#get children involved and that’s just another level of evil

[professional-rat-eater]

I need people in the IWTV fanbase to realise that you can appreciate a character in all their complexities and enjoy their precense in a story and still wish they had a slow, painful death scene. For non-book readers, I hope to be able to clarify a few things about why a certain character is so hated.

Keep reading for more nuanced Marius de Romanus slander:

I feel like I post at least once a day something about hitting Marius with a car or something and I do it mainly because it’s funny but it’s also because there is a very valid reason he is where a lot of people draw the line, despite the scale of morality in gothic literature being utterly different from that of pretty much any other literature, and drastically different from real life.

I love him for what he brings to the story. He is fascinating and I am excited to see him in season 3. He’s a brilliant character and I want to put him under a microscope and study him like a bug. He is still absolutely vile even for Anne Rice, something she even hints at here and there in her work.

I could go on and on for days about him, but to keep it short (edit: I lied), he met Pandora when she was ten years old and he was twenty five. What makes him particularly sick is nothing to do with vampiric morality, which we’ve seen is completely different, within the world of the books and show, from human morality. We get onboard with Lestat because we get to know him as a human and then watch how he changes as he gets used to being a vampire. Lestat was not a monster when he was human. Marius was.

If you disagree with that, you can think so if you wish as I do not currently possess the ability to control other people’s thoughts (but as soon as I do, I’m coming for you!) but please do not try and make excuses for him on that topic. Most people will not be open to that sort of debate. I know I’m not. Pandora was a baby. He should not have felt anything towards her other than a desire to protect her as a parent might. Yes, yes, gothic morality. But you need to understand that that is just too much for most people.

And you know who else was a baby, especially in comparison to Marius? Armand. Armand, who grew up to do awful things because of how he was treated. He was already being taken advantage of (to put it lightly) before he met Marius. If Marius had cared selflessly for Armand, he would have taken him from that brothel and tried to help him heal from the trauma. That is what real love would have been. You should not look at broken children and think to make them your lovers. All he was was yet another grown adult taking advantage of a boy whose spirit had been utterly shattered by what he’d endured.

(I’m not suggesting that should have happened or it would have been better, but I dislike the insinuation that Marius’s love for Armand was anything other than exploitative. It can be sincere, and still exploitative. I believe he meant it. I also believe he fucked Armand up more than he already had been.)

Murder in a fictional setting can be justified and overlooked, but as soon as anything involves children, you have to accept that you will lose a lot of people, even in gothic literature. That sort of relationship may have been more normalised thousands of years ago, but there were always people who objected to the concept. Even within the narrative of Anne Rice’s books, Marius’s actions are called out here and there (usually subtly) so even there, they are questioned. Compare him to someone like Lestat (I only mention him because for whatever reason, people like to group them together as irredeemable characters???).

Lestat’s actions are deeply toxic but people still like him because we understand why his behaviour is the way it is. As dreadful as what he does is, we are endeared to him because of his suffering and follow his journey as a vampire. He is twisted, but he is behaving according to what his trauma has turned him into. Armand is another example of this. Vile behaviour that is a believable response to trauma. There comes in the gothic morality again. We love them and know they are awful at the same time.

It is not that you cannot like Marius or characters like him. I do like him very much as a character, but you have to get on board with the idea that most people never will. The lines he crosses are unlike many of the others crossed by different characters. No one looks at Madeleine and Claudia and thinks it’s weird because Claudia is not actually a child. Armand was. Pandora was.

I could honestly make a separate post about book!Louis too and why I think the changes from the book were necessary to make people actually care about him, but it is similar. Harming/exploiting children and anything to do with slavery is a hard line a lot of people draw. Marius is still a multifaceted, interesting, complex, humanised character, as all Anne Rice vampires are, but he is deeply disliked for a very good reason. People cannot switch off how they feel about what he did, even if they are invested in the story.

(But also let’s be thoughtful about this type of discourse. Do not look at anyone whose favourite character is Marius and assume they are a bad person. He is a great character, he is just not to many people’s tastes. They likely just find him deeply interesting which he is.)

Anyway, after he gets his screen time and we reach the end of the show and he has gotten his chance to chance screen time, I vote we tie him up and treat him like a piñata.

[p0wderedmarbl3s]

TW: CSA/RAPE TALK

A (positive) mini rant about SA metaphors in TOH:

I hate how quick people are to dismiss any SA headcanon involving Belos as "too evil". It's so nasty and disrespectful to victims of any origin, as well as the victims of the people Belos is based off of and represents clear as day.

Rape is a form of control, of power because you are stripping the victim of their humanity in the most violating way you can.

Remind me again what Belos's entire deal is?

I feel like the possessions is such a crystal clear metaphor for rape in the most blatant way possible, from the way it's start varied between Hunter and Raine, the states they were in during it, to the scars it left on them afterwards.

It's so beyond important that it was presented the way it was too in a Childrens Show, through body horror. Because that's what it is. It's BODY HORROR. It's VIOLENCE. It completely destroys you on the inside and outside.

Especially the way it was presented in Hunter, a child, a person still developing in a body so fragile because of it. It's a perfect visual representation of what CSA to that degree can be like, beyond just being touched at. There are different levels to it, and it's so beyond important to depict these different types in a way that let's kids know they aren't alone, that these feelings afterwards that they can't put words to are in fact, REAL.

Remember, Belos literally ATE HIM from the inside out. He was inside him in the most literal way you can be.

He went in and out of "episodes" of paranoia because of him, because of his ongoing abuse since he was born. This is presented THROUGH the method of possession, it's slow, it's patient, but it's still so extremely violent and body AND mind altering, taking into account how violently his mentality and demeanor switched afterwards, to the point he barely said a thing in the following episodes.

Not to mention usually covering some part of his body with his arms, subconsciously or otherwise.

And Raine.. oh. They make me so sad. Raine is the other most explicit form of CSA victim in the show, starting with Terra when they were a kid. The fact that the scars left behind after being assaulted again so violently in adulthood, by the white man who colonized their people, were tear streaks, makes my heart ache.

Not to mention they were essentially "unconscious" (semi, at least) when Belos first possessed them. And then Belos kept aiming for their mouth over and over again. Even when they fight back, when they verbally scream at him to get out, to leave them alone. It doesn't physicially alter them in the same way it does Hunter, a child, but the end results do not lessen what happened.

Their body was simply done growing by that point. They were not a child when such a violent form of this type of assault happened.

But it happened.

The show is so violent and vile about the nature of it all, it doesn't hide a thing.

But it's all done so well.

It's the horror that it is.

And yet, these things are either demonized in the completely wrong way, or sexualized because the sexual violence towards brown people is so deeply fetishized in every white culture. You as a white victim, do not get to exploit our trauma because of your own in this case.

Because they do not stem from the same place.

It's not like the implications with Belos aren't a pattern either, even way back when he was Philip. It's not something I can put into words, but the way he talks at Luz.. when you've been around those men long enough, you can sense it.

It's not "attraction." It's exploitation.

It's power. It's control.

It's why I don't like drawing anything with him and Luz much.

Not to mention, this pattern is attempted again with the Collector in their sleep, before he resorts to mentally manipulating them instead. Even then, he is actively using another victim to do so.

It is never subtle.

It is never the same with any two characters.

And that's what I love about it.

It's so incredibly important to show these sorts of things in children's shows in the ways they can understand, in ways they can relate to and identify with.

These things are already so confusing and isolating on their own, and the way the writers handled it all is so beautifully well done and respectful. It all fits, it's all well constructed, it's all done with genuine care.

[thelibrarian1895]

Contingency plans

So we're aware that the Bat has a plan to neutralize basically anyone and those plans with varying levels of applicability and success potential. Over the course of his training and trauma, Tim Drake aka Red Robin has also developed his own contingency plans for a considerable number of people, very likely more than just the one screen that we saw.

I'm going to suggest that the rest of the bats have their own plans, some more nebulous than others.

Let's say that putting one or more of your family members on your contingency list might be both an insult but also a compliment. You acknowledge that your sibling is so capable and dangerous that some safeguards might be a wise idea and you know that when/if your sibling ever gets their head on straight, they'd probably regret their actions while under an evil influence or whatever. You also don't want anyone else to run the risk of hurting your brother/sister/parental figure. They are your family! What if the someone else hurts them more than necessary!? Also the other option is letting Bruce handle their sib who's gone off the rails! Letting Bruce handle them is worse than having no plan at all!

