#i can't tell if this movie is better than most of the fandom thinks

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

Underappreciated aspect of The Great Race: Gordon and Philip's evolving relationship.

It's so pure how Philip consistently calls/refers to Gordon as "the Shooting Star" (even when he's being menaced by that mean American lug and shoved off a cliff! even then, he still remembers Gordon's new 'pronouns'!)

Gordon seems to really appreciate Philip being the only one to respect his preferred name, too. He clearly finds Philip annoying at the beginning of the movie, but they be rollin' along together at the end.

[ofstarsandvibranium]

He's A Pretty One

Fandom: Stranger Things

Pairing: Eddie Munson x F!Reader

Summary: You're visiting your cousin in Hawkins for the summer and you meet his very pretty and very rebellious friend and bandmate.

You're mindlessly perusing through the aisles of Family Video. Your younger cousin, Gareth dragged you along so you could help him decide on what movie to pick.

He approaches you with two in hand, "Halloween or Texas Chainsaw Massacre?"

You grimace and look at him with a confused look, "Gare, it's the summer time. Why the hell do you want to watch horror movies?" It was summer time. You were one hundred percent sure there were better movies to pick than either of those two.

Your cousin rolls his eyes at you, "You can watch scary movies any time of the year, Y/N." His statement makes it seem like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"It feels wrong watching it during the summer," you try to reason with Gareth.

He smirks, "Do you not want to watch it because it 'feels wrong'," he says using air quotations, "or is it cause you're a scaredy cat?" He's looking at you with the most annoying look on his face that you kind of want to punch him.

You narrow your eyes at him, "Shut the fuck up, Gareth. I'm not the one who refused to swim in the pool three summers ago after watching Poltergeist."

You hear a snort around the corner, causing you and Gareth to turn. A guy who looks around to be your age comes into view. His arms are crossed over his chest and he's smirking at Gareth, "You refused to go swimming after Poltergeist?"

Gareth rolls his eyes, "You never know if the pool you're swimming in was built over dead bodies that hadn't been relocated!"

The guy snorts and looks at you, sticking his hand out, "I'm Eddie-"

"Munson. Yeah, Gare's mentioned you before. I'm Y/N," you grasp his hand and give it a quick shake.

"Huh. Funny. Gareth never mentioned he had a girlfriend," he looks you up and down with no shame.

Both you and Gareth gag.

"We're cousins!"

"That's so fucking gross."

Eddie chuckles and holds his hands up, "Sorry. Didn't mean to assume," he then grabs the two movies from Gareth's hands. He looks at both and then shoves Texas Chainsaw Massacre to his chest, "Chainsaw Massacre is better."

He smirks and looks you up and down one last time, "Hope to see ya around Y/N," he gives you a wink and heads to the counter to pay.

Gareth looks at you and then Eddie and then back at you, "Please, don't," he says with a pleading face of desperation.

"What? I didn't say anything!"

"Please don't tell me you like Eddie."

"I don't....I just think he's...pretty."

Gareth gags again and you smack him on the head, "Oh quit it! Besides, I can have a summer fling if I want! You said there's nothing fun to do in this town, so why can't I create some fun for myself?"

"That's gross," your cousin shudders and goes to the counter to pay.

___________________________

The next time you see Eddie is at band practice. Eddie as well as the rest of Corroded Coffin arrive at Gareth's ready to practice their new set.

Eddie gives you a nod while the rest of the guys are fairly awkward around you. While they're warming up and tuning their instruments, you go up to Eddie, putting an extra sway to your hips.

"Is it okay if I'm here?"

He nonchalantly shrugs with a grin on his face, "Why wouldn't it be okay?"

You nod towards Jeff and Doug behind him, "I think I make them uncomfortable."

Eddie looks over his shoulder and snorts, "It's just 'cause they've never been in the presence of a hot girl before."

You smirk at him, "You think I'm hot?"

He looks you up and down like he did at the video store, "I think you know the answer, sweetheart."

"CAN WE PLEASE START PRACTICE NOW?!" Gareth yells, breaking the tension that started to build between you and Eddie.

Eddie rolls his eyes and slips his guitar strap over his shoulder, "Yeah, alright." He slowly backs away but shoots you a wink as he gets into position.

You plop yourself onto the couch ready to watch what your cousin and his friends got.

__________________

You thought Eddie was hot before but holy fuck was he sexy as hell now after you've watched him perform. The way he plays and sings his heart out is just...it leaves you speechless...and a little hot.

After practice was over, Gareth goes up to you, sweaty but with a proud look on his face, "So? Whaddaya think?"

"You guys sound pretty good, Gare. And you guys are performing this weekend right?"

"Yup! You're coming right?"

You snort, "I have nothing else better to do, plus, I gotta support your annoying ass," you shove his shoulder and your cousin rolls his eyes.

You try to shove him again but Gareth dodges you and steps away. You chuckle and then glance at Eddie, who's had his eyes on you the entire time.

You walk up to him with a smirk, "Not bad, Van Halen."

"Thanks," Eddie puffs up his chest in pride, "Gonna be our first groupie, hm?"

You scoff and wave off his comment, "Oh please, I'm just supporting my cousin."

Eddie licks his lips and leans closer to you, "Come on. Once we get big, you can have bragging rights that you were our first fan and that you knew us before we blew up."

You cross your arms over your chest and tilt your head to the side, "That all I get for seeing you guys perform? Bragging rights?"

He looks at you with a smirk, "Why? You want something more?"

You snort and take a step closer to Eddie, your face very close to his, "Think you have something I'd want, Pretty Boy?"

He's smiling wide at you now, "You think I'm pretty?"

You look him up and down just like how he did earlier. To repeat his words back to him, "I think you know the answer, sweetheart." You then turn on your heel and head back inside Gareth's house leaving him feeling equally as hot as he made you feel.

Part 2

[phoenixyfriend]

[squints at the MCU] Tony Stark has displayed more ability to weather interrogation and torture than Steve Rogers.

This is "(displayed more)(ability)," not "(displayed)(more ability)," to be clear.

(I know fiction’s depiction of torture is famously propagandafied, but in this case, it’s not about torture for information so much as physical traumas shown on screen.)

(Anyway, have a rant I did on discord the other day.)

It's not really so much about "resisted the urge to hand over information" as "survived a truly harrowing experience and still came out of it trying to do good."

Tony's very first movie involves getting repeatedly drowned while in constant pain from bomb injuries as a civilian contractor, and I… don't think I can remember anything even a little similar with Steve

I don't think he's ever been captured for long before breaking out? All his injuries are in active battle, not torture.

Like... Steve went through something horrible with the ice and losing Bucky, nobody can argue that. But I think it's very telling, sometimes, that movie Steve, especially 2012 movie Steve, is completely unaware of the absolute nightmare that Tony experienced in his solo movies.

I have so many feelings about Tony Stark being the epitome of "guy who was raised and manipulated into being a bad person by someone he trusted, and (after a horrible experience) attempts to be a better person, constantly and consistently, even if he sometimes fucks up in the execution."

And the way that some fics elide his experiences in cleaning up other people's messes (first Obadiah's, then Howard's) and how that doubtlessly compounded his many neuroses from fixing messes that he did actually create himself is just

I have a lot of feelings

And am also feeling a little bitter and salty about how Tony Stark's MCU incarnation reportedly took some inspo from Elon Musk... and a little petty and satisfied about just how drastically we've all be shown that Musk can never live up to the idea of 'billionaire with inherited wealth who actually, without hesitation, risks his own life to save millions' that he tried to use PR to achieve in the media with 'my electric cars are gonna save the world' stunts about things he didn't actually have a hand in inventing

I'm just reading some fics I really enjoyed when I was still in the YA fandom, and there was a reference to a line Steve said in the movies and I started thinking (again) about how frequently fans take lines from Steve or Sam about Tony as gospel, because they haven't seen Tony's movies, and the lines from the star spangled boys are contextually meant to show that they don't know jackshit about Tony or his life, because they are directly contradicted by multiple prior films.

Also like... how often Steve's traumas get explored (in fic) in a way that Tony's just... don't? At most, his issues about Howard get explored, but that's it.

There's this moment in CACW that people take as Accurate and it infuriates me.

Tony Stark: [Back in the cell.] Just look. Because that is the fellow who was supposed to interrogate Barnes. [He shows a holographic image of Doctor Broussard.] Clearly, I made a mistake. Sam, I was wrong. Sam Wilson: That's a first.

Which, like... it's a bad movie. Obviously. But also

That line is immediately followed by Tony revealing that he's here to help the others and is sabotaging the security to make sure Ross can't take advantage, and yet fanfic still uses Sam's quote to promote anti-Tony agendas!

And 'Tony admits he fucked up' is. Like. Listen to me

Tony's first solo movie is fixing Obadiah's machinations. *

His second solo movie is fixing his Dad's fuckup.

His first team movie is fixing Thor's mistakes.

His third solo movie is fixing something that is only tangentially his fault.

It's not until AoU that the fuck-up is really his and his alone (well, not counting Bruce), and even then, even then, a massive portion of the blame is narratively laid at Wanda's feet!

