#debate and content analysis

[airwavesdotblog]

Major Political Shift in Indian General Election, Jeopardizing Modi's Historic Third Term

June 5, 2024 The recent Indian general election has resulted in a significant political shift, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) experiencing major losses. Despite Modi’s claim of victory for a historic third term, the BJP is projected to lose its majority in Parliament, which is considered a substantial setback for the party that was long expected to secure a full…

[brookstolemybrand]

Saw this post and I don't really want to respond to it directly because 1) it's old, 2) it's clearly meant to be funny and not taken overly seriously (and I don't have any actual beef with it to be absolutely clear)

But it did get me thinking

Like firstly yeah it makes sense that Sabo would be the real hoodlum and Ace the more respectable one at heart, just because Ace was never even given a chance to be a Good Kid while Sabo actively chose not to be one

We have no way of knowing what Ace would have been like if he'd been (for example) allowed to grow up peacefully with his biological mum without being persecuted for his biological dad's crimes. He was given no choice except to become a delinquent, that was the only option available to him

Sabo had every chance in the world to grow up to be a respectable and polite gentleman, he was given all the education and training and a status that was apparently high enough to even rise all the way up to royalty (as proven by Sterry), but he didn't want it so he said fuck that and actively chose to become a Bad Kid

So yeah, it makes sense Sabo is the more rebellious one, the one who has less respect for authority, because unlike for Ace, for him this was all a choice

Under different circumstances, maybe Ace would even have become a marine like Garp wanted, who knows. Sabo was never going become a respectable gentleman, much less a king

That said, it's worth noting that it's not like Sabo was doing well at home. He was unloved, he struggled fitting the mould he was expected to fit, he felt trapped. He was driven to lash out just like Ace was, just in a different way. In Sabo's case it was about him not fitting into society because of who he was. Ace wasn't allowed to even try to fit in, because of who his dad was

I don't actually think either of them is the more "responsible" one, though. Because they're both responsible in different ways, they just have different priorities:

Like that post I reblogged earlier talks about Dragon sacrificing his personal relationships for the cause, that's kinda what I think Sabo is doing too, at least to some extent

Here's my take:

Ace is the more responsible one when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but Sabo feels a responsibility for the whole world

I mean he IS still reckless about it but well, so was Ace about his own responsibilities

I get it though, this is more about making the point that Ace is not the rude miscreant of the two and Sabo isn't the polite and peaceful one, Ace just looks like a hoodlum (... which he is, to be fair, he's a pirate) and Sabo like a gentleman (which he also kinda is but only due to an accident of birth) but that doesn't indicate anything about their personalities

Ace is the polite one, and Sabo is the rude one. Ace is friendly and caring despite appearances, and Sabo is kind of vicious and ruthless despite his gentle demeanour. And Ace might be a pirate but when we meet him he's trying to maintain stability and order (among pirates, but still), while Sabo might be a nobleman but when we meet him, he's actively trying to start a revolution to overthrow the government

And Ace is the one who stepped up to take care of Luffy and to look after him, while Sabo fucked off to the sea and joined a rebel militia

I just don't think "responsibility" is the right term for the distinction, I guess? Because as I said, I think Sabo is actually still motivated by a sense of responsibility. I mean that was also why he decided to leave Luffy and Ace in the first place, thinking that him being friends with them was putting them in danger, but I also think he was feeling a more general sense of responsibility as a member of the upper class who caused all this suffering in the first place

I actually wonder if it's a thing with both Sabo and Dragon because one was born a noble and the other is a former marine (and son of a navy hero), that they feel like they have to commit to the cause to make up for their origins?

And Sabo cares about this even to the point where he's willing to sacrifice his own dream of freedom to fight for the freedom of others. This wasn't what he wanted after all: he wanted to be a pirate, just like Luffy and Ace, and he could have chosen to follow that dream when he regained his memories but he didn't, because he decided that the revolution was more important

[starlightandmusings]

what do u think of long term jack and kath in a hypothetical where they can be healthy enough to last

oh jatherine light of my life !!

i'm the first to say that i don't think jack and kath would work out but i love hypotheticals and i love these two. so. jack would have to work through his anger issues / PTSD / learn to use art as a healthy coping mechanism first (rizz if u see this !!) and kath would have to distance herself from her father and learn who she is underneath all the glitter and the showiness.

but if they were able to do that, and if katherine was willing to live well beneath her means, joseph likely having cut her off, (and i don't think jack could rise in rank very easily), and if they were willing to rip up the gossip columns, i could see them rent a little french flat. katherine learns to cook through trial and error, and they eat burned food for the first several months. jack works at the docks and comes home with wet clothes, smelling vaguely of fish and foreign spices, and katherine rubs his sore muscles in the evenings.

they're very young when they marry, not much more than twenty, and before two years are up, katherine is pregnant. i think they eventually have two children, a boy first and then a girl. jack spends far too much money on toys and trinkets for his kids, like baseball cards, marbles, dolls, because he tells katherine that he'll be damned if his kids grow up like he did. jack sees the first teddy bear in michton's brooklyn candy shop, hears about the origins, and rushes home with one in his arms, eager to tell his kids all about how he knew the teddy roosevelt.

[star-anise]

Disclaimer: I like Anita Sarkeesian.

But also, I just saw a writeup of a Youtuber whose content has come a long way from his Gamergate days, and to explain that, the wiki says, "Anita Sarkeesian is a radical feminist who created a webseries about sexist tropes in video games"

AHAHAHAHAHA ANITA SARKEESIAN, RADICAL FEMINIST

HOO HEE EXCUSE ME THAT'S A GOOD ONE

Radical feminist. Feminist extremist. Anita Sarkeesian.

Anita Sarkeesian did her Master's Thesis in Social and Political Thought in 2010 on the trope of the "Strong Woman" in fantasy and science fiction TV shows, and produced Tropes vs Women, a series of online videos breaking down her work in a way that was accessible to a lay audience. She found a ready audience in geek feminist circles, since this was exactly the kind of thing we wanted and needed right then.

Tropes vs Women was extremely bog-standard cultural critique, what you'd find expressed in discussion between scholars of literary theory or media analysis anywhere, and exactly what 99% of feminists were saying at the time. It certainly talked about patriarchy as the complex system of sexism fused into our cultural matrix, so it's not like it wasn't radical feminism from that viewpoint, but it wasn't "radical" by way of being especially militant. Sarkeesian frequently pointed out how individual occurrences of a trope weren't harmful in themselves, but that a media landscape completely saturated with only that trope and nothing but that trope is, in the aggregate, a big feminist issue.

And the internet

HAAAAAAAATED

her for it.

Like, geek feminists got flak a lot anyway, especially when we wanted things like properly enforced policies against sexual harassment at science fiction conventions. And yeah, there totally were toxic keyboard warriors who said stuff about all men being scum - but Sarkeesian wasn't one of them.

It's probably because of her succinct, matter-of-fact, "this is not a debated issue, feminists have decades of theory and research to back this point up, sources abound if you google for thirty seconds so I won't stop to baby you through all the fundamental concepts" approach that she got such a big reach. She was calm, concise, coherent, and rational, everything feminists are told we need to be.

Unfortunately that just made her seem... attackable, I think. A good target, not actually scary or impassioned, unlikely to respond to violence with violence. The perfect kind of person to play five seconds of, and then spend the next five minutes yelling into your mic because IF ANITA IS RIGHT ABOUT VIDEO GAME SEXIST YOU MIGHT AS WELL SAY THAT EVERYTHING IS SEXIST AND SEXISM IS SYSTEMIC AND ENDEMIC TO ALL OF WESTERN CULTURE AND OTHER CULTURES TOO, WHICH IS CLEARLY RIDICULOUS, ANITA LADY BAD.

She literally spent five solid years as Enemy #1 in online geek spaces. It was completely insane. I am so sorry she had to take the brunt of it, and yet grateful that she did. She held the line and took the shit and kept doing good decent feminist work for years after, though she did admit to burnout and closed up shop on her nonprofit org Feminist Frequency in 2023. I hope to hell she's having a good day.

But even now, more than a decade later, dudes talk about her as though she were Geek Feminist Godzilla, the biggest baddest woman in the universe, off to lay waste to downtown Video Games and cut everybody's balls off.

When people (mostly dudes, but not all) talk like this, it's just very funny and unintentionally revealing because of the absolute averageness of her third-wave, trans-inclusive, western-centric, intersectional feminism. It makes them look absolutely pathetic.

Because it just makes it clear that she is probably the first and last self-described feminist the speaker has ever paid attention to.

[gf2bellamy]

hii i absolutely LOVE your writing,, its just so perfect🤭

may i please request a story with spencer realizing he has a crush on reader and so he starts getting nervous and stutter-y around reader. so then reader gets a little upset thinking she did something wrong and they end up talking about what’s happening and it leads to a confession + kiss

thank you!!💖💖

crush — spencer reid

pairing: spencer reid x fem!reader ( no use of y/n ) content warnings: a tiny bit of angst bc reader thinks she did something wrong a/n: hii !! this request is so cute <3 i hope you like this <333

Spencer had it bad. 

Like, really bad. 

It wasn’t even up for debate anymore. He was completely, undeniably, and overwhelmingly crushing on you.

Right now, he was sitting at his desk, staring at you as you leaned casually against it, deep in conversation with Emily at her desk across from his. You were animated, gesturing with your hands as you made a passionate argument. 

“No, look, the movie sucks,” you insisted, pointing a finger at Emily. “You have to read the book. It’s so much better.” 

Emily rolled her eyes but smirked, clearly enjoying the debate. “I don’t know, I think the movie has its moments—” 

“Absolutely not.” You cut her off, shaking your head. “The book has so much more depth. The movie just—” You let out a dramatic sigh, exasperated. “It butchers it.” 

Spencer wasn’t even listening to Emily. He was too busy watching you, completely entranced. 

Two days ago, he’d come to a life-altering realization.  He liked you.  Not in the casual, oh-she’s-nice-to-be-around kind of way. No. This was the heart-racing, brain-melting, can’t-think-straight-when-you-smile-at-him kind of way. 

And it had all started with a cup of coffee. You had placed it in front of him, your fingers brushing his for a fleeting moment as he reached for it. A harmless, everyday interaction, except that it wasn’t harmless. Because then, you had smiled at him. Soft and warm. 

“New tie?” you had asked, tilting your head slightly as you pointed at the green tie he was wearing. 

Spencer had looked down at it, momentarily forgetting how words worked. “Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, I got it yesterday.” 

You had grinned. “Looks good on you. I like it.” 

And then, as if your words hadn’t already short-circuited his brain, you had reached out, just for a second, adjusting the fabric between your fingers before turning away and heading back to your desk. 

That was the moment. The exact second Spencer knew he was doomed. And now, two days later, he was struggling. 

Struggling to focus. Struggling to act normal. Struggling to not stare at you like you were the most fascinating thing in the entire world, which, let’s be honest, you were. 

“Spence.” Your voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he blinked, suddenly hyper-aware of how close you were. You had turned to him now, one hand resting lightly on his arm as you smiled. 

“Tell her the book is better than the movie,” you said, tilting your head toward Emily. “Back me up here.” 

Spencer knew, logically, that he had said those exact words to you a few weeks ago. He agreed with you. He had data, facts, and literary analysis to support the claim. It was an easy argument. 

And yet, he was completely, entirely tongue-tied. 

You were looking at him expectantly, your touch burning through the fabric of his sleeve like a brand. 

“I, uhm, I think—” He swallowed, feeling his face heat up. You frowned slightly, confused by his sudden inability to form a coherent sentence. 

He needed to get it together. “Yes,” he finally forced out, clearing his throat. “Uh, the book is—definitely better. Than the movie.” 

You grinned, triumphant. “See? Told you.” 

Emily just smirked at Spencer, amusement flickering in her eyes. You, then , watched as Spencer quickly withdrew his hand from your touch, avoiding your eyes like it physically pained him to look at you. 

And over the next day, it kept happening. It was subtle at first, small moments that could’ve easily been brushed off as coincidences. But then they started piling up. 

Like when you were working on the geographical profile together. You had been standing close to him, pointing at a section of the map, asking for his input. But instead of responding immediately, Spencer had frozen. Completely. You had glanced up, expecting one of his usual rapid-fire responses. But nothing came. Instead, he stood there, his jaw slightly clenched, his fingers gripping the edge of the table. You had frowned, waiting. 

A long, awkward silence stretched between you until someone else had walked by, snapping him out of it. He mumbled a quick, barely audible response before abruptly walking away. Then there was the night the team went out for drinks. You had slid into a booth at the bar, expecting Spencer to take the seat beside you, like he always did. It was a habit. Something that just was. 

Except this time, he didn’t. 

He sat at the far end of the table, wedging himself between JJ and Rossi, not even acknowledging you. 

That was when the doubts started creeping in. Had you done something wrong? Had you said something to upset him? 

You replayed the past week in your mind, searching for anything that might have caused this shift. But there was nothing. At least, nothing you could think of. Still, it didn’t stop the sinking feeling in your chest every time Spencer avoided your gaze, every time he hesitated before answering you, every time he refused to sit near you. 

