#like unintended caricature

[turtleblogatlast]

Here’s a thought-

When Splinter says Leo’s the leader at the end of Season 2…pretty sure he was joking.

After so many high stakes and high emotions, he (a bit cluelessly) makes a joke to add some levity, just to make things a bit easier for he and his sons to digest everything that happened. It was a lot that happened, so it makes sense that Splinter wants to make things that much softer for everyone.

But- making a joke like that, after everything they all just went through…I can definitely see how the events of the movie pave out in response.

For example, by joking about Leo in particular having the responsibility of a leader, that puts him directly in the sight of Raph’s building anxieties. Because after everything, it’s clear that Raph really started taking the hero name seriously to the point that he started undermining his own fun and childhood in the process. So in the eyes of a Raph who is so worried about what could happen if they’re not prepared again, Leo in particular kind of stands almost as a point of danger in that aspect.

And with the joke of Leo “leading” in any capacity ringing out over them, it’s easy to blame Leo and Leo alone whenever he goes and goofs off with Mikey and Donnie. I think as well that the concept of a leader being spoken after the Shredder just pushes more weight on Raph’s shoulders and makes him realize how much goofing off they did before when they should have been better heroes (despite them all just being kids...)

Raph knows his brothers are good, he knows and has pride in them and himself in turn, but it terrifies him to know that they won’t be ready for the next big threat, and Leo directly going against this caution even more than usual just pushes Raph to want to try more.

As for Leo- keep in mind what happened all throughout “Many Unhappy Returns.” Keep in mind what happened all throughout the series in general. In the former, Splinter more than once points out how he would rather have his other sons with him than Leo, especially because they “would take this seriously”…even though Leo was taking it seriously. (Not that Splinter should be expected to read what Leo was doing when Leo wasn’t making his plans clear, but that wording sticks with kids.) Even after Leo’s plan pulled through, Raph’s the one who spoke in trust of Leo, not Splinter.

As for what happens in the series in general…well, we see Leo mess up a lot, apologize a lot, get his brothers out of messes a lot, and even when he does well or is responsible it’s either glossed over or still seen as goofing off (no I will never be over that moment where Leo almost got Gus’s tags and got screwed over out of pure bad luck.)

So imagine hearing a joke like that as Leo, who for a good chunk of especially the start of the series has been a lowkey voice of reason. The idea that Leo being responsible for the team is nothing but a joke…? It’s understandable that it could feel like a blow, that it could push him to want to try less.

Especially after everything they just went through.

They’re heroes. | They’re kids.

Why shouldn’t they care? | Why should they care?

[zadr-day]

Why ZaDr?

Think of every worthwhile rival ship that has ever existed; dip it in a poison coating of cynical worldbuilding, sprinkle it with a topping of shunned existence, and let the devil kiss it with a waxy pair of slimy, scifi alien lips. Only then, will you  have yourself a sample of what ZaDr has to offer. These characters are compelling in themselves; one being a bizarre and paranormal obsessed clone of Earth's greatest scientific mind, the other a malfunctioning spaztic robot ant from beyond the stars. Each of them ostracized, for one reason or another, largely by virtue of their own passionate past mistakes.Those mistakes, failed efforts to be seen as worthwhile, to be praised, to be loved. But then you set them against each other, as enemies. As mirrored foils. Neither of them in the right, gray morality reigns supreme as they are  purely obsessed with their own selfish reasons for self aggrandizement. Anything “good” that might happen as a result of their actions is always cast in the light of unintended circumstance. The true fight is with reality itself, while the sharp end of that crushing conflict is pointed towards the only one who could possibly understand what they’re going through. In the world of Invader Zim, every mentor, leader, parental figure, teacher, adult, child and Invader, feels more real by virtue of misanthropic absurdity. Their inability to provide the support and guidance for the main characters to function in a healthy way, is so very like the absence of nurturing many people feel in their youth. To anyone who has experienced life at its worst growing up, these caricatures of the real world provide a powerful sense of being seen. There is something radical about a story that isn’t written with any other moral than “ this living in society shit sucks”. That speaks to people, and continues to speak to me. ZaDr has always smacked of tragedy, in that you know things will end badly for everyone involved, but it’s still impossible to look away as everything is set ablaze. Two headstrong protagonists, locked in a battle of opposing wills and addictive delusion. It makes the sweetness sweeter, it makes the pains of grand fantasy ache deeper, knowing that these two characters are ultimately fighting losing battles for pitiful reasons.The denial of personal failure, the stubbornness to find purpose. In all of reality, all they truly have is each other. To see that dynamic and ship them is to say that love is possible even in the most dire of circumstances. Time and time again I find myself returning to ZaDr. I think something about the dynamic speaks to the part of us that knows things are wrong and that the fight against it is worthwhile. And that struggle, while futile, can still hold a tremendous amount of personal importance. It speaks to failing, and having the strength to get back up to try again. No matter the odds. For a pairing hated by its own creator, the fixation that Zim and Dib have on each other is an undeniable magnetism seen by the fandom since the launch of the cartoon, all the way back in 2001. This ship has staying power, and after over two decades has failed to fall into total obscurity.  Those touched by its effects have gone on to create resonant, deeply meaningful works. This blog, and the posts that I make on the topic, are my way of giving back to the ZaDr community. By displaying the stories of triumph and tragedy put forward by the IZ community, I hope to welcome new fans and give back to long standing fans by providing a living archive and blog space. I look forward to sharing the wonderful talents of so many artists with you all. Happy first ZaDr day of many

[renardtrickster]

Is it just me or does it feel like more and more people are becoming principally opposed to the idea of "it sounds/looks silly but it's actually pretty deep/mature once you engage with it"?

Like the dreaded Children's Cartoon Discourse always had a subtle edge of "it's meant for kids so it can't be that mature" with the unintended prescriptive argument that kid's shows shouldn't try to be that and should just be slop. I saw I comic about Palworld (I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF OR OPINIONS ON THIS GAME) the other day and regardless of any of the game's qualities (note my aforementioned lack of opinions or knowledge) the main argument they seemed to be making was "people keep telling me it's surprisingly smart for what it is but Pokemon With Guns sounds like a middle school joke, why are they lying to me". Not to mention the tons of vaguepost comics on this site where someone doesn't like some show so they make fun of it by making caricatures of the fans say stupid stuff like "no but this scene really speaks to Mr. Piss' trauma they alluded to in season 2, and the fact that Mr. Shit picks up on that speaks to his complex characterization".

I will admit my biases in that I have an innate respect for works that have serious, dramatic elements but either mix them in with the goofier stuff or don't "present" as serious (e.g. why did this shitpost/tiddy game make me cry, Weeaboo Katana Gamer Man who screams swear words is the most thematically and psychologically interesting man in the series, the sheer fact that most anime and JRPGs do look and sound pretty stupid but by jove there's Good Writing in there). But even with my brainrot pushed to the side, I'm not the only one picking up on this, right? Are we actually doing this. Can we save art by implying that if anything is goofy, crass, or twee it's actually devoid of artistic merit and unworthy of further introspection. Will I have a better chance of finding "serious art" by looking for media that tells me it's very serious and artistic and will only appeal to serious and artistic people. Surely "seeking True Art and defending the sanctity thereof by turning my nose up at the lumpenprole and their Vulgar Art" has historically been a successful and fruitful endeavor.

[nyushkawritesstuff]

Crafting Authentic Slavic Characters: A Guide to Avoid Stereotypes and Embrace Diversity

A/N: I've been informed that people who have nothing on their blog can be mistaken for bots, so I decided to make one about something I'm really passionate about, as a Montenegrin woman. So sit back and enjoy :) (Keep in mind that I've never written a blog before, not even in my native language, so excuse any mistakes.)

Dear writers and storytellers,

As we dive into the art of character creation, it's essential to recognize the significance of crafting Slavic characters authentically and respectfully. Our stories have the power to challenge stereotypes and foster cultural understanding. This guide aims to provide a balanced perspective on what to do and what not to do when developing Slavic characters.

1. Do Research Thoroughly: Invest time in researching Slavic cultures, languages, history, and traditions. The more you know, the better you can authentically represent Slavic characters.

2. Don't Rely on Stereotypes: Avoid portraying Slavic characters solely through stereotypes like the "Russian villain" or "stoic Eastern European." Break away from these clichés.

3. Do Embrace Diversity: Recognize the diversity within the Slavic region. Slavic culture varies greatly from one country to another, so consider this when creating characters.

4. Don't Use Accents as a Crutch: Avoid heavy phonetic accents in dialogue, as they can come across as caricatures. Instead, convey their origin through subtle language choices.

5. Do Develop Complex Personalities: Slavic characters, like any others, should have multi-dimensional personalities, aspirations, and flaws. Make them relatable.

6. Don't Overdo "Tragic Backstories": While adversity can make a character compelling, avoid making every Slavic character's life a never-ending tragedy.

7. Do Consult Sensitively: If you're not from a Slavic background, consider seeking input from individuals who are. Be respectful and willing to learn.

