#i want to draw them together more. the ultimate siblings | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aphroditesmoon · 1 year

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Idk if youre taking requests, if not ignore me, however what about jace with alicents daughter!reader where they get together behind their mothers backs, and theire sneaking around ,failing at it, and alicent anfd rhaenyra catch them

sweetest thing on this side of heaven

jacaerys velaryon x targ!reader

warnings: none

a/n: sorry for the slow req<3 also I had a feeling you wanted something angsty but my heart overtook my brain so this is all fluff.

°°°

You hadn't plan to fall for him at first. But it wasn't that hard to notice his own longing stares and embarrassing efforts to win you over.

You had assumed he would despise you for what your brothers have started, but you are not your brothers, and he knew that. You've always been kind to him since young, but never too close, not even with your own siblings.

Peace was found in solitude, and that was how most of your time was spent. Some may call you heartless, but your found more feelings and purity in stories than in reality.

For the world was crueller than the books made it seem like, and soon the library was your safe place.

You were quite annoyed when he started showing up there too frequently, always asking about what you're reading.

But when you saw his sincerity in actually wanting to know of your interests was real, having someone to talk to became less of a chore.

It even started to feel fun.

And so he became your first friend, first kiss and first lover. He intends to be your only.

Everytime he leaves to Dragonstone, letters will be sent every moon, and he will receive his own from Kingslanding. He was always careful to keep them to himself, gods know since Aemond lost his eye, the strain between his grandmother and his mother became stronger.

And he would always put his mother first as her heir, but you are his fresh cherry from a rotten tree, the ultimate test to his loyalty.

When news spread of the princess Rhaenyra's return to Kingslanding for her son's petition for the inheritance of Driftmark, You had to hold yourself back from showing just now excited you are to meet Jace again.

You also had to fight back the urge to bodyslam your brother to the ground everytime he opens his mouth to mock his nephews.

Aemond had remained bitter of the incident, and you couldn't blame him. You brother had lost a whole eye, he had the right to remain upset. But you still couldn't help the selfishness in you that draws you back to Jacaerys' side.

You hear the commotion servants made when they arrived, waiting for it to pass before approaching him, not wanting to seem too eager.

You lean againts the open door of his chambers, watching him put down his set if clothes by the table side.

"Hello there." You greeted with a knowing smile on your lips.

He freezes in his movements before turning towards you. You had no time to think when he immediately pulled you inside and slammed his doors shut.

Any words you've planned to say to him died on your throat when he has you againts the door, his lips immediately finding yours.

The kiss was hot and passionate, all of his yearning and longing pushed into it. Your hands roam his build, feeling up his tunic, searching for his skin, his warmth againts yours. His own hands stop yours, holding it by your side as he pulls away first for air.

He leans his forehead againts yours, and you can't help smiling as you meet his eyes.

"Missed me much?" He snorts, grinning himself.

"Don't act like you don't." He retorted. You only kept smiling, shaking your head. "Never said that did I? Hm." You fingers move up to trance his temples, caressing his face as if trying to remember all the details of his features you've feared to have forgotten.

He seems to understand the notion, with his own palms cupping your cheeks. "I'm here. I promise." He vows before engulfing your mouth with his again.

°°°

The only thing that went well that day was your reunion with Jace and his brother. Sir Vaemond was executed quite publicly by your uncle Daemon, unsurprisingly, and dinner was almost decent, until your brother decided he just had to open his mouth.

You were hurried to your chambers by your mother, and there was where you went and was met with your lover lounging in your room already, anxiously waiting for you to arrive.

"He knows what he was doing." Jace gritted out, pacing around.

"Of course he does, it's Aemond." He was obviously still infuriated with the events that occured, but your mind was drifting to what bits you heard from your mother and stepsister's conversation as you left.

Jacaerys and Lucerys was to leave to Dragonstone tonight.

Your abruptly stood up and cut off the rambling prince. "I should leave."

He halts and turn to you, wide eyed.

"Oh-Just a few more minutes? I'll stop talking to myself I promise." He pleaded, waving off his rambles.

You shook you head and pulled his hands to intertwine with yours. "No tis' not that, your mother will be here any minute, she wishes for you and Luc to be at Dragonstone by tonight, I heard her myself." You explain, gaze low as you fiddle with his rings.

You hear him inhale a sharp breath before swearing.

"I've just had you back." He sighs out, refusing to meet your eyes. It felt like the first time in ages you two met again, face to face, gazes never met.

"I know, I know. There always seem to be something between us, heh?" You try to lighten the mood, his face only souring more.

He winced at your words, tightening his grip on your hands before opening his eyes again. "You know, if she can't find me, she can't make me go." He says suggestively.

You gave him an amused look, frowning with a tight-lipped smile accompanied.

"What are you gonna do? Hide in the kitchen?" You tease, invoking a fond memory from childhood. He snorts as he checks outside his door for anyone before turning back to you. "Not hide, raid the kitchen."

"Ah sure." You grinned

He takes you by your hand and silently pulls you through the corridors before reaching the closed kitchen. The lock making the both of you scoff.

You had managed to pull it open by the age of 12.

"A little help?" He motioned. You took off a pin from your hair, making it come undone while the other pins fall apart on the floor.

"Fuck." You cursed, while Jacaerys works the lock with your pin. "We'll pick it up later." He simply affirms.

When a click was loudly made, he shoves the kitchen door open and sends you a smirk, earning an eye roll.

Entering the kitchen was entering an odd dazed memory. You can't remember exactly how long it has been since you've been with Jace, but it still feels like yesterday you two were sneaking out strawberry fudge cake and lemon tarts from the kitchen in the middle of the night, laughing quietly at the explosions of anger from the head kitchen lady that next morning.

His hand never leaves yours as you both head in. You sigh loudly as you pull open the cupboards to find leftover blueberry tarts. "My favourite." Savoring the tart, you finish it quickly, not caring for falling crumbs.

Jacaerys nudges your shoulder and takes no time to shove a piece of cheese toast in your mouth when you look his way.

You swatted his arm after almost choking on it. "Bastard." You scolded in a muffled voice.

As soon as the words leaves your mouth you regret them, seeing a flash of offense on his face. "Oh Jace-" An apology almost slipped until you saw the hint of a smile dancing on his lips.

Immediately your face turns irritated again as you smack him harder. "Bastard."

You two spent a few minutes forgetting your responsibilities and your parents as you indulge in chocolate cakes and reminiscing the past.

It wasn't hard to find the two of you in such position like old days. You two had a connection that made it seem as if you've never parted in the first place.

"You know." He says before chucking a tart in his mouth. "When I'm king? I'm gonna make a law that forces you to stay with me." His muffled words makes you choke on a giggle.

Jacaerys often has to present himself extra harder than her brothers, for all the rumours of his illegitimacy. But at times like this, you can truly see the sweet boy in him, who'd rather live off tarts and flying by day than busy himself with ruling and paperworks.

"I'm also going to make a law to ban anything other than these tarts to be served because holy shit." You agreed. "Mhm, the cook definitely did something with these."

Before either of you could counter eachother's words, a foreign voice interrupts.

"How about you make a law to ban tart robbers from nightly kitchen raids." Rhaenyra's voice booms through the room.

Both you and Jace freeze in your actions, mouth full of food, eyes wide, horrified at the circumstances you were found.

To make matters worse, she wasn't the only one there. You silently curse when you see your mother's figure leaning againts the door opposite of Rhaenyra. Both of them holding an unreadable expression.

A long silence lingered until you decided to speak up and ask first; "Are you going to kill us."

You might be hallucinating but you swore you saw your mother fight off a grin before she and Rhaenyra sighs tiredly.

"Just give me one of those damned cakes." She relented.

#house of the dragon #jacaerys velaryon x reader #jacaerys velaryon #hotd x reader #jace velaryon x reader #game of thrones #house of the dragon x reader #jace targaryen x reader #hotd #jacaerys targaryen #jace velaryon #jace targaryen #jacaerys targaryen x reader #jacaerys x reader

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thedevilinmybrain · 1 year

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my babygate thoughts after watching AOTV

I want to start off by saying that these are just my opinions and I am in no way, shape, or form indicating that I am apologizing or justifying my believed closeting of a queer individual. Nor am I making apologies for someone that I do not know nor will ever know. That being said, I do feel that I am allowed to draw my own personal conclusions given the evidence presented before us and make my own critical decision based on the content.

I do not believe Freddie is Louis' son. I honestly will never believe that he is biologically Louis' son.

