#anyway their dynamic in legends is hilarious

[gophergal]

Local undead ninja acquires feral babyman

[aachria]

I have MANY things to say about chapter 96 so this is gonna be long-ish but you deserve every word of praise I'm about to type so buckle the fuckle up.

First of all, the dance scene with Usopp and then Luffy? Great, spectacular, outstanding, the way Ed understands Luffy so well like THAT is my otp and I am so fucking proud of them.

SECOND OF ALL. SANJI. Not only do you give that boy a scene tackling his bisexual (gay?) awakening but also a little platonic smooch that he so desperately needed? And then you give us ART of that scene? It feels so good but also I'm crying. Side note, Sanji definitely smokes Pall Malls, I can smell them from here.

Third of all, you write Brook so, so well. All I could get from him talking about Yorkie was that those two were SO attached to each other and Brook sees so much of himself AND Yorkie in Ed and wants to make sure they're happy so so bad. I want to be him when I grow up.

And that Nami scene. *chef's kiss* magnificent. Ed may have left a sister behind when that Honda Civic hip checked them into a different reality but they definitely got a new one in Nami.

Anyway that's all I had to say, congrats on Ed being compared to the legend himself Jeremiah Cross, toodles

Buckle the fuckle up is, respectfully, fucking hilarious.

I LOVE ED AND LUFFY. They are two halves of the same idiot with complete opposite types of smart. They round each other off but also make each other stupider, 10/10 dynamic.

I struggled immense with drawing that kiss let me tell you. But like goddamnit I wanted art of it so I was damn well gonna fight through making it. Sidenote I’m a full supporter of the bi Sanji agenda. Just fyi.

I honestly didn’t think I’d have near as much fun writing Brook as I do. He is the silly old grandpa who is also your bestie you visit in the nursing home. I try to balance that with the off putting shit every so often because yes you SHOULD remember that’s a cryptid. I don’t think Yorkie gets the hype he deserves in canon, that mf was ride or (literally) die ok put some respect on his name. Just a music lovin guy livin his life.

As always absolutely adore Nami and her and Ed are such a special duo.

Thank you bestie xoxo

[phoenixcatch7]

One of my favorite things about tumblr is my ability to recc fics to people. I might not use it often but it's always nice.

Anyway this one is possibly one of my favorite chain dynamics on top of a cheery and hilarious wild meets the chain. They're all so very very much a group of unsupervised brothers who live to drive each other mad and hype everyone up for no good reason. There's also a zelda cameo XD.

[1moremilgram-enjoyer]

I'M STILL ALIVE, I bet you thought you were free from my annoyance for just a split second, didn't you? Kiyahahaha! Ahem... So I'm saving Kazui and Amane for last because you've already talked about them. and the only two people that are in front of them is Es and Jackalope ! Triple A battery (Aro/Ace/Agender) and a Minecraft Rabbit. Intriguing

Hey! Was wondering when you would send this in. It’s gonna be real awkward when we’re done here and I actually have to come up with things to post by myself lol. Unless people keep sending me questions about specific theories like with the Shidou Incident :v /lh

CW: Mentions of death and cults.

Starting with Jackalope because- does it even count as a character? It’s more of a plot device than anything. I’m pretty sure I could point to several background characters with more interesting things going on (Rei, Hinako, all the people in Bring it On who I will make a post about one day mark my words).

That’s hyperbole, of course. Jackalope is cool enough, it does what it needs to do, and while I haven’t read all the minigrams yet, it seems like a funny dude in those. It serves well enough as the somewhat-charismatic mascot that guides the audience surrogate (Es) through the insanity of the plot. I… could however do without the weird comments about some of the girls being pretty or whatever. Why are these kind of mascots always oddly horny?

Anyways, I really don’t know what else to say. I think it’s neat only Es hears it talk, that’s just funny. And the fact it cooks all the meals is just a very nice image.

Also if it’s a Minecraft rabbit does that mean I can take its feet and make a jump boost potion? How does this fit into the lore I wonder.

Whatever, who cares about that thing? We gotta talk about the teen, the myth, the legend! No interest in romance (that we know of), vaguely uncomfortable at the mere mention of sex, and uses they/them pronouns! Wow, Es is just like me fr! There is a reason I have them as my pfp, you know.

I love Es. As a concept, it’s already hilarious that the Warden of the Hell Prison is a fifteen year old amnesiac, but the fact they take it so seriously is incredible. Not just because of the very cool philosophical implications of their very peculiar worldview, but also because it’s just objectively funny. They woke up, no idea what’s going on or how they got there, immediately decided they would devote themselves wholeheartedly to the task set out by a rabbit with horns who only they can hear talk. And then sang a banger to kick the series off, Undercover goes hard.

Speaking of songs, I’ve always wondered if we’re ever gonna get another non-cover Es song. I think they deserve it, as a treat. It’d be great to get some more insight on them.

At least the covers are really good, and can be kinda funny at times. I haven’t listened to all of them, but Es’ somewhat emotionless delivery is sometimes really funny. Like, Fuuta will be over there shouting his heart out, then cut to Es like “you’re the crazy one. bang bang bang.” God I love them.

But the main part of Es’ character are all the VDs, where we get to see them really talk a bunch. And wow this kid is so silly! (Read: they’re immensely fucked up). I really want to know more about them.

Their views on morals and justice are especially interesting to me. They have such a blind faith in Milgram and in their own judgement, it’s impressive. It’s especially funny seeing them try to piece together some kind of cohesive logic as to why they voted people Innocent or Guilty out of our dumbassery.

And of course, this pride in their position and their occupation is great for foiling with several of the characters around. I want to see what they do in the Kotoko VD this Trial, I need them to go off on her ass it’s gonna be great. Fuuta’s second VD also was great for them, such an interesting dynamic. Especially because through Es, Milgram can essentially speak directly to us and confront us in our judgements. I think it’s fantastic.

And then Amane. The parallels man. The unwavering faith in a collective of really fucked up people (Amane’s cult or Milgram fandom which is worse?) guiding their actions, the way Amane sees Milgram as a potentially ideal world the same way Es has full faith in it already, the obsession with punishing wrongs, the fact they’re children!

Listen, I don’t think I need to copy paste the Puerto Rico line. You know what it is, I know what it is. It’s the most out of pocket, crazy comeback I’ve ever seen in my life. The fact it’s 100% a total lie just makes it even funnier, like Es really just said that for no reason huh? The sibling dynamic with these two is strong, I love them so much. 00-03-08 found family where the fics at?

Also speaking of Amane, you know that theory that she may have DID? I think it’d be very funny if next trial a different alter rolls up and stabs Es knowing only one of the alters is affected by Milgram rules. This is why we have to inno Amane, so our Warden doesn’t die before the end of Trial 3 you see? I’m spinning the Es post into inno Amane propaganda, how about that?

Anyways, enough Amane. So you know how Es’ amnesia is basically the biggest part of their character after their devotion to Milgram? That’s why I love when we get small indications of how Es is actually like beyond that.

Es: [Talking about Kazui potentially cheating on his wife] It’s a personal dislike of mine. People who act based on their sexual urges like that, that is. Kazui: It’s personal? E: Yeah. That’s right. K: That’s strange. I did think that, despite being neutral as a Warden, you had some things you dislike, but… E: … K: Isn’t it unusual to openly reveal a personal dislike as a personal dislike?

