#because people interpret things differently

[atrologynuances]

Astrology observations pt2 || Planets in their detriment

NOTE: the interpretation of these are solely on the planets. harmonious/inharmonious aspects can change the translation of these planets.

these are based on personal observations as well as acquired knowledge from books, websites, and other observation posts.

𓋼𓍊 Aries/Scorpio Venus- may struggle maintaining a harmonious relationship which can lead to them changing their relationships quite often. aries venuses might posses an either fiery or more grounded energy thanks to the cardinal energy. scorpios on the other hand might be emotionally reserved, and only truly love very few people around them if any, the rest they keep around depending on what they can access from them (very manipulative). Given their possible relationship insecurities these two venus signs will seek for someone going at the same pace and someone with the same mindset, which realistically is hard to find. when they do think they’ve found it, they might later find out they were in fact wrong. When they do get in a relationship they might become possessive as a result of possible insecurities.

𓋼𓍊 Taurus/Libra Mars- these natives might need extreme motivation to get things going, like a 9-5 they don’t like, but the security and responsibility of it keeps them on their toes. these mars signs could also lack sense of security in their actions, which could leave them wondering whether they were right or wrong and as a result they might not fight for themselves as hard as they should. it is important for them to have a big support system that reassures and validates their actions when conflicts arise.

𓋼𓍊 Gemini/Virgo Jupiter- these natives have a hard time seeing beyond logic explanation, they could experience something and until they don’t find logic behind it they won’t be satisfied. get fixated on many things but never seems to finish or find a final answer to any of them. is not that they’re unable to finish them, they’re just no longer interested to. closed minded towards otherworldly subjects, or tries very hard to understand it.

𓋼𓍊 Cancer/Leo Saturn- these natives lack discipline but want it. they might vent to you that they do not like their current monetary situation and are looking to make some changes in that aspect of their life, but the next day you see them spending all their money on clothes. they know this is wrong but will still do it. they may be prone to control people and situations because they think they know what’s best for everyone. however, they do not like people telling them what to do lol. they might be prone to burnouts easily and immune system problems.

𓋼𓍊 Sagittarius/Pisces Mercury- struggles to find something that feels “right” for them, when they do find it they mostly have to work harder than everybody else to catch up. problems with communication; either started talking late or have problems expressing themselves as they get older. prone to saying things that don’t make sense upfront which will make them have to explain themselves often. this might create insecurities that will lead them to express themselves less. this is the reason why I think so many great writers have these placements, they can just erase and reword their writing without being judged for it.

- fyodor dostoevsky, jane austen, james joyce, victor hugo, emily dickinson

𓋼𓍊 Capricorn Moon- find it difficult to be vulnerable, this translates to needing or wanting material security to make sure they won’t need anyone. do not like to rely on anyone for emotional/financial support even if they really need it. despite all this, they are very emotional. the difference between them and their sister sign cancer is that they are not expressive with their emotions or act on them. something I have noticed is that they are not as workaholics as people might expect them to be, however when they work, they splurge on the money they make or might be stingy with it, as either one of these actions brings security to them. most of the times they don’t feel loved by either one of their parents even if they’ve both always been present in their lives.

𓋼𓍊 Aquarius Sun- natives are hard to describe for me because I have not met many of them, I feel like most hideaway at home lol. one thing i’ve noticed is that they cry a lot and are unapologetic about it. these people shine bright like their sister sign leo, the difference is they don’t want to so they avoid situations where they have to or when they are put in these situations they have to make sure their presentation is flawless. however in day to day life they do not really care how they’re perceived. they’re the ones that go to school in pijama pants. they also oftentimes seek some form of validation with other people, which is why they change partners often. very physically beautiful, but doesn’t seem to know or act on it.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope y’all have a wonderful day.

[windvexer]

Theme and Action: a tarot method for brainstorming plots, setting, and characters

I find a lot of story brainstorming spreads to be clunky and rigid, so I did a little experimenting and came up with a method I like a lot. I haven't done a ton of testing yet but I thought I'd share what I have.

Basically, it's a two card draw from a deck split into majors and minors. Each draw always has one major card (theme) and one minor card (action).

When you have a question, like:

What are some ideas for the next scene?

Why would that character behave that way?

What's the defining characteristic of this vampire clan?

What do the people in this society fear most?

Why is this scene dragging?

What does this character need to feel more real?

You would draw one major card and one minor card!

Themes and Action; what it's about vs how it manifests

We could call these cards a bunch of different things depending on exactly how the question is framed, but Themes and Action are good enough.

Basically, the major arcana card gives subtext or context, and the minor arcana card provides specific incidents. Like this!:

"In my vampire setting, what is the most important thing in vampire culture?"

Theme: Death

Action: 10/Pentacles

Interpretation: (Theme) The most important thing in vampire culture is the process of dying and the equalizer of death itself. (Action) This has resulted in cultural rituals where death is treated as a sacred adoption or initiation into a new family/estate.

(I really drew this test spread and it really was death lol)

We can swap out the Action card to see a different outcome:

Theme: Death

Action: 5/Swords

Interpretation: (Theme) the most important thing in vampire culture is the process of dying and the equalizer of death itself. (Action) the horror of death and loss has never been overcome in this society, and it must be dealt with as an individual - because vampires process the pain of their own deaths by taking it out on each other.

Here's a different example. In an urban fantasy book where a witch solves ghost mysteries, pacing is dragging and we need our next scene to be exciting. But despite a foot chase after a suspected ghost poacher, the scene doesn't feel fast paced or exciting. The question is, "how do we spice this up?"

Theme: Hermit

Action: King of Cups

Interpretation: (Theme) instead of a crowded street, the character will be isolated and without normal support. (Action) she'll be trapped in a closed space with the story's main villain, who most closely connects with the King of Cups

Another swap, this time switching out the theme card:

Theme: Empress

Action: King of Cups

Interpretation: (Theme) the scene feels boring because it's action without development. Show the main character's personal development and give her a 'level up' moment. (Action) have the ghost poacher lead her to a premature showdown with the main villain, whom she faces bravely for the first time.

This is already long so I'm not going to go on and on with examples but so far I've found this method to be pretty versatile.

Try interpreting Theme and Action as literally as you can within the context of the story!

If you're writing a story about a flower princess who sleeps on a dewdrop in the mystical Gnarlwood Forest, the Sun card will mean one thing.

If you're writing a story about vampires, the Sun card probably means something very different.

Major arcanas can be literary themes, like the moon representing deceit within society, but they can also be literal; in a werewolf story, the Moon card might represent the celestial body that controls the lives of certain people.

The most important thing for me is to avoid interpreting the cards in a general self-help sense.

The cheerful villagers of prosperous Splitsky Castle are waiting for you to invent a festival so a mysterious stranger can come to town and get the plot going.

The question is, "what kind of festival gives me the right setup to pull off the plot point I want?"

The theme card is the Magician, so ideas for the festival could be:

A festival honoring magic users (if they exist in your setting)

A festival honoring the resourcefulness of the villagers

A festival of stage magic and trickery

The action card is the 6/Cups.