And only then do we get this man, who has spent five movies seeing what happens when people don't take responsibility for their actions, or have anyone riding them to be ethical, who has criticized himself for neither having that oversight nor providing that oversight for people who snuck shit under his nose, that is when we get Tony weighing in on the side of "most countries on the planet are agreeing with this and it's for a reason, please work with me here, maybe we can get some of it rolled back to be less authoritarian and more reasonable."

* and removing himself from the military industrial complex he was raised and groomed to be in, but that's a system and not an individual act or a set 'villain'

Or as @firebirdeternal put it:

I would say that his first solo movie does have a large element of fixing his own mistakes too, it's just that his "mistake" was Trusting the Wrong Person and not taking personal responsibility for how his actions are affecting the world. (Which, he immediately does upon coming back from being captured? "We're going to immediately stop making weapons, because it's making the world worse" and then when Obadiah cuts him out of the company he goes "Oh. Okay no that didn't work, have to personally fix all this then.") and yeah it's just Tony have plenty of reasons to be on the side of "Someone needs to have oversight over this"

IM1 is such a good exploration of someone in privilege saying "this stops now" in a situation where they do have control because they have been confronted with their mistakes in a way that's unavoidable

It's also like, a great example of the fantasy of the Super Hero. Because Tony Stark, the businessman, even with all his wealth and knowledge, isn't able to stop the systemic harm being caused by His Own Company. One person isn't able to do that, even with the best of intentions. It isn't until he becomes something else, something more, a Super Hero, that he's able to make any kind of meaningful change on his own. Like IM1 is just a phenomenal movie. It understood it's subject material so incredibly well.

And people skip it and then take Steve and Sam at their word about Tony's strength of character and moral convictions and I scream.

THIS MAN FLEW A NUKE INTO A WORMHOLE WITH THE FULL EXPECTATION THAT HE WAS GOING TO DIE

Yeah, like, that Jump on the Grenade mentality is something that he and Steve actually literally share.

They both had 'jump on the explosive to save people' moments in their introductory movies.

I find so much more strength and inspiration in stories like Thor and Tony, where they are inherently fuck-ups and were shitty people and they are trying so damn hard to be better, which is more Tony than Thor really, but both of them and their first movies are just. I find that more inspiring than Steve or T'Challa or any other hero who was already a good person and just Became Great.

Tell me about the person who has to struggle to find that moral choice. Tell me about Natasha dragging herself from her oceans of blood and Tony fighting the government over whether they have the rights to use weapons he's created and about Thor having to reckon with his family's power being born of imperialistic ravaging of other cultures.

I want to hear about the people for whom being good is hard and a choice they don't have to make, but then they make it anyway.

Also I stand by "I am Iron Man. [infinity snap]" being the most amazing bookend the MCU could have done and probably the best part of the Endgame.

[burst-of-iridescent]

atla live action thoughts: season one review

first things first: anyone who says the Movie That Does Not Exist is better than the live action is straight-up lying. the shymalan film fails on the criteria of even being a decent movie, let alone an adaptation. the netflix series, for all its problems, is at least an enjoyable watch with great effects, music and (mostly) appropriate casting. there's absolutely nothing to compare here - the netflix version clears easily.

now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's delve into the series, starting with the positives.

the good:

visuals and cinematography. they really did a great job of making it feel like a fantasy universe you wanted to be in & i love how vibrant the saturation and colour grading was. it made the world feel so much more dynamic and alive instead of the same flat, boring dullness that so many movies and shows have these days. sometimes i didn't even mind that i was being fed obvious exposition because at least they were giving me something pretty to look at lmao

effects and action. the bending was surprisingly good for the most part, and they did a good job of making the elements feel unique through the stunt choreography and the actors' movements. i'm immensely thankful they didn't try to skimp on budget by merely cutting away from fight scenes or showing us as little as possible. almost all the action sequences were fast-paced and engaging, and i was never bored watching them

acting. the main four were all great, but gordon cormier and dallas liu have to be the standouts for me. gordon brings such an earnest, innocent sweetness to aang that you can't help but like him, and dallas plays all of zuko's facets perfectly: the angst, the explosive anger, the bratty snark, and especially the deep-rooted pain that characterizes so many of zuko's actions in book 1. the range he has, especially when flashing from younger to older zuko, was insane. special shoutout to maria zhang and sebastian amoruso as suki and jet respectively, because they killed it

music. leaves from the vine instrumental had me tearbending and i love how they kept the iconic avatar theme while making it a little darker for this iteration of the story. in general, the soundtrack felt very true to the animation while still being a fresh spin on it

zuko and iroh's relationship and expanding on zuko's crew. i think the fandom universally agrees that lu ten's funeral and zuko's crew being the 41st division were the best changes in the series, so i'm not going to talk about it further other than to say that these scenes show me what the show can be, and that's why i'm not giving up on it

the bad:

characterization. almost all the main characters are missing the little nuances that made them so great in the original, but the greatest casualty is katara. i hate that they took away so much of her rage, and gave many of her traits and struggles to sokka. i don't think this is a problem solely with the writing though, because certain lines do feel like things animated katara would say, but the directing and line delivery don't have the same punch that made her so fierce in the original. this is an easily fixed issue though, so i hope they take the criticism and let my girl be angry and fuck shit up next season

exposition. this was primarily a problem in depicting aang's personality and the relationship between the gaang, because a) why are you TELLING me that aang is mischievous and fun-loving instead of just showing me and b) the gaang do NOT feel like close friends, mostly because they spend so much time apart in every episode that they have little screentime to actually bond and develop intimacy.

lack of focus on the intricacies of bending. for a show whose tagline is "master your element" the characters spend very little time actually... mastering their element. zuko is never shown to struggle with firebending (which is going to have ramifications when it comes to developing his relationship with azula), and neither aang nor katara ever learn waterbending from a master throughout the the entire show. i'm pretty sure aang never willingly waterbends ONCE in the entire eight episodes, discounting the avatar state and koizilla. bending isn't just cool martial arts, it's closely linked to the philosophies and spirituality of each nation, and i wish that had been explored more.

pacing. they really needed to do a better job of conveying that time passed between episodes because an 8-episode season is just going to FEEL shorter than a 20-episode one. the original animation felt as though they'd truly been on a long journey before arriving at the north, but here it feels like the entire show happened in the span of a fortnight or so because each episode seemed to pick up right after the previous. they needed to have more downtime within episodes instead of just rushing from plot beat to plot beat because it made everything feel a lot more rushed. give the characters and story time to breathe.

final rating: 7/10.

overall, i would describe the live action as a better version of the percy jackson movies - not an accurate or perfect adaptation, but a decent story that's very fun to watch. but what really makes me root for this show to get a season 2 is that it has a lot of potential and more importantly, a lot of heart. it's evident that the people who worked on it do genuinely love and respect the original series, and it shows onscreen.

regardless of anything else, this show created opportunities for so many asian and indigenous actors, writers and creators to tell the kinds of stories and play the kinds of roles they don't usually get, and that's something worth supporting. if they take the criticism from this season and improve, i believe they really do have something special on their hands which - although it might not be the original we all know and love - could still be a story to be proud of.

[dvandom]

How found families can become lost families when you die

There is no legal obligation for your next of kin to inform anyone about your death.

If your legal next of kin do not approve of your friends or your Found Family, they may deliberately avoid publicizing your death.

If you are mostly known to your friends by a name other than the one on your birth certificate, you can't count on any obituaries or memorial notices using that name. It doesn't even have to be as serious as deadnaming, if you're just known by a nickname and your next of kin refuse to mention it in the obituary.

I say all of this because I think a friend of mine died earlier this month. We were friends through a shared hobby, and I got the feeling that his parents didn't approve of that hobby. I mostly knew him by his nickname, although I did have a legal name through Paypal. He had a heart attack in late April, but seemed to be on the mend, then he went silent. I didn't think much of it at first, since I knew he was recovering and might be pretty low-energy. But when he didn't reply to my text informing him that I'd found a toy he'd been looking for since last year, I got suspicious.

I checked online obituaries, and found a possible match. Right town, right timeframe, mostly the right name (if it's him, he used his middle name as his first name on Paypal). Obvious high school senior portrait on the memorial site (over 30 years out of date). No mention of his nickname or his hobbies other than liking a particular movie. His parents knew about me and even where I lived, but did not reach out. I suspect they didn't make any effort to contact any of their son's fandom friends. Maybe not intentional refusal, just...not bothering. Not looking at his phone or email for contacts. Not going to any of the places he would hang out to tell people there. Etc.

And this is a person who at least was on speaking terms with his parents. All of you on here who have deliberately cut off contact with your biological families had better start thinking of how to make sure the people you do care about find out about your death, unless you've already gone through the legal hassle of getting your official next of kin changed...assuming you even can do so where you live.

And if you do still get along with your next of kin, make it easier on them by making sure they have at least a few contacts with your friends, so they can spread the word. When most of your friends are online, it can otherwise take a long time for silence to be taken as demise.

