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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
"Once upon a time, in a world where mermaids would sing sailors to their deaths, making them feared and hated by the humans. A young servant girl would find an unlikely friend in the ruins of an abandoned ship. Will their friendship rise against the test of time or fall in the pressure of their nature?"
Long-time Red Queen opinion that might get me this reaction, and it's a long rant.
I have a hard time liking Thomaven, not because of them as a couple, but because Aveyard gives us so little information about Thomas, even though he has such a huge impact on Maven's character. Some might say it's intentional writing that adds mystery and tragedy, but I see it otherwise.
Let's start with the positives:
I highly appreciate Aveyard for not making Maven's bisexuality merely a decoration or a shallow representation. Other popular series would often label their characters bisexual and have them recall their past relationship once in the whole multi-installment series and be done with it. *cough* SJM *cough*.
The implication of his romantic relationship with Thomas was set as early as Book 1 when he talked about Thomas with such grief and reverence during the secret Scarlet Guard meeting. This was followed by a confirmation from Maven himself in King's Cage during the breakfast scene.
Every time Thomas was brought up in conversation or in his private thoughts, it would inflict deep sadness and even momentary sharp pains on Maven. The thought of Thomas, the boy he loved and who loved him, and Thomas' violent death, consumed and haunted him.
And when Maven's final POV in Broken Throne reveals, in his time of deep distress and humiliating defeat, that Maven took comfort in the thought of him dying, hoping he'd see Thomas once again.
The way Maven changed completely after meeting and losing Thomas piqued my curiosity as to what Thomas, as an individual, was like. Who was this Red servant that captured a Silver Prince's heart?
That's why Broken Throne disappointed me as a Red Queen fan, and my frustration with Aveyard's way of writing the series and her characters in the latter half of the story was more prominent.
Not only did Thomas remained shrounded in mystery. Even in Maven's final POV when he declared to the reader that his love for Thomas cuts him deeper than Mare.
Thomas was the only person in Maven's short life whom Elara never tainted. Only when he died did Maven beg Elara to erase the memories and the pain of losing him. During his betrothal to Mare, Elara was around and prevented Maven from loving Mare as strongly as he could have. Since Mare was not just a Red, but also a Newblood and a political threat, Elara did not want another "Thomas" or Maven pulling a "BUT MOTHER I LOVE HER." Too bothersome. It would risk everything Elara sacrificed Maven and so many others for.
I genuinely was expecting more Thomas lore: what he looked like, what he sounded like, what his surname is, and whether Maven ever wanted to have his surname. What activities did they bond over, or at the very least, what words or phrases did Thomas love to use? But Aveyard gave us nothing. None.
I might be nitpicking or overly demanding, but keep in mind Broken Throne also concluded Mare and Cal's relationship and future children, and loads of heartwarming interactions between Evangeline and Elane being a couple without the fear of war and suffocating expectations of Evangeline's parents.
Heck, Aveyard even dedicated a whole segment to a new set of characters, sharing their outside perspective on the main storyline. Aveyard gave them names, backstories, occupations, physical descriptions, and a thrilling boat chase; even the servants who tended to Mare during her imprisonment had their moment.
Four books, two novellas. One of which centered on Coriane Jacos, a character long gone before the main story began, who, like Thomas, haunts the narrative and those who loved her, such as Tiberias, Julian, Sara, and her son, Cal. Yet Thomas still remained a name whose existence was only known by Maven, and even he is gone.
Unserious Red Queen Headcanon
Since Elara practically forbade Maven to show weakness, he was probably told not to even cry. So he got no handkerchief to wipe away his tears, and he had to suck his snot with his mouth to avoid getting berated by her.
A bit of a random, underrated take.
I like how Mare and Evangeline's animosity toward each other is not caused by them wanting the same man, a.k.a. the Calore brothers, but simply the clashing of two alphas trying to out-alpha each other whenever an opportunity presents itself.
How dare you...😠
The love me some double page spread
The Summer Hikaru Died Chapter 48.4
The Summer Hikaru Died Chapter 34
I'm so curious as to what the other side would look like, given Yoshiki will be joining "Hikaru" and their memories would influence the appearance of the other side. And since "Hikaru" would consume/let pass the entities through him to get them to the other side to hopefully join back into the life cycle again, instead of closing the hole like last time, which makes me worry: how will those two get out, or firstly, will they even get that far as to free almost all the souls that are stuck in the hole before it tries to fight them?
