#does that make sense? hopefully it does-

[indigo-flightly-falls]

Helsmit headcanons

The way I headcanon Helcraft and the Helsmits to work is that during season 3, the Gods decided that Hermitcraft was getting a bit overpowered (it hosted Watchers, Listeners, as well as ancient gods and species that were almost extinct, with many more to join), and decided to create a server to balance it out! Nobody expected Hermitcraft to exist as long as it is, so Helscraft is missing some features.

Namely, they don't get a new world. They're on the same world as when they were created. This is the source of a few problems at times, especially when new members arrive. However, due to farms and careful planning to avoid going into new chunks when not needed, the server is relatively stable.

One of these plans to avoid loading new chunks is the addition of groups. There are three groups set up, and new Helsmits often join one of these. The groups are the following: Spawn, which is a roughly 400 block circle containing spawn, and several friend groups. (such as the NHelsO, Team ZPR, the Space Squad, and the 'Main Four) The Swamp, the smallest group, set in a modified swamp that covers about 100 blocks in total, only four people live here currently. The Mountains, which contains a replica of an Ancient City built inside it. This is a fairly large group, and where the non-social Helsmits stay.

New Helsmits either come from alternate universes or already existed in their universe and got an invite around the time their Hermit joined Hermitcraft!

It should be said that the Helsmits aren't evil. Some of them have bad relationships with their Hermit, but many just want to live. They've all been through some difficult things in the past, and sometimes that means lashing out at others.

They view themselves as protectors of Hermitcraft, due to the fact that Helscraft is a weak spot in the whitelist and protective measures of the server, and as such the Runaway Watchers target the server. The only time this became a big issue was during season 8/9, when a group of Watchers broke into the server and used it to crash the moon, before fully taking over Helscraft.

It should be noted that Etho and Grian, while not being Helsmits, often hang out on the server and see it as a second home. They both get along with their Hels, and many of the other server members!

Ex - Voidwalker/Watcher - he/they Ex was chosen as admin of Helscraft due to their relationship with Xisuma. They were the former prince of the Voidwalkers and as such, treats his role as admin as if he were king. Ex doesn't actually stand for Evil Xisuma, it's short for Exion, an old voidtongue word for 'protector' that was their old name before they became a helsmit. They also pronounce their name as 'E-X', mostly to avoid confusion with X. Ex and Xisuma have a more neutral relationship. Xisuma wants to reconnect with Ex, and Ex feels the same way. However, Ex also suffered at the hands of the Watchers due to Xisuma not listening to his ideas.

Hels - Angel/Watcher - they/it/he/blaze/hell Hels wandered onto Helscraft after escaping the Watchers and has since adopted a protector role. They are headstrong and quick to anger, but truly care for the safety of everyone on the server. Hels is actually their chosen name! They identify as a trans demiboy, and chose Hels both as a way to mock Wels and the entire angel city. Hels and Wels have a heavily negative relationship. Wels wants to hang out with Hels, to revisit the old days when they were kids. However, Hels has a lot of anger directed at Wels, for many things. Honestly, the best way to sum up Hels' feelings towards Wels is the song Feel Better by Penelope Scott.

Badtimed (Bad) - Alleyling/Listener - he/xe/they Bad was traveling with Hels before joining Helscraft, trying to escape the Listeners. They are rather calm for a Helsmit, which is saying something. Xe is Scar's older brother! However, the two were both separated when Scar was a small child, and as such, Scar grew up not knowing Bad existed. Bad and Scar's relationship is fully neutral. They both feel proud of each other, but there is a level of awkwardness due to missing out on so much of their lives.

Xornoth - Elf/demon- They/them Xornoth arrived in Helscraft during mid-season 7, trying to escape Exor. They crash landed onto Helscraft and were taken in by Ex and Hels. Xornoth actually rejects Exor's control, and is actively working against the god. When not corrupted, they have a rather easy going personality, and prefers to stay out of fighting. It is unknown who Xornoth is the Hels of, and it is theorized that they are the Hels of Pearl and Gem. However, nothing is set in stone.

Grain - Watcher/parrot hybrid - she/her Oh my god it's the famous popstar Ariana Griande :0000. Wait sorry, that's the Helsmit of Grian... Aka, meet Grian's sister, Grain! Grain named herself, because when you don't identify as your assigned gender and you've suffered through a high school that could function as hell, you can pick a funny name. Grain and Grian are best friends. They are like the siblings in movies that somehow get along. You put them in a room with some redstone contraption, they'll either break it or it'll be 10 times better then it was before. High positive. Also yes she's also Ariana Griande. It's how she sneaks onto Hermitcraft before the Helsmits were well known.

