ViridianStyre

.☘︎ ݁˖ 𝔓oignant .☘︎ ݁˖ 𝔓lea .☘︎ ݁˖

[viridianstyre]

Kallura Compendium

Some of my absolute favorite stories for this pairing, the dynamic between these two is just so compelling, despite all the ways they were kept separated in this iteration of voltron.

It's amazing how many talented writers we have in our small slice of fandom, every single story is well worth the read.

Canon Compliant

this patina of slightly bruised longing by juniberries (emollience)(1.8k words, rated G)

“The others — They could come back to this. To the place where they grew up and the family they’ve always known. It’s like it all clicked back for them. But for you and Coran: It’s not Altea. Or the castle.” She steps closer, her fingers curling over the edge of the railing, the large sleeves of her sweater just barely grazing her knuckles. “And you?” “Me?” “You said the others. ‘They’. Not ‘us.’” She tilts her head and the hair falling loose from her bun brushes her cheek. Keith’s hands itch. “Isn’t this home for you as well?”

or: Keith and Allura discuss home, family, and the past on earth.

A Little Understanding by nishikaze (5.3k words, rated G)

Allura has been under the assumption that Keith doesn’t like her but a little talk with Shiro gives her a little understanding.

Season 7 mild spoilers.

what light has done to me by juniberries (emollience) (2.7k words, rating NA)

Somewhere billions of galaxies away, Altea’s debris floats on. 

.

in which allura stumbles on the path to healing.

heavy is the head by sasspan (927 words, rated G)

Allura, in the end days.

But Home Is Nowhere by KalluraIcedCoffee (9k words, rated M)

Allura is given a second chance at life in another reality and is ready to settle down there. Meanwhile Keith hasn’t stopped looking for her, hoping she’s still out there somewhere in the stars. When he finally finds her he can’t wait to bring her home, but does she even want to go?

Canon Divergent

Payback Is A Team Effort by Eastofthemoon (5.5k words, rated G)

Keith and Allura don’t know each other very well, but there’s nothing like planning a prank to start creating a strong bond.

Sleeping Beauty by Eastofthemoon (3.5k words, rated G)

When Keith is accidentally put into a coma like state, Allura finds herself doing something she thought she would never do.

A Grand Gesture by Nandireya (6.5k words, rated T)

Just what does Keith have in those belt pouches? And what could it lead to?

It's Hard Being A Wingman by Eastofthemoon (3.2k words, rated G)

Lance pinched the bridge of his nose as he gave Keith an unamused look. “Your flirting attempts are terrible, Man.”

Keith blushed bright red. “I’m not flirting!” he snapped instantly.

“Yeah! I know you aren’t!” Lance said as he rolled his eyes and poked a finger at his chest. “THAT’S THE PROBLEM!”

like the way it's meant to be by rosegoldenglows (2.8k words, rated T)

“I want to be the adoptive father to the space mice!” Allura stared uncertainly at him. “You want. . . to adopt the space mice?”

Tale as Old as Time by Nandireya (12.6k words, rated T)

(Set after Season Two)

Captured by the Galra, Haggar finds something interesting in the new Black Paladin’s DNA...

Catch me if I fall by flusteredkeith (lavendori) (12.8k words, rated G)

Ever since the five paladins began to really work together as a team, Allura swore to herself that as long as the universe was at stake, she’d always put their feelings above her own, no matter what the circumstances were. She thought it’d be simple—easy, even. What she didn’t expect, however, was for the complications to arise from within herself.

Alternatively, Allura tries not to fall for Keith.

(Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work.)

looking at it now by flusteredkeith (lavendori) (5.2k words, rated G)

It felt like they were always saying sorry.

Keith and Allura work out their misunderstandings.

Switch by PearLynn (6.2k words, rated T)

"Oh, shit." Four sets of eyes went to her and she watched as realization and horror crossed her own face and it went ashen.. "I have reason to believe we've all switched bodies."

A Voltron body-swap ficlet, with Kallura and some minor Plance!

The Empress's Tears by Eastofthemoon (23k words, rated T)

The paladins end up in the Altean Empire reality again, but this time they've also gone back in time and Keith makes a big discovery.

Legendary by Nandireya (2.5k words, rated G)

For Kallura Month 2017 Days 1 and 2 Moon Princess and Star Knight

After freeing a planet from the Galra, Keith and Allura find themselves part of an impromptu retelling of a local folktale.

Rain and Thunder by Eastofthemoon (1.5k words, rated G)

Allura had seen many kinds of bizarre weather on various planets and could handle them without blinking. A thunderstorm though? That was just beyond strange.

Like Desert Rain by kali_asleep (5.3k words, rated T)

It's something like desert rain: uncertain, unpredictable, utterly quenching.

shop 'til your heart drops by flusteredkeith (lavendori) (6.1k words, rated T)

“You got everything?” she asks, voice raised so he can hear her above the wind whipping around them. “Yup,” he says. Perhaps it’s the speed they're going, or the excitement of the chase, but Keith’s smirk is larger than ever as they zoom forward towards the final escalator. Heart pounding fast, Allura braces herself for the imminent drop.

Allura takes Keith shopping. Feelings and shenanigans ensue.

Of mice and wolves by flusteredkeith (lavendori) (2.1k words, rated G)

It isn't easy, but it takes Allura some time, some mice, and maybe some vaguely flirty teases from Keith for her to start softening up to his space wolf.

“Ugh!” she groans, lifting her leg to place her foot at Kosmo’s chest so she can gently-not-so-gently push him away from her chair. “Come here and collect your animal!” “What, right now?” Keith counters, an edge of amusement in his tone. “I’m piloting a lion, Princess.” “You know what I mean!” Allura spits.

