#and while that can somewhat be said for every arc

[muzetrigger]

Pluto and “The Black Cat”

I guess it takes a community event for me to actually write out that Pluto post I've been planning for *checks notes* 2 months.

So, let's talk about Pluto (finally)!

By the way, spoilers, so if you're not into that:

We're first introduced to Pluto during the Maze arc, where he's unceremoniously dumped on Duke and Lenore by the Posh Crew, which also includes his roommate Prospero.

At first, it's easy to write Pluto off as kind of an emo soft boi. And in fact, Duke even tries to ditch him during the Acrophobia Trial.

It's not hard to see why. Aesthetically, Pluto has a much darker presentation than the rest of the cast which gives him the impression of a gloomy introvert that won't really contribute anything to the team. He wears a grey turtleneck instead of a white dress shirt which marks him as a visual outcast; his slouching posture projects a lack of confidence; and his eye covering bangs actually do a lot of work to make him appear less communicative (windows to the soul, right?).

On top of that, Pluto's pretty small, a trait emphasized by his overly large jacket, which unlike other students, doesn't seem to be tailored to him, and his prickly personality don't earn him any teamwork points. I mean, just look at him:

The point being, Pluto isn't exactly the image of confidence that Duke and Lenore need in order to muscle through the maze.

That being said, like most great characters, Pluto almost immediately shows he has a lot more going for him than first impressions.

One thing that readers might have noticed is that because Pluto is pretty small and unassuming, he's great at sneaking around.

But since it's mostly played as a gag many people might have also missed this detail right after:

Pluto stepping on a branch isn't mindbogglingly important, but it does speak to his character in a really touching way. He immediately recognizes that his silence upsets Duke and Lenore and goes out of his way to make noise so they aren't startled by him, even though they really haven't been the nicest to him.

It's a small detail, but it shows that right from the beginning, Pluto is someone who cares about other people, which is further reinforced when he tries to break up Duke and Lenore during Duke's ill-conceived attempt to awaken Lenore's spectre:

The maze also highlights a few of Pluto's other positive traits. For example, he's surprisingly interested in etymology (what a dork; I love him), which gives Red an easy way to explain the Greek/Latin roots to the readers while also playing up Pluto's allusion to the Roman god. It also indicates that Pluto is fairly book smart, which is directly contrasted by Duke's street smarts in the Chronophobia trial and Lenore's... instinct? Let's call it intuition.

We also get a bit of foreshadowing for Pluto's spectre. One, he's actually pretty dextrous on a tightrope, and two, he can't swim, both of which are traits stereotypically associated with cats.

Speaking of which, Pluto's spectre:

According to Poppet, Pluto is a Crytid, a type of Spectre that manifests when someone had a deep-seated desire to escape social constraints, but somewhat paradoxically, Pluto is a cat, a domesticated creature.

I'm going to take a small aside to say that cats really aren't that domesticated. I mean yes, who doesn't love tea cup kittens, but cats can return to the wild and they still share most of their genetic code and evolutionary instincts with their untamed counterparts, which can't really be said about dogs.

Okay, back to Nevermore, except I lied, we're actually going back to 1845 when Edgar Allan Poe published "The Black Cat".

If you didn't know (but you probably did. After all, you're reading a Nevermore character analysis), almost every Nevermore character is based on one or more works by EAP. (You can check out their main inspirations in this other post.)

And Pluto's story is "The Black Cat". It isn't one of Poe's most famous works, so you could be forgiven for not knowing about it, but if you have read it, you probably immediately recognized its influence on Pluto.

First, a brief overview of the story: (CW: animal abuse and domestic violence)

Like most Poe short stories, "The Black Cat" is narrated by an insane murderer (that's a tad hyperbolic, but you get the point). Unlike other narrators though, this narrator actually started out somewhat decent.

You see, the narrator used to be a loving husband to a woman that he married early in life. Both of them loved animals, so over the years, they cared for a lot of pets together, including "birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat."

This cat is, of course, the titular Black Cat and his name is Pluto. He's also described as being the narrator's "favorite pet and playmate."

Unfortunately, the narrator is also an alcoholic, and his addiction gradually turns him from a loving and sensitive man into a violent mess. He's able to stave off his alcohol fueled abuse from Pluto for several years, but eventually, Pluto ticks him off and he grabs the cat and purposefully cuts out one of its eyes with a penknife.

Understandably, Pluto (the cat) does not take kindly to this, and for the rest of its life tries to avoid the narrator, which the narrator takes surprisingly well.

At first.

Eventually, his alcoholism catches up with him and he decides that, for literally "no other reason than because he knows he should not" decides to hang the cat.

So, there are a ton of references to the short story in Nevermore. Pluto's dad is a physically abusive drunk who cuts out Pluto's eye, Pluto's name and spectre are inspired by the Black Cat, and the way Pluto unlocks his spectre mirrors how the narrator hangs his pet.

But there are arguably lot more allusions from the rest of the story. You see right after the narrator kills Pluto, his house burns down and there are two characters in Nevermore who are associated with fire:

Lenore and Monty, both of whom have a pretty interesting relationship with Pluto, especially when you line them up with Pluto's short story.

If you associate the narrator's house burning down as karmic retribution, then Lenore is a natural pick. After all, she not only burns down her estate, her presence in Pluto's (after)life is arguably what causes him to start standing up for himself more, and at the very least, her leadership is what gets him through maze for a shot at the second life which dovetails nicely with the fallout of the narrator's house burning.

You see, the narrator doesn't perish along with his material possessions, but one wall of his house also survives, and burned into that wall is the image of a hanging cat, a reminder of his sins.

Soon after, the narrator, still drowning his sorrows and guilt at bars, happens upon a second cat who is "fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every aspect but one." It's even missing an eye. The only thing that separates it from Pluto is a patch of white hair on its chest.

Now the concept of doubling is one of Poe's hallmarks, and it's mirrored wonderfully in Nevermore by the students' past lives and their current unlife as students, or alternatively, their human form and their spectre form, but it's also symbolically present for Pluto because by leading him out of the maze, Lenore also leads Pluto on the path to a second life in addition to inspiring him to be more confident, which is arguably the difference between his past and current self.

Based on Pluto's memories, it doesn't seem like his father thought of him as a "man" and given his character introduction, Pluto was a meek person. But after meeting Lenore and befriending Duke, Pluto does this:

One, it's hilarious that Pluto is talking about taking eyes, but two, Pluto is fully ready to kill Monty here and that leads me to part two of the fire.

Monty is a self destructive individual. He purposefully instigates fights, loves to stir up trouble for no reason, and suffers from trauma that arguably isn't his fault (not to say that dealing with that trauma isn't his responsibility).

In some ways, he's haunted by his religious upbringing as much as the narrator of "The Black Cat" is by his alcoholism. Both are aware of how much it ruins their lives, but they can't help leaning into those violent tendencies. The narrator even calls his alcoholism a "fiend".

And, they both wall up someone they're rooming with.

Because, there's even more to the new black cat than driving the narrator insane. In fact, the narrator goes as far as murdering his wife while attempting to kill the new Pluto (I can't believe she stuck around, the poor woman).

And like any Poe narrator worth his salt, "The Black Cat" narrator decides to hide the body by walling her up in a false chimney. This comes with the added benefit of scaring the new black cat away so the narrator can finally enjoy some piece and quiet.

Only it turns out this is a lie. Just like Monty narrowly avoiding Pluto's gunshot, the Black Cat's absence turns out to be the narrator's undoing because the narrator accidently walled up the cat with his wife's corpse, and it's the cat's screeching that ultimately unmasks his crimes.

Similarly, it's Pluto's belief in Duke that activates Duke's spectre, "freeing a corpse" and leading to the much needed string of chapters where everyone dunks on Monty. (Thank you, Pluto.)

I think it's really neat that Red managed to blend multiple Poe stories into a new plot thread, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she and Flynn have in store with Pluto because even though his inspiration story has been pretty much fully acted out, most of spectre abilities really haven't been explored.

For instance, while "unlucky" is a general description of black cats, Pluto's presence has actually been a major boon for the misfits, saving Duke, explaining the thalassophobia trial in the maze, guiding Lenore and Duke through Acrophobia, and also warning Lenore and defending her during the Manor arc. Maybe it's bad luck for his enemies or straight up luck manipulation?

"Blink" could be a reference to Pluto's dash attack, but Pluto also has an uncanny ability to disappear from people's perception as demonstrated during the maze and to a lesser extent when he hides from Eulalie in the forbidden wing.

For those of us into TTRPGs, blink is also sometimes used to refer to teleporting or the DnD spell of the same name with causes the caster to fade in and out of existence!

And finally, "evil eye" is a very intriguing ability. While it could just be a reference to Pluto's missing/remaining eye, as @takescrackseriously and other readers have pointed out, it could also be a reference to Poe's "Telltale Heart" maybe having the ability to drive victims mad, like Pluto's namesake (er, reincarnation?) does in "The Black Cat".

That brings up another question, which is why is Pluto still missing his eye? Lenore was also seriously injured in life, but she isn't crippled like she was post-Theo as a student. What injuries get to be healed and which remain in Nevermore?

I'm interested to see if, like Will's freaky blood wax clones, spectres' powers can develop and how far they can develop. After all, Pluto's power set seems fairly basic, and while I love underdogs (undercats?), ostensibly there's some kind of balancing system that makes traits like "blink" and "teeth" keep up with monsters like "fear itself" and "divine light".

Okay, maybe not given the ruthless nature of the academy and the Raven's comments, but narratively that can feel a bit unsatisfying, y'know? Because it would be such a waste for Pluto's development to stall here despite the amazing amount of progress he's already made.

Plus, aesthetically, I'm willing to bet Flynn is going to incorporate more white into Pluto's character design, because a considerable amount of detail focuses on this one difference between Pluto and the new cat in the short story. In fact, it seems to be one of the factors in the narrator's full descent into madness because he starts seeing the cat's white patch as morphing into the image of a noose.

And to close out this really lengthy post on a bright note, have some terrified Pluto:

What a cutie. We must protect him at all costs.

By the way, if you enjoyed my rambling, here are links to similar theory/analysis posts talking about Ada and Annabel!

[mythtakens]

sorry I’m back with another block of text. the thing where people think that 911 the firefighter procedural show on ABC made a main character (Buck) bi after 7 seasons (yay forever seriously) and 6 of getting shipped with another main character (Eddie) who is his best friend like big time. fully knowing that but just for absolutely no reason related to that. which certainly it does not have to be! Buck exists in his own right as a developed character. except that seeing how he is a fictional character in a story where he interacts with other fictional characters it does seem somewhat odd they then also made no effort to make their dynamic more normal whatsoever to dissuade anyone from this. and instead somehow made their peas in a pod thing worse and weirder and involved Eddie heavily in the entire arc quite literally including in the circumstances for the beginning and end of Buck’s romantic relationship with another guy. and again, instead of writing Buck a well developed romance (like the rest of the characters have and like Buck has every right to especially this far into the show) with this guy, which even these same people who want it to be endgame complain about and are forced to fill in so many of the gaps for. they think the show decided to simply not do that. and have Eddie either present or mentioned in nearly every scene they had for. no reason? baiting? all so that 12 episodes (I think 7 episodes if you are only counting ones they were in) after they kissed this guy could break up with Buck to… “start a slowburn will they won’t they”? and 5 episodes after that in the natural progression of a slowburn 🤨 they could bring the guy back and have him immediately suggest Eddie is his competition for Buck’s affections and imply that’s why he broke up with him in the first place and also imply Eddie isn’t straight, making it the second time this season Eddie’s sexuality has come up 7 seasons into his being on the show, but all of this for allegedly no positive reason. and putting a spotlight on the idea that Buck and Eddie could be romantic for people who were not even thinking about it before was to… umm to tell them NOT to. I didn’t even mention all of these characters involved are insane and Buck moved into Eddie’s house while he’s gone in Texas and this particular conversation was happening in said house. and they got rid of the set Buck had been living in since season 2. but anyway they think all this happened so that the show could.. once and for all… shut down.. the concept of romantic buddie. and those that really wanted that to happen are gleefully celebrating it. idk man you can do and ship whatever you want and it certainly doesn’t have to be this but. well. I want to put this as gently and kindly as I can but admittedly I am kind of a bitch so: I just don’t think being willfully obtuse is gonna count as being blindsided two times in a row

[staravyz]

︖﹖ㅤㅤNerd x Nerd Final Boss...

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ❕️ㅤclick4rules—4masterlist

ㅤㅤ🔭ㅤㅤ—ㅤ(dr stone) ishigami senku x reader

ㅤ﹑tags ... sfw/implied romance but can be read as platonic/headcanons/super random/probably ooc/nerd!reader/procrastinating my homework rn

ㅤ౨ৎㅤ—ㅤa/n﹕science and math is my life and i love senku

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤgeneral

type of friendship that was built off of mutual infatuation for similar subjects (science, math, space) but reader probably isn't as dedicated to science as senku is.

regardless of how intelligent you are, as long as you're passionate about something, then you're pretty cool to him

type of relationship that was built off of the agreement that relationships and marriage are only beneficial in terms of income and taxes LOL

seriously though, senku treasures you just as much as he would treasure any super rare crystal (in the least romantic way you can think of. like this hc isn't intended to be romantic😬😬😰😰)

encourages you to use your talents to your peak potential

senku is super efficient, so he likely multitasks around everything

meaning you're probably body doubling with him most of the time if you're not also doing some outrageous science project

if you're a math nerd, he'll treat you like a human calculator

ㅤ"that's what they told me, so i said in response—"

ㅤ"hold on, what's the volume for a right triangular prism with a base of 1.6 and height of 4.3?"

ㅤ... "to the hundredths, 14.79. anyways where was i?"

ㅤ"rumour being spread in your third period."

