#‘I got you and you and you’ = ‘my brainy guy my smashing guy and eats peanut butter with his fingers guy’

[turtleblogatlast]

“Haven’t You Noticed (I’m a Star)” from Steven Universe works so ridiculously well for Leo

[endiness]

the batman lb

~

okay, i guess i'll reserve my commentary to a lb now instead of spamming.

when is a batman property gonna be brave enough to make alfred posh again. bruce pulling the "you're not my real dad" card on alfred. like, legitimately, is this supposed to be a comedy. how did people watch this in theatres and not crack the FUCK up, it is beyond me.

you have THREE hours. why are you speedrunning the cypher. like, why is this so fast paced? WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE REST OF THE TIME IN THIS MOVIE IF THIS IS HOW YOU'RE SPENDING IT NOW. I AM CONCERNED. when this movie isn't unintentionally funny, it's just boring. i mean, why else would you just take a thumb? obvs it would be used to unlock something, duh. also, like, what'd you think was gonna happen putting that mystery usb into your computer? maybe put it into a burner with no personal information and network connection on it next time, maybe.

WHY'D YOU MAKE HIS BOOTS SO STUPIDLY STOMPY. IT SOUNDS FUCKING DUMB. also it just makes me think clang, clang, thunk, scrape. it'd be funnier if this were some bdsm club and then batman would come in and nobody would bat (hehe) an eyelash at his outfit choice. HEY, GUYS, DID YOU KNOW THIS CHICK IS CATWOMAN? LOOK AT ALL THE CATS. DO YA GET IT? DO YA GET IT??? everything about this batcat scene is bad and dumb. also, they don't have chemistry.

why is the place SO destroyed. there's TOO MUCH evidence. it's the riddler? are sure? are you sure you aren't mr jigsaw man? are you really certain? LMAO IT'S LITERALLY JUST JIGSAW THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING. THAT EVERYTHING IN THIS MOVIE IS PLAYED COMPLETELY STRAIGHT. "you got a lot of cats." yeah, duh, bruce. how else would we know she's catwoman. the audience is completely stupid and has to have everything spelled out to them, don't you know anything? (the sad thing is that's true. people ARE that stupid these days. ugh, why'd y'all have to ruin it for the rest of us with brains.)

"they injected him with arsenic." "rat poison." also known as: poison. "what kind of demented sob does this to a person?" jigsaw! :) oh sorry, did you want me to say riddler? but i don't see him anywhere 🤷‍ anyway, remember when jim carrey was riddler. that was at least fun, wasn't it. the complete lack of batcat chemistry lmao. I'M NOT EVEN AN HOUR INTO THIS MOVIE 😭 hey, y'know what makes up for a total lack of chemistry? the old bickering married couple trope, especially for characters that've known each other for like 5 seconds. jk, that's bad. don’t do that. selina would be more interesting if she were just her own character and not selina or catwoman and also if this movie would let her exclusively be about her friend and not, like, batcat nonsense.

when the riddler isn't jigsaw'ing it up he's brainy'ing it up. (y'know, brainy. from hey arnold.) the riddler just blunt force trauma'ing all his victims is so funny. like, i've watched criminal minds. i know that means you're just a coward. especially since you have to get them all when their backs are turned. coward. like, legit, are you supposed to find the riddler in this intimidating? because he isn't. he's funny when he's lurking behind people as if that's somehow supposed to be scary when it isn't, and he's hilarious when he's smashing people's heads in because he must have so non-existent self-esteem that's the only way he feels comfortable enough to attack people, and then he's also funny when he's trying to be the riddler because you're actually just coming up with saw traps. I'M STILL NOT EVEN AN HOUR INTO THIS MOVIE.

oh yay, forcing this batcat narrative despite them having no chemistry. and selina genuinely being a better character far, far away from him. also, you have to keep up appearances beCAUSE YOU NEED A COVER STORY, YOU BAFOON. joker did everything about this better. full offense but pattinson's bruce sucks. he's so boring and awkward. and like, not in a good way like how bruce should be. 'cause he should be a lil awkward. but he should at least be able to FAKE being mr eligible bachelor man, if literally only for appearance and cover's story sake. the bruce in this feels like everybody interviewed about him after he has been convicted of being batman would go "yeah, that kid was always a fuckin' weirdo, i ain't surprised at all." JOKER DID EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BETTER, FFS.

i'd get out of there. a smart person would've made that car a bomb. i guess making the person inside of it is the same thing. this is so fucking boring, honestly. 🙄 AND I'VE STILL 2 HOURS LEFT. clang, clang, thunk, scrapeeeee. batman has come to uh... untape. that man's mouth. "*heavy breathing*" IT'S BRAINY, Y'ALL! no, you're nygma. e nygma. edward nygma. lmao, joker did all of this so much better. this movie is SO embarrassing. really, i'd have thought since you were a child, you loved the saw movie franchise. 🤷‍ bruce, i don't think you're supposed to be helping him cheat. but is riddler gonna call you out or. is that gonna happen when you get to the third one and bruce has answered them all for you. oh, that didn't happen. lame.

the idea that batman would somehow survive a point blank explosion to his face when it took off the other guy's head who he was literally right next to when the bomb exploded... now you've broken my immersion on top of everything else. if you're going to be afraid of somebody high up on the food chain in a corrupt justice system, i'd think you've be afraid of like... the mayor? not whoever the fuck that guy is. OHMYGOD, JIM IS FAKING INTERROGATING BATMAN????? WHO??? COULD HAVE FORSEEN??? THIS??????? does the movie think this looks cool? i hope it knows it looks lame.

somebody add that whip noise effect for how often this scene is switching between coverage of bruce and jim lmao. why doesn't batman just upload all of this evidence to like tiktok or something. modern day technology exists in this iteration. he's actually being extremely ineffective as batman by not doing that. STOP PRETENDING THAT BATCAT IN THIS HAVE CHEMISTRY. THEY DON'T. shouldn't bruce be like brain dead with how many successive concussions that he's had at this point. bruce revving his engine like this is somehow supposed to be intimidating... embarrassing. i must have THE most bored expression on my face watching this chase scene. LOOK IT'S THE SCENE FROM HEAVY RAIN! how does this scene have any stakes. did anybody watch this and care about what was happening. i mean i guess now there's stakes that poor innocent people are being sucked in this clusterfuck lol. but i mean for the main characters? eh, who cares. oh look the car is flipping, you can tell because it's that shot of the stuff in the car goin’ nuts. LOOK HOW COOL BATMAN LOOKS UPSIDE DOWN IN THE RAIN WITH THE FIRE AND HIS STOMPY STOMPY BOOTS. HE'S SUPER COOL, RIGHT GUYS? AND WITH THE SUPER COOL MUSIC PLAYING? WE MADE A GOOD MOVIE, RIGHT? that's what i assume the people who made this movie were thinking.

when i can even take them saying the riddler seriously i just hear method man saying the riddler. *takes a 3min dance break for the song* i'm not joking, i took a break to listen that song. OH THANK CHRIST. i am halfway through this movie. THE EVIL IS 50% DEFEATED. 🎶 THE RIDDLAR 🎶 this movie is soooooo bad lol. i mean el also means god. is that gonna be a thing lol. remember when jon glover voiced the riddler. that was fun, wasn't it? remember when lost did this bit with the old school technology? that was fun, wasn't it? THE TOWER? THE TOWER THAT JEREMIAH DESIGNED? is that what you're talking about? okay, but fr, why is there an HOUR AND A HALF OF THIS MOVIE LEFT.

ohno, bruce, you've put alfred in danger by existing AND after you've already pulled the "you're not my dad" card on him. that's sad, huh. "i'm afraid it already has, sir." dory is hilarious. unintentionally. please explain how alfred is doing so poorly despite at least THROWING THE BOMB AWAY FROM HIM but meanwhile bruce survived a fucking point blank explosion. POINT BLANK. LITERALLY RIGHT FUCKING NEXT TO HIM. like, you can either have realism or fantastical. YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE. YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES NOT. every time this movie thinks it's being cool my eyes just roll. 🙄

THEY DON'T HAVE CHEMISTRY. STOP. everything about this is getting lamer and lamer 🙄 THERE'S STILL OVER AN HOUR LEFT. i mean, the joker also thought bruce's parents were his when they weren't. did you get a dna test done or. why's it so laaaaaaaaaame. why are they kissing. this doesn't make sense. ugH. now, you could make this acceptable if she stole shit off of him.

"martha was in and out of asylums" joker!martha canon??? okay. i highly dislike this version of bruce. he is just *sad trombone noise* i don't want *sad trombone noise* for a bruce. ...didn't i play this scene in a batman game or something. why is the plot for this just jumping everywhereeeeeeeee. *sad trombone noise* is so boring. all of the wayne manor designs (sans gotham) have been bad since 90s batman ended. 💅 bruh, he just woke up. calm down. what, you did nothing for your mom? RUDE. ....i miss when alfred got to be posh. i do not accept any of you non-posh alfreds. 🙈 this scene is so touching. is what somebody would say who is possibly easily manipulated i guess. not me though.

i just. do not like this selina. there are only two selina's for me and they are from batman returns and btas. why would you do this plot and make everything so boring when you could've just done white knight. except whoever made this would've just made that boring too. "come on, vengeance." pls stop. literally every time this movie is like look how cool this is, it's just the lamest shit ever.

now it's like you're trying to copy batman returns but like. you have to know batman returns did it better, right. right. if all of you stopped monologuing, you'd solve all of your problems. like, at all. instead of not at all. omg, she scratched him. like a cat. get it. 'cause she's catwoman. GET IT. DO YOU GET IT. everything about this is just the lamest. i mean, batman's secretly recording everything he sees and hears so perhaps not. THERE'S STILL ALMOST A FUCKING HOUR LEFT.

i was going to make a joke about the riddler sniping falcone but i guss it wasn't a joke, huh. i hope it is the riddler who shot him because that makes actually no fucking sense whatsoever. so it's perfect for this movie! remember how fun the riddler's place was in batman forever and they played bad days by the flaming lips? that was fun, wasn't it? ohmygod, is he drawing a question mark in his cappuccino or whatever. because that'd just be. so clever of this movie. so clever and creative. i am not at all being sarcastic. IT'S THE ONE THAT SAYS E NYGMA. AS IN NYGMA. EDWARD NYGMA. oh, movie, you're just oh so creative and clever to have him draw a question mark in his coffee. i'm so super duper impressed by you and your storytelling skills!

no, his name is edward nygma. "suffocating my mind no escape" yeah yeah cut my life into pizza, we get it. "he's got like 500 followers." i have a lot more followers than that. on tumblr. tumblr. wow, is it: I'M GONNA SAY WHO BATMAN IS. i, for one, would gladly have this be the end of THE batman. 'cause this movie is bad and you're a bad lame-o batman, full offense.

...is that collar a joke, because you could easily slip it over your head. like, it's much larger than his head. okay, so on top of being jigsaw and brainy, he's also literally just stanley coleman too? dumb. man, you know things in places like this are recorded, right? or did you stop the cameras? kinda looks like they're still recording so uh, you're kinda already fucked. where's the joker to pop in a bitchslap the fuck out of riddler and be like "WE ALL KNOW HE'S BRUCE, YOU MORON. YOU'RE RUINING THE GAME WITH BATMAN FOR THE REST OF US." the joker did this way better. 🙄 WHY THE FUCK IS THERE STILL OVER 30 MINS OF THIS MOVIE LEFT. why'd people give joker so much shit when this movie and character exists lol. bruh, are you faking this or like everything in this movie: is this supposed to be unironically played straight. let's fast forward outta this scene already pls.

i am at the point where if i could run this movie at 2x speed, i would be already. alas, i cannot. now you're just stealing from jeremiah and gotham. LAME. literally every single thing this movie is copying... everything else did it better lol. jeremiah already did this and he's so much cooler this is so unfair 😤 LITERALLY GOTHAM ALREADY DID THIS AND IT WAS SO MUCH COOLER UGH. also, like, year one/zero year was the inspiration for both, right. BUT GOTHAM LEGITIMATELY DID THIS BETTER AND COOLER.

ohno, the dumbass mayor who thinks she knows better than everyone else got shot. how terrible. also, i totally have emotional investment in all of this characters and not. literally none. oh yay, it's the look how cool batman is fight scenes. yay. waiting for the moment when batman gets saved by catwoman 'cause this is super lame and that's one of the lamest things that could happen. oh i'm sub 30 mins, yay! this random villain taking for fucking ever to just shoot batman when he could've just shot him. lame. also, hey, catwoman stopped him and saved batman. who could have forseen this totally not lame turn of events.

remember when the joker and batman were bleeding out and their blood was making a broken heart on the ground. anyway, that was more romantic than this nonsense. so now he's just using magic juice to pump himself up? lmao. what even is this. "i'm vengeance." yeah, it sounds lame af doesn't it. i know that's not the real reason. but it should be. isn't the entire city there getting deded lol. LMAO ARE YOU FOR REAL. THIS IS SO FUCKING LAME. like, your epic "oh batman dies" moment is him being a fucking moron and cutting an electrical wire to stop it from electrocuting people except THEN you fucking chicken out and don't even have him die (or ‘die’)? EVEN THOUGH YOU SHOT IT AS A DEATH SCENE MOMENT. HOW MUCH FUCKING LAMER CAN THIS MOVIE GET, JESUS. all tea all shade all offense but batfleck did this better. look at how ~emotional and ~moving this scene is. totally not schlocky as hell. wait, was that the dumbass mayor who's there? who got shot? bitch, you're gonna die in those waters. your wound is getting super infected. that's sad huh.

OH YAY THE EMO MUSIC STARTS. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO COME ON WE'VE RETURNED TO THE RORSCHACH VOICE OVER NARRATIONS?????????? THIS IS SO SAD FOR YOU. I'M SO EMBARRASSED FOR YOU. THIS IS REALLY PATHETIC, Y'ALL. ugh, when is this gonna be over. somebody soundproof the riddler's cell. YOU CAN'T SUCK ME IN WITH BATJOKES. I WON'T FALL FOR THIS. is this how it's gonna end. on them. having no chemistry.  "you're already spoken for." YEAH, BY THE JOKER. i mean, not this batman. he's *sad trombone noise* and deserves no jokers. but like, batmans in general. they are all spoken for. (by the joker.) all you have to do is end the movie and you're still making it lame. YAY, IT'S OVER. I'M FREE. anyway, gotham did all of this, everything in this movie, but better. go watch gotham. 💅

[woahajimes]

Fab 5 canon nicknames (and speaking habits)

actual canon things that the teen titans (from the 60s) have called each other. No I’m not kidding. There’s even five hours’ worth of proof below the cut.  

(I’ll edit this post as i continue reading the rest of the run, but here’s for #1-25, so if you see this as a rb, you might want to check the original post for updates)

keep in mind that the nicknames get tossed around, so really, there’s like one or two nicknames that are just between two people, whereas other nicknames are said by the whole team (in a very serious manner, too. They’ll be at the verge of death and it’s like “twinkletoes, catch!”)

Dick-

• “Big Brain”, “Genius” (in a non-sarcastic way) || Wally to Dick (SPECIFICALLY he has said “i dig you, genius!” 

• “Robin-o!” “Robin-bobbin’” || Wally to Dick

• “Brainy” || Garth to Dick

• “Bug-eyes” || Wally to Dick

• “Boy Wonderful” || Wally to Dick 

This isn’t a nickname but once Donna was asking who’d like to dance with her (they were like 14 max) and then Wally was busy, and Garth was reading, and Roy wasn’t in that issue, so Donna turns to Dick and he’s like “no, wonder chick! I have ___ to do” and DOnna’s like “Robin, you’re such a downer! BUt i forgive you- because you’re so cute!” and i just slkfdjksjgsg same

And this goes unsaid, but Dick’s got this hole “Holy ____!” thing going on, and it’s hilarious

Wally-

• “Boy Bullet” || Narrator to Wally

• “Twinkletoes” (sometimes spelled Twinkle Toes) || Dick started it, but then it stuck so now everyone calls him that

“Chuckle-brains” || Dick to Wally

• “Scarlet speedster” “Scarlet Jokester” || Dick to Wally

• “Kid flasheroo” (sometimes he just calls him ‘flasheroo’ || Dick (and occasionally garth) to Wally

Wally uses “old english” and he’s done it so much it just stuck to the other titans (wally also says ‘yo’ a lot)

• “Gnatskull” || Garth to Wally

• “Daring young man on the flying trampoline!” || Donna to Wally (in just this one issue)

•  “Flasher” || Roy to Wally (and as they grow up that’s more of a consistent nickname)

• “Lover boy” || Donna to Wally

Donna- 

• “WG” || I mean it stands for ‘wonder girl’ so i wasn’t going to add it but they DO say it a lot so-

• “Wonder gal” || Dick to Donna

• “Wonder Chick” || Literally all of them at some point to Donna. Yes really. the all call her things like that, but that’s the way their friendship rolls, you know? Beucause in other issues, other guys have tried to talk to donna like that, and donna beats the shit out of them if they push it too hard <3 They also call donna things like “Wonder Doll” and “baby”, “gorgeous” , “Doll” and things like that and honestly i think it’s cute (in return, she has called them things like “Handsome”, “Luv”, “Lover boy”. It’s not romantic, though (in the end of the run, Wally confessed his feelings for Donna, and she let him down gently, but this didn’t change their relationship in such an impactious way)

• “Doll-face” || Wally to Donna

• “Blue eyes” || Roy to Donna 

Donna also says things like “Merciful Minerva!” and “Shades of Pluto!” “Great Hera!” Things like that. 