Probably, the festival is not about healing your inner child with Jungian shadow work. More contextual ideas might include:

A festival where children are chosen to be trained in magic

A festival celebrating teaching the next generation important skills

A festival meant to delight and entertain children with stage magic

Developing related factions or foils

Draw a major arcana card to identify a certain Theme, maybe along the lines of:

What do they hold to be sacred?

What do they not care about, or hate?

What is their most cherished virtue?

What is the defining feature of leadership?

When they sing about home, what is in their songs?

This theme will be the same for both entities.

Draw different minor arcana cards to show how each entity expresses that theme.

Conversely, work in the opposite direction: keep the minor arcana card for both entities, and swap out the theme card.

Finding Action cards when you know the Theme

Holding the deck so that it's facing you, thumb through the cards until you find the major arcana card that describes your theme. The most recent minor arcana card that was on top of it, even if separated by other majors, is the action card.

Reversals

I tend to read both cards as upright and reversed, and just apply whatever meanings are most relevant. In my experiments using reversals ended up being too finicky and specific, and limited my creativity.

Complex Concepts and Plots

For a complex reading, like plotting an entire novel or building an entire character, I have found more utility in doing many pair readings rather than doing one large spread with many pairs.

My tests so far have suggested that the most creative freedom is found in asking specific questions, like "what is this character's driving motivation," and "what is her quirky hobby," and "what makes her put up with her annoying best friend," rather than trying to build a giant spread that includes all of these things at once.

As a caveat, in plot spreads, I will sometimes put pairs down without returning them to the deck, and then connect Theme/Action pairs with single action cards to suggest events that connect the dots.

[ninjakk]

Hi

I have been seeing a lot how wwx got lwj drunk to sleep with him lately and how that’s implied in his confession is that true. Idk I’ve just been seeing a lot lately it kinda putting me off wx and mdzs 😭

Hi Anon,

Seriously? That's just ludicrous! Please don't listen to such nonsense 🫂 that's so far from the truth I'm surprised people are even saying something like that!

The scene in question clearly shows WWX intentions from the start. There's no room for arguments or interpretation here, it's pretty clear-cut! But, just to prove this ridiculous take is completely wrong, let's have a look through the text - to put your mind at ease 😉

So, prior to the scene in question, Wangxian have had some pretty poignant moments together. Not only has WWX fully realised his feelings for LWJ, but he's started to understand he has had them for a very long time - thanks to the whole scene with the married couple making him realise his need to tease LWJ was not as straightforward as he originally assumed back as a teen. He is also beginning to take real notice of how LWJ treats him "differently" and hopes that it might be in the same romantic way he evidently feels toward him. Then of course, we have WWX even praying to be "tethered" to LWJ for the rest of his life and secretly declares their two bows as part of their marriage bows!

With all that in mind... Why the hell would WWX get LWJ drunk just to sleep with him 😂 Getting someone drunk to sleep with them is usually (but not always of course) because they feel they will not have a chance with them when the person is sober! WWX thinks he might have a chance to be with the person he loves, he wouldn't ruin that just for (his first ever!) quick fumble in the bath sheets!

We can clearly see the rationale behind WWX's actions:

Just as he was about to pour the liquor, he hesitated, taking that split second to warn himself. If he doesn’t drink, then let it go. If he does, just ask a couple things. Don’t do anything else—just figure out how exactly he feels. He won’t remember anything once he sobers up, anyway… It won’t affect anything.

He swore this to himself before he steadily filled the wine cup and pushed it toward Lan Wangji with perfect nonchalance. He was already prepared for Lan Wangji to reject the drink—but maybe the other man had his own worries, for he picked up the cup without a single glance and tossed it back in one go.

WWX literally tells himself and the reader that he has no ulterior motives. I know he can fib at times, but we know WWX is not some depraved sex offender gagging to jump LWJ's bones! Up until this point he's been rather chaste and sweet! He cares far too much about LWJ to take advantage of him. It's more than obvious WWX has a plan to use Drunkji's trait of speaking candidly and without restraint to find out how the man truly feels about him without having to risk asking it becoming awkward and being rejected if he were sober.

“Let’s play a different game. Just like before, I’ll ask questions and you answer them. No lying…”

He had only just uttered the word “play” when Lan Wangji abruptly agreed, “All right!”

Of course, once LWJ is drunk, things don't go as planned and Drunkji decides to go off on a little adventure, dragging WWX along by the hand for the ride. This eventually results in LWJ becoming dirty and WWX offering to help him wash - none of which were part of WWX's original intentions. WWX even tries to leave LWJ to bathe alone!

Wei Wuxian heaved a sigh of relief. “Take your time soaking. I’ll go outside.” He moved to step outside, get some fresh air and cool himself down, but then heard a splash.

In fact, he tries a number of times to distance himself in such a steamy situation. But LWJ is insisting he stay and being very huffy when he tries to leave, so WWX reluctantly complies.

Here we see WWX's motivations reiterated yet again:

And so, despite getting Lan Wangji drunk, Wei Wuxian spent most of the night waffling and didn’t manage to ask him a single thing. It wasn’t that it slipped his mind. In fact, he hadn’t forgotten for a moment that the reason he had given Lan Wangji alcohol was to ask him, Hanguang-jun, how do you really see me? But every time the words were about to leave his mouth, he found all kinds of excuses to back down—There’s no rush; I’ll play along with him for now, wait until he’s had enough fun before I ask, or I can’t be so flippant about this, gotta be a little more serious. I’ll ask again after we’ve sat down…

But despite the many excuses that had him dragging his heels, the real reason was probably that he was afraid. He was afraid of getting a different answer from the one he hoped to hear.

WWX only wanted to get him drunk so he could ask LWJ how he felt about him without making it awkward. He loves him so much he's frightened of losing him if LWJ's answer was not the same as his. This way, he can find out first and ensure they feel the same before confessing when the man is sober. If his answer was not what he hoped, WWX fully intended to keep his own feelings to himself and stay with him as a friend instead, anything to be by his side. He was frightened of losing the one thing he ever truly wanted for himself.

As we all know, things escalated quickly... and WWX was lost in a blazing fire of desire and passion. We, as the reader, can see LWJ had long since sobered up - thanks to the subtle hints with his speech and actions no longer childlike, as they are when he's drunk. I always felt WWX had picked up on this and at least assumed LWJ was sober by the time they became physically intimate.

Although Wei Wuxian didn’t know exactly when he had sobered up, there was one thing he could be sure of. Since this was Lan Wangji’s reaction now that he was clearheaded, it meant he’d been an unwilling participant in what had transpired earlier.

To me, this indicates WWX not only thought LWJ was sober, but he also thought the other was a willing participant in their love making. He certainly would not have reacted in such a heartbroken way if he had always intended to take advantage of a drunken LWJ just to have sex with him. Overwhelming guilt and disgust washes over him and suddenly WWX is blaming himself for everything that transpired.