That being said, I do think that AOTV did an interesting job of framing the Louis/Freddie relationship in the midst of talking about his family and the role he is so often put in. For instance, I believe that AOTV is more of a film of self discovery and reconciliation of the self than anything else. It's framed about one man's struggle to find where he belongs and if he even deserves it. So in some ways, it's an introspective film about Louis' outlook on himself as an artist, as a brother, as a friend, and as an individual.

Given the way that Louis and his sisters talk about him, Louis has always been in the role of 'protector' and 'big brother'. Even in the band, there was a sense that Louis was the oldest and that he was 'the boss' because of his skill in voicing and sticking up for the rest of the boys. We have seen it time and time again from the way he's protective of his siblings to the way he was always so involved in the `1D days. This is a man who prides himself on taking care of others and making the best of situations - a fact that I will bring up later.

When it comes to babygate and the deals and trauma that surround that, I do believe that Louis had limited say in the matter. Much like the example in the film of the producer that gave Louis hope but ultimately did his own decision on the song, Louis' life in One Direction didn't come without a slew of managers and music company people who had a say in it and made decisions. I do not think at the beginning that Louis was allowed to give much imput or control over the happenings behind the scene. As 1D went on break and Louis was able to navigate his own career with a little more freedom, I do think that input changed but considering how much of his life is hidden behind contracts and NDAs, I don't think the truth will ever be told in its entirety. And honestly, I am okay with that because at the end of the day, it's Louis' life and I am just an observer.

So, when it comes to Freddie now, I am of the opinion that Louis is more of an 'uncle' or 'family friend' to him. Given the limited amount of time we actually know they spend together, probably equal to how much Louis has seen Doris and Ernie, one can speculate that Louis isn't a constant in Freddie's life. More of a randomly visiting family memmber than a core fixture. We never hear Freddie call him Dad. We see Freddie multiple times look at the camera during the film and on other occasions such as the holidays where it feels like he's being prompted to interact with the family. It's the same feeling of seeing an uncle at Christmas that you haven't seen in ages. You know them but you're not 100% comfortable.

So, why even bother? Why does Louis make any effort at all?

I think it comes down to him being in the role of protective older brother. If there is nothing he can do about babygate, if there is nothing he can change about the narrative now, the very least he can do is make positive memories with an innocent child. I mean, what would fandom prefer? Every time they're stunted together that Louis just ignores Freddie like he's Eleanor? Found somewhere in the background looking miserable?

It's making the best out of the worst situation. Because one day, someone is going to explain all of this to Freddie. And yes, I do believe it's unfair and it's cruel to the child, but we also don't know what he's being told as his own narrative. Maybe he knows Louis as his 'Uncle Lou' or 'The UK family'. We just don't know. But what we do know is that when Louis is with him, he takes on the role of big brother. He plays with him, he gives him good memories, he provides experiences just like he did/does for his younger siblings. It's shown in the film with the way he kisses the baby twins. It's Louis being a stand in 'father figure' or 'big brother'.

I'm not saying it's right or that it's the way it should be. Honestly, I don't think closeting should be a thing at all. It's grossly unfair to everyone involved. But the Louis I know, the man we've all loved from the very beginning, would never allow himself to be cruel or cold to someone innocent. And I think he's doing the best that he can given the circumstances.

And I hope one day when Freddie finds out the truth, at the very least he can look back and be like 'Yes, this was unfair and unjust and completely inappropriate. But all I know of this man is the kindness and the fun and the good times. He didn't cause me more pain.'

#babygate #louis tomlinson #my thoughts

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pheesfanfics · 11 months

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Hi Phee! It's so cool to find another 19yr old writer in similar fandoms to myself!

You asked for requests, so I have one if you'd like!

Do you have and general dating headcanons for Luke from TWDG2?

Thank you!

(Ps, can I be 💚 anon?)

OFC I CAN!!! Who doesn't love Luke??? So here you go!

TWD Luke x Reader Headcanons

Pre-Apocolypse

This boy is the ultimate golden retriever boyfriend. THIS BOY!

If you're doing your own little thing (e.g. drawing or cleaning, whatever you prefer) you can expect to see him giving you loads of long glances and dopey grins, especially if you catch him.

This man is a lovesick puppy sometimes.

He honestly admires all of your hobbies and tries to learn even more about them so he can surprise you with his little facts later.

He always asks if you need something even if he knows you can handle yourself just fine.

And if you have younger siblings he is immediately becoming their cool older brother as he likes to say. Seriously as awkward as he can be making conversation with new people he loves looking after kids.

And expect loads of bear hugs and kisses on top of the head because he loves being as close to you as possible.

During Apocolypse

During the apocalypse, he is the same as before but it's noticeable how more protective he is of you.

He really likes Clementine as well so he also loves it when he sees the two of you spending time together. It makes him wonder if you'd ever be up to having your own kids one day.

His ideal date night is when you guys are bunked up in his room in the house and reading some random books you come across.

Even if you only start dating during the Apocolypse or not he's definitely more handsy when you're alone wanting to be with you as much as he can in case something ever happened.

And don't worry ladies! He and Jane had nothing between them at all he is a loyal guy.

(A/N): I hope you guys enjoyed this! This is the first set of headcanons I've written but I hope they're good! Have a lovely morning, noon, or night <3

#the walking dead x reader #twdg2 #twdg #twd x reader #twdg x reader #The walking dead luke x reader #luke x reader #twd headcanons

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radiant-reid · 1 year

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omg y/n posting pics of them on insta and spencer downloading social media cuz her fans are BEGGING him to <3

-he would make a twitter first and spend all his time looking at tweets ab her and liking pics of her and prob posting long ass tweets ab science (ew)

-spencer would have fans in the sense that people who look up to him or have been to his like i can’t remember the word so i’ll just say classes!! and they would join force with the y/n fans

-her fans would obsess over him and call them mom and dad fs (calling them “my parents”) and spencer would be weirded out at first but then y/n would explain the joke and he would find it hilarious

ᵐᵃʸᵇᵉ ʰᵉ ʷᵒᵘˡᵈ ᵍᵉᵗ ʰᵃʳᵈ ᵇᶜ ᵇʳᵉᵉᵈᶦⁿᵍ ᵏᶦⁿᵏ ᵒʳ ᶦˢ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵃ ʳᵉᵃᶜʰ

-y/n would post the most scrumptious pics of him bc she knows what the people want and the people would call them an “it couple”

-PICS OF THEM GETTING ON PRIVATE JETS IM SQUEALING THEY WOULD LOOK SO COOL BAHAHAH

-do you think it would be possible for y/n to retire from wtvr famous thing she’s doing (or just stopping like not anything official idk how this stuff works im an average person) to work kind of w the bau?? like as a liaison or with garcia bc 1) people would pay more attention 2) she knows what to do!!

-y/n having a ts moment and deciding to go private w her whole life and kind of go into hiding :( spencer would be so supportive tho

-💼

you're providing, truly providing

-spencer's twitter is unreadable because he doesn't understand the app anyway and he thinks most people want to read long rambles about different types of algae, so i think she'd have to steer him toward having a podcast (like a true crime one, omg he'd do so good)

-lectures ? the crossover would be epic, like a bunch of her fans start showing up at his lectures (mostly to look at him but some find a really good career path)

-they're the ultimate mom and dad, i imagine they have such cute videos, his barely used Instagram is filled with photos of her, and they get photographed by the paparazzi doing such sweet domestic things. and a pap photo of them looking after a baby ! goes absolutely viral. love spencer being like "hey, we should give all the fans a sibling"

-she'd take such perfect pictures of him, like with a proper camera when they're on vacation. also maybe some pictures that are perfect for the fans to thirst over because she knows she's got to provide

-they'd look cool getting their drycleaning honestly

-i think the problem with that is that maybe she would draw too much attention away from the case

-spencer goes with her, for sure, and they run away together and escape how stressful their jobs are

#💼#spencer reid #spencer reid x reader

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azucar-skull · 1 month

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I am foaming at the mouth I need to rant about something in Feral Casey AU.

Okay so Usagi and Hana.

Usagi and Hana are the Henry and Sam of FCAU. Quite literally if you have seen TLOU HBO series. This wasn't my intention though.

I know I wanted one of the main cast to be deaf, a challenge to better myself in representation. And originally, I chose Usagi.

It was gonna be so cute. Usagi getting caught in an explosion to save Hana and then the two end up needing to rely on each other. Usagi needed her ears, and Hana needed his protection and guidance.

Then Leo and Usagi would be the ultimate disabled couple with Leo being an amputee. And they would be so fucking cute together and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--

But there was a problem.

Hana didn't have a personality.

