#not so much in the book but in the show she has that strong compassionate and tender part of her personality that he does too

[llycaons]

the similarities between wq and wwx are so indelible and unmistakable and painful...soul siblings or something

[james-kojirou]

James from Team Rocket is a truly complex character and very difficult to understand. At first glance, he appears confident and arrogant, but that's a role he plays as the "Team Rocket villain" and on stage, as explained in episodes DP 139: "A Faux Oak Finish" and DP 146: "Dressed for Jess Success!"

In private, outside his Team Rocket role, he is calm, rather shy, he is very anxious and follows his teammates' ideas even when he doesn't fully agree with their plans.

In the episode "A Hole Lotta Trouble," Brock and Ash tell James that he must learn to assert himself without his teammates.

James had a childhood in the high aristocracy, where he could have anything material he wanted, but his parents gave him no affection, demeaned him, and forced him to follow strict and severe discipline like in the Victorian era. They also forced him into an arranged engagement with Jessiebelle, allowing her to train him with whips. He kept a deep trauma from this period of his life.

He joined Team Rocket to rebel against the rules and proper conduct imposed on him in his childhood.

In an interview, the Japanese voice actors of Team Rocket: Megumi Hayashibara, Inuko Inuyama, and Miki Shinichiro, revealed that Jessie's goal in Team Rocket is to become rich or an important woman (which is why she dislikes Matori), Meowth also wishes to be important by taking the place of the boss's favorite Pokémon, replacing Persian. However, James's objective is solely to support and help his two friends achieve their goals and dreams, making them happy.

When James gains a little confidence in himself or engages in an activity he's passionate about and sure he can succeed, he becomes overly enthusiastic. However, he quickly falls into depression if he fails. An episode that shows this aspect of his personality is 'The Fortune Hunters' when James imagines himself as a powerful Moltres due to the description in a Pokemon horoscope book, which turns out to be false.

He is also willing to wholeheartedly encourage people he admires, like Jessie during her Kalos contests or 'The Royal Mask' (under the pseudonym Fire-Kojiro, reminiscent of when he felt strong and proud like a Moltres).

Yet, when he has to put himself in the spotlight outside of Team Rocket missions, he feels terribly uncomfortable and automatically convinces himself that he will lose or isn't capable (The Battlefield of Truth and Love!, Dressed for Jess Success, Party Dancecapades)."

Unlike Jessie, who thinks she's the best at everything, James has very low self-esteem and undervalues himself: believing for example others can take better care of his own Pokemon like Gardenia with Cacnea or Mareanie with her ex-boyfriend. He also thinks Jessie will be happier with Dr. White than with him in Team Rocket.

As demonstrated in episode 19 of "Pokémon Journeys" - A Talent for Imitation! Jessie is an excellent self-confidence coach, pushing her teammates and Pokémon to go beyond their limits and overcome their fears and apprehensions.

Jessie and Meowth are both invaluable support for James. Through their friendship and the trust they give him, he finally feels loved and respected for who he truly is. They are more than just friends; they are his family!

James may appear naive and childish, often being very emotional and crybaby. Despite this, he excels in a lot of various fields, such as being an excellent technician, a talented actor, a poet, and well-informed about Pokemon… He's also skilled in computer science and hacking. On rare occasions when he's involved in a Pokemon battle or contest, he performs remarkably well.

When he forgot his fear under the effect of adrenaline to protect his Mareanie, he even demonstrated incredible strength!

Even though he is part of Team Rocket, James doesn't have a truly evil nature. In reality, he is a compassionate Pokemon trainer, loving his Pokemon so much that their affection hurts him physically, yet he always lets them show their love to him in this way. 💖

[writers-potion]

Writing Introverted Characters

If you're creating an introverted character and you're not familiar with the complexities of this trait, take the time to learn about it. - Claire Alexander

Why You Should Write Introverted Characters

Since stories are about action, it is easier to write a page-turner about action-oriented people. It can be difficult to write introverted characters - so why should you do it?

First of all, all the introverts of this world would be able to relate!

Introverted characters offer depth of character and are case studies for inner struggles.

Think of Jane Eyre, Mr. Darcy, Edward Cullen - well written introverts can turn shallow angst into desperate yearning that will have your readers swooning by Chapter Two.

Introverted characters' minds can be a thrilling minefield, feeling their emotions and thought so deeply that the reader gets chills just by seeing the world through their POV.

Make It a Strength, Not a Weakness

Introverted characters may not dazzle others or have lots of friends, but it also means they can be more compassionate, intelligent and sensitive.

Take Mr. Darcy for example - the twist that comes from him being thought of as an arrogant, aloof character to being the kindest, considerate man gives the romance in Pride and Prejudice so much more angst and satisfaction when everything works out.

Don't Succumb to Stereotypes

Introverts are quiet and needs alone time to recharge their social energy, not just shy/rude/has a general dislike for humanity.

They're watching body language, tone of voice, and reactions of others, cataloging them and tucking them away for future use.

If they have valuable things to say, they will keep their thoughts (for now), then join the conversation with more confidence if they feel convicted about a topic.

Your introvert can love spending time with their friends. They can prefer socializing one-to-one or in small groups.

Give Them a Retreat, Not a Cave

Introverts need a special place where they can find sanctuary from the overwhelming.

They need an escape to recharge and get through their day, not isolate themselves from the world on weeks on end. If your character does this, he is not just introverted, he may as well be severely depressed.

Give Them Motivation

Being introverted does NOT equal to being lazy or demotivated.

Introverted characters actively explore their inner worlds and may even be more motivated than others to find order and logic in their life.

As Jane Eyre tells us: "I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself." She is a passionate and strong-willed character because of this, giving the novel action and tension.

Let Them Be Awkward, Not Rude

Introverted characters won't know how to act natural around new people and fail to react when someone cracks a joke.

Let your introverted character feel claustrophobic in social gatherings and react negatively to small talk.

HOWEVER, not knowing what to say does not equal to cutting everyone's lines and frowning throughout a cheerful conversation. In fact, introverts would try extra hard to "fit in", laughing when others do (even though they don't get it) and dying inside about how awkward they sound, even to themselves.

Show The Chaos of Their Mind

Introverted thinkers in particular would overthink and spend vast amounts of time organizing and brainstorming thoughts.

They jump from thought to thought and latch on little things they notice in everyday life to imagine a host of loosely related things.

Does your introvert have a close friend they trust? Let them rant about their internal conversation to the other person (with whom they feel comfortable).

Research!! + other tips

Let them express themselves creatively through various hobbies: journaling, dry painting their bedroom, coloring books, or painting. Plaster their mirrors with sticky notes, make them knit, glass blow or garden their backyard.

Pay attention to their learning style. Many introverts learn best through reading, while being good listeners. They'll research about their interest through online sources, horded magazines, or at the local bookstore/coffee shop. Make them an expert in their field.

Show how they are underestimated. Because they keep to themselves, they are often underestimated. As an introvert myself, introverts are often underestimated in personal relationships (like friends or family) rather than professionally (although this is credible too) because they aren't particularly funny or outwardly supportive. But introverts can be emotionally supportive - they will be missed.

Not all introverts project each of these traits. Introverted Thinkers (Katniss) approach problems from a much differnt perspective than Introverted Feelers (Edward).

Make them sarcastic, cynical and argumentive. I love writing abotu introverts with a sharp tongue, especially when they're talking about a subject they know a lot about. They may also have a sharp tongue as a defense mechanism.

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References:

https://www.blueridgeconference.com/ten-tips-for-writing-introverted-characters/

https://susancain.net/writing-introverted-character-hard-must-anyway/

[toffeeanddragons]

10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 Tags

Thank you so much @idle-brit for tagging me!This was lots of fun :) 💖

My tags: @delyth88, @elymusplant, @galaxythreads, @chemical-processes. No pressure to answer, of course :)

1. Loki (MCU)

As much as I love everyone on this list, there is absolutely no competition for number 1. Loki has been my favourite character of all time for nearly 6 years now (because clearly the best time to join someone's fandom is after they've just been murdered), and is showing absolutely no signs of being replaced anytime soon. I have a Loki blog, for god's sake. The brodinsons are my favourite relationship in any kind of media, ever. I love them so, so much. Loki's a million different things and feelings, all at the same time, all fighting with each other, which makes for a wonderfully complex and nuanced character. Also, he's hilarious. Look at that eye roll. This is a man who hates his life, which makes me feel better about mine. Thanks, Loki.

2. Klaus Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

As will become obvious throughout this list, I love me an emotionally traumatised crazy person. Klaus is that. One of the characters who makes me laugh the most, ever, show-stopping dress sense, and a bucketload of unresolved trauma which goes largely ignored by Klaus, the other characters and the narrative itself? It was love at first sight. Their banter with the other characters, especially Ghost Ben (rip) is one of my favourite aspects of the show. Here's to hoping that Klaus won't be getting the Allison treatment in season 4!