ㅤ"oh, yeah, okay so—"

if you're crafty like yuzuriha best believe he's got you doing labour for his side projects 😈

if you're an artist, he'll take your critiscm on blueprints and layouts

if you're also a science freak best believe you're both causing chaos in the lab and making all sorts of borderline illegal devices and concoctions

and if you're none of the above!!! you're listening to hour long lectures about how everything in the world works. you're like a personal tutor student except you were forced into the tutoring

^^^ happens regardless

if there is something senku lacks expertise in, he goes to you.

if you lack expertise on something, you go to him.

personally don't think you two could ever end up as rivals academically, ethically, in any way

mostly because i think senku does not have the time or interest to deal with that

and also because you're somewhat fascinating to him

i mean, it's not common to find another person who shares equal desire to learn as much as one can about everything

you're probably both villainous mad scientists

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤpre-petrification (modern)

academically unstoppable study duo

if you're dating, "date" is likely not a word mentioned between you two at all unless you're referring to the day, month, and year

it's more like you guys do things together and don't really consider it as anything more than that, even if it really is more than that

wanna study together?

wanna walk to the lab together?

wanna check the library together?

wanna do this? wanna do that? together?

senku will ten billion percent deny it because he doesnt realize it, but he's extremely used to being by your side a lot

so being separated from your #1 lab partner post petrification must've been a pain in the ass

speaking of lab partners

senku is definitely hyper independent when it comes to science and such, but whenever the teacher mentioned partners, his eyes automatically drifted to you

bothered you a ton during and out of school so you could help him with projects

you would have had to bug him about how unhealthy hyper focusing on a project and neglecting his other needs is at least once

and that's why he's become better

when byakuya left japan during his little astronaut arc, senku became significantly more attached to you now that there wasn't someone at home who could listen to his lectures or help with his projects

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤpost-petrification

thought of you more than once while he was counting every second that passed

maybe more than twice

or thrice

along with his friends and father, he missed you a bit

and he missed you a bit more each time he passed by another statue that looked like you but wasn't you

clearly fell for your talents and made you a priority to be depetrified as soon as you would be found so you can contribute to the kingdom of science

but some part of him kind of wanted to hold back on finding you so quick and improve the current world at the moment so that when you finally awake, it's less difficult for you compared to how it was when senku woke

basically he wanted to make everything more suitable for your eventual arrival

once your stone body was found, he wasted no time rushing over to pour the revival fluid onto you and see the colour in your eyes reappear, assuring him that after 3700 years he hadn't forgotten how they looked.

communication is a lot more limited in the stone world compared to back then with cell phones and technology

senku is, deep down, at least somewhat concerned about your whereabouts when he isn't informed in advance

won't do anything more than send someone out to look for you if you've been gone for an unnaturally long amount of time and then scold you about the dangers of wilderness and how your lack survival skills will ultimately lead you to your demise instead of back to him

ㅤ౨ৎㅤ—ㅤa/n﹕btw this is extremely short for my taste, and i will 100% be making a part 2 okay 😊🫡 someday.....

©️ staravyzㅤ(¬_¬") do not steal, translate, or repost.

[ma1dita]

entropy

a 'partners in crime' installment - luke castellan x dionysus!reader prev -> trouble always finds me | next -> buddy system words: 3.6k summary: (pre-established relationship) The one where you both blur the lines between annoyance and admiration. You and Luke forge a promise of becoming partners in crime. (Luke Castellan x fem!Dionysus!reader) a/n: something happy for the tl– this is the official end of the pre-established relationship arc!! contains two demigods hating their godrents and typical teenager mood swings (thanks for being patient during my hiatus! missed yall <3) (posted 6/20/24, semi-edited)

—

Whoever said that finding where you belong is the key to happiness must have been lying.

That, or they’ve never known what it’s like to be a 15-year-old girl.

Sweat drips down the side of your brow bone in the middle of the summer heat. It’s a mystery why you’re still out here with the blistering itch of humidity sending everyone at Camp Half-Blood out to the lake to cool off during free period. You’ve never been friendly with the other campers anyway. It’s not for lack of trying—but toeing the line between being a total psychopath (because of who your dad is—THE god of insanity) and the biggest possible narc (also because of who your dad is—the worst camp director ever) didn’t exactly help your reputation in the past year of taking up space here.

And honestly… teenagers can be fucking mean.

The Aphrodite kids often laugh at your unkempt appearance, hair brushed only by the warm breeze and your camp shirt twisted and tie-dyed to your liking. You had a knack for getting into trouble with the Hephaestus kids after setting something on fire at the armory once… or twice. The Apollo kids were nice enough for as long as you’d sing a song—but there was no way you’d stick in the background arranging sheet music and playing guitar for them forever. Athena cabin was always too cool for you—with no one but little Annabeth Chase entertaining your endless chattering (but if anyone asked, you’d think it’s because they’re all sore losers when it comes to chess). The Ares kids were a little more your speed if only they would stop using you as moving target practice and the Demeter kids might’ve been nicer if you knew how to grow anything other than strawberries. 

It was nice to be included, you guess. Tolerated at best.

But it wasn’t the same as feeling like you belonged.

From the corner of your eye, you see Luke Castellan come back from lunch and dust kicks up from under your boots as you cross your legs in the lawn chair you sit in. Blinking harshly, you realize you’ve been squinting at the sun for ages. He’s seen you do weirder things since you’ve both somewhat acclimated yourselves to Camp Half-Blood’s culture, with you becoming a bit of an oddity as well as local entertainment with the shit you pull to get your dad to look your way. But it was something about the way you were so still under the sunlight that piqued his interest.

And quiet. You were never quiet.

Since you moved out of cabin 11 almost a year ago, his life has admittedly been a bit more peaceful, him finding his groove as a camper and…becoming everything that you’re not. Sure, he’s getting used to calling this place home, but where he shines, you’ve… struggled. Can’t say the same for him though—admittedly his life is kinda great right now.

If you needed a sub for volleyball, Luke’s your guy. Oh no, we need help bringing bushels of strawberries to the kitchens! Luke’s there to help. Someone needs a hand with sparring— there’s no one better than Luke Castellan! The all-star camper, and everyone’s best friend. He’s in talks to become cabin counselor by next year while you’ve had almost every punishment Mr. D can think of giving.

No dessert, shoveling pegasus shit, helping the nymphs on your days off, and the list just goes on. Sometimes you wonder if it’s your father’s way of keeping you busy so he doesn’t have to see you—it’s a miracle you haven’t been disintegrated yet by the god of insanity himself, but perhaps that’s both a pro and con of being his only daughter.

On his way out of his cabin, he stops short a ways away from the firepit, gaze falling upon the red tips of your hair hanging off the chair you lay on (chemically lightened by lemon juice and Kool-Aid you’ve recently learned to conjure). The piercings in your ears sparkle in the warm light—you and a few kids from the Hephaestus cabin pulled them off one late night with sewing needles and apples from the kitchens. 

It’s crazy what you can learn about someone by watching them from afar. Slightly creepy, and kind of concerning, but if anyone bothered to ask, Luke had an excuse for why he was always looking out the front window of cabin 11. The Hermes cabin was directly across the way from the Dionysus cabin, which housed its sole inhabitant, you. 

That in itself is a shitty excuse, he knows that, but… Luke worries. He knows he shouldn’t, but his eyes always subconsciously find their way back to you and whatever trouble you find yourself in—last week it was a pegasi stampede through the north end of the strawberry fields.

Yeah… you didn’t have a good explanation for that one either.

“Shouldn’t you be showing off and saving camp from a chimera, Castellan? Or kissing a baby, or something else super awesome and cool?” you mock, nose crinkling slightly.

He blinks, face falling as he stumbles off the porch towards you, a whisper of a smile still grazing his cheekbones. The sight almost makes you angry, really, and a part of him knows that he’s the bane of your existence. 

How rude of him to be good at everything and good-looking. Truthfully, it made his face very punchable, in your opinion—but the growing list of girls and boys that began to fawn over him after his growth spurt last winter probably think otherwise. 

“Only baby I see here is you,” he mumbles, pulling a chair up next to yours and flopping his dead weight into it, “What’re you doing here pouting all by yourself?”

Your eyes follow his movements and you can’t help but inspect all of him—from the lean muscles that ripple down his arms to the sweat that glitters as it kisses his cupid’s bow. 

He better not dare to kiss me even as a joke, you think, there would be nothing worse than that!

“Trouble? You know you scare me when you’re quiet. S’how I know you’re bothered by something,” Luke nudges your forearm jokingly, hands slightly sticky and smelling like cherries and smoke. His tongue is painted red from a popsicle he snuck out from the kitchens earlier. The sparklers he stole from the basement of the Big House still line his pockets.

No one ever looks twice at the golden boy, after all.

You shrug, kicking your legs under your bottom and staring back up at the clouds that hang overhead. Zeus could strike you down right now and you’d probably thank him. Death by the king of the gods seemed way more interesting than the personal hell of being at Camp Half-Blood you think, sputtering, “What’s it to you? Shouldn’t the camp hotshot have better things to do than hang around someone like me?” But the words feel heavy in your mouth, uncomfortable and clunky as you wet your lips with your tongue and clear your throat. Luke watches your eyes steel, turning away from him like orating a script to an imaginary audience. 

The world is your stage and you feel as if you’re but a performer that has to fulfill an act.

It’s easier somehow like this—to not let your feelings go rogue, or let yourself feel too strongly. All of your efforts have fallen short, despite your mother’s dying vow that these would be the best years of your life. But with one year down, sometimes you wonder if you’d stand a better chance out in the mortal world—hitchhiking your way back down south to the empty house you used to call home. 

Maybe a chimera would get you first. 

Or a hellhound. 

You could probably take a hellhound, right?

A smirk falls upon your lip, freshly bitten and raw and you realize he’s still there next to you. Luke is still watching you silently as his hand taps on the wooden arm of the lawn chair—a nonsensical beat that fills the silence that follows like someone feeling their way around a wound. His contemplation is gentle, even if your expression is festering the longer you sit together.

“You're literally the coolest girl here. Since when did you give a shit about what anyone has to say?”

Your face is stoic, amethyst eyes bouncing down the slope of his face and back up until they meet his that are honey-sweet. 

I CARE! a voice inside you wants to scream. It sounds like a little version of you stomping her foot until someone finally pays attention. But Luke’s eyes are already on your clenched fists and you haven’t made a single sound.

“Since when does Mr. Perfect know how to cuss?” you deflect, and he barks out a laugh, shaking his head yet nodding for you to continue. He knows that’s not what you meant to say.

“I can hardly believe that you of all people here think that I’m cool. I’m kind of a mess,” you try to reason, puffing your chest so that the breath makes your hair sway away from your face. 

“Sure,” Luke says as his chin rests against his arm. He blinks slowly, taking you in almost thoughtfully as he feels out his next words, “But you’re…you.” 

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Mischief prances through his features and you absolutely hate the look he gets on his face when he thinks he knows better than you.

Egotistical piece of shit.

Your hand jabs out to shove his, all of his front falling over in a fit of laughter as he catches himself and suddenly he’s too close. Close enough that for a moment, you’re scared he might see right through you.

Luke Castellan is not someone who would ever understand the pressure that you currently buckle under. 

“You’ve got it all, you know? You can do whatever you want, your dad notices you. You’ve already found your glory by just being here… I mean all of us here want tha—” Your fist hits the wall of muscle in his abdomen. It’s haphazard and a cheap shot that probably hurt you more than him, but anger was the first emotion to surface (and you did say he was punchable—next time you’ll aim for his jaw). Luke huffs, slightly winded, though if anything his ego is the only thing coming out of this with a bruise.

“What?”

“What do you mean what, asshole? You think I want any of this?” you laugh coldly, reeling away from him like he’s burned you. Hands to your chest, scalded by his words, Luke is trying to find the misstep in his actions with his mind running miles a minute as he watches your brows furrow and you’re shaking like a pot about to boil over.

“I knew you wouldn’t get it.”

You’re not looking at him anymore, trembling hands doing more harm than good as you throw your stuff into your worn knapsack. This must be your last straw, you think, quickly thinking of your meager belongings packed underneath your bed and a letter to your dad tucked under your pillow. This is your sign to get the hell out of here. But as you’re tugging the canvas cloth over your shoulder, a gentle hand clasps around the straps, and a soft, “Hey, hey…” makes its way towards your ears and the frosty feeling that surrounds your heart.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Luke mumbles, spinning you to look at him as he sighs. Worry is a familiar feeling he’s acquainted with over this past year of knowing you, “Come on now, tell me. I’m a better listener than I am at speaking, obviously…” He catches the quiver in your lip with a graze of his finger, leading you back to your seat and placing your bag at his feet—making sure you can’t run, and even if you wanted to, you’re unsure of what else you have left to lose. 

“Everyone thinks I have it easy because I don’t let anything break my smile. But I’d rather be anywhere than here. I’m a joke, hones—”

“Don’t say that,” he interjects, quickly silenced by your glare.

“You think it’s all sunshine and rainbows that I see my godrent every day? That what, I’m lucky?” 

Luke simpers, curls falling over his forehead as jealousy clouds his vision. He has a few choice words towards his own father, but surely it can’t be all that bad. Anything must be better than a broken mother and a dreadfully absent father. 

“Hit me with it already, Trouble.”

“My dad loves me because he has to. But there’s no way he actually likes me. It shouldn't get to me that much, even if he hates the parts of me I got from him, but it does. No one here likes me either.”

You don’t know whether you should laugh or cry, opening up to Luke like this. All you know is you haven’t been vulnerable to anyone in a while—the last you tried to talk to your dad about your dead mother left you with more questions than answers.

Trying to gauge the look on his face, you avert your eyes, picking at the peeling polish on your nails as you continue, “I think my father is lonely here in a camp full of children that aren’t his own and almost a mortal lifetime away from his seat on Olympus. He has a wife who waits for the eternity they’ll have to spend with each other. And I’m nothing but a smudge on his timeline— a reminder of a life that he had before saving her. I'm the last thing that holds him back from being happy.” 

He listens. And then he speaks, almost blurting, “I’m my dad’s favorite—or so they say. So he likes me for all the effort I put into being his son, but he doesn’t love me. Not how he should. I can count the number of times I’ve seen him and my mom’s not dead, even if it’s easier to tell everyone that. But I’ve lost her anyway and he let that happen.”

That’s grim.

There are cracks of darkness in the sunshine boy after all. There’s a gleam of angst in both of your stares, daring the other to compete in this little pity party and seeing who would give in first. But neither of you break—shiny fractals of both your experiences blending into an understanding.

A middle ground.

A huff of laughter is released between the both of you, breathy and warm hitting your cheeks as you turn to each other like little kids giggling in secret. Perhaps you are— two 15-year-olds feeling weightless for a moment now that your shoulders shake without the pressures you place upon yourselves, and by this kindness alone, maybe.... maybe this place isn't so bad.

