so REVENGE, HUH? or justice, if that makes you feel better. it tastes the same when cooked just right. 'I REALLY WANTED A BROTHER.' such a shame to burn a bridge you so desperately wanted to keep, especially when it wasnt even you who started the fire. especially when you hope that not a single fragment of that bridge ever washes ashore.[MAY IT ROT FAR FROM MY SIGHTS]
an unfortunate loss! atleast he has his friends.
I'm rewatching RWBY and I just finished V3 and like. I'm having so many thoughts about Ruby
She was an eager student, yearning to follow in her mother's footsteps and help others, who got accepted into Beacon Academy two years early. But she felt worried that she'd be singled out; she wants to be normal among her peers, not anything special. "I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees," she says to Yang.
Then she's thrown into the position of leadership despite her young age and relative inexperience, and while she takes it in stride she's incredibly hard on herself in the process. "We need to put our teammates first, and ourselves second," she says to Jaune.
And just when she grows comfortable in her skills and her position as team leader, everything falls apart. Beacon falls. Penny and Pyrrha die horrifically right before her eyes and she's left behind to blame herself. Yang loses her arm — and a part of herself. Weiss is snatched away by her father, Blake runs away. Ozpin has vanished, his lieutenants left to pick up the pieces of the broken, ruined Vale. Most of the ppl that Ruby has come to count on, just... gone. And then immediately after she wakes up from all that, Qrow dumps on her that, congratulations kid, you have silver eyes which basically means you're destined to save the world, have fun! "Then what can I do? If I'm so special, I can help, right?" she says to Qrow.
It's no wonder she got such a martyr complex, no wonder she threw herself so heavily into the identity of a hero, no wonder she fell to pieces and grew consumed by guilt and grief and self-loathing later in the show. She just wanted to go to school and learn how to protect ppl. And then she couldn't even protect the ppl who mattered most to her, not out of some failing on her own part, but bcus she is a child, a child with way too much on her shoulders. And it's just gotten worse. Now she's expected to save the whole world, all bcus she inherited her mother's eyes.
The weight of the entire world upon the shoulders of a grieving teen girl.
How would that not be too much for anyone to bear?
here are my delirious saltburn notes if anyone actually wants to see them. mostly im just laying out scene order for my own reference, but theres definitely some incoherent observation & analysis in here if any of you are crazy enough to look thru it
dont forget to snag ur shirt before preorders close. size range XS - 6X bc even tho im a small business and more sizes = more expensive i just don’t think stopping at 2X cuts it
we‘re either mutuals on my main (@pecuirlig), on here, or you follow this blog — and it looks like we all like krbk ! :‘)
first of all, feel free to decline <3
would anyone be interested in making a little krbk discord group or something? :‘)
as a casual fun hangout spot for people of similar ages (i think we‘re all 20+, most early 20s?), for talking about krbk (& maybe other ships/characters/shows etc too), sharing or talking about fics, or art, or whatever we want :‘)
i know i‘ve wanted to have a space like that for years tbh lol, since i haven‘t had the luck to meet anyone irl who‘s also into fandom or specifically krbk, back when tumblr group chats were a thing they weren’t very lively lol, and the krbk discord groups i‘ve checked out so far haven‘t had active members my own age.
i would be super happy if any of you might be interested too ! :‘) but i will continue to suffer alone lmao if you should not <3 (/lighthearted)
(btw— i‘m super open to other people joining this too, so please do feel invited if you are 20+ and you want something like this too ! i just only @'ed these people because there‘s been Some interaction between us already. not having @'ed you doesn‘t mean you‘re not welcome :‘) !)
you are not gonna be able to guess what lucky circumstances I managed to accidentally get myself into this time lmao I secured myself a spot at a nude drawing class without even knowing it was a nude drawing class. it’s absolutely fantastic tho! the class is usually super popular and spots are hard to get so I was really lucky
Zari! The lingerie post has me screaming. I’m just picturing the BLLK guys and it’s like 😖😖😖 Knowing Reo would 100% buy you whatever you wanted as long as he got to watch you model it in the changing room. Meanwhile Sae and Kaiser, money again would be no object, but would complain if you even TOUCHED anything less than designer. Only the best for you. With a side of Sae commenting that the first set you picked out looked like a garbage bag because it wasn’t some overly expensive designer set. Meanwhile - why is Rin and Barou so overly confident walking into the shop and then suddenly an embarrassed mess when they see you open the changing room door in any set you put on LOL.
