#and thus.... he 'lacks guidance'...

[quesadilla-day]

follow-up to ✨this✨

[ultimatelyunassuming]

I think all the guardians in homestuck (minus carapacians) tried to prepare their kid for sburb to varying degrees of success (read: most of them failed)

[risestarkiss]

Being Big Red

Rise Ramblings #312

In “What Was Meant To Be” and “What They Became,” I discuss how the turtles were created by Draxum to be weapons and then how the boys were embraced by Splinter to be a part of the Hamato clan.

I also discussed how Splinter viewed television as a window into his former life. He used television as a means to drown himself in a never-ending cycle of reminiscing the past and mourning his former self.

Splinter’s crushing depression, though never voiced, impacted the turtles’ emotional growth and development. As a result, all four brothers had to cope with their father’s lack of attention and his expectations for their lives in their own way…

However, I believe that no one had more pressure placed on them than Raphael Hamato.

Raphael is naturally easy-going, sweet, fun-loving, and supportive. But, as the oldest/biggest turtle, he became the impromptu leader of their little team by default. Consequently, he takes on several different roles for the sake and well-being of his family.

Their day-to-day training regimen is directed completely by him.

He is the boys' moral compass and who they go to for guidance.

He's the team’s backbone, support, and backup, which often cumulates in him acting as a physical shield when things get rough.

And, most significantly, Raph is the leader even when he himself wants nothing more than to crumble to pieces.

Raph is so physically imposing, strong-willed, and devastatingly kind-hearted that it’s easy to expect these roles from him.

But, Raph is also just a child.

In reality, these roles should never have been Raph’s to bear…

Parentification is a process in which a child or adolescent is forced to act as a parent to their siblings (or to their actual parent) through providing emotional support (Emotional Parentification) or physical support (Instrumental Parentification) in order to maintain the household.

I believe that Raphael was subjected to both, but was especially subjected to the former.

All of the roles described above are the roles of a supportive parent to their children (or Sensei to their students.) To verify this claim, you needn’t look further than the roles that Splinter encompassed in any other iteration.

With Raph, none of this responsibility comes naturally. He has to work hard to live up to the pressures and expectations placed onto him, resulting in a dissonance between his responsibilities and his true nature.

I believe that you can see the evidence of this dissonance in his chosen form of dress.

Have you noticed that when Raph casually dresses himself, he mostly wears white?

Even Donnie picked up on this trend when he chose outfits for his brother in "The Clothes Don't Make The Turtle." (See "The Fashionista" for a full breakdown on Donnie's impeccable fashion sense.✨)

Yet, when Raphael is filling a role, or dressing to impress others, Red is his automatic go-to.

It’s almost as if the title of “The Red One” was not one that he chose, but one that was merely placed onto him.

But I digress...

Raph is able to be a pseudo-parent to his brothers and serves to fill in the gaps that their actual father could not fill. However, with no outlet for his own insecurities, all of that pressure had no relief.

And, if you understand chemistry, pressure, with no release, creates an explosion.

“Acting out” is an unhealthy defense mechanism in which one expresses their unacceptable feelings through physical actions.

In this case, the "unacceptable feeling" is disappointment, not at his brothers, or with his father, or with any external force, but with himself. And with no outlet and with no one to turn to for support, that disappointment turns into red hot anger.

He’s so disappointed with himself, in fact, that he reaches his breaking point.

Then finally, finally, he opens up.

And at long last, he gets the support he so desperately needed.

Thus, he is able to ultimately let it all go...

It's so lovely to see that his family does not disappoint.

○○○○

Next | Being Baby Blue • Being Purple ○ Part One • Being Purple ○ Part Two • Orange, Baby!

Finale | Being Hamato Yoshi

[archie-sunshine]

YEAHH THE RUNG ERA!!

GIVE US ALL YOUR RUNG IDEAS!!

also the way you draw Meg’s shlong oh my gawd holy moly I’m panting 😩

OK SO I GOT CARRIED AWAY AGAINNNNNN!!!

OK! SO FIRST OF ALL TO PREFACE I FULLY BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE NO ULTERIOR MOTIVES FOR RUNG TO BE FRAGGING HIS PATIENTS, HE GENUINELY ONLY WANTS THE BEST FOR THEM.

that being said, I hc that rung happens to have an incredibly high libido. I think he has exceptional self control, because he has no shame about sexual self care or what he finds arousing or sexually stimulating, so he probably is VERY regular about masturbating, and thus, is not nearly as pent up as most other characters I write about.

I think as a dominant rung tends to be very clinical with his patients, very patient, giving, allowing his patients to learn and express their desires in a safe environment. He'd definitely be very big on like bdsm tests and safety and safewords, his form of control would feel less like dominance and more like guidance, which could be strange for bots who frag a lot and aren't used to bots using terms like 'session plan' and 'internalized shame' during sex.

I also feel like he has a lot of theories surrounding the use of sex as part of healing from trauma, which should be pretty evident considering the way i draw him fragging. I imagine he's acutely aware of the fact a lot of bots on the lost light have issues with vulnerability and submission, and rung would probably use something like that as a foothold to introduce the idea of 'hey maybe if you let me take the reigns in a fun sexual situation, you could find handling a lack of control easier in your day to day life!' I do think that rung would in many ways get off on the submission of others, though it sounds predatory when put that way. I think Rung likes making bots feel good and seeing them relax in a way that following sexy orders does.

In addition to that, I think rung has a mild(huge) fixation on messing with bot's valves, specifically bots who usually spike. Even if he is typically more a valve than a spiker, i think he does enjoy giving valve oral or fingering a lot.

I also think he especially has a bit of a thing for size difference, whether he's fragging with a bot as huge as fort max or one as little as minimus. I do think his sterner side comes out to play more with bigger, more reluctant bots, though he's never really truly mean so much as chiding or scolding.

MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH! AND I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD GO UNSAID!

Rung is the MASTER of aftercare. he's a big believer in skin to skin contact(plating to plating contact??), so it's lots of petting, snuggling, hugging, hand holding. I think he would likely warn a partner coming down from a scene that he was going to stop touching them if he had to go get them energon or a towel or something, but he would try to keep at least one point of contact.

So yeah! valvedom/gentle dominant rung is my favourite hc for him personally. I'm sure you can sense a theme with my enjoyment of 'tiny top big bottom' but I think you'll forgive me for that right?? right?? yeah.

[mewtwo24]

Sasaki and Hirano, Compare/Contrast Brainrot

Okay like I saw a post about Sasaki and Hirano’s friendship and I just. Started thinking about it and now I can’t stop. Especially after reading Hirano to Kagiura. 

I feel like they’re messed up (repressed is probably what I actually mean) in the same way but in opposite directions and that’s why they like…get along, but in the strangest manifestation of that phrasing? They care about each other almost from a periphery, from the vantage point of someone who understands, but, since they’re also still figuring it out, they don’t know quite how to interact with or guide the other?

And it’s killing me because--idk if it was just me--I kept going feral over every single time I was reading the manga and Hirano would go “oh yeah I do [insert fuckign batshit intimacy] with my roommate, this is a normal senpai/kouhai thing to do” and Sasaki literally always reacts with:

“.” (Huh. I don’t think that’s normal but who am I to judge these things. Let’s ask the local social barometer.)

“Hey Hanzawa, this [reiterates what Hirano said word-for-word] isn’t normal is it?” (Translation: “this would be inappropriate to do with Mya-chan even though I’m clawing at the walls just thinking about it”)

And Hanzawa, bless his heart, who is only a fraction more normal about social interaction than everyone else is just like:

“.” [W H A T]

“Sasaki, what. Of course you shouldn’t be doing that. W H Y ARE YOU ASKING ME THIS”

AND THIS HAPPENS MANY TIMES IN THE SPAN OF TWENTY CHAPTERS. I CANNOT EXPRESS ENOUGH THE HILARITY BUT ALSO CONCERN IT INSPIRES TO WATCH.

More detailed analysis under the cut, I just can’t stop laughing at the way the manga compares them:

Sasaki fascinates me because, as I take stock again, it feels like he’s got this dread when it comes to change (e.g. Ogasawara and his gf dating--thus changing his relationship with both of them, asking Miyano out--risking losing him, confessing that he’s dating a boy to his sister--risking her enduring and fervent disapproval). So much of his younger teenage angst was related to being reluctant to start or do things, and while it’s easy to assume laziness, I don’t think that’s the case? He says in the manga: “There’s nothing I can do, so how am I supposed to know what I want to do then…?” I get a sense that this trapped feeling contributes to his dissatisfaction and stasis more than a refusal to do anything at all. I don’t think he lacks capacity; he’s proven to be exceptionally clever and even studious when he feels motivated. 

