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rosyrosethings · 7 months

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Assistant Prank CEO Harry

This is series on my page. Harry's assistant stays with him.

On a seemingly ordinary Friday, the atmosphere in Harry and Y/n's shared residence was tinged with a sense of bittersweet anticipation. Harry, known for his meticulous nature and a deep sense of responsibility towards those he cared about, was preparing for a rare weekend getaway. His destination was a cozy retreat in the countryside, where he planned to spend some quality time with his girlfriend, Bridget. This trip was a much-needed break from his demanding work schedule, offering a chance to recharge and nurture his personal relationships.

However, this departure was marked by an unusual heaviness, primarily because it meant leaving Y/n alone in the house. Y/n was not just a housemate but played a crucial role in Harry's life, managing the balance between a confidante and a responsibility he felt deeply for. The thought of leaving her alone, even for a weekend, didn't sit well with him, stirring a protective instinct that he often found hard to dismiss.

“Y/n, text me if anything goes wrong, okay?” Harry implored, his voice laced with concern as he slipped into his coat, ready to step out into the brisk morning air.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mr. Styles. I’ll be fine. I’ve been here alone before,” Y/n responded, her tone light and teasing, aiming to inject a bit of humor into the heavy atmosphere. She approached Harry, extending his bag towards him with a gentle smile. “I packed your laptop because God knows what would happen to you if you don’t work for one second out of the day,” she added, her voice soft yet playful, aware of Harry's relentless work ethic.

Harry couldn't help but smile, a genuine expression of gratitude and fondness. “Bye, Y/n,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of reluctance to leave.

As the door closed behind him, Y/n secured the lock and made her way to the living room, sinking into the couch with a sense of solitude enveloping her. To distract herself, she decided to scroll through TikTok, letting the endless stream of videos wash over her. It wasn't long before she stumbled upon a prank trend that immediately sparked an idea. The premise was simple yet mischievously effective: texting someone “you can come over now, he’s gone,” implying a clandestine meeting now that an obstacle—typically a significant other or a parent—was out of the picture. Chuckling at the thought, Y/n couldn't resist the urge to execute this playful scheme on Harry.

‘You can come over now babe, my boss is gone.’

She sent the message, a giggle escaping her lips as she imagined Harry's reaction, picturing his bewildered face trying to decode the message.

Harry, meanwhile, was only ten minutes away, his mind partly on the road and partly entwined with thoughts of Bridget and the weekend ahead. His phone buzzed with a notification, a text from Y/n. Assuming he had forgotten something at home, he glanced at the message, his eyes widening in disbelief. The words on the screen seemed to rearrange themselves, challenging his understanding. “Is she having someone over? And did she call them babe?” he muttered to himself, confusion and concern taking hold.

Without a second thought, Harry executed a swift U-turn, ignoring the chorus of honks from startled drivers. His mind raced with possibilities, each more unsettling than the last. Upon arriving back at the house, he entered to find Y/n lounging on the couch, her eyes meeting his with an innocent curiosity.

“Were you expecting someone else?” Harry inquired, his voice carrying a mix of jest and underlying seriousness as he approached her.

“No, why would I?” Y/n replied, her tone playful yet genuine, puzzled by the intensity of his reaction.

“Then why did you send me a text saying, ‘you can come over now, my boss is gone’?” Harry pressed, seeking clarity amidst the confusion.

“Because I thought it would be funny to see your reaction,” Y/n confessed, a giggle punctuating her words as she sat up, her eyes dancing with mischief.

Harry, however, was not immediately appeased. The protective instinct that had made him uneasy about leaving surged stronger. “Actually, I’m staying here. Bridget can come over here. I don’t want any boys coming around here,” he declared, a firm resolve setting in as he removed his coat, symbolically dismissing the prospect of leaving.

“Mr. Styles, it was a prank,” Y/n tried to clarify, her tone softening, attempting to bridge the sudden gap Harry's reaction had created.

“Yeah, okay. Now your night is with me instead of with your mysterious man,” Harry countered, half-teasing yet half-serious, as he settled next to her on the couch.

“You’re such a dad,” Y/n remarked, a blend of affection and exasperation in her voice.

“No, I just don’t want any mystery men around what's mine without me being here,” Harry retorted, his comment laced with a deeper, unspoken layer of concern.

“Or do you not want any men around me?” Y/n probed, her gaze locking with his, a challenge in her eyes.

“Aren’t you mine? I think what I said the first time makes sense,” Harry responded, his words hanging in the air, a mix of possessiveness and care mingled in his tone.

“My assistant, I mean,” he quickly added, clearing his throat, realizing the weight of his words and the ambiguity they carried.

“Oh, assistant, is that what you meant?” Y/n teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm, yet a soft smile played on her lips.

“Yeah, assistant,” Harry affirmed, the exchange leaving a tangible tension, a mix of amusement and unresolved feelings lingering between them.

#harry styles #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fluff #harry styles smut #watermelon sugar #harrys house #fine line

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shinidamachu · 1 year

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It's absolutely beautiful how there were three very significant moments in Inuyasha's life where he was at his lowest and we could feel the sun like a presence on each of those times because Kagome was there. Starting with when they first met.

After years facing prejudice and leading a lonely existence, Inuyasha let his guard down with someone just long enough to see — what he thought was — them turning against him and sealing him away.

He was dead to the world, frozen in time and his heart was the coldest it has ever been. That's where the sun comes in, because every sunrise means a new awakening and a new chance to begin again.

Its warmth melts away the worse of winter and allows spring to finally come. Without sunlight, there's no light to guide you. There's no life at all. Kagome woke him up and brought him back to life in every possible way.

And even though Inuyasha literally never saw it coming — still oblivious to her arrival — it's clear from the get go the role she's bond to play in his life: his own personal sun, lighting up the darkness of his days.

The second time it happens, Inuyasha was consumed by grief, guilt and the heartbreaking realization that he'd have to let Kagome go, despite it being the last thing he wanted to do.

After he can no longer postpone saying goodbye, Inuyasha walks to the well, feeling miserable under the shadows of the trees, only to find Kagome already there, waiting for him and bathed in sunshine.

I love how he gets blinded by the light because that's what happens when we spend too much time in the darkness: it takes time to get used to something burning that bright. Until Kagome, he was not used to people staying or loving him unconditionally — with the obvious exception being Izayoi.

He then steps into the daylight to get to her and after they work things out, Kagome takes him by the hand and guides him forward. Inuyasha squeezes her hand back and catchs up so they're walking side by side. They're both under the light now and they're moving on.

There were many instances in the series where Kagome's voice or the mere thought of her was enough to snap him out of dark spells and certain death, leading him back to the light, to life.

At last, after three years of darkness, there's the moment when Kagome finally comes back to him, because the sun will always rise again.

In a way, this is what those three scenes are all about: Kagome returning to him again and again. Only the first time it was as the piece of his soul he didn't know was missing, finally finding the way back home.

One of the openings — or was it a closing? — even nodded to the notion of Kagome being his sun: she dissapears and takes all of the light with her, leaving Inuyasha in the dark, alone and lost.

And thinking about Kagome in this context is even more meaningful when we take into account that Inuyasha's literal darkest nights — the moonless ones — are his human nights, because when the morning comes, when the sun comes, he is free to be himself again and regains his lost strength, much like he does in battle when he thinks of her.

#Inuyasha #Inuyasha meta #Inumeta #Inukag #Inukag meta #Kagome #Kagome Higurashi #Sidposting

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dark-manga-stuff · 1 year

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Galatea - The Eyes of God

Something I love about claymore is how the abilities that the warriors possess, usually have some type of character or thematic significance. Both of those hold true for Galatea, she is the literal and figurative eyes of the organization which granted her the name “God Eyes”.

With her ability to sense yoma energy from so far away, and literally telegraph conversations, she has one of the most valuable skills for the organization. And in the world of Claymore, the organization is the equivalent of a god.

It’s made clear from the moment we meet Galatea, that she will be an anti-hero character. She walks the line between ally and foe, with her ability also comes with the possibility of manipulating the organization, which she does here, she’s playing the middle game.

Right after we meet her, we get the confirmation that she’s a strong claymore and a top 3 claymore at that. And considering Alicia and Beth’s strength, top 3 is ridiculously good. Galatea is made to be a threat which is why she’s classified as a monster by Miria.

We get our first look at Galatea when Clare goes to fight Riful and save Jean. Galatea is still playing the anti-hero role in where she walks the line between helping clare and helping the organization. This character duality shadows her true intentions for the rest of the story.

Galatea has a strong aura of confidence and a bit of arrogance coming into this. She arrives to capture Clare, but she still decided to manipulate the organization and it’s still unclear what she has planned for Clare.

Galatea being “God Eyes” allows here to basically manipulate the battle, her yoma energy reading abilities allow her to harmonize with her opponent, shifting the battle in whatever direction she desires. The fight all comes down to concentration and prediction.

Another detail about Galatea is just how strong is she? With the yoma power she’s number 1. But what holds her back is that she can’t keep this form for long, the higher her power goes, the lower chance of coming back. The only downside to having this immense amount of power.

Galatea eventually reveals her true intentions as she was doing a personal investigation rather than one for the organization. At this point in her character she works for her own benefit and if the organization gets in the way, she makes a way for herself.

This statement is also made before we’re aware that Alicia and Beth can awaken and go back to their normal states. This is an ability far surpassing and shattering the limitations of yoma energy and holds other characters to a greater standard, a complete change of form.

Galatea allows Clare to walk freely, at first she seems very loyal to the organization. But after spending that time with Clare and Jean, I think she just wanted to test their resolve. She seemed hopeful for another meeting, I love how she keeps up the anti-hero thing. The next time Galatea and Clare meet, a lot went down. Galatea left the organization and went into hiding, as a nun. This works thematically & in characteristic fashion cause her title is “God Eye” and she’s doing the thing that would draw her closest to god which is being a nun.

Galatea only grew stronger through the seven years she was in hiding. She completely destroyed her eyes so now she really lives up to the “God Eye” title. Galatea now relies entirely on her energy sensing abilities. She had to adapt or else she’d be dog food for new claymores. Galatea still remains the same after all that time passed, still calm and collected, she doesn’t overestimate her strength but is aware of her capabilities in combat. Galatea still has a master way of turning a situation into a team fight, even if they started as enemies.

The circumstances in her return are also reminiscent of when she was sent to capture Clare. The dynamic shifts when you are the one wanted by the organization. Galatea is now the hunted instead of the hunter. I love the significance of the second meeting between Galatea and Clare, it shows the massive gap that she put between them in terms of power. Clare surpassed her and she did in fact, stay alive. Clare mastered a flurry of techniques and increased her raw skill.

Roles are reversed and Clare is the one that saves Galatea from an awakened being. Clare is also incredibly poised compared to last time which is a perfect way to show her growth, by bringing back a familiar situation. After meeting Galatea back in the Holy City of Rabona, Galatea isn’t too involved in the combat anymore, her abilities simply don’t match up to the 7 ghosts or new warriors but that’s fine since they are the spotlight of the story. I’m satisfied with the shine she did receive.