YESSSSSS LEE U GOT IT SO RIGHT. reo leaves like five times worth of the clerks salary but it’s alr. u deserve nothing less !!!!! ( but also — leaves a tip . VERY generous one bc he’s a sweetheart. he’s so lovely i wanna munch on him ) 🥺
YES kaiser and sae both come off a lil mean 😭 lmaoooo but they literally cannot care any less. if you’re already there and he can afford the best designer pieces anyways,, then why settle for something mediocre @_@ also kaiser’s the type to smack your ass in the fitting rooms and you get SOOOOOO embarrassed bc everyone can hear loooool but he makes it up to u later 😋 while you’re wearing the newest prettiest set he just got u ofc !! mhm mhm ( also let’s u leash him so that he learns his lesson not to act up like this .. yeah ……. MMM)
sae goes the extra mile and prob makes a reservation to close down the store while you’re there lol he doesn’t want anyone coming in 😵💫
ALSO YEP .. YEP. barou especially he’s so flustered 😭 WHEN U TRY ON A PRETTY RED SET .. sighhhh he goes absoluuuteeelyyyyyy INSANE !!!!! 😵💫😵💫😵💫 it matches his eyes and u picked this one on purpose and HE KNOWS IT !! when the clerk comes up to ask whether y’all need any help he gets sooooo embarrassed lol cause where’s that ego n confidence now HUH ???? he looks so lovesick n all putty sitting on the loveseat it’s insane 😭 u got that man 1000% whipped
Order and Chaos are two of the oldest divinities and are responsible for the creation of the systems that exist within the Nexus (my world). Respectively, they're famously known for the creation of the Order of Angels & Life (Order) and Hell & Death (Chaos). Other achievements include the Seven Heavenly Virtues and the Seven Sins (Partially out of commission).
At an early part in their life, Order and Chaos formed an understanding relationship that developed into romantic feelings. The result of that romance and their union were the bijuu, their nine (related) children. Very soon after Shukaku was created, they separated and began their long-standing and bitter feud. In addition to their together children, they each have their own offspring, the Goddess of Life and Creation & the God of the Dead (prev the God of the Dead, Death and Decay; alt title as King of the Dead).
In the older days, each Bijuu was worshipped and had devoted followers because they were so important, and at the time were the only minor gods around. Eventually, after the creation of the New Gods, the Bijuu lost relevance and were in danger of fading away. A deal was struck so that they could maintain their form and power but they had to have a patron that they fused their soul with. In rare cases, the patrons are willing participants who offer themselves in exchange for help. In most cases, the patron is an unwilling sacrifice, pushed by devoted followers (or power-hungry men) who want to keep their god alive. In the very special case of Mito Uzumaki who offers herself to keep Kurama alive by making a deal that she'll honor his wishes in exchange for power and safety,,, she absolutely does not follow through. This builds up decades of resentment, especially when he is passed down to Kushina who does the same, which starts off his rocky relationship with Naruto.
In another very special case, Rin, who is forcibly made a patron to Isobu, dies within the early stages of his soul intertwining with hers. Later she is resurrected, as the initial soul intertwining process was botched, and Isobu and Rin's souls are now one in the same. Meaning that instead of switching out consciousnesses like a regular patron and god can do, they share it. After the resurrection, Rin also displays physical features of Isobu such as red sclera and protruding spikes.
Patrons receive their patron god's powers and abilities in exchange for either sacrifices or completing quests/tasks, often they're centered around the patron god's title. For example, Matatabi requires Yugito to exorcise and guide spirits/ghosts to the afterlife. In Killer B's case, him and Gyuuki are just vibing. Gyuuki has a historically good relationship with B's family and all of his patrons volunteered willingly, so he freely exchanges his power. Fuu was unwilling sacrificed, but thankfully Chomei adores her enough to provide her power for protection, even helping her leave her followers.
Kurama - God of Vengence
Gyuuki - God of Persistence and Adaptability
Chomei - Goddess of Luck
Saiken - God of Patience
Kokou - God of Determination & Freedom
Son Goku - God of Courage & Strength
Isobu - God of Still Waters and light rain showers
Matatabi - Goddess of Exocisim and Safe Passage to the Afterlife
Okay first I'll explain the drawing itself, and then go into Mark's lore a bit, so stay with me!!!
