#episode: trick or treatment

[majorbaby]

11th hour halloween episode 

[ordinaryschmuck]

I love that The Ghost and Molly McGee's forced cancellation isn't just frustrating to fans of the show but to people in the animation industry as well. They're just as sick as we are about how much studios disrespect animation. They keep looking for the next Spongebob, Simspons, or goodness forbid Family Guy, but instead having faith in the creators and their content, they just...wait. They wait to make a profit and do the bare minimum to market their shows and make them available.

Let's look at Gravity Falls for example. I remember that when Gravity Falls was still airing, you would be able to find out a new episode was coming out based on coming across a commercial by random chance or by the people working the show promoting it online. Add that with the fact that it was on a different channel that required you paying MORE for your cable to get it. It WAS available through Disney Channel, a channel more available at a cheaper price, but the entire of Season Two got moved to the more expensive Disney XD, where Disney shows go to die, because...REASONS. With no warning or announcement. I think I found out about Gravity Falls moving to Disney XD because the trailer played during a commercial break. And that's just the START the show's problems. Mixed in with poor marketing, the show would have a crazy inconsistent schedule, where we'd have four episodes a week, a few months of NOTHING, a few more episodes a week, nothing for a few months, a random episode playing between that nothingness with next to no promotion, and all of that happening to the rest of the show until it finally died a slow death with its series finale where four episodes got stretched out for six months. That...is NOT okay. And it doesn't stop with Gravity Falls.

Steven Universe, OK KO, Ducktales 2017, Amphibia, The Owl House, and now Ghost and Molly McGee are all shows that had similar and sometimes WORSE treatments as Gravity Falls did, where the networks gave next to NO marketing, the creators had to promote their own shows themselves, and the airing schedules were so inconsistent with wildly long hiatuses that only the most dedicated fans were willing to keep watching. General audiences (mainly kids) weren't willing to keep up with shows that had ongoing stories if the episodes stories kept being too spaced apart and never had reruns as frequent as other shows like Teen Titans Go or Big City Greens (Or whatever's constantly on network TV nowadays. I don't know. I mostly watch shit on streaming).

The people of the animation industry is catching onto all of these tricks, and they're getting sick of it. They're getting sick of inconsistent schedules. They're getting sick of trying to bend over backwards in every possible way to make the show they wanted. By either making serialized content as episodic as possible so the network could air it more or by condensing their stories as much as they can, already expecting that forced cancellation to happen sooner than later. And in some cases, they don't even get the luxury of being told their show is ending. Did you know that Inside Job and Paranormal Park both had seasons that were already in development before Netflix pulled the plug shortly after releasing new episodes of their shows? Did you know that The Ghost and Molly McGee was already working on a Season Three before Disney shut that down so they had to force out a series finale that would still be good despite the cancellation? Because it's true. It's ALWAYS true. Creators want to make MORE, but the studios won't let them because they didn't profit off of it. Except they WOULD HAVE if they treated it better.

I want kids to grow up with characters that stick around through their childhood, just like I did with mine. I want kids to have their own Ed, Edd n Eddy, Codename: Kids Next Door, Phineas and Ferb, or Kim Possible. I want kids to watch shows that last more than two-three seasons, stick around for years, and leave an impact as if they have all the time in the world because to them, it feels like they do. I want kids to have a show that ends on a high note because the creators wanted it and not because the networks demanded it. But the unfortunate thing is that it doesn't seem possible nowadays. Because if a mostly episodic show like The Ghost and Molly McGee fails, despite being charming and inoffensive and something most kids will love, the what hope IS left.

[captainhunnicutt]

Here's a running list of every time BJ drops the name of a person during casual conversation (sometimes as if it's common knowledge), and then never mentions them again:

1.) Norma Jean - Welcome to Korea (S4E1)

2.) Gerald Rassmussen - The More I See You (S4E22)

3.) Floyd Hayden - The Colonel's Horse (S5E11)

4.) Louis Hepler - 38 Across (S5E15)

5.) TR Miller - Lil (S7E3)

6.) Elwood Einstein - Period of Adjustment (S8E6)

7.) Aunt Shirley - War Co-Respondent (S8E23)

8.) Eddie Hoffman & Old Man Wallerstein - No Sweat (S9E11)

9.) Carl (!!!!) - No Sweat (S9E11)

10.) [Aunt] Selma - Trick or Treatment (S11E2)

11.) Earl Flagen - Give and Take (S11E14)

In conclusion, BJ Hunnicutt only does this 11* times in the span of 179 episodes he's actually in. 6% of episodes. Do with this little piece of information as you'd like.

*It's definitely possible that I missed some, so if I did please kindly let me know.

[tocomplainfriend]

WHERE ARE THE WOMEN!?

I came back to or HB and I got run over with the lack of Female character content. Specially in the queer area!

We got Millie, who gets the lowest attention. See doesn't have and actual episode about her as a person. Unhappy Campers it's not an actual episode about her- it's mainly Moxxie and her dealing with it. We don't get any flashbacks in comparison to Blitz, Moxxie, and Loona. Even when Chaz it's her ex, we only get the Moxxie's part of the story. We get an episode with full focus on Bllitz, Stolas and Moxxie perspective of things in an episode, but we never follow Millie alone her self.

What we got about Millie: Good at killing (Melee weapons), supportive, Country girl, anger? Moxxie's Wife

Unhappy campers tries to give her attention but not actually doing it. She gets everyone to love her and show she can do an endless amount of tricks. But the episode concentrates in Moxxie getting insecure again. The fact they barely want to write her shows in just giving her long fighting scenes instead.

What does she do? Like, does she have her group of friends outside of her job or no? How does that make her feel? Being in your mid 20's and not really having many friends, it's quite a thing to explore. Or does she have actual friends outside of Blitz, and her husband.

How does she feel about Blitz stalking them? Cause in the pilot she just laughs it off a lot! Why? She didn't say anything about Blitz coming to Ozzies to see them. Does she actually dislike Loona or the fact she is a hellhound? Does she feel like a normal Joe underlooked, cause maybe her family with multiple kids didn't give her top attention and recognition? Probably not because they didn't write that- I imagined that, just know. Apparently she just had a 'boring' good family and that's why we don't see anything of that.

I just fill in the spaces where the is nothing to say regarding Millie with Headcanons, basically...

Loona gets written kind of back and forward. She was so nice by the end of season 1- to then beat the shit off Blitz in season 2, episode 2. And She was given the reason of "blitz did something that hurt her" when she was in the wrong for being awful to the customers in the first place and try to guilt-trip her dad. In that same episode, we get Loona's backstory for getting adopted, but from Blitz Perspective. I loved how she was with Octavia. But she backtracks into being mean to everyone. Hopefully she gets to interact with her by the end of the season!

Verosika... Where is my girl? Haven't seen her! She gets to have genuine frustrations towards Blitz, I'm happy for that. I hope they don't write her into had being the bad one for blitz to look better.

Stella, she gets written as the worst to elevate Stolas as the least bad person to justify him and Stolitz. Her view of also getting forced to marry someone as a child is never given, she gets the least out of it to- she doesn't get any book or power- she sticks to her family. I think writing her as "stupid" and also the "I love tormenting you" is so shallow. Her power as an antagonist gets killed in order to put her brother as the main danger instead.

One thing in writting I don't think it's intentional is her treatment of Striker. It does call my attention that Stolas call Blitz an Imp, and imp based names- same with disregarding Millie and Moxxie- Meanwhile Stella treats her assistant like shit and says shit if "plebeian blabla" but when she gets in the Phone with Striker to cancel the killing. She is polite and calls him darling. Which is different!

I love that Octavia gets attention, but I know she is written to also elevate Stolas as a character. -And the writting fill force her into forgiving him. Also... her relationship with her Mom? Someone? Can we explore what she thinks of imps or hellhounds compared to her parents?

Sallie May? 2 Lines in 1 episode.

Barbie? Her story dealing with her mom dying got pushed in the BG due to her deleted content. uh... get drugs from being sexual as a +30 woman to a 19 yr human. Doesn't want to deal with Blitz cool! Fizz gets more backstory with Blitz than with her...

Glitz and Glam. They show up and act like assholes to Fizz (to make him seem more vunerable and dealing with a lot). For some reason, the concept of Mammon being abusive to Fizz only matter if it towards him. Because he just let Glitz and Glam take his place, even if they were being bitches to him- that doesn't make them have to endure Mammon's treatment too. They are also over villainized as if Blitz or wasn't an ass to everyone too.

