#why is the Master haunting the narrative

[lokittystuckinatree]

The Doctor, back on his “I’m the Last of the Time Lords. I’m so special. Look at me,” melodrama, sobbing his eyes out while fighting literal gods and saving the world with the power of friendship

Vs.

The Master, still stuck in that tooth, making sock puppets of themself and the Doctor, probably. “Don’t you see? You’ve been blind too long, Doctor! Look at what you’ve made! Look at me!”

“Oh Master, I’ve always seen you and I always will…because you…see me.” (Doctor puppet passionately kisses Master puppet)

“You’re too late.” (Master puppet brutally murders Doctor puppet)

[hesbuckcompton-baby]

Susie and Ellie Lamb

You'll change your name or change your mind / And leave this fucked up place behind / But I'll know / I'll know.

[professor-doc-emeritus]

burned through the dungeon meshi manga over the last few days, i think my highest compliment i could give is that it managed to perfectly satisfy all the plot threads it introduced while still leaving me wanting more

[acewizardinspace]

One of my favorite parts about jedi fallen order is how Cal's psychometry function both within the narrative and as a game-play mechanic.

As a game-play mechanic it allowed the developers to tell the player background information in a way that made more sense in-universe than there just being a random npc around to lore drop or finding some old journal, ect. It also means the developers don't need to animate cut scenes for every little thing but can still share this information. It also functions as a collectable and a way to reward exploration.

But its use in the narrative is the most interesting. Cal is a survivor of genocide, he is on the run from a government than wants to kill him for existing. He is so traumatized by the loss of his people and the memory of his master who died protecting him that he can't even use most of his powers at the beginning of the game.

Cal is literally haunted by his past.

And that is why giving him psychometry was a stroke of genius on the part of the developers. No amount of running or hiding will ever stop the past from clinging to him. It will always be there in every random object he touches. And this is shown through the plot of the game and his overall goal too. He wants to restart the jedi order, rebuild his family, which is a noble and understandable goal, but under the rule of the empire, not a safe one.

It is only at the end of the game, after he sees the possible result of chasing the past, that he lets it go. He knows that being a jedi is not being held down by your attachments and putting other's needs before your own. He gives up on restarting the order to protect those children from the empire and in doing so lets go of his attachment to the past.

The past is always with him, but it doesn't need to control him.

[likealittleheartbeat]

hey there! can i ask you to elaborate on something?:)

when you reblogged the scene from 'the firebending masters' ep where aang and zuko are judged by the dragons, you said that "now they stand beside the person they thought had what they most longed for" in relation to their yin/yang dynamic.

i remember zuko's monologue in 'the siege of the north' about how aang is like azula and things come to him easy - something that zuko may feel jealous of and long for. but in what sense do you think zuko has what aang longs for the most, and does he acknowledge this?

Such a good question referencing this post and these tags:

First, I’d say that when I talk about longing here, it’s not conscious longing, it’s a deeper subconscious longing for that which will resolve their inner conflict but the character has not necessarily articulated it for themselves or even come to the conclusion themselves. @avatarsymbolism has a nice little post about zuko and aang’s wants and needs. And while I don’t agree whole-heartedly with the wants and needs they land on for the characters—Aang’s need to “mature and step into his role as Avatar” is clearly more nuanced since the Avatar state he masters at the end of season 2, as mentioned in the post, ends up getting him killed rather than serving as a narrative culmination—the framework of wants and needs with the initiator of a characters’ “lie,” which might be better understood as a character’s misunderstanding, is a nice way to discuss it. What I’m talking about with longing is their need.

Therefore, Zuko’s longing is not for the prodigiousness of Azula and Aang. That’s his want. What he needs is restraint, patience, and openness. What the framework of wants and needs hides, however, is something atla does incredibly well. The characters already possess and have demonstrated the features they need, just as an aspect of yin exists within Yang and vice versa. It resists the theory that desire is created by a lack. The problem is not in the characters’ ability but in their awareness of themselves and the bigger picture, the grand design. “Destiny? What would a boy know of destiny?” Jeong-Jeong asks in the episode that directly follows the Storm and the Blue Spirit which have paralleled and intertwined Aang and Zuko. “If a fish lives its whole life in this river, does he know the river’s destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on, out of his control. He may follow where it flows, but he cannot see the end. He cannot imagine the ocean.” The understanding Aang and Zuko reach in the dragon’s fire is their ocean. Zuko finally understands that his dogged pursuit of the avatar and his honor and all the failings to be self-disciplined towards the rules of his father’s court were related to his own values of restraint, patience, and openness to others’ lived experiences. He can finally see a vision of himself that is integrated rather than lacking.

Aang longs for an inner drive, a motivating force, a reason to live and, most importantly, to act decisively that belongs to him rather than the expectations of others for him. Zuko’s clarity on his desire for his honor provides such a stark contrast to Aang on this point. All Aang can manage to do is try to avoid and escape the mantle placed on him while barely even receiving a chance to consider self-determination. The lack of a motivating force is compounded by his survival of the genocide—why go on if no one remains who can understand you? why do anything if it can’t undo the loss?

He is teased by Bumi: “Typical airbender tactic: avoid and evade.” It haunts Aang’s arc as a criticism of his approach to life. He blames himself for running away and leaving his people to suffer the genocide without his protection. He is criticized for fooling around rather than being more direct in mastering the avatar state. He is told to stop thinking like an airbender by Toph in order to master earth—“there’s no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity-trick.” And then he doubles down on himself when he dies and feels that he’s abandoned the world again.

