#otp: we could live together

[notmoreflippingelves]

Actually going insane over the implications of Jason asking Dick to be the Robin to his Batman in Battle for the Cowl.

Like I initially took it at the purely surface-level of Jason wanting a partner in the general sense. Which made sense, it's a huge responsibility and a lonely one so an assistant/sidekick/partner seems a no-brainer if you can get one.

But then I really thought about it, because Jason is not asking Dick to be his partner in the general sense; he's not even asking Dick to be his Nightwing. He's asking Dick to be his Robin.

And they both know exactly what Jason means: "Be the light to my darkness. Be the smile to my scowl. Be the hope to my fear. "

He's saying "Be 'Robin'; be the embodiment of Love and Justice and Goodness. Be the exceptional person that you have always been. Be the slightly-less exceptional person that I was when I wore your colors. Be the person that I was in the process of becoming and might have been (or might still be), if only Joker hadn't clipped my wings."

He's saying "I am prepared to become vengeance, become the Night. And I will go further than Bruce ever dared to, because it is what is needed. I will be the necessary evil. But you don't have to be. If Batman is Gotham's curse, Robin has always been its blessing. I will be the brutal punishment to our world, and I am asking you to be its incandescent gift."

He's saying, "Be for me, what we were for Him. Be my anchor, my comfort, my hope. Remind me what it's all for, why it's all worth it. And remind yourself as well."

He's saying "Be 'Robin' again--for both of our sakes."

[zoennes]

[armageddidnt]

Welcome to My Collection of Random Thoughts during my nth* rewatch of Good Omens Season 2

*only amazon prime knows the exact number at this point but I’m fairly certain it’s in the double digits

Episode 1: Gabriel’s fly lurking in the box when Aziraphale first takes it inside 👀

Crowley’s promise of “two minutes” basically means that he’s been homeless and living in his car for the past 4 years strictly so that he can be within 2 driving minutes of Aziraphale at all times in case his angel needs him I’m not crying you are

So here I think the key word is “fragile,” Crowley knows they are ostensibly safe from their respective sides but that could change at any moment so he’s basically spent the last 4 years in anxiety-ridden terror hovering as close to Aziraphale as he can to try and protect him from heaven, hell, and anyone else that would want to bring him harm after all that business they pulled in season 1 with stopping Armageddon

Episode 2: I just happened to pause the episode while Aziraphale is lying to the angels about his miracle and LOL Michael really outdid himself here (Sheen, not the Archangel)

Gabriel trying to swat flies and almost smashing the repository of every single one of his memories

I’m cAckling

So if Good Omens exists in Good Omens, does that mean Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett exist in Good Omens?? Do you think they based their Aziraphale and Crowley characters on Aziraphale and Crowley??

Episode 3: So I’m trying to find any hints or foreshadowing of the Gabriel Beelzebub thing bc tbh I did kind of feel like it came out of nowhere which is really the only issue I have with them. I found this one scene where Beelzebub almost ?? seems to be concerned about Gabriel ?? But it’s blink and you miss it and there could be lots of other reasons why Beelzebub doesn’t want to fail in locating Gabriel (pressure from/leverage over heaven, etc) so idk

More Foreshadowing Fly content 🪰

Episode 4: So here we’ve seen that Shax can just appear inside the Bentley bc she did it earlier to talk to Crowley. Shax only pretended to be a hitchhiker so she could be invited in because Azirpahale was driving so technically she needed permission to cross the threshold of an angel 👀

This scene will never not destroy me the 1941 flashback is the absolute sOFTEST thing ever to happen on this show

We really need more context here I need to see the Crowley-Furfur Monkey Rides

Episode 5: ahahaha thank you google translate for absolutely destroying my sanity this evening

POP goes the Ziraphale

Okay I know you can’t hear it in the gif but just before Nina takes Maggie’s hand, there’s a very quiet miracle noise, like Azirpahale literally MADE Nina dance with Maggie, he said I’m writing a Mina Jane-Austen-Ball-AU and my otp will KISS godDAMMIT

Azirpahale seems lowkey kind of manic this whole scene tho, he’s controlling literally everyone to force Nina and Maggie together and whenever Crowley says anything that pokes holes in Aziraphale’s Magical Jane Austen Ball Fairytale, Aziraphale just straight up denies it. He wants Nina and Maggie to dance and he wants him and Crowley to dance and he refuses to acknowledge anything beyond that.

Is this just Shax insulting Crowley for how much of a nuisance he’s been or a reference to his former status as an angel ???

They’re both completely dismissive of each other when they’re trying to say something important and that’s the main issue they’ve been having this entire season tbh

Episode 6: I think it’s funny that Crowley describes the angels as bees here because in the book, Neil/Terry describe humans the same way. Guess we have more in common than we thought huh?

So the metatron was the one who originally decided Gabriel would be memory wiped and not sent to hell, and he was also the one that decided not to sound an alarm about Gabriel for some reason and said ‘just go find him yourself’ instead. The metatron has definitely got his own agenda and you can bet he doesn’t want Aziraphale up there in heaven because he’s a “leader” and he’s “honest” like that’s exactly what Gabriel was and look where it got him 👀

There’s just something I can’t quite put my finger on about the metatron bringing Aziraphale a coffee from “give me coffee or give me death” and then asking Aziraphale if he’s going to take the coffee he’s giving him…

I have not seen a single person talk about this since s2 came out but Nina literally calls Maggie “angel” because that’s the term of endearment they hear Crowley using for Aziraphale !!!! I’m still going fERAL over this and I can’t believe no one else is eitHER

Something about this part of The Final Fifteen compared to this scene from the first episode is so representative of the entire season. Azirpahale keeps saying “my way or get out” and Crowley finally hits a wall and can follow Aziraphale no further. So he does just that. He goes.

I’m sure a lot of us by now have seen this post that brings up how Aziraphale literally pushes the remains of Crowley into his mouth and swallows and it’s the only thing I see when I watch this now

We still don’t know for certain if Crowley queued up this song to play on their way to the Ritz or if the Bentley started playing it all on its own and it’s driving me insane

Basically how I am doing after my Truly-Alarming-Number-th watch of this traumatizing episode/season. WELP hope you enjoyed this garbage dump of my thoughts and feelings time to go cry for a bit again BYE

[roguegambitweek]

Legacy

A few of our prompts this year make specific reference to the comics. We know that not everyone has read the comics (there are a lot of X-Men comics out there) and we don’t want anyone to feel left out.

