#and i don't care what flaws it had it matters a LOT to me now okay

[drdemonprince]

Any chance you'd expand on the hank hill trans guy post? (Sorry, best indicator I could come up with.) The concept interests me as I decidedly know my maleness, yet don't feel impeded by for the most part, any male gendered norms/boxes. I am fairly masculine, though I rarely use those kinds terms to describe myself. I have found I often do stray outside of what society pushed for me when I transitioned, yet I again do not feel it has taken from my right to maleness whatsoever. I am just me, who happens to be male. I have had friends try and suggest I am NB adjacent but I do not feel this way whatsoever. I feel more people are outliers to gender expectation than we care to admit and it's disappointing the way cis-people deny that. Hope this wasn't too long winded, I value your writing and perspective, and wanted to hear more of your thoughts on this.

Yeah, well so many things all get conflated by gender labels, and it's all so personal, you know? Masculinity does not have to mean maleness, and a person's gender identity might be a reflection of some innate quality they experience themselves as having, or a general summary of their tendencies, or their desired presentation, or their sense of affinity with other people, or an interpersonal tool, or something they just go along with because it was given to them by society, or any other number of things.

I think my recent substack piece on detransition goes into this pretty well, and I have an upcoming piece of what @pastimperfection calls "bilateral dysphoria" that comes out next week that delves into it too.

I think I mostly saw taking on a male identity as a means to an end more than any kind of innate reflection of who I was, though I did feel an affinity with effeminate men for a lot of reasons. I think I also discounted how much I have in common with my fellow nonbinary people of all stripes, because that identity became so strongly associated with being an annoying type of queer person that everybody else just wrote off as ultimately being their assigned gender at birth anyway no matter how much they protested. it doesn't help that 'nonbinary' is a catchall term for literally thousands if not millions of very distinct experiences and desires.

transitioning gave me control over how i was perceived, finally, but hormones are a throttle that only go in one very specific direction, and you don't really have all that much control over which changes kick in at which times and what people will make of you once you do start registering to them as some identity other than what you were first saddled with. it's an incredible gift to be able to toggle that throttle. but it's limited, not because medical transition isn't incredible and needed for so many, but because there is no escaping the goddamned binary cissexist logic that influences everything about how people treat you, how you navigate institutions, who finds you desirable and what they want out of you, and so much else.

if you're able to cast a lot of the external societal bullshit aside and feel strong in your maleness, maybe you're stronger than me or maybe our orientation to these things is just different, i don't know. i was never all that sensitive to feedback that i was doing the whole being-a-woman-thing all that wrong. i reveled in violating those rules to an extent. succeeding at being a woman despite my best attempts was what felt super dysphoric. and now i guess im succeeding at being a man, insofar as im always read as one, and it feels just as uncomfortable and objectifying and false. i thought that with manhood i could probably just grit my teeth and deal with it, but i'm finding that i can't.

ive always been very open that for me, gender is a thing I Do, and i guess to those who know me well it wouldnt be surprising to hear that i have gotten tired of Doing Being a Man and dont feel like playing that particular gendered game anymore. I tend to get bored of things! and find the flaws in things. and find my comfort in being fault-finding and contrarian and not being a joiner. and thats okay. i learned a lot along the way. not having to try any more is a huge relief. i can just do whatever. and know actively that people will more often than not be wrong in what they make of me.

maybe it was natural feeling for you to decidely 'know' your maleness without a care for masculine standards because that is the right identity for you! and maybe i only feel secure in the "not knowing" realm and in letting go of what people think of me or finding any kind of tidy categorization for it because that's the right spot for me. for now. until i find a new interesting way to be unhappy and striving for more and different again. :) that's just part of being alive, for me.

[mythvoiced]

HYELLO~ work's slowed down a little again, but I'm continuing m'hiatus a tad because for whatever reason I've been super low on energy so I'm not really managing to provide the usual energy I offer, SO UH HI I LUB U THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, CATCH YOU SOON

[camplease]

harrow grew in her emotional awareness of other people as people at an incredible rate during the events of gideon the ninth, a rate that honestly stretches the bounds of plausibility. and i think a lot of it, maybe even most of it, was specifically a reaction to an awareness of gideon, specifically, in genuine mortal danger that harrow had never previously considered

even before harrow was able to accept that she feels any affection for gideon, her covetousness of gideon's presence is evident. but, on drearburh, even though there might’ve conceivably been natural disasters outside of harrow's control that could’ve changed this, i think gideon’s survival of the child massacre made gideon seem like an almost supernaturally ever-present fixture of harrow’s universe. no matter how much gideon bled and broke in those 17 years, i don’t think harrow had truly considered the reality of gideon’s mortality before

when harrow thought of losing gideon, she thought of gideon escaping. prior to canaan house, though death involving those close to her was already something harrow knew intimately well, each example is inextricably connected to its specific context. with "the body," the cause of death didn't pose any immediate, direct threat to harrow or those she cared about. as horrific all of drearburh’s children’s deaths were, as heavily as they weighed on harrow, this was a part of her history rather than an imminent threat. and, as much grief and sorrow that the personal responsibility harrow felt for her parents’ suicides colored her existence, as much as she even once blamed gideon, ultimately, harrow's parents killed themselves. these were all so different by their very nature from the deaths at canaan house and the possibilities they illuminated. something or someone was maliciously seeking out those among her in the present. gideon's very existence could no longer be taken for granted, never mind simply losing possession of her

i believe that both accepting her own care for gideon and accepting the risk of losing gideon beyond losing control over her is what led harrow to assess the inherent harm and dehumanization of their power imbalance and to begin to understand the flaws in her worldview overall, the flaws in the system that granted her and others in power the power to abuse it at will and use those under them as tools

but the reason why i say this was a lot of/most of and not all of the reason for harrow's growth is because i think she always had some latent capacity for it that she'd just previously suppressed. and i don't think this is unique to harrow. i think the worst people within any system wear away at their humanity, and, thus, their ability to perceive the humanity of others and act accordingly, a bit at a time. but this process isn't irreversible. harrow's relation to gideon was just the catalyst for that reversal in her

i can’t say exactly who harrow would’ve become without gideon at canaan house with her for the lyctoral trials, but she would’ve certainly been very different from the person she is now

decided to make my own post because i was thinking about this poll way too much and it led me to a big enough tangent that it's its own creature at this point, though i also wanna credit that initial spark

[gatitties]

Web of love

─Yandere!Jujutsu Kaisen x fem!reader (platonic)

─Summary: your worst night followed by a wonderful day, are you slowly going crazy? Maybe, but you'll get out of here no matter what

─Warnings: blood, self-harm, anxiety attack, hallucinations, obsession, toxic behaviors, stalking, yandere stuff

Part One / Part Two / Part Three

The blank pages: Part One

YOU TRY to control your shaky breathing, no one would take away the poor quality of sleep you had at this point in your life, but having nightmares right now was the last straw that broke your patience.

You looked at yourself in the bathroom mirror, your face was slightly wet because you needed to splash yourself to clear your thoughs, the cold water didn't help much anyway, you slapped your cheeks with moderate force hoping the feeling of mental numbness would go away, but again it didn't work.

"What the hell is wrong with me…?"

You touched your right cheek, slightly red from the previous blow, focusing your gaze on the reflection of the sink mirror, you were a complete disgust, never, not even in your worst period of exams, had you seen yourself so emaciated, the dark circles and bags under your eyes, the lack of color in your face, your frizzy hair, its lack or decrease, bloodshot eyes… you could continue to despise yourself while you stare at your reflection for hours, bringing out each of your flaws.

But there was one that bothered you beyond your appearance, your lack of emotions, your lack of thoughts, you refused to show anything other than a blank expression to those people who ruined your life, you refused to have to think complex things while they took care of everything, not being able to do anything on your own you began to stop complicating your life by thinking about solutions.

Who were you? What were your goals? Your tastes? When did your memories start to become blurry? When was the last time you really smiled? Were you real? Or just a corporeal desire of psychopaths eager to have something precious to protect? Since when was everything so gray, so monotonous? Did you still consider yourself a person with rights and freedom? When did you start accepting this?

