#( i need to icon the last few episodes but PAIN )

[xamassed]

"I keep. . . I keep thinking I'll turn around, and he'll be there. He'll have that s—stupid, drunk smile on his face. We'll smell whatever's in his flask from here."

In her shaking hands, she cradled the derringer she had been given. "This isn't supposed to be mine."

[n2nataliegoodman]

God every time I watch episode 37 it feels like repeatedly getting stabbed in the gut with a knife. Utena asking Akio out on a date because now that she knows what he’s doing to Anthy she tries to keep him away from while also taking off the ring in place for the sweater Anthy knitted for her. And Akio somehow not getting the hint that she knows who he is. What he is.

Anthy saying all girls are like the Rose Bride before taking Utena’s hand, knowing that despite both of them trying to keep Akio away from the other they’ve both failed and Akio’s abuse has changed both of them.

Saionji and Touga being honest with one another about how they feel and seeing each other as allies rather than rivals, while letting Akio believe that Utena is still completely under his spell.

Anthy echoing what Akio said a few episodes earlier, how she wishes she and Utena can be friends forever and her unchanging slight resigned smile as Utena rips up the letter because, regardless of what Akio thinks, she will choose Anthy and herself over him every time. Because choosing Anthy is choosing the moment she changed her destiny from that of a princess in need of rescuing to a prince. Choosing Anthy is choosing herself.

Juri, the only other explicitly sapphic character who gave Utena the sword to “take back her self”, forcing Utena to confront the fact that she and Anthy are not just friends and that Utena doesn’t even have the words to describe their bond.

Everyone, but most evidently Nanami, believing that Utena is still naive to who/what Akio and, more importantly, Anthy are while she gives them all a knowing smile without actually answering.

Juri and Miki admitting that Utena has caused a revolution for each of them too and that they have been able to change thanks to her.

The Shadow Girls saying they really are “true friends” before kissing paralleling Utena’s inability to truly answer Juri’s question about her feelings towards Anthy.

The car scene showing that, despite everything, Akio has to work harder than ever to keep Anthy under control, and even then it’s still slipping.

The iconic cantarella scene. No words are possible. That scene makes me feel so many things every time. All I’m going to say is that it’s Anthy’s final attempt to try to make Utena run away from Akio, but instead Utena shows she’ll stay no matter what.

And following this, Anthy choosing that, no matter how much pain she’s been in, Akio’s abuse of Utena was the last straw and she would rather die than let it continue. Because if not for her, Utena has no reason to continue down the path towards revolution. And if she can’t make Utena run away she has to try the only other thing she can to free Utena from the duels.

“Whoever believes in true friendship is a fool.” “Didn’t you know? I am a fool.”

Both Utena and Anthy choosing to confront Akio: Anthy through taping the letter back together, Utena by putting on the ring.

Not to mention the fact that this idiot pedophile honestly believed that Utena would choose him over the girl she’d been fighting to protect the entire time, for longer than she even remembers.

No piece of media has ever made me feel the way this specific episode does and I don’t think any piece of media ever will again.

And no piece of media will ever make me absolutely loathe a character the way RGU does with Akio. I have never had a villain turn my stomach the way he does.

[stripedstarsblueflags]

i didn't win the wheel: episode 7 (pt. 1)

[they read the intro cards, it's quite cringe]

Logan: "You know what the honor is..." (tries to gesture)

Alex, interrupting: "Because nothing says Tour de France like mad stats."

Logan (after waiting): "...You get to spin that wheel."

Alex: 😊😊

i know, i know, i start every episode out with The Bit. and this could be a paragraph almost identical to the last intro because at first it looks same-old, same-old: logan is describing the activity like he's reading his own death sentence, alex still has not learned how to play to the audience, they both brighten up a little bit on the **iconic** line. but there are some differences. the body language. the way alex is once again posing so awkwardly so he can face logan. the way he looks right at logan immediately, and then the laugh just sort of tumbles out of him and he can't even keep his head up, and the way logan turns to him and his eyes track the movement of alex curling in down and towards him and then he uses the card to gesture and bring alex back in as it's time to start the game

i was rewatching this moment listening to their voices and their laughter when the thought came to me suddenly: "it's like they're taking care of each other." and i didn't even know how to elaborate on that more but it just felt so right that i had to keep examining it and now it've got it. the thing is, they're both struggling at this point. a lot. logan for obvious reasons, but alex too, very much so. silly season is hitting williams hard. there's rumors of antonelli, rumors of sainz, rumors of a mid-season replacement. on top of that, checo's contract is at this point being both ridiculed and questioned because of his failure to meet the goals, and what are people benchmarking him against? not max, his teammate, but logan. because logan can now outqualify him. and that's not "oh my god look at how well logan's doing!" it's "oh my god look at how absolutely dogshit checo's doing" (the general discourse, not my opinion). even when the williams upgrades make an actual improvement, nobody notices or cares because everybody else makes bigger improvements. and while williams doesn't have the worst pr situation on the grid, ever since australia they've needed some serious image management and that hasn't been attended to enough. jv is publicly and aggressively courting carlos, making outrageous claims about How Well They're Doing, and the longer the team goes while pretending the logan situation doesn't exist, the more aggravated the fans get. the team isn't doing anything to address the growing tension, and they don't have the on-track performance to do the work for them, so who's left carrying such a huge portion of the entire team's image? alex. he's walking on a wire to avoid falling into the absolute shitstorm of william's pr while still supporting and representing the team that's given him a second chance. he has to juggle being compared to logan and outperforming his car and people saying he deserves better and his team principal's fumbling and knowing he could have all this resentment and bitterness and jealousy from logan and that's not there. and because he's already created this image of sunshiney cutesy cuddly cat dad, he can't afford to have a single moment of visible anger or frustration, even though that's literally how racing drivers just are. so in many ways he's completely trapped in multiple situations and he doesn't know what logan's thinking or what anyone else is thinking and he's overwhelmed.

and logan doesn't have anything. no team support, no chance at another team, no certainty about literally any event in his future from the next few years to the next few weeks. his last few moments with alex are starting to feel like a consolation prize, starting to feel even more painful because of how aware he is of the time running out. and logan can see past the disoriented rambling and the hyperactivity and the media personality, he knows alex is overwhelmed. and it's not something they feel they can talk about with each other because they're scared of hurting each other, of driving a wedge between them when every goodbye feels like the last. but here's logan, unable to feign interest, unable to give the camera anything to work with because he's tired and he's bitter and he just wants to stop owing these people. but alex is there, kind of looking like he forgot they were filming today, and logan can't do much but he can do this. he can make alex laugh. he can remind alex that it's fun to be silly, you can make something silly out of this stupidity, that it's okay and the resentment at the whole thing doesn't need to be there and that they're going to get through this and they're actually going to have fun. he turns all the way into alex and watches his reaction, eyes him up and down, and his smile gets a little sadder and a little more mature as he lets alex half-fold towards him because "logan that isn't even funny how am i laughing every single time". and it's become this sort of ritual for them. it's literally just A Bit but it's their way of stepping all the way out of formula fuckup life and into just this little bubble of each other and a game. "okay, we're going to let this go now. we're going to forget that it's stupid and we don't want to be their social media guinea pigs and we're both being mistreated yet expected to deliver performances like we're not. we're just going to forget that and we're going to have fun with each other and it's going to be nice because we can do it together." and even with everything that's happening, logan is the one who initiates that. he flicks the switch for both of them. and alex's laugh is amusement, yeah, but it's also just relief– the beautiful dissociative relief of leaving everything behind for just a little bit. it's gotten to the point where alex visibly waits on that cue. he looks fidgety and frustrated and out of it and like a kid who got dragged to his mom's book club until logan starts even the beginning of the sentence and then he looks over and the smile starts to flit across his face and then the channel changes. logan's carrying them both over the threshold.

[the question is about average speed]

Logan (such a dumbass annoying smile): "Can I answer in miles per hour? I'm kidding ha ha HAA 😎😎😎" *smacks table* "Ah that's funny..."

Alex:

Alex:

Alex a million years later: 😂

ah, we haven't had one of these in a while. logan being a little shit just to annoy alex. alex being so annoyed and then so endeared he basically short-circuits. that was such a stupid joke and even the way he laughed was like "i just made the STUPIDEST joke >:)" it like has the tone of a dad joke but not even that it's just stupid... and he's the only one who laughs. even though it's obviously forced because that's pretty much part of the joke, it's supposed to be so not funny it actually is funny.

and then logan moves on from that and heads straight into thinking-too-hard-about-this mode and alex is processing on internet explorer speed. he laughs first when logan looks over at him with that stupid shit eating "did you hear that STUPID joke i just made" look and then he does the signature blush and look away (seriously we might have heart-eyes piastri and fuck me-eyes leclerc but what about cast-down eyes albon because he literally cannot hold eye contact when he's flustered which is 80% of the time in logan's presence) and then as logan starts musing about the question alex is like– i swear, he's playing logans expression over again in his head. he's tilted in logan's direction, not looking at anything, and i swear to god he's just remember logan's dumb shit-eating smile and thinking about the joke itself and then suddenly he's laughing. and he doesn't mean to and it even sounds unexpected like it's taking the breath out of him and then he literally has to interrupt himself like, "um! sorry!" because it takes him some time to regain his composure. logan crept out of the shadows just long enough to drop a shit joke and now he's huddled back but that moment is sticking way longer in alex's head than it should. bringing himself back to the game and out of his own head/imagination nearly pains him.

(will continue soon but jeez i had a LOT to say!)

ep 7 pt 2

[demadogs]

Do you know any good wlw movies/ TV shows on netflix? I've watched a few, I am not ok with this, Carol, duck butter, but im LESBIAN DEPRIVED!

