#none of it ties directly into trauma for me

[lazaruspiss]

ive heard of people using their shitty dads as inspiration for writing shitty guys, but my shitty dad just isnt interesting enough for that. less of a villian and more just an emotionally stunted catholic.

[gingerylangylang1979]

Riddle me this... Why did it hit so different when Sydney came back?

I know what the cast and crew, and many fans, are saying. But none of them has yet explained that ending scene between Carmy and Sydney in E8 if it shouldn’t have a romantic subtext. Fine, if they didn’t intend it to be romantic, then why was it so extra? It’s moments like that that make shippers go, wait a minute, you DIDN’T write/act that to mean anything and feel gaslit?

I’ve talked before about how he halts as she walks in, sunlit and shy, and he just stares dreamily until he gets it together enough to speak. But it isn’t just that (although that’s really enough). When Sydney comes back it hits hard. 

It hits harder than when Marcus comes back. Marcus leaving doesn’t hit as hard. I know we/they all love Marcus, but he isn’t mentioned when he’s gone. Sydney is. Not only is she mentioned by Tina during prep, before that Carmy brings her up when Tina reminds him of her. Carmy finds her notebook. Carmy reaches out to her first. He doesn’t see anything that reminds him of Marcus. He doesn’t reach out to Marcus to apologize first. He doesn’t stroke Marcus’s Pantone book as he has deep thoughts. 

Even when Marcus and Carmy have their alley talk, it’s bonding but it’s way different than his alley talk with Sydney. With Marcus, Carmy just happens to stumble upon him, they share their fails as Carmy has a cig, they have a bro moment, and get back to it. With Sydney, Carmy sought her out, he doesn’t smoke, he brought her food, he came with purpose, to make amends and listen. He sits all the way down to talk with her. He shares more than a professional fail with her, he shares a personal tragedy, and his own trauma, and attempt to heal. 

When Marcus comes back he has a brief moment of forgiveness with Carmy but things swiftly move on. When Sydney comes back it’s A MOMENT. So if there is nothing to them beyond professional, why was it so unique and dramatic when she comes back? She is tied in so deep with the complexity of Mikey’s note and finding the money. She is prominent leading up to one and almost directly after the other. 

Sydney is different. They have shown her to be different. We see her as different. 

So what were we supposed to be interpreting from all of that if not romance? If they didn’t intend that I still don’t get how The Bear peeps think we are crazy for picking that up given what they put down. 

[yeyinde]

I just wanted to thank you for your most recent post about the MW3 campaign, and the way Samara’s death was handled. The most I knew about Call of Duty before finding your blog was the few times I had played with my little cousin.

I immediately took to the characters through your writing, and have been ever since! As of late I have felt myself growing distanced from these certain stories. While I’m sure some of it has to do with the natural progression of disinterest, a lot of my feelings are due to what is going on as of late.

I was never under the impression that Call of Duty wasn’t blatant military propaganda-you’d have to be completely oblivious to believe otherwise- but I guess it was easier to immerse myself in the story while ignoring any underlying reservations. Which is a privilege in and of itself.

All that unnecessarily being said, (apologies for the rambling) I just wanted to express my appreciation for your acknowledgement of the the current situation. It’s no exaggeration when I say you are one of the most talented writers I know, and more than likely my favorite! So as someone who is directly affected by everything going on, it means a lot to me that you are providing nuance in light of it all.

I do hope this isn’t taken as a call for the discontinuity of your writing for Call of Duty characters either, as it has brought me immense joy in the past year! I just wanted to share my own thoughts and feelings on the candid statement you posted.

You've given me a lot to think about, and none of what you said was unnecessary in any way—I think you touched on a lot of important aspects, particularly the privilege of “consumption without consequences."

It’s easy to get swept up into something when you have no tangible ties to the effects of what’s being portrayed, which can lead to making dismissive or hurtful statements out of pure ignorance. My biggest gripe was the excuses being laundered out and (either unintentionally or intentionally) giving the creators a pass for what they created and the harm they caused other people to experience. Just because they did not experience the same trauma, it does not diminish its impact on others. This is a very important distinction, which I think was being missed.

(I also think it's a bit of an attachment issue, and I could probably write an essay on why criticism of media you enjoy is not a lambasting of your personal character (and why you should be able to separate the two), but this was already getting quite lengthy so 😅)

Also, I don't think I added much to the discussion outside of airing out something that was annoying me, though. All the credit goes to @halfmoth-halfman for bringing attention to an important issue which was being glossed over. And for continuing to bring up these valid issues and criticisms when the norm seems to be "well, we'll just erase it from canon. No biggie."

But thank you for this! It really means a lot to me, and I'm so happy that the stories I wrote about brought some form of comfort. It's genuinely the biggest compliment ever.

[nebulablakemurphy]

Through Love And By Love (Pt. 13)

Summary: Twenty-Two years ago, Draco Malfoy used the imperius curse to slow Voldemort’s rise to power. No good deed goes unpunished. Warning: this series contains mature subject matter surrounding use of the imperius curse, discussions of trauma and mental illness; reader discretion advised.

Part 12

Summer passes, Rosanna and Draco spend a fair bit of it building a defense strategy.

Scorpius, for his part, pretends he is none the wiser. That things will right themselves and the truth will set them free. But he knows better, this is bad. Debatably the worst it’s ever been.

“If you ask me, the most mishandled aspect of the wizarding war, will always be Rosanna McVay’s tragic entanglement to the Malfoy family.” The reporter’s voice booms over the radio.

Of all the things Scorpius considers his mother to be, tragically entangled is not one of them.

“Oi, give it a rest.” The cohost retorts.

“That girl was bred like cattle, she lost her entire life to that family. She fell in love with a monster and Draco Malfoy fell in love with the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. He enjoys her the way a child does a toy.”

And of all the things Scorpius considers his father to be, a monster is not one of them. If these people ever met his parents, this entire debate would be null and void.

“And that is where we disagree. Draco Malfoy sold his soul to the devil, to save Rosanna McVay; and it’s people like you that’ve forced the reopening of this case, after over twenty years!”

“Pish, posh, the trial was rushed and we all know it. The imperious charm is listed as an unforgivable curse for a reason. The minister for magic, at present, recognizes that in a way that Kingsley Shacklebolt failed to.”

“Hermione Granger-Weasley would not open this can of worms of her own accord, but given the recent outcry, her hands are tied.”

This Scorpius knows to be true, Hermione is family, Hermione would never.

“Scorpius.” Another voice calls, not from the radio. This time addressing him directly.

“Mum, I was just-” bollocks, he’s been caught.

Rosanna smiles, kindly. “Finish getting ready for the train, it’s almost time to go.”

“Why are we leaving so early?” The train back to school doesn’t leave for hours.

“We’re driving down this year.”

“Driving?” They’ve always taken the floo.

“Photographers from the paper expect us to come through the floo network. This way will be better, less hectic.” Rosanna explains. “Plus, we have a chance for car karaoke.”

“Right,” Scorpius chokes out. Waiting until the door closes behind his mother to begin packing.

Rosanna’s cat, Lovey, sneaks out from beneath the bed. Perhaps she is now keeping watch, that or she is hiding from Draco. His father and his mother’s cat have always had a rather tumultuous relationship.

Eventually Scorpius trudges downstairs with his trunk and owl in tow. Her namesake is driven largely by the fact that she didn’t like to be kept in her cage, for any amount of time. She’d squawk terribly before she was trained.

“Oh, Lottie.” His father sighs.

“Lottie?” Scorpius repeats. He hasn’t given her a name yet.

Draco nods, “a fitting nickname, it means ‘free man.’ Some creatures are not meant to be tamed, they are wild at heart and long to remain free.” He unclasps the cage door, allowing the owl to climb onto his outstretched arm. “But, if we are lucky, they may choose to remain faithfully by our sides.”

“Lottie.” Scorpius finally settles upon a name.

He never took into account where his father might have acquired such extensive knowledge of caged animals. He never considered that this ideology may stem from interactions with a person instead.

Everyone is down on the first floor, waiting for Scorpius. The door left open as Rosanna loads Vega and Polaris’ trunks into the car, using her pointer finger. She rarely uses a wand for things around the house.

Corina must be having a morning. Her little fists are clenched around chunks of their father’s hair. Cheeks splotchy from crying as Draco bounces from side to side.

“Will she live?” Polaris jests, passing a hand over her youngest sister’s hair.

Draco half laughs, “I’m sure she’ll pull through somehow.”

“It’s hard being little, Coco.” Vega tells the little girl. “But soon you’ll be big, and wish you were little again.”

Corina doesn’t understand, resting her head against Draco’s chest. Clearly exhausted from her efforts.

“Scorpius, let your mother know your things are ready.” Draco jerks his chin toward the driveway.

Scorpius nods, heading out the open door.

Their muggle car has three rows of seats, a silver colored sports utility vehicle that sits in the garage, mostly for show.

