#1.01: the target

[roseredfingers]

1.01: THE TARGET || 1.13: SENTENCING

[soft-pine]

Timeline of Every Anecdote from Dean's Childhood in Supernatural (Full Canon Only)

My other timeline includes stuff from some of the pseudo canonical materials. This one includes only things that happen or are mentioned in the show itself.

winc*sties this is still not for you!

Still super open to feedback and suggestions if I missed something.

Content notes: death, child abuse, alcohol

1983

Dean is 4

John & Mary used to call Dean their “little piglet” because he liked to eat so much. [13.21 (this is technically in a dream of Sam's)]

Mouse Trap is Dean's favorite game. [14.17]

Mary would feed Dean tomato-rice soup when he was sick. [5.13]

Mary would sing "Hey Jude" as a lullaby. [5.13]

Dean really likes Mary's meatloaf. He doesn't know she gets it from Piggly Wiggly. [12.02]

Between May and November John and Mary had a fight and John left home for a few days. [5.16]

November 2 - Mary Winchester dies, Sam is 6 months old. [1.01, 1.21]

Mary's uncle arranges a burial and headstone even though she doesn't have a body. [2.04]

Dean doesn't speak for a while after Mary dies. [1.03]

John Meets Missouri. [1.09]

John leaves a box of pictures in the basement of the house. [1.09]

1984

Dean is 5

1985

Dean is 6

John takes Dean out shooting for the first time, using bottles as target practice. According to Dean, he "bullseyed every one of them." Dean remembers this story as him being “6 or 7." Dean cites this story as one of the fonder memories of his father. [2.06 (date suggested by John's Journal)]

Rufus spent the whole year being nice. It was the worst year of his life. [7.10]

1986

Dean is 7

Dean starts having a crush on Daisy Duke. [11.13]

Bill Harvelle dies. [2.06, 2.14 (year suggested by John's Journal)]

John began the masked vampire case - looking into killings and kidnappings along Route 77. [15.20]

1987

Dean is 8

John takes Dean and Sam on a donkey ride at the Grand Canyon. Dean’s donkey farts a lot which Sam finds very funny. [8.21]

Dean has begun hunting. [11.08]

1988

Dean is 9

John is hunting a Shtriga in Wisconsin when he leaves Sam and Dean alone in a hotel room. Dean gets bored and goes out and comes back to find the Shtriga attacking Sammy but can't steady himself in time to fire at it. John comes back but can only scare the Shtriga off. [1.18]

They know Pastor Jim by this point. [1.18]

Dean: "You couldn't been more than 5— you just started asking questions. How come we didn't have a mom? Why do we always have to move around? Where'd Dad go when he'd take off for days at a time? I remember I begged you, 'Quit asking, Sammy. Man, you don't want to know.... I just wanted you to be a kid... Just for a little while longer. I always tried to protect you... Keep you safe... Dad didn't even have to tell me. It was just always my responsibility, you know? It's like I had one job... I had one job...'" [2.22]

Dean and Sam (5) play dress up as Batman and Superman and jump of the roof of a shed. Sam breaks his arm and Dean takes him to the E.R. on the handlebars of his bike. [9.15 (mentioned again in 11.08)]

At some point before now Dean is given his first beer by Fred Jones in Salt Lake City. [8.08. He also apparently gives Sam his first beer too but it's unlikely it was this same time?]

1989

Dean is 10

“When I was 10, I got my first B&E from borrowing some family's pay-per-view so I could watch the cage match between you and the Tower of Power.” [11.15]

Bobby takes Dean to play catch instead of “practice with the double-barrel” as John had instructed Dean. In the flash back Rufus guesses the year is around 1989. “No, we didn't shoot rifles, as a matter of fact. We threw a ball around. He's a kid, John. They both are. They're entitled.... Yeah, I know I ain't their dad.” Bobby hangs up and throws the phone down. [7.10]

1980s General

(i.e. there isn't a specific date mentioned for this but I'm guessing from context that it happened in this decade)

Sam sticks army men into Baby's ashtray. [5.22]

Dean sticks Legos into the vents. [5.22]

Dean eating all of Sam's Halloween candy sometime. [12.11 & 14.04]

John taking them to see World of Wrestling. Sometime before Dean is ten. Dean calls it “one of the nicest things” John ever did. Sam remembers John getting drunk. [11.15] ("The Hangman": "He was Dad's favorite. Anytime that noose would come out, Dad would be on his feet. It was one of the few times I ever saw him actually happy.")

John takes Dean fishing. When Dean tells Jack, Jack feels from his tone that it's his happiest memory of John. [5]

Dean telling Sam a stupid joke to distract him from ripping off bandaids when he was little. [15.01]

The first beer John shared with Dean tasted like "crap". [15.20]

Sam's memory of Thanksgivings: “We had a bucket of extra-crispy and Dad passed out on the couch. [5.16]

Dean: "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." [1.22]

Dean says he believed the TV ads about Sea Monkeys having families [5.06]

Dean mentions a babysitter, Mrs Chancy, who was obsessed with the TV show Dynasty [5.06], which ran until 1989 when Dean was ten. This could be a lie he's just telling a kid to get him to open up about his babysitter though.

"Alright, here we go. John Winchester's famous cure-all kitchen sink stew. There you go. Enough cayenne pepper in there to burn your lips off, just like Dad used to make." [8.21]

"You used to read to me, um, when I was little, I— I mean, really little, from that— from that old, uh... Classics Illustrated comic book. You remember that? ... Knights of the Round Table. Had all of King Arthur's knights, and they were all on the quest for the Holy Grail. And I remember looking at this picture of Sir Galahad, and, and, and he was kneeling, and— and light streaming over his face..." [8.21]

“You used to take us hunting. Remember? Dad had a case, he'd just dump us on you. Shoot, you must have taught us most of the outdoor tracking we know.” Bobby: “Yeah, what I could get to stick. I never could get you little grubs to pull a trigger on a single deer.” Dean: “You’re talking about Bambi, man.” Bobby: “You don't shoot Bambi, jackass. You shoot Bambi's mother.” [7.09]

“Not young like I was when he actually taught me how to drive.” [15]

Dean says soft rock always put Sam to sleep. [7.16]

Dean talks about learning 101 different ways to make Mac 'n Cheese for Sam at a motel in Scranton while John was off hunting. "ketchup for spice, hmm? Uh, tuna, hot dogs, fluff marshmallow mix." [10.11]

1990

Dean is 11

January - John is injured on a hunt in Windom, Minnesota, and goes to the hospital, where he meets Kate Milligan. [4.19]

September 29 - Adam Milligan is born. [4.19]

At some point Dean makes a sawed off. He's in sixth grade. [3.03]

Dean tries burgers from a seaside shack in Delaware that become his favorite. [4.22]

1991

Dean is 12

December 25 - Sam and Dean are at a motel in Broken Bow, Nebraska while John hunts. Sam reads John's Journal and finds out that Mary's death was supernatural, monsters are real, and that John hunts them. He confronts Dean, who confirms it. Sam gives Dean an amulet. [3.08]

1992

Dean is 13

John buys a Playboy featuring Anna-Nicole Smith, eventually both boys end up reading it. [7.22]

June - Sam tells John he is afraid of the monster in his closet and John gives him a .45. [1.01]

Sam wants to go hunting with Dean. Dean says John said no. John calls to ask Sam to come. [11.08]

1993

Dean is 14

January – Motel Baba Yaga case. Dean says, “I was babysitting you when I was your age”. Sam says "I'm pretty sure that's illegal." Dean sees the nest, a pile of dead kids and has "nightmares about it for the longest time." [15.16]

1994

Dean is 15

Summer - Sam and Dean spend part of the summer being looked after by Donna, a babysitter (and maid at the Mayflower) in Housatonic, Massachusetts, while John hunts. At one pointJohn is gone for two weeks. It is the summer before Sam enters 6th grade, and he assigns himself a summer reading list. Dean possibly has a crush on Donna. [5.12]