And now, back at Quantico, the case closed, reports needing to be filed, you sat at your desk, watching him.  The office was quieter than usual, most of the team had taken the morning off to rest, leaving only you and Spencer to handle the paperwork, just as you always did. Except this time, Spencer wasn’t talking to you. 

He sat across the room, his eyes fixed on his files, his pen moving rapidly across the paper. And still, not once, did he look up at you. Your fingers curled slightly against the report in front of you, a dull ache settling in your chest. 

The silence between you was suffocating. 

Hours passed, the only sounds filling the room were the scratch of pens against paper and the occasional shuffle of files. It was unnatural, terribly unnatural. The two of you were never this quiet around each other. Spencer wanted to talk to you. He always wanted to talk to you. But every time he opened his mouth, he managed to embarrass himself.

So, he just stopped trying. 

And then there was the other problem, his newfound hyper-awareness of you.  Every touch, no matter how small, felt like an electric current running through his skin. Like when the two of you were sitting in the back of the SUV on the way back from a case, and your knee had accidentally brushed against his. It had been nothing to you, a completely normal, casual thing. But to him? To him, it had set his entire body on fire. Or when you touched his arm , casually, the way you always did, except now, it wasn’t just casual to him. Now, it was overwhelming. Too much. 

So he did what he thought was best, he avoided it. Avoided you. 

It was time to leave, and coincidentally, both of you started packing your bags at the same time. 

Somehow, despite everything, you still moved in sync. 

It was a habit at this point. You always left work together, falling into step beside one another like second nature. Some nights, you’d end up at the movies, where Spencer would hesitantly share his food with you. Something he never did with anyone else. Not with his germophobia. Not even with the team. But with you it had never been a problem. 

Other nights, you’d wind up at his apartment, curled up on his couch, just hanging out. Just you and him. And in hindsight, Spencer supposed he should’ve seen this coming. 

Should’ve realized that whatever this was, whatever you were to him, wasn’t just friendship. 

Maybe he’d been crushing on you all along. 

The two of you walked to the elevator, the air thick with awkwardness. You exchanged shy smiles, unsure of what to say or do. Finally, you both spoke at the same time. 

"Are you okay?" The words tumbled out of your mouths in perfect unison, and for a moment, you both froze, staring at each other. Then you both chuckled awkwardly, the sound breaking the tension, just for a second. 

“Go ahead,” Spencer nodded at you, pressing the button to call the elevator.  

“You—just... I feel like I haven’t talked to you properly in ages,” you admitted, a nervous laugh escaping as you fiddled with the strap of your bag. 

Spencer looked away quickly, a guilty blush creeping up his neck. Oh god, why couldn’t he just act normal around you? 

“Did I do something wrong?” You blurted out, suddenly worried. "Because I—I’m not entirely sure what it was, but you haven’t been looking at me, or talking to me, and I’m just—” 

Before you could ramble on any longer, Spencer cut you off. His voice was a little too loud, too eager. 

“No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong!” He shook his head quickly, almost desperately. His wide eyes met yours, and there was a softness in them. “I promise.” 

The elevator doors slid open, and the two of you stepped inside. You pressed the button to the ground floor, still watching him, trying to make sense of everything. 

“So, what is it then?” you asked, your voice more hesitant now, as the elevator began its descent. 

Spencer bit his lip, his fingers nervously tapping against the strap of his bag. What was he supposed to say? That he had a huge crush on you, but he couldn’t even stand to be near you without fumbling through his words and avoiding your gaze? It sounded so stupid when he thought about it. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, staring at the doors in front of him as the elevator descended slowly. His mouth opened, but no words came out. 

“See? That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” you pointed at him, a hint of teasing in your voice, but the concern still lingered. “You’re acting like this because something’s going on, and I’m just—I don’t know what it is.” 

Spencer’s heart raced.

The doors finally opened, and you both headed towards the exit , where you stepped out into the chilly night air. You instinctively pulled your jacket tighter around yourself, waiting for him to speak. Spencer hesitated again. His mind was spinning.

“No, I swear it’s not you,” Spencer muttered, tugging on the strap of his satchel, trying to buy himself some time. “It’s just I—I…” 

You waited, eyes fixed on him, your breath fogging in the cold air. You were getting impatient, and the more time passed, the more you started to worry that whatever had been going on was something you had no control over. Something that was maybe your fault.  You were now standing by your car, watching him. Spencer looked torn, his fingers gripping the strap of his satchel tightly, his body tense like he was debating whether to run or stay. His lips parted slightly, and then, as if he couldn’t hold it in anymore, the words tumbled out. 

“I like you.” His voice was quiet.

For a moment, you just stared at him, confusion flickering across your face. 

“I… didn’t realize you disliked me until now?” You frowned slightly, your voice uncertain, trying to make sense of what he was saying. 

Spencer’s eyes widened in panic. “Wait—no!” He rushed to correct himself, shaking his head frantically. “That’s not what I meant—I didn’t mean that.” 

His breath came out in a nervous puff of air, his cheeks burning red as he struggled to find the right words. 

“I mean—I like you. Like, like like you.” His voice dropped to a mumble, the last part barely above a whisper. “Like, I have a crush on you.” 

He swallowed hard, his heart hammering in his chest as he finally said it. And then, silence. His eyes darted to you hesitantly, searching your face for a reaction, his stomach twisting with anticipation. 

You stood frozen. Did he just say what you think he said? 

“I… what?” you blinked, your breath hitching. 

Spencer’s face was already bright red, his hands fidgeting nervously at his sides. He looked like he wanted to disappear into the pavement, like he regretted saying anything at all. His voice had been so quiet at the end, barely above a whisper, but you heard him. 

He liked you. Like liked you. 

“I have a crush on you,” he repeated, this time slightly louder, but his voice was still laced with hesitation. His eyes flickered between yours and the ground, as if he was trying to gauge your reaction but couldn’t bear to look for too long. “That’s… that’s why I’ve been acting so weird.” 

A rush of emotions hit you all at once. You let out a small breathy laugh, shaking your head in disbelief. “Spencer, you’ve been avoiding me for days because you have a crush on me?” 

He winced slightly. “Yes?” 

A smile tugged at your lips. The pieces started falling into place, the nervous stammering, the awkward silences, the way he’d flinched at even the smallest touches. You had spent the entire week wondering if you’d somehow upset him when, in reality, he was just flustered. 

Over you. 

It was almost funny. No, it was funny. 

Spencer watched you carefully, his anxiety spiking at your silence. He had just spilled his feelings to you in the most awkward way possible, and now you were just standing there, staring at him with this unreadable look. He braced himself for rejection, for you to awkwardly brush it off, for you to tell him that you didn’t feel the same way.

Instead, you smiled. And then you laughed. 

Spencer blinked. “Are you—are you laughing at me?” He sounded both confused and slightly horrified. 

You quickly shook your head, even though you were still grinning. “No! No, I swear, I’m not laughing at you.” You bit your lip to stifle another giggle, but it wasn’t working. “It’s just—you’ve been torturing yourself over this ?” 

Spencer huffed, looking away. “I wouldn’t call it torture—” 

“You literally stopped making eye contact with me.” 

“That’s—okay, that’s fair.” He sighed. “I just… I didn’t know how to act. Every time I tried to talk to you, I ended up embarrassing myself, and I figured it would be easier if I just… didn’t.” 

You softened at that. 

“Spence,” you said gently, reaching for his hand before he could overthink it. The second your fingers brushed his, you felt him stiffen. But he didn’t pull away. “You know you could’ve just told me, right?” 

He let out a breath, finally meeting your eyes. “I was afraid that if I told you… things would change.” 

You squeezed his hand lightly, feeling a rush of fondness for him. His brain was the most brilliant one you’d ever known, but sometimes he made things so complicated. 

“Well, things are going to change,” you admitted, watching his expression closely. 

His heart stuttered. “Oh.” A flicker of panic flashed across his face, and you quickly squeezed his hand again before he spiraled. 

“Not in a bad way,” you reassured him, stepping a little closer. You tilted your head, smiling softly. “I like you too, Spencer.” 

Spencer’s breath caught. “You…?” 

“Mhm.” 

He blinked rapidly, like he was trying to process your words, as if he hadn’t even considered the possibility that you might feel the same way. 

And then, oh. 

Oh. 

His entire body relaxed, the tension melting from his shoulders. He let out a breathy laugh, running his free hand through his hair as he shook his head. You smiled as you leaned back against your car, watching the relief wash over Spencer. He stared at you, his eyes flickering between your own and your lips, and you could practically see the thoughts racing through his mind.

Spencer swallowed, his hands fidgeting at his sides. And then, as if the rush of confidence from his confession hadn’t completely worn off yet, he asked, “Can—can I kiss you?” 

Your stomach flipped at his words, your smile widening. “Thought you’d never ask.” 

Spencer exhaled something that sounded like half a laugh, half a breath of relief, before you reached for him, your fingers curling gently around the fabric of his cardigan as you tugged him toward you.He let out a shaky breath, his hands hovering for only a second before settling on your cheeks. His fingers were warm despite the cold air. His thumbs brushed your cheeks, and for a second, he just looked at you, like he wanted to take his time, like he wanted to remember everything about this moment before it even happened.

Then, finally, he leaned in. 

The first touch of his lips was soft, as if he was giving you a chance to pull away. But when you didn’t, when you kissed him back just as eagerly, he let himself relax. His hands cupped your face more firmly, his body leaning just slightly into yours. You sighed against him, your hands sliding up to rest against his shoulders, your fingers gently threading into the curls at the nape of his neck. That was all it took. You felt him shiver slightly under your touch, a quiet hum of contentment vibrating in his chest.When you finally pulled away for air, your foreheads rested together, both of you breathless but smiling.

Spencer opened his eyes, his pupils slightly blown, a soft, dazed smile tugging at his lips.

“I can’t believe that just happened,” he murmured.

You chuckled, your hands still resting against his neck. “You really thought I didn’t like you back?”

He huffed out a small laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

You brushed your thumb along his cheek, tilting your head playfully. “Well, you should’ve. Because I really like you, Spencer.”

His smile widened, something utterly adorable in the way his entire face lit up at your words.

“I like you too,” he said again, as if he still couldn’t believe he was allowed to say it out loud.

You grinned. “Yeah, I think I got that part.”

[slavdollz4mangione]

luigi supporting you making content on tiktok hc 💌:

shoutout to the anon who got my vision, this one’s for you! <33 as you can probably tell, i went HAM on this one 😭

- luigi hates tiktok. he finds it overwhelming, chaotic, and way too fast-paced for his taste. he’s more of a ‘read a book in silence’ kind of guy, so the idea of endless scrolling and loud trends just doesn’t appeal to him.

- that said, when you tell him you’ve started a tiktok account to talk about your favorite things—books, philosophy, movies, debates on different topics, and even your hot takes on agriculture and politics? he’s immediately intrigued.

- he loves how passionate and articulate you are, and he can’t help but admire the way your mind works.

- despite his dislike for the app, he downloads it just to follow you. he tells himself it’s to “support you,” but deep down, he’s genuinely curious about what you’ll share.

- your videos are nothing like the content he expected. you’re not doing dances or trends, you’re just yapping lol. you talk about your favorite substack articles, analyze the themes of your latest read, rant about why tea is superior to coffee (or vice versa), and even dive into deep topics like religion and politics. safe to say, luigi is hooked.

- he becomes your biggest hype man. every time you post he’s there in the comments, leaving thoughtful responses. if you talk about a book he’s read, he’ll add his own analysis. if you delve into a philosophical concept, he’ll write paragraphs agreeing with you or gently challenging your perspective. his comments are often longer than your videos, and it becomes a running joke between the two of you.

- sometimes, you catch him in the background of your vlogs, quietly sipping tea or reading a book. he’s always smiling softly as you rant about whatever’s on your mind, completely enamored by your passion and intellect.

- one day, while filming a tiktok about your favorite philosophy book, lu chimes in from the background. you’re mid-sentence, explaining why you love the author’s take on existentialism, when he casually interjects:
“but don’t you think their view on free will is a little too optimistic?”
you pause, turn to him, and immediately launch into a spirited debate. the camera keeps rolling, and your followers lose it over the unexpected cameo.

- after that, it becomes a recurring thing. your followers start noticing that the same soft-spoken voice in the background that’s always adding thoughtful commentary or playfully challenging your takes, is the same person leaving those long comments under every video.

- comments start flooding in like:
“wait, is the guy in the background the same guy who writes essays in the comments???”
“luigi_from_fiji in the comments vs. luigi in the background is the best character arc of 2024.”
“the way he just casually drops the most profound takes while she’s filming… i can’t. they’re adorable.”

- one of your most popular tiktoks is a video where you’re talking about your favorite coffee shops, and ofc luigi interjects in the background:
“but tea is clearly superior. it’s more versatile, and you can’t deny the cultural history behind it.”
you stop mid-sentence, turn to him, and say, “oh, we’re doing this again?” before launching into a full-blown debate about coffee vs. tea. the video ends with both of you laughing, and your followers absolutely melt.