(Tim leaves Dick off his own list because if Dick crosses a line and goes too far, Tim knows he'll be right there beside him. Dick hasn't realized this yet.)

When Jason reaches a point that he'd be horrified at someone hurting one of his sibs if they're being mind controlled, he comes up with his own plans. Same for Damian after he comes to accept more than just Bruce and Dick as his family. Steph has some nebulous ideas. Cass maintains her training with a particular edge to ensure that she's always capable of taking down any of her family as efficiently as possible. Duke learns of all the times family has been mind controlled or otherwise manipulated to be "evil" and quietly has his own countermeasures. Barbara has her plans all on hard copies rather than on any database. Steph's plans involve glitter as an extra deterrent for whoever gets mind controlled or goes to the dark side.

This comes out when let's say B's latest bout of being mind controlled. No one outside of the Bats and the person who did the controlling ever learns that it happened because B's children neutralized him so quickly thanks to their myriad of plans. After he gets out of the mind control, B actually tells his kids he's proud of them, reinforcing the contingency plan idea to all of them.

So, Bats having their own contingency to neutralize one another becomes a compliment and something they'd want to do out of love. Tim is annoyed with Damian because now he has to readjust his plan for the brat since Damian can counter Tim's contingency now that he knows it. All of them are annoyed that they have to come up with new plans to neutralize B and resolve that next time they'll just go with one of their plans.

All of them become low key offended that their non bat friends don't have some sort of real contingency place for them. Don't they think them capable of mass destruction? Don't their friends love them?!

[literary-illuminati]

2025 Book Review #14 – The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

I have no memory whatsoever how this charming little mystery ended up on my TBR shelf – it was on some ‘best of’ list or another I skimmed through more than likely. However it happened, I’m happy it did – this was hardly high art, but it was a fun and engaging Twilight Zone episode of a novel, and left me very interested in reading more of Turton’s other work.

The novel is set on a remote island some time after the apocalypse, the only place in the world where the last heroic efforts of preapocalyptic scientists created a barrier to hold back the plague of poisonous fog which boiled up from beneath the world and wiped out all other life. Ninety years later, the three surviving Elders and the omnipresent, mind-reading artificial intelligence Abi guide and rule over a village of a hundred-and-seven, the last remnants of all the refugees who reached the island before the end. Filled with now-irreplaceable medical technology and genetic enhancements, the Elders are fairly literally superhuman and viewed by the generations of villagers who have been born and died since the end of the world with near-religious awe. So when the eldest and most beloved of them dies – and seemingly after directly ordering Abi to wipe everyone else’s memories of the ruinous night before her brutal murder – things get very tense. And that’s before everyone realizes that the barrier holding back the fog was deactivated by a dead man’s switch tied to her heart beat. Now it’s up to the irritatingly curious and irreverent village neerdowell to to solve the mystery and satisfy the system that justice has been done so it will reactivate the barrier before the fog consumes them all.

So this is a very high concept novel. First and foremost, it’s at the moment literally the only book I can remember that more or less pulls off first-person-omniscient narration – the book is told from Abi’s perspective, and all the increasingly sinister asides and bits of context that leak through from it as its attention shifts from one character’s brain to another is a major part of the book’s charm. It is very on brand for me to say the creepy AI is the best character, but as far as compellingly nonhuman intelligence go it is right up there.

It’s also a strikingly misanthropic book – in the literal sense, the book has a very dim view of humanity and the ambiguous but happy ending involves taking the species off the board for at least the foreseeable future. Thematically it’s about getting over the past and trusting your students/children/successors to find their own way in the world without your constant guidance, but on a very literal level this is a story where humanity’s successors are strictly better off with us. And also where a project that in basically every other story I’ve ever read would be the cartoonishly evil plot of a cackling supervillain is portrayed as monstrous in execution but well-intentioned and more tragically impossible than evil in concept. It’s an interesting shift in perspective from most self-consciously humanist sci fi I’ve read.

The actual mystery is very fun and satisfying twisted and obscured by all the other dirty secrets the Elders are keeping from each other – the narrative used the memory to have multiple people come think they were the murderer and act accordingly in a very satisfying way. That said, I’m not sure the broad strokes twilight zone-ness of the setting really mixed well with the mystery plot – not that it wasn’t used for some fun twists, but it’s more than a bit unclear at points which parts of the world you should carefully interrogate for clues and hints, and which you kind of just need to shrug and take as a given for the story to work.

I admit I do just have a reflexive, contrarian aversion to stories that end up just being someone’s planning going off perfectly. Which isn’t really fair to hold against the book, but on a purely subjective level did make me enjoy the finale and epilogue less than I might have otherwise. Still, all in all this was a fun brain teaser and page-turner. Would recommend, if the synopsis at all appeals.

[neuroticbookworm]

Another Thai BL, another Asian parent-child conflict that enrages the audience and yet, is extremely nuanced. I’m gonna try and speak on it as an Asian kid who grew up in the East, but currently lives in the West, carrying complicated feelings on the Asian parenting I received.

I’m seeing a good discourse in the tags from @lurkingshan, @respectthepetty, @bengiyo, @heretherebedork and @williamrikers, among others, on the hypocrisy of a dad who hit his son in anger and is now lecturing him on the importance of controlling one’s actions when angry. I agree with everyone that the dad is being a hypocritical piece of shit. But I do not think that this is a failure in the writing of the show. Quite the opposite, actually. Because of how Ten responds and acts in the face of this hypocrisy.

Ten comes across as belligerent and confrontational in every interaction he has had with his dad, but it is never uncalled for, and he never seeks it out himself. He tries to stay out of his dad and his stepmom/his dad’s girlfriend’s way as much as possible, and only responds in a defensive manner when provoked. And in today’s episode, he even kept himself open enough in the conversation with his dad, despite his anger, to concede and accept a very good point when raised. Ten understands his dad’s hypocrisy but refuses to stoop to the same level of pettiness because he knows being a good partner and a good friend is more important than being right. This is a mark of excellent writing, in my opinion. The main character is fiercely loyal to his partner and his friends and does not let his baggage with his dad cloud his course of action.

I also see calls for an apology from the dad already brewing in the fandom. And I understand the instinct to want that. It is always so satisfying when mistreated children finally get the apology that’s been long overdue. But it’s rarely this simple in an Asian household. Times are changing faster than most people can in a lifetime, and there are systemic, cultural flaws in how an Asian society understands and teaches parenting. And if we factor in the social, economic, religious lines that heavily influence how an Asian person forms their social circle, it would’ve left these parents with little to no peers who can tell them what they’re doing is wrong. Parents striking their kids is clearly considered evil nowadays, but only a few years ago, it would’ve been a perfectly acceptable response to control a bratty child, on and off screen (and it still is in some Asian cultures).

Now, NONE of what I said above is an excuse to write off the behavior of Ten’s dad as acceptable, just because it’s very Asian. As an Asian who grew up in the East, the demand for an apology does not particularly resonate with me, because Ten and his dad both know that their problems are not gonna go away as soon as Ten’s dad apologizes. Because:

If Ten starts demanding an apology for every shitty thing his dad has ever done, where should he stop? Should he demand an apology for the time his dad probably struck him as a kid when he was trying to get him to memorize multiplication tables, as is wont of every Asian parent ever (it is such an ubiquitous experience to Asian kids everywhere that there are reels with millions of views on IG, referencing this experience. Does this mean every Asian parent is evil and must be put on trial by their kids? Holy moly, think of all the money therapists would make if every Asian kid in the world decided to call out their parents on their shit. Entire economies would crumble to dust from the sudden disruption in cashflow.)

Is an apology going to comfort Ten? Asian parenting warps the sense of self of both the parents and the kids, because of the levels of abject sacrifice involved in it. It is extremely possible that Ten’s dad had worked day and night to provide well for his family, for his son, before Ten’s mom fell ill. It’s the same choice he made for his wife, but in this case, it paid off, because now Ten is financially well taken care of, and he is privileged enough to pursue a career in medicine. If Ten demands an apology from his dad for not being there when his mom was dying, do we know for sure that when he gets that apology, his mind won’t conflate the sacrifices his dad made for him, thus making him feel guilty for forcing someone who clearly cared about him enough to work hard for him, into defeat (look at this rich soup of Asian parenting misery, yum yum yum. I know it’s delicious because I’m paying my therapist weekly to make the broth less spicy).