Considering the lack of interest his parents had in his life (let alone his hobbies/skills) and his sister’s overbearing scrutiny, I feel like it makes sense he’s struggled so much with his self-actualization. I feel like he perceives it as being caught between hot and cold extremes constantly; like no matter what he does, he’ll either receive indifference or loud chastising. So why bother at all? It would explain why he likes Miyano’s temperament so much, considering the latter quite literally is defined by his normalcy and even keel. When Sasaki wants to move forward in their relationship, Miyano seriously considers both their feelings, and thoroughly weighs the realities of what it would mean to be together before replying. While Sasaki wants to be closer to him, I think so much of his willingness to wait was the fact that Miyano wasn’t evading him. Miyano was being honest and thorough about meeting him halfway, without insulting his feelings or flat out ignoring him.

(Side note: I fully agree that Sasaki’s sister is a positive influence in his life, in that she actually gave a damn when he was downspiraling and miserable, and pointed out that all kids need limits and guidance. But she is loud and forceful about her acknowledgement, and I feel like this is very grating to Sasaki. For better or worse, it’s clear he has a hard time with such a direct and intense approach about what he should think and feel, and about what he needs. Sasaki shows indications of a kind of mindset where he thinks he needs to shoulder all the tough and heavy things alone, so it makes sense to me that he would be uncomfortable with his sister proclaiming how he is lost or bereft of attention/discipline.)

I think there’s also the fact that Miyano witnessed Sasaki at his most vulnerable--and instead of lashing out--offered him help and sympathy, real warmth and patience. Sasaki has always meant a lot to me as a character, maybe because he resonates in such a poignant way. He’s somebody who has lived under such emotional extremes, and as a result deeply values a sense of normalcy. Where one could argue Miyano is unassuming and ordinary, I think that’s part of why Sasaki likes being with him.  With Miyano, he doesn't have to guess at the distance between them; Miyano is earnest and careful about those differences, and is very direct about addressing them with reciprocity.

Now then, Hirano. I know very little about Hirano’s home life other than his being an only child. But to be honest, that does tell us a bit--paired with his subtle social anxieties. I will never forget Sasaki saying to Miyano ‘that’s because Hirano plays favorites with his kouhais’ about the gap between his behavior towards his younger classmates versus everyone else. While Sasaki’s petulance is uproarious, there is something to that. (I also love how this exposes Sasaki, lowkey, because he’s basically saying that he’d only do that with his favorite people, aka Miyano. But otherwise he could never be bothered to care about a rando, and that’s hilarious.)

I think Hirano--because he doesn’t really have a sense of how he’s supposed to relate to other people--tends to follow the same strict guidelines you might see in a rule book (DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE COUGH COUGH). Supposing he was taught--or simply feels responsibility towards younger kids as a result of reflective parental neglect--it would explain why he feels this rigid need to treat kouhais like little siblings. At first glance, and honestly when you consider his general aloofness, it doesn’t make much sense that he has a mothering sensibility otherwise. 

Now then, because I realized this while writing and I have to inflict this on everyone else in rapid succession, this would explain his initial staunch discomfort with Kagiura’s affection. In the context of Hirano’s lifestyle/mindset:

Hirano → relationships with people? Don’t understand that, refer to following flowchart:

→ younger = responsibility, must protecc

→ same age = keep them in line

→ older = respect (but only if I feel like it HAIR DYE NOISES INTENSIFY)

Mind you, I don’t think this is limited to his platonic/friendship relations. I think this permeates into so many other aspects of his life, since sociality is inevitably a focal point for all human life. If he feels an uncharacteristic leniency and profound affection for Kagiura, then it must be because he's a kouhai he wants to protect, nothing more. He has no other reason or definition by which to ascribe to those feelings. Hirano doubly insisting he can’t be attracted to men is because he’s been so inundated in the widespread social signals, the social rule that has been long standing--and remains a pretty powerful message even now--that it’s unlikely (and that’s a gentle term) he’s attracted to another man. 

After all, He is So Good At Being A Normal Young Man. He’s in the discipline committee. He gets excellent grades. He’s a kind and helpful senpai. He keeps his classmates in line. Of Course He Likes Women, What Do You Mean Gay.

He’s basically that meme like: “'Men can be attracted to other men' actually statistical error. Average men only feel attraction for women. Sasamiya is an outlier and should not be counted."

Both Hirano and Sasaki hate change/unpredictability, but I really love how complex their differences are in regards to how they experience that and feel that. Sasaki hates change, but he’s not necessarily emotionally repressed? He’s able to express what he feels for Miyano because he feels it so strongly, and it comes naturally when he does. In fact, it’s so natural that he becomes impulsive--and that’s why he gets so anxious about moving too far or too fast by accident. He has the overthink override, where if the attraction is too strong he simply Can’t Shut Up About How Much He Loves Miyano or stop hugging/kissing him.

Hirano hates change in the sense that he’s so ensconced in this idea that This Is Normal Human Behavior, that he completely loses sight of how he actually feels about anything--because he rejects/suppresses anything he can’t coherently define in a scripted, linear way. And being asked to tread that unstable, unsteady ground is tantamount to throwing a cat in water with no warning. This is why it’s so sad but also HYSTERICALLY FUNNY to see him like “wym I have feelings for Kagiura. It's perfectly normal to start yelling with all the wounded rage of a scorned housewife over my kouhai not letting me wake him up for morning practice. That is what it means to be a senpai.” Because he has no blueprint for how he’s supposed to express a love that goes deeper than friendship (with a man no less), he defaults to these overly simplistic structures that can’t support the complexity/maturity of such adult human feeling and exchanges. They worked for him just fine before, so why won’t they work for him now?

Relegating Kagiura to the role of kouhai makes it easier for Hirano to conceptualize why he cares so much for him, but it also limits the scope of his view. He’s using it as an umbrella term in a sense: of course he doesn’t find every little thing about Kagiura infuriating/boring/troublesome. Being the older person means being responsible and chill about everything. But that’s the thing. He’s not indulging Kagiura the same way he indulges Miyano, despite him qualifying them the same way. With Miyano it’s super clear Hirano really does just see him as a baby duckling, someone to treat gently and usher around. His behavior around Kagiura is so astronomically different in comparison, it’s nearly comical to try to compare them:

It’s Kagiura’s birthday. Hirano, who probably hardly remembers people’s birthdays, deadass went around asking every person he was close to (like, 5 ppl) for advice. He agonized over it for days on end. He gets Kagiura tickets to a basketball game and an alarm clock, and spends the entire day with him. He asks Hanzawa if he can use party poppers to celebrate Kagiura on the day of, and to get around the rules when he’s told no he has everyone go hog wild with them at the Christmas party in a loophole maneuver to celebrate. Reminder to myself and everyone reading, this is BEFORE he even hears a word about Kagiura’s feelings.

THIS IS BEFORE EITHER OF THEM ARE IN ANY KIND OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP. HIRANO, WHO IS MR. “i only study or drag people to baby jail, what do you want,” SPENT ENTIRE DAYS PAINSTAKINGLY PLANNING ALL OF THIS. FOR KAGIURA’S BDAY. AFTER ONE OFFHAND COMMENT FROM KAGIURA OF LIKE mannnn having an xmas bday sucks ass, they just try to lump it tg with holiday presents booooo :///

That Hirano conceptualizes Kagiura as a kouhai has been established. But another angle that’s equally crucial is this equation:

Hirano → adore person? Devote Every Minute To Being Nice^TM

→ hate person? angry cat hissing sounds/smack with paper roll

→ mild dislike? Lowkey grousing/sarcasm/dismissal

→ neutral? (this is most people btw) refer to earlier chart for appropriate social etiquette

This is pretty much where Hirano gives himself away. Because even in his most inflexible rules for himself, we’ve never seen him convey so much feeling for anyone around him so helplessly. It can be argued that he might have in the past, but honestly, I doubt it. The feeling is so confusing and new to him that it leads me to believe so much of his difficulty accepting what he feels is related to its unfamiliarity. He can’t trust it as real precisely because he can’t control or neatly define it. (This made doubly disconcerting by the fact that he doesn’t have a typical social structure to work from either. If his parents, for instance, are anything like Hanzawa’s, it’s possible his conception of love between a couple is about devotion to remain together to fulfill a sense of status/purpose to create a new life. He would have zero concept of love that comes from the very depths of a person’s emotional being, a call and response that is as instinctive as it is fulfilling.)

