#idk theres a reason ppl like jack and seeing how that conflates w/jack/rhys specifically is interesting

[hirokiyuu]

reading stella talk abt m/m and the effort to put into liking women as much as men and yeah. yeah. it’s really fascinating actually because prior to tales from the borderlands there was a p even split in terms of f/f, m/m, and m/f in the fic fandom and then it dropped and everyone was SO into jack/rhys

it’s interesting bc i wonder if it’s bc theyre both attractive* white guys but also at the same time i try to think of a more interesting/compelling dynamic in That Game Specifically and....... i really cant? even years later the part of tftbl that i rmbr the most is [spoilers] the scene where jack is showing rhys around his office and then fuckin straps him into his chair to try and tries to body snatch him and its lowkey very like...... creepy romantic? i get it

double interesting bc, even tho i dont have the stats to back it up, jack was also v much the most compelling bl2 character pre-tftbl. like if u went in the fic archives all the top fics were maya/jack (clearly meant as a player standin) or axton/jack (also....... clearly meant as a player standin in a lot of ways LMFAO). esp i’m talking like, pre-dlc release (including gaige/krieg) adn like? it’s interesting how jack of everyone has always been the most attractive character to most everyone in fandom**

and like it’s really intesesting bc i’d personally make hte argument it’s less abt ppl who like rhys/jack nad more abt ppl who like jack SPECIFICALLY u kno. like how much of the fic, even when the authors were like “yeah jack is an awful person lol”, ends w/them together and happy (?). like. a lot. ppl wanted good things for jack!

which makes sense! hes a phenomenal villain and a great character and control core angel is always going to be one of my all time fave video game moments nad a laaarge part of it for me is [spoilers again] jack’s breakdown there, no jokes no laughs just genuine threats and bargaining and even begging! it’s a phenomenal bit of character work for a phenomenal character.

IDK this isnt an argument to be made in any specific direction w/rt why m/m is popular or w/e i just think it’s interesting. i think jack/rhys being so popular had a lot of dif factors involved it’s just interesting

*(rhys is v conventionally white guy hot. jack has a face stapled to his face, but also he has CHARISMA)

**(again, despite having a face stapled to his face)