#{just a little recap of Gabe's life recently}

[gabe-moore]

Headcanon #2

During an interaction with Izak Vörös, Gabe was fed vampire blood. This kicked in an addiction which he had previously experienced and gotten over.

When he couldn't find more vampire blood to sustain the addiction he started experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Following the suggestion of Teddy Byrne he sought help from Vivian Ambrose at the Garond District Hospital.

He spent three weeks in the hospital under Vivian's care and will continue to see her for some weeks after to make sure he doesn't relapse. The day he was discharged was the day after the attack at the art gallery.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

!reading update!

can't believe I almost forgot for to do the reading roundup for my ✨birthday month✨ but it's been A Time! however during that Time I've also been reading A Lot, which I will be recapping for you now. spoiler alert: it's WAY more comics than I realized, your bitch has been reading a lot of comics.

The Sandman: The Doll's House (Neil Gaiman et al, 1989) - MAN the serial killer convention is SUCH a cool and creepy idea. I know that there are, like, a lot of other things that happen here, but it's seriously so neat. and it's been years since I first read the series, but it's so cool to already spot the strings of the bigger plot coming together with Rose and [fucking spoilers for a 30+ year old comic I guess, people watching the netflix series do not get mad @ me that's a you problem] Desire's scheme to get Dream to kill a member of the family. what a cunt! what a magnificent plot! I love being able to dissect a story and appreciate how finely it's made. hopefully in the coming month I'll plan a little better and manage to read more than one volume a month, because this series really is splendid and deserves the attention.

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir, 2019) - another reread, which is also spectacularly satisfying to revisit! Gideon remains unlike anything I've ever read; Muir's style and voice are so terrifically distinctive and make the murder mystery so spectacularly propulsive, and the characters are all so fucking delicious. also, reading it now with the benefit of having read Harrow and knowing more about the Lyctors, made my brain go "!!!!!" in certain places. there's just so many layers of lies and foreshadowing and red herrings ALL OVER THE PLACE in this series and it's SO COOL to be able to spot some of it. Tamsyn Muir is a genius and I couldn't be more hype for Nona.

The Batman Adventures (Volume 2) (Ty Templeton, Dan Slott, Gabe Soria, Jason Hall, 2003) - now hang on, I already know what you're thinking: "Makenzie, did you read this just for that one issue where the Riddler is going off the shits trying to trick Batman into hanging out with him and having dinner?" listen. obviously yes. BUT. this is also for sure one of my favorite comic series I've read all year. this is continuation of the universe of Batman: The Animated Series, taking place in a Gotham where the Penguin has been elected mayor and has made Batman illegal. you guys KNOW I love stories where the Penguin is the mayor; I eat that shit up!! and this story really has everything: Bruce's absolute train wreck of a love life. surprisingly obvious romantic tension between Harley and Ivy. Bruce visiting Bludhaven and being a judgey bitch about how Dick does things as Nightwing. some REALLY bold hard moves in regards to certain rogues, leaving them dangling in very uncertain fates. I really can't recommend it enough, which is why I'm dropping you a link to pirate all 17 issues here.

Love Your Asian Body: AIDS Activism in Los Angeles (Eric C. Wat, 2021) - oh man, yall. do you ever just. read about previous generations of queer people struggling and loving and crying and fighting and doing their best to support each other against seemingly insurmountable odds and get weepy about it? because I do. this is a deeply heartfelt account of a decade of activism in a very specific and highly-overlooked community, narrated by the activists who were fighting on the front lines of the movement. the activists interviewed are so refreshingly upfront about their struggles; Wat seems to have no interest in glorifying LA's Asian AIDS activists but rather shares all of their recollections about unglamorous infighting and critiques that have come about with the benefit of hindsight. it's honest and heart-wrenching and I can't recommend it enough to anyone interested in finding queer connections in the very recent past. it's enlightening to see how much and how little has changed.

Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Neil Gaiman et al, 2009) - oh man, this really is the most Neil Gaiman Batman story there ever could be. if I didn't know it was published in 2009 I would be entirely willing to believe that it had come out as part of the Sandman in the 80s, honestly; it's got that kind of vibe. I don't say any of that in a derogatory manner; it's a neat little spin on Batman, and you guys know I like stories where the continuity is deliberately runny and everything is canon all at once. and that's pretty much all I have to - oh, sorry, what's that? "Makenzie, did you check this out just because of the extra, unrelated Riddler story included in the back? the one where he's all old and sad talking about how great the silver age was and how modern edgelord shit sucks?" yeah. yeah I did. fuck off.

What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat (Audrey Gordon, 2020) - my friend Emily recently got me extremely into the podcast Maintenance Phase, which Gordon co-hosts, and my friend Danielle recently cited this book prominently while researching for their thesis, so I really couldn't NOT read this now. and god, it's infuriating and smart and fantastic in so many ways. Gordon has just absolutely zero interest in coddling the feelings of thin people, no matter how good they think their intentions are, while she unpacks the cultural bullshit that feeds fatphobia - and why should she!!! which isn't to say Gordon is just mean throughout; she's remarkably vulnerable about some of the worst experiences of her life and articulates that emotion exquisitely, spinning personally narratives flawlessly into articulate essays. if you are, like me, a thin person who gives a shit about fat people and wants to do some serious work confronting the privileges you hold and the shit you need to unpack, you've really gotta read this.

Content Warning: Everything (Akwaeke Emezi, 2022) - I am so DELIGHTED to announce that Emezi's debut poetry collection fucks severely. I'm so enchanted by the way they weave Biblical figures into their poems, envisioning them as extended family - Mary as an auntie, Jesus as a brother, Mary Magdalene as Jesus' lover with whom Emezi develops a relationship of their own. "what if my father called jesus a bastard" is a poem I think about a lot. I don't know, maybe you need to be a #superfan whose read all of Emezi's memoir and highly biographical fiction to get this - maybe the way they relate to Jesus as a fellow young god won't make sense if you don't know about their own very specific understanding of their sense of self. if that's the case then idk, go read all of Emezi's other books immediately and then come back for the poems; you'll be doing yourself a favor.

Harrow the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir, 2020) - I was honestly kind of afraid that I'd run out of everything I had to say about this reread when I was talking about Gideon, but honestly? everything I said about how satisfying it is to reread Gideon goes DOUBLE for Harrow. I can't really say why without getting into massive spoiler territory, because this is a book designed to keep the reader as disoriented as Harrow until the last possible moment before the head-spinning reveal. and you know what? it's SO worth it. the payoff is magnificent; the reread value is tremendous. there seem to be a lot of people getting into the Locked Tomb on my dash right now, which is awesome, but I also keep seeing people talking about how Harrow is too confusing to the point of giving up on it. listen - lean into that discomfort. it's so worth it. you don't have to Get everything all the time and Muir is making lesbian space necromancer ART here.