Renbob - wolf hybrid - he/they Idk what to say about this guy. He just popped into Helscraft when Ren joined and claimed himself a part of the server. They're best friends with Grain and Proto. What more do you need?

Proto - robot - they/he/blue Proto is short for Prototype Grumbot, or a fully humanoid version of the robot from season 7! Blu looks just like Grumbot, only with legs and sentience. Blue's actually one of the chillest server members. Proto feels out of place on Helscraft due to the fact that blu is fully non-human. They are a full robot and that leads to some seperation with the others. Grain and Renbob are always there for blu though, and always make sure he gets what he needs Mumbo and Proto don't really interact with each other, with Proto preferring to keep to blueself instead of interacting with their hermit.

Echo - Voidling/Listener - they/void Echo isn't their actual name, back before they joined Helscraft, it was Pathos. However, due to backstory™, they see themself as a 'echo' of their former self. Echo appears rather scary, but is actual pretty easy going! Voi just loves to blow stuff up! Echo came from a different universe, where the Jungle didn't happen and some other assorted stuff was different. However, they were summoned into Helscraft after they watched their Hermitcraft be overtaken by Watchers and most server members permakilled. Echo and Etho have a highly positive relationship. Their personality's work well together, and they have similar interests!

Chicken - dove avian/Watcher - He/him Chicken, just like the rest of the NHelsO, was from an alternate universe. Chicken got the short end of the stick, coming from a universe where avians like himself were a collectors item. Chicken got his name because Adubs didn't know what doves were and asked if he was a chicken hybrid. Chicken and Beef have a relatively neutral relationship. Neither have really connected with each other but get along well if in a conversation.

Adubs - glare/phantom/Watcher - it/he/rot Adubs doesn't actually remember most of its past, as in rots universe, his body was overtaken by the Jungle and wiped of memories. This is also why when asked to chose a name, rot decided to steal his hermit's name and change one letter like the basic bitch it is. Adubs and Bdubs have a negative relationship, due to Adubs viewing Bdubs as an imposter and Bdubs seeing Adubs as a version of the evil that almost took him.

13 - cat :3 - he/it/blast 13 is just straight up a gray and white anthropomorphic cat. Still has the same missing face and arm as Doc btw. He's just a cat. Nothing else has been changed. Yes he gets hit with furry jokes all the time. He got his name because blast didn't know math and thought 7+7 was 13. Nobody lets it live it down. 13's passion is redstone casino games. But rigged to hell and back. Also anything involving TNT. Blast is a menace. 13 and Doc have surprisingly positive relationship! On bad days, they can't be near each other, but they do enjoy each other's company and love bouncing ideas off each other!

Zedx/Zex/FedX - demon - he/they/swirl/color Don't ask them about their names/nicknames, it was all because Joe Hels is a menace and might not be from this universe. Honestly I don't have a ton figured out for swirl yet, but I have been taking inspiration from both the Nether (Minecraft) and the Spiral from TMA. You know those THA!Zed drawings? Add a bit more black/red/teal and slightly less glitchy-ness and you've got Zex. Zed and Zex love working together. They just chill and break reality whenever they meet up! Positive relationship!

Relic (Reluctance) - Angel - he/they Relic is one of the few Helsmits that is exactly the opposite of their hermit, down to the backstory. While Impulse was used as a free wish machine, Relic was used as a fortune teller by the angels. Relic is the most peaceful of all the Helsmits, as they hate fighting and would rather sit around and heal the others. This doesn't mean he won't fight, he just hates it. Relic and Impulse have a neutral/negative relationship, mostly due to the natural dislike Angels and Demons have for each other. They do both wish that the other has a happy life though.

Polka - Warden/axolotl - he/she Polka. Beautiful mess of a creature. Not Warden enough to live full time in ancient cities and not axolotl enough to have a place underwater. She has mild control of water, and can summon it or give himself waterbreathing for a certain amount of time! As a fun fact, if he summons the water in the Nether, it works like if it was placed in the overworld. Yes she has drowned in the Nether and flooded it before. Polka and Tango are very chill :) they are complete opposites but both love redstone! I'd say a positive relationship!

--------------

And that's it for the fully fleshed out Helsmits! I do have some other ideas bouncing around, but haven't gotten a chance to fully create the characters!

So here's those none fleshed out characters:

Joe Hels - all pronouns I adore this name for no reason. It gives off all the vibes this guy has. This guy is either a demon or a Listener. but not both he can't be both. I have no idea for anything about xym except for the name.

