#HE THINKS SHE DOESN'T GET AS MUCH CREDIT AS SHE DESERVES WHICH IS TRUE

[justalittlebluetiefling]

YES, Caduceus, Jester DOES deserve more pastries.

[sonadowwiki]

The Intimate Relationship Between Sonic and Shadow

In the ending scene for Sonic Adventure 2 in Japanese, Sonic sadly says on his own as he looks out to Earth from the ARK: "疲れた... きゅうきょくせいめいたいか?" Which translates to: "Worn-out... Ultimate Lifeform?"

疲れた = Worn-out

きゅうきょく = Ultimate

せいめいたい = Lifeform

Though there are no subtitles for this scene, if you listen closely, you can hear Sonic say: "tsukareta," which means worn-out like you're exhausted. Sonic asks this sadly to himself as he looks down before he is interrupted. After brushing his sorrow aside so that it's not seen by others, before Sonic leaves the ARK, he says: "Adiós, Shadow the Hedgehog..." which means good-bye in Spanish.

This scene doesn't get translated correctly in English and the true meaning of this scene was lost in translation.

If we think back to previous scenes in the game, when Sonic was shot out of the ARK in a capsule, he was able to use a fake Chaos Emerald to Chaos Control into the ARK before it exploded. How Sonic got back into the ARK after defeating the BioLizard could have been the same or he flew back with what little energy he had left. Before Sonic told Shadow about how he used a fake Emerald to Chaos Control out of the capsule, Shadow watched as the capsule exploded and said to himself that it ended up that Sonic was an ordinary hedgehog after all due to thinking he died in the explosion. After seeing Sonic again and he was told how he escaped the explosion, it surprised and intrigued Shadow.

This scene can be seen as a parallel to not only when Shadow was also shot out of a capsule by Maria, but also the ending credits when Sonic looked out of the ARK while he waited to see if Shadow would also do the same as him and Chaos Control into the ARK after the battle. Once he saw that he wasn't going to appear, Sonic became extremely saddened and realized that Shadow was too tired to Chaos Control back and make a surprise appearance. But even if Sonic knew that Shadow might have not made it beforehand when giving his limiter to Rouge, he still hung onto a small sliver of hope that he would make a surprising comeback like he did.

With this knowledge, the ending lines saying for heroes to rest easy makes more sense since Sonic states that Shadow was too tired/worn-out. An image of Shadow even appears after the phrase to show that the words were for Shadow.

Another scene to take into account is the time they both turned Super. When they turned Super, it can be assumed that the Chaos Emeralds connected the two in a way that can only be seen with one's heart. This can be assumed because it was only after they turned Super together that the two became extremely concerned for one another (in the battle with the Final Hazard), fought as one, were in sync, looked out for each other, saw each other in high regard, and believed/trusted in one another with all their heart. Perhaps at that moment they turned Super, their hearts were connected and they both saw each other as equals and for who they are inside. It's possible that their hearts were so connected that when Shadow heard Maria's voice while they were Super, Sonic could have heard her too through Shadow. This can be assumed due to the slight turn of Sonic's head as if he's listening and how he waited until she was done talking to tell Shadow that now was the moment to use Chaos Control together.

At that moment when Shadow decided to help, perhaps the Chaos Emeralds helped Sonic understand who and what type of person Shadow was because even if he was manipulated to destroy the world at first, Shadow was willing to sacrifice himself to save the very people he thought deserved to suffer. And with that, Sonic gained a newfound respect and care for Shadow since he saw what a pure and good person he was deep down. This was the case so much so that the Emeralds responded in kind with their miracles and accepted in making Shadow Super as well.

Another thing to take into account is how after this game, it makes more sense as to why Sonic constantly looks for Shadow or tries to get his attention. Because Sonic saw Shadow seemingly die once despite seeing how capable and strong he is by being an equal to him in Sonic Adventure 2, he looks out for Shadow to make sure that it doesn't happen again like it was mentioned in the Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story.

"Only the [moon] overlooking the bustling city seemed to be watching over that shadow forever and ever."

This can also explain why the two constantly rival each other at times since Sonic could be checking on Shadow's well-being, just like Shadow watches over Sonic's (Sonic Colors DS, Sonic Forces, Team Sonic Racing, Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story).

[Sonic Colors DS - Asteroid Coaster Mission 1]

[Sonic Colors DS - Asteroid Coaster Completing Mission 1]

[Sonic Colors DS - Shadow worried for Sonic's well-being after completing the mission]

[Sonic Colors DS - Asteroid Coaster Mission 2]

[Sonic Forces - Shadow Protects Sonic at Sunset Heights]

[Sonic Forces Episode Shadow - Shadow concerned for Sonic's safety]

[Team Sonic Racing - Shadow saw that Sonic was capable after racing him, so he says that he can join him in defeating Eggman]

[Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story - Shadow tests Sonic but also tries to get him away from joining him in his mission]

[Sonic doesn't listen or adhere to Shadow's wishes and goes to find what Shadow could be doing in order to help him]

[Both work together in sync to neutralize the bomb threat]

It has been stated and shown that Sonic and Shadow are the ones who understand each other the most. Though the both of them understand each other the most since their fight together as Supers in Sonic Adventure 2 and understand that they're capable, they both still look out for each other because of that understanding and care for one another. Perhaps it is due to the event of when they turned Super together, that they share an intimate relationship with each other as stated in the Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story. And from that event, also gained understanding, respect and care that formed from the events; from the Chaos Emeralds' miracle. At that moment, the Chaos Emeralds responded to Sonic and Shadow's wishes, which proves that both their thoughts, hopes and wishes were the same. Therefore, it is then that Sonic and Shadow knew for sure, that the other was like himself and that they both shared the same vision and beliefs. The Emeralds created a miracle and it is through that miracle their relationship was formed; their relationship is a miracle.

[Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story - Bottom Description]

[Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story]

[Explanation of the phrase "懐に入って来られる稀有（けう）な関係" used in the Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story Description that states their relationship is intimate]

After Shadow defeated the BioLizard with Sonic, in Japanese, Shadow asks if "this is enough" before falling to Earth and giving up/deciding to rest. Because Shadow ended up giving up and did not return to the ARK, along with Sonic being able to use a fake Chaos Emerald to do Chaos Control, perhaps that's why Shadow always thinks that he is below in capability to Sonic who never gives up and is capable of doing more than him, despite also knowing that they are equal in strength and speed.

Perhaps what Shadow finds himself inferior with is from thinking that he is not as good of a person as Sonic since he has made mistakes or didn't have the same drive as him. Therefore, perhaps that is why Shadow always tries to test to see if Sonic is up to par or is strong enough to take care of himself so that he stays safe and continues being alive as that good person. This also explains why Shadow was so concerned for Sonic in Sonic Forces when Infinite was going to go hurt Sonic. If Shadow couldn't take Infinite on despite being Sonic's equal and knowing that, that's why Shadow got concerned for Sonic's safety. It can be assumed that perhaps one of Shadow's missions in life is keeping Sonic safe or alive since he is a good person and someone he cares about deep down.

[Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story]

[Sonic Colors DS - Shadow implies that he leaves it to Sonic since he believes that Sonic can do better, even if they are of equal strength and speed]

But despite always checking up on one another, they don't only test each other's strengths when meeting each other. Sometimes, they seem to also play, like in Team Sonic Racing. This can be implied since Shadow said to Sonic that he didn't have time to play with him/entertain him/have the spare time/to be concerned for his well-being at the time due to having an important mission to uphold with Emerl. But perhaps even when they play, they still test each other's strengths in a certain manner, like with their driving skills in Team Sonic Racing.

[Sonic Battle - English]

[Team Sonic Racing - Sonic went to talk to Shadow and when asked about him, he laughs a little as he implies that he got Shadow to play with him through racing (which was on his top priority to think of since he mentioned that before what he learned about Eggman)]

[Team Sonic Racing]

There are times that Shadow tries to steer Sonic into the right direction of defeating the main threat, but he still in a way, gives Sonic a choice and Sonic readily accepts like in Sonic Colors DS when he tells Sonic to go fight Eggman and in Team Sonic Racing when he reminds Sonic about the main objective in defeating Eggman. Sonic also does this for Shadow, such as in Shadow the Hedgehog 2005 where Sonic tries to steer Shadow onto the path of good when he lost his memories. Even at the end, Sonic was willing to protect Shadow and the world by asking for the Chaos Emeralds from Shadow, though Shadow ended up being able to defeat Black Doom on his own despite not remembering everything.