3. Pippa Fitz-Amobi (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder)

I binge-read the entire AGGTM series earlier this year, and instantly fell in love with it. Pip is one of my favourite protagonists ever. Impossibly clever, compassionate, obsessive, badass, and a teensy bit unhinged. What's not to love? I would die for her. I'd say that I'd kill for her, but I think she's got that covered. I think she's written in a very realistic way, firstly as a genius 17 year old girl who doesn't really know what she's getting into, and later as a haunted individual who wants to stop investigating but can't. The way she politely knocks on people's front doors to dig up their traumas, accuse them of murder and all-round ruin their lives is everything to me. She is my blorbo. I am so, so excited for the show to come out, and I'm sure that Emma Myers will do a wonderful job as Pip!

4. Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)

One of the best-written characters, in one of the best-written series ever. Reading from her perspective is such a delight- she's endlessly suspicious of everyone around her, constantly on survival mode, trusting very few people and relying on exactly no one (to begin with, at least). She's a random teenage girl, from the poorest district, and she wins the Hunger Games. She's so mentally unstable that she has to be sedated, and still she's made to be the face of a rebellion. She's rude, and kind of unlikeable. She adopts all the weakest tributes, at risk to herself, knowing that they won't win. She's doomed to fail by the narrative. She's the it girl of 2010s dystopian YA fiction. Jennifer Lawrence is an amazing actress, who does a beautiful job portraying the depth and conflict of Katniss in the films. The themes and social commentary of the Hunger Games is one of its (many) strong points, and I am so so glad that people are talking about it again, because it is my favourite book series out there.

5. Mitchell Pritchett (Modern Family)

I have no idea what to say about this man, I just love him. He just like me fr. What an icon. Impeccable music taste. I've started saying, "no my god" now, and nobody understands what I'm talking about. Even in a sitcom, my favourite is the one with issues that he refuses to talk about or fix. The episode where he's trying to hide that he dressed up as spiderman makes me cry-laugh. Claire's speech at his wedding makes me just cry. He's not a perfect man, but he's certainly better than everyone else.

6. Shin Tsukimi (Your Turn to Die)

My favourite cringefail loser! I said Katniss was doomed by the narrative in a metaphorical way. This idiot is actually doomed.

No but in all seriousness, I do really love him. Before the beginning of the game, he was just a relatively normal young man- but, when confronted with the inevitability of his own death, he made himself into a monster to survive. He has a violent vendetta against the local badass teenage girl, who is traumatised as hell already and does not need Shin chipping in as well, thank you very much. I love his relationship with Kanna, his biological sister; how he uses her, manipulates her, and still cares for her so much that he dies for her with a smile on his face in the Emotion route. Conversely, in the Logic route, his actions are a direct cause of her death, and I just love how much YTTD hates siblings. I hope that his past with Midori is explored more in either a mini-episode or the final part of the game, because I find it sooo interesting. I'm super excited to see whether he actually has no chance of survival, or whether he makes it out, against the odds, on one of the routes. He's a bit useless, so I won't get my hopes up.

7. Rue Bennett (Euphoria)

I think it goes without saying that Euphoria has its issues, lol. Sam Levinson is an idiot. While a lot of the show (especially season 2) feels shallow and like it doesn't care about its characters, Rue's storylines always have heart and depth and I am so invested in her arc. It's no wonder that Zendaya won 2 Emmys for this role, because her acting is phenomenal! Rue feels so real to me, in the way that she's trying so hard to stay sober but she falls down and relapses time and time again. Recovery isn't linear, but she's getting there, and I adore her with all my heart. Her relationships with Lexi, her mother, her sister, and her sponsor, Ali, are my favourites, and the healthiest for her, in my opinion. Her brief friendship/ romance with Jules may have kept her more solidly sober than anything else in the show, but Jules (understandably) cracks under the pressure of Rue's mental health, and can't be there for her. Rue needs to heal for herself, which she appears to be doing at the end of S2.

8. Max Mayfield (Stranger Things)

Duffer brothers, please just let her be happy.

Despite only being introduced in Season 2, Max has, in my opinion, had the best character development out of everyone on the show. Her growth from someone standoffish, rude, and uninterested in the group (maybe I'm being a bit harsh. She was, like, 12) to someone who is willing to risk her life to help her friends and Hawkins means so much to me. The scene in "Dear Billy" (S4, Ep4) where she escapes from Vecna remains my favourite in the whole show and will probably be burned into my brain forever. Her relationships with Lucas and El are very sweet, and some of my favourites in Stranger Things. Her final line in S4, after all her struggles over the season, being that she doesn't want to die literally breaks my heart. I hope she gets some degree of a happy ending in the final season. She was my first profile picture when I joined this hellsite, and I love her a lot.

9. Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables)

The shenanigans that this girl gets up to never fail to make me laugh. The bit where she accidentally dyes her hair green and then has to hack it all off makes me feel awful for her, but. it's hilarious. Sorry, Anne. Her friendship with Diana is so sweet but also so funny to me because they really are the most chaotic duo of the 1880s. The scene where Anne accidentally gives her alcohol instead of fruit juice is so mortifying but so, so funny. Amidst all of the insane situations that Anne gets into are a lot of really heartwarming moments and relationships. Matthew and Marilla adopting Anne, even though they wanted a boy, because she's so endearing and alone in the world is probably what made me who I am today. I still haven't gotten around to watching Anne with an E, but I've heard it's amazing. I look forward to watching it when I have the time :).

10. Daphne Blake (Scooby Doo)

My first ever favourite character! Another one who I don't have a tonne to say about. She's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment. She has done nothing wrong, ever. She knows martial arts, so watch out.

Honourable mentions: Thor (MCU), Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games), Gretchen Weiners (Mean Girls), Jake Peralta (Brooklyn 99), Maurice Moss (The IT Crowd), The Eleventh Doctor (Doctor Who), James (The End of the F***ing World), Ali Abdul (Squid Game).

If you read all of this then thanks, and have a great day!

[momentinparadise]

Ted Lasso / Julie Andrews

I have so much to say about the episode #3 of Ted Lasso, but I really want to focus on the scene where they discuss their favorite Julie Andrews characters because Julie Andrews is my FIRST LOVE and it all seemed so significant.

So please, come along on this crazy ride with me:

Roy / Maria (Sound of Music): Something that is very symbolic to me is that both Roy and Maria had to take on responsibility and independence at a very young age. Roy playing football away from home and Maria at the convent - both had to grow up quickly, which gave them a strong sense of duty and responsibility. Additionally, both characters have a strong desire for family and connection.

Despite Roy's attempts to appear stoic, he has an extremely loving side to him, and I think he identifies a lot with Captain von Trapp too. Like Roy, Captain von Trapp is also initially depicted as a stern and unyielding character. However, as the story unfolds, we see his softer side emerge as he connects with Maria and his children in new and meaningful ways. This mirrors Roy's journey throughout the show, where we see him gradually open up and become more vulnerable with those around him.

Coach Beard / Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady): A character that is clearly rooted in the lower-class, marginalised portion of British society speaks volumes about Coach Beard's own underground personality. Eliza is a character who defies the expectations placed upon her by society, using her wit and resourcefulness to transcend her lower-class origins and gain acceptance in high society. This resilience and determination are qualities that Coach Beard likely admires, as he himself is known for his unconventional and creative approach to coaching. Additionally, Eliza's story highlights the importance of education and personal growth, as she transforms from a rough and unpolished street vendor to a refined and sophisticated lady. This is something we see every episode with Beard: he is always engrossed in a book, always improving his knowledge.

Trent Crimm / Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Princess Diaries): Fits him so well! The character's level of sophistication and elegance aligns well with Trent's own refined ways. And both Queen Clarisse and Trent show a willingness to make sacrifices for their beliefs: Queen Clarisse is willing to renounce her position as queen if it means allowing her granddaughter to marry for love, while Trent is willing to sacrifice his job and reputation to stand up for what he believes in. When he is fired from The Independent for revealing his source (Trent admits that he was the one who ratted himself out) it reflects the same values of breaking with tradition and challenging the status quo that are embodied by the Queen.

Ted / Higgins / Mary Poppins: For Higgins the character of Mary Poppins may represent a loving, nurturing figure who helps guide and care for the children in her charge. This may reflect Higgins' own values as a family man, and the ability to provide a sense of warmth and security to those around him.

But for Ted, the choice of Mary Poppins may have a more personal and emotional significance.

As a coach, Ted is often in a position of leadership and guidance, and he may see himself as a paternal figure to his team. The character of Mary Poppins may represent a sort of idealized father figure to Ted, one who is wise, compassionate, and always there to provide guidance and support.

BUT

I tell you, my friends, there is not the case.

Because Mary Poppins is not about the nanny.

IS ABOUT THE FATHER.

When Mary Poppins arrives at the Banks family's home, she finds a gap between the children and their father. He is always at work and worries too much, while the children crave attention, love, and a sense of family. Although the mother is present and is loving towards the children, she is often silenced by the father, despite being a suffragist 😂 .