"Hey… Hey!"

Focusing your lost vision again in the mirror, you weren't very surprised that you were hallucinating after having a brain as soft as baby food, it was you, maybe a couple of years younger who was speaking to you through the reflection, your mouth opened but no words came out as if you were a fish out of water.

"What's happening? Is this the future that awaits me? You're pathetic! Look at you… Where the hell is your stupid smile? You used to smile a lot before, why…? Why have I become a puppet?"

Your words mixed with a murmur, feeling how your heart squeezed painfully in your ribcage, your mind deciding to continue the macabre game of your existential crisis, replaying memories with your family and all the warm moments that kept you sane until now. You closed your eyes hoping that the hallucinations would disappear, but you only managed that instead of visuals they were audible, reproducing words of affection from your parents in a loop like torture, the breathing exercises you did before to calm yourself stopped working now, you bit your lip so hard that you ripped off some skin, not enough for you because you started running your nails down your arms, leaving red marks from the friction and force.

"You're better than this, what's all this whining about?! Get up and stop being a coward! You will only drag me into this meaningless future!"

"Shut up…"

"Are you even worth anything? You're so boring, I don't understand how those sorcerers want to protect you."

"Shut up."

"Are you going to cry to sleep like always? You are a disgrace, you are lucky, lucky that someone can love you so much, what would you do without them? They are much better than your own parents, accept it, accept it, they love you unconditionally! Even without knowing who you are or how you feel, even without knowing what your purposes are, they will love you! Accept your desti-"

"I said shut the fuck up! Silence!"

You shook your whole body, holding your head, you hit it a couple of times against the wall, so hard that even a couple of tiles fell off, a few drops of blood fell from your head, but you didn't care, the voice, your voice, it was gone, you swallowed your own poison, locking your inner, dark thoughts deep in your brain.

Your mind continued numb for a couple more minutes where all you could hear was a faint sound of static and a constant beeping, but it was more calming than having to listen to your own voice in that twisted way. Getting up once you calmed down a little, your reflection returned to normal, you splashed your face with cold water again, cleaning the blood on your head, nails and lip, taking one last look at your pitiful person, with your head still full of unknowns.

"Why is this happening to me?"

You rub your eyes tiredly, cleaning up the mess you had made, you decide to lie down on the cold bed once more, tucking yourself in and looking at the ceiling waiting for your body to magically disintegrate into ashes, too pretty to be real, when you realize the rays of light make your eyes hurt and sting, one more sleepless night, a new day awaits.

Faking and ignoring your nighttime crisis you get up to do your morning routine, being greeted by an overly cheerful Nobara as you passes through the dining room to look for some breakfast, you couldn't say the same for Megumi, who looked much more tense than normal, you didn't know where the others were but you didn't care much either, and Nobara and Megumi didn't say anything about your appearance, whether they noticed it or not, you're just glad they decided not to ask anything.

"You look like you've experienced the worst existential crisis of your life."

You spit out what you were drinking when you heard Maki just enter, from her appearance you could tell that she had gone out for a run early in the morning, Toge and Panda followed behind her, everything fell into a silence that was too uncomfortable for you because they stared at you carefully, completely ruining your efforts to hide your bad appearance.

"Just a bad dream…?"

You mumbled, avoiding everyone's gaze, Toge approached you, patting you on the head as if that would help you, although it was the most comforting thing you felt this week, it didn't feel as forced as other interactions.

To your relief, everyone continued with their things, while you ignored what they were talking about and continued eating breakfast, their talk became louder than usual, you frowned at this, deciding to listen lightly to the conversation, you froze when you remembered what they were talking about, the Kyoto school exchange, even though you didn't sign up for that stupid ceremony, as a student you had to, at the very least, be present, but you knew that a large concentration of sorcerers would only cause you more problems than solutions.

You knew why Megumi seemed so tense when the other students showed up, they didn't seem to have a very friendly relationship, they all seemed quite focused on the rivalry between high schools, which made you happy since the focus of attention wasn't on you, but rather in Itadori since he seemed to be targeted by the Kyoto school just for being Sukuna's vessel. The bad thing was that you had to stay in the teachers' room, with Gojo and a couple of other guys, the good thing was that you fell in love, Utahime was your spirit animal, definitely someone to admire just for her hatred of Gojo.

"So, why don't you want to compete? I can tell that you have quite a bit of accumulated cursed energy."

"Aww, meeting my favorite student? Well that's a delicate topic she doesn't-"

"I'm not talking to you, shut up."

You smiled internally when you saw Gojo's kicked dog expression, who didn't even let you talk to Utahime, she looked at you again, completely ignoring the albino's presence, it was, the first time since you arrived here that you felt like you were having a normal conversation with someone outside your life, someone disinterested in your protection, it was the most real interaction you had since then and it had to be ruined, not by Gojo, not by any student… curses, a planned attack, a lot of chaos was caused that you barely understood.

"Don't fight and don't try anything weird, although I'll know anyway, stay safe!"

It was the last thing Gojo said to you before leaving with the others to see what was happening outside, you couldn't have cared less about his words, and although locking you in your room was the main idea, your wires got crossed with your little sanity, if everyone was distracted by a greater evil you could use that to your advantage.

Since both sorcerers and curses were completely absorbed in their stupid fight, you used that to go outside, first it was a couple of meters, you didn't notice anyone, the capsule didn't stop you from leaving, so you walked further away, elated by your minimal achievement, you started running as fast as you could, reaching the busy streets of the city, smart enough not to go near the places Nanami frequented.

It had been a long time since your heart had been beating like this, so wild that you thought it might come out of your throat, you coughed for air once you stopped in a park, collapsing on the ground, you lied there, you laughed like a crazy person, some tears escaping of your eyes as you looked at the sky brighter than ever. You couldn't believe it, you were alone, with no one watching, you could feel all the positive emotions hitting you, there were so many sensations that you didn't know how to feel, but definitely much more relieved.

The smile on your face was indelible, you were happy, the world at this moment was painted in much more vibrant tones, the palette stopped being a constant tone of gray, you smiled at children, the elderly, you caressed animals, you bought a few flowers and then randomly give them to some people, completely in a bubble of happiness.

Although the bubble had to burst at some point, whether due to your subconscious or the pass of time, you knew that your sudden disappearance would only cause more of a stir, you wish you were left for dead, but you know those sons of bitches wouldn't have that in mind unless they saw your death with their own eyes or found your inert body.

Using your last moments of happiness, you decided to treat yourself to some of your favorite sweets, saying goodbye to the clerk who served you with one of your best smiles, you took the long way to the jujutsu high school, hoping to delay your reunion with your "loved ones" as long as possible.

"Stop there! Aren't you the missing girl? You've given us an incredible headache, come on, I'll take you back."

Someone you hadn't bothered to meet grabbed your wrist, pulling you without even waiting for you to react, analyzing her appearance, she was quite similar to Maki, maybe a family member.

"What a pity, sorry for the headache, but can you let me go? I know the way Maki number two."

At this moment the least you wanted was a confrontation, but your mood had not completely dropped, although now you were a little more upset than happy, your emotions overflowed, causing you to be a more sarcastic and sassy version of yourself.

Mai stopped instantly when she was called Maki number two, you had definitely found her weak spot, which turned into a passive-aggressive chat between the two of you, you would have been angry, but you couldn't be angry when you enjoyed the criticism you were giving each other, honestly it improved your day and you felt more human than before.

"Oh thank goodness you're fine! I thought those dirty curses had kidnapped you!"

Nobara didn't waste a second in hugging you as soon as she saw you, Itadori following her a second later, you assured them that you were okay not wanting everyone to crowd around you as the others also wanted to ask where you had been and why you disappeared when they were under stroke.

You drowned out the emotions you poured out during the day, swallowing everything, turning your expression blank as you felt Gojo's powerful gaze on you, everything calmed down for the next few minutes, the two schools finished the meeting and the Kyoto students left, before that you decided to exchange phones with Utahime.