Bee is there probably for one episode due to wall Kesha and shit. She is a contradiction on her self "gluttony - over indulgance" to then "Loona your dad is drinking to much and it worries me" ??? She is there to be a party girl and tell Loona what to do.

Overall she also only get Queer content out of the male characters. There is not a single WLW thing going on anywhere here. Meanwhile most the teasing of ships and jokes is MLM (blitzXmoxxie,blitzXstriker, blitzXstolas, blitzXchaz, blitzXfizz, moxxieXstriker, moxxieXchaz, fizzXasmodeous)

The only possible WLW joke is Bee and Loona. That's it!

For a show that gets to praised for representation of the trans woman character, It's less of a secondary character just yet. And no non-binary character anywhere.

(DO NOT SAY oh but in the BG, NO I'm TALKING ACTUAL CHARACTERS IN THE SHOW-not the bg succubus or the art team putting random stuff around!)

[bugs1nmybrain]

Bipolar!Shigaraki Tomura Headcanons

I'm writing it. Because I CAN

Before I start, I am writing these headcanons as someone who has been diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 for almost three years now. I frankly could not care less if people don't think he has Bipolar Disorder, I'm writing this for my comfort and that of others who either have Bipolar disorder or just resonate with the idea that Tomura does.

and I'm also very aware of Bipolar Disorder being stigmatized as something that affects "bad" people. I'm not trying to suggest this, but that Tomura is someone who is neglected of treatment.

Warning: Bipolar disorder as title suggests (Tomura's symptoms relate to type 1 more), talks of depression, mania, psychosis, suicidality, etc, angst?

Tomura has never been given a formal diagnosis and likely has no clue that he has bipolar disorder himself. He doesn't know much about it, either, other then the stereotype that people with general mood swings are "so bipolar."

The doctor knows, AFO does too, but for them, they see it as more ammo for their arsenal to make sure Tomura's life is nothing but agony. He's never been treated with medications or therapy. Nothing.

Because he isn't medicated, his episodes are pretty strong. His manic episodes sort of blend in with his everyday behavior to a lot of people.

It's during this time that he finds himself planning out grand operations against the heroes. Some of his ideas seem unrealistic and not well thought out. They're more just ideas thrown around, and he jumps to gather people and means to carry out his goal before actually having a calculated plan.

He's up all night doing this. But if he's not, he's likely gaming. He huddles up in his room with multiple cans of energy drinks (as if he didn't already have way too much energy).

(semi-canon) will text his comrades at godforsaken hours either asking, demanding, or just rambling about stuff. If he gets an answer, the recipient often finds themself confused because Tomura just talks and talks and talks, and when he's in the heat of some plan or project he doesn't really stop to compose his sentences or even take a damn breath.

He impulsively buys things, like copious amounts of in-game purchases. Or DoorDash. If he's feeling reeeaaal bold he'll go for a whole-ass gaming console if he can, even if his current one is perfectly fine. Or assembling as many thugs as he can and feeling generous enough to overpay them when they definitely don't need the amount of money he's giving them.

You can see how when AFO was arrested, his lifestyle shifted in this regard.

Tomura is already an irritable guy, and so his mania can make it worse. He gets very overstimulated with all of his sensations that little things, like accidentally stubbing his toe, can make him mad as fuck for a good thirty minutes.

He also gets very paranoid about others. When he talks to people, he's already convinced that they are tricking him somehow and he'll read every cue he can to confirm it, even if the proof isn't even there.

Even when he's out in public and by himself, he thinks everyone is mocking, judging, and looking at him. That also comes with being the most wanted villain around, but that's beside the point.

When something finally goes his way, he is HAPPY. Sometimes the League will catch Tomura smiling his face off for no apparent reason (odd for him), and will ask what's up, only for Tomura to CACKLE back with, "ehehAHAH NOTHING!! THAT's just IT!"

They look at each other like, but just let him go about his day. They'll later hear him giggling to himself in his room, and sometimes talking to himself. He'll deny and just tell them he was on chat (his devices are not open and he is standing in the middle of his room).

Because he's not medicated, his mania can trickle into psychotic symptoms. Especially if he's going through more stress than typical. He hears voices that tell him mean things. Sometimes they're the voices of his dead family.

And because he doesn't sleep much, he sees detailed shadows and things moving that aren't. It disturbs him, but he accepts it and tries to just push on. But sometimes if he hears voices more than he'd like, he gets sad and has to grip his head and whisper "shut up shut up shut up" to negate them.

He's delusional, too. AFO's grooming and constant monitoring of his whole life have definitely emphasized his distrust of everything around him. Sometimes he'll think that the people he's gaming with online are secret hero spies trying to get him to reveal himself. He also has a fear that someone is watching him in every location, and he'll think that even the silliest things are cameras or microphones, or that those around him are also spies. Later on, it becomes paranoia that his master is everywhere.

Then comes the doom of depression

For Tomura, he's technically always depressed. But when he goes into a depressive episode, he's pretty lifeless.

He's complacent about his goals. Sometimes he'll get a tiny idea that makes his brain go !, but then he thinks of all the planning behind it and immediately slouches down on any nearby furniture

He'll lay in bed for a long period of time doing nothing. Sometimes he'll try to play a game on his phone but he gets bored quick.

Tends to eat more during this time because it's the only joy he can get. And he gets bored. He is SO BORED

Anhedonia is a bitch

His brain dwells and rambles, yet his thoughts don't make sense to him? He's constantly thinking about how fucked up his life is, how better other villains are, and how much he hates All Might and heroes altogether. He tells himself that if it wasn't for all of that he wouldn't feel this way (relating to the depressive episode).

It overwhelms him and he tries to sleep it off, but he's somehow so depressed that he's UNCOMFORTABLE. His itching gets bad.

He is very suicidal during this time and hurts himself to try and subside it. If you asked him his reason for living, he'd tell you "to see this world crumble." But he's too busy crumbling in his bed.

Psychotic symptoms can occur during his depression, too. Especially if he hasn't slept.

His lack of medication usually causes him to swap back to mania somewhat soon (2 months or so). He definitely has rapid cycles.

Because his condition isn't managed, his brain is sort of in an in-an-out stance when it comes to his literal sanity. He has moments where he can definitely be level-headed (he gets rrly confident when he notices it) but when his anger and stress fuel him more than usual, he spirals and quite literally sees red. Sometimes he can't even tell if he's dreaming or not. Often mistakes the date and day of the week.

:(

I might write a fic of the reader comforting bipolar tomura. I don't think I've ever seen a fic like that for any character.

[theerurishipper]

Could you please explain why Cat Noir is no longer healing for Adrien after season 4? I technically know the answer but I love your metas <3

Thank you so much for your compliment!

Anyway, about your question. The short version? They made Ladybug treat Chat Noir like Gabriel treats Adrien.

Let me explain. The Ladynoir conflict was about how Ladybug and Chat Noir were experiencing a shift in their dynamic because of Ladybug’s new role as the guardian. Ladybug starts to keep secrets from Chat Noir and leave him out of the loop. She replaces him with Rena Rouge as her primary partner in all but name. And Chat Noir understandably feels neglected and ignored by someone who is supposed to be his partner. His home life is shit, and Ladybug and his life as Chat Noir have always been his escape. Ladybug has been the one who accepted him unconditionally and cared for him with no need for him to change himself to please her. He trusts her with his life and heart, and suddenly, she doesn’t do the same for him. Instead, she’s keeping secrets from him, she’s leaving him out of things and more or less treats him as “just another holder.” And yeah, this is because of her new responsibilities as the Guardian and her trauma from Chat Blanc. But the fact remains that even if she wants to make these changes, she should tell him.

It's pretty obvious now that Marinette has a controlling side to her, and that shows itself more than ever. She wants to control everything, she admits it herself in Strikeback. And that includes Chat Noir. She controls what he knows and what he can do, and denies him information he actually needs. She lashes out at him and dismisses him when he does try to talk to her, like in Kuro Neko. And this behavior is, how do I say it, very much like what Gabriel is. Of course it is more understandable than Gabe and it is certainly nowhere close to the level of Gabriel’s treatment of Adrien, which is abuse plain and simple, but there are some… similarities. They both keep him at a distance, they both start making decisions for him, they both want to have control over everything, and that includes him. They both take advantage of his trust and forgiveness and they both take him for granted.

