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chat I think I finally cracked the code

Ever After High

Okay, so I really hope EAH isn’t over with. I really liked it and I was super invested in it, way more than MonsterHigh at the time it was released (I haven’t seen much of the MH reboot yet though). In my opinion, EAH had better storyline. Just putting that out there.

Debunking more myths in the GFFA: the Jedi and the clones.

I wrote a post debunking the various myths about how “the Jedi condone slavery”, a while ago. Something I had omitted (because it’s such a big topic) was the following two statements that concern the clone troopers’ relations with the Jedi:

“The clones were genetically bred to have accelerated growth, so they’re technically child soldiers.”

“The clones were slaves of the Jedi.”

Both the above statements are inaccurate, let’s explore why. 

“The clones were child soldiers”

Let’s get the easy one out of the way first, because it’s a logic that cuts both ways. If age is our only determination of the maturity of a Star Wars character, then Grogu is not a baby. He is aged 50, and is thus a middle-aged man.

Who cruelly eats the babies of a woman…

… and knowingly tortures animals for his own sadistic pleasure.

Of course, I’m kidding. Grogu’s none of the above things.

The narrative frames him as a cute baby who does innocent baby stuff. Him eating the eggs is played off as comedic, as is him lifting with the frog. To this day, some fans still call him “Baby Yoda”.

Conversely, despite the clones being 10/14-years-old, their actions, behaviors, way of thinking, sense of humor, morals etc, are all those of an adult.

Like, Ahsoka is technically older than Rex in this scene.

The scene doesn’t portray them as peers, though. This isn’t written as “a teen and a tween talking”. No, Rex looks, acts and behaves like a grown-up and is thus framed as such by the narrative.

You can make the argument “they’re child soldiers”, but (unless you’re doing so in bad faith) you’d also have to argue that “Grogu’s an adult”.

“The clones were the Jedi’s slaves”

Nope. For all intents and purposes, they’re in the same boat as the Jedi, who George Lucas stated multiple times had been drafted to fight in the war.

Again: both the Jedi (monk/diplomats untrained for fighting on a battlefield) and clones (literally bred en masse only to fight) are being forced to fight by Palpatine and the Senate.

Though, on paper, the clones were commissioned by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, it was actually done by the Sith (who either manipulated or assassinated Sifo-Dyas then stole his identity, depending on the continuity you choose to adhere to). The rest of the Jedi had no idea these clones were being created.

So while the clones are slaves… they’re not owned by the Jedi.

They’re the army of the Republic, they belong to the Senate. This isn’t exactly a scoop, they refer to the clones as something to purchase…

… and manufacture.

As far as the Senate’s concerned, clones are property, like droids. 

Like there’s a whole subplot in The Bad Batch about this very point: after the war, the clones are decommissioned and left out to dry because they literally have no rights, they served their purpose.

The only trooper to ever canonically blame the Jedi for the clones’ enslavement is Slick, who the narrative frames as having been bribed and manipulated by Asajj Ventress into betraying his comrades.

Also, the only canonical Jedi shown to ever be mean, dismissive or mistreating the clones in any way, is Pong Krell.

And it’s eventually revealed he’s in fact a full-on traitor, hence why the story frames him as an antagonistic dick from the moment he’s introduced. He doesn’t represent the Jedi in any way.

We know this because the other Jedi we’ve been shown are always prioritizing their clones’ lives over theirs, if given the chance.

Finally, if we wanna get even more specific… as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the clones belong to Palpatine. 

Palpatine who is a Sith Lord. 

Palpatine who arranged for the creation of the clones and had them all injected with a chip that would activate upon hearing a code-word…

… and forced them to murder their Jedi without hesitation or remorse.

When you bear all that  ⬆️  in mind and when you read this quote by George Lucas…

“The Jedi won’t lead droids. Their whole basis is connecting with the life force. They’d just say, ‘That’s not the way we operate. We don’t function with non-life-forms.” So if there is to be a Republic army, it would have to be an army of humans.”    - The Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005, 2020  

… narratively-speaking, everything falls into place.