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

I dunno if you know this already but I saw this post and like I can't tell what's more sad, that the poor host of the polls had to go through all of that bs that happened or that now what was supposed to be fun/a event of love got ruined because of people being, well, assholes 😭

https://www.tumblr.com/theshipwars/742219820704071680/hello-everyone-im-am-sorry-to-be-announcing?source=share

Oh my god, that is fucking awful. I really hope that the poll host is doing alright.

Hey, my maggots, I want to say that I hope you all were not triggered by the events of the poll (which I won't link here, but some extremely derogatory things were said in the notes, and there was misgendering of Aziraphale and Crowley involved). The conversation escalated to a place it shouldn't have. There's no need to go to that poll, or engage with it any further, but I do want to inform you.

I have a wider audience than most, so I think I should take the opportunity so say here, that please, please remember that these are stories. I understand that to these fictional characters we're all bringing our own stories, and these things get entangled until what was a show, movie or book represents something far larger. But fandom for many people is a place where they find safety, and where they can escape from the horrifying reality of the world for a few hours. Those two things can coexist, fandom can be a vehicle for change and representation, and it can also be a silly safe little imaginary world. They can coexist beautifully, if both sides are given the respect that they deserve.

These polls are meant to be light-hearted and a way for different fandom to engage with each other in playful competition. They should not have become a breeding ground for accusations, slurs and toxicity.

And there was a person behind that blog, who had to be bombarded with those notes, to the point that they are now overwhelmed, disheartened and triggered by the misgendering. I really, really hope they're okay.

I'm so grateful to you all for keeping this blog a safe place, which I hope it will continue to be, for people from all parts of the fandom. I think I'd better not reblog any polls in the future, however, because while I know this fandom, I have no idea at all about the others.

If I messed up anything in the post, or if you have a different opinion, please feel free to tell me! Just don't attack each other, I'm entirely open to being corrected and disagreed with. I'm not in the best state of mind right now to be making this post, too, but I figured I should try, even if I get some things wrong unintentionally.

Just. Be kind. Be kind, my maggots. To other people and also very importantly to yourselves. Yeah? You all are so bloody sweet and supportive and amazing. Keep being kind. I love you all.

[yall-hate-kids-tourney]

Round 3: Chara Dreemurr (Undertale) vs. Jason Todd (DC)

Propaganda below the cut

Chara Dreemurr (?):

They were constantly blamed for killing all of monster kind in the no mercy route, despite players choosing to go that route. People ignored that they sacrificed themselves to attempt to free the monsters from the underground.

----

everyone wants to blame their own actions (genocide route) on chara, who is a literal child. i don’t know how to tell you this but you are the one playing the game. it’s about YOUR CHOICES. chara is there is punish you for that, you killed the only family that ever loved them! how could they not be upset at that! also if you don’t mind, here’s a good video essay on the subject 

Jason Todd (~12):

Most of the Tumblr fandom likes this guy but if you step outside this website then wham so many people say he got what he deserved as a kid and Batman can't be cool if he's a dad so it's important for Batman to trash-talk his dead child constantly so we can all agree what a bad idea it was. Also wanna highlight that a lot of the records we have from fans at the time were clear they disliked Robin for BEING a child. Like a lot of the little dude characters in this tournament are treated too harshly for making an ugly choice and the fans aren't being understanding or sympathetic that the choice is made by a child character who is immature and not developed and strong enough to make a good choice and stuff. But THIS little dude was specifically hated FOR being a child. People wanted tough loner guy Batman not Batdad and his little buddy. The first Robin would drive back from college and guest star sometimes and be advertised as the Teen Wonder and people were like yeah okay but then Batman actually starts being a single parent for a child with needs and people were like UGH not the BOY Wonder. Today pretty much everywhere you see Batman fans saying Batman is better solo, no kid, it's not realistic to have a kid, a kid shouldn't be in the movies blah. Even if the comics they always find a way to send away the new kid so that Batman never has to parent. So all the Robins are being excluded from the narrative but I think this one is THE symbol of Batman fans hating a child character just for being a child.

-

Robin, Jason Todd, THE hated child character. In the 1980s, Batman comics had become increasingly dark and gritty. According to editor O'Neil himself, the courted audience wasn't kids but 19-40 year old men with disposable income. Batman's child sidekick, Robin, was offensively campy and childish. Fans called him wimpy, annoying, dumb, bratty, etc. Also people complained that Batman acting like an affectionate dad was unmanly and gay. Robin acts violent and emotional and people are like "ew he's so childish and emotional"—and then Batman literally acts just as murderously and emotionally within literally the same exact story and people are like "wow he's so dark and tortured". So in 1988 (after brutalizing Batgirl to get rid of her for being too bright and nice and kid-friendly), DC held a paid poll for fans to vote for Robin to live or die. O'Neil claims he heard a fan (a grown man with a dayjob as a lawyer) programmed a phone to spam kill votes. One fanguy claimed that he sold his Mercedes to buy kill votes (probably an exaggeration but still). By less than 1% margin, the vote decided to kill Robin in a spectacularly violent way. Anyway the 1989 Batman movie brought in a huge wave of new child comicbook fans who liked the new Robin (a very cool teenage high school Robin with a driver's license and a girlfriend), and DC started a separate Robin-less Batman series called Legends of the Dark Knight to make the anti-Robin writers and fans happy. But to this day, many fans agree it was a good idea to kill off the other Robin so that his foolish death reminds other characters to never be childish and stupid again. Bonus: the current Robin (usually a traumatized 10-year-old) has also been facing some pretty loud hatred for over 15 years.

[jttw-monkeybusiness]

Heya, Celibacy Question Anon again

I fully know the blog is centered around an AU, I was merely asking because the ethics of making an AU for something that isn't a show and is an actual religion is pretty shaky since actual religious text is pretty different from a form of entertainment media

I'll be honest, I mainly asked because I have seen and heard multiple accounts of Buddhists saying that personifying JTTW in such a way, especially in erasing/tweaking Wukong's celibacy, is extremely disrespectful

So I wanted to be sure that you were aware of the fact that many Buddhists do say that treating JTTW like it's some sort of fandom media (where you would make AUs rather than interpretations of said text) is very disrespectful (and even in interpretations, outright ignoring his celibacy is still considered wrong. Even if it may has been done before, my concern here is that a lot of worshipers of Wukong has said it's disrespectful)

Hello! First I want to say that what I will say in this text is not directly towards you, anon! I say this in general! What I understood is that this blog and AU are inspired by Journey To The West which is not a religion. It is a great Chinese work of fiction written presumably by Wu Chengen in the XVI century. I would argue it's one of the best Chinese novels of all time that I think everyone should read. Yes, it has a real religion that is Buddhism, but the main focus is the novel derives its material from folk tales and myths. That's how I at least take it when I read it. The author of the novel deliberately uses mutually interpretative terms which allow different experts, scholars, and religious practitioners to interpret the novel as an allegory of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity etc. So Buddhism is not the main religion if we want to go very deeply into it. I personally think Journey To The West tells a story of spiritual transformation that happens to Wukong for example. While the meaning of religious symbolism can be understood in different ways depending on your own religion and background I think most people agree it's about seeking the truth and salvation for the soul. That's what I want to add to my AU and how I see JTTW in general. So for your point, I will answer as best as I can bc English is not my native language and I don't want to cause any drama or hate. When it comes to pop culture and media, I understand that there must be people who don't like JTTW AU's bc the creators, like myself, want to explore the possibilities and make our own stories for fun and entertainment. I personally think if the people in Buddhism and people who worship Wukong want to have their voice heard they should focus on companies that make a profit. Shouldn't this logic also include Lego Monkey Kid which was based on Journey To the West? Their version of Wukong is not exactly the same as in the novel in my honest opinion and the story could easily be someone's AU (and technically it is!) but it has become full-on animation series that makes money. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to anyone! I'm just trying to open the other door in here. I don't get any money from making this blog. I do this for fun bc JTTW is a novel that I love. Do some Buddhists and people who worship Wukong hate it and find it disrespectful? Maybe yes, but again JTTW is a novel and that's how I view it. It's like saying Christian people hate any movies where they make fun of Jesus Christ like Family Guy. That's not even the worst yet! I'm saying this as someone who used to be a Christian.

What I am saying is that you can't please everyone. I am aware that people might not like what I do, but I know that legally I am not doing anything wrong. I can't please people who are religious. I don't think I have tried to be disrespectful at least not intentionally. If I would I think people would have said it a long time ago.

I hope this gave you some satisfaction or a better idea of why I love JTTW.

[art-of-firefly]

Character ask game: all numbers for your favorite character!! 👀 Please elaborate as much as you want to! 🤍

Thank you for this opportunity ❤️ Be ready for a very long post because i have things to say about Akashi ! I already answered 2, 5 and 9 here and 23 and 25 here. So for these questions i'll do it with Nijimura instead.

Akashi

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

In short i like him for everything and i dislike nothing about him.

But i'll just take a second to talk about one random thing i like. Bokushi's goal being to protect Oreshi and to stand up for him when he can't do it himself is something I find really touching. Bokushi has helped Oreshi in more ways than one, and yes, he has made some mistakes too, but he is only a teenager and, contrary to what he desperately hopes and thinks he should be, he is not absolute.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

The scene where he attacked Kagami with scissors. It was just a shock scene for shock value and added nothing to the story. Like we know, Akashi is the final boss so he must be intimidating but it really wasn't necessary. Especially because now every anime-only thinks Akashi really intended to cut him when it was clear he knew and saw from the start that Kagami would dodge.

