#character rants

The base uniform

He is in a British officer's service dress with a Sam Browne belt setup. That silhouette alone immediately codes the officer; yes, I'm aware he is a lieutenant in the episode, but stay with me, and historically it also codes class. Officer tracks in WW1 were still very socially filtered, even without literal rank purchase being a thing anymore. Though it did still happen unofficially. You still needed education, recommendations, social access, and the right cultural polish. Hastings reads as someone who would have slid into that track without ever thinking of it as privilege.

The sleeve chevrons

One red and two blue overseas service chevrons on the lower right sleeve. This shows us that he has three years of total overseas service. The red indicates service in 1914, the beginning of the war, and the blue represents another twelve-month service period each.

However, these chevrons weren't authorized until 1917-1918. So we'll assume Hastings was able to get hold of them early 1917.

The ribbon bar situation

This is where it gets fun.

First ribbon is the 1914 Star ribbon. Red, white, blue. Early war France or Belgium service window. That is basically the “you were there when everything was chaos and nobody knew what trench warfare was going to become yet” medal.

And if that is a rosette on it, that implies he had the clasp version, which means under enemy fire during that early window. Not just present. Under fire.

Second ribbon is almost certainly the French Croix de Guerre ribbon (green with red vertical stripes).

So stacked together, what the show is saying is:

Early war presence Long overseas time Recognized gallantry by an allied government Officer class presentation

That is a very specific narrative profile.

Now the rank thing

Lieutenant during active war period, Captain by end-of-war era framing.

This is not impossible. Plenty of officers got that progression in WWI.

But combine it with decorations plus early war service plus long overseas time plus officer class presentation and it reads less like “scraped and clawed his way up through chaos” and more like “reliable, socially legible officer candidate who survived and performed competently and was therefore promoted when space opened.”

And here is the part I actually love from a character standpoint:

Hastings would not think of himself as privileged or advanced by social standing. He would think he was doing his duty and got lucky to survive and was promoted because he tried his best.

And that is exactly why this works so well.

Because he is simultaneously:

Chaos Polycule - Byzanti, Bethael, Sefice, Lyphos, Yvgeny

Need I say more? The way they interact fills me with so much joy all the time. To be very surface level for a moment: Bethael and Byzanti are the problem, Lyphos wants them to escalate, Sefice wants them to leave it for another day, and Yvgeny just wants to not be torn apart in the process.

That on its own is very enjoyable! Makes me kick my feet and giggle!! Ten billion applause!!! But the little insights? Sefice knows the exact words to get Bethael and Byzanti to cool down, Lyphos knows the exact words to make them continue, Bethael and Byzanti argue and bicker and fight but so far the moment we see them take it too far they apologize for not doing things "properly."

Not to mention how Yvgeny is slowly learning how to take the chaos marines leashes' into his own hands. It isn't very evident yet, but he's learning that he is a prized commodity in all of this. Yes they could kill him, but they don't want that, no, they want to possess him. In vastly different ways of course, but y'know.

There's always something to be found in the way people who have known each other for such a long time, especially when that time is filled with no lack of animosity towards each other, truly know one another on a deeper level. I want these guys dead but also I know where he is on any given day. I know what he's on. What he's doing. Who he's talking to. The way they make excuses for wanting to find each other. The way they support each other and tear each other down in equal measure. They know so much and so little that when something new (Yvgeny) comes along they want to keep it from the others. Even then, despite their reservations, they don't actively stake claim. They don't lash out at one another beyond a few sharp jabs. They take a look at Yvgeny and let him make a choice, unable to truly understand a world where all of them get what they want (and perhaps there really isn't a world where that's possible, but for now lets hope that there is)

