Even Though It Might Not Look Like It

Valentino is a pedophile

Or at least heavily coded to be one.

This post will focus on many triggering topics, such as the cultural glorification of pimps, the normalization of pedophilia within media, the glorification of sexual assault and abuse, child sexual exploitation, exploitation on the sets of hollywood, the book lolita and the 1997 films, blaxploitation, sex work and adjacent topics.

Before I start, I'd like to direct you to this video. It goes into depth on the film adaptations of Lolita and the directors behind said adaptations:

What is a pimp? A pimp is someone who predates on young and/or vulnerable people, offering security (whether it be physical, financial or emotional) in return for sexual favors and exploitation. Pimps are involved in the sex and human trafficking rings. Pimps are often found to be pedophiles and predate on specifically under developed and/or low socioeconomic communities and their vulnerable members (including children). This includes poc, queer, disabled, and any other type of minority that may feel the need to seek supports not provided by the government/society.

What is blaxploitation? Blaxploitation is the exploitation of Black, primarily American issues and culture, often through the lenses of white directors in media. This media was made to relate to African American Urban communities in the Americas during the 1970's. Although "exploitation" is clearly within the word, Black actors did have some say in the characters they play, making this topic ambiguous among the communities that these films were directed towards.

What is Lolita? Lolita is originally a book made by Vladimir Nabokov. Lolita's intentions were to show the true nature of pedophiles through the lense of a pedophile themselves. The protagonist is clearly bias and truly disgusting, though this is purposeful. Vladimir made this book as a way to explore this condition and criticize the sexualization of young girls. It was within his wishes to NEVER HAVE A GIRL PORTRAYED ON THE COVER OF HIS BOOK, as he understood how society treats young girls. This wish was ignored. Vladimir was approached many times by film companies wishing to adapt his novel, he turned them down multiple times, until he simply gave in, and the first Lolita film was made.

What were the lolita films? There has been multiple Lolita films over the years, see the linked video for more context. For this discussion I'll be focusing on the Stanely Kurbik's and Adrian Lyne's films from 1962 and 1997. These films had a large impact on how the media views young women and were a large part in normalizing sexual misconduct to young girls and women on the sets of movies and shows. These movies prioritize the sexual gratification of Humbert over the psychological horror that is a Middle aged man gaining the trust of a mother to groom and abuse her child. Almost villainizing Dolores as a "temptress" or "nymphette". Terrifying enough, on the sets of these films, the YOUNG TEEN GIRLS were preyed upon and abused in ways that Humbert himself would have to Dolores.

How does this all relate to the portrayal of Valentino?

Valentino is a pimp, duh, so all of the social connotations of a pimp related to him.

Valentino is specifically based on the blaxploitation stereotype of a pimp. This is a issue as its a racist stereotype.

How is Lolita involved in this? Charact design is an important feature of story telling. Lolita's iconic imagery of Heart shaped glasses appears in Valentinos own design, this paired with the context that majority of pimps are indeed Pedophiles and prey on young people leads to a disgusting revelation.

He's a Villian, why should we care?

Currently the romanticization of pimps are at a all time high, and not only in the Helluvaverse fandom. See source two for more information. But to keep on topic we'll be focusing on Hazbin hotel and its fandom.

The overall lack of seriousness around the character and mishandling of his general characterization of being a pimp and abuser is laughable. Hazbin hotel has the issue of not treating their villians with any sort of seriousness, and this paired with their inability to take sexual assault, exploitation and harassment seriously has lead to a lot of fans sharing the inability to treat these real life events with the empathy and seriousness they deserve.

This is seen in two trends within the fandom:

First Raph, Raph is a storyboard artist and a close friend to Viv. Raph is the vocal center of all fans of Val, and all fans of Val tend to follow in their lead. Raph has sexually harassed a minor, sexually roleplays in all age/family friendly conventions as angel dust, getting abused by Valentino. But what's most concerning is that there's speak of Raph seeking out a real Pimp to be under. This is not safe, and not behavior they should be proud of or modelling to their audience of unstable and vulnerable people.

Second is this stupid trend the fans of Val have made

Just... just look at the text and wording... I literally cannot-

The merch store for this show also turns the act of pimping into something to be proud of. This is something I'd see in a Andrew Tate store...

Viv often also promotes the romanticization of abuse within fandom along side general rape culture. This along side sending harassment to Limus for getting a sign with their critical video of Angel dusts portrayal over protecting her old VA, Michael Kovach from sexual harassment and assault from a Valentino cosplayer is INSANE.

Tumblr

Wha- proshippers do realize that morality and representation still matter when they write fanfiction..... right?

That's the thing about proshippers. They claim that they just "like" a villain. But will then defend and fetishize them for their actions.

This along side the VA for Valentino seconding all of this behavior and promoting the show to literal CHILDREN is a genuine threat to any vulnerable person who interacts with the show or fandom.

Sources referenced: 1. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1137&context=dignity 2. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/mar/05/pimps-use-instagram-to-glorify-sexual-violence-and-abuse-investigation-finds 3. https://www.womenslaw.org/about-abuse/forms-abuse/sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/forced-prostitution/basic-info-and-0 4. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/883/ 5. https://goldenglobes.com/articles/golden-age-blaxploitation-black-stars-black-audiences/ 6. https://www.britannica.com/art/blaxploitation-movie https://www.csmonitor.com/1998/0803/080398.opin.opin.2.html

I just got the chance to see the valentine merch and I have to say I'm not really impressed.

