Jonelias Week 2023

Not sure I like the direction video game movies are heading rn...

Jonelias thought of the day is that Elias must come across as so stuffy and boring to those at the Institute - which, you know, very much helps hide his true nature - but as an avatar of the Eye and a man determined to avoid the End, Elias is someone whose entire being revolves around the interplay of knowledge and experiences. He's compelled to Know it all and his efforts to avoid death invite him to Experience it all too, a fascinating combination of passive observer and, by virtue of being a 200+ year-old in search of true immortality, an active participant too. This is a man whose longevity and thirst for knowledge invites an obsession with life that contradicts the 'Sits in his office doing nothing but spreadsheets all day' image he's learned to cultivate. (Though, to be clear, he does love the spreadsheets.) And I don't just mean "obsession with life" in the sense of him avoiding the finality of death, but actually loving the act of being alive.

I think a lot of what the fandom (rightly) jokes about in regards to his characterization is a reflection of that obsession. Elias has a relationship with Peter Lukas that goes far beyond the cold practicality of an alliance, hinting at a romance (if you steer towards a LonelyEyes reading), or just Elias' desire to still be able to place bets with someone while he's trying to end the world. Similarly, his powers ensure that he's never truly alone - if he dies, he takes the rest of the Archive with him - forever supplying him with a warped companionship that doesn't threaten him like he perceives he was threatened as Jonah Magnus, with his acquaintances working to complete their own rituals. In true Beholding style, he's got the heart of a fucked-up scientist who's endlessly curious about the world around him: 'Oooh what happens if I let my friend waste away in the Lonely?' He shows up at Jon's birthday party not just to secretly gloat and keep an eye on things (ha), but because he legitimately wants cake. Who wouldn't want cake? What's the point of living forever if you can't have cake?? Well, for an avatar the exquisite sweetness of fear is just as good, but my point stands. Beyond his fear of death, that enjoyment is at the heart of Elias' goal, with Jon describing his experience as the Pupil as a kind of agonized bliss and Elias confirming this by saying he was having the most wonderful dream. Morality aside, he likes interacting with the horror of the Entities, something we saw all the way back during the "[PLEASURED EXHALATION]" scene. Learning new things feels good. Experiencing news things is enjoyable. Learning and experiencing Bad Things is especially nice given his patron. Consistently, Elias' setbacks are met with interest, or a mild annoyance that then eventually settles into satisfaction because they are also new experiences for him and the Eye: going to jail, getting to psychologically torture Martin, having his own secrets exposed. There's a lot throughout the series to imply that Elias enjoys watching Jon become the Key, not just because it means he's succeeding in his goals, but because there's genuine interest and pride in seeing him "grow" by Elias' standards. The repetition of "our world," "our patron," etc. implies a connection; the intention to experience this new world with another, to enjoy it rather than simply exist in it for the mere sake of existence. Elias is a man whose entire essence boils down to, "I NEED TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS, EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING, AND LIVE FOREVER WHILE ACHIEVING THAT, TO UNDERSTAND IT ALL SO I CAN CONTROL IT ALL AND HAVE A DAMN GOOD TIME IN THE PROCESS, EVEN WHILE I SUCCUMB TO THE PRIMAL FEAR THAT DRIVES ME I WILL PARADOXICALLY EMBRACE IT, AND YEAH THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE I SERVE THE LITERAL GOD OF JUDGY SURVEILLANCE BUT ALSO THAT'S JUST ME."

So anyway, I keep thinking about how this characterization could intersect with S1-2 Jon: prickly, awkward, semi-isolated, desperate to be recognized by someone whose authority he believes in. AKA the boss who, at an unprecedented young age, rose to the top of the Institute they both work at, perceived by those around him as far less interesting than he actually is. Parallels, anyone? Imagine Jon getting to really talk to Elias, realizing how much he has to offer after 200 years of life (though of course he doesn't know that), and just constantly being blindsided by not just the knowledge, but the enthusiasm for everything he's learned and been through - the good and the horrifyingly awful that, despite himself, Jon is equally drawn to. Elias recognizes every quote Jon drops into a conversation and has another witty line to pair it with. He doesn't just indulge his nerdy rambles, but participates in them. He's refined in all the ways that Jon expects - books, opera, music, etc. - and also casually drops in references to acid trips and fucking orgies. Imagine an early series Jon who forms a strong bond with Elias outside of the web (ha x2) he's been weaving, becoming dependent on his friendship and just a little bit completely in love. Elias is inherently fascinating, but he's also just Some Guy, and the combination of that is just perfect for a necrotic Archivist who simultaneously wants to be guided by his 'betters' and prove that he's an equal. Why Elias would be interested in turn barely needs stating: Jon is literally Elias' everything, in a horrifyingly tragic and like, Gothic Romance sense? What would that kind of relationship have changed? It would have likely made Elias' job even easier, but what about Jon?

