#i would be sooooo fucking manipulative. like genuinely i have the power for it.

[mars-ipan]

lmk if this is fucked up (hear me out) but i’ve been wanting an excuse to psychologically torment someone for years (HEAR ME OUT)

[teethmouth]

he’s like a worse mr house to me

my thoughts on him + his portrayal down there

OK SOOOOO FIRST OF ALL. i was genuinely really surprised at how halfway enjoyable he was? at least compared to the other cast… anywho. i was pretty frustrated with his dynamic with alastor (vivs Invincible Character) and i think they really missed out on some possible plot points.

first of all vox seems to be able to control other demons, at least those who view his programming, even beyond simple celebrity idolization. thats a LOT of possible power to have access to, and voxs manipulation of others could have been a good match with alastors raw, self-controlled power.

also the whole idea of radio taking the entertainment throne again is so ridiculous to me because like. people used to tune into tv broadcasts through the radio when tvs werent as widespread! they would still be consuming his programming anyways! alastor needs some kind of major weakness and his lack of popularity would definitely be a good way to do that

obviously i am additionally pissy about his time period inaccuracies. why make a character represent a certain decade if you arent going to make them embody it at all? i think viv recognized that people in the 1950s were enraptured by the idea of a new frontier of technology, especially through tv, but failed to incorporate that correctly at all. retro-futurism was and is interesting because people assumed their everyday customs and style of living would persist, even if technology became more advanced. vox to me completely lacks the sheen of socially perfect consummate professionalism characteristic of the ideal television host of the time. would it literally kill you to have a character not say fuck constantly and be addicted to sex.

[arcanahangedman]

it fascinates me how the only hate i see for jundori is entirely projection and bad faith interpretation

chidori can be her own three-dimensional character, a homeless orphan abducted by evil corporate overlords for human experimentation, who grows up too fast and has to learn to fend for herself alongside other victims of this abuse, whose love of art and nature contrasts with her apathy to life and suicidal ideation

While. also. being a child who never got the chance for wider socialisation, bewildered by this weird guy’s interest in her art and his insistence on keeping an eye on her (bc she literally fucking c*ts herself in public and is then hospitalised) but his sheer compassion grows on her. someone called their relationship stockholm syndrome and ooooh my goooood Do u even know what that means.

junpei is a 17 year old kid. as a member of sees, he (like the rest of the group) has no idea what’s going on with the kirijo group or their operations, nor does he hold any power over their choice to hospitalise chidori. also she is there bc SHE LITERALLY SELF H*RMS LIKE ARE U DUMB

to act as if junpei is some sort of scheming villain that supports and is responsible for chidori being held hostage instead of being a scared kid, apart of an organisation he is kept entirely in the dark about, concerned about the safety of this other person his age who goes around assassinating ppl and c*tting herself…genuinely u could not think of a more disingenous interpretation of his character if u tried

i saw someone say that chidori is portrayed by fandom as junpei’s “no-panties mommy housewife” (almost that exact wording) and it’s like. What Are You Talking About No She Isn’t. She Is 16 Why The Fuck Would You Even Suggest That Or Word It That Way You Freak

it’s extremely bizarre to write off a ship bc u choose to engage with the cishet male incel side of the persona fanbase and view it through their perspective. like what does that have to do with their actual depiction in the game or ur average tumblr jundori enjoyer.

if u have issues with the power imbalance between the two of them, sure, it’s understandable. junpei is not the one being held against his will and chidori repeatedly protests staying in the hospital (i must stress that i, for one, do not think it wise to leave a minor who consistently self-h*rms without supervision :p) but the presence of a power imbalance does not automatically equal an abusive misuse of that imbalance

last note: ppl like to bring up junpei’s weirdo behaviour towards the other female cast members. i’m not going to treat this as insignificant but it’s also not particularly relevant unless ur arguing that junpei is seeking to control, perv on, or abuse chidori. Which he isn’t lol like he literally just wants to talk to her, stop her from c*tting herself, and show her that she can have a life outside of living on the streets and assassinating ppl with her merry band of men. the worst u could call him is naive (again. he’s 17.) but yeah he’s soooo controlling and abusive, guys !!

i’m not over here saying everyone has to like or support jundori, or either character. everyone has their preferences and idgaf about urs. but it would be sooooo great if we didn’t act as if one of these two children, both mistreated and left in the dark by evil corporate overlords, is actually a subservient overlord pawn who manipulates chidori so he can ?? keep her company when she’s alone and ask her about her feelings ????

anyway this isn’t supposed to be some epic final anti-jundori takedown so if u wanna discuss further, dm me. i don’t want no smoke just bc i think u ppl are genuinely weird 🩷

conclusion: i’m thinking about how that one persona ships poll had a 90% positive response to jundori so like Boom jundori sweep

[scoonsalicious]

I was an absolute Bucky hater, I have no shame on that! HAHAHAHAH I really really said, no excuse for what he did. I genuinely hate him for fuckinh Jamison.

But I have to say, seeing what happened in chapter 27 makes me quite understand the human aspect of it. Jugular really played on his insecurities and when at his most exposed time, she literally reached for his jugular. She didn’t just manipulate Bucky based on that article with Steve. It was helpful, yes, but without it, she would’ve still gotten into bucky’s head, regardless. I guess, the reason why it kinda gave me a reason to be less infuriated with Bucky is her literally invading their privacy. Yes, Bucky still gave pieces of info, but her snooping around and seeing both Bucky and Pocket’s intimate and vulnerable moments gave her the MOST and ABSOLUTE power over Bucky. She just knew how he works, inside out.

Now also, I am an insecure person. VERY insecure. Hearing this Jackass say everything to hit Bucky, she really hit all the right spots to make him weak. It’s like Ty Lee hitting all the energy points to take away your bending or any movement (yes, avatar reference 😭 I could only hope u know what I’m pertaining to). I would never fuck someone because of it tho. Even on that given situation. But I genuinely SEE the reason, and no it does not justify it but I see how it could be destructive to his decision making. Literally a snake whispering. She was soooo persistent and so sure of what she said that she had Bucky believing it despite wanting not to, and knowing pocket wouldn’t. Again. I still wouldn’t fuck my partner’s worse enemy for it. I would feel disgusted doing it. Like okay, I want revenge but not with u honeyboo. I would rather fuck a stranger than u. But yeah I see how it wasn’t really under hydra control or sex pollen but it is BORDERLINE there due to her manipulations. I still hate him, your honor 🧍‍♀️these past few chapters? Pocket is letting him slide too easily. Yes, poor Bucky but nah. Keep him at bay, sister! (I’m sorry I feel no empathy for people who did what Bucky did, just hit a nerve to me 🥹)

Anw, abt how this absolute Jaundice will die, I hope Bucky tortures her. Emotionally and physically. I hope he doesn’t just put a bullet though her head or snap her neck in an instant. She doesn’t deserve that. She deserves to hear how disgusted Bucky was, how he doesn’t and will never even like her, how she’s nothing but used goods, used by hydra, used by him, then is meant to be dumped like a worthless piece of shit. Do her everything she did Bucky and pocket, put thoughts in her head, and hit her where it hurts the most. Hell if it weren’t for Pocket’s condition I would’ve wished she also used Bucky and fuck right in front of Jails. She deserves every torture. Remove her nails and tooth one by one, scrape her skin slowly, gauge her eyeballs out. Keep her alive and make her wish she was dead. I hope her last vision when she dies is seeing how Bucky loves pocket SOOOOO much.

I am *so* relieved that I could pull off the Russia incident- I was really worried I wasn't going to be able to do it the way I wanted to, and I would doom Bucky to being evil forever, lol. But yeah, I feel like, between his own insecurities, her manipulation, and the access to information that she had, he didn't stand a chance. It doesn't absolve him, and he and Pocket both know this, but it's a mitigating factor.

And I totally don't agree with him hooking up with Pocket's nemesis for revenge, but, in a way, who the hell else was there? Like, dude knows less than 10 women, total, lol. He probably never would have even thought about getting "revenge" if a certain snake hadn't put the thought in his head to begin with (even though we don't see it on page, she absolutely did).

Pocket's realizing she can't live without Bucky, but it's not just going to be a "let's just jump back together" situation. They will take proper time to heal, I promise.

[gentil-minou]

People like you always claim that Adrien's (alleged) Sentiness doesn't devalue his abuse, even though in the eyes of a lot of people it absolutely has! In a relatively short time the discussion has shifted from e.g. how his abuse shaped his body language to if he ever was an infant.

And yes that is absolutely your fault. You are the one always going on and on about how much better it makes the characterization. Well you were wrong.

Trusting a fandom that doesn't poses the ability to differentiate between Harassment and Persistence with the Ability to deperson a main character was a mistake.

And you and your compatriots are very much to blame, because otherwise these alleged developments would have just been ignored.

I'm leaving, good bye (🫂) this wasn't supposed to sound manipulative, if it does I'm sorry.

Omg I had no idea I'm the only one ever to like the sentiadrien theory and that I singlehandedly influenced the creators to make it so plausible wow i didn't realize I had so much power. And wow I didn't know I had so much leeway in a show I'm very clearly not as invested in as I used to be! Wow!

Let's set aside that i haven't posted anything about sentiadrien or really any of the characters in about a year cause folks like you thought the best way to defend an abused character was to....harass and bully real people? I'm sure there's logic in that idea somewhere....but probably not.

I'm guessing you're looking for an apology or something...so. here is. I'm sooooo sorry you have so much hatred in your heart you think it makes sense to come after people for liking a theory and for wanting people to feel better if it came true.

The entire reason I made those posts was to show how being a senti doesn't change Adrien’s humanity. It's people like you who take it away. Like wow I cannot believe you are failing to se the irony in your own argument.

Meanwhile, I will go back and think about all the people who've reached out to me saying how much they felt better about the theory after reading what I wrote. I'll think about how much more I personally enjoy the story with this new facet and the interesting implications it brings.

I will, really quite effortlessly, ignore folks like you who genuinely need to rethink their engagement with the show if this is how they react to a theory. I love to think how much the characters you claim to defend would hate you for doing things like this, spreading vitriol and blaming folks for your own insecurities. Talk about missing the entire point of the show.

Take that hug back and hug yourself my guy because you certainly need it more than I do if you thought sending this was a good idea. I sincerely hope you realize this isn't the right thing to do and you grow up and make a change, or better yet block me and fuck off.

[reaganingridleys]

why brett and reagan should fuck the way i want them to fuck: an essay

Disclaimer: This is mainly based on headcanons and how I actively perceive these within the show, plus an analysis as to how personalities show up during vulnerable situations (specifically sex) plus their dynamic. Without further ado, here is the SEXSSAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Let’s start with Reagan. Controlling, angry, hardworking. She buries herself in her work because there’s not really a person to understand what’s going on with her head, situationally AND psychologically she feels: alone.

What’s Brett like? Cheerful, optimistic, but he’s got anxiety issues and only wants people to think the best of him because of the neglect he’s faced. What does he do? He copes with it too, and he tends to take things at face value which leaves him absolutely VULNERABLE to manipulation and bullying. He’s alone too, but he also has anger to deal with too.

See, when you put them together their dynamic actually seems to shift depending on where the writing takes them. But for the most part, as we see in canon we can also see their relationship dynamic get fleshed out. When at first it used to be between a grumpy-and-sunshine dynamic, the more the show goes you just… see them be idiots together, two faces of the same coin. If I were to make a comparison it’s pretty much like how Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham complete each other, except instead of toying with each other’s psyche for funsies, Brett and Reagan complement the missing parts of each other (Reagan’s lack of sociability, Brett’s self-destructiveness) and having to work on similar, traumatized standings makes them just… get each other so much. They’re as similar as they are different.

Now onto the relationship part.

You have two psychological disasters being put together and made to kiss, right? I think it becomes more natural to them both, like how Reagan had enough development with the gang to hug Brett first or how Brett took little Reagan to prom (”we’ve been cool for 18 years, man!” still makes me want to cry like a bitch lmao) and it’s just… so perfect. Like, this is the kind of reception you get from someone you understood and learned to like just by being together. They communicate their feelings and are direct with each other, (already an example being said in episode 2 where Brett constantly has to remind Reagan that this power trip shouldn’t last, or during the Blue Bloods episode where they tell each other what went wrong on each other’s ends despite Brett almost snapping at her going ‘TONIGHT WAS COMPLICATED’) and you just. YOU HAVE To Take That To Consideration as to how they would be like if they were in a romantic relationship. I genuinely think it wouldn’t change how they act like, but when it comes to affection I’m sure after years of struggling when you haven’t received that kind would be FILLED with so much softness and getting used to it, but they operate on a single braincell and that’s what I love about them sOOOOO fucking much.

Why do I have to preface this about an essay about how they should fuck, though? Because it’s the fact that it’s THEM that makes me want to fuck around with the evershifting dynamic that is them learning to love each other and it’s so GRHRFGBSAKHFDKJASDFDSG ,mmmy god. Anyway.

