#which MIGHT just be me grasping at straws. but also i think it makes sense for the trip song and the climax song to be somewhat connected

[sho-haizono]

Blackout seesaw mv has made me insane for many reasons but

^ THIS SCENE in particular is what's getting me the most. As far as I know, the only other mv to include this feather effect is the living on the edge mv (and surprisingly enough not the tsubasa moratorium mv.)

So I went through the mv again and the image above is the best I could find that could match the blackout seesaw screenshot.

And it's like. Aira feels so much more confident in the first screenshot.. he's closer to the camera, there's less feathers, the rest of alkaloid isnt in the shot, and even his pose just feels more like he's facing the crowd head-on.

Oughf. He and the other members have grown sosoososo much and blackout seesaw makes me very emotional. Or something.

[ask-pomni-blog]

Ok this may seem like im grasping at straws here but i need you guys to let me cook for a sec-

HUGE TADC EPISODE 2 SPOILERS

We start off the episode with Pomni’s nightmare, which is a reflection of Pomni’s fears and feelings that are going to be expanded upon throughout the episode. Her main fear isn’t abstracting here, it's the feeling of helplessness, the feeling of not mattering to anybody in the circus. This is seen clearly when Ragatha, Jax, and Caine are shown above the cellar, basically saying “good riddance” upon witnessing Pomni abstract.

And it makes complete sense that Pomni would feel this way once you look back at the circus’ reaction to Kaufmo abstracting (before the second episode). He doesn’t get acknowledged as someone who has just passed away, he doesn’t even get a moment of silence. Pomni notices this, and after she wakes up from her nightmare, she seems almost reluctant to bond with the rest of the circus members because this fear is still on her mind.

This is seen particularly when Pomni is speaking to Ragatha. Ragatha attempts to be helpful at any given chance, but most of the time Pomni is lost in her thoughts. Pomni doesn't seem very open to conversate with Ragatha because of her fears. But this isn't unwarranted, Ragatha literally calls the situation from the day before a “doozy” which brings up the fact that Ragatha constantly dismisses important issues, saying that they should just forget about the situation that happened the day before when Pomni left her for the exit. I understand that she’s trying to ease the tension between them, but I fear she might be making it even worse. Additionally, Ragatha dismissing a very important issue like that makes Pomni’s fears stronger, it may seem to Pomni that Ragatha doesn’t care…

When it’s actually the opposite! The whole episode she tries her best to motivate Pomni (“look, Pomni. We’re already friends with the princess!”, “So, Pomni, I’m sure there’s some way you could help out here.”)

and she’s also very concerned for Pomni when she’s gone (“...Pomni’s still on board!”, “Oh man, Poor Pomni. I hope she's alright.”, “I’m more worried she’s having another horrible experience.”, “Pomni! Are you okay?”)

However, all these remarks could be seen as condescending from Pomni’s perspective… And on the other hand, Ragatha feels like Pomni blames her for the situation, and that Pomni dislikes her. 

Returning to the topic of Pomni’s fears, a lot of this is also reflected in her conversation with Gummigoo:

—

G:“I don’t matter in the slightest. I’m nothing. My life, my memories… my friends… it’s all fake.” 

P:“...I think I know the feeling.”

P:“...I guess I just don't want you to feel like you’re nothing. I don’t want anyone to feel like that.”

G:“But I'm not even a real person. Would I even belong?”

P:“I’m sure you wouldn’t belong any less than me.”

—

Pomni relates to Gummigoo’s fears!! And Pomni is so compassionate and understanding too! …sadly their friendship didn’t last very long… and that brings us back to Ragatha and Pomni. Ragatha tries her best to be reassuring… unfortunately that didn’t work either. AND THIS WHOLE INTERACTION IS JUST- OH MY GOD... LET ME PUT A HUGE EMPHASIS ON THEIR BODY LANGUAGE HERE:

Also the WORDING HERE:

and this scene ooohhhhhhh,,,,,,,, this scene...!!

POMNI IS REASSURED ONCE SHE SEES THAT THE CIRCUS MEMBERS DO CARE. THEY WOULD CARE. HER FEARS DISSAPEAR AND AND- ohhhhmy god this is so sick and twisted.. this ep was.. soooooo good. holy smokes. anyways thank you for listening to my TED talk.

[miss-menhera]

HELLO THERE!!! Trying to cope with OR UNDERSTAND Adam's death? The denial and "what ifs" just get stronger?!?!?!?

Me too tbh I'm fucking miserable

BUT!!!! YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT THIS SHITHEAD COMING BACK IS ACTUALLY MORE PLAUSIBLE THAN YOU THINK! (W.O.W!!!!)

I actually also have some pretty solid theories about season 2 in here so be warned.

(This is a bit different from my usual goofy post I might delete this and separate into parts since I talked about too much)

VIVZIEPOP MADE A COUPLE STATEMENTS THAT COULD BE GAME-CHANGING AND WON'T LEAVE US GRASPING AT STRAWS ANYMORE. I'LL DISCUSS EVERY GROUND THERE IS TO COVER AND EVERY COPIUM THERE IS TO INHALE, AT THE MOMENT!! (Might update this or make a new post if more comes out)

Ok so to start this off, don't be put off by this person's perspective, just listen to me. Vivzie talked to this fan at megacon and got asked if Adam was still alive, all she said was "he lives on in a way", I'm gonna take my delulu aside and the most pessimistic guess would be that someone (pfff lute obviously)avenges him or that his death has an everlasting impact that changes the story, BUT we already got that made clear, like that was pretty obvious already.

(It's made obvious by this scene, Adam's death created a whole other big problem)

(Unless what she means by it is that his death is honored? Like maybe we get to delve deeper into his history, but again i dont think so) SO I DONT THINK THATS IT, I feel like if it was either of the ones I mentioned she would just say "Nope, he's deceased BUT he lives on in a way" But ALL she said was "He lives on in a way" which is very different, although it could be she expressed herself badly or the person writing the tweet didn't quote it word for word. But taking it in the literal sense, this might be pretty much confirmation he lives. There's a way he lives right? So considering that.... could it be that after Lute took his halo,(which was also broken which often renders an angel as "fallen" by default) and left his body there, he just... like woke up as a sinner? Yes yes, I know everyone's been talking only about that, I'm not giving any groundbreaking revelations but I'm just saying that there's alot of options that open up to that possibility. Or who knows! What if he actually doesn't get reincarnated? What if he just wakes up with no halo, so no place to come back to or what if the ever-absent God takes notice of his death and fixes up his first loyal creation?

Besides that if they THINK Adam is dead, (hesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdeadhesnotdead)

They make these huge ass changes in tactics, and need to find another way to deal with what Charlie is doing; IF Adam actually becomes a sinner, and his life is super important to heaven... with evidence that sinners can now be redeemed... What if people like LUTE, or LILITH actually become allies of the hotel in an effort to redeem him? He WAS God's first, most loyal and favorite creation, HELL THE REASON HE WAS ALLOWED TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTED AND WAS BASICALLY IMMUNE TO THE LAW IN HEAVEN IS BECAUSE OF HOW MANY PRIVILEGES HE HAS, I don't think God would be too pleased with his soul dissipating or whatever the fuck. That might actually be a plot point, he's way too important to just be killed off like this, am I the only one who got that impression? He's the FIRST MAN, first man, the first man being THE FIRST TO DIE IN THIS SHOW IS ABSOLUTELY MIND-FUCKING AND ALSO A CRUEL JOKE anditskindafunny OF FATE FOR HIM.

