#there's so much going on there

[cobalt-knave]

ok yeah I watched ONE animatic, and now I’m losing my mind over devo again

[asweetprologue]

at first I thought that the game had sold my house to some random woman (thank u Clavia for sweeping but you scared the shit outta me) and then I was relieved to know that it was still link's, but then you get inside and all the stuff has been replaced w Zelda's stuff and her journal is in the bedroom and her secret well is down below. I know a bunch of people have said like oh they were living together and I thought that too at first (despite the one bed), but the more I hang around the village the more I'm convinced that Link just gave Zelda his house and kinda fucked off a little. it would go a long way towards explaining how everyone knows zelda but no one knows Link (though that seems to be a common theme), but the greatest evidence imo is when you talk to one of the kids from the school who's waiting for Zelda to return near the house. she asks link if he's going to "zelda's house" and says that zelda often leaves the village but always quickly returns. it seems based on this and the interior décor that the house now firmly belongs to zelda, and link was maybe a non presence in the village after the events of the first game. I wonder if he gave her the house as something of a retreat, a place where she could be alone and recover while also being close to Purah - one of the few other people she knows from Before - and the lab. meanwhile it doesn't seem like there's any space made for link in the house or the village. idk what it all means but I do have enormous feelings about Link giving up the one space that was really his so that zelda could have a home again after hers was destroyed

[isfjmel-phleg]

Damage 1994 #1 begins with:

Grant has been raised in a situation where he has felt unable to control anything. Not only is there a lack of stability because of so many moves, but we later find out that his foster father was abusive and his foster mother did nothing to prevent it or protect Grant in any way. Growing up in such an environment produces a constant sense of walking through life on eggshells, so it's no wonder that Grant tends to overthink social situations and seeks to figure out how to take back a little of the control denied to him by rigidly trying to control himself according to a self-imposed code. To me, the Emerson System looks a lot like a trauma response.

In #1, we learn that these rules are:

Go out for the team, any team. Being on a team changes you from "the new kid" to "the new kid who's on the team."

Make friends, not enemies. If you don't have any friends, enemies are a luxury you can't afford.

Don't even think about girls for the first two months in a new school. Girls cause you to break Rule #2.

Never tell your parents what's really happening with you. If it's good, they won't get why. If it's bad, they can't handle it.

When you're ready to make your mark, make it big. Never be afraid to make a name for yourself.

Grant's rules view survival as related to having the approval of others. There's safety in being part of a team. Safety in collecting allies and avoiding conflict. Safety in being known for something admirable. If you are alone, you are not safe. However, Rule 4's injunction to keep his parents at a distance stands out. One would expect support from one's family to be dispensable for survival. The fact that the system dismisses them immediately indicates that Grant has learned that his parents are not a source of safety--which would further the drive to look to outside sources like a team or friends for support. So in general his go-to response is to fawn, which is common for victims of child abuse.

Of course all of these rules fall through in #1 once Grant manifests powers, and he's left blundering around for a while without guidance. He eventually joins a team, per court mandate after his trial for accidentally destroying downtown Atlanta, which adds structure to his life, but after a while he clashes with the team's leader and decides to leave to seek answers about his parentage.

This leaves him on his own again, which is always uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Thus he feels the need to revise his old system as a means of giving himself the guidance he lacks.

The first attempted revision has as Rule 1 "No one messes with Damage!"--a declaration born of Grant's frustration at being controlled by others. But this rule leads to his almost hitting and alienating a friend. The need to maintain alliances is still ingrained into Grant (not to mention he sincerely doesn't want to hurt anyone, especially someone he likes), so he rethinks this rule and starts another revised system, gradually adding rules as reactions to each unexpected situation that comes his way.

