You know what's not a hot take and actually really dumb? Saying that people who are invested in the love story in The Hunger Games are just as bad at the Capitol. A lot has already been said about this to show just how dumb of a statement that is, but I want to add something I haven't seen talked about. And that's how the people of the districts were just as taken by the love story as the Capitol. They just understood the gravity of the Games and saw Katniss and Peeta's love as a successful rebellion against the Capitol, which inspired them as well. Katniss acting like a girl driven to madness with love doesn't dissuade the rebellion at all, and in fact she figures Snow put her up to it during the Victory Tour to distract her rather than as a tactic that would actually dissuade the rebellion.
We get little direct contact with the people of the rebellion, but one of the times we get it, during the visit to the hospital in D8, this is what Katniss narrates:
Despite his controversial interview with Caesar, many ask about Peeta, assure me that they know he was speaking under duress. I do my best to sound positive about our future, but people are truly devastated when they learn I've lost the baby. I want to come clean and tell one weeping woman that it was all a hoax, a move in the game, but to present Peeta as a liar now would not help his image.
For the people in the districts, their romance is real, the hope of these two rebels bringing new life to Panem is real, and its loss is a devastation. Are you going to tell me that these people who are literally dying for the rebellion are just as bad as the people from the Capitol?
So the people who compare those who are interested in the romance in THG to the people in the Capitol, get better critical judgement. The fans I've seen who are invested in the romance are far more akin to how the people of the districts feel about Katniss and Peeta. We love their love because it is a rebellion against the Capitol. It is what sparks the rebellion and inspires people to start fighting back against their oppression. And we the readers know everything from Katniss's perspective (which neither the Capitol nor the districts had access to) and there is still every reason in the world to ship these two characters because they looked at what the Capitol was trying to make them do and at every turn and said "I'm choosing my humanity over submission to you." And they did that together every single time.
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Once Brennan specified to Riz that Kipperlilly didn't have a scar I knew exactly how all the revivifying would play out. To me it makes perfect sense that Kipperlilly is the only one to stay permanently dead. Not mortalistically, but remember this is a story. Penelope Everpetal and Dayne also stayed permanently dead too. Riz shot off Buzz's fingers. The key thing is Brennan said that Kipperlilly didn't have a scar, she didn't die and then chose Ankarna, she chose to side with Porter first. Similarly to Penelope and Dayne. Where all three of them ultimately still manipulated by other forces using them? Yes. But they fundamentally chose their side because of something they wanted to gain. When Brennan made that distinction between Kipperlilly and the others, it was obvious where that was going.
Brennan wouldn't have crafted a narrative of manipulation just to kill all the Rat Grinders because that wouldn't have been very satisfying, given that we knew so little about them why would we cheer for Ivy to stay dead or Mary Ann? Remember: The cast was only talking about Atonement and revivifying Mary Ann, but Brennan revivified all the others too even though they weren't shown to have a change of heart. This is because, while possibly jerks, the others weren't set-up to be so bad that their perma-deaths would have been all that satisfying.
In contrast, Kipperlily's beef with everyone was front and center and she killed her own party member. If Kipperlilly was going to come back and be redeemed after that it would have felt cheap. Not because of something inherent to Kipperlily but because no one did the work to make that a possibility. NOW, if someone had been in her dreams and putting in the work like Fig did for Rueben, it could have worked. But people didn't put in the works. FANS have extrapolated sympathetic angles for Kipperlilly but the narrative hasn't. Remember Aelwyn's redemption only came after Adaine was exploring it. Thus, since no one explored Kipperlily's redemption, it wasn't "text," it wasn't an angle present in the narrative that would have been satisfying because it didn't develop enough to have a conclusion.