“Mum, my trunk is ready.”

“Oh, good.” Rosanna pops her head out from the trunk. Her magic envelopes his school trunk, moving it into place with the twin’s.

Polaris’ frog, Persephone, croaks in protest.

“Are you keeping Lottie with you?”

“Oh, yes.” Scorpius forces a smile.

“You ok?” Rosanna closes the hatchback. Moving closer to ruffle his hair.

“I’m alright if you are.” He leans heavily against the trunk.

“I am.” His mother assures him.

————————————————————————

They approach the train station in due time, Draco begins pulling into a parking spot while his wife carries on about being too close to the car on her side.

“Baby,” she squeals, slapping at him blindly as the front of their car narrowly avoids the driver’s side door of the other car.

“Rosanna,” Draco all but growls, “close your eyes next time if it is too much for you. I know how to drive.”

Scorpius stops listening after that, their bickering is no more than white noise. It is not uncommon for them to row. They’re both opinionated and passionate in what they believe. But something about this is different, they seem worn down. As if everything has finally begun to eat away at them.

Corina kicks her little legs in her carseat, facing the rear of the car. Easily entertained by the butterflies Draco has charmed to circle near her head.

After a moment she stares up at her brother with wide brown eyes. Holding out the enchanted butterfly, trapped in her fist.

“For me?” Scorpius smiles over at her.

“Uh huh.” Corina smiles, releasing the butterfly. It circles Scorpius briefly, before landing on his nose. He’ll go cross eyed staring at it too long.

“Thank you.”

Their father swings open the door and the butterflies disappear. Draco unbuckles his daughter and promptly hands her off to Rosanna. They can’t use magic here, not until reaching platform 9 3/4, so Draco unloads the trunks onto a trolley.

Making their way through the train station quickly, they cross the threshold into the wizarding world. Scorpius reminds himself of the instructions he’s been given. Keep up with his family, don’t answer any questions, ignore any photographers. But they never discussed what to do in the event that they are separated. Which is exactly what happens.

Scorpius stands alone, swarmed by reporters, shouting at him. Snapping picture after picture.

“What are your thoughts about your father?”

“Are the wards around the Malfoy estate truly to keep intruders out? Or to keep you in?”

“Is it true that-”

“Scorpius!” That voice, his mother’s voice.

“Mum?” He can’t see her, but he hears her.

“Scorpius!” His father now. Of course they would come for him, they always do.

“Scorpius.” A cloud of smoke erupts between himself and the crowd, someone grabs his hand and drags him out of the chaos.

Once the fog clears enough for his eyes to adjust, Scorpius realizes that he is now in the corner, on the opposite side of the platform. Someone is there with him. “Delphi?”

“Scorpius, I’m sorry to bother you with this, but we don’t have much time.” The woman says, breathlessly. Fishing for something in her coat pocket.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure how much your parents have told you about what’s happening at the ministry…but in reference to your father’s case, things aren’t looking good.”

“I know,” Scorpius rakes a hand through his hair.

Draco is facing months, if not years, in Azkaban.

“There is something,” Delphi whispers, “something you could do.”

“Anything,” Scorpius nods, eagerly.

“You could use this.” A time turner, pulled from her coat.

“That’s illegal.”

“Of course.” Delphi drops it back to her side. “Forgive me for suggesting it.”

“It’s alright but I-“ Scorpius stammers, “I don’t see how that would help.”

“If you go back and change things, stop your father from using the imperius curse and prove that the outcome of the war would be different. Then put things back, exactly as they were. You’d return with the memories from the other timelines, put them in a pensieve, they’re admissible in court. Prove your father’s sacrifice was necessary, make him a hero.”

“Will you come with me?”

“Wish I could,” Delphi grimaces, “but the ministry has all employees on strict lockdown until the source of this breech has been identified.”

“Oh.” Scorpius lowers his gaze.

“I’m risking a lot even being here, but your mother is very dear to me. I’d hate to see her lose everything.”

Scorpius nods, taking the cool, metal, time turner in hand. “How will I know where to go?”

Delphi shoots him a grin, “all you need to do is turn it.”

Another puff of smoke, and she is gone.

Scorpius tucks the time turner away safely, in his own pocket. Rushing back to his parents, who are still frantically calling his name.

“Here,” Scorpius waves, “I’m here.”

Rosanna is beside herself, stroking his hair, checking him over thoroughly. “Are you ok, Scorpius?”

No. “Yes, I’m alright.” He hugs her to him. Scorpius loves his mother dearly, the sight of her so upset over him breaks his heart.

Draco tosses the arm not holding Corina around both of them, kissing his son’s hair. “Don’t worry, we will be pressing charges. I won’t have these imbeciles harassing you again.”

Scorpius realizes that his momentary absence scared them, it well and truly terrified them.

The train whistle blows, time to board.

“I love you,” Scorpius says, squeezing his parents a bit tighter. “I love you both.”

“Oh, Scorpius, we love you too.”

“We love you so much.”

And that is why he has to do this.

Part 14

[vickyvicarious]

Thanks to y'all I finished the Marsh Masterpiece and you weren't exaggerating and, as you had pointed out, it sucks at depicting the aftermaths of assault (among the things that made my Syrian ass sigh as much as every other anti-middle eastern propaganda shit out there) bc it handles trauma so bizarrely? Holt is tortured by the caricature, and upon seeing Paul L who he admired react with terror about that same caricature, he proceeds to lose respect for him for being unmasculine. Paul proceeds to care about his kidnapped fiancee's state of purity above all. Marjorie is attacked by the bug in her own bed and her reaction to Holt's fear of the same bug is contempt. There was a rife opportunity there for exploration, like how shared trauma between lovers affects their relationship. Look at how the once meek and scared Harker forsakes his soul if his love is forsaken, how he called the vampires devils of the pit and now chooses to share a bed with a devil, or how the once bubbly and confident in her goodness Mina asks him to vow to brutalize her and internalizes her Fallen state as deserving. Boom, cause and effect- the villain has irreversibly changed them and their relationship and we see how they deal with that. With the Beetle, what was even the point?

The saddest thing about this is that it reminds me of how much HAS NOT changed in media depicting assault. It's for so many times JUST for shock value and/or demonization of a group of people. Modern police dramas and fantasy series are notoriously bad about this, though not just them. But yeah, great to know that people always loved sexplotation crap...

First of all: I sincerely apologize for my part in getting you to read the entirety of this book. (said jokingly, but also a little bit not, haha)

And YEAH, everything you said is so right. There's not just a weird handling of trauma, but this bizarre disconnect between all the characters. None of them have empathy for one another, even when the source of their fear/trauma is literally the exact same person (though 'caricature' is in many ways a better word, not like the Beetle gets much personality outside of a bunch of racist stereotypes in a trenchcoat), most of the time even via them acting in the same ways. And so the result is this story where none of the characters really connect with one another in a meaningful way. That's definitely not the only problem, but - as I saw in a meta from @animate-mush earlier today - in The Beetle, things just seem to happen to the characters, and the horror is more about their helplessness. In Dracula, the characters feel and do things all the time! Often, those aren't the right feelings or actions, or the characters wind up feeling like they're participating in the evil, thus fostering that horror of complicity. But in this book, our ongoing jokes that nothing anyone does affects the plot at all are... not really jokes, they're pretty true. If all the POV characters had done nothing at all, the Beetle still would have hypnotized someone else to steal Paul Lessingham's letters, still would have terrorized/kidnapped Marjorie, and still would have died in the train crash (setting aside the sequel-bait "or did they live after all...?" moment). Not only did they do very little in the first place, what they did was irrelevant. I guess you can say that ties into the theme of the horror, but, ehhhh.

And again, you are absolutely correct about the missed opportunity for conflict/growth between the couple. They spend almost no time together outside of flashbacks, and don't confide in one another at all, let alone explore their changed relationship. But also, to zoom out from just them... for a novel which is at least 70% people telling one another stories about what happened to them, no one actually reacts to those stories very much. In Dracula, Jonathan's diary provokes strong reactions in everyone who reads it, and directly/very importantly informs their next actions. Mina's account of Whitby gives Van Helsing the push to start the hunt for vamped!Lucy, and Seward's records give the clue that Renfield is connected to Dracula in some way. Even the Captain of the Demeter's log, read after his death, gives added context to the hunt and helps set them on their box chase which is of vital importance. The characters not only tell each other their stories - and write letters, and look up records - but they are changed and brought closer by the sharing of their experiences. The whole process is a unifying one.

The Beetle doesn't do any of that. After hearing Holt's account, Marjorie and Sydney unsympathetically take him to revisit the source of his trauma. Sydney, despite knowing she's telling the truth, tries to dismiss Marjorie the entire time she's talking to him. Champnell privately judges Paul Lessingham throughout his story. Marjorie and Paul don't really talk at all! Even when all of the characters come together for the final chase, they spend half the time talking over/insulting/arguing with one another. Both because they haven't all shared information fully in the first place, and because none of them have been changed or emotionally affected too much by one another's stories. The whole book reminds me of this excerpt from a critical essay about Dracula where the author claimed that there's a horrible bitter rivalry between all the suitors and their proclamations of love and friendship are lies. It's the worst bad faith interpretation of the text... and one Richard Marsh, seemingly, would have looked at and went "let's make that canon!"