8. Don't Fetishize Culture: Avoid reducing Slavic culture to exotic or mystical elements. Portray it respectfully, not as a novelty.

9. Do Challenge Prejudices: Use your writing to challenge stereotypes and prejudices, both within your story and in your readers' minds.

10. Don't Make All Slavic Characters the Same: Not every Slavic character should conform to a specific mold. Showcase their individuality.

11. Do Address Historical Context: If your story involves historical events or themes, handle them with sensitivity and accuracy.

12. Don't Neglect Positive Representations: While conflict can be a central theme, don't forget to include positive Slavic characters who contribute to the narrative in meaningful ways.

13. Do Avoid Cultural Appropriation: Use cultural elements respectfully and with proper context, avoiding appropriation or misrepresentation.

14. Don't Make Language Mistakes: If using Slavic languages in your writing, ensure they are used correctly to avoid unintended errors or offense.

15. Do Humanize Your Characters: At the core of it all, Slavic characters are human beings. Treat them with the same care, depth, and humanity you would any other character.

16. Don't Be Complacent: Writing authentic Slavic characters is an ongoing process. Continuously educate yourself and be open to feedback.

In conclusion, dear writers, crafting Slavic characters that break free from stereotypes and embrace diversity is not just a creative endeavor but a moral one. As storytellers, we have the power to shape perceptions and promote cultural understanding. By following these guidelines and committing to respectful and nuanced representation, we can contribute to a more inclusive and vibrant literary landscape.

Let's embark on this journey together, armed with knowledge and empathy, and create characters that truly reflect the rich tapestry of the Slavic experience.

You're also free to ask *me* any questions, if you have them and would like an answer from someone who's actually Slavic.

With sincerity and resolve,

Nyushka, a certified Slavic person :)

[defectivegembrain]

So generally I'm of the unpopular opinion that season four of Community is pretty good actually. Like I like most of the episodes in it, and it's definitely better than seasons five and six. But one part where you can really feel the absence of Dan Harmon is in some of the portrayal of Abed. Like, say what you want about that man, but an actual autistic person is important to writing an autistic character.

Like this is the season where you get Abed describing himself as "emotionless" (while literally displaying emotions). You get Troy of all people saying he has "no emotional hangups" (which is the only part of Basic Human Anatomy I dislike). And then there's fucking Conventions of Space and Time.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the episode. It's funny and sweet for the trobed content, and the detail put into the convention is really cool. But first of all, we get Troy hiding that he's sleeping with Britta because Abed's "fragile"? I mean he can't be both fragile and free of emotional hangups, make up your mind. But it's out of character for Troy to be condescending like that. Anyone else I would buy doing that. But Troy?

More than that, I feel somewhat uncomfortable about the Toby thing? We get another character who's supposed to be neurodivergent, probably autistic, but he's...like that. He's a caricature of the worst autistic nerd guys with their heads up their asses about it. And they do exist, it's just...coming from most likely allistic writers (I am speaking generally, obviously I do not know their individual situations) and being the only rep apart from Abed...it feels off. Especially since Abed acts more like that around him.

Toby refers to neurotypicals in a derogatory way (and also I really would not put Troy in that category but that's another thing lol). He talks about them getting distracted by "marriage, kids, competitive cooking shows"...as if any of those are things autistic people can't be interested in?

Abed ultimately does not take the bullshit, but his counter argument is just as grating. "Maybe all relationships are made up of logical inspectors and emotional constables, and we need both to make space and time a better place."

Like. First of all, that has the unfortunate (I'm guessing and hoping unintended) implication that autistic people somehow can't have relationships with each other, and need an allistic person to make it work? Which, uh, no.

And then also uses this weird stereotype that all autistic people are logical and unemotional. Which is bullshit both irl and in the fictional situation being addressed. Toby is a guy who decided that someone was his soulmate based on an email and decided to hold that person captive when he refused to go live with him immediately. That's definitely not logical.

And while Abed can be logical about some things, he's also, you know, a guy who thinks he can predict his future using a bunch of cardboard tubes and would have gotten his legs broken for debts if left to his own devices. And hallucinates when he feels abandoned. Like he is full of emotion and impulses and all that does not actually contradict the ways he tries to systematically analyse things and be practical in other ways. It all fits together, that kind of nuance is how people are, including autistic people. And all that existing in the same person is one of the best things about his character and just...someone in the writing process did not get that.

[cacaonnoisseur]

Chocolate in Modern Times: Expansion of Consumption and New Social Identity

Advertisements are made in order to catch the attention of the consumer, and to do this advertisers must appeal to the public in ways that they will respond to. Because of this fact, companies will hand craft their advertisements to their target audience in an effort to earn the audience’s patronage. An unintended consequence of this practice is that while trying to appeal to the public, advertisers can give us insight into the collective mindset regarding different groups of people in the time periods from which the ads originate. Using chocolate advertisements from major chocolate companies in Europe and the US, we can achieve a better understanding of how women and foreign peoples who produce chocolate are characterized by the greater public.

Perhaps the most common subject of chocolate advertising is women, who have long been associated with chocolate for numerous reasons. As advertising was popularized in the late 19th and early 20th century, women were depicted in domestic roles, making chocolate or serving chocolate to their loving husbands and children. Women were shown nourishing their loved ones with chocolate, fulfilling the expected role of women in the early 20th century to be servants to their families above all else.(1) Real women of that time would likely see these advertisements as an appeal to their interests, as this scene was likely similar to their own lives, but inversely this would reaffirm a woman’s notion of her role as a caretaker above all else. Passively, advertisements can guide the self-image of the demographics depicted in them, which will make this self-image more real and more common among that demographic. In this way, advertisements are highlighting the perceived image of a group and cyclically reinforcing that notion. 

This can work for a change in image as well, such as when advertisements normalize otherwise taboo ideologies. Further into the twentieth century, advertisements began depicting women in the workplace, as the first half of the century saw women move increasingly into the public sphere. Voices of both positive and negative reactions to this fact were expressed in chocolate advertisements, but in both cases, more eyes and brains were processing the broader message: change was taking place, whether they liked it or not.(2) 

The principle of examination through representation can also be applied to Africans who lived on cacao plantations and labored to supply massive corporations with product for cheap. Because the creators of advertisements in Europe were giving a completely speculative view on Africans, as they had likely never been to Africa, the depictions of native laborers are made up of caricatures and falsehoods. There is an odd commonality between many advertisements in which black African bodies are equated to chocolate itself, dedicated entirely to the enjoyment of whites. In other ads where Africans are shown as people, they are still in roles of servitude, either as butlers or farm workers. The big smiles always on their faces complete the image that chocolate companies used to sell their products: Africans are primitive people who are thrilled to be saved and serving white Europeans and Americans.(3) Ads featuring Africans show us how companies can shape the images that the public has of other cultures as well as our own.

Through commercial advertising, we give our innermost impression of others and the world around us. Advertisements are intended for a wide audience, and so they summarize the public identity of those that are featured. Paying attention to those on the lower rungs of the social ladder, women and African laborers, it is clear that advertisements give us a unique view into the public opinion on the people of our society. 

Patricia Juarez-Dappe, “Chocolate in Modern Times: Consumption,” YouTube video, 38:29, September 1st, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPnNFLuQIj0

Juarez-Dappe, “Chocolate in Modern Times: Consumption”

Juarez-Dappe, “Chocolate in Modern Times: Consumption”

[phercynoya]

We’re Alone in This Together

Some spoilers for the play The Reconciliation Dinner.

The last national elections felt like it drove a divisive wedge between our intimate connections. Ties were severed. Walls were raised. Those happen as the ego tries to keep itself safe in a social environment where hostility is encouraged and monetized.

The one-act play “The Reconciliation Dinner” written by Floy Quintos revolves around these themes. The bond between two families slowly eroded as their political positions placed them in two separate sides. Dina (Stella Cañete-Mendoza) tries her best to reconnect with her best friend Susan (Frances Makil-Ignacio) and her husband Fred (Jojo Cayabyab) after a tense exchange over dinner left a sour taste in their mouths and the ensuing cold war of words and unexpressed frustrations drove them apart.

The scenario is all too familiar. Quintos pretty much covers how middle class families socialize during a period of tense political turmoil. Everyone tries to play nice to keep the peace and keep a semblance of social order.

Bert, (Randy Medel Villarama) Dina’s husband, captures the toxic masculinity enabled by the popular Rodrigo Duterte and emulated to some degree by Isko Moreno (he bears some resemblance to the latter). Akin to his strongman idols, he tends to escalate conversations and take things personally. It would be nice if more depth is given towards his reasons for voting BBM. He felt more like a caricature throughout the play. Dina is generally on the fence, just there to support her husband all the way, while acting as referee when tensions rise. Fred and Susan try to be polite (partly to continue currying favors from their wealthier friends and avoid conflict) but they do not simply back down from an argument when they hear something they don’t agree with. Each exchange always ends in a pissing contest where the goal is to feel comfort and vindication for their personal choice.