The dialogue in the show whenever Ten’s mom is brought up and discussed is always very carefully worded:

Not “because you did not act”, but “because you took so long to act”. Looks like Ten’s dad made a choice that ultimately did not pay off. He cared, and he wanted to do something to save his wife, but whatever he chose to do ultimately did not help. And now she is dead and he has managed to not help and comfort his wife in her final days AND unwittingly traumatize his son with his absence. The show has painted this storyline with enough nuance that I don’t believe we are meant to read Ten’s dad as a simple villain, but rather a father who does care but has made some serious mistakes. This situation is so emotionally complicated and realistically, it’s gonna take years for both of them to find a middle ground. Ten is gonna have to grow up and make a few mistakes of his own in life to develop proper empathy for his dad, and that’s gonna put a couple things into perspective for him (I’m not saying Ten is bound to make mistakes because he is bad. He is going to because shit happens in life and human beings always do better in hindsight than in the moment). And the dad is gonna have to grow old and let his aging body humble him a little and shrink his ego enough to see that he had failed his son by not being emotionally available to deal with their trauma, together.

I’ve been watching Kim’s Convenience, a Canadian sitcom that follows a Korean-Canadian family and their shenanigans. I’m only on S04E02, but there is a father-son conflict at the centre of this show that is still not directly addressed by both the dad and the son. It’s been years (almost a decade, I think) since the son has been driven out of his home by his dad for a dumb mistake he made as a teen. And the way the show works on it is so infuriating, because it is so Asian. It is rarely addressed aloud in the presence of the dad or the son, lest it leads to anger and screaming and storming off. The path to reconciliation is built with mom calling her son for help to fix something in their home because his dad is too stubborn to ask for it. With the son visiting the hospital when the dad had to undergo surgery, and having their first real conversation in years which the dad forgets after waking up from the influence of pain drugs. With the daughter’s old phone passed down to the dad with her brother’s number on it, which leads to them texting each other. It is all extra frustrating for me because I’m extremely straightforward in my conversations with my parents. I do not like ambiguous endings to verbal conflicts because they are a ticking time bomb and I do not have the capacity to forget its existence and let it tick away in the background. But, I understand it when my friends, and Asian characters in TV shows, don’t want to force things out in the open if it can be swept under the rug for the time being, because peace of mind in Asian households is fleeting and you would be wise to take what you get.

Good TV shows can best serve their audience when they serve their characters, and stay true to the experiences of the people they are trying to represent. My teen ass was regularly shocked, appalled and intrigued by the sexual liberation promised by Western media I consumed while I was in school and college. I was surrounded by a sexually repressed society that was convinced that the only moral way to enjoy pleasure was after marriage with your partner. And very predictably, this means a lot of dead bedrooms, unhappy marriages and kids growing up with no real understanding of what romantic love looks like. I would’ve never had the courage to move my entire life to the West, if the Western media I watched had not represented its people in all their messy, horny glory, albeit with a rose-tinted lens on gender, race and sexuality.

Some Asian parents in media need to fall at the feet of their children and apologize. I remember being absolutely fucking enraged while @lurkingshan and I watched Double Savage at the behest of our friend @waitmyturtles, and in the finale, Korn was the one who fell at the feet of his absolute piece of shit of a dad to apologize for FUCKING NOTHING. And after Shan and I were done surviving that show, I remember telling my friends that most Asian media does not have strong writing whenever Asian children need to defy their shitty parents and come to terms with their destructive parenting, because chances are, most Asian creators would not have successfully done it. Hence, intergenerational trauma (gasp! It’s all connected!).

So. I would never demand to see Ten’s dad apologize to him to consider Cooking Crush a successful show, because that is not the cultural context this story operates in. Would I enjoy it if he does? Hell yes. Would I be mad if he does not? No, because Ten is proving him wrong time and again, and that’s a constant reminder from the narrative of who is in the right.

[rubykgrant]

When I was younger, I had this idea for a side-scrolling adventure/fighting/puzzle game that was Halloween themed; you play a fighting-witch character who has been "summoned" by some kids who got their trick-or-treat candy stolen by some bullies... but the bullies took the candy into a haunted house that is REALLY haunted! So you need to get the candy back, and also rescue the stupid bully kids from various monsters/creatures/ghosts. You travel through different rooms of the house (which is magically contains more rooms than visible from the outside) that have multiple enemies/bosses, gathering power-ups/items, and occasionally solving puzzles or doing mini-games. The attacks are mostly inspired by candy ("Jawbreaker" would be a powerful punch, "Sugar Rush" would be a speed-boost, "Cherry Bomb" would be an exploding volley, etc). Sometimes you meet friendly monsters who give you side-quests or offer help.

Then, after you save the bullies and return the candy, another problem arises... as the kids all return home, they discover their houses are empty! Another creepy enemy has taken all the parents in the neighborhood (and this is revealed to be caused by another child, who had been grounded from going trick-or-treating, and summoned a different Halloween entity to get rid of their parents, but the evil entity took ALL the adults, and won't give them back). Now you must enter each house, which has become a giant space you need to navigate, and free each trapped parent there to be reunited with their children (each house is just one big level, instead of dozens like the haunted house, but you still need to solve puzzles/defeat bosses. the parents are usually trapped into something symbolic to the family, and the child from that home gives you hints on what to look for). The big finale involves convincing the grounded child not to trust the evil entity just because it offers them "freedom" from adults, and then defeating the entity as the final boss. A fun spooky time is had by all~

[ravensvirginity]

Why don't you like Raven's 2018 solo? The Daughter of Darkness series i mean.

Oh my god, where do I even begin with Daughter of Darkness.

Getting the basic stuff out of the way first:

I don't like high schooler Raven. I don't think Raven in the comics should ever be under 18 and I hate that she was deaged for something like 15 years. Furthermore, Marv Wolfman specifically just does not write young teenagers well. All the scenes that try to show Raven acting like a normal teenager came off awkward to me.

Raven's design isn't my favorite and the art is just so-so so none of the panels really spoke to me.

There's this weird Christian undertone in the comic for some reason? Marv Wolfman isn't even a Christian, but I thought that Raven's family's insistence on her coming to Mass was kind of annoying and not handled the way I'd want it to be.

Connected to that, the way Arella was written was weirdly victim-blaming towards her, especially in contrast to older works of Wolfman's about her. She's painted as a rebellious child who didn't love her parents and ran away out of spite, and then had a lot of casual sex (which could be fine, but it felt like it was included just to make her look worse) before got sucked into the Trigon cult. Even though there are other things in the comic as well as in past comics that make it seem far more likely that Arella's parents were abusive to her and she ran away due to that, and joined a satanic cult due to her trauma with Christianity as well as being vulnerable and manipulated by its members.

Now, onto the biggest problem: the main plot of Raven: Daughter of Darkness is that Trigon does eugenics on his kids.

Yes, Trigon is evil and doesn't care if he hurts people, even his own children. That being said, I still think the way he acted in this comic was out of character. In NTT and in most other comics, he does have some level of fondness for his children, especially Raven. He definitely doesn't want any of them dead. In ToT, he outright mourns Raven after she's killed by the corrupted Titans and decides to destroy the entire dimension in revenge. With all that in mind, him being willing to kill Raven in order to come to Earth feels really out of character.

The 'monstrous' children of Trigon is a whole other problem. Why is he mad that his kids are turning out looking like he does??? Again, in past comics, when Raven is corrupted by him she begins to look more monstrous and resembles him. He seems to want his children to look like him, so why is it suddenly a problem? The problem doesn't seem to be that they're not fit to be soldiers or not powerful or whatever, it seems to be specifically appearance based. Why does he care?

And again, the eugenics. Just bizarre. Yeah, I guess genetically engineering women so that they can give birth to better children would be something Trigon would do, but it doesn't feel on brand for the kind of story you'd expect with Trigon. He's a demon from another dimension who does crazy feats of magic, he doesn't feel like the kind of guy who would employ a team of mad scientists. And the weird emphasis on perfect genes vs imperfect in his kids is uncomfortable and completely inconsistent with past depictions of him.