October - They are living In Bismark (North Dakota?). Sam has a crush on Andrea Howell & has a really bad experience at her Halloween party, throwing up. Sam hides in the woods until Dean comes and gets him. [14.04]

Sam still believes in the Easter Bunny until close to here. [10.12]

1995

Dean is 16

Dean's first Werewolf. Sam doesn't go to the body burning. "So. I pick up this crossbow. And I hit that ugly sucker with a silver-tipped arrow right in his heart. Sammy's waiting in the car, and uh, me and my dad take the thing into the woods, burn it to a crisp. I'm sitting there and looking into the fire, and I'm thinking to myself, I'm sixteen years old. Most kids my age are worried about pimples, prom dates. I'm seeing things that they'll never even know. Never even dream of." [2.03]

Dean spends two months at Sonny's Home for Boys after being caught shoplifting. [9.07]

April 20 - Dean's award for New York Wrestling Champion. [9.07]

November 13 – Sam's soccer team won division championship. John keeps the trophy. [3.03]

Sam later talks about how John was upset with him for wanting to play soccer instead of learning bowhunting. [1.08]

November 24 - Sam has his first traditional Thanksgiving dinner at his crush Stephanie’s house. He has been attending a school called McKinley for two weeks. [5.16]

1996

Dean is 17

July 4 - Dean and Sam set off fireworks in a field and almost burn it down. [5.16]

At some point when Sam was 13 he ran away for two weeks while under Dean's watch in Flagstaff, Arizona, living off pizza in a cabin and befriending a dog he called Bones. Dean scoured the whole town looking for him and worried he might have died, and John was furious when he found out. [5.16]

1997

Dean is 18

When he's 13, Sam briefly wants to be a magician. [4.12]

Summer - The Winchesters hunt a werewolf. [4.13]

November - Sam and Dean attend Truman High in Fairfax, Indiana, for 3 or 4 weeks, while John is on a hunt that was originally supposed to be 2 weeks but ended up taking longer than expected. Dean is in 12th Grade. It is the third school they have attended since September. [4.13]

1998

Dean is 19

Sam is a mathlete. [4.04]

Summer - While John and Dean are off hunting a Kitsune, Sam stays in Lincoln, Nebraska, and does research for them. While there, he meets a girl and has his first kiss - only to discover that John and Dean's hunt has circled back on him. [7.03]

July - Dean goes on a solo "five states in five days" road trip, but ends up spending most of it in Cicero, Indiana, with Lisa Braeden. In the meantime, John & Sam "tie up a hunt" in Orlando, Florida. [3.02]

Dean meets Rhonda Hurley, she makes him try on her pink, satin panties and he likes it. [5.04]

At some point they spend time with Travis, the hunter. [4.04]

1999

Dean is 20

1990s General

Dean trying to cook Winchester Surprise on a hotplate with food (baloney and sliced cheese) that it seems Sam shoplifted in the rain. John gets home and throws it out. [14.11] In Lebanon John tells Sam he remembers this and apologizes to Sam for it. [14.13]

Sam and Dean visited the Cleveland Botanical Gardens on a field trip. [5.16]

Dean going to CBGB "way underage" and John coming to get him. [10.09]

Hunting the chupacabra in Mexico. Sam is an olderish teenager when he says this happened the year before. [11.10]

John making Dean be bait. [14.14 production draft. Corroborated by 1.20. Putting this in 1990s and not 1980s is very generous imo.]

Dean used to live on “Nerve Damage” (“10 times the legal limit of caffeine”) as a kid. [13.08]

Escalating prank wars? [1.17] Sam mentions a time Dean put superglue in his toothpaste [15.06]

Could be 80s too: Dean: “Remember that wreath Dad brought home that one year?” Sam: “You mean the one he stole from, like, a liquor store?” Dean: “Yeah, it was a bunch of empty beer cans. That thing was great.” [3.08]

Sam performing in Our Town. [1.16]

Sam talks about having to make his own dinner as a kid. [5.06]

2000

Dean is 21

2001

Dean is 22

Sam smokes weed maybe. [11.19]

Pre-2002, 2000s General

Sam & Dean driving 1,000 miles for an Ozzy show. [5.22]

Driving two days for a Jayhawks game. [5.22]

John catches Lee and Dean 'wasted' on a hunt. [15.17]

John plays Dean and Lee “Good Ol Boys” before hunts. “Listen up boys this is real music. [15.17]

Sam used to try to get him & Dean to do 'honest work' rather than hustling pool. [5.22]

The Las Vegs annual trip. [7.08]

Sam ran tech for a production of Oklahoma. [10.05]

John gives Dean the Impala. [1.20] (John's Journal suggests this was on Dean's 18th birthday which would have been 1997.)

2002

Dean is 23

John gives Sam the "hunting is life; you can't have connections" speech. [4.19]

Sam says he's leaving hunting to go to Stanford University. John says if he leaves to stay gone. [1.01, 1.20]

September - Adam Milligan meets John Winchester. [4.19] (This could be any time from now til 2003 but I think it would be now because John will want to feel he can replace Sam or do something right.)

Post-2002, 2000s General

Dean sleeps with Annie. [7.19]

Dean sees Lee while Sam's in college. [15.17] Possibly the 'cult thing in Arizona' 'what that thing did to that family, those kids.' Because Lee does one more job after that in Texas and retires.

At some point Dean hunts a Vetala and learns they usually hunt in pairs. [7.11]

At some point Dean hunts a succubus with Richie. [3.04]

Poltergeist case in Kittanning, PA. [1.04]

John teaches Adam to drive using the Impala (this is after John gave Dean the car for his 18th). He also teaches Adam poker and pool. [4.19]

John "used to swing by Stanford whenever he could. Keep an eye on [Sam]. Make sure [Sam was] safe." [1.08] because he was worried Sam was "alone, vulnerable'' [1.20] and "he was afraid of what could've happened to you if he wasn't around." [1.08]

2003

Dean is 24

Dean dates Cassie Robinson. She breaks up with Dean after Dean tells her about hunting. [1.13] It lasts less than two months. [5.11]

June 21 - Dean is involved in a hunt for the father of Cole Trenton, in Nyack, NY. [10.02]

John gets taken from this year into the future in "Lebanon." He is sleeping in the Impala and Dean calls him and he tells him he'll be back soon. [14.13]

2004

Dean is 25

September 29 - John takes Adam to a ballgame for his 14th birthday. [4.19]

2005

Dean is 26, dude.

September 29 - John buys Adam a beer when he's 15. [4.19]

Roughly October 10 - John cuts off contact with Dean. [1.01]

October 31 – Dean comes to get Sam. [1.01]

Dean: "I must have stood outside your dorm for hours... because I didn't... I didn't know what... What you would say. I thought you'd tell me to... to get lost or get dead. And I don't know what I would've done... if I didn't have you. 'Cause I was so scared." [15.20]

General Comments

(i.e. just quotes and things that are too general to place at a specific time. i've sorted them roughly into themes but all of these themes are also present in incidents above.)