So, the real transformation really occurs with George Banks. His character serves as a commentary on the pressures of societal expectations. However, through the magical intervention of Mary Poppins, he is able to find a new balance between his work and his family, ultimately leading to a happier and more fulfilling life.

I wonder if this is not something Ted wishes had happened with him, in some level.

And let's not forget that P. L. Travers wrote Mary Poppins based on her own father. In the 2013 biographical film "Saving Mr. Banks", several scenes depict Travers' difficult childhood. Travers idolized her loving and imaginative father, Travers Robert Goff, but his chronic alcoholism resulted in his repeated dismissals, strained her parents' marriage, and caused her distressed mother to attempt suicide. Travers' father died of tuberculosis when she was seven years old.

I mean.

[liyazaki]

honesty as a burden, a blade & abatement

for all his airy irreverence, Aye is incredibly serious about the code of conduct by which he lives his life.

at the core of that code is honesty- it's foundational to who he is as a person. it may have been the character trait he admired most in his uncle, aside from his warmth and kindness. Aye jokes; he's the king of saucy, sarcastic commentary- but he never lies (not to the people who truly matter, anyway).

and it's easy to understand why: Aye strives to honor his uncle's memory in everything he does. he's trying to emulate the man who had such an enormous impact on his self perception- on the entire trajectory of his life.

even the way Aye loves is a bittersweet nod to the man who taught him how to love himself first. when Aye meets Akk's constant rejections with empathy, he's honoring him. when he refuses to take the easy route and go on the defensive, he's honoring him.

Aye always, always takes the higher, harder road- away from the well-worn path, choosing to lean instead into what's tender and true.

that commitment to being so authentic, self-preservation be damned has to feel like a metaphorical blade he's turning on himself at times. I like to think I'd be strong enough to be so emotionally naked and vulnerable, but Aye makes me second-guess that notion.

the pain doesn't stop him, though- Aye's been through hell and back. he's used to carrying great and terrible burdens, and normally he bears up under the incredible weight of them just fine. Aye is enormously and consistently selfless in the thing that matters most: his actions.

but we're different with the people who know us best, aren't we? with the people who raised us, or who have seen us at our worst, our best and love us anyway. they have clear line of sight into what makes us tick, what makes us happy- and what makes us ache.

Aye and his mother clearly have an open, compassionate relationship, from the little glimpses we've gotten. in episode 8, she gently confronts him about leaving this quest for answers about his uncle behind, for his own sake.

she soothes his guilt and fear that they could've done more to save his uncle before asking the terrible, necessary question to her son who's clearly, deeply hurting:

and it's because of his commitment to honesty that we get to witness Aye in a rare moment of awful vulnerability.

he looks gut-punched by her question. Aye knows he excels at understanding the people around him, and anticipating what they'll say and do by proxy. as much as he tries to live as transparently and authentically as he can, he keeps the exhaustion and grief he carries close to the chest.

he didn't see that question coming, or that his mother was aware of how much he's actually hurting; how achingly lonely it is to carry what he carries.

the initial shock wears off, and Aye hangs his head as he struggles to answer. his tiredness has to feel bone-deep and never ending- but he won't lie to his mother, he just won't. I don't think he's sure he can answer "no" honestly.

so he ruminates, and he hesitates. his mother holds her breath and looks horrified, but she gives him time.

and then Khaotung serves a masterclass in micro-expressions as we watch Aye muster up a little of his signature lightness to give her the brave answer: "no. I won't leave you, Mom."

and here's what simultaneously breaks my heart and makes me fall that much more in love with this gorgeously-nuanced character: he's not lying (not in my book, anyway).

we're watching Aye pull from an internal well that's obviously near-dry. he has to be honest, and he has to answer in a way that won't devastate this person he loves so much- so he digs deep and he just does. he finds a way- a spark of the fire that keeps him going.

this is how Aye shows love: by always authentically showing up, always- no matter the cost to himself.

if there's ever been a character deserving of rest, of care, of love given freely without reservation or hesitation- it's Aye.

[thatonebirdwrites]

The neurodivergence of Legend of Korra: Asami Sato

Perhaps others have noticed this, not sure, but I thought I'd write about it because it's why I love these characters so much. I'd like to go through all four of them, but we'll see.

Asami Sato

Her behaviors and characterization

When we first meet Asami Sato, she has run into Mako literally. We also see how her flirting is basically dialed up to 11. There is no subtlety about it at all. In fact, this will be true the entire series and comic run. She simply cannot do subtle flirting. It's either all or nothing.

We also see how she is essentially acting for her father. When she's alone with the group, especially during the racecar scene, she drops her socialite mask. She's more down-to-earth, more compassionate, more playful, and tends toward what I call her 'observation mode' where she analyzes a situation to try to discern solutions. She's also very justice oriented.

Her strong streak of justice is what pushes her to turn on her father. Although that scene shows her struggling with the decision, everything up to that point had left clues that she would not side with her father on this. She found the accusations Korra made unjust and confusing, and she worried that her father was being targeted due to being a nonbender -- this is all worries rooted in a sense of justice. So when the moment comes when she discovers Korra is correct, her father has betrayed the city and is harming people, her sense of justice flares again. She looks at the people she had befriended, how hurt they are, and how they are being rounded up like cattle. And she chooses justice.

This is a common theme for her. She chooses justice and Korra again and again. She is incredibly loyal. Stubbornly loyal.

She also struggles with social situations. Her interactions with Varrick in Book 2 for instance show how easily confused she is in social situations that are a bit chaotic. She tends to prefer more ordered social interactions. She at this point has been unmasked around Team Avatar for several months, so she also struggles to bring up her socialite mask around Varrick. Her palpable relief when she's done interacting with Varrick shows how draining these situations are (which is also an indicator of her being an introvert).

All of her eye rolls are the typical eyerolls you see for autistic characters and people in real life. There's actually an interesting post about how autistic people actually "roll" their eyes for the eye roll because we're interpreting it literally. While non-autistic people don't do that - they look up then down. I find this pretty accurate for a lot of us, to be honest.

Asami hyperfocuses a lot. She has special topics that she can infodump on for hours. Some of the few times she talks a lot in the series is her discussions relating to her engineering.

She is visibly uncomfortable in large crowds, and you see this especially in Book 4, where she is shown uneasy and frustrated by the crowds (and then Wu) at the train dedication ceremony. She is relieved and relaxes ONLY when someone she trusts appears - Mako, but even then, she's still on guard. You also see this in Book 3, where she hangs at the edges of crowds during Korra's press conference about the vines -- she is there to support Korra but shows hesitancy in getting any closer to the proceedings.

Her quiet watching of the Krew is a common trope for autism in cartoons. The quiet, thoughtful, loyal, smart person who is present and only talks when needed. The way she talks is also highly that of a neurodivergent person, in that it is very direct and uses language that doesn't fit the typical norms that non-autistic characters used.

Like in Book 3, where she tries to parse Bolin's somewhat confusing explanation of why they had lost Kai, so she turns to Mako and asks, "Can you interpret that?" I noticed that she behaves this way if the speaker talks too fast or blurts out a lot of information at once. She has to take time to process it, and so tends to be more of a planner. Her replies are always measured and rarely does she blurt out things. She analyzes the situation carefully, thinks it through, and then comes to a decision. This actually is what makes her the perfect foil for Korra.

She prefers strict/rigid schedules and when those are disrupted she struggles with finding balance. This leaves her on edge and insecure (you see this in Book 1 and 2); however, in Book 4, when her schedule is disrupted to work on the hummingbirds, her reaction is anger and irritation, due to her character development. She's become secure in who she is now, so disruptions no longer bring out insecurity but instead her irritation. (Every time she deals with Varrick that irritation toward him is apparent, because he adds an element of chaos that Asami does not like. Plus I don't think she ever forgives him for the bullshit he pulled on her in Book 2).

Asami hates dishonesty. You see this in Book 1 especially, where she's angry at Mako because of his dishonesty. She is never angry with Korra, because Korra was never dishonest with her. Even when Ikki shares that Korra likes Mako, Korra never disputes it, she's honest and shows that she still wants a friendship with Asami. So Asami respects her for this. Asami is always honest and direct in her interactions. If she is subtle, it's in a playful way or because she's uncertain on how exactly to proceed in the interaction.

All of these can be common traits for autistic folks. These behaviors, her speech, her reactions, and how she is shown to stand and exist in scenes were all used when I went through a few diagnostic tests for her.

Diagnostic Tests

There's several types of tests for autism. One that I had for my evaluations (as an adult), is a variation of this one here: Autism Spectrum Quotient When I went through that test and examined each question based on Asami's words, reactions, interactions, and actions in the series (transcripts are useful for this as well as rewatching), Asami scored between 36 and 42, which is above the typical autistic mean of 32.