- one day, you decide to make a video about one of your favorite authors, fyodor dostoyevsky (self indulgent sorry). you’re gushing about how crime and punishment explores the psychology of guilt and redemption but halfway through your analysis, lu, who’s been quietly listening in the background, can’t help but chime in:
“but baby don’t you think raskolnikov’s redemption arc feels a little rushed? i mean, after everything he did, the ending almost feels… too neat.”
you turn to him, eyes lighting up, and say, “okay, first of all nicholas, how dare you,” before diving into a passionate defense of dostoyevsky’s writing. the two of you end up in a full-blown literary debate, with lu arguing that notes from underground is the better psychological study, while you insist that crime and punishment is the masterpiece.

- your followers go wild for the video with comments pouring in like: “luigi coming in with the hot takes on dostoyevsky?? i’m obsessed.”
“the way she said ‘how dare you’ and then immediately launched into a 10-minute rant… mood.”
“luigi’s face when she starts defending raskolnikov is priceless. he’s so whipped.”

- another time, you’re talking about white nights and how the dreamer’s idealism and loneliness resonate with you. lu, who’s been quietly reading in the corner, looks up and says softly:
“i think the dreamer’s problem is that he’s too afraid to live in the real world. he’d rather stay in his fantasies than risk getting hurt.”
you’d pause, tilt your head, and reply, “but isn’t that what makes him so human? he’s flawed, but he’s real.”

- lu smiles at you, his eyes soft, and says, “i guess i can’t argue with that.”

-the moment is so tender that your followers immediately start spamming the comments with:
“THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER??? I’M CRYING.”
“luigi’s a simp for intellectual debates and i’m here for it.”
“this is the most romantic thing i’ve ever seen.”

- luigi secretly starts to enjoy tiktok but only because of you. he’d do anything to support you, even if it means spending hours on an app he claims to dislike.

[a-d-nox]

when will friends come forward in your life according to the 11h

while i was on my break i read tuesdays with morrie - anyone who has read this book knows morrie was surrounded by friends when he was diagnosed with ALS and was set to die. and that got me thinking... what was that man's 11h like? his 11h ruler could be in the 8h or maybe the 8h ruler is in the 11h? maybe pluto is in his 11h? so here is my observation of when/where your friends appear most in your life according to the 11h.

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11h capricorn (10°, 22°)

networking events, long-term projects that require teamwork, mentorship programs (either you as a mentor or mentee), when taking a professional certification course, teaching/speaking in an academic or business setting, joining a professional association or an alumni network, etc.

11h aquarius (12°, 24°)

engaging in online forums, social media groups, digital networking, streaming, gaming, participating in virtual meetups, attending protests, humanitarian efforts, human rights organizations, getting involved in astrology/metaphysics/esoteric studies, just clicking instantly after a chance meeting, etc.

11h neptune

concerts, poetry readings, art galleries, joining creative communities (band, theater, or writing clubs), yoga classes, meeting people through metaphysical studies (astrology, tarot, dream analysis, etc), when volunteering, meeting through support groups or a therapeutic space, etc.

11h ruler in the 3h

school, college, study groups, book clubs, debate, writing workshops, seminars, forums, blogs, neighbors, coffee shops, bookstores, community events, public transportation encounters, etc.

have ideas for new content? please use my “suggest a post topic” button!

return to nox's guide to metaphysics

return to the masterlist of natal observations

© a-d-nox 2025 all rights reserved

[musicalmoritz]

Do you have any bsd hot takes or any popular ships you don’t like

Oooooooh I love this question!! BSD hot takes are my specialty so I’m just gonna rapid fire some with zero elaboration

• Saying that Dazai hasn’t changed is a fundamental misunderstanding of his character, as well as the major themes of the manga. This shouldn’t even be a subject that’s up for debate

• As for ships, I temporarily really disliked Soukoku but it’s grown on me again. I think my most controversial shipping takes would be that I really dislike FukuMori and Atsulucy

• I wish people talked about the Hunting Dogs more!! Like their actual characters, not just simping or ships (not that there’s anything wrong with those things ofc). Jouno specifically is soooooooo interesting to me

• Dazai being suicidal is another subject that shouldn’t be up for debate. Saying he’s not because “his attempts always fail” or “he wants to live” is a horrific misunderstanding of how suicide ideation works

• The reason Atsushi doesn’t feel like the protagonist is because most of the light novel content focuses on the supporting cast, which then gets integrated into the show and gives Dazai more screen time. Reading the manga by itself, Atsushi actually has quite a bit of screen time and development. There are also two light novels focused on him so like,,,yeah

• I’m sorry but it will always be WEIRD to me how many fans switched up on Mori when Yosano’s backstory got animated. It’s fine to like him ofc but why are ppl allergic to focusing on the female characters

• The plot is very straightforward ya’ll it’s like one of the most basic plot structures of all time. Stop acting like it’s impossible to comprehend

• It’s also WEIRD to me how so many fans deny Higuchi being abused by Akutagawa. We see him hit and berate her multiple times, these are textbook examples of abuse. Especially within a professional relationship like theirs that has a power imbalance…again, no idea why this is even a debate

• Look personally. PERSONALLY. I do think Mori is intended to be a pedo. I know a lot of people probably just rolled their eyes so I want to clarify that I have read every analysis you’re about to recommend me that says otherwise. I see that perspective, however it really seems to me that people are doing mental gymnastics to deny the obvious. Again this is just my interpretation so pls lower your guns

• I fucking love Fukuchi he’s one of my favorite antagonists

• Nikolai is queercoded

• I so desperately wish we got more focus on Gin. What we have on her is already so compelling and I would love for Asagiri to flesh her out more

• “Dazai leaving the mafia was a good thing that ultimately saved his life” and “It is rational that Chuuya would be upset over his partner abandoning him with no explanation” are two sentiments that can and should coexist

• Not really a hot take but the Buraiha Trio is my favorite dynamic in the series. I need an entire spin off that’s just them meeting up at Bar Lupin except nothing bad ever happens

• Oda’s death scene is one of the most impactful moments from anything I’ve ever watched or read. It genuinely changed my outlook on life

• And on that note, The Dark Era is my favorite thing to come out of BSD

• It shouldn’t be controversial to say that Dazai was abused by Mori. Not physical or sexual like a lot of fans suggest but child endangerment and manipulation are definitely at play here. Mori’s actions in the Dark Era should be considered an act of abuse on their own

• I don’t care much for The Guild as a whole but the individual characters are super compelling!! Fitzgerald’s comeback is one of my favorite parts of the series and I absolutely adore Louisa, Lucy, Poe, Margaret, and Mark. I hate Nathaniel tho

• I do believe that Ranpo is autistic coded due to Untold Origins, however a lot of fans get very stereotypical and weird with that headcanon. I don’t see that as often now as I used to but it’s still a thing to some degree

• Most fans only look at half of Dazai and Akutagawa’s arc together and completely ignore how it was pointed out to us that Dazai is trying to show Aku the light and make him stronger by pairing him up with Atsushi. He hasn’t stopped training him, he’s just doing so from a distance now because he’s aware he caused Aku a lot of trauma. Not saying their dynamic is entirely positive, but it has changed. There was a whole chapter to point this out!! But people exclusively look at every scene with them through a negative light and it leads to the fandom undermining the development we see from both of them

• Oh and btw, Akutagawa and Atsushi’s partnership is amazing. I’m a big AtsuAku shipper but setting romance aside completely, I love seeing their characters interact. Their banter is so funny and omg the mutual respect between them??? The parallels between their arcs??? The way they help each other grow??? Absolutely fantastic, Asagiri ate with that. I must confess I like them way more then Dazai and Chuuya as a duo

• All these male partnership duos and not a single one for the women, c’mon Asagiri😔 Give us a toxic lesbian pair (I would say Higugin but technically Gin’s partner is Tachihara so they don’t count)

• Kyouka is easily the most underrated character in the series. She’s incredibly well-written and, not to mention, one of the main characters. We see her more than Chuuya and Poe but do people talk about her more than Chuuya and Poe??? No, my baby gets ignored. Sad times we’re living in

• I do believe in the whole “abuse cycle/web” concept, however there is also a healing cycle that is far more important to the story and I hate seeing fans overlook that

• Dazai’s talk with Kyouka at the end of The Guild arc is one of my absolute favorite scenes from the manga and I wish people talked about it more

• Fans joke a lot about Atsushi calling Dazai a good person but I do genuinely believe Asagiri wants us to think of him that way. He is morally gray for sure, but currently he is dedicating his life to saving others, therefore most people in-universe would consider him good. His past actions don’t matter to the every day people he saves on a daily basis. Imo this line was an attempt to challenge what we generally consider to be a “good” person

• To elaborate on that, it directly parallels the scene at the beginning of Dead Apple where Atsushi points out that Dazai is visiting a grave. “Do I look like someone visiting a grave to you?” “Yeah, you do” / “Do I look like a good person to you?” “Yeah, you do.” Atsushi was right the first time, so I believe he was intended to be right the second was well. Why else call back to it???

• Tbh it is objectively hilarious that Dazai doubts himself being a good person directly after saving the city. I understand why but like…sir, cut yourself some slack

• I think the fanon family dynamics are super cute but people should be able to acknowledge that a lot of them aren’t canon (besides, like, Fukuzawa and Ranpo or Bram and Aya). Ranpo and Yosano’s canon relationship is best friends, you can absolutely view them as siblings but don’t treat it like a canon fact

• Yk that post that said “Who the hell gets into bsd and looks for a healthy ship?? Take your sensitive ass back to Haikyuu” ? Yeah. I second that

• As an OCD-er myself I am TIRED of people calling Kunikida OCD. Yes I’ve written him that way before but it’s another thing that people treat as canon which it just…no, that’s not what OCD looks like😭 I could see OCPD or autism tho

• Yes, Kouyou abused Kyouka. Yes, Kouyou cares very deeply about Kyouka. Both of these statements can coexist. Every decision Kouyou makes is motivated by what would be best for Kyouka and if you don’t get that then you won’t understand her character very well

• I want to see Dazai and Kenji interact. Asagiri please

• Since I mentioned Kenji I wanna point out smth very weird I’ve noticed where, when people bring up healthy bsd ships, they tend to only mention the straight ones??? Even if it’s a mischaracterization or the characters have never interacted. It gives me a very weird vibe

• I think Tecchou and Jouno should kiss each other

• Fyodor is probably my favorite antagonist, the chapter with him and Ace is one of my favorites. He’s a good parallel for Dazai and I just love his whole aesthetic. I love the Decay of Angels as a whole, all of them. I’ll also note that his fans seem to understand the manga very well so shoutout Fyodor fans

• Tachihara has an amazing character arc and I hate that the anime cut it out

• Higuchi is so…ugh I love her to death. Her character is the perfect mix of comic relief and tragedy. I once saw someone point out that it’s nice how Asagiri is able to use her for humor without making the jokes misogynistic and I fully agree (although I do have some qualms abt Aku hitting her being used as a joke in that one bonus page). And her finding her place in the mafia, realizing how important she is to the people who work for her???? I adore her, I hope she gets a satisfying ending

• Higugin has so much potential to be explored in fanon and I hate how they always get reduced to the token fluffy wlw ship or how some ppl only like them for the aesthetic. Give me angst!!! Give me toxic doomed yuri!!! Or give me death!!!

• I really like Fukuzawa’s backstory and want to see more of it

• I’ve seen a lot of interesting headcanons for Dazai’s mental health status, and a lot of them feel realistic, but personally I think he’s very obviously intended to have MDD. Nothing wrong with other headcanons ofc, I’ve written him many different ways, but I think since a lot of people downplay the severity of depression, they overlook that option when trying to psychoanalyze severely mentally ill characters

• The light novels have some of the best bsd content and more fans should read them

• I don’t like the “all lesbians love Chuuya” jokes because I am a lesbian and I’m not down bad for him. Do I love him?? Yes. But not in a simp way. He’s more like my gay brother

• Speaking of which- I do really like the gay hc for Chuuya and the bi hc for Dazai but I wish fans weren’t so afraid to step out of the established box!! Nothing is fully confirmed guys, we can headcanon them as whatever we want. Let’s get creative with it

• I wish more fans humanized Yosano the way they do with the male characters. We see from her backstory how much being out on a pedestal hurt her and so it just seems weird that she’s upheld as this flawless girlboss. Yes, she’s a totally badass and a hottie and I love that but there is so much more to her. She has her weak moments just like every other character, and she has such an incredible arc

• On that note I hope everybody who told me Mori is more interesting than her dies in a fire (I’m joking) (ik how Mori fans like to tussle)

• I happen to really like both the Tanizaki siblings. Actually that’s a lie I used to hate Junichirou. I can’t remember why, I think I just found him annoying. No idea what my current opinion is but now I feel kinda bad for hating him so I’ll say I like him now

• Idk why ppl get so pissed when you suggest that Dazai self-harms like. Okay fine ik it’s not fully confirmed that that’s what the bandages are for. But let’s use our brains for a second…

• Ango did nothing wrong

I could go on but this is already absurdly long (edit: cannot believe that autocorrected to wrong, I have never been wrong about anything in my life) so I’m gonna end it on that doorknob confession. I miss my bsd hyperfixation sometimes, the TikTok fandom got on my nerves but it truly is one of my favorite series ever. And not JUST because of Dazai, clearly I have a lot of thoughts on everything about it lol

[mywitchyblog]

Masterlist :

Greetings, fellow shifters and curious minds!

