#jl who would like to be a spoiled brat for a little more but now he has to compete with levi

[grapestones]

And, as someone who is fan of age gaps and the younger crushing on the older one, I would also love if Jiang Cheng found kid Levi and took care of him. Levi can fight with his feelings but once he accepts it, oh boy. Better conquer Jiang Cheng's heart before Jin Ling finds out

[lansplaining]

Perhaps cheating, but for the friendship meme—JL&JGY, 2, 4, &5?

if it is cheating, i like it

My favorite scene of them

It has to be the memory of JGY giving Fairy to Jin Ling. It's comes at such an essential point in the story, and paints JGY in such a sweet, silly, human light-- pretending to be terrified of Jin Ling's tantrum! Coming up with a silly lie because Jin Ling is a baby and yet already too proud to accept pity! And that this is the memory Jin Ling turns to when he needs to reassure himself that his uncle did love him: JGY was the one person who saw him, who didn't run away from him when he was too difficult to deal with, who thought about the kind of help he could realistically provide that wouldn't just make things worse. And we from the outside know (and I think Jin Ling will realize someday, too) that at this point they were both very alone in Koi Tower, and despite all the constraints on his actions and (one assumes) his ability to have a relationship with Jin Ling while Mme Jin was still alive, he still was the only person who reached out to try to connect with a sad little boy.

My favorite thing about them

They love each other!!! I realize this is basically the same answer as above, but it would be so easy for JGY's relationship with Jin Ling to be the Secret Hint that he's Bad Actually. I see lots of dumb headcanons or implications in fic that he was intentionally raising Jin Ling to be a spoiled brat so that nobody would want him to be sect leader, which is stupid for a multitude of reasons-- not least because JGY is clearly not in some kind of regency position, he's the full-on sect leader and Jin Ling is now his heir and he knows perfectly well is the only heir he'll ever have-- and also just demonstrably not what's happening. He tries to give Jin Ling advice, but like with so many kids and their parental figures, Jin Ling ignores it, or it doesn't suit his personality, or whatever. Maybe this is really just what I love about MXTX, which is that she resists the cliche and easy interpretation of a given relationship at almost every turn, but I love how it is expressed in this instance particularly.

A scene I wish we had of them

Hmmm this is tricky. I think... it would be really interesting to see the scene where Jin Ling is telling JGY about all the things he encountered while running around-- the stuff with the Nie Tomb, in particular. Obviously JGY's more than capable of hiding whatever internal freak-out he's having, but I'd love a scene of him fretting over Jin Ling whilst also trying to fish more clues out of him.

[pantheon-god-of-war]

The Ruination: Pantheon vs Viego

So I will start my discussion of the Ruination storyline with ranting about Pantheon vs Viego and how that exchange was rather dull and dumb, proving to be a complete discredit to Pantheon's story and character.

Firstly, Atreus now hates the gods, he is an antitheist, he believes in the gods and knows they are real, BUT thinks they are assholes who poison men's souls with power, beings not to be trusted that he would rather slay than ally with. Yet when Viego scales the mountain he is at the peak defending Targon prime at the very tip from Viegos advances. What is he doing there? Why is he defending the creatures he hates? Why didn't he fight the ruination down where the Targonian people are? That would be his place, where he belongs, defending those that this ruinous power befalls. Not defending the aspects.

On the aspects, it is said that the Arbiter upon Targons peak blasts everyone not worthy and that the skies themselves turn against any who climb mount Targon. How the fuck has Viego not been blasted to celestial dust by some heavenly might. This guy literally breaks the rules of Targon, is a threat and has no reason to not be forcibly removed. If Pantheon had been in control his presence upon the peak would have made sense, as to ward off Viego, but with it being Atreus it feels so lackluster. Targons credibility and power are also completely swept under the rug because all the sentinels just manage to climb the mountain like that. It took Atreus months and was a mentally wrecking experience for Taric, but the SoL just happily climb and get a little tired like they were on a Sunday hike. It's completely stupid.

