#and mutual reciprocation of character growth

[eternally--mortal]

Just me over here reading Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction by writers like emilieee and missnoodles and realizing that I read emotional closeness / physical displays of friendly affection in the same way that other people read steamy romance novels . . .

‘Oh my gosh they’re holding hands’ and ‘she’s showing him open affection’ and ‘his eyes are so soft when he looks at her’ — ‘so scandalous. Oh my goodness.’

‘They’re flirting with each other. Openly. How naughty of them. How intimate. How unusual.’

‘Mutual banter? In public? How daring. Emotionally, I can’t take this. I’m euphoric. Over the moon at their bravery. The audacity.’

[doumadono]

My sincerest congratulations on your milestone, hon! 🎉🥳 I want to request "Realizing they’re falling in love" with Dabi, Hawks, Shoto and Bakugo, if possible in headcanons format

BNHA boys realizing they’re in love - headcanons

A/N: thank you oh so much, love! Your support means the world to me ♥

MASTERLIST

Dabi

Dabi's realization that he's falling in love is marked by an internal struggle. He's fiercely independent and has always believed that emotions are a weakness, so acknowledging his feelings is a battle against his own principles.

His attraction is laced with a sense of danger and forbidden allure. Dabi finds himself drawn to your unwavering determination and willingness to stand by his side, even as he remains shrouded in mystery.

As Dabi falls deeper, his rough demeanor occasionally melts away, revealing a more tender side. He may let his guard down when you're alone, sharing stories from his past or allowing a genuine smile to grace his lips, only for it to vanish as quickly as it came.

He often finds himself lost in thought, pondering whether he deserves happiness or if his actions have forever condemned him to a life of darkness.

He starts paying more attention to the details of your interactions, almost obsessively analyzing every word and gesture. Dabi's internal struggle manifests in his occasional distance, as he battles his own inner demons.

While uncertainties may still linger, he's come to realize that the depth of his emotions is a strength, and that love perhaps has the power to reshape not only his destiny, but also his perception of himself.

Hawks

Hawks' realization that he's falling in love comes with a mix of surprise and intrigue. He's used to navigating complex situations, but matters of the heart have always been a bit of a blind spot for him.

His attraction to you is accompanied by a desire to make you smile. Hawks becomes increasingly attuned to your moods and goes out of his way to provide comfort and support, often resorting to his sense of humor to lighten the mood.

He finds himself seeking out your company not only during downtime but also in the midst of his hero duties. Hawks secretly enjoys your conversations and becomes a master at multitasking, balancing his work and his growing affection.

Hawks' love is built on mutual respect and a shared sense of purpose. He's attracted to your determination and your unwavering belief in the importance of heroism, and he finds himself more drawn to you as you work together to make the world a better place.

Despite his easygoing facade, Hawks experiences moments of vulnerability when he's alone with his thoughts. He questions whether he's capable of reciprocating your feelings and worries about the impact his dangerous lifestyle might have on your potential relationship.

Hawks' journey towards embracing his feelings becomes an integral part of his character development. He learns that vulnerability doesn't equate to weakness and that opening his heart might be his most courageous act yet. As he navigates this new territory, Hawks finds himself on a path of self-discovery, growth, and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be a hero.

Shoto

Shoto's realization that he's falling in love is marked by a quiet and introspective process. He's used to keeping his emotions in check, so acknowledging his feelings takes time and careful contemplation.

His attraction is rooted in a deep admiration for your strength and kindness. Shoto finds himself drawn to your unwavering support, especially during moments when he grapples with his past and the complexities of his family.

He might leave a carefully selected book on your desk or prepare a warm cup of tea after a particularly challenging day, using his own experiences to empathize with your struggles.

He becomes more open about his own emotions as he navigates his feelings for you. Shoto shares his thoughts about his parents and siblings, his struggles with his dual Quirks, and his dreams for the future, creating a deeper level of understanding between you.

Shoto's love is quiet but steadfast. He's willing to stand by your side through thick and thin, offering his unwavering support and stability even as he continues to grapple with his own inner conflicts.

He finds solace in the simple act of holding your hand or sharing a comfortable silence, allowing your presence to be a source of healing and reassurance.

Bakugo

Bakugo's realization that he's falling in love is met with intense frustration. He's not one to easily acknowledge his emotions, and the idea of being vulnerable in this way infuriates him.

His attraction is laced with a mix of admiration and exasperation. Bakugo finds himself drawn to your ability to stand your ground against him, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own feelings.

Bakugo's expressing his affection through action rather than words. He might go out of his way to train with you, pushing both of you to your limits, or subtly lend you a hand when you least expect it.

He starts showing a more protective side, even if he tries to hide it behind his explosive temper. Bakugo's concern for your safety becomes evident when he's more willing to work as a team and takes extra precautions during battles.

Bakugo's love is fiery and intense. He becomes fiercely loyal and is willing to face any challenge head-on to ensure your happiness and well-being.

Despite his gruff exterior, Bakugo experiences moments of inner turmoil. He's torn between his pride and his growing feelings, leading to inner monologues where he wrestles with his own vulnerability. "Damn it, fucking shit, why does this have to happen? Stupid emotions! I don't have time for this crap!"

Bakugo's gradually letting his guard down in your presence. He might crack a rare smile or engage in playful banter, allowing glimpses of his more genuine self to shine through.

[hualianisms]

Not father & son, not master & disciple, but a secret third thing

First of all, let me preface this by being clear that everyone is free to headcanon anything they want and like/dislike anything they like/dislike! That being said, sometimes I see international fans interpret FDB as LLH's son, or their dynamic as parent-child or otherwise familial, and as a native chinese speaker, I just wanted to share some reasons why I personally did not interpret them as familial.

Granted, at the start of the show, FDB is kept in the dark and also not up to LLH's level of skill in solving cases. However, FDB quickly catches up in crime-solving skills, intellect and maturity by the 2nd half of the show, after a well-written growth arc. I think the beauty of the characters and relationships in this show is that they grow & evolve, and are meant to do so. The dynamic that LLH & FDB had in episode 1 is quite different from their dynamic at the end of the show. By the later episodes, they are 2 adults who are very much equals.

Why I don't read them as father & son:

LLH & FDB act and speak in a manner that is far too informal & familiar with one another, which would be extremely inappropriate for any kind of parent & child, even a surrogate one. Several times, FDB calls LLH by just his first name "Lianhua", and sometimes even calls him "Damn Lianhua" when he is angry/upset at LLH. This would be extremely rude for a disciple to call a master, or a son to call a father. No son talks to his father the way FDB talks to LLH, and no disciple talks to their master like that. Unless the son/disciple hates the father/master, and is outright rejecting his father/master altogether. As we see in the show, not only does FDB not hate LLH at all, he instead cares deeply for LLH and would do anything to save him. Why, then would someone scold/curse someone they care about? Does the trope of the upset spouse/partner sound familiar?

For comparison, see FDB's interactions with He Xiaohui, who he is close to - he is informal & affectionate with her, but never calls her anything other than "娘 niang" ("mother"). I can't emphasize enough how taboo it is in Chinese culture to ever call your parent or parental figure by their name under any circumstance.

2. In ep 31, FDB himself explicitly rejects the idea of LLH as his shifu and himself as LLH's disciple, responding that he is too old to be LLH's disciple and it was merely a joke. He clearly sees LLH as an equal, and rejects the notion of their relationship being anything other than that of 2 adult equals. LLH also tells his shiniang that FDB is not his disciple, and a few episodes ago LLH told FDB that he has never understimated FDB.

Coding/hints as something other than platonic:

Zhiji/zhijiao - FDB calls LLH his 知交 zhijiao in ep 19, and 知己 zhiji in ep 34. "In this life, I, Fang Duobing, recognize you as my only zhiji." is practically a love declaration. And this bond is reciprocated by LLH, bc in a deleted line in ep 19, translated by forayuarchive on twitter, LLH is the one who first calls FDB his zhijiao.

To clarify, Zhiji is not specifically a romantic term, but it's what was used in both The Untamed and Word of Honor - both dramas based on danmei novels with canon gay main pairings - to bypass censorship, to code the bond between the main duo as deeper than your typical platonic male friendship. (See this post for a detailed explanation of the significance/history behind the term zhiji, and see this twitter thread for an explanation of the meaning of zhijiao in MLC - especially how zhijiao is specifically mutual, reciprocated).

2. Married bickering - forayuarchive on twitter has discussed in these twitter threads how the tone of many of LLH & FDB's interactions (especially FDB) is similar to how married couples or romantic partners speak to one another bc of the level of familiarity, tone and language. For my fav example, see this note (translation by forayuarchive) that FDB left LLH in ep 35, which reads pretty much like a note that a spouse/partner might write when leaving their shared house in a hurry.

3. "Xiaobao" - Personally as a native Chinese speaker, LLH calling FDB "xiaobao" in front of everyone is a level of intimacy that genuinely would make me feel embarrassed to hear as a third party. 小宝 xiao bao (literal meaning = "little treasure") is usually something you call actual babies/children AND is FDB's family nickname for him, so if you're calling a grown man that in front of everyone including his colleagues, family and even strangers, then one might assume he is likely either your biological family or your romantic partner. (For comparison, just imagine calling your s/o their parent's special childhood nickname for them at work.)

4. Deleted lines where FDB calls LLH "xiaohua'er". 小花儿 Xiaohua'er ("little flower") is very intimate and feels like something someone might call a lover. Or, at least, definitely not a platonic shifu, even less so a parental figure. (For meta on the names that LLH & FDB use for one another, see forayuarchive's twitter thread.)

5. More deleted scenes (translated by forayuarchive on twitter), perhaps cut due to censorship, which make apparent LLH's high regard and deep care for FDB. For e.g., a line of internal monologue by LLH in ep 40, translated here by forhenjun, shows that LLH thinks of FDB as the only person in his two lifetimes who has always treated him as a human being rather than putting him on an unfair pedestal.

6. Official MLC accounts act like as if they ship them.

As murderedbyhomework mentioned, there is a song in the official soundtrack of MLC called "Fanghua's Day-to-Day Life" (yes, the exact same words as their ship name). Sounds like a couple's daily domestic life, doesn't it?

The official iQiYi Romance youtube channel lists clips of LLH & FDB under the romance category.

The official MLC douyin account posts MVs with emotional captions (e.g. this one translated here by forayuarchive) that emphasize how much both LLH and FDB mean to one another. Another official MLC douyin calls LLH & FDB the person each other trusts the most.

The MLC clips posted by the official Guangdong TV weibo account also has captions such as these (translated by rice_jpg) that straight up describe FDB's feelings towards LLH as "when you like someone" (very similar CN phrasing as the phrasing used to describe romantic crushes).

7. They are subtly paralleled with a canon straight romantic couple (see fanqxiaobao's twitter thread on the parallels btwn LXY/QWM scenes and certain LLH/FDB scenes). MLC also made a distinct change from the novel by not having FDB get married to Princess Zhaoling, even though the drama could have easily given FDB a romance with her.