Once you got rid of your companions, you locked in your room, unlike many other nights, you threw yourself on the bed, grabbing a cushion and screaming as if you were one of those teenagers in love in those saccharine series, you moved your legs in the air by pressing the cushion tighter between your arms. Changing your posture, you looked up at the ceiling just like the night before, with the big difference that now you couldn't contain your emotions, you giggled, biting your lip lightly, not noticing the wound you got earlier.

You saw it, you saw light at the end of the tunnel, ─not that way of course─, you saw how a door opened before your eyes, a new opportunity to free yourself from the chains that kept you captive with all these psychopaths, experience freedom after so much time made you delirious, made you imagine that you could get rid of them, that they would leave you alone, even if it was risky, your only option was to escape, run away from everything and everyone without thinking twice, without thinking about what can happen in the future, you would give everything to re-experience what you felt today when you ran away.

You sighed dreamily as you remembered the feeling of freedom, closing your eyes, not worrying about whether you were going to be able to fall asleep today or have another boring game of chess, oblivious to the blue eyes that watched from your window.

"It seems like someone is in her rebellious stage, maybe she need some restrictions…"

He muttered, unhappy with your disobedience but excited to see you happy, he didn't think he would see it so soon, your smile was beautiful just the way it was and you decided to hide it like that for them? They were only worried about you, why did you have to keep all that to yourself? They wanted to be part of your happiness, couldn't you understand it? Well, they will make you understand it no matter what.

Once he made sure that your breathing was stable, he entered your room, kissed your forehead like every night, only this time he sat next to you, caressing your head slowly, observing how, even while asleep, your silly smile was still painted on your face, the flash of his phone made you frown slightly, but you didn't wake up.

"I hope you rest well today, I'm sorry for not helping you the night before, but if I had come in you would hate me more, wouldn't you?"

He said to himself, closing the door slowly, giving you one last look before leaving, he sent the photo to the group chat he had with his students, reviewing the last photos where any of the four were able to capture something more emotion than indifference. Just like you, the small display of emotions only opened another door for them, that small display of freedom for you and emotions for them, was simply another trigger for your problems, after all, the more you move, the more you get tangled in the web.

[seetangus]

How about azula realizing she really likes the reader after they take a life-threatening injury for her?? Love me some angst

Fiery Care - Azula x Reader os

[masterlist]

Azula x gn reader, tw: blood, heavy injury

1.340 words, please tell me if you find any mistakes!

I hope I got the request right, enjoy :)

No-one had prepared you for this. Rocks were being thrown at you by an earthbender, accompanied by the combined magic of a waterbender, the treacherous, disgraced prince, some incompetent boy with a sword and the Avatar himself.

You had trained firebending a lot, because, even considering that you were born into them, one only got accepted in the upper circles of the fire nation if one was a good fighter, but normally you were kept far away from any actual, real fights by your family, as they valued you - or rather your appearance; they wouldn't want their "little prodigy" to enter the service under the fire lord with any "flaws" that originated from missteps in battles.

However, you had insisted on taking part in this battle for a very special reason.

< • ◇ • >

A few hours earlier:

Azula walked, or rather marched, through the courtyard, straight towards you. That was a very rare sight and an unnerving one too, as you had long been plagued by strong unrequited feelings towards the princess. You quickly arranged your armour to look even more orderly and clean than it already was, acting with a nervousness and anticipation that would have told anyone who saw you that it was not just, like with anyone else, fear, that Azula ignited in you, but also some much warmer feelings.

Well, it might have told anyone, but Azula wasn't anyone, was she?

Her two friends who always escorted her probably knew, but that was no matter to worry about as they seemed pretty reasonable and pitied you, because of your feelings, to a degree at which they didn't feel the need to worsen your emotional state anymore by telling Azula about your feelings.

Now Azula stopped pretty close in front of you - she could probably feel the heat your reddened face emitted, but she did not seem to care.

"Y/N. Our scouts have tracked down the Avatar. We will leave in a few minutes to confront him and his companions. Father says it would be a good first fight for you, but honestly I don't care wether you accompany us as it likely won't make any difference. So you can stay here if you want to."

With much more energy than fitting you immediately responded that there could be nothing more delightful for you than joining her in battle. Ty Lee grinned at you from behind Azula, making you blush even harder.

Azula seemed unimpressed at your enthusiasm, but you didn't care. What mattered was that you would be close to her - or at least closer to her than normally - for a little while.

Also, you should be able to convince your parents to let you go if you mentioned that the fire lord himself thought that it was a good idea.

< • ◇ • >

Well, maybe the reason you took part in the battle wasn't even that special. You wanted to impress Azula, that was about it. A pretty dumb thought, if you thought about it - she was more or less infallible, how was one, especially you, to impress her?

However, there was not much time to think about such matters, as the attacks coming from the people you were facing seemed to become faster by the second.

You dodged a fire bolt the filthy traitor prince sent towards you and melted a stone that flew towards you mid air, freeing you up for just one moment of looking around the battlefield.

The first thing you noticed was dramatic. A whip made from sharpened, magical water made its way to Azula and she, who was in any other moment completely aware of her surroundings, was just preparing to defend against an attack from the Avatar-boy - she could get killed by that whiplash!

From one moment to another, your brain was deactivated and your protection-instincts, and maybe a bit of love, took over: in an enormous leap you rushed over to Azula - for one moment, everything was red and pain, but soon relieving darkness enclosed you.

---

With an enormous wave of wind, the Avatar ripped two small trees out of the earth, throwing them at Azula. She laughed at that pathetic attempt to seize her, igniting the wood with such fire that only a drizzle of ashes arrived at her position. But that ominous rain not only consisted of the remains of the burned trees, but also of blood.

She quickly looked around herself to see from where the scarlet liquid could originate - the first thing she found was the origin of the terrible act: the waterbender-girl was retrieving a thread of water she had been bending for it to become sharp and deadly into the bottle she always carried around.

Continuing her search, she found, or rather stumbled upon you. You laid unconciously besides her feet, your shoulder bleeding furiously. Considering that you hadn't stood there a few moments ago and in which direction the whip had been flying, it did not take long for Azula to realise the whiplash had been meant for her.

Driven back by a continuously growing amount of fire nation soldiers, the Avatar and his partners fled the battlefield, giving Azula an oppertunity to lean down to you and inspect your barely breathing body further. The more she realised what had happened, the more irrational feelings rushed through her head.

Naturally, everyone would sacrifice themselves for her, right? She was Azula. She really should not feel bad for you, it had been your duty to save her. In fights, things like these happened. You had to live (or not, in some cases) with it.

Yet, she could not help telling the healers who soon arrived to be extra careful with you if they did not want to experience her wrath.

She also couldn't keep herself from waiting outside the healer's tent, anxiously expecting the moment you would leave it. You would leave it, after all. She demanded you did. There was simply no way you couldn't.

And, what was maybe the worst of all, your face did not want to leave her mind. The face she had seen so many times on the courtyard and that she had always taken for granted - and that had not lost any of its beauty even when tainted through your own dark blood.

Given the size of your wound the process of healing was a long and exhausting one, but each day Azulas hope of seeing you again grew with the increasingly positive reports of the healers she ordered them to bring her.

Quite a few times had Ty Lee told Azula, in a very subtle manner, that it was quite unusual for her to think about someone this much. To care about them, even. That it almost seemed as if she liked you.

Naturally, Azula refused to give such assumptions any credit. Romantic fantasies like this were for children, and she was the very confident princess of the fire nation, not some toddler, wasn't she?

Of course she had to admit that she valued your wellbeing a little bit more than everyone elses, but her liking you? How absurd. Ridiculous, even.

Anyways, the only thing she seemed to do the following days beside worrying about you was to emphasize that she did not in any way worry about you at all. Oh, she couldn't wait for the day you left the hospital so that she could ask you some serious questions about what you did to make her think about you.

When the day of your releasememt from the hospital came, though, any questions were quickly forgot. Alone the sight of your face made her see everything she could have ever asked for.