Dean says he's been wanting John and Mary back together since he was four. [14.13]

John's absence

Sam: "You remember the poltergeist in Amherst? Or the Devil's Gates in Clifton? He was missing then, too. He's always missing, and he's always fine." [1.01]

Dean mentions how John would dump him and Sam at Bobby's. [7.09]

Toni Bevell saying about John's drunken rages and weeks of abandonment. Also pointing out that Dean & Sam didn't tell Mary about it. [12.21]

Sam says John would be gone for weeks at a time and "he wasn't exactly a monk." [4.19]

Sam says John "was not around much." [11.05]

Sam talks about worrying when John & Dean would be out on a hunt and he wouldn't hear from them for days. He thought about what he would do. [11.18]

John's drinking

In the pilot Sam comments that John is likely missing because he's drinking. [1.01]

Sam comments that a dad bringing their kid to a wrestling match to distract them while he drinks seems familiar. [11.15]

See also the above [12.21]

Young Sam says John has a temper and you don't want to see him when he's drinking [7.03]

John's parental control

Sam talks about how John was angry with him for not wanting to learn to bowhunt or hustle pool and instead wanting to go to school and live his life. [1.08]

Dream!Dean: "You can still hear your Dad's voice in your head, can't you? Clear as a bell. I mean, think about it …all he ever did is train you, boss you around. But Sam …. Sam he doted on. Sam, he loved. Dad knew who you really were. A good soldier and nothing else. Daddy's blunt little instrument. Your own father didn't care whether you lived or died. Why should you?" [3.10]

Dean: "My father was an obsessed bastard! All that crap he dumped on me, about protecting Sam! That was his crap. He's the one who couldn't protect his family." [3.10]

Dean: “And I get what I've been doing lately, you know, what with the yelling and the acting like a prison guard. It's just, that's not me. You tell yourself you're not gonna be something, you know? But my dad was exactly like this. All the time. It's scaring the hell out of me.” [6.02]

Martin alludes to the fact that John would disapprove of Dean's connection to Benny and Sam's patience with it and "he'd have a mind to take you both out behind the woodshed and show you what's what." [8.09]

Tara also mentions that John would not approve of Dean working with Crowley [9.11]

Sam: “his drill sergeant thing worked with you but it didn't work with me.” [13.04]

“You know kids, no matter what they still want the old man's approval” about an abusive dad. Dean agrees to it. [13.02]

Dean: “I know things got dicey… you know, with dad… the way he was. And I just… I didn’t always look out for you the way that I should’ve. I mean, I had my own stuff, you know. In order to keep the peace, it probably looked like I took his side quite a bit. Sometimes when I was… when I was away, you know it wasn’t ‘cause I just ran out, right? Dad would… he would send me away when I really pissed him off. I think you knew that.” [14.12]

Difficult childhoods

Talking about Charlie as a teenager, Dean says, "Dude. If a shrink interviewed us at that age, you think the report would be all kittens and rainbows?" [10.11]

Cas says, "You were both troubled teens." [10.19]

Dean says he & Sam could have benefited from a mother's dating advice. [11.12]

Sam: "And when we were kids how many times did we tell dad we were fine just to make him happy?!" [14.16]

Dean drinks to “crappy childhoods”. [10.12]

Sam: "I had a kind of lonely childhood." [11.08]

Sam: "I had a messed up childhood." [14.04]

Dean's parentified role

Sam: “I wish I could have that kinda innocence.” Dean: “If it means anything, sometimes I wish you could too.” [1.18]

John: “You know, when you were a kid, I'd come home from a hunt, and after what I'd seen, I'd be, I'd be wrecked. And you, you'd come up to me and you, you'd put your hand on my shoulder and you'd look me in the eye and you'd... You'd say 'It's okay, Dad'... You shouldn't have had to say that to me, I should have been saying that to you. You know, I put, I put too much on your shoulders, I made you grow up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that, and you didn't complain, not once.” [2.01]

Dean: "And I… I had to be… more than just a brother. I had to be a father and I had to be a mother, to keep him safe. And that wasn't fair. And I couldn't do it." [12.21]

See also 1988 above [2.22]

Food scarcity

Sam says explicitly that they had to hustle pool to eat. [15.11] Additionally, Sam says John made them learn to hustle pool. [1.08]

Travis: "you ever been really hungry? I mean, haven't-eaten-in-days hungry?" Dean: a 'yeah' so emphatic his voice cracks. Sam: silence. [4.04]

The future

Sam: “Dad always said it was temporary, Dean. He said it for 22 years.” [6.02]

Dean's allusions to liking dancing/wanting to be a dancer. [7.16, 15.20]

Dean: “Jo, you've got options. No one in their right mind chooses this life. My dad started me in this when I was so young... I wish I could do something else... Jo, you've got a mother that worries about you. Who wants something more for you. Those are good things. You don't throw things like that away. Might be hard to find later.” [2.06]

Dean: "You know, ever since you were a kid, you wanted to live in a town like this. Lame, normal…" [15.04]

Dean gets his GED [5.01]

See also 1980's general [1.22]

John spends Dean and Sam's college funds on ammo [1.20]

Hunting

John saying hunter gatherings were trouble and in general keeping Sam & Dean away from them. [2.03, 12.06]

Dean says he and John weren't using disguises for hunting. [1.09]

Sam saying it seemed to him Dean & John bonded over hunting. [12.20]

Dean learned to use CB radios to look for leads from truckers. John used them all the time. [13.11]

“I'm starting to get why parents lie to their kids. You want them to believe that the worst thing out there is mixing Pop Rocks and Coke—protect them from the real evil. You want them going to bed feeling safe. If that means lying to them, so be it. The more I think about it...the more I wish Dad had lied to us.” [5.06]

Gordon Walker meets John "Hell of a guy. Great hunter." [2.03]

John maintains connections with Caleb, Jefferson, and Pastor Jim. Caleb sometimes supplies him with munitions [1.11]

John hunts with and then has a falling out with Daniel Elkins [1.20]

John hunts with and hooks up with Tara but never calls her back. [9.11]

At some point, John and Bobby have a falling out and Bobby threatens to shoot John if he ever sees him again [1.21]

TV

“Growing up on the road, no matter where Dad dragged us, no matter what we did, there was always a TV. And you know what was on that TV? Scooby and the gang.” [13.16]

Dean: “Ah well, growing up it was a… it was always nice to check out once in a while. I like to watch movies where I know the bad guy is going to lose.” [14.04]

The Hustler was John's favorite movie [15.11]

(for the record, I didn't sort and collate every comment about john or their childhoods here. i mostly tried to pick one which were a little bit more detailed rather than just general attitudes. but if you want to see all comments made about john throughout the show, click here)

[miss-musings]

Crosshair's 10 Most Impressive Shots in "Star Wars: The Bad Batch"

We're now officially three weeks removed from the series finale, so I thought it'd be a fun time to look back at our favorite sniper and review some of his most impressive shots.

Note, I'll be ranking items from "The Bad Batch" TV show only, so there won't be any entries from "The Clone Wars" S7.

I did get a lot of input from folks here and on Twitter, and a lot of people ended up saying the same ones. I put them on here along with a few of my own.

As for how I determined the order, I judged based on a combination of: the distance of the shot, the size of the target, the speed of the target (if applicable), other external factors like light conditions and weather, and "internal" factors like Crosshair's physical and mental state.

You're free to disagree with which ones I picked and how I ordered them. It's all subjective.

Also, I don't proclaim to be an expert in marksmanship nor am I a military sniper. But, I do have a general baseline for how difficult Crosshair's shots would be IRL. I used to go shooting with my dad a lot at both indoor and outdoor ranges, and I was pretty decent at both pistol- and rifle-shooting. So, that's what I'm using to judge Crosshair's shots.

With that out of the way, let's dive in with #10:

10. Killing Lt. Nolan in 2.12 "The Outpost"

I probably wouldn't have put this one on the list for myself, but I had multiple people suggest it should make the cut.

While this shot is very important narratively, it's not very impressive from a purely technical perspective.

I mean, hitting a relatively stationary human-sized target from a few meters away... It's definitely not the most impressive shot on Crosshair's resume.

However, I did feel it was worth adding to the list for the simple fact that Crosshair is physically exhausted and mentally broken in this scene. He basically uses the last of his strength to kill Lt. Nolan, because he immediately collapses right afterward.

Also, Crosshair might be right-handed, but he's pretty good at shooting his pistol leftie. We don't really see the shot hit Nolan, but if you zoom in after his body hits the ground, you can see that Crosshair shot him straight through the heart. He wasn't leaving that bastard alive after everything he and Mayday went through.

9. Lunch tray ricochet in 1.01 "Aftermath"

Even though this isn't a shot in the traditional sense -- considering there aren't any firearms involved -- I had to put this on the list for two reasons.