See? They have a personal dislike! They have individual thoughts! What’s the deal with that?! Tell me more Es please I wanna know what your deal is! Why do you hate that kind of thing I am begging hands and knees I gotta know! Unless there is no reason which is also perfectly understandable.

Es: Then…what were you aiming for with…that is…your compensated, dating…. Yuno: Why are you stammering? *Gasp* You're so pure!

Es will talk about shit like murder and organ harvesting without a stutter then get squeamish about dating and sex. Oh they just like me fr fr.

Jackalope: [tongue click and raises head] Es: Would you like me to pet you? J: NO! Open the damn door! You can tell just by looking, can’t you?! E: Ah. [footsteps] I have a question. Even though you can’t open a door by yourself, why do you act like such a hotshot?

I forgot about this line from the Es VD but it’s honestly so fucking funny. Es woke up and was already a snarky bastard, God I love them.

The point is that Es isn’t just an audience stand-in blank slate, not fully. And I love them for that. Especially when sometimes their views very evidently contradict the fandom’s majority.

Es will be like “oh Shidou you are the type of person I hate the most. Anyways let me hit that Innocent button, how about that, how does that make you feel bitch?” And of course there’s the inherent silliness of things like “sure Muu committed violent and near-remorseless murder, but Fuuta has a Twitter. I think the Guilty one here is obvious.” Why does Es even trust us anymore?

I have a lot of thoughts about the Legal Adult in Puerto Rico According to Themselves and Themselves Only, but I kinda don’t wanna go look at every single VD ever released at the moment. Might make a more detailed analysis… some day. Don’t hold your breath though.

Final note is the eleventh cell thing from their VD.

Es: What about over there? At eleven o’clock. In that room… Is there no prisoner? Its door is even older than the others—rusty. There’s no lock on the outside as well.

While I don’t know what the deal with it being older would be, currently what I’m predicting is that someone could eventually die because of Es’ (our) judgement, presumably after their song releases in Trial 3, and then Es would be considered a murderer by Milgram rules. Thus, they would need a cell, and they end up getting judged themselves. I think it’d be very fun, though obviously I’d prefer no one dies. I’m not sure there’s any way to prevent that, though, even if Shidou goes unharmed this Trial I feel there’s enough conflict that someone will eventually die. I’m getting off track.

Anyways, hope that was enough for now! Take care!

[skyloftian-nutcase]

What do you think of the headcannons of some (ALTP/ALBW and MC/FS mainly) links and Zelda’s are blood relatives?

I honestly think they’re pretty fun! I don’t know anything about the games, really, but the idea of Legend in Linked Universe being secretly royal is honestly hilarious to me 😂 but I’m ok with them not being blood relatives either, since I have no clue what made people draw to that conclusion anyway. It’s interesting seeing Link and Zelda have different relationships throughout different games, I find it more fun than just the same dynamic every time.

[squigglywindy]

Squiggles! Top three favorite Wind moments go!

-Sky Floor

Peg!!! I didn't see this yesterday :(

Anyway! This was hard. All of them? Every moment? Okay fine I'll pick three...

The whole of Kings of Hyrule is great because lookit him he's just so happy and hopeful and on an unrelated note I'm always down for some Rhoam Bosphosomething Hyrule slander.

Threatening shadows part 3 idk why but "Just how old am I expected to be!?" gets me every time it's hilarious his lil face he's so bamboozled

Masks pt 1 the whole Korok thing with Wild is stinkin adorable

Timeline talk 1 ahhh okay I love the Wind and Time dynamic and I didn't notice until my last read-through that Wind tried to have this conversation like three times and kept getting interrupted bless him. He's just so stinkin excited to be Time's successor and is immediately whiplashed into 'oh that's actually pretty tragic' and asdhfjklfds

Sunset part 11 he's just thinkin and theorizing and I love the sibling moment where he's just throwing down with Legend and then they're both like 'new priority we're buddies again here we go'

Okay that was five whoops I'll stop Okay but let's talk about Sunset 13

[inkedmyths]

S1: E17 “Hell House”

Brought to you by I really should have known better than to link my blog in a server, huh

The episode featuring: Ghost hunters, the power of storytelling, prank wars, and Blue Öyster Cult

Lets make this hell house into a hell home

We are in Texas baby! Yeeeeeeehaw

[ Kayla asks if I'm really starting during the Anonpocalypse. The answer is yes. ]

Classic horror beginning. 3 guys and a girl investigate a haunted house. They probably die

"Only goes after girls" classic

[ Crepe realizes something, and tells Kayla. They both start cheering excitedly. Melon joins in. Apparently this episode begins the "best gimmick". I am scared. ]

Behiiiiind yoooou

OH THAT GIRL IS STRAIGHT UP DEAD

Oh look Sam take a nap

DEAN YOU ARE DRIVING LEAVE YOUR NAPPING BROTHER ALONE

Lmao Dean bopping to the music

LMAO yea actually I want more Winchester prank wars

Oh first a racist truck, now a misogynistic ghost? Fun

Getting high behind a Dennys?

[ Crepe: It's not like Denny's is a real place. ]

Oh. Oh no.

4 stupid teens young kids....

Ah. Lovely. A dad that murdered his 6 daughters. Joy.

Thats fair kid. Don't go near the house! Be smarter than past you was!

Oh the old fuse box thing is messing with the EMF? Interesting

Oh cool Satanist lore

"This is exactly why you never get laid" hey Dean some people like a nerdy guy

[ Kayla: Like Dean, for instance. Am I saying he's a nerd, or that he likes nerdy guys? Yes. ]

"I have... somewhere..." Dean that's ominous

LMAO ghost hunters

LMAO THEY'RE THE WEBSITE PEOPLE

Oh no

HELP

EMF, BUT

Is. Is this the bit

Ohhh my god thats so funny

HAHAHA

Sam gottim gooooood

Winchester prank war

Oh more stupid young people

This chick is highly likely to die

Chicken feets

Girl noooo

Oh yep there she goes. Hung like a Christmas Ornament

SUICIDE YEAH RIGHT

Oh no

DUMBASS GHOST HUNTERS

HAHAHAHA THEY GOT THE COPS TO CHASE THE GHOST HUNTERS

Where have you seen that symbol Dean. Thats Ominous

DHSGSG DEAN DARING SAM TO TAKE A SWIG OF THE JAR

Djdhdhdh rats

WOOOAH SPIRIT

IMMUNE TO ROCK SALT?

WHAT IS THAT

Oh look its the ghost hunters

That symbol huh...

Dean: I thought the legend said Mordecai only goes after chicks?

Sam: He does.

Dean: Well that explains why he went after you, but why me?

Sam: Hilarious.

Oh? The record shop?

BLUE OYSTER CULT LMAO

Ohhh so it was faked originally lmaooo

Ok, so it was a joke, so where did the haunting come from?

[ Melon says all it takes is a good speaker to make a joke cult turn into a real movement. Crepe says "Megatron". Queen thinks this is hilarious. Who the fuck is Megatron? ]

Dean. Dean what are you doing

Is thay like itch powder

LMAO IT ISN'T IT

Ohh so its some kind of thought monster

Which is why it keeps changing! Ohh that is pretty cool

LMAO THE ITCHING POWDER GOD

Obsessed with this ongoing prank war they're so stupid

Dumbass ghost hunters

"Sex! ...With girls" why are you specifying

What Would Buffy Do

LMAO THEY ARE BAITING THEM WITH INFO

Ohhhh thats so smart

LMAO the weird laughing thing

GLUED HIS HAND

DAMMIT why do their prank wars have to be so funny

WHDHDHSHSHS THEY BROUGHT THE THING WITH THEM???