I'm not entirely sure if they mean it was implied in the above scene or the Guanyin Temple confession scene. But even from the above, we can see it was not planned or intentional in any way. If they are unhinged enough to interpret WWX's confession during the hostage party as him admitting otherwise - they are completely twisting his words!

“Lan Zhan! Lan Wangji! Hanguang-jun! I…I genuinely wanted to sleep with you earlier!”

It's more than obvious this is NOT, in any way, a confession that WWX got LWJ drunk to sleep with him! WWX is trying to clear the misunderstanding up as quickly and efficiently as possible - and if it shocks JGY into letting his guard down long enough so he could escape his clutches and run straight into LWJ's strong arms, then that's a bonus! WWX could not bear the thought of LWJ being in any distress or pain because of him and he had to get him to realise how much he loved him as soon as possible. It's brilliant! He is literally just telling LWJ that he actually had wanted to sleep with him because he really really REALLY loves him and not because he is some flippant man who slept with a friend in the heat of the moment because he wanted to or to "thank" him in some way - as he had alluded to earlier in an attempt damage control. That's what the above is. Not WWX revealing he had intended to get LWJ drunk to sleep with him from the very beginning!

Overall, such a claim doesn't even make sense. Why would WWX get LWJ drunk to just sleep with him if he already suspected the man had feelings for him? What would that even achieve? I'm going to put this down to Wangxian haters trying to pick and pull at threads that aren't even there to begin with.

Don't listen to the haters, it seems they can't read 🤷🏼‍♀️

[gallierhouse]

There’s this point that IWTV keeps circling around about how the gradation of victimhood and responsibility doesn’t do any good for anyone. Like, it doesn’t matter how much of a “perfect” victim you were, the result is still the same. Lestat taken from his home in the middle of the night by a stranger, Louis nodding his head at Lestat in the church; the result is still the same. They both got turned, they both got hurt, they both got abused. I’m not equating Magnus’ actions with Lestat’s, but even though Louis willingly enters into a relationship with Lestat, it still ended in abuse. (Note: the circumstances of their turnings are very different. I’m not equating them.) The result of both is assault (see: the parallel between Lestat’s turning and Claudia being assaulted by Bruce) and abuse. It doesn’t really matter if you “asked for it” or if you were kidnapped and dragged away, the bullshit moralizing and assignment of blame and responsibility doesn’t matter, because in the end it still happened. It’s not what the victim did or didn’t do. On some level we see Louis blame himself for what happened with Lestat (and what continues to happen with Armand). Maybe if I was a better husband, maybe if I was more attentive, maybe if I was kinder, maybe if I loved him better. Something like that. Conversely, we have the examples of Lestat and Armand. I’m guessing that they almost resent their “perfect” victimhood (kidnapped by strangers and dragged into the bushes, the way rape and sexual assault is said to happen, when it’s really mostly perpetrated by people close to the victim). Because what did being a perfect victim ever do for them? It didn’t change anything. It didn’t undo anything. It didn’t make it better. In some ways, it makes it worse, because they can’t even blame themselves. People often cope with trauma by assigning themselves more agency than they really had in an attempt to regain control (Louis is doing this in real time with the interview, editorializing, always editorializing, always protecting his abusers, even now) but that’s not even an option for Lestat and Armand. There’s no imaginary option where anything they could’ve done could have circumvented what happened. I do think they resent it on some level. Nothing to blame, nothing to hold onto. I’m not attempting to rank the severity of their trauma. This isn’t the trauma Olympics; there’s no comparison. There’s just a consistent idea in IWTV that the circumstances of victimhood don’t really matter and that there really shouldn’t be victim blaming because it doesn’t matter. The bad things still happened. Nothing will change that. There’s only one person who could’ve prevented it, and it wasn’t the victim, it was the perpetrator.

I’m not entirely satisfied with the way this is phrased, so please read and interpret this charitably. I do think it’s a really good approach to depicting victimhood that deconstructs a lot of unfair, cruel narratives about it, so it’s worth noting, even if I can’t explain it perfectly.

[destinyc1020]

https://youtube.com/shorts/T7xt12xD1GE?si=xXf7ITl4zjoyTyNe

This was from someome who worked/visited the Euphoria set bt I wonder what exactly the "tension" was bt one thing Tom going to do is defend his girl/their relationship 😭

Side track bt JLo seems lik such an unpleasent person 😅 this lik the 10th time i heard a story of her being rude

Lol 😆 🤣

Okay, FIRST of all.... I'm cracking up at this guy calling Tom Zendaya's "new boyfriend" rofl 🤭 It's funny to me how sooo many ppl don't know about the Tomdaya 1.0 era lol 👀

Second..... Maybe there was "tension" because Tom knew how JE treated Z during their rlshp (so many ppl have hinted that he wasn't the nicest towards her) and he didn't like it? 🤷🏾‍♀️

I also need ppl to clarify what they mean by "tension". Cuz ppl can claim tension, but it's just that a person isn't smiling or going out of their way to be nice towards someone. I would need EXACT examples of what they considered "tension". Because sometimes people interpret things waaaay differently than others... as I have seen here on my very blog! 😅

Could also be that JE was "tense" coz Z went back to her man, and he was salty seeing him on set! Rofl 👀 🤣 😅

Good find Anon lol 😆

Oh, and I'm not shocked about the claims re: JLo. There have been rumors about her and her diva ways for YEARS! There was someone (idk if it was JLo or Mariah) who didn't even want people or "the help" looking them in the eyes!! 😵‍💫🙄

Some people let fame get to their heads boy.... 🤦🏾‍♀️🥴

[persephone-s-moon]

Hey, I've been getting some comments/messages lately and I'd like to clear some things up

I don't interpret the lost boys vampires as brothers.

The Lost Boys (1987) is commentary on the American dream of the perfect nuclear family and how harmful forcing people into those strict dynamics can be. Because of this, I don't consider the "family" Max has tried to create as a family at all.

The vampires are very clearly close, but the actors themselves have noted that the way they played the characters was not familial, namely Alex Winter stating that he played Marko as if he and David were in a sexual dynamic in which David acted as Marko's pimp. Also, due to the director being a gay man and the movie being created during the height of the AIDS epidemic (you know, when gay people were being left do die due to not fitting oh so nicely into societal standards and expectations, such as the aforementioned "ideal" family dynamic), I believe that removing queerness from the storyline would be 1) strange and 2) unfaithful to the creation of the movie.

The content that I've created of the vampires is not incestuous. I don't care if you personally consider them to be brothers, I don't want to hear about it in the context of the ship art I've made. Just feel free to block me if seeing a differing interpretation of their relationship makes you uncomfortable.

I do not support the creation of incest content, please unfollow me if you do. I've tried to go through and block people that I've seen that do interpret them as both lovers and brothers, but I don't think I've gotten everyone.

