AN UNECESSARY ANALYSIS IN BF!CHERRI'S WEAPONS OF CHOICE!!!
From an Art Historian
Hi! It's me again! You may remember me from my long post about Vampires SMP clothing. I'm back!
While I was admiring the model of the new weapon Bf!Cherri got I started thinking about how she was using swords to train but once she got her costume one she was not bearing any sword but a riposte.
Because esentially it says A LOT about her character.
Ripostes are born in Spain during the Renaissance as Espadas Roperas, and they are mainly popular swords used for self defense and to duel. These weapons were made for the upper clases and could be seen hanging from the clothes of noblemen (this is what gaves it its name Ropa=Clothes Ropera). So esentially not only were this to be used as weapons but accesories, another way to show decorum (Decorum is dignified behaviour, following the rules ser by society.)
The rapier quickly became famous across Europe and it naturally evolved as time went on to ensure a more secure and efficient practice of dueling.
Battling also evolved and as new variations of the rapier were made some hybrids were create inserting the rapier into battle and becoming it a weapon beyond civic purposes.
Rapiers are generally light and one meter long (around 3ft), the main difference is in the Hilt, going from swirls meant to stop enemy attacks to full coverage of the hand.
I think a Rapier is the best weapon for Bf!Cherri, they were made for dueling, a sport for the rich, or need be, in self defense.
Bf!Cherri needed to study and control her powers but she was never going to fight, she is a princess, she was always meant to stay back and be protected and taken care of not be on the front lines, her training was just in case but (and I don't know much about Soluna this is mostly a historic perspective) mostly it could've been for show, to perpetuate the image of the Royal Family of Soluna bearers of the flame.
Then in Bannerfall she grew, just like the Rapier, she was forced to change and she did. Made herself into something useful, ready to be on the attack not merely a piece of decoration but a weapon.
Bf!Cherri using a Rapier is not only a stylistic choice, it is a narrative one. Bf!Cherri bears a Rapier because just like one she is light, she is sharp and she is capable and prominent to change and become who she needed to be.
Language analysis and line breakdown of bf!Bek's sonnet to bf!Eloise!
(this is kind of all over the place but like I needed to get my thoughts down)
So firstly, Bek writing herself as a needle is already really interesting, because at first you think it's normal, her weapon as a knight correlates to the point of the needle. It portrays her purpose as violence but also shows that her presence is insignificant and that she sees herself as unimportant and small. The metaphor of Eloise being fabric and Bek being the needle also shows that Bek is building Eloise up, but has the potential to break her.
Taking this into consideration, let's go line by line.
'When pierced by needle, doth pillow protest?' This is a question, Bek asking Eloise if she's okay with her 'needle' piercing her 'pillow'. The nouns 'needle' and 'pillow', have juxtaposing connotations, showing how Bek sees herself as much harsher than Eloise. This is furthered by the verb 'pierced', highlighting how lowly Bek sees herself compared to Eloise, as 'pierced' is very much a negative term, even though a needle in a pillow is likely of aid. This shows that Bek sees herself as harming Eloise, even if she's helping her. The use of 'pillow' specifically rather than another soft fabric also hints at the romantic aspect of Bek's feelings towards Eloise.
'Nay, for beyond the sharpest point it wields.' This is kind of a fragment of a longer phrase so I can't go into massive detail, but it means the next part is true even when Bek is trying to be a diligent knight and harsh ('sharpest'). The interline caesura is also significant, as it represents her hesitation to admit the next line and the separation between her duty and her feelings to Eloise.
''Gainst sapphire cloth the needle holds no contest.' This shows Bek not opposing the blue kingdom if it's Eloise -- which is big, seeing as before she'd been very firmly on the red side of the conflict. The concept of Eloise is enough to make Bek reconsider her loyalties. The 'against' mirrors their positions facing each other on the battlefield, but the superlative 'no contest' portrays the extent of Bek's willingness to comply to Eloise. The cloth being sapphire rather than simply blue matters too -- gemstones are precious, and sapphire is correlated with many positive things, showing Bek's high regard, and that she's willing to accept the blue kingdom as positive with Eloise in the picture, furthered by the fact that dark blue (read: sapphire blue) symbolises royalty.