They are so ready to shoot this thing

What a great fight scene actually

Yeah just set it on fire, thats the best bet

"Of all the things we've hunted, how many of them exist just because people believed in them?" Wow

THEY'RE MAKING A MOVIE/GAME ABOUT IT. THESE GUYS ARE. WOW.

SAM YOU LITTLE SHIT

DEAN YOU'RE ALSO A LITTLE SHIT

Thats so funny though

It is iconic. Fake producer call and a dead fish in the backseat.

-

Ok. Fine. Sam and Dean are funny I love the stupid prank war and their refusal to stop even during an ongoing investigation. This is exactly the dynamic that I enjoy. Goddammit.

VERY interesting concept this episode, and raises some interesting questions about how the supernatural comes to be in this universe.

ANYWAYS I SEE THE NEXT TITLE. I LOVE MACBETH REFERENCES.

[stillness-in-green]

Stillness is wildly impressionable when she sees memes, news at 11.

Read @robotlesbianjavert's post she wrote in reply to me asking her about her favorite Gay Little Henchmen and immediately had to do my own. Added some runners-up also. Sorry for the nonsense, all.

#5: Lieutenant, The Legend of Korra—

Surely in my ranks of "characters I like most wildly out of proportion to their importance in the show," but that's what a good mustache and an emotive delivery on a last line will do for you.  It probably doesn't hurt that, despite the Lieutenant never even getting a proper name, that one last scene gives him more chemistry with Amon than Korra had with Mako the entire season.

Anyway, I liked him in the show and definitely went out hunting for fic/art for the pairing based just on that, but I do have to give a shout-out to @scumtrout for her fic The City Will Follow You for keeping the fire burning for this poor sad asshole.  Give it a read if you want, among other things, the Lieutenant being sad and fucked up and incredibly dangerous as he processes how Amon used him and the rest of the Equalists.

#4: Shirato Jin, Persona 3—

The littlest of the little henchmen on this list for reasons of being a teenager and a computer nerd (but still a dangerous criminal because I know what I'm about).  Jin is like if Skeptic were a decade younger, staving off a terminal disease with illegal drugs, and was a little less goth and a little more rave.  Also, packing a lot more grenades.

He's got a good balance with his cult leader of choice wherein Takaya is the one prone to big, dramatic actions to emphasize his rhetorical points, while Jin has to be like, "Hey, I agree with all your rhetorical points, but I also want us both to survive long enough to savor you being right about everything, so let's exercise the better part of valor here."  In that way, they're on the more equitable end of the power dynamic spectrum pairs like these run.

Strega in general got handed an incredibly raw deal, both in-universe and in terms of the broader narrative, and boy oh boy are they ever a good predictor for how hard I fell for the League of Villains.

#3: Tadashi Kikuchi, Sk8 the Infinity—

Soft-spoken manservant designed to look like a background character compared to the rest of the cast, but efficient and skilled in the wildly different spheres of Illegal Underground Skateboarding Park Management and Upstart Japanese Politician Personal Assistance.  Tadashi is kind of terrifying when you really stop to think about him, not just for how scary competent he is, but for being, in his own way, just as unhinged as his boss, but ten times more oblivious to that fact.

He's a henchman willing to act out for what he thinks are his boss's best interests, and it is extremely hilarious how much of Sk8's overarching plot is caused directly or indirectly by Snake and Adam's relationship drama. Incidentally, Tadashi is a rare case of a Gay Little Henchman whose feelings are requited!  That mostly serves to make things more complicated, however, because the feelings in question are, "I could never, ever leave him, but I think he's really fucking me up."

#2: Nemoto Shin, My Hero Academia—

Of all the candidates BNHA offers for this—not a small number—I have to give it to Nemoto for scoring the best across all categories.  Transparently only there because he fell for Overhaul like a wing snapped off an airplane.  Absolutely zero other motivations.  Knows about Overhaul's evil plans and horrendous crimes, and 100% does not care.  Not only is he a henchman, he denigrates other henchmen.  You just know that if he could do all the things his boss needs done on his own, he'd run the rest of the underlings out ASAP.  Absolute top tier The #1 Henchman Here Will Be Me energy.

#1: Tomo, Fushigi Yuugi—

Tadashi is nearly a match for him in terms of, "Yes, it's canon," goes further in terms of not being a predatory stereotype, and is doing better in the reciprocal affections category, too.  Still, all that said, Tomo remains my 90s shoujo problematic fave.

He's got a theatrical flair that he gets by virtue of a theatrical background; he's striking in his costume and, for my tastes, the most beautiful man in the series out of it.  While the visual quality of the anime runs towards the dubious during his stretch of episodes, he has a purring, silken voice that made Tobita Nobuo my favorite voice actor for years afterward.  Then there's the ruthless pragmatism that echoes Nakago's while also going further, because being the boss means you get to set your own hard limits, whereas being in love with the boss means you can go as far as you want while telling yourself it's all for him.

Tomo, like Ashitare and Miboshi, deserved a better and more nuanced portrayal—no shade to Watase Yuu, who was a lot younger when they wrote the series, but FY was the series I learned to love characters out of spite—but I will go on liking them anyhow, because authorial write-offs make me ornery like that.

Runners-Up in no particular order—

Spinner, My Hero Academia: Every bit as homoerotically obsessed with his boss as Nemoto (or any of the other fantastic candidates the series has on offer), but the League/Spinaraki's more equitable relationship means Nemoto's "henchman" vibes are stronger.

Isurugi Camice, Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans: I love him for the hints of wounded stoicism, which are always catnip to me, but he hides his feelings too well and too long to be an ideal fit for the topic.

Ein Dalton, Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans: Probably does a better impression of being homoerotically obsessed with  Lieutenant Crank than Gaelio, but definitely more Gaelio's henchman than Crank's, so he loses out for splitting focus.

Disqualified For Reasons But I Can't Not Mention Them—

Ivan, Giant Robo: Astounding henchman vibes, and I like him and Alberto quite a lot, but he's not anywhere near obsessed enough with Alberto to fit the bill.  Ivan's maladjustedness lies in other areas.

Listor, Hugtto PreCure: JESUS CHRIST, THIS HAMSTER.  The wounded stoicism fells me again, and I 100% believe that he and his boss have had sex at least once (LOOK, you don't set up all the repeating patterns Hugtto did with George Kurai and then lead an episode framing him and Listor through gauzy pink bedcurtains if you don't know good and well what you're implying).  Still, while I love that awful pairing to death, I don't think Listor is "homoerotically obsessed" so much as he is "unbelievably lonely and in no position to turn George down."  If this were my list of Top 5 Wounded Stoics, though, you'd better believe he'd be right at the top.

Uryuu Ryuunosuke, Fate/Zero:  His sexual preoccupations are less about his boss than the perverse body horror he and said boss enact on their victims.  Which is a shame, because he would rank higher than anyone on this list if "little henchman" were the only criteria.  That kid is thrilled—just ecstatic—to be living the life he's living.