Orange Peels by Eastofthemoon (8.8k words, rated G)

Allura finds there is much to adjust to as she stays on the planet Earth, yet she can't wrap her mind around the fact that humans have yet to develop a cure for the 'common cold'.

Kallura Month Challenge - 2018 by nishikaze (34.4k words, rated T)

So I decided to take on this challenge and I hope you enjoy. Most of this is going to be in one long story or episodes of the same overarching story line. Some will lead directly into each other while others will be separate episodes in the same general narrative. The only possible exception being the “Free” days. All of this takes place in what I assume to be the time between season 7 and season 8.

This will all be as close to canon as possible.

Precipice by bob_eclipsa_smith (17.3k words, rated T)

Their relationship was built on unstable ground, on an impulse, proving to Keith that something good truly could come out of something devastating. All he had to do now, is choose whether or not to pursue it.

(Formerly called Grief Once More)

the end of all things by rosegoldenglows (2.8k words, rated G)

Suddenly, as if sensing his gaze fixated on her, Allura turns her head and locks eyes with Keith. He feels his face flush, embarrassed to have been caught staring so openly, with no way to pretend he wasn’t. He can’t find it in himself to look away though. Her eyes, which are always so bright and expressive, unable to hide anything, seem unusually dull, lacking their usual sparkle. The sight pains him. He can’t remember the last time he felt this disconnected from her.

nitesky by juniberries (emollience) (2.9k words, rated G)

The setting evening sun splays gold and pink over his face, the blue-black of his hair. A different picture than him with his chin resting in hand under the orange Garrison meeting room glow or him standing behind them all, arms crossed, the faint cyan castle lights catching in his hair. Softer. More at ease. Her breath catches.

three times princess Allura of altea wanted to kiss Keith Kogane, and one time she did.

resolution by sensorysoftness (2.9k words, rated T)

A date on the Garrison roof, ten doboshes before the New Year.

Piece of Cake by Eastofthemoon (1.7k words, rated G)

Allura was not a baker, but surely baking a cake for Keith's birthday shouldn't be too hard right?

sugar rush by jinora (3.2k words, rated T)

He weaves easily through dwindling crowds, avoiding sticky popsicles and dripping ice cream cones, and finally when he reaches the edge of the ocean, the orange sun glaring in his eyes, he turns a corner. Immediately, he spots her waiting near a pick-up corner for snow ice, standing out from the crowd with her silver hair low-braided in a bun and tied neatly with a glittery pink ribbon.

The Day Will Come by yumenokage (vongarblue) (3k words, rated T)

Written for Kallura Day 2k16.

He and Allura had vastly different roles to play in this war. He knew that. He knew, dammit. So why did it still feel like he was being ripped apart, devoured from the inside out every time he had to see it?

Sometimes, love must give way to duty.

an invitation, a smile by ahatfullofoctarine (orphan_account) (1.2k words, rated G)

“I have a life Allura.”

“Really.” Allura’s eyes flickered to the sparse living room behind Keith, undoubtedly landing on the couches with white sheets still draped over them. “I’m intrigued as to what your definition of the word entails.”

Pre-Kallura. Post-War Fic. Takes liberties with canon.

Secret Vows by Eastofthemoon (3.2k words, rated G)

Keith and Allura get the idea they can just get married and have the actual wedding later. There is only one problem with their plan, they forgot to tell the others about it.

rose in the wild by jinora (1.9k words, rated T)

Like his memories of vast desert canyons and the melodic sound of crickets at night, a fire inside him burns and he wants to remember this moment, this space, forever.

Beneath the Blossoms by Dargorian (2.2k words, rated T)

Alternate Universe

Love is a Curse by Nandireya (8.2k words, rated T)

Kallura Month 2017 Day Nine Duty or Heart?

An arranged marriage between a reluctant bride and a disinterested groom. A young bodyguard with an overdeveloped sense of honour. What could possibly go wrong?

A prequel to More Than Life.

More Than Life by Nandireya (9.5k words, rated T)

Loosely based on 80s fantasy flick Ladyhawke and prompts from this list...

Three young villagers get unwillingly drawn into a tale of magic, curses and tragic love when they follow a mysterious black knight and the beautiful bird always at his side.

You Shine Like the Moon by WinterFairy209 (4.6k words, rated T)

Keith didn't know why he had found a girl passed out in a crater near his house or why she was so entrancing. All he knew was that he didn't want to let her go.

Written for Kallura Month, Day 1: Moon Princess.

Lion Goddess by Eastofthemoon (2.8k words, rated G)

Keith has been selected from his tribe to bring the regular tribute to the Lion Goddess. However, little does anyone know of the true reason he now goes to the temple.

bodyguard by clairelutra, sharpshooter (608 words, rated T)

The Blade member that had been assigned as Allura’s protection detail had been protecting her for a solid three months, and not once had she seen him in the flesh.

According to Kolivan, that meant that he was doing his job, but Allura… Allura couldn’t help but wonder.

With the Certainty of Tides by AceOnStandbi (4.2k words, rated G)

They say some people are destined to find each other, in every world, every lifetime. Keith isn't sure if that's true, but he's found people that he wouldn't want to live without despite everything else in his life.

OR a look at a world in which Voltron doesn't exist but everyone's favorite paladins find a way to meet anyways. (Focused on Keith and Allura)

Ranger Joins The Party by Eastofthemoon (9k words, rated G)

(Monsters and Mana Setting) When Valayun gets separated from her friends, she ends up being saved by an unexpected stranger.