Something else I want to add is that my personal take on it is that if I learned anything about this show, Lilith will show up in the next season and pretend to be an ally to the hotel, she will pretend to support Charlie and basing this off the theory that Alastor made a deal with Lilith to keep her daughter safe, he failed to meet the end of his deal. So now she's coming to take matters into her own hands after all these pesky men failed, (ermmm girlboss!!) Stop, and manipulate everyone in the hotel into giving up on the idea. Considering how she deliberately kept Charlie away from her dad her whole life, there's gonna be a whole lot of family drama. And we might see Alastor lose his shit for good. Still tryna figure out wtf does "Lilith thrived and empowered demonkind with her voice" if her voice is that powerful, and her words are just as powerful, we're gonna get 1. FIRE ASS SONGS 2. Mother Gothel ass song with Charlie, I just know it holy shit. Not to mention that they actually don't know that Sir Pentious went to heaven, Lilith definetely will know and won't tell anyone. Lucifer will definetely be the one to step up in the situation yet again. Anyway after I yapped my heart out about what I think will happen in this show, I just wanna say one thing.

There is this DUMBASS thing everyone in the fandom is talking about when someone says Adam is gonna be reborn as a sinner. "He is not gonna come back because he was killed with an angelic blade and Pentious was not" That is the most stupid bullshit I've ever read and if you genuinely believe it for a second, i feel sorry for u cuz how did your brain go and make this correlation?

Most of these people say that the show explicitly stated that Angelic metal SPECIFICALLY and just if it's metal, it can castrate a soul or whatever. Which is literally NOT true, at no point was it established that Angelic steel was the only thing able to exorcise demons. You really need just a bit of common sense to come to this conclusion, what makes the weapons dangerous for demons and angels isn't that they're steel specifically. It's that they're ANGELIC guys.. Have y'all seen Helluva boss at all?

There are blessed ropes, Angelic guns, Angelic bullets. These are just items that replicate the power of Holy magic. A PURE,HUGE, HOLY BEAM of unfiltered angelic power is not stronger than a little dagger infused with a fraction of it? Not only does that not make sense from the show's lore perspective, but using common SENSE that sounds even dumber. This is the only argument I can completely scratch off the lists of why Adam can't come back, and it's the most popular one...

Man you know what guys, after he died, whether he comes back or not, he's never gonna be the same again I just can't picture it. He's gonna be much more insecure, without a mask and not funny and goofy............. Or he is just gonna come back and go full joker. He just cant possibly keep being a light-hearted dark humor andrew tate stan after the most, first immature man in history pulled a gentle smile like that. That just can't be, like take a look at the way he always smiles to the last smile we saw him have.

THAT IS A CHANGED MAN YALL, THATS ANOTHER ENTITY 😭

I HIGHKEY DONT WANT HIM TO GET A REDEMPTION ARC EITHER :(( MAN WHY DID THEY HAVE TO DETHRONE THE LITTLE GUY, THEY RUINED EVERYTHING. One small little theory floating in my mind was that, what if the news of Adam being dead could result in some powerful overlord or even A SIN we've never seen or know the power of, revive him and have him work under them? Even if he actually comes back as a sinner, this little theory I haven't brainstormed much about could be explored.

But y'all know what? Let's say he's dead okay? Let's say he's dead dead, then what did they do with his BODY? I didn't see anyone dig him a grave, yet he died on the hotel, I didn't see anyone even move his body after the angels left. And we know damn well they didn't take him, that's too much of a big detail to leave it out unless they REALLY screwed up with the writing and animation direction in the rush to have the serie come out, but the animation has always been so detailed with almost unnecessary background details. I think they left it out intentionally to have that worked out in season 2, heard some people say it could be they just built the hotel over his body? But I doubt it. If so maybe he could become part of the hotel or just condemned to never leave the hotel in a.... a... ghooooost.... like form...?(Massive amounts of copium). Someone could argue his body just dissolved or something but 1. That makes no sense pookie 2. In the first episode they found the body of the dead exorcist long after it died, and we definetely know atleast it's head was still perfectly intact by episode 3. AND i also went back to check, after Lute takes the Halo they purposefully never show Adam's body, ONCE. Not once, not even as they show all the corpses on the ground as the exorcists depart. So that couldn't be it, one thing we know for sure is that Vivzie is definetely letting on there's something more to his death she doesn't want to reveal yet. It could be she's doing that just to leave it ambiguous to delusional theorists like myself,,,,,since my type of stupid is usually the kind of idiocy infectious enough to rot everyone's brain into pointless speculation based on minor details. Which definetely sells the show better AND keeps discourse and attention alive till more is fed to us, which in that case, very effective marketing strategy at the cost of everyone's mental health Viv! Good job, the prospect you might be giving us false hope cuz its good for business is really making me reconsider signing the christian mom petition to make Amazon prime cancel tis' demonic blasphemous show. (And yes that is a serious threat, I will even fund the petition with 100 euros watch what you write, i don't want any mammon ass marketing tactics pls)...... or... she just doesn't wanna spoil the surprise and im reading too much into it... BUT YOU NEVER KNOW OK?? I NEED TO EXPLORE EVERY SINGLE POSSIBILITY AND NOT LEAVE ONE UNCOVERED. I seriously think I've thought of almost anything-Except that he's just dead, we'll see his funeral in the next season and he actually makes no other appearance......... BUT THAT'S BORING AND I WILL DROP THE SHOW IF THAT HAPPENS! By the way kinda can't wait for Adam merch to drop, cus it means SHE STILL FINDS HIM RELEVANT ENOUGH TO MARKET HIM!!!......and i just really want to have physical objects of him...... But u know what guys Vivzie likes adam alot, he's one of the characters she retweets stuff about the most, along with Lucifer and Alastor. And she also kinda admitted to it.

NOT TO MENTION THERE IS MORE THAT PROVES ITS NOT OUT OF THE WINDOW FOR HIM TO MAKE A COMEBACK CUZ ALEX BRIGHTMAN(Adam's va) ANNOUNCED HE WILL BE IN SEASON 2. and I know he voices Sir Pentious too,(insane range btw wtf) but like i said if they're keeping it a surprise (Thats been pretty much confirmed, Vivz refuses to give too many details so she obviously wants to keep us guessing, which would be cruel if it was for nothing, and i think she knows would leave fans very disappointed) the possibility of Adam still being present in the show could work out.

VIVZ UNLESS YOU'RE A SADISTIC EVIL WOMAN YOU WOULD NEVER HOPE PEOPLE LIKED HIM IF YOU DIDNT HAVE BIG THINGS PLANNED FOR HIM, RIGHT? RIGHT? VIVZIIEIEIEIEIEI3IE😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 GIVE US BACK OUR FRATBOY BEETLEJUICE UNSCATHED PLS NO MORE PAIN!!!

Also guys look adam actually changed out of that smelly ass robe and dolled himself up for the early extermination!!!!

[myfairstarlight]

Good day friend! I've been really enjoying your takes for bridgerton this season :D Would love to hear your thoughts about part 2, particularly Colin's character portrayal if you're at all inclined!

Well hello there dear, thank you!

And what a coincidence, because Colin's portrayal, always the polarising topic in this fandom it seems, has been on my mind ever since I finished watching part 2... I shall ramble here then! I hope you do not mind a long answer, dear reader, for my last analysis post was not a quick read indeed. And I will now also stop trying to sound like Whistledown.

So, overall thoughts? I think he was handled mostly brilliantly, actually. And thus still despite the pacing issues (but that's an overall issue I have with the show, not specific to this season). Controversial take, already, so let's break it down a bit.

I will try to organise my rambling, but this is pretty much my immediate thoughts after watching the season. Perhaps I'll make a more organised and proper post later, adding Penelope's side, like my friends to lovers love letter, but we'll see! So:

Colin's journey to self-love

Because just like Penelope, though we arguably see it less, Colin has his own journey to loving himself because the thing with Colin is that he's still so insecure. Yes, he's more himself in part 2 now that he realised he's in love, he no longer tries to pretend to be someone he's not, but he still struggles to prove himself, and we see it in those last two episodes, when the truth is truly out. People are harsh on him for being so caught up in what Whistledown wrote and constantly celebrating the idea that LW might meet her demise, almost like a child who just got some sweets, but as we've seen in his discussion with Eloise after the reveal, it's because Whistledown calling him out at the beginning of the season for his new persona poked at his biggest insecurity, and he's still stuck on that, even more so now that he learns Penelope was behind the words, the one person who always made him feel seen and in this case, made him feel too seen. To me, him bringing up Marina so insistently was him grasping at straws, clinging to the one thing he knows for sure was unfair so he does not have to face the fact that what Penelope wrote was the truth (sidenote, was a little disappointed they did not have Penelope say she did try to talk to him about Marina but he literally did not listen and did not care that Marina loved another). He is still trying to find who he is and for a moment, he thought he had it, thanks to the very person now making him question everything all over again.