I think Brett works out as a soft dominating presence, you know? Outside of sex it’s literally because he’s so sexually radiant and charming that grabs the attention of normal people, even though it doesn’t hit Reagan (as much I guess, though she does acknowledge that he’s good-looking lol), it’s also the fact he could physically do anything to her if he wanted just by the fact he is strong and literally powerful (taking into account how he could fucking throw Glenn’s weight around, carry Reagan, even in the first episode he’s seen literally being able to lift her up with just one arm ohmygodpleasedothattomebrett), he’d just choose to be gentle with her because he’s of course too sweet to do anything poisonous. Then again, Reagan tends to poke the metaphorical bear in him, mostly due to her honesty. We’ve all seen how episode 2 worked out for the both of them, though. The only times you see Brett actually get angry/upset is literally because of Reagan (with exception to the Rafe episode), which isn’t to be viewed as a bad thing when you understand how much anger/anxiety Brett must actually be hiding. The rule in psychology is: if you’re an anxious person, you got a lot of anger in you too. Sure, he doesn’t harbor resentment for his family, no matter how much they did him in he still tried to love them as much as they didn’t love him, and he gives that love out to everyone he would know, especially with Reagan. But Reagan sees through that act, you know? Just by being herself she knows the corners Brett doesn’t like to touch on because it’s a side of him that he doesn’t want to acknowledge. Why do you think I think this way?

‘Cause they’re two sides of the same coin. If Reagan can understand herself, she can understand Brett. If Brett can understand himself, he can understand Reagan.

Brett can and will break through the walls Reagan’s built growing up and it’s shown that it was easy for him because she actually backed down and got the help she needed. If it literally wasn’t for Brett she would have been stuck unable to properly socialize and coordinate the team and I find it so sad but so so nice that it took JR only one look at Brett and went, “yep, he’s one of us now.” Like?>? CAN YOU BELIEVE.

Anyway, mixing in Brett’s issues with things being out of his control, plus the fact he attaches so easily that it’s possible to be possessive makes for a hot ass dom vibe going on for him. When he wants something, he’ll make sure he gets it. Despite his childishness at times, you start to understand that he’s actually more mature than he lets off (my guy is literally GOING TO THERAPY!!!!!!!!!) and I think that can definitely be explored when it comes to being in vulnerable situations because GODDAMN.

And he wants Reagan, who’s destined to be a bratty sub lmao

See, I think Reagan is demanding and always uptight about making sure things go her way. It’s obvious that people will easily assume she wouldn’t submit to anybody (especially with having a father that makes her do anything but that, and yet ironically he still ends up puppeting her) but I think it’s more of an opportunity to ask of what exactly she has to do if she allowed people to control her. It’s about the vulnerability that lets her act childish and demanding for someone who always had to work to get to what she wanted and still having no return/gratification even after getting it. Eventually, when she and Brett would be together, knowing each others’ ins and outs, Brett would learn to baby her and make her feel special because it’s something he’s never really had until her. You have that idea, mixed in with the fact that Reagan’s always been in need of someone to take care of her properly, and you get a Reagan that’s only rarely visible to the outside world and best of all, has Brett all to herself. She can and will be a brat just to make Brett push her around, taunting him until he pins her hands above her head and leaves her a wet shaky mess because Brett knows how to work her open, how to exact his revenge on her and Reagan just knows it man. GOD.

Anyway that’s my half assed essay on why they should totally bang this way. Good day guys.

[butwhatifidothis]

So @nilsh13​ decided that I was in need of torture today and sent me a take about Claude that quite frankly blew my ass out with how absolutely wack it is.

The take in full (two comments, under the cut):

“From what I've gathered of Claude's motivation, it's to prove himself to his Almyran family by entering Fodlan and destabilizing it from the inside. That's why he was trying to look into the Church's secrets and why he talked about possibly learning to harness the power of the sword of the creator for himself. I also think that's why he tries to stay "neutral" in routes not his own. I think he's just trying to hold out until he feels like he can make his move and overwhelm who's left. In VW with Byleth he feels like he can take initiative, and so hijacks the work of Edelgard's Revolution right from under her by killing her in Enbarr. This led to some of the fandom claiming that Claude took Fodlan bloodlessly, when really he just let others do the hard work then swooped in. I also think the reason he doesn't want to work with anyone is that he wants to claim that taking Fodlan was completely on him, no allies. That's why he lets Byleth become the new Archbishop, they're an ambitionless puppet that can be easily be manipulated by him, unlike Edelgard, or even Dimitri.

I don't think Claude really cares about Fodlan or it's well-being, he's there for himself. He just comes off as a completely disingenuous ass, yet because eof Joe Zieja and poor narrative focus, he's tricked the fandom into thinking he's actually a decent person.

(for context) A reply says:  Although I don't really agree, you see in both AM and CF that he trusts Dimitri and Edelgard respectively to achieve some of his dreams. I never felt that he was in it for himself; just like Edelgard, he's motivated by a better future for Fodlan, it's just that he uses more sneaky methods rather than Edelgard's more direct approach.

“Nah, I don't buy it. One of the flaws of the writing I think is that we never never see Claude pushed to the absolute edge like the other characters. It's almost like he doesn't care about his goals. But then you find out that's just an Almyran thing. They're warmongerers, but they value their lives more than winning in the end.

So yeah, for Claude, this doesn't mean as much to him as it does to Edelgard, who lives in Fodlan and wants to see it bettered for it's people. If Claude genuinely wanted that, I think he would've allied with Edelgard, since her overthrowing the Church would lead to the kinds of societal changes he claims to want. But he doesn't, because he's selfish and wants the win for himself if he can take it. He doesn't understand that war is people fighting for their home, which is why he's so shocked Hilda was willing to die for his bs claims. I sincerely don't believe Claude cares about Fodlan. He might care about a handful of folks he met, but they're mostly just a means to an end.

Claude is in Fodlan for his own gain in Almyra. Not for Fodlan's sake. He's just fortunate Edelgard started and became the face of war so he didn't have to do it himself.

Very frankly, fuck Claude. I agree with Edelgard. I understand Seiros. I pity Dimitri. No nuance with Claude, fuck him with a rusty lance.

Sooooo there’s a whole lot to unpack here.

“ From what I've gathered of Claude's motivation, it's to prove himself to his Almyran family by entering Fodlan and destabilizing it from the inside. That's why he was trying to look into the Church's secrets and why he talked about possibly learning to harness the power of the sword of the creator for himself. “

And he does this by... stabilizing the Alliance, that was going to fall apart with its head Major House falling to ruin without a proper heir. By being the literal, as-stated-by-Edelgard-herself reason that the Alliance is still stable. Right, okay, makes perfect sense actually. And like..... how do you get something so backwards? Claude isn’t looking into the Church’s secrets because he wants to destabilize Fodlan, it’s because he thinks the Church is the reason for Fodlan’s reluctance to have deep interactions with foreigners/outsiders. He thinks the Church is hiding involvement in big events like the Lance of Ruin and wants to “expose” them for their wrong-doings. And him wanting the SotC is because he thinks it would give him clout, like him wanting to wield Failnaught. Him being able to wield the literal most famous, renown relic in Fodlan’s history would give him so much sway in way more than just oonga boonga physical strength - Byleth being able to is the entire reason people look to them as a religious savior, since it’s physical proof that they have connections to one of the greatest “Heroes” of Fodlan’s history.

“ I also think that's why he tries to stay "neutral" in routes not his own. I think he's just trying to hold out until he feels like he can make his move and overwhelm who's left. In VW with Byleth he feels like he can take initiative, and so hijacks the work of Edelgard's Revolution right from under her by killing her in Enbarr. This led to some of the fandom claiming that Claude took Fodlan bloodlessly, when really he just let others do the hard work then swooped in. “

Or maybe he tries to stay neutral in the war because he doesn’t want his people embroiled in it?? Which fits with how he orders his men to fall back whenever it looks like it’s getting too dangerous?? Like, you do realize that it’s entirely possible to realize you don’t have the power to fight back and also want to keep your men safe because you care about them, right? That those aren’t inherently contradictory statements?

And what are you actually talking about “he just let others do the hard work then swooped in” you mean the “hard work” of Edelgard’s that he explicitly says destroys his dreams? Specifically mentioning how it was her excessive force that was fucking him over? Edelgard instigating war isn’t “hard work” for Claude, it’s something that is actively holding back his ambitions and something that he must get over. He has to improvise his plans around Edelgard’s war because it goes against his wants. The war is not something inherently positive for Claude, it’s something that he worked into his plans because otherwise he’d be fucked.

“ I also think the reason he doesn't want to work with anyone is that he wants to claim that taking Fodlan was completely on him, no allies. That's why he lets Byleth become the new Archbishop, they're an ambitionless puppet that can be easily be manipulated by him, unlike Edelgard, or even Dimitri. “

Which is why a majority of his endings state that he’s leaving Fodlan to his friends, plural, and why none of them state him having influence over Fodlan’s ruling (hence the “entrusting Fodlan” part of the majority of his endings), and why his Lorenz one actually states he’s leaving it to Lorenz specifically, and why literally none of his endings say anything about him taking full credit for shit all, and why in AM he literally leaves the Alliance and the future of Fodlan to Dimitri, and also why he literally, factually, actually works with Dimitri in AM and wants to in VW. This is. So fucking stupid.

“ I don't think Claude really cares about Fodlan or it's well-being, he's there for himself. He just comes off as a completely disingenuous ass, yet because eof Joe Zieja and poor narrative focus, he's tricked the fandom into thinking he's actually a decent person.“

I might actually have a stroke. 

like damn lmao like they don’t think it’s good writing but everything else is pretty close

Second comment 

Reminder for context, this reply:  Although I don't really agree, you see in both AM and CF that he trusts Dimitri and Edelgard respectively to achieve some of his dreams. I never felt that he was in it for himself; just like Edelgard, he's motivated by a better future for Fodlan, it's just that he uses more sneaky methods rather than Edelgard's more direct approach.

“ Nah, I don't buy it. One of the flaws of the writing I think is that we never never see Claude pushed to the absolute edge like the other characters. It's almost like he doesn't care about his goals. But then you find out that's just an Almyran thing. They're warmongerers, but they value their lives more than winning in the end.

This just in folks, if you aren’t pushed to your mental limits then you don’t care about your goals. Being able to keep a cool head despite the circumstances obviously means that you don’t care about what’s happening. 

And the thing is I even agree somewhat to the idea of Claude having a moment of weakness, but that he doesn’t isn’t indicative of his lack of care, like, at all, no matter where he’s from. He still very fuckin’ clearly cares, given that he stayed in Fodlan to help the Alliance. 

And imma take that “just an Almyran thing” for later

Oh but wait, of course, I forgot:

“ So yeah, for Claude, this doesn't mean as much to him as it does to Edelgard, who lives in Fodlan and wants to see it bettered for it's people. If Claude genuinely wanted that, I think he would've allied with Edelgard, since her overthrowing the Church would lead to the kinds of societal changes he claims to want.”

He doesn’t want to see Fodlan get better because he doesn’t live there, which is the only way for one to care about something. Nevermind that he’s been living there for seven years by post ts, nevermind that he’s actually trying to find the truth to help Fodlan unlike Edelgard who just assumes she does without any further investigation, nevermind that the changes he wants to implement get fucking implemented without the dismantling of the Church, no that’s completely irrelevant. He didn’t side with Edelgard so of course he doesn’t want the best for Fodlan, because he’s not brown-nosing the imperialist he can’t actually give a shit. Sure, alright.

And oh yeah, so much societal change Edelgard does, she gets rid of the need for Crests (maybe) and boots a church that isn’t directly tied to the state... and that’s it! Literally nothing else changes with Edelgard, save for one noble house - that has a history of providing magical innovations - getting its noble status back. Commoners rising to power, political or military, without having to marry into it? Never mentioned! Inheritance based strictly on birth? Still very much present! Nobles getting things they haven’t earned? Caspar has your back, Linhardt would but he’s too busy sleeping in his cozy new institute that was made specifically for him and no one else that he abandons in most of his endings anyway so it’s a complete waste, and Bernadetta too busy being forced to take up her family’s work by Edelgard to do anything she might, you know, want to do or anything. One source having all of the power to rule over the whole of Fodlan? Literally Edelgard’s whole plan! Censorship of things the higher ups don’t want the people knowing about? Hey now Dorothea better consult Edelgard before you go just playing any performance you want. Violent quelling of opposition (that’s only levied towards Rhea because she killed people literally caught in the act of trying to kill her)? Well, that’s literally all she has Hubert around for! Not like she cares for his ass otherwise, Miss “I walk my path alone despite having someone who will do literally anything for me” Miss “I have nothing to say about my retainer of like 20 years dying for my cause in any route he dies for me in”. 

Note how none of that has shit all to do with what Claude wants, which is better foreign relations. All of those pertain to endings in CF and the only place that mentions foreign affairs at all is Petra... where she is forced to marry Imperial nobles in some of her endings to gain Brigid’s independence, as per Edelgard’s demands. Yeah, no, this shit wouldn’t fly with Claude’s dreams.

“ But he doesn't, because he's selfish and wants the win for himself if he can take it. He doesn't understand that war is people fighting for their home, which is why he's so shocked Hilda was willing to die for his bs claims. I sincerely don't believe Claude cares about Fodlan. He might care about a handful of folks he met, but they're mostly just a means to an end. “

.....Um.... yes he wants to win the war.... like fuckin’ hello who’d want to lose it? Honest to fuckin’ god, who is going to be on the winning side of a war they didn’t want and go “and I will do nothing with my victory whatsoever” I’m going to stop you ahead of time and say fucking no one. The victor of war is always going to use their victory to do something with it. This isn’t indicative of Claude, Edelgard, Dimitri, Rhea, fuckin’ Billy-Joe down the road, it’s just a fact. 

And hey!!! Maybe he was shocked that people would die for him because like you fucking said in this comment In Almyra - that place that kinda sorta influenced Claude just a tad - you value your life more than your cause! And he valued the lives of his friends more than the cause and that’s why he tells them to retreat in every fucking route! And that him wanting his friends to live and not die for him is not, in fact, him seeing them as a means to an end! 