'When with enthusiasm soft fibres yield.' And Eloise reciprocates! Bek's needle 'holds no contest' when Eloise's 'soft fibres yield'. 'Soft' heightens Bek's affection, whilst 'enthusiasm' parallels this affection with Eloise's similar eager romantic feelings. The word 'yield' is really interesting, because if you look up the definition there are two relevant meanings. The first is to give way to arguments, demands, or pressure -- this is likely the intended meaning, and it is used in a relevant positive context, but it's interesting that the pure meaning is negative; emphasising the struggles and shadows of their relationship and the strains of being part of two warring kingdoms, being forced to 'yield' rather than come to their own conclusion. However, the second meaning is to relinquish possession of a stated noun. Although this wasn't the definition Bek likely intended, I wonder if it could have implicit symbolisms of Eloise relinquishing possession of her loyalty to her kingdom in favour of Bek, or even relinquishing possession of her crown, or her queen status.
''Tis not to say the weapon cannot wound.' For this line and the rest of the second stanza, Bek talks about how her being a knight has lead to many acts of ruthlessness. The word 'cannot' rather than an equally acceptable 'will not', hinting that though Bek has the capacity to hurt, she may not always wish to. The needle is now referred to as simply 'the weapon', which emphasises the possibility of Bek harming Eloise.
'For many a cry it wrings from feeble foe.' It is unclear whether this is a prideful statement or a guilty confession -- the word 'wrings' would suggest a violent, almost visceral nature, yet the alliterative negative phrase 'feeble foe' may suggest her pride in fighting enemies. 'Cry' and 'feeble' also hint to how she sees the blue kingdom, which starkly contrasts her aforementioned view on Eloise.
'Upon its thread its victories are festooned.' This is a reference to the medieval tradition of knights decorating their weapons with their victories, furthering the metaphor of the needle representing the knight. This refers to Bek's experience as a knight, but also, as the needle was previously seen 'piercing' the fabric, it may hint to Eloise being one of said victories. The concept of her being a 'victory' may be a symbol of honour, or pride, or deserving, as Bek presents Eloise's love as something she had to fight for.
'When crimson rivulets from fingers flow.' The 'crimson' blood of her enemies clearly represent the red kingdom's victory, whilst the word 'rivulets' has softer, less intense connotations than blood, to further her pride in her own kingdom. However, I would like to talk about the metaphor for the red kingdom being blood whilst the metaphor for the blue kingdom (see line 3) is sapphires. This shows her wavering loyalties and willingness to accept Eloise as part of the blue kingdom. The focus on fingers also highlights this state of being torn between duty and love, as hands signify both power or utility and connection.
'But as it weaves through fabric, feather-down.' The 'but' is important here -- yes, Bek has hurt people before, *but* that's not all there is to her. The 'weaves' represents her slipping in and out of duties versus love, by the metaphor of the needle slipping in and out of cloth. The metaphor is also explored through directly correlating the fabric to the feathers of a swan (ie Eloise), whilst the specific words 'feather-down' have very soft connotations to reflect how Bek sees her and juxtapose the previous stanza of Bek's brutal nature as a knight. The caesura between stanzas also carries some significance, portraying the fragile line between her two commitments.
'Both know it cannot injure, rend, nor tear.' Not only is Bek too 'soft' with Eloise to hurt her, but also vulnerable enough with her for Eloise to acknowledge this. The 'cannot' mirrors the 'cannot' from the previous stanza, and has the same meaning -- it's not that she will not, no, it goes against her very being to hurt Eloise, which furthers her split loyalty. The tricolon of 'injure, rend, nor tear' highlights the extent of her inability to hurt Eloise, all whilst developing the metaphor of cloth by using words generally related to fabric ('tear' in particular).
