Ship Analysis - Tumblr Posts

This is for the asks on why I ship FushiKugi.

Well, I started to become much closer to the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom for the past few months. You all know that every fandom has shippers and there are problems and beefs with other people around us. As a FushiKugi shipper, I have been asked for a handful of times on why I like the ship. Till date, I have not perfectly explained why I liked them. In this post I will tell why I actually like them. This is going to be quite long though.

Before I begin, I would just like to tell a few things which we all need to understand. We shippers are naturally biased (or may not) towards our favorite ships. We also have slight negative biases for the ones which we hate or don’t like that much. Its hundred percent okay to have biases because they are quite natural. Maybe, I am a bit biased for FushiKugi and have some negative biases for its rival ships- Most of it being ItaKugi, NobaMaki and/or maybe even ItaFushi. Nevertheless, I stay a bit unbiased and appreciate its rival ships as well. Btw, I multi-ship Nobara with all the three but I am far more inclined for FushiKugi. Maybe because I am biased.

Well, its absolutely fine if you don’t ship FushiKugi because they are not your cup of tea. Definitely okay, but what pisses me off at times is people questioning me about shipping FushiKugi. They don’t really question when people ship Nobara with Maki because its quite a very popular ship in the fandom. Even ItaKugi for that matter, but they are like, “FushiKugi…. why you ship it?” or “I can’t understand why people ship Nobara with Megumi” or “FushiKugi, is that even a ship?” or anything like this. Okay, you hate them, you hate them. That’s not my problem, but can’t you just give a second thought or accept that everyone are entitled to have their own opinions, choices and preferences?

Didn’t Nobara have screentime and moments with Megumi too? Weren’t there times they shared a good chemistry? Also weren’t there times when they too had some notable moments? I can’t understand why people tell that NobaMaki and/or ItaKugi made sense but not FushiKugi. There is a hypocrisy behind their opinion. Nobara almost shared equal chemistry with both Yuji and Megumi. The dynamics were just different, but they were more or less made equally sense. 

In the love-triangle between Yuji, Nobara and Megumi, FushiKugi arguably gets the least attention or fan contributions from the fans because they think that Yuji is more of a shippable character than Megumi or Nobara because of Yuji’s affable and extroverted persona. That’s why ItaFushi and ItaKugi are comparatively popular.

However…. just because Megumi is very introverted and anti-social, it doesn’t mean he should not have any girl friend or should be shipped with any female character. Nobara is practically the only female character he has interacted with after Tsumiki, who is actually his step-sister. Anti-social guys can form a lot of potential building chemistry w/any girl. Anti-social guys can actually have more development than extroverted ones because they aren’t like that. They will travel the road to become more socializing with people. They have more room to improve themselves. They’ll learn to socialize well and that’s a development for them. There is no such policy saying that guys like Megumi are better off-single than getting married. I have seen the same from Naruto fans who tell that for Sasuke. In this case, Megumi is also a shippable character and it wouldn’t make sense for him to be shipped with any other character apart from Nobara if we talk ‘bout hetero ships. Yuji still has an untapped potential w/his classmate Yuko Ozawa, whom Yuji acknowledged and respected her despite many of his class peers didn’t care about her that much because of her being fat and kinda weird. Heck, he even says that he will pick her out of all the classmates in their class.

You might even tell that they are together because they are teammates. But, teammates are really potential to form an amazing chemistry because they are close! They are put as teammates for a reason. They not even need to be romantic.

Honestly speaking, Slash or femslash have the least probability to become the endgames in shounen as far as we have seen. Barely any BL or GL ship becomes canon. Its absolutely okay to still ship them because nobody forced you to ship canon ships. Heck, I am not sure if even FushiKugi will become canon but I still ship it. So we all are not yet sure which couples will become the endgame.

Thus it quite pisses me off when antis tell that FushiKugi never made sense. Ironically, even the skepticism about their hate is what really doesn’t make sense. If we ship, we exactly don’t need a reason. Sometimes we don’t need a reason to like something, we just need a reason to hate something. Regardless, there are a lot of shippers who still have reasons to support them.

So finally…. I will tell why I love the ship so much. 

⚠ MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠

Keep reading

Sorry, anon! Shitlr said my censored cropped artwork was too explicit. Here's my repost 🤡

Yes, I have!! I see Eriwagon as strictly queerplatonic (ship analysis & explanation under the cut!).

In the context of this drawing, they're simply putting on a show for Jonathan. Uncensored here.

I like to imagine that Erina & Speedwagon are in a queerplatonic relationship- I mean, they likely sleep in the same bed. They're married to the same man. Sex would occasionally become a group activity at that point.

Even though Speedwagon is gay, I believe it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for him to step out of his sexual comfort zone every once in a while.

Speedwagon and Erina enjoy putting on a show for Jonathan on rare occasions. It gets Jonathan riled up & Speedwagon trusts Erina to respect his boundaries.