So, without further ado… Legacy.

First, as the prompt is written, you can create your fanworks around the concept of legacy—of what a person leaves behind, their long lasting impact on the world. This could be children, inspiration, etc. Or, it could even be a meta exploration about Rogue and Gambit’s impact on comics, the X-Men, or any other medium they’re in. Feel free to play with this concept of legacy.

Now, if you’re interested in the character of Legacy, read on.

In 2011, there was a X-Men Legacy/New Mutants crossover event called ‘Age of X.’ In this bubble, alt-universe, dystopian world, Rogue goes by Legacy.

As Legacy, she’s present whenever another Mutant dies. She absorbs them, preserving their memories and, in a way, memorializing their lives. Because she mostly appears when Mutants die (and there are quite a few deaths since they are being hunted to extinction), other Mutants begin associating her with death. They call her Reaper, a name which she despises and continually asks them to not to call her that. Due to various reasons, Legacy spends most of her time alone, or sequestered in the Fortress.

This is a lonely existence for Legacy. And here enters our hero.

Gambit does go by Gambit, although he uses a long rifle instead of cards. One of the first times Legacy and Gambit meet, he calls her Legacy (her preferred name). When she asks him why he is helping her, he proclaims, “I don’t even know, chère. I saw you fighting, is all. And I knew what side of the fight I wanted to be on.”

Anyways, they go on a quest together to discover the truth behind the contradictions of their dying world, share a few romantic moments, and are willing to lay down their lives for each other. Even though they just met, they work together like they’ve been partners their entire lives. Truly, Romy are the OTP across the Multiverse.

In the end, they save the day and everyone is returns to the regular 616 universe. Most participants in this bubble world choose to forget about it, but Rogue retains Legacy’s memories.

The entirety of Legacy’s appearances occur in the AoX arc and for once, it is relatively achievable to read the entire crossover. Below is the reading with the essential Romy moments bolded.

Reading list in Order:

Age of X Alpha

Chapter 1 - X-Men: Legacy (2011) - issue 245

Chapter 2 - New Mutant, issue 22

Chapter 3 - X-Men: Legacy issue 246

Chapter 4 - New Mutants (2011), issue 23

Age of X Universe #1

Chapter 5 - X-Men: Legacy, issue 247

Chapter 6 - New Mutants, issue 24

Age of X Universe #2

X-Men Legacy, 248, Age of X Aftermath (Just stop reading after the ‘home and harbor’ speech)

[jade-green-butterfly]

Today...is a very special and important day for me, folks~💝😊Three years ago, a certain special troll became the highlight of my 2020 during rough times and immediately won my heart from the moment I knew he would have his own destiny and journey to find others like him...and his family. Since the first Trolls movie, I have always admired dearly him from afar and the moment I saw him during the Trolls World Tour trailer, my heart literally poured out him and I have truly loved him for just being his wonderful, lovable self ever since~💘🥹 And that certain special troll, is none other than...Cooper~💗🌈✨

I have always been a big fan of him and he’s always been my favourite troll to begin with but every time I see him and hear him, my heart always beats so much for him, making it aflutter and words cannot describe how special he is to me...how he means the whole world to me~💞🌈💗🌈💞I mean...can you blame me? >//w//`< How could I resist and say no to such an adorable face to go with such a darling like him??💖😍💖😍💖 Cooper is more than just the goofball that we all know and love...he’s my goofball and so much more...~🥹The most amazing troll with such talent, a unique voice and a dazzling yet loving royal family to go with him...~🌟Cooper is also the prince of my heart, who deserves all the love and happiness in the world...and I feel so blessed to be the one to give it all to him, along with my heart~🥰💝💝🥰 April 24th 2020 was the day I drew Cooper for the very first time, and when I started shipping myself with him. And together, him and I have remained strong and inseparable ever since!🫶🏻😌💕We’ve had such happy memories together - becoming part of his world and family, sharing one another’s lives and music, even officially marrying and creating our own dear little life together~✨💜💗💚✨And I wish to keep on loving Cooper forevermore~💓😊

Which is why I dedicate this very special piece above (with a textless version too) to us, inspired by one of my favourite scenes in TWT - where King Quincy and Queen Essence were happily together with their twin eggs (before our dear Cooper was cruelly snatched away from them😭) and I wished to capture that tender moment between Cooper and I, with our darling Toby's egg nestled warmly within my hair~🥰 EEEEEEE~!!😍🤩😍I am so, sooooo happy and truly over the moon of how all of this turned out~!💖🥹💖Just how I imagined it, especially Cooper snuggling against me with his neck wrapped around me as we lovingly embrace one another, feeling like the proud parents we are~💜💗💚😚I am also chuffed with the cherry blossoms I drew to make the bed cover look more prettier~🌸 I would like to deeply and gratefully thank many wonderful peeps out there for helping bring my beloved OTP to life, such as my lovely @x-elyssa-x, KaitlinEXE, @gloryraiin, @jaguardorado16, @vampireflowerarts, @zoey-nillesen, @king-trollex-fangirl, @glitchy-witchy1994, @blooeyedtroll, @kittyball23, @angoraram, @yeenstrollart, @asa-de-ouro, @whiteflame-selfship and many more, for all the beautiful commissions, gift art and loving support you have given me over the past four years, and for putting all your fantastic work and effort, and heart and soul into every single one which I absolutely love to this very day~💞🌟💙💜💛💚🌟💞 I can’t thank you all and the rest of the Trolls Fandom enough for how amazing and welcoming you’ve all been to me when I first jumped onto the bandwagon, and I am so happy I did too!💖🤗Thank-you all so much for everything, including all the dear friends I’ve made and all the loving supporters I have gained - bless you all and don’t stop being awesome~!✌🏻🤩✨💕 And finally, thank-you ever so much for everything, Cooper...my cupcake king and sweet jellybean~🩷♛🧁🫂For always being there for me, making me feel such love and happiness I never could imagine~💝🥰🌈I am truly blessed and the luckiest lass alive to such a wonderful darling like you in my life and by my side~💗😇🪽U///w///U

🎊💜♓💗♎💚🎉~Happy 4th Anniversary, Cooper...my beloved prince, my one & only...~ I love you so much with all my heart, more than life itself...and I will keep on loving you so, forevermore and beyond~🎉💜♓💗♎💚🎊

*~Reblogs are also deeply appreciated as well, so please do reblog as well as like! Thank-you kindly!~*

Cooper (c) DreamWorks Trolls/DreamWorks Animation

Trollsona Jussy/Justina Butterfly & Toby/Toby's Egg (c) @jade-green-butterfly​ (Me~!)