Innouva, Magic Knight Rayearth:  Given the huge magic wolf form, his vibe is less "pining for his boss" and more "loyal hound will fuck you up."  Bitchy gay attitude is fully intact, however.

Lord El-Melloi II: I probably can't count him because I don't actually ship him with Rider, but the evidence of "forever single because he's dedicated his life to living up to his king's final order" speaks for itself.  An incredible retainer-who-outlived-his-lord character whose devotion makes me weepy every goddamn time.

[aromancy]

Midnight Suns Wish List

I've been playing Marvel's Midnight Suns for the last few weeks (no spoilers, still haven't finished it yet), and I'm super enjoying the game. I know we're probably not going to get any more characters after the current batch of DLC is out, but I have some characters I'd LOVE to meet/play as, and I want to put them somewhere, so here they are.

Dane Whitman - the Black Knight

Mostly because the color palette would fit right in, but Whitman's connection to Arthurian Legend (most notably, his sword, forged by Merlin himself) would make him a perfect thematic fit with the more mystical aspects of Midnight Suns. Plus, the man's struggle with his Ebony Blade gives him a lot of narrative significance in the story. Maybe Midnight Suns could see him finally overcome his old arch-nemesis, the Bloodwraith.

Lorna Dane - Polaris

Yeah, two Danes. Weird, I know. But Polaris is so much more; as the secret third child of Magneto, she has a similar magnet-themed powerset, giving her a unique toolkit we don't see elsewhere in the game. Polaris' status as Wanda's half-sister and occasional X-Men ally would make her a natural fit (although I could also see her in a more antagonistic role, a la Johnny Blaze).

Pietro Maximoff - Quicksilver

And while we're on the subject of Wanda's siblings, I'm not sure if Pietro's still alive in Midnight Suns canon, but if he is, it's really strange to me how we never actually see him. Pietro and Wanda are really close, and I think a super-speedster like him has a lot of room for creative design. I'm envisioning a suite of Quick cards that let him perform crazy combos every turn.

Jean Grey - Phoenix

Midnight Suns deals a lot with characters struggling with their dark side. Dane Whitman up above has a lot of that, but there's no way we can't discuss the queen of "struggling with your evil impulses" herself, Jean Grey! The Phoenix can be a powerful ally and an even more powerful enemy, her psychic powers an imposing threat even to master telepaths like Charles Xavier.

Viktor Von Doom - Dr. Doom

Screw it, let's get ALL the green people in here! Dr. Doom is a natural fit for the melding of science and magic prevalent in Midnight Suns; his dynamic with Dr. Strange and Tony Stark would doubtless be hilarious as three brilliant and egotistical men butt heads, and he's already gotten a few name drops in the game, like a book authored by him and a mention in Deadpool's side story! Plus, I just really like him, okay?

Emma Frost - the White Queen

And as long as we're talking villains, who better than the matriarch of the Hellfire Club herself, the White Queen? Emma Frost might have a little too much overlap with Jean Grey for both of them to make it in, but I couldn't not put the living manifestation of "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss" on this list now, could I? And anyway, it's not like there's no overlap in power sets elsewhere in Midnight Suns, what with all the magic-users around. Emma Frost has a lot to offer from a narrative standpoint, too much to be overlooked in my opinion.

And that's about it! Feel free to join in with your own hopes for inclusion in the game (or perhaps a potential sequel)! Or else just yell at me for the sexist pics. I swear, I tried to find the ones that framed the women in the best light, they're just all Like That.

[italiangothicwriteblr]

SUPER intrigued by The Traitor's Heir being a comedy while the summary is rather dark! Anyway, WBW Q: Why is it shameful to have magic? And nobles send their kids away but what do peasants/common people do if their child is born magical? Do they usually try to hide it? If it's found out, are the children killed? (emilyoracle writing from my main)

Hi! Happy WBW!

So, the shame around magic comes from it being pretty rare--it doesn’t happen often, there’s not a ton of information around it, so a legend was able to develop around it. It’s a case of people being afraid of something because they don’t understand it.

There were always people who wanted to get rid of it, but it didn’t become official policy until Basilio took over. His nobles either send their kids away so he doesn’t find out (it would bring shame on their family, he doesn’t understand “it just happens sometimes, kids are born with it and parents have to just deal with that”), keep them around and try to hide it (never goes well), or just let him turn their magical kid into a weapon. Peasants and common people usually have a better chance of hiding their kid’s magic, but some of them have anger towards magic as well. If the kid is caught, they aren’t immediately killed. They’re usually taken to the palace, and Basilio tries to turn them to his side. If that doesn’t work--then yeah, they usually die.

On the other side--reantica nobles are usually nicer about magic, just by virtue of not working for a man who wants to kill all sorcerers--but there is a tendency to blame magic for the war (That’s why Basilio makes Giacomo do all his dirty work). It’s definitely safer for sorcerers in reantica territory, but a lot of their nobles will range from untrusting to outright hostile towards magic. There are even some magic hunters who want Enrico to get rid of magic in reantica territory (one is his sister in law. This is a hilarious dynamic).

Also, you did not ask, but I’m gonna take this ask as an excuse to talk about the different territories and how safe it is for magic (and tackle the question of why any sorcerers would ever stay in South Circi)

So, Basilio is in the south of the Circian empire--completely, obviously unsafe.

The easiest place for sorcerers to flee would be Enrico in North Circi, but a lot of people don’t because they don’t trust him. Everyone still thinks he was in league with Basilio during the war. He actually is pretty accepting of magic, and eventually sorcerers do start fleeing to his territory. His self hatred is so strong that his attitude towards magic is “they can’t be worse than me!”. He doesn’t blame magic for the war because he’s too busy blaming himself.

Then there’s Bellamagna, the warrior nation to the east of Circi. No one flees there because a) you have to cross a dangerous mountain range, and b) everyone’s a little bit scared of them, too. They are terrifyingly good warriors.

There’s also Candemero a little farther north, but magic never made it there and no one wants to be first.

So a lot of people just end up working for the remala.

Sorry for the wall of text but I got excited!

[kulaiyin]

(content: silver wolf companion quest / starhunt game event)

i love silver wolf’s fourth wall breaks... taking the “most meta character” title to new heights

we are opening up silver wolf’s companion quest with the BEST reason to get called over... ARLAN’S FRIED RICE LET’S GOOOOOOOO

i like that arlan knows specifically what asta had for breakfast

KGKGRKGKRKG HHRKKRGKRGKHKRKH {{{ >益< )}}} THAT’S CUTE THAT’S REALLY CUTE TY ARLAN

HOLY COW IT’S SCRELLUM!!!!! ...and i just realized i’ve been mentally pronouncing his name as “screwlium” 

but wow what a cool entrance!!! i didn’t think he was going to appear in silver wolf’s companion quest. i think he was shown in the belobog museum in the livestream...!?

ok this is a HILARIOUS visual gag, i got a massive kick out of it 😂  

AIN’T NO WAY............ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ayo it’s punklorde mentality, the name of the SU curio! it’s kinda crazy to think there’s a whole planet of people with silver wolf’s mindset...

oh?! they’re taking us back to the very beginning! it’s great that they’re going over those events!

loooool

this sticker is so cute... (i took tons of other pics with the other stickers)

YEAH

this is just a minor detour from the companion quest but it’s awesome that the daily mission events actually impact the overworld npcs! emily used to be so grumpy... this isn’t really something you would notice without speaking to all the npcs so i’m glad i took the time to do that ♪(´▽｀)

that blowup with screwllum was ice cold... but it’s funny that right after thinking “herta’s not in her usual place?!” she appears soon enough!