“ Claude is in Fodlan for his own gain in Almyra. Not for Fodlan's sake. He's just fortunate Edelgard started and became the face of war so he didn't have to do it himself.”

Okay, so fuckin’ riddle me this, if he really wanted to just fuck over Fodlan and claim it for his own and was using Edelgard to spearhead everything, why doesn’t he bust out the full-force Almyran army in CF? Or hell, anywhere? If the goal was really, truly, “100% for his throne in Almyra, fuck Fodlan idgaf” then why does he not just fucking take it over with the infinitely stronger Almyran army? Why does he go out of his way to protect the Alliance people? Why does he evacuate the people in AM and act as a fucking shield for them in CF? Why is he putting himself in this much danger to protect something he apparently doesn’t give a shit about? Why doesn’t he turn to the ol’ King Daddy’o and say “yo pops gimme more men I’ll give ya THE FUCKING ENTIRETY OF FODLAN, OUR CENTURIES OLD ENEMY WHOM IS HATED BY THE MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE”?

The Claude you’re describing sounds like a real fuckin’ stupid asshole, good thing he don’t real

[tellywoodtrash]

immj2 08.12.20 lb

riddhima like vansh is facing lotsa issues coz of all this paperwork blah blah, so everyone sign an NOC so that the paperwork to transfer everything back to him can be expedited. first of all, the fact that she’s making this statement instead of him (while he sits there allllll impassive) is so shady and bound to create suspicion.

anyway, i like her outfit. veryyyyyyyyyy pret-ttttttttttty (said like vihaan says it, lol!) but the fact that the two sides ka gota-patti is not properly aligning is driving me nutsssssss.

hackles, up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ishani like haan haan why not anyway everything belongs to vansh bhai and he’s the decision maker of the house. allowing a despotic, mercurial MAN control every single thing in a family, in 2020??????? couldn’t be me.

y’all stupid hot ppl wasting time on this nonsense while you could be making out instead. dumbasses. 

snort, aryan’s like oh lord if vansh bhai gets the power back then for ek ek cheez humein line mein lagna padega to get approval. these two and their complete uselessness around here is so amusing to me!

kabir putting godhbharaai idea into dadi’s head and lootofying Sanskaaaar points.

Mummy like yes, he’s a big brother he loves ishani sooooo much, and lmao ishani’s face hahahahhahahhaa:

kabir talking some or other vaguely threatening nonsense as per usual and i just cannot wait for the day vansh gets his hands on him properrrrrrrrrrrrrly and does marammattttt.

OUFF HOW TO HATE THIS MARSHMALLOW FLOOF BUN FACE THO?!?!?!?!?!?!

wow chachi calls kabir “aaaaaap”. she really really scared of him huh???

lmao he also bade hi sasss se told her to just do what he says and not tax her brain too much.

“itni kanjoos ho gayi bhabiji, ki apne nanad ko aise gifts dogi?” lol, haar baat pe tippani dena zaroori hai tumko???

lmao riddhima told him the same thing.

“main samajh sakta hoon. saare paise toh mujhpe kharch ho gaye, toh ab doosron pe kharch karne ke liye kuch bacha hi nahi, right????”

riddhima being 10000000% done with his bakbak is my favt. riddhima.

oh it’s all of ishani’s toys from her childhood. vansh used to hide them when they were kids so that she’d play with him instead of the toys. kinda cute, kinda....... freaky. just like vansh was, i suppose. anyway, he wanted to gift these to her when he learned of her pregnancy.

Chehra Appreciation Break.

riddhima sharing apprehensions about this whole function and what kabir might pull and man WHO THE FUCK IS WATCHING THEM FROM OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME!?!!?!? OMFG WOULDN’T IT BE FUCKING AMAZING IF IT WAS SIYA AGAIN HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA

riddhima like ok i don’t wanna think negative, i wanna focus on the happy, that’s what vansh would do if he was here and THIS FUCKER’S FACCCCCEEEEEE:

I’M SO SICK OF HIM BOTH SMIRKING IN THAT SHADY WAY BUT ALSO MAKING HIS EYES SOOOOOOOOO LOVEY DOVEY WHEN SHE’S NOT LOOKING. YOU REALLY ARE RUINING MY LIFE, SIR.

anyway she’s like ishani will be really happy if you give her this blah blah, bhai behen ka pyaar, falaana dimkaa. they have a sweeet smiley momentttttttttttttt, aaaaaaaaand.........

he ruined it. by throwing some chunindaaa taanas on how she’s a master emotional manipulator who knows how to get people to see her as a such a loving person, etc. etc.

poor thing. she’s genuinely hurt and this asshole like:

good she’s not defending herself to him or anything. stupid asshole. jo sochna hai, soch le.

of course. yeh kuch zyaada nahi ho raha aaj kal?

UM NO YOU DON’T GET TO LOOK AT HER LIKE THAT AFTER YOU SAID THE SHIT YOU SAID.

lmao riddhima’s slow blinking at him like he’s a cat.

he’s not letting her get upppppp.

“maana ki main money minded hoon, thoda sa selfish bhi hoon..... lekin main character cheap nahi hoon, riddhima. main bachchein aur unke maaon ke related kaam ke liye paise nahi leta. khaas kar uss bachche ka, jo abhi tak paida bhi nahi hua.”

“yeh waala free of charge hai, Dollar Biwi. on the house.” UGH GOD I HATE HIM SO MUCH.

“saari shaam yahin bitaani hai kya???” STUPID FUCK HIS VOICE GOT DEEPER AND EVERYTHING

some more Chehra Appreciation, coz yeh manhoos toh jaan lekar hi chodega aaj.

great, aryan has managed to convince ishani ki this is not vansh bhai, coz he “saw” riddhima paying V off and the signatures mean nothing coz apparently ishani herself has forged vansh’s signature in the past. long story short....... aryan’s convinced ishani ki riddhima brought this humshakal to get her hands on the property. ouff.

kabir meanwhile doing lotsa practice of vansh’s signatures and disposing of them poorly, no doubt so ishani will come and find it later.

yup.

lo ek note-on ki gaddi bhi milgayi kisi coat pocket mein. who the fuckkkk would just leave A FUCKING STACK OF NOTES IN THEIR POCKET LIKE THIS??????/ ESP. SOMEONE WHO’S BEING PAID TO DO THINGS??? DON’T YOU THINK THEY’D VALUE THEIR MONEY MORE AND STASH IT SOMEWHERE SAFE????? ISHANI KUCH TOH DIMAAG LAGAO. PLS SIS, THERE’S TWO BRAINS INSIDE OF YOU RN, AT LEAST USE ONE.

the way this man goes from Blue Steel to Goofy Ass Dork in seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!

what’s the theme of this godhbharaai/baby shower? glam gothic thunderstorm???? how in the world is this appropriate attire/makeup for an occasion like this????

anyway he hearteyed her majorly, so wants some tareef in return lol.

now he’s saying kuchhhhhh missing hair in her look and she’s like i don’t give one single fuck about your opinion, dude. lmao she’s just so fucking fed up of him and it’s suchhhhhh a mood, honestly.

THIS BITCHHHHHH ASKING TO BE SMACKED ISTG.

NO, NO, STILL COINCIDENCE, RIDDHIMA, I’M SURE IT’S JUST HAPPENSTANCE AND NOTHING ELSE!!!!!!! 🙄🙄🙄

preemptive explanation before she even said anything, ki ohhhhhhhhh maybe vansh has said/done this to you too? it’s just great minds think alike, that’s all.

“ajeeb baat haina, vansh aur meri shakal bhi ek jaisi hai, aur pasand bhi.”

FINALLY SIS IS LIKE DUDE, HE’S JUST TOOOOOO SIMILAR TO VANSH............... IS THIS VANSHHH????? thank the lord for small fuckin’ mercies. at least the thought managed to bubble up in her head once.

“bohut ho gaya bhai-bhai; ab tum meri behen nahi, bas mujhe bhi kuch sehen nahi!” lmaoooooooooooooooo, someone’s realised that being an only child suits him much better, and he’s not cut out for all this bhaiyya bs.

i love this evil fluffernutter sandwich so much. 

[seijorhi]

asks :)

once again, i’m terrible at answering things :)

First off, your newest Kuroo story WRECKED ME. OMMMMMG LIKE IT'S SOOO FUCKING GOOD. You are one of the most incredible writers ever, like professional style writing. These should be books and you should get paid for it, honestly. Your skill is totally unmatched, my friend. I just adore everything you write. I had two questions thou about the story, just because I am totally obsessed by it- so has Kuroo been obsessed with her since he saw her, I'm like curious how his obsession started 

like is it because she's young and he's interested? Cuz I totally got the vibes at the party that he was showing her off like she was his girlfriend and he seems like he has been wanting her for awhile. I was just curious about how it started cuz god I'm a simp for yandere kuroo- boss man Kuroo would make me weakkkkk. My second question is so is he like obsessively in love with her or is it like just a this hot piece of ass is mine to fuck kinda thing? Like does he want a relationship?

anyways, I love you and I love your writing. Everything you write is legit perfection! Thank you for all your beautiful stories you share with us! - Kai

first of all, whomst gave you the right to be so damn sweet???!?! dsgsjkl thank you, bby!

so, like with all my fics i kind of have a ‘read into it how you want’ thing going for it. whether or not kuroo actually has ‘romantic’ (i use that word loosely) feelings for the reader or whether he just enjoys fucking her because he’s in a position of power and she’s easily manipulated is left a little up to your interpretation and how you’d prefer to imagine it. however, having said that there are little hints throughout the fic that imply that there’s a little more depth to kuroo’s feelings. you’re not wrong with the whole ‘showing her off’ vibe at the party, and there’s mentions of confessions that kuroo gives while he’s fucking the reader - also the title of the fic, invidia, means envy in latin. so take that how you will 🤷‍♀️

and as far as how it all began, i like to think that it was kind of a slow build. again it’s implied that kuroo has met the reader (however briefly) a few times before - at games as nekoma’s manager, when she initially was introduced as his girlfriend and she has stayed over at their place in the past. it wasn’t so much a singular moment, but kuroo’s definitely been paying more attention to her than she realises. 

WHAT WHAT WHAT???? RHI UHMMM WAS KUROO IN LOVE WITH THE READER???? 👀👀👀👀 HOLY SHIT. I'm honestly mind blown rn like I have a lot of questions like did Shin know? Was he also into it? Omg the idea of Father and Son sharing reader...

(also I def did not hope that Bokuto was also there cuz that would have be fun....oppsss)🙊

hehehe

no, shin didn’t know but oh can you imagine the betrayal if he did? if he willingly set up the reader to be fucked by his dad 👀god damn

adsfgdhjfkfl there was a moment i genuinely considered having something more happen at the christmas party where bo would stumble across and one thing would lead to another.... but i decided not to go that route. this one needed to be solo kuroo haha

Rhi, what can I say, amazing as always!

ahhh thank you sm, bby!

Hi i absolutely love the kuroo fic at first no one would actually notice he was into and then story actually rises nicely however i would like to ask like what happens later im sorry im a little burnt out from my mountains of assignments that i cant think of a possible aftermath since the story had an open ending but yeah what happens later after the whole scene does y/n stay there for the 7 days and get r*ped again or she goes home early and like what happens to kuroo and shinsuke im sorry for annoying you with questions its fully up to you whether u would like to answer or not :-)

aw, thank you! I hope your assignments and stuff are all done? And pls bby, you’re not annoying me at all 💕💕💕

Honestly again, it’s kind of left up to what you like to think would happen, but personally I think that the reader stays, because there’s no easy way to get out of that situation without raising suspicion - which means that she then has to spend the next week trying unwittingly playing cat and mouse with Kuroo who’s gonna use every damn opportunity he has to push your boundaries 👀

Duuuuude invidia fucked me up! Like fuck, lol! The build up was so spectacular! It makes me wonder two things: how did kuroo’s obsession start, and what would shin have done if he caught them (and why do I feel like he’d join in... I guess it runs in the family lol).

