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theonceoverthinker · 6 years ago

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OUAT 2X12 - In the Name of the Brother

Brother (Or sister, or any other sibling, real or metaphorical), can you spare the time...to read my latest review?

Great! Head below the cut!

Press Release Dr. Whale is tasked with mending Hook’s wounds and performing surgery on the stranger whose car crashed upon entering Storybrooke. But some of the townspeople fear that the stranger may have seen magic – which could expose their true identities to the world – and think that leaving him to die would be the best solution. Meanwhile, as Mr. Gold tries to reunite with a despondent Belle, Cora attempts to reunite with daughter Regina; and in the land that was, Victor desperately wants to prove to his disapproving father that he can, indeed, bring back the dead. General Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness Past This is one of the most visually appealing segments in the entire series. The World of Black and White is such a crazy concept, but it absolutely rocks. The style and the use of color make it so hard to forget and it really makes for a world that feels like none other, something that the other realms aren’t always able to do. And when Rumple appears, it’s such a contrast. Like, had this not been done so carefully, the mix of a technicolor Rumple in a world like this would’ve looked sloppy, but instead, it’s as every bit as magical as one could imagine or want it to be. I also like how the acknowledgment of this distinction is never too much of a distraction for the characters. Rumple (And his gold) definitely pops out from the rest of the crowd, but they never stop to think about that in terms of the schematics of their world. I’m glad about this because it doesn’t invite a feeling of distraction away from the story. Finally, let’s talk about music because the music here definitely delivers on the dark gothic atmosphere of the world, and it starts to blend with our world as Rumple shows up. As for the story itself, it’s pretty basic -- good, but basic. It’s essentially a darker “Aladdin” and a gentler Frankenstein story mixed in to one. And it’s cool! Really, it is! The unique take on Frankenstein is cool and having Rumple be what amounts to a jerk genie in it gives a fun spin. However, there’s not that much that’s worth touching upon apart from the style. Present So, the present segment finds itself pretty divided among our main cast and as mixed as the plotlines get, so are my impressions of them.

Emma and co don’t really have much of a story, per se, but act as passive reactants to everything else at play, and to be fair, that’s the most that could be expected of them in this scenario. I found that the debate over whether to let Greg live or not compelling enough, but thankfully not made to be such a big deal, especially when the main players generally don’t harm innocents. Still, it was nice to have Grumpy and Gold to list off the problems that Greg’s existence could present as something to think about (And to be fair, I guess it was something to do before the crazed Plot Hole Police arrived to badger A&E over for years, if they hadn’t already at this point).

Watching Regina and Cora interact is the most uncomfortable thing in the world, and I mean that in the best way possible. Cora, whether true in her love for Regina or not, still manages to squirm her way into Regina’s heart where she knows she’s unwelcome. It’s honestly sinister seeing her apologize for things that we know she doesn’t mean (Making Regina marry Leopold and framing her for Archie’s “death”), but eventually convince Regina regardless. And to Regina’s credit, Cora only gets him by plucking the nerve of her most recent dilemma: Earning Henry’s trust back. Seeing Regina cradling in Cora’s neck is so awful, like seeing a spider ensnare her prey.

