Tarume - Untitled

It's sad, because the most down to earth people tend to be outdoorsmen. Hunters, fishers, campers, hikers, ect. All have a good relationship with nature and respect for maintaining it while thinking "climate change" is a bunch of hoopla. Everyone has a critique for the forest service and the braindead politicians making environmental decisions they don't understand, but it's not a political movement. Maybe it should be.

I don't like the stupid boomer insult, but everything else is spot on. Honestly, real environmentalism--things like conservation, supporting zoos, and limiting pollution--is something the right has a really big opportunity to be leaders on. Every aspect of environmentalism is infected by the climate cult. I've talked about it before, but you can't donate to any environmental cause without there being a good possibility that your money is going to go towards lobbying politicians to ban air conditioning or instituting a gas tax. Even things like zoos are infected. Every zoo I've been to in the last 5 years has listed climate change as one of the biggest--if not the biggest--reasons why species or their habitats are endangered. Every single natural disaster is blamed on climate change.

And all of this is possible only because the right ceded the entire environmental protection movement not just to the left, but to the craziest of the crazies. People who attack whaling boats and put spikes in trees to loggers get maimed when their chainsaws strike them. The environmental terrorists are the face of environmentalism. But at least in the past the slightly less crazy ones would publicly distance themselves from the ones actually committing terrorism, even if their efforts were lukewarm. These days, the World Is In Crisis! It's the Climate Emergency! The future of humanity and the planet are literally at stake, so nothing is too extreme in the face of extinction.

We really need some right wing environmental groups. Groups that recognize the need to preserve and cherish our land and wildlife, but who also understand economic and developmental reality, along with energy needs. Groups that will actually do things like fighting beach erosion or repopulating species or rebuilding habitats that were destroyed in natural disasters, not shutting down pipelines because oil makes them mad, or seizing people's private property because there's a puddle that's just big enough to qualify as a regulated body of water on their land. I know it's a fever dream at this point, but I really do think the environmental left has gotten so crazy and so insufferable that there's a real chance to move in and make those issues our own.

I’m glad Maes Hughes died.

He’s a fan favorite character and I enjoy him a lot too, but I think fundamentally he’s a character who has to die. His role in the narrative is to haunt it.

I might be even more of a weirdo because I enjoy his manga characterization over his Brotherhood or ‘03 portrayal, but I love the idea of Hughes being someone the Elric brothers barely know - someone we, the audience, barely see.

Until he dies.

Because suddenly he’s everywhere. He was Roy’s friend and Armstrong’s superior officer and Winry’s acquaintance and Elicia’s father - and he was the soldier both Ed and Al knew, but didn’t actually know, that got killed because of them anyway.

In the manga Winry stays at Hughes’ place, but Ed and Al enter his house for the first time after they found out he died. For them, it’s not about losing a friend (though I am sure they liked him just fine) because that story is already Roy’s - for them it’s about realizing that this plot they’ve involved themselves in kills people that aren’t actually directly involved at all to begin with. It makes sense for their allies and friends and loved-ones to be targeted by the antagonists - but a soldier who mostly joined in because he was at the right (or wrong) place at the right (wrong) time? That’s not supposed to happen. And that’s what makes Hughes’ death so hard on them.

(and poor Elicia - abandoned children without their fathers were always a weakness of Ed’s)

But Roy? Yeah… he suffers. From the moment of Hughes’ dead on, Roy is haunted by it. By him. His best friend follows him everywhere. We see it in the way Roy only involves himself in the plot because Hughes figured something out and Roy is desperate for answers. He hunts down the homunculi to save this country, sure, but mostly so he can burn his best friend’s murderer to the ground. When Riza talks about winning against the Führer and their military dictatorship, she talks about all of them, not a hint of revenge coloring her vision - but Roy? It is telling that it isn’t a greater ideal that makes him torture Envy, but the agony of his best friend’s death.

The thing that almost breaks Roy is Maes.

No.

It’s Maes’ memory haunting the narrative.

And isn’t that beautiful?