And in regards to the canon timeline- I feel that Speedwagon & Erina's relationship definitely qualifies as queerplatonic. Speedwagon goes above & beyond providing. It's clear that he & Erina are bonded by their common love for Jonathan- so much so that Joseph picks up on it.

Jonaeriwagon already pushes the boundaries of conventional relationships. QPR Eriwagon doesn't erase Speedwagon's homosexuality & it accurately describes his intimate but non-romantic relationship with Erina. QPRs are also underrated & deserve more representation :3

(I think patrOnDyi1ing's adorable drawing perfectly captures Speedwagon and Erina's relationship 🥺)

https://www.tumblr.com/dearweirdme/736764037660098560/httpswwwtumblrcomdearweirdme7367208645743738

Uh, as a Korean American immigrant who has actually lived in Korea as a child, spent time in Korea for vacation and lived in Seoul while studying, this is 100% bullshit.

I really wish people who aren't Korean or don't have any connection to Korean culture would stop commenting in this way and I really wish people would stop taking Korean shippers at their word. A lot of shippers can not be trusted to remain unbiased and honest and that includes K-tkkers as well. Shippers always have and always put their own agenda first. We have all seen how video editors have been able to twist a single moment into something that seems much more and it's no different than what some Korean shippers do with the language.

Jeongguk isn't any more or less formal with Jimin than he is with Taehyung besides the fact that he's a little more teasing with Jimin in a way that could be considered taunting if you dialled it up (and I'm not saying that Jeongguk taunts Jimin. I'm trying to describe what kind of tone it is...more like sibling/close friend. Actually a bit like VMIN but not as much, if you understand what I'm trying to say)

but jkkers will use the fact that Jeongguk often drops the 형 (hyeong) honorific with Jimin but they won't tell you that it's because he jokingly PLAYS up the formality instead. If you listen closely, you will often hears Jeongguk adding 씨 (ssi) at the end of Jimin's name in place of 형 (hyeong). This is essentially calling him Jimin, sir or Mr Jimin.

(To make it clear, Jeongguk does this is a playful manner, not a cold or disrespectful manner and definitely not a sexual one as I've heard some foreigners claim when they find it out )

His language or tone can be very fond at times but this isn't exclusive to any particular member. It's just that shippers will only zoom in on the interactions between members they ship.

As for romantic tone, what are you people hearing, honestly?

Nobody and I mean NOBODY in Bangtan are speaking romantically to each other. Simply because they would never get away with it, making it so obvious. If you hear ANYTHING like that, it will be done in a way to make it obvious that it's a joke or not to be taken seriously.

If there were any romantic overtures at all, it would be done in a way that can be passed off as fanservice since that's considered acceptable and cute within fandoms (though there still a good portion of the GP especially older men who do not like fanservice between idols at all ) You would NOT find it within the language itself. We (Koreans) take language VERY seriously and that is something that would draw the attention of people outside of shippers.

To make it clear, there is none of this 'nuance' between the way Taehyung and Jeongguk speak to each other either.

The closest you will find to that perspective is that they kind of alter their tones with each other in a way that could appear 'couply' if that's what angle you were looking at it from; speaking lower and higher to appear more manly and soft but even then, in Korea this can be put down to a younger brother trying to impress an older brother by appearing more manly or an older brother teasing a younger brother because of the respect/honorific system.

(With all the other 'evidence' I personally considered it from a romantic angle but the point is that it can be viewed a different way)

I'm sorry to tell people but the only people who consider Jikook real or even Taekook real are their shippers. Korea really isn't as progressive as some of you seem to think it is. It's getting better but there's still a whole generation or two who hold onto the old ways and would not tolerate a homosexual couple and there's still a lot of homophobia within the younger generation that would surprise some people. The tide is turning but it's turning slowly I can see it taking a couple more generations at least before we see any sort of significant change. Personally, I think LGBTQ rights in Korea will be led by feminism and that it will be a consequence of women's rights being taken more seriously. I think we're going to have to wait to see a major foothold gained there before the discussion on LGBTQ is even taken seriously. That's just my opinion though.

So if any ship in Bangtan were treating each other or talking to each other in a way that could be considered seriously romantic, we would all know about it because it would be considered a national scandal.

Even when Dispatch highlights Taekook, they do so in a way that falls in line with the concept of fanservice or Dispatch trying to capitalise on their individual popularity by putting them together (like doubling down on their fans, if you understand what I mean)

Being American raised, I do think the fact that Dispatch highlights them so much and specifically focuses on them as a 'couple' rather than playing with the pairings is one of the more suspicious things about Taekook, especially if it is true that Jikook are the more popular couple with the Korean fandom and considering Jimin and Jeongguk are both more popular with K-Army than Taehyung is. (Up until Running Man at least. That gained him a lot of attention and favor with the GP and an older audience and I know his choice of military service would have been received well, especially by older and younger Korean males)

If you pay attention to the actual words passed between these pairings, you will very easily see who spends much time together and doesn't, who is just catching up after some time apart and not, who is pleased to see each other again or who doesn't feel the need to be, who knows more about each other than not. This is the kind of stuff where any 'nuance' lays but I can tell you absolutely that it doesn't lay directly in their language.

