story, just in a less obvious way. And he definitely affected how Asha views the world and how she chooses to respond to what she learned while in the palace.

[rotationalsymmetry]

I think this is bit actually inaccurate. In that, yes, children’s media generally does not show on camera death because that might be upsetting to children and in particular they tend to avoid showing forms of violence or risky behavior that children might copy at home. However, I think “well SU had to do that because it’s a kids’ show” (or ALTA) implies that it was not a conscious, deliberate choice or that it’s not possible for kids’ shows to have a “yeah sometimes bad guys just have to be gotten rid of” message. Contrast the Kung Fu Panda movies for instance: all 3 main antagonists die or are destroyed, two of them directly at the hands of the hero. It is well established in children’s media how to kill an antagonist in ways that are somewhat ambiguous or otherwise not seen as upsetting to young children (like falling from a great height), and it’s also well established how to end the story with the villain dying as a direct consequence of their own decisions or meeting a different fate (like imprisonment or exile) without the hero making a big deal about refusing to kill.

(to clarify I think it was a deliberate choice and I support it, although I think SU Future could have handled the concept of people not liking your policies once you get into power better than it did.)

As an aside, where this intersects with the real world is things like whether it’s ok for protesters to “be violent” which is generally not based in a categorical opposition to violence, it is based in the idea that it is morally correct for the state to have a monopoly on violence, and should be challenged on those terms.

i dont agree with a lot of the posturing against people who only watch kid's cartoons because it feels mean-spirited. like if you want to do that it's cool and i don't think you're committing some moral or intellectual sin--but it is very silly when people who do this forget that they're watching cartoons for children, not in a 'you can't expect children's media to be good' way or even a 'the politics of children's media aren't worth analyzing way' but in a 'you have to be realistic about genre expectations' way. because that's how you end up with arguments over whether steven universe should have killed people or not

[themidnightgoth]

May 8 | The Casa | Downpour

I started a new job today on a snorkel tour boat. We take our guests and serve them rum punch. We go to two different beaches and then bring them back to shore. It’ll be a little time for me to get my footing, but I am excited for when I do. The new challenge of navigating in a place I am unfamiliar with will prove to be good for me once more.

I currently am working three jobs, the newest one not even included, and making ok money but learning and seeing the world in new ways.

A couple days ago a women (older, 50s?, likely an alcoholic) flashed her tits at me unprovoked at the coffeeshop&bar I work at. I wasn’t even working I was just hanging out at the counter like a customer and she wrangled me and this other group of people on an adventure to a swim gear store. I only went because she kept asking and I really didn’t have much going on that day up until that point. She did buy me a bikini and then vanished. Turns out the other people she brought were all crew on a yacht together. We went and got margs together and they ended up inviting me to hang out on the yacht!

Blah blah whatever I just want to talk about how it felt to be out on a dingy under the stars with a boy that was cute and wants to live deep in the African bush on a farm. He reminded me of Steve Irwin and that made him attractive to me. Tall too. Didn’t try to make any moves on me either which I liked. Though I was high enough that touch would have felt good. I haven’t been with anyone since October. It’s actually been so nice but from time to time I get horny and miss having someone to be intimate with. That said, I am in no rush. I have been thankful for the time I have been spending with myself and friends. I have made so many friends! It’s freeing. I don’t feel so alone and small anymore. I still get shy and bit nervous over myself, especially around guys. I really want to gain more confidence and feel more secure when I am around them. I just get kinda bumbly or quiet. I guess it’s mainly because I don’t like most of them. I’m not in a place where there are an abundance of strapping young bachelors mind you. I have just found out how few the good ones are and that’s why you’ve got to hold onto them.

All good things come with time. I’ll find my flirtatious footing and also meet a sweet guy who makes me feel safe. Lindsay’s old friend Max was in town last week. He’s a park ranger in the Everglades and an awesome artist. He’s got a big smile and a lot of kind things to say. He taught me about so many of the plants around our house too! Being around him made me realize just how important it is to feel safe around someone and thankful to be able to hang out with someone so cool!

A lot of days I’m not sure of myself but I do know I like the people who are around me, and I think that means I am doing something correct.

My age has been coming up in my head a lot. It’s strange because I go through my day to day life feeling like an absolute baby. What am I supposed to be like at 23? Am I doing it right? Yet I have also had a new thing happen where sometimes I think am 25 just for a moment in my mind. It’s all mixed up in there. Is that how age will always be? I think I should just forget about the numbers and see what happens.

I probably do need to find an outlet for my boy desires though because it’s getting a little embarrassing. I feel like a total nun. Is everyone in the world getting it but me?

My life has been so busy and full. Friends staying in our tiny apartment making it feel full. Rituals where our days start with coffee at the local nonprofit we have made ourselves regulars at and ends with a joint on our stoop, a 3ft by 12in concrete slab in front our door that sits on the city street. It’s scary sometimes. Last week was a giant festival and we were just a couple blocks away from all the parades and parties. 2 nights in a row someone got shot in the village, a 5 min walk from our home. We had been there multiple nights with our friends. It goes without saying, violence and death are an undercurrent of life here that goes unspoken. The employee I was hired to replace was murdered and it was never solved.

Yet in the chaos of it all, I feel stronger in myself than I maybe ever have. I am stable. Mentally healthier than I’ve ever seen myself.

Okay I have to get off, I’m about to get dropped off for my second job of the day!