8. If you're familiar with chinese romantic tropes or the danmei genre, LLH & FDB fit many common romantic tropes e.g. sharing a drink on the rooftop under the moonlight, forgotten first meeting in childhood (and then meeting again properly as adults), power couple fighting side by side (they even held hands!), nianxia, protective younger ml, sickly older mc - just to name a few. Danmei even has many stories of shizun/shifu & disciple pairings who fall in love as adult equals.

There's honestly lots more but these are just some off the top of my head. Again everyone is free to interpret anything! This is just me explaining why as a native chinese speaker I personally did not read their dynamic as that of a father and son.

[epiphainie]

what are some moments you’d like to see or you think we *should* get together between bucktommy in season 8? ‘should’ - not as in must get! but moments you think would be important to their growth and establishing them as a long term couple and would be very good for the story they’ve built so far

Hi anon,

Sorry for the very late reply, I had to think about this a bit because I love this question! This will get long, sorry in advance.

I think first things first, we need some drama lol. Seeing how a couple overcomes conflict for the first time is seeing how the relationship can/will prevail in the long term. It's also important as a story element, conflict is what makes characters make decisions and take actions, what enhances the emotional impact etc. After all, what is more satisfactory than the sense of resolution that feels earned?

I think the first type of conflict I would like to see them navigate through would be something interpersonal. I don't really want a bloated case of miscommunication because so far they have been presented to do very well in that aspect (Buck is for once not just going with the flow but proactively pursuing this relationship, they both apologize, they both hear each other, they both reassure the other etc.) but the reality is every new relationship will have a stumbling bit when it comes to communication.

I don't know what they'd specifically deal with (like Henren had trust issues and Madney ignored talking about mental health) but Buck - despite his progress - has very well-documented issues around his self-perception and the concept of love and we know it took Tommy a great deal of effort to become the guy he is today (who's in tune with Buck and seem to communicate very well), he also has his own demons. So the right triggering event can cause a moment of unexpressed emotions on both sides. (Our fic writers have been great coming up with ideas for this and I've seen many posts speculating, so if anyone has any specific scenarios in mind please put in the tags.) What I would really really love to see in a scenario like this is an explicit, on-screen reassurance of each other about the root of their issue. I want Buck to have a love interest who with clear words say what Buck needs to hear and I want Buck to reciprocate. Like I said, we've seen BuckTommy be mutually really good at this so far, so I would love to see how it looks when they deal with something bigger.

The second type of conflict I'd like to see them handle would be a conflict caused by an external threat. Maybe not something as dramatic (and hurtful) as Madney dealing with Doug but anything that puts them through the wringer a little bit. This and what I said above wouldn't need to be mutually exclusive events obviously (Gerrard, for example, can be an external threat AND a trigger for individual insecurities, interpersonal conflict etc.) but this I specifically want because I believe to convincingly set them up as a long term/significant relationship, they should show us them being a team, a united front. Where my first point was about seeing how they would navigate their individual traumas together, this is about seeing how they'd deal with the world that throws them a wrench.

Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, I think we need to see how they would act as a couple in a group setting. This obviously touches many of the points we've collectively made over the past few months about how there's so much potential re: Tommy interacting with the other 118 members. I think one of the biggest fails of Buck's previous relationships from a writing point was how little they existed within the rest of Buck's world. The first time I watched that scene of Buck, Taylor, Eddie, and Chris having dinner together I had to do a double take because so much of Buck's relationship with Taylor and Buck's relationship with everyone else felt like two different shows. It was cute when Buck said "You don't want to see a hangry Taylor" - it made them sound domestic, it made their relationship feel actually lived. This is such a little thing for BuckTommy to feel integrated and real imo. I don't mean they have to write BuckTommy as the center of attention in a group setting, what I mean is that they need to extend BuckTommy's existence as a couple to the broader context of the show.

Kind of building on this, another thing I think would serve very very well here is if we see Tommy interact with others when Buck is not there. If we want BuckTommy to exist beyond the context of their 1:1 scenes, we need Tommy as an individual to exist beyond that as well. Again, this is going back to how Tommy has the potential for these dynamics to feel organic in a way that didn't exist with prior LIs before. And I think one specific thing I would really like to get (and this is gonna sound ironic bc I said we need Tommy uncoupled from Buck just now) is Tommy talking about Buck to other people. As we need Tommy to exist in Buck's greater world, with his people in a way that his ex-girlfriends didn't, we also need Buck to exist in Tommy's world even when he's not there. The only comparison I can make here is Abby as she was the only previous LI who had her own relationships, but damn, did we ever see a love interest talk about why Buck matters to them, how he makes them feel etc. I wanna know how Tommy perceives Buck. This is like 101 if you wanna sell to the audience the love interest is actually interested too.

Couldn't find a place for this (maybe group-setting entry was more fitting love) but I also would really like to see them act casual. This is way more superficial than my other points but I was just watching some 911: LS scenes and I truly believe one of the reasons Tarlos is sold so well is because we get domestic, comfortable touches in every scene. Again, making a relationship feel actually lived. I don't think any of the 911 couples engage in this as much as Tarlos do but they certainly still do to a degree and I want and need that for BuckTommy.

Thanks for the ask anon!

[lowpolyshadow]

i transcribed the sonadow bumblekast episode so you don't have to

hopefully the formatting isn't really weird lol

Kyle: So this time, for Pride Month, we get to address the hypothetical fandom ship that's probably helped more than a few Sonic fans figure out their sexuality: Sonadow! A lot of straight fans probably had Rouge or Sally be their awakening, so don't throw stones. 

Ian: True, true. 

Kyle: Shadow is not quite in a place where it's easy to imagine him having a healthy romantic relationship. But it is honestly a bit problematic to have one character shift until they're suitable for another, unless it's a mutual situation. How would you execute the character growth for Shadow and Sonic that would most help enable Sonadow? 

Ian: There would have to be an understood vulnerability to Shadow, he would have to open up to a degree that makes him more accessible at a personal level, and it doesn't take much? We've seen hints of it throughout his appearances, it would just need to become established, and that I think is all you really need to build that bridge because Sonic is casual and accepting enough as he is, and he's going to allow Shadow to be who he is which is kind of prickly and standoffish as you would have that occasional moment where Shadow lets his guard down and is more empathetic or emotionally available. But otherwise they would both play it fairly cool and aloof I think (lol). 

Kyle: Yeah, they're together. What of it? So? Big deal. I like it.  There are obviously a lot of different popular ships in Sonic. In order to make one really stand out, you'd probably need to really spark intrigue on it before pushing the two characters together. How would you arrange the first key romantic spark that was intended to drive the fans towards wanting them together? 

Ian: I think it stems more from the characters already having good chemistry. I mean you look at the fandom in general and the fleet of ships that are sailing and all of them are based off of the fact that these characters are fun in their interactions regardless of who we're talking about. So if it were an intention of building something from scratch, for most of the Sonic cast, I think the work's already been done and there's already a great deal of trust and mutual respect between most of the characters. It would just be a matter of realizing that there is more than respect, there's more than kinship, there's a romantic affinity, and for one of those characters to make that realization and start to pursue it in their own particular way.  And then it becomes a question of well, is the object of their affection going to reciprocate? And if they don't, which leads to an interesting story of, now that they are on this path, yeah, they know that this is an option, do they come around to it? Or do they not? Are both characters kind of interested but they don't want to take that first step and so you have that carrot on a stick that is ever so effective for however long you want to run it? 

(laughing) 

Kyle: There's nothing that gets, uh, Sonic's motor running more than being called a faker. Apparently. 

(more laughing) 

Ian: Oh, he'll show you how real he is. 

Kyle: Oh, no! This is a family show, sir!

(even more laughing) 

With that idea fresh in our minds, how would you make it official for the two of them? 

Ian: God, if that ever came to pass. (lol) 

Kyle: I feel like it would have to be kind of like, understated? Like it would just kind of happen? 

Ian: Yeah, I've, they're both so cool and aloof in their own way, I don't see them making any kind of dramatic declaration or ... suddenly turning all mushy and lovey-dovey, it's not who they are. Um ... I, you know, the adventure concludes and they're standing side by side on the hillside looking at the sunset and the wreckage ... and they share, you know, a compliment, and instead of like a fist bump or a "see you next time" and, y'know, one of them runs off ... maybe they throw arms around each other or something and just kind of stand there. Again, they're not gonna be all "mweh mehmehmeh" ... tonsil action, it's, I see them being very chill about it all. 

(lol) 

Kyle: Also, keep in mind everyone, this is all just ... 'fan ideas', this is probably never gonna happen, it's very unlikely, we're just having fun here. 

Ian: It's hypothetical situations that I am approaching as reasonably and as authentically as I can. 

Kyle: Yes, yes, just to keep that in mind, just keeping everybody on the same page here. 

Ian: I am not endorsing, I am not unendorsing, 

I am just answering questions. Everybody simmer. 

Kyle: Let's assume that for whatever reason Shadow decided to seek out advice from the following, and whoever he asked has to answer with an honest attempt at the best advice they could offer. How would Professor Gerald, Dr. Eggman, the Commander, and Black Doom advise him? 

Ian: Gerald would be the most wholesome and effective, I think. I think he understands people better than ... certainly a lot of his family. Uh, and would advise Shadow to look inward to ask himself what he really wants, and to ruminate on that and then act with caution, you know, don't be hasty on this particular thing. Like all great research, it takes time to get the results that, you know, you want, or the results that will come to be - don't take anything as a given, but don't be afraid to pursue the truth, whatever that may be.  Eggman would scoff at the notion and, you know, sarcastically offer to set him up on a date, making it quite clear that it would all be a trap and an ambush and whatever. The Commander ... I don't see as being a very romantic individual, but I think he might be direct about that, right. He would say that his partner was someone he managed to find for himself, but that was largely thanks to her, and her efforts, because he was kind of clueless about this, but Shadow is also kind of in the same boat so you know, maybe ... at least be aware of your surroundings? If someone is prepared to make that gesture, be ... ready to receive it and understand it for what it is. How do you do that? He's not quite sure how he figured it out himself but you know, he's not good at this sort of thing.  And Black Doom would again, scoff. Love is a weakness, it is a distraction at best, a malady at worst, it is ... an affliction of the mind. An illusion created by inferior beings to facilitate necessary natural processes. You do not need love, you do not need anyone, you are my Ultimate Weapon now go get me them Chaos Emeralds. 

Kyle: (laughing) Those damn fourth Chaos Emeralds! They're all fourth!

Ian: (mimicking Black Doom) Honestly, Shadow, what's love got to do, got to do with it. What's love but a second hand emotion. 

Kyle: (laughing) Well, we all know Shadow can't resist a dying wish. Let's say in the aftermath of a terrifying evil scheme, Eggman once more had to team up with the heroes to save the world, but he died in the process, leaving Sage and her brothers in the care of his uncle and uncle-in-law. Assuming that if money were real, GUN would pay the kind of money that would keep a classy act like Rouge on staff so the boys don't need to change their heroics too much, how would they do as parents to Sage, Orbot, Cubot, and after a while if she so chose, potentially Belle? 

