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spaceorphan18 · 30 days

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The Lady Whistledown Papers: 1x05 The Duke and I

Welcome back, Gentle Readers, to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I’m taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

It's episode five! Things are getting spicy! ;) While there's not a ton in this episode, there are some BIG developments...

Tomatoes

Alright, so I should mention before we get too into this scene, that it kicks off with mentioning the money issues the Featheringtons are about to have. It's part of the reason Portia is gonna push Marina marrying Colin so hard. Having a wealthy Bridgerton in her pocket kills two birds with one stone.

Alright, so this is day who knows how long of this courtship has been going on, and after the events of last episode, Penelope is no longer thinking this whole thing is cute or tolerable anymore. It's a combination of -- she's fucking with the man I love and the man I love is being fucked with, which are two different things. Yes, she is protective of her feelings and has no desire to watch Colin be with someone else. But she's also very protective of Colin in general - because they do have a relationship. It may not be romantic, but there are mutual feelings of friendship, and she sincerely does not like that Marina is manipulating him.

But of course - the look on her face here is pure jealousy. Because Colin is bringing flowers to Marina every day. And Marina doesn't really care all that much, but oh, how Penelope would love to be courted, love to be romanced, love to have the attention of any one showering her gifts and compliments. But the fact that it's not just some guy that she could live vicariously through Marina with, it's Colin, which makes it intolerable.

Meanwhile, oh Colin, lost in his own fantasies. He loves playing this role of romantic hero. He brings in flowers every time for Marina -- because it's a way to show he cares about her. It's also, probably, proper gentlemanly contact to bring gifts during a courtship. But it's also interesting -- that the whole reason this tomato discourse kicks off is that he wants to surprise her, be unpredictable, make himself stand out when it comes to the courtship.

Also, I'm really entertained by the thought that a bushel of tomatoes would be used as a courtship device. Nothing says romance quite like the tomato. (As much as I'm being cheeky about it, I do love a bit of spontaneity and absurdity in a relationship, so I do approve of Colin's ridiculousness here.)

I LOVE the tomato discourse. I love it.

I love that Penelope can't even help herself by injecting her comments. She is gonna meddle, but it's going to be on a simpler level to start with. Just a throwaway comment that really doesn't raise eyebrows (at first) that Marina doesn't like tomatoes. Which undermines the act that Marina is throwing at Colin (and Pen so notes this -- and, honestly, she's probably a bit amused that Colin picked something that Marina probably does actively hate).

Then, of course, after Marina kind of brushes that comment off, Pen digs in a little more -- suggesting the best place to go get tomatoes is... Greece. (My god, this cracks me up every time -- is Greece known for it's tomatoes??) And I love that she says this with a smile, playing it off as if she were just trying to be helpful. Then she suggests Colin bring her back a bunch (because I'm sure they'd survive the trip) after he gets back from Greece. Oohh, Pen, it's a longshot stall tactic, but if she can just put this courtship on delay...

It's fascinating watching Marina in this moment. She KNOWS that Penelope is up to meddling. She knows that she's intentionally trying to stop things from progressing forward, but the interesting thing is that she doesn't know why Pen is doing it. I mean, I kind of think it's obvious, but Marina, at this point, has begun to trust Penelope as a friend -- so it just comes off as her being super weird.

Colin, meanwhile, is a bit baffled by Penelope. He doesn't really catch on that she's meddling -- thinks, more so, that she's being a little obtuse, and that is not catching on that he'd rather see how things work out with Marina. But...

There are a couple of interesting dynamics going on in this last little bit.

First of all, the comfort in which Pen and Colin speak to each other says a lot. There's no formality between them. They speak with each other at ease, in the way siblings would talk with each other. Colin, no doubt, probably does think of Pen a bit like Eloise in this moment. He even calls her Pen, here, which is kind of unusual when you think about it, because they're at her house and not his. And the way he kind of dismissively states he's unsure of his travel plans -- it's said, almost irritatingly, in the way you'd want to tell your younger sibling to bugger off, I'm trying to hook up with this girl...

When Pen brings up his travel plans, she mentions that he's always been interested in travel. And while this is a calculated thought - a way to re-inspire desires that he has probably for sure talked about at great length when she's been over to visit Eloise -- I think there's some sincerity here, too. I think she can recognize a desire to go out and see the world, and the idea of him closing the door on that opportunity -- especially for Marina, who is manipulating a relationship with him, and will saddle him with fatherhood at such a young age really does get to her.

Which is why it's more complex than -- I have a crush on a boy, if I get him out of the country, he won't hook up with the pregnant lady and be stuck with her.

Colin then has a line that REALLY sticks out to me. :: 'Were I to go, there are things in London I'd miss more than seeing the world.'

This line hits a little harder when you sit down and think about it. I don't doubt that Colin has an adventurous spirit -- more so than either of his older brothers. But I think also, unlike them (well, Benedict is going to go about it another way) Colin is searching for something. He isn't sure what, but travel seems to be an opportunity to find out.

Marina is a purpose. She's a reason to stay. She's a reason to do the things that his heart really desires to do. She's a person to protect. A person to start a family with. A person whom he does want to figure out his sexual desires with. A person who will let him satisfy the role he thinks he's supposed to have in society. And if that person is right there - then why travel in the first place? He doesn't need to search for something that is right there.

The fascinating thing is that it is better for Colin that he does end up going. He kind of needs those experiences to gain new outlooks on life, to clear his head, to be at peace with himself, and to understand what really missing something when he's away is. And, of course, because he'll find that he'll get to fall in love in a deeper way while he's gone (of course - through his correspondence with Penelope).

And, of course, i can't help but go back to thoughts on The Odyssey -- which is one of the myths embedded in Pen and Colin's story -- the story of a world weary soldier just trying to get back home to his wife... Penelope.

Colin thinks he understands what he's saying when he says that line. But he doesn't truly get. And won't ever if he choses a path with Marina - one that is doomed to be a (possibly) unfulfilled life.

It's always so funny to me when TV characters have private conversations literally two feet away from people who shouldn't hear it, lol.

Pen is probably well aware that the childish meddling she's doing isn't really working, so she goes to appeal to her mother. She points out that Colin is young, yes, but she tries to appeal to her mother's sense of logic. She points out that there may not be enough time to get them married since Colin is young and may not be ready for marriage. Portia considers, but does have her own plans...

Ug, poor Pen, the pining does get me. It'll be alright, girl...

A Plan...

If there's one thing you can say about Marina, it's that she knows how to play this game, and how to do it well so that she can get what she needs. Is it manipulation? Yes. Is she doing it out of self preservation? Absolutely.

She completely plays Portia here (Portia, isn't necessarily stupid, either, but is trying to be calculating in her own right). Marina appeals to Portia's sense of status -- and her desire and need to maintain that status. So Marina basically cuts her a deal. Let me go after Colin, and I'll repay you by letting you stay in your good standing with the Ton. And so the two of them forge an alliance.

But, ah, all this talk of seduction and manipulation -- that's breaking Penelope's heart as she hears it. It's bad enough that the guy she loves is interested in someone else. She has always known or felt that she'd lose Colin some day to another woman. But to lose him to people who do not have his best interest at heart? It's devastating.

But still... she does not go first to her best line of defense, Lady Whistledown... that's the last possible card she'll play.

A Wedding

This is, like, the saddest wedding ever. Man, they look miserable.

Colin seems fine about it. He smiles a bit because it's Daphne, and she's getting married. But not a whole lot of insight to pull out here. He's so detached from this plot line, lol.

A Proposal

So, right before we jump into the Pen and Marina stuff, Cressida approaches Daphne and basically says -- I hope some day you'll pay me to keep quit about the shit I saw in the garden. Like, the girl had a blackmailing mindset even here. I mean, obviously Season 3 didn't come out of nowhere, but it is interesting the seeds they did place for things so early on.