Finally, what the hell brought on Whale’s bout into depression? I guess it was seeing the watch which reminded him of his brother, but he was clearly drinking before he got the watch, so what gives? Was is because he couldn’t get sent back to his realms a few episodes ago because that wasn’t even in the “Previously On” section? Like, I’m sorry, but we see Whale on the verge of committing suicide. That’s a serious topic to show, especially for the very real way that Whale attempts it. There needs to either be more of a focus on Whale’s present situation to get to that point. I will say, there is a redemption here by Ruby because her speech at least connects more to the past segment in how Whale can’t change the past, but can change the future. Insights - Stream of Consciousness -As a victim of a car crash, seeing that again wasn’t traumatic at all! *nervous shudder* -Killian, this is the exact worst time to be an instigator! What the hell?! -This is also the filming spot for my OTHER favorite blooper. I’ll give you a hint: Anyone down for some crushed nuts? -Credit to Emma and David for knowing exactly how to tame Rumple! Small moments like these give a nice amount of payoff for the respective dynamics! -”From the outside?” I feel like if this had happened during the last episode, I probably would’ve put that Peter Griffin meme here about matching the titles in the dialogue. -I love the opening title card here! I normally love them all, but the distinction of color is just magnificent here! -Whale, don’t drink on the job! -”That’s your cross to bear, I suppose.” Victor, making puns is my schtick! -”He’ll cool off.” Gerhardt, your dad wasn’t even mad. I’d say Victor was madder. -Emma’s coming into Killian’s hospital room all confident and I am so here for this! And looks like Killian agrees! -Killian sees he’s chained. “You’re really into this, aren’t you?” Killian is just getting the best lines here and I am also here for this! XD -”If I had to pick dead guy of the year? I’d pick you.” Give it a couple more seasons, Emma. -I love how Ruby knew there were 10,000 combos right off the top of her head! She’s so smart! -”A LinkedIn account.” Not only is this dude a loser, BUT he’s now spamming the few people that can stand him with invitations to certify that he knows PowerPoint! He’s a MONSTER, I tell you! -”And he tweets pictures of his food.” Greg, torturing Regina aside (Which is also pretty fucking horrendous), you are just the WORST person! -Leroy’s apparently a movie buff. Who knew? -”We need to tell Regina’s she’s been framed.” Yesss! Thank you, Snow! I’m not mad at anyone for not immediately thinking of her given the crisis, but I am happy that someone did (Actually, some two because of Snow and Ruby!). Also, it enriches their dynamics going forward! Also, credit to her for understanding the internal danger Cora poses to Regina! I’m seriously loving Snow this season! -”You better hope he dies.” I like the strength of the writing in this line. It’s the driving force for the morality that Emma and co are tasked with thinking about, however inactively, throughout the segment. -”It’s not murder if we let him succumb to his injuries.” “I’m pretty sure it is.” It totally is! Look, for all the moral conflict of this episode, it’s totally murder and I’m glad that the character framed as the one closer to the audience is the one aware of that. -Gee, did Disney buy Star Wars at around this time? I’ve no idea! -”Rumple Von Stiltskin.” Imagine if that’s actually how his name was structured! XD -”Are you a philanthropist?” “Well, I’ve been called worse.” Rumple’s also gotten great quips! -*Rumple sees box* ...August? “Hello, Rumple.” Ah! Cora! What a fakeout! -”The Crocodile snaps at the little bird.” I guess Killian’s vernacular grew on Cora throughout their time together. Now though, I want to know what animal Killian is. What animal is everyone?! -A moment of silence for the deleted Jello scene that never made it to air. A-woman. -Cora, do not smell Regina’s clothes! That is fucking creepy! -Disguising yourself as Henry? Cora, that is a new low! And your former low already bonked Hades’ blue head! -Cora, go away! You’ve been in Regina’s sights for all of a quarter of a second and you’ve already given Regina a panic attack! -I feel like the only reason Rumple held up that magnifying glass was so that the effects team could show off just how well they did his eyes. -Regina’s hiding spot is so beautiful! She has a gorgeous albino apple tree, christmas lights, jewels all around, and gorgeous wallpaper! Fuck the monarchy! Go into interior design! -”Determination.” Cora, shut up, you are not an Undertale character. ...Actually, you totally could pass as Chara. -”Emma and Henry and the two idiots.” I love how small, but still funny that line was. -Okay, so I totally want Ruby to just run on her own in my “Wacky Races” dream fic because holy shit! She’s fast! -I’m not sure if Gerhardt beating the crap out of his father for verbally assaulting Victor is the most disturbing thing I’ve ever seen or the most heartwarming. -”It seems that science does too [have a price].” Bro, do you even physics?! -I’m not going to write down Ruby’s entire speech, but I do like the concept of looking at bright sides to Regina’s curse. It’s definitely not an admission that it was a good deed nor should it be, but in this isolated incident, it’s interesting to see Ruby and Whale commiserate over things. -Also, serious props to Ruby for cutting Whale’s self-hate monologue to get to the situation at hand. XD -”These carriages are strange.” I wonder if Cora was actually serious when she says this! XD I mean, cars are probably intimidating to those not familiar with them. -”It’s one of my most treasured possessions.” Awww! -It’s so freaky seeing Gerhardt moving around in his undead state. He’s like a gorilla in the way he moves his arms and legs and the way he cowers and sits. What a cool take on Frankenstein’s monster! Like that, more than anything would make me interested in a follow-up Frankenstein flashback. -I feel so bad for Snow as she’s being let down about not going into Greg’s room, but I can’t help but laugh. Like Snow, the fuck, bro? -”It’s a cup.” Am I the only one getting a sense of deja vu from “A Bug’s Life” here? XD -Greg, you sly dog! You, Killian, and Cora could bag Best Acting Awards until you die! -”I was texting.” ...While not my exact situation, this was too fucking real… -I love that globe and wish we saw more of it! On topic, everyone in Storybrooke should keep a private sampling of blood just for safekeeping at this point for identity purposes. -Awww! Poor Emma! Henry, just let her sleep! And