And oh boy does he not cope well.

Hero complex and what it means to be the man of the house

Colin has a hero complex. That's news to absolutely no one, unless you have not paid attention, so I won't make a list of the instances in previous seasons again. But we see it right away in e5 as he stands up for Penelope in front of Portia, then constantly shielding Penelope as soon as Cressida is involved. Penelope even thanks him for it, telling her no one has ever stood up for her of the sort, which fuels his hero complex. In fact, it is Colin's protectiveness that leads him to learn Penelope is Whistledown since he followed her out of worry, and that leads him to the realisation that she may not need him as much as he thought she did (and in his mind, perhaps she even just pretended to need him, to love him). And that, along with discovering that secret, shatters him. His whole sense of purpose, the one thing he thought he could for sure provide? Gone, just like that.

Even more so later when he learns she may be richer than him lol

So he overcompensates. When Cressida's blackmail is revealed, he does not listen, he jumps on the opportunity to prove himself, to protect his wife even if he's still mad at her, no one can disrespect her and his family so blatantly. As the man of the house, he needs to do what he must. And then he fucking fails and makes things far worse. And you know what? How satisfying it was that for once he failed, arguably when it was the most important for him, to remind him that hey, don't get on your high horse, listen to your wife and your family, don't try to handle everything on your own! (A lesson that Penelope also has to learn at the same time! That's marriage baby!) I like that he gets humbled twice, by Penelope and Cressida, the person he loves most and the one he despises so, yet they both throw the truth at him - he's privileged, as a man, and as a Bridgerton. He gets to question himself, travel to his whim, be even reckless like he just was because he will always have unconditional love from his family, but Penelope had to hide a part of herself to be able to do something she likes, meanwhile Cressida has to resort to questionable means to avoid getting married off to an old man. They do not have the luxury that Colin has to just do things. And it pains him to face that.

I've seen the sentiment that part 2 has Penelope be more assertive than Colin, with the dynamic shifting again when it should not, and while it is true she is the one who seeks him out more, it makes sense, she is seeking his forgiveness all throughout the last two episodes. I love her, but you cannot argue she is not at fault here and Colin deserves to be upset and a bit withdrawn as he deals with the conflicting feelings suddenly assaulting him. Yes the entrapment accusation hurt especially since he was the one who couldn't keep his hands to himself, but with his history after Marina, it makes sense that's what his hurt mind decides to focus on that, to justify the fact he's still so upset (It does bother me he never apologises for that comment though, at the same time Penelope doesn't hold it against him. They, or the writers, probably forgot about it.) But I would also argue that him being so troubled, is a proof of love, he even says so to Eloise "you are lucky you've never been in love" because if he wasn't, this would be much easier to deal with. Despite it all, he loves her, he chooses her, he will protect her, he must. He decides to sleep on the sofa to still stay close to Penelope despite the fact he could just sleep in one of the empty bedrooms. He still reassures her during their wedding, with one look encouraging her to walk more confidently down the aisle, and he holds her oh so tenderly when they dance at the wedding breakfast. He's so upset, but he's still so much in love. Of course, unlike part 1, there's no urgency or desperation on his part, there's no Debling threatening to take Penelope away, or him trying to earn back her favours so of course suddenly his displays of love feel less outward. But again, they're arguing, no he will not forgive her so easily, and that's a good thing, yet he's still here to support and protect her, and that says so much because again, he could just leave, that would have no consequence to him as a man. And in kind, Penelope makes an effort to do better as well, no longer witholding any secret from him, and he sees that.

And deep down, he understands Penelope, we see it when he confronts Cressida and perfectly described why Penelope became LW without her telling him in such words beforehand, because he's had similar struggles, he just needs to admit it, and be okay to show this vulnerability with her.

Colin's writer struggles and jealousy.

Now, I must admit, this was the weakest and a bit disappointing part of his arc to me, which is why I'm writing it last. I wish we could have had more time exploring that, and not just being told so (hopefully in s4? Assuming the writers won't pull a Kate and Anthony and constantly have them leave for no reason). This, however, adds to the previous part and Colin's struggle to provide, be the man of the house.

Here his wife is, an accomplished writer, even if under a pen name, who may be richer than he, oh how it must have deepened his insecurity. After all, if he cannot provide protection, or financial stability, then what good is he to her? What good are his silly journals when compared to that damn column that has all of Mayfair on a chokehold?

And yet.

Is it not telling and precious that he kept all of Penelope's letters? And that they're the catalyst of reminding him why he loves her so much, and how her love for writing and her cleverness shine through and that it is unfair of him to expect her to give it up when he himself aspires to be a writer? Writing is what brings them together truly, the same way writing letters to each other was the precursor for him realising his feelings as well. He is at peace then, Penelope is Whistledown, and she shines with her pen, and Colin fell in love with her quill, long ago, he was just overcome with grief to realise Whistledown held the same brilliance.

And sure, Penelope does not need him to provide, but she loves writing so much, and it inspires Colin in his own writing as well. And I also think it's super cute that he was going through a writer's block until Penelope told him she's loved him for years and suddenly the gates were opened (granted, this was before the reveal but now imagine post-reveal, as he struggles to edit and write, Penelope comes up beside him telling him he's doing well and boom, he's determined to write again).

But, back to the topic at hand, most importantly... he offers her love and support, even through all this battle, he unconsciously kept caring for her, and that's what Penelope craves, just someone there for her.

And that? That Colin can absolutely be, and he will proudly take on the role of her husband rather than "the man".

So I think this about wraps it up! Colin is the definition of a sensitive man trying his best to tough it up, a third son who struggles to find a place in this world. But he found a woman who does not need him to be what he is not, the one woman who will love him not for what he can provide, but for who he truly is, kind and incredibly empathetic. The one woman who fell in love with him because she made him fall off a horse and instead of yelling because of a bruised ego, he laughed at his own expense.

And I just think Colin Bridgerton is neat.

Also as I hit post it's 2AM for me so if some of this doesn't make sense, that's why, don't hold it against me, thank you dear one <3

[brianakane]

Do have theories about oathbound.

Yes, a few!! But most of them are probably ones that everyone's already said but here we go lol;

1. I definitely am under the belief that Sel is Erebus'/SK son. It just makes sense especially as it's clear Erebus and Natasia had a very close relationship. It would also explain why Sel is as powerful as he is.

2. Sel and Natasia are definitely the ones who are killing all these Merlins but I think everyone agrees on this theory 😂

3. We may or may not get a Nick/William pov but I am crossing my fingers that we DON'T get this. It's just Tracy has made it very clear that this is BREE'S story and I feel like it would definitely take that element away if we add more pov's. I'd be down for some separate pov chapters in the special addition of OB though 🤷‍♀️

4. I think Sel is going to regain (is that the word??) his humanity at either the middle or end of this book. At least I'm keeping my fingers crossed cos I really want my poor baby back ;((

5. We're getting Natasia Kane even if it's a GLIMPSE of her I'm BEGGING

6. I've also got this theory that Valec is also the SK son making Sel and him possibly half brothers. I know this is a stretch but we know little to nothing really about his life. He also reacted to Erebus' name and mentioned that they'd met before and maybe the reason he recognised Sel's name so quickly wasn't just as he was the kingsmage but because they're related?? I'm grasping at straws here I know

7. Alice is becoming Williams squire. Don't ask me how I've just got this feeling

(edit: I thought of some more so couldn't help myself hehe)

8. Nick must be feeling really bad bloodlust rn through the bond since I'm sure that's really all Sel is feeling rn because.. obviously. I wonder how that's going to affect him

9. William might die. I've seen some sources which kind of prove why he won't die and I DON'T want him too but there's always that possibility so I'm tryna keep my mind open just incase lol

Tysm for the ask anon!! <3

[featherdusterbelphie]

drew WHB Belphie pre-debut because yes?!

