#High Octane Pictures

[lurking-latinist]

⛵

[laracrofted]

writing motivation and adhd medication still evade me, but i made a nora collage and i love it 🩵

[comradeocean]

"I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me" is a bonkers way for a celebrity to begin a public memorial statement less than 24 hrs after the death happened by someone who has possibly not personally spoken to the dead person in question for almost ten years. I cannot stop thinking about it.

In 2013, Channel 4 did a documentary called Crazy About One Direction that featured a number of high octane waaaay out there fans. I think the band was asked about it during an interview; Louis and the others basically disavowed it, saying it was an unfair representation of girls who like One Direction and the fanbase in general. He wasn't being totally selfless in sticking up for the fans, because some of those girls were profoundly sad and lonely, maybe unwell. And if your mission is to be marketed as a fun-loving carefree boyband, the last thing you'd want to be associated with are young, maladjusted, friendless girls.

Anyway, at one point, one of the girls interviewed says:

Twitter is like a prayer place. When you go to a prayer place, you feel like you’re connected to God. So when you’re on twitter, you feel like you’re connected to 1D. You just have hope. [audio description alt-text: an image of Louis as Jesus Christ]

Zayn is also the only one of the boys to have crossposted his message to twitter.

The thing about One Direction being an accident, sure, a manufactured accident, but an accident nonetheless, is that they were guileless going in, and it showed. I've been mainlining old videos this week, trying to compare those early xfactor days with their contemporaries who were trying to break out around the same time. With everyone else, it was always a band full of Liams: intensely driven little freaks. Sorry, freak is maybe too mean a word to describe that particular mix of hunger and desperation to be accomplished, to be famous, and at the bottom of it all: to be liked. There's been a conscious shaping of the persona in service of those goals: they've learned to dance, to perform, to give pitches, soundbites, hit camera marks on cue. Most of them were also older, in their early to mid twenties. It's not inconceivable to imagine such a trajectory for the most diehard theatre kid you knew from school who decided after uni or whatever ~ to follow their dreams ~. That was the more typical boyband background. (not Liam though. lad was fourteen. he was closer to another subspecies of the genus: the child star)

And 1D in contrast were unpracticed, unstudied, as Zayn put it in that slightly off-kilter way of his (which I always imagine to be indicative of a disjunction between the vocabulary one encounters in school and what everyone around them is used to speaking), "novice children."

Like, truly, they did not give a fuck cos it hadn't yet occurred to them they were supposed to. Liam aside, industry norms were a complete mystery to them, and for many years, they managed to inhabit that sweet spot of flippancy without contempt, whether it was about the project, themselves, or their audience. Liam tells the story about being the go-between for xfactor stylists and the boys and getting into so much trouble on their behalf for wearing human-sized babygrows during a video diary. "Because Westlife would never wear those." [The punchline he then delivers is that Westlife members were pictured wearing onesies soon after. (quite possibly due to how viral anything 1D-related got)]

The boys were so immature. The whole boyband thing had fallen into their laps. They were just happy to be there! This thing that they didn't even know they wanted, they somehow got, and it took the shape of four other boys in exactly the same situation. It comes across very strongly how taken they were with themselves and each other. Find yourself a guy who looks at you the way blah Larry Stylinson blah blah Ziam blah blah blah. Never mind that cos they were all actually so hyped with each other. Any time any of them says anything remotely clever, or funny, or notable, the rest of them lose their shit like they're in on the same hilarious joke. Even if there was no actual joke. Their entire existence at that point was the joke bc how on earth had they landed from where they'd been — small deadend towns hollowing out from deindustrialization — to where they ended up — the xfactor house headed for the very top about to win it all, in the way they did — saved from bootcamp elimination at the last minute, with who they did — four other working class boys they would have never been friends with in another life. It must have been a high like a kind of limerence, like finding long lost family members on the exact same wavelength, like love.

And that was the other key thing about the stratospheric rise of One Direction. We didn't love One Direction only because we loved this or that member. We loved them because they loved each other, because they loved themselves, because they loved us. And they used the internet to show it.

In 2010, mass social media platforms were in their nascence, which is to say, the exploration of how to be a person, with other people, online, at a broad level not limited to specific subcultures, was in its nascence. For many years now, given the levels of extreme over-exposure, the dominant mood has become the mortifying ordeal of being perceived and so on. We've somehow all adopted mini-celebrity mindsets of our own, weary of being exposed to the maw of an unseen public. To be known is to be surveilled.

But the boys individually and at the collective level invited surveillance back then. Because the inverse — to be surveilled is to be known — seemed more relevant for that moment, at the beginning. They made a point of living their newfound lives at least partially online.

They were constantly on twitter, they livestreamed with a dedication that rivaled x-factor video producers, and none more so than Liam. It was already reality tv, this was just the next bleeding edge of "real": the unfiltered, unedited, direct sharing of yourself and what you loved in the last days of the old free-as-in-freedom internet.

When they said, over and over again, that it was all about the fans, it was meant in a very literal sense. Social media and the reality it created produced a feedback loop between the love they had for each other and the band, and the love we had for them, until it was inseparable: their relationships, our relationships, the process itself. Parasociality as it is currently manifested might have found its first mass expression through One Direction.

In separate interviews from This is Us (2013) deleted scenes, Liam and Louis say that Zayn wears his heart on his sleeve. Yet within the best-friends-slash-brothers-for-life schema cultivated as the One Direction vibe, he did not seem necessarily exceptional in his frequent declarations of love and fellow-feeling for various band mates. What he did ultimately end up doing was pulling the trigger on the contractual form their relationships were bound within, such that the I-love-you's inevitably passed from unpracticed to rote to a mandatory matter of their livelihoods. Someone had to be the first to explicitly and consciously decide that this "love" was no longer something they could continue participating in.

From the same set of deleted interview, in a somewhat fitting twist of symmetry, Louis and Zayn go on and on (much longer than Niall or Harry) about how Liam had been the serious and sensible one, but they've managed to corrupt him a little. It makes sense to assume that Zayn is referring to the band in general, but one can also read it to mean the two of them specifically, being the eldest, and their meta-cognition of the terms and conditions imposed by One Direction as a phenomenon.

The love the members of One Direction had for each other and the band and the fans was undeniably "real." The making of that "realness" was conditioned by the x factor throwing together four boys who had very little reference for what the fuck they had gotten themselves into, and Liam. Liam was the intermediary. He was already a creature twisted up and contorting, trying his level best to wedge himself into whatever spaces there could be found in the juggernaut of the entertainment industry. His neuroses and anxieties made the rest of One Direction possible, made One Direction "real" and "not like the other boybands" because that DNA, that what-not-to-do instruction manual could just be crammed into him, and the rest of them could be let loose into the world, unburdened by expectation, free to not give a fuck.

Louis and Zayn's raw, unpolished, typo-ridden letters were the most direct and irrefutable way they knew to swear fidelity to the boy they knew, the band they built, and the lives they lived together. The unfathomable ether of the internet, of the fans, of the massed publics seen and unseen made them, it destroyed their senses of self in ways they could weather until they couldn't, and it's into this ether they send their words, their grief, something real of themselves. Because in the universe of One Direction, this is the orthopraxis by which one proclaims one's faith and one's hopes. This is the prayer place that transcends distance, time, even death. This is how their brother could somehow, some way, still feel their love.

[writetheidea]

A Promise to Hold

Hello, I had another idea for a fan fiction. This time, it involves Max. I hope you find it enjoyable. I think my brain just wanted a reason to scream at Jos. As always, I have anonymous ask available for those who would like to express their opinion anonymously.

Pairing: Max Verstappen x named!female character

Plot: Max has bought a promise ring, Jos disapproves.

Tag: hurt/comfort, fluff, happy ending.

Word count: 2326

Disclaimers: english is not my first language - I feel like you could tell from my writing style - so I apologize if some of the sentences structures are off, or if I use outdated or inappropriate-for-the-context words, I used a synonym dictionary to try and stop myself from repeating the same words, I still did do that though.

The girlfriend has a name as I wasn’t able to write this without a name, I apologize, I made it a shorter name so it can be skimmed over. There is no physical description of them.

Max stood in the middle of his bedroom, a small velvet box resting in his hands, each moment stretching longer than the last. He had thought about this for weeks, imagining how he would present it, how he would capture the significance of his feelings for Ali. It wasn’t a proposal—not yet—but it felt just as monumental to him. The promise ring inside the box symbolized his commitment, a tangible representation of the life he envisioned with her—a life so different from the one he had always imagined.

With Ali, everything was grounded. Their relationship wasn’t filled with the glitz and glamour he had always known. She wasn’t a celebrity, she didn’t come from a rich family, but that was exactly what drew him to her. After years of navigating a world where every action was scrutinized and dissected, Ali had become his sanctuary. She didn’t care about red carpets or flashing cameras; she was content simply being with him. With her, he didn’t have to wear a mask. He could just be Max.

His previous relationship with Kelly had felt suffocating, a constant performance where he was expected to adhere to an image that didn’t entirely fit him. He had nothing but respect for Kelly, but their love had been overshadowed by the public’s insatiable curiosity. Every outing, every shared moment, had been fodder for gossip. In contrast, with Ali, he could breathe freely. She welcomed him into her world with open arms, a space where he could unwind after the pressures of racing and the relentless pursuit of victory.

Yet, even amidst this serene backdrop, there were shadows looming. His father, Jos, had never been shy about his opinions, especially regarding Ali. To Jos, she was too “ordinary,” too far removed from the high-octane world Max thrived in. Jos had painted a picture of success intertwined with fame and fortune, and to him, Ali didn’t fit the mold of a champion’s partner. Max knew this, but he also knew that his father didn’t truly see Ali—didn’t understand her fierce support and unwavering belief in him. She had taken the time to learn about his world, to understand the highs and lows that came with being a Formula 1 driver, yet she still chose to stand by him quietly, away from the spotlight.

“Max?” Ali’s voice broke through his thoughts.

Startled, he tucked the velvet box back into its hidden corner and stepped out of the bedroom. The sight of her curled up on the couch, a book resting in her lap, filled him with warmth. Yet there was a flicker of concern in her eyes as she looked up at him.

“You okay? You’ve been in there for a while,” she asked, her voice soft yet probing.

“Yeah,” he replied, forcing a smile. “Just thinking.”

Ali tilted her head slightly, studying him as if she could read the unspoken thoughts swirling in his mind. “You sure?”

Max took a deep breath, trying to shake off the weight of the impending conversation he knew would come. “Yeah, I’m good. Just... stuff with my dad.”

Her frown deepened, but she didn’t push him further. She understood the complexities of his relationship with Jos, the tension that always seemed to hang in the air whenever they were together. Instead, she reached for his hand, pulling him closer, grounding him in the moment.

“Come here,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around him. 

In her embrace, everything felt right again. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the comforting scent of her hair. It was a brief relief from the storm brewing in the back of his mind.