First of all, yep. Mark with long hair. When I first conceptualized how he'd look in this au, I just genuinely could not imagine him with the typical long curly wig. And that irked me, bcs its just sooooooo historically inaccurate for him to have had short hair, no wig. I sketched him and Jense out as chibis, I drew Mark with short hair, and literally wrote "haha wow he looks so bad with long hair!!" Hello, can I take back that statement? It's actually shocking how good he looks???? Maybe it's a testament to my skill that I could make this work. But I did! And man, shameful to admit, but this might be my best portrait ever 😭😭 Funny tho, guy I've barely drawn, and never as detailed as this, ends up being one of my favs. Mark, you bastard!!
^ lmao as you can see, I tried out a more Seb type wig and then realized ahhhhh nah, he needs a different style. And it worked so, yay!!! I've thought a lot recently, "man it would suck back then if you looked shitty in a wig" and I rescind that. I'm telling you, you think a man would look bad in a wig? I say think again, you're just not conceptualizing the right type of wig for him.
Also wow, its crazy thst I can finally actually visually see what he would look like next to others like Seb and Fernando in this au. Hehehe look at them!!! The boys!!!! Just need Jense :,)
Anyways, I digress, some lore notes about Mark since I don't think I've really talked about him in this au on main much.
He is, of course, Seb's closest servant. His Groom of the Bedchamber(yes that term makes me feel rabid.) He's actually also based on a real guy, whom was described as the Emperor's "favorite" and despite not technically having very important positions, he had a lot of influence because of his closeness and connection with the Emperor. So, yeah, I think that's gives a pretty good pic of Mark in this au :)
He's actually pretty satisfied with his role, but he does feel a bitter and jealous when interacting with others like Jenson and Fernando. Because Mark doesn't have a title, well not in the same way. He's a count, not a King, not a Prince. Yes he's nobility, but not in the same way. And he's satisfied being under Seb, because that's what Mark was raised to do, take care of and keep Seb in line. But often realizes he's never going to be on par with him, not in the same way Fernando can, even if he's Seb's closest confidant.
To build on that. He's very satisfied with his role, and even continues to be satisfied when Fernando comes into the picture. Fernando and Seb don't get along, Mark is always going to be the closest to Seb, always going to know him the best, take care of him the best. But he realizes, he would never get to marry Seb, he's not ranked high enough for that. He was raised to do what's best for the Emperor, he's never going to be able to compete with Seb the same way Fernando can. He really wants Seb and Fernando to succeed! To grow closer! But it still really hurts sometimes.
His closest friend, other than Seb, is Jenson of course(and eventually Fernando, after they stop growling at each other like they're Seb's dogs.) But he does get bitter about Jenson sometimes. Jenson is a prince, who had some great performances in battle. But eventually got tired of that lifestyle, and "retired" to being part of Seb's court. Mark can't really understand that. How do you throw that level of prestige and freedom away. How do you just become the Emperor's servant, when that was never what you were born for. But also, I think Jense definitely uplifts him, they just get along so well, and Jense truly cares for him, no other motives :)
LOL sorry I realize how depressing this sounds 😭 I think all of the above is just Mark at his most bitter, but he's genuinely pretty happy. Think of the whole "not bad for a number 2 driver thing", that's him in this AU. He knows his station, and god damn it, he's gonna be the best, most loyal groom there ever was!! He just cares for Seb so deeply, and it truly is his life path to serve him. Seb cares for him too, feels like he can always rely on him and always be reassured by him and his eternal presence in Seb's life. It's nice to have someone you can always fall back on. Sometimes literally. Yes he makes Mark carry him to bed.
Not to stray away from just Mark, but aaaaahhh the Martian in this AU. Just Mark having to put up with Seb's brattiness all the time, and care for him all the time :) He's so tired of catching Seb naked tho...Seb please put clothes on, this is not befitting of your station. Seb takes Mark with him everywhere, and they share the same bed on trips. Mark is always the first Seb goes to to ask his opinion. I said earlier that Mark feels like he cannot challenge Seb in the same way Fernando can, but Seb really wants him to honestly! He loves hearing Mark's thoughts and opinions. Mark is widely known as Seb's favorite, and is often seen as the second authority in the palace and in the court.