Very long discussion under the cut vvv

HE IS HERE YESS (even though he is very late)

I'm very excited for when he drops even though it'll definitely take me a while before I actually get him because I'm f2p only and I have shitty gacha luck hahaha...

Anyway, here are my theories: for some reason, I have a feeling that he's very mean? Or like, he's one of those who will bully MC LOL

(though I can't tell if it's bully because he likes mc, or bully because that's just how he is)

Idk, I just think he'll be prickly because of the piercings. He has so many! Four helix piercings on both ears?! Also, it looks like he's wearing a windbreaker? Or some sporty jacket which makes me think jock...which is also not very sloth-like lmao. It reminds me of typical gangster characters like Draken from Tokrev.

(Though that will be a very interesting character but it's risky since we already have Levi and not everyone likes him <3 the reason why I didn't draw him very gangster-like is that someone said that he kinda looks inspired by Vkei and I wanted to incorporate that somehow)

I also think he'll have a very... interesting personality. I've drawn him all crazy in the second pic, but very relaxed and a little tired? in the first. That's because I really like drowsy/sleepy eyes and also because he's the representative of the sin sloth so it makes sense. As for the crazy one..I also think that aside from the mean attitude, he'll have a very energetic/eccentric personality based on the art. Like he'll be all up in your face talking about the weirdest shit because he wants to get a reaction. Or he's just one very informed and knowledgeable king who has many, many secrets.

Speaking of secrets, there is his hands. I know the other kings also have hands in their teasers, but with Belphie, I think the hands have more significance. Because like, why is it covering up most of his face??? The other kings at least have an eye, nose and/or mouth showing through the fingers, but Belphie only has his left eye with two pupils. I'm starting to think he's very secretive or mysterious. Maybe he's a reclusive king and that's why not a lot of demons know about him or his country? Or maybe he's as strict and 'militaristic' as Nifleheim's description says of their country? Or maybe he has a scar that he's covering up? Idk but I am gonna be disappointed if it turns out to be a red herring >:(

Oh, and another thing about the hands— I might be grasping at straws here but the fingers look like teeth. The way they're intertwined in front of his face makes it look like teeth, making me think either he has very sharp teeth or his idiosyncrasy is related to teeth (i know, this is beyond grasping at straws now).

Also, I didn't draw his horns because I have no idea how to draw his horns. I can't see it at all in the teaser art unless it's this thing beside one of his hands which is....?? I'm not sure. Because if that's so then he's similar to Valefor with a horn in his eye (correct me if I'm wrong huhu) and if that's the case, then he has a very cool design that's very unique from all the current kings (including Asmo if they're going to reuse the design they had of him from Love Unholyc)

Unless his horn is the black halo above his head? In which case, how the fuck is that connected to his head?? Or is it floating with magic?? I don't understand. Why the halo? Is he connected to the angels in some way? A traitor, perhaps? Is he somehow related to the angelification stuff that I barely know anything about?

ALSO ALSO what's with the Roman numeral six on his forehead??? Is that just a random tattoo or will that mean something lore-wise? If so, does that mean he's the sixth king to be before Lucifer? (this is assuming Luci is the last king and Asmo is the first king) Or is this a hint that he's the sixth king MC visits/breaks the contract with? If it's the latter...then I don't know if I have enough patience to play through however many chapters it will take until we get to Niflheim...and also...my phone storage can't handle it eheu

It could also just not be a Roman numeral six and it could be a Latin word/quote that I have no idea about because it's hidden by his hands. Salvi is the only Latin word I could think of with 'vi' but that means 'saved' and I don't know how that works with Belphie. Because then he got saved?? By who?? And why would he need saving?

So many questions and so many ideas, I wonder when they'll officially introduce him (hopefully not next year...).

Also, does anyone know when Lucifer's selfie card goes into the normal banners? Because I don't see him there and the only thing I'm sure will go into the normal banners is Levi's school card which will be three months from now iirc.

NEXT >>

[inawickedlittletown]

Random thought that popped into my head for a fic idea that would be super angsty and awful for all parties involved and that also I just would never write. So if anyone does want to write it feel free...but this is me just getting out the whole idea so it doesn't sit in my head collecting dust.

Under the cut for length.

This is inspired by Izzie and George on Grey's Anatomy and how Izzie was always anti-Callie and in the end broke their marriage up by cheating with George and then their relationship failed spectacularly because they didn't fit together at all.

Now I'm not going to write this, but I thought it'd be kinda hilarious if Eddie kinda looked at his relationship with Buck and then also saw the way that Buck and Tommy were thriving and just kinda decided that actually he's also into guys and he's into Buck. Like fully convinces himself that he and Buck would make more sense together...reads everything Tommy does for Buck in all the wrong ways like his belief that he knows Buck better and stuff like that and he is just purely jealous and maybe it doesn't hurt that others from the 118 mention thinking that Buck and Eddie would get together. Maybe this is all happening right after Chris goes to Texas so Eddie is kinda just grasping at straws and instead of going to therapy he hyperfocuses on this.

Meanwhile Buck and Tommy are still thriving, but Eddie is constantly interrupting them or needing Buck and Buck is a good friend and kinda worried about him so he goes to Eddie every time which does put a little bit of a strain on his relationship with Tommy. Maybe Tommy noticed the Buck and Eddie friendship and comments from others make him start questioning things and although he trusts Buck he starts to wonder if Buck had feelings for Eddie despite Eddie being straight. Tommy is adult enough to sort of mention it and Buck laughs it off.

But then maybe Tommy walks in on Eddie kissing Buck...and on his end it looks a certain way (like full on cheating) when in reality Eddie and Buck were drunk and Eddie impulsively kissed him and Buck didn't react fast enough to stop it from happening.

Tommy and Buck break up...and then Buck goes to talk to Eddie about the kiss and also his own confusion because maybe he did like kissing Eddie. But beer goggles. So Eddie kinda confesses his love for Buck and Buck starts looking at all the things like his involvement with Chris and how close he and Eddie are and all other things and since he's feeling sad about Tommy maybe he decides that it might be worth trying things with Eddie. Mind this happens in the space of a week and he's just very confused and definitely still has feelings for Tommy. Buck mostly feels like he should explore things with Eddie for peace of mind and maybe because everyone is telling him that that is how things should be. He's also sure Tommy is done with him...maybe he has reason to suspect that Tommy hooked up with someone else already idk.

So Buck and Eddie kiss again and maybe they try to go for more and they both lie to each other about enjoying it when neither of them does. Eddie maybe realizing that he's not actually into men or just Buck...and Buck comparing everything back to Tommy and feeling weird about it.

Eventually they both call each other out on lying and Eddie goes to talk to Tommy to apologize and explain and then Buck runs into Tommy and they have coffee together and Tommy lets Buck explain his side of things and they cry and talk it all out and then they get back together.

At their wedding Eddie makes a whole speech about it and they all laugh about it because they're way past it and Buck and Tommy just look back on it and think it's funny.