Donna tends to say “Hola!” a lot and its so cute sfskjg

• “Wonder baby” || Wally to Donna

She also gets called things like ‘beautiful’ by the members, ALL the members of the titans, and I just think that’s really neat

• “My pretty miss” || Roy to Donna

• “Luv” || Wally to Donna (as you can see, there’s a crush going on here)

Garth- 

• “Sea flea” “ Webfoot” (sometimes spelled web-foot) || Dick to garth

• “Gill-head” || Roy to Garth

• “Smarty-gills” || Donna to Garth

I’ve also noticed how Garth (aqualad) uses a lot of alliteration in like,,,, everything??? Boy will say “Holy hagfish!” or “Jumping Jackfish!” and “barrelling Barnacles” and “Murmin’ moonfish!” “Holy hammerheads!” “Leapin’ Lumpfish!” “howling houndfish!” “Draggin’ Dogfish!” and its just skjdfhskjfsdgkjs

Roy-

• “Boy Bowman” || Wally about Roy

• “shafty” || Dick to Roy

• “Handsome” || Donna to Roy 

ps. there’s this one time they were taking a summer job as a team (by this time, roy was part of the team), and they were in their superhero costumes, and then Dick just pulls out swimsuits for everyone (because the summer job is in civvies) and i just found that beautiful because current batman has plans on how to destroy his teammates (just in case), and then Robin goes and buys swimsuits for his and i just skfskjrshtajrs (teen titans 1960s #11)

I also would like to bring to attention this one issue (issue #12) in which Donna is listening to the radio and she’s dancing, and she’s the only one that likes that station, and the guys just “Okay, you have fun, we’ll be downstairs training!” and i just like it a lot because they’re not like “you MUST. train with us, because you need to get better and-” ... yeah. They’re just friends and I love that sosososososo much. 

They also say things like “Boys” (Donna to rest), and “Gang”, and Dick usually says “team” when refrerring to them whole as a group, and it’s just my favourite thing because you can see how (unlike the rebirth and new52 teen titans), they’re all friends and they show so and it’s just so endearing okay?

andddd as promised, there are like 2098534520 panels below, with the nicknames (and some panels that just made me really happy) (they’re not in order and the captions are keyboard smashes so read at your own risk)

THIS (^) is the type of kids they are. 

I just thought this (^) was super sdflkjhskjsfhkjgfskjl

here’s the english i was talking about ^

ALSO ALSO ALSO LOOK AT THIS 

THIS OMG I ^

skfjskjg sorry to interrupt but like this is beautiful ^

[thevoidfishsminstrel]

Alex Danvers wasn’t phased by much. Had she expected to get an alien sister? No. But she went along with it (eventually) and was a good sister. Had she expected to get recruited by a government agency? No. But that was fine, and she was good at her job. Had she expected to be gay? Also no. But she accepted it and she was… well she was a disaster on that front, but she was happy.

The one time that she possibly, maybe, perhaps faltered a little, and thought, ‘this cannot possibly be my life now’, however, was during the months after the arrival of one Lena Luthor to National city.

———

“Alex! I broke Lena Luthor’s chair!”

Alex whirled around to see Supergirl anxiously striding towards her through the DEO, whisper-shouting her name. “You did what?”

Kara came to a stop in front of her, nervously wringing her hands. “I broke Lena Luthor’s chair.”

Alex blinked. “How? I thought you and Clark were just interviewing her?”

“We were! I was just standing behind one of the chairs in front of her desk and holding the back of it and then she looked at me and I wasn’t expecting it and a bit of the chair just kind of broke off in my hand. I tried to squish it back into place and tucked the chair under the desk but I think you might be able to tell if you looked too closely.”

Alex sighed. “Okay. Don’t worry, I’ll get it fixed.”

Kara deflated with relief and grinned. “Thanks Alex.”

Ten minutes later, Alex phoned the L-corp lobby with an excuse to get Lena down there while J’onn phased through her balcony door and swapped the very obviously hand-shaped-dented chair with a new one that would hopefully go unnoticed. She had naively thought that that would be the end of it.

———

A week and a half later, Alex got a panicked phone call from Kara claiming that she had seen Lena at a restaurant and stayed to have brunch with her but there was now a large chunk of table missing from where they had been sitting, caused by Lena laughing at one of her jokes. Suspicion had begun to creep into the back of Alex’s mind but she was too exasperated to pay it any attention.

Kara said she had managed to cover it up with an empty bread basket and persuade Lena they should go to see the crepe stand that had been at the park recently.

Alex, Winn and James had arrived at the restaurant half an hour later in fake uniforms and a fake van, claiming a table replacement had been ordered by the restaurant management. They quickly set up the new table and took away the cornerless one along with the piece of wood that had Kara’s fingerprints permanently embedded in it.

———

Over the next few months, they replaced glasses, vases, windows, tables, chairs, various cutlery, and an array of annoyingly abstract decorations that had to be specially 3D printed because no replacements existed.

A new section of the DEO budget had to be put aside, labelled ‘Cleanup’, and the superfriends became unofficially known as ‘The Cleanup Squad’ (although Winn only said it out loud once, given Alex’s thinly veiled threat afterwards).

It wasn’t until Alex witnessed one of the events that preceded the need for The Cleanup Squad that her subconscious suspicions hit her like the ton of bricks they would have to fix.

It was a standard game night with a shot too many and a brain cell too few, all of them shouting over a game of two truths one lie, when the delivery guy arrived with their food.

Kara went to get the door while Lena had her go. That was the first mistake.

Kara had been sneaking alien alcohol into her drink for the past hour.

Lena’s third sentence was ‘I’m more often attracted to women than men’.

Kara’s foot went through her floorboards with a crunch and she stumbled into her front door, making the whole wall tremble worryingly. Alex shouted out one of the other sentences as a guess to distract Lena from looking behind her to see what the noise was. That was the next mistake.

Kara took the food from a slightly confused looking delivery guy, thanking him and checking the bags as he walked away, as Lena cheered, wine sloshing around in her glass.

“Alex wins! Women are hot and I like to kiss them.”

The door came off its hinges in Kara’s hand and as she went to correct her mistake she smashed it into the doorframe with enough force to bring down a plane. The door, doorframe and half the wall collapsed to the floor, leaving a shellshocked Kara among the rubble, holding a useless doorknob.

Nia slung her arm across Lena’s shoulders to stop her turning around again and cheered. “Woohoo! That’s great! Hey can you teach me how to win at Monopoly?”

Lena frowned. “But only half of us have had a go at-”

“Yeah! You guys set up Monopoly while I go get snacks with James.” Alex not-so-subtly dragged James up with her, glaring at Winn. “What about you, Winn?”

He jumped up with a nervous laugh. “I need the toilet! Yep!”

They all scurried off to where Kara was just standing and blinking. Alex took the food and doorknob from her hands, putting the food on the counter and the doorknob in a nearby vase while Winn and James started haphazardly piling bricks back up into a wall-ish shape. Nia and Brainy seemed to be going through every single Monopoly card and asking Lena about it in a kind of terrifyingly over enthusiastic pop quiz.

Kara snapped out of her daze and began helping as Alex sent a message to the DEO to get a new door there as quickly as possible. She dragged Kara out into the hall and made her laservision off the entire door and doorframe of her neighbour who was luckily currently on holiday. While Kara did that, she kicked the old bits of door and brick dust under a rug in the hall.

Kara fit the new door into the hole that James and Winn were leaving, blowing her freezebreath over the whole wall to freeze it all in place for the time being.

Before she could go back inside, Alex grabbed Kara by the arm. She raised an eyebrow at Kara’s confused look. “Want to explain what just happened?”

Kara blushed and glanced at (or probably through) the door. “I um… I just got distracted by the food.”

“So it was nothing to do with Lena openly admitting she’s bisexual?”

Kara blanched. “I- wha- pff no.”

Alex rolled her eyes and opened the door to let Kara through before she broke anything else.

They all moved back over to the living room area as casually as possible, Winn setting out the food.

Alex leaned down to speak quietly to Kara before she sat down herself. “You know you can talk to me right?”

Kara nodded shyly and she let it go.

———

The last operation The Cleanup Squad did, it was Nia that called.

Alex sat up in bed, having only just managed to fall asleep, and picked up her phone. “Hello?”

“Alex? Kara’s about to break Lena’s coffee table.”

Alex sighed and waved away Kelly’s questioning look. “Okay. I’ll call J’onn.”

Ten minutes later, Alex was hanging onto J’onn like a backpack as he hovered just under Lena’s balcony with a replacement table.

There was a crash from inside.

“What was that?” Lena’s voice came from somewhere further inside her apartment and J’onn floated up to peer through the windows.

“Nothing! Just… a video on my phone.”

Alex’s phone buzzed with what was presumably the panicked text she just watched Kara send.

Kara went further into the apartment, rambling to Lena about how they should get into their pjs before they watch the next movie.

J’onn alighted on the balcony and they quietly made their way inside. J’onn cleared the broken table into a bag and flew off to dispose of it while Alex set down the new one.

Just as she was putting into place, Lena wandered into the room. Their eyes met briefly before Lena turned towards her kitchen, filled a glass of water, and left again, as though she hadn’t seen anything.

J’onn was back in the next moment and they disappeared back out into the night.

———

Lena opened the door with a smile and stepped aside to let Alex in. “Alex. What can I do for you?” She shut the door and led her over to the kitchen. “Tea? Coffee?”

“Coffee please.”

Alex sat down at Lena’s kitchen island, thinking about how to phrase what she was going to say while Lena made them both a coffee.

Lena set a mug down in front of her and sat down across the island, waiting patiently for Alex to start talking.

“Do you know?”

Lena smiled, raising an eyebrow. “I know lots of things.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “Fine. Do you know about what we’ve been doing?”

“You’re going to have to be a little more specific, Danvers.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I know you saw me last night, Luthor. Why didn’t you say anything?”

Lena smiled and shook her head. “Alex, I have the most high tech security system in the world and an IQ that is most definitely higher than a five year old, and even a five year old would be able to notice you lot trying to rebuild furniture around them. Did you really think I didn’t notice? You replaced a $1000 chair with Ikea furniture.”

Alex went to defend herself but just deflated. “Yeah. Sorry.” She swirled her spoon through the coffee foam. “So why didn’t you say anything?”

Lena shrugged. “She’ll tell me when she’s ready.”

Alex watched her for a moment and smiled. Yeah. She was pretty sure she’d be her sister-in-law one day.

———

“Alex?”

She pushed past Kara into her apartment. “I think you should tell Lena.”

Kara blushed and stuttered as she closed the door. “Wha- I- There’s nothing to tell!”

Alex frowned at the odd reaction before she realised what Kara thought she meant and rolled her eyes. “No not that. Well… that too. But that’s not what I meant. I think you should tell her about Supergirl.”

Kara gaped at her. “Really?”

“Yeah. She proved beyond a doubt that she’s trustworthy and I can see how much you two mean to each other.”

Kara bit her lip, looking down and wringing her hands together. “But what if… what if she hates me for it?”

Her eyes were so big and sad and scared when she looked back up that Alex immediately wrapped her in a hug. “That’s not going to happen, okay? And the rest of us are here for you whatever happens. You know that, right?”

Kara nodded against her shoulder. “Okay.”

———

Kara stood outside Lena’s office, trying to drag her courage back from where it had run to hide, and wiping her sweaty palms on her slacks.

The door opened and Lena hesitantly poked her head out. “You doing okay out here?”

Kara gave a strangled laugh and nodded unconvincingly.

Lena stepped out of her office to join Kara in the corridor. “Okay, well, do you want to tell me why you’ve been standing out here for the past ten minutes?”

She gulped, breathing getting a little faster.

“Hey, hey it’s okay.”

Lena took her hand, stroking her thumb across her knuckles gently. It calmed her down a little and she sighed, leaning back against the wall and sliding down it, hand slipping out of Lena’s.

Lena came and sat on the floor beside her, offering her hand again.

Kara gladly tangled their fingers together, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, my hand’s a little sweaty.”

Lena laughed and bumped their shoulders together. “That’s okay.”

Kara sighed and brought her other hand up to her glasses. “Lena, I-” She closed her eyes and removed her glasses with a shaky hand.

She felt gentle fingers take them from her grasp and opened her eyes to watch Lena carefully fold them up and place them on the floor beside them. She looked at Kara with a soft smile. She reached up and traced the same fingertips across Kara’s cheek, making her eyes flutter closed.

“I know.”

Kara’s eyes snapped open. “You did?”

She nodded.

“Oh. Well now I feel like I’ve made you sit out here on the floor with me for nothing.”

Lena laughed, her eyes and nose crinkling adorably, and Kara couldn’t stop herself from smiling even as her heart beat faster.

“Well since you already knew I was Supergirl, I feel like I should tell you a different secret. Like how I think I’m in love with you.”

Lena’s breath hitched, eyes flitting between Kara’s as they subconsciously leaned slowly closer. “You think?”

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and Lena’s eyes followed. “I know.”

“Good. Because I am definitely in love with you.”

Any other thoughts melted away when their lips met. Kara’s hand automatically slid to Lena’s waist as Lena pressed closer, soft and warm and perfect.

There was a crunch and Kara fell backwards a little, accidentally pulling Lena so she was almost in her lap, as she made a hole in the wall with her back. They broke apart giggling, resting their foreheads together.

“Sorry.”

Lena kissed her again but they were both smiling too much for it to last long. “At least you don’t have to call Alex everytime you break something around me now.”

[cyclone-rachel]

"It's nice to see that humans never change."

“You sure you don’t want to come?” Winn asked him.

He shouldn’t have- right now, knowing the things he did, he should have called Kara or Alex, or whoever, and told them everything. Let them decide what to do with that information- whether they wanted to keep inviting Brainy to game nights or not, and based on their attitudes about Lex, he was definitely guessing the latter. And given how their conversation had gone, he should have- he didn’t know. Gotten back at Brainy, hurt him in some way or another that could compare to how Brainy hurt him.

(And we shouldn’t even be friends in the first place, some part of Winn that sounded uncomfortably like his father reminded him. He hated you, when we first met. He looked down on you and your technology so much that it took him months to so much as admit we had something good to offer to the world. How could you stand to be around someone like that?)

But, looking at Brainy now, at the tears that had just fallen down his face, and thinking about his and Kara’s conversation from earlier- how he forgave her despite all the dangerous situations she’d put him in just by being around her- made him pause.

Because Brainy would protect him too, working with Lex Luthor or not, and Winn had literally signed up for Brainy’s former position in the Legion. So of course danger was in the job description, and of course Winn would forgive both of his super-friends for what they’d brought him into.

“I… have work to do.” Querl answered. “But… could you stay, for just a little bit longer?”

Winn felt himself nodding in agreement even before the words came out.

“Sure.” He said, and Brainy smiled again as he stepped closer, gripping his arm.

“I apologize, if that was too forward.” Brainy continued, looking him in the eyes, studying Winn’s new uniform- that bore a significant resemblance to his own first costume, long ago. “I… I missed you, as well. And I’m sorry I didn’t get to say it earlier.”

Winn smiled back at him, reaching into his pocket.

“Well, if you’d said it just a few minutes earlier, I would have gotten out this little container of Coluan dirt-“ he said, drawing it out and presenting it to him- “and smashed it over your head or something, because obviously that would’ve been a load of crap. So, I’m glad you waited.”

“So am I.” Brainy said, taking the dirt and placing it on his desk. “Thank you. I don’t have anything to give you in return right now, but hopefully…”

He shook his head, and opened his arms slightly- and Winn got the hint, as he embraced Brainy in return, the two of them much closer now in position than their first disaster of a hug.