Anyway... Penelope's back to her meddling -- this time trying to get Marina interested in ANYONE else. And I mean, Pen's got a good eye. She's watched all of these people, and I trust that she's attempting to set Marina up with a good (enough) match.

After Marina becomes stubborn about Colin, Penelope opens up. While she's not entirely truthful, she is very open and does lay a lot of it on the line. She admits she does care for Colin. She admits that she just cannot stand back and watch him be manipulated into a life that he didn't sign up for. While she is holding back on the extent of her romantic feelings, she is being emotionally vulnerable, in a way to get Marina to empathize with her. I mean, she is being sincere, and cutting a lot of the mind games crap she had been doing. But she's hoping that a more open approach will help change Marina's mind.

Of course - Marina is out to win. She sees no other options, and she does throw some of it back in Penelope's face. She knows that Colin is a sure thing, and that she'll be treated right. She is not going to lose that chance - because the alternative are the Rutledges of the world. And she just can't take that chance.

It's kind of funny that she still doesn't get how invested Penelope is in this, but she is giving Pen her own moment of emotional vulnerability. She is running out of time, and she will do what she can to secure a good future for herself, and however Penelope feels about it, doesn't really matter because it's ultimately not about her. (And, you know, she isn't wrong, even though we may side with Pen on this one.)

We also learn that Rudledge is engaged and off the market (darn) so Portia tells Marina she'd better get working on Colin... there is a time limit after all.

Before we get to Colin though... we have this brief moment between Pen and Eloise. They've had their fight, and now it's awkward. Neither really quite knowing what to say. But it'll be alright... They always find their way back to each other. But no time for that now! Other plotlines to get to! lol

Poor Pen, no where to hide in this brightly lit, very white room. She can't hide from Eloise. And she can't hide from Marina and Colin. It's just a lot... Just a lot to witness, and she can't do anything about it.

Not at the moment anyway...

The reason the earlier episodes showed Pen and Marina getting along well is to establish the respect Pen has for Marina and vice versa. But this is the turning point. Because Pen had tried to be open about her feelings and Marina was just not playing that game.

Oh, there is some anger in Penelope's eyes. You do not fuck with Colin. You just don't. Penelope would help her with any, every other man in all of England. Just not hers. Pen could accept if Marina truly loved Colin, she probably would let him go.

But the 'act' is going into full swing now, and Pen just cannot with it. She just cannot with how Marina is going to completely manipulate the situation. And even though Pen doesn't get to see what we're about to -- she knows what's happening. Unfortunately, poor Colin can't.

So, what is the FIRST thing Marina do? She needs to get them alone, so she pretends she's not feeling well. And I mean, she gets him. She so gets him. His protector/hero complex is activated and he quickly is not only concerned, but gets her out of there.

And oofff, this next scene is almost hard to watch, because every beat of it on Marina's end is calculated. It's masterful really.

Oh, poor Pen, having a moment for herself of sadness.

But I also just thought of something... had Marina chosen anyone else, she could have really helped Marina. The Lady Whistledown of it all could have helped her. Penelope watches everything, she knows things, and she could have helped Marina in snagging any other man at that party. Of course, she was never going to give up her identity, but it's kind of interesting to think of the what ifs...

Oh man, Marina's smug look when they enter the study. She isn't even trying to hide it.

Colin. You are such a dumbass. (Said with all the love, cause I do love his dumb ass.)

It's funny, Colin is such an interesting study because he's got such a duality about him. Social decorum is something he thinks about (and will very much so in this scene), but he also isn't really one to play by the rules.

In this instance, though, it's his youthful inexperience and naivety that is his down fall. Does he want to be alone with Marina? Yes. But does he sense that she's setting this up so they can be alone? Not even in the slightest. He's still in protector mode. Even the scandalous shutting of the door is about her comfort, not about what she's trying to get.

He may be a little slower, but he's not a complete idiot, and when he takes a moment to asses that she's fine, he gets it. And the wheels start turning. And yeah, he does want to hook up with her. His little grin at his fortune says that.

Marina, however, just has zero time for the drawn out romance Colin has playing in his head. She is direct and gets right to the point. And I love that there's a little moment of freak out that crosses his face. Sure, he wants to hook up -- but he clearly never has before, because the minute she moves forward he does have a sheer moment of panic before he regains himself. He wants her. But he has no idea what he's doing.

And then we get this. This almost kiss. And there's just... a lot to this little moment. A lot.

Because I think it speaks to Colin's fantastical idea of what romance is vs the reality of it when it's staring him in his face.

I do think, yes, base line, he wants to kiss her -- among other things. And I do kind of wonder if he even has kissed anyone at this point, because he's kind of acting as if he's in this place where it just feels... not right. And, not even coming from the societal pressure (which I'll get to in a second) but from a place where -- he has all of these romantic little fantasy of what this moment should be like, and having a rushed moment in the study the way Anthony probably would do it, is not really Colin. Or.. this youthful version of Colin who doesn't have the experience.

I have to wonder if this younger Colin has all these fantasies about kissing his wife for the first time at their wedding and the magical moments he know does happen afterwards. And I think that's why I do think it's a good thing all of this happens because it does end up smashing his idyllic version of romance to allow him to be open to what real romance is -- not the ideas he's made up in his head, but what is really there.

(And I mean, I guess I'll get into it maybe later? I do have headcanons for Colin -- such as his first time with a woman was probably bought and paid for at a brothel. That after this whole Marina thing kind of sours him on love for a while, it pushes him to go out and get some experiences. It allows him to understand the world a bit better - so when he finally does see Penelope, he'll understand it better.)

So he stops the kiss. And Marina, who is savvy as fuck for navigating all of this so quickly, doesn't push him. She's gonna seduce him, but she'll do so on his terms. And appealing to his greater sense of romanticism and honor. Which really works in her favor, ultimately.

Colin can barely believe he's stopping - because he probably is a bit overwhelmed by whatever body reaction is probably happening in that moment. He still considers himself a gentleman who does things in a proper order.

And it's funny, as much as he ends up being a bit of a rule breaker, it's almost not intentionally. He wants to always be doing the right thing. He wants that honor. He wants to be the gentleman. He wants to be seen in good standing by the greater society. So he won't do anything to compromise himself, but more so her. And so he holds back because this is not the proper way. So, yes, I do think some of society's pressure is on display here, too.

Oh, but Marina, girl is so calculated in this scene. She plays on his gentlemanly nature. Plays on his need for honor. And pushes hard on his desire. You almost feel bad for how easily Colin cracks. He is very much a 'my wife' guy. Even here with Marina, that tendency is here on display.

The jump to marriage is bonkers quick. Yes -- it is partially fueled by society's restraints on sexual desires. But it's also a romantic fantasy Colin actually wants. He wants a wife. He wants that life. He's just never found that emotional connection to really fuel him to go for it. But he thinks he has that with Marina. He thinks that she wants that life with him, too. And, of course, now that they've been alone and courting, he thinks it is the proper step to take. So he does.

It's sweetly in earnest. And a bit unsure of a proposal. He doesn't doubt his own feelings, but he doesn't know where Marina stands.

When Marina not only says yes but looks ecstatic about the idea, he just lights up. Romantic achievement fulfilled. That almost kiss did make him unsure of things. But now that marriage is on the table. Now that they can have this nice long engagement and a fancy wedding and this idyllic life of love he's always heard about from his mother, he is so, so excited about it. He thinks he's getting everything he's ever wanted.

And... he thinks he's giving her everything she wants. He talks about her deserving a grand wedding. He is (almost hilariously) breathless when he says it'll be wonderful. (There is really a little ten yo girl living Colin's heart, lol)

Unfortunately, Marina's excitement is not for the same reason as his own. She's thrilled that this whole plan has worked as quickly and as swimmingly as she wanted to. And... she didn't even have to sleep with him to get a proposal. Win-win, really.