The Joker War Saga (James Tynion IV et al) - hey man. I'm gonna be real with you. I really liked the arc leading up to this (Their Dark Designs, yes it's the one with the fucked up meth Riddler, you have GOT to mind your own business). I liked it enough that I warily consented to read something called "Joker War" even though I don't usually like Joker-heavy stories and I'm firmly of the opinion that crossover events with "war" in the title are generally pretty bad. and wouldn't you know it? I was right. Joker War sucks. it's dumb and convoluted and just needlessly edgy and draws attention to the Joker's unkillable nature in just the most annoying way. Harley is pretty solid and I enjoy Punchline a lot more than I thought I would, but fuck this.

The Memory Police (Yoko Ogawa 1994; trans. Stephen Snyder 2019) - this was the dark horse winner of my most recent book poll, and once again y'all displayed immaculate taste with your voting power. Ogawa's novel is the haunting story of an isolated young novelist on an unnamed island where things regularly get disappeared not just physically, but from people's minds and hearts as well - birds have been forgotten, as have roses, emeralds, and hats. with every passing day the Memory Police's control on the island tightens, and now whole families are being taken if they're suspected of having the gene to remember things that are taken away. our nameless protagonist's mother could remember, and hid the objects she saved when they vanished, but our protagonist doesn't share this gift. nonetheless, when her editor worries he may be targeted next, our protagonist makes a bold move to hide him from the Memory Police. it's a gorgeously tense and melancholy narrative about fascism and art and emotions and it made me feel a lot of feelings.

Conversations with People Who Hate Me: 12 Lessons I Learned from Talking to Internet Strangers (Dylan Marron, 2022) - as some of you may have noticed from *gestures around* all of this, I have a complicated relationship with the internet and how people on it treat me. I would never pretend that I've had to deal with anything as severe as Dylan Marron receiving homophobic death threats on the regular, but hey - it's not a competition. and in any case, I did cry within the first chapter or two of this book as Marron talked about the process of unlearning the gamification of human interactions online and trying to see the humanity of people who say the MOST vile things to him. I know I can't agree with every single thing Marron says here; I know there are people I just cannot and will not have compassion for because they objectively oppress me and should gargle my balls. but there is a lot here that is genuinely magnificent in its kindness, that I will be trying to integrate into how I comport myself here and in other online spaces.

Any Way the Wind Blows (Rainbow Rowell, 2021) - it took me a long-ass time to finished off the Simon Snow series, despite really enjoying the first one and really enjoying the second one, and really digging these characters in general. but I got there eventually and I DEVOURED it; this books are splendidly readable for being 400+ pages. the plot is watery-thin this time around, but that's alright - sometimes a plot just needs to be a moving sidewalk putting a little extra pressure on the characters while they try to sort out their messy feelings and complicated relationships and codependent childhood friendships. I liked it a lot, I really enjoy the way Rowell writes crushes and intimacy and all the squishy feelings that happen along the way.

Paper Girls Vol. 1-4 (Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, 2016-2018) - it's rereading season baby!!! this is like my third attempt to read all of Paper Girls and I'm actually going to make it this time, because I have the final two volumes on hold at the library RIGHT NOW and I'm very much looking forward to picking them up! LET'S GOOOOO. full review to come when I finish the series I guess but Paper Girls is great, go read it. it's a messy brain-bendy little story about friendship and time travelling bullshit, and also has some of the most gorgeous comic book art I've ever seen. Cliff Chiang is brilliant.

I'm Glad My Mom Died (Jennette McCurdy, 2022) - this is one of the buzziest memoirs of the year, and for good fucking reason. McCurdy is a tremendously gifted writer who's clearly been through a lot of therapy and has turned it with remarkable skill into art, and her debut is tremendously impressive. she has an uncanny ability to get the reader in the mindset she possessed at various stages of her childhood, when crying on command and bonding with her mother over anorexia were just facts of life, while also clearly outlining the stark horror of her abuse. readers, I cried more times than I can tell you. I read the entire book in one day. trigger warnings out the ass, so plan accordingly, but if you have the stomach for it this is a really remarkable read. I don't like to call my shots but there's no way in hell I'm Glad My Mom Died isn't going on whatever end-of-year favorite books list I end up making.

Spandex (Martin Eden, 2012) - I read a volume collecting the first three issues of Eden's comic, Spandex, about the titular team of British superheroes, all of whom are queer. I'm going to level with you: it's kind of garbage? the plots feel slapped together, the art is what I would politely call CHARMINGLY scrappy, the team is extremely white with the exceptions of Butch (a super-strong stoic Black woman who doesn't talk much) and Neon (a sexy Japanese ninja who's anime all the way down). but at the same time, it's like... like I'm glad it exists? a lot of mediocre straight art gets published every day; mediocre gay art also deserves that chance. and it's cool to see a superhero team where queerness and gay sex and gender weirdness are the norm instead of being nonexistent or being the entire moral of the story. also Prowler's power is harnessing the abilities of nearby gay people and that rules. that's gay community, babey.

Greenland (David Santos Donaldson, 2022) - WHAT a book !!! Santos Donaldson writes in an absolutely incredible voice, as our protagonist Kip is Going The Fuck Through It. Kip has three weeks to write a novel from scratch for a prospective publisher, and to do this he's boarded himself into the basement of his house against the wishes of his older husband, who has recently announced that he'd like a divorce. the object of Kip's fixation is Mohammed el-Adl, the Black man who had a love affair with older, white English writer E.M. Forster during Forster's time in Egypt. Kip finds much of himself in Mohammed, as a Black man in a relationship with an older white man who has also spent his entire life trying to prove himself as a writer in a predominantly white publishing industry and simultaneously hating the urge he feels to prove himself to a white publishing industry. our man Kip does not have an excellent time in this book, but he's certainly carried by excellent style; his breakdown is narrated start to finish in heady, fervent, manically literary style that never bores.

this one took longer to write than literally any reading recap I've ever done, everyone enjoy xoxo gossip girl

[1ddiscourseoftheday]

Tues 8 June ‘21

Harry recorded a message that was played at the Stoneman Douglas High School graduation; SD is the school in Parkland Florida that in 2018 became the site of the deadliest school shooting in US history. Harry has consistently been a vocal supporter of the student activism to curb gun violence that followed the shooting (it was when he added the Stop Gun Violence stickers to his guitar and he spoke about it before when playing near there on HSLOT, for example, as well as signing on to things and donating money and talking about the bravery of the young women leading the effort in particular). “You are an incredibly strong group of people and I have no doubt that you’ll all do incredible things whatever you chose to do in the future, so good luck, love each other and be nice to each other and I hope at some point I’ll get to see you guys,” he said in the video.