I'm so worried for all of them...🥲
"🎷THE SAXOPHONES GETTING LOUDER🎷" -Ahh New Chapter Update🫠
TSHD/HGSN Chapter 48.4 Spoilers
TSHD/HGSN Chapter 32.1
When you're about to enter a hole made up of all the eyes and souls sacrificed over the centuries in hopes of preventing another catastrophe and saving the villagers, but you've just reunited with your beautiful goop boi and you're feeling romantical✨️.
TW: TSHD/HGSN Chapter 48.4 Spoilers
Oh boy, did I miss these questionable conversation starters that would catch anyone (non-TSHD watcher, anime watcher, or even manga reader) off guard in The Summer Hikaru Died. Never change, Mokumokuren, never change.😌
TW: TSHD/HGSN Chapter 48.4 Spoilers
Well...damn
Side note: Very relieved that it doesn't look like clusters of eyes, me and my trypophobia ain't surviving that.
I know Cal is often labeled a dense, indecisive brickhead.
He rarely does anything unhinged compared to Mare and Maven, who were in an unofficial race on "Who gets to traumatize the other before one of them taps out (we all know who won and who survived)."
But whenever I see this photo of the Red Queen Limited Edition of these two dancing, staring into each other's eyes, I feel romance but also, doom. Because all I could think about was knowing that while he taught Mare how to dance under the moonlight. In the shadows he was building a sounder device to neutralize her if she ever went rogue. It was so effective that when Maven used the sounder, it left Mare incapacitated for days and made her see pink for a couple more.
Maven only brought that up once to Mare as a manipulation tactic and never again. Not in the epilogue scene in King's Cage, where Mare and Cal were in a moral disagreement. Not even in Cal's POV in War Storm did he ever think of or feel guilty about what his invention did to the woman he loves.
I swear, I'm still upset at how his character and writing were handled, but at the same time, relieved that Cal did not get his hands on enough resources to create a deadly weapon, especially with his earlier belief that the "ends justify the means."
Side note: With how the sounder operates and Cal at one point mentioned to Mare that she reminded Julian of his mother, Coriane, Cal most likely gathered information from Julian on how Mare's abilities work and insisted on Mare training with them to keep a close eye on her and gauge her limitations.
Harmless out-of-character Red Queen headcanon
Maven rarely gets invited to sleepovers, not because his mom is a strict, overbearing helicopter control freak and he acts like a know-it-all brat, but mostly because they woke up in the middle of the night to see this blue-eyed beauty sleeping next to them like this:
When a Giant Eye is growing threateningly large on a mountain that could potentially harm every villager in the town, but your beloved Eldrich Goop is back by your side, in a good mood and wearing clean, intact clothes, you need to serve him a genuine smile and words of affirmation.
TW: TSHD/ HGSN CHAPTER 48.3 Spoilers
He got 99 problems, but at least they're together👬
🙃 Don't remind me, dude. Even Yuuki and Maki have forgotten Yoshiki a few hours before the fireworks. Like, Yoshiki's dad is the only person who seemed to remember him, AND I'm still stressing about those two closing that giant eye portal. Asako seeing the impurities and Tanaka facing off against Satou. 🥲🥲🥲
"HIKARU" IS BACK! HIS OTHER HALF IS BACK! HE AND YOSHIKI ARE BACK!
TW: TSHD/HGSN Chapter 48.3 Spoilers
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY! HIS WHIMSY IS BACK!!! Look at him! Look at him gleefully pointing at the spot where heads disappear. WE ARE SO BACK! LET'S GO!
Oui oui, "Hikaru" enjoys eating so much that his comparison image shows him with slightly fuller cheeks. Yoshiki needs to carry like 12 pcs of Shiitake buns with him at all times. ☺️ Feed your eldrich.
No Wonder This Felt Familiar 🙃
The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 11
Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu Chapter 48.3
I just love the not-so-subtle signs that Mokumokuren is being very hands-on with the anime adaptation. I love this series. 🥲🫠
"Hikaru" getting his Welcome Home 🥹
I remember a post about this anime original scene from TSHD episode 11, where "Hikaru" is being welcomed home by Momma Yuki, and on the surface, it's a heartwarming scene between a mother and a son, but given "Hikaru's" guilty expression, he knows the "Welcome home" and the gentle smile aren't for him; they're for Hikaru.
The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 11
That's why this moment is so impactful for "Hikaru" cause now he knows her kind words and caring gestures are directed at him. Momma Yuki sees "Hikaru" as he is and acknowledges him as her own.
Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu Chapter 48.3
No Wonder This Felt Familiar 🙃
The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 11
Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu Chapter 48.3