Finally... it really is sadly true how little some things have changed. I mean, certainly, you can find a lot of much better depictions of trauma and aftermath (and companionship and less racism and better writing and-) nowadays. But equally, you can find plenty, scads upon scads, of the same kind of awful tropes as Marsh used (I can easily come up with some common ones in police detective shows especially). Maybe the worst part is that they can normalize terrible associations/expectations in a casual audience without them even realizing. And even in more nuanced stories, lots of people have very reductive interpretations. (See: the above mentioned Dracula essay. Or any of the many Dracula adaptations that claim to be more feminist or something while playing into just as bad and in some cases worse tropes as the original.) In a lot of ways, many of our modern tropes and interpretations around race/sex/gender/etc. are often not any more enlightened than Victorian ones were. Not always, of course! But more than enough.

[buecherbummlerin]

The Stolen Heir

Author:

Holly Black

Publisher:

Little, Brown and Compnay

Content:

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth, has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world, where she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful and manipulative. He's on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren's help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she had left behind.

My Review:

I enjoyed The Stolen Heir by Holly Black, even though it was not as good as  the Folk of the Air trilogy. I would definitely recommend reading the Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black in advance, as this book ties into the events of that trilogy and otherwise you have no idea what is going on in this book and how everything is tied together.

The book is rather short and at just under 400 pages from beginning to end is really exciting. Holly Black starts directly into the events and shows and this time the world of Faerie from the point of view of Wren and Oak. I would have liked a little more here that the character development and the characters themselves would have had a little more room to develop and the story. Nevertheless, I must admit that I found it interesting and entertaining to experience the world from the point of view of characters who are not the focus of the Faerie and want to escape it for various reasons.

I also particularly liked how Holly Black, despite the limited number of pages, manages to give both characters depth through their fears and traumas. Together with all the tricks, secrets and riddles of the Faerie world, Holly Black manages to create an exciting and magical story. However, I would have liked maybe a hundred more pages to have more depths to the story and the events. At many points the story lacked meaningful explanations.

Resume:

I enjoyed reading "The Stolen Heir" by Holly Black, but I have to admit that the story didn't have enough depth for me. Many decisions, relationships and especially the characters had too little background and explanation for me. However, the Folk of Air Trilogy by Holly Black, which this book follows on from, is much better and should definitely be read first.

[lemonadesoda]

I've seen a lot of posts about magic being connected to emotions but none about the specific version where despair, repression, or trauma destroy the ability to access or control magic. I really like the idea of a character, especially a powerful one, losing their magic skill because they've got some feelings or pain they haven't dealt with and thus have lost connection to their original source. Regaining their ability is directly tied to their recovery journey, either through reconnecting with their power source by accepting and processing their emotions or, if that connection has been permanently damaged, learning to find adaptive alternatives.

Something something metaphors for grief again, you know how it is with me

[sapphosewrites]

The dedicated James Tiptree Jr subroutine in my brain has been activated so unluckily for you all you're going to hear about it.

James Tiptree Jr is the pseudonym of Alice Sheldon, one of my favorite scifi authors, if only because I was introduced to the anthology "Her Smoke Rose Up Forever" when I was 18 and had never read anything like it before. There is so much in her work to dig into and explore, and I won't pretend I could even list all the topics and themes let alone coherently discuss them, but there are a few I have continued to turn around and around in my brain over the years because of the events of her life.

She writes a lot about biological essentialism. Both her humans and aliens are driven by innate impulses they cannot control. Her male point of view characters believe Men Are Like This and Women Are Like That. Her female point of view characters often exist on the fringes of society, and have been through immense pain and trauma. For them, Men Are Like This means men are powerful and cruel.

Most of her characters have heterosexual sex, whether they want to or not. There is an inevitability to it that I find fascinating as an asexual reader. It sometimes feels like the characters who want sex only think they should, or want it but almost subconsciously wish they didn't- it comes across more as a biological urge than a source of pleasure. This is especially interesting to me given that she admitted to being attracted to women, although she married men. (It's possible she was attracted to both- it's not like she used modern labels to describe her experiences.)

I can name off the top of my head three of her stories where a character is killed by their romantic partner, and in each case the violence is directly tied to love, lust, or mating. None of these characters actually wished to harm the person they love, and in two different cases, it was tied up in acts of care or protection. Notably, she killed her husband and herself in what may have been a suicide pact (at one point she wrote he had agreed to it, but it's impossible to prove whether or not that was the case at the actual time of death), because she wanted to die while she was still in possession of her faculties and her disabled husband was dependent on her care.

I don't mean to pretend like anyone could have predicted that based on her writing, or that she intended it all along. It's something my brain just continues to turn around and around and around.

[strangerthings4theories]

What if Steve, Billy, and Eddie are the trio

(Referring to this post)

That wouldn't make sense to me. Yes, it's fun to stick them together in fanon, but in canon a few things get in the way:

1) Steve is already firmly embedded in other character groups. His peers are Nancy, Robin, and Jonathan, and he's a big brother/father figure to the younger teens. Canonically, his story arc and themes are tied to those groups, which leaves little room for him to break away and have a significant trio dynamic with different characters. You have to "prep the stage" for that sort of thing, otherwise it'll give the audience whiplash. And none of the prep work has been done. If anything, S4 reinforced his preexisting ties by emphasizing his connection to Nancy and Robin, complicating his relationship with Dustin, and putting him on a crash course with Jonathan.

2) Steve's character doesn't quite fit with Eddie and Billy. If you compare the three in terms of narrative weight and themes, it feels like a game of "one of these is not like the others." And the odd one out is Steve.

Eddie and Billy exist closer to the show's thematic heart than he does. Steve's story is never used to directly comment on its themes except in S1 (when he goes from "bully" to "monster killer"). After that, he operates as a neutral grounding element, interacting with and supporting other characters whose stories are much more charged. Eddie and Billy, on the other hand, embody the themes of trauma, mind control, becoming a "monster," and standing up to your abusers. This lends them a certain narrative weight that makes them stand out.

Steve's the fun character we all like who's frequently used as comic relief. While Eddie's fun too, and he definitely makes us laugh, his character spans a greater emotional range, which immediately puts him in Billy's camp. We've seen him broken and terrified, just like Billy.

When you're creating a character group, it's important that its members be reasonably balanced. The larger the group, the less important that is, because having variety becomes a concern. However, we still have to take it into consideration.

A trio has very little wiggle room for that. Variety is needed, yes. But a trio is so small that cohesion takes priority. Otherwise you end up with a character who's a painfully noticeable third wheel. If that's the point of the story, then sure, go for it. If it's not? Woof.

If Steve joined up with Eddie and Billy in S5, he would be the third wheel. And that wouldn't fit the wider narrative at this point for lots of reasons.

In my opinion, only one character could form a satisfying trio with Eddie and Billy, and that's El herself. Her story is ALL ABOUT trauma, mind control, becoming a "monster," and standing up to abusers. And you know what I said about prep work? How you gotta pave the way for your character groups? Well, that work is well underway here. S3 tied Billy's storyline irreversibly to El's. And with the way Eddie's has gone so far, it looks like he's in position to make the same leap.

Keep in mind Billy didn't meet El until his second season. It's highly suspicious to me that Eddie, despite all his narrative pull, hasn't met her yet either.

[bishoukun]

🌊 for the Naruto ask game.

Th-there as an anon in my askbox?!

I may or may not have actually jumped in shock.

And then spent the next several hours writing expositions to mentally process the fact that I got an ask.

🌊 favorite story arc (and why)?

WHY DID YOU GIVE ME SUCH A HARD ONE?

My answer (all of our answers, actually) changed over the years, for sure. While I still think Shika vs Hidan is one of the most incredibly well-done arcs of the series, I have hindsight now that I didn't used to.

Now? I cannot stop returning to the three of the first arcs, the Naruto Bridge, the Chuunin Exams, and the Sasuke Retrieval. Haku, Zabuza, understanding each of them more than I ever thought I would, understanding who Zabuza was trying to kill and why, AGREEING with his goal, realizing that Haku was officially a Kirinin as well, seeing their dynamic in a whole different way. (and yes, still hard shipping them.)

Gaara. I haven't updated our carrd page yet, but uh, yeah. Obvious reasons for loving him are obvious. But even just as a character, he's always been high on the favorite list. Neji. The wonderful asshole genius I want to punch hug at the same time. (I did a breakdown to some friends once about the single panel of all the Jounin stopping him at once and the significance of who did what where.) LEE.

Now, put the three of them together.