Again, Ladybug doesn’t go anywhere near the levels Gabe has reached with his treatment of Adrien, but she does in fact take advantage of his trust. Ephemeral is the worst offender here, with Ladybug actively deciding to trick Chat Noir into an identity reveal without his consent. I think it’s awful to do that to someone. And what’s worse is that the episode ends with her not even realizing that she was wrong to do something like that.

Anyway, she’s treating him not unlike the way he’s treated at home. And while her actions are obviously not as severe and not as malicious as Gabe… it doesn’t change the fact that Chat Noir feels suddenly less like an escape, and Ladybug becomes not much different from the people who only like to see him as an object or a perfect little doll. He used to mean something to her as her partner, and now he doesn’t. He’s just another tool in her toolbox. He’s just someone who’s in the way. Ladybug doesn’t care for him anymore. He’s a bother.

She used to roll her eyes at his flirtations, but now she flips out and throws him in a trashcan for them. She used to treat him like an equal partner, but now she yells at him if he tries to talk to her or help her. He’s bothering her. He’s in the way. And he’s not good enough.

So he quits.

And then he decides that he wants to be the partner Ladybug wants. Not Chat Noir, who is his escape and the only way he can be free. No he’s going to be the Adrien side of himself, the perfect doll who wants for nothing except to cater to Ladybug’s needs.

Now, here is where the show loses the plot. Kuro Neko is supposed to be the resolution to the Ladynoir conflict, apparently. And the way it happens is… Adrien putting aside his valid concerns and emotions because Ladybug needs help, and apologizing to her for wanting to be treated with respect. Which is what Gabe taught him. That his feelings don’t matter, and that he should be perfect and cater to everybody’s desires for how he should be. That he shouldn’t have emotional needs because he’s too emotional and he’s a burden on others for having them. He literally says, “the boy who was Chat Noir was probably too sensitive,” which is what Gabe taught him! That Adrien was too emotional to be able to make his own decisions, and so Gabriel had to protect him and keep him in control. He had to be perfect for everyone because in reality, he was too emotional, and no one wanted to see that.

And Ladybug accepts this! She also thinks that Chat Noir is being a bother, and she starts crushing on Catwalker so quickly. And this isn’t salt on her for crushing on Catwalker, but it is so bad from a narrative standpoint and when you consider the implications of that. You see, what Adrien is doing with this whole Catwalker thing is something called fawning. It’s a trauma response because of Gabe's abuse. He pushes aside his own needs and desires to please Ladybug. He assumes responsibility for her mistakes and blames it on himself. At the end of the episode, he apologizes to her! And she just says some things about how he’s irreplaceable to her and how she needs him and all that.

And what is tells me is that Ladybug doesn’t like when Chat Noir has emotional needs and expectations of her in their partnership, and that she likes only boys who take care of her emotional needs without expecting anything in return. Adrien just seems so perfect and unbothered by anything, and he’s always praising and encouraging her. Luka always put her emotional needs first and was always in her corner even when she didn’t pay as much attention to their relationship. And now Catwalker, who says he’ll take care of her. And considering the Love Square from a writing standpoint is supposed to have Ladybug fall for both sides of Chat Noir, seeing her fall so quickly for him when he denies himself his needs and accepts being her emotional support partner is not the best look.

And what’s worse is that this reaction from Adrien is because he is an abuse victim. He is once again, putting on a mask to make himself into the person Ladybug wants. And they specifically say that he should act like the “perfect son” side of himself, so Adrien is acting the way for Ladybug the way he usually acts for Gabriel. And he ends the episode by apologizing for having emotions and for inconveniencing her. And since Adrien pushing aside his own desires is a trauma response, and Ladybug likes people who don’t inconvenience her with their emotions, it comes across as Ladybug benefitting from Chat Noir being traumatized, and it’s so great for her that Chat Noir comes pre-abused and ready to supress his emotional needs and cater to hers while demanding nothing from her.

Yikes.

But let’s move on to Strikeback, where Ladybug admits her mistakes. She admits she wanted to control things, that she pushed him away and left him in the dark. He hugs and reassures her he’s always here, and it’s beautiful and sweet. The Ladynoir conflict was not resolved, but surely, they would address it next season, right? Surely, we would get episodes of Ladybug apologizing and working to make up for her mistakes, right? Surely Chat Noir wouldn’t just forget this treatment, right?

It's never brought up again in Season 5. In fact, Season 5, where the Gabriel-Marinette parallels are really hammered down onto us, ends with Marinette siding with Gabriel and lying to Adrien about his entire existence. So, the entire conflict ends with Chat Noir putting aside his own emotional needs because Ladybug is sad, and he just accepts that he’ll never be treated with the respect that he wanted. Ladybug doesn’t learn squat, and she just does the same things again, but even worse this time.

At this point, they have their own toxic cycle. Ladybug does something to Chat, he puts his own needs aside to forgive and support her instead/accepts the blame onto himself, she does it again. All the while, he’s offering her emotional support while pushing away any of his feelings so that he doesn’t inconvenience her with them. When he does seem at the end of his rope, she says something along the lines of “I need you,” or “you’re irreplaceable to me,” and he comes right back to her, ready to continue being her emotional support partner even though she never actually fixes her mistakes. And while she obviously does mean what she says to him, her actions prove otherwise, and they end up coming across as similar to those little concessions Gabe gives Adrien so that he won’t get away from him. And this is never resolved. Season 5 ignored it, but it was never resolved, and the finale just brings it back full throttle with Marinette literally siding with Gabriel and doing what he wants.

This should have been an arc showing how Ladybug’s and Gabriel’s treatment of Adrien is ultimately different. They both make the same mistakes, though Gabriel is worse. But what’s different is that Ladybug actually does love and value Chat Noir, and she would never go as far as that because learns and grows, and because she is a good person. But instead, they had the protagonist act like the love interest’s abuser, established a bunch of parallels between them, and had her literally follow his request on how to treat his victim. They flat out went beyond it being a coincidental parallel. She’s literally doing what he wants at his own request. Not a good look for the abuse victim’s girlfriend to be behaving like the abuser.

But that was a long tangent. Anyway, to sum it up, Chat Noir was supposed to be Adrien’s escape from a toxic, controlling environment into one where he could be free. But everything changed when Season 4 attacked. And Adrien goes back to his trauma responses that he tries to escape from as Chat Noir, and this is treated as good and correct by the narrative. His hero life is also now being controlled, and Ladybug is behaving like Gabriel. His life where he once felt free is just another prison.

I hope this answers your question. Thank you for your ask!

[emotionallychargedtowel]

Why hello! I don’t see why we can’t keep the Top 5 trend alive in the new year so…

From one chronic rewatcher to another, what are your top 5 most rewatched scenes?

Sorry this took so long, @wen-kexing-apologist! I'm just now getting back to posting a bit more regularly after the holidays got me totally off track, and this question brought up a lot of Thoughts so I've been chipping away at it for weeks.

So, um, this is the best question ever. Except it’s the meanest question ever, because I'm terrible at choosing between things like this.

I am a massive rewatcher, whether you’re talking about whole series, episodes, or scenes. Scenes especially. Why watch an entire thing when you can go right for the best part/s and watch them over and over? This is also one of the reasons I have way too many gifs saved on my phone.

I thought about coming up with a list that was based more on what would make a good post, and/or what would make me look less uncool, than what I actually rewatch the most. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I wanted to be honest instead. So at the risk of seeming even more like an Utsukare obsessive and overall one-trick pony, I'm going to talk about the five scenes I think I've actually rewatched the most, even though four of them are from my perennial obsession.

The four Utsukushii Kare scenes are in the order they occur in the series, not from most rewatched to least. Then I'll talk about a fifth scene from another series that I've been pretty vocal about appreciating, and I'll mention some runners-up.

“who do you like, him or me?”

If gif posts are any indication—gifs are the smallest increment of rewatching, after all—some of my favorite scenes to rewatch aren’t that popular with other rewatchers. This one gets gif’ed, sure, as you can see. But it's not as popular a choice for this kind of treatment as a lot of other Utsukare scenes.

