#1x13 kill them all

[ggukalaxy]

just finished my rewatch of all five seasons of bbc's merlin, and my sister and i decided it would be fun to keep count of how many times merlin saved arthur's life throughout the show, so here is an accumulated list:

(disclaimer: it is absolutey possible that we weren't always watching attentively and that we might have missed a case or two, but i like to believe that it is kinda accurate)

times arthur would have died if merlin hadn't saved him

• 1x01: dagger thrown at arthur ⟶ merlin slowed down time to pull arthur out of the way

• 1x02: snakes supposed to poison arthur ⟶ merlin exposes the snakes and arthur kills them

• 1x04: poisoned cup ⟶ merlin drinks from it instead

• 1x05: a griffin attacks them ⟶ lancelot fights it, and merlin enchants his sword/spear so that it’ll work

• 1x07: arthur is to be sacrificed to the sidhe ⟶ merlin saves him

• 1x10: ealdor gets attacked, including arthur, and they’re doomed ⟶ merlin creates a huge wind gust to save everyone

• 1x13: questing beast attacks arthur ⟶ merlin kills it

• 1x13: questing beast bites arthur, the poison is fatal ⟶ merlin gets water from the cup of life to save him

• 2x01: arthur gets attacked by a huge boar (?) ⟶ merlin uses magic on a crossbow to save him 

• 2x01: camelot gets attack by living stone statues ⟶ merlin destroys them

• 2x02: assassin tries to kill arthur during a tournament on horses ⟶ merlin uses magic to make the assassin fall off his horse

• 2x12: dead stone statue thingies attack arthur and his knights ⟶ merlin uses magic to make the ceiling cave in and pulls arthur to his side, separating them from the statue thingies

• 2x13: arthur's wounds are getting worse ⟶ merlin finds balinor in time and has him help him (HONORARY MENTION)

• 3x04: arthur gets attacked (again) ⟶ merlin uses magic to save him (again)

• 3x07: morgause tries to kill arthur with a fire beam ⟶ merlin uses magic to make the fire beam explode before it reaches arthur

• 3x08: arthur gets attacked by wyverns ⟶ merlin uses his dragonlordness to stop them

• 3x08: arthur wears the eye of the phoenix bracelet (sucking life-force out of someone) ⟶ merlin takes it off him

• 3x12: arthur gets shot by a poisoned arrow ⟶ merlin uses magic to help him, then brings him to gaius

• 3x13: an army of immortal deads attacks camelot ⟶ merlin empties the cup of life of their blood to “kill” them all

• 4x01: dorochas attack arthur ⟶ merlin pushes arthur out of the way to get attacked instead

• 4x04: their food gets poisoned ⟶ merlin uses magic to save them

• 4x05: arthur fights in a duel and is about to be striked down ⟶ merlin makes the opponent’s sword fall out of his hands with magic

• 5x01: arthur and their men get attacked by morgana’s men ⟶ merlin saves arthur and gets them away from the battle

• 5x04: arthur almost got beheaded by odin ⟶ merlin created an earthquake with magic to stop that

• 5x06: dark tower traps ⟶ merlin parries an arrow with magic

• 5x07: arthur gets poisoned ⟶ merlin saves him with magic

• 5x08: someone wants to shoot an arrow at arthur ⟶ merlin attacks the shooter and saves arthur

• 5x11: kara tried to stab arthur ⟶ merlin uses magic to save him

and the one time he fails: 5x13, mordred stabs arthur with a sword forged on a dragon’s breath — merlin doesn’t get him to avalon in time

which brings us to a total of 27.5 times that merlin has saved arthur's life throughout the show

we also kept track of all the times arthur saved merlin's life, so here is that list:

• 1x03: merlin tells uther he is a sorcerer to save gwen (which would’ve gotten him a death sentence) ⟶ arthur convinces his father that merlin is lying out of love for gwen

• 1x04: merlin drank from a poisoned cup ⟶ arthur gets the antidote for him

• 1x11: arthur drinks poison so that merlin won’t have to ⟶ it was actually a sleeping draft though (HONORARY MENTION)

• 1x13: questing beast attacks ⟶ arthur pulled merlin out of the way

• 2x12: dead stone statue thingy attacks merlin ⟶ arthur strikes it down

• 4x01: a dorocha flies towards merlin ⟶ arthur pushes him out of the way

• 4x08: the lamia was about to kill merlin ⟶ arthur comes in at just the right time

which brings us to a total of 6.5 times that arthur saved merlin's life

it's kind of crazy to me to compare it like this, because on the one hand 27 near-death experiences across 65 episodes doesn't really sound like a lot. but at the same time i can't believe that arthur would have died 27 times if it hadn't been for merlin. and to think that arthur only saved merlin's life 6 times though?? oof

on my next rewatch, my sister and i want to make a list of all the moments that contributed to arthur's death (a so-called "doom list" with moments like merlin poisoning morgana in 2x13 etc), but that one is definitely going to be more subjective, since it'll be based on things that we think could've prevented arthur's death if they had gone any different

very excited to debate all the things that could go on that one!

[taylorkellyreporting]

i hope no one minds if i inconsistently liveblog this bitch: doctor who season one from 1x04

1x04

HELLO??

A WHOLE YEAR???

shit

“you’re 900 years old?” “yeah.” “my mum was right, that is one hell of an age gap.” lmfaooo

“i’m the only person who knows it exists.” spoke too soon

damn, he left her. i wonder if the key he gave her was even real.

it was a pig 😭

OH NOOOO

every time they get separated, shit goes off the rails

IS HE GONNA KILL HER MOM?!

1x05

girl, FUCK the emergency protocols

“sorry.” 😭

that shit was intense

“my mother’s cooking.” “good, put her on a slow heat and let her simmer.” CACKLING

i feel so bad for her mom :(

1x06

this episode really is…something.

why the fuck is the doctor just offering up all of this information???

he really should have seen this coming

*pretends to be shocked*

their cockiness is gonna get them killed

i never want rose and the doctor to be separated EVER again

“what use are emotions if you won’t save the woman that you love?” damn

don’t know how i feel about this dude joining them

1x07

“he’s your boyfriend.” “not anymore.” did i miss something???

something’s wrong…

is that guy dead?

i don’t trust adam at all

rose is so stupid. i could understand if it was mickey she was trusting but she doesn’t even know this man

huh, that was unexpected.

what the actual fuck

1x08

this ep’s gonna be so sad

the doctor never should’ve taken her to that day

“alright, i’ll tell him you’re not my boyfriend.” obsessed with her thinking that was the issue 😭

not important but jackie looks really good with her hair like that

well. that was heartbreaking.

1x09

sorry, but if a kid wearing a fucking plague mask was repeatedly saying “mummy” in an eerie voice, i would have turned and walked the other way. r.i.p. to rose but i’m different

what part of “don’t answer it.” is hard to understand? lmao

“excellent bottom.” gross.

i know i sound like a broken record but what the fuck?!

this is one creepy ass episode

this dude is coming on so strong dkgjgks

“finally, a professional.” rose, be serious.

“they’re not dead.” okay.

girl, what the fuck?

1x10

i can’t believe that worked lmfaooo

“those would’ve been terrible last words.” 😭

“half this street thinks your missus must be messing about with mr haverstock, the butcher. but she’s not, is she? you are.” SCREAMING

“i sent it to its room. this is its room.”

that’s fucking terrifying

“the first day i met him, he blew my job up. that’s practically how he communicates.” pls

“okay, so he’s vanished into thin air. why is it always the great- looking ones who do that?” “i’m making an effort to not be insulted.” “i mean…men.” “okay, thanks, that really helped.” fkfhhgdj

i hate jack for interrupting their dance. IT WAS JUST GETTING GOOD.

“carry on with whatever you were…doing.” “we were talking about dancing.” “it didn’t look like talking.” “didn’t feel like dancing.” 😭

these episodes are so fucking creepy but they’re definitely the best of the season

oh my God, he’s her son

THEY’RE DANCING 🥹

1x11

i can’t wait for mickey’s reaction to jack

“trust me, safest place in the universe.” famous last words

i hope the doctor doesn’t trust her

poor mickey

“it’s always the doctor, it’s never me.” buddy you should’ve known you weren’t first choice when she left you in the beginning

she’s an egg 😭

1x12

i almost don’t want to press play.

lmao, what the hell

it always comes back to floor 500

oh shit, the doctor cause all of that?

WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK

rose can’t be dead

THANK GOD

i can’t believe the daleks actually survived

1x13

i’m not ready to say goodbye to nine

rose is getting a taste of her own medicine with the doctor and lynda djfjgjs

HE KISSED THEM BOTH 😭 I LOVE JACK

i can feel my heart breaking

who the fuck is bad wolf if it isn’t the daleks???

mickey’s really getting on my nerves this ep

HELLO

“there’s nothing left for me here.” ‘nothing?” “no.” she’s RUTHLESS 😭 but honestly he shouldn’t be surprised at this point

JACK ☹️

“i am the bad wolf.” BITCH???? WHAT????

i got my kiss but at what cost

OH SHIT THEY LEFT JACK

all i feel is pain

that’s it??? how am i ever going to move on from eccleston? how the hell are you guys strong enough do this every season? cause i’ll tell you how i’m doing: not well, bitch!!

[hedgiwithapen]

WHAT IF HENRY LIVED HUH??!???? WHAT IF THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP ////WAS//// ENOUGH???

(Stargirl 1x10-1x13!)

“Henry,” Jordan Mahkent had said, so gently. “I need you to come with me. It’s to help your father.”

There was an ugliness to his thoughts, but something else Henry couldn’t articulate as they bombarded him along with his memories. Courtney Whitmore, talking about how his father, how Jordan, how they’d wanted to kill her mother. How they’d killed poor Joey Zarrick. Jordan’s thoughts didn’t have that undercurrent of doubt, the waver that indicated a lie. He meant it. Whatever he wanted Henry to do, it would help his dad wake up. It would make everything worth it. Didn’t he have to try?

He went.

He froze on the steps down into the---well, the creepy underground tunnel. There wasn't another word for it. Jordan's hand was still on his shoulder, a steadying presence against the panic Henry felt--sure it was his own. There were so many people down here, all robed and hooded. He was sure that any second, his powers would kick in, louder than any of his classes.