Gaara and Lee's dynamic and relationship, the way their interactions change each other so drastically, and then how Lee being the most sweet precious cinnamon roll basically secured Gaara's stability. (Also the fact that we get to see him use his kekkei genkai here when we don't anywhere else, and when it happened nobody knew it was a fucking kekkei genkai he was using with his sand!)

Neji and Lee's relationship changes so drastically. I have something I'm writing with my writing partner that goes through the full transition of Neji and Lee fighting outright to beginning to realize what's at risk for Lee and that he understands him more than he would previously admit. Both of them are based heavily in a martial art culture that none of the other characters outside of Gai adhere very strongly to, so when others are telling Lee to stop trying to train, Neji gets pissed off. We see how much he's processed his trauma and how it's no longer holding him back, he's not a tiny whirlwind of anger and fear anymore.

And then there's Kakashi.

I could go on for hours and hours and hours about this man. The amount of personal growth and recovery we see is astounding, and terribly subtle. This is another area where hindsight makes me appreciate what he goes through in these arcs even more.

To know how much all three of Team 7 resembled his own, to know everything Naruto doesn't understand about his own situation and not be allowed to say a thing - because it would probably get him removed from the team, and he has his priorities in the right places, to know he is directly tied to both boys of the team through one's father and the other's brother having been student to one and mentor to the other, to be in a state of complex and complicated emotions in regards to the one man easily responsible for doing the most harm to himself and the only child of his teacher as he goes from being streamlined for war to being the village grandfather to everyone except Asuma as the village finally secures peace and has what he believes is necessary for his own teacher's and Hashirama's dreams to be reality. What a fucking transition, even if he's still far from perfect. Even if it took Asuma playing the "I'm literally your son, so fucking listen to me" card to get Kakashi out of ANBU and then kept him off S-Rank and likely off most A-Rank for years, to the village at large he was a very different influence. He's clearly conflicted when Hiruzen dies.

And that's only a small facet of the complex ball of anger and anguish that is Hatake Kakashi.

I could go on, and on, and on, about four of the aforementioned (Kakashi, Haku, Gaara, Neji), indefinitely. I have a deep love for them and the relationships they have, all of the complexities and intricacies, in-depth analysis. I write for all four of them, among other characters, such as my blond namesake.

But this has taken me, uh, ten... hours... (admittedly with a four hour break, but still).

It's now 8pm and I need some pain meds and lying down time.

Thank you, anon. This really, really made my week.

[lemontongues]

just saw the ed piskor stuff and i dont have a ton of thoughts on the particular situation (honestly had never heard of him before) but the whole thing does just make me think about like. how much we as a culture desperately need to get better at developing procedures for handling situations where someone did or may have done something terrible, especially when we know they're not likely to face legal repercussions for it.

bc like, if you think about it imprisonment is rly the easy way out on a cultural level, bc the outcome for everyone not directly involved is "the person just Goes Away to a place where someone else is responsible for feeding and clothing and housing them and none of the rest of us have to grapple with the fact that theyre still actually a person who is going to keep on existing no matter how much we dont like it." but in a lot of these cases where its issues of sexual harrassment or emotional abuse or whatnot that are traumatizing to the victims but arent likely to even go to court, much less result in any jail time, like.... asserting that the morally right thing to do is to completely exile this person from society and that anyone who continues to support them is equally monstrous is just. not a functional strategy.

its the same reason why the aclu advocates for the rights of sex offenders yknow, like. actually creating groups of highly ostracized ppl with ruined lives doesnt help anyone? it makes it harder on victims who want to come forward (both because of the guilt some will feel over bringing those consequences down on their abuser and because everyone knows the kind of vicious backlash the victims will get from defenders of the accused), it breeds the awful public litigating of ppl's lives that we see every time allegations come out and everyone and their mother has to jump in and make sure the internet knows they have the Right Opinions on this situation that in no way shape or form involves them, and it can result in situations like piskor's, which is just a lose-lose all around.

like there absolutely should be consequences but a) imo we really gotta focus more resources on actually caring for and supporting victims than on punishing the accused anyway and b) a scorched-earth approach doesnt help anything and there needs to be more thought and nuance to the consequences than "we're kicking you out of society and anyone who doesnt immediately sever all ties with you should be ostracized too". sometimes ppl should lose their jobs if their jobs gave them structural power over the ppl they abused, sometimes maybe its not necessary. they're inevitably going to lose a lot of people in their lives when allegations come up because a lot of ppl will just find it repulsive to be around someone they think may have abused others, but maybe their friends shouldn't all have to immediately cut ties or risk being seen as guilty by association. etc etc. it just sets everyone up for a lot of additional suffering and trauma and i dont know what the right solutions are, but man i would rly love to start seeing more conversation around actual best practices and mitigating the gut-reaction lashing out from uninvolved parties on both sides

[talesofealdancynedom]

Tales of Ealden Cynedom: 34. The Green Letters (2/4)

34. The Green Letters (chapter 2 - Floral Arrangements 2/4) part 8. Stories of Dreams.

none

“Dear paternal traitor,

Though I nearly incinerated your letter, the bride showed investment in your efforts. Additionally, I don’t want to stoop to your level. Morgan said he wanted Delphia to wear the dress late prince Ethelstan designed, for the promised Daneia Lady whom Delphia is to replace. Morgan assured me you have those records.

Regarding his clothing, he wishes to wear the Emerald Gryphon robes he restored this year. He also indicated that he wanted the celebration to be blue and pink, and clove duck served. For flowers, he asked for white columbine and white poppy, with ribbons tied to the right; And purple hyacinth and verbena, with ribbons to the left. I stopped asking after a certain point. Flower’s are my little sister’s thing, and he is a Seer after all.

It is also worth mentioning, that Delphia is being held hostage in Pepperidge, by an Earl Kjiatin Torchblood. You should plan how to transport her, and preferably not return her. Pepperidge seems to still have low opinions of her. I’m not sure how I personally feel, now that she quit monopolizing my nephew. They do get along.

Though I want you to know as little as possible about my family, I have you know Morgan’s voice coaching has gone well. He goes mute sometimes, due to the trauma you caused him. It was triggered when Emilia left for her first tour, and his friends were busy. I should’ve been more available, but I also have to feed him. Me and Jupiter are a little sad these days; Our daughter moved out and I can’t sleep. Do you even remember Reggie?

Also, since Delphia mentioned it, can I be invited to the ceremony? To make sure you don’t hit my nephew again? Or will my sister Icthya keep you accountable? I wonder why she stayed with you; Was it True Love’s Spell, or the complexity of domestic violence? I wouldn’t know, because I don’t neglect those I love.

Tell Icthya I miss her.

 Whale, hope this doesn’t help,

Mr. Dawnhill.

 P.S. You can send letters directly to me. I live in my dead parent’s house; We painted the kitchen white.

16 Tower Rd, E

Pepperidge, Anglia Mainland: GW1 P42”

 Odysseus slouched in his saddle. He was in only his boots and underwear, trying to pull a horse out of a muddy ditch, as the Duke of Northpoint read him the letter. In Cetus’s absence, Duke Ravensong had been good company. He attended every traditional celebration hosted at the ranch. Like Odysseus, he had a bloodline title that gave him little importance these days. However, as good a friend he was, he did slap Odysseus after the domestic violence charges. Even being a witness to remove custody. He was no replacement for Cetus. Cetus was a bucket of laughs, and a poor looser while playing darts. Odysseus was cut deep, but not surprised, to hear that Cetus still hated him. When the horse was free, Odysseus staggered to the bath room tracking mud.

“Are you ok? Did my brother write back?” Icthya called, picking up the dirty letter.

“I miss our son and Cetus. Also, you’re a florist; Do the flowers mean anything to you?” Odysseus called down the hall. Icthya opened the letter; She frowned before giggling.

“No. But they’ll compliment the pink and blue decorations.” Icthya chimed back. She knew exactly what Morgan was conveying with the flowers: An Old-fashioned floral burn. Icthya continued to examine the letter.

“Wait, does Cetus mean the Kjatin Torchblood of Peak Suna? He wed to your big sister, right?”

Odysseus slid deeper into the tub. His sister had leaked the secret constitutional monarchy to the Torchblood family. That meant Kjatin would be at the ‘wedding’, with a smug look on his face; Having appeased some higher-up wizards to give his niece a step up. All it took was abusing some teenagers. Odysseus was livid.

******

Fear of death makes people stupid. A year of comparison, and the stress of near-death, cause Delphia became obsessed with being worthy. She’d never match Emilia, but she needed to do something. Proof she was on Pepperidge’s side. The wedding was never a priority. I need a grand gesture. Delphia thought, adorning her pink gilded dragon robes; Not enchanted, but perfect for a wizard. She tied her strawberry hair back with blue finger loops, revealing the rings of silver in her ears. But in the mirror, she saw a familiar face at the door; A built man covered in mythical tattoos, blue eyes, and a golden mane twisted and clipped with silver.