[Sonic Colors DS - Shadow reminds Sonic to take care of Eggman]

[Team Sonic Racing - Shadow reminds Sonic about the threat of Eggman, even if he wants to play]

The both of them make up a whole like two sides of the same coin. Sonic and Shadow know this, but it is Shadow who is not ready to close that gap between them since he still sees himself as inferior to Sonic. But even so, Sonic continues to watch over Shadow, talk to him and wait for him until Shadow also accepts that he is the same as himself, that they're equal and that they can be on the same level/stage together as one. This is also why Sonic hints to Shadow that he is already his equal and is also a good person too in the Sonic x Shadow 2021 July Calendar Story. So when Shadow still tries to shy away or run away from being unable to accept that, Sonic gets disappointed, but he still continues to wait for him, watch over him and help him come to accept that he doesn't have to think of himself as an inferior to himself.

[lurkingshan]

I've been thinking a lot about the depictions of generational trauma and parental accountability being presented in dramas lately. Since you've watched way more than me, especially outside of BLs, what are some shows that present or include parental accountability?

This is such a good question and one I have been thinking about a lot since Last Twilight episode 10 aired. Westerners often assume that because of Asian cultural norms around filial piety, parental authority, and respect for elders, we can never expect satisfying parental accountability in our Asian drama narratives. But that's not true! It's been done and done well. It’s because these values are so deeply embedded in most Asian cultures that Asian creators are the best positioned to speak on the harms they can cause, and will often embed these themes in their work.

Now, there is an important distinction to make here: the difference between what characters do, and what the story communicates. A character may choose to abide by honoring their parents at all costs, but the story can still communicate how harmful that is. A character may never apologize for something they have done wrong, but the story can still make it clear they have fucked up and hold them accountable for that via tangible consequences. Here are a few examples from bl to illustrate what I mean, and the different ways this can show up in dramas.

Bad Buddy

One of the most obvious examples of parental accountability in genre, and also a pretty full metal version of it. This entire story is about the damage Ming and Dissaya did their sons with their decades-long feud and insistence on pushing that trauma down on their children, and we got some extremely cathartic scenes of Pat and Pran telling their parents exactly what they thought about that. Of course, even though they raged at their parents, they never got the apologies they deserved (and likely never will) and still had to hide their relationship to appease their parents going forward. But that doesn't mean there was no accountability here. The entire narrative held these parents accountable by showing us how they were harming their sons, forcing them to reckon with it, and ultimately showing them settling into a form of resigned acceptance.

Until We Meet Again

This entire show is about Korn and In's reincarnated souls healing from the trauma of their tragic ending, which was brought upon by the familial pressure and rejection they experienced from their fathers. We not only saw Dean and Pharm work through this trauma and forge new bonds with family members, we saw the direct aftermath of their first deaths, the despair and regret their families felt, and the ceremony that tied their souls together as a result. It's big karmic accountability on a grand scale, and the show never flinched from letting us see exactly how much harm was caused by these parents, or how the tenets of filial piety resulted in Korn's despair that he couldn't be what his father wanted. Even more crucially, we were shown, not just told, the counterpoint impact of good parenting, when Dean and Pharm were accepted by their families in their second life.

Blueming

A rare example of an Asian parent being called to the carpet, feeling the wrongness of their actions, and actually apologizing for it. This does in fact happen in drama! Si Won's mom raised him to hate himself, to be ashamed of his body, to fake his way through life so people would like him, and boy did it do a lot of damage. The story showed us how this affected Si Won and his relationships deeply, and brought him to the point where it finally burst out of him. And his mom, to her credit, was dismayed to understand what she had done to her son. This show also gets bonus points for Da Un standing up to his own mother after she interferes in the film contest.

Bed Friend

Uea's mother's sins against him are numerous, and I will not go into them all in detail to spare my own sanity. She is an abusive parent so horrific that she can never be forgiven, and doesn't need to be. An apology from her would be utterly meaningless. Instead, the drama holds her to account via showing us what she's done to Uea and the work he has to do to heal from the trauma she caused, and ultimately having her son cut her out of his life. It's the biggest consequence she can ever face for her choices and that Uea finds the courage to do it is the story's biggest triumph.

What Did You Eat Yesterday?

On the subtler end of the scale, we have our beloved KNT, which weaves parental accountability through its story in the long, slow journey for Shiro's mother to accept who he is and the partner he has chosen in life. What I love most about this particular depiction is that it's not at all linear in nature. We see her make strides by finally acknowledging Kenji and inviting him to her home, and then backtrack by rescinding the offer due to her own discomfort, and then include him in her family planning to ensure he will be cared for after her death. She’s homophobic and traditional, but she loves her son and sees how much happier he is with Kenji in his life. She is constantly reckoning with that tension. And Shiro and Kenji, being of an older generation themselves, don't hold it against her, even as the show makes sure we understand how much it hurts them. They are not okay with it, but they do understand why she's like this, so they take what she can give and forgive the rest. It's a really touching portrayal of this kind of impasse in a family.

Moonlight Chicken

There are several different vectors of parental accountability in MLC. There is Heart confronting his parents over their neglect and abuse and finally demanding to be treated with dignity. There is Li Ming directly calling out his mother for how her life choices have affected him. And there is Li Ming and his surrogate dad, Jim, working out their issues so that they can communicate better, and so that Jim can learn to stop pushing his own fears and anxiety down onto the next generation. All of it handled with deftness, with care, and with clear purpose to examine the ways intergenerational trauma can perpetuate in the absence of accountability.

[spiderfreedom]

my suffering is profound and legitimate, yours is frivolous nonsense

Just reading a blogger I like but I had to laugh because she was talking about how beauty practices are bad for women's mental health, and she left a note saying "unlike gender affirming care! gender affirming care improves people's mental health and it's nothing at all like cosmetic practices."

TIL, when an older woman gets botox to remove her wrinkles and avoid facing the inevitability of decline and death, her problem is spiritual/structural and she needs to Do The Work to deprogram her ageism, unlike people with dysphoria, who of course have legitimate claims to cosmetic alteration.

And it is cosmetic - no part of the body that is altered by HRT or SRS or any of the feminization/masculinization surgeries is failing to function or functioning poorly. The problem is with the brain, which perceives the body parts as foreign or undesirable. We may sympathize with someone struggling with such a condition, but that does not change that the body parts being altered were already healthy and the alterations are cosmetic, and the relief being brought about is mental.

But plenty of trans people openly admit that separating body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria is a losing game. Contrapoints's video on "Beauty" (transcript) has the observation that she feels least dysphoric when she is meeting feminine beauty norms:

But I also think that trans people often talk like gender dysphoria is this intrinsic, personal experience that's always 100% valid and never has anything at all to do with the external pressure of beauty standards. But in fact, gender dysphoria is not sealed away in a vacuum away from the influence of societal ideals and norms.  [...] When I try to psychoanalyze myself, I find that my desires to look female, to look feminine, and to look beautiful are not exactly the same, but they're woven together so tightly that it's kind of difficult to untangle them. And the opposite is also true, that for me feeling mannish or dysphoric usually goes along with feeling ugly. I don't have a lot of days where I walk out the house thinking "well, I'm giving femme queen realness, but apart from that I look like absolute shit". 