Someone calls out for Luke, figures hidden in the forestline. The moment quickly ends after that, a fuzzy feeling in your chest left behind, ignited every time your eyes meet his. It’s like he didn’t hear anything though, stuck to your side still grinning like you could give him the key to the city.

“If it matters, I like you,” he chokes out, clearing his throat as his eyes dart away from yours. By the time the blush rises to his cheeks your eyebrows have already shot into your hairline in disbelief watching Luke Castellan, camp’s pride and joy stumble over the simplest words he’s spoken all day.

You’re quiet again, which stresses him out more— frantic words ripping through his teeth in a blur of "Um, erm, not like... I mean in the sense that—" and your tongue pokes through your cheek in a bad attempt to stop a smile. You look soft—and thankfully not like you’re about to punch him, finally having the upper hand when it comes to him. Luke blinks slowly, shaking his head— "You're just really cool."

“You said that already.”

He shrugs, not really having anything more to say. The boy is embarrassed enough.

Have you always looked that pretty when you’re smug?

Snorting at his flustered state, you mutter, “Olympus would rejoice the day I be more like you, you know that, Castellan?” And he shrugs playfully, liking the way you don’t press on the topic when you could’ve gone for blood, “Olympus might fall if you teach me a thing or two.”

The warning bell rings overhead and Chiron's voice booms over the speakers— “CAMPERS, MONSTER TECHNIQUES WILL BEGIN IN 10 MINUTES. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY OVER TO THE AMPITHEATER.”

“I should go.”

“Sure. You’re teaching, right? New big gig,” you say nonchalantly as you expect him to leave and probably never talk to you again. You’re used to that by now, and whatever understanding between you doesn’t make you friends.

“Do you want to come with me?”

Oh.

Luke’s hands fidget at his sides, but his feet are planted deep into the dirt, his red Converse pushing the soil beneath him. He doesn’t want to leave. But he thinks that maybe if he had to, he’d leave a place like this for someone like you.

Maybe.

“Monster fighting is more your thing, isn’t it?”

He grins lamely, walking backward towards the woods with his eyes still on you, “You’ll find your thing. M’sure of it.” 

Rolling your eyes, you bend over to pick up your things again, “Yeah, yeah. Like anyone would want to hear me tell stories or do my little crafts.”

“Why the hell not, Trouble?”

Luke throws his hands up in the air before scampering away to join his friends. It's hard to admit, but he's got a point—maybe this is an idea your dad will actually appreciate. A shiver wracks through your body. You find yourself being excited about something to do at camp for the first time in a long time.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to stay a little longer, you think as you trudge into your cabin, unknowingly kicking your knapsack further underneath the bed. You flop onto the bedspread with your notebook out, brainstorming what a Greek Legends and Theatrics workshop would look like. If you can get your words onto a page, you could pitch this to Mr. D by morning. A spark shines in your eye like the glittery glow-in-the-dark stars that hang from your bedroom ceiling.

Hopefully this won’t end in you shoveling pegasi shit.

—

You’re standing at the edge of the dining pavilion, tray in hand as campers bump past your frame, rushing towards their tables to eat dinner. There’s no one at your table but your dad and the idea of proposing the idea of your workshop sounds so terrifying right now that your stomach turns. 

And then there’s Luke Castellan waving you over towards the Hermes table like a madman.

Huh.

You thought being crazy was supposed to be your thing.

He clambers up over the bench, all gangly legs moving towards you until he’s there grabbing your tray from your hands with a smile, “Come on, trouble. Still got a spot at my table. Chris just falls into it before I ever get the chance to call you over.”

You look at him like he’s stupid, your hands on the opposing side of your tray and the both of you are locked in a stalemate in the middle of the pavilion. Curious eyes make their way over to you both, and murmurs of excitement for a fight start to rise. Here’s the thing—it’s something to grab attention, but it being put on you without your control is a bit nerve-wracking, to say the least.

“We're not allowed to mix tables, Castellan.”

“Since when do you care?”

Since when do YOU, you think. Standing between comfort and chaos, your eyes meet your father’s, expectant as he watches you from across the room. There is comfort in the silence that would consume you at your table. You’d be able to eat in peace and hear your thoughts compared to the lack of elbow space at Table 11. Too many of them steal each others’ desserts, crack bad jokes, and kick each other under the table, but it still makes you smile. You choose the chaos instead, slowly making your way over to the Hermes kids who greet you with a loud cheer.

Children of mischief and chaos are like birds of a feather, after all. There is comfort in this madness too—and you think Mr. D almost smiles when his eyes meet yours once more.

You’re crafty when it's something you can fix; painting a picture of yourself that’s cool and interesting for others to see, but in reality, all every teenager wants is to fit in.

Who would’ve thought Luke Castellan was going to help with that?

“One of these days you’re gonna have to put the nice boy act in your back pocket, Castellan. I’m positively dying for the day you reveal yourself to me.”

Luke chuckles over a mouthful of mashed potatoes, shoulder knocking into yours intentionally, though the both of you are thigh to thigh on the crowded bench. You ignore the fact that one of his little brothers steals the cherry off your ice cream sundae, and he ignores the fact that his constant worry for you reveals itself as another, deeper thing—care.

“What you see is what you get,” he murmurs into your ear. Heat creeps up your neck and you look up to see your dad looking at you again, and then— “Hey, hey… eyes on me.” Turning to look at him, his breath hits your cheek, “You’re the only daughter of Dionysus. The only person I know born to be able to raise hell for a god. Gotta use it to your advantage more, Trouble. You’re not here to entertain anyone. You gonna let him win?” he asks.

Blinking slowly, you eat a spoonful of rice, cheeks full but not concealing your smile.

“Where’s the glory in that, right?”

—

“The gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.” -Homer

[liedownquisition]

Hi, Hello, and welcome to:

Snowbirds Don't Fly is Kind of Good, Actually, and You Should Read it and Rethink Your Biases About The Story It's Telling You

By yours truly.

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: now like a lot of people who read older comics, I do have my beefs with dear ol' Denny, but there are a handful of things that your criticism starts to teeter into more than a little bit of a red flag. I'm going to discuss why that is, alongside why I think more people need to learn the core message of this arc.

I HIGHLY encourage people to read Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85-86, which depending on where you read might just be listed as part of the Green Lantern (1960) series because it is in fact technically part of that.

And when you do so I want you to actually read what's being said in the comic, in particular I want you to read Roy's lines. Because it is so, so important to acknowledge that, as a whole, this particular arc SIDES WITH HIM. Which is, honestly incredible.

Like, guys, I'm not going to say you're wrong when you say this is an anti-drugs PSA. I'm saying that if you read this comic and saw it only as an avenue for the "War on Drugs" then I'm not sure you really processed some of the messages in this comic. Because most War on Drugs propaganda is NOT interested in empathizing with the addicts in question, and encourages isolating them ("Just say no, and stop hanging out with people like that" being a familiar refrain from school assemblies over the years.)

Listen, I'm American, I've been having anti-drug PSAs preached at me my whole life. War on Drugs all around me. Grew up in somewhat poorer neighborhoods, literally was told to my face by multiple people that they were surprised how well I turned out because they thought that despite everything I was going to grow up to become a "drug whore." I'm not fucking joking about that one. I had family members say that to me, even.

Anyways, just, keep that in mind. I grew up around dealers and addicts and I have a lot of feelings about their portrayals in media. This whole thing was originally going to be part of a different media but it's probably best to split it up this way anyways.

TW: Slurs, drugs (obviously)

SO, without further ado,

Dennis O'Neil, in addition to comics, has a background in Journalism and some investment in social activism. He actively stated that he thought that he could use this in his comics, especially because, at the time, Green Lantern comics were potentially getting cancelled so he had a bit more freedom to do whatever he wanted. Basically, if it flopped in a probably-cancelled comic anyways, nobody had anything to lose. Think something along the lines of that Flinstones Comic by Mark Russel and Steve Pugh.

Ignore the goddamned cover, it's sensationalist and meant to get your attention, and it does the job. READ the WORDS. The above image is straight off the first page of the book. O'Neil takes off running with the utmost of compassion for the addicts in question, emphasizing their humanity, their mistreatment, and their suffering.

Now, lets be realistic with ourselves: Not every addict is so nobly tragic* as are depicted in Adams & O'Neil's story, but if you've heard people talk about addicts, both then and now, you'd know that it really does mean a lot that they come into this from an empathetic angle. *Yes I'm aware that I called them "nobly tragic" despite actively betraying Ollie & Hal and helping to drug them & leaving them to get caught by the cops while drugged up. Though they do express some hesitation at different parts along the way. The fact of the matter is people often ascribe a certain "nobility" to "victims" that they have enough distance from - whether by them being fictional or by not knowing them personally or changing their narratives after people's deaths to support themselves. in real life it's not uncommon for victims to be unpleasant to be around, they can also be perfectly pleasant people. They're human, and humans cover the whole range of personality and experience. Even if they are not "noble" & even if you do not have that distance, they deserve dignity.

Now, while our first introduction to the addicts (who we don't immediately know are that) they are trying to mug Ollie for money for dope (the dope part is implied). The second time we're introduced to one, however...

We are immediately thrust into the struggle of: quitting. Not using, but how difficult it is to quit. That's the worst part. This won't be the last time we discuss this.

Now, this is an arc where we see Green Arrow, who's typically the more liberal voice voice to Hal's politically neutral straight man, but I have to admit that as a Flawed Ollie enjoyer, I like to see him make a mistake, and he makes a LOT of them here. He is, in particular, harsher with the kids than he should be, and he holds a very very common position of seeing addicts simultaneously as "victims" of their dealers, while also refusing to sympathize with them.

The world is hard for everyone, why can't they Just Say No?

Up to this point, we're looking at pretty standard War on Drugs-style propaganda. But near the end of the story in #85 and for the bulk of #86, this is where I'm going to flat out say that the most important voice in this entire comic, is Roy's.

Roy doesn't at any point hesitate to stand up for himself (verbally) and call his generally well-meaning guardian out for his bling hypocrisy and ignorance. We see that neglect and loneliness led him here, but lets go back a bit and look at the reasons from a few of the other addicts:

Discrimination, cruelty, a need for an "escape." Any even mildly sympathetic media will have addicts explain that's their motivation, and I worry sometimes that people hear this and don't process it, because it's only one part of the circumstances that lead them there. the War On Drugs not only took the people who needed the "escape" the most and shoved at them a bad "solution" then imprisoned and profited off them.

From here we go back into Green Arrow's flawed logic:

He's a good, flawed man. He's like many parents who bring up their kids a certain way, a way they think is right perhaps because it's not unlike how THEY were brought up and absolutely missing the ways that they're harming them. Ollie will eventually see the error of his ways and regret these mistakes, but they're very common and very mundane flaws for him to have.

Alright, I'll admit I included this page mostly because that composition makes me giddy. Like, holy SHIT that's gorgeous. And now we are once again introduced to the idea of the struggle we were shown at the beginning: Quitting Cold Turkey.

It's extremely painful. It's dangerous. It could potentially even kill you as sure as the dope does. This is not something for everyone, and definitely not something to handle alone, which Hal himself expresses some uncertainties over, before inquiring what led Roy to this.

Is he wrong? Are the things he's saying any less true now than they were back then?

Even now there is plenty of pro-war propaganda (Just the other day I overheard someone talking about how their grandfather was in a war "Not World War 2, but one of the other Good Ones."). Even know there's lots of explicit and implicit racism that is treated as if it's justified and really MEANS anything about our humanity (Immigration/border control/ect). Even now we have people who believe that wealth is a measure of a man's worth to society or that it makes them inherently better (... I mean, I don't think I have to explain this one).

Hell, this doesn't even touch on gender (Whether discussing strictly feminism or if it's a trans issue) or sexuality or ableism (Whether physical or mental). Do you know how many people I've heard tell me they won't go to a therapist because they don't want to be reliant on a drug that might get prescribed to them? (ignoring the distinction between different branches of the psych field here, they never know the difference)

These are all things that get parroted to kids. We've seen the rising resurgence of gender essentialism, we've SEEN the rise of neo-nazi-ism, and TERFdom, and all these extremist views and movements and they ALL originate in the exact same place.

"What does that have to do with drugs?"

It's the same story. They're dismissed, they're disdained, they're not treated as equal living and learnign human beings. They are TOLD but they are not EDUCATED and they aren't treated with the kind of respect that leads them to think that they can even believe adults when they ARE being taught.

That neglect will be filled, whether by ideological groups preying on the vulnerable or by drugs or something else.

And here we meet our villain. We see society tossing the children away... and a man profiting off their despair. A CEO of a pharmaceutical company, even. Though, that's not really revealed until a few pages later.

... I'm so obsessed with this page you guys have no idea.

Our villain could have been a foreigner, a slumlord, a stereotypical drug kingpin, but it's not. It's a man with an abundance of wealth and a pristine reputation. A man so well known that he's on TV.

Denny O'Niel may or may not have known about the deliberate efforts to put drugs into black communities and prosecute them for them, but he clearly did see that the root of the issue was NOT someone among them, but something that someone else who could exploit them was bringing down to them.

Bringing this back to the dismissal of the youth and Roy's voice being the single-most important one in the story. Roy explicitly states that he only made it because he had support. Kicking a habit when you're on your own isn't impossible, but it's sure as hell not that far off. And, as I've mentioned, going "cold turkey" can also be deadly.

Now, yes, we have managed to create pharmaceuticals that can be useful for getting people off the harder drugs, and sometimes you can even find it for fairly "cheap"... but in our current day and age I don't think I should have to explain how predatory "Big Pharma" (and the health insurance industry) tends to be for those who have a need.

Like many things these days, even something like a rehab center is an industry - largely for profit, and the ones that aren't are often religiously and ideologically motivated. Even THOSE have issues that many result in incredibly dehumanizing conditions. (I was trying to find an article I read a while back including a few interviews from people discussing the conditions and treatment they faced while in rehab to link here, but I can't seem to find it. Must've gotten lost in all my other links and bookmarks.)

Despite there being places online you can look for how to spot a bad rehab center, the fact that these places will continue to exist with bad treatment methods and a complete lack of regulation and many people fall prey to them especially because they don't know to look for this stuff remains. Even still, and this particular one might be a bit outdated, It's not fully understood how best to treat addiction, especially since the one thing we do know of for absolute certain is that it has to be judged on a case-by-case basis. Though there have been good outcomes recently using MORE.