Sorry for rambling but it's just really annoying when I see Korean Army manipulating International Army with our language and culture. Yes, there are some nuances that can be missed if you're not familiar with our language and culture but we are all human beings at the end of the day and some understanding between us is universal. A good rule of thumb is that if it isn't coming across in the body language then don't trust it if someone says it's coming across in the verbal language.

If people really want to use language to frame or understand their ship then I would suggest actually learning it so you can be informed yourself rather than trusting the word of biased people. It might not give shippers the results they want but it is a beautiful, poetic language in its own right.

Hi anon!

Thank you very much for this!

19 REASONS WHY VALENFIELD IS CANON.

fight me hoe 😍😍

A Resident Evil Analysis

Chris & Jill's relationship in RE5

Disclaimer: This is simply an analysis on how I perceive their relationship in Resident Evil 5. Some of what I say may be canon, other things not, if you're curious on whether or not smth I mention is, feel free to ask me. With that, enjoy if you read!

Scene 1: Chris learns Jill is alive through the Delta File:

When we see Chris's initial reaction, not only is he shocked, but so are we. Could it be? Jill is alive? Chris's face is painted with pure shock and distraught. Yes, he's suspected it all these years, but to actually see it is true is surprising. Chris finally has a shot at seeing his life long partner again. In this scene, I perceive it as Chris in utter amazement, a sense of gratefulness is added to this scene. All along, his instinct has been true.

Scene 2: Chris is willing to leave Sheva behind to find Jill:

Here, we witness an act of loyalty. Pure loyalty. It is not a crazy thing to believe Chris would leave someone behind to find Jill, despite his compassion. While, I don't believe he was fully going to leave her behind, Chris isn't like that, I portray it as rather him testing Sheva and actually being willing to proceed on this mission, even if he's alone on it. This particular scene simply goes to show how much Jill means to him, he's ready to go even deeper into Africa just to search for her - Alone or not. I perceive this scene to show just how honest Chris is to Jill, ready to blow through crowds for her.

Scene 3: The Marshlands:

Chris and Sheva are seen on a rugged boat, flowing through the Marshlands on the outskirts of Kijuju. The cutscene opens with them discussing Jill and the Spencer Estate incident. Sheva is quick to point out Chris & Jill were close. Now, even Sheva notices that. I think in this scene, she realizes who Jill really is to Chris. She isn't just a partner nor a friend, she's more than that to him, Sheva respects that and is ready to help Chris out. Chris also tends to be quite secretive about Jill here, not going into too much depth about her. I view that as an act of respect and love for her, but not only that, the topic is clearly an emotional one for him. I perceive it as Chris not wanting to go that far yet, he still needs time to process the fact she's even alive and possibly well.

Scene 4: Spencer Estate Flashback:

We get to see a Spencer Estate flashback in game, rather than just in Lost in Nightmares. It's a series of flashes, displaying different events that play out in the DLC. I'm specifically going to discuss Jill sacrificing herself for Chris though. Dying for your partner is the ultimate act of love and loyalty. You don't just die for anyone. We get to see the utter despair plastered on Jill's face when she realizes Albert is truly about to kill Chris. It's like a reflex. She tackles Albert out of the lengthy window and down the cliff of depression. Not only do we get to see a blue look on Jill's face, but Chris's too. He's just witnessed the 'death' of someone he deeply loves and cares for. The way he calls out her name, it's full of anger and pure sadness. Losing her caused Chris to lose himself. I perceive this as a way to further explain their bond and how deep its roots are.

Scene 5: The capsule:

Chris and Sheva finally reach a point of possible relief. The sound of nerve wracking buzzing is heard as the large, grey capsule treads way towards the two of them. Sheva seems a bit off, as if she's ready for the unexpected whereas Chris is literally still-like. He's ready, ready for Jill. He's training every bad thought to be good ones, attempting to commit mind over matter - The matter being there's an extensive chance Jill's not truly inside of said capsule. The loud dissipating sound of the capsule opening encaptures both of their attentions quickly, especially Chris's. He stares at it with intent as it opens, his skittishness uprising. Then quickly fading. She's not there. Lividness conspires within in his head. He's enraged. He just wants her already. I perceive this scene as a way to display how eager he is to get her back to him, where she belongs.

