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Stranger Things and the Doylist vs Watsonian Perspective (plus more)

Note: This essay goes awry. Sorry.

At some point, I'm going to write a more general post about the merits of recontextualization. Today, though, I'm going to talk about it through the lens of Stranger Things, since that's what I tend to talk about on this blog.

Thanks to Tumblr, I've come across the terms Doylist and Watsonian, both derived from the Sherlock Holmes stories. These aren't academic terms, but the general understanding is that a Doylist lens refers to looking at the authorial intent, while a Watsonian lens refers to solely looking at what's presented in-text, which is up for the audience to interpret.

I've come across a few posts from multiple Byler shippers who've moved off their hill that the ship is percent canon — or that it's where the story was going, but due to varying factors, which include massive copium supposed Byler supporter and alleged ghostwriter Leigh Janiak and Ross Duffer's divorce to Netflix striking down Byler — to the argument that, regardless of intent, the execution 100 percent supports Mike not truly being in love with El, and anyone who disagrees is simply burying their head in the sand.

Let me say this now: If you want to head canon Mike as queer, that's fine. If you prefer Byler as a ship and wish the series had gone down that route, that's also totally legit. But even from a Watsonian perspective, his behavior in the series doesn't support anything other than him being unequivocally in love with El.

We're going to go through some of the biggest talking talking points, which I'll put under a break, simply because this is going to be long, though I'll say right here that we're not going to go into anything like colors.

Let me be clear: I don't debate Flat Earthers, and I'm not debating what's just a few steps away from it.

#stranger things #stranger things analysis #doylist vs watsonian #doylist perspective #watsonian perspective #theduchesswrites #pro actual analysis #mileven #pro mileven

A explanation on how Glyphs function: Summoning applied creatively & Remnant’s New Magic

The Schnee Semblance. A peculiar power in a series that highlights that people granted a sliver of magic via their soul only get one ability. The Schnee Semblance, however, can be argued to be three abilities in one. Summoning, the most likely original function of the semblance itself, making the fallen nightmares that plague humanity into a resource, platforms that can provide extra mobility for the user, and the ability to channel dust without using the body. Honestly, this is absurd, and only balanced by the fact Weiss Schnee has the same level of cosmic doom as Jaune Arc, and thus, if her suffering is not focused on, she is almost entirely forgotten. But we are not here to discuss RWBY’s storytelling; there is quite literally an entire subfandom for that, we are here to discuss the true potential of the Schnee Semblance. How, despite being so multifaceted, it is not simply abilities stacked on top of abilities, and how it likely evolved.

To start, we must discuss summoning, what I theorize how the Schnee semblance started off as.

We must remember that the Schnne Semblance is heredity, and as far as we know Nicholas is the first in the Schnee name. Nicholas Schnee was a ambitious son of a miner and a warrior that defended his workers. His ability to use the grimm he had slain to defend his mines was likely highly useful in both his battles and day-to-day operations. But we know that his lifetime exposure to dust caused his health to fail. With Nicholas as our example, we know the basic function of the semblance, slay a monster of nightmares and be able to take control of it. That is the ability the sliver of magic in his soul granted him, likely through the fact that Grimm are magical creations and through some unknown interaction of the Schnee Semblence it is made possible to create his own “Light Grimm”. (As a side tangent I believe the origin of the Schnne Semblance likely matches up with Bakugo’s origin of his power in MHA academia. Nicholas parents likely had a semblance that controlled dust in some way, the last of magic of Remnant, while the other had control over Grimm. A fortuitous combination of abilities that along with his Father’s death, Nicholas used to make his legacy.)

Now enter Willow, the daughter of Nicholas Schnee, and first canonical wielder of the Schnee Semblance (no text has stated Nicholas had the power, but as the first known Schnee, I believe he did). Through Glynda and Blake, we know it is possible to channel one’s dust through their semblance.

Glynda, as a fully trained Huntress and Headmistress of Beacon Academy, can use Dust in its smallest form to allow her to create ranged attacks and as an example of absolute mastery, uses a mixture of Dust to create a storm she has full control over. Effectively what I believe is the New Magic of Remnant. Blake, as a Terrorist Freedom Fighter, is able to channel Dust through her Semblance into the clone she makes to give them elemental properties. Such as Earth (as seen by the image provided), ice, and explosive properties. The Schnee semblance is also capable of channeling Dust. Seen from Weiss’s ability to channel fire and most infamously with Winter summoning lightning to assist Nora (Does she have specialized hidden implants? We may never know! But it does mean she carries dust, um, SOMEWHERE on her body.)

