#this turned out to be a very long rant

[slow-button-off]

I don’t understand the babying of seb on SM.

Pretty sure he has the means to drive the f1 cars je wants. Either with his money or asking people and even ferrari (PR wise or could be a good move they still work with a lot of their ex drivers)

People forgot his RB days. The way he was let go at ferrari may have been harsh but from 2019-2020 Seb did not deliver on track especially compared to his teammate. It was not much better at Aston Martin most week ends. It was time for him to retire.

I don’t see the same people defending bottas who was an obvious n2, got ask to let his teammate win instead of him, was a seat filler while waiting for georges in the last 2 years at mercedes a least …

Ricciardo was a bad firing and even there … the results speak for themselves.

Seb was a great driver. He won 4 times. He was not treated more badly than other drivers at ferrari. Ferrari is always first, drivers second. They let Kimi go and kept him. They publicly said Seb was n1 and charles n2 in 2019. Then 3 years of there is no n1. Maybe they even offered a pre-retiring seat to seb too. The team loved to work with him, he still loves Ferrari.

It’s racing and business first. If Charles or Carlos don’t perform the way they are expected to they will loose their seat too.

There is some stuff here that I don't agree with but yeah.

I get the babying because we all do it when it comes to our faves to some extent.

And this is going to be a bit of a rant but I've seen too many tweets and the one from the Aston e-sports team member kinda set me off a little.

There is a few things that imo go into the outrage anytime Charles breathes near a classic Ferrari. And one side is the fact that a lot of Seb fans have not forgiven Charles for beating him and in the end beating him the way that he did. While it was happening there were some weird theories around and it feels like some stuck in their heads.

But they didn't have a problem with Ferrari organising for Mick to drive his dads car or Ferrari organising for Carlos to drive a classic car. It's just a Charles thing.

And I understand that the way that the Ferrari stint ended wasn't great for Seb and I too wish that it were different but that is a separate issue from both Charles and the classic cars.

And the biggest thing imo is that people confuse (some definitely on purpose) Sebs love for Ferrari with Ferraris love for Seb.

Seb loves Ferrari (although I personally am of the opinion that that's more a Michael thing than it is an actual Ferrari thing but I digress).

Seb is also a F1 legend, he did win 4wdcs after all and he was objectively a great driver. But in terms of Ferrari itself he is just a great driver for Ferrari and not a legend. He won wdcs, but he didn't win them with Ferrari.

And Ferrari the team have a long list of drivers, some were just there, some were great and some were legends and Seb just in terms of Ferrari isn't in that last category.

But because Seb admires Ferrari a lot people (and I do find this fascinating) expect Ferrari to roll out all the red carpets for him in terms of giving him the experiences that he would like to have.

If you tell most of them that these cars are privately owned and that the owner decides who drives them they'll tell you that Seb asked Ferrari and that that has to be enough and that Ferrari should organise it for him because he loved Ferrari so much.

And that's just not how any of it works. Wanting Seb to be treated well and wishing that it had ended differently and wishing that he would get a go in the classic cars (as I actually do) is perfectly fine.

But to expect Ferrari to go out of their way to organise these experiences for a driver that was "just" a great driver for them is a bit wild.

They sorta did it for Mick when he got to drive the F2004 in 2020. But Mick getting to drive his dads car as an FDA member is a bit of a different situation. They don't do this for anybody else.

I've looked up the timeline some more and Ferrari changed CEOs in 2021. And since then Charles was allowed to drive 2 classic cars when it was organised by Ferrari.

The first was in 2021 in Silverstone where he got to drive the car that got the first GP win for Ferrari at the 70 year anniversary of that win.

And last year he got to drive Gilles car at the 40th anniversary of his death.

Celebrating these anniversaries like that is clearly a new marketing thing.

Ferrari aren't rolling out the red carpet like that for Charles either. Because why would they?

Seb loving Ferrari the way that he does doesn't automatically mean that Ferrari has to pull out all the stops to give him the experiences that he wants. And people just want to be angry at Charles because they still haven't forgiven him for beating Seb and whatever other crimes he has committed in their heads.