The reason this was a range is due to the fact some of the questions reference situations that was never shown in the show or comic run, so I had to think through how she reacted in a similar situation to try to discern whether she'd agree or disagree with that question.

Social situation questions The social situation questions were also a struggle to decide on if she'd agree or not. When she is masking in Book 1 for her father, it looks like she enjoys them, but as soon as she turns on her father and unmasks for Korra, Mako, and Bolin (she slowly unmasks through the rest of book 1 and 2), she no longer looks at ease in social situations. In fact, she looks more and more uneasy, and she becomes more and more quiet.

Another important example for social interactions is exemplified in the Book 1 scene where Ikki shares with Asami that Korra likes Mako. Korra is horrified at this because she hadn't wanted to make things awkward between them, but Asami just looks thoughtful and replies, "I wasn't aware of that." She misses these clues partly because she is taking in data about how Korra reacts to her and not to Mako. This scene also reveals how subtle details in social interactions escapes Asami's notice unless she is hyperfocused on observing the situation to gather data. After that scene with Ikki, Asami pays much, much closer attention to Mako. Not Korra. She knows where Korra stands, but she doesn't know where Mako stands. She goes into what I often call her "observation mode" where she observes the proceedings, and then once she has a better handle on it, she starts to interact/react.

She also tends to talk more when she's with people she trusts -- the Krew for instance. Otherwise, she's fairly quiet in discussions with other people -- such as planning meetings with the Krew, Lin, Tonraq, and others in Book 3 -- where she only speaks up out of concern for Korra. Otherwise, she is quietly listening and observing proceedings.

Patterns

There are some other questions in the test that are outdated as noted by the authors of that website (who are autistic clinicians). So any questions related to "dates" I interpreted as noticing numerical and other types of patterns, which Asami does.

Asami is excellent at noticing patterns and odd details in the environment. You first see this in Book 1 when she comments on a detail in the environment that is odd, or her behavior shows her noticing the detail and reacting to it. Before she can fully process what it means, it's often too late (like the electric invisible fence where Asami noticed a detail that she found odd, but it was too late, and they all get knocked out). This happens other times in the series as well.

Hyperfocusing and empathy Her engineering knowledge is definitely her special interest, and when asked about it, she gladly talks far more than any other time. Her hyperfocusing on tasks often to the exclusion of all other tasks and bodily needs is pretty common for her -- one of the reasons why the fandom is convinced she forgets to eat due to this hyperfocusing, so then Korra saves the day by making her eat.

This hyperfocusing also shows up with how she cares for Korra at the end of Book 3/4. She is super, hyperfocused on being there for Korra and is willing to drop everything to be with Korra, even to head South with her. (It's also because she's in Love with Korra, let's be honest there, but it's that tendency to hyperfocus on what/who she loves that also plays a role too I think. I know I can do that myself where I hyperfocus on the person I love, and then have to dial back.)

Some might claim that because Asami is highly sensitive and perceptive of other people's emotions, then that is a sign she isn't autistic. I, however, argue that is actually a good indicator she is autistic. Autistic people are not lacking in compassion at all. In fact, we're the opposite. We feel too much, and that can be overwhelming to the point of deadening emotions or causing us to fall out of sync with our emotions. We also take in too much sensory data, and that can also overwhelm us. So when people make the claim that we lack sympathy or compassion, it's because we are often in an overwhelmed state because we are feeling too much of it. We want to help, but until we stabilize or limit the sensory overload, it's harder for us to articulate and make it clear how much we care.

This is also why our sense of justice can be so strong. We care so much, and we find arbitrary rules to be frustrating. We want to know why something is the way it is, and if there isn't an answer that makes sense as to why things are that way, there is a tendency for autistic people to disregard that rule. We prefer just and fair options, and prefer direct and honesty because it's easier for us to interpret and process.

Now there is ALWAYS nuance to this as not all autistic people have the same traits nor do our traits manifest in the same way. But there is strong correlations that we all share, and Asami shares as well.

Anyway, I could go into further depth and do some scene analysis, but I'll stop here because my pain has flared up again, and I need some rest. Thanks for reading!

[elvenwhovian]

Thoughts on the criticisms for The Rings of Power

The negativity around ROP has been so disheartening and I need to rant/have my say. Below are the most common criticisms I've seen and my responses to them. 

1. "They butchered/desecrated Tolkien's story! They changed the story too much so I won't watch/ will only hate-watch." 

Some of you are too young to remember, but I was there 3000 20 years ago when PJ's films came out. He changed A LOT. And I was surrounded by homeschooler book purists who had a lot to say, both good and bad. Here's my thing ... if you don't like ROP because they changed things, fine. You do you.  But don't tell me that PJ's films are perfection if you say you can't handle major changes to Tolkien’s works. 

Arwen didn't rescue Frodo. The elves never came to Helms Deep. Faramir didn't take Frodo and Sam captive. And Frodo never sent Sam away before Cirith Ungol, just to name a few. These were SIGNIFICANT changes that PJ made. But they didn't ruin the story ... dare I say, they made things more interesting. 

2. "The story moves too slowly." 

Bro ... have you read LOTR? Its a slow burn at the start. And then half of TTT is just Frodo and Sam simply walking into Mordor. Just like Tolkien, I feel like the show runners are laying a foundation and then in season 2 things will pick up. Also they have 5 seasons planned. Also its television. Its meant to be in installments to keep you coming back. Honestly, compared to some modern TV, it is refreshing to have a show that is taking its time and not beating you over the head with info dumping and action set pieces every single week. We are back in Middle-earth. Enjoy the ride, my dudes. 

3. "The Harfoots are annoying/cheesy/unnecessary." 

I'll admit that I was leery about them including proto-hobbits in the show, but I think they are delightful. They have their flaws, but Hobbits always have. They are quirky; the refreshing contrast to the darkness of war just beyond their borders. Yeah, Nori royally screws up A LOT. Reminds me of another hobbit who Gandalf used to berate for his stupidity. 

I also saw one comment complaining about "Wandering Day" and that the montage/song was too much like a Disney movie. First of all, how dare you? Do you even Tolkien, good sir? His books were full of songs. The hobbits had walking songs in the book. Tolkien loved songs and poetry. It is very VERY in character for Hobbits to have a song with their storyline. And honestly, that song is perfection. I've been singing it as a lullaby to my 6 month old son and he loves it. 

4. "Galadriel is too manly/angry/vengeful ... Also the men are weak." 

Perfect people are not interesting. Flaws make characters realistic, engaging, and worth watching. Galadriel is a flawed character in ROP and I LOVE IT. She is prideful, ambitious, and strong-willed ... all stuff Tolkien wrote about her. She is also very athletic/physically skilled. Tolkien also wrote this ... I have references. And yeah ... if you believed the evil who killed your brother was out there and no one believed you, you would be miffed too. 

And as I predicted, she is undergoing character development that is helping to temper her vengeance. She literally gives up her sword. 

The symbolism is spot on. 

Also, those saying she is too manly... bro, what the heck? Her costumes and armor are so beautiful and well done! My two favorite looks are the dress she wears in Numenor and her armor design.

I think they did a fantastic job making her a strong yet flawed female character. 

And the men are weak? Elrond and Durin have a rock breaking contest. Arondir fights for his girl ... doesn't get more manly than that. Also, Elendil is just fantastically done and oozes that stable yet compassionate masculine energy Tolkien's male characters are known for. 

5."I don’t like that they cast people of color." 

Don't be racist. Its 2022.

6. "The elves aren't done right/have short hair/ aren't like PJ's elves." 

Ok first of all, while many of the elves in the legendarium are described with long hair, its never defined as a standard for elvish culture. Second, if you are going to expect any and all Tolkien adaptations to conform to PJ's films, then I guess we can toss out all the cartoons that are beloved by so many people. Also, I don't see anyone beating up the legendary painter and Tolkien illustrator Ted Nasmith for his depictions of elves with shorter hair. 

Also, let's be real ... Elrond was described as "kind as summer" in The Hobbit. I love Hugo Weaving's portrayal, but he's never seemed particularly warm or kind to me. I adore Elrond's portrayal in ROP! I even like his floppy hair. He's a young whipper-snapper of an elf and he seems like the kind of person who would create a place like Rivendell. I mean ... look at this precious cinnamon roll:

Also Celebrimbor has that wise old British dude energy that reminds me of Bilbo or even the professor himself. Tolkien's elves were complex people with varying personalities and passions. They weren't the stoic, almost vulcan-ish, people PJ made them out to be. I love the PJ films, but if we are going to make them the standard, then I guess the room for creativity is gone(?) 

7. "The writing sucks/ is fan fiction." 

I'll admit, the writing is rough in a few places. Galadriel jumping ship was kinda dumb. But its not Rise of Skywalker level dumb. And I'll fully admit that this is fan fiction. All television writing based on an IP is fan fiction. Its fiction written by fans/writers based on already established characters/worlds. 

And frankly, the term "its fan fiction" is not an insult to me, because I've read some darn good fan fiction.  Next argument please. 