“Yeah. That works.” Winn answered.

“I almost didn’t believe I’d get the chance to do that again.” Brainy confessed, once they were apart. “I had many nightmares, if you can believe it. I saw your operation failing countless times, my relative ending your life in ways I cannot even begin to describe.”

“You don’t have to, I get it.”

Brainy nodded.

“I supposed you wouldn’t.”

“Besides, I almost lived through way too many of those, I’m sure.” Winn said, reaching for Brainy’s hand, and Brainy let it be held as they came close again. “But I’m still here, Querl. I’ll help you with whatever you need, before I go home. I promise.”

“Thank you.” Brainy answered, looking at his face again. “I truly mean that. But I just have one question.”

“Anything.”

“Why did you wear a mask, earlier? Over your eyes, I mean.”

Winn laughed, allowing himself to relax.

“I don’t really wear it in the future.” He said. “I did at the beginning, until your friends started laughing at me for it, and Ayla helpfully explained that none of you guys really had secret identities. But in the present day, it was definitely needed- I didn’t want anyone to think I was the other Toyman, you know?”

“Of course.” Brainy said. “I… considered wearing one of my own when I became a Legionnaire, to conceal my Brainiac heritage.”

“Given your name, I guess that was kind of pointless.”

“Indeed. And that reminds me- I did not get a chance to show you…”

He deactivated his image inducer, and Winn stared as he looked at Brainy’s true form.

“Wow.” Was all he could say, examining Brainy this time- the blond hair and bright green skin, the purple uniform hiding beneath his DEO clothes with what he knew were three bright white Coluan life projectors on his chest.

“If this is what you’d always looked like, maybe I would have reconsidered some of what I thought about you, when we first met.” Winn joked. “Probably would’ve thought the same things as before once you opened your mouth, though.”

“I know.” Brainy said. “And I would have said the same things to you. So it’s nice to see that humans never change, really.”

“This one human, in particular.” Winn specified. “Yeah. And speaking of other humans, I really have to get going. You’re okay here?”

“I will be.”

“That’s good to hear.” Winn said, miming a zipping of his lips, that Querl knew meant he’d keep his secret. “We’ll talk again later, okay? I want to hear all about your new look.”

“I look forward to it.” Querl answered as he sat back down.

Perhaps it would be as difficult as he now saw, working with Lex Luthor, letting his friends think that his alignment with such a villain was an indication to Querl’s own morality, or lack thereof. Perhaps there was a chance that, after the inhibitors had just been removed, his father’s worst fears would indeed be realized.

But… there was also Kara, and Winn, how they’d reassured him he was good, and forgiven him despite him causing them almost unforgivable pain.

Through them, he could see hope that everyone else would forgive him too.

On the strength of that, he forged forward.

[darkacademicfrom2021]

The Dark Team (part 4)

<<Previous part Masterlist   Next part>>    Join the taglist in here

The cold chains immobilizing your whole body were the thing you first noticed once you woke up. When your eyes finally opened, you observed your surroundings carefully, silently. Barely opening your eyes, just in case. Your teammates were equally tied up by your sides, and Bucky was unconscious. Loki, on the other hand, was looking around less confused than he should have.

“Oh, you did this”, you spat suddenly, realizing what was going on. Of course he would betray the team; it was all you knew about him, and history did not disappoint.

“What?” he asked, now confused. “I certainly did not. I’m trying to figure out where we are”.

“Yeah, and you want me to blindly trust you on this one? What did you do to Tony? A dumb potion or…”.

“He doesn’t need me and my magic to act idiotic, he manages that himself”, he said. Once he actually got to talk, he wouldn't stop, would he? “But if you need me to, I can try to make him even dumber, then he would have some idea to form a Dark Team. Oh, wait”, said sarcastically.

“Be free to give us your input on the crew, come on, don’t be shy”.

While you two argued, Bucky was gaining consciousness again.

“Look who decided to get up from his nappy”.

“Shut up”, he managed to say, looking around. He quickly realized where you were. “Fuck. I know this place”.

“Do enlighten us”.

“Loki, I swear to God, shut up or I’m gonna shove my metal arm through your…”.

“Where are we, Buck?”, you interrupted impatiently.

“This is a Hydra base”.

“Oh fuck”.

“Great”.

You started making escape plans in your head in record time, but then you realized; maybe you shouldn’t escape. Maybe you should arrange some plan to make the mission done from the inside. The chances of the stick being there were bigger than somewhere else.

“That’s a better idea”, resonates Loki’s voice in your head. You screamed, not expecting his magic. So he has telepathy, you thought. You looked at him amazed, and he smiled smugly. You realized, if he can access your head, then he could’ve heard…

“Oh yes, I’ve heard it all, dear. But don’t worry, I’m used to it. Many people find me... how did you say? Extremely attractive?”.

You blushed and looked uncomfortably to the roof, trying to get the plan straight, ignoring his mockery. But he kept going.

“Comparing me to a british mortal man, though… I don’t appreciate it. A Nordic God is way better in every sense”.

Your blush turned to bright red paint all over your face, and he chuckled. Bucky was observing the interaction fascinated. For him, you were two idiots who looked at each other weirdly and reacted to that. But as much as you tried to avoid him, he kept talking in your head.

“It’s alright, darling. I like to be praised, even at the strangest moments. Can’t believe you went for a plain ‘hot’, though. I think I’d be worth at least a ‘so hot my brain is melting at his only sight…”.

“Oh my God, shut up!” you shouted, interrupting his egocentric rant.

“What the… he didn’t say anything” said Bucky, even more confused than before. You were quite a pair.

“Yes, y/n, I didn’t say anything. Are you hallucinating? Did they poison you?”.

“I’m gonna choke you with those chains as soon as I get my hands free”.

“I would love to see you trying”, he challenged.

“Guys, can you pleeeeaaassseee focus?”, said Bucky, losing his patience.

“I’m trying to focus on making a plan,” you whispered. “It would be much easier if you two shut up for the love of God”.

“How could you not predict our ship would get hijacked? Aren’t you the brainy of the team?”.

“James, don’t make me spit on your face”.

“I’d suggest whatever ‘plan’ you’re thinking that would get us out of here, do it faster, because I don’t think they’d leave us here alone much more time”, said Loki.

“What? You afraid of some little mortal kidnappers? I thought, for a God, it wouldn’t be so hard to take them down. Unless you’re full of crap. You know, once in my life I finally think I’d be alright being on charge of the mission, you two had to be here, ready to ruin...”.

“Are you still planning on choking me? Because that would do wonders to my ears, to finally stop listening to you”.

“Can you two stop flirting?”, interrupted Bucky. “I didn’t think the worst thing about getting kidnapped by Hydra would be not being alone".

"But here we are”.

Bucky ripped the chains off him and freed you too, leaving Loki tied. The God didn't complain, and instead made the chains dissolve with a spell. You looked around again. A plan started to form in your head and you followed your instinct through it, knowing it’d lead somewhere good at some point. After a few minutes of complete silence, you finally have it all figured out.

“Tiny genius has an idea”, announced Loki, who apparently was reading your mind the whole time. You looked at Bucky and he nodded, as he made his way through the room, destroying every camera and microphone he was able to find.

“We’re listening now”.

“Alright. Look”. You took out of your pocket a whiteboard marker and started scribbling nonsense on the tiles of the wall. Loki and Bucky shared a concerned look. You explained the whole plan, head to toes. It included explosions, illusions of dead bodies and infiltrations of high risk throughout the building. But they didn’t seem fazed at the difficulty of the idea. “Any questions?”.

“Yeah. Do you always carry a whiteboard marker or just on very dangerous missions?”, asked Bucky.

“Oh. No, always. Anyways, what do you think of the plan?”.

“I think you’re nuts”, said Bucky. Loki was paying very little attention and you doubted he even heard your plan. You sighed.

“Look, Barnes. My poor self preservation instincts are what got me in this Stark internship in the first place, so if you’re gonna insult my nuttery consider how far it got me”, you answered, pointing at him with the marker. “And you, did you even hear it? What do you think?”.

“Oh, yes. I think you’re out of your mind”.

“Are you kidding me, Loki? You did worse things”.

“But I support your idea. It 's madness. It’ll work”, he added, and you smirked.

“Well, it’s better than the alternative, at least”, accepted Bucky. “So, we have an escape plan, but we don’t have an actual plan to get the mission done, you realize that?”.

“We can figure it out once we’re out of sight from the Hydra toys”.

“You know, I don’t know what is it with you, Steve and Sam, but you guys never have plans, and it gets on my nerves”.

“I have a plan, I always have a plan, Buck. That’s my part of the job. Just… trust me, okay?”, you asked.

“You’re getting kinda hard to trust”, he said crossing his arms.

“I trust you”, added Loki after long seconds of painful silence. You felt the need to ask him why on Earth would he trust you, when not even your best friend trusted you on this one. But he looked at you with a glimmer of certainty in his eyes, and you didn’t want to push it, or make it vanish.

When everything was already set, Loki made the highly realistic illusions of your dead bodies (it even gave you chills, but you wouldn’t admit that, of course not). Bucky ran his hand through the pavement floor at the same time that you threw your watch against it, causing an explosion. You three flew away from the impact. You realized you haven’t thought this part very thoroughly, since they could obviously take the impact (a God and a supersoldier, why wouldn’t they?), but you were a mere human mortal with no superpowers or super suits.

You couldn’t look around as you fell from the building, since the remains of the room were falling apart, and the smoke and fire from the explosion were overwhelmingly close to your eyes, but you could sense you still had enough time to find the button on your suit to get the parachute on. You just had to find the damn button, that it was…

Loki grabbed you instantly, covering you with his whole body before the impact, making sure you didn’t even get a scratch. Then you realized you maybe didn’t have the parachute back-up plan under control, after all.

“Well, that was bigger than I had anticipated”, you said, getting up from Loki’s tired body and brushing off some ashes. He stayed there and sighed. “Now we know where we were. 5th floor, apparently”.

“And now we’re not even inside the building, as we needed. Great. Smart”.

“You know, I’d say this is a win. We’re not being held hostage now, and we have enough time to recalculate the plan from the outside. Less risk of getting…”. But you were interrupted by the cocking guns of the seven guards surrounding you.

“No, please, let them finish their sentence”, said Loki sarcastically, still laying on the smashed floor. “getting caught, were you gonna say?”.

“Well, yes. But I think, given the current circumstances, that you’d differ”.

“What could possibly make you think that?”.

“Not the time, guys”, cut Bucky, getting up and knocking down two guards. You fought with one of them. Loki didn’t even bother in body-to-body combat, and casted them away, fading their bodies into thin air.

“Where did you take them?”, asked Bucky.

“The explosion”.

“Are you stupid? They’ll notice the bodies are fake!”.

“No, not the past explosion. The current explosion”, he explained, and behind him you heard a building collapsing in the distance. You didn’t even ask. What for. Honestly.

After a while of walking around and not really getting anything from it, Bucky finally asked:

“So, the watch. Is it normal for you to keep explosive reactive components in there, or was that just part of a very premeditated plan we weren’t aware of?”.

“Oh, it was just a precaution I have. In case of emergencies”, you explained. They decided it would be better to not ask you why and how could you possibly keep pulling weirdly necessary things in the strangest moments. Why would they bother. Honestly.

You touched your earbud, trying to communicate with Stark. He was supposed to be in the line at some time around that, but, well, you didn’t have your watch with you anymore. Gladly, he answered. He said he was getting the coordinates to a hotel room, and he’d take you three to a different place than the anticipated, far away from that Hydra base. You needed time to establish, refill energy and make a better plan. Better than blowing things up. You had some time to spare now that you were temporarily presumed death.

[stranger-who-writes-fiction]

Gonna make full use of my ‘comic rant’ tag and roast Future State: Superwoman.

Spoilers! And yelling! Of the disgruntled kind!

So a few things at the start here: 1.) I wanted to love this book. I wanted it to be great. I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt, in spite of some iffy stuff in the solicit text. So this rant is not coming from a place of having decided this was going to be awful ahead of time. 2.) My tolerance for bad Supergirl comics is pretty high! Takes a lot for me to actually come out and say that a particular issue is trash. Reader: This story is trash.

It’s not ‘middle-aged white guys writing/drawing a story about sending a minor to a potentially hostile planet fully nude’ trash, mind you. It’s the compost bin, rather than the landfill. Slightly nicer trash, but it still stinks to high heaven. Allow me to expand!

PROLOGUE - SUMMARY: ...I actually can’t summarize this comic b/c it would devolve into a lot of senseless yelling. We’ll just have to tease out this terrible plot as we go along. 

PART I - DEAD DOGS TELL BAD TALES: The comic opens with Kara standing at Krypto’s grave. That’s not why this comic is trash, but it bears mentioning. Because why. Why would you do this. 

PART II - IN WHICH IT ONLY GETS WORSE: So, Kara has a running inner monologue, and the main thing we gather from Kara’s thoughts is that it was Krypto who taught her to be a hero. On paper, that sounds very sweet! In practice, it reads as Kara having no moral center whatsoever—whatever good qualities she might possess, she did not learn from her parents, or her foster parents, or friends, or fellow heroes. Nor do they come from within Kara herself. Nope, t’was Krypto who taught Kara not to be a jealous rage monster. That is not hyperbole--Kara’s walking around angry about her cousin all the time and she’s like, ‘It was you, Krypto, who taught me not to judge, and to let go of anger.’ Listen, I love Krypto, but this? This is, as the youth would say, a bad look.

PART III - THOSE CERTAINLY ARE...SOME THEMES: The set-up here is that Kara is on the moon, and has established a sanctuary for alien refugees. That’s a dynamite idea! I love that! Buuuuut Kara didn’t look at the plight of alien refugees and say, ‘I want to help!’ Really, she didn’t even look at herself and say, ‘I don’t want others to feel like I’ve felt.’ No, she said, ‘Earth won’t accept me as a hero, and Clark didn’t name me protector of Earth, so. I’m out!’ (Honestly, if your moral compass is so whack that you need a dog to walk you back from Hulk-Smashing...can’t say I blame Clark for not picking you, Kara!) But apparently, the people on the moon don’t really like her either. And it is literally never explained why. There’s a whole montage of Kara fixing stuff and saving lives and all the moon folk just glare at her. This makes both the moon people AND Kara look like a**holes, because they come across as ungrateful, and she comes across as a glory hound. Thanks! I hate it! So the ‘peace’ Kara’s found on the moon isn’t really peaceful at all, cause she still resents her cousin, and people still don’t like her, in spite of the fact that she’s constantly performing acts of service for them. 

Also, side note, I’m just now realizing this is an entire population of alien refugees...and Kara is somehow still the odd one out. Like, Earth I get, because everyone else is a human and maybe freaked out by the super powers. But a bunch of aliens? WHY. Why did you do this. Why did this need to be set on the moon with alien refugees if you’re not going to interrogate Kara’s identity as an alien refugee herself AND all of the aliens are inexplicably humanoid in appearance and utterly ordinary in terms of power levels.  

Like. This is not the CW show, where they have a budget, and a huge ensemble cast to serve. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE. AAARRRRRGHHHH.

PART III CONT’D: There’s also this weird ‘birthright’ element introduced...like, Clark and Jon stole Kara’s ‘right’ to be earth’s defender which is...a terrible reading of Kara’s modern origin. It brings in the idea that Kara is a ‘chosen one’ and because she didn’t get to be that chosen one, all of her hero work is for nothing. Never mind the whole central conceit of what makes Clark and Kara heroic...that they have this incredible power, and choose to do good with it. Nah...it’s all about her ‘right’ to protect the people of Earth! And mean ol’ Clark took that away! THANKS. I HATE IT. 

PART IV - A POOR USE OF SPACE: So, all of the Future State books kind of struggle with the issue of too much exposition, which is understandable. They have to introduce an entirely new status quo in a very limited amount of literal page space, so you *really* have to have a handle on how you allocate your time and focus.  

Introducing a brand new, lore-heavy heroic character who gets all of the development and dynamic art and pulls focus away from the character you’re meant to be writing is a bad use of a two issue limited series.

Like, this is a crappy Supergirl comic but it’s a great backdoor pilot for a Lynari ongoing, I guess. 

Imagine if in the Jon Superman book, they introduced a random, brand new best friend for Jon, and he got the big character arc instead of Jon. That’s something you save for an arc in an ongoing title, NOT A TWO ISSUE EVENT COMIC.  

Back to said new character, there’s a lot of forced attempts to parallel Kara and Lynari, but Lynari’s backstory is so confusing, rushed, and poorly explained that it’s like: okay, they’re both...angry? And the moon jerks hate them? ...uh. Okay.

