#insane premise taken seriously

[gulfiya007]

On lukola fandom

Here’s some venting about the lukola fandom, and its ways, and consequences, from an ordinary polin, Bridgerton and Luke fan.

Starting from the way Luke’s loved ones and friends are treated by its adherents. Especially his girlfriend. The hate towards her is visceral. The whole phenomenon of bullying and stalking someone just for existing and posting on their SM account from time to time probably needs to be studied by social studies scholars and parasocial relationship specialists, cause it’s new heights apparently.

So, what if she’s proud of Luke as her boyfriend and wants to show it? What if she wants to mark her territory sometimes, to which she has a right btw? What if she trolls haters and delusional IRL shippers occasionally? Hers is probably the most relatable behavior. I myself, as an introvert millennial who doesn’t run one single SM account and cringe from the exhibitionist nature of current SM posting practices, still recognize that there’s nothing unusual about that kind of posting per se. Why was Luke’s former gf, Jade, allowed to post him all the time (which is totally alright btw), but Antonia hinting at having, say, a dinner with Luke is shady, attention-seeking, desperate, needy and despicable?

It's not that I care particularly about her. In fact, I couldn’t care less if she’s replaced by Luke with some other woman in a couple of months or if she is his future wife and mother to his kids. I still believe, regardless of her status in the relationship, she deserves basic respect and decent treatment as a human being that we know pretty much nothing about. She does not deserve the vilification and demonization that she gets.

Luke too, has a right to privacy and respect for his personal choices that are nobody’s business. He owes no one anything in terms of disclosing his dating life and confirming his relationships. If for someone, Luke bringing the girl to almost all his travels and events with himself, is not a proof or statement in and of itself about her being his girlfriend, then that’s on them. No amount of intentional misreading and skewed takes on photos will trump this simple fact.

Also please don’t bring up virtue signaling and other cancel culture stupidities, such as moral judgements passed on Luke and his close ones for political or other values purportedly held by them, of which we in fact know zilch. It’s clear that this is just another useful tool in a shipping crusade.

Nicola too, deserves, for a change, to have her numerous statements taken seriously. Let alone, privacy. She’s being stalked by her so-called fans to insanity. I am sure she, to put it mildly, is uncomfortable about her “queen” and “goddess” status among the cultists, and being a projection vessel for a myriad of sad women. Cause she knows very well this type of passionate idolatry is an inch away from hate, and the plus sign switches to a minus sign the minute she does something not to their liking, a wrong brand or person supported, or not enough disciplining of Luke is exercised. The most delusional thing about lukolas is them truly believing themselves to be Nic’s or Luke’s fans.

Which brings us to the crux of the matter. That IRL shipping is bad, period. Some lukola bloggers on tumblr, TT and IG half-heartedly try to reign in and admonish the more unhinged segment of the fandom by telling them to behave and not bring their bul..t to the actors' feet. However, this is what the lukola discourse platforms, by simply existing, still do - breed crazy fan behavior. Because the problem lies in the belief system itself. No amount of reservations, house-keeping and discipline by lukola discourse 'leaders' will do away with the tenets and premises of this religion that seep through and twist every discussion and speculation about the figures involved (Luke, Nic, etc). Since every reasoning should work towards a certain end goal, all means and distortions are good to achieve it. Finding faults with Luke's character and behavior and demanding a 'redemption' from him, hating and criticizing Luke's friends and family, attributing motivations to the actors and their loved ones that best suit theories, online stalking etc. A myth about Luke ever publicly stating he was single during promo, a ridiculous myth about Bridgerton cast and showrunners shipping lukola (news flash – nobody in the cast cares about their co-stars’ private lives, stop the kindergarten), or the “papgate” affecting in any way Luke’s job prospects. Myths upon myths that build the house of cards of the lukola dogma. I myself wouldn’t care a damn about this fandom if it really contained itself to its close corners and group chats, however, unsurprisingly, they spill over in a grand fashion and permeate all discourse.

You really believe the innocent delulu fangirling has no by-products? These are the staple manifestations of the lukola and of any IRL shipping fandom, and popular lukola theorists are pretty successful in justifying and reinforcing them. And it should not be surprising that some followers, the most zealous and stupid ones, take it too far and actually harass people and be annoying in SM.

As a Luke and polin fan, I am annoyed by this, but I am 100% sure this sh*t is affecting the actors, and you all can kiss goodbye to the chemistry between Luke and Nic naturally displayed during promo. I am sure polin will not be affected, for L and N are excellent actors and friends, but you all soon will look sadly back to S3 promo tour as magic that will never come back.

[aerscribbles]

^owo^ < My dumb ass starting yet another WIP because I'm not in the mood to work on the complex two chapter long fight scene or the genuine emotional intimacy/psychological warfare.

Anyhoo, I think we can all agree that Hua Cheng writes/has written fanfiction, right? (if you don't agree... why?)

The main premise is that HC gets really mad at a trashy romance novel (he read all of the good ones and is scraping the bottom of the barrel) and Yin Yu offhandedly suggests he write his own.

Fafa being Fafa, the idea is taken completely seriously.

The resulting end product is pretty much just Wu Ming/Calamity!Xie Lian, cultivatorXdemon, hurt-comfort, angst-with-a-happy-ending fanfiction with the serial numbers scraped off.

Yin Yu is made to proofread, and does fix the grammar where it goes wrong, but is also... not experienced with all this scholar stuff, and has no idea how to fix the phrasing issues (over-describing certain things like clothes, referring to characters by their hair color or relative age, the Orbs, etc, etc).

He Xuan gets dragged in as the second beta reader & editor. Suffers.

Heh. Betta Reader.

After the book is published, it gets really popular among gods and ghosts alike, because the author just kind of... gets it, the fixations and complexities of a conceptual being. Also, the art is really fucking good.

Eventually, Xie Lian finds a copy.

(It doesn't count as breaking your vows if you read it for the plot and characters, right?!)

And it's... comforting? getting a different perspective on that part of his life.

But also kind of makes some things slightly worse, digging up traumas and stuff.

Seeing this kind of situation from the other perspective is very disorienting, with the MC taking any sign of attention from the ML as a reward- even when it is just straight-up abuse. The narrator/author criticizes this behavior, specifically in the way that it enables the ML's self-harm and descent into insanity.

(Basically, a scathing critique of his own actions)

Xie Lian, having finished the first volume: where can I get more of this?