Sasaki feels an intense desire to be close to Miyano, and thus acts accordingly because he trusts his feelings. On the other hand, he has trouble measuring the distance between himself and others. (e.g. he thinks he will lose his friends if they date, his sister acts like a parent but is also a kid and that makes it hard for him to know how to interact, he struggles to convey himself properly to Miyano when he brings up escalating to dating). Hirano, on the other hand, doesn’t realize the intensity of his affection and heartfelt proximity to Kagiura because he’s so busy tying himself up in knots over what he’s supposed to feel and think that he doesn’t trust his feelings. Rather, he is only given away by how obscenely his actions expose him. Comparatively, he has less trouble measuring the distance between himself and others when it comes to anyone but Kagiura.

(Perhaps obviously, Kagiura has Sasaki’s whole ‘if I don’t hug/kiss/bark at him I’ll die’ emotional expression and Miyano has the cautious measuring of distance between people and difficulty accepting gay like Hirano.)

God they’re both so quintessentially queer it hurts me. One can’t shut up about his love, and the other literally cannot open his mouth and express his feelings or he’ll die. 

NARRATIVE FOILS EVERYONE

(Also unsure if it’s me but wow. They are so. Autism. And that also kills me akhfjldghjgdsfhkdfjhg)

[catgumi]

itafushi hc #10 ; yuji developed a strong immune system from having to manage himself as a child-- he often went without supervision and he got into places he typically shouldn't have & ate things he also shouldn't have. additionally since he knew how to cook properly from a young age,, he actually fit some nutrition in his meals. he essentially microdosed on sickness growing up.

megumi , on the other hand, got a horrible immune system from lack of adult guidance. unlike yuji he refused to so much as touch anything mildly dirty, didnt want to cook for himself and instead ate convenience store pizzas for every other meal,, and thus seems to get sick literally just from being looked at the wrong way.

yuji once got what was a VERY mild cold for him , barely even noticed and continued to hang around megumi. he ended up giving megumi said illness and it took megumi out for a week and a half. megumi refused to talk to yuji for a while after that out of spite despite yuji's efforts to reconcile by bringing homemade soups to megumi's dorm on the daily while he was sick.

[chamomiletealeaf]

hello! I’m writing for TF141 and I especially want to write for Gaz. However for some reason I keep just lumping him with the same personality as Soap. Tips ;-;??

Hi! I'm so flattered you asked me for advice omg :) Well, from what I've noticed in the game, I personally think Gaz is very intuitive. I think he watches from afar and knows what's gonna happen before it actually does, but doesn't give his opinion unless asked. Part of that I think is one, like I said before, his intuition, but also his training and guidance from Price. I personally think Gaz has had the best character development of all the Task Force since the MW reboot, because he goes from this frustrated recruit not knowing what is too much for him and how to handle it when it is too much, to someone so in control of himself that he's gained phenomenal intuition and self control. He's quiet, calm, an observer like Simon, but he actually is quite snarky (hence his cocky little jokes to Laswell and Price in the MW2 campaign). In the first MW reboot campaign I believe it was, where Gaz had to lead the doctor around the mercs from the security cameras I think showed exceptional intuition and self control since he was so sure she was getting out of there alive and what routes to take. I think that also had to do with just him being a good soldier, but he was very confident (even if it was a playable scene and not a cinematic one, we played as Gaz.) Gaz is always calm when he just knows a situation will turn out alright, and if he visibly panics? You better panic too lol. Soap also led Ghost around mercs in I believe the second campaign? Might have been the third but I believe Soap is just handy with tech due to his demolitions training. Both scenes are very similar, but I feel like Gaz works under pressure more efficiently than Soap mostly because of Soap's temper (Like the scene were Soap almost killed Makarov.)

Anyway, that's just me rambling about my pookie Gaz lol, but I would say the main similarities and differences between Soap and Gaz are:

Differences

Soap is impulsive, hot headed, loud, while Gaz is quiet, a man who thinks before he acts and makes sure everyone's on board with a plan before he jumps into action, intuitive, only gives his two cents when asked, a great advice giver and listener (that last one is just from what vibes I personally get from him rather than from observation throughout the campaigns.) And I think he handles pressure and his temper better.

Similarities

Both Gaz and Soap are both witty and silly. They both are able to find that childlike joy despite the horrors they witness. However, they both know when to be serious even if Soap is a bit more out of pocket than Gaz.

I love both so much, and I'm not saying Gaz is a better soldier than Soap by any means, but that they're different, and handle situations differently.

So when it comes to writing Gaz, I would take all of this into consideration such as: How would a calm approach to this situation be?/ How would observing this situation rather than engaging in it affect the characters?/ What advice could be given to other characters from a well thought out point of view (Gaz's pov)?

I feel like Gaz really thinks before he acts unlike Soap.

And if you wanna get more fun with it, I would ask myself: How would two knuckleheads (Gaz and Soap) observe and react to a funny or shocking situation while staying in character?/ How do clashing personalities bond? In this case, their humor is the same, so writing situations where the two of them are together and giggling at something silently in front of whoever they're laughing at I think is the perfect balance between observing and acting on impulse/lack of self control, thus blending their personalities together.

Sorry if that was a lot, I had a lot to say. I love talking about character personalities and actually evaluated Soap's personality for a college psychology of personality final lol (Got an A).

I hope all of my yapping helps at least a little bit!

[moontrinemars]

Asteroid Pan in Natal and Synastry Charts

Once again, this information is compiled for my use and posted for shared convenience. Read my bio for a disclaimer and practice common courtesy if you're interested in using my words or work.

To start, we have to understand the context of Pan, whether as a mythic figure, a divine patron, or both.

Pan is a rustic god, whose domain extends over shepherds, hunting, panic, and folk practices, especially of music or prophecy. He is a companion to Dionysus, and travels with his nymphs.

🐑 Often, but not always, he is depicted as a satyr. Other times, he is represented with horns, but no hooves. Still other times, he is shown as humans, but in the company of satyrs, as well as normal goats.

🐑 He is mischievous, a giver of terror, as well as an eager pursuer of love and pleasure. But he is also a guardian of flocks, a practitioner of animal husbandry, so he is not entirely flippant and impulsive.

🐑 Essentially, Pan was a playful, festive spirit who enjoyed toying with the nerves of strangers and engaging in bestial mating rituals, but he also fully committed himself when guarding the vulnerable. He likes to watch people squirm, but he doesn't want to see the innocent flock actually harmed. Thus...

Asteroid Pan [4450] represents teasing, stimulation, excitement, and impulse control (or lack thereof). He also correlates to roles and relations based in pursuit, such as leader-follower and hunter-target.

Copy-text: 4450,3671,2063,771,577,65,69230,875,3360,60

Prominent natal placements of Pan indicate how such a position as his is fulfilled or obtained by the native.

For others who practice a faith that involves some form of the hellenic pantheon, I have listed how I interpret natal blessings from object-asteroid aspects here and are interested in my approach. You can interweave those basic interpretations with the ones I’ve provided and get a rough approximation of how I'd interpret the aspect.

Tight and significant conjunctions will create a sort of "wildcard leader" aspect to the native, empowering the native to vacillate between solemnity and joy when engaging with that role, while oppositions will invite a tension or controversy (that ultimately contributes to personal growth, if the native is healthy) from either pursuit of desire or acts of guidance.

🐑 John F. Kennedy is a great example of a Pan-Sun conjunction native. A steady leader who instilled feelings of unity, known for his lustful pursuits, maintaining good humor in the midst of strife, but certainly someone who spooked certain contemporaries.

🐑 Fascinatingly, his partner, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, has her own special relevant placement, a Pan-Venus conjunction opposite Pluto. Venus is the planet of values and is correlated to ideals and partners, so a conjunction draws her rational mind and physical needs to Pan-like personalities. Pluto opposition correlates this magnetism to her own generational traumas and transformations. That her Pan-Sun partner was assassinated sitting right beside to her? Worth noting.