Social stigma and discrimination Including in media and news journalism plays a huge role in perpetuating these systems. And most people have this mentality of thinking it can be "cured", rather than being a chronic disorder with a management system. Here's another page discussing addiction treatments. Have I made my point yet?

My point is that this comic only reads as war on drugs propaganda if you're only listening to Ollie, who is FREQUENTLY being challenged on this throughout the entire arc by every person around him. Ollie in this is someone who has heard and fully bought into the propaganda, despite being a good person who typically tries to help those in need, He Is Not Immune To Propaganda.

There is a reason that this comic starts with a statement emphasizing that the story is about humans being mistreated, and ends with Roy calling Ollie out.

Ollie comes away from this with a changed perspective. It's not outright stated at this point but it's strongly implied because of how proud he is at the end there, and the ways he tries to repair his relationship with Roy down the line without (mostly) being too overbearing.

I would definitely say the worst part of this comic is that the solution our "hero" (Roy) uses is going cold turkey, which is a miserable, godawful, and dangerous experience. I will allow some forgiveness because it's likely that better addiction treatments weren't well understood back then.

So, in conclusion, Denny O'Neil is not without faults, but if you're issue with his works are "He wrote one of the most human-focused anti-drug propaganda pieces of his time, if not also compared to a lot of our time as well" or "He incorporated a lot of social justice topics into his comics" then I genuinely think you need to reevaluate yourself. Maybe he's a little heavy-handed with it, but have you SEEN people's reading comprehension even TODAY?

Sometimes a heavy hand reminding you that other people are human too, and you need to face the "ugliness" of our society and how it treats them and how YOU treat and think about them is the kind of kick in the ass people need.

I'm not even mad that they used Roy, because nobody is above addiction - not even a hero. It doesn't ruin him, because addicts aren't ruined. It's interesting and dynamic. If later writers take this history and write dehumanizing storyline that frame Roy as the villain of his own addiction, that's their biases, not the original story.

Anyways, ending this on my favorite moment that's not fully relevant but not irrelevant, from Justice League of America (2006) #7:

[falbrightsplace]

What of Riddles and Murder?

I think I’ve left my Tumblr dormant long enough, don’t you? So let’s get into some analysis! Delve deep and see what we can see! And what better subject than one Edward Nygma! The Riddler!

But not just any Eddie.

No.

No.

No…

My favorite Riddler, the one who my own interpretation blends into the most (combined with a dash of Arkham and a fair bit of Pre-New 52 continuity rearranged)! Who, you ask! Who!!!

This smug bastard:

Zero Year Nygma is special for a lot of reasons. For one he’s a great amalgamation of what was old (the facial structure, nose, and being...well, ginger lend themselves to BTAS) and something delightfully new while touching on some beautiful, horrid symbolism (the Zorro mask is a prime example for the story he’s ‘debuting’ in). He’s also exceptionally violent in a way that simultaneously suits the Riddler in cavalier execution while being somewhat divergent in the sheer scale he inflicts said violence. That extends not just to the big event, but from his very introduction to the story.

The whole idea emerged due to talking with my roommate, a longtime friend who has been privy to every permutation and head canon I’ve carried for that gremlin over the years. In that moment I started to outline every single way he implies, instigates, or outright exacts some violence upon a person or the greater populace of Gotham City. Let’s walk through them, shall we?

From the outset of the story he was suggesting to Philip that the most efficient application of Occam's Razor is to Bruce’s throat. That it was the only option with the prodigal son setting a showdown with what had become a disgraced company in his absence. Even if the matter is tabled, rejected, and ultimately thrown back in his face it was one presented simply to prove that Eddie could read the board. A bone thrown on the pile as a means to validate himself and the clandestine power he held within that little cat’s cradle.

Not only does he push such an agenda with one of the more intense expressions of the arc (a stark contrast to his glib ennui at a baseline or the absolute mania of Savage City), he hints at that fact to Bruce himself after riling the young fledermaus up. Even if, contextually, he can’t understand it there’s a flex of “I know something you don’t know. Something you’d probably like to know. Something you need to know.” with deadly implications. All presented dull eyed and with a smirk after their game, a game he feels he’s thoroughly won on and off the board because those final words in the museum suggest that Mr. Wayne is in check and Edward will never have to see that particularly annoying piece ever again courtesy of the Red Hood Gang.

Then there’s the fact that he essentially pushed a very ill man to not only self experimentation, a deadly prospect in and of itself, but inspired what essentially became one of the most prolific (and horrific) strings of serial killings up to that point in the City’s history. All with silver tongued promises. All to cover for the theft of one Pamela Isley’s research in the panic between his own (comparatively) benign blackouts. And a guaranteed end to the murder weapon he had chosen, come hell or (literal) high water.

We’re already seeing a pattern within the violence of choice, yes? Before even arriving at the big ones it has the Riddler hallmark of being hands off. Yet there is something to be said of the frequency this young version of the villain chooses to employ it. Often while employing a sociopathic bit of emotional sleight of hand, putting on an impish face that can be perceived, at times, as downright goofy or even charming. That can truly mask how awful he is. Yet unlike some variants of the villain, he’s not pushed by a literal demon within the city’s heart or some deeply disturbing event which further cracked his psyche. He’s doing this from the outset and moving towards the trickster that people think of (we’re discounting King and some dismal attempts during the mid 2010’s to try and create a ‘dark’ Riddler renaissance in storytelling) rather than being pushed towards this outcome. Put a pin in that thought, it’ll come into the discussion as we move towards (petty, petty...petty) motivation in explaining how this creates a truly unique, petulant, bombastic and subtly terrifying version of this classic.

Back to the crimes for people who need a refresher!

After having effectively Karl Hellfern for everything his failing body and soul could take, he makes a show to Jim Gordon. We know the one. The string game. With a boulder. A more classic Riddler tact to be sure. Very in line with the death traps that cover an escape and yet the exception here is that there is no riddle. It’s simply physics: a promise of enough force to completely collapse a great part of that floor of a sturdily built office building. It’s a blunt statement wherein the only one playing is Edward himself. Which already suggests he’s stepping further and further into his persona while showing that vicious streak, now sparing that toxic green curtain he’d hide behind while putting on a performance that would put the Mighty Oz to shame. And there’s a glee to it. Literally holding something over someone’s head.

What can I say about the rupturing of the retaining walls? Of essentially setting up an impossible game on only the slimmest of chances. Eddie, your carnie background may have been struck from your resume but it definitely showed here. The results are catastrophic. If you’ve watched The Penguin, go take in the first scenes of Episode 3 again and imagine that while the city is under siege by a super storm of historic proportions. In a blackout. With no hope of anyone coming to save them. There are no pumps to steadily restore even vestigial use of not just certain sectors, but the city as a whole.The visuals are horrific in a way I do not think that the illustration team on this run could have depicted. Nor should anyone have to endure the sheer heartbreak of such grandiose tragedy presented in as visceral a manner as it could be. All played off to a man who comments only to himself, answers to only himself. With that same glibness he applies to all potential casualties. A dull look. A haphazard smirk that is absolutely at home for a Riddler, but given the circumstances? Might have been wiped off the faces of others if presented with such an option. Even for clout.

Savage City is simultaneously where Eddie truly goes from simply himself to elevating into The Riddler. His M.O. is established with the same odds as always: near nil. The difference is that rather than focusing the crime upon a target (either an object or a person as is often the case), he is indiscriminate and demanding that people play his game. In essence he is the Sphinx demanding souls step forward for sacrifice, languidly looking on and pondering what measures to employ. Lions. Truly. The man lives for circuses of his own making.

Then there’s the deployment of weaponized drones, a planned one given his understanding of the weapons tech at his disposal after essentially leaving the back door open to steal everything from under Kane’s nose. These are suppressive, deadly automatons. And while there is some whimsy, it is, perhaps, a much more brutal arm to employ to a darker end than say...Arkham Knight Riddler. They are there to snuff out the competition, to keep the game in perpetuity. If anyone works outside the parameters the promise is humiliation and death.

And let’s talk about that promise, shall we? He is not only a typical sore loser of a Riddler, he is violently so. Basically creating a MAD scenario in which the only way to not essentially ring out the death knell for Gotham was for the would be hero to have lethal current run through them. That wasn’t even a sure shot. Death surrounds Edward Nygma at this point. He is a Rube Goldberg machine of it. By design.

Basic summary, doesn’t quite do the horrors he inflicts justice. He honestly deserves his little cocoon at the end of the arc. Truly. And I say that with certainty. Because not only do we have his body of work for this stretch but we have blatant motivation. If BTAS Eddie grabbed a scalpel to take to Mockridge upon receiving his pink slip, what would you say ZY! Nygma grabbed? And more importantly, why? Because I can tell you that man did not load a several megaton bomb (comparatively) with razor edged bits of esoteric trivia due to being fired. No, the job was always something that could be tossed away. It was the fact that Philip suggested he wasn’t something extraordinary. It was the fact that in suggesting that Edward Nygma was no one at all, a mere cog that tied together greater machines (machines that could move on without him), little Eddie had an identity crisis. A terrible tantrum that turned all that focused calculation into a deathtrap for the world that his mind had could not fathom going on without acknowledging him. His work. His greatness. And in rampaging like a toddler, moving in the reverse trajectory of just about every other Riddler (who again, often are pushed) finds what actually brings him joy. The acclaim of Zero Year? Oh, boy, does he cling onto that like a washed up high school quarter back. Even going so far as to recreate aspects to spook people so they don’t forget. And yet it’s the game that keeps him going. The constant back and forth with the Bat. The joy of a diversion with stakes that demand complexity. And, perhaps, in this manic, destructive regression, the New 52 Riddler was born hanging in that special ward of Arkham in his defeat. Emerging more focused, perhaps a bit more cautious. Still mildly more violent than other iterations...but more historically himself.

And I find that fascinating.

[sapphic-agent]

I'm still mad about this so I'm going to rip it apart by section now that I have the energy :)

This is probably the only part of the diagram that's kind of accurate. But it's actively ignoring one crucial detail: there are no "people" in this context. Most people just ignore Bakugou at this point. He's directly and deliberately harming one person: Izuku. It also feels like this understates that Bakugou doesn't just "suck," he's been targeting, harassing, and abusing a minority for the better part of a decade

Bakugou has always put more energy into his goals. That's the only thing that's stayed consistent about his character because it's the only thing he's ever cared about. He doesn't get brownie points for sucking a little less (which isn't even really true, his victim began to step out of a victim role and he didn't know how to deal with that) just because he's goal-oriented now. There's also something to be said about the people around him not being able to be spoken over or told what to do. While 1A doesn't stand up to Bakugou, he isn't able to really push them around. So of course his behavior lessened; it's not getting him what he wants anymore

This is literally one of the major problems with this arc. Bakugou only "changed" because everyone else made it easy for him. Everyone else had to put in work for him to become even halfway decent. Every lesson he's ever "learned" were good people having to either give him every concession OR- in Izuku's case- sacrifice their own well-being and agency to validate his insecurities. Not once did Bakugou ever have to put in the work himself, it's always been the people around him coddling him. Hell, it's to the point that All Might had to make Bakugou's goals align with protecting people to make him somewhat decent, the dumb idiot couldn't even realize that on his own. This is more like enabling than being a positive influence. An actual positive influence would be someone holding him accountable for his behavior and the only person who even attempts that is Best Jeanist

What's the difference between "flawed" and "still doing the same things only they're funny now?" Because you can't insist to me that Bakugou has changed when he continues to act the same way he always has. He still yells at, insults, and assaults Izuku. The only difference is that it's played for comedy instead of actually taken seriously. So he can still say and do what he wants with no repercussions. And even in the moments that the narrative tries to seriously develop him, it still falls flat because he's never forced to make actual changes to himself. For fuck's sake, we're in the last chapter and he still sucks to the point that he dropped in the hero rankings

How can you tell me that Bakugou's character arc amounts to anything with a straight face?

[windandglory]

On Urara's evil cycle (is he a weirdo?)

It was a brief moment. Pretty easy to overlook. The rush of having just done something to gain the respect of Leviathan Leiji caused Urara to slip into an evil cycle. A natural evil cycle, given how quickly it went away.

We see Urara's eyes here, while he's still stuck in the water bubble. They look normal.

(For reference, these are definitively normal Urara eyes.)

I believe it begins here, after the worst of the danger has passed and he's getting more personalized attention from Leiji (baby gay! love it for him). The "water" at the bottom of his eyes has started to pool.

On this page, Urara's eyes are, likely intentionally, hidden except for panel 1 (the second-to-last panel is a flashback). It's not clear, and his eyes aren't drawn in detail, but you can still see the sort of wave pattern rather than the usual downward curve.

And here. The scene of the crime. We see his eyes in detail. there are bubbles in it, and it looks like pooling water. It's themed, kind of like his sister's. In fact, the pattern of it kind of looks like Clara's but inverted. I don't think it's a coincidence that these two mini-arcs were set up right beside each other.

Anyway, after Leiji chastizes Urara, the "water" seems to literally drain from his eyes. It's odd that this snapped him out of this evil cycle, given that our resident returned-to-origins demon seems to enjoy being scolded lots, and it's happiness and stress relief (see:akudols) said to keep demons out of their evil cycle, but whatever works for Urara, I suppose.

The next time we see Urara's eyes, they're back to normal entirely. The dark shading at the bottom of his eyes curves downwards, and he doesn't get that look on his face again.

However, I don't think he's out of the red yet. We see those bubbles come back here, when Leiji tells him to watch:

(again, it's Leiji! Urara really idolizes this jerk)

And here, when Urara goes on about how cool Leiji is:

And here, when Urara gets promoted (and poked in the ribs by Leiji):

And here, again when Leiji's addressing him directly:

It's important to note that Urara's eyes look somewhat like this earlier, after Leiji touches him for the first time:

As a counterpoint to everything I just said, the netherworld’s premier expert on evil cycles is present and never comments on it. The simplest explanation is that this is just a stylistic choice and Urara never entered an evil cycle at all. As for me, I think there might be multiple stages of an evil cycle. The stress may not have overwhelmed Urara, and Balam knows to worry more about behavior than the appearance of the eyes. Urara is responding to his demonic instincts as a reaction to stress but his rational thought is not impaired, something that may be a sign of a possible impending evil cycle without any urgency, which is why Balam didn’t bother to mention it as it reverts within a matter of minutes.