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

hello mod goldmary here is the promised essay about alear's gender

so. let's start with the obvious. the "dragons as a metaphor for gender" thing. it is very easy to slot Fell Dragon and Divine Dragon into agab and gender identity respectively. Alear was a Fell Dragon, now they're a Divine Dragon. Alear used to be their agab, now they're something else.

i don't have the spoons to find screenshots rn so uh. just take my word for it lol. but in Chapter 20, after Griss does the big reveal (which can be read as outing in this interpretation), Alear's friends assure them that they are who they choose to be, not what they're born as. Timerra literally says "if you wanna be a Divine Dragon, you're a Divine Dragon." actually fuck it we're going all in with the metaphor. so Chapter 20 in this interpretation is basically: Griss outs Alear and Alear gets (understandably) really distressed; they lose all confidence in themselves, they believe their friends are better off not associating with them, they feel like they've been lying to everyone, and they're worried that the people around them will see them differently because of this. Alear's friends assure them that it's okay, Alear is their friend, they're not lying about their identity, and they even affirm Alear's identity (see Timerra's quote above).

speaking of affirmation, let's look at a place where. there isn't much of it. yippee, Sombron's transphobic now. "No child of mine shall live as a Divine Dragon. Death was this one's inexorable fate" yeah fuck you too bitch. in Chapter 20, Sigurd mentions that Sombron "turned his back on [Alear]" and that Alear's "life was in danger." basically, Sombron disowned Alear for being trans and threatened them with physical violence, which unfortunately happens too frequently to trans people. Eveyle also disowns Alear in her boss dialogue in Chapter 21. i don't remember the words exactly but basically Eveyle calls Alear a coward for turning to Lumera (in this metaphor, finding a support network that affirms their identity) and says that they are not her sibling.

Sombron then kills Alear in what is obviously a transphobic hatecrime (this is a joke, the actual scene fits better as a metaphor for child abuse)

the Chapter 22 flashback (the one where tomato Alear commits PatricideTM) is. augh. as Alear is dying in Lumera's arms, they lament how they wish they could be more like her. Lumera is their role model. Lumera is everything they're not in their mind, even though they did something heroic. they are who they wished they were, but they can't see that beyond all the pain and trauma they've suffered. the fact that they're a Fell Dragon is at the forefront of their mind when they finally fall asleep. their last thoughts before the coma are literally their dysphoria like. ough agh ow.

can you tell i'm normal about past alear

also yeah. the blue hair is just. dragon transition. lol

i will admit i'm. not totally sure where Corrupted Alear fits into this metaphor. uh. BUT Emblem Alear is Alear fully embracing their gender identity. they've had doubts in their Divine-Dragonness before (aka they wonder if they're really their chosen gender identity), but here they embrace it. congrats to them on their transition. i've always wanted to make that joke. the really interesting part is that they don't totally reject their Fell-Dragonness, though. yes, their Emblem form is fully divine, but their normal form? still red and blue. there are multiple ways to interpret this and I love all of them equally.

oh yeah. Alear's immune to transphobia now. Griss rubs Alear's Fell Dragon lineage into their face, essentially saying that Alear will always be their agab in this metaphor. Alear's response? "Lol ok. why are you such a bitch." pop off king (gender neutral)

AND THAT BRINGS ME. TO CHAPTER 24. i have. an entire thing written about it. on my blog. lemme see if i can find it

OK HERE IT IS:

ok so if we're going with the idea that Alear is a trans allegory then

does that mean Past Alear's interactions with Alear in chap 24 could be read as gender envy

(incoherent word dump about Alear's gender thoughts under read more)

“this is like looking in a mirror. what I see... bothers me”

suddenly i am not normal. i am pointing and screaming and sobbing

it's like if you ever look at someone who is everything you wished you were, and you hate yourself for it, you hate how you are, you hate that you were born like this, and attaining that is so clearly unachievable, it is literally physically impossible to change the body you were born with to ever match that. you hate yourself for even having those thoughts in the first place, because this was how you have always been and always will be, no matter what

and you have no idea it is actually possible to change this, because you grew up with the idea that this is what you are, you have to fulfill that role like this this and this, and if you don't you're defective and wrong. if you want to throw that label away in favor of something else, you're a failure and don't have the right to live. you grew up with this label and it doesn't fit right at all, like a shirt 5 sizes too small, but you have no idea it's possible to change that label into something right. that label defines you and sticks to you everywhere you go, it defines your relationships with others, it defines your relationship with the world around you, and you wish you were born differently, that you weren't so aware of this crawling feeling in your skin.

but you push all of that aside, because if your father realizes you feel this way, he'll kill you, like he killed all of your other siblings, and that terrifies you. you keep walking down this path that you hate, because it's the safest option you have. and being safe is better than being yourself when you don't even know what "yourself" is.

----

tldr Past Alear has really bad dysphoria but can't really do anything about it because they don't even know being trans is possible. and also that trying to experiment is incredibly dangerous in this environment

again i want to point out how Present Alear doesn't reject Past Alear. in fact, they seem to come to a greater understanding of themself afterwards.

when it comes to like. the trans lens of Present and Past Alear's relationship, i've always seen it as Present Alear coming to peace with their dysphoria. Past Alear vents all of their frustrations with their life, with themself (Past Alear comparing themself to the Corrupted and then immediately following that up with how much they hate the Corrupted. ough), and Present Alear listens. they provide assurance to Past Alear, and though that assurance falls on deaf ears, Present Alear never stops being kind.

so. yeah. Alear trans :thumbsup emoji:

👀

[boomthemoon]

I've already said I think Rogue is part of the pantheon, but here is a much more worked on (and insane) theory about how he is in fact the God Mercury/Hermes, or putting it more simply, the God of Travelers.

Basically knowledge on Hermes here to help you understand it better, Hermes is the Greek equivalent of the Roman God Mercury. He is the God of Travelers and Thieves, Trade and Wealth and many other things. He the messenger/herald of the Gods, and guide of the souls to the underworld. Hermes is considered smart, creative and cunning, he's famous for playing pranks (specially on Apollo) and for being really fast, he is the inventor of the lyre, often connected to birds, and known for his ability to constantly cross from the realm of the Gods to the realm of the mortals. As Mercury, he is represented by Wednesday.

There is much more but I'm keeping it short and relevant to the subject.

By now most people made the connection that the ring Rogue gave the doctor had the symbol of Hermes (his Caduceus) in it, so we will start here, but that is just the most obvious of many references made to the God through the episode. There are so many meaning and myths to the Caduceus (being a gift from Apollo, being a symbol of peace, being able to bring people back from the dead) that I wouldn't know which one to go for, so we are sticking with the basics that is represents Hermes and Mercury and their deities. The Caduceus is a staff, with two intertwined snakes and a pair of wings.

The second main point is Rogues ship. Let's talk about the bird theme, Hermes/Mercury is often connected to birds, mostly due to the fact that he is described to wear a hat and shoes with wings (those symbolizing his speed and ability to travel). And then we have an episode all about birds, the villans are alien birds, there are birds in the decoration, but most importantly, his ship is a bird, but more than that, his ship can be invisible. One of the many itens Hermes is know to possess is a cap that allows him to become invisible, in my interpretation, his ship seens to be a reference to some of his accessories, the bird wings that allows him to travel, the cap that turns him invisible, all applied on his ship.