I loved it sooooo much and im also so creeped out lol. Can’t trust other people’s dads. Everything about it was perfect!

glad you liked it, bby!!

shin’s a good boy and he genuinely loves the reader, but i think if he did stumble across the two of them he’d just shut down and walk away. it’d be the biggest betrayal in his eyes - it wouldn’t matter if you were drunk or he was, who came onto who - the two most important people in his life going behind his back would just break him :( and i think he probably wouldn’t give either of them a chance to explain

but if we’re talking degenerate shin... 👀👉👈

imagine if invidia! reader gets pregnant and Shin thinks it’s his, but its actually his dad’s 🤭

oooh kuroo would be such a smug little shit - he’d get extra touchy feely with the reader, drop ‘casual’ hints, basically doing everything outside of straight up admitting it to him, just to see how far he can push until shin starts to doubt whether he’s actually the father - when it’s just the two of you though... i think he’d be a little softer - but equally as possessive - you’re his, and so’s the kid growing inside of you

Kuroo: son do you know what a cuck is? Shinnosuke: no? Kuroo: wOULD YOU LIKE TO FIND OUT - @south-korea-cakes

dagshjskl i snorted when i read this but you’re not wrong lmao

hi rhi! i have a question about Lion’s Den! did oikawa purposely set the reader up to witness his true nature? or was it chance that she saw him kill?

no - i think he’d rather have kept you in the dark a little longer and tried to let things develop ‘organically’ but he’s not upset that you did find out the truth - gives him an excuse to move things along and take what he wants 👀

hey rhi:) soo my boyfriend of two years just broke up with me and so far a major comfort has just been rereading your stories. something about feeling desired, ya know? anyway, thanks for making me feel a little better <3 - @theofficialhufflepuff

aw i’m sorry to hear that :( i’m glad my fics can help make you feel a lil better - sending love bby! 💕

omg i adore everything in the soulmate series hello !! would any of the soulmate pairings ever end up feeling lowkey competitive w/ the other?? like all of them seem to mutually respect the other but would there ever come a point where smth pushes them into trying to outdo ur other soulmate when it comes to ur affection?

also have i mentioned how much i love ur writing bc i love ur writing

hmmm, not so much with oikawa & iwa or ushijima and tendou because i think they have pretty rock solid relationships with each other prior to the reader coming along - if they did it would only be minor stuff

the twins on the other hand - good fucking luck with them because they’ll turn everything into a competition. the moment one twin thinks you’re favouring the other too much expect to get dragged across the room and forced to spend ‘quality time’ with the other. it’s all very petty and exhausting and there is no possible chance for you to win. but thank you sweetheart!!

tonight im thinking about The Final Girl! boys forcing you to share a bed with them for the first time. With Kuroo’s face buried in the crook of your neck, one big hand palming your breast for good measure, Bo holding onto your waist, and Kaashi’s legs tangled with yours. its suffocating, really😪😓

asdgdhjdkdl suffocating? yes. now where do i sign up?? 🥺

you are so talented in writing it's crazy!! just the way you articulate things is ugh *chef's kiss*. i hope you are doing well and not receiving hate 🥺 ily pls

ahhh thank you so much, messages like these always make me so happy! ily bby! 💕

more karasuno first years soon? 👀

who’s to say?? i don’t have any full fics planned but maybe some concepts and thirsts??

if you make a yandere msby fic i’ll literally lose it i love your writing

👀i am considering it

[artsybanchou]

I’m a big fan of 80s/90s anime and Ranma 1/2 played a big role in my childhood. The premise has sooooo much food for thought when it comes to looking at gender and specifically the performance of gender. I’m about to get INTO it, so, here’s your warning-- read more is a ramble. (LONG ramble)

Oh ho ho ho! WELCOME TO MY HELL!

Aight, so let me set the stage for you-->

Two people, who should not be parents, have a kid. The father, Genma, a fairly successful martial artist, takes their just-born son on a training journey without consulting the mother. By training journey, I mean that they travel all over the world with little to no money, either stealing from or scamming people in order to make sure they can eat, under the guise of training the son, Ranma, to become the greatest martial artist of the “Anything Goes” school of martial arts. One of the most frequent scams the father pulls is promising his son’s hand in marriage to various families in exchange for a dowry before running off with both his son and the dowry, never to be seen again. This-- inevitably-- comes back to bite them in the ass. But more on that later.

We don’t get to see a lot of Ranma’s childhood on the training journey, just the occasional incredibly horrific flashback to something that would become a national incident were it to happen in the real world. For example, at one point in time, his father finds a Chinese pamphlet of an ~ancient lost Chinese art~ that is INCREDIBLY POWERFUL!!!!! wow! It’s called Neko-ken. So he decides to teach his six-year-old this technique, although he can’t actually read Chinese so he does it based off the diagrams-- which detail a process of collecting a good number of cats, starving them for a few days straight, and then tossing his son, covered in fish sausages (possibly tied up, can’t remember), into the pit to fend for himself (and not be eaten alive) for hours on end. Surprise, surprise, Ranma comes out incredibly traumatized and with an intense fear of cats (something his father would’ve seen coming if he was able to read Chinese as the pamphlet says that someone would have to be crazy to try to teach someone this technique and that it causes severe psychological damage-- also could’ve been avoided if his father had any common sense or fatherly instincts, but hey that’s just asking too much of Genma). This is not the result his father wanted, so he tries to “fix” it by doing the exact same thing multiple times, just with different cat foods wrapped around his son because... I genuinely don’t know what his thought process was but yeah. So that’s just a tiny snapshot of what his childhood was like as well as how much of a massive idiot his father was. And since Ranma never interacted with his mother, guess who had the greatest influence in his development (yay........). (save him) (also this is based off my memory from watching the anime YEARS ago, so some small details might be wrong but the big, overarching “his dad is a terrible person” thing is still very much true even if some of these smaller details aren’t)

When Ranma is a teenager, his father brings him to a Chinese training ground full of cursed springs. The tour guide repeatedly tries to explain what exactly this place they’re visiting is, but the father and son pair are two hard-headed idiots and get right to sparring. Ranma knocks his father into a spring pretty quick only to be caught off guard when his father reemerges from said spring as a panda and grand slams our protagonist into another one of the cursed springs. Our manly man martial artist protagonist emerges from this spring as a dainty, busty teenage girl. /The horror./ The panic from both Ranma and his father’s deeply shaken fragile masculinities gives the tour guide enough time to reveal that they had fallen into the cursed springs of the drowned panda and the drowned girl (one guess who fell into which one) and that anyone who falls into a cursed spring will take on the form of the life form that drowned in it. They can return to their original bodies by being splashed with hot water but, from now on, every time they’re hit with cold (or even apparently lukewarm) water, they’ll change into these new cursed forms.

Now, I’m sure you all saw this coming from the type of man that Ranma’s father is based on everything I’ve said so far, but Genma is the worst(TM). So Genma is all, “no SON of MINE can be a GIRL! >:((((((” and Ranma, who has been raised for his entire conscious life by this man, and only this man, is also very much not Okay(TM) with this because he’s a man, a manly fighting man who was raised to be the manliest of fighting men who fight. He can’t be a GIRL. 

Except he totally can. Because these two start taking advantage of Ranma’s feminine body pretty much immediately in order to continue running scams so that they can eat and whatnot while traveling. Of course, Genma constantly shames Ranma by saying things like, “I can’t believe my son is such a failure of a martial artist, being a girl! I’m so ashamed!” and whatnot at every opportunity but especially when they are in an argument and Ranma is winning or if he needs Ranma to do something for him. He frequently manipulates his son by using this kind of guilt-tripping language as though it’s Ranma’s fault that his body is like this. Nevermind that they both frequently profit off of Ranma’s female body for scams, Genma still puts Ranma down for having it and Ranma internalizes that because he’s 15 and his father is the only person he’s ever known.

And I’m sure we all hate Genma now, as we should, because fuck Genma. What kind of woman would ever marry Genma? (And we assume a woman is married to Genma because how could a man this bigoted do anything other than marry a woman all traditional and whatnot). If only Ranma wasn’t taken from his mother so young. Maybe he would’ve turned out a better person~ Well, uh, bad news, lads :/  So, by the time we meet Ranma’s mom in the series, we’ve known most of these characters for a chunk of time. It’s already quite well established how terrible of a human being Genma is. Ranma may or may not have started the episode out admitting he doesn’t know much about his mom after being asked about her. A standard set-up. I don’t quite remember all the details of the episode, only the important things-- here’s the important thing: Genma’s wife, Nodoka, made Genma swear something to her before he took their toddler on a training journey all around the world. He had to raise Ranma to become “a Man among Men” (and we’ll talk about how she defines manliness) and, if he failed, then both he and Ranma must commit seppuku. 

Yeah, that's right. 

If her son isn’t enough of a man by her standards then he has to commit ritual suicide.

Her son who now transforms into a girl every time he is touched with at least a ladle’s worth water that isn’t steaming.

(hey have i mentioned save Ranma yet? save him seriously)

Her definition of manliness? All the shit the misandrists of tumblr swear is the inherent evils to all men. She thinks her son needs to be unapologetically forceful in /all/ he does. Especially in his romantic forays :///// (yeah this is going where you think it is)

When she does decide he isn’t manly enough (because Ranma was being sexually harassed by an old man who forcibly put him in a sailor outfit, no im not kidding, happosai, said old man, is a whole other element of the show that like holy shit) and tries to get him to commit seppuku, the solution the cast comes up with is to have Ranma “peek” at (his friend? girlfriend? fiance? frenemy? roommate? it’s weird-- technically they’re the two romantic leads but their chemistry is like -5 because she constantly physically hits him for things that really aren’t his fault and just ://) Akane while she is bathing and that will prove his manliness to his mother so that he doesn’t have to literally die. Will having Ranma be a fucking voyeur prove his manliness to his mother, you ask? Yep. This is Manly(TM) and so Ranma gets to live another day. Yay. Once again, molestation saves the day. (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa) All of this is played off as a joke, for the record. No character is really acknowledged as being “a bad person” for any of this behavior-- not molester Happosai, not trying-to-kill-her-own-child Nodoka, etc. 

So these are the people who made Ranma. Who shaped this kid with the ability to spontaneously switch between male and female bodies (presuming he has water on hand). Also, obviously, Genma had more influence seeing as Ranma never saw his mother between the ages of two and (I think) 16(?), but. regardless, these are the people who shaped his understanding of gender. For all intents and purposes, our lad should be such a pressure cooker of toxic and fragile masculinity that he just about commits seppuku himself every time he ends up in his female body. 

But he doesn’t. In fact, Ranma is largely comfortable in his female body as long as his father isn’t trying to hold said body against him (wait did that come out wrong?). Ranma has no hesitations taking on his female form for something as little as a discount on ice cream. He makes the statement, “when it comes to eating out, being a girl is the only way to go”-- because he’s able to get an extra scoop for being “cute”

There’s a scene very early on in the series about exactly that which has always stuck with me. It opens with Ranma in his female body at a cafe with Akane and they both order fancy ice cream parfaits. Ranma is extremely excited and exclaims, “I’ve always wanted to try one of these!” 

Akane replies with, “don’t tell me you’ve never had ice cream before.”

And Ranma proceeds to explain that he’s never had ice cream like /this/ because it would be too embarrassing for a guy. When Akane asks if he isn’t embarrassed now, happily shoving huge spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth, he responds with, “hey, I’m a girl now. It don’t count.” Akanes shoots back with a “REAL girls don’t eat like that” (because our lad is eating with such gusto-- he’s living, he’s thriving, he is demolishing that parfait and there is ice cream all over his face) 

He goes, “I’ll eat it however I want.” And then finishes the whole thing off and proclaims that he wants to order the chocolate one next.

Moments like that were the ones where I loved the show the most. We can see Ranma’s insecurities about his masculinity (thank you /soo/ much for that genma) in that he isn’t willing to perform an ‘unmanly’ action in public in his male body. He can’t be *seen* eating girly ice cream. But when he is admonished for not living up to feminine standards in his female body (eat more daintily), he just goes, ‘i’ll do what i want’. Young me really resonated with that, being born with a female assigned at birth body and growing up in Texas. 

It feels like there’s a trans narrative buried in the steaming hot mess that is this work by Takahashi Rumiko-- and it is abundantly clear that was never her intention so I wouldn’t exactly recommend trying to give her an award or anything. She said that she wanted to write a work with a male main character but was so worried about how many male readers she had, she made the decision to make (as she described) a half-male half-female main character (essentially so she could have her cake and eat it too if you will-- all the self aggrandizing fantasies of a male protagonist her male readers could imagine themselves as along with a copious amount of fan service-- the great majority of which was at Ranma’s unwilling expense in his female body which like ://////// (remember that old man I mentioned before??)--  with the female protagonist body). And, like, I’m not saying Takahashi Rumiko is a terrible person or anything-- I don’t know what her beliefs are, I only know her works which are quite old at this point. Takahashi Rumiko is a big deal in the mangaka world because she was one of the first big shonen mangakas who was openly a woman. Normally, men wrote shounen (which literally translates to boys) manga and women wrote shoujo (which literally translates to girls) manga-- the genres were literally divided along gender lines in terms of their intended audiences but also, to a certain extent, their creators. If a woman wanted to write/draw shounen, usually she had to use a pen name that sounded fairly masculine in order to not impact the perception of her work. Takahashi Rumiko was working in that environment so I would understand why she’d want to be careful but, at the same time, I still kind of hate a lot of the things that she normalizes in her works. Especially assault. Both physical and sexual assault she constantly used as a punchline. Not as much anymore. Her most recent work I’ve read was Rinne and the punchline with that one was that the male lead is super poor, literally penniless, and is constantly starving so hahahahha humor amirite? Pain being funny seems to be her through line now that assault is off the table. At least he isn’t constantly getting whole ass tables thrown at him by his love interest as though that’s supposed to be a cute relationship dynamic (Akaneeeeeeeee). I digress. Takahashi Rumiko’s works played a big fucking role in my childhood from Ranma to Inuyasha to Lum (which I encountered well into my teens and therefore didn’t jive with at all because I’d finally learned sexual assault =/= funny and this was one of her more dated works) and so on and just--  I don’t know if I can watch her older stuff the same way I used to. I’m scared to try, honestly. Because some of the ideas behind her works are so interesting-- like Ranma 1/2-- but then you have to sit through episode after episode of a teenage boy in a girl’s body being sexually assaulted by a remorseless old man only to try to fight back at which point he is physically assaulted but also he still has to grovel to and respect said old man because he’s his father’s master and therefore he has to learn martial arts from him but the old man is constantly wagering Ranma having to pose for him in incredibly skimpy outfits if Ranma wants to learn literally anything and alsso RANMA IS FUCKING FIFTEEN/SIXTEEN JESUS CHRIST IS THERE NO FUNCTIONING ADULT ANYWHERE IN THE VVICINITY SAVE HIM!