It didn't happen. Henry swallowed, taking another step down, then another, until he stood on level ground. There were still only Jordan's thoughts, and one other's, both thinking about how close their plan had come to failure, just how much they needed him. The other minds were silent.

The quiet should have been comforting. Instead it sat against his gut, making him feel ill.

"I think I need to go home," he said quietly. Jordan's hand pressed down further. 

"There's no need to be afraid, Henry. This is what your father would want." 

"Right," Henry said, wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his pants and hoping he didn't sound as uncertain as he felt. 

"This way," the person under the most elaborate hood said. His voice seemed a little familiar, but He couldn't quite place it. His thoughts--Henry could see scattered images, but he couldn't hear much of anything in terms of words, at least not that he could understand. It was too jumbled. "The machine is ready."

Henry swallowed again.  the room was massive, like a hollowed out globe under--well, under something. There had been so many twists and turns, he couldn't tell exactly...

"You need to sit," Jordan said, holding out a packet of papers. 

"The machine will tap into your prefrontal cortex. It will open a link between you and most of the minds in the area."

"How many is most?" Henry asked, sitting. He flinched too late as the man under the hood buckled his arm into place. 

"many," Jordan said, smoothly. " When it does, you need to push back. You can't let their thoughts in, Henry. You need to push your thoughts out. You can do that, can't you?"

"I," Henry blinked. He had, before, with Courtney. Hadn't he? "I think so."

"Good. And when you do, this is what you need to think at them. every word of it. You'll be rewriting their minds. If you think these things, so will they."

"What?" Henry asked, looking at the papers, feeling like a kid who hadn't studied for a final.

Jordan just smiled at him. 

Henry looked at the papers again, uncertain. How would they help his dad to wake up, things about green energy and equality in sports and... fealty to Jordan Mahkent, willingness to fight and die for the New America..." He shivered, not only from fear but from the ice melting on his skin under Jordan's hand. 

"Every word of it. Say them out loud as you send them. This is important, Henry."

"No," Henry said. "No, I won't. My Dad... he wouldn't have done this."

"This was as much his idea as mine, Henry. And I'm afraid  you can't have a choice in the matter. If you don't do this, your father will never wake up."

Henry blinked at the threat. he loved his dad, didn't he? loved the man he'd...been, anyways. But this wasn't... " she was right," he murmured."

"Who?" Jordan demanded. 

"Henry," the man in the dragon-patterned robes said, "let me put this in terms even you can understand. I am going to turn this machine on. You will do as we have asked. Or every cell in your brain will turn to mush. Is that clear?"

Henry let out a shaking breath. "Yes," he said, fear curling around him with the pressure of their voices and thoughts. It felt like being around his teammates, being around Cindy, but a million times worse. Like he'd do anything to make his thoughts fit with theirs, like that was normal. 

"Good. I believe it's time." Jordan said, and the pain struck.

When he'd been young, back in California, his family'd had a pool. He'd never swum again after his mother had drowned, but before that, he'd swum often. When he'd been very young, just old enough to have memories of it--or maybe younger and he only had the memories because of it-- he'd jumped into the pool one morning before anyone else was done with breakfast. The water had been like ice, the heat hadn't worked. Cold shock, his father had said it was. The second the water had touched his skin it was like he couldn't move, couldn't think. Even before his head had slipped under, his lungs had refused to work. He'd been trapped in his own body, drowning, the water filling his lungs, his nose, his ears even. 

His mother had pulled him out. Somehow she'd known...

He was drowning again now, millions of minds flooding into him to fast for him to do anything but choke. Somehow, splintered, he could still feel the paper in his hand, see the words like they floated in front of them. He couldn't make his mind work, make his mouth open in the right shapes. 

Everything hurt. It was too much. A voice in his ear hissed words, and he grabbed for them, like a hand grasping at air, pushing them along. The pain lessened the smallest pit and he clawed for another fist full--fealty to Jordan Mahkent, to the ISA and the New America, unquestioning and unwavering loyalty.

The minds pushing against his began untangle. Like a mass of cords weaving into a neat braid as more began to think the words he sent them, but too many were still trying to dam the tide, sending it washing back at him, so many thoughts that muddled together.

He might have screamed. He wasn't sure. 

And then he heard a different voice. 

Henry. 

Henry, stop.

Yolanda. Yolanda. He'd never gotten her out of his head. God, he was going to die here without saying he was sorry, without saying he never should have gone along with the jokes, never should have made them. People were monsters because he'd been one.

People aren't monsters. People are Good. People want to be Good. Fight--ISA--save--Pat!

That was Courtney, bright and blazing directly inside his head, thinking hard--he could find her thoughts, next to Yolanda's,not aimed at him but flowing along like a bright stream.

Fight back Yolanda's voice urged. If Courtney was a stream, Yolanda was a life preserver, flung against the current. Fight back. Don't listen to them. Henry.

I can't! he wanted to wail. It's too much, I can't.

Think about something else! Anything else! Courtney's voice and that light pushed. Please!

Jordan's hand gripped his. The words on the paper swam, in and out of focus.

"I will kill your father, and you, if you don't keep going," Jordan promised.

Hold on Yolanda's thoughts came through, blurring with her fear and--what was it? Oh, please, hold on, hold on. Henry, we're coming. We're almost there. Fight back. Let go of his hand!

He'd die.  If he stopped thinking the words of the ISA's papers, he'd drown. 

Maybe that was better, though. 

He tried to make his fingers, clenched in agony, release, and couldn't feel if they did. 

Henry! God, please don't let him die! Yolanda's thoughts were so close. He let the tide close over his head. 

Love. It was love she'd felt earlier. 

The pressure evaporated. The words caught fire--literally. He smelled smoke, blinking as he saw the silver of metal and the gold of the weird glowing stick that had once blown up his father's car-- turning the papers to ashes. Slicing through the leather and wire alike that connected him to the machine. 

He rolled forward, heaving for breath, so close to the edge of the platform. A gloved hand caught him, as the light of the dome died out, flickering into static and then nothing. 

"Henry?" Yolanda's voice matched her thoughts, tearful, concerned. 

"I'm sorry," he managed, his throat feeling scraped and raw. 

"You can be sorry later," she said. "We--can talk. Later."

He nodded, and let her lift him to his feet, let her haul him backwards from the room as the giant satellite came crashing down in the loudest crash he'd ever heard, clinging to the lifeline that gleamed as bright as the claws at her knuckles, or the St. George medallion at her throat.

"I thought. You hated me? But you saved me..." 

She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to. Her thoughts were clear enough. 

[angelsdean]

the middle chunk of s1 is full of episodes depicting the monstrous side of humans. 1x10, yes the motw is an evil ghost doctor, but the man was already evil before he died, torturing patients. then 1x11, yes the scarecrow is doing the killing, but it's the townspeople that are the real monsters, orchestrating the kidnapping and sacrifices of innocent people to ensure the prosperity of their town. then 1x12, Sue Ann traps the reaper to do her bidding, targeting innocent people who she personally views as undesirable and deserving of death. 1x13, ghost truck is haunted by racist dude that was already monstrous before he died. 1x14, shows the monstrous side of humans in how abusive max's father and uncle were. max is also depicted as the "motw", albeit a sympathetic one. and then 1x15, the benders are just humans who are completely monstrous, kidnapping and hunting innocent people for sport.

and it's just really, really interesting that so much of s1 focused on showing that humans can definitely be monsters too. that a monster isn't always about what you are, but what you do. which is important when it comes to all of sam's special children stuff. because he's so worried about becoming some kind of monster. he's worried that his psychic abilities make him a freak and Other. and he starts projecting a lot of those fears onto dean, assuming that dean "looking at him weird" means that dean thinks he's a monster. but the thing is, dean doesn't think that! dean keeps telling sam they'll figure this out and that he personally won't let anything happen to him. yes, dean is worried, but not so much about sam having these abilities but more-so what could happen to sam because of these abilities. they don't know if these visions are dangerous! they don't know if there are side effects! they don't know what the cause of these visions are, and that is scary. dean's number one job has always been to protect sam, so yea these sudden abilities are worrying when they have no idea what could happen to sam because of them. but dean tells sam point-blank in 1x14 that simply having psychic abilities does not make him the same as max or any other "monster." he reminds sam the difference is in what you do.

DEAN What are you talking about. The dude's nothing like you.

SAM Well. We both have psychic abilities, we both...

DEAN Both what? Sam, Max is a monster, he's already killed two people, now he's gunning for a third.

simply having psychic abilities is not what makes max a monster. it's the fact that he's used those abilities to kill people. and while maybe the first two deserved it, the step-mom is innocent (and likely a victim herself). also they literally just worked with missouri, a psychic, and dean never expressed any negative view of her or desire to kill her for having those abilities. because the psychic abilities and powers are not the problem and not the thing that makes one a monster. just like later in s2 the good vampires get a pass. because it's not about what you are, but what you do.

[flyingfish1]

I don’t think Dean HAS been looking for Cas. YET.

I think what he’s actually been doing is – and I say this with all the love and hope in my Deangirl, destiel-otp heart – fleeing in the opposite direction.

Because –

Mary: I don’t regret what happened [when we were closed into a room with only one exit, with an antagonist pounding on the door, trying to get in and kill us, and romantic feelings were expressed]. But with everything going on […] I – I’m not sure what I’m ready for. So, I – I just need time. -1x08

Lata: You know, I just – I can’t believe you haven’t been in touch with Anton. -1x09

Mary: Um, can I ask you something? About you and Tony’s dad Ali [an interspecies romantic relationship]? Ada: What would you like to know? Mary: Well, going into it, you both knew you were from different worlds. Ada: Mmm-hmm. Mary: But you went for it anyway. If you had the chance to do it over again, would you? Ada: I followed my heart. I don’t think that’s ever a mistake. Mary: Even if you’re scared? -1x05

Carlos: Listen, um – I’m, I’m sorry I never called you after our date. Anton: Don’t tell me the big, bad hunter got scared. Carlos [smiling]: Maybe! [Pause] Carlos [serious this time]: Yeah. -1x09

But it’s okay. It’s okay, because –

Ada: I followed my heart. I don’t think that’s ever a mistake. Mary: Even if you’re scared? Ada: Especially then. It’s just part of falling in love. -1x05

Mary: It’s okay to be scared. In fact, it’s good to be scared. [She glances at John.] You can’t be brave if you’re never scared. -1x05

Carlos: But, um. I’m not afraid to ask you on a second date tonight. -1x09

[Mary walks up to John and kisses him] John: What – I – I don’t understand. Mary: I don’t want to think about the Akrida. Or whether the world has a future. I want to be with you. Right here. Right now. -1x08

Mary: Listen, before you go, I have to tell you something. John: Tell me when you see me again. -1x13

Ahh, classic supernatural destiel narrative parallels, where would we ever be without you? seriously though, the instant that kiss happened – that “locked together in a room with only one exit, with death banging on the door, right before it gets sucked into an alternate realm” kiss – I just knew that Mary’s reaction would tell us SO MUCH about Dean’s reaction to Cas’ love declaration.