Then there is the third main point, that convinced me of this theory because is too much of a coincidence to be just a coincidence. When the Doctor and Rogue are talking for the first time, you can clearly see a statue of Mercury behind them. And I say Mercury specifically not Hermes because I went to a lot of trouble to find a statue to match this one to prove my point and I could only find it by searching Mercury specifically.

Here is a screenshot of the statue in the episode vs two statues I found, you can see they are very similar.

Now about what happens in the end, Rogue is very calm about the possibility of Ruby being sent to another dimension, and still very calm when he sents himself, you could just argue he doesn't care about her or himself, but the way he acts feels like he was testing the Doctor to see if he could sacrifice Ruby, specially since he knew you could just replace the person that was stuck in the trap but he didn't replace Ruby with Emily when he put her there. So like I mentioned before, Hermes can travel through realms, what in the show context, would just be different dimensions, so maybe the reason Rogue is so indifferent about being sent to another dimension with a bunch of murder bird aliens is because he knows he can just get out of there easily.

Maybe "find me" isn't in some random barren dimension, maybe is just "find me out there in the stars".

Other things it might be worth noting:

"Mercury is sometimes represented as holding a purse, symbolic of his business functions. Artists, like followers of Roman religion themselves, freely borrowed the attributes of Hermes and portrayed Mercury also wearing winged sandals or a winged cap and carrying a caduceus (staff)"

His ring represented his Caduceus as it has it's symbol, the ship represented his winged hat and shoes, and he literally wears a purse.

This one might be a bit of a stretch, but the lines "Fast mover" and "Run!" "I'm normally the one who says that" feels like small reference to him being to fast even for the Doctor (Just like Hermes/Mercury are known to be really fast). I just think that if he is some sort of equivalent of Hermes and Mercury and I'm not going crazy here, the "fast mover" line is actually hilariously clever.

The last bit is how we don't see anyone placing the two first pieces of the trap, we can only presume it was Rogue, but the only way I can think he did it without anyone noticing, is either he was incredibly fast, or invisible, which both track back to my theory.

Look, I'm not a specialist on Hermes and Mercury, I just know some things and did some research, so this might be a reach here but it make sense to me, so I'm sharing. And let's be honest, what is more God of Travelers and Thieves than falling in love with the guy that stole a ship from his own people to travel through space and time?

[ripplestitchskein]

I didn’t watch the video and I won’t because I don’t enjoy their takes or the way they present their content so I may be missing some in video context but someone mentioned something that really struck me this morning in the tags. I don’t add on to posts as a general rule unless I really feel the need, and this is in no way meant as a call out for either source but I do want to address the general idea presented.

Stolas was never triggered by Stella yelling at him so he should not have been triggered by Blitz yelling at him.

There are a few very glaring things about this idea.

First the entire premise that a person wouldn’t have different reactions to different people in their life doing similar things is kind of silly on its face. There are a number of reasons why you would have a disproportionate reaction to being yelled at by one person over another.

Being yelled at by a stranger in a public confrontation is much different than being yelled at by someone you know in a space you consider safe, for example. Being yelled at by someone you consider physically intimidating is much different than being yelled at by someone you don’t. Being yelled at in a professional space is much different than being yelled at in a personal one. Etc. etc. etc. They all produce very different emotions and very different responses.

There are a number of contextual circumstances that will change how someone reacts to a similar situation as well. The most obvious to apply here is the relationship dynamic between the individuals.

On the one side we have Stella who Stolas in no way wants to be with, who he has been forced to be with for 17+ years, and who has seemed fairly consistent in her treatment of him over that time period. Where we see Stolas in the narrative is after many years of putting up with her behavior. Not only would Stella’s yelling be something Stolas is probably a bit inured to after dealing with it for so long, but he has also trained himself to change his behavior to keep the peace as it were. On top of that he has spent the past 17 years pushing down his own emotions and reactions to provide a family environment for his daughter. And we do see Stolas react negatively to her abuse, he flinches, he drinks excessively, he takes medication to regulate his mood, he backs away from her, he modulates his behavior to placate her.

Blitz on the other hand is someone Stolas is emotionally invested in. He cares for Blitz and while Blitz is abrasive and crude we don’t have examples of him outright yelling in anger at Stolas. He has also mentioned multiple times that Blitz is the one who broke him out of this repression. Of course he would react differently to Blitz versus Stella, they are literally the two opposites ends of a core character conflict he has.

We must also consider the power dynamic. Up until this point Blitz went out of his way to maintain their relationship, he deliberately avoided confrontation. He states this directly in his part of the duet, we see it in his text messages or the lack there of, we have evidence of it with the sex chest and his little shopping spree. So from Stolas’s point of view this person yelling at him now has only ever accommodated him or avoided him before, which, while also being a huge issue in their relationship, also escalates the moment when Blitz does push back and break down.

Stella has none of this baggage, her yelling does not reveal hard truths Stolas has to also deal with and confront. Stolas can justify his behavior with her because she never cared for him anyway, he did not hurt her with his actions. Stella’s yelling does not come from a place of hurt and betrayal regarding Stolas as she never cared for him or their marriage anyway. He did hurt Blitz however, and that hurt is being presented to him in a very aggressive way, and he had hoped up until this point that Blitz cared for him as well. So not only does he now realize Blitz doesn’t care for him (or that’s how he interprets it) but that he also views him in this really horrible way, as someone who takes advantage of those lesser than him, that he is pompous and unfeeling and cruel. He is the monster he feared being.

Which leads me to the next glaring difference. Stolas spent however long preparing for this moment where he revealed his feelings, he was hopeful and excited and nervous. He is then, in his mind, rejected. He is experiencing a range of emotions during this confrontation that all come to a boiling point.

With Stella her yelling is not a building confrontation of emotional ups and downs, it’s an environmental constant. In just a matter of minutes with Blitz he goes from nervous hope to rejection to realizing the person he cares for thinks really terrible things about him and the manner in which that is revealed is extremely charged. There is a world of difference between something you expect to happen (Stella yelling) and something you didn’t. Stolas has no idea Blitz had these feelings inside him, that’s part of the problem, and they were revealed to him in a very crushing and intense way.

We also have to consider that these are not real people reacting to the situation as real people might. This is a story being told to us and the writers and animators are presenting what is relevant to that narrative and these characters in a very concentrated way. They only have so long to get a point across and they must continue the story by contriving reactions we would not see in reality. In this episode and in the story overall so far we are given all the information we need to see it from both points of view and see why each of them reacted in the ways we did.

With storytelling of this nature you are not in the character’s heads so you much rely on actions, dialogue (which can be reliable or not) and environmental cues to get these points across. They did a phenomenal job in my opinion.