One, I had multiple people suggest it; and two, because I've watched this scene dozens of times and only recently found out that Crosshair actually hits two clones with his lunch tray.

He initially throws it at the clone Tech was fighting, presumably knocking him down. But then it ricochets so hard that it basically clotheslines another clone who's just standing there, minding his own business. Dude was hit so hard, he was like floating in midair for a split second.

Also, this plays into my headcanon that Crosshair would be excellent at any sports that require excellent aim and coordination. If he was on a basketball team, he'd be a three-point specialist for sure!!

8. Plan 55 ricochet in 3.12 "Juggernaut"

This is the closest thing we get to a trickshot in S3, so I had to include it on the list.

Here, we see Crosshair's quick-thinking and perfect aim take out several troopers at once by purposely ricocheting his shot off the magnetically sealed doors.

As we know from “A New Hope,” magnetically sealed doors/surfaces are no joke. You really have to know what you're doing or someone's gonna get hurt. Thankfully, Crosshair is a freakin' pro at this!

It honestly reminds me of all those crazy pool shots where you have to plan out four or five bounces/angles ahead to get the angle you really want.

7. Downing a spaceship on Ryloth in 1.11 "Devil's Deal"

NOTE: This is the only clip I couldn't readily find on YT. So I included the clip of Crosshair killing Orn Free Taa from the same episode to maintain symmetry in this Top 10 list.

Don't let the clip fool you. The shot I'm actually talking about takes place before this, when Crosshair -- from like 300 meters away, mind you -- takes down a fast-moving ship by shooting one of the engines.

Look, I love S3 Crosshair with all my heart, but his shooting abilities were severely diminished after his time on Tantiss. When I was doing my S1 rewatch and got to this scene in 1.11, I was like "Oh yeah, I forgot Crosshair used to be able pull off crazy shit like this."

It's actually sad how many of his made shots in 1.11 are like an inverse of his missed shots in 3.11. Here, Crosshair easily shoots a tracker onto Hera & company's ship, and later shoots the engine with no problem, despite the speed and distance.

In 3.11, though, he misses CX-2's ship and fails to track Omega back to Tantiss. 😭

6. Shooting Wrecker's knife in 1.01 "Aftermath"

Now we're getting into the really impressive shit! Most of these remaining entries have Crosshair shooting small targets and/or fast-moving ones.

In this instance, it's both. Wrecker throws the knife like this is skeet-shooting or something, and Crosshair just very casually shoots it into a droid.

Have you ever seen someone who was so good at their job/hobby that they make it look effortless? Like they're not even trying? This happens to me sometimes when I watch the Olympics. I'm like, "That's not so hard. I could probably do that." And then I try it for like half a second, and I'm like, "Oh no, those people are insane."

That's how good S1-2 Crosshair is. He makes shooting a fast-moving knife look effortless.

5. His four-kill trickshot in 1.15 "Return to Kamino"

These next three are all no-brainer entries. I think the biggest question will be why I went with the order I did.

Here, we have Crosshair displaying two very important elements of marksmanship/sniping: patience and careful aim.

Crosshair evidently set up at least four mirrors (I counted the ricochets in the shot) well in advance in the exact spots he needed to take down his Imperial squad, if need be. That's some serious foresight and preparation -- to know exactly where everyone would be standing, and have all the mirrors ready to go ahead of time.

He must've set them up even before he brought Hunter into the training room, or Hunter would've seen them and probably signaled his teammates.

He's also hitting a target that seems to be somewhere between the size of a golf ball and baseball from like 10-20 meters. And with his sidearm.

I know everyone loves the hallway mirror ricochet to kill the squadron of battle droids in TCW Season 7, but it didn't qualify. But, honestly, I think this one is more impressive anyway. He hit the first 1.15 mirror from farther away than he does in TCW S7, and he's using his pistol in 1.15 rather than his rifle and scope.

Talk about accuracy!

4. Sniping the tank in 2.03 "The Solitary Clone"

Oh man! I think we all love this one, right? It's just one of my favorite sequences in the entire show -- the framing, the colors, the effects of the dirt flying up behind him.

I love how Crosshair baits the droids to get the exact angle he needs, and the dude clearly has nerves of steel for staring down the barrel of a tank without flinching. I wonder how many times he's done it, considering he seemed to know exactly how to beat them. I'm guessing at least a dozen.

This is another example of "expert making their expertise look effortless," when in reality, we'd all shit ourselves if we attempted to do the same.

Honestly, sometimes I wish we could've had this version of Crosshair face off against Hemlock in 3.15 -- the dude who stared down the barrel of a tank and didn't flinch at the most literal version of "kill or be killed."

3. Stairwell trickshot in 2.03 "The Solitary Clone"

While I love the tank sequence more for the aesthetics, I have to rank the 2.03 stairwell trickshot above it.

That's partly because Crosshair's still physically and mentally recovering from nearly getting choked to death. But, it's also partly because -- just like with Wrecker's knife -- Crosshair is shooting a target that someone else is throwing.

That means he has to adjust to whatever trajectory and speed they throw it at and compensate accordingly, which can understandably be very hard to do in a split-second.

And, in this situation, Crosshair can't even see the puck directly. He's looking at it through at least one or two layers of reflective mirrors. Dude's reaction time is insane!

He also manages to take down at least four or five droids with a single shot, including the tactical droid, which is several meters up the stairwell and into the next room.

I'm not sure if the clones learned any advanced mathematics during their training on Kamino. But if they did, I think Crosshair would've loved geometry and maybe trigonometry too! He would also absolutely kill in a game of pool. I wanna see him go to the SW equivalent of a pool hall, and show Omega that he can hustle people too! He just needed to find a game that would better suit his strengths. LOL

Anyway, as insane as this shot is, Crosshair has two others on his resume that are even more impressive:

2. Saving Omega & AZI in 1.16 "Kamino Lost"

This is one of three entries on this list that *no one* mentioned when I asked for suggestions, but I had to include it. That's because it is -- without a doubt -- the most bafflingly impressive shot Crosshair makes in the entire show.

I have watched this scene dozens of times, and I still have no idea how he knows where Omega and AZI are.

Initially, I thought -- as others did -- that he's using an infrared scope to see their body heat in the water. But, that doesn't appear to be the case.

The only times I can recall Crosshair activating an infrared capability is when he has his rangefinder, which is attached to his helmet. As we see in episodes like 1.01 "Aftermath" and in 3.07 "Extraction," he specifically has to put the rangefinder down in front of his eye to use the infrared option.

No, his scope is just that -- a regular scope. The infrared capability is only attached to his helmet's rangefinder, which he doesn't have in this scene.

Thus, I have no idea how Crosshair is using a regular-ass scope to find Omega and AZI in the dark ocean. The point of a scope is to see better, and I don't know what he might see beside more darkness. AZI's eyes aren't active and, even if Crosshair spots Omega's flashlight, Omega dropped it when she went after AZI, so it's not exactly on her.

I'm willing to believe that Crosshair has better eyesight than the average human in the Star Wars universe or IRL, but his eyesight must be insane if he can see them in the water, even with a scope.

But, whether it's eyesight, some other enhanced sense or just plain luck, Crosshair knows where in the vast, dark ocean they are — not just the angle but the depth too!

It's really hard to tell how far down they are, but I'd say at least 20 meters. And if he is able to see them somehow, he might have to adjust the shot for refraction in the water too.

Plus, unlike the other entries on this list, Crosshair isn't shooting a blaster bolt. He's shooting a cable, meaning he'd have to adjust his shot to accommodate its weight and trajectory once it hits the water. Additionally, with how Omega and AZI are situated, he needs to have the cable hit and latch onto AZI, without hitting Omega in the process, and get the exact angle needed to drag both of them to the surface.

Like I said: I have absolutely no idea how he made this shot. It's definitely the most impressive one he makes in the entire show based solely on external technical factors.

