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readerwithsalt · 1 year

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Sun and the Star Review: (With snippets from the book)

Since I just finished The Sun and the Star I’m just gonna say the first thing I have a problem with is the TELLING and NOT SHOWING.

• And I was wondering if anyone thought that they made Will super lame and ooc compared to previous cooler depictions of him. Like he’s supposed to be Super Chill under pressure and the Calm Dude but he’s so WHINY the entire book. He’s constantly complaining, judging, screaming, crying or sleeping. The cool, chill vibe Will had before is gone which was one of the things I liked about him before.

• someone else said ‘Tsats Will thinks there’s something wrong with Nico, something wrong with his personality. Will thinks Nico needs to be “fixed” and “healed” and so he can be “normal” and then Nico will be actually appealing to Will. Tsats Will may love some parts of Nico (or at least thinks he loves some parts of Nico). But there are more parts of Nico that Will finds unsavory or unnerving or scary or unsettling or unsatisfactory or unappealing’ I agree sadly

• Like he tells Nico in the beginning of the book that he’s just as capable of survival as Nico (which I snorted at cause no) and then is the hugest burden I’ve ever seen on a quest EVER in a riordan book. Like Nico tries to lift Will up every time he passes out from ‘lack of sun’ (which is so stupid btw) and Nico can’t lift him up cause he’s not strong enough so he’s constantly WAITING on Will. And it’s really boring to read about how every few seconds Nico has to turn around and let his boyfriend catch up.

I think Will’s character could have shined and been more likable in a completely different plot and quest.

Like, I thought since they weren’t giving Will any weapons that his strengths would lie in being the fast athletic character that didn’t need a magic item in order to show off…

• the whole ‘role reversal’ caretaker thing made Will look completely useless. Nico did 80 percent of the work and Will sadly fell flat. I thought he was coming along to keep Nico safe and to heal him when he got injured but Nico was pretty much doing almost every job. It was like he was riding Nico’s coattails to become a ‘hero’ and prove himself. But he didn’t really prove anything except that he complains a lot when things get rough.

They didn’t give Will a character weapon (even Piper has one and she doesn’t fight that much. Neither does Leo and he at least uses a hammer) they made him exhausted the whole book so he didn’t have his normal physical strength, his backstory was also pretty boring.

• and Will keeps randomly getting irritated at Nico bc Nicos irritated at him. Like?? Your shitting on his underworld home every chance you get. I’d be irritated too.

• in previous books he’s described as an archer. Even tho Leo calls him ‘the archer dude’ in TLH he suddenly doesn’t know how to use a bow AT ALL. He only said he wasn’t as good as his siblings not that he was complete shit at it. Previously he used a bow and had a dagger in BOO. Also will randomly says he never wanted to be a fighter and loved healing but in previous books he’s insecure about just that. Also the book forgets Will is a BATTLEFIELD MEDIC. Like he can fight and heal just like Apollo.

• Will whines constantly. And it’s grating and annoying to read. Either about the lack of sun (you knew what you were getting into dumbass) or the dead people walking around or about Nico’s horrible ‘darkness’ that he has to heal. It’s like he never thinks of Nicos feelings when he says stuff. And there little ‘fights’ end unsatisfactory.

• The vibe of Camp-Half-Blood is nonexistent. It does not feel like camp at all. It feels like we’re in a 12 year olds fanfic mind. ALL of the campers are gone even though it’s been established MANY are orphans and we see no beloved background characters and background chaos that makes us smile like in the past books. It made me surprisingly more depressed than I thought it would.

• it’s also missing the mystique of a quest. Like going up to the big house to have the quest recited around a table full of cabin counselor demigods all fighting to be the third member to prove themself a hero (mostly the ares cabin) no matter how important a quest in pjo was for Percy Chiron ALWAYS enforced certain rules. Even if they broke later on.

• Loose Ends. Reyna is. Not. Mentioned. Once. It never comes up how Nico feels about his big sister friend joining the hunters like his other one did even tho in BOO he tore apart a courtyard cause they took her. The girl whose shoulder he cried into, the girl who was with him during his last quest. The girl who thought of him as a little brother and tucked him in her cape and said he resembled his surname as he slept.