EDIT : My reason for hating this scene was perfectly summed up here so quick edit to add it

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

Monkey D Luffy for One piece. For one they are my two favorite characters ever. But also i think Luffy would have an incredibly good influence on Akashi and on his mental health. In a way, meeting Luffy who is literally the center of the world and whose life and every decision actually has an incredible impact on the entire world would be therapeutic for Akashi. It would help him realize that his decision, and his mistakes aren't that important in the grand scheme of things.

They also have a lot in common, they are about the same age and height, their color is red,what's matter the most to them is their friends, they are both captains and have a lot of responsibilities.

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

I sincerely believe that he is on the aroace spectrum, more specifically demiromantic and demisexual (and probably pan too).

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

The nicknames Bokushi and Oreshi, like that's absolutely adorable to give him a nickname depending on the pronoun he uses. And it makes discussions easier because saying 'you know that time when golden-eye-Akashi said to two-red-eyes Akashi-' would get tiring really fast

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

The demonization of mental illness, calling him a psycho, calling him crazy etc. This is both a big misinterpretation of his character and really insulting for real people with mental illness.

10. Could you be best friends with this character?

Maybe ? I don't really know, I don't remember my teenage years very well for reasons, so I don't know if our personalities would have been very compatible?

11. Would you date this character?

Big No. He is like 16, I'm almost ten year older. I'd rather adopt him. I don't want kids but i'll make an exception for him, give me the adoption papers. I'll probably be a terrible parent but i'll still do better than Masaomi.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

He gets headaches a lot, it's a consequence of using his emperor eye, plus the overwork. He's often shown only closing one eye in cannon and it's something I usually do when I have headaches, so it fuels my headcanon.

Also think about it, The GoM greatness weakness is that their body can't keep up with their abilities. We've seen what it does to others but we've never seen AKashi get hurt. If the consequence for Akashi is headaches, then it all fits together perfectly.

Look at him and tell me this kid isn't trying really hard to fight a headache while is friends argue right beside him.

13. What's an emoji, an emoticon and/or any symbol that reminds you of this character or you think the character would use a lot?

🥰

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

What the kids call "Dark Academia" nowadays

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

NijiAka, in a way Nijimura remind Akashi of his humanity, and allows him to be a normal teenager even if only for a little while. He is the first person to treat Akashi like a normal teenager, the first person Akashi can rely on and look up to. And in return Nijimura believes so much in him.

Nijimura and Midorima were the first characters to notice there was two Akashi. Which shows that he truly paid attention to him and also that Akashi was comfortable enough with him to let his other personality slips sometimes when they were alone together.

The scene in the CD drama where Nijimura decided to treat Akashi to his very first after school snack lives rent free in my head.

I could talk at length about Nijika but I don't want to hijack this post with an essay on Nijika's perfection. I'll talk about it in another post another time.

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

AkaKuro, listen Akashi and Kuroko's friendship is so incredibly beautiful and important. I love their bond and it's very precious to me. But i don't like them as a ship at all, because in a way it simplifies and justifies all the trust, care and affection they have for each other with "it's because they are in love".

They don't need to be in love to be so important to each other,, on the contrary the fact that all their love comes from friendship makes it even better.

Being in a relationship, romantic, queer platonic or literally anything else, couldn't top what they have now, it wouldn't improve it, it wouldn't bring anything better to their lives.

17. What's a ship for this character you don't hate but it's not your favorite that you're fine with?

None, there are two Akashi ships I don't like, AkaKuro and AkaFuri (yes, the two most popular Akashi ships, don't send hate) But I like all his other ships.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

Once again Nijimura. But for diversity sake i'll go with Murasakibara instead because i don't talk about them enough. I think their friendship is very underrated and adorable.

Akashi spoils Murasakiabara all the time. He won many competitions at the Teiko school festival and the summer festival, each time he gave all his prizes to Murasakibara. Both times, Murasakibara knew in advance and had no doubt that Akashi would win it all. In official art, Akashi even gave him his Valentine's Day chocolates.

In every situation Murasakibara listen to Akashi and hold his opinion above all else, even his own team and coach.

And remember when Murasakibara was studying with his team in the CD Drama, he started talking about Akashi, his perfect grades, how he taught him his study method and how he created the most delicious snack he ever eat ? (Snack Akashi created because he overheard Murasakibara complaining that a special snack he liked was no longer available so he decided he had to create a new recipe from scratch and prepare it for him.)

Murasakibara opinion of Akashi is extremely important for the latter, Murasakibara's tantrum was what causes Oreshi to switch with Bokushi. After the Winter Cup Murasakibara had an argument with his team and the person he called was Akashi. And when Murasakibara got angry at him, Akashi start to panic and he asked the Uncrowned Kings for help because Murasakibara being upset at him was too much to handle.

In short Akashi clearly has a very big weak spot for Murasakibara and while it seems he has him wrapped around his finger, when you look closely it's obvious the reverse is also true. Murasakibara's loyalty and friendship is a very strong pillar in Akashi's life, they support and complete each other very well.

19. How about a relationship they have in canon that you don't like?

His relationship with his father. For very obvious reasons.

But I also think that Masaomi Akashi truly believes that the way he raises Seijuro is what's best for him. If Shiori was still alive, they would have had a chance to be a happy family. He's an emotionally abusive and neglectful father, but I think he really cares about Seijuro and thinks he's raising him in the best way possible.

This, of course, does not excuse any of his actions, he does not deserve to have and raise a child and Seijuro would have every right to cut all ties with him. But just saying Masaomi is just evil is too easy.

I think with time their relationship will improve. They will never truly be father and children, but they could achieve a stable relationship of equals once Akashi is an adult.

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

I think Akashi needs more than one best friends, but the GoM and Rakuzan as a whole is perfect for him.

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to the character? Something you don't like?

Sorry, this is going to sound really vague, but what I like and don't like depends on how the author characterizes him. But I'll be honest with you, since a lot of what I've seen demonizes him and I don't like his two most popular ships, I don't usually read fanfiction about him unless someone recommended it to me.

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

Shisui Uchiha from Naruto. Two burned out child genius with incredible eyes abilities. Akashi even threatened to gouge out his eyes at some point and Shisui actually did it. They both were very talented and smart from a young age and more and more responsibilities were pushed unto them until it was too much. Also they are the same age (at the end of KnB and when Shisui dies)

26. FREEBIE QUESTION!!

I'm just going to use this to write another headcanon. And while all the other things I've written are heavily canon-based, this one is a bit more of an extrapolation, but since I'm interpreting him that way I might as well share it too.

Akashi has some dissociation issues with his own body. What brings it up you might ask. This screenshot is what started this whole train of thoughts for me and it escalate from there.

Notice how he still has long bangs in his head? Of course, he only cut them a few days ago, so maybe he's not used to it yet, but his dissociation from his own body may also play a role here.

I think his relationship with his body is very complicated, the way he act, overwork himself and such, it's like he doesn't sees it as himself but as a toll he has at his disposal, a puppet he can move a will.

Remember how unfazed he was about gouging out his eyes if they lost. Like “if my body is no longer useful, why keep it intact? »

And since I'm talking about how he views his body, he would also avoid mirrors as much as he can, but not for the same reason. I think he looks a lot like his mother and if he ever let his hair grow he could pass off as her, and he probably spends an unhealthy amount of time wondering if his father wouldn't be so distant if looking at him didn't immediately reminded him of his late wife.

Nijimura

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

How dedicated and caring he is,

In his Kuro fes interview he even said the things he is most proud of is his ability to take care of other, and his favorite memory from Teiko was "The second year you guys entered, when we won at the Nationals that would be my last. I was mostly on the bench, but I felt like I passed the baton on, and somehow I was happier than the previous year" He is such a sweetheart, i melt everytime i think about it.

What he like to do in his free time is visiting his father at the hospital, please send help my heart can't handle so much adorableness.

And he was such a great senpai for all the GoM. His smile in Extra game when Kiyoshi showed him the picture of them after their victory, he was so happy to see them friends and close again.

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

It's hard to pick one, i have multiple songs i associate with him but none stands out as The First One among them.

Maybe because of the duality of his personality and temper. Like he is caring, devoted and hardworking but he also has an explosive temper and go into fights all the time which is one of the things he want to change about himself.

So i'll go with Anger by Sleeping at Last because it illustrate very well his temper and the way he feels about it.

Also it's one of my favorite song and the one i listened to the most in 2023 and 2024

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

Obligatory 'i can't imagine myself with a roommates as i am right now but for the sake of answering let's pretend i can'.

Yes, he is an older sibling and he has great self-discipline so he probably handles household chores very well. And I also like his personality. But he better not come home covered in blood after a fight every week because that would get annoying real quick.

23. Favorite picture of this character?

Once again i restricted myself at pictures drawn by Fujimaki-sensei.