We have both of their mental headspace’s at the beginning presented in song, we get an idea of where they are at when the confrontation begins, and where they end up is a natural conclusion to the high emotions on display. The atmosphere is tense and dark, it’s a building anticipation with the music and the silence and the lightning being used, how the shots are framed. We get a sense of Blitz chasing him down, weaving through hallways and kicking open doors. It’s cinematic, because it’s a visual medium. Stolas HAD to remove Blitz from the situation in order to continue the narrative, he has magic in this story so he sends him away. In the real world there would be a lot of “Get out.” “No.” “I said get out” etc etc but that’s not interesting for the audience and in this world we have magic so whoosh, out he goes, the conflict continues into the next episode.

There are a number of things I could discuss related to domestic violence, or emotional triggers, or trauma responses but I don’t think that’s necessary here. Not only are these not real people and we are not privy to all of the baggage they have, how their individual brains process it and how they respond to it but the storytelling method is not conducive to those kind of real world considerations. What we do know is people react to different things in different circumstances with different people and the narrative absolutely justified Stolas’s response to Blitz and its contrast to his responses to Stella.

That is actually kind of the whole point?

[aashimaar]

Ok so I just started rereading the manga but I had an epiphany! Re: One for All and Izuku supposedly becoming quirkless after the events of the penultimate story arc, and what will happen next:

You gotta wonder if maybe All Might was more correct about One For All than he even realized.

Maybe there's still more to this meta ability than what's been revealed.

(This is gonna be long. Warning: academic citations!)

"Those crying out to be saved and those with brave and true hearts link to form a crystalline network of power." To Yagi, that means the successors of OFA. Yoichi cried out for help, and every subsequent Holder has had to be brave, to reach out their hand, both to receive the power and to pass it on. But I wonder if there isn't more to it than that.

We know that OFA evolves over time. In the final fight, we see everyone pushing Izuku forward, clearing a path for him to take on AFO.

AFO himself notices that Izuku is different from All Might. His weakness is what calls others to him.

If we think of Yagi's words in Chapter 2, wherein those crying out and those with brave hearts link to form a network, then what is happening here might have more ramifications on a meta level than what we see.

Izuku can hear everyone cheering him on. This can be interpreted as diegetic sound, meaning he can hear those who are physically there with him. It's what's actually happening in the scene. But! What if it's not?

Because then we see people all over the world cheering Izuku on. Maybe Izuku can hear (or feel) their wishes as well. And ShigAFO realizes that danger sense isn't working because the collective will of all of those standing against him is overwhelming it. The network is creating a feedback loop wherein everyone is getting strength from each other.

If One For All evolved to hold the strength of everyone's collective will, and not just the Holders', then Izuku may not have really lost One For All after all. Maybe his ability to call other's will, to join their hopes together and inspire them is what will now give him the literal super strength he needs to be a hero.

And this would be so perfect, because we've seen throughout the entire story that Izuku inspires other people to act. His actions inspire All Might at the very beginning, and that's what begins his journey in the first place! Time and time again, Izuku brings out the heroism in others, making them stronger as a result. (Uraraka, Todoroki, Gentle Criminal). It's not a meta ability, though you could call it a quirk (as we use the term in the real world) of his personality. And that "quirk" may have merged with OFA to become an actual meta ability- to call draw out the heroism in others and use it to push himself (and them) forward.

And even if that's not what happened, and Izuku does eventually lose his super strength, he will still be a Hero, because his ability to inspire others to act, to be better, to grow, has always been a part of him.

Izuku's character arc mirrors the classic hero's journey: with the sludge villain attack serving as the "Call to Adventure" and All Might as the "Supernatural Aid" (aka mentor figure who guides the hero). (And literally every section of the archetype has been fulfilled in some way- it's actually crazy- but that's a whole other post). But the Hero's Journey always comes full circle: "The returning hero, to complete his adventure, must survive the impact of the world."✰

Izuku has overcome the challenges that were once ahead of him and now must return to where he was before his journey began. He's quirkless, he's going back to school. BUT he also has to deal with the ramifications that his actions have had upon the world. And this is what we have to look forward to before the story ends. (I'm placing some serious trust in you rn Hori!)

Joseph Campbell writes:

"The hero is the champion of things becoming, not of things become... He does not mistake apparent changelessness in time for the permanence of Being, nor is he fearful of the next moment (or of the "other thing"), as destroying the permanent with its change."✰

With that being said, these panels take on some extra weight:

The last stage of the Hero's Journey is the "Freedom to Live." This can be interpreted as the hero overcoming their fear (of death, of change, etc.) They've accomplished what they wanted. If anything, that more mirrors Shigaraki's supposed ending than Izuku's, because Izuku does not feel like he succeeded. However, Christopher Volger includes a subsection of the final "Return" stage: The Resurrection.✴︎ The hero must undergo one final death and rebirth before their journey is complete. With that being said, I can't help but wonder if that will have to do with Izuku's quirk: will the embers of One For All be fanned instead of smothered? Will Izuku find that OFA has changed and that he can still wield a meta ability, or will his own innate heroism and ability to inspire those around him be what propels him forward into the rest of his life?

I can't wait to find out.

Works Cited:

✰Campbell, Joseph (1949). The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1st ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691097435. (2nd ed. 1968)

✴︎Vogler, Christopher (2007) [1998]. The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions.

[octopus-punching-union]

Yumiko Sumitomo

Yumiko has popped up a few times. She is the person who spread the rumors about Jin's family; she was suspended at the end of the Frostheim chapter, but her name has come up a few times since then.

At the start of the Frostheim chapter, she is gossiping about Jin with other Frostheim students. They talk about "the friend who left Jin's side" and how she wants to be closer to Jin, going as far as to order a dress in from Italy to match him. (Idk what exactly she thinks this will accomplish?) However, she seems really clueless to the fact that Jin has been isolating himself, that he hasn't been going on missions, or that anything might have happened to him.

Tohma steps into this conversation and gets her to shut up by casually mentioning a scandal her father (an executive at Saionji Trading) was involved in, and offering his assistance.

The next time we see her is shortly before the rumors about Jin's family go public. She is running from the chess guardians in the Frostheim vault and disappears while Luca tries to fight them off. Tohma was also in the vault, but acts like he didn't know anyone was there.

After the rumors drop, Tohma tries to call her. She doesn't pick up.

Directly after this, Jin accuses Tohma of betraying him, and Tohma replies that the "the friend who left his side" is the one responsible.

Towards the end of the chapter, it is announced that Yumiko was the one spreading the rumors and that she has been suspended. The Chancellor is irritated that Jin pressured the academy to give her a lenient punishment. Tohma didn't know ahead of time that Jin was going to do this, but says it is fitting for Jin, as the president's son.

Yumiko is mentioned again in the Vagastrom chapter, when Leo confronts Alan and Tohma together. Leo claims that he found evidence that Tohma has been extorting the Sumitomos in exchange for burying the family's scandal and saving her father's job. Leo thinks he could've gotten more money out of it, and tbh I agree — 20 million yen is about $125,000 USD. These are rich people we're talking about here.

But then in Jin's affinity scenes, we see Frostheim students gossiping again, and they say that Yumiko's father has been fired for embezzling.