I NEED TO DIGRESS

It feels like there’s an unintentional trans narrative buried in this anime. It’s not a fun one (but most trans narratives aren’t either so). This is a boy who knows he’s a boy-- even when his body disagrees. He frequently asserts that “he’s a boy” even when in his female body because he is. He’s a boy. He’ll reference being a girl “in appearance” like with the ice cream parfait scene earlier, but when it comes to identity statements, he’s always a boy. This narrative is about him navigating gender presentation and societal assumptions in order to live however he wants. He’s constantly contending with his own forms of gender dysphoria, whether that be his own gripes about doing anything unmanly (eating ice cream) or the very real threat of his mother fucking killing him if he does anything unmanly (aaaaaaaaaaaa), and he navigates tons of threats by choosing how he presents himself.

There are characters that are in love with the male “version” of Ranma and want to kill the female “version” of Ranma (who, for the record, goes by the name Ranko) and vice versa. The Kuno siblings are a great example. Kodachi is in love with Ranma (and is not above literally fucking using date rape drugs on him to get to him) and wants to fucking kill Ranko whereas Tatewaki Kuno, her brother, is in love with Ranko (the lovely pigtailed girl, he calls her) and has literally sent assassins after Ranma. Ranma essentially has to choose between being sexually assaulted or physically assaulted every time he runs into either of them in terms of what body he is presenting. 

I feel like I should let you know, ye who have actually read this far, that Ranma is able to protect himself pretty well from the assault. Like, our boy ain’t dead. Later on he literally fucking kills a god because he’s really passionate about martial arts so he puts all of himself into it and god damnit does his effort show but, honestly, his ability to protect himself shouldn’t mean that it is okay to assault him. Assault is assault. And just because he can fight back doesn’t mean he always does. Akane, his main love interest, regularly sends him through roofs and across town with the force of her Up + B (aka magically appearing hammer), usually for things that aren’t his fault in any way. Akane actually came to the conclusion that Ranma was a pervert when she (fully dressed) walked in on him (naked because he was in the bath) even though the bathroom was obviously occupied. She constantly gets mad at him for things that are beyond his control and then takes her frustrations out on him by literally beating him up and he never fights back-- which is admirable of him but also made me never want to root for their relationship because that isn’t a red flag, my dude, that’s a red planet. the whole of mars is out here trying to warn everyone that this relationship is the most toxic thing since RoundUp.) 

Usually, when watching a show, you get really invested in the character’s aspirations. You want them to ‘get the girl’, ‘get the promotion’, ‘become the pokemon master’ and whatnot. All I ever wanted for Ranma was for him to fake his own death and run far, far away from everyone who ever knew him as “Ranma”. He’d have to fake his own death, obviously, because otherwise his father and Happosai would track him down because, for his father, Ranma is a walking meal ticket and, for Happosai, Ranma is a teenage girl he can sexually assault at any time. Those two would chase Ranma to the ends of the earth if they thought he was trying to get away from them so--

Ranma. Help him.

There’s so much more to dissect with this show. It’s kind of accidentally a great way to look at gender presentation, especially all the terrible negatives that come with constrained gender roles. I use He/Him pronouns when talking about Ranma because it is abundantly clear that he sees himself as a man and I respect that. Sometimes nonbinary-me is like, but think what a gender-fluid icon our boy would be-- literally switching perceived genders via fluids-- and I think that version of Ranma would be a lot happier than the canon one but, I think the canon Ranma is an important reflection of what a lot of people go through, cisgender, transgender, and beyond, when trying to parse what it means to present a gender and the roles you’re supposed to play. 

Maybe Ranma can go on a journey of self-discovery with his own gender after faking his death and escaping Nermina. 

I was all over the place writing this but this isn’t an essay and I’m not being graded so ha fuck you (excpet no not really fuck you because you either a) read this whole thing or b)scrolled down to the bottom to see if i’d get to the fucking point already-- which for the record, I don’t really-- and either way it means you were a little curious what I had to say so thanks I guess). None of this is exceptionally well-thought-out. I wouldn’t exactly stamp this with any kind of official gender discourse seal. It’s all just food for thought. 

[ellie-sande]

Euphoria- a dumb bitch’s HOT TAKE

Okay, so here’s the deal. I’m gonna do an analysis of the characters I think are the most interesting (read as fuck McKay, he boring as SHIIIITT), so this shit is gonna be looooong. Y’all better brace yourselves UwUUUU 🥺😝😩😈

The episode: I didn’t really feel a strong emotion towards it??? Like, it was definitely the sloppiest episode by far in terms of the way that everything was edited and the timeline of events. It was visually stimulating and literal poetic cinema, as always, but that’s nothing new with Euphoria. I think a lot of the jumps between characters and scenes were completely unnecessary and honestly kind of agitating?? Instead of leaving us with new unanswered questions, we have the same ones we’ve had the whole season? In my opinion, it would’ve been more effective for them to have fully closed some plot points or at least bring them to a point where I’m still interested (I’m looking at you, Nate and Jules plot). But like, overall it's still a pretty decent episode.  I think the ending was messy because we don’t know how much of it was just a music video and how much was legit part of the storyline which is a BIG DEAL. It just came after one of the best in the season, which made it feel significantly weaker. but tHat’S jUsT my oPINION 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Jules:

I think Jules is the biggest wildcard of the season, and we know so little about her, so it’s kind of difficult to understand what her intention is. I think that’s absolutely intentional by the writers because they want the audience in Rue’s head, y’know??? That’s my way of warning y’all that this shit is LONG  🤷🏾‍♀️

When Jules came clean about everything, she was doing what she thought was best for the relationship, which is open communication. She could tell that her not telling Rue about Nate was ruining the relationship (she said so in ep. 7). There was never malicious intent in her telling Rue about her hookup and Nate. She was just doing what she thought was right, and tbh??? IM PROUD OF THAT DUMBASS. One of her biggest issues is definitely effective and open communication and this is definitely a step in the right direction, y’know??

THAT BEING SAID, when I first watched the episode, I thought that her and Anna still flirting or whatevah and being iN loVE was out of character and went against the arc that I was expecting from Jules. BUUUUUT, I thought about it and here’s my take: I think that Jules just wants to be free from the external pressures in east highland, y’know? This whole entire season, her character did not get a fucking BREAK so I totally understand. There’s so much responsibility and pressure for her to be perfect or act a certain way, and for her, running away was the easiest way for her to disassociate herself from that responsibility. No 17 yr old should feel like the weight of the world and the safety of the people that she loves are on her shoulders. My bby @lameparty made an amazing point in our chat about how all of her actions (being more “free” and open about her issues with rue) are futile attempts at replicating the liberation and nonchalant-ness she felt while she was away. It’s her way of desperately (and unhealthily) bringing home that atmosphere.

i’ve seen a lot of people assume that jules is fully aware of her power over rue and takes advantage of it, uses her, and leaves her before she needs her next fix of attention, but i totally don’t agree??? i think that for the most part, jules has been emotionally supportive of rue and has been there for her when she needed her. i mean she did that LITERALLY EVERY EPISODE EXCEPT FOR 6+7 (for good reason. the bitch was going through the mOST). she never wanted or intended for rue to form a dependency on her, she just wanted her best friend to be sober and thrive because her mom was an addict and that ruined her adolescence (for obvious reasons). so when the people around her kept pressuring her with the weight of rue’s sobriety, she freaked out a bit (and for good reason. no one should be anyone’s sole reason to do literally ANYTHING). she knew that regardless of the severity of her actions, rue’s relapse was inevitable if the relationship continued on like that (i mean, in ep. 5, the bitch said WHEN you hate me, not if because she knows that in rue’s current mental state, a relapse, miscommunication, or a wrong step on jules’s side is inevitable). PLUS, jules is an extremely volatile person. her first instinct is to physically and emotionally escape whenever the going gets tough, so i think she knew that this probably couldn’t work.

Moreover, the bitch is embracing her queerness and as much as I don’t really looooveeee how she’s doing it, it makes sense with her character. I think she uses sex as an escape and a form of validation, so of course this is how she’s going to explore her sexuality. She just wants to be free and have fun and be adventurous atm and the whole Nate thing  + being in her first relationship is not IT for her rn and that’s totally fair. That being said, I think her arc is gonna be about her accepting that freedom isn’t just sex and drugs??? It’s way more than that and comes in different (and way healthier) ways, but that’s what growing is. It’s learning from mistakes and figuring out what you like, so I can’t really be mad at her.

BUUUUUTTTT, my bitch said/did some things that i can’t stand by. she said that she loved rue at the train station, knowing that rue is weak for her and would probably give in and come with her on this wild adventure. that is FUCKING PROBLEMATIC. and prior to that, the bitch said that she THOUGHT THAT RUE WOULD THRIVE IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT SHE WAS IN. WHAT??? as much as i believe that she had good intentions and she really just wanted to explore the world with her girl, that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s still manipulative at worst, inconsiderate at best, and problematic considering the dynamic that the two of them have. i get that she genuinely wants rue to meet her new friends and anna, but all in all, it’s so reckless for her to even consider it. she’s aware that rue is a recovering addict and she was willing to put her in a toxic environment where she would be surrounded by drugs and alcohol, making a relapse literally SO EASY. and on top of that, jules knows that she’s probably going to hook up with anna and considering that rue is so in love with jules, that would’ve hurt her soooo much, enough for her to probably want to numb the pain, y’know??? but all in all, that’s what growing up is. it’s two steps forward and one step back, y’know? even though jules is starting to see the beauty in honest communication and queerness, she did try to manipulate rue, even if that wasn’t necessarily her intention. 

I think that Anna replaces Jules’s older, non-committal man to pine over. She never really fixed her problem of trying to find validation from the wrong people, it’s just expressing itself in a different form. It’s obvious that Anna is significantly older than her (peep the message that Anna sent about being shocked that Jules is in high school) and I think that just like a lot of people her age, she feels special or validated when she’s liked by someone older and more experienced. The relationship is obviously supposed to be a type of foil to her previous relationship with cis white men. Add the fact that there are facets of Anna’s personality that remind Jules of Rue, the gal that Jules is falling for, which makes them the perfect person for Jules to pine over because the relationship is something that she’s used to (texting, non-committal, toxic).

In summary, I think she loves the idea of Anna (independent, older, experienced, free spirited, and fun) but loves rue regardless of the fact that she doesn’t/can’t provide those things for her. I think that jules also associates Anna with adventure and discovery and as the young ambitious bitch that she is, it obviously is an attractive idea for her y’know??? for her, i think rue is the stability, monogamy and commitment that she might not be ready for yet, even tho she loves rue and wants a future with her. Her relationship with Rue is hard work and maybe a bit heartbreaking, but overall, the connection is stronger and the passion and commitment that she’ll give and receive will make the relationship way more fulfilling than whatever half-assed thing she’ll have with Anna.  Next season, she’ll probably come back either heartbroken, unfulfilled or still in love with Rue, but the question is should rue take her back or nah y’know?? She’ll definitely be pining for Rue when she gets back and rue may not be available or willing anymore. We’ll seeeeeeeee.

Rue:

My bitch is in PAIIINNN and I hate it. I think that her saying no to leaving with Jules even if a big part of her wanted to run away with her is amazing progress for her. She finally chose her family and herself first, not Jules, which will break her dependence on Jules. Like, I’m SOOOOO proud of her and she’s come so far as a character. I’m not sure as to where the music video starts and the season ends, but I have two theories. Either she: never actually snorted that line of coke and we’ll see her progress next season OR she overdosed and came back to life. The fact that the song ended so abruptly means that the season will probably start right where it left off. Unless told otherwise tho, the show ends with her crying and remembering her family and all the shit she’s put them through because that’s a waaayyy more interesting arc (EDIT: JACOB SAID THAT RUE’S DEFINITELY ALIVE!!! I KEEP WINNING FR!!! MY! MIND!) She’s no longer a selfish addict with no reason to live. She’s seeing that the people around her, even without Jules there, support her and have been by her side through the most and maybe that’s good enough atm.

Lexi:

against popular opinion, i don’t necessarily think that the big reveal of her sexuality is that she’s a lesbian. to ME, it seems like they’re setting up that she’s ace and probs bi or homo-romantic??? the average sexual person knows who they want to fuck or kiss, and the fact that she has to ask for advice from her sister I think is foreshadowing that she doesn’t know. Not because she’s shy or because she’s a lesbian, but because she truly just doesn’t want to fuck anyone. and if that’s the case i’m SO EXCITED TF??? i’ve never seen that type of character arc on mainstream media and it’s sooo necessary to show that story in a positive light. i think that the show is waaayyy too intentional and clever to not give proper hints at her liking rue. If they were setting up her and rue, they should’ve done more to portray the pining on Lexi’s side. they’ve set up more of a longing for friendship and comfort than anything else and tbh???? that’s wayyy more interesting and relatable for me??? but that’s my opinion 🤷🏾‍♀️

That being said, i could see her and rue together next season bc the foreshadowing is sooo vague that they can do whatever the fuck they want next season. maude and zendaya need to work on their chemistry then bc iTS NOT CLICKING. i definitely think that rue is going to use her tho, which isn’t fair to lexi. additionally, lexi is a bit too soft to stand her ground with rue, and if rue goes down the relapse route next season, their dynamic is going to be the same toxic dynamic they had up until episode 5. She’s an amazing person that deserves better than being an easy out or second best.

i think that because she was raised in her sister’s shadow with a shit ton less attention and love from literally everyone in her family, she has low self-image, so it would make sense that she wants the intimacy that comes from a relationship. maybe her addiction is just being there for others bc no one was there for her when she needed them??? @lameparty spilt the truth tea bc they said that “she exists for other people right now and she exists in the safe + limiting shadow of her sister,” and i think that rue represents a sort of freedom from that because rue is only hers and rue can’t see her as second best to her sister. as a fellow semi-abandoned child turned mom-friend, this makes total sense to me bc she wants to make sure that everyone around her never feels as neglected as she did her whole life.