All that being said, I don't hate Raven: DoD with a passion or anything. It does have some moments I do like. Wolfman understands Raven's lore wayyyy better than most other writers (obviously, he created that lore, and even though he writes modern Raven here he still sticks to a lot of traditional Raven elements). But the overall story is not it for me.

There didn't end up being a natural place to put this with my thoughts but I wanted to mention this panel because I think it's hilarious

How is that obvious. Maybe he thinks people should just assume whenever Trigon is involved with anything it'll include his breeding kink

[drakyions]

all i ever do is ramble about ff7 on here. but i have another ramble that's just a cleaned up discord ramble <3 thanks ever crisis for fucking me up again

anybody else insane about the fact that shinra is continuously shown to prey on literal children or the otherwise less fortunate in general and makes them complicit in horrific acts of crime and colonization under guises of unity or abuse so horrific that it's inconceivable to imagine doing otherwise? anyone else insane about how shinra constantly pits the 'lesser men' against each other to avoid any sort of rebellion against them?

sephiroth, unable to see the kids fighting for their island as simple children because he is one too and does not see why that's so messed up. children are not innocent, untouchable beings - they are capable being hurt and hurting in return, of being a weapon just like he is. they are no different than any man. it's kill or be killed, in his own words. angeal, who grew up poor, constantly clinging to his ideals of honor because it's all he has, becoming a soldier (in his eyes, unaware of shinra's involvement with him) to make money to help repay his family - and given his actions towards others, likely to help people in his situation too. zack being a starry eyed wannabe hero, cloud being an ostracized small town country boy trying to prove himself, etc. etc. glenn, a full grown adult who desperately needs money for his family's survival, is the first person to go "this is wrong, i can't do this" only after participating in the slaughter of an entire people. anybody else want to SCREAM about how shinra takes these otherwise kindhearted people and sinks their claws in them so hard they are fully complicit+active in normalized horrific acts. does anybody else think about how barret and yuffie are actually extremely important characters within the narrative as survivors of the other side of shinra's - and by extension, those who work for them - horrific actions that are often downplayed/ignored/etc.

it just makes me so sad when people ignore What shinra is actually doing, boil down wutai to a big joke, woobify cloud or zack, and so on. i am not trying to say your innocent baby cloud strife a definitively bad man by saying he willingly joined a company that's committing atrocities, im saying it's an important part of his character (especially considering how he grows!) and serves the worldbuilding of ff7 of how deeply rooted shinra's ideals are within the world. in universe its insanely normalized to be nasty against anything that's against shinra. shinra's hold is so deep that even barret gets upset at the idea that he's aligned with wutai because of shinra's propaganda despite us knowing firsthand (through knowledge we'd only get as a player) wutai hasn't done jack shit to deserve that reputation because all its ever done was try to fight back. yuffie is like that for a reason. she's a child who has passively witnessed, and at least directly witnessed once (you know, the mission zack was on) violence towards her home and her people, and is trying to cope with it and take things into her own hands the only way a sixteen year old like her knows how. it's tragic! and many people ignore the 'fan favorites' active participation or complicity in, even though it serves their character and the narrative better.

to drive in the point, the downfall of shinra isn't even due to rebellion of those it has hurt through oppression/conquering. it was set in motion way before that due to a connected web of relationships relating to personal actions done to a small group of people. that's so fucked! not in a "bad writing" way, but just in a realistic-world fucked up way! its not "evil company gets whats coming to it from Rebellion by the Good Guys!" its "evil company gets fucked over because it fucked over some specific people on a personal level and that sets other things in motion." even with our main gang of 'heroes', OG makes a point of a lot of our casts motivations being more on a personal level and that Saving The World/Fucking Over Shinra just happens to be a side-consequence of that.

i love ff7 so much and i wish people would stop trying to sanitize or woobify the darker aspects of it when they serve such an important part of the narrative... anyway tldr

[thatoneluckybee]

OKAY PROPAGANDA TIME! @yttd-enjoyerNo pressure for any of these lol, I added a lot because rambling and procrastination. I’m copy-pasting some descriptions from another post of mine. I was trying to look for some with good lore and magic systems, or that had great characters.

Cursed Princess Club: This one is adorable and hilarious. It’s a fantasy and comedy. The Pastel Kingdom has four children. The eldest, Maria, is 18, and so beautiful that forest animals follow her when she sings. The second oldest, Lorena, is 17, and so beautiful that flowers grow where she sleeps. The third child is prince Jamie, who is so beautiful that he is constantly GLOWING (literally.) And his twin sister, Gwendolyn, is the sweetest and perhaps most loved of all! The three sisters are happily engaged to the Plaid Princes. When Gwen meets her soon to be betrothed, though…. he finds her to be really, really, ugly. Gwen has to learn to love herself as she is with the help of a club for cursed princesses (and one prince who wants to change the club name desperately.) It’s hilarious. Someone swallows her fiance whole. Jamie can taste feelings through food and keeps accidentally violating HIPPA. Lorena beats the crap out of a bunch of clowns. Gwen keeps getting mistaken for an evil witch. There’s a really spoiled drunk llama named Laverne. Maria buys merch of her boyfriend’s fanclub. There’s an omniscient clam. It’s a glorious disaster. (Also that was what the screenshots I was losing my mind and spamming last night. I relate to the plaid guy on an eerie level. This one has INCREDIBLE character arcs and parallels and foreshadowing and details and AUGH)

Space Boy: This one is one of my all-time favorites, and I believe it deserves an award for it’s realistic character arcs and characters. I’d be convinced if you told me they were real people. Sci-Fi Romance. (A lot of romance. Not a particular favorite genre of mien it’s just like 70% of all Webtoons.) In the far future, humanity is exploring the furthest reaches of space using the freezing sleep thing (real thing, forgot name.) Amy lives happily on a mining colony in deep space, until her father loses his job, and she and her family are sent away from the colony, and everyone she knows, back to Earth, where she wakes up 30 years later (frozen sleep thing.) Amy is adjusting to life on Earth, the new technology, and trying to come to terms with the fact her best friend is now in her 40s and she’s missed it all in sleep. Amy’s identifying trait is synesthesia: to her, people have flavors to match their personalities! Well, everyone except a strange boy she meets a school, who refuses to speak to her, and doesn’t have a flavor, Oliver. Amy decides that she WILL find this kid’s flavor if it kills her, and manages to get herself roped in the most chaotic mystery involving ancient cults, alien artifacts, unsolved murders, a government conspiracy, and whether or not Oliver is actually who he says he is. It’s so sad but I love it so much and I want to send everyone to therapy. I don’t even like sci-fi usually so this was amazing for me.

Nomads: ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES. The concept is your stereotypical “there were five kingdoms after a war 100 years ago:” the Sun, Sea, Sand, Sky, and Snow kingdoms. To maintain the peace, traveling between the kingdoms is banned for average citizens. You may, however, choose to become a Nomad, and travel for a price: you can never have a permanent home. Lance of the Sea Kingdom REALLY doesn’t want to be a Nomad. However, his little brother Mikah goes missing, and Lance has to find him in one year (once Mikah turns 18 it’ll be impossible to find him.) It’s going well and dandy until some unfortunate circumstances result in him, his new traveling buddy Satra, and a magic talking cat-thing being mistakenly accused of kidnapping a prince. And now they’re wanted bounties. (This comic is HILARIOUS so many shenanigans and I love Satra so much.)

Castle Swimmer: Can’t reveal TOO much of this ‘cause spoilers but it’s a really really good story. It’s a fantasy romance too. In this society of “Mers” (merfolk), every kingdom has long awaited the day a mysterious, mythicaeing known as the Beacon arrives. He will grant each kingdom’s prophecy, be that granting them fortune or saving their lives. When the Beacon arrives, though, turns out he’s literally just some kid named Kappa who has no idea what he’s doing. Siren is the prince of the shark kingdom. They have a curse that will cause them to suffer and become covered in scars and eventually die. The only way they can break the curse is whenever the Beacon arrives—and Siren, as predicted, will kill him. The only problem is that Siren REALLY doesn’t want to be a murderer, and Kappa REALLY doesn’t want to die, and they both are pining HARD. 