Sidious knows that:

If he orchestrates a war designed to thin the Jedi’s numbers, corrupt their values and plunge the galaxy into chaos…

If he wants to draft the Jedi - peace-keeping diplomats who’d never willingly join the fray - to fight in his war…

… then the only way they won’t resist the draft and abstain from fighting is if they think joining the conflict will save lives.

So he creates a set of cruel, sadistic villains for them to face, opponents who will target innocent civilians at every turn…

… and instead of lifeless droids, he prepares for the Jedi an army of men… living, mortal people who, despite being well-trained, will be completely out of their league when facing the likes of Dooku…

… Ventress…

… Grievous…

… Savage Opress…

… or the defoliator, a tank that annihilates organic matter.

Thus, in order to save as many clone and civilian lives, the Jedi join the fray despite knowing that doing so will corrupt their values. 

And as the war rages on, a bond of respect is formed between the two groups.

Clearly, the Jedi don’t like the fact that the Republic is using the clones to fight a war, but for that matter, they don’t like being in a war, in fact they advocated against it.

However, it’s happening regardless of their issues with the idea or personal philosophies. Said The Clone Wars writer Henry Gilroy:

“I’d rather not get into the Jedi’s philosophical issues about an army of living beings created to fight, but the Jedi are in a tough spot themselves, being peacekeepers turned warriors trying to save the Republic.”

And bear in mind, the Jedi are basically space psychics, the clones are living beings that they can individually feel in the Force… 

… so the Jedi feel every death but need to move on, regardless, only being able to mourn the troopers at the end of every battle.

We see this in the Legends continuity too, by the way.

(that is, when the writers actually try to engage with the narrative)

Also, if you ask the clones, they’re grateful the Jedi have their backs.

When Depa Billaba voices her concerns about how the war is impacting the Jedi’s principles, troopers Grey and Styles are quick to make it clear how grateful they all are for the Jedi’s involvement:

So the clones aren’t the Jedi’s slaves. If anything, they’re both slaves of the Republic (considering how low the Jedi’s status actually is in the hierarchy).

Only I’d argue the clones have it much, much worse. 

The Senate sees the Jedi as “ugh, the holier-than-thou space-monk lapdogs who work for us”… but a Jedi has the option to give up that responsibility. They can leave the Order, no fuss or stigma. 

A clone trooper cannot leave the GAR! If they do, they’re marked for treason and execution. Again, they’re not perceived as “people”.

And it doesn’t help that the Kaminoans, the clones’ very creators, see the troopers as products/units/merchandise. A notion that the Jedi are quick to correct whenever they get the chance.

How The Clone Wars writers describe the clones’ relationship with the Jedi.

Keep reading

oh gods it was parents evening again tonight..

other parents: how did you do that?

Me:do what?

Other parents: your teenager is eating a salad..

Me:i never forced him eat, now he will pretty much eat anything…except chicken casserole which we both agree is gross

Other parents:we don’t get it.

Me: our only rules are bed at eleven on a school night and don’t hack any important government agencies.

Other parents: you don’t restrict screen time?

Me: you know 95% of kids will self regulate, given the chance?

Other parents: thats not true

Me: have you tried it?

other parents:…but, now he’s reading 1984

Me: he has had a university reading level since he was 12, what am i going to do censor his reading material?

other Parents: what if he reads something you don’t approve of..

Me: i fail to see your reasoning…

Me: you know he cooks too..it’s our mother/son time, we talk about his friends…

other Parents: he talks??

Ever After High Pokemon Teams - Hunter Huntsman

Part 4 is here!! Time for the huntsman who could never harm a fly -

Hunter Huntsman

Growing up, Hunter’s father really wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a Pokemon Trainer like he did. However, Hunter’s heart lay on a different path: Pokemon Breeding! Hunter is a natural caretaker and dotes on injured and Baby Pokemon.