At the time, her only personality trait was that she was dependent on Usagi and then ultimately became a rude character that I didn't want her to be. I tried to twist it as her overcoming ableism but nothing worked out.

After much debate, I made Hana the deaf character to fix her personality.

I'm not saying being deaf is a personality trait. But Hana being deaf brought out a better personality within her.

Now I have a little girl who becomes deaf in the crossfire of an explosion and her personality takes a turn. She is scared, she is lost, and she needs Usagi to be her shield. Once they finally find the Resistance and Casey Jr taught her sign language, she became more independent.

Because she had hearing beforehand, she knows of a life where sound meant something to her. And she wants it back more than anything. She gets cochlear implants and wears them all the time. Usagi is happy for her.

But then things come up. Noises became too much, she starts getting headaches, the implants become uncomfortable since she wears them ALL DAY.

She refuses to put them on one day and this is Usagi and Hana’s first fight of many.

Now, don't get me wrong, Usagi wants to be a good brother. Truly. But he doesn't understand Hana’s situation. He just assumes at first.

In this fight, Usagi and Hana go back and forth about needing the implants until Hana manages to sign why she hates them. Usagi negotiates a compromise, asking her to wear them when they are outside. The outside contains Kraang and gunfire and other things that you need to listen out for. Hana agrees.

But then things get worse.

Her hearing becomes more and more damaged and the implants needed to get upgraded again and again. She still finds them uncomfortable to wear, still gets headaches when she wears them, voices become harder to understand, and implants are very hard to come by in the apocalypse.

So one day, when she and the others are meant to be going out, she refused to wear them. Usagi and Hana fight again.

Usagi wants to keep her safe, you know? He means well. But Hana was just not having it. Her anger bubbles over as she aggressively signs her thoughts until her hands stopped making sense.

And then all she could do was scream.

Then she broke down crying.

The siblings never fought again after that. Usagi finally breaks out of his audism mindset and learns to support Hana’s choices no matter what.

We get to watch a character go from a scared, shy, dependant child turn into a stubborn-headed, strong, independent girl through the journey of accepting Deafness. This is a journey I have been building since the idea for FCAU started and I am grateful to have the support of my ASL professor (who is Deaf) who caught me drawing sketches of Hana and became invested in helping me.

And there is a reason why Usagi is so keen on his ways but I don't wanna spoil it yet. TLDR, it has to do with depression and shit. It's a whole thing that we'll get into later.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.

Without spoiling too much, there's going to be a particular episode about 1/4 way through the story involving Usagi and Hana’s relationship and uhh let's just say it'll make you cry.

Usagi proves himself as the loving brother that will do anything for his sister and puts her above all else.

As Hana faces a great fear that she is no longer afraid off because she knows she can handle it and knows who got her back.

Okay rant over, I am satisfied. I'm going to bed.

#feral casey au #feral casey au rottmnt #fcau rottmnt #rottmnt #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles

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the-ninja-legacy-whip · 10 months

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How would you rank each season and why? What did you like and dislike about them?(Including wildbrain if you want to)

ooooooooooh okaaaaaaaay fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

*cracks knuckles* Just remember you asked for this

Buckle up bastards and bitches, we're tearing this shit apart!!! Going from worst to best so we can end on good taste!!! *loads my opinions into a bazooka like Lloyd with an Ice Cannon*

Rebooted- *drags hands down face* ....I really don't actually hate NS3, but as I mentioned on another post, a lot of things this season tried to pull off (read: practically everything) at least one other season did better. And I know it's not really this season's fault that it's such a mess, since it was whipped up in a whirlwind of unexpected serendipity, and it had less time to explore its ideas, but when people only truly remember and constantly bring up the worst parts about it, rather than few (if not far inbetween) good things that it brought to the table? Or people consistently straight up forget other things about it (primary shoutouts to Techno!Wu and the ninja going to literal space???) Yeah, probably not a great season overall.

Pros: Fun aesthetic, wasn't afraid to try new things, attempted to expand and build on previously introduced ideas, did well with the emotions and aftermath generated by Zane's sacrifice, Pixal, killer music, X-1 Ninja Charger, Sensei Garmadon, had the agenda of getting people back into Ninjago after it supposedly hit its grand finale and did succeed in that if nothing else Cons: Absolutely breakneck pacing to the point that its hard to recall what happens where, when, and even why, you could literally take out like 3-4 of the episodes (half the season!!!) and very little would be ultimately impacted, poor execution of: the established character arcs, dynamics, and motivations within the season (with exception of Garmadon); the attempts at further world building; and the ultimate impact of the antagonists (...people rave about Cryptor but he doesn't even really do anything!! And why did they need to bring the Overlord back at ALL—if this was really something of a Zane-centric season, Cryptor would've already been the perfect foil for him!! AND WHY PYTHOR. I AIN'T ACTUALLY MAD ABOUT THAT TBH BUT WHY THEN)

Hands of Time- This season's biggest issue is that it's...boring. Technically doesn't even do anything wrong, but even when trying to follow a mystery as big as what the heck happened to Nya and Kai's parents, or watching Lloyd begin to come into his own as a future master, or exploring the downfall of two ex-Elemental Masters who turned to evil...it comes off so...stilted and stale. Literally an episode is called 'The Attack'. The whole show is full of attacks, this gives me nothing!!! (But, to be fair, most of the other ep titles this season are pretty kickass). It's like NS6 in the way that a bunch of things happen (and not even nearly as incoherently) but 85% of it doesn't have any lasting or satisfying pay off, and most of it doesn't really mesh in a natural way either. A lot of it feels very contrived, with events happening just for the sake of it happening, and that probably contributes to why it's not quite as compelling as other seasons, despite absolutely having the foundation to be.

Pros: Has an interesting way of drawing parallels between several characters, added a good chunk of lore that generated fresh interest, Kai and Nya Sibling duo, introduced villains with unique motivations and complex history with the main character (directly or indirectly), Jay got that cool bike moment, getting to meet Ray and Maya, actually mention of Skylor being a "bad guy" previously and exploring some of her insight of that, previous EM info + flashbacks, Cons: ...executes a lot of the best things about it in such bland and unsatisfying ways, and could have been much tighter with tying its events all together–would've helped the ending (whether it was a "cliffhanger" or not) feel a lot more deserved and less....empty.

(Also not a real con for the season itself and its literally just a nitpick but I hate those outfits. How are they simultaneously overly-detailed yet so monotone??? There's no pleasing contrast nor a place for the eye to comfortably rest! How are my eyes to last beholding a season with THAT fashion?? This is literally the only time where the gi are a distraction to me because they're...clunky, in a way? But...y'know, given that impression, I suppose they do fit the season to a t, then— *bricked*)

March of the Oni- This season is like a collections of puzzle pieces for a good finale season...but, someone lost a few pieces from the box. Or a lot of them. Isolated, there's a lot of good bits that could've really thrived in a normal season format...but, once again, the limited number of episodes strangled the potential out of its own plotline, SO. Plus, it feels extra weak following off the heels of Hunted's already high stakes, and with these stakes supposed to be even higher, it just doesn't quite hit in the way it's supposed to. That being said, there's a lot of fun and/or intense character dynamics and moments interspersed throughout, and the ending was so cozy and bittersweet but lovely that I can't be too upset with it. It stuck the landing it wanted to, and I can respect that!

Pros: Very strong character moments, (mostly) well-placed use of nostalgia, beautiful music, and overall a suitable little wrap up to "Masters of Spinjitzu" Cons: Not enough room/time to let some plot points breathe (a problem common to a few other seasons as well), and the antagonists could have done more, especially given their previous build up.

The Island- I don't even really count it as a season but it's going here. It was just...okay. Not actually all that bad, but not out-of-this-world great either. Laid the foundation for lore expansion for Seabound which is appreciated, utilized the characters well (EXCEPT RONIN WHAT THE FUCK NO), and again, I can respect it for what it was trying to do. Just didn't do anything that really stuck with me in a mind-blowingly positive way.

Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu- Kiiiiinda wish this season was strictly about "Forbidden Spinjitzu and it's secrets", rather than the "Forbidden Spinjitzu" leading to...assorted shenanigans. Could've made for a good Wu season, honestly. Also kinda wish they'd taken the concepts for the Fire and Ice Chapters and made them into more focused stories on Kai and Zane (especially if they were going to go on and do or attempt that exact thing for Jay, Cole, Nya, and Lloyd properly). Wishing aside, while there was a bit of a lull getting things started, the excitement did pick up soon enough. This season did eventually introduce some fun twists, (mostly) enjoyable character dynamics, and having a little lighter of an adventure until it wasn't after MotO was a refreshing change of pace.