I can think of a few different ways to interpret all of this, but here's what I think is most likely:

Yumiko takes Tohma up on his offer to help cover up her family's scandal, and meets with him in the Frostheim vaults. He asks for a relatively low amount of money, because the money isn't the point. She underestimates him and takes the opportunity to search the vault for information while she's there. The chess guardians recognize her as a threat and chase her out, but Tohma sees only Lucas fighting with the guardians. He does not realize that they were initially reacting to Yumiko.

When the rumors go out, Tohma immediately realizes that Yumiko is behind it — and this is very stupid of her, considering that he's helping her out with a scandal that could ruin her family's reputation. However, Tohma tells Jin that "the friend who left your side" is responsible. There are a few reasons he might do this — he might think that Yumiko is working with/for the "friend." He might be trying to hide his own involvement with Yumiko. Or he might be hiding some other part of his plans from Jin. (Or something else, who knows?)

Whatever the case, Tohma doesn't retaliate against Yumiko... not yet, anyway. He lets things stand long enough for Leo to dig around for evidence. No matter how good Leo is with technology, this seems very careless for Tohma. He also doesn't strike me as the kind of person who is motivated by money, and he didn't ask for a lot of money in the first place.

I think Tohma was using the money as bait to get the spy to reveal himself — but wasn't anticipating some sneaky first year getting all up in his business. If Yumiko had kept quiet, Tohma probably would have left it at that. But she didn't.

In the aftermath, Tohma and Jin take very different approaches to dealing with Yumiko. Jin goes out of his way to make sure her punishment is lenient, even though he was the one directly affected. Tohma, however, pulls back and lets her fall sometime after Leo discovers the money. (Seriously, don't double-cross him.)

[proshippersstimming]

So what is proshipper? I keep seeing it lately and I got no idea what the heck that is

Honestly, a lot of different people have a lot of different personal interpretations of the term, but it means "ship and let ship" which means you don't judge or harass people for shipping whatever they want! People can like things in fiction and bot support them in real life, and they shouldn't be harassed because of that. We like to just spread positivity because a lot of people can be very judgemental and mean about ships! ^-^ –🪅

[anonzentimes]

abt your previous ask!! i agree that komahina gets hate sometimes in 2024 but also remember that kmhn is debatably the most popular ship of the FRANCHISE lmao?? imo to take the “kmhn is toxic” argument to so much heart is a nothing burger… search hinata’s or komaeda’s character tag and its like 99% kmhn art. i genuinely dont think its an issue of homophobia or stupidity or anything i think it just comes down to hinata being a Player Surrogate and komaeda being the antag thats constantly in your face and mocking you. people think the ship is toxic because their player experience w komaeda is toxic that’s it 😭 the malice you’re seeking isn’t there. no hate to you or the OG asker ofc but this is a very niche problem in current year to be so haunted by… kmhn isn’t going anywhere trust me

Anon with all due respect, one part of it it is people who have had a bad experience with komaeda or don't understand him, one part of it is people being homophobic, and the biggest part that's more common in this day and age is undermining Komahina due to shipping wars. Just because it's not a major thing there are still people who exist who think and say things against it. There are still people who misunderstand it or deny it for any of those reasons. I feel like you're denying the fact that these are collective issues that happen that result in the same conclusion that's misunderstanding the text. The text is something I care about dearly and I was asked about it. Komahina isn't going anywhere just as the people who perceive fiction differently aren't going anywhere. Whether or not you see these instances as a major issue that hinders the entirety of being able to enjoy the ship itself easily or not these people who misunderstand it do exist as long as the text does. That's just the nature of quite literally Everything SUBJECTIVE. As long as people exist who can interpret it in a way that misunderstands the text, have beliefs against the core aspects of the concept, and have interpretations that impact their views due to preferences there will be instances where it's frustrating for people like me. You can say it's a nothing issue all you want but that doesn't mean it will ever stop happening just as people like me won't ever stop loving it. You're coming into MY HOUSE and MOCKINGLY claiming that it really isn't such a big deal when this whole blog is about my special interests, of course I'm passionate about these instances that are frustrating. Not only that but I was ASKED about it, ASKED. I'm allowed to complain about people who frustrate me when they misunderstand or deny the text that I love regardless if it makes it physically impossible to enjoy it.

Just because I can enjoy my apples doesn't mean I can't complain about the people who are hating on my fruits, even if they can't force my fruit to rot I can still feel frustrated at them for not getting it like I do, denying it's existence, or simply hating on it. You're coming into my garden where the other gardeners are having a shared emotion of frustration. Like, that maybe a silly example but does that get the point across enough for you? You're coming into the territory of people who care and probably see it more because it's such a big thing in our lives. Like, Yeah, I know they can't make my fruit rot, that doesn't mean I can't express discontent over those who don't get it, misunderstand, or most of all are outwardly hating on what I love. By your definition of Niche this is literally the corner of that niche, we are the ones who still see it sometimes because that's how invested we are. Again, it's subjective, we're allowed to express disagreement and discontent with what those people say. And again, this is about one of my SPECIAL INTERESTS, Literal definition that makes it hard for me to comprehend how people see something that is so special to me in such a different and even negative way is hard for me to comprehend sometimes. I'll express that emotion caused by that, and proven by it being an ask I'm not alone in, as much as I want. I'm not harming anybody when I express my emotions between people who agree.

You say you have no malice and I'm sure you may have not intended it that way but you came up to the people who care and said in a mocking tone, "it's not that big of a deal why even care, the only thing that happens in 2024 is people misunderstanding them due to their writing roles," Like, seriously? How rude of you Honestly. And the cherry on top that's the worst of all, in the process you display that you misunderstand their characters. Nagito is just an annoying mocking antagonist to you? Are you SERIOUS? Hajime is half of a player surrogate but you're making the wrong conclusion about it, he's meant to be relatable but he isn't a complete self insert. We're meant to be able to put ourselves in his shoes and understand his relatable experiences, he's not a complete player surrogate though? You're saying people say it's toxic because, "We are Hinata and Komaeda is the mocking annoyance to us," WHAT??????? Before you try to say something like this again go understand their characters better by, perhaps, quite literally READING MY ANALYTICAL POSTS??? I'm certain they'd be helpful because you clearly need them, I'm not writing an entire essay right here and now just so You can understand them I make them for myself and answer questions I want to. If you have questions that you can word in a more respectful tone I can help you understand that way too.

I would have tried to make my words a little kinder but the way you come up to MY Blog with your false claims, misunderstandings, and disrespectful tone pisses me off. You went anonymous not because you might be a bit embarrassed about your interests like most of the questions I get, no, you went anonymous because you didn't want yourself to be known because you Know you were being Blunt with your Disrespectful tone. You have the luxury of the fact you said this anonymous, and I have the luxury of being as blunt and uncaring about your feelings with my response as I want. Kindly, once again, do more research on these characters and develop more media literacy before sending me something in such an inconsiderate tone again.

[canonizzyhours]

One of the worst things that having acquaintances who were Izzy Stans meant for me for a while was having to qualify factual statements about the character and the show with stuff like "but of course other interpretations are valid too," because I didn't want to alienate or invite nasty fights with people who did not watch the same show we did. So much so that an early ask I sent to this blog of all places, I felt like I had to cushion my statement about canon Izzy with fuzzy words about how your mileage may vary and other takes are valid too.