(THIS IS METAL ERASURE >:( whatever he doesn't wanna be part of this family anyways)

Ian: I'm a little lost in the wording on who is acting as surrogate parents here.

Kyle: I think it might supposed to be Sonic and Shadow ... but Rouge is also there? I think? 

Ian: Well I mean someone would have to look after the kids because it ain't gonna be them. 

Kyle: (laughing) No, I guess not?!

Ian: I mean, Sonic would Sonic would kind of show up for birthdays and events and to check in but he's ... he's not the stay at home dad. He's not the stay in one place dad, he's the dad who gets his steps in, if you catch my meaning.

Kyle: Okay, no, it was more an example of they’re ... willing to pay Rouge ... so they would be willing to also pay them ... so ... but ... I guess Rouge would not be the caretaker. So ... they would have to be the caretakers ... I don't think it would go well! Luckily, I think they're self-sufficient ... for the most part ... (starting to lose it)

Ian: I mean I can't really see GUN letting them off ... interestingly, to anyone. They would be on facility. But it would be Sonic and Shadow weighing heavily saying they're not captives, they're not tech to be assimilated into the greater GUN network, they are wards of your facility, right? Right? Which again, Sonic would be checking in on occasion to make sure that it's going well. And maybe Shadow would kind of become a satellite agent of GUN, just keep tabs on everything, check in on the others to some degree ... but ... we wouldn't have a case of My Two Dads on this one, they're not the parental types.

Kyle: We probably shouldn't trust GUN with child care. Probably not. Even robot children.

Ian: And ... you don't even need them to be a pair to get the kind of ... bickering parental - conflicting parental guidelines in this scenario. Sonic would be very much, ehhh let them stay up, let him eat ice cream, let them do whatever they want, Shadow's like no, they need discipline, you're going to spoil them.

Kyle: Worst fathers ever.

Ian: Belle I ... I, again, I can't really see as a parental role but I could see her as the put upon babysitter. She tries her best to look after them and keep things under control but ... honestly ... they're Egg tech, they're not going to cooperate all that much.

Kyle: ... Yeah ... yeah I guess ... Belle would have to be the older sister and she'd probably end up being the one who does most of the work. Ugh.

Ian: Someone who tried to stop the caper of stealing the Commander's loafer or something. "I'm gonna get in trouble you guys! Stop!"

Kyle: Alright. Shadow is immortal, he will probably outlive Sonic. Unfortunately, given Sonic's lifestyle, that may not be that hard ... although given Shadow's first adventure, it could go either way. Sonic would probably understand that Shadow copes with things like this better when he has a sense of meaningful purpose to focus on. This seems like the type of thing Shadow would project onto his partner if it came to it, so what would each other ... so what if ... so what would each of their dying wishes to each other be?

Ian: Morbid. 

Kyle: (lol) 

Ian: You're going for the beautiful sadness type of thing I think. Uh, Sonic's would be ... what he wishes for everyone, is to be true to yourself and to live free. Perhaps that be true to yourself ringing a little more resoundly in Shadow's case, you know, don't close yourself off ... again. You know, be free to open up to someone else again down the road, and just be honest with yourself and be free to make that choice. 

Kyle: Open your heart, Shadow, it'll be alright.

(laughing)

Dammit! You would do that. 

Ian: Yeah, I absolutely would. 

(more laughing)

As for Shadow ... he would want Sonic to endure, you know, to just continue to carry on ... to not be defeated by anything. To find a way to escape death and just continue being, because, you know who else can replace him? Nobody. He would want that to endure forever.

Kyle: Yep. Good thing Sonic's got extra lives.

So Sonic and Shadow have gotten engaged, and they're trying to figure out how to approach their family name. Would Sonic take Shadow's last name, or Shadow take Sonic's, each keep their own, or each add the other's with a hyphen? Given Shadow's right to certain other last names, there could be a timeline with a Sonic Robotnik or (losing it) Sonic Doom.

Ian: No, they'd go with their current surnames, and as a sign of solidarity, they would just swap them so it would become Sonic the Hedgehog and Shadow the Hedgehog.

Kyle: Right, okay, okay ... good, good. Yeah, okay, it'll be fine, as long as Shadow doesn't take Maurice or something we'll be good.

(laughing)

Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog. No relation.

Ian: We could hyphenate it! Sonic the Hedgehog-Hedgehog! (Shadow voice) Don't make me regret my decisions. 

Kyle: Too late, he already does. He already does.  Sonic has a great found family, and presumably in order to get Shadow to a point where he could date Sonic we'd be dealing with a much more Team Dark take on Shadow, who also has that. How would they both adapt to regularly hanging out with each other's found family? 

Ian: Uhhh ... The Sonic side of things is always very opening and it's ... open and accepting. And that's ... hilarious ... to the Team Dark side of things, because you can take such advantage of that. I think there would be attempts made on Team Sonic's side to incorporate everyone into the big happy family and eventually it would come to the understanding that, you know, there's appreciation ... there's respect, but there also needs to be distance. It's okay that they only get together for like, the holidays, and then they all keep to themselves. Nothing against anybody it's just, you know, oil and water don't necessarily mix all the time. And the time Rouge stole the Christmas presents ... Knuckles’s still a little salty about that one. 

Kyle: Aw. Poor Knuckles.  I play a lot of DnD with my boyfriend, he's big into it and happy to have another person for his DnD groups. Meanwhile I always enjoyed the little bit I got to play, but didn't get the opportunity as much in the past. It is unfortunately, for him, very much a ... forever DM for the group he has assembled. With this new little family we've assembled around the Sonadow pairing, who would be their forever DM? Omega is a war forged Barbarian, right? I mean yes. I mean ... you mean in the game? I mean he could be whatever he wants in the game, but in real life, yes.

Ian: I think you could make a case he's war forged Barbarian in every connotation of the word. 

Kyle: Pretty much! 

Ian: Uh ... I can't remember how we ... because I feel like this ties into just general DnD, we've been asked this before ... I would think Tails would be the DM. 

Kyle: Yeah ... yeah, Tails is the one who has the most, uh ... patience, I think, to really learn stuff. Amy maybe. 

Ian: Maybe ... I mean, he would like to construct the campaigns, he would be the better rules lawyer between the two of them. Um, I think he might be a little more of a stickler than Amy, I think Amy would allow for a little more rule of cool, but I don't think Tails would be obnoxious about it, you know. If you roll a one and things have gone very badly, he'd be trying to help you figure out a way around it. It's like, you know, okay, this is a bad situation! What do you see around you that could stop you from being on fire? Or, Amy! Don't you remember you have this particular Scroll of Healing or whatever? I - I haven't played DnD I don't know.

Kyle: I mean, yeah, that exists, it's fine, you got it. 

Ian: He wouldn't be a "rocks fall, everyone dies" DM, but he would be someone who's like, no, you can't fudge the numbers, you miss. "How do you mean I miss, I'm right in his face!" You rolled a two, what can I tell you! 

Kyle: He might think about "rocks fall, everyone dies" for a second, though, once again fed up - 

Ian Every turn, Omega's like "I KILL EVERYONE IN THE ROOM." Even the party? "YES." No, you can't do that! "IT IS IN CHARACTER." I don't care!!!!

(laughing) 

Kyle: Oh man, yeah, I mean, I don't know how long it would take for him to get fed up with Monty Python references but ... (lol) Probably not very long. Uh, and it turns out Monty Python is an actual python comedian in their world, and ... (losing it again) I'm here for it. That'd be cool. Time for the coveted Digimon question! I don't know who's coveting the Digimon questions, but alright, I guess Twilord is. In Digimon, there's a concept of DNA digivolution, where two digimon can fuse together. Sometimes this phenomenon creates a mental link between the Tamers and lets them glimpse each other's thoughts and feelings. This admittedly varies a bit so you have a lot of creative freedom on your solution. Assume the two of them were closeted for lack of it having come up yet, from those whose Digimon starters you might've ... you might choose to have DNA digivolve with Sonic's or Shadow's partners ... which partners figure it out from the basic mental connection, and of them how would they handle knowing without being told? I'm assuming that ... like, they have not confessed their love for each other but they somehow use this to figure it out.

Ian: And really ... Digimon ... it's not asking about the Digimon themselves, it's acting as Sonic and Shadow are the trainers, right. 

Kyle: Right. 

Ian: Uh ... The hardest question of this is who is more obtuse between the two of them ... 

Kyle: (LMAO) Yes. That's the answer. 

Ian: Shadow ... in general ... might be a little quicker on the draw ... so he would make the realization and that might prompt him to ... open up ... whereas Sonic just already kind of took it as a given, it wasn't really a realization to him, so he didn't really think much of it. 

Kyle: I guess ... Yeah, I guess that kind of fits. I guess that fits. 

Ian: (Shadow voice) Once we were linked, I cam to a realization ... and well, now that I know it's reciprocated, I guess I can say I'm really into you.  (Sonic voice) Oh yeah, I already knew. 

Kyle: (laughing) Yeah, everyone's into me. No, no that's not what I mean - 

Ian: (Shadow voice) It means you don't have a romantic bone in your body. 

Kyle: (LOSING IT me too dude) I think the idea ... apparently .. I'm getting word that the idea behind this question was that they haven't told anyone yet, and their friends find out this way.

Ian: Ohhh, okay. 

Kyle: Okay. Well here's the thing ... Most people in Sonic's world are very accepting and everything, so I don't think it would ... be a big deal? (lol) 

Ian: Yeah, I mean, if anything ... the biggest reaction would come out of Amy. There might be shock she found out ... Well, shocked at first, but if she found out, and they haven't really opened up to each other yet about it, she would go hardcore matchmaker. 

Kyle: Oh, no! (laughing) 

Ian: Like, if they both feel that way, and they aren't being honest with their affections, ohhhh no no no, she will not let that stand. Nope. She will move heaven and earth to see love realized. 

Kyle: (laughing) Even if it's not Sonic loving her, I guess, huh? (more laughing)

Ian: Disappointed, sure ... but, y'know, fine. What she wants is for him to be open and true with himself, and true with others. Love is a powerful force in the universe, and she will see its will done. 

Kyle: Yeah (lol), she is a true ally, yes. 

Ian: A real intense ally. 

Kyle: (laughing) Kind of frightening. 

Ian: Again, put down the torches and pitchforks, this is a hypothetical, this is for funsies. Let it be. 

Kyle: Yes, let's have some fun. 

Ian: Moving on, he's got a question for you, Kyle. 

Kyle: Alright. 

Ian: So in terms of romantic progression for fictional characters, you would say that after the romcom where the parents get home together in the sitcom where they all have to live their lives together ... can you please pitch me three episode ideas for the up and never coming sitcom, The Hedge Hogs, for me to rate?