Rue and Jules: 

honestly, i’m tired of people blaming rue’s relapse on jules not being there. she literally has had MI since she was a kid. this shit ain’t new. and even if it was new,  the fact that so many of the viewers were angry at jules for not being there during rue’s manic/depressive episode angers me for three reasons. a) JULES WAS DEPRESSED. she legit didn’t leave her bed for the whole week, to the point that her father was worried. b) just like jules, rue probably only told her that she was feeling under the weather and that she missed her. how is she supposed to magically put together that rue is going through a depressive/manic episode??? c) no person should be your sole reason to be happy. y’all want a CODEPENDENCY not a relationship, and like i totally understand wanting to protect rue. she’s the main character and we’re always in her head, but from episode three, it was pretty obvious that her definition of love is really skewed. she said that you know that you love someone when you can’t live without them, which is generally reaaaallly unhealthy.

these two are such an interesting dynamic, and tbh, i think they’re actually really good for each other (not rn, obviously). i think this is a case of right person, wrong time. they’re obviously soul mates/star crossed lovers, but the problem is that neither of them is mature enough to be in a serious relationship. rue is a recovering addict with a dependency issue and jules is an overly eager, ambitious person that’s never been in a loving relationship. one of the biggest issues in their relationship is the fact that these two have different wants and needs from the relationship. rue fell for jules almost immediately, has wanted to be with her ever since, and wants stability, comfort, and monogamy. on the other hand, jules wants adventure, excitement, and exploration. jules obviously pictures spending her life with rue, but the problem is that in the moment, she can’t be with rue without hurting her because she’s still exploring her queerness, which means that she’ll have one foot out the door until she’s gotten her fill.

because of that, i’m really proud of BOTH OF THEM for standing their ground and choosing themselves instead of each other. i have no doubt that both of them had a part of themselves that regretted leaving the other person, but at the end of the day, it was what was necessary. 

even though rue was the person that suggested running away, she became hesitant because she finally thought about her FAMILY. y’all, that’s AMAZING character development because, at the beginning of the season, rue literally walked over every person that was in her life in order to get her fix. she stole from her mom, got lexi to pee for her, yelled at fez when he didn’t give her drugs, etc. up until episode 5 or so, rue was an extremely selfish character with one exception: jules. from the moment she met jules, her only goal was to make her as happy as jules makes her just by being there, and because of that, she has sacrificed her comfort in some situations. this is the exact opposite of her previous issue where instead not caring about anyone including herself, she only cares about one person an exceeding amount. both of these are problematic. more importantly, this allows her to finally break her dependency on jules. rue fell for jules and stayed sober for her because it felt like she was her flashlight in the dark cave that is her life, and now, she has to find that jules isn’t the only light. her family, lexi, fez, the rest of the girls are all there AND my hope is that she finds that she can be her own light and do this for herself. as much as her decision hurts both the audience and rue, this shows that she’s not just a stagnant character and that she’s learning and evolving into an amazing person. i’m proud of jules because she didn’t stay behind out of guilt or worry. that would’ve perpetuated rue’s dependency and overall, probably made jules resent rue.

i think that jules was being honest when she said that she was in love with rue, i really do. there was an earnest and almost shy look in her eyes, which was so cute??? but it’s honestly more than that. jules looks for rue no matter where she is. for her, rue is her home and something that she finds comfort in. it was obvious in episode 4 and 7. in episode 4, jules runs to rue because she finds comfort in her. whenever she’s in rue’s arms, she feels a warmth that i don’t think she’s ever felt with anyone else and when she finds that tyler isn’t real, her first thought is that rue has been there for her through thick and thin and is her safe place. it’s obvious why she gravitates towards anna. she sees rue in her, which immediately makes her feel at ease. add the fake deep convo, their sex appeal and the drugs, and you have a hella messy situation. and then there’s the fucking romeo and juliet passage that jules recites to rue that basically says that she’s in love with rue, but thinks everything is happening too fast and will come crashing down. she knows that given that they had more time/weren’t so eager to get together, the relationship would be beautiful and flourish, but they aren’t giving each other the space to grow, which was eventually the end of their relationship (at least for now). 

Kat:

I’m proud of her. She did the damn thing. NEXT

Nate:

I think that Nate and McKay are not all that different. His breakdown this ep is more or less for the same reasons as McKay’s breakdown after those guys assaulted him in front of his girl which is that he felt emasculated by his dad overpowering him. In episode two, he did the same flexing thing after his workout. I think it’s his way of feeling powerful and masculine. All this just shows that he needs fucking therapy, but he’s not just some sociopath y’know? His character is deeper than that and can feel pain and anguish. I’m honestly so happy that they included that because it both shows the abuse in his relationship with his dad which obviously carries into his relationships with women and grounds him as a character. that being said, nate is an asshole and there’s no better ship on this show than nate + electric chair 🥺😝😩(but, i’ll settle for prison or whatevahhhhh) 

all in all, I think that this show has two amazing themes in it which are: teens are waayyy more resilient than people think and addiction comes in different forms and each of them is problematic and selfish. i think that the show is amazing at getting people to empathize with rue, but i feel like people need to realize that in the grand scheme of things, all of these characters are HUMAN and make a lot of shitty mistakes. no character should be cancelled just because they make a mistake, especially when the characters are supposed to be literal hormonal teenagers????? every character on this show is deserving of the audience's understanding (except McKay. FUCK HIM)

[frostygar]

The Flash S5 Ep4 Thoughts

- There’s always one person who documents the superhero’s as they fight the bad guy lol

- So we know that Iris can’t cook… what kind of pancakes were those 😭😭😭

- In my mind I should have realized the pancakes were supposed to be lightning bolts but all I thought at first were awful music notes...

- I normally hate when people document what they’re eating but Nora’s reasoning is hilarious so she gets a pass lol

- BARRY DOING THE DAD THING AND MAKING IRIS FEEL GOOD ABOUT HER AWFUL PANCAKES. That’s sweet, but you should probably save everyone in the future and tell her that she should take cooking lessons 😬😬😬

- Oof Barry got Nora a phone without consulting Iris… wait… softball…? Barry still trying to be the supportive husband and Iris just being like “no… no it’s awful I’m just going to make you a banana.” low-key that was c*te

- So Sherloque gets mad at Caitlin for her input even though it was a great idea but not two seconds later doesn’t care that Iris jumps in? Okay,,,,,,,,,,,,,

- Ralph bringing in the most obvious question of WHY Cicada wears the mask… ugh we love

- It’s interesting to see the show have this softball thing but it’s sooooo out of place and feels… weird. However Iris in that blue CCPD hat? Yes. It’s so cute fdjsafhjksafhj Also saying that Barry is a superhero who can do a lot of awesome things and saving the world but at the same time can’t play softball? Humbling and really good!!

- NORA SHADING HER MOTHER’S WEBSITE WE LOVE TO SEE IT LMAO AND THE FACES CAITLIN AND CECILE GIVE ONE ANOTHER? GOLD.

- Nora to the rescue even though she’s probably being controlled as some way for that one blogger she saved to make a name for herself on! Poor Jonesy (sp?) though…

- Nora’s “okay” was so sad and cute omg :( AW HER “THANKS, MOM” WAS. SO CUTE TOO OMGGGGG

- So they give up instead of using the list they created?? All you had to do was ask “hey so how many of your workers are men, have daughters, probably had something happen to them,” etc.??? like… really…

- NORA FLIRTING IS THE CUTEST THING. But also how did it not register that she was a meta smh

- “I would never lie to you.” Iris, you have no clue how you are in the future. OH SO SHE SHOWS THE POWER DAMPENING CHIP RIGHT NOW??? Damn… that scene was so intense. Like, Iris would never need to use a power dampening chip like??? What was the reason??

- Iris… trying to force Nora… to accept her calls… on the quantum computer… used for… science… So when is the realization that she’s an awful mom/person going to set in?? Probably never because Iris is catered to and put on a pedestal like Betty Cooper on Riverdale. Still hate to see it.

- I don’t get how Iris can’t see that she typically is not a good human being… like she’s manipulative and controlling and she’s asking how she could do that to her daughter??? I mean this could have been a great plot to make her a better, more liked character (and as a plus taking a break from Barry that’ll end in divorce because they are S T E P S I B L I N G S) and increasing the quality of the show but I watch Riverdale and if it hasn’t happened to Betty, it won’t happen to Iris.

- “I know that anything you do for our family, it’s out of love.” Yes, Barry, but sometimes that idea can become warped so the person inflicting that will THINK it’s what needs to happen because they love them but it’s NOT. There’s no excuse for it.

- I just thought about it but couldn’t Ralph and Sherloque bring that meta-watch thing to the factory to see who was a meta? Boom, they’d catch Cicada…….

- Caitlin Snow is the baddest bitch with a great right hook we stan. Honestly can she punch ME?

- Oh no when they stop the meta who’s name I don’t care to remember is stopped Nora’s gonna feel so bad for trying to kill her dad 🥺🥺 nooo babyyy

- Of course Iris is going to save the day… makes total sense….. OH YEAH I FORGOT NORA KNOWS HOW TO REWINE TIME

- SHERLOQUE GIVING CREDIT TO RALPH AWWWW WE LOVE A SMALL GLOW UP!!!!

- Meta-human tech… interesting.

- They better not spin the craziest bullshit to make it okay for Iris to take away Nora’s powers.

- Nora crying 😭😭😭 Again, this would be the PERFECT time to have Iris take like a couple of steps back and re-evaluate her life and how she is as a person and change for the better but I just know I won’t get that smh

- NOT HER PARENTS, WHO DON’T KNOW WHAT THEIR DAUGHTER HAS GONE THROUGH, TELLING HER THAT SHE’S WRONG….. this is why you don’t have children with your (step) sibling, nor marry them.

- I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to GENUINELY punch the fuck out of Barry until right now.

- “Then I guess I need to rethink what the meaning of family is.” YESSSSSS JOIN CAITLIN’S FAMILY. Also knowing that eventually Nora forgives Iris… this potential for something so good is wasted but this is CW so I’m not really surprised. 

- NORA GOES TO CECILE 🥺🥺🥺 UGHHH JOE AND NORA’S SMALL TLAK FSDHIOFHSDAKHFH

- Is this guy Cicada I can’t tell lol

[chryzure-archive]

4, 5, 10, 15, 16 owooo

4. would you be considered a main character, side character, villain, or something else?

Chrysi’s the main character, for sure… she’s got main character energy written all over her. I don’t mean to be prideful about it, but look at her.. Yeah 🤧 She’s center stage in every single universe I stick her in.

5. does your self insert have any special powers or abilities?

CHRYSI HAS LOTS OF POWERS, however I’m unsure how many are actually going to end up being canonical. It’s very dependent on the universes she’s in. The definite powers she has are seeing ghosts, sensing curses, and breaking curses! Also some spellcasting, but she hasn’t been, uh, for lack of a better term, “classically trained” like Azure has.

Some other powers that I’ve been toying with lately have been her being able to instill fear in people, being able to jump into dreams, and causing nightmares! Also she sometimes is able to bring back the dead, but that’s so dependent on other outside factors that I’m not sure if that counts? Oh well!

OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT SHE SUMMONS HER WEAPON!!! It tends to be a quarterstaff with a pointy end, but sometimes it’s a sword or a bow and arrow, depending on the mood I’m in :)

Her whole “witch power” thing gets a little messy, but it boils down to her intent level and the precision with which she’s able to manipulate the world around her. It’s hard for her to do it in her head, so she tends to stick to sigil work!

10. how do the other characters feel about your self insert and f/o’s relationship?

Depends!!! Since I’ve got other asks for Despair and Jacks, I’ll answer for Gil, Archie, and Mordred!

Oz and Alice think that Chrysi dating Gil is quite possibly the best idea ever. Gil deserves a cool girlfriend, plus they have a new older sister that they love to hang out with :) It’s an awesome idea. Break, on the other hand, thinks that Gil is a bad match for Chrysi, since their communication styles clash frequently. But when they get everything to work out together, he feels a little like a proud father :) He wants them to be happy together, despite how much he disapproved of the way Gil and Chrysi hurt each other in the beginning.

Archie’s sisters fucking hate Chrysi <3 Chrysi thinks it’s sooooo funny, and she deliberately would spend time around them so they would be extra irritated with her. Ophelia thinks that Chrysi’s a good fit for Archibald, since she actually forces Archibald to be more of a real person and she doesn’t let him sink into his hedonistic side that triggers his depression. Thorn thinks Chrysi could do a lot better, which is an objective fact tbh.

Honestly…. everyone thinks it’s good that Mordred moved onto Chrysi. She’s a much better fit for him, since she’s also a lot of passion and fire! All the witches at Avalon are happy that their resident protector is beginning to fall in love with someone who is super genuine and loving and protective. They’re well-suited for each other. They all love seeing Mordred receive the care and affection he deserves :’)

15. how does your self insert play a role in the plot of the story? do they help directly defeat the villain, support the heroes, etc.?

SHE DOES, AND SHE’S SO VERY GOOD AT HELPING EVERYONE DEFEAT THE VILLAIN. She’s part of the crew in every single universe and she always brings a unique perspective to the final “battle” in each universe :) Her methods to accomplish victory surprise everyone frequently!

16. freebie! name a fact about your self insert you want everyone to know.