As my blog continues to grow and expand, I've recognized the pressing need for a comprehensive master list to help navigate the wealth of information I've shared as of know and that i'm planning on posting in the future. This list will serve as your guide through the various topics and discussions I've explored in the realm of reality shifting.Those that do not have a hyperlink are those under works that will be soon published.

My tarot Services :

Controversial Topics: In this section, you'll find links to in-depth essays I've crafted addressing some of the most debated and sensitive subjects within the Reality Shifting community. These pieces aim to provide balanced, thoughtful perspectives on complex issues.

Age Changing: An exploration of the ethical considerations and personal growth aspects of altering one's age in Desired Realities (DRs).

Race Changing: A nuanced discussion on the practice of shifting into different racial identities, examining both the potential for increased empathy and the concerns of cultural appropriation.

Permashifting and Respawning: An analysis of these advanced shifting concepts, including their implications, potential benefits, and associated risks.

The Ethical and Psychological Implications of Murder in Reality Shifting : This article examines the ethical and psychological concerns of committing murder within shifted realities, drawing on discussions about the moral ramifications and potential mental health impacts, as explored in shifting communities like on Tumblr.

Educational Content : This section offers insightful articles and guides on Reality Shifting, designed to deepen your understanding and improve your practice.

The Importance of Spiritual Hygiene : Learn essential spiritual hygiene practices for Reality Shifting, including protection techniques and energy cleansing, to ensure your well-being during and after shifts.

How ShiftTok Destroyed the Reality Shifting Community : Explore how platforms like TikTok have spread misinformation, fostered toxic behaviors, and diluted authentic Reality Shifting practices, impacting the community negatively.

How Awareness Works in Reality Shifting : Discover the role of consciousness in Reality Shifting, including theories on awareness, the balance between conscious and subconscious minds, and techniques to enhance your shifting experience.

Why Having Multiple Significant Others in Different Realities Isn’t Cheating : This piece discusses the nature of relationships across different realities, arguing that having multiple significant others in various shifted realities challenges traditional views on fidelity.

Fetishization in Reality Shifting: A Critical Examination of Age and Race Changing A critical look at the ethical concerns of changing age and race in shifted realities, highlighting the dangers of fetishization and the need for culturally sensitive practices.

Shiftcraft: Here you'll discover a collection of witchcraft practices specifically tailored to complement and enhance your shifting journey. This includes:

Shifting-oriented spells and rituals

Crystal and herb recommendations for shifting

Moon phase and astrological timing for optimal shifting experiences

Meditation and visualization techniques to boost shifting abilities

Interview with Hekate about Reality Shfting

Interview with Hekate about Reality Shifting part 2

Each of these categories contains multiple articles, essays, and guides. Feel free to explore the topics that resonate with you, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or suggestions for future content.

You can find my upcoming posts Here :

Remember, this master list will be regularly updated as new content is added. Happy shifting, and may your journeys across realities be enlightening and transformative!

[bwat5-blog]

Just a little rant- nothing important

Got asked why I frequently make a point to clarify my issue is not with “liking certain characters or plot-lines or not” but I seem to hammer certain points routinely. I mean this with no hate or meanness intended. It’s because they are wrong. And I don’t mean wrong for not a liking a character, their story or their actions. I mean wrong because almost never do I see it backed up with any substance at all. The points are twisted, exaggerated, or just plain lies. And its to the point I genuinely can’t tell if some of these people are joking or not because they are so completely off the ledge with their stances and reasoning.

I am a well documented fan of Caitlyn Kiramman. I have written a lot about her arc and not been shy in defending her. I can maybe count on one hand the amount of times anyone has responded in opposition to my stance with any basis at all.

If I write a post about The Grey and you respond with:

“I read your analysis and disagree. I understand Amanda Overton confirmed the strikes were targeted to a pin-point, but with a gas based weapon there is no way to completely control exposure no matter how careful they are”.

That I would love to discuss. This however?

“How are you defending that war criminal bitch who just gassed the entire under-city killing women and children all for her revenge because she lost a single family member?!”

1. Not a war crime by any definition.

2. She didn’t gas the entire under city.

3. Absolutely no evidence of it being lethal after a short exposure.

4. That does not even begin to cover the list of events that drove Caitlyn to where she is now.

This all sounds very pretentious and I apologize for that. But honest debate and discussion over the content and how it relates to us and word is worth discussing respectfully. A loud attacking statement composed of mostly fan-fiction is not.

Here have a happy Jinx for putting up with my rambling

[sansa286]

F&B Propaganda: Paternity Disputes (or Lack Thereof)

Something that's always confused me when reading Fire & Blood is why some characters have their paternity placed under scrutiny due to a lack of resemblance to one parent, while others are given a pass. These are some thoughts and analysis I had on the subject.

So, we all know F&B is a pseudo-history book written from a plethora of unreliable pseudo-sources, some of whom very well may be telling the truth, other's who are fibbing a bit (or a lot), and the rest that told flat-out lies and regurgitated gossip. Therefore, certain inconsistencies, like paternity debates, are not showing that GRRM is an inconsistent writer, but rather him pointing out the blatant favoritism and narrative spinning that happens when history is written. Simply put: unless/until we get the events of F&B written in an ASOIAF style multi-POV structure, most of the stuff in F&B is meant to be taken with a grain of salt, some grains bigger than others. For example: Visenya being "jealous" of Rhaenys over Aegon preferring her romantically is clearly out-of-character, but treated as legit because Visenya is not a well-liked person in the grand-scheme of Westerosi history and culture. Therefore, painting her as envious is a way to spin her as "bitter" and "unlikable," when she more than likely just had a lot of ambition, and/or did what she thought was right for the Targaryen cause (flawed those actions may be).

We all know Rhaenyra was the subject of side-eyes over her three eldest sons, Jacaerys Velaryon, Lucerys Velaryon, and Joffrey Velaryon, who are officially recorded as sons of Laenor Velaryon; however, it's widely believed (and canon in the show) that they are biologically the sons of Harwin Strong, who Rhaenyra had an affair with because Laenor was gay and their attempts to conceive children were not successful. The reason in-universe people believed (both in the books and the show) that they were Harwin's is due to their dark hair and eyes (Harwin has green eyes in the show, but in the books it's inferred that they're brown like the Velaryon boys'.)

However, the Velaryon boys are not the only ones who don't share the same coloring as their parents (or the parents on paper). There are actually two others that come before them in the Targaryen bloodline that share that in common, however their paternity is never called into question. They are Alysanne and her daughter, Alyssa.

Biblically accurate Alysanne Targaryen. "Her eyes were blue rather than purple, her hair a mass of honey-colored curls." - Fire & Blood (pg. 131, ch. "The Year of the Three Brides")

Alysanne is the fifthborn child and secondborn daughter of Aenys Targaryen and Alyssa Velaryon. Her older siblings were Aegon, Rhaena, Viserys, Jaehaerys (who she married), and Vaella (passed away in the crib). All of Aenys and Alyssa's children are inferred to have had stereotypically Valyrian features (silver hair and purple eyes); Rhaena is the only one we get a full description of outside of Jaehaerys and Alysanne, but if the others didn't look Valyrian, it definitely would've been noted in the book. Aenys and Alyssa are noted for both having Valyrian features (par. 3 here & F&B p. 127; Aenys weirdly enough never gets hair color mention, but if it were anything other than silver we'd know, but we'll get to Aenys in a minute). We're told explicitly Alysanne has a head full of honey colored curls and blue eyes. But this is never brought up as a point of contention or placed her paternity up for debate. It's just assumed that it's due to her maternal grandmother, Alarra Massey, being an Andal woman.

However, this assumption is never mentioned in F&B. Her features are just mentioned and that was it. The theory laid-out by fans is that her hair and eyes come from her grandmother, however, Alarra's looks are never detailed in F&B. We only know that she was considered very beautiful (p. 127); and there are plenty of people of Andal descent who do not have blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Her [Alyssa Targaryen] hair was a dirty blonde tangle with no hint of silver to evoke the dragonlords of old, and she had been born with mismatched eyes, one violet, the other a startling green." - Fire & Blood (pg. 287, ch. "The Long Reign-Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain")

Which brings me to her daughter, Alyssa Targaryen, who was also noted for having non-traditional Valyrian features (dirty blonde hair, green and purple heterochromia eyes). But Alyssa's paternity is also never brought up as possibly being anything other than what was recorded at her birth. (As for the show, Daemon's perspective on his mother is warped due to being knee-deep in the Targaryen sauce, so that's why I think his mother doesn't look like what she's supposed to in the show. If they ever do an adaptation of Jaehaerys' reign, I hope they don't throw a silver wig on her, but given what they did to Rhaenys who tf knows?) Interestingly, Alyssa is also described as long-faced, which is a trait associated with the Starks, and Alysanne was noted for being close to...Alaric Stark (I'll spare you that theory though.)

This is all fascinating with the knowledge of the dance being in the exact same book, because Rhaenyra has three dark haired and dark eyed boys and there's all of this speculation. Some may assume it's because both Rhaenyra and Laenor have silver hair and purple eyes, but so did Alysanne's parents, Aenys and Alyssa V. And like their great-great grandmother, Alysanne (if we're to believe she simply looks like her grandmother), Jace, Luke, and Joff also have a grandmother with non-Valyrian looks in Rhaenys, who in F&B had dark hair. There is no report of catching Rhaenyra and Harwin screwing around, jut observing the differences in looks of her children and Laenor. Surely, if we're to never assume that Alysanne is not a bastard because her grandmother (may have) had the same features/genes that simply skipped a generation, we could also do the same for them?

Sidebar: I am not saying that Alysanne is secretly a bastard or that the Velaryon boys' actually are trueborn, just that the reasons for this assumption are silly. If one kid is going to have their paternity scrutinized for not resembling their parents coloring-wise, then all kids who fall in that category should. That being said it is important to point out that it's not IMPOSSIBLE for Alysanne and the boys being/ not being a bastard to be true. It's been pointed out for years by the fandom that the people in ASOIAF don't understand genetics. The only reason Ned had a leg to stand on is because Cersei straight-up admitted to sleeping with Jaime, and letting him father her kids. Had Ned realistically went to Robert without Cersei's admission, and said that her children are not his because they have blonde hair and green eyes, he would be laughed at because a child resembling their mother and not their father is common. And on the off-chance that he does get some traction with it, well, not enough people would believe him, and Tywin would make a bigger example out of House Stark than he already has.

But again, secret-bastardy/secret-trueborness is not the point I'm trying to make. And if Alysanne were really a secret bastard, then, honestly, more power to her. She'd only become more iconic in my eyes.

So this begs the question: why are some people not speculated on for not resembling one or both parents coloring-wise while others aren't? It brings me back to the introduction: F&B is propaganda and certain pseudo-historical figures need to be portrayed in a certain light in order for the story they want to tell to be successful. This goes doubly-so for those that were close to Jaehaerys, and in this case: his mom (Alyssa V), his wife (Alysanne), and his daughter (Alyssa T).

Jaehaerys is considered the peak of the Targaryen dynasty and well liked by the establishment in Westeros (the Citadel, the Faith, various lords and ladies of the major houses). He is the Great Conciliator. Therefore, certain "creative liberties" being afoot is quite expected and this is not above the antics we see take place during his reign. Just look at how the true cause of Gael's death was covered up for years and the fishiness of Saera's disappearance and Viserra's death.

Alyssa V is considered a perfect mother, despite the less-than-stellar choices she made with her children outside of Jaehaerys. She's considered to be so great that the lords that sat the Small Council were able to put aside their misogyny and allow themselves to be ruled by a woman until Jaehaerys came of age. She is one of the main reasons Jaehaerys was able to take the Iron Throne in the first place. It would not go well if the man who was considered to be the greatest king of Westeros had a mother who may have cuckolded his father. Compare this to Aenys, who despite having Valyrian features had a one-off rumor about him being the secret bastard of Rhaenys the Conqueror and one of her male favorites mentioned in F&B; and this is 100% due to the fact that Aenys is considered by Westerosi historians to have been a weak and incompetent king. (Just think: if Aenys, who resembled his parents, had bastard rumors - do you seriously expect us to believe that neither Alysanne nor Alyssa ever had any?) "But, Jaehaerys is strong, brave, diplomatic, wise, etc... of course he comes from a mom who embodies Westerosi ideals to a tea. She even died trying to give her second husband more heirs despite her delicate age. Such a moral [debatable] man could only be born from a woman who was nothing but dutiful."

Alysanne is considered the perfect wife and queen consort, highly regarded for the active role she took during her husband's reign. She was intelligent, altruistic, birthed many children, and rode a dragon. She was so good at her job as queen she got several laws passed that now share her name. "Not only could such a woman not be born a bastard, but she in addition to being Jaehaerys' wife is also his sister, and could surely not be born from a woman who would ever risk bringing a bastard into this world."