[skinnamon39]

this whole thing is probably going to be debunked the second either Game Freak or the Pokemon Company comes out with more information but HEAR ME OUT:

Pokemon Legends Z-A will take place 3,000 years ago, after the war

yes I know that Legends Arceus only went back a few hundred years at max, but again, hear me out

it's been pointed out that the "Urban Redevelopment Project" referenced in the trailer may have parallels with the Paris Renovation in the late 1800s. this renovation project occurred very soon after the French Revolution of 1848, in which King Louis-Philippe was removed from power and Napoleon III became the first ever president of France

according to history books found in Lysandre Labs, AZ united Kalos with "technology unlike any seen in that era". given that this technology allowed for the creation of the Ultimate Weapon not too much later, I don't think it's a stretch to assume that it was quite advanced

and then, the infamous war began because other nations saw how prosperous Kalos had become and coveted the region's wealth. therefore, it makes sense to me that most of Kalos' advanced technology was stolen and/or destroyed as a result of that war. with AZ vacating the throne afterwards on account of going on his search for Floette, his brother presumably came into power

I've got this idea in my head that, though the buildings in the sketches appear 19th century-ish to us, this is what they were capable of with the remnants of their technology. the Redevelopment Plan is the Kalosian people rebuilding after war. the rebuilt city is also their hope for a peaceful coexistence with Pokemon, in contrast to how they were treated during the war

I might be grasping at straws with this one but I also feel like that's what they were going for with the futuristic aesthetic? like that's what it already could've been, but the sketch is what they can do for now

I dunno I'm just vibrating in my seat about this game

[orpheuslament]

Hi! I adored your poem so much that I got excited and had lots of thoughts about your lovely writing. So one thing led to another, I wrote some notes, and I thought it might be a fun experience to share my thoughts with you. So here are my notes on Sharing a Cigarette with Joan of Arc. This isn’t nearly everything that there is to say about this piece, I just wanted to gush about my favorite aspects of my initial reading (which may or may not have happened when I was drunk, I will admit). 

(Also, sorry if it’s a bit confusing, there are lots of grammatical mistakes and lacks structure. I mostly wrote/adapted this on my phone this morning while commuting and English isn’t my native language. I’m so sorry if I’m not quoting you right too, I’m mostly doing this from the top of my head)

As a queer person myself, I am very familiar with feeling small & vulnerable, grasping at the straws to figure out who (what?) I am, stuck in limbo, which is probably why I love it so much that your barebone characters melt into one another, the mirroring and entanglement that lasts only for a moment but isn’t any less significant. I loved the metaphorical give-and-take between the reader and Joan (a conversation that never happened between past and present. A revelation of sorts? Euh, I can imagine that) echoing the banality of sharing a cigarette with a stranger at the bar (Joan borrows your lighter but she rolls your cigarette and you’re sharing the same experience). I loved the economy of words, the graceful dryness of the writing. There’s no need to say too much for us to see what we’ve been looking for; your poetry is a mirror (I don’t remember what was the first piece of you that I’ve read, but I thought it was cruel; demanding & merciless. I loved it).

I love the parallels between the scene and the content, the characters are standing in between spaces (religious & secular space, masculinity & femininity, freedom & constraint, etc…) both figuratively and literally  (‘the emergency exit of a Parisian bar”). More generally; I love the back and forth between temporalities, the inside & outside, the person & the saint.

Ok, here’s something interesting; the figure of Joan of Arc is very ambivalent. She’s revered as a martyr and a Catholic saint (she was beatified in 1909 and then canonized in 1920 if I remember well, so that’s pretty recent, and an interesting political move) but she’s also considered a feminist icon, and a national symbol,  so as far as historical figures go, she is associated with various movements and currents of thoughts. Joan is a figure of antithesis. During World War I, her image was used to fuel the French national sentiment, and during World War II, she was simultaneously a symbol of Pétain’s France of Vichy, a symbol of the Résistance under de Gaulle's leadership, and of the Communist resistance. This is kinda crazy when you think about it because nowadays she’s mostly associated with the monarchists, and more generally the  French far-right (every year the RN celebrates JoA on the 8th of May. There’s a funny story to it). Her legacy is rich and contradictory, and it tells you exactly nothing about who she might have been; because she had no say in how her story was recorded, and the chronicles of her life were written by people who had lots of stake in how future generations would interpret her actions (& their inaction). We know nothing about who she was; “ I don’t want them to keep me. As a saint you lose all autonomy, your body is not yours to bury.” But that’s also what makes her so fascinating, right? I personally very much love the ambivalence of Joan's image; because to me as a French person, she’s deeply associated with a sense of identity (Joan’s sense of self is her divine right), but she’s also a symbol of individuality, transgression & defiance against social norms. That’s why I loved the ideological scope of your poem so much; a reinterpretation of the myth that reconciles every one of these facets. I love her for what she tells me about the loneliness of the struggle; the push to action; the jaded resilience and determination. (On a side note, did you know The Second Coming of Joan of Arc by Carolyn Gage or  I, Joan by Charlie Josephine? I’m kinda betting that you do cuz you seem pretty well-read, but if that’s not the case, those might be interesting and right up your alley) “In poet’s tongues & in the tip of the artist’s fingers. In the sound, a young girl’s hair makes when it falls to on her shoulders, in the way a boy creates himself with a pair of kitchen scissors & his parent’s dismissal. Patron saint of non-conformists, angel of the oversized sweater, of the buzzcut & the transsexual.” Those are my favorite lines, you have no idea how much i'd wanted to hear that.

I love the use of religious imagery in this context; the run-on pattern of light and fire that is so pervasive within the Christian mythology that’s associated here with the cigarette, which simultaneously joins the images of fire, smoke, and ashes, and defines the temporality of the piece as well; that transient moment of sharing a cigarette & chatting with a stranger at a bar (watching a small fox chasing a butterfly). Of course, Jeanne was burned at the stake so the association with fire is pretty commonplace, but what I love most is how you’ve capitalized on so many aspects of the symbolism of light and fire at once, be if within the Christian mythology and some sort of collective imaginary driven but many other influences, a rich network of associations feeding into one another. For instance, fire is often used as a symbol of God's presence in Christianity (‘ to be touched by God is to be destined to early fire’). In the New Testament, Jesus is the one who brings fire to the earth, and the Holy Spirit is the "tongues of flame" (in this case, I love the idea that there are so many readings available to your poems because your art is also a revelation, this is also your language,  ‘in poet’s tongues & in the tip of the artist’s fingers’) In Joans’s hands, the cigarette becomes an object of worship, much like in Christianity, the worship of fire was preserved through ritual candles (‘omens of a future in which her name is constantly lit by candlelight’). Religion and sanctity are simultaneously the conditions that make transcendence possible and the reason why Joan’s freedom is constrained. Fragile and illusory (the angel is parallel with a bird, a butterfly chased by a small fox. Which almost feels like a warning. Being seen is a point of no return. Doesn’t mean it’s not worth it). More generally (I’m thinking of Bachelard’s book, The Psychoanalysis of Fire, but I’m pretty sure any dictionary of symbols might say the same), and maybe more crucially, fire is associated with change, passion, or inspiration. Fire is the element of conversion in alchemy because everything that touches fire is irreversibly transformed, and often changed beyond recognition. But I kinda imagine that it’s not so much that fire has the ability to change something but instead fire reveals the underlying form of an element. Something that was there all along, a potential. As an element, fire has also mixed symbolism because it represents vitality and destruction, life and death, the lights of heaven and the pits of hell, a force that can be helpful when controlled (a candle, the cigarette), but volatile if left unchecked (the early fire; the pyre).

Association between the reader (you) and Joan, threading both into the same thoughts and experiences, creating a sense of belonging and understanding. I love the reference to physical transformation as liberating and cementing your sense of self and identity. Also, the repeating sequences about the hair reminded me of Patti Smith’s poem, “jeanne d’arc” which is also a subversion of the myth though she’s exploring a different alley. I love these lines, “got no hair / weighing me / cut so close / scalp is nicked”. I never knew it was such a universal experience, cutting your hair real short for the first time. I used to be so scared.

