#Also a good source of potential careers for your characters

[crownprincessoftherusalkas]

Pro-tip: If you find yourself in need of a larger/more diverse cast of names to choose from for your characters, simply sit down and go through the credits of a film. My favorite media to do this with is 90s cartoon movies.

For example: The Nutcracker Prince, 1990

Rick Lemire

Mike Csunyoscka

Rose Biviens

Dean Deblois

Woong Cheon Jang

Hana Kukal

John Celestri

Dev Ramsaran

Wendo Van Essen

Norm deRepentigny

[iamthatonefangirl]

unrequited - harvey specter

now that i'm getting back into the hang of writing hopefully my work quality will improve from whatever this is

send fic ideas!!! all the love on my recent harvey posts is what's keeping me going

also i can only write angst because i am still desperately crushing on my coworker oops

~~~

Your relationship with Harvey was like a ticking time bomb. 

You knew that you couldn’t keep this up forever; your feelings for him were too intense. They kept you awake at night, and they kept you from being able to date other men you knew you could like if not for him. Your feelings boiled up inside you day in and day out, and you were forced to suppress them. Harvey Specter was not the relationship type. 

You loved him too deeply to think the feelings would just go away one day. No, you would have to cut them off at the source. And that meant leaving not only your firm, but also the city in which you had built your connections, your career, your entire life. All to get away from the one thing you wanted so badly it was beginning to destroy the rest of your life. 

He had so easily turned into the main character of your story; it was time to reclaim your position as the protagonist. But that meant outcasting him for good. 

~~

When you first started at Pearson Specter, now Specter Litt, you were one of the few associates who Harvey had ever chosen to work directly with him. Years of watching and picking up on how he operated allowed you to grow to your full potential as an attorney at the firm, and for that, you couldn't be more grateful. Which is why even though you no longer worked very closely with him, having been promoted to junior partner, you knew he would be upset to hear your news of departure. 

You didn’t want to think about how you would eventually have to quit returning his calls and effectively ghost him to get on with your life. 

You expected him to ask what you wanted in return for staying at the firm, and when you would turn down the offer, he would lash out at you. You would leave the office and wouldn’t hear from him again until he called you a month later to check in. This was how it always went with him; it wouldn’t be any different this time around. 

Monday morning came around eventually, no matter how much you willed it wouldn’t. Stepping into his office, you were rightfully nervous to broach the topic. “Harvey, do you have a minute?”

He glanced up at you from his desk before replying, “Do any of us around here have a spare minute?” You chuckled at his response and shut the door behind you. 

“I’m serious.” He shut his laptop and turned to you. You sat down in front of his desk, hands fidgeting and eyes darting back and forth between him and the files on his desk. 

“I’m here to give you my official notice.” 

The half-smile he wore when you first walked in shattered. It pained you to see, but you steeled yourself. You knew what to expect next; you just had to grit your teeth and bare through the conversation. 

“I’ve been working on finishing up my recent cases over the last few weeks, and so I’m giving you my two-week’s. I’ve already spoken to some of the other partners who have agreed to take over my cases going forward, and I’ll be giving notice to my clients this week.” 

He didn’t say anything at all. Now that was uncharacteristic of him. 

He soon gathered his thoughts. He averted his eyes as he told you, “No need. I’ll waive your non-compete. You can take your clients with you to wherever you’re going.” He shifted his gaze back to you. “Just answer me this, what did they offer you?”

You didn’t quite understand. “What do you mean?”

He had that serious look on his face, the one he always sported when he realized he was caught in a bind. “The firm you’re leaving me for. What did they offer you to get you to leave?”

“Harvey, they didn’t– I’m not–”

“Senior partner? A higher salary? Because all of those things can be arranged for here, you know that. Just say the word.” 

He may have been upset, but he could not possibly have understood how difficult this was for you. His words the firm you’re leaving me for couldn’t have been more true, you were leaving him; no matter how you tried to tell him, you reminded yourself he couldn’t know that.

You paused a moment to exhale before telling him the truth.  

“I’m not leaving to go to another firm, you don’t need to waive my non-compete.” 

His lips parted ever so slightly as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

“I’m going home, Harvey. I’m leaving for San Francisco.” 

~~~

He had no idea what you were talking about. Home? How hadn’t this city become your home? This firm? Him? 

You rendered him temporarily speechless. He tried to offer you more and more incentive to stay, but you refused. 

“I’ll double your salary. I’ll give you a bigger bonus than you’ve ever seen in your life.” You declined. “I’ll promote you. You can be elected a senior partner within the week, and I’ll pay your buy-in fee.”

Why was he trying so hard to get you to stay?

No matter how enticing the offers he made you might have been, you had one goal in mind: protecting your peace. Protecting your future from a man who would continue to take more and more parts of you until you were nothing apart from him. You had to leave before you couldn’t find your way back without him. 

“Harvey, I’m leaving, That’s final.” You stood and began for the door. 

“How dare you?” You heard from behind you. 

Suddenly angered, you turned back to him, “Excuse me?”

“After everything I’ve done for you, you’re leaving, just like that. You’re going to drop everything just for some nostalgic memory of where you grew up?” 

“How dare you! Don’t you speak to me that way, Harvey. You have no idea why it is that I’m leaving!” You yelled back at him, finger pointing in his face. 

“So tell me!”

“You want the truth, Harvey? I’m in love with you. And I will never escape you any other way. So forget my two week’s notice. I’ll handle all my affairs from home. You’ll have my letter of resignation within the hour.” 

With what little dignity you felt you had left, you walked out of the room with your head held high. 

~~~

He had no idea, obviously. Of course he felt a connection to you; he trained you, taught you how the world of corporate law worked. 

How long had you felt that way? Is there something he could’ve done to avoid this whole situation? His most promising junior partner was leaving, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was his own fault entirely.

He was determined to get the chance to apologize when you came back with your resignation letter. He would straighten out the situation, explain that you could still work there. It wasn’t the end of the world. 

Of course, he got called away from his office for a period of time. The letter was there when he returned, and his hopes of keeping you were gone. 

~~~

You knew that in the books, the idea of people saying things in the heat of the moment were common occurrences. You didn’t think it could ever happen to you in real life, though. You intended for him to never discover this truth you hid from him. It was simpler that way.

But of course, you were wrong, and it all came out before you had a chance to bite your tongue. Now you had to clean out your desk quickly and say your goodbyes quietly. 

~~~

Three months later, you were settling into your new position. Since you anticipated spending another two weeks in New York, you had a whole month between your resignation and the time you were expected to start in California. 

You were finally starting to live your life more for yourself. You thought about Harvey less and less each day, until you could go out and meet another man without feeling like you were cheating on him. Crazy how you never got to call him yours, but still felt disloyal whenever you tried to go out with someone else while you were still in New York. 

Although you didn’t have the close relationship with your new supervisor that you had with Harvey, you felt welcomed and supported by your coworkers. You hated to admit that life was dull for a great number of weeks as you went through Harvey withdrawals, but it was true. Things were finally starting to get better until you got a knock on your door one day. 

~~~ 

You’d blocked Harvey’s number on your phone for a great many number of reasons. You never expected him to just show up at your new place, though.

“Harvey? What are you doing here?” you questioned.

“Can I come in?” You allowed it.

“You haven’t been taking my calls,” he pointed out to you, to which you replied, “I blocked you, Harvey. Why are you not in New York right now?”

“I needed to see you,” was his only response. And with just those five little words, all the work you’d done to get over him was erased. It allowed your mind to flood with ideas of him wanting you in any way other than professionally or platonically. Damn you, Harvey, you thought. 

“For what?”

“I want you to come back.” Unhelpful answer.

“Why?”

“You sure ask a lot of questions, don’t you? I want you to come back because I trained you, and you’re an asset to the firm that we’re losing out on.” 

“So you’re only here for a return on your investment in me.”

As you said that to him, he realized he fucked up. 

“Look, I didn’t mean–”

“Yes! You absolutely did! You show up here, out of nowhere, telling me that you need my skills to benefit the firm, not that you might just want me to come back. Not that maybe I myself am beneficial to the firm, or even that you just miss me! God, can you really not acknowledge what I told you the last time I saw you?” 

He paused. “Look, I know what you said. Yet still, I came.”

“And what does that mean, exactly? That you’ve suddenly come to terms with it and realized that you love me too?”

He didn’t respond at all. 

“I’m not coming back, Harvey. I need a life separate from you. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.” 

He shook his head in agreement. “I’m sorry I can’t be what you need me to be.” He turned towards the doorway and saw himself out as the tears started welling up in your eyes.  