Max Robinson's book "Detransition," from an FTM perspective, points out how the prospective trans man views his suffering as unique from and distinct from women's, even as the surgeries they seek are not especially different:

The stereotypical cosmetic surgery patient is seeking to become closer to being perfectly feminine - she wants to be beautiful. Transitional cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, is widely understood to mark the patient as ex-female and therefore unfemale; this is part of the meaning FTMs seek to create through surgery. FTM desire for cosmetic surgery is positioned as something totally different than the stereotype of a woman who 'merely' seeks beauty at her frivolous leisure. FTMs are deemed to have a rare affliction that needs urgent, life-saving treatment. Conversely, there is nothing more common than for a woman to become obsessed with her socially-deemed 'unsatisfactory' looks and desperately seek to change them, believing that such a change is the only thing that can restore her quality of life. This comparison will feel like an insult to the FTM. It will feel that way because we believe other women's suffering doesn't matter, and recognize how much ours does. Women's suffering is ordinary but ours is extraordinary. For us to matter, we must be differentiated from the silly little woman who wants to be pretty so badly she'll pay thousands of dollars (now billable to credit cards and loan programs designed to pay for elective surgeries!) to risk her life and health. These women don't need to be fixed; we do. FTMs know that we don't deserve a woman's fate but have not yet realized that no woman does.

I have more to write on the topic of the relationship between gender identity and beauty culture, but I'll end this one here. It makes sense that somebody who is identified with the opposite sex would also be affected by the standards of beauty expected of that sex. (Non-binary identification is more complicated and requires separate treatment.)

[litnerdwrites]

Day 12 of ACOTAR Games: This or That

Who deserves to get their lick in the most?

Tamlin: For destruction of Spring

Kallias: For Winter children massacre (considering none of us believe the unnamed daemati theory)

Your contenders: @achaotichuman @umthisistheonlyusernamenottaken

On penalty: @fenrysmoonbeamswife @gwandas @positivelyruined @hrizantemy @yaralulu

Oooh, this is a tough one. If I have to pick between them, I'd say Tamlin.

I don't think anybody escaped UTM unscathed, psychologically, physically, or morally. However, that doesn't make people any less responsible for their actions during that time, and this applies to any of the High Lords or their courts, or whomever else was there.

Amarantha SA'd Rhysand, nobody's saying that isn't true, however Rhysand chose to make himself Amarantha's... I guess accomplice is the best term I can come up with? Rhysand claims that he was a double agent. That he did things that he, apparently, didn't want to do (and this is outside of Amarantha SAing him) in her name, to earn her favour, while keeping Velaris secret the whole time, all so he could, eventually, take her out. Amarantha, supposedly, never saw through this. However, that doesn't make Rhysand not accountable for everything he did in her name.

Now, the second, secret daemati thing doesn't really make sense. It only brings up more questions.

Who were they?

What happened to them?

Where are they now?

Why didn't they figure out you were holding all of the minds of the people from the CONs that were there with him?

Why didn't he read the minds of anyone else there, or even Rhys himself, to learn about his inner circle?

Even if we assume nobody knew who his IC was (which is pretty much impossible, given the HL meeting alone implies they've met other HLs before. Or, at the very least, Baron, Helion, and Kallias all knew about Mor and them plus Tarquin must know about Cassian), wouldn't that mystery daemati go into Rhys' mind and find out they exist?

If people do know they exist, and unanimously agreed to keep it a secret, somehow, wouldn't Amarantha remember them? Or Mor, at least, since she was the only female who fought in the war?

If they are still alive, why didn't they make an appearance?

Why do we not even hear a name, description, or find out if they went back to Hybern?

Why do all the HLs think it was Rhys? If it wasn't, then why not give the credit to said unnamed daemati? Why blame him? Why not reveal more details to the other HLs either in their minds, or later.

And then some.

Blaming it on a mysterious, unnamed daemati doesn't absolve him of his part as Amarantha's laky, and it's highly possible the winter children's deaths is only the beginning of the atrocities he committed in her name. And Rhysand is responsible for his part in all of them.

However, the Spring Court was Feyre's doing. If I can remember right, and please let me know if I don't, Rhys wasn't aware of Feyre's plan. She went with Tamlin on the fly, communicated what she could part way, but ultimately acted on her own.

Her actions lead to the deaths of civilians and soldiers alike. Those unable to flee were left destitute, captured (either by Hybern or someone else), with dead friends and family, etc. Feyre is responsible for the deaths of mothers, sons, sisters, fathers, brothers, husbands, wives, cousins, friends, and so many more. Not only that, but it opened the door for Hybern to attack Summer, that had just taken in many refugees from spring, and give them an opening to the human lands, who would be defenceless.

Both Rhysand and Feyre are responsible for the deaths of many innocent people (including children), and while we don't have the exact numbers over all, it's not small.

There's also the fact that Feyre had nothing to do with what Rhys did UTM before she arrived, or even what he did to her. Him SAing her isn't her fault, nor is him twisting her bone, or making her dance/dress that way.

Rhys also appears to have had little to do with Feyre destroying Spring. He's responsible for his reaction to it, and for supporting her petty revenge, much like Feyre would be responsible for supporting Rhysand's actions utm, under the guise of it having 'noble intentions' or whatever. But their actions themselves are their own responsibility.

Ultiamtly, I think the one who deserves to unleash their rightious anger the most is Tamlin. However, Kallias is a very, very close second.

Feyre's actions not only hurt Tamlin (which I feel like was her only end goal, really) but got civilians and soldiers killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. They were left with nothing, and forced to flee to summer, who took them in, only to be attacked soon after by Hybern, due to Feyre, where more people died. She also screwed over the humans by giving Hybern direct access to them, as well.

While Rhysand's part in the massacre of those children (regardless of if it was him or someone else) is horrific, it was contained to the Winter Court.

Feyre not only hurt Tamlin, but screwed over civilans, summer, and the humans. If Summer would've fallen, so would winter, autumn, and then the solar courts. I also believe Rhys' support in Feyre's actions, without considering the civilians that would suffer, or the far reaching, inter-court consequences, is further proof that he could give less of a shit about those who suffer as a result of his actions, including the winter children, because he justifies them in his head.

Though, if I didn't have to pick between them, I think the people who have the biggest right to unleash righteous fury upon Feysand are the parents of the winter children that were massacred anybody who lost family or friends in the attacks on Spring and Summer by Hybern, both of which are a result of Feysand's actions.

(Note: Did I explain any of this well? I feel like I struggled with articulating this one)

[starlightshadowsworld]

I don't think we talk enough about how traumatising the memory erased stuff is.

Like how hard must it have been for everyone to suddenly realise years of their lives were missing.

To just come to the chilling realisation someone up until an hour ago was your friend.

Has caused the apocalypse.

You think your a first year high school student but nope.

Turns out you've already graduated.

Do they even know how old they are?

You don't know what's changed in your life, what hasn't.

Byakuya's whole family company is gone.

Makoto won't know if Komaru is alive for a long time.

... Are they the only ones left?

Food's suddenly an issue.

They have nowhere else to go.

Makoto has to carry on like his friends didn't just try and kill him.

Everyone else is gone.

They won but... Did they?

And that's just the first game, the Remnants are on a whole other level.

They've caused genocide.

Killed family, friends.

And don't know who or if anyone's left.

Hajime basically lost himself and his own identity for who knows how many years and he's just supposed to just... Exist like nothing happened.

It's like waking up from a nightmare and realising it was all true.

And they don't know what their forgetting or even if they want to remember.

All of them are alive but... Is that good?

They all know who killed them, and have to go on like they didn't.

And their alive...

Nagito's back in a body that's still sick.

Does Nekomaru have a body?

Hell, Sonia's country doesn't exist anymore.

And if I'm remembering correctly, Chiaki's still gone...

... Fucking glad Makoto was here at the end to do damage control because holyshit.

He's already gone through all of this and now is helping them get through it.

Which is great but also means he went through it alone.

Komaru has all her memories in tact but has to constantly choose her words.

Lest she sends Makoto or anyone of the other survivors into a crisis.

And than you have what may be the worse case, V3.

Because Shuichi doesn't even know if anythings real anymore.

Is he real?

Is his name Shuichi Saihara?

How many times has he died?

Is this the real world? What even is the real world?

Am I even a detective? Is all of my personality fake? Who am I? What was made for the show and what's real?

Does it even matter?

Do I have a family? How old am I? How long is 53 seasons? Are my friends still my friends, are they the same?

Is any of this real? Am I real?

If V3 ends like Danganronpa 2 did, is Kaede alive?

Do they remember each other? Is Kaito still sick?

Was Tsumugi ever a friend?

And again, knowing exactly who killed who.

..... You know people give Junko a lot of credit for causing despair.

As she deserves.