Yvgeny is surrounded by four fallen angels and each of them wants to save him via making him worse. He's once again brought to the realization of how small he is, of how easy it is for him to break, but this time they also want to put him back together. They are not honest all of the time, nor are they always nice, nor are they by any means hiding how bad they are for him both physically and mentally, but they are there now and he is slowly realizing that if they wanted him dead he would have been dead long ago. He gets to act bolder, stand a little straighter, speak a little less formally, a little less pleasantly. They don't kill him when he speaks ill of their gods or expresses disgust with their ideals, when he admits a lack of understanding, when he makes remarks of their character. It gets to the point where he's being placed above already loyal servants. He's being looked at and seen as something that is above another. It makes him afraid of what they would do should he pick one, but if he doesn't? If he learns how to wield each of them? Tempting them with the idea that if they do this then it will be them that he chooses? I both fear the day he grows overconfident and await it with joy.

In my brain I'm imagining Yvgeny learning how to weaponize Lyphos' ego and cementing himself as vital to any plan, learning how to appease Byzanti enough that the Slaaneshi can't fathom a world without him (like a drug you can't bare the thought of trying to quit), learning Sefice's thought process and becoming someone reliable someone Sefice wants to see as not being destined to die for a long while, learning how to use Bethael's aggression until the hound could never snap at him.

I'm imagining Yvgeny not being able to have a single thought about Lyphos that isn't accompanied by the man himself, of Yvgeny being mutilated and repaired and pieced back together unable to die because Sefice refuses to let him go before his time until he can't recognize himself beneath the scar tissue, Yvgeny not being able to worm his way from Byzanti's watchful gaze or holding grasp because Byzanti was never known to stop at one hit of such a wonderous high, of Yvgeny being stuck in the cages with a Bethael who got too deep into training and having to desperately try not to die from the hand of a hound that can't even think of what its biting at the moment.

Of course, the fluff is great too! The moments where they aren't captors and captive. Where they aren't monsters serving different gods, where they aren't in conflict over who will "win" the unaligned human. Where they are one being and all want to keep each other safe. Where Yvgeny sees them as more than just Astarte. Where they are individuals and can act like there was never a moment where they wanted each other dead. Where no-one else can fuck with them on punishment of death. Once again, the already loyal Lucetrix is not allowed the same freedoms as Yvgeny. The implications. The IMPLICATIONS!!!! AHHHHH!!!

Part 1 [you're here] - Part 2 [under construction]

what i love about their relationship (or lack thereof) is that it isn't one of disdain, but it's a little awkward and uncomfortable. let me explain.

now, as we see in the beginning of season two, buffy IS encouraging of giles pursuing jenny. she's not overly excited about it, but she does her best to advise him on how to ask jenny out. at this beginning of the jenny/giles relationship story, she's very much an entity that exists outside of the scoobies and giles' work as a watcher.

while joyce summers is obviously fondly remembered for everything she's done for her daughters and her love for them, the beginning of the series is way more focused on how cut off she is from buffy's life. buffy cannot share really anything with joyce, and hank is uninvolved following the divorce. giles has started to become a paternal figure, and this is emphasized in how he navigates the news that buffy and angel had sex - buffy is distressed that he's disappointed in her actions, and giles only voices his support, which buffy has not received in honesty from a parental figure in a long time.

even though joyce is detached from buffy at this time, jenny is hardly a maternal figure or role model for buffy, despite her involvement with buffy's new father figure. jenny is caught at the crossroads of representing youth, vitality, and newness (her expertise in computers), but she often aligns with adult ideology in the way she treats the scoobies (ex. in 2x14 when she scolds rupert for panicking in front of "the kids," as she refers to them).

where i think she could have been a really interesting conduit for helping giles understand what buffy is going through, and she DEFINITELY could infer that buffy and angel had sex right before he lost his soul, we don't see jenny comforting or supporting buffy in any way. i wish we did, because i think it would have been golden, but it also speaks volumes to me about how jenny and buffy are so detached from each other, too. jenny is probably a little bit afraid of buffy - afraid of how giles prioritizes her, afraid of the power that buffy has.