Hazel is mentioned… but it’s literally just a couple shallow mentions that don’t have anything to do with the fact that he may not ever see her again if he revisits Tartarus. He mentions his beloved little sister who was the actual first light in his life (don’t know why the book says Will is) in a long time only once and it’s because he can’t remember something and thinks Hazel would?? It’s weird that he iris messages Piper at the end instead of Hazel. I thought that’s what he was going to do and then it was just a big cringe fest of Piper shoved in at the end talking about the label of her sexuality?? Like we actually care??

And It’s never stated that Nico finds out where Jason is even though HE SHOULD KNOW. He literally talks to Beckendorf and Luke when they die in pjo to find out where they went but he can’t figure out where his best friend is??

Also at the end of the book it says Nico still hasn’t redecorated his cabin even though he told Jason he was going to a YEAR AGO bc the ‘decor was disgusting’ (I think that was the worst loose end not fixed 😂)

Every other relationship of Nicos is thrown away so he can admire Will Solace’s mediocrity. who’s kinda a loser in this tbh….

• The Percabeth scene was weird. What relevance does sally jackson have to Nico’s story? Why did he have to go all the way to Percy’s bedroom to iris message him?? And the fact he uses the ship name Percabeth to describe them (which he’d never done in previous books) proves a cringe fan is the one writing this.

The fact that they don’t OFFER TO HELP Nico is ooc of them. Bc even if Percy wants to chill at college he would never want Nico to clean up his mess without offering his help. Also the fact that Percy turns to Annabeth and says ‘oh man I forgot about him’ is like… WHAT?? And they just say oh yea if anyone can get through Tartarus it’s you two.

To Will who’s never been on a quest and doesn’t fight (at least in this book) that’s a weird thing to say. Percy and annabeth only survived bc they’ve fought together FOR YEARS. And bc of Percy’s big three power. It was just a forced add in cameo. Would’ve been better if they didn’t know till the end that Nico got Bob out and then they suddenly see Bob in an iris message and start crying or something…

• it broke my heart that Nico gave his SKULL RING to Will. The last gift from Bianca Nico ever got and he gives it to someone that doesn’t even appreciate his element.

And what does Nico get in return? A coin. I mean, an engraved coin but still. It’s kinda symbolic of the relationship. Nico giving Will something of such RELEVANCE to Nico’s character, something he’s always described with wearing and then Nico receiving a token in turn.

• Will asks Persephone how he’s SUPPOSED TO LOVE NICO. Like I almost blew up my house with me in it at that part. It never feels like Will is as attracted to Nico as Nico is to him. Nico instigates every kiss (which is ooc of him and his reservedness to touch). It seems Will likes to look at others a lot because one of Nicos insecurities were of him staring at fucking Paolo. While being right next to his boyfriend, Will checks out other people… Like Nico deserves so much better. He at least deserves respect.

I would’ve appreciated Nico and Ghost Jason way more than this shit. At least Jason described Nico better and they weren’t even dating. And I liked Solangelo before this. Will never describes physical attributes that he likes about Nico the same way Nico does about Will. Like Nicos inky dark eyes and baby bat winged hair, and his smile that is apparently like winter sun breaking through snow flurries, and his hair smelling pleasantly of rain against stone (I think Apollo is more attracted to Nico than Will is). But Nico has to call Will hot every five min.

• Also I simply don’t understand the idea that Will being away from the sun would drain him to the point where he can’t keep up with NICO’S WALKING PACE within a couple hours. Like the super athletic, physically strong character that can lift Nico over his shoulders and run with him (and Rachel in TON) walks into the underworld and has to be healed by a stupid portable night light within five minutes.

• Don’t even get me started on his JUDGINESS. I always pictured Will as the guy at camp that thought Nicos powers were cool and stuff, right? And now he just judges every ‘dark’ thing nico does like darkness is synonymous with evil. And only his light can heal him. I HATED that trope and honestly thought they would make him more original. But I have to say it: he was so boring. Like in a way that made my stomach hurt.