And then, there's Alyssa T, the secondborn daughter and fifthborn child overall of both Alysanne and Jaehaerys, and was a wife to the highly regarded Baelon (also her brother), which means she was never going to be on the receiving end of those accusations. She even escapes having the usual witchcraft practitioner and/or lesbian/queer rumors that are usually thrown at women in Westeros who do not fit the traditional ideas of being a woman (even Visenya had those accusations). Her preferring boyish activities is never painted as a negative by the narrative unlike with other women in Westerosi culture. "Of course she's straight as an arrow and brags about how much sex she's having with her well-beloved and cherished-by-all brother-husband who was considered a peak heir and would neverrrrrr marry a bastard. Of course she thought most girls were idiots. Of course she brags about how many sons (never daughters) she's going to give her husband. Of course she does not care about anything outside of being a broodmare after being married like all good girls do. Bastard? Never. Two of her grandsons were kings we fondly remember. She is trueborn like her mother. She is Athena if she fucked."

But Jace, Luke, and Joff? Their mother was the first ever female heir apparent (not presumptive, apparent) to the Seven Kingdoms, and kept this status even after her father had three sons. She never apologized for this. And she entered a war over for her claim. "She wore a braid like that crazy warrior-witch Queen Visenya. She's breaking tradition by going ahead of her brothers in succession. She's bitchy sometimes. She's not thin like good women are supposed to be even after birthing several children. Speaking of children, yeah she did her duty and had many male heirs but some of them have dark hair and she's a whore, so they must be bastards. She's trying to take over a man's place. Of course she's evil and reveled in the deaths of her baby nephews. Of course she fucks outside of marriage. Honestly, I'd be more surprised if they weren't bastards!"

TL;DR: F&B uses paternity debates as a way to attempt to delegitimize/sow doubt against people the narrators don't like, this only prove by how inconsistent one's potentially faulty paternity is evoked on the basis of looks and nothing else. The chances of any of your trueborn faves secretly being a bastard is never zero. Now, I kind of want Alysanne to be a secret bastard.

UPDATE Sept. 5, 2024: Edited for grammar, word-flow, and minor spelling mistakes.

[bumbled-bees]

Would you describe Lily Orchard as Pseudo-Intellectual or Anti-Intellectual?

Both.

Lily demonstrates clear traits of both pseudo-intellectualism and anti-intellectualism, though they manifest differently in her public persona versus her genuine behavior.

Lily’s Pseudo-Intellectualism

In her public persona — particularly in her video essays and commentary — Lily consistently presents herself as someone with a deep understanding of media analysis, social issues, and psychology. She uses jargon, references theoretical concepts, and adopts an authoritative tone to create the illusion of expertise. However, when you break down her arguments, it becomes clear that she often lacks the fundamental knowledge necessary to support her claims.

Key Traits of Lily’s Pseudo-Intellectualism:

Surface-Level Analysis: Lily frequently critiques media without engaging with deeper themes, metaphors, or symbolic storytelling. As we've discussed before, she takes narratives at face value and disregards subtext — such as her criticism of Steven Universe for "locking Ruby and Sapphire inside Garnet," ignoring that Garnet is the metaphor for their relationship.

Misuse of Concepts: Lily often invokes psychological and social terms incorrectly to bolster her points. Her warped understanding of “boundaries,” for example, allows her to frame innocent interactions as violations to justify her own hostility.

Overconfidence in Shallow Knowledge: Lily presents her surface-level observations as definitive truths. Her approach is less about curiosity or engagement and more about asserting dominance in a conversation — something she relies on because she struggles to defend her ideas when challenged.

Performative Intellectualism: Much of her discourse relies on the assumption that her audience will trust her assertions without verification. Since she actively discourages her viewers from seeking outside perspectives or questioning her conclusions, she’s able to maintain an illusion of authority.

This pseudo-intellectual persona allows Lily to position herself as someone “in the know,” especially among viewers who may be less familiar with the concepts she discusses. By cloaking her ideas in intellectual language, she lends credibility to her shallow insights and manipulative narratives.

Lily’s Anti-Intellectualism

When Lily isn’t trying to perform as an “intellectual,” her genuine behavior reveals a deep-seated anti-intellectual mindset — one characterized by hostility toward learning, refusal to engage in critical thinking, and active discouragement of curiosity.

Key Traits of Lily’s Anti-Intellectualism:

Refusal to Learn or Improve: As seen in her Dragon Age videos and other content, Lily routinely skips over important information, disregards context, and refuses to engage with material in a meaningful way. Her tendency to button-mash through dialogue, then critique the narrative based on her incomplete understanding, speaks to her disinterest in actually learning.

Contempt for Expertise: Rather than acknowledging her own gaps in understanding, Lily often ridicules or belittles those who provide informed perspectives. This is seen in her infamous claim that media creators should "just fight back" against studio censorship — an assertion that reveals her ignorance about how professional industries work, yet one she stubbornly stands by.

Aversion to Recommendations: Lily’s hatred of audience recommendations ties into this mindset. Whether it’s fear of feeling ignorant, anxiety about stepping outside her comfort zone, or simply laziness, Lily resents being asked to engage with anything she didn’t choose for herself.

Encouraging Ignorance in Her Audience: By discouraging her viewers from verifying claims, cross-referencing sources, or exploring new ideas, Lily fosters an echo chamber where her word reigns supreme. Her aggressive stance against “debating her critics” stems from this as well — since allowing her audience to hear other viewpoints risks exposing her contradictions.

The Intersection of Both

Lily’s reliance on pseudo-intellectual tactics enables her to create an aura of authority, while her anti-intellectual mindset ensures she’s never challenged in meaningful ways. She weaponizes intellectual language to sound credible, yet actively rejects the principles of critical thinking, open dialogue, and evidence-based reasoning that true intellectualism requires.

This contradiction ties back into Lily’s impulsive nature and short-term thinking. Rather than genuinely engaging with ideas, she defaults to whatever tactic best serves her immediate goal — claiming to be informed when it makes her look smart, yet retreating into dismissiveness or hostility when faced with criticism or inconvenient truths.

Conclusion

Lily Orchard’s behavior blends both pseudo-intellectual and anti-intellectual traits. In her public persona, she leans on surface-level rhetoric to feign expertise and control her audience’s perception of her. Meanwhile, her genuine mindset reflects hostility toward learning, growth, and self-improvement. This combination allows her to maintain power over her community while avoiding accountability for her contradictions, misinformation, and manipulative tactics.

[spikycannonball]

What Inspired Prime Sonic’s Characterization

From what I’ve seen, Sonic’s characterization in the Sonic Prime series is pretty divisive in the fandom. Some people love it, others think Sonic’s ‘original’ character was done dirty as a hero in this series. According to the latter, Sonic should be a source of inspiration rather than someone who needs a character arc.

And you know, everyone is free to interpret a character or a show in different ways, and to prefer one version over the other. I don’t intend to change or discredit anyone’s opinion on the matter.

What I would like to point out is that the Sonic Prime writers clearly did take inspiration from the games for Sonic’s characterization, and it shows. You just have to look at the earlier games rather than the latest. But since most of those games are not so easily accessible these days, as someone who grew up playing them, I would be happy to show you why, to me and other fans, watching Sonic Prime felt so nostalgic.

If you don’t feel like reading over 7K words of early Sonic games’ recap and analysis, in short: I believe Prime Sonic is intended to be a mix of his characterization in the Classic games (starting with Sonic the Hedgehog, 1991) and the Modern games from the early 2000s (up to and including Sonic Advance 3, 2004 - but mostly Sonic Heroes, 2003). To make this essay easier to read, I’ve divided it into three parts:

Part 1: Introduction, and Sonic Games on the Mega Drive

Part 2: Dreamcast Games: Sonic Adventure 1 and 2

Part 3: Sonic Heroes, the Main Inspiration for Prime Sonic

Before I begin, I would like to reiterate that Prime Sonic’s characterization is great representation for neurodivergent people, especially as the lovable hero of a kids’ show. I won’t go into more detail about it in this essay because I’ll be focusing on the game adaptation aspect, but it’s rare enough that it bears repeating, and if you’d like to read more about that, you can check out descendant-of-truth’s excellent post about it.

Forewarning: I will try to keep this essay as accessible as possible to anyone unfamiliar with Sonic lore without spoiling major plot points (there will be some important spoilers for Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Battle, though, careful with that!), but this is going to be long and image-heavy, so strap in, folks!

Part 1 - Introduction, and Sonic Games on the Mega Drive

First off, we should keep in mind that Sonic the Hedgehog has existed for over 30 years, and has been written in different ways by different people on different mediums. On top of that, there have been a lot of mistranslations and artistic liberties taken between the Japanese and English versions of Sonic games, leading to notable changes in character design, dialogue, and plot points - sometimes minor, sometimes major. More rarely, other mediums have influenced the games: some details from early Sonic cartoons were included in the games later on, like Sonic’s obsession with chili dogs, which first appeared in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon in 1993, and was only added to the game canon from 2008 onward, starting with Sonic and the Black Knight. Sonic’s constant craving for chili dogs is also there in Sonic Prime.

That being said, one of Sonic Prime’s writers, Duncan Rouleau, has tweeted that they were "only adding to (the video game universe created by the Sonic Team)." This could either mean that Sonic Prime is set in the video game universe, or that it is simply based on it. (I know it’s a point of contention in the fandom, but I won’t be touching that particular debate here - I think you should feel free to interpret it however you want.) Either way, those tweets confirm that the games were the main source of inspiration for Sonic Prime. Therefore, I will be focusing on Sonic’s characterization in the games for this analysis, and mention the differences between Japanese and English dubs whenever it becomes relevant.

While I do admire the fans’ efforts to make sense of Sonic lore and establish a coherent continuity (and I do think those efforts are worthwhile when writing fanfiction or fancomics; some truly great stories have been and continue to be written for this fandom), the fact remains that continuity between the Sonic games is a mess.

It may be tempting to think that the games are linear and that ‘time of release’ = ‘place in the timeline,’ but that logic doesn’t always work. As an example: Shadow has amnesia in Sonic Heroes (December 2003), he remembers everything in Sonic Battle (also December 2003), but the entire plot of Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) revolves around him trying to get his memories back - so Sonic Battle should take place after Shadow the Hedgehog, even if the former got released first.

On top of that, several of the games’ plot lines and characterization directly contradict each other, and there have been a lot of retcons over the decades. To give a visual example: half of the moon gets blown up in Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). The moon is whole again in the opening cinematic of Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), which explicitly takes place after Sonic Adventure 2. And finally, in the prologue animation for Sonic X Shadow Generations titled Dark Beginnings (2024), which explicitly takes place after Shadow the Hedgehog, the moon is shown to be partly destroyed again. So unless the moon got repaired and then broken again offscreen, that’s a double retcon. (Also, the Eclipse Cannon, the weapon that blew up part of the moon, is fully operational in Shadow the Hedgehog, even though it got destroyed by the end of Sonic Adventure 2. In fact, getting rid of that weapon was Sonic’s main objective at the end of the Hero Story in Sonic Adventure 2, making this particular retcon especially jarring.)

And for one last example regarding Sonic’s character specifically: Classic Sonic (Sonic’s design for the earliest 2D games) got re-introduced in Sonic Generations (2011) as Modern Sonic’s past self, and is considered a child in the fandom nowadays. However, in his Sonic Jam (1997) game profile, Classic Sonic is stated to be 16, while in the manual of Sonic Heroes (2003), Modern Sonic’s age is stated to be 15. So Sonic technically got de-aged twice. (In light of this, it might be for the best that Sega ultimately decided to make all the cast’s ages ambiguous.)

My point is, the Sonic games can be inconsistent with each other, and that goes for characterization as well. Knuckles is one of the most obvious examples of varied characterization from game to game, and not in any linear way that could be explained by character growth: he is much stupider and spontaneously agressive in Sonic Battle (which explicitly takes place after Sonic Adventure 2) than in the Adventure games, but Sonic Frontiers (2022) and its animated prologue Divergence restored Knuckles’ personality to the Adventure version, where he is quiet and contemplative unless provoked, and his gullibility is a consequence of his social isolation rather than a lack of intelligence.

Game Sonic himself has been written differently over time as well. Therefore, before we can judge whether or not Prime Sonic is OOC, we need to establish which version (or versions) of Sonic the writers took inspiration from.

Thankfully, Iann Flynn, who was hired as a consultant for the show, gave an element of answer in a tweet: "Sonic Prime takes place sometime after Sonic Advance 3."

Taken as is, as Iann Flynn clarified himself in another tweet, this is very broad and intentionally vague: by that metric, Sonic Prime could take place anywhere from right after Sonic Advance 3 (2004) to post Sonic games from the 2020s. And honestly, it doesn’t really matter, because Sonic Prime can exist as its own thing, and you don’t need to know much about game lore to enjoy it - knowing the lore is just a bonus. (And to be clear: I’m not trying to establish where Sonic Prime fits in the games’ chronology, or whether or not the show should be considered canon to the games at all; I am only trying to pinpoint what aspects of the games inspired Prime Sonic’s personality.)

