#gold rush analysis

[feminist-cult-following]

most lesbian taylor swift songs as decided by me, a raging lesbian (part 2)

1. the way I loved you — literally the comphet anthem! it’s exactly how I talked about boys before I came out

2. but daddy I love him — even with the he/him/his pronouns this song is so undeniably lesbian coded. a relationship forbidden not only by the narrator’s family but the entire town??? need i say more?

3. maroon — the incense, “like you were my closest friend”, the mark on the collarbone being a lipstick print instead of a hickey? I saw gay, so I said gay

4. gold rush — this simply is not a song you write about a man

5. seven — that first childhood love that you didn’t realize was love until you were much older and you’d already grown apart

6. cowboy like me — this one is just pure vibes. nothing about this song is straight to me

7. snow on the beach — whenever taylor sings a duet with a woman I’m always gonna interpret the song as gay

8. fresh out the slammer — imagine this one from the perspective of a closeted lesbian who finally leaves her man and goes to the woman she truly loves, it’ll change your life. I like to think of this as a sort of sequel to the couple in the way I loved you

9. so it goes… — “wear you like a necklace” case closed.

10. how you get the girl — you can present me with a tutorial and how to pull women and not expect me to call it gay

[itwaslegendary]

honestly gold rush is such a beautiful song about an unrequited love, describing how you dislike falling for someone who you know will never love you back, but when you see them you start daydreaming and imagining a whole life with them until it hits you that it will never happen because they do not like you back…. a song a bit too personal rn 🥹

[alias-a]

They’re Suburban legends because she turned their lives info folklore:

“My mind turns your life into folklore”

- Gold rush

“We were born to be suburban legends […]”

- Suburban legends

Suburban legends = stories and gossip that go around in little towns.

Folklore = stories passed through the generations by word of mouth.

[sweetfool]

"gold rush" is one of my very favourite songs by taylor swift so i'm going to write my own personal interpretation of it. this is part 1, hope u enjoy :)

the set is a town alongside a lake, where many rich people own houses and go on vacation. the main character is the person singing the song, and i visualize her as a girl who is in love with the girl she sings about, a blue-eyed blondie who's the first daughter of a very rich family - they've had an ongoing situationship as the blondie doesn't really want to admit she's a lesbian due to the comphet and family pressure she experiences - she brings the narrator on vacation as a "friend". they've been talking about coming out as a couple during this vacation.

"gleaming, twinkling, eyes like sinking ships on waters, so inviting i almost jump in"

here they both are at the lake shore and the singer is describing her lover's eyes, blue as the lake they are beholding, filled with the rich people's boats. however these boats are 'sinking', just as their relationship will during this vacation.

FIRST VERSE

the singer is describing her lover as a gold rush, as she is extremely beautiful and she has always been pursued by many people, especially the sons of the rich families she has known since she was a kid. anyone 'would die to feel your touch, everybody wonders what it would be like to love you' and she is forced to pretend she enjoys all these men flirting with her, while in public her and her true love are forced to have minimum interaction as not to raise suspicion - 'walk past, quick brush'

The singer is always competing with these men and at first she was enjoying, as it was fun knowing that all these people who were trying so hard to have her lover could never really get her as she belonged to somebody already, to another woman - but the fun ended when the singer realized that their relationship was forced to stay secret, and all these men could publicly flirt and touch her and maybe eventually marry her, while she had little to no possibilities. She is starting to realize this and think about the gold rush that is this love.

CHORUS

What must it be like to grow up that beautiful? With you hair falling into place like dominoes?

The singer is wondering how her lover must have felt during her life, growing up gorgeous and pampered and always wanted.

I see me padding across your wooden floors, with my eagles t-shirt hanging from the door

They spent the night together in her lover's room, but now she must quickly get away so nobody could ever suspect anything. She's walking quietly, getting her t-shirt left on the door the night before.

At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit

Here, the singer is jokingly saying how at dinner parties they act like friends and how they bicker and tease each other.

And the coastal town we wandered 'round had never seen a love as pure as it

The town they're at and they visited during the only few moments alone they could get has never seen a love this pure - gay love is usually considered impure or dirty, but in a town where the marriages were combined for the sole purpose of money, this is the purest it gets.

And then it fades into the gray of my day-old tea, cause it could never be.

Here the singer is quietly reflecting on the moments they've had together, and her love is slowly starting to fade because of the forced secrecy. She's starting to realize it could never be any more than this hidden affair, which would drain her out totally - she is starting to let it go.

[lilac-gold]

you ever think about how mikhael and kel's main colour schemes are almost exact polar opposites on the colour wheel?

[meganelixabethh]

marcia would vehemently deny it, but she would 100% be a taylor swift fan. shes an evermore girl.

[behindsonglyrics]

I think Gold Rush might be about Matty. The what could have been-ness of it.

Interesting! Although (personally) I don’t think Matty is the muse because she’s describing someone who’s not your atypical cute guy, but rather huge emphasis on “beautiful” and was pretty privileged growing up.

She could still be referring to pre-relationship Joe (but, part of me doesn’t think so) — so that makes me think, if not Joe, someone who fell in the heartthrob category thus why highly desired and known for their looks. The “gleaming, twinkling, eyes like sinking ships on water” line makes me also think it’s someone with light eyes, most likely blue-eyed because the water reference to describe their eyes. Gleaming = shining bright / twinkling = sparkly eyes that have that certain affect. So whomever eyes she is singing about, their eyes sparkle and are bright.

And then she ponders how they could never be, but with Matty; they happened (then, and now) — while Gold Rush her muse here she has to imagine herself with them (Daydream) since it’s never gotten to that point to experience (a relationship) with him at all, cause as she says, she doesn’t like a Gold Rush. She doesn’t want to compete and feel jealously consistently just to be with them. Thus “it can never happen.” Unlike Gold Rush muse, Matty happened.

[lauramkaye]

Fitzwilliam Darcy's Lucky Waistcoat, A Comprehensive Analysis

So I was re-watching the BBC Pride and Prejudice, as you do, and I made a joke that Darcy was having his valet get his lucky waistcoat to go see Lizzy- and then I was like, wait. Isn't he wearing that same one the day she comes to Netherfield to take care of Jane? Maybe it IS his lucky waistcoat!

So I had to re-watch it again to validate my theory and honestly I think I might be on to something.

First, the waistcoat in question: it looks brown in some lights and olive green in others, but I'm fairly sure it's the same garment. It has vertical stripes, a narrow double gold stripe alternated with a stripe of a woven-in diamond pattern. (Interestingly, Elizabeth's eyes look brown in many lights but when you see her in sunlight it becomes obvious that her eyes are a dark hazel. Am I saying the costume designer chose this fabric to match Elizabeth's eyes? No, but I'm also not NOT saying that...)

It appears the first time in the scene where Darcy runs into Elizabeth outside of Netherfield when she has walked across the fields to check on Jane - the scene where the stage directions for Darcy notoriously said that he had an erection - and also in the next scene at breakfast, which happens immediately afterward, and when he goes shooting with Bingley and Hurst.

(By the way the way he says "not at all, they were brightened by the exercise" and then sips his tea while maintaining dead on eye contact with Caroline like a cat pulling your drink off the side of a table is just... *chef's kiss* .... perfection.)

The next time we see it is the day that the Bennet sisters leave Netherfield. Caroline is wearing a very distinct outfit in this scene that has black, gold, and red stripes - note this for later.

At this point, my theory is that this is just one of the waistcoats Darcy brought to Hertfordshire, so it's in his rotation.

Interestingly, the next time we see it is during the scene where Jane is reading Caroline's letter and Elizabeth is imagining the scene of Bingley meeting Georgiana. I've reblogged a post before that notes that in this scene Georgiana is wearing a very fussy pink dress, styled more like the way the Bingley sisters dress and very unlike the things we see Real Georgiana wearing later on. But Caroline is wearing the very distinct stripey outfit and Darcy has on the gold striped waistcoat - it seems the Elizabeth is imagining them in the outfits they were wearing the last morning at Netherfield - possibly the last time she saw them in less formal/day clothes.

The next time we see this waistcoat is at Hunsford: Darcy wears it with his bottle green coat on the day he calls at the parsonage and sees Lizzy alone and they have the super awkward conversation about how far away is too far to live from your family. He comes alone this time, not with Colonel Fitzwilliam, and this is where I feel like the "lucky waistcoat" may come into play - it's the one he was wearing the first time he looked and her and had his "...oh" moment. It's kind of the color of her beautiful eyes. He's going to try and talk to her without his cousin there... it feels like Date Outfit vibes to me. ( I mean that scene is SO awkward because: Darcy, but still.)

He does not, however, wear it to propose - he's dressed for dinner, I think, and has a pale brocade waistcoat on during that scene.

