#Black Swan Year 2020

[achillvs]

i think i need bts again.

[milliondollarbaby87]

Let's Go To The Movies - 15 Films for 15 Years!

[haedalkoo]

I always think about Jimin commenting how he wanted to neatly tie up jungkooks hair during that one live. I know at some point Jimin probably sat behind jungkook and combed his hair and tied it up for him. With the way Jimin always seems to naturally lean towards jungkooks head like he wants to kiss his hair and the way he pets his hair, I just feel like he definitely combed it and tied it up at some point for him.

Oh anon. You went straight for my heart. This is something I think about a lot, actually- Jimin leaning in for a kiss so often, almost unconsciously. I'm thinking of that clip from JK's docu, how he holds his head so delicately yet there's so much emotion behind it.

Do you ever think about how much Jungkook's hair matters to him? It's a way of self-expression, to showcase his identity, what he likes, who he wants to be. It allows him to play with his gender expression, too. JK's journey to grow out his hair has been so beautiful (I remember the first time it happened, around the time he got his tattoos. The struggle to style it compared to his second attempt and those long, beautifully layered soft curls. He's everything to me!) The decision to cut it little by little vs. the final quick decision to shave it all off before time forced him to do it... I think about it a lot. Jimin resisted until the last minute, but JK didn't wait for time to steal his autonomy. He did it his way.

Anyway, back to Jimin and JK's hair. Remember when they both had it long-ish, around 2020? black swan jikook era? All of the headcanons of them sharing hair ties stuck with me. I think about them rehearsing and Jimin tying up Jungkook's hair in a small bun. About Jimin always carrying a couple of hair ties because they're always together. He must've gotten used to that, taking care of JK in that way, so I can imagine that the year they spent mostly separated (2023) his hands were itching to tie his hair because that would mean they were together, that things were back to normal, their routine.

Why is this post getting so emo...😭 I miss them, I'm sorry!! Point is, JM is a very caring and physically affectionate person, and he loves taking care of JK with that sort of small domestic actions. Fixing his clothes, his hair, putting stuff in his bag for him, etc. He's the hyung. So yeah! I don't doubt that tying his hair is just another way in which he shows him his love.

Do you think he misses it still, now with their hair so short?

[kanmom51]

I’ve read theories that Jimin and JK split up at some point in 2018 as well as mid 2019, late 2019/2020, basing this off certain moments in Run BTS, JM travelling without JK in the summer 2019, the rumours, the behind the scenes of ON and Black Swan and the Grammys in 2020.

I know they have tense moments and to me that makes them real, all couples fight. But do you think there is any truth to just how bad it got that they broke up?

Thanks

Hey love.

I will start by saying this is my opinion I am voicing here. Based on full original content I have watched. Full episodes or clips.

I think that these assumptions or conclusions people came to based on a couple of few seconds moments we see in clips are problematic to say the least.

Let's start with that word - split up or break up. That is a very heavy term. I don't know what your relationship experience is (I just mention this because I don't know if you are single, have had a long term loving relationship, are in one or otherwise), but a long term healthy relationship usually does not include multiple break ups. A break up has a finality to it. Parting ways. Calling quits. Dissolving the relationship or ending it. And taking a step like that again and again and again, well that would take a toll on the relationship itself over time.

Also, breaking up, a love as strong as what we think these two have, it would show. Much more than what people think they see as evidence for such a breakup.

And when I say show, I mean more like what we saw back in September 2016 in what people love to call the Manila fight. The level of distance, clear anger and displeasure with the other, unhappiness that you can see in their expressions when they are not on stage or attempting to be professional, and this not being on one day, one clip, one event alone, but spread over a period of time.

And may I add that this happened pretty much in the relatively early days of their relationship, not 3 or 4 or 5 years in. The longer the relationship, the stronger the relationship, the deeper the relationship, the harder and more painful the break up.

And you see, this is the thing.

Healthy long term relationships aren't like a soap opera. Their real lives are not The bold and the beautiful, getting together 'love of their lives' style, then breaking up, marrying someone else, only to get back together and so forth time after time. Real life isn't like that. A relationship, a healthy one, cannot survive that constant turn on turn off. And it's even harder to turn on turn off in the speed that people are attributing to them. Love is not a switch you can turn on and off. And 2 people that supposedly love each other and basically can't keep their hands off each other moments before or moments after that supposed few second moment that makes people think they are not together anymore, is not realistic to say the very least.

And as far as I can see, their relationship is not a tumultuous one. Quite the opposite (especially once they got over that push and pull in 2015-16).

Now, with saying all that, couples, they argue, they fight, they wake up one morning in a bad mood, they allow external factors to influence their mood and at times their interactions with their loved one. Life happens. And these are a real life couple, even if they are 2 members of BTS, the biggest band in the world.

Not every argument or fight ends in the finality of a break up. Not every time you are mad at your partner or even pissed to the bone at them, do you split up.

As individuals we can have bad days. And that can affect our behaviour even towards those we love. Human interactions is what it is.

So, could we catch them unhappy with each other on camera from time to time?

Of course we can.

Can we see them being passive aggressive with each other? Mad at the other? Just unhappy or mad period (not necessarily at the other but in a bad mood that effects their interactions with anyone and everyone around them)?

Of course we can.

None of that is automatically proves a break up. None of it.

A couple of examples of instances we KNOW that one of them was pissed at the other.

Summer package 2018, the dream catcher necklace drama.

Basically JM pissed at JK not wanting to wear it as a necklace and guess who had that necklace on a second later...

And what about the NJ live 2019? JK pissed that JM and Jin turned off the live just as he got to Jin's room, starting his own live to show us that JM came to ask for forgiveness after being scolded by JK.

Neither relationship ending differences (although that could also depend on the relationship I guess), but examples of 'arguments' or differences they had that we know of because they either happened on camera or they told us of them themselves.

Another time we see them clearly upset at each other is the Gayo song festival Dec 2016. Clearly something going on, but we don't know what.

And here too, only days after the event, all was well between them, JK making his babe laugh while imitating Rainism's dance moves.

Point being, once again - yes they argue, get mad at each other (and 2016 was peak push and pull between the two, laying the grounds for their relationship), but from there to calling quits... nope.

And there would be many other moments we are unaware of. Cause that's just how relationships are. Loving each other doesn't mean agreeing on every single thing. It would many times mean compatibility (for a long term relationship to last), but compatibility doesn't mean being a mould of each other.

Now specifically to the examples you mention:

2018 Jikook were stronger than ever. This is after their Tokyo trip, which they just would not shut up about. You can see them in interviews, in award shows, in other footage from that time (including BV 3 in Malta). I really do not understand where these rumours of a break up at that time are coming from.

Saying that, I am aware that there are those that think that part of the struggles the members were going through in 2018 that almost let to them disbanding also included JM and JK splitting up. I beg to differ. At least from the content we have from 2018 (I don't claim to have inside info going back to 2018 and the status of their relationship). I actually believe that having each other during that time made it easier for them to deal with the hardships (kind of like how JK being by JM's side helped him deal with everything he was going through in 2020, and JM being there, as much as he could under the circumstances, for JK who was struggling early 2023). Throughout the content (official and unofficial) from 2018, start to end, we see how close and utterly in love they are with each other.