Basically: Narratives have to be set up. Some permanent consequences had to be dealt to the Rat Grinders to feel satisfying given everything they had done to the Bad Kids. Kipperlilly was shown to be the most voluntarily antagonistic, and was the one set-up as having been antagonizing them and so she was the one who had die. If the players had made different choices, thing could have changed, but they didn't and so Brennan merely delivered on what was set up before
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when thinking about scar and mei's dynamic, I love thinking about why he becomes so attached to her. it's not just a parental instinct, it's specifically identifying with her struggles. the chang clan is small and has little political power compared to the more dominant clans in xing, and it's a struggle just to survive. even though it's not exactly the same, there's this feeling of solidarity between scar and mei because they're both disenfranchised within their respective countries. the sympathy mei describes when she found xiao-mei is what scar feels towards mei, seeing something of themselves in the other and taking pity on them
and there's this other element to him helping her find xiao-mei, and I might be misremembering, but I'm fairly certain it's the first deviation from his revenge based quest. so far, every time we've seen him, he's either been attacking state alchemists, going somewhere to find a state alchemist, or recovering from his injuries. he is very driven when it comes to his goals, but he sees this little girl crying because she is all alone in a foreign country on a desperate quest to save her people and she's just lost the only family she has with her, and he decides to help her. he didn't have to do that, he could have just ignored her or insisted on moving on, but he is not heartless or cruel, he is a compassionate person underneath all the pain, so he goes out of his way to help this little girl find her panda
no wonder mei is constantly reiterating to other people that scar is a good person
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Sonadow Fic Rec
Okay, before you jump down to the masterpieces listed below, I just wanted to state this:
These authors have given this phenomenal content for free, baked with time and effort. I have never once ignored this, hence why I try and comment on each and every one of these fics. However, my energy and ability to be verbose differs day to day. Some of these fics I have not given proper comments for, despite this, I will be on it the moment I can be. In the time being, (once I am able to find my comments on each of these fics) I will be sharing my adoration for them further in other posts (and most likely link back to this one).
With that being said, please, PLEASE take your time to check each of these fics out. If they're not your cup of tea? Valid! But hands down I have never dedicated myself to making a fic rec like this until now. But I MUST share and spread these works, they are much too dear to me not to, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
(All fics are listed by order saved in my bookmarks, not in the order read)
tangled threads and bite-marked shoulders by @rubyiiiusions
Words: 32,287 | Series | Complete
Shadow hissed in pain. The laser had just grazed him, but it still stung, and he instinctively gripped the wound it left on his arm. “You dare-”
He stopped. The laser hadn’t hit him. In fact, it had struck Sonic, right on his lower left arm.
So why did his forearm feel like it just got shot?
He whipped around, fear climbing up his throat, and he suddenly became hyper-aware of something new. It was like a sixth sense, feeling the confusion that emitted from Sonic’s fur in waves as if it was his own.
“What did you do?!” Shadow snarled.
or, eggman accidentally soulbinds shadow and sonic, and no one has any idea how to undo it.
Sleepwalking by Tirainy
Words: 22,117 | Complete
'There is a strong arm curled around his torso, the appendage keeping him close to its owner, whose warm breath is ghosting over the back of his neck. Sonic is sure he went to bed alone the previous night, but he isn't worried about the intruder. After all, this isn't the first time this has happened…'
Secret Admirer by @trenchcoat-gecko
Words: 24,313 | Complete
Sonic understood well what it meant to be loved. He was a world-famous hero, after all; his presence never went unnoticed. For the most part, he lavished in that attention, he soaked it in and encouraged it.
But not romantic attention.
So, when the blue blur found himself falling in love? Well, the prospect was rather daunting, no matter how easy Amy had made it out to be. So maybe, just maybe, he should just take the easy way out...
Rose Drops Series by @magicstormfrostfire
Words: 122,489 | Series | Complete
Love, Intuition, and a little bit of magic ensues as Amy sends Sonic and Shadow on an unforgettable adventure.