Anyway we don't see the Lucky Waistcoat again until we get to Pemberley, and it features really heavily in several key scenes there.

First off, after Darcy jumps in the pond and runs into Elizabeth in his backyard, he rushes inside to get dressed and comes out, still buttoning his coat, his hair damp, wearing HIS LUCKY WAISTCOAT:

And then the next day when he brings Georgiana to meet Elizabeth he's wearing it AGAIN:

And then after the dinner where Elizabeth and Georgiana make friends and Darcy sits in the music room watching them with his whole entire damn heart in his eyes like he has never been happier in his life, the next day we see him getting dressed and primping and asking his valet to give him his green coat which is paired once again with the Lucky Waistcoat because apparently it's working for him so far? She doesn't hate him anymore and she and Georgiana are making FRIENDS and Elizabeth SMILED at him and everything's coming up Darcy.

So he goes to Lambton to see Lizzy at the inn again - side note, I am SO CURIOUS what he was planning on talking to her about, especially since apparently she was already confirmed to go to Pemberley again later that day - but OH NOES Lizzy has just gotten the letter about Lydia:

(the way he holds her hand and then realizes he doesn't have the right to and SO RELUCTANTLY moves back)

The next time we see it is in the short scene where he is looking for Lydia and Wickham and stops at what looks to be a coaching inn to ask after them. At first I took this as a sign that he left straight from the inn to look for them but it can't be, because there's a short scene at Pemberley where he is with the Bingleys fretting about it and storms off which I think is the dinner that Elizabeth and the Gardiners had to miss. So maybe he wore it because it made him feel close to Elizabeth, or because he was hoping for luck in his search? I couldn't find a screenshot of this scene but trust me. :) (He's wearing a different waistcoat in the scene where he confronts Mrs. Younge in London and another one still in the flashback where he's talking to the Gardiners, so obviously it took him a while to track them down.)

The final Lucky Waistcoat appearance is during the scene where he apologizes to Bingley for interfering, gives him his blessing to propose to Jane, and leaves to go back to London. I couldn't find a gif but here it is with a (perfect) Onion headline:

I think it's interesting that this is the last time we see it, because this is actually when he is LEAVING - when he thinks that he doesn't have a chance with her anymore but at least he's done his best to fix what he broke by bringing Bingley back to Jane and bribing Wickham to marry Lydia. It's so important to his character arc that he does this! He changes his behavior and does his best to fix what he did wrong, because of Elizabeth - because he listened to her criticism and realized she was right about him - but not in order to get another chance with her. He does it because his own sense of morality demands that when he knows he's done wrong, he should do his very best to make it right again. My theory for why he wears the Lucky Waistcoat - or perhaps it would be better called the Lizzy Waistcoat - in this scene is that when he sends Bingley off to propose and leaves town, it's kind of the bittersweet endpoint for him of this relationship that has made him a better man. I think in this scene he is thankful that he met Elizabeth, and while he will never forget her he feels that he can at least go forward knowing that he did his best to make it up to her. I think he probably feels that the second chance he was hoping for at Pemberley being derailed by Wickham and Lydia's elopement - which we see he blames himself for since he didn't do anything to warn Meryton about Wickham's true character - is a fair punishment. It hurts but he's done what he can and at least he's managed to save the Bennet's reputation, and Elizabeth will be so happy for Jane to be happy with Bingley. I picture him staring wistfully out the window of his carriage all the way to London, giving himself one last day to just wallow in his might-have-beens before he has to steel himself to live without Elizabeth. Maybe he's telling himself that they can meet at Bingley's wedding as common and indifferent acquaintances.

And then Lady Catherine comes to see him and is super indignant that Elizabeth refused to promise her never to get engaged to him and he books it back to Longbourn because he cannot live in suspense. He has to know if he has a chance at happiness after all.

He doesn't wear the Lizzy Waistcoat when he makes his second, successful proposal; it's a pale brocade one, visually similar to the one from the Hunsford proposal though I haven't verified whether it's the same one or not. But then, he doesn't need the Lizzy Waistcoat anymore, because in all the rest of the scenes he has LIZZY.

Anyway that's me probably thinking way too hard about a single clothing item from the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice, thanks for indulging me. (Seriously though the costumes in that are so good. I am also obsessed with Maria Lucas' adorable green coat with the pink lining and pink bow fasteners and the rosebud-adorned pink and green dress Harriet Forster wears in her first scene, I think it's at Lucas Lodge?)

[goldenarmyofficial]

🏆 SUPER BOWL SHOWDOWN: GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. EMERALD TITANS – THE ULTIMATE BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY 🏆

An Exclusive Pre-Game Analysis by Gridiron Insider

This is it. The moment we’ve all been waiting for.

After a season of blood, sweat, and bone-crushing plays, the Golden Knights and the Emerald Titans are set to collide in a Super Bowl matchup for the ages.

Both teams have trained harder than ever, pushed their limits beyond expectation, and forged themselves into titans of the game. Every pass, tackle, and strategic move has led to this moment. Now, under the blinding lights of the superbowl stage, they will battle for the right to be called the greatest team.

Two elite teams. One historic night. No second chances.

Captain Xander and Captain Brody are ready to face each others

Who will seize victory and who will crumble under the pressure?

Let’s break down the starting lineups, team strengths, and key matchups in what promises to be a legendary clash of unstoppable forces.

🔥 GOLDEN KNIGHTS: THE RELENTLESS WARRIORS OF GOLD 🔥

The Golden Knights arrive with one of the most disciplined and physically dominant squads in Super Bowl history. Under the guidance of Captain Brody Gold (#11), the team is a perfect blend of precision, aggression, and brotherhood.

Gold's Defense : Trevor, #52, Eddy #73 and Brock #46

What sets the Knights apart is their unity and execution. With Maximus fully integrated into Football Drone Mode, every player is a piece of a flawless machine, moving with surgical accuracy and ruthless efficiency.

🔨 Strengths:

✔ Unbreakable Offensive Line: Led by Maximus (#70), the Knights' protection unit is impenetrable—a fortress of gold and black standing between Brody and the Titans’ relentless rush. ✔ Defensive Destruction: Hercules (#28) and Ares (#29) are twin wrecking balls in the linebacker corps, ready to crush anything in their path. ✔ Strategic Genius: Brody’s ability to read defenses and adjust on the fly will be key to unlocking the Titans' defensive schemes. ✔ Fan Power: With Milo, Drone-Pup 151, rallying the Golden Army, the Knights will have one of the loudest and most energized stadium presences ever recorded.

⚠️ Challenges:

❌ Overcoming Titanus: The Titan defensive wall, led by Damien Raines (#97) and Marcus Vaughn (#54), will be the toughest front line Gold has faced all season. ❌ Handling the Titans’ Speed: The Titans' elite offense, fueled by Jalen Carter (#4) and DeShawn Holloway (#22), will push the Knights' defense to its absolute limit.

⭐ Key Players to Watch:

Maximus, #70, during his football drone training

🔥 Maximus (#70, OT) – The Indestructible Engine

The perfect football machine. No fatigue, no hesitation—just execution.

Every block, every push, every adjustment will be flawless.

If the Titans can’t break him, they can’t win.

🔥 Hercules (#28, MLB) – The Gamebreaker

The commanding force behind Gold’s defensive wall.

If Herc dominates the midfield, the Titans will struggle to get any offensive momentum.

🔥 Brody (#11, QB) – The Field General

The brain of the operation.

He’ll need to read the defense fast, stay cool under pressure, and take calculated risks.

🔥 Ares (#29, OLB) – The Chaos Bringer

Explosive, violent, relentless.

Will attack Xander Malone all night, trying to force bad decisions.

The Linebacker trio : Twin Herc (#28) and Ares (#29) taking the new Linebacker Roman (#30) under their wing.

🔥 Brock (#46, Defensive Safety) – The Guardian

The last line of defense.

If the Titans break through, Brock must shut them down.

🔥 Eddy "Tamerlan" (#73, DE) – The Strategist

His mental conditioning of the team has pushed the Knights beyond their normal limits.

His presence ensures the Knights maintain focus and unity.

🔥 Trevor (#52, DT) – The Immovable Wall

The anchor of the defensive line, ensuring the Titans’ running lanes stay sealed.

🔥 Grayden (#84, WR & Head Mascot) – The Wild Card

Can strike when least expected.

If the Titans ignore him, they’ll regret it.

💚 EMERALD TITANS: THE UNYIELDING GIANTS 💚

The Emerald Titans have revenge on their minds. After their last defeat at the hands of the Knights, they have trained with a singular purpose—destroying Gold and reclaiming their throne.

Led by Xander Malone (#12), their precision offense and suffocating defense make them a formidable opponent.