[writing-for-life]

Hey there! I hope you’re having a good day. I just saw a post you made about Dream’s type romantically. Thoughts on Calliope and Dream’s relationship specifically? It always stands out to me how though Dream has had a number of lovers throughout the millennia, Calliope is the only one he married. (And of course, Melissanthi Mahut and Tom Sturridge’s blistering chemistry in the show is an additional component for me xD but feel free to respond only based on the comics if you wish!)

Hey, always happy to see your asks in my inbox!

So, first of all; I don’t care what everyone else thinks:

Dream and Calliope are the OTP even though I’m not a shipper. There, I said it, hit me over the head with a hammer, I live well in that tiny little corner of fandom 🤣

Conceptually, they are very, very alike. There is definitely something in there about dreams marrying epic poetry (and eloquence!) that’s just so on the nose.

But I also can’t help thinking: Slight power imbalance maybe, and we also get this more directly via the “all gods get born and die in the Dreaming.” I think often about how this would have played out for them once Calliope’s last worshippers have died—it’s certainly a tough one, even if their relationship hadn’t soured.

But even so: She is the Muse of Epic Poetry, he is the Prince of Stories, so there is A LOT of overlap between what they stand for. And hence, a lot of mutual understanding. They always struck me as *getting* each other (probably why they fell in love in the first place)—until they didn’t. The fact they didn’t live together was good for them I think, because thoughts need to be allowed freedom to form and develop. Plus, there’s also a lot to be said for Calliope keeping her independence that way. Not just in terms of personhood, but again if you think of how she was essentially created in, and will return to, the Dreaming. It’s probably wise for her (in conceptual terms) not to hang out there ALL the time?

She seems a lot more grounded in the mortal world than Dream is though. I always thought that was down to the fact that humans know her, as in actively worship her/ask her for inspiration, which must make her much closer in a way? Because bar a few, no one really *knows* Dream exists, although everyone does, if that makes any sense? Mortals know him on a subconscious level (that’s why he’s forever nebulous and *lonely*), but people know Calliope as a deity and seek connection explicitly. I’m not sure what I’m trying to say here, but to me, that was always a reason why, although a goddess, she seemed far less removed from the mortal plight than Dream was (at least when they were still an item—we all know he changed, even if he didn’t admit it [well, he did in the end to Nuala, which is a whole ‘nother topic]).

And when I think about why they didn’t work out, I can only think: “Orpheus”.

I mean yes, she said that they were already starting to drift apart slightly before she was with child, but there was still a lot of love between them even so. I think the death knell was to have a child on these wonky foundations. Why they did, we’ll never know.

Conceptually, there’s again something very deep and painful about dreams and poetry becoming something real. And then, that mortal child becoming immortal (until his father finally intervenes). But Orpheus was still all mortal and human to his core, even when he became immortal for a while, and that was *always* at the base of their rift. But I digress…

Back to why was Orpheus the death of their marriage? Dream’s advice to Orpheus was sound, yet it was unfeeling and lacked empathy. Calliope’s was maybe (?) not as reasonable, but she understood her child because a mother’s love is (usually) unconditional. We all know Dream’s wasn’t for a long time although it should have been.

I think if they’d all sat together as a family, supported their son in his grief in a balanced way, this whole catastrophe could have been avoided (I mean no, not really—it’s a tragedy, “doomed by the narrative” and all that). But all of Dream’s relationships (be that to his son or his lovers) fail because he is unreality (hence he has a hard time when things quite literally get real), and despite *knowing* mortals on a very deep level, I don’t believe he truly *understood* them at this point. But I think Calliope did—maybe due to who she was, maybe just because she actually *allowed* them in? Because Dream never truly did that. And when he finally did and truly understood what unconditional love actually means, he came apart at the seams and unravelled.

There’s also something really interesting conceptually in thinking of the Prince of Stories who doesn’t believe he has his own, and the Muse of Epic Poetry who inspires. Who is trying to control whom in this scenario? It’s mirrored in how they behave when the whole Orpheus tragedy takes off:

Calliope tries to inspire and, dare I say try to control the narrative a bit, and I don’t mean this in a bad way, quite the opposite: She looks for the most favourable outcome for everyone involved, even if it means bending the rules: She tries to convince Dream to put in a good word with Hades and believes he would listen because Gods respect him and, dare I say it, are even a bit scared of him.

Dream is rigid. Which is so mind-bending for someone who is the personification of hopes, wishes and possibility. But he is an immovable object: If he’s right, he’s right. That’s the rules, that’s it. And he won’t bend them, not even for his son. I’m not saying that it’s not understandable from his point of view, because he might know things we don’t (potentially also that although he *could* bend the rules because he has the power to do so, it might have knock-on effects no one else can understand or see—it’s impossible to say), only that they are fundamentally different in their approach although they are *both* about inspiration. And inspiration is so closely related to bringing on change (ouch!).

Part of me wants to say that Calliope uses it to control the narrative while Dream doesn’t, that Calliope believes that we can change our destiny while Dream doesn’t, but that’s also too simple. Because Dream *can* be controlling, but in totally different ways and areas.

I feel like I’m rambling out a lot of unordered thoughts, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that Dream and Calliope were so close because they are so similar in so many ways bar one:

Their understanding how inspiration can be used to bring on change. I would somehow go as far as saying that Calliope understands what it means to have personhood, also for herself, and that’s why she understands it in others (I think this is made *very* clear when Richard Madoc holds her hostage). Dream doesn’t—least not at the point where it would have mattered with regards to their relationship, because I think the fishbowl has changed him in that regard. This is also why he wants to make things right with her I believe. But of course he would never openly admit it (he basically stops himself before blurting it out), simply because it would also mean he’d need to admit it to himself…

With regard to that meta:

I definitely think they were highly romantically attracted, purely down to who/what they are. I can’t say too much about their sexual attraction, but after Calliope’s speech at his wake, it would be somewhat unlikely to assume they weren’t 🙈🤣

Was it unconditional though? No.

Was it pragmatic (that sounds so bad and unfeeling, but it’s not a bad thing, because a certain level of pragmatism is what grounds love in reality and makes it last)? I think they tried. But ultimately, he can never live that way because he is unreality, and I often wonder if they both knew 😭

@two-hands-toward-the-sun ask answered

[its-ashehausen]

ships thing for Bleach (which I know nothing about, but let's go!)