And I really think it did! but it goes so far beyond just that one scene. so many of Carlos’s reactions to Anton, and so many of Mary’s other reactions to John, are SO telling as well.

And I think, looking at the narrative parallels, it’s all laid out clearly:

Dean’s been scared. He doesn’t regret what happened – he’s glad that Cas said what he said – but he hasn’t known how to handle it. Of course, in the immediate aftermath, Cas was gone, and there was no relationship to handle – but after learning that Cas, it seems, is out of the Empty, Dean was confronted with the certainty of coming face-to-face with him again and having to deal with the consequences. Things that may have been distant thoughts were now extremely concrete possibilities. And it was overwhelming.

He needed to take some time to process his feelings and to figure out what he was ready for. The idea of following his heart to where his heart wanted him to go – the idea of a relationship – scared him. Maybe also the intensity of his feelings scared him. And Cas is an angel, and that element of the relationship – the two of them being from such different worlds – was intimidating too. What if something goes wrong? What if he messes it up somehow? This is Cas. This is important. So Dean avoided Cas for a while, and then he stumbled onto the Akrida threat, and it was just too much for him to deal with all at once.

But he’s looking for Cas now. Maybe he’s still scared, but he’s trying to be brave. He’s going to follow his heart. He has to tell Cas something.

[half-truths-and-hyperbole-louk]

Louk's Bad Batch rewatch part 17 😁

we're getting extremely close now yalls 😳 so I'm going to either shorten my posts or post them a lot closer together ... like I've reserved tomorrow to do nothing but watch tbb 🤫

either way I hope you enjoy 💕

The Bad Batch 1x13

"it's not the first time she has left out key details" ~ Tech @ Cid yeah bud and it won't be the last 👀

pykes 🤢

Omega recognising Ruby the lil lizard thing

Hunter's plan to leave Ord Mantell and do their own thing WE WERE ON THE VERGE OF GREATNESS 😫 WE WERE THIS 🤏 CLOSE

and Cid's just waiting for them on their ship 😡

"I believe she's threatening us" YES SHE IS JUST SHOOT HER ALREADY

poor confused Omega my bby she's using you 🥲

Wrecker wearing his helmet as a hat again 🥺

Cid: "you guys are good at stealth right?" lmao who's gonna tell her

Cid just pulled a Joel Miller with the "we're silent, not quiet, silent" hehe

Wrecker: "we're not afraid of a few bugs" oop-

okay so did Omega name the lizard thing Ruby or is that actually her name?? bc Omega calls it Ruby and after that Roland calls it that too, so is he just copying her or did Omega like force-sense it's name? like how Ahsoka can talk to Grogu?? 🤔

Echo: "ugh and I thought Wrecker was a slob" pls- 💀 stinky boys

bad guys who baby talk to their pets and blow kisses and cuddle them

HOLD UP 👀 Hunter just slammed on the brakes, hijacked the other cart and jumped back off in time for it to move away 👌👌👌

how many times did I watch Hunter jump in the cart? yes

"at least we got rid of the spice right?" ~ Trace Omega + a bonus Tech looking into the camera like he's on the office 👀

I'd trust Bolo and Ketch more than Cid lolol

lmao Cid really thought she did something 💀

they literally all move at lightning speed to get their blasters out when the pyke says he'll keep Omega 👌 then they: 😡😡😡😡

if I was tbb I'd leave Cid at the bottom of the cavern, take the spice to the pykes and leave the planet

they're in the upside down fr

CAN PEOPLE STOP PUTTING OUR BABY IN HANDCUFFS !!!

but she makes friends with everyone 🥺

Roland: *being a spoiled rich kid* Omega: 'do you do crime'

CID YOU NUTBRAINED GECKO IF YOU WEREN'T SO BUSY TELLING WRECKER WHAT TO DO MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SINGLE-HANDEDLY WOKEN THE ENTIRE HIVE-

Tech just yeets the light grenade and yells "incoming" I love him sm 🥰

it reminds me of Boba's seismic charge 💕

Hunter's hand on Omega's back when she stands with him and him reaching for her when she steps to Roland 🥺

Omega covering her face when she thinks they're gonna kill Roland 😭

the way I thought Roland was Vizago from rebels when I first saw them cut his horn 💀

Cid says "first rounds on me" and Tech and Echo smile at eachother 🥰

as always thanks for joining my friendsss ilysm 💕

[what-the-whump]

Febuwhump 2024 Masterlist

All through January I had been going back and watching a lot of the shows that I was obsessed with when I was younger. Power Rangers was something pretty high on that list, had a bit of a record of where my favourite characters had some whump so when I went through the Febuwhump prompts I thought it was be fun to try and do all of them with Power Rangers whump, including as many different series as I could.

All my posts are linked below and the colours of the prompt are referring to which ranger (or rangers) are getting whumped

Happy Febuwhump Everybody!

DAY 1: helpless - Power Rangers Jungle Fury, 1x27, Tigers Fall Lions Rise.

DAY 2: solitary confinement - Power Rangers S.P.D, 1x30, Missing.

DAY 3: ALT "I love you" - Power Rangers Time Force, 1x22, Lovestruck Rangers

DAY 4: obedience - Power Rangers Samurai, 1x09, I've Got a Spell on Blue

DAY 5: rope burns - Power Rangers Ninja Steel, 1x16, Monkey Business

DAY 6: “you lied to me” - Power Rangers Dino Charge, 1x08, Double Ranger Double Danger

DAY 7: suffering in silence - Power Rangers Mystic Force, 1x05, Whispering Voices

DAY 8: “why won’t it stop?” - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, 1x35, The Green Candle Part II & 1x50, Return of an Old Friend Part II & 2x07, The Green Dream & 2x08, The Power Stealer & 2x09, The Beetle Invasion

DAY 9: bees - Power Rangers Megaforce, 1x05, United We Stand

DAY 10: killing in self defence - Power Rangers Super Samurai, 2x18, Evil Reborn.

DAY 11: ALT last man standing - Power Rangers Mystic Force, 1x11, The Hunter.

DAY 12: semi-conscious - Power Rangers Turbo, 1x18, Passing the Torch Part I.

DAY 13: “you weren’t supposed to get hurt” - Power Rangers Dino Thunder, 1x21, Copy That.

DAY 14: ALT human weapon - Power Rangers R.P.M, 1x13, Brothers Keeper.

DAY 15: “who did this to you?” - Power Rangers S.P.D, 1x33, Badge.

DAY 16: came back wrong - Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, 1x31, The Last Ranger.

DAY 17: hostage situation - Power Rangers Jungle Fury, 1x13 and 1x14, Ghost of a Chance Part I & II.

DAY 18: too weak to move - Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, 1x14, Shark Attack.

DAY 19: “please don’t” - Power Rangers Wild Force, 1x08, Soul Searching

DAY 20: ALT human shield - Power Rangers In Space, 1x05, Never Stop Searching.

DAY 21: unresponsive - Power Rangers Ninja Storm, 1x12, Return of Thunder Part III.

DAY 22: “you weren’t meant to be there” - Power Rangers Super Megaforce, 2x20, Legendary Battle.

DAY 23: presumed dead - Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, 1x14, Curse of the Cobra.

DAY 24: “i’m doing this because i care about you” - Power Rangers Dino Fury, 2x13, Love Hate.

DAY 25: ALT Found Footage - Power Rangers Dino Thunder, 1x04, Legacy of Power

DAY 26: “help them” - Power Rangers Time Force, 1x12, Worlds Apart.

DAY 27: left for dead - Power Rangers Beast Morphers, 2x10, Intruder Alert

DAY 28: “no… not like this” - Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, 1x01, Lightning Strikes.

DAY 29: not allowed to die - Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, 1x32, Crown and Punishment.

[kiss-my-freckle]

Full Episode Commentary

1x14: Fool Me Once

The episode is titled for Damon, and opens up with an immediate parallel. You can compare pretty much everything in this episode to 1x11. I won't do all of them because they won't fit in one post.

Parallel 1: Elena wakes in the motel room. This is written alongside Elena waking in Damon's car. That's why Ben tries to compel her.

"And forgot the lesson about vervain! She dates a vampire, Ben. Duh!" It's important to note Anna's response because it pushes back to 1x12. "Wow. So much to remember." Elena still has no idea what Damon was trying to prove in 1x11, but she starts to piece it together with Stefan's comment from 1x12. "You can put it in jewelry, or you can even put it in food or drink. But as long as it's in you or on you, a vampire cannot control you." The vervain necklace is what I consider a three-part truth that Elena realizes. The first part of that truth is the fact that Damon always knew the vervain was in her necklace. If he believed it was in her food or drink, he wouldn't have made this comment: "I can very easily make you... agreeable." He knew she was wearing it and could've compelled her at any time.

Anna shoves Elena in the bathroom, Bonnie is passed out in the bathtub. Damon is reading Emily's grimoire when Stefan rushes in. As I said in my previous re-watch post, Stefan doesn't want her becoming a vampire. He's disgusted by the idea because he can't love her as one. He's flipping over the fact that Anna kidnapped her while Damon's blood is still in her system. He's not worried about her dying, he's worried about her dying with vampire blood in her system. "What if your blood hasn't passed out of her system?" Damon's responses in this episode are written in reverse of 1x13. He's laughing inside because he knows his blood is still in her system. "Well, then at least you know you'll see her again." Stefan starts to beg because he's worried she'll become everything he hates. He can't have her become a vampire. Again, this is before she so much as admits she never wants to be a vampire. It's his desire to keep her human. "You know, all I can remember is hating you." This is one of the sickest comments Stefan ever made, and the reason Elena needs to remind him that Damon is worth loving. Stefan stopped loving his own brother. Again, one of the many reasons Damon is the better brother. Stefan believes he's gonna fix this with an apology. He won't. Damon will accept his apology, but apologies aren't deal-makers. They're not meant to be used for gain, but that's what Stefan is doing. He's trading an apology for Elena's location. Damon refuses to tell him where Elena is.