Those were the last words you heard from him for a very long time. 

~~~

masterlist

[canisalbus]

hello! i've been thinking about asking about this detail of machete for a while now and figured i'd just go for it, it sounds quite dark but it isn't my intention for it to i'm just really intrigued by his character and want to learn more about it yknow? essentially, with all the hardship machete faces, long before he meets vasco i mean, why does he continue to have such a drive to keep going? (when it'd be so easy to give up long before he meets vasco) what drives him to strive to do so well (in terms of succeeding not, well-being wise) essentially, in the path he is handed? it isn't that i do not find this believable and that there aren't many possible motivators bc i do see that wholeheartedly which is specifically why i am just very curious as to what specifically motivates him in his youngest years you know? does that make sense? i know you've mentioned guilt and perfectionism, are those already his driving forces? does it go deeper than that? is it simply not that deep, etc? (ps. much love for the creation of your storyline and your characters, it's immaculate, and your art illustrates all of it so well, it gets across exactly the things you intend to me)

I think guilt and perfectionism definitely play a big part in his drive to be successful, but the main motivator is probably his low self-esteem. He's overcompensating to a pathological degree, he needs to convince everyone, including God and himself, that he's not weak, stupid and useless. He was somewhat neglected and eventually abandoned by his birth family and since then he's been seeking approval and validation from outside sources, the more esteemed person the better. He's not highborn, particularly talented or good looking, but I like to think he's naturally inquisitive and academically oriented so being the smartest, most educated person in the room just gradually became his objective in life. He was also extremely hardworking right from the start. Many of his teachers regarded him as an exemplary student with great potential, but behind the scenes he was sacrificing much of his health and wellbeing to keep up that "gifted kid" image, constantly fearing of not living up to their expectations and failing everyone who had ever believed in him. As a grown man he continues to measure his worth by his achievements which leads to stress and overworking, but also rapid and impressive career progression. I believe he goes through multiple burnouts before he snaps for good.

[brettanomycroft]

incredibly intrigued by your sam thoughts give me more

hooooohohohohohoh *rubs together grubby little raccoon paws*

I am excited to answer this and also don't know how much more I'll be able to say about Sam that I haven't already discussed here and here (though danged if I'm not going to try!)

Something that I think is central to understanding how my brain thinks about Sam is the way I think about Gwen; more specifically-

(Gwen and Sam from @boonsandwhatever 's amazing art, found here)

While I don't truly think they're the exact same character, I believe that what we've seen of them so far suggests that we are looking at two characters who, in their heart of hearts, are very similar in terms of their inner selves and motivations, but who are nonetheless being set up to walk two very different paths.

So how are they similar? We've seen so far that Gwen and Sam are both

goal-oriented

hardworking

stubborn

temperamental (Sam less openly, but it's there)

petty (not as obviously as Alice, but it's soooo there)

curious

seeking validation for their work/pursuits/questions

not in the career/field they had aspired to be in

under tremendous pressure from their families (Gwen's has not been directly addressed, but what we know of the Bouchards and and Gwen's comments about her 'friend' circles seems to suggest this)

driven (Gwen towards power/recognition, Sam towards understanding - both of these tie into that need for validation)

barely holding it together

more sensitive to teasing than they let on

imposter syndrome? (this one may actually be a stretch but all of the above similarities strongly suggest this one)

Of all of the above traits, "curious" and "seeking validation" are the two that I feel are Sam and Gwen's strongest motivators right now - and were also the source of their conflict in episode 18. They are, of course, pursuing answers to their own questions without realizing that, in this case, they are the ants seeing separate parts of the massive and horrible mystery that is pushing into their lives.

Sam's path has him looking out as he seeks to learn more about The Magnus Institute and about the catalysts and victims of the cases they get at the OIAR. Gwen's path has her looking up, as she questions the role the OIAR plays within the government/society, how it is structured and managed, and what employing literal monsters has to do with it all.

In an ideal world, Sam and Gwen would team up to be like the supernatural Wonder Twins. If they're able to see past their misunderstandings and the walls they've put up, I think they could actually get a lot done - but I worry that their insecurities, ambitions, and lack of validation at the right times/in the right places will push them further away from the best possible allies they have: each other.

(If you're fanfiction inclined, I've actually explored some of these team/friendship dynamics in my fic "Pieces of You." Part 2 continues to explore how Sam and Gwen interact when they are seemingly in opposition)

I do think there is a very good chance that both Sam and Gwen end up in difficult, morally challenging, or outright evil situations as a result of their need for understanding, recognition, and validation. I've seen a lot of folks suggesting that Sam could become "avatar-ized" or willingly take on The Powers of the Horrors in order to finally "live up to the potential" that he perceives himself as having been denied when he was rejected from The Magnus Institute. As for Gwen, I think (hope, pray) that her own insecurities and need to prove herself could lead her right into the claws of Lady Mowbray, someone that she has already defended in front of Lena simply for being of a higher echelon, and who has already given Gwen a level of recognition that she did not expect but clearly craves (when Lady M asks about her family line). Of course I would be tickled pink if they both got over themselves, communicated, and worked together to overcome (or at least understand) The Horrors!

Anyway, I know this ended up being more of a Sam and Gwen rant, but I hope you enjoyed, and thanks again for asking!

[midnightstargazer]

Marauders Era wand headcanons, part 3

I've done the Marauders and the Black family, now let's talk about a few more members of the original Order of the Phoenix!

Lily Evans Potter: willow and phoenix feather

The wood is mentioned in Sorcerer's Stone. Willow is supposed to be good for healing and chooses those with "the greatest potential" but who often have hidden insecurities. I like phoenix feather for the core to emphasize her connection with Harry, and also because it's the most versatile and independent core, and the hardest to master - Lily had a surprising amount of control over her magic even before getting her first wand, so I feel like that would suit her.

Marlene McKinnon: rowan

So little is known about Marlene in canon, basically just that she and her family were killed by Death Eaters. I hc her as being very close to her family and very protective of them, so I like rowan for her wand because it's said to be "more protective than any other" and good for casting defensive spells. I don't have a strong opinion about the core.

Dorcas Meadowes: aspen and dragon heartstring

Aspen wands choose those who excel in dueling, as well as the "strong-minded and determined" - seems fitting for the woman who had to be killed by Voldemort personally. I chose dragon heartstring partially because it's supposed to make the most powerful wands, but also because it's the most easily turned toward the Dark Arts. In my hc, Dorcas is someone you're really glad is on your side, who is willing to cross lines the others aren't if it's for a cause she believes in.

Frank Longbottom: ash

Ash wands are very loyal and "ought not to be passed on or gifted from the original owner." Neville visibly struggles with his hand-me-down wand throughout the first five books, and improves greatly after getting a new one that chose him. I think ash would suit what we know of Frank Longbottom, too: "The ideal owner may be stubborn, and will certainly be courageous, but never crass or arrogant." I don't have a strong opinion about the core.

Alice Longbottom: English oak and unicorn hair

Those chosen by English oak wands often have "an affinity with the magic of the natural world." I hc that Neville got his talent for Herbology from his mother, so I like this for her wand. They also look for "strength, courage and fidelity," which seems fitting for an Auror and Order of the Phoenix member. I chose unicorn for the core because I imagine her being a bit underestimated and having to prove herself, much like some of the characters with unicorn hair wands in canon.

Emmeline Vance: maple

We know almost nothing about Emmeline in canon, but in my hc she's a heroic Slytherin, so a wand that chooses the ambitious and usually belongs to "high achievers" would fit her well. Also, the wand does best with "fresh challenges and regular changes of scene" - I've written Emmeline as a journalist, a career that has her traveling all around the country for the latest news (and for intelligence to pass on to the Order). I don't have a strong opinion about the core.

wandlore sources:

wand cores

wand woods

[legendary-guest]

https://www.tumblr.com/burningexeter/755283859212517376/heres-the-new-details-that-i-can-give-on-shego-in?source=share

I want to do a potential Kim Possible reboot called Global Justice and here's the details of Shego in it.

What are your thoughts on it?

As you have only sent this post discussing Shego's role in your reboot, I will do my best to just stick to discussing Shego. It's within the original nature of the show to have impossibly hypercompetent heroes and other good guys. Canon Shego fits this bill. Shifting it to this level and making it darker by giving her a kill count risks making it too unbelievable and silly. Especially if there isn't a level of self-awareness added to it that is in-line with the original show, where parody and Rule of Cool is the name of the game. It's small details, the humour and little, human elements of characterisation that elevate the show from being just nice to watch to actually engaging. Nothing wrong with a more serious, darker, edgier adaptation, either! So long as you can pull it off in writing. Having Shego's real/civilian identity be Ann Possible is unusual. I am aware that this is a very old fan theory, but putting it into place here changes Shego's established backstory a lot, and Shego's backstory/relationships with others informs her character. She defected to villainy after her leaving her family-based superhero team Team Go with her brothers, and after a potential solo/normal career as a teacher. Do her brothers exist within the reboot? Are they also a part of Global Justice? Did Team Go ever exist? Why or why not? Why did Shego turn out to be the best amongst them, especially with useful, exploitable abilities such as super strength and cloning? (Sorry Mego, GJ agents are working overtime to figure out how useful shrinking can be in missions that you would also be willing to do). It's also weird that, as a mother to Kim, she'd want to consistently try to 'kill' her. It'd mess with Kim's psyche big time and turn her into some sort of weird sociopath, potentially hell-bent on ruling the world. Or perhaps just a dysfunctional adult. Kim wouldn't really learn anything, other than her own mother cannot be trusted and that her relationship with her is based on a lie. Who is real? Shego or Ann Possible? Is this a split personality? Is it something akin to Jekyll and Hyde? Is the 'Ann Possible' identity a guise for Shego trying to integrate back into regular society whilst avoiding being on the radar of various branches of law enforcement? Does her treading back into 'good' start here, by starting a family? What does it say about the Shego's mental state to swing from good, to evil and back to good again? Especially with two separate identities? Is this a part of, as you have put it, Shego's sadistic side? Is Kim also prey to her? Did carrying Kim for nine months and going through labour and giving birth to her mean nothing? How does Ann Possible's established character within the show fit into Shego's established character within the show? Or is Ann just a 'shell' for Shego in this reboot? And what about James Possible? What about Jim and Tim? Does this mean that Shego is married to James Possible? Does James know of his wife moonlighting as a literal crazy woman, has a kill count and regularly puts their daughter in physical danger? James cares deeply about Kim within the show, he isn't a neglectful father. Does Shego intend to do the same thing to the Tweebs, given their naturally high intellect, trying turn them into great scientists (by also almost killing them on a regular basis) who will also help the world? Kim's family is her support network. They don't force her into the vigilante hero lifestyle, it's something she does on her own time, through her own choices, with encouragement from Ron. Her family is there to listen to her about her school troubles, and occasionally her problems with criminals and villains.

Why pick Shego to be Kim's enemy and her own mother? What dimension is given to Shego's character by making her Kim's mother? Canon Shego already has a background where nurturing or teamwork is part of her career/life. Her life with her brothers as a member of Team Go and her education and career as a teacher. Within the show itself, Shego being something like Kim's sister is alluded to once in Blush by Drakken, and explored in Stop Team Go. Why change the sisterly relationship to a mother-daughter relationship, especially if carrying and birthing Kim and waiting for her to grow into teenhood is what finally turns Shego from villain to anti-hero - not to mention, in-between that time, she also had twins! And, what about Drakken? Ron? You can easily shift the 'main characters' to being just about Kim and Shego, but Drakken and Ron are important supports for both of them in canon, and their relationships to them are significant. What can Shego do for Kim that Ron can't? What can Kim do for Shego that Drakken can't? Most importantly - How can you do this in a convincing and in-character way?

What elements of canon will you have to use to convince the reader that this is Kim and this is Shego? There's a fanfic out there called S Plus D Equals K by Neo the Saiyan Angel.