Pros: Lots of individual moments to dig into and get invested in, a nice expansion on the lore of Wu's past + other realms beyond Ninjago, Cons: A little hard to initially get into, and can be even harder to keep wanting to push through and watch to the end. Both the Fire and Ice Chapter have points where they feel a bit "aimless" in their middle portions of their acts, and the season as a whole simultaneously feels like it's longer than it needed to be + didn't always use the time it had efficiently.

Legacy of the Green Ninja- Fellas as I've been finishing up my planning for Legacy!S2, I have to confess this Season isn't quite the masterpiece we remember it as snksnksnksnk. There's literally 2-3 episodes that are ENTIRELY pointless, and none of them are even the """"filler"""" ones. It felt like it was trying to be a wacky shenanigan-of-the-week thing and a "dramatic world-ending thriller adventure" at the same time in both halves of the season, and that didn't always pan out in its favor, giving this season a bit of a lost/confused identity—especially one that so explicitly implicates Lloyd as being important, and yet most of the episodes are spent following the escapades of the Core Four still (which is not inherently a bad thing, but WHERE'S THE SO-CALLED LEGACY?!?! WHERE'S THE GREEN NINJA?!) ........anywho, negativity-fueled-by-recency-bias aside, even its short-comings still make for a highly enjoyable watch and rewatch, which isn't something that can be easily said for the previously mentioned seasons. And, there is still a LOT of funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and downright epic moments! But, not always immediately memorable ones.

(but also like please you have to UNDERSTAND there's literally a scene during the final battle where Wu, Misako, and Julien are on the ultra dragon and one of em's like "WE HAVE TO HELP" and, i swear i timed this this is legitimately accurate, TWO SECONDS LATER they make like two wing flaps going nowhere and Wu or Misako's like "THIS AS FAR AS WE GO" LIKE WHAAAAAAT?!?!?!!?! HELP LMAO)

Pros: Easy to get into, easy to keep watching, god-level music, and the simple ass humor still makes me laugh like a lunatic all these years later ("O'GRANDMA???" "I can make a little extra if I do the human piñata." "BEQUEATH! BEQUEATH!" *wordlessly using Zane as a battering ram* *the entire absurdity of Wrong Place, Wrong Time* *Dareth's existence*) Cons: The inconsistency of its overall direction still gives me whiplash all these years later, and I wish it had better embraced a singular identity, as that probably would've helped immensely both with character focus and the at times odd pacing of the plot.

Prime Empire- Finally, some good food! Similar to SotFS, this season took a while to kickstart and find its groove and keep it, but by the end it was sooooo much off-the-walls fun that it's hard to actually hate it. Lots of missed opportunities to expand on Jay's character though, especially when those Prime Empire shorts primarily focused on Jay released alongside the season would've been GREAT to see in actual episodes, and probably could've been what tipped it higher onto this list. While what we did get towards the end was super cool, it would've have MUCH more impact if it had better prior buildup. But, this season is incredibly solid in ways that may not be immediately obvious, though does still a bit to be desires at times too.

Pros: Fun and glorious setting for adventure, some very potent and very memorable character moments, SUPERSTAR ROCKIN' JAY, and a very strong finish that still gets me buzzed when it think about it. Cons: Slow start, many missed opportunities, left me wanting just a bit more (in the not-good way) despite the satisfying finish.

Crystalized- *folds hands in front of face* I probably should put this lower than Prime Empire overall quality-wise, but idk man, Crystalized scratched a lot of my personal itches...and also sent me banging my head into a wall, so. While I genuinely, honestly did enjoy my time with this season (I laughed, I cried, I "what the fuck"ed), there's the other half of my mind that just couldn't stop questioning sooooooo many decisions for the direction of the main characters, and constantly doing so did take me out of it way, way too often. For something that was going to serve as (another) big, grand send off...this one may have stuck the landing better than Hands of Time, but. IDK. Something still felt off at the end of everything.

Pros: (Mostly) incredible fight scenes, and action moments, we got to see perspectives of certain character dynamics that hadn't been explored before or not as often, there really is a lot of cool shit in here, loved the return of so many old faces, honestly very enjoyable if you're able to turn your brain off just a bit Cons: WHAT THE HELL DID THEY DO TO NYA, WHY ARE Y'ALL SLEEPING SO HARD ON THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY GIVE LLOYD SOME REAL ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT THAT MADE SENSE, IF YOU WERE REALLY PLANNING ON "REDEEMING" HARUMI WHY DIDN'T YOU PACE IT OUT BETTER, WHY ARE THE CORE FOUR NEAR USELESS, DID WE REALLY HAVE TO SPEND A FOURTH OF THE SEASON IN A PRISON WAS THERE NO BETTER WAY TO GET OLD VILLAINS INVOLVED OR FOR RUMI TO INTIMIDATE LLOYD FROM THE SHADOWS, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THE NEW NINJA, THERE'S SOOOO MUCH MISSED STUFF SURROUNDING NYA'S SACRIFICE/RETURN, AND WHY DID THEY SCRAP SO MANY ACTUALLY NEAT IDEAS FOR THISSSSSSS *dies*

Hunted- Gonna be honest, it's been a hot second since I've watched NS9 because everyone being in such distress stresses ME out just thinking about it (I'm apparently the people Jay was worried about lmao) and I haven't quite brought myself to subject myself to it again. However, I do remember it being an incredible watch and every episode bringing something epic to the table, and honestly I just see it as a sequel or a part 2 to SoG. Good music, strong character beats, satisfying in pacing all the way through; a great and surprisingly introspective season, just got outshined a bit by some of the pure spectacle and overall enjoyment of other seasons.

Not gonna give Pros/Cons here because I genuinely don't remember specifics—not because any of it was "Forgettable"; I literally just technically only watched it once snksnksnk. I know it's mostly nothing but good stuff with maybe a few snags here or there, but a superbly solid season.

Sons of Garmadon- Ah yes, one of two fan favorites. And a favorite of mine as well! Just...well, it's not really a Season I ever have the urge to go back to often, which is something the following seasons to come are about to have in common. It's got a rock solid plot, delicious twists, always kept me on the edge of my seat, had a lot fascinating locations and new lore...all wrapped up in a gripping entertaining time to be had. Though, it's kind of a season where you watch it once, are completely satisfied with, and then maybe only come back to it if and when you're rewatching the whole series (at least for me—that being said, I've watched season 8 waaay more than I've watch season 9 snksnk).

Pros: Well-thoughtout plot, fully compelling antagonists, another shout out to the music, dared to take some risks as the show entered a new era, and for once everyone felt like they were contributing as a single group, which was nice to see until they weren't Cons: As stated, already a very solid season; it's just a few scenes that probably could've used some polish for extra impact in hindsight.

Way of the Ninja- Well, if I'm including the Island, might as well include the Pilots! It's only above Hunted/SOG here because *I* happen to like it more and have rewatched it a great many times haha. Honestly the only cons are that I wished we'd had some little adventures in the Ice Fortress/Floating Ruins, and that the ninja themselves had more of a presence in the ultimate confrontation with Garmadon. Otherwise the Pilots did an absolutely fantastic job of laying the groundwork for the show to come, and using witchcraft to hook many of us into adoring these characters with insane chemistry from the get-go with nothing but the bare minimum. Nothing but love and respect for my pilots! <3

Skybound- Only reason this is higher than the previous three on this list is because *I* personally enjoyed it more, that's all. For overall quality and consistency, Hunted, Pilots, and SoG clear it easily. ANYWAY I LOVE SKYBOUND. It's probably actually my second favorite season these days but I'm already about to be crucified for putting it this high on the list rip. Oh there's plenty of things wrong with this season: out of character moments including but not limited to misogyny, contradictory statements, contradictory actions, saying things they would never say prior to this season; the antagonist has wildly changing motivations almost every episode along with uncomfy tendencies, every episode feels wildly different and/or disconnected from the others, the things are happening all over the place at any given time...it's chaotic, messy, and I LOVE IT. It's a mess but it's my mess and if you dig deep enough there's a lot to love buried in the muck that I, as an individual, feel that makes the season worth it all <3

Pros: PIRATES, everything about Jay, Watching Jaya develop over the course of the season for better or worse, getting some insight into the other characters via the wishes they make, watching Jay get his moments to be the absolute badass and even Nadakhan acknowledging that (just with some horribly misguided but well-meaning intentions of the heart but he's HUMAN), the HUMOR, the Ninja Replacements and Jay getting to show off some leadership FINALLY, Jay whump, Lloyd's pirate impression, Lil Nelson!!!, Jay with an eyepatch, crashing a wedding, Echo Zane!, a commentary on how people perceive us and how we perceive ourselves can lead to great inner and outer conflict, pretty ass animation scenes esp for being in the earlier era, we got the greatest gi to ever grace our unworthy presence despite being folded the wrong way, did I mention Jay— Cons: Literally everything stated previously and probably more I'm sure you already know. But also why did they randomly MAKE DARETH LIKE THAT GOOD LORD WHY this is on par with Ronin in the Island IS2G

Rise of the Snakes- The vintage classic!!! Not ~perfect~ by any means BUT it told a cohesive story while giving everyone (even including Nya!) a little bit of spotlight and some significance and brought it all together so neatly with emotion and FUN that of course it had the power to reshape our childhoods (or teenhoods. Or adulthoods. Or nowhoods). Really its biggest flaw is simply that it was first, thus of course having a little less polish and therefore had to pave the way for better seasons to follow, but it was still a mighty tough act to follow.