"I mean this sincerely. I hope Elena dies." Damon is being 100% honest, and there are two reasons why he's not afraid for her to die. He knows his blood is still in her system, and he knows she's being used as leverage. Leverage is only good when it's alive. Thus, he knows Anna won't risk killing her. Unlike Damon, Anna has no idea that his blood is in her system. Ben walks into the bathroom. The only reason they kidnapped Elena was to keep Bonnie in line. She'll open the tomb if it means saving Elena from a certain death. I'm laughing over this bit of conversation. Anna tells Elena that she and Jeremy are practically dating, which is hilarious because Elena didn't want him dating vampire Vicki. They cut to Jeremy at the Grill. "I am so not going to be one of those girls who disappears just because she has a new boyfriend." Caroline is so full of crap. Even in season 8, she can't tell Bonnie is suffering alone while she's living it up with Stefan. Caroline is all about herself. "I just want to let you know that right here and right now, I'm offering you an out. Like an escape clause." Damon does this for Elena several times... gives her escape clauses.

Parallel 2: Damon at Sheila's door as Stefan was at Sheila's door.

Damon doesn't need Bonnie. He'd have no problem finding another witch to help him open the tomb. He wants Bonnie because he wants to kill two birds with one stone. It's the same thing he was planning to do with her at the dance in 1x12. The difference is their reason for being at Sheila's. Stefan turned to Bonnie for help in finding Elena. Damon turned to Bonnie for help in opening the tomb to rescue Katherine. Sheila uses her head trick on Damon, which I love. I just... prefer it used by Bonnie rather than Sheila. They cut back to Anna and Elena. Given her comment, she knows Stefan is over Katherine. "Trust me. No one I know wants to see that girl again. Except Damon, the lovestruck idiot."

Parallel 3: Damon and Elena bonding over Katherine becomes Anna and Elena and their dead mothers.

A lot of their differences matter to Elena as it pertains to her view of Damon.

Anna: My mother's in there. Katherine couldn't help herself. She just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore brothers. And when she got caught, so did my mother. I watched Johnathan Gilbert take her away. Elena: I'm sorry. Anna: You really mean that, don't you?

Delena has a parallel to this in 1x3. "I'm sorry. About Katherine. You lost her, too." That's why Damon is blown away by her apology. She means it.

Parallel 4: Damon took Elena's phone, but offers her the chance to talk to Stefan. Anna took Elena's phone, but won't offer her the chance to talk to Stefan.

Again, the differences matter because she's seeing Damon through Ben and Anna. Think of these differences like puzzle pieces, giving her the full view of one man. "Go ahead. Grovel again. Oh, wait. No... I don't care." I love Damon in these scenes because Stefan just got done trying to deny him access to the tomb to rescue Katherine. Now Stefan is desperate to get Elena back, like what? Damon is having fun with him while he can lol

Parallel 4: Unlike Damon, Elena wants Ben set on fire. This collage will show why he's upset in 3x4. He doesn't need Stefan to keep him in check, that's what Elena does.

They cut to Jeremy. He invites Anna to the party by Fell's Church. Damon is meeting with her because he has the grimoire and she has Bonnie and Elena. I favor some of his body language. Here with Anna, he does this lip and eye thing that I love. He's flirting with the idea that Anna plans to romance Jeremy. His isn't the only happiness he cares about. "Stefan will come after you, you know that. For messing with Elena." This is Damon hiding his care for Elena behind Stefan's love for her. An easy way to hide his humanity for the sake of protecting himself.

Parallel 5: For both Damon and Anna, it's about the grimoire opening the tomb.

Neither one has to kill people to open it. They don't even have to threaten people to open it. They just need the grimoire. Through Anna, they show how Stefan put Elena in danger with Damon in 1x13. That's why Elena was at risk of becoming a vampire, and the other reason I don't blame Damon for threatening to turn her. Both Stefan and Elena knew the risk, and they betrayed him anyway.

"I told you. I work alone."

"When do you want to do this?"

These two gifs show how much power Elena has over Damon, and this is just in caring for her. It's made worse when he actually falls in love with her. It's at this point, he has no choice but to team up with Anna because he knows his blood passed through her system. Should Anna kill her, Damon knows she'll die. Thus, Elena forces Damon to team up with Anna despite being a lone ranger due to his trust issues.

lol... this gif is specific. It's basically a "F*ck me for caring about Elena" gif. She forced him to team up with Anna when he works alone. Trusting others and becoming a team player are two of the ways Elena changes Damon. Pretty much anything is possible so long as there's trust. That's why their ship is built on it.

Parallel 6: Stefan turning to Sheila to find the girls feeds the other half of his visit in 1x11. One could easily combine it with Bonnie's attempt to do a locator spell on Elena's necklace.

It's through these parallels, they show why Stefan went to Sheila's house to find Bonnie. He was gonna have Sheila do a locator spell on Elena in 1x11, but he needed Bonnie to convince Sheila. He only trusted to turn to Shelia this time because they took Bonnie.

Damon only teamed with Anna because she was holding Elena prisoner. Even though Damon wanted Bonnie to help him open the tomb, he was just as much trying to get a fresh start with her. Anna having Bonnie to open the tomb wasn't what swayed Damon. Anna threatening to kill Elena was. Damon wouldn't force Bonnie to do anything because he truly wanted a fresh start with her. I say this because Bonnie isn't the only witch in existence. Had Elena not talked Bonnie into helping Damon, he would've left town to find himself another witch. He never once asked Bonnie or Sheila to open the tomb. He never once asked Stefan or Elena to have Bonnie or Sheila open the tomb. He's also not responsbile for whatever assumptions they make about him. Damon is the only one NOT responsible for Sheila's death. I laugh because Stefan is acting like he needs to protect Sheila, like she's not capable of protecting herself when she could drop him in an instant. Stefan is annoyed by Sheila's response. "We'll protect ourselves." Annoyed because he enjoys acting like he's the only one that can protect people.

"We need to let him have Katherine back. He's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it." If Elena truly feared for the safety of her loved ones, she wouldn't be suggesting they open the tomb so Damon can rescue Katherine. Bonnie's judgments get the better of her. "No! He doesn't deserve to get what he wants." If she truly knew Damon, she wouldn't be spitting this out of her mouth. It's not about what Damon does or doesn't deserve, it's about Damon's life. That's why Sheila offers her help. She plans to trap Damon, to desiccate him in the tomb forever. Unlike Stefan, Damon knows better than to trust easily.

Parallel 7: This is their biggest parallel from 1x11 to 1x14, and shows how Stefan manipulated Elena for the sake of hurting Damon. Stefan on the left, Elena on the right...

Hurting Damon requires he care, period. Damon was trying to have a relationship with Elena separate from his relationship with Stefan, and that's how they're written from this point forward. Damon was both gloating and caring. Both wanting to piss off Stefan and enjoy Elena's company. Both angry and hurt. So when Stefan uses "we" in his conversation with Elena, she not only realizes the truth of Damon, she knows Stefan manipulated her.

Unlike Damon enjoying Elena's comany in Atlanta, Stefan involved Elena in his betrayal for the sake of hurting Damon. Enjoying her company was a given for him. She goes to see Damon because she knows she hurt him, period. THIS is what it would look like had Stefan not involved Elena in his betrayal...

Further showing why Stefan involved her specifically.

Everything you see of Damon in his scene with Elena is real. His words, his body language, all of it. His initial response is surprise because he just got done making a deal with Anna to spare her and has no idea how she escaped. He's being honest when he tells her, "I'm gonna have to change the locks." He no longer considers her welcome to stop by any time she wants, as he said in 1x2. "Oh, don't be silly. You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan?" He's being honest when he asks, "You stage a jailbreak?" He has no idea that Stefan turned to Sheila for a locator spell.

"Ah, brother. Ever the white knight." This comment is specific in the fact that Elena has no idea about Damon's meeting with Anna, that he tried to save her again. He doesn't want her to know how much power she has over him, and this is just in caring for her lol. He's being honest in response to her comment about Bonnie because he already tried several times for a fresh start with her. "I doubt that." He's being honest when he tells her, "Well, at least you're honest." He'd rather hear Elena's ugly truth than her beautiful lie. He's being honest when he tells her, "Not interested." Because he's not interested in getting hurt again. He's also being honest when he tells her, "Fool me once, shame on you." You can see Elena's shame in her body language…

Damon is hurt af. Combine Elena hurting Damon in 1x13 to Stefan hurting Elena in 3x5, and you'll feel Damon in their Delena scene. "Stefan hurt you. You don't want it to happen again." Fool me once. Push this to 4x1 for Elena's "Twice" soundtrack.

Through Ben and Anna, Elena came to realize that Damon knew the verain was in her necklace. But that's not the whole truth. Compulsion is never about one person, it's about two. "You didn't. I know you didn't. But you could have." It's not just about Damon having the ability to compel her, but about Elena's ability to leave. That's how she knows she wasn't compelled. She had the ability, and she chose not to. She didn't even want Stefan knowing where she was. Combine Elena's scenes with her phone and her scenes trying to escape Ben and Anna…

That's how she knows Damon didn't compel her. She knows that staying with him was her choice. Because I consider manipulation no different than compulsion, I feel Stefan gave Elena no choice but to betray Damon. He made her believe that her loved ones were at risk, which is made obvious by her comment to Damon in their necklace scene. "I was protecting the people I love, Damon." Because she believed her loved ones were at risk, she felt she had to protect them. Elena takes her necklace off for Damon because Atlanta was about him trusting her. "Ask me if I'm lying now." None of his friendships would be possible if not for this moment right here, for this trust he puts in her. "I'm trusting you. Don't make me regret it." He also warns her about Anna because he knows how he's gonna be once they open the tomb. "You know Anna won't stop, by the way, no matter what I do."

