#underrated moment tbh

[preacherboyd]

House M.D. | 2x14 Sex Kills

[dailyaftgquotes]

"Neil reached behind Andrew and popped Kevin in the back of the head to shut him up. Matt choked on a laugh and tried unsuccessfully to pass it off as a cough. Kevin froze for a startled second, then sent Neil a scathing look. 

"No one wants to hear that right now," Neil said. "If you hit me again," Kevin started. Andrew cut in with a casual, "You'll what?"

-Nora Sakavic, The King's Men, page 218

[alwaysthequietones]

[fromtheseventhhell]

A lord would have gold for a certainty, they all did; perhaps he would pay some of Lord Tywin's own sellswords to take her to Riverrun. Father had always said that most sellswords would betray anyone for enough gold. (Arya VII, ACOK)

One thing about Arya, her chapters are going to be casually littered with little lessons and tidbits of information that have proven relevant to characters with leadership positions

[raaaaazz]

“how did your clothes just disappear”

[essektheylyss]

There's something so fascinating about Karna versus Raphaniel's relationships to power, to influence, and to being known.

Neither of them up until this episode act out of their own power—Raphaniel acts in the name of the Bulb, and Karna under the guise of Jacque Crudite. Only after they have committed and been party to unspeakable acts do they act in their own names.

In doing so they also swap sensibilities. Karna has been brazen with magic usage but now, finding herself on her own, she leans primarily into subterfuge and subtlety, evidenced mechanically in her rogue levels. Raphaniel has been quiet about his activities, cloaking his true magical nature, but now, when his will is broken, he confronts the Sanctis Putris directly and is not so careful as to disguise his use of magic, which leads to further alienation from the institution that he had shrouded himself in for so long, even as he plots a holy civil war.

But they are still both seeking power and influence, Karna from mundane nobility, using the chaos of war to bolster her reach, and Raphaniel by seeking out the power he has become privy to at the center of the world.

And both of them, from what it seems, are taking innate power already from the Hungry One. We know thanks to a chocolate rabbit that the Bulb and the Hungry One are both merely energy sources, and their power does not discriminate between the devout and the faithless. But Karna, who is young, gives of herself, quite literally, in exchange for power, and Raphaniel turns from it, running to the shield of the church in spite of an absence of faith.

That also is twisted on its head by this point—Raphaniel, as Brennan says, is for once in his life completely devout, while Karna remarks that she is for the first time afraid to die. This comes after Raphaniel feels he has utterly lost any control to influence history, and Karna has gained significant influence.

But both of them, given their self-imposed quests—Raphaniel to rid the church of the Sanctis Putris and devotees of the Prophidian Heresy, and Karna to unite the Meatlands—are on paths that will guide history for at least two decades. We know that both of these quests are borne out, regardless of whether these characters survive to see it done: the Bulbian Church will come out of this war with an iron grip upon the continent, in part because of a consolidation of theology, and in part because of the way local religions are stamped out in favor of unity under a single idea—a single light.

All that remains is to be seen is whether the two of them both stay this course, or turn against the tide before the end. What will likely be true one way or another is that they will get what they have wished for: to influence from the shadows. Their names will not be known, but their contributions to history will consume Calorum for decades to come.

[drowning-in-you-summers]

Lol part one was really entertaining to watch as you guys voted so here’s another one

[note-boom]

You know what? Kudos to BSD for being a manga that is so GOOD with the stupid power of friendship trope even amongst its philosophical angst, family feels, and fandom ships. No, I'm not talking about friendship destroying the big bad.

I'm talking about Ranpo extending a hand of friendship to a Yosano that had lost all hope in herself, humanity, and life.

I'm talking about Odasaku reaching out in his last moments to tell Dazai he was his friend.

And about Dazai telling Mori Odasaku was his friend, and feeling angry when it looked like Ango's friendship was based on lies, then letting his friendship with Odasaku spur him to be a good person.

It's about Atsushi and Kyouka building a tenuous friendship starting with her letting herself open up to Atsushi, and him inviting her to look at the city, and her protecting him fiercely when he's in danger.