A blurry blob in a blue hoodie in London last night was said to be him, out for a stroll, Don’t Worry Darling was announced to be set for release next year, and some fans literally chased Harry and Olivia down the street while filming them against their wishes (recently, not today, seems like she might be back in the US with Jason now that his filming is wrapped) and then people tried to blame their behavior on... larries?? UM did larries possess them and force them to literally chase a person asking to be left alone I DON’T BELIEVE SO, I am BEGGING you guys to quit listening to anything anyone on twitter says. My Policeman is filming in Hitchin, at a location reported by local media to be “shrouded in mystery”, but I’m pretty sure the hordes gathered to peep at filming have killed any aura of mystery at this point. They are working on location at a pool in Butts Close (YEAH I KNOW) and are apparently besieged with fans, some of whom managed to get more pictures of a blurry blob said to be Harry- this time in tiny yellow short shorts (2021/1950 version)!

Niall and Anne Marie’s Tonight Show performance aired! Anne Marie’s black and white cheetah print lined three piece outfit is amazing, like Niall is pushing the envelope a little with shapes and fits but her look takes center stage I’m afraid; anyway also they sound great and are cute, yes yes.

Liam has been in his discord lots, commenting on things and polling people. Current polls, yes no or wtf about NFTs, which landslide result (wtf) got him to say yeah okay I’ll make an explainer, and should we rename my fandom which resulted in a chat for people to make suggestions. About front runner Paynedora’s Box (Liam’s own amazing suggestion) he said “it came to me as I thought it meant every type of fan is a possibility, never know what you’re going to encounter.” Yes plus Pandora’s Box was full of demons! Apt indeed though Liam’s fans are sweeter than some, it’s true. He gives a little love to Champaynes too, which is good though given our boy’s struggle with alcohol addiction I’ll stick with my vote for the first one. He posted from an “impromptu night photoshoot” (about which his hair guy said “bringing the grit back, prepping for a very exciting launch…”), followed NFT co-creator Gabe Damast who later posted some behind the scenes talk about the making of Lonely Bug (with glimpses!) and the page for animated film Ron’s Gone Wrong, which he commented about (“this looks amazing!”), liked a Lonely Bug fanart of the bug with his face on it, and signed on to a UNICEF letter, along with 28 other celebs, asking the G7 (rich countries) to donate vaccines for distribution where most needed. And he was seen today at a Top Golf! An employee posted a distanced pic with him. Also btw those necklaces he’s been wearing all the time lately are apparently diamonds and are £50k each, but he wasn’t wearing them for golf time at least.

And additional bits from Liam’s interview from yesterday because it’s REALLY LONG, one recap wasn’t enough-- Liam said he definitely has not yet figured out what makes him happy (which makes me sad although also, normalize not having it all figured out in your 20s I don’t think that’s unusual) and talked about the difficulty of figuring out what to do when you’ve already accomplished your life goal so young, he mentioned the people speaking out against the X Factor and that he thinks there needs to be a care system for people in those shows, and said “find you a man who looks at you like Russell Brand looks at you when he’s listening to your stories, he looks into your soul,” and when host Steve talks about meditating naked says “now that’s what I want to think about!” (they’d been talking about what to focus your thoughts on for meditation). He said he wants to experiment with the way he does promo, specifically to wait to see if a song is doing well before doing press tours that might not have any point and that he thinks the industry is in a place where they need to throw out the old molds, and he talked about the industry wasting money on things they don’t need to do for promo. “You have your fanbase, grow it organically, properly,” he said, which is so much more true for any one of the 1D boys than anyone else, for sure, and it makes sense he’d say this stuff not just for the obvious reasons- we’ve all seen how badly labels have fallen short with post 1D solo stuff- but also because the 1D fandom always has been in a position out at the forefront of new ways that fan engagement work (as Liam points out, he talked about the perfect storm of the rise of twitter trends and of 1D) and modeling what will be next for other artists, so trying to fit it into old boxes doesn’t make sense, and it’s still true. Other solo artists simply DON’T HAVE the same kind of fandom these five do, and trying to market them the same way you would any random artist is just throwing away money and engagement! So it is exciting to see these guys take the lead on their own stuff and experiment with new ways of doing things, and Liam is smashing it at that.

[thedenfantasyleague]

The Den Fantasy League Weekly Recaps: 2020 Draft Recap

Gentlemen,

Welcome to a new year. Although this year may look different and come with plenty of unknowns, I’m looking forward to venturing into the chaos with you all. As we begin our fifth year, we’ve seen three champions in our first four seasons. We’ve seen plenty of chirping, gamesmanship, and some excuses but it’s been a great four years thus far and I’m excited about our newest season. With that being said let’s get into this year’s draft recap and to assist I used RotoTrade.com’s draft analysis to be unbiased in final analysis.

Draft Order:

The Perfect Ten

Hank Mardukas

11-4-1 PVO

Kalabar’s Revenge

Viking Quest

Team Timshel

Debbie Rowe

Virg. Gardening Minmaxers

Mr. Magorium

Wilmore Cinderella

Fire Jarn

Tua Days

The Perfect Ten

Our two-time champion started off the draft in the first overall spot. Ian normally prefers to be at the back of the draft to double up but this time he had the benefit of getting the first overall pick and the back-to-back picks starting at the end of the 2nd round. With his first pick, Ian took the easy number one in CMC, arguably the best player in the 2019 season. In Ian’s position (and those like him towards the beginning and end) he had to look out into the distance and make some moves on who may not be available at his next turn. With that, he picked up Mahomes with his second pick at the end of the second round. E’s team is riddled with players who may not have the splashy seasons all the time but could step up into some interesting roles. 

E’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Hank Mardukas

Scott was number two and had the easy pick of picking whomever Ian didn’t pick. In this case, it was Saquon who fell to Scott and the second pick. Saquon was again a top pick this year and hoping to bounce back after an injury plagued season last year. Like the bookends of the draft, Scott found himself with double picks and went with his two starting WRs in Godwin and Thielen. Scott made some interesting picks and continued to sure up his WRs in picking the intriguing Hollywood Brown after taking his QB in Dak. Scott eventually took a chance on the resurgence of Gronk, hoping he returns to his old self with his reunion with Tom in Tampa. It was good to see Scott at an inperson draft for potentially the first time in history. 