Thankfully, the author Inkstained Fox sticks with the story for all seven volumes. And an additional volume of extras.

The story ends with the main characters settling down and rebuilding ML's sect, adopting a bunch of children disciples in the process.

Inkstained Fox doesn't stop with one successful series, though.

(Validation is one hell of a drug.)

No, he keeps writing for centuries.

...

Some ideas for Fafa's barely disguised fanfiction:

priestess/rain deity, toxic yuri

artist/the demon that haunts his dreams

loyal servant/young lord, political intrigue

field healer/general, surprisingly accurate to real army conditions

human sacrifice/god of death

...

What a surprise it is for Hua Cheng to walk in to Puqi Shrine and find multiple bookshelves filled with literally every book he had ever published.

(They are so obsessed with each other)

[mallahanmoxie]

one thing about ham dani that nobody seems to get and why I'm always fighting for my life in the webtoon's comment section is that in all her fear and reticence around opening herself up with her friends, believing she belongs in this world, trusting in her place and relationships is that SHE'S NEVER WRONG ABOUT THE NEGATIVES. i think it's very easy to look at dani a hundred chapters in still going on about her place as a side character and what she can expect from them realistically, what she can allow herself to feel for them, and feel frustrated, like she's being deliberately obtuse. but dani. is. not. wrong.

one thing that many isekais do is that they will take the premise of "being transported to a novel" and use that simply as a vehicle for the FL to use her knowledge of the future to her advantage and turn the odds on their head. beyond the initial "ehhh why is the ML flirting with me??" which tends to wear off rather easily, there is little questioning about what being in a story means. and inso's law takes that question seriously. because dani IS inside a story, her friends ARE characters AND THIS IS EASILY PROVABLE SINCE THE BEGINNING. How? because she leaves.

it has happened to her before! It happens multiple times in the novel! that's why march 2nd is SO terrifying for her, because everything she's built can be taken from her in the blink of an eye and SHE will be called crazy and SHE will be left grieving and nobody else will remember what ONLY SHE LIVED. she is effectively, practically, tangibly separate from each world by this experience. when dani insists on the labels of main character, side character, the tropes and the narrative possibilities happening within them SHE'S NOT WRONG!! because those things are TRUE!!! I know it's easy to gloss over it bc we as readers just take everything in as a story, but the crazy plot points? they're insane to her too because SHE is a real person and others are not! They're characters! That's why it's called The Law of Webnovels because dani is making sense of the rules of a world which factually functions distinctly different from hers. she's not making that shit up, it's not (entirely) an emotional hold up. that's shit's fucking real.

the nuance is brought on by the fact that the characters are, in fact, also people. they behave like people (albeit inside the margins of wild webnovel logic), they feel like people and they see her as a person. but she does not entirely reciprocate, because to view them as people means assuming the hurt that will inevitably come when 1) she gets sent back into the real world and loses them all or 2) the plot to the novel finally kicks in and who knows if the guy she liked was the ML and will end up with her best friend and all her love and all her trying were for nothing. No matter what, dani loses.

there's also the fact, which i think is exemplified very clearly in her feelings towards her grades and being compared to yeoryung, that even outside the character/real person dichotomy, ham dani and the boys come from WILDLY different backgrounds. when they graduate high school, they will go to different colleges and they will get different jobs and the wide wide gap which dani had managed to bridge due to the magic of webnovel rules will be opened once again. in the social hierarchy of modern korean society, dani will be left behind. ban yeoryung is somewhat immune to this despite sharing similar socioeconomic status because she has 1) better social capital in the form of her beauty and intelligence and 2) plot armour immunity bc she's destined to be with one of the boys anyway (and again it IS destiny bc she's the FL and according to the genre clues dani's been gathering that seems to be the most likely outcome). yeoryung has resources and tools beyond the story that dani cannot access. even IF this wasn't the world of a webnovel, if they existed in the real world, yeoryung COULD feasibly climb her way up but dani? she's realistic about her prowess and she knows very well that being a good friend and a good person does not mean she will get to remain close to her friends who are much much much richer. my point here being that even if she weren't under the assumption (WELL TESTED!!! SCIENTIFIC, EVEN!!!) that she's in the world of a story ruled by story laws, she wouldn't be silly for guarding her heart against the possibility of drifting away from byr+the boys.

all of this is why i love dani's character arc and her as a person. she doesn't act irrationally. she only acts very, very humanly. it's why i loved the kidnapping arc and her confrontation with choi yuri. she has to learn to treat them seriously, as human beings, because despite factually being characters, they don't have the awareness of it and their lives are every bit as real as any other to them. it's part also of dani learning how to be a person herself, because she's still a kid growing up and learning what's what, and doing so in an environment much more stressful than the usual. i think people are being irrationally mean towards her simply because they do not make the effort to understand her.

[melting-houses-of-gold]

It’s my ✨birthday✨ today! Give me a gift by reading these incredible fics:

I did this last year and it was so fun--one of my very favorite parts of fandom is getting to be in community with people whose work I enjoy and to celebrate them. So, in honor of my [redacted] birthday this year, we're doing another round! Maybe these are some of your familiar favorites, or it's a chance to discover something new.

All of these are listed in no particular order :) and all explanations are a little unhinged. Blame the new mom brain!

Star Wars🌟

Muse by @jewelofmandalore (rexsoka, E, one-shot): What can I say about this fic except that every time I read it, I actually stop breathing for its entirety? Modern AU. College Rexsoka. Art students. They're obsessed with each other. I'm SO SO normal about it.

Labyrinth Hearts by @chocmarss (rexsoka, T, rebels-era, in-progress multi-chapter): We have such a need for time-travel in this ship and this fic, while just a few chapters in, is delivering! Post-Malachor Rebels-era fic holds such a special place in my heart and I love love love this one.

A Remedy for Memory by @ahsokathegray (rexsoka, T, in-progress multi-chapter): I love a good amnesia-induced romcom scenario and this one inspired by the other zoey is so stinking cute. I'm so excited to see where it leads!!

Those Who Can by K.R. Closson (alpha-17/fem!obi-wan, E, multi-chapter): I'm insane about this whole series, which is different paths that Obi-Wan could have taken, but this one is the good shit. I want to inject it directly into my veins. I started it at 11:30 and stayed up until 3 am reading it because I had to keep clicking to the next chapter.

