Meta Links 2014/05/22 - 2014/05/28
Notices
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
General Fandom
Some Tips for Cosplaying: Z McAspurren (blog) - "these are just meant to be tips we’ve gathered from being involved in the scene or speaking to others in it"
fandom:cosplay
Untitled: graceebooks (tumblr) - "we need a new term for what the concept of queerbaiting has evolved into,"
topic:queerbaiting
Magical Mondays: The Inner Magic of Princesses: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by Tsunderin (blog) - "By this point in our media culture, we’re so used to scenes like this that the possible underlying meanings don’t even cross our minds. Sure, they’re turning into a princess, but why? Are these transformations really all about the typical fairy tale ending?"
topic:transformation
Oh, My Pop Culture Jesus: “It’s Not a Religious Show”: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by Lady Geek Girl (blog) - "People may respond by asking me why the story needs to have these religious elements, and the answer is, despite being in a sci-fi or fantasy setting, characters need to come off as human and relatable and that may mean discussing religion."
topic:religion
Web Crush Wednesdays: Source Code in TV and Films: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by porluciernagas (blog) - "Unfortunately, I forgot that he, well, actually knows things about computers, and after the movie I was subjected to a good ten minute tirade on how no computer programmer worth their salt would ever plug an enemy agent’s computer into the MI6 systems to check what it contained, which was exactly what supposed tech guru Q did in the movie."
topic:coding
Specific Fandoms
A Song of Ice and Fire
So Many Vows: Oaths in Conflict: SomethingLikeALawyer- Tower of the Hand (blog) - "Within A Song of Ice and Fire, there are many examples of characters who face the unenviable dilemma of having two duties or oaths that conflict with each other. From kings to knights to common-born men of the Night's Watch, oaths and duties frequently come into conflict. "
fandom:asoiaf, topic:loyalty
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: ACOK, Arya II: Race for the Iron Throne by stevenattewell (blog) - "And in this little cameo, we can see gradations of prosperity already, between the people with livestock and those who walk, between the people with skills and tools to their name and the people with only mouths to feed."
fandom:asoiaf, fandom:gameofthrones
So there’s this toxic view held by some ppl (and in many cases the GoT show writers themselves) that if someone is personally unlikeable to you, then therefore any abuse they receive is totally justified!: leonqueerwata(tumblr) - " Sansa and Theon"
fandom:asoiaf, topic:character, warning:abuse
Q: So what do you think it's the deal with Melissandre?: asongoftheories(tumblr) - "It’s entirely possible that Melisandre is much older than she seems. She has the appearance of a young woman, but certain hints understandably lead people to believe otherwise.
"
fandom:asoiaf, topic:character >
Some notes on Skyler and Lydia parallels in season 5A: enbouton (tumblr) - "There is something going on with the juxtaposition of Lydia and Skyler and the way a lot of Walt’s abuse of Skyler is implied but at the same time we’re seeing Lydia getting physically assaulted and threatened in a very direct, explicit way"
fandom:breakingbad, warning:abuse, warning:non-con
Hieroglyph
Walk Like Some Egyptians: Breaking down Fox’s Hieroglyph: Racialicious By Monique Jones (blog) - "Television execs have now seen that this model works, which is why you have networks with new lineups boasting even more diversity than last year. Hieroglyph actually represents ancient Egyptians as non-white people: Hieroglyph is one of the few forms of entertainment that have actually shown ancient Egyptians as non-whites. "
fandom:heiroglyph, topic:diversity
Magical Girl Anime
Favorite Transformation Sequences?: frillsofjustice (DW) - "One of my favorite parts of magical girl anime is the transformation sequences- I'm probably not alone in that, haha. It's a great way for a series to show off its artsyle, themes and character designs, and it's just such a quintessential 'magical girl show' thing."
fandom:anime, topic:transformation
SHIELD
Everybody Hates Grant Ward: Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Sam Keeper (blog) - "there's just a bit more worth saying about Ward in relation to ideas about sympathetic villains and how we as an audience react to the pain that particular characters suffer."