If I have time this week, I might make some posts discussing what I did and didn't like about the merch.

*throws this spicynoodles animatic at you* 🔥🍜

Here more info on the ableist situation that I could find

Here are the rest of the sceenshots on what he said!

Am quite shocked that this drama hasn't been talked about much, but at the same time, I can see why it isn't talked about.

Basically, the youtube channel named Cartoon Universe made a video taking about the new helluva boss ep.

Well, the thumbnail contained leaked storyboards

He has changed the thumbnail into this. To my knowledge, he has not made a statement regarding this situation.

But the whole reason I wanted to make a post of this situation was because of this comment

I feel like the sceenshot is fake, but maybe there is a possibility it is true?

I mean, cartoon universe is not channel I regularly watch or really care for. But to my knowledge, he has not gotten into any drama regarding being ableist.

So, I wanna to see if anyone knew more about this.

I love "Merlin crossdressing for plot reasons" fics lmao

MY REVIEW OF EPISODE 3!

~~~~~~~~~

Summary of the episode: The episode follows the hotel as they do trust exercises, Charlie puts vaggie in changes. In plot B, we follow Alastor as he goes to an overlord meeting.

~~~~~~~~

My problems short formed:

● so much was going on, but it was still boring

● Some things should be saved for another episode

● cut back on characters

~~~~~

My problems long formed:

● this episode was really boring. It just was a miss for me, I mean, we knew about the angel head. I was surprised when Velvette had the angel head, and Camille was the one that did it, but the shock was over because after that episode, we got nothing on angel head at all.

So I suggest separating Vaggie plot for her own episode, then leave this episode to Camille and velvette as a whole. Before I forget, I suggested in my earlier reviews, keeping the audience from knowing about the angel head, and then when the angel head is thrown, I just know all the audience would be completely focus.

● like I said, vaggie should have an episode focused on her. And who she is without charlie, all the people I seen who like vaggie only like her because she with Charlie.

And I personally feel like you should like the characters for who they are, not who they are with. And for vaggie without or with Charlie, she basically summed up to be angry, doesn't trust anyone, and without a second thought, and pull out her spear.

(I just find it funny that vaggie doesn't do anything with her spear fighting wise until the last couple of episodes)

● I suggest, to cut back on characters, and the overlords could be those characters. I mean, none of them even really spoke except maybe 6.

I think the episode should've the overlords meeting being canceled because everyone was busy or made up excuses on why they didn't show up.

My rewrite:

So we see Camila working, then velvette kick the door open.

Velvette is demanding for Camila use the information she knows. Camila doesn't want to be part of it.

Then velvette talk about how in recent years Camila has been losing more respect form the overlords. Then respectless happens, and then velvette is kicked out. As Camila starts to be more tense, her shadow starts to stretch out, becoming alastor shadow.

~~~~~

Over all 6/10

~~~

Wow, it has been a hot minute since I did a review post. But life has been kicking me hard by keeping me busy. I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting.

hi. gwaine overthinker here. i love this scene because the way eoin performed it does not sound like he's joking at all. to me. in fact he sounds like he's in a miserable mood.

mind you this is what the past few days (an optimistic estimate) have looked like for gwaine so far:

and lest we forget:

yeah.

so my interpretation of this scene is that gwaine really is being short with merlin, but it's merlin. and gwaine catches himself making him feel worse. so fuck it! ptsd and moral apprehension can wait. merlin needs firewood.

and to be fair, it's probably a relief to have someone drag you out of your doom spiral and pout at you until you run an errand for them.

in conclusion,

Gwaine in a large amount of Arthurian myths: I'm a serious knight and, while I do screw up occasionally, I try my best, which is the main thing.

Gwaine in Merlin: *swishing his gorgeous hair out of his eyes and revealing half his man-cleavage whilst he grins flirtily at Merlin* I'm bisexual, I'm Irish and I hate the monarchy; fancy a kiss?-

We all know the "everyone loves Merlin" and "everyone ships merthur" trope almost always work together...

Now imagine... The people love Merlin but don't think Prince Arthur, or Prince pratt, as they call him behind his back since Merlin started it, deserves him.

They do notice that Arthur is fond of Merlin... But to have the prince seduce their favorite servant? Have him hold his power over the poor manservant with twice the jobs he should normally have?

Hell no.

Give me protective Camelot. Give me Camelot citizens who constantly try to cockblock Arthur on purpose.

Also, jealous Arthur, as a treat.

The general idea of this story was that Merlin came of age and as a tradition of his kingdom at that age, all the rulers of neighboring countries would send their prince/princess to ask for the hand of Merlin. Because the rulers of the kingdom of Merlin are dragonlords and sorcerers, and therefore the neighboring countries want this alliance.

Since the kingdom of Camelot is against magic, nobody expected Prince Arthur to show up, but he did.

Alone.

Balinor is suspicious, Hunith is supportive, and Merlin doesn’t want to marry.

Chaos begins. 😂

This was supposed to be for an event but the writer dropped out so I’ll post it like this 😌

My other Merlin art