Otp: Ulquihime (although the storyline is a bit controversial for reasons) but they have a lot chemistry in my opinion, and just fit together in their own way. Plus the fanart and fanfics are incredible

Favorite Canon Pairing: Ginran (I don't know if I can really consider it canon since it wasn't specified if they were a couple or not) however I believe that they were some point in their lives. Basically Gin and Rangiku were friends when they were children, and he witnessed her get injured by the main villain of the series Aizen, he then makes a plan to join him and ultimately kill him when he seeks the moment of opportunity, so that Rangiku wouldn't have to cry anymore. In my opinion him and her, had one of the best relationships in bleach

Worst Pairing: Aizen & Momo (they don't have a ship name that I know of, and I plan to keep it that way since their relationship was very peculiar) Their relationship was a respectful one in the beginning, like a captain and a subordinate type relationship. However, Momo seemed to have stronger feelings past that point and Aizen used them against her many times, Momo would always find a way to defend his actions which would turn her against her friend Toshiro, she always saw good in Aizen but he never cared about her, she was just a tool to be manipulated so that he could further his plans. #MomoDeservedBetter

Guilty Pleasure Ship: Ishihime, they're basically friends to lovers but without getting together, they've been friends ever since High School and it's been obvious from the 2nd Arc that he kind of has a crush on her and I just think their friendship is so wholesome, I would've preferred them to be endgame.

The Pairing Everyone Likes but you're like: "lol no" that spot goes to Ichihime, yes they're cute, they have the whole friends to lovers, soulmates thing, but I honestly found them boring together and their relationship has always been one sided until like the last arc. She has been in love with him for so long and he always seemed to view her as one of his good friends. Plus every other ship I've seen them with, they just had better romantic chemistry with those people. I have no hate for the ship and people who ship it but I just never cared for it

Favorite Non-Canon Pairing; Ichiruki for obvious reasons (if you ever get the chance the watch it.) Their platonic relationship is honestly my favourite thing about this anime, and is one of the reasons I got into Bleach in the first place. (Although I do ship them too, I'm fine with them not ending up together)

A Pairing I wanted to see more of: Hitsukarin so their friendship was kind of short-lived plus all their interactions were never Canon. Which makes me sad, even though I shipped it, I was fine with them just being friends. Much like Ichiruki, I just wish their interactions were canon and we could've seen more of them.

[torchwood-99]

Boromir/Theodred is one of those ships that the more I think about it, the more I love it. I love it in canon where it ends tragically, I love canon AUs where they live and it's bittersweet, I love total AUs where it's modern day and it's big fun.

I've also started head-canoning that Theodred and Boromir were plotting to set Eowyn and Faramir up. It's mostly sort of joking between them, a "hey wouldn't these two be perfect for each other", but the more they discuss it, the more they want it to happen.

Initially I liked this because it was shippy and funny and "big brotherly" and there's this fanart here Torchwood-99 — scyllas-revenge: greypetrel: sacherali: Why... (tumblr.com)

But also, if we're going bittersweet, it could be a way of Boromir and Theodred joining their houses, almost getting married by proxy, the two of them trying to live out their own desire to be together officially by marrying their younger siblings to each other.

(Imagine them at the wedding, standing at the bride and groom's side, looking at each other as the vows are read.)

Also on the bittersweet note, there's something lovely about Eowyn and Faramir accidentally fulfilling their loved one's wishes by finding each other, even after Theodred and Boromir have already passed.

If we're going full on wish fulfilment, we can have Boromir and Theodred live, get back from the battle at the Black Gates, and finding out that their OTP has gotten together, without them.

In this AU, Boromir ends up deciding that after Mordor's fall, he can start to live for his own happiness, after struggling a little with who he is now that there's no enemy to fight anymore. After some heart to hearts with Aragorn and Faramir, he ends up giving over the Stewardship to Faramir, and goes to Rohan as an ambassador.

(Eomer, Eowyn, Faramir and Aragorn all know, as these things aren't so uncommon around soldiers. It starts off as that "thing" that isn't spoken of, but as years go by, it becomes a more open subject within the family circle.)

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: Queen Esther

Favorite thing about them: Her courage and selflessness when she risks her life to save her people, and her cleverness in the way she uses flattery, entertainment, and well-chosen wording to maneuver the villainous Haman into a vulnerable position and turn her royal husband against him.

Least favorite thing about them: I suppose the fact that at first she's reluctant to approach the king without being summoned and come out as Jewish to him. Of course it's natural that she's afraid to risk her life, but still, thousands of other people's lives are on the line and she almost chooses to protect herself rather than them.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I'm part Jewish.

*I'm often afraid to reveal my Jewish heritage in public.

*I often wear purple – most mass-produced Queen Esther costumes for Purim seem to dress her in purple, since it was associated with royalty in the ancient world.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I'm not married to a king.

*I'm not an orphan.

*I've never been to the Middle East.

Favorite line:

Her instructions to Mordecai when she agrees to speak to the king on the Jews' behalf:

"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

Her reveal of her Jewish heritage to her husband, with its clever rhetoric of saying that she and her people are threatened, arousing her husband's protective outrage, before she reveals that by this she means Haman's planned genocide of the Jews that her husband had blindly agreed to:

“If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated."

brOTP: Her cousin and foster father Mordecai.

OTP: Well, I have to say her husband King Ahasuerus, though it's hardly a modern love match, and though there are plenty of valid reasons to loathe him and wish Esther could leave him. If not for their marriage, she couldn't have saved her people.

nOTP: Haman.

Random headcanon: I accept the Talmudic tradition that she was a vegetarian rather than eat non-kosher meat in her husband's palace, but not the tradition that she lived on only legumes and seeds. While I understand the appeal of saying "Out of virtue and piety she turned down the most tempting dishes in favor of plain, simple food," that's not a balanced diet, and Persian cuisine has so many wonderful vegetable dishes she could have chosen from!

Unpopular opinion: I don't think she and Queen Vashti need to be pitted against each other. While I don't like the tradition of vilifying Vashti in order to glorify Esther as the superior, deserving replacement, neither do I think admiring Vashti's courage and defiance means we should look down on Esther for being "docile and submissive" or "complicit with the patriarchy." After all, it's by finally breaking the rules that Esther saves her people, and ironically, despite having banished Vashti for her disobedience and chosen Esther as a suitably docile replacement, Ahasuerus obeys Esther's will in the end. I admire and sympathize with both women and see Vashti as ultimately vindicated by Esther.

