I think Lup is so revolutionary in media culture in large part because of Barry. like. Yes, She’s a Trans Woman and That Alone is super cool but!! She is loved by Barry, a presumably Cisgender Straight Man, who literally does not give a shit that shes trans. It’s pretty rare to see cis/trans couples where one partner being trans isn’t the “"problem”“ or ”“conflict”“. He just loves her for her and that’s so good!!!
Generally trans representation in media is mediocre at best and the McElroys (particularly Griffin) Know That. So the fact that he did his best to portray a trans woman while giving her So Much Else to her character is *chef kiss* but!
Trans love is Especially bad in media. So having Lup and Barry fall in love so deeply and naturally was so important but even moreso when you remember barry is literally titled ”The Lover“.
Barry was created to love and he loved Lup. The implications of that, that not only are trans people worthy of love but are worthy of Real, Deep, Sincere, Honest Love, of the purest form of love imaginable, is so, so important. It’s not something I’ve ever seen in trans media before. It can be really easy to forget that despite being trans, I too am worthy of that kind of love.
Consider for a moment: Barry Bluejeans using his holy scythe gifted to him by Her Magesty the Raven Queen, Destroyer of Wayward Souls And Guardian of Death, to cut his lawn in jorts
To be fair to Barry, he does ask “Are you afraid?” immediately after Magnus attempts to punch him three times and when that didn’t work tries to chop him with Railsplitter. So. Like. It’s a valid question.
elves on the two-sun planet are different than elves on faerun.
taako always knew he was a little different. there was the tail, most obviously. it wasn’t entirely unheard of—sometimes people of all races were just born with tails, evidence of a near gnome ancestor. taako was pretty sure he didn’t have any gnomes in the family true. whatever, though. not like he was close with his family, anyway.
(they all had tails, too. but as far as he knew, he was just estranged from them; nothing more. they were out there, somewhere, alive and tailless.)
the eyes stood out next.
“i’ve never met an elf with purple eyes before,” magnus commented the second first time they met. “is that a glamour?”
taako grinned. “nah, this is all taako. part of the brand.”
(magnus had met at least two elves with purple eyes, actually.)
the rest of the exterior differences were subtle. his eyes were a little too high, too far apart; his neck a little too long; his hands a little too spindly. it was nothing so out of the ordinary as to mark him as immediately alien, but—it marked him as different. people stared. it became part of his image, his undeniably unique charm.
(there was one more thing he never put enough thought into. “cross my heart,” sazed had said to him once; and he drew an X over the left side of his chest. taako laughed. “that’s not where the heart is!”. when sazed brought up proof that he was right, the argument slid away from taako and was replaced by static.)
he had to give up his unique looks. his body was to become normal.
he let it happen. his tail left, which was alarming as hell. he glanced over at magnus and merle. “what else is happening?” he demanded.
magnus frowned. “your eyes…”
“what?”
“they’re grey, taako,” merle said gently.
he could feel the changes happening, feel his face sliding around. he reached up and felt his nose get smaller, cheekbones lower, eyes a little closer together. his brows thinned out, and his jaw narrowed just slightly. the changes stopped.
he sighed, preparing to cast disguise self.
his chest erupted in the most blinding pain he had ever felt.
“fuck!” he collapsed on the ground, curling up and screaming and clutching his chest.
“taako!” merle or magnus or both yelled, running over and kneeling next to him. magnus was clutching at him tightly while merle muttered prayers that he knew wouldn’t work.
“what the fuck did you do?” magnus demanded.
a shadow fell over his face, and taako glanced up to see the vogue elves standing above him with frowns on their faces that did nothing to decrease his panic.
“well,” edward said.
“that’s not supposed to happen!” lydia finished.
(the pain went away a minute later, but taako wouldn’t be able to explain it for a few days. having all of your organs flip sides, it turns out, isn’t the funnest experience.)
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