When he reawakens on the ship, we get another parallel to Zuko as Aang asserts a desire for honor, but the goal collapses into the stormy ocean with Aang before the end of the episode. Aang would like to be determined in the same clear way as Zuko, but he keeps having to face his inability to embody that the way Zuko does.

In “the firebending masters,” Aang finally starts to understand that his fleeting nature has an underlying motive. The nomads philosophies resisted the pressures of honor and productivity important to others in order to emphasize the illusion of separation, the potential for unexpected joy, and the inherent value of life. This openness is a drive itself, Aang realizes finally, though its action seems like inaction to others. All the dodging of attacks and duties Aang performed had a greater purpose to render freedom and reconnection, as if an invisible thread had been trailing behind him stringing all the places and peoples he met back together, across distances and even across death and time. He is finally allowed to find his own reason.

[camelspit]

Master Cadence by @tw-5

Jolie Ruewen by @the-anemoi

Note! Definition of a sexywoman:

According to the sexywomanpedia, a sexywoman is "a character who shows the 'lanky suitman villain' tropes, is popular with wlw, and/or is highly divisive." Some factors to consider are morality (or lack thereof), overall mysteriousness, and strength (physical or abilitywise.)

Propaganda:

Master Cadence:

"she’s a linguist. she’s a woman in stem. she’s tired of everyone’s bullshit. she’s fruity as hell. her house is cool as fuck (a howls moving castle style boat-thing made of metal that she built herself because she didn’t want to live in the elven cities???? come on). she’s a MASTER. what more could you want." @let-them-sing-of-others

"she’s an academic. shes smarter than u. she hates on the council and she’s RIGHT. she hates sophie actually you know what she has a hater complex but in a hot way. i love her yr honour." @necromycologist

"she spent YEARS researching on ogres and their culture. idk about you, but i would try keeping her in my good graces because she KNOWS ABOUT DEADLY POISON. WHY ARE PEOPLE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS. I WOULD SHIT MYSELF IF I CAME ACROSS HER IN REAL LIFE EVEN IF IT WAS IN A GROCERY STORE ON A RANDOM TUESDAY AND SHE WAS BUYING OREOS. FOR ALL WE KNOW, SHE COULD HAVE LOADS OF THAT IN HER HOUSE/ON HER PERSON!!" @corruption-exe

"ok not to be a lesbian or horny on main (<- ace) but HOLY SHIT i want her to step on me. this lady has intensified my sexuality crisis" (anonymous)

Jolie Ruewen:

"She was a spy. She's haunting the narrative. Her boyfriend killed her and it destroyed him. She chose love over societys expectations and it killed her. Her best friend was a mirror. She has fundamentally changed the story and we will only ever see her through the eyes of others. SHE'S A GHOST!!! " @camelspit

Want to submit propaganda? Do so here and it will be added in the next round!

[silviakundera]

Joy of Life S2, ep 13 - 15 comments

Chen Pingping continues to be both using Fan Xian and a good mentor. He contains multitudes! Which is what makes him such a compelling character.

Second Prince is the least interesting he's ever been when he's in scenes with Ye Ling Er playing the victim. It's just too easy to manipulate her and so I can't care very much.

The way Fan Xian's mother is this powerful spectre that haunts the narrative... and it's not just her Seductive Beauty™ . It's in the way we more commonly see with a Great Man trope: a famed marital arts master, a dead legendary general or past king.... a father or grandfather figurehead. I both wish we knew about her but DON'T. She works best as a partial sketch; an unsolved poignant mystery.

Ep 14

Saintess!!!!!!!!!!!! reappears! After Fan Xian finally called her friend in ep 13 (朋友!). I don't believe you either, girl, that it's all about the treasury. You're bros!!!!!! He seduced a bromance out of you.

They basically gave 2P's new guard enough characterization for us to be interested in what happens to him. RIP your hopes & dreams my dude, it's been real

Guao Baokun and Loser Brother is a match made in heaven. I missed all the Beiqi people so much. Fan Xian playing 4D chess and getting them to babysit Guo Baokun. "Let's leave a good impression, he might come back." 😂 The way they have to escort those dumbasses to the border.

Fan Xian wants friends SO BAD it's literally tragic to me. He wants to make Censorate guy his friend because there's no one he can trust not to turn on him for benefits (other than the Fan family).

Ep 15

Chen Pingping & Fan Xian put on a ridiculous show. Very amusing but I feel like they should have been more convincing, if for no other reason than giving the emperor his due. 2nd Prince simply tried harder. Hate to say it about the enemy but facts are facts.

We already got a read on the emperor about Second Prince. A temporary grounding is all he can countenance (even that is a gift to Fan Xian and a warning to not exceed boundaries). To any extent he likes the faction wars and is happy to stir shit up & eat popcorn. But at least right now, he's gonna protect all his sons. In his own twisted way he cares about Crown Prince, Second Prince, and Fan Xian. Just not more than he cares about himself & power & control.

Censor Lai pushing the emperor too far "Are you saying everyone is confused but you?" It's honestly shocking he wasn't executed before this. Bro you just tired of living?

Crown Prince pinching his leg and having fake hysterics while his flunky joins in while 2P looks disgusted. This is why CP is my bestie. He's hilarious.

Fan Xian finally realizing what his brothers already know - that there are limits to the emperor's condescending forbearance. They can't become a potential threat to him and he can't feel they are out of his control. When FX is playing with His Majesty, all is permissible. But when he's not...

The burning indentures scene reminding me of Blossoms in Adversity, a drama I ended up enjoying more than I expected. (If only it was blessed with the quality of acting we see in every cast member of JOL.)