I absolutely hate the way Pantheon got ruined. Defeated by Viego of all things in single combat and then stabbed with a sword. How could pampered little bitch boy Viego ever stand up to someone who lives and breathes war, someone who defeated Aatrox? Atreus entire life was one continuous and arduous challenge of his own skills, where he got knocked down, got back up and kept on fighting, training harder and hard. His story is one of resilience and grit more so than Leona's ever was even if she is the tank. In not period in time did Atreus ever rest, his life was saturated with combat to the very core. He was trained from a young age by Rakkor elders to fight on vs ten, to never surrender and that war was the most glorious way of worship and the ultimate art form. It makes absolutely no sense that someone like that should lose to Viego, Atreus should physically be stronger and better versed with combat than Viego, their both inhuman, but I would always argue that the power of the stars is the greatest force there is and that anything that originates from Runeterra must bow its head to the cosmic might of the stars. So power-wise Atreus should have way more than Viego. Viego during his lifetime was a pampered rich kid infatuated with Isolde, where did he learn how to fight? It is stated quite often that Viego was never meant to be king, he was the second in line and should never have sat on the throne enjoying life like an absolutely spoiled brat. He never cared about politics and likely also never was one for training because he just comes off as a carefree spoiled child that just does what he pleases, and combat training isn't really fun, especially if done right. Even IF Viego took a liking to sword fighting the royal barracks of Camavor could never prepare him for war like the Rakkor and their constant culling through combat. It is quite safe to assume that Viego didn't train his combat skills in the afterlife because with undeath he already had his powers that then make his life so much easier, why train hand-to-hand combat if you can just ruin everyone with mist. I know he is a fighter in-game, but so is Draven, Riven etc, and Pantheon steamrolled all over them without ease, even Atreus would imo.

The issue isn't that Pantheon got ruined, it's HOW he got ruined, and being bested by Viego in a duel is the ONE way he should not have gotten beaten. Viego just swats away Pantheon's spear, one of the few weapons that could easily kill him, that spear kills aspects, darkin and works much like the world ender blade, anything to gores stays dead. Yet Viego just smacks it aside after learning that Atreus isn't an aspect, just a man. Also if you disarm someone's weapon that does not mean their defenses are DOWN. Not when they have a SHIELD and Pantheon has this notorious ability to be immune to damage? He has an eternal called faultless defense, where he uses his shield, but here when he only has his shield left he just stands there and takes the sword to the chest. I mean look at Captain America, how that guy fights with only a shield, that big ass clunky sword is NEVER going to get near Pantheon so long he has his shield, and then he can summon his spear back to his hand so it's not like he actively has to go an retrieve it, he can focus on emo bitch boy in front of him.

Have Viego use some dirty tricks. Use the mist to douse Atreus in mind-numbing pain and then take over his weakened body, use those ghouls to swarm him and wear him down to then send the mist at him to ruin him, but not in a one on one, Pantheon would absolutely wreck Viego combat wise, yes Viego is powerful, but that is not because of his combat prowess, it is because of his following, it is because of his mind-controlling powers and the legions of wraiths that are immune to most things and can just swarm the enemy like a dark tide. There are ways to ruin most champions, much like Batman took out the JL, (by using their weakness against them) but to suggest that Viego can beat the aspect of war in single combat is simply bad writing.

[trensu]

Episode 34: The One where Detective Wangxian is on the Case!

WWX IS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE!!

From Fairy the wonder dog, lol. The pupper just looks so pleased to be chasing after wwx.

Poor wwx gets himself cornered tho and jin ling looks all smug about it, the little brat

OMG I AM D Y I N G

Wwx: LAN ZHAN HELP MEEEEE

Lwj: *backflips into the scene with his scabbard held high totally ready to throw down with a kid*

Chill out, lwj, the kid’s like twelve

And as soon as lwj places himself in front of wwx to protect him from the big bad kid, wwx LATCHES ON TO HIM, 

GRIPPING LWJ’S SHOULDERS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT

AND HE’S ALL PRESSED UP AGAINST HIS BACK 

AHHHHHHHH

But lol, jin ling seems to seriously be weighing his options here?