Don't let your friends get involved with your problems. Then you won't be responsible for them getting hurt. (#8, repeated in #10-11)

Since you don't always have it [i.e. powers], when you've got it, use it! (#8)

If your uncle is a super-villain, you don't want to advertise it to the whole world. (#9)

When you think you're stuck and there's no way out, you're probably right--so don't think--just do it. (#10)

Sometimes, you might really need to involve friends--which might be kind of hard if you've cut them out of all the big stuff. So if you cave, go all the way. Put on your best cheeser [i.e. big smile] and be ready to beg! (#11)

Don't hang back from taking the big risk if it's the only way to get where you want to go--especially if the "big risk" is something cool like flying a Titan's shuttle. (#12)

When you're fighting a bunch of guys with noisy hardware, don't add to the decibels by talking so much--that you can't hear the sound of approaching reinforcements! (#12)

Not having time to think can be a good thing--if it keeps you from being too scared to run! (#12)

Life's too complicated for rules. (#12)

No more rules. (#12)

New traumas are bringing in new responses, such as shutting off thought to take risks or self-preserve, but the themes of the previous system are still in play. Don't alienate people with your problems or any unpleasant truths about your background. Bend over backward to please others if you have to. Relationships are a survival resource, and they're precarious and earned.

As Rules 9-10 indicate, Grant after a series of misadventures resulting in answers about his parents but also the death of the girl he likes, decides that the system isn't working for him anymore and determines to abandon the practice.

However, he immediately falls back on this coping mechanism in #13 when he gets into a fight with his Titans teammates. It's a high-stress situation, and he doesn't know how to handle a conflict on this level. Rather than fawning, he goes to the opposite extreme of antagonizing each of his teammates, one by one. His new system is much more aggressive.

The rules of "the totally new, absolutely final Emerson System" are:

If you want to soar with the eagles--you've got to be ready to ruffle some feathers. [Amendment added after a cathartic talk with a teammate:] But don't ever forget the people on the ground. (#13)

Winning takes whatever it takes--even if it seems like a big mistake at the time! (#14)

He has gone from fawn to fight, but this version of the system doesn't last either. He doesn't formally swear it off again; it just...vanishes from his narration after #14. Presumably it doesn't work. Or perhaps we're meant to understand implicitly that by the end of the solo Grant has moved past the need for the system, for real this time.

But we do see him continue to fall back on his original rules afterward, perhaps unconsciously.

Before the Titans take him on again, he's repeatedly seen trying to join team after team. He never goes for too long without being part of a group.

His second round with the Titans generally goes more smoothly--he doesn't antagonize anyone and seems to get along with the entire team reasonably well.

There's initially a little tension between him and Toni (Argent), but he doesn't pursue her or anyone else romantically during this time.

Even when he's struggling with his past, he's very reluctant to discuss it with the adults in the group and only does so after a lot of urging.

And when age-swap shenanigans require decisive action, he's ready to step up and take charge of the team.

These behaviors that he learned to take on for survival have become so ingrained in him that he reverts to the Emerson System or some form of it almost automatically in social situations. And unfortunately most of these rules are either ultimately unhelpful in themselves or are motivated by something unhelpful under normal circumstances. Forming connections is good; forming connections out of fear leads to problems. Distancing oneself from parental/authority figures and potential romantic interests makes sense if such people have proven themselves harmful, but making this an absolute rule denies the chance for connection with those who can be genuine sources of support and love. Given Grant's background, these are understandable core beliefs, but they aren't helping him and need to be questioned.

Disregarding Rule 4 (don't tell "parents" what's really going on) results in his getting an opportunity for support when he opens up to Roy.

Sticking to Rule 1 (join a team, any team) unexpectedly lands him in a situation that leaves him shattered for the rest of his life.

By the time he's on the JSA, the Emerson System doesn't come up again in the few times we're given his POV, and his behavior is more in keeping with the angry, aggressive revisions of the system that emerged before in times of high stress.

EDIT: however, the persistence of Rule 1 might have something to do with Grant's repeatedly getting involved with cult-like groups. The means of his death lands him in a dysfunctional group too (the Black Lanterns), but his last act is to turn his back on them to help out his JSA team--so he's learned something about where to put his loyalty.