I want Seb to get to drive those cars, but to pretend that Ferrari are letting Charles do it as some kind of way to retroactively hurt Seb is fascinating to me.

And I am also sure that Thomas Flohr wouldn't say no if Seb asks if he can drive the car at one of these Ferrari events. But it's not on Ferrari to provide that.

[messiahzzz]

while it’s perfectly fine to have your own headcanons that are non-canon compliant — by all means, go wild. recognizing pieces of yourselves in fictional characters can be a very healing and validating experience. this is nonetheless a casual, well-intentioned reminder that gale, in fact, does not have bpd.

bpd is a pervasive pattern of instability affecting interpersonal relationships, self-image, and mood. the disorder is marked by impulsivity beginning in early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts. a diagnosis requires at least 5 of the following 9 criteria to be met:

Fear of abandonment

Unstable or changing relationships

Unstable self-image; struggles with identity or sense of self

Impulsive or self-damaging behaviors (e.g., excessive spending, unsafe sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating).

Suicidal behavior or self-injury

Varied or random mood swings

Constant feelings of worthlessness or sadness

Problems with anger, including frequent loss of temper or physical fights

Stress-related paranoia or loss of contact with reality

source: [x]

i highlighted the criteria that do apply to gale in one way or another in a pretty purple.

i personally believe that it’s rather harmful to equate his relationship with mystra with her being “his fp”. she is a deity, his goddess, and the source of his powers, who is in in full control of the magic he wields.

gale: mystra commands all magic. salvation, if such a thing exists, is hers to bestow or withhold.

gale has been effectively groomed and conditioned to serve and revere her at every turn since early childhood. imo this comparison really undermines a lot of crucial points in gale’s story that deal with his overall trauma and abuse. after all, you wouldn’t call shar sh*dowhe*rt’s fp either.

gale doesn’t revile mystra, nor does he commit benevolent deeds solely motivated by the secret hope that she will somehow notice and take him back. when you meet gale in the game he has already fully come to terms with the fact that he has been abandoned by mystra with no hope of reconciliation whatsoever. he also had some very fitting lines in ea regarding this topic that i'm sad haven't been repurposed in the full release in some way.

gale: [the tadpoles] don't know that some things are impossible. they don't know that... they don't know. player: what is impossible about what you're being shown? gale: forgiveness. gale: it is mystra i see. and yet it cannot be her. there was a time when i would have believed - but no longer. gale: suffice it to say she would not bestow upon me the favors promised in these dreams. that is how i know they are delusions.

he has already reached the stage of acceptance. moreover, gale only starts to realize that mystra might have been in the wrong for requesting his death once the tadpole squad & tav speak some sense into him. and even then he doesn’t ever show that his emotions regarding mystra are anywhere along those lines. he is instead rightfully angered that she only saw value in his death, after he had been worshipping her loyally for years.

gale: i worshipped mystra loyally for years, and in that time she granted me the barest sliver of the power i was ready to wield. gale: even with the fate of the world at stake, she had little more to offer me than the means of blowing myself up at a more convenient time. she's done nothing to help us.

gale: you abandoned me in my hour of greatest need. i had no obligation to help you in yours. gale: because you had no right to ask that of me. you cast me out, remember?

gale doesn’t display rapid changes in mood either. he is a character who is generally very composed and has been known to remain nonchalant even in the face of utter horror. tim downie himself even commented on this once. source: [x]

the only instance i can think of is his sudden switch from resigned-to-death to utter-eye-sparkling-enthusiasm once he spots the crown of karsus. apart from crucial story reasons that i won’t touch upon in this post, i’d also like to add that it’s a rather common phenomenon for people who have just barely survived a suicide attempt to suddenly be filled with zeal and unbridled energy. he doesn't display impulsivity without thorough consideration when it comes to its acquisition either. he considers this a golden opportunity and is positively enthusiastic and elated that this might prove an alternative to him ending up in a cloud of netherese smoke. nonetheless, he knows what he is doing. evident in him actually succeeding in ascending in one of his endings.