Like, hmm, this is the great hanguang-jun so my odds aren’t the best but i got fairy the wonder dog and also my dad’s awesome Magic Ghost-Busting sword so…

Wwx: i’m so glad you’re here!

This is when lwj notices that wwx is actually cowering from the dog, not the child, and lwj levels a glare at the dog. Like, he really Glares at fairy.

Fairy NOPES right out of there bc animals have better self-preservation instincts than humans

Jin ling lets out this cute little gasp when fairy ditches him and then he glares at lwj

(pretty ballsy move coming from a kid, tbh)

Lwj, obvs, is completely unfazed and just gives him a cold stare in return

THEN JIN LING POUTS LIKE THE ADORABLE BRAT HE IS AND KICKS AT SOME BASKETS BEFORE STORMING OFF

LOVE THAT KID

(i mean, if i met a kid like that irl i’d probably hate his spoiled little guts, BUT BC THIS IS MAKE-BELIEVE I CAN ENJOY HIS BRATTY BEHAVIOR LOLOLOL)

Once the dog is gone, wwx makes this nervous little giggle (SO FREAKING CUTE) and peels himself off of lwj

Pretty sure lwj is like wait no come back, but like internally bc god forbid he express himself verbally

Wwx goes back to the mountebank and starts interrogating him about Plot Things

We’re gonna ignore all that chitchat and just watch his pretty face get all animated in detective mode

*dreamy sigh* wwx, so pretty so pretty

Lwj hasn’t stopped staring at him this whole time either! I FEEL YOU BRO

AHHHH WE SEE NHS BEING ALL MR. KNOW-NOTHING

“I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T KNOW, I REALLY DON’T KNOW. PLEASE DON’T ASK ME ME. I REALLY DON’T KNOW ANYTHING.”

LOVE THAT GUY

GIVE HIM AN ANCIENT FANTASY CHINA OSCAR.

Now we’re in a forest! This is MUCH better than the last time we were in a forest!!

OUR BOYS ARE WALKING SIDE BY SIDE TOGETHER LIKE THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE AND I AM OVERJOYED

They’re chatting about the nie bros, like omg can’t believe nhs is sect leader and his big brother dropped dead???

SUDDENLY THERE’S BARKING!

Wwx: DOG!!

AND IMMEDIATELY DUCKS BEHIND LWJ, GRIPPING HIS UPPER ARMS LIKE HIS LIFE DEPENDS ON IT

HE’S MAKING HIMSELF ALL SMALL BEHIND HIS HANDSOME HEROIC SOULMATE WHO WILL DEF PROTECT HIM FROM ALL THE BIG MEAN DOGS IN THE WORLD

Lwj: wei ying, there’s no dogs here

Omg wwx is clinging so close that his chin brushes up against lwj’s shoulder aND I AM SWOONING

Oh, but he lets go, all embarrassed and awkward

Lwj gives him a Look

Wwx: don’t look at me like that

Lwj: why are you afraid of dogs?

Wwx: don’t ask me why either

HE SOUNDS SO CUTE AND SULKY SAYING THAT AND HE’S GOT A LITTLE POUT

AND I’M JUST LIKE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SO CUTE I’M GONNA DIE

Lwj is a perfect gentleman tho bc he just accepts that wwx doesn’t want to talk about the dog thing and goes on ahead

But before lwj can get even 3 steps away, wws LUNGES for him and grabs his arm

Wwx: lan zhan! Alright, i’ll tell you, i’ll say it

He says this like lwj twisted his arm and forced him to or smth lol

Wwx: i was a street kid when i was little and often had to fight stray dogs for food

POOR BB!WWX :( :( :(

Wwx: thankfully jfm took me to lotus pier but he also made jc send away his puppers, just like i made jin ling do…

Wwx: they really live up to their blood; he hates me so much. Just like jc.