But of course, there is a parallel shot later in the series that's his most impressive one of all...

1. Freeing Omega in 3.15 "The Cavalry Has Arrived"

I will never shut up about this scene. It's been living in my head rent-free for three weeks already, and will continue to for several months.

This is undoubtedly the most important shot in Crosshair's life: the shot to save his kid and free his family from Hemlock once and for all.

And everything is working against him: It's dark. It's raining. Omega and Hemlock are like ~40 meters away. The target is the binders between their hands, which is like 3-5 centimeters wide, and won't exactly be stationary. Oh, he's using CX-2's stolen blaster, which doesn't even have a scope on it!!!

We the audience get a POV of what Crosshair sees from over his shoulder, and I can barely see Omega's face, let alone her hands!! I said in the previous entry that Crosshair's eyesight has to be better than the average person's because, holy hell, how can he see that?!?

And, even worse, Crosshair is physically and mentally spent in this scene. He had to return to his own personal hell -- the place where he was tortured and traumatized for months -- then got beaten in a fight and had his dominant hand chopped off.

He and Hunter are running on pure adrenaline at this point. They are absolutely hellbent on getting their kid back, even if they die or collapse in the process. They were practically hobbling out of the CX lab together, and when they crouch down on the bridge, Crosshair has to steady himself against Hunter because he doesn't have his other hand.

And, as the final cherry on top of this proverbially shitty sundae, Crosshair absolutely terrified of missing.

A few episodes ago, the guy couldn't hit stationary fruit from like ~15 meters away with a scope in daylight and in a controlled environment. He even tells Omega: "Close doesn't count. It's either a hit or a miss." Because in a high-stakes situation like this, missing your shot could mean death for you or someone else.

Crosshair already feels like he failed Omega because he missed the shot on Pabu. And now, he has to make an even tougher one with every disadvantage stacked against him and her life literally in his hand.

I don't blame the guy for doubting himself.

Thankfully, Hunter and Omega have complete faith in him, and despite everything he's been through in S3, he has faith in himself.

And so, in the shot to end all shots in "The Bad Batch," Crosshair hits his target and frees Omega.

He and Hunter then subsequently turn Hemlock into Swiss cheese before Omega gives Crosshair a much-needed hug, causing me to cry for the 100th time.

I'll admit: as much as I would've loved seeing another mirror trickshot or some other crazy ricochet in the finale (or just S3 in general), this scene is basically perfect.

It also makes for a nice little parallel to the S1 finale, where Crosshair saved Omega's life after she saved his. Here, as he says himself, he goes back to Tantiss to free her because she freed him first.

As someone said on Twitter when I asked for ideas about this list:

"(Crosshair) put his whole heart and soul in this shot, and he didn't miss. He couldn't afford to."

Like I said: this was the shot that freed the entire Bad Batch family from Hemlock forever. So, I think by default, it had to be No. 1 on this list.

*******

Anyway, thanks for reading! It'd be fun to put together another TBB list like this. I guess I'll have to pick a subject first, though, because I don't have any ideas. If you have any, send them my way!

(EDIT: For anyone who’s also on Twitter, give me a follow. @CatchingClassic )

[primeedwardbrooks]

PRIME TARGET 1.01 "A New Pattern"

[kvtnisseverdeen]

Since you’ve abandoned me, I’ve been hunted, haunted, and the target of an attempted murder.

 WEDNESDAY | 1.01: Wednesday's Child Is Full of Woe

[margaretoakgrove]

HEISENBERG'S METAL ARMY

● HAULER

Mutant corpses revived by the Cadou parasite, the Haulers were modified by the vengeful engineer Karl Heisenberg, using electrodes from attached headgear of his own creation to stabilize their neural activity. Despite the 1.01s having combat capabilities that's virtually non-existent, the Haulers were repurposed as slaves that serve as workers and low-level guards under Heisenberg's control.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted headgear

Capable of wielding handheld weapons with accuracy

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Moderate physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

● SOLDAT EINS

Empowered by the mutagenic Cadou and industrial technology, the Soldat Eins were the basic grade of soldier from Lord Heisenberg's army of mechanized corpses. A more proficient machine of murder thanks to its Cadou Control Reactor and weaponized prosthetic, the Eins series would be the first of many variants to utilize the dead for the Village Lord's vendetta.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted headgear

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Singular arm replaced with mechanized industrial drill implant

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT ZWEI

An upgrade to the Soldat Eins bioweapon, the Zwei series were augmented with dual industrial-grade drills to remove the weakness of their necrotic flesh. With their Cadou Control Reactor relocated to a less conspicuous spot on their patchwork body, a single Soldat Zwei is capable of annihilating multiple targets endowed with the mutant parasite in a singular minute.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted breathing apparatus

Exposed reactor replacing heart relocated to upper back

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill implants

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT JET

A flight-based variant of the Soldat Enhancement Development Project, the Jet series were developed for more mobile soldier amongst Lord Heisenberg's mechanized army of the undead. Equipped with rocket engines and head stabilizing wings, the Soldat Jet's three-dimensional maneuverability can get across even the most rugged terrain in combat deployment.

Humanoid appearance

Equipped with crude armor-like scrap metal encasing upper body

Equipped with rocket engines and head stabilizing wings for flight

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill implants

Capable of short distanced aerial attacks

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT PANZER

An armored mutant from Lord Heisenberg's Soldat Enhancement Development Project, the Panzer series were engineered as soldiers with absolute protection against conventional firearms. Encased in full-body aluminum alloy armor, the Soldat Panzer are formidable bioweapons amongst Heisenberg's arsenal with their unyielding defense and overwhelming destructive power.

Humanoid appearance

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Overall body encased in crude armor-like aluminum alloy

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill(s) implants

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● STURM

A prototype Soldat-based bioweapon developed by Lord Heisenberg, the Sturm's turbo-prop aircraft engine in place of its torso makes it an unbeatable force through head-on confrontations. Deemed a failure due to its uncontrollable nature and self-destructive capabilities, the Sturm was instead utilized as a subterranean executioner for Heisenberg's factory.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted turbo-prop engine to upper body

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Loss of hands and forearms due to oversized propeller

Low intelligence

Heightened aggression

Superhuman physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

[starogeorgina]

All mine

Warnings: None

Pairing: Spencer Reid x reader

1.01

You do your best to stifle a giggle as Spencer looks at you horrified; your most recent confession has thrown him for a loop.

His mouth twitches as he says, “You’ve never tried them?”

“I don’t really like sweet things.”

“How have you never tried a doughnut before?” The giggle escapes your lips as Spencer looks at you unamused before reaching his hand into the paper bag sitting on the table and popping the last mini donut into his mouth. “You’re missing out; it's delicious.”

Watching him lick the sugar off his fingers caused something inside you to twist into a knot in your stomach. He’d smeared some of the sugar across his lips, which he failed to notice. “Hmm,” you cocked your head to the side, “actually, I think I’ll try one.”

“Um, that was the last of them, but I think I might know somewhere-”

You weren’t sure if it was the countless beers you’d drank or the near darkness you were sitting in, but something gave you a sudden urge of confidence you’d never had before. You grabbed the collar of Spencer's shirt and pulled him towards you, kissing the corner of his mouth, which still had sugar on it.

After working late on a case, Spencer insisted on walking you home. When the storm picked up and flash flood warnings came on the news, you offered to let him sleep on your couch. This wasn’t how you intended for the night to go, and the moment you did it, you realized you’d crossed a line. You were about to apologize for overstepping the mark when Spencer kissed you back.

—

You listened to the rest of your team leave the room as your eyes remained fixated on the board in front of you. The bodies of three victims were pinned up; all of them had been stripped naked and brutally murdered. You had been struggling to hold it together for the past few hours, and now your emotions were starting to overflow, thinking about how helpless they must feel.

“Hey Quinn, aren’t you coming?”

You wipe the tears that had fallen from your bloodshot eyes. Damn it. You thought everyone had left.