I have not read it, but the general consensus seems to be that it is enjoyed by some of the fandom. It explores the idea that Shego and Drakken are Kim Possible's real parents. I am not interested in this concept, but maybe this idea might interest you, and might provide some ideas as to how you could tackle the concept of Shego being KP's mother.

Most of my thoughts on the concept you've proposed are a bunch of questions. I will be honest, this is not an idea that I am interested in. I prefer Kim and Shego to be at odds, even post-canon.

Best of luck to you with your idea, I hope some of these questions help you out in building your AU/reboot.

[tokkiheart]

Romance Is A Bonus Book Review/General Thoughts

I’m very vocal about how much I love this drama, so I think I should just go ahead and write a review for it.

I’ve been meaning to for a while, but I’ve just been so busy with school and other stuff. Anyway! Onwards towards the review of one of my favorite comfort dramas!

Genre(s)

Romance • Comedy • Melodrama • Business(?)

Synopsis

Cha Eun Ho is a successful and handsome writer who is also the youngest chief editor at a publishing company. He has a calm demeanor and remains reasonable at work. He then becomes involved in the life of his childhood best friend and crush, Kang Dan Yi, who was once a popular copywriter. She is now divorced, a single mother, unemployed, essentially homeless and struggling in life; though she still attempts to find a job, but even with her once good career, she cannot.

However, in a desperate attempt to find a job, she lies about her background and begins to work as a temporary worker in the same company under none other than Cha Eun Ho. As they become involved in each other’s life more than often, a love story begins to unfold.

(Source: MyDramaList, w/some tweaks by me)

My Review (Spoiler Free)

I originally watched this drama for Lee Jongsuk (big surprise, not). I had been really reticent about watching it for a number of reasons, but primarily because I hadn’t really watched any Noona Romances before and I wasn’t sure if I’d like them.

This drama was a nice “Baby’s First Noona Romance” due to the friends-to-lovers arc of the relationship as well as the fact that the age gap between the characters isn’t drastically large, with the age gap between Dan-yi and Eun-ho being only 5 years and the age gap between Dan-yi and the other guy being 7 years. Additionally, everyone is an adult and none of the potential love interests for Dan-yi are still in high school.

Anyway, I absolutely adore the relationship between Eun-ho and Dan-yi, he is really supportive of her and never dissuades her from pursuing what she wants to do.

I believe that the romance in this show is really mature, with Eun-ho not wanting to force his feelings on Dan-yi. He gives her space to have freedom and to do what she wants, even if it’s going on dates with someone who isn’t him.

In my opinion, this drama is really heartwarming, sweet, wholesome, cute, endearing, quirky, funny, nostalgic and comforting. It’s really just a wonderful show to watch and I really recommend it!

I will admit, the show feels aimed at a very particular audience (that I’m definitely a part of)- book lovers. However, I’d like to think that you could enjoy this drama even if you aren’t or weren’t a bookworm. Romance Is A Bonus Book is a show that really feels like a love letter to both rom-coms, books (at least to me), and also Lee Jongsuk’s career.

My General Thoughts

This is one of my favorite LJS dramas, right behind W: Two Worlds. This particular drama hits me in a very specific place as a book lover, reader and as a writer.

For those who may not know, this was one of if not the last of Lee Jongsuk’s projects before he did his 2 years of mandatory military service. There’s a few references to his past works and characters sprinkled throughout the show, such as a character named Park Hoon (who shares the same name as LJS’s character in Doctor Stranger), there’s a brief telepathic communication between him and his boss in one episode that it has to be a reference to his powers in the show I Can Hear Your Voice. I won’t swear to it, but I feel like Jung Eugene’s character, Song Hae-rin, having unrequited feelings towards Cha Eun Ho is a nod to W: Two Worlds where her character Yoon So-hui also had unrequited feelings for the male lead played by Lee Jongsuk. Whether it is or not, I still feel this drama was a really good send-off for him because of these references.

I would say that if you’re a fan of Lee Jongsuk, books, reading, writing, and/or noona romances… you’ll probably love or at least enjoy this drama. I know that I did!

If you’ve seen me talk about this drama before, you know that I have said essentially the same thing over and over again about it. It really left me with a sense of nostalgia for when I was younger and used to live in the school library reading books during recess. The vibes of this show are just straight up cozy.

It’s curling up with a good book (or several!), your favorite hot beverage, some blankets, pillows and maybe a favorite plush toy in your favorite reading nook on a lazy day in autumn.

Me @ this drama:

[crimson-ace-reviews]

Not the Oldest, Just the Best: A Tommy Oliver Retrospective

On November 19th, 2022, Jason David Frank was found dead in Texas, the cause of death being ruled as a suicide. It obviously came as a shock to everyone, 90's kids and tokusatsu fans alike. He was a man of many talents, and he will be sincerely missed.

In addition to his career in the MMA, Jason David Frank was an TV icon back in the 90's, essentially becoming the main character in the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers in spite of how limited his role was intended to be. He's reprized his role as Tommy Oliver countless times, has had multiple sets of powers, and is easily the most popular character in the entire Power Rangers franchise, for better or for worse.

But how did he get so popular? What was the appeal of this character that kept us wanting to see him again and again? I say we should take a little walk down memory lane and see how Tommy Oliver went from a pawn in one of Rita Repulsa's deadliest schemes to arguably one of the most iconic characters in tokusatsu history. This is going to be a pretty long retrospective, so I decided to split it up into five parts to make it easier. With that being said, It's Recappin' Time!

(Part 1: Green Up Your Act)

Tommy's first appearance was in the five-part Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers episode, “Green With Evil”, the very first multi-part episode in the franchise. He was introduced as a rival and potential equal to Jason, AKA, the original Red Ranger (Played by Austin St. John). The two's first interaction is during a “martial arts expo”. Yeah, they don't specify what kind of martial arts any of these characters practice, but come on, look at this.

Isn't this some cool martial arts stuff? I dare say it's even an “awesome display of martial arts”, like what the announcer says.

In all seriousness, Tommy was a participant in this expo, and was introduced as the hot new kid in town whose skills were no laughing matter. He went up in a karate sparring match against Jason, and the two were pretty evenly matched. It's a really good way to establish Tommy's prowess, as earlier episodes like “A Pressing Engagement” showed off how strong Jason was on his own. What I like about the first act of this episode is that it doesn't make Tommy too overpowered, since the match ends in a draw. Yeah, Jason was struggling to pull through, but at the same time, it shows that him and Tommy are equal in many ways. It also shows Tommy as a virtuous person, as when resident bullies Bulk and Skull (Played by Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy respectively) start bothering Kimberly, AKA, the original Pink Ranger (Played by Amy Jo Johnson), Tommy steps in and gets them to back off. Even though he seems like a hotshot, he's a good person at heart. Unsurprisingly, Kimberly falls for Tommy partially because of this, and the two make plans to hang out.

Unfortunately, Tommy's prowess in martial arts attracts the attention of the evil Rita Repulsa (Voiced by Barbara Goodson), who chooses him to be his brainwashed servant. After brainwashing Tommy, Rita grants him Ranger powers of his own thanks to having a lost Power Coin, the source of the other five Rangers' powers. Granted, it's never explained how she came into contact with the Coin, but it's hinted that she stole it from the Rangers' mentor, Zordon (Voiced by David Fielding).

Either way, Tommy becomes the Green Ranger, and proceeds to, for lack of a better work, ABSOLUTELY WRECK THE SHIT OUT OF THE OTHER RANGERS. Like, I can't understate how deadly of a threat Tommy was in his first episode alone. As soon as he gets the powers, Tommy breaks into the Rangers' Command Center, and just tears into all the wiring in all the control panels, even infecting Zordon's assistant robot, Alpha 5 (Voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz), with a virus. Not only does this mean that the Rangers' communicators are offline, not only does this prevent them from teleporting to the Command Center and back, but because the technology in the Command Center is needed for Zordon to communicate with the Rangers through his time warp, the Rangers have pretty much lost all of their support. It doesn't help that Tommy manages to beat up all five Rangers with ease, even breaking into their Megazord just to throw them out. And this is all done with his bare hands, before Rita even gives him the Sword of Darkness.

This arc in general gives a lot for the Rangers to do. In addition to Kimberly trying to reach out to Tommy (unaware that he's the Green Ranger), you have moments like Zack, the original Black Ranger (Played by Walter Jones) taking charge when Jason is busy fighting Rita's general, Goldar (Voiced by Kerrigan Mahan), and Billy and Trini, the original Blue and Yellow Rangers (Played by David Yost and Thuy Trang respectively) working to repair the Command Center, with Billy's growing knowledge of Zordon's technology playing a big part in later seasons. You also have Jason struggling to find a way to best the Green Ranger, with the added irony that we know how hard it was for him to keep up with Tommy in civilian form early on. There's really tense scene where an unmorphed Jason tries to fight Tommy, and if it wasn't for the last-minute intervention of Billy teleporting him out, he would have died.

The conflict in this five-parter just keeps escalating. It starts off like a standard monster of the week plot with Tommy, only for Rita to use more tools and assets on her side to make things harder and harder for the Rangers. It all culminates in Part IV, where she uses a solar eclipse to drain the Megazord's power, while Tommy, Goldar, and a new enemy, Scorpina (Voiced by Wendee Lee), tear it apart and send the individual Zords plummeting into lava. Oh, and that's before Rita gives Tommy the Dragon Dagger, allowing him to summon the Dragonzord to attack the city.

Thankfully, Alpha manages to reestablish contact with Zordon, who finds a way to restore the damaged Zords, giving the Rangers an even playing field. Once the Dragonzord is subdued, Jason and Tommy have their final duel, and Jason destroys the Sword of Darkness, freeing Tommy from Rita's control. While hesitant to accept thanks to what he did, Tommy is offered a place on the team, and soon accepts, so the five-parter ends with Tommy being given his own communicator.

This arc is just fantastic from start to end. It was the kick in the pants Power Rangers needed to go from a typical monster of the week show to something with more story-driven episodes down the road. Tommy himself was also a welcome addition to the cast thanks to his friendship with Jason and eventually relationship with Kimberly.

I think now's a good time to talk about the Green Ranger's design. It's nothing short of amazing. I absolutely love the way the gold armor looks on him, as well as the gold armbands and the little speck of red on the helmet. There's also the Dragon Dagger, a dagger that doubles as a flute capable of playing a theme that's just as iconic as his design.

Of course, like the other Rangers, another suit was made for American scenes, and it's worth talking about for all the wrong reasons.

The armor for this suit is very flimsy, and you can tell when it's being used due to how cheap it looks. Supposedly, it was done so it would be easier for the actor to move around in, but don’t quote me on this.

Anyway, while Tommy still joined the team, there was a bit of a problem. His Sentai counterpart, Burai, wasn't able to go outside and fight with his teammates for too long for reasons that are way too complicated to explain, so long story short, the writers for Mighty Morphin' decided to work around that by always having Tommy be busy with something, usually karate practice. It honestly made it hard to really see him as part of the team initially with how distracted he seemed to get.

Of course, there were some exceptions to this, with a couple episodes focusing more on Tommy, like “The Spit Flower”, which focused on his friendship with Kimberly. A float Kimberly was working on to be in a parade to meant promote world peace is targeted by Rita (being the petty bitch she is), and after her Putties lay waste to the float design, it devastates her. Kudos to Amy Jo Johnson's performance in this scene. Generally, Tommy and Kimberly have some great interactions here, and their actors work well together. While the Rangers deal with Rita's new monster, Spit Flower, Tommy secretly works to repair the model used for Kimberly's float in order to surprise her when the Rangers watch it on TV. Overall, a pretty wholesome episode, and one that would further the romance between Tommy and Kimberly.

“Gung Ho!”, is an episode that focused on Tommy's growing friendship with Jason. In this episode, the two are training for the Team Ninja Finals, but keep butting heads. Trini says they need to “gung ho”, claiming it's Chinese for “work together”... a term which is wrong for several reasons as while the original term was taken from “gōnghé”, the shortened term for the Gōngyè Hézuòshè organizations established in China. But putting aside the misuse of a Chinese term in an episode of an American TV show adapting footage from a Japanese TV show, Bulk and Skull then show up Tommy and Jason with the two ninja competitors who are shown to be far better at being ninja thanks to being dressed up like stereotypical ninja straight out of Miami Connection.

