#But it's not that Gem likes her just for her scarlet persona. She likes her for her. Pearl's not just thorns
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ender1821 · 12 days ago
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im a child of divorce
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#the bit is over when i say its over and even when its so joever for these two its not over for me!!! (once again i am on heavy copium)#anyway. thoughts behind the spoiler tags#gempearl#shiny duo#wild life smp#life series spoilers#wild life spoilers#i feel like. i actually was expecting that#no but its so funny the one time the negative consequences of something does actually get acknowledged its the SL finale ‘betrayal’/j#like cmon fuck me i guess/j (BIG EMPHASIS. ON THE SLASH J. OKAY.)#but honestly though i did expect Gem to hold a grudge over the 2v1 in SL. and. its good that there are consequences???#it IS a ‘betrayal’ in Gem’s eyes. they were friends. they were murder besties for the last two sessions and then Pearl chose Scar over her#and its awesome man. [through gritted teeth] this is awesome man this will be good for character development ok ok ok. ok?#its also got something to do with Pearl having the red creep in. i think#because during SL Gem was like. nearly idolising the Scarlet Pearl persona while vaguely aware that her own reputation has a similar effect#and yknow. the horrors. the fact that their image is so heavily built on what others deem them to be and they can only play into it#but by the end of SL Gem gets ‘betrayed’ by this persona that she looked up to#and also her own ‘GeminiSlay’ intimidating image is also starting to fall apart. partly of her own will#and now shes watching Pearl slowly turn red again. and this time she knows its not good for her or Pearl#so shes distancing herself from it. shes ‘trying to fix her reputation’. she sees Pearl falling into it again and just. no. i dont love you#you betrayed me last season#but on Pearl’s end of things she’s already deep into the idea that as long as you say you ‘forgive’ someone then everything thats happened#in the past doesn’t matter and they can all be friends. and nooo absolutely no grudges will be held. no emotional repression here#so. because thats happened to her in her own team she thinks the same can happen with her and Gem#and thats so. im going to blow myself up now
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tubbytarchia · 9 months ago
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@mcyt-yuri-week Day 5, Rose/Thorns I never stop thinking about SL episode 8 never ever
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legally-allowed-to-slime · 12 days ago
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okay. thoughts about how gem is treating pearl. gem says pearl 2v1'd her, so gem did obviously not hear pearls plea for the sword fight. gem is also telling Scott to get pearl under control. I think that says that gem sees the last season as Scott being in control of their alliance. he was the previous winner, so he knew things where she didn't. and she was forced to be a leader of sorts, because of her reputation. but she'd still do what she was told - especially by Scott. the last thing Scott ever did was tell gem to kill him, and she did. gem sees Scott as being In Control, she sees him as being the leader.
and she sees pearl not as herself. gem is buying in to the scarlet pearl reputation. last season, gem was excited to see the scarlet pearl. she wasn't scared of her, she didn't think any less of her. but now she feels like pearl has wronged her, and she's twisted that point of view. shes now switched to being on the other side of things. Scott told her not to trust pearl last season, and to gem, she didnt listen, and it cost her the season. so now she's listening to what Scott says, and telling Scott to get a hold of pearl, because gem doesn't see pearl the same way.
gem now sees pearl the same way everyone else sees gem. gem only sees pearl as her reputation. not who she really is anymore.
i saw a long ask in my inbox and was so delighted because that means words were probably said better than i could phrase them
anyway. yeah yeah. gem has unfortunately defaulted to viewing pearl the way scott views pearl and i have no idea why. i think it might be because impulse was already antagonising her and in her mind, she’s already split their alliance into impulse+pearl vs scott+cleo. so, since impulse is being unreasonable, then impulse+pearl must be the troublesome duo. therefore, scott+cleo is the reasonable one.
i was. honestly slightly let down because i always thought gem was able to see through scott’s bs (especially with that bit in SL where he’s like we gotta be number 1 and she’s like says you) but she did say in her own episode that she’s trying not to be seen as the person who tries to kill everyone. and in SL, this persona only got intensified when she hung out with pearl. so now, in her attempt to return to normalcy, she distances herself from pearl. a bit like trying to cut off a bad influence. she calls scott in control, she tells cleo she’s reasonable. because scott and cleo are the normal ones. basically she is not tolerating, let alone matching, pearl’s freak. and frankly, pearl has not been that strange this season, compared to LiL or SL, so gem’s just creating the problem in her mind. honestly
also insane miscommunication there because gem is obviously upset by the SL betrayal, while pearl doesn’t defend herself. all she says is that it’s a previous season and it doesn’t count, because she knows she betrayed gem, technically, but was still hoping gem would be friendly to her. the same way she’s friendly to scott and cleo. parallels
“gem now sees pearl the way everyone else sees gem” i don’t really have anything to say on this statement but i’d let you know i clenched my fist irl after reading it
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megabuild · 23 days ago
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I'm rooting for an etho-gem-scott team personally. mainly because i can't see scott and etho willingly teaming but i can see both of them teaming with gem and i think it'd be really really really funny to see scott have to 'yes, go girlboss' and 'women are never wrong' through teeth clenched so tightly he's about to pop a vein as Gem hangs out with her favorite mormon
this is about the only way i can see it happening yeah, scott and etho are likely not going to team together unless forced, and honestly even with gem in the mix it still feels too much but definitely more likely.
i can't decide if this fucks with my original vision or not though because the entire point of scott-etho team to me is that forcing of a mirror up to itself- scott has no ally to wholly commit himself to and take on a role that he perceived as beneficial because etho is too distant to let that form, and etho has no ally to seek a role from because they're both just feeding into each other asking "what do YOU want?" and the answer is neither of them know, so either they have to force themselves to get really cool about a lot of trauma real fast or just crumble completely.
adding gem into that mix complicates things (full disclosure: i am not a gem analyser yet so if anyone smarter wants to add onto this feel free) because i think she doesn't have that same challenge of identity- she's a character with a lot of deep set anxiety but i think she knows who she is, or what she wants to be, her understanding of that is just inherently flawed. eg. i would say the two people she looks up to the most in life series are etho and pearl, but specifically for both of them she's looking up to a fracture of themselves. her adoration of etho almost comes off as false sometimes with the consistent insistence of being an ethogirl but also switching up and committing to whatever the popular view is (bullying him for being washed up and lame, teasing him for being obsessed, etc.), like she's more interested in the surface level concept of what etho is instead of who he actually is. while with pearl her treatment around scarlet pearl, a persona literally formed through intense trauma, isolation and degradation, flattens it down to "you're so cool go girlboss!". again i don't really know enough about gem to say anything about this (not least because a good chunk of this comes from cc actions and saying whatevers popular and will get laughs and clips- no hate to her irt).