~🌈

YOU AND ME BOTH GIRLY.

unfortunately almost all my favorite sapphic shows have been canceled especially the ones on netflix but i do still think theyre worth your time. but it might also kill you bc the story isnt finished. all these shows are also just amazing plots too. like i would love them just as much even if there wasnt wlw relationships.

heres what i got for shows but not all of these are on netflix.

the wilds. this is an AMAZING SHOW. its on amazon its about a staged plane crash where 8 girls are stuck on an island but they dont know that its all a fucked up social experiment. a lesbian relationship became established before it got canceled after s2.

cable girls. this is on netflix and it actually DIDNT GET CANCELED HALLELUJAH. its an amazing show but it actually doesnt really count as sapphic bc one of the characters in the wlw relationship ends up being trans. but its still a great queer love. this shows spanish and set in late 1920s madrid at a telephone company. its one of my favorite shows ever literally every season is better than the last plz watch it.

everything sucks. this is on netflix and it did get canceled but the lesbian relationship was mostly established before the end of the first season. its set in the 90s and its just a really cute show im mad it got canceled.

paper girls. this is on amazon and ngl this is one of the most painful sapphic show cancelations ive ever suffered through so if you dont wanna watch it just bc of that i dont blame you. its about these four young girls who accidentally time travel from the 80s to current day and meet their future selves. the gay girlies are heavily implied and foreshadowed but they dont get together before the end of the show :(

the last of us!!! not canceled its still going!! this show has an episode that shows a past sapphic relationship with the lesbian main character but the first season doesnt introduce a new relationship yet. the second season will tho. im sure youve heard about this or already watched it but its about a zombie-like pandemic from a deadly fungus and its total post apocalyptic. also AMAZING found family father/daughter trope. dare i say i actually think i like them more than el and hopper.

i really need to find more great sapphic movies.

my favorite lesbian movie of all time is portrait of a lady on fire. its a french period piece and its just beautiful and THERE ARE LIKE ZERO MEN IN THE WHOLE MOVIE. i think the only line a man has is “bonjour” and thats it. MY KINDA MOVIE!!!!! INSTANT 5 STARS!!!!! i love this movie. the initial premise is that a woman needs to be painted but she cant know that shes being painted so the other woman has to just study her while hanging out and then paint her from memory. it ends up being much more than that but gaaahhh if you only watch one of these make it this movie.

another iconic sapphic movie is but im a cheerleader. way different tone much less dramatic and more comedy but still never gets old.

you didnt mention books but im gonna give you book recs anyway.

seven husbands of evelyn hugo!!!!!!! im sure youve heard about this. i dont think its overrated at all it really was such a good book and dont let the title fool you its gay as hell. if youre really not a reader tho this is going to be a netflix movie soon.

an amazing duo book series is criers war. i LOVE scifi and fantasy and this is my favorite sapphic scifi story ive ever read/watched. i want this to be a movie or show so bad. its about a world where some people are people and some are what they refer to as “automa” which are essentially cyborgs but they look just like humans. crier is an automa and the daughter of a king and ayla is a poor human and she has a vendetta against crier bc her father was responsible for her familys murder but crier doesnt know this! so then ayla gets the job as her maid for the goal of killing her basically but of course it gets super gay instead. its such an interesting take on the enemies to lovers trope bc its one sided, cryer has no idea ayla considers her her enemy. also neither of them are white i think crier is brown and ayla is black.

i hope you like these! and if anybody else has lesbian story recs plz put it in the replies or rbs cuz i also need more lesbian content!!!

[witch128chick]

Guys it's time for the episode that i hold so close to my heart

Escaping Expulsion

This episode means a lot to me. It's about gaining back some sense of control over your own life and my journey with that is just awful as Amity's (if i can say that)

So what if we start shall we?

Odalia talking to Amity through that necklace is basically the metaphor (???) of your authority figure's voice in your head. It still haunts me to this day even tho i can make my own decisions. But that doesn't mean my mom's voice isn't echoing in my head making me reconsider every single decision i make like a hundred times and the only thing that seems to help is to convince myself that she's aware that i'm an adult and even if she doesn't like what i do she can't really do anything about it. (It's true for the most part at least)

(Sorry for the rant i'll do it again)

I don't really think this needs an explanation

I mean bitch you expect your daughter to get beaten up by your mechas and she didn't even say anything until now, she was putting up with it. Give her a damn break

I'm so proud of her 😭 look at her be so happy to teach Eda and Lilith everything she knows!

Silly billies T_T i love them

Okay.. okay i'll tell my story relating to this. I'm not gonna go into detail but i had this massive crush on a guy in 7th grade (he was in the graduating class so basically 6 years older than me and i have sm respect for him now that he didn't do anything and just ignored me or was nice when he had to be instead of using my naivety and teenage crush) anyway we were both in the school choir (yes i joined bc i figured he was there too..) and there was like a little gathering for the whole choir before graduation and we could bring a flower to someone who would graduate that year if we wanted to. And... yes i bought a fucking flower and gave it to him. (Almost didn't but i was like "fuck it imma do it if i prepared sm) AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME THIS ISN'T THE EXACT SAME SITUATION!!! bc it is. So Amity, darling, ik what you're going through

(Side note: i had to learn that my past crushes don't invalidate the fact that i identity as a lesbian now. Yes i thought i was straight and no i didn't really have any source i could inform myself about being gay. But now that ik i am, it scares the living shit out of me but we have a saying here: "hope dies last" so yea i hope everything will be fine)

This whole scene is painful. Amity is DREADING her mom and omg- WHAT DID YOU PUT THAT CHILD THROUGH

Yes Luz me too

"Life is just so dull without them!" *everyone after the show ended*

But wdym it ended...? We're only at the beginning of s2!!!

She's come a long way and she's just STARTED

Iconic quoteeee 😭🤌🏼

Not much is left but i'm not finished yet! So check back in a few minutes if you want

[stardiveatnight]

Okay so a few hours have passed since I watched season 3 and I want to collect my thoughts

(Also it is 9am and I haven‘t slept so bear with me)

First of all I wanna say that the performances were amazing. I rewatched the scene where Wille confronts his parents at least ten times because it‘s just so intense and I love Edvin‘s performance in it.

I‘m glad Micke returned, but I‘m also glad that there won’t seem to be a happy ending for him. I felt like Sara‘s and Simon‘s relationship with him needed a bit more exploring and closure and I felt like they did what they could do with the limited amount of time and so many plots to wrap up.

While I felt like the first three episodes were quite slow, it all paid off in episode 5. Such a good episode, I can’t say it enough!

Never thought about Rosh and Stella being a thing but, even though I know they won‘t actually end up together, I quite enjoyed seeing them together.

I found the revelation about the hazing and all that very interesting and didn’t see Erik making a comeback like that at all. But it fits the theme and makes sense, because if everything is not as it seems, then so is Erik. Also, it added depth to not only August, but in my opinion to Nils and Vincent as well.

I very much enjoyed watching Felice‘s struggle with getting over Sara, because I‘m pretty sure we all can relate to that pain and it felt refreshing having it dealt with in such depth.

Simon and Wille being happy together! Being out in public!! That was nice to see, albeit short.

I reblogged a post about this too, but I loved that some of the more heavier subjects were finally addressed out loud. It felt so satisfying to watch after all that buildup and hinting in seasons 1 & 2 (e.g. the racism Felice deals, I really liked her talk with her dad, August‘s eating disorder, and probably other things that my sleep deprived brain cannot think of right now)

I don‘t understand the problems people have with Simon and Wille, or especially Simon‘s behavior at the end of episode 5. I feel like it was pretty careless and ignorant of the palace to expect Wille to explain Simon all the rules he will have to follow now that their relationship is public, and for Simon to follow them all without batting an eye. I mean, he is 17 after all, idk what they were thinking. And to me, it was pretty clear that Simon was anything but happy in their relationship, especially after realizing that due to Wille being a prince, his needs will always somehow mean a little more, have priority, etc. etc., and Simon will have to get used to having to take a step back more times than not. I totally get not being okay with that, and I‘m not trying to say that Wille‘s problems especially towards the end of the season are not bad or valid — they definitely are. But I don‘t think we can fault a 17 year old who is being thrust into this world he doesn’t understand and that is not welcoming to him without any help by his side to think that maybe, this is not the life for him. I guess he could have waited until after his birthday? But that’s just me.

My heart is breaking for Wille, though. He really cannot catch a break, but I was surprised to see that he was seemingly on board with being the crown prince again. I guess anything as long as August doesn’t get what he wants.

I do have to say though, I did not like the music as much as I did in the other seasons. It was alright, and I‘m excited to see whether there‘ll be another iconic song at the end of episode 6.

I mentioned it earlier, but I felt like episodes 1-3 were a little bit slow. I understand why, but at times it was a bit dragging.

I‘m very curious to see how they are going to wrap everything up in the last episode. It sure is a lot for just one more episode, but we‘ll see! I‘m optimistic it‘ll be great.

[suzannahnatters]

I have a normal amount of feelings about eps 11-15 of MOON LOVERS: SCARLET HEART RYEO

you think these boys are going to fight over our girl but NOPE they're going to take down the villain and clear her name using the power of brotherhood yisss

wait...no...

I ALWAYS KNEW THAT BLIGHTER WOOK WAS NO GOOD

Ohhhh Lady Oh is FLAYING him with a few concise, perfectly judged words

queen yoo this, princess yeon hwa that, who cares about the minor villains? the king is terrible and deserves to lose everything and the whole system is rotten and needs to burn down

can't say how much I love that the iconic rain scene is NOT simply "me big strong man protect frail woman". It's MOSTLY about our girl doing what little she can to protest injustice, and So being the only one with the moral courage to defy his father and join her.

a year goes by. it does nothing for Wook's personality except maybe made it *even worse!*

can't say I'm fond of the decision to make it look like the king is Doing His Best, Really! and that all the Shenanigans are the fault of the scheming women!

My soul longs for an OPHELIA-esque ending where our girl simply opts out of the Nonsense. But I'd settle for a Shakespearean ending where the presiding patriarch is depicted as deeply morally ambiguous and just as terrible as everyone else. We shall see -_-

anyway BAEK AH, DON'T YOU DIE ON ME

ahahaha this show wants you to know that the horrible king gets to be reunited blissfully after death with his one true love, whom he treated like dirt, ignored, got pregnant, and then executed for a crime she didn't commit!!! THANKS I HATE IT

on the other hand there's also a subplot in which a princess wants to kill the king who slaughtered her whole family but this mission is complicated when she accidentally falls in love with one of the princes and I do respect a show that just offhandedly includes such a trope

oh yesss, our girl finally figures out the depths of Wook's duplicity and cuts him off without a shilling, now THAT is satisfying

vale Prince Guyliner, you DIDN'T deserve any better but you died very prettily without anyone trying to make you out to be A Saint, Really

at this stage I'm wondering who bites it next. my money is on Mu or possibly the not-so-awful queen.

I was right. Vale Mu, you died, but not before becoming every bit as terrible as the last king

on the other hand it looks like if you trade in one prince you get another back, nifty!

anyway this episode was full of tragedy, skulduggery and people making awful choices for relatable reasons and all these sweet boys are all at each others' throats and it's the finest vintage pain I've experienced in a long time, I love it so much

the romance is working so! well! for me!

the way So has now happily waited THREE YEARS (I know, give the man an award for Basic Decency shush)

the way our girl steps into Lady Oh's shoes T_T

two adults have a misunderstanding & actually TALK IT OUT?

