#thoughtsfromthequeen

[queenofthearchipelago]

I'm starting to see AI art in fanart tags and even when they are tagged as AI art, people in the reblogs tagged it as fanart.

Let me just say this once. I don't believe AI art is fanart. The way things are, it's theft. It doesn't count. The effort that fan artists put into their works cannot be equated in value with whatever an AI generates. The works with hours of applied skill and originality and love put into them are the works I want to praise on this blog.

So that being said, if I ever reblog "fanart" that is ai generated, please send me a message or an ask and let me know so I can delete it off my blog.

[queenofthearchipelago]

One time a friend told me that she doesn't read fanfic anymore because there aren't any good ones and I still think about this all the time like.... I haven't read a bad fanfic in years. And so I was like, what website are you looking on? Is this ao3? What fandom is this? How are you searching?

Now every time I go to search for something new on ao3, I'm like, "lol too bad there aren't any good ones anymore."

There's so many good fanfics, award winning fanfics just laying around all over the place for FREE.

[queenofthearchipelago]

What gets me the most about the wwdits finale is that while Nandor didn't know that Guillermo had Derek turn him into a vampire, he literally knew everything else.

He knew that the Van Helsing blood would fight the vampire cells and he knew that the only way to fix that was to drink human blood. He knew that Guillermo wouldn't do well as a vampire, at least that he wasn't ready and he didn't even hesitate to try and fix it for him. He instantly reached for the Djinn, and when that didn't work, he very intelligently made up a vampire tradition that would allow Guillermo to have a choice.

And when Guillermo couldn't go through with what was required to make that choice, Nandor essentially said, I know you. I know you can't kill him, not like this, and I know you want me to do it for you because you need me to do it for you.

And after it's done, Nandor tells him he knows it was hard but he thinks Guillermo made the right decision for himself. It's been 13 years, but he isn't ready. And then Nandor walks away to give Guillermo the space he needs to process all of that.

In this episode Nandor proved beyond all doubt that he is the smartest vampire here. He's the oldest and he's not been careless about his choices with Guillermo. He kept telling him that "He was getting around to it." But that was clearly to avoid saying that Guillermo wasn't ready yet.

And despite that, he's clearly been thinking about it. That, hey, when I do eventually turn him, because we both want that (Nandor doesn't want to lose Guillermo to old age and Guillermo does ultimately want to be a vampire), I'm gonna have to figure out how to combat the Van Helsing blood with the vampire cells.

And when it came down to it, he knew just what to do to make Guillermo human again. He knew that killing Derek would only age Guillermo by a month, not kill him.

Nandor has been paying attention this whole time. He's smart. He knows a lot more than he ever let onto before. And despite his anger at first, he did the kind thing.

I look forward to where this relationship goes from here. Because it isn't going back to how it was before. Guillermo can't just go back to being a frustrated familiar. Nandor can't go back to pretending his protectiveness is dismissal. Nandor proved here just how much he cares by throwing out all vampire tradition (as he's done before, but never like this). And Guillermo was at the mercy of a community he so desperately wanted to join but simply couldn't do it.

I don't know who they are after this, but I hope it's more honest and emotional. I hope they actually talk about what it is to be a vampire, and how does Nandor do it. I hope they talk about why Guillermo wants this so badly. I want them to talk about why does Guillermo want this with Nandor so badly, because it's clear to everyone this is more than a regular familiar and master relationship. I want them to talk about what Nandor is hoping for after all of this. To know that Guillermo isn't ready, and maybe he'll never be ready, but he doesn't want to lose him. So what does he want?

They subverted all the tropes so hard that I genuinely don't know where we go from here. Somewhere new, I suppose. What a thrill

[queenofthearchipelago]

I know everyone's saying that come season 3 we'll have a kiss in 1941, but I'm still on the side of them having an almost kiss in 1941. It's probably because I love pain but imagine them after they get rid of the Nazi zombies for good, saving each other's lives in the process, they're in the bookshop talking as they usually do. Imagine the hour growing late, Crowley standing from his place on the couch to leave. Aziraphale walks him to the door, and there's just this moment that passes between them. Crowley's hand on the doorknob, and they aren't saying anything, but this time, they don't have to. I don't want to leave but I have to. Thank you for saving my life. I'm so relieved I was able to save yours. If anything happened to you, I'd... and they're just right there. So close. The last time an angel and a demon were this close to each other, it was in battle. But not here, not in this bookshop. Not with this angel and this demon. There's something else here. One day, when they have the freedom to allow themselves the thought, they'll call it love. But today... Aziraphale steps away.

