#it's really borderline but i think i'll give it my first :| of the season for now

[crehador]

brother crab's winter 2024 parting thoughts: sasaki to pi-chan

picked this one up for sugitan and. man. it had a really banging first episode iirc, but fell off in a big way. i'd still put this in the Not Bad category, but it feels like a case of too many eggs in one pot. and they're not all terribly interesting eggs

i did ultimately still enjoy sasaki as a character (and of course pi-chan too) but the series as a whole was maybe a bit... too eclectic for me. usually i love a series that mixes genres and pairs tropes you wouldn't usually find together, but unfortunately it wasn't done very well in this case (imo)

HOWEVER holy shit the op is such a bop. madkid wasn't on my radar before but they sure are now. thrilled to see they'll be doing the op for next season's omegaverse anime, good for them

tl;dr it's not the worst thing and might very well be someone's favorite thing, but ultimately was just alright for me. banger op tho

[thoseyoulove]

Just finished Part I of The Vampire Lestat and here are my first impressions (I skipped IWTV *for now* since the show has already covered it... I'll read it eventually):

I can't tell yet if I like it or not.

So far, I enjoy the concept and the characters seem to be compelling. In terms of eventfulness, there hasn't been much, but I do have some interest in these people. They all appear to be complicated and have a lot of baggage, which I guess makes them appealing and gives the story potential. Let's see where this goes.

I don't hate, but I also don't love Anne's writing style. I don't think she narrates and describes things very well, she lingers on stuff I don't care that much for and doesn't provide details on things I'm actually curious about? There are some abrupt changes that annoy me sometimes as well.

I do believe this might be an attempt to get ourselves in the mind of Lestat and how he process to the world around him, though? It would make sense considering how chaotic he is.

Another thing I like is how he got so obsessed with the 20th Century, music and theater. The descriptions really give me the idea of someone experiencing the world for the first time (in a while) and considering how isolated he was growing up or after everything that happened with Louis/Claudia, it makes sense that he is so fascinated by all these discoveries. And it's really immersive and sweet to see how he in awe he is with all of it.

He also speaks like he is somebody born in the 1700s. So I give her credits for that as well.

Pretty sure Lestat is neurodivergent at this point (ADHD is basically a yes from me, maybe he has dyslexia and/or autism too).

And his memory is trash. So often he doesn't know if he actually did something, or if it were someone else, or if it was just a thought... I'm like, ARE YOU OKAY (he isn't)? By the way, this is painfully relatable because I also have poor short (and long-term) memory. Heaven help him (and moi).

That boy is a water sign if I've ever seen one.

He cries A LOT. I don't remember ever seeing any (book/show/movie) character cry that much, specially in such a short time lol. And the fact this is coming from a man and not a woman... There you go with defying gender norms, king!

Lestat having Borderline Personality Disorder isn't even a headcanon at this point, but a FACT.

He probably hasn't been hugged enough times in his life and it SHOWS.

Even with the abuse in his family, his frustration with his mother and the "malady of mortality", he manages to stay optimistic in a way that feels so childlike and naive that makes my heart warm and ache for him. I'm like, you deserve better.

Again, I don't know if I'm enjoying or not, but I do like the fact I can imagine Sam's Lestat doing all of this on season 3. Picturing Sam bringing these moments to life is the BEST PART of the reading.

Would I still read these books if the show never existed? That's what I need to find out.

I can see why some people got so invested in this character, though. At least for now. Some stuff hit close to home and I find myself rooting for him. I imagine that for the ones who read it at as a teenager, it must've made them feel less alone and seen to some extent.

At this moment, it's Lestat > Gabrielle > Nicholas for me.

Lestat's father isn't a person I care about, but depending on how the show adapts him, I guess it could be a good opportunity for a blind actor. It would be killing two birds with one stone, because it would develop Lestat's backstory, but also give space for a category that barely gets any job in the industry. I would love to see a powerful guest star that is a an actual disabled person playing a disabled character. Sure, we would hate him, but if someone manages to show their potential, book more roles and maybe even earn an award or nomination, why not?

Whenever Lestat talks about kissing his mother I get confused if the incest is already happening or not lol. Because I normally would just imagine a platonic kiss on the cheek or forehead and I haven't seen anything explicitly inappropriate. I don't know if it's because I'm reading the Brazilian Portuguese version, or if Anne wasn't that clear, or maybe I'm slow and naive, but nothing big seems to have happened? But I'm familiar with those spoilers, so... Anyway, whatever. It's not like I was counting the days to read about incest, so I don't really care about it being evident or not. I just mean that for now they seem to be more of a "parent that didn't want kids, but cares for him in a distant, but still real way and child that seeks for any crumbs of love and affection" kind of relationship.

Speaking of that, Lestat is SO DESPERATE for love, omg. Nicki was basically the first person besides his mother that was nice to him and he told the guy ALL OF HIS LIFE STORY AND FELL IN LOVE almost immediately? Get up!

Peak BPD/ADHD/maybe autistic/water sign/Scorpio behavior. MY GOD.

Still don't know how to picture Gabrielle and who I fancast playing her. I do think I have some sense of who she is now, which is nice. I also have some actors that could pass for Sam's parent and have the appropriate age to play her in my mental library, but I can't form a face yet. Not the face of a real actress or even an imaginary face, it's just a blur so far. Which sucks because I loooooooooove imagining fancasts, specially for a show as great as this one, but I'm just waiting for the revelation to come to me lmao.

[peoples-problem]

So, I'm in that stage of making everything around me about 9-1-1 and I got my driver's license last week after months and months of getting prepared and seeing the different reactions my family had around it so I thought: What if Chris wants to learn to drive at some point? How are the rest of their family members going to react?

I know he is like 12 now but if the seasons keep on coming we might get a 17 year old Christopher and if they decide to share this kind of experience I would happily cry so here is a list of types of reactions I got from my family and who I think will match it in the show:

- Supportive borderline forcing: This was the first reaction I got from my grandparents when the topic of me learning how to drive came up, they did a lot of research and even paid my classes with some accommodations for me to be as comfortable as I could with this, even when I got to the point of the anxiety getting to much and wanted to quit my grandma sat next to me while driving and gave me tips and never allowed me to stop (it felt a little like forcing me to keep going, she insisting that she is getting old and would like me to drive her places at some point, but it was all a joke and if I really wanted to they would have no problem with me not getting my license, they did the same with my sister and she never sat in a car after the classes they also paid because she didn't like it) and they are basically the reason why I have a driver's license now. They insisted it was for my independence and, worst case scenario, to have it in case of emergencies. They gave me their car to practice and stayed with me all the way.

For this, I'll like to say abuela or Pepa could take this place, if only for the fact that it was my grandparents that did it for me, but I also feel this all screams Buck, so maybe him too.

- Having problems giving up control: Yes, it sounds bad but let me explain. This was my mom. She insisted that she wanted me to learn but almost cried the first time I was living for my first class and made me doubt a little bit if I was ready or not. The first time I drove with my family I made the mistake of having her in the passenger seat and the second the car moved an inch she screamed like if we were about to crash and everyone agreed that she isn't allowed in the passenger seat when she is not driving because she stresses the driver with her stress. This is the kind of person that acts like if you were in a racing car when you are going like 20km/h, graving themselves to the seat and walls of the car, over indicating stuff ("There's a car coming from your right, let them pass", "The light is red, you have to stop", etc) that the driver already knows but it comes from a place of having to trust other people with things you already know how to do, specially if you know they don't have as much experience as they do. It's the most annoying type of people to have next to you while learning but they also have the best tips and would spend hours explaining how to improve some things (she taught me all about priority, like in an intersection who should pass first, some parking tips, to listen to the car)

This is completely Eddie, I'm sorry but I feel like he is the type of doing stuff on his own and won't trust anyone else unless they have more experience than he does, which is why he would trust Buck having in consideration he drove a lot and even then it took him some time to get relaxed with him (this is hc but idk)

- Learning with you and sharing tips: My sister, her boyfriend and I started driving classes at the same time, the same instructor came to our house (they live next to my house so ha basically spent an hour with each of us and picked up the next one in the same place, it was really handy for him too) and took us for a drive but we had 5 classes to learn the basics and then it was all practice on our own until the exam (which, by the way, we got the appointment for 4 fucking months later so we had to do a lot more practice on our own that we would have liked) so we basically experienced the streets together. Because we were learning at the same time, we would notice some stuff that may be normal for experienced drivers but it wasn't for us and we shared with each other to know what to do (like, reference points while parking, how to talk to other drivers with the lights to thank them or indicate to them that they should pass you) and being overall the moral support that understands what you are going through.

This could probably only be Harry or Denny, bc they are around the same age, but it's nice to have at least someone like this at the start so if this does happen in the show at some point I would like Chris to have someone like I did.

- Someone who recently got their license: this is similar to the other one but it's not someone learning with you but teaching you what is going to happen. Most of the time is useful but can also scare you because they talk about the exam they have to pass and you think "There's no way in hell I'm passing that" but it also guides you to what to get better at. They might remember more about the theoretical or practical exam but they have tips that are always welcome.

