Here’s my “went to school uphill both ways in blinding snow” opinion. I’ve been a lurker part of fandoms that have been going on since the ‘80′s. Even if/when fandoms slow down, as others have said earlier in the thread, all it takes is one person to keep it alive.
All that’s happened is the less passionate fans have moved on to other things, but the ones who are very attached are still here, being the heart of the fandom.
I’ve been trying to be better at interacting since I’m not posting. The only reason I’m not posting is because instead of working on shorter, easily postable Entrapdak fics, I keep waking up going “well, I want to work on one of my 100K+ Entrapdak epics!”. But I often fall short because I have far fewer daily spoons than my heart would like 99% of the time.
So yeah. Even though others aren’t seeing what I produce right now, my love for Entrapdak has only grown as we come up on the 1 year anniversary of S5′s release.
My apartment even has an unofficial “outer” and “inner” Sanctum. I tolerate people in the outer Sanctum when I absolutely have to. But if you make it into the inner Sanctum, well, I can count the number of people comfortably allowed there on one hand and have fingers left over.
I’m perfectly fine with telemedicine, deliveries, my daily call with my Mom, and interacting with folks on the Interwebs when I feel up to it.
I know there are some like my younger brother who is the epitomy of an extrovert whom the isolation is driving crazy, and I hope they are able to get out and safely socialize soon. But for me? This can last as long as it wants to.
I've been thinking about this tweet for a few days now and it's amazing to me how the longer I think about it how much more I agree with it.
It's never about being right or wrong or who has the better opinion, it's about coming to a mutually agreed upon understanding about the event/topic. Opinions and interpretations of the topic are secondary and when everyone involved understands that, it's easy to go "well, I disagree, but I see where you're coming from" and that's all we ever want.
This actually helped me understand something that has confused me for a LONG time, but I had no idea how to express what I was feeling.
I’ve had the feedback before that Hordak and Entrapta should argue/fight more in my writing. But.. they do occasionally argue. So I had no idea how to make it clearer.
Now I see it’s the way I express it, and I was doing so completely unawares. It’s because they’re not “knock down screaming” fights. They are the fights of two neurodivergent adults who are doing their best to understand each other, not “win” the argument. And I was coming from the place of how I argue now, rather than how I did when I was neurotypical. For example, when I was a teen, I would happily debate with my father. Now I avoid it as much as possible because he doesn’t care about being correct; he cares about being right. And that’s.. not how my brain works anymore.
So my deepest thanks to the both of you AND the original author of that.. tweet? I’m guessing.
To be fair, though...I always get frustrated and confused when characters argue about stuff that just doesn’t feel important. If an honest conversation can solve the conflict, and they’re just refusing to have one because (???), then I just lose interest in the conflict.
So, really, I think you do great with their disagreements. They feel more significant to me. Like they actually matter.
Thank you so very much, @spacebatisluvd ! That honestly means so much to me.
I was never really a fan of Big Misunderstandings when I was younger, and now I’m just old enough to roll my eyes and sigh when I see one pop up in media. Doesn’t ruin my enjoyment of things, but when something can be easily resolved by just ruddy TALKING, it rubs me the wrong way if it lasts too long.
I mean, we see it in SPOP itself. Hordak and Entrapta do NOT argue like, say, Catra and Adora. As much as I love Catradora, Entrapdak is just so.. soul-satisfying to me on so many levels. Which is why I think my love of Entrapdak is so strong, I believe it will be a lifelong love for me.
Not to mention how awesome this little corner of fandom is. I may not say it much, but it’s honestly the best group of people I’ve ever had the absolute pleasure of getting to know!
Hey I'm a big fan of your behind the curtain fic and I was wondering if you had any plans to continue
I know it’s been a long time, and you probably have completely forgotten you wrote this, but I absolutely have plans to continue!