“Uncle Kjatin? This is the tower of Tiberius Gate; You shouldn’t be here. How did you get past all the fey?”

“Casually.” He grinned. Delphia, tensed, as he approached.

“May I help you?” She suggested. Kjatin scowled. He walked right up, and tore off her wizard robes, and stays, down to the chamise. They slid into threads on the floor. Delphia froze solid. He then ripped the silver from her ears, cut her hair and the finger loops, then pushed her over to rip her traditional knit stalking’s. Delphia found herself gripping her arms on the floor crying and cold. Kjatin whipped the Kohl from her face, with her own tears.

“My wife informs me that a bride to Anglia cannot bring her culture with her; Nor be a wizard.” Kjatin whispered, slowly bending and snapping Delphia’s wand, inches from her face. Years of school, and a dream, in splinters. Kjatin walked off with heavy steps. Delphia had never felt so helpless. It was so surprising she had gone rigid. She would feel guilty calling Morgan for help; She wasn’t even sure he could help. She felt pathetic.

While everyone was at work, Delphia shoved her shredded belongings into a trunk, and applied first-aid. Her condition might cause Morgan to panic. Applying gauss to her ears, she looked out the bubble glass window of the great tower. She saw the expanse of the encircling black walls of the gate. Within the tower, she was at its center. The Shadow Veil before her; A grand gesture of dedication. Echoed in Delphia’s mind.

Anyone who is not a mage, will succumb to the severe hemorrhagic fever from going dark upon entering the ether. The depravation of the senses in the Shadow Veil, causes turmoil great enough to kill. But that plane contained the Beast Kings. As Morgan was King Mage, they saw him as a sibling. Now that is a grandest gesture, to prove one’s love of magic and dedication; Risking one’s life to appease magic itself.

*****

Cetus walked into his tech shop, on call, only to see his mailbox full after the weekend. To his dismay, there was a green letter.

 “To my one true beluga,

Thank you for your correspondence. I know you have harsh feelings towards me; justifiably so.

Tell Morgan I’ll have the dress made, and that Icthya is taking care of the flowers. Morgan’s request made her laugh. I love when she laughs.

I forgot to add that Raven Queen Odette, the lost princess of Anglia, is coming. I told her to wear the periwinkle dress. Morgan might be thrilled, since he’s so close with the Beast Kings. Personally, I think she’s a romantic under all that regality.

Regarding Kjatin, he’s technically my brother-in-law. I don’t think he’s dangerous, but if you find him, report him. I’m removing him and my sister from the guestlist, for inciting violence; And involving wizards in mundane matters. Two can play at forgotten decree abuse. As for your family’s invitation, I’m unsure as of now.

Additionally, there is little I can do to help Delphia get here safely. She didn’t ask for any of this. Just like Morgan. Maybe you know a paladin?

I hope everyone is well. Send a smile to Emilia, Jupiter, and Delphia, for me.

 Kind Regards,

Oddie”

 “He doesn’t know when to stop, does he? Too much heart to keep it to himself. I wonder how he’s doing, even though I want to not care. I never thought to ask after he lost custody; I hope it hurt. Bet he still tortures himself. That bastard owes me a third chance at goat tossing. I should be the uncle attending that meaningless pageantry. Its bad enough Morgan’s best friend isn’t; A friend who is a loyal paladin too! What a mess.” Cetus rambled, as a customer stared from the camera section.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

[sapphic-luthor]

i thibk you are the first person i’ve heard say johnny d is not the victim. it’s got me thinking, have i been fkn brainwashed by all the media i see???? it’s so hard in these situations because statistics say amber will be the victim. but she might not be. but she might also be. gah, i wish the truth was easy to uncover.

gonna answer this under the cut and please god everyone this is not an invitation for discourse

i’m not going to do the whole “but the evidence this!! and this tiktok!! and this meme!!!” bullshit because abuse and domestic violence are not, in any capacity, the sort of things that can be packaged into little tweets or meme videos designed specifically for engagement. and more importantly, the case is really just that: a legal case that’s in the hands of the court, that ultimately has nothing to do with you or i.

but what does have to do with me as a woman and as a lesbian is the way the media frenzy of this case is warping the public consciousness when talking about trauma and abuse. i really, really, urge you to take a look at what sort of information is being shared and by whom, and what sort narrative theyre trying to push— you will find blatant misogyny spurring a LOT of this conversation.

i do think its important to say that nobody on twitter or tiktok or making rant videos on youtube with big bright clickbait icons should be considered a source of truth of information regarding what was obviously an extremely volatile interpersonal relationship between two people who absolutely none of us know personally, and whose celebrity statuses directly affect the publics made-up perception of their characters.

misogynists salivate over the myth of the wrongly accused man. look at how many people are instantaneously accusing women like megan thee stallion (who literally got shot!) and evan rachel wood (who was kidnapped, tortured, branded, and repeatedly assaulted on camera in a music video that’s still on youtube to this fucking day) of lying or attention seeking or whatever, because they can’t bear to imagine the accused men as the monsters they are. look at the pass people give r kelly and chris brown!

abuse allegations are, by their nature, extremely traumatic to share and often extremely intimately tied up in ptsd, guilt, shame, memory loss, you name it. i don’t know what’s going to happen in this defamation case, and i almost don’t care because i dont respect the US legal system at all. but i do know that none of the disastrous effects or realities of abuse on a victim should ever be turned into content, and the next time you see a tiktok like “here’s a picture of amber heard SMILING a day AFTER she LIED about xyz!!!” with a backyardigans theme song or what the hell ever i want you to really consider the way women and their suffering are so often turned into caricatures by the public, the way women are never, ever, fucking believed regardless of if they have evidence or witnesses or whatever, and also maybe why the venn diagram of people who don’t believe other victims and who insist JD is innocent is a literal circle.

[nastybuckybarnes]

Of Kings and Beasts  -  Ten

Pairing: King!Bucky X Princess!Reader X King!Steve

Summary: Born a bastard of the King of Orlen, you’re thrust to the West to marry the Kings. However, the greeting you get is anything but warm, and your life with the King is far from enjoyable. He knows it isn’t your fault his husband is gone, but that fact alone won’t prevent him from taking it out on you.

Warnings: Angst, Injuries, Fluff, Language, Violence, 

Word Count: 2K

A/n: Okay y’all THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR 10K FOLLOWERS IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MCUH OMG Anyway ahem here is part 10 and I hope you enjoy! We’re gonna have a more intense part coming next but until then, enjoy!

THIS SERIES CONTAINS SMUT AND DARK THEMES THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME AUDIENCES!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

Series Masterlist

“We make for Asgard.”

~*~

“You look lovely. The colours of Asgard suit you well,” Thor says, his eyes raking over your figure from behind.

Adorning your body is a soft linen gown, the colour of cream. It is cut low in the front, a style Thor assured you is common in his kingdom, and has many different folds and layers to it, making it flow with every step you take.

The fabric itself is lightweight, and the straps lie thinly on your shoulders. The waistline is decorated with gleaming golden gems and is cinched rather tightly.

Over your shoulders is a dark red cape, the same colour as Thor’s.

Your hair is tied up away from your face intricately and elegantly, and a dainty diamond necklace rests around your neck.

You turn to face him, a deep feeling of unease settling in your stomach.

“What is to happen now?” You wonder aloud, eyes fluttering past his face and around the chambers that he’s deemed to be yours for the time being.

“Now we wait. The kings should be here soon, and then we will inform them of the letter you received. I promise you’ll be safe here, Petal.” He cups your cheeks and you swallow hard, nervous about the change in his attitude towards you.

“Thor?” You ask softly, taking a half-step backward in an attempt at removing yourself from his grip.

He surges forward, one hand dropping from your face to wrap around your waist as his lips crash against yours in a fierce and dominating kiss.

Your heart races in your chest and you shove against his face, trying to force him away from you.

Helplessness fills you as you realize that you’ll never be able to overpower him, and dread settles in your gut as he pushes you back until you’re pressed against the wall.

Your muffled cries for help, for him to stop, fall on deaf ears as his lips continue their assault against yours, prying yours open to give his tongue access to your mouth.

Thinking quick, you grip his bottom lip and bite down as hard as you can, drawing blood and successfully making him pull away from you.

He jumps back, one hand coming up to his mouth while you scramble back and away from him, chest heaving and eyes full of betrayal.

His jaw clenches and he takes a step towards you, only to stop when the doors to your chambers burst open.

“(Y/n)!” A familiar voice calls, two men rushing into the room and searching for you.

The tension in the room is palpable and the two Kings pick up on it instantly, their guards raising as they see the way you’re cowering from the blond King before you.

“Are we interrupting something?” Steve asks, his voice ringing with authority.

“No,” you say quickly, regaining your composure and squaring your shoulders as the words of the Valkyrie ring in your ears.

“Thor was just taking his leave,” you say pointedly, staring the King down for a long moment until he nods, bows then spins on his heel and leaves without a word.