So: evil cycle or just a childhood crush? Or both? Honestly, I don't know.

The depiction of evil cycles has been a bit inconsistent. At the beginning of the manga, it sounded like demons just went through PMS every so often. Feels like an evil cycle sometimes, honestly.

Nowadays, it’s depicted more akin to a psychotic break. A demon’s body is stressed, either from negative stress or excitement, and an evil cycle is the culmination and in some cases release of that stress. Their view of the world is changed (see:Iruma in his artificial evil cycle suddenly finding the situation the abnormal class is in unfair) and previously present morals fall by the wayside (see:Clara finding trapping her best friends in a pocket dimension forever, draining their mana constantly, to be an entirely okay thing to do). Sometimes a demon in an evil cycle just needs to vent their stress (Asmodeus), sometimes they need to get rid of the primary stressor (Clara). However, like a psychotic break, the evil cycle itself is not a release of stress. The end of one is. Balam says that a (triggered) evil cycle puts a lot of strain on a demon’s body. I think this is why Kirio is so frail. The strain of consuming mana only counts for his exhaustion after using his barrier. Since he’s essentially in a constant evil cycle, his body is always in a constant state of activation. It’s not sustainable.

Most demons seem to go through an evil cycle just once or twice before they find a sustainable way to prevent it, or perhaps not at all. A bunch of demons going into an evil cycle at Levialon is a big deal rather than a natural coincidence. The entirety of demonic culture makes room for ways for demons to have outlets for stress to prevent evil cycles, as if it's some big societal problem. A demon that's returned to origins, basically one in a constant evil cycle, is something dangerous that just doesn't happen anymore, even though evil cycles seem to. Some demons, especially those with high mana and strong personalities (Asmodeus, Clara) get violent or otherwise hostile while in their evil cycle. Iruma at the point where he went into his simulated evil cycle had no strong personality but had access to a LOT of mana, and he just became a more confident, productive person. Though, they seem to have been making evil cycles a more important part of the story, so I'm excited to see what direction they take it in! PMS or psychotic break, we will see!

[invalidstories]

Hello hello! If your requests are still open, would you be willing to write about an injured Hero who keeps trying to fight whatever threat is at hand so Villain kidnaps them for their own wellbeing??

The Rescue You Didn’t Ask For

Thank you for the request, hope you like it!

Warning: Mention of broken bones, injuries, blood, destruction, kidnapping and violence

The hero stumbled through the alley, their breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood dripped from a gash on their forehead, staining the pavement beneath their boots. Their ribs screamed with every step, and their left arm hung uselessly at their side. But they couldn’t stop. Not yet. Not while the city was still in danger.

Behind them, the sounds of chaos echoed—screams, explosions, the distant wail of sirens. The villain’s latest scheme was in full swing, and the hero was the only one standing in their way. Or at least, they were supposed to be. Right now, they could barely stand at all.

“You’re in no condition to fight,” a voice said, smooth and familiar. The hero froze, their head snapping up to see the villain leaning casually against the alley wall, their arms crossed. “Honestly, it’s embarrassing to watch.”

The hero glared, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the way they swayed on their feet. “Get out of my way. I don’t have time for this.”

The villain pushed off the wall, their expression unreadable. “You’re bleeding. Badly. And unless I’m mistaken, you’ve got at least two broken ribs. Maybe three. Do you really think you can take me on like this?”

The hero didn’t answer. Instead, they lunged forward, their fist swinging in a clumsy arc. The villain sidestepped easily, catching the hero by the wrist and pulling them close.

“Stop,” the villain said, their voice low and firm. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

The hero struggled weakly, their strength fading fast. “I have to… stop them…”

“Them?” The villain’s brow furrowed. “You’re not even fighting me right now, are you? Who’s out there?”

The hero didn’t answer, their knees buckling as the adrenaline finally gave out. The villain caught them before they could hit the ground, their arms surprisingly gentle.

“You’re impossible,” the villain muttered, though there was no real anger in their voice. “Stubborn, reckless, and utterly impossible.”

The hero’s vision blurred, their words slurring as they tried to speak. “Have to… save them…”

The villain sighed, adjusting their grip on the hero. “You’re not saving anyone like this. And I can’t have my favorite hero dying on me. So, for once in your life, just… stop.”

Before the hero could protest, the villain pressed a small device to their neck. A sharp sting, and then darkness.

When the hero woke, they were lying on a soft couch, a blanket draped over them. The room was dimly lit, the air warm and quiet. For a moment, they thought they were dreaming. Then they saw the villain sitting in a chair nearby, flipping through a book.

“Where…?” the hero croaked, their throat dry.

“My safehouse,” the villain said, not looking up. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

The hero tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in their side made them gasp. The villain was at their side in an instant, a hand on their shoulder.

“Don’t,” they said firmly. “You’re still healing.”

The hero blinked up at them, confused. “Why… why are you doing this?”

The villain hesitated, their expression softening just slightly. “Because someone has to keep you alive. And apparently, that someone is me.”

The hero stared at them, their mind struggling to process the words. The villain, their enemy, the one they’d fought countless times, was… helping them?

“You kidnapped me,” the hero said finally.

The villain smirked. “I prefer to think of it as a strategic relocation for your own wellbeing.”

The hero couldn’t help it—they laughed, though it quickly turned into a wince. “You’re unbelievable.”

“So I’ve been told,” the villain said, sitting back in their chair. “Now, rest. The city can survive without you for one night. And if it can’t… well, maybe it doesn’t deserve you.”

The hero wanted to argue, to insist they were fine, but the warmth of the blanket and the steady rhythm of their breathing made it hard to stay awake. As their eyes drifted shut, they thought they felt the villain’s hand brush against their forehead, their voice a soft murmur.

“You’re going to be the death of me, hero.”

Masterlist

Taglist (click to be added): @neon-kazoo - @sausages-things - @trash-queen-af

[lxffy]

can i request usopp and an artist!reader in the one piece universe?

maybe reader and usopp aren’t close but get to know each other in wano? the reader could be an artist absorbing wano’s culture (as a straw hat or pirate or even a wano!reader idc) while usopp is living in wano. maybe they’re known to like each other by friends and get teased? maybe we see how their relationship changes over the wano arc?

thanks :)

✌︎ crushing on the local artist !

pairing: usopp x gn!artist!reader

word count: 2.0k

notes: this was actually quite fun to write, so i hope i you like it! this ended up longer than expected lol

After falling victim to a disastrous storm on the sea, you were separated from your crew and ended up as a castaway in a foreign country. Despite the country’s view on outsiders, a kind soul took you under their arms until you were able to sustain yourself, slowly integrating into Wano’s society as an artist to make ends meet.

– first meeting

It had been months since you began living in Wano, having moved to the city and making enough money to stay afloat. You spent your free time roaming the streets, learning about the culture through stories and traditions, and found yourself absolutely in love. The culture was gorgeous, and you spent days painting (or using your preferred medium) trying to grasp the beauty of it all. 

On one particular day, you were sitting in front of a shop whose owner you’d grown fond of lately. She allowed you to create and sell your art with no strings attached, and the two of you were slowly becoming friends. As a shopkeeper, she was aware of merchants in the area and told you about some newcomers: Usoland, a merchant who sells toad oil from the East Blue and Sangoro who just opened up a soba stand just down the street. Your friend raved about the soba, but you were concerned–how did toad oil from the East Blue end up here?

You decided to check it out for yourself–if there was someone who possibly entered the country, there was a possibility you’d be able to leave Wano, though you weren’t sure if that was what you truly wanted. 

The moment you laid your eyes on Usopp, you knew he was an outsider. His face felt somewhat familiar, like you’ve seen it on a wanted poster somewhere. But you were distracted by his act to attract customers, and giggled at his attempt of a Wano impression. His beard was obviously fake, yet he managed to fool the majority of his customers. The toad on his head must’ve sold his act to those around him, and you applauded him for his effort. 

He didn’t feel like a threat–instead you were intrigued. You’d never heard of toad oil that could cure all wounds, but you couldn’t mistake his kind demeanor. You wanted to know more about him.

Usoland noticed you watching him from the corner of his eyes and he was immediately caught in a trance. The fact that you were absolutely striking was one thing, but he could also tell something was off about you, though he wasn’t exactly sure what it was either. But his intuition told him you weren’t a threat, just someone who was curious about his toad oil. Though every step you took toward him sent his heart rate into dangerous territory.

“Usoland, right? How did you get your hands on toad oil from the East Blue?”

You asked plainly with a bit of amusement. Suddenly, Usoland was stuttering all over himself, unable to make coherent sentences. Although he thought you were a civilian, he still had to stay undercover, but the way your vibrant kimono wrapped around your body left him a mess. He couldn’t hide it–he was overwhelmingly attracted to you.

“You don’t have to worry, I’m on your side.”

You whispered, making sure only he could hear. After that, he calmed down a little, deciding to trust you. Someone as beautiful as you wouldn’t hurt him, right?

– innocent visits

After telling Usoland about your art, he somehow found his way in front of the shop you were at every day. He always said it was just a coincidence that he ended up where you were, but wasted no time placing himself next to you. 

He was entranced by your art. When you discovered his name was Usopp, he started telling stories about his time on the sea as a great pirate captain. How he took down ferocious monsters, defeated some of the most powerful pirates, and uncovered some of the worlds greatest treasure. He promised that once his ship was fixed (which he said was why he was in Wano) that he would take your art with him. 

Through his “coincidental” visits, you learned so much about each other, and discovered he was a creative himself. He painted from time to time, but he focused on inventing new gadgets and tools. Through this, you learned that he was a sniper with exceptional abilities. The two of you bonded over your shared interests, and he never failed to make you laugh with his outrageous stories. Your laugh had him wrapped around your finger.

– a few strawhats noticing

Sanji (whom you still know as Sangoro) was the most concerned as to where Usopp disappeared during the day. He knew he walked around for new spots to sell toad oil (and find information about Kin’emon’s allies) but every time he came back there was a blissful energy about him.

Franky, Robin, and Sanji were sitting behind Sanji’s soba stand, talking about what information they’d gathered so far. It was only a matter of time before Usopp returned with that same stupid grin on his face.

“Oi Usopp, I hope you haven’t abandoned your purpose here to frolic around with some chick?”

“Oh? I thought we all knew Usopp grew fond of the artist on the other street.”

It was one thing for Sanji to talk about getting distracted, but Robin confirming that he had been taking a bit of time to hangout with you was another. Usopp wouldn’t be able to escape the torment he had coming.

“Usopp… when did you plan on telling us about your superrrr crush?”

“I’ve seen them a few times. They’re quite the eyecatcher.”

“Eh? You said they’re down the street?”

“Y-you guys need to s-shut up! We just like to talk about art sometimes…”

He was blushing furiously. He didn’t want to admit it, but he did grow a huge crush on you. When he was with you, he was at peace despite the chaos that surrounded him at all times. Staying with you was also an excuse to protect you if something went wrong–he feared that someone evil would disrupt the peace in the city and hurt innocent people like you. He may be a coward, but he would stop at nothing to make sure you could keep on smiling.

But with the strawhats finding out about your existence, their teasing would be the death of him.

“Usopp, you left your–are these your friends?”

Then it clicked–they were the strawhat pirates. You were slightly surprised that they were in Wano, but then again, knowing of some of the secrets that Wano was hiding and it wasn’t such a surprise. 

“The strawhats… What are you guys doing in Wano?”

You weren’t a threat, and they could tell. But you wanted to help them if you could–not because you wanted to leave, but because you knew that they were here for a reason. Your crush on Usopp was also mutual, and you wanted nothing more than to see him safe at the end of it all.

Despite that, the strawhats took another moment to tease the two of you after introductions were finished.

“Y/n… what a beautiful name.”

“Y/n, my darling… could I offer a beautiful soul like yours my special soba?”

“What a superrrr Kimono you have on!”

The kindness flustered you a bit, but you were smiling nonetheless. Usopp felt relieved that the strawhats accepted you, a proud smile evident on his face. But nothing could get past Robin–she could tell with a simple glance that you were just as head over heels for Usopp as he was for you. Your eyes only left Usopp for seconds at a time, and she noticed how hesitant you were to touch him, even in the most platonic way possible. 

When his hand brushed over yours once you gave him back his totally forgotten toad oil, you stuttered ever so slightly. Your eyes caught Robin’s right after, and with a sly wink, she sent you down embarrassment alley.

“What kind of art do you like?”

Oh, and, while she is genuinely curious about your art, she only asked at that moment to watch you trip over your words.

– the days are numbered…

Knowing Usopp was a strawhat, you knew that he could only stay in Wano for so long. So you spent as much time as you could with him. You showed him some of your favorite techniques while creating, and he couldn’t stop complimenting your abilities. He absolutely admired your talent and wouldn’t stop raving about it, especially to civilians on the street. 

“I hope I become just as good as you one day, Y/n!”

“You act like you aren’t just as talented, Usopp.”

Oh, he loved when you complimented him.

“Right? Just one of the many things Great Captain Usopp can do!”

You knew you’d miss these conversations, the silly banter and inside jokes. The things you were scared of, things you missed from your hometowns, the things you wanted to try–you talked about it all with Usopp. He was like a breath of fresh air, someone you could be fully comfortable with.

But as time passed, you wondered how he felt about you. 

And one day, he disappeared. You weren’t sure where he went, but you knew it had something to do with Kaido. You and your friend enjoyed the festival together, but you wished you were able to experience it with him as well. A part of you felt a little upset that there was nothing you could do while the rest of them fought for the sake of this country, so you hoped that they’d stay safe, and that they’d return.

– the end…?

When all was said and done, Usopp came running to find you again. Wano was free of Kaido’s and Orochi at last, and he needed to make sure you were safe.

“Y/n! You’re okay!”

You were setting up your station again in front of the shop when you heard his voice. He was back.

“Usopp! You’re okay! I was so worried that something went wrong and I had no way of knowing…”

You rambled for a bit, and Usopp was surprised to learn that you were so worried about him. He thought of you as a friend and hoped you did as well, but hearing you confess just how anxious you were made him realize that maybe… just maybe there was a slight chance you had feelings for him. 

But he wasn’t ready to be rejected. He was sure of it. How could someone as beautiful as you take a liking to someone like him? He was a coward, someone who couldn’t be taken seriously. And yet, you still were worried about his safety… perhaps that meant something?