One of the downsides of me not posting a story until I have a full rough draft is that since no one else can see my hard drive, there’s no evidence I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth/left fandom! But I would rather have only me dangling in suspense for however long it takes me to finish a fic than have the extra pressure of many others also waiting. If I’d posted everything I’m working on, there would be over a dozen WiPs on my profile. ^_^;;;
SPOP officially ending brought with it a slew of new ideas, and I now call my writing folder my “slush pile” for good reason. Originally I had a bunch of post-canon fics. However, all but two one-shots have not survived over time. What canon ending DID do was open the path to AUs and.. yeah. Apparently I’ll stick Hordak and Entrapta anywhere and enjoy it!
But going the strongest is sticking with the “Behind the Curtain” universe, because I love the headcanons I came up with so much. Most everything got “jossed” by S5, but timelines were going to have to diverge at some point anyway.
Below this is all health stuff, so feel free to ignore if not interested!
I’ve also had the extra wrinkle of being in less pain than I have been in over two decades, but the trade-off is I now tend to faint in difficult-to-maneuver-around circumstances. For example, heat and cold. So now my showers are lukewarm, and I faint if I go in the freezer aisle of the grocery store (my aide was with me, so I’m okay!). Therefore, I have to get everything delivered.
Not only that, my “fatigue level before I faint” line has gone down drastically. It used to take about two weeks of nonstop overdoing it to cause a faint. Now I try to push it even for one day, and down I go. So I also now have a rollator (basically a walker with a seat) that I keep by me all the time for my own safety.
Working with my new baseline has been more frustrating than I thought, and often interferes with my wish to be creative.
But I’m still here, writing away in secret even though I haven’t posted for nearly a year at this point (yikes!). I’m just happy to have not been forgotten during my unwilling sabbatical!
I've been thinking about this tweet for a few days now and it's amazing to me how the longer I think about it how much more I agree with it.
It's never about being right or wrong or who has the better opinion, it's about coming to a mutually agreed upon understanding about the event/topic. Opinions and interpretations of the topic are secondary and when everyone involved understands that, it's easy to go "well, I disagree, but I see where you're coming from" and that's all we ever want.
This actually helped me understand something that has confused me for a LONG time, but I had no idea how to express what I was feeling.
I’ve had the feedback before that Hordak and Entrapta should argue/fight more in my writing. But.. they do occasionally argue. So I had no idea how to make it clearer.
Now I see it’s the way I express it, and I was doing so completely unawares. It’s because they’re not “knock down screaming” fights. They are the fights of two neurodivergent adults who are doing their best to understand each other, not “win” the argument. And I was coming from the place of how I argue now, rather than how I did when I was neurotypical. For example, when I was a teen, I would happily debate with my father. Now I avoid it as much as possible because he doesn’t care about being correct; he cares about being right. And that’s.. not how my brain works anymore.
So my deepest thanks to the both of you AND the original author of that.. tweet? I’m guessing.
I know most agree that a large part of Hordak's appeal lies in his disability and removing it would change the point of the character. But what if he got a new body post canon? What would change about him?
I'm not sure how to answer this, anon, or what you're asking, really.
If he got a new body, his... body would change. Yes?
Mm... So, I don't think it's a matter of character appeal, really. At least, not for me.
It's more like... I don't know how to put it right, but the idea of a disabled character being magically healed at the end of the story is really weird?
Like. I don't know. Do we all wish all maladies could be healed? Sure. But that's not how things are. And in having a chronic illness, Hordak is a character whom viewers with disabilities and chronic conditions can relate to. Having him suddenly healed at the end, given that that is not what viewers are likely to experience in their own situations, is uncomfortable for me.
And, I mean, I'm not disabled. So I guess I don't know. Maybe this isn't something that bothers the relevant people? Maybe they don't mind, or they find it nice? I'm not sure. I just know that I find it inherently strange to consider, and I don't like the idea of it.
I guess it's also a character arc thing. Like, a big part of Hordak's story is learning that his imperfections (AKA his disability) don't make him lesser. It's learning to value himself as his imperfect self. Take those imperfections away, make him a "perfect" clone, and what sort of arc is that? "Learn to value yourself as you are, imperfections and all... Oh, nevermind! The imperfections are gone. Carry on." It has this sense of "your happy ending involves you not being disabled anymore." Which, I guess, goes back to my discomfort over the whole thing.