(unnamed Cleo hels) - she/they (?) I have no idea who they should be or their name. All I know is that she is the single human on this whole server. I will take name ideas because I have none ;-;

True - hawk - she/it/cog Honestly the only reason she's on this list is because I haven't gotten around to hc/empires false lore so until then it's not developed.

CalmCreature - she/her Genuinely have no ideas for her. Got her name and she's not human in any way, but no more ideas yet

Herobrine - Void demon god thingy - he/it Meet TFC's hels and also his brother. Yeah that's all really. He doesn't stay on Helscraft much because it's a god, but he loves to check in and make sure the server isn't on fire

(unnamed Keralis hels) - *screeches in unknown* - it/void/he Eldritch horror Keralis that is all. Also known as I like the idea of EHK but that doesn't work with that Watcher!Keralis that exists in my main headcanons so here. this is my solution.

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@kamishirosss here's the tag! I'll finish the next few posts about stuff in a few days :D

[sgt-tombstone]

Contrary to popular belief, when Soap joined the 141, he didn't attach himself obnoxious and irrevocably to his glowering lieutenant. There was no baby duckling moment, no imprinting from the sociable sergeant, no following Ghost around like a lost puppy

For his first few weeks on base, he was bright and loud in the way of the new kid on the block trying to make friends however he could, but he gravitated mostly towards Gaz, a man equal to him in rank, passion, and mischievousness. He sought out Ghost with the same enthusiasm that he sought out latrine duty or paperwork; a part of everyday military life that's easier to accept and move on than fight against. He didn't go out of his way to avoid Ghost, but he also didn't actively try to gain his attention either

Contrary to popular belief, it was Ghost who attached himself to Soap, not the other way around

Ghost has always stuck to the shadows, taken advantage of the brightness of others to stay hidden, to fly under the radar until he erupts with deadly force, and no one was brighter than Johnny. When Soap walked into a room, no one had the wherewithal to even think to check for anyone behind him; he stole the attention of everyone he came in contact with. He was a blaze of energy and charm and excitement, and Ghost shamelessly used it to his advantage, placing himself behind Johnny like he was deploying a decoy flare, knowing that he could rely on the shadow that Soap never failed to cast with his intensity. It wasn't a fear thing, either; Ghost never cowered in Soap's shadow. At worst, he lurked. At best, prowled. He did what he did best, assisted by an oblivious, brilliant sergeant

And when Soap caught on... Price never knew peace again, because Soap turned the glow up tenfold, intentionally creating pockets of shadow for his lieutenant to hide in, the two of them working in tandem until they didn't even have to speak, until they could move around each other with alarming, exceptional ease

Around base, Ghost took advantage of it for fun, or to get out of paperwork, or to avoid social interaction; he could trust his sergeant to distract anyone from anything for long enough that Ghost could slip away entirely unnoticed, with everyone around them none the wiser

In the field, though... They had never been a more deadly duo. There was risk involved, of course, because intentionally drawing attention to yourself in a firefight is less than ideal, but they trusted each other implicitly. Whenever Soap kicked up dust, Ghost took cover in it, hiding in plain sight, secure in the knowledge that the combination of Soap's diversion and his own trigger finger kept them completely safe. No one ever saw Ghost, not when they were too caught up in the pandemonium that was Johnny MacTavish, and then it was too late, because Ghost had already taken them out

And when Soap turned that wildness on Ghost himself, well... Simon could admit that he used his sergeant's influence to his advantage, but he'd never claim to be entirely immune to it himself...

[xformalde-hyde]

Don't know why, but something about BP's design has always bothered me a little, so here's my attempts at messing with my version of him

[alltimefail]

Can we take a second to talk about Niko's connection to the Principal?

Because I think we all moved on a little quickly from that!

General disclaimer before we begin: this is just my own theory and my personal interpretations. <3

As a refresher, The Principal is the Night Nurse's "Superior." We see her for the first time at the end of season 1, episode 8. In this theory, I will be analyzing the potential role The Principal plays in DBDA, especially where our beloved Niko Sasaki is concerned.

A connection between The Principal and Niko is undoubtable to me for two reasons: the first reason being that they intentionally focused the camera on The Principal zero-ing in on Niko's case card, and she has a visible emotional reaction to seeing Niko's name.

The second being that, before departing, she quotes what Tragic Mick told Niko before the face-off with Esther which ultimately resulted in her death.

One popular theory I saw floating around in the first few weeks after DBDA released was that The Principal is Niko herself, and while this is a fun concept I can't get behind it because, well, Niko is "alive" at the end of the season. Yuyu has confirmed that she's the one in the igloo with the sprites, and Steve has confirmed that Niko is not dead/off the show as well. While we have no clue where the igloo is for certain, or what state Niko is in, it's safe to say that Niko has not moved on to her afterlife, so she can't be the Night Nurses' superior in the Lost and Found Department.