ACOTAR🌹

Poltergeist Darling by @thesistersarcheron (feysand, E, in-progress multi-chapter): Is it even a Feysand fic if Rhys isn't batshit insane for Feyre? As a lover of spooky gothic romances, I clicked into this fic so intrigued by the premise (Rhys bringing Feyre back from the dead after she dies UTM) and the writing drew me in IMMEDIATELY. The vibes are so insane, the two of them are crazy for each other, and literally every word is a gift to read.

Good Luck Charm by @whatishowedyouinthedark (feysand, E, multi-chapter): god bless the daddy kink snail in SVDG's brain because this fic was fucking unreal. College AU Feysand with eager-to-get revenge Feyre and frat president Rhys was EVERYTHING. I had to ration myself to one chapter a day because I might have died otherwise.

Castles Ever After by @separatist-apologist (Feysand, Nessian, Elucien, E, series): Every time I open a MB fic, I know I'm going to have a GREAT time, and this series was seriously so fun. When a mysterious uncle leaves the Archeron sisters three castles across the UK, each one goes on their own journey and finds love along the way. We've got everything—Modern day bodice ripping, fake fiances becoming real, battles staged on castle lawns, Lucien Vanserra being his sassy hot self, chickens—EVERYTHING.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Can I confess something? Ugh, but I fucking love Aemond x Vhagar. Would die if you wrote some Vhagond smut.

You got it, dude.

How to Bang Your Dragon

Paring: Aemond x Vhagar Warnings: Smut, bestiality. Word count: ~1500

DISCLAIMER: This fic is intended as a joke between the author and their mutuals. This is in no way intended to be taken seriously. It will not be added to my masterlist or cross posted to A03. The author in no way condones bestiality. If you are easily offended, please do not click 'read more'.

Credit to @em-writes-stuff-sometimes for sending in this horrifying request. Artwork credit to the insanely talented and unhinged @osferthsbussy

Aemond had always been drawn to dragons. Throughout his childhood he’d longed for one, bitter at the fact that the egg placed in his cradle when he was born had never hatched. He was seemingly unable to bond with any of the unclaimed beasts that resided within the Dragonpit. He looked on in envy as his brother, Aegon, rode Sunfyre. Even his moonstruck sister, Helaena, had Dreamfyre.

It enraged Aemond that his bastard nephews Jacaerys and Lucerys had Vermax and Arrax. They weren’t even of pure Valyrian blood - how was it possible that their hatchlings had accepted them so readily? Little Joffrey’s egg had hatched too, giving him Tyraxes. Aemond lamented the unfairness of it all. It did not seem right that a Targaryen prince should be denied the simple pleasure of dragon riding.

Dragons fascinated him in a way that he could never quite put his finger on. To all those around him, his behaviour seemed obsessive. His brother and nephews even went as far as to play a cruel prank on him by leading him to the Dragonpit under the premise of having found him a dragon of his own, only to then present him with a pig. Still, this did not deter his ambition. He set about learning everything there was to know about these majestic creatures. He read every book that the Red Keep’s library had to offer and even asked the maesters to acquire more from Old Town once he’d exhausted what was immediately available to him.

The night following Laena Velaryon’s death is a night that will remain as his fondest memory. The vision of Vhagar flying high above Dragonstone, now riderless, had taken his breath away. As he’d watched her land on a nearby cliff edge, it was as if something he was powerless to resist drew him to her.

He’d been fearful on first approach; Vhagar was the largest dragon in the world, and she could end his life with a single snap of her jaws. However, when she didn’t balk at his approach, his confidence blossomed. A peculiar sensation he’d never experienced before had spread throughout his body, aiding his next actions.

“Vhagar, lykirī!” he’d commanded, ordering the gargantuan reptile before him to be calm as she rumbled a growl at him. “Dohaerās, Vhagar!” he’d shouted to be heard, ordering her to obey him.

His skin had broken out into gooseflesh upon first touching the rough scales of her expansive back. He was propelled by excitement as he’d scaled the enormity of her, before finally settling into her saddle. His heart was racing so hard he feared it may burst from his chest. However, a death on dragonback would be a worthwhile one.

“Sōvēs,” Aemond ordered, causing Vhagar to beat her enormous wings, taking to the air. She was now his and nothing would change that. He felt unstoppable. He felt a kinship with Vhagar that he’d never experienced with anyone else.

“Sesīr kipi!” he’d urged her forward, whooping and laughing as she’d soared through the clouds. He had never experienced exhilaration like it. Finally, he was a dragonrider - and not just any dragonrider. He had the most powerful dragon in the world.

The price he’d paid for her that night had been costly, but it mattered not to Aemond. He may have lost an eye, but he’d gained his soulmate. He’d gladly give up any number of appendages if it meant he got to keep his beloved Vhagar.

The day of his thirteenth name day, Aegon had taken Aemond to a pleasure house in the Silk Streets.

“Time to get it wet,” Aegon had smirked.

Aemond had been horrified, but went along with it anyway, he felt pressured and did not want to add to the long list of things that Aegon already teased him for.

However, as the whore above him had moaned and rolled her hips, Aemond had laid there motionless. He did not feel anything. Surely this was not normal? He should feel pleasure.

It was then the realisation hit him. The only time he’d ever felt what he was supposed to be feeling in this moment was when he was with Vhagar.

Aemond felt mortified by this fact. Such feelings for a being that was not human were an abomination. He had buried those feelings deep, ignoring the flutter in his chest and the swelling between his legs whenever he was in his dragon’s presence.

As the years passed and temptation grew harder to resist, Aemond reasoned that Vhagar must feel the same way for him. Surely there must have been a reason she’d allowed a mere boy to claim her? She was the largest dragon in the world and had carried the infamous Visenya Targaryen upon her back. There was no way she would have allowed him to claim her if the attraction was not mutual.

The first time that Aemond had tried to couple with Vhagar had been unsuccessful. She’d roared in protest, almost crushing him underfoot.

He’d left her, knowing he’d done something wrong. He revisited his research in the library, focusing specifically on dragon anatomy and was determined that, if he were to try again, he would be prepared.

Which brings him to the present moment. He stands beneath Vhagar, his stiff cock in his hand and a pail of oil at his feet. The kitchen staff had given him an odd look when he’d asked for so much, but thankfully his status had allowed him to forego too many prodding questions.

“Rȳbās,” he says gently to Vhagar, dipping the hand not holding his prick into the oil and beginning to massage her cloaca.

He knows from having read about dragon anatomy that this is the chamber into which the intestinal, urinary, and genital tracts open. It will not open without stimulation if he is to have access to the part he desires most.