...I'm not saying that Jon's drive to protect humanity would have been warped into something tragically dangerous if he'd first come to see his intelligent, complex, shockingly kind (from his nonexistent self-esteem POV), secretly-an-eldritch-monster boss as the epitome of humanity... but I'm also not saying it couldn't have!

I just had an epiphany

Erik was the first Nice Guy. He even wears a fedora

Made some art for my friend J. It's Jon and Jonah interacting with agent Cooper from Twin Peaks

Hi,

So sorry if this is a bother, I tried seeing if this question was already asked but I couldn’t find it so; Is your fic (A little Game of Cat and Mouse) on hold? I really enjoyed reading it as it was coming out and I was just curious if we were going to get an update. I really do think it’s one of the greatest five out for the fandom.

Thank you again!

Hi there! Thank you so much for your message- that truly means alot!!! My apologies for not updating the fic in so long (oh gosh its been more than a year.)

I still definitely want to continue it! I haven't had the time to write for personal stuff due to alot of stuff happening in my life- but I should finally have some free time in September!

Also thank you so much for your sweet comment about the fic!!! And for reaching out!!

@friskdreemurr00 @cambionnation @koishikomeijiofficial @yureimori @star-speckled-ink

Tag some totally rad people

@pride-on-a-string @awkward-blunt-miserableatbest @wish-ful-thinking513 @cyber-flight @newt--x @a-small-blue-nebula @aropanalien12 @thatnon-binarykid

hey everyone its april fools. but dont worry i dont have anything planned. just going to sit here and...

I LIED !!!! GET PRANKED

POST BELOW ME GET FUCKING WET

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh it’s happening. Tim Misny is breaking containment. 

For context, I’ve lived in Ohio all my life and spent three years living in Cleveland for university (which sometimes had photoshopped tim minsy jokes in different departments!). So, inevitably I saw many, many Tim Misny ads while living there. But, this doesn’t even cover half of the utter insanity of Mr Misny Esquire. No, the man makes ‘em pay far beyond the realms of menacing billboards invoking eldritch terror upon the freeway. 

Tim Misny is northern Ohio's eldritch god, plague and menace. Or at least the real life Saul Goodman.

The completely bonkers sign of him menacingly raising his eyebrows is rather new- but before that, clevelanders were graced with the absolute beauty of Tim Misny tv and internet ads. Please let me tell you about the Tim Misny Thriller Parody . Please, it's been consuming my brain for years and no one believes me.

This is an actual advertisement for a personal industry lawyer made in 2010. A young couple enters Misnyland (yes, an actual place that is Tim Misny’s residence and also a resort(???) for the general public. I do not know anybody who has gone there, but it is advertised on his site) and are chased by clowns, zombies and werewolves etc etc. But at the end of the music video (with lyrics changed to match the divinity of Tim Misny Esquire) the monsters suddenly all turn into Tim Misny, fit with horrifying laminated Tim Misny Masks with suits to match. This is somehow more terrifying than the very silly autotune that replaces michael jackson. 

Actual Tim Misny also appears in the crowd of dopple-Misnys and shows us his true form which never appears on his billboards for some reason???

There is also a Tim Misny Commercial which the very thought of Tim Misny plagues the personification of Insurance Companies with nightmares and has honestly some of the spookiest synth tones and sound design in a commercial I have ever seen? Very surreal, very nightmarish, absolute terror in the words “And this time- he really made me pay”

There is also the gosh dang Tim Misny merch shop which just speaks for itself. Some of my favourites being the Tim Minsy clock and the the official Tim Misny body pillow (no i am not lying look at it please)

Then there is also the moment where he went on a local comedians show and told his audience to call him and that he would trick your enemy into falling in love with him and then on their  wedding day he would leave them at the altar while also simultaneously burning their house down. 

There is so much more craziness to this man besides his admittedly absolutely bonkers bill-boards. I haven't even really touched the surface of Misnyness- just what an absolute dude. It honestly shocks me that people out of the state haven't really heard of him- the guys been active in his goofiness since the 1970s. I'm pretty sure he is immortal and is just a personal injury lawyer because he thought it would be funny.

does tumblr know about tim misny??? like has the level of tim misny awareness that exists in northeast ohio broken containment and become known online yet???

AAAAAA! Holy cannoli!! This is absolutely lovely!! Mr Magnus's pose as he walks down the street is so good! He's just having a good time! Completely unaware of the consequences!! Jon in the background is amazing too! Holy moly!

Thank you so, so much for making such amazing and lovely art! I'm a big fan of Jonah's outfit and color palette! He's so fancy! I'm going crazy I'm going rabid-

I had to google Regency Era for Jonelias Week, and I just finished re-reading @paptato ‘s “A Little Game of Cat and Mouse” sooooo…. Have this incredibly lazy sketch of Mr Magnus enjoying a stroll :D

I'm never going to emotionally recover from this.