#i just wanted to say my piece without actually arguing nodders

[calamitydaze]

okay putting this under a cut bc it’s a kid with a bad lore take not the end of the world but i need to pick this apart so badly and it was left on My post so i think that’s within my right alright here we go. for context it was a comment on my post about how essential it is to understand the way cq’s behavior stems from his trauma

the entire point of what i was saying was that cquackity’s spiral of corruption happened because of his experiences with powerful, violent people (well aside from the fiances, but it was just fuel to the fire at that point). those are not good traits, and certainly not things to look for in a romantic partner, they’re trauma responses! (also putting aside the blatant mischaracterization of cwilbur for now, since the focus is cq i’ll just pretend he really is like that).

the part about cschlatt is fine, but the fiances… huh?? “sugar sweet”? a good point is almost made here where they highlight ksq’s issue of Not Talking about stuff and just hoping it works out, but are you really trying to say Mr Repression the Chronic Liar would be better in the communication department? mans is about two weeks from being on the ledge himself, i don’t think he’s equipped to help quackity deal with his issues. (also the fiances not communicating has actively been set up as a problem to overcome complete with narrative consequences, it’s not just a character incompatibility, but i digress). and regarding “confusing feeling”, i don’t wanna throw terms around but that leaves kind of a bad taste in my mouth? cquackity wasn’t confused in their relationship (aside from the dancing around each other before agreeing to be poly but it was mutual so i don’t think it counts), he loved them and felt comfortable despite his own insecurities which is why it hurt so much when they left! it was a “my worst fears came true” moment, not an “i always knew this would happen” moment! i also don’t like how it implies cq was less than an active and equal participant in the relationship and sort of decreases his agency (a huge part of his arc) but that feels a little nitpicky so i won’t harp on it

not much to say here just a weird personal anecdote that doesn’t really contribute anything but in the interest of transparency i wanted to include it. although now that i think about it they’re clearly referring to the fiances with “jokes and trying to make me feel better”, and just.. [gestures to jo’s post about how they almost started a war to help legitimize el rapids to the point of ckarl being willing to die for it]

okay where do i start. it’s absolutely true that cwilbur wants to push and challenge cq, but the sense of inferiority is a VITAL element of that dynamic! they’re both trying to make the other feel inferior and they both feel inferior to the other, that’s the whole point of ctnt, that push and pull of power over each other! did we read the same conversation in ho16? <- is what i would have said if you read it, BUT I KNOW YOU DIDNT! you admitted to not actually knowing the material and when talking about one of the most complex dynamics on the smp i PROMISE it shows. cquackity doesn’t need cwilbur’s encouragement to make himself better— by the time they meet again in las nevadas, that part of his arc has already happened! he’s at the peak! (a false peak, but still) which is exactly WHY their dynamic is so interesting, because they’re on equal ground now but both feel like they’re not. i don’t know how you’re missing this key component of what is apparently your favorite relationship in the whole thing!

but when we get to the last point, where “wilbur is trying to make quackity better”, that’s where this all starts to make sense. this person’s entire argument hinges on the fundamental misunderstanding that ln!quackity is the best version of himself. and that’s…… ?!!!?!!?! THATS WRONG? everything about everything that’s happened during las nevadas tells us that’s wrong. (also everything in my original post? we’re on like layer 7 right now) yes cquackity is ruthless, that’s a trait he adopted from people who hurt him to help him survive. it’s not a good thing, and shouldn’t be the final stage of his character. i don’t even know where to begin with calling las nevadas where cq is his most controlled and mentally stable but honestly i don’t think i need to say anything

in conclusion: i think this comment is a classic example of what i’m gonna call the Revived Trap: girlbossifying the performance characters put on for others as some sort of narrative growth instead of the trauma-born tragedy it really is, with no interest in examining why or how that performance came to be. this person doesn’t actually want cq OR cwilbur to be healthy happy people, they want an enemies to lovers villain couple where they can continue to enable each other’s worst selves. at least unlike derivikat and cg5, i know why they fell into this trap: because they’ve never actually seen the dream smp.