feather's SU meta/critical blog

Feather, agender, it, adult. SFW posts analyzing, deconstructing, and criticizing Steven Universe, and occasionally other cartoons. kofiwidget2.init('Buy Me a Coffee', '#959860', 'I3I7C75Y');kofiwidget2.draw();

[mineralmeta]

I’m of the mind that there should be a pokemon region where the typical nurse joy partner should be a bug type, specifically a bug or fish based off of stuff people use to clean dead or burnt skin off of people.

(Benefits of fish therapy IRL is negligible.)

I feel like it would also be cool if it’s a shrimp. (Cleaner shrimp)

[mineralmeta]

I figured out pokemon antidotes.

These guys!

What do i mean when i say i “figured them out”? Well…

We know that theres a difference between venoms and toxins (if it bites u and u die, it’s a venom; if u bite it and u die, it’s a toxin.) both those things use different methods of killing u to death.

Well, it’s even more complex than that.

Because, in meat space, theres several types on anti venom. Spider venom and snake venom, as u can guess, won’t work interchangeably. It even differs from subspecies to subspecies; the venom from a rattlesnake will be different from that from a cobra. Theres also different mechanisms for venoms; some operate by paralyzing u so thoroughly u stop breathing. some operate by melting ur flesh.

There’s no singular antivenom for everything. Though, we are working on one due to the world’s most ethical mad scientist.

Check out this mini-documentary for more info,

but I must warn you; this documentary is so horrifying that it’s comparable to a rabies documentary. Though, obviously, rabies still wins that competition.

No worries though, I’ll mention any relevant bits so you dont have to suffer thru it.

The most important part is that venom evolved several different times along the course of evolution, among several different branches that diverged from each other. So, it all developed with no direct connection to the other ways, just ancestors with differing family lines.

Have you ever heard of a Mitochondrial-Most Recent Common Ancestor?

Referring to matrilineal lines, it essentially means the mother of all mothers…the one individual whose ancestries of today can all trace back to. For human beings, our current Mitochondrial-Most Recent Common Ancestor is referred to as Mitochondrial Eve. She lived more than 150,000 years ago, in what’s believed to be mama africa herself.

Pokemon actually have a canonical Mitochondrial-Most Recent Common Ancestor.

It’s Mew.

Mew is also specifically a pokemon who can learn any type of HM or TM known in the Pokemon universe. It’s an incredibly adaptable pokemon that is considered where all pokemon came from (last i checked.)

And, we know for a fact that mew’s DNA is something mankind has/had access to. That’s how we have mewtwo.

So, my current working theory is: antidote that you buy at the store that works on any Pokemon ever for whatever poison was created via making an anti-venom/anti-toxin/etc deriving from mew’s poison. It’s a mitochondrial ancestor anti-poison. Any poison developed by todays Pokemon is curable because The Mother of All Poison has a cure.

[mineralmeta]

Gem Fusion Ideas

I watched a video going into detail about some "rules" fusions have based on properties of components, so it inspired me to make some essays with my analysis on each fusion of interest and what it communicates.

This post serves as both an announcement AND landing page for all of the ones I already made/will make in the future.

A/N: I haven't watched much of Future, so this uses reference from the first series.

My Gemsona

Dolomite "rules"

Dolomite fusions

Canon Fusions

Garnet (Ruby x Sapphire)

Sugilite (Amethyst + Garnet)

Opal (Amethyst + Pearl)

Sardonyx (Garnet + Pearl)

Smoky Quartz (Steven Quartz + Amethyst)

Sunstone (Steven Quartz + Garnet)

Rainbow Quartz (Steven Quartz + Pearl)

Fanon Fusions

Imperial Topaz (Dolomite + Garnet)

Morganite (Dolomite + Amethyst)

Cyanite (Dolomite x+Pearl)

[atundratoadstool]

What do people mean by Watsonian and Doylist interpretations of Dracula?

"Watsonian" and "Doylist" are general terms in media analysis that allow one to specify the framework through which one is tackling a question: whether one is looking at a narrative conundrum through the lens of the author (Doylist) or in the context of the fictional world in which the narrative takes place (Watsonian).

The names derive from the Sherlock Holmes stories specifically. To offer an example as to how they might be used in that context, one could look to a moment in "The Man with the Twisted Lip" and note that John H. Watson's wife Mary calls him "James" despite his name being given as "John" elsewhere in the Sherlock Holmes canon. In this case, a Watsonian explanation for the inconsistency might be that Mary is using a nickname or a variant of his middle name (H could stand for Hamish, which is the vocative form of "James" in Scottish Gaelic). A Doylist explanation for the inconsistency might be that Arthur Conan Doyle failed to recollect the character's first name when writing the story.