What this tweet does imply is that Sonic Prime mostly took inspiration from the games that came before Sonic Advance 3. As in, the Classic games on the Mega Drive (also known as Sega Genesis) and other Sega consoles, both Sonic Adventure games, Sonic Heroes, Sonic Battle, and all three Sonic Advance games - from the 1990s to 2004.

This seems to be confirmed by the choice of our main cast, the callbacks to game release dates in Sonic Prime, and the way distant flashbacks are animated: Big the Cat first appeared in Sonic Adventure (in 1998; hence his New Yoke alternate self’s name: ‘Citizen 1998’). Rouge and Shadow both made their debut in Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), the last Sonic game to come out on a Sega console - namely, the Dreamcast. (Team Chaotix was also introduced on a Sega console in Knuckles Chaotix (1995), but that game is a lot more obscure, which is probably the reason why their team wasn’t included in Sonic Prime - plus, the cast would have been too large with those three.)

To make the references to the 1990s games clear, the Sonic Prime flashbacks to Sonic’s first interactions with Tails and Knuckles are animated in a pixelated 2D style that’s reminiscent of the Mega Drive games’ aesthetic. Furthermore, the password to Tails and Nine’s respective labs in Sonic Prime - ‘1992’ - is a reference to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Tails’ debut game, which came out in 1992) and the flashback scene in Sonic Prime season 1, episode 7 is based on Knuckles’ debut game, Sonic 3 & Knuckles (1994). Therefore, it stands to reason that part of the characterization would also be inspired by early games. Even the Sunset Hill Boss Battle from Sonic Advance 3 (2004), when it gets referenced in Sonic Prime Season 3, Episode 3’s introductory flashback (complete with a remix of the original boss music), gets redrawn in the Mega Drive games’ art style; except for Eggman, who keeps his character design from Sonic Advance 3. (Likely to avoid confusion for the viewers: in context, the Mega Drive art style is indicative of flashbacks set before Sonic Prime, but it would feel unnatural if Eggman's design changed too drastically from those flashbacks to the present.) This is why Iann Flynn quoted that specific game in his tweet about a plausible timeline for Sonic Prime in relation to the Sonic games: Sonic Advance 3 is the latest released game that gets a visual callback in Sonic Prime.

So what was Sonic like in the Mega Drive era?

Originally, Sonic was created to be a cool rebellious mascot for Sega, in contrast to their main rival company Nintendo’s more conventionally affable mascot Mario. That aspect was exaggerated in Western adaptations of early games: Sonic is drawn more cocky-looking on official Western game art, which started the infamous "mascot with attitude" trend in video games. However, in the Classic Sonic games, none of the characters talked, so their personalities were shown through body language: for instance, if the player keeps him motionless for too long, Sonic will get restless and tap his foot in annoyance while looking straight at the player, silently demanding to move things along already. (Unlike Tails, who just yawns in his idle animation.)

The opening and ending 2D animations for Sonic CD (1993) emulate Sonic’s sprites and add some quirks. They show that Sonic can be quietly confident, but also mischievous: a favorite tactic of his is to taunt robots until they rush into each other and break themselves. He uses it a lot in Sonic Prime as well, and it’s just as effective.

In general, Sonic’s sprites on the Mega Drive are very expressive and goofy-looking, especially when he’s about to lose his balance on the edge of a cliff. The Sonic CD ending animation and Sonic Prime both use these sprites as references for Sonic’s poses and expressions whenever he is in a pinch: he can get overwhelmed, but he is good at bouncing back.

In the first Classic games, the main story was fairly simple: Doctor Eggman is trying to build a robot empire and captures small animals or magical flower seeds so he can use them to power his machines, Sonic the Hedgehog destroys his robots to save the animals and let the flowers bloom. Pretty straightforward tale about environmentalism and fighting back against oppression.

It wasn’t anti-technology, though: as shown in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 screenshot above, Sonic and Tails own a biplane, the Tornado, which they use to travel across seas or catch up with Eggman’s flying bases. Essentially, it’s the Studio Ghibli approach to environmentalism: humans and technology are not portrayed as innately evil, it is only nature exploitation and the dangers of upsetting the balance of an ecosystem that are condemned by the narrative - cautionary tales about the excessive use of technology, and a condemnation of weapons and war.

This underlying message was especially present in the first Sonic games, which were created in a time when Studio Ghibli films were highly successful and influential. At the very least, Knuckles’ homeland Angel Island (which first appeared in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, 1994), an island with overgrown ancient ruins that flies in the sky thanks to the power of a magical gemstone, is a clear hommage to Hayao Miyazaki’s Laputa, the Castle in the Sky (1986), and Sonic and Tails’s red biplane (which first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, November 1992) might be a reference to Porco Rosso (July 1992).

However, this environmental theme has become less prominent in later Sonic games, rarely brought up in the text since Sonic Adventure; and even then, it was mostly Amy talking to and saving Flickies (non-talking little birds) in the cutscenes. Sonic Prime brings back this core aspect of Sonic’s character from the Classic games by frequently showing him talking to Flickies and worrying about the state of nature, especially in New Yoke and Boscage Maze:

To this day, a lot of people are really nostalgic of the Classic games and their simpler approach to storytelling compared to the 3D games that came later, which is why Sonic Mania (2017) brought back that aesthetic. However, since Sonic Prime uses 3D animation for present and recent events (in contrast to the distant 2D flashbacks), the writers made the choice to base the character designs on modern games from the early 2000s, and their personalities along with them.

After the transition to 3D, in both Sonic Adventure games, Doctor Eggman was no longer the only human character: more realistic-looking cities and human characters started to coexist with the original cast of bipedal cartoon animals. Those games also added some complexity to the original cast of colorful characters by allowing them to talk and giving them character songs, Sonic included.

And what was Sonic like then?

Part 2 - Dreamcast Games: Sonic Adventure 1 and 2

Like in the Classic games, Modern Sonic shows a clear disregard for any form of authority, and not just towards Eggman: in Sonic Adventure, all through the level Speed Highway, Sonic can take down police vehicles along with Eggman robots. In Sonic Adventure 2, the first thing he does is escape from the military helicopter that arrested him on a false charge - then Sonic snidely complains about ‘low-budget flights’ with ‘no food or movies’ before jumping off. (Yes, that’s the line the third Live Action Sonic movie was referencing.) The lyrics to the first stage song, ‘Escape From The City,’ also hint at Sonic’s life philosophy of always moving forward regardless of the obstacles in his way, and making sure everyone has as much freedom as he does.

On the other hand, in contrast to the Mega Drive games, now that he has a voice, Sonic has become very chatty. It might not always show when you’re playing him due to Silent Protagonist Syndrome (in most of the early games, all of the playable characters are silent when you play as them), but becomes very obvious in cutscenes and whenever he shows up while you’re playing as someone else. For instance, when you play as Tails in Sonic Adventure, your usual goal is to beat Sonic to the end of the stage. Much like in Sonic Prime, in those stages, Sonic never stops talking in the English and Japanese dubs. (Alternatively to egg Tails on or compliment him when he catches up; it’s especially noticeable in the Icecap Stage, where the two of them are neck and neck for most of the race.) Sonic is just as much of a chatterbox in Sonic Heroes, where you play as him, Tails and Knuckles at the same time. And of course, Sonic loves to taunt his adversaries, especially Eggman (and to a lesser extent, Knuckles) every chance he gets.

It is worth noting that Sonic’s lines and tone became a lot more snarky in Sonic Adventure’s English translation compared to the Japanese version, where he is less provocative and boastful. Instead, in the Japanese dub, Sonic tends to randomly drop lines in English, which is a more indirect way to make himself sound cool. This trend continues in the Japanese dub of Sonic Prime, where he also has plenty of English lines.

Play-flirting is an extension of his usual playful banter, which was added in Sonic Battle (2003). Interestingly, Sonic only seems comfortable doing this to people who are not pursuing him romantically: in this game, he only play-flirts with Rouge (who teases him back but doesn’t reciprocate the flirting) and keeps avoiding Amy, who is constantly chasing him in the hopes that he will agree to marry her.

Sonic Prime cranks this up to eleven: Sonic flirts with several characters regardless of gender, including Amy, who is not actively pursuing him in Sonic Prime - whether she lost interest and moved on, or just toned down her pursuit of Sonic is left ambiguous. It is left just as ambiguous whether or not Sonic is genuinely interested in any of the characters he flirts with in Sonic Prime, or if his flirting is just another aspect of his tendency to tease his friends for fun.

As for his more defining personality traits, the lyrics of Sonic’s theme song 'It Doesn’t Matter' by Crush 40 sum it up pretty well: Sonic is a free spirit who just does things his own way, refuses compromise, and generally doesn’t think it matters ‘who is wrong or who is right,’ he just follows his ‘steadfast heart of gold’ and never gives up. It also fits with the description of Sonic in the Sonic Heroes manual (see the second image of this post).

In this character profile, I find the line "Saving the world is a nice distraction, but Sonic is soon off to find his next adventure." especially interesting: there is no sense of urgency in a 'distraction,' because Sonic is not saving the world solely for justice’s sake, or out of a sense of duty, but because it’s fun to him. When he receives what appears to be a threatening letter from Eggman at the start of Sonic Heroes, Sonic jokingly describes it as 'an invitation to a party' - fighting Eggman is a game to Sonic as much as it is a necessity. As he puts it himself in Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic is "just a guy who loves adventure."

Now, notice how neither this song nor character profile say anything about friends or friendship. (Unlike Tails’ character song 'Believe in Myself.') You know why? Because, (and I say this with all the love in my heart) as much as he cares about nature, helping others, justice, and freedom in general, Sonic from the early 2000s is also a brat.

Amy’s words, not mine:

In the English version, that is. In Japanese, she is just asking him to wait for her. Because he just left her on her own in the cell she broke him out of. Inside an active military base. On an island.

It’s not an isolated incident, either: Amy gets left behind in hostile territory very often in this game, by Tails and Sonic both. So it’s not a Sonic-specific problem, but since Tails, to his own admission, is always trying to be more like Sonic in the Adventure games because he admires him, it makes sense that he would accidentally emulate Sonic’s flaws along with his qualities.

Here is a particularly memorable example of Sonic (and Tails) not thinking ahead and neglecting their friend with disastrous consequences in Sonic Adventure 2: once inside Eggman’s base of operation, they come up with a plan to thwart the doctor’s scheme, and then just… leave Amy all by herself in enemy territory. It’s the third time in this game for both Sonic and Tails: twice before this, each or both of them left Amy behind to do their own thing; once inside the above mentioned military base, then on a street full of police officers trying to capture the three of them. Those previous times, Amy managed to catch up with Sonic and Tails. The third time, Eggman takes her hostage, and all three of them almost get killed as a result. Shocker.

(Side Note: Amy doesn’t say "I hate you" in the Japanese dub. What she says is more along the lines of: "Come on! Why do you always leave a cute girl like me alone?!" In both versions, she definitely has the right to be mad at them.)

Of course, that doesn’t mean they don’t care about Amy: the first thing Tails does in Sonic Adventure 2 is save Amy from Eggman. Similarly, as soon as Sonic finds out that the island they’re on is about to explode, his first reflex is to go get Tails and Amy so they can escape together. Likewise, when Amy gets taken hostage later on, both Tails and Sonic put their plan to thwart Eggman on hold because helping her is their priority. The problem is, they don’t take her into account unless she is actively being threatened: most of the time, they just leave her be and assume she will be fine on her own; up to the very end of the game, when they leave her behind again while (almost) everyone else teams up to save the world. (Sonic and Tails never learn their lesson about this in that game.)

It’s not just about Amy, either: Sonic acts like this towards his three closest friends, Amy, Tails and Knuckles. For instance, right before the very first stage of Sonic Adventure, how does Sonic react after seeing Tails crash his plane? His first reaction, naturally, is concern, with his quills spreading out and Sonic calling out Tails’ name; but in the next frame, we get this:

Sonic, buddy, Tails might be tough, but he just crashed his plane. Maybe act exasperated after you’ve made sure he’s okay? (And in case you were wondering: yes, Sonic’s reaction is the same in the Japanese and English dubs.)

This is not a critique, mind you: on the contrary, those flaws make Sonic more interesting as a nuanced character. In fact, this behavior of his is the negative side of one of Sonic’s core character traits: relentless optimism. He trusts that Tails will be okay, so he doesn’t dwell on worry: he just scoffs and then runs to the rescue.

None of that means that Sonic doesn’t care about his friends or won't listen to them. But it is demonstrably hard for his friends to get him to listen, because, due to the whole ‘I'm just livin' by my own feelings’ shtick, most of the time, Sonic is the ‘act first, think later’ type: in Sonic Adventure, during Sonic’s fight against Eggman’s robot E-102 Gamma (who defected after Amy befriended him, but none of her friends saw it happen), Amy first tries to scream at Sonic to stop attacking, but has to interpose herself between the two of them to get him to listen. (Although, to be fair, the same thing happens if Tails is the one fighting Gamma. But as stated above: Tails is just emulating Sonic in the first half of this game.) When she insists, Sonic (or Tails) does step back, even if he doesn’t understand her reasoning. Instead of demanding an explanation from Amy, he simply tells her: "Alright, you must have your reasons." A sign of unconditional trust, which is the generally more positive aspect of Sonic’s optimism.