You take a deep breath, power and fear chasing each other through your veins while your heart races in your chest.

“(Y/n), are you alright?” Steve asks softly, taking a step towards you and reaching for your hand. You yank it back towards your body, levelling him with a glare.

“If my purpose was solely to bear children, then why are you here if I failed?” The blond glances over at his husband, unsure of how he should address this.

“It is obviously not a secret. I have been threatened even since my departure, and the truth has been brought to my attention. So I ask again, why are you here?” James takes a careful step towards you, and then another, and another until he is standing just directly in front of you.

You keep your shoulders squared and your head held high, refusing to back down.

“(Y/n), there are things we must tell you... things we have not been completely honest about... things that involve our union, and our actions towards you. Will you allow us time to be honest with you?” You swallow hard but nod, wanting nothing more than the truth after all this time in the dark.

James takes your hand delicately in both of his and ushers you to the bed, sitting down beside you while Steve sits on your other side.

The brunet speaks first.

“We were told... by our council that we needed to find a wife. When they heard of our plans to join the two kingdoms of the North and wed each other... they tried to find any way to stop it. But upon seeing our power they relented until they realized that our reign would end if we did not have a queen.

“They gave us a timeframe to find a queen. One that could give us heirs and continue the lineage of both of us. We were presented with many women but you... you stood out from the many faces we saw.”

You frown, brows drawn together tightly as you ponder this.

“My purpose... right from the beginning was nothing more than what you had told me. What you said was true. What I was told is nothing but the truth,” you whisper to James, fighting back the tears that prick at your eyes.

Steve shakes his head, leaning closer to engage in the conversation. “No. Your purpose was... is to be our wife. A queen to our people and the mother of our children. You are meant to rule alongside us, not be behind or beneath us. You are our equal, although we have not treated you as such.”

You sniffle, shaking your head as if trying to shake your feelings away.

“Why have you treated me the way that you have? Why? What have I done to deserve such hostility?”

The two exchange long glances before James sighs and takes your hand, leading it to the thin scar at the base of his skull.

“Someone has operated on me. Altered me in a way that makes me hostile towards you and Steven. We do not know who, but we know that they are close enough to be near me without raising suspicion. I will never be able to apologize enough for my actions. I have hurt you far more than I ever could have imagined myself capable of. But with the help of doctor Banner, we were hoping to have more clues as to who is responsible for this. However, he is still in quite an unstable condition.”

You swallow hard, this new information having you beyond overwhelmed.

“Who would conspire against you in such a way? Who would have such hatred in their heart for the two of you that they would take it out on me?” The two kings sigh, their hearts heavy and their eyes filled with sadness.

“We do not know. But one thing is certain: we will not rest until we figure out who it is and until they are brought to justice.”

~*~

The two Kings settle in the guest chambers for the night, having insisted that you get your own space and that you are welcome to join them if you feel so inclined.

Your mind is still in shambles, thoughts scattered and emotions all over the continent as you prepare for bed.

A knock on your door pulls you from your thoughts and you softly call for them to enter, your guard raising in an instant.

“How may I help you, Your Majesty?” You ask, jaw clenched tightly.

Thor takes a deep breath then lets it out, pacing slowly around your chambers.

“I stepped very far out of line, (Y/n). I let my emotions get the better of me and I was foolish. I apologize sincerely for my actions.” You watch him with furrowed brows, not sure if you should trust him.

“You have... entranced me. Bewitched me. Your husbands have not treated you fairly and, even in the short time that I've known you, I can tell that you are a woman deserving of the world. And if the world cannot be given to you then you deserve everything in it. And yet here you are, cowering from your own kingdom because they failed to protect you.” You want to interrupt. To tell him that he is not aware of the extent of the trauma that the Kings themselves have faced, but you hold your tongue instead.

“I can only hope that one day you will be able to forgive what has transpired today. For I value your company and your companionship and I would be devastated to lose it in any way. However, I will not blame you if you were to push me away. I was out of line and I allowed myself to be weak in a moment when I should have been strong. You needn’t give me an answer tonight, but I am offering my sincerest apologies. While you are here the Palace is yours. Anything you require will be brought to you promptly.”

He’s quiet for a moment before clearing his throat, his eyes on the ground.

“I bid thee goodnight, and I hope pleasant dreams find you tonight.” He turns to leave and you sigh, shaking your head.

“Thor, wait.” He does, turning back to look at you with those soft blue eyes of his.

“I appreciate and accept your apology. I do not look at you any differently because of what transpired, and I am grateful that you came to explain it. I appreciate your friendship and I am glad to have found solace in you, and it would be a shame to squander it over something so trivial.” He smiles, relief and happiness plain as day on his face.

“Good. Thank you for your understanding, (Y/n). Goodnight.” He leaves without another word and you put your head in your hands, beyond confused and frustrated with the feelings stirring inside of you.

You would be lying if you said that the Asgardian King wasn’t attractive. And he has been a friend in times when you’ve otherwise had none.

Shaking the intrusive thoughts out of your head, you exit your chambers and pad softly down the hall, stopping in front of the chambers that have been set aside for your husbands.

You knock twice, butterflies finding a home in your belly as you wait for one of them to allow you entrance.

The door gets pulled open and James stands in front of you, the formal look on his face dropping to give way to a soft smile.

“May I join the two of you tonight?” You ask quietly, looking between him and Steve. The blond looks on eagerly from his spot on the bed, nodding his head quickly.

“Of course, My love.” You bow your head in thanks and enter the room, oblivious to the eyes following your every move from a dark corner of the hallway.

The door shuts behind you but you continue to the bed, crawling on next to Steve while James extinguishes the lanterns lighting the room.

Steve makes room for you in the centre of the bed, pushing the blankets aside to allow you to get comfortable. James climbs on behind you, waiting until you’re settled to get comfortable himself.

Neither of the Kings touch you. No, they stay a respectable distance away.

“I am not so angry that I will not allow my husbands to embrace me,” you say softly, eyes closed as the events of the day catch up to you.

You’re then being held on either side by strong arms and right then and there, in that very moment, you feel the safest you have ever felt in your life.

[psychee92]

Why ACOTAR 5 Is (Without a Doubt) Elain’s Book

Warning: This post will be a long one, and will analyze the series as a whole (including ACOSF). As you read it, please consider taking your shipping goggles off, as none of this has anything to do with shipping and everything to do with character development/plot/the overall narrative of the series/good storytelling. Thank you!

Main points: 

Elain’s role in the ACOTAR series

Elain’s character evolution throughout the series

The foreshadowing in ACOSF (+ bonus POVs)

The overarching plot 

SJM’s own words

The ACOTAR Series and Elain’s Role

We have multiple interviews of SJM saying that Nesta and Elain’s role started off as a fairytale trope: that of the evil sisters. Then, Nesta surprised her when she decided to go after Feyre in ACOTAR, and the rest is history.

The sisters went from being a trope to being an instrumental part of the series. In ACOMAF, they were a link to Feyre’s human life (a final thread that she needed to let go of), as well as a means to an end (first, by being a bridge between the IC and the Queens, and then, as leverage, or weapons that were used against Feyre in Hybern). The final scene in ACOMAF was the catalyst for everything that happened in ACOWAR—and everything that is yet to come—but, most importantly, it also opened the door to two new character arcs/journeys—two new protagonists.

The protagonist exists as a sympathetic device to drive a story. To be effective in this role, they are usually there from the inciting moment to the end.

The similarities between their journey and Feyre’s are astounding: human made into something that she was raised to fear; coming to terms with trauma; letting go of the past; accepting her new condition; and the list goes on and on.

Now, who had more to lose by becoming fae?

And who lost more than anyone else?

Elain lost a future.

She was happy, content, in love.

Then, everything was ripped away from her in the span of a few minutes.

She was turned into something she had been raised to fear, something that her own fiancée had been raised to hate.

And, if that wasn’t enough, she was also forced into a bond neither her, nor Lucien, wanted. Mated to a man who participated, even if unknowingly, in the loss of her life—of her future. A man who did not know her, want her, love her.

This, right here, is good storytelling. It sets the stage for what is to come—for Elain’s future story and character arc.

ACOWAR is centered around repercussions:

For Elain, this book is one of healing, at least on the surface. SJM built the foundation of Elain’s journey, evidenced by:

Elain hitting rock bottom

Erasing any hope of a future with Graysen

Severing the last thread to her human life (with the death of her father)

This book also emphasizes Elain’s vital role in future books by:

Making her powerful (a seer)

Making her instrumental in the war against Hybern (due to her visions)

Having her save both, Nesta and Cassian (the protagonists of ACOSF)

Creating a connection between her and Vassa (and, ultimately, between Lucien, Vassa, and Jurian)

Having her introduce the next big bad (Koschei)

Hinting at her being the only one who can locate the one thing that can kill Koschei (the onyx box)

So, when you add everything that we know from ACOMAF and ACOWAR, what do we have? Potential.