[hasarjunadoneanythingwrong]

so i've seen a post that says that you can't say that karna gets treated better than arjuna, and that karna is haunted by arjuna in the narrative. I can't reblog the post but I respectfully disagree with it and I'm going to explain why.

the first point is fate/apocrypha. in this, karna compares siegfried to an opponent he once knew during their duel. in the post, it's argued that he projected siegfried onto arjuna and that's now his main interest throughout the series. however, karna's main interest in the series isn't just seigfried (although he did want to fight him again, which is why he fights sieg) but rather to have strong battles in general. it's also ignoring his confrontations with vlad, his decision to stay with the red faction and why (to protect the master he is no longer contracted to) and his interactions with Semiramis and Amakusa. his comparison of siegfried with arjuna, while significant, is not so massive that you can accurately say that it negates every other aspect of his characterization in the story. the most important thing it achieved is that it makes him very interested in fighting him, and when he decides he wants siegfried as a rival and the saber dies he later challenges sieg as he can channel the warrior. its disingenuous to say that arjuna is haunting karna's narrative when he doesnt appear at all beyond a single offhand remark.

the next point is that arjuna gets the costumes. this one is just wrong? karna has two costumes, although i hesitate to call the second one a proper costume. Burning Garment of Three Gods is in fact the first free story costume you receive in fgo, unlike most other costumes which you receive through limited time events, and the glasses costume is from an event where he again gets a (minor) role. while both arjuna's alts have a costume each that doesnt negate karna having costumes?

the next thing is a bit rough. 'arjuna gets the character arcs in fgo.' this one is true. its also because arjuna is the fgo original and karna had 2 previous fate entries to receive characterization in, so him receiving it was less of an required focus than it was for a brand new character who had nothing. at the same time, i do agree that karna needs to have more done with him in the game.

the next one is also very rough. in it, the op mentions that arjuna got a lostbelt that karna received poor treatment in. I do agree that how karna was treated, namely being dead for most of the chapter and only brought back for one big battle before being killed again was very poor handling. however....arjuna alter was also really poorly handled? he was offscreen for most of the lostbelt, his motivations were both incredibly unclear and required you to have played the interlude of another ssr, he was given no depth of character or internal consistency, and they didnt give you any greater understanding of who he was or why he behaved the way he did. he is generally agreed among most fate fans to be the most weakly written of the lostbelt kings, and its in part because rather than tell us anything about arjuna's life, indian history or mythology, or the mahabharata, they once again retrod the karna vs arjuna plotline. just because he's the lostbelt king doesnt mean he was done better than karna-if anything, his treatment was potentially worse because while karna's one dimensional handling set him up as a noble hero, arjuna alter's set him up as an unreasonable villain. saying that karna is used as a crutch for arjuna requires also acknowledging how arjuna is constantly and consistently used to enhance karna since the minute he was added to fgo, which is how you get titles he was never called by like 'the endowned hero' (it may be a poor translation of one of his actual names, Dhanañjaya, which means one who conquered wealth and gold but i doubt it) and why one of the first things that's mentioned whenever arjuna shows up is that he killed karna, when thats only one of his achievements and not even the most notable one.

which brings me to my next point: karna is handled one dimensionally in fgo. but it is always as a misunderstood hero, and arjuna is primarily handled as his supporting cast, whether as a jealous villan or long suffering straightman. if you are going to show frustration at people who are glad arjuna got content independently of karna, you need to acknowledge that out of the 23 odd events and story chapters arjuna has showed up in, only around 5 have not also included karna and out of the 8 that arjuna alter has been in, only 4 have not had karna in them. karna has been in 27 events, and 9 have not included arjuna-its not a large amount, but its still the same amount that arjuna and his alter have put together without him. Arjuna in fate, especially at the time of his creation, existed as a supplementary unit to further enhance karna's story as a hero who was oppressed by others, which is how you get things like this

while both their profiles have a heavy focus on the other, karna's talks about his actual life and history to a far higher degree than arjuna's does, while arjuna's fully devolves into his resentment and dislike of karna. he was first as foremost written as 'karna's obsessive rival' to further expand karna and karna specifically, and the later focus on trying to give him more depth was because he was popular and they wanted to do more with him. there was no consideration for who he was historically or his real personality or feats, there was no consideration for what he actually was- they wrote him as a person who would, in his own words 'become the darkness' to karna's light simply for the sake of it

THAT is why fans of arjuna want more content of him independently of karna. is it true that karna has his own issues with his writing? yes! but that doesnt change the fact that for a very long time, arjuna has been twisted from his mythogical origins in fate to make him someone that he simply isnt, and thats what people want to see less of. no amount of poorly executed ssrs or events they both get shortchanged in to emphasis them hitting each other with sticks will change the base issue with arjuna's writing until fate acknowledges this.

and to be clear, i dont think its wrong to be upset that karna doesnt get a lot of in depth expansion in fgo. but that isn't the fault of arjuna, and it's really unfair to try and say that with how often arjuna has been used as a plot device to show how unfairly biased people are at karna

[roydeezed]

Dungeon Meshi Episode 8 shows us the heart of the series

If you're a new watcher, I feel like Episode 8 is the perfect episode to show off the series' charm as well as hook viewers. For people trying to get their friends into it, it's also the perfect episode to throw them into, to convince them. The art and animation is top notch, with characters being their goofiest selves. The fireside storytelling really lends to the shows cozy atmosphere. The worldbuilding rears it's head as well, with the instance about the guano and slime and the adventurers controlling the population putting into perspective the thought behind the series in a almost meta textual props from Ryoko Kui to herself. And we get to see the beating heart of the series that is Falin. Which is what I really want to talk about.