It is great to see that the underlying dependencies (besides their friendship) between Dina and Susan are made clear, making it difficult for them to simply call it quits. Susan’s business relies on keeping good relations with generous clients. Dina gets much needed emotional support from Susan that she can’t find from her husband and do not want to demand from her daughter, especially given her current struggle. They are also the godparents of each other’s child. My favorite interactions are between Dina and Susan, because the actors are fantastic at portraying old life-long friends.

The younger generation are clearly bolder and have more polarized views than their parents. Phi Palmos’ Norby owned the stage whenever he is given the spotlight. He fits the role of a youthful Kakampink quite well. Mica (Hariette Mozelle) suffers from the same fate as his father. Her character as a scheming and aggressive BBM supporter lacks nuance. This can be attributed more on the material, not the actor.

(As an aside, I personally find it distasteful whenever the queer character is playfully flirting with a married man in a work of fiction, usually for comedic and/or dramatic effect. This feels like an unintended reinforcing of dangerous stereotypes that do not really add much value to the play.)

And then there’s the wildcard Ely (Reb Atadero). He has the most hilarious lines and his chaotic ideology captures that shitposter account you follow who is neck-deep into the meme-ry of Reddit and Twitter that no one else in the room fully gets him.

I like the portrayal of social media banters and snide remarks between the first and last dinners, a quick battle of wits between people who want to express their support, and the satisfaction of feeling right about their choices. This sequence, along with each character’s monologue generally works well.

Quintos’ politics is clear throughout the play. I guess what I would have wanted is a perspective outside the middle class. I, as a middle class citizen with generally liberal views, feel like this is portraying a segment of the internet that I am already seeing online. The conversations are all too familiar, and sure this makes it easy to empathize and relate with the story and characters. But in the end, I am hearing stories that I have already heard over and over thanks to a sinisterly designed algorithm that seeks to make me happy in doomscrolling late at night.

I would also relate this concern to how BBM supporters are portrayed in this setting. There is constraint in depth if conversations are kept within a single class.

The play in itself, is an echo chamber. Or perhaps it is the point after all?

As the play winds down, I really felt bad for everyone, especially for Dina. She is stuck, like all of us. We have to deal with the emotional toll of an unforgiving system, and we are left to fend for ourselves. The short-term highs of personal victories, milestones, and won confrontations cannot mask the shittiness of our current state, and the best thing we can do is hold on to our closest forms of support.

In the end, she had to settle with what’s left.

[stars-scales-and-baseball-caps]

I think more movies should care about animal accuracy. I’ve said this before and it’s DEFintely not the biggest problem in cinema BY FAR asdfghgh

BUT but!! what I mean isn’t to be an anatomy stickler or behavior expert (my own art is nowhere near that), rather I think a lot of people overlook how easy it is to use nature as a “cheat sheet” and what using nature as a cheat sheet can accomplish.

for instance, when every single animal companion acts like a dog, it gets boring. and when an animal companion “over acts” to prove its “animalness,” it gets annoying. animal companions fundamentally can’t be 100% accurate because anthropomorphism and domestic-analogues are necessary for the companion animal to accomplish certain tasks and communicate certain things to the other characters and to the audience, especially if that animal is fantastic or not domestic, but studying an animal’s natural behavior is still a really really easy way to add flavor. And you don’t even have to invent that flavor! It already exists! You’ll seem unique by essentially ripping nature off (/JJJ).

It also has the added benefit of familiarizing the audience with body language (even if, again, that body language isn’t 100% accurate).

I forget the video, but there was a really good analysis of Jurassic Park and how the T-rex acts in the original vs Jurassic World, and how destruction through curiosity is so much more effective at conveying life than destruction for the sake of destruction. AND even moreso, it’s an example of how recognizing the T-rex’s inclination towards playfulness didn’t make the car scene any less threatening— it’s still a dangerous wild animal and should be respected as such.

I might be alone in this, but I also preferred the animal acting in the first How to Train Your Dragon to its sequels. Though it was still demonstrably cat or dog or even bird, the animators had a clear pool of inspirations which focused their vision, making Toothless act in a way that was motivated, consistent, and sympathetic. In the sequels... idk, it’s hard to explain, but I guess it feels like... Toothless wiggles too much?? it might not even be an acting thing and more of a model thing, like when a CGI model has so many HD pores it shoots right past realism and lands in uncanny hyper-realism. Sometimes impressionism feels more real than real, you know? asdfgh

and again I could be TOTALLY alone in this— the point is it just felt like sometimes the animator’s intent was “we can’t risk boring the audience” rather than “Toothless has a motivation to move and vocalize.” If characters are the creator’s tools (not people), then the first intent isn’t by any means wrong, just that when it’s obvious it can impede suspension of disbelief. Idle animations have a more effective purpose in video games than movies because video games have to relent control over timing, and an abrupt stop or “freeze” is hard to pull off. In movies, where timing, cameras, and movement are completely under your control, I’d imagine dragons, like most large predators, would want to conserve at least a little bit of energy.

Regarding extant animals, I think one of the dodgier trends might be sound effects because it’s a problem in movies and documentaries. And like, I totally get it, sometimes it’s awkward watching a scene in complete silence when you expect sound. But some animals only vocalize that much when they’re in distress, and if someone’s only exposure to that animal is in movies where it’s constantly squeaking or grunting, they’re going to be under the impression that that’s normal— because why question it? it’s such an innocuous detail.

so to reiterate, this definitely is not always a big deal. i just think it’s an observation that’s worth thinking about, even if just for fun. The fact that the toucan in Encanto only squawks instead of clicking— a fun and unique behavior —is just a missed opportunity. In contrast, designing highly marketable animals in Netflix’s recent (mediocre) film Back to the Outback undermines its own message. In further contrast, a snake that’s been edited to hiss every single time it yawns in a vet show is just dumb and irresponsible. Subverting those expectations by paradoxically matching reality’s expectations would be so easy.

[dramioneden]

do you know of any fics where there’s a pregnancy scare or Draco accidental gets hermione pregnant?

Dramione Unplanned Pregnancy Fic Recs 

Hi Nonnie, Sorry it has taken me soooo long to reply to this ask. To answer your question, yes I have a few (76) “accidental”/unplanned pregnancy Dramione fic recs to offer - because Draco and Hermione seem terrible at planning pregnancies. So I’ve broken this down into ones I’ve read & recommend and ones on my TBR you might want to give a try. I also categorized the fics into Teenage Pregnancies, Wartime Pregnancies, “Adult Draco and Hermione forget contraceptive” Pregnancies, Marriage Law Pregnancies and “Hidden” Pregnancies. So here is the ultimate guide to Dramione Accidental Pregnancy Fics, hopefully there is something on this list that will satisfy your ask. Happy Reading!

Teenage Unplanned Pregnancy:

Recommended Fics

Snow Storm by kblynne

8th year Post-war healing coping, Head Boy and Head Girl, teenage pregnancy.

Always Mine - A Dramione Fanfiction by SamadiW

8th year, Head Boy and Head Girl. The unplanned pregnancy is more of a secondary/later arc. Main arc on development of relationship between Hermione and Draco. Mixes the right amount of angst with the right amount of sexy.

Fics on my TBR that you might want to try:

From Venice with Love by jamieblye

In Private by acro acro

Locked In by goldhorse

His Sweet Dream by Supernerd22

I Didn’t Know by TriDogMom

Of All the Idiot Things by Lady Imara

Unbreakable by cleotheo

What Happened After The Canaries by Silver Lioness

Wartime Unplanned Pregnancy

Recommended Fics

Broken Chains by Leave It At That

Another Dramione, where Harry and Ron escape, but Hermione is left behind. As Draco and Hermione are forced together by a very perverted characterization of Voldemort, they realize they must rely on and trust each other to survive Voldemort’s demands. Forming a tentative trust and rare magical bond, together they set about playing the roles expected of them until they can find escape.

Resistance by GracefulLioness @graceful-lioness

Very well written, 7th year divergent. Instead of spending the war camping with Harry and Ron, Hermione spends it camping with Draco after they escape a battle together.

The Importance of Breeding by Jessiy  @jessiyl

Interesting twist on “what both sides of the war decide to do about the dwindling wizarding population”. Voldemort comes up with a “perfect mate” spell - guess who Draco’s perfect mate is?  

Manor of Conception by psiphifan

Harry and Ron, escape without Hermione. As punishment to the Malfoy’s for letting Potter get away, Draco is given Hermione to “breed”, thereby sullying his pure blood line. As dark as the set up is, Draco and Hermione adjust to their predicament quite adeptly. A “wartime subversion” read that hurts a bit … but climaxes a lot).