• Wills kind of a jerk in this. Like it’s weird to read.

• The PACING. It was off the whole book. The only part i enjoyed was the part where they didn’t know they were dreaming (that part got me) but that was it. But like gorgras scene keeps overlapping with the rest of the story and I kept forgetting my place. The fact that riordan or oshiro or whatever 12 year old fan wrote this put the words FLASHBACK & DREAM SEQUENCE over the chapters gave it SERIOUS fanfic vibes. The pacing is simply not suspenseful enough for a place like Tartarus.

• And do NOT get me started on Tartarus. Okay I’ll say it anyway: it wasn’t scary AT ALL. LIKE ANY OTHER QUEST. Actually it seemed easier than other previous quests which is a big nope. Hades might as well have sent him to Target.

• And about the fact that is was HADES who gave him that prophecy is SO OOC of him. He loves Nico. Nico is probably Hades most favorite child ever as of right now and he sends him horrible nightmares, and a prophecy respouted 12 times to get him to save Bob (whom Hades could care less about btw) and go back to a place that he knows haunts Nico every day MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE!

Also HOW did hades give Rachel that prophecy? He has no power over the Oracle of Delphi.

• Maria and Bianca MAKE NO SENSE! How in the hell is there any piece of thier souls left when Hades gave Maria ancient rites and was the one soul Nico was not allowed to see and Bianca reincarnated. WHICH WAS FORGOTTEN BTW. NOW SHES BACK IN ELYSIUM?? Like?? Like maybe I could see Hades letting Nico see a piece of Maria but Bianca is literally GONE forever.

Nico was ooc. Like not too badly but still bad. But the fact that Will didn’t let Nico shadow travel even once irks me. The fact Will didn’t let him summon Jules Albert irks me. The fact that Will kept brushing off nicos feeling about the underworld irks me. The fact that Will called Persephone the most beautiful PERSON he’d ever seen right in nicos face and then asked his (insecure) boyfriend if he was jealous irks me. The fact that Will is BORING AS FUCK irks me

• And the COMING OUT story. Horridly ooc. Nico shouting to the whole camp he’s gay and getting all the other kids to come out too is like??? and apparently he asked out Will before Will had even come out?? Nico would NEVER do that. Especially since not long before Cupid had done the same to him. And apparently Nico is like the first out character in a MODERN GREEK camp with DIONYSUS as a director. No.

In character Nico would’ve shadow traveled back to his cabin or the woods the moment he figured out what was happening.

• the nicknames are extremely cringe. Little ball of darkness is used to much and it made me itch. I think Will simply calling him babe or something would’ve been simpler and made them seem more like a real couple instead of a caricature of light and dark.

• ‘he’d always been the demigod who WOULDNT eat.’ ………..what the actual fuck is this. Nicos always been naturally skinny but being starved in jar is what messed up his hunger. Not that he WOULDNT eat. Why is everything always his fault in this book?

Like, he didn’t ‘LET’ himself get to the point of starvation over and over. I mean first of all he became homeless at ten years old, probably had to steal food items. And most recently he got KIDNAPPED by TWO GIANTS and starved forcibly. And then when he got out he was under so much stress of what just happened to him in Tartarus, the war with Gaea, his forced outing, and having to lug an enormous statue ACROSS THE WORLD. but nah, I guess he just LET all of that stuff happen to him

• the references are BAD. Out of touch bad. Unfunny and the joke never becomes a joke. It’s never explained how a kid from the 1930s knows how to use the internet and look up lil nas x in a camp that doesn’t use any technology. Doesn’t explain how Nico knows about Care Bear powers (I didn’t even know that) and the beginning scene with the Star Wars ‘joke’ set a weird tone for the book and wasn’t even funny.

• I hated the cocoa puff demons coming to live with Nico. Like I was fine they got created ig even tho it was weird and kinda dumb but the fact that Nico is so keen to have his worst memories and insecurities sleep in bed with him makes no sense once again. In character Nico would’ve burned them with hellfire.