You too could not believe your luck when Azula was the first person to greet you after leaving the hospital; her inviting you to sit beside her at the royal dinner that evening exceeded all your dreams.

She stepped closer towards you, and your heart fluttered when you saw the same look in her eyes that you had been giving her for a long time.

[itsclydebitches]

I know there's a lot to unpack in James' new interview but I am feral, FERAL I SAY, over this fucking line right here:

"His need was to be loved, and his tragic flaw was the belief that he was unlovable."

Back before Season 3 hit and Tedependent became ~trendy~ (not actually lol) I was heacanoning and writing Trent as a pretty anxious individual, someone with a ton of internalized self-loathing whose "whole vibe" was more of a mask than legitimate self-confidence. At the time I worried about him coming across as too OOC because really, what did we have to support this? Ted Lasso's prevailing theme of men discovering love and support when they previously had none? The lovely parallel of Trent struggling with many of Ted's own flaws, but presenting in opposite ways (cutting cynicism vs. endless optimism)? The then—far less developed—comments from James that Trent might have a rough relationship with his father? It felt unsubstantiated, unpersuasive, built more on my own interest in those kinds of characters and the occasional awkward moment from Trent than actual canon. Even into Season 3 I questioned whether my reading of him as struggling, significantly, with the care Ted offers wasn't just a result of my own, imagined inner life for him.

But NOW.

I'm sorry, hold up, can I just re-confirm that TRENT'S TRAGIC FLAW IS HIS BELIEF THAT HE'S UNLOVABLE? Unlovable??? Thank you, James Lance, for validating every reading I've had of this character since he first appeared on screen. Do people realize the depth this adds to every interaction Trent has? Particularly with Ted? Unlovable Trent Crimm starts off this relationship with a sincere compliment on his style ("I like your glasses"), something that Season 3 will present as a core part of his personality, something he's largely hidden away. Unlovable Trent Crimm grappling with the fact that yes, Ted enjoyed spending time with him. Him. WHILE he was playing the part of the asshole journalist. Unlovable Trent not being rejected when he admits, in moments of vulnerability, that he "Loves [their] chats." Unlovable Trent having his father's (likely snide) "Independent" comment reframed as a fun pun + advice to follow his "bliss": you have support, Trent, no matter what you choose to do. I don't care if you're successful covering a masculine-coded sport, I care if you're happy. Unlovable Trent committing the ultimate betrayal and being forgiven for it, immediately. Unlovable Trent being forcibly integrated into the Richmond family; actively accepted rather than passively tolerated: yes you should work here, yes you're a Diamond Dog, sit your butt down, Trenthouse Magazine, you will never be excluded again.

I'm sorry for the rambling post but I'm just so!! Insane about this!!! So much of Trent's hesitance could have been written off as a result of his career. That is, it might have been merely a learned reaction after decades of deliberately pissing people off. Of course they dislike him, but take him out of that environment and everything's fixed. Yet James has confirmed that he played Trent as intrinsically believing this. The career was a result of that unfounded fear—Might as well keep people at a distance before they hurt me first—as well as, simultaneously, a desire to somehow achieve the love that should have been unconditional from the start—Maybe my father will like me if I can be that "alpha male man's man" in print. Because this isn't just a flaw, it's a tragic flaw, a literary term that denotes a deficiency that leads to the character's downfall. This belief is so entrenched that it has led to Trent actively self-sabotaging his chances of being loved in the first place; a horrible self-fulfilling prophecy. He NEEDED someone like Ted—a fucking love sledgehammer that forces people to accept his care in the least subtle ways possible, even when they're acting as their own worst enemy—and by god, he got him!

Aside from Nate, Trent has always felt like the most isolated character to me at the start of the series (and even Nate has a good relationship with his mother and sister). What we've learned in Season 3 and James' interviews has only reinforced that reading for me: he was closeted in his marriage, unintentionally hurting his daughter, he's suffering under his father's expectations, he hates the press persona he's created to survive, he's bored at his job, footballers and other potential interviewees despise him—and not without reason (Roy). He has no friends that we see pre-Richmond and he's reached a point where the simple act of someone saying that they liked spending the day with him—again, while he's actively TRYING to piss them off and keep his distance—has him in such a state of shock he runs for the door, pens an uncharacteristically hopeful write-up, and is well on his way to upending his entire life for that man.

Because of course he is!!! From Trent's perspective Ted is a fucking impossibility shaped into human form. This is a man in his 40s whose greatest lifelong fear—now all but a certainty at his age—has been dismantled in a matter of hours. I'd write a book-length love letter to him too! And RIP to finale!Trent, but I would have run fucking Rom-Com style after the man who not only changed my life, but my entire sense of self-worth. (Ah fuck, but there's that tragic flaw again, keeping Trent hesitant. I now stand by my reading of the "I'll leave you be" scene as an unrequited goodbye.)

But finale aside, the man who'd convinced himself he was unlovable fell for the man who was love incarnate.

If that's not the most romantic shit you've ever heard idk what is!!!

[lilacqiqis]

OMG HII I‘M SO EXCITED TO SEE REQUEST FOR NARUTO AGAIN EHHE

so could I ask for Naruto being insecure about not being good enough for reader but she reassures him they cuddle and it’s just super fluffy!!

If you don’t accept it’s fine but thank you any way!! 🫶🏻

A/N: THIS IS ADORABLEEE TY FOR REQUESTING LOVE ❤️!! So sorry if it's too short.... Rushed this slightly -Mod Lilac

Characters: Naruto

Scenario: Insecure!Naruto and fem!reader reassuring him

TW: none, fem!reader

"Am I good enough for you?"

more under the cut

Naruto wasn't one to outwardly show his insecurity. It was a feeling that ate away at him, who would ever want to feel that way? A lot of times, he'd even be in denial about his own self loathing, denying the fact he felt like he wasn't good enough at times. So when he got with you, the girl he imagined marrying in the future, he felt himself worrying. Worrying he'll mess things up with his loudmouth. Worrying he'll mess everything up with his clinginess. Worrying he won't meet up to your standards.

Shunned since childhood, even after he got recognition and admiration he couldn't help but have the lingering thought that maybe he didn't deserve all the villagers praise, maybe they'll go back to hating him one day. It was just a thought yes, and he knew that it wasn't likely but still deep inside that terribleness ate through him like a caterpillar through an apple.

It was common for him to try and show off to ease his own insecurities. Praise from you specifically is what he craved, an addiction some may call it. He needed to hear you tell him that you love him frequently or he genuinely will start to believe you're losing interest in him. The feeling is the worst, it's almost as if his own thoughts were against him.

So now you two are in his home, Naruto being oddly quiet the entire time. You, being the attentive lover you are, took notice and went to check up on your beloved boyfriend who was sitting on his bed. "Naruto? Are you okay?" This snapped Naruto out of whatever trance he was in, though he kept his sorrow filled gaze as he turned to you. "...Why'd you agree to go out with me? I mean... I dunno. Sorry I just... You deserve a whole lot better, ya know? Am I... Am I good enough for you?"

The question slightly shocked you. Sure, most people had insecurities at some point, but you didn't expect Naruto of all people to have those kinds of thoughts. A small sigh escaped your lips as you walked over to where he was sat down, bed sinking as you placed your weight onto it. You lied your body down on the bed, opening your arms for Naruto to come into. For a brief moment, he paused, but he couldn't reject a cuddling invitation. Never. The boy let you take him inside your arms, head resting on your chest.

"I love you, no matter what. I don't care if you think you're 'not good enough'. You're perfect to me, flaws and all. My strong pretty boy." Your hands gave his head small caresses as he wrapped his arms around your waist. A smile crept onto his face, eyes closing as he buried his face into your chest. "Ya really think so?" "I'd never lie about that." "Heh..."

With the way you kissed him on the forehead and how you're holding him, maybe he'll be just fine with you. Maybe there really wasn't anything to worry about after all <3

[windvexer]

find some stuff to do magic about (feat. practicing sorcery is fun and good)

Do you want to do magic? Yes. Do you know what to do magic on? Maybe not. Here is a post for that. Take what you like and leave the rest behind.