gale: this is no passing whim, trust me. if i can obtain that crown, it will affect us all. it is not a decision i'll take lightly. gale: it's our future that i'm thinking of - we can't rely on anyone else to do it for us. gale: for now - we've learned all we can.

neither are his relationships that we do know of (namely elminster, tara, and morena) frequently changing. they are marked by years of mutual respect, care, and consistency. there is nothing unstable about them. while it's important to note that his relationship with tav is still in its honeymoon stages during the main game, there is no inclination of any push-and-pull dynamic between them whatsoever.

gale isn’t preoccupied with keeping up some sort of benevolent act in order to win (back) affection — he genuinely IS a good person and he proves this at every turn. moreover, to have a tressym become your familiar you must be of Good alignment.

(taken from tumblr user galedekarios's post.)

there is never a moment where his ideals or alignment suddenly change. in fact, i’d argue that he and wyll are most consistent in this regard when compared to the rest of the companions. gale makes his moral standpoint very clear from the beginning on and also explicitly states that he believes that in order to survive this entire ordeal it would be selfish of him if he wouldn’t be willing to compromise on his morals. this isn’t a sudden bout of ✨muahahaha wizard hubris✨ that he barely contained to hold in before, this is yet another act of selflessness — it is what he’s willing to do for the group and subsequently, the welfare of faerun.

player: i love unsavoury things. don't feel guilty on my account. gale: that's good to know. although i should say i do what i do out of a sense of utility and pragmatism, not a love of the unsavoury. gale: we're up against the greatest threat faerun has ever faced. i don't mind getting my hands dirty if it gives us a better chance of surviving. gale: whatever advantage i can gain for us. i will. and i refuse to feel guilty for it, no matter how much mystra's chidings might echo in my skull.

this is him, once again trying to be useful in whatever way he can. to give them an advantage, a slither of hope against seemingly impossible odds, so they might make it out of this in one piece. gale wouldn’t approve of those actions under normal circumstances, but their predicament is as far from any definition of “normal” as it can get.

gale is no fool, he realizes this is essentially about survival. he knows that he has no option left other than to tolerate, which is why he can be convinced to not immediately depart tav’s company even if they choose to commit atrocities. this is no character flaw of his or him displaying a previously dormant openness for cruelty, this is about recognizing the necessity.

player: you don't stand a chance alone. you're free to go. i dare you. gale: gods damn you - you're right. few things are more powerful than the will to live.

gale: i thought the orb to be the greatest of my sins, but i see now that there are darker depths to which i might yet sink. you may be content to sink into that abyss, but i assure you - i am not.

gale doesn’t lead a split existence. he has a very strong sense of identity. he knows what he wants, what he doesn’t want and he isn’t shy in expressing his boundaries either. which he has especially shown when it comes to his relationship with tav. i originally had intended to touch upon this in another post entirely but: i firmly believe his entire Gale of Waterdeep™ persona is more of a performance than him struggling to find a sense of identity and trying them on for size. it is an intentional decision to separate gale dekarios from the great wizard of waterdeep, to create distance and make sure his family name remains untarnished in case things should ever go sideways.

gale: i agree. and on the plus side, if i get myself into any truly cataclysmic straits during the remainder of our journey, my family name will go untarnished.

there is also a deep-rooted feeling of unworthiness and his firm belief that love and praise are conditional resources that he will only be granted through his talents alone, naturally. presenting himself as gale dekarios, the man, would mean highlighting his shortcomings and very human flaws, while distracting from the aspects of himself that are deemed praiseworthy, the ones that actually matter: his magical prowess.

i personally believe that part of the beauty of gale’s story is him realizing just how “little” it takes for him to be truly content. he gets his happy ending, with someone at his side who truly sees him, understands him and unabashedly commits to him. they worship and adore him in return — and it is well deserved. he isn’t reduced to be constantly and restlessly searching for some unattainable ideal to fill the gaping void within himself. he doesn’t secretly thirst for more power still or believes that in being with tav he is settling for something. instead, he is finally happy to just be. be and be accepted. teaching a class of unruly wizards and coming home to his spouse each day already fulfills him.

