I think there's something to be said about how TF!Melinks has been primed to put up with any abusive behavior because she's so desperate for any attention and company. She struggles to say no, she believes that everyone is just putting up with her and her expectations for kindness are in hell. You could do anything to her and as long as you follow it up with a smile she'll probably still think you're her friend because that is the exact situation she was raised in. It makes a lot of sense why anyone with eyes would be concerned with how she's become attached to the academy's resident bully and manipulator. AJ has just found a person who will be blindly devoted and do whatever she wants and all she has to do is say a nice thing every now and then. And she can even be sarcastic about it too because Melinks wouldn't even know the difference.
At first AJ was taking advantage of that but now I think she's come to the startling realization that this is too easy. It's not fun for her if the person doesn't fight back. AJ likes the thrill of arguments and conflicts and she makes an effort to push everyone away and I think she was trying to do it with Melinks too but it won't work because Melinks is already used to this kind of behavior. There's nothing AJ could really do to get rid of Melinks. So now it's just kind of sad for AJ and she doesn't claim to be a good person but even she has lines she won't cross. So now AJ unexpectedly has a friend when she clearly stated she didn't want any and I think both her and Melinks are trying to figure out what that looks like. It could go horribly wrong or it could be the best thing either of them have had. It's hard to say because neither of them have had a lot of practice with friendship. I'm absolutely fascinated by these two very fucked up people interacting.
[MILD TW- meaning trigger is mentioned, or gone into shallow depth]
TRIGGER WARNING: Potential; ED, suicide, mentions of death / suffocation, abuse, alcoholism
indented- my opinions/ commentary, otherwise all else analysis
So…. how are we feeling AJ mains…?
I WAS JUST GETTING USED TO HAPPY FUN TIME YURI AHHHH
Is the ED canon now? AJ basically said to (gonna call it “the entity”, but the thing/spirit in the crypt door) “I don’t eat so I’m in control of the rate I decay,” so…
That’s how I interpreted it at least, but this also ties back to the drinking, smoking, and general disregard for their own safety.
[This is not me criticizing Aimsey’s not eating while in character, I think it’s actually quite a good character choice, and a good example of how close to death AJ could be at any moment in opposition to their cocky exterior (even though it makes my anxiety go through the ROOF)]
Also: the shadow figure. Is it an ex-lover? Abusive parent? Old friend? Is it someone they killed? Ima share my predictions for each;
Ex-lover would probably be someone they ‘dated’ or hooked up with in the past, since they do mention earlier how they were always alone bc people in their youth didn’t want to be outed as lesbian/bi/liking women. Potentially it could lead to a juxtaposition with the spirit that kept embodying Drift as well? Idk maybe Mark just likes the chaos…
Abusive parent? Idk. AJ canonically didn’t go to school, and taught themself everything they know, (according to their convo w Drift earlier) which might mean neglect? I think it’s more likely though, that AJ was an orphan, or abandoned on the streets. This could apply to a mentor figure as well, similar to what Legs has going on w Olstead?
Person they accidentally/on purpose killed- now this is my best idea, which could also be added to any other thing I or you could come up with, but I think it fits. Mage of decay, haunted by someone they killed. There are so many ways that person could’ve died, but it would be so ironic if it was by falling off a cliff
Leaving Drift recalling??? Amazing acting choice from Aimsey. LEAVING DRIFT RECALLING??? HORRIBLE DESCISION FROM AJ-??!?!
The suffocation sfx were so goooooood, I kinda wanna make a twins at the carousel animatic of that, but Over and Over would be good as well (inverse of that w drift underground or underwater could be cool)
the music haunts me bro-
Over and Over is such a scary song to me now bc I have a stress signal associated w it, so this means actor is doing good job 👏
I appreciate that AJ does (most of the time), to their own credit, move their wolf away from Graecie when they see she’s uncomfortable, this is so important to me that they DO HAVE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE- they know when to comfort Drift, they give (not great but still trying) therapy sessions to Graecie, they omit harsh truths that Molly’s family SUCK from them-
THEY DO KNOW HOW TO DO STUFF, THEY JUST CAN’T
and I’m so excited to see what trauma led to their inability to process their own emotions and not be able to be vunersble
Scott giving them food the other day, and them being so confused how this man they have mutual (maybe not hate) but large mutual distaste for, and that THREW THEM OFF A CLIFF could possibly notice before their totally-not-girlfriend
I’m gonna say it- Drift is too trusting. She takes what AJ says for truth TOO OFTEN.
When she finds out abt the 6-ft-under spell there is gonna be so much angst, and I am not emotionally prepared for this 😭
I think it will be beneficial for AJ to see exactly how Drift felt when she was under though, this might spark some empathy (although Megii’s blunt confrontation I don’t think helped at all with convincing AJ to tell her sooner)
AJ is gonna start losing friends and allies QUICKLY.
Drift- close w Megii, who currently is PISSED at AJ (rightfully so I think)
Pyro- is close w Scott, and will probably side w him if the odds are stacked against AJ (but I could be wrong, there is a chance he could read this as like an “injustice”, and I think Pyro would be most likely besides Drift to join the rebels)
R- is controlled by higher ups, and AJ hasn’t exactly been performing well
Molly/Melinks- Doesn’t know AJ has been withholding info from her fam, (bc her fam are manipulative assholes but still) and might turn on AJ once she finds out they’ve been lying
Amber- will most likely side w Megii
I think Juniper and Ros may be the only potential long standing allies. Ros and AJ already have a “will they won’t they are they rivals oOooOOO~” sort of vibe, and I think AJ will befriend Ros and help her with her internalized homophobia and self worth issues, while Ros tries and fails to help them in return, ultimately leading to AJ’s death either in a season finale battle of their two sides by Ros’s hand, OR in some act of self sacrifice (either to power up the final boss or wtv or to save everyone). Juniper I know empathizes w AJ a bit bc of Rowan, her sister, and bc they’re both technically on the same team. I think the biggest roadblock between an AJ-Juniper friendship is actually Legs, but this is already too long so ima cut it off here.
UPDATE:
well well well the Yuri thickens…
GHOSTIE HAS JOINED THE ACADEMY
and maybe in the future… the polycule…
They’re probably exes for a reason though…
I wonder if Ghostie was one of the ones who would pretend to hate AJ in front of a crowd bc of their internalized homophobia but secretly be making out w them…
Somewhere in their Metamorphosis stream AJ or drift mentioned wanting to do a masquerade…. So I’m gonna start drawing everybody’s fits! Yap + Timelapse below:
So I wanted to do something slightly different from how most people would have imagined their fit. Ik the classic would’ve been black with navy or red accents, but I feel like this stays true to the character while also maybe being able to add some lore? Ima yap for a sec
The way I imagined it is Molly/Melinks (because AJ calls them “seamstress” I assume they can sew?) overhears Drift ask out AJ to the masquerade (bc I think it would be fun to see drift tease them at getting flustered because they genuinely didn’t think that she would want to be seen together). Then Molly meets AJ at the tavern and AJ is drunk bc they’re trying to drown their feelings in alcohol, and Molly finds out (somewhere idk) that AJ has nothing to wear, so she makes them a waistcoat to match Drifts fit (haven’t decided suit or dress for her yet, prob a dress w blazer or a jumper)
Anyways I added some extra details into the design itself:
Gold embroidery would probably mean it was a gift from somebody
Flick’s feathers as earrings
the mask is a crow (oh no shit Leo-)
collar is unbuttoned a lot w an undershirt
light eyeliner
anyways that’s it if you read the whole yap put your fav TF!Aj ship in the comments