There are a few reasons this one is a favorite of mine. One is that I tend to like some jealousy in my romance. I have my theories about why it’s so appealing to me specifically, but I’m not entirely sure how to explain it. I also love a good aggressive shirt-grab. (Utsukare certainly delivers these regularly.) But the main reason I keep coming back to this moment is that in just a few sentences, a bunch of character development happens. Well, I guess it would be more correct to call it character revelation. This is the first time we really see this side of Kiyoi, and in that respect, it foreshadows the big perspective shift that’s just around the corner. The viewer picks up a lot of hints that Kiyoi has feelings for Hira prior to this point (even if Hira remains stubbornly oblivious to them). We’ve even seen Kiyoi kiss Hira already (even if he did push him to the ground a split second later). But this is the first time we see such direct evidence of the strength of his feelings for Hira. Kiyoi is so unguarded for this brief moment. The mask slips and what’s underneath is total desperation.

Hira, of course, misses the real meaning of what Kiyoi is saying despite how obvious it is. Which means it's also the viewers’ first indication of how intensely Hira clings to his favored view of reality in the face of evidence to the contrary.

"sorry I like you"

This is another scene where so much is happening in a short span, all because Kiyoi got desperate enough to talk about all of the unspoken bullshit between him and Hira. As usual, Hira doesn’t get it. But he might be starting to. 

This scene is pretty rough watching in some ways. When this episode first aired and it ended with this scene followed by each of them on their own and feeling terrible, I was a bit of a mess. It was silly of me to worry. There were plenty of favorable signs in the preview for the finale. I knew the novels had a happy ending. But it was just so sad and so real that it got to me anyway. But I also enjoyed it, because for an obsessive analyzer like myself, seeing these important relationship dynamics finally come to the surface in such concentrated form was fascinating. It was also a relief to see things out in the open.

Both leads turn in such great performances here. Yagi Yusei really steps up. It’s even more impressive given his relative lack of acting experience. His performance is so raw and affecting. If he had been less vulnerable, Kiyoi’s point about how contradictory Hira’s actions and statements are could seem like a kind of “gotcha” moment designed to win an argument--like he was pointing out that Hira was hypocritical in a bid to score points. Instead, Yagi shows viewers how deeply being caught in this double bind with Hira has hurt Kiyoi. 

Hagiwara Riku, in contrast, portrays Hira as so confused that he’s basically dissociated. Hira has a really strong tendency to see the world in whatever way suits him, regardless of the truth. Kiyoi’s words force Hira to set his usual narrative aside and see how much clinging to it is hurting the person he claims to love, and it throws him off to such an extent that he seems to be experiencing a form of psychomotor slowing. He looks like he’s moving through molasses. He can’t form sentences, or at times, even words. His normally expressive eyes seem like they’ve shrunk to half their normal size. He’s really come unmoored, and it shows. The more I think about Hagiwara’s work in this scene the more impressed I am by the insight and physical control he had to bring to bear in order for it to work. 

Of course, if I watched this scene on its own habitually, this level of blorbo distress might take a toll on my mental health. Which is why I usually follow it up with…

"I'm not going to kiss you for a while"

I’m busting out the bullet points for this one because otherwise it might take me all day.

This scene works on so many levels!

Well, the main ones are:

Relationship progress! Character growth! 

The whole kiss fakeout thing is hot

Hira gets some payback and frankly, he deserves it

The other highlights for me are: 

Even after repeated viewings and knowing very well what happened in the story, I still feel kind of relieved to see that Kiyoi came back, especially right after rewatching the scene prior to this one. 

When Kiyoi asks Hira why he thinks he came home and he says, “to punch me?" he does it in the most weirdly cute way.

Kiyoi’s absolutely lethal snotty face/voice when he response to the possibility of punching Hira with “maybe” is so perfect that it's hard not to think that Hira might have a point about this whole King deal. 

Hira apologizes and it’s actually sincere and not just some knee-jerk bullshit. 

The way Hira closes his eyes and waits for Kiyoi to smack him is a rare case of him actually letting go and putting himself in Kiyoi’s hands instead of his usual topping-from-the-bottom thing.

More about the kiss fakeout:

Hagiwara does a great job of telegraphing Hira’s expectant response. In scenes where two characters are going to kiss but get interrupted, it's not uncommon to see a kind of hesitation or other subtle signal that the actor knows the kiss isn't going to happen. But there's none of that here. Hagiwara even does this sort of gulp/swallow thing like he thinks the kiss is going to start any moment. When the kiss doesn't materialize, he nails an absolutely pitifiul sad puppy expression.

Kiyoi’s vulnerable voice and facial expression when he explains about the kissing boundary thing is so sincere and cute. Could he be any more different from season 1 episode 1 Kiyoi?

I’ve written about how the no-kissing-until-Hira-takes-Kiyoi-seriously policy might seem like a controlling move or an inappropriate ultimatum to some viewers but it actually better resembles what Harriet Lerner calls a “bottom line,” resulting in a boundary that is not only justifiable but downright healthy…or almost healthy, at least. It's a bit on the extreme side, and the fakeout part remains a little mean. But they're understandable given what Hira has put Kiyoi through. 

Here's my s2e4 writeup that includes that discussion:

“sorry, Kiyoi”

So, I’ve already written quite a bit about this scene. In one instance, I wrote a propaganda blurb when it was in bl brackets’s kiss bracket.

Here's the original blurb I wrote for @bl-bracket when I nominated the scene, as used in the post where people voted:

Hira and Kiyoi Final Kiss: "It’s an important plot point (because Kiyoi has said he won’t kiss Hira until he stops putting him on a pedestal and now Hira is making progress on that front, and because Hira hasn’t initiated physical stuff in the past, and initiating is itself a way of treating Kiyoi more like an equal). It’s also just a really well-acted and effectively shot kiss, and as a result it communicates so much about the characters and shows a side of their relationship not portrayed elsewhere in the show. And of course, it’s super hot. That includes the kind of weird but suggestive details that are typical of the show, like Hira passing candy/candy spit to Kiyoi through the kiss and then switching into this really distinct sexy voice that makes it sound almost as if he’s changing personalities."

And here's an additional, longer propaganda post I wrote to lobby for votes:

One of the points I tried to make in that post about why this scene is special was that it really does represent a leap forward in how both leads portrayed intimacy in this series. Prior to this scene, viewers had seen a dead fish kiss on graduation day, a more intense makeout situation in the season 1 finale that was shot so impressionistically that it was often hard to tell exactly what the actors were doing, and some interrupted kisses earlier in season 2. And then this happened. Here's a quote from what I wrote previously:

Personally, despite being a fan of both actors and thinking they did amazing work on the series, until I saw this scene I really didn't know if they had it in them, if they could actually pull off something that felt real. But they brought it. They're not holding back. As opposed to more stylized kisses you see in BLs and other romance dramas sometimes, I found it very naturalistic, like the way a couple of real kids in their early 20s would kiss.

So, yeah. I thought it showed real growth on the part of the actors as individuals and as a pairing/team.

This scene also caused me to dig deeper, with the help of some very knowledgeable mutuals, into what “persistent” and “cute” mean in a sexual context in Japan. My main post about that is below.

Noticing Hagiwara's use of Hira's "persistent voice" also helped me to notice something else when I checked out his other work, and that is that he often uses his voice in very different ways in different roles. I recently watched a drama he did before Utsukare and I was struck by this all over again. Again, it shows a really impressive degree of control.

And now, for our one non-Utsukare scene in the top 5:

"I'm trying to seduce you"

I also wrote a nomination blurb about this scene for the kiss bracket. (If you're seeing a pattern here, well, yeah, it's a pattern.) The original voting post here but I'll go ahead and quote it in its entirety since it's pretty short.

This kiss is ridiculously hot and is a culmination of so much that’s been simmering beneath the surface for the entire show up to that point. Togawa has been pining so hard for Nozue for so long that when Nozue gives him a glimmer of hope and then tries to leave, everything he’s been bottling up comes surging out. Kimura Tatsunari exudes a level of desperate lustfulness in this scene that’s as intense as anything I’ve seen in any genre. We’re all familiar with the idea that people look at a person’s mouth when they want to kiss them, but Togawa looks at Nozue’s mouth like he dreams about it every night and sees it every time he closes his eyes. No wonder he feels a need to stick his thumb in there. Takeda Kouhei also communicates so much in this scene. Nozue is shocked and confused but he can’t help but respond to Togawa’s kisses. You can see the gears turning—and refusing to turn—as he tries to make sense of what’s happening—and keeps kissing Togawa back even though he still can’t process it. Togawa’s declaration, “I’ve been trying to seduce you, with everything I have,” is the cherry on top.