Scott’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

11-4-1 PVO

Dylan was nice enough to host us at his house for this years draft but for Dylan, some times home field advantage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Dylan had his whole set up ready, or as he called it, his War Room. After continuing the trend of getting the best available at the top of the board, Dylan took Zeke (although I’m not too sure he was crazy about it). From there he continued into the skill positions by taking two of the highest paid NFL players in Julio and Kittle. A few picks late came controversy. If you drafted live and weren’t in the room where it happens (a little Hamilton pun for ya there), Dylan had a snafu. Here’s the scene: Dylan is on the clock and talking about he can’t take AJ Green. Just on principle. He starts clicking frantically and, next thing you know, he’s taking AJ Green. Weird, right? Dylan claims he was clicking Jordan Howard. He’s adamant. As a commissioner to the people, we poll the in-house participants and with our quorum we decide to pause the draft. With said quorum a vote is taken (I abstain) and the vote was to allow Dylan to re-pick. Is it a conspiracy and/or controversial? Yes. I won’t address it further and my story will match any other who was on site. Back to the normal draft: Dylan had a steal in the 11th round by taking John Matthew Stafford. Happy for him. Is this the year Dylan turns it around?

Dylan’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Kalabar’s Revenge

After our draft we FaceTimed G to figure out why he was auto-drafting. We were greeted with Katie Mae at her 23rd birthday celebration (insert Blink-182 joke here). To her surprise we weren’t made, just disappointed as G tends to bring some good fun to the draft. Towards the end of the draft, G made an appearance in the chat and summaried his draft in the following manner, “I might do well this year since I didn’t make any of the picks” or something like that. He may have had a point. When we finally got G on the phone he was pretty drunk. So much so that he exposed himselfto the crew. Katie wasn’t a fan of that (at least in that moment…). As you can imagine, auto-drafting just goes best available and that’s what G got. His first pick was Dalvin then followed up with a slew of WRs in Devante, Evans, and Ridley. His auto-draft path eventually selected both Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers. Two aging QBs who could still have a lot of upside to them. There is always a risk when auto-drafting but it may have just paid off for G. After the draft he was given his chance to provide his one season long Kurse of the season. I’ll give you one guess as to who it was.

G’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Viking Quest

Have I mentioned how luck I am to be your Commish? It’s truly an honor. As for my draft, I was just happy to be there. Continuing the trend, I took the best available and went for Alvin Kamara. I know he’s in the middle of a contract dispute but I have no doubts he’ll be on the field and ready to roll for week one. The Saints are all in this year and I’m hoping their success will ride on his shoulders. My next pick was an interesting one. Too often I draft with my heart and not with my mind. Luckily on this one I was able to do both. Was Kelce the “best available” at that time? Not necessarily (he was in the mix) but why mess with a good thing? I’m happy for my guy after receiving his new contract and I know he’ll continue to produce as he always has. Surprisingly for me, this draft was very WR heavy, something I don’t normally do. However, you have to make do with what’s there at the value you’re taking it at and that’s what I tried to do. After Dylan picked Stafford before he could fall to me, I knew it was time to take a QB. Would I take Rodgers while he was still available? No. Absolutely not. In the words of Johnny Drama, the main character of Viking Quest, “it’s the principle”. I went with my heart and history. I am a Cam believer. Truth be told I listened to a podcast on Cam recently and again went with my heart. I believe in him and so should you. But hey, I’m just happy to be here. 

My draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Team Timshel

Our defending champ was back this year to defend his title in a very odd season. The champ wasted no time in mixing things up and throwing the whole draft for one participant (more on that later). Mike took his own path in the draft and opted to not take the best available being Michael Thomas but instead went with one of the hottest RBs at the end of last year: Derrick Henry. He then went another RB in the new Texan David Johnson followed by Amari, Ertz, and finally rounded out his fifth round by taking Russ Wilson at QB. Mike’s team has always been in contention and finally came to fruition last year and this year he is hoping to do the same. So much so that he’s bought in on the Titans having a successful year after taking three players Friday and now reportedly have signed Clowney. Mike’s hoping that success on the field can aid him in his quest to be our first repeat winner. 

Mike’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com

Debbie Rowe

The man looked up from his screen both confused and shocked. His whole plan had come crashing down. He would need to act fast or everything could fall apart. Sounds like a scene from a novel but this was real life for one Jake Taylor. As previously mentioned, Jake was shook after Mike picked Henry right before Jane. Jake had been doing research for days, all under the assumption he would have Henry there to take. It was so simple but then the moment came and it all came crashing down. Jake had to act fast and instead of picking Michael Thomas or even the next highest rated RB, he took a chance in the rookie: Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Jake then followed by taking Chris Carson, JuJu (USC Trojans, Fight On), his little Cooper Kupp, and his Bengal: Tyler Boyd. Jake then proceeded to take the player behind DraftJoshAllen.com in Josh Allen. Finally, he took one of the first kickers off the board: J-Tuck. Jake currently hates his team but sometimes that means we got the team we didn’t want but the team we actually needed the whole time.

Jake’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com

Virg. Gardening MinMaxers

Al took an interesting strategy for this year’s draft and I believe he participated via his phone when he was plugged in. Al started his team off very WR heavy by taking Thomas after his brief slide and taking Hopkins in the second round. If you would have told Al that in 2018 he’d have both Le’Veon and Gurley on his team in 2020 he would have been stoked but both of these backs haven’t had the past years we and they would have hoped for, leaving some questions for the 2020 season. In between of picking three QBs (Kyler, Brady, and Burrow) Al was able to snag AJ Green after the 11-4-1 PVO debacle. Like all teams, our current Cabana Boy has a team full of question marks but with a lot of potential. Can he get it done this year or be our first repeat Cabana Boy?

Al’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Mr. Magorium

Gabe is officially back to Mr. Magorium after last year’s GM change. If you recall, G started off horrendously after the initial week one Kurse from Kalabar. After week one, the Kurses continued for weeks on end until finally Gabe turned his team over to Remus Lupin to help fight the spirits. It paid off for him as he had an incredible second half run. Gabe reentered with an interesting first pick. Gabe passed on some other RBs to select Cincy’s own Joe Mixon. I wonder if Gabe will change his name to Mixon it Up? Following that pick, Gabe focused on his skill players by taking another RB in Aaron Jones then following with three straight WRs including OBJ, Woods, and Diggs. Gabe was eventually forced to take Drew Brees as his QB, something he wasn’t thrilled about. As Gabe surveyed his final draft results we reached out to Kalabar to see who his official Kurse of the Year went to and unfortunately for Gabe it falls on him. Will we see the same impact we saw last year or has Gabe figured out how to reflect said Kurses? Only time will tell. 