But her boyfriend deserves just as much because... Holyshit my dude this is sick.

Her boyfriend was, Yasuke Matsuda the Ultimate Neurologist.

Aka the dude responsibile for all the memory wipes.

Shame she killed him because talk about a power couple.

Causing the end of the world and lasting trauma to everyone involved.

Makoto gonna have to go give everuone therapy while also desperately needing therapy.

[crow-caller]

A lot of terrible ideas have a nugget of a good idea in them. Of the terrible books you've read, which one stands out as the most, "if someone less insane and better at writing got a hold of this idea, it could be quite good"?

There's few books I've covered which I don't think this about! The more bombastic failures often are the ones I see more potential, as opposed to more commonplace sucking (we can't improve hush hush. let's just leave it)

REAPER'S CREEK! It haunts me how much potential there is to explore what the book almost does: what if you were 12, abused, and learned you could rewrite all of existence to be anything you wanted? That's the premise of the book, and it serves as a clear power fantasy for the author I'm not sure he ever separated himself from. The odd choices later made by the god-kid protagonist reflect the fact he Can't grow up- there's absolute horror there. He can have everything he wants, forever: how is he meant to grow or mature? He accidentally removes his mother's eyes and makes her love him anyway. He maybe forces a girl he has a crush on to love him. He removes his best friend's free will. The book (unfortunately) deserves more credit than I think it gets for engaging with these themes at all, but it does it so badly when it could be really good. Child abuse as a cudgel which traps someone perpetually in childhood even when it becomes detrimental to them becoming an adult

PERFECTED! A book about human pets is a really good idea and that's why it has existed before and will again. There's so many angles to explore this, whether it be the personhood of the inhuman or the dehumanization of the oppressed. The culture and history of how this becomes normalized could be fascinating social commentary. You could let Missy live. This one you'd need to scrap like, the entire plot and most of the concept, but you could still stick to the 'wealthy luxury humanoid pets for the mega-elite raised to know no other life' basis.

TENDER IS THE FLESH This is my most controversial review and look, I wish I'd gone into more detail too, but I still don't like the book. But it's obviously a great concept, like Perfected, about a world where eating human flesh has become normalized. Tender just really failed to execute the deeper themes of capitalism and dehumanization in my opinion but the concept is very solid. This is why it's a concept that exists in many other pieces of media. We love cannibalism.

THE COMMAND MENT! Okay, again we would be doing such radical change it wouldn't be the same thing, but the idea of 'we proved god is real so we invented a vaccine to keep his influence out of our brains' is really really funny and could be interesting. This could probably happen in FL.

FALLEN! The rare 'very generic para-ro' entry, but Fallen actually has potential it nearly explores about reincarnation horror. I've been really into the idea of a para-ro twist based on Fallen, where someone learns they're the reincarnated true love of an angel, destined to meet and be together... but then realizes (as she does in the book!) every time the angel meets her, he causes her death, usually at age 16. Suddenly his pledges to be together, the fact he remembers when she doesn't, becomes sinister. he loves her so much he can't stop killing her.

[rose-morose]

I finished Harley Quinn, and I've got to rant about Kite Man for a second

(Harley Quinn spoilers and very very long and bitter hatred under the cut)

it fucking boggles my mind that Poison Ivy would go out with this rich, incompetent, ignorant, heteronormative, entitled, arrogant, borderline, if not outright, misogynistic trust fund child who is a massive cunt, and seemingly the antithesis of everything that she stands for

most of the time she seems to find his clumsy and ignorant conduct to be endearing, which is actually understandable, but beyond that and a positive review of the sex (I think I can't remember) it kind of seemed like she wasn't fully invested in their relationship

this isn't even a "she's out of his league" thing either, he is just genuinely a terrible terrible person, and I think many people give him far more credit than he deserves

putting aside his goofy kite motif, his naive demeanour, and his clumsy antics he just has a dull shitty personality

when they first met, Kite Man spent an entire evening making unwelcome advances on Ivy despite her clear and succinct rejections of every effort he made, stole from her, and then he took Ivy asking him for an emergency ride back to her apartment to literally save the lives of children that HE poisoned for no reason as not only validation of his relentless advances, but the beginning of what he believed to be a "date" in his deluded rotting brain

upon arriving at her apartment, unprompted, he disrobed and waited for her in her bedroom to have sex, and when Ivy asked him why, his response was along the lines of 'that's usually what happens after a great date when you go back to the girl's place'

Ivy was understandably upset by this, so what happened? what changed? in what mad world is this given any amount of consideration to even be tolerable, let alone acceptable behaviour?

"I'll do all the heavy lifting so you don't have to break a nail." fuck this twat he sucks, and this is only episode 2, the first fucking episode that he is in

"I'll protect us babe!" dude fuck right off she is literally the most powerful person in the room

"If my girlfriend sees me hanging out with you hot young coeds she is going to be green with envy." people still call women attending uni "coeds" that's fucking insane, someone just put me out of my fucking misery

HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HER FUCKING NAME! "Poison Gertrude Ivy" 0/3 fucker not even remotely close, and he doesn't learn her name until after the third fucking time he asks her to marry him

so what if it's played as a joke, it's still true

what am I missing here? why is this guy getting a pass, not just from Ivy, but from the fandom at large? why is there such widespread admiration of this asshole?

I tried watching the Kite Man spinoff show to figure out what people see in him, but it honestly just made him look even worse if that's possible, and while the entire show has not yet been released, it is set after the conclusion of Kite Man and Ivy's relationship so it's not even that relevant

if anyone from the Harley Quinn show deserves a spinoff it isn't this cunt

this shitty excuse of a human being maps out their entire future without consulting Ivy, self admittedly stalked her, constantly does things that she explicitly asks him not to do (admittedly Harley is also guilty of this), mansplains simple bullshit to her constantly, and takes not even the slightest bit of interest in anything remotely associated with Poison Ivy, he doesn't even really seem to know that much about her

on paper I can't see why the hell she even seems to like him at all seeing as she repeatedly rebuffed his initial unwelcome attempts to hit on her, was embarrassed to be seen in public with him, did not tell anybody she was dating him, constantly comments on how fucking stupid he is, rejected him every time he tried to take the next step in their relationship, and before they got together the nicest thing she had ever said to him was along the lines of, 'you're almost tolerable when you are completely silent' and yet in practice Ivy seems to be very loving and affectionate towards him, she even attributes her recent bout of happiness to him

yet Kite Man himself admits that he had to repeat every step of their relationship over and over and over again because she constantly rejected him at every turn

and she was the only one putting any effort into their relationship, always doing things to make him more comfortable or happy and in return occasionally getting a ride and that's it, he just breaks down and starts crying when anything doesn't go his way

Poison Ivy deserves so much better than this cunt who weaselled his way into her life, not the other way around

I saw something from a showrunner about how this iteration of Poison Ivy has self esteem issues that may have lead her to date someone who isn't worthy of her just because he was nice to her, but I don't see how he was nice to her

he's usually polite, sure, but he is super misogynistic, he asks her to drop her name to get things that he wants, he is super arrogant and full of himself, and he seems to objectify her every time he tries to give her a compliment

and that hardly explains why so many fans are all for this terrible relationship, normally supporting unhealthy relationships in media because you want to see them improve and evolve is fun, but this guy does not change, he doesn't even think that he needs to change

and I think most of the show's fans are for Harlivy, which is a relationship that isn't super healthy but is compelling and improving and is fun to root for, but why do I see so many people saying that the writers should have kept going with Kite Man and Ivy?

I don't think it's outright homophobia, or at least the majority isn't homophobia, but I just don't get it

now did Kite Man deserve to be cheated on? I don't think so, that's just a pretty shitty thing to do to someone, but why the fuck was he even here in the first place?

I guess the heart wants what the heart wants or she didn't think she deserved better or whatever, but fuck why does anyone tolerate this asshole? is incompetence really that charming?

maybe I just don't get it because I'm aroace, but regardless of what you think of the relationship or the character, Kite Man is undoubtably a shit person and a complete asshole, that doesn't make him a bad character, just a bad person, and I wish more people that liked him as a character would recognise that, it's fine to like characters that are bad people, but don't outright deny it

just my final thoughts, I would love to take this opportunity to assure all 0 readers that have made it this far that I am not genuinely upset and do not take issue with people that like a fictional character that I don't like ok thanks bye

rant over

[autumn-foxfire]

Up to movie 22! I can't believe I'm almost at 23, the best DC movie. But I still have this one to get through first.