'No purchase in the plumage, it would drown'. The 'needle' (spear/weapon) cannot gain anything from the hypothetical ('would') situation that Bek would hurt Eloise, as 'purchase' is another example of the victories a knight would 'festoon' onto their weapon, and the superlative 'no' emphasises the pain she would go through if she ever hurt Eloise. This is a stark contrast to her previous statements about her viciousness as a knight, furthering the idea of Eloise being the exception. 'Drown' not only shows the metaphorical death of Bek's moral values, but also reflects their kingdom's divide again, showing her death as caused by water (the *blue* kingdom), using the symbolic concept of the swan's habitat being the antithesis of what Bek stands for.
'A single scarlet strand must hold it there.' And this is the obvious point that Bek's love for Eloise is restrained by her pledge of loyalty to the red kingdom. The 'single' shows that her loyalty may be fraying or running thin in favour of love, and 'must' displays the necessity of her diligence. I haven't been entirely strict on watching everything from all povs, but from what I can tell, the knights take their duty extremely seriously, and betraying their values means betraying themselves. 'Hold' enforces this, hinting at Bek's desire to simply be free of kingdom constraints with Eloise, and having to be held back by her pledge. The fact that the red kingdom is reflected by a 'strand' also means a lot -- her loyalty to her kingdom is encouraging her work as a needle -- a weapon -- her knighthood and kingdom go hand in hand, both opposing Eloise.
'Yet needle seeks sweet plumage, fraught with fear.' The 'yet' compliments the 'but' from line nine, both together portraying her emotional turmoil and confliction as she weighs up both sides of the argument. The plumage being 'sweet' is another example of Bek's affection, and this persistent motif of gentleness juxtaposes the needle and its enemies, showing how Eloise's gentleness and Bek's towards her completely destroys how Bek is meant to feel. The 'seeks' is also interesting- throughout the extended metaphor, the needle has been seen 'piercing' the cloth, which raises the question of what she seeks if not to be with the swan. She doesn't just want to be with Eloise, she searches eagerly for her love to be requited. It is not enough to simply 'weave through the fabric', the fabric must embrace the needle in return. 'Fraught' is a fundamentally negative term, contrasting the 'seeking sweet plumage'. Specifically, the fact that she's 'fraught with fear' is another example of her confliction and emotional turmoil, as she's filled with the anxiety of what will happen once she has to choose. She definitively 'cannot' hurt Eloise, yet any other course of action would be betraying the principals she grew up to uphold.
'Perhaps the pen is mightier than the spear.' The 'perhaps' is the key word here, but this is her answer to the question of loyalty. Although she is unsure of her decision, she is choosing to take the side of Eloise (as a pen is a female swan). 'Mightier' shows that she belives love is an objectively more powerful force than duty, and 'spear' is a direct reference to the metaphor of the needle. This is also a play on words on the phrase 'the pen is mightier than the sword', which suggests that violence can be overcome through writing or peace -- writing can be interpreted as a metatextual reference, hinting that poetry like her own can mend the wounds of war. The other interpretation, that the 'pen' represents peace, shows Bek's desparation and hope that peace between kingdoms can allow her to love Eloise without betraying her loyalty.
In conclusion, they are so in love your honour they literally make me sick the doomed yuri ever <3
Gods I am so excited/terrified for today’s stream. Because I think we are finally going to get Scott being more overt about how fragile his will to live & his ability to cope with things really are with the people around him. (Something I’ve been desperately wishing for for months!)
Because for all that Nom knows that he needs Scott & he doesn't want to hurt him, I don't think he's ever really fully registered that he is the load bearing relationship in Scott Springwell's life. & I have a lot to say (in another post someday maybe) about the sheer number of times Scott has expressed to Nom how much he means to him, how much he cares about him, how much He Cannot Lose Him, & how those words, much less their weight, ever seem to register for Nom. &, to be fair, Scott doesn't press it. He doesn't insist Nom understand just what he's saying & how much it means; he usually lets the conversation slide past the subject or changes tacts because, well, he cannot lose Nom, & he is terrified of asking anything much from Nom because that might result in losing him.
