#(the original spark for this one is that they both canonically sing pretty good. that's it. no other justification)

[a-commas-a-pause]

I'm on an asoiaf kick at the moment apparently and I 100% blame you for this Kai, so you're getting all my 1:30am thoughts on the crack theory I developed when I first read these goddamn books at the age of 17.

[

I'm copying tags that were responding to my own tags here so this is a bit of a non-sequiter. My original tags for reference:

#i had a crack theory once that jaime and cersei were the bastard kids of mad king aerys #cos they're pretty. and incestous. and also because Tywin deserves it honestly like the irony would be on point #but I'm starting to think that maybe that wasn't a clue so much as george just really likes writing incest

and Kai(@listen-to-the-inner-walrus)'s:

#okay but your crack theory is like #a way better version of the tyrion targaryen theory #(im being mean to the theory but like. tyrion is a reflection of all the parts of tywin that tywin hates about himself and tyrion is very #much the son of tywin lannister and that inner turmoil for tyrion is like a good thing) #because its like #tywin is proud of cersei and of jaime as they grow up to be what noble children should grow up to be #they are his accomplishments #but when he takes them to kings landing aerys gives jaime the ''honour'' of being the youngest to join the kingsguard which is#paramount to stealing tywins heir from him and is an insult that tywin is forced to take as if a compliment #and then again he is snubbed by yhe targaryrns as cersei is passed over in favour of elia as bride to rhaegar #his daughter should have been future queen (queen regent?) #the idea of them being aerys' bastard children fits so well thematically as yet another snub to tywin

#but also because when the books begin jaime and cersei are bastardised versions of what they could have been under targaryen rule #if it was continued #yes jaime is a kingsguard but he is jaded and disillusioned and his name is forever tarnised by him being a kingslayer #and cersei is queen but to a man who has no interest in her nor the realm nor for being a king. her children are bastards and if they had #not been everything in kingslanding in agot would not have happened #also like youd have the parallel of tyrion killing his father and jaime killing his #and like thematic consistency with the ''all dwarfs are bastards in their fathers eyes'' #and its also just a little heartbreaking for tyrion who spent so much of his life learning about dragons and being interested in them #just for his siblings - who have always gotten it better than him - to be the ones who might be able to control dragons #i have no idea if this timeline works with the books but i like it so much

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Kai, you have correctly identified basically all the reasons I became so enamoured with this theory in the first place (I'm certain I'm not the first to come up with it but I did come up with it independently because I was way less online(tm) when I was 17). I think my original thought was the Tyrion theory, but then I was thinking about it and I was like "wouldn't that just prove Tywin right that Tyrion was a bastard though?" and I hated the idea of proving Tywin right. But that got me thinking about the other Lannister children. So spiting Tywin('s ghost) was basically the motivation. But I also like the nifty symbolic implications/mirroring of Tyrion and Jaime both killing their own fathers.

The more I thought about it, the more satisfying it became, as well. Like, the fact that had they only been trueborn this would spin Jaime and Cersei's three kids right back around to being legit heirs again (before Dany but after Jon, by my accounting) is SO hilarious to me. Like sorry Dany, I know you were super mad at Robert the Usurper, but technically the firstborn line of succession actually does legitimise the "usurper's" kids as the rightful heirs because literally no-one in this goddamn family could manage to keep it in their pants for five fucking minutes. Also would piss off Robert's ghost so much. Like his WHOLE GOAL was to COMPLETELY wipe out the Tareryens, to a frankly ridiculous and self-defeating degree, only for ''his'' kids to not only not be his, but to ACTUALLY BE SECRET TARGERYENS? From Robert's perspective not only are his kids not his own, his kids' parentage is in fact the worst it could possibly be. I just think it would annoy him so much and that delights me.

I checked the timings when I first came up with this and it's technically possible I think, but only because of how little we know about the exact locations of various people in the years before the Rebellion...

...Ok, having checked the asoiaf wiki page for Joanna Lannister again because I am not rereading the books for this (I mean, my copies are currently in storage about 200 miles away so I coudn't if I wanted to), yeah, Joanna married Tywin in 263 AC, was dismissed from Rhaella's service an unspecified 'short' time later and visited the capital 'seldom' after that. Jaime and Cersei were born in 266. So the timing is not encouraging by any means, but it's also not technically impossible, since one of her 'seldom' visits could have been 9 months before the twins were born, but you would think that Tywin would have noticed. The implausibilty is why I call it a crack theory but like. It's POSSIBLE. Technically.

I'm mostly attached to this because it would upset EVERYONE in-story who is remotely affected by it (Cersei's the most likely to react positively, but even for her, she's so attached to the idea of being Tywin's daughter/heir. She wants his approval so bad. She never knew Aerys - sure, she can project whatever she wants onto him, but he's never going to live up to Tywin as the perfect ideal in her head because she's already so invested in Tywin. The queen of sunk cost fallacy is not going to back out of the sunk cost fallacy of trying to get Tywin's approval now. Not if she didn't give up on it AFTER HE DIED. As for the other two, Jaime is ALREADY guilty about killing Aerys this would only make it worse; meanwhile Tyrion really wants to ride a dragon and would probably LOVE to be set free of the spectre of Tywin as his father, and this would reiterate that not only is he Tywin's son, he is actually Tywin's only son) while still being extremely thematically satistfying because it adds all of this extra character mirroring into a canon that is already very mirror-heavy.

george specifically plotted out a potential arya jon romance if i remember correctly

I really like ASOIAF (as much of it as has been published anyway) but the more I learn about George's plans for it the more I feel like maybe George and I just have different preferences in what makes a good (ending to?) a story. And that's ok. This is what fanfic is for.

[chooseyouovereveryone]

Brittana Analysis Part 2: Musical Choices (Smaller Parts in Songs)

Continuing on the Brittana Music Analysis. Part 1 focuses on all of their main songs, but thought it would be good to also mention some of the smaller ones too, their parts in group numbers etc.

So here goes:

Do You Wanna Touch and Touch a Touch a Touch a Touch Me refers to their sexual relationship, back in the days when Santana would only label it as so, and no feelings were allowed.

My Cup, the whole damn song. No explanation needed.

Light Up The World is one of the most meaningful smaller parts for me, because the lyrics are just perfect for them. Santana singing "you and me keep on dancing in the dark, it's been tearing me apart, never knowing what we are etc." is absolutely the Brittana relationship at that point in the series from her perspective. Then we have Brittany singing all about "throw your doubts away", while Artie takes the other line, showing the love triangle dynamic between the three of them. Since this is an original song, I head canon that Santana wrote this part of the song.

Run The World (Girls) is mainly a Brittany solo in line with her presidential campaign, but it's interesting to me that they have Santana sing the "you'll do anything for me" line. Since this song is about Brittany, it's likely Santana is meaning that about her, in that she's acknowledging Brittany will do anything for her. A nice touch because I already touched on in the previous post how Songbird shows Santana implying she'd give Brittany the world. It seems they are both mutual in that aspect.

Rumour Has It/Someone Like You sang in the aftermath of Santana finding out she's been outed, with Brittany and Santana both sharing such a powerful moment together in this song. The transition from Santana singing about finding a girl to her spinning around to look at this girl she's found is such a pivotal moment for them and really well done imo. You can clearly see Santana's fear during this performance, Brittany's too (she too is about to be consequentially outed but I feel her fear is more for Santana than for her own sake), but that moment they share is almost like Santana draws the strength from Brittany. The world is about to find out her secret, but in the same breath her "dreams came true" (as it says in the lyrics) and she's happy with Brittany, so maybe (just maybe) it will all be okay in the end. And guess what Santana? It was.

Constant Craving is mainly about Santana's journey to acceptance, but notice how Santana looks at Brittany when she sings "even through the darkest phase, be it thick or thin, always someone marches brave, here beneath my skin", as if Brittany's own bravery during those hard times gave Santana strength and courage. It's also plausible to say that Brittany was a "constant craving" for Santana.

The First Time implies that Santana felt deeper feelings from the first time she hooked up with Brittany, even though she couldn't accept that at the time. This is later backed up when she admits in 4x04 that she had feelings in Sophomore Year so right back in S1 when they potentially started sleeping together (if not before). While it's obvious what Santana is reflecting on since she sings about "the first time ever I lay with you", it's uncertain whether the flashback scene is from the first time they met or their first hook up, but regardless we see that instant attraction and spark between them from both the scene and the lyrics.

Take My Breath Away and Love You Like A Love Song; the prom songs. Take My Breath Away is pretty self explanatory because the whole song is a love song, and Santana makes sure to sing part of this to Brittany and they share a moment together. Love You Like A Love Song is even more poignant because it's a Santana solo, so it's likely she picked the song. She picked a song all about her girlfriend, but she made sure to pick a current song. That way, in true private Santana fashion, she could pass it off as it just being a crowd pleasing song that everyone loves at the moment. But she does make sure to turn to Brittany and sing to her "constantly, girl you play through my mind like a symphony". Hello lyric change from boy to girl as well, which Brittana always do in their songs with/about each other.

So Emotional while being a duet that symbolises the Pezberry friendship, both Santana and Rachel are singing to their respective partners. They both run over to them for the "I get so emotional baby" part, and although they turn to point at each other for the "every time I think of you" bit, I feel this was just for performance purposes. It's more realistic for Santana to be singing that about Britt, and likewise Rachel with Finn. Santana also points at Brittany for the "I keep your photograph beside my bed" and although we don't know if Santana actually does have a photo of Britt beside her bed, we know that Brittany definitely has one of Santana.

You Get What You Give is naturally an emotional number for them since Santana is having to leave Brittany behind when she should have been graduating with her. Santana runs over to Brittany for the "don't let go" part which could relate to their relationship and not letting go of that despite the obstacles and distance they are ultimately about to face. The "one dance left" part is also significant.

The Scientist has two meanings for me when it comes to Santana's lines when she's singing "Nobody said it was easy etc." in that nobody said that long distance relationships were easy, as well as nobody said that breaking up with Brittany was the easiest choice either. The mature choice, but not the easy one.

There Are Worse Things I Could Do is something Santana merely has to sing in character as Rizzo, but it's clear that she is thinking about Brittany when she sings "but to cry in front of you, that's the worst thing I could do". This off the back of Brittany telling Santana to think of something really emotional to get in character aka. them not being together anymore. It references how Santana could be the one putting on a tough front (Brittany being the one to be more expressive with her feelings in telling Santana how much she misses her and how she wants them to get back together), but deep down her feelings are evident. She clearly misses and loves Brittany, she's just trying her hardest not to show it, because once she gives in that to vulnerability she knows there's no way back.

Toxic the unholy trinity version was rehashed since it was a past performance of theirs, but contextually I do think about the fact they picked that particular number since it was a group song rather than them redoing a performance that just the three of them did. Since Santana is most probably the one who picks the song with it being her idea, it's telling to me that she picks to do a sexually charged routine with the lyrics "I'm addicted to you" etc. It's almost like she wanted to do this sort of routine with Brittany, but uses the guise of Quinn to make it more subtle. As it's also a song about falling for someone dangerously and "it's getting late to give you up", it foreshadows the temptation Santana encounters later when Brittany kisses her and lays everything on the line, even though Santana has a girlfriend. We later see she chooses Brittany, so this could link to the song.

Problem, well the "every time you touch me, and say you love me" line that they sing to each other is pretty self explanatory, but Brittany also sings "cause even though I shouldn't want it, I gotta have it, I want you" which could relate back to their earlier days when Brittany was the one chasing Santana, but could also have a double meaning of Brittany referring to Santana being the one who used to tell her she shouldn't want it, and almost teasing her with that. The playful manner in which they dance to this line, and the wink from Brittany, could be them showing us how far they've come in that the fear of "I shouldn't want it" was very much real for them both at one point, and now no longer is.

Home I think is really poignant for them because that whole performance takes them back to the beginning in their relationship in terms of Santana being homecoming royalty with Puck, and having to revisit all of that. I talk more about it here and how all their S6 scenes paralleled earlier scenes. In this song they sing "man oh man you're my best friend", which links to that whole "going back to the start thing" in showing how it all began, since best friends is how they started out. It's also how they've always remained throughout their relationship and even during their break up, and something they've always said to each other first and foremost, and I believe at times they said this when they weren't brave enough to say I love you (Santana in 2x22) or when they were restricted in saying it (4x13 when they clearly still loved each other but Brittany was with Sam).

You Learn/You've Got A Friend is actually one of my fav Glee performances, and I think the Brittana moment in this is super sweet and underrated. I always love how as soon as Santana walks in, Brittany gets straight up to join her and stand by her side. She can't get to her fast enough. Lyrically, their lines fit this because Santana sings "close your eyes and think of me, and soon I will be there" on her own, and it's almost as if Brittany was sitting and thinking about her since they are apart, but as she thought of her, Santana appeared. They then begin singing together about brightening up even the darkest nights for each other, something that I'm sure they've both done a lot of. The way they sing that line when they are reunited (not that I think they were apart for very long haha) is almost as if being around each other brightens up everything. The whole song is obviously about living, loving and learning, something they've definitely had experience of all 3 of, and they make reference to that in their gestures throughout the song.

At Last is one that I'm going to talk about since they picked it as their wedding song. It's also one that doesn't need much analysis. It was a very fitting song for them, because even though they got married young, their relationship was still very "at last", this is where we are. It took them so long to get there. Santana's denial, the love triangle with Artie, the grey area of not labelling things even though they were already acting like they were dating, the pain of Santana's outing, the long-distance, the break up, Sam, MIT, Dani, Santana being scared to get back with Brittany at first. But it's kinda like what Brittany says in their vows, she would have suffered it all just for the tiny chance of marrying Santana, and undoubtedly Santana would "1000 times yes" do the same. "At last the lonely days were gone", and they got their happy ending. I also really like the lyric "And life is like a song" because it could relate back to Songbird "and the songbirds are singing like they know the score". This on makes my heart happy, it was the perfect choice for them ❤️

Hey Ya! & last but not least I couldn't not talk about their other wedding song choice, Hey Ya! This is a pretty typical song to play at weddings, gets everyone up dancing, it's feel good etc. That's probably the reason that Brittany and Santana picked it (also fitting with what I said about them keeping private mushy moments to themselves and picking a more up beat first dance song that everyone can join in for the actual wedding). But the writers obviously picked it as a nod to Heather and Naya with it being their final episode, and to humour the Heya fandom.

& that's a wrap :) Might have missed some, but off the top of my head this is what I've got!

[shadowsong26fic]

Some Stuff

Not a proper Coming Attractions post, that’ll come out on the first Monday of the month as always, but...a more general update on some projects (and also possibly looking for input?)

Basically, I’ve accepted the inevitable, that I’ve fallen back into ATLA in a big way. I haven’t actually rewatched the series yet, because my roommate was doing so and I kept popping in and out and I didn’t want to confuse myself by trying to do a straight rewatch while she was doing hers, but I have reread a bunch of old fanfic/RP logs, and have some plots I kind of want to work with again? Either as fulltext or as an AU Outline. Behind the cut are some more details, as well as seeking Opinions on which, if any, I should actually work on.

I am also Determined to not fall out of SW as this is going on, lol. More details about that behind the cut, as well.

(Also, I’ve talked about some of the stuff listed here on my writing discord, which feel free to come stop by and hang out! It’s basically an extension of this tumblr, only a little more interactive. Find us here!)

Star Wars Stuff:

I plan to take next weekend to bang out at minimum the next Precipice chapter, and possibly the next two (though I’ll stagger posting if I do manage to get both done). And then try and give myself a more active schedule to get the next parts of the series out.

I’m also working on a dragonshifters AU, which I’m enjoying a lot. I think OFLAM may be relegated to the back burner for a while, though I’ll probably kick it up again if I end up doing it for SWBB next year (unless I tease out enough of a Plot for dragonshifters to do that instead, lol). I’ve talked about some of the worldbuilding on my writing discord, too.

I also still owe some meme responses from way back, which I do intend to get to at some point I promise <.<

And I haven’t forgotten some other extant projects--Devoted!verse, the Ventress outline, Bail Unfucks the Timeline, Distaff, etc.--but they’re pretty back-burnered for the time being. If something Sparks in any of those, I’ll probably dive into it, but for now I’m not actively working on them in the way I am on dragonshifters and Precipice.

AtLA Stuff:

So, there’s sort of...four or five projects spinning around in my head right now, lol. One of which, if I do it, would not work as an outline so it would be fulltext. It’s canon-compliant, for the most part.

...well, I should interrupt myself here to say the following: I haven’t read a lot of the comics or tie-in novels, and my familiarity with more recent Word of God is limited. I’m basically operating out of canon defined as “it’s in the original show or WoG I’m specifically aware of, drawing in stuff from other sources as it appeals to me but otherwise ignoring it.” Where WoG contradicts itself (i.e., the timeline for Lu Ten’s death),I go with whatever answer I prefer.

In terms of worldbuilding details added in Korra--ehhhhh, it’s sort of held a little higher than the comics, etc. (in that, if I remember it, unless it Josses something I really, really liked/was foundational to something I’m doing, I’ll probably include it); but most likely whatever I’m doing will go AU enough during the first series for a lot of the other detail work/character-specific stuff to not matter.

Anyway! Back to the fun stuff.

There’s one story I’m playing with that’s not going to work as an AU outline. Depending on exactly what I focus on, there’s a couple different fulltext fics buried in it, and I’m not sure which I’d work on (or if I’d braid the two of them together). Basically, it deals with the siege of Ba Sing Se and Lu Ten’s death, and some of the fallout from that, focusing on an OC of mine and her daughter. I found a short fic I wrote for a challenge back in the day that ties into this concept, which is at the very end of this post. If I work on this, I’d probably change the names of the two relevant OCs and possibly how she gets her memory back (it was written specifically for a “what happened in the rest of the world when Zhao captured Tui” challenge; guess how many of them were Hama-related), but. Anyway, building on either the Siege portion of the story (which has a lot of West Side Story on its soundtrack in my head lol), or focusing on what she does after she remembers him. Or both! Both is also good.

The rest of the options are mostly Zuko-centric canon-divergence fics.

First option, Airbender!Zuko. This occurs because The Spirits Said So; he’s gotten very good at fake firebending using airbending. Probably to the point where he’s so deep in denial that he can’t even see the pyramids anymore, to stretch that analogy to the breaking point, lol. Basically, not much changes until the north pole, but there’s some ways for it to go from there...