Kyle: Oh, no. Uh, I didn't read this before we started! Uh ... hm ... come up with these on the fly ... um ... I'm like, not great at that. Let me think here ... Let me think here …

Ian: Let me help you out. 

Kyle: Okay, hit me. 

Ian: Fast and the Furious ... they both run out to get takeout quickly and they deal with incorrect orders. 

Kyle: Okay - 

Ian: Becomes a conflict of their personalities where Sonic's like hey, I'll take the pickles off! And Shadow's like he said no pickles. 

Kyle: Okay .. ! (laughing) Yeah, that's good. That's good. Um ... Hm ... hmm ... God, I really am bad at this (lol). I feel like there has to be one where they're trying to drive somewhere and they can't decide ... they'd like get lost, and then one of them is like, you don't need directions - it'd probably be Sonic, Sonic would be driving and he refuses to ask for directions, and Shadow's like trying to get him to pull over and ask for it. 

Ian: (Shadow voice) Please, pull over. 

Kyle: (laughing) Yeah, yeah ... I mean, that's another trope of sitcoms. (lol) 

Ian: Here's one for you ... Surprise Control - Sonic and Shadow are each trying to prepare a birthday surprise party for the other, not realizing that, son of a gun, they share the same birthday! No, they've never actually discussed this or put it together. Hijinx ensue. 

Kyle: (laughing) Do they, actually? - No, nono, Sonic Adventure 2's like a few days before ... but, you know, it's funnier if they do. 

Ian: Rouge is the first one to figure it out and she runs interference to make sure nobody clears it up for them. 

Kyle: (laughing) Yeah, yeah, I like that one ... Alright, let's see - 

Ian: Turns into a big blow up where they're both angry that neither of them knew what each other's actual birthday was, and then the tension is broken when Omega pops out of the cake like Marilyn Monroe. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE TWO OF YOU. 

Kyle: (laughing) And then ... he sets off the fireworks. Which are actually just …

Ian: Omega, not inside the HOUSE- !!!! 

Kyle: (LAUGHING) Which are actually just more DAKKA.

Ian: Has to be inside an apartment complex so Eggman can pull a Newman(?). "Hello, Sonic." 

Kyle: (losing it) Ohhh, nooo ... 

Ian: "I hear you've got the prime time cable package. Mind if I come in to play games on it?" ... Yeah, sure I guess, it's fine - "COME ON KIDS, HE SAID IT'S FINE!" 

Kyle: (still laughing) Oh, no .... 

Ian: Orbot ... Cubot ... Tribot ... a few Egg pawns ... 

Kyle: (laughing) Uh, who's the Kramer in this situation? (laughing) Knuckles?

Ian: Big the Cat. 

Kyle: Okay. 

Ian: Exact same mannerisms. 

Kyle: OKAY. (laughs) Yeah, okay. 

Ian: You know, mid conversation busts down the door, (Big voice) Froggy? Froggy, where are you? 

Kyle: (truly shitting it now) Oh, no ... Oh, no ... Oh nohoho ... The episode where Shadow's parents all come over for the holidays ... All four of them ... 

Ian: (cackles) (Shadow voice) Why do I have so many parents ... 

(laughing) 

(Black Doom voice) Now, we shall air our grievances on this festivus ... Shadow, finish the bowl. 

Kyle: (losing his mind) 

Ian: (Black Doom voice) Festivus ... is for the rest of us ... 

Kyle: Oh, boy. Oh boy. Terrible. I love it. I love it ... Alright, I think that's enough.

Ian: It certainly is. Happy pride month to all of you celebrating. Be good to yourselves, be good to each other, and we will see you next time.

[tiny-tini-imagines]

Hey, I saw your post and just realised you're new here🖤.

I saw that you take requests so I was wondering if you would mind to write some headcanons about the fellowship members and how they would react to a female fighter from our world. (Maybe refuses to wear dresses and is very emancipated) Hope that's understandable & thank you 🖤

Re.: Thank you for your request! Never thought I'd actually get an answer xD. I tried my best and hopefully its what U wanted.

Headcanon Request - Lord of the Rings

incl.: independent female fighter, fellowship

(added: character art, what they would say to them, or about them)

Aragorn:

Respectful: Aragorn recognizes her capabilities and respects her as a fighter, acknowledging her contributions.

Gravitas: He conveys his seriousness through his tone and demeanor, showing her that he considers her an important member of the group.

Empowerment: Aragorn empowers her by entrusting her with important tasks and responsibilities, boosting her confidence.

Guidance: He provides guidance by sharing his extensive knowledge of the world and offering advice on surviving in challenging situations. He's secretly protective (just as he'd be with Arwen)

Comradeship: Aragorn actively involves her in decision-making and treats her as an equal, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie.

"Your strength and determination are truly remarkable, my friend. In this fellowship, we stand together as equals, comrades bound by a common purpose, and I hold your skills and character in the highest respect."

Legolas:

Curiosity: Legolas' curiosity leads him to engage her in conversations about her world, learning from her experiences and perspectives. (based on reciprocity)

Admiration: He frequently compliments her combat skills and courage, demonstrating his deep respect for her abilities, especially since she's a human

Grace: Legolas appreciates her fluid movements and agility in battle, often complimenting her grace under pressure. (however he always keeps an eye on her, although he knows it's not neccesary

Friendship: Through small gestures like sharing stories (and defending her in battle - if ever needed), he builds a strong and trusting friendship, sometimes showing her how she can do better

Teamwork: Legolas actively collaborates with her during fights, highlighting her importance in their team dynamics.

(same "who can kill more?" competition as with Gimli)

"Your grace in battle is as awe-inspiring as the dance of the leaves in the forest, my friend."

Gimli:

Skepticism: Gimli's skepticism is rooted in his initial doubts about whether she can keep up with the group, which he gradually overcomes. (get's actually impressed by her)

Curiosity: His curiosity about her world leads to lengthy discussions, and they bond over shared interests and differences. (He'd often talk about his folk, and would rave about dwarves)

Loyalty: As she proves herself, Gimli becomes fiercely loyal, actively supporting her decisions. If a man ever appears who doubts her or doesn't take her seriously, he is immediately at her side

Surprising Friendship: Over time, his skepticism turns into a deep and surprising friendship, marked by trust and camaraderie.

Mutual Respect: They both earn each other's respect through their actions, setting aside prejudices and working together effectively.

"Aye, lass, ye've a fire in yer heart that matches the forges of Erebor. I doubted at first, but now I see - ye're a true warrior, fierce and capable, and I'm honored to fight beside ye."

Gandalf:

Wise Mentor: Gandalf recognizes her potential and takes her under his wing, teaching her about the world they traverse and imparting his wisdom.

Guidance: He guides her in decision-making, fostering her growth and helping her adapt to the challenges they face. (However he keeps an watchful eye on her, unsure about her intentions)

Empowerment: Gandalf instills confidence in her abilities, believing that she can contribute significantly to their quest. (Thinking that she might have another point of view/ sees things and details that the others don't notice or think are seemingly unimportant)

Trust: He trusts her judgment, showing it by relying on her insights and respecting her choices.

Strategic Ally: Together, they strategize and plan, viewing each other as indispensable allies in the pursuit of their goals.

"In you, my dear, I see a spark of inner fire, a potential yet untapped. Embrace your strength and let it blaze like a beacon in our dark journey, for you have the power to change the course of this quest."

Boromir:

Initial Skepticism: Boromir is initially skeptical of her abilities and her commitment to their quest, as he worries about her impact on the Fellowship's safety. (Believing they'd have to protect her)

Gradual Trust: Over time, her actions and determination gradually earn Boromir's trust and respect, and he slowly starts to see her as a valuable member of the group.

Protectiveness: Boromir develops a protective attitude towards her, ensuring her safety during dangerous situations (offering to train with her to improve her combat skills, however shes the one to beat him in a battle)

Mutual Respect: As they share the trials of their journey, Boromir and her come to respect each other's strengths, skills, and dedication to their common cause. He'd open up to her (when alone) and talk about Gondor and his fears

"Your strength is undeniable, but in this perilous journey, remember to heed wisdom as well, my friend."

Frodo:

Protective: Frodo feels responsible for her safety and wishes he could protect her in dangerous situations, although it is absolutely not neccesary. He might feel guilty to, however she is quick to sense that and makes sure to tell him, that he should not worry about her

Trust: He trusts her unconditionally, evident in his reliance on her during crucial moments and his openness about his concerns and fears. (He only trusts Gandalf and Sam more, however Aragorn might share the same level of trust with her)

Friendship: Their deepening friendship is built on shared experiences, mutual trust, and unwavering support for each other.

Empathy: Frodo's understanding of her struggles (as a woman) fosters a strong sense of empathy, and they confide in each other about their personal challenges. (him as a hobbit/ her as a woman)

Courage: Both exhibit courage in their own ways, inspiring each other to persevere and face adversity head-on.

"Your courage reminds me that even in the darkest of times, the light of friendship and determination can guide us through."

Sam:

Respectful: Sam respects her independence and appreciates her combat skills, addressing her with deference and showing admiration for her capabilities.

Trusting: He trusts her judgment and decisions, often turning to her for guidance in challenging situations.

Friendship: Their friendship flourishes as they share personal stories, trust each other implicitly, and develop a profound bond during their journey. (it's also a bit like a mentor - protégé relationship)

Loyalty: Sam's loyalty to her is unwavering, always putting her safety and well-being above all else. (He'd instantly worry if she would not eat something and insist, even if it was just a bite)

Kindred Spirits: They connect on a deep level, understanding each other's motivations and providing emotional support when needed.

"Ye've got a heart as brave as Frodo's, and I've seen it in action more times than I can count."

Merry:

Curious: Merry's curiosity about her world leads to inquisitive conversations where they exchange stories and knowledge.

Supportive: He is supportive of her choices and actions, often backing her up in debates and ensuring she feels included.

Friendship: Their camaraderie transforms into a genuine friendship marked by laughter

Encouragement: Merry frequently offers words of encouragement and praise, boosting her confidence and morale unknowingly

Wit: Their friendship is sprinkled with witty exchanges and playful banter, creating a lighthearted atmosphere (that she actually treasures)

"Blimey! You've got a spirit as fiery as a dragon's breath, lass! I reckon you'll give even the bravest of us a run for their money on this quest!"

Pippin:

Playfulness: Pippin's playful nature adds a touch of levity to their journey, lightening the mood when things get tough.

Friendship: Their friendship deepens as they share adventures and form lasting memories together. (He'd occasionaly offer her his pipe, but she'd politely decline)

Loyalty: Pippin's loyalty is unwavering, standing by her side through thick and thin. (She's often the one to watch out for him and safe him from dangerous situations)

Admiration: He admires her determination and independence, often expressing admiration for her spirit.

Growth: Their experiences together lead to personal growth, making them more resilient and capable adventurers. Pippin learns a lot from her, might get a bit more serious

"Y'know, I've never met anyone quite like you, lass. Your spirit's as fierce as the fire of the Shire's finest pipeweed! And I reckon that's saying something, coming from a Took like me!"

