Idk If Anybody Did This Before

Honestly the fact that the other Assembly members are helping Ludinus is a surprise. But it also is kinda expected. He thrives in the viper’s nest, he always has. Even the Vanguard has tenuous relations and I doubt he has any misgivings about how that is. He’s been the head of the Cerberus Assembly for centuries, he knows backstabbing and undermining like the back of his hand. And Ludinus probably loves that shit.

Because truly he can’t handle genuine relationships. Sincere care or compliments. It’s why Jester throws him off so much. Because her smiles are real. Because her compliments are genuine and not backhanded.

The fake smiles and promises, the underhanded slights and backstabs is the world Ludinus moves like water through. He plays the political game so very well. Delilah, the charismatic witch, herself said it. Everyone knows Ludinus is a snake but they all fall for his traps anyway. But people like Jester throw him off because it breaks his world view. It breaks the idea that the world is dog eat dog all the time and you have to play this game to get yours. He rejects these genuine connections, romantic and platonic because “it’s beneath him”, but truly also because he can’t fathom the idea of those things meaning something real, having worth in a world in which those are all tools to manipulate and gain something from you, distractions from a larger goal.

The conversation he had with Essek is reframed in this light. It is not just that he thinks Essek gaining friendship is a distraction, makes him weak. It’s that he cannot see how a wizard similar to him can believe in such things. “Maybe you should try friends” was a sick burn but also there is this notion that Ludinus doesn’t get that. He doesn’t believe that is possible. True friendship isn’t something good or meaningful, it’s supposed to be a tool. In his mind Essek should have used the M9 to get further ahead.

Oh yes I do believe he does care for Liliana in some way. But it is also in the way that he needs her for his plans. Everything he does is framed around his goals, his needs. Because he cannot see relationships as anything but transactional. Subconsciously perhaps he desires deeper connections, but he will consciously bar himself from committing to such a thing because he has no faith in such a thing.

So yeah he is going to surround himself with people that hate him, people that he knows will backstab him at some point. Because he gets that. That’s familiar to him. He can deal with hatred and jealousy, but he can’t deal with genuineness.

YESSSS~~ and to my recollection he doesn't even hesitate to do so, yeah? Just with his full chest, 'Caleb Widogast'

I remember another post a while back said that it was the Nein who made Caleb 'Caleb', or something along those lines, and that it's who he became - I don't recall the details but I remember it was a real neat take LOL XD

absolutely charmed by the fact that in the first few eps Caleb uses his full name when talking to stangers / the crowns gaurds. in his mind he still isnt caleb. at least not yet. so why should he change his alias?

Here's a CAT

So far my favorite bit of re-watching C2 is Caleb being asked about the Academy and immediately deflecting by summoning a cat. "My backstory? HERE'S A CAT, ASK NO QUESTIONS."

Astrid hid in the smut shop because she thought it would be the one place Essek wouldn't go. Unfortunately for her he has been inured by years of friendship with Jester and smut shops are now his favoured terrain.

My Therapist: "American-Accent Caleb isn't real and cannot hurt you." Caleb c2e1:

Me and shipping presented by Barbossa:

My ship: *in the middle of a heated argument*

Me:

My ship: *Share a single heartwarming scene*

Me:

My ship: *Don’t interact for a whole season/film*

Me:

The producers: *Trying to stop the fans from shipping it*

Me, with the rest of the fandom:

The actors: *Supporting the ship even though the producers aren’t*

Me: 

Everyone who doesn't speak German, I want you all to understand just how good Liam's German accent is.

Especially compared to for example Matt's (as the Zemnian guy in the bar) - that's what I'm expecting an American guy to sound like when he's doing a half-decent German accent; like, well that's not reeeally what I speak like, but sure, I get what you're going for.

Liam tho? This is genuinely how we all sounded in my highschool English class. Hilariously authentic. No notes from my part.

i am laughing at caleb and nott assuring each other that if things go sideways they'll be the first out the door, together, and nott says, "they'll never know who we were!" and caleb confirms, "caleb and nott" which is so hilarious in retrospect because THEY didn't even know who each other were. if they'd left? yeah, the others never would have known who they were. they only would have known caleb and nott, never veth and bren. and neither of them even know they're both using fake names yet

I keep seeing this on my dash and I Die of Laughter a little more each and every time so hdjxjdksk I Must™ Reblog XD

I know you guys wanted Atla fan art from me, and I promise I have some more in the works but… masters on a string..? 

 [ http://Patreon.com/Helixel ]

Normalize making transphobes feel unsafe 😌