🐑 Beyond her connection to her husband, however, Onassis was also a leader of the flock herself in her time as First Lady, mainly in that she became the face of an aristocratic American style. While her status is permanently tied to the tragedy of her narrative and the shock of the JFK assassination, her light, 'tasteful' ensembles contributed to the guidelines of upper-crust American femininity.

🐑 Meanwhile, Marie Antoinette had Pan conjunct Pluto, and we know where her indulgence lead her. Beyond the obvious tie from debauchery to death, this aspect also suggests a dread or anxiety tied to the concept of shepherding, or being in a position to guide.

A few other noteworthy individuals with Pan conjunctions and oppositions include:

Rita Hayworth, Machine Gun Kelly, and Empress Josephine all have Pan conjunct their Ascendant.

Lucille Ball's Pan is conjunct her Pallas-Saturn conjunction.

Pan conjunct Neptune was an aspect in Catherine the Great's chart. Meanwhile, Pan opposite Neptune features in the chart of Fiona Apple.

Pan conjunct Lilith is present in the charts of both Kurt Cobain and Princess Diana!

Marilyn Monroe's Pan was opposite her Vertex, and thus conjunct her Antivertex.

Squares and trines create relationships between that planet's domain and acts of pursuit and guardianship.

🐑 Like Jackie O, Tobias Forge of Ghost also has a Pan-Pluto opposition, but this is complemented by tight trines with Neptune and multiple Muse asteroids, as well as a square with Orpheus. In this case the aspect with Pluto manifests with an alternative influence on culture, as a frontman for a band which inspires both fanatical devotion and a consistent amount of controversy.

🐑 His project itself is a mockery of the powerful institution that is the Catholic Church, but concerts and fan spaces are a place of comfort, and funds from a certain cover song are literally donated to a charity which organizes safe spaces for the vulnerable (summer camps for trans kids).

🐑 Obviously, Neptune and the Muses correlate to art, which connects those Pan themes perfectly to his music. Even better, Neptune rules spirituality, delusion, and mystery. The band's theme is religious, and all members used to be anonymous until a dismissed court case forced Tobias to publicly identify himself, though all other members retain anonymity.

🐑 Britney Spears's Pan is trine her Vertex, Sun, and Lilith, as well as being opposite her Moon. The trine aspects, especially with the Sun, positions a spotlight on her ability to collect massive amounts of fans (aka followers) by making her own choices, and committing to the honest, unapologetic performance of sensual, intimate power.

🐑 The Pan-Moon opposition further speaks to her past and sense of self being in direct conflict with follower-following relationships. This may reflects her struggle to reclaim personal financial autonomy from her former guardians, but I'd shift focus to her relationship with the public, and how contentious it became when she tried to grow and leave her chaste teen image behind, prioritizing adult expression over imposed responsibility to censor herself to comply with outrage from parents.

🐑 This contention actually fed into and fueled Britney's narrative: the rejection of her after she expressed her wild side empowered her to pursue her desires as a new type of female role model, one that had been slut-shamed but come out the other side all the more iconic and beloved. (There's a lot more that worth exploring there, too.)

🐑 Liam Gallagher of Oasis has his Pan squaring his Sun, Mars, and Midheaven. Anyone who knows the fraught history of the band won't be surprised to see an aspect that promises challenges in how taking a leadership role relates to overall growth, animal instincts, and the personal pinnacle of honor.

A few other noteworthy individuals with natal Pan trines and squares (along with other placements) include:

Megan Fox's Pan is conjunct her Mercury, trine her Mars-Ascendant conjunction, and square her Moon.

Britney Spears's Pan is trine her Vertex, Sun, and Lilith, and opposite her Moon.

Liam Gallagher of Oasis has his Pan squaring his Sun, Mars, and Midheaven.

Major Synastry: What Synastry Aspects with Pan Mean

Synastry involving Pan indicates a relationship which instills anxiety, lust, and comfort simultaneously.

Conjunctions reveal a focal point of frenetic, kinetic energy in the dynamic. The Pan individual engages with the other's object like a big, red button that is begging to be pressed. They know it will fire up the other's nerves in whichever way, but it's just so tempting...

🐑 For example, two natives with a double Pan conjunction share a raw and mutual lust, a desire to play chase with one another. This can mean quick, stimulating, and playful foreplay. Both also want to see the other person's desire. This placement doesn't necessarily want a hunt - it wants a game, some sort of race or play-fight where both members are equally participatory.

🐑 It also indicates a willingness to play with each other's minds. On some level, both individuals like the idea of having the power to give the other a scare. They each like the feeling of messing with the other's head, no matter how much they care.

🐑 House overlays are crucial for mutual conjunctions. I'm looking at a Pan-Pan conjunction that lands in one of the native's 12th every time, regardless of zodiac and house system. This empowers the aspect of fear in the relationship for this native. It also transfers their pursuit to the realm of fantasy. They may desire to take that role in the relationship, but they are more likely to imagine it than to actually act upon it.

🐑 It also means the other person in the relationship may have no idea the lust is mutual. The 12th house native relegates it too well. This might frustrate the other, making them feel denied or rejected. They may sense reciprocation, but they feel a need to push the 12th house person until they break down and express it. But the 12th house native also won't be able to clearly see the other's playfulness and aggression for what it is: a signal of lust and even care, missed due to doubt.

🐑 For another example, Pan conjunct Saturn would give the Pan native an easy way to push the Saturn native's buttons. Saturn will clam up at any suggestiveness from or about Pan, mostly because any wildness they exhibit makes them feel less in control.

🐑 Ultimately, however, Pan is a guardian of the flock as much of a member of Dionysus's retinue. Pan can contribute to Saturn's goals and take the reins when necessary. Pan makes Saturn anxious, but ultimately Saturn comes to see the potential for stability there.

🐑 Saturn has major power to turn Pan on, but it takes a while to build. Pan may not consider Saturn that way at first, only to realize after some time that Saturn drives them absolutely crazy, and then they'll be hard pressed to stop fantasizing over them.

🐑 Pan is a follower as much as a pursuer, and if Saturn accepts their advances, Pan will adopt them as one of their own, and be sure to care for them regardless of whatever chaos is going on. If Saturn shies away, Pan may get frustrated and lash out, or may try to tear down whatever stability Saturn relies upon.

🐑 Princess Diana had her Pan conjunct the Pluto of Prince Charles, and Dodi al Fayed had his Pan conjunct her Ceres-Vesta conjunction.

🐑 Diana's ability to garner a following is tied to the tragedies defining Charles personally as well as those of his generation. Diana's grief and devotion connects to Dodi's capacity as a pursuer and follower. If you know anything even generally about these three, you likely immediately understand how accurate this is.

A few other noteworthy pairs with Pan conjunctions in their synastry:

Empress Josephine's Pan was conjunct Napoleon I's Vertex.

Prince Philip's Pan was conjunct Queen Elizabeth II's Pallas-Pluto conjunction.

Nancy Spungen's Pan was conjunct Sid Vicious's Lilith.

Megan Fox's Pan is conjunct Machine Gun Kelly's Mercury-Pallas conjunction.

Oppositions indicate a more fixed pursuer-pursued dynamic. There's a similar flow of energy, but it seeps out, and is both more confrontational and more indirect than with conjunctions. Pan seeks to provoke the other into revealing that part of themself.

🐑 For example, I see Pan opposite a Chiron-Juno conjunction. This is already made more complex by the involvement of two objects, but essentially, the Pan native enjoys maneuvering the other into exposing their romantic hurts, and even gets pleasure from indirectly forcing them into embodying a spousal or sensual archetype. Chiron-Juno finds the teasing, erratic attention of Pan frustrating, both sexually and emotionally, but also compelling.

🐑 So, that sounds really abstract, but how this plays out in real life, is we have a pair where one is always needling at the other about their experiences with relationships. Maybe the Chiron-Juno native is inexperienced, or has traumas. Once the Pan native learns about this, they find it hard to resist dredging those up whenever the chance arises. Something in them just likes watching the other squirm over their romantic insecurities.