gale: that's how i feel with you - content. it's a rather unfamiliar feeling, i must say. not something gale of waterdeep ever craved.

even if he doesn’t pursue a romance with tav, he reaches a realization of “oh, it appears i am not irredeemably flawed and only able to reach true redemption through my own death. what i needed was actually with me all along.” throughout their journey and through his friend's support. i think that’s a very powerful and comforting message. he is very well capable of finding peace within himself.

devnotes: his default state is that he returned to waterdeep and became a professor of illusory magic at his former school, blackstaff academy. general vibe here is that this is a gale who's found peace with himself - he's a great teacher, one his students are mostly in awe of.

to repeat myself: sharing your headcanons is all in good fun, nor should you ever be discouraged from doing so. this is your personal tumblr experience, after all. but i personally think we should be mindful of unintentionally perpetuating negative stereotypes, such as narcissism being a general indicator or being deemed a classic depiction of bpd. i think we can all agree that the continuous longing for acceptance, connection, praise, and approval is something we all have in common deep down, regardless of whatever disorder we may have. [insert victoria justice meme here]

gale may be many things to many people, but he is no entitled narcissist.

[godsfavoritescientist]

you ever think about how bill is who the pines could have been if they didn't have any kind of support from anyone in their lives

[sskk-manifesto]

Ep 6!!!

[kyouka-supremacy]

Failed a social interaction 0 injured 1 killed (me)

[minamaybe]

anyone else feel all consuming dread the day before something they've been looking forward to is happening or is that just me?

[madeimpact]

Y'know I think it could be interesting to write a thread where my little man just gets to go completely apeshit. The problem is it takes a LOT to get him to that point. But it can be done

[poems-of-a-lover]

i will never understand the "stop casting straight actors as gay characters" argument. people just wanna out gay actors so they can have a better grasp on who to hate.

[thereareeyesinsidethetrees]

anyway another eyetrees secret

on the subject of names i like vs names that are mine

icarus actually falls into the second category. except gravity falls (show fandom both i have no idea) turned it a bit sour

still a good name though

[britneyshakespeare]

This is just a map of New England (minus Connecticut the fake New England state)

[crybaby-bkg]

it is so so so so soooo hard to unlearn that a problem not communicated directly to you shouldn’t affect your wellbeing and you can’t keep beating yourself up about something not being told to you!!!!!!!!????????? terrible thing to have to come to terms with. I hate it. (it’s helped so much of my anxiety when it comes to relationships with people.)

[theythemmer]

for years my friends have tried to get me back into minecraft and idk how to explain to them that after tosoth the game will never be the same . it’s been A DECADE and this fic still rules over my brain

[cosmicdenro]

hope u guys don't mind me being a little queer sometimes and talking to myself in the tags, it helps clear my head since people can filter out rant posts easily

[lasnevadaslaborunion]

I genuinely do love the prison arc and find it fascinating and I wish it was easier to find content and analysis about it that didn't veer to any of the Very Not Fun extremes

[greetings-inferiors]

I cannot describe to you how much I despise fade outs in songs with every fiber of my being. The only time it’s ever been justified in my eyes is in videogames when the song is meant to play the ending on loop like in ‘finale’ from undertale

But EVEN THEN I STILL HATE IT

I love finale so much but it just… doesn’t have an ending? It means I have to wait for the track to fade out just to get to the next song. I even prefer in the undertale/deltarune soundtrack when it just smash cuts to the next song, because an abrupt ending is better than literally no ending.

My mum said the reason why so many 80s and 90s songs have fade outs is due to radio culture, the song would fade out as the next song fades in, but still, just make a proper ending for the studio/album version??? Make the fade out a radio edit??? But no, that’s too much effort isn’t it.

I’ve never come across a single fade out that I feel has had a positive impact on the piece of music I listened to.

[morgana-ren]

Hate when various forms of media reveal the climax of their story via comic books or strips you have to buy separately