Confront your learned helplessness face on because I'll bet money that there's a shit ton of stuff in your life you'd change if you hadn't trained yourself to pave it over just to make your highway of life a little less bumpy.

Let me tell you something I believe. I believe that most all of us have been trained to think that:

wanting things to go well,

wanting to be happy,

wanting little joys and pleasures in life,

and wanting not to be aggravated by the small things

somehow makes us weak, lacking, immature, or insecure,

or even worse,

that putting up with bullshit is somehow automatically makes us a better person, as if we've all got a cosmic thermometer that won't ding "good person!" until we've had it up to here with bullshit and then still force ourselves to grin and bear it.

"If I do magic to shorten the Starbucks drive-through doesn't that make me impatient? I don't want to use magic as spiritual bypassing in order to avoid my flaws."

Well then. Far be it from me to decry the kratophany of Prometheus getting his liver pecked out by eagles every day, manifest in your sacred sacrifice of having your minutes pecked out of your day, one by one, as you wait in line.

Make a list. Keep it with you. On paper, on your phone. Doesn't matter. It's a list of things you'd like to change. Little fleeting things that rear their head only for a second or so before our industrial-powered steamrollers smash it into the ground. Big things that you stew over day to day.

No problem is too petty. No splinter in your side is too insignificant. Betty at the office blows her nose every day at 8:15am and if you have to hear it one more time you are going to burn the building down? Put it on the list.

Do you have to leave 20 minutes early for work on Thursdays because a freight train blocks the freeway for five minutes and your city backs up like Betty's nose? What is magic going to do, rearrange the city's entire traffic patterns? Maybe so. Who cares. That's magic's problem, not yours. Put it on the list.

Have your eye on quite a cute designer bag? Does it cost your monthly rent? Put it on the list.

Learn to stare your life in the eye again with the verv of someone who has just found a reality-warping gun with unlimited ammunition. Game night gets cancelled too often? You never remember to use your pizza coupons? You can never remember to get ginger ale at the store? Put it on the list.

Feed yourself what ails you like a crab going absolutely bonkers in a plankton-filled tank.

just do some of that normal "witchy" stuff, why not

Protections: Not only for spirits and stuff!

Against unwanted solicitors

Against your room mate's creepy partner coming over

Against debt collectors finding your new phone number

Against surprise quizzes in your course

Against nightmares

And from time to time a sorcerer does like a good house ward. Experiment with yours, why not? Waiting until you're under attack to learn how to put up protections is like waiting until you're drowning to learn swimming. Sure, the sheer adrenaline-fueled terror might get you somewhere - or it might get in the way.

You don't normally use altars? Build one, why not. Build secret ones in shoe boxes. Experiment with altars and compound magic.

Perhaps you'd like a mini spellcasting kit to go? I don't know if making one counts as doing magic, but it's fun to make them.

Why not develop and prepare an oil or incense blend that must steep for a few months before it's ready? You don't need it now, right? So that means it's prime time to make things that are supposed to "mature" before use.

And hey, what's the deal with cleansing? A lot of people make fun of it now. Some people say it's important and necessary. Why not get really into cleansing and develop your own take? Practice gentle cleansing, nuclear cleansing, cleansing with pure energy and cleansing with candles, cleansing with cleaning products and cleansing with joy.

casting a spell right now is not the same thing as activating it right now and you can still gain a lot of experience in magic without releasing spells into the wild

I think that a lot of people think of spells as I light the candle and the spell is activated and it goes and does the thing, so if there is no Thing right now, then I can't cast the spell,

whereas if you reframed it as I am creating a spell-creachur that will hibernate in this little vessel until I spill it out into the world,

you may actually find that there are dozens of spells for you to actively develop, experiment with, cast, learn from, and passively benefit from - without necessarily needing any of them right now.

And the benefit is, if you don't actually need it right now, that takes a ton of pressure off of you. If you're not acting out of desperation, experimentation can be very fun indeed.

What about the most intense jaw-breakingly stupid strong protective amulet you've ever conceived of? Make it, why not. Make five prototypes on your journey to the strongest danged protection amulet this side of social media.

Who cares if you don't need them? Maybe some day you'll meet someone who does. Or, you know, magic is fun and doing it is its own reward.

What about a talisman for dreamwork and astral travel? Make something that reeks so intensely of the moon that it launches people out of their bodies just by walking past it.

Decide to perfect the most dazzling money-drawing candle spell. Make that your thing. You don't need cash right now? No worries; donate it to charity.

Have fun. Experiment. Made something that came through a little too hard and now it's causing problems? What a wonderful opportunity to learn how to disassemble a spell vessel.

Make yourself a cabinet full of enchantments. Learn how to contain the energy radiating off of all those enchantments. Realize you need more space and learn to combine multiple similar enchantments into one vessel.

make trusting friends who will let you cast on them.

(self explanatory)

[sophitia-of-hyrule]

I said before that TotK "nerfed Zelda's personality" but now I think it might be even worse than that.

Outside of the intro cutscene and a bit of the ending, she has no personality. She's a blank slate (which she is NOT supposed to be, that's Link's job). Now I'm not going to lie to you, her dragon transformation made me cry A LOT. But it's only because:

1. Even if she was written in the most boring way possible, she's still the same incarnation of Zelda that BotW had. So from the get-go I care about her, so matter how bland TotK made her.

2. that cutscene was just so beautifully executed with the cinematography and the animation and the music, everything. Plus afterwards where we see Link surronded by silent princess flowers. That whole sequence is amazing, but that doesn't take away from the fact that she had no personality in the prior memories.

The only thing that shows us that Zelda has "grown" since BotW is that she's been scrubbed clean of all her flaws. She is a perfect benevolent ruler who is smarter than everyone else (she gave training advice to THE GERUDO of all people). Everyone who complained about her being "whiny" and "mean" back when BotW came out fail to understand that a flawless character is pretty boring. I don't care much for a perfect waifu. I want a character who has interests outside of what she can do for others. Because that's what TotK Zelda is ultimately: she exists to please others. What SHE wants doesn't matter. It's all about helping Rauru, it's all about repairing Link's sword. She has no desires of her own. All the personality she had was taken away as soon as she fell into the abyss.

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM LEVERAGE *  assorted dialogue from the tv show, adjust as necessary

so you're really going?

you're not supposed to root for the criminals.

it's not a weakness to see the good in people. it's not a flaw or a bad thing to trust.

you know that part of the conversation where i punch you in the neck nine or ten times? we're coming up on that part pretty quick.

i know what you're trying to do.

i can't thank you enough.

it's not about the money. it's never about the money.

we make this look good.

i think i'm getting better at this. i didn't even stab him!

you and i are not the same. we don't believe in the same things.

we're thieves, man. we're good at what we do.

i think people are like locks. really complicated and frustrating, but you can't force them.

this... is way, way out of our league.

you scared?

i don't trust horses.

nice job while we were away.

i hope one day... you can leave it all behind you.

no one is trying to kill you, you idiot!

moving on with or without you. it matters. you matter.

you did the right thing.

don't do this.

why do you care?

that man's not going to be me.

how does that make you feel?

promise you'll consider working with us again.

we don't want to see that.

what do you think parents are most afraid of?

i meant wine when i said "bottle."

you're the wine expert.

you're never going to tell me, are you?

i do know the difference between what's real and what's fake.

you expected the second glass to taste better.

at the end of the day, some things can't be faked.

that's disturbing.

yeah. don't do that to me. i can't lose you. don't scare me like that.

you can't fool a scientist at his business.

the world can always use more good guys.

so... the hard drive. everything you need is right there.

will you marry me, [name]?

you've always had my back. now will you be on my side?

i'd say call if you need anything, but you never, never need anything.

thanks to you, i don't have to search anymore.

promise me you'll keep them safe.

i'm keeping him all to myself.

what's the problem with getting emotionally butt naked?

i'm just trying to share my feelings.

you know this was your crusade. now this is our war.

i think i'm okay with it. yeah, i'm okay with it.

you're the smartest man i know. don't get cocky.

did you steal it? because that would be more romantic.

we're out. done.

what you were doing, back in the room... where did you learn to act like that?

that depends on what you say next.

a lot of revenge in there. just waiting on a righteous man to take a swing.

wine is just another way of saying "i'm better, i belong."

how'd you get your hands on a CIA contract?

you ask too many questions.

am i dreaming now, or was i dreaming then?

it's your life, [name]. make something of it.

let's go steal a dream.

headed your way in 10 minutes.

we do the impossible.

just letting you know... if we die, i blame you.

none of this would have happened if you'd just gone to the movies like i told you.

despite your efforts to drop off the map, i now know your new base of operations.

i didn't think that would work.

arrest them both.

we're helping you with your investigation.

i'm sorry, what are you doing in my room?

you have one hour.

sometimes... bad guys are the only good guys you get.

