#harsher in hindsight

[saintcarlyon]

making astarion say “please” at the goblin party.

[thenadnerb02]

Lilith: “I knew Edalyn would beat me. She was younger, but worked twice as hard.”

“Emperor Belos always said to be great, you have to make sacrifices. What would he do in my situation?”

Hmm. Yes. What would Belos do in that situation?

What Indeed

[animated-worlds-worst-dad]

Harsher in Hindsight #5

Baron Draxum: "You fight like untrained buffoons! But under me, you could become true warriors!"

[dartheclipse0816]

Concerning Russell Brand, Creek's voice actor from the first Trolls movie…

…Wow.

Just…wow.

Assuming these reports are true, I’m surprised.

I know, these are just rumored reports at the moment, but I figured I’d come back to the Trolls community here to update them on some information I’ve heard regarding Creek's voice actor from the first movie.

I know this just speculation, but I thought it would be wise to let you all know.

I’m not saying this to hate on Creek, I just wanted to let you all know what’s going on with Russell Brand.

@poppibranchlover

[jinofthewinds]

When you realize live that Red Ridinghood unknowingly  insulted a little boy’s mom right in front of him. D:

[wyvernseeker]

Analysis - 4Kids And One Small Detail They Added To Yugi and Joey's Duelist Kingdom Match

4Kids, for all of their numerous, meme-able faults did try to make the shows they imported from Japan enjoyable for their audience. In several cases, they actually managed to make edits that improved upon the original, such as Yugi and Mai's duel and the reason for the former struggling against her early on. Another would be Kaiba legitimately beating Gozaburo in chess without cheating (which would be easily spotted by an expert player). And a change they did to the episode where Yugi and Joey duke it out in the Duelist Kingdom finals is one more thing they did to try and make a good product even better.

In the original dub, after Yugi uses Magical Hats to protect Dark Magician and keep Joey's Black Skull Dragon at bay, their friends do a recap of the duel up to this point, which admittedly feels rather pointless, especially given how they give commentary throughout the duel spanning 2 episodes. In the 4Kids dub, this scene is replaced by an internal monologue from Pegasus, which needs to be added in all it's glory:

"That's the way life goes, Joey. Never as you planned! The world is a very arbitrary place, isn't it? It's a place where you can be locked in battle with your dearest friend for stakes neither can afford to lose. Oh, I know you'd like to think that your friendship would be enough to sustain you through any mishap or misfortune... but that's not the way the world works.

No, the world is a place where fate intervenes when you least expect it, with consequences that can turn your world upside down. Just when you think you've etched the perfect portrait of your future, and your life couldn't get any better. Just when you let down your guard at last and open your heart—when, against all odds, you've found that one special person in all the world that fills your heart with joy! The person you know you're destined to spend the rest of your life with...

That's when tragedy strikes. When fate hits you with the cold slap of reality and shows you who's boss. Yes, the world has taught me that only the strong and the ruthless survive. In memory of all I have lost, I fight on with all I possess—and I intend to win!"

Here, we get some foreshadowing of what Pegasus truly desires and what made him into the suave and somewhat sadistic bastard in the present day. We were given hints from Kaiba's interaction with him in the dungeon of his castle as well as the scene with that cult of his where he mentions how the power of life over death is still beyond his grasp (another 4Kids element that better conncts story elements). Enough but not all the details on what exactly happened to his wife Cecelia in that scene (no, she literally did not turn into a flower and explode), and for observant viewers not just blinded by the magic and monsters can piece together that losing her utterly broke him. Unlike him, Yugi and Joey had their friends there to catch them when life knocked them down. When Pegasus became a widow, no one was there and his heart turned bitter and cold. While we still want Pegasus to get his just desserts, this helps let more observant members of the audience know how much of a broken man Maximillion J. Pegasus truly is.

Another thing this scene accomplishes is serving as a borderline Harsher In Hindsight moment for Battle City. In that saga, Marik forces Yugi to duel a mind-controlled Joey, with Téa's life hanging in the balance should the former choose not to duel at all (or possibly resulting in a draw) In that duel, the fate of the loser in this bout between friends is to be dragged to the bottom of the sea to drown. The stakes are so high neither the mind-controlled Joey or Yugi can afford to lose.

[a-solitary-sea-rover-backup]

This joke from 2007 isn’t really much of a joke anymore.

[peace-and-light-poetry]

Ashtray Musings

Her aunt passed away She couldn't say too much Besides, "That's unfortunate."