🐑 As for the second part, the Pan native will find it exciting when the other has to fill the roles represented by Chiron and Juno. This is the soul's caretaker (Chiron) and the erotic counterpart in body and mind (Juno). Combined, we see a mistress-as-missus figure, the second wife, or simply the erotic healer. Chiron's link to the 'hurt healer' and Juno's statistical link to infidelity and eroticism may also suggest the willingness of the

🐑 Again, houses play a big role here. In this chart, Pan falls into the Pan native's tropical 6th and sidereal 7th, so the other's Chiron-Juno conjunction falls into their tropical 12th and sidereal 1st. The reason why the Pan native feels the need to push the other's buttons about is because they see the other's pain as something hidden from them that is key to understanding their place in this world, and yet also is a reflection of a crucial part of themselves, and so they feel the need to take control in their day to day interactions and of their relationship, specifically by exhibiting the leadership and predatory traits of Pan.

🐑 Let's look at another chart. I see Pan opposite a Pluto-Nymphe conjunction. Nymphe is correlated to nymphs, who commonly kept company with Pan in his travels. This looks like a relationship with both natural comradery and tension.

🐑 The Pluto-Nymphe individual may alternate between playfully elusive and intensely confrontational. The individual is both drawn to and afraid of being captured or hunted, and exposes their wilder side when they want to intimidate others. Their visceral desires and bright spirits only make them seem more ethereal, and thus, out of reach.

🐑 However, this only makes for all the more fun a game to play in the eyes of the Pan native. No ethereal spirit is above a good trick and no force of nature is too powerful to chase down, and besides, a target that positions itself as out of reach is only going to be more satisfying to take in hand.

🐑 On the whole, the amusement and protectiveness that Pan brings can provide some much needed levity to the Pluto-Nymphe native's fears, but the opposition and the asteroid involved will make the link a magnetic, if at times humbling and challenging, one.

🐑The Pan native will also encourage the other's sexuality, and may try to provoke, trick, or guide the other in their embodiment of raw sensual power as a natural force. In fact, the Pan native might be most delighted to find that when pushed to the brink, the Pluto-Nymphe native turns the tables and puts them in a position of prey instead!

Some noteworthy examples of Pan oppositions in synastry:

Napoleon I's Pan was opposite Empress Josephine's Lilith.

Prince Albert's Pan was opposite Queen Victoria's Vesta.

Nancy Spungen's Pan was opposite Sid Vicious's Pluto.

Megan Fox's Pan is opposite Machine Gun Kelly's Pluto-Lilith-Juno conjunction.

I had originally intended to go into sextiles and quintiles in natal charts; squares, tries, sextiles, and quintiles in synastry charts; as well as how aspects to specific related asteroids play out, but I think that's a little ambitious considering everything on my plate right now. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the post, and as always...

If you're interested in more interpretations of Pan in the natal or synastry chart (or even the divisional/harmonic charts) feel free to reply, message, ask, or reblog! I have a lot of projects I'm working on but I love to chat.

[witchspeka]

I dont think Mob is naive as much as he's socially unaware, like the reason why he trusts Reigen so blindly is a bit more complex than just him being naive

Cause Mob reached out to Reigen because he was desperate to find someone like him, someone who understood his psychic specific issues, someone that could truly know what he's feeling and going through and give him guidance and support

Post incident Mob's thinking process was something along the lines of my powers hurt people -> my powers are bad -> my powers (my emotions, my instincts, myself) cannot be trusted

So he lost all confidence and trust in his own actions, resigning to being as passive as possible to avoid any further damage to anyone else, thus he started doubting his own perception of reality too

He's a kid already struggling with being ostracised for being socially inept, who just got traumatised and all of his insecurity increased by the tenfold, he doesn't know how to process what he's going through. He needs help.

And here comes Reigen, seemingly reliable, a responsible adult in a child's eyes, someone who claims he can understand him

Even tho Reigen doesnt. But it doesn't matter, because Mob finds comfort in his words and takes them to heart

Even if Reigen doesn't fully get it, even if he doesn't see the bigger picture, even if his advice isn't always the best

Eventually, Mob grows up, realises Reigen isn't as honest as he seemed through his 11 year old perspective, but like most things, he refuses to acknowledge it on a deeper level

Mob knows, but never tells Reigen, never thinks about what all those lies mean to him (ofc until he forces himself to face those doubts regarding Reigen, to properly acknowledge both of their flaws and accept them as they are, I should scream into the void about Confession Arc more God)

Due to his lack of trust in himself, Mob has relied on Reigen for years now to shape his moral compass, his thoughts, his decisions

Because well, Reigen lies, sure, but he isnt a bad person. When he hurts Mob, it isn't intentional or with ill intent, he still wants the best for him, what's the issue?

Except that it stunts Mob's growth. He doesn't develop as a person, doesn't have goals or wishes or ambitions, can't make choices on his own, he doesn't even let himself acknowledge his own emotions, he refuses to let himself exist

But Mob realises in time that he wants more than that, he wants to become better and be independent and feel again

Still, he puts the acknowledgement of the lies on hold for as long as he can, unwilling to question the way things are

This can make him feel a little naive, he constantly relies on Reigen and trusts his decisions and raises questions rarely until separation arc when he finally puts his foot down

And I do think that moment is the most resounding proof we have that Mob knows and allows himself to be used by Reigen, not wanting to shake the status quo, until he gets fed up

I mentioned the social ineptitude at the beggining but idk if I should even elaborate on that, you've watched the show, you know what I mean

He's blunt and can't read social cues or tonality that well and can't speak in front of crowds and is overall pretty awkward and I do think some people conflate that with naivety

Mob is still a child, he doesnt fully understand how the world works at the ripe age of 14 years old, but some folks take that as him being inherently naive/innocent/whatever which I don't find true

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

My take 🤬

On how this is another clear case of antifeminism (by women & men bc women can suck too, obs), doblestandard and maybe even racism, not sure about the latter but wouldn’t be surprised if it also plays a role in the snowball effect, frankly. And also, on how Ayo unfortunately doesn’t know how to handle this, maybe due to her young age, or her short tenure in the biz or bc her PR team, that is supposed to offer guidance in these kinda situations, fucking sucks, or all of the above. And lastly, if I were her publicist this wouldn’t have escalated so absurdly, hereby I offer my services probono to my girl, Ayo 🖤

1- IMO this game sighting was staged, they invited and asked them to go and sit there to get full visibility as a PR move. Those kinda promotions that intend not to look like they are promoting shit but they are. JAW is an expert on that, Ayo isn’t. Thus, his playing with her hair was part of an improv, that was not JAW, he was actually kinda playing Carmy for a sec for the fans, fully knowing they were gonna get photographed, etc. It was just a show! To entice the exact same reaction of the sydcarmy fans that they indeed got >>> frenzy 🤩. Period. Fully calculated by the PR team and innocent. Nothing wrong with that bc as any PR move, it’s consensual, and pre-agreed upon, they all play the game, they all knew it was a promo sighting of the cast to get attention, otherwise they wouldn’t have sat there or in that order. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they actually instructed them to smile, talk to the ppl sitting nearby, take selfies, “hug”, etc, it’s standard PR casual promo procedure. No biggie. The playing with her braids was part of that.

2- The whole cast is always super comfortable with each other, and touchy-feely, they all get along super well, and they trust and respect each other, it has always been like that, which is probably why they were on board with this PR move, to begin with. On numerous previous occasions Ayo and Ebon, for instance, have been holding hands in award shows, Ebon and Fak kissed on stage, Jaw and Ayo always, and I can’t emphasize this enough, always hug and touch as a sign of affection, same thing with Ayo and Molly who are also friends IRL, from even before MG joined TB, so, I hope that my point is clear by now but I will get into it anyway:

3- The fact that this whole thing, that shoulda just been treated as an innocent PR move and absolutely nothing else, and shoulda NEVER bit any of the involved ppl in the ass, specially Ayo, is due to misogyny - lack of correct media handling by those who are in the payroll to do exactly that - lack of Ayo’s experience (not her fault tho, that’s what PR teams are for when they aren’t free loading on you) bc she’s amazing but young and JAW is almost the same age but has like a decade of more experience and thus thicker skin, a divorce under his belt and he’s a guy - and lastly: maybe even racism and here’s why (FYI: I’m pissed! ⚠️ So deal with it):

Who the fuck said that touching a fucking braid is wrong even if they were happily married to other ppl?