This is the end of the thread, Galatea is a fantastic character from being a main player to a supportive member, I loved every part of her involvement in the series. This was a very fun thread to make.

Credits: T Water

#manga #manga panel #mangacap #animanga #manga art #manga edit #claymore manga #claymore anime #claymore #galatea

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fuckyeahgoodomens · 1 year

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Maggie interview with Murray Scougall for The Sunday Post, 10.7.2023

Having played a small role in the first season, she made such an impression on Gaiman, whose other work includes The Sandman and Coraline, that he wrote a new, bigger part for her.

“In the middle of lockdown, in the bleakest period when I couldn’t envisage a time when the creative arts would exist again, I received an email from Neil informing me he was writing season two, and that he was writing a part for me and she would be called Maggie, so that there would be no confusion in casting.

“He asked if it was something I would be interested in, and once I stopped crying, I emailed back and said, yes please!”

“The first series was Neil writing a love letter to his pal Terry, and I thought it was finished with after season one since we’d done the book. But he could write whatever he wanted for season two since it was all in his head, and he decided to bring back the people he liked to work with. He said I’d brought joy to the set during the first season.”

Maggie was involved with Good Omens from its inception. Invited to a script read-through for Gaiman and the TV executives during pre-production, she made such a good impression that she was cast as demonic nun, Sister Theresa Garrulous. When she was killed off, Maggie thought it was the end of the adventure, but instead it was only the beginning.

“In the first season, I had no scenes with David or Michael, so to work with their characters in the second season felt like an out-of-body experience. It’s extraordinary what they bring to the parts. And the green room was ridiculous – some days I was looking around, thinking I was the only person there I hadn’t heard of!

“We filmed in Bathgate, where they turned the studio into the streets of Soho. It was incredible. We had electric cars, 350 supporting actors, and every corner, brick and poster on the walls looked phenomenal.”

She hopes her role in Good Omens 2 proves to be a pivotal moment in her career. “I have a beautiful character arc this season and there are some pretty boss moments, which are divine,” she said. “This does feel like a significant moment in my career. Because I’ve never been here before, it’s difficult to see into the future of what it might be, but to get a story arc like this and to do things I’ve never had a chance to do on screen before will, I hope, shift things, because I love working and hope to do more.

“This feels like a weird time because it’s been nearly two years since we received the scripts for the new series and it’s been our little secret, now it’s about to go out and it’s quite a cool moment to see it go free.

“I’m hopeful that people who haven’t seen me before will see me in this. Whatever happens, I’ll keep saying yes to things and try to bring joy wherever I can.”

#good omens #gos2 #season 2 #magazines #maggie #maggie service #maggie interview #interview #sunday post magazine 2023 #bts #fun fact #wahoo!#s2 interview #the sunday post #the sunday post 2023

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youryurigoddess · 10 months

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A. Z. Fell & Co. bookshop and its statues, part 2

Welcome to the second part of my insane deep dive into Aziraphale’s world of slightly outdated decor, golden-colored trinkets, and their ostentatiously Greek (especially for a representative of an originally Judeo-Christian mythology) symbolism. As a short recap, the last installment covered six pieces in the northern and central sections of the bookshop plus a plot-important medal previously displayed on one of them, but currently left with the other bibelots on the bookseller’s desk. We’ll start right there, where we previously left off.

While a lot of the bookshop action plays out in the circle between the formerly discussed statues, its office part is especially close to Aziraphale himself. As the titular Guardian of the Eastern Gate, the angel consciously spends most of his time in this small space in the Eastern part of the bookshop, confined to his desk or reading stand. This means that the decorations of this area have more personal significance and are most probably used as daily reminders for him to keep his thoughts and priorities on track as much as provide pleasant distraction from the weary eyes.

The two windowsill figures of the Art Deco dancers from S1 were replaced by a somewhat similar set of twin statues by Ernest Rancoulet called Retour des Bois (Return from the Woods). Depicting a young woman accompanied by a putto, Aphrodite and Eros, frolicking in a dance through the woods and meadows. This bucolic fantasy with Aphrodite makes some sense when we consider how Aziraphale’s personal love story started (and will presumably end) in a garden, but let’s deep deeper into its protagonists. Or protagonist, actually, because what else can be told about Love itself?

Eros as the god of Desire is usually presented in art as a handsome young man, though in some appearances he is a boy full of mischief, ever in the company of his mother. It is usually under the guidance of Aphrodite when he employs his signature bow and arrows to make mortals and immortals alike to fall in love. His role in myths is mostly complementary, as a catalyst for other mythological figures and their stories, with the notable exception being the myth of Eros and Psyche, the story of how he met and fell in love with his wife.

In short, they are the original star-crossed lovers from entirely separate worlds who meet and fall in love by divine happenstance, only to be separated by Psyche’s family. Convinced by her sisters that her husband is, in fact, a vile winged serpent, Psyche breaks his one rule and the attempt to kill the monster leads her to falling in passionate love with him. Eros flees and Psyche wanders the Earth searching for him and succumbing to a series of impossible tasks reminding of those from the Scarborough Fair ballad or the more modern fairytale about Cinderella. She ultimately fails, but is saved by the healed Eros, granted immortality and the status of his equal, after which they can properly marry with a huge wedding banquet, a real feast of the gods.

In the Christian Middle Ages, the union of Eros and Psyche started to symbolize the temptation and fall of the human soul, driven by the sexual curiosity and lust from the Love’s domain, mirroring the original sin and the expulsion from Eden.

Oh, and their Latin names? Cupid and Anima. C+A.

We’ll get back to them in a minute.

According to unnecessary but extensive research, the two mid-century table lamps standing over the desk were most probably produced in France after another unspecified 19th century sculptor like the example above, although this particular putti design can be also found in the so called Hollywood regency style of the same time period. The putto is holding onto a cornucopia, a classical antiquity symbol of plenty, which then continues to the bulb section.

The cornucopia is an easily recognizable symbol of abundance, fertility and, to lesser extant, peace and good fortune. Since the horn is phallic-shaped, but hollow at the same time, it combines intimate imagery of both male and female character at the same time, which further ties into notions of fertility. In its role as a fertility symbol, the cornucopia is also usually associated with Demeter, whose small statue is also standing on the bookshop’s counter. Which seems like a recurring theme.

I saw multiple theories about Aziraphale’s centerpiece, but somehow the truth proved to be much less significant than previously thought. This roman soldier, possibly a centurion, driving his two horses in a highly decorated chariot is made from a marble powder resin composite and takes the most visible place in the Eastern part of the bookshop even though it’s seemingly one of the newest additions to Aziraphale’s collection — its author, Lorenzo Toni, was born in 1938 and became a sculpture master by the 1970s.

At first glance, the parallel to the Marly Horses seems obvious and we could leave it basically at what was written recently on Crowley and Aziraphale’s dynamics. But here is where instead of commenting on the antique sculpture that seems to be the inspiration behind this piece or the many intricacies of Roman chariot racing I’ll do something completely unhinged — i.e., play my Greek philosophy card.

In the dialogue "Phaedrus ”, Plato presents the allegory of the chariot to explain the tripartite nature of the human soul or — you guessed it — psyche. The charioteer is the man’s Reason, the rational part that loves truth and knowledge, which should rule over the other parts of the soul through the use of logic. One of the horses, the white one, is man’s Spirit, a motivated part which seeks glory, honor, recognition and victory. The second horse, the black one, represents man’s Appetite — an ever so hungry part which desires food, drink, material wealth and physical intimacy.

And the fun part? This triad is established to analyze the madness of love. In a classical Greek context, that is not between a man and a woman, but erastes and eromenos:

The charioteer is filled with warmth and desire as he gazes into the eyes of the one he loves. The good horse is controlled by its sense of shame, but the bad horse, overcome with desire, does everything it can to go up to the boy and suggest to it the pleasures of sex. The bad horse eventually wears out its charioteer and partner, and drags them towards the boy; yet when the charioteer looks into the boy's face, his memory is carried back to the sight of the forms of beauty and self-control he had with the gods, and pulls back violently on the reins. As this occurs over and over, the bad horse eventually becomes obedient and finally dies of fright when seeing the boy's face, allowing the lover's soul to follow the boy in reverence and awe. The lover now pursues the boy. As he gets closer to his quarry, and the love is reciprocated, the opportunity for sexual contact again presents itself. If the lover and beloved surpass this desire they have won the "true Olympic Contests"; it is the perfect combination of human self-control and divine madness, and after death, their souls return to heaven.

And such a perfect combination of the motifs already introduced to us by the two Eros statues and the Head of the Victorious Athlete.

Aziraphale might be a titular Companion to Owls (or, to be precise, the companion to one particular Nite Owl), but he had also made sure to have at least one owl keeping him company. And of course, the owl of Athena (who was interestingly both a bird and a snake goddess) is an absolutely conclusion here as the universal symbol of wisdom and knowledge in the Western culture, but it can’t be that easy, right?

In the Bible, you'll find that owls often symbolize something unclean and forbidden, as well as desolation, loneliness, and destruction. This symbolic significance is pointed out in Leviticus 11:16-17 and Deuteronomy 14:11-17 where owls are mentioned among the birds not to be eaten. Owls were considered unclean most likely because they are predatory creatures who eat raw flesh with the blood still in it, and that was an even bigger food safety concern for the biblical nomads than to us today.

Owls are also among the wild predators that have long dwelled in the desert lands and abandoned ruins of Egypt and the Holy Land. Both Isaiah and Zephaniah speak of owls nesting in ruined wastelands to paint symbolic images of barrenness, emptiness, and utter desolation. In Psalm 102:3–6, the owl symbolizes the loneliness of the psalmist’s tortured heart:

For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass. But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.

It’s a devastating, but still beautiful piece that deals with the feeling of utter rejection, the ultimate bad breakup of the relationship between a human and their God. And this… simply didn’t happen between God and Aziraphale, not even during his Job job. The angel had always considered Her love and ineffability as a given, even when the whole Heavenly Host was against him during the Non-Apocalypse. His allegiance stayed with God, not necessarily Her angels. Which brings us yet again to the motion of Crowley as the owl.

The angel and the demon are the companions to each other's loneliness, but Aziraphale’s needs seem significantly bigger than their Arrangement that he even considered a wooden substitute protectively hovering over him 24/7. He seems to be the one who is the loneliest and most rejected.

Oh, and if you think that putting a small bronze statue of a putto with a bronze putto-shaped candleholder right behind it (visible on the filing cabinet in the bottom right corner) is already a stretch, let me show you what’s on the other side of that wall.

Just like before the bookshop fire, the famous sink in the small backroom is adorned with a perfectly kitschy white plaster sculpture of The Two Cherubs, a small part of a larger painting by Raphael (the painter, not the Archangel) titled Sistine Madonna. In the painting the Madonna, holding Christ Child and flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara, stands on clouds before dozens of obscured putti, while two distinctive winged putti rest on their elbows beneath her. with bombastic side eyes and clearly unspoken, but very controversial thoughts about the whole scene and their role in it.

With an attitude like that, there’s no wonder that the putti have inspired some legends. According to one, the original cherubs were children of one of his models they would come in to watch. Struck by their posture, he added them to the painting exactly as he saw them. Another story says that Raphael was inspired by two street urchins looking wistfully into the window of a baker's shop.