Of course Shinichi knows the record for the highest a drone can fly. The king of weird facts.

It's too early in the movie for you two to look pretty. Not fair.

We're starting off with a very violent explosion I see.

Or, Agasa, you should tecach the children to take turns like a normal person would.

Well that isn't good news for Amuro. If Ai noitced, you know that the BO did too. Is this going to have BO involvement?

The synopsis did say Kogoro was framed. I have to wonder how they managed to achieve that, however.

She deserves the world. Gosho, you should give her the world.

This episode shows you why the police aren't your friends. Also why is Ran calling Shinichi and NOT ERI. ONE OF THEM IS A LAYWER AND HER MOTHER.

This movie already is getting on my nerves.

Shinichi, Amuro has always been your adversary. He almost fucked up your plan with Akai for a personal grudge. He almost got Ai killed (someone you said you would protect with your life). I'm sorry, but I really hate how lightly Shinichi treats Amuro when other people have gotten his scorn for less actions.

Finally, Ran remembered her mother is a lawyer and went to her. Who she should have gone to first but we gotta push the bad romance~

Awww, thank you Agasa for reminding Shinichi not to take it out on Ai.

Ran, trust your mother's judgement. She is the lawyer. She knows what she's doing.

So Nasa is known as Nazu in DCMK.

Honestly, I think they should let Shinichi be more pissed off.

LMAO I do love Azusa shutting down Amuro's comment about being a good wife. She's not for it. She only cares about profits.

Shinichi, you should recognize the "I'm just going to the toilet" excuse for what it is. This is just embarrassing for you.

Does this man not change his suit?

Shinichi, why are you admitting your crimes to a police officer? Your lucky he won't do anything about it but what you just did was a crime that could get you in a lot of shit.

Shinichi isn't even bothering to be "shinichi" to tell the truth.

Ran don't get flustered about that. If Shinichi is a decent person, he would do this without any connection. Also Shinichi can you fucking NOT insult Ran. It's not playful when you do it to her because you're an ass to her and you genuinely do treat her like an idiot who doesn't deserve to know as much as you do.

Sorry, I'm just realising why I don't see many people talk about this film unlike the others.

Shinichi entered the matrix.

Pile ups are becoming common in Detective Conan movies.

Of course Ran is where the danger is. Can't have a movie without her being a damsel in distress who needs to be saved by Shinichi!

CAN WE FUCKING NOT. Sorry I'm throwing up because they're also making Eri a school girl whose blushing over being protected by Kogoro (who is also in danger but is calm because the men get to be cool).

I'm sure this tall place won't be in any danger at all. None at all :)

I wonder if these public security know that they're using children to fly a drone to "defend this country".

"I tried to ruin a family for my petty revenge." God this movie is fully of bad people, isn't it. Amuro and her would get on great though.

Imagine being a part of this evacuation though. You were told to go somewhere safe and then the police go "lol we made a mistake, this place is where the actual danger is".

Genuinely, I really hate the contrived danger they put Ran in so they can have Shinichi be all worried about her and not the thousands of other lives in danger as well.

Give a cheer for Amuro's car, the true MVP in this movie.

Fuck. Off.

Shinichi: Do you have a girlfriend, Amuro?

Amuro: Shinichi, I'm gay, just like you.

Shinichi: I'm what?

They're being very obnoxious with the "Ran"s this movie, aren't they.

LMAO I find it kind of funny how pushed the romance was this movie and they just showed the conclusion in the ending credits which was just Shinichi going "Oh, glad you're alright."

[swalker2000]

Well, I have watched the movie twice, so here's my full review of Despicable Me 4!

MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!

Man, I can't believe this huge wait is finally over. I'm gonna miss the excitement and anticipation, until something else in this franchise is announced I guess lol.

As for the movie itself, I dunno know where to start

DM4, as a concept, is perfect for this franchise. All the family going undercover and being placed into witness protection right after Gru and Lucy welcome a biological baby, and then taking on new identities? Think of the potential! How can this possibly go wrong!?

Well, when we then start incorporating Mega Minion scenes, and Poppy and her parents, and then following a villain alongside all of that. That's how it goes wrong.

All of the ideas for brilliant scenes following the family, developing the characters and expanding on them as people, are rushed through so fast that it felt like they barely even happened. Margo struggling to fit in? Over in a second. Gru and Lucy starting new jobs? Over in a second. Edith and Agnes causing mayhem in their karate class? Over in a second.

Don't get me wrong, these are all AMAZING scenes, especially that karate class one! But again, the chance to really explore these characters is squandered because it felt like the movie was glossing through all of it as fast as possible, just to fit in all the other aspects of this REALLY bloated plot. I enjoyed myself watching those scenes yes, but when I return to this movie in the future, I'm always gonna be left feeling like I just want MORE of them. I'm gonna wear them all out FAST 😅

I also have to be honest. I didn't like Poppy. I wish Illumination would stop pointlessly introducing new characters like her and instead just focus on the amazing ones they already have, especially when we had the baby introduced too. Why not just age Edith up a bit and then have her go on that school heist with him? Would've been more faithful to the franchise imo.

The Mega Minions were also COMPLETELY pointless. Why not just make an entire spin-off movie surrounding this concept? Then, it won't interfere with the pacing of a movie that's also trying to follow the family, a new villain, AND Poppy!

Then, there's the ending. Once again, the concept is AWESOME, the idea of all the past villains coming back that is. But the execution is just...what? Why the heck is Gru singing and being all buddy-buddy with the guy who just stole his baby and turned him into a human-cockroach hybrid, before trying to kill Gru and raise his child as his own? Like, that JUST happened? Excuse me!?

The final fight was also SUCH a mixed bag. In comparison to the past movies, this one doesn't even come close. Gru Junior revolting against Maxime after his dad says he loves him is adorable and a strong moment, but a lot of what leads up to and then follows that is kinda stupid. Didn't really get the same level of anxiety as I did watching DM1 or DM2, or even DM3 for that matter. I guess I just don't buy Maxime as a villain AT ALL.

All I'll say is, that karate class scene and the supermarket scene and the parts where the family are being moved into their new home are the true redeeming moments that save this movie. They're the only parts I'm excited to rewatch again and again and again. The karate scene especially, which reminds me...

Edith getting her own little subplot and attention put a gigantic smile on my face. This movie deserves MASSIVE credit for that, and I don't wanna understate how much I appreciated it! She's SUCH a fantastic character, and when she's given a chance to shine, she definitely✨SHINES✨!! It makes me crave a mini-movie centered around her even more. Out of the gorls, she's been the most ignored in recent times, and this one was an improvement from the last two movies in that regard, even if the gorls in general were still somewhat sidelined.

Speaking of those three, this movie completely neglected the idea of them being concerned that Gru and Lucy would start favoring Gru Jr. as their biological child, and then them both reassuring them otherwise and displaying how much they truly love them. It's a perfect idea that's RIGHT THERE.

This franchise desperately needs a TV series following the family. Like, DESPERATELY!!!

4/10

[butterflydm]

wot rewatch 1x2: shadow's waiting

Continuing my pre-s2 rewatch with the second episode, Shadow's Waiting. <3

spoilers for all of season one plus through The Fires of Heaven in the book series

The way the Whitecloaks are set up here does feel like Rafe & co were pulling a lot from how they were portrayed in New Spring, where the newly-raised Sisters get warned that an arrow in the back kills Aes Sedai as easily as anyone else. But this cold-open is brutal and also sets up the stakes for Moiraine later in the episode - this is the kind of death she would get from Valda if he were able.

Valda's special bird breakfast was a gift from the "Lord" to congratulate him on his "victory". Which Lord? Presumably not Bornhald, given the way he behaves around Valda later. The victory is, presumably, the capture of this poor Yellow Ajah Sister.