Fics on my TBR that you might want to try:

The Gift of Joy by biscuitsforpotter @biscuitsforpotter 

I Spy by gnrkrystle

The Power of Love by cleotheo

The Edge of the World by phlox

Balaur by two_ff

Tergeo by LadyKenz347 @ladykenz347

Consequences of War by NJ Coffee Queen

The Letter by RN2017

Haeres Genitus: The Begotten Heir by little miss moonlight

“Adults who forgot a contraceptive” - Future fic Unplanned Pregnancies

Recommended Fics

Precious Things by herbeautifullie @herbeautifullies

Beautifully told in a series of vignettes that take place every Christmas over a number of years. The author conveyed and developed Draco’s introspection as he falls in love with a family he never expected or wanted. Well written, emotional character/relationship study.

Liking by Ladyoneill

An adult affair between Draco and Hermione leads to adult conversations (with some input from Narcissa).

Fics on my TBR you might want to try:

A Year and a Day by Mistrus

Best Laid Plans by persephone_stone @persephonestone​

Careless by wish123

A Series of Very Bad Decisions by damnedscribblingwoman @fearsometinywit​

Unexpected Gifts by cryptaknight

Unintended Consequences by rainsrabble @rainsrabble

Knocked Up by dolphinroxy

The Side Witch & The Gift and My Witch & Her Gift by SeptimaBode

Once Upon a Night by longdistance

Ordinary People by inadaze22 @inadaze22

Surround Me by Taintedembrace

The Sweetest Downfall by xXBeckyFoo

A Wonderful Caricature of Intimacy by Countess of Abe @countessofabe

Beautiful Mistake by pinayflava90

One Night Stand with Consequences Series by ruthy4vrsmoaked @ruthy4vrsmoak-ed

Constellations in Flourish and Blotts by MarshmellowMcGonagall @marshmallowmcgonagall

Gasping, Talking, Screaming, Crying by Gette

Heaven Forbid by empathaique

In the Heat of the Storm by xxDustNight88 @xxdustnight88

whispered through the trees by notawitch2580

Back to You by NJ Coffee Queen @mnem85

Circle by wanderlustfaery

Freedom’s Consequence, Rapture’s Reward by CelticSass

Marriage Law (but still unplanned) Pregnancy

I read and recommend all three fics in this sub-genre:

Desperate Marriage by x.Chrissy.x

Nice twist on the Marriage Law trope. After breaking up with their current fiancés when they find them cheating (Ron x Astoria), instead of letting the Ministry choose their spouses for them, they choose each other. Note: I don’t want to give spoilers away, but I think it should be noted that though it’s not tagged, be aware that a couple loses a pregnancy in this. As someone who has lost a pregnancy before, I was not put off by how it is handled, but found it emotional and relatable. There is an HEA and there is a happy healthy pregnancy and I did enjoy the fic completely even the emotional part.

Ninety-Five Percent by HufflePuffMommy @hufflepuffmommy

Draco and Hermione are 95% compatible - who would have thought? ;) I really enjoyed this marriage law fic - has courting quality to it, through all the tension and angst (and denial).

An Unconventional Escape by Ariel Riddle @ariel-riddle

Loved this twist on the “marriage law”. Voldemort has won and his wizarding world is facing population problems due to infertility of purebloods. He enacts a new law that purebloods can choose captive muggleborns as spouses. The only muggleborn for Draco is Hermione - and she’s suspicious, but clever enough to figure out his dastardly persona is more pretense for show.

Secret Child/Hidden pregnancy trope: Not only was the pregnancy an accident, it was kept a secret from Draco.

Recommended Fics

Amongst the Mango Trees by ViolaMoon @violamoonfanfic

Post-war, while in a happy affair with Draco, Hermione discovers his family has him engaged to Astoria, hours after she finds out she’s pregnant. She decides to leave and start over in Australia with her parents.

Breathe by RZZMG @rzzmg

In spite of a loving affair with Hermione, Draco feels obligated to see through his engagement with Astoria. But when he runs into a pregnant Hermione months after they break-up, he must dig deep to be his own man and not his father’s.

Seven for a Secret by Musyc @willhavetheirtrinkets

Anonymous sex during Beltane, has Draco putting pieces together when he encounters an 8 year old spitting image of himself.

Unspoken Words by LilithShade @lilithshadefanfic

Post-war, Future fic. Hermione and Draco have a one night stand. Nine months later, Hermione shows up at St. Mungo’s in labor. Draco is the doctor on duty.

Always You by Emerald2402

When there is trouble in paradise between Ron and Hermione, Draco just happens to be in the right place at the right time with a shoulder for her to cry on. A couple years later, the child she brings to St. Mungo’s with a fever, bears a striking resemblance to him.

The Trouble with Love Series by bentnotbroken1 @bentnotbroken1fanfiction

8th year Hogwarts setting. Accidental pregnancy is secondary arc, post-war coping/healing and Dramione affair primary arc. Note that the first in the series: The Pitfall is complete, but the second in the series is still a WIP (as of time of post 11/2020).

Fics on my TBR you might want to try:

Consequences of War by bentnotbroken1 @bentnotbroken1fanfiction

Aparecium by LadyKenz347

An Awfully Big Adventure by NJ Coffee Queen @mnem85

The Best of Me by MrsRen @mrsren

Choosing Destiny by AkashatheKitty @akashathekitty

Let There Be No More Curse by lexiatel @lexiatel

Nowhere Left to Run by FallenInDreams @fallen-in-dreams

Rose by longdistance

Second by LadyAlinor @ladyalinor

Seventeen by smithandbarrowman @smithandbarrowman

The Silver Dragon by KittenShift17 @kittenshift-17

Webs We Weave by mayghaen17 @mayghaen17

What’s in a Name by ImSlytherinatHeart

Full Body Control by lun27

Growing by the Minute by lozlol

Heartbreak and Horntails by AtHomewithWords

The Taste of Honey by Buzzy

[fandomblr]

Let’s talk about racism in Tolkien’s Legendarium

Trigger warnings: racism, (obviously) anti-blackness, possible anti-black caricatures, racism towards Asian people.

I feel like something that I don’t see addressed in the Tolkien fandom are instances of racism in his work. Now, Tolkien himself was allegedly pretty anti-racist during both war and peacetime, BUT ultimately he was still a British white man that lived in the 1920’s and his writing does show some (although very possibly unintended) racism towards Black and brown people. Note that I am a pale Latino and thus I cannot speak for BIPOC, however, I will be using my readings from HoME (The Lays of Beleriand and The Shaping of Middle-Earth) to show very valid instances of where Tolkien’s racism has been argued for, and I’ll link some research about these criticisms. I strongly encourage BIPOC to add on or correct me on this post, since I do have have a lot of white privilege from being light-skinned.

The first instance of racism in Tolkien legendarium are the race of orcs. And before I go any further, let me show a passage from the Lay of Leithian (taken from The Lays of Beleriand) in which Beren, Finrod and his men are disguising themselves as orcs in order to pass through Angband:

“They smeared their hands and faces fair with pigment black,” which shows us first of all that the color of the orcs skin is ultimately dark/black, at least of the orcs here in Angband during the first age. This also implies Blackface being done by Beren, Finrod and his men here, and while it was used as a survival tactic to pass through Angband without being killed/enthralled/tortured, it’s still pretty darn racist. Black people have also spoken about how orcs have been written (intentionally or unintentionally, we probably will never know) as anti-black caricatures, and this is one article discussing this by a Black person that I found eye-opening.

Another instance of the orcs being racist caricatures is in that in a private letter Tolkien describes them as “squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes: in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types." Obviously, this is clearly racism towards Asian people, and journalists have even written about how orcs look like the worst depictions of the Japanese drawn by American and British illustrators during WW2. The same article above also speaks about the Haradrim and Easterlings in the LOTR movies clearly having inspiration from Eastern and non-Western cultures.

Next, another probably more well-known racist issue in The Silmarillion fandom is Maeglin, (Meglin here in HoME’s The Shaping of Middle Earth) who is described as ‘swart,’ aka meaning dark-skinned, and so was his father, Eöl:

Obviously this is racist because Maeglin is CLEARLY a villain of color in this scenario, (he is the cause of the fall of Gondolin plus he basically tries to rape his cousin Idril and kill her child) in a world where other “good” characters are either described as white or whose race is simply not stated. If there were more EXPLICITLY elves of color in the Silm this wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but Maeglin here is one of the few elves (besides his father, who was clearly also a villain) whose skin color we know about, and what color is that? Swart, aka brown. What’s even worse is the fact that Eöl pretty much coerced Aredhel (who we can assume to be white since she’s known as the “White lady of the Noldor” and her skin was described as pale) into marrying him and having his child, which just perpetuates the racist stereotype of men of color being dangerous to white women. Tolkien, sweetie, this definitely reeks of racism.