🔨 Strengths:

✔ Elite Quarterback Play: Xander Malone is one of the most efficient passers in the league and has the weapons to carve up Gold’s defense. ✔ Lightning-Fast Receivers: Jalen Carter (#4) can outrun nearly anyone—if he breaks into open space, Gold is in trouble. ✔ Crushing Defense: With Raines (#97) and Vaughn (#54) leading the charge, Brody will have to work for every yard.

The offensive powerhouse of Emerald Titans : Jalen (#04), DeShawn (#22) and Travis (#76)

⚠️ Challenges:

❌ Breaking Through Maximus: If Maximus holds the line, Brody will have time to pick apart the Titans’ defense. ❌ Surviving the Golden Army's Hits: The Knights’ linebackers play violently. Malone will need to make decisions in a split second. ❌ Stopping the Momentum: If Gold builds energy, Milo and the Golden Army will amplify it to an unstoppable level.

💀 KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH – EMERALD TITANS 💀

🔥 Xander "X-Factor" Malone (#12, QB) – The Precision General

Reads defenses like a machine, never rattled under pressure.

Deadly accurate passer—if given time, he will carve through the Golden defense.

Has a perfect connection with Jalen Carter (#4), a combination that has destroyed defenses all season.

🔥 Jalen "Blitz" Carter (#4, WR) – The Untouchable Speed Demon

Explosive acceleration—faster than anyone on the field.

A deep-ball nightmare—if he gets behind the defense, it’s an automatic touchdown.

If Brock can’t shut him down, Gold is in trouble.

🔥 Damien "The Fortress" Raines (#97, DT) – The Unmovable Object

A 6’5, 330-pound monster who commands the defensive line.

Demands double-teams, freeing up linebackers to attack.

If Maximus can’t handle him, Brody is going down.

🔥 Marcus "Ironclad" Vaughn (#54, MLB) – The Titan Commander

Leads the Titans' defense, calling adjustments mid-play.

Has a knack for making clutch tackles in game-changing moments.

Will be in a constant war with Chevy and Brody.

🔥 DeShawn "Tank" Holloway (#22, RB) – The Unstoppable Runner

Runs through defenders like a wrecking ball.

If he finds gaps in the line, he can wear Gold’s defense down over time.

Darius (#02) snatching another interception

🔥 Darius "The Phantom" King (#2, CB) – The Shadow in Coverage

Elite at shutting down receivers and snatching interceptions.

Always a step ahead—quarterbacks beware.

🔥 Travis "Titan" McAllister (#76, OT) – The Living Fortress

Massive, immovable protector of Xander Malone.

If he holds, the Titans’ offense thrives.

🔥 Corbin "The Sentinel" Cross (#31, FS) – The Last Line of Defense

Hard-hitting, fast, and always lurking deep.

Any risky throw could be a trap.

⚔️ MASCOT SHOWDOWN: SYMBOLS OF DOMINANCE ⚔️

🔥 GOLDEN KNIGHTS’ TRIO

🛡️ The Golden Knight: The embodiment of honor, resilience, and football glory. 🐅 Dorado, The Golden Tiger: A ferocious beast prowling the sidelines, ready to strike. (@leander-gold-88) 🐕 Milo, Drone-Pup 151: The tactical cheer commander, ensuring Gold’s fans are louder than ever. (@polo-drone-151)

Mascot face-off : Titanus vs The Golden Knight

💚 EMERALD TITANS’ TITANUS

🛡️ Titanus, The Indomitable Colossus: A towering, emerald-armored behemoth, embodying Titan strength and endurance.

🏆 FINAL VERDICT: WHO TAKES THE TITLE?

🏆 Will Gold’s precision and unity prevail? 🏆 Or will the Titans’ raw power and speed prove unstoppable?

One thing is certain: this game will be a war. Legacies will be forged. One team will rise, the other will fall.

🔥 LET HISTORY BE MADE. THE SUPER BOWL BEGINS NOW. 🔥

🔥 GOLDEN KNIGHTS ROSTER 🔥

🔥 Offense – The Golden Sword 🔥

Brody (#11) @brodygold– QB & Captain

Ezan (#1) @polo-drone-001, Grayden (#84) @polo-drone-084– Wide Receivers

Chevy (#33) @chevy-gold– Running Back & Punt Returner

Leon (#35) @leon-gold– Fullback

Maximus (#70) @polo-drone-070, Hans (#69) @polo-drone-069 – Offensive Tackles

Briar (#50) @polo-drone-050, Michael (#53) @michaelgold53– Offensive Guards

Christian (#55) @polo-drone-055– Center

Chad (#24) @chadgolden - Tight End

🛡️ Defense – The Gold Shield 🛡️

Hercules (#28) @goldenherc9– Middle Linebacker

Ares (#29) @goldengod-ares10, Roman (#30) @roman-golden-68 – Outside Linebackers

Trevor (#52) @polo-drone-125, Declan (#57) @declanthedefender – Defensive Tackles

Brock @brockgold(#46), Xavier (#39) @polo-drone-039 – Defensive Safeties

Eddy "Tamerlan" (#73) @polo-drone-073, Kaspar (#90) @kasper-90-golden– Defensive Ends

Kai (#9) @kai-gold-99, Hudson (#8) @hudsongold08 – Cornerbacks

⚡ Special Teams – The Knights' Edge ⚡

Daniel (#16) @danielgold-16– Kicker

Robert (#12) @robertgold12– Punter

Isaac (#45) @isaac-gold-45– Long Snapper

Ross (#10) @polo-drone-110– Kick Returner

💚 EMERALD TITANS FULL ROSTER 💚

The Emerald Titans have built a powerhouse team with a balance of raw strength, elite speed, and defensive grit. They are out for revenge, and every player is ready for war.

🔥 Offense – The Emerald Strike Force 🔥

Xander "X-Factor" Malone (#12) – Quarterback & Captain

Jalen "Blitz" Carter (#4), Malik "Flash" Deveraux (#17), Wallace "Swifty" Dayton – Wide Receivers

DeShawn "Tank" Holloway (#22) – Running Back

Marcus "Mack Truck" Owens (#33) – Fullback

Travis "Titan" McAllister (#76), Elliot "The Tower" Grayson (#79) – Offensive Tackles

Bryce "The Bulldozer" Langley (#65), Joaquin "Iron Grip" Santiago (#67) – Offensive Guards

Nathan "Stonewall" Pierce (#58) – Center

🛡️ Defense – The Emerald Wall 🛡️

Marcus "Ironclad" Vaughn (#54) – Middle Linebacker

Dwayne "Brickhouse" Harper (#47), Terrence "The Butcher" Gates (#44) – Outside Linebackers

Damien "The Fortress" Raines (#97), Emmanuel "The Wrecker" Cross (#94) – Defensive Tackles

Khalil "Havoc" Beckett (#91), Tyrell "The Steamroller" Ward (#99) – Defensive Ends

Darius "The Phantom" King (#2), Isaiah "Lockdown" Reed (#5) – Cornerbacks

Corbin "The Sentinel" Cross (#31) , Omar "The Hitman" Wells (#25) – Defensive Safeties

⚡ Special Teams – The Emerald Precision ⚡

Connor "Sniper" Jennings (#9) – Kicker

Rafael "Boomstick" Vargas (#19) – Punter

Derrick "No-Fumble" Benson (#43) – Long Snapper

Trey "The Jet" Simmons (#3) – Kick Returner

The match itself should arrive soon. Results have been tallied and photographs selecting their best pictures for the highlights.

To join the Gold, remember to contact @brodygold, @goldenherc9 or @polo-drone-001.

[magnus-marmot]

TMAGP 39 analysis: Dreams in seven stages

SPOILERS. Please listen to the episode first, I'll leave my analysis under the cut. This feels big. It will also be a long post so buckle up.

Yes, the episode was heartbreaking and I do feel emotions, but I'm also way too deep into the alchemy rabbit hole to comment on the emotional impact. So I'll get right into the meat of it all, ie. Alice's statement. I was excepting to get a pure fear-based statement, and you can certainly read it as a mixture of the Buried, Corruption, Flesh and maybe Desolation. But it feels oddly fragmented to represent the fears, and that's because it's instead an almost perfect analogy for a transmutation. Let me first walk you through the seven stages of the Great Work (the number of stages vary from text to text but I'm going with seven) and explain how they relate to the statement, and then I'll get to what I think this all means.

1. Calcination

Alice is wrapped in a curtain and begins to heat up, much like how matter is trapped inside a container and burned down to ashes. Psychologically, this stage signifies the beginning of the ego death, and it burns away your conscious mind and the rigid societal masks, such as Alice's customer service role in the dream.