[elmhat]

// dsmp rp

Dream and Quackity really did have such an opposite fall from grace during the prison arc, in terms of the personal and the material.

Dream had all his belongings and agency stripped from him, and was in turn forced to rely on old allies more than he initially felt comfortable with (losing the material to gain the personal). Quackity alienated himself from everyone he knew and loved in pursuit of a title and a country and a legacy he thought would fill the hole he had created for himself (losing the personal to gain the material).

It hits closer to home because that's what each of them was defined by to the rest of the server: Dream by his material strength, Quackity by his emotional investments.

This is a major oversimplification, obviously, but still interesting to think about.

[nishicchikouchi]

Wow. Can't believe it's canon that Aether was asked to model in a shrine maiden get-up LOL

[sergle]

"tiktok is so toxic yall are on that evil app but I'm built different 💅" to you!! TO YOU!! YOUR TIKTOK ALGORITHYM MAY BE EVIL

Mine is FIRE

[catmask]

its true that romance amd friendship will not solve everything but. objectively speaking its very hard to get sad when you can say 'lets go get cake tomorrow okay' and someone will go get cake with you. like there is some good at least. you know

[astearisms]

catalysts, protectors

[theshadowrealmitself]

I like to think that Vulcans who come to understand that Humans just can’t try to process emotions the same way as them, it’s just healthiest to let it out in harmless ways, decide that venting and stuff should be taken just as seriously as Vulcan’s meditation time, and will encourage the Humans around them to complain about what’s upsetting them

People who are used to aloof Vulcans who avoid Humans at all cost running into one comforting a Human

“-and then they said my cheesecake was subpar, and they didn’t even bring a dish!!!”

“The purpose of this event was that every participant brings a food item of sorts, correct?”

“Yeah!!”

“And they did not follow this rule while insulting dishes that were brought?”

“Mostly just my dish but yeah >:(“

“How illogical”

“That’s what I’m saying!!!”

[reasonsforhope]

Sometimes you just have one of those moments where the progress we've made as a culture get thrown into stark relief. You look at something and go "Holy shit, that would never have happened when I was a kid."

Today, I had one of those moments when I realized that the teenage boys I'm working with are just. genuinely, openly enthusiastic about going to Build-a-Bear for their outing.

These are sixteen and seventeen year old boys! They just had a whole conversation about what to name their "cute", mostly new squishmallows! They're genuinely excited that they're going to Build-a-Bear this weekend and asking other kids to pick up specific accessories for them!!

Holy shit, that never would've happened when I was 16. None of the boys would have dared to be visibly interested - and neither would most of the girls! There would have been a million gay jokes and "Haha, you're a girl" jokes and "What are you, a baby?" jokes. Teenagers weren't even supposed to care about anything back then!

Less than 15 years later, and I'm watching three 17 year old boys treat all that as not even worthy of comment.

So let's call that a reason for hope. Even when the kids aren't alright, in some ways apparently they are alright. Go Gen Z, honestly. It's so lovely to watch you guys just openly doing and saying stuff that, when I was a teen, would've been a social death sentence.

[o0kawaii0o]

no mercy 😭

[keets-writing-corner]

Thinking a LOT about Lucifer in the latest Hazbin episode. Idk what I was expecting but not this??

As I was watching my immediate thought was just "huh... Lucifer is kinda of weird..." but as the episode went on I realized the issue

the dude is off the chain depressed, like he says it as a joke but holy cow it is SO BAD

He's manically just creating rubber ducks cuz his daughter really like it that one time but it's empty, it's never good enough but he keeps doing it, maybe cuz he doesn't know how to pass the time otherwise.

like I get the feeling he HAS better things he SHOULD be doing than making rubber duck after rubber duck. At first I was like, "Bruh why isn't the king of hell doing anything?" aaaaand then it became clear...