I feel like this would be May but literally anyone that remembers the type of exam they took is useful and the more povs they provide the more confusing it is because the exams vary depending on where you take them so it's a lot of "prepare of everything" kind of thing but it allows to clear some doubts and can be a "You are going to do great anyway" kind of support although I also got it from people younger than me that was basically like "oh, you haven't got it already? When I did?" And it feels kind of bad but no experience is always 100% good so idk, feels like a need to have

- Being supportive from afar: This goes to family members that kept constantly checking on me and my progress during the first lessons because my closest family love to brag about little things and achievements so there was the usual call with someone I haven't seen in years and them asking how I was doing, depending on my will to share or the kind of relationship I have with them I would have lied saying that I was going fine and sharing something I learned ("I haven't crashed yet so it's good" or "I had to maneuver between parked cars and a patrol car, I think i did a good enough job there") or be honest and say I'm not liking it a lot (this almost never happened but I did the "I want to quit because they want me as a chauffeur" or "I probably won't drive much, I'm just doing this to day I have the knowledge to do so, like learning a language that I won't use because I don't know anyone that talks it")

This would definitely be the Diaz parents or sisters only that they would specifically call to ask about it instead of casually asking on a call that wasn't about the driving in on itself. I feel like Helena and Ramon might ask out of worry and to be sure that this is a good idea because they do not trust Chris specifically but that's because I don't like them a lot so it might not be like that and they are actually supportive.

I also got a few people mansplaining and amazed that I was driving just because I'm a woman, which won't happen to Chris bc of that but might happen bc of the CP and it's annoying but it's life (I had a few males stop me while learning how to park specifically that gave me tips while I clearly had my mom with her 30 years of experience but they probably think they know better and so they explained me how to do it themselves, and I had a neighbor stop my grandma and go "Oh I'm so in favor of women driving" that sounded a little bit too much as clarifying that you are an ally just to get attention and like she owned the street I was parking on and wouldn't allow me to do it if I wasn't a woman fighting against patriarchy only for driving (which I'm not and I have that it's still a novelty that woman drive but that's off the topic)) so he probably would get people minimizing him, very ableist, and faking support just to have a little bit of spotlight. I hope that this kind of people didn't exist but if they are none of the main characters would be them so this is just the negative mention for someone that won't be there for long.

I think I'm rambling too much now so I hope you see my vision, I just was very overwhelmed while learning how to drive and seeing how everyone does so so effortlessly was kind of annoying and triggered a little bit of impostor syndrome bc maybe driving isn't for me if I struggle so much, but it would be nice to have him learning and it not being a perfect "sit down in the driver seat, now you are free to go anywhere" like everyone makes it to be and this show likes to do that kind of stuff a lot so here's my confort hc for now <3

[zoeykallus]

Hello Zoey,

How are you??? We miss your stories so much!!!!!!

You write a lot about the Batch and I imagine that you must have watched both seasons and that the personality of the characters is no longer a secret to you. I am French and on a French forum that I read, a person thinks that Crosshair is a psychopath in view of his behavior in the series. I don't agree at all but he made a lot of arguments. What do you think about it? If you had to define Crosshair's personality what would you say?

Thank you so much !!!!!!

Aloha!

SPOILER!!! For those who haven't seen both BAD BATCH seasons. And a little warning, I might have used some expletives

Uh, I'm probably making enemies with this one. I'll say right up front, just to be clear, this is just my guess, my perception. So the things I write next are not automatically facts and I don't automatically assume that they are, I'm just filling in some gaps with my HCs. To be honest, I had a few moments in the first season where I wasn't sure about Crosshair. I went back and forth between blaming his behavior on the chip or labeling him as "evil". Because we get a lot of we get a lot of information throughout the first season, that more or less cancels each other out and doesn't make sense as a whole. The chip might have had some influence at some point, but I honestly think, by far not as much as some may want to believe. So wich one ist it now? Chip or evil?

Basically though, I think it's neither one nor the other. Assuming the people behind TBB really thought that far, I think it's a lot more complicated than that. Well, there's a pinch of "asshole" with a huge load of "stubborn dickhead" on the side in Crosshair either way. At least in my opinion. But! I think his decisions stem more from the fact that everything around him has suddenly changed.

Being a soldier has always given him a purpose, a place in life, a task, something in which he saw function and meaning. His brothers suddenly want to leave it behind, and rightly so, but Crosshair is unsettled. If he were to join them, he would give up everything that has defined him so far, at least that's how he feels.

Try to imagine that something is happening around you and suddenly your whole life is about to be completely turned upside down and complicated. That would scare me, it would make me feel more than just uncomfortable. Because everyone is different, everyone reacts differently. Crosshair tries for a while to convince his brothers that it's right to continue to follow orders, because anything else could result in them being disbanded or separated.

The fact that Hunter wants to steer the group in a different direction scares him, because then he might soon be alone. I think that's one reason why in the course of the first season, before the batch is separated, he also goes on a confrontational course with his Sergeant.

Numerous decisions he has made, things he has done, are more than borderline, definitely reprehensible. But you have to remember, that's all he knows. Effectively following orders, that's what his whole life consisted of. There was no real childhood, no family life. Like all other clones, Crosshair was born into the life of a soldier. Crosshair is the kind of person who goes into emotional freefall when people try to take away what he feels is his destiny. So he does everything he can to prevent this from happening, he doesn't want to lose this place, this position, what he is used to.

The path he is taking is wrong, and I understand why some people assume that he is evil. However, I didn't think he was a psychopath at first, but a sociopath. Unfortunately, you get this impression in one or two scenes that I simply don't know how to explain or justify.

...where was I...

In the meantime, he wavers between anger and disappointment at his brothers, partly because they have let him down from his point of view, partly because their behavior could backfire on him and partly out of pure frustration. Someone who is already a rather difficult person, thrown into a situation like this, a man who has been conditioned to simply function as a soldier, I imagine that's much more complex than to just label him psycho and/or evil. None of this justifies some of his actions, murders I would call it, albeit on orders. I'm pretty sure he'll have to deal with that for quite a while, if he lives long enough, it's the kind of thing that haunts you to sleep. (In season 2, we have a moment after talking to Cody about soldiers, machines and decisions, where you get a little glimpse that Crosshair can have sleepless nights too, and I think that was the beginning of his self-reflection FINALLY!) We see at the end of the first season that he's not a complete ass, he saves Omega and also AZ, he acts like it's reluctant, but he knows it's the right thing to do, no one is forcing him to do it. Since Omega saved him before, he later mentions that they're even now, so you could read into that now, that he's using that as an excuse because he doesn't want to admit that he would have saved them either way. I'm just putting that assumption out there.

Now, in the second season, we see more and more clearly that his loyalty as a soldier is being trampled on by the Empire. In one specific episode in particular, in which Mayday unfortunately dies, we see very clearly how he realizes what status he has in the Empire, namely none at all. He's a clone, a special one, but just like the other clones, he's worth practically nothing. Cheap labor, cannon fodder, nothing more. Just looking at the gear of Mayday and his crew already screams it out loud, the empire doesn't give a damn about them. But then Mayday, the brother he tries to save, dies because of an Officer's neglect/ignorance/assholery (is that a word?) The realization is terrible, because he realizes that he basically always knew or should have known this. He now acts in extreme contrast to his previous attitude and kills a superior. The fact that he contacts his brothers and tries to warn them shows that he is trying to do the right thing. That he's still a Batcher at heart, that he cares, and that he doesn't care what happens to him as long as he can send out this warning. He must have realized that escape from Tantiss is highly unlikely, he doesn't even really try, his priority is to send this last message to his brothers. All in all, I don't think he's a psychopath. However, I do think he is emotionally/mentally broken.

My honest guess or thought is that there is/could be so much potential in this man, in a good way, if someone had ever taken the time to really nurture it.

Long Story short, he is actually sensitive and scared. Being the cold-hearted soldier is his way of dealing with it. Scared people do the worst shit sometimes. Fear leads to desperation, and the latter leads to fatal decisions. Like staying with the empire and killing people. 🤷����‍♀️

I feel like I just made a lot of excuses for that toothpick chewing problem child. I don't know how much of this is making sense, my head hurts 😅

And I admit I'm so afraid for each and every one of them in season 3.

[peoplesrazor]

Someone mentioned this video recently, suggesting it for Ant to react to, and it reminded me of something I wanted to talk about. I won't be covering everything she says, but this is the video where she talks about The Owl House and Luz's trauma. I may make a few other points, but her section on Luz starts at 7.29.

First though, just a quick note about Korra. I was never a big fan of the show, and didn't watch much of it. But I have seen enough, and have watched enough other media, to counter some of her poison here.

So, let's go over torturing the main character. I'm not playing Lily's little game here and purposely using a provocative term. That's an actual writing tip. Torture your main character. Particularly, a morally good character. You have to test them, make them someone who is in danger, who gets hurt, who can fail and still have them not only win, but do so while keeping their morals in tact.

Especially, when your character is something akin to a super hero like Korra. You have to make that torture...well, more torturous. That's my counter for everything she says about Korra. She's the main character, that's why her beatings are shown and other people's aren't, and she's the Avatar, so just getting punched in the nose once is not going to cause a lot of narrative tension.

Once again, you get weird here. There is a point to be made about the way they decided to go with Korra. You could have pointed out that this show put a lot of focus on the Avatar and politics. And you could even make an argument that they didn't handle that well. You could have said that if they were going to go that route, they could have toned down the fighting a bit and not done things like had a killer robot. There have been a few times you have started down that route when talking about this show. Sadly, you always circle back to the scenes of Korra getting beaten and tied up.

Who is it that is really obsessed with the torture here, Lily?

Okay, on to my jam.

I'm not going to bother with the Psych 101 and disorder stuff that she hasn't the background to get into. That shouldn't even be in a video about a cartoon. She even uses text at one point to give advice, and also to admit that that part isn't even criticism. Lily, if you want to make a video about histrionic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and why isolating when you're depressed may not be the best thing for you, just make that video. Don't use your minimal knowledge on the subject to diagnose fictional characters.

The sleep paralysis demon Dana Terrace drew isn't real, Lily, it can't hurt you.

I'm going to cut to the chase here, feel free to watch the Luz section to see if you think I'm correct. This basically comes down to Lily preferring season one Luz's trauma response to her response in later seasons. I admit, Luz's take-no-prisoners, I'll do it myself, I don't need your permission to kick butt, response in season one is pretty cool. Especially the way she stands up to Belos in the finale.