---

A few days later, the tension in Max’s body was palpable as he sat across from Jos at the dinner table. This was meant to be a simple catch-up before the next race, but Max could feel the storm brewing, could sense the conversation shifting toward the topic he dreaded.

Jos had entered the evening in a mood that sent a chill down Max’s spine. The sharp comments started flying before the first course was even served, his father’s disapproval evident in every critique of Max’s recent races and lifestyle choices. As the night wore on, it became clear that it was only a matter of time before Ali would be the target of Jos' barbs.

“So, I hear you’re planning on giving Ali a ring,” Jos remarked casually, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Max.

Max froze, his hand halfway to his glass of water. He hadn’t shared his plans with his father and hadn’t wanted to. “Who told you that?” he managed to ask, though dread curled in his stomach.

“Does it matter? I hear things,” Jos shrugged, a dismissive wave of his hand. “I thought you’d have learned by now that nothing stays secret for long in our world.”

“Yeah, I am. It’s a promise ring,” Max said, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his chest. “Not an engagement ring. Just something to show her I’m committed.”

Jos scoffed, leaning back in his chair with a condescending smirk. “Committed? You’ve only been with her for what? Two years?”

“Two years is enough time. I love her.” 

The words slipped from his mouth more boldly than he had anticipated. 

Jos' expression darkened, the gleam of disapproval in his eyes intensifying. “Love. Right. And what exactly is that love doing for you, Max? Is it making you faster on the track? Helping you win championships?”

Max felt his jaw clench, a familiar frustration rising within him. “This isn’t about racing. This is about my life.”

Jos’ smirk deepened, a condescending note taking over his voice. “Everything is about racing. You know that. You didn’t get to where you are by playing house with some girl. You got there because you’re focused. You don’t let distractions get in the way.”

Max felt the familiar ache of his father’s words dig deep. He had heard this narrative before, the relentless pressure to be perfect, to never let his guard down. But now, with Ali by his side, it felt even more suffocating.

“She’s not a distraction,” Max said, his voice a low growl, filled with quiet determination. “She’s the one who makes everything bearable. When I’m with her, I can actually breathe.”

Jos’ eyes narrowed, a challenge lurking within them. “And what happens when you start losing races? When you begin to slip because you’re too comfortable? Do you think Schumacher got where he was by worrying about some girl? No, he stayed focused. You think anyone cares about your love life if you start losing?”

Max’s heart pounded. He had always known that Jos' priorities lay elsewhere, but hearing it so plainly stung more than he could articulate.

“I’m not going to start losing,” he muttered, fighting back the anger threatening to spill over.

“Not yet. But give it time. This girl, Ali—she’s too soft. She doesn’t belong in your world. She’s going to make you weak. You need someone who can keep up with the demands of this life, someone who understands what it takes to be a champion.”

Before Max could find the words to respond, Jos pressed further. “You think I don’t know what I’m talking about? I’ve been through it, Max. I’ve seen careers go down the drain because of things like this.”

The familiar pang of disappointment settled in Max’s chest, his father’s harsh words becoming a dull throb in his mind. It wasn’t just his words; it was the feeling that no matter how much he accomplished, it would never be enough for Jos.

“I’m not like that,” Max said, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m not going to fall apart because I’m happy. Ali doesn’t take away from my focus—she helps me stay grounded.”

Jos shook his head, his expression hardening. “Grounded? That’s the problem, Max. You don’t need to be grounded. You need to be relentless. You need to be hungry. That’s what makes a champion, not... this.”

Max stared at the table, the words catching in his throat. He wanted to defend himself, to shout that Jos was wrong, but all he could feel was the weight of disappointment—disappointment in himself for not living up to his father’s impossible standards. The bitterness in Jos’ voice cut deep, a reminder of everything he had endured to earn his place in the world. But this time, it wasn’t just about him. It was about Ali.

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

Both men turned to see Ali standing in the doorway, her arms crossed, fury etched across her face. Max’s stomach dropped as he realized she had heard everything.

“Ali,” Max started, but she cut him off, eyes blazing as they locked onto Jos.

“Do you have any idea what you’re saying?” she demanded. “Max isn’t weak. Matter of fact, he’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. And if you think I’m some kind of distraction, you clearly don’t know your own son.”

Jos blinked, clearly taken aback by her boldness. But he quickly regained his composure, his expression hardening. “I know exactly who my son is,” he said coldly. “And I know what it takes to be a champion.”

“Do you?” Ali shot back, her voice unwavering. “Because from where I’m standing, Max is the one with championship wins. All you’re doing is tearing him down. You’re acting like Max can’t be successful and happy at the same time, like he has to choose between his career and his personal life. That’s not fair, and it’s not true.”

Max sat frozen, heart swelling as he watched Ali defend him, her passion igniting a fire within him he hadn’t known he needed. She wasn’t just angry; she was furious, and it was exhilarating to witness.

“Ali, it’s fine,” Max muttered, wanting to ease the tension, but she shook her head, her expression resolute.

“No, it’s not fine,” she insisted, her eyes locked onto Jos. “Your father has no right to say these things about you. Max, you’re incredible at what you do. You don’t need to sacrifice your happiness to prove that.”

Max felt a rush of gratitude as her words washed over him, soothing the ache left by Jos' criticisms. Ali turned back to him, a flicker of vulnerability shining through the fire. “And I’ll never let you think you have to choose between me and your dreams.”

With that, she took a step closer, her hand reaching out to grasp his firmly. The warmth of her touch radiated through him, grounding him amid the chaos.

Jos stared at them, eyes narrowing, disbelief etched across his features. “You think this is the way to handle things? This isn’t how champions are made, Ali.”

“I’m not trying to make him a champion,” she replied, voice steady. “I’m trying to help him be happy. If that means standing up to you, then so be it. He deserves more than this. You are welcome to the door. I would appreciate it if you had left by the time we return.”

With that, she turned away from the table, pulling Max with her, leaving Jos speechless in their wake. As they walked toward the door, the tension of the night lingered behind them, but Max felt lighter, empowered by Ali’s strength.

“Are you okay?” she asked quietly as they stepped outside, the night air cool against their skin.

Max took a deep breath, the weight of his father’s words still clinging to him, but there was also a newfound clarity. “Yeah. Thanks to you.”

Ali turned to him, a small smile breaking through the tension. “You don’t have to thank me. Just promise me you won’t let him get to you. You know your worth, Max.”

He nodded, feeling the velvet box pressing against his palm, a promise waiting to be made. 

“I know,” he said softly. “I love you.”

Ali’s eyes softened. “I love you too.”

---

The following evening, Max found himself sitting with Ali on the couch again, the tension of the previous night still lingering but fading slowly as they spent time together. He was ready to take the leap, ready to present her with the promise ring.

“Hey,” he began, his heart racing as he reached for the hidden box. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us and where we’re headed.”

Ali looked at him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What’s on your mind?”

He opened the box, revealing the simple yet elegant ring nestled inside. “I want you to have this. It’s not an engagement ring, but it’s a promise—a promise that I’m committed to you, that I see a future with you.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of the ring, her expression shifting from surprise to pure joy. “Max...”

“I know my dad doesn’t see it, but you’re everything to me. You’ve shown me that happiness doesn’t mean weakness; it means strength. You make me want to be better, to fight for what matters.”

Ali’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she reached for the ring, taking it gently from the box. “This is beautiful,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

He took her hand, slipping the ring onto her finger. “You deserve this and so much more. I don’t want to hide you, to hide us. You’re a part of my life now, and I want everyone to know that.”

With her free hand, she cupped his face, her expression softening. “I promise to stand by you, no matter what. You’ve shown me what love really means, Max.”

They embraced, the warmth of their connection wrapping around them like a cocoon. In that moment, everything felt right, the promise of their future unfurling before them like a bright horizon.

They sat there together in the quiet of their apartment, the weight of his world slowly fading away as they held onto each other.

[son1c]

i've been thinking about the sonic movies a lot lately and honestly the more i think about them the more they kind of piss me off but that's not what this post is about because i was thinking about how i would've written them if i was in charge and i know i've spoken before about how i would've made tom a fire fighter or park ranger instead of a police officer but honestly? i don't think i would've had sonic end up with tom and maddie at all. the small town rural life really just doesn't fit sonic. he's high octane high energy and maximum cool and living in a sleepy town of like a thousand people doesn't pass the vibe check for me (as much as i cherish #nebraskan sonic)

like i just think it would've been more interesting if he'd wound up living in the city. you know? it's not like it would've been impossible for him to hide there. ofc there's the teenage mutant ninja turtles route where he hides in the sewer but honestly i don't think he would've needed to do that. there's plenty of empty/condemned buildings in cities. he could've camped out in one of those and set up his living space there, OR and this is very funny in the ironic sense, he could've lived in an empty, disused water tower. that's basically like a cave but it has a VIEW. since they're situated high up, i can just picture a shot where he's sitting on top of it looking out over the city wistfully...

anyways as for WHO he'd eventually end up connecting with i think the choice is obvious. rachel... she has so much more swag than tom and more importantly she's RIGHT about everything. plus her kid is the one who gave him his shoes canonically???????? i just think it'd be fun for sonic to have a human adopted sibling like if he's already getting adopted by a human why not go all the way and give him a whole human family yk.

i was imagining in my head some interactions like once rachel finds out he's been living alone for the better part of a decade she's like ah. I See (<- barely contained rage at The Owl for doing that to him). well, you're going to get chili dogs EVERY night. and sonic is like "i love chili dogs :)" and she's like "i know you do baby <3"

idk. basically rachel deserved better

[physalian]

On Writing a Compelling Fetch Quest, as told by TFP

Save for a single recap episode, season two of Transformers Prime is one long high-octane fetch quest, gunning for weapons and tools and eventually the keys to restoring Cybertron.

See this post where I’ve already gushed about this show but I just rewatched season 2 and it does absolutely everything right when so much of the tension could just come from the macguffin of the week.

Full Spoilers Ahead.

—

Season 2 begins with an amnesiac Optimus convinced he’s still best buds with “Megatronus” and that he’s still Orion Pax, factory reset to before he became a Prime with no knowledge of the war or Autobots or Decepticons. In this version of the lore, he was an archivist, the skills of which come into great use as he can decode ancient encryptions that Megatron’s had sitting locked in a vault and unable to crack for, seemingly, eons—unknowingly helping the enemy murder all his friends.

The information contained in this “Iacon Database” prompts the fetch quest that takes up the entire season. After the three part season debut (6 part if you count the 3 part season 1 finale as one long movie) where Team Prime ventures on their own fetch quest to restore Optimus’s memories, the board is nearly set. But first, a couple other episodes catching up with C-tier villains and bringing in some shiny new characters.

In these episodes, Megatron’s second-in-command, Starscream, who’s been rogue for quite some time, loses his ability to transform after trying to screw over Bumblebee. A “loose cannon” for Team Prime returns not quite as a main character, but more present than his lone episode in season 1, and Starscream’s replacement, Dreadwing, makes his debut. And, the other rogue character, Airachnid, is temporarily disposed of.

