#tma discourse

people are acting like it's basically canon now when it's not. just because there are some thematic connections between chester and jon/norris and martin doesn't mean they're canonically trapped in the computer. it's possible but i would personally like the story to preserve the ambiguous ending in tma.

Her emotions were being twisted into only feeling anger during all that time. For over a year. She leaned into it because it felt good, that was her downfall, but we can't deny that she was being influenced.

Her erraticness and volatile behaviors during this time can't be separated completely from the bullet wound seaping Slaughter poison into her leg.

Melanie, Basira, and Daisy, all gave statements, they all had to deal with him in their mind, watching their worst nightmares. If Melanie was there, being confronted about hurting random people, you would not have demanded Jon show sympathy for her.

I think, maybe I'm running in the wrong Magnus circles, but people forget that Jon had a choice, that was very much the point of MAG 147. Jon had a choice in hurting people. Jon chose to hurt people, yes it was influenced, yes it probably would've been more helpful if they were a bit nicer to him, but they're not infallible, and they're not neutral in this situation, because Jon has hurt all of them in the same way they found out he was hurting others.

You can make posts about how JonMartin can exhibit aspects of a toxic relationship (I mean none of them are particularly good people by the end of things so ofc) and it’s fine to want to discuss it and make meta posts.

It’s also fine to want to make fluffy posts about JonMartin and simply ignore parts of canon in your fan work.

I’m just saying this bc I definitely see people subtweeting my posts and like guys,, this is a meta/discourse blog primarily, I’m gonna dig into things but that isn’t inherently against fluffy/happier interpretation and fan work??

Like I’ll bring out the meme if I must:

Ignore them.

I’m serious. I will be 40 in four months or so, I have been around fandom for pretty much my whole life. I have watched my oldest fandom (Star Trek) become “cringe” and then revive with a new generation. I have had niche interests and I have had “oh you’re only into that because it’s popular.” I was originally a Doctor Who blog and I quickly got into BBC Sherlock and Supernatural, so I was briefly a Superwholock blog. I have things I have loved deeply (Harry Potter) ruined by the bigotry of the author, and I have re-examined things I once loved and found them wanting in terms of inclusion and dignity (Dragon Age, sadly), and I have dropped them. I have let people bully me out of fandoms I genuinely loved

That last is the only one I regret.

Don’t let anyone tell you that your interests are silly or cringe or ridiculous. A key part of this is not taking yourself too seriously--sometimes the things we love are kind of silly and ridiculous! And that’s okay! And sometimes the things we love turn out to be less wonderful as we grow older and examine them, especially if they’re soaked in racism or misogyny or homophobia, and that’s okay too. But don’t let someone else make you feel bad for loving whatever you love.

I love The Magnus Archives. Genuinely, wholeheartedly. I have been writing more fan content for TMA than I have written in years. It has reconceptualized my view of the world. It has inspired me to write horror, which I’ve never really tried my hand at before. TMA has its flaws, don’t get me wrong, but it’s good. That’s not just me talking; it’s won several awards. I will probably be here loving TMA long after everyone else has gone and I’m just sitting in the shell of a burned-out Archive or whatever.

Whoever you are--you can stick around with me, or you can move on, but that should be up to you and what you love. If you move on from TMA fandom that doesn’t make it any less of a valuable thing in your life.

It’s normal for people to move on from a thing once it’s over, and it’s also normal for people to trash a thing once it’s over. And it’s telling that people feel okay trashing TMA fandom, which is centered around a small, independent, deeply queer podcast whose entire five-year story arc is (among other things) an examination and criticism of capitalism and power.

If TMA was your gateway to horror, then welcome. If TMA is just your comfort podcast of gay tragedy... welcome. ;) If you’re like me and TMA is just the culmination of several trends in your interests over your life... awesome, let’s talk!!