Why the fuck Ebon kissing Matty (both happily married, btw) is just an innocent joke between coworkers we all laughed along with, but the literal 3 sec touching of a couple of braids between friends and coworkers that we all know are in other relationships and promoting a show rn is treated by some assholes like fucking adultery?!

Why the fuck that Ayo literally wraps her legs around MG in a game with a big smile, (when both are in a relationship, btw) is not read into in the same way as JAW casually touching Ayo’s hair for a few secs?!

Why a woman should give anyone any fucking explanation on why she let her friend/coworker do that and on why she's clearly not a slut or that they are not cheating on their respective partners, etc?!

Obvs I’m gonna be fucking telling you why right about now:

Because the usual suspects (racists that already hate Ayo just for being successful and hate even more any kinda of interracial interaction both IRL and on TV) are always waiting for the slightest chance to spew their fucking venom online and troll their way into attentionwhoring on every fucking platform they can get their filthy fingers on!

Because even women attack her or question her intentions if she dares to be slightly touched by JAW jumping to the conclusion that they are obs cheating bastards.

And because Ayo bought into it and got caught up in this whole thing due to the aforementioned reasons and unfortunately, her PR team/manager etc don’t have her back. A minor counter-PR move coulda stopped this madness 2 days ago right after the game and nothing woulda happened bc nothing shoulda happened! But I guess they are maybe idiots or too old school who think any publicity is good publicity.

The double standard of lowkey slut shaming or doubting the good intentions of a woman just because someone dares touching her fucking hair in public has to stop!

I’m also defending JAW here, he did nothing wrong and a bunch of prues, racists, idiots, and ppl who can’t tell a promo from real life or fiction from reality completely twisted and turned EVERYTHING and fucking ruined something that shoulda been just cute and fun.

So summing up: 🖕🏿

[hayatheauthor]

How To Write POC Characters Without Seeming Racist

Writing about a community you don’t come from can be hard. A lack of research or basic knowledge can often lead authors to wrongly represent or describe characters who belong to that community. But this is a simple mistake that can be reversed with a little bit of guidance and an open mind. 

If you’re a non-POC writer looking to accurately describe your POC characters without coming off as racist, here are some tips for you! From a POC YA fantasy author. 

Would You Describe Your Character Similarly If They Were White?

This tip is honestly a very basic technique that is often overlooked when discussing ways to combat racist descriptions in literature. The tip is simple: if you wouldn’t describe your character that way if they were non-POC, then don’t use that description. 

Think of every time you described your POC character’s physical features. Did you ever feel like you ‘had to’ write a certain description because your character was POC? Are your descriptions of your non-POC characters drastically different from that of your POC ones? 

If your answer to these questions were yes, then it’s very likely that your POC descriptions will come off as racist to your readers. 

I would recommend crawling through your manuscript and comparing the way you describe your non-POC characters to the way you describe your POC ones. More specifically, compare how you described your characters the first time they were mentioned in the book. The goal is to compare the two descriptions and figure out any differences between them, why these differences are present, and whether they exist due to a racist eye.

Word Choice 

An author’s word choice when describing their POC character is often a direct reflection of their perception of that community. When writing a POC character, it is important to consider what your character really looks like. This goes beyond their hair type or skin colour. 

Take a look to analyse your character’s physical attributes and come up with a list of words you could use when describing them. This can be beneficial in the long run when you need a quick adjective to describe said character during a scene. 

How To Describe POC Features 

Non-POC authors often don’t realise how discriminatory or redundant their descriptions of POC characters can be. They tend to water down their character’s features to the colour or visual depiction of it rather than actually describing those features. 

Saying your character has tan skin is an effective way to describe your character’s appearance, but it can come off as a cop-out when compared to detailed descriptions of your non-POC character’s fair skin dotted with light freckles. An easy way to better your descriptions is by using creative descriptions. 

Here is an expert from my WIP, The Traitor’s Throne, that describes one of the many POC characters: 

Her grandmother’s briefings of the royal guards failed her when Amaya needed them most, for try as she might, Amaya couldn’t recall anything to help her recognise the green-eyed man with a face like an acorn, both in shape and shade. 

I could have easily said he was tan skinned and left it at that, but the acorn analogy seems more alluring and helps the reader gain insight on the character’s features instead of their skin tone. 

When using creative descriptions, consider using words and phrases that tie into your character’s personality. A scary antagonist would have long black hair dark as night that curtained their pale face, a cute child could have golden skin that glowed under the sunlight. 

Refrain From Using The Word Exotic! 

The word exotic is possibly the worst thing you could use when describing a POC character. 

The Oxford dictionary describes exotic as ‘from or in another country, especially a tropical one; seeming exciting and unusual because it is connected with foreign countries’. Thus, this adjective would make no sense if your book takes place in a POC setting or is written from another POC’s perspective. 

Exotic is also often overused by non-POC writers and is seen as a lazy copout by many. 

Rather than describing your character as exotic, consider actually describing their features. Ask yourself why you chose to use exotic in the first place. Maybe they have wild curls unlike anything your character has ever seen, or their fair skin is so different from the tan skin your character is used to. 

Narrow down the reasons and then take the time to redescribe your character. This will not only help you ensure you don’t come off as racist but will also paint a clear picture for your readers. 

Are you facing a hard time trying to pick the right words for your POC characters? Consider checking out this blog by writing with colour on Tumblr that details how to describe skin colour. Their tips can also be applied to other aspects of your character’s features.  

Avoid The Stereotypes 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sighed in annoyance every time I come across a tan-skinned South Indian character in literature who is kind and smart and has long dark brown hair.

Yes, there are many Indians who look like that. But India is a diverse country known for its various cultures and people, and it’s unfortunate to see authors completely overlook the rest of our country in an effort to pertain to their stereotypes. 

The same can be said for many other POCs, such as East Asians who are always described as thin and dainty with sharp features and minds, or Middle Easterns and Africans who are extroverted, excitable and often portrayed as violent. 

Non-POCs often find racial stereotypes amusing, but they are really just frustrating and show us how uninformed non-POCs are when it comes to our cultures and countries. 

The next time you draft up your POC character’s appearance and personality, take the time to consider why you chose to make them this way, and whether their personality is really a reflection of your limited insight into that character’s culture. 

Don’t Over Describe 

It’s important to paint a clear description of your characters, but it’s just as important to remember when your descriptions are redundant. Overdescribing POC characters is the biggest mistake you can make when writing a POC. As mentioned at the start of this blog, it’s important to consider whether or not you would describe your character that way if they were non-POC. 

For example, if I were writing a fight scene between the antagonist and an African character, I would likely use lines like ‘their dreadlocks slapped against the back of their neck as they raced away from the villain’ or ‘the blood staining their hands ran down their russet arms as they tightened their grip around the antagonist’s neck’. 

These are simple yet effective descriptions that help paint a clear image of the character without ruining the reader’s immersion. 

When writing POC characters, it’s important to remember that they are just like every other character you are writing. They are human. And their race or physical attributes shouldn’t change the way you describe your characters.

 I hope this blog on how to write POC characters without seeming racist will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and subscribe to my email list for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of my blog where I post writing and marketing tools for authors every Monday and Thursday. 

Want to learn more about me and my writing journey? Visit my social media pages under the handle @hayatheauthor where I post content about my WIP The Traitor’s Throne and life as a teenage author.

Copyright © 2022 Haya Sameer, you are not allowed to repost, translate, recreate or redistribute my blog posts or content without prior permission

[blazingstar24]

Ludinus’s greatest weakness is that he needs to be understood and he is all too willing to make his enemies into allies. It makes him such an interesting villain because what is truly hindering him isn’t his arrogance nor pride. It’s the simple fact that he cannot bring himself to kill the Bell’s Hells.

Every encounter they have had with Ludinus, he could have killed them. In Sumal’s office, at the Shard lava pit, and now in Aeor. (I didn’t include the Key as Matt has said the BH weren’t even on his radar in that moment) It would take no effort at all to drop a ninth level spell and kill them all. But in every instance, he doesn’t. He always tries to talk to them, to convert them. Hell, he doesn’t even kill Beau and Caleb. Arguably that would have helped him the most if he had just killed them right there. But he wanted them to watch. Not out of spite or malice but because Ludinus genuinely believed that if what he planned had come to pass they would understand that he was right and they didn’t need to stop him.

