Why, WHY Is This So GOOD?! Two Of The Franchises That Were A Part Of My Childhood Coming Together? YES

I’m looking into autism for myself, and I think I may be autistic? The thing is I don’t really see enough like… examples when it comes to meltdowns or shutdowns or missing social cues. So off it’s not too much trouble… could you maybe share some experiences so I have a better idea??

Certainly! Followers are totally okay to give their own examples, because these can be very individual.

Social Interaction Difficulties:

Not understanding how to perform small talk

Listening/eaves dropping in on other people's conversations in order to create scripts in your head so you can act out successful interactions

Same as above, but learning conversation through books or TV/movies

Getting exhausted from conversations or navigating social situations

Needing days or weeks to recover after social interaction.

Anxiety over interaction because you don't understand how to do it and you dread the exhaustion and the mental leaps it's going to take to do it. This is different to social anxiety, where you dread messing up or being seen as incompetent.

Difficulty holding conversations. You may trail off mid-sentence, talk continuously so that the other person feels like they can't respond, or struggle to listen and respond to the other person.

Difficulty making or keeping friends. May also not be able to define what a friend is.

Low eye contact or no eye contact.

No vocal tone (monotone) or improper vocal tone to what is being said (this can also be due to other reasons other than social difficulties).

No body language or incorrect body language (also can be due to other reasons).

Meltdowns:

Can be sudden or a slow build up

Sensory input can suddenly feel too intense or painful

Often accompanied by an intense need for the input to stop

Stimming often increases. If standard stims don't help, more aggressive stimming may be used such as self-harm, screaming or full body movements such as running back and forth

Has no end goal other than for the sensory input to stop.

Communication is limited and the person may not be in control of their actions.

Some people may be able to hold back meltdowns, but this is very bad for their mental health as the damage continues and they are not able to release the pent up energy.

Sensory input may include: noise, lights, smells, touch, taste, delayed emotional responses, inability to communicate effectively, delayed sensory input (the build up happened mainly before the current moment) or sudden input.

May be accompanied by a time of "reset" (also called a shutdown) where you don't move or respond.

Shutdowns:

As in meltdowns, but no outward signs are given.

Often described as "an internal meltdown". Many Autistics describe these as worse than a physical meltdown, as no relief is given from stims and those around you may be unable to attend to your needs to remove the input.

i feel like the infantilisation of autistic people in the eyes of science and psychology really stunts them when it comes to talking about some of the issues that come from being autistic in a world built for nt people. like i dont think ive ever seen substance abuse rates discussed wrt autistics because thats an “adult problem” and the public at large has an image of autistic adults as overgrown kids, despite the fact that almost every other autistic adult ive met has had a history of substance abuse issues at least partly in response to the stress of existing in the world as an autistic person. like if youre constantly beset on all sides by stress and sensory overload of course youre going to gravitate towards drugs and alcohol and things that smooth over those sharp edges, make socialising easier, etc…

YES! TIMES A MILLION!!! Crosshair's definitely a caring guy, he just has a resting bitch face and is only able to speak in Basic, Shade, and Fighting Words (and that's if you get him to talk).

Just 2 Crosshair things I noticed during my TCW arc rewatch (I’m not a gifer and Disney+ figured out screenshots so you’ll have to go back and watch to witness)

First, the Crosshair sibling energy. Listen, as 1 of 5 kids, I LIVE for the sibling energy the bad batch give. It’s everywhere. First and most evident between Crosshair and Wrecker in TCW arc with the “topping” each other. Now we’re all aware of the badass hallway scene in ep 4, but may I turn your attention to after the intro of ep 3. Wrecker shoots some droids, and then Crosshair takes a turn and after some impressive shots turns to wrecker and does the cocky shoulder shrug, aka the sibling “whatcha gonna do about it??” Obsessed.

Next. Crosshair’s gentleness towards Echo. I know I know, Crosshair HATES regs. He’s grumpy, he’s rude, etc etc. Exhibit A and B that Echo’s the “exception” (and secretly Crosshair is just extremely protective of his brothers). 1. Ep 3, after Echo exerts a lot of energy shooting down a flying droid, Crosshair immediately goes over and pats him on the shoulder in a “job well done, you ok?” gesture. Next, it’s fabled there’s only 1 Crosshair smiling scene found in ep 1 of season 7 TCW. I GIVE YOU ANOTHER! At the end of ep 4 of TCW season 7, after Hunter says “come find us”, Crosshair is full. On. Smiling. At. Echo. And not just “yeah that’d be nice I think we’re cool” but “heck yeah you’d fit right in our squad is so cool you’d be a great addition”.

Listen, I’ll die on the “Crosshair is a good man he’s just the grumpy goth sibling going through puberty and will die for his family but god forbid they know it ” rock and seeing these interactions towards Echo has closed the coffin for me

Loving these ideas! Maul, Obi-Wan, and Mace would all be great options... but we're probably not gonna know who it is for a while (at least I hope not, let the show run for a good while, please!😥).

Y’all listen up I think I’m on to something

Everyone has been speculating about who our mysterious cloaked figure is in ep six of TBB. There’s been some pretty good guesses but I think I can narrow it down some more.

First of all, Rafa addressed the figure as “him”, which means that our mystery man is, in fact, a man. I’m very sorry to disappoint y’all but I think that rules out Ahsoka.