The Stars Rewritten by sasspan (2.5k words, rated G)

Five realities that didn't happen and one that did.

light, endlessly by sumireh (1.9k words, rated T)

I'll see you in the next lifetime, and in every one after that.

rose-coloured you by jinora (6.7k words, rated T)

a collection of old, unfinished works for our rosegold soulmates ♥

pink in the night by jinora (9.8k words, rated T)

When Allura looks up, Keith has his arm next to her against the wall, staring down at her with a strikingly contented smile that recently she’s found sends her heart racing. She’s seen this look on him before, like she’s the only girl in the world. It’s only natural, after all, when they’ve been best friends for over ten years. Allura bites her lower lip and grins, her cheeks flush – it has to be the alcohol – as she daringly meets the intensity of his gaze.

moon tangerine by jinora (1.7k words, rated T)

His grip on his pencil tightens – something switches on – and he turns the page, devouring the exhilarating sight of a fresh, blank canvas. He begins with the familiar, gentle curve of Allura’s cheek.

two steps forward by QueenCamellia (6.7k words, rated T)

Instead of waking up in the Castle of Lions, Allura awakens from her ten-thousand year slumber to find herself on Earth.

(or: Allura acclimates to Earth culture, joins the Garrison, gains new perspectives, develops more as a character, and accidentally affects the plot a lot.)

(Now a fix-it.)

Dividers by @saradika

[hinasho]

Do you think Lestat's outburst against Claudia before the drop, is also informed by his relationship to Gabriella? Doing everything he can to make Gabriella love him- the incest ( even though he doesn't say it, there must be some revulsion subconsciously). The love perverted by Gabriella-> unconditional between Louis and Claudia. In his jealousy he says some crude and unthinkable things about Louclaudia. None of his parents were ever there for Lestat-Gabriella never was his immortal companion. Louis was ready to be so for Claudia.

About 90% of Lestat’s feelings about LouClaudia are related to Gabriella. The last 10% is more about Lestat projecting his grief over Nicki onto Claudia. But that’s a diff convo.

So yes, Lestat’s reaction to the love between LouClaudia is heavily based on the traumatic relationship with his own mother. But imo it’s about more than the unconditional love between them. It’s about their enmeshment and Louis’ dependency on Claudia. LouClaudia had the unhealthy dynamic Lestat wishes he had with Gabriella.

Young Lestat & Gabriella looked a lot like LouClaudia. Bonding with each other to a heightened degree due to the patriarchal abuse in their household.

Similar to Louis, Gabriella projected her own identity onto Lestat. However, the difference is Gabriella turned their dynamic into sexual assault. She felt empowered living vicariously through Lestat, while at the same time feeling empowered by hurting and controlling him.

On the flip side, Louis seeks redemption and purity through Claudia. He feels his life can finally have value by identifying himself solely in relation to her (“Who are you, Louis?” “I’m your brother.”) He is not living through her, he is being saved through her.

Both GabiLou reached for their ideal selves through LesClaudia, but where Lestat’s masculinity was the goal for Gabriella, Claudia’s innocence was the goal for Louis. (And both were false perspectives, mind you, but that’s also a different convo. I’m going to kms with all these possible tangents!!)

So LouClaudia’s relationship does not and would not ever turn sexual, but it was emotionally incestuous. Their identities blended together and eliminated the very needed boundaries that are supposed to exist between parent/child or brother/sister.

The “two blood fat cocks” line in S2 was funny from an outside pov, but what siblings are actually saying that to each other?!

The Loustat sex scene where Claudia telepathically talks to Louis is referenced often, but even before that.

Lestat wasn’t wrong that Antoinette should generally be his and Louis’ business rather than hers. But LouClaudia (as one identity) felt she had the place to get involved.

And even before that, before the drop, Louis became despondent when Claudia went off on her college phase. It’s one thing to feel guilt given they just had an argument when Claudia left out the door, but Louis practically fell apart. And stayed this way for years!

I say all this to point out that Louis & Claudia’s relationship, while beautiful and full of love, was also unhealthy.

And it was the way they were unhealthy that Lestat was envious of. Lestat projects onto Claudia a LOT and the older she got, the more he saw of himself in her. And this viewpoint leads him to becoming paranoid about LouClaudia given what happened with him and Gabi. Except there is no sex(ual assault) involved. Only emotional codependency. And this, ironically, makes Lestat even more furious about it.

He does not want to be in a sexual relationship with his mother, but he does want to be in a codependent relationship with his loved ones. He wanted Gabriella to “belong” to no one except himself, and the same with Louis. He wants all of their attention all the time, and wants to be needed & sought after by them always.

He would’ve done anything to have a mother who’d waste away by the simple suggestion he go somewhere by himself. He would’ve done anything to have a mother who would want to forever share a coffin with him and have little to no interest in separating.

Louis is not ever abandoning Claudia, the only way she’d gain independence is by being the one to leave him (and the second time she tries to in S1, Louis literally plans to kill himself the morning after. He could not live without Claudia!) It’s the direct opposite of GabiStat where Gabriella routinely leaves him behind without a care in the world. Lestat wanted that part of Louis’ attachment to Claudia. The ruinous devotion with no threat of abandonment ever. Where separation would feel like the equivalent of death for both of them.

One of the biggest reasons I think Lestat fell in love with Louis during their courtship era is because he could see how full of love and affection Louis was when it came to the people he cared about. It’s a trait they both share, being lover boys, while also being complementary: Lestat feeling wholly unloved and Louis overflowing with his capacity to love.