Gabe’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Wilmore Cinderella

“Yuck” - E Birch. That’s how Ian categorized JP’s predicament after seeing who would be falling into that #10 spot. Unfortunately for JP he felt the same way. There wasn’t much optimism going into the draft for JP and ended up picking Josh Jacobs over a slew of other RBs with his first round pick. He then continued by taking more skill positions like Ekeler, AJ Brown, Lockett, and finally the new TB Buc Fournette before selecting the newly paid Deshaun Watson to be his QB for the year. With his last pick he selected Scotty Miller or as he likes to call him “the new Julian Edelman”. JP’s team is interesting because he appears to have some talent that, if given the opportunity on their respective teams, could turn into valuable contributors to his team’s success for the year. Only time will tell if JP and Wilmore Cinderella can join E as the only two-time champs. 

JP’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Fire Jarn

I’m excited for Robbie to once again be in our league but I’m starting to get worried. Does he not care anymore? Should we be concerned? Should we look to replace him? Year after year we get an auto-draft and I’m just not sure if he wants to even be in the league. Rob, if you’re reading this it’s okay to opt out, we’ll still be your friends. For everyone else, if you’re reading this go ahead and drop a nice word to Robbie in the chat. He may need it. However, with Rob’s draft, the computer did him a lot of favors. The computer selected the popular Miles Sanders with his first pick and followed up by taking Tyreek A. Rob, Sutton, and Singletary to round out his skill players. The computer doing what the computer does took two QBs who seem to always be fighting off the injury bug: Wentz and Sloppy Roethelisberger. Finally, with their second to last pick Robbie’s computer team selected Matt Gay, a kicker who is recently unemployed. I really do want Robbie to have fun this year and find success but I’m just happy he’s our friend. Wouldn’t you agree?

Robbie’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com:

Tua Days

Our final pick from round one and our first pick in round two had an interesting draft time as it coincided with the Heat game. Vinny’s official post-draft statement was: Did the Heat distract my draft process? Yes. Will it hinder my teams performance? ABSOLUTELY NOT. On my name sake My team will work twice as hard to grind every week except week 8. Speaking of the Heat, they choked in game four. Sad to see. Vinny started his draft by taking Chubb with his first pick followed up by his beloved Kenyan Drake. Vinny then took the second QB off the board by taking Lamar at the end of the third round. He then took his fellow Raven in TE Mark Andrews and then his very own Dolphin in Parker. I’m not sure if Vinny drifted back to auto-draft as he ended up with two defenses but if it was intentional I’m sure he has a reason that makes zero sense. Either way, we’ll find out this season if you should never draft distracted. Heat in five. 

Vinny’s draft grade from RotoTrade.com

That is this year’s draft recap. Games start Thursday and I’m looking forward to getting some sort of normalcy back in our lives. As always, set your lineups accordingly.

Your beloved Commissioner,

Jared R. Mosqueda

[sunlitroom]

Gotham s3e16 - These Dark and Delicate Obsessions

As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham.

It's Uncle Frank, who abandoned poor young grieving Jim.  The Court is secret! Jim watched his father die.  One cannot deny love. Bang.  Ed. Does. Not. Love. Oswald.  Splash   Look who’s alive!  Oswald’s got a murder to-do list.  Bruce is in the arctic.  Falcone has always done what the Court asked.  The Court will purge the city.  Chaos, Cleansing. Destruction.  Dogs and cats, living together – mass hysteria.

As always, long post will be long - reaaally long.  There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot may appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)).  There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism.  Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

The Court is meeting in their silly frilly masks. The have a weapon to cleanse the city, but they need a unanimous vote to progress.  They all place feathers on the table in front of them, except Frank, who pauses. Kathryn notices and glances at him, and Frank reluctantly follows suit.  Judgment has been passed. Gotham must fall.

Bruce awakens in his cell. The door opens.  There’s a man framed in the doorway.  Bruce wants to speak with whoever's in charge.  That makes it sound like he’s complaining about a hotel room. The man says that would be me. Bruce asks if the Court is behind this. The man tells him the Court is a tool, nothing more.  Bruce tells him that they won't get away with this – but then realises that the clone will cover his absence.  He protests, though – and tells them that Alfred will figure it out.  The man agrees, but says that, by that that time, they should have accomplished their goals.

Bruce asks what the goals are.  The man says that they need his help, and tells him to eat, since he’ll need his strength.  Maybe keep him in a warm room with an actual bed, then?  He tells him they’ll begin soon, and leaves.

At GCPD, we see Aubrey James on a TV screen.  He’s apparently back in charge.  Jim and Harvey chat.  Jim says the trip to the cabin was ‘fine’  - which is hilarious, since in about two minutes he’ll spill his guts about the actual trauma-fest that it was.  Jim has a very low bar for ‘fine’.

Jim asks about ’Nygma’. Somewhere, Ed grits his teeth and leans down heavier on an iron-on transfer of a question mark.  Harvey says that they’ve not heard from him – he’s simply disappeared.  How you lose the model in the bright green suit and bowler hat is beyond me.

Harvey asks what Jim is looking at.  Jim tells him it’s the record of the drunk driver who killed his father, and spills about the cabin.  Apparently this guy was stabbed in prison early in his sentence.  Jim looked at his medical record too – and found chronic persistent hepatitis.  He’s going to ask Lee what that is when she gets in.  Harvey- though – cuts in, telling him that it’s a non-progressive form of liver inflammation that would prevent you from drinking.  Either this guy can’t have had that – or he wasn’t drunk at the wheel.  Jim says the report must have been faked, and leaves to investigate.

(An aside – I know Gotham moved away from all things procedural, but it’s nice to see them being detectives for once.)

A glasshouse.  Ivy has Oswald in a wheelchair, wrapped in a blanket. She's excited, he's grumpy.  You know when little girls try to wrap cats in blankets and carry them about like dolls?  It looks like that.

Ivy tells Oswald that the fresh air will do him good.  She’s actually being very sweet with him.  Oswald is snarly and short-tempered.  He shakes her off, telling her that he is fine – and a grown man.

(An aside - Which is not only a reminder that Ivy isn’t a grown woman, but striking because Oswald is often presented to us as childish – sulky, spiteful, infantilised by both parents and, recently, very dependent.  Maybe this is a statement of some development for him?)

Ivy giggles, and boops his nose.  And hungry!

Oswald looks round.  What's with you and all the plants?

Ivy tells him the plants are her friends – better friends than people.  Oswald pulls a face.  Some even helped save his life, she continues.

She hands him a glass, which he hurls to the ground.  Ivy is irate.

What is wrong with you?

Oswald needs to build an army to get revenge.  Ivy tells him that no-one is stopping him.  She could help!  Poor Ivy is so happy to just have a friend.  Oswald sighs impatiently, and offering a tight, insincere smile, tells her to deliver a message to Gabe – a moron, but a loyal moron.  And an army only needs one loyal soldier.  He’s just about got that right now with Ivy – but Oswald’s judgment has been hideously off of late – and he can’t quite see it.