As he continues to rub at Vhagar, she rumbles in approval, the vent opening and allowing Aemond’s questing hand inside.

He pumps lazily at his cock at the sensation of how cold and wet she feels. So different to that of a human female cunny, yet so much more appealing.

When Aemond feels he has provided enough attention to the area, he grips the underside of Vhagar, hauling himself up so that he is suspended upside down, holding onto her underside with both hands and feet and slides himself home.

He grunts as his aching member is swallowed whole by the enormity of the opening. He has to thrust wildly to gain any sort of friction and yet the sensation is absolutely divine. He has never known ecstasy like it.

It is only when Vhagar elicits an angry snort that he remembers that this experience should be for her pleasure too. Aemond knows that there is a bundle of nerves at the apex of a woman’s sex which allows for her to feel exquisite sexual pleasure. He has learned from his extensive research that dragons possess two of these.

He swivels his hips from side to side as he continues to thrust, with the aim to try and hit both, wanting Vhagar to feel every bit as good as he does.

“Māzīs,” he coos to her, his thrusts becoming sloppy as he nears his own end.

He gasps, dropping down to the floor when he hears the tittering laugh of his brother, Aegon.

“I knew it!” Aegon gloats, a smirk on his face that suggests he finds the entire situation entertaining.

Aemond says nothing, staring angrily at Aegon for ruining his orgasm. He stuffs his oily cock back into his breeches.

“Jace and I always used to joke that you loved dragons so much because you wanted to fuck one,” Aegons says with a smirk. “Now I know it was not a joke. Who’s the depraved one now, brother?”

“Shut up!” Aemond hisses. “You would not understand… What Vhagar and I have is beyond the realm of human comprehension. This is what true love is!”

“You are deluded,” Aegon scoffs. “And I cannot wait to tell mother all about her favourite son’s adventures with his dear old dragon. Perhaps I will no longer seem so bad.”

Aemond stares in horror as Aegon walks away. Alicent cannot know of what he has done; she would put a stop to it. She’d never allow him to be with Vhagar.

Panic stricken, Aemond knows he must escape if his relationship with his beloved is to continue.

Hastily, he mounts Vhagar - this time on her back - and gives the command to fly. They do not descend until they have reached a land that is far out of reach from the interference of his family. 

There he is able to finish what he started. His orgasm is earth shattering as he spends inside of Vhagar with a loud groan. Though he knows it is an impossibility for him to impregnate her, he cannot help but think she would hatch him the most beautiful dragon-children.

As Aemond drifts off into a satisfied slumber, lulled by the feeling of his dragon’s hardened skin against his cheek, he cannot help but think that if their love is wrong, then he never wants to be right.

[wring-wraith]

okay so I actually kind of hate when people are really weird about or ultra-concerned about the way people interpret The Secret History.

Because, honestly? There’s more reasons going for it NOT to be taken seriously than to be taken seriously. Yes it’s a stunning work of literature with multiple levels of understanding BUT the premise is just so wacky and the characters are just so pretentious (in a loveable way) in a way that it near completely undermines any seriousness you can derive from it.

So go ahead and be serious and deep and mystical and dark academia about TSH but remember that no work of literature can just be one sided, especially if it’s about insane 20-something’s doing culty things because they’re rich and bored

[1indigoisles]

Chapter 6 - Excerpt 2

“Where are we going?” I shouted as we ran for our lives.

A loud and red noise was blaring persistently throughout the hallways, and probably throughout the entire premise as well. The people who gave chase behind us were screaming and yelling, but because of the alarm system, it was impossible to tell what it was they were shouting about. Our footsteps vibrated in my body, and my heart beat hotly in my ears.

“Somewhere that'll keep us safe,” Jolene shouted back in response to my question. “Don’t worry about it!”

I sputtered. "'Don't worry'?" I yelled. Anger made its own noise inside my head. "You've given me no reason not to! All that First did was mention the breach in the underground basement, and somehow your first reaction was to leap up and run like all hell was at your feet!"

"We were in danger-"

"IF WE WERE IN DANGER THEN, WE ARE IN MUCH MORE DANGER NOW!" I yelled. "And that isyour fault!"

Jolene let out a breath, whether of annoyance or exhaustion I couldn’t tell. I didn’t care; I just got even angrier.

"I agree with Teigen," came a voice from behind. It was Scarlett, and she was glaring holes into Jolene's scalp, ignoring me entirely. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking," the other girl replied with precision, "about you." Jolene paused and let out a pant, "weren't you listening? The Chambers know that one of us is possessed, Adam Forrest told us himself that they knew out about our little scuffle in the basement, and the Researchers even managed to extract possessed Shadow matter from there! How long would it have taken them to figure out it was you who was possessed? How much longer until they killed you?" Jolene looked back at Scarlett, dead in the eyes. "I was not willing to take that risk."

Scarlett looked entirely bewildered, which was so strange an expression to see on her stone-carved face that I almost stopped running. She eventually said, "You- weren't-"

"Excuse me!" Lila piped up suddenly (I startled; I didn't think she would keep silent for that long, considering the situation). "If I may. But, to repeat my son’s initial question, where the hell are we going?"

"Miss Teigen!" Desiree yelped in surprise, as if just remembering her existence. "Are you all right? Are you experiencing any pain, light-headedness, feelings of shock?"

Lila comprehended that. "Uh, no...? I mean, I don't know!" Lila perked up from her confused stupor. "Oh," she said, in all seriousness, "you're the sweet one."

Desiree stuttered. "Th-thank you, miss-"

"I think the pleasantries can wait," Rowan said. "Miss Teigen's question is important. Jolene," he turned his head to his sister, "I support you in any and every crazy suicidal thing you have planned. I would never let you do any of it without me. But if we're doing what I think we're doing, then I have to tell you-"

"Jeez, Rowan, no," Jolene said, somewhat exasperated. "We're not just going to leave Knightville like that, without any preparation or resources. I may be crazy and insane and possibly suicidal--hey, your words, not mine--but I'm strategic. I'll get us out of this. I already know a way."

"Um, guys?" I interrupted. "Why aren't those people following us anymore?"

Lila whipped her head back. Sure enough, she saw it too. No angry mob of people to be seen for miles. The war cries had ceased entirely, and the only sounds to be heard were our footsteps and breathing, and the wailing of sirens. We were alone, wherever we were running to.

"They're taking shots!" Jolene yelled.