[erinelliotc]

Why do you love EddEddy more than KevEdd? I mean, the dynamics of these pairings are similar, I personally love them equally. Interesting to read your opinion :)

Hey, anon!

I'll try my best not to sound rude because it's not that I just love EddEddy more, but I don't ship KevEdd at all. I kinda did in the past when I came across their fanarts, but not anymore. I just want to make it clear that everyone can ship whatever they want, as long as it's not immoral (like BroEdd, for example). This is just my opinion and no one needs or should change their mind just because I don't like this ship.

Yeah, the dynamics of both ships are kinda similar because Eddy and Kevin are similar in personality (not the same, but similar. Just "same energy"). But still, the thing is Double D's relationship with Eddy is far different from his relationship with Kevin. Even though Eddy often acts like a jerk to Edd (to everyone in general actually), it's very clear that he likes and cares deeply for him, that their relationship is much more than their fights, while with Kevin it's not even clear whether he considers Edd at least his friend or not (but in my opinion it's more likely that he doesn't until the end of Big Picture Show). A relationship between Edd and Kevin seems to me like it'd be very toxic and unhealthy, but trying to imagine a relationship between them is hard for me in itself because they really aren't close, I honestly don't see what they have in common other than the times when they want revenge on Eddy. I can't imagine Edd being romantically interested in Kevin and vice versa. I can even imagine a friendship, but not a romantic relationship. If they were very close and the show had worked on their relationship maybe it'd be different, but seeing Kevin bullying Double D so much just makes me imagine an abusive relationship between them. Not that Edd and Eddy's relationship is perfect, far from it, especially because they're both still immature kids full of problems, insecurities and raging hormones. But Edd and Eddy's relationship is very mutual and reciprocal, they're both bitches to each other and the love they have for each other is very evident too. They're on the same page, which is basically a long-term intimate friendship full of chaos, alternating between flirting with each other and teasing/picking on each other, between two confused preteens who still don't understand that what they feel for each other goes beyond friendship and that they've been acting and living like a couple without realizing it all this time. They still have a lot to work on in their relationship (a maturation process that begins during the movie), but they're both great together, they're good for each other, their personalities complement each other perfectly towards the personal growth and character development of both, they're a positive influence on each other, they help each other with their difficulties and flaws, they help each other to improve. Unlike with Kevin, Double D is very intimate with Eddy both emotionally and physically, they've been close friends forever, they have countless interactions that are too strangely intimate for just friends, the crew ships them and purposely gave a romantic touch to their interactions and relationship. They're the main focus of the show. I mean, the focus the show gives to EddEddy is much greater than anything else, so I don't think it makes any sense to think about KevEdd. I think even KevEddy makes more sense than KevEdd. I'd never have thought of KevEdd if I had just watched the show without seeing any fanart of them. After watching the entire show, I was left wondering why people ship Edd and Kevin when EddEddy is so obvious, solid and intentional throughout the entire show. They were intentionally made to have an old married couple dynamic, whether as a joke/comic relief or not. The show is mainly centered around their relationship. We have far more scenes between Double D and Eddy than with any other character, and their relationship is so well-built and developed that I can't understand how not to ship them. To me, what makes sense is EddEddy and Kevin x Rolf, or Kevin x Nazz (I like to ship Marie x Nazz x Kevin x Rolf).

I'm going to leave here a text written by @bonkerbuster69 to complement what I'm saying because I think it explains very well about comparing EddEddy and KevEdd and I share the same opinion:

One of my problems with this ship is that it's such a cliché. I think everyone who ships KevEdd does so because they like the shy nerd x popular jock/bully dynamic. When I was younger I liked clichés, so I found this ship kinda interesting and appealing. But nowadays, especially after rewatching the show, I find it so… I just can't like it. Sorry, but I think it's boring and doesn't make sense. They have a few friendly interactions, most of them when Edd teams up with Kevin/helps him with something, and that's it. The rest of the time Kevin is just being a jerk to Edd.

And my other problem with KevEdd is that to me, EddEddy is so well structured that I don't see why I should think about other ships involving Edd or Eddy. Why would I do that? They're already perfect for each other and practically canon, why think about other ships with them? What more could I want? I'm completely satisfied with what I got and I don't really want to see them with anyone else. I'm just that kind of person. If I were to think about them with someone else, to me the only option that would make the most sense would be Ed, and even then I don't imagine either Edd or Eddy liking him romantically, but I think at least it's a very cute ship. The only situation that makes me think about exploring ships with them is writing fanfics in which they date other people before they date or during a breakup. I can at most imagine Kevin being someone who makes both Edd and Eddy jealous when he's with one of them, but not Edd and Kevin actually interested in each other (I can imagine Eddy being interested in Kevin, but that's not the focus here).

But again, you're all free to ship whatever you want. I'm just answering what I think about KevEdd.

Okay, now you might ask me:

So why do you ship Marie x Nazz if they don't even have a single interaction together?

Well, busted. You got me there...

But hey! I have my reasons, I promise.

I'm a lesbian, so I'm more likely to ship sapphic relationships than achillean relationships, even if they "don't make sense"

The fact that we never see them interacting directly leaves more room for the possibility of a relationship than characters who have frequent bad interactions (from what I remember, I think the closest thing to an interaction between them was in "May I Have This Ed?" when Marie got jealous seeing Nazz dancing with Edd and tried to separate them by dancing with Eddy)

Ed, Edd n Eddy has a major lack of sapphic representation, so it's natural for me to try to seek this representation. I already talked about this in the comments of another post of mine, so I'll copy and paste it here:

@sporadicninjacrusade: Thinking now, wasn't strange how queerness seems to spread all the male cast, but the female cast seems to be strictly straight? I mean, all the 5 girls only seem interested on males and touches and sensitivity so common between the boys never seem to happen between the girls.

Me: You're right. I find it quite curious and unusual because cishet men are often disgusted by gay/queer male characters (because homophobia) but tend to like gay female characters because they fetishize sapphic relationships. So I find it interesting and even kinda positive because it indicates that the crew really supports the LGBTQ+ community and doesn't fetishize sapphics (which doesn't stop them from being somewhat sexist/more focused on male characters). I tend to feel very uncomfortable with the way cishet men portray sapphic characters because it really tends to be quite fetishized, so I can't complain too much about the lack of queer girls. I have queer headcanons of the female characters, but unlike the male ones, there really is almost no concrete evidence or indication of them being interested in girls or not interested in boys, and my only reasons are personal impressions and preferences.

While I can think it'd be plausible for several of the male characters to be strictly gay (Eddy, Rolf, Jimmy, Ed) the only female character I can think of being strictly lesbian is Marie and it's still a bit of a difficult mission to sustain it. I never understood where the Nazz x Marie ship came from (but I love it). I don't know if it was after "May I Have This Ed?" (the scene where Marie's trying to separate Edd and Nazz had SO MUCH potential for an accidental couple swap [Edd x Eddy / Marie x Nazz]. I'd have LOVED it, even as a joke/comic relief. A couple swap that goes wrong and forms that pairs, they blush and it lasts 2 seconds because they're like "Get off me!", anything, because I missed more ship stuff at that dance and as always I wish there was more EddEddy), or if it's because people like to see the "prettiest" (seems to be the general opinion of the fandom) female characters together, because I don't remember any minimally positive interaction between them, but since the show fails to feature queer female characters it makes sense for fans to look for sapphic representation even if it "doesn't make sense".

I can see Sarah having a crush on Nazz that she could mistake for just friendship and admiration (I see the same with Jimmy regarding Kevin, although in his case it seems more visible that it's a crush) and I'd love for her to be a lesbian but she seems genuinely interested in Edd, although she doesn't let her crush on him distract her and get her down when it comes to teaching him a lesson, which makes me question how much she really likes him but I find it an interesting trait in her cause although she gets angry easily and seems like an out-of-control person, this shows how she's able to put her emotions aside when it comes to beating someone up when she thinks they deserve it, even if she likes the person. Either way, it would have been nice to have had more visibly sapphic characters on the show.

[thyandrawrites]

Dunno if youve answered this already but did you think something of dabi saying sorry to shouto at the end even if no one heard it?

Hi!

I have mixed feelings about that page. I think it was the seed of a better Todofam epilogue, and I wish it was expanded on more, instead of it being tacked on at the end like an afterthought.

What I find good about it is that it's a peek at Touya's emotions. It's the only part of that godawful chapter where we are finally shown how he really feels about his family, past the usual aggression and scorn he uses as a shield. Dabi opening up about his feelings enough to cry again real tears, not blood ones, for the first time in ten years, was a big moment. Because for the first time he's letting himself feel things again, and he's letting himself see Shouto as his own person and not just an abstract recipient of his rage, enough so to genuinely regret the things he told him. This was huge for him! Exploring this side of him was supposed to be the point of letting him survive the war and making him reconcile with the family. That was what foreshadowed with Shouto's resolve to eat noodles with him, anyhow. It's clear to me that Horikoshi originally intended for the brothers to eventually reach a place of mutual understanding, and sharing a meal was supposed to show that growth because meal sharing with his friends is how Shouto formed his first bonds and healed from trauma, and getting included in a family activity, being seeked out as an integral part of it, is how Touya could've healed from his own trauma as well.

So yeah, the tear and the apology were good! They were the start of a process, you know?

What sucks about the execution tho is two things imo:

1. Shouto isn't around to hear it

The point of an apology is to have the recipient hear it. You can't apologize in your head and achieve the same result as having confronted your victim. Not only did Shouto deserve that apology, but it was important for Touya's arc as well. Shouto leaving before Touya could say it to his face achieves nothing, narratively, except making the whole scene feel pointless. It shows his regret, sure, but it doesn't work as the first step towards reconciliation because it takes away communication and reciprocity. All it does is frame Shouto as the bigger person for getting to demonstrate his willingness to bridge the gap with Touya through his actions, while stripping Touya of the chance to properly do the same (in the only capacity he physically can atp, through talking). It's plain callous, it's what I mean. There was no need to make it tragic. Let Touya express his grief and his remorse without using it as yet another way to punish him. Let his family be around to see the change. Let them acknowledge that he feels sorry. Don't make them all leave before he can get a chance to, especially not after dedicating a whole chapter to them sticking around even as Enji went on and on about a self-absorbed apology of his own. Do you see the double standard there?

2. It's rushed and ineffective, and it's never followed up on.

I mentioned this in previous replies, but this chapter should've had much more of a focus on emotions than it did. But Horikoshi chose to write it as antiseptically as possible, sanitizing any ugliness or complexity the fam should've felt and flattening everything into a resolution that feels wildly out of character for all the characters involved.

Touya showed genuine remorse, and he apologized to Shouto, even if Shouto didn't hear it. What does this mean for their relationship? Do they make up afterwards? Does Touya get to say it again, with Shouto present? How does Shouto feel about it?