[crazyhearttragedy]

Hi hi hi 👋 I love your works.. especially the divergent one.. can you maybe make an imagine of tris being inlove with four but didn't know he was in a relationship with the fem!reader who was pretty badass and was from amity.. she then came back from a mission after a week and the dauntless people made a party in celebration of my return.. here's a little plot twist tho.. Eric is in love with the reader but he doesn't admit it because he knows she's in a stable and commited relationship with four and she loves four very much... At the party the reader was dancing with four while Eric was watching them from afar tris came up to him and asked about the reader and when she finds out she gets heart broken... Here's a thing also the reader is also a divergent that is good at hiding it..

I really hope you can do this but I'm not forcing you it's alright if you don't hehe anyway have a nice day 😍

Taken- Four x reader x eric

Author's note: Thank you for your request! Here's your imagine!

Tris couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as she watched Four and the Amity girl dancing together. She had been secretly in love with Four for a long time, but she had never told him. She thought that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way about her. But now, as she watched him with the other girl, she was starting to realize that her hopes had been in vain.

It wasn't that she was jealous of the other girl. In fact, Tris had grown to like her a lot. She was kind, brave, and smart - everything Tris admired in a person. But she couldn't help feeling a little sad that Four had chosen someone else.

Tris was lost in thought when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Eric standing behind her.

"Hey, Tris," he said with a smile. "Having fun?"

Tris forced a smile in return. She didn't particularly like Eric - he was arrogant and had a tendency to be cruel - but she didn't want to be rude, either.

"Yeah," she replied. "It's a nice party."

Eric nodded. "Yeah, it is. Though I can't help but notice that you don't look very happy."

Tris bit her lip. She didn't want to tell Eric about her feelings for Four - she didn't trust him enough for that - but she didn't want to lie, either.

"I'm okay," she said after a moment. "Just lost in thought."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

Tris hesitated. She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him, but something in Eric's expression made her feel like he might understand.

"Four," she admitted quietly. "I… I like him. A lot. But he's with someone else now."

Eric's expression softened. "I know how you feel," he said. "Believe it or not, I've been in your shoes before."

Tris was surprised. She had always assumed that Eric was too confident and self-assured to feel anything as vulnerable as love.

"Really?" she asked.

Eric nodded. "Yeah. I fell in love with someone once… but they were already committed to someone else. It hurt, but I had to accept it and move on."

Tris felt a pang of sympathy for Eric. Despite his flaws, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "That must've been tough."

Eric shrugged. "In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter. What matters is that we both find our own happiness, even if it's not with the person we thought we wanted."

Tris nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's just hard sometimes."

Eric put a hand on her shoulder. "I know," he said. "But I promise, it does get easier."

As they talked, Tris couldn't help but notice Four and the Amity girl out of the corner of her eye. They looked happy together - it was obvious that they cared deeply for each other. Tris knew that she couldn't compete with that, no matter how much she wanted to.

But in that moment, she realized that maybe she didn't need to. Maybe she could find her own happiness, with someone who loved and respected her for who she was.

It was a comforting thought, and it helped ease the ache in her heart, if only a little.

"Thanks, Eric," she said after a while. "I appreciate you talking to me."

Eric smiled. "Anytime," he said. "You're a good person, Tris. And one day, someone will see that and love you for it."

Tris smiled wistfully. "I hope so," she said.

As she watched Eric walk away, Tris realized that maybe Eric wasn't such a bad guy after all. Maybe, in his own way, he was just as lost and confused as she was.

But for now, all she could do was try to move on and find her own happiness in life. And maybe, just maybe, someday she would.

[trelinha9]

Every time I see a Friede x Amethio post, ten of my neurons die. I know these posts come from new fans who only watched the episodes released on Netflix (which goes up to 13 if I'm not mistaken), and he's only appeared in 6 episodes at this point (which is a crime against my mental health. What the hell is he doing in that time offscream? I WANT ANSWERS!!!) I remember in the first episodes of Horizontes, that Tumblr and AO3 were full of posts and fics about Friede x Amethio, and they disappeared over time as the episodes went on.

It's funny, because nowadays, almost a year after Horizons officially started, fans who watch the subtitled episodes are all worried about the mental health of this teenager and wondering why the heck they are in Exploradores, while the new fans are in the same boat as most of the old ones were and abandoned, shipping the poor guy with Friede.

I personally never shipped them because:

1: Amethio is, canonically, and confirmed by his original voice actor, a teenager (on bulbapedia it said he was between 13 and 19, but now they removed that part and only added the fact that he is a teenager, without mentioning a possible age) I headcanon him as 16, because, for me, it's the age that makes the most sense for his behavior and mannerisms, but that's just me. You can imagine him as 18 or 19 if that makes you feel more comfortable shipping him with Friede, but it doesn't change the fact that he's still a young and emotionally immature person, with no apparent emotional support base other than his Pokémon and his subordinates (Zir and Conia will get there someday, I know they will), while Friede is a fully grown adult, and clearly more mature than Amethio (there's even a line about it in episode 25). Friede had already been a Pokémon teacher for probably a reasonable amount of time when Liko was around 5 to 7 years old (we find out about this in episode 18), and honestly, Amethio doesn't look that much older than Liko. The clear age difference between them makes me uncomfortable. There are a lot of adults in the Horizons cast to be shipped with Friede, leave the traumatized teenager alone.

2: The way Friede, especially in the first arc, keeps teasing Amethio, even though he's clearly irritated and on edge, makes me want to punch him. I love Friede. But the way he interacts with Amethio, one minute he's having a good time taking care of Liko and Roy, and the next he's ready to annoy the shit out of a teenager make me so angry. I love this idea that Friede is a complete social disaster who doesn't really know how to pick up cues (scareing a deaf girl, for example, is definitely something he would do by accident 👀), but there's no way he can't see how negatively his actions and words affect Amethio. Amethio wants to prove himself. He wants to fulfill the mission ordered to him, and this idiot adult, in addition to getting in the way, bothers him every chance he gets (ep 5, ep 22 and ep 25 are the best examples). I'm amazed at how Friede either doesn't really realize the harm his actions cause to Amethio, or he does and simply decides to keep doing it.

This post may make it seem like I don't like Friede, which isn't true. I love Friede. I think he's a very funny character, but he also has a lot of flaws, and bullying a teenager is one of them.

I don't want to start fights about ships, because I'm not in Horizontes for the ships, but for the story and the characters. The only ship I really like is Friede with a certain Explorer who erased a child's memory (because for the love of god, they couldn't have made their battle in the last episode any less gay, could they) I don't want to offend anyone who ships Friede and Amethio, I just wanted to give my opinion on the matter and why I, with my interpretation of the story and characters, hate this ship. (Hate is a strong word, but I feel uncomfortable whenever I see this ship somewhere)

I'm really sorry if I offended anyone at any point in this post, I just don't like seeing a teenager and an adult being shiped.

[invested-in-your-future]

Saw your post about Volume 9 and it's issues and my gosh this volume was a hidden test to see the true colors of RWBY fans.

The way people reacted to Ironwood and Adam really made me uncomfortable. Then when they started to attack fans of these two made me stop watching the series in general.