At his core, Ludinus thinks himself a hero. And he believes that whatever the world will be like after his plans are done, that it will be better. And thus he’s not going to kill the people who have declared themselves his enemies. He’s not going to kill them even as they attack him. He’s going to drop whatever research he was doing on the Thalamus to help the BH in their fight against Dominox. (He had no idea that it was the BH in there too! But he came.) The smarter thing to do would be to let Dominox kill them, to kill them as they fight against another enemy. But he can’t let that happen. He wants them to live. He wants them to be able to hear the supposed truths of the world.

This is his fatal flaw. This need for them to understand, to see things his way and the idea that he is right and they just need his guidance. Notably it not the same as the M9 or really Jester and her willingness to reach out to others even her enemies. Because it truly is more on line with Asmodeus and the idea of redemption. Asmodeus says it implies you are beneath them and this is how Ludinus sees his benevolence, his conversion, his compassion. It is not reaching a hand to an equal like Jester. It is….well to use Lud’s favorite metaphor, akin to a parent reaching to child. But a parent who is saying they know best, that they forgive you for going off the path for bit. Very Mother Gothel accepting Rapunzel back after tricking her into believing she was wrong about the world and friends. Ludinus sees himself as the guide, the one who is meant to pull others up to his level.

But on the flip side, Ludinus is the child as well. He is the lost child who found the answers to his questions about the world lacking. He is the child that asks why? And hasn’t gotten an answer that satisfies him. This plot, this 1000 year plan has all been the same as his very first notes. Why? Why is everything the way it is? His trauma of the Calamity has lead him to fall down this spiral of needing an explanation of why he suffered so much pain. Why did this happen to the world and to him?

Ludinus seeks the truths of the world and in his obsessed drive to not be like “the parent” who hid them, it fuels his fatal need to keep even his enemies alive to find these truths as well.

[sepublic]

Hexside was Necessary for S3

         Since it apparently needs repeating;

         Yes, Hexside actually makes sense and DOES have a purpose in For the Future, within the larger, limited run time of S3, and the show as a whole. For starters, Labyrinth Runners ended with Hunter telling the students about the Day of Unity, so we actually get to see there be payoff from this setup, as knowing ahead of time about the draining spell allowed Hexside to become, unwittingly, a safe haven against the Collector’s spies.

         This is important for our protagonists, because they need the memory tweezers to access Luz’s memories, to glimpse Philip’s teleportation glyph combo that will take them to the skull, enabling them to bypass the Collector’s spies and an entire trek up the skull. The tweezers are at Hexside, so a detour there is necessary.

         From a thematic standpoint, I’ve already discussed how the situation with the kids lacking supervision and causing chaos is meant to parallel the Collector’s reign over the isles, and emphasize the idea that kids need good adults they can actually rely on for structure and guidance. Continuing off of that thread, Boscha is actually a parallel to the Collector in this way, and these similarities help us characterize the kid when he isn’t on-screen; For the Future gives us a lot of insight into another side of the Collector we haven’t gotten to see up until this point.

         Hexside is also necessary for Luz and Willow’s arcs in this episode, as it provides an opportunity for adversity. Because of their struggles against Kikimora and Boscha, this causes them to reach a frustrated lowest point, which opens up Camila and Hunter to reach through to their loved ones and help them come to terms with their vulnerability by accepting their mistakes.

         And speaking of Willow, Hexside also has her briefly reunite with Viney, who unwittingly adds to her pressure by mentioning how the kids really need her leadership. Likewise, I suspect that seeing a bunch of kids that are Luz’s age is enlightening for Camila, who is essentially being given a tour of the Boiling Isles, the place her daughter chose; She sees how there are many peers who recognize and like Luz here, an important reminder amidst Camila’s apprehension towards the isles’ more visceral aspects. Amity gets to reunite with her siblings, and helps by getting through to Boscha.

         Hexside is also a good opportunity for Belos; With the kids distracted, this gives Belos ample time to be alone with his thoughts… And thus, we get our entire sequence with the ghosts and his failed possession of the Grimwalkers; This couldn’t have happened if Belos was too busy, in his weakened state, trying to fend off the kids. He only held up hours earlier because he was using Hunter as a human shield, but without Hunter nor the integrity that a host provides, I’m not sure if Belos could’ve survived a battle with the kids in that condition.

         So we get a real nice moment where we can see how Belos operates on his own, without anyone around to manipulate nor impress; We get an illuminating look at his psyche, that otherwise wouldn’t be possible if the kids were there to distract Belos from his thoughts. And if the protagonists can’t be with Belos, they may as well be somewhere, hence Hexside. And because they’re preoccupied with Kikimora, this also gives Belos a much-needed headstart.

         Thanks to his knowledge of a hidden passageway in the skull that he created, Belos is able to access the Archives while the protagonists need the teleportation glyph; And by reaching the Collector before everyone, this enables Belos to possess Raine, and thus manipulate the Collector. This allows the conflict to persist, as the Collector’s progress with King is being messed with, and thus the resolution with them isn’t as cut and dry as it otherwise might be; Without Belos’ lies, the Collector could’ve been talked down much sooner. 

         This is a parallel to Kikimora emotionally isolating Boscha to control her, which made that conflict more difficult. This is for the sake of Luz and Willow, Camila and Hunter, and again the themes of kids needing adults they can trust, and the juxtaposition of those whom kids can’t rely on, which brings out the worst in children, like we see in Terra and Odalia. This again helps to characterize and set up the Collector’s arc when they otherwise can’t be on-screen and we need to follow our main protagonists.

         In particular, it contrasts with Camila as a motherly figure, and how she really comes through for Luz this episode, as do Eda and Lilith as King’s only other companions for two months. Luz and Camila are able to fully rekindle their relationship this episode, as their conflict with one another is framed as THE inciting incident of the series, from the perspective of the audience watching the series premiere.

         And because of Hexside, we have the Collector’s interactions with Belos, which inspire him in the next episode to possess the Titan’s heart, which leads to that whole big sequence… Not to mention, Belos goading the Collector to attack the protagonists leads to Luz’s nightmare sequence that she manages to overcome as another capstone to her arc, etc. etc.

[self-spaghettification]

aaravos & claudia analysis ™

The new S6 promotional art has to mean something for Aaravos’s connection to Claudia Season 6. There’s the connection with the short story Ripples of course and Aaravos’s manipulation of mages, but now I am wondering if Claudia will be preyed on by Aaravos after he gets out - using her loss, anger at herself and the world for her loss and being unable to save her dad - and he’ll channel it into making her a weapon against Xadia, maybe even the tragic main villain.

Taking it a step further, maybe he expected and respected Viren’s decision to die in the first place because he knew it would make Claudia spiral further and he offered to bring him back in the first place so that Claudia would 1. set in motion the steps toward his freedom and 2. trust Aaravos (and his rhetoric…) and 3. have a taste of his power to change things, which will undeniably be tempting.

I feel like Claudia and Aaravos’s outlooks have aligned in the past (ie: Claudia saying “Impassible is just another form of passible” and Aaravos saying “Yesss”) and Aaravos has had his eye on her for a long time, back to Aaravos saying “Well done. She will be a valuable asset”, having Viren lie to his kids so she wouldn’t leave Viren, and all the way back to Claudia saying it felt like the mirror put her on notice too.

Aaravos using her as a weapon against Xadia would parallel how he used Viren’s grief after Harrow’s death and anger at the Pentarchy to set Viren on a path to conquer Xadia. Viren, with reason but also spite, took Callum’s voice taunting him for being a nepo-baby, killed Avizandum, and coined Runaan. Aaravos encouraged Viren to kill the leaders of the four other countries and to kill the guards hunting him in the castle of Katolis. In comparison, Claudia has, unprovoked, almost killed a dragon just for hell of it and taunted Rayla with her parents just to not give them back (even knowing what it’s like to have a parental figure taken away.) Terry was the only thing stopping her. Terry was talking her down both times. Terry is no longer in the picture. (for Claudia, currently at least.) Who knows what she’ll do with that lack of checking and Aaravos egging her on.

She repeats rhetoric that humans deserve revenge for being treated by trash and that dragons and elves should be afraid of her, a fire that Aaravos’s guidance will only fan further. Her rhetoric has been undoubtedly shaped by both Viren’s and Aaravos’s actions, spite, and other reasoning.

carrying the same prejudices and likes as her father, “Look dad, I’m following in your footsteps!” + “Aaravos can change things!” to Soren. + the fever dream metaphor that Claudia goes dangerously further than Viren, stops listening to him, (foreshadowing for future conversations where Viren and Soren plead with Claudia to stop) and gets swallowed up in something she could never predict, something much larger than herself.