See beginning to mid 2018 Jikook interactions in my 2018 timeline.

And things were no different in the second half of the year.

All this happened in 2018:

Could they have had ups and downs?

Of course they could have. All long term relationships have those, even the best of them. But again, split up or broken up? Nope, not in my opinion.

Then we have the 2019 break up claims.

I think that if JK and JM were not together in 2019 during the time the band were on a break that JM wouldn't have made the effort and flown all the way back to see him for his birthday, nor would JK tattoo that J over the M right after that.

I think that JM going on those trips was them allowing each other that time to spend with their friends doing the things they want to do on their time off. That's what you call a healthy relationship btw. Allowing each other to grow as an individual, spend time with your friends, travel cause that's what you love to do, something that we learnt back in 2018 Malta that isn't something that JK really loved to do back in the day - could have changed, as people grow and change, but at the time didn't really interest him (perhaps especially seeing it wouldn't be the two of them alone).

We know from Hobi and JK that it's not like the two (JK and JM) weren't seeing each other or getting together over the break. It's only that JM went travelling and JK didn't.

And btw, these three were basically the only ones that did see each other over the break. If indeed the two broke up, would they be spending that time that they can together and not apart? Choosing to get together when they aren't obliged to do so being part of the band and having to work with each other?

And again, looking at 2019, before and after the break, the two seem stronger than ever. 2019 muster before, for example.

Damn that pic limit, I could go on with these forever.

And right after we had BV4,

And their final Seoul concerts October 2019.

Next you also mentioned the behind scenes of the Black swan MV shoot as an example used to claim that JM and JM were not together at the time.

Another good example to show you how this conclusion making is so ridiculous. They are literally taking one little moment from that MV shoot and creating a whole breakup narrative, all while from the same MV shoot we have the two full on having a flirt fest in front of our salads. Including that whole JM calling I love you to JK and him turning around all giddy-bashful.

SAME MV SHOOT.

Then you mention Grammy's 2020. First I've heard of them being broken up during that period. But let's look at what we have either from same night or the days before and after.

James Corden carpool karaoke January 2020. JM's excitement with JK's vocals and JK's incapable of keeping his eyes off JM.

Grammy's night

That moment there.

And for those that claim it isn't JM JK is looking at, well who's wittle nose is that turned towards JK?

Nope. No broken up couple detected.

I Heart Radio

Someone holding on real tight to his man.

When exactly did they have time to break up, with all the shit that entails with a break up and then get back together like nothing happened, all lovey dovey and hot for each other?

I will tell you when I find these rumours of breakup happen.

They happen when there isn't much group content and the two of them don't volunteer much, such as telling us about them spending time together or interacting on social media with each other (surprise surprise when two people are together that they don't interact on sm, even more so their public accounts). And god forbid they are seen with others out and about instead with each other. That for sure means they are not together anymore. Eye roll. Eye roll. Eye roll.

Bottom line, you're probably saying "about bloody time"...

In my opinion all this talk about multiple break ups (and btw, same people claiming a break up in early 2022 and then 2023) is a whole load of bs. Arguments, no doubt. Bad day, 100%. We all have those. But breaking up or even, if you wish to soften it a little by calling it "taking a break" - nope. I personally do not believe this to be the case.

[18jewels]

Hello sweet patooties!!!

Jelsa sketch dump part-1

🦢🦢🤍🤍❄️❄️🤍🤍🦢🦢

Early 2020:

This two-part (originally 4-part, but was scraped off) fanart was amongst the first ever Jelsa pieces I've drawn. These two are very dear to me and I'm still proud of the results!!!

Mid 2022:

Just a simple angst/ post-angst comfort drawing because I was at my freaking lowest at that time and was not in the best state of mind. Another intimate piece, but I wanted to share this because I want you to know that when you're not feeling well, just do what you're a bit passionate about. Put as much effort as you could, just to soothen your state and neutralize any harmful thoughts.

Mid 2023:

I've just decided to not draw them again somehow, after I drew the post-angst comfort piece. I was just so moved by that, I felt terrified that such an act HELPED me. That's why there was a massive break of a year in between. Also I was studying my intermediate (11-12 std) so yeah, much intimidating times. But back in the glorious year of 2023 when I got a 4-month break before getting into college, I needed time to recover and deciding to draw them again was the best thing I did!!!!

Early 2024:

Early AUs:

I've only begun thinking of different Jelsa Aus during like February of this year. So here are the Jelsa AUs of this part-1 post.

Swan lake (wlw):

Just wanted to practice sketching with pen and got carried away ;D. Also fell in love with the movies Black Swan (2010) and Ètoile (1989) at that time, so you kinda get the influence. Here, Jack is the princess (originally the ballet has the prince), and Elsa is Odette, the white swan. I felt the same hit of nausea during the second semester of getting used to college and these two films and Jelsa helped me cope.

Mermaid X Fairy AU:

Jackson Overland Frost: Frost dragonfly fairy

Elsa Oldenburg: cold creek's little siren

In this AU, they are both thumb-sized 🤍

Ah yes!!! My second post on tumblr of my first account before it got axed. My first ever follower of that account was @therentyoupay, and I remember how I squealed in the college hallway when I got the notification!!! Kris and I chatted a bit about our shared love for mermaids and so many kind people liked this one so I'm so thankful to all of you!!!

Wizard X Warrior Nymph AU:

Jackson Overland Frost: Blue-hour wizard

Elsa Oldenburg: Frost nymp

I'll post more about this AU when I can, but for now, let's just say, the roles are reversed and Jack is a calm wizard and Elsa is wild Warrior, nothing else changes much, also size difference is present most of the time, just saying. And to provide more context for the piece, Elsa wants to turn human sized to be effective for combat and goes to Jack to seek help. In this piece, Jack is examining the growth of her body, and this is not a fast transformation, rather a progressive, delicate procedure. His assistants (the smoky, eye-hands) are the ones who extremely come in handy (iykyk).

[tomuchabotme]

The way that armys have these 'official' opinions that everyone is supposed to follow is so annoying. Can't they just let people have their own opinions? Cause what do you mean people are not allowed to say Jimin is the best dancer in the group because the 'official' answer is supposed to be J-Hope and you're going against army's rules if you have the 'wrong' opinion?

And I call it 'official' because it's coming from the group itself. The group has these set answers that they always give and their answer to anything dance related is to say "J-Hope!" over and over again as if Jimin is also not a main dancer. That's why there's this misconception that Jimin is only a lead dancer, because with the way the group talks you would think J-Hope has a superior dance position in the group than Jimin and since people know J-Hope is a main dancer they then assume that must mean Jimin is just a lead.

And this all bullshit because these set answers are not even the real opinions of all the members. From example, Jin is supposed to be the answer to any visual related question but some members have talked about finding other members more good looking. And when it comes to vocals we know Jungkook is supposed to be the right answer but Yoongi has admitted to preferring Jimin. But it doesn't matter if they have different opinions, they still stick with these same answers they've been giving for years.