• Also Nyx is a unfathomably weak villain. A PRIMORDIAL GODDESS that even ZEUS fears is taken down in two seconds. Also she’s just trying to get Nico ‘accept his darkness’. WHICH HE ALREADY HAS DONE. The moment he called himself The Ghost King in battle of the labyrinth at eleven years is when he truly accepted his powers and who he was. So… why is she even in the book in the first place??

• Also Will STILL insists it’s Nicos fault he wasn’t accepted. And that it was all in his head….

Also Micheal Yew was simply never mentioned again. Neither was lee fletcher. If they were I missed it.

There were a COUPLE of cute parts and lines but really this is simply too weird (and bad) to be canon to me. This book is just not canon. I see it as fanfiction from a random author that riordan probably let write the entire book or at least most of it. I think sadly riordan put his name on this for money and for fanservice because the writing is first draft material.

(And it kind of feels like they got this version of Nico and Will from cringy meme posts about them. Like, you know the ones where Nico’s all like ‘I am darkness, i am a vampire’ and Wills all like ‘come on, my uwu baby, no more shadowtravel for you, doctors orders~’ 🤣😭)

just because they thought that’s what the twelve year olds wanted and not realizing that a lot of those posts are simply made as a joke and not actually taken seriously in canon…. And that most people in the fandom thinks those are bad cringeposts

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deadaldipshit-jpg · 1 month

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I honestly hate how characters who dont like the opposute sex are automatically assumed to be gay. I hate it even more when the character explicitly shows no interest at all in any gender.

for example reyna from hoo was the first fucking aroace coded chracter i ever saw in a book. she was one of the first chracters to finally make me feel heard. i finally felt like there was a chracter i could truely relate to and who understood me. and i might sound like a bitch, but i absolutely fucking hate when people make her a lesbian. thankfully its rare to see her in a hetero pairing. but seeing her in a queer pairing isnt any better.

there are so many other chracters who would work better in queer parings, so why does it always have to be the aroace chracter.

Ive also noticed that its more common for a female aroace chracter to be put in lesbian pairings way more than male ones. correct me if im wrong though.

the aroace rep is so fucking rare anyways, so please stop putting them in relationships. while there are aroace people who want to be in relationships, not all of them want to be in a relationship, and they dont have to be you first pick for one.

im just so tired of seeing aroace chracters constantly being changed to fit ships. this might be very bitchy put for the fucking hell please stop.

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qwerty-between-the-lines · 8 months

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My response to the idea that Percy Jackson is an atheist:

I got the sense that Percy WAS an atheist when he first arrived at Camp Half Blood, but by the end of things he's offering ships drenched in Diet Coke to Dionysus.

I think that over 90% of the characters in the Percy Jackson series are clearly neo-pagans who actually worship the gods, or at least worship their divine parent.

That Jason wanted to become a priest of all gods at the end of Heroes of Olympus could be taken as further indication.

Not that I'd want to fight anyone to the death or anything over my theory that the PJO universe is essentially neo-pagan. It is fiction, and there are few wrong conclusions about fictional characters. The reader/viewer is free to see what they want to see.

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reyna-obsessed · 1 month

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#mini rants #im so normal about her #reyna avila ramirez arellano #pretty praetor

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myhateforcaffinekeepsmealive · 3 months

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You see I fucking love Jason grace but the fandom makes me absolute distaste him because the only way they find to boost his character is to have to push other characters down.

It’s the same way how the fandom treats Nico. We see this with Piper and Reyna especially, Piper is turned into an abusive asshole that Nico saves Jason from which makes no sense because Piper was nothing but great to Jason.

In Reyna’s case she is turned into a fucking love interest, you know the only confirmed aro and ace character in the whole book series. Like people please stop shipping aroace characters it’s not hard! Percy also mildly suffers from this because people always to bash him to highlight how great Jason is.

Ps: I don’t hate Jason as a character it’s just how the fandom treat that I have an issue with.

#percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #Rant #Hearthspeaks #jason grace #Anti jeyna #piper mclean #Pro Piper McLean #reyna avila ramirez arellano #reyna ramirez arellano #anti fandom

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see-the-ending · 10 months

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Okay if Jason and Reyna is totally a no, it either should have Jason and Leo or single!Jason.

On that note, Piper and Jason should not have been a thing. You can't build a relationship with fake memories, you just can't.

But also, what the heck was up with Piper and Shel? Going off of canon, literally two months after Jason's death, Piper's already dating someone new? And sure, maybe she wasn't ever truly attracted to him, but she still cared for him. She still had some sort of relationship with him, even if it wasn't ever romantic.

Like, Rick, I understand you want representation, but this is not the way to go about it. Having Piper date someone else of the same gender is totally cool, that's great, but you could have put that in TSATS and not, you know, a mere two months after. That just makes Shel seem like a rebound and does nothing.

So you know what should've happened? Piper should've taken a break from all romance. She can figure out her sexuality first and if she ever truly felt anything for Jason or if that was fake too.

She'll confide in Leo, her best friend. They'll mourn Jason. During these conversations, Leo will realize he likes guys. Piper will realize she doesn't.

Piper starts hanging out with Reyna even more now. She joins the Hunt and is content off in the woods with a bunch of immortal girlfriends. (Interpret that last bit however you want.)

That's what should've happened.

#jason grace #heroes of olympus #oh wow two riordanverse rants in two days #riordanverse rant #piper mclean #leo valdez #reyna avila ramirez arellano #jason x leo #piper x shel #jason x reyna

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francisofgotham1 · 2 months

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Percy Jackson Characters Explained by Dogs

So, after reading this post about how Percy Jackson is actually terrifying, but we (the readers) don't notice it as much because we're always on his side, I commented that certain dogs can explain it more visually. So, I decided to make it into a post (with images). Now, here we are, putting dog photos next to PJO-HoO characters. Here we go:

Percy Jackson = Caucasian Shepherd or Belgian Mallinois

He’s a sweetheart to family and FAMILY ONLY. To everyone else, he will label you as a threat until proven otherwise. (Also, I just realized Percy fits the Mastiff type dogs perfectly, which is what Mrs. O'Leary is).

2. Nico di Angelo = Dalmatian

He’s not seen as violent, but every now and again he will tear someone or something to shreds. Which, coming from a "harmless-looking" individual, makes him creepy. (Ironically, Nico went to Dalmatia in HoH).

3. Jason Grace = Rhodesian Ridgeback

He will stare down and hunt down lions, but is not known for violent outbursts. (I just realized it also fits his "raised by wolves" bit, since the RRs need good socialization to be stable).

4. Annabeth Chase = Border Collie/Dingo

She's highly intelligent, fierce, adaptable, and extremely intimidating when focused on a task (usually involving hunting of some kind). Also, the size difference between Percabeth is an added bonus. (Can you imagine the tiny Dingo with the giant CS curled around it?)

5. Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano = Greyhound

She's dominant, laser-focused, and will chase down her goal, no matter who or what stands in her way.

6. Leo Valdez = Basenji or Nureongi

He's slightly out of place (Basenjis don't bark, but yodel) with a very dark past (Nureongis are only bred for dog meat), but has the personality of a sweetheart with a hidden fire.

7. Hazel Levesque = American Foxhound

She's good around horses, and feels comfortable in both violence and family.

8. Frank Zhang = Dogo Argentino or Aksaray Malaklisi

He doesn’t seem intimidating at first glance, but a closer inspection reveals a strong ferocity that has killed many beasts (also, he's freaking huge).

9. Piper McLean = Calupoh

She's extremely beautiful, which allows her to get away with certain things that would otherwise turn some heads (reference to her charmspeak, as well as her desire for revenge).

10. Thalia Grace = Carolina Dog, Siberian Laika, Canaan Dog, Brazilian Caramel, or Indian Pariah

She's too wild to stay in one spot, but always close by whenever someone needs assistance.

So, yeah, that's what I got so far. I might make some more in the future, but we'll see.

PS: I changed the "were" to "are", since some companies in Korea still breed Nureongis for meat only.