then Gold comes in! The poor woman! -”If any harm comes to Belle while I’m gone, I’m killing all of you.” ...Was anyone in that room trying to hurt Belle? For the wham line it was supposed to be, it doesn’t come back in a meaningful way and it’s so oddly aimed. I guess this was written before Colin got hurt and maybe Killian was supposed to go after her again? Arcs - How are These Storylines Progressing? Rumple’s Redemption - As much as my inner sense of empathy is judging Rumple, his decision to essentially say “fuck off” to the request to help Greg is pretty in-character. Not only is he dealing with the anger over losing Belle and essentially letting Killian get away with it without killing him (Which is in itself a pretty great stride that holds through from his decision in the previous episode), but yeah, for as much as I like Rumple and think that the writing does an excellent job of painting him as not a complete fucking monster, I put the word ‘complete’ in there for a reason. Rumple still has a long way to go until he reaches a point where he can care for someone whose outside of his tiny circle of love, and for whatever can be said about his relations to Emma and David, they’re not at a point where they’re strong enough where he’d give them that much concern. Regina’s Redemption - “I have to let you know. I had nothing to do with Archie.” I almost feel like I can leave it there, but nah. You deserve more! So, just as much as Regina wants Henry to be by her side regardless as for as much as her attempted redemption had hurt her thus far, Regina’s still committed to doing right by Henry, and that’s amazing! Furthermore, Regina shows that even if she didn’t accept her treatment when the accusations came around over Archie’s death, she does accept that given the circumstances, it was a reasonable assumption to make. Honestly, the entirity of Regina’s scenes with Cora speak of how far she’s come, as she stands against Cora’s points over why she framed Regina. Obviously, part of what made Regina go as evil as she did was Cora’s influence, and seeing her work so hard to not let Cora control her again was just so impressive! Hell, even gives Cora an understanding of what she wants if she’s to trust Cora again. Greg Mendell - We get our first (Okay, second) piece of Greg in this episode. Definitely a good actor and I like how there was this subversion of expectations in this episode (until the ending, of course) while still raising all of the needed points about him and his existence here for later in the season where they would apply. Favorite Dynamic Rumple and Cora - I like how we get to see that Cora’s menace doesn’t just stretch to Regina, but how exactly it stretches to Rumple. Rumple and Cora are on equal footing in a way that Rumple and Regina only came to be during the final two seasons of the show, and that comes across so clearly in just how he acts around her in their one scene together. She’s able to push him a bit and even prompts a deal where he has to hesitantly accept it, and that’s so rarely done, especially by an enemy. Just look at the worry in Rumple’s eye and that bit of trepidation, but he still manages to keep most of his cool. That is how Rumple responds to a real threat. It’s almost karmic retribution for not bothering with Greg (Or trying so hard to keep Cora out of Stroybrooke that she’d let Emma and Snow die), but I don’t know if I would go so far as to say that for certain. Still, their one scene both establishes so much of their dynamic and sets up the board for later. Writer Jane Espenson is back, and she did a decent job here. I like how she balanced the screentime of so much of our main and supporting cast. No one ever feels like they got the shaft and what they were given to do fits their story so well. In addition, I feel like the writing is done very well, particularly with Regina and Cora. The way Regina speaks is a great reflection of the work she’s done as she deflects Cora’s points hit by hit and only succumbs to a situation that was well set up. Jane is really good when it comes to writing Regina, as “We Are Both” was also hers and the depictions of both her past and present character were marvelous! Also, as a side note, she wrote Emma and Killian much better here. There’s clearly animosity, but a level of concern and even flirting off of Emma’s side that is actually allowed to show up for a hot second. Rating 8/10. Style is the name of the game here. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the aesthetics weren’t impressive enough to bring the whole episode up a level. As for the other segments, they ranged in quality, but were more good than bad, though since Whale was the main segment, the shortcomings of that story stood out more. But thankfully, it wasn’t the only portion between the interesting broad strokes of the OUAT rendition of Frankenstein, the true horror story of seeing Cora take over Regina’s life again, and the small inner workings of Emma and co in the background as they react to all of this. Flip My Ship - Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness” Rumbelle - I noticed that just as the episode started, Rumple was calling Belle “Beautiful Belle” as the authorities were coming for her. That’s small, but pretty cute! And you just gotta feel for Rumple as he tries so desperately to make Belle remember him. While I’m not really sure if I like or dislike the failed TLK, the cup scene absolutely accomplishes what it sets out to do. Also, “do you have any spells to return memories?” Just look at Rumple here. He looks so nervous as he’s asking, as fragile as a young schoolboy! And he does that in front of CORA! That is adorable for Rumbelle! Captain Swan - Killian just gets hit by a freakin’ CAR and the first thing he says is, “Hey beautiful.” Killian, never change! ...Actually, yeah. You need to change a lot, but fortunately, you do! Hell, even Emma gives into the flirting a bit after a bit! Also, “everything else is still intact.” KIllian, could you be any more obvious?! Also also, Emma’s pretty keen on keeping an eye on Killian despite the fact that he’s handcuffed. Finally, Emma’s reaction to Rumple’s threat to kill Hook at the end of the episode...looks like she does care. Golden Heart - ”I’ve no reason to cheat you.” “Anymore.” Looks like we’ve got some angry exes! XD Also, notice how Rumple’s lingering juuuuuust a bit during that kiss! You dog! ()()()()()()()()() Finally! Another really good episode to talk about and get pumped over!! Thank you so much for reading and to the awesomesauce fine folks at @watchingfairytales for making like Frankenstein and bringing my creations to life! Bwahahahahha!