Since I was recently thinking about forkroot in my story... I wonder if it'll get introduced via the Whitecloaks in the show. Ronde was a Yellow's eyes-and-ears in Amadicia (Whitecloak country). But I don't think the Whitecloaks have forkroot yet, or he would have just dosed Egwene with it when he has her prisoner.

I love the credits sequence so much. <3

The scenery is just so gorgeous.

It makes a lot of sense that the kiddos don't challenge Moiraine until after they've both a. reached a measure of safety by being on the other side of the river and b. saw what happened with the ferry. They are village kids and the ruthless calculus of war is not something they've had to think about in their lives. Of course they'll think "there had to be a better way".

So now all the kids have a chance to breathe and to actually think. Rand wants a plan so that they can try to keep each other safe if that stops being a priority of Moiraine's -- and that is a worry of his that kinda does get proven true at the end of the season when the Red Ajah is sent after Mat by Moiraine.

Poor Rand is also very much not ready to think about one of them being the Dragon especially because, well, he's already suspecting that it would be him and desperately not wanting it to be.

And Egwene is already embracing the idea that maybe it is one of them, so maybe they can help save people.

Mat trying to break the tension and play peacemaker.

Here is where we get the difference between Egwene and the others -- it isn't that they doubt Moiraine and she doesn't, it's that Egwene gets an explanation when she expresses her doubts to Moiraine during their nighttime conversation. Moiraine actually walks Egwene through her thought process here so that Egwene will understand why she made the choices that she did.

Moiraine's explanation of the Oaths also puts Valda's "victory" from the cold open into perspective -- unless she knew her life was in imminent danger, that Yellow Aes Sedai could not use the One Power against Valda. Some "victory".

Moiraine must have been so relieved when she realized that Egwene can channel. It made it that much more likely that they were lucky enough to have the Dragon reborn as someone who would not fall to the corruption. Like, I 100% understand why Moiraine wants Egwene to be TDR but, in her eagerness to have the less dangerous choice as the Dragon, she treated the qualms of the boys too carelessly and dismissively. They all deserved the explanation that she was willing to give Egwene.

Poor Rand. Poor Egwene. I understand both sides of this -- Egwene was seeking familiar comfort but... you literally JUST broke up with him. Rand is not being an "asshole" to want some space.

Moiraine is demanding information but not giving them sufficient answers when Rand tries to press her in return. And tbh I think part of Egwene's anger here is because Rand rejected her last night and she's hurt over it. But Mat is the one who is able to talk Rand down and get him to play ball.

Once again, how similarly Rand and Egwene are costumed really stands out -- brown coat over a blue top. Mirrors! Co-protagonists!

The encounter with the Whitecloaks accomplishes several things: we see that the Whitecloaks feel free to act as an authority in lands that are not their own; Valda sees their faces so that he'll recognize Perrin & Egwene later; and we see that there are other Whitecloaks who appear to disagree with at least some of Valda/the Questioners beliefs (Bornhald telling Moiraine to seek out Aes Sedai healing). Plus there's a lot of tension in the scene because we saw the cold open.

Love the Manetheren song scene. And it's another example of Mat working to help the emotional state of the group. And I love hearing the story from Moiraine. I teared up on rewatch too.

Timing note: "I haven't seen any Trollocs for days", Lan says.

Again, we get to Rand and Egwene's further discussion and I can see both sides: Rand would like to be given space to process but Egwene wants reassurances that in a world that has changed so much Rand still cares about her. But Egwene has been the one sending mixed signals, not Rand. I understand why she has but it was definitely absolutely baffling to me when I hopped online and saw Rand being taken to task for holding on and being 'clingy'.

Perrin gets wolf healing and we get a hint here that Something Supernatural is up with Perrin but it's now been explicitly linked to wolves.

Love pretty much the entire Shadar Logoth section and Mat is a lot less randomly treasure-hungry and naive in this version. It accomplishes what it needs to do in splitting the party and there's a great creepy vibe.

It also gives us some nice character moments. Perrin and Mat's conversation about Laila is really sweet, and again shows us that Mat is very emotionally sensitive to others. And Rand and Egwene's silent moment together is also sweet.

Rand really likes to go the high places to think. Chills on the mountain in the first episode and seeks out a tower with the view of the dead city in this one.

Giving Perrin a weapon that is primarily a tool is also very thematic for him. That's part of the struggle for him -- between choosing a weapon that he sees only as a weapon and one that is primarily a tool but can be used as a weapon if needed. Knife here rather than a hammer but it still fits the themes for Perrin.

So many of the criticisms of the show baffled me and here's another one: did the people who said it was "too clean" watch past the big village festival? They are showing wear and tear already and it gets worse in upcoming episodes.

Poor horse. Being eaten by a tendril of darkness and dissolving into dust seems a rough way to go.

I also like the choice of darkness as opposed to fog, partly so that people don't associate the fog of the Heroes of the Horn with Shadar Logoth lol.

Party split successfully accomplished!

Weapon as tool: we see Rand use his sword not as a sword but as a crowbar to help him and Mat escape Shadar Logoth.

And Nynaeve (not dead) shows up as our surprise ending!

<3 <3 <3 <3

[foulfirerebel]

True Weiss has tried to figure out “what comes next” but she can only even ask that question now that Salem got rid of Jacques, had Salem not targeted atlas he’d still be in charge,

As for the white fang, they haven’t actually progressed,

They stopped Adam and put ghira in charge again, basically resetting things back to how they where before sienna took over as in, the times Blake expressly told us weren’t working

Okay. I suppose this won't convince you of anything, but I'll take this one step at a time.

"True Weiss has tried to figure out “what comes next” but she can only even ask that question now that Salem got rid of Jacques, had Salem not targeted atlas he’d still be in charge."

Salem was going to target Atlas regardless, so that point is moot. Secondly, Ironwood already threatened Jacques that if he stepped out of line or got on his bad side he'd depose him in Volume 4. And to round things out, Salem's faction only gave Jacques enough rope to hang himself with given that his abusive behavior would've come to light eventually.

How do we know this? Willow planted cameras all over the mansion in case she ever needed to leave or bring things to the authorities, she only gets the courage to do so because WEISS came back and HELPED start the investigation AND also figured something was up.

The idea that Salem somehow helped things along is ridiculous, given that her motive and strategy is always divide and conquer WHICH WAS WORKING had Team RWBY not investigated into things further circa V7.

In short, Jacques already had plenty of enemies, Salem doesn't deserve any credit for his takedown, as he would've been brought down eventually.

~

"They stopped Adam and put Ghira in charge again, basically resetting things back to how they where before sienna took over as in, the times Blake expressly told us weren’t working."

As for the White Fang, yes they have progressed. They aren't at a "back to square one" situation just because Ghira took charge. Ghira himself says as much in V5, that Blake taught him the value of forgiveness with Illia and something that he should've realized regarding Sienna. Plus, Sienna and Ghira weren't enemies. Ghira even calls Sienna reasonable in V4 and respects that she's fighting for the Faunus, even if they disagree on methods.

Plus, the Faunus KNOW they cannot stay out of the literal fight for the world's sake otherwise things will stay stagnant and get WORSE for the Faunus. That's why they stopped Adam's militant group from literally ATTACKING ANOTHER SCHOOL.

You really think that letting Adam run rampant was going to change anything? That's letting a violent terrorist basically be the only face of resistance against oppression, and guess what? Normal people don't like that. There's propaganda at play when it comes to fighting oppression, sure, but there NEEDS to be a pushback when things go too far from within the movement before said extremism becomes its face.

Also, I'm sorry but where did Ghira say they were going to go back to square one? All they said was there was work to be done, and they all fought off Adam's White Fang when they tried to literally assassinate the Belladonna's and blow Haven up. Tell me, truly, how were either of those two actions Adam's faction took going to help Faunus at all?

Adam needed to be stopped before he further went rampant and tarnished people's legacies and names. Because when all you have is a violent extremist representing you, that's all people see. You need to have a variety of tactics and people to encourage betterness in society and people.

And standing on the sidelines wasn't working, clearly. Also, the reason why progress is slow on that front is because comms are still down. They stopped the White Fang and saved Haven from destruction, sure, but that's one Kingdom. There is work to be done across the world and that's going to take time.