We also have a character whose journey has been building since ACOTAR. The most significant hint is the constant use of the “dirty hands” imagery in reference to Elain. But more on that later.

Once the ACOTAR series wrapped up, we learned that, while Feyre and Rhysand’s journey was over, Sarah had more stories to tell—specifically, Nesta, Elain, and the ICs. As such, ACOFAS had two purposes:

To wrap up Feyre and Rhys’s story.

To introduce the future plot/main conflict and, with it, the next couple.

ACOFAS, however, also served to set up the stage for future protagonists, as well:

We saw some progress in Elain (her keeping busy with gardening and baking, her still having bad days, her friendship with Nuala and Cerridwen, and her slowly finding her place within the IC)—all of this was brought up again in ACOSF.

We got hints about Azriel and Elain’s growing feelings for each other (a storyline that was present throughout ACOSF, and confirmed in Azriel’s Bonus POV).

We learned about Azriel’s estate—Rosehall.

We got Mor’s POV, and learned some new things about her which will probably factor into her future book.

Again, SJM spent time focusing on Elain, fleshing out her character (while still giving Nesta and her journey center stage), which only solidifies the fact that she will be getting her own story soon.

It’s interesting to note that Azriel was not given a POV like Mor, and had very little character development (in comparison to Elain).

Now, let’s look at ACOSF. We have:

New conflicts—with the Queens and Beron

A new villain—Koschei

An overarching plot that connects the conflicts with the villain—the alliance between Koschei, the Queens, and Beron

A secondary, but related, plot—Vassa and, with her, the Band of Exiles (Lucien and Jurian)

Potential weapons—the Made objects

A potential solution—the onyx box

What do all of these have in common?

Elain.

She is directly tied to both, the Queens and Beron (and the Autumn Court). She’s had ties to Koschei since ACOWAR (she was the first to tell the IC about him, after getting visions about him). Her visions, in turn, led to the introduction of Vassa, which created a link between them both (and Lucien, because of their mating bond). She is the only one, apart from Nesta, who can find the Made objects (and a 4th one was introduced in ACOSF). She is also the only one, apart from Nesta, who can Make an object. Finally, she is the only one who can locate the onyx box (an image she’s been seeing since ACOWAR).

As a seer, Elain is arguably the most valuable character in the NC. She has been having visions about both, Koschei and Vassa, since ACOWAR.

Most importantly, however—her journey has been hinted at since ACOMAF:

Her role in future books having already been established, what about Elain as a character, as a protagonist? 

Let’s begin by looking at what a character arc is:

While main characters might face big challenges, character arcs have to do with internal, personal change. Characters will find their strengths and weaknesses tested over the course of the story—so that by the time they arrive at the story's end, they are a changed person.

When the protagonist overcomes external obstacles and internal flaws in order to become a better person, it becomes a hero’s journey.

At its core, this arc is made up of three points:

The Goal: Every character needs to have a goal. It might be to fall in love. Or it might be to make as much money as possible. Either way, their journey will be hindered by...

The Lie: A deeply-rooted misconception they have about themselves or the world that keeps them from reaching their true potential. In order to reach their goal, they’ll need to acknowledge and overcome the Lie, by facing…

The Truth: While the character may have their own plans, the positive change arc has its own goal: self-improvement. This is achieved when they learn to reject The Lie and embrace The Truth.

Now, let’s look at what we know about Elain:

The Goal: To defeat Koschei/the Queens/Beron.

The Lie: That she doesn’t have what it takes. That she is not as strong as her sisters. That she is the weak link, too gentle and sweet to get her “hands dirty.”

The Truth: That she is just as powerful AND capable as her sisters, and that she can do anything she puts her mind to (find the 4th object, discover the location of the onyx box, fight against Koschei/the Queens/Beron).

We already see SJM start to break down the Lie in Feysand’s Bonus Chapter:

This is followed by Feyre saying:

So not only is Elain not afraid to get her hands dirty, she’s also not afraid of getting hurt in the process.

ACOSF is filled with moments that hint at Elain becoming just as powerful (if not more so) than her sisters. She has a very important role to play in future books, because she is the only one who can locate Koschei’s box and the 4th object. Her visions have been instrumental in the series so far, and there is a big hint that she might have more than just seer abilities:

Powers. Plural.

It makes sense for Elain’s book to be next. SJM has been scattering crumbs for her story since ACOTAR, and she is the character who would add the most to the plot—the only character who can move the plot forward.

You cannot ignore all the foreshadowing:

= a literary device that writers utilize as a means to indicate or hint to readers something that is to follow or appear later in a story.

Clear foreshadowing in ACOSF (it would take too long to list all the passages in previous books, as well): 

These are just a few examples but, for me, the one that gives it away is this passage (that can easily be overlooked) in Feysand’s Bonus POV:

SJM is basically telling us that, once Nesta’s journey ends, Elain’s will begin.

And it makes sense!

This series is about the Archeron sisters. About human women turned fae.

The first three books were about Feyre. The fourth about Nesta. It would not make sense to skip Elain, only to return to her story in the final book. Why?

Because, in order to defeat Koschei, all three sisters need to have reached their full potential. All three need to be healed, and strong, and fully in control of their lives and powers. You cannot cram everything into one book: Elain’s healing journey/character arc, Vassa’s own journey (because there is no way that SJM will NOT write a Swan Lake retelling—just look at her Pinterest board!), finding the 4th object, finding the box, and, ultimatly, defeating Koschei.

Feyre had a whole book to heal—ACOMAF

Nesta had a whole book to heal—ACOSF

Elain will have a whole book to heal, as well.

No other character adds as much value—or has as much untapped potential—than Elain.

Also, there is no way that SJM will postpone telling her story in favor of a male character (Azriel). If you’ve read any of her books, you know that it is always the female characters that eclipse the male characters.

Also, if Elain will become dark or even a villain (temporarily), then this will take place in her own story, and will not be used as a plot device for angsty!Azriel or for another couple to make sense/be pushed together.

If we look at the pattern in ACOTAR, we have:

The first book ends with a happily ever after. The MC has defeated the big bad and has walked off into the sunset with her LI. There are hints about a future conflict, but nothing is fleshed out (in ACOTAR, Feyre’s bargain with Rhys + a potential conflict between the courts and with Hybern).

The second book is all about development (both, character development, in the form of the MC’s healing journey, and plot development). The scene is being set for the final conclusion (the war/battle), and everything that takes place serves to bring the characters closer to the main conflict resolution. The book ends on a false happily ever after (Feysand’s mating bond, having what they need to annul the Cauldron’s powers), followed by a cliffhanger (the sisters turning fae, Feyre returning to the Spring Court).

The last book is centered around defeating the big bad and ends on a happily ever after for (almost) everyone involved. It brings the main players together in a final showdown that ends with good ultimately defeating evil.

If we are to look at this pattern, then:

ACOSF - Ends with a happily ever after (Nesta has healed, reconnected with her sisters, found her place in the IC, and has a family outside the IC—Gwyn, Emerie). She has defeated Briallyn, but the biggest threat—Koschei—has barely made an appearance, and there is no ending in sight.

ACOTAR 5 - Elain’s healing journey. Finding the 4th object. Knowing exactly what has been happening behind the scenes with Beron, the Queens, and Koschei. Finding the 4th object and uncovering the location of Koschei’s onyx box. Cliffhanger: Koschei has been freed/has found a way to free himself.

ACOTAR 6 - The journey to find the onyx box or a way to destroy whatever is inside. The repercussions of Koschei’s freedom. Vassa’s story coming full circle. Now that all three Archeron sisters have reached their full potential, they will most likely join forces/powers to hold off Koschei long enough for Vassa (because she NEEDS to have the killing blow) to finish him off.

This post is already long enough, but here are some honorable mentions that I haven’t spoken about because I wanted this to be a mostly character-driven argument:

The mating bond—Elain needs to either accept it or reject it, and I cannot see this happening in the last book because it would lose its effect (considering that they need to defeat Koschei in this book)

Elriel—The unresolved feelings between them need to be addressed/dealt with.

The Blood Duel—There is no way this isn’t happening. SJM wouldn’t mention it without it playing some sort of role in Elain’s book.

I might make another post (because I still haven’t addressed everything I wanted to), but Elain’s book is (without a doubt) next.

As a reminder: SJM has recently said that writing about characters that are hated/disliked is something that she loves doing. I think it’s safe to assume that, given the recent wave of hatred/dislike towards Elain, we are in for an epic journey.

[bigskydreaming]

Somebody remind me to do a more indepth post about this at some point, but jokes aside, I do think Cass has a lot more complicated thoughts about Jason than is usually presented.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m on Team Cass Does Not Stan, but I think what tends to be overlooked is how much this is personal resentment on Cass’ part (understandably so) versus a kind of moral/ideological disagreement.