Them acting like J-Hope is a more important dancer to the group is annoying in the same way that Jimin being constantly threatened to be kicked out of the group only to debut as lead vocalist and main dancer is annoying. Because for someone that is not the most important dancer they sure like to give him all the most difficult parts in their choreographies. They sure love to rely on him to get people's attention and given him more center time than J-Hope.

Also for someone who's treated like he's the inventor of dancing, J-Hope sure doesn't dance a lot does he? Cause why does he refuse to dance to his own music? Not once has he had a full choreography for any of his solo songs. Even Jungkook has some, but Jimin is the only member who you can always trust to have a full choreography. If you went to a BTS concert Jimin was the only member that you would get to see actually dance outside of the group songs. He was also the only member people got to see dance live at MMA 2019, since he was the only one who did it live instead of pre-recorded.

And speaking of Korean shows like MMA, Jimin was also the member that would most often participate in dance performances separate from the group. Like when he danced with all those idols at SBS 2016 or when he danced with Taemin at KBS 2017. Just in general he participated in dance performances more than either J-Hope or Jungkook. He did a solo dance to 'Butterfly' at KBS 2015. Did 'Lie/Boy Meets Evil' with J-Hope at MAMA 2016. Did the coming of age ceremony with Jungkook in 2016. Did a 'Black or White' and 'Youth' dance cover with Jungkook and J-Hope respectively, both in 2018. And then there's all of Black Swan. The solo dance in the MV, the other solo dance on MOTS ON:E, and the intro at MMA 2020 that they all participated in but he (and to a lesser extent Jungkook) was definitely the focus of. Jungkook and J-Hope would occasionally be part of these performances but Jimin is the only one that would always be there. It's either all three of them, Jimin and J-Hope, Jimin and Jungkook or just Jimin by himself. But not matter which one, Jimin is always there.

You have all of these things: him having the most difficult parts of their choreographies, him being the member that participates in dance-only performances the most, and him being the only one to always have full choreographies for his solo songs. You have all of these yet I'm supposed the believe that J-Hope is the real main dancer of the group and Jimin is basically just a lead? All because the group keeps acting like that's the truth?

Well, you see, the problem is that if you pay attention you'll notice that BTS's words and actions don't always match. Like, they can say that all members are equally talented and equally valued, but then you listen to their music and watch their performances and you realize that some members are consistently given way less than others. Am I really supposed to believe that they actually think Jin is as talented as Jungkook? Cause it sure doesn't look like that when every line in a song they could give to Jin they decide to give to Jungkook instead and on stage Jin is gonna spend 90% of the performance behind everyone else while Jungkook is always in the front. But sure, they're both equally valued in the group, 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦.

The truth is that BTS will sometimes say things that don't match reality. And a example of that is their insistence in acting like J-Hope is a more important dancer than Jimin despite the fact that when you look at it you'll notice that Jimin is the one actually doing all the dancing. And people notice that. Armys can go online and say J-Hope is better but we all know who everybody prefers. The same way we know people prefer Taehyung's visuals over Jin's. The same way armys will say rapline's music is the best then proceed to not listen to it. It's all juts talk. Cause every single time Jimin and J-Hope have danced in the same stage Jimin is the one everyone was looking at and talking about.

What do people remember from the times Jimin and J-Hope did a dance-only performance at the same place? MAMA 2016? Jimin dancing to 'Lie' while blindfolded. MMA 2018? Jimin's fan dance he got an award for. MMA 2019? Jimin's 'I Need U' dance where only he did it live. And what about J-Hope? Did anyone care about the supposed 'best dancer'? How many people outside of his fans (not even armys, but his own fans) remember what BTS song he used for his MMA 2019 solo? I looked it up and it was everyone's favorite song that is perpetually close to a billion streams 'Fake Love'. But do you remember what that performance looked like? Probably not. But we all remember 'I Need U'.

Do you remember what J-hope's performances of 'MAMA', 'JUST DANCE', 'EGO', 'MORE' and 'ARSON' looked like? Or how much dancing was even in any of them? But even if you're not a Jimin fan, you'll remember 'Lie' (as will all the dozen of idol that covered it), 'Serendipity', 'Filter' (which made everybody lose their mind with only two online performances), 'Set Me Free Pt.2', 'Like Crazy' and 'Who'. And that's because 'Face-off' was robbed of a live performance and I'm convinced the reason Jimin didn't perform 'Be Mine' live is because he's waiting until he can has enough time to give it a choreography, because Filter's younger sister deserves nothing less.

I think J-hope's allergy to dancing to his own songs shows a clear difference between him and Jimin. It's not that he can't dance, and he did technically dance for his latest album, but that was only in the documentary and I doubt any of the songs will have actual choreos when he performs them. No, I think the problem is that for J-Hope his dancing and his songs are separate and he doesn't know how to combine them. But unfortunately for him, combining songs with dancing is one of the most important things in k-pop, and he's still part of a k-pop group performing to an audience of k-pop fans. And that's why his dancing is not as liked as Jimin's, because even if you wanna say he's technically a better dancer that Jimin (which is debatable), that still wouldn't matter because Jimin is simply a better idol.

They're not in a dance competition performing to a panel of judges, they're in a idol group preforming to people who mostly don't know about the technicalities of dancing. People don't care about who's technically better, they care about who's dancing looks better and more interesting. And Jimin's dancing has always been more captivating. He always fully embodies the mood and meaning of the songs, no matter how wildly different those songs can be. He let's the music speak through his body and puts a lot of emotion behind it. He adds his own little flairs to the choreographies and has a distinct style that's very different from the rest of k-pop. And he also always gives it 150% percent, regardless of if that makes it look like he's outdancing the other members.

And all of that is why people prefer Jimin. And armys can say J-Hope is better and complain about how it's not fair that Jimin is the most popular dancer in k-pop because "Jimin already has so much more than J-Hope, why can't J-Hope have this one thing?", but like armys themselves like to say to the fans of other groups, this isn't charity, if we can give Jimin everything we 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 give him everything.

🎯🎯

[wingzie]

Jikook: But I Still Want You

During Seoul Final in 2019, Jimin and Jungkook changed the lyrics at the end of The Truth Untold to “but I still want you.” Compared to every other change made for the final concert,  this was never explained. These different lyrics hold a significance that still applies today. 

In a year of uncertainty, the members strived to do their best for us in 2020. They filmed and released content throughout the year, putting us first in their minds. They kept us going during our darkest times and made us feel less alone when most of us were struggling, online and offline. They tried to make each performance unique but with the same powerful moves and meaning. With certain restrictions, they would try to keep themselves positive both backstage and onstage. They kept the flow of music and happiness going and expressed wanting to do this for many years. Not just during the hard times. It’s obvious that Jimin and Jungkook also spoke about this together previously, as seen in Festa:

A special performance is MMA 2020. Black Swan is already a heart wrenching song, even more so with the cancellation of the tour afterwards. To lose your true love and passion for something, to face those fears and then conquer them within art is such a powerful message. It must have been incredibly hard for them to go through their worst fears during lockdown and we could see how they supported each other during these times. With Jimin and Jungkook, we saw them nearly always together as we usually do. And this was reflected in their performances too.

