#super rant

[redrumkhaleesi]

Another thing (sadly the list is starting to get long) that really irks me about HotD is how EVERYTHING is miscommunication/misundertsnding.

I hated how everything last season was an accident or just plain stupidity and didn’t have consequences: aemond killing Luke, Alicent finding out about Criston and Nyra, Criston killing Joffrey in the middle of a wedding feast, Criston literally coming to put Luke’s eye out and staying on the kinsguard after that??, mysaria giving Aegon back over to the greens??

And like yes thank you Daemon for being the voice of reason this last episode and calling Rhaenys and Mysaria out on their stupid decisions but like??? They couldn’t really even say anything back because these were poorly written decisions!

And it seems they’ve learned nothing from any of that. Making blood and cheese about Aemond and accidentally ending up with Jaeherys takes the fire right out of it honestly. Halaena’s actress did a fantastic job but that scene wasn’t written or shot in a way to really pack the gut punch B&C really is!!!

I just….what was wrong with having all of them be on their worst behavior? What’s wrong with having the greens usurp the throne eyes wide open to what they’re doing? None of that “oh Viserys really did say Aegon should be king” bullshit, take the throne knowing you’re going against his wishes! And have team black act on their worst impulses! Let Rhaenyra want her rightful throne, let her be ok with B&C, let the Velaryons be angry and just as bloodthirsty as they mourn for Luke as well.

They’re really starting to get into GoT territory of making dumb decisions that WILL have compounding effects on the narrative. It’s like they’re not brave enough to give us the story as dark as it is in the books

[gronjon44]

So quick thing about Maya and the Three

SPOILERS AHEAD BTW

Aside from two minor issues there was only one major thing that's bothered me about the show

And it's these three and how the show/Jorge Gutierrez "utilized" them.

Acat and the Skele-twins are, in my personal opinion, the most underused Goddesses in this show.

Let me explain.

Acat is delegated to an off-handed love interest to Zatz in a relationship that does nothing to the plot (and then gets killed off and seemingly forgotten about.

Heres how I'd have fixed Acat:

There are better ways they could've used them (maybe have Acat flirt with Zatz, alluding to her interest in him idk anything other than their "relationship" in the film)

Acat and Zatz being together does nothing for the plot and, if you remove that one detail, the plot would remain the same.

As for Bone and Skull:

They just really annoy me because it feels like Gutierrez just didn't know what to do for anymore God's and made another set of twins.

Hura and Can are actually intimidating, prove to be challenging for the main group, and are integral to the actual plot. Bone and Skull are just kinda there honestly?

Like compared to Xtabay and Cipactli they're not as interesting physically just shorter versions of the Adolita Cousins from the Book of Life

And they aren't thematically relevant either, since their only notable feat is that they belittle Maya and threaten to steal the gifts left behind by her brothers (and after one dies the other is left as a joke character and then killed off by Miclan)

Comapred to Xtabay who uses their fears against the characters and actively confronts Picchus morals/past while Cipactli becomes an ally alongside her husband Cabrakan.

You wanna who would've been cool to see as a Goddess instead of these two?

The Scorpion Warrior from Picchu's past.

I've seen some people complain about how alot of the women in Maya don't have as much creativity behind them as the male characters do, eith some exceptions. But are we really going to ignore this chick who i haven't seen alot of people talk about?

⚠️⚠️SPOLIER⚠️⚠️

Scorpion Warrior is the one who killed Picchus family/entire village.

And she is by far my favorite secondary character in the film and I stand by this.

But pray tell, why is she my favorite? Well how about a list of reasons:

Has arguably the most unique design for a female besides Lady Micte.

Is responsible for what is one of the saddest character origins in the whole series.

Scorpions are always a plus.

Hammers

Because I said so jk but not really

So yes I do in fact thoroughly enjoy this character, but why do I think she should've been a Goddess?

She has arguably more presence then Bone and Skull, she has a much more unique design and is by far more standout than the Skele-Twins, and is arguably more intimidating than most the other female gods.

Adding on to that she could have added more fun banter with other Gods and Goddesses (I imagine her having been very loyal to Miclan)

But now you may ask, "How would one character fill the void left by 2 others?"

Simple:

Combine the Skele-Twins

You can still have a Goddess of Theivery you don't need to have 2 of them; you can even keep the pirate theme and have the one Goddess be something like "Madame Refelar, Goddess of Theives" (Refelar being a Spanish word for Steal) don't quote me on that I haven't done Spanish in years that's a ruff example

And if you wanted to you could even keep the sibling dynamic between the Goddess of Theives and (in concept) a Goddess of Scorpions.

Yes it's a sibling dynamic, but you don't have another generic twin gimmick like with Bone and Skull or Hura and Can.

One sister is a Thief, and the other is a Backstabber (Scorpion Warrior directly quotes the story of the Frog and the Scorpion even)

As far as a name goes for Scorpion Warrior maybe Alacrán again a ruff example don't kill me for my Spanish if it's bad

Also just something that I think would've been cool to see, in the first all out battle between Mayas group and the Gods, have Alacrán lead them into battle alongside Chivo; and while they fight have Alacrán battle Picchu and have Xtabay and Relefar fight Maya since that thematically makes more sense.