Any guesses on what will happen next time? I’ll give you a tiiiiiiiiny hint: It’s one of my favorites. See you then! Season 2 Tally (104/220) Writer Tally for Season 2: Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis: (29/60) Jane Espenson (25/50) Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg (24/50) David Goodman (16/30) Robert Hull (16/30) Christine Boylan (7/30) Kalinda Vazquez (10/30) Daniel Thomsen (10/20)

Operation Rewatch Archives

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 2x12 #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat #basically every character in this episode is discussed

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silkygoldmilkweed · 7 years ago

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Wine, Inhibitions, drunky Lannisters, Sansa Stark and the Hound

So. I continue to convince myself firmly that alcohol, particularly red wine, is crucial to understanding WTF is the deal with Sansa and Sandor in King’s Landing.

I’ll go over some details herein, but suffice it to say, I think that one or, “worse,” both of them being wine-drunk does what it does with all horny drunk kids everywhere throughout history: disinhibits behavior. (I believe that Sansa’s “outreach” is also amplified by fear and in her dreams when she’s unconscious--unconscious is really Bran is showing us when his eyes go white--but let’s focus on wine herein.) In the specific circumstance of Sansa and Sandor in King’s Landing, with the added aspect of Sansa’s First Men blood and her constantly agitated fight-or-flight response and both of their drinking (him heavily and her infrequently but enough to have an effect), her ad hoc skinchanger connection to the Hound, Sandor Clegane, is strongly amplified.

