#string rants

[stringsbasement]

ngl i 100% thought peri would be an antagonist

he's the first fairy in thousands of years, born directly under the lineage of what has to be the most powerful fairy family line in current existence

(cosmo is a von strangle, and also the very reason fairies stopped having babies in the first place. he's incredibly powerful and nobody talks about it for some reason. it's clear peri inherited that destructive potential)

the second he was born, entire fairy species (including his own kin) were out to get him to use his volatile magic for their own selfish goals. he's nearly kidnapped thrice, and almost ends the universe on the same day

the threats keep coming, and he's being dragged to countless adventures that put him at risk. he literally ceases to exist more than once

anyway, i wouldn't be surprised if some form of expectations were placed upon him growing up. maybe not by his family, but he's famous (a teacher described him as such once); in fairy world, he's automatically adored and celebrated by adults and peers alike, which foop antagonizes (and tries to kill) him for

cosmo and wanda would, realistically, of course try to shield him from all this, but no matter what they do, he's inevitably isolated

people either want to use him, put him on a pedestal, or is a universally infamous human godchild who will forget all about him in a matter of years

(cosmo and wanda becoming godparents and learning (choosing) to eventually let go of their kids is one thing, but it can be assumed poof was still a young, underdeveloped child by the time timmy (+chloe, for what it's worth) got his memories wiped

and he sees that timmy's able to live his own happy life without him in it. he lost his brother just like that, and there's nothing he can do despite all his godly powers)

there's so, so many ways he could've gone wrong

thus, my initial thought was that peri was going to be a somewhat petty, "spoiled brat," and him becoming a godparent would be the result of spite or rebellion, which cosmo and wanda would feel entirely responsible for. I HATE MY PARENTS!! yada yada yada

it was a pleasant surprise to see all those clips of them loving each other. and it's not even because i doubted for a second that cosmo and wanda are bad parents, it's just what you usually expect when seeing shows from the 2000s, even if it doesn't make sense

all things considered, i'm very glad they went for the lighthearted silly family trope. not every show needs such conflicts, and showing healthy dynamics are better for kids overall

still, i find it interesting to think about if they'd gone down another route instead. i love me a pathetic cringy villain who tries (fails) to hate the people they love the most

[thebardbullseye]

folks, be careful: you can red string yourself into believing anything 🤣

[herrmit]

an ode to middle managers

This show truly knows how to juggle the duality of victim and perpetrator with the kind of finesse I haven't seen in a while. Woe's Hollow had me screaming at Milchick when he was (essentially) killing Irving... but then the very next episode they're doing performance reviews, talking about the "kindness reforms" he's instituted and its like. Well, shit. All those tactics have been underhanded and manipulative as fuck but it was also more than Cobel ever tried to do (no, Harmony, psychologically tormenting Mark S. with repressed memories of his "dead" wife does not count as employee recreation). Crazy that he's stuck in this middle managerial position and its clear that- as awful as he is- he is the one higher up we've seen that views the innies as something approximating Human. Especially contrasted with Ms Huang, Helena, and Drummond's comments that same episode. (And it goes without saying that Tramell Tillman's performance has been fantastic.)

Even with people far higher up, like Helena, we see exploitation! I was fr feeling murderous over her violation of both Mark and Helly's autonomy, of depriving me of my girl for four episodes and driving a wedge between the team- but the way Drummond and Natalie were so quick to cast her aside, "shut up, be a good girl, and put the noose around your neck" like damn they really don't care about anyone!! Not even Jeff Bezos herself!!!

Not to mention how Sydney Cole Alexander's performance as Natalie adds so much nuance to her character- even without telling us anything outright. The fear, shame, repression, complacency flitting across her face- truly a Get Out/ Being John Malkovich moment. She speaks for the board but her voice is never her own. She only has power when she's being exploited.