My theory doesn't reinvent the wheel, but I personally think The Principal could be Niko's mother.

From a non-storyline standpoint, The Principal looks to be a perfectly appropriate age to have a 16 year old daughter. From a casting standpoint, Yuyu and Tamlyn also are a convincing mother/daughter pair. I think their mannerisms (body language and expressions) are even a bit similar:

But most importantly, from a writing and storyline standpoint, Niko's mother is mentioned multiple times throughout the season but we never actually see her or hear from her - not in a phone call, a voicemail, or even in a picture in Niko's meticulously decorated, aesthetic bedroom. This is what leads me to believe that the persistent mention of Niko's mom is an example of Chekhov's gun being fired.

Emphasis here on: "If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there."

From the persistent plotline surrounding...

Niko's grief not just with her father's death but also with her mother who sent her to school across the world literally the day after her father's funeral to "escape the sadness,"

to the pile of letters from her mother that she couldn't bring herself to respond to,

to the response letter she finally writes to her mom but we don't learn the fate of,

to Niko telling Crystal that her mom would always say "A mother's intuition is very strong," (which could be why The Principal reacted to Niko's case card in the way she did...)

to even Jenny mentioning Niko's mom in the finale

... and so on, the writers seem to mention her as often as they can, even up to the very end. This makes Niko's mom a sort of looming figure in the narrative, a thought persistently brought back in a "Hey, remember this?" kind of way to the viewer, and that kind of intentional presence needs to serve a purpose or have some kind of payoff later. After all - if it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there... if we aren't going to get some kind of closure regarding Niko's family, especially her mother who is still alive, it shouldn't be brought to the viewer's attention again and again.

Also, The Principal being Niko's mother would make Niko at least half supernatural being (we don't know much about her father, but considering the fact that he's dead we can assume he was likely fully human). Niko being half supernatural-being would explain a few allusive plotlines such as:

Why Angie the fish does not try to tempt Niko into the water.

Why Crystal tells Niko that she should stay behind and not fight Esther because Niko is "Just a human."

Why we don't see Niko's spirit separate from her body at any point, nor do we get Death's blue light.

How the Principal knows Tragic Mick's last words to Niko and why she quotes them to the boys who were not even present at the moment the sentiment was delivered the first time.

Starting with Angie, it's obvious why the boys are not affected by her call: Charles and Edwin are incorporeal spirits, they have no physical body and Angie's call is sent out with the goal of finding food to eat, plain and simple. Niko not hearing Angie's call, considering the fact that she's flesh and bone just like Crystal, is noteworthy to say the least. After all, we can safely assume Angie's call can beckon more than one person at a time because the group is worried about the populated kite festival becoming an all-you-can-eat buffet, essentially. They need to figure out the case and only have 24 hours to do so before area is filled with bodies for Angie to tempt into the water, that's the whole time-constraint conflict that adds pressure to an already delicate situation. The first time Crystal hears the call she is with Charles at the top of the lighthouse with Niko nowhere near Angie, but the second time Crystal hears Angie she and Niko are standing literally right next to each other. Niko then confirms that there's "No voice" coming from the water after they save Crystal, but considering how Niko's grief surrounding the death of her father is such a huge part of her characterization - in the same way Crystal not remembering her parents is critical to hers - it makes no sense that Angie wouldn't try to lure in Niko as well by using the voice of her deceased father.

But let's consider what we learn from the Night Nurse: trans-dimensional beings don't die when they're swallowed by a giant fish, so they do not satiate Angie's desire for food. This is why everyone assumes Kashi is not human because he, like The Night Nurse, is alive inside the stomach of a fish. So if Niko's mother is like The Night Nurse, a trans-dimensional being, that would explain why Angie's call would not effect Niko, because Angie just wants to eat... and ghosts and immortal beings (even if only semi-immortal) do not count as food.

As for Crystal telling Niko to stay behind because she's human: this line felt so... strange to me the first time I watched the series. After thinking about it though, I couldn't help but compare it to Charles' line in the pilot episode right before they enter Esther's house. He tells Crystal that "She still has a life to lose" and they want to "Protect it while they can," and while the sentiment is the same, the dialogue feels vastly more natural and understandable being delivered from the mouth of a ghost - a dead 16 year old boy - to an alive 16 year old girl. On the contrary, Crystal citing Niko being a human when she is also alive and very much a human just as capable of dying as Niko is, feels out of place. There's simply no need for Crystal to clarify that Niko is a human as the audience has already assumed that and been given no reason to believe otherwise. It's a small detail, but the only way for this line to make any sense is if it serves an ulterior motive - perhaps with the intention of getting the audience's gears turning and/or serving as the framework for a future plotline. Again, if Niko is related to The Principal, this would make her half supernatural at least... so, ironically, less human that Crystal is and less likely to face a typical human death...

which also might explain the "Outlook not so good" on the Magic 8-Ball. It's not the worst response you can get, it's not a critical failure or natural 1 in DnD so to speak... but it's also not great. Niko's not alive, but she's likely not as she once was either (but that's an entirely different can of worms).