so yeah- cgem not only doesn't have the awareness to notice etho and scott's respective masks, or if she does, she isn't interested in challenging or counting them, but she also provides a base point for the two of them to rely on. as you said scott would fall into his usual go girlboss pattern and probably kill himself at the end with little to no character development. etho might manage to get something out of being in an alliance where he's constantly being fawned over (as in, become extremely uncomfortable and be forced to shed all of his masks in an attempt to push the spotlight off himself- in the same way it could cause fun conflict between him and scott as scott repeatedly tries to drag the spotlight towards himself) but more likely he'd just distance himself entirely. absolute net zero gain of an alliance unless an astronomical level of coincidences force them to actually behave like human beings. fun either way
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thecoolerliauditore · 3 months ago
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PLEASE post ur self harm etc. headcanons, for i do not have the courage (and i really like ur takes)
Hi sorry this spawned that other out of hand post. Thanks for liking my takes it's purgatory in here.
Anyway:
Pearl in Double Life is pretty much the most straightforward example I can think of in the series, Scott hurts her in multiple different ways and the only thing she has within her power to get back at him with is with hurting herself. Despite that it definitely does impact Scott, I'd argue this ends up hurting Pearl more in the long run because Scunt Smajor emotionally waterboards himself into not giving a fuck.
While her physical habits stop with Double Life, I'd argue emotionally she still has some lingering feeling of self-hate she expresses through her need to die for her teammates in both Limlife and SL. Since this is less straightforward than DL, however, she doesn't view it as self harm and is taken aback when Bdubs, for example, insists on refusing her offer.
I think she's mostly fine now with her refusal to die lying down against Gem or Scar being her final realisation that she can and should fight for herself. Now she is haunted by different demons (the demon is called scott smajor)
~
Scott is difficult because I don't think he views any of his self-destructive habits Ever has self-destructive. If anything, sacrificing himself is the noble and good and correct thing to do.
In my head, although I do think I may be giving him too much credit, it's a combination of losing Jimmy early in 3L and winning LL riding off of Pearl's coattails that has left him with some need to not feel grief again (dying before your teammates can, leaving them with the grief and guilt instead) and to mimic what Pearl gave him (her funneling him lives VS him having people Literally Kill Him)
I do think, like Pearl, he cared very little for himself in DL and that's why he hurt himself so casually so often. Although unlike Pearl I doubt he was aware of his own feelings of self-hate through any of it and viewed what he was doing as a Necessity to fight against Pearl.
Unfortunately he's now pretty much integrated his sacrifices as part of his identity and I don't see him snapping out of it anytime soon, neither is anyone going to question him on it since it benefits them directly.. (Cleo I will tear you to shreds)
Adjacently relevant I do think his last DL death is a suicide and wish more people called it that instead of a "sacrifice".
~
I mentioned before that I'm scared of talking about Scar and I still am but I think it'd be wrong to not at least mention him and his whole thing in DL.
In my head a lot of what Scar does is protecting himself through a persona (similarly to Pearl and Scarlet Pearl) and his "silly" behaviour is indeed a very genuine part of him but also a product of that. I have to stop talking now or else the snipers
~
This is more in the air (I'm more referencing stuff outside of the series so. Dubiously canon) and I'm sorry to my mutuals but I do think Jimmy self-harms but only in a very emotional sense. I'll be honest I think if he tried doing what Divorce Quartet did for example he'd mess up and just die.
That being said I do think him constantly throwing himself into romantic or sexual situations he clearly isn't fully onboard with is self-destructive, personally I attribute it to 3L trauma and him trying to fight back against his own naivete which has been used in the past to mock him (i.e. Scott infantilizing him during 3L or the "Timmy" stuff to a lesser extent).
Sometimes it ends up more or less harmless (e.g. his shenanigans in the last plate up stream they did where he was "only wearing an apron") and sometimes it does end up further traumatizing him (e.g. the maid dress thing in sos) but eitherway there's this deep desire for affection and respect in him that he deals with by expressing romantic desire (because in order to romance someone you'd have to treat them not only intimately but also As An Adult) that he doesn't really think through completely.
~
I could swear there was more but that's it for now. Cleo and Martyn could get their own paragraph but I talked about them in the last post where it kind of turned into me questioning how applicable it is to them so lmao
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bluiex · 1 year ago
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Hi!! It’s the trans fem Scarlet superhero au anon! Trans fem Scar has my entire heart and I realised I needed more fics/aus with her.
But headcanon time for this specific super au, I don’t have a name yet-
-Scarlet goes by both Scar and Scarlet, though Scar is more of your typical nickname, Cub is her best friend and when he full names her (Scarlet Tiana Archer) she knows she’s in trouble.
-She has very long hair that she gets her older sibling figure Cleo and friend Gem to braid for her when she has somewhere nice she has to go.
-Does not pick up on Grian’s flirting and massive crush on her at all, painfully oblivious. Cub, Cleo and Gem have to sit her down and explain that Grian giving Scarlet her favourite flowers with notes of pure affection and taking her out to nice places might hint that he feels a lot stronger about her.
-On one of their “dates” as Cleo calls it, Grian got to listen to Scarlet go off about theme park deaths and yet was still enamoured.
-Scarlet is the artist to Grian’s writer and they’re both incredibly creative in different ways, and they immediately get on like a house on fire before Grian starts crushing on her a year or so into their friendship.
-The literal moment Cub and Cleo pick up on Grian’s feelings for Scarlet, they threaten him. Scarlet has a history of bad and transphobic ex’s, so of course her best friend and older sister figure are protective. They also threaten to sic Gem on him.
-Scarlet takes on her arrow shooting, bad guy hunting, superhero persona when the town really needs it and Grian genuinely has no idea. Hilarity ensues.
-Scarlet is like 6ft, she’s tall, and you best believe she’ll wear high heels to make herself even taller! She absolutely can’t walk in them though, she’s a bit clumsy. Grian however is like a 5ft6 avian, you can imagine him swooning over a tall pretty lady….when he isn’t jokingly offended at Scarlet affectionately making short jokes at his expense.