fandom:mcu
Sixteen Candles
I Want to Be a Boy for My Birthday: The Hooded Utilitarian by Noah Berlatsky (blog) - "All right, Sixteen Candles isn’t actually about a trans man, unfortunately; representations of trans people in media were even rarer two decades ago than they are now. But rewatching the film, it is surprising how obsessed this girl’s coming-of-age story is with manliness. "
fandom:sixteencandles, topic:queer
Stargate-1
Stargate SG-1 and the White Feminist: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by MadameAce (blog) - "Season 1, Episode 3, “Emancipation”, sets out specifically to talk about oppression against women. Unfortunately, it does so in the worst way possible."
fandom:sg1, topic:race, topic:feminism
Superman
Superman: A Twentieth Century Messiah: The Hooded Utilitarian by Tyler Wenger (blog) - "However, when ignoring the tights and cape and analyzing Siegel and Shuster’s character closely, Superman can be seen as more than Jerry Siegel’s brainchild, but as the savior of the imagination of this young Jewish writer."
fandom:dccomics
Supernatural
part of the reason Sam sees Dean’s persuading him to stop the trials in 8.23 as forcing him is that this means Sam doesn’t have to take responsibility for stopping the trials as a decision he made, so he doesn’t have to accept that he “failed” at his mission to “purify” himself of his flaws, that cathartic act of redemption he was seeking.
: amonitrate (tumblr) - "So he doesn’t have to deal with the fact that he in the end wanted to live more than he wanted to be “purified”"
fandom:supernatural, topic:character
Tarzan
Tarzan of the Moral Imbeciles: (blog) - "Of course Tarzan was a knock-off too. He’s a lost worlder, the genre H. Rider Haggard kicked off in 1885 with King Solomon’s Mines and into which Doc Savage and Superman boldly followed. "
fandom:tarzan, topic:eugenics
Wicked
Unnaturally Green: The Superhero in Wicked: The Hooded Utilitarian by Joy Putney (blog) - "This twist on the traditional Ozian tale presents the Wicked Witch of the West as the hero, using her powers to fight an oppressive regime. Her narrative mimics many plot elements in Gladiator, a novel by Philip Wylie; Superman Chronicles, a comicbook collection by Jerry Siegel; and Zorro, a film directed by Fred Niblo."
fandom:wicked, topic:superheroes
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
General Fandom
Some Tips for Cosplaying: Z McAspurren (blog) - "these are just meant to be tips we’ve gathered from being involved in the scene or speaking to others in it"
fandom:cosplay
Untitled: graceebooks (tumblr) - "we need a new term for what the concept of queerbaiting has evolved into,"
topic:queerbaiting
Magical Mondays: The Inner Magic of Princesses: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by Tsunderin (blog) - "By this point in our media culture, we’re so used to scenes like this that the possible underlying meanings don’t even cross our minds. Sure, they’re turning into a princess, but why? Are these transformations really all about the typical fairy tale ending?"
topic:transformation
Oh, My Pop Culture Jesus: “It’s Not a Religious Show”: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by Lady Geek Girl (blog) - "People may respond by asking me why the story needs to have these religious elements, and the answer is, despite being in a sci-fi or fantasy setting, characters need to come off as human and relatable and that may mean discussing religion."
topic:religion
Web Crush Wednesdays: Source Code in TV and Films: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by porluciernagas (blog) - "Unfortunately, I forgot that he, well, actually knows things about computers, and after the movie I was subjected to a good ten minute tirade on how no computer programmer worth their salt would ever plug an enemy agent’s computer into the MI6 systems to check what it contained, which was exactly what supposed tech guru Q did in the movie."
topic:coding
Specific Fandoms
A Song of Ice and Fire
So Many Vows: Oaths in Conflict: SomethingLikeALawyer- Tower of the Hand (blog) - "Within A Song of Ice and Fire, there are many examples of characters who face the unenviable dilemma of having two duties or oaths that conflict with each other. From kings to knights to common-born men of the Night's Watch, oaths and duties frequently come into conflict. "
fandom:asoiaf, topic:loyalty
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: ACOK, Arya II: Race for the Iron Throne by stevenattewell (blog) - "And in this little cameo, we can see gradations of prosperity already, between the people with livestock and those who walk, between the people with skills and tools to their name and the people with only mouths to feed."
fandom:asoiaf, fandom:gameofthrones
So there’s this toxic view held by some ppl (and in many cases the GoT show writers themselves) that if someone is personally unlikeable to you, then therefore any abuse they receive is totally justified!: leonqueerwata(tumblr) - " Sansa and Theon"
fandom:asoiaf, topic:character, warning:abuse
Q: So what do you think it's the deal with Melissandre?: asongoftheories(tumblr) - "It’s entirely possible that Melisandre is much older than she seems. She has the appearance of a young woman, but certain hints understandably lead people to believe otherwise.