As far as explaining how The Principal would know what Tragic Mick told Niko, I feel like an infinite trans-dimensional being who works as a higher up in the afterlife's Lost and Found Department would have no issue accessing their own child's file. We know the Lost and Found Department is nothing if not rigid, specific, and detail-oriented, and the files they have include the details of every child's death - it isn't so far-fetched to believe that Niko's file (and all the files, really) would also include insight on what Niko's last day on Earth (interactions and such) were like. Not to mention the fact that The Principal tells the boys she can pretty much do "Whatever she likes..." so she's powerful, she has resources and abilities that might even surpass those of the Night Nurse (who can literally dig around in people's minds and choke people with a snap of her fingers). If she is Niko's mother and she just lost her child and husband in a short amount of time, it would make sense for her to allow Charles and Edwin to keep doing what they do because they are helping people like her daughter, and maybe they could help her daughter again.

Lastly, I can't help but acknowledge how there is some kind of recognition, spark, or tenderness on The Principal's end when she first appears before the boys. I've seen other people say they feel similarly, almost like she seems disappointed or a bit taken aback when they ask who she is. She especially lingers on Edwin for a beat, and we all know how important Edwin was to Niko! Again, this is all just my own theory, but if The Principal is Niko's mother, her sparing the boys of being taken by the Lost and Found Department with the tenderness she does - by using Tragic Mick's words, the ones offered alongside a good luck charm (the last kind act toward Niko before she died) at the boys who loved her daughter and saved her once and could very well save her again - feels tear-jerkingly poetic to me. The Principal seems choked up before she goes, almost as if she's repaying them a favor they didn't know they were owed - the boys saved Niko once, and now that good fortune is coming back around to them.

So what would that all mean for next season? Where might Niko be? Who knows for sure! Perhaps she is imbued with Dandelion Sprite magic, or is currently an "Undead," a zombie, like the kind mentioned in the Night Nurse's book in Episode 6... but whatever she is, I have a feeling the boys and Crystal will find her again.

But all this to say, whether The Principal is Niko's mother, a reincarnation of Niko's father, an estranged aunt or family member we haven't met yet, a complete rando with invested special interest in Niko's case, or shit - even Niko herself somehow - I can confidently say that episode 8 won't be the last time we see The Principal, and that we're meant to draw a connection between her and Niko.

Now we just need a season 2 so we can get some answers @netflix!!!!!

[buwheal]

Hello spamton! It’s fun to see how other people draw you and such, it makes me wonder how you would draw yourself! Self portrait please, if you wanna!

[emblazons]

"Do you not see, Eleven?"

El & 001 + Mike Wheeler & Martin Brenner Parallels see also: Vecna' using El's trauma to manipulate(!) her ⤷ inspired by @heroesbyler & my own commentary (x)

[natjennie]

"and im gonna go buy party cups" awwww I do lowkey kind of feel bad for fabian this season like. obviously the more highly magical of the group have been favored while figuring out these god mysteries but. fabian's social maneuvering has been important too and his growth as a friend and his success on the owlbears. I don't think he's getting enough credit! especially with the election being so pivotal for the ritual!!! give him some praise!!!

[lucaswarmhotchocolate]

Harry Potter can cook. tbh. He deserves it. Also I headcanon that voldemort has made it so he does not need to sleep or eat much in order to thrive, physically and mentally, but he still eats anything Harry cooks and offers to him. A love language, of sorts.

[chipistrate]

I think something cool about modern fnaf is that- unlike other indie horrors (Bendy, Poppy Playtime, Indigo Park, etc etc)- the big corporation behind everything isn't. Personal? If that makes sense?

All of the listed games have faces to their companies, people who give speeches and are like the face of the company beside the mascot- they make the experience kind of. Personal. Hearing the dreams and wishes of the person behind the evil and explaining why they do what they do (or at least what they want you to think the motives are)

Modern Fnaf doesn't really have that- William and Henry are dead and we don't know who the new CEO of Faz Ent is. It's cold and corporate behind the colorful mascots. We know nothing about the goals of the owner/CEO, who they are, why they inherited/got ownership the company- we just know the colorful faces hiding whatever they're doing behind closed doors.