There's another bit of subtle physical communication here that I find interesting, and I think you might too, @wen-kexing-apologist. Just recently I've been thinking about the meaning, in kissing scenes, of what for lack of a better term I'll call the head-bonk. By this I mean the thing where one person puts their forehead against the other person's, often with at least a tiny bit of an impact that renders it a bonk rather than, like, just touching them together. Togawa kisses Nozue once, then a second time, and then goes in for a third that Nozue avoids by sinking toward the floor. The third kiss doesn't happen, but when Togawa starts to initiate it he does an absolutely sublime head-bonk. I'm still figuring out what I think about the head-bonk thing. All I know is that, from my vantage point, that little move on Kimura's part practically screams "I've been holding this back for five goddamn years and I can't wait one more second to kiss this person."

Runners-up and honorable mentions:

Semantic Error:

Their first kiss in the restaurant after Jae Young calls Sang Woo "hyung" - I have watched this so much that if I had been asked for my top 6 this would have been #6.

Jae Young demonstrating the features of the "free trial"

Minato’s Laundromat (season 1, of course):

Shin freaking out about Minato being alone with Hanabusa

The washing machine kabedon

The “smelling the sheets” scene

Kiseki (I just watched this for the first time a week or so ago and I have already done so much scene-rewatching it's ridiculous):

That incredibly angsty sex scene with Ai Di and a drunk Chen Yi, you know the one

Chen Yi's confession to a physically restrained Ai Di

The scene at Ai Di's bar where Chen Yi puts him in a double kabedon

Ai Di and Chen Yi's conversation after Ai Di gets out of prison, where he says he fucked Chen Yi "just for fun" and offers to let him do stuff to him as "revenge"

Ai Di trying to scare Chen Yi by stroking his chest and asking him if he wants to "play" and then getting weirded out when Chen Yi asks, "What if I say yes?"

Jheruei and Zongyi's first real kiss and subsequent A+ lap-sitting moment

And as a bonus, here's my most-rewatched non-QL moment:

There's a scene I'm obsessed with in Something in the Rain where Jun Hui comes to Jin A's home and sees her ex-boyfriend there with her and her parents, lobbying to get back together and manhandling her, and he reacts exactly the way you'd expect as someone to who's in love with Jin A. It is tattooed on my brain. If I ever learn to make gifs I am gif'ing the fuck out of that scene.

[sleepy-eclectic-dreaming-writer]

HSR men with a chronically ill reader

CW: mentions of chronic illness, medications, doctors/hospitals, mentions of bodily fluids, slight whump, slight hurt/comfort, gn!reader

Note: some minor spoilerish references for post-Lofu story quests.

Caelus is the type to lay down and cuddle with you when you're feeling unwell. The man will collect every stray pillow, blanket, and comfort item he can find aboard the Express, all to make a comfortable nest in your cabin and settle down with you. Pom-Pom turns a blind eye to this, as long as all things are returned to their proper place after.

If you're having a particularly bad flare, he'll help you shower and change, will do pharmacy runs for you, even cook if you trust him enough to do so. Every trip off of the Express he uses as an opportunity to stock up on energy drinks and snacks for when you're feeling well enough to eat again.

Dan Heng is not the cuddly type, but he will sit with you and read to you if you're having trouble sleeping. He knows it's important to get in exercise, so if you're bed-bound due to weakness or illness, he'll help you stretch and move your limbs so you don't lose mobility or get bed sores.

After speaking with Bailu on the Lofu, he picks up a few tips and tricks for helping with more basic symptoms, if he isn't already aware (think different herbal remedies for fevers, coughs, congestion, headaches, acute pain.) He's no healer, but he'll learn what he can to alleviate your pain.

Welt will listen to you gripe and whine and grumble with a patient ear and the occasional nod of understanding, and a reminder to take your medication as directed. He feels bad, seeing someone so young be afflicted with such a burden, so he makes every possible effort to help you feel more comfortable. This man will use his mimicry ability to show you episodes of his animations, will also read to you if you ask him to. His voice is extremely rich and soothing, and he's happy to talk until you fall asleep.

He'll also be the one to help you arrange doctor's visits, or hospital trips for procedures. He knows how sometimes people won't listen to a younger person talk about their symptoms, especially if they are femme-presenting. So he's entirely able and willing to be an advocate on your behalf, to make sure you are getting the full scope of treatment options presented to you. He will NOT let any sort of negligence happen, not on his watch.

Blade will also not let any sort of malpractice happen while you're under his supervision. He's big, he's quiet, but he's scary, and makes for the perfect companion when anyone tries to give you nonsense about your diagnosis or any mobility aids you might need. Shuts that noise down in a second. After all, while he may not be an openly friendly guy, you're still entrusted to him, and he never leaves a job unfinished. Even if that job is taking care of you.

That said, he also is really good when it comes to the more gross side of being ill. He might grumble about it later, but he'll make sure you can get yourself somewhere safe and get cleaned up if there are any embarrassing accidents. The grumbling is never directed at you, more about the inconvenience of those who get in his way while he's trying to take care of you. He will never flinch at any kind of fluid your body produces; he's seen so much worse. You've got nothing to be embarrassed about with him.

He, like Dan Heng, knows the importance of movement and exercise, and as such will similarly help you stretch and move. But he will also settle down and let you lay your head in his lap, washing your face or brushing your hair. He's not clingy, but will gladly show you physical affection if you ask for it. Whatever you need in that moment, he will provide to the best of his ability.

Luocha also makes for a superb patient advocate. He's got more in-depth knowledge than others when it comes to medicine, and will always ensure you get what it is you need. What kind of merchant would he be if he couldn't procure your medications, after all? You don't need to worry about a thing, let him handle it. You just rest up as much as you need.

[incorrect-nevermore]

would it be wrong to think that the merit system and specterhood are a combined metaphor for capitalism and class stratification? As of episode 68, Annabel and Prospero are respectively the only students in their class with any bonus merits, everyone else is in the red, and from what we've heard so far, they've got the most powerful/dangerous Specters we've seen so far seeing as how Prospero singlehandedly killed half of the unmanifested students, and 2 of Annabel's powers directly relate to death. Montresor and Berenice could potentially could be on a similar power level compared to them, seeing as how they're all Malevolent, but I don't think they're quite at as powerful as the Posh Besties, at least not currently. I think once everyone's manifested their Specters, the deans are going to reveal some new trick or twist that raises the inherent value of having a Malevolent specter higher, while being a Neutral is less useful, and Benevolent is even less useful. From what we've seen so far, I think that Merry and Mourn have actually already selected which student they want to pass their final exam and be reborn, and everyone else is just a cog in the machine that allows them to do so.

OHHH!! THATS SO INTERESTING!!

To me, it was very clear they picked their favorites, like the raven picks his. but I honestly thought the Academy was a bit of a playground for them at first and they just sorta looked at Annabel like “I like this one.” And decided to give her some special treatment.

Speaking of which, if Lenore is the ravens favorite and Annabel is the dean’s, there’s something going on there maybe 

[multifandomeweirdo]

Psyche from Lore Olympus

I just needed to rant about her whole character in Lore Olympus. I am a non-black person of color, so this is my opinions of her through the lens of my experiences and knowledge.

This is how she first appears:

This is after Aphrodite turns her into a nymph:

This is her after her human form was restored:

Her while becoming a goddess:

And this is her after becoming a goddess:

Her design:

Some people complain about her design. I agree that her design is inconsistent. She had straight hair, even as a nymph, until over 100 episodes in. I personally don't mind the change in character design. I'll just headcanon that Psyche straightened her hair or styled it specifically in the earlier episodes, and wore her natural hair in the later episodes.

I see a lot of people criticizing her design saying rather racist things, such as "she looks ugly now and that her earlier design was much better." They also say things like "She's forced diversity. Why do we have to bring diversity into this?" I think the art quality as a whole has declined, so yes, Psyche looks worse, but all the characters do. Specifically calling out Psyche feels more like racist beauty standards than a criticism of the art decline. Also, phrases such as "forced diversity" are just silly. Andromeda, a figure from Greek myths, was the princess of Aethiopia, which was supposed to be somewhere below Egypt. She was described by Ovid as dark-skinned, though she has been white-washed by Western artists (that's why she is now portrayed as white). So yes, there was some (not a lot) diversity in Ancient Greek myths, and anyway, it's a modern retelling! In this modern age, with more awareness of race and issues surrounding it, I don't think it's a bad thing to have a more diverse cast of characters.