"
fandom:asoiaf, topic:character >
Some notes on Skyler and Lydia parallels in season 5A: enbouton (tumblr) - "There is something going on with the juxtaposition of Lydia and Skyler and the way a lot of Walt’s abuse of Skyler is implied but at the same time we’re seeing Lydia getting physically assaulted and threatened in a very direct, explicit way"
fandom:breakingbad, warning:abuse, warning:non-con
Hieroglyph
Walk Like Some Egyptians: Breaking down Fox’s Hieroglyph: Racialicious By Monique Jones (blog) - "Television execs have now seen that this model works, which is why you have networks with new lineups boasting even more diversity than last year. Hieroglyph actually represents ancient Egyptians as non-white people: Hieroglyph is one of the few forms of entertainment that have actually shown ancient Egyptians as non-whites. "
fandom:heiroglyph, topic:diversity
Magical Girl Anime
Favorite Transformation Sequences?: frillsofjustice (DW) - "One of my favorite parts of magical girl anime is the transformation sequences- I'm probably not alone in that, haha. It's a great way for a series to show off its artsyle, themes and character designs, and it's just such a quintessential 'magical girl show' thing."
fandom:anime, topic:transformation
SHIELD
Everybody Hates Grant Ward: Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Sam Keeper (blog) - "there's just a bit more worth saying about Ward in relation to ideas about sympathetic villains and how we as an audience react to the pain that particular characters suffer."
fandom:mcu
Sixteen Candles
I Want to Be a Boy for My Birthday: The Hooded Utilitarian by Noah Berlatsky (blog) - "All right, Sixteen Candles isn’t actually about a trans man, unfortunately; representations of trans people in media were even rarer two decades ago than they are now. But rewatching the film, it is surprising how obsessed this girl’s coming-of-age story is with manliness. "
fandom:sixteencandles, topic:queer
Stargate-1
Stargate SG-1 and the White Feminist: Lady Geek Girl and Friends by MadameAce (blog) - "Season 1, Episode 3, “Emancipation”, sets out specifically to talk about oppression against women. Unfortunately, it does so in the worst way possible."
fandom:sg1, topic:race, topic:feminism
Superman
Superman: A Twentieth Century Messiah: The Hooded Utilitarian by Tyler Wenger (blog) - "However, when ignoring the tights and cape and analyzing Siegel and Shuster’s character closely, Superman can be seen as more than Jerry Siegel’s brainchild, but as the savior of the imagination of this young Jewish writer."
fandom:dccomics
Supernatural
part of the reason Sam sees Dean’s persuading him to stop the trials in 8.23 as forcing him is that this means Sam doesn’t have to take responsibility for stopping the trials as a decision he made, so he doesn’t have to accept that he “failed” at his mission to “purify” himself of his flaws, that cathartic act of redemption he was seeking.
: amonitrate (tumblr) - "So he doesn’t have to deal with the fact that he in the end wanted to live more than he wanted to be “purified”"
fandom:supernatural, topic:character
Tarzan
Tarzan of the Moral Imbeciles: (blog) - "Of course Tarzan was a knock-off too. He’s a lost worlder, the genre H. Rider Haggard kicked off in 1885 with King Solomon’s Mines and into which Doc Savage and Superman boldly followed. "
fandom:tarzan, topic:eugenics
Wicked
Unnaturally Green: The Superhero in Wicked: The Hooded Utilitarian by Joy Putney (blog) - "This twist on the traditional Ozian tale presents the Wicked Witch of the West as the hero, using her powers to fight an oppressive regime. Her narrative mimics many plot elements in Gladiator, a novel by Philip Wylie; Superman Chronicles, a comicbook collection by Jerry Siegel; and Zorro, a film directed by Fred Niblo."
fandom:wicked, topic:superheroes