So apologising? what's this? a kdrama male lead actually APOLOGISING to the female lead? instead of demanding apologies from her???

So apologising for a promise he never made explicitly but only implied? to someone of a lower rank?

SKIN WATERED, CROPS CLEAR

I did NOT expect to feel this positive about a male lead who just got MARRIED to his UNDERAGE NIECE, YIKES

huaaargh I'm a huge fan of how this show started out with a girl in fairy-floss-pink dresses charming 8 cute princes and now it's this suffocatingly bleak steadily-ratching doom-laden Shakespearean tragedy

best family drama I've seen since Shah Jahan's succession crisis. everyone's climbing across each other's dead body to grab the throne or stay alive.

except our girl, who's doing her best with what she's got

Wook, in a rare moment of honesty: "Are you going to become the King's dog and kill Eun? ...You and I are both struggling to survive. That is the fate of a prince who does not become a King. One must submit in order to provide protection."

ajks? our girl has just found out who poisoned the last king...just by ASKING?

And she was told. Because she's powerless. Because she's not a threat. Because who can she ever tell. *faint screaming*

this is just one of my favourite things in fiction--the power of the powerless

the WAY!!! she has taken on this role of a wise woman/prophetess! best use of time travel EVER

"what could have caused the variable that carried the 3rd prince to the throne?" asks the court astrologer and So is like oh heck

so...their love IS changing history? but for the better, or worse?

oh no, Eun and Bear Girl finally (after what, 3 years of marriage) got as far as first base and discovered a mutual appreciation for toy boats, if this leads to their untimely deaths I will be extremely miffed

well, of all the young idiots who were SUPPOSED to run away together and start a toyshop and a dojo...

how am I supposed to stop watching this AUGH

[ncisfranchise-source]

David McCallum, beloved on "NCIS" for his role as the eccentric chief medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard since 2003, finally received his emotional sendoff in Monday's episode.

The Scottish star of the 1960s NBC series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," who found renewed famed on the long-running CBS procedural, died Sept. 25 at age 90.

The tribute for the last original "NCIS" cast member, affected by the production delays caused by the Hollywood strikes, was fittingly co-written by Brian Dietzen, who portrayed Ducky's protégé Dr. Jimmy Palmer for two decades.

"We wanted to honor a life well-lived, 60 years in this business and 20 years on our show," Dietzen tells USA TODAY. "This allows fans to grieve with us. We've all experienced this loss."

Dietzen spoke at McCallum's January memorial service in New York City and has been in frequent contact with his wife of 56 years, Katherine Carpenter.

"Both his TV family and his real family are feeling pain and grief right now," says Dietzen. "The small comfort all of us can take is David was 90, and lived so many lives to the fullest within those 90 years. He took advantage of every last breath."

Ducky needed to solve one more 'NCIS' case

Even though Ducky dies in the episode, it was crucial to have one more NCIS success for the dedicated medical examiner.

"The best way of honoring Ducky was to have him solve one last case with the team," says Dietzen. "Even posthumously, he's the one that cracks the case."

Using the detailed notes that Ducky had kept hidden, the NCIS team exonerates a veteran who wrongly received a dishonorable discharge.

Jimmy finds his beloved mentor Ducky

Last week's Season 21 premiere set the table for the episode as NCIS special agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) received a frantic call from Jimmy in the final moments.

The mystery of the phone call ends as the tribute begins, slightly earlier in time, as Jimmy walks breezily into his mentor's home with two cups of coffee. His smile turns to horror when he finds Ducky in his bed, after dying peacefully in his sleep.

Why? "We wanted to allow our audience in on the grief of losing (Ducky)," says Dietzen. "To acknowledge and honor that grief is important in the process so you can move forward."

Shooting the scene with an obscured extra playing Ducky, seen with a "DM" monogram on his pajama sleeve, was "a difficult scene to shoot, that is for certain," says Dietzen, 46.

Michael Weatherly's Anthony DiNozzo reappears to bid Ducky an 'NCIS' farewell

The major surprise in the tribute episode is Michael Weatherly's reappearance as Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. Weatherly left "NCIS" in 2016 after 13 seasons to star in CBS drama "Bull," but DiNozzo strolls in to offer support and a Ducky-inspired bow tie to Jimmy just before Ducky's memorial.

"We all realized that DiNozzo is the perfect character for this last scene," says Dietzen. "So getting to write a Tony DiNozzo scene was an absolute treat."

Weatherly has imitated the Glasgow-born McCallum's accent and speaking manner before. In this episode, DiNozzo performs a dead-on Ducky.

"David's an icon. So even when we're talking just as friends, (Weatherly) will give his best David McCallum impression," says Dietzen, who was impressed that Weatherly's mimicry was executed while tying Jimmy's tie. "Michael said, 'I went to boarding school, I'll be fine. I can tie a bow tie.' But we definitely practiced a few times. It turned out really well."

Weatherly's appearance is a one-off for the "NCIS" episode full of Ducky flashbacks. "(Michael) was eager to help out with what was essentially an in-person flashback," says Dietzen. "It was a shoutout to the previous iterations of this 'NCIS' team as Michael too was an original cast member. But there are no plans for a return."

Jimmy turns off the lights in the final moments

Weatherly's appearance also lightens the mood in the final moments. As the group walks into the elevator for Ducky's memorial, Jimmy returns to the autopsy room to switch off the lights, a slight smile across his face.

"With the passing of Ducky and David, it's important by the end that we show that the stories we leave behind are not everything," says Dietzen. "The people he left behind will continue. That's his legacy. It's what Ducky has meant to them that will push them forward and make the next chapters."

[romancomicsblog]

My Adventures with Superman delivers a solid reintroduction to Last Son of Krypton - SEASON REVIEW

*Spoilers for all of Season 1 of My Adventures with Superman*

Adult Swim and Max's My Adventures with Superman's first season has just wrapped up, and I have quite a few thoughts on the fun ten episode journey.

When watching the initial episodes of My Adventures with Superman, I was immediately smitten with our lead three protagonists. Clumsy adorable Clark, Conspiracy theorist and loyal friend Jimmy, and leader of the crew, the overly ambitious and intense Lois all had fantastic chemistry, I knew they would be the force carrying the show if it had nothing else to offer.

Luckily, it does. But let's talk about our core crew first.

One thing I love about this show is they quickly throw away the secret identity shtick for the core crew. Having Lois figure it out so soon and Jimmy knowing already speaks to their characters and their skills as reporters. Plus, now that that drama is over, they can go on this journey together, as they should.

The character I was hoping for more of which I was most happy with was Jimmy. Ishmel Sahid continues to bring multiple layers to Jimmy thoughout the show, and quickly made him my favorite character.

I felt he was the most sidelined of the three in the first couple of episodes, but he really gets two episodes focused on his friendship to the others in the middle of the season that I loved, and has a fun plot developing Flamebird throughout the season.

It pays off with the final joke of him becoming a multi millionaire, but I hope they use this money plot for Jimmy to go on ridiculous adventures and team up with other heroes and monsters like in the comics.

Also just love that Jimmy continued to be a good wingman to both Clark and Lois and give them space when needed. What an absolute pal.

While I'm here, I do love the cute love story between Clark and Lois, but it felt a bit rushed. Throwing the L word around a bit quick in my opinion, but I understand this is basically an anime, and needs to be a bit dramatic. I wish they would've saved that for Season 2, but I love the chemistry and that they are already together.

Alice Lee continues to shine as Lois, often having to voice some incredibly dramatic points in the show. I love the revelation that she is "the worst Lois" because all other Lanes are exceptional. That episode in general is a highlight for me, although it is a little bit Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Of the three characters, Lois felt the most fleshed out, dealing with insecurities from her father, trying to live up to her own expectations and his, and trying to make a real difference. Those little things make moments like the crew getting desks so satisfying and heartwarming.

I feel like people have talked to death how great Jack Quaid is as Superman, so I'll try to be brief. He's incredible. It's clear they casted for Clark instead of Superman, which was a smart move.

As Clark he is humble, kind, brave, and genuine. You cry when he does, you feel for his pain when he stumbles and you cheer when he succeeds. This should be the blueprint for Superman media moving forward.

While I had to adjust to the Superman voice, by the end of the show I was good with it, and it was perfect. I would love to see him lead an anime style Justice League.

I think tying General Lane to this Kryptonian invasion plot was a really good through line throughout the season. Making him directly connected to the destruction caused by Kryptonians felt very Batman v Superman (but in a good way), and made their interactions feel real weight.

One aspect of the show I criticized and hoped would improve were the villains. While I like the overarching villain being Sam Lane, I think this show doesn't quite have the iconic villains say a Spectacular Spider-Man or a Young Justice does. I was hoping for someone with something special or unique to grasp on to, but there really wasn't.

I think having the Suicide Squad be one of the final battles, and doing the match up from the "What if Superman ripped off the roof of the white house?" line from Suicide Squad movie is kind of fun, but the Squad members didn't feel fleshed out enough for me to care.

I think with the exception of Banshee and Mxyzptlk , most of the designs for the villains felt a little boring. This includes the final two teased at the end of the show. I wish more thought and color was put behind the characters, like Superman or even Jor-El.

Parasite was the most fun inclusion, but I felt he was too different from his usual version for me to fully grasp on to. Of the Superman villains shown, I think he could come back and win me over.

I hope characters like Brainiac, Zod, Luthor, Lobo and Doomsday bring life to this show through villainy. With great antagonists, this show would be absolutely perfect, but it's just not there yet.

I think this show is on to something really special, and I hope to see it continue for multiple seasons. It could be a fantastic introduction to the character of Superman, if it could bring more life to Metropolis through its recurring characters.

Overall, I think it's a great show. One that surprised me with emotion, the laughs, the triumphs and the falls. I recommend you watch the season, now streaming on Max.

Thank you for reading!

If you'd like to support me you can find my socials here!

[eveningstar1516]

The Adventures of Leviachan and the Case of the missing Ruri!`

Irritated at still not being able to find his figurine, Levi almost snapped at MC. He paused when he saw what they were holding. Blinking a few times, he blinked away his tears of frustration and wiped his eyes.

“R-right! Satan plays detective all the time when he loses things. We can do that too!”

Prompt: Detective

My written contribution to this year's unofficial Leviathan collab ^^ Thank you to the Moderators who organized it and for letting the fandom be a part of it!

