Basalisk120

Do you headcanon any of the main cast having any sort of disability or condition? Be that mental or physical.

I personally like to headcanon Homura as Autistic, Sayaka as having a form of Moral OCD and Madoka as being already treated for depression/anxiety.

I'm interested to hear your own takes if you have em !

Hehe I do love receiving questions about the girls!!

As for this particular topic, I'm surprised to be asked! It's not something I had any specific intention of voicing, but for sure when I write/analyse the characters there are things I think about! I will say that especially when it comes to mental conditions/disabilities/disorders/neurodivergences that it's easy to come across as stereotyping and that’s a bit gross, and I want to be clear that these are all just my headcanons/opinions informed by my own experiences! 

When it comes to physical disabilities/conditions, we do have the caveat that there’s not much to work with within the framework of canon - the series/movie etc. don’t really give us anything to work with, only relative physical fitness levels for the girls. Then there’s the whole thing with Homura fixing her eyesight and Sayaka’s healing abilities, and that opens the very uncomfortable question about what is/isn’t something that a Magical Girl can ‘fix’ that I consider a can of worms I do NOT want to get into, so I’m just gonna assume that Homura has magical contact lenses or something…

That said, for my headcanons: 

I think that Homura definitely still has problems with her heart. I believe she compensates with magic when she needs to look physically capable, but when it's just down to her own stamina she's still quite frail, and has to be careful not to overexert herself. I also like to imagine that she has regular checkups at the hospital, especially in the time period post Walpugisnacht (if she ever gets that far lol). What exactly her heart condition was isn't known, so I like to imagine she's got a big open heart-surgery scar. I think that's a pretty popular headcanon, but it's popular for a reason!!

I can't remember who, but someone on here had a fantastic headcanon about Mami needing a cane. I love the idea that she's still got some permanent injury from the car crash (she only asked to have her life saved, after all) and that gives her pain that she masks in front of her kouhais. I'd also like to put forward my own headcanon - hypermobility. Mami is extremely flexible and apparently can ice skate (Rebellion transformation sequence). I headcanon that she has hyperextensive joints, and that she has/will get some joint difficulties when she gets older. If she has one or both of these, I imagine she needs a cane when she gets bad flareups. This isn’t something that I’ve incorporated into my writing openly, but there’s always time! Mami does tend to miss out on the spotlight in my writing… 

When it comes to mental conditions/disabilities… well let's be honest the girls are a bit of a psychologists playground. All of them are traumatised to hell and back, and all of them suffer from survivors guilt over at least one horrific scenario in their past. Conversely I feel there's also a temptation I think to pathologise any “unusual” behaviour as a condition, which I don't typically agree with, but with that said I do still think there's a lot to be said about the pmmm girls!

Again starting with Homura, I (like everyone and their mum) also headcanon her as autistic. She exhibits a lot of typical symptoms after all! I sadly don’t have TOO much to say about this, but in my headcanon outside of what we see in canon Homura has a lot of trouble with breaking from any kind of routine, and has a lot of hangups about physical touch and sensation. 

Kyouko I also headcanon as autistic, though perhaps a different “flavour” than what Homura has. It's hard for me to explain exactly, but when I compare her to myself there are some similarities in our eccentricities lol. She's also known to struggle with crowds and loud noises, which I attribute to sensory overload. In addition, I think something that's glossed over weirdly frequently is that Kyouko has a visible eating disorder. It's kinda depicted on the surface that she's greedy and a little childish, but if you stop and look you notice that she habitually eats to regulate her mood, and she also comfort eats when she's angry or stressed. This is a really common coping mechanism for people who have survived starvation, something we know she went through at least once in her life. She does also have a lot of rage, but im lumping that into the whole ptsd thing.