Oh, Colin... he feels everything so intensely. It's a shame this is a mix of lust and youthful ignorance fueling romantic fantasies that this proposal comes about. And Marina was hoping for all of that. He promises that he'll give her everything she wants, and he does in this moment. It's a shame that what Colin doesn't realize -- it is just a fantasy, and ultimately, not what he wants.

Oh man, that look Marina gives before she turns around. Diabolical. I don't think of her as a villain. I really don't. I think she's a young woman who is desperate and willing to do what she can to ensure her own safety. But she is playing with his heart, and knows it.

Look how giddy he is, oh Colin... Well, they promise not to say anything -- because seriously, probably not a good thing to announce your engagement at your sister's wedding. But Colin's probably going to be sleeping well tonight.

It's interesting -- thinking about how Penelope is currently a little heartbroken while all of this is going on. But, you know, she's had a long time to have to deal with these problems, with the emotions. She is able to handle a lot of these harder emotions and process them better because they've been going on for so long.

I think when the shit hits the fan with Marina, it's going to hurt so much worse in some ways. It's like the opposite of the she fell first, he fell harder trope. He's never had to experience heartbreak on this level before, and it'll feel devastating. It's no wonder he spends all of season 2 spiraling. Huh.

Anyway, on that happy note, we get to move onto episode 6! Which is my favorite Polin episode for Season 1 :)

[As an aside, this episode ends with Daphne and Simon's first time, which -- has a lot of similarities, beats, and dialogue as the Polin mirror scene. But the atmosphere, tone, and even acting are a lot different. Idk - I find it really fascinating. If anyone else does, let me know, and I can do a side by side analysis of it, cause there are some interesting things to dissect there.]

#bridgerton #polin #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington #penelope bridgerton #colin x penelope #polination #the lady whistledown papers #i probably should have split this in two but ah well

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bitchy-w1tchy · 9 months

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Anfuu analysis

Anime onlys: I would highly recommend not reading any further because I will be discussing a lot of shit that happens way past episode 10 in the anime.

This is long, sorry

Lemme say first off that I really have not seen a relationship like Andy and Fuuko's before (granted my only other shonen series I have been into were Fairy Tail and AOT). From what I have seen in other shonen, which I normally can't get into because they're pretty cookie cutter imo, romance doesn't happen right off the bat.

Undead Unluck would not be a thing if Fuuko and Andy didn't have a relationship. I'm a damn sucker for romance and the second I saw the dynamic between them in the first episode, I knew I was in for a helluva ride.

So in the beginning, it is obvious that Andy is using her. He has admitted to it multiple times, there's no hiding it. My guy wanted to die and saw someone who could potentially give him a proper death and he wasn't going to let that opportunity slip through his fingers.

Up until the end of Spoil, Andy saving Fuuko, protecting her, teasing her, that was all for his personal gain. He didn't take into account that she had been touch deprived for ten years, living vicariously through her shojo manga. Andy called her a pushover many times but I don't think she was. She loved the fact that she could touch someone without them dying. In a short amount of time, she got to live out a ton of different scenarios that only her shojo mango could provide her and I think she was in love with the idea that she could finally start living a little.

Going back to the Spoil arc, after Fuuko saves Andy from Victhor, that's when the dynamic starts to change a little bit. Fuuko saved Andy. She got him back. And Andy FOR SURE saw that. She wasn't some brat to him anymore. Does he love her at this point? No. But he definitely respects her and wants to continue to protect her. He doesn't JUST see her as a personal asset anymore.

And we are that in the Unrepair arc, when Fuuko gets hit by Rip's scalpel, Andy loses it and has to collect himself before returning to the fight, not only that is that Fuuko had to reassure him that she was fine.

Fuuko is not a damsel in distress and Andy sees that, allowing her to fight alongside him (even if she is just piggybacking). Andy recognizes that he can be stronger with her Unluck and it makes me so damn happy that she isn't cast on the sidelines during fights (thank you tozuka)

ANYWAYS

Autumn arc is where we start cooking, fr. Fuuko admits she loves Andy. Is she in love with him? No. But she is starting to fall. She spent 10 years with him in that damned book. And Andy definitely loved her too. They helped each other grow. And when they came out of that book they were stronger than ever.

Before Fuuko goes with Under, it was blatantly obvious that Andy did not want her to go. At this point, he does not like being away from her at all. But there is a huge amount of trust there so he lets her go.

But man's was STRESSIN the whole time she was gone, not sleeping or nothing until her heard from her. Not only that is Fuuko admits that she is in love with Andy, realizing it now that she has been away from him for only a couple days. Not only that is Unchaste doesn't work on her because she truly loves someone unconditionally.

Now, before I go into the rest of Spring and into Ragnarok, I'm gonna say that Andy does not know how to deal with his feelings. His inner dialogue and the way he speaks to Fuuko are not matching up at all. Before he admits he loves her, (God damn it I wish she heard him), he's looking back on their time together, how they both grew, how he treated her at first, etc.

At the end of Spring, he admits to himself that he can't die because he can't accept Fuuko's feelings properly. And why can't he? Because he's AFRAID.

But when he speaks to Fuuko he plays it off as, "now it's my turn to fall in love with you", kinda jokes around about it.

This is where I get controversial. By the time Spring ends, does Andy love Fuuko? Without a doubt, yes. Is he IN love with her? No.

Like I said, he is scared to accept her feelings. I do believe that if he could get past the barrier of his own feelings and accept her love then I truly believe he would fall head over heels with her in an instant. His feelings are what's holding him back.

So why is he so afraid? Because I think that if he admits he is in love with Fuuko and accepts Fuuko's feelings, then he won't want to die like he has wanted for 2 centuries. And if he DOES die, then he leaves behind a heartbroken Fuuko.

I mean, come on, Fuuko gets shanked and Andy absolutely loses his shit. That's love.

I PISSED that Andy and Fuuko never got their proper talk before the Loop happened. But I'm hoping that when Andy decides to get his ass off the fucking sun (kidding), then we have a real talk between them because I'll tell you I am so sick of licking these anfuu crumbs off the fucking floor. (Bring my boy home)

(now I do think, at some point during the Ragnarok arc, he doesn't want to die anymore. His astral projection is that of an old man. He just wants to grow old.)

#andy x fuuko #anfuu #this took so long and the original got fucking deleted because tumblr sucks #undead unluck #uu spoilers #undead unluck manga #izumo fuuko #undead andy #unluck fuuko #they make me happy

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skypoff · 4 months

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Pomni: An Intro to Coping

Pomni is the first character out of the TADC cast I am doing a deep dive on; for two main reasons. The first, being that she is the main lead character we as viewers vicariously live through in the show. And second, because her character is - as I see it - a lead-in to how the other characters behave. (Added note: I won't be touching on everything regarding the character. Only the details I feel are coherent for the rant I want to write.)

I would like to put emphasis on the note that all of this is drawn together from my own interpretations and speculations. At the end of the day, if you disagree with any of my thoughts, that is perfectly fine. This post is written out of sole enjoyment and passion for the character, with a twinge (read; a lot) of spite.

With that being said, here is a multi-faceted rant focusing on Pomni.

CHAPTER I: A NEW HOME

➣ Pomni is the newest human who has transmigrated into the digital circus world. As such, her first-hand experience in the cartoonish, limitless, yet restrictive space is also the viewers' vicarious shared experience through her eyes.

➣ Obviously, being dragged to the VR space and told there's no escape isn't great to hear. As such, Pomni's first reaction is denial. {"Ohhh, okay, now I get it! This, is a dream! And I should just play along until I wake up! Right??"} It's a standard reaction most people will default to in order to soothe themselves. A way to say "I can exit this situation, I am still in control" while providing a safety-net explanation for any illogical events.