“Yeah, just coming,” you croaked.

Cautiously Derek walked towards you as a sharp sob cut through the room, it takes you a moment to realize it came from you. Derek steps in front of you, gently cupping your face so that you’ll look at him. Ever since joining the BAU he’d taken on a protective brother role, most likely because you reminded him of Desirée, his younger sister. He says you share her feistiness. “You are going to be fine,” he says reassuringly, assuming he knew what the issue was, “we have a safe location for you, and there will be officers outside at all times. It won’t take us long to find this guy.”

“This isn’t about the unsub, I’m worried about Reid.” Spencer had gotten caught up in a crossfire with the last unsub your team had been chasing and ended up in hospital with minor injuries. He suffered a head wound along with a grazed shoulder from a stray bullet.

He chuckles to himself, “he only needs to stay one more night for observation then the doctors are letting him out.”

You feel yourself breaking as your eyes sting with fresh tears. “I’m pregnant. I found out last night.”

“Oh,” he looks down at you with a fresh wave of concern in his eyes. He briefly looks at the doorway where Garcia was waving for him to hurry up through the window on the door. “Babe, I promise you I will be there for you, whatever you need. But right now I need to take Garcia to the hospital to visit Reid. Do you want to come with us? Or I can swing by after.”

“I-,” you shake your head. “I don’t know what to do.”

Derek lets out a deep sigh, he was torn between how to help multiple friends at once.

The newest unsub your team was focusing on was a killer stalking and murdering women in the FBI all over America. Security specialists, financial experts, intelligence analysts and now he was targeting behavioral Analysis. When you arrived at work in the morning you opened a letter that had a threatening note inside, in the same handwriting all the victims had received days before being killed.

“I think you should come see Reid with us,” Derek puts his jacket on. “At the very least listening to him criticize the hospital food and cleanliness, it will be a distraction.”

You wipe your eyes and take a deep breath, “okay, okay your right. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m just overwhelmed.”

He pats your shoulder, “of course you are. Finding out your target and pregnant within twenty four hours would shake anyone. I gotta say I’m surprised, I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”

“I don’t… well it’s complicated.”

Derek raises his hands and says, “Hey, no judgment from me, baby girl. I’ve just never heard you even talk about dating. I thought it was an uptight thing.” You swat at his chest playfully as he opens the door for you with a stupid grin on his face. “I was serious, though; whatever happens next, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, and I’m thankful you’re here for me.” You let out another deep breath. “I need to tell my father, who will no doubt freak out.”

“No doubt," he snorts. "Is it someone I know?”

“Spencer is the father.”

—

"Thanks for driving me to my apartment to pick up a get-well present," Garcia says, unbuckling her belt. “But I think I’m going to drive myself to the hospital. There’s a weird vibe in here, and I just don’t want to be part of it. I’ll see you guys soon.”

She hops out and quickly heads into her building. You lean your head back, puffing out your cheeks, knowing Derek is desperate to say something. It had been killing him that Garcia reappeared in the hallway seconds after you told him who the father of your child was, which had caused a building tension. As expected, Derek turns to you with a serious look on his face before he drives off. “Axel Josephine Quinn, you can’t just drop a bomb like that and then expect me to go on as normal. Reid?! Spencer Reid?!”

“Yes, Spencer.”

“I didn't—since when were you guys a thing?” He asks while pulling out onto the road, his voice alarmingly high.

“We aren’t; we are just friends who had a one-time thing.”

He shakes his head. “You know you need to tell Hotch right after you tell Reid, right? Especially now that you are a wanted woman. I’m coming to stay with you at the safe house; there's no way in hell I’m leaving you alone.”

“Thank you, and I’ll tell Hotch as soon as Spence has come to terms with it.” You’d been friends with Spencer long enough to understand that depending on what head space he was in, it would determine how fast he came to terms with the news of becoming a father.

—

“Baby girl, do you want to accompany me to the canteen? I’m starved,” Derek says, looking directly at Garcia.

“Sure thing,” she looks over at you, “are you coming, Joey? Who can resist hospital jelly? I’m sure those guys won’t mind,” she says, motioning to the two cops waiting outside the hospital room. Derek made sure to call them and inform them that you were taking a detour before going to the safe house.

The mere mention of jelly made you feel nauseous, but you managed to fake a smile. “No, I’m good, thanks; I’ll keep Spencer company while you guys eat.”

Spencer was happily reading the science magazine you brought him, along with coffee and rice crispy treats you’d bought from the hospital gift shop. How the hell were you going to ruin his happiness by telling him? Would he be mad? Upset? Closing your eyes, you let out a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare yourself.

“Josephine?”

You chuckle at hearing your name. Since high school, you’d gone by your middle name instead of your first name, but nobody on your team called you Josephine; it was always Joey, so you knew Spencer was feeling awkward.

You open your eyes when Spencer places his hand on top of yours. “I know you have a lot going on right now with being the killer's target, so I won’t push you into talking about what happened between us that night right now, but I want you to know I care a lot about our friendship and hope this doesn’t come between us.”

“I’m so glad you said that; I have something I need to tell you.”

“Does Morgan know? I saw the knowing look he kept giving you, and Gracie was looking between you both, trying to figure out what secret you both know.”

“Spence, please, I’m trying to tell you something important.”

“Sorry, sorry, go on.” He says to rub circles on the back of your hand with his thumb.

“I’m pregnant.”

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: April 2024

Ooooooooh it's getting warmer and sunnier and the days are getting longer! Yet I still stay inside to read and watch tv and stuff.

……….FILM……….

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985) Loved it. A comedy that is so generous with the types of humour (sight gags, absurdist stuff, one-lines). Watching it I was thinking "oh this reminds me of watching Elvira" and then Cassandra Peterson shows up in the biker gang! Loved the whole thing.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) I've been meaning to watch this ever since Sam Bosma shared the incredible poster he did. If I didn't know Hayao Miyazaki directed this then I would've spent the entire runtime thinking "whoa real Hayao Miyazaki vibes here." Great standalone film if you know nothing about Lupin III.

……….TELEVISION……….

Fallout (Episode 1.01 to 1.08) Having never played the games, I was really interested if this series would work for someone like me. It took a bit to connect and it mostly landed. Not bad at all but it hasn't really left a lasting impression.

Succession (3.05 to 4.02) Can't believe it's almost over. What I appreciate about this series is that it knows the show is at its best when the core trio are together and does everything it can to highlight this. But never forget that they are all awful people. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Delicious in Dungeon (Episode 1.14 to 1.17) This adaptation of the comic continues to be excellent. I hope folks dig the show so much that they decide to read the series as it offers a few more character details that are fun to discover.

X-Men '97 (Episode 1.01 to 1.07) Wasn't a big fan of X-men (comic or the show) as a kid but heard enough good things that I figured I'd check it out. While I'm not immune to the nostalgia of the intro, I really do think the show is fantastic. The story feels dramatic and just mature enough to allow for great character moments and the animation is top-notch. Really glad I gave this a shot.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Why I (Used to) Hate Video Essays by Extranet Shaquille and Yellow Paint by Caleb Gamman Just a coincidence but these two unrelated videos both veer away from their main topics to become a study in...media consumption/attention culture/the struggles of existing in our current times. (Video Essays) VIDEO (Yellow Paint) VIDEO

……….READING……….

Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (Complete) This feels more like the first Christie book I read (There is a Tide, still my favourite) in that there are twists and turns around engaging characters. Plus the victim was such an engaging villain. Based on the handful I've read so far, I think this would be a good entry point into Christie's works.

A Spectre Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto by China Miéville (Complete) After hearing a number of interviews with Mieville I was really excited for this but found the whole thing...frustrating. Maybe I'm not smart enough or maybe I'm not the target audience, but I don't really know who this book was written for. My gut tells me the writing is practically impenetrable unless you have a masters in English and that doesn't feel like the right fit for the subject matter. If brevity is the soul of wit then I'll leave it there and just say that the last couple pages, written clearly and with conviction, did more for me than the previous 150+ pages.