(I’m gonna bring back my ‘why is this set on the moon, even’ question so that my ‘poor use of space’ header becomes a better joke.) 

PART V - I'M HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO...B/C THERE SURE AIN’T ONE HERE: I’ve already mentioned that Krypto was apparently Kara’s conscience so when Lynari’s aunt arrives to...kill them? (again, everything about Lynari’s backstory is rushed and poorly explained) Kara gets real mad and basically pulls a Gothel: ‘You want me to be the bad guy? Fine! Now I’m the bad guy.’ But thank goodness Lynari is there to tell Kara no! Don’t murder the giant aunt eel! Lynari then steals Kara’s powers and gives up the swamp jewel that’s been hidden inside their body and now their aunt is less murder-y!

WOW. Couldn’t even give the big damn hero moment to Kara in her own book, huh?

So the day is saved. It takes Kara a while to regain her powers, and it’s only then, when she’s no longer ‘above’ the moon jerks, that they’re like, ‘oh, we like her!’ There is a bit of narration about how that attitude is awful. But that narration is provided by Lynari. See, the inner monologue is no longer Kara’s thoughts, but rather it has switched to Lynari’s point of view. They’re telling us this story. And do you know why?

PART VI - WHY THIS COMIC *SUCKS*: KARA DIES. SHE’S THE FRIGGIN’ ‘SECOND GRAVE’ OF THE TITULAR ‘TWO GRAVES’

Fudge this comic to heck.

See, Kara dies on the moon, presumably of old age. She’s buried next to Krypto. And this random character who we’re suddenly supposed to care about tells us her story. Not Clark. Not the Danvers. Not Brainy. Not even one of the supporting cast members from her solo title. No one from Kara’s life is mentioned at all, save for Jon and Clark, and they’re pretty much relegated to flashbacks of Kara punching them. 

PART VII - TIME TO COMPARE DEATHS, I GUESS: First and foremost can I just say that I hate that’s a sentence that I’m typing about Kara in the year of our lord, 2021. But okay: Kara’s big famous death in Crisis stopped the entire DC universe cold. Everyone paused in the middle of the destruction of the multiverse to mourn her loss and honor her (GENUINELY HEROIC) sacrifice. Clark and Barbara--two established characters with a strong connection/relationship to Kara--offered lovely eulogies. 

This one: Kara gets to die of old age in obscurity after a lifetime of striving to be recognized and only achieving it by de-powering and serving a population of jerks. 

Not the warm and fuzzy ending you think it is!

(Meanwhile, Clark lives for millennia and spawns an entire dynasty of Els, all of ‘em out there, protecting the cosmos. I was looking forward to House of El in the hopes of maybe seeing some Kara stuff but NOPE. Thanks to Superwoman, we’re probably not gonna see any future Kara stuff beyond this! G R E A T)

And like, the argument could be made that this ending makes Kara happy. This is the life she chooses! She wants to be alone and garden on the moon! Except, we get zero insight from Kara regarding the remainder of her life. We only have Lynari’s narration and some montage shots...nearly all of which focus on other characters. But honestly, even if we did get Kara’s side of things, I doubt it would shed much light on her feelings, bEEECAUSE...

PART VIII - SUPER BLAND: This Kara really has no personality outside of ‘detached and vaguely bitter.’ I like Sauvage, I think she’s an incredibly talented artist, but here, Kara is stiff and her expression often reads as aloof. She’s very pretty, but it comes at the expense of being expressive. (And I know Sauvage can do expressive stuff...because Lyanari gets to be expressive.) Like...I love that shojo manga vibe but this is a Kara devoid of spark and warmth. 

...Like...Melissa Benoist’s portrayal of Kara is right there... 

I’ve already sort of touched on this but her inner monologue doesn’t have much personality either. She’s just parroting the same, ‘I need to do as Krypto taught me!’ nonsense for both issues. Until, of course, we shift to Lynari’s narration, and lose Kara’s thread entirely. 

PART IX - LET’S WRAP THIS UP: This book frustrates me to no end because it had a lot of stuff going for it. It’s got a female writer and artist--still a rarity for the Supergirl book--it’s a limited series mostly free of continuity and character baggage, and it’s not tied down to the grimdark cyberpunk stuff happening in the Gotham books. YOU COULD’VE DONE ANYTHING. And, once again, DC goes with a pitch that’s: Kara is angry, Kara resents Clark...and Kara dies.

It’s also happening...right as Kara has no dedicated ongoing title, the movie’s been shelved, the TV show is entering its sixth and final season, and all promotion has shifted to new CW and HBO shows. 

*screams into the void* 

MAAAAAAN I hate this book. I hate that it retroactively makes me hate the Andreyko run a little bit--a run that I took to be about a traumatized young woman forced to confront her grief, and who leans on a beloved animal companion for comfort. Here, Krypto is L I T E R A L L Y the reason Kara’s not constantly frying folks with her heat vision. 

I hate that this book has made me use the word ‘literally’ so much in this rant.

I hate that this could possibly be more in continuity than Millennium.

Remember Millennium? Where Kara was in like...five pages? And she was warm, and kind, and promised to help Rose because it was the right thing to do, and oh yes, WAS PRESIDENT OF EARTH?!??! AND A CLASSY OLD LADY!?!?!?!?! WHO WAS STILL ALIVE AND KICKIN’ IN THE FAR FLUNG FUTURE!?!?!?!?!

I hate that I’m using my lunch hour to rant about how much I hate this comic.  

I hate that DC editorial seems hell-bent on erasing the interesting aspects of Kara’s character to sand her down to ‘the angry one’ or ‘Batman 2.0′

PART X - LET’S END ON SOME (?) POSITIVES: Don’t read this book! Don’t do it! Don’t waste your time and money!

Instead, check out ANYTHING ELSE. If you want mom!Kara, read Tom Taylor’s ‘Last Daughters of Krypton’ in the DC Nuclear Winter special. If you want heroic oldlady!Kara, read Millennium. Honestly? Pick up anything by Bendis that has Supergirl in it. It is miles away better than this. You want angry Kara working through her grief? Andreyko, Red Lantern, even Infected. ANYTHING BUT THIS. HECK, grab Superman of Metropolis instead! That has bad Kara characterization but at least she doesn’t end up dead. 

Anyways. This comic is bad. I wish it wasn’t! And this is now the SECOND TIME IN A ROW that Kara’s book ends on a terrible note before the character disappears from monthly comics for an unknown period of time.  

*screams into the void again*

[from-a-reckless-writer]

AUTHOR'S NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT A SUPERCORP or SANVERS STAN PLEASE KINDLY SCROLL PAST THIS. APOLOGIES FOR THE LONG POST. I can't do the 'Keep Reading' thing-y since I'm using my phone. Sorry again. ✌️

The Drinking Game That Is To Be Played Never Again.

She woke up with a pounding headache. There was a groan to her right that was too fucking loud. It vaguely registers to her that the groan was from her girlfr-fiancé.

Any other time and Alex would have smiled at that thought; that Maggie was in her bed. Maggie woke up next to her. Maggie the love of her life. The one she would grow old with. The one who she'll raise dogs with and-Fuck! She was also the one who caused this whole killer hangover in the first place.

Stupid. Stupid drinking game. Stupid Lena Luthor and her 'darling,'. Stupid Kara who's a stupid Kryptonian. Oh god, she's going to throw up.

"Shh, no loud noises." She what- If Alex could get 65 percent of her brain to function properly right now she would've already yelled at Maggie. (She had the fucking audacity to tell Alex to shut up. She hasn't even said anything at all!) This was her fault after all. But she feels like shit. And truthfully, she can never yell at her.

Instead she settles for trying to put herself in an upright position and trudges to the bathroom. Last night's events hitting her full force.

The Night Before...

They were at the alien bar. J'onn fetching them drinks over at M'gann and Maggie poolstick cockily propped and leaning back at the pool table as she watches James take his turn. Lena and Kara has yet to show up.

She walks over to Maggie and gives her a quick peck. "Is it just me or is it terribly boring tonight?" Maggie whispers, not low enough apparently because James is chiming in with a, "You're only saying that because you're losing to me, Sawyer."

To which her girlfriend-her fiancé (*swoon* sounds even better) responded with an eye roll. James just chuckled and poked her lightly with a poolstick before, "Hey guys!"

And that's Kara Danvers right there, and of course if Kara's here it is only right to assume that (ah yes, Lena Luthor, hand firmly in Kara's own.) Lena was also already here.

They transfer to a much larger booth and before long the gang was completed, Brainy and Nia finally arriving. Drinks and conversation were flowing naturally when Alex turned to Maggie, "Still bored?"

"Actually, yes. How about we make this night a bit interesting?" Maggie purred in her ear.

"I'm in. What do you have in mind?"

"Can the two love birds opposite me stop being disgustingly flirty and actually join in the conversation?!"

Alex sticks her tongue out at her little sister.

"A drinking game." It takes two seconds for Alex to realize that Maggie had answered her question.

"Oh? What kind of drinking game?"

Maggie gives her a conspiratorial smile and tilts her head to Lena's and Kara's direction before saying, "Every time Luthor addresses Kara as 'Darling' we drink."

Alex laughs, oh, this will be fun. Not to mention this will totally get them drunk. It was a running joke now; when Kara and Lena will finally just get it over with. It was amusing at first but after a while it gets a bit painful and frustrating to watch. Because if you have ever been stuck with Lena and Kara (even if only once) you'll see how goddamn awful they are when they're being lovey-dovey. And Kara still swears they're not dating.

Alex knows she's tipsy by the way she can hear her own words slur and by the way the usually composed Detective Sawyer is giggling. (Giggling for heaven's sake!) That's when James sneaks into the picture.

"What's got the two of you so giggly?" He asks eyes darting between the both of them and a playful grin on his lips.

"OOooh, come here Jimmy Boy," Maggie lets go of Alex to lean in closer to James then she whispers, "Prove to us that you are the worthy and almighty Guardian by not cowering from this challenge."

Was it just Alex or did Maggie sound old-time-y?

"What?" James asks laughing at whatever it is Maggie had said.

" YOU MUST JOIN OUR DRINKING GAME!" Did she also sound old-time-y? Alex hadn't meant to be so loud but apparently she had also caught Brainy, J'onn and Nia's attention.

Somewhere in her fuzzy brain she thinks shouldn't there be two more people here? But Alex was really, really drunk.

"Oh, sounds fun what are the rules?" Nal Dreamer Nia-Dreamer Nal(???) says. She was a superhero too, right?

Alex didn't even know how she managed to blurt out the mechanics but suddenly Lena's back at the table with Kara stumbling behind her, cheeks suspiciously red and wait was that a lipstick stain?? But Nia and Brainy had already taken three shots simultaneously and Alex was having too much fun to care about whatever it was on her sister's neck. J'onn refused to join in insisting that somebody had to supervise them.

"Your loss." Maggie had told J'onn before gulping a shot because,

"Kara, darling, no. That was last week wasn't it?"

Another drink.

"Darling, actually we still hadn't decided yet."

Fifth, fucking fifth. It was her fifth shot. At the back of her mind somebody's telling her it was actually her seventh.

"I already told Sam, darling."

"Yes, sure darling, Wednesday works.

"Kara, would you mind holding my purse, darling?"

"That's it-no more. I quit." James was the first to tap out.

"Quit what?" Kara asks, confusion coloring her face.

"Quit! This new uh virtual game that Brainy and James had been playing." Oh thank God for Nia. Kara didn't bat another eyebrow although that may have to do with the fact that Lena's talking to her again and everyone knows that nobody can really reach Kara if it's Lena in front of her.

"Darling-"

Alex wants to cry. She doesn't even know what drink this is.

"Very funny, darling."

She thinks Brainy is now actually crying.

"Are you drunk? I'M DRUNKKK."

"Oh, babe we are so wasted, right now."

"I'm smashed. Smashed. SMASHED. Is it even a word?" that's Nia's voice, right(???)

"Darling, I think you're sister is gonna fall over."

Maggie downs another drink.

Kara catches her. "Okay, that's enough for you."

"No, no no, not yet. We're still playing."

"Playing what?" Was that Lena and her CEO voice?????

"A game that Detective Maggie Sawyer had designed to get us all drunk. With the mechanics being-" James bumps into Brainy knocking him down and cutting him off.

Kara immediately springs into action, M'gann looking unfazed at all. This isn't her first time dealing with wasted customers.

"I think it's time everybody went home."

"Hm. Agree with CEO lady here."

"You take Alex and Maggie, I'll take James, Brainy and Nia?"

The question was directed at J'onn.

"Nonsense, darling, I'll call my driver and get them rides home. No need to exert all that flying effort."

Weren't they supposed to do something when Lena says 'darling'?

The Very Very Very, Ache-y Morning After...

"Please tell me we have coffee."

"We have coffee."

"I love you."

"Don't know if I could say the same to you, babe. I mean this is technically your fault."

"Nope." Maggie pops the 'p'

"This is the doing of two idiots in love who still hadn't stopped being idiots."

"Ugh God, yes. You're right, do you think I should give Kara a 'Get-Your-Shit-Together' Speech?" Alex ponders for a moment, Maggie shrugs and adds, "Yes do that. But make sure to make it gay, alright?"

"Of course. Wonder how the others are doing. I think I'm gonna tell J'onn I'm not going in today." Alex places the mugs on the table and grabs her phone before planting a sloppy kiss on Maggie's cheek.

"Remind me to never trust you into roping me to a drinking game again."

"Go call your boss, Danvers!"

Bonus:

"I gotta go check on Alex."

"Mm. Do you really? We can just stay here and cuddle. Or-not cuddle and do other, activities instead." Lena purrs and Kara was really, really, genuinely tempted to just climb back under the covers and feel Lena's naked skin against hers.

"Lena, it is kind of our fault that they got hammered last night." Kara says, leaning in and giving a kiss to the corner of Lena's lips.

"It really isn't darling, if Maggie hadn't proposed a drinking game. All of them would have turned out fine." Lena had overheard the detective's clever little plan and had told Kara, last night when she pulled her to the bathroom before deliciously devouring her neck.

"Well, yeah. But it is our fault that we didn't tell them immediately that we're dating therefore pushing them to do that drinking game."

"Hm? And here I thought you loved the thought of keeping me all to yourself."

"I do, I reallly do."

"Well, I'm all yours, darling."

Bonus++

"Kara? What are you doing here-Wait no, it's fine. Come in. I have a speech to tell you anyway."

"I have something to tell you-wait what do you mean a speech?"

"Yeah, it's the 'Get-Your-Shit-Together' Speech." Alex says in such a serious tone that it left no room for argument.

"But gay." Maggie chimes in, walking over to the both of them keys in hand, "Well I gotta go, hope you get your gay shit together, Little Danvers. Bye babe, love you."

It takes approximately 5 seconds later after Maggie had closed the door when,

"WAIT—YOU'RE DATING WHO?!!!!!!"

Author's Note: Hope y'all lovely people liked that. Please tell me your thoughts. Much love, from a reckless writer. 😘

P. S check me out on Ao3 and feel free to send prompts!! 😁

[slaapkat]

Green Lantern + ISA - MR. BIG - "When Larry said his biggest enemy was Green Lantern, they didn't think he meant literally..." [Where rest of the ISA are floored at how GIGANTIC he is irl. Except Brainwave. He is jelly he ain't the tallest no more]

(set very early ISA)

---

We’re going to die, aren’t we?

It’s hard not to react at the thought that gets pushed into his head, courtesy of Henry. Impossibly, Jordan manages to keep a straight face throughout it all, even as Larry continues excitedly chattering away as though this were the first time he’s had a captive audience in ages. Though, given Larry’s entire demeanor, maybe just the first time it’s been a willing one. 

They’ve all gathered in Larry’s apartment, for once. The drive from New York City to Gotham had been nothing short of arduous, with Henry’s insistence on the radio being permanently set to NPR, and the frankly indecipherable directions Larry had sent them to navigate the labyrinthian streets of inner-city Gotham.  

All for a heist Larry had promised was going to be well worth it. The city was full of easy marks, he said. Barely anyone around to stop you, he said. Half the time the cops will even help, he said. 

Henry still wasn’t buying it, sat on the sidelines on the edge of a very beat-up couch, arms crossed with a deepening frown, openly projecting his disapproval at having been talked into this every chance he got. Larry, for his part, is completely oblivious, grinning brightly as he eagerly shows off his proudly curated wall of weapons-- by all accounts just a fancy collection of sports equipment. The key difference, however, being Larry’s showing off amounting to pointing out every piece and explaining in graphic detail exactly how he got kicked out of that particular sport for killing or otherwise maiming someone without sparing a single gorey thing. 