The Germans implicitly tied this painting into a legend of their own, "Raphael's Dream." Arising in the last decades of the 18th century, the legend — which made its way into a number of stories and even a play — presents Raphael as receiving a heavenly vision that enabled him to present his divine Madonna. It is claimed the painting has stirred many viewers, and that at the sight of the canvas some were transfixed to a state of religious ecstasy akin to Stendhal Syndrome (including one of Freud's patients).

Their big, seemingly cherubic companion doesn’t seem to have a specific provenance, but what’s left of his limbs might suggest that it could be an infant Jesus as well as another putto. But honestly who knows at this point.

On the other side of the same room, right at the door leading to the big backroom, there are two lamps with Auguste Moreau’s Young Lovers, a bronze sculpture depicting a courting couple on the verge of a physical embrace, holding garlands of roses and hiding under some old vines. Which aligns perfectly with the beloved romcom trope of a rain shelter leading to sudden love realizations, as well as Crowley choosing this part of the bookshop to have a word with his angel in private and then offering his advice on anything related to human love. No wonder that the angel looked at him like that.

This statue carries with it more than one allegorical interpretation, intentional or not. Arguably the most obvious one is the myth of Eros and Psyche, one we already covered in this post. But similarly to his earlier sculpture, Eros also serves here as an allegory for nature and the return to the natural state itself. Like Adam in Eden, he's unclothed and symbolically crowned as a ruler of his domain. Psyche, enamored with his confidence, is about to take her own leap of faith as her fabric restraints fall away. One could say that she's tempted to follow him into nature, deep into the garden of love.

And with that exact thought I will leave you today, dear reader. Through this analysis we learnt many things, among them two significant facts about Aziraphale: firstly, he’s an utter and incorrigible romantic, and secondly, a hoarder. Forget Crowley’s souvenirs — the amount of this angel’s statues is something else. And it isn’t even his hyperfixation!

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anchanted-one · 4 months

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Koth Vortena Theories

I think it's well-known by now that I'm a massive Lana Beniko fan. But one character I don't talk much about as much, though I like him a lot as well, is Koth Vortena, arguably one of the biggest missed opportunities of SWTOR.

This is going to be a big post about Koth Vortena, unsung hero of Zakuul.

Apologies for the bad drawing.

So here's what little we know about Koth.

He's against harming civilians. To the point he'll walk away from leaders he finds too cruel and/or tyrannical. Sort of resolved in the game. His loyalty increases over time if you're Light, and evaporates if Dark.

Like most Zakuulans not in the know, he is a devotee of Valkorion. This is never resolved.

He has a conflict with Senya that goes nowhere. She cryptically tells you to keep an eye on him, as he has already betrayed one master. But this warning is only relevant in the most obvious way (see point 1). A Lightsider wouldn't have to worry at all. Not to mention, Senya is also a defector. So we don't know where her venom comes from. Her accusation that Koth abandoned his post flies in the face of her later statement that the Knights of Zakuul should've rebelled once Arcann slaughtered the Scions (who are way more legitimate targets than the civilians of Denon)

He is still loyal to Zakuul itself. If you are Lightsided (i.e. he stays with you past KOTFE) he is the only one who advocates for Zakuul. Even Arcann and Senya don't.

All of these paint a rather incomplete story.

I know KOTFEET got more rushed as time went on, but Koth's story is the one that stands as the most obviously abandoned.

The biggest nonresolution is his devotion to Valky. And by extension, the Eternal Empire's adherence to Valkorionism. The citizens of Zakuul still believe in Valk by the end of KOTET, and we have no reason to believe that they're any closer to figuring out the truth.

I recall that in cut content, there was a discarded accusation from Senya about his ambitions. We also know that KOTFEET was supposed to be a three-parter, with Arcann being the big bad for KOTFE, Vaylin for KOTET, and Valk for Part III (KOTIE? KOT Immortal Emperor?).

One theory I had was that Koth might have become a new host for Valkorion at the end of KOTET. Willingly or otherwise, perhaps depending on player choices. And that perhaps his eyes would be opened at the end of III, which would end in an Echoes of Oblivion-esque way.

The second theory is related to another piece of cut dialogue, this one from Vaylin. She tells Arcann "Thexan isn't our only sibling," or something similar. Now, the obvious implication is that the Player Character is this mysterious missing sibling, but after a quick look at this reddit post's summary, I had a different theory. A very tinfoily theory.

(Quick summary: this post compares the Imperial family to the Zakuulan pantheon. Valk is Izax, Senya is Scyva, Arcann is Esne, Vaylin is Tyth, and Thexan is Aivela. Which leaves Nahut, the god of apathy or the hated son)

Maybe that other sibling--or half-sibling, per my tinfoil hat theory--was Koth Vortena. I don't know if it was confirmed that it was the Outlander for sure, but this kinda clashes with the roleplaying aspect of the game. And the species. Our player character is definitely not a hybrid.

Maybe at some point, Valkorion had another mistress who bore him another son, but who got exiled with him for some unknown offense. Possibly, before the twins were born, as Koth appears to be a bit older than Arcann.

Reasons why I was thinking about this now.

He is the only other major Zakuulan we frequently interact with. While it still makes sense that he's an ordinary guy, it could've also meant that he was going to play a significant role in the future of Zakuul.

Senya's dislike of Koth would be a little more understandable if she always saw him as a threat to her own children's legitimacy, and couldn't let go of it even after all this time. It also goes with her accusation about his ambition. Koth might not know about his parentage, as his in-game reason for hating Senya totally makes sense. She was Arcann's loyal Knight who hunted him and his crew, and nearly killed them on at least a few occasions. But then, he might just as easily resent her for believing that she was the reason why his mother was cast aside, even if she had nothing to do with it.

Again, his unflinching loyalty to Zakuul no matter its inner darkness. His continued mission to keep it safe, even after KOTFEET. He is an excellent candidate for the new leader (emperor/king) of Zakuul, had it not been instead given to... who's that other guy? Doesn't matter.

This theory actually goes well with the 'Maybe Koth was meant to be Valkorion's new vessel' angle.

Combining both theories, here's what Koth's originally intended story might have been like, but got cut because it was seen as racist.

Despite the obvious problems in this story, I feel like this would've had a more complete arc for Koth, and allowed him to have a story of his own that wasn't relegated to the background.

Koth would become a contender for the Eternal Throne after proving his lineage.

He helps the Alliance overthrow Arcann and Vaylin, but perhaps in a more prominent leadership role. Zakuulans disaffected with Arcann would flock to his banner.

He is approached by Valkorion, who manages to escape the Outlander's body.

Koth accepts--perhaps reluctantly--to serve as his vessel. He is still loyal, after all. Perhaps he might request Valkorion not to destroy an Outlander he's grown fond of (and Lana.)

Inside Valkorion's psyche, he gets horrified, finally seeing the man for what he really is. The revitalized Immortal Emperor may be openly harsh and cruel, even to the people of Zakuul, which might be the reason why they also lose their faith in him. Or the Alliance could find proof revealing his true nature.

Inside his own head, Koth helps the Alliance (who at this time might include OL, Lana, Theron, Scourge, Kira, Satele, Marr, Revan, the Exile, the Tiralls, and maybe even others like Dramath) fight and slay Tenebrae/Vitiate/Valkorion. He might survive, or not. If he does, he's the new Emperor of Zakuul, but with only a small portion its once endless fleet. (Perhaps the Alliance was forced to sacrifice the Gravestone to bring it to this state. But there are enough ships left that the Pub and Imp decide not to tangle with them)

I would like you guys' opinions on this!

#star wars #swtor #star wars the old republic #the old republic #koth vortena #theories #fan theories #fanart #my art #human art

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wasted-women · 9 months

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ROUND 1C, MATCH 3 OUT OF 8!

Causes of Death & Propaganda Under the Cut:

Tara Maclay

Cause of Death: Shot in crossfire

Propaganda:

Ok so idk if she actually counts but I'm submitting her and please throw her out if not. Here's why I think Tara was fridged: the sole purpose of her death was to further the plot and cause pain to other characters. Now, because it's Buffy, these other characters were women. So her death was only to cause pain to her girlfriend (ex-girlfriend? They were broken up but mending) Willow, cause her to relapse into magic, and then make her essentially the big bad of the season. All of this was then to cause Buffy, the protag, to have to fight her best friend and be told she needed to either stop her or kill her. So while Buffy and Willow are both women, Tara's death was solely to cause them pain as significant other and protagonist and to further the plot. (It's also bury your guys and Joss Whedon sooooo). Tara literally was killed sloppily for no other reason than as a plot device in a desperate "well we already killed our protag and brought her back to life, how do we raise the stakes from here" ploy necessitated by crappy writing. If she doesn't count, again please throw her out, but I feel like she counts as fridging esp when looking at how Joss Whedon rights Buffy in this season to essentially bc a self insert of man pain but as a woman.

this is the only lgbt example I can think of but it definitely counts imo. link to death scene here (scene starts a minute into the video, with obvious trigger warnings for death and blood and gunshots): https://youtu.be/01NxsKojYyM?si=dxZvcvOhp3x6S8ha

Stuffing a woman in the fridge is one thing, but stuffing a queer woman who was one half of a beloved same-sex couple on a TV show famous for its strong female characters for the sake of drama while enforcing negative LGBT+ stereotypes in the process is really something else.

Her girlfriend, Willow essentially plays the role of the man in the relationship. Tara dies to facilitate her villain arc. Xander is also sad about her death and he is a man.

Mako Mori

Cause of Death: Exploded in a helicopter

Propaganda:

The Mako Mori test has been proposed as a "better" version of the Bechdel Test (which I'm well aware of the bechdel tests point and common misuse) she has a full, rich arc that is not romance oriented in the first movie. Also she pilots a giant robot. In the second movie she's textbook definition fridged.

Daenerys Targareon

Cause of Death: Stabbed by her lover for becoming a tyrant

Propaganda:

I'm just. I can't believe she hasn't been submitted yet. Classic example of end game fridging, where she *had* to be killed by her male lover to bring him pain and Man Tears TM. Clearly it effects him (sad) more than her (dead). Now obv Dany had a whole plot prior to this, but her death itself is such a classic example of fridging that I have to submit her, it legit only happened for a stupid "plot" to bring Jon ManPain. It was a death so stupid that GOT, what once was a cultural touchstone, isn't talked about except in how bad the end was

#wasted women poll #round 1 #round 1c #tara maclay #buffy the vampire slayer #mako mori #pacific rim #daenerys targaryen #game of thrones #game of thrones tv #poll bracket #poll tournament #character polls #polls

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inkdemonapologist · 4 months

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are you excited for the big role sammy's going to play in Cage?? im apprehensive... i love him a feral amount and i was real disappointed with his 2 seconds of screentime in BatDR

also just saying ur sammy drawings give me life he looks wonderful in hats

brought to u by ⭐️ anon

Hehehe aw thank you!! :D

There’s a lot of things in Dark Revival I ended up disappointed about, but despite my love of Sammy Lawrence, Sammy barely appearing was not really one of them. At the time, I’d commented to friends that the complete lack of Sammy mentions in the hype leading up to BatDR meant he was either very important or had only a cameo appearance, and I was actually pretty delighted about the Cyclebreaker cameo – it’s a moment that takes him startlingly seriously, that wasn’t just him quoting one of his four catch phrases; it’s... a kind of moment we haven’t seen from Sammy before. The part where he gets shot was like, where my expectations were, so the cyclebreaker thing was a pleasant surprise.