Scene 6: It is worth it:

We see Excella, that evil bitch, on the big screen now. Her accent confuses the two of them, but keeps them on their toes. Her words only make Chris more disturbed and feisty, same for Sheva, but most likely in a different way. Chris wants to hurt Excella, hurt anyone whose hurt Jill. In this scene we hear Excella say, "There's nothing here worth throwing your life away for." Then the screen cuts to an image of Jill and how she currently looks. I take this as, yes, Jill is very much worth throwing his life away for. Chris would die for her just as she did for him, or so he thought. I perceive this is a hint to the players that Chris would do absolutely anything for Jill.

Scene 7: Excella mocks Chris:

We officially see Excella (And Jill) in person, although, they are behind a thick glass panel. Excella and Chris share some nasty banter but there is a certain line that Excella says that always has me thinking. "Jill, Jill, Jill, you're like a broken record, you know that?" Here, Excella is mocking for Chris for constantly speaking about/of Jill. Excella most definitely takes into account the fact Chris has something with Jill, or that he at least very much cares for her. She mocks him often regarding Jill, she's similar to Albert in the sense of her taunts. I find this line to be interesting because to me, I take it as everyone sort of notices how much Chris fixates on Jill, even outside of this mission, just in general. I perceive her line as a form of mockery, of course, but also possibly a form of admiration. Albert doesn't like Excella clearly, so maybe seeing a man caring for a woman, since Excella sort of seeks that, it can be admirable or envious.

Scene 8: Reveal:

After all these years, he gets to see that awfully familiar face again - Jill's. When Jill officially reveals herself, it's as if an electric wave flows all throughout Chris's body. He's naturally stunned and rightfully so. There are so many emotions roaming wild throughout his mind. She's okay, she looks different, she's suddenly evil, is she herself still, etc, etc, definitely so many emotions. Honestly, Chris looks as though he's going to break down sobbing. His eyes become so damn soft when looking at her, they don't do that, not with anybody else. He slowly puts his gun down, not wanting to place her in harms way either. I perceive this scene as showing how much Chris truly missed her, which was immensely.

Scene 9: Albert's turn to mock them:

When Jill is on top of Chris, on the staircase of the Tricell base, Albert steps towards them, a malicious leer forms on his face. If you have CC on (Captions) you actually get to see Albert call them 'partners' which to me, indicates he knows they're more than that. Albert isn't stupid. He's been there since day one. Even in RE1, I've always found it odd how he speaks of Chris & Jill, as if he knows something. In RE1, he refers to Jill as Chris's beloved, now he does the same in RE5. Albert knows how much she means to Chris, hence why he uses her as a puppet to get back at Chris. It works for him in the end. I perceive this as Albert using Chris's love for Jill to his own abilities.

Scene 10: Jill resists brainwash:

Chris calls out to Jill whilst she's pinning him down. He's desperate to get the true her back. This demented version obviously is not her. He's determined. You can tell Jill is trying her best, and, she ends up being able to push through the brain wash and literally resist it. This woman resists three n a half years worth of brainwash just for Chris, calling his name out and pulling herself off of him. She even shows off the P30 device on her chest, attempting to show Chris what he needs to do. Him being the smart guy he is, he catches on. I perceive this as Jill's love shining through for Chris, their friendship and relationship playing through her mind, giving her the strength to resist the brainwash. It was remarkable.

Scene 11: Chris yells at Sheva:

During the actual battle with Jill, one on one and you have control, Shevas AI or whomever is playing as her can actually injure Jill. In game, you're supposed to simply toss Jill around, then try to remove the red device from her chest, but there is also an option to shoot her, which will end up leading to her death, then you must restart. If you're playing as Chris, and either the AI or your friend as Sheva begins to shoot Jill, Chris will indeed yell at her. He'll say, "Don't shoot, you're gonna kill her!" "Don't shoot, please, for me." His pleas cause your stomach to twist. This is a man begging to keep his best friend/lover alive. You can hear the desperation in Chris's voice even. I perceive this as a way of showing how needy Chris is to keep her alive and well, all he wants to do is save her.

Scene 12: Mid battle:

Throughout the battle, Chris is rather gentle with Jill. Of course, he has to be a little rough at times. He doesn't want to be, yes, but he has to in order to save her at all. Whenever Chris is on top of her, taking hold of the device and trying to remove it, he's not hard on her. He's very caring. He doesn't just yank it off, he makes sure it is removed with care and essence. When Sheva is holding Jill and Chris has to remove the device whilst standing up, it is all the same. And right when she falls after the device is tossed away, Chris is at her side, holding her in a means to comfort his loved one. I perceive Chris's gentleness as a way to inform Jill there's no harm involved, only love.

Scene 13: He holds her:

This is the scene of all scenes. Chris is finally able to re-embrace the one he's been searching for all this time. The second Jill hits that hard, cold ground, Chris is out to her rescue. In a panic & a rush, Chris quickly lifts her into his arms, his eyes shooting all over til they suddenly settle on her pale, crisp face. Jill is officially conscious in the sense of her old mindset. Could it be? She's really okay? Her eyes find their way to Chris's worrisome face, they soften once she finds it. She calls out his name, so happy to finally see him after all these years. Despite it not being on her, she apologizes for the actions that were in commence not even a minute ago. Chris doesn't even care. He's just filled with glee at the fact he's found Jill. Their embrace is short lived, but so very meaningful, too bad there is evil all around them. I perceive this entire scene as a way to show how strong their relationship is, even after all this prolonging time.