We know that such use of a technique (With Glynda’s and Schnee’s Semblances) requires nearly lifelong training, and despite Nicholas being quite exceptional, he succumbed to dust exposure despite his Semblance having the ability to channel Dust and thus flush it out of his system. So I theorize Willow, with her knowledge of dust through her father, introduced the ability to channel Dust through the Schnee Semblence. What makes this unique is how the Semblance functions. If we consider the Grimm Magic and the Schnne Semblance is absorbing the magic that makes up the grimm to recreate them, and Dust the remains of magic from Remanat’s old world, it would be pretty clear why the Schnee compared to all other forms of channeling Dust (Semblance & Body) is practically refined versions of channeling through the body.

Channeling Dust through the body allows one to use Dust to enhance their physical form, and likely use Dust’s elemental magic as if it was their own. The Schnee semblance is able to do this to no harm to the user, but unlike with Grimm Summoning Dust is spent. I theorize because this is not the Semblence’s “intent” or “role”. It is supposed to summon slain creatures of Grimm to fight by your side. But, as I theroize Willow was able to figure out, due to Grimm and Dust both sharing their origin in Magic the Schnee Semblance is just as compatible with Dust as it is with the Grimm, just at the cost of the Dust itself. Finally, we get to talk about Glyphs.

You might wonder, how, as I explained how Schnees can summon Dust’s magical effects with no harm at the cost of the Dust itself, can they make magical platforms. I answer with a question. If they can use Dust through their summoning circles what would happen if they used their own Aura instead? Who would attempt such a feat? Likely Winter to increase the combat effectiveness of her already powerful Semblance to include close-combat capabilities. What interests me more is that the Semblance is starting to become more spell-like as it is pushed to its limits. Observe: “I summon what I have slayed”:Grimm “I summon the powers of Dust”: The ability to use Dust at the cost of itself. “I summon a platform”: A magical platform is created from the Aura of the user. Of course, as we see from RWBY in the modern period of the show that is only its most “simple” function. “I summon a platform imbued with the power of Dust”: the most basic spell a Schnee can deploy, and what appears to be Weiss’s specialty as she can commonly apply them to her allies. The multiple functions that a basic Glyph spell is likely from Aura manipulation as the Glyphs themselves are just Aura constructs, something done while the intended effect plays out. Meaning it is still one’s Aura, and with how the Schnee’s use it, now with elemental properties.

Glynda’s semblance can replicate many of these feats but is bound by her Semblance intend effect, “push and pull”. Yes she can “push” fire Dust in front fo her, channel Aura through her semblance to activate the Dust, and then “Push” again to have a fireball.

The Schnee Semblance, for the same effect, summons a platform, imbues with the fire Dust, and now can be freely used in whatever way the User can imagine.

I know these Sembalnces have different intents but i simply wish to demonstrate how much more efficient the Schnee Semblance is. Glynda currently surpassing them in magical ability due to experience and creatvity.

Which brings me to the New Magic of Remnant, Dust Alchemy. The Schnee semblance is absurdly suited to this role, and to add to the pattern I created of each Schnee figuring out a new application of the semblance (Obviously barring Nicholas), is what Weiss is suited for.

As far as we know, Weiss is the creator of the “Time Dilation” glyph. Which effectively slows down time to the perception of whoever it is cast upon, and subsequently, speeds them up to the perception of others. Compared to the simple one-function spells and the common two-function spells, this is uniquely three: “I summon a platform imbued with the power of Dust to empower”. If Weiss continued her research into this “Dust Alchemy", she would have likely figured out how to actively combine the effects of Dust into her semblance, making it a personal Alchemical cauldron. This is not to mention that she can force any effect she desires. What if instead of using gravity Dust for Push and Pull effect, she instead used it to pin and/or slow down an enemy? Seeing anyone with Aura is forced to take on the effects of Dust, and by extension her Glyphs, what if she figured out how to make a more classical “Burn” RPG effect via Dust manipulation (through her semblance) and Aura manipulation? Sadly, the show never experimented with Weiss, so she in turn never experimented. What if she fought an actual magical user? Seeing that the Schnee Sembalnce functions by absorbing the magic of the creatures of Grimm to recreate them, she would likely be able to absorb the magic of these attacks and then cast them back at her attacker. What is she used other types of Dust instead of lightning on others? Fire can increase attack, Earth defense, and Air speed by making one floatier. Water could be used as the medium to recharge Aura on whoever she cast it on (a possible four-function spell?). Not to mention that Weiss seemingly has enough Aura manipulation and control of her semblance to not harm one with electricity while using Time Dialation on others. What if she used the less careful versions against her enemies? These are the possibilities the New magic of Remnant, Dust Alchemy opens up, and the Schnees are the only ones to lead the charge of it and channeling dust through semblances due the fine control they have over their own. Now, just for fun, let us theorize what the other members of the Schnee family can add to the Schnee Semblence’s capabilities.

Whitley Schnee is not a fighter, he attended no combat school and never bothered to unlock his semblance. But if he did, besides focusing only on Summoning to get anything done, with his analytic mind he would figure out a summon’s limits. Opposite to his sister who figures out Dust’s limits.