The board is now set: Autobots, Decepticons, and Starscream.

We begin at episode 11, where Megatron decides it’s a grand idea to infect his ship with zombie fuel to speed up some repairs, and the ship gains a life of its own, decoding the rest of the Iacon Database that Optimus left sitting behind, a job left to a different ‘Con, Soundwave, who’s no Optimus but doing his best. In that episode, the humans of Team Prime sneak aboard the wayward ship, steal the only four coordinates of the Fetch Quest that are available, and get the heck out of dodge.

Episodes 12-15: Four whole episodes occurring simultaneously, everyone available on both teams, every major player, Starscream included, all racing to these four locations to pick up either mystery weapons or tools of varying mass destruction. Each episode is intercut with dialogue and details from the other units, all coming to a head with the near-death of the Team Prime “Tank,” Bulkhead.

What’s in these four episodes is just a taste of the tension that the rest of the season will take on, kind of like a tournament arc pitting unlikely foes against each other over the MacGuffin of the day. My favorite is Wheeljack (robot cowboy samurai) and Ratchet (grumpy medic) vs Soundwave (aforementioned decrypter replacement who does not speak). The episode is visually gorgeous with a showdown on a cliff at sunset with the most beautiful golden hour for the fight (pictured above).

Every MacGuffin brings a new twist to the fight of their episode, of the four, 1 goes to the Bots, 1 goes to the Cons, 1 goes to Starscream, and 1 gets destroyed.

In the Wheeljack episode, Ratchet comes up with an idea to sneak a virus into Soundwave so they can steal the rest of the Iacon Database from the Cons, which proves a success.

Enter episodes 16-19, where we take a break from the pacing of the fetch quest to bring in another new character, Smokescreen, let Bulkhead heal up, let Wheeljack almost get murdered horrifically by giant bot beetles, and teach a little girl about how revenge does not bring peace. Oh and do away with the C-tier villains, they (almost) all die.

Episodes 20-23 are the last five coordinates for the quest: A fancy new sword to sell toys for Optimus in an absolutely badass episode where he cuts a whole mountain in half, and the 4 literal keys to restoring Cybertron.

The new tension comes from both making sure that Team Prime gets all four keys, and making sure that Megatron does not find out how important they are.

Team Prime gets 1, Megatron gets 1, Team Prime gets another, and then Starscream comes in out of nowhere to steal the 4th, and then sneaks into the base of Team Prime to steal the other 3.

I cannot remember the exact quote but after a yell of absolute anguish and frustration, Optimus collects himself enough to say: “The fate of our world now lies with Starscream, whatever his intention.”

Because, Starscream can’t do shit alone. He just has a very powerful bargaining tool to either buy back the Bots favor, or buy back his place with the Decepticons. Underscoring the importance of who has the keys is this: Whichever side restores Cybertron will have effectively won the war, able to then brand the other side officially as traitors, for a whole new reign of absolute authority. The stakes could not be higher.

Episode 24: The second and far superior flashback episode taking a look exclusively at Starscream’s role throughout the series and all his fabulous shenanigans, as Megatron puts him on trial to decide whether he should just kill his traitorous little SIC.

While these flashbacks are being displayed literally on a screen like they’re connected via HDMI cable, Dreadwing (Starscream’s interim replacement) finds out that not only did Starscream get his twin killed way back in season 1, but then raised his corpse and left the zombie wandering around the fifth dimension, and Megatron knew about it, and lied. (Dreadwing is a fantastic lawful evil character, this post is just ridiculously long already without giving everybody bios)

The episode ends with Dreadwing betraying his whole side to give Team Prime intel, and a magical MacGuffin hammer (that they initially lost in the earlier stages of the Fetch Quest) to level out the playing field, he then goes back to his team and monologues a bit too long before trying to kill Starscream himself (as Megatron still won’t) and gets murdered for his efforts, when he was absolutely right.

At this point, Starscream is back with the Decepticons, they have all they keys (but not yet the knowledge of how they work or where they go to), and they believe that they have a free shot to fly back to Cybertron as the Autobots don’t have any way to get there themselves.

Enter the finale: Episodes 25 and 26. We’re almost there.

The magic MacGuffin hammer Dreadwing gave the Bots can fix or craft almost anything (with limited uses) and they use it to make their wormhole portal into a much beefier version—a space bridge—to portal themselves to Cybertron with every single weapon they’ve collected over the course of the Fetch Quest in their arsenal.

This is a mission they’ll either win, or die trying, they have to steal back the keys and reach the lock before Megatron does, and Megatron just figured out where the lock is.

The Bots manage to do it all, get the keys, take out hoards of faceless minions in their way, they’re a the lock, all they have to do is turn it on.

When out of seemingly nowhere, Megatron executes his backup plan: The whole season, he’s had Soundwave quietly scoping out the Bots’ secret base, and the homes of their human allies. Due to a grave mistake on Ratchet’s part, those humans are not protected at the worst time possible, and they get kidnapped.

Megatron delivers an ultimatum: Cybertron, or three human children?

Rather controversially, Optimus chooses the children, but destroys the lock so Cybertron can’t be revived by either side.

Episode 26 then ends with the reveal that Megatron discovered the location of their base, and as they all scramble to different corners of the earth, Megatron nukes it, and Optimus with it.

—

What I think TFP does really well with the MacGuffins is that, by and large, they themselves are never the point of their episodes. The writers knew audiences wouldn’t be sated with just the objects themselves carrying the story, which is what every fetch quest story should be:

The MacGuffin itself does not mean shit to the audience, 9 times out of 10. It could be swapped out for something else and largely not impact its purpose in the story. What matters is what it means to everyone who wants it, and what they’re willing to do to get it.

In TFP's case, these MacGuffins cannot be replaced. Several show up more than once to give unique advantages to different fights or become incredibly useful 11th hour tools—the setup and payoff with them is fantastic.

Yes, some of these “relics” are dangerous weapons, but in the background of the whole season there is so much subtext. Optimus’s guilt and Megatron’s manipulations over what he did while he had no memory. Various rivalries between sides coming to a head. The Starscream wild card that continued to take everyone by surprise again and again. Optimus’s increasing impatience to finally end this war and set aside the rivalry to try and kill Megatron for real this time, several times.

Regardless of who had what item, the balance of power between both sides was shifting constantly. The Bots would get a slight advantage, and the Cons would match it immediately. The Cons would win a battle, but then infighting would cost them the next one. Optimus’s fancy sword was shattered the very next episode when Megatron made his own using a stolen hand of a dead Prime to power the magic creation hammer—a nice bit of commentary on mutually assured destruction. Megatron never would have gone that far if Optimus didn’t get his own uber powerful weapon first.

Nor was every battle over the MacGuffin-of-the-day the same. Different players, different environments, different rules at play depending on the power of the MacGuffin itself, or the ulterior motives of either side.

And there were consequences, too, as this series is pretty mature. Dreadwing dies pretty graphically, a different dead Bot gets turned into a ghoul and his (totally canon) husband loses his shit over seeing a filthy human wearing his metal skin around.

If you won’t watch this show because you think the franchise is lame, I can’t change your mind, but if ever there was an entry into the franchise that proved how good it could be—and there is a time and a place for the camp of G1—TFP would be it.

[sainzcentral]

★ good looking.

a/n: a little drabble inspired by suki waterhouse’s good looking. listening to it on repeat and thinking only of carlos so thought I’d write a little something to feed my (and your) delusions. technically can be read for any brown-eyed guy LMAO, I don't mention his name. a.k.a. my thoughts on carlos in the form of a quick ramble-write.

warnings: none.

“baby, I’m high octane…”

“What are you looking at?”

You look back at him just as you had been doing a second before. Only, this time, he’s aware of your gaze.

“Nothing.”

“‘Nothing?’” He chuckles slightly. “Obviously you can’t be looking at nothing if you’re looking at my face.”

“the skyline falls as I try to make sense of it all.

I thought I’d uncovered your secrets, but turns out there’s more.”

His slight laugh is like music to your ears. Strings of a guitar being plucked in such a delicate way, by perfect, imperfectly-carved marble hands. You can picture them in his throat, playing his voice box, and in his chest, supporting his lungs, when he speaks, with that voice of his – oh, his voice, you could listen to it all day. Near his heart.

“you adored me before,”

You must reside there, you think, whether you want to or not. And he resides in yours.

“I guess something.”

He hums, waiting for you to elaborate. His eyes swirl like coffee without cream. There’s a pregnant pause as your eyes continue to scan his face and his eyes scan yours. Looking for that hidden meaning that hangs heavy in the air.

Finally you speak. “You, I guess.”

“oh, my good looking boy.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just in love with you. You’re so pretty. I hate it. But I love you.”

like, comment, and reblog! feel free to send in asks too :)

was heavily inspired by this picture appearing on my feed and me going feral <3

[coffee-colored-hopeless-romantic]

My New Addiction Pt. 2

Octane x Fem! Reader!

Part one link at the bottom!

Again lmk if the Spanish is off at all, my Spanish knowledge isn’t the best👉🏼😎👉🏼

Once again, mutual pining, slow painful burn of a romance, awkward flirts, etc.

><><><><><><><><

I hope you enjoy! 💚 if you have ideas or suggestions on how this goes feel free to message me!

Octavio was in his room trying to mentally prep himself for having to see you looking nice, not that you didn’t look nice all the time but nicer than usual. We’re you going to wear a dress? A skirt? Pants? What you were gonna wear was gonna kill him as long as it wasn’t plain weird but he figured that wasn’t your style anyways. You didn’t love the spotlight like he did, he kind of liked that about you. He heard a knock on his door and it was none other than Loba, an odd guest right before an event.

“Oh! Hey Lolo, what can I do for you?” He asked with a grin, mask in hand. Loba smiled at him

“Hey speedy, could I borrow a shirt of yours? Pretty please? I need a button up.” She winked, this only confused him, Loba literally had the biggest closet out of the entire crew and she needed a shirt? From him? As confused as he was he shrugged and threw over a smaller silk button up of his that he hardly wore. “Knock yourself out.” She waved and thanked Octavio as she walked away, leaving him to get ready.

What he didn’t know what Loba was styling you for today, you weren’t the most savvy when it came to dressing super nice so naturally you went to the style master herself. She went to your room and threw the shirt at you. You catching it and lookin’ at it. “OooOo! It’s like the perfect green too. You really have nice stuff Loba.” You complimented and she waved her hand to disregard the quality of the item. “Oh please. This hardly sees the light of day, beautiful.” She wasn’t wrong but she did leave out the fact that it was Octavio’s shirt. She styled the button up to just hang off your shoulder, you wearing a black lace bralette underneath, her adding on a few gems to add a subtle glam element on the dainty lace. Pairing this with black satin dress pants. Finishing it with a black belt and heels.

“I’m not the best in heels I’ll be honest.” You admit and she laughs softly.