Second option, Avatar Zuko. This one has been floating around in my head more lately. Reading old RP logs, my partner and I played through a bunch of different variants on how this all worked, but the one in my head right now is basically--a few months before he’s banished, they’re at Ember Island or something and he’s out on the ocean/fishing or something. Sudden storm, he stops the boat from capsizing through panicked waterbending. No other witnesses, for whatever reason. He initially decides he imagined it, something else must have happened. Except then, when he’s in the palace infirmary after getting his face melted, he does it again. At that point, he basically decides that his options here are “get turned into a weapon and kill A Lot of people, or get disappeared into some dark hole somewhere where I can’t cause any problems.” Neither of those is particularly attractive, so he decides to run away. He doesn’t know what his long-term plan is at this moment--if he’ll use the comet to regain favor/save his nation based on the context he’s operating under right now, or do something else. But he has about three and a half years before then. He figures he’ll spend a year at the Western Air Temple, looking for texts/mosaics/something to get him at least vaguely airbending; then go to the North Pole to learn waterbending for a year, then spend a year in the Earth Kingdom to learn earthbending. Planning, for the last two, to present himself as mixed and while he has a lot of his Fire Nation father’s features, he inherited bending from his other parent (or grandparent, when he goes to the North Pole). For those of you familiar with my original fic, this will also include the first iteration of a prominent secondary character from Feredar/The Farglass Cycle. Mostly so Zuko has someone to talk to at the WAT XD. 

Third and fourth options are a bit more nebulous, and both break off during the Ba Sing Se arc. First option, Zuko gets injured during the stampede when Aang moves the zoo (this will probably draw in at least one of my BSS OCs because I am pathologically incapable of not creating OCs, lol). Second option, Zuko leaves his mask behind in Lake Laogai, which means Aang will know he’s in the city. Not sure where either of those would go from that point but there’s some Significant Differences there, lol.

...anyway, that’s where things stand now. Which, if any, are y’all interested in seeing?

As promised, the clip from the Lu Ten story, originally written for a challenge back in...yeesh 2010 XD. Again, this is canon-compliant at least up until Iroh and Zuko arrive in BSS, and I’d possibly change the names and/or how she gets her memories back.

An Wei sat by the window, holding her little girl and watching the sky. Today had been one of Huai's bad days, so An Wei had her hand resting lightly on her daughter's neck, counting her heartbeats. The doctors had told her, back when Huai was a baby and they'd figured out what was wrong with her, to hope for seven years--but only to hope, not to count on them. So An Wei took special care to always, always watch. She never regretted her child, no. Occasionally, she wished she had never met Huai's father, but...well, she couldn't remember much about him, other than the kind golden eyes (false kindness?) that had taken her in so completely during the Siege. She didn't think about him very much. It was too painful--and dangerous. Above and beyond the dangers in thinking about the War That Was No War, her own father had... Well, he hadn't been pleased. She didn't remember the argument, but her uncle wouldn't have brought her to the Lower Ring midwife who had cared for her during her pregnancy if she hadn't needed to hide. Despite all of her vigilance, it was her own heart that skipped a beat when the moonlight filtering in through her window turned an eerie, dull red. She gasped and clutched her daughter a little tighter, praying that Huai would sleep until this went away, so it wouldn't frighten her. That is, assuming it would go away. She shivered and shifted Huai so the little girl was facing away from the window and watched in horror as the bloody moon failed to return to normal. "Please..." she whispered. "Please be normal when she wakes..." As if in response to her desperate pleading, the moon flared silver again after a half hour. But she barely had a moment to relax before it winked out completely. An Wei jumped and stifled a scream. "Don't be afraid of the dark, this'll light your way home." She jumped again. There was no one here in the room with her and Huai, but she could have sworn... The moon blinked back into existence and a pretty girl with long white hair rode in on one of its beams. An Wei stared up at her, still frightened, pulling her daughter away from the girl as best she could. The moon-girl bent down and kissed An Wei's forehead. "Remember now," she murmured, then faded out of sight. ** "Don't be afraid of the dark." He smiles and makes a little light in his palm, carefully transferring it to a bundle of sticks. "This will light your way home." ** She studies the hairpiece he wears in his topknot, turning it over and over in her hands. "There's something you should know about me, too. About my family." ** "We can make this work, Itsu." He's determined, hopeful, his golden eyes shining. "We'll talk to my father. He'll understand. We'll make it work. Meet me here, at the usual time." "I trust you." ** She waits and waits and waits, until long past dark, but he doesn't come. ** She hates speaking with her guardian, but she's scared and has nowhere else to go. "Please, help me," she finishes quietly. He nods. "I'll keep you safe, Highness. You and your child. I promise." ** The light spins around and around and around, and she forgets her name, forgets her lover, and in her place is An Wei, a young woman trained as a scribe, seduced by a nameless Fire soldier, rather than... ** Itsu let out a little sobbing breath. Huai shifted in her arms. "Mommy?" she whispered, still half-asleep. "It's okay, baby, everything's okay. Go back to sleep." "'Kay." Huai closed her golden eyes again and her breathing evened out as much as it ever did. Itsu held her daughter close. Twice over a princess, at the worst possible time, born with a broken heart. No wonder Long Feng hid us so deep.

[to clarify--Itsu is Kuei’s sister. I forget how I set the relative ages, but assuming, as seems to be the case in flashbacks, that Lu Ten is about 10 years older than Zuko, he’d be somewhere between twenty and twenty-two when he died, depending on which date you believe; Kuei is around the same age (possibly a year or two younger?) and Itsu within two years of them.]

[beyondthetemples]

Multimuse RP questions!

{{ I couldn’t figure out which RP blog to stick these on (since I have like. nine), so I figured I’d just skip to the Answering Part over here. =w=

Found here: https://memesfortheroleplayerssoul.tumblr.com/post/163688858676

is there a muse that you wish gets more attention? Honestly? Dove. There are a couple of people who've said they love reading about her, and I'm so absolutely eternally delighted for them, too deeply appreciative for words! A couple friends I met via rping her, and a couple friends I met in Certain discord servers, but that's about it anymore. But she's my baby, you know? I love her, she's amazing, and I wish more people took the time to write stories with her, because she just has so much potential! I mean, yeah, for angst of course, but also for healing and comfort, for action and fantasy, for mystical and mundane plots alike. She's so multi-faceted and fascinating to explore, I just... well, maybe it's more selfish in that I need help exploring some of the more mundane stuff with her. Because if it doesn't really Have Relevance to a Particular Plot, I generally won't wind up writing it, let alone publishing it. :P But this answer's already too long; I could rave about Dove for hours! All I'm trying to say is, I wish more people cared about OCs.

if you HAD to choose, who’s your favorite muse? Favorite to RP with? Far and away, Dove! Favorite for crack RPs, Srentha or Leyla. Favorite canon character is a GIGANTIC toss-up between Raven and Lapis. Favorite characters to explore for personal reasons are Ryou Bakura and Blue Diamond, but I have a hard time bringing myself to actually WRITE about them, for some reason...

is there a muse that not a lot of people roleplay with? (Besides the ones I haven't advertised? ^^';;) Maybe Phobia? She has only ever existed in comic canons-- though she WAS in the Teen Titans Go comics too! (The original series, not the... bastardization). Anyways, she's a much lesser-known muse. And my muse for her is wildly unreliable, she's a volatile and abrasive character, and my inspiration for her has run dry for awhile now...

if you HAD to choose, who’s your least favorite muse? Phobia. o_o See above, actually.

which one of your muses have you been playing the longest? Prooobably Dove? She was the one I started rping with, of course!

which one of your muses has the most ships? Ships in their canon, or ships in my rps? Because you're talking to a demigray here; I don't really do romance? But in my stories, Dove has 3 ships (all at different times in her life). In rps, Dove has been kinda-contemplating-it shipped a couple times, but never got to the point of, you know, kissing... and in fandom, Lapis probably has the most.

what is each of your muses’ otps? notps? ~ Dove and Srentha together~ (Don't have notps for them.) ~ Kary: food? sleep? Her canon boyfriend Eric ~ Leyla has a qpp named Toby in the stories. ~ Raven: I'm demonbirds trash. I don't even know how that happened, honestly. (Notps include B|BRae and, while not as strong of a NO in the jlvtt canon, ter/raven.) ~ Lapis Lazuli: OTP with Peridot! Intensely notp with jasper. ~ Blue Diamond: OTP with Yellow hardcore, no notps to speak of. ~ Phobia: Utterly unexplored??? I think she voluntarily abstains. ~ Ryou: OTP with Joey (thank my girlfriend for that one)! Notp with Yami Bakura, it’s absolutely 100% possibly my most violently-disgusted NOtp yet. Also with Diva because... What The Fuck??? But I won't rant about that just now. ~ Jess: I haven't really done much shipping, though Mistress and Trick are a hella canon, deeply bonded breeding couple. ~ Evangeline? Sorta-OTP with my gf's character Taex, though it's not exactly a ~romantic~ dynamic. Notp with Srentha, probably, considering she'd try to kill him, given the chance, and she’s pissed at Dove for marrying him.

why were you drawn to each one of your characters? Okay, listen, you can't just ask something like this and expect an easy answer! I could write an Actual Legitimate Essay on EACH ONE, because I only write a character when I'm Extremely Highkey Personally Emotionally Inspired by them!

UPDATE: I tried to summarize, I really did! But there's just so MUCH, and it turned into an essay on its own. --> https://beyondthetemples-ooc.tumblr.com/post/189837029682/why-were-you-drawn-to-each-one-of-your-characters

Summaries go like this: Dove is brave, complex enough to delve deeply in and constantly discover new facets of, and inspiring enough to create a positive experience while doing so. Srentha is fun, positive, and passionate, and legitimate ADHD representation. Leyla is a chill miracle child of creativity and quiet passion. Raven is the reason I'm still alive and perfectly reflected me at about age 14, so I have a very deep personal connection to her. Kary is so fun to explore because she's my polar opposite, as a temperamental pyrokinetic who revels in chaos and really just wants to have a good time. Evangeline is everything Dove suppresses, brought to life, so she's fun to explore as an extension of Dove! Lapis has a lot of struggles to explore and has done a lot of healing and growth that I'd like to expand on someday. Blue Diamond and Ryou Bakura were basically literally me, so I can explore the trauma and healing from their perspectives in a safe space. And Phobia? I just wanted to put characters' mettle to the test honestly, and see what would happen.

which muse is the most fun to write for? Oh, Srentha, absolutely hands down! Dove does have the best close-friends casual-fun kind of rp relationships, though. And Mistress the Mismagius has this sardonic teasing sense of humor that always makes me smile, especially with Murky (Murkrow).

is there another muse you’ve been thinking of adding or writing for? who? Oh stars, I don't need another one. =w= I've been... struggling to get my Ryou blog actually up and running for a long while now. Nobody new has inspired me lately, but I'm pretty stuck in my fandom ways.

what is something everyone should know about your muses before interacting? I stick it all in their bios! But, let's see... Dove: Even though she's Raven's half-sister, she keeps it DESPERATELY hidden, and nobody IC is supposed to know about that. Srentha is very deeply rooted in Azarathean pacifism and won't do much in battle besides help people retreat. Leyla has her father's heart condition and can't do anything too active. Kary will rarely use her powers, as conjuring even a simple spark stings her scar badly. Lapis is more than her toxic relationship! Blue Diamond is NOT the dictator she once was! Ryou does NOT want the spirit of the millennium ring in his life anymore! Jess just... sticks mostly to Sinnoh and rarely ever leaves. And Evangeline has a palpable evil aura about her; she makes SURE of it.

what’s a weird headcanon you have for each of your muses? Dove hates pie. Srentha loves colorful things. Leyla will cover everything in glitter if you let her. Kary will do anything for some good food and/or a nap. Ryou's hair is untamable. Lapis doesn't guard her gem as carefully as she should. Blue Diamond may be more emotional, but she won't sing about it as frequently as other Gems. Raven... doesn't wear underwear?

which muse has the most aus or verses? I mean, the Lapis I was writing for was 97% canon divergent. Evangeline only exists as her own person (and not merely a partition of Dove's mind) in a DCUO-compatible timeline. But I don't really do aus or verses otherwise; it's just more stressful for me.

can you sort your muses from youngest to oldest? Sorting based on the ages I'll generally play them: Leyla (8-14), Dove (15-25), Kary (18+), Ryou (19+), Srentha (20+), Jess (22+), Phobia (23+), Lapis (5k+), Blue Diamond (10k+).

which muse is most willing to fight another muse? Oh, definitely Kary. (She won't fight Dove or Leyla, even if there's a really good reason. And Srentha has this weird power of defusing her. But anyone else, she can easily be provoked to fight on a dime.) Or maybe Evangeline, who will fight anyone at any time for any reason whatsoever?

do your muses get along with each other? Evangeline gets along with nobody. Dove/Srentha/Leyla are all a very tight-knit family, and Kary considers herself Dove's sister and Leyla's aunt. I've thought about what might happen if Lapis met Blue Diamond, but I don’t have the faintest idea of how that'd go? I did start an RP once where Lapis met Dove, and I planned to have them bond over homesickness and purpose-seeking, but then I lost the ehd I had that prewritten on, and never had the heart to try rewriting it. Ryou and Jess kinda exist in their own universe's bubble. (Jess has a whole cast of Pokemon creature muses she very much gets along with, though~)

would you ship any of your muses together? who? Dove and Srentha are hella-canon endgame already, that's been decided for like 12 years!

for each muse, is there a character you wish had a blog so you could interact with them? You know, I've never really been one much for wishing like that. I do wish Dove had a stable Raven again, since both of my all-time favorite Raven rpers have left the rp circle... but that's about it, really.

have you ever considered making a multimuse/is it easier having a multimuse? I mean, my Pokemon blog has like 19 muses built into the breeding center... 8F But no, I prefer to keep my drafts, rps, and tag systems for each muse on separate sideblogs. Tumblr's tags break WAY too often to shove them all in one place. (And with a sideblog, I don't have to log in and out every time I want to check for replies!)

which muse is the most problematic towards other muses? Toss-up between Phobia and Evangeline, obviously. Blue Diamond is a reformed Gem, the way I play her. (I don't care what anyone says, THAT'S CANON as HELL too!) But Evangeline actively goes out of her way to hurt and/or sacrifice people to her own ends,

which muse is most likely to make new friends? Probably Leyla, though now that SU has sent out a message across the Gem universe that Gems are welcome on Earth, Lapis could wind up meeting quite a lot of new acquaintances. It's much harder to befriend her, though. Srentha has a lot of charismatic energy too, and he’ll go out and make friends with anyone, given the chance.

which muses’ fandom do you like the best? Ahhh, don't make me CHOOSE like that! ;; Fandom like being a fan of them, or fandom like, liking the other people in the fandom? Because Steven Universe, Teen Titans, and YuGiOh all have incredibly special places in my heart, while having Their Issues amongst the fandom... Pokemon seems to be the best mannered fandom though, especially amidst the RP community.

is there someone playing the same muse/s as you and you really look up to them? Ohgosh, well there's a blog called, I think, melancholeyes?, that plays Blue so well, it's like reading canon scenes. I did see a blog that played a Ryou I respected, but I can't remember their name... and of course Larissa and Pix played great Ravens, but each a different version.

which muse do people send the most asks for? Probably Dove, thanks in large part to Caleb!

which muse is most likely to have kids? Leyla is already Dove's kid, so... 8F

is there a rule that someone keeps breaking for your muses? Not to my knowledge, but my rules aren't strict anyways.

can you sort your muses from weakest to strongest? ...Oh, stars. How am I supposed to sort them? Well, let's try this.

Weakest to strongest in combat (based on their style of choice): Ryou, Leyla, Srentha, Phobia, Evangeline, Jess, Kary, Dove, Lapis, Blue Diamond, Raven. ( * i switched raven and blue diamond around SO many times. both are immensely powerful with god-like abilities, but raven can literally destroy reality itself. so...)

Weakest to strongest by strength of heart and character: Phobia, Evangeline, uh... Kary? Srentha...? Uh... frICK THIS ONE'S HARD. Because they're all so strong in their own ways. Probably Leyla? Next tier is probably Blue, Lapis, and Jess, and Dove, Raven, and Ryou are highest tier.

which muse are you considering deleting? Phobia, and maybe sometimes Blue. (I actually... never got a single RP or follower on Blue. I'm still debating if I really WANT to rp as her, at least on Tumblr, knowing how toxic the fandom can get around the Diamonds...)

most importantly, are you having fun playing each one of your muses? Pretty much! Especially Dove, Srentha, Leyla, and Raven!~ Raven's wit and clipped verbiage can be tricky to for me sometimes, but all it takes is a little tlc on her dialogue, and it doesn't slow down my enjoyment one bit. :} And when I'm in a Pokemon-hyperfocus mood, writing the Pokemon team is ALWAYS a blast! (Especially the Pokemon; their personalities are so dynamic together.) With muses like Lapis and Blue, and even Kary, the mood for their emotionality waxes and wanes, but I don't write for them unless I'm in The Right Frame of Mind to KEEP UP with them, you know? I never push myself in an rp until it's not fun anymore; at least I know where my writing burnout limits are.

Phobia and Evangeline are both sadistic, and when you're a compassionate person, that can be very hard to write out in the painstaking detail of my style. But sometimes my mind just Won't Shut UP about 'Vangie unless I WRITE IT OUT. Which is a good exercise of course, stretching my horizons and all that, and I do love writing the drama and conflict they stir up.

But beyond the momentary discomforts, I'm just so eager to explore their lives and minds and adventures, so yes, I absolutely DO have fun writing for each and every one!

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Musings #69: A Proclamation of Love. What if…Oscar confesses his love for Ruby before sacrificing himself to be captured by Salem for the Atlas Arc?

cloudburst-paint-water asked

“ Good day! So I’ve seen a lot of people tossing around the theory that either Oscar or Ruby (perhaps both) are going to be kidnapped in the Vol. 7, given that Salem has her flying monkeys ready AND the Tyrian and Watts trio are headed there, not to mention Cinder and Neo. What do you think about it? It makes me pretty excited at the prospect of both Oscar and Ruby having to depend on each other in the face of Salem, but I’m also leaning towards an Atlas central arc? ･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+ - Cloud

Squiggles Answers:  

 @cloudburst-paint-water​

‘Sup Cloud! 

Wait…people are now tossing around this idea of a Dark Domain Arc? Tsk, tsk, ya’ll whippersnappers are late to the party. Not to toot my own foghorn but this squiggle meister has been singing that theory since V5. 

For almost a year, I’ve been dropping mentions of a potential Dark Domain Arc where Ruby and Oscar get kidnapped and taken to Salem and have to survive the Dark Domain on their own. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve brought this theory up. I brought this up before V6 ended. Heck I even talked about flying monkey Grimm long before it became canon. Both here and here along with my prediction of Grimmzilla.

I guess this is the plight of when you talk too much and share too many theories. At some point, they all become one big blur XD

But yeah, to actually answer your question Cloud, (sorry for the ramble) if you can’t tell by how passionate I am about the potential of such an arc, I am totally down for a standalone Dark Domain Arc in RWBY where it’s just the Rosebuds---Ruby and Oscar, left to survive the Land of Darkness far away from their friends depending only on each other.

Like I said, it’s a theory I talked about before on my blog and with the flying monkeys being official canon now, the possibilities of that actually happening are growing closer and closer. However I don’t think the Dark Domain Arc is going to happen in V7. As I mentioned in this response post here, I feel like there is a differentiation in the timelines of the finale after credit scenes. Even though the V6 finale after credit scene revealed Salem creating her army of Winged Beringels, my theory is that this scene actually takes place during the heroes’ time in Atlas.