[nahalism]

im a diff anon but i wana jump off of that question you got if thats ok. yknow when it comes to all the mental health world would you personally trust a therapist to help you and to know better what is going on inside you? or do you hmm reject the dsm type of diagnoses and approach your ”issues” from a diff angle

(also potentially v controversial not sure if you were ever asked but do you believe personality disorders as we call and group them now do exist?)

heyy, i love these questions! — firstly, i dont reject the dsm, but i do think its limited in the same way that scientific approaches usually are when they attempt to understand and define the world through logical, evidentiary stances, without making room for aspects of existence that are felt but perhaps intangible, & are thus seemingly unprovable. i like to look at things more holistically, so find myself aligning most with traditional approaches to healing, not because i dont rate science, but because i like to lead with spirit and see how science proves it. the maths always ends up mathsing.

as for therapy, i respect good therapists and the notion of therapy. i think its a shame we dont give reverence to community, wise people, and to elders, because they were the original therapists. however in the modern world therapy has its place. i think its a useful supplement to facilitate our own inner work, mostly because i can see how in instances where someone doesnt have a clue where to begin or has reached an impasse / began to plateau, it could be a great starting point to get perspective or gain self awareness. ——— however, its not something that ive found life changing, useful as a longterm solution, nor realistic relative to the cost of each session. most therapists run their business like entrepreneurs and worse yet like a subscription service. ive always felt like if i have a problem that im paying to resolve, it should be resolved, not be a 'forever in process of being fixed' situation. i think the dynamic of 'person with knowledge' vs 'person in need of being fixed' is an issue in itself, and it relays to the business model that im referencing which, much like allopathic medicine, relies on its patients being unwell. to cure the patient is to be out of business... ima leave that there.

*side note. im not saying therapists shouldnt charge for their expertise, because they should. i am also aware that for as long as i live there will be room for healing and refinement, & so the process of working with a therapist could be on going. — however, i believe that the work being done alongside a therapist is meant to be a means to an end (the end being self regulation). i also, unfortunately, feel like every pro has a con. the pro and con being the fact therapists are impartial and often times not directly rooted in the communities of the individuals they serve. whilst that can make people more comfortable in coming forward and confiding those details that usually lead them to be judged and not asked for help, it also means that people can make use of the service as means to trauma dump, tell unreliable versions of events in a bid to be validated, and as such substitute self tutelage and understanding for enabling / codependency.

so yh. regarding personality disorders, i dont see them the way that a lot of people might. till humanity at large changes the way we relate to and function in the world around us, i dont think we will see a decline in the rates of those personality traits persisting. we often point the finger at these individuals as if they are the problem, but problems cannot survive or form in isolation. — i recognise that personality disorders are challenging to correct and work with. i also recognise that they require a level of self awareness and willingness to change that can be difficult to develop with such trauma responses, usually because confronting the trauma that caused the disorder feels like literal death, and because the ptsd holding it in place makes the stillness required to recognise there is a problem that needs solving hard, let alone finding the capacity and maturity required to actually heal it. — however, i do know that if the person is willing to do the work, there isnt a dis-order that love, patience, and the belief of others and in your self cannot cure. does that mean we should throw ourselves into the path of individuals still on their healing journey? no. does that mean we should take it upon ourselves to suffer at the consequence of the disorder in a bid to 'heal people'? absolutely not. but it doesnt mean we should write off those individuals either.

i know that was long and wordy but hopefully it answered your questions <3. love

[thequeenofmyownscreen]

Sixteen things I noted about CR2E136 “Hell or High Water” :

3 eyes and Beau and Caleb have True Sight !!!!!! Maybe there's a bright light to those fucking eyes, like Laura said.

Ok, one thing I (kinda) knew about Campaign 2 before starting it was "Artagan is a weasel ???" and that was IT, no more context ! So let me tell you, I was still falling off my chair at the reveal that SPRINKLE IS ARTAGAN, because I'm a dumbass who did not put two and two together, or, as it is, the logical conclusion of : Jester's god is the Traveler and Jester bought a weasel -> the Traveler is in fact Artagan -> Artagan is in fact inhabiting a traumatized red weasel. BUT THIS IS THE GREATEST THING EVER

Caleb : "[Artagan being Sprinkle] is the only reason he's still alive." Artagan/Sprinkle : "You're not entirely wrong... it's been a journey !" I'm laughing so much oh my god, of course Sprinkle is only maintained alive by the grace of 3000 years old archfey who loves a little blue tiefling. The image alone of Sprinkle talking in Artagan's voice is sending me. I love how Jester is pretty chill with it, like "It makes perfect sense !"

THEY CAN READ EACH OTHER'S MINDS AND SEND THOUGHTS TO OTHERS ??? not even 25 minutes into this episode and so much has happened already

the DM : "These walls are smooth and there's a slight residue left on them... These walls are lined in lead." The impulsive barbarian, quietly : "I was just going to taste it, but I will leave it alone."

A time travel device ? That is Caleb's first goal !!! OOOOOooooh I see what you're doing, Mr Mercer, the temptation ! And this is relevant to Essek too ! "Correcting mistakes" indeed

They spend 20 minutes arguing what they should or should not do to avoid the monster, both in AND out of character. Liam : "This is like if we, us, not the characters, us were trying to save the world." Marisha : "How have we ran a company successfully for the past... how many - years - ?" Taliesin : "Pure luck."

THEY GOT GOT !! Lucien, the fucker, also made a clever ambush with the psychic charges !!

Yoooo, the sequence where they were trapped between the monsters and the tunnel with maybe more intuit charges was awesome, what a challenge

The stargate !! I knew it, but still it was nice to hear Matt say that this portal was linked with the Water Plane and that it was why a flow of perpetual water was coming through.