➣ So, why is this important? The 5 stages of grief aren't a new concept nor is it a hard one to grasp, so how does it connect to Pomni? It's important because Pomni's character as a whole is a set-up template for how an individual can cope with unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or traumatizing events.

➣ I don't mean this to flatten Pomni's character down to a base statement of "she's a caricature". Quite the opposite actually; approaching Pomni's behaviors and her motivations with the perspective of "how a person will cope" gives a more layered view of her as a character.

➣ Being trapped in a new space with seemingly no escape can only lead to two outcomes in human behavior. Adaptation, or deterioration.

CHAPTER II: DEALING WITH IT

➣ Almost like how a child navigates their new life, Pomni is experimenting with how to adapt to the circumstances, whether she is consciously aware of that or not.

➣ In the pilot episode, Pomni protects herself under the fragile lie of denial (as previously mentioned) up to the point when Ragatha breaks down a bit in the dorm hallway after Pomni asks why they don't try to leave. Hearing the process of going insane in the digital circus makes the whole situation much more real.

➣ When facing the abstracted Kaufmo, Pomni displays guilt in initially abandoning Ragatha to fend for herself, then promises Ragatha that she'll go find Caine to fix both of them up.

➣ I find it noteworthy to touch on this interaction. As Pomni goes to leave, Ragatha comments "I'm sorry your first day here had to be so... terrible?" to which Pomni awkwardly replies with "Uh... yeah, well don't- worry about it. I'm just gonna go find Caine now". It's meant to be a comforting statement of compensation from Ragatha, but it doesn't land that way for Pomni because- although friendly and empathetic, highlighting that it is her "first day" of who knows how many only cements her fate more.

➣ Despite promising to help Ragatha, Pomni almost immediately goes through the elusive exit door once it appears before her, only sparing a couple glances back at the circus before going inside. This action is inherently selfish, but also accurately aligns with the drive for escape. If there is any hope to leave an unpleasant situation, people will generally take it, especially if they don't have any personal attachments to their surroundings.

➣ In regards to the 5 stages of grief, the whole sequence of Pomni running through the labyrinth office space undoubtedly represents bargaining. The mounting desperation of "Just one more door. This door will be the one. I'm sure the next one will let me leave." keeps piling onto the jester, until she mentally snaps and eventually ends up in the digital void.

➣ For the rest of the pilot after that, Pomni is left to finally come to terms with the fact that there really is no real exit. The others around her act nonchalant and unbothered by everything, leaving her feeling isolated and lost. Despite other trapped humans sitting beside her at a dining table, none of them seem to share her drive to leave.

➣ As far as she knows, she is completely alone, and she must fend for herself to either adapt, or abstract in this bizarre world.

CHAPTER III: ADJUSTMENTS

➣ In episode 2 of TADC, these anxieties of losing her own mind and being completely alone are pushed to the forefront. Alongside those concerns, Pomni goes through the remaining 3 of the 5 stages of grief.

➣ She shows clear anger towards Jax and his recklessness when he puts her safety at risk without any visible remorse (subconsciously solidifying Pomni's then assumption that she is not valued or considered as a part of the group, would not be missed, etc.). She also has a bout of mild frustration towards Ragatha in the beginning of the adventure {"I'm not a child. You don't have to hype me up."}.

➣ This morphs into a state of apathy/depression, as she questions the structure of the adventures {"So... our entire existence here is just... LARPing?"}{"What time period is this supposed to be again?"}. During the drive up to the chase scene with the gummy gator bandits, she can also be seen looking mildly upset in the back of the truck, eyeing the others with subtle discomfort or blankly staring off ahead.

➣ Finally, this all comes to a head with acceptance (albeit a tentative one) after Pomni befriends Gummigoo, one of the AI gummy gator bandits. She finally finds someone she can connect to, someone who has had their reality shattered and is forced to come to terms with it all. So, while she does her best to provide some comfort and reassurance for the gator, she also extends a metaphorical hand out to invite Gummigoo back to the circus, in the hopes that she won't have to continue alone.

➣ Although Caine deleting Gummigoo moments after his arrival nearly brings Pomni into a spiral then and there, Ragatha and Kinger step in to explain to Pomni about Kaufmo's funeral. A service they hold to honor the abstracted people for their shared time in the circus. That catches Pomni's attention. (I have a strong belief that if Pomni was left alone after Caine deleted Gummigoo, she would have completely broken down/abstracted shortly after. Not immediately, but she would inevitably.)

➣ Listening to the others (minus Jax) tell their stories of who Kaufmo was as a person and the good memories they had with him, the acceptance settles back in Pomni. Only, more assured now. She now has proof that they are all in this situation together, one way or another. She knows at the very least that she isn't considered as nothing by the others (minus Jax, we'll get there).

CHAPTER IV: CLOSING NOTES

➣ Pomni is an anxious, introverted, 25-year-old. Judging by her age (as provided by Gooseworx), Pomni very much fits with the idea of a young adult office worker. She's logical in her thinking, yet also unsure and wary of those around her.

➣ Gooseworx has also mentioned that Pomni is "good at accounting" (in a tumblr post on December 18th, 2023), which makes me think Pomni either was an accounting major or was an accountant in the real world.

➣ As of this post, there are only 2 of the 9 planned episodes that have been uploaded. In the episodes to come, I feel like we'll probably see Pomni grow more sure of herself in the circus. She'll still be wary about whatever new adventures Caine has planned, but from what has already been hinted at, I think Pomni may grow to be more bold and much more confident in testing the limits of the digital world. (Staging a coup against Caine sounds wild but would be hilarious)

➣ Overall, Pomni is a character who demonstrates the process of how someone tends to react to unpredictable circumstances. She is someone who people can generally empathize with and say "yeah, I can understand why she would react like that". A base foundation of human behavior who demonstrates how a person can either settle or crumble under stress.

TLDR; What a well-written isekai protagonist.

#the amazing digital circus #tadc #tadc pomni #the amazing digital circus pomni #pomni #digital circus #character analysis logs #character analysis

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malcolm-reeds-pineapple · 8 months

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Threshold: live vicariously through me

Neelix, be loathed or beloved cook depending who you ask solves an engineering problem that two engineers and cocky flyboy with daddy issues can’t fix

Successful simulation

Great idea! Give the cocky flyboy pilot an ego boost that he very much doesn’t need by calling saying he’ll be a pioneer like Neil Armstrong or Zephram Cochrane! I don’t foresee that being an issue

It is an issue in the next scene

Cocky flyboy pilot argues with captain about going on the live test. L+Daddy issues+ratio. This scene exists for the sole purpose of telling us Tom has daddy issues and a superiority complex as if we couldn’t already tell

Cocky flyboy exceeds warp 10 on the shuttle they’ve named Cochrane as yet another ego boost to a man who does not need one

Warp ten: achieved. Flyboy: off the long range sensors. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Whoopsies he and the shuttle have materialised on the ship

Sick bay time

My man fucking ascended and existed everywhere and nowhere for a lil bit in an extremely Daniel Jackson From Stargate turn of events

Wow this is a normal episode of voyager so far……. A little goofy, maybe but not terrible

Just kidding he’s having an allergic reaction to water and can no longer breathe oxygen

He’s over sharing about losing his virginity and then randomly screams pepperoni and then demands pizza

Also wants kess to kiss him cuz he thinks he’s gonna die but she can’t breathe the nitrogen air and he dies kissless

KESS KISSES HIS FOREHEAD AFTER HE DIES????????!!?!????!?!!!?