This optimism extends to people in general, not just Sonic’s close friends: near the end of Sonic Adventure, he refuses to seal Chaos (an ancient deity who became destructive after his temple and the creatures under his care were attacked) inside the Master Emerald as Tikal suggests, because Sonic doesn’t just want to save the world from Chaos, he also wants both Chaos and Tikal to be free. Similarly, near the end of Sonic Adventure 2, when Eggman appears to explain the truth behind their current crisis, Knuckles is (justifiably) ready to blame Eggman and throw hands, but Sonic is willing to hear Eggman out - despite the fact that Eggman almost succeeded in murdering him an hour earlier. This shows that Sonic always tries to see the best in people, even his enemies, and is always willing to give someone a second chance: another positive aspect of his optimism that becomes a key plot point in Sonic Prime, especially near the end.

Basically, Sonic cares about everyone (strangers and enemies included) and is willing to listen to them, trusts his friends unconditionally (especially Tails, who has been with him the longest and a constant support), but his natural optimism, lack of tact, and tendency to act without thinking things through mean that he can also neglect his friends or dismiss their feelings. And sometimes, that makes him screw up spectacularly.

One of the most egregious examples of this takes place in Sonic Adventure 2, and is not too different from what triggers the plot of Sonic Prime: Sonic and friends are aboard a space shuttle to reach the Space Colony Ark and thwart Eggman’s evil scheme du jour. The shuttle hits a meteorite, which causes the back hatch to open and the Master Emerald shards to fall out. In case you didn't know, the Master Emerald (in the games) is an ancient and extremely powerful gemstone: not only is it capable of neutralizing the Chaos Emeralds or sealing away vengeful deities, its powers also allow Knuckles’ natal island to fly in the sky. As its guardian, it is Knuckles’ duty to protect it - his entire goal in Sonic Adventure 2 is to gather all the shards to repair the Master Emerald and bring it back safely to his island. Sonic knows all this. But how does Sonic react when the shards get scattered in space?

Yeah, no wonder Knuckles freaked out, took over the controls and almost crashed the shuttle trying to get to the shards. Yet Sonic was genuinely shocked that Knuckles would prioritize some mythical rock over all their lives. (Sonic even brings up the incident again near the end of the game, telling Eggman that Knuckles piloting the shuttle was way scarier than anything Eggman could pull off.)

So not only is it established that Sonic doesn’t understand the depth of Knuckles’ feelings when it comes to the Master Emerald (which makes sense, because a free spirit like Sonic would struggle to understand the very concept of a life-long duty - I would even go as far as suspect that Sonic resents the Master Emerald for keeping Knuckles trapped on a remote island), he doesn’t fully grasp how important it is to protect magical rocks in his universe, either. Sure, Sonic will track down and use the Chaos Emeralds to turn into Super Sonic because it’s useful and oftentimes lifesaving, and he knows that Eggman definitely shouldn’t be allowed to use powerful magical gems for his schemes - but if one such powerful gem gets lost in space, no one is using it for evil, so who cares?

This mindset is perfectly reflected in the first episode of Sonic Prime: Sonic’s priority is not to protect the Paradox Prism, it’s to get it away from Eggman. If he breaks the shiny rock, nobody can use it for evil, right? Isn’t that what Knuckles did in Sonic Adventure 2 to protect the Master Emerald from Eggman, too?

Except, you know, Knuckles is the guardian of the Master Emerald: he already knows that shattering the Master Emerald doesn’t make its powers run amok, and he knows that he can repair it. Sonic, on the other hand, has no idea how any of these rocks work; he just does whatever solves the problem faster, doesn’t think of the consequences, and trusts that everything will turn out okay. This is why, in Sonic Prime, in the heat of the moment, Sonic didn’t listen to anyone’s warnings, and impulsively broke the Prism to stop Eggman from taking it.

All this to say, Sonic can be a good hero, but he tends to act recklessly, and is not always a good team player. Even in Sonic Heroes, where the entire gameplay is built around teamwork (you play three characters at once and can switch up who leads the team at any time), the dialogue establishes that, even if Sonic enjoys working with Tails and Knuckles as a team, he is not very used to it, nor always good at it.

Part 3 - Sonic Heroes, the main inspiration for Prime Sonic

In Sonic Heroes, Sonic’s team is the most chaotic of the four combinations you can play as:

For Team Dark, Rouge immediately takes the role of leader by convincing Shadow and Omega that teaming up is the most effective way to reach their respective goals, and they rely on her for guidance. Similarly, Cream and Big trust Amy to help them find their missing friends, and follow her lead. Lastly, Team Chaotix is composed of three colleagues, already used to working together on a case, and the younger two answer to Vector, the lead detective of their agency. Meanwhile, in Team Heroes’ case, what the in-game dialogues show is that Sonic is almost always rushing ahead, with Tails and Knuckles struggling to keep up or expressing wariness, which Sonic dismisses - like these recurring lines:

Knuckles: We’re not going that way, are we? Sonic: Yes we are!

In addition to that, Sonic gets distracted very easily by anything fun-looking, and drags the other two along, regardless of their reluctance. The intro cutscene to the Casino Stage is the most blatant example of this: Sonic gets excited as soon as he sees the stage, and insists that they’ve still got time to play some games. Tails tries to stop Sonic by reminding him of Eggman’s time limit, but Sonic only takes it as an incentive to play games faster.

And here is another game special that Sonic Prime took direct inspiration from: Sonic’s eagerness to blow himself out of cannons, heedless of Knuckles’ attempts to dissuade him, and without checking where the cannon is aiming first.

It takes the entire game for Sonic to acknowledge the value of relying on others, and only because Knuckles calls out his bluff at the end of their story in the following dialogue:

Knuckles: Boy, talk about cutting it close.

Sonic: Eeh, not really.

Knuckles: Come on, tell me you weren’t scared?

Knuckles: If it wasn’t for us, you wouldn’t have had a chance.

Sonic: Well, maybe you’re right. Thanks Knuckles.

The English translation is fairly faithful to the Japanese version here. In both dubs, Sonic looks pretty sheepish about admitting it, and Knuckles is shocked that Sonic recognized his point and thanked him. Even Tails gets flustered and laughs nervously when Sonic thanks him immediately after, implying that it’s not very common for Sonic to thank Tails directly or be this open about his feelings - a possible sign that Sonic doesn’t like to show vulnerability.

Sonic’s sheepishness while thanking Knuckles in that scene might be partly due to the fact that, out of all his friends, Sonic is particularly reluctant to ask Knuckles for help. (Which is also the case in Sonic Prime, as evidenced by the way he calls out to his missing friends in the first episode: "Tails? Amy? Heck, I’ll even take Knuckles at this point…") Possibly because neither Sonic nor Knuckles has fully gotten over their initial rivalry, and they still tend to butt heads on occasion due to different values (the above-mentioned example of the lost Master Emerald shards in Sonic Adventure 2 is an extreme case, but illustrates the underlying tension between them pretty well). Even in Sonic Advance 3, another game centered on teamwork where you can pair up any of the five playable characters in a duo, Sonic refuses Knuckles’ help when the latter joins the party, and rushes ahead without waiting for him (Side note: it’s not obvious on the following picture, but Knuckles’ piece of dialogue appears first in that scene):

Considering that Sonic Advance 3 explicitly takes place after Sonic Heroes and Sonic Battle, this goes to show that Sonic still has some trouble with teamwork, even when his friends offer their help, because he does things at his own pace - which is too fast for most people. This behavior is pretty consistent with the way Sonic is described by his Green Hill friends in Sonic Prime: usually reliable in battle, but very reckless, and not always the best at teamwork, even if he has learnt to value it by the end of Sonic Heroes.

Amy: I guess he didn’t hear the "stick together" part. Knuckles: Does he ever? Tails: No. But he also hasn’t let us down when it really counts.

It’s especially fitting that Amy is the one complaining about Sonic leaving them behind (as demonstrated above, she is the one Sonic leaves behind most often), Knuckles is the one who backs her up (he is the one Sonic listens to the least), and Tails agrees with them, but still takes Sonic’s defense, assuring them that Sonic "will catch up eventually." Even though Tails is well aware of Sonic’s flaws, Sonic’s complete faith in Tails is still mutual thanks to their long history together - which is why, when their reality gets shattered in Sonic Prime, this history getting erased is especially painful for Sonic. It’s not that he never saw the value of his friendships: on the contrary, he put so much value into them that he never realized how fragile they could be. In Sonic Heroes, he went as far as to describe teamwork as a super power:

It’s not an English dub special, either. In the Japanese version, Sonic says: "Alright then, let’s use our teamwork to show him miraculous super power!" Which implies that teamwork is what allows Sonic to share the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds with Tails and Knuckles to bring them along for the final fight as Super Sonic. Essentially, ‘friendship is magic.’ (Speaking of which: as you can see, Sonic Prime’s occasionally corny dialogue doesn’t exist solely "because it’s a kids’ show." It’s because the games that inspired it already had corny dialogue.)

Corniness aside, the fact that Sonic puts friendship on a pedestal is a pretty interesting mindset for him to have in the context of Sonic Prime, where his reliance on his friends is constantly challenged. You could even say that after Sonic Heroes, Sonic might value friendship a little too much, without realizing that maintaining his friendships takes effort, and that unconditional trust in his friends and an eventual positive outcome to every battle is a double-edged sword.

In fact, valuing the Power of Friendship as a constant, reliable source of power similar to the miracles granted by the Chaos Emeralds can be equally dangerous. If you believe in your friends unconditionally, you might start to take them, and your relationships with them, for granted.

Because this kind of bond is unbreakable, right? And as long as you have a team you can rely on, everything will turn out okay… right?

It is definitely the case in Sonic Heroes, but in Sonic Prime?

In truth, things are not so simple: miscommunication can lead to rash decisions, and mistakes you can’t take back. It can lead to misunderstandings. There might be conflicting goals, even among friends. And those can lead to betrayals.

Those are harsh lessons to learn, but it makes sense that Sonic would need them. You could even argue that Game Sonic’s relentless optimism and unconditional trust in his friends can be challenged in a similar way if you (as Shadow) choose to betray him in Shadow the Hedgehog, where Sonic’s characterization is similar to Sonic Heroes' - but these ‘dark routes’ get retconned by Shadow the Hedgehog’s ‘true ending,’ so Sonic doesn’t actually get to live that betrayal in the main storyline. A game might not be the ideal medium to teach those lessons anyway (especially a game like Shadow the Hedgehog, which isn’t focused on Sonic), but a cartoon series works nicely: you get more time to focus on your main character and his emotions rather than the action, which gives him more room to grow.

So, if a show wants to focus on this characterization of Sonic and write a self-contained, compelling story centered on him, doesn’t it make sense to take all those elements from the early games and give him a character arc about not taking his friends for granted, and learning how to communicate better?

In addition to what Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Battle already taught him about the real possibility of losing people for good (both of these games had tragic endings, and one person Sonic failed to save; a bitter truth that Sonic does not like to acknowledge: he either hides his grief from his friends and pretends to be okay - Sonic Adventure 2 - or struggles to stay positive and move on by comforting his friends - Sonic Battle), Sonic Prime tackles another issue: the way Sonic’s overconfidence can play against him and his friends, and lead to disaster. The threats Sonic usually faces in the games are caused by elements beyond his control, but this time, the premise of the show is built on Sonic making a mistake due to recklessness, literally shattering his entire world in the process, being forced to face the consequences, and to realize that he can’t salvage the situation on his own. Not only that, but he has to rebuild all his friendships from the ground up. Those are odds he never had to face before, and fertile ground for growth.

Personally, I think Sonic Prime did an amazing job bringing back the spirit of those early games, especially Sonic Heroes, which it ressembles most aesthetically (no realistic human characters or cities, but plenty of bright colors and bouncy animation, a lot of shameless fun even in the face of a cataclysmic threat - and cheesy dialogue about the power of friendship) and making Sonic shine as a main character by pointing out his flaws and hitting him where it hurts: more obstacles for him to overcome and learn from.

Sonic Prime might not fit neatly anywhere in the games’ timeline (although, as I mentioned in Part 1, a lot of the games don’t fit together either, even when they reference each other directly), but it does work as an hommage to how Sonic was characterized in the early 2000s (especially in Sonic Heroes), and it can arguably work as a transition towards later games or other continuities where Sonic becomes better at communicating with his friends, learns some sense of responsibility, and relies more on his emotional intelligence to help people. He already cared about his friends, helping others, and was compassionate when it counted, but his recklessness and overconfidence could still be a danger to himself and others. As Shadow puts it: "You need to stop and listen for once!" (And in turn, Shadow needs to learn to communicate better.)