Elena does more than just take her necklace off for Damon. She's offering herself to him as leverage against Bonnie. She went from being Anna's leverage to being Damon's. "You and I are going that way." That's why Damon directs her away from Matt and Caroline, and why Sheila is worried. "Are you sure that Damon will come back with her?" Because Elena went from being Anna's leverage to being Damon's, Anna abducts Jeremy for leverage. A kidnapping that jumps off Damon's scene with Anna. "Got a hot date or are you just plan on nabbing the entire Gilbert family?" Elena is adorable with her lack of witch knowledge. Damon gets a blood bag ready for Katherine. An act that paints a clear picture for Elena. He isn't planning or expecting Katherine to feed on innocents. "I can't wait to get rid of you." This was Stefan's entire plan with his betrayal, but he's gonna get a rude awakening. I feel for Jeremy. He just lost his vampire girlfriend, now he's falling for another vampire. And Tyler... he seems to be completely alone at this party. I love Caroline's comment to Matt. "Damon was there, and he was always such a jerk to me. And I wanted to show off that I was with a good guy."

Damon is a smart guy. He takes one look at the witches and asks Elena if she's ready. He trusts her, but he doesn't trust them. "You think I'm gonna go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" He has no idea that the seal already exists. "Look, he needs leverage." Elena knows her role lol. Ben is way too cocky, so I'm glad Stefan kills him. What I hate about Stefan in this scene, is his attempt to deny Anna access to her mother. He actually plans to stop her. "Yeah, I think we'll skip the dead mom bonding so you can start serving a purpose." Given Anna's comment from earlier in the episode, and the fact that Stefan is trying to stop her from reuniting with her mother, I consider Damon the better choice to escort Elena at the Miss Mystic pageant in 1x19. Stefan is the wrong brother to honor Elena's mother. "Are you going to say eternal life? You really that stupid?" This is exactly what Stefan feels about vampires. He can't love Elena as one.

Damon reacts as I expected him to. He's already separated from Elena, desperate to find the love of his life. Stefan returns to find out that she went into the tomb with Damon. He's about to run in and get her despite knowing Damon came with a blood bag for Katherine and despite knowing every vampire in that tomb can't move because they've been desiccating. Idiotic for him to feel the need to save her at this point. "You were never planning on breaking the spell, were you?" Stefan should've known better. He was there when Damon nearly killed Bonnie. A single scream from Elena, and he rushes in despite knowing there's a seal on the tomb and he can't get out.

"Help me or I'll do it alone." This is why Sheila dies. She knows Bonnie won't survive if she does it alone, so she self-sacrifices. It's because Bonnie is doing it to save Stefan that she treats Stefan the way she does when she returns home. Sheila is Bree's parallel. I love Elena in these tomb scenes. "We can't leave him in there. We promised him. Both of us." They don't actually show this, I think Elena said it because she refuses to betray Damon's trust. I love Anna's comment to Elena. "I just wanted my mother back. Jeremy's fine. He's outside. I won't touch him." Elena is getting a close-up view of what she didn't understand. They're not just vampires, they're loved ones. "It's not worth spending all of eternity down here. She's not worth it!" Stefan is a crappy brother. He wouldn't be saying this if it were Elena rather than Katherine. Damon is suffering an extreme confusion. He doesn't understand why she's not there. He refuses to leave the tomb for Stefan. His trust is in Elena, so he needed to hear it from her.

An Atlanta hug. Stefan no longer has Elena all to himself. Like Katherine, she's the one who gets to make all the rules. Elena apologizes to Damon again because he basically lost Katherine again. He hits Anna's mostel room and attacks Pearl. "Why do you get a happy ending? Why do you get it and I don't?" This is not his happy ending, Elena is. Damon is beside himself. He doesn't hate them, he just hates not having what they have. Sheila's death and Damon's scene by the fire combine for one soundtrack. The fire is symbolic to Fell's Church.

This is what Emily warned Stefan about in 1x9. "WIth one comes all." With Stefan comes 26 vampires with the addition of Damon and Anna. Katherine would've made 27. Watch how Bonnie treats Stefan now.

[zalrb]

PLL 1x13 Review - As Per Anon Request

Saying "Is someone there?" in your own house and not, "Mom? Dad? Spencer?" is weird.

I don't remember when Piper told her piece of shit husband she was seeing other people.

Ali hated old people. Rofl.

Alison lied more than she breathed. And you were in love with her? WHY.

"If lying was a crime, we would ALL be in jail." I mean, for aiding and abetting, so yeah, what you did was a crime, Emily.

How long does this receptionist have Spencer on hold?

"Well if the bank finds out about your unauthorized loan, that's, like, a felony, right?" "It's only a felony if they find out." She just said that. You wanted to emphasize the "if" or you wanted to say "Key word being 'if'." Anyway.

Like Spencer is STILL on hold.

A broken leg takes at least, like, two months to heal, Hannah is already cast-less? She didn't even move to a soft cast??

The timing of this is so bad because FBI Lady effectively has just been standing there watching them on their phone saying nothing just so she could say something when Hanna gets out of the car to join them. They could've had them do small talk in the background.

They think Christmas is A and they just ... don't confront him?

"We go to dinner and a movie just like you guys." Omg, this whole thing is so 2010s.

Christmas isn't the villain. I don't CARE.

"The thing about Aria is ... she's way into older guys." LOL but it should've been "she's into way older guys" to really dig it in.

Also, Ezra should be in prison.

So, a dude who was/is accused of murder comes back to school and it's just "killer" written on the locker and one dude saying "murderer"? It's not parents clamouring about having a murderer in the school with their kids? Parents pulling kids out of school? Protests?

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just feel like if A hits me with a car and then steals my mother's stolen money and then emotionally terrorizes me by making me eat cupcakes with pigs on it IN PUBLIC so I can get the stolen money back, then I'm hunting you down now.

It makes no sense to me that the jocks would make fun of her for eating cupcakes with pigs on it because for all they know, she bought them and ate them thinking they looked cute.

You know what, Emily's mom said that her being gay disgusts her and Emily brought Maya home to hang out in her room anyway. Kudos. Yes, she thought her mom wouldn't be home, but still though.

Aria and those stupid earrings.

So. Alison: leads Emily on and then makes her feel like a creep when she acts on the purposefully mixed signals. Encourages Hanna to be bulimic. Villainizes Spencer. Effectively ignores Aria. But it's omgggg she gave us friendship bracelets and made us feel SO special. Idk she sounds like satan.

So, none of them are questioning how A can be so elaborate with their psychological torture?

Maya wouldn't immediately notice that she forgot her bag?

Stop trying to make it seem like Ezra has the moral high ground with Christmas. It's NEVER going to happen.

I'm sorry, where are Toby's parents?"

"Are you and [Christmas] like friends now?" Aria to her brother is Elena to Jeremy about Damon is Serena to Eric about Chuck. All the placid, not-main-characters-upstaged-by-other-characters-on-the-show doing minimal effort with their brothers.

Mike. His name is Mike. I wanted to say Jake. There was a k in there.

Ezra started speaking and I looked at my phone.

"I love you" no you don't, Aria, you're just sixteen.

Nuclear. Nuclear. Nevermind.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye." "To who?" Exactly. WHO STARTS A SENTENCE THIS WAY. Because what should've happened for that to make sense is her getting off her phone, crying, hyperventilating and they're like Emily, what's wrong. "I-I didn't even" etc. etc.

Although I am glad they didn't try to do that because Shay can't even pull off speaking.

Nary a tear.

i'M DeVaStaTeD. I'm devastated watching this.

oh my god, who are you, seasons 4-6 Elena?

"Well, A tried to kill me." Seriously. I know Hanna has a magically healed leg, but are you forgetting that you saw your friend get hit by a car? Like she rolled onto the windshield and everything, ma'am.

"Only because she thought you saw her." LOL SO WHAT? That is NOT a response, Spencer.

LMAO Alison's hand dropping to the ground. Omg, this shouldn't be funny.

The endings are so abrupt.

[forsakenwitchery]

So since the synopsis for 1x13 has a lot of people worried (me included) I wanted to point out some things that hopefully indicate they aren't backtracking with Tom?.. Tagging @walker-extended-universe and @laf-outloud ‘cause I’m quietly reading you guys and I don’t think I’ve seen people mention this.

Pic 1: I've spent the last week editing a vid with guys of WIndy and I've started paying A LOT of attention to their hats since I had to combine scenes, and I've noticed that in the flashbacks when Abby starts suspecting Shane, the killer wears a pretty specific hat with a textured/braided band (I believe it’s called band, not ribbon?). Know who else wears it? Shane when Abby first sees him in Independence. Granted, in all the scenes after that he wears a different one with a plain smooth one. But still, he IS the owner of the killer's hat. :D And by this time, I've spent enough time editing WIndy to know I've never seen such a hat on Tom (he appears to own one hat with like a smooth two-layered band of sorts). Plus, the killer as of 1x09 has those mimic wrinkles near the lips that Shane has and Tom doesn't (unless he's smiling, and the killer wasn't smiling).

Pic 2: Another interesting thing that I've noticed is that they've reshot this scene because the angle and the face under the hat look a bit different in the pilot and in 1x09. Notice how in the pilot we got more of a closeup shot where you can’t see much of the hat and the killer doesn’t look like Shane + in 1x09 there’s more blood on the hand (and I think the blood pattern on the sleeve is a bit different as well?). It’s a bit of a prof deformation as a cosplayer, but I just tend to look very closely at makeup, costumes, all that. I think this means two things:

1) When they were shooting the pilot, they didn't know if the show would be picked up and haven't cast anyone as Shane. 2) For them to go and reshoot part of that scene with Timothy to show it for all but 2 seconds seems like a hell of a lot of extra hassle if they planned on going back to "yeah, Tom did it, Shane is a red herring". What seems more likely to you guys, that they had spent all that extra time recreating the killing scene because they had nothing better to do or because they maaaaaybe plan on showing it with the killer’s face fully visible, so they had to reshoot it with the actual culprit’s face? I’m betting on the second one.

And now my two cents on some theories and discussions I’ve already seen flying around, putting them under the cut.

Someone left a comment on my latest Tabby vid the other day saying they think that even if Shane killed Liam, Tom should have still known Shane did it from the start, and ummmm no, that's easily debunked by Tom being surprised when he sees Shane has a gun now and literally asking him, “what is this, you carry a gun now?”. In a room with just the two of them, so there was no potential audience for him to play to & it makes no sense for Tom to know Shane is a killer before Abby came to tell him.