But like, ever since The Cage was announced… we knew Sammy kind of had to be in it. Like, Henry says “how did WE escape” and it’s set in the SPECIFIC place and time that Sammy also is; literally the only reason for Sammy to not be a significant character is if the creators actually didn’t want anything to do with him. So I have to admit the announcement that WE CAN CONFIRM that SAMMY WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE CAGE!!!!!!! RESTORED TO HIS CHAPTER 2 CREEPY GLORY! is just…… ugh, it’s hard to articulate why this tweet frustrates me so much.

Like………………….. "he's in it more" is not the only thing people care about, surely! What is he doing? What is his role in all this? What does he even WANT? In a review, "he's back to his chapter 2 creepy glory" would be a powerful recommendation; in a tweet from the creator right after preorders go up, it feels more like, "Hey, remember the thing you wanted? we DEFINITELY did that thing you wanted and we did it SUPER WELL so preorder our game please!!" Give us an intriguing line of dialogue or a hint about what he's doing (opposing you? helping you? uneasy truce? trying to find bendy?) and you wouldn't even need to promise us that he plays a major role; we'd be curious to learn more.

So this reassurance ends up doing the opposite, for me, because I still don't know if the creators even understand what I like about Sammy. The thing is that the circumstances of BatDR (there's a little Bendy running around, the Ink Demon is claimed dead but actually it's not, Wilson is trying to become the Lost Ones' new Big Brother) could've been INCREDIBLY relevant to Sammy -- that's why people wanted him to show up in BatDR, to see what he thinks of these developments and how he would react to them!! So if you're interested in Sammy, the character, then it would not be hard to hint at like, what his deal is – "Sammy knows the Ink Demon is out there somewhere and Henry is the key to finding him" or "after the disappearance of his Lord he's become a desperate man who's as much an obstacle as an ally" or even "Sammy was defiant when he went into the Pit -- what will Henry find when he encounters him now?" or w/e -- simply insisting HES LIKE HE WAS IN CHAPTER TWO, THE ONE YOU GUYS LIKE instead of being able to think of a single character-based hint that we might find compelling is, tbh, rather un-reassuring!!!

My complaint about Twisted Alice’s role in BatDR was that ultimately, it felt like they were just trying to capture the vibes that Twisted Alice had in BatIM instead of really exploring what that character would be doing HERE, in THIS situation. Nothing she’s doing really makes sense, and what IS there seems to have forgotten what her actual deal is, but she’s doing it with the right flair, so it feels like she’s in-character enough for the scene to be fun. Like an episodic cartoon that just forgets what happened in previous episodes depending on who’s writing this one. So… I think that’s a real risk for Sammy. For the people who just want him to show up and whisper cult-ish things so we can hear his voice more and go HEHEHE ITS HIM, this isn’t really a concern lmao, that will probably happen. I don’t have high hopes that he’ll make sense as a character, but tbf I don’t know that he ever has.

And IDK, its still early, its possible the cage will come out and I'll look up spoilers and be like OMG NM I LOVE WHAT THEY DID WITH HIM. A game that's supposed to be psychological horror could, in theory, be a really fun place for Sammy!! Maybe the people actually writing him will give him more care, haha. It's a little silly for me to be so worked up about the marketing for a game that I am not going to buy b/c I’m still not interested in giving JDS, Inc. my money. AND YET DESPITE IT ALL I STILL… CARE ABOUT SAMMY LAWRENCE LMAO….. I think my main emotion about The Cage is just curiosity, though. I do want to know what they do with him. I’m curious if he’ll play a major part in the story, or if he’s like Henry or Porter in BatDR, with one big scene where he gets a bunch of lines and then runs off. A lot of people really want to see Henry and Sammy team up in this, but I’m not writing off the possibility he’s an antagonist of some kind, so I’m curious which way that’ll go. But I don’t feel like I have any strong expectations, so I guess we’ll see!

#sammy lawrence #i know you have questions you always do #bendy saltposting #finally makes a tag so u can mute me being salty abt the franchise if ur not here for that!!

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oh-my-may · 4 months

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LET'S TALK GENSHIN AND REMURIA AND ARLECCHINO BEFORE I FORGET AND WE'RE ALREADY IN SECOND HALF OF THE PATCH WHY DOES TIME FLY WHEN YOU'RE AN ADULT

I'm gonna start the post with a few paragraphs I wrote just a few days after the patch went live:

So I finished the first Remuria world quest - it was beautiful. And really not as long as I first expected it to be. I probably could have finished it on the first day if I wouldn't have been as tired as I was

First of all the new map is beautiful. You'd think after 3? patches of map expansions where we already got underwater stuff it would feel repetetive but somehow it looks and feels different and refreshing. Maybe because majority of the map are caves where you can walk normally or they're ruins... idk.

I couldn't help but draw parallels between Remuria and HSR's Penacony tho, especially look-wise, the talk of a dreamscape and the theme of music. Especially now after finishing Penacony 2.2 I can't help but feel the two are very similar in certain aspects... the motive of Harmony and Song and Peace and saving a people and Gods? Also the way Remuria looks is so similar to certain things in Penacony? I already said rhis in my post on HSR, this is absolutely no hate whatsoever. I reckon there's only so much you can do with these motives? It's interesting how differently it looks in both games tho.

So yeah, Remuria is beautiful. The music is an out of body experience and encapsulates the whole thing perfectly. I haven't explored all of the map yet, but I like the new mechanisms a lot. The floating books look so cool and just generally the significance of music through it all... *sigh* it's so enjoyable.

So far for Remuria... i definitely missed a few things I wanted to say but it's been like 2 weeks since I played this and I definitely forgot something haha

AS FOR ARLECCHINO THO

First of all she's broken omg. It is kind lf annoying that it'll take weeks to max out her talents, rn for me she's sitting at crowned NA and skill and burst are level 7 each. But she still hits for like over 50k with each normal attack when she has a bond of life. Don't even get me started on her with Yelan MY GOD.

Okay with that out of the way let me talk about her story quest. First of all I find it very intriguing that hyv gave up on the usual pattern of having the second weekly boss for a nation be tied to the Archon and their respective second story quest (besides Mond ig)... i mean yeah Fontaine's archon situatipn is very peculiar but technically Neuvilette has taken over the role for now, right? Neither him nor Furina getting a second story quest makes me think Neuvi's probably gonna get his way later because it'll be HUGE. Again I wanna say that lore wise Neuvi is my fav character... HES JUST SO FNDNDBDN. And Furina is probably gonna get a pretty "random" one at one point kinda like Yoimiya did or Cyno... like its gonna be a good quest but it'a gonna be random. ANYWAY

I wonder how much different I would habe perceived the quest if I hadn't watched the Animated Short about Arlecchino that they put on Youtube... like it's her whole backstory? I could see where the quest was going right from the beginning because of it... that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, tho

Childe's little surprise cameo made me so happy c: MY BOY. He's alive snd well AND IN FONTAINE. Let me remind ypu we last officially saw him in the last Atchon quest gwtting yeeted into a black hole by Skirk. Then it was mentioned at the end that he was being treated and sent gome to Snezhnaya. Well...

The whole cryptic talk between Arle and Childe was quite interesting... so this project by the Fatui, right? (Forgot the name rn bc it's been a few days since I played the quest) Is it fonna be significant for Natlans story? What does it entail?? THE TEASE NNNNGNNGHH

I wonder if at some point in the game we're actually gonna see Lyney become the new head of House of the Hearth. Like... it's mentioned quite a lot in his story as well as in everything that has tp do with the House and Sröecchino herself... I wonder 🤔

Throughout the story I was reminded that one of the first things we heard about her (Childes voiceline that came out in like??? 3.0 or so???). It was that she would turn her back on and betray the Harbingers (AND THE TSARISTA) without second thought. She even says this herself in her voicelines. I just wonder what her ultimate goal is? To free herself from the curse? Which btw they tell us nothing about in the story. Story is all about the House and its inner workings and Arle's feelings about it and plans for the future (which I love btw but still not quite understand)... we also casually get told that Arle is not even that old??? Like the whole thing with Crucabena is so recent that Freminet remembers her???? Amd Arle was maybe a Teenager when she killed her so like??? She's only around 10 years older than the kids????

So how come she's a descendant from Khaenri'ah? I don't know if I read somewhere abput it or if its a rumor but not confirmed or if its said in her personal story which I haven't read yet but... she'a from the crimson moon dynasty? Or has some ties to it? And her curse is definitely related to it BUT WHAT IS HER CURSE EXACTLY. WHY DOES SHE HAVE IT. If she's only in maybe her late 20s she couldn't have been an actual Khaenriahn citizen (same as Kaeya and he still gives me the same headache thinking about this) so how does it all tie together in the end?? Does it have to do with the God of time maybe??? (Nevermind if this is talked about in her personal story in her profile I haven't read that yet)

So yeah... the fight woth her was so cool. The animation??? I saw people get upset about the fact that Traveler couldn't beat her but I actually love that?? Like... She'a #4 of the Harbingers and has some curse probably tied to Khaenriah and she KILLED A HARBINGER WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER??? Traveler nlt being this almighty MC makes them so much mlre likeable like yeah... they are obv far from having their actual power back? It took us ... how many times to fight Shuki No Kami before we could defeat it in the final try to learn all the patterns? The game wants to tell us that there's much more powerful enemies in Teyvat and rhis is only the beginning. Let me tell you yeah we beat Signora but it was Raiden who killed her... it was Zhongli who subdued Azhdaha. We only healed Apep with Nahidas help. Traveler has never been able to easily defeat these big enemies, they always had help. Yeah they have been getting stronger, they've been getting access to more elements but the bis enemies are just getting stronger and bigger too... I wonder where that will lead. Maybe the twins are only gonna get their true power bavk once they're united... ANYWAY

Her weekly boss fight is cool too. Using different mechanisms again, with the whole Bond of Life thing and all. She does this one attack in her second phase that I just... can't get behind tho. Someone always has to be the victim, THE SACRIFICE, to get me through haha. Idk how to dodge or avoid that attack. The one where she floats above the arena and then these bombs? Idk? Come down and basically crash down on the whole arena and I haven't found a spot where you can aboid getting hit and therefore killed immediately idk.

So yeah that's all for now. Very excited to play Cyno's second story quest. Heard only good things so far about it, which is good because I really didn't like his first one 💀 probably gonna get around to play it one of these days. Same as with the rest of Remuria exploration, gonna need mlre Clorinde funds :3

(Gonna add screenshots later, it's been so long that the ones I took aren't saved in the PS App anymore 💀)

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me-uglypretty · 2 years

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the killing & the pinning

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: Natasha finds herself enjoying the company of death, both literally and physically.