Next are the men of the East of Beleriand, of who we get a pretty clear description of in The Annals of Beleriand from HoME The Shaping of Middle-Earth:

Here these men aredescribed as having lots of body and facial hair (which is a trait that can be seen in people of color) and their skins are “sallow or dark.” This is probably the least incriminating piece of evidence on this post because as you can tell, not all the men of the East were evil. Bor and his sons specifically were not, and they were loyal to the Sons of Fëanor. However, Ulfang (Ulfand in HoME) betrays the Fëanorians and ultimately is responsible for the tragedy of the Nirnaeth. And even worse, Bor and his sons are even slain by him (although Ulfang did pay his treachery with his life) here in this version. And as a whole, the Easterlings are described as more being on Morgoth’s side than on the elves, and like I said earlier, they draw a lot of non-western inspiration that can identify them as people of color, especially from the cinematic trilogy. Although these men are ultimately supposed to earn redemption during the Dagor Dagorath (aka the end of time when Melkor comes back from the void and the last battle is fought) this doesn’t erase the fact that Tolkien chose to villanize an entire group of Eastern people who we can assume to be people of color. The fact that they are called men from the ‘East’ while Aman/Valinor/the Gray Havens are considered the ‘West’ just shows you how eurocentric Tolkien’s works are by themselves, but that’s another topic for a different post. At the end of the day, lots (if not most of) these men were men of color that were portrayed as treacherous, unfaithful and even “accursed” in the case of Uldor, Ulfang’s son. All traits which demonize people of color in Tolkien’s legendarium.

Now here is the question that’s worth all three silmarils: was Tolkien aware of his racism as he should have been as an allegedly “anti-racist” that was born in South Africa? I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that, and as a person with white privilege I don’t think I’d be qualified to answer this question regardless. This is why again, I’m encouraging BIPOC Tolkien fans to come forward (as long as they want to and are comfortable of course, since this is a triggering topic) and share their criticisms on Tolkien and how he portrays race in his legendarium, add on to what I found and correct me if they think I added something wrong. The thing is, even if Tolkien was intentionally racist, the man died in 1973, and sadly Christopher passed away last January. So it’s up to us as the Tolkien fandom to not only recognize but also address and challenge these racist concepts in his work, and make sure we are creating an environment that’s safe for fans of color and marginalized ethnic groups like myself. One of the things I love about our fandom is the diversity in fanart, since I’ve seen lots of elves drawn as POC and I really want to keep seeing this, but we also have to take into consideration how racism plays into LOTR and all of Tolkien’s works so we can be mindful consumers of it.

[naradreamscape]

Day number whatever of having to deal with multiple grown adults fucking FUMING that I would dare say Hotel Transylvania 4 was "written for 11 year olds". I was originally going to say, "written for Catholic middle schoolers who aren't allowed to watch anything with real peril or mature themes so they have to settle for the raw thrill of seeing two married characters holding hands" because I was one of those kids once. Maybe I need to be that flowery on more of my posts, lest any of them reach a larger unintended audience again and lead to people writing whole essays on that post accusing me of being an iconoclast because I didn't like the movie where an anti-Semitic caricature walks around in an undersized baby tee and shorts for 45 minutes

[grandhotelabyss]

Another giant gone. Weren’t we just talking about the importance of authorial image? Who had a better image than she did? I can’t imagine looking at those pictures from the late ‘60s and having any other reaction than either wanting to be her or wanting to marry her. I came to her work late after a false start, as I write in my double essay on Slouching Towards Bethlehem and The Year of Magical Thinking:

I also barely knew who Joan Didion was. I’d been an English major, but not one much interested in postwar American letters. It’s possible, then, that the NYRB piece on Schiavo was my introduction to Didion, and I was too self-righteous at the time to allow it to make any good impression. Who was this awful woman? She seemed to side with the conservatives!

I was about 23 or 24 then. I didn’t rediscover her till I read the novel Play It as It Lays a few years ago. In that book, she doesn’t just seem to side with the conservatives; rather, she compares abortion to the Holocaust! I’m not 23 anymore, though, so, if you’ll forgive me, I can see how she got there. 

Wesley Yang Tweeted that she “skeptically interrogated” the “righteous politics” of her time, likely in a way impossible now for the mainstream writer, a statement proved by her scorching, infamous 1972 essay “The Women’s Movement” if nothing else:

Just as one had gotten the unintended but inescapable suggestion, when told about the “terror and revulsion” experienced by women in the vicinity of construction sites, of creatures too “tender” for the abrasiveness of daily life, too fragile for the streets, so now one was getting, in the later literature of the movement, the impression of women too “sensitive” for the difficulties and ambiguities of adult life, women unequipped for reality and grasping at the movement as a rationale for denying that reality.

The Times obit names Hemingway and Conrad as her influences. Her ethic was Hemingway’s grace under pressure, Conrad’s facing it. I would add Orwell’s effort to see what’s under one’s nose. Her work, like Dostoevsky’s in the century before the American one, suggests that if you knock down every pillar of tradition you might find yourself crushed to death under the roof rather than in utopia free and clear. Sometimes the thesis could be too sour, too simple. This “cool customer” was not a woman who’d have wanted only praise in her eulogies, so I’ll say I thought A Book of Common Prayer was too flat, a caricature of the radical left rather than a critique. Her supposed left turn in her later work, which I’m admittedly less familiar with, seems to me less of a real political shift and more a critique of utopianism in its evangelical Christian and neoconservative guises that dominated the Republican Party in the Reagan and Bush era. 

I love that she didn’t pretend to be a better person than she was or to make grandiloquent claims for our strange vocation:

In many ways writing is the act of saying I, of imposing oneself upon other people, of saying listen to me, see it my way, change your mind. It’s an aggressive, even a hostile act.

She’s said, I think, to be one of those writers with whom the essays are better than the novels, like Orwell or Baldwin or Sontag or Vidal. But I think Play It as It Lays is an absolute American masterpiece, a short novel of alienation and independence, a little apocalypse, up there with Bartleby and Gatsby and Miss Lonelyhearts and Lot 49 and Sula. I’d recommend it to anyone; you can read my piece on it here, but really, just read the book. Such is the miracle of literature, the way you can die but still be alive. 

[femmefoxman]

I’ve been thinking a lot about body positivity and self-image and how to deal with that as a trans man.

This is a long post. The rest is under a read more because of this. It’s a bit rambling too. I’m just working through my thoughts.

CW: surgery mention, abuse mention, unhealthy eating/thoughts about eating mention, lots of discussion of social beauty ideals and how people are treated poorly for not meeting them. Nothing graphic though.

The pressure to transition into an ‘ideal man’

So - in September I had top surgery. It was definitely the right decision and (combined with starting testosterone in July 2019) it’s had a huge positive impact on my mental health. I look at myself in the mirror and finally see myself looking back. I feel like life is full of possibility at the moment. It’s pretty great honestly.

Here’s the thing - I’m chubby - I was in an abusive family situation for a while and ended up with some food issues which resulted in me losing a fair bit of weight and then putting a bunch back on.

Because I’m a bigger guy I’ve got dog-ears (excess skin and fat) at the ends of my top surgery scars. I feel mostly okay about them and am not planning to get a surgical revision. But I feel weirdly guilty about being okay with them.

I feel like there’s this pressure and expectation that if I want to look like a man (and I do because that’s what I am) then I should look like society’s ideal of a man. People seem to think I should want to be thin and muscular and to have a sharp jawline and just the right amount of body hair.

But to be honest I don’t want that. And I feel guilty about not wanting that.

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this - on one hand, I have this feeling that I’m doing something wrong or wasting my transition somehow? Logically I know those thoughts aren’t mine - I know that this external pressure I’ve experienced has put these thoughts into my head. But the idea has bedded itself surprisingly deep into my brain so I haven’t been able to get rid of the nagging voice going ‘you’re doing it wrong’.

On the other hand, I’m pretty repulsed by this expectation that I should conform even more strictly to societal beauty standards because I’m trans. I shouldn’t have to thin, I shouldn’t have to work out unless I feel like it, I shouldn’t have to try and look cis. I want to look like a man yes. But I want to look like a queer trans man because that’s what I am and if I look like a cis dude then I’ll start seeing a stranger when I look in the mirror again.

It doesn’t help that the pressure to conform isn’t just interpersonal but structural - for example, trans people often have to be below a certain BMI to access surgery on the NHS and even in some private hospitals. Because of this, every time I’ve had to interact with the clinic that prescribes my hormones they’ve made some pretty yikes remarks about my weight.

I still remember, in our first meeting, how the person assessing me commented that if I could lose some weight then I’d be very handsome due to being fairly tall and broad-shouldered for a trans guy. It made me feel like they saw me as an object that could be shaped and moulded into whatever they wanted - into a symbol of their mastery over medicine.

It was dehumanising as hell.

Femininity, fatness and autism

Being overweight and a man who is slowly starting to present in a more authentically femme manner is interesting.

It makes me feel like some kind of horrible pervert a lot of the time.

I think we’ve got this image of a fat, effeminate, creepy dude so embedded in our collective consciousness that it’s poisoning my self-image a little. It doesn’t help that this collective caricature has a lot of autistic traits and well - I’m autistic.

It sucks because I try very hard to be respectful and non-creepy. I don’t think other people perceive me that way, from what I can tell.