HE SOUNDS SO SADDDD

And then he sighs like resigned to the fact that his brother will hate him forever??? WHICH HURTS ME SO MUCH, LET MY YUNMENG BROS RECONCILE AND BE HAPPY, DAMN IT

Wwx: lan zhan, let’s go

2 seconds later he hears barking again

Wwx freAKING YANKS LWJ IN FRONT OF HIM AND THEN COWERS BEHIND HIM IN THE MOST ADORABLE WAY

Wwx: that really is a dog, right??

HE CLINGS SO TIGHTLY TO LWJ’S ARMS, I CAN’T

Lwj: it’s still far. Why are you hiding?

He asks like he's not absolutely LOVING having wwx cling to him

We get a wonderful close up shot of wwx’s face here, so please take a moment to admire it (so pretty, so pretty, i love him!!)

Wwx: just let me hide!!

Lwj: *lets him hide* it sounds like jin ling’s wonder dog. It’s barking, something must’ve happened

Wwx: let’s...let’s take a look?

Awww, wwx stutters that out and he’s all pale with fear but he’s still willing to go investigate BC HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE HIS NEPHEW IS SAFE DESPITE THE BIG SCARY DOG

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH

Wwx: h-hanguang jun, move. How can i move if you don’t move?

BC HE’S STILL ALL CROUCHED BEHIND HIM, SO CUTE SO CUTE

Lwj purses his lips here and looks back at wwx

Lwj: let go of me first

It comes off as kind of annoyed BUT WE ALL KNOW HE’S JUST UPSET THAT WWX IS GONNA HAVE TO UN-CLING FROM HIM

And now we get beautiful close up shots of wwx’s hands gripped ever so tightly on lwj’s fancy white outer robes and watch as they very reluctantly loosen and let go

He’s laughing all nervously aND CRINKLES HIS NOSE WITH A BASHFUL SMILE AND I’M GONNA DIE FROM THE CUTE OMG

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH

HAVE I MENTIONED?? BC I DO. SO VERY MUCH.

As soon as lwj forges ahead, wwx grabs him by the shoulders again and follows close behind lol

Oh great, more fog in a forest

Wwx: this is a disorientation trap! It must’ve been set by a human

Lwj: looks like the legends of walker ridge are not unfounded

(oh yeah, plot thing about a man-eating ridge which is why we’re in the forest)

Wwx: lan zhan look!

AND NOW WE GET TO WATCH THEM WORK TOGETHER

I LOVE WATCHING THEM WORK TOGETHER

LOOK AT THEM BEING BEAUTIFUL AND IN LOVE AND DETECTIVE-ING ALL OVER THE PLACE

And now we’re at a mysterious creepy bunker in the middle of the forest!

Fairy barks again and wwx hides behind lwj AGAIN and everything IS GREAT

Wwx: why can i hear the dog but not see it???

Lwj: the disorientation trap must be keeping it out

Wwx: would jin ling be kept out by the trap too??

Lwj: nah, if jin ling were out, the dog wouldn’t be freaking out

Wwx: makes sense *does that nose tap thing THAT I LOVE* sooo how do we get in?

Lwj goes to investigate and wwx lunges for him again

Wwx: ah! Lan zhan, wait for me!!

I AM LOVING EVERY SECOND OF THIS

Our boys find that the bunker’s been busted open and figure that jin ling must’ve done it so they go inside to look for him

We hear screechy noises of resentful energy

Oh no! Wwx gets all woozy from it!

Lwj: how is it?

Wwx: noisy

HE KEEPS HAVING TO PAUSE TO CATCH HIMSELF, MY POOR SUNSHINE BOY

Oh, he pulls out the evil-detecting compass to help guide them through the bunker

Following the compass, following the compass, compass tick tick ticks away

BLADES SHRINE

WE’VE ARRIVED AT THE BLADES SHRINE

Wwx starts calling out for his nephew and he and lwj start cracking open caskets like graverobbers, shame on them!

Wwx: weird. Why are they all blades?

GUQIN TIME

I LOVE GUQIN TIME

IT’S INQUIRY GUQIN TIME!! EVEN MORE FUN!!!

Wwx gets all excited: you’re associating with the spirit?

Lwj: *nods* he’s here

Wwx: ask him for me - what is this place, what is it for, built by whom?