My mind glitched. "Again, Jolene," I insinuated impatiently, "your explanations are supremely unhelpful."

"Oh, give me a break, Teigen," Jolene panted. "I can barely breathe straight!"

"The auditorium," Desiree inserted. "It does something to our magic that makes us unable to use our powers for a certain amount of time. Before, when you were showering, I stole some pills that would help us keep our powers throughout the duration of the meeting if needs be, which was how Rowan, Jolene and Scarlett could use theirs. They're still newly introduced to our department, and the ones that I had were hard to get." She panted heavily. "Anyways, long story short, the people after us have to stop and take injections to get their powers back quickly. I even have one of those special pills for you, but now doesn't seem like the ideal time to provide."

I digested this. "Hand it to me anyway?" I asked a little pleadingly.

She looked around nervously.

"Do it," Rowan called.

I slowed to Desiree's speed. It was apparent that she was the one with the least fighting experience (if she even had any); Jolene, Rowan and Scarlett were miles ahead, and kept having to slow down to accommodate us.

As we fell side to side, she handed me a small object and just yelled, "Keep it on your tongue!"

I didn't even look at the thing before popping it into my mouth.

And I very nearly swallowed it. It tasted extremely bitter.

I rolled it to the center of my tongue anyway, and almost immediately felt the effects of the medicine. I felt more aware somehow; my senses seemed heightened. I felt a lot more energised, and the burning pain in my legs that had been a growing result of all this running (and almost falling) was almost entirely gone.

I didn’t feel any more powerful, however. It was like my power had never left, or to put it more correctly, like I’d never even had any power to begin with. I only ever felt anything when I used it.

So obviously I wasn’t going use it now and draw unwanted attention, just to see if I could. The hallway behind us was still miraculously empty, and I wasn’t in any hurry to change that.

What changed was where we were. We’d taken a flight of stairs to get to a lower floor. (What floor had we been on to begin with?) (Oh right, the ground floor.) This lower floor had none of the simple elegance of the upper floors, much less the aristocracy of the auditorium: it was more like a basement garage that one could find under a mall. The hallways down there were hardly as diminished as the ones in the secret passages however, so I wondered, not for the first time, where it was we were really going.

Realisation seemed to dawn upon Rowan. “Oh,” was all he said as his sister led us to our mysterious destination.

“What do you mean ‘oh’?” Desiree demanded, who clearly knew no more than Lila and I did, at least regarding this matter. It was also safe to assume that Scarlett had no idea either, because she was constantly trying to coax answers out of Jolene with her intimidating eyes.

“Rowan and I made this place with our dad, a while back,” Jolene finally said, seeming to think the suspense was up, “it was meant for... well, times like this. Enough rations to keep us running for two weeks, maybe three. A place to rest. Best place would be the place no one would think to look, we figured. Nobody else knows.”

She stopped running, abruptly, and frowned. Rowan skidded to a stop behind her before the rest of us did. I looked back. The hallway was narrow and grey, but empty. (Why were all the corridors so narrow? Weren’t there any claustrophobic Diaforians in Knightville?) (I’m beginning to doubt whether all of these people actually have magical powers.)

Jolene was tapping her feet in an experimental manner, searching. Rowan was looking around with a sharp glint in his clear silvery eyes, excited or alarmed, I couldn’t tell.

“What-” I finally got around to asking, but was interrupted by the ground opening up and swallowing us whole.

The last thing I heard before the fall was Jolene’s exuberant, “Yes!”

Taglist: @jeahreading, @damn-this-transgirl-hella-gay, @mayaheronthorn, @cherryblossempearl

[buriedalienfma]

In this week, Episode 6 of 'My Adventures with Superman' was released, and.....this was a weird one. Out of all the episodes we have of this show so far, this episode has got to have the weirdest premise, and whether that's a good kind of weird or a bad kind of weird, I'll leave up to you, because I can't decide for myself.

So here's my thoughts on Episode 6 (Spoilers incoming) :

So first off, I guess I'll have to address the ''controversy" from the previous episode. Apparently a bunch of people got mad about Lois's actions in the previous episode, saying that she was unreasonable for getting mad at Clark for hiding his identity from her, and also calling her "toxic" or whatever for jumping of the building to prove that Clark is Superman. If it sounds like I'm being flippant about this, it's because I am. Normally, I try to accept that different people have different opinions, but this is the exception - those people are wrong, and their opinion is wrong. I might have seriously over-estimated just how much people know about Superman through pop-cultural osmosis, because Lois discovering Superman's secret identity and getting mad about Clark keeping secrets from her is such a well-established Superman plot. It's been done in several Superman stories, and it's part of what makes the dynamic of Lois and Clark so interesting.

And as for Lois jumping off a building to prove that Clark was Superman, well that's just another thing that has its roots in other Superman stories. Lois pulling insane stunts to get an interview from Superman or to try and find out his secret identity is practically one of her defining character traits at this point. Hell, even the comics lampshaded it at one point. Here's Clark Kent pulling that exact same stunt in a story where he was powerless and had to get an interview from a new superhero that was running around in Metropolis :

Within the context of the show on it's own, Lois being angry at Clark makes perfect sense. She obviously has issues with people keeping secrets from her, and previous episodes established that her father lied to her about how severe her mother's illness was. Clark trying to brush off his injuries at the end of that episode must have reminded her of that incident, which explains her strong emotional reactions. Also people seemed to have taken Clark's side in this conflict, but consider Lois's perspective here. She's been trying to get ahead in the Daily Planet for months. She tried to get an interview from Superman, who bailed out on said interview despite initiating it in the first place. That's kind of a jerk move, especially since Clark knows how important that interview was for her. It also feels hypocritical of him to lie to Lois when he made such a big deal about lying being a bad thing in the pilot. On the one hand, he keeps telling her to trust him and open up to him, on the other hand he keeps evading her both as Superman and as Clark. No wonder she's angry at him. I saw some people saying it was 'forced drama', when it obviously isn't. 'My Adventures with Superman' is pretty simple compared to other cartoons and superhero TV shows, I'm actually surprised that everything I discussed above is flying over people's heads. In any case, I should stop rambling about the previous episode and just move on to the next episode.

The episode follows through on the cliffhanger from the previous episode, as Clark and Lois quickly catch on to the fact that Jimmy is missing and they try to retrace his steps to find him. I like that Clark and Lois still care about Jimmy even though they're caught up in their own drama. I also like that Clark is unable to find Jimmy with his own powers, which means that they have to use good old-fashioned detective work to find Jimmy.