8. "Its a cash grab from Amazon so we should hate it." 

It’s not. Read the article by The Hollywood Reporter. Also, let's remember that lots of passionate people worked on this series and it shows. Punishing them because Amazon's name is on it is unfair. I know, I know ... Amazon is not squeaky clean. But if we boycotted every company who had stains on their record, we would be living in cabins in the woods eating squirrels. 

7. “Galadriel couldn’t have survived the volcano/ she does dumb over the top stuff ... this show is not realistic.”

You guys do realize this is a fantasy series, right? Also the way she stood their was so bad@$$. 

And yeah, she did this:

You do know that horse acrobatics is a real thing right? 

Also, need I remind you this over the top elf:

He did dumber stuff and we loved it. It was cool. If we are going to take the time to pick apart the “unrealistic” story full of wizards, elves, and magic, then we are gonna be here awhile.

In conclusion, there is only one episode left and I can’t wait! Even if the finale is “just ok”, it’s been a blast to be back in Middle-earth and that means a lot to me. If you are not a fan of ROP, that’s fine. You don’t have to watch it. But some of us are really enjoying it and I can’t wait for the next 4 seasons. Be nice.

Rant over :P Thank you for listening.

[greypetrel]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms more

Oh no @pinayelf has tagged me again so I'll have to do another set! :"(

(thank you Ellie! I already did one and I was crying because I left out characters, here it is if you or anyone wants to read it)

Tagging: @aimee-maroux @everythingispoetry @owlask @raflesia65 @morgandarcyarts @sapphireangelbunny @idolsgf @zenstrike @rowanisawriter and YOU!

1. Sir Gawain

We stan a bi king (in the poem he kisses the Lord THRICE. Out of his own will. In another he kisses Lancelot. On his lips.). I love Gawain in any declination, Arthurian cycle, medieval poems, Merlin and the latest movie. I put Dave Patel because visually it's the one that I like the most, but give me a Gawain and I'll like him.

2. Boromir - Lord of the Rings

I spent half my life hating him, then I REALISED. And now he's my sweet pea the apple of my eyes I love him and I'll defend him. Movie kinda did him dirty, but AAAAAH.

3. Beatrice - Much Ado About Nothing

Fiercely loyal sarcastic queen who can and will stand up to herself. I love her. Absolutely flawless.

4. Chrisjen Avasarala - The Expanse

She's everything and I love her more than words can say. Old professional lady cursing like a sailor and speaking her mind clearly. Was very torn between putting her or Ripley in the first batch, but Ripley got precedence out of seniority of my obsession. I couldn't suggest you (anyone you are reading) this show enough, and she is one of the big reasons (she and Bobbie. I love Bobbie <3).

5. Evie Carnahan - the Mummy

She's everything and I will fight for her.

6. Kronk - Emperor's New Groove

I quote this movie more than it would be healthy to do. Yzma comes a close second but it's him.

7. Madalena - Galavant

I stood there 10 minutes trying to decide whether to put her or King Richard. But this single scene was the one that made me fall in love with the show and how it turns tropes around and so yeah. This list was short of villains, furthermore and she is everything, go slay, queen.

8. Jasper Fahey - Grishaverse

As previously stated, you give me a chaotic blorbo with a flair for theatrics and I'm yours forever.

(another fave is Nikolaj, but here goes Jasper because you know. Less tsarism involved.)

9. Martha Jones - Doctor Who

Martha deserved so much better than what the show and the fandom gave her. She's a great character, she's strong and compassionate and kind and honestly she did it right in leaving the Doctor (here's a video essay of a person better informed than me). I am so sorry, but I don't like Rose all that much, particularly in the season with Tennant and I'm on the Justice for Martha squad.

10. Korra - Avatar: the Legend of Korra

I know her show has flaws. But her as a character IS NOT.

Again, I needed to have figures to deconstruct the trope of "strong girl" and she's it. I love her arc and how she needs to deconstruct herself to proceed.

(I love also Tenzin, Tenzin is my favourite and my love, but his character arc is to me slightly less compelling)

(don't ask me to choose just ONE character from ATLA, I can't, I'll stay stuck for two hours trying to decide whom I like best and end up running away screaming because I can't.)

On a book level I must add: Margarita from Master and Margarita. That book is my obsession and the reason I ended up studying russian literature and language. -even if Bulgakov was actually Ukrainian but guess how many people told me so and I won't start here on the subject)

[massiveladycat]

rot and ruin should not be as underrated as it is

OKAY. OKAY. OKA.UY as an avid rot and ruin fan i've got to say that please guys this book series by jonathan maberry deserves so much more!! not all of his books are good but i'm pretty sure the rot and ruin series manages it. they're really good (at least, by my standards) and they deserve a larger fandom it's a story that made ME emotional where some heavy shit goes down, sometimes to the people who least deserve it by the way, PEAK character development. i don't scare if i don't care; in horror books, if i don't know a character well enough, i'm not going to be shedding any tears over them, but i CARE here about EVERYONE involved even the zombies sometimes with our mc, 15-yr-old benny imura, we come to understand that zombies are not monsters. they're acting off instinct. they used to be people. it's not their fault. the book makes us think of the tragedy of it all instead of the fact that, yep, we have to cut down some monsters now!! kill them all!! benny’s older brother tom (ALSO LOVE THIS MAN DHSAYUDAHDSF) gets benny to confront who they had been:

“Look at that woman. She was, what? Eighteen years old when she died. Might have been pretty. Those rags she’s wearing might have been a waitress’s uniform once ... .She had people at home who loved her….People who worried when she was late getting home.” - Tom Imura

So the zombies are not just plot devices or mere window dressing here. it's not just see-zombie kill-zombie run-zombie bite-zombie cure-zombie. love it!! HUMANS - just imagine a world that survives an actual zombie apocalypse. survivors band together in fenced enclaves to try and live, but who will these people become under the strain and trauma and loss of a zombie apocalypse? humans can be the real monsters. maberry shows that and hits it so far out of the park

“They held each other and wept as the night closed its fist around their tiny shelter, and the world below them seethed with killers both living and dead.” Tom Imura – it’s been a long time since i've loved a character this much. tom?? tom is 30 years old, he's loving, he survives, he is a specialist. most importantly, tom has kept his morals. he is deep and soulful and will KICK. SOME. ASS. The Imura brothers, Tom and Benny, are fantastic characters that had me in a CHOKEHOLD throughout the entire book. benny is naive, young, snarky and sarcastic, also tending to mouth off people a LOT.. but he has a good heart, and he's brave and he's strong and he's somewhat a smart guy. yes, that’s my boy, getting his first bokken and killing his first zombie!! he gets some good character development too but for a bit of the book he's a little annoying (but thats to be expected for a 15/14-year-old) i love tom. he's the kind of guy that has your back. his yoda teachings are impressive and thought provoking that can make even benny’s brain not so smooth. going back to Tom, he's kick ass, compassionate, clever, smart, witty, and brother banter is my favorite between these two PLEASE CHECK IT OUUTTT

[eddyiewriting]

Care to share some facts about the ROs?

Hi, I'm not really sure what type of facts you want to know so I'm just giving a better description of them. (Not spoiling anything, however.)

Owain: Owain uses humor as a defense mechanism, rarely taking things seriously. He's adventurous and likes to be the center of attention. He has, however, a strong sense of loyalty and a desire to be liked. Despite being considered a talented warrior, he has a reputation for being lazy and preferring parties over training. Nonetheless, he is known for his agility and speed during fights.

A fun fact is that he loves old stories of heroes and likes to replicate the actions and quotes of the characters he reads in the books.

Cerys: She is an adventurous and quick-witted woman, who is not afraid of showing her emotions and saying what she really thinks. She hates conformity and people with no ambition. Despite preferring diplomacy and not being a warrior, Cerys is not afraid of resorting to violence if the situation calls for it.

Cerys is a dreamer and wants to accomplish as much as possible while she is still alive.

Arthur: Arthur is the opposite of what his size might say about him. A kind-hearted and compassionate guy, who tries to help those he can. Arthur is shy and is not good with social situations. His favorite things in the world are animals, especially horses.

Arthur hates violence and fighting. He hopes he can survive long enough so he can go back to his horses and do what he really wants.

Teagan: A servant of the God of Many Faces, Teagan chose to serve the Face of Death, dealing with the bodies and souls of those who passed away. Like others, Teagan chose to leave her past behind her to fully serve God.

A woman with a cold personality, Teagan rarely shows her emotions or her true intentions. She is not interested in politics or anything that isn't serving her Face.

[cloud-somersault]

Soul anon here, stalking your blog

I hard agree with you. I dislike so much of how the fandom treats the LMK characters. I don't understand how the fandom loves the show so much and doesn't seem to be able to grasp the characters at all.

Mk isn't written hardly with respect. He's so often reduced to empty air head adhd silly guy when he does have a lot of serious moments or otherwise when it's shown that he is intuitive, intelligent, and has a lot of good instincts.