Warning: 18+ (G), au, serial killer!natasha, grim reaper!reader, blood, killing, dead bodies, violence, mention of knife, smut, bottom natasha, pet names, r being a top, minor mention of scythe used for sex | 3755 Words

| spooky week ‘22 masterlist | Notify | Masterlist |

Amid the summer’s harsh warmth of 2016, fallen leaf crunches under worn out boots and the victory grin on Natasha’s face after committing her first murder. The sun’s glimmer felt refreshing after seizing her first opportunity into the rush of a serial killer with a charming smile and eyes flickers of every excellent qualities.

Natasha Romanoff was born in Russia, but her family moved to Ohio when she was twelve. Adapting to her new life wasn’t easy with the cultural and language barrier. Her auburn hair easily drawing attention from left and right, even when she dyed it blue. But if given the chance to leave her new home, she would politely decline with a reassuring smile that was sure to melt hearts.

From her perfect grades, awarding ballet skills, and manners that went beyond capturing hearts of boys her age to elderly gushing about her politeness. Natasha’s overall personality wasn’t hard to love or adore, she was often kind and deem as the golden child—either secretly or openly from those around her and her own parents, despite having a younger sister trying to reach the same level of admiration.

She once heard her neighbours complains, forefinger pointed at his reckless children with a new lesson leading to their expanded annoyance, “Learn something from Natasha! Good grades, good at sports, and she doesn’t disobey her parents! Everyone loves her…and she graduated university!” and she walked away before greeting another pair of parents admiring her.

They merely entered the church when her name was showered with such beautiful petals. She wondered if the god they preached felt jealous of her, so easily engulf of sweet words and gestures without a second doubt.

It’s shocking and unbelievable how time drastically changes people.

Natasha huffs, wisp of auburn hair tickles her moisty forehead while hauling the lifeless boy that seems eager to smear blood on the once spotless floor. But out of everything that could rendered someone disgusted like the pool of blood one part of the floor or the obvious slice of skin gushing with blood, Natasha felt most uneasy when her darken eyes meets the sight of a naked body. Not even the knife stuck between his chest made her sick.

The bloody path on the floor leads from where she successfully heard his final cries to where she now stands, trying transfer his body. Part of her felt disappointment in herself from sheer careless in executing her plan. Thought, each step of her favourable gruesome activity was laced with do’s and don’t’s which are exactly what she noted to ensure the next murder is better.

Natasha grumbles under her breath with curses that sounds sweeter in her mother tongue. Her hands grip the mop’s wooden stick, frustration was slowly seeping into her enjoyment. The mop’s grey threads were soaked darker substance, red bleeding through and mocking her avoidable mess. If only her direct anger didn’t drag her into reacting instantly before listening to her sense of clarity.

But it’s over and done.

The dead body, Brady or Bruce, a name that wasn’t significant. Only that he was an obstacle. He played the role of the perfect man, religious since his youth and passing his years of lessons to his children. He was forty something and a complete creep. It was almost impressing seeing his calm demeanour under the god’s oath, then witnessing his sleazy hands guiding intoxicated girls into the bar’s restroom. Several drinks, whispers of sweet nothings, and the lack of judgement on their side.

And he most definitely winked at her by the bar’s entrance. That was his first and final strike.

He became the next victim in her list of those murdered over their negative traits. One of which was her roommate of two months during her first year of university. That woman was in her thirties and insisted on sharing Natasha’s food. Whatever fruits or prepped food according to Natasha’s strict diet was often eaten without consent and she hated it.

Bye-bye Michelle, and hello to her satisfied hunger. Alongside with her stocked fridge.

Now, Bruce’s lifeless body was lying in Natasha’s unnamed apartment in the rundown part of New York. It took her a lengthy time to obtain the perfect location after she decided to leave her beloved hometown. There was more of life beyond her small town that she years to discover. University was her first step then the next was completely adulthood with an even consistent career.

“And there’s another both. Oh, nice, the man you complained about the last time.”

Natasha’s round lips curves, her previous frustration melted at the voice seeping through her consciousness. The sound that tightens her chest for the mere seconds before exploding, pulsing at every trudge of her legs and her hands clammy. She shifts her gaze to the voice pulling her closer and meets the sight of you form hovering by the opened window.

Completely dressed in black from head to toe, broad shoulder holding a flowy cloak, and standing taller than her, almost towering over her. The obvious glimmer of red pulses through your round eyes and the scythe being held your hand. Teeth sharp when you speak and the taunting smirk that doesn’t fade till you completely disappear from her sight.

The first time Natasha met you was forever imprinted in her memory. It was a cheerful day she committed her first murder and the start of an endless encounter. Natasha remembers every detail of the eventful day, from the pleasurable fear in her victim’s eyes to meeting yours after the last seconds of life faded. She would had proudly gushed about meeting the you as the Grim Reaper, but of course, it remains a secret.

Natasha’s eighteen-birthday was the first time she realised how she craves to hear helpless bodies begging for mercy. A sight she long to witness on repeat. The awful man was screaming his forties away at every jarring stab on his body, a euphoric sound for her. It wasn’t weird or scary, but something she felt pleasant about. Her first murder wasn’t meaningless either.

Mr Stark tried running over her sister’s dog twice. Each met with her dangerous glare and his grimy face. He was a blabbermouth too. He tried convincing her parents that she was sneaking out her room to participate in unholy activities.

But she conveniently saw him jerking off. Specifically, ten minutes after catching her kissing Wanda Maximoff. The priest’s daughter and her then, supposedly forever, girlfriend.

On that graceful night, Natasha met you—the legendary Grim Reaper intertwining into the life of an unknown the killer.

Natasha was surprised at first, seeing someone watching her from the corner of her mother’s home office and the obvious polished blade glints under the harsh light. She was mesmerised as her eye’s trails pass the sharp object to the structure of your face, a mysterious persona. An undying hunger was awakened from within after that day.

You weren’t known to most, but you had the softest smile on your face as your gaze drops on the lifelessly body, “A little disorganized for your first murder.”

Laughter erupts, sounding carefree and at ease after Natasha’s scrambled to pull out the hidden knife in her boots and pointing it towards the stranger. Tension sizzles in the air, Natasha was sure her first and hopefully, her last murder would had been executed without any kind of interruption or mistakes. It was an act of vengeance for her sister and his big mouth. A death for things that was incredibly wrong.

After her first time, Natasha laid in bed without anyone else’s knowledge of her gruesome truth. The crime committed just hours ago. Her mind flashing with images of blood tainted on her hands, the fear in his eyes and lips quiver as if she would reconsider his actions, the knife sliding through his skin and his muffled screams. The satisfaction garnered from knowing someone received their well-earned death made her feel better.

And the mysterious stranger, you were watching her clean the mess made while offering words of assistance. Mostly unhelpful, but a teasing tone at your every touch of voice that made her cheeks warm.

Then, the introduction that her left her mouth gape—your mysterious self and so effortlessly beautiful, a collector of souls, known as Death, soul harvester, a fulfilling sight—and your name that wasn’t known.

Your response to her bewildered expression was your chilling step closer, the air made Natasha shudder and your cold hand slithers out from beneath your dark cloak. The same hand grasps Natasha’s jaw then softly pushing her jaw up to complete shut her mouth, “Don’t wanna catch death flies.”

Natasha’s urges only amplify. She wondered if another round of cries and a bloody mess would grant her the appearance of Death. Will you grace Natasha with your presence again or were you simply a fragment of her imagination and if that was it, she might really be losing her mind.

A week later, Natasha committed her second kill and you appeared with a flattering smirk.

The unlikely friendship manifested after every encounter of unimaginable death. It was after her seventh that Natasha found peace within her inner battle. Those hours spent killing people and the solace she found wasn’t her unwinding herself from stress but embracing her true passion. Accepting her desire to see you again. There wasn’t another way of meeting Death, if not committing murder.

Killing, murdering, unliving someone in the most gruesome way. That was her source of self-indulgence and the direct connection to you.

Conversations were brief, mostly surrounding Natasha’s recent kill. Gradually, conversations evolve into your questions about her life that wasn’t revolving dead bodies. Casual conversations became your thing with her, but still, you were nothing more than an acquaintance.

Why was she attached to a mystical creature? Why was every act of murder accompanied with aching anticipating for you?

Slowly, after throwing her frustration at her fourth kill, a woman who tried cutting her line at the grocery store then proceeding to flaunt her money which was a direct descended of stolen money— that she finally realise how she was incredibly fucked up and she was harbouring feelings for the Grim Reaper.

The unusual amount of time she had spent rehearsing conversations then trying to start said conversation wasn’t normal nor was it easy with you. Death or simply you weren’t someone who speaks as much. Natasha’s fear of messing up her words creeps her confidence and the fear of ruining her honoured title as Death’s favourite killer.

Your favourite serial killer.

Natasha Romanoff had successfully committed a total of thirty-seven kills, seventeen were committed within the span of one week. It wasn’t her brightest moment. You waver your presence at some visits till you started visiting her most often and longer which made Natasha excessively happy, not only from the sheer liking of killing but the chance of seeing you.

But the murders weren’t only committed with the purpose of seeing you.

“This was a bit messy. Don’t you think?” you asked, sauntering into the room and crossing your arms, gazing down at the lifeless body wrapped in an old carpet then your eyes wanders to the blood stains on the floor.

The smirk on your lips extends to your cheeks, wickedly scary and Natasha felt her legs trembles for the sheer seconds of your eyes meeting hers.

You snap your fingers, regaining Natasha’s attention from her daze state. The killer, the name so profound, snaps from her thoughts and takes a step back when she realises your proximity. Her tongue tied, throat burning of words she dares not utter and her gaze momentarily falls on your round lips.

“You’re making my job way harder than it has to be, Natasha…” your voice emits a certain coldness of death which instigate a shiver on Natasha’s skin. Hint of silver glint from your teeth beneath a malicious smirk, tongue darting across smooth lips. “And you’re such a good girl, aren’t you?”

Natasha doesn’t favour commands from those assuming they had some sort of authority over her, not even parent’s righteous or the overcrowding teachers flinging their advice at her innocent face. There’s always an alternative response in those moments with a faultless performance.

But the current thumping of heart’s desire, good girl—prodding into Natasha’s mind, swiftly nudging her head as she nodded obediently and the corners of her lips curves, drawing a smile on her face while your distinguishable smirk blurs in her vision to reveal an astonishing smile.

The skilful killer whose body count was so distinct from what was assumed of her, realises something on that dusky night.

She loves your smile and she worship the intimate exchange over splattered blood.

An abrupt thump on the ground stirs Natasha’s drifting mind as the surge of opaque mist envelopes her surroundings. Absolute darkness buries her vision, hands reaching for something, but not the slightest fear crawls at her skin.

Then, a hushed sound emerges to her left and seconds after, another wisp of icy air blows at her right cheek.

“Such a good girl.”

Natasha sucks a deep breath, feeling slender fingers at the nape of her neck before flickers of light invades her sight—and those familiar eyes of yours, an endless abyss and a taunting smile, merely an inch away from her.

“You don’t have to stand on a mountain of bodies for my attention,” your voice echoes through her mind, “Just tell me what you want and…” and your eyebrows furrowed, giving an impression that you know of those flowing thoughts behind starving eyes.

