#i think that's a more exclusive ship name ? since the other one is devil may cry xgxgxfsg

[starrytect]

most cringe ass manager and guide on this whole bus

[dumplingfaye]

now I told you before reasons why Nacht x Asta was a great ship but now I’m going to tell you why it’s the best ship out of all

(and even if you’re not interested in Nacht x Asta I think you should take the time to read this because it will tell you a lot about you’re ship that you ship)

But then again it’s really long

no I’m not going to name all of the ships because there’s way too many but I will do some ships I’ll give you a reason why I’m not doing them all it’s because all would be for very pacific reasons and I’ll talk about that once I get to Nacht okay so first off we have

Zora x Asta

The reason I don’t like the ship is because it’s for a very pacific reason it’s for a very pacific person and again I’ll talk about that once I get to Nacht but to make it clear to you he hasn’t had that much interaction since his introduction with Asta and that’s the thing this ship it doesn’t even have that much merit to it so yeah no

Asta x Sécre

Same thing very pacific reason and they haven’t had that much interactions since her introduction and if anybody brings up the thing that she was the bird do you think stocking someone is cute now for

Yami x Asta

I can’t exactly go in depth right now but let’s just say I see there relationship like father and son now for the ships I support at least to some extent.

Asta x Noelle

okay so first off I’m not a big fan of this ship because there relationship with each other is more like siblings now why do I think this because it’s clear to me that whenever Noelle does something incredible Asta praises her not in the way that a boyfriend would but more like a big brother if you ignore her attraction towards Asta their relationship with each other is like siblings now you could say oh they’re both so similar so they’re perfect for each other but it’s because they’re similar that they’re like siblings. now similarities in a ship is either bad or incredible in this case it’s okay and if you want a ship about two people who are similar look no further than Yuno & Noelle they are both royalty they both achieve spirit dive they both faced prejudice to some extent in Noelle’s case she faced prejudice from her family but Yuno faced prejudice from his squad and both of them learn to overcome their hate and protect those people when those people needed them the most both have actual motives to stop the dark triad other than protecting the innocent because their parents were killed by them instead of the devil doing it. wind and water are like spiritual elements so they kind of fit each other they both didn’t have control over their magic then they overcome that endeavor and controlled it perfectly in Noelle’s case she literally couldn’t control her magic but when it comes to Yuno. Yuno Couldn’t control Sylph not even mentioning they hold a special place in Asta‘s life in Yuno‘s case he’s Asta’s rival in Noelle’s case she was his fellow newbie and they both experienced their first second and third missions together so yeah They also have those interactions that make them look like the exact same person and they’re both ranked on the most beautiful characters in black clover Noelle’s ranking is 2. and Yuno’s is 1. but that came out long before Nacht was introduced to the series so his number probably drop to 2. as well because of obvious reasons anyhow the point is Yuno and Noelle have so much more similarities than either Asta ship so Now let’s talk about

Asta x Mimosa

(that’s crazy I still have a lot to go because I have a lot to say) okay so this is the one that is more okay than the others I mean it’s not the best and I’ll tell you why once we get to Nacht but let me just say why is this ship in particular is really not toxic I guess okay so Mimosa likes Asta because Asta is Asta to some extent like she fell in love with him when he saved her and Noelle in the dungeon so why do I say she likes him for him because if it was anyone else she would have expected it because if it was Yuno she would have expected it because Yuno has a lot of incredible mana magic or Magna he is a commoner who got into the magic knights so yeah it was because Asta didn’t have any magic that she fell in love with him because even though he didn’t have magic he had a righteous heart protected his allies and would do anything for his friends and as we see her interact with her brother she doesn’t like people who think big of themselves so Asta who talks big but has the strength to back it up is also very modest because after Mimosa saved his life he said thank you I would’ve died without you not even mentioning Asta and Mimosa is a good pair for one another like Asta can save Mimosa and Mimosa can save Asta he can protect her she can protect him both are kind of an airhead one is offensive one is defensive but both can work well with other people Asta works abnormally well with Yuno Yami Finral Nacht Vanessa the list goes on and Mimosa can work well with Noelle Finral Yuno Klaus Zora Kirsch and possibly more but most importantly they both work well with each other (and if anybody brings up Noelle in this debacle just know that Asta and Noelle can only support one another not protect each other) yeah there’s barely anything wrong with the ship that’s why I ship it now for

Noelle x Asta x Mimosa

because Asta is a good boy he doesn’t deserve one wife that and they all work best with each other there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this ship I can totally see a scenario where Asta gives up on Lily and is torn between choosing Noelle or Mimosa so he decides to pick neither one because he’d rather be alone than cause the other pain so they say why don’t you choose both of us and I’ll be like yess ( „-’‿`- „ ) and speaking of Lily

Asta x Lily

it’s Memeable so I ship it because if Noelle and Mimosa say I love you Asta he’ll be like okay but I love a nun now for

Yuno x Asta

okay we’re almost at the end now (I like this ship it isn’t like those other shonen ships between the protagonist and his rival that I usually like to meme about it more than ship it like I was a shipper to all ships in Black clover but now I’m just kind of Yuno x Asta or Nacht x Asta exclusively ) now why do I like Yunoasu why this ship because Yuno acts really gay when it come to Asta and Asta gets jealous of Ril because Ril got to fight Yuno instead of Asta. Asta and Yuno give each other that look whenever they see each other. They work perfectly together Yuno strengthens Asta’s attacks and they’re both kind of like each other antithesis one has magic one has nonexistent magic one is royalty one might be a fallen one (because I think Licita & Asta are Licht and Tetia descendents) they both believe in the other. they both grew up together so it’s just natural to believe that they would want to be with the person who’s been there since they were babies the closest person to them is each other so this ship is incredible so how can Nacht x Asta be better well........

before we get to that

Liebe x Asta

I don’t like the ship because they’re brothers they share the same mom and they might even actually be biologically related so uh yeah NOW FINELY WE’WR HERE

Nacht x Asta

this ship this is........... when it comes to all the others This ship ranks supreme in my book why you may think because if Nacht & Asta We’re in a relationship it will be the type of dynamic where neither of them doesn’t wanna lose each other both worry for one another Asta is a very kind person but just because he’s kind doesn’t mean that people like him to tell the truth when it comes to everyone else barely any of them truly like his true self because when it comes to Zora or Sécre they only like him they would only be in a relationship with him because he was the one who changed them but he was only able to change them because he was strong Yami only took notice of Asta because he was strong if he didn’t have the strength to back it up he would never get into the magic knights no one would take him seriously not his hopes nor his dreams Noelle only fell in love with Asta because he was strong and he encouraged her you could literally replace him with anyone else like Yuno and she would still feel the same for them so yeah she doesn’t love Asta she loves the persona of him a person who is kind strong and tells you you did great when you thought that they were going to make fun of you Mimosa if Asta wasn’t strong she wouldn’t fall in love with him neither would any of the other ships that I didn’t even get to name and I may have praised Yunoasu but honestly it’s kind of a gross ship to because if Yuno wasn’t saved by Asta or if he didn’t grown-up with Asta he would see him as a joke and never take him seriously no matter what and that’s the exact reason why someone like Asta can’t be honest to his friends he hast to keep on smiling constantly hast to be strong because if he’s weak he will be all alone and that’s why I love Liebe & Nacht so much because no matter what they’ll except him Liebe doesn’t care if his brother is strong because as long as he’s kind he’ll care for him more than anyone and Nacht he can except someone who is weak someone who cry’s as long as they’re a good person and that’s not even mentioning the fact that Nacht watched Asta for years and I can only assume it’s because he had that smile a kind personality someone who even though he had no magic kept on training even though he was up against the world up against God’s favorite (Yuno) he never stopped believing he could be the wizard king one day that’s what probably drew him towards Asta he excepted Asta long before anyone in the Black Bulls really did that’s why I ship it because I know Asta would except Nacht and all of his flaws and mistakes Because they would be there for each other because they both gone through a lot so they’re empty to some extent but the person who can put sugar into that jar or fill up the hole in their hearts are each other I constantly think of scenarios where Asta says nobody will except me if I’m weak I have to be strong I can’t cry I have to be strong I’m not allowed to be weak. and Nacht Responding with a hug and says I’ll except you even if the whole world rejects you I’ll except you because I know you except me) And that’s why I ship it because it’s beautiful I love it and even though it will never happen I’ll keep on shipping it until I stop I cannot say that I’ll be a shipper forever because I don’t know what will happen in the future but until then I will be a strong supporter of the ship and I hope you guys could understand ( „T’‿`T„ )