You know what season one Luz probably wouldn't have been able to do?

Stare down Belos silently as he melted in the rain. I think early Luz would have had one of two responses. Either she would have tried one last time to save the jerk, or she would have been proactive and been one of the people stomping on his head. She had to go through her own trauma because of him to prevent the first response, and she had to have been given ample time to pull herself out of that trauma to have the sense of self to avoid the second.

And Lily, you gave the impression in your last Owl House podcast that you liked this scene.

Why did her response change? Because she did. She got new information, devasting information, and it changed how she saw herself. That wasn't the start or the end of the burden's weighing on her, though.

Throughout Season Two, she begins to feel more and more pressure. The timeline is pretty morose. Being stuck on the isles. Feeling like a burden. Feeling responsible for what happened to Eda's magic. Her promise to come home and stay. Missing the anniversary of her father's death. Not finding a way to make a new portal. Finding out about helping Belos.

Then she gets separated from Eda and King and her friends are separated from their families. Also, they released a literal child God and don't know what he's doing to everyone they care about. Just more and more and more.

As a result, she pulls back. Little by little she loses some of her positive traits and picks up negative ones. This, is called a negative character arc. As I've said before, it's very unusual for a heroic protagonist to go through this kind of arc. It's even a little ballsy for a cartoon to do so.

So, yeah, they aren't wasting time or getting a thrill by putting Luz through hell. They are giving the audience someone they can relate to. For the kids, it might not hit till the future, for the adults it could be a memory from the past, but for the teenagers? It's what a lot of them maybe going through now. Because, yeah, being 14 feels like you're living in Hell sometimes. Everything that goes wrong feels like it's the end of the world, and you often feel like it's your fault.

My opinion, anyway.

Also, Lily, you clearly liked her first more proactive trauma response better. Cool. Cool. Why then would you talk about her depression arc while showing a scene of her taking Hunter's place so she can face Belos alone? You know. A thing she would have totally done in Season one? That thing she did do in Season one. Did you have trouble finding enough scenes of her being sad to use, because it didn't happen as often as you are claiming?

Asking for a friend.

This ended up being a long one. I might make another post in the future and touch on other stuff related to this. What Lily says about Amity breaking up with Luz because of her behavior. Whether the people around Luz should have confronted her more often and so on.

[thesherrinfordfacility]

Greetings! I’m a big fan of your metas, and as there’s been something niggling at me, I thought I would ask your opinion. Maybe you’ve mentioned this (or someone else has and I’ve just missed it because admittedly my feed is pretty dedicated to to our ineffable duo) but… something is off about Maggie to me, and has been since my first watch through. First off, her misspelling of “urgency” in her note. Then the discussion she and Nina have in the coffee shop and how she says “I wasn’t that kind of teenager”, that she’d never wanted to drink, and of course the “no judgement” line attached to this. And there may be more inbetween, but the other one that comes to mind is a big one, and it’s after the ball when the demons are at the door and she’s asking Aziraphale what’s going on. He tries to miracle away her concerns (twice) and it doesn’t seem to work on her, and she asks him if he’s trying to hypnotize her (but the miracle sound is THERE, he’s not doing it wrong, it’s just not working on her)… So why?? Her misspelling would lead one to wonder if she is actually a demon (are some escaping and hiding on earth? Why is hell so understaffed?) But she seems for all intents and purposes such a GOOD, sweet person and very not like any of the other demons we see (except Crowley), and wouldn’t he be able to sense her besides? Or is she perhaps an Angel, though wouldn’t Aziraphale then be able to sense that about her? Or maybe she’s God? She’s gotta be something and it’s driving me nuts lol

Interested to hear your thoughts if you have any on this. There are definitely some things we are missing in this season (I am currently subscribed to the tactical-turtleneck theory of Crowley Is Up To Something We Haven’t Seen Yet). Maybe it’s just another red herring, and she’s actually just a really good, kind human to show as a foil against prickly, jaded Nina, but it’s definitely doing it’s job of distracting me!

hi @therachan!!!✨ thank you for the kind words, i appreciate it!💕 and please always feel free to ask my opinion, I'll always do my best to give a coherent one!!!

oooooookay so i kinda look at maggie-theory from two angles, because i think both have equal weight but from different perspectives:

maggie may well just be human! she's a mirror of both of them (i kinda see her as mirroring aziraphale in personality, crowley in action/sentiment - and nina vice versa), so thematically her moments that we've picked up as being peculiar or a bit uncanny-valley may well just be her emulating aziraphale, who this season is particularly shown in a little more of a borderline-eldritch light. it may just be this, full-stop, and i could get on board with that, 100%.

however, i love speculating on things and questioning Everything in this story so, alternatively, let's hypothesise that maggie is in-fact not human.

i think it's fair to say that early-doors, theories around maggie primarily centred around the 'urgency' misspelling. this could be a red herring in the respect of 'hey, she just spelt something wrong, there's no issue in that!'. or it could be, given the emphasis placed on it, and the whole less-than-stellar spelling most demons seem to display, that maggie is a demon. both these explanations are very occam's razor, but i feel like sometimes GO either narratively had a very, very simple explanation that ultimately means nothing (and yet everything) in the grand scheme of things (ie maggie is just human - somewhat pratchett-esque), or there is another more subtle/'clever' explanation that only makes sense in retrospect - the 'aha!' explanation.

so this is where i think maggie might be, or have been, an angel. i did a speculative post where i listed a couple of examples that immediately sprang to mind, so i won't go over them again, but there are definitely more times where she's a bit... not quite right? like i said - uncanny-valley. the thing that's kinda supported that maybe she's an angel is this ask of neil's, where he doesn't answer the question on a replacement angel for aziraphale (on one hand, he might have just not answered the question bc the other bit 'took over', so to speak, and the non-answer is completely innocuous... but equally might have purposefully not answered it as to not bring attention to it re: spoilers. who knows!)

in terms of her motives? idk. the above speculation kinda goes on the view that she might have gotten Got by metatron, same as muriel, made an escape from heaven itself like gabriel, but ultimately had her memory wiped. alternatively, though (and im just spitballing here):

initially sent down to earth by heaven to replace aziraphale, and is the new 'guardian of earth' - i think this is unlikely, there is too much humanness to her that her being knowingly an angel would feel a bit... jumping-the-shark, even if the concept is true on a very loose basis

sent to earth by metatron as a spy/to fuck shit up, but ultimately falls for nina (who, btw, im inclined to believe is actually human, but even then i feel like might have a little something something going on) - this is more likely to me, but i think still isn't quite on the money? she doesn't come across at all as having nefarious intent, not to me anyway

going on the possibility that saraqael is a Goodie, metatron might have sent maggie down to spy/separate the Boys, but saraqael did a little jiggery-pokery whilst she was en-route, and wiped her memory to prevent anything bad happening - this is one of my more favourite possibilities, it ties in quite a few plot points/devices that have cropped up in s2

maggie was an angel that Crossed The Line in heaven, threatened with demotion etc, but essentially legged it like gabriel did and 'fell', but to earth. came to earth, no memories, but ultimately a completely innocent party - the other of my favourite possibilities tbh, but then again, a fair number of loopholes in how this would have gone unnoticed etc... but poetically, the fact that a fair number of angels have been Asking Questions, behind the scenes? could be cool

she fell but fell to human, end of - a bit far-fetched, i think.

there are a couple of things off the top of my head that are issues with any number of these possibilities; namely, aziraphale. he knew her great-grandmother, her shop was a piece of his originally, and he would have been able to sense her. i have a further couple of thoughts on this that aren't particularly coherent, but stick with me:

Something About Bees - he sees her as a human, she has a similar personality to him, and is fairly harmless by all accounts. he wouldn't necessarily see her as a threat. he would automatically trust her (compared to the other angels, which he senses immediately - and, btw, seems shocked that she can't), and wouldnt think to look further into anything

Power - she seems taken in by aziraphale's weird god-complex display at the ball in ep5 - somewhat aware that something's weird, but needed nina to fully wake her up. it stands to reason that if her backstory is a fiction, that aziraphale would be taken in by her magic-weaving in kind. so, how true is the 'memory' of her grandmother etc?

im sure there are other things to note on in the We Need To Talk About Maggie theory, but those are my initial, convoluted thoughts at the moment!✨💕

[nevermordor]

Hi ! Just saw your tags in the women in horror movies post, would you mind, when you have time, giving me your recommendation in horror movies ? It's a genre i'm learning to appreciate and i'll be curious to know what your favorite are ! Hope you're having a good day !

Oh nooooooo, you’ve activated one of my trap cards.

So the fun thing about horror is that it’s truly a diverse genre with many different places to start. I hardly feel qualified to make a rec list, because I feel like there’s still so much I haven’t seen??? So the below is by no means comprehensive, but hopefully it helps get you started! Also please feel free to talk to me about horror anytime, haha, I would love to know what you think if you get around to watching any of these.

The Classics: -The Blair Witch Project. The inception of found footage horror. -Halloween. The first slasher I ever watched. John Carpenter made this on a shoestring budget and the behind-the-scenes story is so fun. Plus, Jamie Lee Curtis’s breakout role. -Candyman (1992). Tony Todd is so sexy in this, but also it’s a great horror story about the power of myth, and an exploration of racial dynamics in Chicago. -Poltergeist. Has its issues but ultimately a very fun movie about a family working together to try and rescue their daughter from evil spirits. There’s a very famous scene with a clown doll. You’ll know it when you see it.

