#and that's the fucking tea

[lowat-golden-tower]

I’m sorry but how was striker's core kept intact? He’s like a parody of his former self in the latest episode and a bad parody at that.

Ohhhh anon, anon, anon. I am more than happy to extrapolate on all things Helluva Boss! You have come to the right place for my personal hot take on why Striker is awesome and the latest episode hasn't tarnished that whatsoever.

I made it quite known back when he was the latest "controversy" in the tag that I disagree with the critics and thoroughly enjoyed not only the episode, but his portrayal, and saw no diminishments from our first introduction to him. I've explained my perspective on this in snippets across a few posts, and it's been some time, but I'll do my best to explain it all here yet again!

This may get ramble-y. I'm putting it under a cut.

Firstly note. We've seen this character a grand total of TWO TIMES. Two. That is two instances for us to learn about him and witness how he acts and reacts to the world around him. Doesn't sound like a lot of time, right? Yeah. That's 'cause it's not. For all we know, there's more layers and nuance to this character that's yet to be explored and explained. Remember, Spindlehorse has this series mapped out to the end for the most part. It's how Vivzie could tell us the number of seasons. They obviously have more plans for Striker and more episodes to explore his character in. Probably answer a lot of questions raised by his second episode as well! There's no real telling. We aren't part of Spindlehorse. But that's part of the fun and excitement of watching a show.

Now, everyone and their mother wants to cry "flanderization!" and "bastardization!" and "oh they ruined him, he's not like before, they made him a giant joke." Do people realize the Striker we got in the first episode was literally a played up caricature? The character was playing a character. It's so obvious after his second episode. Think about it.

When we meet Striker, he's this badass, untouchable, suave farm hand. Clearly he knows what he's doing and it's so obvious he's worked hard to impress and charm Millie's parents. For the best view he can get of Stolas's head, of course. Make a good impression, gain their trust. Look at how he talked to Blitzo! Total manipulator. But even in this episode you can see the cracks.

During his fight with them in the attic, he loses some of his cool. Gets emotional. Loses his manipulative edge. He tries patching it back together to act unbothered but it's clear man's got an ego and it's been bruised.

Jump to episode two. Not only do we see Striker again, we have loads more time with him. Just him and Stolas, they have a huge chunk allll alone together. We get to see so much more in-depth. The outside layers are peeled back. Striker is skilled and confident and egotistical, but that isn't all there is to his character. His lair is a testament to that. Him bitching at the singers on the way to said lair speaks volumes.

Everyone bitches about the statue but you know what? Striker's ego is enormous. I wasn't shocked at all. His ego is similar to Chaz's, however, unlike the dumbass shark he's actually capable. He knows how to put on a real façade. He tries maintaining it while dealing with Stolas but Stolas breaks it down, and Striker probably feels more comfortable removing the mask thinking Stolas is going to die. Dead men tell no tales.

He's defensive. He's prickly. He wants, desperately, to be taken seriously- just like Blitzo. He mentions having some kind of tragic backstory which probably influenced all of this, and will likely be explored in future episodes. He's deadly but he isn't some untouchable mastermind. He's a person. Someone with feelings and vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Defense mechanisms.

Stolas doesn't take him seriously even when Striker is torturing him. It probably taps into that trauma. It makes him lose his cool. And that scene during the fight, when Moxxie sexually teases Striker to gain the upper hand? Striker took that the same way. He wants to be viewed as a threat.

His fight with Moxxie and Millie was epic. He literally almost killed them both. He came so fucking close but people act like they stole his balls. Like he's no longer threatening. I guess they watched a different fight scene?

Personally, I think an additional reason he may have reacted oddly to the sexual teasing from Stolas and Moxxie could be that he's some flavor of asexual. Where he'll utilize sexual manipulation, as he did with Blitzo, but if it's thrown back at him he can't stomach it. Maybe he's caught off-guard by anyone trying to manipulate him back- use his own tactics against him. That's a common response for egoists and narcissists. The giant boner on his statue? That's an ego flex. It's Hell. Of fucking course it is.

At the end of the day, we've seen what is clearly a very complex character twice. A character who is obviously going to get more screen time. Maybe, just maybe, instead of people automatically assuming the surface level is the end-all of a character, they can wait and see where the team takes them. Characters have arcs. They have depth- good ones, anyway. And I'm so fucking excited to learn more about Striker and the reason he's like this. So excited.

And as a bonus note? If you don't like the humor used in the show? Too fucking bad. Some people do. No media can please everyone. Go watch something else.

[arrowheadedbitch]

I just accidentally made un-tea?????

I made green tea, but I forgot there was an old bag of chai in the kettle, so I mixed chai water with decaf green tea, then I mixed in like a half table spoon or something of that honey from the dollar store that they aren't legally allowed to call honey because there's too much corn syrup in it and some almond milk and a single drop of coffee creamer because we ran out and???? It tastes like??? Nothing????

It has LESS flavor than my tap water! HOW do you EVEN-

I think I made a flavor that's only perceptible to shrimp, that's the only explanation

[gascreates]

when teenaged rebellion goes too far

[chubs-deuce]

Alastor may dislike new age tech but that doesn't mean he doesn't have his sources lol

[thegnomelord]

KOSA update:

For anyone who hasn't seen (me included lol), the verge has put out an article about KOSA and how its not as clear if congress will pass it now as multiple other bills are competing against it and legislators are struggling to decide which to back.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/29/24086559/kids-online-safety-act-schatz-tech-groups

One of the proposed bills is this one

In short, instead of making a bunch of tech bros surrogate parents on the internet, instead it would invest a ton of money into actually going after and investigating actual child predators, modernize the cyber tipline, and do research on prevention/ detection programs, among a few other things.

So please, if you're American, you still have time to call up your reps and tell them you're against Kosa, which is good, but giving them suggestions like this bill is better

[pinacoladamatata]

blink and you'll miss it moments around skyhold....

[teashopcrafts]

My stitched thoughts on the AI debate, lol.

If there's any interest in the pattern, let me know and I'll get on digitizing it.

Check out the shop: https://teashopcrafts.bigcartel.com/

[teddytheartist]

Zukka for the win my guys

[barrel-crow-n]

This scene >>>

[shepscapades]

SHEP

DRAW MORE SLEEPY XISUMA

AND MY LIFE IS YOURS

(no pressure of <3)

ANYTHING FOR YOU ANONYMOUS

[melleody]

being a shifter is when ure itching to overshare about your dr and then remembering that’s like giving out your personal info in this reality..

[morganali-art]

Not now, sweetheart 👀💦

[4ndeka]

god help anyone who disrespected his queen

[talesfromthebandgeekmafia]

So personally I am ready for the Venom-esque romance between a knockoff Die Hard Bruce Willis and the middle-aged sexually frustated mall cop currently piloting his body in a Jumanji situation but that’s just me

[quesadilla-day]

delicious jade 😋yummy yummy 😍

[kcsplace]

Ted Lasso + Whatever The Fuck This Is (1/?)

The Continuing Tea Adventures of Ted 2