And That… That Can Make You Do Unspeakable Things

My translation of Chapter 1 of Mo Dao Zu Shi's Japanese manga, which released yesterday (the 17th of August 2024)

Also loaded to the internet archive as a pdf (pretty big file size though)

You can support the official Japanese release and buy the Japanese manga at cmoa.jp

it's pretty inexpensive, only around $2 per chapter!

Chapter - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4

Mangadex link

Pre-sfx version is still available at the archive.org website

Edit: I originally wasn't going to make any further edits but felt bad that someone could come across my initial rough translation and miss some details or nuance because of it. Made some changes, a changelog detailing everything and why is here. (I think) this is the final version

Im not the first person to post about this, but I just rewatched VIII with a friend who is watching the show for the first time, so it’s fresh in my mind again, but like jfc on a rewatch the scene where gates tells flint that his crimes are too great that he is going to have to be spirited away with miranda in the dead of night to avoid the noose, the look on flints face, the way he says please. Please don’t do this is just. Fucking devastating. when you, the audience, are burdened with the knowledge of exactly what happened to him and miranda and thomas back in london. Flint killing gates is so horrific, so completely incomprehensible and unforgivable on the first watch, my friend was basically shouting at the screen, “why would he do this? It doesn’t solve any of his problems! That’s his only friend! What the fuck! Fuck this guy!” And like. Yeah. This doesn’t fix any of Flint’s problems. It doesn’t make any sense for Captain Flint to do this. I could hate Captain Flint for doing this. The ghost of James McGraw however…? I understand exactly why he does that.

His smile😭😭 it was never again so bright.

I love them so much, we had finally got them so close in this scene and then...

Black Sails | XVI.

Gosh, that tear! Made me think about Cabanel's fallen angel.

❤️💔

Sorry to interrupt all the smut requests but do you have anymore heart breaking, gut wrenching, soul destroying thoughts on Nicky in your Detective Agatha & Agent Vidal universe?? Your other one killed me off and I’m looking for more 🫠🫠🫠

OH I'M GLAD YOU ASKED

once Agatha brings up Nicky to Rio for the first time, it becomes easier and easier as they progress. she'll randomly break into a memory, some particular thing he said at the playground one spring afternoon, able to verbatim recite whatever happened. Rio always listens, she's good at that.

Agatha invites Rio to look through his room after a while, figuring she trusts Rio enough to learn about him. she'll catch Rio sitting with her back against his bed, reading through one of the little thick cardboard books he had on his bookshelf. she'll hold the tiny carved rabbit in her hands and imagine his hands holding it, how much he loved it.

Agatha doesn't have any next of kin. her parents are long since dead, the only person she'd consider a family member at this point is Lilia who was a pseudo-grandmother to Nicky. Rio and Lilia didn't get along but once she learned about Nicky, Lilia softened and started to share her own stories about him with Rio.

when Rio decides to propose, she asks for Lilia's blessing. Lilia immediately gives it, smothering Rio in a hug. then she goes to Nicky's grave. she brings him flowers, some of the purple ones that Agatha had planted by the front door (ones she said he picked out). she'll sit, hand against the stone as she traces over his name as she speaks softly to him as if he could hear her.

she'll go on and on about how much she loves his mama, how happy they make each other. she'll mention she hopes he'd like her, that they'd be best buddies forever.

then she asks for his blessing. she'll wait for a moment, pressing her hand into the headstone. the wind will gently brush against her, sweeping her hair away from her face as if she was given a kiss on the forehead. she'll take that as a yes.

with her heart full, she'll rush home and propose the moment Agatha walks in the door, down on one knee and little black box in hand. on the inside of the ring she'd have it inscribed N.S. because she understands that regardless of the fact that he's gone, it doesn't mean Agatha isn't a mother anymore. she still is and she always will be, that's an important piece of who she is.

REBLOG IF THIS RELATES TO YOU:

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

u guys liked, huh?

“I miss him too.“

Absolutely true. He absolutely loved them both, even if I'm not sure he already loved Miranda as much as he later did, back then, or as much as he loved Thomas. But the point is that he however respected her (the both of them) deeply, and the fact that this already happenes in a early stage of their romance has even more meaning to me. Thomas was capable of defending himself, because he was a man and because the Earl was his father. He had the chance to speak his mind and be listened (even if he was not). In a way it would have been unpolite and arrogant of James to assume he couldn't and speak in his place. But Miranda could not, 'cause she was a woman and not even with the best reputation, she had not a chance to speak and to be listened and that's way James steps in. But then he starts to speak and you actually see he is doing it for the both of them. And well, I guess that was the moment when both the Hamiltons realized they were actually doomed.

The way James doesn't say anything until Lord Hamilton starts in on Miranda. Yes, he would have inevitably stood up in defense of Thomas, but you can see throughout the dinner scene how he is holding back, staying quiet, allowing Thomas to argue with his father. But it's when Lord Hamilton starts taking potshots, nastily calls Miranda a whore, is when James stands up. His tipping point is when Miranda is disrespected, (it isn't the first time, either) and it's so...so...insane, because he stood up for both of them. Miranda and Thomas. He shot back against Lord Hamilton for Miranda as much as he did for Thomas, because he loved them both.

there's something to be said of flint's anger in the scene he beats singleton to death.

but.

i think we should recognize that part of it stems from strategy as well.

the conversation with billy at guthrie's house-

"but now it seems they feel i'm..." "too weak." "i was gonna say unlucky. so that's the thinking. we've been attacking ships with lighter loads because i'm too weak to do otherwise."

up until this moment flint didn't know that's how he was perceived. but now he does, and that he needs to prove to the crew that that's not true. and what better way to prove your strength than beating a man to death with your bare fists?

of course the anger played a huge role in it, i'm not going to deny it. but it didn't have to.

the puzzle pieces fit neatly together to set the scene. flint came into that fight with the full intent of unleashing that rage, not merely because he needed an outlet, but also because he knew it would help his image.

this, plus going after a ship like the urca...

afterwards, the crew could think what they wanted about flit's mental faculties. they could think what they wanted about his arrogance, his pride, his lies and schemes.

but not one of them would think him weak again.