Pros: Many establishing moments for the main crew for their adventures to come, antagonists that were funny, threatening, and had some pretty convincing motivations, Lloyd, highly memorable overall, easy to jump back into, gave us the legendary Weekend Whip (unless that was in the credits to the pilots too i don't remember) Cons: A bit dated nowadays, and rough around the edges, but doesn't do anything inherently wrong either. I'd say the pacing is a little quick, but in this season in particular its masked so well that you really only notice if you're looking for it (which I had been)

Master of the Mountain- And now, the truly cream of the crop. NS13 was the thing we've always wanted and always knew we needed and finally the powers that be delivered. I could rave day in and day out about Cole finally getting some much deserved focus, but for as strong and heavy-hitting as his whole arc was, the stories of the other ninja pale a bit in comparison, leaving this season unable to break the top three. Otherwise a masterclass in storytelling. And Cole.

Pros: COLE SEASON, HYPE AF FIGHT SCENES, COLE'S MOMMY, VANIA, THE UPPLY, WU AND COLE DYNAMIC, ZANE THROWING ROCKS AT KAI, THE VOICE DIRECTION (esp Lloyd, Cole, and Kai), THE SUBTLE MYSTERY OF IT ALL, THE MUSIC, THE INTRIGUE, AAAAAAA Cons: NOT ENOUGH COLE, antagonist was a bit bleh (though those fight scenes he had SERVED), could have had a little better utilization of the characters outside of "Cole's crew"

Seabound- MMMMMMM EVERY SINGLE EPISODE HIT SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!! NYA EATING FOR REAL!!! THE GODDAMN INSANE FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY!!!! THE PEAK VILLAIN!!! THE MUSIC! THE EMOTIONS! THE PAPERGIRL! THE BENTHO! THE PILLOW MINT! THE CRUMBLING COOKIE! THE JAY ALMOST DYING FOR HIS FRIENDS! THE NYA BASICALLY DYING FOR HER FRIENDS! THE SILENT I LOVE YOU!!! THE UTTERLY GUTTING WAY IT ENDED AND LEFT ME COMATOSE FOR THREE DAYS!!!!! IT WAS SO BEAUTIFULLLLLLLL WHO GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO POP THIS HARD

Pros: *gestures wildly* Cons: It made me sad

Possession- Here we have the other fan favorite season, the bible for all people Morro-obsessed. Essentially the Seabound of the older era but with significantly less emotional devastation snksnksnk. Top-notch characterization—the Core Four have never been better with their dynamics, humor, and teamwork, it's the first real time Nya (and if we wanna be picky, Cole) get some dedicated introspective time, Lloyd is truly put to a very personal test, Ronin is there, and Morro serves as both a fantastic antagonist and a foil for all those he opposes. Simply isn't the top spot strictly because when I think of my favorite season...this ain't it, though it absolutely deserves to be.

Pros: THE CHARACTERIZATION FOR ALL, AMAZING ANTAGONIST, ALSO BEAUTIFUL ANIMATIONS, HUMOR AND HORRORS IN ONE GO, EXTREMELY REWATCHABLE, MOAR MUSIC, ENDED BITTERSWEET BUT WITH HOPE AND A SICKASS QUOTE Cons: Perhaps a touch overhyped but that's not actually the season's fault nor is it actually a con I just needed to put something here this thing is honestly airtight perfect when it comes to seasons gfgsfddfdhfkls

Tournament of Elements- yes. Yes. YEEEEEEES. To be fair this should be #3 or #4 overall quality wise MMMMMBUT I THINK ITS POTENCY CLEARS THE GAP! Season 4 ran so Season 5 could fly!!!! THE RECIPE FOR A PERFECT STORY, just, perhaps a touch undercooked, BUT THE INTENTIONS WERE FELT AND I VIBE WITH THEM H A R D

Pros: IN A SEASON WHERE THE VILLAIN DIVIDES PEOPLE WE LEARN THAT THERE IS STRENGTH IN KEEPING AND MAINTAINING MANY DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS EVEN IF IT SEEMS HARD AND IMPOSSIBLE AND IN SPITE OF OUR DIFFERENCES AND EVEN IF WE DO FIND OURSELVES DIVIDED, WE SEE WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE. THESE THEMES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE CHARACTERS, MUSIC, PLOT, THE ANIMATION OF THE EXPRESSIONS, AND I THINK THIS IMPORTANT OVERARCHING MESSAGE TRIUMPHS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE AS IT TRULY RESTS AT THE HEART OF NINJAGO AS A WHOLE *mic drop* Cons: Wish it delved just a bit more into the other EMs–what in the world have they all been up to??? Also wish the season ran with the tournament theme throughout the whole season rather than suddenly bouncing around in like the last three or so episodes–that kind of killed its momentum when it needed it the most. But, it still definitely stuck the landing!

#ninjago #lego ninjago #idk what else to tag this #i'm going to bed bai #don't mock my typos

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sarilolla · 3 months

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Ooo yes, okay! @1-random-ideas555g Here you go :)

My Pop World Tour draws inspiration from some of the Evil Pop aus that popped up after the second movie, but I tried to make it my own as much as possible

During the first movie things are more tense. The Bergens are not actually redeemable, and after the Snack Pack tries to leave Bridget, she nearly betrays them, before “actually” doing so later (she doesn’t do anything to save them, but she doesn’t actually betray them). Creek still is a traitor (and dies lol, I don’t like him), and during the Trollstice meal many are lost. The Trolls not eaten are placed back in the Troll Tree, the Bergens not thinking about the tunnels in their happy and carefree state. Poppy, Branch, and the Snack Pack survives, leading the survivors out.

It takes time for them to exit that shocked state, and the Pop Trolls are not good with grief. Poppy and Branch have already have a sort of situationship going on, and as they became the de facto leaders, they decided to become official. Despite the horrid situation and how their minds have become a little twisted, they’re genuinely really good with each other and loves the other a lot. Once they feel a bit more stable, and after Putt Putt, they get engaged, going through this adventure as fiancés, planning to get married when all Trolls are united

Poppy finds the Pop String in the rubble of her dad’s pod, alongside history books and journals. While the history books say what they do in the movie, the couple piece together Pop might have had a bigger, worse part of the schism by the fact they have the original harp/lyre. Poppy also discover her dad’s journals from when he was a young king and the tunnels were starting to be built, she learns about Viva, and the loss of more Trolls than she had learned. She becomes desperate to find them, refusing the thought they died twenty years ago. She wants to reunite them all, in a safe place where no one will find them, but she also has to ensure no one will betray them like Creek did. She learns about the Ultimate Power Chord, which can hypnotize a Troll into another genre, but there’s also a weaker version where you can use the String to hypnotize Trolls of the same genre of the String.

With the help of the String, they find Putt Putt Village, and while Viva is excited to see her sister, she is also scared by the younger. Viva and Clay built the community so it would be safe from danger. Why is every instinct in her body telling her that her baby sister is dangerous? She doesn’t want to hear her sister out on the World Tour, why can’t the survivors not just stay in Putt Putt where it’s safe? That frustrates Poppy, who uses the Pop String to hypnotize her and the other Trolls in the small village.

Meanwhile, Branch is speaking with his older brother. They’re both happy to see each other, they were close as kids, Branch having many moments where Clay was the favorite. However, the older just doesn’t see the vision. He doesn’t see why this will help and protect Trollkind. Branch isn’t listening to reason either, and he’s angry too with his older sibling. While he isn’t as deep in the obsession as Poppy, he truly believes in their plan and in his girlfriend. Still, he loves his brother and when Clay manages to escape from being hypnotized, he turns a blind eye to it. Poppy lets him, and promises he will get to reunite with his brothers soon and everything will be fine.