Suitor Armor: This is a romantic fantasy but I like it because it doesn’t feel boiled down to JUST a “will they won’t they.” Fairies and humans have been at war for as long as anyone can remember, with heavy losses on both sides. A Lord rescues a child, a little girl named Lucia, to be his daughter, Kirsi’s, lady-in-waiting until Kirsi marries a nearby king. The only issue? Lucia is a fairy, and she and the Lord must hide that if she wants to live. After they’ve grown up, Kirsi and Lucia go to the nearby kingdom to prepare for the wedding, where Lucia meets their mage’s newest creation: an enchanted, sentient suit of armor named Modeus. And now we’re all aggressivley shipping a tin can with one of the coolest women ever. (And I LOVE the magic system in this… we don’t know everything yet, it’s being revealed as time progresses, but it’s amazing in my humble little opinion.)

Homesick: Recommending this one since you’ve read School Bus Graveyard! It’s almost a “sister series” in that the fanbases overlap lots and the creators have done collabs too! Disclaimer that it’s mature for a reason. It covers a lot of dark topics and is a HORROR FOR A REASON. School Bus Graveyard is incredibly dark, but it sort of eases you in to the terror while Homesick tosses you in like a flailing child. If you do choose to read it I can provide trigger warnings, though it may spoil some plotlines a bit. Rayne (my pfp!) wakes up on a rooftop with no memories at all and meets a boy named Samael, who quickly informs her that it’s the apocalypse. Cannibalistic creatures called murks roam the land, feeding on anything that makes eye contact. Rayne and Samael form a deal to survive, but things get really, REALLY messy when they encounter someone from Samael’s past and get wrapped up in something that might just be worse than the apocalypse. On top of it all, Rayne has noticed some strange things about herself, including terrible headaches that warn her of murks… (It’s so good I love it but good lord it gets dark. I really want to say more about it but the story doesn’t jump right into the main action or plot right away so I CAN’T WITHOUT SPOILING IT SOB.)

Okay limiting myself to six for now sheesh I typed a lot.

[dzthenerd490]

File: Goosebumps - Night of the Living Dummy

SCP#: ALW

Code Name: Slappy the Puppet King

Object Class: Joke

Special Containment Procedures: After the containment breach that led to SCP-ACT escaping for a short moment SCP-ALW has become too terrified to move. As such his initial object class of Euclid has been changed to Joke. It has as a result been moved to Site-AA and placed in a metal coffin placed in the Anomalous Toy Storage Unit. It is also magnetically locked and engraved with thaumaturgic exorcist sigils preventing SCP-ALW from escaping in any way, not that it would due to the trauma. 

No physical testing has been permitted, simulations with the data collected as well as information given by SCP-ACT is to be used instead. Any intruders that try to release SCP-ALW will be detained and processed as D-Class while traitors will be given amnestics and demoted by two levels, fired and amnestied if they are already Level 2 or Level 1. 

Description: SCP-ALW is a classic Ventriloquist Dummy with a moveable mouth and a hole hand in the back for the ventriloquist to reach. Upon first contact SCP-ALW is just a normal dummy however, on its being is a card that reads "Karru Marri Odonna Loma Molonu Karrano". This is an ancient and powerful thaumaturgic spell that allows the spirit of SCP-ALW to possess the puppet. From this moment on SCP-ALW is able to move around and even has the strength of an average adult being able to lift heavy objects without having bone or muscle structure of any kind. 

Upon activation SCP-ALW will claim whoever reads the words out loud will automatically be his slave. Should they not obey the will of SCP-ALW he will destroy their belongings and bring harm to any friends or family they have. Shockingly SCP-ALW is extremely fast, being able to somehow move even faster when out of sight or not in the light. He can even inflict curses on humans turning them more doll-like slaves to his will. He can even do this to other dolls making them live like him and become his willing soldiers. However, unlike cursed humans, dolls that are brought to life will develop their own personalities and can be convinced to not work for SCP-ALW anymore. Normally the best way to stop SCP-ALW is to break his head though this will require capturing him first and that is no simple feat.

Even if one is to capture SCP-ALW and break him that won’t necessarily mean the evil is over as it's possible for him to possess a human with a weak mind and body turning them into another cursed human doll like monstrosity. Furthermore, those who have been cursed into doll-like creatures previously will turn to normal, however parts of them will remain corrupted in some way or another. Some will desire to cause more chaos like SCP-ALW himself or they will be obsessed with finding a way to fix him.

SCP-ALW was discovered in 1996 after a Foundation agent found a trail of strange occurrences, all involving families suddenly suffering misfortune after one way or another coming across SCP-ALW. Once he finally found SCP-ALW in the custody of the [data expunged] family he demanded they give it to him. The father oddly refused thinking all the horrible occurrences were just part of a prank and also happened to be a ventriloquist dummy collector. The agent even tried to bribe the father but he still refused even after being offered $1,000,000 for SCP-ALW. 

The agent pretended to give up but later snuck into the house and tried to grab SCP-ALW just as he was about to hurt the two kids of the house. The agent was nearly overpowered by SCP-ALW as he had already amassed the other dummies to be his slaves. Thankfully the children helped the dummies realize how well their father treated them all compared to SCP-ALW, making them all turn on him and allowing the agent to grab them all. 

Though the children were grounded due to SCP-ALW being missing, the agent was able to get them a $1,000,000 trust fund to each of them for their assistance which will be given to them when they turn 18. Though their cousin was later found to be cursed by SCP-ALW and was properly taken into Foundation custody with his family being amnestied to forget his existence. 

This was originally to be the end of it as SCP-ALW was to be taken to Site-AD. However, upon arriving SCP-ACT had conducted a containment breach and ended up encountering SCP-ALW. SCP-ALW displayed, for the first time, deep terror at the sight of SCP-ACT and quickly bowed in its presence. Meanwhile, SCP-ACT glared at the dummy, like a predator studying prey. It should be noted that this is the first time since its containment that SCP-ACT has shown such hostility to another being. SCP-ACT eventually left thinking SCP-ALW was uninteresting and was escorted back to its cell by MTF Epsilon-11 not long after. Since then, SCP-ALW has been completely still, refusing to move even an inch and thus was labeled as Object Class Joke instead of Euclid as planned and taken to one of the storage units of Site-AA instead.

.

SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[irish-urn]

There are multiple reasons why the fandom tends to shit on Abby but the big one is internalized misogyny unfortunately.

If she was the man in this situation, he would be praised for being a great dad. He would be doing more than the bare minimum so therefore- amazing father.

As it stands, we have to speculate what happened between Abby and George as the show never goes into it. But here's what we know as objective fact as it's in canon:

Abby does weekly visits to see her children despite living (an hour? Two hours?) away in Toronto.

She regularly calls them.

The second Derek is having trouble in school she's there and tries to help (in fact, she wasn't even there for punishment, but actually just for a parent teacher conference. And while that's awesome and nice, it is not common for a non primary parent who lives over an hour away to show up for these kind of things.)

She spends holidays with them, or at the very least gives her children the option to spend holidays with her. If they choose to stay home, that's okay.

HER. AND. GEORGE. HAVE. A. GREAT. RELATIONSHIP. This is significant for obvious reasons. Even Derek said "Can't you two act like a normal divorced couple and hate each other?" From first glance, one might not see the significant between that and her being a good mom. But I think it gives us insight to their family life and the mutual love and respect that's there.

So, moving into speculation territory:

I think Abby had postpartum depression with Marti. I know you do too fr your fics, but let's just say for arguments sake, she didn't and she chose to be "selfish".

I think Derek may have been an accident. George would have been 24 at the time, and in law school. If we assume Abbys around the same age, a bachelor's degree would have been a starting point for most marine biologist positions, but especially those involving research or higher-level roles, require at least a master's degree, and many require a PHD. (I actually think in the episode where she shows up it talks about how she just got her PHD? So, nearly 18 years after she first started school, let that sink in.)

My point is, they were both in college.

But it was the late 80s, early 90s. You were supposed to have a husband and children and a dog and a white picket fence. Yes, there was a boom in the 80s of 'women can do it too!' but it was always have a career AND your family.

So I think Abby probably just thought, okay, this is happening sooner than expected, but I can make this work because this was always the plan (we can also talk about Casey going through something similar in LWL 👀 maybe they bonded over that)

But, as what happens when you try to do it all– it's hard. It's really fucking hard. And George doesn't have the opinion of being a stay at home dad either.

I think Abby's career probably was put on a hold. And I think that ate away at her until she couldn't do it anymore.