It's potentially also about Tanizaki insisting they save Atsushi from the Port Mafia.

It's about Tachihara, Gin, and Hirotsu when Tachihara refuses to kill those he has come to call friends despite being a man of orders.

It's also about Kenji's full power being unlocked when his friend died from a natural disaster, and when he heard about Atsushi getting tortured.

And when Kenji snapped out of it to offer a hand of friendship to Tecchou

I'm also talking about Chuuya growing to care about people even though he lost all his friends poor man

It's even about Kunikida and Katai having this deep bond that as of yet remains to be explored.

[moonyeclipses]

Rant(?) incoming I’m just gonna be talking about my fav boy and how much I hate his mischaracterization

But am extremely excited for the new season and maybe it’ll happen less cause I think a good chunk of the fan base probably just, view him differently from being anime only?

Hopefully lol (also manga and light novel spoiler warning!)

Excerpts from my priv twitter (but slightly altered to get my point across more):

Of all the bsd characters I think I could write the most about Ranpo and his characterization and how ppl completely fuck it up

Like- it’s hard to read a lot of fanfic with him cause they don’t portray him right? Like just the ‘UwU sweets loving boy who knows everything but is still oblivious’ OR ‘self centered arrogant man who acts too childish for his age and thinks he’s better than everyone’

LIKE NO‼️‼️

I know we haven’t really gotten to it in the anime yet but his whole thing is the fact HE DOESNT KNOW EVERYTHING- but he’s also aware that he knows a lot more than everyone else so people view him as this all-knowing unbeatable person when it’s simply not the case

Like, he puts himself on such a high pedestal cause he knows his family puts him on such a high pedestal, they expect him to be able to do everything and to know everything, and that’s why he fights so damn hard for the agency - he doesn’t want to let his family down

He’s always feels so isolated cause of it, and he’s so scared of messing up and he does mess up and it RUINS him

That arrogant front he puts is cause once your the best of the best there’s no where to go but down right? He keeps trying to prove himself and prove himself - he also doesn’t want to give anyone the idea of otherwise because he feels he has to be the one to keep everyone safe- if he shows weakness their enemies will find the loopholes and unfortunately for him that did happen

And yes he’s childish! He was literally sheltered from the entire world besides his also super genius parents for the first FOURTEEN YEARS of his life, he genuinely believed the world was out to get him and didn’t understand it once he was shoved into the outside world alone without the guidance of his now dead parents

They planned on raising him as a normal child to be a good person and not use his genius skills for bad, but they died early into the plan so he just, doesn’t know, doesn’t know any different

He thought everyone could see what he could and just refused to acknowledge it, and every time he would call something or someone out HE would be the one punished for it, it wasn’t till Fukuzawa came along and told him that he’s the only one to do that

AND, he knew to protect him at the time he told Ranpo his deduction skills were an ability, and Ranpo held onto that for protection, cause he refused to believe he was different for no reason, Fukuzawa knew he would be isolated from both normal people AND gifted people because of it

Please read the Untold Story of the Founding of the Detective Agency if you haven’t, it’s the third light novel and it’s about Fukuzawa’s and Ranpo’s meeting when Ranpo was only 14 years old and how Fukuzawa took Ranpo in and eventually created the Agency - it really helps you understand him more and why he is the way he is

Also! Once he discovered he is different, his first reaction wasn’t to use it for this benefit, his first reaction was “the people in the world are like infants, I understand now, the world isn’t cruel, it’s just stupid, and I need to protect them!” This has been his mindset since them, if no one else can see it, then he can and has to save them

It’s like having a pet and calling them stupid in an affectionate way whenever they do something dumb and taking care and nurturing them

Even if he’s not all that emotionally vulnerable and caring, he shows how much he cares through his actions - he’s different, he knows it, he states it like the fact it is, he brags as a manipulation tactic, but he still is a man who’s childhood was cut short, and grew up thinking murder is normal and a everyday casual thing, he loves praise and sweet things because he just simply does, he acts childish I believe as a way to keep a happy front and to stop others from worrying