Macaque is either constantly character bashed or woobified by the fandom, and so many fucking people in the audience fall for the facade he puts up. Like holy shit it's so bad. He's such an interesting character and a joy to watch and people just...seem like they hate him or love him and there's hardly any room for analysis on his motivations and behavior in a way that makes any sense when given full context.

Wukong is like...so loved by the fandom but ALSO is treated with zero respect somehow? Like they think he can't read? And the whole fandom sometimes feels like he can do no wrong when it's shown that he's still making mistakes but he is learning and growing (still! Even after his journey!) And that's a lot of the point to his character too! He's a silly little guy yes, but he's not a baby that the fandom makes him out to be who never does anything wrong. I don't get how he's so beloved by fandom and yet so many fan depictions are so...bad.

And Mei? Oh my god she has such good characterization in the show and so many good moments and yet I can't think of a comic, character analysis or fic where anyone gets her? She's shown to be strong, compassionate and analytical and yet so many people don't bother to let her be any of those things.

(I could keep going. Red Son. Pigsy. Tang. Etc.)

The fandom is small and there's great fanmade art and fic, but it always feels like so many people will get a couple of characters right and then just. Shit on the rest of the characters they don't like. I think it's partially due to that it's a small fandom and lack of people who can view any media with any level of nuance. All that said, it's why I love your fic so much, it feels like you nailed the monkey boys so well.

ohh yeah. there's a lot of younger people in the fandom (not that that's a bad thing but uh) so they're kind of lacking that critical thinking and life experience. not trying to be mean, but that's. literally how growing up works. and y'know, not being able to see the complexity to characters, thinking things are very black and white, etc. It's very frustrating!

MK will always be a great example of this, because the hints of deeper character he has in the show are just outright ignored for funnies and silly haha's for the fandom to enjoy. And Macaque isn't seen for who he truly is. like MK called him out explicitly in the show, and it's like everyone forgot about that. Like all it took for Macaque to drop his facade was someone looking at him for who he is and understanding him. and saying that...who he is okay.

it's just really sad because. you know it's a writing technique/literary device to put these sprinkles of character in, especially when you're working on a show that runs so short. that means every instance of dialogue matters. it's intentional. if they had more time, they could be more forthcoming with this stuff, but that's why there's a lot of things built into the background, too. they're literally using every trick in the book to tell a story BEHIND the story to make up for the small amount of time they have. and dealing with constraints and mandates. like "there has to be a big bad so we can sell sets with the mechs and weapons each season" and they writers are like "okay let's come up with a seasonal villain and everything. again."

But getting back to it -- yeah, Mei, too, is mischaracterized and it's such a shame. she's SO COOL. I love how out there and bright and funny she is! I love that she's so protective and determined. and she CARES about MK, they are best friends they get into some stupid shit together. i'd love to write their friendship, i wanna do that SO BAD PLEASE.

how the fandom treats wukong is part of what inspired me to write this big long fic in the first place. if they're not grossly misinterpreting something he's said/done, they're diluting him down to his cuteness and sweetness and ignoring everything else. and it SUCKS because I LOVE how the show demonstrates that he's not perfect and still needs to develop. Like he IS NOT a good mentor and is actually terrible LMFAO but he's trying!! he's trying. that's why there's so many sunburst duo moments in my fic because, after season 3, i really just see wukong going "okay, i have to take this seriously. for real this time. I don't like how I've been doing things and I need to do better"

and you know, a lot of the time in fandom, people don't know how to respectfully tackle these subjects? so they just focus on the good and ignore the bad -- much easier to handle the good. but straight up ignoring it isn't the way to go, either. ignoring a character's flaws is ignoring half of the character. take away wukong's flaws and that's not wukong anymore. people don't get that. they see flaws as this purely negative thing when they're essential to making characters be characters.

and there's also this tendency to just. take what one person says and parade it around as fact. that's how we got that "wukong can't read" thing going on. when i first saw that, i was so confused because it went against canon. we've seen him read...in the show...he has a laptop i don't. how did we get here LMFAO

and yeah, it extends to every character. it takes time to get characters right. you really have to like. study them. that's why roleplaying is a good way to like develop those characterization skills, but it only works if you're roleplaying with someone who has a good grasp of the show. or just being able to discern a good interpretation from a bad one. discernment is so pivotal. it's just like how, in film and television, you watch bad shows to learn what NOT to do. same thing here. you look at bad interpretations, you look at good ones. then you decide what's good.

not to say that's not what's happening, because that's how we get variance in interpretations. and you know, some people may not care about characterization and are having fun with their dolls. because that's also what fandom is. and it can be a good thing! but it can also be an aggravating thing.

I actually don't think the fandom is small at all. listen -- i know what a small fandom is. on my main, it's a small fandom, because it's me and 9 other people regularly making content for this pairing. like, every day in LMK land, there are new fics. like there are multiple artists making fanart! not so in where i came from

on main i think i'm one of ... five fic authors making content atm LMFAIJOWLMKA

thank you for saying you enjoy my fic! i'm doing my best, and i mostly wrote it out of spite LMFAO but i'll get into that more during my podcast whatever thingy. but thank you for sending this. it's nice to feel seen, i'm glad you agree! that's why you gotta follow/support people who do make content that suits you and makes sense, because then THEY feel encouraged to continue and do greater things!

[macksting]

Murderbot: System Collapse (and Susan Pompoms)

This is not exactly spoiler territory but I'm still putting it below a cut. (It might qualify as spoilers for El Goonish Shive, but I kinda feel the same about that in this case too.)

Bharadwaj says even good change is stressful.

A relatively recent page of El Goonish Shive has a character facing this head-on. Unfortunately for Susan, she wants to be rational about things, even though she knows she sometimes isn't, and seems to consider it a bit of a weakness. She's harder on herself than she is on others. Big Mood. We have to deal with our own bullshit 24/7; at least when we sleep or are alone we aren't around someone else's that often, and even then it's a different angle on the subject and, in my experiences, compassion is easier.

[ID: El Goonish Shive page. Susan and Sarah are standing talking on the roof of the high school. Susan is facing away, distraught and trying to hide her expression as she has lost her composure. Sarah suggests, pursuant to a page omitted, "It, um. Maybe you're upset by change?" Susan, still facing away, incredulously asks, "By good change? Not the store closing, but... quitting a job I don't want? Being done with this school? Not having to deal with that terrible locker anymore?" Sarah, concerned but calm, continues her supposition: "Well, I mean... You've worked there for years, and you've been here for years. It's what's normal for you, and... there is stuff you like about both places, right? Like, you started your movie review show with Elliot because of your job, and... you have friends here. You met Catalina here. Got to know Elliot and Tedd here." Susan half-smiles, her expression still bearing the strain of the strong emotions she's navigating, and asks, "And what's there to like about a locker with a sticky door?" Sarah smiles and replies, "You share it with me?" Susan, the sardonic half-smile gone, turns to face her more fully, and with a haunting expression as she comes to terms with it, pauses and says, "I want to hang out more." /end ID] So, y'know, right now I'm a mess. One little line messes me up so much. okay from here on I'm just fangirling to clarify shit. If you don't wanna hear me ramble about these fandoms in the abstract, adios. If you're a Murderbot fan wondering what this is about, El Goonish Shive is a webcomic that's been going since 2002, is unapologetically queer, has both accidentally and deliberately given earnest and deeply compassionate portrayals of queerness and neurodivergence, and also is just interesting, clever, and has a really big cry button moment as early as 2003. Susan in particular doesn't use the label asexual; Dan Shive considers her sexuality representative of his own, and is personally uncomfortable committing to restrictive labels such as that, though he knows how important they can be as well. She is beloved by asexual fans, okay frankly she's beloved by all fans because she's a complex, fascinating character whose political and philosophical views are her own, and excuse me I'm a mess again. She's not even my favorite fucking character. If you're an El Goonish Shive fan, I am crying over a construct made of cloned human tissues and robotic parts who is bitter, sardonic, and spent the first few books in a deep depression it was not aware of, has developed into a badass punk, and has an unsophisticated but very personal perspective on oppression, slavery, and artificial consciousness under a corporate dystopian rule. It calls itself "Murderbot" because of an incident it cannot remember that led to it hacking its governor module so that it might never be forced to kill again. It will kill, it's occasionally even Plan A, but it's a choice, not an order. ("As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure." - Book 1: All Systems Red.) It is asexual ("Things. :p"), prolly aromantic, prolly agender, and wonderful.

Then she added, “You know, you can stay here in the crew area if you want. Would you like that?” They all looked at me, most of them smiling. One disadvantage in wearing the armor is that I get used to opaquing the faceplate. I’m out of practice at controlling my expression. Right now I’m pretty sure it was somewhere in the region of stunned horror, or maybe appalled horror.