Because there are two things tied up in all of this as well, beyond just the differences in stances on killing: family, and Cass’ view of it.....and Jason’s reasons for feeling as he does about killing.

The second, first.....I think what can’t really be discounted is that absolutely nothing about Jason’s views on killing or the reasons he does it are abstract. Its all rooted in his trauma and his projection issues. Those are the things it ultimately always traces back to, although I don’t think he always ‘makes it about him’ so to speak, that doesn’t mean those elements aren’t always present at the foundation of his thought processes that LEADS to him going ‘yes, this person should die.’ What I’m getting at here, is that Jason’s approach even to being an executioner, comes from a place of pain, and Cass is the last person to be oblivious to this. She more than anyone can see what’s going on underneath the surface with him, and just how much of his conviction is bravado or personal projection, and just like being unable NOT to see the pain and brutality of what her attack on the one man her father made her kill is the REASON she rejects murder as a solution entirely......I don’t think its all that easy for her to look away from everything she sees from Jason when he talks about murder as a solution.

This doesn’t mean she agrees with him. This doesn’t justify him. It just means....its there, and Cass knows its there, and she can and likely does at times hate her brother for his reasoning, but like....she still gets it.

Another facet of things here is that Jason, more than most anyone else, is the ultimate test of her belief in her chosen father’s ideology rather than her biological father’s.

What I mean by that is, how often does it come back to the idea that the reason Bruce believes killing is never the answer....is because he believes that ANYONE can change, and that murder is the one choice he can make that potentially robs everyone of all the potential they could be if they changed instead of were killed for their crimes?

And Cass embraces this philosophy of Bruce’s wholeheartedly.....in part because it DOES apply to her. Again, don’t get me wrong, I’m on Team Cass Did Nothing Wrong because you’re not ever gonna catch me out here arguing that a child that was raised on a steady diet of abuse and a lack of choices is CULPABLE for what her abuser quote unquote MADE her do with only the trauma of that event itself being what raised running away as even an option in her mind.....but Cass is frequently an unreliable narrator unto herself, and the fact that this death was so formative for her is intrinsic to her feeling responsible for that man’s death regardless of her abuse. 

And so a lot of Cassandra’s personal convictions about how murder is wrong stems directly from looking at everything she’s done and CHOSEN for her life and for herself in the wake of that tragedy/trauma.....and imagining how none of that would have been possible, nor the good that she’s done, if someone had looked at her in the wake of killing someone and only seen a murderer that had to be stopped because they could or might do it again.

I don’t think its possible for Cass to view this as so directly integral to her own life, choices and philosophy....and not see Jason similarly. As much as she doesn’t like him, she’s perfectly aware that he too could make the choice....not to kill, and see all the good he could do without killing. Since, after all, there’s no shortage of Batfam fics and even canon stories where the family more or less does get along because Jason HAS taken a no-killing stance. So its not like even a hypothetical, its a very real possibility that has as much validity as stories where Jason kills, which is something I wish came up more in these kinds of conversations. Jason’s not like....as one note as many of his defenders and detractors make him at times, and he’s still more than capable of being the same character no matter which side of the line you fall on in terms of this particular argument or issue.....the potential is there, the writing just has to justify the choices made either way. But Jason doesn’t HAVE to be a killer just to be Jason, is my point, and the very fact of that is something I don’t think Cass is ever unaware of, and thus filters into her perceptions of him overall.

But just like this ‘they don’t have to kill’ possibility applies to EVERY killer and I for sure don’t think this means Cass has to have patience with every killer versus just....not justify killing them herself as the solution to their own crimes......just believing that Jason has the possibility to make other choices isn’t like enough to make Cass just....put up with him, but what’s true of Jason that’s not true of other killers is that he IS family. And that complicates things considerably for Cass, and I think is the true source of resentment for Cass, because for Cass....family is a fantasy come true. One that she didn’t even know to dream of before she really had one herself, because she didn’t know it existed TO dream of.

Family means things for Cass that few people out there could understand, and while the Batfam overall is dysfunctional on the best of days, few of the others are a fly in the ointment of that family the way that an unrepentant Jason is. See, it doesn’t matter whether or not Jason doesn’t mean a whole lot to Cass PERSONALLY, that they don’t have much shared history or meaning to each other on a one on one level. The fact is just that Jason is tied centrally into the very heart of the tapestry she calls family, with connections to most everyone else she loves, and with them connected to him in turn. What happens to one tugs on him, what happens to him tugs on them. No matter how much these things aren’t always commented on or talked about, they’re THERE, and Cass sees them. She can’t pretend that what happens to Jason, what choices he makes, don’t send ripple effects throughout the entire tapestry of her family, without fail....with most of those ripples being wrought of pain, missed potential, and grief.

And this is why I think Cassandra’s big emotion regarding Jason is resentment. He’s for her that sibling that she resents being tied to, but can’t deny being tied to all the same. The one who affects their family in ways he often doesn’t even see, while telling himself he’s disaffected from them all. The one who cries out for help but only denies doing so if its ever offered....he’s all these things to Cass, without contradiction. 

I think at times she might look at him and his reasoning for killing, the times and ways when he’s seen killing as a solution because at many times in his life few other options have existed for him, and she might even imagine that he’s her own weird kind of mirror twin....the who that she might have become if the early pressures and figures in her life had pushed her to see murder as her only option, her only tool, her only recourse, but she HADN’T had the ability she had to see the pain that she imparted in the doing of such, hadn’t had the ability to see past her own pain and thus never made the choice BECAUSE OF THAT, to step out of the cycle, to remove herself from that linked chain.

And so Cass I think often just wants to grab Jason and shake him, SHOW him the way the world looks through her eyes, in part because she DOES get how the world looks through HIS eyes, and say......there’s more than one view out there. There’s more to see than just what you’re seeing. Wants to show him just how much he does affect the rest of their family, how much they hurt because of what’s happened to him and because OF him and his own choices. Wants him to see how much everything could be different if he just made different choices. Wants to scream at him for being ungrateful and self-centered when he insists that their family didn’t grieve him because they didn’t grieve in the specific way he wanted them to in order to recognize it as grief. Wants him to see how much the way of coping he’s crafted for himself out of what limited resources he had at the time and then just clung to through thick and thin because he thinks admitting that past a certain point its become self-destructive or sabotaging, that it doesn’t have to be a betrayal of it or what it might have done for him in the past to look around at where he is NOW and see that he now has the resources or support from which to craft a better approach to life for himself. Wants to point out how his choices cut him off from other choices ever even availing themselves to him, and suggest that he’s getting in his own way by making them. Wants to shout at him for ruining the dream of family for her, because Bruce taught her that family didn’t have to mean just what David Cain was to her, that family wasn’t SUPPOSED to be like that, and she’d believed that, she’d embraced that, and then here comes Jason and he’s part of her family, a part that predates her even, and he HURTS Tim, and BRUCE TOLD HER FAMILY DIDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT.

And it all goes round and round and round for Cass when she looks at Jason, I think, but every time, she has to just shove it back down inside and breathe deep and look away because....and here’s the part she really resents.....she can’t just....make him see that. Any more than she can unsee it all herself. And so she’s stuck in this endless cycle that only JASON can choose to put a stop to, and yet he won’t even admit that he has the power to do that, because doing so would claim a power over their family that Jason honestly doesn’t believe he has.

Thing is though, the other big part of Cass’ existence that she’s unable to refute the power of, is that of choice. Her early existence was defined by not believing she had any. The family, the life she’s claimed through Bruce matters in large part because its the one she’s CHOSEN, with intent. 

And so as much as she resents Jason for not choosing what she wants him to choose, for not choosing what she would choose and even HAS.....she has to remind herself over and over again that nobody can choose that for him, any more than they could choose it for her. The power of her choices would only have been diluted if someone HAD ‘forced’ her new path in life upon her instead of her looking to it as something she wanted it and reaching out to seize it with both hands.....and so that, more than anything, is what she wants for Jason too. For this man who is after all, despite all their differences, still her brother, still as much a part of this family tapestry she calls hers. She wants it for him. She wants it for their family. She wants it for herself. Everyone’s lives could be better than they are, she thinks, if he would just LOOK for better for himself, WANT it, REACH for it....but the only one who really needs to believe that for it to matter, is Jason himself.

So she doesn’t like Jason, no. But she could, maybe, if he would just....grow up, she concludes resentfully.

Meanwhile, Jason thinks she just flat out doesn’t like him, because he doesn’t agree with her or Bruce on killing.

Hah, she thinks. If only.

(Just for the record, these opinions on Jason are meant to be Cass’ and not mine. A lot of them I agree with, but one of these days I’ll make a full post about my view on Jason’s stance on killing specifically, because I do project onto it somewhat myself and think its worth exploring in places because of how Jason exists in large part as a ‘bad survivor’ archetype, something which I think is at cross purposes with and too often gets tangled up and derailed in arguments about Jason’s view on killing purely from a moralistic or ideological stance).