Pairing: Levi and MC (Sheep-chan)

“This is not the last you will hear from me, Ruri-Hana! I will have my REVENGE!!!”

The sea monster on screen sunk into the whirlpool Ruri had created with her wand, disappearing below the water's surface before it became calm once again. Ruri floated above the waters safely, smiling triumphantly.

“No, Mr. Sea Monster. Not if I have anything to say about it! Ruri-Hana will always save the day!”

Levi had stood up with Ruri and flashed her iconic pose as she delivered her lines. Ruri-Hana and the Threat of the Seas had only been out for 3 days and within those three days, Levi’s already memorized the movie script word for word. The writing, graphics, animation, all of it drew him in and held his attention in a vice, and Levi, wouldn’t have it any other way.

The movie ended with Ruri flashing her iconic pose and the screen erupting in a burst of colourful flowers before the end credits. Levi reached over for his mouse to rewind the movie and start it again. It was a shame there was no end-credit scene, but that just meant he didn’t have to spend the next year worrying about a cliffhanger. While a second movie was teased, there wasn’t anything to back it up. Just as he was about to hit play, his DDD lit up with a text to come down for breakfast before he was late.

Levi quickly checked the time on his computer. The numbers 7:30 lit up the screen. He looked at his DDD again to double-check the time. He’d been up watching this movie all night… Groaning, Levi stretched in his gaming chair. Hearing his joints pop after spending hours in the same position was simultaneously reliving and painful. He could probably watch a regular episode from the series before- His DDD lit up with an incoming call from Satan. What could his brother want at this hour? Picking up his DDD, he answered the call. “Sa-“

“So you are still alive. Good to know. Come down for breakfast before Beel eats it all.”

“What- It’s 7:30. We still have half an hour before-“

“What “half-an-hour”. You didn’t forget about the meeting this morning, did you?”

Levi blinked a few times in confusion as he pulled up his calendar on his desktop.

“Levi…” a heavy sigh could be heard from the other end. “Get ready. I’ll save something for you. We’re leaving in 15.”

Satan hung up the call, leaving Levi dead silent on the other end. He was startled out of his shock when his DDD pinged with a message from Lucifer. Jumping off his chair, he grabbed his uniform hanging on the front of his closet and ran into the bathroom. He’d completely forgotten about the meeting for quarter-semester check-in. After struggling with his tie and buttons for a solid minute, he finally got his uniform on and grabbed his bag on the way out of his room. He texted Lucifer on his way down the stairs that he was coming and very nearly slid down the last step before catching himself.

Making it to the dining room, he avoided Lucifer’s stares and took a sandwich bag from Satan for his breakfast with a mumbled “thanks”. Grabbing his headphones, he plugged them into his DDD and put them on for the walk to RAD as he ate. Scrolling through his Impify playlists, he finally found the specific soundtrack from the Ruri movie and selected it; setting the rest of the playlist to play on shuffle.

Finally arriving at RAD, Levi didn’t bother taking off his headphones until he sat down and Diavolo began speaking. He pulled out the papers he needed for his part of the reports – progress on the afterschool curriculars for the tech department – and set them on the table. He half-tuned out the meeting, playing out scenes from the movie in his head and occasionally inserting himself into the scenes to fight alongside Ruri. He didn’t notice the meeting was over until Satan elbowed him to get his attention. Looking up, he could see the entire table looking his way. He blinked a few times before Lucifer cleared his throat, causing Levi to shrink into his seat after being put at the center of attention. “Umm… Yes? What was the question?”

Lucifer sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

“If you could pay attention now, Levi. I had asked if you had any improvements you’d like to recommend to your departments.”

Levi shook his head.

“Nothing I didn’t already bring up, no.”

“Alright then, I believe that settles all my matters. We’ll meet again next week, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel.” Diavolo grinned and settled his hands on the table, looking at the brothers as crickets chirped in the background. Varying degrees of confusion on each brother’s face.

“My Lord…?-“

Diavolo waved his hand dismissively. “It’s a human saying, Lucifer. Never mind. I’ll text Lucifer the meeting date and time for our next check-in. You’re all dismissed.”

The brothers all got up and broke off into their own smaller groups. Various conversations mixing as they left the council room. Lucifer stayed behind as he organized his papers. He glanced up at Diavolo from the corner of his eye.

“That was very… spontaneous, even for you.”

Diavolo pouted and put on his best puppy eyes. “Aww, but Lucifer, Levi’s into that stuff, isn’t he? I’ve been watching human animation to prepare myself for his party.”

Lucifer shook his head with a sigh and a slight smile. “That is the wrong genre of animation, Diavolo. He’s more into Japanese animation and their mobile Gacha games. Believe me, it’s not worth devoting too much of your time to.”

“Now now, Lucifer. Isn’t that something for me to decide?” Diavolo rested his elbows on the table and his chin atop his hands. His head was tilted slightly as his voice jumped up an octave as he questioned his friend. He smiled as Lucifer seemed to stiffen and swallow his wanted response.

“Right, it was not my intention to overstep, my Lord.”

Diavolo rested his arms and turned around in his chair to face Lucifer, one arm resting on the table, the other in his lap. He chuckled quietly and kept his aloof smile.

“I was only teasing, Lucifer. You needn’t stiffen up. Speaking of Leviathan’s birthday, what are you planning for it? I know you always try and do something special for your brothers.”

Lucifer filed away his papers and while he had every notion to cut this meeting short, he wanted to get back at Diavolo, and what better way than to tease him back? He smirked and glanced at Diavolo through his peripheral.

“There’s a little something, yes. I guess you’ll have to just wait and see, my Lord.”

Lucifer couldn’t help but chuckle at the immediate pout from his response. He stood up and adjusted the strap of his shoulder bag.

“I guess I can give you one hint. It’ll be quite, magical~ I’ll see you tomorrow, Diavolo.”

Levi shut off his alarm, groaning in annoyance to having been woken up. Snuggling into his body pillow, he mumbled about sleeping in for 5 more minutes when his door burst wide open, a shrill scream escaping him as a result. Mammon however was undisturbed by Levi’s scream and marched right over to the bathtub, effortlessly lifting his younger brother out of the bathtub.

“C’MON SLEEPY HEAD! TIME T’A-AAAHHHHH”

Levi’s tail had wound its way around to smack Mammon square in the chest, knocking both him backwards toward Levi’s door and the wind out of him.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!? YOU DON’T JUST WAKE SOMEONE UP LIKE THAT YOU IDIOT! YOU STUPID MONEY-GRUBBING SCUMBAG IDIOT OF A BROTHER! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT-“

“What’s all this ye-“, Beel had popped his head through the door. He heard screaming on his way to breakfast and got curious.

“This idiot decided to break down my door and just grab me out of my peaceful sleep-“

“You were awake-“

“Shut up, Mammon!”

“He was making sure you weren’t missing your breakfast, Levi… We told him to make sure you were awake before I ate it all…” Beel tilted his head in confusion, but didn’t help Mammon off the floor. “Did you forget?”

Levi stared at Beel, blinking in confusion as he tried to remember what was so important about today that they actually arranged this. Before he could come to an answer, Beel provided it for him.

“You knew you’d sleep in since we don’t have RAD today and you knew Mammon was the most annoying out of all of us-“

“HEY-“

“So you asked him to make sure you didn’t miss your birthday breakfast. You don’t remember that?”

Birthday… Breakfast…? Levi grabbed his DDD off the charger and checked the date. His eyes widened when he realized that Beel was talking about his birthday. It was already the 9th!?

“Satan’s breakfast smells so good….” Beel drifted away from the door, quickly making his way downstairs toward the kitchen. They already made sure that Levi was awake so if he didn’t get to the food in time, well, that was Levi’s fault.

“W-WOAH! WAIT UP BEEL!” Levi in turn had rushed out of his room. Satan had told him his present would have been Ruri-inspired meals of Japanese food for breakfast and dinner. He wasn’t about to let Beel just devour it all before he could even get a taste!

Levi raced downstairs, his demon form disappearing as he made his way to the dining room. Satan was coming out of the kitchen with Beel practically towering over him, waiting for breakfast to be served. An entire spread containing everything from omelettes with Azuki-tan drawn with ketchup on them to miso soup with flower cutouts of tofu were spread around the table while the brothers filed in.

“Just sit down, Beel! This is for Levi. I have more for you in the kitchen.” Satan plated the last of the omelettes with a sigh, placing a hand on Beel’s chest and pushing him back. His other hand pointing towards the kitchen “Kitchen.” Beel quickly turned around and went back to grab his portion of breakfast while the rest of the brothers, sans Lucifer, sat down. Levi was too busy admiring the spread that he didn’t notice Asmo coming up behind him until he felt the 5th born throw his arms around him. Startled, Levi yelped and seized. Asmo only giggled and nuzzled his cheek against his older brothers.

“Happy Birthday, Levi! Oh your skin’s feeling so rough- you haven’t been staying up all night binging and gaming again, have you? I’ve told you over and over again that you need a good night’s sleep to keep it nice and clear. Your eyebags are starting to form, dear.” Asmo had grabbed Levi’s face with both his hands, squishing his cheeks and frowning over his complexion. “Come to my room after breakfast and I’ll give you the Birthday glow up~”

Levi grabbed Asmo’s wrists and slowly brought them down from his face. “My skin’s just fine, Asmo. And I don’t have eyebags. They form after a week up anyways…”

“What was that,” Asmo tilted his head as Levi mumbled the last bit.

“N-nothing!”

“Not to interrupt, but you might want to eat it while it’s still hot and before Beel finishes his own breakfast.” Satan addressed the two with his hands on his hips. Belphie was already asleep at the table and Mammon had just made his way downstairs.

“Were y’a just gonna leave me there on the floor!?”

“Where’s Lucifer?” Completely ignoring Mammon, Asmo sat down and reached for an omelette and pulled out his DDD to take a picture while Mammon continued to gush over the food. “Oh Satan, these little drawings are just adorable!”

Satan smiled proudly and took his own seat, reaching for a bowl of miso soup. “The designs were simple enough. Ruri’s design though, man that took me 10 whole minutes. Drawing cats on my omelettes make good practice though.”

“Shtiw Shweeping,” Beel joined the group while carrying an armful of various dishes and some rice in his mouth. He didn’t want to eat alone in the kitchen after all. Placing his plates down, he nudged Belphie awake and gave him some boiled buffo eggs before swallowing. “He was up late last night. I could hear him sleeping when I passed by his room.”

Satan rolled his eyes and scooped up a spoonful. “Tch, of course he couldn’t even be up for this.”