The dude is disassociating so bad he can barely hold a conversation let alone remember information. He clearly WANTS to, he wants to be involved with his daughter so bad, he wants to care about the things she's doing so bad, but his depression keeps interfering. It's like he can only hear every other word and he grasps onto the ones he does hear semi-out of context. Like you can see every time he catches something that he hadn't before and he just "well shit I didn't catch that part"

and that's why he reacts so weird when people talk to him. He is struggling so bad to engage with the conversation he's only getting 50% of it

does that look like the face of a man who knows what the hell the conversation is even about??? he is STRUGGLING

like Charlie spent so long telling him about the hotel, and he STILL didn't understand what she wanted. Yeah it comes off as ditzy but literally I've been in that position where your brain just "nope, not doing this right now" and nerfs your conversation comprehension. So as someone who's BEEN in that position, to me it feels exactly like what he's dealing with. He's sorta engaged with the conversation, but only as much as his brain will allow

For example, when I'm dealing with this, this is what someone talking to me feels like this where the crossed out parts are what I missed and bold is what I catch, "Hey! You know I was thinking for dinner we could either make some chicken with rice? But if you don't feel like cooking, pasta is super easy and you love that right? What do you want to do?" you can kinda get that someone is trying to talk to you about dinner, and towards the end you get the impression that they asked something that needs your input so you can decently put 2 and 2 together and try and pass off, but crucial bits were left out, I would have no idea that either chicken or pasta is in the conversation only having heard "rice". When someone is just talking at me, I can decently pass off as being engaged but the second I'm required to participate in the conversation I'm screwed. Seem familiar? At which point I have 2 options, try to give a bullshit answer, or admit that I missed what they were saying and ask them to repeat

Lucifer, unfortunately, is trying so damn hard to hide that he's dealing with like 24/7 dissociation, so he can't admit that he's missing entire chunks of the conversation, hence his really weird replies. He does eventually get the full picture and then he and Charlie start having the real conversation

Also, the Alastor/Lucifer rivalry was hilarious but also really indicative of more of what Lucifer is dealing with

Alastor is, unfortunately, really good at picking up people's insecurities, and thanks to Charlie's description earlier and watching Lucifer clearly trying to overcompensate, he immediately picks up on the fact that Lucifer KNOWS he struggles to be a good dad (we know cuz it's cuz of the depression, hard to be engaged when your brain keeps turning off) and decides to rub salt in the wound by pretending he's been acting as a surrogate father to Charlie. Now why Alastor decided to pick a fight with the king of hell is beyond me, I do not understand Alastor (and I LIKE IT) (maybe it's cuz Alastor thinks he's hot shit and was expecting Lucifer to at least have heard of him but Lucifer just treats him like a nobody? who knows)(why would Lucifer listen to radio anyways when he can't even pay attention to a conversation it'd just be white noise)

But yeah I just was expecting someone who oozed either charisma or presence and instead I got a depressed dad who's dissociating so bad he can barely function and be present in his life. The only thing it seems he CAN do is make rubber ducks cuz his daughter really liked it that one time

Idk Lucifer is tragic to me. Whatever the full details of what heavan did to him absolutely broke him and he can't deal with it. He's aware of it, and he doesn't know how to fix it, so he tries to over compensate and sorta makes an ass out of himself but no one says or does anything cuz this guy is supposed to be THE king of hell

Suddenly it's making a lot more sense why he just rolls over and lets heaven do what it wants and even told Charlie to go in his place the start of the show. He's not in any headspace to hold a basic conversation let alone negotiate! He didn't even know who Alastor was, he's been so out of touch

idk I like him, he seems sweet, I hope Charlie brings some light back into his life. He really needs to get out of that rubber duck room

[beif0ngs]

Nimona (2023) official art

[luzity]

first vs last appearances

[saltpepperbeard]

going fucking bonkers going bananas going INSANE [x]

[a-dumb-sarcastic-bisexual]

Like the majority of society I’m obsessed with Nimona

And I rewatched it a million times and one thing always sticks out to me 

There are moments when Ambrosius is surrounded by light like a little protective bubble 

That keeps him away from the man he loves more than anything