I know the joke about Izzy is “human dropped into a muppets movie” but the tragedy is that he’s a queer-coded character from some 1940s or 50s popcorn flick dropped into a pride parade in a floating gayborhood & he flat out has no idea how to deal with it. We learn he’s a great swordsman in the most homoerotic way possible when he uses his skills to cut open a man’s shirt. We see him react more openly and with less inner conflict when Ed slaps him on the back and says “I need you here” than when Ed implies to him, a minute earlier, that he could be a captain. When he’s part of an overtly queer scene where other characters get the romance & he just gets the subtext, Con O'Neill’s body language stands out even more—go back to the scene where Izzy tells Stede that Ed adores him, the way he strokes his fingers down the curtain dividing him from Stede. There is literally no straight explanation for this choice, but there is also no explicit acknowledgement that the character is queer; in a different, older show or movie, that body language would be the acknowledgment. He imbues the character with the looks and pauses that you would see in, like, Ben-Hur or something, where everyone knew a character was gay but nobody could say it out loud. Keep in mind that in the comedies where these characters would exist, the subtextually gay man would sometimes be best friends with a Strong Leading Man who got the girl in the end.
We hear him say outright that there’s no retirement for people like Izzy & Ed, only death, which is itself a hugely loaded analogy next to the title statement “our flag means death” when you consider our history & our use of flags throughout. And Izzy’s so focused on pure survival that he ends up nasty, manipulative, violent—the only way men like him can survive in his mind, or in the genre he’s from, if they don’t have a Strong Leading Man best friend like, say, a Blackbeard to protect him from the narrative. When Ed starts to live in Stede’s world, Izzy is both losing his subtextual boyfriend and also acting as though Ed’s going to get himself (and Izzy) killed if he keeps going down this path.
I will never be sane over this. Izzy is a Celluloid Closet case study who’s been dropped into a Logo TV original, and so much of the conflict of his character comes from his trying to use the coping techniques from that world (including techniques used by queer coded villains! He’s not healthy!) in a world where these techniques are actively harmful rather than a way to survive.
[ ID: screenshot of the tumblr trending page. “Our Flag Means Death” is in 4th place, “ofmd” is in 5th, and “Rhys Darby” is in 6th place. In every single one of them, the first post is a gif of Ed and Stede kissing. End ID ]
I’ve noticed that I’ve had a recent influx of new followers and noted some new fandom members (Hello everyone! Thank you for following me! I’m sorry!!), so I thought it would be a good time to re-share some of the things with you guys that I’ve put together that may be otherwise useful:
The narrative neurotypicals give about the mentally ill is so warped like how many times have you heard “If Van Gogh took medication, we wouldn’t have Starry Night,” and he literally painted that one on meds in a mental ward.
Okay, wow, this post really blew up more than I ever expected! I love the feedback, and to everyone who added “Even if his suffering is what gave us the paintings, they aren’t worth his suffering,” you are all correct.
let’s face it, the variety of drinks available in canon minecraft is very disappointing. plain water, potions, and…. that’s it. luckily, we have the base ingredients, so let’s theorize what players would actuallydrink in minecraft (using only canon-available ingredients), and go a little bit beyond the obvious hot chocolate.
dandelion-glistering melon tea- dandelion tea already exists IRL, so it’s clear that people would drink it here. it’s earthy, mild, and good either hot or iced. mixing it with glistering melon would provide obvious health benefits, but it would also add more sweetness.
fruit juices- melon, glistering melon, apple, berry, and even carrot juice are all available and very tasty! maybe golden carrot juice would be the minecraft version of soylent?
pine-sweetberry tea- pine tea has a really intense flavor, so i’d imagine it’s often cut with sweet berries to make it more palatable. it’s high in tannins- the thing that makes black tea and red wine taste “dry”- which further makes it hard to like. however, if you live in a cold area, you’re bound to start liking it sooner or later.
oxeye daisy tea- as a close cousin of chamomile, oxeye daisies can also be used in tea and have a similar taste! add in some honey and milk for a good bedtime drink.
netherwart tea- i hc this as tasting like licorice, but salty and sour. it’s probably incredibly offputting, but experienced brewers would find the taste enjoyable. it also probably interacts terribly with potions unless you know what you’re doing, making this truly a drink for potionmasters only.
cinnamon-blaze tea- expanding on the idea of potion-teas, blaze tea is strongly spicy and intense. though the pure version is enjoyed by potioneers as a mark of their devotion to the craft, it’s often cut with the soft, inner bark of the jungle tree- aka, with cinnamon! the sweet, gentler spice of cinnamon provides a better main show for the eye-watering burn of blaze powder to fade into, making it a more palatable drink.
mulled apple cider- apple juice is an obvious jumping off point, but assuming that jungle trees are cinnamon, mulled apple cider would be an excellent warm drink! sweet, spiced, and cozy, this would be a favorite for those in colder areas.