Jordan, sure to Henry’s extreme displeasure, is unfortunately fascinated with it all, eyes wide and bright and listening intently, utterly absorbed. He remembers researching Sportsmaster for weeks before finally seeking him out, carefully nurturing the idea of the new ISA all the while in the hopes that he’d finally get a bite. It must mean something that Larry had invited them all the way back to his home turf to share on a score, surly.

Because he’s going to kill us.

It’s now Jordan finally frowns, turning to face Henry with a stern, “He’s not.”

“Hah?” Larry’s looking at him, confused, brows furrowed and head tilted, grin still plastered on but for a second seeming vaguely threatening instead of manically excited.

Jordan startles, scrambling for a distraction and pointing at the first thing he sees, a long-handled wooden mallet with a narrow-tipped head still hanging on the wall. “I-- I mean, what’s that?”

It’s a sufficient enough distraction, apparently. Larry’s eyes light up in an instant when he sees, grinning brightly as he pulls the object down and looks down at it with a dreamy sigh. 

“My polo mallet,” he declares proudly. “I’ll be taking this baby with me, tonight.” 

“That?” Henry scoffs, finally taking a stand and gesturing disbelievingly at the mallet. “What use could that possibly be to us? And since when do you play polo?”

“Not since I caved a man’s head in on the field with this ol’ beauty here,” Larry states much too casually, his tone taking on an oddly wistful note as he strokes the head of it. If there’s a threat carried in there, it’s buried deep enough not to be obvious, though the suspicious stains that Jordan notices in the wood of the mallet certainly make Larry’s point well enough known. Henry’s eyes narrow, and Jordan feels a pressure on his temples usually indicative of Henry flexing his powers without strict care of a specific target, but whatever Henry sees is apparent enough not to make him press further. His lips press into a thin line and he relinquishes the point, however reluctantly. Jordan inserts himself more obviously in between the two of them and attempts an encouraging smile.

“Henry, it’s made of wood,” Jordan points out helpfully, like it’s supposed to explain everything-- because, well, it is. It evidently doesn’t. Henry’s frown only deepens and Jordan finds himself struggling for an explanation that didn’t sound completely ridiculous, all the while Larry whistles uncaringly and picks various other wooden implements off the wall in preparation for that night. “Because-- Because. Gotham has a superhero who is… weak to wood.”

Jordan sighs and cringes as soon as he says it, cringing again when Larry chirps “It’s true!” over his shoulder. It does not help his case in the slightest. Henry sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, as though staving off a fast-rising headache. “Okay,” he says. “Okay. Fine. Do we even have a plan to deal with him if he shows up?”

“Don’t get your snuggie in a twist, Brainy,” Larry says brightly, laughing as he hefts a cricket bat of all things onto his shoulder and wrangles Jordan in close with an arm thrown around his. “Of course we have a plan! Classic smash and grab! We get in and get out before the Big Guy ever knows what’s up!” 

Wrong answer, apparently, as evidenced by Henry running a hand down his face in exasperation and groaning, with an added little oh, so we are going to die projected mentally for Jordan’s benefit. Jordan smiles rather terribly. Larry seems to take it all as signs of encouragement. 

“Alright then, bud, alright!” Larry lets out with a whoop, and plants a sloppy wet kiss on Jordan’s cheek with an audible smack; subsequently, the temperature of the room drops ten degrees in an instant. Nobody seems to notice. “It’s game time, baby!”

---

Heists in Gotham apparently don’t amount to much. Larry’s big score turns out to be a slightly upscale jewelry store right on the edge of the Diamond District. Henry’s car is stashed in a nearby alleyway in case of a quick getaway after several earnest promises (by Jordan) that it won’t get stolen and easy assurances (by Larry) that the job will be quick enough that they’ll be back before that even happens. 

“Is it always this easy in Gotham?” Jordan asks, having dutifully frozen solid all the alarms and cameras to allow for Larry to go to town on the window with his bat and an excited hyena-like cackle; Henry stands watch, having been designated as the lookout due to his adamant refusal to partake in any actual smashing until it came time for the grabbing, though Jordan can sense him rolling his eyes even while turned away. 

“Sure is!” Larry replies, vaulting through the destroyed window and wasting no time in driving his fist through the nearest glass display case and grabbing a fistful of jeweled necklaces, stuffing them in his pack and immediately moving on to the next one. “Do you know how many other places are being robbed at this exact moment? They can’t catch all of us!”

Jordan makes a face, but nonetheless climbs in and joins Larry in gathering as many priceless jewels as he could get his hands on; Henry lingers just outside, watching them with shrewd disapproval until his face screws up in confusion, nose wrinkling. 

“Is something… burning?”

That’s enough to give Jordan pause, halfway through driving an ice spike into a safe. The entire store had been dusted with a coating of frost, logically nothing should be getting hot enough to even make a spark. Sure enough, he smells it too-- that unmistakable scent of something on fire, intermixed with the distinct smell of ozone. That couldn’t be right--

Jordan has just enough time to hear Larry’s little ruh-oh before the wall to the side of them suddenly erupts in stunningly bright, green flames. Henry swears aloud, and Jordan feels inclined to join him when the flames unfurl to reveal an outright giant of a man, eyes alight in burning fury and nearly outright snarling at the lot of them. Green Lantern, Jordan knows immediately, remembers him from his first meeting with Larry, but seeing someone in flight is leagues different from seeing it right in front of you, a brick wall of a man emerging like a demon from Hell. Jordan feels himself sweating, actually sweating-- or was he melting? All he knows is that this man is terrifyingly huge, and Larry seemed the only one utterly unconcerned by it. 

“Greenie!” Larry greets enthusiastically, arms spread wide as though expecting a hug, and though his mask hides his face Jordan can hear his exuberant and manic grin loud and clear though his voice. “Where ya been, huh? How’s it going?”

“I’LL SEE YOU IN HELL!” comes the roared reply, a shot of flaming green energy launched in his direction, swiftly deflected with a swing of Larry’s bat and an excited laugh.

“Aww, I missed you too!”

Jordan finds himself slowly backing away as Larry barks out another laugh and launches himself, bat swinging, at Green Lantern with seemingly little care to himself or others, and even less care to just how much Green Lantern seems to dwarf all of them combined. 

“That’s Green Lantern?” Henry hisses through clenched teeth when Jordan returns to his side. “That’s Green Lantern, and we let Larry bring a polo mallet and a baseball bat?”

“He’s weak to wood!”

A plume of emerald flame explodes out the store window, ejecting an airborne Larry along with it, signed Sportsmaster mask and all. He skids and rolls along the street until he comes to a stop and jumps up, wild-eyed.

“Start the car!” He shouts, then unsheathes the mallet and dives right back in without hesitation. Another roar is heard and the foundation quakes faintly beneath their feet. Jordan wilts just slightly. Henry turns with an annoyed hmph and Jordan finds himself trailing after, not quite trusting his powers in the face of the broiling heat inside.

“That’s Green Lantern,” Henry repeats, seemingly to himself, scoffing. “Good lord. Even his presence gives me a headache. And he’s taller than me. Remind me never to set foot in Gotham again.”

Jordan, despite everything, finds himself agreeing.

[ithinkthingsaboutstuff]

how would you analyze the rebooting scene?

Thank you for the ask, (but i think you’ll be sorry, lol)

Ok here we go (i did this to myself)

I said before that this scene is a masterclass and I’m going to show you why I think that, but strap in its going to be long one.

the version of the scene I’m looking at is 3:46 secs (note this version a quick cut to J’onn but i will ignoring that, for the sake of time and my sanity)  

the scene opens with this

Brainy is locked in a chair, but we are looking at his right hand of all things

Note: this is were he wears his ring (that has been taken from him) so this open shot is saying, Brainy is being held back and his ring (legion/ friends) can’t help him.

a few shorts later that is conformed for the audience.

Note: that the rings is what is in focus and not the man holding it and it too is locked up (on a chain)

so safe to say that the ring has always been a symbol for Brainy himself or his core beliefs (as a hero) he say’s as much in earlier ep’s (before the alien march i believe)

this is a good example of visual symbolism and its done in two shorts.

moving on.

the next few beats go like this, ‘don’t hurt her (nia)’ ‘or what’ he gets zapped

but then this dialogue

“Ever one else here got these crazy powers but you as far as i can tell are blue.”

“are blue” is met with this image.

he tilts his head and the Brainiac symbol is on full display, so dramatic irony, we (the audience) know there’s more and we are about to find out how much.

“The girl (Nia) on the other hand”

is meet with this

so this has done two this

1) he have moved way from thoughts of himself (getting away)

2) We are looking at his ‘human’ or organic face and eyes (not the brainiac lights)

Brainy’s face then moves from, ‘i need to leave’ and into ‘take me not her’ this done by Jesse closing is eyes for a second and opening then again

he next is a back and forth of you will not hurt her. but then he gets hit by the gun. this then leads to lights on his head flashing and then cuts away,

note that

1) His head is leaning back and is looking up

2) the sound (hissing) and lights flickering

so he is in a state we have never seen him before.

now this then cuts to Eve and J’onn so I’m going to skip that. this is how we renter the scene,

the sound is still happening, coupled with his discomfort (understatement), but we are looking in, like we are an unknown entity overbearing but distant

note that you can’t see face’s (expressions) from anyone most notable being Brainy

a shot like this distance us from the emotion of what is happening, that’s amplified with the next shot

we are literally creeping in, like we are the thing his is trying to keep out or away from him.

note: this could also be seen as brainy himself losing his emotional attachment to himself

but he can’t keep ‘us’ away as the very next shot is

a close up like this is always for emotion.

but he is sounding less human (voice being more robotic) or at least less himself (lights flickering)  it is also a dutch tilt and those are used to show ‘something is not right here’ or ‘this is not as it seems’

and he is not talking about himself “why would anyone hurt her”

so his self attachment is all by gone, and he has all but given up on his own fight, as stated by his captor

“he’s done…on too the other one boys.”

it is then meet with a music drop and a matter a fact

“no”

this is when things, get layered

there are a few more mechanical shifts sounds

met with different types of ‘No’

this is also meet by some flickers of back and forth between himself, this shows an internal shift of keeping them here “no, no” (don’t leave) to “No,you can’t.” (stay back, something is inside me) this is done with tone of voice and micro expressions.

so this writing when viewed the first time makes us question who he is talking to now, because dialogue alone makes it sound like he is still talking to the guards  

(and the not so micro ones)

this is when he falls back on or uses his last line of defiance his ‘Little Box’s’

this is the last big red flag for something is about to go down and its not going to be good.

“But eventually box’s get opened.”

but this makes the audience ask in Brad Pitt in the movie 7 fashion

‘What’s in the box!’

and for those paying attention Brainy answers that question before it starts  

“there’s a story about that right…Greek.”

(I have already mentioned this part before in another ask but since i’m lazy and unoriginal, i’ll do it again)

this moment is a good example of conscious and subconscious intertextuality

the use of Little Box’s has 2 meanings in this scene.

1)  the show made a coping technique out of it as a way to seal away unwanted pain

2)  as to what is in this book is ref to Pandora’s Box

now what was in Pandora’s Box you ask

Oh! Out of the box flew every kind of trouble that people had never known about before: sicknesses, and worries, and crimes, and hate and envy and all sorts of bad things. The bad things all began to fly away like little bugs, all over the place.

Pandora was very sorry now that she had opened the box! She tried to catch the bad things and put them back in the box but it was too late. They all flew away.

https://quatr.us/greeks/pandoras-box-greek-mythology.htm

this double meaning is used as a way to tell us was is going to happen without actually tell us, and is good solid writing.

and going back to the angle of this shot looking up at someone usually shows them having power over someone in the scene,

but thanks to the acting here

it shows that he is powerless against himself.

this is the moment before he loses himself (momentarily) to the Brainiac’s

the camera tilts again (this time onscreen) while it and Brainy move in a snake like fashion.

“your just primitives.”

in a Voice that is clearly not Brainy’s (in a literal and metaphorical way)  

“and I have worked so hard to….to get back here.”

the Voice in this line fades back down to his real voice (so he is still fighting)

the line is also solid writing as it takes on different meanings

1) the literal, ‘i have worked hard to come to the past’

2) the metaphorical ‘I am working hard to get control of my mind again.’

3) the emotional ‘I have worked hard to get to a good emotional sate.’

and again this angle show how he is powerless against himself.

the next few shots are the camera swaying back and forth and he goes a small disjointed rant about time travel (and space travel)

the camera swaying is showing the mood swings but it is also showing the state of his mind

‘it could go either way’

(and Jesse’s back and forth is seamless.)

then finally a calm before the storm moment as he ‘fully regains himself’

with “the point is, the point is..I’m from the future,”

then to a rational but angry

“my species has ancestral memory.”  

the lights are still going so this has not pasted.

“and my ancestors very bad people.”

then cut to

“I remember everything!”

oh this shot

(Jesse’s acting top notch here (that single tear still gets me) )

1) the lead in from ‘bad people’ to ‘I remember’ so sharp and intense

2) this shows that he is actually seeing everything they have ever done (world killers)

3) this shot removes the Brainiac symbol from sight again, as this is Brainy’s agony and not there’s (they don’t feel anything lest of all regret)

and this shot is also how we know he has just lost against who he is fighting. and the fact that this is only time we see him in profile this could mean symbolically he has just been ‘split in half’.

then a few moments before

“uh oh”

this angle again but this time meet with a ‘glee’ then leading into a cry (the last cry) for help Brainy uses.

“I don’t want to.”

then the head goes down and silence’s, then  

this time the Brainiac’s symbol is the main focus, the dutch tilt is back, so Brainy is gone,

then this leads to the rise and lifting up of Jesse’s body, like his is being filled with air  

the he says how he has been aligned with with his family, and how he has been rebooted,

as this happens the camera sways back and forth but slowly this time, as to show that shows its gently moving into his mind and making itself more comfortable before, so the camera straights up and he states

“that was a calamitous mistake.”

then he breaks free and beats them brutally braking bones and smashing in heads (but not killing oddly enough)

but the first thing he does is

pull the ring to himself but unlike all the other times in s4 he does not grab it rather

he garbs this guy’s neck

so if Brainy ‘is the ring’ (symbolically speaking)

then he is still chained up, in these next fighting beats. (again bashing skulls and breaking bones)

then there is this moment  

a taking in a new mind set (literally),

then the camera spins around him and cutting to his side to show him put out his hand and then this

remember Ring= brainy

high angle = power

so the rebooted brainy has power over the chained up one (symbolically)

then he pulls it off the chain (but dose not put it on, that we see anyway)

J’onn walks in and ask

“what happened”

his response

“i’m free.”

double meaning is double meaning (i don’t have to explain that one)

there are few other things i noticed in this scene

1) like how the fight scene had a deeper or inverted version of Brainy’s usual theme music.

2) there are 3 big lights on the wall hanging over the scene (like the brainiac’s)

3) most of this scene is close ups and that is not easy to do (acting wise)

4) he takes down the scientist last (thought that was worth pointing out)

so yes this scene is one of the best the show has ever made (for me anyway) its very layered and well planned and well executed,

now do i think every thing i listed here was intentional for the reasons i listed them, no (that’s insane)

but that doesn’t matter, the point is i was able to make and find these connections using the film language that was presented,  

but this scene is filled with character building (brainy with Jesse’s acting ability’s), season long payoffs (little box’s) and setting up story’s and premise’s for what was going to be next season, that is now this season (s5.)  

so no matter which way you look at it this scene is so well put together that it could be it’s own short film, and no one would have batted an eye.

that’s the mark of good story telling (in this case acting, writing and directing) if you can take out all context and still be its own peace of work.

and this is all just my take someone else could come in and see something totally different and that’s great. 

[and just for fun I will throw in the scene and you can take a look and see how you feel for your self 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPvPkDxhxoY]

[coherently-screaming]

This took me too long to post but:

Tagged by @tht-lesbian-fangirl even though I have no clue why anyone would want to hear me go on about this stuff more than I already do. (thanks for the excuse, I am excited) I'm so indecisive this should be interesting.

my shows (in no particular order) :

Marvel's Runaways

Brooklyn 99

Supergirl

One Day At A Time

Wynonna Earp

Questions:

1. Who is your favorite character in 2?

— Rosa fucking Diaz (everyone is awesome too especially Amy but Rosa carries an axe sooo)

2. Who is your least favorite character in 1?

— Honestly has to be Frank Dean, little cult washed asshole (Victor S. is an ass too)

3. What is your favorite episode of 4?

— Ohh tough one! I was going to say 2x05 because of Syd and Elena getting together but 2x08 "What Happened" takes the cake because of the flash backs and Elena's "you're the one missing out, not me" speech to Victor.

