Gustav Klimt, Death and Life, 1908-1915 – Regulus' shirt has the same pattern as Death's cloak, James' shirt is patterned like the background of 'Life'
It was life and death, and death was there, on the left side of the canvas, waiting eagerly to pluck any one person from the conglomeration of life and claim them as its own. – chapter 28
Mark Rothko, Untitled (Seagram Murals), 1958 – Regulus bleeding out into the background
And he remembers looking out at the thick red blood on the marble floors and nonsensically, being reminded yet again, of Rothko. – chapter 34
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, Gathering Storm, 1899 – Regulus' socks have this pattern
'Hang painting here?' – chapter 37
and here some little details and an alternative bloody version :) look at that snake ring being handed over <33
I LOOOOOVE Derby Harrington so I'm gonna rant about him. I feel like he sorta gets characterised as this big bad mean-spirited prep.. but honest to god I think he's much more than that.
Born into ABSURD wealth, raised to always be aware of that fact, to put lessers in their place. Sure he calls people names and degrades them but there's so much more to his character than that.
He acts like as much of a prince as Pinky does a princess. He's goofy, easily amused, kind of childish and prissy but he's no evil, quite the opposite actually.
His actions and quotes reveal loyalty not only to his class but also to his friends (whom he sees as actual friends instead of secretly plotting against them for his own benefit).
He may not act in the best interest of other cliques but then again... which leader does? His priority is to protect both the Preppie status and his family name as has been ingrained in him by his family., especially against people he's been taught to see as his inferiors trying to tear his clique down person by person (see JIMMY).
Many of the Preppies' quotes also show he does care about and engage with them which tells me despite having to remain elevated above others and maintain his superiority as leader Derby is or would like to be more down to earth and be able to display his affection freely. He doesn't confine himself to Bif's presence only "because he's the biggest, strongest, 2nd in command" but considers the rest his companions as well. Yet with the credibility of the Harrington name in the forefront of his mind he refrains and only does so away from the public eye.
Why do I think that?
He disregards his clique's voyages with Lola and other commoners, gave Tad, an upstart's son, his private number, is on good enough terms with Gord to get money off him, told Justin he was his best friend (and Justin trusts him enough to suggest alliances with other cliques). He also put his pride aside to requested help concerning Gord's wellbeing from Jimmy, the person he had every right to hate, who dethroned him despite having no such right by Prep standards.
That's no manipulative tyrant but a boy who desires connections AND I WILL STAND BY THAT. That's the beauty of Derby's character, he COULD be read as a cruel git BUT TO ME!!! He's a great friend and leader who does what he has to do for the good of them all.
Meta writing is happening but I have to give you this snippet because it might be the end of me if I don't share it right this second!!!
I cannot tell you how much I am in love with the Koi carp on Alex’s dressing room wall because the symbolism - the symbolism!!!!!
Koi are seen as a symbol of strength, patience, perseverance, love and bravery they symbolise success through courage. Koi are known to swim against the current and overcome great obstacles - there is a Japanese proverb ‘Koi no Takinobori’ which translates as 'koi swim up waterfalls' and as the word Koi in Japanese also translates to mean love the proverb therefore means that love can go against the current and overcome great obstacles and if that isn’t the perfect metaphor for Alex and Henry’s relationship then I don’t know what is!!!
I am obsessed and I adore the set designer for including that wallpaper in general, but especially in their text banter flirty developing relationship - the writing is essentially on the wall for where their relationship is going and how its going to unfold - they are literally Koi swimming agains the current and successfully overcoming great obstacles to be together!!
I literally cannot handle how cute these photos are like I could cry I could write love sonnets about her I could write essays on her smiles and twinkly brown eyes 🥺
Illustration by Yoshikata Amano and fanart by Madboy-Art on deviant art (reduced and mirrored, go see it for details !).
I was watching videos about Cecil and Beatrix (there are not much about her, Beatrix fans, where are you ?), and I realized that while looking agressive next to white-blue-gold Cecil, white and red Cecil made sense ! White and Red are the colors of classic White Mages because of some combination in shinto priests costumes, and paladins have indeed white mage skills. Red is supposed to scrae away evil spirits. Boo !
There's a good chance I'm going to be annoying about echoes of FF4 in FF9 in the future, with spoilers, so if you want to filter it : ff4echoesinff9.