[ariaadagio]

Aria’s Long List of Lucifer & Deckerstar Fic Recs - Part 3

Hello, all!  Since I completed writing Castaway earlier in September, I’ve finally had a chance to start catching up on my reading list.  I still have tons left to read, but I think I’ve hit critical mass on fics I liked enough to recommend, so I’m back with another round of recs!

These recs are organized by author name and category (for the most part), and the list order is not meant to imply an order of preference.  All recommendations are completed fics unless otherwise noted.  If anyone knows the @ tumblr names for any of the authors I missed tagging, or if I got anything wrong, please let me know.

You can find my other recs posts here (part 1), here (part 2), here (part 4), here (Part 5), and here (part 6).

S3E24 Aftermath Fics

Some Kind of Mysterious by Autumn Rayne

~2300 words

This is a lovely little peek into Chloe’s reaction.  She’s somewhat thrown for a loop and initially pulls back, but as she slowly regains her footing in this new reality, the repeated refrain of “she does not miss Lucifer” becomes increasingly full of denial.  Charming!

It would be for this by Dreamline

~4600 words

Heaven and hell were words to me by nosecoffee ( @nose-coffee )

~2600 words

I’m listing these two stories together because they’re a series of sorts.  The first story is told from Trixie’s POV, which is a great use of dramatic irony.  Because of how the story is constructed, the reader knows far more about what’s going on that Trixie does, which prompts a bit of puzzle solving on the part of the reader, and the result is lovely.  The second story is told from Lucifer’s POV, waking up in the aftermath.  The last few lines in particular are heart-wrenching and perfect.  

Beautiful man with a beautiful face, who was not a man at all by an_earl

~8800 words

An_earl has a lovely, lyrical style of writing that’s captivating.  I enjoyed reading about Chloe, now in the know, considering past events in a new light.  Also, delicious angst so thick you could cut it with a knife.  

Carry On by IceQueen1 ( @disappearinginq )

~5000k words

Chloe reacts.  Lucifer misunderstands said reaction.  Some lovely heartfelt drama ensues.  Perfect all around.

heart to heart (soul to soul) by Lesza ( @spiacooczna )

~3000 words

This story starts with Chloe and Lucifer at odds, but the ice is gradually broken via the use of text messages, which is something I can intimately relate with because I’ve lived it (not the Devil reveal, obviously, but social anxiety that was resolved in a similar way).  This was the first story I read in my current “binge,” and I was captivated from start to finish.  Lovely angst, and the ending will make your heart soar.  

Simpatico by pixelbypixel ( @pixelbypixelfanfic)

~3100 words

For a funny, more off-the-wall approach to post S3, a distraught Lucifer commiserates with Deadpool.  This made me laugh and smile so much, which was something I sorely needed when I read it.

Aftershocks by Subsequent ( @inclines )

~19400 words

A lovely, more light-hearted approach to the “aftershocks” of S3E24.  Chloe deals with being “in the know,” and the gang deals with fixing the mess left behind by Cain.  Lots of humorous touches and great lines, to include everybody quickly being brought into the Lucifer is Lucifer loop. 

 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by @spirantization

~31,000 words

A series, currently of three works.  I haven’t yet had the opportunity to read the third piece, but the first two are a delight.  Poor Chloe is trying desperately to keep up with her new reality, and failing woefully at every turn.  Meanwhile, in the second story, Lucifer and Maze perpetrate some of the most hysterical sniping and snark at each other that I’ve ever read.  And, of course, there’s M.V.P. Linda, a perennial presence in both stories, trying to referee this whole mess.  I have so much love for this series!

Other Great Reads:

Remedy by IceQueen1 ( @disappearinginq )

~1500 words

Haunting, horrifying, engrossing look at what might happen to Lucifer if someone realized angel feathers could cure human ailments.

Paradiso by @theleafpile

~60000 words

I normally don’t read AUs, particularly not “all human” ones, but this story was basically a giant, “Oh, really?” that proved me wrong at every turn.  I loved this.  Theleafpile has a lyrical, poetic, enchanting writing style that will suck you right in and refuse to let you go, and even with the setting so vastly altered, all of the canonical characters were instantly recognizable and believable in their new incarnations.  Beautiful angst.  Creative storytelling.  Do pay attention to the tags, but absolutely worth a read (or nine).  

That’s How You Know by @notonelineff

~7000 words

A gorgeous established-relationship fic.  Lucifer hasn’t said those big three words, yet, and Chloe is starting to agonize over why that might be.  All of her friends provide her with examples that show, while Lucifer might not say it, he feels it.  Perfect use of ensemble.  Great balance of fluff and angst.  If pining is your happy-place trope, this fic is so for you.

They Who Fight Monsters by @obliobla

~3500 words

Suuuper dark, haunting look at Lucifer as a punisher, which also puts Chloe in an interesting light as she gets sucked into enabling Lucifer’s eye-for-an-eye form of justice.  

Your Smile Makes My Soul Shine by @obliobla

~9500 words

As you all have probably figured out, I am a complete sucker for Lucifer characterizations that fully incorporate the idea that he’s about … a zillion million years old, and has Seen Some Shit (™).  Set in a nebulous time period where Chloe knows the truth, Chloe and Lucifer make a go at dating, and the results are enchanting to read.  Angsty, humorous, heartwarming, sad, lovely, all in one fic, all in perfect balance.  

What Dreams May Come by @pellaaearien

~1000 words

In which Trixie has a nightmare, and Lucifer makes it better.  Just a quick little shot of wingfic fluff that was adorable :)  Guaranteed to make you smile!

Stars by @tarysande

~2300 words

A beautiful, heart-wrenching, heartwarming, sweet, sad character piece that examines Lucifer through Trixie’s eyes.  Deals with Lucifer’s more mythic aspects, namely that he created the stars, with a perfect ending.  Tarysande’s writing style is so easy-to-read and lyrical; I only wish I could replicate it.  

(Don’t) Put Your Arms Around Me by SomeoneAsGoodAsYou (the_wanlorn)

~9500 words.

Another Lucifer & Trixie centric piece that I just love, in which Lucifer disdainfully asks of Linda: “What’s the point of ... hugging?”  Beautifully written look at Lucifer warming up a bit to “the offspring,” and to some of the more touchy-feely quirks of humanity in general.  Lovely Deckerstar moments as well.  The_wanlorn’s characterization of Lucifer (and everyone really) is perfect, and your heart will be so full by the end of this one.  