Sike! Once again Inspired by beloved archaeologist, Daniel Jackson, he has come back to life and scared the hologram doctor but he’s losing hair and has another heart

A lower decker is a spy! Subplot that I forgot about

30 seconds of total footage about that so far

Back to Tom Paris Lizard Arc

He’s gross now and he’s snarkier than usual and Is Not Taking This Well and is having a Meltdown™️

Damn he tried to attack the captain and then bounced off the force field like a fly off a windshield

HOLY FUCK HE COUGHED UP HIS OWN TONGUE LMAO

His DNA is just constantly changing on a second by second basis

He’s Enlightened and he MUST leave this ship because “the future is in the past”

They’re gonna shove him in the warp core to fix him (kinda)

THE LIZARD MAN HAS BREACHED CONTAINMENT BITCH!!!!!

He has kidnapped his own captain and is going on a joyride in the shuttle (hehe they’re headed to warp 10 again!!!)

Chakotay is ON THE JOB

The doctor cracked the code: Tom is evolving at rapid speed, proving that salamander is the APEX HUMAN FORM

They’ve located Paris and the captain. They are full salamanders on a jungle planet

awwww cute little baby salamanders!!

and Chakotay LEFT THEM TO FUCKING DIE

Paris and the captain are human again and are now awkwardly talking about their babies

Emotional scene to talk about daddy issues and inadequacies blah blah blah

The end

Final thoughts: I ❤️ salamanders!!!! Also what the fuck!!!!

#star trek voyager #Star Trek #threshold day #threshold #voyager rewatch

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direwolfrules · 5 months

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EAH Glee AU

I do not have time right now to work on my actual writing- midterms are done so now we're just jumping right into final papers- but have an AU outline post.

Professor Pied Piper, taking inspiration from some of his best high school memories, gets Headmaster Grimm to reinstate the school glee club.

Meanwhile, Madame Baba Yaga fears the new activity will steal away talent from her prize cheer-hexing team, the Ever After High Cheerios (I can’t think of a good fairytale-ification for this, I will accept suggestions). To rectify this situation, she sends in three of her girls undercover with the goal of sabotaging the glee club.

Basically, Pied Piper is Will Schuester, Baba Yaga is Sue Sylvester, and chaos ensues.

Glee Club Members:

Apple White: She joined because 1) she's good at singing 2) she genuinely enjoys singing 3) her mom was in the Glee Club and led them to winning Nationals. I'd say she's the Rachel Berry or the Quinn Fabray, but I'm not gonna do that thing where I entirely change a character's personality to make them fit into the role of another character...for the students anyway. Look, Apple's got enough drama in her life, she doesn't need me making her crazy enough to send someone to a crack house out of jealousy.

Raven: Uh, in the books Headmaster Grimm won't let her take Muse-ic because it's not an evil class. Luckily, because of a bizarre loophole in the school guidelines for competitive teams, Headmaster Grimm can't ban her from Glee Club. Everyone say thank you Giles.

Daring: He joined because he was told it would give him extra credit for the serenading skills portion of Advanced Wooing. Also, Apple asked him to join because they didn't have enough boys in the club and Daring's been trained to never ignore a request from a damsel.

Dexter: He’s there cause Raven’s there? And also cause he is a genuinely great singer and unlike Daring needs the Advanced Wooing extra credit? Also, I just kinda want him there.

Darling: Her mom made her join. Queen Charming really said “I’m gonna take a page from Snow White’s book and live vicariously through you, offspring of mine”.

Briar: She really likes the idea of a team competition where she won’t put her teammates in danger if she falls asleep. Also, she checked the competition rulebook, as long as they don’t all leave the stage when she has a narcoleptic episode they won’t be disqualified.

Humphrey: Every Glee AU needs a white-boy-who raps and Ever After High has one already built-in in the form of Humphrey Dumpty.

Maddie: She’s there cause Raven’s there. It’s utterly hattastic!

Kitty: She’s there because she remembered her mom talking about how some of her fondest memories of high school revolves around messing with the glee club, and Kitty wants dearly to be like her mother.

Lizzie: We’re completing the Wonderland ensemble. Lizzie joins because she needs an extra curricular and the Invisible Tree Situation has gotten so out of hand they had to disband the croquet team. Great voice, ngl.

Justine: Not the strongest singer in the room, but she’s capable of choreographing numbers like nobody’s business.

Meeshell: Listen, canon’s pretending her singing in that webisode was something amazing. So like, we’re pretending now too.

Duchess: I picture her as a Sugar Motta-type character. Cannot sing, massive diva, but they gotta put up with her cause her family’s donating to the club budget.

Melody: Listen, it’s her dad’s club. She can’t just not join. She’s banking those supportive daughter points for a rainy day.

Lawrence Bonecrusher III: Listen, I just it'd be funny if Professor Piper says the ever-insane "You're all minorities, you're in the glee club" line and there's the one orc student in the school just sitting there with his eyebrow raised. He's also the Matt of this AU. For some reason never speaks when in a scene.

Faybelle: Captain of the Cheerios, totally not here as part of a scheme by Madame Yaga to DESTROY THE GLEE CLUB!!!!

Nah, but seriously, this whole AU was born of me going "What EAH character would say the iconic 'I'm a closeted lesbian and a judgemental bitch' line?" and her face popped into my mind.

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rebuke-me · 8 months

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my predictions for the romantic relationships in fantasy high junior year, mild spoilers for the first episode

kristen: trackerbees is doomed. they're long distance and cannot handle it. firmly believe that they're already broken up by episode one and kristen is in her "first lesbian break up" arc. i think she's gonna also have a hey mamas lesbian flirting experience that's going to be incredibly embarrassing for everyone involved. support her deeply for that tbh.

fig: her and ayda are doing well but maybe I'm manifesting this. they have to confront the fact that they care about each other but want to be individuals. they look at trackerbees and go maybe let's not do that.

gorgug: I'm partially through the seven which takes place during junior year for them I believe but I think. they'll be okay. i think zelda and gorgug are gonna be fine, I just wanna see more from them. don't care if its positive or negative I just wanna see them so badly.

fabian: had/has a messy fwb thing with aelwyn that turned out terribly and everyone hates. learning to not be so obsessed with his external appearance. so so badly wants to be flirted with and is not, in fact, flirted with. ecaf is very bad for him.

riz: wants so badly to NOT be flirted with and is, in fact, flirted with. he's hot now to people and he hates it. npcs keep flirting with him and he runs the other direction. they flirt with him in front of fabian and theyre both massively upset by it.

adaine: she has a moment of awkward flirting with an npc bc her friends encouraged her to shoot her shot bc she thought they were kind of cute. she hates it and decides never to do that again. lives vicariously through her friends relationships. (if she does get a romantic interest they've gotta be the coolest person ever for me to budge on my aroace coded adaine)

bonus ideas: ragh gets a boyfriend this season who does not fetishize him. jawbone/gorthalax/sandra lynn/garthy o'brien are in a weird polycule. hilariel and gilear get engaged. (i also want it to happen that the bad kids get the wedding invitation mid quest and have to rush back to the wedding).

#fantasy high #fantasy high junior year #d20 fantasy high #dimension 20 #d20 fhjy #fhjy spoilers

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pfffsfic · 2 months

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Post-Fall Falls False Starts- Chapter 7: The Encounter

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Sarah's story had included- among many, many other things- a detailed physical description of the demon in question. Rob hadn't exactly been lucid for that, and he certainly wasn't entirely lucid now, so the information was locked behind two invisible mental walls that he wouldn't have been able to break even if he had known the information he needed was beyond them.

"I'm Rob," he said with trepidation.

"Rob, huh?" said the triangle. "I'm Bill."

"Bill?"

