I finally finished reading the fourth volume of svsss in full, and thing is--the first time through I only read the bingqiu content because I was ravenous for more of their happy ending.
Turns out that was a perilous mistake.
Because I started reading the airplane extras. And I swear to god. MXTX is trying to kill me
What do you MEAN demon lord Binghe was sitting on his big fucking throne. All stoic and forbidding. Surrounded by his demon generals who don't know shit about human courtship. Asking them what he should do, fully demoralized by constant rejections from sqq, only to have airplane tell him to act more pathetic and needy. Which is already hysterically funny and insane, UNTIL LBH'S RESPONSE IS THIS, KILLING ME INSTANTLY:
LUO BINGHE. WHY DOES HE SAY IT LIKE: "I already tried that, didn't work--nothing works :/ not mean, not maidenly, not housewife, not spicy, not capable disciple. Is doubling down on clingy really all it will take? What's a born hater with only one love in his life to do????"
The dichotomy of him sitting there like 'how can I reach the unfathomable depths of shizun's heart?' A HEART HE'S ALREADY WON OVER, MIND and then in the Holy Mausoleum solving the puzzle without blinking and being like 'oh yeah you just have to hit the acupoints, no sweat.' Literally the comedy writes itself I'm so--
How am I supposed to be normal about this. MXTX understands the juicy quintessential queer joy of a person with the world's power at their fingertips wishing only for love. Willing to do anything to earn that love, when unbeknownst to them it's already been freely given. Totally not screaming and yelling and clawing at the walls
And that's not even touching airplane's uproarious account of events. The way he's like 'lol what's next, lbh and sqq are best friends now? smfh' only to see lbh TACKLE SQQ LOVINGLY. FOR SQQ TO BE BASHFUL ABOUT IT BUT SO SO FOND OF THE LITTLE SCAMP. This when we've been experiencing sqq's constant inner monologue of 'I'm so cool and so dignified about my role, truly the epitome of propriety and poser-level fortitude.' Meanwhile, in their universe:
Airplane constantly flaming???? Sqq and lbh in his observations????? His absolute bewilderment and confusion????? Legendary. No notes every single second of this shit was hilarious.
Airplane's comment that sqq + older adolescent lbh traveling together was just watching a couple in their honeymoon phase. OR the fact that lbh is exceedingly petty and refuses to share their food in the wake of airplane's interruption of their time together, until sqq relents sheepishly and insists airplane eat what's left (ONLY AFTER PLACATING LBH WITH MORE FOOD FROM HIS PLATE, SOBBING)
Watching airplane salivate over Mobei-Jun and acting like that's totally normal behavior. Finding out mbj and airplane got together first. Finding out sqq encouraged airplane. LIKE THIS. WHILE HE IS STILL IN DENIAL ABOUT HIS OWN FEELINGS:
Mobei-jun clearly thinking their arrangement is a forever thing, heartbroken his human abandoned him with all the hapless fury of a scorned wife swept away by false promises of fidelity. Airplane writing demons to be the type to beat up their crush lovingly and still unable to connect the dots about mbj's feelings. Mbj letting him go and respecting his wishes, only relenting when there's indication airplane was poorly processing his own feelings and didn't actually want to leave. Mbj caring for him and listening to him as soon as airplane voices what he needs directly and with clarity. None of these gays are functional and it's everything to me
Unrelated, but I physically can't hold this information in anymore:
I'm still reeling from younger lbh having his sexual awakening from the image of sqq wrapped in the immortal binding cables. Condemn me as you like he was so, so real for that.
And no I will not be taking any comments about how luo bingge couldn't bear to see luo binghe cherished in ways he never got to have and all the haunting implications of that. I will also not be taking any comments about luo binghe's instinct to look for sqq in that alternate universe, only to be shaken to the very core to be unable to find his shizun anywhere. The unspeakable and latent horror of his relentless mind likely piecing together what happened, but unable to say it; to suspect what is true, and live with the harrowing confusion of his double's actions. To blame himself, to assume that he had let his anger get the better of him in that world and result in unspeakable folly...
I also refuse to talk about how heartrending it is to hear Tianlang-jun weakly say "In the end, I really can't bring myself to hate humans." The implication that the foolishness of that hope and bright-eyed fondness--the very thing that put him through such unspeakable agony--couldn't be beaten out of him entirely. To discover that his faith in Su Xiyan hadn't been misplaced, to the contrary: his beloved hadn't scorned him at all, but rather fought to the miserable end to protect the fruition of their genuine feelings of love when she couldn't protect tlj or herself.