As for Rita, her latest plan involves sending upgraded versions of the Putty Patrollers after the Rangers. These Putties are nearly indestructible, so Zordon sends Jason and Tommy to find the Thunder Slingers, new weapons that should be able to destroy them, while the other Rangers try and hold them off. Once they get near the Thunder Slingers, they struggle to beat the guardian of the weapons, Titanus, a new Zord themed after a brachiosaurus. Deciding to take Trini's advice, Jason and Tommy come up with a new plan. While Jason runs up the hill while wearing Tommy's Dragon Armor, Tommy borrows Jason's Power Sword to distract Titanus. The two pass, get the weapons, and once the Rangers use them to defeat the Super Putties, the Thunder Slingers are never used again. But hey, at least now they can get the help of Titanus when they need it. The episode ends with Jason and Tommy taking on Bulk and Skull's ninja in the competition in a very well choreographed fight scene. Overall, a pretty fun episode about teamwork.

Unfortunately, the writers of this show were running out of Green Ranger footage, and rather than kill him off like what happened with his Sentai counterpart, they decided to go a different route in the two-part episode, “The Green Candle”. A nervous Tommy's plans to ask Kimberly to a dance are interrupted when Rita's forces kidnap him, and Goldar gives him an ultimatum: Serve Rita and keep his powers, or permanently lose them, thanks to the titular Green Candle. While Tommy was under Rita's control, he touched this magic candle that connected it to his powers. Once the Candle burns out, Tommy's powers will be transferred to Rita. Why it took her this long to break it out is anyone's guess.

Being the only one who has been to Rita's base of operations before, Jason volunteers to break into the palace and take the Green Candle in order to save Tommy's powers. In spite of this, Tommy doesn't want Jason to take the risk when it's his powers that are on the line. It's interesting to see Tommy in this position where he doesn't want Jason to get hurt for his sake, as it implies that he could still have some guilt for his actions while he was brainwashed by Rita.

While the other Rangers set up a way for Jason to enter Rita's palace, one of her monsters, Cyclops, forces Tommy into action, even though he's all alone. Eventually, Zordon forces the Rangers to abort the mission, with Zack going in and pointing out that even if they get the candle, Tommy could still die. While the Rangers manage to defeat Cyclops, by that point, it's too late. The candle burns out, and the only way to stop Rita from getting Tommy's powers is if they're transferred to another Ranger, Jason. In spite of him losing his powers and being surrounded by the transformed Rangers, they all reassure Tommy that he will always be a Ranger. After losing his powers, Kimberly meets up with Tommy while he is training in the park, and after the two talk a little (with Tommy trying to reassure Kimberly that things will be okay without him), we get the first kiss in the history of the franchise. With his confidence renewed, Tommy asks Kimberly to go to the dance.

“The Green Candle” was a great episode, with a very personal conflict that didn't just rely on a monster Tommy had to punch, but a tiny object capable of stopping him from beating Rita forever. The ending where Tommy had to give up his powers is bittersweet, but we see him trying his best to keep himself busy to deal with the big change in his life. The kiss with Kimberly also serves as a great start to their budding relationship since she and Tommy first met at the start of “Green With Evil”. If this was the final appearance of Tommy in the franchise, I don't think I honestly would have minded, as it was executed brilliantly.

However, it wasn't the end for Tommy. Because of how popular the show was, this caused Saban Entertainment to commission Toei to film new footage with the Rangers and new monsters, after they had exhausted all the remaining footage from Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger. While Jason did get to use the Dragonzord and Dragon Dagger when needed for a few episodes, it wasn't long until the new footage paved the way for a return of an old friend.

The two-part episode, “Return of an Old Friend” features, what else, the return of Tommy. In this episode, Rita's latest monster, Dramole, helps Goldar steal the Dragon Dagger, and Goldar uses it to sic the Dragonzord on Angel Grove. In addition, Dramole helped to brainwash and kidnap the parents of the Rangers, and Goldar demands they give up their Power Coins in order to get their parents back. Goldar, being evil, lies about giving them back as soon he has the Power Coins, meaning the Rangers are now helpless to stop them.

However, Jason reveals they still have the Dragon Power Coin, as the first part ends with a dramatic reveal of Tommy that was kind of ruined by the opening crediting Jason David Frank as a guest star, in addition to me saying he returns in this episode. In the second part, Tommy is teleported to the Command Center and gets briefed on the situation. With the Green Ranger powers still being heavily drained, Zordon uses his own energy to jumpstart Tommy's powers, but not only does doing so nearly kill him, but there's a chance that the powers will run dry completely during a fight.

So yeah, this isn't exactly a triumphant return for Tommy as a Power Ranger, and his first fight in this episode will set the stage for the rest of his tenure as the Green Ranger. While he was able to take out the other five Rangers in the first part of “Green With Evil”, here, he struggles to keep up with Goldar and a group of Putty Patrollers. Tommy barely manages to get the Dragon Dagger and the other five Power Coins, and even then, it took a temporary power boost from Alpha. Afterwards, he's knocked unconscious just as he's teleported back to the Command Center.

While the other Rangers take on Dramole, it turns out that after being electrocuted by the force field set up by Goldar designed to protect the Power Coins, Tommy's powers were recharged once more. They're still temporary, but now, they're far more stable. After helping the Rangers defeat Dramole, Tommy is welcomed back into the team.

All and all, this was a pretty creative way to bring back Tommy. It still reintroduced the character and gave him back his powers, but the story made it clear that they weren't just going to ignore what the Green Candle did to him. Once the second season of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers started, it became clear that it was only a matter of time until the Green Ranger powers were lost permanently.

The first major warning sign came in the three-part second season premiere, “The Mutiny”. When a new villain, Lord Zedd (Voiced by Robert Axelrod), usurps command from Rita and focuses his sights on Earth, Zordon gives the Rangers new Zords to fight his monsters with, but Tommy isn't able to access one for himself, as his powers are too weak to convert his old Zord into a Thunderzord like the others. The next sign came in “The Green Dream”, where Tommy wasn't even able to summon the Dragonzord to help the Rangers during a Megazord fight. The next few episodes have an underlying sense of dread to them, as it's established that the Green Ranger powers have almost run dry, not helped by the fact that Lord Zedd has been directly targeting Tommy to ensure he would lose his.

This all culminates in the two-part episode, “Green No More”. While Kimberly tries to comfort Tommy one day, an image of the latter appears, claiming to be from the future. All he can say is he's in the middle of “the final battle”, and that Tommy needs to remember to bring his communicator. The message rings true, as Zordon informs Tommy that he only has enough energy to morph into the Green Ranger one last time. Lord Zedd planned for this, sending the monster Turbanshell to draw Tommy out to morph one last time, only to transport him and steal the powers for himself. Part I ends with Lord Zedd using the siphoned Green Ranger powers to use for his own team of evil Power Rangers, and Tommy is cornered by Turbanshell, sweating heavily and very afraid.

In Part II, Goldar shows up to order Turbanshell somewhere else while he deals with Tommy himself. It makes sense, as not only has Goldar been a consistent threat to the Rangers, but the very first battle Tommy fought after getting the Green Ranger powers back involved Goldar. Rather than simply kill him now, Goldar takes the opportunity to mock the powerless Tommy by reminding him of how strong he used to be, all to further punctuate that Tommy's time as the Green Ranger is over. And right before he prepares to finish him off, Goldar tells Tommy that he wants to hear him say that Goldar is his superior. Tommy hesitates for a few seconds, before he defiantly tells Goldar that he is out of his mind. With a reinvigorated spirit, Tommy jumps into action against Goldar as his theme song, “Go Green Ranger”, plays, showing that whether he has the powers or not, Tommy will always be the Green Ranger.

During his last stand, Tommy manages to steal the device Goldar used to show Tommy footage of his old battles, and sends him away. Realizing it's a time device, he uses it to contact his past self and get his communicator, using it to teleport to Lord Zedd's hideout and smashes the Green Crystal powering Zedd's evil Rangers. While he gets enough energy for one more one more fight, after Turbanshell is defeated, Tommy's tenure as the Green Ranger officially ends.

Overall, this arc was a real highlight for Tommy as a character. The way his insecurities were explored was very compelling to watch, and seeing him save the day even after losing his powers was a triumphant sight, as was his realization that powers don't make the hero. While he would miss being a hero, just like at the end of “The Green Candle”, he's shown to be moving on. The very next episode, “Missing Green”, shows Tommy writing a letter to Jason letting him know that he doesn't blame him for not getting the Green Candle back in Season 1. This whole arc really showed Tommy growing as a person, showing that he wasn't the forgetful hothead we were first introduced to.

But because Tommy was easily the most marketable character in the show, and because Gosei Sentai Dairanger also had a Sixth Ranger, it was a no-brainer on Saban's part on how they could adapt this character.

(Part Two, A White to Behold)

After being absent for a whopping three episodes, Tommy returns in the two-part episode, “White Light”. After some secret keeping from Zordon and Alpha during the first part, they reveal the fruits of their efforts: A new White Ranger. And while it's well known by now that Tommy is the White Ranger, it was a pretty shocking twist for audiences thanks to the intrigue built up by the first part, in addition to the other characters introduced as potential allies to the Rangers. In fact, I'm pretty sure this was what was going through a lot of kids' heads back when “White Light” first aired.

The way that the White Ranger is introduced is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The way he's initially shown in a flash of white light and descends from above, giving him a bit of an otherworldly presence. It's a brilliant way to contrast the more sinister introduction the Green Ranger got in “Green With Evil”, where he was shrouded in smoke and was introduced with Rita's evil chanting.

While I personally prefer the Green Ranger's design, I still think the White Ranger's suit looks really damn sleek. I love the way the armor looks, and the gold goes perfectly with the white and black. He gives off the impression of a truly heroic figure.

Not only is Tommy presented with a talking sword named Saba in order to control his own Thunderzord, the White Tigerzord, but Zordon also declares that he will be the new leader of the team. This was most likely done for two reasons: One, it was obvious that Tommy was the most popular character in the show, and two, there were some behind the scenes issues with Austin St. John, Walter Jones, and Thuy Trang even before they all left the show out of protest for their unfair treatment and minimal pay, so this could have been the writers subtly trying to give less focus to Jason, Zack, and Trini to prepare for their actors walking off.

Tommy uses his new White Tigerzord to destroy Lord Zedd's latest monster, Nimrod, and afterwards, is welcomed back into the team. Also, Rita was freed from her dumpster prison for like a minute or two, but that wasn't really as important as it sounded. Overall, a pretty solid way to welcome Tommy back into the team.

The very next episode, “Two for One”, develops Tommy's relationship with Kimberly as the two go on a date. It's some pretty cute stuff, and Jason David Frank has some great chemistry with Amy Jo Johnson. The two even dance for a brief moment before they fend off some Putties. This episode also shows off the physical prowess of the White Ranger powers, as Tommy is able to take care of a monster, Pursehead, on his own, albeit with a little help from Saba.

Surprisingly, despite becoming the main character at this point, Tommy didn't get a lot of focus episodes for a while. I think this was mainly because of the aforementioned departures of Jason, Zack, and Trini's respective actors, so the main priority of the writers was focusing more on the introduction of their replacements, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha (Played by Steve Cardenas, Johnny Yong Bosch, and Karan Ashley respectively). Tommy still took charge of the team during the action, but he more or less got less focus than he did at the beginning of the season.

That changed after a while, as he got a three-part episode dedicated to focusing on him, “Return of the Green Ranger”. Rita (Who at this point, had returned and married Lord Zedd) summons the Wizard of Deception to help Lord Zedd in his plan to send the Rangers back in time, but she points out that with Tommy to lead them, the plan will only work if he's out of the picture. The Wizard sends a squadron of Putties to ambush Tommy, knocking him out so he can steal a lock of his long-ass 90's hair to create an evil clone of him. Uh... you know you could have just killed him while he was unconscious, right? I mean, yeah, the Wizard's initial attempt to brainwash Bulk and Skull into cutting it off for him, but if the Putties had already restrained him, what was stopping you from deep frying him with your magic while he was unconscious? I just think it would have made more sense if the Putties managed to cut off some of the hair during the heat of the battle, instead of a plan that would make this Wizard look like an idiot.

The clone, called Tom Oliver by most fans, tricks the Rangers into falling for the Wizard's trap, who sends them back to colonial Angel Grove, specifically around the late 18th century, as it's being invaded by British troops... even though California wasn't officially recognized as a state until around the mid-19th century, and before then, it was a Spanish colony. Also, this might be due to the fact that I'm a New England native, but I'm pretty sure the original American colonies were on the eastern coast, not the western coast, which the British never invaded. Did I mention that this episode was the result of Saban needing to cobble together another few episodes as a result of filming for the 1995 movie in Australia taking longer than expected?

