one raindrop raises the sea

Paul Klee, Star Formation (detail), 1923

Old Greek mural, depicting Valyria Constantinople being guarded by a Seraphim and two dragons. The mural can be found in Poulko’s Mansion, in Siátista, Greece. It was created around 1752-1759 and is believed to have been inspired by an older copper engraving which is in the monasteries of Mount Athos. 

When it was the Last of Us, they all loved and adored Ellie. They said that if they were Joel, they don't think they could have made a different choice. They said they would have doomed humanity just to save her. But when she became her own protagonist and lives knowing her life damned humanity, they couldn't hate her more because she "stole" the spotlight from Joel.

When it was the Witcher, they all loved and adored Ciri. They walked to the ends of the earth, conducted risky rituals for her, hoped between portals that Geralt hates. They wanted what was best for her, they wanted the best ending, they wanted her to walk in Geralt's footsteps and become a Witcher. But when she became her own protagonist and actually became the Witcher they pushed her to be, they couldn't hate her more because she "stole" the spotlight from Geralt.

I didn't play God of War, but it's the same thing cycle repeating. The entire first game, they spent walking around the various Nordic realms, battling against gods just to spread Faye's ashes. A journey that allowed Kratos to reflect on himself and who he would like to be for his son. The memory of Faye allowed Kratos to become a better man. But when she became her own protagonist and is now in the, eh, "rest" that Kratos gave her, they couldn't hate her more because she "stole" the spotlight from Kratos.

They only love and appreciate women as characters, so long as they always remain secondary to a man and support his story. They have never cared about these women nor saw them as their own people but extensions of the men around them. And when it's time for the women to have their own stories and we see who they are on their own without these men, they are viewed as "replacements". The very women that they dedicated an entire journey for, they suddenly treat as if their continued existence is a slight against the man in the story. These men were willing to sacrifice everything and put themselves in harms way just for these women. And now that the women get to live the life these men gave them, they fucking hate them. What was the point then? What was the point of damning humanity for Ellie if you were going to hate her for surviving and having the pay the price of her own salvation? What was the point of fighting the Wild Hunt for Ciri if you were going to hate her for becoming exactly like her dad? And what was the point of remembering Faye if you didn't even want to know who she was in the first place?

Sardines and Mediterranean Blue Harmony - Oksana Shevchenko , 2025.

Ukrainian , b. 1984 -

Masayo Fukuda

I continue to draw stories about the Dalish gods.

A little more dread wolf.

Magnificent gold and enamel plique-à-jour pendant/brooch designed as a “Morning Glory”. It was once part of the collection of Ada Rehan, a popular actress of the late 19th century who starred in several Shakespearean plays.