Ivy waits.  Oswald looks impatient.  She’s waiting for a please.  Irritated, but with no other options – he acquiesces.  Be nice, Oswald.  You’ll notice Ivy’s nursing you back to health is genuinely unselfish and caring, taking none of your agency away, and not seeking to mess with your head. Something of a novelty for you.

Jim looks at his father’s grave.  It looks very cold -  a lot of the light in this episode is cold and blue.  Uncle Frank approaches.  Jim says his father’s death made to look like an accident – what does Frank want from him? Frank tells Jim about the Court’s weapon to destroy the city.  Jim asks why they would destroy it?  Franks replies that it’s not the whole Court - just high-ranking fanatics.  The Court has done it twice before. It’s no bluff.

Jim asks how to stop it – Frank has no idea, and doesn’t even doesn't know what weapon is.  The Court knows that Frank reached out to Jim, though. As Frank walks away, Jim tells him to be careful

Lee is at Mario's grave. She looks sick and tired.  Jim stares over at her, then approaches. It’s a bit tactless, which he must realise, since he opens with an apology for intruding.  Lee asks who Jim was with – and Jim tells her it was Uncle Frank.  Lee thought they were estranged, but seems pleased – at least, hypothetically pleased, that they’ve reconnected – she betrays very little emotion.

She talks a little. She’s been coming here a lot.  She saw a little old man, all dressed-up, smiling at his wife's grave.  Lee couldn't understand what there was to smile about, but then it occurred to her. They shared a whole life together. Jim apologises again.  Lee looks at him disbelievingly.

How'd you do that - just move on, leaving so much destruction in your wake?

Jim doesn’t protest – that he wrecks everything he touches is – as we know – one of his deepest fears about himself.  He’s not going to argue.  Lee sighs tiredly, and as she walks away, says that she wishes she could do that.

(An aside – given what we know, this maybe seems likely to be Lee’s characteristic when infected with the Tetch virus – wreaking destruction.  It would explain the wrecked GCPD we saw)

Jim’s phone rings.  Harvey says his father’s killer was a ‘career scumbag’….and Falcone paid for the fancy lawyer to get him a plea.

Ivy’s glasshouse, where a gleeful Gabe hugs Oswald tightly.

Everyone thinks you’re dead, Barbara’s running things. Interesting that Butch and Tabitha are not mentioned as equals.

Oswald is impatient – he wants Gabe to build him an army.  Gabe agrees immediately – the guys will come running.  He wanders away little and starts talking enthusiastically on his phone.

Ivy looks dubious.  There’s something off about him.  She doesn’t trust him.

Oswald is dismissive.   Gabe is essentially a human Labrador. Ivy tries to tell him about her perfume. One whiff - and any man gives her anything she asks.  She’ll find out if he’s telling the truth.

Oswald rolls his eyes, not fully understanding what Ivy means by this.  He tells her it’s time that they part ways – he has an army to build, a war to plan, and they really don't know each other that well.

Ivy doesn’t get it. Oswald meanly tells her to ask her plants.  Ivy is genuinely hurt.

You don't trust me – I saved your life.  I thought we were friends

Oswald laughs at her

Friends?

Ivy looks even more hurt.

Oswald blinks.

Oh - you're being serious…

but continues to behave like an ass.

Look – don’t take this wrong way – but you are a bit of a freak.

Ivy storms out, teary-eyed and swinging her arms like the upset and angry little girl she is.

Gabe, meantime, has approached.

Did she tell you not to trust me?

Oswald laughs.  Yeah. His face gets serious though, as he wheels and asks why Gabe asks.  Gabe belts him in the face and smiles.

Smart girl

Back in Bruce's cell of Mortal Kombat training-esque tedium, he hears a sound.  The door opens.  There’s a lot of running down corridors to come back to the same point.  I’m not recapping the whole thing.  It would be more entertaining with Benny Hill music over it.  The mysterious man is in his cell again.  It’s time to begin.  Bruce says the temple is a maze.  The man says everything is a maze, they need to find a space within it.  Bruce says he’ll figure it out.  The man asks how long he’s been blindly wandering round a maze looking for directions.  Bruce tells him,

Speak in cryptic riddles all you want.  I’m not scared of you.

Somewhere, Ed just cried a little.

Jim is at Falcone’s house. Falcone blusters threateningly for a bit about how Jim took his son. (An aside – have all these people forgotten that Jim had literally no option open to him: Mario was infected, and about to kill Lee).

Jim shuts him up.

I took your son - you took my father.  I’d say we were even.

Jim also tells him he knows about the lawyer he paid for.

Still think we have nothing to talk about?

Falcone dismisses his henchmen.

You’ve got a question for me son - go ahead and ask.  

He admits he killed Jim’s father, adding

I respected your father, much more than the son he left behind.

Jim says was a hit though, ordered by the Court of Owls.  Falcone asks what he knows.  Jim says his uncle is a member.  Falcone says he isn’t a member– but they have a mutually beneficial relationship.  Jim baldly comments that he does their bidding.  Falcone doesn’t like that.  Jim wants to know who ordered the hit, and Falcone delivers the information with obvious relish  

Frank Gordon - your uncle

Frank is at home with a bottle of whiskey.  As he enters the living room, Jim appears, and puts a gun to his head.  Jim questions him as Frank pours them drinks. Frank confirms that he ordered the hit, and also tells Jim that Falcone contacted the Court as soon as Jim left – they’re suspicious now.

Jim asks why Frank ordered the hit.  Frank says his father wanted to expose the Court.  Jim cuts in, incredulous,

You had him killed – your own brother.  He points the gun again.

Frank shrugs.

Go on - shoot me, you’d be doing me a favour.

He tells Jim he needs to do what his father wanted, bring down the Court.

Jim eyes him for a moment, and then disagrees.

My father would want justice to be done, so do I

Jim starts to arrest him. Frank is frustrated, Jim’s not been listening

Arrest me and it’s over

He headbutts Jim, hits him with the bottle, and breaks free, telling him that the weapon is arriving at dock 9c – Jim needs to find out what it is.  He tells Jim he needs to make a choice, and leaves.

Ivy's greenhouse.  Oswald sits, tied to the wheelchair, regarding Gabe

I didn't think you had it in you

I know - you never did

Boo-hoo – that’s what about - no gold star for being best thug? If you’re going to kill me, get on with it already.

Gabe’s not planning that though -

We aint's gonna kill you – we’re gonna auction you off to the highest bidder.

Oswald looks panicked. We?

4 other thugs arrive

Ivy watches from behind a tree

Should have just listened to me, but noooooo - nobody listens to Ivy

We hear a sound, and a thug has approached Ivy, putting a gun to her head.  She straightens up and sighs.