Sayaka is… a lot, the poor thing. She's clearly depressed, clinically, and also has pretty severe ADHD - both of which are entirely unmedicated. The PSP game outlines pretty clearly that her depressive side is something that she developed years before the events of the show, and has nothing to do with any particular catalyst we’ve seen. We also know that she’s been masking how she feels for a long time as well, and puts on a goofy persona to stop her friends from worrying about her. This is something that I build into every interpretation of Sayaka I write about! Her ADHD, in my opinion, also contributes to her difficulties focussing in class, her sleeping during school, her general lethargy at times and her hyperactivity in others. I think the only times she doesn’t really mask is when she’s alone with Kyouko, who has seen her at her worst and is still obsessed with her.  Her depression could honestly have a novel written about it alone and I'm certain that several more well-educated tumblr users than me already have, so I'll leave it there!

Madoka DEFINITELY has something going on. Anxiety certainly, depression - possibly? I can certainly imagine it, but I feel like her situation is better managed (either through medication or just a much better support system) than what Sayaka has. I also headcanon that Madoka has ADHD, but again with a better framework and a more supportive family. I imagine that she and Sayaka have bonded from a very young age over being on the same “wavelength”, and that’s something they hold onto until later life. I suspect she got diagnosed with ADHD at about 12 or 13, and has some treatment in place, while Sayaka (who doesn’t have attentive parents, and who doesn’t like to talk about her problems) wouldn’t get a diagnosis until she’s an adult.

Finally, Mami - it would be easy to diagnose her with some kind of dependency fixation or compulsion to take care of others, but tbh my headcanon is that those traits of hers are symptoms of her trauma, sure, but not so strong and distinct to warrant pathologising or anything. She's just traumatised and lonely, and has a strong protective instinct towards others. I think for all of them this trauma is very fresh, and it’ll take time to see how they come out of these situations (if at all). I also feel like Mami stresses a lot about her “usefulness” to the group, and worries that if she doesn’t provide for them in some way, if she’s not critically invaluable to everyone as a mentor or a big sister or a mother or whatever else, that they’ll leave her alone again. 

Omg FINE I will commit to a more thoughtful deep dive into the spice ™

Okay so one thing I didn’t get into NEARLY enough was Madoka’s feelings in all of this. It’s easy to imagine her being all torn and ”ouughh hidoi” about everything, especially her two girlfriends fighting all the time, but I like to imagine that there’s a slightly sadistic sliver to her personality that might enjoy being the centre of attention. There’s something very gratifying about having two gorgeous women fighting for your affection, and on good days I can imagine this results in Princess Madoka gleefully reaping the rewards of two girlfriends competing so intensely for you, while also desperately pretending that they don’t also find each other hot. I can imagine Madoka insisting on a very literal policy of ”kiss and make up” when they fight.

On worse days, I can imagine the SayaHomu hatred being really wearing for poor little Madoka. Both of them have really similar issues with self-hatred and projection, and neither of them are willing to give each other an inch. I can see them getting into really serious arguments and digging at very old wounds over pretty minor agreements, and I think it’s those days that are most hidoi for Madoka.

In terms of the relationship, I can imagine that both Homura and Sayaka both confessed to Madoka, though it was probably a herculean effort on both their parts - Homura having to overcome her self-loathing, and Sayaka having to relive her worst nightmares regarding love confessions with childhood friends. As a result both of their confessions are probably horribly forced, hasty affairs (Homura probably throws up or something). Madoka, for her part, obviously loves them both, and instead suggests that they all date each other. Homura and Sayaka accept, but both with the intention of solely dating Madoka and eventually driving the competition away to have her only to themselves.

Both Homura and Sayaka really rely on this kind of external motivation to be at their best, in my opinion. Without Madoka to fight for and Walpurgisnacht to fight against, Homura would have probably remained a timid little creature for the rest of her life. Sayaka can destroy herself from the inside-out if she doesn’t have a clear goal to fight for, and has always been energised by her rivalry with Kyouko/her enmity for Homura.

I get the feeling that if either of them did actually try and give up Madoka, neither of them would be willing to accept it, though. They have much more complicated feelings for each other than they’d be willing to admit (especially after multiple years in a relationship), and the thrill of the fight probably means a lot more to them than they realise - especially perhaps in Sayaka’s case. She loves Madoka, but is her relationship with her really earned if she doesn’t defeat Homura for it?

Spite as fuel for a relationship is pretty messed up, but I do think it would keep them both going for a long time. They’re both stubborn people, after all.