The tragedy of it all, the horror, and the realization that Roy Mustang never really recovered from the War, that his friends are the only think keeping him in one piece, the fact that Roy Mustang is a Hero and a Monster and a fallible human capable of love.

Maes Hughes has to die to remind all of us of what Roy Mustang is capable of: love, loyalty, devotion…. and the slaughter and torture of numerous people.

His ghost is haunting the narrative - and for that I love him.

💙

And here is the Krista post that I’ve been mentioning in the Rashta analysis. Krista is like Rashta level 2 but less prickly, and she can garner way more sympathy compared to our other problem girl. This is going to be 100% spoiler because we’ve only seen her once and had a name drop in the English Webtoon comic.

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Just something to think about this Thursday morning!!

If Crab Day 2023 goes down as the thing that Saved Tumblr, I will laugh forever. Literally. I'll be dying in my bed at 97 and be like "AH REMEMBER THE CRABS" and laugh myself into Heaven.

Speaking of Teba, tho 

Teba kind of falling into the role of a parental figure for Link and eventually, growing to see Link as his adopted son 

Teba respecting Link for the warrior that he is but, at the same time, still recognizing that he’s a young man without a father figure or really anyone there for him so he decides that he’ll at least attempt to be that in some way. He often offers advice, comfort (in his own way) and what not. It starts out simple, just him trying to be kind to a kid in a crappy situation but over time, the bond between him and Link grows until he thinks of the Hylian as his own

Teba flying over the plains of Hyrule, through the snowy winds of Tabantha, and sometimes even into the Hebra Mountains (or possibly even further), not really looking for Link but still using his keen bird eyes to try and pick out his familiar shape. It’s not conscious at first but after a few times of stumbling across him, he starts actively looking out of the corner of his eyes for the Hylian 

If he does seem him, he always takes the time to fly down and talk to him - helps him out with some monsters, makes sure he’s got food and medicine, makes sure he has warm clothes, always always ALWAYS offers him a safe place to sleep back in Rito Village. If Link takes him up on the offer of a warm, safe bed, Teba has no problem with the Hylian clambering up onto his back and him safely transporting him back

Link and Tulin being closer than peas in a pod - whenever Link visits Rito Village or the Flying Range (which he does often), he always wears little Tulin out by playing with him too much. A lot of the times, once night falls, they pass out together on Tulin’s bed with the little bird tucked close to Link’s side. Teba just kind of shakes his head but feels like his home is complete with everyone there

Teba isn’t really one for physical affection but sometimes, he’ll stand by Link’s side and drap his wing over his head and shoulders, holding him close to his side and squeezing him in a one armed hug. Link always leans a little bit into him whenever he goes that and it reminds Teba of how Tulin does the same. He also ruffles his hair from time to time (which is always a little awkward given the whole wings thing) or pats him on the back 

Teba spending a lot of time worrying about Link when he doesn’t have him in his sights. He knows the kid is capable and talented but he can’t help but to worry what he might be getting himself into. Saki is the one who always talks him down from that place, though he can always tell she’s just as worried as he is. Despite him a warrior himself and knowing Link to be one as well, it always sends a shock of fear and anger through him whenever the kid shows up in Rito Village covered in bruises and scraps 

 Teba teaching both Tulin and Link how to make various kinds of arrows, how to repair their bows, what to do when caught in nasty flying conditions then looking on proudly as they grasp hold of everything with ease. Teba quietly teaching them powerful lessons of the warrior, guiding them with a patient, steady hand and encouraging them every step of the way 

Teba being a calm, quiet presence in Link’s life whenever things get too hectic. Link knows he can just show up in Rito Village without explanation, sit himself beside Teba wherever he may be and just stay by his side, working out whatever is bothering him by himself or hesitantly voicing it to Teba, who always responds in considerate, mature way 

Just…Teba being the father that Link never really had, Teba treating Link the same way he treats Tulin and adoring the both of them, Teba teaching Link everything he knows and encouraging him, praising him all the time, Teba just being Link’s stern but loving birb father, just <3 <3 <3 <3 

Tomatoes are expensive