Clay figures something as powerful as the Music Strings won’t go down on its own. He hates it, but the Perfect Family Harmony might be what he needs. It was rumored to be able to break Diamond, after all, maybe it would snap his people out of their hypnotized state. He just hopes Branch will see reason when they attempt to hit it again

—

After that I don’t have much planned yet, as this is a fairly recent au project. I’m imagining that after they figure out Cooper is from Funk, they agree to let everyone keep their music, they just need to hypnotize them under it. I’m thinking Poppy and Cooper have a family bond in this au, possibly adopted siblings, so she really wanna do right by him! She wants Trolls to be happy and feel safe, and if that means not everyone is Pop, she can live with that

#dreamworks trolls #trolls world tour #trolls band together #pop world tour au #yes I’m a little Broppy obsessed what about it #oh the sillies are going through the horrors again #when will it end

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marsipain · 2 years

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DTIYS WINNERS !!!

(sorry abt stupid tumblr cropping, click on the individual images to see full drawings)

1st place goes to @twigs-sprigs !!

(his og post)

You truly blew me away with the sheer detail in your submission! The extreme perspective, the pose, the composition, the subtle but tactical bg choice, your own little hcs like the dragon tail and horns and cool ass shoes (that I wish I owned ugh)… it all brings this piece together so well! I can tell you put a ridiculous amount of time and effort into this piece and it is truly deserving of this first place, ultimate funkyness and 10/10 creativity <3

2nd place goes to @httydbooks-doodler !! <3

(their og post)

Yeah I chose you as second place, no it’s not because we’re friends but because I genuinely love your submission (ehehe), anyways ur funky perspective and simple but effective bg choice really pulls it all together, I also love the funky strobe lights (?) on the bottom psjdhfhf! You were also one of the only ones to go to the full length of drawing full body, which like, kudos to you because not even I was feeling like doing it xD! Anyways you deffo deserve 2nd place and I can’t wait to draw one of your oc’s (one of the siblings, pls pls plspls PAHSHGDGDV)

3rd place goes to @emisnt2 !!

(her og post)

Your submission gave me a special unnamable feeling (??) idk something abt the vibe and aura of this drawing just gives me those late night lofi hip-hop synthwave feels, the halftone textures added so much texture to the piece and i love how you played with the general lighting and made it more purple! Your foreshortening is lowkey impressive, to the point where I want to eat your skill /pos! Loved your additions of the devil horn headband and neon streaks in the hair, so cute! Very stable 3rd place <3

I’ll be dming all you winners so you can send me what character/oc you want me to draw as a prize!

These were the most difficult things I’ve ever had to decide between, every single submission did something new and creative with it and if I could, I’d give everyone first place! I chose the winners based on personal taste and the amount of effort put into it, and if you didn’t win, that doesn’t mean you’re not a good artist! I’m so proud and thankful for everyone that joined, you all did incredibly well, and you’re all extremely talented <3

Also this won’t be the last dtiys I do! Hopefully if I ever reach another follower milestone I’ll do another one, maybe I’ll even spice it up a little hehe… So this won’t be your last chance to win a drawing from me c:

ANYWAYS! If you haven’t already, check out the dtiys tag and like and reblog everything you see!! So many talented artists entered and they all deserve recognition, so go give them some love! <3

#marsipaindtiys1k #marsipain speaks

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hamliet · 2 years

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Why Michael is Important as Folk

Or really, a character analysis of Michael Novotny, one of Queer as Folk’s best characters whose friendship with Brian is deeply important, and without whom Brian/Justin wouldn’t work nearly so well. I said what I said.

I’ve seen a lot of Takes that seem to view Michael (and sometimes Lindsay too) as an obstacle standing in the way of Brian and Justin, and I just don’t think the writing supports this. If anything, for Michael especially, he’s an integral part of what makes Brian and Justin work as characters and as a relationship.

Michael helps Brian and Justin grow towards one another. His character pushes them together. He does this in a number of ways, but the most flagrant way throughout all five seasons is through all three of them acting as mirrors to each other. They all reflect different aspects of one another, showing the reality of how each of them needs to grow as well as the possibilities of who they can become. Only through this three-way reflection of each other’s flaws and dreams do Brian, Michael, and Justin grow into the men they want to be.

The three-way foiling also embodies the delicate tension of the motif of fantasy vs reality in QaF. This motif is most clearly present in Michael’s arc and challenges (fitting, because Michael is the narrator). Michael’s name may be a reference to Peter Pan, which Queer as Folk frequently references with Brian as Peter and Lindsay as Wendy. Michael Darling is Wendy’s littlest brother, and the one who starts to forget what life back in London is like as he spends more and more time in the fantastical world of Neverland. (Intentional or not, I don’t know, but it’s an interesting bit of trivia regardless.) Michael Darling is actually based on a real person, Michael Llewelyn Davies, who was probably gay, and died a tragic death at a young age (20) alongside his likely lover. (Davies’ siblings believed the pair committed suicide together.) But instead of dying in this story, Michael Novotny, Brian Kinney, and Justin Taylor all live and grow.

Season One: Justin as the Inner Child

Season 1 is really the only season where Michael deliberately tries to come between Brian and Justin, but the irony is that he ultimately needs Justin in his life just as much as Brian does (albeit in a different way).

When Season 1 opens, Brian and Michael have been kind of stuck for years in a sort of prolonged adolescence. Justin enters their lives as an actual adolescent and thereby shines a light on how exactly both Brian and Michael need to grow. Their adult lives aren’t exactly fantasy lives, but neither of them are able to admit it.

Brian, despite seemingly having a successful career and social life to go and appearing to go after everything he wants without a care, actually isn’t really good at pursuing what he wants. His life of sex and partying is pretty much a fantasy to dull the reality of a nightmarish childhood.

Meanwhile, Michael clings to the fantasy of Brian one day loving him at the expense of the reality that Brian does love him--just not romantically. Frankly, the reason Brian doesn’t ever sleep with Michael is because he loves him: that would be too much, too close for Brian, and he’d then push Michael away and Michael would actually go because Michael doesn’t demand things. Brian doesn’t want to lose Michael, so he doesn’t cross this line.

As for Justin, he claims that what he really wants is Brian, which he does. But he also has a fantastical notion of what that means--dates, boyfriends, romance. He describes Brian to Daphne using rather fantastical language, and Michael even comments that Justin’s taken artistic liberties when he draws Brian. However, unlike Brian and Michael up until that point, Justin digs in and commits to what he really wants:

Brian: Look, I don’t believe in love. I believe in fucking. It’s honest, it’s efficient. You get in and out with a maximum of pleasure, and a minimum of bullshit. Love is something that straight people tell themselves they’re in, so they can get laid. Then they end up hurting each other, because it was all based on lies to begin with. If that’s what you want, then go and find yourself a pretty little girl, and get married.

Justin: That’s not what I want. I want you.

Justin wants Brian, no matter what that means. He unapologetically goes after what he wants, and in doing so drags Michael and Brian along. In this, Justin is the key that unlocks Brian’s and Michael’s ability to develop and evolve. After all, Brian tells Justin that Justin can see him in his dreams, and Justin says okay, but let’s make that dream reality.

In terms of literary archetypes, Justin is Brian’s inner child. The “inner child” is a Jungian concept (and as always with Jung, his ideas are better applied to patterns in literature than real life psychology). The inner child represents a person’s younger self, a purity in a sense, a divinity--but also the traumatized part of us that, childishly, assumes it’s our fault that our traumas occur. Sometimes it’s even called the “wonder child” (which is literally what Michael calls Justin in the very first episode: “boy wonder”).

In every adult there lurks a child— an eternal child, something that is always becoming, is never completed, and calls for unceasing care, attention, and education. That is the part of the personality which wants to develop and become whole (Collected Works of Jung Vol. 17)

It’s symbolic that Brian has sex with Justin in Michael’s childhood bedroom. Terrified that his mom knows he’s gay, Justin flees towards Michael’s house--exactly what Brian used to do when his family was a nightmare growing up. Justin snoops through Michael’s bedroom, looking at photos of Michael and Brian as kids. Brian shows up for him, and in a sort of retread of the story of how Brian and Michael jerked each other off as kids (but Michael never got off), this time Justin gets Brian off in the same room. Michael is then furious at Brian:

Michael: You can fuck him at your place, you can fuck him in his gym class, you can fuck him at the zoo, but you cannot fuck him in my mother’s house--in my room!