"Here's my plan : we're all cows !" ooooh nice call-back

Marisha, nervous, as she's prepared to have Beau talking to Lucien : "I'm playing a 20 charisma character next campaign." Me, checking out Laudna's stats : "not yet, but she is a warlock ! So she will get there"

Molly is still in there, either fragmented, or a piece so small it can't be seen most of the time. Except when Caleb called him "circus man"

Caleb is a sheep ! What follows is 30 minutes of sheep-related puns : "You sheep-shifted ?", "He got baaaaaaa-nished", "In space no one can hear you bleat", "Baaaaaaaa-yyye !", "Sheepleb !", "Don't be sheepish get in there", "This is shear terror", "Caleb's already hoofing it that way", "This is veal bad, you guys", *obligatory Taylor Swift goat scream reference*, "Everybody flock together", "We are wool-fully unprepared for this"

Yasha : "Where's my girlfriend ?" Matt : "Beau is 10 feet from you, on the stairs, still facing of with the creature, which is now faced in that direction. Boobs and all, facing off with Beauregard." Yasha : "She knows how to handle that !" (Marisha does a *you got that right* kind of face)

Oh my god, for all the jokes about "coming back to the beginning", the fight with the water elemental where Jester was the only one left in the room at the end gave me HUGE flashbacks of that fight with the blue dragon where she was almost left alone too (if it wasn't for Nott)

[gumy-shark]

ok off work so i can actually expand on this now. i tend to look at mp100 specifically as pseudo-allegorical, and all the conflicts are specifically part of that.

mobs philosophy (or really mob’s interpretation of reigen’s philosophy), as it starts out, is pretty black-and-white. Using your powers on other people is bad. Being a good person is good. What does “being a good person mean” to Mob? Mostly just being nice and not using his powers on others. The purpose of conflict in the story is ultimately to test and develop either this philosophy, or Mob as a character.

I’m going to go through every antagonist I remember and talk about how they challenge Mob and his beliefs, and some of the lessons he learns from those encounters.

SEASON 1:

In season 1, the questions presented to Mob are mostly focused on that first half of his philosophy: What does it mean to not use your powers on other people? There is especially a focus on self-defense in this season- at what point is it okay for Mob to use his powers to defend himself?

S1 Antagonists:

the roach spirit and the tunnel spirits: mostly setpieces to introduce the audience to the world, the characters, and the dynamic between mob and reigen

the peeping tom spirit: Very directly asks his question to Mob- “Are you living your life to the fullest?”, but also highlights ways Mob could be abusing his powers (Which is more of a season 2 theme, fitting this spirit’s placement in the manga) (this also counts as a question to me btw)

Dimple: In his first appearance, the encounter with Dimple is all about compromising oneself to achieve your goals. Mob could probably be more popular if he expressed his emotions more “normally,” but then he wouldn’t be Mob anymore- and more to the point, doing so compromises one of his most important principles of not letting others get hurt by his powers- which he risks every time he hits 100% (also note: Mezato saying that if she smiled to appease the LOL cult it wouldn’t be real; Mob moving the bystanders being one of the first-if not the first- time we see him use his powers on a human).

Teru: Mob’s first human opponent. Mob’s used his powers on others to move them out of harm’s way, but this fight with Teru tests Mob’s resolve to not use his powers against others- here is an enemy who is attacking him unprovoked, who does not respond to Mob’s attempts to defuse the situation, and who Mob desperately does not want to hurt. The question Teru asks is, “At what point does that stop? When is the danger to your own life great enough to purposely risk another’s?”- and while Mob’s answer is “Never,” the part of him that wants to not Fucking Die says “Right now.” (Other things to note: ???%’s rampage there, while understandable, was also overkill. Shaving Teru’s head was accidental, destroying his clothes may have been unintentional- but destroying his school and sending him naked into the stratosphere? Reigen was correct there- that’s not a justified response, powers or not.) (Additional lesson: the desire to survive may have also been something Mob was repressing along with his other emotions. jesus christ kid don’t do that please)

Ritsu: was Ritsu’s time as an antagonist brief? Yes. He still counts, I’m including him. The 5 seconds of Ritsu vs. Mob raise a lot of questions, but I think the most important one is, “What happens when every effort you’ve taken to avoid hurting others ends up hurting them too?” Mob’s repression of his emotions and powers is a direct result of his and Ritsu’s shared trauma, but it only served to (both directly and indirectly) worsen Ritsu’s spiral overall. (Additionally, if the fight had continued, I think it likely would’ve continued Teru’s line of questioning- is Mob prepared to defend himself against Ritsu? Is he ready for what might happen if he’s forced to use his powers here? We’ll never know for sure.)

Koyama: Ahh, the alleyway Koyama fight. Mob is extremely resistant to using his powers to protect himself, even against a psychic opponent, but when Koyama asks “Will you use your powers against others to protect someone you care about?” Mob’s answer is, perhaps for the first time, a very clear “Yes.” Protecting the people he cares about is a cornerstone of Mob’s developing philosophy, and is what drives him to consciously override his refusal to use his power against others. And also to Wreck Koyama’s Shit.

The 7th Division Scars: As the season finale arc, the Scars ask several questions that serve as a capstone/final test of Mob’s willingness to use his powers on others. Before the 7th Division arc, Mob was passive/reactive- he responded to threats as they came, and didn’t go beyond that. However, with Ritsu taken by Claw, that’s not an option anymore- he has to deliberately seek them out to fight them on purpose. That’s question one: Is it right, in this or any scenario, to go beyond self-defense and actively take the offensive? (and Mob’s answer is “Yes, to protect the ones I care about.”). In the compound, he once again moves on to self-defense, only fighting back after he’s been attacked- but his presence there is still offensive. This question comes to a head in the final confrontation with the Scars, when Mob is about to hit 100% Murderous Intent- he even says, “If I can protect the people I care about, I don’t care about the ones attacking me!”

This scene also serves as a transition between the ideas of Season 1 and Season 2, as Reigen steps in and reminds Mob of the other half of his guiding philosophy: he has to be a good person. Self-defense is an option, and a valid one, but Mob’s powers aren’t just for attacking- and the decision to willingly take another person’s life is not part of justified self-defense, powers or no. (Lesson learned: Death is not the only option- there is ALWAYS another way.)

By the end of S1, Mob is far more comfortable using his powers on and around people when necessary, and has gained a level of perspective in deciding where “necessary” is. Which is good because he’s gonna need that for Season 2.

SEASON 2:

If Season 1 was all about when it’s justified for Mob to use his powers on other people, and how far he should go, then Season 2 is all about the other half of that: being a good person. Now that Mob’s more comfortable with using his powers (and making his own decisions), a lot of questions shift towards asking how powers should be used, especially when it comes to spirit antagonists

S2 Antagonists:

Scarecrow Spirit: Setpiece so that Mob ends up with broccoli seeds and knowledge of chlorokinesis. This episode is more to show where he is at the start of s1, both in his work life and social life.