WIPs worth a mention:

After by Apparition ( @devilish-apparition )

~21000 words

Previously recommended as a one-shot.  The author has since opted to expand into a compelling post S3E24 narrative with some promising, surprising new myth-expansion elements.

City of Fallen Angels by Endelda & NostalgiaKick

~17000 words

A quirky crossover between Lois & Clark: the New Adventures of Superman, and Lucifer.  Set near the end of S1 in Lois & Clark, and near the end of S3 in Lucifer.  The author draws some really interesting parallels between the characters of both shows in this charming, thoughtful piece.  Technically not a WIP, as it is finished, but it is being posted episodically.  

Endless by Destany_Mitchell

~10000 words

If you like Lucifer & Ella friendship, and want to read more world building a la ATWL, this might be a read for you!  The author has chosen to bring in some elements from the comics that are, thus far, super intriguing.  My interest is piqued!

Falling to Fly by FluffyGlitterPantsDragon ( @fluffydragon84 )

~23000 words

This fic!  I have yet to see a more gripping, thoughtful, atmospheric examination of the S3E24 aftermath -- this story delves into the forensics of the crime scene, and the FBI investigation into Cain’s murder.  NOTE: This fic is Lucifer/Dan as the primary ship, so exclusive Deckerstar fans beware, but even if Lucifer/Dan isn’t really your jam, I highly recommend this story for the main plot elements alone.  Sincerely, read this.  It’s worth it.

[creative-type]

Several months ago someone asked what I thought about the Warlord system in One Piece and how Oda integrated it into the story as a whole. The short answer was that I thought it’s been pretty fantastic thus far, but it’s something that I’ve had in the back of my mind for a while now and I’d like to expand on my reasoning a bit. 

I know I’m in the minority on this, but as a general FYI I will be using the English translations for all titles and epithets. I have a difficult enough time with spelling as it is and don’t really see the appeal of using Japanese when there’s a perfectly serviceable translation available.

So without further ado, let’s talk about Warlords.

In Service of World Building 

As many already know, when Eiichiro Oda conceptualized One Piece the series was only supposed to last for five years. It seems silly to think that now, but when you look back and see how quickly Oda breezed through the East Bue arcs it almost seems as if that original estimate was possible.

What you may not know is that according to an interview in the 23rd log book, Oda came up with the idea for the Seven Warlords of the Sea after the Four Emperors. And while I have no proof, I would go so far as to argue that the decision to make Mihawk a Warlord was a retroactive one, as the term “Seven Warlords of the Sea” wasn’t introduced until chapter 69 when Mihawk made his debut in chapter 49. 

Chapter 69, incidentally, is also when we get our first hint of the Emperors, as they along with the World Government and Warlords make up the three great powers that rule the Grand Line.

So the Warlords were a relatively late addition to the world of One Piece, though their role and place within the story come hundreds of chapters before the influence of the Emperors or the World Government is fleshed out. Credit goes to Oda for seamlessly integrating a new idea into his rapidly expanding story. 

I’ll go into the importance of the Warlords from a narrative standpoint after a while, but first I want to point out that the Warlords make sense. Privateers were totally a thing during the Golden Age of Piracy and had a profound impact on real world politics. One Piece’s Warlord system is a broad reference to these privateers, but grounding the more fantastical elements in the series in something the audience can understand helps make the story feel real. Transforming the mundane into the fantastic is one of the hallmarks of a great fantasy series. 

Even if the reader doesn’t have any foreknowledge of real world privateers, the in-universe logic pans out. It makes sense that the marines would be overwhelmed by the pirate boom caused by Roger’s death. It makes sense that the World Government would be willing to make deals with their sworn enemies to help stop the bleeding. It makes sense that selfish, amoral criminals would take advantage of the privileges offered to them by the World Government, or that less scrupulous individuals would seek out that power to further their own ends. 

(Not a whole lot is known about the initiation of the Warlord system, but I work under the assumption that it’s a relatively new organization. As far as I’m aware Crocodile was one of the longest-tenured Warlords and joined in his mid-twenties, which matches up nicely with the beginning of the Great Pirate Age. If there’s evidence that suggests they’ve been around for longer I’d be happy to hear it.) 

As for why Seven Warlords instead of five of ten or any other number, Oda himself is on the record for saying he thought it was cool, but in-universe it stands to reason that the marines and World Government wouldn’t want to give out too many pardons for fear of losing control over the Warlords (which ends up happening anyway, but we’ll get to that later) while still having enough of a force at their disposal to counter the Emperors if need be, as seen during Marineford.

All this to say that as a concept, the Warlords work. They serve a greater purpose within the world of One Piece than fodder for the Straw Hats to face. One of One Piece’s greatest strengths is that the characters always feel like they have lives outside of what we’re shown. Even minor antagonists like the Baroque Works agents are shown to have dreams outside of Crocodile’s ambition, while characters like Hancock and Jimbe have histories that go far beyond “allies of the Straw Hat Pirates”. We are only shown tiny slivers of these characters lives, but they are all unique with different motivations, dreams, and outlooks on life while all still being, ostensibly, pirates who have made themselves dogs of the Government.

A secondary effect is we get to see how other characters react to them and their actions, particularly the marines and World Government. 

Smoker says it best. The Warlords hit this weird middle ground between the Justice spouted by the marines and the Freedom the Straw Hats pursue, and in doing so reveal the corruption within the World Government and show what the Straw Hats might become should they falter in their journey.

The Warlord-World Government relationship is especially interesting. Before the Alabasta saga we had seen small-time corruption by Morgan and Nezumi, but the cover up surrounding Crocodile’s defeat goes all the way to the top. It’s the first time we see different factions within the marines and really the first time we see how awful the World Government can be. 

What’s special is the entire interaction doesn’t involve the Straw Hats at all. It’s an interaction between Smoker and his superiors in reaction to what happened with Crocodile. There are’t a lot of series that can have this type of development separate from their main protagonists, but it’s another one of those things that makes the world of One Piece feel bigger than just the Straw Hat Pirates.

Service of the Straw Hats

While the Warlords are an interesting bunch with enough personality to carry the manga by themselves, their existence would be meaningless if they didn’t interact with the Straw Hats in some way shape or form. It is entirely possible to cut the Warlord system from the story with minimal interruption to the overarching plot. At the same time, you don’t introduce a powerful group and then not have them all show up. The moment Yosaku said there were seven Warlords Oda was basically forced to make sure they all appeared in some way, shape, or form (in the same interview that revealed that the Warlords were made up after the Emperors, Oda laments not lowering the number to something more reasonable, like two).

In a lesser series, this would mean having the Straw Hats fight all seven, preferably in order of ascending difficulty. Luckily for us, One Piece is not one of those series and the Warlords turn out to be as unique and variable as the world they inhabit. Some have become Luffy’s mortal enemies, others allies, and hopefully one will someday join the crew (any day now, Oda). Alliances form, shift, and break as needed to further the plot, with a few good twists thrown in along the way.

I would say that the Warlords were at their most effective early in the series, when they were acting as gatekeepers to the rest of the world. Mihawk, even though he wasn’t confirmed to be a Warlord until twenty chapters after his introduction, was the reader’s first glimpse into the power scaling of the series. The first thing we knew about him was he was the World’s Greatest Swordsman and could destroy fifty ships without breaking a sweat. Luffy and Zoro had their badass moments early on, but nothing they had done was even remotely close to what Mihawk was capable of with a knife and an afternoon to kill. 