THIS WAS THE REAL SILVER WOLF!!?!?!?

i cannot lie... silver wolf got massively outplayed... leave it to a robot genius to see through her 😔 

this was a really fun little adventure though... i love the lore that they revealed about the punklorde mentality cartridge! i can’t remember if the curio description went into detail about it but it’s cool that it’s like a legend for punklorde natives...

even screwllum thinks arlan’s fried rice is top tier. WHOLESOME

the girl talk between silver wolf and kafka was 10/10, it’s so lovely seeing them both drop their guard down so much that silver wolf can vent about her game accounts (RIP) and kafka willingly listens... i think at this point the stellaron hunter dynamic really clicked for me. silver wolf is such a gamer gremlin but the super cool, chill, scary kafka hangs out with her!!!

where are they, anyway?! is it perhaps an IPC territory? it reminds me of honkai’s arc city!

LET’S GOOOOOO SILVER WOLF LIGHT CONE!!! i can hit 100% effect res with this! 😈

u right

while exploring the space station, i encountered a team malding over their project proposal... lol

T___________T 

HOL UP, THE PLANT FORSAW THE VISIT... i bow to the strange plant

ARLAN LIGHT CONE YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!! i was JUST thinking “i really want arlan’s light cone, i heard it was really good” and the very next day i get it. LET’S GO one day i’ll be an arlan main... 😤

[ginalinettiofficial]

anyways i’m rewatching all the teen & kid scenes in st2, and remembering how i felt when i watched it wayyyyy back when it first came out vs watching it now is WILD

like first of all: they’re all my babies, every single of one of them, i love them all endlessly

secondly, never noticed before how WILD billy was to stalk up to steve at that party no prompting no onscreen reasoning ever given???? one second he’s playing w toilet paper the next he’s fucking naruto running to the hot guy on the other side of the room just to silently glare at him?????? billy r u ok???????

some other things i didn’t notice/remember that feel important now:

- will’s visions are fucking henry creel !!! eyes rolled back in his head and shaking and everything. they really did some cool parallels in s4 to s2 will with vecna’s victims and i’d totally forgot about it by the s4 came around

- always forget that dustin liked max for a second there. poor dustin he can’t catch a break

- erica “just the facts” sinclair look how BABY she is!!!!! she’s so little!!!!!

- billy hargrove wore denim on denim to both his first AND his second day at his new school. legends only

- max: “let’s just try to make the best of a bad situation!” / billy: “what in the goddamn HELL and FUCK did you just say to me?”

- why are there SO many redheads at hawkins high this cannot be a coincidence i’ve never seen so many red headed teenage girls in my LIFE as the minor characters/extras on stranger things. there’s like at LEAST five of them what is UP with that do they have a club???? they have to have a club?????

- billy was there in the bg for that entire fight max and lucas had before she got in the car and he yelled at her to stay away from him which truly is context i 100% never noticed before! like billy didn’t just see her walk away from a random kid looking upset and then yell at her about it, he watched her very obviously fight with and yell at that kid and then walk away w tears in her eyes. doesn’t excuse the very clear implied racism that the duffers just had to shove in there, but it does give a new perspective on that whole car convo

- eddie’s van is at tina’s party i’m not fucking kidding ????????????

- where is the fandom love for that random toga dude at the party!!!!!! “pure fuel” i love you toga kid!!!!!!

- natalia dyer acting her ASS off as drunk nancy i love it

- joyce byers threatening to genuinely murder children for bullying her son, we stan

- max’s FACES god sadie sink is so funny her expressions this entire season are just GOLDEN

- why did dustin have so much baseball gear does dustin play baseball???? give me dustin baseball backstory lore i’m begging

- also fr dustin being the calm stable one in the house vs his nervous wreck of a mother esp when mews went “missing” !!!! like oh, no wonder this kid latched onto steve “i’ll parent anyone” harrington so quickly

- max is SUCH a bad liar and she and billy both know it and it’s hilarious she makes the EXACT same faces when she’s lying about knowing lucas, seeing him at the arcade, and the “talkative mormons” i love her

- i always forget how billy starts off his scene w neil by speaking loudly and with attitude and i think that’s important!!! it’s something we forget often in fic and fandom depictions of the hargrove family dynamic but like. billy is still able to sass like a teenager and raise his voice sometimes and get defensive without being /immediately/ hurt and tbh i think that makes the whole neil thing almost worse !!! it’s at least different than if we pretend that neil’s the type of abuser who is CONSTANTLY blowing up and making everyone walk on eggshells all day long. it seems like he’s more one of those where he HAS good and fair days and then sometimes he’ll just SNAP and TURN and that’s just its own sort of horrible because like…. it’s the false sense of safety it’s the never knowing when the mood is gonna shift it’s the constant testing for boundaries that are ALWAYS shifting, never consistent, never predictable !!!

- i’ll go to my grave believing that when dart approached dustin in the shed he wasn’t gonna try to hurt him at all. poor dart he was just tryna see his buddy!!!! he loved dustin!!!!!

- max telling lucas that billy used to be okay but now he’s just angry all the time and tearing up talking about it really hit home !!! i’ve had family members who i’ve seen be consumed by anger and just. hoh boy actually i think i need a full separate post to talk about this one because it got to me. that whole convo on the roof of the bus does NOT get enough attention

- also the brief dustin/steve/max scene right before that is comedic GOLD and i watched it four times in a row because i was dying

- billy was SO excited to go on his date or wherever the fuck he was going and i WISH there had been SOME context before that moment as to what he was planning to do because it seemed pretty damn important !!!

- jonathan and nancy and murray scenes just kill me that shit is so funny. how was the pull out jonathan

- also billy fully just put cologne on his dick. truly a teenage boy ladies and gents!!!

anyways half of these make me want to write their own post but that’s a dump of most of my big thoughts so far. haven’t rewatched ep 8 yet so ofc will also have feelings to share on that but yea. stranger things 2 what a TIME!!!!!

[trutrustories]

Bad fighter Mobius M. Mobius is the best kind of Mobius M. Mobius, Actually.

I already loved Mobius more than most of the MCU characters before episode 6 came out, but THAT scene in Ravonna´s Office was really game changer for me. Until then I was actually sure, that this man is a great fighter. Because HOW THE FUCK COULD HE NOT BE, RIGHT? I mean...

he looks so sure of himself, He´s going on those missions with trained hunters all the time, he´s fearless! And then Ravonna says: “even with that, you´re of no danger to me” And I was like: Ha! keep dreaming girl He´ll show you! And Mobius was like: “Is that what you think? Let´s see..” And I was like: Yeeees that´s my boyyyyy!!!”

And then Ravonna was like...