As for Webbonso? I think they really dislike each other in the beginning just because the roles that they're in. They both feel like they're pitted against each other, and ir doesn't help that Seb loves to tease them and often favor one in front of the other(he later realizes how shitty this is, and tries to rectify it, because he never intended to make them actually jealous, he just loves being bratty.) Eventually they realize they're in extremely similar situations(both beholden to and stuck eternally with the Emperor), and find comfort in each other in that.
Yep that's right...the palace is honestly one big polycule djkfkglg. But I hope thay explains Mark in this AU well enougg???? All you need to know: Seb's long-suffering servant.
personally i dont think karen using ziggs correct pronouns is like proof the chasitys r like so awesome and chill abt trans ppl like . legit feel like they arent like everyones entitled to their opinions on it yk ofc but imo it kinda takes away from the commentary of the harm of fundamentalist xtian views esp when they r canonically homophobic ones and ones clearly based in like. gender roles to act like transphobia isnt part of those harmful views yk but like i do have my own takes on those lines in hatchet town being. number 1 the kindaa boring one lol is that the songs in the show are non diagetic yk so its kinda like when ur telling a story abt ur friend whos nonbinary and like their mom or whoever is transphobic or theyre not out to her nd u have to mention smth their mom said abt them in the story but its not at all relevant to the story tht theyre closeted to her or she doenst respect their identity and like regardless u dont wanna deadname nd misgender ur friend so ur gonna say it like she was using the right name and pronouns assuming ur talking to someone theyre out to right. what im saying is the meta narrative (and also team starkid bc i suspect the real not in universe reason is they didnt wanna misgender both the character and their actor whos actually non binary which is like rly valid nd fair yk like esp in the instance of the simple hatchet town cameo irrelevent to any other hypothetical commentary i think itd feel less like an actual commentary on transphobia and more like. just pointless and somewhat transphobic in an of itself yk) is ziggs friend in this analogy and its not going misgender them even if it is repeating something karen said thank you very much ! and number 2 the less boring one is that ziggs nonbinary swag is so powerful tht the transphobes of hatchetfield dont know how to misgender them so theyre forced to respect their identity bc they dont know how to disrespect it lol
*kisses your brain* I am BEYOND interested in seeing the interview clips that inspired/back up your thoughts and analysis
aw yay!!! im so glad this is interesting to more than just me LOL
if any particular essays/ideas pique ur interest, i can give u a deeper dive into any of them with more clips & links, but for now under the cut i'll do a couple of short recs for each:
A Wolf in Deer's Clothing
oliver's deceit (and portrayal as a prey animal) was much more obvious in the movie, but getting to the crux of felix's role as a false-angel was heavily inspired by:
this interview where jacob dives into felix's need to be needed and seen as a savior, and
this scene breakdown with emerald, where she points out felix's desire for power masquerading as kindness
A Midsummer Night's Mare
this essay in particular is in response to the general fandom impression that oliver being drawn toward farleigh is anything but a horrific extension of his existing obsession toward felix and this was most heavily influenced by my own eyes and my ability to identify sexual assault when i see it (LOL) as well as:
this collider interview with archie madekwe where he talks about the development of farleigh's relationship with oliver, and even more importantly to my point, the catharsis farleigh gets from coming back and saying his piece at the midsummer night's party
The Eye of the Beholder
i've got a million interviews i could give you where emerald talks about the voyeurism in saltburn, but i think these details come out most when she's doing scene breakdowns and particularly in:
this moment of a vanity fair interview where she picks apart the details of the house that saltburn was filmed in, and the nature of the people that live inside of it and this bit from the same interview where she talks about the exhibitionist nature of the bathroom setup
this esquire interview where emerald lets us in on the workings of the house and how nothing can be private
sidenote: these two scene breakdown interviews are two of my favorites that i've seen come out of this movie, so i definitely recommend them in their entirety if you're at all interested!
Gender-Fluid
this might be my favorite topic on this list and the one that i think is most important and i'm SO GLAD that emerald has had some really great interviews where she gets to talk about these things. my favorite being:
this reign interview with josh smith that i really can't recommend enough, where emerald brings up the way women's bodies are used and objectified in film and addresses and challenges the "shock" that people claim to feel after seeing saltburn
THOSE!!! are my starter recommendations!!! but like i said at the beginning of this post, if you have anything in particular that you really want to dive deeper into, just lmk!! <333
I slept rly deeply last night even tho it took me a while to get to sleep but I think that was bc I had acid reflux and I'd been playing videogames too late not anything else.... still only got 6 hrs but doing pretty okay all things considered 😚