Women and horror: -The Perfection. Queer and deeply messy. An exploration of how art can still be used as a system for abuse. Tw: implied sexual assault, self-harm. -Ginger Snaps. Explores the struggles of two teenage sisters via werewolf metaphor. Love this one. -The Witch. Ominous and atmospheric. The horrors of being a girl raised in a religious fundamentalist family. -Jennifer’s Body. A cult classic that’s been validated/revisited in more recent years. Also queer and messy. Transplants the dynamics of teenage girl best friends into a horror movie setting. -The Babadook. Queer internet icon, but also an exploration of mental illness and the horrors of motherhood/the fear of being a bad mom. -The Descent. Do not watch this if you’re claustrophobic. A group of women go cave diving and discover creatures lurking beneath the earth. I think of certain shots/scenes from this movie often. -Black Christmas (1974). A sorority house is stalked by an unknown killer over the holiday season. Probably the one slasher that still scares the hell out of me, mainly because of how it chooses to depict its killer. Also more political than you’d think, featuring an abortion subplot in the 70s no less. -Us. Lupita Nyong'o should have won an Oscar for this one. -Hereditary. Ari Aster has his flaws as a filmmaker (who doesn’t) but this movie is like……really good. Toni Collette knocks it out of the park. Tw for GRAPHIC depiction of child death and suicide. Movies that personally scared the hell out of me: -Oculus. The fun thing about horror as a genre is that everyone has specific tropes that personally freak them the hell out. This movie dug its nails into one of mine and would not let go. -Parasite. People will probably argue that this is not a horror movie so much as a “thriller” but this movie felt like a borderline panic attack and filled me with despair, and if that ain’t horror, I don’t know what is. Sci-fish horror: -Nope. I really think this might be Jordan Peele’s best movie. Two fantastic lead actors, and dense with ideas, worth watching more than once. -Alien + Aliens. Sigourney Weaver should be enough of a selling point. The first two movies are famous, and they fully live up to the hype.

Personal faves: -Trick ‘r Treat. I watch this every October. A ton of fun. -The Lost Boys. 80s vampire camp, and kinda gay tbh. -Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula. This film is darkly, gorgeously sumptuous. Just a spectacle of practical effects and costuming, and I highly recommend checking out the behind-the-scenes features. -The Silence of the Lambs and Manhunter. Lambs being my problematic fave for years. Manhunter is the best adaptation of Red Dragon hands down (no disrespect to NBC’s Hannibal.) -Rear Window. Because while Psycho is good, it’s also a problematic fave. Plus Rear Window was the first Alfred Hitchcock movie I ever saw, and it holds a special place in my heart for that alone. -The Invitation. The most uncomfortable dinner party in a film I’ve ever sat through. A slow burn for sure, with a terrifyingly good payoff. A movie about grief, unreliable narrators and primarily, the horror of no longer knowing people as well as you thought you did. Tw for suicide/self-harm. -Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight. I adore the first few seasons of the Tales from the Crypt TV series, but you don’t need to watch any of the show in order to enjoy this standalone movie. It’s silly. It’s gross. Billy Zane is having the time of his life as the villain, plus Jeryline is one my fave final girls in horror. -Hellraiser (1987). I adore Clive Barker as a writer (if you like to read horror too, please, PLEASE check him out) and I love that he got to direct his own feature film. This movie is gross, horny as hell, and unlike anything you’ve seen before. Misc recs: -Jacob’s Ladder. Surreal, nightmarish and tragic. Hard to talk about this one without giving too much away. Would recommend going in blind and letting it unfold. -Possession. This movie is Nuts. Even harder to talk about this one. Isabelle Adjani especially carries this film with her performance. -Barbarian. Probably my favorite new horror movie I watched last year. An examination of rape culture that didn’t feel exploitative (rare in horror.) Also some of the most bizarre plot twists I’ve seen. Go in blind. -American Psycho. Still my favorite role of Christian Bale’s to date. Funny: -Tremors. Horror is a fantastic space for practical effects, and it’s really, really hard not to love all the work that went into operating the giant worm puppets. Also hard not to love the queer platonic partnership between Kevin Bacon and Earl Bassett’s main characters. -What We Do in the Shadows. Also rec’ing the TV show, but the original film still holds up and is funny as shit. Animation: -Perfect Blue. Satoshi Kon is one my favorite creators of all time, and this was the first feature film he made. Tw for an implied/simulated rape scene. -Paranoia Agent. Not a movie but an 11 episode anime series, also from Satoshi Kon. A mixing of genres, but tied together with a horror-themed premise and tone. I fucking love this show.

I don’t know if they’re available internationally as a streaming service, so it might depend on what country you’re in? But if you’re looking to get into more horror, I would def recommend checking out Shudder. They’re strictly horror-focused, with a wide variety of film and TV, plus they’re only 5 dollars a month!

I would also suggest checking out a great book called, “It Came From The Closet”, a collection of essays on horror movies from queer and trans writers.

Happy viewing!!! Genuinely hope you enjoy and can't wait to hear what you think!

[siesporamor]

What are your opinions on all of the main couples in SL?

LMAO, it took me so long to answer this ask, but I just have so mant thoughts. I'm not sure if the question is about endgame couples, so I'll just talk about whatever I want.

Putting this under a cut because I'm not a monster.

Lutteo is... fine. I don't hate them, but I also don't like them. Leaving aside my own headcanons for the characters, they just don't work for most of the show. Matteo in seasons 1 and 2 is a complete asshole who doesn't deserve Luna. Just to list some of the shit he does: flirts with her while he's still with Ámbar, kisses her without her consent, sometimes borderline harasses her, is a dick to her best friend, prioritizes his career over their relationship even when he ends up hurting her, never listens to her perspective and assumes all of her criticism is in bad faith. I especially can't get behind the s2 storyline, where Luna is incredibly upset by Matteo's behavior—saying he doesn't have a girlfriend during an interview and staging PR relationships, or insulting Simón live—, but he brushes it all off with the excuse that it's essential to his career and tells her she's envious of his success. And he's somehow surprised that Luna would defend her childhood best friend when her boyfriend publicly humiliates him online?

That being said, when Matteo finally becomes a decent person in s3, I think they mostly work as a couple (still don't ship them). At that point, though, does it really matter? I'm not going to forget the first two seasons. If Luna absolutely needed to end up with somebody, because amatonormativity, she deserved someone better.

Lumón is objectively the best Luna ship. They're childhood best friends and know and take care of each other like nobody else. Still, when I see such an adorable m/f friendship, I grab onto it and would rather it stayed platonic, because there's enough romance in medias.

Simbar gives me life. I'm honestly obsessed and, as I've already said, they're one of my OTPs and the reason why I started watching Soy Luna. Ámbar and Simón are characters I already love on their own and they complement each other so well. They have a great premise (dating-someone-for-a-revenge-plan trope, my beloved <3), a believable enemies to friends to lovers arc (also a favorite trope of mine), fluffy banter, delicious angst and tension, domestic scenes to balance it out, great chemistry, and the actors work their asses off in emotional scenes. They communicate, support and respect each other like a healthy couple would do. Simón is the first person to see the good in Ámbar and push her to be the better version of herself. Ámbar also challenges Simón and his perspective. While a bit dramatized for narrative purpose (don't date people to fix them), that's what a relationship should do (says the aro who's never even had a date in her life).

Gastina may not be endgame, but they are in my heart. They're adorable, have excellent chemistry, and them bonding over shared interests is both realistic and cute. While cliché, I like the FelicityForNow plotline and I think it gave Gastina a solid basis that makes it impossible not to root for them. Forever mad about the route s3 took, especially because it didn't have to? They had Gastón's actor available for a couple scenes, they could've filmed the finale with him or just slapped a clip of him onto a tablet screen, then keep his and Nina's relationship going through texts, it really wasn't that hard. To me Nina goes to college in Oxford and they get back together again, I will accept no other option.

Pelfi is such a sweet ship! It's a bit of a Simbar 1.0, in the sense that Pedro formed a genuine friendship with Delfi and helped her become a better version of herself. Even if Delfi back pedaling in s2 was random and made their relationship arc a bit weird, narratively speaking, I always enjoy these two. They're such cuties and them staring at each other with heart eyes in s3 >>>

Yamiro is considered a main couple, I guess? They can be cute, but I'm not particularly fond of either Yam or Ramiro and I also headcanon them both as gay, not to mention they hurt each other and argue a bit too much for my taste.

Thanks for the ask, I hope I interpreted the question correctly!

[spaceorphan18]

Glee Musical Retrospective: Borderline/Open Your Heart

Sung by: Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson Original Artist(s): Madonna

Oh hey! It's a Finchel duet I actually like! As well as being a mash up that I think is incredibly underrated. These songs just flow together seamlessly, and I love it.

Story Analysis

As usual, this mash up completely serves the Finchel story. Rachel may be with Jesse, but her feelings for Finn are still very much near the surface. Meanwhile, Finn is not about letting go of his own feelings (even if he's still trying to figure them all out.)

Something in the way you loved me won't let me be I don't want to be your prisoner so baby won't you set me free

It's interesting that Rachel is singing these lines. The first line, especially, speaks to how Rachel is trying to push past her feelings for Finn, but they're still right there in the open.

Stop playin' with my heart Finish what you start When you make my love come down

Again, interesting lyrics for Rachel -- since she's the who's in a relationship now. I feel like this speaks to the previous episode -- where Finn dumped her and now wants her back.

Don't try to resist me Open your heart to me, baby I'll hold the lock and you hold the key

And then we get Finn's lines -- which are pretty straightforward. I mean, look at the intensity he gives off all during the song. He's zeroed in on her, and not letting that feeling go.

Something in your eyes is makin' such a fool of me

Again, a Rachel line! (even if it's repeated by Finn) - right now in her life, she may have found some one who is perfect for her (and, editorial comment -- he is) but the heart wants what the heart wants. And she still has strong feelings for Finn that she's going to have to deal with.