Delicious in Dungeon Volume 13 (and also Volume 6) by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Rereading and also catching up on the latest volume! It's nearly over! Volume 13 is the penultimate chapter and I'm still impressed by how consistent the characters, humour, and dedication to theme this series remains. Really really incredible.

……….GAMING……….

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) Tuesday crew is picking off the invading Elves fairly effectively but at what cost? And what are the repercussions of an act like this? Only time will tell. Also you can read all about their adventures here!

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Mof1 crew continues to dig into the mysteries of the mud banks but might get sidetracked by the fame and fortune of wrestling.

And that's it. See you in May!

[twodeadchicks]

TOWL 1.01 | Years

Hello friends. It is a pure miracle we've gotten this far, in both the #Richonne fandom and also us, Melissa and Kia, remembering how any of this stuff works after a Rick Grimes length hiatus away from it all. But just like Andy, Danai and Gimple, we keep our promises and when we said we'd be back when Rick was, WE'RE BACK NOW THAT RICK IS!!!!! And what a reunion it was. From the opening scene with our man's eyes full of tears we were immediately ready to take this journey with Michonne and Rick because a) we only support winners and b) they are the ones who live.

And what a journey it was: a secret city, a secret army, a secret plan, a secret mission, secret desires. Secrets on secrets on secrets! Let's discuss them all!

Subscribe to get the newest episodes:

Search "Two Dead Chicks" where you get your podcasts. If it's not there...that would make sense because it's been 84 years. Tell us where you need us to be and we'll try to get there.

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Parnassus Books | Novelette Booksellers

  Special thanks to Eden Burning for providing our music, “Glitter Girl.” Check them out at Reverb Nation

Check out this episode!

[archtroop]

People here simping for Free Palestine ideology and chanting RiverSea do not realize what they are backing.

All of those so-called resistance movements doe Palestine always ALWAYS ever targeted civilians, and preferably children. They targeted soldiers too, but by far less of a factor in the grand scheme of "activity".

Going back to before the establishment of Israel, in 1929, the pogroms were all about depravity, rape, and massacre. That was a straightforward anti-jewish murderous glee. And that's not counting further back on and on. It was as regular as seasons.

After 1948, it colored itself with the colors of anti-zionism, but it was ever the same.

Be it the 50s attacks, or be it the hostage taking of entire school and the massacre in the 70s, be it the bombing of a nightclub in the 00s. Or any other terrorist act for the past 100+ years of documented history from Ottoman, to British Palestine and then the establishment of Israel.

There was never one single action done by any of those "grassroots" organizations that concentrated om the betterment of Palestinian lives. They spit at the lives. They want deaths. This whole engine runs on death, misery and depravity.

The only difference is that since the early 10s of the last century, the Jews started to stand up for themselves. And step by step, they established their own guards and armed themselves.

The only difference is, in 1948 the Jews earned their sovereignty, fought for it, and won.

Those who chose to stand by the Jews became Blood Brothers of the Jews.

Those who chose to hate the concept of Jews defending themselves, are seething to this day. For them, it is an insult that they can't just ramp up and burn it all down. That Israelis - the Jews and those who stayed and those who stood by them, are now armed. And will fight back.

Today, this is the age of misinformation. The biggest weapons are words. And taking the reality and bending it into a narrative that fits you, sprinkling ancient hate over it, and sitting on that white guilt, pushing the fabricated oppresed/oppressor binary, waved like the answer to the world's problems - these are weapons of the mind. This is point blank how propoganda looks and operates. "ME vs THEM" is 1.01 Fascist tactic. And the FreePalestiners fell for it with a snap of a finger.

It is not reality. How can the public believe so much in non binary and be so binary on any other subject? There are at least 18 shades of black that we know of.

Truth is, the establishment of Israel was the most successful and one of the earliest modern examples of active indigenous reclamation of ancestral land and sovereignty.

Zionism is decolonization.

Those who oppose the idea of Zionism, oppose to the idea of Jews protecting themselves. Asking why? Why would anyone have an opposing opinion to a group of people protecting themselves? There is only one answer: because it's harder to harm this group of people. If your goal is to harm Jews, then yes, Zionism is definitely an obstacle. Therefore, this whitewashing needs to be obliterated once and for all and laid out:

Antizionism = Antisemitism (JewHate).

As the FreePalestiners like to shout, "well what did you think decolonization would look like?" Well, it looks like this: it's the independence of Jewish people in their ancestral homeland. For those who cannot digest this fact to this day, they call it "Naqba".

[roseredfingers]

The Wire: 1.01 This'll teach you to give a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.

[ljones41]

Ranking of "STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE" (2024) Episodes

Below is my ranking of the episodes from the Disney Plus/Lucasfilm streaming series, "STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE". Created by Leslye Headland, the series starred Amandla Stenberg in the title role:

RANKING OF "STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE" (2024) EPISODES

(1.07) "The Choice" - A long flashback set 16 years earlier reveals the truth about the confrontation between the Jedi investigating a potential "vergence" in the Force and a coven of exiled witches on Brendok.

2. (1.05) "Night" - in the jungles of Khofar, the Jedi investigators have a violent and disastrous encounter with Qimir, the Sith master of their murder suspect, Mae Aniseya.

3. (1.01) "Lost/Found" - In the series premiere, Mae attacks and kills Jedi Master Indara at a bar on Ueda. However, her twin sister, former Jedi padawan Osha Aniseya, becomes the top suspect.

4. (1.08) "The Acolyte" - In the finale, Osha learns the truth about what happened on Brendok, which leads to a tragic conclusion. Jedi Master  Vernestra sets out to hide the truth from the Republic's Galactic Senate.

5. (1.03) "Destiny" - When the Jedi traveled to Brendok to search for a "vergence" in the Force sixteen years earlier, then Jedi Knight Sol discovered the witches' coven and the Force sensitive twin sisters they were raising in a series of flashbacks.

6. (1.04) "Day" - Osha, now Jedi Master Sol and a group of Jedi travel to Khofar in order to prevent Mae and her Sith master from murdering Jedi Master Kelnacca, who had also been a part of the Brendok expedition sixteen years earlier.

7. (1.02) "Revenge/Justice" - Mae fails in her attempt to kill Jedi Master Torbin, another who had participated in the Brendok expedition. Before Osha and the Jedi can stop her, she resorts to another means to acquire her target.

8. (1.06) "Teach/Corrupt" - Qimir takes a captured Osha to an unknown planet where he tries to recruit her by claiming to be a former Jedi who had been betrayed by his master. Meanwhile, Mae, while impersonating Osha, tries to learn the truth from Master Sol about what happened on Brendok.