But my brain keeps insisting that if I wore a dress or lipstick or high heels then I’ll transform into some Silence of the Lambs-type figure.

So I’ve been restricting myself to just painting my nails and wearing necklaces sometimes.

But I don’t want to do that any more. I want to be myself as hard and joyfully and authentically as I can all of the time. I feel like I’ve spent so long repressing myself - first because I was in the closet about being queer and trans and then because I was trying my hardest to pass due to not being about to handle social and physical dysphoria at the same time.

I guess it’s something I need to work through... but I’m not going to give up and hide away again. I won’t do that.

Transandrophobia

The other thing I’ve been thinking a lot about is how the sex characteristics primarily associated with men - for example, facial and body hair - are seen in a negative light. Largely in social justice spaces and communities but in the wider world to some extent also.

In social justice spaces, there is a lot of fear and dislike of maleness and masculinity. I can understand why but it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with as a man who is marginalised due to his gender. I don’t feel very safe or comfortable outside of these spaces but it’s often a pretty tough experience to exist in them too.

This dislike of male things extends to physical traits that are seen as male also. Even in supposedly trans-inclusive spaces, I’ve seen this vocal repulsion to things like body hair and facial hair. Disgust towards traits like this is harmful to pretty much everyone who doesn’t fit cis, perisex, white beauty standards.

People who express this disgust in trans inclusive spaces often seem to think that their words will only hurt white, straight, able-bodied, perisex cis men and that it’s therefore fine.

However, I don’t think it’s okay to talk about cis guy’s bodies like that - for one because it’s just a mean thing to do and for two because even if you want to go out of your way to hurt cis men’s feelings then there’s still no way for you to prevent unintended collateral damage if you say horrible things about someone else’s body in a public place.

So if it’s wrong to make comments like that towards relatively privileged people then it’s very, very wrong to say such things about the bodies of trans people, intersex people and people of colour.

Another factor that harms trans men and other transmasculine people specifically is how people tend to react towards our bodies at varying times during medical transitioning. People (especially cis women) tend to react very positively towards us having feminine physical features - being soft and hairless and pretty-looking. Then we receive backlash if we choose to transition - we run into this idea that we’re “ruining” our “precious, sacred, feminine bodies”.

This nasty, entitled rhetoric tends to crop up strongest among TERFs but I’ve come across less explicit, less obviously transphobic variations in trans inclusive communities also.

This demonisation of “male” traits messed with my head when my hormones started to take effect. I was really happy to feel my dysphoria decreasing but at the same time, I had to come to terms with looking well, ugly. At least - ugly according to the spaces and communities I am a part of.

[grapefruitsketches]

Worth It

For fytheuntamed’s Untamed Fall Fest Day 13: Fruit

Rated T, 810 Words. Cangse Sanren/Wei Changze, Fluff, Pre-Canon Parent Generation Cloud Recesses Shenanigans, Very Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Canon, Slightly more CQL canon compliant - no Cloud Recesses gender division (otherwise also MDZS compliant)

(Days 8-12 are coming... I just got carried away with them just a bit and they’ll need more time!)

Also available on AO3

“Watch out!”

Jiang Fengmian ducked smoothly and deftly at the shout. Wei Changze’s instinct was, unfortunately, to instead spin towards the sound, reaching for his sword. For his trouble, he earned a hard smack to his face.

He raised his hand, dazed, palm coming away from his nose, bloody. Jiang Fengmian remained bent over, though now kept down by raucous laughter.

“Your… Your face!” The Jiang heir laughed, pointing.

Wei Changze blinked numbly at his friend and turned slowly back towards the direction that the – he glanced down at the ground – that the apple had flown from.

Hiding behind one of the Cloud Recesses’ many corners, he saw the tops of two heads, two elaborate headpieces, quivering as their wearers giggled, as well as a third figure, not even bothering to try hiding, who was standing out in the open holding her stomach in deep-set, full bodied laughter.

“Cangse Sanren?” Wei Changze exclaimed as his eyes widened, quickly lowering the hand that was still rubbing at his nose, recognizing immediately the disciple variably dubbed star pupil or worst nightmare, depending on who you asked.  

Her hand raised as she laughed, calling back, “That’s me, yes!” and wiping tears from below her eyes. A moment passed before she finally opened her eyes and properly looked over at the two Jiang disciples. Now it was her turn to blink her eyes in recognition, before bringing up a hand to stifle another snort of laughter.

“Ah, Wei-gongzi! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were there until after…!” she said, still laughing, face turning pink, even as she made her way over to her unintended victim, “I didn’t mean…” another chuckle, “I was aiming for the pillar,” she offered as an explanation, pointing with one hand even as she rummaged around in her sleeve with the other.

Wei Changze followed her gesture to the pillar. To the poorly drawn caricature of Lan Qiren, stroking an unflattering depiction of the beard the other teen was just starting to grow. Wei Changze squinted his eyes, walking closer until he could properly read the tiny line of dialogue above the hastily drawn boy’s head reading:

Dear Lan-ergongzi: If you are reading this, a quick reminder that sneering for no reason is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses.

Love, Cangse Sanren

Oh, and also: Do not be wasteful inside the Cloud Recesses. The back of this page is still good! You should keep it.

Even Wei Changze’s still aching nose couldn’t stop the lopsided grin that tugged at as his mouth as he turned back.

“Lan-ergongzi isn’t going to like that very much,” but he couldn’t maintain a serious tone, and he too let out a snort of laughter, only mildly regretting the shot of pain through his nose at this.

She shrugged, pouting, approaching the Jiang disciple again to share in his inspection of her work, one hand still in her other sleeve, “One must not tell lies in the Cloud Recesses,” she answered simply.  Then, apparently finally finding what she was looking for, she pulled a cloth out, “Come here,” she said, her laughter ringing out once again, as she took a look at his now bloody face, “The least I can do is clean you up.”

This earned renewed giggles from the Nie and Lan disciples who had since emerged from their hiding spot, and a sly smile and raised eyebrow from Jiang Fengmian.

Wei Changze had until then all but forgotten the other three were there.

He blushed and shrugged helplessly, heart thumping rapidly, as Cangse Sanren tugged him away from the other three, towards the Back Mountain and its rivers, Jiang Fengmian offered only a wink and a wave, being of no assistance, apparently not to be trusted with Wei Changze’s drunken admissions in future.

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” she said quietly, sincerely. They sat alone by the river as she dipped the cloth in the water. She reached over and gently dabbed at his face, “I really didn’t mean…”

“It was worth it,” he blurted, his eyes meeting hers as she looked up to him, mouth open in surprise. The two had spoken before, of course, but never had they been quite this… alone. He felt his face redden even more deeply as their gaze lingered just a moment or two too long. Her hand remained frozen in midair, holding the cloth just barely off his face.

“I mean… I mean…” he continued bashfully, then laughed and ruffled his own hair, trying his best to ease the tension, “I mean to imagine the look on Lan-ergongzi’s face on his patrol tonight? Priceless,” he laughed.

And to his complete delight, she now laughed at something he had said, even if it was still based on her own joke.

“You’re right,” she said, smiling softly as she caught his eye again, “Definitely worth it.”

[butterflies-dragons]

Hey according to grrm tyrion is said to be a good villain? What do you think about Tyrion? Is he a villain or anti hero? If he is a good villain then why he will be hand of king? Do you think grrm means something different?

Back in 1999, this is what GRRM said: 

Amazon.com: Do you have a favorite character?

Martin: I've got to admit I kind of like Tyrion Lannister. He's the villain of course, but hey, there's nothing like a good villain.

[Source]

Over the years, GRRM also has said:

2000:

Tyrion is Martin's favorite character, but from the perspective of House Stark, he's certainly a villain -- someone once said that a villain was a hero on the other side.

[Source]

2006:

He also answered some questions, and had some interesting things to say. He repeatedly emphasized that he prefers to write grey characters, because in real life people are complex; no one is pure evil or pure good. Fiction tends to divide people into heroes who do no wrong and villains who go home and kick their dogs and beat their wives, but that reality is much different. He cited a soldier who heroically saves his friends' lives, but then goes home and beats his wife. Which is he, hero or villain? Martin said both and that neither act cancels out the other.

(...)

So he said that he likes to paint characters in shades of grey (recurring theme of the weekend, yay! so refreshing from these damn didactic TV show runners... anyway....). And that even what seem like the most horrific people have other sides, aren't pure caricatures of evil, that even Hitler had his nice moments. And he wanted to explore what might cause that kind of villainy, because no one just wakes up and says “I want to be evil today.”  

[Source]

2007:

The concept of heroes and villains is a false dichotomy, in George's opinion. Real human beings are a mixture of good and evil.

[Source]

2008:

FAVORITE WILD CARDS CHARACTERS

(...)

I also loved Jetboy. Although he only appeared in that one story, he set the tone for much that followed. Even so, I might have to pass him over for Gregg Hartmann. A good story needs a good villain, and Gregg was our best, with a story arc that went all the way from book one through book fifteen.

[Source]

[What was the hardest death to write?]