I see you on the street and you walk on by When you hold me in your arms You love me till I just can't see So you choose to look the other way Well I've got something to say... Open your heart to me, baby I'll hold the lock and you hold the key

They both sing this together... which is kind of where we're at with Finchel. Sure, it's going to take the rest of the season for the two of them to work their way back to each other but how they feel are not in question. And they'll continue to sing at each other until they work through the stuff they need to work through.

Technical Thoughts

Brad is smiling during this song -- what is even going on??

The thing about this song is that the mash up works SO. Well. The songs blend beautifully with each other -- and it makes such a catchy song that you can't help but bopping along to.

Madonna has this relentless energy. Even if this song is a bit angsty -- it's still so upbeat and poppy and driving. The camera work here is fast and whirling, following Finn and Rachel as they float around the school. It's kind of crazy (but so are Finchel) and it really kind of works for the song. The last shot around the piano is absolutely dizzying, but I think it works -- signifying how Finchel is dizzy for each other. (Also - notice they're in eye contact for nearly the whole song?)

So, when they're in the library -- Finn suddenly just starts grabbing books off the shelf and throwing them to the floor. It's so random that I crack up every time I see it. Why, Ryan Murphy - Why?? Also -- Cory is so much taller than Lea, he's half bent during this entire song, lol.

Anyway - here's an interesting thing to listen for. The original Madonna version is very 80s sounding in its use of synth. They've taken most of that out here -- but if you listen to the background, you can hear a little of that synth sound buried. It's kinda cool and a nice nod to the original source material.

Speaking of Easter Eggs -- probably the most fun part of the song are all the Madonna outfit cameos. I don't know enough about Madonna to tell you what is what -- but I do recognize them all, and it's just a ton of fun seeing them all peppered throughout the hallway.

Meanwhile - contradictory to me actually liking this one, I don't... actually like how either of them sound on the song? It's too high for Finn and not really a good style fit for Rachel. But I don't even care - the song is that much fun.

vs. The Studio Version: It's literally a cleaner version of the televised version. Exactly the same. Huh. Probably cause it's a mash-up.

vs. The Original Version: (Borderline / Open Your Heart): Ooff it's SO 80s! Lol. Something I noticed with Borderline - in the mash up they never use the Borderline refrain because they're using Open Your Heart for the chorus, but I think it has some interesting lyrics that fit the Finchel story -- 'you keep pushing my love over the borderline' -- and that's the thing with them. They keep pushing boundaries. Rachel pushed hard during the Front 13, and now it's Finn's turn to see how far he can get....

Meanwhile... what is even going on in the video for Open Your Heart?? You can tell this was a risqué thing back in the 80s. Anyway - comparatively - the Glee version updates the arrangement to make it sound a lot less 80s -- and, honestly, the whole thing really works. I kind of like when the show takes a song in a different direction and ends up making something that not only doesn't sound like a Kidz Bop track, but makes something engaging and fun.

[luimagines]

Hi, Lustrous Anon here, hope you're having a good day and are well and once more, thank you for all the scenarios, headcanons and shorts! I've laughed a lot about the Captain Crunch one and the Four one really warms my heart, well, literally every one of them does really and that's saying a lot, so thank you again and thank you for answering my asks! I've been having a few rough weeks, so it was a welcome surprise not only to see your stuff again but also to get actual answers, so thank you ^^.

I've been let back in the train of thought, so though I'd share some Lustrous Reader shenanigans before the conductor kicks me out with a megaton hammer. No need for apologies, you didn't cause me to have a bad day after all and I get being busy and having a lot to do so it's fine, hopefully me sending in these random thoughts is not a bother or holding you up '^^

Ah, heard another Anon asking about the anime? Well, there's an anime and manga, the anime was more fantasy by the time it came out though it did have some heavy and borderline horror elements when you think about the implications, it stopped before it could get to the real meat of the horror by the time season one ended and studio Orange left everyone hanging, the manga whoever went all in after the first acts of the anime and is the very definition of I Could Make Him Worse for the protag, still contains it's pretty tone, but it gets pretty darn heavy and will leave you feeling quite empty by the time you reach Volume 12, Chapter 98 which are all the ones we have for now, next issue is in December and we're almost at the end of the story, if anyone wants to check it out I highly recommend, it's a heavy but good story, Haruko Itchikawa did really well, though I understand horror not being everyone's thing so really it's up to choice. I can leave some clips from the anime here? It will probably give a better notion of how Lustrous Reader breaks and repairs themselves, plus the gold and other alloy thing though mercury is different, and then anyone can decide whether to watch it in full or not, again, choice is yours and beware spoilers from each episode.

https://youtu.be/QHfhs4PfbcU

https://youtu.be/iZ7SPhuoYUc

https://youtu.be/i4nxEcNrn6M

(Warning, long ask though it's probably already obvious)

-Lustrous Reader is probably the person who'll overwork themselves the most on the Chain ever since they arrived since they don't need as much rest or anything as anyone else, just a bit of sunlight each day so they have plenty of time on their hands, Wild needs an ingredient for a potion or meal for everyone? Lustrous Reader is already on the case and bringing extras from hunting and gathering while at it, someone's clothes ripped? They'll help Legend sew, not too different from what they already did when not working back home, Red Beryl always needed more help, Four can't reach something or suddenly needs a metal for the forge? They'll get it for him in a jiffy (even more literally if they have gold platinum, silver or iron alloy on them, because it's pretty malleable and if it's on their arms, they can form liquid shapes with it and when broken off they solidify, so between the hair and that which doesn't really run out the Chain will probably always have extras in a pinch for swords or shield maintenance, though while I can see them letting the hair cutting for extra supplies or a sword for Wild that won't break slide for the most part, they'd probably be a heck of a lot more hesitant with anything else even if they say it's fine, though I'll get to that), someone needs to wake up Sky but no one wants to risk bodily harm? Shattering or cracking is barely an inconvenience, they volunteers as a tribute, they see Wars or Twi over working or First and Time tired while trying to? Go get some rest and food in you while at it, fleshies need that often right? They can handle it, don't worry about it. *Gently pushes towards a log, pats shoulder with gentle smile once they're comfy, raises hand with I'm a Gem and you'll either settle down for good or with a concussion like the One Time, choose wisely* They're very helpful since they don't want to impose until they return home and they know a lot of members of the Chain don't trust them, so it's best to simply not give reason to cause any strife in a clearly tightly knit group, plus it was basically their secondary job back home so the Chain gains a second mom friend/sibling friend, although as a result they mentally exhaust themselves a lot and it's a team effort to get them to chill out and let others handle most of the chores for a change (usually by having Wind, a fellow island fella who awakens every single sibling instinct on their body distract them by chatting, or having Epona or Wolfie nearby as it's a very effective distraction, although just anyone wanting to chat will effectively distract them for a bit). It's probably surprisingly hard to pin them down unless one of the stronger members is involved because again, gemstone, they're probably very heavy and strong on their own right even without a weapon. Like a slightly lighter and shorter Goron if you will.

-Lustrous Reader, looking at Time in confusion: "They never left though? The Moon has been haunted for as long as we remember with the Lunarians, they come from the sky, on their white clouds and playing instruments like a parade and steal gems to decorate their weapons with my kin. We've lost many gems to their kidnappings Ask the sea folk, they'll confirm what I'm talking about."

"... You mean the Zora?"

"No? The Slug People obviously, the Admirabillis? They've had plenty of their own kidnapped too."

Cue concerned Time sounds and general confusion from the Chain.

-Lustrous Reader, seeing Fierce Deity is about 7-8 feet tall, reminded of their own Adamant Sensei, 8-10 feet tall and how he liked it when them and the Gems would perch on his shoulders since it was the best they'd get to a hug: Is anyone going to perch that? *Doesn't wait for an answer, hops, climbs and settles there on shoulder like the world's most shiny and glittering bird without a hint of hesitation or shame*

Now the question is how him and the rest of the Chain reacts, because again Lustrous Reader is not too heavy, but definitely somewhere between one of those rocks you lift in Link's Awakening and a small Goron, also flower, seashell and leaf crowns and necklaces galore when either they think no one can see them, when he's asleep (or maybe not) or after recruiting the Minish, the Loftwings or the Fairies to the cause, probably does similar things to the rest of the Chain too each time the Chain does them favors like bringing their pieces back or helping with repairs. No one is is safe from the gratitude and care. If they have gold or silver on them they probably shape a lot of little trinkets from it and leave it on the Chain, being completely unconscious about it (like seashells for Wind, feathers for Sky, fangs for Twilight etc). Kind of their own way of showing care that they feel comfortable enough to leave bits of themselves on them and it's not uncommon if they brush someone's hair for them to find those little bits there later.

-Probably very touch starved, when gems touch each other they usually crack and shatter if they don't have the same hardness (like a gem has hardness 7, and one has hardness 3, they hug and the hardness 3 ends up shattering), that probably wouldn't have stopped Amber!Little Link from hugging them (either normally or by getting a sheet around himself and hugging them) or Adamant Sensei, who has enough experience to know how to best hug without breaking them and uses his own cloak as a buffer, but they probably haven't been hugged often otherwise, so the first time someone pats their head or ruffles their hair (mindful not to get cut from it, or if they have gauntlets on not even too concerned about it), they, just, freeze up in confusion because not even Adamant does that, when someone ask what was wrong they just go "What was that?" "... A hair ruffle?" "Ah."

"... Would you mind doing that again on occasion? Haven't properly gotten one of those before." And I feel like, much like with First the Chain does their best to get them used to touch, and Lustrous and First probably have a silent understanding about it and quietly bond/kidnap the other gently when they feel the gentle touch is too much.

