path to greatness

Monbebe. Wenee. Post about Marvel, Kpop, Books, Cdramas, Variety Shows, basically whatever I'm hyperfixating on. 

[katesgottareadthebooks]

I know I get a bit preachy about Shane and Ilya being equals to the point of it being maybe unrealistic, but if you have only watched the show I could see how maybe you wouldn't assume that. I could see how Shane is favored as the best even though Ilya is obviously still a very good hockey player. The book is meticulous about Shane and Ilya being read as equally good players. There is a bunch of them thinking the other is the only one who can keep up, and challenge them and of course there is the famous alone together at the top. And then consider the "facts". Both of them win a gold and silver at the World Junior Championships. Ilya is drafted first, but that could have went either way. Their junior careers are insanely similar. Shane wins Rookie of the Year, but again they are tied for goals and the award could have went to either of them. Shane wins silver at the Olympics and we are told that the Russia team sucked to make it less of Ilya's "failure". Ilya wins the MVP and the cup, only for Shane to turn around an win it twice (and The Long Game implies Ilya would have had a good change at winning the cup again if he had stayed with Boston). Even the wins in Montreal v Boston games are split evenly with the only score fully known being the game in the prologue. The show is lacking in the breadth of their internal acknowledgement of how good the other is. In the show you get Shane leading the scoring race part way through rookie year (which is book canon as well) without the knowledge the Ilya caught up to him by the end of the year and that they were tied. The Montreal v Boston game results are skewed toward Montreal instead of being equal. I've seen people use Shane being captain and Ilya moving to the wing at the All-Star game to prove Shane is the better player (which...ok) and even with that the book made it clear that Shane was voted in by the fans as captain so of course he is not going to move. And of course the two cups loom large for Shane.

If I am allowed back on my soapbox for a second I don't know if it was intentional to have Shane seem like the better player, but Jacob Tierney himself could say he thinks Shane is the better player and I would go rare disagree with you there. Because them being equals is fundamental to their relationship and if you make Ilya not as good of a player as Shane it hurts both of them. Even down to the teasing from Ilya feeling different if it is coming from a lesser player not Shane's equal. Especially when you consider what is coming in The Long Game for Shane. If Ilya isn't as good as Shane it changes Tripgate. The reason why Tripgate makes should no sense to anyone is that they are both as competitive as each other and they are as good as one another. Neither of them has to cheat to win. The best part of them is the fact that they are fully equals and that they will never be able to escape the other in their careers even if they never got together.

[prosperoisadiva]

HOLY GOD YELENA MY QUEEN AND GAMBIT ARE GONNA BE IN AVENGERS DOOMSDAY !????? NMFYDNDBDJFHDIFHFUCJF ABHHHHHHHHH YAYAYAYAY BRO IM DYINNG OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GODD AHDNDKDBDKCXJDJCJ YELENA BRO AND GAMBIT 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

[thenightlymirror]

James Baldwin.

[sagelessichor]

I’ve been seeing this a lot in fics lately and it’s been kinda pissing me off so I feel I just have to say this: the reason why hollanov work is *because* they are equals. One is not better than the other yall.

You think Shane “gets turned off when his boyfriend loses his games” Hollander would actually want to be with someone who wasn’t as good as him? The whole reason why they’re rivals, why they work together as friends and as partners, is because they are equals on pretty much every single level. Neither of them are the better hockey players than the other because they are literally both tied for first. They are leagues ahead of anyone else in the league with only the other to match them. They are equals. They can only talk to each other abt their hot takes on hockey bc they’ll say shit like “idk I js think that if you score on an empty net it shouldnt count” and the other will go like “right???” meanwhile if they said that to anybody else they’d get ragged on for being arrogant. Nobody does it like they do, Your Honor.

now while I do personally believe that Shane is the more analytical player and Ilya is more instinctual in his playing, they’re both still tied for first. They are both generational talents and they know it, they know that they can only be challenged properly by the other and that’s part of the attraction/thrill for them.

but like, I keep seeing fics where at some point they mention that Shane is the better hockey player or that Shane is the best hockey player in the league and Ilya is second and like. no. Their whole thing as rivals is that they are equals, they can only be matched by each other. If they weren’t equals in every meaningful way, they wouldn’t be rivals. (And I do believe in my heart that if they weren’t rivals, shane’s interest in Ilya would’ve plummeted and vice versa.)