Like while this is happening, the heroes have already settled into Atlas. I’m not banking on these critters showing up until possibly the end of V7 or V8. Take the V5 after credit scene for example. Although V5 teased Raven reconciling with Tai Yang, V6 gave no real follow up to that so this led me to assume that Tai and Raven’s reunion is happening at a different time than what the after credit scene made us to believe.

For all we know, Raven going to Tai might be a premature foreshadow to a future season that follows after the Atlas Arc. With the exception of V4’s after credit scene, my hunch is that both of the succeeding finale after credit scenes for V5 and V6 take place at timelines during the Atlas Arc meaning that while these events are happening, our heroes are already safe living in Atlas. At least…for the time being.

I’m not expecting the Winged Beringels to officially appear until V8 unless they do arrive to try and kidnap Oscar but get easily gunned down by the Atlesian air forces.

I’d also like to think that in addition to their air forces set up outside the kingdom’s walls on 24/7 surveillance, Atlas is probably heavily safeguarded by a powerful force field like the one used during the Vytal Festival.

Since Salem ordered Watts and Tyrian to go to Atlas to prepare, I’m wondering if the Winged Beringels have something to do with that.

In the Wizard of Oz story, the Wicked Witch of the West used her army of winged monkeys to conquer the western quadrant of Oz. So my theory is that at some point during the Atlas Arc, Salem will probably send her army of Winged Beringels to invade the kingdom of Atlas. She must’ve sent Watts and Tyrian ahead to prepare for that invasion by disabling and taking control of the Atlesian defences, the same way they did at the Vytal Festival which would then allow the Beringels to enter the kingdom and spark chaos.

I’d like to believe that part of Salem’s plan is to also use her new beasts to kidnap Oscar since she’s targeting Ozpin. In the Wizard of Oz, the winged monkeys were also used to capture Dorothy Gale and the Cowardly Lion, dismembering and destroying the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman in the process.

Some theorists are already speculating that the Winged Beringels may possibly kill or perhaps severely hurt Qrow Branwen and General Ironwood.

Perhaps…this is will be how Salem gets Oscar to be captured willingly. Imagine…the Beringels being too much of a threat for our heroes and after one of them practically takes General Ironwood apart and prepares to make the same of Qrow, that’s when Oscar makes Salem an offer she can’t refuse.

I’m picturing a scene where Salem communicates with Oscar (and technically Ozpin) through the Beringels. I want a moment where the Alpha of the Beringels speaks to Oscar and its Salem’s voice you hear coming out of the Grimm to show that there is a magical link between Salem and the primal abominations.

With his friends in danger, Oscar does the one thing he could do in that moment. He surrenders; offering himself to be taken prisoner by Salem in exchange that she spares his friends and the innocent people of Atlas.

Oscar has been hinted at drawing inspiration from two signature Wizard of Oz characters:  Dorothy Gale and Princess Ozma/ Tip. There’s also been talk that Oscar’s official huntsmen gear connects him to the Little Prince.

In the Wizard of Oz, both Dorothy and Ozma ultimately become prisoners. Dorothy is captured and taken to the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the Lost Princess of Oz, Ozma is kidnapped and it is her dearest friend Dorothy Gale who comes to her rescue with a search party. Then in Glinda of Oz, both Dorothy and Ozma are captured by the wicked Queen Coo-ee-ooh while trying to stop a war between two races.

 Imagine…Oscar being captured to be taken to Salem and the very last thing he says to Ruby before he’s taken away is that he loves her?

Imagine…the CRWBY spending two whole volumes of the Atlas Arc developing Oscar further as his own character, naturally building on his friendship with the other heroes especially Ruby who he’s seen to be the most attached to.

Picture…V7 and V8 really establishing the close bond between Ruby and Oscar to the point that it confirms their blossoming love for each other. Or…at least it confirms Oscar falling in love with Ruby. But before the audience can get the chance to learn whether or not Ruby reciprocates those feelings, in comes the Battle for Atlas in the middle of the Atlas Arc.

Since the Battle for Haven took place only the second volume of the Mistral Trilogy, I’m banking on the CRWBY possibly following the same routine. V7 will probably deal mostly with Weiss’ side of the story with the Schnee Family affairs and the Crimes of the SDC being the backbone of the plot while V8 will most likely bring us into the eventual fight to defend the kingdom in the sky. That’s my best guess.

If things go accordingly, V9 could be the standalone Dark Domain Arc which is set as part of the Atlas Trilogy since it falls directly after the events of Atlas.

The way how I see it. A Dark Domain Arc could be done one of two ways. It could end in both Ruby and Oscar getting captured and taken to Salem before escaping and having to survive on their own without their friends, as I’d originally envisioned.

Or…it could involve this new alternative---where Oscar sacrifices himself to be captured in order to protect Atlas and the Dark Domain Arc will instead focus on Ruby leading a small rescue party into the dark lands to get Oscar back.

Picture this…The Atlas Arc ends in another successfully executed victory in favour of the villains. Not only does Salem manage to spark further backlash between the remaining kingdoms and Atlas but thanks to the ingenious works of Arthur Watts and Tyrian, she manages to claim two of the Relics.

The Kingdom of Atlas in under siege. The city and its people are in turmoil overrun by Grimm now left to invade the kingdom after Watts disabled its defences. The heroes are once again outnumbered and overpowered and even Ruby’s Silver Eyes aren’t a match for a massive army of Grimm.

At some point, Salem speaks to Oscar in particular and gives him an ultimatum: Surrender to her or watch the People of Atlas and everyone he loves die.

So Oscar has no choice but to give himself up. The only people there to watch him get taken are an incapacitated General Ironwood and injured Qrow Branwen bloodied to the point that he resembles Aizawa from My Hero Academia after he got his ass pummelled into the ground by a Nomu.

And of course, Ruby is there too, equally wounded and exhausted from overexerting her Silver Eyes. She and Oscar were alone fighting together beside Ironwood and Qrow when the Beringels came and overpowered them. I’m picturing a Beringel holding Ruby in a firm chokehold threatening to strangle the life out of her or snap her neck on Salem’s command to further affirm to Oscar’s watchful eyes that the Wicked Witch wasn’t playing around with her threats.

So to protect his comrades including the girl he loved, Oscar surrenders. Oscar leaves with Tyrian and Watts and to make sure that Ruby doesn’t try to come after them, Salem additionally threatens Ruby with if she tried to prevent Oscar’s sacrifice, she’d kill both Ironwood and Qrow.

So Ruby has no choice but to watch Oscar get taken away by the villains; possibly to his own demise. The last memory Ruby has of Oscar is his tear stricken face locking eyes with hers one final time.

“…I love you” is all Oscar gets to say to Ruby before Tyrian heartlessly knocks him out the instant he steps foot in the airship. After that, Salem surprisingly kept her word and spared Atlas with her Beringels leaving as soon as she got Oscar.

Or…so Salem leads Oscar to believe. In my imagination, the instant Salem has Oscar/Ozpin in her clutches; she orders Tyrian or Watts to detonate the grandmaster thingamajiggie which would send the entire kingdom of Atlas plummeting to its demise below taking the Kingdom of Mantle with it, killing millions.

As Oscar regains consciousness in the dock of the airship, he looks outside just in time to watch in dismay as Atlas in blown out of the sky with the Kingdom plunging to its doom above the unsuspecting People of Mantle. So…Oscar’s sacrifice had been in vain. Salem still went ahead and killed everyone anyways.

And to add more insult to injury, as Oscar falls to his knees crying over the deaths of his friends, he’s not even allowed to grieve in peace as Tyrian, feigning sympathy, cups his face in faux concern and tells Oscar that he should be counting himself lucky that the gentle goddess showed him enough pity to whisk him off to safety as a opposed to leaving him to die in Atlas. According to Tyrian, Oscar should be grateful instead of mournful. A remark which only serves to set Oscar off which, unfortunately for Oscar, is exactly what Tyrian was hoping for. The instant Oscar makes an enraged attempt to lash out at Tyrian, the scorpion Faunus stings Oscar in the neck.

The last thing Oscar recalls is the kingdom of Atlas in flames falling from the skies before his world turned to darkness. Literally.

I was told that in The Little Prince story, the little Prince fell in love with a rose however the rose was vain. But by the time the rose realized her feelings for the prince, it was too late and he returned home or something to that liking.

While Ruby Rose is far from being vain, I do love the concept of the Atlas Arc building upon a potential romance between Ruby and Oscar. However by the time Ruby realizes her own feelings for Oscar, he gets captured and taken away from her to Salem and the last words Oscar says to Ruby is “I love you”.

Wouldn’t that be a real kick in the teeth? Ruby realizing she loves Oscar too but can’t say it because he gets taken away to possibly be tortured and killed by Salem while she and the others are left to do what they can’t to salvage and save Atlas before it hits the ground.

Speaking of Atlas, while I am in love with the overall design of this skyward kingdom, the very first thing I thought of when I saw Atlas is that it’s giving me huge Age of Ultron vibes. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the villainous Ultron levitated a huge chunk of the Earth into the sky in an attempt to cause further destruction to the world below.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Atlas ends up falling from the sky for the Atlas Arc. What would actually be interesting is if Atlas ends up falling with the Kingdom being forced to return Mantle and rebuilt itself. Or even better, what if Atlas falls but it’s the ingenuity of the People of Mantle who help save their Atlesian brethren. After all, Atlas wouldn’t exist without Mantle. The Kingdom might have forgotten of that over the years. All the more reason to have Mantle come to Atlas’ aid when their kingdom is in great peril. Wouldn’t that be a nice twist?

But…we’ll see.

Imagine…Ruby wanting to lead a search party to go to the Dark Domain to rescue Oscar. However there is tension in this idea because by the end of Atlas Arc, Salem gains the Relics of Knowledge and Creation which forces the heroes no choice but to head for Vacuo immediately to make sure the Sword doesn’t fall into Salem’s hands too.

Of course claiming the Relic of Destruction becomes a major priority since it is believed to be the most dangerous of the four Relics and if Salem were to get her hands on that Relic then the heroes would lose for sure. But with Oscar becoming Salem’s prisoner and with his close comrades, particularly Ruby, worried for his safety in Salem’s clutches, his life on the line also becomes a priority.

Imagine…the heroes dividing for a second time only this time it’s on good terms and for a very valid reason. While one team heads directly for Shade Academy in Vacuo, another heads for the Dark lands.

I know folks were excited for a Dark Domain Arc involving Ruby and Oscar, but I raise you another possibility. What if…we get another volume where it’s the RNJR squad of Ruby, Jaune, Ren and Nora traversing the dark lands on their way toward Salem’s Domain to rescue Oscar?

While this is happening, Weiss, Blake and Yang head for Vacuo to rendezvous with their comrades in Vacuo---like Team SSSN and CVFY to rally together to protect Shade.

I know fans didn’t particularly enjoy the split up stories for V4 and V5. To be fair, I’m actually one of the folks who didn’t mind that format. I don’t think the Writers did a terrible job either with V4 and V5. My main issues were the Writers lack of ‘show, don’t tell’ back in those volumes where characters would just tell the audience that certain things are a certain way without much on-screen build-up.

 For example; Weiss accusing Whitley of manipulating and double crossing her when there is no real on-screen evidence to support him committing such a heinous action towards his sister. Yet he accepts the accusation anyways.

Who knows? Perhaps after two more successful seasons of improvement, the CRWBY Writers may be daring enough to try another season where the story is divided between two factions---the heroes in the Dark Domain and the heroes in Vacuo.

As much as I would love for a single arc where it’s just Ruby and Oscar surviving a Grimm-infested dark world together while learning more about each other in the process (since it would be a welcomed first for the series), I also wouldn’t mind another season of the RNJR squad this time working together to save Oscar while WBY are off in Vacuo to soak up some SSSN and CVFY!

I mean our Rosebuds working together to survive is amazing and all. But imagine if they’re separated from each other, forced to believe the other was dead while clinging desperately to the belief that they’d see each other again somehow. Picture Ruby fighting through hell just to get to Oscar and how it would be like to see them reunite after such an intense separation.

Picture…how powerful a moment it would be for RoseGarden to share their first kiss after a full season of watching them both panic for each other’s lives, reminisce of the fond memories they shared together and cling to any bit of happiness and warmth they felt from those good memories to help fuel what little hope they each had of seeing each other again---hearing each other’s voice and getting so much as to hold each other’s hand again. Or seeing each other’s welcoming smiles again.

To me, a Dark Domain Arc with Ruby Rose leading a rescue party of herself and JNR (RNJR Squad) to save Oscar is beginning to sound just as compelling---maybe even a bit more, than a Dark Domain Arc with just the Rosebuds. Maybe both can be done since both stories were done for the Wizard of Oz. Buuuuut….who knows, y’know?

As always, this is just me spouting ideas. But damn, would an idea like this be awesome. Especially for the future of RoseGarden.

More Squiggles’ RWBY Content

 ~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

I’m looking for some lengthy fics to read. I’m going to be traveling. I’m honestly not to picky, I love pretty much all Kurt and blaines, I just love a good long one I can get lost in for a while. If you get a chance I’d love to see if you have anything for me! PS. You are amazing for keeping this alive and running for everyone, I want to sent you cookies❤️

Here you go, Nonnie! These are the longest Klaine stories I’ve been able to find. I wish you safe travels and happy reading :-) Hugs, Marjan

Keep my heart captive, set me free by @keepmyheartcaptive​

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 479,467

D/s AU - Kurt Hummel had always dreamed of a fairy-tale bond, a perfect, kind and caring Dom. Blaine Anderson had always dreamed of someone who stands out from the boring crowd, someone real, and pure. When their worlds collide, will either of them get what they had dreamed of?

Dalton by @cpcoulter-com​ (WIP but already several books’ worth of reading material)

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 442,058

Summary: Post-Furt: Spinning off from Glee, Kurt begins an entirely new chapter in his life at Dalton Academy for Boys. Blaine, Wes, David and the boys of Windsor House make his life, for better or worse, far more eventful than he imagined.

Another Time, Another Place by @klaineitupanotch

​Rating: Mature

Word Count: 418,542 

Summary: What if Kurt had met Blaine a year earlier? How would his life have changed? In his sophomore year, during the spring, Kurt Hummel ends up by chance meeting a charming young man named Blaine Anderson, who turns out to be in his own Glee club. The two begin down the road of becoming friends and then the journey that their relationship takes them. Will they be able to face any problems ahead? No matter what they may be?

What Brings Us Closer Together by @CrazedLunatic

Trigger Warning: mention of suspected rape

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 411,177

Summary: When Kurt is attacked, Blaine instantly leaves college to take care of him. With one decision, their entire relationship is changed and their futures reshaped. It also makes everyone around them realize just how close they really are. AU. 

In Want of Magic by @trufflemores

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 353,426

Summary: 3.01-4.01. “I just want my senior year to be magic.”

It’s Not Just a Stomach Ache by DreamingisBelieving

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 333,895

Summary: No, Blaine didn’t have cancer. This stuff doesn’t happen to seventeen year old boys and definitely not Kurt Hummel’s boyfriend, who was full of life and joy and would go out of his way to do anything for anybody, whether that be an old lady crossing the street or a misguided teen like himself. Cancer was suppose to be reserved for old men and women who were going to develop health problems anyway, not Blaine Anderson, someone who wasn’t even legally an adult yet.

Beautiful Mess by WildHurricane

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 290,793

Summary: What do you say when your very straight friend tells you he wants to know what it’s like to kiss a guy and all you want to say is “kiss me”.Kurt is secretly in love with his best friend Blaine. He’s recently figured out he’s gay, but hasn’t told anyone. Especially not Blaine. Or his girlfriend.Blaine is confused and in denial about why he wants to kiss Kurt. He’s not gay. He has a long line of girlfriends to prove that.Both are scared what it will do to their friendship if the other finds out.

A Mafia Romance by YaDiva (WIP)

Trigger Warning: violence, drug use, heavy BDSM. Heed the warnings.

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 287,179

Summary: Blaine is the son of a powerful crime boss. He has no intentions of joining the family business, especially since he finally has a gorgeous boyfriend named Kurt, but everyone else has other ideas. When Kurt gets caught in the middle, Blaine’s true nature is unleashed. Like father, like son. Dark!Blaine. Features sex, violence, drug references, and heavy BDSM themes.

Weave Your Magic by @lilyvandersteen​ (WIP)

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 277,377

Summary: This is an AU in which Blaine and Kurt never met in high school. Blaine is an elementary school teacher and the author of several picture books. Kurt is a former child actor and now a men’s wear designer, who writes thrillers under a pseudonym. They meet at a book fair. 

Bound for Glory by CleverBoots (Amberlovesocean) (sequel: Days of Glory)

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 265599

Summary: Kurt is assaulted after singing at a school dance and is left for dead, thrown aboard an empty train car at the railroad freight yard to hide the crime.He wakes up to find he’s been tossed off the car somewhere in an Oregon logging camp, 2500 miles from home. A curly-haired kid named Blaine finds Kurt and protects him by hiding him in his cabin and teaching him how to survive. 

Hell & High Water by mmerainbows

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 243,826

Summary: Kurt counted the days even though no one else did anymore, and for what, he didn’t know.  His dad died eight years ago, and he had no other family to speak of.  His days were monotonous and thankless as he hunted for the community he lived in.  Long gone were the days when he could dabble in music and fashion because that world no longer existed, and without those things - who was Kurt Hummel really?  Until the day an emergency transmission is received and what Kurt is forced to reconsider what is existing and what is truly living. 

Pavarotti’s Legacy by misskaterinab

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 241,699

Summary: This is a journey through Kurt and Blaine’s relationship, through MY eyes, from approximately season 2, episode 20, through the future. There’s a lot of canon and a lot of not - things I felt should happen, things I thought shouldn’t’ve happened that I wanted to fix, and just stuff I made up that sounded good to me :) Enjoy the fluff and Klainebows I will present to you.

Immutability and Other Sins by @fabfemmeboy​ (Series)

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 673,851for the entire series

Summary: This is an AU that spans from the late 1950s to just shy of modern-day. With the exception of the prologue, it goes in order. It begins in the fall of 1959 at Dalton Academy and follows the trajectory of the American gay experience through our not-always-so-happy couple. While the central story series is Klaine, there are some genfic stories on the side, set in the same universe and timeframe. Mostly because, as I planned out the main story, I kept coming back to all the ways in which the members of New Directions would be different 50 years ago, how many ways their worlds would be unfamiliar or more limited than we think of today. For all politicians seem to talk about what a great time the 1950s were, they weren’t for a lot of people.

Wake Me Up Inside Trilogy by @mrscriss2012​ (Series)

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 581,997for the entire series

Summary: Kurt Hummel is a shy, insecure fifteen year old. Blaine Anderson is a thirty one year old musician. When their worlds collide, Blaine discovers he’s powerless to resist the lure of Kurt’s eyes and his exquisite voice, and Kurt begins a journey of awakening. *There is a large passage of time in this story meaning no illegal happenings!*

Westerville Abbey by @hkvoyage (WIP, but fully written and updated twice a week)

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 223,725

Summary: Blaine is the second son of the earl of Westerville, and is considered the spare heir. After his 18th birthday, he attends the London Season to fulfill his duty of finding a wife. He soon realizes he is more attracted to the new footman. Kurt, who has just arrived at Westerville Abbey to work alongside his father, becomes equally as smitten with the earl’s youngest son. Will Blaine and Kurt be able to overcome their class differences in 1910s England? Will their forbidden love survive WW1? A Downton Abbey inspired historical Klaine AU.