The Urban Legends: i’m gonna be honest I totally forgot about this episode. Mob doesn’t really develop much here, either- again, we’re mostly seeing just where he’s at.

That One Astral-Projecting Stalker, The High School Muggers, and The Asshole College Students: these three encounters all take place in the same episode, and all highlight a different part of Mob’s continued struggle with when he should use his powers. The astral projection stalker used his powers in a way that didn’t directly harm others, but still caused distress and was also creepy and gross. The high school muggers put Mob in a position where he basically had to defend himself against people who he knew couldn’t really fight back against him. And of course, the asshole college students tried to force Mob to use his powers against spirits- something he’s never had a moral problem with before- in a way that was distinctly immoral. Like other spirit-heavy episodes, the point is made clear in the episode itself: Mob is caught between the world of normal humans and that of spirits, and can no longer rely on others to make moral decisions for him.

Mogami (and Minori): Jesus christ man. Mogami arc. So, like most other spirit arcs, this arc has very clear takeaways. Mogami asks, “What if you do everything right and you are hurt anyways? What is the point of kindness in such a cruel world?” and Minori asks “When does a person stop deserving to be saved?” (and in the end, Mob’s answer to these questions is that kindness is necessary. That there is no world without kindness- and that deserving doesn’t matter. It matters what Minori’s done, and it matters that she wants to become better- but even without those things, even if she was totally unrepentant, she would still be a person in need of help, and that’s reason enough to try.)

Reigen: yeah i’m counting reigen as an antagonist for separation arc lol. He is nothing if not his own worst enemy. Being a Reigen-centric arc, Separation Arc has nothing to do with psychic powers, and everything to do with self-improvement and being a good person. However, that’s not really what this analysis is about, and Reigen kinda says it all out loud in this arc anyways, so… moving on!

TOICHIROU SUZUKI!!: this guy is my FAVORITE mp100 villain, specifically because his question is so interesting to me. Before the World Domination arc, there had always been a trump card against any villain standing in Mob’s way, and that was Mob’s sheer overwhelming brute force. The reason they were able to convince so many antagonists to change their ways is in the end because when push came to shove, they simply couldn’t beat Mob. He outclassed them to the point that they HAD to listen to him- or at least stop long enough to hear him out. And then, in walks Toichirou, saying with his presence alone, “What if you can’t force someone to change? What if you show them the consequences of their behavior (Mrs. Suzuki), how they’ve hurt you (Shou)- what if you try to empathize with them and fight them head-on and when all else fails you just try to kill them- and none of it works? What happens when, for the first time, Mob isn’t strong enough force someone to change?” And there never really is an answer to that. Even Mob choosing to stay behind with Toichirou, trying to contain the explosion and give everyone else more of a chance to escape, refusing to let him die alone- even that wasn’t really what changed Toichirou. He had to choose, on his own, to reflect on himself and admit to himself that he had regrets. That he wanted to make things right. And that chance that he was given is what saved Mob, saved Toichirou, saved everyone in the city- and it only could’ve happened because it built on all the lessons Mob had already learned and put into practice.

(I could go into Season 3 as well, but 1. s3 is meant to show Mob’s developed philosophy and character in action, 2. doesn’t really have Antagonists in the same way that s1 and s2 do, 3. the fights that do take place are for the completion of individual character arcs, and 4. ???% is an entire analysis post in and of himself).

wait fuck have i actually explained my view of mob psycho where i see every antagonistic character as representing/asking a question that directly challenges mob’s philosophy or growth in some way

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

I want to hear more about Zero Year Riddler being kind of a loser, please.

Zero Year Riddler is Actually A Nerdy Dork-Ass and I Have Evidence

aka at max ten pictures from the comic books. I apologize now that I had to get selective with photos and that these photos I took myself because I'm too lazy to scan. Includes hcs based on the canon stuff.

TW: Spoilers for Batman: Zero Year also known as Zero Year - Secret City and Zero Year - Dark City

We are going to be jumping around a little with these pictures. So the most basic/stripped down timeline- Edward sets off a massive plot w/ Doctor Death to first black out the City of Gotham while he prepares the Big Guns. Weather balloons filled with toxins to ensure no one is getting in or out of Gotham. He floods the city. Tells the surviving citizens that if they all want to get out, they have to give him a riddle he cannot solve. If you think that last part sounds very folk-lore or fairy tale like, YOU WOULD BE RIGHT. This period where he's setting up this challenge is the titular Zero Year. He is set up inside the Sphinx display in the Gotham History Museum. Batman stops him. onto the actual discussion.

We are first going to start with his introduction. I've discussed this before in a different post but this is meant to tell you multiple things. He has fifteen degrees he's earned. He makes conspiracy theory string boards. He is a dweeb who wears pocket protectors. The important thing to note story wise is that most of the points in this board are important/have a specific role in the story. He's correct about them. They matter. You might be saying "ok Fox/Belle but how does this say he's a nerdy dork-ass?"

look at him. He's described as being "boastful and annoyingly egotistical, but socially he's an egghead." This is not a man who plays well with others. But he genuinely thinks of himself as someone better than everyone else. What do you get? A smokescreen of theatrics, egotism and showing off to hide how socially inept he is.

Next, and sorry the first picture didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. This is the first meeting of Edward and Bruce Wayne. Of course Edward has already plotted his death. Will try to enact this plot. The page with the snake is a reference to the ancient Egyptian game of Mehen which Edward mentions in passing earlier in the story. Historians currently don't know much about the game other than it's distinctive board- However here it becomes a parallel to Ouroboros. The snake that eats it's own tail. Its known as an alchemy symbol and spiritually represents the unity of all things. Life, Death, Rebirth. In Edward's mind: destruction and rising from ashes aka Gotham in his plans.