and like don’t get me wrong, I love Shane as a character, but we as a fandom do tend to make it look like Ilya doesn’t care about hockey. Now, Shane’s life is pretty much 100% hockey, yes, but if Shane’s life is 100% hockey then Ilya’s life is 95% hockey. Just because we typically only see Ilya in clubs in the books or fucking Shane or eating shit does not mean he doesn’t take hockey seriously. He does, he has to to be one of the best in the entire league, it’s just that all that shit happens off screen and. well. it’s clear that Shane’s got some problems regarding control in his life and often restricts his diet or his workouts for a sense of control meanwhile Ilya goes to clubs and drinks to feel in control of his life so we’re shown Ilya in clubs and fucking instead of training. It (their need for control stemming from the pressure of being generational talents, the pressure from the media, from the fans, from themselves, from their families) shows differently for both of them (and we tend to make those coping mechanisms their entire personalities) but at the end of the day, it’s another point where Shane and Ilya are equals/understand each other in a way no one else could. Fucking around with their health in order to feel in control due to the immense pressure from the media, family, and from constantly being number 1.

not to mention ilya’s whole “Hollander’s weak backhand” joke is just so much funnier when they’re equals. Like sure they are equals in literally almost every single thing, but ilya’s backhand is 0.00000005% stronger than Shane’s and while that difference is nothing to anyone else it’s jarring to them and it’s just funny because sure Shane’s backhand is better than pretty much everyone else’s in the league besides this one motherfucker who won’t let it go.

idk yall I js think their relationship is so much more delectable when we recognize that they’re equals

[transpat]

when u grow up in a household where ur constantly berated despite all ur fucking efforts, a well-intentioned compliment from someone can be hard to believe. that's why it can't be anyone else for ilya except shane. bc shane who is his equal and his rival, who is the only other player at the gym at 2 am and the only witness to ilya's efforts. shane who watched his games when even his family did not and shane who watched his games and took him like a serious threat, not someone who was a gifted but lazy player. shane who keeps up w all his scores and will never admit it but bc ilya keeps up w his he knows their stats are always just a point or two apart. so when shane who ilya thinks is the best hockey player in the world tells ilya 'I don't know that part of you at all', ilya's flooded w pride at himself. not the showy, cocky kind, but the kind that validates the small boy in him that always looked for approval and never found it. and he's shane fucking hollander giving it to him so casually like its a fact of life. and ilya swells giddy and proud bc yea he's ilya rozanov also best hockey player in the world.

[dhreamland]

It does endlessly piss me off when people talk about Ilya like he doesn’t really care about hockey. This boy that’s dedicated his entire life to the sport. It’s not just something that got him out of Russia, it’s not just something he happens to be very good at. He loves the game! He loves that it’s skill and physical prowess combined! And he fucking works hard for it! Like yes he doesn’t have the same all consuming obsession over it that Shane does but he loves the fucking sport!! He wouldn’t be where he is if he didn’t! Again I think it comes from the general audience that doesn’t quite understand hockey as a game because Ilya is starting fights but he’s not finishing them. He never throws the first punch and he probably never retaliates outside of obvious self defense. He knows his role down to his bones. He’s taking the first hit and then getting dragged out from the bottom of the scrum bc you can’t let your top scorer get hurt. He loves hockey because it’s inherently a game where you have to trust that your team will be there for you. He can run his mouth and bait penalties because when it’s all said and done the rest of the bench has his back no matter what. Ilya loves hockey because that’s the first time he’s ever had someone defend him. Shane loves to Win but Ilya loves knowing that even if he fucks up there’s a net waiting to catch him.

[creamsiclemelt]

"ilya plays hockey for validation" from who? his father who is still incredibly cruel about his hockey even when he's being drafted and when he's on his way to winning a cup and when he's playing on an international stage? or his brother, who treats his first contract in the big leagues as a cash cow for drugs?

why can't people just accept that ilya likes hockey and he likes being good at hockey???

[mutinsfromthemoon]

they’re doing one of those fun videos interviews with the communications intern. the guys walking through the tunnel before hitting the ice and drawing question from a cup the intern is holding. shane picks one and reads it out loud “if you could spend a day with anyone in the world, who would it be?” and he doesn’t even hesitate “i already do that” and the intern is like “wait what do you mean?” and shane gestures vaguely in ilya’s direction and ilya that was right behind him with troy and others centaurs, just open the biggest grin on his face and all the guys start groaning and booing cus they’re disgustingly in love and can never be normal about each other

[ofteasandinks]

Whenever the Baby Hollanovs are at the games, Ilya's celly includes blowing kisses at the babies.