Natasha’s breath escapes as gasps when your feverish lips contacted hers. It jolts something within her soul, the terror screams of her victims couldn’t compare as she submits, lips parting slightly as unfamiliar velvety tongue slips into her mouth.

You’re mine, Natasha.

She doesn’t utter a word. The silent hums of lips meeting were enough of an acceptance. Natasha felt like a virgin, so clumsy and inexperienced, savouring the distinctive taste in her mouth, how hands were daringly crossing bridges of which she would had cut their hands off—but these hands, so cold, so rough and yet, emits a placid feeling that she craves.

She doesn’t know how long lips melted against each other or when her body falls on a bed of grey clouds, flicker of red somewhere in the room she couldn’t care to know. Natasha hasn’t thought of life ahead, she hasn’t encounter anything as satisfying than the thirst inside to kill then she found herself consumed by the persistence of Death; your mystical self, adoring darkness from your core to the lifts of your lips, mocking her and teasing, relentlessly tugging her heart into a dangerous zone.

“You are an astounding human,” you whispered, luring Natasha from her daze to realise her position. Your thighs straddle her waist, holding her down as your dark cloak pools on her lower half. “I had never met someone so corrupted and so eager to please.”

It was absurd how easily she surrendered, “Please…” she was writhing beneath you. Natasha doesn’t understand why she was begging for mercy. Fear of her life merely exist, but the aching inside that seeks a healing touch, heart begging for more than your lips risky endeavour on her skin.

She feels the surge of energy setting her insides with a fire and her mouth gasping as your hand enclose around her throat and the other trails a path down her abdomen. The twist of hips, pelvis hitting at each thrust, body savouring ever messy touch and moans echoes around.

The cloak shielding your body slowly peels slightly, glimpse of nude skin and Natasha’s mouth waters to unveil more as her greedy hand reach over, pulling the offending material as it falls lower.

“Oh god,” Natasha whimpered, her eyes distracted by firm breast mercilessly shifting at every thrust. “You’re beautiful,” she observes the scene for a lustful moment before feeling a gust of wind on her skin, almost naked if not covered by matching coloured lingerie.

“Almost feel like you were waiting for this, were you?” you teased, forefinger drawing a line between Natasha’s slit, scoffing when the famed killer whimpers for more. “You’re so helpless under me. Was this what they felt?”

Surprised was an understatement at your influence on her body. The clothes seemingly disappearing in air and her mind spiralling in immoral thoughts, craving for you to completely remove your dark cloak.

The ambience of the room or what space she couldn’t decipher, launches herself into an arouse state as her wide-eyes watch your head declines from her clear sight to finding your head between her thighs, fingers digging into her warm skin, nails leaving crescent dents as she sucks a deep breath.

Your cold tongue licks a stripe over her heated core. Realisation creeps in of her complete naked state and the eagerness for her body to uncover more as your mouth thrust into throbbing core. Natasha’s mind clouding with euphoria, aimlessly moaning at ever nudge over her swollen clit and when cold tongue slips into her opening, and her hands falls on the head breaching her common sense.

“Fuck, please don’t stop, don’t stop,” she whined, begging and plunging her entire self into a prodding desire.

The humming from your mouth stirs her body, cold mouth wrapping around her clit as a finger replaces the emptiness in her hole then pulling out and back in, another finger provoking a pleasurable loud moan from her mouth.

“You taste so good,” you praised, soft and grumbled like as your mouth continues their action, and Natasha’s thighs shakes from the sheer sounds of you. Muscles tightening as she closes around your fingers and immersing herself into the pure sensation of warmth invading her stomach, skin sweaty and sticky and your teasing chuckle at her helpless state.

Death. Death. Death. Echoes a defenceless sound in her mind, clouded by the image of your bare breast, the head between her warm legs, taunting smiles and eyes striking her heart to the core, shelving every other thought in replace with one; you.

“You’re such a good girl, uh?”

Obedient too.

Natasha hears your voice occupying painting the walls of her mind and amused as her mouth mumbles of incoherent words. You swiftly lifted her body, shifting position to lay down as Natasha is left straddling you, and your hands guides hers to the breast she was waiting to drag her tongue over. Rough hands press over hers, your pointed eyes urging for her to please you—someone so powerful, commanding her to do something that she swore to perfect.

If she could kill by her own rules, then she would easily master the needs of you.

And she did, trying to dominate the body beneath her, but she was mostly led by every sound of satisfaction from your mouth.

When her tongue wraps around your harden nipple while the other fed with attention from her fingers. Death, so bizarre to fall from her mouth, pants and praises from yours, even when she gulps, completely mesmerised by the sounds pulled from her touch. It wasn’t the sound of useless bodies begging for their life that sets her off, it’s this.

It’s you.

“Don’t stop,” your muffled voice shudders Natasha shoulder with a peculiarly coldness grazing her skin and her head turns to see the scythe’s blade almost clashing with her jaw. “Down…” you ordered, using the extensive hook to nudge her shoulder downwards.

Natasha wordlessly obeyed, nudging her body where she was led to face your glistering core and her own pulses, eagerly anticipating the next rule of orders as her mouth waters for the sleek that coats your thighs. Head lifts for the mere second to see flashes of red behind your dark eyes and your taunting smirk as the silver blade glints close to her cheek.

“Good girls don’t make messes,” your warned with a quirk of your eyebrows, the scythe’s sharp blade grazes Natasha’s cheek. The touch made the latter gasp, feeling a slight pinch on her skin and the trickle of crimson trailing down her face. Your icy hands wipe the red on her cheeks and smiling softly at her tolerance to be used.

Natasha Romanoff doesn’t think that she’s another woman with a gruesome secret or ponders of how her hands waved at elderly couple and guided them across the street, the same hands which she spends hours trying to rid of bloodstains. She simply doesn’t think at that significant moment as her tongue dives without hesitation, dawning her new sense of life by your moans filling the space in her head.

If someone asked of her life’s biggest achievement, she wouldn’t utter of those bloody bodies but would proudly exclaim of tasting life between the threats of death—your thighs clasping around her head, fingers tangled and tugging at her hair, murmurs of command that sets a fire to her lungs, how she felt the sharp blade hovering so dangerously over her back—and they wouldn’t know.

Natasha met the Grim Reaper before she desires for death, then meeting you again and realising the extend of death. Countless of hours spend while a lifeless body accompanies you and her then the hours spend as bodies embrace the other’s need, as she huffs and grunts, moaning and cursing at the pure euphoria erupting from within, and hearing the equally pleased sound from you.

And when morning wakes her in an empty bed, the smell of sex stirs her insides with a hunger.

Bloodstains her hand and underneath her nails, exactly an hour after.

Death gives her chills, and your taunting smile greets her first. Carelessly did she merge her body into yours, the blood stains your skin and hers. Where moans echoes in her mind, an addiction to only satiety with your touch, while scythe trails a line down her body, the end parting her folds and the discovery of a miraculous pleasure as her mouth gape, absorbing your thrust and the sinful words that seeps so sweetly down her throat.

Falling into death’s arms wasn’t a killer’s dream, but Natasha wouldn’t dare wish for anything else when you were there, luring her into your sinful arms and the words spewing from your mouth that seems to thread with her thoughts. Not a mountain of bodies could stop her from reaching the high you had forever embedded on her body.

#spookyweek22 #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x you #natasha romanoff imagine #natasha romanoff x fem!reader #natasha romanoff smut

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lunamaraproject · 7 months

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LUNAMARA: Fragments [6]

🦢

Felix is sure he once heard a philosopher say that only two things were certain: death and taxes. Having been embroiled in the political sphere quite against his will for the past 140 years of his life, he can say with certainty that not only is that true, but that people will occupy 90% of their time arguing about one or both topics when presented with the option to do so.

He doesn’t, technically, have to be here. He’s a mid-level bureaucrat at best, these days, and he worked hard to make himself less significant in the public eye, so he’s not obligated to turn up to public senate meetings. But Cas asked him, and Elsie– well, she didn’t ask, she’s too proud for that, but she also didn’t forbid him to come, which for a girl just a couple of decades past a century, means she desperately wants his company.

Cas plays his role as a guard very well. He looks imposing and cold in his gleaming armor, standing at attention with his spear in hand next to Elsie’s seat at the head of the long wooden table. His gaze is hard and constantly moving, sweeping over the irritated expressions of the senators in front of him. Behind them and further back, a much less organised gaggle of common people, those who are interested enough to take time out of their day to watch old fogies argue with a girl young enough to be their granddaughter.

The room is packed. He’s not sure what that says about their society, or whether the situation has simply gotten to a point where nobody can afford to be “disinterested in politics”.

“My Lady,” says a senator through his teeth, as Elsie inclines her head in his direction. “If the Queen’s government doesn’t disclose to its people the full details of the incident, I fail to see how we can maintain mutual trust!”

“You are expected to trust your Queen by her nature of being Queen, Senator Aurelius,” Elsennae replies. “And all the relevant details have already been disclosed to your office, and to the public.”

“And yet none of it pertains to exactly how long we have left running on our current power!” he snaps back, raising his voice and drawing a few shouts of agreement from the crowd. “The people need to know exactly how much is needed to keep their homes aloft. How else are we to live our lives?!”

Another senator slams her hand onto the table. “How long do we have until another cleaving event like this!?”

“If we don’t know, how are we going to evacuate people from the area in time?!”

“How long before Lunamara itself drops out of the sky!”

Elsennae raises her hands to calm her people, though it takes a few seconds before they quiet down. Felix feels his skin crawl with an unpleasant feeling. For some reason, it reminds him of the whistling of a mortar shell through the air.

“In the interest,” Elsennae says loudly and clearly. “Of the people of Lunamara not living their lives in anxiety and fear, we have chosen not to openly disclose the numerical values of the power needed to maintain current altitude. Regardless we ask for people to continue operating on minimum power at all times, and encourage those who feel ready to enter the Dream–”

Felix moves, but Cas moves faster, smacking the bolt of magic out of the air with his spear, and sending it careening into the nearby wall, where it explodes with enough force to knock multiple senators from their chairs. The crowd panics, as do the politicians, but Felix scrambles to Elsie’s side.

“Felix!” Cas barks, standing between the princess and the crowd. He’s looking for the offender, but in the chaos, it’s unlikely he’ll find them. If he does, Felix doesn’t envy them. “Get her out of here!”

He doesn’t need to be told twice. Elsie’s still small enough to be picked up, which he does, sweeping her into his arms and escaping out of the side door. The palace is a maze, but he’s as familiar with it as he is with his own face, so he takes a winding route that would lose any pursuers that could somehow get past Cas. Again, unlikely, but he’s not made it this far without being careful.

Finally, he stops in a small side room. Closing the door, he seals the edge of it with crystal. Hardly the strongest, but better than nothing. Then he leans against it, sliding down until both he and Elsie are sat on the floor.

This room used to be for servants, he’s fairly sure. It hasn’t seen use in a century, and the dust is prevalent. Elsie would probably use that as an excuse later, for why her eyes are bloodshot and her throat sore. A princess ruling in the place of her sleeping mother can’t afford to look weak.