The second is post Zero Year, telling the citizens of Gotham his motivations. This is his monologue showing his warped version of the Hero's Journey. The Hero's Journey for those who don't know is a very old archetype on which many fictional stories are all based on (whether they realize it or not.) In it's simplest terms, a hero goes on an adventure. The hero through trauma and hardship, learns a lesson, wins their "boon" and returns home with newfound knowledge that transformed them as a person. Note this sounds kind of similar to the Ouroboros thing, doesn't it?

Edward wants to leave a mark and transform Gotham. Potentially the world. He wants control he never had growing up. He wants all of it.

On the headcanon end... This information combined with his hyperfixation on mythology (mentioned below), this man plays tabletop. Hear me out. God complex. Verbose. Theatrics. Obsession with heroics, the heroes journey and folklore... this man not only plays DnD, he has been a GM countless times. I think he'd play other tabletops as well, but DnD is his bread and butter.

His main race (in traditional) is a gnome because of the intelligence stats. When he does DM/GM, the story is rich and so fucking detailed. He is also mean as hell and will murder all your characters in emotionally devastating ways if you get unlucky. He'll never admit any of this to people he finds cool or too attractive (unless they get to know him first). He has a strong wall up to try and prevent any weakness or vulnerability to show through.

He likes fun facts. Not just about mythology he is the one who spits out statistical data and random fun facts in regular discussion. It's almost compulsive. At another part of the comic where he almost shoots Lucius Fox dead via robot, he states the statistical probability that he was already hit with a bullet, but to reload and shoot again anyways. Then he is in the middle of telling a trivia fact about foxes before Batman comes in to save Lucius.

This feeds into my headcanon that he's neurodivergent. And also was a Jeopardy fanatic as a child. Probably still is. He likes to impress (especially dates) with the knowledge he can pull from seemingly nowhere. Also if you haven't gotten the impression yet, he cannot and will not stop talking. Loves the sound of his own damn voice. You know he's monologued himself to trouble multiple times. Also note how smoothly he's just glossing over his shitty dad/abusive childhood (again.)

Piggybacking on the last point- He has a special interest (read: potentially hyperfixation) on mythology and folklore. On multiple occasions he mentions these stories in passing as an anecdote for the events currently happening around him. Archimedes was a greek mathematician in ancient Sicily. He invented a great many things and would come to be known as one of the leading scientists of classical antiquity. The story Edward references is a rather famous one- Archimedes invented complex pulley systems and was tasked to prove the strength and ingenuity of these pulleys by moving the Syracusia, a luxury cruise ship, in and out of the water.

The second he mentions the story of the Gordian Knot. The tale goes as such: Alexander the Great's time. Whoever could untie the Gordian Knot was said to be destined to rule all of Asia. No one could solve it. The knot was impeccable. It was complex. Alexander the Great showed his great mental genius by doing what no one else had done. He cut the knot. There's more to it but that's the gist. That's the why of why Edward looks to this story and remembers it.

Everything about The Riddler of Zero Year is about proving his intelligence. Creating a name and a culture enveloped with smarts. If we didn't have the lore associated with Egyptian mythology as well, I'd say ancient Greece is his topic of choice but I think he likes all of it. That said, this man likes historical movies, historical texts, museums. If you take him to a museum or any kind of zoo or aquarium, he's going to talk your ear off on what he already knows for at least several hours. Are you impressed? Please be impressed. Tell him how smart he is and praise him like your favorite house cat.

The final pictures with actual analysis. These might seem silly or a rather insignificant detail to zoom in on.

This is him setting off the triggers to flood the city. Note the suitcase. He says this out loud to no one but himself. His own joke that only he gets to laugh at. Then he LITERALLY walks away whistling. A lot of this kind of behavior feeds into him knowing and being so smug about how clever he is. He's watching dozens upon dozens of citizens who have no idea what is going to happen to them, running in fear. And he's focused only on how gleeful he is that it's all coming together.

In the second: this is the final trial. Batman saving the city of Gotham and Riddler getting to have his big villain moment. And from the moment he reveals the lightshow of lasers ready to cut down our hero at will- he begins playing with his cane and hat. To the point that Batman is almost panicked for him to stop and just ask the damn questions.

These both run to one point and that's to him, this is all a game. We don't know this in the story yet, but he has an additional failsafe to blow the city up even if Batman wins (he doesn't expect him to, but he always makes sure to be a step ahead in case). He's lighthearted because, despite his curiosity around Batman and being constantly surprised that Batman keeps surviving, he considers this chess game match and set. His own arrogance supersedes the idea that Batman could be a genuine hero willing to take all the risk to save these people.

Riddler says to "get smart or die." Edward does not expect someone to do just that and more. For these the behaviors are more dorky vs the actual analysis but you get the point.

Bonus: we get the full picture that he constantly has a crown image above his screen in Gotham Square during Zero Year. Sir, Why Are You Like This? A lot of this comes down to: please give him attention he is so desperate for attention and probably physical affection. He's starving for it.

If you actually read through all of this, I'm love you and I hope you're having a fantastic day. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my rambling.

[captain-aralias]

fanfic writer challenge!

@mostlymaudlin invented this challenge and was kind enough to tag me. it took my brain a few days to wake up enough to respond, but here i am.

instructions:

list & explain the three lines/moments from canon that are most fundamental to how you write your fave character

challenge 3 more fic writers to do the same!

ok - i'll do baz too, so we can compare.

first thing from me is i'm going to cheat, because i can't cover baz in 3 quotes. both he and simon change so much between carry on and WS/AWTWB that although they have a trajectory from one state to the other, and though i love people backreading AWTWB into CO!Baz.... i write them super different.