Scene 14: Millions will die:

Chris ultimately helps Jill up, still keeping his hands on her soft, toned body, wanting to make sure she is stable. Jill begs him to end Albert, she's desperate for it. There is no other way. Chris fucking admits that he doesn't care if millions will die, just as long as he can save Jill. If that doesn't prove that man's God damn love for her, I have no clue what will. She grips onto Chris, telling him he's the only one who can - He is the only one she trusts. Hearing how much this means to Jill awakens that primal side in Chris, he's set to end him not only for her, but for himself and the world. Their eye contact the entire time, from the moment he holds her, has been so intimate. It's clear how much they've missed one another. Sadly, Chris must leave Jill behind for now, as she is not suitable to convey further with them. I perceive their banter in many ways here. Loving, loyalty, trust, assistance, altruism, care, it's all shot in our faces.

Scene 15: Passing out:

Once Chris leaves the vicinity, Jill's left all alone. This scene is right before the Desperate Escape DLC plays out, which features Jill & Josh on a journey to get out of the Tricell base and over to Chris & Sheva to save them. Doug also plays a minor yet melancholic role. Though, as Chris & Sheva exit, Jill begins to feel weasy. We get to see her stumble about, her eyes dreary and fighting to stay open but they fail. As Jill hits the hard ground once again, her final words are "Chris..." He is the one thing she thinks of right before she blacks out. It's him, no one else. He's been on her mind all of this time. She's worried for him, she seeks out a refuge in her mind to help her cope with the reality he's gone and off to murder Albert, as he should. In the beginning of the Desperate Escape DLC, Jill's first words when she awakens are also Chris's name. Both times, it's him. I perceive her words as a display of affection and worry, she's timid about this all. She's worried for Chris, now she needs him alive.

Scene 16: Helicopter:

Jill tosses down the ladder for Chris & Sheva. Albert is about to die, after all this time! Jill, being the kind soul she is, helps Sheva up with haste, then Chris, her soft, warm hands touch him, her eyes longing on him momentarily before fully helping him onto the platform inside of the chopper. Once he's just about in, Albert shakes the copter, causing all of them to be tossed around. If you look closely, you can see Jill holds onto Chris and vice versa. They were right beside one another, why wouldn't they? Plus, they want to protect each other, make sure they both make it out of this hell hole alive. Their hold on each other is minor, but present. It's an act of care. After Sheva & Chris take care of Albert for the final time, they all take a glance at each other in disbelief. Although, out of all the stares, Chris & Jill's is the longest and most passionate. It felt real. Intimate. It's a look of 'at last', and they actually get to share it. I perceive their embrace and gazes as affectionate. Despite the ruckus, they remain all the same.

Scene 17: End of the main game:

They're all sat down quietly, none of them saying a word til Sheva speaks up. Once they're done speaking, Chris & Jill exchange a final look. The way Jill's gleams at Chris is spectacular. It immediately shows how chipper she is to be back with him. She feels as though she's in debt to him, but Chris'll never ever make her feel that way purposefully. Chris thinks about if it is all worth fighting for, then the camera pans to Jill right before he thinks, "Yeah, it is worth fighting for." I've always took this as a sort of oath. An oath to fight no matter what for Jill and others he cares for, such as Sheva. It's a oath of honor, which Chris deserves a lot of. No matter the condition, Chris will always fight for Jill. I perceive this as a pact, of course.

Scene 18: Her death:

If you read Chris's file in RE5, you learn a lot about how he was after Jill's saddening death. To begin, he was relentless. Day and night, he was searching for her. He tried everything he could to make the BSAA search longer than three months, but they have a protocol. Once she was pronounced dead, Chris went to her grave, he went to it often even, and he'd leave flowers there for her. Those flowers have a deeper meaning, some mean love, care, loyalty, respect, all in which he has for Jill. Besides that, as her grave, he made many promises to her that we know nothing of but one can assume they were things such as "I promise I'll find you." Or "I promise our life will be okay once you're home." And more. True promises he's surely kept. Another thing, after Jill's so-called death, Chris picked up hundreds of missions, all in hopes of finding her. He even declined working with other females, but he had to with Sheva and he was willing to considering his suspicions that Jill was in Africa. All in all, Chris was obviously lost after Jill's disappearance. He went to the ends of the Earth for her. He loves her. I think he even needs her. His love for her is different than his love for any other. I perceive this all as a way of Chris coping, all of it. It's too hard for him though.