How MXTX has sqq deliberately draw parallels between their situation and that of ygy+sj and tlj+sx; desperately wishing it might not be too late for them. The concept of breaking cycles of abuse and harm pervasive throughout the newly devised story, how it evolves for the better only when love takes the place of power, pride, and domination. How the moment sqq chooses vulnerability instead of saving face, the genre shifts to the so-called "cringe" girly genre where most if not every character is more fulfilled, more true to themselves. How the "male-oriented" former genre was aimlessly sensationalized and sexualized, how it was a sustained performance of aspirational toxic masculinity. How men objectify other men without end. All of the unspoken gendered implications that come with that.
Anyways. Going to go put my head in a sandbox and try to process everything I just witnessed because even a second reading is not enough to find a modicum of closure.
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I will not have Lan Xichen slander.
He is actually very smart and a great sect leader.
The only mistake he did was not being able to see past Jin Guangyao's kindness towards him and even that isn't his fault because JGY really was that bitch who rose from nothing and had the whole cultivation world in his hand.
Heck he would have continued to have it in his hand if it wasn't for NHS who succeeded in bringing wwx back.
Like thinking Lan Xichen of all people was stupid to not see his real face is both an insult to him and JGY.
Also you people forget that JGY has done a lot of good things as well. He isn't just a bad person, he's a person who is willing to do bad things to keep his power because he will not allow himself to be powerless again.
And when you look at the big picture it makes complete sense Lan Xichen would trust JGY over NMJ.
Lan Xichen has his own strict morals but he also sees the world in all of it's colours and that just shows in him cultivating a technique to be able to drink without getting drunk.
It's not just a fun little thing but shows his own code and how he looks at life.
When we meet him first, we see he is way more forgiving of Wei Wuxian and his antics than any Lan and even encourages Lan Wangji to give it a chance and be friends.
And this point Lan Wangji is just as bad as Qiren when it comes to upholding rules, (not bad as in bad person) and Lan Xichen pushes him towards Wei Wuxian because he clearly is not someone who follows rules blindly and it does help Lan Wangji.
Wei Wuxian is the reason Lan Wangji actually thinks of the rules and considers them, forming his own opinions on them and during all of this Lan Xichen is open and accepting of questions and patience. Because he trusts Wangji will come to the right path eventually and this time it wouldn't be him following rules blindly but they would guide him to the path he wants to take.
And then the war happens and Lan Xichen is forced to abandon his family to protect his sect and he does so.
In his lowest moment he meets JGY and is a witness to his kindness and support and at this moment Lan Xichen could give him nothing and maybe jgy tells him the truth about the general or maybe half a truth, either way, he hears his side too.
And then JGY takes on a very dangerous mission to play spy on WRH and they win mainly because JGY took these steps whole endangering himself, when it could have been so easy for him to betray others.
Also during this time him and NMJ have not been talking about JGY.
And by the time NMJ starts talking about JGY, JGY has done more rights than wrongs in Lan Xichen's book, you can't judge a person by just one action afterall, you need to consider the possibilities. Also his raging screaming and yelling black and white morals is not something that can shake Lan Xichen when he is analysing that at this point JGY is on their side and has been from the start.
Like even the reason for the proposed brotherhood was a political move and not just him wanting for his friends to get along. (When I remove my 3zun goggles*cough*) Because the high friction between Nie Mingjue and Jin clan could have very well started another war because let's remember - NMJ was highly unstable and could easily be triggered into it unless he was held back by something like a sworn brother pact- the sworn brothers pact would bring the largest three clans remaining to be tied together and unable to start another war that would cause even more harm.
Because Lan Xichen's first and foremost priorities are to avoid another war or discord that could cause casualties. He is out there taking disrespect from the kinds of Jin Zixun biting his tongue about Su She to maintain the peace in the cultivation world.
And in defense JGY does try to fix things with NMJ at the start(until nmj insulted his mom which is the trigger for him to have done almost all the on screen kills except maybe wrh) , he is indeed, kind and respectful and he did a lot for Gusu sect, all of that has got to add up.
JGY plays a dirty political game but he also did a lot of good for the cultivation world.
With the side that JGY maintains in front of LXC it's way more surprising that LXC even gave LWJ and WWX a chance to present their case.
But that was also only because Lan Xichen will always love and trust his brother, even if according to him the brother is once again back with his "toxic" situationship that almost killed him 13/16 years ago.
This is the one of the few time he chooses his brother over his sect leader duties.
Because if he was to follow the path as the sect leader the evidence presented until then compared to the words just words and no physical evidence shared by Lwj and WWX it's clear which choice he should have made.
Even in the end when we know that it is a fact that JGY has in fact never harmed or even tried to harm LXC, he still takes a stand against him. Is willing to die beside him for the one mistake he made of trusting JGY and it wasn't a blind trust, it was trust built up over months, years during and after the war.
Anyways, Lan Xichen my beloved you are doing good, great even come out of seclusion 🥺.
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