Falin is quite literally the beating heart of the show. The telltale heart that's been ripped out and is missing, but still beating somewhere within the walls of the dungeon. She is the reason for the journey itself and also how we see the redeemable, caring and loving side of our heroes. Laois as a big brother, Chilchuck as a friend, and Marcille as a... "friend". But despite all of that, she's gone for most of the story. It's not until episode 8 where we learn about her personality other than her being self sacrificing. But that's why it works. She haunts the narrative in so many different ways. In a masterful stroke of storytelling, Ryoko Kui was somehow able to meld gothic romance with a high fantasy adventure. Falin literally haunts the main characters through the architecture, the dungeon itself a constant reminder of their failure and the love the party and Falin have for each other. We see her as small, frail, and weak, but ultimately someone incredibly admirable for sticking to her sense of self, something the narrative rewards her for. This episode also calls back to this empty hole in the party. Falin knows healing magic. Falin knew about the slime, she might've known about the Undine. Falin was at harmony with many of the things they find themselves coming up against. There's also a sharp contrast between what I can only describe as Marcille's "failgirl" tendencies and her reputation as a prodigy with Falins reputation as a slacker and the constant invoking of her name in a manner akin to a savior, someone who would know what to do. This episode completes the picture, in a very early rough draft sense of the phrase, of Falin and the motivation behind the journey. They have to rescue her, yes, but she isn't a damsel in distress. Because they've already failed her. She's dead. All they can hope for is to be able to somehow revive her and maybe redeem themselves in the end. And she was a vital member of their party in so many ways that her missing presence is felt almost through the entire journey. Finally, that little part about Falin being lonely until Marcille showed up puts a bow on top of everything. Her loneliness in the past contrasts with how alone she must be in death, another specter of a thought that hangs over them.

P.S. I gotta gush about the worldbuilding cause I really didn't appreciate it the first time around that I read it cause watching that guano and slime scene animated made me flashback to my first D&D campaign where I'd given one of my players some magic beans. The dungeon started in a cave filled with bats before going on with proper cobblestone and torches and other dungeon fixtures. The bean player asked if there was any bat guano on the ground and scooped it up. When the climactic fight of the dungeon was near its end, the players having found a really great strategy to wear down the boss to his last few hit points, the bean player made a really high DC roll to throw both the guano and beans into the boss's mouth, killing him using the instant growth effect of the magic beans. At the time I was so impressed by what my player had done because I hadn't even considered what the guano could be used for until the fight happened. It was such a taken for granted feature that there's just normal dungeon stuff in a dungeon. You don't really ask about the mundane, even though they're there. It's kind of like a painted on door, if you wanted to interact with it, it opens up a whole room of new possibilities. And Ryoko Kui turned that whole premise of accepted fixtures into an amazingly vibrant world. Dungeon Meshi manages to explore the relationship of the world with itself while keeping a really cozy and kind heart and I feel like that can't be admired enough.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV Season 2 Trailer - Wig? SNATCHED! (Pt2)

Back at it again with a frame-by-frame breakdown of the brand new OFFICIAL trailer for IWTV S2! (This will again be in 2 parts cuz Tumblr doesn't allow 30+ images per post.)

I wonder if this contraption was made by the same person who made Nicki's music box for Lestat?

Speak of the devil.....

Hearteyes Armand.

Lelio Rising!

Who is he talking to? In all fairness this line could be for Nicki, Armand, or ofc Louis, as all three of them lived in darkness & self-hate, while Lestat insisted on living in the bright light of hope and joie de vivre.

Burn, bish.

Clever cut to hallucination!Lestat haunting the narrative--existing in the world Louis concocts in his own head/heart--and ultimately the IWTV book.

You're SHOWING me Paris!Coven Master Armand, but I'm THINKING about NOLA!Coven Master Lestat. They know what they're doing! WHO has the power of life & death in LOUIS' undead life?

Does Claudia KNOW these laws? Does she KNOW about their take on "Killing Your Own Kind"? Does LOUIS know? Is this a TRAP from the very beginning?! What exactly is Santiago reading out of that book in his left hand?

Get your hand off her boobs ISTG Santiago.

Potential Loumand breakup scene? Potential Merrick scene? What is AMC gonna do once Louis knows everything again?

Because they cut to Madeleine Imma assume he remembers how Madeleine BEGAN....and how she ENDED--hence: The Trial hype!

THE TRIAL, good lord, we're in the trenches now! She's crying & both of them are all bloodied up! Omg.

Then they cut to Loumand in that scene where Louis walks away from Armand in disgust(?) Next time think twice about picking ANOTHER ONE, over ME!

Lou & Claudia through war-torn Europe.

*squints* Armand & Santiago?

The thirst is real, OML. XD

We finally see Loustat fighting in their bedroom upstairs. They're moving AWAY from the hidden coffin room door, towards the fireplace--so we'll HOPEFULLY see what went down IN the coffin room itself that left that huge dent on the top of Louis' coffin.

And ofc they cut from the Loustat fight to the WAR again, Louis & Claudia running from the bombed up building that we've seen before.

Fanged angry Lestat losing a fight against Armand; you love to see it.

LOOK AT THAT REVENANT!! OMG!

We get another shot of Madeleine (acting?) on stage at the Theatre.

Why does he look so scared/concerned? Is this the Trial? Or something else?

Well, OBVIOUSLY he should know from the tapes at least SOME of what happened--he was "being disrespectful," demanding that Louis turn him into a vampire; Louis said NO; Daniel insulted him; Louis bit him. But WTF happened with DEVIL'S MINION?!

That's NICKI (with his hands), so this is before Lestat leaves him w/ Armand & the Theatre. The question is: is that the same trenchcoat Lestat wore when he carried that Jesus Piece into Armand's lair?

OMFG Madeleine's a JEW!?! O_O That's a whole Swastika spraypainted on her window! No wonder Rolin said they were doing something different with her to give her a reason to join Louis' coven/family!

VERY clever cut from Madeleine smashing the swastika on her window, to Daniel amidst the broken bookshelves--is this confirmation that Daniel's Jewish too?

I am SO confused about this woman--I mentioned last time that we see her IN the Theatre. But I had assumed she was an Eastern European revenant. WHO is this chick!?

Interesting transition, cuz I still have no idea who this lady is either.

PLEASE do, Louis; the suspense is KILLING me! This looks so dang good! I'm gonna be a MESS on May 12th, omg I'm so excited.

[thenerdyindividual]

So it’s the ten year anniversary of the finale. I’m going to say something that even people who unironically enjoy the show might disagree with.

The finale was amazing and the correct ending for the show.

Don’t get me wrong, it absolutely ripped my heart out. I’ve watched the show like… 7 times? But I’ve only ever watched the finale twice because I was too much of a chicken the first few times I watched, and both times I’ve watched it I have straight up sobbed. Fully ugly cry, had to blow my nose because of all the snot.

But even though it leaves me heartbroken every time, it was a perfect ending for the show. Arthur’s death was foreshadowed all the way back in season one, Kilgharrah warns Merlin that Arthur’s destiny is to bring magic back but also that Mordred is destined to kill Arthur. And the finale plays that out. The implication is that Gwen, who has figured out Merlin is a sorcerer, is the one to complete the mission. However, because Merlin loved Arthur so dearly he used his magic for so much goodness and protection, and that is why Gwen is able to break through her own reservations with magic. So it was Arthur’s destiny to bring magic back because without him, Merlin would have no reason to protect Camelot, and Gwen would have no reason to change the laws.

Merlin as a show is a tragedy (literary sense) and a masterful depiction of how destinies don’t cancel each other out. Destiny is just another word for tragedy. Knowledge of destiny doesn’t allow you to outrun it, and trying to outrun it is often the very thing that causes the noose to tighten. The finale is the perfect culmination of Merlin trying to outrun Arthur’s death at the hands of Mordred. In doing so, Merlin opened the door for magic to still be outlawed and that motivated Kara’s assassination attempt, which led to Mordred’s betrayal, and caused Arthur’s death.

It wraps up the overarching struggle of the narrative so well, and amidst all the tragedy we get a full episode of just Merlin and Arthur. We get to see the culmination of the relationship they have built over ten years together, we get to see Arthur finally let down the last of the emotional barriers he has struggled with and confirm what we all knew, that he cares just as deeply for Merlin as Merlin does him and appreciates Merlin for who he is. Which also perfectly circles back to the desire expressed by Merlin in the early seasons, wanting Arthur to truly know him.

I even like the haunting final image of Merlin wandering past Avalon in 2012. I know people wish there had been some indication of hope for Arthur’s return, but I think that would’ve cheapened the tragedy. Part of the point of a tragedy is to look back on all the things that went wrong to get the characters to this point, knowing that if you could only go back and warn them, but you can’t. They were doomed to this from the beginning. By letting the heartbreak linger in that final shot, Merlin is left in the same position of the audience, looking back at everything that happened and being able to see what went wrong while also knowing that even if he couldn’t change anything, he would go back and do it again because never meeting Arthur or his other friends would be unthinkable.

(If you didn’t like the finale, that’s fine, but please don’t argue with me. We wont agree, and we’ll just have to agree on that.)

[no-where-new-hero]

✣ Blake Wrapped: 5 Star Reads 📖

The first half of this post can be found HERE, and these were my 5-star reads for the second half of the year (in rough order). Tagging @batrachised, who was interested in recommendations!

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh I posted a lot about this when I read it because in my opinion it’s one of the best SFF novels I’ve come across in a while. It reminded me of DWJ’s Hexwood, which is already high praise, but it’s a fabulous character study with incredible dynamics. It’s another new book with truly horrible marketing, imo—the whole “queer sci-fi” angle gives the impression of a Gideon the Ninth rip-off, but there’s much more political and social commentary with fabulous world-building. Highly, highly recommend this one.

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan I loved the first book in this duology, but this one was exquisite to new heights. Even though it was never that overt, it did a lot of great meta-commentary work on the chosen one trope vs the doomed by the narrative trope, especially their intersection with gender expectations. The prose was simply gorgeous, occasionally philosophical, always sure-handed. I recommend the whole duology, though mostly so that you can get to this one.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson I picked this up in my library’s for sale room, and it was the best choice I made this year. I can’t believe I had been missing out on Jackson for so long. It’s a ghost story and a Gothic novel and a girl book and feels a bit like the shadow side of an LM Montgomery story. The language and characters are rich and strange and is so thoroughly a Blake Book of all time. I want to be able to write something like this someday.

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang The reports of its readability are true—I went through this in three hours. I get why people complain about certain elements in this, but it also lives up to the hype, in my opinion. I might be the target audience as an aspiring author (who got throughly traumatized by the portrayal of terminally online author culture lmao) but I do think those dynamics and circumstances are its strength, more so than the social commentaries on Asian American tokenization, etc.

How Long ’Til Black Future Month? by N. K. Jemisin I don’t often read short fiction, but I was in the mood for some good SFF shorts to learn from, so picked this up. Jemisin is a master of form—her ability to depict a world in such a brief span, to make such deep characters with such clever scenarios is unmatched. Certainly, there are some better examples than others, but the best makes me wish there were a whole novel set in that world.

Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson This one is a slight cheat because it’s not Jackson’s best, but it’s also a Blake Book of all time, so how could I not give it five stars? I wish I had discovered it in college, if just to be able to be insufferable and call myself “irl Natalie Waite” everywhere. It’s such a Tumblr book too—the veiled queerness, the Plath vibes, the dark academia setting, the unhinged vibes. The prose is gorgeous and unsettling and is such a good portrayal of a character.

[theveryfires]

head over heels | eddie munson x reader

summary: interrupting a campaign was strictly a no go, unless a certain dungeon master had promised to take you to the cinema and his campaign was running over time. ;)

an: for this one the reader is just dustin's babysitter (major competition for steve, i know!) but if you want to read this as the reader being his sister you are more than welcome to! ALSO for this one i have gone back to using y/n. but i think i will be using Sid again sometime soon, so if you have been liking her then don't fear! she will return ;)

“He should just be down here, they’ve been down there all day y/n.” Various odd voices and giggling floated through the Wheeler household, getting louder the closer y/n got to the basement door. As Nancy opened it, the smell of spilt rola cola, cheesy covered crisps and too much cologne wafted upstairs. The two women both shared a look, Nancy offering a smile as y/n ventured into the darkness “Good luck prying them away.” 

Creeping down the stairs as quietly as she could, holding in her own laughter as she listened to the row of conversations mingling over one another. She wondered how they ever got through any of Eddie’s campaigns if they carried on like this all the time. Soon enough she reached the bottom of the stairs, still hidden under cover of the basements dull lighting, for ambience of course. Y/n sat down on the bottom step, cringing at the slight creak it made as she rested back. Technically they still had five more minutes before they had to leave, she had time to watch. 

“My friends your party is injured, your eyes are weary from your plight. Why not rest, a cottage awaits in the distance. Windows warmly lit by candlelight, smoke from a well stocked fire puffing from the chimney, the smell of a hearty dinner sending aches into your long empty bellies. Rest my friends, you will need your energy soon.” Eddie’s gaze was low, mischief twinkling in the darkness of his eyes as he spoke deeply. A strangely comforting lilt dripped from his voice, an echo of a odd accent clinging to his words as he lulled his friends into false security. Y/n watched from the darkness, rolling her eyes at the obviousness of the trap. The party shared a look, Dustin and Erica already two steps ahead of the rest. But Eddie was right, they were wounded and in need of help, even if it would bite them in the backs later. Erica nodded at Dustin, a grim look on all their faces as they agreed to proceed towards the cottage. 

A cheshire cat grin took over Eddie’s face, leaning back into his throne that he had managed to ‘liberate’ from the high school drama club for the weekend, curtesy of y/n. “A young woman answers the door, welcoming you in warmly. She is pretty, her eyes bright in the dark night, you feel you can trust her. The woman’s name is Deys. She offers you all soup to replenish your health, and beds to sleep. She sings a haunting lullaby, wrapping you all in a heavy slumber. What are your actions for when, or if you awake?” His voice dropped lower for the final sentence, sending shivers through the entire room. Even Sid couldnt help the way her nerves were set on edge by Eddie’s narrative, he always seemed to have that effect on her. 

Suddenly a low voice called out from the darkness, the strangers face hidden until she slowly crept around the table. Her words trailing around the party, whereabouts unknown, “Wake indeed my lovelies, i’d like to see you try, for you are under my enchantment, the only option is…to die!” In an instant y/n plummeted her hands onto Dustin’s shoulders, gripping tightly as he squealed loudly. The rest of the party yelled, Gareth and Jeff ended up on the floor as Mike and Erica  held onto their stomachs laughing, their fingers pointing at both Dustin and Eddie for the girl-like squeals that had left them. Y/n found herself doubled over, her laughter twinkling around as she grinned at the pair. “You boys make it so easy sometimes!” 

Eddie’s gaze was glowering, faux pissed off but a smile soon took over his face. He couldn't stay mad for long at y/n, the tears in her eyes and wide smile that she covered with her hand making his stomach do somersaults. “I am sorry my lords and lady, but it is way past Sir Dustybuns curfew aaannd i already covered his butt the last time one of your campaigns went on too long,  aaanndd your king promised me he would take me to see The Lost Boys, which we are about to miss!” Y/n's pointed gaze settled on Eddie, her raised eyebrow enough to send him scrambling to his feet, pulling Dustin up with him before grabbing his jacket. “Apologies, my lady.” To try and make up for forgetting he attempted to worm his arm around y/n's waist, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. But y/n had already turned around. “You're gonna have to do a lot more than that if we miss this showing Munson!” 

Dustin’s backpack was already over his shoulder as followed the pair up the stairs, his face pink as Gareth and Jeff made kissy faces up at him. “Well at least i have a girl to do that with and not some snotty old pillow like you Gareth!” Eddie shouted down to the basement, his face growing even redder when he came face to face with Nancy at the top of the stairs. “Thanks again Wheeler.” Eddie mumbled as he walked through the living room and then out the front door to find y/n and Dustin bickering “I told you not to call me that in front of the party!” Henderson complained as he opened up the car door, slinging his bag in first. y/n rolled her eyes “So what I’m hearing is you want me to tell your mum about those late night phone calls with Suziepoo?” From the back of her car Dustin mumbled a low no, pink tinging his cheeks as he opted to looking out the window instead of risking annoying y/n further. 

Eddie climbed into the passenger seat, pressing a kiss to y/n's cheek as he buckled her seatbelt. She couldnt help but smile at that, ignoring Dustin's retching as she pulled Eddie closer, pressing a sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth before starting the car. He reached for the radio, ready to turn on his music when y/n's hand stopped him in his tracks. “If you think I’m letting you play your music after you have made us late to see Lost Boys, then you better start thinking straight Edward Munson.” y/n's voice was playful, but he knew she wasn’t joking after she let go of his arm, turning the volume to full as ‘Head over Heels’ filled the car. “Haven’t I been punished enough, my love!” He groaned, head hitting the back of his seat, to no avail. 

Eddie rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out at the music, turning his head so neither of them could see the gentle smile on his face. But in the low afternoon light, with his girl next to him dressed in his favourite jeans, hair left down and wild around her shoulders, singing obnoxiously loud to Tears for Fears, he couldn’t help singing along. ‘Something happens and I'm head over heels, I never find out until I'm head over heels’

[wordsinhaled]

strap in for thirteenth doctor feelings!

so i'm only halfway through series 12 which means i haven't finished 13's run so obviously there almost certainly are things i'm missing so far. but i have to say... like... while thirteen's run may NOT benefit from strong writing it absolutely DOES benefit from jodie's acting because there is something very much of the doctor to her, she's got a lovely steeliness that she brings out at the right moments, and she really brings something very specific to this role that captures who the doctor is at this moment in the timeline. and i'm thinking about it narratively as well, and the thirteenth doctor makes sort of really heartbreaking sense.

this is a doctor who had already lived too long several regenerations ago yet is still chasing more because she can never stop running. this is a doctor who has known the pain of losing countless companions and is terrified to lose even more, so she holds them at arm's length; and yet, still, she craves closeness, love, and companionship, even family (they're her "fam"—it's a chipper, offbeat way to downplay their importance to her—if it can be just a turn of phrase, just gen Z slang, she doesn't have to think of what comes from family: loss, pain, guilt, fire, destruction, goodbyes, loneliness). and we all remember ten sitting on that rooftop with donna, talking about the christmas he'd spent with the tylers, calling them his family, the closest he'd come to having one since gallifrey.

before the doctor opened up to rose he'd been war-hardened and rough around the edges, until he was worn down, softened by the things he craves. because it's always those thing the doctor craves, belonging, connection, hope; it's why there's always someone in the TARDIS; it's why donna said the doctor needs someone. but loneliness feels like the doctor's cosmic punishment, the only outcome that makes sense, and the only way to prevent further collateral damage. so, little wonder thirteen's committed to doing everything on her own, looking for the master on her own, visiting her home on her own; trying to be unknowable. seesawing between the defensive need to push away and the doctor's fundamental desire to love others and to be loved.

there are three people on board her TARDIS and she couldn't be farther from them. she's feeling unknowable because she's carrying every one of her years, every one of her past acts, every drop of blood on her hands, every mistake she's ever made. there's this sense that she could, somehow, be unknown even to herself. and - "something's coming for me" - there's this deep sense of huntedness, of wanting to outrun the inevitable (pain; punishment) and not being able to because reminders of it are around every corner. there's even captain jack, her fixed point, come back to haunt her; an anomaly, one that shouldn't exist. just like the doctor shouldn't exist.

and yet she keeps not being ready to go. nine was ready because he'd shed some of his burden and experienced being unconditionally witnessed. ten had only just started to live in that peace and he wanted longer, wanted more. eleven already carried the knowledge that he'd overstepped the universe but he still had an innocence to him, a sort of double edge. twelve was gruffness layered over so much care and kindness. and thirteen is. just. coming at the universe with bright open-heartedness to fight her own fear of what she knows is coming, is always, has always been coming for her.

everywhere, in everything, there's a reminder of the home she lost and barely believes she deserves to find again. everywhere, in everything, a reminder that she has to keep going, go faster, go farther, keep up the distractions, keep up the façade because otherwise the only other option is to face it down. and the doctor's a coward, any day. and actually, it's heartwrenching because it's brilliant.

[mysticmetalmerchants]

!!!~Fic Recs~!!!

I thought I would put together a post with some of my absolute favorite ROTTMNT fics, because these sorts of posts made by authors I love have been what lead me to find them! So why not pay it forward and keep the hype up :) Also I'm intense about organization and archiving and making this record soothes me lmao.

In this post I'll be recommending completed multi-chapter fics. In no particular order, here they are:

Every Night the Longest Day by ashtreelane

-One of the first rottmnt fics I read. I think I maybe stayed up until ridiculous hours reading this. one of those reads that is An Experience. The way that the brothers care for one another is so tangible. The author's conveyance of dissociation/mental fatigue is so interesting and engaging.

KOSMARA by MagpieCrown

-A fic I'll be thinking about for a long, long time. Takes everything I love about the Bad Future and makes it even more bittersweet. The relationships between the characters are what sticks with me like knives in the heart, but the worldbuilding is also so clear (I can see so many settings in my mind's eye so easily! and they're inventive as well!) and the action/climax is incredibly intense. Moreover, the way some characters are never present in the narrative but have such a Presence... not one but two "haunts the narrative" vibes... oh wow. It's really just masterful.

The Call Back Home by @gooseinsurance

-The concept at the center of this fic's narrative is soooo interesting and cool to me!! I think about it, like, all the damn time. One of those ideas that you pick up and stare at in awe and file away into your personal understanding of canon forevermore. On top of that, the frustration you feel at the character conflicts is just palpable. It's heart-wrenching. Moreover, the way the author handles what I suppose could be classified as psychological horror is commendable and was invigorating and chilling to experience as a reader.

Under Pressure by ParvumAutomaton

-I never thought anyone could ever get me to read something about cave diving. Much less horror in a cave diving setting. That sounds like my worst nightmare lmao. And yet. I am so freaking glad I gave this fic a chance. It is one of my all-time favorites, and I know it will live in my brain rent-free for a long time. Leo's characterization and the way he handles scenarios is so realistic and feels so him. Moreover, the way the narrative unfolds and the pacing are so well-done. I could not stop reading. (And for those of you still squeamish about cave diving, there is less time spent underwater than you'd think!)

The Corner Store by KicsterAsh

-A turtle tots fic!! A rare feel-good recommendation from me with littel angst and much comfort and sweetness. I love the speculative biology of mutant turtles in the cold (brumation?! oh no!) so to see a take on it that is so wholesome and charming and well-written was very happy-making for me.

Hollow Mind by paperxcrowns @crows-murder

-Something grimmer than I would have thought I would like, but what really sucked me in is the way this is totally deserving of that tour de force description reviewers like to use so much. It introduces something that is missing from canon but could slot in easily in a darker tone: human experimentation/capture, gun-weilding agents, and separation from family/being stranded and running for your life. All in all it has a very Jason Bourne feel to it that I never thought I would love to see enacted with the turtles, but my gosh it works and works so well.

I wasn't sure which authors had accounts on here or not, so if I've missed you/you know the author's @, please let me know and I'll update the post!

[authoralexharvey]

INTERVIEW WITH A WRITEBLR — @broodparasitism

Who You Are:

Lottie || She/her

I’m Lottie, and I’m currently doing a master’s in creative writing. I mostly write things in between historical, literary and horror about postwar Britain, and other than writing I’m a bit of a music nerd!

What You Write:

What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?

Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Psychological. Adult.

What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?

Literary, if only for its room to be experimental and weird.

What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?

Romance - I’m just not a romantic type of person!

Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?

I don’t think too much about it, but I think other young queer/neurodivergent women would be the biggest readers of my work, particularly if they’re also British. But I hope that anyone from any demographic would be able to get something out of my work! It’s for anyone who wants to read it.

What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?

Motherhood is something that always creeps up in my work. Hedonism and moral masochism as contrasts is also very important to me! Feminism and class tensions tend to have a big presence in my work as well. It’s harder to say with tropes but if the central themes are there the tropes don’t matter too much to me. I couldn’t get into why they’re important to me without getting much too personal for writeblr, however.

What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?

Something entirely fluffy and comforting or something entirely cynical and hopeless, albeit the first is more annoying. I need some degree of light and darkness or the story feels too uncomplicated to me. For something very specific, I’m not keen on premises where every type of fantasy folklore is incorporated: there’s often too much that isn’t fleshed out enough. I also hate stories that use weight loss as shorthand for positive character development, because that’s plain old fatphobia. And stories without women. There’s no excuse for that.

What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?

I’m working on a manuscript for my MA so I prefer to keep vague on it, but it’s a small town horror about four people in the early 80s coming to terms with a recent death of someone they all had a wildly different relationship with and the way the town becomes increasingly haunted. I’m quite attached to it now. I began working on this at the end of August 2022!

Why do you write? What keeps you writing?

It simply brings me joy to do it. I want the stories in my head to exist on paper, because that’s such a rewarding feeling!

How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?

On and off since I was very young. I can’t remember what drew me to it: it was just something I knew I wanted to do for as long as I can remember (cliche, I know). I say that I began seriously writing in November 2013, when I started what would become my first completed draft of a manuscript.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?

I get my inspiration from my local area, and from researching history - and very often, music with connection to that. I think that the starting point of inspiration for my current project was the band Xiu Xiu, but what nonfiction I’ve read since then has fleshed it out into an actual narrative.

What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?

A short story called ‘Minutes’ that helped me get into my MA in the first place. I just struck gold with the plot, and it’s naturally one of my most “polished” pieces of writing. I would ideally like to do something else with it!

Have you published anything? Do you want to?

Not yet, but absolutely in the future.

What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?

The publishing process doesn’t appeal to me at all - I’m not yet familiar with it. I am afraid of having to water down my work for “marketability”, however.

What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?

It’s quite hard to say. I like the feeling of when an idea comes to you just as you’re typing. That’s always a godsend. The part least appealing…it can be quite intimidating when things are workshopped, definitely.

Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.

I don’t have much of a process. I have to be able to write almost anywhere and at any time of day in order to get things done.

Your Thoughts on Writeblr:

How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?

My currently blog is under a year old. I was peripherally involved from about 2018 to 2021, after which it became my primary tumblr community.

Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?

Some of my favourite are @queenslayerbee, @aninkwellofnectar , @ryns-ramblings, @dallonwrites! Tumblr either suggested I follow them or I found their blogs via discord.

What is your favorite part about writeblr?

I like a lot of the tag games - especially find the word.

What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?

In the nicest possible way, a lot of the writing advice is really, really bad. I am begging writeblr to realise not everyone needs to post writing advice and that is okay!

How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?

I could be doing more, but I have reservations about sharing my own work and I’m not qualified to be giving advice so all I can do now is help promote others.

What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?

Posts that ask a question to the community as a whole about their creative processes, tag games and excerpts also.

What kind of posts do you most like to make?

I don’t know! There’s not a lot of writeblr posts I can make. I do like making silly little jokey posts about what I’m writing that only make sense of me, I suppose.

Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?

I am on storygraph as @/fortunavhs, Instagram as @/absinthiumwriting and discord as malcontent#7884!