While the Rangers are trapped in a historian's worst nightmare, Tommy is confronted by Tom, and we see that Tom serves as a way to show the audience how Tommy could have turned out if he stayed under Rita's influence back in Season 1, a cruel and bitter man who flaunts his superiority over others, eager to pick a fight with someone. Both Tommy and Tom morph, and while I'm not a fan of how complicated the setup is, I can't deny how awesome the fight between the Green Ranger and the White Ranger is. The action is fast-paced, and both of them get a lot of good blows in to the point where sparks fly from their punches.

After knocking out Tommy, the Wizard of Deception once again forgets to actually kill him and leaves him unconscious while ordering Tom to hijack the Dragonzord to attack Angel Grove with. Tommy eventually comes to, and he's noticeably exhausted from the fight, which Zordon explains is a result of the clone draining Tommy of his energy when the Wizard created Tom. It gets to the point where he can barely stagger up a flight of stairs, and while morphing should revitalize him, it'll only be temporary. Tommy morphs and summons the White Tigerzord to fight the Dragonzord with, and this is another impressive fight. Yeah, it's pretty short, but I'm surprised at how well the editors managed to blend the Zyuranger and Dairanger footage together. I question how the Tigerzord in Warrior Mode was able to lose to the Dragonzord when it's supposed to be stronger, but then again, the writers just established that Tommy isn't at 100% at the moment, so that could be a possible explanation.

Tommy is cornered by Tom and the Wizard, and when given the chance to surrender, Tommy tricks them into telling him what time period the other Rangers are in, stealing the Wizard's wand and traveling to rescue them before traveling back and killing the Wizard himself. Tom feels remorseful for being controlled by the Wizard. I guess it's meant to parallel how Tommy felt at the end of “Green With Evil”, but it doesn't work because unlike Tommy, Tom was born evil from the start. The two go back in time to deal with some mutant rat monsters they left in colonial Angel Grove (Which might sound like a big deal, but it really isn't), and afterwards, Tom decides to stay with the colonists. I'd question how this will affect history, but this isn't even the first or last time Mighty Morphin' will screw up the timeline, to say nothing about what would happen in future seasons like Time Force or Dino Charge.

Overall, while the actual fight between the Green and White Rangers was fun, this three-parter just wasn't that good. It dragged on, and once you learn that it was created to fill in a gap of episodes while the cast and crew were in Australia, it explains why there are so many plotholes. I'd still recommend at least checking out the scenes between Tommy and Tom to see how much the former has changed, but it's just a very forgettable episode that really didn't need to be three parts long.

Not long after this episode, Season 2 ended, and Season 3 kicked off with the destruction of the Thunderzords, forcing the Rangers to go on a quest to meet the creator of the Power Coins, Ninjor (Voiced by Kim Strauss). He gives them a new set of Zords, the Ninjazords. Tommy's Ninjazord was the Falconzord, which would actually play a bigger role in the season's story than the Dragonzord or Tigerzord.

It was mostly business as usual after the Rangers got their new Zords, until the two-part episode, “A Ranger Catastrophe”. Aisha takes in a stray cat, which is secretly one of Rita's newest minions. Why would Rita have a cat spy on the Rangers? Well, the cat is actually a girl in disguise, creatively named Kat (Played by Catherine Sutherland). She pretends to flirt with Tommy, only to lure him into a trap set by Rita, who is currently brainwashing her. After Tommy escapes, Rita turns Kat into a cat-themed monster called Catastrophe, who the Rangers easily defeat. While it seems like Kat is free, it's all a ruse that leads into the next episode, “Changing of the Zords”.

In that three-part episode, we see Kat is jealous of Tommy and Kimberly's relationship, though it's unclear how much of it is thanks to Rita's spell. Her next order is to steal one of the Rangers' Power Coins, as it's part of Rita and Zedd's plan to activate a new set of dormant Zords, the Shogunzords, which they need a Power Coin and the Ninjazord technology to use in order to reawaken them. While the Rangers are busy fighting Zedd and Rita's new footsoldiers, the Tengas, Kat steals Kimberly's Power Coin, which immediately weakens Kimberly, just like what happened with Tommy back in Season 2. Not long after stealing the Power Coin, Kat hijacks the Falconzord as well, while Ninjor is captured by Lord Zedd to be used as a power source for the new Zords. Also, did I mention that for some reason, without the Falconzord, the Rangers can't access the other Ninjazords?

We get a pretty interesting character moment showing how Tommy comprehends the defeat of the Rangers, showing his determination to keep fighting. In general, Tommy is very protective of Kim with everything that's happened, especially since Zordon revealed that because the new Power Coins are connected to the Rangers' life forces, Kimberly is in even more danger than Tommy was in Season 2. It gives Tommy a more personal stake in this conflict, and adds more drama to the story.

Eventually, the Rangers take back the Shogunzords from Zedd, giving them a small victory even though he still has Kimberly's Power Coin and Ninjor, while Kimberly (now in less danger since Alpha severed her physical connection to her Power Coin) has to draw from the other Rangers' powers in order to morph until they get her Coin back. Overall, a very important episode that furthers Season 3's story, and shows how much Tommy cares for Kimberly.

Long story short, over the course of the three-part episode “A Different Shade of Pink”, after the spell on her is broken, Kat takes back Kimberly's Power Coin, and when an opportunity to train for a major international gymnastics competition in Florida comes up, Kimberly transfers her Pink Ranger powers to Kat. Tommy admits that while he doesn't want to say goodbye to Kimberly, he still is willing to say goodbye in the hopes that they can make things work long-distance. While this arc does focus primarily on Kimberly and Kat, it's still worth watching as it's the last time we'll really focus on Tommy's relationship with Kimberly. Well, second to last, but trust me, we'll get there.

“Master Vile and the Metallic Armor” is another three-part episode that is focused more on the team's conflict with a new villain, Master Vile (Voiced by Simon Prescott) while trying to save Ninjor. It also has a really important moment for Tommy's character. Master Vile's plan is to obtain the powerful Zeo Crystal, which is protected by a force field that can only be bypassed by someone pure of heart. Tommy attempts to get the Crystal, and while it initially puts him in unimaginable pain as he's forced to relive the evil deeds he committed as the Green Ranger, the force field soon eases as it recognizes all the good he's done as the Green Ranger and the White Ranger, letting him get the Crystal. It's short, but it's a powerful scene that illustrates how far Tommy has come as a character.

Tommy's tenure as the White Ranger ends abruptly in “Rangers in Reverse”, as Master Vile casts a spell to reverse time and turn the Rangers into kids, meaning they can't use their powers. After Rita and Zedd destroy the Power Coins as well, the Rangers are forced to search for the fragments of the Zeo Crystal they scattered through time in order to get new powers. During his Zeo quest, Tommy also gets a half of a Native American arrowhead which will be important later on. Although the Zeo Crytsal is reassembled and time is restored, the villains ultimately get the last laugh as they set off a bomb that destroys the Command Center, truly signaling the end of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers... for about two months, then Power Rangers Zeo premiered, giving Tommy a new set of powers.

Also, Aisha was replaced by a new girl, Tanya (Played by Nakia Burrise) because of time travel stuff he wasn't part of, but it's not that important right now.

(Part Three, Red-Ey or Not, Here He Comes)

Power Rangers Zeo opens with the two-part episode, “A Zeo Beginning”. Even with the destruction of the Command Center, it turns out that Zordon and Alpha had a backup base of operations, the Power Chamber. Using the Zeo Crystal, they then create new Morphers, the Zeonizers, for the Rangers to use, albeit without Billy since the Crystal only has enough power for five Rangers, so Tanya steps up as Aisha's replacement. Like Rocky and Adam, Tommy is given a new color with the Zeo powers. In this case, he's Zeo Ranger V, Red.

I really like the designs of the Zeo suits, and Zeo Ranger V is no exception. I love the use of white and gold near the top, and the star helmet makes the suit stand out compared to the previous two animal forms.

Surprisingly, while he became the leader, Tommy didn't get as much focus as he did in Mighty Morphin', mostly due to the show trying to settle into the new status quo in addition to establishing Tanya as a character and the new villains, the Machine Empire. That changed in a seven-part arc focusing on Tommy's mental conflict. “There's No Business Like Snow Business” was a three-part episode that opened with one of the biggest flaws of Zeo as a whole: Kimberly writing a “Dear John” letter to Tommy, announcing she met someone else while in Florida, and that she's breaking off their relationship. Why would they have Kimberly dump Tommy offscreen without the dignity of an actual breakup? To set up a new romantic subplot with Kat, of course!

Yeah, this is where a lot of fans believed the Tommy focus got to be too much, as not only was the Tommy/Kat ship hard for viewers to get used to after how well-written Tommy's relationship with Kimberly was, but it was very easy for the writers to pair Kat up with someone else instead, like Billy, Rocky, Adam, or another side character entirely. It also didn't help that there were a lot of plans to confirm the two tied the knot, mainly both of Kat's planned cameos as Tommy's wife in Wild Force and Dino Thunder (although neither came to fruition), a hint at that happening in Ninja Steel when the two hold hands near the end of “Dimensions in Danger”, and this was all after the infamous Christmas special, “A Season to Remember”, which showed that Tommy and Kat got married and became grandparents in the future.

“Inner Spirit”, “Challenges”, “Found and Lost”, and “Brother, Can You Spare an Arrowhead?” is a four part story arc that follows up on the arrowhead half Tommy got at during his Zeo quest. After Tommy has a strange dream about the Rangers being defeated, which soon comes to pass as the Rangers fight the Machine Empire's newest soldier, Main Drain. Zordon and Billy reveal that they've been working on a new Zord for Tommy, the Red Battlezord. However, because of the technology syncing up with his brainwaves, all the stress of the past few episodes has gotten to Tommy, causing him to crash the Zord into the ground. With advice from the man who helped him on his Zeo quest, Sam Trueheart (Played by Frank Salsedo), Tommy soon musters up the calm state of mind needed to properly use the Red Battlezord. Over the course of the next few episodes, Tommy reunites with the person who had the second half of the arrowhead, his long lost brother, David (Played by Jason David Frank's late brother, Erik Frank). Although it's interesting to see Tommy learn more about his Native American heritage, this arc hasn't exactly aged well thanks to relying on a lot of stereotypical depictions of the culture that were prevalent in the 90's, specifically the whole “vision quest” and wise old man with magic powers connected to the land.

Later on, a new mysterious Ranger is introduced, the Gold Ranger. While there's some initial speculation on his identity, “Revelations of Gold” reveals him to be an alien with three distinct personalities known as Trey of Triforia (Played by triplets, Tom, Tim, and Ted DiFillippo). In order for the three personalities to reunite as one again, Trey needs to transfer his powers, and Tommy has an idea for a candidate: the former Red Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger, Jason. The powers don't last for long, as Jason's body soon starts to reject them, putting him in a similar position to Tommy when he was losing the Green Ranger powers, so eventually, he has to transfer them back to Trey in the finale of Zeo, “Good as Gold”. We also get a really nice scene where Tommy tries to comfort Jason after the final battle, citing his own experiences losing his powers. It's really interesting to see their positions flipped here, especially since Jason took failing Tommy hard back in “Missing Green”.

Generally, Zeo furthered Tommy's character into more of a leader who was more sure of himself and wasn't nearly as headstrong as he was back when he was the Green Ranger or White Ranger. While Tommy was already leader when he became the White Ranger, this was when his role as team leader was truly cemented in my opinion, and was one of the high points of his character. The next season would try to focus on this... with mixed results.

Tommy's next set of powers would come in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, the pilot to Power Rangers Turbo. After the Rangers defeat the Machine Empire, space pirate Divatox (Played by Hilary Shepard Turner) kidnaps an alien wizard named Larigot, along with Jason and Kimberly, in order to use them as sacrifices to awaken the demon Maligor. The Rangers give chase, albeit with new powers and Zords to replicate the magical key needed to enter the mystical island, turning the Zeo Rangers into the Turbo Rangers. Tommy, of course, stays the Red Ranger.

The Red Turbo Ranger suit is... okay. It doesn't really stand out other than the chrome lining on the helmet. I never really got the trapezoid emblem on the chest either.

While most of this movie is pretty boring, the climax is interesting because of how Jason and Kimberly are involved. Originally, they were the ones who had the closest ties with Tommy, and they were the ones who wanted to save him the most while he was under Rita's control. Now, Tommy has to step up and show how much he's grown as a hero in order to save the people who once saved him. After he does, he and Jason easily win a karate tournament to raise money for a local shelter, showing how far their teamwork has come.

In the actual Power Rangers Turbo show, Tommy was tested as a leader as soon as the fourth episode, “Shadow Rangers”. When the other four Rangers were cloned, Tommy tries to get guidance from the team's new mentor, Dimitria (Played by Carol Hoyt), but all she does is ask questions, showing she's less of a hands-on mentor than Zordon was. This forces Tommy to figure things out himself, part of the theme of this show's first half, growing up and learning to do things on your own.

