#theme: power

[raayllum]

There is something interesting about the way TDP talks about like, both literal (physical) and metaphorical (magical?) ascension, y'know? Like, we have the trio + Ellis climbing the Cursed Caldera, sacrificing (stolen) primal magic to hatch Zym, paired alongside Claudia and Soren climbing Mount Kalik using dark magic to track them down... only to end the season with Viren and Callum (mostly offscreen) climbing the same path to the Pinnacle of the Storm Spire where Viren's ultimate dark magic levelling up is aborted and Callum's primal growth is successful (wings) because like, we're not being Subtle

But then we have arc 2 right off the gate, with Viren being physically unable to retreat the path he took up the Spire twice before (pre series and 3x09) only for Claudia (and Terry) to complete it in his stead, which is. Loaded. and we see more competing points of power (ie. Rex vs Avizandum, Janai vs Karim, Finnegrin vs Domina) all ostensibly in the name of Reaching The Top ("of the org chart"). We have Callum having to fly higher to get closer to the stars for his ritual; we have everyone congregating towards the top of Lux Aurea for the final confrontation with Aaravos. Callum's primal victory doesn't make him ascend but go into the depths instead; Ezran's ascension to the throne is clouded with anger and doubt (walking up above everyone to sit on his charred throne on top of rubble). and then we have another fight for dominion, to be the greatest, the highest, entering in the form of Luna Devorans. "you will know your place." / "you are lesser beings."

which of course goes back to the Cosmic Council, who are Literally Above 'everyone' and are. deeply disconnected, deeply unhappy, fundamentally erroneous. "the higher you go, the worse [you'll] get."

[saradika-graphics]

hii a tad odd but do you maybe have battery/power related dividers? if that makes sense. thanks!

absolutely! 💖 are these okay?

[Free] Masterlist Headers & Dividers!

Please consider liking or reblogging if you use 💕

[dionyrtal]

"Old Wounds, Pinky Promises" by Dion Anja, from Motion Sickness

You can buy Motion Sickness now!

[bthump]

hello! i would really, really love to hear your take on that scene of post torture griffith in the wagon throwing himself over casca and then a short moment later imagining domestic life with her? i keep thinking about these scenes and whether it shows how he reciprocates his feelings with casca? it gets used alot in the argument that griffith genuinely wanted to NTR guts or something, though i personally would argue otherwise, i still cant make out what these scenes mean lol it would be great to hear your take!

Hi, thanks for the ask! I have a pretty extensive post about that sequence here, and I get into that whole pre-eclipse section in-depth somewhere in here, in the fourth part of a very long Griffith essay as well lol.

But the quicker rundown on my own take is that the wagon scene is Griffith making Casca an offer in exchange for being taken care of, and subsequently imagining/hallucinating that life in the pond, sans Guts, and trying to kill himself.

The wagon scene happens right after Wyald's devastating summation of how fucked Griffith is now that he can't even survive on his own, and it fits into Griffith's pattern of viewing sex as transactional, and viewing his own worth in terms of what he can do for others. It also happens while Casca is thinking about how weak Griffith is, and how it's her turn to be strong for him, and it's visually laid out as a parallel to the river scene, with Griffith and Casca's roles reversed - now Casca's the one who places a comforting hand on Griffith. And outside you've got Judeau describing taking care of Griffith as an obligation.

This says to me that the important information in this sequence is that Griffith is helpless, desperate, and pitiable. He offers sex to Casca in this scene out of desperation, because he has nothing else to offer, and he perceives himself as a burden.

Then he hears Casca tell Guts to leave, imagines the future he essentially asked her for, that at least from his pov she seems to have agreed to given that she's sending Guts away without her (and it's worth noting that Guts' absence is highlighted more than any other aspect of that nightmare), and this vision of the future drives him to suicide. So I don't consider it a sign that he's attracted to Casca, or reciprocates her feelings at all. It's the complete opposite, if anything. That vision was his version of hell.

And as foreshadowing for the eclipse, I consider it a strong contrast rather than a preview. If Femto's rape of Casca has any relation to this moment at all, it's as a role reversal and show of power after this humiliating weakness, imo.

[geekynichelle]

Black Rogue supremacy!! Seriously though for the theme “Power” this was a no brainer for me. I was my own pose reference this time.  

[kyluxcantina]

Power Hungry

Please reblog with your response to the above prompt, or submit your response to the kylux cantina!

[raayllum]

You must take down the Dragon Queen and capture the baby dragon. Then you will have the attention of all the world, and the power to do what you want. / The one that gives you power.

[dionyrtal]

dion anja, motion sickness (2022) // aurora, infections of a different kind (2018) // albert joseph pénot, the bat woman (circa 1890) // kate bush, running up that hill (a deal with god) (1985)