The Red Wedding was the hardest thing I´ve ever written.I don´t know that I have actually enjoyed any of them. Even when you kill a bad guy, it can be hard... he´s one of your ¨children¨too. Besides, good villains are hard to find, and you always have the nagging doubt that maybe you´ll need him down the line.

[Source]

2011:

Much as I admire Tolkien, and I do admire Tolkien — he’s been a huge influence on me, and his Lord of the Rings is the mountain that leans over every other fantasy written since and shaped all of modern fantasy — there are things about it, the whole concept of the Dark Lord, and good guys battling bad guys, Good versus Evil, while brilliantly handled in Tolkien, in the hands of many Tolkien successors, it has become kind of a cartoon. We don’t need any more Dark Lords, we don’t need any more, ‘Here are the good guys, they’re in white, there are the bad guys, they’re in black. And also, they’re really ugly, the bad guys.

It is certainly a genuine, legitimate topic as the core of fantasy, but I think the battle between Good and Evil is waged within the individual human hearts. We all have good in us and we all have evil in us, and we may do a wonderful good act on Tuesday and a horrible, selfish, bad act on Wednesday, and to me, that’s the great human drama of fiction. I believe in gray characters, as I’ve said before. We all have good and evil in us and there are very few pure paragons and there are very few orcs. A villain is a hero of the other side, as someone said once, and I think there’s a great deal of truth to that, and that’s the interesting thing. In the case of war, that kind of situation, so I think some of that is definitely what I’m aiming at.

[Source]

2020:

Dwelling where I am now, deep in the heart of Westeros, I find myself surrounded by my characters, the children of my mind and heart and soul.   They are real to me, as I write them, and I struggle to make them real to my readers as well.   All of them are flawed, from the best to the worst.  They do heroic things, they do selfish things.   Some are strong and some are weak, some smart and some stupid.  The smartest may do stupid things.  The bravest may have moments when their courage fails.   Great harms may be done from the noblest motives, great good from motives vile and venal.   Life is like that, and art should reflect that, if it is to remain true.   Ours is a world of contradiction and unintended consequences.

[Source]

As you can see, when GRRM refers to Tyrion as a “good villain”, he is saying that he is not a caricature of a villain, he is not a cartoon, he is not all black, ugly and evil, etc.

Tyrion is a villain, there is no doubt about it.  GRRM is all about grey characters, but he called Tyrion plainly a villain, more than once. 

I have a favorite villain too, she was a great villain, the actress that played her was superb, and the name of the character has an special meaning for me.  I present to you: Carmen Lucia Moreira de Souza Araújo...

...Also known as ¡CARMINHA!  

She was the modern version of the evil stepmother. The main antagonist of the TV Series called Avenida Brasil (Brazil Avenue).

But at the end of the story Carminha survives, goes to jail, serves her sentence, and ends up living the life she tried so hard to avoid throughout the series: poverty. She literally ends up living in a garbage dump... 

...And she also reconciles with her stepdaughter Rita, the protagonist, they both forgive each other and continue with their lives...     

So, if we follow the hints that the Show gave us, Tyrion may survive but he will end up living the life he tried so hard to avoid throughout the series.  He will work doing good things for the realm but he won’t get ANY recognition or appreciation for those good deeds.  He won’t be part of the History books, he will remain anonymous and eventually he will be forgotten... Or worse, he will only be remembered as the monster he always denied being...

Thanks for your message. 

[popculturebuffet]

Mickey Mouse Birthday Shortstravaganza!

It’s Mickey and Minnie’s Birthday! It was 92 Years Ago Today everyone’s faviorite mouse came in on a tide of whistling, romance and animal abuse and swept into America’s hearts and wallets. Okay I am a day late on this, I had a busy day, but hey a belated celebratoin’s still good right? Right? Eh i’m doing it anyway.   Anyway since then he’s been one of animations most iconic characters, and while out of the classic power trio I vastly prefer donald and goofy, they still woudln’t be around without Disney’s big cheese and having not seen a ton of Mickey’s shorts, I felt I owed it to the big eared one to take a look at a bunch of his shorts for his birthday and see how I liked em. If your curious about my previous Donald Duck marathon, it’s CLICK THIS LINK.  Unlike last time all of these shorts are on Disney+ as more of Mickey’s library is on there and one or two of these were added recently, as Disney tends to add a few a month. I do wish there were more on there.. but unlike with say the handful of shows they haven’t put on there, i’m a bit more forgiving here. For one thing, YouTube has all the shorts available from various uploaders and DIsney hasn’t touched them despite Plus’ launch. Given like most companies Disney usually has their bots a cirlcing for their content, this has to be delebrate on there part and it’s a good gesture from the company. So while not in crisp HD like the Plus copies, or as easily avaliable, you can find any short that’s happened. So the shorts not all being up at once isn’t an issue like most of the shows that are absent on Plus. 

They also heavily need to cherry pick their library as some shorts simply haven’t aged well or have offensive stuff. With the exception of “The Beach Picnic”, which has a racist caricature of native americans via ants.. yes really, most of the shorts are fine to show kids, and have aged pretty well. And as my last marathon showed some shorts.. just haven’t. While not you know racist, seriously why is the Beach Picnic on there?, “Donald’s Penguin”, while utterly adorable at first, ends with Donald trying to murder a baby penguin with a shot gun. No amount of content warnings is going to get past one of their beloved icons pointing a shotgun at a baby. While Disney’s self conciousness can be silly, the splash edit and not putting the Darkwing Duck episode “Hot Spells” on plus for instance, this is one time when I can agree with them: if someone is curious about a paticuarlly offensive short or a propoganda one, youtube exists. But given Plus is trying to be all ages and dosen’t have censoring they have to be careful what they put on there, and I can respect that. I don’t think anyone’s crying a river over the fact that the goofy short where his reflection keeps saying “Hey Fat”, over and over while he struggles with his weight isn’t on Disney Plus and thankfully never will be. But seriously get rid of the “Beach Picnic”. It’s not a good short and you already have one batch of native american stereotypes with “Peter Pan”, I don’t think racist ants are the hill you want to die on disney.

So yeah, this time all of these are from Disney Plus, and since I watched them all at once, their in Watch order rather than chronological like last time. So with all that out of the way...

After the cut

1. Steamboat Willie (1928): It’s All Fun and Games Until Mickey Strangles an Innocent Duck Starting from the obvious source, Steamboat Willie was the start of Mickey’s career. And it’s.. okay. The animation is fantastic and the first half is pretty good: Theirs a pretty good gag with one of the cows. But the finale, with Mickey abusing various animals just isn’t that funny A LITTLE rattling of an animal for comedy is fine.. but the things Mickey does here are just sociopathic> And yes I know it was the 1920′s, but even in that lawless, racist, sexist time, they knew better than to strangle a duck, or, in the moment that puts it over the top, remove suckling pigs fromt heir mom and then play a pig’s teats like an insturment to make it squeal musically.. I assure you I did not make this up. That actually happens.  The pacing is also fairly slow at points, with some gags dragged out, though that can be chalked up to having no way to edit the damn thing, so that part I can forgive more.  What makes up for it, like I said, are some good jokes, and some gorgeous animation. Decades later and while clearly made a long time ago, it still looks vibrant and really pops even in black and white. It shows just how talented Disney was and how far the company could go with this medium.  One last thing to note is Mickey’s Early personality. While he’d retain trickster aspects at times, here he bounces between the loveable jolly mouse we’d come to know for the rest of his career who sometimes has a wild streak.. and a total asshole who strangles a duck. It’s just intresting to see such a diffrent side of him,  most of which would end up going to Donald over time. Overall the short is decent, not the best of Disney’s catalogue but worth a watch for the historical significance despite it’s shortcomings, pun unintended. 

2. Thru the Mirror (1936): That Was a Weird One This was easily my favorite of the bunch and as of now, my favorite Mickey Mouse Theatrical Short. Part of it is that it’s entirely bonkers; The film STARTS with Mickey , sound asleep, some how astral projecting as his soul, his spirit or whatever lead shis body and having been reading Alice Thorugh the Looking Glass, goes into a mirror world. But instead of encountring evil goatee mickey, he encounters a bunch of living objects and a bunch of fun set pieces for jokes ensue. He dances with playing cards, fights an army of them, has a sword fight with the king after dancing with the queen which.. no Mickey, bad mickey, your in a relationship and so is she. Bad Mouse bad. It is entirely fucking insane, even including a living nut cracker which.. words can’t.. look

They.. they had to know how this looked right? did the director have a ball busting fetish? I mean okay if he did, nothing wrong with that, but maybe don’t put it in your children’s cartoon.  That being said it does eat the shells which I find creative. And that’s what really makes this one pop. The creativity. Not a single minute is boring, every minute has something intresting going on, but without throwing too muchi n your face. It’s just a wonderful short and one that like Mr. Duck Steps out, i’ll be rewatching a LOTTTT. 