It turns out that Jimmy was captured by a talking Gorilla named Mallah and a sentient Robot named Brain who worked for an organization called Project Cadmus before they had to flea for their lives when Cadmus turned against them. The pair now live in an area of the woods that is shielded from the public. Despite my familiarity with the DC Comics, I've don't know much about these guys. Apparently they have connections to Gorilla Grodd, a Flash supervillain, and have served as enemies to the Teen Titans and the Doom Patrol ? I guess it's nice that this show is adapting such obscure characters. So far, this show has had some very grounded antagonists and characters with Superman himself being the fantastical exception, so it feels bizarre to have characters like Mallah and Brain in this episode.

On the other hand, it's nice that Jimmy gets to be validated when it comes to some of his conspiracies. Him managing to talk his way out of a bad situation with Mallah and Brain is also a great moment.

There's a lot going on in this episode between Clark and Lois being menaced by a bunch of scary robots, Clark losing his powers inside the hidden area in the woods, and the trio working out their conflict through all the chaos going on around them, it's a good thing that the writing is solid enough to balance all of these elements.

Boy, this show really wants to capitalize on how attractive Clark is. He spends half of this episode completely shirtless and those moments are all drawn in ways that emphasizes his muscular build. It's not a complaint, just an observation.

So it turns out that Jimmy already knew that Clark was Superman this whole time. On the one hand, I really like this moment. I was worried that Jimmy might just fall into the comedic airhead role, so it's nice to see that he is smart enough to figure out Superman's secret identity. He also shows a great deal of emotional maturity when he confesses that he kept that secret from Clark because he was waiting for Clark to tell him on his own terms. On the other hand, I kinda wish that the previous episodes at least hinted that Jimmy was in on the secret, because it almost seems to come out of nowhere.

The reason that Clark kept his identity a secret from his friends was because he just wanted to be normal, and didn't want his friends to treat him like he was an alien. I really like this. For one, it shows that the writers have a good understanding of Superman's character. There's a deeper layer to the character beyond simply being a decent man. In the comics and other stories, Superman has often struggled with feelings of alienation and loneliness - it's what makes him a fascinating character for me. Fundamentally, Superman stories are about Superman finding acceptance despite being "different", and this show adapts that aspect very well, with Lois and Jimmy letting Clark know that they accept Clark for who he is. This moment also reinforces Clark's optimism and faith in humanity as the episode ends with Clark asserting that he will continue to try to make the world a better place.

We're given a few more hints as to the identities of the antagonists from the previous episodes, though it's not much. For now it seems that the antagonists will challenge Clark's faith in humanity since they seem to have a "needs of the many" mindset that drives their actions.

So that's episode 6. It's a strange episode as the premise is more than a little outlandish, but there's still a lot to like about it, and the character work continues to be solid.

[lakecoded]

as a respected scholar on the subject what’s your top five mission impossible action setpieces 🤩

omg thank youuuuu for this. i love thinking about the action setpieces in the mission impossible movies 🥰 spoilers for the mission impossible movies below lol

it's simple compared to the other setpieces but i LOVE the prison breakout scene in ghost protocol. it has a fun dean martin song scoring it, there's a very fun ethan and benji interaction, ethan is at his most insane, the choreography is well shot. it's just a great opener for a movie!!

ROME FIAT 500 HANDCUFFED CAR CHASE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS ‼️this is actually like 3 different car chases in one and has pom klementieff try to run them over in her massive armored truck and is the reason i want to see dead reckoning a third time in theatres <3 incredible slapstick premise taken seriously but still SO fun

another simple one but i love the footchase through london in fallout. its very fun seeing tom cruise sprinting as fast as he can on the roofs of london and cutting to henry cavill walking very calmly. the music does a lot for this scene. and i love tom cruise yelling that he's jumping out of a window in front of very confused office workers. also shockingly the setpiece that actually injured tom cruise (he broke his ankle jumping between 2 buildings)

another one from fallout and i think this is technically 2 different action setpieces but they blend together so well that i'm counting them as one. and it's the plot to break lane out of police custody + the motorcycle escape through paris. the planning scene for this is ALSO so good (again the music adds SO much to it) like i just love seeing a plan come together and then immediately fall apart. tom cruise driving against traffic at the arc de triomphe is so thrilling and the part where he crashes surprises me every single time. chef's kiss

tom cruise esai morales knife fight on top of a moving train + bridge explosion + hayley atwell and tom cruise running through vertical train cars before they collapse into the river. i don't know how to explain it any better. it absolutely rules

honorable mentions to the bathroom fight in fallout and the entire airport sequence in dead reckoning (i LOSE it every time shea wigham is like "where the fuck is HE" as you see tom cruise absolutely booking it behind him) and tom cruise hanging off the side of an airplane as it takes off in rogue nation and the OPERA SCENE and like every scene with phillip seymour hoffman in mi3 (not really action setpieces but he is SO GOOD in all of his scenes that it should count and the hospital escape in ghost protocol and and and

[justthegreat1]

Get In Line: Cocaine Bear Review

Pictured above is the “Cocaine Bear” poster.

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

So, usually I cover movies that are straight horror, but I decided to do something different and discuss this movie. This movie has an insane premise with an interesting story that inspired the movie. Usually, horror comedies are hit and miss for me, but I decided to give it a watch. Let’s get straight to the spoiler free review and hope no cocaine addicted bears are around.

Cocaine Bear is a 2023 horror comedy thriller directed by Elizabeth Banks who also produced this movie, Produced by Max Handelman, Aditya Sood, Brian Duffield, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller. Cocaine Bear is written by Jimmy Warden, and the soundtrack is done by Mark Mothersbaugh. The cast involves Keri Russell as Sari, Alden Ehrenreich as Eddie, O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Daveed, Ray Liotta as Syd, Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Bob, Brooklynn Prince as Dee Dee, Christian Convery as Henry, Margo Martindale as Ranger Liz, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Peter, Kristofer Hivju as Olaf, Hannah Hoekstra as Elsa, Ayoola Smart as Officer Reba, Aaron Holliday as Kid (Stache), J.B. Moore as Vest, Leo Hanna as Ponytail, Kahyun Kim as Beth, Scott Seiss as Tom, Matthew Rhys as Andrew Thornton, and Allan Henry as “Bear Performer”.

The Plot:

An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge on a Georgia forest where a huge black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.