CO!Baz

1. And I'm hopelessly in love with him.

this comes at the end of a massive monologue - and then leads into another massive monologue. all about how baz is SAD but his love for simon is BEAUTIFUL and all consuming. it's so dramatic that he literally puts it on its own line, and then cuts to a new chapter. but it's also... resigned. nothing to do about it, just pine.

these are the chapters that i tend to listen to most often, as it's a long run of baz stuff, but i also do think it's pretty typical. (and i love him)

2. The World of Mages never had taxes before. Taxes were for Normals. We had Standards instead.

i thought about removing this a few times, it seems harsh - i only get three choices. but going to keep it in. baz has internalised a lot of shit, he uses learned hatred of others to protect himself against simon amongst other things. speaking of self-protection ...

3. 'You slept in my arms,' he says. / 'Fitfully.'

baz has got what he wants, but he's not able to believe it's happening so backslides immediately. it's a funny line, too - like he knows the audience will laugh with him, even if he doesn't mean simon to laugh. it's also (obliquely) the last thing i would say about CO-era!baz, which is that when faced with an opportunity to kiss simon awake or tell him he's interested in him..... he chooses not to do that. baz doesn't act, things happen to him - except on his crazed quest about his mother.

WS/AWTWB!Baz

1. i'll have the cheesecake factory scene, too - it does what rory says, and also tells us what (i believe) simon loves about him.

my favourite line is:

"I would never want to date you," he earnestly replies. "But it's not because you're mule-headed. That's practically my type."

ha ha. but also - it's true! and it's very kind of him to try.

2. 'I love you," I say. (And I know that's not a thing. I know it doesn't matter.)

so brave to come at all and track simon down! so brave to say it! it feels so unexpected to me and changes a lot of my baz characterisation from here on. now, i'm like: woah, baz can be the proactive character.

3. n.b. i spent a while thinking about what this would be. there are things that i think should be baz characterisation that i don't use enough (the playfighting at the ren faire; the fact he considers his culpability after america), and there's like.... the formal politeness. i've got kindness from WS, so we don't need the bit where he takes daphne home.

i think i'm going to go with ...

Is he scared? Embarrassed? Overwhelmed? Did he even want that to happen? He's never been with a guy, maybe he didn't like it. Maybe it wasn't what he was expecting. It's messier than being with a girl. (Isn't it?) (I don't know anything about being with girls.) (I don't know anything about being with guys.) (I know a lot about furtively bashing one out while my roommate is off fighting magickal crime, then hoping he doesn't wonder why I'm taking a shower in the middle of the afternoon.)

this is just a really fun passage in lots of ways. it has lots of short clauses, repetition, baz correcting himself. being funny, but it also has two new things. the first is that baz is like 'oh no, simon will have a freak out' and doesn't NOTICE that he himself is having a freak out, right now, a terrible spiral ... massive deflection onto simon. and using humour to deflect from own feelings too! (a personal favourite).

and the other is that.... before AWTWB, i enjoyed the shared headcanon that baz had researched himself into being a gay sex savant. what we find out from this paragraph is that he has literally not researched it at ALL, the same as he hasn't researched vampirism AT ALL. he's useless.... in this one very specific way, because he does know loads of other things. but there are things that he's afraid to look at too closely and it's this stupid fucking blind spot - and apparently sex is one of them. simon has to take the lead from now on, RIP to all future sexgod!baz fics. sexgod!simon only from now on.

tagging 2xthree people, since i did two batches: @artsyunderstudy @annabellelux @bookish-bogwitch @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @carryonvisinata @nightimedreamersworld as well as anyone who sees this post and wants to write about a character. please tag me in your post, i'd love to see it.

[mamahersh]

So I’ve been thinking, and obviously these are thoughts that will probably be expounded upon (potentially) in my final remarks post on Saturday, but I’ve been having some thoughts about JMart again. Condensing some of the previous commentary, the running themes I’ve been struggling with, ect. Perhaps my opinions with change with MAG 200, maybe 200 will only cement them, but hear me out:

TMA is a horror podcast, not a horror/romance podcast. “But mamahersh!” I hear you cry, “no duh! No one ever claimed it was a horror/romance podcast!”

You, imaginary reader, are quite correct.

It’s just odd that the show writer tries so very hard to add romance in the show in S5 just to seemingly set up a final act romantic tragedy. Well, ok, that’s rather disingenuous, as there’s some off handed mentions of Jon and Martin hanging out in S3, and Jon spends like half his time in S4 pining after Martin. But more to the point: all actual romantic developments (except when needed for an important character moment to tie into something tragic later) are off screen. We hear second hand about Melanie and Georgie’s relationship forming, we can make our own assumptions about their closeness based on 158? and 190-192, we hear offhandedly about Jon and Martin’s S3 lunch dates (if I’m not misremembering that tidbit entirely), we can speculate about Jon and Martin’s relationship progressing and that it was a rather significant jump in progress after saving Martin from the Lonely while they sheltered at Daisy’s Safehouse...

I’m mostly trying to get at I think two big things I guess. 1) Jonny is spectacular at horror writing. S1-3, and the statements in S4 are spot on in terms of striking the right balance you need in a campfire story or a personal folktale or a short horror story. He also does a great job at writing long form dramas, what with seeding the clues to how the universe works from the very beginning and challenging the listeners to try and understand what’s going on right along with the main character. Keeping the listeners on their toes as they wait each week with baited breath to find out what’s happening this time to our dear blorbo Jarchivist. However, what he seems to enjoy doing less of, at least in TMA universe, is write “fluff”. He can certainly write soft moments between characters, quite well in fact! There’s a reason S5 has a bajillion animatics from when it was releasing based on the little JMart tidbits we were given. But that’s just it, they were tidbits, and even the patreon and public fluff extras never exceeded 10 mins. Goodness, not to say they should have! But more to the point: it’s quite difficult to write a healthy or even a compelling romance when you don’t have the time or “place” to establish it. which kinda leads into...