3. Mickey’s Rival (1936): Mortimer: The Original Bro From the same year we have disappointment. Having grown up with the disney classic House of Mouse, I was a huge fan of Mortimer. So when I first saw this, I was happy to see where he came from.. then justifably blocked it out of my mind till this review. While I love mortimer, I love Mickey having a sleazy rival and one diffrent than Pete who has different goals and tactics than the big guy. But his debut just has him as an obnoxious snickering bro.. which to be fair is who he is, but without the venre of charm his later version would have.  Mortimer just spends the short being a pranking douche, and blatantly hitting on Minnie in front of Mickey while their on a date. Which even in an open relationship is a no no, so he has no leg to stand on.. metaphorically. He also walks weird in this one because, and this is true, he’s carying 9 volt batteries in his pants. Yes really. That’s the level of Douche we’re dealing with. Someone so up their own ass they carry batteries int heir pocket instead of money or a mask or children’s trading cards like a normal person or a me.  What makes it frustrating is Minnie just swoons over the guy. And not like “Awww he’s so funny”, I mean romantically then has the gaul to say “your just jealous” when Mickey is understandably fuming over the jackass who swooped in, pranked him, is hitting on his girlfriend in front of him by teasing a bull, and in general is just the worst. Yes.. yes he is. Justifably. Jealousy is an ugly emotion but there’s a line between some dude bro like Mortimer getting mad your friends with someone you could be in a relationship with, boy, girl, neither, both, whatever your into, and Mickey getting mad his girlfriend is chuckling all over her ex who agian, crashed their date and treated him like garbage and is very transparently hitting on her in the middle of it.  It’s also just not a very funny short, outside of the bit pictured and tha’ts more for the sheer aburdity of Mortimer elctifying his pant for a really dumb gag about stealing people’s pants button. He’s very lucky we didn’t see Mickey’s Epic Mickey is what i’m saying. But given he’s a frat bro, the 1930′s version granted but a bro nonetheless,  he’d probably find that hilarious until he noticed the sheer size and scope.  Overall a forgetable, frustrating short. The one bright spot is mickey and mortimer’s cars which have faces and stuff and look neat.. otherwise it was just a waste of my time and the only good thing it did was bringing Mortimer into our lives. And that ain’t nothing. 

4. Mickey Down Under (1948): ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This is a quick one.. because this one was a vacum. I mean I can at least say for Mickey’s Rival it’s interesting.. i’ts not good but it’s interesting. this is just.. Mickey farts around with a boomerang with his dog and then pisses off an ostrich. There’s not really a lot of consequence or intrest is what i’m saying. I can’t even find a good opening to make a letterkenny joke. No one got close to fucking an ostrich here. It’s telling by the fact theirs no gif’s of this one that no one cares and it baffles me this is one of the ones Disney chose to gussy up for D+ release. But still no donald messing around with a robot? 

5. The Band Concert (1935): That’s More Like It.  Okay scooting back a year we have the band concert. This is my third time watching this one and it’s a delight. Like the last one I don’t have a ton to say.. but it’s more because this one is just so good rather than because it wasted my time. It’s got a fun concept and the breakout performance from my boy donald duck as he constantly fucks with the band’s performance by either getting in their faces or hilariously pulling Flute’s out of thin heir. I miss that gimmick for donald, his love of pulling objects out of the either via magic and shenanigans. They should bring it back. Also his shenanigans remind me of opus and that’s never a bad thing. 

Also Horace takes off his shirt. For the Ladies. A Classic for good reason. 

6. On Ice (1935): Donald is a Bastard Man Another great one from the same year. This time around we have what i’ve come to call a Mickey and the Gang Messaround. This is back when Donald and Goofy were supporting characters, so generally each of the big three do something, usually coming together for the climax.  In this case Mickey tries to help Minnie with her skating, with him adorably following her around with a pillow before showing off for her, just really sweet stuff. Goofy’s bit is hilariously dumb, as fitting my boy, as he feeds fish tobaco to get them to spit into a spitoon, and tries to club them, with predictable results. While not the most enivrionmentally friendly just the sheer oddness, the fact it sort of works minus him actually clubbing them, and one of hte fish smacking him in the face all make it work.  The only bit that reallyd osen’t is Donald and pluto... it was present a bit before but here illustrates why I really dread Pluto based shorts. While I don’t hate the dog, he’s a dog I love dogs, most of the gags in his old shorts, and even up to mouseworks are him either being blamed for shit that’s not his fault, a pet peve of mine, or being tourtured in some way...

But dosen’t work at all now. He puts the poor dog on skates and then laughs at him and even sings a song mocking the poor dog, before justifably nearly ending up going over a watterfall, then ending up clubbed in the head. Good. I love donald but good god is he unsympathetic here.. and for some reason they teamed the two up again for more shorts! Why. It’s why I don’t get why Pluto was the star of his own shorts: if this is all they had.. why do it? Was the 30′s, 40′s and 50′s equilvent of a micheal bay audience really that into dog abuse?  So yeah otherwise a good short but that segment drags it down. not Donald’s best work. 

7. Clock Cleaners(1937): This is a Great One Not much to say on this one. It’s pretty good, has some fun set pieces, and some great jokes from all three characters. Mickey deals with a seagull, donald effs with a main spring and Goofy fights some statues. All good clean fun. My lack of brevity is more because I don’t have any jokes rather than this genuinely being bad. It’s pretty good. 

8.. Mickey and the Seal(1948): More Pluto Torture Porn! 

This one’s more of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it is really cute, as a young seal ends up going home with mickey after he visits the zoo to feed them fish. On the other hand.. it’s mostly Pluto chasing after the seal, Mickey being kind of a dick to pluto and not getting he clearly saw SOMETHING in his house, and then teasing him at the end despite him having been right. That being said the ending, with the seal brining back all it’s buddies to mickey’s house, is fricking amazing. ALso the seals in this unvierse who aren’t antrho can speak. That.. that raises a lot of questions I don’t think disney can answer. 

9. Ye Olden Days (1933): Jaunty Dueling Music Now this.. this was a fun one. Mickey and Minnie head to Medivil times, proving that the current shorts tendency to jaunt to various settings isn’t a new thing, and it’ sjust a much of a fun change up here as it was there. Mickey, a wondering minstral, ends up trying to rescue Minnie after her father throws her in a dungeon for not wanting to marry Prince Dippy Dog, who hopes she can learn to love him. I can’t tell if he’s genuine or a dick here. But it’s fun, especially the part where, after Minnie declares she loves mickey which.. it’s been a few hours slow down, they decide on a duel and thus sing some ragtime, 1930′s getting ready for duel music that’s just catchy. if X Of Swords ever gets a movie, I want to use this song. Just.. really good stuff. A fun short with some great gag,s a great concept, and my boy goofy as the villian. What’s not to like? Alright one more. 

10. MIckey’s BIrthday Party (1942): Big Chicken Breasts We end on another all together now, Mickey and the Gang Messaround that was a great note to end on. I did watch another short, Pluto’s Birthday party.. but it was both more of a Pluto short and more Pluto torture nonsense, so yeah, skipping that one, as I ended up one short of my 12 goal because I can’t count, apparently. So Mickey gets 10, but this one’s a good note to go out on. 

Minnie throws a suprise party for mickey which almost turns into a live sex celebration as Mickey clearly is a wee bit horny going in. But it turns into a fun dance party, with Donald throwing out razzes like a good buddy, Goofy making a cake, and some fun gags with a piano they all bought him. It’s a really good short. That’s the problem with Mickey Shorts and doing all D+ ones: There just isn’t the weirdly offensive stuff to talk about there is. He’s not a bad character, but there’s a reason in every short that features all three, Donald and Goofy easily outshine him. Mickey’s not a bad character, but when not in trickster mode, there just isn’t a lot for him to do. It’s why the comics reinvented him, much like they did for donald, into a plucky detective/reporter who reguarly sovles crimes. He’s not bad, and as seen with Ye Olden Days and Thru the Miror, his blank slateness cna be put to good effect and house of mouse gave him more of a personality, but here he’s just the bland good guy to Donald’s loveable scmap and goofy’s loveable dumbass. It’s an issue comedy has to this day: having a lead whose just.. not as intresting as the rest of the ensemble.  There is weirdness to note, as Donald dances with Clara Cluck> That’s not the weird part, he and daisy took a while to be etched in stone. The weird parts are 1. Donald wearing a sombrero and smoking a cigar, and 2. Clara’s MASSIVE boobs.. yes really. Clara Cuck has giant breasts. Like actual boobs that sway around while she dances with donald. it’s.. bizzare. Not terrible, who doesn’t like big chicken boobs but just.. really really weird to see ina  Disney cartoon.But yeah it’s jus ta fun note to end on. 

And that was MIckey’s Birthday special. I enjoyed it even if I had less to say than I thought. If you liked this review, you can comission your own for five bucks, just hit up my pms or my discord , avaliable on request. You can check out my ohter disney reviews in the disney tab on my blog and until next time, ther’es always another rainbow.