And y'know, his arc didn't fully address it anyway. He never really learned to be comfortable with himself; that bit of growth was put on hold because of Prime. Which is probably why fic writers often try to incorporate it: Hordak still needs to learn how to take care of himself with kindness.
Hm.
I don't know. I'm rambling. I don't know if any of that makes sense. I hope it's not upsetting to anyone. I still don't know if I'm expressing my feelings properly, or if they're the correct feelings to have.
All righty, I can’t resist this, but I’m going to get wordy and personal, so under a cut!
To address the original anon’s question, if Hordak actually did get a new body from Prime, Hordak would still be a total mess, if not more of one.
To use a real-world example, I’ve seen time and again that people who have always been severely overweight think that if they only lose the weight, they’ll be happy and have a perfect life. Then they lose the weight.. and still have mental issues. Because they thought being a healthy weight would be a magic cure-all rather than something that, yes, will help them physically and they are healthier, but it will not make all their issues go away. Not to mention the side effects like severe loose skin if they dropped the weight very quickly.
Having a healthy body will not change that Prime once discarded him. Also, Entrapta fell in love with him for his imperfections (or so he might think). Now that he is physically “perfect”, he may question if Entrapta will still care. Self-doubt and self-hatred are very insidious. And he likely will always be a bit of a grump. I can’t see him being happy and bouncy like Wrong Hordak. It’s just not his personality, disability or no. Hordak is naturally more serious, including when he’s being dramatic.
As for what fans decide happens post-S5, I can see it being a very personal choice. Some people with disabilities would give anything to be healthy again, and project that onto Hordak. That he would be happy and free like they would feel if they were suddenly healthy. And that is totally, 100% legitimate. I remember when I believed that, and the medical professionals I saw at the time fed that belief. I was told for nearly 15 years that “I’ll soon be exactly the way I was before my head injury”. But I’m not about to take anyone’s hope that they will fully recover away from them. It’s a very important way of coping, and for some disabilities, a full recovery is possible!
But for me, this February will be the 24th anniversary, and I still have effects and limitations due to my traumatic brain injury. At this point, even though apparently official high muck-a-mucks still believe spontaneous healing might still occur, I think it’s safe to say that although aspects will change, I will always have limitations of some sort. So my personal headcanon is that beneath the Horde clone outfit, he is still physically unhealthy, but Prime found him useful since he had information on Etheria, so Prime kept him hopped up on medication so Hordak would not stand out. Once whatever Prime was giving him wears off, though, Hordak’s physical issues will once again become more apparent.
The fact that, in the months since the end of the series, Entrapdak fandom veers more toward something similar to my headcanon makes me feel so warm inside. It proves that there are people out there who love and support those with disabilities. When you hear every day how you are useless and a drain on society because you’re unhealthy, it wears you down. Entrapdak fandom is a counterpoint, and a much needed comfort. Besides the fact there are so many people who have chronic illnesses and/or are ND, so they understand what it’s like to go through life being reviled for being different. Also seeing those who would happily care for someone like him and the rest of the clones renews my faith in humanity as a whole.
So.. yeah. Those are my thoughts, long-winded though they may be.
Just gonna vague-post about another blog’s Anon. Don’t mind me.
Submission is not weakness. There is nothing inherently wrong or unhealthy about choosing to be submissive in a sexual (or nonsexual) context. You can be mentally healthy and whole and feel better about being the submissive member of a relationship.
While any relationship dynamic can be or become abusive or unhealthy, please note that sub/dom relationships are not inherently unhealthy. Those kinds of relationships often take greater pains to avoid triggers and to make sure both partners are being fulfilled mentally and physically, while also protecting their mental health. A good sub/dom relationship will build someone up, not tear them down.
So, while everyone is completely entitled to their shipping headcanons, I am going to correct any assumption that choosing to be a submissive partner in a relationship is in any way an indication of abuse or an unhealthy coping mechanism. That’s a very outdated way of thinking, and can be extremely hurtful to people who prefer that lifestyle or dynamic.