Trainer Class: Pokemon Breeder

Hunter's team is mainly comprised of Pokemon he has either taken in after finding them hurt or Pokemon he raised from Eggs.

Cheeky the Greedent

Moves:

Super Fang

Bullet Seed

Thief

Dig

Cheeky was Hunter’s first Pokemon, found in the woods and injured. Hunter secretly took him home and nursed him back to health. He tried to release him back into the wild, but he just kept coming back over and over again until Hunter finally agreed to catch him. Cheeky often caused trouble for Hunter due to his habit of hoarding berries. However, after Hunter became a Breeder and started raising Baby Pokemon, Cheeky quickly became a fun-big brother like figure to the Baby Pokemon. He would often sneak them their favorite berries after dinner time and would play with them after dark - much to Hunter’s frustration. 

Cheeky is, obviously, in reference to Pesky, Hunter’s pet squirrel. Skwovet and Greedent were the obvious choice to represent Pesky. I also think Greedent’s berry filled tail would be very helpful when feeding Pokemon.

Indy the Indeedee

Moves:

Psychic

Draining Kiss

Swift

Protect

Indy was the second Pokemon Hunter caught. He met her when he was sneaking out of his house to release Pokemon that were caught in his father’s traps. Indy helped him and even helped him get Cheeky under control. Hunter caught her after a quick battle. Indy greatly helps Hunter with watching any Pokemon he is looking after, both Baby and adult Pokemon. Indy has a very calming aura about her and has quelled many arguments. Indy is also close with another Indeedee who's trainer is also fond of Hunter…

When I read that Female Indeedee are great babysitters, I knew this had to be on Hunter’s team as he would be taking care of a lot of Baby Pokemon. I also chose this Pokemon to parallel Ashlynn's Indeedee, Gladiolus, as well as helping the two forge a connection.

Grampy the Drampa

Moves:

Hyper Voice

Dragon Pulse

Extrasensory

Flamethrower

Hunter met Grampy when he was trying to find his younger sister Fern who had wandered into the forest. Grampy found Fern first and took care of her until Hunter found her. Grampy ended up liking Hunter and he would come around Hunter’s house just to help out with Fern and Baby Pokemon and Hunter ended up catching Grampy because he was around so much anyway! During his journey, Grampy would help by watching over young Baby Pokemon and Eggs. He is a gentle, old soul who loves making youngsters laugh.

Drampa is a perfect Pokemon for Hunter! Dragon types are typically tough, strong Pokemon that are feared by all. And while Drampa is certainly a strong Pokemon, it is also known for its caring nature and love of small children. This description reminded so much of Hunter and I knew Drampa had to be on Hunter’s team!

Marley the Magmar

Moves:

Lava Plume

Scorching Sands

Scary Face

Fire Spin

Marley is the first Pokemon Hunter hatched from an Egg. Right from the beginning, Marley was attached to Hunter’s leg and followed him around like he was his parent! Marley has a love for both small Pokemon and battling and is always ready to protect his weaker buddies. He alway helps with Egg hatching as his Flame Body ability is perfect for helping Eggs hatch! He also helps introduce Baby Pokemon to berries by warming them up to make them softer and easier to eat.

I knew I wanted Hunter to have a Pokemon that had an ability to help hatch Eggs (so Flame Body, Magma Armor or Steam Engine). After looking through the options, I decided that Magmar fit Hunter’s team the best. Not only did Magmar have the Flame Body ability, but it also evolved from Magby, a Baby Pokemon, which felt very on brand of a Breeder. I also chose not to have Magmar evolve, because while Hunter would train his pokemon, he does not battle for profession or sport, so he would not be hard pressed to evolve any of his Pokemon - especially if there was a risk he would not get it back, like in a trade.