rosehip tea- this is one you’ve probably heard of in real life! since we have access to roses, rosehips are a natural conclusion. rosehips are the sweet fruit of rosebushes, and their tea is very tasty indeed.
dandelion wine- a ferment made of dandelion flowers, honey, and water. this has a very low alcohol content, and people usually drink it for the taste. it looks like sunlight! emmymade has a really good video on it
beer- hops is not actually a necessity in the brewing process, and a mixture of boiled herbs called gruit was used before it. therefore, alcohol in its most familiar form is readily available to minecraft people!
cider- fermented fruit drinks are also available! made with apples, berries, or even melons, fermenting fruit and then filtering it is a centuries-old concept, and anyone can do it, though with some risk to their liver.
other edible flowers in minecraft are cornflowers, lilacs, peonies (notable for being candied and eaten by certain chinese cultures!), azure bluets, and tulips (which have a sweet and milky tasting bulb when eaten fresh). not all of these would be good in tea, but instead would be better in salads, candied as snacks, or used in sweets. the exception to this is alliums, which are actually wild onions/garlic. the entire plant is edible, and would be a fantastic accompaniment to any savory dish.
I was gonna write a thing on additional minecraft drinks: Nether edition but my brain did not cooperate so have a concept art-y page on minecraft drinks. Since actual teas and brews are mostly Clear Amber Liquids I decided to do a more fantastical take on them
Sherlock Holmes has Anti-Social Personality Disorder: an essay
disclaimers: im not professionally diagnosed with aspd, but have a high chance of having it, and have talked to people who are diagnosed. also, this is a headcanon, not saying that holmes has aspd canonically
what is aspd?: anti-social personality disorder, or aspd, is a personality disorder defined by impulsiveness, apathy, aversionto social norms and a cynical view of the world. symptoms and their severity vary greatly from person to person, however
1)Holmes’ chronic boredom:
people with aspd are very often extremely bored, and have to seek ways to stimulate their brain, often in a way that’s unhealthy.
when Holmes isn’t working on a case, he has no idea on what to do, and ends up either doing science experiments, which he usually involves himself in, or resorts to the use of substances.
not only is this a symptom of aspd, but the way he deals with it is also how most people with the disorder act.
2)Holmes’ self-esteem is in his work:
a common trait of aspd is that your self-esteem is maintained almost solely by your goals, power or achievements, and you often define yourself by these things. Holmes’ self worth is entirely based on how well he can solve a case, or if he can solve it at all.
when he fails even slightly, he begins to doubt his abilities and slips into a nearly depressive state. this also explains why he’s as bored as he is when he isn’t working; not only is it his stimulus, it’s where he gets his self-esteem from.
when a character,Dr. Mortimer,says he’s the second best in his field of work in one case, Sherlock seems immediately upset, which also tracks. when you have aspd, you’re constantly trying to be the best, as to feel worthy, so having your skills be questioned or dismissed even slightly is very damaging.
this happens, also, in red headed league, in which he gets upset and angry when a client says his methods seem simple when he explains how he deducted something.
3)Holmes is an impulsive mess:
impulsiveness, lack of regard for safety, inconsequential behaviour. this describes both Holmes and some of the main symptoms of aspd.
he immediately jumps to action, even though we’re told he thinks carefully before doing so, and is quick to accept cases or go investigate, even when it’s one tied to dangerous individuals. he could really care less about who he’s dealing with, most of the time.
he seems to only care for the safety of his clients and Watson. he even jumps in a room full and dangerous chemicals tp save a client, but, even so, there are many moments where the danger he puts himself in could very well hurt one or both of them.
Holmes would risk all sorts of injuries or harm if it’s to get to the bottom of a case or get some thrill from it, which ties in to the boredom aspect as well.
4)Watson is the exception:
people with aspd can have what’s called an “exception”, someone who they feel some empathy for or that their brain registers as a person, as someonethey can care about. most often, people with aspd will see others as below them in some way, like as pets, or an object of study, while exceptions will be, well, the exception. they may also socialize easier with these people and mask less. this doesn’t mean they dislike those who aren’t exceptions, but they are very different dynamics.
that being said, Watson is clearly Holmes’ exception. not only is he the one person he seems to have a genuine close relationship with, Holmes threatens anyone who harms him, even risking his life to protect him, without much reason other than their relationship. though he also risks himself for his clients, you could argue it’s due to them being part of his work. as mentioned previously on how people with aspd tend to view other people, Holmes might see the clients as a piece of the puzzle, while he sees Watson as a partner in his duties.
he also seems to listen more to Watson’s advice, even though he tends to disregard them at times, specially when concerning physical well-being.