GCPD – where a bruised Jim holds ice to his face.

Harvey is taken aback at Jim story.  Jim apologises for involving him, but he doesn’t know who to trust.  (My shippy head tells me that Oswald would have been a go-to for this – it being in that lovely, dangerous grey area where Jim likes to associate with Oswald)

Harvey tells him that he would work the lead, but acknowledges that Jim might want to go after his uncle and – if so – Harvey has his back.  Jim says that it’s important GCPD can’t be involved, or the Court will know. Harvey asks who they know who could help – and then looks unhappy when he guesses the answer.  Jim’s other complicated criminal relationship.

Barbara is holding court as Nazareth’s version of Love Hurts plays in the background.  The magnificent Mad Men fashion analysis of every episode talked about metallic fabrics as being and ostentatious representative of wealth and power.  Barbara’s ensemble is almost entirely gold –money is a marker of success in crime, and Barbara is flaunting her success.  Metals are also cold and hard – which is also representative of Barbara right now.

A man is kneeling before her – but he’s not brought enough money, and Barbara swipes him with a stiletto.

Her phone rings, she answers smugly

Barbara Queen

She grins widely when she realises it’s Jim.

What an unpleasant surprise.  Do I feel a favour coming on?

Much like Oswald – no matter whether it really benefits her, or if she’s still pissed at Jim for their last meeting, she’ll still do what he asks.

Bruce’s cell.  The man tells Bruce he’s been waiting for him for a long time. Bruce just wants to go home.  The man says that they share a destination.  He unrolls what Bruce observes looks like acupuncture needles. They have a freaky mystical glowing symbol on the end.  He tells Bruce they’re keys to unlocking the mind.  When he presses the needle to a vaguely hypnotised Bruce’s head…..

Bruce is in an alley in the city.  The man points out that he wanted to return to Gotham – so here they are.

It dawns on Bruce that he’s back at the scene of his parents' deaths.  He turns slowly, tears in his eyes.

Dad?  Mom?

And is forced to witness their death again.  He comes out of the hallucination/trip/whatever, and scrambles away from the man.

What was that place?

The mean tells him it was memory.  He can experience them as though living them for the first time.  One is always inside one’s own mind - pretending we’re separate is the falsehood.

Bruce asks why he would take him back there.  The man tells him,

You never left there

He says that Bruce will have to leave in order to accept their teaching.  Bruce backs away.

(An aside – if you watched Deep Space Nine – this is essentially Sisko’s first experience with the Prophets, where they keep making him return to the scene of his wife’s death. When he finally loses it – and asks why they keep taking him there, they respond – blandly – it’s not them, it’s him. You exists here.)

A warehouse where Barbara and Tabitha are torturing a man for information, while Barbara brightly comments that torture is fun.  He tells them that Barbara and Tabitha don’t know what ‘they’re’ capable of.  Even Falcone never pried into their business.  Barbara doesn’t like that, and reminds him that she’s running things now, ramming some sort of spike into his chest to underline her point.  

He caves – something came in the crate over in the corner.  We see an Indian Hill stamp on it.  Barbara says that he must have a phone number to let them know when it arrived – and she wants an introduction.  Tabitha seems like she’s amused/impressed by her.

There’s a sound – and a court assassin runs in and wipes the floor with everyone.  Barbara and Tabitha flee – not sure why he doesn’t go after them, they’re going nowhere fast in those heels.  He decapitates the tortured man.

Ivy's greenhouse. Oswald winces at a flash of light – photographs are being taken of him to prove he’s alive.

A bound Ivy sitting beside Oswald shakes her head.  The gangsters fetch cannoli from their car for a snack break.

Ivy comments that Oswald got himself into quite the pickle.  Oswald points out that she’s tied up too.

Our fates are intertwined

Ivy is dismissive. She’ll be fine.  Oswald asks what her plan is.   She lets him dangle for a moment longer, because he was so unpleasant. He asks angrily if she wants him to beg. Ivy loses her temper.

No - I want you to be nice to me!

Nice to you?

Yes – it’s not so much to ask

Oswald swallows his impatience.  He agrees it’s not much to ask, and promises to be nice.

Ivy tells him to watch and learn.  She effortlessly manipulates and hypnotises one of the thugs.  When he confirms that he’ll do anything she asks – she tells him to kill them all.  Oswald stops her at the last minute.  He tells her to ask him to stop, hand him the gun, and untie them.  Ivy’s having great fun, and yells all of these excitedly. Oswald winces.

You don't have to yell

Sorry - I just got so caught up in the moment

Ivy grins as Oswald shoots a thug, and watches, beaming, with hands on hips as Oswald tells Gabe he likes the idea of an auction – maybe he’ll auction parts of Gabe off to himself.

The Court of Owls is meeting to discuss what Falcone told them.  Frank stands in the middle of the circle, being questioned.  He tells Kathryn that Jim only knows what Falcone knows, and that nothing can lead back to the Court.  Kathryn wants to know why Jim is suddenly interested now.  Frank says he doesn’t know – but it’s the last thing he wanted.  Jim won’t stop until one of them is dead.  Kathryn thinks this is unfortunate – Jim would have been a powerful ally, but Frank knows what he has to do now: Jim Gordon must be killed.

Harvey and Jim on the phone. She’s passed on the information about 9c.  Frank must either have been kept in the dark by the Court about the weapon’s arrival, or have lied deliberately.  He also says that the crate had an Indian Hill stamp on it – ‘the freak factory’.

Jim’s phone rings again.  It’s Frank.  He tells Jim to come quickly – that they need to talk.

Back at Ivy's greenhouse, where Oswald is confronting Gabe.

I trusted you Gabe - and how did you repay that loyalty?  Betrayal

Gabe protests.

I was there when your mother was killed, when no one else was - and how did you pay me back? Passing me over

Oswald pauses.  

Valid point.  Maybe we must remember that loyalty must be extended before it can be returned.  You were loyal to me once - I wonder if you could be again.

Gabe kneels dramatically and swears on his mother’s soul

Oswald asks Ivy to check that Gabe’s oath of loyalty is noble and true.  Ivy is baffled.

If what is what now?

Oswald rolls his eyes and asks her to make him smell the perfume.  He does – and when under the influence – will not swear to be loyal and true.

I don’t understand - why can’t he be loyal? (An aside – Oswald’s rather plaintive question echoes Ivy’s earlier – you don’t trust me?)

Gabe expands.  He never was loyal.  He only followed him out of fear, like everyone else.  There a tiny flicker of something from Oswald, but he shrugs it off.  Fear and respect.  He can live with that.  Management 101.

Gabe goes on.  