Time they won't have if Salem isn't defeated.

~

And before you try me with the whole "Well, why didn't our heroes try anything against Ironwood or Atlas or Jacques?" Because:

They have no authority to make any moves. Blake has pull in the Faunus circles, sure, but outside Menagerie she's effectively nobody. With the communications still down, they can't effectively organize. Likewise, our heroes aren't in any position of power and don't have any real sway over people that Atlas or Mantle would recognize.

To add to the above, Weiss had her inheritence to the Schnee fortune and name stripped in V4. There goes any kind of pull over anyone in Atlas that they may recognize.

Also. People may not know Weiss has changed. They may still associate her with Jacques and her pompous attitude.

When our heroes DO have pull over people, they are refugees abandoned by Atlas who have nowhere to go now and require aid from the Faunus in the Crater. That's working alongside Robyn Hill's Happy Huntresses, who people are far more willing to hear out.

They barely got into Mantle before being arrested. They were forced into stealing an airship in V6 due to Cordo not listening to them. They stopped a whole pack of Sabyrs when they first came in, and got arrested afterward.

They need to work WITH Ironwood in order to figure out what to do about the oncoming threat of Salem. Had they refused, as Ironwood cleanly demonstrated at the end of V7, he can trump charges up and have them all placed under arrest as he attemped to black bag Robyn Hill too.

In the meantime, they do try to sway his opinion. They do push him away from martial law, they adamantly suggest working with Robyn Hill and the Happy Huntresses, and they're the ones that oust Jacques and get the evidence he's working with Watts.

Further, their plan actually works. It's only a stroke of bad luck in V8 that prevented everyone from evacuating safely and Ironwood's continued insistence on fascist bullshit.

To tie that back to point 1 as a final comment: Jacques is a businessman whom holds a lot of cards in Atlas. Taking him down isn't as simple as killing him, because then the assassin looks the part of the villain unless they bring proof of villainy to people that are willing to properly assess the evidence.

Which they did in V7.

Salem isn't an agent of change, she's a force of destruction and domination that seeks only the world's end. As people like @matrixdragon, @citadelofmythoughts, and others have said: our heroes have multitasked on this front, hence why they repeatedly tried brokering peace between Mantle and Atlas, stopping Adam's attack, etc.

Just because they are trying to focus on the literal end of the world doesn't mean they don't keep things like this in mind.

If they didn't, then maybe you'd be correct. But they did. So you're not.

Good day to you.

[eagna-eilis]

The metaphysical mechanics of Anakin's Force Ghost are the single biggest mystery of the period between RotJ and TFA to me.

If he can Force Ghost, or at least sometimes, then what governs what he can and cannot do, and who he can or cannot speak with?

If he can appear to others the way Obi Wan, Qui Gon, Yoda, and eventually Luke can, it makes very little emotional sense unless something is blocking him.

I like to think that Anakin, in death, had enough respect for Leia not to appear to her. His actions killed her real mam and dad, the people who raised her into a kind, strong person with integrity in every step. He tortured her, he destroyed her homeworld and her culture. He wouldn't be so stupid as to think that a nice father-daughter chat would solve everything.

I like to think that he loves her from an observational distance, and brims with pride at every step she takes for the galaxy that he injured gravely and so nearly destroyed. So like Padmé, her justice-seeking Naberrie qualities nurtured like rare orchids by Bail and Breha, who were themselves so principled and just. Anakin might also see the ways in which she is not like any of the senators or royalty who made her who she is. He might want to take credit for the parts of her that are so brave, so impassioned, so willing to challenge any authority she sees as unworthy or unjust. Obi-Wan told her, when she was very young, that this was her inheritance from Anakin. But Leia doesn't want anything from him, and he understands. So he spends time watching, in grieving pride, at what his daughter became in spite of him.

I also like to think that at a certain point he would have to try, if he could, to intervene in what was being done to her family. In my heart there is no version of a redeemed afterlife Anakin who does not try to save another Skywalker child from what he went through.

He would have tried to materialise, blue-aura-lit and kind eyed, into the living room of a Chandrilla apartment, to try to soothe the terror and discomfort of a tiny child levitating cambiblocks and breaking glass in distress. He has far more experience with child murder than child rearing, but by the Force he'd damn well TRY.

It probably wouldn't work, and I think some of us fans (esp those who love the sequels or those who are more interested in the Skywalkers than the Disaster Lineage as a family) deserve to know why.

Why, in my headcannons, does Anakin spend years trying to send thoughts of 'no kiddo that isn't me, I'm me, your grandpa, and I can tell you that your mom and dad love you so much and that those other voices are full of bantha-poodoo, please trust me, please believe me, please hear me' out through the Force, only for them to never find their way to their intended recipient?

Why can he not appear to Leia and say, 'I know you don't want to talk to me and I don't want you to have to endure the distress of talking to me but it's about your kid. I can't make the past alright, but let me please give you the information you need to stop the cycle repeating'.

Why can't he warn Luke? 'There's a storm coming and the lightning is not natural. You have seen that lightning before, standing right by my side, and it comes from the same source. Our nephew dreams things that are not his own. Consider striking him and you will doom the world, but also our family. Don't let the Darkness guide you, its only goal is to make more Darkness.'

There are several potential answers, of course.

The first is that Anakin can get through but nobody listens. It's a steady stream of 'stay away from my child, stay away from my academy, don't corrupt our future with the evil of the past'. This option reflects negatively on Luke and Leia, but it also feels true to traumatised families. I'm a firm believer in the fact that Luke, Leia, and Han as having unwittingly done poorly by the next generation of their kin does not 'ruin' their characters, it makes them more sympathetic and human, and so it doesn't upset me if this is the option. It's bad parenting and good storytelling.

The most obvious answer is of course, Palpatine. He can block Anakin's access to the likes of Luke, Leia, and Ben. This means that a dead Palpatine is still torturing a dead Anakin. Excuse me while I cry for a thousand years. Now either this means that Palpatine thinks Ahsoka is small potatoes and it doesn't matter if Anakin can see her in the WBW, or that Anakin could only communicate with Ahsoka BECAUSE she could enter the WBW. So, considering that the Ahsoka show takes place after 'Last Shot', it still makes no sense that Anakin doesn't go 'please see what's going on with Leia's kid, I'm worried about her and about her lil guy.'

The third option is the one that I find genuinely upsetting. Not in-world upsetting, but what-are-they-doing-with-our-story upsetting. It's also the one I find the most likely:

DLF in general and Favroni in particular are pushing Disaster Lineage out in front, and trying to sublimate the Skywalkers. I see Ahsoka as Anakin's sister, and I don't think it is inappropriate for him to love her the same way he loves his children, his grandchild, or his brother Obi-Wan. It makes emotional sense for him to reach out to her, and love is not a finite resource.

But a set of wider storytelling choices is highlighting that the most important inheritance of the story is Yoda to Dooku to Qui Gon to Obi Wan to Anakin to Ahsoka to maybe Sabine, or Jacen Syndulla. I feel in some ways that shifting Anakin's attention, or the context in which we encounter him, may give the audience a sense of the greater legitimacy of the Disaster Lineage to the long term future of the galaxy.

I have ZERO problem with this being the thread by which Force training is maintained in the GFFA through the sequels and into the post-sequel era. I prefer it to watching my beloved Rey of Jakku doing it all alone.

I have a HUGE problem with the idea that we may never get more Skywalkers in context with one another. And more importantly, the idea that we really shouldn't care about what happened to them after Return of the Jedi. That the sequels don't matter.

Anakin is the greatest silence in the sequels. I suspect that they didn't get Hayden back because they were still nervous of prequel hate (sweet summer children that they were, not knowing that the penis-brains were gunning for them, too). Many of us hoped that the New Republic Era TV series would inflect upon the ST the way that Clone Wars inflected upon the PT.

So far it really hasn't.

[kitchenisking]

my live take on teen wolf movie!

I think it's fitting that Dereks the first one to mention stiles, but was it so hard to day that stiles was working on a case or busy at the fbi. that does ‘has his own fires to put out even mean’?

Jackson’s entrance was everything!🤣

Ok so I love Jackson now! also I love that's its confirmed that Ethan an Jackson are still a thing! they deserve that!