Monty would really be digusted knowing how these fans are treating other fans and are proudly showing their racism and ableism.

I would never forgive RT and the stans for what they did to this community

Honestly, to play devil's advocate I don't think it's surprising to see your average fan "hating the characters written to be hated" - the show's narrative goes out of its way to make those two as despicable as possible, whether it's understandable(there's no way to write Adam as anything but awful past V3) or outright weird (the way Ironwood flip-flops between being completely different people and then the writers commentary ends up being "neurodivergent people are evil").

What I think is more telling is how a lot of fandom reacts to the four leads.

How many of the fandom end up taking Jaune's side in V9 blaming Ruby for "acting evil like Ironwood"?

How many are perfectly content with Weiss being treated like a trophy in the first few volumes and then like a joke for the rest of the show?

How many think Blake's monologue about burning and looting is "good, strong character moment"? Let alone how many fetishize the animal traits with no regard of the IMPLICATIONS of doing that?

How many take Yang's attitude and bravado at face value and would nod their heads in agreement when Taiyang berated her for "daring" to "mope" about what happened to her?

I think that's a lot more telling because...

Well to begin with there's this pretty ancient and common trope of "Protagonists are right" - it's the idea that the audience always will gravitate to the protagonists and their emotional states and choices, even when the narrative portrays them as wrong. It's something pretty much every show ends up dealing with because it's hard to break the notion that the audience should always agree with the protagonist, to the point of inherently being angry at any character that questions them.

RWBY BREAKS THAT in the weirdest way possible - not only narrative portrays the protagonists as ALWAYS RIGHT, but whenever the show does anything even remotely akin to characterization, a big part of the fandom acts like team RWBY almost had committed some grave mistake of changing as people. And then the show reassures that it's okay all that self-reflection stuff is gone now and they will remain unchanging.

There's a sizable part of the fandom that doesn't relate to the lead PROTAGONISTS of the show, nor even bother to think about how they SHOULD or shouldn't feel or what should or shouldn't be there in terms of their development and growth.

Is Ruby justified in being annoyed and distressed at everything and possibly having an outburst at Jaune? What about the gross implications of the tea scene and where the character has been driven to? It doesn't matter, nobody should ever be angry at Jaune, how dare she be unsettled, aww look he got a hug, the poor guy.

Is Weiss justified in being creeped out by his advances and his inability to accept a rejection? It doesn't matter, because look he's such a nice guy, how dare she.

Isn't it degrading to have Blake basically deliver a speech putting down minorities and then lose all of her agency and plot? Doesn't matter!

Isn't it disappointing that Yang is denied her right to recovery arc or exploration of her flaws or any sort of growth? Doesn't matter, as long as the fandom gets to fetishize her further.

How am I expected to be surprised that fandom can't analyze or criticize the writing of villains or the awful offensive implications all over the show when a huge part of fandom can't relate to the leads or analyze motivations and characterization PROTAGONISTS?

Seeing people not care of what was done to Ruby in V9 or how THE SHOWS MAIN PROTAGONIST got neglected in every way possible for SIX volumes??

Seeing people not care about how any semblance of Weiss's development got relegated to a generic crossover movie nobody asked for and the show never addressed her privilege or her family issues beyond surface-level nonsense?

Seeing people not care that Blake delivered that awful monologue and basically disappeared from the narrative becoming aimless eye-candy?

Seeing people not care that Yang got denied a proper characterization and her issues got treated awfully by the show?

Seeing people not care that Blake and Yang got denied a proper story arc where they resolve their issues, face their trauma, and then grow closer together once again?

The true colors of decent chunk of the fandom had been shown with that already.

[ddaroll]

To be honest, I feel uncomfortable that Transformers fandom has a tendency to want Optimus only to be morally flawless.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you have to love all OP.

I fully understand with all my respect if you only want that kind of Optimus who is morally flawless.

The problem is the overcriticism of him who does not fit that standards of fandom.

Optimus is like the icon of Transformers. so he's in everyone's head like a soup with the images of all continuities rather than being thought of separately in each universes.

And if some Optimus in a particular continuity is being morally gray or making bad choices, people simply just read the wiki or read posts about that or ignore about the context why he made such choices then overcriticize him with confidence like he's the only one who's done wrong/bad things in the story.

And that's… that's just so weird. I've seen so many posts that overcriticizing him and getting self-righteous. They seem to feel themselves like… morally neat when they criticize Optimus. "I'm a very smart and analytical person who can spot these flaws even this overrated moral icon character!"

and... idk why but they are also obsessed with collecting Optimus' little faults and saying that Optimus should beg Megatron for forgiveness for THAT.

It's really weird considering Megatron also has done so many wrong things and they're always throwing same shits at each other in stories, but beyond that, above all, THEY ARE ALREADY PAST THAT STAGE!!

The two are no longer care about minor disputes in the past!!!

Megatron just wants to make Optimus know that his way is wrong, you little blind idealist, and Optimus is like "please just stop that madness and genocide and colonization. Universe hates us for this."

Do you really think that if Optimus apologizes to Megatron for the little things he did wrong in the past, the war will end just magically? AND DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT OPTIMUS NEVER TRIED SUCH THINGS DURING THE WAR?

I mean, if you really love and understand Optimus Prime, you should know that Optimus would have tried all the nonviolent ways to end the war arleady!

The initial feud between the two is no longer a matter now!The war between of them is now nothing but a huge ideological conflict!!

They are just divorced old men with a long history, not a fresh couple just started meeting each other!!!!!!

I just can't understand unless they enjoy criticizing the character who is considered as a moral icon to self-righteous themselves. I would fully understand if they criticize other characters equally, but no, they always have a huge double standard just for Optimus.

if they are all just nothing but Optimus haters, I still don't like it, but I could understand but this is also actually happening in Optimus fandom. Please show some love for him. at least don't try to prove your morality through him. please.

Oh I just read through what I wrote and I can see my anger is being expressed like a gradation LMAO I'm so sorry lol

anyway, so, yeah, please just see him as the same way like when you see the other common characters.

If you don't think of him as an overrated moral icon, or someone who should always be right, or a vessel of some kind of old ideologies (somehow people think that objectively correct ideologies are boring and outdated), but a person, you can enjoy the Transformers stories so much deeper. a low understanding of him will prevent you from enjoying thoes stories a lot. Like those ppl who blame Optimus just for cooperating with Ghost, without thinking about the consequences of not cooperating with them.

btw, the reason why I deleted my old tumblr was largely because of this. Back then, IDW Megatron was showing his redemption arc, and IDW Optimus was making mistakes to keep the peace he had barely achieved. and… yeah, I think you would know what was happend in Tumblr at the time. I left the fandom for 4 years because of that. The funny thing is, I didn't even know I was in love with Optimus until then. Anyone who knew me at that time would know how crazy I was about MTMTE lol

[galaxythreads]

How do you feel about Odin, because I saw lots of posts saying odin messed big time with all three of his kids but then you say you only said because it’s fun

In Thor 1, and only Thor 1, with ONLY the context of Thor 1, I can argue that Odin was just trying to reach out to his kids and couldn't quite manage it. That he was a good, but flawed father, who tried. That opening scene where he grabs their hands is extremely soft. Odin couldn't fight the Odinsleep and he had been putting it off, but rather than immediately go to sleep after Thor was banished he finds Loki to make sure he's okay. I genuinely think that if Odin hadn't fallen asleep, he could have talked Loki down from the rest of the chaos of the movie. When you add in all the movies after Thor 1, that's when I'm like "hmmm. no. with more context, you're actually a terrible person and father."