“You’ll be next to Octavio, he’ll catch you if you stumble I’m sure.” She winked at you, causing a soft blush to creep onto your cheeks. See how these things work is basically each team gets interviewed after a short ‘red carpet’ type entrance. Most of the time the teams coordinate a little to make the pictures more appealing so that’s why you were looking for a green aspect of the outfit. Loba sighed and placed her hand on her forehead. “Ugh, I should’ve asked if he had a spare mask. Oh well.” She threw down her staff, causing her black market to pop up. Quickly going in and finding a mask that worked with the outfit and snatched it from his room, then some goggles and swiftly closing it. “I doubt he noticed. He’s probably playing music.” She grinned devilishly and you couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“We’ll as long as I give it back I guess.” You shrugged the blatant stealing and just left it alone. It wasn’t a big deal anyhow. You finished the outfit with pining the goggles to your styled hair, it was left down but it was curled. (if you have curly hair it was just styled slightly). Loba did a dark green Smokey eye with some silver on the inner corner, putting on lashes and a dark red lip to finish it off. Highlighter on your high points and she smiled. “My my, aren’t you pretty?” She cupped your face. “Speedy is gonna lose it.” She teased and said goodbye so she could get ready. She usually had a team of people to make it quick for her, she was sought after for pictures so she was at a higher standard than the others.

You did another once over on yourself, you felt really attractive for once. You smiled a little and added a little subtle necklace and a few rings to accent everything. Taking a few selfies to post later you finally heard the announcement to get to your vehicles to depart. You started making your way to the pick up, where everyone was at. A few whistles and some of the girls complimenting you as you arrived. Even though you’ve been here a little while you hadn’t had a conference that asked specifically for more formality. You personally hadn’t had a duo’s match until now so you figured that was why. Natalie walked over to you, wearing an beautiful blue dress, modest. Her hair out, showing off her golden locks. “Wow! You look exquisite!” She complimented and gave you a hug, she was such a sweetheart when she wasn’t in a match, she was a menace to go up against sometimes. She had been teamed up with Anitta, an unlikely duo but they didn’t do bad. Loba strutted to the pickup and wrapped her arm around you. “Thank you, this is my work.” She announced proudly. “She’ll be the bell of the ball.” She air kisses your cheek, to not ruin the mask you were wearing.

Ajay giggled a bit and looked around for a certain green haired fella, not seeing him yet. “Silva is gon’ enjoy the eye candy for sure.” Everyone knew you had a crush on this man by now, except him. You made small talk with everyone until you heard a family mechanical footstep. Everyone kind of naturally covered you, Gibby being the main wall. Octavio waved. “Sorry sorry! I couldn’t get this tie on.” He looked at everyone and watched as they parted away for him to finally see you. Thank the Gods he was wearing his goggle and mask combo or else you would’ve seen his face heat up in a unsuspected blush, that was his shirt. His shirt. On your body. “Dios mio…” he breathed out, poor guy didn’t know how to react, he just stared a bit. Ajay snapped her fingers. “Say something ya’ stupid boy.” His gaze snapped to her and back to you before finally speaking. “Wow! How lucky am I to have such an attractive teammate! The fans are gonna love this!” He rushed over to your side, pulling out his phone to snap some selfies. A few other legends peeking in a few of the shots. Soon everyone’s individual rides pulled up and everyone started to pile into their assigned car. Octavio reached and opened the door and gestured for you to enter first. “Pretty ones first.” He did and over exaggerated bow as you passed by, causing you to laugh. He followed you in and plopped into his seat. Once the doors were closed and you two were off he rubbed the back of his neck. “So that’s why Lolo needed a shirt huh?” He asked, you looked at him confused. “What? No she had this… right?” Looked at him and he shook his head. “Nope, that’s mine. She asked for it while I was gettin’ ready. Also… is the mask and goggles mine too?” He asked through a chuckle. You flushed a bit pink and laughed awkwardly. “O-oh! I didn’t know this shirt was yours, no wonder it was the perfect green. Yeah these are yours too, she used her market to snatch them.” You tattled, “I was gonna give them back though! Don’t worry.” You explained and felt awkward now, looking at your outfit. Did you look okay in his clothes? Was it weird?

Octavio shrugged and put both hands behind his head, leaning back into the seat. “Meh, you should keep it. Looks better on you anyways. The shirt I mean, the mask and goggles are my thing.” He looked at you and winked, causing your heart to skip a little. Trying desperately to not show how bashful you were feeling by his compliments. You soon saw him sit back up quickly, grabbing his phone again. Turning towards you, “look at my teammate everyone! Isn’t she la mas linda?!” You laugh and try covering his phone. “What does that mean!! Are you making fun of me you jerk?!” You tease and he shakes his head, looking at you, through the goggles. “No I said aren’t you the prettiest.” You stop moving and your face was radiating heat now. “I- oh shut up.” You laugh it off and return to sitting normally, your heart beating rapidly. “He acts like he doesn’t get to see Loba everyone something like this happens!” You grin, pulling down your mask. “Maybe he has a crush on me huh? Tease him about it for me will ya?” You say to the phone. Not knowing if he was live-streaming or just recording this. He laughed and soon turned the phone around, showing he was just recording it on his phone, he switched it to pictures and took a few more photos. He liked pictures. The more to post the better. “Ok! Now just ignore me for a second, look out the window. Model for me real quick.” He chuckled. Not expecting you to do it with ease. He had never seen you model, okay it saw you do it for your Legend photos but those don’t count! He hadn’t seen you model like this. Your legs were crossed and you had you phone in your hand, looking down at it, hand in hair like you were leaning onto it. His eyes lingered on your frame, seeing how well the clothes outlined your body. How his hands wanted to dance along your skin, if you looked this good in clothing how would you look without them? Quickly attempting to shut down the thoughts running rampant he snapped one photo, one was plenty for him. “Wow.” He whispered and smiled, snapping back into the fun, unbothered Octane. “Nice!! Now one of me!” You laugh a bit more and take a picture or two for him.

He sure did love his fans. He was always doing something for them it seemed. Daring stunts someone requested, replying to some letters even. He was a really sweet guy to his fans. It was cute to see. The conversation was typical the rest of the way, fun and weird at points. Soon the car stopped, in line to drop you off at the entrance of the carpet. You breath and look in the mirror to make sure you looked alright. Octane looking over at you double checking yourself. He whispered something and you looked over, catching him just gazing at you. “Tavi?” You ask as you pull up the mask. “A-ah! Haha! Don’t worry about how you look, you look fine!! Let’s go out there and show them the best team ever. That didn’t win but we’re totally the coolest!!” He was so enthusiastic and you loved it. You smile and give a nod, waiting for your turn.

The car stopped and Octane opened the door, exiting first. “Heyyyy!!!” He said all excited before stepping to the side and offering his hand to you. “C’mon hermosa.” You take his hand and exit, placing a hand in your pocket and putting on your model face for the pictures. You wave to people and you both make your way to the main carpet. Posing for some individual photos you soon felt a hand snake around your waist, you looked over and it was Octane, still posing. Your heart raced again and you leaned into him, following his vibe. There was a couple ‘serious’ ones and the rest were you two throwing up peace signs and rock on signs, he picked you up once, putting you on one of his shoulders effortlessly. You laughed and took off the mask, sticking your tongue out and laughing. Once off the carpet it was on to questions.

The whole thing was over awhile later and it was time to go get dinner with everyone at the bar. You had the mask off entirely at this point, putting it in your back pocket and Octavio was doing the same, he had gone to the bar to get a drink in him before he had to socialize with you again. Walter (fuse) walked up to the bar and watched as Tavi’ downed a strong shot. “Whoa there, tough day or somethin’ mate? You aren’t one for shots usually.” He asked as the bartender fixed his drink. Octavio shook his head. “No, nothing like that amigo, just…” he sighed and Walter chuckled. “Is ya little lady crush lookin’ a little too nice for ya?” He asked as he sipped a bit of his drink. Octavio groaned and looked at him “Is it that obvious?! Damn…” the two share a laugh and Walter leaned on the bar. “Listen mate, good ole Fitzroy has had his fair share of…eh well, partners. What I’ve learned is that it’s best to at least make your feelin’s known.” Octane looked at him like he was crazy. “Hey now you don’t gotta do a whole confession of love and shit, but Yaknow. Flirt it up, make her blush. See how she reacts. Trust me you’ll know if she ain’t interested.” He patted his pals back before walking off to join his partner Bloodhound.

Tavi sighed and ordered a drink to have while hanging out. That’s when you walked in, looking as sexy as ever. He watched as you greeted everyone that was nearby and Ajay gestured towards the bar. You smile seeing Tavi already over there, you thanked her and made your way over. “Hey Tavi! Some of the pics are already posted online, look!” You pulled out your phone and showed him some of the shots the press had taken of you two, gosh you looked good together. “Hey! That’s rad! Look at my face in that one!!” He laughed and so did you. “Tavi, you can’t see your face, Fuckin’ dork!” He made an ‘oops’ face and shrugged. “Eh, whatever. Want a drink?” He asked and you nodded. You order your favorite drink and wait for it to be made. You also needed a drink to listen up around Octavio looking so dashing. You figured you hadn’t said anything about he looks so now was as good as ever. “Yaknow, you look pretty hot ya self speedy.” He was mid drink when you stated this, he damn near choked. He chuckled, playing it off as well as he could. “Oh~? You think so huh? Are you falling for me, Chica?” He wiggled his eyebrows and you laughed as you got your drink handed to you. “Don’t know Silva. Show me some dance moves and I’ll figure it out.” You leave a subtle flirt as you saunter off to Loba, who was the one that encouraged a flirt or two to be dropped, along with Ajay who knew how dense her friend could be. Speaking of Ajay, Octavio basically chugged his drink after that interaction and rushed over to her. “Che. Talk. Now.” Was all that was said before he dragged her off into an empty hall.

“What Silva? You can’t go draggin’ me off like that without a good reason so what’s goin’ on hm?” She asked a little annoyed at his sudden actions.

“Che, you’re a girl.” She almost looked offended.

“Yeah..?”

“And I may or may not have a crush, on a girl” he halfway admitted.

“You do have a crush but go on.”

“And I- hey. Anyways. I think she just flirted with me. What do I do?” Poor boy was so nervous. He’s had a couple one night stands but those were with fans who made it very clear that they wanted him. Ajay looked slightly amused. “Oh you poor thing, okay. Tell me what happened.” She listened to Octavio reenact the interaction between you two, word for word. She rolled her eyes at how obvious the flirt was and smiled a bit. “What are you, stupid? She wants you to dance with her, boy!! Now stop talkin to me and go! Don’t be creepy either!”