[dedmau]

the girls are fighting

[patovpran]

PJO + mythology visuals

[lavsnz]

thinking about two girlfriends cuddling on the couch & one has to sneeze & she goes to cover her face with her elbow but her girlfriend cups her hand around her girlfriend’s face (but not fully touching her girlfriend’s face) to cover the sneeze in case her girlfriend doesn’t have time to cover. girlfriend who didn’t sneeze then places the sweetest & smallest kiss on the nose of the girlfriend who sneezed. thank you for coming to my ted talk

[cementcornfield]

a series of tweets i found helpful and informative today re: joe's performance

so in summary: he wasn't throwing deep balls and it's hard to know why. he said in the presser that the patriots D "took the deep options away" and maybe that's true. but in that first tweet you can see that both ja'marr and yoshi are in single man coverage and breaking free. but joe doesn't even try to hit them. it's tempting to blame pass protection (as it has so often been the issue) but the pass protection was actually pretty good, some of the best of joe's professional career. but he honestly just looked spooked?! which i wouldn't blame him for, psychologically overcoming injuries is just as important and probably just as tedious as overcoming them physically. i imagine that can only improve with more reps.

saw a lot of people also blaming the wrist itself, and maybe that's true! he wouldn't say he was 100% last week and said he still has good and bad days. but it also doesn't seem like it really was affecting his throws at all, shallow intermediate or deep. the announcers certainly pointed out that he was fiddling with his wrist/shaking it around (and GASP wearing a glove!), but he's been doing that all training camp. what they showed on the broadcast was likely just him breaking up scar tissue.

so who knows! a lot went wrong in this game. play calling and scheme, run defense (although i also saw some tweets about how our D-line did well, our secondary still can't tackle though!), sloppy and undisciplined plays from everyone, along with some of joe's decision making (he also had some great plays! listed above!) we start slow, it just seems to be a given at this point. and i hope we can fix it. we have a track record of doing so, and you know the boys are pissed and watching the tape to see how they can improve. maybe they can fix it by the time we get to KC?

[toastofthetrashfire]

Framing in DFF: Voyeurism and Sex

Okay I kept thinking about this conversation between @brifrischu and @lurkingshan over the last few days. They both make great points about how the show is using the sex scenes to convey conflict, themes, and genre expectations (or the subversion of these). Since I did a whole post thinking about visual framing and the camera's gaze, I wanted to compare how each of the sex scenes is drawing on different forms of voyeurism to convey ideas to the audience, and even draw us in and interrogate our reactions as viewers.

Before we jump into analyzing scenes, I wanted to establish a few levels of visual gaze/voyeurism.

The typical gaze of the camera. Here there's no obvious signals or framing of voyeurism apart from the natural voyeurism inherent in filming and watching any piece of visual media.

We know a character is being watched but we don't see the watcher doing this. Perhaps a character expresses feeling watched or thinks they saw something. At this level we may stay in the perspective of the character being watched or an outside perspective where the watcher remains off screen.

The gaze is mediated in a way that evokes watching. For example, through a camera, a window, or the first-person viewpoint of the killer (common in horror). The voyeurism becomes more obvious and experiential. We're implicated more explicitly in the gaze but not necessarily in a way that forces the audience to reflect on this fact.

We see someone else gazing in a mediated way. Hannah Bonner puts it best in a chapter she wrote about Cabin in the Woods and other films with surveillance: "The voyeur is no longer just the audience, squirming in their seats from Michael Meyers's point of view as he tracks down his naked sister and her boyfriend in Halloween...now the audience as voyeur watches the voyeurs watch the surveyed" (90). This gets meta on the viewer.

I'd argue that each sex scene manipulates these levels of voyeurism in ways that play with genre expectations, and in ways that play with and challenge our reactions as viewers to different kinds of sex.

Tee and White

The scene with Tee and White begins with us looking through the open door. We actually start with just Tee. White moves in from off screen and joins him as if the porch is a stage. So we start at a mild version of voyeurism level 3--our view is mediated in a way that evokes watching through the open door. It's not as obvious as other forms of mediation like windows (which we'll discuss later for Phi and Jin) but it's still getting us into that territory.

This quickly changes to more open shots on the porch. These are unmediated so we move into level 1 territory for a short bit as the two begin making out. That is until White sees a flash of Masky. There we enter level 2 as we see this from White's perspective. And of course, he then expresses the feeling of being watched explicitly.

The hand comes in to grope Tee, and I'd argue this lies between levels 1 and 2. We as the audience see the hand and certainly that implies a degree of being watched by whoever or whatever is getting handsy. But we neither see from their perspective nor see them watching per se.