“Usopp, if I told you I liked you… what would you do?”

You asked silently one day, when the two of you were sitting alone, enjoying the banquet he invited you to. Immediately, he short-circuited. He froze in shock, staring at you with wide eyes. He thought the possibility of you liking him was so small, that he completely threw the idea out the door. Red creeped up his neck as he tried to find the words to reply.

“You… you like me?”

You nodded a little too eagerly. He couldn’t even joke about this. Not even a “Of course you like the Great Captain Usopp!”

“W-what if I said I–I like you t-too?”

You could barely contain your excitement as the words left him. There was so much you wanted to do–hug him, scream, kiss him, tell him how much he makes you happy–but it was cut short by the ruckus going on inside the banquet hall. So the two of you promised to talk about it again after.

“I know we’ll speak again later, b-but I just wanted to say this! If you came along with me-us, I would be the happiest man in the world! But if you want to stay here, that’s totally fine too! I-I just wanted to tell you in case I’m not able to later…”

You smiled, happy to learn he wanted you by his side as well.

[rinixo]

variables

Tech/Reader | 1.5k | Rated E | smut, afab!reader, oral sex, Tech pov (mainly), Tech internal thoughts, slight possessive!Tech

He had never been one for flowery words, but as he closed his eyes he realized he understood now what the poets meant about devouring one another.

a/n: originally started out as a follow-up to auxilium, but ended up just being better as a stand-alone.

read on ao3

Tech’s sat on your floor, surrounded by communicator parts. He had offered to repair it for you when you mentioned it was malfunctioning. You had agreed, knowing that even if you said it was fine, you'd find it missing one day and returned, good as new, the next.

He comes over to your place more often, now. The first few times you had hovered anxiously, unsure of if you should find some way to entertain him, worried that you were boring him.

"I enjoy being in your company," Tech had stated matter-of-factly, halting your nervous fussing. Since then, you’d relaxed, going about your own activities while he worked on various projects.

He had built you some clever devices, intended to make your life easier. A tea kettle that would ping to your wrist comm, letting you know when it was at the perfect brewing temperature. A sensor on your door that actually worked, so you didn’t have to risk opening it up just to find some drunk passed out on your step.

Tech struggled to give voice to his feelings. He sometimes lacked the nuance that came easily to others regarding certain topics. It was easier for him to simply do. Every time he soldered a wire or tightened a bolt, it was a little testament to his affection towards you.

The sound of the bathroom door caught his attention. He watched as you emerged, toweling your damp hair, dressed only in underwear, content to let the rest of your body air dry.

He appreciated that you felt comfortable enough to share some of your quirks around him. In fact, Tech appreciated many of the small habits he observed in you - this one included, and not just because you were bare. Sometimes, he found himself musing about them while waiting for data to compile or during hyperspace journeys.

The way you flip your tools in your hands idly. There was a callus on one of your fingers, from the friction, and he could sometimes feel it when you touched him in certain sensitive places.

The lines between your eyes, when you frown. The subtle asymmetry of your brows, one rising higher than the other.

He likes that you don’t roll your eyes when he rambles, sitting through many impromptu lectures in good grace. The way that you’ll remember where he last left off, ask genuine questions, and invite him to continue.

He appreciated how he could sense when you wanted him to kiss you: your eyes darting to his lips, hands tensing and relaxing.

He cherished the tremble of your skin under his touch, whether his palm was spread over your abdomen or between your shoulder blades.

You sat on the edge of your bed, towel draped over your arm, looking humorously at the parts spread out on the ground.

“You’re going through a lot of trouble for me,” you joke. “I’d still like you even if you didn’t fix everything I own.”

“It’s no trouble,” Tech replies softly. Your knee is next to his head, droplets of water evaporating into the dry air. He can see the goose prickles on your skin.

A soft smile on your lips. “Don’t you have to go soon?”

Tech hums thoughtfully. His squamates were becoming suspicious of his increased absences. It was Echo who had approached the topic most directly, weeks ago on a long hyperspace transit back to Ord Mantell.

Tech didn’t know exactly why it bothered him or why he felt somewhat possessive over the knowledge. Over you. He had kept his tone neutral in response, hoping Echo would get the hint that it wasn’t something he wanted to talk about. The former ARC trooper didn’t look convinced but had dropped the subject.

It didn’t stop him from paying you a visit the very next day, however. And the day after that. And most days since then.

“Yes,” Tech decides. “But I want to be here.” Placing his hands on your knees, he pushes himself up and over you. You eye him, leaning back to keep his face in view.

He slots himself over your body, pressing his nose just above your belly button. Your skin, still slightly damp, smells wonderful.

“Tech," you mewl halfheartedly. “I just washed…”

He trails his nose down to the apex of your thighs. “You can wash again,” he breathes, kissing the fabric of your panties over your mound.

You must realize it’s a lost cause because you lean back with a sigh and throw an arm over your tired eyes.

He kisses you through the fabric, suckling softly, The fabric grows wetter between his tongue and your slick. He can see the color of your skin through the translucency, swollen and waiting for him. But he has the time, and the patience, and the desire to make this last.

Pulling the fabric to the side, he flicks his tongue over your clit, making you squirm. Your thighs twitch, and he knows you want to prop them up. He obliges you in this way, letting one of them lift over his shoulder. The other he pats, enjoying the plush way they mold under his hand.

More than one previous lover had made remarks about ‘using his mouth for other things’, insinuating that his clever tongue could be used for more than wit. It had never really sat well with him before, the suggestion that he was too much, too talkative, that his mouth would be more useful to them elsewhere.

Tech didn’t feel that way about you. He could spend hours between your legs, memorizing you through touch and taste alone. He took great offense at leaving any job half-done, and this was no exception. He wasn’t satisfied until you were satisfied, and even then he would be so hyper-focused at times that it wasn’t until you’d pry him away with shaking hands that he’d realize you were moments away from passing out from pleasured exhaustion.

Tech moves the hand on your thigh down to ease two long fingers into you. Glancing up, he can see those lines between your brows, eyes screwed shut. He feels you tense and then relax, caught between adjusting to the new sensation and giving in to the continued assault from his mouth.

He’s careful, delicate almost. His tongue curls around your clit, his teeth just barely creating pressure. You pulse with it and he releases, wanting to draw this out further. He likes when you’re desperate for it, writhing and rambling nonsense. It won’t be until you’ve begged, pleaded, bargained that he’ll let you come. Tech likes to be awash in your praise - it makes his cock throb to hear how good he does it, how good he makes you feel.

It’s more than just physical pleasure, too. Tech supposes he could have stopped himself from falling in love with you. Love was powerful and dangerous. It wasn’t predictable and defied attempts at pathology. It required one to give up control and give in to vulnerability. It wasn’t logical, and it wasn’t something he had ever prioritized before. Lust was much simpler in comparison.

You threw unknown variables into the carefully charted graph of his mind, his perception of who he was, and his place in the galaxy.

It was overwhelming, at times. Something that would need to be parsed out eventually, tallied, and taken inventory of. But for now, he channeled it into attending to your body, focusing solely not on what he thought but on what he could feel, on the lust coursing through him.

The shadows on the wall change and the dimmed lights click on before Tech’s finished with you, pulling back to see you panting. This was some of his best work so far, he thinks, wiping his chin absently. His cock, pressing against his blacks, is achingly hard. He lets it pulse as he watches you, enjoying the edging sensation. He’ll let you decide, once you’ve gathered yourself, if you’d like to go any further. And if you decide that you’re tapped out, that’s all right - just as much as he likes to feel your mouth on him or be buried in your cunt, he likes to sit back and have you watch him stroke himself until he’s coming hard over his hands or spraying over your stomach.

You’ll attempt to apologize later, but he’ll quiet you with his lips. Why should you apologize, when you’ve given him as much as you have? When he desires you so intensely? When you sate the monstrous appetite he didn’t know he possessed? He’d have to find the time, the courage, to figure out what it all meant. What he wanted, what you wanted, and what - realistically - was possible.

But now was not that time, he knows, as you push yourself up and pull him closer. Tech holds your head as your trembling hands pull down his blacks, breath leaving him shakily through his nose as you take him into your mouth.

He had never been one for flowery words, but as he closed his eyes he realized he understood now what the poets meant about devouring one another.

[moonydulac]

let's talk about the lupins for a second!

starting with hope, the whimsical/charming woman who met her knight in shining armour sort of in woods and fell in love?? who literally introduced her to a whole new world? before delving into the horrors, I would like to point out how romcom-esque their encounter is. its fateful but also lyall letting her believe she encountered a scary man and he saved her just cause he can't fully explain boggarts but also cause "yay! she thinks I'm macho!!" (would pay to see him and james potter interact!!!)

hope along with lyall builds a new family with their lovely son and it all seems low-key like a happily ever after only for her son to go through something so traumatic it'd alter all of their lives forever. I sincerely believe the nuances of wizard identity are lost to hope to certain extent. in the sense that, she might not fully empathise with lyall's complicated outlook to this predicament. not to imply she is simple minded at all but because it is easier for her to compartmentalise uniquely magical bigotry. there is also the other route where she has integrated herself somewhat into the world and is having trouble herself facing this new reality and protecting her child. I just think of how powerless she might feel not being able to do magic in those moments. especially when her boggart was said to be a vicious looking man, greyback obviously fitting the descriptors. there is also the implication that she was ill as a result of her constant fear and worry over remus and I don't want to explore that for me being a little pussy reasons.

then we have lyall, a true embodiment of the "what if it happened to your family member?" scenario posed usually to conservatives. he worked for the authority to dehumanize werewolves and antagonize them to an extreme only for his young son to bear the brunt. It's the guilt he might feel for being responsible - maybe there is some added hatred due to resentment - can he sometimes not stand to look remus? not just because what role lyall played, but because of what remus became? is he coming to realizations too late about his ideologies, or does he believe in his misconceptions more than ever cause the harmful creatures he said would harm, did harm? does he "you're not like other werewolves" remus into oblivion?

lyall is so interesting to me and actually important to the entire marauders arc and hp series in a way 😭 a fundamental worldbuilding character tho, conveying politics of the world.

lupin parents had to travel and move, essentially giving up their personal lives forever from the moment remus turned. they had no social life for themselves most likley (at least until remus went to school), had to provide for their son while they also struggled maintaining jobs. misinformed, bigoted and desperate, they also made their son a test subject just to "fix him." (i think there are folks better equipped than me to explore the implications here and parallels to conversion therapy? the conversation has been happening in the fandom space tho) they had to lock up their little boy every month knowing full well it would hurt him and that they can't do anything to help him. they had to leave him alone.

after hope dies and remus moved out, lyall is alone alone in his cottage. he wasn't mentioned being in the order (im not sure if he'd be too old to join or if he died by then, so correct me if im wrong.) he either become a jaded man or just lived his days quietly. and if we can assume some of remus' characteristics onto him, probably believes he deserves this life for the part he played in what happened to remus.

hope and lyall as the parents who belive that if remus tried hard enough, he can overcome his ailment and be normal. after all, he is smart, is friends with smart kids, is gentle and mild-mannered, and dumbledore only has good things to say about him, assuming they ever discuss remus. there is not much research into lycanthropy, so, i can see them have a stance most people have on mental health, along the lines of- "remus you know this will happen every month. try to cheer up," sorta bs. doesn't mean they are abusive. just that they aren't the best, like many parents.

I don't like it when marauders parents are so one note, happy go lucky will go along with anything or downright military etiquette parents. especially when the mom's are presented as only soft sweet warm, as if one toe out of the line means they are bitch- actually that's a whole other rant. I'll shut up.

at the same time, i don't want this one incident to define them entirely. maybe they come to terms with it slowly because with each year at hogwarts, remus comes back happier. especially since his 5th year, he is coming healthier too. he is getting good grades, maybe there is hope for him to live that neoliberal fantasy, after all. the first werewolf at school could easily become the first werewolf with a job? who knows!? maybe then hope and lyall can travel around for fun now or fully settle down in their cottage after sm travel during remus' childhood. maybe they invite neighbors for dinners, maybe they receive the marauders for lunch one sunmer, play the normal adults, the normal parents of their normal child.

[youkaigakkou-tl]

Breakdown of the newest G-Fantasy cover

RARRRRRR IM SO INSANE ABT THIS I NEED TO SEAR THIS ART INTO MY EYEBALLS THERE SSO MUCH TO IT!!!! AUGHGHGHH ITS SO PRETTY!!! THE ASTRONOMY OF IT ALL!!!! ok had to get that out of my system im normal now lets get on with it

Starting with the most immediately obvious parts....

Bellflowers

GRARRR ITS BELLFLOWERS!!!! ITS BELLFLOWERS!!!!

Chinese Bellflowers, called "kikyou" in Japanese, are associated with and somewhat symbols of Abe no Seimei because of the pentagram shape, and Seimei's pentagram is also sometimes called "Seimei kikyou"

In other words, AAAAA BELLFLOWERS!!!!!!

Libra

This is Libra!! Not a whole lot to say about it, but there's a neat detail that the tippy point of the triangle (Beta Librae) is the brightest star in the constellation, and it's also represented by a more defined 4-pointed star here!

Cancer and Crux

Not much to say about Cancer, so lumping it in with Crux.

Crux, also known as the southern cross, is an asterism of four of the brightest stars in the southern hemisphere, and used for navigation similar to the north star.

There is also a northern cross (that's the "body" of Cygnus), but you can tell this is specifically the southern cross because the northern one has a star in the middle

Ursa Major

You can tell this is Ursa Major by the paw stars and the back leg! This is also the constellation that the big dipper is part of, which you may know from a previous rambles to be a big thing in Taoism and also associated with Abe no Seimei.

While we're on the topic of dippers...

There's this constellation that's covered by the G-Fantasy logo (that I didn't want to draw any definitive lines for) but I'm almost certain is the little dipper

What's the deal with the dippers anyway

Hey guys. remember when i lost my mind over the big/little dipper in my kyoto arc essay. still havent gotten over that.

So likeeee... the big dipper is the one classically associated with Taoism and Seimei. The little dipper doesn't really have much of an association with anything in that area, at most you could say its an extension of Polaris, the Big Boy North Star

Note the way the handles bend, the handle of the big dipper hooks down at the end. It's not as if this looks particularly different in different parts of the world, and you can see that every depiction of it irl is the way it is.