My favorite installment takes place after the fourth novella, but the first novella is absolutely sufficient as a standalone work of fiction, with a satisfying beginning, middle and end, comes in a glorious audiobook format narrated by Kevin R. Free, and makes me cry a lot. The early "humor me" level cry button for me is when everyone confronts it, and it turns to face a corner to avoid their deeply stressful eye contact. I have heard that fan responses to All Systems Red led the author Martha Wells to seek out an autism diagnosis; compare Dan Shive's "It would explain a lot."

[karla-the-elemental-dreamer]

Enter Young Cricket (DG)

If anyone saw the showcase cards that I made for my dream guides (DGs), Young Cricket is included in them. What is going on here?

Young Cricket's entrance, and journey since his time of entry is an interesting story to tell. TBH I never would have chosen him, but this is how he got 'magnetised' to me:

---

It all started on the 8th of May when my family were seeing grandma off at the airport. Riku went and was a strong figure that night. 18-Volt isn't a DG these days, but he decided to tag along too. Terra was weak at the time, but I still wanted him to energetically help me out. He couldn't make it. His Warioware replacements at the time were Kat and Ana, but I thought 'how are they going to handle all this'? I didn't expect them to show up, let alone anyone from Warioware... Enter Young Cricket.

Riku led the charge, 18-Volt just moseyed along in Jak's place. Young Cricket started communicating with Riku and asking to be filled in on what was going on. What's with this sudden interest? He stated to Riku that he was told by Master Mantis that they needed some help.

What narrative was Master Mantis cooking up to Cricket, and what was Master Mantis hiding from him? As the story goes on, it will be made apparent that Mantis volunteered and signed up Cricket to be a dream guide. However, I thought it was only legal to have 3 slots as I didn't want to break any spiritual contracts of greed over over-possession or anything else construed as materialism unless viewed on compassionate grounds. I guess this story also goes to show how God surprises and blesses us in ways we least expect.

Now, back to the actual story. After the 8th of May, I wrote in my book to ask Cricket what was going on, but he didn't communicate with me very clearly, or it's like he was apprehensive about something.

Also, with how Jak got super aggressive in 2023, I said that there would now be a formal application process if any dream guides wanted to pile on... So that they cannot make the excuse "I didn't sign up for this! This is not what I wanted!".

There are three imaginative recruitment exercises I devised for Young Cricket, to prepare and then present in-front of a panel of 3: Riku - The lead DG atm. And he loves me so much, he just casually slid into a sort of HR role. Selvian - Lead teddy commander with a sharp spirit. Reminds me of Mantis and is an INFJ just like him. Dreamy WB - Sole female DG since 2017 and was the leader before Riku. Still assumes herself as de-facto leader and Maternal face of the Astral. She and Riku get along quite well now. Real WB -> ESFP. Dreamy WB has ended up as an ESFJ.

The 3 recruitment exercises for Young Cricket were: 1 - Main Interview 2 - Written piece rebuking specific parties; willingness to be on the 'right side of history'. 3 - His results from the test on 16personalities.com

Despite Cricket really not knowing what was going on, and not wanting to do anything, he did exceptionally well during his interview on the 13th of May, and with his homework.

Dreamy WB said no, but Riku and Selvian said yes. He passed.

Also, this will serve as an integral part of the story going forward. Cricket got ISFJ. I would have never chosen Cricket due to him being an ISFJ: On a get-along chart I found on the internet, that no longer exists, apparently ISFJ were amongst the bottom 3. I have also been very receptive/sensitive to the negative aspects from all 4 ISFJs I know in my life; including trust issues with one. So I have been quite damaged by ISFJs up to this point. (I apologise to all the ISFJs reading this 😅. If there are good ones (/non-temperamental) out there, feel free to provide evidence)

Now looking at Young Cricket, he's a hot-headed Aries, Chinese ISFJ. What a combo. Aaaand apparently he's terrible (incompetent) around girls.

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So come 14 MAY, he 'got the job'. But the next two months would be far from easy.

He'd be slacking off in a sense, not really doing anything. And when I would try to have any sort of communication with him, he'd either withdraw, or if he couldn't, then he'd lose his temper.

As the weeks went on, Cricket would sort of apologise, but those were short-lived with further outbursts. There were also unfortunately times where Cricket would suggest that he'd rather a boy than a girl, or would just be outright annoyed with me. Or he would ask why I was a certain way, or why I couldn't do xxx. I would explain to him in my writing book why this was so, and even tried to offer some compromises, but he would refuse to listen completely and just fly off the handle every time, trying to yell out towards his Master about why he got put with me. It sadly got to a point where Cricket was exuding narcissism, and the cycle of outbursts was quite vicious, with apologies being quick, but next to nil-impact. Riku and Selvian both had to deal with him on a regular basis to honour Master Mantis' request but prevent any real damage from being done to me.

The effects of the June Full Moon began to occur on June 19. Here, Cricket was able to witness some horrible events between my dad (the ISFJ I lack/lacked trust with) and I, and the fallout of it. It seems like Cricket understood what was going on, but again, his chronic anger and now apparent egoic weakness always got the better of him. Despite learning what NOT to do as an ISFJ, Cricket still cracked it with me when it came to his own issues with me, and was damaging me.

Come July, the outbursts and damage from Cricket were getting quite severe. Because as I'd shock him with some truth, his ego would retaliate. And my integral DG team as well as myself decided that enough was enough. Cricket was sent to the teddy therapist, Josephine, for professional help.

Here, Cricket came to learn more secrets about me, in which he also started to question his behaviour towards me more seriously. This is also when Master Mantis finally stepped in and decided to break the news to Cricket, as he was obviously on the brink of failure. Cricket was told why Master Mantis signed him up, and the outcomes he had hoped for Cricket to achieve.

His Master talking to him and revealing everything was the nail in the coffin for Cricket, and was the thing that eliminated his ego. The combination of Cricket being spoken to by Mantis, as well as learning about me being on the 'spectrum' and what that was, and that Cricket had significantly damaged my heart and soul is what made him break down from shock and pretty much enter his first proper major Dark Night of the Soul.

End of the first week of July and the day of Therapy, the wounds were still fresh, so I decided to send Cricket 'home' for the week around 15 July. I did not want Cricket being caught out by extremely bad rumoured energies and doing some 'square 1' things again. He was tasked to learn about me further, rest, and work on himself.

His absence only lasted for under 2 days before he came back... 13 July. Cricket DOES only listen to his Master, but this made him again see the reality of the whole situation. Cricket said he couldn't leave me for a whole week after all the terrible things he's done, and that he admitted he'd just be running away from his problems (like he was doing from 13 May - 13 Jul).

Since coming back on the 13th and committing himself, Cricket has not had one single outburst, and has been rather patient and even properly affectionate as a DG. It's unfortunate that his first real task is getting me through a cold/flu.

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It has been realised that Cricket had/has the following purposes as to why he was sent to go with me: - To have a chance at redemption for the 'New Earth'. He will finally achieve 'mastery' lol. - To know how to deal with girls AND relax around them. - To expand his social circle beyond just Master Mantis. - To learn what it's like to be a teacher and have his own 'student' (even if not to teach Kung Fu) - To learn about others like him (ISFJ) >> Esp. seeing his weaknesses in others. - To break the ISFJ curse in my field.

[junowritings]

Can I have a bg3 male matchup plz

Gender: cis female

Pronouns: she/her

Sexuality: heterosexual ally

Zodiac: Capricorn

Appearance: 5’2 African American hourglass body (although I’m more top heavy if you know what i mean) black curly wavy hair blackish brown eyes chubby cheeks wears glasses sometimes (im far sighted so it’s usually when driving in class or at the theater)

Mbti: infj

Enneagram: 2w1

Personality: kind smart funny motherly responsible empathetic anxious emotional moody perfectionist helpful people pleaser caring compassionate nerdy curious protective polite respectful indecisive fearful nervous introvert shy awkward clumsy low self esteem low confidence (more pertaining to my talents or personality then my looks) sassy sarcastic (I’m mainly these things with people i feel comfortable with like friends or family) soft spoken cute (my friends think im cute because i can be pretty innocent plus I’m small physically)

Likes: animals books reading writing fantasy magic sci fi anime music video games friends alone time learning personality quizzes sweets and bread helping being a part of something bigger than myself

Dislikes: spiders loud sounds people people i care about not caring for themselves (im a hypocrite on this i take care of everyone else but not me) not being listened to weird holes and patterns math and tests (I’m being tested for a math disability and i have test anxiety)

Love language:

Giving: acts of service gift giving and physical affection (if they’re ok with it)

Receiving: words of affirmation and physical affection (although i can be shy about it)

Extra: i pace a lot i sing when im alone i talk to myself im a picky eater (mainly with textures) i have a cat i have minor ehlers danalos (a hyper mobility disorder) but it doesn’t hurt me like it does my sisters i get abdominal migraines which is basically like a migraine but instead of headaches it’s nausea

Thank you

Heyya of course you can hun~! Thanks so much for taking the time to send one in - I think I've narrowed down who would treasure you - it'd have to be...