And now, with the most recent Cobel loredrop, I am hoping and praying and hoping and praying that we'll get to see at least one of these Lumon insiders have their "lets burn this place to the ground" moment. I think Cobel is closest to that now, and I see Milchick possibly following along. At the very least I hope we get some Reghabi backstory, because we know she used to work at Lumon (putting the chip in Mark's head herself!) and maybe she was always a spy but maybe she too was able to break from the system. Please Mr. Stiller, more Reghabi.

The contradiction at the core of capitalism is that it relies on everyone's complacency- yet values no one. Cobel, Milchick, Natalie, Helena: they can give and sacrifice all they want, but it will never change the fact that they are all replaceable. They are both victim and the perpetrator, and to go against the system would be to face their own complicity, rejecting whatever sunken-cost fallacy they've built up in their head. It's hard- but it's not impossible.

Here's to hoping.

[perhaps-mr-collins-has-a-cousin]

It has been requested (@awfullybigwardrobe44 💛) that I provide an update on How Things Are Going With The Young Man, and there’s so much I could say that it all kind of cancels itself out (I’ve been journaling like a madwoman lately), but yes, I think things are going well. I still can't believe any of this is happening, I am not the kind of person that this kind of stuff is supposed to happen to 😆 We have gone on several more dates, one of them a day-long fishing trip, and it’s been lovely and I just think he's delightful and I really like being with him. I still have a lot of shyness to overcome, but considering how intensely terrified I used to be of him I think I’ve made excellent progress 😆 I’ve seen less of him lately because he’s extremely busy with work and especially school but we text a lot and this weekend we’re planning to go to dinner and then the symphony after that (I bought the tickets and I can tell it's driving him nuts that I finally paid for something myself but ahaha it's too late there's nothing he can do about it now) 😊

[aella081]

Something that legit shocks me is how many ppl actually have actually like- dumbed Wei Wuxian down. Like how ppl manage to somehow forget how smart he is. I can get it, he does act dumb sometimes, but the key word is act. Because Wei Wuxian did in fact manage to create an entirely new cultivation path. And made inventions so incredibly useful that despite the cultivation world's hatred for him they still used them. Idk it just always makes me sad to see ppl portray him as someone who just goofs around and simps for Lan Wangji. While yes, he does that, but it's not the only thing he does!!

[xenomorphicdna]

On the string propaganda

Heeellll yeah

Bestie is an entire PLACE

I look at those guys and let me tell you the soul of that thing ain't just in the puppet, it's in all the neurons carrying the thoughts and emotions, it's in the power rails that serve as the heart. All the memories in the memory conflux and all the numbers we see flicker across displays, the flux condensers, the puppet; a little avatar.

No way these massive machines see life the same way we do. They have their own experiences and senses and things they hold dear. A world we can't imagine, a way of living we couldn't even comprehend.

I could never tear an iterator apart to be just a puppet. Who am I to decide how's life supposed to be enjoyed or perceived?

You treat your creechurs however you want- I ain't gonna dictate that. But damn, hearing the thrums and buzzes of the linear systems rail? They are alive with so much power, these mechanical beasts are exactly what they should be.

[landwriter]

made critical mistake of deciding to write a little during the day for “just ten minutes” and now it’s three hours later and all my obligations are staring at me judgementally

[stringsbasement]

only timmy is highlighted since he's the focus; of course, peri is their child as well. i don't believe they'd love either one more or over the other

it's my headcanon that wanda thought of timmy first when hearing those words, just as one would automatically think of their children in a certain order. in this case, oldest to youngest. when she says "we don't know," she's talking about both of them

it's clear cosmo and wanda cherished all of their godchildren, but i'm biased to think timmy was the first one that actually felt like theirs. he's practically their "firstborn," with how peri was raised alongside him since birth until they could no longer be together

not to mention how timmy was the reason peri was born in the first place

deep down, they all know their family can never be truly complete without him

[zerohirrotries]

Lego Monkie Kid Season 5 spoilers!!

Warning below is me ranting about Sun Wukong, Macaque, and Mk!

So thanks to others translations, I have seen a few scenes with English dub. So now I am going to rant about a small thought process I came up with cause I do that a lot.