additionally, buffy doesn't know how to feel about jenny because she's probably like a weird stepmom to buffy. will she distract giles from his responsibility as buffy's watcher? how will she handle magic and demons? buffy appears to be unsure of jenny's authority in various situations, and has very little to connect with jenny over. out of the scoobies, jenny has the best relationship with willow, because they share passions in computer tech and magic; while buffy is more aligned with giles in literature (we learn later how buffy enjoys poetry) and fight strategy. buffy also loves shopping, which the fashion-challenged willow definitely is not passionate about at this time, and jenny, being romani and likely a traveler/nomadic type, is deliberately outfitted to re-wear the same staple pieces in different styles.

when jenny's omission of the truth has been revealed, buffy blames it almost entirely on jenny. which is understandable. but her and jenny have zero closeness, so buffy's anger is easy!!! if her and jenny were tight, this would have been more of an emotional conflict, and buffy probably would NOT have tried to choke jenny out against her desk (this is one of my favorite scenes ever btw it's so crazy). there was always a tension between buffy and jenny, so when this reveal occurs, rage is a no-brainer!!! buffy is ready to say "see!! i was right in not opening up to her!!" and cut jenny out completely, an act in which giles follows suit and buffy does not gaf if it hurts him, too, because her father figure chooses her over his girlfriend.

i would also like to say that i LOVE how jenny does not bow to buffy's power in this scene where buffy confronts her. jenny does not beg for forgiveness or cry or plead, because she's not that girl. she's that bitch. between jenny, buffy, and giles, they ALL have been unwillingly forced into a position to uphold ancient generational powers/responsibilities. and jenny tells buffy as such - and straight-up says she can't fix it. she owns up to her lie, but is brutally honest about her position, and i LOVE THAT-

because jenny still tries to fix it, she understands in this moment how her mission is flawed, and takes agency to restore the relationships that she cares about. and buffy does not truly appreciate jenny until she is gone.

while i obviously bitch on this app every day about how brilliant jenny's character could have been if she'd only been kept in the series long-term, i really mourn the loss of watching a dynamic develop with buffy. in the same way that buffy inevitably accepts tara as family, i believe that she would have done the same with jenny, and that jenny would step into a role of comforting and supporting buffy in situations where giles was not equipped to do so, especially after joyce dies.

I remember the first time I watched demon slayer a couple years ago, and I thought he was just one of those characters who did smile a lot. Yeah, he obviously had some personal problems of his own, but...eh, whatever. I cried watching the movie, yes, but I was able to move on from it way quicker.

Now that I've watched it when I'm older? OH BOY, I STILL HAVEN'T RECOVERED. I FEEL UTTERLY BETRAYED BRO.

Kyojuro Rengoku is, in this anime, his own person. He had a life outside of being a Demon Slayer, although we don't see it as much. He had a younger brother and a home to go to whenever he was done with his missions. Kyojuro even considered and thought about his dad, despite him being an alcoholic drowning in his grief.

He had to grow up faster once his beloved mother died (and, may I say, that he LOVED her DEARLY, like...she isn't shown a lot, but you can just SEE the impact she left on him. She played a major role in forming who he is now) and he was still a BOY when that happened. He had to process it all while simultaneously taking on the responsibility of looking out and being there for Senjuro because, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT, his dad is gradually becoming abusive.

I know I'm basically just summarizing his background/childhood, but it's magnifying my main point here.

Since his father turned to alcohol, Kyojuro wasn't trained properly like he should have been. But you know what he did? He still did his absolute best and read the books about Flame Breathing. Doing that consistently brought him to the position of an ENTIRE HASHIRA. Now, it was probably expected for him to become one eventually, being that his whole family line is literally the Rengoku Flame Breathers, but the way he did was just...WHAT?!?!?! Dude, he's genuinely so amazing.

Yes, he was doing all of this while practically raising Senjuro and BEING the better example for him because his dad wasn't able to.