Take Me Over by @lady-divine-writes (WIP)

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 221,841

Summary: Kurt’s life isn’t at all what he wanted. He is stuck in an unexpected relationship with his dreams almost permanently on hold and a job he took mostly out of desperation. But a trip to L.A. to get the autograph of his favorite television star might just change his entire life - but will it change for the better? 

Butterfly Wings by @hkvoyage

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 212,446

Summary: A fashion blog started at University launched Blaine Anderson’s fortune and fame. As Vogue’s new editor-in-chief, he is struggling to find an original angle for an upcoming issue. Kurt Hummel has recently arrived in New York City after finishing high school, and is having no luck building a musical theater career, so he decides to explore another passion of his: fashion. He applies for an internship at Vogue, and Isabelle sees in him the perfect fresh face to liven up the magazine, and convinces him to try out as a model. Kurt meets Blaine, and in spite of their 10-year age difference, sparks fly. Can they overcome misunderstandings and sabotage to find their happily-ever-after? Klaine model AU.

New To McKinley by Gingerkid2010

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 209,417

Summary: Blaine is new to McKinley. He meets Brittany and they quickly become best friends. She convinces him to join glee club, where he meets Kurt…

Three Words/To Build a Home by Balletismyobsession

Warning: Major Character Death

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 207,758

Summary: When a simple illness becomes more than either of them could have ever imagined, Kurt and Blaine learn what it means to be strong. With three words, everything changes.

Near Misses by flaming_muse

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 205,536

Summary: Kurt and Blaine could easily not have met on a staircase in high school.  They could have met a few years later in college instead.

[wolfarmystories]

House of Angels

(Supernatural sucks, I fucking hate it DX

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: General

Characters: Gabriel, Original Character

Summary: Gabriel goes for a walk in the park and ends up picking up a stray. Tired by everything going on in his life and wanting to find somewhere to hide away, he makes a choice and gets wheels in motion. Canon divergence after season six

Might be chapter one if I give in to my greater demons. Or the Gabe in my head

Gabriel's immediate thought when he found her was that this girl was not human, but this, the archangel told himself, was such an obvious thing that he was starting to wonder if this was how it felt to be a human. Stupid, pointing out the obvious, and staring at the half-naked woman for what he soon realized was probably more than a few seconds too long.

It was the wings truth be told that made him pretty much certain she wasn't human; humans didn't have wings. Angels had wings, but she was definitely not an angel; no Grace, no presence of God about her. Some monsters had wings, but as he tilted his head, regarded her, stared at her, he was pretty damn certain she wasn't really a monster either. She was...something, but the trickster did not know what and he was more disconcerted by that not knowing, him Gabriel, (ex) Messenger of the Lord, a Trickster god, him of all beings, being unaware of whatever this creature laying unconscious on the ground was. But what he did know was that the wings reminded him a bit of the past; they were black, pitch and pure as the darkness itself, not burnt or painted yet felt as if they were the shadows themselves given a physical state for her. Feathers, like a bird's, like an angel's, and his eyes came across the blood, both the dried and the still flowing from a gaping wound. A blemish on her wings, something that made his own shudder in sympathy; he did not know her, he did not care but he was struck with the sympathy of an injured wing. That had to hurt.

"What kind of trouble did you fall into, fledgling?" the words came easy and smooth though he hadn't spoken them in millenia, not since back when there had been fledglings, not since back when he had still been Gabriel. He would say it with a chuckle back then, a murmur of amusement and just a touch of concern as he watched over the younger angels, the cherubs who were just learning to walk, to fly, to sing, to be God's good little soldiers. One would stumble, one would get hurt, one would get covered in dirt and feathers and look up at the elder archangel with their baby eyes and he would just chuckle. "What kind of trouble did you fall into, fledgling?" He did it with all the younger angels as they all found some sort of way to cause themselves trouble. To Anna, to Balthasar, to Zachariah. To Castiel. And now to this girl, who didn't feel like an angel but who he couldn't stop himself from calling fledgling; maybe it was the wings, maybe it was the trouble. Maybe it was that he missed those days, those golden shining days, so very badly.

He leaned down beside her and placed a hand over the wound. The two were alone, the city park Gabriel had decided upon whim to walk through in the dead of night devoid of people, just the rustling of other feathers as birds watched from their nests, and even if they hadn't been, even if they were surrounded by a crowd, he would have still knelt down, though perhaps only after sending the humans away with some illusion or trick; unwilling to be stopped as he was, he was not a fool anyway and exposure would only lead to trouble. But at the same time he couldn't just leave this girl to suffer, that much a tiny twinkle of good will in his Grace impressed upon him in that moment. The angel took a breath, he barely had to focus; his powers were strong, and though healing wasn't exactly his specialty or something he did a lot, not nearly as fun as using his powers to trick people into their own demises, it wasn't hard either for an angel, an archangel like him. Golden light, his own special brand of Grace moving through his fingers, started to knit towards skin and tendon, wipe away the blood, heal the wound.

He didn't expect it to bite him though, whatever it was; it wasn't her, she was still fast asleep, long black strands of hair, the same midnight as her wings, covered her face and she hadn't moved or made a noise since he'd found her laying there in the middle of the park. He knew she was alive of course, could sense as much, but she had certainly not stirred even as he tried to heal her. No, rather instead it was something else, a presence he felt only as he tried to heal her and fix the damage to her wings, something truly malicious, something that didn't want her wound closed. It sparked and bit at him and he was startled, thrown for a loop as he pulled away and stared at the wound. The girl made a soft noise, akin to a coo of a bird, and winced a bit, seeming to be waking finally; Gabriel simply watched, waited, stared. And he heard more rustling, more movement nearby, and his Grace felt ablaze. Something was there, he turned his head to look, to see if he could see it, find it; something was watching them and he could feel the bloodlust rolling off it in waves.

"What?" spoke a soft voice and his attention was moved again, away from what was going on out there and back down to the girl with the injured wing and the torn dress. She seemed confused, she furrowed his brow. He didn't care; his attention was on the blood color of her eyes, clear, deep, but not demonic. She was not human, she was not an angel, she was not a demon, and there was something out there licking it's lips at her.

"Who are you?" she asked and almost seemed scared, trying to move but wincing in pain; her wing shuddered and quaked, a movement of pain rather than anything else. There was that sympathy again.

"Sit still," he told her with a forcefulness that he was sure would have made Michael proud. It wasn't anger or pride or the resolve of a soldier that formed it though; he wasn't sure what it was but he didn't want her to move, barely to breath at the moment.

His gaze moved again and without thinking his wings quivered, unfurled, extended. Most couldn't see them of course, couldn't see through the veil into the spiritual plane on which his true form existed; the shadows they cast though in the dim streetlights, the very force of his Grace with his wings unfolded as they were, this was enough to make the vast majority of creatures tremble and fall to their knees before the majesty of one of God's archangels. And he could hear whatever it was out there scuttle away, run from the Trickster, and Gabriel half smirked.

Then he heard the gasp and he turned to see the girl with large black wings of her own staring up at him with wide eyes. Namely staring at where his wings were, as if she could perceive them, could honestly see the truth of the strange man with the sandy hair and the golden eyes. See his wings, see his Grace, and her eyes just stared.

"What are you?" Her question had changed and he was tempted to call it rude but he didn't think she meant it that way and he was tired. It wasn't like a wanting to sleep sort of tired, just a general tired; tired of creatures trying to fight him, tired of things going bump around him, tired of humans and their attitudes, tired of trying to find somewhere to just have some fun and getting interrupted. Tired of fighting, running away from fighting only to be dragged back into fighting. Gabriel was just tired and he sighed.

"I'm the archangel Gabriel," he said and tried to smirk, one of his smirks, a half smile that would denote some sort of amusement, like it was a joke.

But her eyes were earnest, it reminded her honestly of Castiel and he wondered how the youngest of his celestial siblings was doing at the moment, getting a sense of something being off; the young woman continued to watch him and seeing the way his expression changed, just in the smallest ways, she frowned a bit and forced herself to her feet with some difficulty. Gabriel was used to be smaller than many of the people he dealt with, a problem with his vessel to tell the truth, but it wasn't so with her. She was small, thin, made tiny by her own eclipsing wings; her dress hung off her body mostly full pieces though her sleeves were ripped to shreds and it occurred to him she wasn't wearing shoes or socks or anything at all really below her knees. She was a good few inches shorter than him and thus had to look up at him, tilting her head as she regarded him. The Trickster didn't expect this, not the innocent look to her eyes nor when she had reached up to touch his cheek, her fingers cold but soft. They grazed over his skin and he would have shivered if he was human. Hell, he still did, and he thought again of how tired he was, how he wanted to be able to go back to being uninvolved in his family's drama and all the apocalypses and all the fighting and saving the Winchesters, saving Cas, saving everyone. Just get away and be away, even if just for a small portion of eternity.

"An archangel?" she asked again and tilted her head, again like Castiel; maybe they were secretly related. Maybe she was a Nephilim, but he knew she wasn't that because he'd still be able to sense Grace in her, and there was none. Her eyes seemed to search his face, "I've never met an archangel before."

"There are only a small number of us." Four, four archangels. And two were sealed away in a Cage deep in Hell, his brothers, his precious brothers.

"Admittedly I don't really remember meeting much of anyone before," she said and she spoke with a smile though the words rather startled Gabriel. Amnesia then? He reached up with one hand, touching her forehead gently with two fingers but before he could even focus the same thing happened; something struck back, forced him away, and both winced, stepping away from each other.

He looked at his hand, brow furrowed in confusion; he flexed his fingers, feeling the flow of his Grace, his essence, his life force and magic and all the things it encompassed. Nothing was wrong with him and he glanced up at her to see her looking scared. It wasn't of him though, he was certain of that; it was something else, something unrelated to him but not to what happened.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft, trembling and her wings fluttered nervously; the movement made her wince again and Gabriel grabbed her arm before she could step another step away.

The archangel that remembered the fledglings didn't think her running around injured was a good idea. The god concerned by the oddness of the responses to his Grace didn't want her leaving until he could figure out what was going on. Gabriel who could see the fear in her eyes and understood it and found some sympathy for that too didn't plan on letting her run. He shook his head, tried to speak in a calming way, like he did when Castiel had crashed back onto the ground after his first attempt at flight, when Balth had accidentally burned himself with his own burning blade, when Lucifer had first spoken of rebellion in soft whispers to his younger brother and Gabriel for all his love, all his understanding, had tried to tell him not to do it.

"It's okay, you don't have to run. I'm not going to hurt you." Her eyes stared at him, wide still, like a doe's, like a newborn angel staring up at it's caretaker for the first time. And he was touched by that sympathy again; he tried to smile again, he focused on her instead of letting his mind wander to his siblings again, "Do you remember anything? A name, a location, something?" What happened to her wing, why she was laying unconscious in a park in a ripped dress and nothing else, why though her eyes were red and she had large wings nothing else about her screamed monster or angel or demon or human.

She was silent, she bit her lip in thought; he watched her through it all and waited for some sort of answer, something to connect to her. But none came; she shook her head and he sighed softly, a reluctant sound but a sound nevertheless.

Something itched at the back of his head, the sensation of being watched again, and he pulled her against her chest and took a look around, surveying. His wings flexed and shook out a few downy feathers; the girl's eyes were glued on them, watching the archangel's wings move and her own quaked in response, twitching before he placed a hand upon the back of one and pressed it to her, gently, carefully.

"Let's go," he said and she opened her mouth to speak; he snapped his fingers before she could.

[crowdvscritic]

crowd vs. critic // BEST OF THE DECADE (2010s)

Well, people, I tried. I really tried to whittle down the decade to 100 movies or fewer just like a good little Best of Decade list does, but here we are. That is, here we are at 144.

Maybe it’s because movies have meant so much to me this decade. When I graduated from high school in 2010, I loved John Hughes and Audrey Hepburn, but since then, film has cemented itself as my favorite art form. A few highlights in this journey:

Taking film classes at Taylor University, including a trip to the Sundance Film Festival in 2013

Writing for ZekeFilm starting in 2016

Writing about every new movie I watched in 2016

Watching classic movies while podcasting about Gilmore Girls pop culture references

Discovering my love for Turner Classic Movies, including taking their online summer course “Mad About Musicals”

Watching every movie nominated for Best Picture in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2019

Beginning a slow (very slow) but sure trek through every Best Picture winner in history

And, oh yeah— starting this little blog!

I left Snow White and The Huntsman wishing someone would review it considering how fun it was even though it wasn’t a great art. Then I thought, what if that person was me? I hope my writing and critical analysis has grown since then, but I still ask the same questions about every movie I’ve watched since then: What is the popcorn potential? What is the artistic taste?

This decade I also spent July Friday nights watching outdoor movies on Art Hill, hosted annual Oscars watch parties with dear friends, attended my first midnight premiere (The Hunger Games), paid extra for the reclining seats to celebrate my first job (Interstellar), and found a laugh break with my whole family during a stressful summer (Ant-Man and the Wasp).

So here’s a small tribute to the time I spent watching, discussing, and reading and writing about movies I watched these 10 years: 72 Crowd picks and 72 Critic picks. They’re the 144 films that moved me, made me laugh, or made the biggest impact on me, and they’re the ones I recommend most from the 2010s.

Crowd-Pleasers of the 2010s

1. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) – An acting tour de force you’ll still be thinking about days later. (#JohnGoodmanForBestSupportingActor) Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

2. The Age of Adaline (2015) - The color palette and costumes are dreamy, and the romance taking a back seat to Adaline’s personal growth is refreshing. On my Best of 2015.

3. Austenland (2013) – “This movie is for two kinds of people: people who love Jane Austen and people who think Jane Austen fans are funny.” – A paraphrased director Jerusha Hess. On my Sundance 2013 lineup. On my Best of 2013.

4. Ant-Man (2015) – All hail, Paul Rudd and his ability to make us care about ants. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2015.

5. Avengers: Endgame (2019) - An impossibly satisfying conclusion that seemed impossible when Iron Man came out in 2008. A peak in the superhero subgenre as well as ensemble films, action flicks, sci-fi adventures, and time travel comedies. On my Best of 2019.

6. Baby Driver (2017) – If you forced me to pick my favorite on this entire list, here you go. A modern musical that lights up every spark in my brain. On my Best of 2017.

7. Beauty and the Beast (2017) – My favorite of the Disney live action remakes. On my Best of 2017.

8. Before We Go (2014) – I’m a sucker for Boy-Meets-Girl-and-They-Talk-All-Night stories, and this one’s an aesthetic dream. Excellent pick if your flight is cancelled and you’re stuck in an airport for nine hours.

9. The Big Sick (2017) – You’ll fall in love with the treasure Kumail Nanjiani. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2017.

10. Black Panther (2018) – WAKANDA FOREVER. On my Best of 2018.

11. Central Intelligence (2016) – No complaints from me when the Rock and Kevin Hart team up. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

12. Colossal (2016) – The best quasi-superhero movie no one talked about this decade. On my Best of 2017.

13. Crazy Rich Asians (2018) – Three cheers for Awkwafina! On my Best of 2018.

14. Creed (2015)

15. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – Controversial Movie Corner: My favorite of The Dark Knight trilogy.

16. Finding Dory (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

17. Frozen II (2019) – Controversial Movie Corner: Better than the original.

18. Fury (2014)

19. Game Night (2018) - Come for the sharp jokes, stay for the clever heist plotting and a hilarious ensemble. On my Best of 2018.

20. Ghostbusters (2016) – I had the option to rewatch this or the 1984 version for Halloween this year, and I chose to laugh through this one. FYI, the extra 15 minutes in the extended version make a difference. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

21. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – Another modern musical. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.

22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.

23. Home Again (2017) – Made of pure charm. Read ZekeFilm review.

24. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) The best of the best dystopian YA adaptation series this decade. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2013.

25. I Feel Pretty (2018)

26. Inception (2010)

27. The Intern (2015) – Insanely rewatchable. On my Best of 2015.

28. Interstellar (2014)

29. Juliet, Naked (2018) – On my Best of 2018.

30. Jurassic World (2015) – Doesn’t hold up to scrutiny on second watch, but a big spectacle on a big screen. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2015.

31. The Kings of Summer (2013) – My favorite from Sundance 2013. On my Best of 2013.

32. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) – A course-correction of tired spy movie clichés. On my Best of 2015.

33. Knives Out (2019) – On my Best of 2019.

34. Kong: Skull Island (2017) – Very rewatchable. Very relistenable soundtrack.

35. Late Night (2019)

36. The Lego Movie (2014) – I didn’t choose this movie, but I laughed so hard I forgave my friends for dragging me to it.

37. Letters to Juliet (2010) – Very corny. Very rewatchable for its Italian countryside setting.

38. Logan Lucky (2017) – Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig at their funniest. On my Best of 2017.

39. The Magnificent Seven (2016) – Sometimes you just want to see a bunch of movie stars tearing it up. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

40. Mary Poppins Returns (2018) – One of the most successful movies on this list because it knows exactly what it wants to be and then is that. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2018.

41. The Maze Runner (2014) – Let’s just forget those sequels ever happened.

42. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) – Fallout got the most attention, but I prefer the squad in this sequel. Bonus points for Jeremy Renner. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2015.

43. Moana (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

44. Monte Carlo (2011) – Wanderlust satisfied because it takes inspiration from Golden Hollywood fairy tales like Roman Holiday.

45. Morning Glory (2010)

46. The Muppets (2011) – Maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh.

47. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) – Even bigger, fatter, and Greeker than the original. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

48. Ocean’s Eight (2018) – The real heist? Eight funny ladies taking turns stealing every scene. On my Best of 2018.

49. Passengers (2016) - A near-perfect popcorn flick. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.

50. Paper Towns (2015) – Love me some Nat Wolff with an indie pop soundtrack.

51. Prometheus (2012) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.

52. A Quiet Place (2018) – Where the best of commercial and critical filmmaking come together. On my Best of 2018.

53. Ready or Not (2019)

54. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) – Another entry in the Wanderlust Canon.

55. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) – Imperfect, but sticks the landing.

56. Shazam! (2019) – Read ZekeFilm review.

57. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) – Charismatic movie stars + flashy cinematography = A great time at the theatre (even when the projector fails in the middle of your screening and you have to start over).

58. The Spectacular Now (2013)

59. Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

60. Spy (2015) – I still can’t believe how much I laughed at this.

61. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) – The best Star War since 1980. On my Best of 2017.

62. Super 8 (2011)

63. Tangled (2010) – Controversial Movie Corner: Better than both Frozens.

64. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

65. Toy Story 3 (2010)

66. Warm Bodies (2013) – Who knew a zom rom com would become one of my go-to comfort foods? Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2013.