For now, here with him, she’s just a little girl crying in his arms, shoulders shaking with the weight of an entire crumbling city upon them.

If Felix can bear at least some of the weight for her, he’ll attend every farcical meeting until the end of time.

🌗

More from LUNAMARA:

Fragments: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Comics: [Good Night] [Good Morning]

Art by Luka (http://nousanti.tumblr.com/) Story by Pidge (http://pidgestories.tumblr.com)

#lunamara #lunamara project #nousanti #pidgestories #cassius corvus #felix cygnus #princess elsennae

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wanderingmind867 · 8 months

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Part 4 of my Greek family tree thing. I took a break from it because it was getting kind of dull and it required a lot of wikipedia searching. But I've come back for part 4. The least I can do is discuss the first 12 Titans briefly. So here we go (note: this took me nearly two hours to write):

Gaia and Ouranos had lots of children (including the Cyclopses and the hundred-handed ones) but their most famous children were the 12 Titans. Six male, six female. In order from oldest to youngest (well, with Oceanus as eldest and Kronos as the youngest. I don't know the others) they were:

Oceanus: Oceanus seems like the most gentle of all of Gaia and Ouranos's sons. Being the oldest, perhaps Oceanus had a maturity the others didn't. Oceanus didn't participate in the attack on his father (he was the only one of the six male titans who didn't participate in the attack), and he also didn't any sides during the first titan war. Perhaps this is why there's no indication Oceanus was punished in any significant way. Unlike his brothers, I'm assuming he got amnesty for staying neutral.

Tethys: Tethys would end up as Oceanus's wife. They were both Titans of the water. According to her wikipedia page, Tethys nursed Helios and Selene for her sister Theia. Her and Oceanus may have also raised Hera while Zeus was fighting Kronos. Wikipedia mentioned something about that.

Hyperion: Titan of Light, he is responsible for most of the gods that represent the cosmos. Him and his wife Theia had three kids: Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon) and Eos (the Dawn). Also, Hyperion was guardian of one of the pillars that held up the sky. Him, Crius, Coius and Iapetus were the four Titans in charge of holding up the sky. Hyperion got the Eastern Pillar, making him Titan of the East.

Theia: The Titan in control of sight and vision. Theia is responsible for making precious metals like gold and silver shine the way they do. She made them precious, I suppose you could say. Her and Hyperion were clearly a good pair. Light and Vision, two things very commonly associated with each other.

Coeus: Coeus is the forgotten titan. He's almost never mentioned in the Pjo books, his wikipedia page is much smaller than his brothers, Coeus is clearly very forgettable. Maybe it's because he was one of the middle kids in the titan family. Coeus was also the guardian of the Northern Pillar of the sky, making him Titan of the North. He may have also been the Titan of Knowledge. Apollo, Artemis and Hecate are his grandkids.

Phoebe: Wife of Coeus, Phoebe is also associated with Prophecy. Before her grandson Apollo, Phoebe was the guardian of the Oracle of Delphi. She gave it away to her grandson on one of his birthdays, the same way her sister Themis had given it to her years ago.

Crius/Krios: Titan of the Stars, one of his names (Krios specifically) was supposedly also the Greek word for Ram. Crius is another one that's easily forgotten, but at least he was briefly seem in the Pjo series (that's more than what Coeus got). Crius is also the Titan of the South, holding up the southern pillar of the sky.

Mnemosyne: Titan of memory, Mnemosyne stayed neutral in the Titan war (or fought for the Olympians). We know this because Mnemosyne is also the mother of the nine muses, who were born from Mnemosyne and Zeus.

Iapetus: Titan of Mortality and Craftsmanship, Iapetus was the Titan of the West. He may be seen as humanity's oldest ancestor. To the point where his four children (prometheus, epimetheus, atlas and menoetius) were seen as embodying some of humanity's worst aspects.

Themis: Titan of Justice and Law. Themis would go on to marry Zeus and become his second wife. Fun fact: Themis is still referenced a lot today. Whenever we refer to lady justice, we're probably talking about Themis.

Rhea: Mother of the gods, Rhea plays an important role in the history of Olympus. Also, let's be honest. Rhea probably had an awful life with a husband like Kronos.

Kronos: The youngest of the Titans, Kronos was also the worst of the lot. Kronos was probably the Titan/God of time (unless you think him and Chronos are two different people). Kronos may have also been the god of the harvest. But honestly, he'll always be known for castrating his father and trying to eat his children. Oh, and probably being an abusive husband with that track record.

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1533-secrets-from-history · 1 year

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10 most Influential women in the Ottoman Empire (plus five non- sultans)

I must say in advance, this is purely my opinion and it doesn't include legal power,but general influence. For example if one woman had more legal power but still was limited to some actions, that another woman could get away with, I will rank her higher. Let's start with non sultans.

Part I: Non-Sultans

Number 5: Çevri kalfa

Çevri kalfa was a woman of Georgian origin and previously loyal servant to Nakşidili Sultan (also Georgian). She became mistress head treasurer( Baş hazindar usta) after accession of Mahmud II, who she saved from executioners by throwing them hot coals and sneaking the prince out. After becoming Head treasurer, she attained so much wealth that she could afford expensive clothes not even sultans wore. A girls school, built in her name, is one of the first schools for girls and the biggest primary school in Istanbul. She remained in her office until her death and was Sultan's trusted and favoured advisor.

Number 4: Meleki Kalfa

Meleki kalfa was a servant of Kösem and Ibrahim, however following the deposition of the sultan, she secretly switched sides as an agent of Turhan. Meleki played an important role in Turhan's rebellion by giving her information about Kösem's plan to dethrone Mehmed. After Kösem's death and Turhan's accession, she became an important person in Valide Sultan's court, was freed and married to Şaban Khalife. The couple built a residence in Istanbul, where Meleki not only conditioned her line of information to Turhan, but also acted as a negotiator in the palace on behalf of people. The political influence of her and her husband grew so much and they were murdered in 1656 for abuse of power.

Number 3: Gulfem Hatun

I have spoken about her in my previous posts

Number 2: Mahidevran Hatun

I have thought a lot about where to put her. People would expect her to be Number 1,mostly because they are used to her being sultan. That is what I first thought,for other reasons,but here we are. She has several significant influences that not many other women had:

1. She was popular with janissaries and people

2. Had a spy network, allowing her to hear major events happening in the capital.

3. She had strong allies. Ibrahim Paşa supported her and Mustafa later in his life, Hatice and her husband were supporting her openly or indirectly.

4. She was a considerable rival to the first and one of the most powerful women in the ottoman empire.

5. She had powerful characteristics: Was an intelligent, educated woman. Could mask her resentment towards Hürrem and act calmly around him.

6. She was a trusted advisor to her son. Actually, she supported the idea of Mustafa revolting against Suleiman,but only after she received information about his imminent execution, through her spy network.

Number 1: Çanfeda Kalfa

Çanfeda was the woman of Circassian origin, who served as second in command of Nurbanu for 18 years and the ruler of harem for another 11, so we can say she was de-facto Valide sultan.

In her almost three decades of service, she acquired wealth, so great that it attracted negative attention of Janissaries and even the grand Vizier. Although she collected such affluence through her salary(that was extraordinarily high consisting of 200 akches a day, it was the average salary of an imperial princess) and bribery, she used it for selfless purposes. She built three mosques, fountains, hamams, two schools, irrigation systems and fixed the roads, costing her several million akches, still she remained as one of the wealthiest people in the empire. In 1595, when Safiye exiled her, she needed dozens of carriages to carry her holdings, which apparently did not consist of much of the furniture, because she bought it from Venice the next year. It's also considerable that as an exiled person, she had to give up some of her wealth to imperial treasury.

Apart from her vital involvements in harem management in which she dominated Safiye, she had considerable influence over state matters as well. Çanfeda used her connections to install her not so bright brothers as paşas and after the series of mistakes,they were imprisoned, Çanfeda not only defied Grand viziers orders and had them set free,but restored them to their offices as well. Her power, wealth and influence came to the attention of Janissaries, who demanded her dead, but she got away with this as well. Another indication of her power, was her attempt to free the second son of sultan Murad. Even though she was caught red handed, the power it would take to infiltrate the prison is still considerable.

P.S. I did not list Halime and Handan,because after becoming Valide Sultans and regents they reached a whole different level, leagues above almost every single woman in ottoman history, however their power and influence was immense even when they were Hatuns.

As there is only 10 images/Gif limit. I will speak about 10 most powerful women in second posts.

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drconstellation · 9 months

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Gabriel as a Shoulder Angel: S2 Study

Part 2: Ep.3 I Know Where I'm Going and Ep.5 The Ball

So far in this series we've covered S1 and the Job minisode in S2E2, where the classic Supreme Archangel Gabriel stands on the left-hand side of the archangels as their collective shoulder-demon. As he arrived at the bookshop at the beginning of S2 we see that we are getting a parallel to the opening of S1, with Gabriel becoming a mirror and a foil to Crowley.

Episode 3: I Know Where I'm Going

We open with a content and safe ex-archangel clad in archangel tartan (with Aziraphale's teal underneath,) observing the world below as it wakes up.

Once he's dressed and downstairs at work, we get a centralized look at his hands holding a significant book. It's from the movie "A Matter of Life or Death," but you see it in the opening credit under it's US title release "Stairway to Heaven." The best meta I've seen describing the movie is here by @simonezitrone79

Crowley is looking after Jim in the bookshop while Aziraphale has gone to Edinburgh at this point. He stays on the demonic left, and Jim on the angelic right while they have a discussion about gravity, and things staying where you put them - or not. The book and it's movie connection is relevant to this discussion. It alludes to returning an item to its rightful place. But how do you decide where that rightful place should be? Is it natural for angels to go upwards, and demons downwards? Do only flies have the ability to defy the laws of the universe set unchallenged since the beginning of time? They all have wings...

Jim is still a puzzled and doubtful angel as Crowley describes his "Operation Lovebirds" plan. It sounds like there is some demonic mischief afoot!

After the failure of the rainstorm to get Maggie and Nina together, Crowley turns to find Jim sitting in a chair - back on the left.

Crowley's comment about a tempest triggers another possession of Jim, and an ominous prophetic warning of storms to come.

Just as Jim snaps out of this, Crowley must rush outside to confront Shax. He decides he won't play her games, and retreats back inside the bookshop, where Shax can't follow. He suggests she might spot an archangel, and the camera focus slides from Crowley on the left to Jim on his angelic right, suggesting to us they are one and the same.

But once Shax is gone, the real demon emerges to the suggested trouble-making demon, and threatens Jim with something awful if anything happens to Aziraphale.

We don't see Jim during Episode 4, so on to the next one!

Episode 5: The Ball

At Aziraphale's suggestion, Crowley comes to talk to Gabriel, and finds him playing with a lamp light switch upstairs in the bookshop.

Crowley enters the room blocked on the angelic right side at the start of the conversation, while Jim is demonized on the left.

Crowley has often doubted that Gabriel has really lost him memory, and is just pretending to be vague and naive, so confronts him with his crimes against Aziraphale in Crowley's eyes. Jim is on the left-side while this occurs.