#pjo rant #pjo #pjo hoo toa #perseus jackson #annabeth chase #jason grace #nico di angelo #hazel levesque #thalia grace #reyna avila ramirez arellano #frank zhang #piper mclean #leo valdez #books-only here #I stayed away from the show to not give more money to disney #what's a good dog for Rachel?#A field golden retriever?#A Chesapeake Bay retriever?

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insanitysbloomings · 1 year

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The feminine urge to chop off all my hair in the middle of winter

#reyna rants #it's.....WARM OUT #and I'm sick of my hair #it needs ta GO

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insanitysscribblings · 2 years

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Just finished Bloodmarked.

I am FURIOUS

#reyna rants #bloodmarked #tracy deonn #THIS CLIFFHANGER WAS SO GODDAMN DISRESPECTFUL #I NEED TRACY TO ANSWER FOR HER CRIMES RIGHT THE FUCK NOW #HOW D A R E

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theveryattacheduser · 8 months

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Thinking about how the kids in the seven from camp Jupiter never really had a parent figure to rely on, and we can argue that lupita acts like if but she is nothing but simply a mentor, and that they had to rely on themselves for everything and that's why they struggle to open up or even rely on someone else, because they just feel like they will always be alone in the end

#little rant #pjo #hoo #frankies dose of rants #toa #heroes of olympus #trials of apollo #will solace #rick riordan #percy jackson #jason grace #reyna ramirez arellano #hazel lavesque #frank zhang

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egopocalypse · 10 months

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Fellow camp Jupiter hater 🥹🥹🥹

Oh. I could spout a whole essay on Camp Jupiter and why its structure in inherently Fucked Up.

Obviously, this is a children's/YA series, and thus functional adults are typically out of the picture (otherwise they would never let the kids do these things), but there are full-blown families who have been in the Legion for centuries, and they're still conscripting their kids into military service for a decade rather than serve themselves.

Camp Half-Blood frankly doesn't have a choice in the matter because there are so few demigods alive (especially after the wars), but Camp Jupiter could easily raise the age requirement for joining the Legion, and it wouldn't affect their numbers at all. You can't look me in the eyes and tell me a single person at CHB (even Mr. D) would let a kid fight if they didn't have to. If CHB had the numbers CJ had, the kids/teens would have an actual summer camp experience (and some light training activites to familiarize themselves with monsters, weapons, etc. like kids that did archery or martial arts as their sport growing up), and the adults would serve to protect the camp. The fact that CJ has those numbers and infrastructure and still relies on teenagers/young adults to carry the political and military weight is honestly fucking ridiculous.

Also, not to throw shade on Rick (I am very excited to read the new book with the original trio; I miss them so much), but getting recommendation letters from three gods is such a terrible requirement for New Rome University. There's no way that demigods or legacies that never went on quests could ever achieve that, which leads me to believe it's either a made-up requirement to prevent the Greeks from going to the school, or there are two more gods like Terminus hanging around CJ/New Rome that only get prayed/offered sacrifices when people need recommendation letters. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it's both.

If I'm honest, the only thing I really liked about the Romans' structure was that it gave Percy hope for the future. He saw a possibility where he didn't have to die before his 20s, where he could actually go to college and feel like a semi-normal young adult, and he and Annabeth could achieve their dreams without having to risk getting hunted by monsters on their way across campus. That hope kept him alive during Tartarus, and without it, I don't know if he would've made it through.

The rest of the camp still sucks though. Fuck Camp Jupiter.

#discourse #I guess???#Tbh I only really like CJ for Julia Reyna Hazel and Frank #As an adult I can also see how CJ's structure and emphasis on carrying on a family's legacy fucked Octavian up so bad #I know he was solely written to be an obstacle and a dick but that kid needed to get the fuck out of camp/away from his family #And then 10+ years of therapy #If this rant seems nonsensical or like it jumps around too much my excuse is that it's 4 a.m.