Rob's eye didn't meet Bill's directly, instead gazing absently at the demon's bow tie, then his hat… and then the mental walls crumbled in turn, first with a faint memory of the outfit Sarah had been wearing earlier and second with a surprisingly robust memory of a previously-forgotten section of the monologue for which he had zoned out. His retreat into memory was abruptly broken up by Bill snapping loudly in his face a few times.

"Sheesh! It takes a special kind of foggy head to zone out in the dreamscape, and I don't mean that as a compliment!"

"Bill Cipher?" Rob asked.

The demon's 'face' contorted for just a second into a red one of seething rage and confusion that faded just as quickly as it had arrived.

"So you know the name. I'm honored, really." He didn't sound honored. "How much else do you know, kid?"

"I know you're a demon."

"By some definitions! And?"

"And…"

The aid his newfound memory granted him quickly reached the end of its usefulness. Either Sarah hadn't brought up anything about Bill's personality or Rob had been so lost for that portion of it that he couldn't salvage the information.

"You're a demon, you show up in dreams, and you can be summoned. …That's it."

"Excellent!" For the first time in the conversation, Bill sounded like he meant it. "Tell me, do you do a lot of traveling?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I haven't left my dimension in ages. Work-related concerns, and all that. I'm trying to live vicariously through you- is that so wrong?"

"Uh…"

"Let me tell you, the Nightmare Realm may be a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there!"

"The Nightmare Realm?"

"Either you're stupid or you're playing stupid," Bill sighed, "One's hilarious, the other not so much. C'mon, make me laugh, would you?"

They shared a tense gaze, and then Bill let out the world's least sincere laugh, giving Rob's the world's least sincere friendly shoulder pat by stretching out his arm.

"Lighten up, kid! I'm messing with you! You know, you're kind of a wet blanket. Squishy, full of water, and unresponsive when it comes to banter." As if to prove his point, Bill poked Rob in the cheek and discovered with a shiver that it was not, in fact, squishy. "Well, at least those last two."

"Oh, excuse me if I'm not suddenly chummy with you, okay? We just met for the first time one minute ago!"

"On the contrary!"

Bill's arm snapped back to its usual length and his body glowed with a series of rapid-fire images that Rob recognized from his dreams over the past week- the flashing colors of his hallucinatory episode after eating that mushroom, the nondescript classroom from his test nightmare, a few other half-remembered bursts of fantasy. Then, for a few seconds, before shifting back into its original yellow hue, it displayed the current scene in real-time from Bill's perspective, almost like looking into a mirror.

"I've been trying to get to you, kid! But every time I have an opening, you either stop dreaming or you wake up! If I didn't know any better-" his eye narrowed- "I'd think you were doing it on purpose."

"I wasn't doing it on purpose, man."

"Say what you want. Look, I'll drop the pretense. I'm gonna get into your mind one way or another, and then it won't matter if you play stupid, because I'll be able to see everything you aren't telling me."

"Aren't we in my mind right now?"

"Ha! We're in your dreams right now. The meat of your mind is elsewhere, both literally and metaphorically! This is basic stuff. Humans, am I right? Uh, 'scuse me, force of habit. Whatever-it-is-that-you are's, am I right?"

"Cyclopes."

"Cyclopes aren't made of untextured polygons and TV static, and they definitely don't dream. Those guys are dumber than a bag of teeth. Having one eye doesn't make you a cyclops, otherwise me, you, and the eye bats would all be on the same level!"

"Eye bats?"

"Point is, we're not on the same level, and you aren't a cyclops."

"I think I would know what I am."

"Trust me, I thought so, too. You're a real edge case."

"If you're so good with this stuff, what would you say I am if not a cyclops?"

"Hmmm."

Bill floated around him in a lazy circle, bringing to mind a pack of hungry wolves.

"Welp," said Bill, "I guess I'll find out when you're at your lowest! If you think I can't see through your game, it's gonna be all that much funnier when I get the upper hand!"

"My game? What on Earth are you talking about?"

"I'll be watching," snapped Bill, vanishing on a bitter note and taking the environment along with him.

"At least Sarah will be happy about this," Rob thought before his lucidity gave way to unconsciousness.

"WHAT?"

Sarah grabbed his shoulders and shook. Hard. When Rob had cheerfully broken the news to a drowsy Sarah, he had anticipated many possible reactions, this not among them.

"He visited YOU before ME? That's so not fair!"

She let go of him and flopped down onto an invisible fainting couch with a dramatic flourish and an even more dramatic sigh. Her eyes glimmered with an insincere sort of wetness, akin to the tears of a fairy tale princess upset about being simply too pretty and rich to relate to the common folk. Maybe she was happy in her own special way- she just didn't want Rob to know it.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm over it," she said without even a hint of the earlier negativity. "What did he say to you?"

"Just a bunch of cryptic stuff I couldn't make heads or tails of. I think he thought I was trying to manipulate him."

"And were you?"

"No!"

"It would have been really cool if you were."

"He caught me off-guard, alright?"

"Too late now. Okay, okay, so! Could you tell me everything you remember about what he said? We're gonna get to the bottom of this."

"I remember the first words out of his mouth- or, uh, his eye, I guess- were, 'who the heck are you'?"

"Interesting. Did it seem like a genuine who-are-you or an I-know-who-you-are who-are-you?"

"Genuine, I think."

"Interesting. Very interesting. He doesn't know who you are? That has some iiiinteresting implications."

"I told him my name- was I not supposed to do that?"

"First name or full name?"

"First name only."

Rob had gotten a surname for himself- Wrecker- a while back during a period of time he disliked thinking about. It was the only legal surname he'd ever had as far as he could remember (with the exception of the fake identity he'd invented to run for the school board), but it felt like a pseudonym even so. Perhaps, he thought, that was because his arch-nemesis had come up with it. If he had to pick his own evil moniker, what would it be? Would the word 'evil' with a few tweaks to the pronunciation really still cut it? Sure, he might stoop that low for someone else's name, but his own?

"I don't think he gets power over you if he has your name. That's fairies. But hey! There's a lot I don't know about him."

"I'm surprised there's anything you don't know about him."

"Well, two seasons can only tell you so much. That's why I'm here- to pick his mind and get some answers!"

"I don't think he seems like the sort of person who would be an open book about that kind of thing, but I guess you know him better than me."

"Oh, trust me, I have my ways of getting through to him. I'm like a therapist- I can get people to freak out and unintentionally say things that reveal their deepest, darkest secrets!"

"I don't think that's what therapists do."

"Well, it's what I do. Call it serapy."

"Like Sarah plus therapy?"

"Like stalking- I mean, supervision- plus therapy! Secrets beget more secrets. If they can't hide from you, they won't want to try and hide from you, and they'll tell you anything to get you to keep quiet! But Sarah plus therapy is good too."

"Sounds like blackmail."

"By some definitions."

"By all definitions!"

"Maybe so, maybe so. But blackmail makes it sound so serious!"

"Like how 'stalking' sounds so serious?"

"Don't tell me you've never done that to your nemeses."

"I spy on my nemeses. It's a villain thing- it's different. And less creepy."

"What's the difference?"

"The- the- the principle of the thing! The motivation! Hate is different from love. Have you ever hated anybody? Like really hated them?"

"I-"

"No, you haven't. I can tell from the innocence in your eyes."

"Innocence? Oh, trust me, there's no innocence here."

She leaned in with one eye to his and grinned like a serial killer in a horror movie, letting out her best creepy giggle- a laugh that sent chills down Rob's spine against his will.

"Point made. But-! it's still a different thing. You wouldn't understand."

"Whatever you say, Rich."

She patted him on the head. He didn't comment on that last thing- he was over that- he would not let it get to him- he knew better-

"It's Rob," he muttered.

"I know," she replied.