"Why not?" Crowley whispers.

Aziraphale shakes his head at the ground, before looking back up into the curious, desperate, beautiful yellow eyes hidden behind Crowley's glasses.

"I can't," Aziraphale whispers back, something desperate painting itself deep in his eyes.

Crowley nods, reaching behind him for his hat hanging on the hat stand and placing it low on his head. Turning the doorknob, he gives Aziraphale a small bow and leaves.

It won't be until 1967 that Aziraphale finally finds the strength and the words to truly answer Crowley's question.

"You go too fast for me, Crowley."

[queenofthearchipelago]

I'm genuinely shocked and a little disturbed that there's this subsection of the good omens fandom that has turned from just loving the show and shipping the characters to shipping Michael and David.

Like first of all, please don't ship real people.

Second, it goes even further than that with some people, somehow finding "evidence" to hate their partners and speculating about their sex lives.

It's just weird... I'm here for the good omens. I enjoy Michael and David as the actors and public figures they are, I enjoy the bits of their friendship that we get to see. But I'm not going to spend time speculating on whether or not they're divorcing their spouses, or how their sex lives are, or anything else going on behind the scenes.

A person being a public figure is not an invitation to speculate about them in invasive and quite frankly extremely rude ways. But that's just my take.

[queenofthearchipelago]

Long Rant about the Watcher Thing

The thing about what's happening with Watcher is that I'm a musician. I understand deeply the difficulties that come with an artist making their art and needing money and the relationship with the people that art is for. So I understand that Watcher needs money to pay their employees and maintain their business.

That said, they revealed that they have 25 employees (half of which are nepotism hires and friends from BuzzFeed) and that one episode of Ghost Files costs "hundreds of thousands of dollars." (Ghost Files being their most expensive show by bar, not their average spending habits per Watcher episode)

I understand from a few people I've seen who are in their Patreon that they make at least 100k per month from the patreon. And then there's the money they get from youtube itself from the views. And then there's the money they get from the ads.

Now I understand that Ryan said this decision came down to primarily 2 things: the ad companies were making them feel stifled with what they could do (which they don't explain how), and they want more money to be able to keep up a higher production quality.

I'm going to skip past the thing about the ads. They never specified how the ad companies were making them change their content in a way that made them feel unsatisfied. I can't speak or provide any opinions on why they want so badly to escape needing ad deals.

But I can talk about the higher production quality they speak of and that's specifically because Ryan said that they wanted to pay for a higher production quality FOR US. "For you guys."

We... we didn't ask for higher production. This is NOT a decision they need to make on our account. I understand and respect if they aren't creating on they level they want. But it's odd that they're speaking towards not being able to afford their current spending habits, as if this is something we asked them to do.

I've read a lot of comments about this and I agree with a lot of you that it's odd that this decision to switch to streaming coincides with the return of Worth It, a show that when produced by Steven, seems like it could easily cost just as much as Ghost Files to produce.

I understand why it feels like this is all Steven's fault. His vibes in the video today, compared to Ryan and Shane, made it seem like he was the most excited about it. It's Steven that has been highlighted multiple times as the business man, the one who makes the financial decisions. It's Steven's shows on Watcher that get canceled after one or two seasons, meanwhile Ryan and Shane's shows just keep going to 5 seasons and beyond.

Shane even said it explicitly, that there are "shows that didn't do as well on youtube, that might do better on a streaming service."

But most of the fans DO watch Watcher for Ryan and Shane, they always have. Steven's shows don't do as well. When Watcher brings in a new host and makes a new show for them, those shows do even worse.

