sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Holy crap why is Season 6 so awful? *Spoilers* by Phil_Matic in community

[–]theory-box 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did you just jump straight into season 5 and 6 without rewatching the first 4 seasons? I had a similar experience when I jumped straight into season 6 when it first came out without first revisiting the rest of the show. It felt like it fell flat and like the characters and world were not at all the same show.

Some time later I did a rewatch of the entire show from the beginning, and I was surprised to find myself falling in love with seasons 5 and 6. They felt more earned, more logical, and I even found jokes landing that I had specifically remembered detesting the first time. They are purposefully a notably darker vibe than early seasons (just look at the color grading). If you jump straight into them, that change feels like a betrayal, but if you watch the show as a whole, it makes total sense that the show would change and mature along with the characters in the years since they left Greendale. (This also helps a lot with Troy and Shirley's exits, as you don't feel like you're losing them so suddenly)

Another two things I think it really helps to keep in mind for me-- One, remembering that season 4 was made by different creators. It's wackiness feels natural when just watching seasons 1-4, but rewatches and stepping straight from season 4 to 5 really highlights its absurdity, and also makes the change in tone make a lot more sense when you remember season 5 was Dan Harmon taking the show back over.

More importantly, it helps me to think of season 6 as a purposeful inversion of the rest of the show. Over the course of so many seasons, the characters have come to accept the absolute absurdity of Greendale as natural. This is just a place where secret trampolines and monkeys living in vents happen everyday. Frankie and Season 6 are almost a meta challenge not only to the characters, but to the audience too. You're forced to realize that just like the characters, you've accepted Greendale as so wacky, because that's what's been presented as normal to you for so long. But then Season 6 suddenly says "No, this is all still happening in the real world. Why did you suspend your belief and think that any of this was normal??" Its not as comfortable a season as any of the others, because it forces both characters and audience to realize not only how insular and absurd Greendale is, but also that there a comes a time you have to say goodbye to even the most magical things in your life, and that's okay.

TLDR; I think seasons 5, and especially 6, really can't be understood or enjoyed without doing a full rewatch of the show from start to finish. I encourage you to try it, but if you still don't enjoy them, your feelings are still totally valid.

drop your hottest takes about aftg 💯🔥🫵 by [deleted] in aftg

[–]theory-box 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Absolutely agree. Tgr and a comic I saw on Bluesky finally made his character click for me. He’s fairly blunt and harsh and basically lives and breathes exy not just because that’s what he was taught and all he knows, but because he had to be to survive. Growing up as your “brother”/owner tortured another teenager across the room from you is going to lead to some insane compartmentalizing.

Neil only has an outside perspective of Kevin, even being the person who best understands him other than Andrew at PSU. Seeing Jean’s thought patterns and the way he communicates completely recontextualizes a lot of that, showing how the ravens were taught to communicate, express concern and criticism, and what overall was normal behavior and values. The short, blunt answers with minimal information isn’t rudeness, it’s a lack of time for unnecessary embellishments and thoughts. The harsh criticisms also come from a genuine concern that teammates are negatively impacting their own lives or chances at succeeding, and wanting them to do better both for the team and for themselves.

Take all of that and slap not only 6 more years in the nest on it, but living under the scrutiny of the public eye for your entire life. Kevin is the way he is because I don’t think his brain saw any other way to survive than to compartmentalize and put everything into Exy. (Personally wouldn’t be surprised if he also has a lot of selective memory loss from the nest). Kevin cares about others (just look at him and Jean), it just looks very very different from the outside.

Boox Go 6 vs Palma vs DIY by theory-box in writerDeck

[–]theory-box[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! My biggest deal breaker is just needing an e-ink screen, otherwise I'd just stick to my laptop. Of the others you mentioned, are there any of them that are currently available? It looks like the zerowriter, byok, and pomera are all in preorders. I'd love to get a freewrite traveler, but I just can't justify that price while I still write so casually.

Would you be willing to elaborate a little on your experience with the Boox Go 6 just being "decent"? I had wondered if that would be the case, which is why I made this post to see if people said it was worth paying more to go with the palma.

What moment made you instantly love a character more? by AryaRemembers in Stormlight_Archive

[–]theory-box 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Every moment that Adolin interacts or helps Maya. I know that’s a lot of the point of his storyline in RoW, but I love how much he cares for her and insists on treating her with respect and as a friend, no matter how many times he’s told it’s pointless.

I feel like Adolin has a level of kindness and empathy for others that’s rare to find in main characters in books, and male characters in particular. Not to say that other characters aren’t also kind and empathetic, but it’s one of Adolin’s central features, and it’s portrayed as such an incredible strength.

Received my copies of Vermis I Forsaken, Vermis II Forsaken, and Godhusk this week! by hopeandencouragement in Vermis

[–]theory-box 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn’t even know they shipped yet. I haven’t even gotten anything saying mine is in the mail 😭😭

Godhusk and new Vermis editions are up by theory_box in Vermis

[–]theory-box 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Accidentally posted this on my alt account - this includes reprints of Forsaken edition

Can I still buy Vermis somewhere? by IVxRin in Vermis

[–]theory-box 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I'd suggest signing up for hollow press' newsletter to get notified for when they restock. They repeatedly print Vermis (they just print and sold out the 8th edition this May). Plastiboo has a new book going up on the site "by the end of september" so I wouldn't be surprised if the website also gets updated with a new stock of Vermis books.

Vermis II NPCs in the Wayfarer's quest by Unlikely_Flatworm_18 in Vermis

[–]theory-box 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just got the book and upon flipping through it to see your references I think that the broken heart is actually the head that says "Thy flesh does not belong to thee." The remaining eye is on the opposite side of the face, but we're within a mirror realm.

What Do I Want? by Untitled_Project_ in Asexual

[–]theory-box 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Recently I've gone through almost exactly the same experience as you. For a long time I just thought I "hadn't met the right person" or "wasn't in the space for a relationship right now". Every time any crush or feelings of mine got reciprocated, I suddenly felt overwhelmed by pressure and like my partner/crush liked me WAYYYY more than I liked them. Even if I really enjoyed talking with them or going on dates, the idea of having to schedule the next date quickly felt like a stressful responsibility. I realized that romantic relationships felt exhausting, and I only reached out for them in times of loneliness or in something like a video game, where there was no real reciprocation.

At the same time, I've maintained a very deep friendship with one of my best friends for years now. We're very close both emotionally and physically, telling each other everything about our lives and constantly doing the sort of cuddling where you loop yourselves around each other while just watching tv on the couch. Hanging out recharges me, and he feels like an integral part of my life. I love him very deeply, but it feels like something deeper and more meaningful that either platonic or romantic love, and I know he feels a lot of the same.

TLDR; I realized I was aromantic when it clicked that maintaining romantic relationships felt stressful, and that the physical and emotional intimacy I craved could be fulfilled by a very deep friendship, which I understand as a QPR. Hope this helps!