Crocodile, on the other hand, opened the reader up to the political side of One Piece. We met princesses and kings, and the fate of an entire nation depended on whether or not Luffy could overcome one of the scariest Devil Fruits of the series to date. We got a greater look into the marines and the World Government, learned of weapons capable of taking over the world, and saw the first hint of an ancient conspiracy that remains a mystery even to this day. 

The Warlords of the Sea opened up the world of One Piece in a way almost nothing else could,while also fleshing it out and giving Oda a lot of freedom to maneuver. An example of this would be Thriller Bark, which might not be the most consequential arc in the series, but One Piece needed a little bit of levity between the whirlwind of Enies Lobby and the massive shakeup that would be Marineford. 

The fact that the Warlords tend to represent different factions doesn’t hurt. Crocodile and Moriah are silver medalists in the Great Pirate Age, Doflamingo was a Celestial Dragon and king, Hancock a literal empress of her island and former slave, Jimbe one of the first examples of the power of allies on the highest level, and Kuma was a Revolutionary. Mihawk is the outlier here, but even he shows what the pinnacle of swordsmanship looks like in the One Piece world.

And since Oda doesn’t have a habit of killing off his antagonists we get to see the Warlords themselves receive development and play major roles in the story long after their arcs are complete. Jimbe is perhaps the greatest example of how perspectives can change over the course of the series. He was name-dropped during the Arlong arc as a probable antagonists, introduced as a defector of the Warlord system due to his loyalty to Whitebeard, only to become one of Luffy’s greatest and most powerful allies in the New World and likely tenth member of his crew. 

A Crumbling System

By now you’ll probably have noticed that I’m referring exclusively to the original Seven Warlords, and there’s a reason for that. Things get complicated after Crocodile’s scheming gets him kicked out of the group. Blackbeard, Law, and Doflamingo follow in his footsteps as explicitly using their position to further their own goals. Jimbe quits. Hancock keeps her position while secretly allying with Luffy, Kuma was revealed to be a double agent until the loss of his free will. Moriah is double-crossed for being old and washed up, and Mihawk doesn’t even care. 

By the time skip rolls around the mystique surrounding the Warlords had vanished, and I think Buggy’s inclusion into their ranks was the final indication that, no, we’re not meant to take them seriously anymore. And why should we? The Straw Hats have graduated from surpassing Warlords to surpassing Emperors, and the series focus has shifted from a devil-may-care attitude regarding the politics of the world to an arms race of gathering allies and picking the right moment to start fights with major players.

The people within the system are still a force to be reckoned with. Despite being fought after the time skip, Doflamingo was a beast in battle. But the system itself is shown to be broken beyond repair. The Straw Hats--and the series--has outgrown them. 

Which was why I was super pleased with the ending of the Dressrosa Arc.

By all accounts the Warlord system shouldn’t exist anymore. The ridiculousness that they’ve gotten away with is absolutely staggering, and because of Luffy’s meddling it’s all starting to come to the surface. The World Government, even if they started the system with the best of intentions shouldn’t tolerate their presence any longer. 

Issho and Smoker working together to bring down the system while Sakazuki butts head with the World Government makes for excellent drama and probably the only way to keep the Warlords interesting in the manga’s current state. It’s another way Oda’s evolving narrative, and I look forward to see where it goes from here.

But that’s just my take. I’d be happy to hear what y’all think, or if there are any topics you’d like me to write on next. It’s been a while since I’ve done any major One Piece analysis, and it was really fun digging back into the nitty gritty of the series. 

[blogpinoy339]

Avenged Sevenfold Hail To The King Zip

Avenged Sevenfold Full Song List

Avenged Sevenfold Albums

The Best of 2005–2013Compilation album by ReleasedDecember 2, 2016Recorded2004–2013GenreLength1:35:39LabelWarner Bros.Avenged Sevenfold chronology

The Stage (2016)The Best of 2005–2013 (2016)Live at the GRAMMY Museum (2017)

Get the best deals on avenged sevenfold hoodie when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Free shipping on many items Browse your favorite brands. Avenged Sevenfold Full Zip Hoodie! Hail to the King! AVENGED SEVENFOLD METAL ROCK. Avenged Sevenfold - Hail To The King by Gandi Tama. Publication date 2013-11-29 Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0 Topics Avenged sevenfold Language Indonesian. The Best of 2005–2013 is a greatest hits album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released by the band's former label, Warner Music Group, on December 2, 2016.The album covers songs from all of the band's albums released under Warner Bros., from City of Evil to Hail to the King, including covers and one-off singles released in between. Audio normalizer for windows.

The Best of 2005–2013 is a greatest hits album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released by the band's former label, Warner Music Group, on December 2, 2016. The album covers songs from all of the band's albums released under Warner Bros., from City of Evil to Hail to the King, including covers and one-off singles released in between.(1) The band members themselves have not endorsed or supported this album due to it being released without their consent, knowledge or involvement. The album has since been removed from digital streaming services.

Background(edit)

In early 2016, Avenged Sevenfold left Warner Bros. for Capitol Records, resulting in a legal battle between the record label and the band.(2) In response to the allegedly-leaked release date of the band's seventh album, falsely leaked and titled Voltaic Oceans with a December 9 release date by Chris Jericho over Instagram, Warner Bros. announced The Best of 2005–2013, to be released one week prior to the leaked release date, on December 2. However, the band officially surprise-released the album as The Stage on October 28, to which the label quickly changed the release date to capitalize on traffic, but reverted to its December 2 release.

Avenged Sevenfold Full Song List

Singer M. Shadows has openly expressed disdain about the release of the greatest hits album without the band's knowledge, stating 'You’re gonna try to put this record out right before our new record just to undercut us and try to confuse the casual fan, like, 'Is this the new record? Or is that the new record?' Or parents buying stuff for Christmas. So it's just really childish.'(3)

Track listing(edit)

Disc oneNo.TitleAlbumLength1.'Bat Country'City of Evil, 20055:112.'Beast and the Harlot'City of Evil, 20055:433.'Seize the Day'City of Evil, 20055:344.'Critical Acclaim'Avenged Sevenfold, 20075:155.'Almost Easy'Avenged Sevenfold, 20073:546.'Afterlife'Avenged Sevenfold, 20075:527.'Dear God'Avenged Sevenfold, 20076:338.'A Little Piece of Heaven'Avenged Sevenfold, 20078:00

Disc twoNo.TitleAlbumLength1.'Nightmare'Nightmare, 20106:142.'Welcome to the Family'Nightmare, 20104:053.'So Far Away'Nightmare, 20105:264.'Hail to the King'Hail to the King, 20135:055.'Shepherd of Fire'Hail to the King, 20135:236.'Walk' (Pantera cover)High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock, 20065:207.'Flash of the Blade' (Iron Maiden cover)Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden, 20084:018.'Paranoid' (Black Sabbath cover)Covered, A Revolution in Sound, 20092:439.'Carry On'Black Reign (EP), 20184:1510.'Not Ready to Die'Black Reign (EP), 20187:05

Avenged Sevenfold Albums

Personnel(edit)

M. Shadows – lead vocals

Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals

Johnny Christ – bass, backing vocals

The Rev – drums, backing vocals (all tracks on disc one, tracks 6, 7 and 8 on disc two)

Mike Portnoy – drums (tracks 1, 2 and 3 on disc two)

Arin Ilejay – drums (tracks 4, 5, 9 & 10 on disc two)

External links(edit)

References(edit)

^'Avenged Sevenfold to Release 'The Best of 2005-2013''. Loudwire.