The thing I've also noticed with WIndy is how the writers love to plant small details early on and then building upon them later on. I was genuinely surprised by the sheer amount of those small details while editing, almost nothing in WIndy comes out of nowhere just because the plot suddenly demands it. Like for example when Kate jokingly guessed that Hoyt bunked at the undertaker, and then when they needed a Jane Doe, Hoyt knew the undertaker always had an unknown body to sell. Or how Kai saw Kate receive a telegram early on, and many more things like that. With that in mind, they've told us at least twice this season that Tom repeatedly got blamed for things Shane did, so to me that seems like a setup for something similar with Gus' attack/Liam's murder.

Plus at this point... it would make zero sense for Tom to end up being this big bad. He was willing to get beaten up to "make something" of the town, he stopped Calian's execution, he went into the dust storm to save a stranger etc etc. Those are all acts of someone who CARES. Like who's capable of caring, not a cold-blooded killer. Not some sociopathic mastermind, and Tom would freaking have to be a total sociopath to kill Liam, shoot Abby and all of the sudden hurt Gus. Time and time again he tried to help others and was reluctant to hurt others (even indirectly with forbidding the opium den) unless they hurt him (then straight to the torture barn they go). Still, in no universe him ending up as THE antagonist makes sense. He's not the good guy, he's got a long way to go, but THE bad guy? Doesn't sit well with me. I hope they don’t ruin all the amazing buildup they’ve done.

The episode title also bothers me a lot, idkkkk hopefully they're aware Tom is a fan favorite, so killing him off would be like shooting themselves in the foot. Even with fanvids I see how much people are interested in content with Tom specifically, so he's really THE character that can potentially get more people interested in watching the show. I love the whole cast and all the characters dearly, but Tom and Kate became my two absolute favorites, with Tom specifically we got this amazing morally grey character and I just can't imagine WIndy without him, pretty sure I'm not the only one. Backtracking with him at this point for pure shock value would just ruin... well, not everything, but a lot.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk. :D

[dr-lizortecho]

Liz Ortecho of course

My girrrrl! Sorry- imma try and make this brief instead of yelling about her, lol

First Impression: That she was gonna be so beloved to me- that she was strong willed and smart and witty and tortured. And of course that she was thinking ahead- analyzing information and emotion as it registered.

My Impression Now: Pretty much the same- just that I now know so many more faucets of her character. And everything she is capable of.

Favorite Thing About That Character: Her heart. She just loves so big and so fiercely. She’s also- just, values life so much? Like this is a woman who couldn’t not save (very important distinction to killing) the villian who murdered her sister and derailed her life. She is just so purely good in her bones.

Least Favorite Thing: Nothing. She is perfect. Biting anyone who says otherwise. (But on another note- ummmmm Hollier’s lack of understanding of her character and half assed writing- idk it wasn’t even half assed? more like full assed and then some???)

Favorite Line/Scene: oh! “I chose regenerative medicine as my focus when you died- ‘cause I was broken. And I wanted to repair the irreparable. It's an ethics nightmare. I have been spit on by protesters and shut down by the government. I've worked on tiny rat hearts my whole life- waiting until someone in power would believe that I could do this with people too. And over and over, old men on boards have told me to stay in my lane. To calm down. To wait. But I can do this. Noah's heart is shriveled and weak- just like he was. But I'm gonna fix it. Max gave me back the only thing I've ever lost that mattered to me. Now it's my turn.” with her cute little forehead bandaid from Kyle <3

Favorite Interaction That Character Has With Another: oooffff- all of them? Idk- maybe her snuggling Maria in 1x13, or her telling Rosa she used to dream about her in 2x05, or snuggling Max in 2x10

A Character I Wish That Character Would Interact With More: Never enough scenes with Rosa and/or Arturo!

Another Character from Another Fandom That Reminds Me of That Character: Eurydice (Hadestown) and Cisco Ramon (The Flash)

A Headcanon About That Character: She’s obsessed with whales- humpback whales to be exact. They’re her special interest. Oh yeah- she’s autistic btw.

A Song That Reminds Me of That Character: Castle by Halsey (so much Halsey tbh)

An Unpopular Opinion About That Character: I love her for her. Also, I think she’s kind and a great friend and the perfect damn lead for the show <3

Favorite Picture:

send me a character <3

[angelsdean]

It's funny for me that fanon Sam is, following his time at Stanford, thee greatest of ally and defensor of human rights, while canonically college turns him into a judgemental snob - frowning upon winning money as a hunter, saving the prisoners, etc, etc (snobbish s1 Sammy my beloved !!!) (PS: also his alternative self in Lebanon XD)

no literallly. sam wanted to fit in so hard at stanford he drank some of the snobby rich kid kool-aid. and like, dissecting that is infinitely more interesting to me than perfect liberal and allyTM fanon sam. like i wanna know what sam's problem is sjdkfdfk. s1 does a great job of creating this dichotomy, esp in the very early eps, where dean represents the hunting world, the fringes of society, the outcasts and Other, and sam is coming out of this perfect idealized world that was college, where he absorbed some of those snobby ideals, as a way to reject his family / lifestyle (tho mostly as a way to reject JOHN and john's ideas of what sam's life should be). But then we see sam throughout those early episodes making choices that actively lead him further down the road of hunting, choices that have him rejecting "normal society" and choosing this journey, this quest, taking up the mantle and following john's path.

(there are lot of examples and maybe i'll make a post abt them all one day but one that always stands out to me is in 1x06 Skin, where the conflict is about the isolation of hunting vs the desire for community and connection to the outside world. it seems like dean is pro-cut ties with the world, but why? well, we later learn in 1x13 he tried to let an outsider into his world and cassie rejected him for it. but sam, at the start of the ep, is trying to have the best of both worlds. he thinks he can keep his outsider friends while still hunting. then by the end of the ep, his friend now knows all about hunting and wants to stay in touch. and sam shuts her out and says she probs won't hear from him anytime soon. and it's just so bonkers to me !! but he's making that choice, he's choosing hunting and slowly rejecting and cutting ties to his idealized stanford life.)

and he wants it, is the thing. he's on a one track mind: find john, find the demon, kill it and avenge jess and mary.

this got long-winded but anyway, i think all that s1 snobbery is SO crucial to sam's journey, it's important we see it, it's important we see where he was coming from, how stanford had begun to change and shape him in different ways, how stanford was symbolic of this total opposite to hunting, it's the snobby rich who don't care about the people on the fringes, it's studying LAW while holding beliefs that all people in prison are not "innocent" and a ghost killing them off isn't the biggest deal. and then dean + the hunting lifestyle is meant to be the juxtaposition to that. he's living on the fringes of society, he's Other. That's why the shifter in Skin identifies with dean so much, aside from the queer metaphors. The shifter choosing fresh-off-of-ivy-league sam would not make for the same kind of parallel, as much as sam has his psychic kid stuff going on, that's only barely begun at this point. He doesn't yet think he's a freak for being psychic or the demon blood stuff, he doesn't even know abt any of that. But paralleling the shifter with dean highlighted the isolating, othering nature of hunting, in an episode where the "brother conflict" was isolation vs community. And through the shifter we learn that dean didn't Want to be a hunter either. He had dreams, wanted friends. And sam hears all of this, and still at the end of the episode chooses to reject his friend's offer to keep in touch. Taking another step away from the idealized stanford life and another step down the path of hunting + his revenge quest. And it's so goddamn interesting and delicious and fascinating to me !!!! fanon sam could never

[adhd-merlin]

I've read the Will post you reblogged, it's all very sweet, but: Merlin himself has said that the years before he came in Camelot were the loneliest years of his life. His mother, Will, the entire village of people not hostile to magic were less dear to him that his destiny service to Camelot. So, no: relationship with Will is secondary to him, there ficwriters are right writing them in such manner. This passage about loneliness was probably created by the writers to emphasize Arthur & Merlin's unusual kind of friendship, like they only have each other, but in fact it devaluated Will for Merlin and the knights for Arthur.

Hi anon! Cool glasses.

Yeah, I haven't analysed that post that deeply, I just thought there were some interesting points in there (as someone who's never given much thought to Will). And for the record, sometimes I might agree with 90% of a meta post and go "eh, I don't know" about the rest — I might still reblog it, because it's still food for thought, and I'm okay with not agreeing 100% with everyone all of the time. (Unless I think they are blatantly wrong about the remaining 10%). People can interpret things differently and that's alright. That's what makes things interesting!

That said.

Merlin himself has said that the years before he came in Camelot were the loneliest years of his life.

This passage about loneliness was probably created by the writers to emphasize Arthur & Merlin's unusual kind of friendship (...) but in fact it devaluated Will for Merlin

Merlin was always lonely. He might have been less lonely in Camelot than he was in Ealdor, just by virtue of being around more people and feeling like he was working towards a bigger purpose, but he was lonely. He is so lonely it's heartbreaking.

It's... lonely. To be more powerful than any man you know, and have to live like a shadow. To be special, and have to pretend you're a fool.

It's a loneliness born out of having to hide his true nature and, at the same time, being unable to befriend those he could be open with about his magic, people like him — Morgana and Mordred, of course, but occasionally also the Baddie of the Week — because fate and prophecies have set them on opposing sides. It's tragic.*

(Colin Morgan himself briefly touches upon Merlin's loneliness in his commentary to Ep 5x02, when he says "there's a sense of loneliness in all the magical characters, I think. [...] All united in the loneliness.")

So, personally, I don't think Merlin talking about his loneliness says anything negative or even especially significant about the quality of his friendship with Will. Merlin was (and remains) lonely because of his nature and of his circumstances. It's not really anything to do with Will.

His mother, Will, the entire village of people not hostile to magic were less dear to him that his destiny service to Camelot

Just because magic isn't banned in Cenred's kingdom, it doesn't mean that the people there are less hostile to magic. If people in Ealdor were tolerant towards magic, Merlin wouldn't have had to hide it the whole time he was there. He might not have been burnt at the stake for it, but it's very much implied he would've been (at the very least) viewed with mistrust or even ostracised by the other villagers.