Compared to his last three Ranger forms, Tommy's tenure as the Red Turbo Ranger would be short-lived, as he would transfer his powers to T.J. Johnson (Played by Selwyn Ward) in “Passing the Torch”. This was because Jason David Frank wanted out of the franchise after almost four years, and let's be honest, despite having nineteen episodes to build up to it, the actual transfer really could have been handled better. There's no real in-universe explanation as to why Tommy had to retire other than him supposedly being too old for the role, judging from Dimitria's statement at the end of “Passing the Torch”, and Tommy barely got to know T.J. before the latter became the new Red Turbo Ranger. It makes the whole transfer seem less impactful when compared to Kimberly transferring her powers to Kat in Mighty Morphin', and the fact that Adam, Tanya, and Kat were also written off for the same reason with just as little fanfare didn't help things at all.

Nevertheless, it seemed like Tommy's time as a Ranger was over, and it was for a few years, not counting a guest appearance in Wild Force. However, he would return for one more season as a regular down the line and prove that while he may be old, but he can still pull it off.

(Part Four, Black Into Action)

Tommy's major return to the franchise came in Power Rangers Dino Thunder's very first episode, the two-part “Day of the Dino”. Between the events of this season and Turbo, Tommy got a degree in paleontology and became a high school science teacher at Reefside High School. How he managed to get through all that in seven years is anyone's guess. Maybe Zordon put in a letter of recommendation for whatever university Tommy chose?

Here, Tommy is much more calm and composed, but he isn't afraid to snark if the situation calls for it, and he hasn't lost his martial arts prowess in the slightest. At the same time, this show established  a more intellectual side to him, which helps play into his backstory. While working with Dr. Anton Mercer (Played by Latham Gaines), Tommy attempted to try and fuse dinosaur DNA with technology, but the project soon got out of hand after Mercer tested it on himself, giving him an evil split personality, Mesogog. It's clear that Tommy has a lot of regret regarding what happened to the project he worked on, and is trying his best to stop it.

After his first day as a teacher, Tommy would be forced to supervise three of his students, Connor, Ethan, and Kira (Played by James Napier, Kevin Duhaney, and Emma Lahana respectively), during detention. He takes the three to a museum, but while he sends them off to do some investigating for a mission, he encounters a robotic T-Rex, and does what only Tommy Oliver could do: KICK IT IN THE FACE!

Goddamn it, I love this character.

While he fends off the robot, Connor, Ethan, and Kira accidentally stumble upon Tommy's underground lab where they find a trio of colorful gems which give them superpowers. These gems, appropriately called the Dino Gems, bond with the three, which is bad because that's what Mesogog wants to use in order to bring Earth back to the prehistoric era. The new recruits get the hang of being Rangers pretty quickly, but their first major challenge came earlier than expected when Tommy is kidnapped by Mesogog's forces at the end of the next episode, “Wave Goodbye”, with Mesogog intending to force Tommy to help him unlock the secrets of a mysterious stone.

In the next episode after that, “Legacy of Power” while trying to figure out where he is by having Ethan hack into his computer, the Rangers learn that Tommy used to be a Power Ranger after he alluded to it a few times earlier. While the episode is mostly a clip show to commemorate the franchise's 500th episode (the clips in question coming from a video log Tommy set up going over the history of the Power Rangers), we get a really strong scene at the end where he says he believes that Connor, Ethan, and Kira can protect the planet as a team, showing how much trust he has in the new generation.

The Rangers go and rescue Tommy in the very next episode, “Back in Black”, and when it seems like he's killed by one of Mesogog's generals, Zeltrax (Voiced by James Gaylyn), Tommy reveals that the stone Mesogog was so determined to use was actually a new, black Dino Gem. Tommy bonds with the Gem, and once again, becomes a Power Ranger.

And so Tommy morphs into his final Ranger form, the Black Dino Ranger. This is honestly my second favorite of Tommy's Ranger suits, the first being the Green Ranger suit. I love the way it has more of an armored look with the shoulderpads and the golden scales make him stand out compared to the other Dino Rangers. It probably wasn't the intention, but it almost looks like an evolution of the Green Ranger suit with how the gold is used.

So Tommy goes back to kicking ass and taking names as a Ranger, but he's more in a supportive role and not the leader outright. He does his best to mentor the Rangers and even connects a little with another one of his students, Trent (Played by Jeffrey Parazzo), showing how much he cares about the kids he's in charge of.

Of course, things would go south for Trent and the Rangers in the three-part episode “White Thunder”, as he accidentally discovers Mesogog's lair, and becomes the White Dino Ranger after finding a white Dino Gem. Like Tommy all the way back in “Green With Evil”, Trent isn't fully in control of his actions thanks to the Gem's influence, but would still go on to ABSOLUTELY WRECK THE SHIT OUT OF THE OTHER RANGERS. Not only does he beat the crap out of them, he steals two of the Rangers' Zords, the Dragozord and the Stegozord, and to top it all off, traps Tommy in an amber cocoon before he can tell the others who the White Dino Ranger really is. To make things worse, two episodes later, he's freed from the amber, but now he can't demorph.

This was something Jason David Frank had actually requested behind the scenes. He wanted to spend more time with his family and run his martial arts school back in America, as opposed to being in New Zealand to film the entire season. Therefore, the decision was made to keep Tommy morphed permanently so all Jason David Frank had to do was record some lines to dub over his suit actor's performance in post-production. So for the next ten episodes, Tommy stayed morphed, and not much really changed aside from that. He still stayed in a supportive role, but had to step back from the school scenes, and wasn't as involved with the action in some episodes. The only problem I really had with this was that they never really showed any downside to this. I guess if I had to write this subplot, I'd make it so Tommy has to conserve his energy in order to sustain himself instead of eating or drinking, sort of like what he had to do back when the Green Ranger powers were starting to run out. I think it would justify his absence from certain episodes better.

That being said, they still give Tommy focus here, and it leads to other cool moments. In the very first episode after he's freed from the amber, “Burning at Both Ends”, Tommy sees through a ploy from Trent giving him a new ATV as a way to show he turned a new leaf by asking Trent a false question about said ATV, because “they don't make twelve-stroke engines”. Another interesting moment comes in “Bully for Ethan”, where Kira helps him go through some old pictures, and we get to see a picture of the original six Power Rangers.

It's small, but it's a nice bit of fanservice, as is the picture of Tommy's ancestor seen in “Wild West Rangers”, the White Stranger.

They also focus more on why Zeltrax hates Tommy so much. It turns out that Zeltrax is actually an old friend of Tommy's, Terrance “Smitty” Smith, and Smitty hates Tommy thanks to Anton Mercer choosing him for a job instead of him, not knowing that his new boss, Mesogog, is actually Mercer. Not much really comes of this rivalry (it doesn't help that we barely know who Smitty is outside of flashbacks), but it's interesting to see Tommy try to reason with his old friend like what Jason did with him all those years ago, only to be forced to seemingly take him down by himself in “A Star is Torn”.

In “Disappearing Act”, the Rangers find a mysterious slime that manages to get Tommy to finally demorph... but now his Dino Gem's invisibility power is active 24/7. This leads us to the next episode, and one I can imagine Power Rangers fans have been waiting for me to talk about for a while now, “Fighting Spirit”. Using the black Dino Gem, they turn him back... but this sends him into a coma. While the Rangers head out to fight a new monster, Tommy starts to dream about fighting his old Ranger forms, Zeo Ranger V, the White Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger, and the Green Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger.

The scenes in Tommy's mind have been interpreted in different ways, and here's my take on the conflict. Zeo Ranger V represents the leader Tommy has become over the years, being calm and courteous when he greets the veteran Ranger, and refusing to use any weapons in their fight. The White Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger represents Tommy's headstrong nature, being the most aggressive of the three, and at one point, shouts at Tommy to get up and keep fighting. And the Green Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger represents Tommy's sense of personal discipline, almost like a mixture of the first two, as while he is the most direct about wanting to fight Tommy, he is courteous enough to lend him the Dragon Dagger before the two fight. Compared to V's question about being able to keep up the good fight or White aggressively demanding he keep fighting, Green also gives Tommy the chance to give up, testing his spirit instead of his body. Even in the face of adversity, Tommy refuses to give up, revealing the three Rangers were testing him. Tommy gets his Dino Gem back, and beats Mesogog's newest monster on his own.

Afterwards, the Rangers keep up the good fight until Tommy, like the other Rangers, is stripped of his powers in “Thunder Struck” when they all use the combined power of their Dino Gems to defeat Mesogog (who had already been separated from Mercer) once and for all.

(Part Five, Always a Ranger)

Now that we've gone over most of Tommy's tenure as a Ranger, it's time to talk about the way he is seen as an icon, in and out of universe.

Tommy's first return since his retirement in Turbo was in Wild Force's iconic 10th anniversary special, “Forever Red”. In this episode, the Red Rangers from the past ten seasons of the franchise team up to stop the remnants of the Machine Empire from unleashing Lord Zedd's old Zord, Serpentera. While the Red Wild Force Ranger, Cole (Played by Rick Medina), is introduced to all the older Red Rangers, T.J. specifically introduces Tommy as “a legend”, and earlier, when Tommy is called over by another Red Ranger, Bulk and Skull (who were running a little club he was relaxing at), they seem very hesitant to disturb him.

Tommy's next major return after Dino Thunder was during the finale to Megaforce, “Legendary Battle”, the 20th anniversary special. Here, he led the army of Legendary Rangers to help the Megaforce Rangers deal with the rest of the Armada's forces, essentially serving as the representative of the veterans giving their approval to the new generation... as unearned as it was, given how poorly the anniversary aspect of Megaforce was handled, but I digress. Although to be fair, while I'm just as critical of Megaforce as everyone else is, Tommy telling the Megaforce Rangers that “They'll always be with them” was pretty heartwarming, and is a testament to how long the franchise has been going for.

And the final televised appearance of Tommy Oliver before Jason David Frank's death would be Ninja Steel's “Dimensions in Danger”, the 25th anniversary special. When several veteran Rangers go missing, the Ninja Steel Rangers are contacted by three other veterans, and they explain for this mission, they specifically mention needing Tommy's help, the current team of Rangers seem to hold him in high regard. Later on, when Tommy is the one to save all of the captured Rangers, and later uses the Falconzord to save the day.

Obviously, these three anniversary specials seem to hold Tommy in high regard, but why is that? How did Tommy get so popular that he essentially became the face of the franchise?

For one thing, I'd say it's the first impression he made. Like I mentioned earlier on, “Green With Evil” was a big deal, and even though Tommy was brainwashed, he still got to show off a lot, and most of it was before he even got the iconic Dragonzord. Power Rangers has always been about teamwork, that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, but with Tommy, and pretty much every other Sixth Ranger after him, he stood out thanks to his more unique arsenal that put him on par with some of Rita's strongest monsters. He did just enough to shake up the cast during his first run as the Green Ranger, and let's be honest, he was pretty cool. Tommy was sort of like Batman or Wolverine, a hero who is recognized for being a total badass that kids love to see. I think that's why so many children wanted to see more of Tommy after “The Green Candle”.

At the same time, Tommy clearly had some depth to him. We saw him struggle to work together with Jason, he showed a level of dedication to making Kimberly happy while showing an artistic side to him, and when his Green Ranger powers were being drained in the first two seasons, he was put in a very vulnerable situation. This kind of drama made things more interesting to watch, and it made kids want to watch the show more to see what would happen to Tommy when Lord Zedd was personally targeting him in an effort to drain his powers entirely. Yeah, we know what happens now, but back in the 90's, kids didn't know if Tommy would get to stay a Power Ranger or not, which was what also made his debut as the White Ranger so shocking.

I think this was why Tommy was eventually promoted to Red Ranger in Zeo and Turbo, to solidify his role as leader of the team, although I do think the focus got a little out of hand in Zeo. Like I said, the romance subplot with Kat was very unnecessary in my opinion, and the four-parter with Tommy's Native American heritage coming right after a three-parter that set up his feelings for her really didn't help the perception that all he did was steal screentime from the other Rangers. I still feel like it got better in the first half of Turbo, as there was more focus given to the other Rangers before they all left, but I think more could have been done to place a greater emphasis on Tommy transferring his powers to T.J. instead of how rushed his exit was planned.