Look at him with his rainbow wristband, i bet the GoM gifted it to him

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

It was so long ago that I don't remember it well. But I know I liked him and I vividly remember cheering when he beat Haizaki up for skipping a match and dragged him onto the court to play the second match.

Now he's one of my favorite characters, and he definitely ranks high among my favorites.

[sparkles-rule-4eva]

Analyzing Sonic's love language + Sonamy, pt. 1

Sonamy is probably one of the most conflicted ships I've seen in the fandom. Which I find funny, because it's quite clearly the ship that the Sonic Team favors the most and gives the most content for, at least when it comes to Sonic himself. But anyway, I've seen a lot of people claim that Sonic "clearly" doesn't like Amy back because of how uncomfortable he looks whenever she showers him with affection. (And yes, I know the more recent media has given her a ton of maturity regarding that, which I appreciate.) But from my observations, that's just not the case.

Why? It boils down to each of the characters' love languages.

And Sonic's love language is quite clearly NOT physical affection. And that doesn't just manifest with Amy; it manifests with EVERYONE that tries to show him more touchy-feely affection, including people we know for a fact he loves to death. Like Tails.

Sonic himself doesn't initiate hugs very often, so when Tails got hurt in the Sonic Boom episode "The Sidekick" and Sonic was trying to figure out some way to protect him and express how much he'd been worried, he does awkwardly hug his little brother. Look at Tails' reaction.

He's probably shocked right now. He would know better than anyone else that Sonic doesn't normally do that.

I don't think Sonic minds hugs, but he actually isn't a big fan of them in general. In the episode "Do Not Disturb," when Sonic and Tails ended up driving each other nuts with their personal lifestyles, Tails walks over and throws his arms around Sonic after they apologize and reconcile. This time, look at Sonic's reaction.

His stance and expression make it pretty clear he was not expecting it, and after a couple seconds he says "Kay, too long, gettin' weird," and gently pulls away. But he's still kinda smiling, so it's clear he's not mad, just slightly uncomfortable at the touch.

While we know there's many different variations of Sonic's character throughout the franchise, this trait is pretty consistent. Something very similar to this situation happens in the second live action movie, when Sonic tells Tails that they're pals, and Tails hugs him. Once again, look at Sonic's response.

He's startled and pretty quickly picks Tails up and puts him back, but he's smiling amidst it. Same as before; enjoying the emotion, but not necessarily comfortable with the means of affection.

Yeah, yeah, at the end of the movie after he comes back from being Super, Maddie and Tom both come running and each individually hug him. Sonic doesn't pull away that time, and I think he's more okay with it that time, since barely five minutes before they thought they were going to die together. He just kinda smiles a little and closes his eyes when they hug him.

(on a side note those screenshots give me such happiness 🥹 this family >>>)

I'm gonna leave it at that for this post, but yeah, this is part 1. Mostly because I can't add many more images, and I had too many more to share. Part 2, which I'll post as quickly as possible, will move on to Sonic X and apply these things to Sonamy. 😁💞

[elvisabutler]

💻 could i request smut prompts 5 and 6 with dove and austin please? 🐶

a little switching never hurt nobody

fandom: austin butler | elvis ( 2022 ) rating: m pairing: austin butler x priscilla actress reader ( little dove verse ) word count: 1892 warnings: the normal warnings apply for this verse. daddy kink. dom/sub dynamics. austin is more of a sub in this, dove is a lil bit more dominant. talk of their past. talk about their character bleed re: elvis and priscilla. oral ( f receiving ). implied future sexual acts. brief moment of austin calling dove mama. author’s note: pubby anon! i know who you are! and want to thank you for this so much. i know i went a little weird with the prompt but i've missed them, didn't want to put this as set in the main timeline and figured nebulous future past the oscars i pretend went better for elvis than it did. this is for my 1k gala with the smut prompts of “i want to give you a hickey, so everyone can see how I feel about you.” and “oh, i love that sound you make.” kind of fudged the lines but basic bit is there to be honest. part of my little dove/dove series but can be read alone.

Austin- Austin is not used to this. Austin is not used to seeing you like this. Austin is not used to you being like this. Sure, you're a bit of a brat, sure you're one of the most dominant and domineering in general submissives he's ever met but seeing you like this is new. Is this what he had missed out on too wrapped up and damn near possessed by Elvis? Is this what he missed with his mind picturing you as his little doll, his little dove to mold how he wanted. Is this what you both had missed feeling so much like a man who was larger than life but a little boy at the same time and feeling like a girl- no a young woman who didn't know who she was?

Maybe. Maybe that's what you two had missed and Austin wants to kick himself for it, wants to curse himself for missing how his good little girl, his Dove was so much more than the girl he met and then lost to the movie. It's given you both Oscars and accolades that will propel both your careers in whatever direction you want to take them and after everything- after the therapy and you still being able to call him daddy and a wedding you two did so spur of the moment everyone thought you were drunk out of your mind- he meets this woman. He meets the mix of his Little Dove, his sweet Dove who's blossomed and is so charming you have your costars eating out of your hand and his sweet Dove who is still the woman who just wants him to call her a good girl.

He thinks this is the woman that his mama really did send to him. This is the woman Elvis sent to him. He's the man your dad sent to you. This is the woman he's going to build the best of lives with. This is the woman he is building the best of lives with and he can't help but bend to your will just a little.

"Dove? What are you-" He mumbles against your hair, knowing that the cameras on the red carpet are eating this up. He knows that there will be the slew of compliments and insults when these pictures hit the internet. You're wearing heels but he's wearing his own heeled boots so your height difference doesn't change much to your chagrin. Still, the good bonus to it is that you are just about at Austin's neck, and can use your perch to plant a kiss or several in between flashes of cameras. The two of you are professionals as you'll always remind Austin when he gets a little too handsy at events and as he'll always remind you when you get a little needy, playing with your ring as if your life depended on it. But this time- this one time you can't help but ignore that voice in your head that tells you to be professional because here's your husband in front of you. Here's your husband in front of you and he's all yours, he's going to always be yours until the day one of you dies because after everything- you're it for each other. The Joanne to his Paul, the Bacall to his Bogie, the Dove to his Austin.

"Giving my husband kisses." You answer as if it's the most obvious and normal thing for you to do. "Come to think of it. I want to give you a hickey, so everyone can see how I feel about you. Maybe more than one."

You stand a bit on your toes to reach up the exposed part of his neck and marvel at the way he shivers just slightly at your breath on him. It's heady, watching Austin react the way you normally do. A weight that had been on your lower back moves to your ass and squeezes a warning even as his voice inches toward a growl. "Dove."

"Hm?" A small little hum as you nip at the skin, determined to make this hickey making quick as possible lest you really do get in trouble for making a scene on the carpet. "Daddy?"

Normally that would make him snap out of how he's feeling, how you attempting to take charge is making him feel. This time it only serves to make him sneak a little lower in to giving you the reins just a little. "Aus, not- not daddy. Don't- don't start something you can't finish."

"Have I ever told you that I love it when you growl? I love that little sound you make doing it." Your smirk keeps growing as you look at Austin becoming slowly undone. It's subtle but you know better, you've seen him more intimately than any human being alive. Vanessa has one thing on you but other than that- oh, Austin's face, so open when he wants it to be- has shown you so many things. You know he wants to make a scene and do something on this carpet you'll both regret. A little eyelash flutter is all you do for a second before placing your hand on his chest. "Aus. Inside. Act normal and I think there's a present for you under my dress."

The way he straightens up and looks out at the camera is almost comical and has you biting your lip to try and not laugh even as you can feel your shoulders shaking. Once you've managed to school your face into something resembling normal you turn to face the camera, giving them smiles they're looking for all while sneaking glances at Austin's slightly dazed look. They can't tell but you can. They can't tell there's a bulge pressing up against his slacks that makes you both thankful for compression underwear. if you both cut things a little short on the red carpet- well, that's to be expected. You're professionals but sometimes you're known for doing this, known for playing up the angle of the young couple in so much love you can barely stand it.

It makes people forgive the two of you more. It makes them wonder when you'll have a little birdie to carry around, but it makes them forgive you more. There's a bathroom no one uses when you first walk into the building and you Austin pulling you in there with a speed that makes you almost double over laughing before you're in the bathroom, shutting the door with your foot and locking it behind you. Austin should wait, should take it easy on his knees- on the suit he's wearing but you hear the thump of his knees hitting the ground and feel the cold rush of air that comes with him lifting up the skirt of your dress in record time.

"Aus- slow down. Your Dove is-" Your words are cut off with a nip your thigh and a nuzzle of his nose against your clit. "Daddy."

His words are muffled, mumbled against your skin as his fingers slide in between your folds, playing with the arousal that's been there since the car. You hear a growl from him and a word or two. "Christ, Mama, so wet because of me. Always so needy. Always ready."

The words shouldn't have you clenching your thighs, shouldn't have you grinding against his face, wanting to cover his facial hair in your cum but you can't help it. In other situations you're at his beck and call, you're his sub, you hold the power but he controls the movement, he controls the orgasms- he controls. But here? In this moment? It's you who has the control, it's you who can tell him you want to come. It's you who can ride his face so much he can't breathe. It's you who get to have him taste like you and smell like you for the rest of the night. So you let yourself grind, you let yourself take this control.