2) The reason I keep feeling like the romance between Jon and Martin in S5 is forced is because to some extent it is. There was no development of their relationship on tape, and then when finally do have the time to do so it’s in the literal worst situation imaginable to do so. All of the silly somft moments are eaten away by both the circumstances of Jon and Martin being able to spend all this time together (the literal end of the world and all that’s Good) and their general dispositions towards each other. You don’t keep a relationship healthy or alive by never trusting your partner, or never telling them anything in a way they can understand, or callously talking about trying end every “monster” like them, or never listening to their concerns. These two have always struggled with communicating and the apocalypse just seems to have exacerbated the problems 10 fold. Which, again, horror podcast. Dramatic Tragedy and all that. We are getting their relationship set up for 200, but also because it makes for a good reason that Jon hasn’t just jumped off the deep end yet.

Anyways, I think this nicely consolidates my thoughts on the matter. And just to be clear, I’m sure if Jonny Sims wanted to write full length episodes of sappy office drama I’m sure he could, but in the context of TMA he certainly can’t. Which is perfectly fine outside of suddenly trying to pull a Romeo and Juliet with Jon and Martin as a major B plot running through all of S5.

[r0-boat]

ok ok atoning for my Chaotic Crimes™️ here is a somewhat comprehensive written bit about about a dream snippet I had last night. idk about or why this premise either just roll with it

∾ 【 Rouge Anon 】

————————

Cynthia and Steven Stone had taken you into their home.

For one reason or another, you were in need of housing and the married Champions were more than happy to have you.

“Alright. Shirts are done! Only socks left to sort and we’re done with laundry for the night!”

You and Cynthia were sorting through a clean clothes pile.

She’s the type of person to dump the freshly washed clothes into a pile and set off to do another load. Eventually, the pile grows too large and the arduous task of putting articles in the correct spaces becomes far too daunting.

But, if there’s two people working together, the task would be made easier, right?

…Technically correct, but you and Cynthia had been at this for hours. It was currently 1 am.

You wanted nothing more than to stop and go to bed. Eyelids struggling to stay up. Eyes dry and burning from fatigue.

But Cynthia looked so excited with the progress you’ve both made. And the end was so close in sight! …Perhaps you could fight sleep a bit longer.

To make her happy. To share in the triumph of overcoming a challenging task that’s been in her way for far too long.

……..

To spend time alone with her.

It was no secret that you fancied the Sinnoh champion. Arceus above, who hasn’t thought of Cynthia in that way?

But she was a married woman. And she has been ever so kind to you in your time of need.

Yet why won’t these feelings fade?

You stared dejectedly at the remaining scattered clothes. Sigh. Matching socks was so tedious…

Steven popped his head in. “Hey, how about we save this for tomorrow? It’s late.”

Oh thank you!!

Cynthia looked over at her husband. “But…”

He gave her a stern look. She turned and looked at you. Her eyes widened for a second, fingers covering her mouth, realizing how exhausted you were. “…You’re right. We’ll end here and pick back up in the morning.”

Haaaa freedom

You do your best to smile even through the exhaustion. Cynthia’s eyes relax and she gives a soft smile back. Her hand rests on your head, giving light pets.

She leans in closer to your face. Her forehead nearly coming into contact with yours. You feel wispy strands of her luxurious blonde hair tickling your skin.

“You did so well today! Thank you for all the hard work you’ve done. We’ve accomplished so much in one day! I would have never been able to do this without you.”

You did not have the energy to fight the heat rising to your face. The praise… the close proximity of her face… All you could do is dart your own eyes away in embarrassment.

Cynthia’s soft smile turned into a ghost of a smirk and backs away. “Well then. Off to bed now.” Her hands clap together and sway to one side. “We’ll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams (Y/N).”

She turns off and heads towards the bathroom.

Now you were alone with the Hoenn Champion. And still a bit flustered from your interaction with Cynthia.

Arceus help you.

You were also attracted to Steven Stone. The silver haired dream boat, as many fans have called him.

The silence was oh-so awkward.

Steven placed a hand on his hip and gave a mischievous smirk. “Good night (Y/N). Rest up.”

Why was your face getting even redder?! You dryly swallowed, gave a short nod and dashed to your room. The hand on Steven’s hip rose to his mouth in a fist, hiding his amused chuckles.

You threw yourself onto your bed, face first, attempting to drown yourself in a pillow.

Steven Stone knew you liked him.

He caught you reading written romance & erotica about him. Real person fiction, as it were called.

You wanted to die.

Yet here you are, living in this shared space with not one, but two gorgeous people. Pokemon Champions at that! Who were taken! With each other!!

The moment you desired to be taken away from the world of consciousness is the moment when sleep evades you. After all that struggling to stay awake, it’s so easy now. After you finally get comfortable in your bed.

Tossing and turning, physically and the thoughts in your head, you finally found a fraction of peace to try and drift away.

Until you heard a noise…

Your eyes snap open.

That was a moan. A soft moan.

You glance at the wall your room shares with the Champions bedroom.

Of course they’re going at it tonight. Of course!!

Cynthia’s breathy and airy gasps of pleasure just waft through the wall. Steven’s rumbles and noises cut right through as well.

The red face returns. All you can do is cover your ears with your pillow and stare into another wall.

Nothing’s going on over there nope.

Cynthia moans at a louder volume than previously

Absolutely nothing you wish to partake in nope nope nope

————————

In the Champion’s shared bedroom, Cynthia and Steven both grin through their pleasuring. That certainly was a loud one. You most definitely heard that.

They’re both aware of how much you like them.

Truth be told they both adore you as well. But they’ve decided to turn this into a game. To see how long you would last.

Hearing the pleasure noises of two people you are attracted to. How long would it be until you confront them?

Steven and Cynthia gleefully free through their midnight session. They were determined to make it so that you would snap tonight.

After all…

They are both so desperate to include you into their fun. Adding you into their established relationship.

Sweet, cute little (Y/N).

They both moan at the thought of it.

Hhhh omg my little pan heart

I would be so nervous to have Steven and Cynthia as roommates

Steven and Cynthia are such a power couple oh my God I want to rest my head in between Cynthia's tits while Steven fucks me hhhh.