^'Avenged Sevenfold Wants Out of Warner Bros. Contract, Label Sues: Exclusive'.

^'A7X's M. Shadows Denounces Warner 'Greatest Hits' Album'. Loudwire.

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Best_of_2005–2013&oldid=991057901'

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Song Released: 2013

Hail to the King Lyrics

'Hail To The King' Watch your tongue or have it cut from your head Save your life by keeping whispers unsaid Children roam the streets now orphans of war Bodies hanging in the streets to adore Royal faith will carve the path in..

1TOP RATED

anonymous

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Mar 27th, 2018 3:37pmreport

I thought this was an actual Christian song about praising God.

2TOP RATED

anonymous

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Oct 8th, 2016 10:05pmreport

A song about the people yearning to bring back and greet the coming Christian king to rule in the name of God's son Jesus Christ in the near future. In order to save our Western society that has been polluted and corrupted by the ungodly intellectual illuminated illuminaries, working with the old Bolshevik communist, Zionist Nazi slave driven mentality, that has been used on us with the throat cutters now, to create and accomplish their agenda for the one world order rule, who calls themselves the globalists. That are against hailing to the coming of the king, like they have always been, and now who likes for us to be against the Christian 'czar' Vladimir Putin that are demonizing him like he is the new Hitler to scapegoat for war, and don't want to be surfing themselves to 'Hail To The King' and serve God.

anonymous

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Aug 13th, 8:25amreport

The song is not about a tyrant king. Because even after the the rebellion of the people in that interpretation happens they still hail to the king. I think the song is about the second comming of the messiah. Every interpretation I have come across that says otherwise leaves out the part about being born again but it's to late to atone. There are so many other correlations to be made with him being referred to as the king, the one, standing in the sun or the light. The bad has references to god in there songs all the time this is no different.

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anonymous

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Jul 5th, 7:42amreport

This the sound tracks of the series game of thrones, cutting heads, cutting dick,cuting hairs fuck it all hail to tha king.

anonymous

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Mar 24th, 2020 3:27pmreport

You dont need my opinion, it's mine. just enjoy good music when and where you find it. Stop over anylising everything, get a job and stop worrying about life so much. It is going to end someday for all of us. Be right with GOD and enjoy whats here. opinionated huh?

anonymous

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Feb 20th, 2020 2:59pmreport

It's Trump's theme song for his MAGA rallies.

anonymous

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Jan 11th, 2020 1:34amreport

This is a Clear Depiction and Story of Julius Caesar and his Accomplishments. Kaiser which a title meaning ruler or King derived from Caesar. Hail to the King.

anonymous

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Jun 24th, 2019 6:39pmreport

It's a long shot but I think of this song as the rein of Hitler. 'Watch your tongue or have it cut from your head' Those who opposed Hitler were suppressed in violent ways. This song is clearly about a tyrant king who suppressed opposition. It's an idea, but it's probably not about him especially coming from a band like this.

anonymous

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Sep 14th, 2018 9:53pmreport

My interpretation is like others have said, about a tyrant king, but the ending shows something dark not sure if it's death or the devil! But the song is badass!

anonymous

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May 1st, 2018 5:40amreport

i'm not 200% but I think that the song is about a Tyrant king who is suppressing the common folk in a time of war

anonymous

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Apr 27th, 2018 4:13pmreport

Hail to the King is an occult song. It's referencing Saturn which rules death, decay, slowness, cold, sharpness, rings, winter, grief, solemnity and time. 'Watch your tongue or have it cut from your head' - Saturn is a very serious entity. He doesn't joke or love. As the angel Cassiel who governs Saturn once said, 'I leave love to others.' 'Save your life by keeping whispers unsaid' - Saturn is quiet which is manifest in winter silence for example. So this line is saying respect Saturn and rest in the stillness. 'hildren roam the streets, now orphans of war' - War brings about death. Losing one's parents to war brings mourning and grief. All Saturnian characteristics. 'Bodies hanging in the streets to adore' - Don't fear death, come to terms with it by understanding it's place in life. 'Royal flames will carve a path in chaos' This carving a path could be a reference to the shape of Saturn's knife, the scythe. 'Bringing daylight to the night' This line references bringing attention and action to the night which Saturn rules. 'Death is riding into town with armor,' Pretty clear 'They've come to take all your rights' You can't have rights if you're dead. 'Hail to the king, hail to the one Kneel to the crown, stand in the sun Hail to the king' Saturn is king because he rules time and death. Therefor, let's honor him as king. Also, historically Saturn has always been worshipped and there is even confusion between the Sun and Saturn hence 'Stand in the sun' line. Some believe Saturn was once a sun which undergone a change with cataclysmic consequences on earth. Others believe Saturn always was the planet that the 'sun' referred to. 'Blood is spilt while holding keys to the throne Born again, but it's too late to atone No mercy from the edge of the blade Dare escape and learn the price to be paid' This refers to the inevitability of death and Saturn's influence on our lives. Saturn strikes us with cold, sharp fear. The blade is another reference to the Scythe. Saturn doesn't do love so if you try to escape his grasp, you WILL lose and indeed learn the 'price to be paid' for your arrogance. The rest is pretty clear as well. Hope this helps. This is coming from a magician. Additionally, Saturn worship is seen in wedging RINGS, halos above the heads of saints (a reference to Saturn's rings) and countless other customs. It's deep. This is coming from a magician who evokes spirits. Honoring them in music is definitely an excellent way to reap the benefits of their office.

anonymous

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Feb 18th, 2018 2:37amreport

I think this song is about Satan and The Illuminati. https://blogpinoy339.tumblr.com/post/653279790755921920/diskmaker-x-snow-leopard. When he says watch your mouth ill have it cut from your head I believe that Its the Illuminati saying that if he talks about what they do then they will kill them

anonymous

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Jun 26th, 2017 6:28pmreport

A tyrant king who rules over his subjects with a iron fist who kills all who oppose him it is not about the bible or the second coming.

skullripper48

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Jun 17th, 2017 6:56pmreport

this is a song, in my opinion, that is a sarcastic pledge to the leaders of the world. 'These people torture us and are totally disconnected, not concerned with anything but the almighty dollar, but by all means, HAIL TO THE KING!'

anonymous

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Jan 9th, 2017 1:22pmreport

I think the king is death, and the lyrics show how in the end, death triumphs over everything

anonymous

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Jun 9th, 2016 6:52amreport

This song is about a tyrant king who abused his people and how they are angry with him everything from armour to the sky blackened with arrows describes a Dark ages king who has alust for power it is not Jesus'second coming or the anti Crist or Satan it is a dark ruler like Bloody Mary, king Richard III, or Henry VIII.

JJG103

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Aug 10th, 2015 8:55amreport

I think its about anything that can completely take over you and your every thought and therfore effect you and everybody and everything that surrounds or includes you and or something or someone or anything that is effected by you weather it be drugs or love,war,jesus violence or being the best at something. if you look at it like that you can put any circumstance weather it be good or bad in there case opiate addiction is the king

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[cristixntm]

𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭  𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧.