Austin eats you out like he's never done it before. Like he's worried this will be the last time he ever can. His tongue glides across your clit, teasing it, making you whine above him, cursing him and calling him a mix of Daddy and Butler and Austin. You plead as his fingers curl next to a tongue that licks inside you, licks around your cunt that wants everything he can give you. His growls normally delight you and even more in this moment where the vibrations send little shockwaves to your clit. They send little shockwaves through your body- little tremors of delight and pleasure that have you gripping his fingers with your cunt. They have you grinding against that tongue and yelping as he uses a bit of teeth just a tiny nip but enough to have you sobbing.

"Aus- Daddy, please. I'm-" Words escape you as his onslaught intensifies and you find yourself biting your fist to try and keep from screaming out as your orgasm hits you. As you hear Austin's mouth making these slurping noises that should be discussing but have your clit pulsing even more. You try and catch your breath leaning against the door as Austin untangles himself from your dress and stands up. He looks like he's ran a marathon, his hair a mess and his face glistening with your juices. A thought crosses your mind to fuck him in this bathroom, especially as you look down and see his cock pressing even farther against its confines. You reach out to touch it before he shakes his head.

"Later. It'll- It'll go down. We gotta- Professionals, Dove." His voice is shaky and you know this is just Austin, maybe Aus, but not Daddy. He takes your hand and places it on his cheek. "Did good, yeah? You happy?"

"Always." You joke before nodding and stroking his cheek. "Best Daddy. Best Austin. My Satnin. My Cali Sunshine."

Something that had been in his shoulders loosens a tension you hadn't quite notices dissipates the more you praise him and you stare just for a moment before speaking. "Let me brush your hair? Make us look presentable again?"

Your only answer is a hum before he lets you run your fingers through his hair, trying to settle it into something manageable. His body feels relaxed and you feel your chest warm at the notion, at the knowledge. "That's enough, baby girl. We-"

"I know. Professionals." You roll your eyes at him using the line against you once again before you pull him into a gentle kiss. "Love you, Austin. Thank you for this."

For everything, for letting her be who she is, for letting her blossom, for letting her be her even if it's not what he signed up for back in 2020.

The look in his eyes tells you he knows what you mean but you see a glint in them that has you opening up your mouth before he places a finger on it to shush you. "My face smells like you, it's all the thanks I need. Now I get to taste you all night."

If you playfully hit him as your both exiting the bathroom, completely ruining whatever allure of professionalism you two had? Well. That's between you, him, and whoever claims they saw it.

[streaminn]

Twin anon here!

I think the council of anons is incredibly funny. I’m just gonna forever imagine us all sitting at a round table or something dhdhhd

on the moderates for streamer enid note I do think my theory would die then :( definitely be more aware of what siblings Enid had. I mean I think it was said before that Endespairs fandom knew she had a bunch of brothers so the closer my twin theory is to enid the more it kinda collapses.

Also because I’m here- I never realized how sad the twin theory was till he pointed it out. Like oh my god that is devastating. Like imagine the twin you have marrying your idol that’s actually so horrifying. (It’s also a good fanfic idea for a cheating au…)

NAWH BC

Enid spent three years attached to Wednesday, going through all kinds of shit together and you're telling me-

One break, just two years of far apart so they can build their own lives and Wednesday gets married to enid's twin

Girl would be devastated. Obviously you aren't entitled to someone's feelings but Enid, who most likely has a more successful twin in terms of wolfing out and thus better connections to the birth family- holy shit, she'll be bitter. She'll wonder, what is it like, to have everything she wanted. Everything she needed. A family, better treatment and her mate.

She wonders what's it like to see them dead

Its not even an idol thing either twin anon! I like to think, Enid genuinely loves Wednesday at this point and like, it'll probably hurt to see someone get so close so easily. But she'll accept it, she's Wednesday's best friend, she needs to accept it.

And when she stands in the altar, in the wrong side of the platform, she will clasp a hand so dangerously close to her twins neck and whisper a congratulations before Wednesday walks down the aisle.

Can you blame Enid, for closing her eyes for just a moment and wishing that Wednesday was walking to her?

The toast afterwards is essentially a confession. She spills her whole feelings, of the gratitude and the greatfulness and the love she has for Wednesday. She waxes it with waving hands and trembling fingers. Wednesday is smiling at her throughout this and it hurts bc her hand is on someone else's and not hers.

Nobody reads it more than a clingy bestfriend who most likely can't spend more time with the other now. Nobody sees the shine of tears barely hidden back and theres a tremble to the glass she's holding when she finishes.

By the end of the whole thing, Enid hugs Wednesday like it was their very first time. It's tight, just like how Wednesday wanted and the sigh that she earns from that has Enid free falling back into how in love she is with Wednesday.

But, it isn't reciprocated and so she pulls back and the tears are spilling. Wednesday chuckles and wipes it away with such softness and care that was once only theirs.

She says, "I love you too, Enid." she sees the love, yes but she is blind for she doesn't see how willing Enid is to die for her. She doesn't see the regret of pushing for the necessary space between them, she doesn't see- she doesn't know that werewolves mate for life.

Enid smiles and savors the eyes of her love. She traces the skin on Wednesday's face, the dip of her dimple and gives a single kiss to Wednesday's forehead. It isn't enough, it's never enough but Enid can't be selfish so she pulls away.

She walks out of the event and Wednesday's life with such ease that it leaves her gasping down a block away.

Enid feels like a ghost since that day onward, untethered and lost in the world.

Idt streamer Enid would exist at this point if the twin thing were true 😭 she'd prob just be a movie reviewer like the og concept of sin. If she ever does become Endespair, she'll probably have a more sarcastic and melachony vibe to the streams. Not alot of Wednesday simping, just cold analytics and if you're a Lil delulu, fondness in her tone.

Didn't expect it to turn into a whole ass drabble but I'm feeling angst so I hope yall liked it.

[mayzi33]

*clears throat.*

(apologize in advance for any mistakes english isn't my first language)

Alright. Here we go.

Look, I haven't watched MLP in a LONGGGG time. But recently with all the stuff I missed our and since the fandom is still pretty much alive and well I decided to take peek by peek in the seasons I haven't watched.

Until I came across, these guys

And I have so much to say.

I didn't write a script for this or anything so I don't know where this rambling is going so I just ask you to bear with me for as much as you can, okay?

Look, watching the Young Six episodes I've experienced one of the things that angers me the most. SUCH. WASTED. POTENTIAL.

You're telling me we got whatever the hell is G5 when instead we could have gotten THESE GUYS???? THESE COOL, UNIQUE CHARACTERS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE AN INTERESTING STORY THAT MAKES SENSE AND HAVE SI MUCH POTENTIAL TO BE ONE OF THE SICKEST LORE ARCS IN MLP???

I homestly don't know what Hasbro WAS THINKING in giving them so little screentime. There's so much I have to say but I'll try my best to keep my thoughts organized.

First things first, we'll need to talk a little about G5 or "Make Your Mark" series or whatever. I personally enjoyed the movie, though the story didn't make much sense (we'll get to that later) the characters were pretty nice, the songs were catchy and the animation was mwah. I didn't bother to watch all of the G5 series, because- (pardon to all who enjoy it) it's so. Freaking. Boring. Like I know there's a pony girl that's supposed to a traitor among them but then grows onto being their actual friend and there's a villainess and that whole conflict and yada yada yada. But honestly there just isn't anything I found enganging in the entire thing. I can't explain it, it just feels- off. I know I probably don't have much right to talk, cause again, only now I'm diving into the mlp again after missing out A LOT, but I just can't bring myself to like that series.

Now, the whole School Of Friendship saga in the G4 series with our beloved Young Six, I know some people had some issues with it and it didn't please everyone, and while it does have some flaws and is certainly not perfect, you can't deny there was lots of potential. (I'll try to not overuse that word I'm sorry)

I personally, really liked the concept of different creatures from different cultures coming together and forming the perfectly diverse friend group. Episodes like The Hearth's Warming and What Lies Beneath were particuarly really fun, it was nice to dive into their cultures and backstories while also watching the six of them be vulnerable in front of one another and grow closer. If only they had more screentime and more deep episodes like that, they could have been in the top 10 found families in cartoons.

Now, just some other reasons as to why I think they're interesting characters and should've gotten more than what was given to them.

Because

1- Their whole deal is that they're not all ponies, that they have diversities. We get to learn lots about their different cultures and customs. It would've been way better to teach children about acceptance and respectijg differences while also being entertaining

2- We got not one, but TWO male characters in the group. It would make little boys that are interested in mlp feel more comfortable and valid for it. AND those two males also have distinct personalities and their own active roles. Gallus leader of the group, and Sandbar being the only pony therefore the one to stand up for his friends.

3- While they're supposed to be the new represantives of the elements of harmonies, their personalities are still interesting and different from the Mane 6.

Onto that, I really like how it's implied they could be the next helders (or whatever its called) of the elements of harmony. Given their special connection to the tree, how similiar they are to the previous groups (Mane 6 and The Pillars) and how Twilight LITERALLY LIFTED THEM UP AS WELL WHILE SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE ELEMENTS WILL LIVE ON, it would've been such a cool concept.