But when Louis gets turned and Lestat stops being able to read his mind, and they stop having sex, and, presumably, stop sharing blood, Lestat feels denied this aspect of Louis while believing Claudia is receiving all of it.

Lestat wants the love and emotional intimacy, but more pointedly he wants the enmeshment. He wants the “I’ll completely fall apart or even kill myself if you leave”, he wants the codependency. And it all ties back to Gabriella’s abuse as her relationship with Lestat was at the extreme other end in terms of affection and care. Because of how deprived of love Lestat has been his entire life, he craves the near-obsession toxic kind. LouClaudia’s codependency was his most desired kind’ve dynamic to have with someone, and the fact he witnessed it every single day drove him mad.

Mind you, LouClaudia’s enmeshment is a result of Lestat’s own abuse towards them. He played a role in creating the very relationship he always wanted. Just that its foundation is built as an outlet from him, their own messed up safe space. Making the cycle never ending where Lestat abuses LouClaudia -> LouClaudia grow closer to each other in response -> Lestat feels more excluded and the abuse gets worse. And it just kept going until you got the drop and again and again before exploding as Mardi Gras.

A lot of what happened at Rue Royale were the three of them projecting onto each other. We know Louis loves Lestat & Claudia equally. In 1x05, Louis doesn’t even actually agree to leave with Claudia and abandon Lestat. He wants to be with them both. And if S2 Dreamstat isn’t a reflection of Louis’ cavernous grief during Claudia’s college phase then idk what is. But it really is about Lestat projecting his own trauma, desires, and fears onto LouClaudia that makes things spiral into hell.

This isn’t to say Louis was completely blameless. He wasn’t. 2022 Louis looked back and acknowledged that during Claudia’s college phase, he took satisfaction in provoking Lestat. In his depression, he wasn’t only sad but was also weaponizing his own guilt against Lestat. And so after years of this, Claudia does nothing but walk through the door and instantly receives a gentle, worshipful hug from Louis. On top of everything else, it’s contrasts like these that also unravelled Lestat, who laser focuses on the negatives of his and Louis’ relationship while only seeing the positives of Louis’ relationships with other people.

But overall, yes. A lot of what upset Lestat about LouClaudia was a trauma response from his relationship with Gabriella. Unholy Family is an extremely complex dynamic that you could spend years talking about, and this is definitely one aspect of them.

[viridianstyre]

Obfuscation of the truth; Lawyer Litigation scene TVL episode 2 Toledo

When episode 2 delivered the highly recognisable lawyer scene, I waited with baited breath for a particular part that the extended trailer had shown us and which I really wanted to see given context. But by the end I thought I had just completely missed it taking place, it wasn't until I rewatched the episode that realisation struck; memory is a monster.

I hadn't missed the moment, it just never took place in the episode.

Wondering what else had been purposefully left out, I went over both the trailer and episode, trying to see if there was anything I could understand from the differences.

Lets start chronologically:

The episode starts the scene with an establishing shot of a coffee machine, pastries and associated utensils. Which perfectly stages the entire tone of the scene; for a meeting with 3 vampires and 1 mortal, this setup is excessive since only Christine would be able to consume any of it. It's effectively a decoration with no real purpose, a performance if you will.

Adding to that the shot is upside down, which is a visual confirmation that the scene has been altered in some way. To turn something upside down is to change or distort it.

In the episode, the next time the coffee machine is fully framed in shot again (this time upright), there's also a photograph directly above it of a cityscape seemingly upside down at first glance. The camera doesn't pause here but continues to keep the photograph in view, panning until it stops at where Louis makes his first appearance.

The photograph being shown as upside down for it's first appearance, happens at the same time when Louis is referred to as Mr Pitt, an alias used to bring Lestat to the meeting under false pretenses.

The upside down city is kept in view when Louis relays (through Lemuel) that it was actually Lestat that had called the meeting, and (interestingly enough) still in shot when Christine denies that "[Lestat] did no such thing" but with the camera stopping at and centering Louis for the entire duration of her saying it.

The coffee machine staying upright throughout the sequence, affirms that the truth is present in this moment, even if (what looks like) the upside down photograph shows that a distorted view of these events is being presented to us.

While the trailer gives a decent length of time for this scene, the establishing shot is a very quick split second, and has Lestat as the first character presented. Keep in mind that he's shown wearing his sunglasses for only this shot in the trailer, for the rest of the scene he isn't wearing them or otherwise touching them even if they're present on the table (more on this later).

The next part seems like a bit of a reach, but honestly the show runners are very intentional with how a scene is staged so bear with me here; His right hand is curled in a way that somewhat resembles the motion made when pressing down on a gun's trigger, and it's not facing the camera head on or completely to the right, but aiming diagonally right. Combined with the lyrics from 'All Fall Down' (from the previous part of the trailer) of "Bang bang bang" (the literal sound a gun makes!), and the pattern of his shirt which almost look like splatters or cracks from a bullet's impact, all bring attention to how the scene is a fight that he's unwilling to lose to his opponent.

While Lestat is not the first character appearing in the scene for the episode, his first appearance is similar enough to the trailer but with a few key differences. He still has his sunglasses on but his shirt is noticeably more buttoned up and his hands are under the table. This version is visibly and quite literally not showing us his hand, he's playing it cool so that even his expression is more stoic, he's all business.

When the camera centres him, Christine (talking to Lemuel) mentions the act of being dishonest quite neutrally, instead of explicitly addressing either Louis or Lemuel, or both together, she uses "these" not "you or your", suggesting that the thing being "made up" in this shot relates to Lestat.

