Messaging people for the first time is so hard. What am I supposed to say? Like, "You seem really odd and your blog intrigues me. Do you want to have philosophical conversations or perhaps talk about fictional characters?" What! Whatever. I will just follow you back and stare at your blog with my big beautiful brown eyes.
I feel Fiddleford would have to make these two stop fighting all the time.
ship discourse is unserious but the "who would treat fiddleford better" arguments on tumblr are crazy to me because have we all forgotten nuance? anyways here's a relationship analysis:
fiddauthor has its own unhealthy aspects because ford not only tunnel-visioned on his research to the point of dismissing fiddleford, he was also being actively isolated by his abuser (bill), who was turning the two against each other. and, at the same time, fiddleford was actively lying to ford about the memory gun, then used it on ford, a complete violation of trust. in alex hirsch's own words, fiddleford was like a yes-man to ford (until he wasnt), to the detriment of both of them.
but also they found solace in each other, as two outcasts with similar interests. even if ford could be dismissive at times with his gifts, its so clear that he valued fiddleford as his one friend, that they found so much enjoyment in each other's company in both college and in gravity falls. and ignoring that is doing them both a disservice! none of the hurt they inflicted on each other was done out of malice; they were being slowly broken down by the environment around them.
fiddlestan is more difficult to dissect for obvious reasons but comparing stan's past failed relationships to a hypothetical one with fiddleford is a moot point. we're working with a vastly different scenario here. stan would need fiddleford to stay in his desperation to save ford, and fiddleford could be easily guilt-tripped despite his trauma. would stan be an asshole to fiddleford? yeah, he would probably grow impatient with fiddleford's anxiety, and they would have very clashing personalities and interests, along with bad trust issues. fiddleford would be very reliant on the memory gun at this point, and they both would be at their mental lowest: it would not be an easy or healthy relationship.
but at the same time, it's not difficult to see how two very broken people could find solace in each other, especially due to a shared grief. its a unique situation that only they could understand, so of course it would make sense that fiddleford's desire to fix vs stan's abandonment issues would lead to something, for better or for worse. at the end of the day, they both understand the broken bonds of family and they both want to feel needed. it's not farfetched to speculate that they'd find comfort in each other.
anyways. i love these three very flawed, very hurt, and very human individuals. i think they're capable of causing each other a lot of pain. they do cause each other a lot of pain. but also they grow and they heal, and it pains me to see people reduce them to their singular actions. (but also the jokes are funny so yknow...i get it carry on)
Edwin A. Abbott gave Flatland an unreliable narrator that describes his sexist, classist, racist society with pride in terms of “I am a Square. I have 4 sides. the more angles and sides you have, the better you are as a person. Also you can't change this even though the people in power will encourage you to try,” and he wrote this for Victorian societies in 1884 to the tune of “THIS IS WHAT YOU SOUND LIKE. THIS IS HOW STUPID YOU SOUND.
"You claim to know intimately the nature of every being around you, yet you know nothing. You call yourself a square despite the fact you’ve never seen one! YOU'VE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN A SQUARE.”
In the book, A Square goes down a rabbit hole of thought until eventually drawing the conclusion that women should be educated. It is after this that A Sphere chooses to teach him about the 3rd dimension, and says it's because A Square “seemed a man of sense.” A Sphere mentions the importance of love and art, something A Square thinks is ridiculous because "love" is for women, and "art" is for socialists I mean chromatists. A Square never really does get it though. He fails to explain the 3rd dimension to his fellow Flatlanders, partly due to comedically terrible political timing, largely due to the fact A Square has always been prone to understanding only what is directly in front of him. He lives out the rest of his days in prison.
And then 123 years after the book was published, Ladd Ehlinger (an incredibly reactionary misogynist and racist) makes an adaptation of the book where he voices the main character. He releases a movie that pathetically mimes the social commentary of the original, and now lives out his days as a sad, angry man crying on YouTube about leftists. He's lived out the plot of Flatland, playing an even worse version of A Square's role. The only thing that's missing is getting sent to jail and that’s bc unlike A Square, Ladd Ehlinger doesn't experience oppression of any kind.
However, exactly like A Square, he didn't get it. He didn't fucking get it.
From my strawpage inbox : "How do you think stanley bros celebrate new year?"
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Stan never liked celebrating new year it was just another excuse to get blackout drunk, and the concept haven't been in Ford's mind for 30 odd years now. But for their first year aboard the Stan O War II, Stan decided to do something special, since Ford had long forgot about the traditions of the celebration.
They docked near a small yet lively pier so Ford could enjoy the occasion, without the possibility for the experience to be soured by the intensity and overcrowding. It was supposed to be a nice and quaint occassion for them, well mainly for Ford.
The festivities brought out their whimsical sides, reminding them of their childhood, a simpler time. Fairs by the pier of Glass Shard Beach that they would visit after working on Stan O War, catching a moment of tranquility as they watched the sun set before the reality faded back in. Browsing through the endless fair games that they never had enough money for, not that it mattered, they were with each other, and that was enough.
But as the midnight approaches, Stan dragged Ford out to a quieter part of the pier, away from the crowd, from eyes that might catch the two brothers getting just a bit too intimate. And Ford let himself to be dragged along, while he enjoyed the fair, even after 30 years, he wanted a quiet moment with Stan too.
Enjoying each other's company, they huddled together, Stan's head leaning against Ford shoulder, five-fingered hand on top of the six-fingered one, as they listened to the faint countdown from the crowd. And as it reaches midnight, fireworks blooming in the night sky, Stan watched the firework show from Ford's soft eyes, his eyes twinkling so beautifully.
For a moment, it was just the two of them, the world around melting away. Ford leaned in, only to find Stan doing the same, it just felt like the right thing to do.
New year finally meant something for them, it marked another year together with the love of their lives, in each other's arms, instead of just another day to wallow in sorrow. And they look forward to spending the rest of their new years together.
so glad i can finally share this- here's something i did for a secret santa event!!
Shoutout to all the non-stancesters that make animations for Ford & Stan to various love songs. You confuse me but ily
Just read @sock-lobster latest fic Growing on me and absolutely loved everything about it I couldn’t wait to draw a thing!!
[Commissions] [Colored Sketch] [Buy me a coffee~]
how suffocating
I've had this idea for a while - the dynamic pre-finale but post-portal-reactivation is brief but super interesting ngl. They hate each other's ass
Do not tag as stancest