Kyojuro also had his own emotions and feelings, guys. I'm sure he's felt disheartened and maybe even frustrated at Shinjuro's actions, but he CHOSE to have compassion and forgiveness towards him because he knew he was still grieving. Does that mean he was okay with it and approved of what was going on? OF COURSE NOT!!!! But the fact that he's went through SO MUCH already at such a young age and DECIDES to REMAIN kind and overall morally GOOD???? That speaks volumes of strength beyond the physical vigor he also had.

Gosh, he is just so admirable and inspiring for me, I wish I could write down all the words I'm feeling and thinking. I'm trying guys. This man has some ABSOLUTE endurance to be able to take the harsh words his own dad said to him, that becoming a Hashira (after THAT HARD WORK HE DID) was completely useless and he should just give up because he was too weak. (I'm kind of paraphrasing cause I don't remember the exact things he said) And yet, STILL go BACK OUT and COMFORT SENJURO from what was said to HIM??!?!?!

He is such an awesome brother too, oh my gosh. The smile he smiles to Senjuro after straight up telling him the truth of what their dad said and boldly proclaiming that he wouldn't give up and keep going had me crying RIGHT ALONGSIDE SENJURO BECAUSE WHAT!!!! HOW ARE YOU THIS....GOOD? AS A PERSON?????

He continues to keep that beaming smile on nearly all the time, and it proves to be its own little beacon of hope to everyone else around him. I say this to myself a lot when I see him, but Kyojuro is quite literally the embodiment of fire. Everything about him just alings up to it. His MENTAL (because that comes first before anything else. Everything that comes after that is due to his mentality) and physical strength, who he IS, ironically what he LOOKS like, and...basically, to make it more simple, Kyojuro Rengoku.

I think I love him so much because I can relate to him in a way, even though he would be FAR better than me in real life lol. Family issues can be so hard a lot of the times, and I know I've had to personally get myself up again after being knocked down by people's words and actions. That in itself is very difficult, even hard to move on from sometimes, but y'know, you just gotta do it. And Kyojuro silently deals with so much, the other Hashiras probably think he is doing fine because of how bright he is.

Despite being known as a Hashira himself and having his little brother, Kyojuro is quite alone.

He lost his mother when he was still young, he can't go to his dad because he can't even be there for himself, let alone his own sons, and he doesn't want Senjuro to see him all depressed or discouraged - that would taint his image of him. He's always out on missions, meaning he doesn't get to see the other Hashira a lot, so who else is there for him? No one but himself.

I mean, throughout the whole franchise, do we ever really see him CRY? The only time we do is when he was a child and his mother was holding him basically telling him she was going to die. Other than that, we see him continue to remain strong and push forward, wearing one of the brightest smiles I've ever seen. Can we acknowledge the silent determination he has? He could've called it a day under all that pressure and just threw away the facade of being happy 24/7 because what's in it for him?

I think the main reason he stayed the way he was is due to his mother. She was the one who planted that deep seed of love inside of his heart that allowed him to keep going under the circumstances he was dealing with. I mean, that's pretty evident when he is dying and literally sees her standing from afar. (You don't understand how mad I was typing out that he was, in fact, dying. I get so upset and sad every single time)

Beneath the awesome and brilliant Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, is just a man, a human being who has experienced life not in the greatest ways sometimes and is struggling with a broken family, and he is the only pillar (no pun intended) making it stand.

Beneath that excellent and beautiful smile of his, is quiet moments where no one else sees him frowning to himself because of the issues he faces.

....

and then we get to the part where he is standing before a life and death situation.

Don't even get me STARTED on Kyojuro Rengoku's physical strength dude. He. Is. AWESOME!!!! Brother singlehandedly protected five parts(?) Of the train BY HIMSELF. And after that?

He kept an Upper Moon away from the total 200 passengers.