"I start to struggle, first in anger and then in panic as I grow hotter and hotter and feel myself begin to suffocate." [...] "I can’t breathe any more and it’s so warm and… wet. The cloth is sodden and warm and heavy."

The heating wasn't always done by direct fire, it was sometimes achieved by encasing the matter within other substances and letting its "natural heat" do the work. This would be a much slower process and wouldn't necessarily reduce the matter to ashes (but would nevertheless reveal its body or Salt).

2. Dissolution

Alice's ego has stopped resisting the transformation, and she's beginning to dissolve. At this point, alchemists would reintroduce moisture into the remaining matter or Salt (sometimes inserting its own sublimated Mercury back into it, sometimes purifying it with other liquids). This is what Jung would equate to dissolving into the dark mercurial sea of the unconscious.

"There is a deep, low roar all around me, rumbling and rushing in all directions; incessant and overwhelming. Soon I can’t tell the difference between the noise around me and the rushing of my own blood in my ears. They are one and the same… swelling and ebbing in time together."

This is the purifying water rushing in and Alice dissolving into it, her own blood becoming one with the solution.

"I recognise what is wrapped around me, what is shrouding me and smothering me and will not let me free: Living, sweating flesh."

As a side note: This is both confusing and interesting to me, because Bonzo's been associated with sweating skin a couple of times now. In alchemy, "sweat" or "dew" is often associated with the moisture that forms on the outside of the glass vessel when it's heated. Not sure what to make of this, but it feels connected. Especially with the curtain also being both wet and warm. I'm yet to find the perfect text that ties skin to alchemy.

3. Separation

At this stage, we can finally separate the matter into its components, find its true essence and separate it from the rest. Similarly, Alice is able to locate the source of her pain and fear within herself:

"I reach for it but it’s burrowed too deep into me. I just want to grab it and rip it out, tear out whatever is inside me, throw the festering mass as far from me as I can." [...] "It is me and I am it and I am trapped within myself and no matter what I do I will never escape this living tomb."

Psychologically, this is the moment Jung describes as encountering our own Shadow in the unconscious.

4. Conjunction

Perhaps the most important stage in an alchemical work. It's when two opposing substances are combined in a union. The purified aspects of the matter are brought back together, the gold is unified with the silver, Jung's contrasexual archetypes (Animus and Anima) are reconciled with each other. Symbolically, it's the union of the king and queen, sun and moon, Sulphur and Mercury, mind and body, or...

Sam and Alice.

"You are there and we are together again. There is no speech, no contact beyond the crushing embrace of skin and bone to which we belong but I can feel you within myself and feel myself within you. And while I lie foetal and squirming in this bloody rushing meat you stand cracked and sharp, enshrined in bone but we are together… together…"

5-7 Fermentation, Distillation and Coagulation

The last stages are intermingled and run through pretty fast in the statement. Basically, in fermentation the matter is let to rot and decompose (ie. putrefied) so that new life can be born out of the remains. In distillation, liquid is extracted from the matter, after which it's cooled and condensed and then sometimes reintroduced to the mixture in a series of circular processes. Eventually, the matter is coagulated, and it takes its final, physical form. Psychologically, it's where the self emerges through integration of the conscious ego and the unconscious shadow.

"Then it begins to cool, the overbearing heat slowly giving way to a pallid chill as the once pliant muscle stiffens like cured leather around and between us. We can feel the liquid pooling beneath then slowly rising, tepid and viscous as the skin wilts and sags upon us, dragging us down into bubbling putrescence below. The body, our body, rots, warping and wilting and bulging and melting, around us and within us, sloughing off and away leaving us, only us, naked and withered and bleeding and starving and shitting and dying… but together. Always together."

So what does this all mean?

Now's the time for my hear-me-outs. If we are to accept that the reality rift that ended the Eyepocalypse has (mostly) banished the fear entities from that universe, and that the fears are potentially bleeding into other dimensions (such as our TMAGP one)... who's to say that it's a one-way street? What if the fears are bleeding in, but at the same time the alchemy is bleeding out?

Apparently, there are now people in the TMA universe who keep revisiting their domains in their dreams. As we have seen, dreams are a recurring theme on both sides of the rift, and I think it's also bringing people closer to the border. Dreaming and meditation are considered states that bring one's mind closer to the collective unconscious (or the mercurial sea), which is why archetypes often manifest in our dreams. If you recall in episode 17, the anger management guy was transported into another dimension when he was meditating in a doctor's waiting room that (and this was specifically pointed out to us) didn't have a clock on the wall. So he's sitting in a definitionally liminal space with no sense of time, and his mind was in an altered state of consciousness. My point is, the dreams are not caused by the fears, they are bringing these people closer to the boundary between the realities, where they get their fix of whatever dark domain-induced fantasy it is they're clinging to. (Almost like something's reflecting their twisted wishes, hmm.)

I feel like I have to revisit the case about that Beholding-obsessed victim of bullying. There were some oddities about that statement where my alchemy bells were ringing, but I brushed it off since I thought we were only dealing with the fears on this side. However, with this statement being such an obvious allegory, I feel like there might be something more for me to dig into.

P.S. This episode truly did break my heart. I just wish she could let go.

Edit: After writing this I realised that it's also the five stages of grief, which is why the final three stages were sort of jumbled together in the fifth and final stage.

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

I Can See You | Spencer Reid

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Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Summary: When Penelope's best friend comes to help out the BAU on a couple of cases, there's an immediate connection with the youngest of the team. After longing glances, soft touches and wild fantasies, the truth comes out accidentally. What is the resident genius going to do with that information?

Warnings: mention of serial killers and bombings, inappropriate thoughts

Author's note: I've wanted to write this one every single time I listened to the song but when @pastanest wrote it first, I was scared to do it too because that one is just too good (read it here)!! Anyways, hope y'all like this one, too :)

Words: 3K

Being Penelope Garcia’s best friend came with a lot of perks. Aside from it being impossible to ever be sad around her, it also came with the perk of doing the odd job at Quantico. We had met during her days as the Black Queen online and ever since, she had taught me all she knew about hacking and tech analysis. While she worked for the FBI, I worked across the yard at the Capitol as tech support. 

Her job was a little more tantalizing – sometimes more traumatizing – than mine. While I simply helped the employees with their technical issues, Penelope actually helped save people. 

And sometimes, she called for my help with a case whenever she figured everything would go so much faster with some helping hands and flexible fingers. 

The first time she had called me on a case, I didn’t even know what I was in for. She just told me to get to Quantico as soon as I possibly could, that it was a matter of life and death. So, I packed everything up, and rushed across the street to the FBI building. I didn’t even bother to tell my boss. I was certain Penelope’s boss would vouch for me and get me out of trouble, even though I had  never met him. 

“Thank you so much for coming, y/n/n,” said Penelope as she took me into a hug as soon as I burst through the front doors and into the hallway. 

“Penny, what’s happening? Are you okay?” I asked and held her at a short distance to inspect her for any injuries. 

She waved away my question. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said and grabbed my hand to drag me towards reception where I had to register. It wasn’t until after my bag had been inspected and I passed through security that she started to explain what was happening. “We’re working on this really tough case and though my dainty fingers are quick at tip tapping away on the keyboard, I’m gonna need your genius to get me the answers twice as fast.” 

On the way up to the sixth floor, she briefed me about the case, just so I was up to speed before we actually started. I was too distracted listening to her rambles that I didn’t even notice another person rushing through the hallway on our way from the elevators to her office. 

My shoulder bumped into theirs, causing me to stumble ever so slightly, but firm hands on my shoulders kept me from actually falling. “Oof, sorry!” The both of us apologized at the same time. 

What I didn’t expect to happen when I looked up at the person was being so taken aback by the beautiful pair of eyes that locked onto mine. The hazel orbs had tiny gold specks in them, making them look almost honey-colored. 

I was so distracted by his eyes, I didn’t catch Penelope’s mischievous smirk she would only get whenever she had expertly set me up with someone when we were out at a bar or a party. 

“Y/N/N, this is my wonderful colleague and resident genius, Spencer Reid. Reid, this is my almost-as-sexy-and-smart-as-me best friend, y/n y/l/n,” she introduced us as the guy – Spencer – retracted his hands from my shoulders, convinced I was steady enough on my feet. 

He offered me a smile that nearly wiped me off my feet again. “Hi, nice to meet you.” 

My lips curled into a smile that mirrored his. He didn’t offer his hand to shake, so I decided not to offer mine, either. “Ditto, Spencer,” I said instead, unable to tear my eyes away from his. 

“Okay,” Penelope then interrupted, “Enough chit-chat. We gotta go!” As I managed a quick wave at Spencer, my best friend pulled me along to her office where we settled behind her computer screens. While she explained how her system worked, my mind involuntarily drifted off to the disarming genius I met in the hallway. 