67. Wonder Woman (2017) – Anyone else almost cry in that No Man’s Land scene? On my Best of 2017.

68. World War Z (2013) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2013.

69. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) – Why I’d pick the X-Men over the Avengers most days. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.

70. Yesterday (2019) – You know a movie captures its audience when most stay through the credits to sing “Hey Jude.” On my Best of 2019.

71. Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) – Hello, my name is Taylor, and I declare Woody Harrelson a national treasure. Read ZekeFilm review.

72. Zootopia (2016) – Creatively and socially sharp. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

Critic Picks of the 2010s

1. 12 Years a Slave (2013) – There’s no beauty or redemption in this chapter of America’s story, but the beauty of this is it restores humanity to millions denied it in their lifetimes. Read ZekeFilm review.

2. 20 Feet From Stardom (2013) – On my Sundance 2013 lineup. On my Best of 2013.

3. 1917 (2019) – Who needs suplots? Or more than one camera? On my Best of 2019.

4. Ad Astra (2019) – Prayerful poetry + one of Brad Pitt’s best performances. On my Best of 2019.

5. American Sniper (2014)

6. Argo (2012) – CIA work: It’s just like makin’ a movie! Read ZekeFilm review.

7. Arrival (2016) - The best Hollywood has to offer. I left wishing I felt this way after every film. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.

8. The Artist (2011)

9. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) – On my Best of 2019.

10. Begin Again (2013) – Adam Levine singing in Begin Again > Adam Levine singing in Maroon 5. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.

11. The Beguiled (2017) – Sofia Coppola = Queen. On my Best of 2017.

12. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

13. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – Don’t @ me—I like this better than the original. On my Best of 2017.

14. BlacKkKlansman (2018) – Just when you think this undercover investigation can’t get riskier, Spike Lee finds another way to send your blood pressure rising. On my Best of 2018.

15. The Bling Ring (2013) – Sofia Coppola = Still Queen.

16. Boyhood (2014)

17. Brooklyn (2015) – I think that Saorsie Ronan is goin’ places. On my Best of 2015.

18. Circles (2013) – Love me some symbolism. On my Sundance 2013 lineup. On my Best of 2013.

19. Dunkirk (2017) – The freshest take on World War II since Schindler’s List. On my Best of 2017.

20. Fences (2016) – Denzel Washington and Viola Davis bring issues of race, class, gender, marriage, and intelligence to life in a story as relevant today as in the 1950s. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.

21. First Man (2018) – On my Best of 2018.

22. Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) – More proof Hugh Grant is just the best. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.

23. First Reformed (2017) – I‘ve never heard a character pray in words so close to mine. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2018.

24. The Florida Project (2017) - For what this lacked in narrative momentum, it made up for in empathy. On my Best of 2017.

25. Get Out (2017) – I’m not one for horror, and I’m not one to watch the same film twice in one week, but this broke both of those rules. On my Best of 2017.

26. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

27. Gravity (2013) – Maybe my favorite Sandra Bullock performance. On my Best of 2013.

28. Green Book (2018) – Read ZekeFilm review.

29. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic review.

30. The Help (2011) – Prescient of the decade ahead for its soon-to-be-superstar cast and a story reminding white people they should probably just shut up and listen instead of thinking they have all the answers.

31. Hell or High Water (2016) – A modern Cain and Abel story. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.

32. Hidden Figures (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

33. I, Tonya (2017)

34. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) – Controversial Movie Corner: My preferred Barry Jenkins of the decade. On my Best of 2018.

35. Inside Out (2015) – “There’s inductive reasoning, there’s déjà vu, there’s language processing, there’s déjà vu, there’s critical thinking, there’s déjà vu…” On my Best of 2015.

36. Jackie (2016) – Changed my perspective on Natalie Portman. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.

37. Jojo Rabbit (2019) – Shows not just how ugly hate is but how winsome it can appear. On my Best of 2019.

38. Joy (2015) – An important film at a hard time in my life. On my Best of 2015.

39. The King’s Speech (2010)

40. La La Land (2016) – Already one of the Great Musicals. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

41. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) – Like a novel on screen. On my Best of 2019.

42. Les Misérables (2012)

43. Lincoln (2012)

44. The Light Between Oceans (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.

45. Lion (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.

46. Little Women (2019) – I don’t sob in every film, but one of the most realistic onscreen depictions of sisterhood will make me do it.  On my Best of 2019.

47. Love & Friendship (2016) - Captures Jane Austen’s sardonic tone and her eye for silliness in social etiquette. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.

48. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Bananas, but the best kind of bananas. On my Best of 2015.

49. Marriage Story (2019) – A divorce story I want every engaged couple to watch. An Adam Driver/Scarlett Johansson acting show I want every film lover to watch. On my Best of 2019.

50. The Martian (2015) – Of all the fantastic space stories this decade, this is the most feel-good. On my Best of 2015 list.

51. Midnight in Paris (2011) – Another entry into the Wanderlust Canon.

52. Midnight Traveler (2019) – A documentary that feels more like flipping through a family photo album than reading a newspaper. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2019.

53. Molly’s Game (2017) – Sorkin Part 1!

54. Moneyball (2011) – Sorkin Part 2!

55. mother! (2017) - Exactly zero people on Earth can explain what this story means, but I think we can all agree we don’t deserve Jennifer Lawrence. On my Best of 2017.

56. Mudbound (2017) – A Greek tragedy set in the Deep South. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2017.

57. Parasite (2019) – A Southern Gothic set in South Korea. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2019.

58. Philomena (2013)

59. The Post (2017) – Hanks. Spielberg. Streep. Need I say more? On my Best of 2017.

60. The Report (2019) - Solely included here for the performance from Adam Driver, who elevated this so much he became one of my favorite working actors by the credits. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2019.

61. Selma (2014)

62. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – I’m ready for more J. Law and B. Coop team ups in the 2020s. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.

63. Sing Street (2016) – Listen to “The Riddle of the Model” and you can thank me later. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.

64. The Social Network (2010) – Sorkin Part 3!

65. Spotlight (2015)

66. A Star Is Born (2018) – Sometimes a film is everything you hope it will be. On my Best of 2018.

67. The Theory of Everything (2014)

68. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) – A needed dialogue with unexpected opportunities for redemption. On my Best of 2017.

69. Three Identical Strangers (2018) - Sucks you in with its stranger-than-fiction premise but keeps you because of its better-than-fiction characters. On my Best of 2018.

70. The Tree of Life (2011)

71. The Two Popes (2019) – On my Best of 2019.

72. Wind River (2017) – The story lead the way instead of its politics, which makes both more compelling. More of Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen in everything, please. On my Best of 2017.

Photo credits: All photos from IMDb.com.

[transphormers]

please tell us about your ocs! i love hearing about others ocs!

Ok so under readmore cause its....quite long fdasdasf: 

Nightflare:Not a noble/towers mech but almost tbh. Has a fancy car-like alt. Very educatedand cultured and very interested in justice but he used to saw things in a veryblack&white way. Wanted to become the Cybertronian equivalent of a lawyer/judgeif such thing existed (which? Im pretty sure it did but anyway) Never reallygot around to do it for various reasons (mostly peer pressure cause most of hisfriends where the kind of rich asshole who thinks working is below ‘people likethem’ but also cause he’s a very one-track mind kind of person and he just? Alwaysfound other things he felt he needed to focus on :/) 

He met his(future) conjux, Sonicboom, when one of his friends began to act as a patronfor him and started bringing him over to their apartment complex for musiclessons and the like. He began to learn about the terrible living conditions ofother Cybertronians by listening to Sonicboom talk about his life andexperiences as well as those of people he knew. He was deeply disgusted withwhat he learnt and became quickly involved with the Decepticon movement once itbegan.

Heconsidered becoming a neutral and leaving the planet with Sonicboom once thewar started but he was way too committed to the original ideals of themovement. As the war progressed and things got more crude he began to regrethis choice but it was too late to try to become a neutral so instead he did hisbest to keep both Sonicboom and himself alive.

Once thewar ended and they returned to Cybertron he kind of wanted to try to be alawyer or a judge for real this time but at the same time he’s not sure if hestill wants that and just feels like its no longer his thing so he’s just kindof working on w/e he can find both to be able to live + also to feel usefulwhile he sorts out his own head.

 Sonicboom: Idkwhat alt I want him to have but I can imagine him as a radio tbh. Has a veryactive mind but tends to get lost in his own head (this got worse during andafter the war) Also very interested in culture both Cybertronian and alien,especially the arts (and especially among the arts: music) He’s Nightflare’sconjux. A really good singer and composer.

He wasquite poor in the earlier years of his life but things changed when ahigh-class mech heard him singing and decided to sponsor him and help himbecome a singer and composer (its around this time when he met Nightflare thothey took a long time to become conjux). He hates talking about that part ofhis past and he has opened to very little people about it. He became quitefamous in pre-war Cybertron but that obviously didn’t matter when the warstarted.

He wantedto stay a neutral but ended up joining the Decepticons to keep an eye onNightflare when he refused to become a neutral too. Managed to survive the warand now that there’s peace again he wants to go back to being a musician butall he has been able to compose lately are either very melancholic & pessimisticsongs about a time and dreams long gone or upbeat but actually quite depressingsongs about the war and he’s pretty sure people wouldn’t like those, so he’smostly letting time go by like and avoiding all conversations about his future andmusic like ‘haha yeah. Im working on my music. Happy music. Youll hear it soon.Haha. Yeah :) but lets now talk about me what are You doing?’.

 Mishmash:  (I came up with this Oc after having spentthe whole night reading fics so that should give you an idea of how terrible he’sgonna be. Anyway)

Some ‘backstory’ofhis creation: idk if you know but there’s this idea in fandom that bots can mergetheir sparks and that’s seen as smth very intimate to do with yourconjux/bestest of friends and its like?? The Ultimate Form of Connection™between 2 mechs and while they are at it they can like? Share memories &feelings & communicate without barriers or w/e and idk ive always liked theidea tbh and I wanted to use it somewhere in a fic but since im an awful littlegoblin who loves angst too much for her own good I had to make it sad.

Problem is,I couldn’t think of any Canon characters I could fit in the already very clearand sad scenario I had in mind so I decided to just use two nameless ocs (All Iknow of them:One was a flyer the other a grounder. They were amica. Almostbecame conjux but someone else came along. Never really regretted not becomingconjux tbh). 

Anyway, the scene I had in mind was, in a few words:

These 2 robots are fucking around investigatingsome place far from the city when smth goes awfully wrong and they both getreally hurt. One of them takes the worst damage on their frames and the otheron their sparks and knowing that they are most likely end up dead they decideto merge sparks one last time, to both comfort the other and themselves inthose final moments u kno?. (And here’s where things get weird(er)) While beingmerged and as their sparks die smth happens and?? Somehow?? Both sparks fullymerge creating a ‘new’ one, which gets into the frame that’s less damaged one(the flier) managing to survive. A while later some other bots find these 2bots and quickly take them back to the city where they focus on fixing the onethat still has a spark.

And oncethey are done said bot wakes up, problem is: he desnt?? recognize the name he’sbeing called? Or rather he recognizes it but he doesn’t feel like its his? Andhis head is a mess cause he is remembering some events from two different povs?+ there’s smth wrong with his frame cause he?? Doesn’t feel like it’s the rightframe but it isn’t the right one either? Basically everything is very confusingand the poor bot ends up running away from the medical bay he’s in causeeverything is too much. Everyone else is quite freaked out too cause they knowthis bot and its obvious that smth isn’t right with him??cause not even hisvoice sounds the same???

And to make things even more complicated one ofthe original bots conjux comes to see wtf has happened with his conjux and hisconjuxs amica only to find this one bot who looks like one of them but…. Isn’t oneof them? Not really? It’s such a capital M Messy situation. 

So, inshort: Mishmash is a very confused and stressed pretty much new-builtcybertronian who’s just trying to find his place in the universe and, mostimportantly, find out who he is which, it’s quite hard because sometimes hefeels like himself but other times he feels more like one of the bots whosesparks made his and sometimes he feels like they are with him? Or he suddenly remembersthings from their lives and so on. + lots of bots who knew those other two botsare?? Quite pushy with him, trying to get him to be more like one of the botsthey knew and its……….. awful.

(surprisinglyenough the most accepting and helpful person is The Conjux??? Like, sure, thereare moments where he also fucks up but he’s the only one who apologizes for nottreating Mishmash like his own person and who tries to help him organize hisnew/old memories and navigate his new life the most)  

[kazliin]

Are you going to tell us now how you changed the story after you saw episode 10? You said you had to go back and re-outline the whole thing. I am interested in knowing how it differs.

i’m sorry if someone has already asked you this but can you share with us the original plan you had for umfb before episode 10? or can you not tell us until after the companion fic?

How Episode 10 Changed Everything (and other fun stories):

So as I’ve said a couple of times before, episode 10 was anabsolute game changer for Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches and now thatthe fic is finally done I’ll try and explain how although this may get a bitlong and I wont go into too much detail about Viktor for companion fic reasons.

So the main three things that episode 10 changed in the ficwas Viktor’s entire character, Yuuri as an unreliable narrator and the programmusic.

The most significant by far was Viktor’s character. Becausepre episode 10 we really still didn’t know that much about Viktor and we had noidea about the banquet. So before episode 10 I assumed that Yuuri fell in lovefirst and Viktor came to coach Yuuri out of curiosity because he likessurprises and doing something different and eventually and unexpectedly foundhimself falling in love. In a draft for another fic I was tossing ideas aroundfor it actually centred on Viktor only realising he was in love with Yuuri justbefore the kiss in episode 7. Viktor was always very mysterious and I’m surepeople who were in the fandom pre ep10 will remember all the theories that hewas just using Yuuri and all that and while I didn’t believe that, I did assumethat Viktor’s character trope was the ‘workaholic slowly learns how to love bybeing loved’ one.

But then episode 10 comes and completely knocks that out ofthe water because we find that Viktor is actually this adorable sappy romanticwho calls Yuuri sleeping beauty and adores him and fell in love with him whenhe was wasted and dancing and brought life and love back into Viktor’s world.And that completely changed Viktor in the fic because after an episode from hispov I had a much better handle on his character and realised he absolutelywouldn’t act like he had been planned to act in the fic.

In the original plan he wasn’t ever a bad person or anythingbut he was actually a rival for Yuuri and he didn’t fall in love until muchmuch later. But with episode 10 we also found out that Chris and Viktor arebest buddies and Viktor likes skating with Chris and can’t imagine a seasonwithout him which means that in the fic there’s no way that Viktor would feelthreatened by Yuuri as a rival because in canon he’s besties with hiscompetitor and he’s way too much of a sweetheart for that. So in the fic itchanged from Viktor reciprocating the rivalry to Viktor actually enjoying thechallenge and excitement it brought into his life.

As for him falling in love, in chapter 10 the singing thingwas always planned but that was originally the first sign that Viktor was feeling deep affection for Yuuri and was just the very beginning of himfalling in love. It chapter 10! But after ep10 I realised that Viktor ‘love atfirst drunken dance’ Nikiforov would definitely not be having a solid two yearsof a ‘relationship’ and just be starting to fall because that would be seriouslyooc and we finally saw just how much he adores Yuuri through his own eyes. Andso in the fic I reworked the whole thing to fit with Viktor as a character as Inow understood him and that included him falling first, falling hard andfalling early.

Episode 10 also showed us just how much of an unreliable narratorYuuri is, with the banquet and also how different everything seemed from Viktor’seyes. And so that meant that I started to play with the idea of Yuuri being aseriously unreliable narrator and trying to tell a story where his version isvery different to the version the audience see, which is obviously now prettycrucial to umfb&mha.

I also went back and reworked all the program music for thefic once episode 10 came out. Before it was all important and did havesignificance but after I knew that Viktor was going to fall early, I decided toplay around with the idea of showing the audience how he was feeling throughhis music. So I went back and completely changed the program music to tell aproper story (funny story, originally Yuuri was going to be the one skating toSun and Moon. And then episode 10 happened and I looked at the new outline ofthe fic like ‘this is such a Viktor song oh my god).

Another thing that episode 10 changed was originally, Chriswasn’t involved in the fic at all until we found out about his and Viktor’sfriendship and that he’s actually such a good bro not just a weird guy who gropesYuuri and comes on the ice. As well as that, in episode 10 we also found outthat Yuuri was actually the unknowing playboy in the Eros story not Viktor,coming into Viktor’s life, stealing his heart and then leaving without a word, whichlead me adapting the fic to umfb!Yuuri becoming a perceived playboy by others, throughcertain things that will be explored fully in the companion fic, as a referenceto that. There were also some smaller changes like the inclusion of the drunkenOlympics and Yuuri knowing how to pole dance as a shout out to the episode.

Episode 12 also changed a lot. One of the things was Yurioand his role in the fic and how he feels about Yuuri which will be exploredmore in the companion fic. Also the original end of the fic was that Yuuri wasgoing to try and fail to do the quad flip which ruins an otherwise perfectskate and potentially loses him the gold but he was willing to sacrifice it totell Viktor. But in episode 12, we see that Yuuri can do a quad flip with hislove for Viktor as motivation so it changed to Yuuri still risking ruininghis perfect skate because he isn’t sure if he can land the jump but doing it anyway andactually succeeding because every time he tried and failed before it wasbecause he was doing it out of bitterness trying to beat Viktor and this timehe was doing it out of love.

The fic also changed a lot over the course of writing itjust because characters take on a life of their own and my first draft was veryrough and done before I’d written anything so I’ll try and do a chapter bychapter run down of the big changes from the rough plan I wrote before startingthe fic to the end result.

Chapter 4:

·      There was originally going to be a discussionbetween Viktor and Yuuri that went badly and they both ended up annoyed andoffended which sparked Viktor’s side of the rivalry but there was no way to dothat without making them both dicks and ooc. After episode 10, it changed toViktor trying to be helpful but phrasing it badly and being a bit too blunt and unreliable narrator Yuuri taking it wrong andcutting the conversation short before things could be explained

Chapter 6:

·      Yuuri was originally going to be watchinginterviews and stuff of Viktor and thinking how arrogant and self-assured hewas but this changed with Viktor’s character change because that’s just not him at all

·      Viktor was going to make a comment about Yuuri’squads but this one was actually going to be an insult and again changed whenViktor’s character changed because Viktor wouldn’t insult a fellow competitor like that

·      The idea for the dream sequence only came later

Chapter 7:

·      Pole dancing only became a thing after episode10

·      Viktor was going to only miss the GPS and comeback for Worlds but lose because he wasn’t fully recovered but I decided I didn’twant the first time Yuuri won against Viktor to be so unsatisfying

·      The watching Yuuri skate at the rink didn’toriginally happen at this point in the fic until after I saw ep 10. It was actually planned for somewhere around chapter 10/11

Chapter 8:

·      Yuuri never lost motivation originally but Idecided at that point it was important in his character to almost give up butthen come back with a vengeance

·      The drunken Olympics never originally happened

Chapter 9:

·      Yuuri was originally still going to be veryhostile before I realised it was ooc and a dick move after Viktor was beingnice to him so it changed to him congratulating Viktor after Viktor won. Thatthen changed the sex scene from the mutual hatefuck it was going to be pre ep10to Yuuri and the comments thing that sent him spiralling. The not-talking thingwas also added as a plot device because Viktor as he became acted verydifferently to him as he was originally planned to be, and it would have been tooeasy if he had been allowed to talk.