Ripley the Lucario

Moves:

Aura Sphere

Flash Cannon

Dragon Pulse

Shadow Ball

Ripley was an active Pokemon, even when he was newly hatched! He looks up to Hunter and wants to make him proud. Thanks to how close he is to Hunter, he evolved into a Lucario rather quickly and he often used his new Aura Abilities to read how a Pokemon is thinking or when an Egg might hatch. He is the strongest battler out of Hunter’s team.

Riolu is one of the most popular Baby Pokemon and it and Lucario would for sure be Pokemon that Hunter would want on his team. Not only is this line really good in battle, but I also think that it would fit Hunter so well to have a Pokemon that evolves via friendship.

Woody the Sudowoodo

Moves:

Rock Slide

Low Kick

Slam

Fire Punch

Like Marley and Ripley, Woody was hatched by Hunter from an Egg. Woody looked up to Ripley as a strong battler and would always train with him. As a Bonsly, Woody was shy and scared who knew how to use his tears to get Hunter’s attention. After evolving, Woody developed a love of pranking and making other Pokemon laugh.

Like the prior two, Bonsly is a Baby Pokemon. I chose the Bonsly line from Hunter’s final member because it often pretends to be a tree to deceive others and Hunter used to have to pretend to be okay with his destiny, plus I thought the fact that he looks like a tree to be a great bit of irony.

And there is Hunter's team! I hope you liked it! Next team will be out soon! I am planning on releasing another soon, so feel free to comment any suggestions!

Ever After High Pokemon Teams - Ashlynn Ella

Part 3 of my headcannons of "What if Ever After High characters had Pokemon Teams". Today we have...

Ashlynn Ella

Ever since she was little, Ashlynn Ella knew she wanted to be a Pokemon Ranger! She loves helping hurt Pokemon and making them feel better.

Not long after she started her journey, however, she ran into a very kind, handsome and helpful Pokemon Breeder who ended up falling in love with - much to the disagreement of her friends, who do not think that a Journey is a good time to start a relationship. 

While Ashlynn does understand their points, she cannot help her heart. Plus, her Pokemon really seem to like him, so that is definitely something.

Trainer Class: Pokemon Ranger

Ashlynn's team mainly comprises of Pokemon that either can help heal other Pokemon or are Pokemon that have been hurt in the pass.

Tulip the Meganium

Moves:

Sweet Scent

Giga Drain

Body Slam

Leech Seed

Tulip was Ashlynn’s first Pokemon and main partner. They will often spend their days walking through the forest together. Tulip will use her signature breath to help revive dead plants and sick Grass Type Pokemon and her Sweet Scent to help calm down arguments.

When I started planning out Ashlynn’s team, the Chikorita line was an instant perfect starter match. Not only does Meganium’s breath revive dead plants, Ashlynn seems like the type to pick the Grass Starter!

Daisy the Blissey

Moves:

Soft-Boiled

Heal Pulse

Chilling Water

Echoed Voice

Ashlynn found Daisy wandering tired and alone in the forest after starting her journey. The sweet and kind-hearted Pokemon was using Soft-Boiled to heal injured Pokemon in the forest, leaving her with barely any HP for herself! After helping her heal, Daisy decided she wanted to join Ashlynn on her journey. She has since evolved into Blissey and is a vital part of Ashlynn’s team.

Chansey and Blissey were also really easy choices for Ashlynn’s team. I knew Ashlynn would want to heal other Pokemon she encountered on her journey. As for why Blissey instead of Chansey - there is no way that those two would not have a tight friendship bond!

Zinnia the Flechinder

Moves:

Flame Charge

Fly

Steel Wing

U-Turn

Ashlynn found Zinnia as a cute little Fletchling all hurt after being poisoned by a Beedrill and after a quick healing session and meal, Fletchling decided to join Ashlynn’s team! Zinnia would later evolve into a Fletchinder and her ability Flame Body has helped warm up freezing Pokemon and sooth sore muscles.

I wanted Ashlynn to have some kind of bird Pokemon because she is featured in her official artwork with a little bird on her finger, as well as the fact that in many versions of Cinderella, the princess is helped out by some kind of bird. I ended up settling on Fletchinder for her final team. I debated giving her a Talonflame, but I do not see Ashlynn being a huge battler.