No one ever respected you.  We all saw you for what you really are - a tiny freak who used to hold an umbrella.  Nothing more

This word ‘freak’ releases something in Oswald.  He repeats it a few times, rage building, before he picks up a fork thing and stabs Gabe to death with it – yelling freak all the while.  Ivy watches – wide-eyed but entertained, and blood sprays all over the glass.

Frank’s apartment. Jim enters.  Frank – holding a gun and a glass – thanks him for coming.  Jim tells him the weapon came from Indian Hill, but Frank has no ideas – the court no longer trusts him.  Jim asked why he called him.  Franks tells him that he’s supposed to kill him. Jim asks where that leaves them. Franks says it’s up to him.  He needs a replacement, and someone else to find out what that weapon is and how to destroy it.  He needs someone to join Court – they still want Jim, but just don’t see how it’s possible.  

Frank does, though.  He tells Jim that a woman named Kathryn will call to ask if he’s dead.  When she does, Jim should pick up, and say that he blames him – that he gave the order and deserves what he got.  He smiles – and we start to see panic on Jim’s face.

You’ve got your father’s strength.  He would have been so proud of you.  

Jim yells - horrified.

No!

After his usual gruff yell – though – there’s a small, pained intake of breath, that sounds like it comes from someone younger, and softer, and more vulnerable.

Bruce waits in his cell. He tries to attack shadowy man, but is easily subdued.  He begins the memory procedure again – and Bruce’s response is reminiscent of Oswald at Arkham.

Please, I'm sorry - just please don't make me go back there!

He’s forced again to watch his parents die.  He attacks the shadowy man after it.  When he comes back to the room – he’s stunned to find that he’s bleeding from the fight in the hallucination.  If the emotion is strong enough, the consequences follow you back to the real world.

Emotional pain blocks Bruce from who he needs him to become, who Gotham needs you to become. Over centuries they’ve tried to stop the plague of crime and violence – but it recurs because people are afraid, and fear breeds hopelessness.  Bruce is sceptical that he cares.  The man claims he does.  Gotham needs something only Bruce can provide – a protector.  Bruce protests.

I can't protect Gotham, not by myself – no one can

If you were to become a symbol against fear, Gotham can be reborn

Ivy’s greenhouse, where Oswald - both sleeves up – is digging Gabe’s grave. Ivy watches – serious-faced.  Oswald sighs.

Ok.  I admit it - might have lost my temper a bit.

Ivy doesn’t mind.

It's ok

Oswald continues. I don't know why I let him get to me - sticks and stones - right?

Ivy considers this, arms crossed

Words always hurt me way more than sticks or stones

Oswald turns, his body language open and honest.

Yeah.   Me too.

It’s a moment of connection between two outsider characters who are often shunned by others, but have a caring and protective side, and want friendship, want family. 

Ivy is curious

Does that mean you’re giving up your plans for revenge?

Oswald is deflated.  He can’t take Nygma and Barbara and the rest on by himself.

Ivy grins.

Who said anything about yourself?  Selina told me some pretty crazy stories about Indian Hill. You wanted an army?  What about an army of freaks?

Ivy’s delighted by her own idea – little-girl glee at turning Gabe’s insult back on him.  Oswald now seems curious, and pleased by the idea.

What kind of freaks?

A grim-faced Jim leaves the family photograph at dad's grave.  

His phone rings.  When he answers, Kathryn comments that she’s not entirely surprised.  Jim brusquely tells her he killed his uncle, and makes no apologies.  When Kathryn tells him she understands, he says that it’s time they meet.  She agrees – and when Jim glances to the left, he sees a black limousine waiting for him.  He walks towards it, the interior deliberately shot to look dark and confining.

How long have you been blindly wandering around in a maze, looking for direction?

I’ve often said that although other characters have become more prominent over time – the three main characters we come in with are Jim, Bruce and Oswald.   They now find themselves on unfamiliar ground, forced to take new paths that they would not otherwise have chosen.  

In many ways, they've been wandering for a while - even before they were forcibly thrown into new situations.  Jim might be back at GCPD, but his life is a mess of unresolved issues and trauma. He's lost Barnes as a mentor, and his relationship with Lee seems destroyed.  The relationship with Vale ended as badly as it could.  He's soldiering on, but all is not exactly well. When he got home at the end of the episode before the hiatus, he headed straight for a whiskey bottle.  Bruce is still training for something - but there's a lack of direction and focus there.  His investigations into the Court seemed to be at an impasse, and he's been discontented for weeks after fighting with Selina.  Oswald's had nothing but trauma since Gertrud was kidnapped, and a crisis of self after Strange's interference, but more recently we've seen him struggling with a complete lack of confidence in himself - totally dependent and easily manipulated.

The journeys they begin now are driven by necessity – they did not ask to be placed in these situations - but offer the opportunity to shed aspects of their identities which have become restrictive:

Jim has the opportunity to put his father to rest by carrying out the mission that got him killed. This also affords him the chance, unconsciously, to shed the burden others place on him - the constant unfavourable comparison to his idealised dead father.   It's also possible that he'll discover some truths that allow him to take his father down from that pedestal anyway.  Oswald learned that the image he had sought to cultivate was a farce. People might have obeyed him, but they still thought he was a freak.  All that work, all that loss - and he's still the weird kid in the playground.  Ivy - on the other hand - never really tried to hide her oddness, even when she frightened people, although we did learn that - like Oswald - Ivy has been hurt by being excluded and mocked, and it’s still a sore spot for her.  The kinship she offers, through her own honest friendship, and the idea of a freak army, is something new for Oswald.  Bruce is given the chance to protect the city, to save it - something he's instinctively wanted to do, but never quite known how. But to do that, he'll have to move forward from the event that defines him, his parents' death.

Another parallel -  Bruce, Jim and Oswald are in the odd situation of having witnessed the death of a parent twice over.  Oswald watched Gertrud die, then Elijah, and was forced to watch Gertrud’s death over and over as part of Strange’s ‘therapy’.  Bruce saw his mother and father die – and now has to watch it repeatedly as part of his ‘training’.  Finding out the truth about his father’s death is like Jim losing him again – first by accident, now by intent.  He also watches Frank – his should-have-been father-figure die right in front of him, something that will doubtless play in his mind

Sundries

As @millicentcordelia points out, Barbara’s seemingly effortless takeover of the entire underworld – aided only by a woman with a whip and a man they all know as a repeated second fiddle - strains credulity.  Actions need consequences, and plans must have risks in order to have dramatic tension­.  We’ll hopefully see more of that in the form of internal division in their team.  Also – Barbara is due for a fall.  Answering the phone ‘Barbara Queen’ is like asking the universe to knock you on your ass.

Harvey continues to be an indefatigable ally.

Lee seems tired and empty.

Week 2 of no Victor.

Thoughts?