But consistently. Consistently. Sensei draws it with the handle bent the other way, aka looking more like the little dipper

Now there's a cute idea here that maybe the big dipper represents Seimei and the little dipper represents Haru. That's so cute! Unfortunately also just an idea. Because as you can see the little dipper is also there in Seimei's magic circle. So.

(Side tangent I swear at one point someone pointed out a principal art where its super clear that the mark on his face is Seimei's magic circle??? But now I can't find which art it is)

The Shichiseiken

Tangent-ception! I recently found out about the shichiseiken (seven star sword), named after the big dipper engraved on it. Originating in Chinese Taoism, it's said to drive away evil. There's been replicas and other versions afterwards, but the major one seems to be the one that had been reforged by Abe no Seimei after being destroyed.

(Though, none of these would be the one Ranmaru has, since his is double-edged and all these japanese swords are single-edged. And besides his just looks like a chinese sword anyway)

Couldn't identify these

too few identifying features on these two constellations sadly... they both Kinda look like they could be corvus.

Well. If it is corvus, and it represents Ranmaru, thats kinda cute. In that line of logic, cancer would be Sano, and libra could be either Hijita, Beniko or Renren (or all 3 lmao?)

Ok thats all i have for now i think. its 6am i gotta sleep i just had to write this right now

[comikas-fandom-dump]

Hi, can you rate every Sasuke outfit out of 10? I always wonder what his fans think of his fashion choices. I personally love them all <3

Oh, I love all of his outfits, actually. Kishimoto does not disappoint with his character design skills, hence most of them score 8-10/10. But since that would be quite boring I'll rate his outfits in relation to the quality of Sasuke's other outfits... or designs. Because by rating designs as a whole rather than just outfits, I get to talk about Sasuke's hairstyle :)

Debut

Let's start with Sasuke's debut design. I'm afraid I might upset a bunch of people with this but Sasuke's debut design is fairly basic in style, coming down to simple a shirt + shorts combination. Same with the color palette, which is fairly monochromatic and uninteresting. Most of what distinguishes him from your neighbors' kid is shinobi standard issue, minus the hairstyle and arm warmers.

THAT BEING SAID, the design is still iconic. From an irl perspective, we have to remember that Sasuke's design inspired the Uchiha Clan's wardrobe. From an in-universe perspective, Sasuke must have either learned how to stitch his clan crest onto the back or have commissioned the shirt (or taken from a dead clan member). There's DEDICATION alright?

And, call me crazy, but I find Sasuke's debut design to be adorable due to the wide, loose clothing. The oversized clothes kind of just make him look smaller. This outfit is a solid 8/10 (a lot of points added for being his debut design and for being adorable, otherwise, it might be a 5/10).

Chunin Exams

Sasuke's Chunin Exams outfit is a 7/10 to me. It is more form-fitting and I miss the wide, loose shirt, but the concept itself is more unique than that of his debut design.

However silly it might be, a onesie is a somewhat rare sight in the world of fashion and while we could argue that its plain black color is even less interesting than the blue + white combination from before, it also offers the perfect backdrop for Sasuke's more extravagant wrappers, allowing them to stand out. I wish the onesie itself had a few more details but odds are they may have distracted from the wrappers.

Otogakure

I feel like Sasuke's outfit as Orochimaru's student is the most controversial and I understand why. People are calling Sarada a hooker for wearing something shoulderless but Sasuke gets to walk around chest-free? If Itachi had been there, he would've told Sasuke to change into something more modest 😂 Though, to be fair, I feel like this is not exactly something Sasuke actually likes to wear rather than something that comes in handy with his Curse Mark transformation.

The design also introduces Kusanagi and the iconic purple Oto Belt into Sasuke's wardrobe, giving him a unique silhouette and color palette. While I love the gloves and wish he had kept them, I feel like the outfit might be a tad bit too baggy. His face looks a bit empty without bangs or forehead protector. The design gets a 4/10 from me.

Itachi Fight

Sasuke's design for his fight with Itachi is very similar in that it was chosen for the sake of practicality. I really love the bandages and the inclusion of the weapons pouch, as they make the design feel more lived-in, and the dark colors really sell the "lone avenger" vibes (I'm just not sure whether I like the grey top). The outfit is also not as baggy the Oto design, making it feel more balanced. 6/10.

Kage Summit + War Arc

I'll lump Sasuke's Kage Summit and 4th Great Ninja War design into one category because the only difference is that one's collar is slightly more open and the other's is not (although, I have a clear preference for the one with the open collar). I personally consider this design an improvement upon the previous two, as it brings back Sasuke's unique Uchiha collar, gives him some fluffy bangs, and retains the Oto Belt. I still miss his old gloves, and the design feels bland in some places (probably due to the lack of wrappings, haha), but I guess you can't have everything. It's a 9/10 from me!

Akatsuki

And, of course, Sasuke temporarily joins the Akatsuki. I like it but I don't quite love it yet. Of course, it has a cool silhouette and the Akatsuki's robes will never not be cool, but it's also not exactly unique due to being a uniform. To be fair, it's not the standard Akatsuki uniform, but it is still a uniform and hides a big chunk of Sasuke's otherwise unique design. I rate it a 6/10.

The Last

Sasuke's The Last design is mostly torn, worn, and grungy. It looks like Sasuke had been out in the woods for months and ended up wearing something he found in a local trash container which might sound bad but it's actually great from a character-design standpoint. It tells us a lot about Sasuke's recent whereabouts without losing a singular word or frame on exposition.

The outfit has it's own charm and the earthy color palette gives Sasuke a nice grounded vibe. And also... I like badass-looking ponchos. I do miss Sasuke's duck butt, however, and I dislike the wrappings on his feet, making them look very brick-like. It's a great concept, but I feel like it is being held back by individual design choices 😭 8/10.

Boruto

Sasuke's Boruto design finally shifts his color palette entirely away from blue and instead into the purple part of the spectrum. I'm still not the biggest fan of the form-fitting clothing and the cape is so cliché, it barely does anything and fails to make the silhouette more unique.

Still, I like how this new design gives Sasuke a more mature and almost formal look. The color palette may be a little bit too monochrome, but that's nothing new for his designs. The bangs over Sasuke's hair are a good choice, in my opinion.

I like the outfit. From a fashion standpoint, it's an 8/10 but from a character design standpoint, it's more like a 2/10. I feel like the designer aggressively removed all of the uniqueness from Sasuke's previous designs (the Uchiha Crest, the Uchiha collar, the duck butt hair, the Kusanagi, and arguably the Oto Belt) only to leave something bland and inferior in its place. I want to like it but I can't. It just keeps on reminding me of what we have lost.

Honorable mention:

Sasuke wearing an ANBU-looking vest to imitate his brother is pure adorableness.

[galaxy-fleur]

What did you think of Leon and Ada's new relationship in the remakes? Meta wise

I think it's an interesting and more nuanced take on their relationship! Which I definitely like. I see no point in judging OG RE2's love story between them, no matter how cliché and nonsensical it is. It's a product of its time, and it's charming in its own cheesy way. Teenage me cried over Ada's death in there, so I do have a soft spot for it.

But the Remakes offer a fresh interpretation of what happened between them, and I'm definitely interested to see where they will take their relationship in the future (that is if they do, because I wouldn't mind them just having separate story arcs from now on).

If we're talking actual analysis, I'll put down my thoughts. I don't know if you can call it a full-on analysis per se, as it's more just me writing out my personal interpretations on things. So keep that in mind please!

Long post under the cut. I'm talking almost 4k words and way too many shitty gifs (I have no time to make them all polished). I have way too much to say. I'll basically be going over their entire relationship throughout RE2R and RE4R so... yeah.

RE2R and RE4R are two games that offer a full story for Leon's character, and that's a very awesome thing that Capcom has done. I'd even say it's one of the best things they've done with RE recently. Making RE4R feel like a direct continuation to Leon's arc in RE2R makes total sense, and it makes many scenes in RE4R that much more satisfying to play through.

While RE2R does end on a somewhat positive note (much like every RE game has to), Leon's arc in it is very much negative. He loses more than he gains, he's unable to save anyone, and his good intentions end up being used against him. Claire ends her RE2R story by saving a little girl she has come to care for. Leon ends his RE2R story by losing the G-sample, 'losing' Ada without getting much, if any, closure from her, and not saving even a single person he has encountered. Claire and Sherry don't really count in Remake-verse (which I kinda don't like) because their storylines mostly happened separately from each other.

And that's not mentioning that he gets (assumedly, and I am very much hoping we'll finally see more concrete scenes of how it all happened in Remake-verse) pretty much kidnapped and forced into a life he never wanted right after. To say that Leon can't get a break in RE2R is like saying nothing at all. Poor guy gets put through the wringer on every level.

Now, onto his relationship with Ada, and how it ties into everything... It should be said that, while he obviously grows to care about her throughout their short time spent together, he remains suspicious of her. RE2R Leon is naive, but I often feel like people make him too naive. He's not an idiot. He tries over and over again to get answers from her, and he clearly feels apprehensive with her. And I mean... that makes sense. While she does save him multiple times, she keeps her distance from him.

I'd say he starts opening up to her on an emotional level after witnessing Robert having to kill off his own daughter. He directly confronts her, demanding for answers and voicing his drive to do what's right. In a way, that's him showing his vulnerability to her. And Ada uses it against him. After all, it's a perfect opportunity to play on his (rather naive) determination to be the hero to help her achieve her own goals. Ada is also the only figure of 'authority' he has at the moment. Even if her claim of being FBI seems kinda off, she's the only one he has.

And I'll go over Ada and how I interpret her later. For now, just keep in mind that her using Leon is more of a gray area than just some horrible, disgusting thing. I'm just going over the events from Leon's viewpoint here.

So, they team up. Ada starts softening up to him. They share light banter with each other: 'A: After you. L: Gee, thanks.' She expresses concern over his safety (the alligator scene). I'd say that's the point where he starts to care for her on a more personal level from before. As you would.

Him taking a bullet for her was instinctual. I'd say it's a more pivotal moment for Ada's character here rather than Leon's. In Leon's case it's moreso her taking care of him right after that matters. He directly mentions it to her later on (at least I'm pretty sure his 'you protected me' referred to that). I'd say him waking up to find himself tucked in with her coat and his wound taken care of was the moment his 'I care because it's another person who's in this with me' turned into 'I care because I feel genuine attachment to this person'.

Was it romantic? I'd say that's left for you to interpret how you wish. I like to think of it as him just caring for her as a person. Leon is someone who cares very deeply for others, and he's always striving to be the protector to those around him. I kind of think that someone caring for him when he's weak and vulnerable is something that is very meaningful to him. Now, Ada saves him multiple times at that point. But that's the first instance of her arguably going beyond what's needed. Sure, taking care of his wound was necessary, although she could have just let him be as he was for all we know. But tucking him in on top of that? Yeah, that's an obvious 'I care' gesture.

From then on, Leon is following Ada because he wants to trust her. And I do want to ring this home. He wants to trust her. Doesn't mean he does trust her. Because even though he shows genuine care for her, it's clear that he knows she's might not be telling him everything.

He wants her to trust him, so that she'll tell him what she is keeping from him. So that he can trust her.

The kiss scene is a perfect representation of exactly that, I'd say. Honestly, I'll just link this analysis right here, because I pretty much interpret it in almost the exact same way. But I'll go over it in my own words as well.

Leon's growing frustration is in full display here. He turns around from her, he paces, he tries to appeal to her. To just trust him enough to be honest with him. It's clear that he knows Ada might not be telling everything, but he chooses to believe her regardless.

Hence the exchange that follows this:

Ada: 'Hey Leon, trust me?'

Leon, walking up to her: 'Trust me?' (Reversing her question)

Ada: 'Honestly, if I didn't, you'd probably be dead.' (A genuine answer as far as we know, but it's not one Leon wanted to hear, so he shakes his head, mutters 'Right.' and walks off.)

And I do feel like Ada knows that Leon is suspicious of her here. Her reaction once he walks off comes off as kind of panicky to me. She knows she might be losing him, and she can't have that. So, she once again appeals to what she knows is his weak spot. His drive to help others and 'save' the city. It does work. Somewhat. But he's still swaying, so she does the first thing she thinks of. She kisses him.

She, quite literally, cuts off his line of thought so he stops thinking about it. Because him thinking is dangerous for what she's really doing here.

I think it would be very disingenuous to say that that was a kiss of love or affection. It is not presented as such, nor is it addressed that way in all. It was Ada's last attempt at stopping Leon from questioning her any further. How much of it was her focusing on her goals, and how much of it was her effort to 'protect' him from potentially figuring out the truth, is left to your interpretation. But whatever intentions she had, good or bad, it was a kiss of manipulation.

It does shut Leon up, as he's visibly stunned. He doesn't even say anything at that. He just stares at her, then at her hand on his knee. Now, here's the tricky part of it all. Do I think Leon felt romantic affection/attraction to her here? On some level, I'd say yes. But it's definitely no 'love at first kiss' or anything like that. He's confused, mostly. While he spent arguably little time with Ada, it was a time full of meaning. Surviving side by side and protecting one another is no small feat. And Ada did show her care for him.

I think, he chooses to trust her in that moment, because he, once again, wants to believe in her. Even if her kiss felt out of nowhere, and so much of what she says (or rather doesn't say) makes no sense. He chooses to trust her because he wants to think that she's a good person who cares for him.

And so, we come to the pivotal bridge scene once he learns the truth. I do like how he confronts her in a blatantly emotional manner rather than logical. It's not so much about her being a mercenary itself, as it is about her using him and lying to him. That's what he's actually confronting her about, whether he realizes it or not. That's exactly why he tells her to shoot him, fully resolute as he holds her gaze. He wouldn't do that if he was just trying to apprehend a criminal like a good cop would (as he tries to present it at first).

But, he never gets that closure or resolution he was aiming for. Ada lowers her pistol. He breaths out shakily, probably wanting to continue talking, to figure this out. But he doesn't get that.

I do think Ada telling him to take care of himself as her 'last words' is a very painful thing for him. Because it leaves him with no actual closure on what happened between them. Ada chose to not harm him, and her last words to him are ones of selflessness. But she also lied to him and used his vulnerabilities to achieve her goals. And it's not like Leon knows anything about her occupation, and just how much she's involved with it on an emotional level. Maybe she's someone forced to do this against her will. Or maybe she enjoys doing such dirty jobs for all he knows.