I love the choppy rhythm of your prose, the use of asyndeton that was kinda taken to the extreme, with the short sentences, you often dropping the subject clause, speech melting into thoughts into memories. There’s something organic about this that’s not quite like the usual stream of consciousness. Your poetry is like being out of breath.

Moreover, the dynamics of the passing of time are really neat in that piece, because you get the feeling that time stops, and freely moves backward (recollections; but also Joan’s presence - a sweet apparition) and forward (anticipation, and our knowledge of history, the cost of transgressing social norms throughout the past centuries. How far we’ve gone and how far we still have to go), which allows the reader to connect the dots on their own and retrace the underlying stories that transpire between the lines (Joan’s past, her fears, and doubts, her aspirations, etc… everything that makes Joan her own person before she is a Saint dispossessed of herself), gradually revealed in a smooth mix of inner dialogues, more distant thoughts & flashbacks, every aspect of the events connected to the characters and their journey. How brilliant.

On a side note, I am often reminded of Angels in America reading your poetry, mostly because you’re very similar in how you’re queering religious spaces (that is using religious motifs to express ideals, devotion, while simultaneously criticizing religious institutions & the dangerous hypocrisy of their tenants). You’re more radical tho, and I love your writing for that.

Alright, I'm done rambling. Good evening & take care!

THIS IS SO FUCKING COOL IM GOING TO CRY i loved Loved LOVED reading your thoughts about my poetry im always stunned when people take the time to analyze something ive written. sometimes you guys figure out things i didnt even know i was doing!! its such a cool way to discover things about myself + my writing. ill admit that sharing a cigarette is not the best thing ive written but seeing how it resonates w people fills my heart with joy. also i cant believe youre comparing my work to aia that play was extremely formative for me ive read it three times i think!! thank you sososososososo much!!!

[theelectronicstranger]

Ultimate Black Panther #4 Discussion

          If you have not read Ultimate Black Panther #4 then please look away now because I’m spoiling a lot in this post, and I think this is worth picking up. Please don’t spoil yourself by reading this. Have a good day.

          This discussion is mostly going to be about Okoye. I really need to talk about how Okoye might be the spy or not; because in this issue, if you take everything Okoye does at face value, then you will see a Queen that is trying to unite her people at a very uncertain time, where their King is missing and the people of Wakanda knows that there are forces that are trying to attack them. She assures them in the beginning by assuring the people of Wakanda that their King is alive and well, and that certain revelations has been revealed to him about this war:

You can see Okoye’s actions and speech as an absolute act of faith in T’Challa and as her making sure that the people of Wakanda don’t panic. However, what she says here is pretty much what happened in the last issue with T’Challa right? It seems that she knows that T’Challa found something while he was out of Wakanda that opened his eyes to the realities of this world. Like she knew that for a fact. It’s too close to be just a random lie. Sure, we can say that maybe she just knows her husband well enough that she knew her faith would be rewarded. However, Okoye and T’Challa of this universe doesn’t seem that close to me that it would make sense for her to have that much faith in him. I definitely could be wrong on this, but it just feels like certain things are being shown that Okoye might be the spy or one of the spies. Another one being her attack:

So, you could see this as Moon Knight (I think this is a version of Moon Knight in this universe?) attacking Okoye because she is the Queen of Wakanda, which would mean that she’s a high value target that needs to be eliminated. However, later on we find out that this Moon Knight that attacked her used to be part of the Dora Milaje:

You know who else used to be part of the Dora Milaje? OKOYE! We know that because in Issue 1, when she was introduced, she was literally described as the former General of the Dora Milaje and now it’s High Mentor:

My thinking is that not only is Okoye the spy, but now the Dora Milaje is highly compromised because she’s on top of their power hierarchy. She would definitely have influence over the Dora Milaje because of her status. Also, the prophecies of the Vodu-Khan from the past few issues also paint it to where Okoye might not be with T’Challa in the future because it’s leading us to the idea that Ororo/Storm and T'Challa are meant to have a child with one another. However, I also think this could be highly convenient and that everything is perfectly stacked to paint Okoye as the spy. What if Okoye and is not the spy and somebody else is?

          This gets me to Shuri. I will preface this right now that I think this theory is bad and I’m definitely grasping at straws here. However, I think if Okoye is not the spy, then Shuri might be the second-best option. Right now, in this title, we kind of don’t know a lot about Shuri. What we do know is that nobody would suspect her of being the spy. She’s trusted by T’Challa and he would never suspect his own sister in trying to usurp control over his throne. Also, it could be that she’s being manipulated by Khonshu and Ra. The only reason why I say this is that in this issue, when she was fighting Moon Knight, Moon Knight says something to her and it seemed to trigger a mental attack on her:

My thinking is that maybe something had happened to her. Maybe Khonshu and Ra has messed with her mind at some point and now she’s under their spell and that’s why this Moon Knight only needed to utter a word to hurt her. Like I said, I’m grasping at straws here but definitely let me know what you guys think. I just want to know who the spies is or are.

This issue ends with Okoye meeting T’Challa’s new circle of trust:

I feel like this inner circle would have the spy in it and that’s why I talked about Shuri and Okoye being the spy because we might not know Storm and Killmonger that much, but we know that they weren’t in Wakanda to supply Khonshu and Ra information in the past few issues. They have been outside of Wakanda so how would they know anything within it? So, I don’t think it’s them at all but I could be wrong.

          That’s pretty much all I want to talk about in this issue of Ultimate Black Panther. I think what I like about this book is figuring out who the spy is, but I also feel like I’m grasping at straws most of the time because I feel like Bryan Hill is doing a really good job in hiding who this person might be. I’m really liking this book so far, but I really would appreciate and love some more character focused stories in this book after this arc because this book has a lot of characters in its cast, and I would love to know more about those characters at some points. Also, I really thought Hill was going to answer the little green planet on Issue 3 and I’m kind of disappointed that we didn’t learn more about it this issue. I’m hoping we learn more about it later.

          Anyways, thank you for reading this discussion. I would love to know what you guys think of this issue and this book so far. Have a great day!

[bisluthq]

I agree we don’t have to say she meant the stuff badly when she wrote it but I also agree with anons who say what wound up annoying her was kinda there the whole time…

yeah that might as well be true indeed, but the way people are going around to use her songs to prove it is what doesn't make sense. When people say oh "he don't try at all though" she loved it back then but then she didn't like it anymore doesn't track because Taylor meant one meaning with this line and the meaning you are atributing it to is in the breakup context. You are assuming that in hindsight he was always nonchalant and didn't put enough effort. When the little info we have only tells us he checked out by the end. Nothing tells us that's how he always was in the relationship. Do you know what I mean?

On the other hand if you tell me Joe didn't like conflict and arguing and tended to shut down, and that was always a problem...then I can agree with you because Taylor never portrayed that as a positive thing, we are not grasping at straws. It seems to be how he is so I don't think he changed mid relationship and suddenly loved arguing. She never portrayed Joe when talking about their arguments as someone who yells back at her, or says nasty stuff cause he's angry. He either tries to stay calm and reason (see TGW) or just goes quiet and shuts down (see False Good). Now this is the kind of thing that could make sense to look back, the dynamic they had in these situations

agree and the pulling away first comes up on New Year's Day which was 10000% a love song but did portray him as someone who... pulls away and avoids conflict.

[ponds-of-ink]

Far-Fetched MXES “Theory”/Detail Compliation: The Ruin-Born Meme is Possibly Right?

No, this isn’t supposed to be clickbait. The meme seriously might be correct if a few weird details I’ve seen from different sources line up.

Firstly, which is the weirdest clue, his chin.

Yes. His chin. We are really going to use this as possible evidence. (Thank the first person to discover this, by the way. Couldn’t have made this post with ‘em.)

Because, if you look at Springtrap and Scraptrap...

They have this shared “cleft chin” of sorts that isn’t hard to miss once you notice. Unless you’re me, who keeps forgetting to include it in my human William designs.

Meanwhile, with Glitchtrap and Burntrap...