First time someone hugs them they provide tremble from emotion and hug back just as tight, or actually cry tears of gold/mercury/silver like how humans do while doing so without making any sound besides that, you can probably hear them cracking too since Gems crack/break themselves quite literally under high emotional states, it's simultaneously a milestone and heartbreaking.

-Lustrous Reader equating Cia's obsession with Warriors with The Lunarians obsession with Gems, immediately getting flashbacks to their sibling almost being taken and to their own partner being taken, negotiates with Fi for a few seconds to wield her (who may shockingly agree to, but honestly I feel she probably would out of spite for one of her wielders) or tries square up either with their own sword if she doesn't agree or barehanded, Cia throwing every spell she knows in the book at them as they chase her around the Temple of Sages and getting increasingly panicked when it doesn't work because Lustrous Reader doesn't qualify as either human, Hylian, Goron or monster so usual spells aren't sticking, in the end it takes half the Chain to more or less stall them by holding them back (with Twi probably at the helm, holding a fully sentient gemstone back is nothing on wrestling with golems even without the iron boots) to calm them down while they throw threats and maybe curses they picked up with Legend or Wind.

"STOP CHASING ME YOU CRAZY BASTARD!"

"THEN GET BACK HERE AND LET ME SHATTER EVERY LIMB ON YOUR BODY INTO DUST SO FINE EVEN PUTTING EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER WON'T ALLOW YOU TO COME BACK YOU MOON SCUM!"

"Do… do you mean break? I'm pretty sure we discussed it doesn't work like that-"

"SAME DIFFERENCE IN THIS CASE RULIE- LET ME GO TWI I HAVE VENGEANCE TO ENACT!" *Breaks arm off to get out of the grapple, flings it near Cia's head with the same speed as a ballistic missile and starts again*

Warriors probably doesn't know wether to be concerned, confused, intervene, feel flustered or be flattered. They'd probably pick the same fight with Ghirahim over Sky and Hylia herself over First if given the chance. They're probably very protective of the Links in general, messing with one in their general vicinity will either lead to a tongue lashing or catching hands. It's kind of a must on gem society for them to be able to hold their own and protect their people, and Lustrous Reader probably has it in spades even if their time on the front line is over, they still have about 1000 years on it and are not too rusty.

-Lustrous Reader lived on an island all their life, so much like Wind before Twilight they probably never saw a wolf in their entire existence, so one look at Wolfie and they go "What is this gorgeous, fluffy four pawed creature? Either way if anything happened to him I would probably end everyone within the general vicinity and then shatter myself", it's just Wolfie loving hours and they give all of the hugs, pats and kisses while doting complimenting and gushing about him a lot, everyone in on the secret finds it hilarious while Twilight is just trying very hard to remain composed because what is he supposed to do about that? Lustrous Reader probably loves Epona, Crimson, Sky's Loftwing, the Fairies, Sherrow (though they'd probably be a bit wary of Ravio for several reasons before warming up to him, though best not to let them, Ravio and Legend in the same room) and the Minish just as much too and is stoked over all the farm animals Malon has, definitely one of the people who volunteers a lot to help with the cows or cuckoo's in the ranch because they just love animals so much, always finding ways to leave them treats or gifts like locks of their own hair or bits of their gold which fall off. Helps preen the loftwing's feathers when their owners aren't available and chat with Crimson about First and how he's always so nice to them when they don't know something or brings their pieces back when they break, feeds and helps groom Epona at night since they don't need sleep and give her all the pats, gives the Minish and Fairies their hair for decoration or smithing materials or their gold and silver and lets them ride around on them all the time (bonus points it one of those Minish or Fairies are Four or Rulie if they're tired, just, scoops them gently and places them on their shoulders/head, or in a little bowl made from gold or silver from their arm that follows them along like a basket), feeds and pets seagulls with Aryll (and adores her like a little sister, not as a replacement to Little Link, but as someone they think he'd like to know), brushes Wolfie, gives him rubs and always make sure he has enough food while gushing Twi has the best hugs they've ever had besides Sensei, gives Sherrow the best bird seed they can get while on the market if they have enough for it, brings fruits for the Lord of the Mountain if for some reason they're around, somehow befriends the dragons from BOTW and occasionally gives them extra meat the Chain has leftover if they're in his Hyrule so it won't spoil and gives them rubs without batting an eye, help Legend discreetly if he's in rabbit form but noticing he doesn't like to be touched and thus leaving him be or hide with them etc. Would probably love horse and Loftwing riding if they weren't concerned their natural weight would hurt them, it's an ongoing struggle. Essentially they have no real sense of danger towards animals or creatures and just adores and treats them all equally well unless they attack first.

Also a bit of crack from this that can either be taken as canon or not is this little bit from the Ocarina of Time Manga, it's implied Time befriended a Tiny Volvagia as a kid, said Tiny Volvagia was caged and going to be sold in the market if not for Time saving them, and that they were good friends and that Ganon cursed Volvagia to attack him in the adult timeline, which led to them being blinded with rage for apparently abandoning them and Time having to kill them (though it's implied it forgives him when they die by saying his name, and it's clear they still were important to him later ih the manga), which leads to the implications of either A: Time came back for that Tiny Volvagia as soon as he could and now just has a dragon friend stashed somewhere on Lon Lon Ranch, chilling there and living their best life which would be an absolute win in Lustrous Reader's book and has great comedic potential if played right, or, in this au, that they passed through that same market during The Quest™, Lustrous Reader (probably cloaked and hooded upon Time's suggestion since their hair and eyes would definitely make them a memorable target for unsavory folks even if they can take care of themselves), spotted that tiny Volvagia caged, immediately has some memories of some things they saw on the Moon before being taken to Hyrule (which is a whole nother can of worms, if you want to listen I can send it later if you want, this is getting long enough as is) and chats with them for a bit, helps them escape as discreetly as they can and then rejoins the Chain upon being called after they're sure they'll be okay, not knowing that Tiny Volvagia followed them and then snuck under their cloak so they'd stay near the nice person who helped them this time around, Lustrous Reader obviously sees what happened after they take their cloak off and sees Volvagia curled in there, but just shrugs, gives them a few headpats and scritches, lets them wrap around their neck body and then just walks back to the Chain as casual as can be while everyone stares with several mixed emotions:

"Uhm… Watcha got there?"

Lustrous Reader, giving Volvagia half an apple and horn rubs: "A new friend, anyone got any name suggestions?"

Which I feel would lead to some hilarious shenanigans because they basically have a pet dragon now, and even more hilarity when Dink rolls up next time to cause problems on purposes and sees not only does the being who decapitated them with their hair and frankly hurts his eyes due to how much they shine is still there, but also has blinking Volvagia with them like they're one of those house snakes.

-I feel like it when, after giving their hair to both Legend and Four so he can make Wild's Lustrous Sword and they hear Hyrule pointing out the morbidity of the concern, they once again just tilt their head, before chuckling slightly, "Well… Legend isn't wrong, though he's not fully right and I can see why you're concerned. But to us Lustrous there's no bigger show of trust than giving parts of ourselves to our friends in need." Looks away for a moment, probably looking a bit sad and conflicted, before smiling, "Usually we don't have to if we have everything, or extras from the beach, but if we have enough to spare and someone else needs it, then a few memories being gone is a small price to pay, or a bit of hair which doesn't even hold any memories, we lost enough of our friends, our siblings against the Lunarians, leaving one of our own to suffer without a leg or arm or eye when we can avoid it is hardly any better than what they do to us when we get taken." It's at that moment they take notice of their arm, glinting (Gold/Silver) in the light, and the other with (blue/light pink nails), reminding them for a minute of their Zelda, clearly against the scheme of the rest of their being, a bit of their bangs shift, a clearly mismatched eye coming into focus, how did they miss the green-blue (so chillingly similar to their tunics and eyes) before? "It's… arguably a cruel reminder of what we lost, if you ask me, and we don't always get a choice, but it's also a show of care. So it's really no problem, alright? This isn't much different if you ask me." They wink, grinning faintly, the eye not their own hidden once more, a hand comes near Hyrule's hair, ruffling it/and, once they pull back, there's a flower made out of solid gold/silver behind their ear, it's chill but also impossibly warm, "I'd say after quite a few months traveling, that we are all close enough I'd give any part if necessary in a heartbeat, or well, a crack. So don't worry about it, alright?"

And that's that.

(Except the questions linger, what do you mean by not fully right? (G/N) please tell us this is concerning-)

Anyway that will be that for now, hope you're having a nice day today and once more, thank you for all your wonderful work in the fandom!

-Just an Anon on a Stroll.

Oh my goodness-! I don't even know what to add XD

You've covered almost every base, I think. It's impressive. The lore has expanded so much in so little time.

I'm learning so much. Hold on, I have to process all of this. <3

But I agree to pretty much everything given the very limited knowledge I know. Especially the bit with FD and just getting on his shoulders. He'd probably let them. If only because he'd be too confused to do anything else for a while and by then he can see not only how happy they are being up there, but finds that he doesn't particularly mind it anyway.

So it's fine.

And then Little Lucky DX

My baby! Someone find him! Make sure he's not hurt!

[freebooter4ever]

You worry about the theoretical possibility of someone hitting your guys the way trouba hits everyone else instead of worrying about the not-theoretical guys he puts on IR multiple times a season?

He’s a real problem now, not just in your imaginary world where he’s on any other team.