4. What is your favorite season of 5?

— Season 2, it introduces some fun characters and has fun points plus the baddies are funny and it deals with pregnant wynonna.

5. Who is your favorite couple in 3?

— Canon? Brainy and Nia. Overall? Supercorp.

6. Who is your favorite couple in 2?

— Peraltiago, but if not them I would have loved Amy and Rosa together.

7. What is your favorite episode in 1?

— Oh rough. Probably 2x13. I really love anything to do with Nico being a badass with the staff. Plus finding everything out and tying it together was long waited.

8. What is your favorite episode of 5?

— Have to cheat, 2x10 and 3x03 (Nicole in hospital and aftermath of Dolls dying) I really like the emotion and the tone of the episodes, they are more focused on the connection between the characters instead of kicking bad guy ass, which is cool too.

9. what is your favorite season of 2?

— uhhhhh…. the one in season six where Jake and Rosa were working a case and were losing their minds and she kept getting wild hairdos from Jocelyn. And the sexual assault episode.

10. How long have you watched 1?

— Two years, got Hulu when season 1 came out.

11. How did you become interested in 3?

— …… Katie McGrath...…. (I really like Merlin and Slasher S1 OKAY!?)

12. Who is your favorite actor in 4?

— Omg I love most of the cast, I'd say a fourway between Ariela/Lyrica/Ginny/Britt but I guess if I have to choose, Ariela takes the cake.

13. Which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5?

— 2. I've touched on this but Brooklyn 99 is one of the only shows I watch that I genuinely can just enjoy, and they touch on a lot of important issues too and depict healthy friend/relationships.

14. Which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3?

— 3. Runaways season 3 isn't even out yet and SG is going on season five. Then again I skipped a lot of season 2 and a few in 3 and 4. Sg still wins though I think.

15. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

— Elena, I would love to be that much of an activist instead of doing what little I do.

16. Would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

— no but I'd like to see Elena ship Supercorp and get Kara and Lena together by the end of the epidsode. Or at least get Lena out of the closet.

17. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple:

— I love that Gertchase isn't a typical pairing. But I guess (literally 5 mins later and I'm still thinking) Xavin and Gert? Tina and Catherine?

18. Overall, which story has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

— 5. WEarp has stayed pretty consistant where Sg goes with season to season, and lets not forget the whole "plot, what plot?" situation with SG season 2.

19. Which has the better theme music, 2 or 4?

— 2. NO! Badow bow da bow ba ba badow bow ba daow! -> *clapping and aggressively head banging* ONE DAYATATIME ... DUN! I guess, overall better opening sequence is B99, but better theme music I guess is ODAAT because it has actual lyrics. This hurt to answer.

 Tagging: @im-funny-fight-me​ , @night-bloom6​ , @smash-all-mirrors​ , @pi-3point14159265358979323​ , @dance-with-attitude​

[brainy-storm]

S415 - Where you at, bro? (½)

General Thoughts:

ahahaha I knew Eve was bad but dang she had no regrets, wow. Unapologetically a bad guy. Nice.

I found the storyline with Manchester a bit odd, hmm. And the way he died was very...unceremonious. I’m hoping he’s not actually dead, hm.

LEX LUTHOR. But I’ll have a section on him later.

I think that the CW writes family dynamics, really well in this episode. Especially all the sibling dynamics, just good.  (which is why my next sections will be split in families)

The Danvers:

I like how Alex is so concerned over James, because yeah they’re all friends and she’s also just like ‘where are you’ Kara because she’s worried their friend is about to die and Kara isn’t around

And it just shows ooooof this mind wipe thing is even more painful

But Kara is also trying to help J’onn, who is torn over his family

And he can’t bear to lose Kara or Alex because that would be like losing his family all over again i cri

And then Kara telling J’onn he’s important to her and Alex no matter what

And then Alex and Kara hugging it out

I LOVE THIS FAMILY

J’onn and Manchester:

Just before moving onto the other families, I just find it very weird for J’onn to go from 0 of no violence to the 100 of killing.

There must have been a way to apprehend Manchester. unless, again he’s not actually dead which would be good

But I am glad that if he did kill Manchester, he’s already reflecting on it and there might be repercussions.

why do I also feel like idk...Manchester might have recorded the whole thing to see an ‘alien’ kill a ‘human’ and then it would cause more tension and have a war. But maybe I just watch too many dramatic shows haha

The OIsens:

I mean James was mostly asleep but it was interesting to learn a bit more about him. Like how he had to run away from home before. And how he’s been to the hospital like 12 times cause of stuff like wow James. So this must date pre-Guardian stuff, like dang.

Anyway, I liked Kelly’s introduction

I give her my good-sister stamp of approval for not agreeing to go with Lena’s solution right away because yeah, she didn’t know Lena through anyone but James, and they hadn’t met so it makes sense. It seems like a realistic kind of reaction and I can see myself doing the same in that situation 

But she also wanted to take the chance to save her brother when things seemed bleak and saw that she should trust in her brother’s friends (or chosen family, as she called it which got meeee)

Oof she needs

Also leaving James with the phone to talk to his mum - YEP. SIBLINGS. 

The Luthors:

The whole time I was screaming LENA HE TRYIN TO TRICK YOU.

I mean she kinda knew but also kinda fell for it a bit.

I feel bad for her cause she thought her brother was dying, even though he’s an evil person, she still cares for him as a brother. And then he told her about her mother which is WOW but  yeah after getting her whole backstory with her mother, I see why he got to her like that

And his acknowledgement of her achievements was good too. She deserved that, at the very least from her family.

The Luthor dynamic was really good, like just how I wanted it to be. Excellent.

ALSO OTIS. WAs alive daNG. Mate. I thought maybe Mercy might have been alive but it was Otis wowow. That reveal also got me cause I was like good that guard can drop that water cause he knows Lex is a SHIT. But it was Otis like well done dude I actually 0% saw that coming.

Eve just changing her outfit to be typical bad-guy was lol but also perfect.

Poor Lena’s face, though when she saw Eve betrayed her.

Lex freakin Luthor:

AHAHAHA

YESSSS. I like it. I love that they just made him like ‘I’m a bad guy, and I know it.’ Like he knows people see him as a villain and he’s like ‘yeah I do what I want’

Straight up just murders everyone.

Idk I just like villains where it’s a clear cut ‘aha, yes, BAD MAN IS BAD’. But also smart. so like Supergirl can just try and fight him without constraint, cause he’s LEX LUTHOR who murders people seemingly for fun (or at least just with complete disregard)

Also, I love how he calls James ‘Jimmy’ to mock him, and like I bet he already disapproved of the relationship with Lena because he’s like public friends with Superman (signal watch ahem), and then ofc got him shot like yeaaah.

They probs won’t try and get Supes down cause it’s Supergirl’s show but I hope that someone tells him all about this later.

Or we get like a space-text with a ‘Good job Kara :) ‘( I missed those cute texts from season 1)

Nia:

I like how Nia is shown to be integrated to their group, like even though she hasn’t been part of it for long, she has been there for the game nights and James is her first boss (yes?) (or one of her first boss’), and he’s given her advice and actually she came out to James before she did to Kara so I feel like the emotional bond is there for her to be really upset over this. 

I also see why she jumps to saying she should have predicted this, because she already predicted and failed to save her mother, and - though the show doesn’t say this - maybe she thought that since becoming a superhero and getting her powers she should’ve been able to predict things like this. Maybe the show will say it later (hopefully)

In a way, she’s also with her chosen family, after what happened with her sister. which hopefully we’ll follow up on, one day

Brainy:

Okay so, like you know how I love Brainy? (whaat? brainy-storm? You love BRAINY? REALLY? ok ok shh)

Firstly, him blaming himself was on point for this, because he has so much pride and expectation on himself and feels responsible, he thought he should have been able to predict this all and should have been able to fly into CatCo and do this before it happened arghhh.

It’s also in line with his character from s3 where he was frustrated about not being able to get the signal to space, or in 4x04 where he was upset he couldn’t think of anything to help Supergirl --- which he does bring up

HE FINALLY MENTIONED HIS FAMILY. AND THEY’RE ALL EVIL. BOO YAH. 

I mean, poor Brainy.

But seriously, so from that I’m taking O.G Brainy [which hasn’t happened yet because if Brainiac came to Earth I feel like they would knowww  soo...future storyline?] But also Brainy’s evil mum from reboot so yessss. And more too probs.

And Mon-El being dismissive - I wonder if this is in like a general sometimes the legion is harsh/dismissive or is this in a threeboot like leadership battle with Cosmic Boy kind of way. 

Both the ancestry and the Mon-El mention I feel deserve to have longer explanations and I wishhhhh he could have elaborated.

And then him saying he had to move his whole existence MY POOR BRAINY

HE JUST WANTS A CHOCO

Anyway, I just want to say Jesse Rath freaking smashed it. Like seriously, his scenes were not going to affect the main storyline of this episode but he was like THIS IS MY CHARACTER PIECE AND I WILL PERFORM THE HELL OUT OF IT.

If you click on this link you can see a tweet that shows that Jesse Rath bled after punching that vending machine. 1. I hope he takes care of himself 2. but I appreciate this effort like wow 

Era? I think a mix of all eras were channelled here well.   

shipper thoughts, as usual, will be on 2/2 but yeah I ship kara x brainy so pfft this episode was not great for me in that aspect but that, firmly  aside I thought it was very good 

[sarka-stically]

it's called "forbidden forest" for a reason Hilda (1/3)

In her second year at Hogwarts Hilda goes running head-first into trouble to defend Elven rights and David with Frida get pulled along as always.

Hogwarts AU. (Hilda is Hufflepuff, David is Gryffindor and Frida is Slytherin).

Also available on AO3: HERE.

Hilda Berg always made a lot of noise when it came to magical creatures. Her whole first year at Hogwarts was nothing compared to the second, which held so be called “the Elven Affair”.

It all began in the middle of October when she had seen an elf, dusting a fireplace in the second-floor corridor.

 ….

“What’s your name?” Hilda spoke softly kneeling down to see the tiny elf in red hat closer.

The elf looked up, blinking few times, his eyes wide open, or at least Hilda guessed they were, she couldn’t see his features that well since he was only a few centimeters tall after all.

”Huh?? You-you can see me? Oh silly me, of course she can see you Alfur, she would not be talking to you if she didn’t.“ The tiny man immediately stops talking, his high but not loud voice cracking. He looks even more shocked than before. “Oh goodness, I am babbling now. I am terribly sorry Miss Hilda.”

“Don't you apologize. It's a pleasure to meet you Alfur. How do you know my name?”

“It is my duty to remember all the residents of the castle. We elves take our obligations very seriously.”

“So, you are really brainy."

“You are being most gracious Miss Hilda, but I'm just a simple elf. Memorizing is one of the few things we are good at.”

Hilda frowned, she just didn't like the way this was beginning to sound.

“If I may be so bold to ask, how is it that you can see me, Miss Hilda?”

“It's just Hilda, everyone calls me that.”

“Oh, my apologies, Miss Hil- Hilda the Just.”

Hilda couldn’t help it but giggle.

“I mean you don't need to call me ‘Miss’.”

Alfur looked as shocked and starry-eyed as his little face could be.

“Look what got here; a freak talking to her imaginary friends.” A mocking voice shouts from across the corridor, joined by a wave of laughter.

Hilda scowls, picking up the elf against his protests and set him on her shoulder. Turning around she sees Trevor, one of those Gryffindor boys that she can’t stand, along with some of her other fellow second year students.

 “Just because a troll-brain like you can't see it doesn't mean it isn’t real. Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” Hilda takes a very dramatic pause, “I just insulted all the poor trolls out there by comparing them to you, you doofus.” She turns around and walks out of the corridor and onto the stairs before Trevor gets a chance to think of a comeback or something worse.

....

She rushed to the Hufflepuff basement, then through the common room and into her dorm room. It's empty, except for her Deerfox, which startles awake, basically leaping up with fright when she storms in.

“I'm so sorry for waking you, Twig"

He looks as annoyed as a Deerfox can.

“I know, I always do that. But now I got a good reason; we have a new friend!"

The Deerfox turns his head to the side as if to ask where.

“Oh, you can't see him from there, right."

Hilda holds her outstretched palm by her shoulder. It only takes few moments for the elf to stop clinging to her neck and hesitantly jump on the palm. Hilda sat on the bed and let Alfur sit between her and Twig. When the Deerfox begins to snarl at the elf, Hilda snarls back until he stops.

“Alfur this is Twig, my pet Deerfox. Twig this is Alfur. He is an elf. Like those that lived around our house, you know, the ones that wanted to evict us.”

“You’re met elves before?” Alfur blurted out excitedly, his pale complexion getting almost as red as his hat.

“We have!” Hilda just smiled back at him “Before Hogwarts my mum and I lived all by ourselves, out in the wilderness. But we were never alone...”

So, she told the story. One that began with an eviction note, continued with lots of paperwork, almost war, and ended with their house getting smashed by a giant foot.

....

With Alfur sitting on her ear—a place he deemed most comfortable, yet inconspicuous—Hilda stormed through the Great Hall, decisively heading towards the High Table. Alfur, however, had none of her certainty.

“Miss Hilda… I mean Hilda. This is truly not a good idea. I was lucky to get a permission to act as an emissary to students since the only student who can see us elves is yourself. We should not do something so harsh and unprepared. You follow none of the protocols I spoke about and...”

Hilda stubbornly ignored him, instead choosing to stop right in front of headmaster's omelet.

“Good morning, Professor.”

All professors just stared at her, as did most of the students.

“Good morning to you too, Miss Berg.” Dumbledore looked completely stunned for a fraction of a moment, but he managed to cover it well with a jovial smile. “What is so urgent that it couldn't wait until after I enjoy these exclusively made eggs?”

“It, as a matter of fact, is rather urgent. I don't know if you are aware, but there are Elves in this castle.”

“I am well aware Miss Berg,” Dumbledore replied, unmoved by the statement.

Half of the staff looked very much ready to give her a detention right then and there, but Hilda didn't let it scare her off.

 “Well, then I must sadly inform you that elves—those intelligent creatures with a magnificent culture—are used as unpaid slave labor in this very castle,” Hilda announced, probably a lot louder than she needed to.

A murmur broke out at the High table, most of the professors giving Hilda incredulous looks. Alfur’s shocked gasp was so loud it made Hilda’s head jerk, but the most vocal of all was definitely, Professor McGonagall.

“Miss Berg!” Her voice steadily rising, “It’s not your place to –“ She was silenced by headmaster’s risen hand.

“It’s no bother Minerva,” Dumbledore said, as serene as always, “it’s just a little misunderstanding, nothing more. As your little friend can tell you, elves are no slaves of ours.”

He made it sound so reassuring, but it wasn’t enough for Hilda, who had spent the whole night preparing what she would say. However, before she could begin, Dumbledore continued.

“Now, I understand there is a lot you want to know, but why don’t you first ask your elven friend, maybe go to the library. Then you are welcome to ask me anything you’d like.”

Hilda opened her mouth to protest, but a dismissive wave of Dumbledore’s fork and McGonagall’s scowl discouraged her from it. So instead she just turned around with most of her dignity still intact. While walking towards the Hufflepuff table, she felt them all watching her.

 ….

“You confronted the headmaster, are you insane?” Frida whispered as loud as possible. She probably would have yelled, if it wasn’t for Madam Pince giving their table hard stares since they arrived at the library.

“That’s what I told her,” David commented. Hilda had spent most of Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Herbology class telling David all about the elves and occasionally fighting with the elf on her shoulder. At least she said it was an elf because to David it seemed as if she had finally lost her mind and was talking to empty air. Well, at least until the elf spoke right into his ear and made him almost get strangled by a Devil’s Snare.

 “I must agree with your friends, Miss Hilda,” A squeaky voice with no visible owner said. Both Frida and David jumped up a bit.

“That is seriously creepy Hilda,” Frida said, “Can’t he un-invisible himself or something like that?”

Hilda stopped browsing through the four giant books in front of her to think.

“Well back then, elves made themselves visible after I signed some paperwork. So maybe that could work.” She looked at a fifth— smaller, but still giant—book on the table, whose pages were creasing slightly as if tiny feet were walking on them. “Could you do that for them Alfur?”