& unfortunately, the extent of Scott's tenuous relationship with the will to live has gotten lost on Nom as well, because it was during a conversation where he was expressing how much he cared about Nom & when Nom slid past the implications & the weight, Scott didn't press.
So Nom's been viewing his increasing likelihood of death as affecting Scott much as it would affect Katie, 4C, & Mae: they will be hurt, they will be sad, it will destroy them at first, but they will recover, they will learn to keep living, they will learn to miss him without it freezing them with sorrow.
But to be honest, since Nom suggested Scott order an attack on Red & his death was put in Scott's mind as a more imminent possibility, I have not had much trust that Scott would be around long enough to learn to miss him without being crushed. I don't have much faith that Scott would be around long enough for there to even be the slightest ebb in the pain. It has been apparent to me for ages that if Nom dies, Scott is likely following in very short order.
So today we get to see Nom try to have the same sort of talk with Scott he had with Katie & Mae & 4C.
But instead of Scott Springwell who will be hurt by Nom dying, but who is reasonable & rational & even, Nom is going to be talking to Scott Springwell who has lost both of his parents, one within the last couple months, after barely over two decades of life; Scott Springwell who blames himself for both of their deaths, who felt he had allowed the two people who mattered to him in the world to die; Scott Springwell who tried to get so lost in the woods on his way back from his father's deathbed that the forest would just take his life from him because what value does it have; Scott Springwell who only bothered to return & keep existing because Pyro made him realize he had things worth returning for, a family that he could build, home he could create, because if nothing else, he had Nom back in Blue, & that made it worth it.
Scott Springwell who yesterday faced evidence that it did not matter how much he prepared for the worst, it could still happen anyway; Scott Springwell who now knows that none of his healing magic affects the creaking corruption in Nom at all; Scott Springwell who is hanging on by the single linen thread that is Nom being there, being alive, & who cannot suppress how upset he is, who is losing his careful control over his emotions & how much of them he shows.
Scott Springwell whose mind & heart are already turning into a panicked, desperate creature faced with only two possibilities in the end: either he saves Nom or they are both lost.
Genuine question, why don't you like flowersmith? I understand that they are talked about a ton and overshadow the sapphic couples, but I'm talking about from a media analysis stand point. I love your takes so I'm very very curious! :D
I watched both Scott and I'm catching up on Nom, but not nearly as analytically as I watch Owen, so some things might be a bit off
I don't have any big reasoning to not like it. I don't even have any passionate feelings about it such as hating it. In fact, I avoid it completely. Like I blocked the flowersmith tag on Tumblr and excluded it when looking at Bannerfall fics on AO3. I'd say I'm bored by it if anything. It feels so predictable and somehow simultaneously doesn't align with the characters.
I simply like them more as platonic and find most romantic interpretations water down both characters, but especially Scott. Relationships don't have to be romantic to be meaningful and/or complex. I'd even go so far as to say that it is almost always more impactful if a relationship is as complex as Scott and Nom's and has that ambiguity of romantic v. platonic and stills turns out to be platonic or even none existent in the end.
There's also the fact that I just don't see them working in a romantic context further than a few months. They are so fundamentally different and have very different moral lines that it would almost mischaracterize or completely rewrite one of them to make it work long term.
These are just my thoughts though and these are probably influenced by my own aromanticism and autism like most of my interpretations of dynamics. I genuinely couldn't care less if you like flowersmith, it's simply not for me
Theories on bf!4c from 4Cove that me and @kyriakfromspace came up with!