Scene 19: Post RE5:

After the events of RE5, we aren't given a whole lot of info for a while. First things first, we know Jill is in Rehabilitation, specifically, physical therapy. This makes a bunch of sense. She's withered down since the Spencer Estate incident. She's been kept weak for so very long, she'll need a whole lot of time to recover. The BSAA also runs countless tests on her, trying to figure out the whole progen virus and how it has strained from the Plaga first introduced in RE4. Besides that boring stuff though, we learn Jill's kept in touch with Barry. Barry mentions the three of them ought to go for a drink soon, which is sweet in hindsight. The gang getting back together, Chris and Jill being able to let loose and be free momentarily. Sounds like Heaven. We do learn that Chris helps to retrain Jill somewhat, considering that's part of his job as a BSAA captain. It's sweet, it's like old times, how he used to do it back when they were in S.T.A.R.S. I won't get into Death Island at all, as much as I'd like to, I cannot. That's for another analysis but their relationship is further explained as in post RE5 in DI. I perceive their relationship after RE5 to be close and distant all at once due to Jill's guilt and trauma, sadly, that is how it is sometimes.

A little thank you if you read this far:

Thank you! This took me quite a while to write so the fact you read means so much. If you have any input or questions, feel free to ask in the comments or in my ask box.

Next analysis: ???

This is such a thorough photo analysis! Oswald and Ed are just so deeply fond of each other; it’s lovely. 

And, though I’m a bit behind and won’t be watching the finale tomorrow or checking my dashboard until I have a chance to catch up, it still seems like a fortuitous night to reblog some Nygmobblepot things from my drafts folder... 

Oswald looked so proud when he told Barbara that Ed figured out a way to get out.

Part two of this lovely photo analysis of Nygmobblepot. Also, regarding your point on 4x14 about the Riddler, I definitely agree. Ed and the Riddler are not nearly as separate as he likes to think of himself as being--and even if they were, both of them care deeply for Oswald.

Ed being fond of/impressed by Oswald

@littlehollyleaf

“#we need more of Eddie being excited over Ozzie though!“

Ask and ye shall receive!

1x15

Ed’s just so excited to meet his celebrity crush.

2x09

Ed’s enthusiasm is off the charts in this iconic episode

2x11

Ed is really enjoying having someone he can play around with.

2x12

2x15

2x17

3x03

3x04

3x05

3x06

3x07

3x15

3x19

“I’m. Not. Dead.”

Even during the height of their feud, Ed gets a kick out of spending time with Oswald.

“Your death scene was very convincing”

3x20

3x21/3x22

4x14

Yeah, I’m counting Ed’s alter-ego/Riddler. It’s part of him and its emotions are real and his even if he doesn’t want to acknowledge it.

3x15

5x07

i've been thinking (oh no) and the Bellamort dynamic is actually more interesting than canon wants you to believe / sexuality, womanhood, and Christian allegory in the HP verse

I don't feel like getting yelled at on Tumblr today so here's a caveat that I hope is obvious. I'm not telling you what to ship/not to ship or whether your ship is canonically/morally right or wrong. I'm just doing an analysis of the dynamic between two characters who are underdeveloped in canon.

Bellatrix, I think, often gets done dirty in fanon when she's not the main character -- either she's just that crazy woman/dumb fangirl in love with Snake-Face (TM), her only dialogue is "Crucio!" or she's a hurt woobie who is only Voldemort's most loyal Death Eater because her parents either Imperiused or abused her.

Which all falls into the filing number: Society is Afraid of Women (Even Fictional Ones) that are Competently Evil, or at the Very Least, Do Bad Things from Time-to-Time.

But canon actually does Bellatrix pretty dirty, too.

For instance, in the Battle of Hogwarts (I have to admit that even the first time I read it at like 9 or something, the bits after Harry's resurrection feel very contrived), Bellatrix Lestrange, whom we are told several times is amongst the most dangerous and competent of Voldemort's followers, loses to... MOLLY WEASLEY?

Look, I know that this is supposed to be a big 'love triumphs over evil moment' and showing that a mother's love trumps romantic love, or at least obsessive romantic love, because we all know love and obsession are not on the same sliding scale /s.

But this directly contradicts events that just happened, and this is one of the points where JKR's penchant for Christian allegory made the plot worse. What makes this really annoying in my opinion, is that Nymphadora Tonks just lost to Bellatrix.

You know, Tonks the Auror, Tonks the implied to be very skilled, may I add, Auror? Lost to Bellatrix where Molly, who uses her wand for cleaning and cooking spells succeeded?

Now, I'm not trying to say that being a housewife is bad, I'm just trying to say that the in-canon reason Remus and Tonks, both skilled duelists, are supposed to have lost to Dolohov and Bellatrix is because they were not practising while Tonks was pregnant. That gives us an idea of just how powerful Bellatrix is -- if you're not an Auror in top shape, you won't just lose, you'll die. She's the last Death Eater left standing, for crying out loud!