But, the reason this seemingly-cringe scene works so well is because Justin is also Michael’s inner child; after all, he moves into Michael’s old bedroom, and Michael moves in with David--two events that are thematically paralleled. You see, despite Debbie et al thinking Michael has “a real chance with David,” he doesn’t. Why? Because David doesn’t love Michael for Michael--he loves the idea of Michael. Which? Is precisely what Michael loves about Brian.

Now, I don’t mean to suggest that Michael doesn’t know or love the real Brian. He does. But he clings to the idealization of Brian over the reality, which in turn prevents Michael from growing up. Through Michael’s failed relationship with David, he’s confronted with his own flaws in regards to his relationship with his best friend, and his ideas about love. Once he faces this in himself, he’s able to actually show up for Brian when he needs it, as a true friend.

The inner child is “healed” in Jungian works by grieving the loss of innocence, by appreciating the value of a childlike kindness. It’s not healed by looking at ti with contempt and telling it to grow. It starts to heal with Brian when he decides to make his inner child happy and go to prom with Justin. It starts to heal for Michael when he sits with Brian and grieves with him after their inner child is wounded and possibly dying in Justin.

Season Two: Brian as the Hero

Season 2 contains the most meta melding of fantasy and reality in the story: Michael and Justin’s team-up to create a gay superhero comic, which mirrors their real lives. But real life is messier than glossy comic books. Heroes are complicated.

Both of them choose Brian as their basis for Rage, because he’s their hero. Of course, Brian hates himself, so doesn’t react well, but the reality is... Brian has been their hero. But any hero has to face challenges to be able to become said hero.

Michael: I was thinking that Rage save some other kid's life after he was bashed...

Justin: I think it's a great idea.

Michael: You do? I mean, it's awfully personal.

Justin: The best art usually really is. Besides, I wanna talk about it. The trouble is no one would ever listen. They all pretend it didn't happen.

Michael: Now, here is your chance.

Justin: And it could be how Rage meets the love of his life.

Michael: I thought Rage didn’t believe in love.

Justin: We’ll let him think that.

[They smile]

In their creation and writing of Rage, we can see the differences in how Michael and Justin approach fantasy, reality, and their relationships with Brian. Justin’s name in the comics is just JT (his real life initials), symbolizing again his determination to bring the fantasy into reality.

In contrast, Michael’s is Zephyr, a completely fantastical name (also potentially an allusion to Zephyr the Greek god whom some legends say kills a man named Hyacinthus via hitting him in the head with a discus out of jealousy for Hyacinthus choosing to love Apollo, the god of the sun (sunshine, anyone?) over him; Apollo resurrects Hyacinthus and Hyacinthus achieves immortality and all is well). Michael is more willing to swallow the fantasy in some ways and in others, not so much. Plus, as mentioned earlier, Michael’s arc is about growing from a jealous, immature kid with a crush and into a supportive, loving friend to both Brian and Justin.

When Brian pisses on the drawing of himself as Rage, Michael and Justin’s reactions show us what they each bring to Brian. Michael accepts Brian as he is, as does Justin. But what makes Justin different is that he knows Brian can be better, and pushes Brian to grow (this is why, romantically, Michael and Brian would never work, but Michael and Ben work really well). Michael is a lot more willing to let things slide. But if Brian is actually to be a hero (which he becomes in season 3), he’s gotta be pushed.

Michael: I guess even a superhero can morph into a jerk.

Justin: Don't tell me you're gonna forgive him.

Michael: Who said that?

Justin: Knowing you guys’ dysfunctional history, you’d put up with anything... All this time I was fooling myself, thinking he loves me.

Michael: He does love you. You saw his face this morning. We could have removed his teeth with pliers and he would have let us.

Justin: Maybe we should have. He deserves it.

Michael: Well, now we know Rage's fatal weakness, and it's not kryptonite.

Through this conversation we see that Justin forces Michael to grow as well. Michael tells Justin, firstly, that Brian loves him (something he would not have said in the first season), and acknowledges his friend’s weakness, the weakness he’s always known was there: Brian is human. Brian wants to be loved just as much as every other person. And he states it directly to Justin, and then goes on to back Justin up when they demand an apology from Brian.

Brian: What I did was immature, childish, and addictive. It was an act of cruelty because of irrational fears and unfounded--jealousy. If I were you I've never speak to me again.

Justin: That's better.

Michael: It's really good.

But this applies to Michael as well: he realizes Brian is just like him. They have the same weakness Michael struggled with throughout season 1: jealousy. Thus, the power difference between them erodes. They share many things--including flaws. He doesn’t have to reach up to Brian anymore, and he can even pull Brian up at times. In fact, part of the reason Brian can face his own jealousy is because he’s seen Michael overcome it by now working with Justin

Part of the reason Michael is able to accept it this time--that he shouldn’t always just accept and can push Brian to grow--is because of Michael’s own personal struggles in season 2. The best people are still, well, people, and therefore flawed and in need of forgiveness. Earlier in the season, Michael had accept this about himself too: that he’s not always a good person. He can be cowardly, and he rejects Ben quite cruelly (really hurting Ben), and has to apologize to and grovel to get back together with Ben after. Because of this, he can accept that while he can be a jerk, he can also still be worthy of love--and has to promise to do better and live up to being better. Only after Michael accepts this challenge to grow can he be in a mature relationship of his own. (He’ll also have to accept that Ben can be a jerk, and still be worthy of love.) So Michael’s already been doing the work.

Michael can face his flaws because people like Justin and Ben forgive him, and because he can forgive others. The season ends, however, with Justin cliff-diving into his own encounter with his flaws, an encounter that will end up evening out the playing field in his and Brian’s relationship as well.

Season Three: Illuminating the Unconscious

Or, the season where Michael starts off at his most assholish but it’s all for the greater good.

The ironic aspect of Michael and Justin working together resulting in jealousy from Brian is that, well, at the launch of said project, Brian gets dumped. Justin leaves Brian for Ethan, who is literally all of Justin’s worst traits personified in what he assumed was an ultimate fantasy romance.

True to form, Brian then delves into deep, deep, deep denial. He’s always been expecting Justin to leave him. Michael is the character who provokes Brian into showing how much he cares--no, not in a calculated, deliberate way, but he does it all the same. Michael does this by showing how much he cares about Brian, even if he is a jerk himself about it.

Michael: Can you believe the nerve... I told him to stay the fuck out of our lives!

Brian: Why’d you do that?

Michael: After what he did?

Brian: He didn’t do anything. We were never happily married; he was always free to go, and so was I.

Michael: You’re just saying that. He’s a selfish little shit.

Brian: Be quiet, Michael.

Michael: He used you, he took from you, and he never gave back a thing.

Brian: I said be quiet!

Michael: And this is the thanks you get for saving his life? If you ask me, it wasn’t worth it. You might as well have just left him lying there--

[Brian punches Michael]

This is a rotten thing to say, no defense possible. Did Michael deserve to get punched for saying something so horrible? Absolutely. To be fair, which of us has not said something terrible about a friend’s ex who hurt them? ( ＾▽＾)っ✂╰⋃╯Still, this was just... below the belt.

What Michael says, though, provides several revelations for Brian and for Michael.

For Brian, the punch wakes Brian up to the reality that he could lose Michael, and he doesn’t want to. Brian apologizes and finally admits in a roundabout way that he loves Michael:

Michael: You never hit me before!... But I guess after what I said, I deserved it. You must really love him.

Brian I told him from day one, I don't believe in love, I believe in --

Michael: Fucking, yeah, I know.

Brian: Except for you, of course.

Michael's horrendous comment also shows Brian that Michael believes Brian deserves to be loved, which is something Brian struggles to believe. Brian's punch also demonstrates that Brian hates himself immensely, and doesn’t really want people to side with him. He’s still a hurting, self-loathing child who doesn’t think he deserved to be born. Michael ironically brings this out of the unconscious and into reality by being shitty out of his love for Brian (love is never inherently not selfish).

But, you gotta fight for love if you really want said love. That’s part of being a hero. Brian goes on to do this in subtle ways in season 3, like continuing to honor his commitment to pay for Justin’s college, which in turn inspires Justin to honor his commitment to work on Rage with Michael. Brian is also later able to give Justin a path back after his encounter with his worst self because Michael has helped Brian do this, and Brian has helped Michael do it as well. That’s why right after confirming he loves Michael, Brian tells Michael he wants Michael to “make up with [Justin]��.

So that’s what the punching scene does for Brian’s character arc. What does it do for Michael’s? Well, it gives Michael a consequence that brings him back to the messy reality where superheroes can be jerks--and sidekicks can be assholes.