[ XAVIER SERRANO / POLYTROPOS / CAERUS / MUSE 36 ] / [ CRISTIANO MONTERO ] is a [ TWENTY-ONE ] year old [ BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ] major. [ HE ] is known for being [ CHARMING & CLEVER ] but [ INSOUCIANT & INSENSITIVE ].  when i think of them, i imagine [ A CHEEKY WINK FROM ACROSS THE BAR, LATE NIGHT ‘U UP?’ TEXTS, THE CLENCH OF A JAW BEHIND A COCKY SMIRK, RICH BOYS DON’T HAVE HEARTS ]. and even though they’re a proud HU student now, we all have our roots. theirs run back to them being a [ MHP ( AQUA ) ] graduate.  i asked around and it turns out they [ AREN’T ] an AOP student. in their interview, they managed to woo the admissions team by [ PRESENTING A FIVE-FIGURE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO THAT WAS STARTED FROM $10 ]. i guess that’s all there is to know! unless…

howdy hey frands! i’m jocey ( 24, she/her, est ) & this is my trash son, cristian. not me reusing an old intro and still getting this up late……. mmYEP luv that for me! if you would like to plot, hit that like button & i’ll come your way or feel free to hmu on discord ( jocey#9154 ).

full name : cristiano javier montero de barra nickname : mostly goes by cristian age : twenty-one sexuality : heterosexual hometown : madrid, spain / los angeles, california high school : marble hill prep ( aqua house ) HU house : polytropos major : business administration extracurriculars : eleusinian circle ( legacy ), soccer ( centre forward )

cristian is the second and youngest born to javier montero and alisa de barra. his dad is the CEO of montero properties, the developer behind many big name casinos and resorts around the world, while his mom is an actress who starred in several spanish telenovelas and hollywood films.

originating from spain, the montero family had always been a familiar face in the media, with both cristian and his older sister having large followings on social media. the montero’s had a reputation for living extravagantly and lavishly, and often flaunted their 1% status.

out of the whole family, arguably the one with the most controversial reputation was cristian — one of the heirs to the montero fortune, fuckboy extraordinaire with an impressively long list of ex lovers, and all around entitled trust fund brat ( whEW hate that!! ). taking full advantage of his family name, he was always seen at the exclusive events and partying, even hooking up, with some well-known names.

but with the family name also came the expectation to be the picture perfect son and the responsibility to carry on the family legacy. unfortunately, parents never quite get exactly what they hoped for from their children, do they?

if there’s one thing you should know about cristian is that he will never do anything if he felt forced into it. his parents learned early on that hiring a good PR team and shipping their son off to a boarding school ( marble hill prep ) was easier than forcing him to behave. the fact that cristian’s dad was a MHP and HU alum and the montero’s family were big donors might have helped to keep him from getting expelled on one or two occasions.

still, to some extent, cristian did the bare minimum just to keep his parents off his back and his bank account essentially bottomless. he got good grades ( whether it was completely based on his own merits was a different story ), showed up to important events ( granted he was always drunk and late ), and charmed the pants off of interviewers and his admirers ( sometimes quite literally ).

attending hatchett unversity was just another thing that he did to keep his trust fund ( or so he says ). and who was he to turn down the good ol’ college experience? it was also the perfect way to keep his side business ( read: drug ring ) going.

running a boarding school turned college drug ring was never exactly something he’d planned on doing. like with most things in cristian’s life, the opportunity sort of just fell into his lap and he decided to run with it. call it a bored rich kid thing, but there was just something about earning his own cash in such a risky way that made it that much sweeter.

while those who know cristian may be aware of his connection to this drug ring, most assume that he’s just dealing and/or using his rich boi connections to bring in customers. only a select few know that he’s actually the brains behind the surprisingly well thought-out operation, and he prefers to keep it that way.

cavalier fuckboy with a heart of gold… ( underneath a shit ton of asshole layers, that is ) basically summed up cristian. he always puts out this very lazy, devil-may-care image of himself, and acts like someone who could not give two shits about anyone other than himself. call him a selfish asshole and he’d probably agree with you. but when it comes to his closest friends, the ones he considered to be his real family, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for them.

most write cristian off as this spoiled, reckless and directionless loose cannon, who maybe had one braincell on a good day. but underneath it all, he’s a lot smarter and more calculating than many people give him credit for and believe it or not, actually does think things through. but he believed that expectations just led to disappointment, so it was better to not have anyone expect anything of you. hence the perfected facade he’s kept up for as long as he could remember.

he is, however, not so smart when it comes to his love life and is notoriously bad at juggling his booty calls. as in, getting all their names mixed up, and running into a booty call number three, who he’d ghosted, when he was with booty call number five. but then again… could it all just be an act to get out of any and all potential relationships? who knows?

WANTED CONNECTIONS. most connections are open to multiple people filling it, unless it’s crossed out. and ofc i’m always open to any ideas not listed here!

RICH BOI SQUAD ━  they’re those guys. the popular, rowdy bros who are always seen together, they throw the best parties and cause a bunch of mayhem together. honestly just a bunch of obnoxious alpha dudes who think they’re hot shit.  taken by kennedy king

#1 SINCE DAY 1  ━  cristian’s best bro since the beginning of time ( or close enough ), who’s been there through all of his constant shenanigans and wild times.  taken by felix könig

BEST GAL PAL  ━  probably one of the few girls cristian’s managed to not try to hook-up with, or constantly flirt with. someone who helps him remember the names of all the girls he’s hooked up with plz lol. it’s rare that he’s protective over someone, but he’d absolutely throw hands for her if needed.  taken by caroline fitzgerald

CONFIDANT  ━  someone who actually knows cristian very well and sees through his lazy rich boy act. one of the very few people who he’s completely opened up to and genuinely cares about not fucking up their friendship.  taken by florence trask

MOM FRIEND  ━  basically a mama bear who looks out for cristian and may be one of the few people he actually listens to. doubles as his moral conscience/good influence when he wants to do dumb rich boy things.  taken by giada vitale

PSEUDO SIBLING  ━  they have a sibling-like relationship, where he’ll annoy them sometimes and they mom friend him. but they’re always looking out for each other.  taken by odette könig

CHILDHOOD FRIEND  ━  someone he grew up with. they could still be friends to this day, maybe they grew apart, or maybe they never really clicked.

UNLIKELY FRIEND  ━  the last person you’d expect to be friends with cristian. possibly met during a school project or something, and they realized that he’s… actually… not that bad?? despite what everyone says about him and his reputation, y/m sees that he’s not really as big of an asshole as he comes off and is actually kind of tolerable one on one. kind of.  taken by dorian garcia

FAVOURITE ANNOYANCE  ━  they got on cristian’s nerves at first, but eventually, they grew on them. whether he admits it or not, they do have some kind of friendship and deep down, he does enjoy their company.  taken by astrid mae

DEALERS  ━  basically dealers who work for cristian, who is the supplier. he may seem like a clueless hot mess, but rest assured, he takes care of his own. as long as that loyalty is returned.  taken by felix könig

ON & OFF  ━  cristian has had a lot of flings and hook-ups, but this person has been the one constant in his life. their “relationship” ( if you can call it that ) is kinda messy because he ( and maybe she as well? ) won’t commit, but is also surprisingly chill.