In Dracula then, when people are referring to a Watsonian reading, they generally will be looking for an interpretation that makes sense in the world of Dracula (ex: explaining Lucy's inconsistent location/chronology in letters by assuming she's lying to comfort Mina). A Doylist explanation would look to interpretations involving Stoker (ex: explaining Lucy's inconsistent location/chronology in letters by assuming Stoker was not always great with dates.)

[mineralmeta]

Wanna teach you guys some new terms! And also I wanna have this on my personal blog hehe.

This is relevant when it comes to some of the things I talk about, in particular, the one post I made about stereotypical female (love interest) designs.

I don't have the post on me right at this moment, but someone made one lamenting that female dwarves (fantasy universes) don't ever have facial hair when we encounter them in media. Dwarves are notably hirsute, and every guy has some form of facial hair. But it seems to never be the case for lady dwarves. One universe talked about in the post does specify that female dwarves do grow beards, they just shave them off (for whatever reason.) That's a Watsonian reason. But, doesn't it seem very convenient that the lady dwarves don't grow beards? Well, are they meant to be attractive to humans, like us? Are they meant to be seen in a positive light, unlike how hairy women are treated in much of western society? The answers to those questions are the Doylist reason.

Light Fury, the character specifically introduced solely to be Toothless's love interest, looking Like That has a Watsonian reason; the reason is specified in universe by canon that she's not a Night Fury. But that was an intentional choice made by somebody in the team that has no bearing on the story itself. What is the Doylist reason for her design?

[mineralmeta]

Weird things I connect waaay too late pt 1

Pearl (Steven Universe) has a glass cannon build, and it’s stated in the show (albeit, in a roundabout way.)

For anyone who doesn’t know what a glass cannon is; in rpgs, you usually have a party that follows you around to help you fight. You get to allocate points into their stats when they level up, and it’s to be used to ur advantage.

A glass cannon build is someone with high dps but is INCREDIBLY squishy. Laughable defense capabilities. When people make glass cannons, they usually circumvent how easy it is to KO them by having a tank build in the party. (Tank build’s key stat(s) is/are a monstrous defense and/or high hp. They’re damage sponges, and they do things like guard other party members or intentionally get some or all enemies to zone in and only attack them specifically.)

Idk, its just interesting to think abt the gem’s battle strategies bc im so hungry for fighting shows w “girl” characters.

[mineralmeta]

( @sef23 Sorry for posting them all, and separately, i needed to post all of them to give context to the last post you sent)

[mineralmeta]

Ignore those last two post I submit to you

You know how I said the male dogs have bigger muzzle in Bluey. Yeah just ignore that. There are some male dogs with small muzzles. There are female dogs with large muzzles in Bluey. In the show some female dogs have bigger muzzles then the males and some males smaller muzzle then the females. Some adult background characters who gender I can’t tell.

[mineralmeta]

Sexism In Cartoons (cont…)

Sorry I forgot to add in a title for my last post. Anyway the two Dalmatian couplws in Bluey have same size muzzle and so does Honey parents. Honey mom is lighter, but that isn’t all for female characters. Female dogs in Bluey muzzle can be narrow, but same length, just as wide but shorter or the same size. Chloe mom (the Dalmatian) muzzle is larger than Chilli. Chilli muzzle is bigger and longer than adult Bluey. Chloe mum is skinner, but there are plenty of wide female dogs in Bluey.

[mineralmeta]

I seen your post on how female animals are drawn. Like make the females just as scruffy or bumpy and dangerous looking. Let us know who is girl or boy without the females having to look pretty or sexy. Bluey is a good example. The puppies lack gender differences (except for a very few). The adults have them, but of more of body and muzzle size and no boobs or eyelashes. Yet the sizes aren’t exaggerated. There are still different muzzle size and body sizes among females and among males. Adult females have oval eyes and males circle, but it’s subtle and there are exceptions. The females sit with their legs closed though.

[mineralmeta]

@sef23

I saw all your submissions! I wanted to say (before I publish your stuff, as I can’t edit in a response on mobile for some reason)

I don’t know much about bluey, but, from what ive seen, i like it in regard to character design. I also think that the differences in the dogs’ designs along gender guidelines are nonexistant/very subtle. I really like it, I saw it once in the waiting room for a dr appointment 😊

It’s also tickling a little nostalgia here, bc i loved blue’s clues and was very stringent on correcting ppl when they called blue a boy. I liked the color blue, and even then, i wanted people to not be stereotypical about her gender, haha (even back then!)

(To anyone not in the know: Magenta and Blue are girls and Green is the only boy dog that shows up, at least when I was a kid. He had cropped ears and an underbite, as well. There might be more pups since then, it’s been quite a while!)