Onto that, I wanna talk a bit about each of their characters too and how I think they could've been dealt with.

Gallus is the element of magic, but unlike Twilight who's all open and confident-spoken about friendship and all, Gallus is probably the one in the group that's the most closed-off and dislikes getting all cheesy. It would've been interesting seeing his development as the helder ot the element of magic. AND ESPECIALLY since he doesn't have magic in the first place, since Twilight and Starwirl were unicorns. So maybe he could make posions? Get powers someway else? Many posibilities

Sandbar is the element of kindness, but unlike Fluttershy he's extrovert and down to making friends. His overrall personality is that he's constantly very chill-going and nothing seems to ever upset or annoy him. So it also would've been interesting to see how that pattern would break, especially because of his element.

Yona is the element of honesty. She's probably the one that has the hardest time adapting to the Equestrians among the group, and even tried to act like a pony instead of herself one episode. It would've been interesting to see how her element of honest reflects on how she should be true to herself, especially since her Yak culture comes a lot with honor.

Ocellus is more the element of genority, yet, unlike Rarity, she's a lot more like Fluttershy, being timid and insecure, while also being smart and well-read like Twilight. It would've been nice if her development with her element would be gaining confidence in herself and being generous to others that way. Especially since she has a fear of being like the old changling queen (forgot her name) so imagine if she just turned out to be the opposite of her. Instead of selfish and cruel, being generous and kind.

Smolder is the element of loyality, but also like Gallus, she's also not into cheesy stuff. But what I find imteresting about her is how she tries to keep her tough, agressive persona (since thats how dragons are) yet it is revealed she's actually interested in cute, fluffy stuff like tea parties and dresses. So it would've been cool to see her growing confident in admiting her interests, therefore being more like Rainbow Dash, who's always confident on herself

And last but not least, Silverstream is the element of laughter. But what's hooking about it is the fact that Silverstream herself probably hasn't KNOWN what laughter is for a long time, having to hide under King Sombra's rule. She's very talkctive, creative and extrovert, like Pinkie Pie, but she also has her trauma that haunts and intimidates her, unlike Pinkie who usually faces her fears headfront. Another great development story.

So just hear me out, okay. I don't care if MLP is over. I don't care if there's G5.

We. Need. A. Young. Six. Spin-off. Series.

I know it sounds crazy, but I genuely think this idea could work out if it was handled well enough, and Hasbro could make some good money out of this.

Just bear with me. A spin-off series set on the timeline between season 8-9 aka, still on the School Of Friendship, focused entirely on the Young Six. We could still get the Mane 6, of course, but mostly as support characters. It doesn't have to be particularly long series, (though maybe that could work as well IF handled with enough care) maybe just 2 seasons or so. And I'm not thinking like a slice-of-life or fun little extra kind of thing, I'm thinking of ACTUAL lore. Just more about how the tree and the elements work, and how these six students could grow into being their new helders. In each episode it becomes more and more evident to them and the Mane 6 themselves that they're going to be the next generation of the elements. So imagine once they all fully it figure out and talk about it, the Y6 suddenly feel this pressure about how they're supposed to live up to their teachers and fear that they have to be EXACTLY like them. So we see Sandbar taking extra kindness classes with Fluttershy, Yona taking extra honesty classes with Applejack and heck even Gallus is taking studies more seriously (especially since he's supposed to be the element of magic which I find interesting cause he doesn't really have magic at least not the way Twilight and Starwirl do. ) So we could have an entire episode about the M6 getting through to them and showing they don't have to be JUST LIKE THEM nor The Pillars. They can be their own people.

Another main-plot idea would be having more villains, probably trying to test them or tear them apart (cough cough like Swift Foot from the idw comics cough cough) or maybe you could even fit someone as intense as King Sombra in there.

And, of course, more onto their characters, flaws, backstories and cultures! I would love to see more about their people and customs, just as much as I would love to explore their traumas, fears, ugly sides and how they overcome it together (cough cough found family COUGH COUGH GAGS)

And another thing, I especially would've liked to explore Yona's and Sandbar's relantioship.

I MEAN LOOK AT THEM-

Don't they give massive beauty-and-the-beast vibes? I love how their colors and body types contrast with one and another, and their personalities aswell. Yona being loud, cheerful and clumsy while Sandbar is calm, thoughtful and carefree. I just love the big girl x soooorta small guy vibes and I especially loved how gentle and reassuring Sandbar was towards her in that episode. I mean, "I don't care if you're not a pony, you're the best Yona I know." SERIOUSLY? WHO WROTE THAT LINE? I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM A HUG. And also, onto the spin-off series matter, it would also be a cool topic to explore. Imagine if some ponies/yaks are judging them for having a relantioship while being different species and they learn to ignore them and live past that??? I usually don't care much for romance, (always prefered friendship and found families) but this would've been a nice little arc and episode theme to see.

Lastly, (I'm almost done I promise) to the more technical/economical part.

Like I said in the beggining, I genuely think Hasbro could make some good money out of this. Firstly because it will be using the G4 characters and lore and not...whatever mess of a plot G5 is.

And secondly because, if they took the time to give them some cool power-up designs like they did with the Mane 6, I'M SURE the toys would sell.

I mean- JUST LOOK AT THESE COOL DESIGNS I FOUND ON THE INTERNET?? (not mine, credits to whoever made it, you ate that)

DON'T THEY LOOK LIKE A TOY SET THAT WOULD CATCH THE CHILDREN'S EYES ON THE TOY AISLE? OH YES I THINK THEY WOULD.

And if anything, they could be as bold as to make an extra Equestria Girls (well, girls and boys series) with them. I know it sounds kinda dumb, especially given the fact that I'm not sure about how that would work given that when Spike went to the "human dimension" or whatever he turned to a dog... So Smolder would also be a dog? Sandbar would be the only actual human in the group?... BUT I'm sure they could come up with some excuse to make it work. Give them some cool, colorful outfits for different events and I'm sure it would sell. And ESPECIALLY since with Gallus and Sandbar in the group, it could get the attetion of young boys aswell.

Anyways. That was it.

Uhm. Conclusion: Hasbro should hire me. I know what I'm talking about. I think. At least a bit.

And I genuely think this could work if only SOMEONE gave it the time and care.

I don't know how to end ramblings so uhmmmm thank you all for coming ti my pep talk.

They deserved better.

[fandomsbyladymelodrama]

No pressure on this, but I wanted to ask if you'd like to tell me about one of/some of your favorite Christy scenes, and the things you like most about it/them? I can't singlehandedly revive the fandom on here, but it's such a joy to talk over this show with other fans!

I didn't realize until recently how thoroughly the Neil/Christy relationship informed my romantic preferences in all the media and writing I've done since watching it in my teens. Older, scholarly man/younger, determined woman, some kind of angst in the man's past, a need to change things for the better as an intrinsic part of the woman's character, a taboo element that stands in the way of the relationship... Even in the slash pairings I love so much, there's still so many elements of it!

Hey filmmakers, don't think we don't notice that you frame these two with Christy on a step/incline half the time to de-emphasize the height difference...

Oh my, oh my. Okay, first, let's be real. I've been waiting for an ask like this since 1994 (baby Tumblr wasn't even born yet 😂) so get ready for some major Neil/Christy feels that I've been suppressing but also diligently-tending-in-the-background for 30+/- years. THEY. ARE. PERFECT. Top-shelf OTP bottle, for sure. You understand, right? Of course, you do. We've discussed. But yeah, I feel the same way about this show/book/pairing influencing and informing both my writing style and romantic preferences in fiction over the years. Happy to admit it. Yes *raises hand* 1000 times yes. Hello, my name is ladymelodrama, and the fact that CBS so cruelly stole resolution for Neil/Christy from us forever (I'm not counting the PAX movies, I'm just not) is a crime against good television everywhere and will haunt my Christy-loving bones until I'm dead and buried in the ground deep enough so's the critter's can't find me, as Little Burl or Creed Allen would say. Anyway, you asked about Neil and Christy and favorite moments and since I can't just pick one...

I have a proposition to make :) Let's trade fave moments until we run out of them, maybe? No pressure, of course, but this is me mostly unwilling to commit to my Top 5 Scenes until I finish my rewatch, and even then I'll probably change my mind a couple times 😂 But here's one that I'll discuss in detail today and which I like to call the "Will This Do?" scene aka "and then they both smiled their little smiles at each other and lived happily ever after. The end." <3

(Credit to @heatherfield for this gif, and bless you, friend, for continuously shipping the same pairings as me - makes my gif-hunting so much easier haha <3)

So why do I love this scene so much? Oh, you know. Margret's dress. Objectively, it's gorgeous (the woman had style, even if she had no heart). And hey, it only coded Neil/Christy as endgame from the first episode, no big deal. Plus it was one of the softest moments in the whole show and THE WAY THEY SMILED AT EACH OTHER. Ugh. Soffffffft. I'm mean, you're seeing this too, right? ;) Meanwhile, I'm sure David is over here in the corner...doing what David does best XD Lurking. Always lurking.

