#and all on his and your behalf

[noknowshame]

why is religious Christmas imagery all so joyful and pleasant? where is the inherent horror of the birth of Christ? A mother is handed her newborn child, wailing and innocent. Her hands come away sticky. Red. Simply by giving her son life she has already killed him. He is doomed from the beginning. Her love will not save him from suffering. Because the thing cradled in her arms is not a baby, it is a sacrifice: born amongst the other bleating animals whose blood will one day be spilled in the name of what demands it. the night is silent with anticipation. Mary, did you know? That your womb was also a grave?

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

i have a Scene - a Plot if you will - that backs this as context. y'all are gonna have to trust me on this one <3 or read the tags...

[meteorstricken]

A Casual Indictment of Clive Rosfield

Thinking about how Clive swore to kill the one who killed his brother.

Thinking about how he told Cid that once he'd done so, "whatever happens, happens", and how Cid then chided him for being a slave to fate.

Thinking about how, according to the Ultimania, Clive made Joshua the core of his spiritual identity...and how he began training to be his Shield since the tender age of 6.

Thinking about how, when fighting Ultima in the end, he did so as Joshua's Shield, and nearly every exchange he had with Ultima was drawn from Joshua's last words. But when the fight was done...his high idealism of humanity seemed to fade. Because it wasn't his own. It was Joshua's.

...Thinking that the "Logos" presence that Ultima picked up on in the Interdimensional Rift and in Origin was not Clive--it was Joshua. Joshua, who'd picked up the power of creation. Joshua "with my light in your heart" Rosfield, who occupied Clive's being so much that Ultima could not. (In short, Joshua benevolently "stole" Mythos out from under Ultima.)

...Coming to the conclusion that Clive ultimately did fulfill his original vow, coming full circle: To kill the one who killed his brother, and then let whatever happened next, happen.

Which means...if we agree with Cid's perspective, Clive was not free. He did not fight for himself, nor against his fate. He did not try to save himself after Joshua was gone, even when so many others wanted him to. (Irony of ironies, Clive committed what was one of Ultima's chief sins according to his brother: He refused, in the end, to honor the faith and will others had for him to return, even those he most treasured.)

If one person makes their relationship and duty to another person their whole identity, can that person truly be free willed, on a spiritual scale?

No...I don't think they can be.

Free will (I think) demands some sense of inherent worth, independent selfhood/ personhood--a sense of identity that allows for the value of others' input, but does not require them to validate or qualify it.

Whether he triumphs or fails; whether he lives or dies, I would very much like to see Clive fight for himself--to find out who or what he is to himself when not defined by his role or duty to another person.

[hood-ex]

wait idk anything about the tevis’— why would tommy tevis call dick his son? would you be willing to give a quick rundown

After Dick failed to get himself incarcerated, he became an enforcer for a mob boss named Tommy Tevis. Tommy took Dick in and made him part of his family. Tommy considered him an honorary son and thought very highly of him.

Nightwing (Vol. 2) #107

He even told Dick that everything he had (his home, his reputation, his family, etc.) was Dick's as well. Lynette, Tommy's wife, told Dick that Tommy would let Dick do anything. The whole family loved Dick, including Tommy's 15 year old daughter, Sophia. Sophia actually had a crush on Dick, but Dick acted like an older brother to her, helping her with her homework and such.

While Dick was away from the family for a few days, the cops busted into the Tevis's home. Lynette got killed in the gunfire, Tommy got taken to jail, and Sophia got taken in by the state.

Dick, while mentoring Rose, broke Sophia out of the state home. He got Sophia to help him with the mob. Then, when Chemo fell on Bludhaven, Dick saved Sophia and left her with Amy. When they reunited at the hospital, Dick asked Sophia to leave the mob behind and join a boarding school.

So, yeah, that's Dick's relationship with the Tevis family.

[sarcasticsra]

Now: imagine you’re Hob, and you meet a fey so stunningly poised, a true gem, in your eyes, of their court. You think their magnificence is only further enhanced by the fact that they, too, understand what it is like to serve others, to work so that others may enjoy the majesty of the Bloom. You share an unexpectedly tender moment, alone in the forest, and then it ends abruptly, and you are unsure as to what you have done.

This uncertainty is only further exacerbated when you are challenged to a duel by their assistant, and even once it is over, she refuses to tell you what offense you have committed. It seems logical to conclude that your foolhardiness in expressing any tender sentiments to someone so majestic was an insult that could not stand. As you are reminded by your superiors, you are a blunt instrument. That is your purpose.

Then you see them transform at the tea party, the lovely elven form fading away to reveal them as they truly are: a resplendent, breathtaking owlbear, eyes kind, nervous. You stumble over your own feet, marveling at the splendor of them. Their magnificence truly knows no bounds.