For the episode, in the last shot with Lestat in frame before he takes off his (unnecessary) sunglasses, he states that his songs are not about Louis, with the visual of his right hand raised in a loose fist = a verbal punch, and his obstructed eyes inform us that he doesn't want anyone to scrutinise the truthfulness (or lack thereof) of that statement.

Lestat is out of view when he takes off the glasses, which occurs during a back and forth with Louis about the iwtv book. Note how the photograph which had been shown only halfway is revealed more for the first time, informing us that it was never upside down, but carefully positioned to look like it was, as the mirrored reflection of the city was what we saw rather than the actual city, similarly our perception of the truth was distorted by an external force.

In the next shot of Lestat in frame without the sunglasses, he's continuing the conversation by verbally challenging Louis (and looking at him), but both his body and head are tilted towards Lemuel in a hunched but alert position, with the camera framing Lestat between Louis' shoulder and Lemuel's hand.

Now lets get into what caused this spiral, after comparing them, I found that there were 2 key moments that were present in the trailer but absent in the episode.

Trailer 1st Moment:

When Armand is brought up for the first time in the trailer, Louis questions Lestat if "[He] wants to get into Armand?" whilst Lestat continues to laugh. Also note that the camera uses a close up shot of just Louis when this interaction takes place for the first time, intentionally leaving Lemuel out of frame. But Lemuel's introduction as a character wasn't kept a secret in the trailer, so there's no other reason to not include him in frame unless it was narratively important to show how focused Lestat was on Louis' response to Lestat bringing up Armand.

Episode 1st Absence:

The episode leaves out Louis' question, and includes Lemuel in frame when Armand is brought up. Remember that this interaction has been edited by Lestat to feel less emotional, the distance of the camera relates to the distance Lestat is placing between him goading Louis about Armand, and his interest in Louis' response.

The omission of Louis' question was strange, since the proceeding argument about Armand stays the same in both trailer and episode. It's possible Lestat doesn't actually want to discuss Armand (in greater depth), and by erasing Louis' question, he can pretend that it's Louis who's reluctant to tell him about his relationship, rather than it being Lestat who is fearful of what he might find out about Louis' relationship with Armand (which lasted longer than Lestat's own relationship with Louis). This also indicates that for the most part, Lestat is in the dark in regards to Louis and Armand's relationship.

Trailer 2nd Moment:

I believe this moment was the catalyst for Lestat's rewrite of the scene; when Louis reaches out to Lemuel to touch his hand, with Louis being the initiator of this touch. This is what causes Lestat's affronted and distressed expression, and it's this moment that he refuses to admit happened since it's absence in the episode is quite telling.

Episode 2nd Absence:

Lestat's distressed expression is unchanged in the retelling, but the shot before, that replaces the one in the trailer, has Lemuel mentioning ending the meeting "dispassionately", the implication that Lestat's time with Louis is coming to a lacklustre end, and with the "we" used by Lemuel to signify his unity with Louis.

By replacing the moment that Louis reaches for Lemuel, the moment which Lestat views as most distressing in the entire interaction (based on his reaction), with an event that Lestat feels more comfortable admitting happened instead, with his fears of Louis' possible affections for another man hidden behind a more neutral (on the surface) moment.

Christine's dialogue right after, the inclusion of the "yes" at the start of her sentence, and that isn't in the trailer, suggests that Lemuel's sentence wasn't at all what he said, but something Lestat made up or changed to be more palatable for himself.

Another key part of the replacement shot is that Lemuel goes to put on his sunglasses, but only puts them on when out of view of the camera (more on this later).

Next I wanted to discuss the use of the sunglasses by both Lestat and Lemuel. As a metaphor they act as a shield or partial mask, as they literally cover a character's eyes and make them harder to read/ less emotional when that character wants to downplay their reaction. It's also very much a pointed metaphor since they serve no actual purpose for either vampire who are meeting in a somewhat dimly lit room.

The first time we see Lemuel with the sunglasses properly on, is when Lestat questions the nature of the relationship between him and Louis, and Louis agrees with his assumption. Lemuel himself doesn't contribute to the answer (either verbally or non verbally), even though Lestat addressed both of them together when asking about their relationship. Note how the photograph is once again cut off so the illusion of an upside down city is visible again.

Lemuel's sunglasses are also similar in proportion and colour to Lestat's, his eyes obstructed from the audience's view with a stoic expression, he's all business.

The next shot after the reveal of Louis' involvement with Lemuel, Lestat taunts Louis with his own words, to find out if Louis has a new companion. Even though Lestat is addressing Louis, he's looking at, and tilted towards where Lemuel is sitting (out of frame). Most importantly, Lestat's right hand is raised towards Lemuel, first uncurled in a goading 'come fight me' gesture, then curled almost like exercising his hand in a precursor to making a fist when Louis responds that Lemuel is not his companion. From Lestat's expression, we can extrapolate that he most likely doesn't believe Louis.

It's also interesting that the majority of the time when Lestat gestures with his right hand, it's in relation to Lemuel but his left hand (closest to his heart) is mostly reserved for Louis.

The scene proceeds with Louis describing his relationship with Lemuel, using the phrase "emotionally unavailable" to imply a lack of intimacy.

Note how the photograph's distortion is still visible and hasn't been corrected when this dialogue occurs, a confirmation that this sequence has been revised by Lestat.

Also important is how Lemuel's head is tilted towards Lestat, in a 'challenge accepted' kind of way, his body language visually confirms he's acknowledging Lestat as an opponent.

The last time Lestat is in view before he puts on his sunglasses again, he gifts concert tickets to Louis and Lemuel. He addresses Louis using his alias to distance them, and he refers to Lemuel as Louis' "esquire", an important distinction as this is the first and last time he addresses Lemuel directly.