That's the thing. Leon doesn't know. And that must be both frustrating and painful. He's basically left questioning all of his interactions with her, how much of it was genuine, whether she was honest with him at all.

And, most importantly, his time with Ada basically proves to him that his drive to protect and save, his willingness to give people the benefit of the doubt - is a flaw, and a weakness. It directly ties into his arc in RE4R. (And his relationship with Krauser, in a way, but I won't go over it here.)

He throws away her bracelet on the train, and I think that kind of shows that he chooses to believe in the pessimistic way of interpreting their time together. He throws it away because he doesn't want to hold on to something that reminds him of her. And, simultaneously, of his mistakes.

Now, let's go through the same events from Ada's POV, shall we? It's a bit more challenging, since we don't get to be in her shoes, but it's still a fun exercise.

Ada's initial interactions with Leon are ones of annoyance. She basically scolds him like a kid for always getting in danger and acts like saving him is a chore. But chooses to help him out regardless. I think it speaks of her humanity despite her line of work. It's an interesting dichotomy that follows her every single appearance pretty much, though not much is done with it (thanks Capcom). But yeah, despite her visible annoyance with him, she saves him time and time again.

She doesn't visibly soften up to him up until that same Robert scene. She's pretty observant from what we can tell, and she probably already had a good idea of Leon's righteous nature, but it's the first instance of her actively playing into it instead of making small snide comments about it ('Trying to save the world?' 'Good luck with that.'). That doesn't mean she doesn't care, though. It's subtle, but the little sighs and changes in her facial expression do show that she's at least a little bit conflicted at the prospect of lying to him on such a huge level (though you can't see most of it with her sunglasses).

It's one thing to say a passing lie about you being an FBI agent, and it's completely another to play the long game by using someone like that. But she needs to accomplish this task, and it already proved to be more difficult than she expected. Remember, Racoon City was Ada's first time dealing with anything of this sort, too. She might be a mercenary, but it's not like she had to deal with zombies and B.O.W's before that. She's out of her depth, and she has someone pretty much offering themselves to her as her assistance.

So, she takes the risk.

While she does join in some passing banter with Leon after that, she still keeps her distance. She's dry and mostly unemotional in her mannerisms. Remember how I said that Leon taking the bullet for her was more pivotal to her in the story? Let's go over that.

It would be disingenuous to say that Ada is a complex character, unfortunately. Most of the complexity she does have, we pretty much have to add on to ourselves. Hell, I'm doing it right now with this entire section! Capcom is doing a way better job with her in the Remakes, but she's still pretty flat as a character. Maybe this'll (hopefully) change in future installments. But for now, we work with what we have.

Either way, we do know that Ada is someone who's self-sufficient and chooses to work alone. She keeps her distance from everyone, and she lives by 'everyone for themselves' ideology. Basically, a total opposite of Leon's 'protector' role. All that to say... someone taking a bullet for her is definitely not something she would expect. On some level, specifically because she would never do that herself. Especially for someone she basically just met. But Leon risks his life for her. Furthermore, telling her to go ahead instead of anything else.

I think that's the moment Ada starts caring for him on a personal level. Maybe she feels like she should repay him for this. Or that she owes him a debt. Regardless, she takes care of him and tucks him in, before proceeding further.

That care only grows once they reunite. Now she's the one injured, and he takes care of her, despite her protests: 'I can do it myself'. Ada is self-sufficient, but Leon offers her his companionship time and time again. We don't know whether that's something she lacks in her life or not. We don't know enough of her as a character to say that. But she's obviously someone who's not used to getting help from others. Again, on some level, because she doesn't do that herself.

Remember, while Ada did save Leon numerous times before, she always acted visibly frustrated by it, like it was a chore she was forced into, despite her choosing to help him herself. Leon, on the other hand, is quick to offer and insist on helping out, very much eager to do that for her. She already made the choice to use him, but now she learns that he's a genuinely good person with a kind heart, and not just some stupid naive rookie.

And so, the kiss scene, again. I already said that her kiss feels like a last-ditch effort to stop Leon from questioning her any further. And I do think she acted on impulse. Thus why she follows up with a hand on his knee and the: 'I'm counting on you'. And I, personally, think she kind of regretted doing that right after. Or maybe felt extra conflicted about the whole ordeal as a whole. The way she slouches and sighs heavily once Leon leaves is very reminiscent of that. It's kind of a mix of 'Fuck, I messed that up, didn't I?' and 'What the hell am I going to do after this?'

It also should be noted that Ada never meant to tell Leon the truth. It would be convenient for both of them. Leon would feel like he did something good, and she would complete her mission with no further issues. Both sides win. But... things go haywire. And she's confronted with the consequences of her initial choice to use him.

It'll be silly to say that Ada doesn't care for Leon. If she truly was this heartless mercenary some would like her to be, she would shoot him on the spot. Her pistol being empty doesn't really matter, either. Leon was basically offering himself up to her, again. Even without any bullets on her hands, she could have easily knocked him out or something.

But, she can't bring herself to hurt him. Because Leon really is a good person that doesn't deserve that. And she knows that, and she cares for him on a personal level on top of it all. We don't know what she was going to do, before Annette shot her. Maybe I'm actually talking out of ass here, and she really was planning on knocking Leon out cold. But, we'll never truly know.

And her last words for him are to take care of himself. Because, in a way, Ada, more than anyone, knows just how selfless Leon is. On some level, it's a wordless 'I'm sorry', if you wish to interpret it that way.

Boy, was that a lengthy mess! Their first introduction to each sure was tumultuous. But we still have RE4R to go through! Though it'll be more about Ada than Leon.

Nevertheless, let's talk about Leon's interactions with Ada. I think we all know he's noticeably harsher and colder to her. It's an interesting change, and it does show that he feels resentment towards her for what happened in Racoon City. We don't know how his initial conflicted feelings morphed into this resentment, but they did.

I don't think nearly enough people mention that he's genuinely being very damn rough with her in their little sparring session. While yeah, you could make an argument that he's holding back, he's not being careful either. Ada has to put in actual effort to fight him off, which she doesn't even succeed in because he takes her off-guard with his intensity.

And he also puts the sharp end of his dagger to her throat. Just to rub more salt into the wound.

I don't think this was him wanting to hurt her or threaten her, though. It was more of a show of strength. Ada approaches him by taunting him and teasing him, like she can do whatever she wants to him. But he's not that same naive rookie anymore. And he shows her exactly that.

A kind of: 'Don't think you can play the same trick on me twice, or you might get burned' message. A message that I think Ada does get.

As for him smirking at her, I don't think that's him being 'happy' to see her or anything. I think that's just him being amused that she still thinks she can play him like that. He grows all cold and distant with her right after.

Leon obviously has a grudge that he hasn't let go of. I actually like how he's almost needlessly petty with her in RE4R. Making snide remarks, calling her heartless and dismissing her on numerous occasions. It shows that he does care. If he didn't, he would cooperate with her with no further complaints on his part. He's purposefully being cold to her to show that yes, he is still upset about what happened, and he will use every opportunity to demonstrate exactly that. It's petty and kind of childish, in a way. But it makes sense for him, and it adds extra flavor to their relationship at this point in time.

Though, he does offer an opening to her in the boat.

'Have you changed, Ada? Or are you trying to use me again?'

It's a good parallel to his: 'Trust me?' In RE2R, and both phrases are used for a similar purpose.

He gives Ada an opening to trust him and be open with him. One that she doesn't take, again: 'What do you think?'

She gives him no answer. Just like she didn't in RE2R. I think, in a way, that kind of gives Leon an answer by itself. He trusts Ada and relies on her when push comes to shove, but he doesn't give her any more openings from then on. I'd say that's his 'I think we both know this is where we go our separate ways' moment.

With Ada, things are way more complicated, in a good way. Separate Ways gave us so much to work with, and that's amazing.

Throughout Separate Ways, we see Ada bouncing back-and-forth on what she wants to do. She's initially very cold and resolute in her job, helping Leon out more like a passing convenience than anything else. She does still help him, though. She's still dealing with the dichotomy of what she presents herself as, and what she actually acts as.

I really like her confrontation with Luis in particular. She's cutthroat and blunt. Almost chillingly so. And she only relents once Luis mentions her own infection. Him telling her of Leon's infection has little effect.

'And why does that matter to me?'

I think that's a question she's asking herself just as much as Luis here. Though, she's still in her cold, self-sufficient mercenary role here. To be honest, I find her relationship with Luis in particular much more interesting in RE4R, but since we're talking about her and Leon here, I'll just say that Luis is the catalyst to her change (so to speak, Ada doesn't really change as a character per se, I'll elaborate on that later). Not Leon.

She confronts Leon face-to-face, quickly being met with the truth that he is not as easy for her to push around now. And I do think she has zero bad intentions there. She was genuinely just playing around and teasing him. Only to figure out that that approach won't work at all. It's kinda cute, honestly. So, she gives him an opening of her own instead. She tells him to leave Ashley, to prioritize his own safety over hers. Because that's what she would have done in his place. Leon is quick to shut that down. Something that Ada probably expected, as she just huffs and gives a knowing 'Right.' to that.

That's the moment Ada knows Leon hasn't changed. Not really. He might be colder, more ruthless and dangerous, but he's still that same guy, wanting to protect others, no matter what. She knows she'll have no success in swaying him at that point. Hence why she tells him exactly that on the boat later.

The next pivotal scene, I'd say, is her watching Ashley wake up and learn of Luis' death. Ada mostly treats Ashley like a nuisance, something Leon has to protect. Because that's his job. But in that moment, she sees the genuine connection they share with each other. She sees that Leon cares. And not just because Ashley is an innocent person he has to save, but because it's Ashley.

Ada's arc throughout Separate Ways is not that connected to Leon, which is a good thing. Similarly to Leon concluding his story from RE2R by saving Ashley and proving to himself (first and foremost) that he can protect someone he cares about, and that his humanity is a strength, not a weakness, Ada learns to accept herself, too. She's visibly conflicted at the start of SW, but by the end of it, she knows what she has to do, and she made peace with that. Her hesitating before going against Wesker in the facility is one of the last moments of her hesitating with her intentions.

But, again, that scene is more about her and Luis. Luis is very important to Ada's character in SW, and I think that's neat.

While the scene itself is kinda awkward, her encountering Ashley during the final battle is another arguably important one. Her watching Leon and Ashley before that was about her witnessing Leon's care for her. Now she sees that Ashley fully reciprocates that care. They are on equal ground with each other.

And so, the final scene between them. I already said that Leon settled on his answer concerning Ada before that. But Ada makes one final opening to him. It's a selfish one. After all, what exactly would happen if Leon agreed to come with? Would they just leave Ashley to die and fly off into the sunset? On some level, I think Ada knows that what she's asking is unrealistic, especially for Leon. But I think it also speaks of her progression throughout Separate Ways. Ada learns to be more genuine with herself, even if it means being selfish or asking something that she knows will be rejected.

So, she shoots her shot one last time. Leon gives his answer. Ada is not surprised by it. But she is visibly upset by it. She knew it was coming, though.

So, they do exactly that. They go their separate ways. At least for now.

[mad-not-disappointed]

i think i've said this before but i want to elaborate on it. i genuinely feel like the spop crew wrote c//a as some sort of torture p*rn. they know that people usually find an enemies to lovers arc sexy and intriguing. but the problem with c//a was that their fights were never equal. i don't know about y'all but when i think of enemies to lovers, i think of a dynamic where both individuals are at least somewhat on equal footing. i don't think about a relationship with a huge power dynamic where one of the characters is helpless and weak while the other takes every opportunity to torture them.

adora never tried to harm catra apart from self-defense, she always held back when she was fighting catra. she tried to reason with catra or just hold her off. meanwhile catra never held back on hurting adora. not once.

and all of this is framed as “hot”. it's framed as “sexual tension”. it's framed as “gay pining”, even though it's not. not to mention, most of the “homoerotic” fight scenes are where adora is either weak or helpless in some way. she's either restrained or too scared to fight back or actively stopping herself from injuring catra. and catra takes advantage of her kindness.

so what's the torture p*rn part of this? well. torture p*rn is basically a trope where a person (or multiple people being tortured) is the main attraction of the plot. c//a is supposed to be enemies to lovers, meaning they should be fighting equally, right? especially since adora is stronger and the “chosen one”, you'd think she'd definitely be defeating catra a lot more.

but no, most of their conflict is catra taking joy in harming adora. these scenes are framed in a more “intimate” way, with catra often touching adora without consent, saying vaguely flirtatious yet threatening one-liners and overall fueling the whole “sexual tension” part.

just take a look at these scenes. i can't completely blame the fandom for thinking these are sexy or erotic because they are framed that way. the crew themselves have admitted that c//a were supposed to have some sexual tension (despite being teenagers for at least two seasons, mind you) and it shows. adora may look scared or uncomfortable but it doesn't matter because the writers wants us to think that this is hot.

villains being creepy and borderline perverted is not a new thing, it's something that mainly came with queer-coding villains. but people often only do this to villains who are supposed to stay villains. and especially with the context that catra supposedly “loved” adora during all this, it just adds another layer of discomfort. it just feels like catra is taking the opportunity to not only hurt adora but also make her deeply uncomfortable by touching and interacting with her in a way that she did not consent to.

keep in mind that whenever adora has the upper hand, the show never frames their fights as homoerotic or weirdly intimate.

most of the time, she uses long range attack or she just goes on defense. the one time she attacked catra head on, she just decks catra in the face and is done with it. she doesn't cross catra's boundaries, she doesn't act flirtatious or touch catra inappropriately. the only scene where she can be described as “flirtatious” (though i would say she was just being smug) was when she wasn't attacking catra, but instead destroying one of entrapta's robots.

(and of course with no remorse, catra orders entrapta to activate the self-destruct on the robot so that adora could be blown to bits.)

so yeah. just because catra is a villain doesn't mean she has to be a creep. if the goal was to make her sexy (which is still weird since she was a teenager but regardless), there are other ways. there have been plenty of villains who are attractive and have a charming personality without being a total creep to the protagonists. for example, azula from ATLA is widely known as a queer awakening for many young girls because of how attractive she was (i know she was also a teenager. these are not my words, i'm just quoting the general public). and yet, you never see azula being creepily intimate with any of the protagonists. she often used long-range attack and she only goes as far as using some condescending language. it's just weird to write a villain who we should sympathize with, but then also make them a total creep.