“Our birthstone”

They talk about the birthstone, which they both came out of. It would mean they are related, in my opinion then, which means they are brothers!

Throughout the season, we watch these two bonding slowly and learning about each other. They become closer and having brotherly bonding time even if it is unhealthy!

So can it be a triple brother effect?! Can Macaque please be a part of this?! They all have a part that can easily be fit with how they act.

I know people prefer to ship Sun Wukong with Macaque, which I can see if I like how it is portrayed, but hear me out about this!

Wukong being the eldest brother, being a idol and wanting to make everything better. He is protective of people he is close to, yet never wants to fail his brave facade. Wukong tries to be a role model to all younger people, yet once he does something he knows is bad, punishes himself for it. He overachieves things because he feels the needs to do better, feeling the need to take the parental role to his siblings.

Macaque being the middle kid. He looked up to Wukong for protection and support as his older brother. Sadly, it changed once Wukong "left" him, thinking he was overlooked and not wanted. Macaque was always overlooked and not cared for by the Brotherhood, so with Wukong gone, things got worse. He plays his part, yet he is emotionally unstable. He puts on a facade like Wukong, yet he does vent through manipulation and saying his feelings onto other. He probably is dealing with "Middle Child Syndrome" you could say, overshadowed, quiet, and rebellious.

Then there is the youngest, Mk. He is the baby to Wukong and Macaque, the one they need to protect and keep safe. Mk acts more happy on the outside, he is an extrovert that loves to meet new people. He is the creative one, the one that is more sensitive to things. Mk clings to older ones, as he needs reassurance of a parental figure as he grew up with being an adopted baby. However, with more trauma, he has been more worried about his future, trying to hide his emotions and failing. This kid needs love and needs someone to help guide him throughout his journey.

Yet, we still have no idea where exactly Macaque came from. The only information we gained is he has similar powers...

Hopefully, the season 5 special or season 6 could explain the connection Macaque has with the magic and with the other two monkeys! Why does he look like the others, and are there more?! Like he is probably not born from the stone that Wukong and Mk was made from, so where did he come from and what happened to him?!

I have so many questions, but one thing is that I like the triple sibling vibes they all give me! The triple monkeys, come on please are there more here that like this idea?

[bombuni]

broke up with my gf right before they gave me a surprise jjongbear plushie 🙃 way to make me feel even more guilty

[hyperfixatingonstephcurry]

Now we’re trying to normalize guys deliberately trying to hurt other players? ‘Driving against someone with a bad ankle’ is not the same as Brooks trying to injure Steph’s hand worse than it already is.

The correct comparison to that would be attempting to kick someone in an already injured ankle. Which everyone would agree is dirty as fck.

Idk why we’re all of a sudden making excuses for a guy with a history of dirty behavior. Maybe cause he’s doing it to Steph and Steph’s been hurting these guys feelings for over a decade now 🤔

[mechazushi]

LORDS, LADIES, ESTEEMED HIGH MEMBERS OF THE KN8 FANDOM LANDS! I BRING ONTO YOU---

NEW HEADCANONS-

[stringsbasement]

i love how passionate wanda is about acting roles in anw

i headcanon that though blonda was the "prettier" one who went on to become a star in fairywood, between the two of them, wanda has always been the better actress

when they were younger, one of the only ways they'd get along was playing their childhood roleplay games and immersing themselves in the stories they made up; blonda was especially great at writing the scripts, and wanda loved interpreting them

maybe the fact that wanda chose fairy godparenting was a point of contention between them. or perhaps blonda's glad wanda never became an actress, else she'd have no job in the first place

i like the idea that after wanda's vacation, they started speaking again and are on track to mend their relationship into something more teasing and light-hearted

[secretandpurplememories]

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

Happy new year I’m back to my self appointed fandom job of writing absolutely miserable ot3 fics

[imminent-danger-came]

I was thinking about MK's one glorious instance of puppet motif earlier today (5×01), and you know. I find the contrast between someone "pulling MK's strings" and the reality that Nine wanted freedom and choice for MK to be so fucking interesting