The squeaky voice was back, “It may be possible. Although my clan has not mastered the sacred art of paperwork, we should still be able to do this. However, to get a hold of that form you must apply for permission, and for that, you must fill a form of stating the requirement, but for that, there is a sixteen-day waiting period, and to get that you must…”

“So, it’s possible?” Hilda cut off his train of thought.

There was a short pause.

“It should be.”

David already knew this would get really complicated, and he knew it wasn’t just paranoia speaking.

I know this was totally meh, but 2 upcoming parts are where party happens.

All kudos gives me life, even when it’s critique about how shitty I write.

im tagging people who seemed interested in this fic when i talked about it, because im an attention seeking bitch, sorry guys: @suchisthelifeofanadventurer, @latenightwriter1, @roses-hilda-corner

[thisisheffner]

Pet Shop Boys: 'The acoustic guitar should be banned' | Music | The Guardian

The new Pet Shop Boys album is, they say, the third in a trilogy. Hotspot follows 2013’s Electric and 2016’s Super, all collaborations with producer Stuart Price, all examples of the duo’s return to “electronic purism” after a succession of albums where, as Neil Tennant puts it, they variously “pretended to be a rock band” (Release), “made a zany one with everything and the kitchen sink on it” (Yes) and “went to LA and made an album about being old” (Elysium).

“That was your big idea, being old,” says Tennant, nodding in the direction of his fellow Pet Shop Boy Chris Lowe, who is sitting alongside him on the sofa in a record company office in the City of London. “He explained that to our manager and she was absolutely aghast. She looked completely horrified.”

It is worth noting that in recent years the Pet Shop Boys have also written scores for Eisenstein’s 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin and a ballet based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale (2011’s The Most Incredible Thing), as well as premiering A Man From the Future – a kind of pop oratorio based on the life of Alan Turing – at the Proms. They also provided the music for a theatrical adaptation of Stephen Frears’ film My Beautiful Laundrette and a one-woman Edinburgh festival show by actor Frances Barber, based on the character of Billie Trix, the washed-up pop star she played in the Pet Shop Boys’ 2001 musical Closer To Heaven. Its revival was also noticeably more successful than the critically savaged original production. “It was a very outrageous piece for 2001, loads of drugs in it, somebody dies,” notes Tennant. “Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s company produced it and I remember him saying: ‘Well, sorry guys, I guess it was a bit too much for everybody.’”

Set against this backdrop, the Electric/Super/Hotspot trilogy does seem like a return to what you might call Pet Shop Boys basics. They began their career in 1984, working with hi-NRG producer Bobby Orlando, transforming the predominant sound of the era’s gay clubs into a very British and brainy brand of pop music, shot through with a streak of social comment so subtly done that people frequently missed the point entirely. Thirty years of the duo patiently explaining that Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money) was a satire of 80s excess doesn’t seem to have dimmed TV documentary directors’ enthusiasm for playing it in the background during footage of yuppies shouting into enormous mobile phones or spraying champagne; 1987’s Shopping was a withering portrait of London consumerism between the Big Bang and Black Monday, so shrewdly drawn you could imagine a City boy of the era banging the wheel of his Ferrari and bellowing along, oblivious to its real intent.

A lot has changed since 1984, though. For one thing, the Pet Shop Boys have sold 100m records. But while the vast majority of their 80s contemporaries have long been consigned to the nostalgia circuit or vanished entirely – “down the dumper,” as Tennant memorably put it while working as a journalist on Smash Hits – the Pet Shop Boys have become a kind of curious national institution. Still close enough to the heart of pop that younger stars flock to work with them – Hotspot features Olly Alexander of Years & Years, who, Tennant dryly notes, “is of a different generation to us, sings in a different style, more R&B, whereas Chris always says I sing like Julie Andrews” – and yet sufficiently highbrow that all the ballets and oratorios and scores for silent films feel like a natural fit rather than an affectation.

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The duo long ago reneged on their refusal to play gigs, although, as Tennant points out, his celebrated 80s line about how he “liked proving that we can’t cut it live” was meant as a joke, on account of their inability to make their grandiose plans for shows work financially – their first US tour was both a vast success and lost half a million pounds. Now, however, they are a reliably stadium-filling, festival-headlining act – a 25-date greatest hits tour of European arenas begins in May. It’s a state of affairs they seem to enjoy, but it’s not without its hiccups. “I announced I was going to retire,” sighs Tennant, “when we played a half-empty venue in Grimsby on my birthday in 2002.”

And yet here they are, in 2020, roughly where they were in 1984, occasional residents of Berlin (they own a flat in the city, its kitchen converted into a recording studio, complete with “a vocoder which we never use because I don’t know how to plug it in,” says Lowe), making music at least partly inspired by the city’s nightlife. They are regular visitors to its notoriously hedonistic techno mecca Berghain, although their approach to the club seems impressively genteel, as befits men in their 60s. “We go on Sunday lunchtimes,” smiles Tennant, “around 12 o’clock. We treat it as pre-lunch drinks – we go up to the Panorama Bar and have a glass of prosecco. You get the people who’ve been there all night, they’re absolutely twatted, but then there’s a fresh crowd coming in as well, and it’s a very interesting atmosphere. And it’s great to walk in from daylight on to the main dancefloor, which is completely dark, there’s just a kick drum playing four-to-the-floor, and it’s really, really exciting in an alienating way.”

If the duo’s penchant for satire seems less present on Hotspot, says Tennant, that’s because it was “siphoned off” on the 2019 EP Agenda, home to Give Stupidity a Chance and What Are We Going to Do About the Rich?, by some distance the angriest songs the Pet Shop Boys have ever recorded. “What was the reaction to them? Probably generally negative,” laughs Tennant. “I mean, if you’re doing something to wind people up and they get wound up, I suppose your job’s been done.”

In fact, a careworn song about the refugee crisis aside, the tone of Hotspot is often rather romantic. “Berlin’s quite a romantic place,” says Tennant. “People in Britain tend to think of Berlin, even now, as the wall and Bowie making ‘Heroes’. But it’s got 80 lakes in it, you can be in the countryside in 20 minutes, it’s such a beautiful place in the summer, you have pubs on the river. So that’s why I think it sounds warm and romantic.”

The duo are famously entertaining interviewees, Tennant’s background as a music journalist clear both in his theorising about “the discipline of the pop single” and an awareness of how things look in print. When talk turns to the current crop of earnest post-Ed Sheeran troubadours, he first, perhaps rashly, suggests: “I think the acoustic guitar should be banned, actually.” Then offers a headline for a feature based around that quote: “Pet Shop Boys Blast Lame Rock Rivals”.

Lowe, meanwhile, contrary to his public image – stony-faced and silent beneath an unending selection of preposterous hats – is drily funny about everything from his partner’s singing voice (“Neil is not from the gospel tradition, despite having been an altar boy”), to the Americanisation of British culture: “I can’t believe schools have started having prom dances. As if school isn’t bad enough anyway without a prom at the end of it. They never end well in films, do they? We’ve all seen Carrie.”

But nevertheless, an old-fashioned element of mystery and distance remains intact: what they do when they are not being the Pet Shop Boys remains largely unknown, their private lives off limits throughout their career. They don’t do social media, or rather they did, then reconsidered when they realised that it involved “interaction”, a word Tennant says with comic horror. “We were early adopters of Twitter,” says Lowe, “and early leavers. The only thing I liked about it was blocking people. I loved to block.”

“Chris,” smiles Tennant, “is the sort of person who, if he’d been a pop star in the 1970s, would have posted a turd to someone he didn’t like.”

They do feel a little out of place in the current pop climate’s obsession with authenticity and ordinariness (“authenticity is a style,” notes Tennant, “and it’s always the same style”), its lyrical penchant for what they waspishly term “narcissistic misery”.

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“We’re always looking for euphoria and excitement in music,” he says, “that sort of feeling we got the first time we heard Bobby O’s records, or Helter Skelter by the Beatles, or even She Loves You, going right back to being a child. That euphoric thing came back in with the rave scene in the 80s, but it isn’t really at the core of pop music now. Its context is social media; social media has actually created and defined the form of popular music and I think, unfortunately, that takes it down the narcissistic misery route. It doesn’t have the importance it once had, and that’s been the case for quite a while. It’s become a facet of social media. You know, everything we do, there’s people working out how to edit it down to 10 seconds, literally everything. I wonder what would happen now if you released Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Then again, says Tennant, they never did fit in. “When we started off we really did think we were going to create our own world that might reference other things, like a novelist writing a series of novels set in a particular era or something like that, where we were characters. And when we did collaborations, we judged them very carefully. So our first collaboration was with Dusty Springfield [on 1987’s What Have I Done To Deserve This?]. Our label didn’t want us to work with her, they wanted us to work with Tina Turner or someone like that. I remember the director of EMI going: ‘I can get you Streisand!’ But” – he thumps the coffee table before him for emphasis – “we wanted Dusty. Then we worked with Liza Minnelli and that was sort of politely greeted with horror, but everyone went along with it and it worked, because it’s our world.”

Of Top of the Pops, he says: “We were never the kind of performers who were going to enter into it wholeheartedly. Chris established early on that we weren’t allowed to look thrilled to be there. Whenever the camera came over to us, he’d say: ‘Don’t look triumphant!’ But we used to quite enjoy Top of the Pops, you know, being glared at by some singer because you’d said something nasty about them in the press.” He laughs. “I always liked the way that British pop stars always hated each other. When I worked on Smash Hits, I remember the editor saying: ‘We should do a piece on Paul Weller, because he’ll slag everyone off.’ The feuds! Duran Duran and Spandau, Boy George and Pete Burns arguing about who had those sort of gay dreadlocks first.”

“I don’t think bands do that now,” nods Lowe. “When we tour, we’ve got this band, young musicians, and it’s so refreshing because they’re so nice. They feel part of a musical community, they all know each other, they play on each other’s records, they’re all linked in. It wasn’t like that when we were around.”

But, of course, they are still around. Their albums – if not their singles – are inevitably Top 10 hits and sprinkled with songs that rank alongside their best. The Billie Trix cabaret show, Musik, is about to transfer to London, and there are excited rumours abounding that they are playing Glastonbury this year – “which we can’t talk about, which is annoying” – after their guest spot on the Killers’ headline set in 2019.

“Making music, there is still a magic about going into a studio and finding that sort of euphoria and excitement of something new,” says Tennant. “There’s a magic to realising there’s nothing more you can add to something, it’s finished, and then judging its value or whatever. It’s a supremely enjoyable and satisfying career, and, you know, you can’t stop doing it. I mean, if you run out of ideas, that’s when you stop.”

“I’m quite looking forward to that actually,” nods Lowe. “Running out of ideas.” He grins. “Because that’s when you go and work with Brian Eno.”

Hotspot is out today

This content was originally published here.

[the-kool-kyle]

Avengers Endgame Review

Well, this is it ... Avengers Endgame. The film we've all been waiting for ever since the shocking ending to Avengers Infinity War and the end of the MCU's Infinity Saga. Well, I can say without a doubt that Avengers Endgame does more than a perfect job in finishing up 10 years worth of movies in one epic conclusion. Endgame is an emotional, shocking, heartbreaking but best of all epic movie that is a must watch for every human on earth! The movie takes place right after Avengers Infinity War and is during the fallout of “The Snap” when Thanos attached all six infinity stones to the infinity gauntlet then with a snap of his fingers single handily wiped out half of all life in the universe (including some of our favourite heroes) to create what he sees as “balance”. This movie takes place right after that where heroes and other characters are now dead thanks to “The Mad Titan” (Thanos) and now the only ones left are the original six Avengers introduced in phase 1 and a few others. Which consists of Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye (who is Ronin now), Black Widow and War-Machine who are also getting help from Rocket Raccoon, Captain Marvel, Nebula and Ant-Man. If there's one thing Infinity War taught us it's that movies' with a large number of characters can be great and while Endgame's roster is as bigger as Infinity War it does an excellent job on focusing on the original six Avengers and the newcomers to the team and really convinces us this team can save the universe.

Endgame's plot is very complex, long and very hard to describe without seeing all of the previous MCU movies since the first Iron Man or spoiling the movie. Basically, it's unique, emotional, tear-jerking but is still epic, funny and awesome as any MCU movie should be. Its tone is dark and dead serious and really shows us that these are dark days for the MCU with their defeat and half the universe being dead. Ok now apart from the scenes from the teaser, the fact that this takes place right after Infinity War I can't really take about the plot because everyone wants to find out themselves. What I can say is that Endgame more than earns it's 3 hr runtime as it ties up more than a decade of movies very well which has become known as the infinity saga. It deepens the importance of the previous movies and makes them feel a whole lot more important than they already were to us. The movie's runtime gives each of the characters their own moments to tie up any loose ends or unanswered questions. Its story feels like it was written for fans by fans which is just the way we wanted it to be. This movie, however, has few laugh moments as this is a dark time for the Avengers and almost everyone has lost hope. Endgame has some of the darkest, most emotional and shocking scenes and moments in the MCU's history as well as tear-jerking moments we never thought we'd see in a Marvel movie. This movie's plot is without a doubt the perfect way to end the infinity saga.

The heroes and villains are the heart of and soul of this movie and at moments really feel like a family and makes this version of the Avengers more realistic and unique.

Robert Downey Jr returns for the 9th time as Iron Man (Tony Stark). The first hero ever introduced in the MCU and the iconic armoured hero who has always been a fun loving, smooth talking, badass looking engineer genius and playboy has unfortunately become an angry and cold man after the events of Infinity War. During which he fought Thanos one on one and only drew a drop of blood from the Mad Titan after throwing literally everything he had at him and completely getting his armour destroyed in the process. Then after seeing Peter (Spider-Man) die in his arms from The Snap he now feels like a failure as both a hero and a father figure. While he does still have his iconic sarcasm and funny personality he's a more dead serious and darker version of himself and has made it clear that he's had enough. Robert Downey Jr is the perfect match between actor and role for the golden avenger and does an excellent performance that is definitely one for the ages.

Chris Evans returns as Captain America (Steve Rogers) The First Avenger. He wins our hearts and our respect by being a total badass who cares more about his country but also his team, his friends and all of the world. Throughout the movie even though his best friend and partner were killed he still never stops fighting, never backs down and never gives up to complete his mission. Proving that no matter what the universe throws at him and no matter how many times he gets knocked down he always gets back up because it's what he was raised to believe. As we all know he can do this all day. Chris Evans was born to play Captain America and I can't see anyone else playing as this legendary hero. P.S he's my personal favourite Avenger. Plus throughout the movie, he dawns a whole bunch of awesome suits that are both old and new like his stealth suit from “The Winter Solider” Suit (seen in the first teaser) and his new white suit (seen in the other trailer).

Chris Hemsworth lights up the screen as Thor God of Thunder. The son of Odin has really evolved from a spoilt arrogant prince to a funny heroic warrior that will do to protect the people of Asgard. However in Endgame Thor struggles to remain a strong hero and king of Asgard after feeling a sense of failure and defeat after almost dying to forge Stormbreaker and still fail to stop Thanos in Infinity War, save the remainder of his people and the rest of the universe. So while he is still the lovable bad boy, the fallout of the snap has transformed the once mighty hero into a shadow of his former self.

Jeremy Renner returns as Hawkeye (Clint Barton). The somewhat underappreciated and not very well loved archer that has beenovershadowed by the other members of the team. But in Age of Ultron became everyone's 4th or 5th favourite Avenger and after Civil War is now an official favourite to everyone. Now driven by the snap he has become the deadly vigilante Ronin. Armed with a sword and awesome new hooded suit Clint has become a darker and more dead serious character that isn't messing around this time cause he missed out on Infinity War but suffered as much as everyone else has. Oh man I feel bad for this guy first he wasn't anyone's favourite Avenger, he missed out on Infinity War and now he's gone mad from the snap. BTW this was all seen in the trailer so these aren't spoilers.

Mark Ruffalo returns to the MCU as Dr Bruce Banner and The Hulk. The big angry monster that does only one thing ... SMASH! He stole the show back in Thor Ragnarok as the closest thing we'll ever get to the “Planet Hulk” version of the character. However, he only appears once in Infinity War to fight Thanos but immediately gets his ass kicked and for the rest of the movie refuses to come out of Banner. Forcing Bruce to use the Hulk-Buster Iron Man suit to fight. Kinda Ironic if you ask me The Hulk is piloting the Hulk-Buster armour. While he isn't as awesome as he was in Ragnarok and felt underused most of the time he still melts our hearts by being a brainy kind-hearted scientist that would do anything for the team. Best of all Mark Ruffalo really put Edward Norton and Erica Bana to shame or as I call him....Mark Ruffa-Hulk.