[mineralmeta]

I didnt watch Stevey U’s Future but I saw a few clips and

I feel like if u told me that steven has a show where he grows up i would joke that he would spend a night in jail, have a horrible night at his first house party, and commit murder

And. Well. 🗿

[mineralmeta]

Another thing: I’ve put a lot of thought into how gem “races” exist in a sense of breeding. A lot of gems I have incorporate some kind of weakness that’s typical of the gem in question. Dolomites are brittle. They’re useless in battle. They’re essentially Pearls for the everyman, like a fast food burger vs a steak.

My favorite baby with this is Wulfenite. I was inspired by a post that circulated like. 10 years ago that said “having heightened senses as a superpower is always portrayed poorly, bc we have those already and those are autistic ppl.” It’s meant to be a tracker, but, from the ground up, it’s kind of a recipe for disaster when you’re in a society that values u based on ur utility to society.

[mineralmeta]

Then again, it’s hard to know what things define gems. Symbolism in gems exist here in meat space and have for waaaay longer than SU has.

I’ve always been curious as to why Rubies aren’t emphasized as their worth as soldiers. I get the feeling that Rubies are second-class, but Rubies are (according to Moh’s hardness scale) as almost as hard as diamonds. They’re definitely harder than Quarts, which is like. 6, generally? Rubies are 9, and Diamonds are 10s.

Bearing in mind…there are other ways people measure qualities in stones that I’m completely unfamiliar with.

[mineralmeta]

I, personally, took things more literally when it came to some of my fan characters. Dolomite is my gemsona, and it’s an incredibly soft stone. I incorporated this by making Dolomite a weak gem with a tendency to fall apart if its physical form is hit (almost like an extended gag.) It uses other measures to ensure its safety, rather than typical one-on-one encounters.

[mineralmeta]

Then again, it’s hard to know what things define gems. Symbolism in gems exist here in meat space and have for waaaay longer than SU has.

I’ve always been curious as to why Rubies aren’t emphasized as their worth as soldiers. I get the feeling that Rubies are second-class, but Rubies are (according to Moh’s hardness scale) as almost as hard as diamonds. They’re definitely harder than Quarts, which is like. 6, generally? Rubies are 9s, and Diamonds are 10s.

Bearing in mind…there are other ways people measure qualities in stones that I’m completely unfamiliar with.

[mineralmeta]

It took me waaaay too long to make this connection. And it’s kind of a theory, since WOG didnt say so. Im not sure how much science and composition and whatnot goes into SU “gemology.”

The number of gem types we actually have is technically smaller than exists. The difference between some gems is simply the color that they are. Remember how Padparadscha is referred to as a “Peach Sapphire”?

And “Quartz Soldiers”? I’m sure anyone who’s tried to make a gemsona/gem fan character knows that there is a MULTITUDE of gems that qualify as a quartz. Sometimes, a quartz isn’t recognizable by name. Take for instance, Smoky Quartz. I have one of these characters and made her before the reveal of canonical Smoky Quartz. She’s called something else, though: Morion. Though, tbf, a Morion is not quite the same; It’s a Smoky Quartz that’s more on the opaque side.

Anyways! I say all that to say this: Ruby and Sapphire are so in sync because they’re the same stone.

[sproutfits]

Hey. Minors following me. Internet safety is key!! NEVER include these in your bio/byf:

Medical diagnoses - this is nobody's business but yours. You don't owe anyone an explanation for why you are the way that you are

Trauma - same reason as above

Triggers - people can use these against you! Don't give people tools to hurt you. No one has to know what tags you block. Just block tags to stay safe!

Age - age is okay for adults to include but is iffy when you're a teen. Predators want this information, don't give people more than they need. Just state that you're a minor, that's all that anyone needs to know.

In general: stay safe. If you're not comfortable with every stranger out there having access to this information, you shouldn't post it on the internet.

Play devil's advocate and ask yourself about what would happen if someone searched for your information with intent to hurt you. You do NOT owe anyone an explanation!

[casperscove-deactivated20221016]

adding on to this post, i agree w all of OPs points, but i also highly advise against super young teens posting their face on the internet, its so easy to take peoples selfies + name and find stuff out like your school and then figure out the rough area in which you live. same with your phone number. be super careful about what you put out there. once you post it, it really is here forever.

[mylordshesacactus]

OP already said this so I’m just reiterating to emphasize:

The golden rule of information sharing on the internet is: What would happen if someone saw this who wanted to hurt me?

If the answer is that it would make it easier to harass you, identify you, contact you, or god forbid find you, don’t put it online. You can’t fully control who does and does not see that information--not even with privacy settings.

[corvine-cosmos]

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT

never hit reblog so fast

[lizzable]

Minors please

Please minors

[mineralmeta]

I was pissed abt ruby being in a dress on her wedding day until i realized that there were Weirdos saying ruby was a boy

Meaning that those Weirdos would be pissed in any direction if the butch wore a dress

Thennnn i worked backwards from there to justify it lmao