I know I’ve said this before, but Chrysi’s really, really good at playing the piano. With her little ones (Alice, Oz, Elliot, Leo), she teaches them how to play + she’ll play accompaniment for those that are more advanced! They all love getting lessons from her since she’s so fun and cool :) With the Warehouse 13 crew, Chrysi likes to play songs on the piano with Artie!!! But he’s annoying because if she gets a single wrong note, he’ll yell out the correction. Well, he used to do that, until Chrysi started to do the exact same thing to him. Now they silently stare at each other if one or the other accidentally hits the wrong note.

[hundredsunny]

op oc #3: APRIL

im baaaaaaack

u are about to read about my prime DAUGHTER april. the rogue princess. a real pokemon! hahahhahaha she nabbed herself the AURA AURA FRUIT yo this is wild so get ready to learn about ol’ blue eyes!!!!!!!!!!

NAME: april (i dont have a surname for her i cant think of anything and ive had her for 8 years im sorry) EPITHET: “aura shooter” ooOOoOOoOoo AGE: 18 (pre) 20 (post) BIRTHDAY: april (incredible would u have ever guessed) 5th!!!  BIRTHPLACE: nimbasa island in the south blue SEX: female HEIGHT: 5′6″ WEIGHT: 122lbs HAIR COLOR: sandy brown EYE COLOR: blue APPEARANCE: before she escaped her home, she wore an icy blue dress underneath a navy blue cloak and her hair down with a CROWN of course but she hated wearing it a lot. her hair when worn down reaches the middle of her biceps. after she escaped she ONLY wore her hair in a ponytail and she always wore a red bandanna with a white arch atop her head at all times!! it was a gift from her mamma the QUEEN herself. she also wore a white t-shirt with red triangles bordering the collar and the ends of her sleeves. does that make sense? i sure hope. she wore a red sash around her waist and then she popped on some black pants and boots. real piratey. also some of her hair kinda pops out in the front so theres a good chunk that sometimes covers her left side. look at u go princess. AFTER the timeskip she cut her hair so it reaches just above her shoulders, and instead of wearing her hair up and with the bandanna, she wears it down but with a black headband. her bandanna is tied around her left bicep (fashion inspo: zoro). she wears a green sleeveless crop top, and theres a scar that reaches from the back of her shoulder to the end of her collarbone. she earned that shit from her wild timeskip training. oof. shes ok. she wears light-washed pants and some addidas-lookin shoes lmao she also wears a rly loose belt too. also she has gold earrings and thas about it. her eyes are round and just v pretty and blue. her nose turns up at the end just a tad bit and it’s so cute she’s so cute. she has a dimple on the right side of her mouth. her mommas face :’) shes fairly skinny but after the timeskip she gained some muscles made 4 punching douchecanoes  REPRESENTATIVE SMELL: vanilla FAVE FOOD: pasta FAVE DRINK: lemonade  FAVE SEASON: fall REPRESENTATIVE NATIONALITY: australian BOUNTY: initial bounty was 60,000,000 (for being runaway royalty) but after dressrosa she SKRTED up to 155,000,000 DEVIL FRUIT: aura aura fruit a paramecia type. the fruit allows the user to manipulate their energy. with the aura aura fruit, users are able to detect the aura of others, repel the aura of others, and project their own. the power of aura is mood-sensitive and can change a lot. can u believe april is lucario 6 forms of aura: red is physical nature, orange is intelligence, yellow is sheer willpower, green is healing, blue is emotion, vioilet(i THINK) is mental communication. i forgot what i wrote down for the aura types lmaoooo the biggest drawback of this fruit is that the user can only use a limited amount at one time. another drawback is that they cant manipulate other people’s aura??? it’s rly hard to explain this but trust me it makes sense when it’s put into action i promise SKILLS SET: most of her attacks are used with red aura since it relates to physical nature. wild. “aura bullet” is just shootin aura goodbye. i love pokemon. lmao. uh “aura detect” is when she can see what someone else’s aura looks like, so basically she can determine if someone is a bastard or not before they even open their mouth. “aura clone” clones herself with aura and that takes a LOT of effort to pull this one off especially when she wants to use multiple clones. “aura bomb” yo this one is wild she uses it for diversions and escaping since it kinda acts as a smoke bomb but when she uses this thing in battle OOOOH BOY. “starstorm” ok this is like the “im going to die after i do this move” kinda thing. it combines all the damn types of aura and it just RAINS down on ppl. goodbye april. anyways there are more basic moves but i dont rly wanna get too into that rn im sorry PROFESSION: runaway princess lol CREW: straw hat pirates  PERSONALITY: an easygoing girl. v mellow for the most part but there are times where she can get pretty goofy (thanks jack). if the wrong buttons are pushed, she becomes a HURRICANE. she does have confidence issues but since she met luffy, she’s really started to overcome them. shes got a horrible habit of being sarcastic and also she asks a LOT of questions holy SHIT honey. she is TERRIFIED of heights so when franky lays down a good ol coup de burst, her soul leaves her body. g o o d b y e. she was very cold when she first met luffy and the gang bc she lived with the person who killed her mom AND jack left sooooo she was a little bitter. eventually she learned to rly live with the mugiwaras. when she first joined the crew, she was very shy and timid and tried hard to fit in. she was SO intimidated by zoro like he genuinely scared the fuck out of her so she always tried hard to not be a Fool around him but once she got comfortable with everyone she just had a good ol time. “hey grassy ass!! :))” “can u fucking not call me that”. she has the CUTEST laugh oh me oh my. honestly just a rly passionate gal, she just wants to be strong and be able to protect her pals. refuses outside help. bros out with luffy and usopp and chopper sometimes but also judges them from afar like nami does. it all just depends on the day. truly. i once wrote a series of one-shots where each one was an adventure that april had with one other straw hat. luffy was the first one, and THAT was wild. zoro’s was fucking baller. so on and so forth. rly shows off her dynamic with each member. april? shes honestly just a good person and im proud of her bc she works so hard  LIKES: training, traveling, every single animal ever, reading DISLIKES: heights, the marines, the heat, people who walk horrifically slow in crowded places WEAPON(S): aside from her devil fruit shes got a dagger she sometimes uses. jack gave one to her right before he left HISTORY: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO king jed and queen serena had a baby girl. APRIL. that made her the princess. anyways she grew up as any princess would--spoiled. however the spoiling never got to her head bc serena was so good about teaching her things like that. serena was a goddess i love her pls come back. serena was wildly popular with the citizens of the kingdom bc of her caring and friendly personality. she would always take april into the kingdom every day and pay visits to the citizens. out of all the citizens they paid visits to, the most common faces she saw were those of the solo family. cain was jed’s most talented and trusted knight. he and his wife celeste had 2 kids: jack and sho YO. jack was 7 yrs older than sho and 3 yrs older than april. april and jack became fast friends and often explored the kingdom together. regular kid stuff u know. jack’s mom was always like “jack NO u CANNOT take the PRINCESS to the farms thats FILTY” hahahah but they went anyway.  jed? a dark man. idk who hurt him or what made him so murderous. but. he was tired of serena treating the citizens like equals. he believed that royalty should be viewed as gods.  when april was 8 jed killed serena oh god there it is theres the tragic anime mom death. as soon as serena died, the dynamic of the kingdom instantly changed. soon after jed took total control, people began leaving the island. eventually, the island became so empty that only a handful of families remained. jed did not allow april to leave the castle at all, and with that rule, it damaged the friendship that she and jack had. ofc around that time jack’s dad ran off as well so he stopped tryin to visit her for a bit. but then once he got back into his groove hed sneak all about, avoiding the night patrols, and hed just sit outside of april’s window and talk to her.  when april was 11 she discovered a devil fruit hidden away in the trashed artifacts that belonged to her mother. she ate the devil fruit and was like “now im strong, fight me JED” but lol she got her ass whooped poor bby when april was 16 jack left the island, leaving her completely and utterly alone. the exposure to such loneliness began to change april into a more reserved, bitter person.  2 yrs later the STRAW HATS stumbled upon the island. at that time april had started a habit of sneaking out of the castle to roam the empty streets of nimbasa, but during one of her strolls, she encountered robin, franky, and brook. she ended up knocking them unconscious bc she felt threatened. the second group she met consisted of zoro, chopper, and sanji. they had been captured by guards and were brought into the throne room to be interrogated by jed. april was required to be there as well so she kinda sat in her throne and looked mad the entire time. sanji was like “NO WHY DOES SHE LOOK SO MAD SHE NEEDS TO BE HAPPY” and zoro was like “ive never seen someone so happy to see my face” and chopper was just having a crisis bc they were abt to be tossed into the shadow realm at the hands of the king. zoro got mouthy and jed didnt have none of that shit so he told april to kill zoro but she just knocked him out instead. that pissed jed off. THE NEXT person she met was luffy. she only met luffy bc he infiltrated a banquet thing by sitting underneath a cart. classic luffy. she didnt meet nami and usopp until WAAAAY later. yadda yadda yadda shit goes down (i wrote a whole arc for this. it’s called the princess and the pirates lmao original but yes i wrote an entire arc for her recruitment and it’s A Lot) ANYWAYS luffy asked her to join the crew but she declined at first bc she thought pirates were just like her father: power-hungry and murderous. however that obv changed when she was exposed to the straw hats more when luffy defeated jed who ate the ___ ___ fruit (tbh i forgot what fruit he ate im sorry) she KNEW she belonged with the straw hats. :’) she still be sailin with the legends. shes had some wild times obv. her arc comes a bit after thriller bark. woopie!!!!!!! like always, lemme know if u wanna know more about her!!!

[eisforeidolon]

Episode: Patience (you’re gonna need it)

So when I first saw the synopsis for this episode, I thought that it sounded like they had two storylines for Sam and shoved one off on Dean for convenience's sake so they could jump start the spin off earlier (and thus hopefully not have it bomb as bad as Bloodlines).  Watching it did nothing to change my mind.  Except I now also want my wasted time back.

BTW, guys, Missouri wasn't just a pyschic in the know, she was a hunter now.  [Oprah voice:] Now you're a hunter! And you're a hunter!  Everybody's a hunter!

Speaking of Missouri, they could not have made her death any more contrived and ridiculous even if that had been their express purpose.  A powerful psychic is going to stay behind in the town where you know a psychic eating monster is lurking because … she had a falling out with her son and it'd be awkward for her to continue to be alive during the spin off. Even if you didn't catch how painfully stupid and manufactured it was as it happened, the bullshit 'novice psychic WHO IS SO AWESOME saves everyone from a generic MotW' bit at the end just anviled how ridiculous her decision not to choose life was.  I find myself once again fucking embarrassed for everyone involved in this episode.

Dean claiming Missouri totally wasn't someone who would abandon her family – you met the woman once over a decade ago, how the fuck would you know?  (Then again, the writers also have you not remembering what an antichrist actually is in their own canon, so …)  Thing is, it would have made far more sense for Sam to have kept in touch with her because of the psychic thing and for her not to have been involved in all the Winchester's shit in the interim because she's a psychic not a goddamn hunter. But no.  If anyone sympathetic to the Winchesters exists, they have to either be a recurring character or die immediately after the writers remember they exist.  There is no possible other option.

I suspect they're anviling Jack being sooooo cute and helpless because for there actually to be a story here he has to go some degree of bad at some point?  So they want to preemptively counterbalance it to make sure it feels like he can come back, but short of literally sticking a pacifier in his mouth, they couldn't actually be laying it on much thicker than they did here.  I did genuinely like some of the stuff with Sam and Jack, to be fair, I’m just not convinced it couldn’t have been better as a full episode rather than outtakes between the contrived MotW spinoff shill.

At least they gave the moronic encouraging of newbies into hunting to Jody and left Dean out of it. Speaking of which (who [Claire] really was?  Brainless monster bait?  Who doesn’t love informed competence?  Me.  I don’t.)

I'm also not impressed with either of the Winchesters deciding to have that shouted argument about Jack in the bunker with the door open and no fucking idea where Jack is.  I can actually understand why both of them, angry and off-kilter from recent events, are framing each other's motives in the worst possible light to an extent, but ...  Jack's upset because of you, Dean!!! Yeah, Dean started off absurdly aggressive before downgrading somewhat, and granted Sam does not have the contextual stabbing to that 'killing you' conversation – but Jack didn't also mention his mother's death, Asmodeus manipulating him, and his own lack of control as reasons for his fears?  Didn’t you just say last episode you understood why Dean couldn’t trust Jack?  You're just using him to get Mom back, Sam!!!  Okay, sure Sam did try to use retrieving Mary as a reason, but c'mon Dean himself already said last episode he's concerned about how attached Sam is!  Why is Dean stupidly sidestepping most of the actual issues with Sam’s projecting all over Jack?  This level of inept reaching is not remotely necessary for them to be fighting over this.  Are the writers as incapable of realizing as some of the fandom seems to be that two people can disagree for perfectly legitimate reasons?  Genuinely good characters aren’t always nice and do make their share of mistakes, but this was just so ham-handed.

Also, after dismissing Mary's loss as her own choice, bringing in how Cas was manipulated by fetus!Jack (let's ignore just how easy that was to do - like the writers always do!) into believing in that whole terrifying perfect world concept was actually something of a pleasant surprise in the episode. I was starting to suspect the writers were going to entirely drop that bizarre and disturbing creepy vision thing as if it never happened.  Although considering it in light of how the writers seem to be planning to use mention of it as the excuse to bring Cas back from a beyond-the-afterlife death, which I doubt they can do without completely fucking ruining last season's attempt to make death meaningful again … maybe not so much after all. 