With that he was pumped. There was a chance. You don’t flirt with anyone so that had to be a sign right?? He could feel the liquid courage coursing through him and it was giving him a rush of excitement. “Oi! Hermosa, let’s dance.” He held out his hand and you smiled taking it and having him lead you to the dance floor. There were already a handful of friends out on the floor, along with some higher ups from the conference from earlier. You and Octavio danced as club music was playing through the speakers. You started out just dancing facing each other, bumping and lip syncing to the music together. Loba gathered the girls Natalie, Tressa, Ramya and her girlfriend Kairi to the dance floor to, give you hand. Loba entered your little circle and started dancing behind you, taking place a man. Hands on your hips and dancing close, “you should dance like this with a certain someone.” She said next to your ear. “Let me help.” She continued to dance with you until she suddenly left and a new body took her spot, that person was Octavio. He kept his hands to himself, just kind of side stepping to the song. “Hey.” He said, looking at you. There was a moment before he grabbed your waist and started dancing with you, he was Hispanic and his hips only proved that. He wasn’t grinding but you could see his movements.

Fuck it

You closed the distance, pressing against him and dancing with him, reaching up behind you and putting your hand behind his head as you danced. His hands remained respectful, not wandering. Although you wished he would. “Chica’s got dance moves!” He shouted over the music and you smirked, turning to face him and body rolling on him slowly. “Only with people I like.” You also had some liquid courage flowing. He continued to grip your hips and matched your energy, he wasn’t a stranger to dancing flirty. Getting lost in the music and crowd you danced with him for what felt like forever until it was time to eat. Renee coming into the dance floor and fetching the girls, including you. Didn’t give you much of a chance to object or say anything before being dragged off, this was planned. Leave him wanting more type of thing. Soon one of the guys came to wrangle the rest of the boys and meet up at their private table.

Octavio planned on sitting by you and continuing the flirtation but you had people on either side of you, the seat across from you was free though so he snagged that. It was two long tables by each other with an array of food on each of them. Octavio didn’t waste much time I’m getting food on his plate, a little bit of everything and extra of the things he liked. Small talk and casual conversation was heard as everyone was eating, Octavio glancing at you from time to time and you doing the same, anytime you two caught each other you’d just flash a soft smile his way and continue with whatever conversation you were having. That was basically the dinner, you two didn’t get to talk much, not just because everyone was talking to everyone but you two both didn’t know what to really say. There was always the ride back from the bar though. It wasn’t too far.

With dinner finished you all chatted at the tables a little while longer, laughter and camaraderie seeping out of every window. You enjoyed this. Everyone here were pals, of course they didn’t ALL get along all the time. Revenant and Ash were a tough duo to ‘befriend’ and anyone would say they put up with everyone else most of the time. It was finally time to leave, the vehicles lined up outside for everyone to get in. Octavio tapped your shoulder before you could leave. “Hey, wanna walk back? I’m not ready to end the night just like that!! I still got a buzz.” He laughed a bit and against your better judgement you agreed. “Hah! Okay Tavi, we can walk back.” You said happily. He rushed and told your driver that he didn’t have to worry about you two and began to walk back to the legends precinct. Octavio for once wasn’t taking pictures of snagging videos. He was just walking along side you, of course he would jump occasionally over things and maybe add a flip in there. But for Octane, he was pretty chill. “So, hermosa. What did you think of your first fancy shmancy after party thing?” He asked and you grinned. “Oh it was a lot of fun, I don’t get to get dolled up much, especially now. Just doesn’t make sense. I’m gonna get all sweaty and probably bleed most days so why try?” You laugh a bit and he joins in. “Yeah, those typically aren’t my favorite, it takes a lot of work to even put a tie on, takes too long Yaknow?” You nod, a smile just resting on your lips. “I did enjoy dancing with you though, that was a lot of fun.” You looked up at him as he walked backwards in front of you, he tripped a little when you said that and he laughed. “Yeah! I didn’t know you could move like that! I mean I knew that were good at moving in matches but that’s totally different. It was hot!” He blurted out and he realized what he said and made an ‘oh shit’ face. Wide eyes and awkward smile. You felt a soft heat on your face and you laughed a little. “Oh yeah, I’m so hot…it’s all thanks to Loba’s hard work.” You looked down as you walked, you weren’t the most confident in your appearance but you learned to just be content with it most days. You didn’t realize Octavio stopped walking and you bumped into him, you looked up at him confused. “Don’t say that, I think you’re very pretty, even without all the frills.” Well you couldn’t hide the blush on your cheeks after that statement. You just let out an awkward chuckle and avoided his eyes, “I-.. uh well thanks. I appreciate it.” He didn’t move, he just stood in front of you. There was a long pause and you finally looked back up at him, his eyes locked onto your frame. “I didn’t lie when I said I had the most attractive teammate today.” You weren’t ready to accept all these compliments while he was so close to you. “Okay okay! What’s got you so affectionate, the booze?” You tease, playfully pushing him away and walking passed. Octavio was trying so hard to make it obvious that he liked you without having to say it directly, usually he could tell anyone anything pretty bluntly but with this he couldn’t find the words. He was stuck in his head until he heard you wince slightly. He turned around and saw your poor feet in those heels. “Oh man! I bet your feet hurt! I didn’t even think about that, lo siento.” You couldn’t even respond before you saw Octavio kneel in front of you, back facing you. “Hop on! All aboard the Octrain!” You couldn’t help but accept his offer, you climb onto his back and he once again lifts you up effortlessly. “Woo! Let’s go!” Was all that was said before you had to cling on for dear life, the man took off in a sprint, even without a stim he was fast as hell.

With that speed it was no time that you guys were back at the precinct and heading up to your rooms. He didn’t allow you to walk anymore until you were safely back in your room. Once to your door he slid you off his back and did a few hops “That was fun!” He smiled wide and you grinned looking up at him. “Thanks Tavi, you didn’t have to do that.” He shook his head “Hey, I’m the one who asked to walk! It’s my fault I didn’t think of your torture devices on your feet.” You both laugh and you nod “Yeah, fuckin’ hate heels.” You admit “But damn they do wonders to the legs.” You strike a pose and he did too, sharing yet more laughter as you turned the knob of your door. You didn’t want to end it yet but it was getting late. “Well , I had fun today thanks to you. I hope we get paired up again soon.” He put his hands in his pockets and nodded. “Yeah, me too, chica.” He rubbed the back of his neck watching you enter your room,

“Night Tavi.”

“G’night y/n.”

With a click of your door shutting you slid to the floor, biting your lip. You had to tell him sooner or later. Today really tested you on not just kissing him. Stupid guy with his stupid handsome face. You sigh and kick off those heels and start undressing to get into comfy clothes for the night.

He went to his room and changed into looser clothes and decided to take a run, he had a lot of energy after tonight and needed to get rid of it if he wanted any chance of sleep tonight.

↩️Prev Part. Next part.↪️

[korkorali]

Oooooohhhh are we talking about Bradford telling Della about the Spear of Selene? I think we're talking about Bradford telling Della about the Spear of Selene!

Okay okay this is something I have Ideas™️about- specifically why he told her, and why she believed him.

The answer (as I have so humbly decided is obviously the abject truth) is the same for both: Because he'd been manipulating her for years.

He was trying to be the Emperor Palpatine to her Anakin Skywalker.

Why? Simple: The Papyrus of Truth.

Think about it- it doesn't make sense to immediately go 'oh, only Scrooge McDuck's heir can find the Papyrus? Welp, time to steal some of his DNA and make a kid!' That's supervillain territory, and Bradford isn't a supervillain! (He's just a bit of a scumbag, but that's not a supervillain so it's obviously fine.)

So picture this: he finds out about the wish Scrooge made on the Papyrus, that only his heir could find it, and his thought patterns line up with Scrooge's:

He thinks "Alright, then it has to be one of those rugrats."

The question is, which one? Della, or Donald?

And honestly, when they're both kids- it's not really that much of a question, is it?

Is it Donald, the angry coward who loves to hole up in his room and write songs about eating the rich and basically doing everything that Scrooge hates?

Or is it Della, the adventurous and energetic ball of high-octane excitement and adrenaline, unable to sit still for a single moment, who acts like Scrooge McDuck, who likes all the same things as Scrooge McDuck, who is pretty much every single thing that Bradford Buzzard hates about Scrooge McDuck, all rolled up into a bratty child?

(Nevermind the fact that she isn't actually like that, not entirely. Nevermind the fact that she's doing all that because she feels she has to be useful, to be likeable, and that means mirroring Scrooge McDuck because if he likes himself so much then he must like seeing himself in her.)

Obviously it's Della. It has to be.

Which means, in order for him to get the Papyrus, he needed to get his claws into Della.

Which shouldn't have been hard- you can't tell me that Scrooge wouldn't do the same thing with Donald and Della that he did with Louie. He'd take them to the Money Bin (after all, it's like a second home for him), then head into his office and tell them not to disturb him.

And that'd leave Della in the perfect position for Bradford to begin to wheedle his ways past her defenses.

(Of course, multiple problems arise, not the least of which is she's a child and Bradford undoubtedly hates children. But moreso it's that she's genre-savvy, and also (and we love her for it, but) kind of dumb. It's a very frustrating mix that leads to her very nearly calling him out on what he's doing a lot.

But also, despite all that- she's still a kid.

And despite how much she thinks she knows, he's still better.)

It'd take a while, and I don't think he ever really manages it, but he still gets her to trust him.

Eventually, of course, he learns that Della isn't the 'heir of Scrooge McDuck.'

(Not sure how this happens, but it obviously does- I'm sure that lots of the Adventure Trio's adventures in the earlier days were spent searching for that missing Papyrus, but for some reason they stopped. The whole thing threatened to tear Donald and Della apart, or something.)

And that makes all the work he spent on her useless. All the time spent manipulating her, and trying (and -mostly- failing) to get her to be something he wanted, to push her to break up her family, all for naught.

Or- maybe not.

Because Scrooge keeps a secret. He makes her a spaceship. An untested, unreliable, terrible spaceship that literally runs on money.

It's horrible.

It's a waste.

It's perfect.

All the work doesn't have to be for naught. All Bradford has to do is let Della come to him one day, when she's at the Money Bin (probably because she and Donald and Scrooge were going shopping for baby toys, and she kept trying to get these really dangerous and deadly-looking ones, and ultimately got sent to the Money Bin as a bit of a 'time out'), let her rant and burn herself out to him about how frustrating Donald and Scrooge are being, how unfair they are (how scared she is, how much she just wishes they'd let her actually handle some stuff, how bad they make her feel for still wanting to adventure at a time like this, how much it feels like all either of them care about anymore are the kids and not her), how much it blows to be stuck like this.

And all Bradford has to do is offer up some half-hearted consolement, assure her that (while Donald is definitely being too overprotective) that of course Scrooge still cares about her, is still thinking about her, is still thinking about her, after all he's making her the-

And then cut himself off, like he said too much. That's aaaaallll that's needed to peak Della's interest, after all. And as soon as that's peaked- it's over.

All he has to do is hem and haw back and forth, say 'oh but he made me promise never to say anything' and 'I could get in trouble' and so on and so forth. Make it seem like he didn't want to say anything. Make Della feel like she earned the information, that he didn't plan this from the start.