You realize, then, what an arrogant fool you were, to think anything you did or said impacted their thoughts in any way. They simply had their own inner worries to focus on. As if a humble goblin such as yourself could even begin to factor into any of their considerations at all.

And in the hedge maze, as you turn away from the scent of peonies, you know you are something else, even worse than a fool: a coward.

At the tailor’s shop, you remind yourself that you are an idiot, insignificant to their mind, but you remain enamored by them, the glory of their beauty such that it could inspire a sunrise to jealousy. They don’t say much when the conversation turns to deriding the Court of Wonder, and you are moved, wishing only to comfort them, as they describe their complicated feelings toward their court. You understand them. You know that isolation.

When they tell you that you were used, that it seems as though no one else in the Goblin Court has given any concern to your needs, you feel the coldness of the medal in your hand so keenly, stunned even as you know they are correct, unable to offer any reproach to their words. This wondrous fey before you is like none other you have met, and you are unworthy in their presence. You hurriedly give them your medal, rushing to the door, hearing but not heeding their insistence that you protect yourself.

At the masquerade ball, when the fireworks explode above, your only thought is of them. You act so rashly, ungentlemanly, placing your hands on them without permission, but their response is kind, gracious. You can scarcely believe it when they show you their empty dance card, and you feel the breath leave your lungs when they ask you for yours. You meet their eyes, feeling the magic in the air, and you eat your card, so that their name and their name alone will ever be the one it bears, as close to you as you can keep it.

You dance, and you dance, and you dance again, and even when you muck it up with your typical oafishness, they seem to enjoy it, to enjoy you. You are spellbound in their arms, and when they ask you what the P stands for in your name, you can only whisper it, a secret just for them. They smile, lifting a peony from their ensemble, and place it behind your ear, as if in exchange. For the first time in your life, you feel cherished. You feel pretty.

Their kindness this evening is a gift you will be grateful for forever. They have given you a glimpse of possibility, of what it might be like to be... loved, and it is as beautiful a dream as they are.

Reality, of course, returns the following morning, with your new promotion and your new assignment, and after your conversation with BINX, you think it is no wonder you are so easily cornered by Prince Apollo, as true a scoundrel as you’ve always suspected. You flee, taking substantial wounds for your trouble, but you do find the others, them included. They ask you if you’re hurt, and you try to assure them, but your answer seems to upset them, and you realize you must have looked a fright. Wounds are nothing to you if you may be of service, but of course someone so kind would be concerned. They ask you again about your own wants and happiness, and you do not know how to answer. There is no alternative to obligation, is there?

They simply wish you happiness before they leave, something in their demeanor... dampened, and Lady Featherfowl quite understandably assumes you’ve been stabbed once again, this time right through the heart.

At the theater, when the message from the Court of Sea Foam comes through the blossom, you are frazzled, moving to find more information, and the confirmation of your terrible suspicion feels like ice in your veins.

You are a fool. You’ve known it all along. Of course a fey so wondrous and glorious would not lower themself to entertain a lowly goblin like you. Of course they would not truly care about your wants, your needs. What you took as kindness out of obligation to the Bloom was nothing more than calculated cunning, expertly wielded to keep you off guard, to dissuade you from your mission. You’ve been tricked, made a mockery of, and so easily, too. It mustn’t have taken them much effort at all, to make you feel as you did--as you do.

You confront them, knowing you will be unable to fully conceal the effect they’ve had on you. Even now, in the moonlight, in their red-rose dress, they are stunning. They speak of love as the basis for their actions, as though the damage they have dealt to your court is irrelevant, as though your duty, your service, is irrelevant. You know now their actions toward you were a charade, but still it stings. You thought you understood them. You thought they understood you. 

And then they tell you they love you, and you are caught, frozen, mouth agape, as they explain how much they love you and how much they care, that they’ve professed their feelings and did not receive a response. They explain why they turned away from you in the forest, that you inspired their glorious unveiling, and in that moment, your mind reels, and you feel as though you’ve forgotten how to breathe.

[alicepao13]

My mind has completely bypassed the prison episode (kinda like the schedule has) and is now focused on Hudson and Son and its potential for emotional whump.

Now, I know that the Hudson and Rex writers can't be inside my mind (and truly, good for them, it's a terrifying place) but I'd have written this for Charlie and his dad, using the very few plot points they've fed us: Charlie was his father's pride and was set to join the Navy as he had been expected to do, despite not feeling it and being more into mystery solving (the later is mentioned in the show). And then he decided to take a year off before college (again, as mentioned in the show) as a last act of defiance or soul searching before joining the Navy. Where he came in peace with not wanting to join the Navy and wanting to be a law enforcement officer, so when he came back he announced it to his folks and his father wasn't pleased, thus causing some friction between them, which they were both aware of but in typical Hudson men fashion never acknowledged.