For hours, Penelope and I worked on the case together, taking turns in getting drinks and food to keep us nutritioned. We were discussing a list of potential UnSubs after we had finished our lunch and I was chewing on the straw of my Sprite when Spencer burst into the room. 

“Garcia, y/l/n, I’ve got something to narrow the search,” he said, causing my heart to flutter at how my last name sounded from his lips. He leaned between us, placing a piece of paper on the desk. His stomach was pressed against my shoulder whilst his arm brushed mine. 

A chill ran down my spine, but I remained poised, trying to be professional. “Those are the places he went to in the last twenty-four hours?” I asked, deducting the theory from the map in front of me. 

Spencer had drawn lines across the map, connecting at least five dots. “Uh-huh,” he hummed, then leaned in closer, his face right next to mine. “We were able to get these locations from the GPS of the rental car he used and ditched at the last murder site.” 

His breath felt hot against my skin, but it didn’t stop me from starting to tap away on the keyboard, trying to find any CCTV footage from any of the establishments in the neighborhood of those locations. Within seconds, I’d found some footage from a service station where the UnSub was seen leaving the shop. 

“Was this what you needed?” I asked sassily and turned my head to look at him. He was a lot closer than I anticipated him to be, my nose nearly grazed his cheek. Even up close he was pretty. 

He stood up straight again, much to my dismay, and offered me a shy smile. “Only if you can give me a name, too,” he told me. 

Raising my eyebrows challengingly, I turned back to the computer and ran the footage through Penelope’s software. Within seconds, I found a name, his age and address, which was someone on the list of suspects Penelope and I had been looking at for the past ten minutes. 

“Can you send that to the team?” he asked as he took out his phone, already dialing one of the team’s numbers. 

“Already did, pretty boy,” I smirked and watched as he walked away with a quick ‘thank you’ thrown over his shoulder towards us. When I turned back to Penelope, she looked at me with that teasing look she would only ever give me when she was about to give me shit. “What?” I asked. 

“Nothing,” she sang, though her face said something else entirely. 

I didn’t feel like getting into it. It wasn’t like I was going to see Spencer again. This was a one-time thing. Or at least, that was what I thought. It wasn’t until Penelope called me two weeks later with the same request. Even then I managed to stay somewhat professional around Spencer. 

But they didn’t leave it at two times. At least five more cases, I was asked to help Penelope out on. It didn’t bother me, at all. In fact, I actually enjoyed helping the BAU team on their cases. It gave me the opportunity to work together with my very best friend as well as secretly flirt with the young doctor. And, you know, learn something new and everything.

Every time I saw him, I could just imagine him pushing me against a wall and kissing me senseless. Every brush of the arm, every longing gaze we directed to one another. It all drove me completely insane, but there was not much I could do about it but sit back and act as professional as I possibly could. 

When we finished case number five, I was packing up my stuff and exited Penelope’s lair. My mind was still racing with the images I had seen about this gruesome case, but all of it seemingly cleared up when my eyes landed on the person standing at the very end of the hallway. 

“Oh, hi, Spencer,” I greeted with a smile as I approached him. 

He offered me that same knee-buckling smile. “Hi, y/n. I wanted to-uh, I wanted to check up on you. See if you were doing all right?” 

I wanted to push him against the wall and kiss his jaw. That man was the most considerate person alive and it was absolutely turning me on. Coughing, I recomposed myself. I couldn’t act upon these feelings building inside of me. 

“I am,” I said. “Though, I got to admit, this last case was a whole lot more brutal than the previous ones I helped on. It’s gonna haunt me for days.” I let out a chuckle, taking my eyes off him for a second. 

Spencer hummed. “Yeah, it, uh, it takes a while to get used to it.” 

“Do you ever get used to that?” 

Chuckling, Spencer shook his head. “No, not really…” 

A chuckle rolled off my lips too and for a moment, the two of us fell silent. It was a comfortable silence with the two of us just gazing into each other’s eyes as if we were under a spell. I knew that if I didn’t break eye contact, I would actually kiss him. 

“I, uh, I’m gonna go home,” I told him and finally tore my gaze off him. 

“Right,” he mumbled and turned towards the elevator. “You-uh, you want me to walk you to your car?” 

Eyes widening, I almost immediately let out a sharp, “No!” The moment he and I would’ve stepped out together, I would’ve jumped his bones. I coughed to recompose myself again. “No, I’m okay,” I repeated, softer this time. 

“Oh, okay,” Spencer nodded and stepped aside. “Well, I’ll, uh… I’ll see you another time then?” 

I offered him a smile. “Yeah, see you next time.” 

From the second I left the BAU, Spencer occupied my mind for the foreseeable future. Every corner I turned, every meal I had, every day I worked at my regular day job at the Capitol,... Spencer had taken over my mind and every fiber of my being. 

It had been a good week since I had last seen the BAU team, since I had last spoken to Spencer. I couldn’t focus at all. He was all I could think about to the point where I couldn’t even properly function. I had to do something about it. Even if it was just getting that feeling of frustration off my chest. 

That was why I had marched my way over to the BAU, went through the protocol at FBI security and clipped on my Visitor’s badge before trudging down to Penelope’s lair where I burst through the door without even knocking. She had given me the code to get in, so I didn’t have to knock. 

“Y/N? What are you–”

I ignored her and plopped down on the sofa with a groan. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Penny,” I told her defeatedly, resting my head back against the back of the sofa and looking up at the ceiling. 

“About what?” she asked. 

“Spencer, of course.” I didn’t catch Penelope’s wide-eyed look as I continued my tirade. “Unfortunately, I need him in a way that will defy the laws of space and time and set feminism back seventy years.” Rubbing my hands over my face, I rolled my head back to look at my best friend, who hadn’t given her unsolicited opinion immediately like she always did. 

That was when I saw the look of horror on her face. “Sugar plum,” she started, “Don’t be mad but…” My eyes landed on the device with the blinking red light behind her. She had been on a call and I could all but guess who was on that call. 

“No,” I muttered, my heart plummeting to my stomach and my cheeks heating up in embarrassment. “Don’t tell me –” 

Penelope pressed a button, putting her coworkers on speaker rather than through her headset. All I could hear was Derek’s and Emily’s giggles. “Wow, y/n,” came JJ’s voice, a bemused lilt in her tone. “I did not expect that coming from you.” 

I squeezed my eyes shut before rushing forward and pressing what I thought to be the mute button. “Why didn’t you mute us as soon as I came in?” I asked before starting to pace the length of the room, but didn’t give Penelope the chance to answer. “Now everyone knows and to make it all worse – Spencer now knows.” 

“Oh, mama, it’s not like we didn’t already know,” came Morgan’s voice through hiccups of laughter. 

“PENELOPE!” I screeched, realizing I hadn’t pressed the right button. 

With a simple shrug, Penelope turned to me. “Maybe it’s not so bad?” she tried and I just groaned in frustration before turning on my heel and leaving her lair. Now I had to debate whether to wait for Spencer to come back and explain everything to him or to just go home and never show my face here again. 

There wasn’t much of a chance for me to think about it because the team quickly filed back into the offices. As soon as my eyes landed on Spencer, I froze. Our eyes met and I could tell he wanted to tell me something, but there was a serial bomber to catch. Rather than leaving and going home, I decided to stick around and help Penelope. 

But before I could head over to Penelope’s lair, it was impossible to avoid the other’s relentless comments. Through a sea of giggles and quoting of what I had said to Penelope in confidence, I made my way through the bullpen, rolling my eyes. 

“I’m gonna get a cup of tea,” I told Penelope, getting up from my seat in her lair. “You want one?” 

“Yes, please, sugar,” she answered without taking her eyes off her screen. 

With a chuckle, I left the office and made my way to the break room where I put on the kettle for two cups of tea. While I busied myself picking out a flavor, my mind drifted off to what I could possibly say to Spencer if I ever got the chance. 

“Oh,” I heard the mumble behind me and when I turned around, I found Spencer in the doorway. “Hi.” He smiled a little awkwardly before making his way to the coffee pot. 

I returned the gesture. “Hi.” 

My eyes were trained on him while he poured the coffee and scribbled something down on a notepad beside him. My mind filtered through every possible word combination possible. I was so distracted, the click of the kettle turning off startled me. 

As I poured the hot water into two cups, Spencer placed a folded piece of paper in front of me on the counter and scurried away before I could possibly react. Curiosity rising within me, I unfolded the piece of paper, only to find “Meet me tonight” written in his scrawny handwriting. 

“That’s not vague at all,” I scoffed before pocketing it and continuing making the tea. Once the teabags were in, I made my way back to Penelope’s office, but not without one last glance at Spencer in the bullpen. Together with Derek and Emily, he was bent over a file on Emily’s desk. 