In a cruel twist of fate, they wouldn’t be able to perform Black Swan live in front of an audience for a few years.  I wish that BTS could have performed their MMA 2020 set in front of a live audience, but of course that wouldn’t be possible. The performance is so tender, as we see Jungkook being dragged away from Jimin. Jimin then struggled to get through and then the powerful lift when they reunited. You could still feel the impact of the performance though through the screen and there are countless praises for Jikook’s part especially:

It would be a long time until BTS would be reunited with Army again. They continued with their releases, but we could see how much the distance between them and us was affecting them. We saw this when Jimin suddenly cried during MOTS:Online and how Jungkook comforted him, very much aware of what they were each feeling. Once we were together again,we gave them so much love and you could see the relief on their faces. That they had made it and Jimin and Jungkook seemed just as affected by this too. They have an extra connection on stage and that was in full force as they played around, got extra close and flirted together. It was like no time had passed at all. This hug is different from their normal ones, it silently says “We did it. We made it.” 

Chapter two began and, though they did their separate things, that connection remained strong. They supported each other as much as they could, occasionally missing each other and talking about the other at any opportunity they had. This would have been a different set of circumstances that they are used to, but they made it work. Whilst also enjoying time by themselves or working on other things. Another new situation is enlistment. Though it’s been a talking point for many years, it was soon time for each member to enlist. With Jimin and Jungkook deciding to take part in the buddy system. Showing that with each struggle or new experience, they are always there for each other. And will continue to be. No matter what happens, that look and message from 2019 still remains:

[jeonscatalyst]

One thing I've wondered for years with Jikook, is why if they're only "friends", do they volunteer or purposely go along with presenting themselves as a couple/duo in OT7 content? This is what I'll never get if they're only "friends/coworkers". Its one thing to be paired with another member as a subunit, or to want to film together just cause you enjoy being around that member etc, its another to wear couple PJ's & JK purposely direct a scene in LGO (his vision) of him & Jimin wearing them couple PJ's waking up together in Jimin's dorm room starting their morning routine together, knowing the rumors surrounding them living together at that time, in an official video for the group, that he is director of. Something Jimin purposely teased JK about & asked why he did it and JK said he wanted to show reality. Hmnn. Yet you didn't do it with you and another member, only Jimin. Interesting. More interesting the scene JK directed of him and Jimin parallels Troye Sivan's "There For You" opening scene in his music video. Same song JK used for GCF Tokyo. I don't think its a coincidence. Or them on the bed together during Home or the Black Swan eclipse/sun/moon duo dance with that romantic lift. Who's idea was that and why did they just volunteer to do it knowing that dance is typically a male/female couple dance. The "I caught you bae, bae" Jikook again. Or here's what I often think about. During the 2020 MMA performance of Dynamite, why did Jikook use the same colors during their solo bits, but the other members had their own separate individual colors, but Jikook both used the same exact color pink which singled them out again as a duo in a OT7 video. Did they run out of colors or is it Jikook wanted to be presented TOGETHER in the performance? And Why you have matching colors in the first place in a OT7 performance anyways? Why during the Dynamite Christmas special were they dressed in Identical suits and no one else was, which made them stand out? Why did Jimin put his arm around JK and make it look like he was snuggling him during the holiday remix? Jikook coming out like Rose & Jack during run bts with Jk holding Jimin and members singing the titanic song. Its like playing spot the couple, but its always Jikook. Others tease and pretend this about their ship, but its only ever Jikook with real proof of it for years. Again you can call it fanservice, you can say company is behind it, but why do they go along with it and WHY IS IT ALWAYS JIKOOK being presented as more of a "couple unit" over more popular ships or why as a "couple unit" and not just a friend/member subunit and act normal? Matching clothes (Jk asking Jimin to buy the same clothes in AYS). Matching colors for OT7 performances. Constantly doing the black and white clothes combo. BTS members always referring to them as a package deal when talking about them and not only that asking if they are a couple, teasing if they are dating out right directly. Enlisting together when other members enlisted separately. Okay Jikook. Kinda hard to ask if I'm overthinking, when they keep doing this kind of sus stuff for years. I get it Jikook. I see you.

Hey anon,

I don’t think Jikook intentionally try to present themselves as a couple. I think they just behave the way they normally do and people perceive their behaviour as couple-like.

From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh anon. People can only hide how they feel and who they are for so long. Throughout the years, some people have doubted Jikook because they were too “obvious”. They pick moments like GCFT, Hickeygate, Rosebowl etc and claim that Jikook couldn’t be a couple because if they were they wouldn’t be that obvious but they forget that when people are forced to hide how they feel and who they are for too long, those feelings come out in explosion.

If we are right about Jimin and Jungkook being more than friends, then those two have had to hide who they are and what they feel for so many years so it is normal that they would find unconventional ways to express those feelings or ways which they consider “safe”. I believe that Jungkook’s GCFs were one of the ways he used to express how he felt about Jimin. One is means nothing, two could be a coincidence but more than two is definitely a choice. When you watch GCF Tokyo and then you watch GCF Saipan and pay attention to the way Jungkook uses lyrics and how he intentionally places footage of Jimin with certain lyrics repeatedly, there is no way you don’t scratch your head. That wasn’t him trying to intentionally portray himself as someone who was in love with this other guy from the same band. That was him simply probably expressing what he felt and us picking up on clues.

When it comes to color coordination and stuff like that, I can’t say for sure whose idea it usually is. I know that there are times when Jikook probably do things like that themselves and other times those are stylist’s doing but I wouldn’t place stuff like that at the top of my list because that is not something exclusive to people possibly in a relationship. Other members match colours too and even wear matching clothes. It doesn’t always mean anything.

For LGO, Jungkook was clear about what his intentions were when he directed the MV the way he did. He said he wanted to replicate real life and in the MV we saw him wake up from the same room with Jimin and just Jimin. That wasn’t him necessarily trying to portray Jikook as couple but him just showing how things were in reality and us putting two and two together and perceiving it as couple-like. This of course doesn’t necessarily mean our perceptions are correct cuz it might mean nothing but we still perceive it as more.

Some other stuff like the rose and Jack titanic move from the run bts episode could just be them goofing around but also leaning into their real life dynamics and the members comments from the back could come from them knowing what we don’t know or merely just them goofing around too but ofcourse we perceive it as romantic because that whole scenario originated from a romantic movie.

So anon, I don’t think Jikook intentionally try to portray themselves as a couple. I think they just do the things they normally do and we pick up on somethings. They do have a very questionable and eye brow raising dynamic, this is something almost everyone can agree on. Also, Jikook are close, arguably the closest members of the band and they have been joined at the hip for years. When people are that close and spend that much time together with the other members always seeing them together or knowing that they are together, it is normal that they start talking about them like they are a unit. Regardless of what antis say about Jikook’s dynamic in real life, one of the biggest prove that they are insanely close on and off camera is the way members can’t seem to mention one without mentioning the other. That’s not something anyone could fake.

If they are not a couple, maybe they are just those annoying kinds of friends who have little to no boundaries with each other and do things which people will naturally interpret as coupley. There are so many people like that.