·      Viktor was originally going to take Yuuri out todinner at the WC purely out of guilt

·      There was originally going to be another sexscene after the WC and dinner where Yuuri was angry at Viktor for ruining hisskate but it would be ooc for both of them and got changed early on

Chapter 10:

·      Number swap was supposed to be just for hookingup but changed after ep10

·      Yuuri’s theme was originally going to besomething related to hatred but it changed as his character developed and Irealised how he was being affected by the events of the fic was different tothe plan and that would be doing him a disservice as a character. He had already let go of almost all his bitterness by this point and was falling for Viktor, not hating him.

·      Conversation with Phichit was very short anddidn’t involve a lot of the stuff it did in the final chapter

·      Viktor was going to be acting verydifferent in the second sex scene with none of the need or desperation thathappened, which all came about during his character change

·      Conversation with Chris never happened until thethird of four re-writes of ep10 when I realised Viktor’s actions needed somemore context for people who were ignoring the music (A lot of people still hadn’t caught on that Viktor was head over heels in love yet and I felt it needed a more explicit hint)

Chapter 11:

·      Lots of domestic sex was supposed to happen in thischapter in a very very early first concept but I changed it early on for plot reasons and also companion fic reasons

·      Sex scene was supposed to be all about Yuuriacting like Eros Yuuri in the concept drafts before I started writing the fic, but those two idiots in love were very sappy andsentimental instead and it became a crucial relationship shift point instead

·      All domesticness from that chapter was plannedout later in the fic as the details were not specified  in the first plan,including the borscht scene

Chapter 12:

·      Meal with the other skaters never happened, that idea came later

·      In the rough draft of the chapter, the revel about Yuuri’s virginity happened at thesame time as the second reveal but I split them because it worked better thatway

·      Yurio wasn’t originally involved at all andYuuri left after getting jealous. The love revelation never happened

Chapter 13:

·      Yurio appeared in this chapter instead althoughthe conversation was very different in the rough plan because everything hetalks about in the final version came about after episode 10 changed everything

·      Yuuri was originally going to be much more angryat the scandal and use his anger to win while Viktor still fucked up his skate. This changed very early when I realised it was ooc and Yuuri would actuallyreact very differently due to how in love he was, and that emotional devastation and heartbreak would ruinhis skate instead. 

Chapter 14:

·      None of the conversations with Yuuri’s familywere planned in detail in the first rough plan, I just knew he needed to goback to Hasetsu and have some revelations

·      Yuuri was supposed to convince himself thatViktor never loved him and never could and only realised Viktor’s feelingsafter seeing stammi vicino. This changed because it was very important forYuuri to go and get some distance and time and then decided to come back anddecided to try again with Viktor before he saw stammi vicino. It also changedbecause with Viktor as he became after ep10 and how he reacted, there was no waythat Yuuri would convince himself that Viktor never cared for him. He’s a bit emotionallydense sometimes but not an idiot

·      Yuuri was going to fall on the quad flip

So yeah, all this is from the very rough draft before Iwrote any of the actual fic (and while the show was still on about ep 7 or 8) and the story adapted and changed along the way as I got moreinto the characters and got a better handle on how they would act until it becamewhat you see today. It definitely became a much better story and I’m very happywith all the changes that I made! Having a plan is great for a framework butletting the characters grow and change naturally during the writing process ismuch more fun and I think makes for a better story

[kaoruyogi]

OC Interview

I got tagged by @ladydracarysao3! <3 I’m gonna do this for canon Halise.

1. Pick an original character!

2. Fill in the questions/statements as if you were being interviewed for an article and you were the character/muse

3. Tag people to do the same: Um...let’s see...Since a lot of people already got tagged, I’ll tag @uriellactaea, @cantkeepmyeyesoff, @gugle1980, @cute-ellyna, and whoever else wants to do it and hasn’t already been tagged.

(awesome art by @cute-ellyna)

Halise opens the door and looks around the room until she sees her interviewer. She beams at them and immediately walks over to shake their hand and ask how they’re doing. When she sits, she asks if she’s in the right spot or if she needs to do anything else. 

1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

*crosses her legs* Halise Lavellan.

2. NO SERIOUSLY WHAT IS YOUR REAL NAME

*clears her throat* Halise Dianisamahl Lavellan

3. DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU WERE CALLED THAT?

Well, it means “Firefox,” so I’m pretty sure It has something to do with my red hair. *Laughs* I was born with it red and curly, so I think my parents used that to guide them. But Babae always said they picked the fox part because he saw something in my eyes. *shrugs* Dianisamahl is my mother’s name, and that’s just a traditional thing to do in Dalish clans.

4. ARE YOU SINGLE OR TAKEN?

Taken. *smirks* 

5. DO YOU HAVE ANY ABILITIES OR POWERS?

Well, I have this mark on my hand that is all Fade-y, and I can make little lightning sparks in my right hand. *rubs her thumb and two fingers together to make a little pop*

6. STOP BEING A GARY STU.

I’m sorry, a what? *squints*

7. WHAT IS YOUR EYE COLOR?

*leans forward and pulls down on her lower eyelid* Green, and a little yellow.

8. HOW ABOUT YOUR HAIR COLOR?

Umm...red? I’m sorry, but is there something wrong with your eyes? No one told me whether there was anything wrong with your eyes.

9. HAVE YOU ANY FAMILY MEMBERS?

*sighs* I have a father, but my mother and sister are dead.

10. I SEE… WHAT ABOUT PETS?

Oh now you see. *rolls eyes* Well, growing up the clan had halla, but they weren’t pets. I’d say the closest thing I have now is my battlenug, Moosh. I take him everywhere.

11. TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE.

Besides Corypheus? I guess just people who like to hurt other people, or don’t care if they have to hurt other people to get what they want.

12.  DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES/ACTIVITIES YOU LIKE DOING?

I like to sing and dance, but I really only get to sing in private these days.

13. EVER HURT ANYONE BEFORE?

I suppose. *shifts in her seat* 

14. EVER…KILLED ANYONE BEFORE?

I think you know the answer to that question.

15. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?

I mean...I guess a fox? Because elves aren’t animals. *leans in and murmurs* If anyone said that to you before you came in, just tell me who, and I’ll deal with them myself.

16. NAME ONE OF YOUR WORST HABITS.

Chewing on the inside of my lip. Mamae used to tell me I was going to chew a hole through my face. *laughs softly before looking just a bit forlorn*

17. DO YOU LOOK UP TO ANYONE AT ALL?

*perks up with a grin* I look up to all my friends! Each of them has their own admirable qualities. Like Cassandra, she’s responsible and devout and really knows how to hit things! And Dorian and Sera are both really funny. And I admire Iron Bull’s ability to turn anything into something sexual. The list goes on.

18. SEXUAL ORIENTATION?

I like men. Man. One man, these days.

19. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL?

The Dalish don’t really have school. We all learn from the clan caretakers and the Keeper, and some of us learn to read. My parents made sure I learned because we traveled near the shem settlements a lot.

20. DO YOU EVER WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE KIDS ONE DAY?

*looks down and smiles* That would be lovely.

21. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF?

Failure. I’d hate to look up one day and realize I didn’t manage to help anyone or stop Corypheus.

22. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY WEAR?

This. *pulls on her shirt* Blue tunic and whatever breeches are clean. Or my armor. Harritt has made me some lovely armor.

23. DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE?

I do. 

24. WHAT CLASS ARE YOU? (HIGH/MIDDLE/LOW)

High, these days, I guess. But I grew up low, I suppose. Being Dalish and all.

25. HOW MANY FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?

Enough to feel very lucky. 

26. THOUGHTS ON PIE?

Uhh, it tastes good?

27. FAVORITE DRINK?

Water. Ooh! Or orange juice! I had it once in Orlais and it was sooo good!

28. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE?

My quarters. It’s the first place I’ve ever had to myself or *clears throat* had the choice to share with someone else.

29. WOULD YOU RATHER SWIM IN THE LAKE OR THE OCEAN?

Oceans are cold, in my experience, and there are some warm lakes. So, a lake, I suppose.

30. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ANYONE?

Isn’t that like the question you asked before? *squints* Yes. I’m in love with someone, therefore I am interested in him.

31. WHAT’S YOUR DICK SIZE?

I don’t...I don’t, uh, have one. *shifts uncomfortably in her seat* I’m really starting to get confused by some of your questions. You can see and hear, right?

32. WELL, WHAT’S YOUR TYPE?

Someone strong and kind who can make me laugh.

AND WHAT ATTRACTS YOU?

Um...those things. Though, I guess a well-cut figure and face don’t hurt.

33. ANY FETISHES?

No. Fenedhis, you’re asking me some very personal questions! Should I expect this line of questioning to continue? 

34. SEME OR UKE? TOP OR BOTTOM? DOMINANT OR SUBMISSIVE?

I guess the answer was yes, then. *sighs* Fine. I don’t know what those first two meant, but as far as the rest, I like a good mix.

35. CAMPING INDOORS OR OUTDOORS?

You can camp indoors? I mean, I guess that’s what the aravels are, but I don’t really mind it either way.

36. ARE YOU WANTING THE QUIZ TO END?

If you’re going to keep asking me strange questions, then yes. But it was very nice to meet you. *shakes the interviewer’s hand anyway*

[entergamingxp]

The 10 best game reissues of 2019 • Eurogamer.net

Remasters, remakes, re-releases and more.

This is the second time we’ve put together a list of our favourite old games of the year, and things have changed a little since 2018. The spate of remasters for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One has dried up as both platform holders shift their focus to the next generation of hardware – and Microsoft brought its impressive backward compatibility initiative for Xbox One to a close in the summer. The good news is that all the preservation and restoration work undertaken this generation hasn’t been wasted, as both Microsoft and Sony have promised their next consoles will be fully backwards compatible with their current machines.

Over on Switch, however, the fervour both players and publishers have for back catalogue releases is undimmed. Nintendo’s luxury portable continues to be the ideal place to put old favourites, whether they’re current-gen classics or vintage curios. The retro micro-console fad is still going strong – and inspiring some pretty flamboyant expressions of nostalgia. And some of the world’s top developers, from Blizzard to Nintendo, are investing serious resources in remaking their past hits to an ambitious spec.

It’s still great to see the games business and audience continuing to take the preservation and availability of past classics so seriously. Long may it continue into the next decade.

(Note that you won’t see this year’s Resident Evil 2 remake in this list, because we judged it to be an almost entirely new game based on the old one – unlike, say, Link’s Awakening on Switch, which, though lavishly updated, is identical in content to the Game Boy original.)

Alien: Isolation

An immaculate portable version of one of the most original and faithful licensed games ever – and one of the scariest games ever made. Digital Foundry’s John Linneman wrote: “It remains one of my favourite games of the generation: a perfect blend of exploration, horror, action and resource management. It is akin to a System Shock-lite experience in many ways and I love it. The new Switch version just happens to be a great excuse to revisit the game.”

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch

This lavish remake of Naughty Dog’s kart racer sparked bitter arguments in the Eurogamer office, as Mario Kart fans quite rightly took offence at its very existence. For the record, it is the view of the editor (me) that the Essential awarded to it at review is non-canonical (and wouldn’t have happened if he I hadn’t been on baby leave). But yeah, it looks beautiful and is fun to play, whatever. Chris Tapsell wrote: “Nitro-Fueled feels more like seeing an old friend than an old classroom, even if it’s a pretty weird friend who refuses to grow up and still wears jorts in public. It’s just plain, dumb fun, a game completely unashamed of itself, even now.”

Darius Cozmic Collection

This is the first of no less than three entries on this list from M2, the Japanese specialist famed for the passion, respect and painstaking accuracy of its retro reissues. Their target this time was this rarefied series of multi-screen Taito arcade shmups. Martin Robinson wrote: “Darius is a series of rare melancholy and one that sings with its sense of dissonance. Playing through the Darius series in order, you can sense that dissonance ramping up as the series becomes surer of its own identity; it’s there in eerily chalked out lines in the 1987 original, then amplified in the sequel… By the time of 1994’s Darius Gaiden, that dissonance is jacked up to the point of pure psychedelia.” (Darius Cozmic Collection is currently only available as a Japanese import, but a worldwide Switch and PS4 release is expected in 2020.)

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Some argue that this dreamlike side-story, originally released for Game Boy in 1993, is actually the finest Zelda game, and they have a strong case. Its pocket-watch precision certainly makes for a striking contrast with the expansive Breath of the Wild, something which developer Grezzo plays up in the adorable toytown visuals of this lovely remake. Tom Phillips wrote: “On the surface, Link’s Awakening is one of the series’ most whimsical entries, its world inhabited by Super Mario enemies and talking animals, frogs who sing soul music and crocodile artists who paint pictures. But, from the off, it is also a location Link knows he must escape from – even if he doesn’t yet know why. The melancholy here lies in every subsequent step, each bringing a greater familiarity and understanding of the places and people he must leave behind.”

Metal Wolf Chaos XD

PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC

You can’t get more cult than this: a hipster publishing label (Devolver) resurrecting a forgotten game by a now-revered studio (From Software) that had a tiny audience originally (Japanese Xbox owners) and an outlandish concept (US President fights coup in mech suit). It’s trashy, and the remaster wisely doesn’t smooth its rough edges, but it’s a lot of fun. Martin Robinson wrote: “Metal Wolf Chaos is every bit as beautifully dumb as its legend, built up over the years via scrappily uploaded YouTube rips, suggests. It’s a pissed-up, comically overstated romp that starts off silly and only gets sillier still. Oh, and beneath it all there’s a half-decent game too.”

The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors

PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch

This is a remaster of a remake – a 1994 SNES classic that itself brilliantly overhauled a 1987 Taito arcade game. It’s also one of the finest beat-’em-ups ever made, if not the greatest of them all. Martin Robinson wrote: “A remaster that’s at once subtle and sublime, drilling down into what made the originals special while making them shipshape for modern consoles… It’s a wonderful thing, and one I can’t recommend highly enough.”

Sega Mega Drive Mini

After years of serving the retro micro-console market with quick, sloppy cash-ins, Sega made up for it with this – a beautifully detailed product boasting a large, well-curated game selection and emulation by the absolute masters at M2. Better even than Nintendo’s NES and SNES minis, and a fitting tribute to a great console. John Linneman wrote: “There’s so much to love about this product, from the brilliant recreation of the machine itself to the excellent emulation and a simply stellar line-up of games… possibly the best mini retro console yet.”

Virtua Racing

There are ports, there are remakes and then there is what M2 has done with Sega’s early 3D arcade racer – a stunning, high-definition, high frame-rate modern restoration of the original’s ultra-clean low-poly look, with local multiplayer options to boot. Pure class. John Linneman wrote: “Beyond ‘arcade perfect’… It has a level of authenticity that’s untouchable, while at the same time modernising the game.”

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

CD Projekt’s vast, rambling, richly textured epic makes a scarcely believable transition to Nintendo’s handheld, and represents amazing value with all expansions included. Yes, it really does run, and it looks good too. Digital Foundry’s Tom Morgan wrote: “A mobile miracle… This is close to perfection… a stunning technical showcase for the Switch.”

World of Warcraft Classic

There are some remarkable releases in this list, but even in this company World of Warcraft Classic stands out. It’s simply unprecedented to roll back the years – all 15 of them – on an evolving online game, especially one as gigantic as this, and present it almost exactly as it was at launch. If you were there at the time, this is a fanatically authentic recreation of the experience you had then, and radically different to the one WOW players enjoy now. If you’re interested in game history, it’s a chance to explore a hugely influential release that many assumed would never be seen again in its original form. This is video game time travel.

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/the-10-best-game-reissues-of-2019-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-10-best-game-reissues-of-2019-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net

[chipbitsid]

Mega Ran & Guests - "Live at the Castle Hotel, Manchester"

This was a reblog from an article I did a little while ago back in may for Chiptunes=win. 

I was given exclusive tickets to go and see 'Mega Ran live' in Manchester at the 'Castle Hotel', courtesy of my chiptune buddy, 'Auracle'. Auracle would also be opening for the Arizona-based rapper. I'd seen' Mega Ran' a few times already; twice at Superbyte and then again when he opened for 'MC Lars'. However, I couldn't pass this up as the 'Castle Hotel'  is one of the smallest venues in town, which gives its concerts a real, personal vibe. Getting up close and personal with Ran and his impeccable openers was definitely a sell straight away for me.

For those who don't know Mega Ran, he is one of the big rappers of Chiptune and Nerdcore, starting off by spewing videogame inspired lyrics over a wide range of retro VGM songs. The majority of his tracks were inspired by Capcom games like 'Mega Man' (shock) however 'Final Fantasy' is also heavily referenced too.

I arrived just before the music started in order to get a good place to watch the openers. From previous experience, I knew the Castle's venue would get absolutely packed and sweaty, so I wanted to find an area which both the sound and view would be perfect.

First on the stage was, 'Marx', a rapper from Hull and heavily inspired by such artists as 'Wu-tang Clan' and heavy rock. Marx's set began very strong, showing off his own material as well as performing a couple of covers from the likes of 'Nas'. All splendid, however when it came to the choruses from his original material, I felt they lacked power, mainly due to 'Marx' himself (no fault of his own) singing the vocals. In my opinion, I thought he needed perhaps extra effects over his voice to further drive the chorus. That said, Marx was a good act to kick start Mega Ran's gig.

[Courtesy of B Cash Photography]

 ~Marx~ 

Bandcamp | Facebook | Youtube | Website | Twitter

Next up was Manchester's boy for chiptune, 'Auracle' who has been seeing a growing amount of popularity for some time. In fact 'Auracle' got the spot to play through word of mouth, with someone passing on his name to 'Mega Ran'. 'Auracle' began his set with a screamer of song called, 'WUBZ' fusing both 'Gameboy chiptune' and 'dubstep'. A fantastically well made track, it really showed off Auracle's detailed knowledge into music and tricks, even though he isn't known for doing solely dubstep music! From there on, the majority of his set stayed strong, with killer tracks such as, 'Can't Get a Break', -full of obligatory break samples-, and a new EDM tune called, 'White Sands, Blue Waters'. This track was extremely tasty, containing some of the sweetest leads of the evening, whilst featuring killer fills and breaks. 'Auracle' finished the set with a freestyle collaboration with 'Marx' rapping over the top; a nice surprise to round off a cool set, and although Marx found it hard to freestyle right off the bat, he got into and managed to make a couple songs his own!