(I have never reposted anything before so this might be a bit janky)
So, I might be reading this wrong and getting the wrong impressions, but about 4c not communicating with the people around him... wouldn't it make sense that he doesn't when they've already proven that they won't listen to him? They ignore his dislike and trauma from the froglights, how he continues to protest about it until he stops. From what I've seen of the clips, people don't really believe him about the god interactions beyond the two times they've seen him disappear and even then it doesn't feel like they're taking his panic or the situations seriously. So why would they listen to when he talks about his culture, or why he does the things he does, or even picking up that he might not be fully understanding them (leaning into common/English not being his first language headcanon) when they've already proven that they won't listen to him anyways, but will both hold him to their human (or even elf -maybe) standards and treat him like a resource and not worthy of the basic respect they give to each other
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(Kiryak)
theory about what bf!4c’s chara could symbolise
I have done a lot of thinking about this and one thing I’ve come to realise, especially after the talk about the frog lights with Cam and Shan, is what bf!4C could be mirroring.
Now before i get on with my analysis let’s take a look at the current political climate of the western world. (Read if you want, it gets deep into politics, but it will help you understand better) In the USA, under the trump administration, there is an organisation commonly know as ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). What this organisation should be doing is patrolling the borders of the US and making sure people without a citizenship or permit don’t enter the country, but unfortunately that’s not what they have been doing. ICE has instead been raiding, arresting and attacking people who most of the time are not violent criminals, targeting non-white and people of lower class. In the other side of the world in eastern Europe, specifically Greece, Cyprus and Türkiye. Who are geographically at the crossroads between Europe, Africa and Asia and closest to some of the most active war zones and being an easy access in Europe. A lot of people have come to seek refuge there, from Palestine, Libya, Syria, Iran, Ukraine, and Israel. Usually people from the countries in the mediterranean come to Greece, Cyprus and Türkiye with boats in the stormy weather this season putting themself in a lot of danger. When Refugees arrive, and if they do, they are treated as dirty, uneducated, cheap labour, poor, different, foreign, objects, less.
Now how does this all connect to bf!4C? Lemme explain you. 4C used to live happily in his home, Moonlit swamp, after an attack(war?) from the Blue Kingdom his home was desecrated, therefore there was nothing left for him to stay behind and leaving to seek a better life outside. In the Blue Kingdom we have seen the amount of discrimination and dehumanisation towards bf!4C for being non-human/slime and a rogue, not being taken seriously, being seen as less, untrustworthy, and filthy, being called “The slime” instead of his actual name and his emotions and traumas being overlooked. All of that really connects to the type of people who would be at a disadvantage in Europe and US. I meaaaaan look at the similarities! bf!4C is non-human (non-white), rogue (lower class) and he had to leave his home because it was desecrated (refugee) !!!!!!!
Kinda basic head cannon but if owain did(he would never but yk) take his helmet off or it got forcefully removed, he would refuse to look anyone straight in the face. Like I think he would constantly cover his face with his hands when talking or make an effort to face in the complete other direction of whoever he's talking to
Don’t tell my other asks I’m answering this first even though it was sent 10 minutes ago and I still have some from the beginning of April.
So. Owain is pretty autistic, I don’t think that can be any more canon unless OwengeJuiceTV himself said it was true. That being said, as far as I’m aware, there’s two main ways autistic people deal with conversing and that’s the way you described and then there’s intense eye contact that is too much and makes people uncomfortable. Personally, I think Owain would be the latter with certain people. Specifically with monarchs and enemies.
However! I think with anyone who isn’t in a higher position than him, an enemy, or he doesn’t know very well, he would look away, but never down. Looking down would be like submitting and he would not do that to someone who hasn’t earned it.
However, however! There’s a select group—Shan, Mae, and Kitty—he would look towards the ground. Owain trusts them enough to not be alert the entire time he’s with them, but he doesn’t have a fearful-respect of them like he does with a monarch.
TL;DR, intense, too much eye contact with monarchs, people in higher positions than him, and enemies, looking off to the side with basically everyone else, and looking down with people he trusts immensely