Song I associate with them: Well, it's mainly a song about Haman, not Esther, but I have to choose this popular silly children's song for Purim, "A Wicked, Wicked Man." It's the song I most associate with the holiday.

Favorite picture of them:

These various paintings.

[robotlesbianjavert]

What's the problem with Deku's writing?

well for one he's a main character. which is strike one.

technically that's a joke but also not. there's a lot angles i could take in order to complain about deku, so for now i want to take the angle that as a main character, there are things that are going to be taken for granted as endgame for the narrative, but it's so taken for granted that the story forgets about the actual material needed to reach the endgame.

i'm going to use ofmd s2 as an example of this, because it's another thing i like to point at and go :) bad writing. so for that, it's very evident that the writers are aiming for "ed and stede are together and are ready to embark on a new, more mature phase of their life together". you can tell this because the showrunner was constantly talking about it in interviews. and indeed, the season ends with ed and stede parting ways with their crew and pirate life to try their hands as innkeepers.

but to reach that endgame, the series has to a) get stede and ed back together as soon possible, meaning they have to lean heavily on coincidence rather than any real efforts on the part of the characters, b) resolve the very emotionally stark situations the characters had left s1/started s2 in a way that makes the happy innkeeper endgame possible, but this makes the segue from drama to resolution unbelievable because the series can't really dedicate the time to dealing with that fallout before hopping onto the next big issue, which c) means that the ways that the other characters have been hurt as a result ed and stede's relationship drama have their pain sidelined and shrugged off, and in turn d) the focus on ensuring that ed and stede are together and in love means that their relationships with other characters get de-emphasized and feel much less lived, which rebounds and makes ed and stede feel more one-dimensional without the magic that fleshed them out. and most dire of all e) the audience is expected to believe that "sorry i was a dick" "you're not a dick life's a dick" is meant to indicate a development of maturity that means they are able to go off and be innkeepers together. it is NOT there.

essentially, the focus on a specific endgame without care about how that endgame is achieved ends up undercutting the triumph and catharsis of that endgame, rendering it much more hollow. people still enjoyed ofmd s2, and they're allowed to! but they enjoy it because their otp ended the season standing next to each other. three feet part. not for any genuine critical acclaim.

it's a similar issue with deku, especially in this final arc. his obvious endgame is that he'll affirm shigaraki's humanity and pain, "save" him (what that looks like yet, we don't know), and in turn become the greatest hero. we've got all the bones of that - just recently in 411, deku did his whole "you ARE human" declaration. but the lead up to deku and shigaraki's confrontation is thematically shallow and heavily dependent on us knowing that deku is a great kid and a great hero.

deku starts the third act realizing that if he understood the villains that he's faced, things could have turned out differently - the set up is that deku has to understand shigaraki as a person in order to stop him. the lead up to this is. well he asks muscular "what's up with you" one time in the middle of battle. that didn't work out. and then he had his nagant confrontation, where he was more shocked about her killing the former commission president than he was about the commission ordering a lot of evil assassinations. and then never thought about what that meant for society at large. and he was just like "well i know the world has some greys in it now" and that fixed her i guess. overhaul was there and deku made no real effort there to get why he was so frantic about seeing his boss. and then he has that conversation with ochaco where they both go "isn't it crazy that we have empathy for villains".

so basically the most work that he actually put into "understanding villains" was with nagant, who is a completely new character who has the baggage of "hero commission assassin is ANYONE in series gonna talk about that", and the potential she possesses as a shigaraki foil and a stepping stone for deku towards his endgame gets muddled. she's also basically, while a significant confrontation, is one beat of many in the third act.

so the set up for "understanding villains" as a factor in deku's endgame, in seeing villains as human, is pretty weak. and deku was honestly really dependent on getting that build up and using other villains as a learning experience, bc his actual dynamic with shigaraki is sparse. compare it to uraraka and toga - the "understanding" thread fares a lot better there, because uraraka has had specific and charged interactions with toga that deeply affected her and made her think. deku's most constructive interaction with shigaraki was way back at the mall, before the training camp, but that's not enough to carry chemistry through their supposed arc as hero & villain.

but the story already knows that deku, one way or another, is meant to succeed, so it acts like he received the necessary development to be able to understand shigaraki as human in their confrontation.

there's a similar lack of meat for many other aspects of deku's characters - like his relationship with the vestiges, where yoichi could be 2nd and 3rd around on deku's behalf, and his mastering of the new ofa quirks, which we get TOLD has consequences or that he's struggling with, but it's never in a way that actually causes him substantial issues that he must overcome.

but actually, we can move all of that aside and ask one simple question about deku's character: what does he think about the floating death coffin the other heroes built for shigaraki?

deku gets confronted by the vestiges about having to possibly kill shigaraki, and his response to that is "yeah i guess but i gotta try saving him". which is very nice, but it just ends there. deku doesn't have to deal with how everyone else - people who are scared, or have been hurt by shigaraki and the villain's actions - might feel about this initiative. at no point does deku have to stand his ground against the other heroes after shigaraki's head, he doesn't have to convince anyone of his point of view, he doesn't have to look inward and understand why he wants to do this. it's just "well if i can!"

deku doesn't have to have any thoughts about the floating death coffin. he never has to be in scene with it before it started malfunctioning. he doesn't have to have any opinions about its construction, about the heroes deciding to take this path. he doesn't need to have feelings about it, he just has to save shigaraki.

and when that happens, the narrative will celebrate him, and the heroes will be like "wow deku really is the greatest hero, kids these days are so great". they don't need to have thoughts about deku wanting to do this in the first place, because it's going to happen and no one can stop it.

in a similar way that some ofmd fans can walk away happy with season 2 because they don't need anything more than their otp standing together three feet apart, a lot of fans would be happy with deku and shigaraki's likely endgame because what matters is that deku is the hero and that he saves shigaraki. but from where i'm standing, deku has so little substance and build up to this endgame (or at least the build up is THERE, but poorly done) that it's hard for me to be impressed.

also everything @codenamesazanka said here. everything she says i nod and go hell yeah.

[linka-from-captain-planet]

you know i have to ask about minthara/florrick and if they've been asked already, my other old women jaheira/nine fingers keene maybe?

thank you as always for indulging my pet ship :) and ofc I love Jaheira/Keene too

Minthara/Florrick

What made you ship it? I had Minthara with me when I rescued Florrick from Wyrm's Rock once and the visual of them together, the two sexiest creatures in the entire game, made my pupils dilate so wide that I had to turn down the brightness on my monitor. Instant OTP, but then once I started back-calculating a canon-plausible dynamic, I realized that were literally my perfect ship.