Sorry for late response
OH MY GOODNESS SCARLET BEING 6FT. THEN PUTTING ON HIGH HEELS-- gngngnhhn
Anyways- bless Cleo and Cub going to give Grian a shovel talk. Queue Grian walking out like his soul was sucked out, a husk of a man, but happy his friends care so much
Grian not knowing she is the superhero- and imagine him fawning over her heroic deeds and stuff XD Scarlet is just sitting there giggling
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goji-pilled · 2 years ago
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long time no see, Stranga!
First I want to say that I hope gacha hell brings you the endorphins and serotonin you desire. second, holy crap @the-mk-scp-anon made a drabble (Two!!!) for a series of drabbles i just kinda... left unfinished and unsent... Because of that I wanted to finish the Homubey saga at last. Just ignore the other ficlet series' I've made.
without further ado, part 5 of Homubey.
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"I-I don't... I don't know what to say."
"Yeah, no shit. Even after everything we've all... we still don't know everything 'bout Gems and the rat and-"
"How can- do you still persist? After all that you go through, have gone through, will go through? How..."
In a pocket dimension free of space and time, four friends sat around a small kotatsu table in states of perturbed confusion. Miki Sayaka sat with her head in her hands, blue locks swaying as she shook her head in habitual denial. Sakura Kyouko steadily chewed through her pack of Pockey as she stewed in anger, flames sparking in and out from her crimson ponytail. Tomoe Mami had slumped over the table and stroked the back of the creature that sat between them all. The Golden Senpai had given up all pretenses in maintaining her persona in order to foucs on trying to comprehend these revelations.
Akuma Tamura sat on her knees, facing the creature dead in the eyes, dull purple staring into shimmering violet.
With every aspect of the failed timeline desrcibed in vivid detail, the experience of having one's mind be forcibly expanded and rapidly filled with impossible knowledge - even through secondhand retelling - along with the fall out the constant candidates were left to writhe in; Tamura had thought herself too numb by alternate realities and tragedies, falling down the path that many Akemi's most often crawl down. It was with a twisted sense of relief that the pain Miki Sayaka and Kaname Madoka endure was able to still shake the (mostly) stoic Akuma Tamura, even if it filled the time traveler with a desire to find some form of self-inflicted punishment.
Silence permeated the air, the other Akemi's having left the premisis to ignore the Incubator drone and revelations it brought. The only remaining time traveler poured out another glass of cider for herself, leaving the half empty bottle in between them all; She downed the cup before slamming it back down on the table, hand threatening to shatter the glass.
"To think that not even the Incubator knew of such a fatal flaw in its own vessals. To create drones to manipulate and control, yet to not consider a moron's curiousity..." Tamura's shoulders slumped, head tilted down to the table. "Is this pure ignorance, or was this merely an oversight for a soulless creature?"
"Regardless of the answer, the fact remains that I am now confined to this admittedly fragile body." The now christened Homu-bey merely stared at the despondent alternate version of herself, her tail twitching as it batted away her ex-senpai's hand.
The silence was broken by another Pockey stick being thouroughly reduced to crumbs, scarlet flames turning back to crimson locks. Ashy wisps escaped from Kyouko's mouth as she asked, "What aren't you tellin' us?"
The snarl brought the other two magical girls out of their stupors, Sayaka glancing between the two Homuras while Mami stared at her ex-protege. The Crimson Lancer glanced between the two before slamming a fist down on the table.
"Don't tell me you guys are just gonna accept it just like that? We know how things work for them all, how they're booted back here after they "fail" their timeline." The redhead grabbed the scruff of Homu-bey's neck, the little creature unconciously going limp as she hanged in front of ruby eyes. "So tell us Homs, what happened in the end?"
The once empty vessel sent an empty thank you to the Incubator for creating drones with the bare minimum of expression. Had she been able to Homu-bey would have undoubtedly winced at the scathing accusation from her friend. Fear and anxiety replaced the controlled apathy Homu-bey forced herself to feel, the simple fabrication now threatening to be torn like the moist towlette it was.
"I assure you, Sakura-san, that everything that I've told you is all that occurred. Now would you kindly set me down-"
"Oh shut it, Homs. You're gettin' flowery with your words, you went to formalities instead of bein' casual with us." The redhead lowered the little creature back to the table, keeping her hold on the black not-cat with a thumb and finger. "You probably never noticed you did, or ya have but never really put it together."
With one hand already keeping her in place Homu-bey expected the other to find purchase on her form soon after. When the other palm placed itself upon her head she expected a loose grip on her skull, not the soft carress of a warm palm. Neither had she expected to see such terrible sadness well up in the scarlet eyes of Sakura Kyouko.
"Why're ya scared, Homs? What's got ya so worried that you're thinking ten steps ahead again?"
... Of course. Despite everything in the damn multiverse, despite all the hardships and tribulations they've all faced, Homura was still amongst the people closest to her heart. She was amongst peers - family at this very moment in between time and space, and one of her closest friends was currently outing her attempt at withdrawn secrecy. Of course Kyouko would be the first to notice the wrongness of her tale's end, second only to the literal other version of herself just nearby.
Even so, this can not stand.
"Sakura Kyouko... Release me from your grasp." Homu-bey did not wince when felt the warmth be replaced with cold air, nor did she need to compose herself to continue her lie. How easy it was to be heartless when in a once empty husk. "All that I have said is all that has occurred. It would be appreciated if you did not question my integrity or my honesty.
"To sate your curiosity... that timeline ended as all timelines do."
...
...
Pink eyes stared down at the unmoving form of Akemi Homura, tucked away in the bed within the spartan bedroom. In stark contrast to the last time Madoka saw the brunette, Homura looked relaxed, eyes closed with an almost peacful look on her face. She had been changed out of the Mitakihara school uniform and dressed with a slightly open sleep shirt.
An ugly and fresh scar was left to fester on the transfer student's porcelain chest.
With a shaky breath Madoka sat at the edge of the bed, carding a hand through ebony locks as her vision grew misty. The sounds of her stiffling breaths overpowered the omnipresent noise of the clockwork contraption in the other room, the soft silk of the blankets growing damp with every passing second.
"There is no need to cry, Kaname Madoka. They will do no good at any rate..."