   [Courtesy of B Cash Photography]

 ~Auracle~ 

Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Release

With two acts down, it was now on to the penultimate act before 'Mega Ran', San-Antonio based, 'Richie Branson'. I'd only heard of Richie when I had to research Nerdcore, upon going to see MC Lars. However, Richie managed to blow my expectations sky high, with a lot of his material being extremely relatable. Songs like 'Space Cowboy Serenade', which was written about all things good in 'Cowboy Bebop', a very cool scifi anime! Another thing that I really liked about Richie was how he could grab the crowd's attention so easily, whilst also at the same time acting so chill.

  [Courtesy of Dunningkruger]

It could be due to experience, but I feel it was mainly because he immediately talked about what he loved in life; 'anime & videogames' (oh and his 'Alienware Laptop'; it looked pretty cool). Finally it was also rather amazing to find out that not only was Manchester Richie's first overseas show live, he'd also recently beat cancer, an incredible feat.

 ~Richie Branson~ 

Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook | Website | Spotify | Twitter | Youtube

Now that all the warms had finished, it was time for 'Mega Ran' to take up the stage, with 'K-Murdock' behind him dealing out the jams. As said before, this gig felt very personal to me, due to venue being real small. However with 'Mega Ran' on the stage, it felt much more than just that. Kick starting the show off by letting a person hit start on an old Famicom, Mega Ran, talked to the crowd as if they were old friends, sparking up wisecracks (with 'K-Murdock' adding some really bad jokes) as well as even getting the whole audience to sit down and listen, whilst Ran began 'story time'; regaling a fun little tale as a rap.

  [Courtesy of Dunningkruger]

As if it couldn't get any better, 'Mega Ran' also brought out his fabled ,'Mega Man arm canon,' shooting it at the crowd whilst he rapped. Much of Mega Ran's old material was used, with almost every song hyping up the crowd. 'Infinite Lives' was one that really, stuck out for me, partly down to it's upbeat and happy nature, but also down to huge amount of people who knew it and sang along.

 ~Mega Ran~  Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook | Website | Spotify | Twitter | Youtube

After hosting Chip Bit Day literally only a few days before, I thought I'd be burnt out with Chiptune music; I was dead wrong to think, and I had a fantastic time, seeing a lot of unique acts, both old and new! I can now put the amount of times I've seen Mega Ran right next to Pearl Jam!

[tinyarmyofqueerfolkwrites]

Songs that give me feels || Kai & Cass edition

So, I’ve got this ship with @wolfieroleplays and there are SO many songs that give me feels, I’ve decided to make a list. It’s under the cut because it’s a long list, especially cause I give reasons why, sort of. I’ll probably be updating this as more songs hit me in the face.

Like that. (gif not mine)

Pinky and the Brain Theme Song

Kai is Pinky, Cass is Brain. It’s an obligatory song.

Photographs by Ed Sheeran

This relates to one version of their ship where Cass is travelling, as she does, and she has a picture of Kai in her wallet, just as Kai has a picture of her. It’s mushy and them, even before they get married.

Endlessly by Green River Ordinance

So, this is their otp tag song, for a reason. It’s basically them, in every version we have for them. It is easily from both of their points of view and that’s what makes it so awesome. Particularly, it relates to their newest ship name, which plays off where we had them originally: a firestorm and a raging sea. 

From Kai’s pov:

“She is my rock and my rolling thunder, I've been the spell she was under, I, I love that girl, She is my cigarettes and champagne, She's got me strung but I'm not running, I, I love that girl, I, I love that girl” 

From Cass’s pov:

“She is the flames in the fire, she's raging, I've been the spark in the war she's waging, I, I love that girl, She came along and she spoke so sweetly, Changed everything, took my heart completely, I, I love that girl I, I love that girl“

So... please excuse me while I CRY.

See You Again (feat. Charlie Puth)  by Wiz Kalifa

Actually, THIS is when I cry. This is the song that inspired me to write the drabble where Kai is dead and she’s left a message for Cass and Alexis (their daughter) and FEELS!

Walk Away by The Script

Because Kai feels like this 99% of the time about Cass.

Kaleidoscope by The Script

Essentially the response to Walk Away.

Hate to See Your Heart Break by Paramore

Because there’s a version of these two where Kai loses her fiancee, and Cass is there for her, like a best friend should

Every Night by Imagine Dragons

This is very back and forth between the two of them, but mostly Kai and it’s beautiful.

Shut-Up And Smile by Bowling For Soup

Literally because this is them as friends. They also happened to have met on a cruise, so...

I Want Crazy by Hunter Hayes

Cause Cass travels a lot but also because they’re crazy together and the chorus is just them.

“But I don't want "good" and I don't want "good enough" I want "can't sleep, can't breathe without your love" Front porch and one more kiss, it doesn't make sense to anybody else Who cares if you're all I think about, I've searched the world and I know now, It ain't right if you ain't lost your mind Yeah, I don't want easy, I want crazy Are you with me baby? Let's be crazy”

This Kiss by Faith Hill

Because it all started with kisses in the hallway (at least with their newest/oldest version).

arms by Christina Perri

Because neither one thought it’d be the other, but especially not Kai. Also, pretty sure Kai was falling for Cass from their first night together, where Cass held her. Also, just in general, this song is how Kai feels towards Cass.

Those Nights by Skillet

Just, their friendship is this song. You can’t convince me otherwise. Cass saved Kai’s life.

I’ll Be There For You by The Rembrandts

I mean this is Cass to Kai, both as a partner and a friend. Just, yep.

Somebody to You by The Vamps and Demi Lovato

Look, this is them. Making the other one care about them, wanting to care about the other. It’s just them.

Wherever You Will Go by The Calling

Cause they would. They’re devoted and it’s painful and shut up.

Beautiful Disaster by Jon McLaughlin

Look, Kai IS a beautiful disaster and Cass loves her. This song is SO Cass about Kai.

Honey, I’m Good by Andy Grammer

There’s a head canon about Cass singing this karaoke style to someone flirting with her, cause she loves Kai. It’s beautiful.

Pushing by Andy Grammer

Kai. Just, this is Kai. 

“Oh, I always jump ship We are closer than I've ever been I said we stay in the fire And hope we can burn our way out (Oh) The road to my heart gets hot as hell”

I mean COME ON! The entire song is Kai and what Cass has managed to do that no one else has.

Remind You by Andy Grammer

Cass to Kai. Always.

Little Diamonds by Patent Pending

This is Cass, about Alexis, I feel like. Cause, yeah. That little girl and Kai definitely mean home for Cass.

A Hundred Years by Emmeline

This is Kai and Cass. They’re just SO in love and this is definitely how they feel about each other. They’ve got no comfort zones. It’s beautiful.

Unpack Your Heart by Phillip Phillips

Because this is what Cass wants Kai to do. Give her everything. Kai also wants this from Cass.

The Only Exception by Paramore

Cause Kai hasn’t been one for love, but Cass has changed her mind about that.

Stand By You by Rachel Platten

Cass will always stand by Kai. Cause yeah, girl has needed someone to do it and Cass was up for the job, apparently.

Wanted by Hunter Hayes

So this song is interesting. Cause it’s simultaneously both of their povs but mostly Cass’s like... I don’t know. It’s them.

My Love by 3rd & Union

This is another mutual view song. The guy is Cass, the girl is Kai. Yep. Yep. Yep.

She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert

The obligatory wlw song. It also fits them perfectly so... yeah.

Beautiful With You by Halestorm

Oh god. Just. Oh God. This song is SO Kai. IT HAPPENED! Okay! This is my babies.

Beautiful to Me by Olly Murs

How Cass feels about Kai. A reflection of Beautiful With You. Yep.

Let Your Tears Fall by Kelly Clarkson

Cass to Kai. Just, yep.

Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne

Listen, lots of feelsy Cass to Kai songs cause Kai needs someone to tell her these things.

The Best Thing by Relient K

Listen, Cass is the best thing to ever happen to Kai and NO ONE can tell me otherwise.

I’m Taking You With Me by Relient K

Kai to Cass. Cause like... they’re this kind of couple.

Must Have Done Something Right by Relient K

Uh... Yep. Kai thinks this, for sure, but I definitely think Cass ALSO feels this way and that’s hilarious and painful and cute.

Silver Lining (crazy ‘bout you) by Diane Warren and Jessie J

Cause they are crazy about the other and it’s just beautiful.

Hard to Love by Lee Brice

Kai is hard to love. Cass does it anyway.

Perfect by Ed Sheeran

Dear God, this is how they think about each other. Particularly Cass to Kai, but STILL!

Issues by Julia Michaels

I mean, the title says it all. They’ve got issues and that’s why they work.

Tangled Up In You by Staind

Wolfie wrote a damn drabble to this, so...

Touch by Little Mix

This is what Cass does to Kai. Dude, Kai LOVES physical affection but getting it from Cass is just something else for her. Also, yeah... They have some really rough sex sometimes.

If I Could Fly by One Direction

As much as Kai DESPISES One Direction, this song is her to Cass.

Tear In My Heart by twenty one pilots

Cause Cass is. Cass is the thing that tears Kai apart in all the right ways.

Your Love by Little Mix

They always have a loss of words when it comes to each other and how the other makes them feel, so...

Glitter In The Air by P!nk

This is them. Like, it just is. 

Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab

I feel like this is them. I don’t even know, it just makes sense.

Nothing Else Matters by Little Mix

They have been through so much SHIT in their lives together, this is them. 

Up (feat. Demi Lovato) by Olly Murs

Okay, but hear me out: after that break up, when Kai goes back to Cass. Or y’know, even after their fight on the cruise. Like, this is them.

Little Things by One Direction

Once, again, despite Kai’s hatred of One Direction, this song is very much Kai and Cass, mostly Cass about Kai. Just, please.

Anti-Everything (feat. Jeremy Carr) by Patent Pending

I honestly think this song makes Cass think of Kai, in the like: “damn she’s crazy, but I love her” kind of way.

End Of The Day by One Direction

God damn One Direction and their application to Cass and Kai’s life. This is TOTALLY Cass when she admits things to Kai on New Year’s Eve. Not entirely, but like, yeah...

Gimmie That Girl by Joe Nichols

Cass LOVES seeing the Kai no one else gets to see.

Fire Meet Gasoline by Sia

How I forgot this, idk. But yeah, this is them, and not just because Kai is an explosive pyro...

Friday Night by Eric Paslay

They enjoy being the happiness in the other’s life. Like, they wanna be something worth remembering.

Take Me There by Rascal Flatts

Cass just wants to know more about Kai. Everything underneath that hard, scarred exterior.

Crash My Party by Luke Bryan

Because they’ll always drop everything when the other needs, or wants, them.

Compass by Lady Antebellum

This is a Cass to Kai song, for sure.

Felt Good On My Lips by Tim McGraw

Okay, just, this is something I feel like describes Kai and Cass and how they clicked really fast, despite some really obvious differences.

Crazy Girl by Eli Young Band

Cass to Kai, always. Like, Kai doesn’t understand relationships and she’s too hot headed to realize that yeah, her and Cass are gonna fight and if they break up it’s just because they need space and not because Cass has stopped loving her. Cause fuck if that’s possible.

Somethin’ Bad by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood

LISTEN! I’m pretty sure this is them. Cause when they’re together sometimes things they end up doing are crazy and bad and it’s beautiful.

Hey Pretty Girl by Kip Moore

This feels like a Cass to Kai song. Like, I don’t know, it just does. I mean:

“Hey pretty girl, wanna take you home My momma's gonna love you She'll make me sleep on the couch, I know But hey pretty girl, wanna take you home”

Maribel Lopez seems like that mama.

Yours If You Want It by Rascal Flatts

THIS! Oh my god. This is how they feel about each other. Like, Kai seriously has needed a girl like Cass, but Cass has needed a girl like Kai too.

Kill a Word by Eric Church

I feel like this is how they feel. Like, if they could kill words that the other thinks, they would. Overall, this is very much a Cass to Kai song, because of 

“I'd squeeze the life out of disgrace “

Because Kai uses that word to describe herself so much.

Lose My Mind by Brett Eldredge

They drive each other crazy but wouldn’t want it any other way.

Drunk Last Night by Eli Young Band

99.9% sure this has happened before. Not in full context, but close enough. Drunk!Kai is literally a terrible thing and when she’s being emotional she calls up Cass. I feel like this happens before she uses Devin as a rebound.

Lookin’ For A Good Time by Lady Antebellum

Um, this is how they started. It was just a good time, right? 

House Party by Sam Hunt

When Kai feels like being anti-social and so Cass comes over to make her happy.

Like Jesus Does by Kip Moore

LISTEN! This is kind of how Kai feels about Cass. Cass loves her and she doesn’t fucking get it, but it reminds her of how they say Jesus loves people, so....

Take Me To Church by Hozier

Because even if she doesn’t do religion, Cass is the closest thing she’s ever gotten to it so....

Who I Am With You by Chris Young

Because Kai likes who she is with Cass.

Every Day by Rascal Flatts

Because Cass is the only one who truly gets Kai and Kai can’t imagine why she stuck around, but she’s glad she does.

Just A Kiss by Lady Antebellum

OMG! It’s EXACTLY their current situation. Like, Kai would literally be okay with them taking it slow because she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Also, this is probably them after the break up and getting back together.

Faith When I Fall by Kip Moore

Kai to Cass when Kai finds out she’s pregnant with Alexis after they broke up and she rebounded.

We Should Be Friends by Miranda Lambert

While a decent chunk of the actual song doesn’t relate, they became friends by commiserating over shit.

I Run To You by Lady Antebellum

This is very much them. Even if they world falls about, they will always need each other. They will NEVER stop going back to each other.

Garden by Halsey

This is from Kai’s point of view. The “he” is definitely Cass. Particularly in the drabble verse, where Cass admits to loving Kai first, but it takes Kai longer to realize she feels the same, so she ends up proposing.

Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur

Oh god, help me. This is both Kai to Cass and Cass to Kai. Cause, I mean,

“I met you in the dark, you lit me up You made me feel as though I was enough We danced the night away, we drank too much I held your hair back when You were throwing up”

is Kai. But then everything else is Cass, hard core.  

Hey Mama by David Guetta

Because Cass would purposefully sing this at Kai, simply because Kai said she was ashamed to know Cass when Cass said she had it stuck it in her head.

Wild Horses by Bishop Briggs

Pretty sure this is how Kai feels about Cass. 

“You call my truth in the worst way Through the dirty lens of a broken smile And I swear I'm not a pretender Sometimes it's love who's the biggest liar So, I keep on damning the devil And you keep on saying it's alright Oh, glory, I'm a believer Oh, Lord, I'm holding tight”

I mean COME ON!

Best Song Ever by One Direction

Again with the 1D songs... But I mean...

Maybe it's the way she walked (wow) Straight into my heart and stole it Through the doors and past the guards (wow) Just like she already owned it

I said, can you give it back to me? She said, "never in your wildest dreams"

Endlessly by The Cab

Yet another song as to why their otp name is Endlessly.

Yeah, your friends may think I'm crazy Cause they can only see I'm not perfect, but I swear, I'm perfect for you

And there's no guarantee That this will be easy It's not a miracle ya need, believe me Yeah, I'm no angel, I'm just me But I will love you endlessly Wings aren't what you need, you need me

You need me, I know you need me You need me, I know you need me You need me, I know you need me You need me, I know you need me

Ink may stain my skin And my jeans may all be ripped I'm not perfect, but I swear I'm perfect for you

I mean, COME ON!

Marigold by Relient K

So, kind of Kai about her parents and about Cass. How she’s kind of crap but Cass picked her anyway.

I was in third grade Got a potted plant full of flowers Ran home and gave them to my mom She said that they were marigolds What you call your garden-variety weed

Oh, I'm a marigold Oh, I'm a marigold Oh, I'm a marigold And you picked me

So anyway I should buy my mom a bouquet Just to say hey, I'm thinking about you today That's right Thinking about everything you did for me Like always saying, "grace sets you free"

Down (feat. Gucci Mane) by Fifth Harmony

I mean... what? Besides the straight implications this song... Like... isn’t this basically what they do? 

Hearts Don’t Break Around Here by Ed Sheeran

This is so them.

She is the sweetest thing that I know You should see the way she holds me when the lights go low Shakes my soul like a pot hole, every time Took my heart upon a one way trip Guess she went wandering off with it Unlike most women I know This one will bring it back whole Daisies, daisies perched upon your forehead Oh my baby, lately I know

That every night I'll kiss you you'll say in my ear Oh we're in love aren't we? Hands in your hair, fingers and thumbs baby I feel safe when you're holding me near Love the way that you conquer your fear You know hearts don't break around here Oh yeah yeah yeah , yeah yeah yeah yeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah

She is the river flow in Orwell And tin wind chimes used for doorbells Fields and trees and her smell, fill my lungs Spent my summer time beside her And the rest of the year the same She is the flint that sparks the lighter And the fuel that will hold the flame Oh roses roses laid upon your bed spread Oh my, hold this, oh this, I know

----

Well I found love in the inside The arms of a woman I know She is the lighthouse in the night that will safely guide me home And I'm not scared of passing over Or the thought of growing old 'Cause from now until I go

I just!!!!! COME ON!

[tune-collective]

Every Song From the Disney Renaissance (1989-'99), Ranked: Critics' Take

Every Song From the Disney Renaissance (1989-'99), Ranked: Critics' Take

It’s 2017, and generations young and old will get to relive a slice of the glory days of the late-20th-century Disney Renaissance, with live-action remakes of ’90s classics Aladdin and The Lion King reportedly in the works, and even a non-Disney reboot of The Little Mermaid in the pipeline. But first up is the highly anticipated Beauty and the Beast revival hitting theaters Friday (March 17).

If you’re not familiar with the Disney Renaissance, it’s the wondrous period from 1989 to 1999 during which the studio created 10 iconic animated films — in chronological order, The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan and Tarzan — thus resulting in some of the most classic Disney songs ever made.

We mostly have the composer and lyricist team of musical masterminds Alan Menken and Howard Ashman to thank for that, with additional contributions to the canon coming from composer/producer Hans Zimmer, as well as legendary musicians Elton John and Phil Collins. Not including the films’ scores, there are 45 songs in total from the Renaissance (not counting the super-slight “Court of Miracles” from Hunchback or “Listen With Your Heart” from Pocahontas), though none come from Rescuers, which featured no original songs. In honor of the new Beauty and the Beast coming, we felt it was only right to rank all of these classics.

Take a look at where each song ranks on this list, and listen to our playlist below to really get you in the zone. Let the Disney debates begin.

45. “A Girl Worth Fighting For,” Mulan

Disney wasn’t exactly known for it’s politically correct content at the time of its Renaissance, but this one is likely the one to most trigger the feminist viewers. Although the suitor song sounds cute in melody, its lyrics mention men’s expectation of women fawning over their strength and preparing meals for them. And when Mulan tries to sneak in a line about women with brains that like to speak their mind, their response is even more frustrating: “Nah.” – TAYLOR WEATHERBY

44/43. “Savages,” Pocahontas / “The Mob Song,” Beauty and the Beast

Despite having very different storylines, Pocahontas and Beauty and the Beast happened to feature extremely similar scenes of angry crowds gathering and chanting about the subjects whom they were ready to attack. Both were led by the movies’ antagonists — Governor Ratcliffe in Pocahontas and Gaston in Beauty — but neither song really added a spark to their respective films that made them worthy of singing along to. In fact, both songs inflict enough fear that the little kids watching probably never want to hear the songs (or witness the fiery scenes) again. – T.W.