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the-one-and-only-aroace · 2 years

Text

Theyna: a lesson in internal bias

Things this will cover: my opinion on the canon interpretation of the hunters and how that affects the probability of the ship, the ship’s turn from innocently wanting to fill the hole of sapphic ships to total aromantic erasure, how Theyna manipulates and destroys the character of Reyna

To first get this out of the way, I’ll be discussing the hunters situation and the Thalia part of this ship. Many people find Rick’s interpretation of the hunters to be demeaning and misogynistic. One of the reasons they provide is the forced celibacy, and stifling any romantic attraction. I don’t have much of an opinion on this and don’t believe it to be relevant to my argument, so I’ll be ignoring it. I completely embrace changing bits of canon to suit your needs.

Next is the matter of Thalia grace. I am mainly apathetic to this character, and find no logical problem with her side of the ship. She has shown a young crush on Luke castellan but that is all we know of her attraction. I find shipping Thalia with just about anyone completely innocent

The history of this ship is at first innocent. I’m not very familiar with the early days of the fandom, but as fandom goes I believe shipping started as soon as The Son of Neptune came out. This is the book where Reyna is formally introduced, and is given more than a name. Any shipping before this, when the only picture we had of her was the girl Jason rejected, is purely fandom taking two pretty and making them kiss.

After the release of The Son of Neptune, there was a dynamic to be explored. Two girls who were once so close to Jason, now alienated from him. The positions they held were also isolated, forcing them to push others away. They’re jobs were constant, sapping everything they had. There was also a mention of letters being exchanged, which is a common thing for lovers to do.

All in all, it was a perfect fandom ship. They had interesting dynamics with other characters and each other, they had the connection of Jason, plenty of time they spent without being written about, a bare amount of interest expressed. There is also the large, gaping, hole where sapphic ships go in terms of both general media and the Riordanverse in particular, at least before the writing of Trials of Apollo.

It was this way for many years, simply an innocent ship that hurt no one. People wanted two girls to kiss, and that’s what they made happen. There is no Arophobia in this golden age of the ship. Ignorance in the fans is no fault of theirs, Rick failed to include that aspect of Reyna before recently. It all goes downhill after the publishing of The Tyrant’s Tomb.

This is where it devolves into a strong movement against any progress Aromantics have made in our representation. It has turned from an innocent ship to something that subtley reveals how horrible this fandom is when it comes to the upholding of Amatonormativity.

Rick has tweeted that although her sexuality is up for interpretation, he wrote her with asexuality in mind. This is one of the most damaging things he’s tweeted, in my humble opinion. Though the opposite of his most likely intentions, this has been weaponized for the purposes of erasing any Aromantic representation that may be present.

Theyna shippers are very explicit in the opinion of Theyna remaining non-sexual. This has been the leading excuse they use to still make Theyna content. They take the separation of romantic and sexual attraction, and use it purely for their own purposes. They have no respect for alloaces, they want hide behind the identity.

Because nothing Reyna says does anything to even vaguely imply sexual desires.

If I had a denarius for every time I got that question… Aside from the fact that Thalia is in the hunters, and thus sworn to celibacy… Why does a strong friendship always have to progress to romance?

Chapter 23, The Tyrant’s Tomb

I went on that quest with Jason,what, two years ago? Venus took one look at me and decided… I don’t know. I was broken. I needed romantic healing. Whatever. I wasn’t back at camp a full day before the whispering started. Nobody would admit they knew, but they knew. The looks I got: oh poor Reyna. The innocent suggestions about who I should date.

Chapter 24, the Tyrant’s tomb

I was looking for a partner. Praetors often partner up. In power. But also romantically, I mean

Chapter 41, The Tomb

One final quote from Apollo the ultimate slut

Perhaps I should comfort her, hold her in my arms. Perhaps I should run for my life. Why was I so bad at romance?

Chapter 24, The Tyrant’s Tomb

Even Apollo thinks of it as purely romantic. There is no trace of sexual desire in anyway that affects Reyna specifically. There is no sexual pressure here, purely romantic. So when she talks of the weight that’s been holding her down for years, she means it in a purely romantic sense. And yes sexual pressure comes with it, but what Theyna shippers have done is weaponized a part of the identity of me and many others, to erase another part. They take an identity that’s been abused and erased, and use it to justify two women kissing. They use it to justify a ship that’s been vaguely hinted at through letters.