Very very few skinchangers can do humans, and from what we know it takes tremendous natural talent or great practice or both. Sansa must have some of the first, because she has none of the second. I think the reason Sandor’s consciousness doesn’t outright reject her or go instantly mad or just die, is because (a) he wants/likes/loves her duh (b) his consciousness is that of a fully formed powerful adult male, whereas hers is a confused but also ultimately very good, very kind and very gentle young girl. His consciousness doesn’t perceive it as an attack, as such. I imagine that your mental-emotional soul in this world might be not unlike an immune system: it’s highly evolved to distinguish between like and unlike, friend and stranger. For whatever reason, presumably that the big Hound has unwholesome feelings for the pretty little dire wolf, Sandor’s consciousness does not attack Sansa’s as an invading pathogen, but rather allows her to colonize his mind rather elaborately. She’s a virus, but the genetic material she’s transmitting into his cells is a beneficial mutation. And I suspect that it might be a two-way exchange, but TBD.

ANYWAY WINE:

“Is Joffrey going to kill Sansa’s brother?” “He might.”

In ep 2x03 “What Is Dead Can Never Die,” Sansa drinks her way through dinner with Cersei and the kids because it’s all lies and next-level imprisonment and abuse etc. She’s wearing a blue dress with a dragonfly necklace.

Awful deleted #SanSan scene? Same dress. She’s crying, just as she should be after Cersei said Joff was going to kill Robb and Sansa would “do her duty.”

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She was just thinking about how she’s going to have to fuck Joff. And well, well, well, look who manifests in her hallway: the Hound, and his number one concern? How Joffrey “will be having you soon” and just for good measure, this is where they were going to emphasize that he’s a dog (DOGS ARE THE EASIEST ANIMALS TO WARG, GUYS) and the reason he calls her Little Bird is...because she’s trapped in a cage? IDK IDK they didn’t do so good with the name explanation, but whatever, we know it’s, above all, because he loves her and because she’s his bird.

SUFFICE IT TO SAY, I think he shows up here with the particular concern about Joff’s forthcoming rape of Sansa, because she was drunk and he probably was too, and everything she was afraid of when drunk went straight into his mind.

The barrier is thin between them to start with, but when she’s drunk she doesn’t withhold and she sends him everything she is feeling. He probably drinks extra when she’s “transmitting” to him, just to try to get the extra voice out of his head. I mean, that sounds like a reasonable plan for self-medication if you ask me.

Their next three interactions are all mostly sober (throne room cloaking, bread riots, “dog doesn’t need courage to chase off rats,”) but I will repeat that the music that plays during the rape rescue sequence in the tunnel is the same music that plays in season one when unconscious Bran is attacked by the cutthroat and Summer appears from nowhere to kill him and save Cat. I think, yes, the Hound’s a basically good guy who cares about her wants to save her, but also she’s screaming in fear in his head and he knows exactly what’s happening and saving her is going to help him as much as her because if he doesn’t stop it, he’ll experience all of her suffering in his head anyway.

“Well done, Clegane.” “I didn’t do it for you.”

And then after that, she dreams of the Bread Riot attack the night before she gets her first period, and lo and behold, who shows up? Sandor Clegane, who is either there on behalf of Cersei, or was summoned to Sansa’s chamber by the overwhelming feeling that she was mortal peril, because when she’s unconscious she can’t even begin to control broadcasting her fears and he has the only satellite receiver tuned to the Sansa Channel.

Which brings us to “Blackwater,” and Cersei’s drunk ass pouring cup after cup after cup of red wine for Sansa, who has no tolerance for alcohol whatsoever, while scaring the shit out of her about the outcome of the war, rape generally and the horrifying truth about her forthcoming marriage to Joffrey in particular.

Sandor begins the night of the battle already sauced. “Oh, there’s women in the ground. Put some there myself.” I’ve never understood this scene and it’s always bothered me as “off” in some way that I can’t put my finger on, but one interpretation is that they are illustrating the transition between Sandor early in the battle, who gives zero fucks about anyone, women and children included, to Sandor after a long of night of fire, drinking, killing, and above all, feeling a little girl’s fears about everything, transitioning to being like “Hey you wanna get out of here? We could go somewhere quiet, maybe have a coffee or something?”

Look, enter “the King,” a cunt who names his sword, and the Warrior personified, who ends the night covered in blood because he’s single-handedly fighting Joff’s war for him. Sansa knows what’s up.

ANYWAY, this whole scene is a riot. We see Joff for the sniveling empty talker that he is, and Sansa is at her very sassiest. She’s starts out pretty strong and so does Sandor.