Mobius in the air in like a split of second. And I was like 

But Mobius freaking smiled and was like: “Yeah you were right”

ok. OK. HE´S MY FUCKING FAVOURITE NOW. THERE IS NO ONE BETTER THEN HIM SORRY.  Suddenly I was lost. I was blown away. It was HE BETTER STAYS IN MCU FOREVER OR I WILL SCREAM type of feeling. So let me get this straight. He can´t fight. He probably knows that he is not a good fighter, and he...  HOLY SHIT. THE WHOLE SERIES IS SO MUCH BETTER!!! .... As much as I love the idea of strong Mobius with long hair and daggers, looking for Loki through entire universe… I´m not sure, if I really want to see that in canon. I just love this cute and non-combatant version of Mobius too much, I´m sorry! Let me explain my weird brain please: we have lots of strong heroes in MCU – those who are great fighters, or those who had to learn how to fight.   The one thing I always loved about Iron man was the fact, that he really needed his brilliant brain, his technology (suit) and bravery to fight. And in the end he was the hero who saved them all. I mean… yeah. There are side-kicks, like Happy Hogan, or Luis (Ant man´s best friend) and I LOVE them! But none of them has got as much screen time and importance, as Mobius. When I think about what I love so much about him and his dynamic with Loki, there is always this one thing that prevails: one of them is an incredibly strong but also very careful god (not when he´s drunk though) who uses a lots of strategies and plans, while the other is a tiny man in a suit who can´t fight shit but runs into the throat of a danger every chance he get and no one can´t stop him. just look at him!!!

He goes on missions with these trained hunters to just look around for clues and has no concerns about potentional harm whatsoever.

And he even finds the time to stand up for normal people and be kind to them in the process:

Once Loki has no collar, on his neck he could break all Mobius´s limbs in a matter of seconds if he wanted to, but Mobius is completely sure he has nothing to worry about around his Loki. He´s not scared of ANYTHING, especially  of Loki variants. Like EVER! :D

let me break it down in detail for ya. I made a list: When they are taking Loki on his first mission outside, Loki asks, if no one is concerned that he is going to has his magic back...

well, maybe someone actually is concerned by that but it sure as hell isn´t Mobius. He just simply says that he could get Loki to Time keepers if he won´t try anything and like... this one line is getting on Loki so much, that Loki even tries to use it few moments latter xD And here is the best scene ever: 

LOKI: “we can go anywhere!” 

MOBIUS: “I´m not taking you for a stroll along the promenade, much less an apocalypse” FEW MOMENTS LATTER:

Hang on. Wait. So you telling me, he took this man outside without  permission, without backup (you know, hunters, that actually CAN fight), right to the apocalypse, knowing that Loki can use his powers anytime, however he wants.  It´s just...  God. I love him!!! And then he just hands him the daggers like it´s no big deal!

Like are we all aware this man has no any super powers, no big strength, nor any impressive fighting skills and he is willing to give him daggers for a mission, where this god is capable of magic and everyone else in team ECCEPT mobius is at least able to fight????? And he just has that small bulletproof vest,  and a raincoat and he chats with Loki in a rain like it was a fucking another apocalyptic DATE?

Ok. Let´s jump to the episode four He goes and persuades Ravonna to let him interrogate Sylvie and he is straight up arguing with her, even when he´s told how dangerous Sylvie is. This man LOVES danger!!! 

Once he has doubts he  decides to risk it all and  swaps TemPads right behind Ravonnas back. 

And he is watching it OUT LOUD in a place where anyone can show up at anytime! 

no but serously. This is a face of a man who is EXCITED for a dangerous adventures with Loki. Yeah, lets bring this whole place down together! 

And then we have this scene. Mobius really has a nerves to pull “ ha ha I had to take it by mistake” line right there. 

But once he understand he´s gonna die, he just take his fate with bravery and talks to Ravonna about life he really desires. 

And remember that time Ravonna warned him about this variant and how dangerous she is?  He casually saves her, just like that. No big deal. 

He even has a time to make teasing notes about how  Sylvie should be more careful jumping to a strangers car like that and how she really is one of the Lokis. 

And after he saves her, he manage to apologize to her  and make her to like him. EVERY FREAKING LOKI LIKES HIM! - that has to be his super power I swear And then Sylvie is like: well actually let´s go back there, I think It´s the best idea ever.  And mobius is like:  What back to the angry cloud? - oh great. fuck this why the hell not. Lets do it. 

so... while Loki and Sylvie are getting closer, lets show us, how literally every Loki likes Mobius (like not even alligator loki wants to hurt him, even when Mobius suggests that he is a liar I CAN´T) And just random (AGAIN) during the chat  saving Loki and Sylvie (without even knowing) when he inspires Classic Loki to change. 

He offers free tickets straght to the TVA to kid Loki, classic Loki and an alligator. I mean... What a LEGEND. 

when he gets there he just knock on Ravonna´s door and is like - lets talk about it xDD

And he isn´t even suprised to lose that fight. He makes himself comfortable on the floor: yeah you were right. Here we go again. Just prune me already, doesn´t matter, I have my Lokis there anyway.

But make no mistake, I don´t think he is stupid, or naive. That is the most fascinating thing about him.  He is brilliant. He can makes great plans (it surely as hell was him, who come up with the high school scheme) He is a great  investigator, he  is familiar with psychology very well, he know how to manipulate people just as well, as Loki. He can  interrogate flawlessly (when jealousy is not involved) And when he woke up in the Void, he was able to escape certain death, choose a car and drive around looking for Loki - and eventualy save Sylvie. He is a very capable man. I dont think he shouldn´t have any power. Like - he has his inteligence, his knowledge of all  languages  (I want to see him chat with Groot please), his knowledge of psychology,  knowledge  of how TVA works... He can have his pruning stick, TemPad, bulletproof vest and a raincoat for what I care. but most importantly he has his kind heart, love of adrenaline, and he is a freaking Loki expert. And let´s not forget, every Loki loves him. Also, he has a damn luck as well :D It´s like - Loki always ends up loosing, so Mobius  is fine  - even when he should be dead about million times already. (one man´s void is another man´s piece of cake) So when they are togheter. There is no way for Loki to actually die. Not by his side xD So I don´t think he needs to become great fighter. I believe, that this is a hundred times better. Creators should explore this dynamic to it´s bottom before they make him fighter with super powers or something like that. ( I wouldn´t mind long hair though)  I´m sorry. But I just really love that. I love how small and fragile he is, but he wont be scared of anything. And now he´s Loki best friend (while having masive crush on him, let's be precise ) So just imagine all those amazing scenes that could come with that.  Imagine there is some very dangerous Loki variant that everyone has problem to deal with, and Mobius is gonna be like - you´re so cute guys, nice try. Now let me talk to him, will ya.  Imagine some big battle where our Loki and Mobius are fighting side by side with Avengers and Loki is using all his potential, and he is so stunning in his leather but he can´t focus very well, because few metters from him is a small, fragile man in a suit just using TemPad an afucking pruning stick. And Loki didn´t even want him there in the first place. So they are arguing like married couple right then and there and every avenger AND enemy in  close distance just can´t believe these two are real.  also Loki saves Mobius by taking him in his arms right on time and running to safety with him

Maybe this post is  completely useless and has  incredibly bad english like every text I write, but I don´t care. I just wanted to loudly  appreciate this mans non-fighting skills and his hilariously huge courage. End of the post.  have nice day! Bye!