GOSH I AM CRYING AGAIN BECAUSE WDYM PEOPLE STILL CALL HIM WEAK???!?!?!?!?! CAN YALL KEEP IN MIND THAT HE DIDN'T LET A SINGLE PERSON OUT OF THOSE 200+ PEOPLE DIE???? NOT ONE!!! And the FACT that he was even ABLE to fight off Akaza for as long as he did just PROVES how fricken STRONG HE IS!! HE NEARLY CUT HIS NECK OFF ALL BY HIMSELF!!!!@ SDHEISH

AKAZA WHEN I FIND YOU 😃😃😃

Anyways, I'm just saying. You guys saw how great Kyojuro fought him (mind you, this was after he got done fighting in the train itself to protect five whole train cars) and the amount of stamina it probably took from him to defend all those people. I want those who still say he is weak to GENUINELY consider what the heck he was going through at that moment in time.

Yes, he's a Hashira and has trained basically his whole life for this, but can we acknowledge the fact that he is HUMANNN???? Even though it looks like he may have superpowers, HE REALLY DOESN'T! HE'S A STRONG STRONG STRONG HUMAN BEING WHO STILL BLEEDS WHEN HE GETS CUT!!! HE DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO THIS CAUSE KNOWING DARN WELL HE MIGHT DIE DOING IT AND HE DIED HONORABLY BECAUSE HE DID WHAT HE SET OUT TO DO!

He would NOT let Akaza THROUGH!! NO MATTER WHAT! I don't know why, but I had this realization a while back about why Kyojuro actually had to battle him. Don't judge me, but I put the pieces together sort of late and I figured out it was because he held Akaza back from killing everyone on the train, especially since they were recovering from the physical shock of it falling over, and also to protect Tanjiro, who was injured and bleeding. It's not that I didn't know this, but I sort of...had a lightbulb go off in my brain. He defended everyone from this Upper Rank demon who SUDDENLY DECIDES TO APPEAR OUT OF LITERALLY NOWHERE and gladly gives his life to make sure NO ONE ELSE dies.

Everyone except himself lived.

??? WHAT??!?!?!?@,#?@(÷[=>/>÷[ STOP PLAYING WITH ME DUDE

I genuinely feel like crashing out every time I see or am reminded of the moments when he is dying because HOW COULD YOU TAKE AWAY THIS BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN PERFECT MAN AWAY?????!!!

To FURTHER PROVE that Kyojuro is so much more than his big ol' smile, lemme show you something

YALL SEE THIS?? HE IS STILL SMILING AS HE'S LITERALLY DYING!! The reason why this backs up my point is because he is a man who can genuinely smile in the worst of times, even though everything is going terribly. Yes, he has moments where he falters because GOODNESS forbid he has actual emotions right?? Anyways, his smile can be a sort of automatic thing he does around others, but people need to understand that is something he just DOES. It isn't WHO he IS! HE IS WAY MORE THAN A LOUD, ENERGETIC CHARACTER WHO SHOUTS UMAI AT GOOD FOOD!!!!

Sometimes I'm like, LET HIM BE MAD FOR ONCE!! CAUSE THIS GUY HAS CARRIED SO MUCH BY HIMSELF AND ALL IN SILENCE WHILE WEARING HIS GORGEOUS SMILE TO ENCOURAGE AND LIFT OTHERS UP.

He is actually so precious to me. He's such an inspiration and someone I can relate to in a couple of things I won't list. Everyone knows the pain of a fake smile, so how often do you think he put one on?

THIS, however, was a moment of sincerity, if any other ones were possibly fake. Keep in mind, the first pic is after he saw his mother, and he felt happy and relieved knowing he fulfilled his duty like she said. He was a beacon of light taken away from us and I will never NOT be upset that it happened.

Sorry for the long rant lol, I just need to get this off my chest. People need to know how excellent he is. In the end though, he truly did the work of a Hashira and, in my opinion, is the best one.