Don Cheadle returns as Iron Man's partner War-Machine (Rhodey). Who pilots a similar but badass looking, heavily armoured, well equipped and high tech Iron Man suit. He's a decorated soldier that's just as patriotic as Captain America. While he felt a littleunderused in the last few movies like Iron Man 2, Age of Ultron, Civil War and Infinity War in Endgame he makes a much larger impact and really contributes well to the plot and has earned to the recognition he deserves. Best of all his War-Machine suit his more tactical, high tech and looks more badass than ever even more than Tony's suit.

Scarlet Johansson is back once again as the highly trained super spy Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff). Despite not getting her own movie she has appeared regularly in other MCU movies and has become one of the best, oldest and most recognisablemembers of the team. She is something of a mystery to most people as she never knew her parents, was raised to be the perfect agent, has never had a real family and at times has forced to choose between duty and what's right as was shown in Civil War. However, since the fallout of Infinity War she has become a depressed and alone as she never got to fight alongside her partner Hawkeye during the fight against Thanos and hasn't heard from him since the events of Civil War. But she is still a strong independent woman that many women and girls can look up to as they can be just as awesome and badass as many male comic book heroes. But there is one thing I didn't like about her in Infinity War and Endgame....her hair cut. She has ditched her iconic long redhead look for a short Mark Hamill styled her cut that looks horrid. But other than that she still and always will be an awesome character. Paul Rudd explodes onto the screen as the fun-loving, energetic and awesome Ant-Man (Scott Lang). After making 2 successful movies and giving us the best scene in Civil War he has quickly become a fan favourite especially for me. After the ending in “Ant-Man and The Wasp” he became trapped in the “Quantum Realm” just before The Snap. Since the Quantum Realm is a completely different part of existence he survived...unfortunately the same can not be said for his Mentor and his predecessor Hank Pym or Scott's love interest Hope Van Dyne aka The Wasp who were killed when Thanos snapped his fingers. Because of this he has really evolved as a character and makes a really major impact through the movie and really feels important as he should be. He has been driven to fight after and do something about the fallout of The Snap since he has lost everything. While Paul Rudd is still a fun comedic character he has really developed into a more serious and focused character. He has earned to right to be called an Avenger.

Josh Brolin steals the show as the movie's or more importantly the whole MCU's primary villain ... The Mad Titan Thanos. He has been seen in many of the MCU's previous movies building up as the universe's greatest and most powerful villain. His plan was to gather all six of the Infinity stones, attach them to the Infinity Gauntlet and use it to wipe out half of all living creatures in the universe to create what he see's as “balance”. Thanos is a whole lot more menacing and evil in Endgame than he was in Infinity War and feels a lot more like his comic book counterpart with his smirking evil look and epic armour that makes him look even more badass. Josh Brolin does an amazing job in voicing and doing the motion capture for this legendary and truly evil villain making it feel like the real Thanos leap right off the pages of the Infinity comic books and into the movies. This is definitely the MCU's greatest villain and one of the best movie villains of all time.

Now, what would this film be without....action! This movie has some of the best moments ever pulled from the comics that no one saw coming and only true Marvel fans will recognise. Their epic, fun, memorable and unforgettable plus the special effects and CGI were amazing and really blended well with the practical effects. While it is frowned upon, there were moments that made everybody including me stand up and cheer as the scenes are so epic and awesome they get us super excited. This is some of the best action ever see in a movie is really gonna be loved by everyone for years to come.

Final Verdict:Avengers Endgame is the perfect Marvel movie which brilliantly ties up a decade of movies, gives us a finale worthy of winning awards, and is gonna be loved for generations to come. It more than earns its three-hour runtime by tying up all loose ends, giving each of the characters their own chance to shine, and reminding us how much we love them. In the end, it's emotional, epic, unique, heartbreaking, shocking, entertaining, fun and most importantly makes fans cry, fans cheer and say ... what!? Especially with the moments that were pulled straight from the comics. It is a must watch for every human being on earth and will be loved by all fans old and young.Final Score: 10/10

[firebunnylover]

Hannah Watches LOSH - Legacy

Legacy

We start off with Alexis testing/playing around with a mecha-suit she designed - as evident by the logo on it. Her robot, Woodhouse, asks if her method is necessary. To which she replies yes and goes diving off the building she’s on.

Due to reckless driving, she accidentally bashes the wings of the suit, and head to the ground. For Superman to catch.

I’m guessing that suit had a tracker, cuz Woodhouse was literally right there, ready to pick up Alexis. Leaving Superman with the suit and then cuts to the intro theme.

Is Lightning Lad part cat by any chance? Because that is a very cat like pose.

NO ONE CAN RIP ME AWAY FROM THE IDEA THAT PHANTOM GIRL IS BISEXUAL. LOOK SHE IS SCOUTING FOR A POSSIBLE FEMALE DATE. ND SHE KNOWS SUPERMAN HAS GOOD TASTE SO SHE WANTS FEEDBACK FROM HIM.

And then reveal on who Alexis is. Richest Girl in the Galaxy.

What have you done in the past Phantom Girl to be considered an expert. Tell.

And then we get Lightning Lad saying Alexis is out of Superman’s league, which Brainy – of course – rebuffs, saying that no one is out of Superman’s league.

So I’m going of a limb here and guess what a lot of people can just go to the front door of HQ, given that’s what Woodhouse did, to give an invitation to a Charity Event where Alexis will be at. Repaying the favor of saving her from a fate of a pancake.

And then B5 tells him that they were both scheduled for patrol, meaning schedule conflict.

Lightning Lad offers to cover, and asks Superman to see if Alexis has friends.

MY POOR SMART GREEN CHILD

But I’m siding with Phantom Girl. I refuse to read a report that’s 130-132 pages long. I don’t have the patience. Just give us the basics.

And he planned out the looking-out places to take Superman to, that’s cute.

But then when he see’s Superman expression, he says that the plan can be altered. And he sounds so sad.

And then we get another SupermanxBrainy moment

The way B5’s actions change after Superman promises to spend time with him later, it’s so cute~

At the party, B5 is basically the person who keeps texting you when they really shouldn’t be. Much to Superman’s annoyance.

When one of the guys at the party begins to make fun of Superman, in a manner that could be compared to the jock we saw in our first episode, Alexis delivers one of the harshest burns of all time. So harsh the dude had to go off to apply water immediately rather than wait for her to leave.

Bailing the party early, Alexis takes Superman to her building – which she is not supposed to be at unsupervised. And she stole a dude’s bike. Which Woodhouse just gives money to.

Also, she mentioned that the top ten floors look good as new, after saying that an experiment had some problems.

And she has a bunch of robots that just immediately come to her, like pets. Which is cute. And then you think to hard about what a lot of robots but no people implies, like I did. More on that at the end.

Alexis and Superman do some bonding on the overbearing expectations that others have due to Legacy.

They should form a club with Steven Universe. They would get along.

She also confides that she doesn’t have any real goals in her life, wanting to just mess around with her robots and have friends, which she admits she sucks at making.

And we finally see the scavengers.

And more grumpy-Brainy over the fact no one read his report.

I bet it’s been very long for Superman for just relaxing and playing games with another person to the extent he did with Alexis.  Legion is too busy to take much time off for that sort of stuff, and they must be ready to go any time. And before then, he was a wallflower due to not being able to deal with his powers in the same way he can now. So, this is probably what he wanted for possibly several years.

Which leads to making this next bit even sadder.

At the point where the team is desperate, where Lightning Lad says it might be a good time to call him, he doesn’t answer.

Which lead to the part that destroyed some B5 fans figuratively, and B5 partially.

This took the longest to make a gif that i can put here. it looked so much better on photoshop.

Ironically, when I first saw this episode – this was the second episode of LoSH I watched when I first saw the series, and it was on a rerun – this part is what made B5 a cartoon crush.

I have a bad habit of wanting my favorite characters to suffer.

Later, we see that B5’s body can repair itself, but it takes a while.

Phantom Girl seems to immediately grasp what happened from Superman.

GOD BRAINY YOU JEALOUS?!

Also I like how B5 and Lightning Lad are just in sync at this part.

Oh it’s like when a friend buys tickets for that event thing for that series/fandom they’re super hyped about and invite you and you know squat about it.

And B5 is like that one person who hates that other fandom.

WOW. THAT’S PEARL LEVEL SALT.

So upon Superman explaining, Alexis takes it pretty well at first, trying to set a limit on how long they’ll hang out. But later we see that she gets carried away. Too carried away. To the point where Superman has to leave in a way that leaves both of them upset.

Back with the green bean, we find out he missed patrol again. Good god, if that was me I would straight up be panicking.

“Oh no…”

But in other news, green bean is salty.

And we know our beloved Puppy is on Rimbor. I hope puppy is coping well in this episode.

Woodhouse calls in to say that Alexis is in trouble, Superman tries to appease Brainy by saying it should be passed on to the Science Police. Phantom Girl seems like she expects B5 to insist on that, but to her surprise, Brainy tells Superman to go. While delivering a reminder to keep the communicator on.

I just love her expression here.

NO SQUEAKY TOY ROBOT!

And then comes the reveal that Alexis faked being in an emergency. Which Superman does not take very happily. And rightfully so, given that he’s supposed to protect people.

But then comes an interesting part to me that said something about Alexis.

Ok let’s lay things out. She got really upset that Superman left her, and she impulsively did something that she knew would get him to come, without thinking it through. She didn’t plan it out through, or at least the bit when Superman found out.

I had a recent discussion with a friend who requested to remain anonymous about what this suggests, which I’ll discuss further down below in character. Cuz if I start here, it’ll take forever for me to finish.

He clearly states that his team mates need him while she just wants a friend. She responds that what she wants is more important.

Seeing that he’s picking the Legion over her, she makes another impulsive decision. Helping the Scavengers.

Alexis then provides a decoy to get Superman to leave the HQ while she and the Scavengers attack.

BRAINY WHAT IS YOUR BODY EVEN DOING?

PFFT

During the fight, we see Lightning Lad isn’t afraid to electrocute people with water. Taking it a little far dude. And Saturn Girl is strong enough to smash metal.

I would feel more horrified about B5’s lab if I didn’t already figure he blows it up all the time.

NINJA BRAINY

Upon returning, Superman is pretty much pissed while Alexis just casually says “HEY!”

“Didn’t think this through, did we?”

Oof. Alexis’ weakness summed up.

“I guess I got a little carried away.”

“YA THINK?!

Unfortunately, Alexis lack of a backup plan leads to her getting caught in her mecha-suit exploding, leading to her hair falling out.

With our first look at Talkron Galtos, we see she manages to repair Woodhouse’s head so that he’s functioning enough to talk to her, where she discloses to him that she knows what she wants to do with her life, and the carving into her desk is enough to imply what that is.

So final thoughts on the episode overall.

Ironically, the episode before had a happier ending than this one. It goes from the tone of the more cheery episodes like Man of Tomorrow to ending in a tone we would expect in episodes like Timber Wolf.

It starts off with Superman finding some companionship in someone outside the Legion and wants to interact with him outside work. And it ends with him having to stop that person from hurting his friends. That isn’t going to be easy to swallow for him.

What’s adds to the tragedy of it all is that if they had found a way around it, Alexis could have been friends with Superman, and maybe with the Legion as well. But she made major errors on her part, as did Superman. Ditching her abruptly probably isn’t the best way to say bye to a friend – he probably could have invited her over to HQ instead. And storming off after finding out she pulled a stunt to get him to come isn’t the best reaction either.

Brainiac 5 was interesting to watch as well. NOT INCLUDING THE ARM INCIDENT. He probably sees Superman as this flawless being at the beginning, saying no one is out of his league, but what happens? He realizes Superman isn’t flawless. He realizes Superman will mess up every now and then.

Something I never noticed before but did this time is the parallels between Alexis and Brainiac 5. Both characters descendants of enemies of Superman, carrying their legacy. Both are genius inventors. Both aren’t the best at socializing. Both try to adjust to sharing time with Superman at first. Both fail with the adjustment, and both get upset. Both blame the other party for stealing Superman away in some degree.

The most noticeable difference is how they handled it.

Brainiac 5 realizes that Superman cares about Alexis, and that he also still cares about the Legion. He knows he can’t have Superman to himself naturally, as the guy cares too much, so he lets him go to Alexis when it seems like she needs him, but tells him to stay in contact.

Alexis didn’t. She didn’t think things through as she manipulated the situation so Superman would come to her. And when that failed, she decided that her only option was to get rid of the legion.

Speaking of Alexis, let’s take a better look at her.

Ho boy. Starts off as potential friend and ends as confirmed threat. But why? Well, I was watching this episode about a month ago, and I noticed something in her office that unsettled me.

She is surrounded by robots and toys. But nothing to speak for any interpersonal relationships. Nothing on family or peers. She’s isolated. Which led me to think that maybe Woodhouse raised her, along with possibly other programmed beings. Her best way to connect to him is with robots and building stuff, leading to further lack of social interaction. What that suggests is that she ended up having social development problems. She can’t connect to others well, as we see at the party.

But Superman showed signs to her that he cared about her. He was probably the first organic thing to care in a long time. So what happens? She latches on, and isn’t ready for being told he can’t be with her, and can’t understand that a line has been crossed.

As for the impulsive behavior, I had discussed it with another friend who requested to remain anonymous. They suggested that Alexis has, possibly, bipolar disorder, which is either undiagnosed or not getting treated.

Now before I continue, I know that media and mental disorders do not have a good relationship, with disorders getting portrayed horribly, usually by the antagonists. But the friend I discussed this has been diagnosed for being bipolar, so I ran this by them several times before posting. I’ll try to discuss this part carefully. But if you feel that I said anything wrong regarding this subject, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

There are several types of bipolar disorder, but it’s essentially an extreme change in mood, thought, and behavior, with highs/mania, and lows/depression, with the change lasting different ranges of time. A less extreme case of mania is called hypomania.

Mania episodes vary people to people, but symptoms include:

Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired

Increased activity, energy or agitation

Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)

Decreased need for sleep

Unusual talkativeness

Racing thoughts

Easily distracted

Poor decision-making

Reckless behavior

Being agitated/irritable

Alexis is upbeat, active, talkative, easily distracted as seen when she and Superman were going around to different places and she lost track of time, has poor decision making and is reckless in this episode. So arguably, she is having a manic episode when this episode. But given we just met her, it’s hard to immediately say that’s the case since we haven’t seen if she’s always like this or not.

My friend said that bipolar disorder sometimes leads to negative emotions making you feel frustrated/angry/sad and you do more destructive things.

So when Superman stops hanging, she makes the reckless decision to trick him into coming, not thinking about what will happen afterwards. And this repeats when she sees him picking the Legion over her.

If you’re interested in reading more about bipolar disorder, here’s a good source that my friend gave the thumbs up for.

Still, Alexis had little comprehension on how she should have proceeded to avoid what happened. But there are signs she needed help.

And no signs of her getting that help soon.

Characters in this episode:

Ho boy. Superman did not have it easy. This episode probably left him in a worst place than where it started. But I like how he tried to balance things out between Alexis and the Legion at first. And when he finally gets to unwind fully, stuff happens that forces him to prioritize one over the other. Poor guy.

Brainiac 5 – we see more signs of the crush once again. But also a lot of bitterness. He wasn’t happy to being made second priority in the episode, but he manages to put his own wants aside.  And the bit about the report was also funny. But what size was the font? Double sided or one sided? Very important questions.

Phantom Girl’s sass was wonderful to watch once again, and seeing her on the possible look out for a girlfriend just makes me so friggin happy. And she seemed a bit more understanding towards Superman’s situation. Well, given she’s also defined as an expert at the act of “Privileged but misunderstood”, she has expectations as well. Probably not as overbearing as Superman’s but still notable.

Lightning Lad didn’t have any run ins with karma in this episode. The only time he got beat down was towards the end with Alexis, and that was just regular fighting. He still teased Superman at times, but nothing too harsh. And he is protective of Brainy, as seen as he lets the Scavengers have it big time after the arm incident.

Saturn Girl is shown to be very good at hand-to-hand combat, and is very strong. I hear she’s shredded and has an eight pack.

The Scavengers were bland to say the least. We didn’t see them a lot, but maybe if their designs varied more between them, I would have found them more interesting.

Alexis Luthor is another fascinating character to play role of the villain, although I’m not sure if I’d define her as 100% villain in this episode. She wasn’t manipulative in the sense Dr. Londo was, and did seem to care for Woodhouse enough to repair him so that he was aware of what was going on, and really wanted to spend time with Superman as friends. This was her origin story for her villain arc. And it’s very good.