Auntie's passing was sudden But, to her, not unexpected The last picture posted of her

Seemed to indicate that She wasn't well

She recalled that her aunt smoked Smoke and drank, though one more than the other (to her recollections)

She recalled her grandmother And what shortened her life How many of her relatives never seemed to learn

Auntie kept smoking She's had that habit for as long as could be remembered So much that she smelt like ashtrays

(and perfume, strangely enough)

She mused that Auntie didn't want to live anymore And so kept smoking, getting her wish

Perhaps, the other relatives who smoked Wanted to die, too

(a drawn-out suicide, certainly)

No, she wouldn't attend the funeral She didn't like funerals

(as obsessed with Death as she is)

She couldn't mourn No, Auntie passing away was something that happened Something to be expected

She didn't have any questions No, that would be inappropriate Nor were she and Auntie close

(she's estranged—A justified and willing estrangement)

Her auntie died And that was an event that happened Something to accept

Such is existence

[doodleydoo101]

HC: Ok, this is a weird one, but once the thought occurred to me it seemed cute.

Given that Mario and Luigi would have born in 1998 or 1999 Brooklyn in movie verse I feel like Mama would have totally taken a photo op of her toddler boys with the Twin Towers in the background to get “The Twins with the Twins.”

[detectivejigsawpines]

Watching Legend of the Gobblewonker for the first time: “Aww, poor Stan.”

Watching it after you’ve seen the whole show at least once: *INCONSOLABLE UGLY CRYING INTO A TUB OF ICE CREAM!!!!*

[netbug009]

Not me trying to sleep and having more gotg3 thoughts (spoilers)

"He didn't chase them away, even when he [...] stole batteries he didn't need."

Sooooo given what we saw in Vol 3 do you think Rocket has a mental association between his stealing tech and losing people?

[dirty-bear-rick-sanchez]

The ‘boy-repelling pheromone spray’ joke from episode 3 hits a lot harder after the Orrin reveal

[killbaned]

black people exist in a piece of fiction and everyone on TVTropes rushes to add a 'harsher in hindsight' trope relating them to some real world instance of antiblack violence regardless of if it's actually similar and/or intentional and i'm so tired of it

[animated-worlds-worst-dad]

Harsher in Hindsight #14

Any adult other than Draxum compliments Donnie.

Donnie: Yes, the approval of a parental figure I've so craved.

[sanjisprincesswifey]

obvious ⋆ trafalgar law x reader

summary: in hindsight it was sort of obvious

♡: awkward law content. female reader. 1,000+ words. sfw content.

you step outside, the bright warm sun hugging your body as you stretch out your tired limbs. it had been weeks since the polar tang broke surface, it was nice to get a calm breath of fresh air. 

that is, until three boys rambunctious laughter immediately breaks the peace you had so desperately desired. you shoot ugly looks to shachi, penguin, and bepo who were enjoying the weather on the deck. 

at first, they didn’t notice you were there, but as soon as they did, they shut right up. though, their giggles resumed as you laid down in a sun chair on deck. 

although your eyes were closed from enjoying the sun, you could still feel the three, who seemed to be playing a card game, who kept peeking over at you and giggling like school boys. 

“what?” you grittingly ask. 

the secretive laughter had been going on for days now and it grew tiring very quickly. 

“oh, nothinggg,” penguin says dragging out the last syllable. “it’s just…” he then cracks up in even more fits of giggles unable to finish his sentence. 

“i know someone who likes you,” he sing-songs, teasing like the twelve year olds they appeared to be. 

you roll your eyes. “i’m out of your league, sorry.” 

shachi and bepo burst out laughing, clutching their sides in pain. 

penguin’s face turns red as he frowns, “it’s not me!” 

you sit up in your chair, shrugging your shoulders at the three of them until shachi can finally calm down. “it’s captain! captain has a crush on you!” 

now it’s your turn to laugh, but instead you just stare at him as if he had lost his mind. 

you wanted to blame the sun for the burning sensation that covers your cheeks but you can’t, nor can you blame it for the intensity of the warmth emanating either. 

“what’re you talking about? no he doesn’t. why would you think that? did he tell you that?” you interrogate, stammering over your own words. 

“he definitely does,” bepo agrees, ignoring your curiosity as the three all nod along together. 

you groan, slumping back down in your chair. “why would i believe you idiots anyway?” you wonder aloud, closing your eyes again to hopefully regain some tranquility and a nice tan. 

“you don’t have to believe us…” penguin says, holding his hands up in defense. 

“i don’t.“ 

“…but who do you think put the chair out here for you?” 

your eyes shoot open as you process what he had just said. the polar tang was submerged not even two hours ago. 

“that doesn’t mean he—“

“he knew you’d come out here, just like you do every time,” shachi explains. 