Now. Does that justify leaving? Not really. It's not justifiable for a man or a woman. When you make the decision to have a kid(s) they need to come first. There's no if ands or buts about it. I'm definitely not trying to perpetuate that horrible narrative that women have to lose their identities when they become a mom and just be– mom, but your children need to come first for the mom AND dad (looking at you Dennis)

But. That puts us in a tricky situation where we have to choose the lesser of the two evils. Abby staying, being miserable, flushing her career down the toilet and having all these student loans for nothing, not to mention, she obviously VERY GOOD at her job, they wouldn't have offered her a job on another continent if she wasn't. Instead, being a stay at home mom (there's nothing wrong with that if that's whst you want, but Abby clearly didn't), or some sort of low level dead end job that she could try to get with the degree that she had– it probably would have led to resentment. Not only for George, but for her kids too.

OR, she does what she loves, her DREAM job, and she makes sure to stay as active as possible in her children's life. Who has a great relationship with a man who loves his children and is willing and able to take full custody.

Which is worse?

So it drives me insane that the fandom acts like she's some horrible mother when her have a perfect example of a man doing the exact same thing (Dennis) and doesn't put in half the effort Abby does. Dennis, who moved to another country as soon as the divorce was finalized. Whereas with Abby, she didn't even consider the job at first because she couldn't imagine being that far away from her kids. (Actual canon, not speculation) also, everyone acts like she'll be gone forever when that's very unlikely. She probably did move back to Ontario eventually.

It's internalized misogyny. That simple.

So: I don't have a lot to add to this because I think you nailed ALL OF IT right on the head. But yes, I do HC that Abby had PPD — and if that was one of the reasons she ultimately chose to pursue her career, that doesn't make her a bad person. That makes her a person with really difficult choices to make.

(I also HC that in the LWL canon, Casey had PPD with Kai, not that I have anything to support that. I think we call that a heart-canon? I believe it, so it must be real?)

I also strongly believe that Derek was not a planned baby, mostly for the reasons you list. There's also something about George's personality and the way he interacts with Derek compared to how he's more of a father to Edwin and Marti that... I dunno. I don't have the words for it, but I just feel it.

But yeah: Abby is far cooler than the majority of fandom gives her credit for; Dennis is an ass; divorce, blended families, and adulthood is messy and complicated; and it's February and snow has been falling for 4 days in a row.

[synonymouswithanonymous]

☺

Thank you! this is a good article. And you're right, it's a different topic but it's overall message is spot on. If people are willing to dehumanize others over a celebrity Crush, then you can definitely see how it happens at a much larger scale (politics/religion etc). It's the same methods no matter the size of the scale. If it's so easy to dehumanize another over something as ridiculous as a celeb crush, then how would they act over something much more important that actually affects them. Not just haters but people at large.

Some choice and spot on quotes.

"Maiese defines dehumanization as “the psychological process of demonizing the enemy, making them seem less than human and hence not worthy of humane treatment.” Dehumanizing often starts with creating an enemy image. As we take sides, lose trust, and get angrier and angrier, we not only solidify an idea of our enemy, but also start to lose our ability to listen, communicate, and practice even a modicum of empathy."

"They called Jews rats and depicted them as disease-carrying rodents in everything from military pamphlets to children’s books. Hutus involved in the Rwanda genocide called Tutsis cockroaches. Indigenous people are often referred to as savages. Serbs called Bosnians aliens. Slave owners throughout history considered slaves subhuman animals."****

Like calling someone a "worm/leech/flea/toxic etc etc etc

"Successful dehumanizing, however, creates moral exclusion. Groups targeted based on their identity—gender, ideology, skin color, ethnicity, religion, age—are depicted as “less than” or criminal or even evil. The targeted group eventually falls out of the scope of who is naturally protected by our moral code. This is moral exclusion, and dehumanization is at its core."

She has been repeatedly called less than, "not on his level" and her skins paleness, her hair color, her nipple color, someone even submitted her to a "saggy titties" website and then posted it (if they didn't put her on there I'm questioning their search habits). She's called "old looking" etc, bc she has laugh lines. Every part of her body attacked.

She's been called evil, whore, bitch, toxic, her eyes are "soulless" and "evil" just constant abuse towards someone bc she is the GF of their celeb crush. Even her eyebrows are somehow used to claim she's evil. They also make up lies about her and her life to sway the public to make her a villain, and if she's a villain it's totally ok by hater/dehumanizer logic to treat her how they do. From name calling to cyberbullying. Even posting information as to how to better cyberstalk and harass JM.

And then there's the self harm fantasies they indulge in, gleefully talking about how they imagine her committing acts of self harm. It's sick imo.

The article is right it begins with language, and then images. Like unicorns and gorillas, or redheaded chucky murderer dolls.

I'm glad you sent it. ☺☺☺ Very, very informative.

**** Another example is how people in the news refer to Palestinians as "rats" or "rabid" this is dehumanizing, and they say it to strip people, innocent people suffering, of their humanity. So stripped of it, they can then deny it ever existed at all and this is WRONG. They try to make it appear as though "they deserve it" and it doesn't matter their treatment bc they're "evil" or "brought it on themselves." Trying to justify behavior that isn't justifiable. People are people, and everyone deserves the preservation of their lives and dignity. Sorry for the rant but it's like we live in a culture that just wants to fuel hate any way they can, and it makes me sad.

[balshumetsbaragouin]

Lore Post: Curses

Because of the topics covered in the last few chapters, I can finally start giving more general info about curses! Yay for no longer having to be secretive about the cause of illness in [redacted]. xP

Below is an overview of Curse illnesses, including the names of some curses, their rarity, how they are spread, and how outbreaks are managed in the Zone on a country level. I'll get into more detail later about specific illnesses and their symptoms and prognosis, as long as that curse doesn't play a major role in some pre-planned future fic.

Enjoy the lore noms below the cut!

Overview:

Ghost illnesses are often spiritual plagues/curses passed on through energy and not through ectoplasm. Because ghosts don’t breathe, something being passed through energy is like something being airborne. Something going through ecto is closer to it being like fluid based, like bodily fluids: saliva/sweat/urine/feces/ect. Many of the most virulent ghost plagues are spread by energy, allowing it to move through the Zone like a wildfire with little slowing its progress.

In an ordinary ghost, it resolves on its own in a few weeks of feeling malaise as long as you rest. Though some especially vulnerable ghosts(children, otherwise ill, ect.) need medical aid in order to recover. And of course, none of the vulnerable inanimate objects(liminal objects) have immune systems. They can contract a curse and not be able to remove it on their own, their spirit stricken “evil”. In that case, human intervention can purge the “negative energy” from the object and return it to its former self. These purifying rituals were traditionally undertaken by spiritually active members of a community, often found in priesthoods, shrine maidens, temple attendants, ect.

Immunity:

In general, this is how immunity is passed between ghosts:

After encountering an illness and recovering, their cores produce sub-fluctuations/sub-oscillations in their energy signature that act to repel the illness/curse, similar to how living things antibodies neutralize viral or bacterial invaders. This eventually slows plagues to a stop, as herd immunity causes the R0 to fall below 1 and the plague peters out naturally.

Because of how natural immunity works, ghosts who have recently recovered often attend to the still ill, helping them recover much quicker. This is especially helpful in the case of children or chronically ill, who can have trouble clearing an infection on their own. To this end, ghosts have adapted the typical method of sharing energy done between one energized ghost to another to most effectively clear an illness. This requires closer energy contact than just sharing some of your energy, and so is not usually done with strangers.

However, between family and friends, it’s quite common. It’s like giving someone a long hug if they feel under the weather. The cuddles could be platonic, familial, or romantic, it all depends on the persons involved and just signifies affection and closeness.

Example of Immunity in Action:

Dr. Airmid came over to help Technus feel better, since she’d caught this curse years back, although the amplitude of her signals are much weaker now that so much time has passed. Danny's visit does a lot to perk Technus up, even without consciously sharing energy because he’s just radiating a bunch of antibodies as he’s nearly(though not totally) mended. His system changing his ecto-signature is why he got so tired all of a sudden.