The reality is that they can’t ever go back to the time before Justin, nor should they. Just because something hurts doesn’t mean it should never have happened--an important lesson for Michael going forward. Brian still loves Justin despite how badly Justin hurt him, and he will still love Michael despite the terrible thing Michael said.

Michael doesn’t get off scot-free from his cruelty either, nor should he. The narrative calls Michael out by having his own partner say something similarly cruel to him:

Ben: ... Sometimes I just think...

Michael: What? Sometimes you just think what?

Ben: That it might just be easier to be with someone who's positive.

In Michael’s struggle with Ben this season, he starts to move beyond his initial understanding in season 2 and truly live the messy reality that people are flawed and that, even when hurting, cruelty fixes nothing.

But back to the point of Michael’s terrible comments about Justin--what does it offer Justin? Justin never hears it, after all. But what it offers is that it clues the audience in to what Justin’s arc in the third season is all about.

No excuses for cruelty, again, but Michael is the only character who doesn’t excuse Justin for hurting Brian. This is a good thing for Justin’s growth, because Justin needs to face himself. Lindsay, Debbie, everyone--they excuse Justin when they shouldn’t. Now, I know I’ve said myself Brian was absolutely pushing Justin away and it wasn’t surprising Justin chose Ethan at the time, but that doesn’t make it okay or not hurtful to Brian. You’ve got to take responsibility for your own actions.

After all, Justin is the one who sets the rules for their open relationship, but also the one who repeatedly breaks them. He’s the one who chose Ethan at an event set up to celebrate Brian, which humiliated Brian.

As mentioned earlier, Ethan is the ultimate fantasy boyfriend--over-the-top romantic, loves art, incredibly talented and passionate... but he also lies and cheats and makes promises he can’t keep. Like, who else does that sound like?

After being with Ethan and then finding himself cheated on, Justin realizes that while Ethan always said he loved him, he never loved Justin more than his music. As flawed as Brian’s love is--and it is--Brian keeps proving he loves Justin even after Justin leaves him. Brian’s actions mean more than Ethan’s pretty words.

Brian is reality, while Ethan is fantasy. That doesn’t mean Brian can’t be better at showing he loves Justin (he can), but it does mean there’s an actual foundation there that there is not with Ethan.

Brian and Justin finally get back together after a conversation about their mistakes, not solely their strengths. They then work together as equal partners in Justin’s art campaign against Stockwell and Brian’s plot to capture the Dumpster Killer.

Season Four: Michael as the Reconciler

In the latter third of season 3, Michael again chooses a fantastical possibility over reality when he worries obsessively over the unborn child he has with Melanie, while literally wanting to turn an actual breathing, hurting human child (Hunter) out on the streets. But in the end, Michael overcomes this, risking it all to run away and protect Hunter from his abusive mother--the thing he was never able to do for Brian when Brian’s parents were abusing him during their childhood. Thereby Hunter becomes a sort of inner child for Michael as well, symbolizing his break with Brian--not in a bad sense, but in the sense of growing into his own person.

In season 4, Michael gets to show how he’s grown. He’s healed the inner child with Hunter, and continues to help his friends as they struggle with their own inner child issues: Brian with whether or not he deserved to be born (deciding to be treated for cancer or let himself die), and Justin with whether or not he should have died in Chris’s attack (via refusing to let Chris steal more of his future by not killing Chris).

In a reverse of Michael tattling on Justin to Brian in season 2, he tattles on Brian to Justin (I mean, I’m using the word “tattle” but don’t mean to imply it’s immature, because it’s not). Michael reminds Justin (who here has the right to be hurt, because Brian was at his absolute worst as a non-defined, nonconventional boyfriend after his cancer diagnosis) of who Brian is. Two steps forward towards vulnerability, then a jump back.

Michael brings Justin and Brian together again instead of trying to wedge them apart. He gives Justin the perspective he needs to go back there and take care of Brian, and the courage to show Brian the same kind of love Justin’s mother showed him in season 1, when, as Debbie tells Jennifer:

Debbie: ...the truth is, the thing [Justin]’s the most afraid of, even more than his dad finding out and beating the shit out of him, is that you will stop loving him.

This is not to say Brian and Justin, Brian and Michael, or Michael and Justin are 1=1 parallels to Jennifer’s love for Justin, but instead to say that the comparison with a mother’s love shows a maturation of all three of these relationships.

They choose to live and continue despite the obstacle course that is life, and despite the injuries they carry. In fact, the reason all three of them can continue is because of each other, which is most perfectly displayed in the finale of season 4.

Michael and Justin both try to warn Brian to face reality: his body’s not in any shape to handle the bike ride. Brian, true to form, does not care. When reality sets in and Brian breaks his collarbone yet still insists on continuing, Michael sets in to help him along. Even when reality is crushing, if they help each other, they can achieve the impossible. Loving relationships make a little magic, bring a little fantasy to our world.

At the end of the race, Justin waits for Brian over the finish line, but Brian needs Michael to get there. The metaphor is clear: Justin is endgame. But Brian would never get there if it were not for Michael.

Season Five: Michael, Brian, and Justin as Fully Realized Individuals

Come season 5, Michael, Ben, and Hunter move to the suburbs. Michael’s reality is what Brian sees as a fantasy, and Brian doesn’t respect it. He lashes out at Michael for Michael’s life looking differently than Brian’s own, and panics when Justin’s desire to have a domestic life becomes more and more apparent. He blames Michael for it, trying to see Michael as the problem. But as Michael tells him, the problem is Brian:

Brian: You infected him, with your petty, bourgeois, mediocre, conformist, assimilationist life! Thanks to you he's got visions - babies, weddings, white picket fences - dancing in his blond little head.

Michael: And you think I put them there?

Brian: Before you and your husband tied the noose around your necks he was perfectly happy! But now, he's a defector, just like the rest of you!

Michael: He was never perfectly happy! Waiting for years for you to say "I love you, you're the only one I want."

Brian: That's not who I am!

Michael: Don't we all know!

The reality is, as has been clear to any viewer of the series, that Justin has always wanted these things. Like, he’s talked about it since the first season.

Here, Michael stands up to Brian and says no, he cannot project Justin’s desires onto Michael. They are Justin’s, and if Brian wants to be with Justin, Brian has to decide what to do on his own. That’s what it means to be an adult. Justin, too, needs to think about what he wants.

Of course, it all comes to a head when Babylon--the safe haven--gets bombed and Michael almost dies. Brian rushes into Babylon to save Justin. Justin is the one who brings up that he can’t find Michael, and only then do we realize Michael’s been gravely wounded. Brian tries to donate blood to save Michael, but he’s not able to.

Through what happened to Michael, Brian finally gets the courage to tell Justin what he has never said in direct words to Michael: I love you. Out of fear of almost losing Michael, Brian then proposes to Justin, but neither of them are quiiite ready for that yet. However, I’ve talked extensively about Season 5 before, and how the ending is more to symbolize Brian and Justin being fully alive than anything else, and imo a happy ending for Brian and Justin was clearly implied to the point where it’s barely implied.

Yet again, we can look to Michael and his relationship with Brian as part of this implication. They may be on different paths at the time. Accepting this is also part of growing up--leaving your egocentric, childish beliefs behind. Yet still, the thumpa-thumpa continues, and they’ll continue to meet and celebrate life together with their other loved ones, too.

Michael: Some things aren’t meant to change.

I don’t think this line was ever about Brian’s hedonistic lifestyle necessarily, but instead about the core love that binds the relationships in the show--Justin and Brian’s included. Time won’t change their love. They will always love each other. Even if they part ways for a bit, they’ll always find their way back to each other. It’s been true for Brian and Michael, Michael and Ben, Blake and Ted, Emmett even dances with an old high school pal of his; it’ll be true for Justin and Brian as well.

Love might be a fantasy in some ways--it’s an ideal. The reality is that love is an awkward path to follow, full of potholes and debris and steep climbs. But the story of Queer as Folk suggests that love, no matter how hard it is, is the only way to grow and navigate the difficult reality of life.

Thereby, reality and fantasy aren’t actually two binaries. It was never about reality vs. fantasy, but instead about integrating reality and fantasy--because we all hope for a better life each day, despite the quagmire and disappointments and injustice of daily life. Through our friendships, romantic relationships, parental ones, we bring that divine magic into the world.

#michael novotny #qaf meta #queer as folk us #queer as folk meta #queer as folk #qaf 2000 #britin #brian kinney #justin taylor #ben bruckner #hunter montgomery #hunter novotny-bruckner #qaf analysis #ethan gold

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