But as he watches Jim begin to climb out the window, Crowley becomes the demon again. This is partly due the Temptation that is occurring here - the Second Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, leading up to his entry into Jerusalem, as Gabriel and Crowley also share the roles of Jesus in the underlying story line of the The Passion that is playing out throughout S2.

Crowley stops him from falling, again, and Jim returns to the angel-side for the moment, while Crowley questions him further.

"Where is your memory, then?" he asks? "Everywhere."

Crowley eventually gives up, but seems to understand somewhat, and offers Jim a hot chocolate. Jim is now back in the center of the camera, in a neutral position.

Its worth speaking a bit more about the hot chocolate at this point, as Jim is the only one who really drinks it during S2. And both Aziraphale and Crowley offering it is significant, especially in light of the coffee shop name. I've talked about it a couple of times, and when I look back on what I've said it is usually tinged with what ever was the topic being discussed at the time. But the guts of what I said remain the same. Crowley is essentially making an apology here to Jim for what he just did, but on another level the hot chocolate represents a choice that the others in S2 don't get.

Most of us get the two options, coffee, or death. But Jim has been given a third option, and he has grabbed it enthusiastically with both hands. Aziraphale has handed it to him in spades, even! That much will take a long time to get through, wouldn't it. It's a big generous gift, that Aziraphale understands well. Gabriel came to Aziraphale because he instinctively knew Aziraphale understood what he needed. Mr 'six-shots-of-espresso' loves his freedom, or liberty, and his life here on Earth. The humans who line up for their dose of Heaven every day do, too. Death is the option-that-is-not-an-option. It's duty [and obligation.] It's the tax we all have to pay for living. So the Metatron turns up and offers Aziraphale a coffee to one who doesn't drink coffee. Essentially the Metatrash offers a choice that isn't a choice. Aziraphale's only choice is to do his duty at this point, or else...well, we aren't shown it, but it seems the 'else' was too terrible to contemplate. (Or, as some people alternatively see it, the Metatron kept pushing until he was offered a carrot he couldn't refuse.) But Jim, he's been given the option that Aziraphale and Crowley really want, but can't quite have at this point. Freedom to love as they want, and openly in front of all Heaven, Hell and Humanity. They understand. They don't judge Jimbriel for this, they actually encourage it - they both make it happen right under [Heaven and Hell's] noses in the end! The irony of it! They give their arch-enemy the gift that they dream of. ...the sweet hot chocolate is Gabriel's special option, facilitated by Aziraphale and Crowley. He doesn't have to drink what the plebs drink, the bitter devotional duty to Heaven [or Hell.]

Not long after, the Eldritch Ball starts, and we see Jim in his Gabriel-blue Liberace suit. In religious iconography Gabriel is associated with the right-hand side of Jesus, and when he's positioned there he wears blue. So it was only appropriate that Aziraphale dress him in that colour (plus it reflects the divine status of Heaven that he knows Gabriel to originate from.) Jim starts on the left-side...

but soon finds himself center-stage again! Oh, dear, what an attention seeker. You're supposed to be in hiding, you silly angel!

Look at the joy on his face! He's all right-hand side angel there.

Then Shax and her Legion of the Damned break up the party. He offers to go outside and give himself up to save everyone. Wow - doesn't he do it in style, taking center stage yet again.

This is actually a deliberate pose, made to reference Jesus as he preaches to the masses, even though it looks like he's saying "here I am, come get me." Arms outstretched, his two lower fingers are also curled in on each side, much like Jesus is often pictured as well.

Hey, Shax, it's me you want! Jim, short for James, but also Gabriel.

Oh, you don't know the mistake you are making, Shax...

So he returns inside, still taking center stage - in between Aziraphale on the demonic left, and Crowley on the angelic right, to report what happened outside.

Gabriel exits, angelic stage right, defeated, while Crowley confronts Shax.

The last we see of Jim in Ep.5 is in the background, over Aziraphale's left shoulder, so he's returned back to being a sinister-sided angel again, in his assistant book seller garb.

But the night isn't finished yet, there is still much more to come!

This meta is part of a series on Gabriel

Gabriel as a Shoulder Angel: S1 Study

S2 Study Part 1: Ep.1 The Arrival and Ep. 2 The Clue

S2 Study Part 3: Ep.6 Every Day

First Order Archangels Part 1: Maybe You'll See An Archangel

First Order Archangels Part 2: Foils of War

#good omens #good omens 2 #good omens meta #gabriel #crowley #aziraphale #shax #shoulder angel #the eldritch ball

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nanomooselet · 8 months

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Little but Fierce VII

Update: Okay, computer had the fear of me put into it and the pictures have been added.

I confess to some confusion over complaints Legato's significance was reduced in Stampede. We're still not even halfway through the story. The '98 adaptation hinged almost entirely upon Legato, and the manga had him as Vash's greatest ideological opponent. He's the best argument Knives made for wiping out humanity: a human who'd been so cruelly abused he viewed all who failed to help him as complicit and deserving of death.

In my opinion, Legato's had his turn in the spotlight, since with Knives not confined to a lightbulb he can be a direct and present threat in a way he couldn't be before. Now it's time for someone else to play the foil.

Meryl's learned everything she needs to learn and seen all she needs to see. It's time for her final exam. First up, Zazie.

Only nominally allied with Knives, Zazie occupies the role Meryl herself seeks: observer, witness, knower of the truth, bestower of judgement. They extend the privilege of that role to Meryl - she is a representative for humanity as Zazie speaks for the Worms. Having already discussed Zazie's interest in Meryl at some length, I'll move on, and pause only to note that it testifies how far Meryl's come that Zazie doesn't completely freak her the hell out.

She passes the test: along with being ignorant of the fate of Earth, she believes that humankind can and must change. Luida showed her a means to do so. It may not be enough for Zazie to fully trust humanity, but it's a reason not to fully trust Knives. The conversation will continue.

Second, Dr. Conrad.

He's a foil more for Roberto. The extreme end of the cynical mindset that Roberto tends to espouse - that cruelty is only to be expected on a world this cruel and cannot be changed. But where Roberto advises remaining uninvolved, Dr. Conrad finds it justification for cruelty in turn.

This test, too, Meryl passes; Roberto, inspired by her determination and conviction, successfully overcomes his own cynicism and mistrust, as well as over a century of accrued rationalisations, and manages to shake Conrad's faith, his judgement cutting him to the quick. It's a relatively subdued form of defeat, but, well, neither of these men are going to be engaging in high-powered gun fights. And so we move on to the final test...

Ah, she'll do nicely.

Yes, I understand dislike for the alteration to Elendira's backstory in Stampede (albeit I do wonder whether it relates to whatever Nightow had in mind for her in Maximum, even if I can't explain what makes me think it does. Just that I do). Otherwise I wouldn't have written what I did speculating how she'll develop beyond it. However, just as with Milly's absence and Roberto's presence, I think I see the way she serves Meryl's development into the woman she becomes.

Just as Vash will have to face and defeat his shadow in his brother before he can truly claim his identity, Meryl must face her own in Elendira. Small, femme, viewed as a child (to her annoyance) but a physically developed adult, accompanied everywhere by an older teacher who assumes responsibility for her. And a lot of the other implications and symbolism surrounding El are... I believe the technical term is "yikes".

It's easy to tell that in Meryl, Vash sees Rem - dark-haired, compassionate, strong sense of responsibility. She isn't Rem, because no one can be (arguably Rem herself couldn't live up to what she became to him, which is not her fault). But in Meryl Rem's spirit survives, just as in the rest of humanity; the living reason he follows his ideals, and a reason to live.

What may be a little harder to realise is that Knives is also inspired by a feminine figure elevated near to sainthood in his eyes. But it isn't Rem he believes himself inspired by, except in the sense that he loathes her.

It's Tesla. Where Vash is determined to take on the responsibility that his mother entrusted to him, Knives wants the power both to take vengeance for and to protect his sister.

It's important that he never actually knew Tesla, nor is she capable of conveying her wishes to him, just like the dependent Plants. He only assumes she must have been helpless and weak before human brutality, just as Vash is weak, and his brethren. So it's up to Knives, the big brother, to remove that weakness - he is, after all, their representative. Their blade.

And thus he allowed the creation of Elendira. Not exactly a human, but not entirely a Plant. Childishly vindictive, impulsively violent, filled with a deep loathing of humanity, needing nothing and no one - just like Knives himself wishes to be, and thus what Knives wants to believe would be true of Tesla. She would surely approve of all he's done for her. And she's absolutely loyal to him, and rejects Vash. Knives is her lord. She is proud to serve only him.

Here we have someone who refuses Meryl's judgement of her, the assumption of superiority it carries. Who are you to pity me? She also doesn't care to be disciplined by her teacher. Dr. Conrad tells her to stop and she shouts that he be silent and continues advancing.

On top of that… there's a sense of creepy, creepy suggestiveness around El. When she bursts out of the tank, she's nude, and unconcerned with being so. She is no less a threat in this state than she would be clothed. It reminds me of Knives during Fifth Moon in the original manga. Along with the way she behaved in other scenes, like when speaking with Rollo; she, uh, licks the tip of her finger. I'm not imagining the lasciviousness in that gesture, am I?

Meryl's demonstrated that she's intimidated by this aspect of adulthood. That Elendira looks so young just makes it more disturbing. (And I deeply respect that Orange didn't go for titillating, which anime has a bad habit of doing with similar characters. Elendira isn't there to excite us. She's terrifying. It's like ep 11 being SA but stripped of anything resembling sex, leaving only the victim's terror, suffering and despair.)

This is something Meryl can't face on her own. She needs one more example of teamwork… and Roberto, ever-willing to teach, manages to anticipate and protect her long enough to see one arrive.

Big brother comes to the rescue of little sister.

Wolfwood defeats Elendira because he knows better than to hesitate. He knows that one cannot judge by appearances - he's the younger of the two! Elendira was around before Rollo; Wolfwood came after him. But physically he's older, and stronger, and willing to exert that strength to defeat her. And Elendira's got the same weakness as Knives - her confidence can't withstand even a single attempt to hit back. She falls apart like a little kid, wailing as in much surprise and outrage as in pain. Did you just shoot me?!

Meryl suffers a much more devastating blow when she realises Roberto is dying. But she survives it. And Roberto proves one final time why he was the best teacher for her. Because he doesn't blame her. He could easily have left the same scar in her that Knives left in Vash - you cannot judge, because this is all your fault.

But he doesn't. He tells her this isn't her fault. He tells her she can choose. He tells her to follow her heart. Choose your own path and walk it with confidence. And he gives her the weapon that becomes her name, along with the name itself.

Meryl Stryfe.

She's the only one she has left to rely on now. And she's ready.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VIII

Part IX

#meta: little but fierce #trigun stampede #trigun meta #meryl stryfe #sorry it's a little bare bones. stupid computer #edit: OKAY it has pictures now #ever think about how elendira has red lipstick and nails and a pink dress (i.e. derivation of red)#and how her bangs are longer on the right side #and how she fires her nails like bullets #and how much tesla looks like vash #and how much is wrong with knives's horrible trash brain #because i do ALL the time

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