They (unsurprisingly, depending on who you ask) don’t.

But, for reasons that are completely unknown to me, MXES has that chin the other modern-day Afton-suspects lack.

..Not the best image of it I could find, but yes that is a cheft chin.

Keep in mind that I’m not sure why exactly this detail is in this design. I’d say “Oh it’s to throw veterans in for a bigger loop when they play Ruin for the first time”, but I don’t think William’s cleft chin has been brought up much? Correct me if I’m wrong there.

My only other guess is that it’s supposed to be a hint towards MXES and William being more directly connected somehow. Though obviously nothing’s settled as concrete yet, here’s a bit more food for thought... if you’re still with me, that is.

Secondly, MXES’ Beta Design (or Ruin-Born himself, if the meme nickname makes more sense), actually kind of lines up with William’s appearance in the Fazbear Frights books. Both were tall, skeletal semi-rabbits/semi-human.. A shame that’s where the similarities seem to end, because any more descriptors from the book would’ve solidified this as proper evidence. There is a lot of unstable, glitch-like twitching in the old design’s animations, so maybe it confirms it being MXES...?

Anyway, this last one is an even bigger stretch that the rest. It’s practically speculation more-so than grasping at straws. Humor my late-night attempt at logic for a second.

If we’re going by Glitchtrap being “dead” via Security Breach’s Princess Quest ending, then who or what is going to be the antagonist of Help Wanted 2? Or at the very least, who’s going to be the creepy bunny peeking out of some random doorway this time?

Well, if Help Wanted 2 is a prequel to Ruin (much like how HW was a prequel to SB), then MXES would be a pretty good candidate. Vanny’s left her antagonist role behind, Scrap-Trap is probably only going to be showing up in FNAF 6 mini-games, and.. Well, I’m not really sure what other candidates there could be in-between SB and Ruin.

The point is that MXES’ origins might get explored... in the more Afton-centered VR game. With William himself getting either a new voice or two voice actors in a partially-collaborative effort, if both Matthew Curtis’ Twitter bio and Springtrap’s ghostly whispers in Ruin are anything to go by.

...Just remembered that there is also the detail of MXES smiling more when... I don’t remember exactly, which is a pain, but it’s either the longer you leave your mask on or the closer he’s getting to jump-scare you with an animatronic. Dunno if that “proves” anything, but I’d thought I’d bring it up before I kicked myself later.

TL;DR - The chin’s the main concern, but there’s a couple of other things that are off too. If it turns out I’m right about this, then I’m not sure how I’d feel.. yet.

[rxttenfish]

I’m asking around for opinions, Moss x Glitch for the poor?

Shipping meme.

i've already mentioned my feelings before about the PCs in that i don't really know what to make of them and don't feel a ton for them regardless, and i think glitch might be one of the worst in this regard. they are... mischievous? they like pranks, but that's going back to them just being mischievous. they're clever, but again, see the previous. they're not ill-natured, but this is still not particularly giving me much, and while i'm the one most likely to play as glitch (and prefer it, tbh, as it matches my general Everything) i'm also not compelled by them in a character sense in any way, especially when what they do have occupies some of my least favorite character archetypes.

moss, in comparison, is the same dramatic, nosy, deeply curious and interested in other people character as i mentioned before, with the same aspects of not wanting themselves to be the focus of what they do, but having the gossip itself be its own self-evident goal and ends. moss stays in the background while being deeply interested in other people's drama, and this is how they prefer it, seeming to live through other people in this way.

so i feel... more like i'm grasping at straws on how to mesh these two together or how it might happen.

i feel like glitch's pranks and mischief would certainly give moss something to talk about and to really spin into something big, and they might match with glitch in the sense that glitch also prefers the chaos they spread to be its own ends, not maliciously, but as something to aspire to. there could certainly be a in-the-background solidarity to them both, perhaps two dramatic bitches finding each other. but i cannot go much further exactly and don't know what else to say. there might be some tag-team duo dynamics going on as well, glitch acting as inciting incident giving moss something to spin into something big, but i'm less certain about how that would work out with their personalities, as this is very active and something that they would both be doing, something which might inadvertently end up centering themselves further in others' eyes, even been seen as malicious when not intended.

basically i just! think it's a ship! it could certainly work, but i don't know what to say for how it could work or what that'd even mean for either of them.

[shadowthief78]

Genshin spoilers!! Complaining about the first part of 4.0 Archon quests under the cut.

I hate the Traveler in this part ngl. They're so incredibly inconsistent about the Fatui and I'm really mad at the weird logical somersaults the writers seem to expect us to do to justify their actions. Prime example:

We see our old friend (LITERALLY IN THIS VERY QUEST IN THE GAME DESCRIBED AS A FRIEND) Childe again and he drops some lore bombs, okay cool whatever. We can be pals with the guy who tried to murder us, steal Zhongli's Gnosis, destroy all of Liyue Harbor, and keeps popping up with his evil organization on our journey to find our sibling because his little brother is cute and he's needed for lore stuff. Okay, that's fine.

But what the fuck did Lyney do? He welcomed us to Fontaine, saved us from the Hydro Archon trying to throw hands, and has been nothing but welcoming and generous and kindhearted (only asking us to deliver some bags and pick a few flowers in return, literally nothing since he pretty much bailed us out of jail) and we drop him and Lynette like hot potatoes once we find out that (*checks notes*) when he was an orphaned kid and his sister got kidnapped, he turned to the only source of protection there was which happened to be a Harbinger who wants to save his homeland and protect people in similar situations to him.

And furthermore, he had good reasoning for concealing his involvement with the House of Hearth, which he explains: He didn't want it to come between the friendship with the Traveler and it wasn't relevant to the trial. Okay, I understand being upset that ge didn't mention it because Focalors did use it against us in the trial, but the complete about-face in demeanor was so shocking I spent the rest of the quest struggling to reconcile what just happened. And we still have to give him the cold shoulder after that? We can't even apologize or talk it out like mature and emotionally well adults, even?

What??????

The whiplash I got from this genuinely made me absolutely loathe the Traveler for being so unbelievably selfish and full of double-srandards. I need to know what the fuck whever wrote this was thinking because, good GOD, consistent characterization is one of the mostimportant and basic elements of good storytelling and the only way that this is any way consistent is for the Traveler to be a horrible human being and have such a skewed sense of morals that we might as well give up and join the Abyss already. Actually, screw that, we're probably going to make even the Abyss Order worse.

Furthermore, if we hate the Fatui so much, why not just abandon Lyney? Finishing the trial just felt like some hopeless grasping at straws so the writers could say, "Look!!! The Traveler is a Good Person(TM) because they didn't abandon a frend in need!!" but... we did? We absolutely did just ghost them after? Your argument holds not a single drop of water in the Hydro nation because your actions have proved the exact contrary point? I really hope Fontaine has better engineers than you are as writers because if this is all they got, then you're better off loading everyone in the nation into leaky fishing boats and hand-paddling to Inazuma than trying to build any dams to stop that prophecy, just saying.

Overall, I'm devoid of any emotion but disdain and also disappointed in Mihoyo for what they buchered, because the Sumeru story shows they have the capability to write competent and thematically consistent quests and they really went in so strong with the some of the other stuff and totally just dropped the ball here. I haven't gone to celebration tea with Demiselle (?) yet because I'm extremely disappointed and my immersion and emotional investment are not simply broken but in shards on the floor, so.

Maybe I'm biased because I like Lyney, but I also really just wanted to get that off my chest. I'd like to hear any thoughts other people have, if you agree or disagree and why :)

[aquillis-main]

It always bugged me how the fandom will grasp at straws to go out of their way to paint Aleena as an abusive/neglectful cunt of a mum. I wonder if it's a cheap way to insert angst .