So it sounds like you might really really dislike troubs, and if you don't want to block me the other option is blacklisting "NYR" - tumblr makes it really easy, and i am usually very careful to tag all my r*ngers reblogs/posts with that. I myself have one specific player's name blacklisted because just seeing it triggers me into anger. (discussion of the physical part of hockey got long, under tag)

There's two options: full tag, and also in the body of the post so tumblr will filter out ALL posts with that word. But it won't hide the posts it just gives a nice greyed out warning so you don't have to see it. Trust me, its great, it's the only way i got through having that asshole on my favorite team for a few months. (and you can still click to unhide the post, like say when geno is defending the pens goalie and swatting the asshole player like a fly and you want to reblog the gif)

For a direct response to your second point: troubs' hits were legal. I'm not afraid of him being traded to another team, i am quite literally afraid of another similar hitter on an oposing team taking retribution by landing a similarly legal hit on our forwards. I feel like troubs style leads to escalation and thats what worries me. like troubs targeting vulnerable mistakes of oposing forwards is putting a giant target on our own forward's backs.

BUT im a wimp. Always have been, i know this about myself. I dont like contact sports. I will watch football but not closely, i absolutely despise boxing, and even wrestling is pushing it sometimes. My formative years were spent in a karate dojo that emphasized self defence always. I excelled at kata and bunkai, but put me in the sparring ring and i wilt. One of my most distinct memories when i was 13 or 14 and shooting up taller than a weed was being forced to spar with this obnoxious teenage guy a head shorter than me. He had something to prove and landed an illegal punch on my nose. I was so mad i took that kid down with almost full force and then ran to the bathroom and bled all over my pristine white expensive cotton gi and cried like a baby and didnt come out till one of the women senseis sat with me and calmed me down. They never forced me into the sparring ring again after that, lol. what im saying is i dont like fights. If I had my way we would eric-bittle-ify hockey and checking wouldn't be a thing.

BUT with hockey im trying to be more open minded and understand how this fits into the game. And learn to appreciate it in addition to how much i admire the speed, and strategy, and more refined aspects of the game. Some parts i dont think i'll ever understand: like the borderline illegal hits, or the ones that are legal but extremely dangerous like the one that gave the poor penguin defense man a concussion during his first big league game. Now i have not been watching long but i have heard that troubs has hit sid in the past? I dont know anything about it, i dont think i want to. If it happened again? Yeah troubs might end up on my blacklist. But for now he's still the captain of the team, and the team genuinely seems to appreciate troubs very loyal very aggressively defensive phsyical style of play.

But also i mean, trochk picked on geno for like three games straight last season, and i dont think geno was even injured, but ive lowkey hated trochk ever since and have a hard time rooting for trochk as much as the rest of the guys on the team so lol dont hold me to any loyalties.

[striveattemptfail]

so i took this screencap after i read the latest ep and—

hn. (=_=)

idt i'll liveblog this week but i'll put my Thoughts under the cut

(tl;dr jason's Moobs and artemis' arms are the only thing getting me through this webtoon and unfortunately i am near hitting the point where that can no longer sustain me 😔😔)

(also pls heed the tags on this post bc there is a lot of Wank And Bitching. if you don't wanna read the meandering negativity, pls move along ᕕ(ಠ_ಠ)ᕗ)

okay so Thoughts™️:

i said i'd stick around to make sure lobo was done well but considering he folded and fucked off in <5 panels i can't even judge that

and idr if i mentioned it on my blog but i told some friends i'd stick around for the first season of rho and likely drop it after that

but idek if i can keep to that anymore

i've read a lot of really crappy comics, superhero issues and webcomics alike. i've had my fair share of whiplash pacing and wildly ooc canon

i'm not saying i'm an expert at judging comics, but i'll give myself enough credit to say at the very least that this webtoon is Just Not Good

while i'm personally not bothered by changing the art style—

(actually, it's one of the few things i appreciate in traditional publishing for superhero comics, so introducing it to the webcomic medium has been really interesting to me)

(but that's a whole other post lol)

—they're not using the change to its full potential, or even for its intended purpose

i get that the webtoon weekly schedule is brutal and borderline inhumane for a lot of asian artists, so it's probably hell on earth for western artists having to switch to that kind of scheduling

nico offloading all the inking to another artist so he can get a break makes sense

but if that's the case, the art should be more polished—and it just isn't

it's still abundantly clear to me that corners were cut to get eps out on time with the same kind of length

i'm not an illustrator, and my eye for perspective is already pretty awful with my glasses on, but i think it still says something that my half-blind ass can still see errors

if the art has to change to give the regular artist a break, why isn't any of the art (both from the original artist and the fill-in artist) not up to par?

and this isn't even considering that the art just changes in the middle of an arc, which makes everything hella confusing for a reader who can seamlessly read episode after episode due to the nature of the webtoons platform and the webcomic medium in general

at least if there's an art switch in most traditional comics, it's introducing a new arc or volume to that series, and it's physically broken up into multiple comic books/issues

the changes in rho thus far have just been ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ at best, and (to me) without any thought about how the style could affect the overall story

to be clear: wayne family adventures also does this. but at least toby succeeds in emulating starbite's art style enough not to break immersion. and because it's been toby every time, the changes in art style is usually only noticeable when scrutinized

unlike with rho thus far, who's had different artists with similar but still distinctly different styles

so the abrupt art change is not only impacting the immersion of a reader but the effectiveness of the storytelling

and i don't even wanna get into patrick young's abysmal writing thus far. i know better than to yell on the internet about comic writers after namedropping them lol

i love jason. i genuinely like his rebirth outlaws team. for all the flack i give lobdell for rhato (2011) and in general, he did some actually decent things for all three outlaws during their 2016 run onwards

(some things. i'm still not forgiving him for rhato (2016) #25, or the fact that willis todd was apparently gd wingman, or for a lot of other things, but that is a discussion for yet another post lol)

i honestly cannot say the same for patrick young's writing

aside from the (fucked up) storyline happening to bizarro, i stand by my point that the highlight of every arc thus far has been the villains

which would be a compliment if it weren't for the fact that the series is supposed to be about the titular (anti) heroes of the story, or if the heroes were just written half as well

and yet?? i've been disappointed by every development for jason, and the mostly lack thereof for artemis, much less the downright disrespectful treatment for all the other characters introduced thus far

bizz really is the best boy, not only for his kind nature but for being the only decently written character out of the three

i get that superhero comics allows for different characterizations and the webtoon is continuing that tradition

doesn't mean i like what's happened to most of the characters

it's just........it's been really disappointing reading this webtoon

and i honestly feel bad for those who've spent hard earned coins unlocking any of this webtoon's fastpass eps

verdict: am i gonna drop this sooner than i thought? likely so

unfortunately for me i am a stubborn masochist of a stan so i'll be testing how long i can hold on just out of love for these characters 🥴🥴🥴

[bearpillowmonster]

Young Justice S4

Those first three eps are rough, I'm all for the Martian race thing but the plot is slow and boring. I'm not however all for a lead up to a wedding plot, I just very rarely see it done successfully and a lot of the time, it only succeeds because there are other driving factors making it work, but it's the MAIN plot here. And it's not like they cut back and forth between the main characters, it's all Ma'arz all the time. Also the ship retires and has babies too...wtf?

I like the Prince though, he reminds me a bit of Jetray. I also like the little voice clips at the end of every episode. Lots of flashbacks with Gar's PTSD. It comes off as low budget especially since they use mind links 90% of the time, so no mouth movements. Also Gar broke up with his gf, perhaps there's room for Raven? Or perhaps...someone new?

Then ep4/5 starts to show what it's trying to do and in theory, it's a pretty good idea. I'd like to think that all the budget went into the later episodes because from here on, the quality is consistently good. They give Orphan an actual role this time which I have a Top 15 Superheroes list coming that will tell you just how much that means to me. After that episode, that's all I wanted, was the next episode, that's all I could really think about for the next week but it gave me something to look forward to.

It's a lot more loaded than it let on. I'll be honest though, I could kinda care less for all the quotes Artemis says. It'd be one thing if it was just shown on screen but she actually reads them out which can come across as a bit cringey in my opinion.

They even have a Zatanna arc. She's not someone I've been very interested in and yet somehow, every episode ended up surprising me. They're just not afraid to take risks and that's rare, I guess they figure that it's been canceled and shifted platforms so many times that they might as well do what they want but it's amazing how this went through the studio and was approved because it's beyond good, there were points where I was borderline Endgame levels of hype and I never thought I'd reach that again.

But I will complain only in partial, some characters show up and act like they've been introduced already because time has passed between the seasons and I have no idea who they are from the comics but I imagine it must be liberating to see some of them for fans that already know them. 9/10 though, it had some really interesting takes, I could barely sleep the night before I watched the finale.

[hairrington]

My dream pairing for s5 would be Steve and Robin with the party doing their their thing. Like I need Steve and El interactions bc we haven't got any of those and I just know they would love each other okay. And a scene where Steve comforts Dustin and Lucas. I want to see him grieve Max, the guilt he feels for not being able to protect her and just be there for Lucas. I just want Steve to be the best babysitter again, without getting borderline annoyed or angry bc your ex is there. Plus him and Robins relationship was watered down so much for Stancy agenda, they deserve to have way more screentime together and talk about anything else than relationships. I still stand by the fact that Robin should have been the one who should have jumped after Steve first but didn't bc of Stancy, it was purposely done so Eddie could give his true love speech to Steve later.

Jonathan and Nancy can do their investigation shit they always do in every season and talk to each other for once. Even in s1 when she started dating Steve Jancy was paired up for most part of the season so if they want to go full circle do that. Tbh I just want them to stay far away from Steve lol, even as friends bc Steve's clearly hurting over their relationship (at least from the glimpse we got at the end of s4). And I need Robin to STEP UP and talk some sense into him instead of pushing for Stancy. I still think it was gross from the writers that she encouraged Nancy to persue Steve even tho she is Steve's bestie so she knows how fucked up their breakup was. Like very ooc of her in that moment. How can you wish happiness for your friends when their relationship was toxic and your bestie needed almost a year to get fully over the damage their ex gave him. But then again the writers completely ignored s3 and Steve's development.