And I don't believe S1 Merlin considered his mother less important than his destiny. He tries to bargain his life for hers in 1x13. (Even in 2x09 he is ready to give up his destiny to run away with Freya. Also almost killed Arthur, btw. And yes, in my book that is pretty much a murder attempt).

I assume you're saying that because he initially refused to use magic to defend his village? But like I said, Ealdor was only slightly less hostile to sorcerers than Camelot, and Arthur was right there. It wasn't just a matter of what was more important to Merlin, it was a matter of his own survival too. S1 Arthur wasn't ready to hear about Merlin's magic. He literally lectures Merlin about magic being dangerous while he's watching his childhood friend burn on a funeral pyre (dick move, by the way). The man who died saving his life. So that didn't leave Merlin with much choice, despite what Will's rebuke implies.

In the end he does use magic, and he's almost discovered — he only gets away with it because Will takes the blame. So his reluctance in using magic to defend his village wasn't completely unfounded.

Was Will more important than Arthur to S1 Merlin, or even equally important? I suppose that's a matter of interpretation.

The author wrote:

I feel that Merlin’s relationship with Will is something that is important to him, and something that he has never considered to be secondary or less important than the relationships he built in Camelot.

IMO, Will was clearly a dear friend to Merlin, regardless of his comment about feeling lonely in Ealdor. And I don't know if Merlin's relationship with Will was as important to him as the relationships he built in Camelot (in which I include people other than Arthur, like Gaius and Gwen), but it clearly was important.

Will was literally the only person who knew about Merlin's magic, other than his mother, before he met Gaius. The only person he didn't have to hide his true nature from. That's got to count for something.

And as much as Merlin cared about Arthur, he never had that with him. It was, tragically, a very one-sided relationship, until almost the very end.

I think you might still argue that Merlin's relationship with Arthur was more important — if you were so inclined — because of the whole destiny thing and how it gave Merlin a sense of purpose. But based on the friendship alone? Very one-sided, like I said. And I don't think Merlin was significantly less lonely around Arthur.

Sorry, I've just rambled on.

_____________________________________________

*I'm 100% sure I wrote a short meta post (well, random thoughts) about this because it's something I've thought about so much. And now I can't find it. Why do I even tag posts when I can't find anything half of the time!!

ETA: found it

[mesillusionssousecstasy]

Love, Death + Robots : Volume 1

The animation were incredible and so different from each other.

But the show should have been named "Kill, Death + Robots".

My favorite one was again the three robots exploring the apocalyptic earth and lucky thirteen wasn't that bad at all.

So here a review for each episode :

Three robots (1x01) : I love those three robots, the way they are discovering each human tradition was well done. I really liked the part about the cats being the god of them all. It's also the fragility of the human race.

Beyond the Aquila rift (1x02) : The animation was amazing. From the beginning you know that it will end badly. It's the idea of what's real. Terrible story, I really didn't expect that.

Ice age (1x03) : The only episode with true actors. I also liked the mini world in the freezer, being the repetition of the same story, the same cycle.

Sonnie's edge (1x04) : It's about monster fight in a pit controlled by human. The end is really unexpected.

When the yogurt took over (1x05) : the story was very stupid and ridiculous, but I liked the demolition of human satellite.

The secret war (1x06) : It was the best SGI animation from the entire volume, every detail was so well done. However, the characters should have spoken in Russian and at the end, the episode became too much like a video game.

Sucker of souls (1x07) : I was sure from the first moment of the episode that it will concern vampires, but I don't understand what they were looking in the first place, in this tomb? Also, why Gary has a girl's voice, that doesn't make sense. And I really liked the importance of cats in this episode too.

The witness (1x08) : Every animation is different, this one was very different from the other, like animation on drugs too. Why there isn't any one in this town? Why the man has the key of the flat? It seems that the two of them are stuck in a loop in which he killed her and the other she killed him.

Suits (1x09) : Poor cows. It was honestly a weak episode. What was the point of it?

Good hunting (1x10) : First of all why the characters do not speak in Mandarin? And why it couldn't be a love story between Jan and Ling instead of this horrible story, even if the end is good.

The dump (1x11) : Is about a monster who survive on garbage, I called it "le monstre des poubelles".

Shape-Shifters (1x12) : I really hate war, but I think they want to show us, who are the real animal during war?

Fish night (1x13) : From the beginning, there was a foreshadowing of what will become later in the episode. The animation with the ocean sea was amazing, the desert becomes a sea of glowing fishes. It also shows us that the young boy becomes a fish, suggesting his descent to death.

Helping hand (1x14) : The episode was disgusting, but I presume it's about surviving and not dying in the atmosphere.

Alternate histories (1x15) : If only an application like this could exist. It's called multiversity.

Lucky 13 (1x16) : The story in itself was a bit sad, but cute. The ship sacrifice itself.

Blindspot (1x17) : The only episode with a happy ending I presume, but it's a shame that we don't know why this microchip is so important.

Zima Blue (1x18) : The episode with a bittersweet ending, the last art of Zima, beneficing himself at the end.

Some quotes:

"- You've seen one post-apocalytic city, you've seen 'em all." (Robot 1 - 1x01)

"- No. Indeed, it was their own hubris that ended their reign, their belief that they were the pinnacle of creation that caused them to poison the water, kill the land and choke the sky. In the end, no nuclear winter was needed, just the long heedless autumn of their own self-regard. (Pyramid robot) - Are you okay? (Orange robot) - Yeah, sorry. Thought that would sound better than, "Nah, they just screwed themselves by being a bunch of morons." (Pyramid robot - 1x01)

"- And what makes you so special? - I'm not special. Unique." (1x04)

"- Now, hate that was something I had to learn. You don't come into this world with hate." (1x04)

"- Everyone sees what they want to see." (1x04)

"- Do try to at least act excited. (Doctor) - Mercenaries are like hookers, pretending to be excited costs extra." (Mr. Flynn - 1x07)

"- Well, at least I'll die young and beautiful." (1x09)

"- You know what I think? It's all in the attitude. The right attitude can sell anything." (Young boy - 1x13)

"- God damn company penny pinchers, am I right? (Bill) - Why pay two when one'll do?" (Astronaut - 1x13)

"- I had to make a wee sacrifice to the great nothing." (Astronaut - 1x14)

"- In spite of all his success, Zima was still dissatisfied and what he did next was, for many, too extreme a sacrifice to make for art." (Clare - 1x18)

"- But you're a man with machine parts, not a machine that thinks it's a man. (Clare) - Sometimes, it's difficult even for me to understand what I've become. And harder still to remember what I once was." (Zuma - 1x18)

[carryoncastiel]

SPNWIN 1x13 - Season 1 Finale Thoughts

I have avoided all spoilers, let's see how this goes!

Oh it starts with the flashback of John coming back from the army

He's just sitting there for hours apparently

"John Winchester?" HEY I KNOW THAT DEEP VOICE

John: "Sir, can I help you". He calls him sir! That must be so weird for Dean lol

OMG Dean looks like a sailor! He has a turtleneck!!!

…and he gives John the fated letter from Henry

BOBBY!?!?!?

"We're not supposed to meddle with things, idjit". Oh so it is heaven shenanigans?

I cannot deal with Dean wearing that outfit, it looks so very not him lol

"One last hunt, huh?" "One last hunt." hmmmmmmmmm

Oooh the title card is different. It gets sucked into some interdimensional thingy or something? Well, I like it.

Henry has a lead on "the guy", apparently some hunter named Joan saw him. And Mary doesn't wanna go to that one college. The future without hunting is scary.

John wears the bad red plaid!

If Mary leaves hunting, what does it mean for her and John's relationship? Will we ever find out

Carlos looking at that Dean pic again:"Whoever he is, he is ruggedly handsome" 😏 Everyone has the hots for Dean and who can blame them (gonna be awkward once they find out who he is though…)

So either Dean has to kill the Akrida (since he is "not of this earth") or Ada has to burn her soul with the crystal. Decisions, decisions.

Lata is gonna look for a way to save Ada's soul if she has to use the crystal. My girl is gonna find a way!

So Joan who knows about Dean is also dead(or whatever state they are in)? Or she is some other being. Interesting.

Wait, Joan threw Dean and the Impala through the Akrida portal??? And only John's journal is left? What's going on…

Joan is the queen ooooooh. Now it makes sense.

John, don't stop her monologue, I wanna know more about her being human once!

Joan: "Join me, OR DIE." Girl, that's no choice.

She does the finger snap and is gone. Interesting.

Y'all didn't know Lata is still in the clubhouse that just got raided by the Akrida? Bad oversight.

Lata actually attacking the queen with a knife, breaking her pacifist streak. Sadly it doesn't do anything.

Joan Hopkins lived in 1673, wanted out of hunting and that's why she turned on her own kind.

Joan: "I lost my parents, my brother, all my family to the cause. And then…I lost my William." ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT I SEE

So because there was always more to fight, always a new apokalypse and all, Joan decided mankind is the problem. Because they always need saving and hunters are the ones paying the price….. That's one way to look at it I guess.

The monster essence drove her mad. Don't pump yourself full of monster juice kids!

OH NO LEAVE LATA ALONE D:&lt;

Carlos having an amazing idea. Use the journal Dean left behind and the Osteum to get Dean back through the portal. Well let's go!

Poor Lata got posessed by the Akrida.

The Akrida were made by an "angry God" as a failsave to wipe out all existence. Yeah, that sounds like Chuck.

DO NOT THREATEN LATA I'M SERIOUS

Damn, Ada had to use the crystal to save Lata. I mean it was obviously gonna be used but still :(

They can only bring Dean back from the monster world at midnight. Of course.

John, are you really trying to get Mary to stay behind because whoever is gonna face the queen is probably not gonna come back? My dude, this never works.

John:"If we save the world then you're free." Such a meaningful line for this franchise…

So Mary actually does stay behind. Oh well

THEY HAVE SWORDS. SPN definitely needed more hunters using swords!

OH SHIT THE QUEEN ALSO HAS A SWORD. And the Akrida too. So many swords!!!

They really got the Impala through the portal! …but no Dean apparently. Eh, whatever we got the car that is also not of this earth. Vroom vroom bitches

Joan says she wiped out all the MOL. Wait a minute…

BABY TO THE RESCUE. Run her over

…But the Queen opens the portal just in time for Mary to drive the Impala through. Oh nooo

John falling to his knees. I'm sorry I'm getting destiel flashbacks again.