Picchu confronting his demons in the form of Alacrán doesn't change his actual fight when comapred to the film as it can still end the same way.

And when Maya fights with Xtabay and Refelar they can have Xtabay uses her illusions to belittle Maya into blaming herself for her brothers death, while Refelar attacks her from the shadows.

And come the end of the fight when they're united against the Gods have Maya still kill a God, but have it be Refelar (it'll play out like when she killed the one twin)

Alacrán can be enraged, swearing vengeance on Maya just like the other twin did in the original scene.

And when the climax comes pit her against the Puma Army in place of the remaining Skele-Twin (keep that comment about one at a time or all at once, and add a side remark about Picchu and how she'll enjoy destroying the rest of the Puma people like they did)

The relationship with the Scorpion Warrior and Picchu, and possibly the Scorpion Warrior being a Goddess herself could've made for a great addition to the story.

I'll admit this was more of a rant then i planned, but hey these happen.

[stomp-that-ho-regard]

Visit Original Link

{LINK to episode} 

This episode is about the CR intro discourse (and this clip is about how people respond to criticism). Really great conversation. The whole thing is worth a listen.

I have to say, good on them for bringing up parasocial relationships, specifically in regard to diehard FANS of a thing.

The people who love something so much, to the point that they feel like they have to defend it against anything, because any criticism it gets is taken as a personal slight.

This describes the CR fandom to a T. You could argue that it describes every fandom, but what makes it more hilarious here is that the CR fandom has deluded themselves into believing that they don’t do this, even after dog-piling that one poor woman (who the people of TBH are friends with, by the way) on twitter into fucking oblivion over her very valid criticism about CR’s new intro.

It is insane how a majority of the fandom (and not just on twitter, it’s absolutely on here too) seems to get a kick out of completely gaslighting the more critical parts of the fandom into thinking that THEY are the problem. At the same time, they have the gall to call the critics ‘toxic’. They’ll say shit akin to “Your criticisms are bringing negativity and we want this to be a loving place.”

And this leads to a refusal to acknowledge that there is such a thing as toxic positivity.

We define toxic positivity as the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. The process of toxic positivity results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience.

Just like anything done in excess, when positivity is used to cover up or silence the human experience, it becomes toxic. By disallowing the existence of certain feelings, we fall into a state of denial and repressed emotions. [X]

Toxic positivity involves dismissing negative emotions and responding to distress with false reassurances rather than empathy. It comes from feeling uncomfortable with negative emotions. It is often well-intentioned but can cause alienation and a feeling of disconnection. [X]

I don’t agree that it’s well-intentioned in this instance. Not in regards to the larger CR fandom. Like, lol, fuck no.

They do this CONSTANTLY, to the point that CR’s slogan, “Don’t forget to love each other!” now feels condescending, and sarcastic, and is just being used as a way to tell critics to ‘shut the fuck up’. If you don’t shut up, and you’re not 1000% positive about anything and everything CR or CR adjacent, you deserve to be ridiculed, mocked, insulted, and torn to shreds. And they will all happily engage in that insanity, and celebrate their ‘win’ at putting you in your place. The absolute GLEE these maniacs have over doing this heinous shit to people, and still somehow believing that THEY are better for having done it, is incredibly disturbing.

I don’t know about you, but that seems like cult behavior to me. (I’ve called these people ass-kissers, I’ve called them super stans. At this point, the best thing to call them is cultists.)

WE are not the real problem here. WE are not the ones making this space toxic.

But the CR fandom is supposed to be DIFFERENT from other fandoms, right? Diverse, all-inclusive, all-welcoming; a safe space if you will. At least that’s how they tout themselves (both the cast and the fandom itself). And yet, they will attack you like a bunch of rabid animals if you don’t worship the ground their 'kings’ and ‘queens’ walk on and tow the fandom line. They have declared themselves as the fandom authority, and if you don’t act the way they say you should act, you’re intensely harassed (sometimes into silence or into leaving the fandom altogether.) They have become what they claim to reject.

In a positive fandom, criticism is seen as rule-breaking because it isn’t openly accepting. Because the rules have already been broken and fans want to protect their show, they break the rules of positivity in retaliation. Interpretations of what the cast wants and rabid defense where none is needed is what tears the fandom apart. Fans will point out what’s canon when convenient and then use that to say that other opinions are not what the cast would want. [X]

That last line shows the parasocial relationship at work.

How the fuck do you know what the cast would want? You don’t know them, they don’t know you. You all need to stop pretending that you know the cast personally. You have to stop pretending that they are not grown-ass adults, who can take care of themselves and who can and should take responsibility for poor decisions (if they ever actually grow enough of a spine to do so when it actually matters.)

They don’t need YOU, complete fucking strangers, to come to their rescue. You do not have to swoop in and act like a white knight or a savior, as if they’re a bunch of innocent, confused children who need protection from the big bad meanies.