I think it might be, considering the Underground triplets don't seem too preturbed about their situation in the show. Manic has expressed the most out of all of them on what he feels about the whole situation they're in, but the most 'angst' out of Manic in regards to his lifestyle was the lack of home he had with the thieves in 'Mobodoon'. He never really blames Aleena for anything that happened before finding Sonic and Sonia, but the 'potential' of him being angry at Aleena just entices people enough I guess.

... Even when it's pretty obvious in the show that Aleena having to ditch her kids wasn't just part of the Prophecy underlying the whole show, but also due to Robotnik's actions that forced her into exile. Three hungry babies that can only cry isn't going to allow her to get very far, after all. And even without the Prophecy hanging over their heads, it was a smart move on Aleena's part to separate her kids into three different class sects - less of a chance for them to meet before the alloted time, and also make Robotnik miss them since he's looking for three similar looking hedgehogs, not one. You'd be surprised how easily it is to not realize what you're looking for until your brain reregisters sometimes.

One final bit: Most of Manic's angst came from the fact that he, along with the rest of the Thieves Guild, had no solid structure/place to call their own. It's practially screaming that Manic was actually homeless for a while, yet he held no ill will towards any of the Thieves Guild members for the situation he was in (in fact, Manic happily hugs Ferrel for 'gifting' him new drumsticks as a kid. I don't think someone upset about the situation they're in would do that, even a kid), nor has he ever stated it was Aleena's fault for putting him in that situation.

To add to my final bit: in 'Artt of Destruction', Manic's own laminations about the situation they're in is due to the trio losing hope over the situation. They've bee at searching for Aleena for a long while, and it makes sense for Manic to be the most open of the three about the lack of finality. Sonic's not open to revealing his emotions too much, to the point of him not being able to express his 'fear' of water (really, more like 'a large amount of water reminds me how I can't swim'), while Sonia - Sonia may be able to expression frustration and cries easier than the others, you have to remember that she's grown up in high society, so she usually has a better handle on her emotions and when to express them. Manic, being used to a homeless group whom had a lot of close relationships because of the 'us versus them' mentality, is able to express his worries more openly than Sonic or Sonia at times, so he's more likely to talk about things that are bothering him in his head.

Sorry. This got a bit rambly, but basically my point is that Manic may feel strong emotions, but the only canonical evidence he has that is 'angst material' is mainly birthed from two things: his lack of a stable home in his youth, amd the longevity of the mission he was on woth his siblings. Neither of which have anything to do with Aleena, or are birthed from the consequences of one man.

[sacredthefaithful]

the archer lyric analysis

ok so this took a while to do because life gets busy, but here is my lyric of analysis of the archer. i'm a bit of a literature nerd so this was really fun to do, and i might get around to doing the rest of the album (if school allows me to). this is going to be a long post, so bear with me i'm going to preface this with a disclaimer, and like jake, will use a bunch of big words when i could have just explained it like a normal human:

my interpretation of the song does not invalidate any subsequent interpretations due to the polysemy of language (look it up lol). also my analysis may be entirely wrong in terms of the boys' intended meaning for this song, but due to the authorial fallacy, that doesn't matter.

anyway, this post, this post, and this article have been really helpful with this analysis, so def check them out.

Vengeance is a bow

Vengeance: punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.

And arrows only justice when fired

Justice: just behaviour or treatment. This lines essentially menas that justice is only received in death?? - when an arrow is fired.

Vengeance and justice are similar but are not the same thing, so its interesting that its used in the same context. Vengeance is the method of delivery but justice is the result??

This is essentially saying that the archer is motivated by vengeance but his actions result in justice. I’m not entirely sure, if anyone has more thoughts on this feel free to elaborate.

I have loved

I have lost

Meaning the Archer has experienced the normal parts (ups and downs) of life - maybe has lived a longish life?

I am the archer

This declaration if repeated throughout the song, which make sense in terms of it being a song but in terms of telling a story, repetition often indicates importance.

Devil at the door

Standing with his right arm extended

See my dumb post about jake being the devil (which tbh might still stand), but this is potentially talking more about the things that are actively trying to harm the archer or take their focus away from their goals.

Also, quick side note (I might be grasping at straws here), in the Indigo Streak the lyrics at the end of the chorus are "Reaching, reaching, reaching", so this could maybe be relevant??? Again, big reach (haha pun very funny).

On a hunt

For the kill

Is it the devil hunting, or the archer? I'm not sure but I think the archer is because of the last line (below) - it makes sense to have that line if referring to these lines - essentially indicating that the archer is the one hunting and killing (idk if this makes sense lol)

I am the archer

Torn, I turn to my bow, Sara/Saraha

Torn, I turn to my arrow, Sara/Saraha

The Archer turns to vengeance and to justice.

Torn in this context indicated uncertainty - potentially about what path to follow or what course of action to take (or how to keep on living). Note on whether it is Sara or Saraha: - I don’t think I’ve seen any official sources saying its Saraha (pls correct me if I’m wrong), but I like the idea that it is, because it makes sense in the context of the article linked above. I don’t necessarily think this song is about the actual figure Saraha, but more taking elements of his story to create a new character that fits into the world of Starcatcher.

- If it is Sara, this could potentially refer to the woman in the meeting the master video, who could be the archer’s bride?

- Or, just as Jake has named his guitar beloved, the archer has named their bow Sara (i don’t think this is likely but it would be funny)

Final blow

Could refer to a final blow to the archer or from the archer - This ultimately depends on whether these lines refer to the archer's death or something else.

My heaviness of breath has been lifted

Heaviness of breath could be many things:

- breathing heavily from exertion - if this has been lifted it implies rest - anxiety - same as above - or the heaviness of breathing, the heaviness of living - if it has been lifted this implies death

Let the world know my name

I am the archer

Torn, I turn to my bow, Sara/Saraha

Torn, I turn to my arrow, Sara/Saraha

My home is on the horse I ride

According to the article, Saraha “travel[led] aimlessly from place to place across the glorious land of India.”

Also this could be referencing the horse in the meeting the master music video???

What emptiness without my bride

This paragraph in the article: “Saraha's bride was from a low caste clan of arrowsmiths. Since Saraha, no longer a single monk, now required an occupation to support his wife and family, he took up the trade of making arrows.”

Saraha’s whole purpose in making arrows is to support his family, without his bride this purpose is kinda non-existent - which would lead to emptiness. It also could refer to grief if the archer's bride has died.

Such heaviness inside

This heaviness could link to the heaviness of breath in the previous verse, but could also be separate depending on the meaning.

But in this line its definitely about grief or feelings that are challenging to deal with.

This was the day the archer died

Oof. So this could be someone killing the archer (maybe the devil?) or the archer killing himself - explanation in one of the posts linked above.

Torn, I turn to my bow, Sara/Saraha

Torn, I turn to my arrow, Sara/Saraha

Torn, I turn to my bow, Sara/Saraha

Torn, I turn to my arrow, Sara/Saraha

The archer turns to his bow for death??? ouch that hurts.

Final Thoughts:

There's definitely a lot to unpack in this song, and it will probably make more sense in context with other songs.

I think sequencing of the album is really important in deciphering the lyrics: the next song on the album is meeting the master (which I personally think is the aftermath of dying - meeting your creator/god and all that).

This also relates to Fate of the Faithful (I might do an analysis of that soon, depending on how busy school makes me), but just briefly - the vibes I’m getting for the lyrics is martyrdom??, or like death is the ultimate destination? like ultimately the faith of the fateful is death.

If the archer is one of the faithful, it would make sense that he kills himself to join the master.

This also relates to my theories about Trip the Light Fantastic (which I think is about death, I can do a lyric analysis of that if y’all want me to, even though its not on Starcatcher - it is my favourite of TBAGG).

What I'm getting from the song is that the archer may have had a purpose, but things in their life have taken away that purpose, so the archer sees death as a freedom from the suffering and a way to meet their creater (the master). Kinda sad but makes sense in the context of the album.

Geez that was long. Would love to hear everyone else's thoughts on this.