That takes me to the second part of how this plays into the overall erasure of Aromantics. Letters, writing them has been tradition for centuries. People write to mother, fathers, siblings, cousins, random pen pals, and yes lovers. But you’re forcing taking the time to write words on a paper, and then sending it into a purely romantic box. There are many reasons for them to write each other. They share so much in common, things that are very much mainly platonic. As aforementioned in why people started shipping them.

Then there’s Jason, someone they both viewed as a brother. They knew each him at different points of his life, yet they were equally close. They both lost him, and can’t reconnect the broken chain. A powerful sisterhood is forged from having memories of a stranger that can’t remember you. Yet allos force it to be romantic and erase the power that could be achieved.

Theyna being romantic strips Reyna of so much humanity that she is given. Who is Reyna? In the context of Heroes of Olympus, it’s pretty simple. She’s the scary, strict, slightly overwhelmed, praetor of New Rome that had a crush on Jason. Both scenes that discuss her relationship status in ttt add so much depth to her. She’s been piled with so many things she doesn’t want.

She didn’t sound angry. It was more like weighed down and weary. I remembered Frank Zhang’s concern about how long Reyna had shouldered the burdens of leadership, how he could do more to relieve her. Apparently, a lot of legionaries wanted to help Reyna. Not all of that help had been welcome or useful.

Chapter 24, The Tyrant’s Tomb

I thought Jason. Then for a hot minute, Percy jackson. Gods help me, I even considered Octavian. Everyone’s always trying to ship me with someone. Thalia. Jason. Gwen. Even frank. Oh, you’d be perfect together! But I was never really sure if I wanted that, or if I just felt like I was supposed to want it

But you showed me. When you proposed dating… she took a deep breath, her body shaking with silent giggles. Oh gods. I saw how’d ridiculous I’d been. How ridiculous the whole situation was. That’s what healed my heart-being able to laugh at myself again, at my stupid ideas about destiny.

I don’t need another person to heal my heart. I don’t need a partner… at least, not until and unless I’m ready on my own terms. I don’t need to be force-shipped with anyone or wear anyone else’s label. For the first time in a long time, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. So thank you.

All from chapter 41, The Tyrant’s Tomb

A key part of her character is her lack of agency. She’s forced to grow up with her father, forced to kill him, forced to go to c.css spa, forced to serve her, forced to be a captive of pirates, forced to fight to live, forced to leave her sister, forced to join the legion, forced to be a praetor, forced to be doomed to a life without love. This is her taking her agency back. She’s deciding what’s best for her, that others can’t live her life for her.

Romance was something that she’d been told would help her escape, would let her relax. So instead of finding her purpose, she throws herself on anyone she can. It always ends in disaster, she strains a friendship without gaining a romantic one. She neither wants nor seeks romance. Instead of it doing what people say, it adds more stress.

Theyna instead also weaponizes this. Her first chance at freedom is used to immediately shove her back into what she was trying to escape. Even if it’s by her own free will, she’s letting others expectations apply to her. She wouldn’t make a grand speech about not needing romance, to then pursue romance. And even if you somehow work your way around her aro-coding, she still explicitly joins the hunters to avoid romantic expectations.

It also strips away her humanity and depth. Instead of a tragic figure who resorts to insanity, Theyna shippers turn it into a tale of happiness. You too can be normal if you keep throwing yourself at people, you just need to find the right person. Do you know how harmful that is. It takes Reyna sabotaging friendships for the promise of another half, and turns it into a cheap romance.

I’m tired of my identity being commodified and used to fill an allo’s agenda. I will certainly not stand for my favorite character being ruined right along with it. Allos need to realize some things are better left without romance, which is kinda the very thing Reyna learned.

@geraldtheanon @katniss-elizabeth-chase

#theyna criticism #reyna ramirez arellano #reyna arellano #rant #aromantic

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