Also after Nancy rejected him twice now he should find some dignity, if the writers really make him take her back after everything I'll commit a fellony lol. Like how worthless does he feel to let everything slide? Nancy didn't even apologize for cheating and yet he still thinks it's all on him because Nancy is just perfect and never wrong. I'm so tired of this even the actors don't really want this lol. Natalia wants Nancy to be single which I strongly agree with. She should move out of Hawkins go to college and do her thing without guys.

FACTS. throughout some of the character interactions in s4, i was literally thinking "i waited so long... for this?" they barely do the characters justice if at all and i agree that robin was VERY ooc for pushing stancy. it's such a mess and left me with a very bad and empty feeling

[deliriumsdelight7]

C, D (for any fic that this question jumps out at you), F, G, H, M, N, V, W, X, Y, Z? (Sorry if this is a lot😅)

You are single-handedly giving me an excuse to not clean my counters and fold my laundry. I appreciate you. Gonna throw this behind a tag because it's gonna get long. I am a wordy fucker.

C: What character do you identify with most?

Gotta go with Chrissy. While Eddie's interests and ADHD-coding are definitely things I can relate to, the whole living in an emotionally oppressive household thing is something I know intimately well. And... well, let's just say that when Chrissy has her first vision, and the rattling lock makes her curl up into a ball in the corner and scream for the monster on the other side to go away? Been there.

D: Is there a song or a playlist to associate with [insert fic]?

No playlists, but nearly every fic title I've come up with is from a song title/lyric. For "We Could Be Invisible," the song is "Invisible" by Dio, and that's the song that popped onto the radio to break Chrissy out of Vecna's grasp. I think it's a song both Eddie and Chrissy could really connect to.

F: Share a snippet from one of your favourite dialogue scenes you've written and explain why you're proud of it.

I have a very difficult time taking pride in my work, to be honest. Writing is just something I do, and there are so many other incredible writers out there and I'm always comparing myself to them. But one that I kinda sorta like is from Chapter 2 of Invisible:

“Hey, uh, Chrissy?”  His voice sounded ridiculously loud in the hush of the boathouse.  “Look, um… I know I’m not exactly your first choice party member on this fucked up adventure we’ve found ourselves on.  I always kinda thought I’d be like… the Strider of my story.  But, um… looks like that’s not the case.”  

He paused, wondering what she’d have to say.  Part of him hoped that she��d say something to his defense, even if he didn’t deserve it.  But she didn’t say anything.  Hell, she probably had no clue what the hell he was even talking about.

“Anyway.  Just wanted to say that… whatever the hell’s going with you… you’re handling it like a real badass.  It takes a lot to carry what you’ve been carrying.  I might not be a Strider, but you, Cunningham, are one badass little Frodo.”  She didn’t answer.  He snickered; yup, he’d definitely lost her there.  “Anyway, point being, uh… I’m not going anywhere.  You know?  I can’t fight what you’re fighting, but I can listen.  I’ve got a pretty good ear.”

G: Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

Start to finish. I can't do it any other way, because generally, when I write, the characters tend to take a scene and twist it into something new that I never intended, which forces me to change things as I go. It makes outlining or writing out of order borderline impossible.

H: How would you describe your style?

I have no idea. I'll be honest: I don't really pay attention to style, when I read or when I write. I just sort of... do it. I know that my prose is pretty basic compared to a lot of the gorgeous stuff out there. Not too heavy on the symbolism and imagery and descriptions and emotions and stuff. Thing happens, character reacts. That seems to be how I do things.

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you'd care to share?

I've got another Kas!Eddie fic sort of percolating at the back of my mind. This one would lean harder into the whole vampire angle, and would take place during a hypothetical season 5. It would have sort of a Beauty and the Beast angle, where someone actually does something with the mob Jason whipped up. It's still in early stages.

I also have a Steddissy/Hellcheerington fic that I'm actively resisting. The premise is, Chrissy breaks up with Jason, which makes things unbearable for her with her mother. To spare her the worst of Laura Cunningham's abuse, someone gets the idea that she should get a fake boyfriend. Eddie offers to step up (out of the goodness of his heart and certainly not because of a longtime crush), but dating someone like him would only make things worse. But if she were to date Steve Harrington, the popular former jock with the good family... Things sort of develop from there, and what starts out as a romantic rivalry becomes a love triangle and eventually develops into a full-blown throuple. Because my girl Chrissy deserves two gorgeous himbos with fantastic hair.

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

All of them. Writing is HARD. I don't wanna WRITE this fic, I wanna read it!

V: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

I actually am writing a sequel to another author's fic (with their permission). The fic is called "SnapeChat" by OracleObscured, and it's a Severus Snape/Hermione Granger phone sex oneshot. (Don't @ me about the pairing, I've been stuck on it for like twenty years). The fic is fantastic, but it leaves me desperately wanting more. I'm kinda stuck on it at the moment, but I'd love to get it finished one of these days.

W: Do you like more general prompts, or more specific ones?

I don't like prompts. Or rather, my muse doesn't. I find them incredibly difficult to work with. I actually envy the people who can take a prompt and turn it into something amazing.

X: A character you enjoy making suffer.

Any character I like. I saw a post on Tumblr a few weeks back that compared a good character to a glow stick: bend 'em til they crack and watch 'em shine. Then just give 'em a happy ending afterward. That's basically my M.O.

When it comes to characters I hate, I have no urge to make them suffer in my writing. They're beneath my notice, so they get glossed over, if they're mentioned at all.

Y: A character you want to protect.

Same as above. You know that meme, with the guy who shoots someone and then says, "Why would ____ do this?" Yeah, that's me, writing my faves. How dare anyone hurt them? *proceeds to hurt them*

Z: Major character death—do you ever write/read it? Is there a character whose death you can't tolerate?

I'm writing ONE Major Character Death fic for the Rumbelle fandom. I really can't say more about it without giving massive spoilers. Suffice to say, that tag (among others) has scared off a lot of potential readers.

MCD definitely does scare me off, to an extent. I can do unhappy endings in books, movies, etc. But when I read fic, I'm looking for a getaway to a world where happy endings are guaranteed. So... I think that tag would keep me from reading something until the work was finished (and even then, I'd skip to the ending to see who it was so I could emotionally prepare).

Thank you for the ask! I suppose I should go do some housework now.

[rahleeyah]

I don’t really get why there is so much stuff out there about El hoeing around wanting to sleep around or whatever now that he is single for the first time since he is 17 when like that’s not what he wants to do at all?

That Angela kiss was a bad writing choice in s1, I’ll maintain that point forever probably. He had buried his wife of 35+ years less than 20 days ago, no way he wanted to kiss anyone, not even Liv, at that point. Yes grief makes you do dumb shit but he didn’t lose his best friend, he lost his wife, his romantic partner since he was 17, I think there is a big differance.

The young woman he made out with, who slipped him the drugs, Kosta sent her to him, not really much he could do. Kosta even later asked, “Dude why didn’t you sleep with the girl I sent you?”

If he wanted to sleep with her he could have done so when he was drugged, or at least tried to. But he got away from there as soon as he could and ran to Liv where he felt safe and needed to make his confession about the letter. That’s what he wanted to do. He didn’t think about the uc op in that moment, going to Liv was risky as hell.

Albi’s wife kept coming after him. He roofied her to search the house, if it was about sleeping around he could have done so and searched the house after, either while she was asleep or give her the drink with the drugs after (he didn’t know Albi would be home so soon).

At the RV she came to him again. Could he have gotten out of it if he really wanted to? Yes, probably. Might that have endangered his UC gig, yes. He was ready to die for that operation. If he didn’t think dying in that meeting with Kosta wasn’t a real possibility he wouldn’t have acted like he did before going to the meeting. So sleeping with someone to keep that op going even if he doesn’t want to isn’t that high on his list of sacrifices probably.

This man is as UNstabler as he has ever been right now. He should have never been allowed to go UC. I think he is using the op to punish himself. He barely gets to see his kids, he doesn’t get to see Liv unless by work related coincidences. He has to do all these shitty things. He took the UC job right after Wheathley came after Liv, and Kathy hadn't been killed all that long ago either, I think (I can’t find the title cards on L&O wiki).

This man isn’t trying to f-around in my opinion. This man is unstable, trying to punish himself, destructive, and borderline suicidal (going to that Kosta meeting).

Just to clarify this isn’t a response to anything I have seen from you or on your blog. I just wanted to share. Thank you for giving us the opportunity. It means a lot. I hope you have a good weekend and get to relax.

you know what? I'm with you.

I do think El went under to run away from himself, and that he's seeing the damage it's doing but he feels like he can't stop. i do think that he's not going after milf tiddies - or angela last season - bc he feels something for them or bc he wants sex; it's not about love or lust it's about him needing to feel something. and it doesn't feel good and he's not proud of it and he's not looking to start a ~relationship, he's chasing an escape and digging that hole deeper.

and i have said it before and i'll keep saying it until i'm blue in the face; i really think he wants Liv, but she has given him no sign that she's willing to be anything more than his friend, and he can't lose that friendship, that connection, is unwilling to risk losing the most important person in his world by trying to kiss her or pushing her for more than she wants to give him, so he's not going after her. he's not going after the person he wants because he thinks he can't. like if she was answering the phone or if she'd told him she loves him, too or any one of a hundred different things maybe he would have gone to her after the robbery, but he didn't, because doing so would put her in danger and risk liv walking out of his life and he can't take that.

elliot is falling apart. but i believe he's gonna put himself back together; he just needs time.