What are your favorite things about the ship? We got elven MILFs, we got pride and prejudice, we got the sheer juiciness of applying mundane relationship issues to two freaks who don't think they're freaks. They have everything and nothing in common. They have shared trauma they'll never talk about, not that they're capable of communicating effectively. They're in love at a certain point, but it doesn't make a difference. They could probably work it out if Minthara were less insane or if Florrick were more insane, but they're both so set in their ways that changing is just out of the question. They're a soap opera starring the two most self-contained women in the universe.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? N/A as there's no such thing, but I think in general fandom leans toward happily-ever-after as a ship default so this kind of ship, doomed to fail and not even really anyone's fault, is super underrated. I like drama, but also I think a happy ending just doesn't suit a lot of ships. Maybe there's some universe where these two could overcome their issues, but it's definitely not canon.

Jaheira/Nine-Fingers

What made you ship it? "ASTELE" out of the blue had me like 👀👀👀. All of their interactions are just so homoerotic sorry. It's also funny to have this hater-hater relationship between grown ass women. An immensely "for ME" ship.

What are your favorite things about the ship? I think they'd be really well-suited for each other! They have chemistry, and the feeling I get is that they could be a sort of long-term somewhat-more-than-friends with benefits situation. I'm always interested in alternative relaionship dynamics, so I like to imagine they're both very comfortable with a pretty casual thing; they're both really busy women, and I feel like Jaheira doesn't really want a new one-and-only nor Nine-Fingers a ball-and-chain. No love lost for not being one another's first priorities, they fulfill each others' needs and make each other's lives better even if they aren't "together" in the way most people understand. The sweetest thing is that Nine-Fingers watches over Jaheira's children when she's gone, like that's so caring and she does it without being asked or taking credit.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? Not necessarily an unpopular opinion, but it always comes up so: no, Jaheira is not Nine-Finger's grandmother lol. She was just dogging her for being old, and it wouldn't make any sense based on the kids we know Jaheira has

[kyouka-supremacy]

ooh how about Yosano for the ask game?

Yay Yosano!!! I love her so much <33

Favorite thing about them: Her backstory,,, It's just a masterpiece, for me it's really the peak of bsd's writing. “We don't want your skill. We want that kindness of yours” and “You don't need a skill at all. There's real value in your sadness.” ueueueueueueue. In two chapters it made of a relatively flat character a complex and human one, and we love to see that.

Least favorite thing about them: Nothing, she's great??? I can't think of anything.

Favorite line: There's no line that hits me in particular I can think of, but I really like the emotion / delivery of some of them. This one I like tons:

brOTP: Aaaaahhh I love her I want to see her interact with everyone. Older-sister kind of characters are ALWAYS my favourite. I love her dynamics with Ranpo and I like to think they have this sort of sibling complicity of two people who have known each other for a very long time and love each other deeply. I like her relationship with Fukuzawa, I like how explicitly protective he is of her, I'm glad she has someone she can trust who looks after her and makes her feel loved. (Actually, the Yosano / Fukuzawa relationship makes me emotional. Because Yosano was so deeply traumatized and broken and basically dead when he took her under his wing, and she looks so healthy and confident and serene in the canon timeline, it's basically a miracle; and the only way this could have happened is by having someone who deeply loved and cared for her, someone who kindly guided her through every step of rehabilitation. It moves me a little). I really enjoyed her interactions with Atsushi!! And I like to think Yosano and Kyouka would hang out, I feel like Yosano would be happy to sort of return the favour and help back a little girl who was able to slip out of the darkness just in time; I can see them have this kind of inter generational relationship where they go shopping together and chat about girl things.

OTP: I really like kousano!!! I feel like Yosano deserves her spicy pm love affair too ahah. I think it's got lots of potential for both fluff and angst, and I believe it's a cool relationship to explore for both characters!! I wish they'd meet in canon. When I first watched the anime I was low-key into ranposano, and though I don't feel very strongly about them anymore, I think it's a nice ship nonetheless!

nOTP: Nothing. Really I don't dislike ships pffttt.

Random headcanon: Something I don't think I ever brought up but that I firmly believe in is that whereas all the other ada members live at the ada dorms, Yosano, Ranpo and Fukuzawa have their own house where they live together. Fukuzawa took Ranpo to his home when he adopted him, and then Yosano joined them when they took her in because I mean, there was no way that they could leave her alone, right? So they've always lived together, and they are happy together, they never felt the need to change that. That's the real ada found family for me if there ever was one. Really like deconstructing the idea of nuclear family or of the fact that children can't live with their parents as adults while still being independent. Also it just makes sense? And it's heartwarming to think that Fukuzawa, the lone wolf with no friends of relations, now lives in a happy and lively household.

Unpopular opinion: Yosano existing isn't enough to beat the bsd being sexist allegations, I'm so sorry everyone I wish that was the case.

Song i associate with them: Kilmer by Niru Kajitsu, I just wish I didn't (个_个) There's even a beautiful fanart of Yosano in the style of the Kilmer pv here. Also Fräulein=Biblioteca by nyanyannya, just based on vibes alone (the purple butterflies!!), to mention something a little less depressing lol.

Favorite picture of them:

Favourite panel from the manga:

(Took me like. One hour to pick just one. She's always stunning in Harukawa's art style.)

Favourite illustration:

Favourite illustration in the anime art style:

Favourite Mayoi card:

Send me a character?

[she-wolf09231982]

This was a fun little project I found on @suugrbunz posts and I thought it would be fun to practice with this prompt. Hope you like it!

Prompt idea to practice your writing otp (ocs or fandom) — it'd be so cool since a lot of us write BoB fandom related content. So it can be interrupted as a modern au or !! Write your couples when they have grown old together

~💚~💚~💚~💚~💚~💚~

Upon returning from Europe after the war came to an end, you and Joe Liebgott had enough points for Honorable Discharge then came back to America after having served together in Easy Company ready to begin your lives as an exclusive couple. You both agreed that California would be the proper place to settle together. With the finances you each earned overseas, you bought a modest home with all the trimmings and furniture to fill it with. 

June 1946 

A representative from a popular local radio station visited your home to invite you and Joe for a live broadcast interview about your experiences together as a couple while deployed. The man explained it would be a real human-interest story and the American public would love to hear it. After a little bit of coaxing, you convince Joe to do it with you. 