[luminescentauthor]

BATMAN URBAN LEGENDS #6 IS ICONIC

SPOILERS ABOUND YOU’VE BEEN WARNED

BI TIM DRAKE???? BI TIM DRAKE BITCHES HOLY F U C K

Jason’s perfect world??? Being one where Bruce did in the joker and the family accepts Jason and he breaks down crying in Bruce’s arms BROKE MY FUCKING HEART

as did Bruce’s perfect world: he kills the Joker for Jason and then Jason thanks him and then he sees Jason standing in the middle of a cluster of family, laughing and smiling and it really just reaffirms this idea that Bruce wants to kill the Joker, he wants to so badly, and he can’t because he’s promised the world that he’ll be something greater than he is, and he has to live up to the symbol, and I think some part of Bruce hates himself for that, that he is putting his duties as Batman before his duty to his son.

Interesting detail: in Jason’s fantasy, Jason wore a dark gray shirt and was his actual height whereas in Bruce’s he wore a red and was shorter? I think that can be taken as Bruce thinking “in a perfect world he never died” and also “I miss seeing him happy and I’ve never seen him that way as an adult” (fics where adult Jason laughs/smiles and Bruce just stops breathing kill me every time.) (Emphasis on Bruce hasn’t seen him that way as an adult. the outlaws have.)

BRUCE ALMOST KILLED CHEER AND JASON STOPPED HIM BECAUSE “THIS ISN’T YOU, EVEN IF MOST DAYS I WISH IT WAS” AND THAT FIXED MY BROKEN HEART AND I CANNOT TELL U HOW LONG I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT EXACT MOMENT IN DC

BI TIMOTHY JACKSON DRAKE-WAYNE AND HE HAS A BOYFRIEND

Oracle and Jason’s Entire Dynamic is Absolutely Hilarious and i love them, your honor

Jason wearing a batsuit + red hood mask gives me life

BI TIM BI TIM BI TIM BI TIM BI TIM-

Jason giving up firearms! Because while he still believes certain people deserve to die, he also hates the collateral damage and death has consequences! good on Jason also HOLY SHIT FINALLY THE MORAL CODE DEVELOPMENT WE DESERVE (pspsp dc all-blades as main weapon-)

(No, I don’t think Jason has sworn off killing; I think that was him saying “ugh fuck it fine guns are too easy to accidentally kill someone with, as fun as they are.” Tyler and his mom was a VERY rude reminder of the consequences of taking lives without consideration and Jason just went “hm. What if no.”) (do you really think Jason needs guns to kill people??? he was trained by the all-caste and the league of assassins.)

BRUCE INVITING JASON TO FAMILY DINNER

Bruce sent Jason what looks a hell of a lot like the uniform he wore before, and it very clearly has the red batsymbol on it HOLY SHIT JASON IS WEARING THE BATSYMBOL AGAIN YEE

Jason killed someone in rage like maybe a month ago and Bruce invited him to family dinner anyway because Jason showed clear remorse and that is so different from The Disaster I Pretend Didn’t Happen That Was RHatO Vol 2 and I am HERE FOR IT (i will go on pretending that Jason was injured in the explosion, not by Batman, and Batman didn’t get there until after Arsenal did, just in time to see Arsenal disappear into the distance with Red Hood.)

listen i understand that some people like loner antihero Jason (and I actually totally get this, because he’s a badass who takes No Shit and i adore him for that) (I also admittedly have a soft spot for Totally Ruthless Jason shows off What Exactly He’s Capable Of a la Arkham Knight), but I am one of the fans that desperately craves “Jason gets to heal and eventually reaches the conclusion that yes, some people are truly assholes and deserve to die, but most people (including himself, despite the fact that he has killed) deserve a chance at redemption” and/or “Jason deserves to be able to live his best life and if the blood on his hands is haunting him, he should stop killing for the sake of no one other than himself because he got a second chance at living and he deserves to live it goddammit.”

BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE SAID ENOUGH, TIM DRAKE IS CANONICALLY GOING ON A DATE WITH A BOY AND I LOVE THEM SO MUCH HOLY FUCK

[askjerrydandridge]

Movies and series about vampires to recommend?🤔I want to expand my collection!

(( You have COME to the RIGHT place, I am thinking about making a master list of vampire stuff for you guys to go through and check them out for yourselves because I have seen a lot of shit. Anyway, I will start with movies. Just to keep this post from being incredibly long, I will do maybe a sentence worth describing the media itself.

LET'S BEGIN

Movies:

Alright so we got the vampire movies, there are a shit ton out there. I mean A LOT. First, I will start with the more common/well known films.

Bram Stokers Dracula

This one is SPICY, it is a really great watch--minus Keanu Reeves' really shitty British accent ( I love Keanu so I can forgive him ) It is the most book based Dracula film I know, that and Gary Oldman legit steals the show every single time I see the movie.

Interview With The Vampire

This movie? Fucking slaps. Based upon the book, this movie reignited my love for vampires again. --i fell in love with Lestat briefly--BUT WE WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT. It takes place in New Orleans in the 1700's through an interview that a vampire is providing to a young man about his life story. It is a magical experience if you love vampires, you will laugh, cry, and scream all at once.

ORIGINAL Dracula

This one is hella cheesy. If you are a Dracula fan, it is a MUST. It came out in the 1930's so expect some crusty ass practical effects. My favorite including the fake bat on a string they used for Dracula. It is a fantastic movie nonetheless, kickstarting the history of vampires in film forever. Bela Lugosi did a fantastic performance as the caped villain. Highly suggest.

What We Do In The Shadows

This is a comedy/mockumentary about the lives of a group of vampires living in a flat together, trying to adapt to the modern world. It is fucking hilarious and if you want a good laugh, I highly suggest it. Each one of the flatmates have their own era that they were created. The creativity in this film shows and it is just RGRGRHRGRG AMAZING. Also I love Viago.

Fright Night ORIGINAL/Remake

*GESTURES TO MY BLOG VIOLENTLY* What more is to be said about these movies? Big epic vampire man moves next door and causes havoc, the next door neighbor finds out and decides to hunt him down. Along with his girlfriend. Never a good idea. Anyway! If you haven't watched this movie. EITHER OF THEM, and you have stepped into my blog, go watch them 👍 both Jerrys are fantastic.

The Lost Boys

Go

GO FUCKING WATCH IT.

----

Okay so here are the lesser known films that we got here.

Only Lovers Left Alive

This movie was depressing as hell. I don't suggest it if you are prone to tears because you will be bawling. The cinematography is gorgeous and the acting is fantastic. I love these two and their dynamic--especially Tom Hiddleston because the man is a legend. It is about the life of a vampire couple struggling to live in the world surrounded by humans. Beautiful film.

The Hunger

LEGIT WHY DOES NOBODY TALK ABOUT THIS DAMN MOVIE? Okay so this film is good with it's flaws, fantastic movie nonetheless. Beautiful cinematography as well. David Bowie plays a vampire in this film which already makes it amazing. The movie does have a weird aesthetic but nonetheless enjoyable. This vampire movie is also about a couple but with a twist--I DON'T WANNA SPOIL IT SO YOU GOTTA FIND OUT.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

This movie is uh, an experience. Picture a movie about Abraham Lincoln's life but shove vampire hunting in it. That is the entire movie. It is great with the action choreography, beautifully shot at times. If more strange/out there vampire movies are your forte. This is for you.

There are more I can touch on, however, I will stop it here before I continue ENDLESSLY.

~~

Series:

There isn't very many vampire shows out there that I have seen, simply because I don't care much for shows like Vampire Diaries. I will give you the ones I have personally seen as I have been doing with this list.