An esquire can be defined in two distinct ways; 1. A barrister at law, which makes sense as Lemuel is performing as Louis' lawyer/ legal representation even if we're never given a proper introduction as to who he is or what his title is, we can understand from context what role he occupies in this scene. But why esquire? There are plenty of synonyms for lawyer without any other double meanings that Lestat could have used to address Lemuel, why choose esquire specifically? 2. A medieval knight's attendant, this second meaning is meant to land as an insult, Lestat is calling Lemuel (Louis') inexperienced boy, a youth who is playing at being a knight but isn't actually one, with the implication that he will be unable to satisfy Louis.

An insult that Lemuel understands immediately, as the next time he's in view of the camera, he visibly grimaces through his frown, the first and last time he expresses a negative emotion on his face, as he's stayed purposefully neutral before this moment. In this shot, the photograph is once again revealed to be a city's reflection implying that this confrontation between Lemuel and Lestat has a basis in the more accurate version of this scene (that we have yet to see).

The proceeding shot is the first time Lestat is in frame with the sunglasses on again, it's here that Lemuel returns the insult by implying he's impressed with Lestat's "healthy margins" despite the "size of his tour", which is exactly what it sounds like; a dig at Lestat's you know what. The insult definitely lands, as Lestat's chin is angled towards Lemuel in a challenging way, but his right hand is kept mostly under the table this time, with the glimpse we see of it looks clenched in a fist similar to how Lemuel's (also right) hand predominantly in frame looks closed (like a fist) even if he's not actually closing his hand (the camera is positioned to make it look like it is) = two challengers facing off.

Meanwhile Lestat's left hand is stretched out enough to seem like he's almost touching the glimpse of Louis' shoulder in the foreground, creating a visual connection between them, trying to bridge the distance between them, a last grasp for Louis before the meeting ends.

Remember that in the trailer it was Louis who initiated that first (and only) contact with Lemuel, but in this sequence in episode 2, it's Lemuel who touches Louis' arm, also the only time they physically make contact. Interestingly Lestat is kept in frame when Lemuel first reaches for Louis in the foreground, the illusion of him touching Louis with his stretched hand is challenged with Lemuel literally touching Louis, this carries through in the next shot, this time with Lestat's shoulder at the edge of the frame, almost but not quite touching Louis, as if he's unable to allow the image of Louis and Lemuel touching without trying to impose himself onto Louis (this also happens in the 2nd moment in the trailer that was omitted from the episode).

The final moment I want to discuss is the first shot of the scene where all four parties are in frame, and which takes place moments before the scene ends when Lestat leaves. Look at how Lestat and Lemuel are positioned diagonally across from the other, how they're both wearing sunglasses in the first shot they share a frame, and are also the only two to be touching the table (gripping in Lestat's case).

Even though we (the listener of the failure records) are visually suggested (by Lestat) to view this scene as a confrontation between himself and Louis, on closer inspection the role of his opponent/ rival is in actuality Lemuel, with the two of them positioned as competing challengers for Louis(' affections).

For those paying attention, you'll see how this wide shot frames the entire room except for the city reflection painting, which is only shown partially, a reminder that in every single frame of the scene depicted in episode 2, we have not once seen this photograph completely. Which is very much intentional, as it's a visual marker to let us understand that we don't have the full picture just yet = this scene has been purposefully given to us in a redacted and disjointed viewing by Lestat, in order to minimise what he doesn't want to admit, and emphasise what he wants to distract us with.

I can't wait to watch the full unredacted version of this scene! Or as close as we can get of course, memory is fallible and less objective than we wish it was.

[pygmalimoon]

Part II of ‘Stay’

Music by MTNS

*literally played this song on repeat 426 times by the time I finished this :)

* the font used for the lyrics is Allura

[viridianstyre]

I fear I won't be recovering from this (compliment)

[graveyurt]

writing a fic set in the modern day and tagging it with period typical misogyny

[viridianstyre]

Arwen for the Ages

I went back to one of my very first ships, and Arthur x Guinevere are still the epitome of romance.

Here are some of my favorite Arwen stories.

Canon Compliant

Facio Ut Facias by WoodlandGoddess1 (4.3k words, rated G)

It was perfect weather for a picnic and it was the opposite of how Gwen felt.

Rooftop's Always Free From Prying Eyes by Nebula5030 (1.4k words, rated G)

The night before Arthur is sent on another months-long search for the missing Morgana, he goes to the battlements to take one last look over Camelot.

What he doesn't expect to find is that he's not alone.

Spring in Camelot by chaletian (1.2k words, rated G)

Gwen escapes Camelot for some privacy, but doesn't remain alone for long.

Where Light and Flame Meet by jesterlady (3.3k words, rated G)

Gwen isn't sure what's worse: having the choice taken away from her or having to make the choice on her own. Either way, she has the long ride back to Camelot to think about it and talk to the man she's riding with.

Stranger Things by Sarea Okelani (sarea) (5.9k words, rated T)

A woman's secrets are not always her own.

An Inexhaustible Moon by eurydice72 (14.3k words, rated T)

Four nights. Two lonely people. One inexhaustible bond.

What Might Have Been an Infatuation by Aimael (8.3k words, rated T)

Gwen is the last to realise what all the other servants see, when they notice the Prince of Camelot staring after her. Once she’s realised, though, it is hard to not wonder if maybe they are right.

Autumn Too Long by misscam (1.6k words, rated T)

The day Guinevere sleeps with Arthur Pendragon is an autumn's day like any other, and there is nothing to mark it special as it dawns.