HOOK-UPS / FWBS  ━  whether you like cristian or not, people can’t really deny that he’s good-looking rip. he’s known to have a bit of a roster of girls that he hits with those late night booty-calls/texts.  taken by diana radcliffe

PAST HOOK-UPS / FWBS / ONE NIGHT STANDS  ━  homeboy has been around the block and back more times than he can count on two hands, so he’s definitely got a long list of ex-luvas. especially ones who hate him cuz he’s the worst™.  taken by isadora banks, daphne moon

ENEMIES  ━  cristian’s the kind of guy who easily has a lot of people who don’t like him. he practically has no filter, so his big mouth and careless words are bound to rub some people the wrong way. or maybe he screwed y/m over to save his own ass.  taken by belinda torres, camille jung

[dynamics-of-an-asteroid]

I really would like to know your opinion about Sherlolly and Molliarty 💕

My opinion on Sherlolly grew as my opinions on fandom politics thankfully matured cause it’s really easy to make assumptions about M/F ships since typically they’re filled with everything Progressive Fandom supposedly hates.

But what I’ve come to realize is that Progressive Fandom is kind of full of shit.

It says one thing (“we want better material for this female character!”), but then proceeds to do the complete opposite (takes a male background character with exceedingly less material and creates mountains of fanworks to the point where even the creators start giving him more screen time over the female character). It’ll come up with all these tl;dr think pieces that seek to blame some other outside sources as to why this keeps happening (“men are just written better!”, “there’s just more male characters to choose from statistically!”, etc.), but there’s really no denying which types of ships and characters and dynamics and narratives it actually values when you see what kind of content dominates creative spaces that no one is controlling except the fans. 

So I realized a lot of my “concerns” were just the result of theoretically wanting the most subversive conceptualization for the ship as any good Progressive Fandom member prides itself on seeking, but then falling in to the same traps that reinforce a very biased hierarchy Progressive Fandom measures everything by and upholding ridiculous standards that I wasn’t holding everyone else to.

For example, I’ve done the typical “pOoR mOlLy :(( sHE dEseRveS bEttEr tHaN sHerLOcK” spiel everyone seems to say after watching ASIB since that scene is meant to elicit a reaction. She very clearly was in love with him and particularly series 1 & 2 Sherlock, despite whatever good he was doing or moments of ~humanity~ he had, was overall a pretty rude, abrasive dick. He wasn’t this way just to her, but Molly is a legitimately decent person on a show full of assholes so there was some part of me that wanted to protect that, you know?

However, my reaction shouldn’t have been “Wow, Molly deserves better than Sherlock”, it should have been “Molly deserved better from Sherlock because she deserves common fucking decency.” Her unwavering love for him is always considered a problem that needs to be either removed entirely or given to someone else more deserving. It’s never Sherlock’s behavior that’s the problem that needs to get checked because Progressive Fandom doesn’t typically criticize male characters for their actions. You excuse, you explain, you apologize, but you don’t with any kind of negative intention seek to frame their reaction in any given situation as the part that’s wrong. The feelings of white dudes are valued over everything and everyone.

So my reaction of “come on, Molly, let’s get out of here and find you someone better” sounds noble, but all I’m really saying is “Well he’s an ass and we can’t do anything about that, but your crush on him is definitely fixable!” Again, she’s not the problem here, her love for him is not the problem here. He is the problem here, his rudeness is the problem here. There’s absolutely something we can do to fix that and we know this because part of his character arc was about becoming warmer and kinder. “Molly deserves better” is such an empty, meaningless statement when you really get in to it and I cringe every time I see it now.

Plus, something I’ve noticed that seems to be exclusive to the ship is most people in fandom ship one of these characters with Sherlock or are invested in a dynamic that includes him in it. And I guarantee you there’s a scene or a moment or a line that Sherlock was the source of that you had to go fix with fic or meta or some AU gif set or something because you wouldn’t still care about it if you didn’t. He’s done some pretty horrendous shit to these characters that far surpasses what he did with Molly at the Christmas party. But we’re not saying poor John he deserves better (hell we’re not even saying poor Sherlock he deserves better), we’re not saying poor Mycroft he deserves better, or that poor little Lestrade deserves better. It’s always poor Molly, specifically, because Progressive Fandom isn’t about to micro-comb through her material like they do with male characters in order to flesh her out more and find ways to make her a person of equally nuanced value to Sherlock. Then it would be easier to see why he’d extend more than just common courtesy to her, which lays the foundation for potentialness (specifically romance cause no one is gonna flip their shit about friendship), and now you’re sighing in agony about having to deal with a love interest - and worst of all - yet another M/F ship existing.

And listen, I get it - M/F ships have everything and it’s obnoxious. They get the coveted title of being “most likely to happen”, they get all the exposure, all the juicy arcs, all the cast conversations when it comes to their expressions of sex and love and romance being treated as completely plausible and entirely normal, etc. But when Progressive Fandom notoriously doesn’t produce nor consume F/F media let alone at the same rates as M/M media, when Progressive Fandom deeming a female character “too awesome/independent for romance” is basically a death sentence in spaces where romance and pairing up characters is the name of the game - what are people supposed to do with Molly that doesn’t decrease her visibility or sideline her entirely in the name of what? Making sure heteronormativity doesn’t happen? Cause looking at tumblr’s most popular M/M ships that are full of exceedingly harmful gendered stereotypes about the characters then being further conceptualized in to gross top/bottom discourse among other issues, that pesky problem of not reinforcing heteronormativity shouldn’t fall solely on M/F ships cause they’re not the only ones perpetuating it.

From what I can tell, Sherlolly shippers are the only people placing her in multiple kinds of dynamics and narratives that seek to explore the depth of her character without treating all of her material with Sherlock like a joke or a predicament that must be changed (which is different from fixing some bumps or gaps or straight up missteps that may be present, and there are some, but no one is denying that). Sometimes it’s a reversal of expectations, sometimes it’s not, and that’s pretty standard summary of any ship in fandom, really. You don’t have to like what they’re doing, but the door is always open for these diverse, inclusive stories Progressive Fandom wants so badly to be brought to the table yet I get the feeling they won’t be walking through it any time soon.

so tl;dr - the ship isn’t bothering me and any faux-criticisms I had about it in the past I can easily say about other ships, including my own, so it’s not fair to condemn one but then bolster another with the same elements.  As long as they aren’t engaging in anything harmful or pushing any Ists, Isms, and Phobias, which they aren’t, I’m cool.

And I’m not even gonna lie, I could not stand Molliarty in the beginning stages of fandom.

I hated how Jim from I.T. was treated as a separate person from Jim Moriarty just to give Molly a cuter and more fun version of him to continue dating (to be fair, this ship isn’t the only one that did this, [don’t even get me started on the Richard Brook\twin thing omfg], but I loathed this trend regardless of who did it more cause particularly with Jim everyone would always push the ‘we don’t know anything about his private life!!’ excuse to justify wildly ooc shit [and still do to this day]).

I hated that narrative of Molly ~softening~ monstrous beast!Jim with her kindness and in return he became obsessed with having her love him, but she couldn’t cause he’s a bad person or whatever, so he’d protect her until his dying days instead (I recognize the trope, I personally can’t stand that trope, but I still don’t understand why it was applied to this dynamic).

I hated all the creepy undertones in a lot of the really early fanworks that were like “come with me little girl and you’ll never be hurt again” (look, MY ships are capable of creepy undertones, but particularly with this ship it felt more like an impending sense of doom that Molly was getting herself in to a really skeevy, fucked p situation which is gross).