Some people just like that shit, okay? Let them live.
All I can say is.. thank you for putting this so beautifully.
Submissive =/= Door mat Dominant =/= Abusive Jerk
Despite how such relationships tend to be portrayed in various media.
In fact, my introduction to the lifestyle was through one of the healthiest relationships I ever had, and it ended up healing a lot of past trauma I’d been carrying around with me for a very long time. It also taught me that who I am is beautiful and worthy of positive attention.
To me, when Hordak tells Entrapta that she’s not a failure, it’s not… how to say… it’s not that he’s wrong, persay. But in a way, it’s not quite the message that he, personally, needs to hear. Or that I think carries the best connotations.
To me, the equivalent would be… oh… Entrapta hearing Hordak call himself “defective” (or, in our terms, disabled) and answering him by telling him that he’s not. Which. Y’know. He is. And it wouldn’t be right, in this situation, to reply with “oh, it’s okay; you’re not really disabled.”
What Entrapta does instead is acknowledge that both she and he have what are considered, in the mainstream, to be shortcomings. Flaws. And she points out that having flaws is not a reason to think of oneself as lesser, or to deprive oneself of happiness. She looks at herself, at what are considered to be her flaws, accepts them as a part of herself, and moves on. Living her life in a way that makes her happy. It doesn’t mean that she doesn’t suffer emotional distress in the process (the isolation she subjects herself to is a clear problem), but overall, she has a healthy view of how one should view and handle one’s perceived shortcomings.
And that’s the difference between how Hordak and Entrapta react to one another’s self-deprecation. Entrapta sees Hordak labeling himself a failure and tries to show him that being a supposed failure is not a reason to think poorly of oneself, or to condemn oneself to a life of unhappiness. She essentially tells him that “yes, you are disabled; that does not mean that you are a lesser person, or that you deserve this pain you’re going through.”
Whereas Hordak means well in his “you are not a failure” reassurance, but he still falls prey to this sense of “no, you are not flawed,” because he is still mired in the idea that flaws are a punishable offense. Eventually, as he grows and learns healthier behaviors, I expect that his reassurance will likewise shift to “your difficulties in understanding others do not give others the right to be cruel to you.” Which, I think, is a better message than “your difficulties in understanding others do not exist.”
Of course, ultimately, the idea both of them might grow into is that these “flaws” aren’t flaws at all, but are simply different ways of being. And thus need not be acknowledged as flaws in the first place. But I don’t think either of them are quite there yet (Entrapta is probably closer!) c:
I suppose. I think. I’m not sure if this comes across properly. Or if I’m assessing appropriately. I’m sure someone out there is better equipped to express this than I am, and I welcome their takes!
also do I have a post about this sort of thing already oh yes of course I do here it is
I had to take a little time to get my thoughts in order because something about this interpretation wasn’t sitting right with me.
It’s not that Hordak is saying Entrapta is perfect or without flaw. For Horde Prime, and thus for Hordak, being a “failure” is the absolute worst thing you can be.
Hordak does not demand perfection of anyone. We see that in how he treats his troops. He does not execute Octavia for losing her eye to a youngster. If he executed every soldier who messed up on the battlefield, he’d have none left!
If you listen closely, there’s a specific emphasis in his tone. Hordak’s whiplash reaction to Entrapta calling herself a failure is “You are not a...” He heartily means what he is about to say, but I think Entrapta shushes him to not only disagree with what he’s saying (since she doesn’t see failure as a bad thing at all. In fact, to her, it’s an essential part of life), but to keep him from putting himself down yet again. Since that’s second nature to him.
Basically, it’s as if in a modern AU, Hordak heard Entrapta call herself [the six-letter “R” word]. In Hordak’s world, to be a failure has an incredibly negative connotation. He was cast out because he was a failure in Prime’s eyes, and hearing Entrapta (to him) denegrate herself in that fashion is something he cannot tolerate.