He seemingly felt my eyes on him as he, too, looked at me. Feeling my cheeks heat up underneath his gaze, I quickly looked away and rushed towards my best friend. I leaned my back against the door as soon as I shut it, trying to catch my breath. 

“What’s gotten into you, pumpkin?” Penelope asked when she saw the state of me. 

I chuckled and rolled my eyes, annoyed at myself that I let a man make me feel this way. “Not Spencer, unfortunately.” My best friend let out a loud cackle. “He gave me this note–” I placed her octopus mug in front of her before handing her the note. 

“That’s vague,” she mumbled, her brows furrowed. 

“Exactly what I thought,” I grumbled. “He was gone before I could even ask.” 

Penelope tsked before patting the chair that had been mine for the last couple of weeks. With a sigh, I plopped down carefully so as to not spill my hot tea. For the next hour, I tried to focus on the case more than on Spencer and what I was going to say to him. 

However, it was hard not to think about him. 

So, once the case was wrapped up, I packed up my stuff and went out to the hall where Spencer had waited for me merely a week ago. I didn’t even bother to say goodbye to Penelope as I would be seeing her soon anyway and she knew I had to do what I had to do. 

It took a couple of minutes before Spencer walked out of the bullpen, eyes focused on the phone in his hand. 

“‘Meet me tonight’?” I asked, capturing his attention. His honey eyes met mine, his lips twitching into a smile. “Could you be any more vague?” 

“Sorry,” he chuckled and chucked his phone into his pocket again. “I just–” he sighed, unable to finish his sentence. Another soft laugh rolled off his lips as he looked down to the squeaky-clean floor of the FBI Headquarters. He looked back up at me, his eyes tender and searching for something I didn’t even know. 

“What?”

Not even bothering to answer my question, Spencer grabbed my hand and tugged me into the closest room, which happened to be the family room. As soon as the door was shut, he pushed me against the wall by kissing me, his hands on my hips to hold me in place. 

“Does this set feminism back seventy years?” he asked between kisses to my lips and jaw. 

My toes curled and my stomach fluttered. This was all I had been dreaming of ever since I met him that first day. I had wanted him flush against me, fingers tangling up in my hair and his tongue warm against mine. 

“No,” I breathed while he worked his way down my neck in open-mouthed kisses. “But it does defy the laws of space and time.” 

The words seemingly set something animalistically off in Spencer as his kisses became hungrier and his hands roamed my body in ways I had never been touched before. He gave me enough to brag to Penelope about the next day. 

He gave me everything I had been dreaming of. 

Everything taglist: @calamitykaty@littlemissaddict @n0wornever @wanniiieeeee @unnowhatthisistbhbh

Criminal Minds Taglist: @boimlers-gonna-boim @samsbirks@tinaasthings @dysphoricsanity @love4lando @elenamoncada-ibarra @r-3dlips @magstheslayer @astess 

[wet-and-wedgied]

the Prince sat at the head of the table listening to the councilors of the kingdom. At least he pretended to listen. He had at the beginning of the council session, he really had, but that had been hours ago. The men had droned on and on about expenditures and taxes and all the while the Prince’s bladder had swollen inside of him.

Now all he could do was try nodded his head as he focused on not squirming in his seat. Fuck. He had to piss. He shouldn’t have drunken so much of the water. Throughout the meeting his loyal cupbearer had been quick to never let his goblet fall empty, and with each monotoned analysis on tariffs with the neighboring kingdom, the prince had absent kindly took one sip after another till he had filled his bladder to bursting.

the Prince grimaced. It felt like a massive wine skin was balancing in his lap. The pressure was agonizing. The Prince’s breaths took up a swallower beat as he bounced the balls of his feet. His legs shook and beneath the table his legs twists around one another. Ahh. Fuck. He was a grown man darn it. He could hold it, he just had to make it through this meeting. There was no way he was going to excuse himself like a child. He winced as his bladder seized. His fist tightened against the table.

“Does Your Highness not approve of the canal expansion?” Asked one of the councilor, misinterpreting the Prince’s desperation for anger at whatever proposal he had just submitted.

“Sire, If I may, the expansion of the canal would be vital to the kingdom, particularly the lower wetlands.”

The Prince squeezed his eyes stuck. The Word wetlands sloshed around in his head. Despite himself he grounded his knees together.

“Right now the canal allows only a trickle of trade, but with a bigger wider passage of water , we could flood the lower wetland with all kind of goods, and with all the gold we’d have enough to fill the palace fountains with wine, I assure you the waters are are our key to success. If we do this results will come gushing in—“

“Alright!” The Prince snapped, a whimper in his throat, as he found himself ready to plead with the man to stop talking. Every word had been like a squeeze on his bladder. The images of rushing waters, of fountains spraying arch’s, AahH! It was all too much, the prince whimpered, jamming a hand between his legs, looking at the councilors who looked back at him in confusion. The prince let out is gasp as some of his piss squirted out, leaking into his underwear, spraying the material with his hot golden pee before he clamped down on his crotch, stopping bit. A dark wet spot, small the size of a prince formed on his trousers.

“I-I agree with the c-canal expansion ,” the prince said hastily, desperate, in more ways than one, to end the meeting. “Is that all?”

“Thank you sire, that is a wise decision-“

The Prince bit back a moan shifting in his seat. Slamming a fist against the table. He could feel the volume of piss bearing down his shaft, hitting the floodgates of his bladder like a besieging arm, it slammed into wave after wave. He wasn’t sure how many waves he could enduring. He fidgeted. “I said is that all?”

“y-yes, sire—“

“Then go! You have my orders, go, go!” The prince waved for the councilors to leave, feeling his own words squeeze his bladder. He had to go. Gahh! Fuck he had to go so bad! He need a chamber bot. He needed one now! He’s Al even settle for that blasted pitcher of water! Anything, anything at all he could empty his aching overfull bladder. Anywhere but in his pants!

The gods it seemed had other plans for him. The moment the last of the councilors was out of the room, the Prince lost all sense of decorum. He had to pee! The fierce mannered prince was hon, replaced with a prince on the verge of tears in his desperation to pee. He moaned, jamming both his hands between his legs, squirming and writhing in his chair with abandon, his faces turning red as he moaned and whimpered like a slut as he desperately tried to hold back his impending accident.

“No! No-nnononono!” Cried the Prince has he crossed his legs, bouncing desperately in his seat. He couldn’t get up! His bladder was so full, so heavy, he knew the instant he tried to stand it would all come gushing out! “Fuck! No! This can’t be happening! Please, Please! Gaahhh!” The Prince felt another squirt shoot out into his underwear. He was losing control. “Please! Don’t let me piss myself! Fuck! I-I can’t! Hold it!”

“Your Highness?”

the Prince was for a moment taken out of his seated potty dance as he looked up, realizing that while the councilors were gone, he was not yet alone. There was the cupbearer, eyes wide as he stared at the state of his prince, and there, in his hands, frozen in shock, was that damn water pitcher.

The Prince lost all control over his bodily functions as his bladder burst, and a surge of hot golden piss came surge out of his cockhead. His mouth opened as he moaned in ecstasy as he gave up and piss his pants, feeling the gushing torrent of pee quickly overwhelm his underwear and soak through his pants. He pants, whimpering bad pee gushed and gush and GUSHED out of him, floodingbhis pants and the seat between his legs. It pour out like a golden river, pooling beneath him, soaking his trousers and turn the thin fabric see through. Yet she was still peeing. He shudder, gasping and moaning as more piss rushed out of him, emptying his bladder with avengement. Soon the chair could not contain its and it filled up, pouring over the sides and cascading down to the floor like a fountain. The prince dropped his head down to the table, embarrassment and humiliation filling him as his bladder emptied all over the floor, running in rivulets down his legs and over the sides of the chair till the prince was left sitting in a lake of his own piss.

[itwaslegendary]

some time ago i said i would make a full analysis on gold rush because it’s one of my comfort songs and my favorite so here i am.

-

(this is my own interpretation, you’re obviously more than welcome to interpret the song however you want. that’s the beauty of art. :) )

to begin with, taylor has already said that gold rush takes place inside a fantasy in the narrator’s head from which she finally wakes up at the end of the song.

“gleaming, twinkling, eyes like sinking ships on waters, so inviting, I almost jump in”

we start off with a description of looks; although it is worth noting that taylor loves using mythological or literary allusions in her songs (champagne problems, love story, cassandra, etc). therefore, we can notice a possible reference to mythology: sirens. creatures who had the ability to deceive sailors with their voice and lure them to their death. they would sing their deepest wishes so the sailors wanted to find them, but in order to reach the island where they allegedly were, they had to try to navigate through rocks and cliffs which damaged and sunk their ships.

this serves as a metaphor that sums up the entire song: the love interest is someone so captivating that the narrator feels incited to try to pursue them. however, this is not a requited love, so said pursuit would only lead to her fateful doom.