5)Holmes lies, a lot:
you can say it’s part of his job, but Holmes lies. and a lot. he also tends to manipulate situations in his favour, which is also common in aspd.
in the hound of the baskervilles, Watson spends most of his time with Henry Baskerville believing that Holmes is back home, when in reality, he’s following them, and only reveals the truth by the end of the story, as they’re about to confront Stapleton. he also disguises himself after coming back from the “hiatus”, before, once again, revealing the truth, and there are other instances where a similar thing happens. you can argue that lying was necessary in these situations, but Holmes went a bit too far with that, in my opinion.
still, there’s more. he’s manipulated Watson after he tells him to clean his room, which is a mess, in order for him to forget about it. his intentions with his manipulations aren’t malicious, but it’s clear he does them to get away with something or benefit himself otherwise. also, I’d say it’s more realistic for him to do these small lies and manipulations rather than be a big, dishonest, evil mastermind, in a way.
6)Holmes’ relationships:
aside from Watson, Holmes isn’t close to that many people.
he seems to be somewhat close to Mycroft, Lestrade, and Hopkins, but it seems that it’s only because either he has an upper hand, in a way, in this relationship, as seen with the Scotland Yard men, or because it’s his brother, in Mycroft’s case. even so, he doesn’t seem to ever visit them if not for work reasons, or spend time with them in general, for that matter. he’s more playful with them, often reminding them of his superior skills in the detective field, and doesn’t seem as annoyed by their presence as with other people, however, they appear to be the only ones.
he’s also neutral towards Mrs. Hudson in the canon. he clearly doesn’t hate her or find her a nuisance, but i wouldn’t say he considers her anything more than a part of living in the house. he’s nice to her, though, but they clearly aren’t friends.
if you have aspd, it’s hard to form close bonds with other people, or even make relationships at all, due to many things; apathy makes socialising much harder, the hatred or cynical view of society or people, the need to feel superior at times and a sense that the world is in a strict hierarchy all affect this. it’s no wonder that, if Holmes has aspd, he’d have very few friends.
this need to feel superior is present in his relationships, too. with aspd, you tend to try and be better than others in relationships, in multiple ways, which appears in Holmes’ contacts as well. everyone, except his brother, that he’s close to or acquainted with seems to be below him in some way, or at least, he feels that he’s superior to them. he doesn’t mistreat people due to this, however, and is actually kind to those who are curious of his methods and whose company he enjoys.
7)Holmes is easily angered:
be it because Watson has been injured, something has gone wrong or he just doesn’t have a case, Sherlock gets angry a lot, and easily, another symptom of aspd.
Mrs. Hudson and Watson both describe his mlst frequent mood as “don’t disturb him, he’s angry”. when a man injures Watson, Holmes immediately pulls a gun on him, without second thought, and says that if he had injured him more severely, he would have done worse on him. these are just a few examples of his short temper in the books.
8)Holmes fails to conform to social norms:
this is also quite obvious, and an often overlooked trait of aspd. social norms vary with time period, region and culture, however, so this is a tricky subject to discuss.
Sherlock often doesn’t react negatively to his cases, even when it involves murder. he finds joy in examining a crime scene, performing a necropsy or speaking of related subjects, while other people seem amused at such reaction. this is a way of not following whats expected by society.
he’s often regarded by people as an odd or eccentric man because of this, we’re even told this from the start, before we even meet him. Stamford tells Watson that he’s an odd man, difficult to deal with, which could be either because of his symptoms, which neurotypical people often consider “difficult”, or because of his mannerisms and personality.
9)Holmes is apathetic:
it’s almost a fact, at this point, that Sherlock struggles with empathy and emotions, a symptom of aspd as well. with aspd, not only is it likely that you have apathy or hypoempathy, but it’s hard to understand how your words or actions may affect others. both are things our friend Holmes shows.
he talks about Watson’s brother until he gets mad and lashes out at him, as he doesn’t see how the topic could make him have such a reaction. he also fails to notice a client’s loss is still a sensitive subject to her, he only sees the evidence he needs to solve the case.
Sherlock also tends to look at emotion and motivations in a more logical way, as if he understands their existence, but can’t relate to it. this is specially true when he talks with clients or discusses a criminal’s motive. once again, this isn’t a lack of care, rather, just how his mind functions in his day-to-day life. Sherlock is still a very compassionate man, and does seem to care for his clients and acquaintances, as discussed before.
as said before as well, he doesn’t seem to react negatively to situations that are generally considered horrific or bad, which could mean he’s somewhat out of touch with his own emotions, which is also apathy.
Conclusions:
there’s much more to say here, but I’ll wrap it up here, as aome of the canon proof is scarce and this is already a very big post.
Sherlock Holmes having aspd would be an incredibly interesting thing to explore, specially since he’s a man who works to bring justice to people, and has great love for those he manages to get close too. More adaptions would benefit from exploring this in a respectful manner, perhaps letting people with aspd write him as well.
I’m making this post not only to share this headcanon, but hoping that this brings more awareness to this disorder, which is already so stigmatised in media and real life.