In true slasher fashion however, we get the implication that the horny couple is being watched. In a straight 90s slasher, this would be the indication that at least one member of the promiscuous couple is about to die (and often they're the first to die in the film). The slasher film thus allows the watcher a titillating glimpse of sex or at the very least a woman undressing, while also punishing this promiscuity. It's quite common to have such scenes play out either from the killer's perspective (level 3) or at least with it implied they are watching (level 2).

So in a typical slasher, the fact that White feels watched and we see the hand would be the signal that one or both of these two will die soon after.

But as others have pointed out, this doesn't happen. We're pretty much told as much by the way the story skirts this genre convention narratively. But I'd also argue they subvert it visually.

When the two actually get down to the actual sex part, we cut to the two in the shower, largely blurred by the glass. Now, we could perhaps argue that this is a mediated gaze. But I'd argue that a) filming sex scenes in showers is so common that it doesn't necessarily feel like it evokes watching quite in that way and b) the gaze is intentionally limited and denied through blurring effects. Yes this is likely in part because Fuaiz was under 18 while filming. However, it also moves us into level 1 territory. This feels intentional in the way that it pushes back on the visual tropes of the slasher genre in a very deliberate way. It is not meant to be solely titillating, and it also drops any visual queues that might suggest they are being targeted, effectively detaching sex and sexuality from being inherently tied to death and the murderous gaze.

We get the threat but it is quickly dissipated. We get a similar move a few scenes later, where for Tee and White, outside voyeurism is explicitly denied. When the group is looking at the security footage they flip over to video of Tee and White on the porch. We move into a level 3 (we see the footage on the screen) and implied level 4 (the group watching said footage), but only for a fraction of a moment. Tee steps in to block the gaze of both the group and the audience. The threat of being viewed is once again blocked and diffused as me move back to level 1.

This denial and push back on higher levels of voyeurism stands in contrast to how Non and Keng are filmed. So on the one hand, Tee and White's scenes navigate and subvert the voyeuristic tropes of the slasher. On the other hand, they raise thematic concerns about surveillance. And not just surveillance but who gets surveilled and why.

Phi and Jin

Phi and Jin have had two sex scenes so it's interesting to compare them visually. In episode 1, we start off and remain primarily in level 1 voyeurism territory, with one exception. There is a moment as Jin is giving Phi head where we shift perspective. We move inside the house and view them for a few moments through a dew stained window. Like Tee and White there is some blurring happening, but much less pronounced. However, unlike the shower glass or the open door, the window much more clearly evokes watching, moving us into level 3 in the middle of Jin and Phi's first sexual scene.

In the second scene, we begin almost immediately at level 3 with a mediated gaze. It's unclear if this is a closet, wall fixture, or window, but we're viewing the scene through it as if we are hiding and watching. Throughout the scene we also get an unsteady almost shaky camera effect that fits this level. Of course, we then get the much more obvious moment where Phi pushes Jin against the window and we move to view them from outside. Finally we have the dog/astronaut doll who watches over the encounter. Since it's an inanimate object it doesn't actually move us into level 4 here but there is an allusion here to being watched at that level all the same.

All of this is clearly an intentional choice. As @lurkingshan points out Phi and Jin are filmed so explicitly in part to highlight their betrayal of Non. The scene clearly plays on Phi's emotional betrayal of Non and New (at least from their perspective) as that is what the episode is building to. But it also strongly dialogues with Jin's own guilt through it's framing. Jin who harmed Non through voyeurism has that gaze placed on himself.

It's interesting because this is the scene shot most consistently from level 3, what we would expect from a slasher scene. But it isn't the killer that is watching or hanging over them, but rather their own mixed up feelings of guilt. It's an interesting subversion of the role this level of voyeurism can play within horror. It feels particularly queer as well. Tee and White's sex which is narratively placed in the role of our first victims, is subverted and visually moves down to level 1. While the late in the game sex between Jin and Phi visually plays out like Tee and White's should have if this followed the slasher mold. Sexuality is decoupled from voyeuristic and narrative tropes that would link it to judgement and death. Instead it becomes a "window" into the characters' inner struggles and interpersonal dynamics.

While not as meta as Non and Keng's scene (which we'll get to soon), the framing here offers a subversion of the typical ways we tie sex into our judgements of morality and of other people/characters.

Non and Phi

Non and Phi's sexual moments are left to implication. We get no indication that anyone is watching them. Aside from the inherent voyeurism of the camera, their moments feel private, safely away from the world. They kiss in secluded places, squarely at level 1. The sex itself happens off screen, perhaps arguably even moving us into a level 0. If Tee and White's sex is framed in ways that push back on gazing, Non and Phi's sex is made entirely impossible to view in the first place.