“so what? he puts a chair out for me, that doesn’t mean he likes me,” you gawk, annoyed this was effecting you the way that it was. 

“he always cuts the crusts off your sandwhiches.”

“even if he’s not the one who made it,” bepo chimes in. 

you try to keep your cool the best you can, but it was clear what the only thing on your mind was.

all the unnecessary but minuscule doting that law would do seemed to brush over your head completely up until this moment. 

you glance back over to the boys who have seem to drop the subject and return to their card game. 

as you stand and head for the inside of the polar tang, you try your hardest to not look back as their giggles resume when they realize what you’re doing. 

your steps echo against the metal as you beeline for his study room which was supposed to remain undisturbed, but you figure he wouldn’t mind if you were the one who came in. 

when you’re face to face with the door, there’s a sign posted on the metal that read “studying, do not disturb,” but you ignore it as you knock harsher than normal. 

there’s no noise on the other side and you assume it’s law choosing to ignore the call. but you persist, you knocking again, this time with more force. 

“busy,” law shouts, surely hoping to end the incessant knocking. 

annoyed, you open the door regardless of his protest to do so. as soon as the door is open enough for you to enter, you slip in seeing law spin in his chair with an unamused stare.

his face falters for a couple seconds when he realizes that it’s you, but resumes it’s unforgiving disposition seconds later. “hey! i said i’m busy, did you not see—“ 

“you like me,” you bluntly state, leaning against another one of his desks with your arms crossed.

his face drops, glancing between you and every other object in the room. his cold, off-putting demeanor disappears and what replaces it is an awkward, stuttering mess of a man. 

“wh—what do you mean? of course, i, uh, like you. you’re a good asset to this team and—“ when law realizes that was certainly not what you meant, his head falls in his hands. “…yes, i…like you,” he admits. 

his voice is muffled so you can barely hear him, but you’re glad you did and nod with a soft smile. so those idiots weren’t fucking with you, for once. 

when he notices that you haven’t left, he sits up slightly, “do you,uh,” he dryly coughs, “like…me too?”

the slight blush that tints his tanned cheeks is almost comical, you’ve never seen him look so vulnerable before.

“yeah, i like you.” you smile.

law tries his hardest to not show the extent of his excitement, but the smile that forces its way on his face as he looks away is a dead giveaway. 

“so…does this mean you’re my girlfriend now?” the hopeful tone in his voice makes your heart skip a beat. you’d always known his hard-boiled personality was a facade, it was pretty obvious, but you didn’t think you, of all people, would see what was underneath.

“how about a date first?” you offer, walking over to him and placing a kiss on his cheek. 

his eyes widen, the blush from before now spreading to his entire face as he hastily nods his head, “right, right. that sounds better.”

you giggle, tousling his dark hair. 

“was it obvious?” he questions, still cringing at his own behavior. 

you think back to the three boys on the sun deck who were surely having the time of their lives right now. ”yes, yes it was.” 

like, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated! (✿◠‿◠)

[comicaurora]

Does Bathos ever happen in the other direction? Like, if a scene seems like it's setting up for something silly and frivolous, and then abruptly veers into seriousness instead, is that Bathos?

I'm struggling to come up with examples of this, maybe that part of Mulan where they fun "A Girl Worth Fighting For" song is abruptly cut off by the very real scenes of wartime devastation.

It does, in so many ways it doesn't have a single unified name!

One trope under this umbrella is called "Cerebus Syndrome," where a story that starts off wacky and lighthearted gradually becomes dark and miserable. It's essentially a genre shift. Depending on how it's played it can work very well (reboot season 3) or very badly (almost any story that got Cerebus'd because the writer had some sort of crisis or breakdown.) Has corollary tropes like "Knight of Cerebus", which describes cases where a new character/antagonist is introduced to a formerly lighthearted story who is so thoroughly nightmarish that they significantly darken the story.

Those describe more large-scale shifts to the story, though - the inverse of Bathos would be a little smaller-scale, more of a scene-by-scene thing. For that, you probably want the space of tropes surrounding "Wham Line" and "Wham Shot", a case where a single line of dialogue or change of camera angle radically reframes the scene in a serious direction.

A wham line that reframes a banter scene:

A wham shot that changes the tone:

"Wham Scenes" abruptly interrupt comedic, nonserious situations and force the characters to take them seriously, and in many cases retroactively make earlier silly scenes harsher in hindsight. It reminds the audience and the characters that these characters aren't clowns swatting at each other for our amusement, they're complex emotional beings with depth to their existence, and the way they feel about their story matters, even in the supposedly silly parts.

Of course, Wham Lines are not immune to the danger of accidental bathos.