"but I don't like a gold rush"

the gold rush was a historical event from the 1800s in which many people migrated in masses to places where gold had just been discovered, seeking fortune and riches.

this serves as a metaphor for falling in love with someone that is wanted and pursued by everyone, something which she dislikes because she sees that the more people who want to be with this person, the less chances she has of being with them.

"I don't like anticipating my face in a red flush, I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch, everybody wants you, everybody wonders what it would be like to love you"

the concept of this person being loved by everyone is reiterated in this verse. we can also perceive a bit of jealousy, she does not like that everyone would want to be with them, and she likes even less that she's falling for them, blushing when they're around and longing for their touch.

"walk past, quick brush, l don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush, I don't like that falling feels like flying 'til the bone crush, everybody wants you, but I don't like a gold rush"

the described vision is depicted with a filter, which will be relevant in a bit. we can also notice refusal: she is falling for someone who does not love her back and she doesn't want to because it will lead her to pain (the "bone crush").

unrequited love for her is like falling until you crash, because at first it's an euphoric feeling, full of dreams and hope, until one day it hits you that nothing will ever happen between you two, crashing all those dreams and hopes you had and making you suffer.

in this sentence, alliteration plays a big part; the repetition of the fricative /f/ gives that sensation of falling through the sky, while the occlusives /b/ (bone) and /k/ (crush) at the end serve to represent the impact of said fall.

"what must it be like into grow up that beautiful? with you hair falling to place like dominos"

we notice again some jealousy, but i mostly interpret it as admiration. highlighting not just how truly beautiful this person is, but also how their life is perfect, they’re desired by everyone and everything always works out for them (everything falls into place).

"I see me padding across your wooden floors, with my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door, at dinner parties I call you out on your contrarian shit, and the coastal town we wandered around had never seen a love as pure as it"

this is the rose blush vision mentioned earlier. pink usually represents romance, innocence, hope, tenderness… when she sees this person she imagines a whole future with them, what would it be like to wake up the morning after spending the night with them, having her clothes at their home, going for walks in coastal towns… it's a relationship full of pure, tender and joyous moments.

"and then it fades into the grey of my day-old tea, 'cause it could never be"

nevertheless, this isn't but a fantasy; the rose blush tone fades into gray, it loses the hope, love and tenderness and is left sad, lifeless, because she knows that these scenes won't happen because it's not requited love, they're just dreams.

(chorus) - repeating the idea that she dislikes that she's fallen for this person.

"my mind turns your life into folklore"

folklore involves oral traditions of a culture, such as myths or tales. these stories are the dreams she has in her head when she sees this person, she imagines an entire life with them, we could also say this is a form of romantization and idealization, kind of making them look like a fairytale character.

(but !!! we could also make an autobiographical interpretation: taylor's songwriting process, she turns her life experiences into beautiful stories which she tells through her music. sometimes, these stories involve other people who have been important in her life too. she is, in a way, turning these people's lives into tales as well.)

"I can't dare to dream about you anymore"

i interpret this as an attempt to get over this person, the more she dreams with them, the more she'll feed her delusions and create false hopes of being with this person in a romantic relationship, which will just make her hurt even more in the end.

consequently, she "wakes up" from the former dream:

"at dinner parties I won't call you out on your contrarian shit, and the coastal town we never found around will never see a love as pure as it, 'cause it fades into the grey of my day-old tea, 'cause it will never be"

this part parallels the vision described earlier, except this time she has snapped out, so the verbs are negative ("won't call you out", "we never found", "will never see"). she has accepted that those dreams will never become a reality because they do not love her back and they never will. until now there was a string of hope, but now it is all gone.

the song closes the same way it opened.

"so inviting, I almost jump in"

to conclude the song, while is tempted to pursue something with this person, she accepts that it is unrequited so she forces herself to give up on them.

[powdermelonkeg]

Echoes of Wisdom Trailer Analysis: Part 1

I'll tell you what, a new Zelda game, especially one this year, was NOT what I was expecting. I was hoping for a teaser a la "the sequel to BotW is now in development," but to have a full on main-series game come out? That caught me completely off guard.

But I've got my bearings. And I like what I see. So let's break down what we DID see, shall we?

Our opening shot has Link in some ruins, looking over at what appears to be Soldiers (as in the enemy, a lesser version of Darknuts), which are a staple for Fallen Timeline games.

However, they usually aren't this color, restricted to red, blue, and green. And they usually have swords or tridents, not axes.

The axes are a new development, as are the black armor and white capes. Maybe they've taken on the red -> blue -> green -> black -> silver difficulty pattern that BotW and TotK had?

Moving on.

Link here has a dark blue cape with teal geometric patterns on the back. Tempting as it is to connect this to the Zonai with the recent game-

-I'm going to abstain for now, because Zelda games like their teal geometry.

Looking around, the ruins Link finds himself in are unique.

We have eye patterns on the walls and double helixes framing the door. We haven't seen any pattern like this before, to my knowledge.

Link rushes in, sword drawn. The floor is plain square patterns on cracked tile.

We get our first glimpse of the Hylian Shield

As well as a clear shot of his sword. Oddly enough, it's not the Master Sword, or anything like it—it looks too plain to be something final, like the Four Sword or Phantom Sword:

And yet, it still very distinctly matches Link's current aesthetic, with the teal geometry.

Honestly, it looks more akin to a beginning sword that needs to change, like the Goddess Sword of Skyward Sword:

It's basic, it's easy to look at, but it's distinct and memorable.

Immedaitely after the cinematic run, the camera snaps to an overhead view, in which Link attacks. So there's at least a little gameplay as Link.

We see Princess Zelda in her crystal prison. Nothing unusual so far, but she definitely has a new look to her, even if her dress is distinctly Toon/Oracles/AlttP style remade.

Then we pan down to Ganon. Fallen Timeline's beast Gan, as we're used to seeing him. So far, he seems to look the most like his ALBW iteration, with the spiked cuffs around his wrists.

Link enters the scene. Purple mist is there for ambiance.

The pattern on the ground feels...ornamental. It doesn't stick out much or have enough detail on it to be the usual big-bad-evil-ritual.

Link throws his cape away dramatically.

Again, we get a camera-snapped view in which Link's attacks seem very much in the player's control.

And blocking Link off from escape, we have a magical barrier, though this one is emitting particles.

It's almost like Ganon's torn the ground open for this.

Defeated, ready for phase two, Ganon dissipates into purple sparks, only to reappear and start his tennis volley.

And here's where we get our proper view of him head-on.

ALBW's Ganon is a bit easy to miss in-game, because Yuga takes him over moments after he arrives. But he looks like this:

This is not our Gan's design.

He has the bracers, yes, but his forehead gem isn't spiked, his eyes are red, not white, his armor is gold with red edges and has chest plates that look a lot like really old art of ALttP Gan:

But most interestingly, his necklace is different.

In every version of Ganon that looks like this, he's either had a skull at his neck

Or a gem

But our Gan has something new. Something that, given the eyes in the corridor, feels deliberate:

There's a menace in this branch of Hyrule's history that's known for three things: a horned eye, purple magic, and possession.

And I'm out of images. Part 2 here!

[sardar106]

had this in drafts for a while. sleep deprived brain decided to post it now instead of waiting for the anniversary, so

okay— Ash (@thepersonwithoutaname) said before that An Epilogue 2/22 by TE/MO is Icarus coming back home and reflecting on their life and other people’s view on it. and I agree on this a lot but… if you think about it being the anniversary the Cathedral… it’s specifically Icarus in the Worldport during the anniversary of the Cathedral reflecting on their life and what happened

and here’s why and why I shake it so hard (kinda line-by-line analysis (also my first song analysis real?))