To me, I think Tommy was handled almost perfectly in Dino Thunder. Yes, there was a little bit of worshiping with him being built up as a legend in “Legacy of Power”, and yes, the whole thing with Zeltrax/Smitty was pretty pointless, but here, more emphasis was placed on his role as a close advisor to the team while there was plenty of focus given to the other four Dino Rangers. He was given the right amount of focus as a main character, but it wasn't enough that the other Rangers felt neglected by the writers.

Tommy Oliver is a character whose reputation precedes him for good reasons. He's been a huge part of the franchise ever since his introduction, has a surprising amount of depth to him, and he has essentially become the face of the franchise for years. I think that's one of the reasons why people were so shaken by Jason David Frank's death compared to other Ranger actors like Thuy Trang and Pua Magasiva. Generally, when we got the news that Jason David Frank died, it was like a huge part of the franchise died with him. It's hard to imagine what the franchise would have been like if Tommy wasn't so popular, but we can at least rest knowing that Jason David Frank and Tommy Oliver both played a huge part in getting the legacy of the Power Rangers started.

May the power protect you always, Mr. Frank.

[todayisafridaynight]

Throwing in fun (not fun) facts to contribute esp bc I was tagged in the essay: (Sorry in advance this is literally my career and special interest AND I just got back from a training conference about this SO obv I am going to talk too much. Disclosure: These statistics are from peer-reviewed sources AND the National Children's Alliance. The NCA IS an American association, though, so take this all with a grain of salt bc we're applying it to someone whose bg is not American lmao. This is an essay for funsies. CW: discussion of and stats about CSA, Child Abuse) Relevant to the Jo stuff is also that victims of one/any kind of abuse are statistically much more likely to subsequently face overlapping abuse, so knowing he comes from a home where abuse and potential neglect was actively occurring sets Jo-boy up for some sad statistics. I am looking for my notes on the stats for that but it's something stupid high, I wanna say over 30 or 40%.

Additionally, 47%~ of CSA victims are revictimized. Abysmal statistic but mostly just an interesting note if this IS the case/if we choose to interpret Jo this way bc of the other things mentioned in Masu's ask, specifically if we're viewing his unhealthy and ultimately traumatic relationship with Ikumi as a potential example of that revictimization (similarly, coming from a like background, it may have been revictimizing for Ikumi if she had ever experienced something like CSA, as well. It's one of those cases where they both got hurt even if neither of them were at fault for "playing house" as Jo calls it).

Seconding/Adding on to Masu's thoughts about Jo's behavior being as self-destructive as it is because of the compounded trauma of his life, victims of adolescent abuse "engage in health-risk behaviors such as substance use, physical fighting, and risky sexual activity," in far higher numbers than non-victims. We know for facts that adolescent Jo checks at least 2 of those 3 boxes, and that he still puts himself in unnecessary danger as a full grown adult (the Heian Tower fight, and Hoshino's Office fight): An interesting and well-written cycle of trauma and abuse on RGGs part, tbh, but also so narratively telling about how he saw/sees/continues to see himself as more an object than a person. (Love your notes on that btw, it rings very true. I could write an essay on that alone tbh.)

Another weird little thing I notice from both a Doyalist AND Watsonian perspective: Jo's disclosure of his father's abuse would classify as what we call an "accidental disclosure" in the field even though it's clearly intentional that he shares it with Ichi - it's offhanded and markedly unimportant in the story he's telling. He says it passively in a literary sense, as well: "The only thing waiting for me at home was my father's fists." Like homie, that's the most roundabout way you could have said "My dad beat me." Interestingly, up to 50% of [specifically CSA] victims do not state outright that abuse occurs, but disclose it accidentally/offhandedly; and in general, accidental disclosure is more common among people who have also delayed disclosure. Up to 66% of admissions from victims of child abuse come delayed if they come at all.

I think it's a very in-character remark of him to make, but statistically, it lines up with other victims of abuse as a whole. I think it's also just cool that from the Doyalist perspective, writing his lines in this way was intentional. It's part of the whole "Everything Jo says sounds like it could mean more than one thing" thing. He speaks poetically - it's intentional not just for the character but for the writer.

Okay, I'm done for now I'm sorry I just wanted to throw some added stuff into the convo bc I love applying my everyday usage of adolescent-focused trauma care and pysch shit to blorbos and seeing what sticks. Anyway, I also have a shit ton of thoughts on Masumi Arakawa as an abuse survivor but THATS another essay I won't dig into now. If I am still in your good graces after this long ass spiel I will consider it not only amazing but perhaps even cool as hell.

[ continuity of this ask ]

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[starlene]

@elv--eyera I would really, really love to hear your thoughts on Funny Girl!

Sure thing!

So I went to see the Swedish production of Funny Girl in February 2023. At that point, the drama surrounding the Broadway revival had been going on for ages already, and I was a bit hooked on keeping up with it. Which means I had read a bazillion comments about the book being terrible, it being such a shame those brilliant songs are attached to that trash fire of a book, and so on.

So when I finally saw the show for myself, I had a very similar experience than the one I described in my earlier Bonnie & Clyde post: I was surprised to see how all right the book was.

Like, sure, I didn't think it was anything to write home about – but I didn't think it was the catastrophe the Broadway commentators kept talking about, either. I thought it was nice enough, a bittersweet little love story peppered with some commentary about how hard it is for women to combine family and career, and how women are judged for their relationship status no matter how successful they are. Nothing mindblowing, but solid B tier for sure. I've seen so many musicals with so much worse books.

That being said, I think I should add that the Swedish production made what I assume were unauthorised changes to the script. So I actually don't know to which extent the show I saw even resembled the one they had on Broadway.

As far as I can recall, the Swedish production did away with all references to Fanny being Jewish. I suppose in part, that was done because the Jewish community in Sweden is tiny and references to Jewish culture would've gone over the heads of 99.5% of audience members – but I also wonder if they knew/suspected casting non-Jewish actors to play Jewish characters can be a contentious topic, and decided to do away with the source of potential criticism altogether instead of preparing to deal with it some way.

What's more, in the Swedish translation, Fanny was deemed a bad fit for show business specifically because she is too tall. They turned that into a running joke: the actor playing Nick was also very tall, and they bantered about their children turning out to be monstrously tall and whatever.

Anyway, besides their clearly problematic way of dealing with Fanny's Jewishness, and also besides the leading lady's vocals (I'm afraid the Broadway crowd would have torn this production to absolute shreds), I enjoyed the Swedish production quite a lot. The Ziegfeld Follies scenes were especially fun and colourful, they felt like turned-up-to-eleven stereotypical Broadway meeting a Pride parade. They're good at that kind of stuff in Swedish theatres, it was impossible not to like.

[7consultancyblog]

Build up animation skills that are in high demand in India to get a secured career

Animation is a method of making a series of drawings, models or even photographs of puppets, to create an illusion of movement in a sequence. Because our eyes can retain an image for approximately 1/10 of a second, when multiple images appear in rapid succession, the brain blends them into a single moving image. In the entertainment industry, animation is used to bring characters in a story to life, but it can be used to make any still image appear moving. Animation is an art form that can be applied to special effects in movies, TV, and video games and has uses for other industries that rely on images. Animation Recruitment Agency in India will always help you to know about animation. Animation is different types: Traditional Animation, 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Motion Graphics, stop Motion. Traditional is one of the oldest forms of animation in film. It’s sometimes called cell animation. The computer is just another tool, and 3D animation is still a long, intense process. Motion Graphics are pieces are digital graphics that create the illusion of motion usually for ads, title sequences in films, but ultimately exist to communicate something to the viewer. They are often combined with sound for multimedia projects. Stop motion involves taking individual photographs of physical models, objects, puppets or people as they are moved around, one frame at a time.

Animation offers a creative outlet and a fulfilling and promising professional path. However, following the right path is the key to propel towards a successful career. Any experience you can gain in the animation industry is extremely useful, as is broader film or TV experience. As a film animator, you could work for studio producing films or TV projects. Many animators find employment in the computer games industry, either for large games developers or for smaller independent studios. As well as creating animated films, animators also work in post-production and VFX, where employers include Lucas film, Framestore, MPC, Rushes, and The Mill. Your skills as an animator are also in demand in other areas, such as computer systems design, software publishing, marketing, advertising, and medical, architectural animation. Best Animation Recruitment Agency in India helps to get better talent for the organization. You could also look for opportunities which allow you to develop complementary skills, such as working with others, working independently and managing your own time.

Recruitment also refers to the process of attracting, selecting, and appointing potential candidates to meet the organization resource requirements. The hiring of the candidates can done internally i.e. within the organization, or from external sources. And the process should be performed within a time constraint and it should be cost effective. A good recruitment process allows you to find qualified candidates quickly and efficiently. The process requires intentional planning and constant evaluation. The recruitment process should be streamlined so each staff member has the tools and resources they need for their step in the process. Being proactive in hiring new employees increases the profitability and performance of your business. Top Animation Recruitment Agency in India can provide better plan. Work experience plays a vital part in an animator’s recruitments. Most employers prefer artists who have experience. Students pursuing their animation education through a degree program can earn on the-job experience through an internship as part of their graduation requirement.

Animation is always changing. Since the start, animation has been growing and changing into what we have today. Animation is now one of the biggest industries in the world, and many countries have put their own spin on traditional techniques. At first, animation was mostly in movies and short clips. But now, it's everywhere: TV shows, commercials, YouTube, social media, and even video games. The pictures and graphics in all these places have gotten better over time and they're still improving. But whichever direction the animation industry takes in future, we can expect the pace of change to be faster than ever before, as the technologies continue to progress rapidly, the skill of artists grows greater each day, and the demand for animated content increases year on year. Animation also plays an important role in modern business. It is frequently used in advertising to grab the attention of the audience. It is a useful tool for keeping the audience engaged and for communicating information quickly and effectively. Animated films are big business. Some of the top grossing films of all time are animated, including ‘Frozen’ and ‘Toy Story 3’. Animation is also a highly effective tool in marketing, advertising and even education, thanks to its unique ability to communicate messages in a highly memorable way.

[ngatawaschools]

 How The Best Academic Schools Nurture Student Growth?

When it comes to the Best academic schools in new zealand, you want a place that ensures student growth and development. A school should be able to meet your educational needs and provide opportunities for personal growth.

In this blog post, we outline what some of the top-rated colleges and universities do differently from other academic institutions.

Holistic Approach to Education 

A holistic approach to education is one that focuses on the whole person, and not just their academic performance. It's about helping students develop their passions, interests, and skills outside of the classroom as well as inside it.

A good example of a school with a holistic approach is Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers students many opportunities for personal growth such as extracurricular activities like clubs or sports teams; internships at companies around town; volunteering opportunities with local non-profits; study abroad programs; research projects with professors--the list goes on!

Highly Qualified and Dedicated Faculty 

When you attend one of the best academic schools, you will be surrounded by faculty members who are highly qualified and dedicated to teaching. This is true whether you're in a classroom or online course.

Most professors have advanced degrees from top universities and have published their own books or articles on their specific topics of expertise. They also have years of experience working with students and conducting research in their fields--they know what it takes to succeed at an institution like yours!

The very best educators don't just teach subjects; they inspire learning through their enthusiasm for sharing knowledge with others. 

They want every student who walks into their classroom or virtual classroom (if applicable) ready to learn something new each day because they know how exciting that feeling can be when it happens to yourself!

Comprehensive Extracurricular Programs 