…of course the portal opens up again and Baby comes back. But now with a suspicious figure driving. WHO COULD IT BE

Oh hey Dean. Mary isn't back though. Hmm

No, she was in the Impala for the dramatic reveal. Okay okay.

Dean: "She[Baby] kept us save. Of course, there's not a lot that can tear me apart. I'm already dead" DUN DUN DUN

Dean was stuck in the world between worlds. Like Limbo you mean

NOT AMERICANA *sobs*

Dean was going for a drive in heaven, with a detour through the ~multiverse~. But what was he looking for?

"I was looking for my family." Yeah, we all were during that terrible excuse of a series finale…

"See, I come from a long line of hunters.I guess I was hoping somewhere out there was a earth, that has a version where my family had a shot at a happy ending." So here we have it. That ending was not a happy ending and Dean is looking for a better one.

So the Akrida were one of Chuck's last creations. Shocker.

Dean: "Now that the Akrida are gone, you can chose your own destiny. Write your own story". I wanna see that CW, give me season 2!!!

JACK!!!! OMG IT'S JACK. And Bobby again too.

Bobby: "This is all kinds of weird. Seeing Samuel witha full set of hair" LMAO

Dean is all "Sorry Jack I meddled with world. Guess I don't deserve heaven. I'm definitely not saying you should put me back on earth" lol

So Dean is gonna give other world John his own hunter's journal. THEY CAN USE THAT IN SEASON 2

Dean to Mary: " I know you think about quitting hunting. Believe me I understand. But you need to do me one favor. Keep an eye out for a yellow eyed demon" DEAN JACK SAID NO MEDDLING

He gives her The Colt!?!??! DUDE

Mary: "Your family…did you ever find a world where they had a shot at a happy ending?"

Dean looking at all of them "I think I did."

James Heffield(Hepfield? Jensen stop mumbling!). Is this some significant kind of name Dean is using?

And they are gone. Maybe we'll see them again…

Lata did find a way to restore Ada's soul. The mighty LORE strikes again.

Mary saw every possible version of herself going through the portal but she's gonna find her own path.

John: "Do me a favor?" "Anything." "No Goodbyes"

But one last kiss

John is all sad while the others talk about the next case. But look, Mary is "not leaving here without you" (sorry). She wants John to come with her. ROADTRIP

They are in the car and want some music.

Hepfield was adamant on one thing "Driver picks the music…" Ah the famous line

That was it. Finale of season 1. I really hope we get a second season! I don't want to lose these characters yet :( I'm not entirely sure what to make of the whole Dean bit. On the one hand they did give me "the finale was not a happy ending" but then it's all about blood family again and not even a tiny, subtle mention of anything Cas related. I don't want to be too disappointed, since they gave us destiel parallels again but man I just miss Cas :((( I have to think about it more.

Bonus:

Bobby's face is my face when i saw Dean in that outfit. It weird lmao

[walker-extended-universe]

Walker: Independence 1x13 "Let Him Hang" Review

Going back to the old days with this one!

This episode left my head spinning.

We start off in the Davidson Torture Barn, where Tom and Shane escape from Augustus and his law-abiding ways. Both brothers are badly hurt but Shane is was shot and he's worse off than Tom. Their horses were scared off by the gunfire so they're left to go on foot. Eventually, Shane can no longer go on and he lays on the ground. The brother's try to puzzle their way out of this. It's a bad look for the deputy to be dead and the sheriff to run off with the man that killed him.

Side note: Shane tearfully asking Tom for reassurance that he can get them out of this. That is all.

Eventually, Tom reaches the conclusion that someone has to take the fall for this. Shane understands what he means; Shane and Gus died taking each other out is the new story. That means Tom has to kill him. Tearfully, Tom raises his gun and shoots his brother. For family.

Back at Tom's cabin, Abigail has found her husband's old journal among Tom's things and has determined that he must be responsible for her husband's death after all. She follows Augustus' trail to the Torture Barn, where she finds him unconscious and bleeding out. With all her strength, she drags him out of the barn to take him to Independence.

In the morning light, Hoyt cleans the windows of the Side Step while giving Matthew advice on robbing banks. While they talk, Matthew tells Hoyt that he came out here looking for kin. Specifically, his father. Hoyt doesn't have much time to ponder what that means for him before he sees a bloody Tom Davidson rolling into town.

In the sheriff's office, Tom is cornered by both Kate and Hoyt about what happened. Tom gives them the Official Story and asks them to go fetch a doctor, or at least Kai. Neither of them believe his story, and then Abby blows him completely out of the water when she rides into town with Augustus on her horse.

Everyone goes to work. Abby clears off Tom's desk so they have a surface to patch Gus up on. Kai is called for his doctoring skills, Hoyt tries to give Gus some liquid courage, and Calian is there for his friend. None of them are ready to let Gus die.

Once they've removed the bullet and stopped the bleeding, the group steps away to let Gus rest. Tom discreetly asks Kai to let him know when Gus wakes up, before anyone else, but Kate and Abby notice something's up.

Side note: The way Kate grabs Kai's face when asking him what Tom told him ;_;

Back at Hagan's Tom starts getting ready to skip town and Kate interrupts him. He makes an excuse about looking for a "real doctor" for Gus but she doesn't buy it. Then Kate reveals that she knows exactly what the sheriff has done, including killing his own brother, and pulls her gun on him when he tries to threaten her. But Tom's in too deep to let this go easily and he goes for the knife under his desk.

Side note: Katie and Greg have so much chemistry together and it's almost a crime to have their characters hate each other so much.

Side side note: PINKERTON WANTED KATE DEAD???? WTF?????

In the sheriff's office, Abby is taking charge. She knows Tom is responsible for all of this and she's not letting him get away with it. So she tells Hoyt and Calian to block off all the exits to town and she goes for the guns on the wall. She's going to do something she should've done a long time ago: bring Tom Davidson to justice.

Back in the sheriff's office, Tom is cornered behind his desk. But he's not giving up easily. He distracts Kate with his chair, grabs his gun, then leaps off the balcony and into the middle of town. Unfortunately, he's jumped from the frying pan and into the fire as he now has Calian and Hoyt gunning for him as well as Abby and Kate. His cries for help from the citizens of Independence fall on deaf ears, even when he asks Kai. He claims that Abby and her friends are just vigilantes after him, but Abby's voice is louder as she lists all his crimes.

Side note: "It doesn't have to end this way." "I think it does." Okay I know they didn't kill him but it really seemed like they were going to here for a minute.

In the end, Gus makes the final blow that takes Tom out. Tom is then taken to a cell, where they patch him up at Abby's command. Letting him die would just be too easy.

Once he's stable, Abby asks to be left alone with him to get a confession. She wants to know exactly what he did and why. And he tells her the truth. He tells her he did it all out of loyalty to his Aunt Teresa; he owed her after she saved him from the asylum. The only order he didn't follow was killing Abby. He reveals that he knew who she was all along and had been following her and Liam for days before Liam was killed. He also explains that he left her alive on purpose and just framed it so that no one else would realize.

Abby is shocked and horrified to hear all this, but its' everything she needs to know. Tom is guilty, that much she is sure of. She just needs him to confess. There's no other way to ensure he sees justice.

Side note: The way Tom says he "took her in" and gave her purpose in the exact same phrasing as how his Aunt got him out of the asylum as the reason for why Abby should be on his side really says a lot about how his fucked up family warped his idea of what love is. There's a meta about that incoming don't you worry.

After getting Tom's confession, Abby hands it off to Gus and takes a few moments alone. We also get assurance that Hoyt is not Matthew's father.

Some time later, the Texas Rangers arrive to pick Tom up for trial in Austin. Before he leaves, everyone has their piece to say to him, including Abby. Everyone in town is looking forward to Tom being brought to justice. How the mighty have fallen.

Or so it seems, as Kate sees the telegraph operator painting a notice on a wall that announces a $10,000 reward for whoever frees Tom. Kate is furious with him, even when he reveals that he only did it because his family was threatened, and rushes off to tell the others.

The gang chases after Tom's stagecoach on horseback; they hope to get to him before anyone else does.

Unfortunately, they're too late. There's a man inside Tom's stagecoach with a circle tattoo on his hand. Tom mentions he killed a man with the same tattoo and gets the butt of a shotgun to the head for his troubles.

By the time the gang catches up with him, the stagecoach is down and Tom is gone.

Back in town, everyone is gathered to have a party for Gus as the new sheriff. Everyone but Augustus is in attendance as they celebrate their victory over the evil Davidsons and their newfound friendships.

Later, Calian and Gus meet on their ridge. Calian tells Gus that the new chief of his tribe is still angling for war with the railroad. And, unfortunately, they no longer have allies in Independence that can help. The railroad will come one way or another and they need to be ready.

After the party, Abby and Hoyt walk through the dark street of Independence. Hoyt tells Abby about his little mixup with Matthew and reveals he wouldn't be opposed to being a father. He doesn't feel the urge to run away from Independence anymore. He's just not sure about Lucia. Then Matthew shows up and awkwardly flirts with Abby, after which Hoyt notices some cash missing from his pocket. Unfortunately, he's got the wrong culprit in mind as it turns out Abby picked his pocket, not his protegee.

Side note: Can the WIndy writers stop killing my Hoyt/Lucia dreams? Please?

Back at Hagan's, Kate is going over some documents and Kai brings over the bottle of fine hootch she left at his restaurant. As they finish the bottle, Kate tells Kai that Hagan ensured she would get the hotel if anything happened to Tom. The place is hers now. And she'd like him to be her business partner. Kai graciously accepts and all is right with the world.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the Texas plains, Tom sits by a fire and is approached by a man on horseback. The man comes closer to his fire, revealing a circle tattoo on his hand as he hands Tom a pen. Tom takes it and greets the man, indentifying him as his father.

And with that, the season finale of Walker: Independence comes to a close.

This one sure was a wild ride. I'm not sure what I expected out of this episode but I wasn't expecting what we got. It was both not what I expected and everything I hoped it would be. Everyone in the main cast lives. Abby got her justice (or at least tried to). Kate and Kai are friends again. We have more Davidson drama on the horizon. Everything is as it should be (for now).

This show needs to get renewed. There's too much goodness here to pass up.