The sudden intrusion of her mind, of a familiar voice she heard hours ago -and in many other times- released Madoka from the spiral of despair she threw herself in. Lifting her gaze from the unmoving body, Madoka met the unblinking gaze of Homura's new set of eyes. The ebony creature nestled at the barren folding desk looked on with unabashed apathy, fitting for its origins. A few seconds passed before the crying girl composed herself, brushing away the torrent of tears that continued to leak out.
"I'm sorry, Homura-chan. It's just so- so cruel." The pink haired girl sniffled, returning to her previous affection. "To have to leave you here, alone, with no one to come find you... it hurts so much."
"It is not an uncommon fate for Magical Girls. You should recall that Tomoe would have - should have - met a similar fate. It was merely luck that I left behind my body while she would not."
Homura crept slowly on her paws, edging closer to the edge of the table. Leaping the small distance to the bed, the small feline-esque creature moved to nestle herself in Madoka's lap. The girl in turn absently ran a hand through the polyester like fur, ruffling the purple markings and sealed chamber on Homura's back. Silence enveloped the two, lost in their own world now. How long Homura wished for such a peaceful experience, a quiet moment to share with Madoka, only to have it as she is now.
"... You know what I'm going to do, right Homura-chan?" Madoka stopped her petting, steeling herself with flaky determination. The once human girl merely flicked an ear in response, unwilling to move.
"... I do, Madoka-san. It is in your nature to, after all. I just fear that..."
...
...
"What exactly do ya mean by that, Homs? You just turn back the clock whenever you want or can, yeah?"
"Normally, we would use our magic, our Shield, to go back to March 16th. It is the only day we are able to repeatedly return to, after nearly two months have passed.
"But in my experiences, sometimes we can't use our magic to go back in time, regardless if we want to or should."
"Tamura-san, what do you mean by that?"
"... There have been times, where a specific event must occur for me to use my power. And it is a frequently occuring event amongst all of us who travel to this place."
...
...
"Don't worry Homura-chan. This is my choice, and I trust you to help me with my decisions. So don't feel bad if anything happens, just remember to respect my decision to try it, okay?"
"... Kaname Madoka... what is your heart's greatest desire?"
...
...
"So yer sayin' that-"
"Either we die, she dies, or she forms a contract."
"But that doesn't make any sense! If I did that and you made us all remember everything, how'd the Transfer Student-"
"Because I love her.
"And it always... always..."
...
...
In another time, in another life, a foreigner laid in bed, curled around a small cat like creature. Her shut eyes leaked out tears as the purple eyed being did her best to comfort the sad and hurt girl, her paws caked in blood and white fur.
---
How many of yall remember the Walpy Swap ficlet AU series me and @snek-witch made so long ago? And how many of yall remember that little black cat creature that showed up once in it.
I make cameos and callbacks before they fucking exist!!!
hopefully you enjoyed this drabble, and yall can decide on your own just what exactly Madoka wished for with Homubey. until I cave and write it out that is.
/人◕ ‿‿ ◕人\
IM SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG BUT ITS BACK!!!
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smokeybrand · 4 years ago
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Smokey brand Reviews: Life Is Unfair
WandaVision finished last week and i had planned to write and entire review about it as, you know. ‘m a hardcore Marvel shill, bu i opted to wait a bit. I wanted time to let the show marinate and then revisit it all at once to see if i still felt the way i did during the initial run. I’ve written little standalone posts, her and there, about specific episodes or characters as the show aired but i wanted to kind of document everything good and bad, that i noticed watching the MCU’s fist attempt at long form content. Objectively, I'm probably still pretty bias toward the show because it’s been a year since we got any new MCU content so there might not be a ton of critique in this bad boy. Plus, i really like Darcy so this thing already starts with bonus points.
The Good
The overall concept of this how being Wanda’s journey through the stages of grief was brilliant. I don’t know if this was ever officially acknowledged, but you can actually see a stage for every two episodes. Denial is basically the entirety of the first two episodes while seven and eight are straight up Depression. Going back through knowing that really makes for a far more potent watch.
I mentioned Darcy before but i really liked how Jimmy Woo got to shine here as well. Dude was one of the best things about Ant-Man II and i just really want dude to get bumped up into SWORD already.
The acting in this is exceptional. I wrote about Lizzy Olsen’s outstanding performance in it’s own posts a while back, but i need to acknowledge Paul Bettany as well. Dude is great in his role as Vision and i was a little bummed he got bumped off so soon after his introduction. I’m so glad Feige gave him such legs with this role because it really did Bettany a service in letting him actually show us who his Vision truly is.
Actually, the entire cast was pretty dope, overall. The child actors were kind of whack but they’re kids so that stands to reason but everyone else, did a decent job. The writing was pretty temperamental overall but everyone did their very best with the material given to them.
This series was pretty dope to look at. Like, the visual effects were spectacular at times. Not all of the time. There are chinks in the armor but, as a whole, this thing was very pleasing on the eye.
But dat White Vision, tho! White Vision is the Vision i grew up with as a kid. He was in that Avengers game and, at the time i got into comics, the primary Vision on the Avengers squad. I’ve always preferred that version of the character, mostly for nostalgia reasons, but i understood the red and green was classic styles. I carried no illusions about seeing a White Vision in the MCU but then BAM! WandaVision brings MY Vision to the Little Big Screen and i am forever grateful.
The sitcom aesthetic was a fun framing device. I really enjoyed recognizing all these shows that i used to watch growing up. When they hit me with the Malcolm in the Middle episode, i was the only one among my friends that immediately knew the reference. Malcolm is a lost gem, a classic in the sitcom hierarchy that more people should definitely watch. It f*cking launched Bryan Cranston’s career. We wouldn’t have Walter White if not for Hal Wilkerson.
Wanda’s Scarlet Witch costume is dope as f*ck. I was surprised she actually got a suit as, if i recall, her character wasn’t supposed to ever go full hero like that that. She even said the tiara thingy was dumb. Fast forward a decade later and there she is, tiara thingy and all.
The Meh
That Fox-Men Quicksilver bait was superfluous. Evan Peters was great, as always, but superfluous. His appearance in this show was unnecessary. A lot of people were crazy upset about the “reveal” but i didn’t care. I was pretty sure this show wasn’t going to be the mutant backdoor everyone wanted it to be.