42. “God Help the Outcasts,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

It’s arguable that the storyline and songs in Hunchback focus a little too much on protagonist Quasimodo’s deformities, so hearing the gorgeous gypsy Esmeralda sing a song about the less fortunate – and seeing Quasi’s touched reaction to her prayer – is endearing. The only thing is, amidst the other classic Disney songs of the time, the somber vibe of this one makes it a fall a little flat. – T.W.

41. “Heaven’s Light/Hellfire,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

A duet of sorts from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, sung by Tony Jay and Tom Hulce, the song juxtaposes Quasimodo’s innocent longing for Esmerelda and Frollo’s contempt for the gypsy girl who has bewitched him with impure thoughts. But in a mostly overlooked film, it’s one of the least memorable tunes. — DENISE WARNER

40. “Honor to Us All,” Mulan

The obligatory Everyone’s Excited About Something Except the Protagonist song from Mulan, “Honor to Us All” is a little too expository to be all that catchy, and the traditional Eastern musical influence feels well-intentioned but clumsy. The musical round the second verse is presented in is a nice touch, though. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

39. “Mine, Mine, Mine,” Pocahontas

Disney has a way of making its villains super unlikable, but some of the bad guys do get their moment in the spotlight with epically catchy tunes, like Ursula’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” in The Little Mermaid or Scar’s “Be Prepared” in The Lion King (both featured later in our list). When it came time for Governor Ratcliffe’s big moment in Pocahontas, his greed overpowered his evil, and frankly his voice is too much like an opera singer rather than a mean spirit. Unfortunately for the governor, he failed to even compare to his villainous peers. – T.W.

38. “A Guy Like You,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0UlAZT09IE

The three lively gargoyles of Notre Dame (Victor, Hugo and Laverne) offered some positivity in Quasimodo’s otherwise rather depressing tale, and really did so with this ego-booster of a tune. Sure, they made a little mockery of his unique stature, but Quasi’s trio of pals meant well in reassuring him that he’s a catch — especially in Esmeralda’s eyes. – T.W.

37. “The Bells of Notre Dame,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Setting the scene of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is no easy feat, but the musical’s opening number fares quite well, employing Latin choruses for tone and effect. Compared to the highest heights of the Disney canon, however, the song lacks a certain je ne sais quoi — to use the language of Victor Hugo’s original novel. — D.W.

36. “One Last Hope,” Hercules

When Danny DeVito voices a little goat man in an animated Disney movie, obviously something pretty silly is going to come of it. His role as tritaognist (and in this song, Hercules’ advisor) Phil is comparable to Robin Williams’ Genie in Aladdin, adding hilarity and hopeful motivation to the film’s eventual hero. While this song does have a jazzy, bounce-along beat — and DeVito deserves some kudos for trying his hand at singing — his voice and hype doesn’t quite measure up to Williams’ in “Friend Like Me.” – T.W.

35. “Two Worlds,” Tarzan

Disney doesn’t do movie openings without an epic number, and the dynamic drums (and vocals courtesy of Phil Collins) deliver just that for the final movie of the Renaissance. “Two Worlds” provides the perfect summary soundtrack to the intro montage shown of Tarzan’s family and his soon-to-be gorilla family, but as a song, Collins pretty clearly managed to outdo himself with other tunes throughout the film. – T.W.

34. “Topsy Turvy,” Hunchback of Notre Dame

When Paris gets turned upside down, Quasimodo becomes a king. That’s what happens on Topsy Turvy day (also known as the Festival of Fools), as narrated in song by jovial gypsy Clopin Trouillefou, making for a lively and colorful scene in the movie – perhaps the best and most Disney-like of the entire Hunchback film and soundtrack. – T.W.

33. “Something There,” Beauty and the Beast

For a song that accompanies such a climactic cinematic moment — falling in love — this song has little spark, especially in comparison to the film’s grandiose ballroom scene. As both Belle and the Beast sing their internal monologues while realizing their true feelings for one another, the arrangement falls short; particularly when compared to the film’s more obvious fan-favorites. – LYNDSEY HAVENS

32. “Arabian Nights,” Aladdin

“It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.” Aladdin’s intro song might not be the karaoke classic that some later jams rightly became — and the lyrical broad-stroking was culturally insensitive enough that they had to alter some of the lyrics for future versions – but it sets a tone like few others. – A.U.

31. “Son of Man,” Tarzan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WcHPFUwd6U

Not the undeniable smash that “You’ll Be in My Heart” was, but arguably more reminiscent of peak Phil Collins – a multi-drum-track banger of self-discovery with a propulsive synth hook that gets you swinging from vine to vine. Given what we know of Phil’s own absentee relationship with daughter Lily, though, lyrics like “There’s no one there to guide you/ No one to take your hand” take on a slightly more bitter irony than he likely intended. – A.U.

30. “Out There,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Perhaps the only good thing to come from living life in a cathedral with dancing gargoyles was Quasimodo’s “Out There,” an emotional, people-watching number that expressed his longing to join society. Loners, this one’s for you. – ADELLE PLATON

29. “Prince Ali,” Aladdin

Menken proved to be a master of memorable songwriting, incorporating the catchiest of inflections and melodies that also happen to seamlessly fit the theme of whatever movie the tune was part of. “Prince Ali” is a prime example, serving as the extremely sing-along worthy soundtrack to Aladdin’s Prince parade. – T.W.

28. Poor Unfortunate Souls, The Little Mermaid

Beyond voice-snatching, Ursula had a knack for whipping up supervillain anthems. Enter “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” a wicked diss track to merfolk that nonetheless isn’t quite as lethal as Scar’s bad-guy theme in The Lion King. – A.P.

27. “Just Around the Riverbend,” Pocahontas

You can almost feel the chilling wind on your neck and splash of water on your face as Pocahontas sings this song while paddling down the river. What starts off as a rousing and rallying song about dreaming big takes a turn towards the end, as the tempo slows and the lyrics become far less assured. – L.H.

26. “Trashin’ the Camp,” Tarzan

Phil Collins’ joyful romp from Tarzan owes its visuals to “Under the Sea,” with an array of animals playing instruments found in the jungle camp. You can’t help but sing along when Rosie O’Donnell breaks out into all those “doo bop she doo”s. (And the version with *NSYNC is just as fun.) — D.W.

25. “Zero to Hero,” Hercules

This sonic narration of Hercules’ rise to hero status soundtracks a pivotal point in the movie. With catchy and clever wordplay (“Who put the glad in gladiator?” the muses sing), and a tempo shift midway through, this song has plenty to offer. – L.H.

24. “One Jump Ahead,” Aladdin

An impressively jaunty, enjoyably frisky ode to street-ratdom that had six-year-olds across the country asking their parents what the hell a “nom de plume” was. “I steal only what I can’t afford / That’s everything!” The stuff of Republican nightmares.  – A.U.

23. “Strangers Like Me,” Tarzan

Although this wasn’t the award-winning track from Phil Collins’ impressive Tarzan catalog (we’ll get to that soon enough), it has the same vigorous drums of the opening “Two Worlds” and bonafide jam “Son of Man,” combined with the heart and of the film’s most revered hit. The curious lyrics are in tune with the discoveries Tarzan makes as the song plays, making for an almost dreamlike experience, even just watching it in VHS quality. – T.W.

22. “True to Your Heart,” Mulan

Stevie Wonder and 98 Degrees together in one song is a pretty promising combination, and they certainly lived up to the hype with this playful, harmonica-flavored boy band jam that closes out Mulan. — T.W.

21. “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love),” Hercules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl0DMTlwLw4

There are plenty of clichéd love stories in the Disney filmography, and Hercules’ damsel Megara (“Meg” for short) certainly didn’t want to fall under the same spell as her predecessors. But as she hopelessly trots around the Grecian grounds soulfully belting out her little love ditty – accompanied by The Muses, who try telling her she’s in denial – she finally comes to a conclusion to which many a girl (or guy) can relate: “At least out loud, I won’t say I’m in love.” – T.W.

20. “Gaston,” Beauty and the Beast

The title theme for Beauty and the Beast’s chest-puffed antagonist punctures male entitlement and satirizes bro absurdity with such acuity you’ll end up looking for Kathleen Hanna’s name in the writing credits. “When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs/ Every morning to help me get large,” Gaston boasts in the song’s deal-sealing bridge. “Now that I’m grown I eat five dozen eggs/ So I’m roughly the size of a barge!” A couple centuries later, he’d be bragging about his new haircut and showering in Jagerbombs.  – A.U.

19. “Reflection,” Mulan

A lot of times when a Disney princess takes the screen for a solo, she’s singing about a male suitor, or one she longs for. But in Mulan’s case, her breakout spot was an expressive, insightful lyric that — while a bit heartbreaking — serves as a realization of what her next steps should be, even if her family won’t approve. It’s a monumental moment for the heroine, as it’s the first glimpse of what Fa Mulan really looks like underneath her required makeup. And after it received a pop makeover a la Christina Aguilera, the song became monumental for Mulan’s fans, too. – T.W.

18. “A Star is Born,” Hercules

This infectious feel-good song about an outcast-turned-hero finally being embraced by his community — as a star, no less — serves as a perfect closing track to this mythologically inspired film. “I finally know where I belong,” Hercules tells his parents, as a lush orchestra begins to play and the ever-present muses have the gospel-infused final word. – L.H.

17. “Circle of Life,” The Lion King

When you think of epic Disney openings, it really doesn’t get much more grand than this. Actually, forget that – Disney or not, there is no denying that “Circle of Life” is one of the most dynamic beginnings to any movie, period. As if the majestic images of the Pride Lands wildlife aren’t enough to get your adrenaline pumping, the bold drums and building chants combine for one of the most iconic scenes in Disney history. Even without the visuals, the roaring anthem is enough to bring you right back to Pride Rock, and that oh-so-unforgettable sunrise. – T.W.

16. “Belle,” Beauty and the Beast

We’re introduced to our heroine Belle in Beauty and the Beast in familiar-enough Disney Princess fashion, but once her lilting prologue wraps, all of a sudden we’ve entered a French operetta. The buoyant opening number (and title theme for the film’s protagonist) expertly layers vocals from various villagers to create a complex musical and lyrical tapestry that wouldn’t be out of place in Les Misérables — you know, aside from the lack of death and despair in this little town. Belle might not be too thrilled with this “provincial life,” but it doesn’t look so bad from here. – T.W.

15. “Be Prepared,” The Lion King

Scar’s plan for fascist domination didn’t end well, but don’t get it twisted — his anthem is the quintessential Disney villain song. Tim Rice and Elton John’s sinister, thunderous tune revs up Jeremy Irons’ baritone. And with just enough xylophone and hyena giggle (courtesy of Whoppi Goldberg, Cheech Marin and Jim Cummings), “Be Prepared” roars as a towering, multi-faceted monstrosity. – CHRIS PAYNE

14. Friend Like Me, Aladdin

The Genie was easily one of Robin Williams’ best roles during his legendary career, bringing his kooky personality to life in an eccentric blue-bodied cartoon character. While his resume hadn’t included singing until Aladdin, Williams absolutely nailed “Friend Like Me” almost effortlessly — as Menken confirmed during a recent visit to Billboard —  which resulted in a wildly fun, jazzy and extremely memorable number. – T.W.

13. “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” The Lion King

Simba’s anthem of youthful invincibility translates to pop banger more convincingly than just about anything else on our list. Those jubilant, piping whistles, the rubbery bass line, the subtle guitar groove — this one got compared to Billy Joel’s “The River of Dreams” in its time, but in 2017 terms, Vampire Weekend writing for Top 40 radio suits it just fine. – C.P.

12. “You’ll Be in My Heart,” Tarzan

While there is no denying that Menken, Rice and Zimmer had Disney songs on lock, Collins came in for the finale of the Renaissance and did the composers proud. Compositionally, “You’ll Be In My Heart” isn’t the biggest earworm, and it doesn’t have the most iconic hook. But what it does have is that pull at the heartstrings that all the Disney classics do, giving it the aww-inspiring musical and lyrical qualities that landed it both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for best original song in 1999. – T.W.

11. “Kiss the Girl,” The Little Mermaid

In which Sebastian the Crab – who, with apologies to Robin Wililams’ Genie, you really never had a friend like – sets the mood for the title character’s contractually mandated kiss of true love with an addictive, calypso-tinged ballad that alternately lures and demeans her intended into action. No less a pop luminary than Brian Wilson covered it, and it was an inspired choice – “Kiss the Girl” echoed the confused, constantly battling sides of a young lover’s subconscious better than just about any song since “Good Vibrations.” – A.U.

10. “Go the Distance,” Hercules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgnHF2CwrPs

Similar to Mulan’s struggle in “Reflection,” Hercules has a moment of “I don’t belong” realization before heading on his self-discovery journey – which results in the movie’s most vibrant number. Despite its relatively short running time, the triumphant, trumpet-laced tune can serve as an anthem for anyone who needs a little motivation and feel like every mile is worth their while. – T.W.

9. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” The Lion King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25QyCxVkXwQ

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is rightly remembered as one of the great love songs of the Disney canon; with its towering chorus and climactic key change, the ballad earns its place as the soundtrack to a scene of greater animal intimacy than most pre-teens watching were prepared to process. But the song’s true brilliance, excised by the unavoidable Elton John version, is that originally, “Tonight” was bookended with laments from Simba’s buddy Timon, who understands that his friend’s new romantic union will undoubtedly weaken their own platonic bond. It gets at the sad truth a less-nuanced song wouldn’t have the guts to express: Every great young love story is also the story of one or multiple sideline casualties. – A.U.

8. “Part of Your World,” The Little Mermaid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXKlJuO07eM

When you’re a mermaid, apparently you don’t get too far just flippin’ your fins. But when you’re singing a song fantasizing over living a life you can’t, it makes for a moment that everyone can relate to. And when the song has impeccable rhymes, backed by a dramatic violins, it becomes one that no one can resist singing along to. Besides, what other songs can successfully incorporate the word “thingamabobs” and make you want to integrate it into your personal vocabulary? – T.W.

7. “Beauty and the Beast,” Beauty and the Beast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ0ODCMC6xs

A romance between a massive, wolf-like creature and a dainty brunette villager is one that’s really only imagined in a Disney movie, but when it’s soundtracked by a whimsically beautiful song as old as rhyme, it becomes a tale as old as time. Enough with the lyric play – “Beauty and the Beast” was an instantly dazzling tune from the moment that flute kicked off the romantic ballad. No matter if it’s Angela Lansbury’s Mrs. Potts, Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, or Ariana Grande and John Legend narrating the classic ballroom scene, the combination of the piano, full orchestra and sweet narrative is one that every generation can swoon over. – T.W.

6. “Colors of the Wind,” Pocahontas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk33dTVHreQ

Pocahontas and John Smith’s complicated love story reached a turning point in Pocahontas with the Native American princess’ wistful number “Colors of the Wind.” While Smith and his fellow settlers were on the hunt for land and riches, Pocahontas put her frustrating romance aside to whip up this artistic PSA to and instead respect nature and wildlife, embracing the diversity around you. – A.P.

5. “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” Mulan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVcLIfSC4OE

After The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King dominated the Disney music scene for the first half of the Renaissance, Donny Osmond’s kick-ass training song and Mulan’s badass main character made for an unstoppable combination that landed it amongst the greats. If those watching weren’t convinced that Mulan wasn’t capable of being in the army when she set out, this scene provides all the proof necessary that she can keep up with her most masculine of militia mates. And with Osmond offering up intensely fierce vocals on lyrics like “With all the strength of a raging fire / Mysterious as the dark side of the moon” — especially on the epic power-note finish — Mulan (and anyone watching, for that matter) surely feels empowered enough to defeat the Huns. – T.W.

4. “Be Our Guest,” Beauty and the Beast

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

A good Disney love song is tough to beat, but when a singing candelabra is involved, it’s hard to not put this fun dinnertime tune up against the greatest of romance records. Lumière’s charming French accent sets the scene for the stunning song, crafting a perfect set-up for the vibrant melody and brilliant verses that are the heart and soul of “Be Our Guest.” Relax, pull up a chair and be the guest of Beauty and the Beast’s most thrilling musical number. Can you really contest choreographed routines by a chorus of spoons, honey pots, plates and feather dusters? The answer is… absolutely not, especially when the finale involves champagne showers and a sparking (dancing spoon-lined) chandelier. – T.W.

3. “Hakuna Matata,” The Lion King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5ceAruYrI

Sure, When Harry Met Sally was a thing before The Lion King was, but there may be no better character introduction in recent film history than when Simba meets Timon and Pumba. As a young lion cub that finds himself completely lost in his own family’s kingdom, Simba needed some reassurance that everything was going to be okay. So, a meerkat and a warthog provide that guarantee, with perhaps the most relatable fake phrase ever created. If you first experienced the beloved movie moment as a kid, you probably didn’t notice the same jokes within the lyrics that you would as an adult (“He could clear the savannah after every meal” is likely more relatable as an elder…) – but perhaps that’s what makes this bouncy tune so lovable across all generations. Even after just one take, you’ll be singing this wonderful phrase all the way home, implementing the motto in your life anytime you need to tell yourself “no worries.” Oh, and that transformational log scene during the bridge? Yeah, there’s no way anyone is contesting “Hakuna Matata” as the best Lion King moment. – T.W.

2. “A Whole New World,” Aladdin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kl4hJ4j48s

The only song from the Disney Renaissance to top the Billboard Hot 100, “A Whole New World” goes for the gusto like few love ballads songs in history, having the distinct advantage of being able to offer a magic carpet ride that isn’t even metaphorical. “Don’t you dare close your eyes/ Hold your breath, it gets better,” Aladdin promises in aside, and the music backs him up, a sweeping, gorgeous, up-up-up arrangement of strings and harmonies that reaches the clouds and just keeps soaring. Like any number of Phil Spector songs did for young pop fans of the ‘60s, “A Whole New World” gave ‘90s babies impossibly high expectations for love’s (literal) otherworldliness — but for then, we were happy just to fly along with Jasmine and Aladdin and dream of our own future journeys to that “wondrous place.” – A.U.

1. “Under the Sea,” The Little Mermaid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC_mV1IpjWA

This bubbly ditty sung by a spunky, red crustacean made underwater life the wave. While the aforementioned Aladdin duet is the G.O.A.T. of romantic Disney ballads, Sebastian’s epic ocean orchestra for The Little Mermaid flooded the ears of fin-less fans and warned that life by land is the ultimate snoozefest. Who’s to argue when the splashy performance not only scored an Oscar for best original song in 1990, but a pair of Grammys in ’91, including best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television. “Darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter,” assures Sebastian, whose underwater jam session has kept kids and kidults both swimming and dancing for decades. – A.P.  

This article originally appeared on: Billboard

http://tunecollective.com/2017/03/17/every-song-disney-renaissance-1989-99-ranked-critics-take/