Dracula (Netflix)

I CANNOT PUT ANY MORE IMAGES DOWN SO YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.

This show? Fucking rad. As you can see by this list, I am a big Dracula fan. This show was fantastic. Beautiful, beautiful cinematography. Absolutely amazing soundtrack with fucking awesome acting. This show consists of three episodes, put into smaller bite sized pieces of about ONE HOUR AND 20-30 MINUTES EACH KDKDKDKDK. But don't fret, because you will want more content when it is done. This series takes the Dracula book and throws it out the window. Check it out.

What We Do In The Shadows (Series)

Watch this, it is amazing. The comedy is music to my ears and each character is fucking awesome. Similar to the movie but unrelated. Fantastic, highly suggest.

Castlevania (Netflix)

A wonderfully animated show that is absolutely violent and gruesome. Includes characters from the beloved Castlevania video game. Story is about angry Dracula killing everyone for spoiler based reasons. It's on Netflix, definitely a must.

~~

AND THAT IS MY LIST! It is a basic one, otherwise I would have put on much more. I loved basically all of these so I hope you will too.

~~

[hunxi-guilai]

Hihi! I've noticed some CQL fic recently about class conflict / revolution of the working class against an elite class of cultivators. This idea is intriguing and I think I've seen it executed well, but I also know that cultivator's practices are tied deeply to religion + Daoism so it seems like cultivators are generally pretty well respected in society. Class definitely comes forward as a theme in CQL though, and non-cultivators (e.g. Dafan Wens) clearly do suffer from the war in CQL. 1/2

2/2 I guess I'm wondering to what extent the idea of non-cultivators leading a class revolution feels like a more modern take vs smth that might conceivably happen in a historical Chinese setting. (Based on what happens with Xie Lian in the TGCF novel I feel like a class revolt might happen in MXTX's xianxia worlds at least). I know this is complex but I'd love to hear your thoughts if you're interested in this topic and care to share them. Thanks for your wonderful blog! sorry this is so longgg

hooooooo okay, okay where to begin with this

so first of all, I’m going to link you to @pumpkinpaix’s most excellent meta on class dynamics in MDZS, because she carries this fandom on her goddamn back and holds the brain cell that I certainly do not have

secondly, I’m going to re-link this post on the ahistoricity of cql, because it is, in fact, very important to me that people do not try to read CQL as a historical text in any way, shape, or form

thirdly, so, okay. before we talk about class or class conflict or the revolution of the proletariat or whatever, I want to point out that this story is 架空 jiakong -- it’s built on thin air. I make jokes about the inconsistency of the worldbuilding all the time, but I’m also a Cosmere fan with unrealistic standards for worldbuilding and at the end of the day they’re jokes. But to try and read class conflict into CQL is premised on the assumption that there’s like, a system in place that is premised on the oppression of the working class and a functional economy that keeps this society running. What is this economy? Who is this working class? Hell if I know! They pay each other with rocks spray-painted a shiny gold and we don’t question it.

oh, we can theorize all day about feudal systems of taxation and protection, or guess at the going price of evil-warding talismans, but at the end of the day, neither the author nor the showrunners felt the need to build an extensively detailed class system into this world. and why should they? that’s not the focus of the story; just the general strokes of a nebulously-familiar setting will suffice.

this isn’t to say class isn’t a major theme in CQL, since it’s literally like, the crux of Jin Guangyao’s character (again, please read that meta by @pumpkinpaix, it’s so good), but like. to talk about class conflict and revolution? feels like we need to get much further in the weeds about, like, economic structural inequality built into the fabric of this society. and to me, that feels like fumbling around in the dark, because there isn’t?? really??? a historical??? analog???? to cultivators????

look, this is xianxia. this is a fundamentally fantastic text. cultivators as a class (hah) of people amalgamate this strange chimera of Daoist priest and warrior-mercenary and landed gentry and wandering scholar that is very much a staple of the wuxia / xianxia genres, but not particularly applicable to history. so the idea of a “working class rebelling against an elite class of cultivators” simply does not have a handy historical analogue to point at because cultivators--in the form of this structured, organized, jianghu sect hierarchy--did not exist???

(honestly, the closest counterpart I can think of is--hilariously--season 1 of The Legend of Korra, which attempts to deal with the societal inequality of benders and non-benders. but like. does Korra handle that well? anyway)

and before anyone tries to make the argument that the cultivational sects map onto the imperial government--they do not. They simply Do Not. If you think so, then you have not confronted the Bureaucratic Majesty/Nightmare of imperial Chinese government. 

here’s the thing about most wuxia / xianxia / Chinese period dramas as a whole--they’re never actually about the “common people.” Your main character is always going to be the member of some elite class, or marry into the elite class, or have Magical Powers Conferred Upon Them and thereby become elite. The genre is simply uninterested in the dynamics of class beyond its effects on a character’s backstory. The reality of it is simply that working class life in ancient China rarely gets made into 50-episode dramas. At the very least, I’ve never seen one.

if we want to look at peasant rebellions in Chinese history, they are often about changing the people in positions of power rather than the systems that impose said power. The dynastic system lasted for millennia because every time there was a successful uprising, the people who led that revolution proceeded to put themselves in the positions of power in that very same system, and the one time the revolution led to a systemic change in governance--

I will never be paid enough to talk about 20th century Chinese history, but if you’re looking for historical analogues of class revolution, you’re welcome to confront the bloody wasteland that is 20th century China

class in ancient China is complicated; class in dynastic China is complicated; class in 20th century China is (hoo buddy) complicated; class in 21st century China is (yells) complicated. Which is a roundabout way of getting to your question of:

I guess I'm wondering to what extent the idea of non-cultivators leading a class revolution feels like a more modern take vs smth that might conceivably happen in a historical Chinese setting.

Not only does this feel like a modern take, this feels like a very Western take; I don’t think Western concepts of class awareness and conflict map easily across national and cultural borders, but I don’t have the requisite knowledge to give you a more nuanced understanding of how or why exactly. That... would be the subject of a dissertation, not a tumblr post.

You did bring up TGCF, and I do want to point out that the fall of Xianle is also... not a product of class conflict, necessarily speaking. It’s the product of 1) a refugee crisis, 2) multiple natural disasters, 3) the literal hand of fate. I think MXTX incorporates themes of class into her works, but her books tend to be much more focused on the development of an individual character in the face of hardship and opposition, rather than the role of an individual in society and the individual’s obligation to contribute to said society. I could write several hundred words on Xie Lian and his relationship to “the greater good,” but that belongs in a wholly different meta and a complete separate blog. I think it’s quite important that, again and again, we see that the ‘happy ending’ MXTX bestows upon her main characters is not “and then they get into politics and reform society to bring the greatest good to all!” but rather “and then they live in a house with the love of their life in quiet, domestic bliss, away from the politics that caused them so much pain and suffering.” To me, that indicates the author’s interest in personal and emotional development of characters rather than commenting on class conflict/class revolution in ahistorical fantasy China as a whole.

Again! I’m not trying to be prescriptive. I’m not saying that people can’t flesh out the worldbuilding and create incredible works of transformative fanwork that speculate on the nature of class conflict and revolution in a fantasy society. If that’s your speed, all the power to you! That sounds like a truly terrifying amount of thought and research, godspeed.