(and, based on the pic I chose, maybe taking notes on how to have better chemistry with Christy? - "Dear Diary, Neil MacNeill is kinda the worst, have I mentioned?" 😂) But in all seriousness, what I love about that scene (and the exchange of smiles, in particular) is how there's an honest-to-goodness, my-spirit-just-spoke-to-your-spirit bit of humanity happening there. I die for those moments, little and quiet as they may be. It's just so...SOFT. They don't know each other yet. Not really. There's no romance at play (other than what I assume might be mutual physical attraction, even if Christy would never let herself go there. Not on her first days in the Cove) so it's more a budding friendship that we're seeing and friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite things? (Jorleesi, Jisbon, Siegfried/Audrey, Obidala, Red Cricket, Dickon/Mary much?). I also really enjoy when she comes down the stairs looking all pretty-in-lavender with her hair down (still lolling at your comment on that detail btw because...c'est vrai 😂) and "Oh no, David, it's so late...how will we ever get to Lufty Branch in time?" "Not we, Christy." (exactly, David, you're getting it). Too bad she has to spend all afternoon in this rustic cabin with a plaid-shirted, barrel-chested, brogue-speaking, moody mountain man with inside pain for dayssssss. Oh the everlasting horror XD

So yeah, so much to love about this scene (and the entire convo in the cabin afterwards and him plucking her from Theo prior to the whole dress thing - guy helps girl down from horse = I'm in love 😍). To witness the very beginning of their arc (okay, Part II of the beginning, but the doctor was busy with brain surgery during Part I, so you know what I mean) and to have the actors play it so, so beautifully and in an Appalachian setting that's just misty and magical and to die for all by itself... Mmmm *chef's kiss* Your turn, @darsynia <3

[snowydragon10]

‼️‼️‼️

I think we're approaching this... "Chapter" of the Showgrounds Saga from the wrong direction

Theory Time!!

(It's a bit of a long one, so take your time)

Ok, so we've all been thinking - most of us at least - that this would be SMG3's Focus Arc and his turn to get character development and/or Trauma via a big movie event, but it's not what we expected. When I asked myself why, I came to some questions and theories

So, we've seen the pattern so far, SMG4's Perfection, Meggy's Idolization, and then WotFI happened, which I think was SMG3's Chapter.

I think what happened was that WotFI was his main event. Instead of building up to the tension, they swapped it and had the big event first with the development after, henceforth all of the focus episodes after WotFI regarding his shop, his selfworth and his place with the Crew.

So, "If SMG3 already had his fair share of Puzzle/Adware interference, then who's the focus for this chapter?" You may be asking, and I have the theory:

It's actually Us the Audience

Think about it! There's always some kind of connection between each Movie/Chapter moving towards the next one! In IGBP, while rescuing SMG4, how did Meggy fight off SMG3? Her splatfest skills (Former Splatfest Champion Wren)!! In Western Spaghetti, what did SMG3 have that added to his character from that point onwards? His bombs (Coffe n' Bombs Cafe)!!

So now, what's one connection with WotFI and this one? We the *Audience* are allowed to add our input based on the situation! (The Heist Plan Votes and the Video Reviews!!)

Not only that, BUT when WotFI finished and we got that post credit scene, Mr. Puzzles didn't address just anyone. No, he wasn't talking to SMG4, he wasn't talking to Luke, Marty, or SMG3; he was talking DIRECTLY to us the *Audience* at the 4th wall!

Adware KNOWS that we're finally picking up the hints and pieces!! He finally acknowledged that we're ready for our turn!!

When the first movie came out and he appeared as that keyboard malware virus (when we dubbed him Adware), we didn't think much of it. We thought it was a one-off, a fluke, something to further the story via typical SMG4 Weirdness.

It wasn't until the Western Spaghetti movie hype was building up that everyone realized that there's a pattern happening. That was when fans started pointing out, "Hey! There's something Fishy going on (Ha), and here's the hidden clues to prove it!!". We became suspicious of that damn symbol, and became more vigilant... and then WotFI happened!!

(Addition: I feel like Adware was beginning to test how ready we were when we got that one Steam Link with Tari in an empty room and the TV at the front of the train. Yeah, it was to hype up the movie, but it was also almost like a... puzzle, you could say)

Which could explain why this time it isn't a movie event that lasts for one week, but instead nearly over an entire month! I theorize that Winston wants to test us for some reason, and for that, he needs to collect information. Information like maybe a certain interactive website with reviews. You can't get the audience involved with just a single movie, just saying. Plus, the fact that he said endless entertainment all Saturdays forever? Who's the most involved in that specific detail, hmm?

Also! The theme! Granted, I don't have much proof for this one, but the theme I've noticed is Nostalgia. Blue's Clues isn't something very important to any of the characters that got kidnapped (minus 4 hating content farms) but it can be something that a lot of us have a fond attachment to! Which Adware could use to his Advantage! What better way to get good reviews than to target what the audiences like?

(4th wall sidenote, after that TV song jingle, Winston glances over to the screen directly at Us)

Also, notice how weird it is that the Crew Members that got kidnapped are popular among the fandom? You know, characters that we've gotten attached to? (Don't tell me Bob doesn't have a fanbase of his own). Every time a "Victim" is targeted, their close friends end up getting dragged into the mess.

SMG4 (3, Megs and Mar)

Meggy (Tari, Mario, Axol, DESTI)

SMG3 (Eggdog got a Cameo, 4, Bob??)

Us (Our favorite characters)

....

So, all of this to say, we need to stay on our toes, especially for this chapter. Be wary and all of that. I may be overthrowing it, but hey, theorizing is fun!! What do you guys think?

[shakespearean-snape]

Hi there! so glad to see you posting again I like a lot of what you have to say about Snape. I noticed you say a few times tho that your visual headcanon for Snape isn't conventionally attractive and I just wondered if you had any reference of what he looks like in your mind? An actor or other famous person? just someone like that?

I'm just curious how you imagine Snape because I admit I just see Alan Rickman as Snape in my head since I started with the movies as a kid and didn't read the books a few until years later. It always interests me so much when people say they read the books before the movies or read the books with the movies coming out and saw Snape as someone else.

Its ok if you can't think of anyone just thought I'd ask. thx!

Hello!

*waves enthusiastically like an idiot with zero chill*

I get so giddy when someone sends me an ask like this so I hope no one thinks I don't enjoy questions about Snape or my headcanons. As anyone who knows me knows, I think a lot and especially about those things I love so I always have lots of thoughts rolling around in my head I can be positively overeager to share with anyone interested.

So to answer your question, I don't have a specific person pinned down that is 100% like how I picture Snape in my mind but some close candidates would be a young Adrien Brody (which I think is common enough among Snape fans as a choice, right there with Adam Driver these days), obviously the man that JKR based Snape around, John Nettleship, someone like Adarsh Jaikarran as a potential Hogwarts-era and early 20s Snape (even if he is more good-looking than I usually lean, in some pictures he just channels Snape vibes for me quite a bit) and a very young Julian Richings if you've ever seen photos of him in his younger years (I have two here for you so you can see my point a bit, here and here).

Ironically, Julian Richings in the later years of his acting career would probably have been my first choice for a Voldemort fan cast back in the day when any Harry Potter reboot was purely in the realm of the hypothetical (I mean, c'mon, look at this and tell me you can't see it too) but as JKR is an unapologetic anti-feminist/TERF I provide no monetary support to any of her projects including any licensed games, the watching of future reboots or purchasing of future tie-in books in the HP universe, officially licensed HP merchandise, or even by giving traffic to what was formerly Pottermore, etc.

All I bring to the fandom now is my fan theories and love for Snape, which she not only does not benefit from but never seemed entirely at peace with given how the character got away from her and took off. I can't think of a better way to spite someone so utterly spiteful herself than to take the character she was most shocked by people loving in any capacity and celebrate him in every incarnation (gay, bi, trans, ace, autistic, poc, etc.) with my queer, gender-nonconforming little heart while she gets zero money off me for it.

Anyway I hope the visual guide gives you a little more insight into my mind. I've never seen Snape as "ugly" (even when I joke my Snape is "ugly" and I like him that way) but my mental picture of him is of a man whose looks might fall into that unconventionally attractive sphere or what some people call homely. Occasionally I veer off that a bit, as with Adarsh Jaikarran, oh, oh! And also Lee Soo Hyuk, Song Jae-Rim and Kento Yamazaki (ever since I saw him in the live-action Bloody Monday manga series adaptation)!

But yes, my favorite Snape and the Snape I love isn't usually model attractive but also not quite the gargoyle Harry describes (that kid had some ridiculously high standards of beauty tbh, about the only characters he didn't have mentally critical notes on their appearance was the unnamed Veela, Fleur, and Narcissa Malfoy so yeah he totally thought "Draco's mom has got it going on..." Lol!) but somewhere in that "unconventional" categorization of attractive which I feel really suits a man who so often defies easy categorization in general.

(Excuse all the edits. After I gave a few examples more started hitting me and I was like ohhhhh I should have shared them, why didn't I think to share them? So I may come back and make more edits throughout the day, no promises I won't! Lol)