So lyida meets Eli, I kinda got a vibe. Lydia took one look and Eli and kinda dismissed him. but I think it was more than that. and maybe im seeing this through sterek colored glasses, but it was like she saw him as the thing that got between her and stiles. anyone else get a vibe like that? like she knew more about Eli then everyone else?

Coach is everything!

Melissa a doctor! Go her!!!!! she's such a badass, and I love her!

Also the sheriff speech to Eli in the school… I’m a 100 percent certain that he gave the same sort of speech to stiles at one point🤭😂

So malia knows about Eli, they must have spent sometime together

Peter🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I think it’s disgusting that they had Scott boost Eli to heal😤🤬 but of course is has to be Scott cuz go forbid it’s anyone else😤😤Like Derek is  his dad😒😒

So they had lyida play stiles 😒

And Derek’s not even mad that’s Scott helped him! He’s just a proud papa! 😍

Jackson ‘ supposed to be dead, is starting to be a recurring theme around here’ 🤣🤣🤣

I thought wolfsbane had to be brunes out with the ash of the same strand that infected the wolf?🤨🤔

You’re telling me that the nougistune didn’t go after Derek and eli cuz their stiles family? Sure ok😐Also it’s fitting that the first persons to mention stiles is Derek!

So they put Scott on the fleid! That’s just😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

When the oni took Eli, maila was really upset. Which just shows that she’s spent engorge time with him to love him. And I love that for her and Eli. also you see how upset she is when Derek dies. I truly believe that they sent time together as a family and im sad that we didn't get to see them together. (also I feel like it would be more fitting it she and Parrish took Eli. (thought I would prefer if he went with the sheriff) also mail and Parrish were weird)

Thé face that Derek hasn’t fully shifted in year cuz he was scared to scare Eli just goes to show how much control he has an show much he loves his son! He didn’t hide the wolf away, but he didn’t let it all out also and I think that’s just incredible!

And then Eli scores the winning goal just like stiles 🥰

Derek becomes a true alpha. he was always an alpha and I really don't think he's dead.🤨

Derek dies, because Scott can't make the hard choices. someone else always has to make it fro him and then he gets all the credit! it's stills all over again! Scotts misses something, stiles fixes it 98% if the way and then Scott gets all the glory. again.😒😒

So the sheriff speech about Derek is the only one I recognize! he took one look at Eli and knew that Scott was spurting bullshit and went and talked to him about his dad that it should have been done! and I truly believe that Derek and noah are friends and noah just laughs at Derek every time Eli doesn't something. like ‘now its your turn’ while he drinks a beer and watches. 

God Scott🫣😒 so your future is with Alison and Eli, yeah I don't think so!

also sterek is basically canon, sheriff is Eli grandad, and Eli takes after stiles cuz he thinks he's awesome!

my all over review

ok, so this movie was the dumpster fire we all knew it was going to be! I didn't even watch it all the way through. I skipped to watch the scene with the people I like in It and I still didn't miss anything. this movie was a love letter to Scott and Alison and fuck anyone who got in the way. everyone is this move was an extra to hold their story up and nothing made snese like it should have. between the plot holes and the characters who didn't interact with one another when it would have made sense was just not good. you're telling me the Lydia never said even hi to the sheriff when she supposedly was something with his son? or mason and liam not saying one world to each other even though they were kidnapped together? or Peter who just showed up out of no where for no good reason just to be there? look I love Peter and I love watching him but unless he was just leaking and esdropping (which would make perfect snese) how would he know where and what was going on? or how nobody was together in one room all at once but for Dereks funeral? like I get it but it just didn't make a lot of snese, they didn't even talk to on another properly. also what I don't get was scott their alpha even though everyone was spread all over the place? how does that even work?

I came in knowing that Derek was going to die. it wasn't a shock to me and that is why I think I saw the foreshadowing for what it was. he thinks he's dying twice in the movie. if I didn't know that he dies at the end I would have thought he dies by Alisons arrow in the school. it was blatant foreshadowing and I hate it. I also hate watching him thinking he's dissing and being ok with it. liege truly believes that this was how it was going to die. and in the school when he days that him and Eli have a getaway plan broke my heart!😔😞😔😞 this poor man had to be ready at a moments notice cuz he wasn't going to lose his only family he had left. and it breaks my heart😣

and here's my biggest plot hole; lyida said she hasn't walked in a really long time but she does know when there was a death. she can feel it. but she wails for alison to hear her but not for Derek? and there's no body? she and Jackson are not of the fight not seeing what the others are seeing, and of all of a sudden their on the field all together, how to they know that he's dead? she doesn't turn to Jackson and say ‘someone dies’ or ‘Derek gone’ they just hug Alison right away. its like something is missing! 

[animehouse-moe]

Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie Volume 12: Plenty of Fun To Be Had

I'm just late to everything, aren't I? Oh well, I still really really loved this volume of Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie. One of the upsides to the slower release schedule of physical volumes is that it feels so much more fresh than digital, and I can certainly say that's the case with this volume. It flies by in the blink of an eye and leaves you with a warm and comfortable smile on your face from the main relationship down to the little side comments by the various characters.

I'm 12 volumes in, and I still can't get over Maki's absolutely stunning character designs. Knowing that this series is coming to a close I can't help but excitedly think about what they'll draw up next. They're so damn good you don't even think about the environment they're in or anything like that. There's just something about how they approach the shading and transparency of some of the layers in the design that just gives it such a light and bubbly feeling. You can help but feel warm when taking in Maki's art style, and the approach to stuff like the rosy cheeks or the sparkling eyes is just so helplessly cute. It's impossible to dislike.

And once more, Maki just gets fashion, they get what the fans want. And it's delivered upon in spades. I didn't even know I needed Izumi in an apron, but he's his mother's child that's for damn sure, it looks amazing on him with that black turtleneck. Maki's just a style master and apparently knows exactly what outfits to use to bring out the most in each character, while remaining situational and true to the characters. Like this outfit with Shikimori, as she's wearing her brother's jacket because she thought it was cool.

Maybe it's because I'm paying a bit more attention in these later volumes, or maybe it's just because Maki's making it happen, but I really love how many closeups and important scenes have been focusing on Izumi in the last few volumes. Shikimori has a habit of, well, being known for Shikimori, but once you're in the manga there's really a lot more to it.

And this volume drives it home. It opens the gates and drives characters forward even more, as Shikimori becomes more comfortable in "sharing" Izumi, and Izumi finds his own ways to be strong and helpful and independent. It's a really great piece that breathes an air of maturity and trust into their seasoned relationship now. There's nothing that could get between them, period. And it's really lovely, you feel that confidence that Shikimori and Izumi have in each other, and they find ways to complement and support each other wonderfully. They really are like a married couple.

So sure, they're not all over each other loving it up, Shikimori isn't fawning over Izumi every other second and agonizing over a way to begin to date him, like most other RomComs work with. Instead, it's drawing itself towards the natural conclusion of an intimate relationship. They don't need those public displays of affection or anything like that to prove how deep their love for each other is. Instead, we're continually shown it through the contextualization of their interactions with others. How much Shikimori loves how caring and kind and passionate Izumi is, and how Izumi loves how strong and cool and confident Shikimori is. And within that, it's really unrivaled. It almost makes you think of a more adult approach to romance which is really nice to see. It doesn't require those steamy or heated moments to expose the love between the two, and Maki certainly deserves credit for their continued effort on that front.

[crewfu]

I hate how Steve jokes about or feels as if no one respects him when he attempts to make lobbies but it's probably because he lets so much slide that some feel okay letting him down, which sucks. It's the curse of the "jokester"/"insult sponge." But I also think he should invest in the value of a stern no, no explanation or discussions needed. Hafu is good at that, and I admire her ability to do it. If she doesn't like or enjoy something, she just nopes out of it without feeling like she has to explain herself. It's a skill we all need, tbh.

yeah it sucks. lobby makers deserve more credit just in general. i know a lot of people complain that steve plays with the same people all the time but those are the people he trusts to actually show up lol. it seems like a true nightmare to get streamers to show up for anything so i don’t blame him if he doesn’t want to arrange bigger lobbies anymore.