Omg wwx take it easy, one question at a time plz

Ofc lwj just goes ahead and does exactly as his wei ying asks him

The guqin lets out a couple of notes from the spirit (FOREVER THE COOLEST WAY TO COMMUNE WITH SPIRITS)

Wwx: what did he say?

Lwj: idk

Wwx: ??????

Lwj: the spirit said ‘i don’t know’

Wwx: good for you lan zhan, you even know how to make me speechless now

Lwj keeps playing his guqin for answers

EEEEEEEEEE WWX JUST CLIMBS UP AND PLOPS HIMSELF ON TOP OF THE COFFIN THAT’S HOLDING LWJ’S GUQIN AND JUST SCOOTS HIMSELF CLOSER TO LWJ

I LOVE MY SUNSHINE BOY

So they keep interrogating the spirit and find out that the spirit knows nothing

Wwx: a spirit confined here and he knows nothing? It’s the first time i’ve ever seen a spirit like that

Wwx: lan zhan, could the spirit be...nhs?

HE SAYS WITH A HUGE SUNNY SMILE ON HIS FACE AAAAAAHHHHHH I LOVE HIM SO MUCH

Wwx: lol jk, don’t mind me. Lan zhan, how about asking it’s gender. He should know this

Lwj: male

Wwx: FINALLY a decent answer

They keep asking questions and determine that jin ling is in fact in the room even tho they haven’t seen him anywhere!

Wwx: could the spirit be lying??

Lwj: i’m here. He can’t lie.

Look, i know he means it bc spirits can’t lie through inquiry or whatever but i LOVE the implication that people simply cannot lie in the presences of the great hanguang jun

Lwj starts guqin’ing again while wwx searches the blades shrine again

We get a shot from outside the bunker and see the robes of a ~mysterious figure~

Ooooh, and we get an absolutely GORGEOUS close up shot of lwj’s eye (lovin that eyebrow, man) as he listens to the spirit’s response

Wwx: what did you ask him?

Lwj: his age and where he’s from

Wwx: what did he say?

Lwj: 16, lanling

WORRIED UNCLE!WWX (also, i guess jl is not twelve, but whatever)

Aaaanndd we find out jin ling is inside the wall of the blades shrine!

Lwj goes and cuts the wall to pieces with bichen like a badass

And wwx immediately starts digging his little nephew out

HE’S SO WORRIED FOR HIM

He’s calling his name out and lwj goes and gives the boy some spiritual energy since he’s all unconscious from being stuck in a wall

Lol while lwj is doing that, wwx grabs bichen and starts poking it into the dirt

Seems kinda disrespectful to bichen, if you ask me...but lwj and bichen don’t seem to mind so whatever

Wwx gets all woozy from the resentful spiritual energy again

He’s starting to piece things together when jin ling suddenly wakes up (kinda)

Jin ling like, zombie-walks himself back into the wall

Lwj and wwx look at each other like what the heck??

They decide they probably shouldn’t stick around so get out of the bunker

They spot someone running away from the area and wwx is like go catch them, lan zhan!

Lwj: i’ll go. You and jin ling…

And wwx is all, i’ll get him out of here and we can meet up at the tavern after

Lwj stares at him BC HE DOESN’T WANT TO LEAVE HIS SIDE, HE JUST GOT HIM BACK LAST EPISODE!!

But wwx is like, lan zhan go catch the bad guy before he gets away!

Wwx: i’ll be there. Lan zhan, take care

Chase scene!

Huh, nhs is pretty nimble on his feet, isn’t he?

Lwj chucks bichen at him but only manages to slice off a piece of his robes

THAT’S SOME NICE LOOKING FABRIC THO

I’D BE MAD AS HELL IF SOMEONE CARELESSLY SLICED UP MY GOOD FABRIC LIKE THAT OMG

Oooh, wwx got jin ling back to his room and noticed a curse mark on jin ling’s leg

He pulls open jl’s robes to see if the mark spread to his chest (it hasn’t)

Ofc jin ling wakes up just as wwx finishes doing that

Jl: whAT ARE YOU DOING WHY ARE YOU TAKING OFF MY CLOTHES

Good boy, jl, that is exactly how you should react if some strange guy tries to undress you when you’re unconscious

Wwx: why are you freaking out bro, i just saved you from that man-eating wall

And jl is all IMMA KILL YOU!!