I know this upsets Ryan, he's been very vocal about wanting Watcher to expand beyond himself and Shane. He wants his company to be successful regardless of whether he's in front of the camera or not.

But I feel like this step is trying to force it. Right now, this is still Ryan and Shane's channel. This is why we're here. The people haven't latched onto Steven as much, and the attempts to bring in new hosts have been unsuccessful.

There are lots of comments floating around about why Watcher didn't do what Rhett and Link did and open up youtube membership. Or why didn't they host more live events. Or why didn't they do more livestreams. These all could have been fantastic ideas that wouldn't betray the fans.

Because I do think they forgot that their fanbase is largely women in their 20s. People are right in bringing up the cost of living crisis, in bringing up how many subscription services we're already subscribed to. And my heart goes out to the international viewers who can't access the website at all in their country and the ones who can't afford it because Watcher forgot to consider the currency difference.

I feel that they have betrayed their fanbase. I remember when Watcher started and Ryan admitted he was scared no one would watch. And then we showed up for them because we loved them and what they did.

But now most of the fans can't or won't follow them where they're going. And I think Ryan might know this too from the way he said If this is goodbye, it's been fun.

I wish they would have tried other things before hard launching a streaming service. I wish they would have had a long game plan to get to the place they wanted to be as a company and as creatives.

I feel betrayed but I also don't want this company going bankrupt. If they go bankrupt, then we truly have lost them forever. I hope they take a look at the overwhelming backlash, at their falling subscriber numbers, and I hope they reconsider doing this.

[queenofthearchipelago]

Headcanon that when shit hits the fan and Aziraphale needs to get OUT of Heaven, he can't use the globe because he's done that before, and he can't escape down the elevator because Gabriel did that before and Metatron is watching and won't let Aziraphale leave, so the Supreme Archangel of all Heaven jumps out the main window, aims himself for London, and falls into the waters of St. James's park where a certain heartbroken demon has never been so happy to see an angel fall from heaven

[queenofthearchipelago]

I genuinely think that Crowley's apology dance was to apologize for the fact that the last thing he said before he stormed out on Aziraphale was "You're on your own this time."

That's the only thing that Crowley said that was too far. Everything else was perfectly reasonable and true. But he said he'd leave Aziraphale alone when they were supposed to be on their own side. I literally gasped when he said it when I watched the episode for the first time. I knew he'd need to apologize for that, I just didn't know what apologies between them looked like yet.

And, bonus info, Neil Gaiman has a quote about how he "doesn't know what love means. I think it means 'don't leave me here alone'". And that's what Crowley did. He said it, and for a few hours he did it. And I think for that he was, actually, very sorry.

[queenofthearchipelago]

I think Crowley would find comfort in knowing that the real Ineffable plan is being written by a human who genuinely loves him a lot

[queenofthearchipelago]

My favorite theory coming out of good omens this season is that Aziraphale MADE the humans in much the same way that Crowley made the stars.

The evidence I've gathered so far is this:

In the creation scene, Aziraphale gets excited about the "peo-ple" he says "WE'RE currently designing." The word choice is important because in other sentences he talks about Heaven in a "they" sort of way. "They're talking about ending this all in 6,000 years." "When they roll out that section, that's where Earth will be." But designing humans? That's a WE thing. Like, he's doing it too.

His artistic ability to draw Gabriel. To design people, I imagine he would have spent a lot of time drawing people, and his portrait of Gabriel was incredibly good and he drew it so casually. Like it was second nature to him.

This would all explain why Aziraphale has this deep need to protect people. It feels exactly the same as angel Crowley's deep need to protect the universe and his nebula. It also explains Aziraphale's compassion towards humans even though no other angel had such interest in them. Aziraphale loves human life and Crowley gives him the permission he needs to actually enjoy it.

Humans, even in the bible, are made of dust. What if it was Aziraphale that took stardust and did the miracle that made Adam?

God gave Aziraphale the flaming sword to protect Eden. Assuming that Adam was created by Aziraphale, it makes sense that the Almighty wanted Aziraphale to protect the new creation.