Don't get me wrong, what Charlie said about being tired of trying to be the peacekeeper between his father and his younger brother Jack is valid and can be frustrating (I can sadly relate to that) but I don't think it's quite enough. And you can't have him appear in the episode while the supposed root of the tension is between his dad and Jack, like, there is nothing to be resolved there. You bring the character to resolve the tension between him and Charlie.

[thepoisonroom]

trying and failing not to get mad anew that my hs friends who are now dating trans women are all the same people who constantly they/them'd my ex-girlfriend even though those were like never her pronouns

[gregoftom]

oh tom :(

[death-rebirth-senshi]

RANNI DOESN'T *WANT* RADAHN DEAD WE DO THAT ON OUR OWN WHILE SHE'S SLEEPING!!!

Unless I'm missing some dialogue from Ranni after you learn this.

I mean don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure if you told Ranni beforehand she wouldn't be overly torn up about it and tell you to get his ass, especially given his current state.

(A lot of people that blame Ranni for Radahn's death seem to ignore, for some reason, that Radahn is in a state of constant suffering and wants to die, which is the reason Jerren holds the festival.)

[buckttommy]

to be completely honest, I think the person who was most happy about BT ending besides Buck was Eddie. That man suffered as a spectator to that relationship for TOO LONG. He even had to share the food he cooked for his husband and son with her. Glad that's over for his sake tbh !!!

[phe-purple-parade]

Trying to go to sleep but the Ghosts episode I just watched has me yElling

THOMAS'S BACKSTORY AAAAAAAA HE LOVED HER SHE LOVED HIM THE OTHER GUY WAS CONFUSED BY SOME DUDE'S APPARENTLY DIEHARD LOVE OF MARY SHELLEY AND COUSIN BUTTON WAS AN ARSEHOLE AND THEY DIDN'T KNOOOOOWWWWWW & tommy's stuck with the fake letter ):

[captain-noir]

im 90% sure that the deterioration of lestat and claudia’s relationship can be attributed to him reading her diaries. up until that point (barring charlie because i chalk that up to her trauma and his strict and tactless approach to death and not any underlying malice) he’d been keeping his distance per louis’ request. its only when he was confronted with her thoughts - inked with ungratefulness/hurtful words for both of your guardians - and her actions that led the cops to their sanctuary, was when he washed his hands off of her. and his resentment only calcified into pure hatred when louis pined for her for seven years in spite of everything

[winepresswrath]

I want vampire Antoinette in fact I DESERVE vampire Antoinette but if vampire Antoinette hangs out with Killer because someone thinks that counts as a cute Easter egg I will dump this stupid show so fast. That will be the thing that does it.

[cinematicnomad]

spain in june

[call-me-maggie13]

If anyone is wondering what the United States Navy listens to on deployment, I will tell you. It is mostly @taylorswift. There’s a little bit of Disney music and some country songs, but it’s mostly Taylor Swift.

Now picture this: the scariest man you know, big and mean and scary, screaming and crying and singing Marjorie into a mop handle. Now picture 20 or so young men choreographing a dance routine to Style. In their uniforms. Now picture a guys vs. gals dance-off to I Forgot That You Existed.

My chief would yell at anyone who tried to play a non-Taylor’s version of any of her songs. We would argue about the best Taylor ballads during watch and had album release parties the day after folklore and evermore dropped. You have not lived until you have dissected Taylor Swift song lyrics with four grown men in dress blues while an officer tries to redirect us. Nothing will ever compare to my SLPO sending us home early because he found out she was releasing folklore and he needed to “emotionally prepare” himself (he bought three bottles of wine).

I know everyone assumes we talked about sports or whatever but you can’t really keep up with those in the middle of the ocean, so we spent a lot of time listening to music because there are only so many stories a person can tell. Unless you’re Taylor Swift, then there’s a never ending supply.

These are the people the US government has defending the country.

One of my buddies just got back from deployment and she’s a submariner so they really really don’t get any news from outside the boat and she sent me a multitude of snaps of her reacting to midnights and the eras tour. There was a lot of screaming and crying and curses. I have never been happier to be out of the military than I was when I realized she has to catch up on the last six months of Taylor lore and Easter eggs.

[comixandco]

look i’m just saying. if i spent thousands restoring an old house and furnishing it, and then my girlfriend moved in with me and replaced all my stuff with pictures of her interests and dug under the house to hide from me, and then when I came back from a trip after living there for years all the locals acted like it was her house and I’d never existed? I would riot