Gladiolus the Indeedee

Moves:

Psychic

Healing Wish

Disarming Voice

Hyper Voice

Ashlynn encountered the Indeedee that would become known as Gladiolus when she was traveling through a dark and gloomy forest. Despite the scary atmosphere, Ashlynn’s emotions were positive and this ended up attracting Gladiolus to the Pokemon Ranger. He guided and protected the Pokemon Ranger as they navigated the dim forest and decided to continue traveling with Ashlynn. Gladiolus often helps his trainer with the day-to-day tasks of taking care of hurt Pokemon and everyday chores. However, Gladiolus has also shown interest in another Indeedee that happens to be the Pokemon of another trainer…

Like Blissey, Indeedee is another Pokemon typically used by the Nurse Joys and seemed like another obvious choice for Ashlynn’s team. Why I went with a male Indeedee rather than a female one? 2 reasons, 1) the Pokedex entries for Male Indeedee sound a lot like Cinderella and I thought that fit Ashlynn better and 2) I have Female Indeedee down for another specific trainer for later.

Calla Lily the Corsola

Moves:

Surf

Ancient Power

Life Dew

Earth Power

Ashlynn caught Calla Lily when she was helping Water Pokemon out when cleaning up a polluted sea. Ashlynn ended up having to catch Calla Lily to effectively treat her and Calla Lily ended up wanting to stay with her after having fully recovered. She helps Ashlynn with Water travel and rescues.

When I was looking for a Water Type Pokemon for Ashlynn I remembered that Corsola was constantly having trouble with water pollution and being hunted by Marearnie and I figured Corsola was a perfect fit for Ashlynn’s team. Also, one of Ashlynn’s main colors is coral, so it felt right.

Honeysuckle the Minccino

Moves:

Tail Slap

Sing

Bullet Seed

Triple Axel

Honeysuckle was found injured and alone and Ashlynn immediately took the little cutie into her care. Like most of her other Pokemon, Honeysuckle did not want to leave Ashlynn and joined her team. Honeysuckle will often help Ashlynn with Pokemon healing by cuddling and cleaning up.

The main reason I put Miniccino on the team was due to its connection to cleaning. But the other reason is how cute and helpful it is! That is also part of the reason I decided to not have Honeysuckle evolve, along with that being a decision that Ashlynn would leave to the Pokemon.

And there it is!! Ashlynn's Pokemon Team! I am planning on posting Hunter's team next, but feel free to comment and suggest other characters you would like to see!

Since the holiday toy drive post is circulating again, I figured this would also be helpful! Food insecurity is such a massive problem in America, in general, and if you have the means to help feed others, I think you should take that opportunity. Here are some other tips:

1. If you’re planning on donating items from your own pantry, please check the expiration dates on the packaging. Think of your donations as gifts to bestow, not castoffs to be rid of. It’s awful to think of people feeling like they got scraps someone else just didn’t want. Everyone deserves dignity with their meals.

2. If you’d rather give money to a food bank, that’s also great since they buy food in bulk and know what items are most wanted/needed!

3. Not everyone has access to appliances like stoves or microwaves or hot plates so if you can donate items that don’t need to be heated up, that would also be greatly appreciated!

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Your daily reminder you can download a FREE copy of Stone Butch Blues off of Leslie Feinberg’s website

The way Fives looks at Echo. Please I love them

I love how in the second one Fives just wants to complain about the plan while Echo is just like “let’s do this!”. Well at least he was excited about the citadel mission...

May 5 is the Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. (Also known as Red Dress Day.)

Show your support and pass on your strength by wearing red on May 5, and raising awareness. And if you have never read the Reclaiming Power and Place report, you can do so here.

Additionally, while the day is typically centred in Turtle Island, let us also not forget our international cousins, especially in Palestine and Sudan.