Against Rob's wishes, Sarah had gone and fetched more of the white mushrooms to roast them over the fire for breakfast. It took a few hours of Sarah swearing up and down that she wasn't hallucinating even a little bit before Rob finally decided eating one was worth the risk, and even then, he took small bites at twenty-minute intervals just in case. Their interactions were short, sweet, and heavy on the back-and-forth, and when one ended there would be a long period of peaceful silence before the next one started up. By the end of the day he had recounted his entire meeting with Bill to an inquisitive Sarah. Much to his appreciation (and annoyance), she was a much better listener than he was.

Rob's meeting with Bill had been heavily recontextualized by the information he learned. For one thing, Bill was a villain ('What?' he had asked. 'Why do you care? You're a villain too, aren't you?' she had replied), he lived in a decaying world called the Nightmare Realm that, much like the dimension Rob himself had once been trapped in, acted as a depository for forgotten things, he was a conman who made what Sarah called 'typical demony deals', he knew a lot of things (but not who Rob was, a fact that Sarah suspected bothered him), and he had a big and enthusiastic fanbase. That last one was less so useful info about Bill and moreso useful info about Sarah. It had also come up that eye bats were essentially eyeballs with wings (Sarah described them as 'the sort of demon that would appear on William's hypothetical shoulder if he needed to make a tough moral decision) and that Bill could see through images of his likeness and also trees- definitely birch trees, but, since there were no birch trees in the clearing, Sarah mentioned that she hoped his powers extended to other sorts of trees with holes as well. Rob plugged every tree hole in the clearing with dirt just in case. Sarah let him, but carved a little eye of providence into the bark of a nearby evergreen, apparently rendering his work irrelevant.

They discussed how one sasquatch could feed them for days, and then how to kill a sasquatch, and then how one giant ice cream cone could also feed them for days, and then the conversation topic shifted to if Rob was edible or not. He insisted he was no longer organic. She insisted they would have to try, to know for sure. Rob threatened her with the crowbar and said, 'You'll scream before I scream'. She laughed- hopefully at the quip and not because his failure to intimidate was funny.

Their final topic of the night was how that human had reacted to seeing Rob.

"It could just have been a weird little gag," said Sarah. "Somehow I doubt everybody you meet is gonna react the same way. That'd be boring, you know? But if you want to test it out I have an idea."

"An idea?"

"Yeah! I want you to go into town and try to steal a TV and a generator!"

"What, you wanna watch TV here?" Rob sat up, wide-eyed. He had been thinking about doing the exact same thing! He had wanted to determine if his own universe existed as fiction within this one. Could Sarah really have come to that same conclusion? "Why?"

"I have a DVD on me that could help us survive here."

"Like a wilderness survival show, or something?"

"Not exactly. I was honestly gonna keep it a secret, but now you know everything else and we're kind of living together like an old married couple, by which I mean we sort of hate each other but there's also love there-"

"No there's not."

"Friendship, then."

Rob sighed. Maybe there was friendship there. How long had it been since he had a friend? Was this really friendship if it was born of necessity? Did they need each other? He had survived fine the first week on his own, save for that time with the mushrooms.

"I'll go into town tomorrow. We'll see if I can steal one for you."

"You are the best. Thanks so much."

"Don't thank me! I have secret ulterior motives."

"Oooh, tell me about them."

"They're a secret," he said, and then he closed his eye and pretended to be asleep.

#bill cipher #rob tawog #tawog rob #gravity falls #sarah g lato #the amazing world of gumball #postfallfallsfalsestarts #postfALLOFIT

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min-kit · 5 months

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Also u prob covered this but what’s ur take that Tommy is gonna help buck realize his deep hidden feelings for Eddie?? (This comes from people who thinks 7.06 is Tommy’s last episode)

I haven't covered it (I'm only just now starting to get asks like this wow how did that happen. I haven't posted on tumblr in YEARS haha), but, honest answer ?????

I don't think its going to happen. I FULLY hung up the possibility of buddie ever happening at the end of s6 & think Buck realizing hidden feelings for Eddie is basically a confirmation at this point that they'd go in that direction. And I genuinely don't believe they're going to go in that direction. If what Lou said is true (& not misinterpreted) & Tim originally had the idea for this storyline with Eddie but it became Buck's story... that actually just screams more to me they only want one of them to be queer??

I wouldn't be mad about it if it's done right by any means, certainly! I just. Knowing how these networks work, and how Buck being made canon bisexual is literally making history cuz this is just not a thing shows do this far into the series, do I REALLY believe they're gonna go even further and give both Buck and Eddie coming out & queer self-discovery stories? No. I think they want to keep one of them for the straight men and women that watch this show (you know, those ones that just want someone to thirst over & imagine getting with/live vicariously through as they hook up with all the ladies which was the resounding issue most of them had with Buck being bi. I guess. Stupid reasons but there you have it).

I DO subscribe to the idea that Buck absolutely had feelings for Eddie in like s2... but he didn't realize that at the time & they eventually developed fully into friendship. And I don't think they would ever address that cuz, again, I think doing so would either

confirm that they're going the buddie route

be really really really mean towards the fans that are desperately hoping for buddie to happen cuz it'd be like "hey we see you, have this little crumb even tho we're not actually going there!" sort of thing.

Now, again, I could totally be wrong. Maybe one day I'll have to eat my words and if that day comes I will happily do it! Tho I'm personally now cheering on BuckTommy, it's not like I would hate the idea of Buddie happening, esp considering I hardcore shipped them since I started watching in s4. This is just my personal opinion based on experiences with other shows + looking at everything Tim, Ryan, & Oliver has said in interviews.

Nothing to me screams that they have that planned and, as someone who was there in seasons 4, 5, 6 for all the buddie theories and saw literally none of them come true. Well, I won't hold my breath this time. Cuz that hurt too much in s6.

#anon ask

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tobiasdrake · 6 months

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Yuki Spinoff, Episode 2: Joy to the World

Episode 3 is titled "Haruhi Suzumiya!!" so Yuki better enjoy her Christmas Party 'cause her life's about to go dramatically downhill.

Gonna have to make this one two posts 'cause I have a lot to say about this episode.

I noticed this in the first episode but I love the decision to change Yuki from a strict book-reader to also being a gamer. It does demonstrate the change in times, as Melancholy was released in 2006 while Disappearance of Yuki Nagato is from 2015, and gaming has become more proliferated over time.

But, more importantly, it also demonstrates the change in Yuki. Yuki Prime's never gone into detail about why she reads, but it's a fair assumption that she does it for the same reason most of us consume media: A desire to absorb information, experiences, and emotions through characters and situations.

Media exists in conversation with culture. By consuming media, Yuki is participating in culture. You could assume that she's only doing it to gather information, being a robot, but Yuki specifically reads fiction. She's looking for the same things everybody else is.

However, her media of choice is strictly text. She doesn't have a TV or video games or anything. She consumes experiences and emotions through text. Because Yuki herself is text. She can't watch a neutral expression on a screen slowly grow into a smile and immediately relate and understand what that means. She's more comfortable with a narrative structure that explains outright in words what the characters are feeling and going through. That's what Yuki can understand.

But this new Yuki, her ideal escapist form of Yuki with a full three-dimensional range of emotions, isn't limited in the same way. She shares Yuki Prime's love of media, shares her fascination with living vicariously through characters. But she can indulge her interests in ways the original could not, because she knows what it feels like to smile and enjoy things, to get excited by a rare drop, or to grieve a beloved character.

She is Yuki Unchained.

Ryoko has the perfect pre-"I hope you got your affairs in order because CHILD NOBODY IS GOING TO SEE YOU ALIVE AGAIN" Pleasant Mom Smile.

I wonder if Ryoko has parents? Yuki lives alone because Yuki Prime lives alone, because she's a space robot. But Escapist Yuki isn't a space robot, so the fact that she has no parents is simply a consequence of living situation transference she can't comprehend.