She Didn't See by rbrgl (691 words, rated G)

She didn't know because she didn't see.

The Hollow Queen by QUATLovr (2.5k words, rated T)

It is not until they are safely returned to Arthur's bedchambers when she ceases to be the elegant Queen Guinevere and becomes Gwen once more.

Asunder by chaletian (377 words, rated G)

[Spoilers for 5x13] Gwen stands on the stone-cold steps of Camelot and does not weep.

Canon Divergent

To Become a Queen (and a King) by misscam (1.4k words, rated G)

Gwen was not born to be a Queen. Arthur was born to be a King.

Banish my Heart by misscam (3.6k words, rated T)

Love. Can't banish that, for all she tried. For all Arthur knew his father would not approve. For all Uther declared it not to be.

Painted Memories by Sarea Okelani (sarea) (1.4k words, rated T)

When Arthur needs him, Merlin once again proves himself a true friend.

All This Beauty by Sarea Okelani (sarea) (20.9k wods, rated M)

It's up to Merlin to keep Arthur, Gwen, and Lancelot from falling apart when Uther puts them in a situation that threatens the future of Camelot.

The Choices We Live With by Yalegirl03 (2.6k words, rated M)

One night during their flight from Camelot and Morgana's blood guard, Lancelot sees something he shouldn't have.

feels like a fever (like i'm burning alive) by svevenstar (hmsharmony) (21k words, rated M)

I will watch you grow into the king that Camelot deserves. And she will. She will hold true to her words, but not now, not with the crushing weight of everything she predicted coming to pass.

Arthur Pendragon has married his princess. Gwen will not be his queen. She will not be his anything.

Or: Arthur marries Elena, and Arthur and Gwen discover that burying their true feelings is easier said than done.

Matters of Trust by misscam (3.8k words, rated G)

Arthur loves Gwen, and Gwen loves Arthur. That's not the problem. Trust is.

something blue by alittlecatalepsy (10k words, rated G)

As the royal wedding approaches, Merlin searches for items requested by a magical rhyme, Gwen crafts two gowns and contemplates loyalty, and Arthur is just doing his best.

A Time of Joy by Nebula5030 (5.5k words, rated G)

Gwen’s lip quirked – ever patient even when her husband was being dense. “I suppose for now. And for the next few months. And maybe again in the future, if we’re lucky.” Arthur still looked confused. But then his eyes widened in sudden understanding, and he glanced between her face and her stomach multiple times. “You mean – you’re-?”

Gwen has something she needs to tell Arthur, and who better to help her do it than her best friend and Court Sorcerer, Merlin?

Alternate Universe

thread of gold by merlinemrys (divineauthor) (6.2k words, rated T)

You are built for things bigger than love.

The love story of Arthur and Gwen and the thread of fate that ties them together.

got to be (something bigger than me) by CyberQueens (30.6k words, rated T)

A thousand and a half years (or thereabouts) after Camlann, Gwen finds two strange men at her door.

aeterna memoria by zarahjoyce (15.3k words, rated G)

"What? Don't tell me you don't remember us, beautiful?"

Gwen hesitates.

Of course she'll remember why Three Hot Men In Her Area are suddenly looking at her like she's Guinevere Leodogran, A Very Very Important Person, and not just Guinevere Leodogran, Customer Service Representative.

So she says, "Nope. Sorry. And if you guys are selling stuff, I'm not interested."

--

aka Arthur returns in modern times and so does everyone's memories, except Gwen's.

And she might honestly prefer it that way.

(also she's Very Very Tired, TYVM)

Tell Me Now (What You See) by CyberQueens (6k words, rated G)

Role Reversal AU. In which Guinevere is the princess, Morgana is her maid, Merlin is the king's ward, and Arthur just wants to be a knight. Which is why, naturally, fate decides he should be a servant instead.

Guinevere and the King by sneetchstar (38.8k words, rated T)

Medieval AU loosely based on "The King and I".

[witchyangela]

People really need to realise that “media can affect real life” doesn’t mean “this character does bad things so people will read that and start doing bad things” and actually means “ideas in fiction especially stereotypes about minority groups can affect how the reader views those groups, an authors implicit prejudices can be passed on to readers”

[astraltrickster]

How fiction affects reality is about how it meshes with your internal templates for how the real world works.

Ratings are based on a rough estimate of when most people will have those templates form. For instance, there’s a standard for children’s media which states that you’re not supposed to include imitable violence more severe than an open-handed slap, because kids are just learning the overrides for the monkey-brain “if someone makes us angry, we hit them to send a message” drive. You can’t make a show for preschoolers that shows how to throw a punch, because they might very well just start punching people.

But you can show your average teenager as much punching as you want, and unless their parents REALLY fucked up, they won’t take it to mean “this is how you solve ANY problem, from a threat to your life, to someone looking at you funny.” When you can show the use of realistic guns to a person without them deciding that shooting people is a good idea depends on a lot of personal and cultural factors, but as a standard we can settle on people tend to agree that, as long as it doesn’t settle into reinforcing stereotypes as a possible invocation of “things that are okay only to defend your own life” or blatant war propaganda or similar exceptions, most adults can see all the violence they want - yes, even glorified violence - without turning into a violent menace themselves.