And when she finally gets the information about the Spear out of him, and her eyes light up like stars and she darts off to go see if he was telling the truth, he can be confident that she'll never remember that he was the one who told her about it. All she'd be able to think about is 'I figured it out.' Because she had, after all. She'd figured it out, all her, he definitely hadn't pointed her in that direction at all.

He got to get rid of a liability and break the family, all in one fell swoop.

[youpricksneverwalk]

I'm rewatching s3, because ive realised its probably the series I've seen least, and the first prize task made me notice there are now 3 times in taskmaster that contestants have been mentioned (either directly or otherwise) as part of a prize task before being on the show (two being in the last and up coming series):

In s3e1 Sara Pascoe brings in this clock:

As her prize for most flamboyant clock. In her explanation she mentions that it was a gift she got for her boyfriend 'who's a huge Freddie Mercury fan', and based on when s3 happened and the fact that he is a known Queen obsessive, we can pretty safely say she was referring to John Robins who will be on s17.

Then in s5 for most high-octane item Mark brings in a pair of Greg's trousers:

Which he specifically mentions that he had Ed Gamble steal for him, and then in s9 Ed is a contestant.

And the third one was in s7 when James Acaster brought in this picture for most surprisingly beautiful thing:

Which he says was drawn by his friend Sam, and it was confirmed in the podcast that said friend was s16 contestant Sam Campbell.

Also fun little note that Ed and Sam both won their series, and we haven't seen how John did yet, but???

[99corentine]

How To Write Good by Corentine

THE DRAFTING PROCESS, PART 2/2

Writing guide continued! Here's PART ONE.

STEP THREE: THE START, THE END, THE BEATS

I’m of the opinion that every story should start with a bang. You could start mid-way through a notable event, as seen in GHD:

- O L H A - D - V - The words, incomprehensible, rattle around his head like the last rumbles of a great thunderstorm. Then, much like after a storm has passed, the air suddenly feels clearer, sharper. A sludgy fog he didn’t even realise he was in clears from his mind and he blinks, confused. The first thing he sees is his own hands.

If you want it to be especially punchy, you can start with a line of dialogue or a short sentence, like I did for T4T:

CHAPTER ONE: It is the end.

It’s reeeally easy to lose readers at the start, so you always want to write a strong opener. Something that grabs the reader by the collar and drags them in to read the rest of the chapter.

You don’t need to have all the details, but you should have at least a vague idea of how the story ends. If you’re writing fanfic that follows along the same plot as a game or existing story, most of the legwork is done for you – so writing GHD, I planned for it to end when Alduin was killed. As I got further into the story, I came up with a more narratively satisfying ending, because it’s okay if the ending changes. As long as you have an ending in mind, you have something to work towards.

So GHD’s original, very basic plot was:

START – the Last Dragonborn wakes up with total amnesia

???

He saves Miraak

???

They kill Alduin together – END 

Now you have to map out those ??? parts by deciding the major beats of the story, i.e. notable scenes. This gives you something to work towards other than the ending. I ended up with notes like these:

START – the Last Dragonborn wakes up with total amnesia

Who is he? Don’t spend too much time on this, not important, can be answered later

Goes to Solstheim, meets Miraak

Finds a way to communicate with Miraak – sneaks into Apocrypha? Shares dreams? College of Winterhold has psijiics, use telepathy?

Finds a way to save Miraak

Go to Apocrypha, confront Hermaeus Mora, save Miraak

They look for ways to kill Alduin together

Hermaeus Mora comes for them

Prolonged recovery, tells reader that even ‘redeemed’ Miraak is still scary

They kill Alduin together

What happens after Alduin?

(Redacted for spoiler purposes) – END 

The story beats should ebb and flow like the tide; high-octane scenes should be followed by periods of calm. You don’t want to do this too quickly or the story will feel like whiplash; rather this is a process that happens over many chapters. Let’s look at some examples in GHD:

⇈⇈ Miraak dominates telepathy and is really scary!! ⇊⇊ Chry wanders around Skyrim doing errands and Thinking About Life… ⇈⇈ Chry breaks Miraak out of Apocrypha!!  ⇊⇊ They recover from the ordeal and have a honeymoon period… ⇈⇈ They go to Blackreach and it’s visually awesome, and also Chry gets jealous!! ⇊⇊ They do misc stuff for a while… ⇈⇈ They talk to Septimus Signus, Mora shows up, nearly kills Chry!! ⇊⇊ Miraak whisks Chry away somewhere to recover in peace…

You see what I mean?

Right, you know roughly what’s going to happen. Time to turn that into words, baby!

STEP FOUR: GOTTA START WRITING

My actual writing style is its own separate topic so I’m not going to tell you how I structure a sentence or anything, just my literal writing process. 

In my chapter document, I start by making a bullet-point list of everything I want to happen in the chapter. What happens can, and probably will, change as you actually get the chapter down. That’s fine, you just need a starting point.

I very rarely write individual chapters in order, as in start to finish. Rather, I tend to write the scenes I can picture clearly in my head – then by the time I’ve written those I’m in a writing groove and the gaps in the rest of the chapter will come easier. When I’m done, I’ll stitch the individual scenes together, which sometimes requires altering the scene start or end to make the whole thing more cohesive.

There are times when the writer’s block takes me, and I have like two finished scenes and just cannot summon the words for the rest of the chapter. When this happens, to be honest, the only answer I’ve found is brute force: I sit myself in front of the computer, get rid of phone/alt tabs/other distractions, and force myself to type something. Or I hold myself hostage (i.e. ‘I am not allowed to play more Baldur’s Gate 3 until I have written GHD chapter 47’) that works too, for me anyway. 

Whatever it takes to get something on paper. What’s mostly important is to get something written, even if it’s not very good. You can always edit, rephrase or even rewrite sections later. Usually I’ve found once you start writing, you get into a groove and then it’s no longer a chore.

I also aim for a certain word count / chapter length while writing. I know a chapter is exactly as long as it needs to be and blah blah, but I set myself a minimum wordcount to reach. Or if I go way over the word count it’s probably because I’ve waffled too much, so I either aim to split the chapter into two, or to ruthlessly edit it back down again. 

For GHD I average 7,000 - 9,000 words, but I actually think that’s a bit too long and risks losing people’s attention span, so for T4T I aim lower, about 6,000-ish. Less is perfectly fine, but if I’m reading another fic I find a chapter length of 2,000 words or lower to be disappointingly short. That’s all personal preference of course, and certain fics will lend themselves better to shorter chapters.

Although I jump around scenes within each chapter, I make a point of writing my entire chapters in chronological order. If I’m on chapter 5, and I know something awesome happens in chapter 12, it’s imperative that I do not write chapter 12 ahead of time. If I do, I’ll reeeally struggle to write chapters 6-11, because I have already rewarded my brain by writing the cool thing. If I hold off, my enthusiasm to write chapter 12 may in fact motivate me to crank out chapters 6-11 in record time.

I do have one other thing – in my Scrivener projects I always have a document called ‘Unused’. Sometimes, usually at like 2AM when sleep has failed me, I’ll get a really good idea for some dialogue or description. I scribble it down somewhere (or it will be forgotten for sure) and later I type it into my Unused document, so it’s just filled with random bits of text like this (note, everything you see here is unused, so it's not going to feature in the last chapter of GHD):

At some point in time I’ll peruse it and think ‘yes, this line!!’ and drop it into a future chapter – again though I just write bits, not entire scenes or I’ll have written all the exciting parts already. Anything I edit out of a chapter (i.e. a paragraph I liked but didn’t quite fit) gets dropped here too, in case I can reuse it later.

STEP FIVE: FINAL EDITING

I will be honest, I’m pretty impatient. Once I’ve finished a chapter, especially if it’s one I’ve been struggling with for a long time, I want to publish it now. So I’m guilty of not editing as thoroughly as I should – but this is what I usually do and it catches at least most of my mistakes:

As a first step, I copy-paste the chapter from Scrivener into google docs. Remember I said Scriv’s word processor wasn’t the best? Yeah, it’s no good at picking up on dodgy grammar, but google docs is, so I run it through there and skim-check for wiggly blue lines, then make the changes in Scriv. You may not have this issue if you’re using Word or another more comprehensive software

In my great excitement, I publish the new chapter to AO3. As I re-read the chapter over there, I see a minimum of 5 glaring errors I somehow didn’t spot in the previous steps, and hastily correct them before anyone notices.

Once I know the grammar is mostly fixed, I run it through a text to speech software to read it back to me (surprisingly Microsoft Edge has quite a good one built in called 'Read Aloud'). You'd be surprised how many mistakes you pick up this way. I’m looking for whatever google didn’t catch, wonky phrasing, repetition (i.e. I used the word ‘quickly’ twice in the space of two paragraphs, that sort of thing)

Sometimes I do a re-read with a fresh pair of eyes, anywhere from hours to days later. If I have the patience, of course...

I like to get at least the first 2-3 chapters of a brand new story written before I post anything to AO3. This is to make sure my enthusiasm doesn’t immediately wane and I actually stand a chance of finishing it. After that I’m rarely more than a chapter ahead of what’s been posted, because go figure I’ll post the newly-written chapter once the editing is done, then start on the next one.

Some people won’t even post a story at all until they have the first draft fully written. This is admirable, but not always realistic – GHD is like 375,000 words, you think I would’ve sat down and written all that before posting chapter one and even knowing if anyone would read it? Hell no. 

But while you don’t need a story to be fully written, you do need it to be decently mapped-out. I used to start fics with absolutely no idea where they were going to go; I’d finish 1 or 2 chapters, get really excited at writing that much and hungry for feedback, then post something that I would inevitably lose all enthusiasm for and leave unfinished.

So, know how it starts, know how it ends, and know the story beats in between so you always have a goal to write towards. There will inevitably be fics that you never finish and that’s fine – it’s all writing practice – but readers don’t like to be left hanging, so try your best to finish! Even if it takes ahem four years or so.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

And there you go, that’s my writing process! I’m not sure how useful that really is, but if it was I could write more guides in future? I have…

A guide to my writing style (this one might be hard to put into a guide but people like my turn of phrase so, maybe useful?)

How I write a sex scene

How I write a fight scene.

[its-all-or-nothing94]

Formual 1 / MotoGP Fusion - Part 6

Summary: You are the first female MotoGP rider ever. You race for KTM Factory Racing, leaving Jack Miller your teammate, and one of your main sponsors is Red Bull. You grew up with most of the riders but your best friend is the multiple MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez. After your horrific crash the year before, you are ready to start the new season and probably a new love?