Rafa assumed that all clones worked for the Empire now, and almost seemed to hold a bit of malcontent towards them. Her ignorance seems to disprove that she could be working with Rex, because he is also a rogue clone and Rafa would know better if they were working together.

Rex is a soldier. If he wanted that tactical droid he would have done it himself. Plus, my man wears skirts, not cloaks. So yeah it’s probably not Rex either *sad and horny noises*

But do you know who would send two inexperienced and ill-equipped civilians to get something he wouldn’t want to get himself? Maul. I’m not the only one saying this. Consider: 1) He isn’t very fond of the Empire. 2) The music, Rafa’s facial expression… it all seemed a little sinister. Just a little. 3) Rafa and Trace have a history with working for people without asking questions or thinking about consequences (though tbh they seemed to have learned from past mistakes + Ahsoka). And 4) Maul loves to wear cloaks that conceal his face until it is time for a dramatic reveal.

Summary: I know it’s probably not Maul but I want it to be so I am grasping at straws

Some people have said it could be Bail, and yeah he seems like an obvious choice. Too obvious. Star Wars throws Bail Organa cameos out like Halloween candy. He’s in literally everything. So though it sounds mean, mystery man’s identity seem too dramatic and important for Bail (harsh). Or I’m just overthinking.

My personal prediction? It’s Obi Wan. Cloak. I’m surprised no one has suggested him yet. He fits all the boxes. Fighting against the Empire. Could know Trace and Rafa through Ahsoka. Pursuing Separatists intel for the right reason. Had to send people to get the intel for him because he’s in hiding or babysitting or both. Would def want to know about some rogue clones.

Anyways this post took up way too much of my time and your feed but I just wanted to say that unfortunately I don’t think out mystery man is Ahsoka or Rex. But that doesn’t mean we won’t see them soon!

I also could be Mace Win- aahh I need to stop I’m going to bed

Saw your asks were open! Don't burn yourself out with answering, please.

So, a thing I've heard sometimes is autistics having a low "mental age". Both from people in my school* and more influential sources that make out autism as a tragedy. As small news articles and ableist teenage boys aren't the best sources, I'm asking you! Do (some) autistic people actually have "lower mental ages" or is that a complete myth?

("I wish I had autism so I could also get benefits." "Dude, do you want to be four years old for the rest of your life?" That type of thing.)

This is very factual, but with a major caveat: it's not the mental age. It's that we don't adhere to social norms and will continue to enjoy or act in ways seen as younger.

I collect stuffed animals and have a toy box full of colouring books and stim items. I also don't dress my age and wear jeans and Disney t-shirts.

Not all Autistics do this. Some act older than they are. Some have intellectual disabilities that NTs deem as "child like" (they're not... They're adults with intellectual disabilities. Not an adult with the mind of a 4 year old.)

So, yes. But with lots of reasons.

Now I'm wondering how negotiations worked with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.😅

What if Obi-Wan actually kinda sucked at negotiating but always got what he wanted anyways because A) Handsome, B) flirting with everyone without even meaning to, and C) Anakin was hovering behind him threateningly smacking his fist into his other palm the whole time while glaring at whoever Obi-Wan was negotiating with

Oh. My. FORCE. How did I not notice that?

Wait, so the the original four are pretty obvious, but where do Echo and Omega fit into this? I mean, Omega could be April (clueless but fiesty at the beginning, eventually becomes one of the badasses), but I'm lost on Echo. Also, any ideas for AZI and Gonky?

The realization that Crosshair is the Raphael of the family just hit me like a train

Someone's a fast learner... and gonna give me cavities with all this sweetness! Seriously tho, Cut should be a parenting teacher.

1.02: Cut and Run | 1.03: Replacements

He had buzz cut before he woke up, too... I wonder if Quaritch requested that. 🤔

There was no fucking reason to make his avatar THAT attractive. 😤

I definitely don't want to see Spider harmed, he's a sweet kid and deserved far better than what he's been getting, both in and out of universe, and he did nothing wrong.

That said, the Sully's aren't gonna see it that way.

Granted, you're right about Spider, he didn't betray anyone, and he saved the life of someone that showed he cared... during a hostage situation, sure, but it's more than the kid usually gets, and even without that, he likely would've saved the jerk anyway, because SPIDER IS NOTHING LIKE HIS FATHER. (well, maybe the same capably crazy energy, but that's it)

BUT, the Sully's have been dealing with this psycho Colonel's bullshit for too long already, they've lost so many of their community and family, the whole famn damily done with this man, and they thought they were rid of him... only for Spider to save him.

I still say he's not wrong for it, but the Sully's are equally not wrong to be mad about it, though they would be wrong for trying to kill him for it (I'm looking at you, Neytiri).

Since everyone assumes the worst if and when the Sullys find out Quaritch is alive because of our boy Spider. Let's think this through.

He didn't betray them. They betrayed him and left him to Quaritch. He had every right to save someone who saved him from torture.

If anything this is a chance for the Sullys to reward his loyalty and love because he could have chosen to go with him but he didn't.

Quit wanting Lo'ak to kill his best friend. Quit wanting Netyri to kill a boy who just wanted to be apart of their family and endured torture for them.

I swear there is something deeply wrong with this fandom.