If you have it impressed upon you your whole life that killing people is bad - as you will, unless you have the worst kind of parents imaginable - you can watch your favorite action star kill tons of dudes, or play games that are just excuse plots for killing tons of dudes, or read about a million and a half creative ways to get away with killing tons of dudes, and you’re still not going to run out and kill tons of dudes or even think it might be okay to kill tons of dudes. This is because your mental template for how the world works strongly emphasizes “death = tragic; killing people = hurtful and bad”. Again, it might fuck with your head if the explanation for why killing tons of dudes is justified in the context of this piece of media aligns with common stereotypes of real people, or your own preexisting biases - this is how propaganda works - but even in THOSE cases a lot more factors have to align to get someone to the full extreme end and think “yes, killing tons of dudes irl is the answer to all my problems!”

It’s where people have weaker templates that’s really a problem. For example, most Americans have no idea that Cairo in the modern day like this:

…because they’ve been inundated with media that portrays Egypt as looking homogeneously like this:

And - and this is the important part - they have had little to no experience to tell them otherwise.

Now, I’m assuming the majority of the people reading this post don’t live in Cairo - if you do, take this shoutout! - and if you are in that majority that doesn’t, imagine if someone tried to pass something like this off as your own hometown. Obviously, you’ll call bullshit! You’ve seen that place and it’s nothing like that!

But if it’s a place you don’t know anything about beyond the fact that it exists and has these famous landmarks for these famous historical reasons, then anyone can…pretty much just say whatever they want from that baseline, no matter how absurd, and you will probably accept it as, if not a fact, at least a believable fictionalization with some basis in reality. At most, maybe you’ll go

This is how media creates and perpetuates stereotypes - by getting in where you don’t know better and forming your mental template. It can even work if you do have real-life counterexamples, when those real-life counterexamples are uncommon enough or you don’t spend enough time with them - if you know maybe 5 members of a minority group and none of them act like the 500 stereotyped examples you see on TV, you’re likely to end up thinking “okay, there are exceptions to the rule”, rather than “the rule is bullshit”.

This is why “honest, varied representation matters” and “not all fiction is 1:1 monkey-see-monkey-do propaganda and it’s really dickish to assume the worst of someone just because they like one (1) game that you see unfortunate implications in or something” are both statements that can and should coexist.

[arrow-ettes]

people talking about male characters: I loveee this guy he sucks so bad but he's still my favorite #myguy #ilovemoralnuance

people talking about female characters: idk I don't hate her I just feel like we wouldn't get along in person and also she does things I personally wouldn't do so that's a bit off putting.

[ajihaew]

nothing can excite me unless it's you!

[papayajuan2019]

cruelty is so easy. youre not special for choosing it

[derelicthousefootage]

[chilewithcarnage]

"The trouble is that we have a bad habit, encouraged by pedants and sophisticates, of considering happiness as something rather stupid. Only pain is intellectual, only evil interesting. This is the treason of the artist; a refusal to admit the banality of evil and the terrible boredom of pain."

-Ursula K. LeGuin, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

[wizardnuke]

"Evil is boring. Right? I kinda believe in the banality and mundaneness of evil. Evil is just selfish impulses, which at the end of the day are really easy to understand. It’s easy to understand why people do bad things. It’s like “yeah, ok, you’re selfish and scared and cruel, I get it”. Being good is complex and beautiful and hard." - Brennan Lee Mulligan

[transchakotay]

“Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvelous, intoxicating.”

- Simone Weil

[doitforadamparrish]

when kafka said ‘you wouldn’t believe the kind of person I could become if you wanted it’ and when brontë said ‘if you ever looked at me with what I know is in you, I would be your slave’ and when Sartre said ‘if I’ve got to suffer it may as well be at your hands’

[seraphw37]

kallura save me

[fungi-maestro]

Hm. Your interpretation of this character displeases me. Guards! Take them away! Make them read the source material once more, and if that fails, the stocks.

[epiphainie]

media literacy would automatically go up 100% if people knew how to consume stories without self-inserting themselves into the characters' shoes. "if i were him..." you're NOT. you may relate to his story, his past, his traits, his quirks, his identity but the moment you start treating the story accepting what you feel/think as what the character feels/thinks, you're misunderstanding the story.

[texasdreamer01]

#the point of 'walking in a characters shoes' is to get a NEW point of view you were unfamiliar with #not to shoehorn the blorbo into your worldview as if they were YOU (x)

[taahko]

i think some of you dont like narratives or stories or characters i think you just like fanfiction tropes

[taahko]

protagonists can and will be sexist, racist, insensitive, cruel, stupid, etc, especially towards the beginning of a story. these are called character flaws and they are a surprise tool that will lead to narrative fulfillment later

[haomnyangz]

wake up babe new binding lore idea. what if when u unlocked perfect attunement u and ur partner got each other’s eye colour. (for angst purposes what if it was permanent unless one of u dies then it fades) discuss

[yangaf]

ngl LOVE the idea that “catra” is just a nickname for her REAL name that adora busts out whenever the situation calls for it.

“get out of the tree, catra.”

“you’re not the boss of me, adora.”

“Catrina. Get down, now.”

“… that was REALLY low.”

glimmer & bow: WHO,,????

[yangaf]

i love this but consider:

priest at adora & catra’s wedding: “Do you, Catrina Applesauce Meowmeow, take Princess Ad-“

glimmer: hold up. hold the fuck up. wait. wait a fuc-

[yangaf]

at the next intergalactic peace summit:

glimmer: i’m proud to introduce to you She-Ra, Princess of Power-

adora, posing with her wedding ring: actually it’s She-Ra Meowmeow, Princess of Power :)

glimmer: die. fucking die. divorce her. i’m not kidding

[yangaf]

glimmer: you could have taken adora’s last name it’s absolutely free

catra: we named ourselves when we were 5 and adora’s full name was adora happysmile rainbowfist

glimmer: jail. jail for 1000 years