Pre-Story - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

A/N: Some pics are just random people - I know, I know, but they fit ;)

Ship: Not telling yet (Marc Marquez, Carlos Sainz or Charles Leclerc)

Warnings: none

Taglist: @laneyspaulding19, @luciaexcorvus, @raizelchrysanderoctavius

💥 Love Triangle Chronicles Continue: Y/N Y/L/N Kisses Carlos Sainz After F1 Miami GP, but Y/L/N's Twitter Comment Leaves Fans Bewildered! 💔😘

😱 The rollercoaster of emotions continues as conflicting signals bewilder fans, while Pierre Gasly's defense adds a new twist to the love saga! 💔🤔

In a stunning turn of events after the F1 Miami Grand Prix, the love triangle involving MotoGP star Y/N Y/L/N, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz has taken yet another dramatic twist, leaving fans utterly bewildered. After an exhilarating race where Leclerc finished in P7 and Sainz secured P5, a captivating picture emerged, capturing Y/L/N congratulating Sainz with a tender kiss on the cheek, fueling the belief that they are more than just friends. However, Y/L/N's recent comment on Twitter has cast a cloud of confusion over the entire affair, leading fans to question the true nature of her relationships. 💔😘🤔

The image, capturing the intimate moment between Y/L/N and Sainz, sent shockwaves through the racing community, with fans leaning towards Team Sainz as the preferred romantic interest for Y/L/N. Hearts shattered and emotions ran high as fans passionately declared their allegiance to their chosen driver in the hopes of capturing Y/L/N's heart. 💔💑🔥

However, just as fans were beginning to celebrate the apparent confirmation of the Y/L/N-Sainz romance, a surprising tweet from Y/L/N herself threw everything into disarray. In her comment, she emphatically stated that she and Sainz are merely friends, leaving followers in a state of confusion and raising questions about the true nature of the kiss shared after the race. 🤔💔

Adding another layer of intrigue to the already complex love saga, Charles Leclerc's best friend and fellow F1 driver, Pierre Gasly, stepped forward to defend his companion, asserting that Sainz and Y/L/N are indeed just friends. Gasly's intervention only served to further complicate matters, leaving fans wondering if he is trying to protect his best friend's interests or if there is more to the story than meets the eye. 🕵️‍♀️🔍

With conflicting signals and a web of emotions entangling the racing world, fans are left with more questions than answers. Will the true nature of Y/L/N's romantic connections ever be unveiled, or will this love triangle continue to confound and captivate us all? Stay tuned as the high-octane drama continues to unfold both on and off the track! 🏁🌟

yourusername22 ☑️ Le Mans Circuit Bugatti, France

Liked by marcmarquez93, motogp, charles_leclerc and 964’735 others

yourusername22 Great Q2 with @jackmilleraus on P4 and P3 for me! We gonna rock this race @ktmfactoryracing!!

View all 5'243 comments

ktmfactoryracing 🥳👏🏼👏🏼 We’re so proud! jackmilleraus 👏🏼😁

marcmarquez93 You almost got me, goof yourusername22 Lucky you! I’ll get you tomorrow 😉

motogp Finally we’re back! 💪🏼

charles_leclerc Well done! 👏🏻

f1baaabe Okay, me literally screaming, everytime Charles interacts with Y/N!!! 😱😱😱 amex798 Right? I wanna finally see them together!

🌟 Leclerc's Surprise Appearance at MotoGP Le Mans: Charles Supports Y/L/N as She Secures P3 in Qualifying! 💥🏍️ ☑️ 

😱 Love triangle takes a backseat as attention turns to an unexpected MotoGP rendezvous and Y/L/N's impressive performance! 🤩

In a stunning twist to the ongoing love triangle saga, F1 star Charles Leclerc was spotted at the MotoGP Le Mans in France, putting the focus momentarily on the racetrack rather than the tangled web of relationships. The Monagesque driver surprised fans as he appeared to support his rumored love interest, Y/N Y/L/N, who delivered an impressive performance by securing P3 in the qualifying session. 💥🏍️🇫🇷

While rumors of a romance between Y/L/N and Leclerc have been circulating, the attention temporarily shifted to their professional endeavors as Y/L/N's outstanding achievement took center stage. Fans were captivated by her prowess on the track, leaving the love debate momentarily on hold. The electrifying atmosphere at Le Mans was charged with excitement as Y/L/N showcased her skills, leaving spectators in awe. 🏆🌟

As the dust settled from the thrilling qualifying session, attention inevitably returned to the ongoing love saga. Fans, who had been leaning towards Team Sainz after Y/L/N's affectionate gesture at the F1 Miami GP, were left pondering the true nature of her connections once again. Y/L/N's recent comment on Twitter stating that she and Sainz are just friends added another layer of confusion, fueling speculation and raising questions about her interactions with Leclerc. 😘💔🤔

Adding to the intrigue, Charles Leclerc's best friend, Pierre Gasly, previously defended Sainz and Y/L/N's friendship, leading fans to wonder if his presence at the MotoGP race was a subtle show of support for Y/L/N's racing achievements rather than a romantic gesture. The love triangle saga continues to twist and turn, captivating fans with every unexpected development. 💔🔥🔄  

As the racing world eagerly awaits the next chapter in this enthralling narrative, the focus now shifts back to the MotoGP Le Mans race itself. Will Y/L/N's outstanding performance on the track translate into a victorious finish, further intensifying the love triangle storyline? Buckle up, racing enthusiasts, for the journey is far from over, and the final lap promises to be the most exhilarating yet! 🏁🌟

[mariacallous]

The title card that opens 1979’s original Mad Max places the action in a very near future, looming just “a few years from now.” George Miller’s cult action-thriller captured the edginess of a world teetering on the brink. The film depicts a not-quite-postapocalyptic Australia, where gangs of high-octane galoots rove the roadways on motorbikes and souped-up muscle cars, attempting to outrun the last of the lead-footed policemen: Mel Gibson’s Max Rockatanksy. Revisiting the film is exceptionally rewarding—and not just because of the grit, oddball humor, and verve of Miller’s directing. It reflects something of the ambient tensions of a world of potentially perilous fuel shortages, which threatened the whole petrol-and-plastic framework of our modern world.

Miller recalls this era with no particular fondness. He remembers, in the mid-’70s, all of the gas stations in Melbourne shutting down. Save for one. The mood was sour. The tension was thick. “It only took 10 days,” Miller says, “in this very peaceful, benign city for the first gunshot to be fired. Someone got ahead of a long queue, that went on city blocks, to get fuel. If that could happen in just 10 days, what would happen in 100 days?”

Across five films, including the new Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Miller’s franchise tracks this decline. In the original picture, the world is still fairly intact. There are diners and hospitals and happy families. People even dress more or less normally. It can feel a bit like our world: one which is collapsing but hasn’t yet totally buckled. By the time of 1982’s Mad Max 2 (released in the US as The Road Warrior), any vestiges of civilization have been blown away by an accelerated period of resource warring, nuclear conflict, and ecocide. Humanity survives in clans and roving bands, dressed in feathers and dusty leathers.

By 1985’s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, civilization relies on bartering for commerce, harvesting pig shit for methane, and conflict resolution by way of gladiatorial combat. In the smash hit 2015 long-gap sequel, Mad Max: Fury Road (which recast Rockatanksy, putting Tom Hardy in the lead), things were almost cartoonishly bad: Fertile women were ferried across vast wastelands in tanker trucks, access to fresh water was hoarded by tyrannical dictators in skeleton half-masks, and all of humanity seemed to exist in a state of berserk, whooping madness. If that first film was warning—against the fetish for speed and power, against excessively extracting precious riches from a planet that could scarcely afford to give them up—the newer pictures feel not so much prescient as present: sado-comic visions of our own maddening, resource-starved world.

The Mad Max films are driven by a guiding incoherence. They offer a critique of car culture, resource scarcity, and the very things that may well have our world motoring toward its own demise, no matter how many EVs we buy. Denizens of the desolate wastelands exalt automobiles, motorbikes, engines, and especially gasoline as fetish objects. But at the same time, the films’ pleasures are guilty of this same exaltation. The thrills derive from high-octane racing, dangerous automobile maneuvers, body-mangling crashes, and the whole vroom-vroom of it all. They’re like war movies that ask us to thrill at the violence and daring of combat, while all the while muttering, “This is actually really awful, you know.” There is no effort to reconceive a world doomed by its pathological obsession with machines chugging on crude oil. Rather, the apocalyptic backdrop only furnishes fantasies of further decline.

Perhaps it’s a mistake to take films with characters called “Pig Killer,” “Rictus Erectus,” and “Pissboy” too seriously. But the Mad Max pictures underscore a deeper absurdity that undergirds the genre of postapocalyptic, ostensibly environmentalist (or at least environmentally sympathetic) entertainments that are often referred to as eco-fictions, or cli-fi, for “climate fiction.” “The climate crisis and grotesque climate inequalities are things that we are really struggling to process,” says Hunter Vaughan, an environmental media scholar at Cambridge University. “These films are touching on our collective inability to adapt to this crisis.”

Vaughan is the author of Hollywood’s Dirtiest Secret: The Hidden Environmental Cost of the Movies. His text analyzes the environmental impact of the film industry, from early Hollywood to the present. Understanding the industry as inherently (and devastatingly) resource-reliant, he has come to view the very idea of “environmentalist movies” as a bit of an absurdity. “Films like Mad Max and Avatar,” he explains, “are just doing what Hollywood has always done, which is rely on choreographed violence and the enticement of spectacle. But they get to offset that to some degree by coming across as having some sort of environmentalist message.”

The whole notion of “cli-fi” as a genre suggests something a bit ominous: that the well-meaning parables of early climate fiction have now become subservient to the demands of the genre. Take Denis Villeneuve’s Dune pictures. While perfectly competent as pricey pieces of blockbuster cinema, they barely engage with the novel’s ecological concerns. Author Frank Herbert was originally inspired by the historical ability of certain indigenous civilizations to live in harmony in even the harshest environments—a noble idea that, in the Hollywood version, takes a backseat to woolly ideas around interstellar jihad and the sheer pageantry of the proceedings. Likewise, Mad Max's original warning siren has waned a bit, as the films developed their own generic language. The collapsing world is now just a canvas across which (wildly entertaining) action scenes unfold.

However absurd it may seem to scholars, Miller seems to come by his environmentalist sympathies honestly. Even outside of the Mad Max movies, many of his pictures touch resonant themes about global warming (Happy Feet), vegetarianism (Babe and its sequel), and the essential destructiveness of the modern world (Three Thousand Years of Longing). These realities have directly impacted his films. Fury Road’s production was long delayed, in part, because the Australian desert where Miller planned to film was suddenly swamped—a direct result of unpredictable climate patterns. “I see it myself,” the director says of climate change. “It’s all around us. I’ve seen both the hard statistics, and just in my own experience. So it can’t help but seep into the story.”

Furiosa is unique among the Mad Max films in that it offers an alternative to the arid, violent, boiling wastelands that dominate the franchise’s topography. The origin story of Charlize Theron’s fierce road warrior from Fury Road, the film opens in “the Green Place”: an Edenic garden governed by a tribe of warrior-women, which stands out as a lush oasis in the desert. For Miller, Furiosa offered an opportunity to one-up himself. Fury Road proved he could make a hit Mad Max movie without Mel Gibson. Now, he hopes to show he can make another without Max (though he does appear, very briefly). “If you just do the same thing again and again, there’s hardly any point,” he says. “There’s an inherent cynicism to it.”