Wolfboy by @trenchcoat-gecko
Words: 73,856 | Complete
World-famous monster hunter Shadow the Hedgehog has a job to do. It doesn't take long for the one-shot wonder to realize that this job won't be as simple as he'd expected: a small town, rumors of a lone werewolf, and a handsome, green-eyed, chronically-injured casanova who manages to worm his way into Shadow's heart...
What starts off as a simple job turns out to be something much more life-changing.
Blizzard Bedfellows by @magicstormfrostfire
Words: 21,294 | Complete
When a rare blizzard takes over the island, Sonic is on the run to make sure a certain angry loner is safe and sound.
Y-you know, because...uh that's what heroes do.
We never met but can we have a cup of coffee or something? by @whitejungle
Words: 3,630 | Complete
It's been almost two months since Sonic lost someone he didn't even know, but he can't stop thinking about it.
Clean Slate by nottheweirdest
Words: 155,880 | Complete | Note: Squeal pending and I am cheering you on author!! Whatever you decide I am excited to support you!!
Shadow has lost himself before. He knows what it's like to straddle the line between reality and false memories, but this time, it’s Sonic whose memory has vanished.
A premeditated set of circumstances and an accidental injury leave Sonic with no memory of who he is, his life, or more importantly, his painful history with Shadow.
It’s up to Shadow to remind the hero who he is in the midst of a global outbreak. It’s a chance for redemption. It’s a chance to right the wrongs of the past.
It’s a clean slate.
say i reckon (i love you, for a millisecond) by @redamancering
Words: 30,205 | Complete
There’s a hand on his shoulder, barely making contact. A red gauntlet glows around the wrist.
Sonic blinks, the pain having evaporated so fast he feels almost weightless. “Shadow?”
Shadow’s breathing heavily. “Problem.”
The retrieval of the ancient tech Shadow (and Sonic, in tow) has been sent to uncover takes a turn for the worst. In this case, the “worst” means… becoming physically and inextricably linked to each other. For the foreseeable future.
OR: Metaphysical handcuffs, and general gay buffoonery.
Judge my sins, not my feelings by yellothebeeloved
Words: 228,479 | Complete | Note: Possible one-shots pending from the author for the series, I am here to support you author!! What ever you decide I'm here for it!
Maybe he's not meant to touch. It's the newest excuse he thought of in hopes that he could prolong the game a little more; a careful ruse to enjoy the bittersweet torture of seeing the days pass them by, while he pretends he doesn't seek azure blue whenever he's restless. At first, all he wanted to do was watch: but now the desire to touch, to have, to affect is at a point where he's not sure whether reaching for Sonic would truly be fruitless.
He wonders that especially when Sonic's eyes light up upon seeing him. When he corners Shadow, when he invades his space and he touches and takes and then excuses it by calling it a fight. Shadow truly wonders then: if only he was brave enough to reach out, what would his grip find? Loose stars or a battle-worn body?
Standing up, he glances at Sonic again, whose eyes have now met his own. There's something heavy in the eye contact, something Shadow doesn't dare name. Neither of them say anything, and yet Sonic's eyes move away from him again, like they did.
Shadow warps away, hiding from the stars once more.
Child of Prophecy by @trenchcoat-gecko
Words: 139,321 | Completed
On the night the Mobius Castle was ransacked, the Queen received a prophecy.
“One of three will not cry; send him down the river, for you can only save your kingdom if he does not grow up royal.”
Coming Home by nottheweirdest
Words: 55,740 | Completed
Shadow's life has been full of mistakes, some worse than others, but admitting his unrequited feelings to Sonic tops the list. He's spent the better part of a decade ruminating on his regret and hiding from feelings he couldn't bear to face. He never thought he'd see Sonic again, and he told himself that was for the best.
Until now.
At the bequest of his former rival, and in an attempt to finally get closure, Shadow has returned to Central City. The reason?
Sonic the Hedgehog is marrying Amy Rose.
And Shadow is invited.
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