Winter can shrink and grow her summons, which Weiss figures out how to do while captured by bandits. Weiss can also summon just the ability and any weapon a Grimm might hold.

Whitley, without any combat training, would focus on these aspects. Summoning a grimm’s armor to defend himself, using them as mounts to travel. He might master summoning to the point of manifesting them to imbdue their power directly on his person. A beowulf’s claws to strike at his enemies, a Jackalope’s legs to run and jump, a Beringel’s arms to increase his strength. Maybe, as a form of mastery, he can see out of summon’s eyes.

Bleiss Schnee, a common fan character, is also depicted with the Schnee Semblance. Questionable parentage aside, she is a crude, brutally honest, blackened version of Weiss Schnee. To further increase this dark mirroring, she can have mastery over the inverse of Weiss’s unique glyph spell, Time Dialation. I propose she figured out an inverse, instead of imbuing she is taking, giving her power over souls because Aura comes from Souls, and due to Aura being magic so are Souls. Time Dialation’s existence means the Schnee Semblance already has a way to influence Aura and thus Souls. Her mastery can take the form of Semblance copying, maybe even permanent if she kills whoever she temporarily took it from. I explanation on how the Schnee Semblance actually functions for @caspianjupiter and @weatherman667

#rwby #weiss schnee #rwby theory #theory crafting #glyphs #i wrote this instead of sleeping #watsonian perspective

After seeing the fancast post of Maggie Smith and Judi Dench as Holmes and Watson, i remembered listening to a podcast about female detectives. (🔎) There *really were* women detectives in Sherlock Holmes's time. Their clients would have also been women--who couldn't safely confide their problems in a male detective. I'd say it's funny Holmes never ran into a woman detective in his work, but it's likely he did, and that Watson would have written her out of the story bc he wouldn't have his Holmes be outshined by another detective..

#so p much irene adler is a detective #where are my historical female detectives?#watsonian perspective

GOT Season 2 Rewatch Musing

I've been rewatching GoT, despite my fury at the Showrunners and the most recent season in general for a variety of reasons. I have a couple of thoughts now I'm halfway through Season two.

1. Is it just me, or in the opening credits does Qarth look like a bubo in the armpit of Essos? Deliberate or accidental or me just reading into things?

2. People love making fun of Littlefingers sliding accent, and trust me, I'm the last one to give the show runners credit for anything at this point, but let's for one moment give Aidan Gillen the benefit of the doubt. Now to be clear, I don' like to read actor interviews and I have no special incite into Mr. Gillen's process. All that follows is to be taken with a heap of salt. I do know that Mr. Gillen was excellent and subtle acting on the wire and that he managed a solidly realistic accent on that show, despite it being a rather difficult one to mimic, not being one of our broader regional accents, nor one much seen on TV. While Mr. Gillen senery chews in later GoT seasons, my suspicion is that it's an issue of direction, whith the ones in charge wanting his performance broader and more obviously villainous. I make this guess based on the much subtler, lighter performances in the first two seasons and his body of previous work. Mr. Gillen's accent is all over the place in Game of Thrones, right from the start. I observed a particularly egregious example in a long speech last night where he was switching constantly, sliding between two accents, with a lot of odd mixed bits in between. We've all been assuming a Doylist perspective.

What if we take a Watsonian perspective? What if we imagine Mr. Gillen is doing it on purpose as part of his characterization? Look at the in universe reasons Littlefinger might talk like that. Petyr Baelish is essentially a self made man. He has stated that he designed his own sigil. (It was in a recent portion of my rewatch, but I can't tell you which episode). He's from a deeply impoverished bit of rocky coastline on one of the poorest bits of Westeros. He's barely noble. The sobriquet "Littlefinger" is a taunt, mocking his size, his low status geographical origin, his lack of social status or fighting prowess to make them stop. We know he hates being called that, but when the nobles do it, he smiles and pretends not to mind as it means they underestimate him. So if you are a rural person, constantly mocked for his origin nearly every time you are addressed by urbane aristocrats with posh accents for daring to make your fortune instead of inheriting it, and for all your hatred and anger over a lifetime of slights, you want to play their game and perhaps be one of them yourself? What do you do? you try to file the edges off your regional accent and try to sound more like one of them. Only it's hard, And especially when you feel something strongly, your accent slips.

Again, I don't know if that's what Mr. Gillen is doing, but what if he is? What if he's doing is giving Petyr Baelish a "tell." Now I'm am wishing I had thought of this earlier so I could track it from his first appearance on. I'm not going to just now as I have a million other things more pressing, but I plan to track it from this point forward and see if it works in universe. The author is dead, after all, and whether it's intentional or not, I'd like it to make in universe sense even if so little else does. (I am judging you so hard, season Five. So hard.)

#GoT #Qarth #Petyr Baelish #Watsonian perspective #Littlefinger