[truelovestea]

Bisexual eldest daughter syndrome is wanting a dominant woman because you are already therapist-mother to your own mom, and wanting a princess boyfriend because you’re already the man of the house.

[ofteasandinks]

I will never not get the ick from any fic where Shane gets to tell Ilya's people that Ilya is in a relationship with him.

Because there's something so disturbing about Ilya having to remain closeted for Shane's comfort and fears only for Shane to be the one to go "Oh, actually, I'm comfortable with the idea now. I'm going to tell the few people that Ilya has that he's actually not straight and is in a relationship with me." with no prior discussion.

Post plane landing fics where Shane calls up one of Ilya's teammates and gets their hotel room info. Post Boxing Day fight fics where he barges into the party and outs them with no prior discussion to Ilya. The missing year where Shane sees that Ilya's uncomfortable with Cliff and Svetlana not knowing the truth of why he's moving and telling Ilya's friends.

There's even a fic where Shane's still not allowed Ilya to tell anyone not only about them but even that he's bisexual, but Shane decides that since he's nervous about coming out, he'll practice by telling all the WAGs (because he's in the WAG chat) that he's actually a man and dating Ilya and makes them all keep it secret- yet Ilya still isn't allowed to tell a soul.

I know people see it as a grand gesture kind of thing. I'm not trying to yuck anyone's yum, but having Shane come out on Ilya's behalf is kind of giving Shane agency over Ilya's own sexuality and that's just disturbing to me in so many ways. Especially when it's continuously expressed that Ilya wants to be able to come out and would have come out to certain people but didn't to keep Shane comfortable only for Shane to get to tell those people.

I'd actually feel the same if it was Ilya outing Shane, but I never see that in fics.

[yorgen-sh]

The Chinese shoe manufacturer decided to demonstrate the indestructibility of their shoes

[scarlettohairdye]

And also the indestructibility of that woman's ankles

[tarawitht]

Nah Ilya and Shane are on the same level as players. Only reason Ilya said that Shane is the better player is because he’s depressed and insecure. If they weren’t on the same level Shane wouldn’t be attracted to him or see him as a rival.

We are reading books from these characters perspective, they are not reliable narrators when it comes to how they see themselves versus how they are.

People forget Ilya was the 1st draft pick at 18, has a gold medal and a silver one from juniors, won a Cup in his first year as captain, and took a bad team to the playoffs for the first time in only three years (even though he was in a bad mental state)

[shetheyshenanigans]

*banging on table*

HOLLANOV DONT WORK IF THEYRE NOT EQUALLY GOOD PLAYERSSSSS

NEITHER OF THEM IS THE "BEST ONE" THEY ARE ALONE AT THE TOP TOGETHER

[shanesloverboy]

Why do people keep forcing the narrative that Ilya secretly hates hockey and just wants to be Shane's WAG and stay at home cooking with their kids and dog. You don't get to the level he did at a sport unless you're obsessed with it to a slightly unhealthy level. It's giving misogyny, homophobia, and toxic heteronormativity.

[melancholyghoul]

THIS WAS BEFORE THEY EVEN HOOKED UP OR KISSED OR ANYTHING

[fleabagsversion]

I have maybe made several posts about this before but fuck it.

Ilya Rozanov is Shane Hollander’s equal. No, he is not the second best hockey player after Shane. No he is not worse than Shane. Ilya is EQUAL to Shane!

The names Hollander and Rozanov are always used together by the league because is this reason. Because if they weren’t equals, the rivalry won’t exist, nor would Shane and Ilya ever meet.

And oh, Ilya is the ONLY one who can understand Shane’s situation (because he is the only other closeted best hockey player, duh). Say what you want but this is literally canon.

I am tired of y’all reducing Ilya to a side character in his own story. Just because you think Shane deserves someone “better” than Ilya, doesn’t make it true or negate the importance of Ilya in his story.

The name of the book/show is Heated Rivalry because both the boys are equals in every way possible. Literally, no one else in the story can understand them more than they understand eachother. You can even say that they are eachother’s true soulmate.