None of these questions was answered, and there were zero mentions of Touya after the timeskip. This made that scene feel tacked on and inconsequential, at least to me. When Enji started showing remorse, we got over 10 volumes exploring what that meant to him, but all Touya gets is two pages, without even the grace of Shouto hearing it. To me that feels like that scene was only there as an afterthought, only present so that fans wouldn't complain, but it had no overall impact on the narrative. And that soured it for me. Because there was so much potential. But Horikoshi didn't want to believe in it, and scribbled over it right after drawing it

[loki-who-remains]

My grumpy ass has seen too much attack on Sylvie after ep4 despite having proper filtering and blocked blogs and decided to write this instead of studying for my exams. I’m sorry to probably disappoint, though: I am not solely a sylki or a lokius shipper. Both exist for me and make sense to me without excluding each other.

I think one thing people kinda forget when they aggressively discard Loki’s factual, canonical relationship with either Mobius or Sylvie is that complex characters tend to have complex relationships. You can be friends with more than one person and/or you can be in love with more than one. Also, the intensity of a connection can be different depending on how long/deep people happen to know each other. It doesn’t automatically mean that one connection is more valuable than the other. Everything matters, everything affects and shapes a person’s growth.

Loki clearly fell in love with Sylvie, or more like with an expectation or an impression of her. It happened too fast, and he had no time to process if he can trust her, or what it is she wants, or is it even mutual. He just decided that he deeply cares for her and hence is devoted to her. She was a bit more perceptive and used it to her advantage. Mortal humans fall in love all the time just like him. It happens earlier or later in life, or never to some.

Sylvie and Loki are variants of the same person. Sylvie feels like a Loki from the first Thor, desperate and lonely and angry. He probably falls for her because he recognises this similarity but he doesn’t take into account that he himself already changed. But well, symbolically he learns to respect and accept himself, his past and present selves, his wrong doings, learns to analyse and grow from there into something new.

And where Sylvie rejects him, Mobius accepts him. With Mobius he learns to respect and care for others. His partnership with Mobius goes from the good old back-stabbing through betrayal and hurting each other to a deeper connection. They share thoughts and learn to understand each other’s motivations. Loki is humbled by the fact that infinity stones are paper weights but even more by the fact that he himself is essentially just a little dude who wants to have friends, to have fun and do something meaningful. His past doesn’t define him or lock him out of any other probable futures.

He learns to be a friend. It is first of all a friendship, and as it deepens they love and care for each other even more. Maybe it’s something that never worked out with Thor, to be equal and to be seen.

In season 2 Loki reevaluates his own priorities. Sylvie still matters to him but he lifts his expectations and just lets her be, tries to understand her and love her as she is. To love this way, without asking anything back, is actually a very powerful thing. It changes you. He probably sees her better now and understands too.

He puts more significance into his reciprocated connections, he learns to combine self-love with the love for others. It might be my specific perception, but I don’t think that platonic love is somehow worse or better than romantic love. They don’t cancel each other. We learn from a small age that love is this and that, and it always ends with kisses, kids and weddings, but in fact it’s not. I’m not saying that dreaming about this kind of love is wrong. I’m saying that it’s not the only possible option. If Mobius and Loki are never engaged in physical intimacy it doesn’t render their unique connection meaningless or less valuable. It is still clearly love, there’s still devotion.

What’s more, both Sylvie and Mobius understand how important it is for Loki to have that connection with the other. They don’t communicate directly that much though, and it’s really a shame.

That’s how Sylvie lashes out on Mobius and he is puzzled and upset by it. Probably she knows about his life, so she points out that protecting the timelines is not personal enough for him. She’s right though; maybe not so much about Mobius but about the TVA on the whole. Btw Loki is being part of it right now and he behaves the same way as Mobius. It’s just that Mobius is the one who is used to light things up. The moment isn’t right though, and he doesn’t read the room.

But the thing is, because it’s not personal, he’s able to stay afloat, be there in the moment and not be distracted by something out there. Mobius is aware that he might be weakened by what he sees and doesn’t want to risk the entire operation because of that. (Maybe he’s wrong and if Sylvie shows him his life he’ll be able to stay put like B-15, but again, he doesn’t want to risk)

I think that both connections being equally meaningful to Loki will make his further choices difficult and the consequences heavy. Mobius’s and Sylvie’s, and Loki’s lives could depend on that. Just imagine if he’s made to choose between them, to sacrifice one for the other. Or to experience all this love, remember all of it and look at them and see they don’t recognise him anymore on any timeline. Or have to choose to never be in their lives to save them both or hide them both from Kang.

[ladyluscinia]

So I think I've settled on the first trend in meta I've clocked as weird coming out of S2. Namely that Edward will not apologize to anyone about anything on account of it's not that kind of show, and he shouldn't be expected to or criticized if he doesn't.

Mostly I've seen this backed up with the fact that OFMD is more about being your authentic self than being a good person, and that physical harm is brushed off or prioritized under emotional harm (and Edward was suffering maximum emotional harm). And I mean... Yeah, the show does care about emotional health, but I'm not seeing how that means expecting our protagonists to gain the faintest awareness of their social contract to others is absurd?

Edward and Stede are both wildly self-centered and morally bankrupt people, which is funny. I don't expect them to suddenly gain a respect for the lives of every random stranger they stumble into anymore than I would expect the house vampires from WWDITS to do the same. They aren't going to stop being pirates. And frankly, they don't even have to stop being mostly self-centered (I'm not even sure they could, tbh).

But unlike the house vampires, Edward and Stede have a lot more people in their lives who they are directly responsible for. And we like those people!

The show has not pulled its punches on how Edward and Stede and their relationship issues have hurt the crew. Edward tried to murder-suicide everyone with him after making them miserable! Stede has struggled to even care about their hurts even when Lucius is shouting them in his face! Found family? Where???

The crew is doing a great job of learning to support each other and the captains, but Stede and Edward do not reciprocate that support internally. (They sometimes do against outside threats.) And, yeah, even in my silly black comedy about murderers, I would like to see them say "sorry we used you as physical and emotional punching bags" and show a bit of awareness of their authority before the show sends them off on a happy ending with the crew presumably still working for them?!?

It's not weird to expect crumbs of character growth???

And like, crucially, this isn't even a new idea in the show! Mutual respect and support and trying not to harm each other is the beating heart of Stede's new pirate culture goal. It's fundamental to any social contract where everyone gets to "be themselves" because it's hard for Jim and Archie to do that when Edward decides in his true self / place of authority they actually need to fight to the death for his broken heart. And Stede starts off not doing this correctly because he doesn't instinctively know how to be kind or caring, but that's what character growth is for.

WWDITS has Guillermo as the one person all these terrible people are obligated to give consideration to in their social contract, and they have increasingly learned and shown that reciprocal support. Including apologies.

And I'm not even expecting anything huge. I don't see any reason they need to dwell on it. We don't need to decide which crew members would realistically deem them unforgivable. Edward doesn't have to grovel on his knees. Stede also needs to apologize. And they can both do it in the most awkward, stilted yet sincere way and then put most of their apology effort into changing behaviors, but I still think it should happen.

So I suppose they can have our main couple continue without acknowledging they fucked up with people besides themselves, but it would make them worse people than the WWDITS vampires and I expect the humor to adapt accordingly.

Final scene is them exchanging wedding vows while the crew pitches the anchor they are both tied to overboard?

[distortedkilling]

Welp, hello Sinday. Here we go with more tamed thoughts.

When it comes to the topic of sexual interest, it's not something that's on Mahito's mind. I've talked about his awareness of human anatomy, sex, the purpose of it both from a physical angle to a psychological one. But because it isn't relevant to his growth, there's no real need for making use of any of that information.

It's one of those things where if you don't think about it, you're not really going to take in further information about it. Humans who can find themselves attracted to another will have that part of their mind perceiving that information in others around them.

When it comes to Mahito, it's something that has to be discovered. Either that is going to be a low discovery, because even if he comes to feel an attraction towards another he doesn't have the experience to know what it means. He has read books, yeah, but he doesn't have a social network that normalizes that type of knowledge. He isn't human, he didn't have that phase children go through about having crushes and learning about all that. His knowledge is more scientific and biological than anything - and he has never applied it.

So if he finds someone attractive and it's not mutual or the other isn't one to make their interest known, it's going to take him a while to figure it out. Once he's deep in that persisting pull of a feeling, he will begin investigating it. He'll be more critical in when it worsens or when it lessens, observing what triggers it and researching further. Asking the others if they've experienced similar, possibly, if he wants. Or going out to observe others and see how they respond to whatever patterns he's seeing.

If supplied with some context, a hint even, he'll mind will know where to look for information and formulate an opinion. I imagine with my interpretation of his character that this can go one of two ways; either he'll know immediately if he wants to go this route and pursue it just as quickly or he'll take a little time to process the context correctly and decide how to approach it (provided he wants to). Either he'll be impulsive and messy or a restrain himself a little to approach a bit more methodically.

And lastly, if told outright he'll be much more decisive and present. Mainly because the other is providing the context he'd have to process (whether quickly or slowly). That saves him some trouble, enough so to act decisively.

If attraction is reciprocated it's game over on him being chill. Now he's thinking about this entire subject which means he's going to want to experiment. See what all the fuss is about. It's also further insight to whoever he has his eyes set on because they've interested him enough to give a shit about having a sexual interest and whatever else.

Everything he has seen on the streets, in movies, through the windows of peoples homes, in books are all free game for him to try out. Mimicking human behavior to see if it evokes anything within him or his partner. Regardless if this is fun, it's also very much an experiment to Mahito. Honestly, that's for the best. Securing his amusement/being entertained and being open to him treating a lot of it as an experiment just increases the value of the other to him. He may want to talk about what the two are going, what they possibly can do, how it affects them, pick them apart and push them more and more.

Intimacy is a useful thing to manipulate others with, as well. Something Mahito by default just does for the hell of it - with or without a purpose. He absolutely will want to learn everything there is to about a partner and will not be satisfied with anything else - unless he gets bored of them. Then it doesn't really matter any.

[swiftletinthecloud]

Now that I’ve had some time to reflect on the end of The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract, just a couple of thoughts I want to share.

There are certainly some conflicted responses to how the drama ended, particularly regarding the tragic fate of Joseon!Tae Ha. And while I do agree that there are some plot holes that were magically handwaved for us to end on a happy ending for Yeon Woo and modern!Tae Ha, I just wanted to comment specifically on the character driven moments right now.

***Spoilers warning*** ***Also fair warning of long post below. This was like 2 and a half page on my google doc, so yeah ****

I absolutely love Joseon!Tae Ha from the beginning and I probably love him a little more than modern!Tae Ha.  I know that some ppls probably feel the same as well.  But here’s the thing, Yeon Woo didn’t love him romantically, not even pre-time travel. Pre-time travel!Yeon Woo and Joseon!Tae Ha was never this epic love story with mutual love from both sides to start with before tragedy struck, and I think a lot of us forgot that.