[hrrtshape]

THE ROLES IN MY FAME DR

before i start, a foreword; my fame dr's roles are very much "oh...she wants that cookie(acting excellence)." very much overpowered.

⋆  2002: PONETTE as ponette – a tender and heart-wrenching role as a four-year-old girl grappling with the devastating loss of her mother. she holds on to the fragile hope that her mother might miraculously return.

⋆  2006: LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE as olive – a quirky, lovable underdog bursting with childlike optimism and dreams of winning a beauty pageant, despite her family's chaotic road trip.

⋆  2007: LÉON: THE PROFESSIONAL as mathilda – a street-smart and fiercely determined young girl navigating loss and revenge while forming an unlikely bond with a professional hitman.

⋆  2008: ATONEMENT as briony tallis – precocious and imaginative young writer whose misinterpretations and choices create tragic consequences that echo throughout her life.

⋆  2009: TRUE GRIT as mattie ross – fearless and headstrong teenager bent on avenging her father’s death, driven by her sharp wit and unyielding resolve.

⋆  2011: LOLITA as lolita/dolores haze – a beguiling and precocious girl cloaked in innocence but steeped in rebellion, a mix of youthful charm and intoxicating danger.

⋆  2012: MOONRISE KINGDOM as suzy – a whimsical and mysterious young girl embarking on an adventurous and heartfelt runaway journey with her first love.

⋆  2013: BLACK SWAN as nina sayers – a driven and fragile ballerina unraveling under the intense pressures of perfection, teetering on the edge of madness and obsession.

⋆  2014: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL as agatha – a kind-hearted and resourceful young baker, whose quiet courage plays a pivotal role in an eccentric heist and love story.

⋆  2015: CINDERELLA as cinderella – a girl strong-willed girl with enormous faith that she'll finally be able to live out her dreams.

⋆  2017: LADY BIRD as christine/lady bird – a fiercely independent and ambitious high school senior wrestling with her small-town upbringing, family tensions, and big-city dreams.

⋆  2019: ROMEO AND JULIET (directed by sofia coppola) as juliet – the luminous, romantic heroine in a tragic love story of passion, rebellion, and youthful defiance.

⋆  2019: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD as sharon tate – an enchanting actress and rising star, embodying the golden glow of hollywood’s bygone era with grace and optimism.

⋆  2019: LITTLE WOMEN as amy march – a spirited and ambitious young woman chasing her artistic dreams and navigating love with unapologetic confidence.

⋆  2019: STRANGE COLOURS as naste – a struggling musician in 1980s NYC, whose pursuit of success leads her to morally complex decisions in a crime and punishment-inspired tale.

⋆  2020: THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT as beth harmon – a brilliant yet troubled chess prodigy navigating personal demons, ambition, and addiction while conquering a male-dominated world.

⋆  2021: THE FRENCH DISPATCH as juliette – a lively and enigmatic character in a whimsical anthology capturing the spirit of journalism and artistic eccentricity.

⋆  2021: PROFIL PERDU as josée – a woman caught in a crumbling marriage, drawn into a web of intrigue and liberation when a wealthy magnate offers her a new life filled with possibilities.

⋆  2022: X as maxine – a daring and ambitious young woman pursuing fame in the adult film industry while navigating fear and survival in a horror setting.

⋆  2022: PEARL as pearl – a dreamer turned unhinged by isolation and frustration, whose violent tendencies emerge as her craving for stardom spirals into tragedy.

⋆  2023: POOR THINGS as bella baxter – a curious and eccentric woman reborn into a surreal world, exploring life with uninhibited wonder and self-discovery.

⋆  2023: HUNGER GAMES: BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES as livia cardew – a capitol elite and symbol of privilege, showcasing the decadence and oblivion of her class in a world on the brink of rebellion.

⋆  2024: MAXXXINE as maxine – a raw and determined character fighting to make her mark in a world that feeds on fame, continuing her saga in the x-pearl trilogy.

⋆  2025: FRANKENSTEIN as the bride – a haunting and tragic figure, torn due to her her husband's newest project

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

a list of some winter movies/series ❄️

hello! your friendly neighbourhood little organisation freak of a goblin is here again to give you a list of winter movies and series. this isn't a christmas focused list, just winter vibes, there's only a very very small handful of christmas centred stuff on here. as always, just close your eyes and point somewhere on this little list, or even put the numbers in a generator and go with whatever the result is ♡

spring | summer | autumn

🧣 ‧₊˚ ⋅ movies ⋅˚₊‧

star wars franchise (1977-)

the shining (1980)

edward scissorhands (1990)

beauty and the beast (1991)

the muppet christmas catol (1992) 

batman returns (1992)

the bodyguard (1992)

the cutting edge (1992, 2006, 2008)

while you were sleeping (1995)

titanic (1997)

anastasia (1997)

snow day (2000)

bridget jones’s diary (2001)

save the last dance (2001)

monsters, inc (2001)

peter pan (2003)

the day after tomorrow (2004)

family stone (2005)

ice princess (2005)

the chronicles of narnia: the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe (2005) 

the holiday (2006)

last holiday (2006)

eastern promises (2007)

the curious case of benjamin button (2008)

the time traveler’s wife (2009, 2022)

sherlock holms (2009)

black swan (2010)

inception (2010)

new year’s eve (2011)

the girl with the dragon tattoo (2011)

red riding hood (2011)

they grey (2011)

captain america: the first avenger (2011)

the vow (2012)

anna karenina (2012)

snow white and the huntsman (2012)

frozen (2013)

the wind rises (2013)

iron man 3 (2013)

snowpiercer (2013)

the drop (2014)

winter’s tale (2014)

the grand budapest hotel (2014)

carol (2015)

the age of adaline (2015)

the revenant (2015)

everest (2015)

krampus (2015)

split (2016)

phantom thread (2017)

wind river (2017)

murder on the orient express (2017)

atomic blond (2017)

the mountain between us (2017)

night hunter (2018)

hold the dark (2018)

the nutcracker and the four realms (2018)

alita: battle angel (2019)

anna (2019)

little women (2019)

five feet apart (2019)

last christmas (2019)

happiest season (2020)

the world to come (2020)

silver skates (2020)

spider-man: no way home (2021)

the mauritanian (2021)

black widow (2021)

something from tiffany's (2022)

ghostbusters: frozen empire (2014)

🛷 ‧₊˚ ⋅ series ⋅˚₊‧

criminal minds (2005-2020, 2022-)

downton abbey (2010-2015)

game of thrones (2011-2019)

orphan black (2013-2017)

peaky blinders (2013-2022)

critical role (2015-)

daredevil (2015-2018)

wynonna earp (2016-2021)

war and peace (2016)

godless (2017)

the punisher (2017-2019)

anne with an e (2017-2019)

the bodyguard (2018)

killing eve (2018-2022)

the mandalorian (2019-)

young royals (2021)

shadow and bone (2021-2023)

vikings valhalla (2022-2024)

the last of us (2023-)

masters of the air (2024)

[desmon1995]

The Wonder Wheel of Nostalgia : How the Warriors navigate the past to point us to a better future.