At many of the country's best academic schools, extracurricular activities are considered a vital part of the college experience. 

These programs help students develop skills and interests that they can use in their future careers while also helping them build relationships with other students and faculty members. 

Students may find a niche in extracurricular activities that they hadn't realized existed before enrolling at their university, or they might find out about an area where they want to focus their studies more closely after participating in an activity for just one semester.

Regardless of what type of program you choose (or whether or not there are any available), make sure that your choice provides opportunities for growth and learning while also giving back to your community; if these two criteria aren't met, then it probably isn't worth joining!

Focus on Character Development 

Academic schools focus on the development of character. Character development is important for success in life, and it's also a key component of academic success at school. Character traits like honesty, integrity, compassion, and perseverance are developed through activities such as service-learning projects or volunteer opportunities. 

These activities can include helping out at local schools or hospitals; working with animals at an animal shelter; cleaning up trash around town; donating clothing or toys to those in need--all kinds of things!

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that the best academic schools contribute to student growth. However, we believe that a holistic approach to education and a focus on character development will go a long way in helping students reach their full potential.

Source by: How The Best Academic Schools Nurture Student Growth?

[wromwood]

I definitely agree, and will also add:

Something that also gets on my nerves is when the children of pre-existing characters automatically hate or are horrible at their parent’s career/interest, if only because I’ve seen it done too many times and in too lazy of a fashion.

Because, despite being a good source of conflict on paper and something that could potentially avoid the flaw that OP is pointing out, the “child wants the opposite of what their parent wanted” trope is (at least in a lot of the media I consumed) often done with the same refusal to develop the child character that the OP points out. It’s, hilariously, just that same lazy writing, but done in the opposite direction: the child character is defined purely by how they are the anti-extension.

Often this is done in stories where, in the original tale, the parent had to be the brave new character to embrace something no one believed in, or prove their allegiance to a new side: the child just proves they’re good at the old status quo or that they want to go back to the side that the parent left. Which, again, sounds like an interesting conflict on paper, but thanks to a lot of things I’ve watched (especially cheap, direct-to-DVD children’s sequels), I’ve seen it done too poorly too many times to have faith in it.

All of this is to say that good development is needed for whatever side of the “characters having kids” spectrum your story lands on.

something i really hate in fiction is when the children of pre-existing characters end up with the exact same career/interests as their parents. first of all it really betrays the far too common attitude that kids are just extensions of their parents through the refusal to actually develop the child character at all beyond their family lineage and second of all it’s just plain lazy writing

[jenileeborek]

Ch. 3 Your Social Media Brand: Who Do You Want to Be?

It’s important for journalists to create a brand early on in their career so they can build trust with their audience and become a reliable source of information for them. Another reason it’s important is it helps new journalists secure their first jobs. It allows them to showcase their work, represents who they are professionally and personally, and showcase some of their skills. It could also be beneficial to the media outlet that hires them if they already have a following of people who trust and rely on their information. Social media and other technology tools allow journalists to build their brands and profiles in a variety of ways (Adornato, 2018). 

The first thing journalists should do is take some time to search themselves through a couple of different search engines like Google or Yahoo. This will give them a sense of what information is already on the internet about them. Everything people post or that gets posted about them leaves a digital footprint. Since most people now have spent a good portion of their lives with and on the internet, and since social media has been around for over a decade, a lot of people’s lives can be revealed through simple searches. Professional journalists, especially those who are just getting into the field, should take some time to see what’s already out there about them. They should go through social media accounts and delete information that makes them look like they have a questionable or untrustworthy character. They should also contact any websites that have incorrect information about them or unauthorized photos of them and ask for that type of material to be taken down. Even though nothing disappears forever if journalists make an effort to delete anything that might be harmful to them as they pursue their careers, it’s likely the material won’t be found unless someone did some deep digging, which many times has to be provoked for a particular reason (Adornato, 2018). 

Once journalists know what’s already out there about them and do some “housekeeping” to clean things up, it’s time to build. It’s important to start with a professional-looking website. This can be thought of as the hub for a journalist. It’s where their portfolio lives, it’s where people and potential employers can learn more about who they are as a person, it’s where their resumé can be found, it’s where anyone can find any social media platform they’re on, and where they can be contacted directly. It’s important to make sure the design and content look professional, including the initial photographs people see on the home page. The person’s personality can come out more in photos on subsequent pages and on social media, but the landing page should be a professional first impression. After getting a solid start with a website it’s time to branch out and create consistent social media channels on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and whatever others are popular. Keep bios, handles, profile photos, and content consistent across all of the platforms, but also cater some content to each specific platform since they’re all different and have audiences who interact in different ways. Journalists can be creative with their brands. They can create blogs where they curate information focused on a particular beat, they can showcase original reporting, can repost and promote other journalists’ work, and figure out other ways to show they are there to provide information to people all the while showcasing their journalistic skills. It’s really up to the individual journalist how they uniquely approach their brand, but it’s always good to remember employers, colleagues, and the world as a whole are watching and tuning in (Adornato, 2018).    

I’ve started building my personal brand around sports and areas related to sports, like fitness. Having a long history of being a dancer and having a career as a professional dancer made that door naturally open itself to me. I post some dance throwbacks so people can connect to me on a more personal level and learn some of my history, I showcase the fantasy football show I co-created and co-hosted for three seasons, I reveal original stories I’ve covered, I promote my blog which is a newer project, and finally, I display work I’ve done that has nothing to do with that beat to show my versatility. I believe reading this chapter reminded me of some of the key things that are important like having consistency and auditing your content routinely. It made me want to update some of my current branding. I don’t feel like I’m far off from how I want to represent myself, but I can definitely change a few things to make things reflect who I am even more. One thing that sticks out to me is that I need to do a professional photoshoot. I haven’t done a photo shoot in a long time, and my old shoots were dance, commercial, or modeling related. So, it’s time to schedule a photo shoot where I wear some business attire. The positive feeling I had after reading this chapter was that after a few adjustments, I think I’ll be where I need to be in order to find my first long-term job as a journalist. 

Adornato, A. (2018). Mobile and social media journalism: A practical guide. Sage Publications. 

[yourwitchmama]

The Hunters Moon, Full Moon on October 20th 2021 With Horoscopes

The upcoming full moon — which happens to be the last full moon before Halloween, adding an element of spookiness to the mix — takes place on Oct. 20 at 10:57 a.m. ET. This full moon could feel more chaotic and intense than usual. It takes place in cardinal fire sign Aries. This zodiac sign is passionate; the type of sign that falls in love at first sight. However, that love goes beyond mere romance, because it extends to every other facet of life. Aries is not a sign that waits patiently before taking action, because they jump on the first chance to get ahead.

Aries can also be a volatile sign that’s quick to anger and impulsive when reacting to that anger. This full moon will oppose Mars — planet of combat and drive — which also happens to be the planet that rules Aries. This will drive up the emotional temperature of this full moon and inspire profound reactions within you. But as this full moon will also square off with obsessive Pluto, you may feel inspired to do something negative or detrimental. Remember to be clear about your intentions.

The cosmic mirror of this full moon is reflecting back to us our part in our lessons. It’s about being willing to acknowledge our karmic patterns that play out in relationships, or that we attribute to relationships, so that we can heal them.

It’s tempting to look at our pain or struggles and focus on something outside of ourselves. This is especially true with relationships.

Seeing your own patterns is a huge first step in changing them. If you’re not ready to change, that’s okay. It’s okay to recognize something and not be ready to take action. The recognition is important. Too often we ignore facing truth because we aren’t ready to then take action. Be gentle with yourself and know that just being willing to see things differently is brave and valuable.

Source

Horoscopes for each sign:

Aries

This is your full moon, Aries. Right now, you’re the main character in this astrological story, and you may be approaching a pivotal moment. This full moon could reveal all the ways you’ve changed and continue to change, encouraging you to make choices that reflect the person you’re becoming rather than the person you’ve been.

Taurus

This full moon may drive you to retreat from the outer world and nurture your spiritual side. Your dreams may become more vivid as your subconscious makes itself known. Meditative and introspective activities such as journaling, breath work, and simply letting out a good cry are exactly what your soul needs right now.

Gemini

You may experience a shift in your social circles. This full moon may bring you closer to certain people and encourage you to drift apart from others. Spend time with likeminded people who inspire you and bring out the best in you. Don’t feel imprisoned by affiliations with communities that make you feel like you can’t be yourself.

Cancer

Your career is taking the center stage of this full moon. You may receive opportunities to level up in your field, such as fighting for a promotion, taking on a new job, or switching careers altogether. It’s not about having a perfect reputation or an ideal resume, but about having a career that reflects the type of success you’re truly interested in.

Leo

This full moon will shake you out of stubborn perspectives and monotonous routines. It will encourage you to give opportunities that are out of your wheelhouse a shot. You’re craving new experiences and you may even want to travel to a new place altogether. Your world view is not set in stone. Embrace your ability to see things differently.

Virgo

You may come face to face with unfinished business on this full moon. It may be the right time to settle debts and review financial commitments that you’ve made. Energy is a form of currency as well, so make sure you’re placing your energy into something that’s got potential for long-term growth and gratification.

Libra

Your relationships are the main focus on this full moon. You may experience change in your relationships as repressed truths finally come to light. This is your opportunity to rethink the way these relationships are functioning. How can you improve the patterns that exist between you and the people you’re involved with on an interpersonal level?

Scorpio

You may come to terms with the consequences of how you treat your time and your body. It may be time to work on creating a better daily routine, establishing a healthy balance between rest and work. Use this full moon to nourish what needs nourishing and to take care of yourself. Before you can be productive, you need to feel whole.

Sagittarius

This full moon may bring up feeling of romance, creativity, and artistic expression. Don’t forget that simply letting loose and having fun is also a creative act. Even if you’re not an artist per se, there is an artist that lives inside you and it needs to be interacted with. Let this full moon bring you the creative breakthrough you’ve been searching for.

Capricorn

You may feel like taking some time off from the social scene and spending time at home. This full moon will center on your personal life, encouraging you to focus on what you need in order to feel safe and emotionally secure. You may feel like reconnecting with family, returning to your roots, and working on building the home you’ve always wanted.

Aquarius

This full moon could leave you feeling like you’re balancing so many different emails, conversations, appointments, and topics. Remember to take a deep breath, because this full moon is activating your mental proclivities. Channel this energy into expressing your ideas, learning about new things, and taking care of busy work.

Pisces

This full moon could evoke some major financial revelations. You may be thinking more about how you can budget more effectively, increase your income, or even purchase some of the items you’ve been lusting after. More importantly, this full moon is about creating stability and making sure you’re working on a nest that leave you feeling prepared. So save money! If you don’t work yet, this is a good time to think of a major that suits you.

Source