[writingwithcolor]

Announcement: No Longer Answering Rubber Stamp Questions

Introduction

Here at Writing With Color, we’ve noticed a shift in the questions we are receiving. In the past, the majority of questions challenged the necessity of diversity in fiction or asked for assistance in making diversity seem more plausible in world-building. We also received many questions on how to describe and characterize people of color in respectful ways that didn’t demonize different races, ethnicities and religions.

By and large, we see that our followers understand why these concepts are important, and for that we congratulate you! This kind of progress takes real, long-term, internal work. Our team hopes that any advice or input you received from us over the years has helped you continue to develop as a writer. We hope you will continue to support us in the future and are especially pleased to hear from our non-white commenters who have let us know when our content has let them feel seen or heard.

However…

We have noticed a recent trend in asks that is discouraging. Many askers seem concerned with receiving our blanket approval of a particular concept or character. These asks often don’t provide us with the direction and context crucial to providing advice from a race or ethnicity-based perspective. Examples include:

“I’m writing a character from [insert background] who has [insert traits]. Is this ok?”

“I’m creating a world where I have made [insert concept] the basis of my world-building. Is this allowed?”

Hi, I’m a [insert identity]. Is it problematic to have [concept/ character] in my story?

“I’m creating a [Race A] character with [these] traits, a [Ethnicity 1] character with [those] traits, a [Race B] character with [some other traits] and a [sex/ gender minority] character with a [different set of traits]. Is this combination offensive?

We call these questions rubber stamp questions. If this describes your question, there’s no need to feel bad. We realize that there was never an explicit explanation of this concept. In addition, our team is mindful of the changing demographics of tumblr that might make it mean we are receiving questions from a younger user-base are not yet familiar with many of the principles we outline on this website. However, on that note…

What is Rubber Stamping?

Rubber stamping refers to the practice of seeking an endorsement without questioning or seeking to alter the status quo. The purpose of Writing With Color is to be a focal point for discussion about diversity in writing rather than simply prescribe a series of corrective measures. Without knowing the asker’s intent (Which we can’t, since we aren’t mind readers), our moderators are not in a position to provide you with carte blanche for your writing concept in the name of all other non-white people. Yes, we have a certain level of skill and expertise on many of these topics, but we are not here to take on the burden of all PoC to approve your writing choices. Nor would it be fair to other PoC if you took our response as a reason to dismiss the perspectives of other PoC (An unfortunately common phenomenon).  

Bluntly, on the moderator end, these asks are also incredibly frustrating because they are vague and thus:

Time consuming

Labor intensive (mentally and emotionally)

The last example from the previous section (AKA “Laundry lists”) is particularly time consuming because multiple moderators must collaborate to produce an answer that boils down to each moderator saying, “I guess it depends??? *shrug*” but in slightly different ways.

Perhaps the biggest problem with rubber stamp asks is they feel (to us) like they are more about the asker’s desire for closure/ approval/ virtue signaling than a willingness to participate in the kind of education and discussion on diversity we are trying to foster on this blog.

To that effect: We will no longer be answering such questions.

(If you sent in such ask before this goes up on November 15th, 2020, a moderator may reach out to you individually to better address your inquiry as submitted.)

However: Don’t worry! We also are here to teach you how to makes these questions better!

Fixing Rubber Stamp questions:

1. Be specific.

Instead of Can I/ May I, try “How can I” or “When can I” or “What can I”?

Thus instead of: “I’m Christian. May I create a Jewish character seeking to become an actress in 1920s Hollywood?” —> “How do I, as a Christian, create a compelling Jewish character while being mindful of the interplay between my own intrinsic bias and historical accounts of prominent Jewish figures in early Hollywood?”Or, instead of: “I want to write a story about a modern day piracy in the East Indian Ocean, but with magic. Is this problematic? —> “Given the continuation of modern day piracy in the East Indian Ocean, what are some tropes I should avoid if I decide to go with a modern fantasy set in this region?”

2. Remember: The goal is improved understanding, not approval. Sometimes, you really just want to know *why* you can’t use a particular concept, and that curiosity is good! Questions that ask “Why?” in good faith are often how you can learn a lot about your own intrinsic biases and the limits of your own knowledge.

Thus, instead of: If I write about [controversial topic], am I a bad person? —> Why is it better for someone like me to not write about [controversial topic]?

This approach has the bonus effect of making us feel like you actually care about what we think.

3. Write your question as a draft: Edit your ask at least once or twice to provide as much information as possible while being concise. I’ve told this to college students before, but I can tell when a person wrote their assignment by the quality of the writing. Writing done late at night, when sleep deprived and without at least one edit contains extraneous information while not having a clear point.

Going through your question (Preferably a day after you wrote it) will help you narrow down what you really want to know.

Remember: You all have free will and can write whatever you please. We presume that you seek WWC’s input because you wish to write on issues pertaining to people of color with greater levels of awareness. On a practical note, we recognize that social media, trolling, call-outs, doxxing and other dimensions of cyberbullying make writers online hesitant to do anything unless they think they have the majority of the public on their side. There are times when it is obvious that the asker is asking more because they need approval to feel less anxious when they share their work with others.

However, if the above is your worry, either you aren’t ready to write on this topic or you need to rethink the boundaries you set with the online communities/ individuals you interact with as well as how you manage your internet presence. With respect to personal anxieties when it comes to writing, morality, your conscience and so forth, we recommend turning to your own support systems IRL. As relative strangers on the internet, we are not well-qualified to allay personal concerns.

Remember: Writing with diversity is like training for a marathon. Give yourself permission to expand your comfort zone at the pace your research capabilities and experience allow!

We appreciate that you all trust us to provide helpful, well-thought out feedback for your ideas, and we also thank you for respecting our perspectives even if you may disagree. In the same vein, we request that you put the level of thought into your questions you think appropriate given that another human being is going to spend, at a minimum, several hours coming up with their response. We look forward to hearing from you! 

- The WWC Team

(A link to this article will be added to the pinned FAQ for everyone’s reference)