And wwx is like been there done that, don’t really want a repeat…

Wwx sees jl’s jade lotus pendant and asks him about it

Jl: my mother left me this! Don’t touch it!!

See, jl is such a brat but then these little moments happen and i just want to hug him and bundle him up in blankets and make him hot chocolate…

HE’S SO STARVED FOR LOVING FAMILY AND AFFECTION, THAT POOR KID ;_;

We get a flashback to jyl giving wwx a similar pendant and wwx clutches at his robes in AGONY at the memory

Lol

Jl uses this moment to put on his boots and FUCKING BOOK IT RIGHT OUTTA THERE

GOOD FOR YOU KID, GOOD FOR YOU

DEF THE RIGHT RESPONSE AFTER ALMOST GETTING UNDRESSED BY SOME STRANGE MASKED DUDE

Cut to street view, wwx is wandering around trying to find jin ling but instead he hears jc’s voice and dives for the first hiding place he can find

LOL I LOVE LISTENING TO JC AND JL INTERACT

Jc is scolding jl ofc

Jl: don’t grab me like that, i’m not a 3yo!!

Jc: you think i can’t discipline you now?? EVEN IF YOU’RE 30, I CAN STILL DISCIPLINE YOU

Omg this is freaking hilarious, i love these two

Then jc asks him where Fairy is

Wwx is all smug thinking to himself: lan zhan must have driven it away

And the world is like, PSYCH FAIRY’S ACTUALLY RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU

Wwx almost avoided a jc encounter

He would’ve gotten away with it too if it weren’t for that meddling dog

At least we get to see jc use zidian. I love zidian.

We get a big reveal scene and jc finds out that mo xuanyu is Wei Wuxian, surprise!!

Oh no, sad/angry yunmeng bro time (I MISS MY HAPPY YUNMENG BRO TIMES, GIVE THOSE BACK)

They’re back at an inn or whatever and jc is really just tearing into wwx

We’re not gonna go into detail except for this bit - 

Jc: 16 years...and lan wangji STILL wants to protect you

He’s so mad

It’s giving me Emotions™

Jc: maybe he’s not doing this to protect you. Someone with such integrity couldn’t possibly tolerate you. Maybe he had a deal with the guy who saved you.

Wwx: JC! Watch your language!

LOOK AT HIM DEFEND HIS SOULMATE FROM SLANDER

Yikes, they keep arguing and jfc they really know how to hit where it hurts, don’t they?

A wild Jin Ling appears!!

He lies through his teeth to JC. like yeah, i totally saw wen ning in an abandoned shack really really far away from here, for real :D

Now jin ling is in charge of guarding wwx after jc ties him up with zidian (seriously the COOLEST spiritual tool)

Jin ling takes it right off 

I LOVE THAT THE ZIDIAN LISTENS TO JIN LING OMG

We get a lot of fun uncle wwx and nephew jin ling interaction here bc jin ling helps wwx escape into the forest

Oh look, another moment that makes me like jin ling

He helps wwx escape since wwx saved him from the killer wall

He has honor!

Also wwx apologizes to jl here for that time he stuck his foot in his mouth way back at the start of the series

Wwx demonstrates his A+ acting skills by pretending to have been caught by jc and jl whirls around in a panic and wwx knocks him out

He inspects the curse mark on jl and is all, hmmm, can’t undo that curse rn but i can totally transfer it onto myself to save my nephew

And that’s the end of the episode!

LOOK AT ALL THE QUALITY WANGXIANTICS WE GOT!!!

THANK GOD, WE DEF DESERVE IT AFTER ALL THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE WE ENDURED IN THE LAST FEW EPISODES

*hugs episode to their chest, sobbing* I’VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH, DON’T EVER LEAVE ME AGAIN

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