Joseon!Tae Ha might have secretly loved and admired Yeon Woo from when they met as children because she left such an impact on him, but that was not the case for pre-time travel!Yeon Woo.  She met a boy and spent maybe an afternoon playing with him near the rivers when she was child and then maybe never really gave him much thought after that. I’m not sure of the timeline for the beginning, but definitely 10+ days before her wedding, she met a handsome man named Tae Ha, who definitely caught her initial interest, while she was trying to get a glimpse of her would-be groom. She ran into Tae Ha again in the streets a few days later, and maybe her heart sped up from their running away from the guards together and the forced close proximity to this handsome man as they hid. There might even be a budding affection after their unplanned stroll together during the bridge firework show after he caught her running away again. But whatever Yeon Woo’s growing feelings for Tae Ha might be, she was ready after that to go through with her marriage to her UNKNOWN groom, not to Tae Ha.

It was good luck for Yeon Woo that her UNKNOWN groom turned out to be the handsome guy she met recently. If Joseon!Tae Ha hadn’t died prematurely in that first time line, perhaps Yeon Woo would have grown to love him and reciprocate romantically in the way we all wished.  And Yeon Woo would have been lucky in her arranged marriage to a stranger, that, again, she did not know was Tae Ha, when she committed herself to him as a result of her societal obligation. But fate was not kind to them and Joseon!Tae Ha died and Yeon Woo was thrusted into the 21st century with only the familiar face of her late husband in front of her as an anchor. 

Yeon Woo was alone in a strange place without her loving parents and Sa Wol. She just went through two traumatic events back to back, the death of her husband in her arms on her wedding day and the attack on her that resulted in her being thrown into a well.  Her anchor was the man with her late husband’s face, the face of a person that in the brief time she got to know him was warm and kind, the man who she was ready to face obligated married life with, only modern!Tae Ha was not Joseon!Tae Ha, who was immediately open and kind to Yeon Woo because he had been secretly loving her since they were children. 

Yeon Woo and modern!Tae Ha experienced trials and tribulations together that changed their feelings for each other and they grew to love each other, and it was very much a growth from both sides. Their specific experiences are ones that CANNOT be replicated in Joseon or with a reincarnated 21st century native Yeon Woo because their very specific circumstances led to those shared experiences together. Yeon Woo in Joseon never experiencing 21st century Korea would never be able to experience the freedom that she craved in living her life with her own name.  Joseon!Tae Ha would not have the ability to show her the freedom and choices that modern!Tae Ha and modern Korea showed Yeon Woo because Joseon!Tae Ha was also a product of his time.  The same opportunity of creating a clothing label in her own name would not have the same impact on a reincarnated 21st century native Yeon Woo as it did to Joseon!Yeon Woo. If she grew up as the daughter of Lee Mi Dam, she would have already been exposed to that world and that privilege, and even if she didn’t, as a modern 21st century woman, she would still have privileges that Joseon!Yeon Woo didn’t.  It was also the wonder, curiosity, and, in a way, innocence of Joseon!Yeon Woo and also his own curiosity and wonder about her that got modern!Tae Ha to open up and be vulnerable.  The same case would not have happened with a 21st century native Yeon Woo for those asking why we can’t have a Joseon! Tae Ha & Joseon!Yeon Woo and modern!Tae Ha & reincarnated!Yeon Woo happy endings.  In fact, if it did end with a modern!Tae Ha and a reincarnated Yeon Woo, I would have felt cheated for sure because everything that we went through together was with Joseon!Yeon Woo and what do you mean all those moments were erased and a reincarnated!Yeon Woo who we have no connection with got that happy ending with modern!Tae Ha? (side note: it was a plot hole but I’m so very glad the writers didn’t make everyone in modern Korea forget about Yeon Woo when she went back to Joseon because her presence left an impact on everyone she encountered, as it should be). 

As for Joseon!Tae Ha’s fate, I love him, I really do, but just because he loved and was committed to Yeon Woo throughout his life did not mean that Yeon Woo owed him anything like some of the responses to his ending either outright or subtly hinted at. And Joseon!Tae Ha knew and respected this, so if you love him, you shouldn’t be insulting or criticizing the woman he had been secretly loving and protecting!  It was Joseon!Tae Ha’s choice to give his heart to Yeon Woo; she didn’t have to accept it and he didn’t force it.  In their year of married life together before his second death, they lived in content platonic companionship and that was enough for Joseon!Tae Ha in that life. He still yearned and longed for her romantic love and wished that he could be reborn in the next life to receive it, but he didn’t force the issue as a man of his time period could have since they were still legally married. 

I saw responses that were like “Yeon Woo was able to marry and love modern!Tae Ha because he looked like her late husband so why couldn’t she love Joseon!Tae Ha later? She was able to move on from Joseon!Tae Ha the first time pretty quickly.”  And again, that goes back to the fact that she was never in love with Joseon!Tae Ha in the first place before meeting modern!Tae Ha.  I think some audiences have this assumption that Joseon!Tae Ha in the first timeline was Yeon Woo’s first love, and I initially did as well, but that’s not true if you look back carefully.  Modern!Tae Ha is Yeon Woo’s first love. She didn’t get a chance to love Joseon!Tae Ha yet before he died the first time.

If Yeon Woo had never been able to return to modern Korea and Joseon!Tae Ha didn’t die again after their first year of marriage, maybe slowly in their shared life together as first friends and life companions, post-time travel!Yeon Woo could have grown to love Joseon!Tae Ha romantically, but it would never be in the same way that she loved modern!Tae Ha.  But again, fate was not kind to them and Joseon!Tae Ha died and Yeon Woo, as his friend, was left mourning him once more.

(side note: I’ve read a comment that was like why couldn’t Yeon Woo just try to matchmake Joseon!Tae Ha to someone else in Joseon so he could have a happy ending too, and like, I’m sorry but do you not understand Kang Tae Ha, Joseon or modern at all? Tae Ha, Joseon and modern, loved Yeon Woo, and it was Joseon!Tae Ha’s enduring longing and love for her that transversed time and space and echoed in modern!Tae Ha. If Joseon!Tae Ha could have easily moved on to love someone else, we wouldn’t have this epic love story from Tae Ha’s side of the equation.) 

Another thing that I think is really important to consider that the drama really wanted us to acknowledge was that Joseon!Tae Ha and modern!Tae Ha were two different people. And no, the drama didn’t write themselves into a box by stressing that they were different people but also highlighting their similarities. Yes, they both had the same soul since modern!Tae Ha was undoubtedly the reincarnation of Joseon!Tae Ha, and we know that in the ways they echoed and parallelled with each other.  At the same time, however, they were both different individual people with different life experiences that shaped who they are.  They parallelled in their enduring love for Yeon Woo, their heart conditions, and their unfortunate family situations, but they were also different too.  They were not carbon copies of each other and their situations weren’t carbon copies either. They both had the same soul grandpa, stepmom, and half-brother, but Joseon and modern Tae Ha’s dynamics with each were different because of their unique time circumstances. Modern!Tae Ha was a lot closer to his grandpa who personally raised him in almost conflict with stepmom and Tae Min, but Joseon!Tae Ha was closer to his stepmom, the person who actually raised him in Joseon as expected of her during her time. Joseon!grandpa was perhaps a more distant elder since a man of his status and time period wouldn’t be obligated to raise his grandson when there was a woman right there for that purpose. Tae Ha and Tae Min’s relationships were also different in both time periods too. Modern!them were more distant with each other with Tae Ha raised to resent Ms. Min and so he probably saw Tae Min as an extension of her who he didn’t care for.  Modern!Tae Min revealed to Yeon Woo that he grew up in an environment with very little love from the people around him and saw modern!Tae Ha as the brother who was loved by their grandpa and always outshone him. Their relationship didn’t improve until after both met Yeon Woo.  On the other hand, Joseon!Tae Ha and Tae Min were good brothers with each other. They were close enough for Joseon!Tae Ha to leave Tae Min his diaries and the drawing of his crush so that Tae Min could pass them on to Yeon Woo.  When Yeon Woo asked Joseon!Tae Min who Tae Ha was to him, Tae Min replied that he was the best older brother. So, yes, while both Tae Ha shared the same soul and we see the echoes and similarities in their fates, they were still two distinctive different people in different situations. They were two different people who both fell in love with Yeon Woo, and Yeon Woo had every right to have and hold different feelings for each man.

And so to me, Joseon!Tae Ha’s fate was tragic and I would have absolutely loved for him to have a happy ending with Yeon Woo, but that would have meant a tragic fate for Yeon Woo and modern!Tae Ha.  We could only have 1 couple happy.  I’m glad that we at least have 1 happy ending and it was the relationship we were invested in for the majority of the drama (or again, I would have felt very cheated!).  I so very much want it, and in another timeline, Joseon!Tae Ha and pre-time travel!Yeon Woo could have had it all together, but that was never going to happen post-time travel because what was done can’t be undone.  We loved and we lost and we should very well respect Yeon Woo’s choice like Joseon!Tae Ha did. And despite its flaws, The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract delivered in the romance story area and the relationship and dynamics between Yeon Woo and both Tae Has. There was no unnecessary drama in their relationship with clear communications from both sides. I’m going to miss my ParkHa couple so much and the lighthearted fun and all the emotions that this drama gave us.

[uselessheretic]

in fandom, often see people mention that izzy is an antagonist and that people need to accept this which always feels very vague. usually coupled with a mention that ed/stede are the main characters and references to the fact that the show is a romcom and izzy the villain of it.

always think that's interesting though because what does that actually mean? that because izzy's an antagonist you're not supposed to sympathize with him? or that you're supposed to ALWAYS view the actions of the protagonists as correct if it's against the antagonist?

beyond the general "it's fandom so who cares what fans do with a character" i feel like it shows a really distinct inability of viewing media with nuance, and upholding genre standards (without even understanding those standards!)

izzy's an antagonist but that doesn't mean you're not supposed to sympathize with him by that fact alone. plenty of things have antagonists within it where the expectation is for the audience to empathize with them, or where that position of antagonist can shift. something like team rocket from pokemon, for example, often has them in a b-plot outside of stealing pikachu. there's whole episodes dedicated to showing their backstories where the expectation is to view them as victims within their own narrative. they don't stop being antagonists, but they're ones that we're fond of. where we don't root for them to beat the main characters, but we do cheer when they triumph against their own villains. it's not a static position even within children's media.

even within romcoms, it's like? within the genre standard, a lot of romcom antagonists aren't villains. sometimes they are sometimes they're not! but it's pretty common for an antagonist in the genre to not be a bad guy at all, they just happen to be against the protagonist. or even if they are mean and bullying to the protag, it's very common in the genre for this to be resolved by talking out their differences and coming to a mutual understanding that often involves the protagonist confronted their own flaws. traditional romcoms rarely have the main conflict that the audience is supposed to care about the most be external factors. they're important and they push the narrative and shouldn't be devalued, but romcoms are general character driven. plot is secondary to the characters' own growth where within the genre, flawed protagonists are common. it just means we get a lot of antagonists who are no worse than the protagonist who occupy a rival position instead of a villainous one. the character isn't always "defeated" sometimes they're just understood.