Levels 1 and 0 feel right at home in BL. This isn't to say we don't get other levels in BLs but it's not exactly a primary mode or a consistent trope. The exception perhaps is the threat in some dramas of being outed: being walked in on or seen making out out or embracing. Depending on the story this ranges from a friend who ultimately accepts them to someone who reacts with rejection. In either case, in these stories voyeurism as a theme typically revolve around homophobia. However, here we're signaled from the get go that the show will be exploring other themes. Tee and White's brief exposure to the group isn't playing on the tension of the closet. So from a visual standpoint, the way voyeurism is played out for Tee and White (as the group sees their footage) also signals that the show isn't really playing in the BL sandbox, it's just borrowing some sand.

For Non and Phi, then, the private nature of their relationship, and the fact that it remains at level 0 and 1, isn't a reflection of them hiding their queerness per se. Rather it dialogues with the perceptions both the group and the audience have of Non up until this point. The assumption that he is an outcast through and through, that he is unloved, that they/we already see his full complexity.

Non and Keng

This privacy given to Non and Phi is contrasted strongly with how Non and Keng are framed. By juxtaposing the two pairs, I believe that the show is challenging certain assumptions and dialogues around sex.

As Non and Keng begin to kiss and touch we stay in level 1 territory initially. However, this changes sharply when Jin and Fluke come to look for them. When we see the sex it is not through a neutral camera but through Jin's first person perspective. The shot is cut as if looking through a cracked door. We enter level 3 voyeurism. Quickly, as Jin pulls out his phone, we move from level 3 to level 4. We are now not just experiencing Jin watching, but we've become voyeurs to Jin's voyeurism. He watches and films, and we watch him do so.

The show clearly has a lot to say about what it means to surveil others and about the ways our perceptions can do others harm. It's very intentional that Non and Keng's sex is framed this way. As @lurkingshan points out, the scene is intentionally graphic to hit home on the fact that this is SA. In line with this, the visual framing takes us to the highest level of voyeurism (level 4) to make this violation clear. This doesn't just stress how awful this is, but also ask us as viewers to be reflective on our own judgements and perception.

As @brifrischu points out, Non and Keng's sex is transactional and easily judged as cheating, slutty, and scandalous on Non's part rather than SA. This contrasts with the level 0 and 1 of Phi and Non, who are judged as sweet, safe, and monogamous in contrast. By pulling us into level 4, the show is getting meta, and asking us to reflect on these assumptions. It wants to draw these comparisons in a way that makes us stand back and think about our role as viewers and voyeurs. As an audience we are implicated in the dichotomy that's drawn. There's an awareness here of audience response (or at least one unfortunately common one) and a critique of it built into the visual levels being played with. This is of course highlighted further in the following episode where Non reads social media commentary about the leaked video.

By making us voyeurs of this voyeurism, we're made complicit in a deeply uncomfortable but intentional way as we're asked to reflect on our perspectives around sex and morality. In doing this the show is highlighting the harm we can do just as it highlights the harm the characters do to one another.

[shriveled-grape]

“Do you enjoy playing with your food?”

“…what?”

“Do you enjoy playing with your food?”

“Ha… I heard you the first time, Barbatos, but I’m not quite sure what you mean.”

Venti narrows his eyes at him, a song playing in his mind. One that’s not created yet.

He can hear bards sing it — about a man who killed his lover because his hunger was too great and did what he feared most.

“You don’t have to worry about it yet, Tartaglia.”

He smiles, swirling the wine in his cup before he takes a drink.

And pretends he can’t see the blood that will eventually stain the Harbinger’s hands.

[itcanbesour]

Im depressed as fuck rn so James has to be as well. If this doesn’t make sense or it seems unorganized blame the biopolarness in me

When James does cry (because he rarely ever does. Not that he doesn’t like it, just takes a lot for him to cry.) it’s super silent. He doesn’t like audibly sob or make noise when he cry’s. It’s a habit he picked up when he was really young because his mother would yell at him for crying. Just imagine James crying in front of Keith for the first time and keith telling him that he’s allowed to cry normally :(( and so that warrants James to actually audibly sob for the first time in years

I feel like keith also didn’t cry with sound for a long time too. Not because he was yelled at but because he doesn’t like crying and the thought of of someone seeing him cry was like his worst nightmare. He does learn that it’s completely fine to cry and crying in front of people is completely okay too, shiro teaches him that and even tells him the exact thing Keith told James (truth be told Keith pretty much just took all the build up of advice and comfort he got from shiro and gave it to James)

Broganes!! Sheith/shaladins dni.