I… did also then write a lil mini-fic (1500words) below…

Fuck you mean? I bought this dvd let me watch it?"

My question is: if Madoka would be in a relationship with Sayaka and Homura, how these last two would behave?

Do you think that they both could learn to get along and love each other?

Oh now THIS is a mess of a ship if ever I heard one, omg

Let's be real, at least in any canon interactions we've seen, Sayaka and Homura are not born to be friends. Their very personalities always seem to rub each other the wrong way (Moemura AND Homura), and they always seem to get in each other's way when it comes to Madoka.

Does that mean I think they can't be in a relationship? Absolutely not! But pure SayaHomu is probably not a healthy relationship no matter what, and I really don't think it could be stable. They have obvious chemistry, but mutual hate (even the fun kind) can only get a relationship so far without sincere tenderness and feelings besides.

Perhaps, thats where Madoka comes in? Like with the KyouMadoHomu ship i just analysed, I feel like Madoka would be a very controlling presence, but in a supportive way rather than a domineering way. I can really only see this relationship forming around Madoka refusing to choose either girl and convincing them to explore their own feelings towards each other - resulting in a relationship between all three. I think MadoSayaHomu would be kinda chaotic, and would definitely revolve around Sayaka and Homura competing for Madoka’s attention. The level of sincerity and aggression in said competition can be seasoned to taste, depending on whether you prefer a toxic yuri hellscape with no survivors, or a more playful experience.

Lmaoooo I did not get around to this when I thought I would, sorry!!!! Anyways its 5am and my allergies have been keeping me up for at least an hour already, so fuck it: KyouMadoHomu - how might it work?

I think its basically inevitable that this would be a late-loop Homu ship. While Kyouko is known to be gentle with and protective over softer girls like Madoka, its pretty clear that one thing she really values in Homura is her strength. Kyouko likes strong girls who will have her back, and a relationship in which shes dating both Madoka and Moemura kinda feels like she'd be ‘in charge’ of two wet cats and I dont think thats a dynamic she'd enjoy

One thing I think might be a problem is that Homura might take, or try to take, a monopoly on Madoka. If we're going by late-loop Homu then she's been pursuing Madoka for as many as 12 years longer than Kyouko. Plus given her many many traumas she might struggle to “share” Madoka. But, assuming that this is a Homura who has most of this worked through, and assuming that she loves Kyouko with something like the intensity she loves Madoka…

Regarding Kyouko herself, this is one of the Throuples that, in my opinion, brings out more of Kyouko’s ‘butch’ side. Kyouko is categorically pretty futch (in my mind!) But who she's with and how she's treated influences her presentation a bit to fit a dynamic, imo. With any ship that features a strong femme presence (Madoka, Mami, and ig Hitomi also but I rly dont think Kyouko would be interested), I feel like Kyouko would lean more into her delinquent, aloof and butch side, and only when dating people equally/more butch than her (Sayaka, Homura (imo)) does she indulge her more feminine and vulnerable side.

THAT SAID, I do firmly believe that Madoka would insist on playing dress up with Kyouko and would encourage her to explore her more feminine side (see ch10 of my own fanfic, Heartbeat, for exactly that dynamic lol) but that feels like a KyouMado dynamic rather than KyouMadoHomu? Idk

I kinda headcanon that Madoka, as she grows up (and Mami too, perhaps even moreso), develops a kind of “butch bait” energy that really just ensnares people like Kyouko, Homura and Sayaka lol. You just wanna treat her like a lady and spend all your money on her!

I guess my kneejerk reaction perception on this ship would be KyouHomu bros and their precious treasure Madoka who they spoil (Madoka obv needs spoiling), but maybe with sprinklings of the KyouMado dynamic thrown in?

Oh, that’s an interesting question, thank you!!!

If I can head off the question with my own personal opinions, I’ll always be a KyouMamiSaya girlie above most other OT3s (KyouMadoSaya notwithstanding, apparently). That being said, it’s mostly just because I’ve always placed Homura in the MadoHomu box, and because (if I’m being totally honest) Homura is probably my least favourite of the Holy Quintet.

Not to say I don’t like her!! I love her more than most other fictional characters still, it’s just she’s got really stiff competition in fandom and KyouSaya are my fave all-time characters lol

That being said!! My recent fics (Say Yes to the Mess and Two Left Skates) do prominently feature Homura and I’ve really come to love her as a character to write lol

Without further ado, let’s compare some ships!!

For me, MadoHomuMami is a very interesting relationship. Truth be told this is the first time I’ve seriously considered it, so my analysis might be less deep than others.

I think the biggest stumbling point for me is Homura and Mami. Both of them are extremely loving towards Madoka (in their own specific ways), but there’s always been a lot of friction between them.

In the earliest timelines (1-3), Homura and Mami do get on well, with Mami mentoring both Homura and Madoka (and to a lesser extent Sayaka). So Mami and ”Moemura” do have a pretty good relationship, but the Homura we know has a disastrous relationship with Mami. Mami misunderstands Homura sure, but they all but come to blows every time they interact with each other! Honestly I love those moments where they threaten each other (partly cos I love Mami, and partly cos I love how bitchy she gets), but it lacks the passionate hate of an enemies-to-lovers ship like KyouSaya (for me!!)

Things only get worse in Rebellion, where again Mami and Moemura are very close, but once she gets her memories back Homura kinda holds Mami in contempt for her ”weak heart” or whatever she says. Then of course they fight and it’s the coolest scene in the whole franchise and Mami absolutely dominates her lol

So in creating a scenario for MadoHomuMami, I’d need 1 of 2 situations:

We have a gentle Moemura type, lacking the contempt and bad blood that late-stage Homura has with Mami

The ship centers a Madoka that gets them to set aside their differences for her sake

Of the two, I’m more into the second one, as Moemura doesn’t do it so much for me - plus, with Moemura, the ship gets a bit saccharine for me, with 3 gentle and kind femmes who are polite and sweet with each other - Late-Loop-Homu adds a certain edge and flair to the relationship that’s really necessary for me to get into it.

Way I see it, MadoHomuMami as a ship is a really fun one with Princess Madoka (who deserves the world and as many girlfriends as her heart desires) with two slightly older, caring figures who butt heads at time but hold deep respect for each other. I would imagine Madoka would instigate the relationship, and Homura would have the hardest time accepting it, but I think all of the Quintet harbour a pretty hefty crush on Mami! They probably spend a lot of their time at Mami’s (as they would with KyouMamiSaya too), but also spending a lot of time with Madoka’s family. It feels very cosy still, which is really nice, but with Homura injecting some unintentional humour to the relationship.

Any ship that involves Madoka has to include her family (I didn’t find space for this in the KyouMadoSaya vs KyouMamiSaya post) but obviously her parents are really important to her and their opinions do matter!

I can imagine Mami and Tomohisa hitting it off very well, and Junko no doubt likes her too, because Mami’s basically an ideal young lady for her daughter to take home. Homura is certainly an acquired taste, and her penchant for looming outside Madoka’s window is probably off-putting, but Junko trusts Madoka very highly and would probably come around to them in time. I think Mami might honestly chafe at receiving any parental affection from the Kanames, she’s spent so long by herself and filling that role for herself, I’m not sure if she needs/wants that kind of presence in her life. (For what it’s worth, I am in love with the idea of Kyouko getting close to the Kanames. Even in a pure KyouSaya universe, I think Sayaka’s proximity to Madoka’s family will bring Junko into Kyouko’s orbit, and I think she could be a motherly figure that Kyouko really needs, and I think as they get older Junko could end up something like an unofficial adoptive mother for Kyouko - after they get around her delinquent attitude!)

Meanwhile for me KyouMamiSaya is of course a more chaotic ship which to me centres Mami, with Kyouko and Sayaka relying on her as a stabilising presence, and Mami satisfying her need to take care of people/be around people who won’t abandon her.

I think those are pretty much the thoughts I have on MadoHomuMami! It just doesn’t inspire the same fire for me that most Kyouko ships do, though it’s a little hard for me to articulate why!!