[shakespearerants]

Why Modern Y/A Literature Is Shit - Five Lists, A Rant, And A Conclusion

Let’s start with the lists, shall we? First, we have the typical overused y/a protagonists. There are:

1) the incompetent-but-pretty female protagonist. I’m talking about that “oh I’m not like other girls I hate makeup and I’m sooooo clumsy and also a nerd because I don’t like to party” girl, the one that always says she’s ugly but is described as stereotypically attractive. Usually white. Always gets the insanely attractive guy in the end. Relatable ™.

2) the mysterious bad boy that every girl wants a slice of. Usually either rich, a supernatural being, or involved in some sketchy shit. Has a Tragic Backstory™ that is unlocked by the female protagonist after little-to-none probing, maybe some bambi eyes, when the story is at the point where he would look like a real douche if his shitty behavior was left unexplained.

3) the female Leader of the Revolution. Usually white. Fights for Freedom and What Is Good, would actually be pretty ok in my books, if there weren’t…

4) the male love interest of the female Leader of the Revolution. Usually very flat character. We know exactly two thing about him: a) He’s Sexy b) He’s In Love. Sometimes there’s a small bonus and we also know that he has a Tragic Backstory™, usually involving something that is supposed to show that he and the female Leader of the Revolution are Soulmates or at least that they have History Together. And then there’s…

5) the Love Triangle. Im counting this as “one” main character because, lets be honest, most (read: all that I know) love triangles don’t have enough depth to justify analyzing all three parts separately. It goes like this: girl was Normal and had Best Male Friend who was In Love With Her since Forever, but Never Said Anything. Then Something Happens and Guy Two (the mysterious bad boy) shows up, usually quite out of the blue. He is Mysterious and Experienced and Interested In The Girl, who is suddenly Very Important for a Higher Cause. Then Best Male Friend Gets Jealous and Confesses His Feelings when confronted by the Girl. Then all there of them go on an Epic Quest together. A common variation of this is Girl meets two boys. One is Nice™ and one is Sexy™. HOW WILL SHE DECIDE???!11?? (also epic quest in the backround)

And then we have the supporting characters. Who are usually either…

1) the gay OR the racially diverse Best Friend of the Protagonist. Especially if it’s a male protagonist. BUT CAREFUL!!!!!111! He has to be a) male b) EITHER gay OR racially diverse, and c) ok with casually used homophobic/racist stereotypes

2) the Nerd Friend of the (usually male) protagonist. Wears glasses. Doesn’t know anything about sports. Easily hurt. Thankful™ for their Cool Protagonist Friend. Usually bullied. Knows stuff about: a) Star Wars b) Comics c) Lord of the Rings. If the author is really adventurous he also cosplays, usually as a LOTR character

3) the Best Girl Friend of the incompetent-but-pretty female protagonist. Usually very flat character. Comes out of nowhere to Give Advice and disappears back into the void. 

But the most annoying thing is that literally almost every y/a novel or series that you pick up in literally any bookstore/library can be assigned one of these general storylines:

1) the Your Are Different storyline. Girl is Normal™. Maybe has a Tragic Backstory™, but nothing too bad. Then Something Happens and she learns that she is Not Normal, by which I mean that she either has some sort of supernatural powers or that she is The Long Lost Princess or at very least The Chosen One. Then some love triangle comes to spiel, she has to Leave Her Old Life Behind and Save The World. Book ends with some sort of sappy love confession or her deciding which part of the love triangle she chooses. Sometimes seen with a male protagonist, but without the love triangle. 

2) the Love Triangle storyline. Well. I think it’s self-explanatory.

3) the Supernatural Shit Going On storyline. Someone (usually a guy) is the Chosen One. Chosen One has to fight in order to save some recently discovered world/their own world. Meets some friends who are usually two or more dudes and one super badass girl who is only there because Equality™ and is either the one who gets Possessed By The Evil or is the only one who has to be saved at one point in the story. If we have a female protagonist then she and the girl Hate Each Other For Literally No Reason until the protagonist Saves The Girl in some very dramatic way and they realize that the other is Actually Not That Bad. Female protagonist usually teaches girl about Feelings and maybe sets her up with That One Guy In The Group that she’s had a crush on for Literal Years but never made a move because Feelings Are For Babys or she was Scared And Didn’t Know What To Say To Him. 

4) the This Book Isn’t Like Other Books storyline. Some shit that doesn’t have anything to do with interpersonal relationships or at the most bullying is going on. Usually features a Controversial Protagonist™ (read: the one who started the deeply illegal or at least sketchy shit that’s going on and is also the muggle version of Voldemort, character wise). The (usually male) protagonist, who is also a social outcast, now has to work to Stop The Sketchy Shit that he started, but he Can’t Do It Alone. A group of three people (two boys, one pretty girl), who are also a part of the Popular Group At School, are somehow pulled into the shit and help the Controversial Protagonist™ Fix His Mistakes and Become A Better Person. Sometimes they become friends in the end. 

AND, because I can, have some shitty shitty plot devices.

1) the Love Triangle. It’s shitty and unnecessary in every way because it always features at least 3 of these things: bad writing. Heteronormativity. Exclusively white people. Disregard of the feelings of the female lead by at least one of the guys. Use of past traumatic experiences of one of the male leads to justify predatory and/or dangerous/possessive behavior. Related to that: use of mental illness/trauma solely to gain sympathy of the audience. Characters’ (specially the guys’) lives and decisions revolve around romantic/sexual relationships. Related to that: romanticization of unhealthy relationships. Enforcement of gender stereotypes. Objectification of the characters (especially the male characters). 

2) Miscommunication. I don’t even have to say anything, do I.

3) The One Friend In The Group That Betrays Them All And The Subsequent Fallout. WHY. WHY do authors feel the need to have one person in a close-knit group of friends betray everyone. I mean, it would even be THAT bad if most authors didn’t use it as a cheep method to create suspense for the final showdown, or kill off a character, or to distract from the fact that most villains in modern y/a literature are really flat characters with no real motives for their plans for world takeover or whatever it is they’re trying to accomplish by giving them a radicalized follower. 

4) the Love Confession When The Guy Either Thinks She’s Chosen Someone Else Or Is Being Separated From The Girl. Like. NO. Just no. Thats like THE cheapest way to create emotional conflict. Or to subtly manipulate your readers. Because that is essentially what the author is doing: guilt-tripping you into supporting a relationship, because unless that guy was a real douchbag, and if he WAS, 99% of the people who read that stuff will be like “OH MY POOR BBY JUST GOT HIS HEART BROKEN” and BAM, no one’s gonna argue that his feelings aren’t genuine, or say that he doesn’t deserve her, bc bitch did you read this he confessed to her when he thought he was never gonna see her again  

5) the Love Confession From Her Jealous Best Friend. Again, a cheep way to create emotional tension and gain sympathy from the reader. 

6) the Vaguely Sexual Encounter. Usually something comparatively innocent, like a heated kiss or make-out session, usually used to intensify emotional dilemma, either because of a love triangle (I really can’t stand love triangles) or because she shouldn’t be kissing the guy or something. And the thing is, it wouldn’t even be a bad thing if it weren’t completely misplaced (like, a day away from the final battle misplaced) in most cases, or worse: slutshaming. Or, worse still: the cringey sex discussion that ends in either slutshaming or kinda just fizzles out.   

7) the We’re Gonna Die But It’s Okay Because I Love You talk, usually delivered by the male lead to the female lead before all goes to shit. And honestly I have never read a book where this shit happened where they knew each other for more than four weeks. And lemme tell you there is nothing more unrealistic than a teenage dude giving a two-page talk about why he loves a girl that he’s known for a maximum of four weeks. I once read a book where this happened and they knew each other for three days and made out once and he literally gave that speech twice (no, I’m not taking about Romeo and Juliet). Like, do you authors understand the people you are writing books for? Do you have any idea how teenage relationships work? 

8) Bulling That’s Used As A Plot Device But Ultimately Stays Unresolved or, even worse, The People Who Bully Me Are (A Part Of) The Group I Have to Join To Save The World And Suddenly We’re Best Friends. THIS. THIS is almost worse than the fucking love triangle shit. Because lemme tell you something: If bullying isn’t stopped, if the bullies don’t face consequences for their actions, then guess what? IT’S NOT GONNA FUCKING STOP, THATS WHAT. It’ll continue on and on and on until someone won’t take that shit anymore. Yeah, sure, it might seem like it stopped, especially if you’re seeing everything from the view of a character who was suddenly not bullied anymore, but let me tell you: that is an illusion. They just shift to the next victim. And it’s so so toxic to write it like everything is suddenly ok, oh my gosh. Because it’s not, it doesn’t stop, it just shifts to somewhere else, and thousands of bullied kids that read these books are gonna think that it does. And they’re gonna go and look at their bullies and start feeling sympathy for them because they read a hundred and one books where the bullies are actually good guys, so their bullies can’t be that bad, can they? And voila, thats the first step to excusing toxic behavior. The first step to make sure that these kids never speak up against oppressors. 

Some things that I am really sick of in general but even more when seen in y/a literature: 

1) bad and/or lazy writing, especially when it comes to character development

2) casual sexism

3) underrepresentation and/or stereotypization of LGBTQIA characters

4) underrepresentation and/or stereotypization of non-white characters

5) lack of female supporting characters

6) little to no character development seen in male characters, especially love interests/supporting characters

7) reinforcement of stereotypically masculine/feminine character traits

8) little to no explanation offered concerning culture and other specifics of fantasy worlds (also known as WHY WRITE FANTASY IF YOU’RE NOT GONNA INCLUDE SOME ACTUAL FANTASY)

9) romanticization of toxic relationships

10) hypersexualization of teenagers, because no matter how good looking he is, you shouldn’t describe a sixteen year old boy the same way you would a twenty five year old porn star

And the thing is that this isn’t some kind of one time thing. I didn’t just finish a series that i really disliked or read a few bad books in a row. This rant is the product of literal year-long frustration because I literally cannot find anything in the y/a section of bookstores and libraries and publishing companies websites that doesn’t feature at least one of the above mentioned main characters, one of the above mentioned supporting characters, and some variation of the above mentioned storylines. And I am honestly so sick of it, and so are many many more young adults, because in the beginning you just read that shit, you know. And then it comes to the point where you get so sick of seeing the same stories repeated over and over and the same characters used over and over that you start really searching for books that are different. But these books are so rare, and so hard to find! And after some time you start feeling like you’re being bullshitted by authors and publishing companies. Because most of y/a literature is not only cliche and stereotypical and just plain boring after some time, its also often very badly written. And I’m not just talking language here, though that is a part of it. I’m talking major plot holes, complete lack of character development, period novels or novels that feature time travel being so cringe-worthily historically inaccurate that you actually start wonder if the author did it on purpose, a suspense arc that would, drawn, look like a squiggly line or, even worse but sadly even more common, just a downward sloping curve that maybe, if you’re really lucky, curves slightly upwards again in the last five chapters. There are so many y/a novels out there that I seriously can’t imagine ever having been edited or beta read. And lately it seem like most publishing companies out there just don’t care what they publish any more, you know? Its just one love triangle after the other. And honestly society is moving forward at an increasingly fast pace, the current generation of teenagers and young adults is becoming more tolerant and open minded by the second, and the literature that is written for us, marketed towards us is still dominated by heteronormativity, all-white characters, a lack of male protagonists in the romance and of female protagonists in the action/adventure genre, and sexism. Like, okay, if you think a love triangle is necessary for your story, why not write in a bit of representation for the LGBTQIA community and make it a polyamory in the end instead of having your heroine decide between two hot guys? Or just feature a bi protagonist instead of the cliche straight girl? If you wanna write that stereotypical high school romance why not feature a protagonist who is not white for a change? Also there is a huge difference between books written for boys and books written for girls that is honestly, in my opinion, incomprehensible. Especially if you factor that most boys between the ages of 12 and 20 just don’t read novels because they think reading in general is stupid or they can’t relate to the characters that are portrayed. And this is honestly so concerning because most boys are behind their female classmates when it comes to reading and language skills, which scientists say is a result of boys reading less for enjoyment in their free time, especially less fiction. (sources: (x) (x) (x)) And honestly I can see where thats coming from, there is a) very little literature written for boys, and lets be real, how many boys do you know that would voluntarily read something thats explicitly being marketed for girls and b) the literature actually written for boys is tremendously boring and even more stereotypical and redundant than literature written for girls, plus, you sometimes get the very paradox impression that sex is a kind of tabu theme in boys literature. Like in girls literature its ridiculed and treated in some sort of prepubescent giggly way even though most of literature written for girls revolves around sexual and romantic relationships, but it is addressed, even if its done in an immature way. But boys literature is all about action and danger and bros before hoes. Most books written for a male audience don’t even feature a love interest. And again, this is paradox and kind of weird or even ridiculous because boys are expected to be sexually active from a very young age and the teenage years are the years of (sexual) self-discovery, so in almost all media boys are portrayed as very experienced and sure in their sexuality, except for literature aimed towards them, where they are treated the same way little children are treated: you just don’t talk about sex. How can you expect boys to be sure of themselves when you just leave them in the dark about what they are supposed to be sure about? And don’t even get me started on hyper masculinity portrayed in almost every male character I’ve ever seen in a book (honestly, I won’t start on it because I think that a) my point is clear and b) no one would actually have the patience to read this till the end if I did).

So what’s my conclusion? Well, mainly that y/a literature is currently a lot of shit, and it needs to change to fit the needs and interests of the group that it’s trying to reach. The current development in literature aimed towards young women that features a growing hyper-sexualization of teenage boys and a shift to almost exclusively straight romance literature combined with a gradual decrease of writing quality is very concerning, as is the lack of development in literature aimed towards young men, which seems to be stuck in three genres: mystery/thriller, sports, and action/adventure.