“Easy Satan, you don’t know what he could have been doing last night-”

“I know what he was doing, Asmo. I’m just saying.”

Levi wasn’t paying much attention to the conversations around him. He was too busy with the breakfast in front of him. He took out his DDD and took a few pictures of the little customizations Satan mixed in with the breakfast. He wondered how much prep this would have taken. If breakfast was this nice, he couldn’t wait for dinner to see what Satan would come up with. “It’s even better than the official Ruri themed snacks and official meals. Thank you, Satan.”

Satan looked up at his brother and smiled. “Wait until you see dinner. Today and today only, alright, Levi?”

“Yes,” he laughed and grabbed a fork. He had taken the omelette with Ruri’s chibi face on it and with a heavy heart, cut into the design. Just as he did so, he felt something bump into his leg. Looking down, he noticed MC walking around looking seemingly half asleep. Picking them up, he set them in his lap. That immediately earned him jealous looks from the rest of his brothers. He smirked and grabbed a small bowl of rice for them to start with while he ate his eggs. It was his birthday and he intended to keep MC to himself today.

Lucifer did eventually show up near the end of breakfast looking like he’d spent all night marathoning his paperwork on the computer. Asmo immediately launched into a spiral over his appearance and invited him to join him and Levi in his room after breakfast for a spa day. Levi swallowed down his bite with some tea and blinked at Asmo. “I never agreed to that-“

“You didn’t say no either,” he waved his hand dismissively, “Ne- Lucifer, what do you say? A little one-on-one time with-“

“I’m busy, Asmodeus. Another time.” Lucifer walked by the dining room toward the kitchen to brew himself some coffee. Hearing the coffee pot going, Satan rolled his eyes.

Levi finished his breakfast and grabbed the soup MC was drinking. With MC in one arm and their soup in the other hand, he slipped out of the dining room back to his room. He knew his brothers would have some sort of party planned for him today, but that wouldn’t be until later tonight. He specifically requested not to do anything this afternoon. He wanted time to relax and prepare before socializing later with his brothers, Purgatory hall, and the royals. Everyone was invited and he was praying that someone told Solomon Satan was taking care of the food. The last thing he wanted today was food poisoning from Solomon’s cupcakes…

Sitting himself down in his gaming chair, he reached over to grab his headphones and a smaller set for MC. He gave them their soup and set the headphones atop their head. They could just listen to him game for now. He’ll pull up something 2-player later. Logging into his computer, he opened his game and wound his arms around MC on either side of them to reach his mouse and keyboard. Grinning as the game started playing.

About an hour later, he felt MC squirm in his lap a few times. “The round’s almost done MC. Just a second.” A few minutes later, the victory message played over the screen. A triumphant ‘Yes!’ could be heard as Levi pumped his fist. “Alright MC. What do you want to play? Devil Kart? Demon Crossing? There’s Demon Boy and Angel Girl? Oh! How about this new retro game I found? Immortal Combat! Apparently it used to be a big arcade game back in the human realm.”

Levi pulled up his browser to search for the website he found the game on when he felt MC tug at his sleeve. “Huh? Just a second MC, let me pull it up. Unless you had something else in mind?”

MC shook their head and pointed to Levi’s desk shelf. Several figurines, gaming controllers and accessories were organized on the shelves. Levi turned his head slightly in confusion. “You want to play with the console instead of keyboard? Sure- “

MC shook their head again and hopped out of Levi’s lap. They pointed to an empty section of the shelf. A small spot where there was no dust. A ring of a clean base could be seen, like something was removed. Levi rolled over and looked over the shelf. His eyes widened when he noticed that his special edition figurine from Ruri-Hana’s new Searise Monster Movie was missing! Bolting up from the chair, he started looking around the area in a panic.

“No no no no! It was just there yesterday! M-maybe it fell somewhere? MC, help me look for it! It’s a brand new special edition figurine- only 50 were made and the first 5 were signed copies! There’s no way I lost my signed copy of the figurine!”

He took everything off that specific shelf, looking through every single one of the shelves around the room. Around the computer. Behind it, under it, under the desk and his chair. He even took his blankets out of the bathtub to look for it! MC didn’t have any luck either, and feel Levi’s frustration and panic rise with each passing second, they padded over to the costume bin. They knew it was likely Mammon either took it or Levi just misplaced it, but they didn’t want the 3rd born running around the house in a rampage and summoning Lotan… Grabbing a hat and magnifying glass, they walked over to Levi and tugged on his pant leg. Irritated at still not being able to find his figurine, Levi almost snapped at MC. He paused when he saw what they were holding. Blinking a few times, he blinked away his tears of frustration and wiped his eyes.

“R-right! Satan plays detective all the time when he loses things. We can do that too!”

He grabbed the hat and magnifying glass from MC and went over to his cosplay trunk before pulling out a trench coat, a monocular, and a smaller magnifying glass for MC. He put the trench coat on and helped MC put on the monocular. He stood back with his hand on his chin, thinking. There was something missing… browsing through his shelves, he looked for something in particular…

“Aha! Yes!” Grabbing an Azukki-tan pin, he pushed it through the chain of the monocular and fastened it before grabbing one for himself and pinning it to the brim of his hat. “There we go. All set! The Mystery of who took the Special Signed Edition of Ruri-Hana Searise Monster Movie Figurine will be solved and the figurine returned to its rightful spot on its shelf! Let’s go MC!

Running out of his room, he looked behind him to make sure MC was following him. They were padding after him; looking through the magnifying glass. He couldn’t help but smile and blush slightly at how cute they looked like that.

“First, we’ll need a list of suspects! Now, let’s see. I was alone in my room all night yesterday. No one came to see me. I don’t remember if it was there when I woke up or not, which means someone must have stolen it between then and breakfast! No one was left alone in my room besides,” he looked down at MC for a minute, the two of them nodding their heads, “Mammon!”

Together, the two marched over to Mammon’s room, Levi taking the lead by busting down Mammon’s door much like he did with his this morning. “MAAMMMOOONNN!!! WHAT DID-“

MC cut Levi off by tugging on his trench coat and folding their arms. Shaking their head, they pointed to their magnifying glass. Levi looked down at the matching one in his hand and remembered. There were a few questions that needed to be asked first. Looking back at Mammon – who was still seated stunned on his couch – he pulled out a notepad from one of the coat pockets.

“Where were you this morning between the hours of- what time did I go to sleep last night…”

Mammon blinked at Levi for a few seconds before he realized the 3rd born was expecting an answer. “How the hell am I supposed t’a know!? I passed out after 11 last night cause I knew I had t’a be up to wake you up early today!”

“Okay so you weren’t in my room when I was sleeping. Then- What were you doing while we were all at breakfast between the time you came to wake me up and came back down?”

Mammon blinked once again at Levi, confused as to what the hell was going on and where all this came from. “Are one of yer things missin’ again-“

“Aha! I never said what was wrong! Only the guilty would kno-“

“Y’a only act like this when one of yer things are missin’, Levi. ‘Sides, why would I steal somethin’ from y’a if I’m gonna give y’a a gift anyways?” He rolled his eyes and went back to counting the Grimm on the table in front of him. “I didn’t take nothin’. I got off my ass- thank you for knockin’ it flat, by the way, then came downstairs t’a eat before Beel ate everythin’.”

“Is that so… And where did all this money come from, hmm? My Figurine is worth at least double so if-“

“I got paid yesterday, Levi”

Silence stretched throughout the room for a full minute before Mammon looked back up at Levi from the corner of his eyes. “Levi…?”

Levi was looking around Mammon’s room, stunned by his older brother’s responses. Hearing his name, he shook his head to clear his mind.

“Are y’a good?”

“You really didn’t take it?”

“I may be ‘scum’, but seriously Levi. No I didn’t take nothin’. Maybe tomorrow but- owww! The Hell!”

Levi narrowed his eyes at Mammon and struck him in the head with the bottom of his magnifying glass. Scoffing, he rolled his eyes and sighed. “Sorry… Do you know who it could have been?”

Mammon rubbed the top of his head and looked up at Levi with one eye before opening the other. “Y’a should be sorry. An’ no, I don’t. Ask someone else.”

Frowning in defeat, Levi looked at the Grimm on the table and took a small handful. Mammon jumped to his feet, tensing and trying to reach out to swipe the Grimm back from Levi. “HEY! Y’A DON’T-“

“You still owe me 300 Grimm for last week, Mammon. Don’t forget that.”

Leaving Mammon alone in his room, Levi left the room and shut the door once MC was out with him. He scratched the top of his head. “Okay but if it wasn’t Mammon… who else could it have been?”

He walked around the house with his chin in hand, thinking aloud. “I haven’t seen Asmo all morning. Satan was busy making breakfast. Belphie’s always asleep… Beel was by my room this morning! To the kitchen!”

Levi started speedwalking toward the kitchen when the sound of Beel’s stomach caught his attention from the living room. Coming to a stop, he backtracked to the living room and peeked over the sofa where Beel was sitting with Belphie asleep in his lap.

“Beel?”

“Satan won’t let me in the kitchen… can you get me something to eat, Levi? I’m hungry and Belphie fell asleep on me. I don’t want to wake him up…” Beel gave Levi his best puppy-dog eyes. He really was hungry but Satan won’t let anyone into the kitchen so they don’t eat the food he was making for dinner.

“Buddy I don’t think you’ll wake up Bel-“

Beel gasped as MC handed him a bag of popcorn. From where they got it, no one knew, but Beel now had some food. He reached down to hug MC tightly. “Thanks! Now I don’t have to wake Belphie up!”

Levi shrugged and took out his notepad. At least now he could have Beel’s attention without him focusing only on his stomach. “Where were you between last night and breakfast?”

Beel’s chewing slowed down as he thought about it. Swallowing, he tilted his head. “I was watching the New Super Devil Bro’s with Belphie last night, went for a midnight snack run, went to sleep. Woke up for more snacks because I was hungry, went back to sleep. Woke up for my morning jog, came back, tried to get a snack, but Satan had already started breakfast and wouldn’t let me in- he did give me a bowl of poisonberry’s though, so I ate those, took a shower, then found you yelling at Mammon in your room. Then we went to have breakfast.”

Levi put his notebook down about halfway through Beel’s recap of last night and this morning. There was nothing telling from any of that. “And you didn’t go into my room at all?”

Looking up at Levi with a bit of confusion, Beel shook his head. “No… is something wrong, Levi?”