I don't think that Rachel Smythe originally intended for Psyche to be black, and it was a lazy choice to change her so late. Additionally, she remains the only black character. However, I'm glad that she met the bare minimum of including diversity, as many authors and artists, even today, don't do this.

I think her design is cute overall, though I wish there was more effort put into Psyche's hair. I do like that they kept her brown skin when making her a goddess, instead of giving her an unnatural skin color. My main gripe is that in the myths she had butterfly wings, not these weird purple feathery things. Even the pearlescent wings during her transition to a goddess were better. But the butterflies belong to Persephone in Rachel Smythe's retelling, so Psyche can't have what was one of her symbols.

Now for the criticisms:

I saw this on @genericpuff's page, but the trope of a white man (Eros) "saving" (kidnapping) a woman of color (Psyche) from her horrible arranged marriage is harmful. Again, I don't think Rachel Smythe included this part intending for Psyche to be black, but that doesn't change the fact that this trope has had very harmful implications and effects throughout history.

Then, Eros leaves her when she, tricked by her sisters into trying to kill him, realizes that he is a god. Aphrodite turns her into a nymph and uses her as a test for Eros.

In the original myths, she completed difficult tasks given to her by Aphrodite to prove her "worth" as Eros' wife. We could talk about how she got help for these tasks, but still. The point is that she chose to go through all that for love.

In Lore Olympus, she is merely a test for Eros to pass. Which has some implications, especially since she is a woman of color.

There's also the harmful trope of a woman of color being turned into a nonhuman. Add on the detail that in the Lore Olympus world, nymphs are lower class. Again, implications.

The gods and goddesses in Lore Olympus look down on nymphs while simultaneously fetishizing them. We see Hera be racist to MInthe and no one stands up for her. We see Hades, who has a flower nymph fetish, dating Minthe but not criticizing his family for their bigoted treatment of his own girlfriend.

I'm seeing some similarities to how people of color are treated. And Psyche, a woman of color, is turned into a nymph by Aphrodite, a goddess. Add on how Aphrodite did all this because she felt threatened by Psyche. In real life, we see how people of color suffer when white people feel threatened by them. So... implications.

Conclusion:

I don't think Rachel Smythe had any harmful intent when making Psyche's character. In fact, I think she probably felt that it might bring joy to some readers to see a black woman represented in Lore Olympus. However, she accidentally wrote Psyche into these tropes that have very real, very harmful implications for actual people of color. She could have used Psyche's suffering at the hands of Aphrodite and the treatment of nymphs as a way to speak on societal issues such as racism. However, she didn't. Hera, a canonical racist, is portrayed as a "good guy" and Hades is rewarded for his fetish with a goddess who looks exactly like a flower nymph but isn't one (similar to how white men fetishize women of color but will only date a white woman. And these white women specifically try to look like the race the man fetishizes, the the point where you could call it black-fishing or Asian-baiting or any other similar term). I don't think she meant to write it like this, but she did. It could be a reflection of her own internal biases, or maybe not.

Either way, this is exactly why research before including a non-white or otherwise marginalized character is so important, especially if you have not experienced that kind of marginalization. Even if your intentions are good, you can write harmful things. Being aware of such tropes and stereotypes can help you avoid them, or if necessary, use them to comment on larger issues. Rachel Smythe did not do that, and now we have a world where the racists are the good guys, rewarded with power and worship, and the oppressed, POC-coded, lower-class characters are punished unless they agree completely with the racist good guys (like the "one of the good ones" racial stereotype where a POC is the "exception" out of a "bad race" because they such up to the white main characters). Meanwhile, the only black character is "rewarded" with godhood, not for completing difficult tasks for love, but rather for doing a god's bidding.

I could be reaching. I could be biased because of my own experiences as a (non-black) person of color. However, I think my experiences are what allow me to recognize harmful things in writing.

So anyway, do your research if you want to include a minority character in your writing. Personally, I'd suggest checking out the @writingwithcolor blog. It's a great resource with lots of information.

Thanks for reading if you managed to survive this long rant.

[lurkingshan]

La Pluie and the subversion of the faen fatale

Apparently me posting about La Pluie subverting major romance tropes is now a weekly occurrence, because this show just won’t quit! In this week’s episode, the show continued to give Nara a lot of time and care and generosity, and in doing so, came full circle on another major trope subversion: that of the faen fatale.

If you’ve read or watched any romance, you know the character type I am referring to: this is the ex-girlfriend who shows up to mess with our leads, insert herself into the love story as an obstacle, and generally cause drama and wreak havoc. In romance lit we generally refer to her as the femme fatale, and for the bl genre @absolutebl coined the term faen fatale, because they are endlessly clever. There are many many many examples of this character type in bl, but perhaps no better exemplar than Plern Pleng (my nemesis) from Together With Me. 

If you’ve seen Together With Me, you know how this is supposed to go. The faen fatale, traditionally, is not a nice person and does not have good intentions. She may be acting from a place of genuine hurt and dejection, but she is here to fuck shit up and cause chaos. She is cold and calculating and ruthless in her attempts to eliminate her competition and win her ex back. She is an archetype deeply steeped in misogyny, and part of the romance and bl genres’ long history of stories steeped in sexism, patriarchy, and heteronormative nonsense that they are only recently beginning to recover from. 

So La Pluie? This show that has been subverting romance tropes at every turn? Yeah, they had some things to say with their treatment of Nara, and boy did they deliver in this episode.

Even before this week, Nara has already been set up to be a sympathetic character. She and Patts had a very good relationship. They loved each other, and they were happy. She broke up with Patts after he formed a rain connection with another hearing loss sufferer, because even though Patts and Tai never actually spoke, and even though Patts told her he was committed to her, she just couldn’t handle him having that kind of connection with someone else, and felt it was inevitable that it would come between them. She ended things with Patts to protect herself. And ultimately, she regretted it. 

As she comes back into the story, she is quite straightforward with Patts (and with Tai before she realizes who he is) about her intentions: she regrets breaking up with Patts and wants to get back together. We also see that she had reason to hope, due to a night where Patts drunkenly kissed her shortly before he met Tai. There are no tricks or schemes here - she tells Patts and anyone else who asks straight out what she wants. In her conversation with Tai when they first meet in episode 7, it is established that Tai likes her and wishes her well, a clear signal to the audience that even as she is interfering, she is not meant to be read as a villain. When Patts finally tells her he has met his soulmate and can’t be with her anymore, he does it with gentleness and care, because Nara has done nothing wrong and deserves only kindness from him. And once she realizes who Tai is, Nara backs off from Patts immediately, apologizes and confirms that she is giving up on him, and helps them all find Tai.

That was already great stuff! I felt so warmly toward Nara at the end of episode 8, and I expected that was where the story would leave her.

But La Pluie had more to say! 

This week we get what is probably the best treatment of an ex-girlfriend character I have ever seen in any drama, not just in bl. Nara does not just conveniently disappear from the narrative now that she’s no longer an obstacle to the romance. She is still here, and her story still matters. So we get to see her go to Tai, apologize to him directly for the misunderstanding between them, and start gossiping and giggling with him about Patts (what did you whisper to him about, girl, inquiring minds want to know).

We get to see her receive care and sympathy from the rest of the group and have one final closure conversation with Patts, at Tai’s behest. We get to hear Patts say out loud that their relationship mattered to him, that he still loves and respects her, and that she doesn’t have to disappear from his life just because they can’t be together anymore, all while Tai looks on fondly. She is allowed to cry and express how hard this is for her even as she handles it with absolute grace, both with Patts and then again with Dream. We even get to see her bond with Dream and affirm that she is not going to lose the friends she made through her relationship with Patts (and that Dream in particular may become even more to her in the future, oh my).

I really just have to applaud La Pluie for dedicating story time to this. Every time we think they are about to go down a more traditional dramatic path they surprise us. I continue to be so pleased and impressed with how intentional they are in their dismantling of these classic tropes.

[nenyabusiness]

Regarding Halbrand/Sauron and the concept of humiliation.

In The Silmarillion, right after Morgoth’s defeat, Sauron was given a chance to repent. He might even have taken it, if it hadn’t been for his pride and his fear of humiliation.

“When Tharongorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds. And some hold that this was not at first falsely done, but that Sauron in truth repented, if only out of fear, being dismayed by the fall of Morgoth and the great wrath of the Lords of the West. But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order, and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude of his good faith; for under Morgoth his power had been great. Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong.”