Endgame? Well. Claudia has a lot of parallels to Ziard, and we see how that ended… also, that’s a scene in S3. So if S6 does parallel S3… well. It doesn’t end well for her.

(Repeated water motifs)

Claudia currently feels like she’s lost everything. Her mom, her brother, her strength… she prided herself on that but she wasn’t strong enough to beat the Dragang and so she wasn’t strong enough to save her dad. She believes she’ll keep losing and so she cuts herself off from Terry to avoid losing that too.

Key: She is in her darkest place thus far, similar to Viren when he had lost everything and was desperate enough to make a blood pact with a strange elf in the mirror. And what if, once again, that strange elf was there to help the most desperate? If Claudia is made to believe she’s strong enough again, with the aid of a little magic, if she’s given that validation and care again, she can do anything. It would parallel the Reflections story ‘Lost Child’:

If she’s strong enough, and her faith is restored, no one will ever leave her again. They’ll come to understand.

Again it was how she was taught. “I’ll do anything for our family, Dad. Whatever it takes, however dangerous, however vile.” and it’s going to lead to her shaping into a more vindictive villain and to her doom.

[kimwarris]

NATLA Sokka's trauma (contains spoilers)

Okay, some more thoughts of mine about Live Action Sokka.

Most of it is referring to Episode 5 and the flashback to after his ice-dodging test. After having thought about it for a while, I came to the conclusion, that Sokka is the village's weird kid.

He apparently gets mocked by the other boys - the reaction to his ice dodging test kinda implies, that it's not the first time that they are commenting about his lacking abilities as a warrior.

 Sokka knows that people don't see him as that or as a future leader, but he thinks his dad does. Unless, Hakoda doesn't. Sokka has to hear how his father confides in Bato, that he doesn't think that Sokka has it in him to become chief one day.

Something about how the conversation between Hakoda and Bato goes, gave me the impression that it is not the first time that they discussed the matter. Point is, Hakoda doesn't believe in Sokka. Instead, he's disappointed and (at least that's how I interpreted it) ashamed of his own son.

This was really heart-breaking to watch. Honestly, it got to me more than some of the Zuko backstory.

Side note: Gosh, I just loved Bato in this. Trying to convince Hakoda that everything was fine, that the test wasn't as bad as they say. Bato believes in Sokka, apparently more like his dad does. He knows that even if Sokka falls short in some aspects, he has other qualities. I don't know, somehow Bato really gave me Mom-vibes in that scene and I love that for Sokka.

However, apparently Hakoda takes ALL the boys with him when he leaves, except for Sokka and that other one (who was probably too young at that time). He might claim it as needing to leave someone behind to protect the village, but let's think about it for a moment.

Was there any real thread for the village after the Fire Nation raid to kill the last waterbender? Probably not. It's small, meaningless village at the end of the world. The adult women were apparently more than capable, because nobody can tell me, that it was Sokka's task alone to go hunting / fishing for an entire village.

Back to Hakoda being ashamed of him: Personally, I think he didn't WANT to take Sokka with them because he was afraid that Sokka would do something that puts him as a chief into a bad light. Somehow I got the vibe that Hakoda wanted him out of the way to avoid any trouble.

That also explains why Sokka is much more bitter about Hakoda leaving, than he is in the original series.

Sokka knows that there is not much he can do in the village for his father to be proud of once he returns. Thus, his mantra of being the protector of the village. Sokka will tell himself that what he does is of great importance until he believes it. At the same time he knows, that no one is taking him seriously. Not even his little sister.

Which is why the journey is so important for him, because suddenly there are people that respect him:

- Suki doesn't make fun of him or his boomerang skills. She clearly shows him that her way of doing things is more effective, and she teaches him.

- The Mechanist compliments him for his understanding of physics (did you see how Sokka's face lit up, when Sai said that he could see him as an engineer?) and he encourages Sokka to do something else than being a warrior, if that's not what he truly wants. I really loved that scene, because finally someone acknowledged his abilities instead of criticizing him.

- Hahn asking him if Sokka could share his experiences and knowledge of the enemy with them. You could see how Sokka becomes instantly insecure. He is not used that someone asks him for guidance, or values his opinion on such things. (Theory: Hakoda maybe tested him by asking him questions on how to react in a situation or another and usually Sokka's answer would be wrong).

In fact, in this series he is less of a comedic relief. Sokka is much softer BUT they made it make sense. I really like the changes they did to his character.

He is much less adventurous (not wanting to fly on Appa at first, repeatedly suggesting they go home in the first two episodes). He hides behind Katara more than once, when danger is ahead, etc. He's great with kids: a lot less harsh to his little recruits than in the original series and that scene with that little Earth Kingdom girl? Pure sugar.

I think this Sokka has so many issues, something that really doesn't get addressed enough in the original series. I really appreciate that deeper look into his character and I might incorporate some of those aspects in some future fanfics.

Urgh, Sokka has always been one of my favorites, but somehow the live action series made me love him even more <3

[chaifootsteps]

There are a plethora of issues regarding Vivziepop's writing, but the one that really stands out to me is her lack of themes. She has ideas, occasionally she has something to say, but she has no themes.

If you don't mind my ramblings; I have been considering an AU that is effectively divorced from the series, focusing entirely on the characters Blitzo, Barbie, and Fizzarolli. In brainstorming the story, I have been able to streamline the narrative to 3 core themes.

Masculinity, Control/Power, and Belonging.

Everything in the story is connected to one or more of these themes in regards to the characters and their motivations. Even side characters are wholly infused with these three concepts.

In my AU, FizzaRolli is not a performer, but a stray child with a group of other feral children Lord of the Flies. Blitz is the son of a circus owner who craves his father's approval even as he resents him. Barbie is an up and coming starlet brutally managed by her father who effectively curates her sense of identity as she creeps closer to the spotlight.

Much of Blitzo's story focuses on a young man coming into his own in a world that runs on toxic masculinity, balanced out by the guidance and love of his sickly mother whom he cares for. He's a young adult figuring out himself in a world and community who keeps telling him what he should be. Sub Themes of responsibility, respect, strength and the abuse of power are key cornerstones of his story.

Meanwhile FizzaRolli is the foil of Blitz's story. An orphan without parental guidance living out his coming of age in a Teenage Wasteland. Additionally, Fizz is gay, meaning his queerness colors over the themes in a fundamental way. Being in a Teenage Wasteland, Fizz is effectively in the closet because of how queerness can change others perception of him. And weakness often is associated with queerness, which has no place in a micro-society that elevates this toxic, Fight Club-esque concept of masculinity and belonging. Fizz seems to belong, carve out a space for himself in his community, but struggles come into himself. Especially because underneath it all is a severely traumatized child who never got to be a kid long enough to learn how to be a man.

And from the far other side, Barbie's relationship to these themes comes from the viewpoint of living under the patriarchy as a young woman. How girls are raised to cater to the needs of men, treated as glorified children unless they "prove" themselves over things that many men are merely handed. Her father prioritized her career above and beyond her as a person. While that isn't a trait inherently based in sexism, how he curates her life and downplays her desires and intelligence is rooted mainly in her being his daughter and thus not expected to "step out" into her own like her twin. Leaving her feeling impotent, infantalized and resentful even as she is held on a pedestal.

Control over one's self, perception, and direction.

How masculinity fosters respect and responsibility for young boys while simultaneously threatening punishment for not meeting or stepping outside of certain expectations. Especially the competitive aggression and emotional warfare in toxic masculinity

And a sense of belonging, be it in a community or an identity.

Themes help maintain a cohesion to a story, helps the characters feel interconnected and the world lived in regardless of how much emphasis is placed outside the main cast. It also helps ground the ideas of characters in an abstract way that doesn't place pressure to "prove" to the audience a character does fit the traits you as an author see in them. Most of all, it better enabled the author to pivot viewpoints and easily switch between characters so that they feel individual and not that there is a singular "voice" speaking behind them. It creates a unique soul rather than an empty skin suit for the author to don.

Sorry for the long rant.

No worries, Anon. Thanks for the ramble, it was an interesting read!