Groaning, Levi sat himself down forcefully, hitting his head with the open notebook, mumbling into it. “Someone took my special edition figure and it wasn’t Mammon… Whenever Satan plays detective-“

“IT’S NOT A GAME!” Satan’s voice could be heard shouting from the kitchen. He came out with a hand towel, leaning against the doorframe. He smirked at the looks he got from the 3 in the room. “Demons have good hearing. You lost your figurine?”

Levi nodded and leaned back against the couch, turning his head to look at Satan. “How do you normally find things when you play detective?”

“Like I said earlier, I don’t play detective. I become a detective. It’s not the same. When did you lose it?”

“I don’t know… I’m pretty sure I had it last night. I didn’t even notice it was missing until MC pointed it out.”

“So it went missing between last night and this morning?”

“Yes, but Mammon didn’t take it. I checked. He and Beel were the only ones in my room…”

Satan smiled and slung the towel over his shoulder. “Are you sure?”

Levi tilted his head at the 4th born. “What’s that supposed to mean? Of course I’m sure.”

Pushing himself off the doorway, he waved as he went back to the kitchen. “Then good luck searching.”

Levi groaned and facepalmed, sinking further into the couch. “Yeah. Big help, Satan.”

“ANYTIME!”

“Why do I get the feeling he knows more than he lets on…”

“Maybe ask Asmo if he’s seen it?” Beel munched on the fistful of popcorn. He already seemed to have finished half the bag. Levi got up and slid his notebook back in his pocket. “Yeah- might as well. Detective Levi will find a clue somewhere! …It sounds better when Satan says it.”

“OF COURSE IT DOES-“

“SHUT UP SATAN! Geez, come on MC. Asmo should be in his room.”

Pulling out a granola bar, MC handed it to Beel before hurrying after Levi. Walking through the halls, they felt bad over how dejected Levi seemed to be with each dead end. Pressing themselves against his leg, they looked up at him. Levi looked down to see MC’s face. He pouted and pet the top of their head. “Don’t look at me like that… you’ll make me feel sorry for feeling sorry.” Laughing quietly, he gave MC a small smile. “We’ll find it today! Don’t worry!” Whether he was trying to cheer himself up or MC up, he didn’t know. He just wanted to find his figurine. He didn’t think he’d be able to enjoy his birthday party if he was too busy wondering where it was.

Reaching Asmo’s door, he lifted his fist to knock when the door swung open. The front of his shirt was grabbed as he was dragged inside. “W-WHOA! What the-“

“You actually came! Don’t worry about anything, I have the whole setup spread out! Oh we’re going to make you look perfect for your party! I just knew you’d come! MC darling, have a seat right there. I’ll get to you once I’m done with Levi, kay~?”

MC climbed up onto the vanity stool and kicked their legs, stifling a laugh as Asmo started doting over Levi. Pulling out their DDD, they pulled up Mononoke Land to pass the time.

It was about 2 hours later before they were finally released by Asmo’s clutches. Levi sat in the corner while he finished up with MC. “So you really have no idea where my figurine is?”

“Levi hun, I didn’t even know you had one-“

“Of course I had one! I’ve been talking about this movie a month before it came out!”

Asmo put down the brush and let MC hop off the vanity before packing everything up. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m sure it will come up when you’re not looking for it anymore.”

“Jee… thanks… Let’s go MC.” Levi stood up and left the room with MC. Feeling his DDD buzz, he opened it up to the group chat. Everyone else began arriving for his party, but he wasn’t really feeling it. He looked down at his companion. “If I don’t show up, do you think anyone will notice?”

MC looked up at Levi, blinking twice.

“Right- of course they’d notice. I’m the Main Character for tonight.” Sighing heavily, he made his way to the living room. “We might as well see what Satan whipped up for dinner.”

Walking into the living room, he took off the coat and hat, laying them over the arm of one of the couches just as the Purgatory Hall residents came in.

“Happy Birthday Leviathan! Oh? What has you so down?” Simeon held a wrapped present but placed it on the table when he saw the look on Levi’s face.

“What’s with the costume?” Solomon held his own gift, gesturing to the coat Levi just took off.

“Hey guys, thanks. Oh, it’s nothing.” Levi shrugged and sat down. He could smell Satan’s dinner, but Diavolo and Barbatos weren’t here yet, so the food wouldn’t be coming out soon. Satan himself did pop out of the kitchen though. He looked over at Levi sitting dejectedly on the couch. “Still haven’t found it?”

“Found what? Did you lose something, Levi?” Luke perked up. He’d brought some cupcakes, carrying them over to Satan so he could store them safely in the kitchen as it seemed Beel hadn’t been allowed in there.

“My Special Edition Signed Figurine of Ruri-Hana’s Searise Monster Movie model is missing. I’ve been looking for it all day- well, MC and I have been looking all day.”

“If by lookin’ y’a mean harrassin’ us for it, then y’a, you were. Y’a still haven’t found the thing?”

Levi shook his head and glared at Mammon. He wasn’t really in the mood to celebrate as the others in the room exchanged looks on what they could do to cheer him up. In that moment, Lucifer came in with Diavolo and Barbatos behind him.

“The House of Lamentation, quiet? How often does that happen?” Diavolo’s cheerful voice carried through the room. “Happy Birthday Leviathan! Another wonderful year with the rest of your brothers and many more to come!”

Lucifer raised a brow at Levi’s lack of response. “Leviathan-“

“Right, right. Thanks Lord Diavolo. I guess…”

Lucifer sighed and shook his head. “Levi, what’s the problem.”

“He misplaced one of his figurines. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you, Lucifer?” Satan looked at his older brother and raised a brow, knowing full well but wanting Lucifer to say it instead.

“Ah, this figurine perhaps?” Lucifer smiled and revealed the signed movie figurine from his inner coat pocket. Levi looked up and sprang to his feet when he saw it. His eyes widened as he looked between the stand and his brother.

“YES! Wait- how- when- Why did you take it!?”

Lucifer chuckled and held up a hand to calm his younger brother. “Easy, Levi. I simply had to borrow it for your gift. Now she’s still fragile and only lasts for a few hours. She might not be a perfect copy, but it was the closest I could get. You can come out now.”

From behind Lucifer, a small child sporting 2 twin piglets and a bright pink and white dress stepped out. Big purple eyes looked up and around the room in curiosity before her eyes landed on Levi. “Leviachan..?” She walked over to the demon and tilted her head to the side before reaching out to touch him. “You are Leviachan, right?”

Levi stood rooted to the spot the moment he saw Ruri step out from behind Lucifer. His eyes darted between her and his brother, as if trying to figure out if this was real or not. When he felt her touch him though, he felt his face turn a bright red before his knees buckled. Simeon just barely managed to catch him before he hit the ground.

Ruri looked down at Levi with a tilted head and confused expression. “Oh… did I scare him? Hmm? Oh hi, what a peculiar companion.” Ruri looked at MC who seemed to be handing her the Azuki-tan pin Levi had attached to their monocle. Looking down at Levi, they summoned some cold water to splash onto his face to wake him up.

Mammon stared wide eyed at Ruri for a few moments before looking at her and Luke a few times and snickering. “Hey- she’s shorter than the Chihuahua. Y’a ain’t the shortest one today.”

“I’M NOT A CHIHUAHUA!”

[commehter]

Netflix Live Action ATLA Adaptation

I'll admit upfront that I generally prefer animation over live action, and old school 2D animation in particular will forever have a place in my heart. I prefer the bright colors, stylized art, and easier suspension of disbelief inherit to the medium of animation. I also don't recall ever watching a live action adaptation of any animated movie or series that I considered to be better than the original.

So, I wasn't exactly excited for Netflix's new ATLA project, but I was, at least, curious. I'd not gone out of my way to follow any news or interviews about it, but I heard a few things here and there and I'd watched a trailer or two. Last night, I watched the first 30-ish minutes, and... I have a few thoughts. Just thoughts. No deep-dive critique or fiery damnation, just a few musings from my initial impression of the series.

It doesn't look like the project is Shyamalan bad, at least. Of course, Shyamalan dropped the bar to the floor and then blew it up with blasting jelly, so it would have been impressive if Netflix had managed worse.

The CG bending still has the problem of more often looking like fantasy mage spellcasting than of martial art bending. The bender does a series of movements like they're crafting a spell and after the fact there's an elemental outburst in response, rather than the element moving with the bender as an extension of them. It's clunky. (Also, Aang's first glider is iconic. Why avoid using it in his introduction for a sequence that looks like he's a step away from achieving Zaheer-style flight?)

The project seems to have settled on a tell-over-show approach for getting the uninitiated up to speed. It's a bit painful when a movie does this, but surely eight episodes is enough time that you don't need to cram in an explanation for everything right up front? The audience isn't so stupid that they can't figure out a few things without you telling them direct to their faces, or so impatient that you can't wait to address a secondary issue a few episodes in. You can give your own audience a little credit, can't you?

I'm a bit baffled as to why they felt the need to move the beginning scenes of the show to the pre-war timeframe, and then used some random EK spy. If you're going to mess with where in the timeline you start, why not jump straight into Sozin betraying Roku while they're fighting a volcano? It's got action, spectacle, and you can have Sozin monologue to his once-friend as he's dying rather than some nobody spy that he's only talking to for the sake of the camera. That one scene could be used to establish the Avatar's role, Sozin's ruthless ambition, and the state of the world as well as threat of the coming war. If you want to start things off with a bang and some establishing exposition, which is clearly what they attempted to do, then I don't understand why you don't immediately go to this scene.

This one's small, but why are so many FN soldiers using metal weapons during the attack on the Air Temples? They had to firebend/rocket their own way up from the look of things, so they're all benders. Those weapons would have been unneeded weight during their ascent and the comet is a boon specifically to their bending, so... Yeah, I can't make that one make sense.

Why is Sozin, who is a national leader and old, personally heading a military campaign from the frontlines? Doesn't he have people for that? A literal army of people?

There are some other illogical choices, particularly for folks who know the world, but those are the ones I recall most vividly after sleeping on it for a night. (Reminder: I only watched the first 30-ish minutes, roughly half the episode.)

In summary, it didn't strike me as being terrible but it definitely had its share of avoidable problems. I'm not sure how much of it I'll end up watching, if I go back to it at all.

How about it folks? Any opinions on if I should or shouldn't try watching more of the Netflix series?

[unsleepingtales]

Mall Madness! Holy fucking shit that was absolute madness. This episode started off pretty comprehensible and then became Not That.

The set looks so good!!

There’s no after bit. Ominous.

Look at their haaaaats

Cloaca mini is iconic

Cassandra mini Cassandra mini Cassandra miniiiii

THACO BELL

All the store names are incredible. Thank you for the battle set tour.