A year out from the day And it still feels like yesterday That some part of me died Upon that slab of steel

point one, anniversary of something point two, the memories of it feel so close, they funky as Quixis point three, change that to stone and you got that perfectly

Cuz when you think that you can swim You don't expect the tides to pull you in Especially when you're wading into Rivers ankle deep

Icarus. moving on— (but seriously tho, the whole arc after the Cathedral)

Now I’m hunting my own body A ghost miserable and lost The spirit of that January And everything it cost…

Icarus and hunting? with everything that happened with Haley and then thinking that it happened to Centross and also just being Quixis in general. they’re not like what they used to be. they don’t have their wings. they don’t have their jewelry. they’re just Quixis January? like how the Cathedral was in January? yeah what the Cathedral is and the aftermath of it caused

How I wish I could return to claim The parts of me that burned Oh I was mean at times But least that was a choice

burned?? arson??? parts of them that burned?? yeah. “mean at times” that’s a bit of an understatement, my guy not all of it was their choice, but at least wanting him back was

Ambition's waiting by the door Finally returning from the war But she's been gone so long We can't recall her voice

change war to the stasis chamber Isla was in, it’s after Rae got her out yeah… they already didn’t before becoming Quixis

It's a gold rush fever Panning for the simplest bits of joy

Gold? in this economy? yeah, Icarus because of Fable after Cathedral they tried so hard, went through so much, to bring him back, to be able to bicker and be with him

Oh I used to get things done And honey, Lord help anyone That stood between me and The empires I made

could be about before corruption and stuff you see, I know that line is different, but “honey, Lord”? about Centross. they be gay. he be a god don’t really have anything for the two other lines

Now when shit gets hard I walk And I can't stand it when I start to talk I hate it more than you That I can't put it in a grave

Icarus walking instead of flying because “when shit gets hard” is when the phantom pain in their torso is strong talking in the Worldport just feels weird. especially when there’s no one around they just want to burry all that grief and anger towards Fable but they can’t and they hate that fact

Oh I wish I could return to claim The parts of me that burned Oh I was mean at times But least that was a choice

Ambition's waiting by the door Finally returning from the war But she's been gone so long We can't recall her voice

It's a gold rush fever Panning for the simplest bits of joy

all three same as the first time as they loop their thoughts

Moving on’s a luxury They'll say I can afford But with pockets starved of gold dust Babe, just how can I be sure?

basically flash back in this part they couldn’t move on from Centross’ death but they’ve seen the people around them be okay starved of gold dust? Fable. thinking about what if he doesn’t come back

If time heals every wound But no one mourns the wicked dead Then she'll be trapped forever With each sorry tear she shed

Icarus and Isla. Icarus and Isla. Icarus and Isla wounded by not having her around as a child they’e the wicked dead. just, no more words she was trapped for eternity she. just Isla. she’s so sad about not being there for her kids

Bodies they remember What the mind tries to forget Bodies they remember What the heart saw as a threat

My body it remembers What the mind tries to forget My body still remembers What my heart saw as a threat

the understand that. they understand that and they know it’s happening to everyone in the universe. but if we call back the first verse with it being the anniversary, their body freaking out when it hits the day

Wish I could return to claim The parts of me that burned Oh I was mean at times At least I made a choice

we’ve been over the first part. but the last line at least they made a choice. their choice in the Finale

Ambition's waiting by the door Finally returning from the war But she's been gone so long We can't recall like anything at this point

the last line again first they said they don’t remember her voice but they didn’t remember anything about her Rae did. he told them. but it was never their memories

How I wish I could return to claim The parts of me that burned Oh I was mean at times At least I wasn’t gone

yeah. yeah. at least they didn’t die in the cave it sucks a lot that they had to go and put everyone through that but if Fable got the portal, went in the Worldport and took Midas’ powers, things would’ve been much more fucked

Ambition's waiting by the door Finally returning from the war But she's been gone so long We’ve learnt to carry on…

they’ve learnt to carry on cuz they had to they had to live without her they had to live not just that, they forgot her. they carried on, in a sense

It's a gold rush fever Panning for a reason to be strong

they have to be strong all the universes are carried by their hands they can’t mess up they have to focus

Somehow it feels like this is only the beginning… But I guess that means I'm getting better, doesn't it? With how much the body remembers Healing is not linear… But we find a start in the end and Go from there

this part. oh, this part. it’s spoken, not sung. emotions are controlled, they are done with it all they’re Quixis and it’s been a year since the Cathedral. it’s a new beginning new beginnings means getting better the body remembers, the mind not as much, healing has ups and downs, there’s not a solid way to predict it just, yeah

[sicklyseraphnsuch]

Radahn as a Relic

On its face, the text is so clear on what Radahn is supposed to be (thank you Skyen!! I was so fucking thrilled to see your character design breakdown)

I have... so many thoughts relating to empire, objectification, religious colonialism... But if anything, TB Skyen's analysis did clarify one thing: why Miquella would choose Radahn as his consort.

The DLC almost browbeats us with all the parallels between Miq and his mom. He is the ascendant god to be, here to usher in a New Age of Glory. And Radahn, the gloryhound, would eventually side with him. Because what Radahn is - textually - he is the man who stopped the world from turning, froze the stars in their perch, gatekeeper of the future, preserver of the past. He haunts and he lingers, grief and glory bound into his behemoth of a being.

Think also of his fighting style in comparison to Malenia - the so called Blade of Miquella. How does one fight Rot? By flowing, by moving like a rushing river. Malenia fights with emphasis on constant motion, encouraging progression. Radahn who is so stagnant, such a monument to stability and stature - oh he was so ripe for the rot - the perfect seedbed for the spores to take hold.

Because again as the DLC has made a point of showing, Rot isnt simple destruction - Rot is transformative. Caelid isnt a barren wasteland where nothing can thrive. So many things live here!! I would know bc they kept TRYING TO KILL ME. It makes sense from a thematic standpoint that Radahn is rotting, stubborn in his persistence to remain alive. It also makes sense that Miq would need Radahn to rot, just enough to get Marika's gold off of him and put him in His Unalloyed Gold instead. Just a little refurbishment, a new coat of paint to make everything seem like new.

It would make sense from a thematic standpoint that Radahn would be the chosen consort of someone who says "I Bring Change" but in every way otherwise, the text is not subtle that Miquella was "More of the Same".

Oh but the Golden Order is so cruel, so exacting, etc. Yes. Ofc it is. Marika wasnt winning her godhood with clasped hands in prayer. The hands once held out to treasure and comfort became hands that seized and strangled. The world wasn't going to kneel quietly to obey. No empire is made without blood and conquest.

Miquella would have faced the same exact problems his mother faced. Oh but he could enchant them. Sure. But I doubt that's foolproof. After all... Everyone loved Marika once, hailed her as a savior from oppression. Marika was a revolutionary herself. Im telling you - the text isnt subtle! Both Miq and Marika are driven by the same yearning for power to make the world a better place, according to their definition of "better". And the tyrants are always whoever came before, and the liberators are always whoever came after.

Miquella choosing Radahn as a consort, co-opting the gilded relic from the previous age - the monument to Godrick's glory, Radagon's ferocity - it only aligns with the truly unsubtle ways the DLC tells us: Miq is about to make the same damn mistakes. I mean it goes all the way back to his Haligtree. Even his greatest attempts, he made with his mother's image.

From a symbolic standpoint, its easy to see how Rot infecting this Golden Trophy is a metaphor for how the Golden Order through its stagnation - its oppression created the tools of its undoing. That the Leader of the faction who claims to change the Order weilds a weapon of Rot is especially potent as well from that regard. As if saying, Miquella's arsenal includes all the things that are causing the Order's downfall now. Again, this reveals how Miquella is "More of the Same" under the guise of "change". (im sure theres probably a connection to antichrist imagery - antichrist in the "American Christian radicals" sense wherein every leader that attempts at peace gets labeled as the antichrist. how fucked is that right?)

Now, there's an interesting by play here with Radahn himself - separate from Miquella. We know Radahn marched on Leyndell. We know that he made a play for Elden Lord. That makes sense on its face as the prized champion of the Golden Age would in turn seek its highest seat.

At this point, I should note that I dont think Radahn is much about the philosophy of the Golden Order - but it is simply that the Golden Order maintains the status quo that he capitalizes from. I dont think hes someone who would change loyalties ofc, but that his loyalty once earned hardly ever wavers. And in this case, I believe his loyalty was pledged to glory itself, not the Golden Order and its fundamentals - but to triumph and to prestige. The status quo allows him to gambol about Caelid, fighting stars, and he likes that. Its debatable that he would like oppression in truth. Isnt that funny? All the trappings of imperialism and empire just no oppression please. God its like reading a coffee shop AU when it bleeds out all the desperation of capitalism and the harassment of being in customer service.

Honestly, he and Miquella would be very well matched in that regard. But. I think as it is. Radahn would resist - when the time came and Miquella started espousing his change. Radahn is sentimental enough (again the whole reliving the glory schtick) that he would resist Miquella's intent (if not the result which would be... minimal in the grand scheme of themes). For better or for worse, Radahn was Too Much of the Old Regime and Miquella is rebranding here. So. Somethings had to be changed from the inside out.

And in the end, it all ends up same as it ever was. A golden haired god on the back of his golden armored champion. If anything, now everything is more gold than ever.

There is something to the way Elden Ring kind of (unsubtly) demonstrates how the more radical change is resisted, the more everything starts to become similar.