even characters in media who do objectively bad things as antagonists aren't universally condemned as unforgivable. howl's moving castle is a good example of this! the witch who curses sophie and wants howl's heart is the most clear cut "evil" character in the show. but she's not the main antagonist, and she isn't defeated by the heroes. she's extended kindness and empathy where there's never a moment where the characters ask her to repent to be afforded humanity. by the time we reach the end of the story, she's already a part of their found family. when she gives up the thing she wants most, howl's heart, it isn't from threats or even "nobody will love you if you're mean." she gives it up because she's shown love and that love is something she reciprocates.

none of these have to fit izzy as a character, none of these are the exact same piece of media as our flag means death. but "he's an antagonist and you need to accept that" is always thrown around when it just? doesn't mean anything? he's an antagonist but that doesn't mean that antagonists are barred from sympathy. it doesn't mean you should refuse to consider the story from his perspective or that you should accept the idea that whatever stede/ed does is going to always be right and you're supposed to always agree with them over izzy. even shows made for kids aren't universally this black and white with its roles. i mean, plenty of shows for kids are fully about "sometimes the person doing bad things just needs a friend." this doesn't mean it's an applicable lesson to izzy, but that the role of an antagonist isn't a strictly defined space with strict parameters on how that character can behave and what reactions we're supposed to hold towards them.

but "izzy's an antagonist" okay but to who? towards stede, obviously. at ed, on and off. but those aren't the only perspectives we're meant to take on when viewing the show, and both these perspectives are from flawed people. stede is the antagonist in mary's story. ed is the villain from merchants' worst nightmares. even within the main cast, what position ed holds as the love interest isn't static. ed going against stede would make him an antagonist as well by strict definition, but the role of an antagonist doesn't exclude him from being able to be empathetic or to blur those lines of his position within the narrative.

it's just very? simplistic? childish? acting like "this character is an antagonist" as a statement alone is meant to dictate how we're supposed to engage with their story.

[most-canon-non-canon-ship-poll]

worlds worst most cringe fail lavender marriage

Why Sasusaku is shit - a submission-based essay, part 2/2

Sasusaku - a canon het ship from the Naruto and Boruto fandoms between Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Hanako

They fucking named their kid salad. What kind of heterosexual nonsense is that

Okay I've never actually seen Naruto but from what I know this ship fucking stinks. Sasuke is basically a shitty husband and absent father I think. He treats Sakura like shit and also they had barely any screentime or something Idk thus ship has nasty vibes and it was the first bad canon ship I could think of

i mean if leaving her to raise their child alone for ten years wasnt enough, he does this all while remaining in contact with naruto, his secret lover, and never writing home. he didnt even recognize his own daughter after seeing her for the first time in years. sakura literally had to chase him down while he was recovering from trauma, and only then did she wear him down to the point where he finally gave in to her. sakura at one point compares her attempts to make sasuke love her with her beating the shit out of some guy until he dies

There is non bit of mutual affection in a relationshippy way and yet they are forced to play a couple by the creators. And even with her having a crush since childhood times, the crush is only of superficial nature, about looks and his mysterious broody behaviour. She lets herself be a little to obsessed and self sabotage her own character growth. He never reciprocated her feelings and yet they are forced to marry... And after the marriage they immediately go separate ways, at least he does. Why not, he is not commited to her, not in Love with her. She's just indulging her childhood infatuation and he... He is cold and does not appreciate her. He is absent and neglects her and her child. He is indeferent about her and is annoyed by her. She tried to kill her? A mutual healthy relationship really looks different. She is obsessed and he does not care.

He calls her annoying TWICE and then he knocks her out and just leaves her on a park bench?? I just hate this ship, I don't buy for one second that Sasuke likes Sakura. Not even as a friend.

Sakura's "love" for Sasuke is entirely based on the fact that she thinks he's hot and so cool. That's it. She doesn't even know him but was so weirdly obsessed with him she threw away her best friend and then later on in life was willing to throw away her relationships with everyone she cared for over him. He tried to kill her. He tried to force her to kill someone else. He has zero regard for her. You could put a pink wig on a monkey and the only reason Sasuke might possibly notice is because it isn't screeching "Sasuke-kun!!" at him.

[firelxdykatara]

Was watching sneezys video on K/A v Z/K and wondered slightly off tangent why you (and ill admit that I) never took redcrackle as a red herring pairing? Was it just preference for enemies to lovers or ? Is it because they have meat to them that seems it actually might resolve in a romantic fashion (if xyz reasons and behind the scenes wasn't in the way)?

Prt 2 of the sneezy x rc because to clarify i always wondered why being like they are (not having the same values and always having to leave each other instead of coming together) didn't make you see it as a k/a or m/z?

So I actually answered an ask similar to this quite some time ago, though the framing was a little different--I was asked if I agreed that red crackle was maiko 'done better' and my answer was kinda wordy but I think it boils down to this:

I think a big part of it is that Carmen Sandiego started out giving you the sense that these two characters genuinely loved and cared for one another in the 'childhood friends' portion of their past. ... The thing about maiko is... it was entirely one-sided from the very beginning. Shippers will sometimes try to sell you on them being 'childhood sweethearts', but they really weren't--Mai had a crush on Zuko, to which he was oblivious,...

...

Gray and Carmen, on the other hand, were established as rivals who quickly became best friends over the course of their year in school together. They clearly cared deeply for one another, and Gray was just as upset as she was when Carmen failed their final exams ... They didn't see each other for three years (incidentally, the same length of time between Zuko's banishment and meeting Mai again), at which point they were enemies, and yet Gray was clearly upset at the prospect of having to hurt her.

...

Carmen and Gray both grew as characters separately and together--Mai never grew at all, being the exact same person in her last appearance as she was in her first, with the same beliefs and no indication that anything about her worldview had changed, and this is especially egregious when she was paired as a love interest with the character who arguably had the most dynamic growth throughout the series.

Ultimately, my problems with maiko (and kataang) were never that the characters involved had diverging morals or goals, or that they spent significant portions of time separated--those are things that could make for juicy romantic development if given adequate time and page- or screen-space to grow and add to the tension between them until it eventually boils over. The real issue is that neither of these ships actually sold me on the mutual development of their romantic feelings or relationships.

And actually, maiko and kataang both share the problem of one-sided interest being established and nothing being done to make the journey from unrequited to requited love seem believable for the characters who did not originally share these feelings. Aang's crush on Katara is abundantly clear from the beginning of the show, where he hatches from his ice egg and imprints on the first girl he's ever seen in his life like a baby duckling. Katara is entirely oblivious to his interest in her even when he tries to act upon it (take the Cave of Two Lovers, for example, where they kiss to light their way forward and Aang seems flustered and clearly wants to talk about what just happened, but Katara seems to feel nothing except relief and excitement that their plan worked and she can now find the way out), until quite late in the series when, after Aang rather aggressively projects his own feelings onto her, she suddenly seems to reciprocate. Likewise, it is established in a flashback that Mai had a crush on Zuko, but there's zero indication given that he ever noticed her feelings, much less returned them (which makes sense given that he was ten years old at the time and she was his sister's friend and helped to torment him), and no care or attention is given at all to his feelings towards her in the present until suddenly they are dating at the start of book 3.

Then with maiko you have the added issue of nothing ever being done to resolve their stark differences in worldview. At the end of The Boiling Rock, Mai turns on Azula to save 'the jerk who dumped [her]', not because she suddenly realized she was wrong and the Fire Nation needed to change. And at the end of the show you have evidence that Zuko had completely forgotten about her (despite the fact that he could quite possibly have thought she died defying Azula to save his life, and never once seems to think about her again afterwards), and they just... get back together. Because reasons, I guess. Because Mai says 'I guess I kind of like you' and that's supposed to be a good reason for two people to get back together despite none of the things that made their relationship untenable in the first place having changed.

On the other hand, Gray goes through an entire arc on the show after getting his memories back where he comes to realize that working with VILE was not worth losing Carmen, and it wasn't worth Carmen losing herself. And while you could certainly make the argument that at the end of the day he was still saving Carmen because he loved her (however you interpret that love; I personally view it as romantic but obviously the show did not choose to make any specific Carmen-centric ship canon in the end), not because his own moral center had shifted away from the villainous, I would counter that taking a stand against VILE was a clear indication that he had discovered something that was worth more to him than his criminal inclinations. And there was actually a relationship there to serve as a foundation, plus the obvious potential for him to join Team Red in the future and use his skills for good rather than evil.

I have always been a proponent of the redemptive power of love, incidentally. I think that one of the most beautiful forms of redemption is choosing to change because of love, because the act of falling in love and recognizing that love is inherently transformative. Because love changes us and makes us want to be better versions of ourselves. (Or sometimes worse, I do love a good corruption arc too but that's a different topic.)

But the thing is that I ultimately need to believe that love exists in order to buy its power to redeem. I never saw any reason to believe Mai and Zuko were in love beyond very surface-level indications of attraction and an otherwise shallow relationship where they never seem to connect on any deeper level--and not for lack of trying on Zuko's part, here is an excellent essay about their lack of emotional intimacy. Carmen and Gray, meanwhile, had a close friendship and deep emotional bond which persisted through Gray's forced amnesia and that changed him enough that he let Carmen go and then took steps to get her away from VILE after they captured and brainwashed her, branding himself a traitor and risking imprisonment or death to do so.

You can't just skip the part where the story shows us how and why a couple are in love or might have fallen in love and then try to convince me that they are and this isolated moment of sacrifice embodies it. You've gotta put in the work! And atla ultimately fails to do so for either of their main canon ships. (Zutara on the other hand..... but that's another essay. Cough.)

[postgameroutesix]

on this topic. i remembered that hazama canonically thinks karma is cringe which has always been really funny to me when ppl would speculate a possible “friendship” b/w them (unfortunately i dont think they’d ever really be friends) then THAT got me thinking -

karma’s relationships with the tgang are so funny and interesting tbhhh. like u have him and terasaka who are certified enemies to puppet/master to weird close friends character foils and terasaka becomes one of the people alongside nagisa, sugino and okuda karma definitively trusts. their dynamic and its growth are an incredibly interesting + funny one. his relationship with itona becomes one of mutual respect, they get along, but id hesitate to call them “friends” because karma has a very specific criteria for that which is shared by nagisa, okuda, sugino and terasaka - i think itona is similar to nakamura in what he is to karma. hazama is what i described above and i think karma has a level of respect for her but its not necessarily reciprocated - i dont think hazama outright dislikes him or anything rather doesnt have many feelings on him beyond like i said thinking hes a little cringe eek. theres less to say about yoshida and muramatsu bc karma, until quite late, views them as extensions of terasaka like “his minion’s minions” - though, he does start to trust their reliability, as he places yoshida in the “leader” post in the team of him, hara, chiba and hayami when theyre taking back the mountain which ive always thought was interesting