Oh my god this got intense quickly

Horrifying! I am so uncomfortable :)

Hold MONSTER??

What does that mean though Brennan. No spoilers but what does that mean.

Ooh editing!

This is heartbreaking actually

It’s not zeitgeist this is just a Beardsley Bit.

(It’s my favorite Beardsley Bit)

BRENNAN.

The other shoe has not yet dropped?? Bro??

Oh does time act all weird in the synod

Kinetic Jaunt <3

What are you Doing

Oh my GOD Lou

👀 you wanna jump on a table.

‘Does she need scratchies?’ ‘Ooh, you don’t got cats.’ (As a cat owner I felt this in my very soul)

I love arcane trickster mechanics so much

Is he FLOSSING

The amount of just. Pained groans. Coming out of the players this episode.

Why are they attacking them???

So mature I love them

Banged out that first level spell 😏

That’s fucking gross.

That’s horrifying!

You thought he was just doing it for shits and giggles

Allyyyyy

The dome art is great. Love bloodbath and beyond behind Brennan

I love that they’re trying to protect Cassandra

Silvery barbs baby!

(I love silvery barbs I used it a few sessions ago to stop someone ripping off our barbarian’s arm and I hadn’t told the dm that I took it in our last level up so the look on his face was delightful)

“This ancient mall” as if this is not an incredibly new development

Emily what are you about to do

Conor Counterspell <3

WHY

Awww

I need Cassandra to be okay. Please.

Fig loves an intern

This is so bad

ZERO INITIATIVE???

Oh my FUCKING god that post was righttt

Gorgug Thistlespring you genius I love you <3

Ooh the red energy is moving on the dome background love that

Gorgug!!!

Kristen. Kristen.

Also Ally I get where you’re coming from I really do but you’re level ten. There are so many opportunities to raise your dex between levels one and ten. This is a bit. I LOVE AND RESPECT THE BIT.

NAT FUCKING TWENTY THATS BEARDSLEY BLESSED MOTHERFUCKER

Minus three to dex, also in real life

Ooooh okay okay

We honor nat 20s on this show!!!

The character ability is I Read The Handbook

Are they what now

Oop

Forty one damage each?!

Goddamn

Hello??

What????

Brennan fully broke Emily with that. This is like Murph with the yorbies.

YEAH I JUST SAID THAT!!

What the FUCK Brennan

WHAT

What the fuck 😭😭

This is insanity

Girly said I think I need to go to the hospital 😭

Body or mind!!!

I’m losing my shit oh my god

The pride armor?? That Gilear took?

Oh nooooo

You did that sheet babe

Love the little field notes notebook <3

She’s so buff and still has no idea how to attack

Ok so these things are sentient

This is sick as fuck. Siobhan you’re the coolest person ever.

Look at Zac’s dice bag! It says Gorgug Thistlespring on it!

Rip Conor counterspell you were a real one

Oh god oh fuck

Oh nooo

Like she’s about to pounce!!

Zac and Siobhan are cat owners they know

Aaaaaaaaaaa

Oh my god

Horrifying. Horrifying!!

I love Fabian sooooo much

WHAT

Oh noooooooooo

Oh SHIT

We’ve had the box of doom out so many times this session

They’re already down why do you need to attack them????

NOT BEARDSLEY SINGING THE CLOWN MUSIC

Bardic Shrimpspiration 🥲

Oh my god that is so many dice

Clap if you believe in fairies

Yeah the statistics on that weren’t great.

Brennan said skanking in the most pensive voice

“I’m done talking to you” gorgug is excellent

Oof. That right there is what we call an oof.

(Listen the drawback to dating people with good music taste is sometimes you want to still listen to their playlists after you break up. It’s fine.)

I love it when gorgug tries to reason with unreasonable people

How many different Cassandra minis??

Anger is so powerful and it can be so destructive or helpful depending on so many awful factors aaaaaa

Beardsley has gotten good at d&d it’s incredible

I love this show so much

Oh my GOD

Now is the time for a Beardsley roll

FUCK

FUCKKKKK

Girlieeeeeeeeeeeee

Oh my god

The hands and the face that Ally does-

Big money no gilears big money no gilears

Oh my GOD

Babe he has given you so many rolls this is just fucking cursed

The cat brothers meme with Conor and Colin Counterspell

NINTH LEVEL CIRCLE OF DEATH

I am so stressed

What? For what? You did this for what???

WHAT???

Gross???

Are they gonna fucking. Redo this battle. And throw the party.

Hey hi hello what the fuck

Oh my GOD FUCK OFF FUCK ALL THE WAY OFF

I will break you in a way that none who loved you will recognize the ruin I have wrought. Brennan. Brennan stop.

Did Adaine lose her job :(

Has YES! been haunting Cassandra??

Where did Emily get a blanket from

Jesus.

Ohhh it was derisive

What an insane thing. We’re so back. And also what the actual fuck.

The slow zoom on Ally 😭

Fig and the Hangman <3

Murph is so committed to the goblin hisses <3

It wasn’t weird that I did that!!

The thousand yard stare

GSA STRONG

Does the hangman have a radio

I’m sobbing what the fuck is happening

NAT FUCKING TWENTY

Where was that when they were trying to save the god

Through fucking gritted teeth ‘I love my friends. I love my friends.’

What the fuck is going on

‘Religious awe’ wild way to put that Brennan

What the FUCK man

He’s too buttery!

Sooooo much property damage

Kristen is so goddamn traumatized and everyone is having a weird time.

So next week looks fun. I have no idea what thoughts are in my head right now. Gonna need to rewatch that tomorrow and see if I can pull some coherence from it. Most of it seemed to make some kind of sense at the time.

[laputaindefrenchgirl]

the realm’s delight.

Rhaenyra.

How long has it been since I’ve fell in love with a character like I did with you? Your pain, your joy, your freedom and your fire. All of these things made you so unique and magnetic in a way that pushed me to be obsessed over House of the Dragon as a tv-show like I haven’t been in maybe a decade. 

WARNING : all spoilers. 

‘Nyra, she embodies a moment of my life, she is a woman fighting the madness and the patriarchy but all the while owning who she wants to become. When Milly first appeared on my screen, her smille was blinding. The way she exhaled mischief and confidence bound me to her eternally in a way few characters ever did. No one wants to give her the throne when it begins, not even her own father but she asks him repeatedly through this first season, “if you want me to become your heir, fight for me”. Brave and Bold and Dragon. I love how she dares to ask for what she has been shamed for deserving, for what seems to be the toughest to ask. How humiliating it is but eventually she sees the bigger picture as she’s growing up and she goes for what she fucking deserves. 

She is both a giver and a receiver. I love how it’s pretty well depicted all season long. She’s choosing her lovers, the father(s) of her sons, but she gives away bits of her that she will never get back for the throne. These intimates little things which are hidden and kind of broken in the name of duty and what’s supposedly right. Morally speaking. Yet she’s untamed and fucks who she bloody wants.

Speaking of fucking, a scene truly embodies to me the sense of womanhood which is so often overlooked or not understood. When Daemon took her to that brothel in that scene, he lit flames in her. Suddenly, it’s all heated touches and urgency and she truly burns with her own desire for the first time in her life. He slices her open with lust and ablaze sensations. And she does meet him halfway with a desire so wild that it does burn him. And from my perspective, that lack of control pisses him off. She is more than that young thing that he thinks he can bend to his will. She is a Dragon. So eventually he leaves her there, but guess what? She still wants to have sex, she needs to have that orgasm. You rarely see a woman allowing herself to seek pleasure that way, and to actually find another partner in the minute or so to pretty much finish what Daemon started. That is one of the most powerful thing I’ve ever seen through a screen.

So, she finds our dear Cole. And she has sex with him. Following that episode, another pivotal moment happens. He asks her, “Run away with me, become my wife and leave this life” for two reasons, he loves her and he is not fully comfortable with the fact that he broke his vows by having sex with her, that royal hypocrite. And she basically says, “I’m sorry, I like you, but I won’t leave the throne and my crown for you”, because, man that is the Iron Throne, duh. He is shocked. Here lays of one of the most iconic line “You want me to be your whore?” and that is truly, to me, the greatest accomplishment of this show. It’s a role reversal. Kings, men in general, are known to have mistresses and that is normal and not really criticized, but when a woman does? She’s slut shamed. Rhaenyra will forever suffer of that (besides the fact that Laenor is not the actual father of her sons) but she sticks to her wants. She said no. And she’s my hero.

The way House of the Dragon painted patriarchy and that specific pressure on women, from Alicent and that feet moment, to Vaemond screaming “She is a whore!” as precious last words, are real. I found it interesting how women are discriminated by duty and yet sexualized through pleasure, mostly their own, or then their lack of pleasure in this show. Usually, women are super sexualized through the eyes of men, but here Rhaenyra seeks pleasure for herself instead of trying to please someone else. It’s major to me, all season long. And the parallel of divergent growth between Rhaenyra and Alicent is smart that way. Rhaenyra never pretended to pretend, they all knew she was taking what she decided that she deserved when Alicent let herself get choked by her father’s greed and the weight of giving heirs and what is morally good ; what is even more interesting is that she turns to religion to find comfort in all the uncomfortable decisions she took. Again, quite hypocrite in my opinion but it draws the prism of patriarcal values found in most religions.

The suffering Rhaenyra goes through is kind of unbearable. She is selfish enough to protect what she deems to protect, and it’s taken away from her almost each time, Aemma, Alicent’s love, her innocence, Harwin, her father, Visenya, and most of all, Lucerys. That final frame in the last episode? Don’t get me started on how powerful it is. 

Daemon is the only constant in all of her losses. Daemon is hers from the first second they appear on screen together, and even she doesn’t have him right away, she never lets go, never stop loving him. She pursues and lives with the idea that they are meant to be together. Blood of my Blood. Incestuous ties apart, their relationship is beautiful. They earn each other. They support each other. They love.

I strongly think (look how my humor is edgy) that we should take pride in our sins because they make us more empathic with whom are struggling with the same guilt. By owning your mistakes, you make sense out of them, and it’s the only way, to me, to grow into a better version of yourself. When Lucerys says to his mother “I’m not like you, I’m not perfect” it does embody the weight of all her choices. Emma D’Arcy acting in that sequence are phenomenal. They are the purest form of devotion and it underlines flawlessly what it took Rhaneryra to be where she is at that moment of her life.

Rhaenys, as the Queen who Never was, went early on through the same misogyny as Rhaenyra. But she chooses to accept her fate and to play her part. I love the scene where ‘Nyra says “I will create a new order” and how Rhaenys scoffs and answers “Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the iron throne”, and well, ain’t that truth is our society as well?

