JOHN: What Are You Doing?

JOHN: What are you doing?

(Arthur starts to fidget.)

ARTHUR: I'm removing my shoes.

JOHN: Why?

ARTHUR: Because I don't want to be heard.

—

This exchange takes place right before Arthur tries to kill Larson in s3. I know this probably isn’t anything at all, but it put me in mind of the tradition of people taking their shoes off before committing suicide

I think it in some respects a parallel of your own relationship with yourself. Even if you're aromantic, or asexual, your relationship with your body and self has some traces of sexuality, and romance. They aren't platonic because you don't platonically love yourself.

I disagree that it's metaphorically huge, and that it's more complicated than other relationships. They just don't have to adhere to society's perceptions of romance, and love. Every relationship if you look into it enough is just as interwoven, complicated, undefinable as Jarthur, it's just overly simplified when put into words. They aren't a couple, they are in a relationship. They love each other in any way that's available to them.

I also don't think they're in possession of the other. I haven't always liked that whole "your mine" thing. They're together, and linked, but not the property of the other. It's solidarity, not ownership.

I need to figure out how to write a post on how I view jarthur.

Yes romantic is a word to describe them- there is romance in there. It’s an element of their relationship that shouldn’t be overlooked. (At least from my perspective) But what they are is past friendship. Past romance. Past any sort of qpr. It’s something much much deeper and I’m not sure if there’s an exact word for it. Their very souls bleed together. They’re not quite complete without the other. They’re two separate beings with different aspirations but together they also make one being.

I think friends, QPPs and romantic partners are just- aspects of the bigger picture. It’s some sort of fourth option that says “yes they’re all of the above and so much more!”

They don’t even seem to want to be separated anymore- especially given that every change they’ve had at it and every time they had been, they fought tooth and nail to stay together as one.

DOG/WOLF JOHN ANALYSIS!!!!

I’ve been going crazy for this idea. I knew I had to wait until part 41 “The Windmill” came out before I could post this (I am a patron). But now I can!!

First off John is narratively a wolf, but from my knowledge he is behavior wise more doglike. I am not an animal or dog or wolf behaviorist, but that would be sick.

Analysis, and some screenshots of the transcript below :3

So for narratively a wolf: he's one of the first wolves. He was enthralled by the campfire, he wandered closer, he found a human and a human found him. And through necessity he was softened, and tamed. He is no longer the viscous, cruel, arrogant wild thing he was, but a loyal, devoted, sometimes kind, curious thing. He isn't a sweet obedient pup and he won’t, he's in the process of being tamed. He's becoming a domestic wolf.

Now dog behavior: He acts alot like a dog that hasn’t been thoroughly trained yet. Acting out when pushed into a corner, being desperate for attention. He behaves exactly like a dog that doesn’t understand the world. He’s pampered aggressive lap dog, never learned no to bite. Now Arthur is showing him the consequences, he’s teaching him how to behave.

My friend made a good point on fear aggression (I would at then but they don't have Tumblr). Some dogs react really badly when scared, biting and barking. This seems the exact reason he used Faroe against Arthur when he brought Emily up. He wa scared of the consequences so he bit back, and made it worse. He fell back on his violent ways because he doesn’t know anything different.

He’d do anything for his keeper (calling Arthur his owner is weird) make a deal with the devil to come back to him. He’d draw him to safety by his teeth, even if that meant dragging Arthur by the neck. He could never see him loose himself, or die. He’d even give up the luxurious life he used to live to be by his side, and keep him safe.

He latches to ideas and will not let go until satisfied, like a particularly stubborn dog. Even if hi assumptions are childish, especially if they’re childish. He sees a movie advertisement like a dog sees a squirrel. At the same time he’s quick to jump to killing, he sees a threat and bites first ask questions later, ho many times has he seen a threat and immediately demands Arthur kill it?

Like alot of dogs I know he only wants Arthur, he’s slow to trust, and feels jealous easily. Like a dog using their muzzle to get you to pet them, especially after petting another dog. (this is targeted) He doesn’t like Lily, or the bright bug like creature in the caves, he only appreciates Lily after he found kinship. He only trusted Noel after he was able to be known.

In some ways in season 4, John is akin to a dog with owners who don’t understand dog behavior. He has no voice no matter how loud he barks, only getting a reaction when he gets really loud or physical. Arthur doesn’t understand his needs, because they don’t have the means to communicate (a place where they won’t look insane talking to each other)

Just like a child being new to the world, he’s a dog abandoned on the streets after living in pent houses. He’s gonna be clueless and misguided.

Now some specific moments that helped me form this theory/metaphor/symbolization: there's more, but I either can't remember them or they're overarching stuff that can't be simplified with one screenshot

Drew my friends John's!!!

First @jude-began-pestering-you's John!! Their KiY, and fragments have the father, the son, and the holy Spirit symbology.

Mine is the one on the bottom, theirs is on the top

And now @/silliest_sp00ks on tt. They draw John as a octoling.

Same as before mine is on the bottom, theirs is on the top

I was gonna do their Arthur's but I lost motivation, and those seemed harder for whatever reason.

@sunshinecryptid sry it took so long, but you told me to @ you if I posted their Splatoon designs <3

OC ART DUMP!!!!

Most of them are of my OC Algid, I don't have a favorite idk what you're talking about

We got

Yianna: #1

Isagani: #2

Febrile: #3 and #9

Emmalyn: #4

#5 has no name, she is a tmasona

Algid: #6, #7, #8, and #10