the best fanfic is born of some weirdo thinking far too hard about the source material
Well, I’m really not supposed to speak to strangers, but we’ve met before.
Today's children don't know what it was like when half of your photographs would turn out with demonically glowing red eyes.
If you're tired of the usual vices like arrogance or impatience, here are some unique (or at least less basic) character flaws to give your perfect characters:
Pathological Altruism
A character so obsessed with helping others that they end up doing more harm than good. Their inability to let others grow or face consequences creates tension.
2. Moral Narcissism
A character who sees themselves as morally superior to others, constantly justifying selfish or harmful actions because they believe they have the moral high ground.
3. Chronic Self-Sabotage
A character who intentionally undermines their own success, perhaps due to deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, pushing them into frustrating, cyclical failures.
4. Emotional Numbness
Rather than feeling too much, this character feels too little. Their lack of emotional response to critical moments creates isolation and makes it difficult for them to connect with others.
5. Fixation on Legacy
This character is obsessed with how they’ll be remembered after death, often sacrificing present relationships and happiness for a future that’s uncertain.
6. Fear of Irrelevance
A character-driven by the fear that they no longer matter, constantly seeking validation or pursuing extreme measures to stay important in their social or professional circles.
7. Addiction to Novelty
Someone who needs constant newness in their life, whether it’s experiences, relationships, or goals. They may abandon projects, people, or causes once the excitement fades, leaving destruction in their wake.
8. Compulsive Truth-Telling
A character who refuses to lie, even in situations where a lie or omission would be the kinder or more pragmatic choice. This flaw causes unnecessary conflict and social alienation.
9. Over-Identification with Others' Pain
Instead of empathy, this character feels others' pain too intensely, to the point that they can’t function properly in their own life. They’re paralyzed by the suffering of others and fail to act effectively.
10. Reluctant Power
A character who fears their own strength, talent, or influence and is constantly trying to shrink themselves to avoid the responsibility or consequences of wielding it.
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PS: This is my first short-form blog post! Lmk if you liked it and want to see more (I already have them scheduled you don't have a choice)
i think what bothers me about a lot of "girl power" narratives is that they function on the implicit idea on the idea that women can become worthy of respect. and i happen to think that really caring about women means believing they already are worthy of respect. that historical seamstresses and soccer moms and forgotten sisters and sweet polite little girls and someone's weird grandma matter just as much as the warriors and politicians, even if they, personally, never accomplish anything "cool."
EXTREME GLEAM ✨🌈 ⚡ available as a print! 💖 find me on instagram, twitter, inprnt, twitch: @jakeromanoart
i don’t know about you guys but the main reason i am still on tumblr in 2024 is BECAUSE it is the most cloutless least influential social media app out there and that is the experience i am after. absolutely none of this will ever translate into significant attention or real success in my life and that is so beautiful.
What am I even still doing here?
I cannot relate to the majority of SW fandom, and probably never will due to the pervasive influence of Disney SW (my beloathed). I have never viewed Star Wars as a 'franchise', but rather as a singular story, told in its completion via the Skywalker saga (1977-2005). (‘It is already over. Nothing can be done to change it.’) My very strong opinion is that everything else, whether it be from the Lucas-era or the Dark Times Disney period, has always been just supplementary material. Other fans may claim to feel the same, but I struggle to believe it because sooo many people now view the Prequels and the Original Trilogy in the context of the Disney content, instead of the other way around. Supplementary material means it's supposed to uphold or augment the meaning of the core story, not alter it beyond recognition. Of course people can enjoy all the Disney stuff they want, but I cannot have meta-textual discussions with fellow fans if their reference point is 'Star Wars' as a never-ending franchise rather than as a very specific story that's been complete for nearly 20 years.
really is a shame that the star wars fandom at large is so obnoxious about obi-wan because there is a really compelling character in there. insanely emotionally repressed constantly burying his head in the sand about everything and everyone around him tool of a corrupt government who is well-intentioned but nonetheless woefully unprepared to mentor the most powerful force user in the history of the universe. and everyone looks at all of that and goes ACTUALLY. what if he was boring instead.