A Few Common Illnesses:

Whispering Panic Love's Longing Olive Pox

A Few Uncommon Illnesses:

Rictus Grasp Frosttouch Breath Hearthstone’s Heat

A Few Rare Illnesses:

The Decay The Pale Lady The Black Rider

Outbreak Phenomena:

The chances for any of these to form an outbreak depends on a number of factors, chief among them: the number of potential hosts. Some illnesses can only afflict certain sub-variations of ghosts. Others, prey on those who are essentially immunocompromised with cores that are already infected with other curses.(opportunistic infectious curse behavior) Still others have disease progressions or infection vectors that prohibit or repress the growth of outbreaks. The most serious of curses have outbreaks that are brief, not because of lack of hosts, but because of severity of symptoms. They burn through the potential hosts and avenues of infection too quickly to sustain permanent presence in an area. (An infamous example of this is Stranger's Skin.)

Assuming a curse does not have a long-term reservoir, and liminal objects often served this purpose historically, and that immunity is temporary(common in the least serious curses) then outbreaks can be tracked in waves and even predicted. The most ardent followers of Eulas include doctors, surgeons, and ghostly epidemiologists. If not cloistered in the temples of Kunnzkapp, they are most often found in major cities in the largest countries throughout the Zone. There is a large contingent in Kingdom Drazi, as a trade hub it seems more than the typical share of migration of potentially infected beings. And as the country is the most urbane in the Local Zone, it also possesses the highest being density, far higher than is common anywhere else outside of the country. As a result, most of the recent outbreaks have started in the Kingdom, especially in one of its many port towns. From there, disease specialists can trace the spread across traveling vessels and caravans to all of their trading partners. This makes inspections of goods and people heading into and out of Kingdom Drazi of the highest priority to national security, involving disease efforts. Multi-regional collaboration is the norm in this case, and supersedes all other treaties involving freedom of movement, of goods and people, or the need to be renewed be new signatory members at the crowning of new leaders.

This position was pioneered by a combination of the leaders of Kingdom Drazi and Malproksime Frostiĝinta .

Treatment of, and deterrence of spread for, curses are handled on a case by case basis for every known major curse common in the Local Zone. Additionally, there are groups of well funded researchers in Malproksime Frostiĝinta who study the development of novel curses, curse types, or resurgences of extinct variants. All other major research is pursued by the acolytes, incarnations, and servants of Eulas, though there is much crossover.

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

Thanks for the answers :D can’t wait for your questions! lol

1: if the duo was not best friends/starburst duo in a AU, who would they be best friends/starburst duo with?

2: I know Chris’s archenemy is general zod, since they are “father & son” but why is Jake’s nemesis is victor zassz? Why him specifically out of both Batman’s & Nightwings rogue gallery?

3: you know about the sinister sons from modern comics, which is the evil versions of the super sons, who are the evil versions of the starburst duo?

4: if they can get rid of one supervillain, besides zod & zassz of course, who would it be?

5: what’s something they find overrated? Like something popular like stranger things on Netflix for example.

6: what’s something they find underrated?

You’re most welcome. So here, have some more answer lol XD @pin-crusher2000

1) Recently both @confusedhummingbird @spider-jaysart and I have been formulating an idea for a new character to act as a Wonder family member akin to Diana with Bruce and Clark, a character that’s a third POV and brings a more excited and passionate side to the Duo’s dynamic, someone to compliment them on adventures

Hence I shall take this questions as an opportunity to introduce a new character I can further develop in future posts.

Jake’s other best friend if not for Chris Kent would be named Penelope Haney Troy, a clone daughter of Donna Troy aka Troia created by Project Cadmus. She’s the lively, no nonsense, and adventurous type of girl about Jake’s age who’s always there to bring some comfort and fun to his life as he does for her. Her hero codename would be Hoplite with her main teacher being Cassie Sandsmark, similar to how Jake’s main teacher is Tim Drake

Basically think of her as the Donna to Jake’s Dick; platonic best friends, Wonder Twins

Then there’s Chris, for his best friend besides Jake, without doubt that’ll be Thara.

Oh yeah and these are in addition to a classmate Chris knows well back at school and Jasper Logan for Jake as well respectively for other best friends

2) Well that sort of relationship between Zsasz and Jake happens after a particularly difficult and cruel case involving some street orphans who are mercilessly taken by Zsasz, put into a gladiator type tournament where whoever survives then faces (and inevitably loses to) him. When Jake manages to find the location of this wicked scheme, Zsasz had him captured and personally taken into a duel against him, stripped of his powers, most of his equipment and even his own boots for this match. Had Jake won, the surviving children go free so the brave young hero takes that challenge. It was far from an easy fight as Zsasz was armed with both a butcher knife and a familiar rusty crowbar. The beat down Jake endured during this battle left him scarred both physically and emotionally while Zsasz was utterly remorseless in his work. Thus, Jake has deemed Zsasz his personal archenemy ever since

For more information on that, check out my fic ‘Broken Wings’

On a meta level, I just felt like Zsasz compliments Jake in that sort of ‘person driven by their commitment to their own’ archetype and give it a unique dark twist to it as Jake can attest to. Plus, since the original version of that arc (which btw introduced the world to Colin Wilkes) has its protagonist regularly nowadays have arch-nemeses linked to the League of Shadows in one form or another more often, that left Zsasz up for grabs thus Jake can fulfill that role

3) Oh I have a good passing knowledge of that book (mainly for the fact it’s further taking name of Chris Kent or rather Lor Zod in general further though the mud but I digress);

Now if there’s any sort of evil or at least anti hero mainline universe counterpart to the Starburst Duo, I would cast them being like a bastard preteen son of Blackfire and the aforementioned Vla-Blo (the young bully Kryptonian who was locked in the Phantom Zone by an ancestor of Chris and had the goal of humiliating the House of Zod for this perceived injustice) who both antagonize our main heroes in many fields with the notion in their minds of proving themselves superior to them, though often to failing results.

At least that’s what I can think of for this moment if anything comes up, I’ll let you know ;-)

4) Probably Mongul, a lot of it due to a time when he’s revealed as a mysterious business partner for Blockbuster regarding trading with for some reversed engineered fear toxin and the brawl that ensued between them and the Warlord tyrant was nothing short of brutal and devastating*, even if they stopped that shipped of fear toxin getting to Mongul’s hands.

*Just picture that what the Duo, also Corvus/Jasper Logan and Hoplite/Penelope Troy went through here with Mongul was akin to what happened with Mark Grayson aka Invincible and his friends when they faced Battle Beast for the first time.

5) Definitely the MCU as a general whole, Family Guy and about a few pro wrestlers they can name off the top of their heads….surprisingly not John Cena. More likely Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, The USOs and definitely The Rock. Heck Dwayne Johnson both in wrestling and especially as a film actor, they can’t stand people who claim he’s the best…or rather fittingly The Great One. It internally the Duo out hearing about him in school all the time.

6) Easily the Monsterverse movies, Hell’s Kitchen, We Bare Bears, and during the Halloween season Hellraiser (that’s if Chris and Jake are feeling brave enough to watch through it’s more gruesome moments lol)

[tin-wufborf]

Before I start my rewatch…another hunter-hating thought.

Why don’t people ever call the fucking cops on hunters in Teen Wolf?

I want to preface this by stating outright that, in real life, I am not at all a fan of The Law and will only call them as a last fucking resort because I am Black and like living, but this shit has always pissed me off so much about this show, especially in the case of Stiles being abducted off of the lacrosse field by Gerard. This was such a human fucking crime that was committed, but everyone was so goddamned concerned about keeping the normies out of shit that they completely overlooked the totally valid option of using human tactics to fight the humans. Like, seriously, why are we out here acting like human problems do not require human solutions? Did it occur to no one that because everyone had to keep werewolves a secret, INCLUDING THE HUNTERS, they could have weaponized that shit against the hunters in the same way the hunters turned it on the werewolves constantly? If no one knows that the people being victimized by the hunters are anything other than human, then you can very easily prey upon that ignorance and use it to your advantage. Call. The. Cops. The hunters absolutely used the fact that werewolves healed and had to keep themselves a secret against the werewolves all the damn time, but like…I don’t get why no one was ever struck with the idea that that shit works in reverse because, if the mundane human authorities are out here thinking everyone involved is also human, then there’s no universe in which it’s just okay to chase people through the forest at night and shoot at them or to kidnap children and attach them to car batteries and shit. Or like, even that one time when Chris & Co. snatched Stiles and Jackson out of a hospital hallway and started throwing them around in an empty room. Because that’s a super normal thing for a group of adult men to do to teenage boys. The whole time that was happening, I was like, “Okay, but like, scream for help because this is illegal and your dad, the County Sheriff, is presumably right down the hall”? Could you even imagine Chris trying to explain that away without being able to be like “but werewolves”? Because even if he wanted to throw werewolves under the bus to protect his own evil hide, he absolutely could not because he had no one there who could prove that he wasn’t a raving psycho who thought werewolves were real. Because you know Stiles would immediately be like “Papa, please help, the crazy man is saying crazy man things”.