In the realm of iconic, rough-and-tumble portrayals of New York’s late '70s and early '80s gang culture, The Warriors stands as a time capsule. Everything from its hyper-masculinity, intense action, and Marvel-comic-inspired costumes embodies the gritty, unfiltered spirit of an era. But as much as we celebrate its slick visuals and electrifying energy, it’s essential to remember where it all began—a book by Sol Yurick, a Marxist author and youth counselor. Yurick’s 1965 novel intended to deliver an unvarnished depiction of gang life, challenging the glamorized portrayals perpetuated by West Side Story. In his hands, the Warriors weren’t lovable antiheroes but violent, unsympathetic young men, shaped and shattered by the harsh reality of their world.

Where the film cut some of the grittier edges, trading raw brutality for pop-culture appeal, the concept album—helmed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis—reclaims some of Yurick’s original urgency, but with a twist for our times. Here, The Warriors becomes more than a showcase of thrilling gang warfare; it’s a powerful commentary on how beginnings shape not only individuals but entire communities, especially those marginalized and boxed in by systemic forces. There’s a reason why the streets of New York and its gang-ridden alleys serve as an urgent backdrop, not just a setting: The Warriors were not born into violence by choice; they were molded by it.

In Yurick’s original novel, the Warriors were exclusively Latino and Black, a poignant decision that underscored the book’s social message. The novel’s Warriors are not romanticized; they are hard-edged, often cruel, shaped by a world that offers them no other outlet. Unlike in the film, they don't earn sympathy—they embody what it means to be caged by circumstance. Yurick was giving us a third-person view of life in the hood, drawing from his years as a counselor, highlighting how neglected environments breed neglected people. The film adaptation preserved much of this tone, though it softened the edges enough to allow mainstream audiences a measure of comfort, even admiration, for its characters. This Hollywood filtering gave the story a mythic, almost heroic quality that ignored the darker undercurrents and turned the Warriors into icons of cult cinema.

Enter the concept album. When Miranda and Davis announced a reimagining of The Warriors for the 2020s, responses were mixed. There was intrigue, nostalgia, and some backlash from purists who felt that a modern take would inevitably water down the harsh realities of the original. And sure enough, there was debate on social media about whether the adaptation would be “too sanitized”—some fans even wanted the album to keep the raw misogyny and homophobia to convey just how twisted these characters could be. But such demands misunderstand what this concept album achieves: The Warriors isn’t about mindlessly mirroring the past; it’s about examining what that era taught us, and how we can use those lessons to tell a new story that resonates with today’s audience.

In this reimagined musical landscape, we are invited to consider the complexities of systemic oppression in a way that respects the story’s roots yet speaks to the present. Here, the American government and social elites are the true obstacles—the forces that keep the Warriors and others like them trapped in cycles of poverty and violence. Through their collective songs, we hear how the Warriors are more than just a gang; they’re a family, navigating a world that’s rigged against them, offering each other the love and support the system denies them. Found family isn’t just a theme—it’s a survival tactic, a way of enduring when traditional structures fail. Cleon’s leadership and Swan’s resolve aren’t just virtues; they’re necessary, traits honed through hardship, proving that even amidst brokenness, there’s room for loyalty and connection.

This choice is significant. Unlike the book’s purely third-person brutality, the concept album allows the listener a chance to root for the Warriors, not because they’re morally untouchable but because they’re trying to survive and carve out meaning in a society that gives them none. In reworking the story, Miranda and Davis don’t ignore the Warriors’ flaws; they amplify them within a framework that shows how the Warriors’ lives are a reaction to oppression, not just innate lawlessness.

One standout is the reimagined character of Cyrus, who becomes a revolutionary. Her call for gang unity isn’t a misguided attempt to “own the city” but an idealistic stand against the power structures that have confined the Warriors and everyone like them. Her assassination is a symbolic echo of history, a reminder that every leader who dares to challenge the system is met with the same tragic end. It’s an allusion to the untimely deaths of revolutionary figures, from Elijah Parish Lovejoy to Fred Hampton ., grounding The Warriors in the rich yet tragic lineage of resistance. Even without the visuals, the stakes feel visceral; the cops aren’t there to “keep the peace” but to maintain the status quo, allowing the powerful to exploit the disenfranchised. And though the Warriors are flawed and sometimes brutal, they are humanized through each other—an echo of community in the face of unrelenting hardship.

Interestingly, the album doesn’t downplay the violence. It doesn’t gloss over the fact that the Warriors are engaged in brutal battles with both rival gangs and a hostile police force. The danger is real, palpable. For every moment of hope, there’s a reality check, a reminder that survival isn’t guaranteed. The album explores a grimmer, more complicated version of optimism, one rooted in a will to endure rather than naive hope. After all, cynicism is a luxury these characters can’t afford.

And while some may argue that Miranda and Davis’s interpretation is “liberal idealism,” it’s worth noting that revolutionary spirits rarely fade; they adapt, especially in times of political division and systemic failure. In today’s world, where socioeconomic divides and racial profiling still dominate headlines, The Warriors holds a mirror to the past and present. It asks us to consider the cumulative impact of systemic neglect and discrimination, reminding us that what society normalizes shapes public perception.

This retelling of The Warriors also raises another question: how do we balance nostalgia with progress? How do we celebrate iconic works of the past while acknowledging the problematic undertones they might carry? Media analysis is more intense now, partly because we’ve come to understand that popular culture doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it shapes, reinforces, and sometimes even distorts public opinion. By exploring the lives of female and queer characters in the Warriors’ ranks, Miranda and Davis tap into perspectives that the original iterations ignored. Their take isn��t an erasure; it’s an addition—a recognition that marginalized communities deserve the full spectrum of representation, from hardship to humanity.

There’s no denying that the concept album will challenge some fans, especially those who are attached to the original for its raw energy. But change isn’t inherently a loss. Instead, it’s an opportunity to rediscover something meaningful. Like a sleeper hit that finds its audience slowly, the album may build momentum over the years, perhaps reaching listeners who weren’t even born when the film came out. And maybe that’s the point: allowing this story to evolve naturally, allowing new generations to find their own meanings within its timeless yet timely themes.

By giving The Warriors new voices, this concept album doesn’t rewrite history; it contextualizes it, bringing new life to a story that speaks volumes about who we are, where we’ve been, and where we still have to go. And in a world where representation is power, this story feels like a necessary continuation, rather than a nostalgic return.

[tokyokookmin]

MY FAVOURITE JIKOOK STAGES

Jikook - power duo/aces of the group / main dancers/axis of the group. Yes, I'm talking about Jikook. The power couple. The duo rocks the stage with their charismatic personality and appearance. Amazing visuals. Sexy body. Powerful moves. Amazing vocals.

I thought of doing this post since we don't really get to talk about their dynamics on stage often. So, here's a post featuring my favourite JIKOOK stages as a unit in live concerts, off-stage dances, MV's and events. Also, keep in mind that I'm not ranking the stages. Whichever moment crops up in my mind first secures the top spot ya :)

Let's get it

BEST OF ME

The most epic part of their choreography. Jikook as a unit with their power moves.