I hated with a goddamn passion that still consumes me to this day that Little Red Riding Hood/Big Bad Wolf aesthetic cause it’s just piggybacking off what I just said of this lecherous devil ready to devour this unsuspecting and naive victim (as you can imagine I don’t like imbalanced dynamics so a lot of this one is just personal irritation too, but it still feels like you’re having to compromise their characters by bastardizing the shit out of them in order to get this to work).

I hated how Jim was treated like her sassy gay best friend who’d stay up at night watching Say Yes To The Dress with her and Toby, and gushing about cute boys when someone did a more platonic bff take on the ship (this was the biggest one for me because Andrew was walking a fine enough line as it was with Jim to not have everyone go ahead and throw his character into stereotype hell anyway and I hate most fanworks with Jim for this very reason, so again this problem isn’t exclusive to the ship).

And I hated how Molly tapping in to her inner darkness thanks to Jim awakening it somehow always took the form of her becoming sadistic and murderous to illustrate how strong she really is in an effort to put her on even footing with him so she’d get the love and respect and appreciation she wasn’t getting else where through being his faithful killing babe (besides having problems with women having to become badass and bloodthirsty in order to equal strength of any kind, the implication she can only be treated right through bad people is unsettling).

After making that list, I realized a lot of why I couldn’t stand it was tied to general misinterpretations of their characters that was floating around fandom, so putting those specific versions of them together to make a ship out of it was unforgivable to me. I’m gonna make an assumption here and say I’m willing to bet a lot of their earlier stuff wasn’t made by the shippers themselves and that it was people from other ships making material for it based off what they thought it was. So for all I know a lot of what I hated wasn’t even what the ship was about cause I know that’s the case for old stuff about my ships. None of us really had the numbers to change public opinion about how we perceived it, so there’s a lot of lingering misconceptions thanks to those works and I might have just listed all of them for Molliarty, I don’t know.

But a lot of this seems to have gone away now in any case? Not all of it, but it’s been replaced with lighter, more comical material which is still not the ballpark I’d personally place them in, but I’m not in that inner circle of shipping so I don’t know why it took that turn. They could be trying to counter fanon ideas surrounding the pairing, they could be trying to build up a more diverse selection of fanworks, I have no idea, but the ship doesn’t bother me in the same way it use to mostly because I’ve become too indfferent for most ships to even get a reaction from me anymore tbh

[shenanigumi]

Truth or Truth

No, that’s not a typo. That’s the next event! And I hope you choose to help me out, because it could be a lot of fun for everyone! (Or absolute hell, ya know. 50/50.) The concept is simple: ask any character in Hakuōki a question of your choosing, and I’ll write their answer if they cooperate!!

…But since this has the potential to get real hectic real quick, let me just lay out some ground rules before we get started. If you intend to participate, please read them. They may look all long and intimidating since I always over-explain, but really, it’s just telling you what I am and am not capable of writing.

The Guidelines:

Any character in Hakuōki is an acceptable target for your questions, but YOU MUST BE SPECIFIC; I will not be the one to choose who answers. Additionally, I know significantly less about the Reimeiroku characters, so bear that in mind.

If you want me to address a specific continuity, such as Kyoto Winds/Edo Blossoms or the anime, please make that specification. Otherwise, I will use whichever version of canon I see fit as regards the original routes. This will most often be Stories of the Shinsengumi.

My knowledge of the characters’ pasts is limited to whatever has been translated into English and is easily accessible. Because of this, I ask that you refrain from asking questions exclusively about their pasts, because I will not be able to tailor my answers to history/canon.

Please direct your questions to a maximum of three characters at a time, and if you involve multiple characters, please ensure that all of them are on the same route. (That is, I cannot answer a single question directed to separate characters on their respective good endings. The best option in this case is to send separate asks.) Additionally, please limit yourself to one question/topic at a time. Follow-ups like “if so” and “why” are fine.

IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION OF A SPECIFIC VERSION OF A CHARACTER, e.g. Fury!Okita or [Route]!Chizuru, YOU’LL HAVE TO MAKE THAT SPECIFICATION. Otherwise, I’m operating from a “pre-Toba-Fushimi” timeframe, since some characters’ personalities start differing after the split. In other words, PLEASE SPECIFY WHICH ROUTE YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT. It may seem obvious based on the ship you’re angling for, but it is not too much to ask that you clarify the timeframe yourself instead of making me do it for you.

That said, please stick to canon (localized) possibilities when inquiring about different versions of characters, just for the sake of simplicity. I don’t know your personal AUs or the unlocalized games, so I won’t be able to channel them.

The only exception to the above is that you are definitely allowed to direct questions to characters in my non-canon works, since I know those well enough to answer them properly. That means you can ask questions of Sen and/or Kazama (or Amagiri and/or Kimigiku) as though they are an established couple, if you specify those parameters. SINCE THERE IS NO ROUTE TO SPECIFY, PLEASE MENTION THAT YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT THEM IN THE CONTEXT OF A PAIRING (E.G. ‘KAZASEN’/‘AMAGIKU’).

Because there is a possibility of asking questions of different iterations of the same character, some of their responses may be contradictory. Thus, not all of these answers will fit into the same story/reality.

This is not intended to be a roleplay, so I will not answer messages for characters that are not questions (such as confessions of love), and/or questions that require a reply directly to the asker (such as requests for permission to call them by a different name). The submission is meant to be a catalyst for a general response, not an answer tailored to the specific asker.

Similarly, please do not ask ‘meta’ questions involving the game, the future in general, or route-exclusive plot revelations. I have answered exactly one of these because it was well-phrased and unintrusive, but since receiving another, I have since come to the conclusion that responding to this kind of ask is both difficult and unhelpful for the purpose of this exercise.

Please keep in mind that I am not a perfect writer, and the way I hear the characters’ voices may not line up with the way you hear them. Though I try not to bend canon, many of my interpretations will stem from my own headcanons, and they may not always coincide with yours.

List of banned topics:

Questions involving women joining the ranks of the Shinsengumi. There are several reasons why that wouldn’t work, and historically it didn’t happen, so the answer must always be no.

Questions asking if the Shinsengumi would take a stranger back to the compound. Unless they meant to arrest them, they would more likely take them somewhere else first, depending on the need.

Questions about abuse, specifically whether X character would do y kind of abuse. If the answer is yes, or even maybe/sometimes, it forces me into an unpleasant position as I channel the character’s justification. As a feminist, I am uncomfortable with playing devil’s advocate in this respect.

Questions about the West and/or foreigners. Colonialism is bad. So is xenophobia, but it’s a logical reaction in this case. If you want to know more, I can always try to explain it myself, but the characters’ emotions tend to run too high to be of much educational value.

Questions involving body swaps. There are a finite number of responses to this scenario, and I think I’ve been through most of them at this point.

Route-neutral questions about what if X character saw Y character naked. Similarly to the body swap, I feel like I’ve done it all at this point, because I can only go so far without a specific pairing to work with. If you specify a route, it might get a little more interesting.

Questions directed to route-neutral Okita about his romantic preferences. He doesn’t have any. End of story. If you want to know about his love life, ask him on his own route.

Questions involving specific kinds of food. I can talk about food obliquely (e.g. who is the best cook or who eats with whom), but when it comes to specifics (e.g. what’s X character’s favorite kind of food), that’s where my knowledge runs out. I know next to nothing about anything related to Japanese cuisine, and I don’t actually like it enough to do any research on it in my spare time. Sorry.