I just have such a fucking problem with the writers of Teen Wolf shoehorning in this absolutely idiotic rhetoric that every problem that occurs on the show simply has to be handled only by “those in the know” because of this strange idea that it will somehow expose the supernatural to the town. Meanwhile, you have Scott out here doing Olympic-level gymnastics floor routines on the lacrosse field after previously being known to practically the entire town as a severe asthmatic who could barely walk let alone run, like that wasn’t a super obvious sign of something hinky going on. It should absolutely go without saying that turning the hunters in to the proper authorities for doing crazy-ass human shit like destroying property and/or unloading full-blown automatic/assault weapons in populated areas and/or assaulting people (minors, at that) and/or full-blown fucking kidnapping people poses no risk at all in revealing the whole werewolf thing because these things are just mundanely illegal. Like, remove the fact that the people who were on the receiving ends of these actions are werewolves, this stuff is just regular-ass illegal. Even if none of the kidnappees have any evidence of physical injuries because of werewolf healing, it’s still not going to be a good look for the hunters when the cops bust into their torture chamber to find seemingly innocent people strung up and hooked up to car batteries and shit. Like, hello?! Would you do the same thing if the situation didn’t involve werewolves but you still knew exactly where someone was being held illegally? No, I don’t think you would.

Moral of the story: I hate hunters in Teen Wolf because they’re just a roving band of dumb little self-important psychos, and I really feel like they were infecting others with their idiocy because holy shit, the ease with which we could have been rid of them by the end of season 1 is wildly overlooked.

[movingfromhongkong]

WHY HONG KONG FAMILIES TRUST PROFESSIONAL MOVING COMPANIES FOR RELOCATIONS

Relocation is one of those major life events that involves much more than just packing up a house and moving to another area, especially for families. In Hong Kong, where international relocations are a common phenomenon due to business, educational, or lifestyle reasons, professional moving companies provide the assurance for a smooth and hassle-free relocation process.

Moving with a family is way more complicated compared to moving alone. From taking care of fragile household items to worrying about the adjustment of children, pets, and other family members, there are a lot of things to consider. This makes it one of the most important reasons why Hong Kong families rely on professional moving companies when it comes to relocations. In this article, we look at the main reasons behind the trust of Hong Kong families in professional movers and how they make the process seamless.

1. Full-Service for a Hassle-Free Relocation Experience

One of the prime advantages of hiring professional movers is related to the full service they offer. Moving involves more than just shifting boxes from one place to another. There is packing, loading, transportation, unpacking, and even organizing behind the whole process. Professional moving companies in Hong Kong extend end-to-end services, covering every aspect related to a move.

This is a big relief for families on-the-go. The logistics are to be taken care of by the moving company, thereby freeing the family to attend to other more important matters concerning relocation, such as getting used to a new neighborhood or helping their kids adjust to a new school. Professional movers have special packing services wherein fragile items, such as glassware, electronic gadgets, and family heirlooms, are packed in such a way that the best materials and methods are utilized.

Not many movers provide customized services for particular needs, whether this is relocation of pets, transportation of vehicles, or temporary storage facilities. The overall effect of this kind of comprehensive service is to make the entire moving process easier and less stressful for a family.

2. Expert Handling of Household Items

Large-sized furniture, pianos, valuable wall hangings, and fragile kitchenware utensils are usual in a family home, and special caution needs to be taken during the process of shifting. Such items require professional moving companies that have the expertise and equipment necessary for handling with care.

They employ a variety of specialty packing materials, including reinforced boxes, bubble wrap, and custom crates, to protect the valuables in transport. This level of care is greatly needed when the moving process either covers long distances or crosses more than one international border.

More than anything else, families entrust professional movers with their move because they know that their personal effects are in good hands. Broken furniture and lost valuables are lesser evils they need to concern themselves with when it comes to a decent, reputable moving company that respects the need to protect household goods.

3. Time Efficiency and Stress Reduction

Moving, especially with young children or elderly relatives in the mix, can be time-consuming and quite stressful. It is tiring just to think about having to pack up an entire home and simultaneously make sure that family needs are met, work concerns are taken care of, and all daily chores are done. Professional moving companies are specially trained to efficiently manage every step of the moving process, from packing and loading to transportation and unpacking. This would help a family be able to focus their energies on the transition at hand and not on the logistics.

For example, professional movers take a fraction of the time to complete packing, which an inexperienced person would have taken. Their experience and organization reduce any incidences of downtime and make the move swiftly without any unnecessary delays. This is quite important for Hong Kong families who may be relocating to other parts of Asia, Europe, or North America, since changing time zones, customs procedures, and varying regulations raise the complexity of the move.

It means hiring professional movers, and the family need not feel stressed at the last minute because everything is under their control.

4. How to Manage Customs and Regulations Associated with Moving Internationally

The international relocation of many Hong Kong families has meant complex customs and import/export regulations. Relocation to such places as Australia, the UK, or even Canada means a different set of rules for what can be brought into the country, how it is declared, and what kinds of taxes or duties need to be paid.

This, together with the customs regulations, may be a big headache for those families who do not have experience in such international moves. The professional moving companies, on their part, will be conversant with the customs processes and have at their disposal teams dedicated to handling paperwork, inspections, and any fees that may relate to the move. They ensure that all items are properly documented and comply with regulations of the destination country.

This level of expertise not only saves the family from potential fines or delays but also gives peace of mind, knowing that indeed the belongings will arrive safely at their new destination without unnecessary complications.

5. Safety and Security of Belongings

Safety and security of the household goods have to be among the biggest apprehensions one faces with a move. Whether it be some priceless family heirloom or high-priced furniture or even sensitive electronics, it is pretty crucial to safeguard these things during the process of moving. Professional moving services include several layers of protection for household goods, from secure packing to transportation insurance.

Some movers offer full-value insurance, which covers the complete value of an item in case it gets damaged or lost in a move. This added security is especially significant to families that are relocating abroad, given the involvement of their items with various parties, such as customs officials, port workers, and local movers in the country of destination.

Moreover, professional movers make use of tracking systems that allow families to trace the movement of their belongings in real time. The presence of such transparency offers reassurance, especially during long-distance relocation where the family has to be kept away from their possessions for a long period.

6. Relocating with Pets and Special Items

Professional moving firms also offer specialized relocation services for those families that have pets or special items such as vehicles. For instance, international pet relocation is a very long process involving quarantine regulations, health certifications, and special ways of transportation. A professional moving company can organize the pet relocation services.

Similarly, for families relocating big items like cars, boats, or motorcycles, a moving company can provide the necessary arrangements to have them moved safely. Such services take the burden off from the families so they may spend more time settling in at their new homes rather than stressing about logistics arrangements for pets or large items.

7. Post-Move Support and Settling-In Assistance

For Hong Kong families, it is not over when the last box is coming off. Settling into the new home, especially abroad, requires some extra support. Additional post-move services-most professional moving companies offer these-included unpacking, furniture assembly, and help in setting up the household.

Some movers go to the extent of offering settling-in services such as orientation to the local area; this helps families settle in the community by assisting them in finding schools and essential services. This relocation support is paramount for families and most helpful when moving to countries that are unfamiliar, especially where language and cultural differences make transition more difficult.

Conclusion

Relocation is a serious event in the life of a Hong Kong family and is usually very stressful. The expertise, comprehensive services, and logistical support provided by professional moving companies make the process far more feasible. Movers provide peace of mind during this critical juncture of life as they handle complex customs regulations to ensure safe transport of belongings. No wonder the Hong Kong families, living stressful and busy lives, entrust professional moving companies with their relocations-the ability to reduce stress and save time while offering specialized services.

By entrusting their move to experienced professionals, a family can focus on what is important: starting a new chapter in their life, wherever that may be.

For more information please visit Asiantiger international moving company Hong Kong