LOTTE FAMILY CONCERT

2. BTS 5TH MUSTER

3. BTS 4TH MUSTER

HONORABLE MENTION

4. 2021 NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE

5. BEST OF ME BTS COMEBACK SHOW

6. BTS BEST OF ME DANCE PRACTICE #2022FESTA

RUN BTS

BTS YET TO COME BUSAN RUN BTS

FIRST OF ALL. THE SONG. IT'S LITERALLY SUCH A HYPE SONG. SECOND. This is my latest FAV JIKOOK MOMENT ON STAGE - CHOREOGRAPHY WISE. It's a shame we only got one moment. But hey, it's good enough!

DYNAMITE

Let's never forget our QUEEN, DYNAMITE. The best pop song in 2020. BTS's ENGLISH SONG DEBUT. 2020 BTS was delightful!

BTS DYNAMITE DANCE PRACTICE (CUTIE AND LOVELY VER)

2. BTS TIME MAGAZINE DYNAMITE PERFORMANCE 2020

3. BTS SBS GAYO DAEJUN 2020 DYNAMITE PERFORMANCE

HONORABLE MENTIONS

BTS DYNAMITE 2020 GRAMMY AWARDS

BTS DYNAMITE 2020 AGT

BTS DYNAMITE LATE LATE SHOW W JAMES CORDEN 2020

THE TONIGHT SHOW W JIMMY FALLON DYNAMITE BTS 2020

BOY WITH LOVE

Cutesy, Subtle moments.

1. MMA 2019 BWL BTS

2. BWL IHEART MUSIC

3. BTS 5TH MUSTER

COMING OF AGE CEREMONY

1. FESTA 2016 BTS

We only had one performance but it was amazing. Jikooks power moves are splendid. I absolutely adore their efforts to produce a fantastic dance cover for the FESTA 2016 event.

BLACK OR WHITE

BTS PROM PARTY

Again. We only had this performance once though it indeed captured our hearts. An iconic song.

BLACK SWAN

I saved the best for the last. Yes, Black Swan. That one performance went viral in 2020. It amazed everyone. They were the cover of the news and the talk of the town for multiple days. Their immaculate and gracious dance moved all of us, didn't it?

BLACK SWAN MMA 2020

It was beautiful. Mesmerizing. Gracious.

I wanted to put this here as well

It's a wrap. I hope to continue this post soon!

All usage of Twitter links, Article links and Youtube links are provided. You can find them on my Twitter page if needed. I retweet all the tweets I use for my posts as a reference.

I said I'll be more active. Sometimes I just need to put this blog aside to tend more to my personal life.

xx, tokyokookmin.

[xrtnlkqgrlc]

I just saw Boracity Magazine's "I miss BTS' old music" video in YouTube. Truth be told, those of you who keep claiming "I miss old bts" or "they fell off" are just making excuses. Because how can you listen to the same genre of music all the time without being bored? In a world like ours, change is inevitable and necessary. Bangtan celebrated and accepted it heartily. Their artistic expression does not fit into a box; it transcends, and their music evolves with the artist they are. If you noticed, their sound echoed their previous sound, but in a different speed, texture, and/or meaning (bst, 2016 & black swan, 2020), and it's still their sound. You can dislike any of their music, and that's fine, but saying their music isn't like the old ones is a disservice to their craft and passion. You cannot place an artist in a box simply because their music differs from the first time you listen to them. And that is what distinguishes BTS from the others. Their discorpahy has had a varied story to tell over the last decade, from school to experiencing the struggles of youth, to embracing adulthood, to accepting and loving oneself, to questioning oneself, and to reflecting, and empowering during the darkest part of life (pandemic). Through out the years, BTS has created several genres of music, which is what art is all about: telling and changing. Above all, BTS' music adapts, evolves, and transcends over time.

May this serve as a wake-up message to everyone that music evolves and that we should not limit an artist capability of adapting to change. Yes, change is scary, but it is necessary.

And to BTS, you're a flipping phenomenal— an art that will never be undone.

[solarwynd]

I've been living that solo life for almost 2 years now, but sometimes I will listen to my old 'Top 20 favorite BTS songs' playlist or check my 98 GB 'BTS Live Performances' folder (I'm truly not exaggerating the size, though 30GB of those are just from a folder titled 'Jimin' which includes not only live performances but also his MVs and all the Production Diary stuff. I also download everything in the highest quality I can find which increases the size) and watch one of their pre-2020 performances, specially their tours, and I'm like "Man, there was a reason I was a fan of these guys". I almost forgot after the past almost 5 years of no proper group albums or tours and instead only a few mediocre songs here and there and concerts that were 60% pre-2020 songs they already performed a thousand times and 40% their new meh music that either doesn't have a choreography or does but it's kinda basic (I have beef with PTD on Stage, the only good parts were ON and Black Swan. Why did they ignore 85% of MOTS7? They finally had the opportunity to perform those songs in a live concert and instead of doing that they decided to do Fire again for the billionth time).

If they're really going to insist on coming back with the group they could at least go back to the version of the group that was actually worth being a fan of. But if they're gonna go back to their Dynamite, Butter, PTD, YTC, Take Two bullshit then they're just wasting the members. Cause Jimin and the rapline have solo music they want to make but won't be able to if they're stuck in the group. It would be specially a waste of Jimin, cause unlike rapline people care about his music (rip to the rapline, my grandpa would've loved your music Namjoon) and there's also no guarantee that Jimin is going to be invited to the exclusive 'Members Who Make The Group's Music' club. Jimin is the only member making music and having performances fans actually like and they're gonna sit in him a chair and give him two lines in a mediocre songs he didn't write. That shit should be considered a crime, genuinely.

Like I said, there was a reason I used to be a fan, and while I don't think I will care about those six like I care about Jimin, well, I never really did in the first place but I still managed to like the group cause I liked them as a whole not individually, so I could care about the group again if they simply give me a reason to. I'm not like armys, I can't stay a fan based on the love I felt years ago. I need to feel that love again in the present otherwise I'll just have to find something better to be a fan of.

.🎯🎯🎯

[ridenwithbiden]

On Friday, Kenneth Chesebro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false documents in the Fulton County 2020 election conspiracy case, becoming the second high-level Donald Trump co-defendant to become a state’s witness in two days. Chesebro received an especially lenient sentence of five years’ probation, a small financial penalty, and 100 hours of community service.

With the guilty plea and cooperation deal Georgia prosecutors struck on Thursday with Team Trump attorney Sidney Powell, Chesebro’s plea deal should be viewed as an earthquake in the case against Trump. Given Powell’s close proximity to the former president and his legal advisers at crucial times in his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, her testimony will be particularly devastating not only as to defendant Trump, but to co-defendants Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman.

Chesebro’s testimony, meanwhile, implicates one of the key portions of the conspiracy both in Georgia and in the federal Jan. 6 case against Trump, specifically the efforts to create a slate of “false electors” to use during the Jan. 6 electoral count to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Now that both Chesebro and Powell are cooperating witnesses, the pressure on Giuliani and Eastman to plead and cooperate is exponentially higher.

That the significant cooperation under discussion involves four of Trump’s attorneys underscores the reality that the former president’s regularly touted defense that he was relying on the good-faith guidance of his attorneys during the attempted coup was, and is, nothing more than self-serving fantasy. In the courtroom—as compared with on television or in social media—he has never had the ability to offer that defense.