By the same logic, Ryoko should be a space robot. But Ryoko did have parents on paper. They weren't real and nobody ever saw them, but they did legally exist. "Her dad" even called the school when she "moved to Canada".

So I wonder what her living situation is here? Does she live alone like Yuki? Did this reality manifest real parents for her? Did it manifest real parents but they're out-of-country? Is she knowingly deceiving people into thinking she has parents?

What is your parental situation, Ryoko?

Ignoring the Skip Intro button from the shady piracy website providing my screenshots, can we all take a moment to acknowledge how great my character looks in this show that's not about her?

Black monochrome is a fantastic look for Haruhi because it's a color-scheme that matches her personality. Haruhi's always exuded Mean Girl Energy, pretty much from the moment we met her. She's a weird Mean Girl but she's a violent, self-absorbed misanthrope.

In a lot of other shows, she would be the protagonist's bully.

In her own show... that's still fairly accurate, yeah. It gets weirdly romanticized but it's still more or less her and Kyon's dynamic. She's like if Hey, Arnold! actually had its title character fall in love with Helga Pataki.

And just like that, I have dated myself to a billion years old. Okay. But it's true! That's what Haruhi and Kyon remind me of.

Haruhi most commonly sports the same outfit that everyone else is wearing due to Japanese school uniformity. But, courtesy of the decision Disappearance made to put her in a different school in Yuki World, this is the first time she's had her own unique aesthetic among the main cast. Well, apart from Itsuki, but he's a devout follower anyway.

This contrast against the uniformity of the rest of the cast makes Haruhi pop. She's eye-catchingly unique among a sea of brown blazers, as befits the center of the universe (in persona, even if no longer in power or character role). And the near-all-black color scheme gives her a wicked edge to her appearance, perfectly conveying her Mean Girl status.

Basically what I'm getting at is that I don't know how Haruhi's going to be used in this show but I wish she looked like this back in the original because holy hell is that the perfect Haruhi aesthetic.

I could watch Yuki and Kyon have a fun snowball fight for twenty straight minutes. That could be all this episode is and I would be satisfied.

Look at her. Look at how happy she is. This is all she wanted when she reshaped the universe. Haruhi twisted time and space to make time travelers and space aliens and espers and sliders, but Yuki did it to make this.

Meanwhile Ryoko remains MVP of this show. This subversion of the typical "surprised character hit in the face by thing as they walk into the room" gag is beautiful and conveys the composed and professional persona of Class President Ryoko Asakura.

I love how coy the show is playing about... like... how Ryoko she is. She vaporized the cotton snowball in her hand and then releases her battle aura. It's a funny gag. But. Also. There is a deep tension inherent to this incredibly likable character, to the point that it's not clear how literally we're meant to take this.

She did not actually blast Yuki and Kyon out the window with a Kamehameha beam of pure disapproval. But maybe she could? I don't know.

And then straight to the turkey! Like that didn't happen. XD

I'm so glad Yuki got her turkey. She wanted a turkey so bad. This is her first Christmas with full emotional range and all of it was invested in getting this turkey. She put her whole psyche into it every single time she exclaimed the English word "TURKEY!" last episode.

I became very invested in Yuki getting a turkey. Now she has one. I am very satisfied right now.

Oh, Yuki. This is Melancholy tone. A little bit of selfishness is what makes the universe go 'round.

Maybe my mind's bent from too much reality-warping but this conversation feels subtextually linked to Yuki's decision to eat Haruhi, remake the universe, and resurrect Ryoko in the first place.

Like. They're literally talking about the fate of Yuki Yuki Literature Club but the vibe feels much grander. That Yuki begins the conversation speaking in her emotionless Space Robot voice gives it this... between-the-worlds tone.

Like. Remember the last episode of PMMM when Madoka, Sayaka, and Mami were eating cake in a heavenly extradimensional Mami's Apartment Reality while they discuss Madoka's wish? That's what this feels like, to me.

Literally, this scene is an actual conversation that occurred between them in Yuki's World. But symbolically, subtextually, they're talking about the decision to manifest their reality in the first place. Saving the Literature Club here is, for the characters, exactly what it sounds like; But for the audience, it stands in for creating this world.

Look at her.

Only a monster wouldn't want her to have this turkey. This is the greatest moment of her... six days of life.

#the melancholy of haruhi suzumiya #the disappearance of nagato yuki-chan #drake watches haruhi suzumiya

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raetreaderarts · 1 year

Text

I have a lot to say about Candide from the new Clone High season because she has been on my mind for the past week or so and I love overanalyzing and picking apart my fictional beloveds. It’s mostly just gonna be a lotta inane rambling about things I noticed and dots I’ve connected but if you’re into that then you can go ahead and read whatever I decide to put under here. Also spoilers for season 2 ofc

I don’t think people talk about her characterization enough since she’s not as popular as the clones and Scudworth, but there’s a decent bit to unpack about her from the sparse times she’s onscreen throughout the season. She’s presented as being cold and calculating, having no room for genuine connections other than with her reptiles. The only times we see her being vulnerable are the two times she’s drunk or the time Scudworth’s rabbit ripped her pets to shreds. Some of why this is the case is speculation on my part but there are also some details that stick out to me from the show.

For example, let’s start with her mommy issues (this section does have a small mention of fatphobia so cw for that). In the episode where she unleashes the stress monster onto the school, while she’s thinking of other ways to stress the clones out, she says something along the lines of, “Maybe we can hire someone to pick apart the clones’ bodily insecurities. Maybe my mom is available.” Then in the episode where Joan gets silly legs she tells Joan not to gain any weight while she’s on her business retreat. So there’s clearly something there that’s been carried over from her mother onto her which she is now projecting onto her own foster daughter.

And on that topic, in the sleepover episode, when she takes the truth serum, she admits she wants to be a mom, even though she has a foster daughter and treats her like absolute dogshit (Mr. B please come pick up your daughter Joan deserves better than this). This could either be because Candide doesn’t see Joan as her actual daughter or because she only wants a daughter she can project herself onto. The second point is backed up by the fact that in the finale she shows Joan what she could look like when she becomes the ruler of the world, dressed in a business suit and wearing square glasses- a spitting image of Candide. She wants a position she was never offered so she’s going to attain that power by living vicariously through her daughter instead.

There’s also the aspect of her being closed off due to her knowing how cutthroat the workforce can be, especially since she’s a woman. It would make sense considering that she’s (from what I read on the wiki) based off of Elizabeth Stanton who was a revolutionary for women’s rights. There’s also the literal glass ceiling she places above Scudworth’s office in order to keep an eye on him, which is of course a reference to the metaphorical glass ceiling that keeps women from attaining higher positions of power, however in this scenario the roles are reversed since she’s the one on top. I imagine that everyone is either competition or a pawn in her eyes, and vulnerability leads to the potential of betrayal. The only reason she allows herself to love her reptiles is because they are physically unable to betray her.

That’s about all I have to say right now, but I just find her to be wildly fascinating and honestly I was surprised to see she isn’t more popular in the fandom. Like I imagine people saw her and went “yeah that’s simp bait” and turned the other way, and to be fair that’s what I thought too until I accidentally fell in love with her, whoopsie daisy. But there is SO much more to her character than just being a massive bitch and also thicc as shit (amen 🙏), she’s so interesting even from what little information we’re given about her. She deserves more love as a character, I might draw fan art at some point.

#clone high #clone high candide #candide sampson #clone high headcanons #my fucking wifeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee #oh my heart is full of love for this awful awful woman #BTW if y’all got anything else to add to this PLEASE DO #I would love to hear more headcanons about her #also no hate to anyone who likes this ship but #I am SO glad they didn’t make her and Scudworth a thing #would’ve destroyed her entire character imo #not my art

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