[crystal-leopards]

I am consumed by the idea that this is my “life” and that I will be old and I will be like yeah when I was growing up I wasn’t even fully aware of the oppression of women because we were all conditioned to think everyone had achieved equal rights before I was born - which is an absolute farce- and I am just existing in this word without my consent where everything is just reproducing to continue on into an existence we don’t understand or don’t comprehend and I am supposed to find meaning in some niche corner of human novelty exploration and then eat and sleep until I die and basically I’m not having a fun time. I also know life isn’t necessarily fun. Im not even sure it was ever supposed to be “good” I think existence and biological proliferation is just the most discompassionate and selfish force in …all of creation. Literally creation for creation’s sake. I used to think things were beautiful and kind or something but I don’t understand any of it anymore. Seeing life as good is just as biased psychologically as seeing it as bad. I’ve analyzed my feelings and humanity to a point where I question what feeling is. But you can’t go there. Because that only leads down the rabbit hole to existential dissonance, and in order to not feel insane I have to just convince myself it’s worth it to watch television shows and fawn over actors and pick little ideas to hyper fixate on to distract myself from how sad I am about the fact that my species is awful and lacking in empathy for everything so that I can continue to live in society because the alternative seems worse. This isn’t new. This wasn’t brought on by the pandemic for me. This is an old problem. Also I would just like my period to start so that I feel genuinely excited about something for once during the hormonal change until it all starts over again. Blablabla what the fuck is anything? Even alcohol no longer allows me to escape this. Some people go through life and they just go to school and get a boring job and the only thing they ever think about is how much they want to date someone or get married or whatever and that’s it. That’s all there is for them. That must come with such a peacefulness - or at least a manageable worldview. I’m not trying to be some fucking edge-lord. God knows I question my own mental health all the time but I haven’t found any medication that allows me to feel real again. I think I’m going to feel like this forever, with interludes of distracted engagement where I feel interested in stuff before I return to this state. It’s been like 15 years now and im at the point where I feel like I should just embrace it or plow headfirst into being as naive and superficial as possible in an attempt to “live.”

[infinity-witch]

I'm so tired of everything.

I'm tired of being broke all the time. I'm tired of my toxic boyfriend. I'm tired of mentally feeling like I'm never enough. I'm tired of putting others first and then being told that I'm selfish. I'm tired of feeling like things are never going to get better. I'm tired of being so fucking tired.

[aliensforleaders]

I’m about to go off

So I’m gunna rant and probably no one will read this or care but if you do, hi hello thanks. My coworker just looked at me and said “The only people that care about the 80s are you and 40 year olds. Name one good thing that came from the 80s.” And one of the things I said was “the invention of punk rock(70s, early 80s if I’m not mistaken)” which he is in a hardcore metal band so his music literally would not exist without that. And he looked at me and SCOFFED and said “okay you need a history lesson. Punk rock wasn’t invented until the late 90s.” AND LISTEN I GOT SO FUCKING MAD. I started naming bands Sex Pistols, The Stooges, The Ramones, The Clash etc. He was like “That is not punk rock.” My face got so hot and I literally just fucking left because he is constantly making me feel like the things I enjoy and talk about are stupid and idiotic and like I’m the only one who likes it. I don’t care that he has a music education degree. He obviously doesn’t care about what music means to other people. This is why I never want to fucking talk about the things I like because I’m constantly ridiculed for them. So I don’t know I guess thanks to this community I have a way to express what I love and not be made fun of or have someone roll their eyes at me.

[magnificent-winged-beast]

RANTING TIME  >:[

Following the line there is a pure visceral an emotional expression of my NSFW self, that may offend the most chaste eyes while reading, or down the moral of the more optimist about Supernatural’s Season 13. Enter at your own risk if you want to read tinfoil hat stuff, Really, I have ravens on the belfry, and probably PMS.

(x)

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!! WHY IN THE NAME OF CHUCK ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE BY MIRRORING  MISHA AND THIS NEW KID WITH SIMILAR COLORS OF GARMENTS?

I know that an equivalent of the bible has been written about the parallels between The NephIlim and Castiel, but still HURTS.

I want to hold on to the logic that this kid {that by the way looks like the second coming of Misha}, is the new hook for the current teenagers and up to 20s fan base, because some assholes think that the Boys and Misha are old enough to be the fathers of a new generation of fan girls and millennial’s offspring. 

COULD THIS BE MY INSOMNIA, OR THE AMOUNT OF STRESS AND MOVEMENT AT MY DAY JOB THAT IS TWISTING MY NERVES.BUT WHEN I SAW THE PICTURE OF THE KID DRESSED LIKE A HIP NEW VERSION OF CAS I WENT MAD.  

[fefaklainer]

I just joined tinder and it's super stressing, I accidentally super liked a girl and I'm so nervous! What if she wasn't into girls and she showed up by mistake or if she was one of those 'only looking for friends', I couldn't even see who she was. Also, the queer girl market is very small in my country so for now I've been talking only to boys