I've read so many fics where Odin is a good parent. I've written a few myself. I actually started a one-shot series, now deleted, of times where Odin was a good parent. I love the idea of him being a good parent, but I just don't see that as canon reality. With how he's treated his children, the combined evidence of how all of them turned out speaks volumes for how loved they felt. Even if we got to see Odin's perspective, that doesn't matter to me. Odin doesn't get to decide he isn't the bad guy to his children. What he did affected them permanently. Are his children biased in how they view him, so the audience is too? Yes. But again, Odin doesn't get to be the good guy just because his motivations are muddled and more complicated than we usually think of them as being. His children were victims of him and you can see that time and time again. That is something that I personally can't look past. Even if he had the most loving, deeply caring reason in the entire world to treat them like that, Thor, Loki, and Hela deserved better than what they got. They are not okay and if Odin had been a good parent, they would have felt loved and more secure. Being a bad parent is different than being a bad person, but Odin manages to get 2/2 with the context of later movies.

I said in the tags of a post I reblogged discussing Odin not being as horrible of a person as we consider him to be, the post you tagged me on, that "I write him as abusive because I find it interesting" and to be clear - I do think that Odin, with all the context of every movie we have, is abusive. I do not think he is physically abusive, and I didn't clarify that. There is little to no canon evidence of that, but THAT is what I put into my fics because I find it interesting. Physical abuse. It's not that it's the Worst Type of Abuse or that I'm trying to play everything up just because I can. IT's just one type of abuse that I want to explore. It's fanfiction. I am exploring the possibility of what Thor and Loki would be like if they were physically abused. I wrote a fic where Hela was the victim of human experimentation and like. I had fun. People love that story. It isn't canon and I know that, but that doesn't mean I can't write it. It's very canon-adjacent.

But, regardless of that, emotional neglect is abuse. Thor, Hela, and Loki in canon absolutely have symptoms of being emotionally neglected and somewhat have some of being emotionally abused, You can see Frigga being emotionally neglectful to Loki in the TDW, and the way Loki reacts to it suggests that he's not surprised and he is used to it. Odin tells Loki his birthright was to die as a child on a frozen rock and that he should be grateful to Odin for not killing him. You know. As a baby. Odin is extremely dismissive and emotionally neglectful of both Thor and Loki in the TDW. He compares the woman Thor almost died for to a goat and you can see that it hurts Thor, but he says nothing in his defense. Thor is severely depressed in TDW and you can see it everywhere, and Odin doesn't care. Frigga doesn't care. They ignore it because it's easier. Sif is really the only person to ask if he's okay, and that's at the end of Thor 1. That to me suggests that their home environment was not very healthy. You know that entire conversation of "reassurance" between Frigga and Thor in Endgame? That is a master class of emotional neglect. She didn't help him. She didn't listen to him. Not a healthy environment.

I think deep, deep, deeeeeep down in canon, Odin and Frigga wanted to be good parents - to Thor and Loki, they would leave Hela in prison for a 1000 years and be cool with it, oh wait they actually did - but they didn't have the time/energy/mental health to manage it. They're both the rulers of nine worlds, they don't have time to raise kids. Thor and Loki are vying for their attention constantly which suggests that it's a very rare thing to receive from their parents. Thor is the most attention-starved person in MCU in the first Thor. Emotional neglect!! I genuinely think that Thor and Loki more so raised each other than their parents.

So no, I don't like Odin. I think he's a complex character and I'm happy to discuss him in depth, but I think he is an awful, awful parent. Like I said, there is a distinction between parenting and the person, and Odin is a TERRIBLE parent. He's not an amazing person either, but I think he tried. Odin didn't decide to stop collecting realms on a whim, something must have happened that made him value peace over bloodshed. He told Thor and Loki that "a wise king must never seek out war, but must always be ready for it" so he was trying to be a better king and not leaping at things with his teeth bared. He tries to stop the war with Laufey. Idk. It's complicated. Canon is complicated. People are very rarely black and white and Odin isn't an exception to that rule.

There is a reason that him being physically abusive doesn't feel ooc, AND why him trying to be a good parent also doesn't feel ooc. A complicated man, to be sure. I don't really discuss Odin as a character that much, but I do think about him. He and Frigga are fascinating to me.

[a-random-whovian7]

A non-serious attempt at comedy/list about what your favourite incarnation of the Master says about you:

Roger Delgado: They just like more dialogue and richer themes in your storyline, preferring character interaction and chemistry rather than spectacle. They also make sure their outfits are neat, stylish and elegant. Always colour co-ordinated. Usually quite calm and collected until you say Terror of the Autons is just a remake of Spearhead From Space.

Peter Pratt: Basically a Fourth Doctor fan who refuses to admit there are flaws with The Deadly Assassin or a fan of horror films. More than likely grew up in the seventies. Definitely looks into their KFC bucket and sees lots of little Masters staring back at them.

Geoffrey Beevers: Basically the same as the Pratt fan, although this one refuses to admit there are flaws in the Fourth Doctor's era as a whole. If you tell them Tom Baker stayed on for too long, prepare to have your intestines made into a scarf. Usually forgets about 90% of the plot of Logopolis. Almost certainly a child of the 70s, hence why they see this Master in the mirror each morning.

Anthony Ainley: Likes to just have fun, no matter how corny or wierd the stories are. Will happily just sit and watch the Master basically trolling the Doctor with minor inconveniences, waiting for the inevitable moment when that character hovering in the background with a not-quite-as-clearly-defined backstory pulls off a mask and wig to reveal a goatee. Is somehow able to enjoy Time Flight. Do not ask them their opinion on the TV Movie.

Eric Roberts: A legend amongst humans. Saw the campy, over-the-top dressing gown/robe, the bad cgi snakes, the wierd terminator references and thought "yes, this is clearly the best one." Constantly annoys purist classic series fans simply by existing and does not care. Knows the TV Movie is mid and does not care. Knows that the Eye of Harmony was originally on Gallifrey and does not care. Has definitely said "I always... dress for the occasion" and does not care that no-one gets the reference.

Derek Jacobi: Sold their soul to Big Finish for the War Master range. Religiously watches Utopia to see that reveal again, and wishes Chantho had been fully fried before shooting the Master. Now all they can do is offer sacrifices to Nicholas Briggs and sit in a darkened room, staring at the Big Finish website.

John Simm: Probably has fan art saved to their phone, and has almost certainly read Ten/Master fanfiction at some point. Will defend Last of the Time Lords and The End of Time Part 1 with their dying breath (and for good reason, those episodes slap and those two slightly dodgy scenes don't ruin them, Moffat did worse retcons, fight me). Cried when their Master showed up in The Doctor Falls and usually has good relations with Missy fans because of it. Thinks Sacha Dhawan is a lazy rip-off. Can usually be found comforting the Jacobi fan after their War Master box set has been delayed.

Michelle Gomez: Basically the same as the Simm fan, only this one defends the Moffat era and their fanfiction search history is a bit more varied. Thinks Death in Heaven was a good episode, and that The Doctor Falls should have been the last Master episode. Hates Chibnall for bulldozing all their character development and rendering this incarnation's redemption slightly pointless. Usually slightly more forward-thinking than some other fans and great with their friends. Has formed an unlikely alliance with Delgado fans... somehow.

Sacha Dhawan: Took one look at the most quirked up Master and decided that was the one. Thinks John Simm was OK, but lacked the "evil four-year-old on a sugar rush" energy of this one. Usually bitter rivals with Missy fans, as everyone started re-evaluating the Moffat era instead of watching S12, and will go strangely quiet whenever the Timeless Child is mentioned, praying that someone will say that it should have been the Master and thus giving them a "get out of jail" card. Was absolutely overjoyed when people enjoyed Power of the Doctor. Convinced that the Chibnall Era will receive a massive reappraisal in the future, despite the fact that the odds of that happening are about the same as the Terry Nation estate accepting that the Daleks are overused.

Alex Maqueen: Sold everything to Big Finish. Doesn't even watch the show. Can't watch the show. Who needs the show when you've just spent all your month's wages on that box set? It's not like you need to eat or anything. The most likely individual to end up in a padded cell when someone doesn't know what Dark Eyes was.

Gina McKee: Missy fans, but with small social circles and a heavy dose of Weezer.

Mark Gatiss, James Dreyfus, Milo Parker: Wait, these guys played the Master?

If you really want more of this shit (why), there's a list about favourite Doctors and Companions