There's probably more. I would love to hear people's thoughts on this! I just think it would make sense in a Mother Earth and Father Time kind of way, Crowley created the universe and Aziraphale created humanity within it. Two creations that need each other to make sense and have a purpose.

Also, I already anticipate that someone will reply saying that Aziraphale isn't an archangel Before the Beginning and wouldn't have the power. I raise you that being a Principality is no small role for an angel in the good omens universe. It's the level right under archangel, as Neil has said before here on tumblr.

[queenofthearchipelago]

There was just something different about Callum this season and I don't know how else to word it other than he was a MAN. Like he really put aside his hurt feelings from last season and said he trusted Rayla unconditionally. They decided together to go against Janai and go to the Great Bookery. They went there together, as equals. Equals in battle, equals for the good of the world, and (once Rayla had that lovely conversation with Amaya), they were equals emotionally too. Callum held her hand and they jumped together into the water. He protected her as best as he could from the pirates, even to his own detriment in using dark magic. Even at the cost of losing her again emotionally, because he knows how much she hates dark magic. And then, in the last episode, when they jump into the water to test out the gills spell, Callum swims forward, holds her shoulder, keeps her steady, and tells her to just look at him and breathe. I am your safety and I'm telling you it's okay. You'll be okay. Just breathe. His first thought was always to protect and care for her in such a healthy and grown-up way. Callum's more than in love, Rayla is a part of him now. An essential part to care for and cherish and provide for. Provide patience and safety and attention and love. And it's so natural for him, it doesn't occur to him to do these things, he just does them without needing to think. Because he loves her so absolutely. Because she deserves a love like that. Because she's Rayla

[queenofthearchipelago]

And when Mike cups Will's jaw and whispers, "I'm not going to your funeral again." What THEN

[queenofthearchipelago]

What if Crowley created the stars and he needed another angel's help hanging them up? So angel Crowley created the stars and then he and Aziraphale hung them up together. And maybe that's why Crowley's so fond of Alpha Centauri, because Aziraphale hung his favorite star right next to his. Two stars so close together that for centuries astronomers thought they were one star.

[queenofthearchipelago]

I just can't believe Nandor killed a vampire for Guillermo. An ancient vampire killed another of his kind for a human ancestor of Van Helsing. And that vampire did it because the Van Helsing, for the first time in his life, just couldn't do it.

[queenofthearchipelago]

There's been a lot of speculation about Metatron potentially erasing Crowley's name from the book of life when Crowley inevitably gets in his way. And I raise you the idea that Aziraphale steals the book of life for the sole purpose of writing his name back in

Give me the bookshop scene except it's Aziraphale falling to his knees because he can't feel Crowley in the universe anymore. Give me Aziraphale making Hell in Heaven and on Earth because he WILL bring Crowley back. Give me Aziraphale tenderly writing Anthony J Crowley onto the page once he has the book. Give me Crowley apparating in the sky, his wings white at first before they turn black again because Aziraphale loved him exactly as he was and exactly as he wanted to be. Give me Aziraphale whispering Crowleys name the way Crowley once did his in a pub at the end of the world. Let all of creation tremble at how much Aziraphale loves Crowley and how far he'll go for him

[queenofthearchipelago]

Actually, it's really interesting how Crowley was right in episode 1. Keeping Gabriel around *was* endangering their lives. Beelzebub told him about the extreme sanctions, and Crowley learned how bad it all was, and he knew he had to go back to protect his angel. So he goes back to the bookshop and apologizes. Not because he was wrong though, but because he knows full well the angel made up his mind. Aziraphale WILL do what he thinks is right, even at the cost of himself. Crowley knows him too well. And so he apologizes, even though he was right, and spends all season protecting them both. Perhaps he doesn't tell Aziraphale about the book of life because he full well knows that it wouldn't make a difference. Save some kids and go to hell. Love a demon and be destroyed. Help an old enemy and be erased from existence. It wouldn't matter. So he spares Aziraphale the stress of it and he decides to help as best as he can. The result of it all being that Aziraphale sees all of this as him and Crowley teaming up to do the right thing, and Crowley sees it as saving Aziraphale when he knows Aziraphale won't save himself.