I will never be a son either. I can’t help but think how real this is. They make a burden out what is our greatest power. Womanhood is where truly lays the most creative form of all. Was it really that doomed from the start? Can’t women be deserving to be on that fucking throne? This might be a show about Dragons and Kings but this is in its essence a show about how women deserve more, if not all.

+ side note : I met Milly Alcock last month, and she is the cutest and so radiant! I was lucky enough to speak with her a few words and get her to sign one of my portrait of her as Rhaenyra. Lucky bitch indeed.

Rhaenyra, in your spirit, I’ll allow myself to take things I want but not only the one which I need, but also the ones that I deserve. This is what this endless fight is about. I will try to create a new order and I won’t shy away from a little bit of blood, because I think I have the fire of the Dragon too. 

-Audrey

[my-fragment-of-peace]

So if you've been around here for a while, you'll know that I have a love/hate relationship with DTS. I love it because it came out soon after I became an F1 fan and through it, I was able to learn a lot of the technicalities of the sport much quicker than I would've otherwise. I love it because of the funny moments we get from Guenther Steiner and the moments we got from Cyril Abiteboul (iykyk) and the moments we get from Toto Wolff. I love seeing all of the intricacies of the sport and getting to see what it's really like to behind the scenes and I think, in this aspect, the show has and has had a lot of potential. That being said, I hate that they overdramatize the show and I hate that they bring in plot lines that don't need to be there. For example, family/relationship drama, random statements that don't need to be made, when they show drivers at their absolute lowest, and just when they do things that are completely unnecessary in general. I also hate it because it seems as though the sport is now trying to stage dramatics in order to create a more interesting reality show. But anyway, I love the tea I love the chisme I love the educational moments and I hate what it's done to the sport. Let's get into it.

Drive to Survive Season 5 Episode 1 "The New Dawn" Thoughts & Opinions (Below the cut if you want to avoid spoilers)

Excuse me but why tf are we getting flashbacks to AD21? At the same time, I'm glad no one is forgetting. Good. Let them keep showing it. But I still hate to see it.

GUENTHERRRRRR I love that it's opening with him after that mess. A ray of pessimistic sunshine I adore him.

I had no idea Haas and Ferrari shared components until now, but looking back at last season, the math is indeed mathing, unfortunately.

Just learned Binotto makes wine as well. News to me. Only a few minutes in and already so many new facts.

This vineyard looks so beautiful and peaceful. Mentally I am there.

Now they're flashing back to all of Charles' downfalls last season. Why does DTS insist on giving me montages of pain?

"This is more close to Top Gun than a documentary." - Toto Wolff, DTS Season 5 Ep 1. Remember this moment. Icon. Legend.

Will Buxton literally always looks like Will Schuester from Glee in a way and it bothers me.

Lewis looks so cool. Like he can just be standing there, sunglasses on, minding his business, and he's still effortlessly the coolest person in the room.

Carlos talking about how good the Ferrari car is, is giving me literal pain. Little did they know. Little did we know.

Charles saying that he thought they'd have the opportunity for the world championship. More pain.

Nah Chr*stian, we don't hate because you're winning, we hate because your team and more specifically the winner on your team repeatedly says racist, sexist, and ableist things. But sure, think it's because people are jealous.

MAGNUSSEN. Honestly bringing him back was such a good call. He did phenomenally well last year in that shitty little car. Good for him.

Daniel talking about trying to find balance in the car. Pain once again.

Not gonna lie, I zoned out for a minute. It's late here and I'm starting to get sleepy lmao.

Haas with the hydraulic leak. I forgot this even happened tbh. It feels so long ago.

Rbr honestly seems so toxic to work for. Their drivers still did well, and they're only talking down to them/about them. Like...y'all have a good car. You have fast drivers...like...calm down and be at least a bit more decent and respectful. Fuck's sake.

Hearing Guenther speaking Italian is a new experience. I'm sure he has before, I just don't remember hearing it until now.

Zoned out for a minute again. May have slept for a moment idk.

DOUBLE FERRARI AND LEWIS PODIUM. I forgot how beautiful this moment was I swore this would be the best season it all felt possible in this moment.

"That's exactly how we should start a season." Yes Charles, it is. Now let's do it again this year please.

FORZA FERRARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well. That's over. I'm gonna go to sleep now. I was so hyped for this, but tbh, the show is kind of boring. It's just kind of pointless. It's different from what I remember. Do I no longer enjoy the tea or the chisme? Maybe not. Maybe I just want to watch the sport and let that be that. I'll have to keep watching tomorrow when I'm more awake and figure out the verdict then.

[ralalalsblog]

i like season 2 of shadow and bone!!

…but i also hated it. listen shadow and bone season 2 was an amazing experience like i LOVED tolya and tamar’s entrance and seeing 5 of our crows together warmed my heart but it was too not shadow and bone for me to absolutely love it. my memory might serve me wrong but in siege and storm the death of the sea whip was emphasized a LOT more in comparison to the show which i feel kind of dimmed the significance and ‘greatness’ of this mighty amplifier the sea whip. also am i wrong or did sturmhond or nikolai have different faces in the books? because i know that also highlighted how different these two personas are to nikolai like he views sturmhond as a whole other person who has freedom and everything he wants but can never attain but in the show there was very little emphasis on this. this whole nikolai and sturmhond being different thing also added on to nikolai’s personality and development as a character in the books which is why i feel that it not being as significant in the show would rlly not do nikolai’s character good in the long term. another thing is i wished there was more emphasis on genya and her whole ruined thing because the fandom absolutely ate up that line where genya said she wasn’t ruined she was ruin and that line came from a place of insecurity and pain from her being called ruin yet if that same place isn’t as developed in the shows we won’t get to see the same strong genya we love emerge from people calling her ‘ruined’ and getting over her insecurities. i absolutely HATED how in the last few episodes everything changed leigh and the writers might have wanted to give the readers a nice surprise with this change which is cute but we were expecting to see all the iconic scenes we had pictured a million times in our heads actually happen in the show for us to actually SEE instead of imagining like i personally was so excited to see some moments come to life. plus why did they kill david off so early and changed the triumvirate?? that just told me that they were gonna either change or not go with at all the plot of king of scars because the plot of that duology was heavily based on the idea of the triumvirate which consisted of genya, david and zoya. it also gave the whole idea of alina obtaining her peace more development cause she didn’t need to be in power or fight anymore yet alina staying in ravka with nikolai and being a part of the triumvirate has changed her entire character for me. i also wished we got to see more of wylan and jesper being introduced instead of them immediately knowing each other because now we won’t get to hear the iconic ‘not just girls line’ in show. anyways i liked it a lot but season 2 will not hold as special of a place in my heart as the books did because season 2 has just made me see the show and the books as two separate plots with the same characters.

[brucenorris007]

WHOO! Okay, Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate; Happy Holidays and Winter Solstice to the rest. I’m exhausted, halfway delirious, and I need to stay awake long enough to help preserve the magic for my 2 year old nephew, so let’s talk about why THIS:

Remains one of the most iconic moments, and perhaps the most iconic transformation, in anime.

First, we need to properly appreciate and immerse ourselves in the context. The year is 1991, CRTs are the primary means for broadcasting any entertainment medium into people’s living rooms around the world, anime is still a relatively niche interest in much of the west, and in Japan, Dragon Ball reigns as the undisputed King of the Shonen genre.

Point is, Goku’s among the most recognizable characters by children and teenagers alike. A kind, oft-goofy yet clever nature boy who, in a twist, was revealed to be not of this world, but nonetheless stands firm as our world’s strongest champion and protector, despite his alien origins. 

He’s lovable and loving, a boy-turned-man who loves fighting so much he would, provided the stakes are low, almost prefer to lose, because that means he has another summit to aim for, another challenge to overcome. Slow to anger, averse to cruelty, equipped with a breadth of heart that allows him to accept former enemies as friends and allies.

On June 12, 1991, the last three minutes of Dragon Ball Z’s 95th episode began the climax of Goku’s life story and universally gave chills to everyone who grew up with the boy called Son Goku. The transformation that had been built up as the ultimate mythical power in the universe, the closest thing the terrifying tyrant Freeza ever had to a horror story: A Super Saiyan. 

Let me be clear: this moment, in it’s original intention, wasn’t cool, wasn’t fun or a gag or anything that could be called natural progression like subsequent transformations in the series. THIS was the score played in the backdrop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeFoasNr3d4

It’s unsettling, eerie, scary even, the change that came over such a beloved character as Goku. As the following episodes would reveal, his transformation wasn’t simply aesthetic, but he also revealed a side of himself that had never been seen before in seven years on the page and five years on the screen. 

For the first time ever, Goku was out on a mission to hurt.

People had seen him hunt before, even kill, but after watching his best friend Kuririn perish at Freeza’s hand, Goku’s only end goal was to inflict the worst pain he could unto the demon who took his brother from him.

He got mean.

Goku could have ended Freeza’s life whenever he wanted; the way their battle concluded and the way Goku manhandled the tyrant in those first few exchanges after his transformation confirms that. 

But that wasn’t enough. Not for Freeza. Not for Kuririn, who as far as Goku knows, is gone, only to be seen again when his own life expires. 

No, Goku attacked Freeza where he was most vulnerable, the point that he knew would bring the monster the worst pain he could cause.

His ego.

Goku takes everything he can from Freeza by choosing to fight the latter at the height of his power instead of simply killing him outright.

He unequivocally robs Freeza’s title of strongest in the universe.

He steals any restful nights the despot might conceivably have ever again, having become his one true nightmare.

“I quit.”

He even takes away The ruler of the galaxy’s agency.

He makes clear that, short of stripping away his ego and shattering it to pieces, Freeza means nothing to him. Think about that for a second; this is a man who’s loved fighting for as long as anyone has known him, and yet he makes the incredibly powerful statement–to one who had been the universe’s strongest just minutes earlier–that he’s satisfied, done, going home.

He’s effectively telling Freeza: “You don’t decide when this fight ends.”

This is a Goku more ferocious and more informed by his Saiyan roots than any that anyone had seen until that summer of 1991, and arguably even since then. 

Freeza had stood at the top of whole fucking universe for decades as its ruler.

Yet Goku decided that day that he didn’t get to make any rules anymore.

This.

This is why Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation remains the most iconic in the series and among the most iconic in all of anime.

That’s all from me: Merry Christmas Eve, Tumblr. 

And to all a good night!