In court, the advice of counsel “affirmative defense” requires a defendant to prove two things: First, that he relied in good faith on his lawyer’s advice that the conduct in question at trial was legal, and second, that he made a full disclosure of all relevant facts to the attorney before receiving that advice.

Based on my four decades in the courtroom as both federal prosecutor and defense attorney, I can report that the assertion of the attorney-client privilege by a criminal defendant at trial is a black swan event—effective only with the consistent, overlapping trial testimony of both the attorney and the defendant, and the admission into evidence of any documents reflecting the communications or advice they testified about.

Putting aside the substantial evidence that Trump was warned by numerous White House lawyers that his efforts to overturn the 2020 election were in violation of the law, how does Trump establish the advice of counsel defense at trial?

As I have observed in prior articles, he is certainly not able to testify on his own behalf. There are surely no memos to the file, emails, or letters to the client evidencing such advice in writing. Finally in this regard, what lawyer is willing to testify he or she advised Trump it was, for example, lawful for him to ask the Georgia secretary of state to “find” enough votes for him to win that state?

Long before the Powell and Chesebro deals were announced, the absurdity of expecting any Trump attorney’s testimony to be anything but harmful to his cause was made crystal clear by Michael Cohen. More recently, when Trump lawyer Evan Corcoran was forced to testify against the former president based on the “crime fraud” exception to the attorney-client privilege, the testimony he gave and the internal memos he was compelled to produce, proved not to be shields for the former president, but swords to be wielded against him—as it is with Powell and Chesebro, and so it will be with others.

After all, what can you expect when your standard for choosing at least some of your lawyers is their willingness to turn a blind eye to whatever your weak ego and malicious intentions require?

In sum, while Georgia and DOJ attorneys have each received great potential benefits from the Powell and Chesebro deals, it was in no way structured to protect against a defense they know Trump cannot employ.

Finally, speaking of structure, the great deals Powell and Chesebro struck, getting probation while facing up to 20 years in jail on a RICO conviction, are certainly a blessing for them—they even get to finally tell the truth.

But District Attorney Fani Willis’ seeming generosity is a sign of shrewd judgment, not weakness.

Prosecutors have both the carrot and the stick to get what they want, and the two deals Willis just made were large carrots, signaling to the other defendants that she is someone they can deal with, and that there are potentially acceptable pathways out of the mess they are in. At the same time, she has just made her case against other, more significant defendants meaningfully stronger and her stick that much larger.

Of course, Willis is a long way from where she needs to be, but those who had originally feared she had overindicted the 19-defendant RICO case might now be a little less concerned and a little more impressed.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alanna Vagianos at HuffPost:

Some people may believe that the end of Roe v. Wade was simply a matter of luck: Following the then-black swan event of Donald Trump winning the 2016 election, Trump got to appoint two Supreme Court Justices in his first two years and a third after an octogenarian passed away weeks before the 2020 election.

The court then had a 6-3 conservative supermajority, and that was that. But the project to overturn the federal right to abortion was much more calculated, involving an alliance of Republican groups aiming to reshape Congress, the courts and American life. And while conservatives may have won a huge battle, it’s not the end of their unholy war. That’s the story New York Times reporters Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer tell in their new book, “The Fall of Roe,” a deeply reported accounting of the machinations of anti-abortion activists and lawmakers to reverse the 1973 ruling that reshaped both society and women’s lives. The book recounts the conservative network’s past victories, yes, but is also a window into the future, highlighting just how crucial November’s elections are for our rights and freedoms. That’s because if Trump wins a second term, this conservative coalition will bring even more litigation to strip away people’s rights — and would likely face a Supreme Court that’s even more untouchable than it is now.

The group most connected to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that overturned Roe, is Alliance Defending Freedom, a far-right Christian advocacy group. But ADF certainly didn’t do it alone, per Dias and Lerer — correspondents on religion and politics, respectively. In many ways, two other organizations laid the groundwork for this victory: The Federalist Society, a judicial group that drafted a list of Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, judges Trump said were all opposed to Roe; and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion political group with an affiliated PAC.

And they’re all funded with massive amounts of dark money, including from billionaires like the Koch brothers. The 30,000-foot view is that these groups worked together to draft and pass unpopular state laws and have conservative lawyers defend them in front of friendly judges who had been confirmed to lifetime appointments by Republican senators. The network could use this playbook on any number of issues in the future. ADF wrote Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban at issue in the Dobbs litigation. Dias and Lerer report that a conservative Wisconsin lawyer suggested crafting a ban at exactly 15 weeks basically as a dare for abortion rights proponents to challenge it, believing the Supreme Court would find the ban reasonable and gut Roe without fully overturning it.

The lawyer, Misha Tseytlin, allegedly floated the idea at a Trump victory party hosted by Federalist Society Chair Leonard Leo, and then someone connected to ADF heard it, and the organization had Tseytlin present his theory at a July 2017 ADF summit. (This story shows that conservatives picked 15 weeks not because of emerging medical research, but because abortion rights advocates had chosen not to sue over previous 20-week bans designed to challenge Roe.) ADF drafted a model bill, identified states that might pass it and that had anti-abortion attorneys general who would defend it, and started talking to lobbyists. Then-Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed the 15-week ban into law in 2018, and litigation began. By the time the Supreme Court was considering taking the case, it was early September 2020. Then Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, and Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, giving a 5-4 court a 6-3 conservative supermajority, with three Justices appointed by Trump — a president who lost the popular vote. The court agreed to hear the case in May 2021, and the rest is history.

That playbook worked for striking down Roe, but the coalition is not done. Dias and Lerer write that ADF, in particular, will “work to restore an understanding of marriage, the family and sexuality that reflects God’s creative order.” First, abortion opponents think Dobbs is not enough; they want a nationwide ban starting at egg fertilization.

[...] ADF also has its sights set on reversing the 2015 ruling establishing marriage equality, but Waggoner also seems to resent when journalists ask her about Obergefell v. Hodges. (That ruling was 5-4, and two of the Justices in the majority are no longer on the court — you only need four votes out of nine to take a case.) “I’m worried you’re gonna just use a choice little quote, and anybody that reads the article is going to think I’m abandoning Obergefell, and I am not,” she told The New Yorker. “I think it is wrong and it should be reversed, but I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about how to do that.” The group wants to roll back transgender rights in employment (Bostock v. Clayton County, 2020) and expand parental rights (Troxel v. Granville, 2000) so that parents can override the medical needs of their children with gender dysphoria, The New Yorker reports. ADF is also behind the rash of state laws banning gender-affirming care for minors and trans kids’ participation in sports — the group wrote model legislation. We’re watching a redux of the anti-abortion battle plan in real time. “It’s not that the Court is going to say, ‘Gender ideology is bad,’” Waggoner told The New Yorker. “But I do think the Court could say, ‘Parental rights are fundamental rights.’”

The Fall of Roe book by Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer, a pair of New York Times reporters, takes a vital look at how anti-abortion activists delivered a win for their cause by overturning Roe in Dobbs and that they want more.