So, it makes no sense that Molly killed Bellatrix. Escape or Stun, maybe, but kill? Not plausible.

Moving on, Voldemort screams when Molly kills Bellatrix, and then sends a curse at Molly, probably not a Killing Curse, because... sigh... Harry blocked it with a Shield Charm, and Harry then kills Voldemort about two pages later after spouting off some wandlore that you'd think Tom "I was in the library the other night" Riddle would know back and front. I could go on a whole rant about how Voldemort vs Harry would make more sense if Harry was implied to be on a similar power level as kid!Riddle or kid!Dumbledore, rather than just above average, but I will resist this time.

Now, a lot of people take Voldemort's reaction as canon evidence that Voldemort loves Bellatrix. I think... considering Voldemort is known to have an extremely obsessive personality, and holds grudges like no one's business... he reacted pretty well considering he's just lost his last Death Eater. He gets over it immediately.

Like, I know JKR would never allow her Lucifer allegory to have emotional depth but, come on, if he loves Bellatrix let him like... cradle her dead body à la Snape, or make Molly die slowly and painfully.

Voldemort has a short list of trusted, named-in-canon followers in his inner circle: Barty Crouch Jr., Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, and Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix is the last one to die, the last of his trusted followers, and the last of his Death Eaters, and Voldemort realises that this means that he's losing, so he screams in frustration and shoots a curse at Molly. Simple as that. Throughout the series, his feelings towards her seem to be on the level of 'my employee of the month/the year' consistently.

Yes, Voldemort never punishes her, but it's because of how she feels about him, not how he feels about her. He knows that she's in love with him and will be forever, she led the group that tortured the Longbottoms after he disappeared, and she proudly declared that she was a Death Eater and went to Azkaban. He'd be stupid not to keep someone that devoted around, or to let her get captured and thus unable to serve him (as we see when he helps her escape the Department of Mysteries). Now, it's hard to say how much that goes the other way; how much Voldemort's paranoia allows him to trust Bellatrix or confide in her, because unfortunately, we've never seen them interact alone.

From this interview:

Darchey: Did voldemort ever love a girl

J.K. Rowling: No, he loved only power, and himself. He valued people whom he could use to advance his own objectives.

*There's almost a condescension to JKR's answer, like of course Voldemort would never love a girl (or a boy, for that matter), because he's a villain, silly Darchey!

But, although JKR would never allow her Lucifer allegory to love (healthy, unhealthy, obsessive, manipulative or otherwise), a Tom Riddle who opened his heart to love as a villain is actually an interesting concept (see here and here, where I posit that 'Voldemort loves himself' contradicts his canon behaviour). Do we get a more Anakin/Vader-like villain whose compassion, paranoia and attachment issues are a deadly mix? Would he still have made Horcruxes? Would he be a more effective villain? After all, if love was originally the power the Dark Lord knows not, would knowing it make Voldemort un-defeatable?

But enough about Voldemort, and more about Bellatrix.

Ironically for a series where there's such an emphasis on the main villain's acquired inability to comprehend love, so much so that a significant portion and maybe even a majority of the fandom believe it's innate, the most villainous woman in Harry Potter is defined by her ability to love. She even tells Narcissa, who is freaking out about Draco's assassination mission, that if she had kids, she'd "be glad to give them up to the service of the Dark Lord."

"She sat beside her sister, as unlike her in looks, with her dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, as she was in bearing and demeanour; where Narcissa sat rigid and impassive, Bellatrix leaned toward Voldemort, for mere words could not demonstrate her longing for closeness."

Where the allegory runs away with the plot, again and again:

And Bellatrix, was, as I think is clear-- you know, I doubt that people will be particularly shocked to hear, 'cause I'm sure they've deduced, that Bellatrix is madly, romantically in love with Voldemort. This is-- you know, that's the obsession of her life. And I believe that Helena Bonham Carter had to be asked to tone it down after she-- (laughs) The producer called me and said, you know, give me some background on Bellatrix so we can tell Helena about it. And I said, well of course, it's a sexual attraction. She's madly in love with this man, and obsessed by him. (laughs) Apparently, they had to ask her to bring it down because she was being a bit too sexy.

My truthful answer to you… I always thought of Dumbledore as gay. [ovation.] … Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that that added to his horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was. To an extent, do we say it excused Dumbledore a little more because falling in love can blind us to an extent? But, he met someone as brilliant as he was, and rather like Bellatrix he was very drawn to this brilliant person, and horribly, terribly let down by him. Yeah, that’s how i always saw Dumbledore. In fact, recently I was in a script read through for the sixth film, and they had Dumbledore saying a line to Harry early in the script saying I knew a girl once, whose hair… [laughter]. I had to write a little note in the margin and slide it along to the scriptwriter, “Dumbledore’s gay!” [laughter] If I’d known it would make you so happy, I would have announced it years ago!

