an obstinate despair

Art inspirations and other fixations, bands, shows, movies, too scattered to name. Most of my own art is on my sketchblog: septembre-songstress

[etoilesdeglace]

“What are you going to do? Raise a damn bear?”

[vintageandroid]

i made a post like this before but I can't find it now. so. I'll just redo it.

What's the first "big news story" you remember from when you were a kid?

It's something I love to ask mixed-aged groups sometimes because I think it's really interesting to see the responses. I've gotten answers from the Olympics of [whatever year] to Watergate to more recent stuff from my niblings.

My first news thing I remember is the OJ Simpson trial. I vaguely remember watching the news with my grandparents before that, but that's the first story I remember, in part because my second grade teacher had us go play so she could watch the verdict 😂

[artssie]

Ophelia (b.1851-1905) by Constantin Meunier

[rozzed]

why not have the reader re-read a sentence now and then? it won't hurt him....

[shapeoftheday]

restless spirits

[charnel-grounds]

Randy Ortiz, Untitled

[vexahlias-bow]

PERCY SUBMIT FOR VAX BEFORE VEX DID.

PERCY. SUBMIT. FOR. VAX. BEFORE. VEX. DID.

[julietcpulet]

I actually like that she was one of the last. Because my whole theory is that she knew he would’ve rather died and seen them go down fighting then have any of them bow to Vecna so it makes sense why she wouldn’t submit until she saw Percy. After Vax sacrificed himself for her once already I think she knew he would willingly do it for any of them again and that’s why she doesn’t seem surprised at his actions. Truly Vex knows her brother best.

[missstreelight]

I just think that for a selfless character who loves fiercely and deeply (as I'd argue all of Vox Machina do) it's easier to sacrifice yourself for a cause you see as right, than it is to sacrifice a loved one for that same cause - especially moreso when it's not clear either that this is the winning strategy in terms of saving the world.

Which is to say I think comparing Vax's decision to defy the Whispered One to the rest of VM's decision to capitulate for Vax's life is not really an equivalent comparison.

[gayz0mb]

percy trying to reach pike 💔 because he sees himself in her 💔 she reminds him of the time where vengeance almost cost him his soul 💔 and now she's going through the same shit (and with the same person! fuck delilah!) 💔

[stackslip]

we're moving to an internet where children would be banned from reaching out for help and friendship online but abusive parents can post their children's every second online to humiliate and expose them for money with no pushback

[missstreelight]

Percy + validating and supporting his friends

Keyleth's worries about being worthy? He reassures her and reminds her she's capable in a moment of crisis. Vex's insecurity about being rejected by her home/father and not fitting in with nobles? He defends her to her invalidating father by conferring a noble title on her from Whitestone, essentially welcoming her into his home even as she's been rejected from hers.

He understands that Vax's grief over dying and the reality of the situation is undeniable so he doesn't try to smooth it over with words, but he offers Vax comfort by silently going to hug him.

And when he sees Tary struggling to stay calm, he uses Tary's love of narrative to ease his nerves in a tense situation.

Bonus for Cassandra who shares his reserved disposition, traumatic history, survivor's guilt. They are each other's only remaining family, and he knows how strong she had to be to face the Briarwoods everyday. He knows they have the will and the love to survive, the love they have for each other and for Whitestone. And he offers her that reassurance.

[gayz0mb]

YEESSS YESSS HE WAS CARRYING HER IN HIS COAT!!!!! THIS IS ALL I'VE EVER WANTED!!!!

[missstreelight]

Still not over the drama of the de Rolo siblings both being bespelled by different entities to fight each other, compelled by their respective demons to hurt the other.

Of course s1 very pointedly demonstrated that Percy's relentless quest for vengeance, though initially a mechanism for survival and purpose in the aftermath of the Briarwoods, was ultimately self-destructive. A dead end that would only result in the subsumpton of his own identity, while claiming the rest of the people he loved as collateral damage.

But what about Cassandra? I doubt that her resentment over being left behind was only a fabrication of the Briarwoods' control, but perhaps it was amplified. It wouldn't be unreasonable for Cassandra to have conflicted feelings about Percy, her only remaining family, and the brother who abandoned her to death (albeit he was a child too and had no real chance of saving her).

I wonder if, similarly to Percy, in her darker moments, she found it easier to give in to that hurt when forced by the Briarwoods to act against her will. After the Briarwoods are defeated in s1, it seems she makes no further mention of it.

I suppose the siblings make it a point to find closure and move on as the people at the source of all their pain have seemingly been eliminated.

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⚠️ Spoilers for s4e6

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As a show-only viewer, now that Delilah is back, I'm curious to see what the repercussions for Percy and Cass are. Percy and Cass are the only characters for whom Delilah holds deep personal significance. I'd love to see echoes of their past demons coming back to haunt them. (side note: I understand from what I've read of the CR stream that Percy actually retained some effects after expelling Orthax, ie the hex ability and the smoke? That would have been so cool to see in-show ngl)

Even though the season opened with Percy in Whitestone, Cass was not featured in the episode, which to me seems a missed opportunity to build on their relationship and reiterate her significance to Whitestone as the remaining de Rolo who stayed, survived and rebuilt their city. Cass' absence from the narrative when the spinning orb of death is literally within Whitestone would be a choice that stands out, imo.

[baesarenraes]

a beautiful TLOVM illustration by Cassey Kuo (storyboard artist at Titmouse)

[missstreelight]

whoops I think this blog is gonna be hijacked by vox machina posting for a while, found this show a few weeks ago just in time for a new season apparently!! and I am here for the ride

(rotating the twins+percy+keyleth in my mind new faves ftw)

[anutzica]

the cutest keyleth wild shape yet

[ouiouhie]

the council 🩸

keeping this series going while working on a larger project. took a ton of focus to finish this one!