The Bad
Monica’s origin kind of sucks. The actress, herself, did a great job with what he had but the overall character arc was a little flaccid. They did a disservice to Teyonah Parris with that. There were hints that she’s capable of much more, particularly the opening seen where she returns from the Snap, but that potential was never fully realized and it’s unfortunate. It makes her overall character feel inconsequential.
Also, the f*ck are those powers, man? Monica in the comics is a straight up powerhouse, especially in her current Spectrum persona. It’s a little ridiculous to me that she would get dog-walked so easily by literally anyone she came into contact with. Bro, Monica is on the Ultimates. She shares space with Black Panther, Blue Marvel, Captain Marvel, and America Chavez. T’Chala is a top ten genius in the Marvel Universe, so is Adam Brashear on top of being a living anti-mater generator, Carol Danvers is probably the most powerful human hero currently in the 616, and America can literally punch her way into other dimensions. And Monica’s power set slides right in line with those people. Plus, they have a pet Galactus. But MCU Monica stopped bullets by letting them Vision phase through her body kind off. The audacity!
They did my girl Agatha so wrong. When she was Agnes, she was dope as f*ck! I loved her insidious suggestion and the way she just inserted herself into everything; It was delicious! Kathryn Hahn was great as Agnes. And then she went full witch and lost all of that charm. It was so disappointing, you know? She was well on her way to becoming a second Justin Hammer only to be relegated to the same level of clownery as Yellowjacket or Malekith.
While touching on Agatha’s generic villain-ness, her climactic battle with Wanda was so cliche. It as really disappointing. You have two, dumb powerful witches, and you resort to what is effectively laser beam in the sky. There was a distinct lack of imagination for so much potential available.
How is Vision a Vision without the Mind Stone? That was the bulk of his power. How is White Vision doing the same thing without the literally cosmic forced that predates the universe, powering his abilities? Questions for later i guess?
The pacing in this thing is mad wonky. Those first three episodes upon re-watch drag like nobody’s business. It picks up after that for three or four more episodes, but you can definitely tell those last few were mad rushed. It’s a crazy uneven show altogether but i can’t say it really takes you out of it
Tyler Hayward is a terrible villain. Arguably, the worst.
The Verdict
WandaVision was pretty okay, definitely the right show for which to introduce us to Phase Four. That said, it peaked way too early, man. Like, i enjoyed this thing thoroughly, it's a nice start to what looks to be a darker turn for the MCU, but it felt kind of wonky. Bad pacing, man, and SO many loose strings to tie going forward. There were some lackluster character choices, Monica feels dumb underdeveloped, but all in all? Not bad. If this thing were a movie, I'd say it'd be about upper mid tier. About as good as Endgame and, say, Guardians II. WandaVision is better than everything in Phase One but staggers against the better films in Phase Two and doesn’t even touch It can't touch the best in the Franchise. Iron Man, Infinity War or Winter Soldier blow this show out of the water. As a vehicle for Wanda Maximoff, it is excellent. This is definitely her origin story, even if it doesn’t stick the landing as assuredly as i would have wanted.
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aion-rsa · 3 years ago
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Loki Episode 2 Ending Explained: The Variant Mystery and Marvel Connections
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This article contains spoilers for Marvel’s Loki episode 2, “The Variant.”
Marvel’s Loki episode 2, “The Variant” is all about exactly what you think it is: uncovering the mystery of who the murderous Loki variant the TVA is tracking. And the ending of Loki episode 2 does exactly that…or does it?
While we’re certainly meant to believe on first glance that the mysterious and magical woman under the hood is simply a female variant of Loki, and there is plenty of precedent for Loki’s genderfluid nature in the comics, there’s just enough ambiguity (and even a little bit of evidence) to point to the fact that “Lady Loki” might not be “Lady Loki” at all.
But let’s start with the golden-horned elephant in the room, because you might be wondering why there’s a lady version of Loki running around in the first place…
Lady Loki
Our story starts at the end: Ragnarok. Marvel Comics Ragnarok, that is.
Thor: Disassembled was the closing arc to the volume of Thor comics that ran from 1996’s Heroes Reborn until approximately 2004. It was written by Michael Avon Oeming and drawn by Andrea di Vito, and it was excellent, a meta take on the role of story in the world and how characters react to fate, destiny, and free will when they are part of a story. 
It’s also a surprisingly huge influence on the philosophical conversations in this week’s episode – in the comics version, Thor became the All Father and saw the cyclical suffering his people were forced to suffer as Ragnaroks recurred, so, with Loki’s severed head dangling from his belt and protesting the whole way through, Thor initiated a “final” Ragnarok and shattered the loom at the base of the World Tree. 
Two years later, Asgard was reborn over Broxton, Oklahoma, during J. Michael Straczynski run as writer on Thor. The reborn Thor was tasked with finding the reborn versions of his fellow Asgardians, and one of those, to Thor’s great surprise, was a new female Loki. She stayed pretty villainous the whole time she was a woman, most notably joining Norman Osborn’s Cabal (the bad guy mirror of Marvel’s Illuminati, a team composed of ostensibly good guys who mostly just hung out together doing a ton of awful shit). 
So how does this tie into this week’s episode and the possible Lady Loki we meet here? Well, for that we need to look at another Loki “variant” from the comics…
Between Mobius discussing the possibility that Loki wants to shake up his behavior and Loki’s claims that literally stabbing people in the back is overdone, things seem a bit reminiscent of Loki’s behavior in the comics circa Siege. In that story, Loki died a heroic, albeit somewhat pointless death against the Void. Soon after, Loki was reborn as a child and gained the trust of the likes of Thor and certain others.
This turned out to be Loki’s plan from the beginning. The “evil trickster” persona was too predictable and had hit a wall, so he staged his own death (while keeping his soul alive) and had himself resurrected as a child who wanted to use his skills for good. 
To make a long, very complicated (but very good) story short: old evil Loki overwrote the good child after a battle with Mephisto and took the child’s place. Wracked with guilt and still desiring to break the chains of his destiny (and also existing in a universe where IRL Tom Hiddleston was enormously popular and charming), old evil Loki in a teenage body decided to try and rewrite his own future and continued doing good. 