Positives:

One positive I have about “Cocaine Bear” is that it knows what it is, and what I mean by that is that it’s a movie about a bear on cocaine, that alone sounds crazy, but they have fun with that premise. The real black bear died on December 23rd,1985 after eating a large amount of cocaine from the containers, the total amount of cocaine that was eaten was 75 pounds which was worth $20 million ($55.6 million, adjusted for inflation).

Pictured above is the ambulance scene from “Cocaine Bear” (2023)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

The second positive I have about this movie was the dark humor throughout, the reason I loved the dark humor throughout as some of the death scenes are so unexpected and over the top that you can’t just help but laugh. The dialogue was creative and some characters’ reactions to certain situations had me laughing.

The final positive I have about this movie was the cast as they understood the assignment, the acting reminds me of an 80’s b-horror movie. Keri Russell nailed her performance as Sari, and I must give props to the child actors (Brooklynn Prince and Christian Convery.) But this does have some drawbacks which we’ll get to.

Pictured above is the door scene from “Cocaine Bear.”

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Negatives:

One negative I have is the lack of character development. I know it’s not supposed to be taken seriously, but I would’ve enjoyed seeing how each character’s story progresses since they are all intertwined. Another negative I have is that I felt that the movie wasn’t scary enough, I know the real bear died via overdose, but can you imagine how terrifying would it be to have a 500-pound black bear high on cocaine chasing you. I honestly wish they could have played up on the fear factor.

My Overall thoughts:

While this movie has some negatives, don’t let them affect your viewing experience as it’s one of the movies where you turn your mind off and eat some popcorn. If you enjoy campy, gory, and darkly comedic horror movies, this one is for you. But I’m glad that studios are letting directors make the movies they want even if they are based on…as I said before insane backstories. This movie is amazing in its own way with its over the top violence, comedic timing, and action throughout which only increases its re-watchability.

Pictured above is Cokey the bear getting high on cocaine. “Cocaine Bear” (2023)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Where to watch “Cocaine Bear” (2023)?

Peacock

Blu-Ray and DVD

Digital Retailers.

[denizenhardwick]

the premise of unwind is absolutely insane and i love it. someone proposed during a government meeting - as a joke - that as a compromise for abortion, they should let parents give their kids up to be used for parts, and the other people in the meeting took it seriously and implemented it. so now kids aged 13-18 can be given up to have their bodies taken apart to be used for transplants and such while they're fully alive the entire time. there's even a chapter from the pov of someone as they get unwound. what a book.

[rei-caldombra]

Mashle- The Surprise Hit of Spring 2023 Anime (for me)

I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this show. I had not heard of it at all before it aired and just checked it out because the premise sounded fun and very appealing to me. For anyone who doesn't know, short summary is that it's basically Harry Potter but Saitama from One Punch Man is the main character.

I went into this expecting it to be a parody where it just craps on stereotypical H.P style magic school stuff, which I did want to see. Not because I hate magic (I don't), but because I think the premise of a physically overpowered character entering a magic school is a great way to parody it. I also am into fitness so I enjoyed when it indulged a bit in that area. These points have their appeal but likely would not keep me interested for 12 episodes if all it did was make "lol magic sucks" gags. What really made me get into the show is how it still takes magic seriously for the other characters and world as a whole. Characters with powerful magic are not treated as jokes or made to appear weak. To me the comedy feels less at the expense of magic and the characters and more so just laughing at what Mash can do to circumvent it. I feel it does a good job of poking fun at magic while also appreciating what it can offer.

I must mention the most insane and truly noteworthy thing about this show. It’s absolutely bonkers. This is a fantasy anime that not an Isekai. Someone remembered you can do fantasy without an Isekai and still do “fish out of water” elements! Joking exaggeration aside, this is genuinely a breath of fresh air. In case you did not see my last post on Vending Machine, I do not inherently dislike Isekai. But as you likely know the anime space is oversaturated with Isekai and has been for years now. It's nice to not have the thought of "real world" stuff taking away from the fantasy.

The show is actually pretty funny. I don't think the gags about Mash overpowering magic ever got old or overplayed. What helps with this is my point before about how the other characters were allowed to have magic on magic fights that were taken seriously. This broke up the routine of waiting to see what funny way Mash brute forces his way through things. And in these fights the other characters were genuinely capable of defending themselves for the most part. If Mash always had to come in and save them, or if Mash always felt completely invincible, I would have liked it less. But towards the end we do see that there is genuine danger.

I do have some criticisms, the biggest being some of the characters. Mash, Dot and Lance are solid characters with fine characterization and likeability. Mash and Dot in particularly are a bit more memorable. None of them are outstanding but I genuinely like them and think they bounce off each other pretty well. On the other hand... I'm sorry but Finn is such a nothing character. After his introduction he does not do anything of note other than talk with the characters. He does not directly participate in any fights and his presence offers very little other than reacting to the main 3's strange personalities. Lemon is also not very interesting or memorable and sadly is a very stereotypical female character in a group of male characters. Like Finn she does not really get to do anything and ends up being a damsel in distress at the finale (just remembered that he did end up needing to be saved too). These two largely have the same problems but it's a little more notable for Lemon since she is the only relevant female character and gets relegated to not having any genuine role in the story until she needs saving. I personally do not think her crushing on Mash is as offensive as her treatment in the story, but it is again very stereotypical and does not give her any unique identity. The main 3 all have clear personality traits but I really can't think of anything for Finn and Lemon. Both these characters to me have nothing really to them and lack agency in the story.

To end on a positive note, the OP and ED are both bangers. The action scenes are also solid, with some very interesting magic powers and ways that Mash combats them. I really enjoyed the fights as a whole. The presentation of the show is pretty solid.

I think it's a pretty good show. Putting aside my issues with Lemon and Finn, it has a lot of good jokes, great action scenes and interesting concepts on how magical and physical capabilities can collide. I'm looking forward to getting the next set of episodes next year, and I'm really hoping we get some redemption for Lemon and Finn.

But keep in mind that what comes later does not always affect what already happened and imply there was foreshadowing or hidden depth. Their characters can be improved, but it won't change how mediocre I feel they were here. I don't like when people try to use hindsight from future content to say, "they were actually great characters all along" when it's clear from the writting that it was not intended from the start. Sorry, I won't buy that with this lol. Thanks for reading!

[all-souls-matinee]

Quick-bite reviews: Gothic (1986) dir. Ken Russell

A dramatization of the Shelleys visiting Lord Byron in Geneva; the idea for a scary story competition is here put on hold as the group is forced to weather a storm and contend with true fear.