[bluecube92]

My Anime Movie List *UPDATED*

Ghibli:

My Neighbor Totoro Castle in the Sky Ponyo Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Howl’s Moving Castle The Secret World of Arrietty Kiki’s Delivery Service The Cat Returns Porco Rosso Spirited Away Pom Poko Whisper of the Heart Princess Mononoke My Neighbors the Yamadas Tales from Earthsea Grave of the Fireflies From Up On Poppy Hill The Wind Rises When Marnie Was There Only Yesterday Ocean Waves Earwig and the Witch

Pokemon:

Pokemon The First Movie Pokemon The Movie 2000 Pokemon 3 The Movie Pokemon 4Ever Pokemon Heroes Pokemon: Jirachi: Wishmaker Pokemon: Destiny Deoxys Pokemon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai Pokemon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior Pokemon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life Pokemon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions Pokemon the Movie: White-Victini and Zekrom Pokemon the Movie: Black-Victini and Reshiram Pokemon: Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice Pokemon: Genesect and the Legend Awakened Pokemon: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction Pokemon: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages Pokemon: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution Pokemon: Secrets of the Jungle

Case Closed:

The Time Bombed Skyscraper The Thirteenth Target The Last Wizard of the Century Captured In Her Eyes Countdown to Heaven Phantom of Baker Street The Crimson Love Letter Zero the Enforcer Episode "One": The Great Detective Turned Small

Other:

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Summer Wars Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D Bonds Beyond Time Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions Digimon The Movie Card Captor Sakura The Movie Card Captor Sakura The Movie 2: The Sealed Card Revolutionary Girl Utena The Movie Night on the Galactic Railroad Spring and Chaos Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro Paprika Memories Tokyo Godfathers Patema Inverted Steamboy Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror Perfect Blue Wolf Children A Letter to Momo Princess Arete Akira Millenium Actress The Boy and the Beast Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade Tekkonkinkreet Ghost in the Shell (1995) Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence 5 Centimeters Per Second The Garden of Words Appleseed (1988) Appleseed (2004) Appleseed Ex Machina Appleseed Alpha Miss Hokusai Your Name Cowboy Bebop The Movie In This Corner of the World The Sky Crawlers Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society Mary and the Witch's Flower The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Steins;Gate the Movie - Load Region of Deja Vu Robot Carnival Napping Princess Flavors of Youth Eden of the East: King of Eden Eden of the East: Paradise Lost Legend of the Millennium Dragon Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness First Squad Children Who Chase Lost Voices Mirai Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle Godzilla: The Planet Eater Fireworks No Game No Life 0 Short Peace A Silent Voice Like The Clouds, Like the Wind Jungle Emperor Leo A Wind Named Amnesia The Fantastic Adventures of Unico Unico in the Island of Magic Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl Mai Mai Miracle Ni No Kuni The End of Evangelion Strait Jacket Evangelion 1.01 You Are (Not) Alone Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance Evangelion 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time Modest Heroes Okko's Inn A Whisker Away Tiger and Bunny The Rising Children of the Sea Little Norse Prince Redline Weathering With You Origin Spirits of the Past Genius Party Genius Party Beyond Promare The Life of Budori Gusuko Ride Your Wave The Night is Short, Walk On Girl Welcome to the Space Show Project A-Ko Project A-Ko 2: Plot of the Daitokuji Financial Group Project A-Ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody Project A-Ko 4: Final Birthday Wonderland Blood: The Last Vampire Venus Wars Maquia - When the Promised Flower Blooms Re: Cyborg 009 Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Penguin Highway Golgo 13: The Professional Golgo 13: Queen Bee Puella Magi Madoka Magica Rebellion Lupin III The First Escaflowne The Movie Stand By Me, Doraemon Stand By Me, Doraemon 2 Expelled From Paradise Child of Kamiari Month Bubble Dirty Pair Affair On Nolandia Dirty Pair Project Eden Dirty Pair Flight 005 Conspiracy Trigun Badlands Rumble Urusei Yatsura Beautiful Dreamer The Place Promised In Our Early Days Belle K-ON! The Movie A Tree of Palme Drifting Home The Princess and the Pilot Fruits Basket Prelude Hells Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic Black Jack the Movie Josee, the Tiger, and the Fish Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo The Deer King Inu-Oh Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie Mugen Train Jungle Emperor: The Brave Can Change The Future To Every You I've Loved Before Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum: Your Train is Your Survival Tactic Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum: I Love You Pompo: The Cinephile Lupin the 3rd Episode 0 First Contact Slayers The Motion Picture Poupelle of Chimney Town To Me, The One Who Loved You Colorful Hal

Short Movies: Little Witch Academia Kakurenbo - Hide and Seek Voices of a Distance Star

Movies I want to watch: The House of the Lost on the Cape Goodbye, Don Glees! Giovanni's Island

[f1]

F1 to introduce new tyres from British Grand Prix for safety reasons | 2023 Spanish Grand Prix

The FIA has given Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli permission to introduce a new tyre specification on safety grounds. The new tyre specification will be made available for all teams to test at the Spanish Grand Prix next month. Pirelli intends to introduce the revised tyres at the British Grand Prix in July. Under F1’s rules, the range of compounds to be used during a season must be determined by December 15th of the preceding year. However it can be changed with the FIA’s approval, which was given following discussions of the Technical Advisory Committee and Sporting Advisory Committee. Pirelli’s head of motorsport Mario Isola said the change was necessary due to the increased performance of this year’s cars, which is putting the rubber under greater strain. “We’ve seen how much more performance the 2023 cars have compared to last year throughout the opening races of this season, and that is thanks to the extraordinary pace of development shown by all 10 of the teams,” said Isola. “In Miami, for example, the pole time was nearly two seconds faster than last year, but the same sort of progress has been seen during races as well. “Pirelli’s simulation work has always been aimed at not only supplying a product that hits the performance targets specified by stakeholders, but also anticipating any potential problems and reacting to them quickly.” Isola said Pirelli is bringing forwards the introduction of some developments it had made for the tyres it plans to race next year. “The new specification contains materials that we have already developed for 2024, which will make the tyres more resistant without affecting any of the other technical parameters or their behaviour on track,” he explained. “To allow all the teams to test the new construction on a level playing field, Pirelli will supply two extra tyre sets per car to be used during FP1 and FP2 at the Spanish Grand Prix.” Lap time change at the first five races of 2023 On average, lap times are 1.01 seconds quicker than last year. Changes to some circuits will have influenced this: The Miami International Autodrome was resurfaced and its chicane was eased, while an extra DRS zone was added at Albert Park in Melbourne. However DRS zones were shortened at three tracks: Bahrain, Melbourne and Miami. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free 2023 F1 season Browse all 2023 F1 season articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net/

[inkovsky]

The Hang Seng Index opened 227 points lower at 22,716 points and continued to fall, falling 508 points to 22,436 points. It fell 367 points or 1.6% for the day to 22,576 points; the Technology Index fell 172 points or 3.03% to 5,500 points. The main board traded HK$283.9 billion .

Although the market turnover continued to be brisk past days, there were signs of a slowdown in capital inflows, reflecting that investors' attitude towards entering the market has become more cautious. The Hong Kong stock market has retreated in the short term, with support at 22,000 points. It is expected to rise further after consolidation. If it breaks the resistance of 22,700 points, it may test the high of 23,241 points in October last year. Citigroup raised its year-end target for the Hang Seng Index to 24,500 points.

HSBC's performance last quarter exceeded expectations. Goldman Sachs maintained its "buy" rating on HSBC and raised its target price from HK$93 to HK$103.

European stock markets developed differently, with UK and German stocks closing down 0.57% and 0.53% respectively, while French stocks rose 0.15%.

The bleak performance outlook of Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, has exacerbated market concerns about the US economy. U.S. stocks plummeted on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened 66 points lower and then widened its decline to as much as 677 points, hitting a low of 43,950 points. The S&P 500 fell 0.97% from its record high, and the Nasdaq, which is dominated by technology stocks, fell 1.3%.

At the close of U.S. stocks, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was still down 450 points, or 1.01%, to 44,176 points; the S&P 500 fell 26 points, or 0.43%, to 6,117 points; and the Nasdaq fell 93 points, or 0.47%, to 19,962 points.

One month after Trump took office as US President, the S&P 500 has risen about 4.5% this year as of Wednesday. Citigroup said Trump's policy proposals will bring short-term downside risks because investors have not yet incorporated policy interference into their assessment of fundamental factors; the bank's benchmark target for the end of this year is 6,500 points, which means there is still about 6% room for growth from Wednesday's close.

The U.S. dollar index fell as much as 0.77% to 106.34; the Japanese yen rose above 150 per dollar, hitting a new high this year, and once rose 1.38% to 149.39; the euro rose 0.79% to $1.0506. Bitcoin rose 2.6% to $98,784 and hit a low of $96,260 during the day.

[Below] A joint Egyptian and British archaeological team discovered the tomb of King Thutmose II in the Western Valley of the Theban necropolis. This is the first complete pharaoh's tomb to be discovered since the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922.