You and Joe seated next to eachother across from the record jockey who would be interviewing you. The interview simply went as follows: 

Record Jockey (RJ): So, are you two a couple? 

Y/N: We are a couple. *Proudly smiling*  

Joe: *Nods with a grin* 

RJ: Would you mind telling us the story of how you two met? 

*You’re hesitant at first because women serving in the military was quite frowned upon, but nonetheless would still be overjoyed to tell the story. Joe would only be looking to you to do all the talking. He loves hearing your voice, and just stares at you admirably* 

Y/N: We both enlisted in the Army at the same time and met at Camp Toccoa, GA. I trained with the Paratroopers and the medic training unit while we were there and was assigned to Easy Company where Joe also was. 

RJ: When was that? 

*Joe is better with numbers than you, so you hum in thought then look at Joe to help you out* 

Y/N: June....? July... 

Joe: July 1942 

RJ: What was your first impression of each other? 

*You smile coyly at Joe, narrowing your eyes at him. Joe would be slouching in his seat, not very thrilled to be there in the first place, but perks up a little at the question meeting your gaze affectionately* 

Y/N: He was smug, and overconfident. A real wise guy with a mouth that needed a good bar of soap. My initial impression of Joe was that he was nothing but trouble. And you know what? I was right about that, (Y/N giggles) but after spending all those years with him overseas, I discovered how charming he could be. And how honorable of a soldier he was in the field. 

*Joe grins adoringly at you. Grabs your hand and squeezes* 

Joe: At first, I thought she was a pain in the.... 

RJ: Mr. Liebgott! Please, we’re live! 

Joe: -right...uh, pain in the rear. Whenever me and the guys did somethin’ we weren’t supposta’, she’d always be naggin’ us. Ya know, like a parent? Thought she was going to fall behind a lot and complain about getting dirty or having to fire the M-1. She didn’t complain about the work, the filth, the sweat, the tears or the heat. None of it. She pushed through like any of the guys did. I read her all wrong in the beginning. 

*Your eyes meet and exchange smiles* 

RJ: How many years have you been an item?  

Y/N: Well, the rest of the guys considered us an ‘item’ long before we dropped into Normandy. But I’d say exclusively since late June 1944. After all the near-death experiences, we definitely had a stronger bond. 

*Joe just nods in agreement* 

RJ: Joe, we haven’t heard too much from you. What's your favorite thing about Y/N? 

*Y/N looks over at Joe expectantly, smirking because she knows he doesn’t really like to talk about feelings* 

Joe: *Long exhale, kind of stares out into space thinking* Well...she’s a knockout. Just look at her. *Gestures to Y/N sitting next to him blushing* I love that she can look the way she does and still be as strong as any of the guys in Easy.  

*He looks you over and winks at you making the butterflies in your stomach dance* 

RJ: So, was there a first date? 

*You and Joe both look at eachother inquisitively, each squinting at one another as if trying to search the other’s thoughts for an answer. You shrug* 

Joe: What about that night at Toccoa when we snuck out after lights out, and walked Curahee? Think that counts? 

Y/N: Ah, yes! It was so hot and humid, and neither of us could sleep on those kinds of nights- 

Joe: Mid-August 1943 

Y/N: -so we both snuck out of billeting to get some air after TAPS and bumped into eachother behind the mess hall. So, it was an impromptu first date. We ended up walking the Curahee trail up the mountain where we always did our awful company runs. But you could see the stars perfectly up there.  

*Joe nods* 

RJ: So, with the war having brought you together and the experiences having made you two inseparable, any plans to make Y/N ‘Mrs. Liebgott?’  

*You hiccup clutching your pearls. Joe chokes on saliva and chuckles nervously* 

Joe: *Scratching the back of his head* I think that goes without sayin’-- 

RJ: How about little Liebgotts? 

*Sweat forming on Joe’s forehead, you sense his panic* 

Y/N: Joe and I have the same ambitions planning for our future. That will include marriage and starting a family. Right now, we’re relishing eachother living peaceful lives after the chaos of the war. We’re in no hurry. 

*You look over at Joe, and he directs a grateful smile to you for rescuing him* 

RJ: You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen! From the treacherous depths of war love still prevails! Thank you for sharing your story with the public! It’s lovely to see this point of view about the war than from what we’ve only heard or seen in the news. What a story! 

The End

[happilyfeatherafter]

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Welcome back to a new week of fics that I’ve read and loved recently.

If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

23 February 2024

A Call To Motion by @banshee1013 (art by @nickelkeep) is a delightful dancer fic from the @hoziernaturalevents mini bang! After becoming mesmerised by modern dance when passing by the studio on his way to work, Dean becomes Rowena's protege student. She tells him about an opportunity at a dance company in Kansas City, alongside Castiel Shurley, the man who's audition for the Paul Taylor Dance Company in New York inspired him to pursue his new-found passion. Cas is going through his own turmoil, having been cheated on by his former lover Ishim. With no one to dance his love inspired duet with, he's left adrift. But that all changes when Dean dances into the picture. So much great tension, camaraderie and the love inherit in a shared passion for dance. I adored it.

Mourning Doves by abstractthinking (@cascigarette) for @destielvalentinesexchange: 'The mourning dove symbolizes spirituality, hope, peace, freedom, and love. Some believe they are messages from angels.' This is a really sweet, quiet in the best way little valentine's one shot. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and Dean wants to make it special for Cas. He's not really gone in for Valentine's Day before, but he's ready to fully embrace the romance of the occasion. Cas is somewhat befuddled by the need to manufacture romance, when their lives are already inherently romantic when in each other's company. Together they find a gentle balance of appreciation.

We Are Either Here Or Not Here by @hufflepuffdean (art by @armellin) is a 2017 @deancasbigbang fic post-12x23, in which Mary brings an AU!Cas back to a mourning Dean. Castiel is stubborn, judgmental, infuriating - and the best shot Dean has at getting Cas back. The conversations start as Dean’s last hope, but they soon turn into his version of catharsis. When Cas does find his way back, he comes along with stories of his own. I love the way this fic takes a possible spin on season 13 canon, leaning into the ensemble cast, and through it all keeping such a wonderful thread of yearning between Dean and Cas as they set out on a journey to forgive and better understand each other, between the universes.