A friend and I were recently talking about the fun of historical movies that forsake 'accuracy' for 'being batshit insane RPF fanfic,' and if nothing else this delivers on that premise. Interpersonal social drama and the horrors of sexuality are on the rise as five characters attempt to seduce each other, break down in tears, make wild accusations, and then run around an estate like it's a cartoon haunted house, fleeing from (spoilers) a tulpa they accidentally conjured during a creepypasta summoning ritual they found on livejournal in 2011 seance. While not lacking in the confidence and tone departments I do think it's uncertain of how seriously it wants to be taken. You can tell that this was a story specifically moulded around Byron and Mary Shelley and not just period piece stock characters, that Russell had opinions on them and the nuanced trajectory of their lives, but he's also a bit of a video nasties guy who can't help but make weird porn. That's all happening on top of flipping between avant-garde surrealism and a perfectly normal three-act structure, which isn't really my scene to begin with and leaves even Russell devotees with an overambitious mess. There may have been a good movie in here but, eh, just as likely not.

Buy a ticket? Watch The Lair of the White Worm instead; part of the same picture deal it’s a great horror-comedy and a much better display of Russell’s whole deal.

[melting-houses-of-gold]

Hello! 😊 Bit of a silent follower here, but I love your works and look forward to updates. Here are some emojis for the ask game.

👻 🎨 🦈 📚

Hi anon! So nice to meet you and feel free to come off anon at some point to say hey (if you feel comfy!!!!) :)

You're so sweet -- updates are coming! I had a baby earlier this year and am coming off a wild past few months, but am starting to warm back up into fic so I'm hoping to get some stuff off my plate very soon!

👻 What is your wildest headcanon?

AHHH i'm not sure?!?!?!! I consulted the GC and we concluded a few things (though I think these are all canon in my mind!):

Captain Rex eats pussy like it's his job.

Obi-Wan and Ventress hooked up at least once

Fives is a bi king

from @darthgoosegoose "at least one clone fucked a Kaminoan"

🎨 If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

ooh I answered this here but i think the answer is anything! I had someone create art for a fic I co-wrote and it was seriously so meaningful and touching. If anything I ever write inspires someone to draw something, I'd be openly weeping.

🦈 Which character is the toughest to write?

I think Obi-Wan. I feel like so many writers have written him beautifully and also he's way cleverer than I am. Every time I try to write him, I feel like he's running ten miles ahead of me on the page. But, I love banter so we keep trying!

📚 Is there a fanfic or fanfic writer you recommend?

So many! I have some fics and authors that I'm planning to read or recommend with fic rec or to read, so you can always check that out! I'm currently working on my birthday recs list, where I share all my faves that I've read over the past year. I won't spoil anything on that, but hopefully you'll enjoy something from there when it comes out! A few authors/fics that I always find myself going back to are:

@jewelofmandalore -- literally all her ideas are so juicy and sometimes she sends me DMs that have the most insane premises and I know she's going to kill whatever she ends up writing.

K_R_Closson on AO3, particularly the fics around alternate paths Obi-Wan might have taken. All of these make me so insane.

@darthgoosegoose's They Didn't Prepare Him for this on Kamino -- this one is so intricate and so deliciously plotted and written. I'm so excited to see where she goes with it!

Sharp and Glorious Thorn by @chocmarss! Her rexsoka is always so good but this one is serving serious enemies to lovers!

[theguest2]

gonna be real im so glad the guest 2 wasn't made and just the soundtrack exists bc I know I would've hated it based on the premise alone, like I was curious when they talked abt a series forever ago but again I don't think we needed anymore, the guest is a perfectly encapsulated commentary of the tail end of war on terror/don't ask don't tell (and by extension, white hypermasculinity)- whether they were aware of that or not at the time. it's an insanely good film but you gotta look at it as a comedy and a time capsule, it's not meant to be taken seriously and yet explores deeply serious topics, consciously and not. with Dan stevens trying to give a tennessean accent that sounds like 5 other southern accents cobbled together. and a scene devoted to smoking a fat blunt while synthwave plays

[insecateur]

I do wanna talk about slawcs more im just!!! Insane right now I think. Its just like. You made it so Real. I dont think ive ever seen someone acknowledge what the world would be like if lysandre had succeeded, the need to rebuild, the lack of food, all of the bodies and the need to get rid of them, the impact that has on everyone. Yknow? And lysandre regretting it, not entirely out of a selfish desire and guilt but because everyone else was so clearly miserable too, the fact he didn't just miss his friends but fully realised that he had fucked up Everything is so good!!! I was so curious what his plan would be once he got back because he couldn't just disband team flare and how not only did he keep moving like normal as he self sabotaged but he fully planned on sacrificing himself in the end too, giving or rather taking his life for everyone else's, like he was trying to repent for having done the opposite and felt it was just to take his own life after everything and!!!!!!!!!! Its just so good!!!!!! You get it!!!!

please do not worry i understand. i just wanted to extand the offer bc i'm thirsty for feedback about it asgfsasg i don't like to like. ask for it bc i don't want people to feel obligated. but i do rly rly enjoy people telling me what they thought of it in particular bc it's Important to me

anyway thank you 🙏 i rly had a lot of thoughts about what the post-team flare world would be like. obviously the entire premise when taken "seriously" is a bit silly bc this is a jrpg for all ages But. there is so much about it that is unexplained/doesn't make much sense. the question of the bodies was the one i was the most preoccupied with i think bc afawk the weapon Kills people but it doesn't get rid of what remains, you know? so even if say, hypothetically, they'd planned for things like the food/workforce shortage, they'd still have to deal with all of that. and everything about the ecosystems, and just overall how much of the world is taken care of by people and things you don't necessarily think about; i thought it made sense that, blinded by his focus on his ideals, lysandre wouldn't think about that, or would believe himself able to deal with the fallout, somehow. it's funny that what ends up happening is that he underestimates the trauma of having destroyed the world (for both himself and everyone else)

i think he has so much potential for self-sabotage.....!!!! in a way, the resolution of slawcs is like a positive mirror image of that other fic i wrote where he gets executed. when i played for the first time, i was rly struck by his anger at losing... i think about his words comparing himself to "a flower that bloomed in vain" a lot. he is dramatic enough to try and repent through death... but of course living is the choice that will ensure he suffers the most. (with good results, in this scenario, at least!!!)