So the connotation of “failure” is very different for each of them, and I think in time, Hordak will meet Entrapta in the middle there, and I think Entrapta will become even more self-assured when she realizes that those who truly care about her also see her flaws as truly beautiful.
ive already posted about it before, but i think it’s a good time for a reminder: we, as a fandom, need to stop supporting art that whitewashes entrapta, wholly and completely. i get that nobody is liking and reblogging those posts because the whitewashing is what they want to support, but that is the effect it causes. you want to suport fanart and fandom artists? that’s great! please do!! but at the same time, it’s your responsibility to have a critical eye for what you’re supporting. people who get away with whitewashing (and get dozens, if not hundreds, if not thousands of notes for it) are very unlikely to change their ways on a dime.
I love how She-ra is so diverse, with so many different characters and a rainbow of skin colors (even blue and green)!
Seriously, though, whenever I see a light-skinned Entrapta, my brain immediately rears back going, “That’s not Entrapta!”. I love her skin tone, and how she can be headcanoned to be so many Earth-equivalent ethnicities. I guess I’m lucky keeping to tumblr since 99% of the art I see here portrays her correctly.
I just thought of a completely random AU idea. Where when horde prime possessed Hordak when his “prime body” fell, he lasted about a minute in Hordak’s body before he agonizingly felt pain and he fell and basically couldn’t move.
I don’t know, I just want to see him be in so much confusing pain that he would want to get purged by shera than go through Hordak’s physical and emotional pain.
Oh frick I went to angst.
Ah, I don't know if i enjoy something that drives home Hordak's pain to that level. Hm.
It’s not angst to me, but I come at it from a particular perspective.
I don't know if this helps or not, but the thing is, when you have chronic pain (especially coupled with mental anguish), your tolerance level gets pretty insane. I always have to quantify exactly what my "10" on the pain scale is (alternating between puking and being curled up in fetal position), since many people rate stubbing their toe as a 10 (okay, slight exaggeration, but you get the point). Hordak is used to the pain. But if Horde Prime experienced it for even a few seconds, he would fold.
Because most people (thankfully) have absolutely no idea what it’s like living with certain pain levels 24/7. I see a scenario like that as a “Hordak is truly stronger than Horde Prime”, because even just a taste of what Hordak lives with sends Horde Prime to his knees.
But Hordak lives. Even thrives when he has the right people in his life, as we see in Season 3. He’s strong. He’s resilient, even if he doesn’t acknowledge it. He’s a survivor. And that’s one of the many reasons I adore him (and Entrapta) as a character so much.
Which means, as a scientist and inventor herself, she likely sussed out the True Hordak even before their first one-on-one meeting. Hordak would have designed Emily originally, and if Emily has such potential... Creations are often reflections of their creators in some way, shape, or form.
As much as I would love and adore participating in the Entrapdak positivity event during its proper month, I’m already so bogged down with ideas flooding through my brain, it doesn’t need any more distractions! Writing was so much easier when I didn’t have my mind flitting between my pre-S5 universe, post-S5 “canon” ideas, and so many AU concepts I love that I can’t bear to part with them.
But I do have the list image copied, so if I ever need a tasty prompt, I’ll have a whole list of ‘em!
So there’s been a lot of writing, but nothing ready to post. The closest one is the one I have been working on since June. Y’know, supposed to be two chapters max? It’s now at five chapters, and a sixth looks likely. Because apparently Entrapta and Hordak just HAVE to be cuties, even in the middle of smut. XD
And this is also why I don’t post WiPs anymore, because the landscape gets littered with all my ideas that may or may not end in a full rough draft. It’s easier to overcome my writerly wibbles when I’m the only one seeing the shenanigans.
More proof Hordak and Entrapta are perfect for each other
Was watching baby bat rescue videos for fanfic (and adorableness) reasons, and learned a new fact.
Happy, healthy bats flap their wings from time to time, even when just (literally) hanging around.
Now if you subscribe to the Hordak’s species is some sort of spacebat headcanon, this would mean Hordak would find Entrapta’s hand flapping not only endearing, but a sign of how happy and healthy she is.
And he likely gets concerned if she doesn’t do it for a while, or when she would normally do it.