I can't for the life of me remember the source, but Dumbledore and Grindelwald are supposed to have had a sexual relationship during the summer of 1899. The only other pair that explicitly portrays sexual attraction one way or other is... drum roll please... Bellatrix and Voldemort. If we go with Cursed Child as canon, which I personally don't, there's Delphini as evidence.

The take-away from this, obviously, is that romantic love is bad, obsessive love is really bad, sexual love or attraction is really, really bad, and only morally questionable people like Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Bellatrix experience the latter two. Love/attraction of all forms, platonic, familial, romantic, sexual, you name it, is off limits to Voldemort, because he's not human, he's supposed to be literally Satan, that awful kid who got mad because someone set his wardrobe on fire.

Not to say Tom doesn't commit unconscionable atrocities as an adult, but to give kid!Riddle a family history of mental health issues, put him in the perfect environment for behavioural issues, and then say "Look! This kid has mental health and behavioural issues, so he must be practically born evil!" is how to almost give your villain nuance, but still fail horribly.

Actually, notice how all the people with moderate to severe mental health issues (Bellatrix, Voldemort, and anyone else described as 'mad' like the Gaunts, for example) are evil. It's like, consciously or not, someone's trying to push the agenda that people with moderate to severe mental issues are evil. Or vice versa. Sirius is good, so Sirius doesn't end up with PTSD or such from Azkaban. Harry is good, so Harry doesn't have mental health issues from living with his abusive guardians or, watching most of his mentors/father figures die, or being a child solider.

Yeesh.

Basically, sexuality in Harry Potter is quite often associated with the villainous, immature, and/or morally depraved. Any romance happens behind the scenes (see Hinny and Remadora). Note, once Dumbledore gets over his Dark Lord phase, he never loves anyone romantically again.

You'd think considering all the teenage hormones and whatnot in the latter books, there'd be more 'longing for closeness' and 'dumb decisions because in love' going on amongst the main characters. But, because the Harry Potter books are a Christian allegory, where only pure, sacrificial love counts for anything, good, moral people don't experience sexual attraction or romantic love in any overwhelming fashion. No one else pines quite the way Bellatrix does. Dare I say, she’s the only character who lusts, and that’s almost treated as part of her villainy.

Especially not Harry (the Jesus allegory who dies to save the wizarding world from its sins, and is resurrected, not even trying to be subtle here), who likes Ginny (Basically One of the Guys and only here to be Harry's love interest) because she plays sports, doesn't get 'weepy' and has nice skin, their relationship in sixth year is distilled in like one kiss and a few throwaway paragraphs of 'oh, Harry was so happy now he and Ginny are an item' and then they broke up and Harry thought of her before he died for five minutes. Even Lavender gets mocked for being a mildly clingy and immature girlfriend, and is punished via plot by being savaged by Greyback. All of the canon romances sit somewhere on the scale of lukewarm, and you can find much more believable Hinny, Romione, Remadora, etc, at your local fanfiction archive.

So, since Dumbledore/Grindelwald is a 'blink and you'll miss it' kind of deal, Bellatrix's unabashed love for and attraction towards Voldemort is pretty much a one of a kind in canon. It’s the only romance depicted in a romantic style. Looking at Bellatrix's character through the framework of Harry Potter, where women and girls are depicted solely through a Madonna-whore complex (which according to Tuch on Freud, comes from misogyny, but anyway), where Lily is a Madonna, Molly is a Doting Mother and also firmly a Madonna, Hermione is a Good Girl, Fleur, Lavender, and even Cho at times are on Thin Fucking Ice for Tempting Men, acting Too Girly, and Being Pretty, and even Merope the R*pist and Abuser is a woobie to be pitied who 'loved' her husband and died of a broken heart when he 'left' her, and Tom Senior, her victim, is the bad guy for not being attracted to her, Bellatrix, for being not even the object but the subject of sexual attraction, is firmly in Whore territory (full-on Jezebel, probably). When Molly kills her, it's because the sexual and malevolent Whore is being punished by the virtuous and maternal Madonna.

Frustratingly, Bellatrix's feelings towards Voldemort aren't really treated as legitimate in a world where love is literally a powerful type of magic. Whereas a mother's love saves Harry twice in one night (Lily's blood protection and Narcissa's lie), Bellatrix's death and ultimate sacrifice for Voldemort is useless. He dies almost immediately after.

Which is one hand, kind of shitty? Like, she died for nothing? It was all for nothing?

“When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love.” - Horace Slughorn

Which is all well and good, but when was that power ever shown? I can't remember where I saw it on here, but someone suggested Bellatrix doing a sacrificial protection thing on Voldemort, and that's honestly a brilliant idea.

But maybe not. Maybe it's the futile things that make life worth living.

Final answer: JKR was too cowardly to give the main villain and his implied love interest the character and emotional depth that a subplot like two-sided Bellamort would have given them.