Am I going to dig deep into something from The Rings of Power that might turn out completely irrelevant because I’m looking way too deep into it? Yes, yes I am. Here we go.

I’d say that the first time we see an example of Halbrand/Sauron’s issue with humiliation is in Episode 3, when the Númenóreans in that tavern make fun of his lower status. Even though they’re only insulting his low Man disguise, they still manage to get under his skin. We get to see that glorious murder glare, and he then proceeds to beat the shit out of them in the alley.

This look serves no purpose for his disguise. It’s clearly a crack in his façade, because moments later, the mask is back on, and he’s brushing it all off as a joke. That, right there, though? That’s Halbrand/Sauron feeling humiliated, and it affects him to the point that he nearly drops his disguise on the spot.

Then we have a less explosive event in Episode 5, where Galadriel outmaneuvers him in front of Queen Míriel. This interaction doesn’t end up in violence, but it does lead to him ripping off his pouch and giving Galadriel the silent treatment for quite some time. She doesn’t insult him like the Númenóreans, but she tricks him. There’s definitely a sense of humiliation in that, and he’s not having it.

This leads me to Episode 8, when Galadriel declines his proposal. This is, by far, the strongest emotional reaction that we see from Halbrand/Sauron in the entire season. It’s hard to tell whether or not he meant everything he said about making her his queen and binding himself to her light, but to me, that final reaction was genuine. Would a denied business proposal cause such anger? No. There’s more to it than that.

Through the season, he’s revealed bits and pieces of himself to her, but in this particular scene, he puts it all out in the open. His past. His relief of being free from Morgoth. His dream of healing Middle-earth. His wish to do so with her by his side. If he’s being even remotely genuine here, he’s showing her his true self, and all he gets in return is hatred and repulsion. Is there anything more humiliating than that? Letting someone in, and and finding that they’re disgusted by what they see?

So, how does Halbrand/Sauron deal with this humiliation?

... not great.

Anyway, let’s see how long this temper tantrum lasts in the second season. Considering how he usually handles humiliation in Tolkien’s works, it might be a while.

[scoobydoodean]

sam tricking dean into seeing a faith healer (and getting healed) by saying it was a specialist is something i dont see discussed imo because its akin to violating medical consent?

like dean was going to die and hed pretty much accepted it. but sam hadnt.

dean literally asks him "youre not gonna let me die in peace, are you?"

at no point does sam think about what dean wants. dean is the one dying, but its sam who decides that they cant just accept, its sam who goes looking for a supernatural cure, its sam who tricks dean into going to see a faith healer. its all sam sam sam.

when dean is the one dying; he is the one who should get to make these choices. if dean decides he doesnt want to spend his last week's alive chasing down a cure, that should be final. the decision should be deans alone because dean is the one dying, not sam.

sam should have respected deans decision. but sam didnt and yeah its understandable his brother is dying and all, but then he deliberately misleads dean so hell agree to go to nebraska to see the specialist who dean - reasonably - assumes is a doctor.

if nothing else, the deception alone is equal to violating medical consent. its the equivalent of leading a patient into believing theyre going to receive one treatment and then giving them another.

maybe its the angry disabled in me, but it frustrates me to no end when samgirls talk about dean always making decisions for sam when sam uwu baby winchester decides dean doesnt even get to make decisions for himself when hes fucking dying.

So I will say—I don't think Dean wanted to die after his heart got damaged in 1.12. I think he didn't think Sam could do anything and because of that, he was ready to accept the reality of death. He actually expected Sam to be willing to leave him behind, but when Sam wasn't and actually wanted to try and save him, I do think Dean was touched by that and was willing to go along with it. We see that Dean doesn't want to die in 2.01, when Ghost!Dean pleads with Sam and John to save his life, and in 1.22 when Dean begs John "Don't you let it kill me."

Sam most certainly did lie by omission about where he was taking Dean though. He knew Dean wouldn't be amenable to seeing some christian faith healer in a tent, so he omitted certain details to get him in the car. Sam does something very similar in 3.15 "Time Is On My Side".

While Dean was willing to try (thus his willingness to see a specialist), he wasn't really down to see the religious faith healer—that's absolutely true—and if we reversed the situation and Dean had done this to Sam, samgirls would never shut up about it. For me personally, Sam's unhinged ploys to save Dean are one of his more entertaining qualities though. Even if I don't always like how it works out, I enjoy seeing Sam do extremely unhinged things and easily brush it under the rug afterwards.

What's more troublesome to me is that in taking Dean to see this faith healer, ushering him into the tent when Dean is really too sick to put up more than verbal protests, and then insisting Dean sit up front and then go up on stage (with added pressure from the crowd)... the outcome of that is... terrible. Of course, it's something terrible that Sam does not know about or expect. Sam didn't know that when Dean got healed, someone else would die. But the simple fact is that Sam easily dismissed it.

DEAN Wait, wait, wait. So, Marshall Hall died to save me? SAM Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway. And someone else would've been healed.

Dean didn't have such an easy time. Dean had to live with it. Dean had to contend with the knowledge that not only had someone died so he could be healed, but that his life was saved over Layla's life, which made him feel terrible. The entire situation made Dean feel so guilty and horrible and wrong that he stopped running from the reaper at the end of the episode and planned to let it kill him so that Layla could live, and all of this resulted from a situation that started with... Sam tricking Dean. Is it any wonder that Dean immediately says "No" in 3.01 when Sam wants to take him to another faith healer?

[thegoldheartlocketandkey-blog]

911 Spoilers Season 3: You’ve been warned. 😅 Buddie Rewatch

Episode 6-7

Episode 6: Monsters

Crow Rescue; No Buck or Lena. The 118 wearing sunglasses and being matchy matchy. Eddie points out how he’s never heard of a crow attack. Hen points out they are typically docile unless provoked.  

Something that is insignificant to the plot, but makes me strangely happy is something that was pointed out to me a while back and I remembered while watching this rescue. If you look very closely Eddie goes from wearing boots to slippers. It must have been a long shooting day.

Buck shows up for his first day back to work. He was expecting a friendly welcome, but got the cold shoulder from everyone in the firehouse. There is no welcome back banner like he had expected.

Side note, there are so many random firefighters in the 118 that we know nothing about. I wonder how they feel about the core group.

Hen surprises Buck with a small cake and welcomes Buck back. Buck admits to missing everyone and asks Hen how the fertility treatment is going. I really enjoy seeing Buck and Hen’s friendship, but this shows us how much Buck has missed because of the lawsuit.

Eddie walking into work, tired and bruised up.  Buck sees the cut/ bruise on Eddie’s elbow and asks him if he is okay. Eddie instantly annoyed gives him a bullshit response about playing with Christopher. Buck tries to have friendly banter; Eddie is having none of it and gives Buck attitude.

Buck is visibly confused but Chimney interjects by welcoming Buck back.  Eddie and Buck stand 2 feet apart as Bobby tries to do the morning brief.  The alarm goes off and Buck is told to stay behind and man the house.  Buck is standing there disappointed.

Bobby is instructing Buck on the rules and procedures of dealing with trick or treaters. Buck is confrontational and asks Bobby how much longer is he going to continue to punish him. Bobby responds back with when he finally develops patients.

Chim approaches Buck right after and repeats Booby’s sentiments. That he has to suck it up and be patient, and work a little harder. Eventually, Bobby will take him back.

Buck knows that Chim is right and tries to shift his attitude to be more eager and willing to work thru this situation, but there is no covering up Buc’s over all disappointment. Buck walks away semi defeated

Eddie approaches Chimney out of nowhere, as Chim is going to have a mental break down over a crow that no one else seems to see. Eddie looks at Chim likes he’s lost it and walks away.

Buck is bored handing out candy and getting sassed by a boy in a prisoner’s costume. This boy basically hit all of Buck’s insecurities. The 118 seems to be coming back from an emergency as this is happening.

Bobby hops out of the truck and tells Buck nice work. This moment can be seen as Bobby giving Buck a light jab, Not intended to be malicious but it could be taken as such.  

Buck calls out for Eddie and asks him if he wants to help out. Eddie wants nothing to do with Buck and basically tells him that he can handle it on his own, just how he wanted with the lawsuit.

Terrible Parents who treated their kids like prisoners; Eddie observing the area pissed off about the living conditions those poor kids where in. Every one is absolutely disgusted with those parents.