The Day in the Palm of Our Hands by tabaqui - A DeanVictor fic! I'm normally a total otp fic girlie, but I love the possibilities inherent in Dean and Victor Henriksen's early seasons storyline dynamics, and what could have been had we got to keep him. Their chemistry is so great. So here's that story. Victor can't shake the supernatural world, and turns to Dean and Sam to learn hunter 101. Along the way his and Dean's heated eye contact trips into something more. A lovely glimpse at a possible canon timeline divergence circa season 3.

[pinkandpurple360]

Trash Anon here:

I kind of feel bad for Stella's voice actor because how she describes Stella long before season 2 was announced that Stella had her own baggage and being a complex character in her own right only for that not to happen. Though this made me think of something:

Was Stella originally supposed to be completely different from the one we have now? Was there an outline for season 2 that was planned before Viv threw it away because it didn't fit her 'idea' of the show going forward and the reason Brandon stepped back from writing due to knowing that his idea of the show was pushed aside for this Wattpad fanfiction bullshit.

I'm only pounding none of this could not be true but now I wish we lived in a world where Brandon was the show runner and not Viv.

Absolutely, she rewrote season two, and probably the rest of the entire story, for her newfound otp. And the best she can do to sell it as romance is to have them abuse each other comedically and reference the stolitz non canon Instagrams via the horse hoody and blitzo saying “he comments on my photos”

They don’t deserve Georgie Leahy she’s just a doll. I guarantee whatever character they had planned before Viv came up with the stolas show was great. She’s an extremely talented LA showgirl, a VA, comedian, not to mention sweetheart to all the Stella fans. Only for her character to be reduced to the hate sink of the entire fandom. And you know how some stans go so far that they can’t separate a VA from a character, she’s probably received at least one nasty comment or message towards her, which makes me so sad for her. Little known fact that she and Brandon have done countless comic skits together and are friends. So…that’s weird. And it’s making me really excited for a Stella and Blitzo interaction. Ironically, the two characters are very similar.

It was around when Viv claims Brandon “handed (her) the reins” that the shows writing went from dark comedy with an occasional sad moment, to absolute utter “stolas is an uwu baby victim who is always correct and right and perfect” crap. And she started projecting onto him heavily, even though she really doesn’t seem like him.

They had to retcon everything, practically every single character, to make way for Stolas’ sob story. Stella is cardboard, Octavia is just impulsive and needs to cut her dad slack, fizz and Loona shill stolas constantly, Moxxie oh god Moxxie completely serves and revered stolas, and acts as his obedient minion always saying “yes your highness, of course your highness” Millie is there too I guess.

It’s clear as day, in LooLoo Land we have a heartbroken enraged woman. Her feelings aren’t invalidated, Stolas is too callous and spineless to even apologise properly, which is his flaw, and Octavia is more on her mothers side than his. As anyone would be.

In Stolas’ apology, he tried to say that he hasn’t been honest, that they weren’t in love, that she has always been (some type of quality that he doesn’t like). And it was always a two sided bickering between two people who aren’t afraid of each other, and didn’t always hate each other. Outside of the balcony scene in s2e1 this dynamic is the same. Only every word stolas says is taken as gospel.

Now he says “I’d be sorry if I’d hurt you but we both know I didn’t do that” which is gaslighting plain as day. When she hires an assassin, she says she wants the “cheating prick” dead. And in Western Energy it’s proven that this was an act of blind rage. She wasn’t thinking about the imp, or the money, only the betrayal and embarrassment. But having her throw a silly party (big fucking deal) and trying to slap him (bad thing she did, but isn’t it funny how stolas almost being slapped is awful with a full orchestral soundtrack, but moxxie and Millie almost dying trying to cover stolas’ ass is no biggie?) and stolas violating women, abusing and murdering imps, isn’t his fault. They brought it on themselves right?

[isagrimorie]

I'm rewatching Endgame right now and I've completely forgotten the way Admiral Janeway couldn't even talk about Seven when someone from Starfleet Academy brought it up:

And it's not that Admiral Janeway hasn't had a life, her crew is home and is her family and they've stayed in contact.

Almost everyone's lives have flourished. B'Elanna is the Federation liaison to the Klingon Empire, and so it seemed is Miral.

Except for Tuvok and Chakotay.

Tuvok's mental illness has progressed to the point he could barely function and Chakotay died the same year this happened... And it feels like Chakotay's death was Admiral Janeway's impetus in going for this plan.

A world without Seven of Nine is a world neither Chakotay nor Admiral Janeway accepts.

I first shipped Janeway with Chakotay and was so frustrated when Voyager ended and Janeway/Chakotay never happened when it was so obvious on both their sides.

And then I shipped Janeway and Seven but I could never accept Chakotay/Seven not only because it felt shoehorned but because they barely spent time together but to Jeri Ryan and Robert Beltran's credit they did what they could selling it.

For a first real-life relationship, Seven could do worse than Chakotay. He was respectful and did seem fond of Seven by the time they started dating and was ready to follow Seven at the pace she set.

But I've also come to believe the reason why they were together is because they couldn't be with Kathryn Janeway. In this alternate timeline, I believe Seven and Chakotay did come to love each other enough to marry but also there's an element of guilt involved with Chakotay after alt!Seven died because the person he also and still loved was Janeway. But guilt on Chakotay and Janeway's side prevented them from ever becoming something more.

I also believe Admiral Janeway loved both Chakotay and Seven and didn't want to choose, and their getting married is the safer choice even if it broke her heart because that meant she didn't have to choose and commit.

She'd rather have them both near and alive and untouchable, and in the end, she lost them both.

Honestly, Janeway didn't need to choose.

Anyway, Janeway's time travel adventures might be why my favorite time travel stories are the ones where future versions meet the past versions.

But also the first time Admiral Janeway sees Seven of Nine again, after two decades of not seeing her.

"Hello, Seven."

Admiral Janeway looks like a sailor who hasn't seen the sea for years, or a traveler crossing the desert who has stumbled into an Oasis.

Also, Seven looks so awkward she didn't know how to deal with two Janeways in close proximity to each other.

Please, she's just a poor confused ex-Borg drone taking the smallest steps toward romance.

I do love that amidst this we have scenes between Tom and B'Elanna and how they both called Voyager home. They're the most low-key OTP and I kind of love that for them.

But also, I do love that Admiral Janeway gets to spend a few moments with both Tuvok and Chakotay.

This moment when Captain Janeway muses on the strangeness of witnessing her future self talking to both Tuvok and Chakotay

And not knowing how precious this moment is to Admiral Janeway that she can be beside Tuvok, working and still in possession of his mental faculties, and Chakotay laughing and full of life.

Part 1, 2, 3