“Alls well that’s well for me” he means it in the sense of, “if I’m happy, if I’m not worried about something, then no one else has to be, because I have the situation handled” and we see the opposite of this during the DOA arc, when he’s trying to outsmart fyodor and suddenly he gets dead serious - everyone is unsettled by it, they realize how serious the issue is

Idk guys I just, yes he’s a man child at times, yes he acts arrogant and self centered, yes he loves sweets and a lot of things children love but I hate it when people see it as his only traits

They don’t realize how deep his character is and how much he knows. His deduction isn’t just towards mysteries, he can read people in an instant, figure out their life story and more

He may not be a manipulation expert like Dazai but I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves in his other skills and how just, aware he is of everything happening around him - and how normal he tries to perceive himself and live his life in other non serious situations

And people don’t tend to realize how much he cares for everyone, all the innocent people in the world, and especially the agency who is family to him - he’s sacrificed himself on more than one account to protect them

He also puts his trust in the world even though he knows not everyone is as smart as him, because he knows he doesn’t know everything like when he did the press conference to prove the agency innocent

And you can see how relieved he is when some of them do, even if there’s a book that change reality to point all fingers at him

Anyway yea, I sincerely hope with the fourth season (and praying they animate the untold origins for the first couple eps like they did with the other light novels) more people will appreciate Ranpo, and the true Ranpo and not just some simple aspects of his character traits

Thank you for coming to my TED talk LMAO

[xoxoemynn]

Honestly, we do not give Wee John enough recognition for not even bothering to sit up to ask Izzy fucking Hands “oh, be a dear, and make me one of those, would ya?”

Iconic.

[footballandfiasco]

not me forgetting i made this weeks ago I made a part six, y'all!! <3

my favourite underrated germany nt moments, part 6/?

[edwardshundredyearoldspunk]

I'm having so many feelings about ninerose I can't stand it. it's just!!! the fact that they're falling in love right from the start!! but people refuse to see it!! and lbr it's because christopher eccleston isn't as young and good looking as david tennant so people ignore that it STARTED WITH NINEROSE!! by the time nine regenerates, ten is ALREADY in love!! they're ALREADY IN LOVE!!!!

[youngpettyqueen]

Carry On, Hawkeye is honestly one of Frank's most likeable episodes. he keeps trying to work right up until he passes out from sickness and exhaustion. he tries to get up and keep going. he even calls Hawkeye "buddy" like :) at the end

[kimdokjas]

Hi~ I binge-read orv webtoon today and I have just finished. I came to Tumblr to know more about the fandom and I realised that people ship Dokja with Joonghyuk. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting that. I thought their "flirty"(? interactions were just some sort of fan service or silly jokes. Is there anything in the novel that implies a relationship between them? Or maybe something that I missed in the webtoon? (I struggle with picking up social cues, especially romantic cues)

I hope this ask doesn't upset you, you were one of the top orv blogs that Tumblr showed me

(also, I apologize for my bad English, it isn't my first language)

Wait I'm one of the top orv blogs??? 💀💀💀 But for sure, I don't mind at all, anon! I love having an excuse to rant about orv <3

To preface this: yes, most of the heavier joongdok content comes until later in the novel, but there ARE some highlights in the webtoon as well so far.

I think most of the appeal of early joongdok interactions in the webtoon comes from the enemies to lovers vibe they have going on. Picture KDJ hyperfixating on his single favorite character for 10+ years, through every up and down of his life. In his narration during their FIRST meeting he explicitly says:

I liked you, hated you, resented you, and cheered for you. I was with you throughout your three-thousand episode journey. (webtoon ch. 12)

AND THEN. He finds out his favorite blorbo comes to life and proceeds to annoy him until he starts choking him over a bridge with a sunset backdrop like something out of a romance drama. It's all about the tension and subversion of expectations 🤌

Their relationship is very much a slowburn. YJH very reasonably distrusts KDJ at first (due to some past trauma) but we do see him gradually start to warm up to KDJ as the story progresses.