If you’re looking for someone to give you the love you deserve, look no further than the blade of frontiers himself!

Wyll is a good soul - a man who goes out of his way to protect others even at the cost of his own safety, and has a firm belief that good can come from the world and its people even when faced with the darkest of days. Compassion and empathy seem to be in short supply in this world unless you go out of your way to look for it; and yet you seem to have it in abundance, expressing it to those around you in your own ways. Small actions here, an offer to help there, and your respect towards others are all valuable traits that should be respected; even with your shy demeanor these little acts of kindness don't go unnoticed like you might believe, and it certainly makes the man eager to get to know you more.

Whilst your kindness may be what draws him to you initially, it’s easy to see that the more he learns about you, the more the guy falls for you just a little more. Behind that shyness is an intelligent wit - only made more endearing by that hint of sass within soft spoken words that come forth the more comfortable the company. Wyll would catch himself replaying these little glimpses into who you are even when you’re not around, having to pull himself from the reverie more than once (surprise lads this is when he finally realizes that it’s more than just respect he feels for you) 

Being emotional isn’t a bad thing to be! It takes courage to express what you’re feeling - to allow strong emotions to show above the surface of a carefully protected heart. And he will tell you as much whenever you find yourself feeling an emotion too strongly; whether it’s as calloused thumbs brush tears from your cheeks, or as mismatched eyes soften committing your smiles to memory.

If you’re the kind of clumsy who ends up taking the occasional tumble or getting the occasional bump or bruise you can bet that Wyll be there to patch you up. He may not have the healing magic the others have but he’s got practiced hands when it comes to caring for you, touch far more careful than he’s probably ever been when taking care of his own wounds. I’ll die on the hill that Wyll is a cheesy romantic so you can bet those bumps and bruises are getting a quick kiss once he’s finished. He waxes poetic about kisses making them feel better, but the serious expression on his face cracks into a grin when you realize he simply loves to kiss you - being able to help you forget all about that little injury is a welcome bonus, of course.

He simply can’t just stand by seeing you have such little confidence in your talents or personality. He knows it will take more than just words for you to believe him, knows that kind words alone can’t solve the deeply rooted perceptions you have of yourself. Yet he wants you to know that there’s nothing but sincerity as he regales you with examples of each and every amazing feat that you’ve accomplished; everything you’ve done with your talents and how phenomenal he finds every single one of them to be. You may worry about your talents and abilities, but Wyll will be the pillar to remind you of why you do the things that you do, of what makes you love them so whenever the doubt begins to creep in.

He loves stealing quiet moments away with you. It’s no secret that his traveling companions are…less than quiet, and it’s rare to go even an evening without some form of chaos breaking out amongst the others. So any kind of moment where it can be just the two of you is welcome. His favorite thing to do when you’re out and it’s getting late is to find a quiet spot with you to unwind. You can bring your favorite books or a notebook to write with or any other entertainment you may want and Wyll will bring the treats that he knows best summon your sweet tooth, and the two of you can simply enjoy one another's company away from prying eyes and the latest trouble of the day. He’ll lean up against your side or let you lean against his chest (if you’re comfortable of course!), rubbing soothing circles along your arm as he sneaks peeks at what you’re reading or writing at the time. You can distract him from this pesky habit with some well timed kisses if you’re ever feeling bold enough though, but he’ll respect your privacy if you prefer it - what matters most is that he gets this time with you. That being said your cat, Scratch and the Owlbear cub are welcome too of course; they’re the only ones allowed to intrude on these little moments since you love them being around.

Also as a side please do a personality quiz with Wyll. He’ll joke that you’re twisting his arm but he will absolutely get invested in whatever results he ends up with, you can’t miss it.

The people that he’s helped over the years have tried giving him gifts to express their gratitude, and he’s always been gracious about it. But receiving something from you? Especially knowing that your love language is giving gifts and understanding the significance? It’s different, special, and Wyll is touched beyond measure. He will get a little flustered if you go overboard with the gift giving, insistent on repaying you for each little kindness you gift him with these presents so expect more than a few gifts in return. 

Wyll is more than happy to lavish you in words of affirmation and love even before learning just how much you enjoy them; in fact, you’d be hard pressed to get him to not to simply because there is so much about you to love and he makes no attempts to hide his appreciation for every single aspect. He would kiss each pad of your finger and mutter sweet words of how your very touch brightens the world around you if you’d allow him the chance.Wyll will remind you each and every chance that he gets how lucky he is to be at your side, appreciating the things that you do to show your love and reciprocate it in kind till he’s sure you know that you’re loved and appreciated.

He’ll give you space when you’re pacing, knowing that you prefer some alone time now and again to recuperate. However if you’re up for it he’ll gently interject in your pacing, offering to go on a walk together and get some fresh air - if you’re pacing because you’re trying to clear your head this is an excellent way to do so, and Wyll himself is a calming presence to have around if you feel like things are too much and you need someone to just exist with for a time. 

Admittedly he has likely walked in on you singing a couple of times, and has quickly made himself scarce given that you prefer to do it alone without an audience and he wants to respect that private moment. However Wyll finds himself entranced by how content you are when you sing, a feeling that makes his heart feel warmer just remembering; perhaps one day you’ll allow him the chance to hear a performance in person - he’d love nothing more, honestly.

[aparedes]

❝ I have this disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone. ❞

Age: 40

Gender identification: Cis female, she/her

Residential area: Masonboro

Occupation: Book cover artist & voice actor

Two positive traits: Independent & compassionate

Two negative traits: Hedonistic & aloof

Length of time in Wilmington: 25 years

Faceclaim: Nathalie Kelley

sunset gazing from the porch, wine drunk late night texts and calls to ghosts, paint stained fingers, always remembers your name, a wild spark that devours from within, an ipad pro and sketchbook weighing down her bag, a faint accent from a distant life, and eyes that can't hide the pain of unfulfillment

Trigger warnings: death

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Angelia’s earliest memories are of running around the resort hotel both of her parents worked at. Her mother was a desk clerk and her father was a groundskeeper. They were a small but happy family that loved smiling and the company of each other. It was Angelia’s childhood where she remembers feeling the most love in her life. Even before she could walk her body was in motion trying to dance and wiggle around. So once she’d taken those first steps and elated her parents, Angelia was enrolled in dance class with what little money they could set aside for it. Sometimes each of her parents worked overtime and extra shifts just so that they could afford things for her, and their sacrifices and hard work has never been forgotten. Passionate, competitive, and a bit of a perfectionist, Angelia excelled in dance and began performing with a dance team all over the city. No matter how tough the schedules her parents had they always made it to her recitals and performances. Even more, they always expressed just how proud they were of her..

When Angelia was 15 there was an incident at the hotel resort and her father ended up as collateral damage in trying to intervene and deescalate a terrible situation. The sudden loss was devastating to that small, close-knit family. Angelia and her mother ended up moving not long following her father’s funeral to Wilmington, North Carolina where her mother had obtained a job transfer. There was a lot to work through when it came to immigration, but seeing as Angelia’s aunt and her mother’s sister had made the move some near 10 years earlier she helped the grieving pair through the process. The loss had tormented Angelia’s mother so much that home didn’t feel like home anymore. Without her father her mother couldn’t stay in Lima and be reminded of him everywhere. Plus, she needed to be close to her sister.

For the teenager the move was difficult. Not just because of losing her father but also due to transitioning to an American school system where her strong Peruvian accent proved to be a challenge. Angelia had always been fluent in English, she’d been raised speaking both languages, but Spanish had always been the preferred and most spoken in her household. Too often, out of habit, she would slip into Spanish when speaking. Angelia struggled in school but that led her to discover an unknown talent— she could draw and draw quite well. She began filling up notebooks of sketches and doodles, at first not really thinking anything of it, until she came across an ad placed by a local publishing company. They were looking for a book cover artist. Out of curiosity Angelia applied and interviewed, showing her notebooks full of her abilities. They tested her, gave her a book synopsis and a note from an author and told her to return it in a week with mock covers. Angelia blew the executives away with her creations and she was hired immediately. They loved her interpretations but the job didn’t pay the best and the then 20 year old had to take up work at a local bar as a waitress and then eventually a bartender.

It was tough juggling everything at times, especially since she also liked to travel and see a bit of the world, but Angelia actually really loved her life. She loved being an artist and loved the social aspect of working in a bar. Eventually her talents would be snagged by a bigger publishing house and a much better paycheck would come her way because of it. At that time Angelia came upon yet another job opportunity on a whim. Audiobooks were on the rise and the publishing firm had just begun devotinga department to that medium. After overhearing talk of needing narrators and voice actors she offered herself up despite having zero experience. How hard could it be narrating a book?

It turned out to be very tough and required a lot of patience and skill. But, like everything else, Angelia was determined to become good at it. Now, she’s sought out by authors by name. For two reasons.