Or at least good-ish – he manipulated a group of Avengers-adjacent teen heroes into reforming the Young Avengers so he could defeat an interdimensional parasite that took the form of the Avengers’ parents, all to protect one of the Scarlet Witch’s kids from going mad with his power. This is a roundabout way of saying: stay tuned for Young Avengers on D+ in 2023, gang (Editor’s note: this show hasn’t been announced, confirmed, or even credibly rumored…but, c’mon, we all know it’s happening).
ANYWAY, one of the features that distinguished Lady Loki from her predecessor was her ability to possess her victims. This runs contrary to Loki Prime, as most of his possession abilities come from use of the Mind Stone. Otherwise, the closest thing is whatever spell he put Odin under at the end of Thor: The Dark World. This is a likely indicator that Lady Loki has a more advanced power set than Loki Prime – it’s possible that a Loki returning from the MCU’s Thor: Ragnarok and his death at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War could have developed her powers more over time. It’s also possible she’s got some Mind Stone in her, but that’s unlikely given that we’ve seen a pile of inert Infinity Gems in Casey’s desk. 
Who is Sylvie?
But it’s also very possible that Lady Loki isn’t a Loki at all. 
In the Castillian dub credits at the end of the episode, Sophie di Martino’s character, who we’re all assuming to be Loki based on comics history and the dialogue in the show, is credited as “Sylvie.” 
Sylvie Lushton was a regular girl living in Broxton, Oklahoma, when the reborn Asgard appeared in the sky over her hometown. The reborn Lady Loki, on a lark, decided to give Sylvie powers just to mess with her, and mess with her it did. 
Sylvie, using her new powers to justify the idea that she was actually a reborn Asgardian, took on the name Enchantress (more on that in a moment), moved to New York, and started trying to join a superhero team. She was eventually recruited to join Norman Osborn’s subtly dark version of the Young Avengers, before Lady Loki dropped a bomb on her: she didn’t really exist, and was only created to entertain Loki. Sylvie refused to accept that, and healed…somehow…from a power loss tied with Loki’s death. 
From there, Sylvie was manipulated into joining more supervillain teams before posing as Amora the Enchantress to infiltrate a new Cabal of villains. When the real Amora caught wind of this, she was understandably pissed about the brand dilution and launched Sylvie into the Ten Realms to see if she would survive.
Someone Else Entirely?
The MCU is under no obligation to be faithful to the comics, and they love mixing up elements of characters and stories to suit their own storytelling purposes. To that end, it’s possible that the big Loki episode 2 ending is actually revealing a character who is both Lady Loki AND Sylvie, and considering that Sylvie was initially just a magical creation of Loki anyway, we can see how this would make sense.
The case both for and against this being Lady Loki can be found in her dialogue, particularly when she has possessed Hunter B-15. “If anyone’s anyone, you’re me,” sure sounds like something one variant Loki might say to another. But then her “don’t call me that” admonition to Loki might hint at something else going on.
cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });
Whoever that was at the end of the episode, it’s an intriguing mystery that makes episode 3 appointment viewing.
The post Loki Episode 2 Ending Explained: The Variant Mystery and Marvel Connections appeared first on Den of Geek.
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callmemoprah · 6 years ago
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Dimmesdale with ‘The Scarlet Letter’ Dissertation Sample
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“The notification appeared to be the indication of the girl’s getting in touch with. What does Hester see at the edge of the bunch? Two. Hawthorne’s effectiveness throughout demonstrating Hester’s personal image rocks !. Why can be Globule referred to as Gem? Several. Even nevertheless via most of the guide Roger Chlorinating will be hated along with feared by this Puritan local community; it had not been often this way.
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Because the modern society by which Hester resided, your lover warranted to generally be punished for my child crime. The following 19th-century U . In Hawthorne’s www.manchester.edu admired new This Scarlet Notification, the utilization of Romanticism performs a major role from the progression of the figures. Born of any errant passion, she’s got a wild and rainy design. On various periods Dimmesdale symbolically actually reaches out and about her hands as well as will help Hester by some means.
The Scarlet Correspondence, Nathaniel Hawthorne Article Sample
How should Hester along with Timescale prefer to go to European union? 6-pack Timescale write a continue different sermon? 1. The ultimate facial area with the notice The was a symbol of Hester’s esteem for himself, and then for her life. Exactly what does Hester wish to request involving Chlorinating? Four. Hawthorne places Hester Prynne, a good looking lady in the contemporary society which include Puritan Ma along with demonstrates how your lover is maintained this consequence and oppressive treatment she will get. If your solar at any time stands apart, you are able to rarely notice. Many can have left Boston celtics, plus needed the place in which nobody knew connected with the woman’s good sin.
Hawthorne’s increased exposure of ale Chillingworth to examine the human beings thoughts in addition to reasoning foreshadows his or her management of Dimmesdale in the future from the work of fiction. Who will be remaining inside the room with Hester and the baby? 1. Hawthorne’s increased ale Chillingworth to examine the human beings intellect and also reasoning foreshadows their remedy for Dimmesdale later in the work of fiction. She is loaded with many different reactions associated with torment along with self merit, possibly with some point soon enough she considers committing suicide. This kind of describes why Hester did not have any emotional jewelry for you to the girl apparently dead man. Right here, the woman told herself, was this picture connected with the girl guiltiness, and the following ought to be the arena regarding your ex earthly abuse .
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They’re not only dismayed that they did this, but will also because your lover would not expose the name of the biological father of your youngster. Just what does Chlorinating point out makes all the vegetable dim? 5 various. Reverend Timescale would be the father of the baby in which Hester contains in their own biceps to start with f the tale and of precisely the same girl since the girl increases all over the guide. He or she suspects Dimmesdale so turns into her doctor and also actions with your ex. But the various readers, along with the herd, won’t recognize their technique and definitely will continue to keep dilemma out your mystery: “It irks myself, on the other hand, which the partner associated with the woman iniquity mustn’t, at the least, ascend to this scaffold by the girl’s area. While free essays might be adopted by way of Turnitin (plagiarism diagnosis program), our own custom written essays can successfully pass any plagiarism analyze.