Hen taking a moment to talk to Bobby about Buck and how he needs to stop punishing him, by giving in or transferring him out.

Buck and Eddie walk towards each other. Eddie planning to just walk past him. Buck deciding that he’s not allowed to just do that and asks Eddie if this is how their relationship is going to be, if he’ll just continue to ignore him.

The camera changes and captures the moment they speak; they are visibly divided.

Eddie is not having it. Eddie doesn’t know what Buck wants from him. Buck vocalizes that he wants him to talk to him, “even if it is just to say you are still mad.”

Eddie was bout to walk away, but quickly turns back around to face Buck and say, “I’m not mad. I’m---” he pauses and takes a second to reevaluate what he’s going to say.

Eddie proceeds to tell him how his decision to pursue that lawsuit affected him what could that do to us.

Buck closes the gap between them and tries to justify why he did what he did and how he was feeling. Eddie arms cross, biting his lip, looking directly at Buck, listening. Buck admits to not wanting to hurt anyone while looking directly at Eddie.  Eddie quickly pointing out that Buck is too focused on himself and not the team.

Buck agrees with him and goes on to discuss how he was afraid of being left behind. Eddie seemingly understanding Bucks anger.  Buck asks for Eddie’s forgiveness. Eddie with zero hesitation forgives Buck. Buck seemly surprised and relieved by how quickly Eddie forgives him. There is this look in his eyes that I can only describe as desire, but not in a lustful way, it’s a wholesome look.

Let us take this moment to discuss how Eddie could not forgive Shannon, he struggled to forgive her, but easily forgave Buck.

Eddie warns him not to do it again and they give each other a hug. This hug is supposed to be big, but Eddie cuts the hug short with a slight groan. Buck is confused by Eddie pulling away. I was confused by Eddie pulling away, and then I realized he must be hurt from street fighting, because Eddie is readjusting himself.

Before Buck could process what was happening, Bobby approaches him, Eddie takes this moment to awkwardly get away.

Bobby wants to tell him something. He hesitates and instead sends him home early. Buck is not too happy about this.

Buck is at a gas station where he sees the man imbedded in a windshield. He goes into action and proceeds to rescue the woman and man who where obviously injured. He unknowingly cuts himself in the process and doesn’t realize it until a paramedic points it out to him.

Bobby goes to the hospital to see Buck. Buck is surprised to see Bobby. Bobby finally sees Buck is ready to be a firefighter. They go out for Breakfast. It feels like things will be getting back to normal.

Episode 7: Athena Begins

No Buddie. Amazing episode nonetheless. I teared up at the end of the episode. All the begins episodes are so emotional. I also think I tend to tear up the most in any Athena related emergencies.

[slafkovskys]

Maybe tricking Kirby Dach into a self care night after being able to tell he’s pushing himself too hard during practices and games.

tbh i don’t think that you would have to trick him.

sundays were you’re maintenance days (y’know everything shower, hair mask, at home manicure, etc.) and kirbs was fully aware of that. with the season picking back up, practices being more intense and pre-season in full swing, you could tell he was exhausted. you’re on the couch with your patches on, face mask drying and you can feel him casting glances your way. you sigh before pausing the episode of grey’s and standing up, “c’mon.”

he lets you pull him off the couch and guide him over to the kitchen. even lets you bully him against the counter with your ice roller in hand. he sighs as the cool roller touches his face, resting his hands on your hips, “okay, i see the appeal now.”

“do not act like you haven’t gotten this thing out before practice,” you mumble and his cheeks flush, “you could at least put it back on top of the waffles if you’re going to borrow it, honey.”

and then you get your eye patches, carefully placing them. he plays with the tie on your rope after you scold him for staring at you, warning him about how the serum could hurt his eye. “are these the good ones? will they make me look younger?”

“they will definitely make you look like you’ve slept recently,” you grin, patting his chest as you stepped away, “now when was the last time you did a hair treatment?”

“um, i washed it this morning…”

“oh, sweetie. we have a lot of work to do.”

[wilygryphon]

Ugh. Okay. Derision is out on Gloob. I have been exposed to the leaks already and I have been completely disgusted by this episode and everything in it. I refuse to watch it, even when it comes out on Disney Channel in the States. But I will still offer to you my commentary.

Okay, the prank. I actually don't mind the story of the prank... on its own. I can absolutely see pre-series Chloé pulling it and Kim, as he was portrayed in Season 1, participating in it. But then it quickly falls apart.

It's pretty transparent that the episode only exists to further demonize Chloé, but it doesn't really send much of a message as it doesn't tell us anything new about how she acted; it only shows us more of what she did and what we already knew she did back then. "Back then" is important, as there is no point in showing this to us now, four seasons and seven years later, except to further push the narrative of Chloé being pure evil even now. (Which she isn't, but I digress.)

It's a blatant retcon meant to say that Chloé is the reason why Marinette has trouble talking to Adrien. Not general shyness or anxiety—it's all because she was traumatized by a mean prank that Chloé pulled. Marinette's biggest personal struggle is all Chloé's fault, as are her stalker tendencies (which were previously just supposed to be kid's-show-comedy exaggeration), because she is oh so evil.

It contradicts so much characterization, or otherwise makes characters come off as worse.

It also shows that Marinette was so afraid of Chloé’s cruelty that she would fake being sick to avoid going to school.  But even in Origins, before she got the confidence boost from being Ladybug, she was never afraid of Chloé, just exasperated and resigned.  When Chloé demanded that she change seats, Marinette argued before relenting.  When Chloé put gum on her seat (and she thought she had Adrien do it), Marinette snapped at both of them before simply covering the gum up with a tissue and putting up with it.  Oh, also, if she was oh so twaumatized by the prank, why did she agree to help Chloé do something similar to Kagami in “Animaestro”?  The whole thing is disingenuous to Mari, because she wouldn’t have let Chloé cow her like that or scare her away from going to school.

This prank is supposedly the reason why she has trouble talking to Adrien and telling him how she feels, because she is afraid that she could get hurt if she doesn’t know everything about him or any boy she likes.  Except she only has that problem with Adrien.  Not with Luka, and not with Chat Noir.  Heck, she only stammered around Luka for a second, when they first met. (Not to mention the fact that her issues with “maybe I don’t really know Adrien at all” is because Félix tricked her. (Yeesh, he hasn’t even come back yet and the writers might already have been trying to give him the Easily Forgiven treatment.))

Kim probably would have done that back then.  He was kind of a jerk in Season 1.  But still being of the mindset that “it’s just a prank, bro” four seasons into his nicer, more himbo-ish characterization, does not do him any favors.  But here is where this episode really ignores characterization in pushing its narrative: In “Dark Cupid”, when she heard that Kim was planning to ask out the girl he had a crush on, Marinette encourages him to go for it, and when she realizes that it was Chloé, she says that she wouldn’t have given him the encouragement if she had known.  If he was so cruel to her, if she was so traumatized by the prank that he took part in, she shouldn’t want anything to do with him, let alone support his romantic prospects.  But instead she cared about his feelings and felt awful that he had been hurt, as opposed to recalling the incident and thinking “serves him right”.

Adrien/Chat is down to murder Kim for a mean but otherwise not-physically-harmful practical joke that he helped play a year ago when he finds out.  I can understand him going “For the Man Who Has Everything” on Darker Owl after being put through the fantasy and being forced to give it all up, but this is overkill and not at all heroic.

Chloé ironically gets off the easiest, since it’s just her Season 1/pre-series characterization that we already knew was a jerk and a bully.  But the indication in this episode and in “Transmission” that she effectively forced Marinette to not go to school still contradicts her past characterization and actions.  She was generally petty, plus she loved tormenting Marinette for whatever the reason is.  It just doesn’t seem like she would do it, and again, Marinette would not have let someone force her to avoid school.

This is another episode that bends over backward to make Chloé out to be irredeemably evil due to TA's unexplained hate boner for her character, but it brings everyone else down in its character assassination. The general gist of it might have fit in Season 1, as it would have made sense to add more depth and context to Chloé's treatment of Marinette and her peers in that stage, and it would have given legitimate character development to Kim (and "Dark Cupid" would have then shown his and Marinette's relationship improving). But at this point in the show, it only exists to further dunk on Chloé, take all of the nuance out of Marinette's flaws in favor of blaming them on her, and insist that she is pure evil.