I understand if you prefer Sonic as a paragon of freedom and justice that inspires others rather than a character that can be fallible and may need to learn life lessons sometimes. But those two things are not mutually exclusive: Prime Sonic still becomes an inspiration to the characters he befriends, enough for them to protect him to the bitter end, and they inspire him in return.

Honestly, I am truly grateful to and impressed by the Sonic Prime writers: they didn’t just slap Sonic’s name on a brand new character for the kids to identify with, they clearly care a lot about the early Sonic games, and made sure to stay faithful to them, while still writing a cohesive story that can be followed by newcomers of all ages.

And as someone who grew up playing those games, this show felt like a love-letter to old fans of Sonic the Hedgehog. Watching Prime Sonic felt like reuniting with the character I grew up with: heroic, but still flawed and vulnerable in ways that got me invested in his adventures - the fact that he can make mistakes is good for suspense, and watching him learn from them is inspiring.

However you may feel about Prime Sonic, a lot of thought clearly went into writing his character based on early games; and I, for one, am really happy to have my reckless, overconfident bratty goofball back.

[54625]

I'm not sure if this is the end for the QSMP, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were shut down soon after this.

The eggs have been the lifeblood of the server since they were introduced, and having some of them permanently gone from the server is devastating for so many reasons, and bodes terribly for the future of this project. My optimism has run out. I will still wait for updates but I have no hope.

However, I wanted to write a piece for the community here on Tumblr. I know we're all very emotional right now, because while we have no confirmation that the QSMP will permanently close, we now have good reason to assume there might just be no other clear path out of this.

To the community:

Do not feel like you have to stop loving the server and everything it created. Do not stop creating art. Do not stop sharing why you loved the characters and the story and the world.

To completely boycott everything QSMP, you are discrediting the incredible work that the admins put into the server purely out of passion and the kindness of their hearts. Do not waste their sacrifices. Talk about the server and everything they did for it, give them recognition, let them know we love and appreciate all the time and care they poured into this project. Thank them by caring about their work that they put so much of themselves into.

To completely boycott everything QSMP, you are ignoring the beautiful friendships it created between content creators who otherwise would never have met, and the way it ignited such a fierce determination to learn about others' cultures in them. You are forgetting how much these streamers strived to tell engaging, relatable, fun stories, by themselves or with each other, and to have their fans talk about how much they liked their newest lore. You are refusing to acknowledge the effort put in by everyone on the project to tell amazing stories through the language barrier.

And to completely boycott the QSMP, you are denying yourself the fact that you loved this server; the eggs, the streamers, the stories, the cultural events, the laughter, the sadness, the friendships, the ship ships, the builds, the mods, the languages. You are part of this server for enjoying it's wonderful vitality and beauty and hilarity. As a community, we all are.

I have had my gripes with the QSMP fanbase, as anyone has gripes with the dysfunctional mad household they live in, but at the end of the day, I love it so much. This has been my first time actually being part of a fandom; interacting with people and sharing my art and my ideas, getting into silly debates and arguments, running my mouth off more than I should. I love this bizarre toxic fandom for all of it's worth; I love the fanfic writers (even if I think their characterisation is terrible), I love the fanartists (even if they give Pac those yellow scleras that always make me think of jaundice), I love the live bloggers (even if they clog up the main tag), I love the people who write analysis, the people who make animations and animatics, the people who webweave, and all the other things people in this fandom do to interact with the media we all collectively love and bond over.

We do not need to let this be the end of our community, as we can still share our admiration for the hard work put into this project, lift each other up, express praise where it is warranted.

And we can talk to each other, we can vent about how this has negatively effected us (provided we tag it appropriately 👁️👁️) and respond in kind to those seeking someone to speak to who relates.

The QSMP taught us the value of communication. While behind the scenes, it itself did not abide by it's own rules, we can. The QSMP itself is not the figurehead of communication; the content creators and the fans it sent this message to are. We can be an example of what the QSMP should have stood for.

I do not love the deeply flawed execution of the QSMP, but with my whole heart I love the idea; the ambition, the goal. It was noble. It, to some extent, worked.

It united communities.

Let it unite ours.

[dingodad]

dont understand why people look at classpect and see it as "oh a x of y is this and will always be like this" instead of "this character is like this, and as such can be categorized as a x of y"

even within that framework its still super sloppy (what makes someone a witch instead of a maid) but i just dont get how so many people look at the system and think they should apply it prescriptively

frankly i think this approach is similar in its fruitlessness to trying to determine whether Homestuck's world is deterministic or has free will (it clearly invokes both, because its philosophical goals lie elsewhere). classpect can't be prescriptive because that requires the existence of some narrative force which can predetermine what it wants for the characters and then somehow compel them to follow that path, which explicitly is not true - but it also clearly isn't descriptive, or else you're left to assume that either a) people are unchangeable (a thematically important but philosophically unconscionable position) or b) classpect is changeable, which we can surely agree is absurd.

classpect isn't prescriptive or descriptive because it is essential. John Egbert doesn't 'act like' an Heir of Breath, he is the Heir of Breath: an Heir of Breath acts like John Egbert because that's just who the Heir of Breath is. put another way - far more infuriating, but cutting far more directly to the point - John is the Heir of Breath because he was written to be, and for literally no other reason.

this cuts to another fundamental problem with popular classpect which is that there does not seem to have been any meaningful line drawn between classpect as a "tool for analyzing characters" and classpect as a tool for inventing OCs. you will occasionally hear platitudes along the lines of 'no two Thieves of Light will express their classpect in the same way', but this is not a statement that actually has anything to do with the content of Homestuck as a story - as far as Homestuck is concerned there is one Thief of Light and her name is Vriska Serket! to abstract the Thief class from its explicit purpose in the text and use what we know about Vriska to determine what a completely hypothetical 'Thief of Time' would be like is no longer to be analysing Homestuck: the classpecter is now attempting to use their rigid understanding of in-universe rules to determine the future direction of a creative endeavour, which is called theorycraft. it's anathema to serious adult literary analysis.

ok what point was i even making. basically the larger classpect debate seems to be split primarily between the 'it is very cool to think of classpect as fatalistic' camp and the 'it's more forward-thinking to view classpect as merely descriptive' faction and while i am absolutely firm in my belief that the former (which holds the clear majority) is an outstanding example of Chud Thought and i sympathise with your position with the latter, I am personally far more inclined to take the fabled Middle Road Of Nuance which is that classpect within the text clearly IS fatalistic, but maybe that's a bad thing and just maybe the story wants us to see that that's a bad thing..............?.......?!

[immortaledd]

⚠️ Tobacco TW!!

Heh…guess what I found out how to do…MAKE TEXT SMALLER! oh..and..new brush styles I guess LMAO

Mr. Puzzles Art AND Analysis!

The reactions to Mr. Puzzles I see over different pieces of media genuinely make me so upset.

People either glaze him, simp for him, or hate him. It breaks my heart SO much.

He has so much content potential, and the fact the community here is so small despite the views being so large makes my last star shatter in my chest.

The hate that Mr. Puzzles gets from SOME fans reminds me of 2022 TSAMS Eclipse hate. People argue over how he’s obsessive, a murderer, insane, etc. They treat him like people are glorifying a non-fiction character and it makes me pull strands of hair out…

For those of you unfamiliar with “2022 TSAMS Eclipse hate”, imagine a fictional villain incapable of feeling real emotion being stabbed a bajillion times in his lore, becoming evil, and then getting HATE for RIGHTFULLY CRASHING OUT!!! [It’s not as black and white as that but it’s the main premise.]

ANALYSIS

TW: Topics such as fictional (child) ab*se, fictional death, fictional t*rture, mental illness, body gore descriptions (dec*apit*tipn) and other adjacent issues.

SPOILERS FOR ALL PUZZLEVISION RELATED EPISODES! I advise WATCHING IT ALL FIRST!!!

THIS RANT IS NOT AT ALL DIRECTED AT THE WRITERS OF SMG4, THIS IS A RANT AS IF WE ARE INSIDE IN THE SHOW.

SMG4, LOVE YOUR WORK!!

[ SHOW ANALYSIS ]

We all have to agree Mr. Puzzles had a long history of child abuse. He flinches at any given moment, has issues expressing emotions properly, and has terrible lash outs which he probably learned and inherited from his father. Even if it wasn’t PHYSICAL, we have CLEAR evidence there was emotional abuse. His father kicks down his dreams, neglected him…and clearly didn’t care when he decapitated himself.

Not to mention his coping mechanism is TELEVISION. Excuse me breaking the fourth wall, but if you’re into this show, chances are you have had a lot of childhood issues and have turned to media as an outlet. I know I did! Let that alone speak for his character.

Only having television in place for social learning, mental development, physical development, and other things you canNOT be using television as a substitute for is going to lead to a LOT of problems. Like…enslaving the entire world for entertainment. I mean just LOOK AT HIS BODY!!! Although what his body is made out of is up for debate, I believe his torso at LEAST is still human. THAT MAN IS LANKY AND MALNOURISHED, GOOD GOD!!

None of his dreams were even INHERENTLY bad. Even his behaviors after lashing out are childish and full of tears. He shuts down easily, clearly doesn’t know how to balance emotions, and doesn’t know how to carry out plans in a healthy manner. Especially after SMG4 whooped his behind and suddenly his mindset hard-switched to “get revenge at all costs”. Just like the movies!! Whoo hoo!!!

In Mr. Puzzles’ mind, his senses of protagonist and antagonist are warped. He may subconsciously know he’s an antagonist (at least during the first arc) and is slowly accepting it as Arcs go on (last WOTFI and the WOTFI to come..), but consciously he believes the SMG4 crew is the antagonist, he is just “making them pay”. Which YEAH I KINDA DO TO?? I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT I’D CRASH OUT TOO.

There were SEVERAL times SMG4 could’ve turned around and said “nono it’s okay we’ll be awesome together!!” But for SOME reason they only do that ONCE (which, if you’re a redeemed villain enjoyer..you and I know you have to try WAY MORE THAN ONCE!?!) while he’s MID CRASH OUT!! YOU CAN’T END A STORY ON A CLIMAX!! UGH!!!!!

He is so full of resentment and anger that there are barely any more openings to fix what could’ve been fixed so long ago. I low-key blame Meggy so hard…LIKE HOW DO YOU SEE A ~10 YEAR OLD SHARING HIS HOPES AND DREAMS AND SAY “SHUT UP, CRIMINAL!!” ?!???? 😭😭 [Not that black and white but I’m being blunt. <3]

[ FANDOM ANALYSIS ]

FOR THOSE OF YOU SAYING MR. PUZZLES IS OBSESSIVE…OHHHHHH DON’T GET ME STARTED. It’s attachment issues. When you haven’t had piece of food in a week, the meal you receive from someone on the street, no matter how small, the quality, or stale, you’re going to eat it and you’re going to thank GOD. The same thing happens with social needs. Living without friends is unnatural for humans. Of course he got “obsessive” when someone actually cared about him and supported him. Seeing Leggy get taken away over and over again and then being TRAPPED inside this woman who HATES YOU is like watching your mom take away your childhood toy-friend as the age of 7 and putting them in the wash. To him, Leggy is being held HOSTAGE by a HORRIBLE WOMAN!!!!!!!

“He’s a murderer!!” “I don’t want to excuse his actions…” “He’s a terrible person!!” OKAY?? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT A FICTIONAL CHARACTER???? LOCK HIM AWAY?? Yeah let me call 911 gangsters, brb. You don’t have to treat FICTIONAL killer villains like real life serial killers. You’re allowed to enjoy a character. Especially one as well built as this one. This can vary for specific fictional characters…[valentino from hazbin hotel…you’re on the dni list.] but Mr. Puzzles is NOT one of them. You’re not going to get cancelled for kinning / liking a character you can relate to enduring child abuse and constant defeat.

When you like a “bad” character, it all depends on WHY you like the character. “I like valentino because of what he’s done to angel dust” is WAYYYYY different than “I like Mr. Puzzles because I relate to getting put down by others and being immaturely childish.” I needed this section written because it genuinely made me so uncomfortable to see people say “I don’t want to defend Mr. Puzzles…” and “You’re all blinded by his comedy to see he’s a horrible person!!!!” Y..yeah. That’s the point of a villain. I need to know you understand that. Villains aren’t supposed to be good people. Villains, at best, are supposed to be human.

[ SIMPABILITY (FANDOM) ANALYSIS ]

A word for the simps…I’m so sorry but I need my opinion out there.

You won’t be getting in that man’s bed. I see so many people romanticizing him and making him some big Top-Dominant-Alpha-Male…and it’s just…

“Can I play crossword puzzles on it?🥺🥺”

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe he’s straight (as far as he knows…aka…bi-curious) and I do genuinely love all the oc x canon I see because there’s so much comfort that comes out of it - but the oversexualizing is too far in my view.

He would be an awkward mess, no clue what to do, and would probably get cold feet and back out. I’m so sorry. But that man doesn’t even have a BODY. HE’S PROBABLY A KEN DOLL HONESTLY!!!!!!!! LACK OF REPRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t genuinely care if you’re thirsting over this man as long as it isn’t self destructive. This is just my opinion and you have a right to your own! That includes you having a different opinion to everything else in this little rant of mine.