In summary, All over the Scarlet Correspondence through Nathaniel Hawthorne, the consequences of sin within the intellect, physique, as well as spirit connected with Hester, Dimmesdale, along with Chillingworth are typically visible though there are actually described in another way for every character. A start looking he or she bends with Hester is definitely willing plus penetrative. Nonetheless, Hester ended up being expected to endure your ex aging nevertheless essay writers online finding cash for an offense your lover committed in their own children’s. Hester earned to generally be reprimanded to get enacting adultery, nevertheless sporting the actual scarlet notice “A” total life has been very corrective. Ruined just as one adulteress, Hester has changed into a free thinker, some thing a great deal more harmful within this stuffy, illiberal globe. Chorley could not currently have defined this fresh much better whilst claimed “sin and also sorrow never recently been offered in this seriousness, love, and also consideration than by Hawthorne” (Chorley 184). Let,hence, thy husband be anywhere int he planet collectively already dead, and also of who not any tidings will ever before come” (Hawthorn, qi 4).
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Nonetheless even when Dimmesdale seemes malignant by means of and thru, folks nonetheless think your ex to be holy and without having sin. Your “A” not symbolizes “Adulteress.Inches It today implies “Able.In Although the woman’s methods demonstrate any repentance and allow viewers a sense the girl’s sufficiently improved identity, Hawthorne’s objective would be to give to us one more which means. What does Pearl uncover Joy around using? A single . The woman determined this specific failure while in the high temperature involving love, plus completely admits them since, while jane is uncomfortable, the girl furthermore acquired the woman’s best hold dear, Gem, (Nathaniel Hawthorne). Consequently within a special means appearing the recognition regarding her criminal offenses.
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Your woman remains inside pay out, shackled, as though simply by the golf club chain involving guiltiness, towards landscape connected with the girl’s offense in addition to consequence. Exactly how crime is affecting your day-to-day lives with the heroes within the e-book, and just how each of them manage it can be entertaining;on the other hand, still disconcerting. If the sun’s rays at any time stands out, you can scarcely discover. In addition, while Chillingworth says inside the account, Hester ended up being pressured directly into her marital life back with her man. To summarize, Through the entire Scarlet Notice by simply Nathaniel Hawthorne, the end results connected with sin to the brain, entire body, in addition to intellect associated with Hester, Dimmesdale, and also Chillingworth are obvious though you will find described in another way for every single persona. Hester’s nonprofit to your inadequate remains, and she or he allows, without criticism, this sick application the woman receives within their hands and fingers.
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Hester, What a Switch! The Puritans originated in The uk while in the 16 plenty to break clear of the legislation expressed by the actual california king associated with The united kingdom. The moment the lady would be a attractive female, Hester currently appears to be like Swallowed in place by means of existence. Finally, the particular yank became excessive, such as ocean with a seed that will sooner or later gets to be uprooted. Hester actions of her own free will into your outside.
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In contrast to Hester that finds many resolution through community ostracism. The whole position is apparently shrouded around black color. Following a lot question, some of which will be heartwrenching with regard to Hester within the thought of getting rid of Bead, Governor Bellingham as a final point offers with in addition to agrees enable them stay together. How exactly does the actual unfamiliar person explain himself? Several.
Dimmesdale throughout ‘The Scarlet Letter’ Dissertation Sample
What does Hester inform Timescale? 3. However for this specific explanation especially, sensations started off effervescent and finally steamed more than, hobbies and interests some sort of writer like Hawthorne could get from red-colored warm and employ for that foundation of a good new. Hester Pyrnne determined infidelity having reverend Dimmesdale within the Scarlet Notice; this fact is not really disputed. He did start to think about acts regarding wicked however quickly place them in steps.
Dimmesdale within ‘The Scarlet Letter’ Dissertation Sample
That is around the phase in front of the townspeople? Three or more. One among her personas (Hester Prynne) is modified all over the new. “Hester grew to become 2 people: a strong intrinsic plus an exterior person” (Colacurcio 230). By sentencing Hester into a life long physical punishment, the particular Puritan officials eventually left simply no space with regard to Hester’s adjust as well as development. If there may be think about gain knowledge from the Scarlet Correspondence, it’s not at all to offer in to failure, and in case you currently have, acknowledge that and learn than it. Hester ended up being displayed as being a strong, excellent person whom have a lot more over emotional do it yourself as compared to most of the people proceed through inside a life long.
Source: http://mobimatic.io/2019/04/03/dimmesdale-with-the-scarlet-letter-dissertation-sample/
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cindafain73658-blog · 7 years ago
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The Best Diamond Of Them All
No matter of what the ten many years, that female outline for you is traditional and also fashionable. In 2011 a Vintage Tesco’s Grocery store popped up at Goodwood Revival total stocked with classic British solution packaging of yesteryear to fill the shelves is a excursion! A display icon to this day, her type can be found in quite a few a vintage encouraged marriage gown more than fifty many years afterwards. Vintage dresses tend to be desirable as collector products and are usually marketed at auctions. Also view out for dresses that say "for all sizes" but is as slim as a avenue post. It just would make folks mad and places some on the defensive, but I really feel I will need to say one thing. Most people today could no longer afford to pay for the Art Deco types birthed in the nineteen twenties, though some of the gem/diamond cuts have endured via existing day. Now that you’ve read through this limited post, you must have a drastically superior self esteem relating to design and style and your own private taste. Outside of attire, superior-waist skirts and trousers are great for females with fuller figures (high-midsection trousers work finest on taller females) since they assist to create a great Marilyn Monroe model hour-glass condition. As we imagine once more to the eternal elegance of Marilyn Monroe, Ava Garner, and the ravishing great detail about the youthful Elizabeth Taylor, sweater (visit web site) we can see why we’d enjoy that glance.
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In accordance to John Travolta, this famous white suit was bought for extremely minor cash at a low-priced men's apparel retail store in Brooklyn, New York. The discount grocery retail outlet conditioner may well preserve you funds but it is not nourishing your hair. Scarlett has dim brown hair. It was not without the need of some trepidation, having said that, that a single sat for Richard Avedon. If you adhere to a person craze this time, comply with the camel ! CORRECTION: A previous variation of this put up misstated how prolonged ago Monroe died as "much more than 51 a long time." The estimate attributed to Monroe about sneakers has also been attributed to Bette Midler. Deliver me a image of you in your Halloween costume and I will write-up it right here on my web site and on my Facebook enthusiast website page for all to love. As it was handmade for Marilyn, this costume definitely delivers an exact illustration of Marilyn’s actual physical type. Publisher: Joile Crussel These days, investor is a incredibly hot task for men and women who want to pursuit an monumental fortune. She did all the really hard operate, realized how to dance, shimmy," included Kenneth Branagh, who plays Sir Laurence Olivier in the movie. Free of charge Tracking is provided on ALL shipments. You could also depart the child at the rear of when leaving the taxi.