But the thing is that while yes, there's more than one way to read some ambiguous elements, visual symbolism, subtext etc, NOT ALL INTERPRETATIONS ARE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED BY THE SOURCE MEDIA. That's the difference. Some interpretations ARE more valid than others. If that wasn't true, literature professors would be out of a job. I'm saying this out loud here because I guarantee I'd have anons in my inbox telling me this is elitist of me if I said it on my own account.

And if your take places an antagonistic side character as the central hero of the piece and you think that's canon, you know what? Yeah, no, that's genuinely a less correct reading of the actual show, sorry. Genuinely do whatever you feel like in your fanworks, but recognise that those =/= the text of the show.

#419.

[oscconfessions]

You guys realize there is no correct way of humanizing objects right? There are quite literally no rules and you can do whatever the hell you want, because almost all the time they have no canon race, body type, clothing style, etc.

I've seen so many people try to enforce different traits onto other's designs that they see fit, and it really upsets me. Sure, you can not like someones design or think it's boring, but there is nothing objectively wrong with however someone decides to make a gijinka. Hate white skinny conventionally attractive gijinkas? Cool! Just know it isn't okay to directly or vaguely shit on someone's gijinka for looking like that, because that is called being an asshole!

Again, there are no rules! Just as an example, Candle ii is not canonically or even implied to be black or fat, you can draw her however you want. (Just gonna clarify that I draw her like this so put your pitchforks down) You don't have to conform to the commonly agreed on design, but it's also okay to do that if you want.

And another thing, I often see people complaining about how some artists only draw skinny gijinkas for certain characters when they only draw the same fat body type for every character. Kind of hypocritical if you ask me. Body diversity isn't just not drawing skinny people you know.

Besides, I'm pretty sure everyone just draws their designs with the traits they personally find attractive. I've never seen an exclusively fat body type artist that didn't slobber and thirst over every drawing they make, so, draw what you want, it doesn't matter.

Anyway, whether you love huge fat hairy men or skinny twinks, just know not everyone does or has to. Everyone has their own preferences, so don't go around trying to preach how yours is the superior correct one. When it comes to object gijinkas, NOTHING is superior nor correct because it's all up to each individual's interpretation.

This is art we're talking about here. Do you know what art is guys? It's how people express themSELF. Artists don't draw to appeal to YOU, or your personal preferences. All the art you see on this app isn't made just for you, it's personal work that someone has built up the courage to share with others. If you don't like someones art there's this really cute thing called scrolling! Have you heard of it? Maybe even ignoring it instead of making vague posts about it? There's even this cuter feature called BLOCKING!

Anyway yap sesh over I bet everyone is going to miss the point of this and learn nothing.

.

[pinkcrocss]

Is A-Train "redeemable"?

I have been thinking about this discourse that people have been having, following A-train's actions so far in season 4. And I know we've watched A-train teeter on the edge of good and bad for the last 4 seasons (generally falling to bad more than good). But i think the revelations about Frenchie's character kinda add an interesting spin to this question.

We need to consider how much our personal bias towards the characters we have grown to know (their motivations, their trauma's, their back stories), is impacting moral judgments we pass on other characters across the board.

Atp, every member of the boys has crossed "the line" in terms of black and white morality, but we give them a pass because we are convinced that they are all truly good at heart, and that their cause is just.

However, when you actually break down the actions of said characters, it kind of paints a different picture.

What has A-train done, that we feel he has to atone for? (this is just going off my terrible memory, so forgive me if I miss some things)

He killed Hughie's girlfriend (through negligence)

He killed popclaw (at the behest of homelander)

He's generally pretty arrogant and doesn't care about the horrible actions of his comrades, until it affects him

He killed bluehawk (most people agree that was justified)

Since season 2, Frenchie's past as a hit-man was hinted at (with little Nina explicitly stating that he had also killed children in season 3). It's clear Frenchie never had a particular moral code when he was a hit-man (no women/children type limits). He was simply a hired gun.

We sympathize with Frenchie because we know he had a difficult upbringing with his abusive father, as well as his loyalty to his friends (Cherie and Jay), the boys and especially Kimiko. Him serving as a comic relief often, also adds to this empathy bridge.

But season 4 has actually shown us a glimpse of just how many lives Frenchie has taken in cold blood. A whole room full. Why are we rooting for Frenchie's peace of mind, while debating if A-train is redeemable?

Frenchie has killed more people than Atrain (supe or not) and as far as I know, A-train has never killed a child.

Would it be easier to understand the gravity of Frenchie's crimes if Ryan or MM's daughter was one of his victims? Because his victims are all nameless, we act like his crimes hold less weight.

And then he goes on to start a sexual relationship with one of his victims, while hiding the knowledge that he was perpetrator of his greatest trauma. I think maybe we overlook the sadistic nature of that act because we interpret Frenchie as a "lover at heart", a true romantic that was swayed by his feelings and couldn't help that he had fallen for someone he had wronged. Bruh. When Colin eventually calls Frenchie a psychopath, he's not wrong.

And what about starlight? Her hands aren't clean. Remember the civilian she killed in Season 2? How is that any different from the situation with A-train and Robin? Yeah, it was an accident. In other words, negligence on her part. She needed to save Hughie; but why does Hughie's life matter more than that man. Her and Butcher were trying to carjack him and he had offered to call for help. He had a right to try to defend himself, and that bullet wouldn't have hurt her. That man was a father.

By the logic of why the boys are doing what they do, why we justify their murders of supes who have harmed them and their loved ones; if the child of that man grows up and hunts starlight down, would we need to root for that child to kill her?

Not so different from the shining light girl that keeps trying to kill Kimiko. From what was revealed of their backstory, Kimiko was the one who lured the girl into shining light. That's actually a common tactic of human traffickers, to use their victims (usually women and children) to lure in more victims cuz they seem less threatening. And obviously we can't fully blame Kimiko. She was trapped, brainwashed, and a child trying to protect her younger brother.

However, that girl also has every right to hate her. From her view, her life was forever taken because Kimiko chose not spare her (kinda similar to Gamora and Nebula). When Hughie said to A-train, "everything started with you!" we side with Hughie and we agree. So everytime Kimiko faces against that girl, why are we rooting for Kimiko? Wouldn't kimiko be A-train in that instance?

At this point, the only member of the boys who is still maintaining some Moral code is MM, and it's no coincidence that the show has made him seem pretty useless so far this season.

Btw, this post isn't a defense of A-train nor is it truly an indictment of any of the characters I used as examples. It's just an inconsistency I've noticed with the general fan discourse of who's "good" and who's "bad" on this show. Who is worthy of "forgiveness". Who's "redeemable". Redeemable to whom tho?

P.s. I'm not here to argue. Don't come for me cuz I critiqued your fave. I'm just thinking out loud. Feel free to respond/disagree, but if you're rude I'll just block you.