That also led to me realizing the one time we see Entrapta hand flap in canon.. is when she’s alone with Hordak (when she finds out Hordak is trying to open a portal). When anyone else is around, she balls up her hands and/or clasps them together. The most obvious one is right before she glomps him in the final episode. I have a feeling if Adora-as-She-ra wasn’t there, she would be flapping her little heart out.
GAH! Yup, shipper feelings still thoroughly intact.
how is entrapdak not… weird for you? i’m asking honestly. i haven’t ended the series so i haven’t seen that part where the show clarifies that entrapta is like 30. i still see her like a teenager. can someone explain if i’m missing something. like if i go through the tag everyone is okay with it.
Reblogging to get a little more room than just a reply would give.
Of COURSE Entrapdak is weird! That’s one of the many reasons I love it so much. :)
Seriously, though.. I’m short, curvy, enthusiastic (have been seen literally squeeing over things in public), have a voice that makes telemarketers ask if my “mommy’s home”.. and I’m in my 40′s. My Mom is the same way, and she’s over 70 (with less grey hair than me)! So you don’t have to be a teenager to act like Entrapta does. Therefore, I have no trouble with the character designers considering her to be in her late 20′s/early 30′s. Do you see Angella as a teenager? I mean, her face looks really young. Why do you see Entrapta that way, but not Angella? Because she’s a queen? Because she acts like a Mom (which Entrapta does in S5)?
I have shipped non-human/human relationships practically all my life. I mean, if Entrapdak weirds you out, Micah/Angella definitely should! Angella is an immortal being, and she married the very much younger, human Micah. If not, why not? Just something to think about.
Entrapdak also has all my most beloved tropes: Grumpy one/Sunshine one, Jerk With a Heart of Gold, Best Friends to Lovers, and Size Difference on top of seeing a ship with two disabled characters that is based on mutual respect, professional and intellectual equality, and obvious affection. I mean, there’s a reason I screenshotted the scene I did for my icon!
So those are my reasons for, not just being okay with this ship, but loving it to death. It’s the most healthy ship I have ever shipped, bar none, and I’d just like to see someone try and pry it out of my cold, dead fingers. :)
ok so i just loved A Knotty Problem. are you planning on writing anymore M or explicit Entrapdak content? :0
That makes me so happy to hear! :D
I am definitely planning on writing many more M and eventually Explicit Entrapdak fics!
In fact, my own slow burn is driving me crazy. I am honestly a total smut puppy, and the first time I knew I would be veering AU with my timeline was because I need to lengthen the time Catra is in the Crimson Waste for reasons of tons of happy Entrapdak sexytimes before the Cat Comes Back. *waggles eyebrows*
So, yes. People will probably be begging me to stop once I get to that point. XD
Tips #5 and #6, what helps me is drinking some Gatorade for both. If I can’t stomach or safely swallow solid food, that’s my go-to. And I only discovered that due to a visiting nurse’s suggestion. (On occasions it lasts all day, I use protein shakes as meals) Apparently you can use Pedialyte instead of Gatorade, but it’s so. much. more. expensive. So gimme that Gatorade.
*gets to #7 and bursts into tears* I.. wish I’d had this in the beginning, so anyone this may help, I truly hope it does!
(This is @spacebatisLUVD.) Just had to pop over and say your tags on your recent post about Entrapdak and dom/sub dynamics are giving me life. I am very excited to see what you have in store for us. ❤️
Thank you! :) I just wanted to make things clear where they’re headed for those looking at the tags. It’s a dynamic that was branded into my brain from the moment Hordak collapsed in S3 and Entrapta wrapped him in a blanket, fed him soup, caught him when he stumbled, then backed him up against a vitrine and used First Ones’ tech to build him a new suit of armor.
I wish I could hit the heart on YOUR post a couple hundred times!
It’s also fun new territory for me as a writer, since this is the first time I’ve shipped a non-same-sex pairing where my mind immediately went to the male-identifying party being submissive and the female-identifying party being Dominant. I’m happy you’re looking forward to it!