Snatched from safety, Furiosa (played by Ayla Browne as a child and Anya Taylor-Joy as an adult) is raised among a motorcycle death cult, led by the madman-prophet Dementus (Chris Hemsworth, sporting an impressive prosthetic schnoz). In time, she’s traded away to Immortan Joe, Fury Road’s big bad, and learns to survive and thrive among his clan of face-painted, aerosol-huffing cultists. Building out the world of Fury Road, Furiosa traces the fragile trade dynamics between three strongman leaders, each hoarding a key resource: fresh water, fuel, and bullets. As Furiosa navigates these violent trade routes, she hatches her own plan to avenge herself on Dementus and burn rubber back to the Green Place.

In actually bothering to imagine what some alternative to the wasteland might look like, Furiosa moves past the typically narrow horizons of most cli-fi. Nicole Seymour, who teaches environmental literature at California State University, Fullerton, notes that most environmentalist narratives stop short of actually conceiving of what a new, better world might look like. “I think that would require you to do more implicating, and more work,” she says, “which no one wants to do.” She notes that most utopian environmentalist literature tends to buck the mainstream, foregrounding more diverse characters. “Do they want to make a movie about a Puerto Rican transgender person who time-travels?” she asks. “I would watch that!”

There’s a shopworn quote attributed to the late critic and theorist Mark Fisher, about how “it's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” Certainly, in the Mad Max movies, the basic systems that led to our destruction—resource hoarding, the primacy of tribal violence, the fetish for power and speed—remain intact. The sinister logic imparted to the audience is that, well, ecocide is inevitable, and so there’s little left to do than revel, laughing mad, in the explosive spectacle of our own destruction. To which an admirer of these films (like this writer) may sensibly, or cynically, respond: OK, sure … but what a spectacle.

For his part, Miller maintains that there’s a deep humanism at the core of these films, buried beneath the scrap heaps of twisted metal. “I’ve been to places where there is a lot of trauma and poverty,” he says. “I’m always impressed by the ability for survival. This is about our survival.”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

yay new event

a trey love request pls :

hello trey-boo <3 you know we have valentines day today right

you are in every way perfect and I cannot have anyone stealing my picture book perfect boyfriend from me eveeeer so I got you this for valentines <3 *gets out marriage contract* go on love of my life write down your name and grant me with a life supply of your baked godly goods tehehe~ <3

.... yes I lost a bet... *whispers* yes it's Ace... Sorry Sir...

I swear to Michard 😩 Trey prompts have so much potential for fun awkwardness… Love it 💕

Sweet on You.

Trey-boo?

Well, that’s a new one.

He blinked, cautiously eyeing you as you sauntered over to him, hands folded behind your back. Between you, his younger siblings, and Heartslabyul, Trey had always thought he’d get accustomed to high-octane antics—alas, here came another curveball, courtesy of his significant other.

“Yeah, I know the date.” He cocked an eyebrow. “… Is there something you want to tell me?”

You let loose a torrent of mushy praise, whipping out a piece of parchment paper and waving it in his face. Singing of his perfection and even more perfect baked goods, you urged him to sign, your eyes large and pleading.

Trey startled, setting his glasses askew. The honeyed drawl and the sprinkle of a giggle on top was, perhaps, a little too much for his brain to comprehend at once.

“Ahahah…” He readjusted his frames, a pithy laugh at his mouth as he tried to collect his thoughts. “I see that you’re taking a page out of Azul’s book. Maybe a little too much of it.

“… So, what’s this really about?”

You glanced at the ground, shyly kicking it. The confession slipped through your lips before you had even realized it—you were so honest with Trey, so comforted by his presence. It was only natural to spill your heart out to him.

He nodded understandingly. “Ah, I thought something was up. You know, you really shouldn’t let Ace bait you into these dares and bets. It always ends up badly for one of you—or worse, for both of you.”

Wise words from a wise man.

… Too bad you weren’t so wise.

You pouted, your brows turning up and your eyes starting to water. “Pwetty pwease, Twey-senpai?”

“Aw, don’t look at me like that. It’s not fair,” he sighed—though his tired tone tinged with his own brand of playfulness. “How can I say ‘no’ to that face? Sure, I’ll sign for you if that’s what makes you happy.”

It took but a moment for Trey to scrawl his name on the dotted line. You furled the paper back up and pumped your fist triumphantly. Victory tasted as sweet as one of his cupcakes--but even sweeter would be Ace's shocked expression when you rubbed it in his face later.

"Alright, alright, settle down." Trey's hand coming down upon your head and giving your hair a good ruffle. "I know I just signed my soul away to you and all, but you really don't need a contract to lock me down. You call, and I'll come running."

Your cheeks warmed at his promise. Perhaps you'd have said something just as charming and sincere, had the growl of your stomach not cut you off.

Trey laughed lightly. "Come on, I have a cake cooling in the kitchen. You can help me frost and decorate it, and then we can cut you a slice. Gotta make use of my perks and get some of those 'baked godly goods', right?"

[goose-books]

please check out @yvesdot's remastered debut! trust me, it's worth a read and a reread and a re-revisit. for the blog tour, i give you... another blast from the past, an old-fashioned writeblr-style comic sans powerpoint!

Something’s Not Right, published by tRaum Books, will be released October 10th 2023 and is available to preorder at Amazon, Bookshop.org, and itch.io. It will also be available upon release signed from Bookshop Santa Cruz. yves. will also have a local event at 6:30 PM on October 12th at the Santa Cruz Diversity Center and another on January 4th 2024 (to be announced) at Bookshop Santa Cruz.

(my sixth favorite story is koschei, btw. shoutout to koschei. sorry i left you off the slides)

(slides described under the cut)

all slides are written in white comic sans on a black background.

slide one: text reading "FIVE reasons YOU should read" over a cropped image of the cover for Something's Not Right, featuring the title. smaller comic sans next to the image reads "by yves."

slide two: at the center of the slide, text reads "1. IT'S GAY!" smaller text boxes, scattered around the slide, read:

so many transgender people

you want fluff? we got fluff. you want angst? we got angst. you want high octane drama? we got it

you like metaphors for queerness? we’ve got metaphors for queerness

some characters’ identities are plot relevant! some of them just happen to be trans!

there’s even an m/f couple i actually like!

there’s literally a lesbian robot what else am i supposed to say

first book where i ever saw a they/them lesbian referred to as a woman and they at the same time <3 <3 <3

you want monsterfucking? we got—

between the first and third boxes is this image of feathers. beneath the monsterfucking box is this image of a halo/eclipse. beneath the they/them lesbian box is the anakin image from this post, reading, "dyke business. go back to your drinks"

slide three: the top of the slide reads "2. CLEVER USE OF TROPES AND TALES." the bullet points beneath read:

the author was a lit major & lovingly: it shows

fresh takes on everything from sexy vampires to demigod/human romance

do you like russian folklore? do you wish it was set in your high school

hansel and gretel story followed immediately by wlw fairies

STORY WHERE VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN GOES TO A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE

an arrow points from the sexy vampire bullet to an image of edward cullen, captioned "this guy isn't in there." another points from the frankenstein bullet to a picture of the book Frankenstein, captioned "this guy is, tho"

slide four: at the center of the slide, text reads "3. DELIGHTFUL NARRATIVE VOICE." smaller text boxes read "the sheer range of the range of character narrations in this book is impressive and so fun" and "we got teen talk we got litfic prose we got monsters narrating we got ordinary people." there are also three quotes from various stories, set in speech bubbles:

“Everyone’s cousin Tanya says she’s done it with an elf dude. That doesn’t mean shit.”

“And all of these things were true, and simultaneous, and all of them were occurring only a moment before she might be killed, and rise again.”

“At first, the plants seemed quite innocuous, and Ephraim watched them pile up on the windows of the little greenhouse with mild curiosity.”

there is also an edited image of the "she doesn't have the range" meme, reading, "they have the range."

slide five: the top of the slide reads "4. DON’T LIKE ONE-OFFS? NO PROBLEM!" the bullet points beneath read:

do you prefer your short stories unrelated to each other? completely tonally variant?

SNR has got that!

do you prefer your short stories interconnected? do you like recurring characters? do you want to see… characters from OTHER yves. projects?

SNR has got that too!

smaller text boxes read "Red and Eliza from Forest Castles are there!" and "maybe avner too. i'm not allowed to say"

there is also a picture of hannah montana's "best of both worlds" album.

slide six: the top of the slide reads "5. THERE ARE NEW STORIES IN IT!" the bullet points beneath read:

already an SNR fan? already have a copy? you haven’t yet read the new content!

THREE new stories

what if the alien abductee you were interviewing had questions… for you?

what if you had to love-potion your crush… for someone else?

what if you had to come out to your date… AS A MONSTER?

there are clipart images on the side of an alien spaceship, a bubbling potion, and a lit candle.

slide seven: word art with a glowing green shadow reads "max's favorite stories :)". each story blurb goes with a corresponding image:

Six Hours Under: the woman on the L train is crying, dead, and very very pretty. [clipart of a train]

Monsters and The Guy: there’s a guy in Arrivals. he’s being weird about it. [clipart of an airport]

The Hands and The Mouth: the story-speakers speak only in script. there are only a few of them left. [clipart of rolling waves]

Don't Feel Guilty: a teen’s plant collection starts to unnerve their father. [clipart of a leaf]

Blood Orange Tea: getting trapped at work with your crush is awkward even when you’re not a vampire. [clipart of iced tea]

slide eight: large text reads "THANK YOU. GO FORTH AND BUY SNR." in smaller text is the information paragraph from this post.

[arcandoria]

Then vs. Now (Fashionably Late)

What am I if not keen to join little fun trends! Except I kept postponing it because a lot of the pictures are in a Drive, since I switched PCs midway. Anyway!

Dante

Dante changed a lot from his first iteration, but not so much from his second (and subsequent) playthroughs - main reason being that after I started finding the design I truly wanted for him, and then learned to mod, so I've been basically just chipping away at details.

He now has three "phases" from different parts of his storyline, I'm slowly getting his cyberware to look the way I want it to, he looks the age I want him to, etc etc etc. In the end, his first design is actually the looks I use when I want to portray him much younger! So it's not completely lost.

Then:

Now:

High Octane

Even though I got in quite late, it was a while until I finally got the hand of taking proper ship pictures that were not just AMM Swaps. Apparently everyone started with these though, so natural progression!

But I wanted to get better at it, at VP specially, mostly out of love for these two. @pinkyjulien was (and continues to be ❤️) a huge inspiration for me at the time of how I wanted love to come through in VP, and I'm very happy with the progress I made so far since then.

I learned how to mod for them. That's basically it. I had very specific ideas in mind for either of them, I had specific clothes in mind for Panam that weren't available as public mods, and now I have it - and if I don't, I can make it. 💕

Then:

Now: