Rats, we’re rats

Hey I’m Crow or Ares (either is fine). I'm genderfluid, using they/he right now :) I am cringe but I am... free...

[mcelroyfamilystaff]

Ten years ago we left her in a watery pocket dimension. Today, The Final Pam returns to see what, if anything, can be salvaged of her Sanctuary.

[dailycatsblog]

[the-composite-doll]

Wait is that THIS cat?

IT IS

[robotdwarf]

Turns out the scheming eunuch's love for you is genuine

[squiddleknitted]

i know how this sounds but genuinely not everything is about shipping and especially not everything is about torsewell

the moment of torse speaking up in the council meeting and the moment of torse realising hes not the only one left are both moments that weve seen people holding up as significant torsewell moments and making art that really minimises the parts of these events that are meaningful

these are moments of huge significance to torses narrative and arc and history and while maxwells presence is important and maxwell has helped play a role in these events ultimately they are not about him

torses story is about oppression and genocide and its so much more interesting than just emotional yaoi moments

[acrow-dade]

Ok so literally never do this but you put this in the tag & tbh I’m getting beaujes flashbacks so I’m replying to hopefully nip this at the bud before it turns into a mess.

Anyways my favorite thing about fandom is when someone doesn’t like a ship and so they pretend there’s something inherently problematic with it or the way people that enjoy the ship engage with fandom, when really the only problematic thing is said someone’s inability to cultivate their own online experience. Like, you’re on tumblr. There are tags for a reason. Use them. Block them.

Also, it’s incredibly discourteous to make a post like this and put it in the ship tag. It’s one thing to want to open a discussion with others that you respect but ultimately disagree with, but the way you talk about people that ship torsewell tells me you’re just making assumptions to justify your blanket statements. So I will be curt in my response, I hope you understand.

To me, it feels as though your opinion is “Everyone that ships torsewell misunderstands Torse as a character, and doesn’t care about his story as an oppressed person.”

So let me say this, as one person that ships torsewell. I’m Mexican American, you don’t have to tell me shit about oppression. I identify very deeply with Torse, as someone that struggles with the reality of people Like Me being literally hunted and rounded up, and feeling alienated and alone not just by the people around you, but also FROM your own cultural background. And yes, Torse is very indigenous-coded, and again, there are people (i.e. me) that identify very strongly with him because of that. But let’s be so clear: he’s a robot. At no point has Brennan ever said that the Aganti Zernai are indigenous peoples of Zern.

Don’t talk to me about how it’s problematic to paint Maxwell as Torse’s white savior. Many of us KNOW that. But Torse is NOT indigenous! (Explicitly that is. This is not to discredit any interpretations of him being such, of course. See above paragraph ^) And there is No power imbalance between him and Maxwell. They are equals, and they are friends. And the interactions they choose to have with each other are born of that equality, of that equal footing. Maxwell’s actions are meaningful not because he’s white while Torse is the victimed poc that needs to be saved, or whatever narrative it is you’re trying to claim is reality. They’re meaningful because they are friends. Just like it’s meaningful that Van stands behind Torse in solidarity, or how Marya engraves his heart to show that he was already worthy, or how Olethra offered to hold his iron heart out of concern for his well-being. They’re all white as well. Are you going to claim that it’s problematic to talk about how profound those scenes were, too?

Anyways tldr there’s nothing inherently problematic about how torsewell enjoyers are engaging with the content that We’re All Paying For, I should say. So if it makes you upset to see it, just block it. Seriously.

[squiddleknitted]

hey so like i dont know if youre reacting to an entirely different post that i didnt make or what but like i am a gay man and i do in fact ship torsewell i dont think its problematic nor did i ever even suggest that in the slightest

i never said that torse was Indigenous or that maxwell was a white saviour or any of the "narrative" youre saying im spinning and im genuinely entirely un fucking sure where youre getting that from

this post was about the way the fandom treats torsewell as the only significant aspect of torses characterisation and arc and i made it about specific pieces of fanart i saw that actually mischaracterised both torse and maxwell and minimised the significance of the two events described to make them nothing more than "torsewell moments"

i actually would love to see more content of the other characters with torse in these moments because as i said it seems like the fandom forgets torse has any kind of interaction with other characters or the world outside of maxwell

and yeah as a gay man i felt like it was fair enough for me to throw out the "yaoi" line to emphasise how torse is treated by the fandom in the pursuit of boring gay porn

[acrow-dade]

My apologies, I misunderstood. You said “oppression and genocide” and my mexican ass was like “Ah yes the oppression of poc minorities.” (Also, you talked about the scene where Torse realizes he’s not the only Aganti Zernai, which to me supported that interpretation. That was me misreading, sorry.)

I do still think it’s wrong to make accusations based on what you see others post about. Someone’s enjoyment of media is not limited to what they post about, and to single out artists for the art they choose to make in the time they have is unfair. It comes off as a demand that they give you something not based on what they enjoy, but rather what you enjoy.

With that said, I’m literally so fucking sorry /gen 🙇 I was critical of you making assumptions, but I made assumptions of you, and that is also unfair. A thousand and one apologies 🧎

[sottopressione1]

Tuira Kayapó brandished her machete in the face of a government official who was trying to convince indigenous leaders to accept a mega-dam project in the Amazon, 1989

[lesbianmichelmishina]

“Electricity won’t give us food. We need the rivers to flow freely. Don’t talk to us about relieving our ‘poverty’ – we are the richest people in Brazil. We are Indians.”

part of kayapó’s speech during this event

also! she’s still alive! that sort of thing is always worth pointing out to show that we really aren’t too far removed from events like this! here’s a 2019 photo of her:

[shinytarountula]

I just checked, she passed away in August 2024 - but not before working with a filmmaker to make an hour long movie where she explains her life and her activism. If you want to hear what she has to say for herself, here’s the opportunity.

Movie is ‘Tuire Kayapó’ (First Contact) by Pınar Yolaçan, in case the link breaks

[squiddleknitted]

i know how this sounds but genuinely not everything is about shipping and especially not everything is about torsewell

the moment of torse speaking up in the council meeting and the moment of torse realising hes not the only one left are both moments that weve seen people holding up as significant torsewell moments and making art that really minimises the parts of these events that are meaningful

these are moments of huge significance to torses narrative and arc and history and while maxwells presence is important and maxwell has helped play a role in these events ultimately they are not about him

torses story is about oppression and genocide and its so much more interesting than just emotional yaoi moments

[acrow-dade]

Ok so literally never do this but you put this in the tag & tbh I’m getting beaujes flashbacks so I’m replying to hopefully nip this at the bud before it turns into a mess.

Anyways my favorite thing about fandom is when someone doesn’t like a ship and so they pretend there’s something inherently problematic with it or the way people that enjoy the ship engage with fandom, when really the only problematic thing is said someone’s inability to cultivate their own online experience. Like, you’re on tumblr. There are tags for a reason. Use them. Block them.

Also, it’s incredibly discourteous to make a post like this and put it in the ship tag. It’s one thing to want to open a discussion with others that you respect but ultimately disagree with, but the way you talk about people that ship torsewell tells me you’re just making assumptions to justify your blanket statements. So I will be curt in my response, I hope you understand.

To me, it feels as though your opinion is “Everyone that ships torsewell misunderstands Torse as a character, and doesn’t care about his story as an oppressed person.”

So let me say this, as one person that ships torsewell. I’m Mexican American, you don’t have to tell me shit about oppression. I identify very deeply with Torse, as someone that struggles with the reality of people Like Me being literally hunted and rounded up, and feeling alienated and alone not just by the people around you, but also FROM your own cultural background. And yes, Torse is very indigenous-coded, and again, there are people (i.e. me) that identify very strongly with him because of that. But let’s be so clear: he’s a robot. At no point has Brennan ever said that the Aganti Zernai are indigenous peoples of Zern.

Don’t talk to me about how it’s problematic to paint Maxwell as Torse’s white savior. Many of us KNOW that. But Torse is NOT indigenous! (Explicitly that is. This is not to discredit any interpretations of him being such, of course. See above paragraph ^) And there is No power imbalance between him and Maxwell. They are equals, and they are friends. And the interactions they choose to have with each other are born of that equality, of that equal footing. Maxwell’s actions are meaningful not because he’s white while Torse is the victimed poc that needs to be saved, or whatever narrative it is you’re trying to claim is reality. They’re meaningful because they are friends. Just like it’s meaningful that Van stands behind Torse in solidarity, or how Marya engraves his heart to show that he was already worthy, or how Olethra offered to hold his iron heart out of concern for his well-being. They’re all white as well. Are you going to claim that it’s problematic to talk about how profound those scenes were, too?

Anyways tldr there’s nothing inherently problematic about how torsewell enjoyers are engaging with the content that We’re All Paying For, I should say. So if it makes you upset to see it, just block it. Seriously.

[tiltedsyllogism]

me, adding a new tag to my block list: I’m so glad my beloved mutual has discovered a new source of joy

[nem23]

[riversidecacti]

okay hold on is that....

yup thats the im sad dead inside shirt

[dansnotavampire]

torsewell is like. the realest it can be without being real. you understand

[dykemd]

never forget what they took from us.

[dykemd]

[babblingfishes]

Alright, everyone in the comments is like "it was closed because of pirating and don't you dare list alternatives because loose lips sink ships"

This is completly false. Rabbit shut down because they had no business model, were making no money whatsoever, and went bankrupt. What Rabbit did (host and stream remote-control virtual machines) is not inherently illegal by any means.

Hyperbeam is the exact same thing and I've been using it for years for perfectly legal activities -- you can display maps for d&d games, have youtube watch parties, play tag-team neopets, whatever you like. It has full access to the internet, so could someone do illegal things? Probably. But you could also do illegal things with your normal web browser. Not my problem.

Unlike Rabbit, Hyperbeam has a side-hustle (main-hustle?) offering more advanced virtual machines to businesses and schools, so they do actually make money and should stick around longer.

Now go experience the world wide web with your friends.

[auteurdefeu]

This is the ending I hope for Torsewell to get if Murph isn't going to let them make out

[thoughtportal]

The user-repairable Fairphone 4 is finally coming to the US

This version runs on an /e/ Google-free OS, though.

There are two configurations available: one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $599 and another with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $679. The storage of both models can be expanded via microSD, and the phone features a modular design that can be easily disassembled using a standard Phillips #00 screwdriver to replace broken components. It also has an IP54 rating, meaning the device is protected against dust and water sprays.

The Murena Fairphone 4 will ship to US customers with 5G and dual SIM support, a removable 3905mAh battery, a 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide, and a 25-megapixel selfie camera. The phones will be available to order exclusively from Murena’s webstore starting today. 

[theshampyon]

I've been looking at getting one of these to replace my current phone. It'll break my habit of always passing my old phone to a relative, but I can live with that if it means I can fix the damned thing myself. Comparable price to a mid-range/lower high-end phone. It is, as far as I can see, the only smartphone that has ever achieved a 10/10 score for repairability in iFixit. Most don't get more than a 4 or 5, and only Nokias consistently get more than a 7. You can replace the cameras, the screen, the battery, the motherboard, the USB port, the speakers, the microphone, the case. All of it. If you want to upgrade, or if any one of those parts breaks? You don't have to buy a whole new phone. You just buy a replacement part, grab your little screwdriver, and swap the bits out. All without soldering skills, all without specialist technical knowledge.

They also make over-ear headphones that are similarly modular. Any one piece in it breaks, you can just fix it yourself. They used to do earbuds, but due to the size they're not self-repairable. But they still sell single earbuds for the folks who bought them, so they don't have to buy a whole new set to replace one lost or broken bud. They support the outdated hardware for quite a while. They're still selling replacement cables for the wired earbuds they stopped making years ago.

The operating system it uses for the US is /e/OS - it's a fork of Android, it just has all the Google stuff removed by default. Meaning you can download those apps if you want, or stay out of the Google ecosystem. (If you want a totally open-source free app library, look into F-Droid).

And if you need a laptop, there's the Framework. Same philosophy as the Fairphone. 10/10 repairability score on iFixit. You want to upgrade the CPU? Just replace one part of the modular mainboard unit. WiFi busted? Replace the card. RAM too low? Buy a new stick. Hinge busted? Grab a new one. Just about every individual component you might want to replace, whether for repair or upgrade, is replaceable using standard, easily available T5 and PH0 screwdrivers.

[poisonghoulart]

So clenches a worthy fist

[sootchild]

Cloudward, Ho!

Episode 16: A Fraught Forge in Zern

Pokemon parody. I might draw the rest and put them on my Kofi. We'll see.

Episode 15 || Episode 17

[unluckyfucky]

ALSO not torse looking at maxwell first whenever he starts speaking like he looks and addresses maxwell when he says to tell the zoodians the truth abt the engine and later again he looks at maxwell to check that the plan was to board straka like something something torse cant help but gravitate towards maxwell and in return maxwell will always be there to meet his gaze im foaming at the mouth abt these guys

[acrow-dade]

T-tor….se….well.. _(´ ⌓ `」 ∠) _

Cadswitch’s “I know he knows what to fight for, but I wonder if he truly knows what to live for.”

“The seventh will know to ring the bell.”

Torse, disanimated, guarding the broadcast. Maxwell, worlds away, finding what would decode the broadcast and allow Olethra to tune into it with her mech.

Maxwell advocating for returning Torse’s golden heart to him, waking him up. Torse’s gaze being drawn to Max, even though Nobody was even talking about or to him. Recognizing him as Cadswitch, who Max strives to live up to. (Cadswitch, who once held the keys, the bell.)

Torse, who struggles to connect with others, seeking out Maxwell. Maxwell, who has never been First, seeking out Torse in kind. Two non-whimsical, non-frivolous, kindred souls finding connection in a world they both struggle to belong in.

“I always considered you a friend, Maxwell.”

“We are friends, Torse. Slow down, please.”

Saving him, again. Waking Torse, the wingsuit, whimsy and impulsiveness, breaking his own rules. Being the only person that could save him. (Marya failing her persuasion, Max having the highest charisma. The wingsuit, fly speed, bonus action dash.)

The keys, the bell, the Zernai. (“The seventh will know.” Does he know what to live for?) Maxwell giving Torse a place to belong, and then doing it again, as he always has, and had, and will.

The golden heart that Maxwell returned to him, the heart that allowed them to meet, the heart that he now closes his fist around, that he has made a weapon because it’s not the material that matters, it’s the person behind it. Because you were always good, and always worthy, and any metal can be weaponized, and that’s not bad. Because you are you in any form, and I’ll always reach my hand to you, regardless.

[gokucat]

feeding her stuffie must live on....