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londontheatre · 8 years ago
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Susan Penhaligon and Paul Bradley – Greg Veit Photography
Over the last decade the Finborough, under Neil McPherson’s astute stewardship, has garnered a richly deserved reputation for producing in-house, and hosting, revivals of long-forgotten and often overlooked plays that add eclectic depth to the contemporary dramatic canon.
Caste, by T.W. Robertson, produced by new company Project One, is one such: an exquisite little shimmering gem to delight the discerning playgoer.
Whilst Caste’s comédie de moeurs and language is rooted in the mid-nineteenth century (written in 1867) Charlotte Peters’s inspired and sparkling direction ensures its appeal to a modern audience to which long courtships and antipathy to inter-class marriage are as alien as swiping right would be to Victorians. Peters gets the mood, gets the history, gets the relationship-interplay and above all gets the humour. This is a lovely little historical document time-capsuling its period but it’s also a comedy – one of those funny comedies that make audiences laugh spontaneously rather than going through those polite West-End-theatre-audience motions.
To achieve this Peters needs a cast of believers, a cast that throws itself uninhibitedly into their roles with unbridled gay abandon (I use that phrase advisedly in its original Victorian sense). This is a committed company of skilled practitioners who are willing to stretch their craft to the limit to ensure near-comic perfection. Leading the way in this is Rebecca Collingwood as Polly, effervescent and endearing, annoying and alluring, scatty and seductive: she grabs the audience by the throat and screams “Listen to me!
Watch me! Delight in my ability to transform from coquette to confidante in the twinkling of an eye!” This is never more evident than in her penultimate scene solo re-enactment of the ballet “Jeanne la folle, or, Return of the Soldier” where she goes full hyper-over- drive in her attempt to bring her sister down gently (!) regarding interesting news about her deceased husband (fill in your own spoiler). Sister Esther, wooed, married, birthed and widowed is played with discreet charm by Isabella Marshall who manages to combine dainty, love-lorn delicate and dutiful daughter with steely, strong-willed woman of the world to great effect. It’s is no easy part to play but Marshall pulls it off with apparent consummate ease. Progenitor of these two commoner sisters is Eccles (Paul Bradley), the amusingly inebriated work-shy scrounger of a father who wears cor-blimey trousers and a what-me- guv? bowler that doubles nicely as a gratuity receptacle. Bradley is fun and funny – never more so than when he mistakenly drinks milk instead of liquor.
Susan Penhaligon, Ben Starr, Paul Bradley, Neil Chinneck, Rebecca Collingwood, Isabella Marshall, DuncanMoore – Greg Veit Photography.
The class-above love-interest is supplied with suitable martial panache by Duncan Moore as George D’Alroy, suitor, husband, and MIA father of Esther’s child – the baby George – and his sidekick, Captain Hawtree (Ben Starr).
Moore is all tall-neatly- pressed-scarlet- uniform, the clipped-moustachioed besotted romantic who knows that he will be disowned by his upper-crust Mother – but he doesn’t care! Moore handles this with deft restraint never yielding to the temptation of edging into caricature. He looks dashing in his soldier’s get-up, of course, but in the post-marriage domestic scene he sports a long, silver-trimmed, cerulean smoking-coat to die for: I want one.
Starr as Hawtree is a great foil to Moore’s George, starting as rakish and worldly realist before subtly revealing his heart-of-gold by the end. Like the sisters, these two make an intriguing and engaging double-act and the four of them together create a secure platform for the intrinsic comedy to evolve.
Whilst Polly flirts away with Captain Hawtree her real suitor is gas-fitter Sam Gerridge, a Borough Road lad who tells it how it is and doesn’t suffer fools – and inebriated work-shy fathers – gladly. He also indulges in a nice patter of plumbing-pun metaphor. Neil Chinneck is excellent in the role and with his entrepreneurial persona and rags-to- hard-earned- riches ambition Chinneck shows that you don’t have to overplay cockney-comedy to create a believable character and get the laughs.
And then, gliding into the mayhem like a tall ship on a millpond comes George’s Mum – the Marquise de St. Maur. Susan Penhaligon effortlessly appears bedecked with all the grace, poise and venom of a vituperative swan, dismissing commoners with a haughty glance, putting down the little people with a bone-juddering sneer and showing exactly what it takes to be an upper-class cow. Once again, there is no caricature in Penhaligon’s performance just the pure joy of unbridled snobbery.
So we have a bunch of vivacious Victorians about whom Robertson is adept at poking fun, spinning a light but intriguing story around their mores, their loves, their attitudes and their station in society. Robertson is seen as the father of modern staging and broke the mould of fantasy theatre to introduce naturalistic drama, influencing many dramatists in the process. Caste is a great example of his work and Project One deserves major plaudits for bringing it back to the stage.
Review by Peter Yates
1867. George D’Alroy is a soldier and the son of French nobility. Esther Eccles is a beautiful ballet dancer from a poor family. When the two fall in love, two very different families are brought together.
After George leaves to serve in India, Esther must deal with a drunken father, a sister with a fierce temper and a terrifying mother in law. Not knowing whether she will ever see her love again, Esther must confront the class prejudices of Victorian England, whilst coping with the chaos created by her increasingly exasperating family members…
Widely considered both as T. W. Robertson’s masterpiece and a ground-breaking milestone in British theatre, Caste was described by George Bernard Shaw as “epoch-making”, whilst W. S. Gilbert said it “pointed the way for a whole new movement”, and when William Archer and Harley Granville Barker planned the programme for their proposed National Theatre, they were agreed that the mid-Victorian period should be “inevitably represented by its one masterpiece, Caste.”
Read our exclusive interview with Charlotte Peters
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Victorian classic CASTE by T. W. Robertson Directed by Charlotte Peters. Designed by Georgia de Grey. Lighting by Robbie Butler. Original music and sound design by Theo Holloway. Presented by Project One Theatre Company in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre. Cast: Paul Bradley. Neil Chinneck. Rebecca Collingwood. Isabella Marshall. Duncan Moore. Susan Penhaligon. Ben Starr.
Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED http://ift.tt/NsSQwL
  http://ift.tt/2oFckqT LondonTheatre1.com
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