One of the main highlights is during ch. ~100 in the Disaster of Floods scenario. When KDJ sacrifices himself for YJH, he proceeds to freak out, tries to save him even when he knows it's futile, and refuses to kill him for coins even when YJH is often largely pragmatic in his interactions with others. We're told that YJH pretty much never uses the word "companion" because it holds too much meaning for him and he's never acknowledged KDJ as such, even though KDJ insists they're "life and death companions" (which is already pretty damn poetic if not romantic imo). But when Shin Yoosung asks who KDJ is to him, YJH says:

"That guy. He is my companion." (ch. 102)

(This got translated as "a companion of mine" in the webtoon but the novel is where it's at.) And keep in mind this is also an actual quote from the novel btw:

The weight of this word, 'companion', was too great for Yoo Joonghyuk. (ch. 12)

However, as I mentioned, their relationship only really starts to develop until later in the novel. To be clear, there's no explicit romance in orv–which I personally really appreciate because it opens up the floor instead to flesh out all the platonic relationships all of the characters have with one another that are JUST as deep and profound.

But even so, joongdok is very much canon to me. I don't want to give too much away because I'd be spoiling the rest of the novel for you, but they really are cosmic soulmates meant for one another in a way that is so narratively profound and completely goes full circle. The lengths they go to for one another are actually insane and there's no doubt in my mind the love and devotion they feel for one another is real and simultaneously indescribable by mere labels.

I really hope you're planning on continuing to read the novel now that you finished the webtoon! I truly cannot recommend it enough. It is literally and unironically the single greatest piece of literature I've ever read and the journey is 100% worth it. Plus, the webtoon will take a long time to complete at the current rate so the only way to find out what happens next is by reading the novel 😉

Anyway, I hope this was somewhat helpful to you! I think it's really admirable that you're trying to search for a different interpretation from your own. There's a saying in orv by one of the characters: "Read it again", and the intention there is that by rereading (or looking at things again in a new light) you will always find new meaning even within the exact same text, as long as you're willing to look for it. So the fact that you're asking this question is very much in the spirit of orv itself <3

And this goes without saying but you're also completely free to interpret them in your own way as well!

(By the way, I highly advise you to blacklist the "orv spoilers" tag and try to tread with caution if you're searching for content! There are spoilers literally EVERYWHERE and while orv is still very much enjoyable even with spoilers, all the reveals won't hit as hard–trust me. There really is so much that can be spoiled.)

[sunburnacoustic]

Matt on writing Aftermath, getting producer Mutt Lang involved in the creative direction of the song.

He talks about how the world of ballads were new to Matt and Muse's sound, and interestingly, how he'd usually never let a producer suggest changes to his songwriting: "This was the first song where I ever let someone say something to me like, "try playing this note, or trying playing that note," and I'll go like, "yeah, all right", you know? Where normally I'll say, "sorry, that's not what you do, I do that."

That's interesting to me, because it has me thinking about how while Muse are a musical sponge and sort of absorb everything that comes their way, they've always been quite adamant and protective of their own creative process and integrity, and ensuring that it is nothing but the creative output of the three members in the band: they wouldn't let reviewers nor producers influence their sound, not Maverick pushing them in a particular direction, and hopefully not fans either. They wouldn't be pressured into making something that isn't true to them or isn't what they want to make (which ironically brings us to the themes of Pressure, but that's a discussion for a different post).

The song started out as a more "pub rock"-sounding song, according to Matt, and Mutt helped shape it into a ballad.

If I remember right, the music video came out after the album's release, by a good few months even, so they don't talk about it here obviously, but I almost wish they did because this is such a good interview, they're comfortable and chatty, and John Kennedy's such a good interviewer. The music video for Aftermath almost made me cry every time I watched it; this song is so different to the rest of Muse's back catalogue but I love it so much.

[sailor-aviator]

I always get so giddy when someone picks up Don’t Hang’em Til Noon for the first time