But anyway, I think the whole point of this scene in the throne room and the Hound’s presence therein is so we compare the Hound and Joffrey side-by-side, again. Because why? Because it’s love triangle ripped right out of the pages of the most romantic/tragic love story in Westerosi history: the legend of Queen Naerys, her horrible brother-husband King Aegon the Unworthy and her other brother, the great and honorable and self-sacrificing Aemon the Dragonknight. See also Gwenivere, Arthur and Lancelot, but eh.

“Your king rides forth to battle.” LOL. I bet Sandor was dying inside.

DRINK 1 feat. SER ILYN, who executed Ned Stark and has frightened Sansa from the first. What’s he doing here? “He’s here to defend us...guards we pay. Should the city fall, they’ll be the first ones out of the doors.” Sansa’s internally monologue would be: Gosh I sure which I had someone on my side who’s even stronger than Ser Ilyn and would fight for me without being paid. Or maybe it would be I wonder if paid guard Sandor Clegane would leave King’s Landing if the city fell. Maybe I could leave too? (I know we have Sansa’s inner monologue of this scene in the books, but books and show are different beasts.)

“Here. Sit. Drink...no, not like that. Drink girl.”

DRINK 2 feat. “Tears aren’t a woman’s only weapon. The best one’s between your legs. Learn to use it. Drink...if the city falls, these fine women should be in for a bit of a rape. Half of them will have bastards in their bellies come the morning.”

She’s just plain frightened.

And then the line that I think is the direct reason she refuses Sandor’s offer of rescue in favor of waiting for Stannis. “When a man’s blood is up, anything with tits looks good. A precious thing like you will look very, very good. A slice of cake just waiting to be eaten.” (Well, this and Shae literally saying, “Stannis won’t hurt you.”)

Meanwhile, the Hound is out at the war, cutting people in two (literally) and generally fighting like the beast that he is and then shortly thereafter having a total nervous breakdown because (a) fire, (b) Sansa’s fucking his head.

What’s the cure? "Fuck the water, bring me wine.” Wine, I think, just serves to make him even more emo and less able to deny his feelings for Sansa and their inexplicable connection.

“Dog, I command you to go out there and fight!” Sandor, totally defeated already, would be having this sort of internal monologue: “But why? So you can stay king and start raping my soulmate, your prisoner whose father you already killed for no reason?

“Fuck the Kingsguard.” (they’re mean to Sansa)

“Fuck the city.” (the people of this city were mean to Sansa)

“Fuck the King.” (mean to Sansa and not good enough for her anyway)

This part, where she stands a little taller and says, “You won’t hurt me.” She is 100 percent inside his head at that moment, reading his feelings as easily you read these words right here.

BUT WAIT, there’s more. I think this scene is a little bit about the writers, at least, tipping that there’s something we need to know about Sansa and alcohol, and maybe skinchanging or enchanting men, too? Maybe she’s even starting to intuit that inebriated men are even more susceptible to her than usual?

“Ale?” “I’ll have some.” “Do you like the taste?” “I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Why do men love it so much?” “It gives some men courage.” “Does it give you courage?” (5x02, “The House of Black and White”)

And then here. She’s drinking and he’s drinking AND there’s the touching. She convinces him to fight for Winterfell. He does not want to, but she convinces him. I’m not saying that this is magic because the dire wolf and wolf-dragon connection is very likely just normal human kinship, but it might be, at least in part.

IN CONCLUSION, IF SANSA AND SANDOR ARE NEAR EACH OTHER AND DRINKING IN SEASON 8, WATCH OUT.

#skinchanger sansa #Sansan #sansa x sandor #sansa stark x sandor clegane

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ohmythatoikawaboy · 7 years ago

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I’ve been laughing at this cover picture for about 12 hours, isn’t it amazing?

The first time I saw this picture, my reaction was the following: “Haha, Hinata versus a salesman, that’s good. That’s an interesting fanart. And look at that hair, so combed... But it kinda looks like Osamu’s hair? Wait. THAT’S OSAMU. WAIT. IT ISN’T FANART.”

I legit thought it was fanart because IT IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE THAT WE GET TO SEE THIS KIND OF METAPHOR IN CANON. I will talk about this later (my final degree project was about metaphors so get ready for some good shit).

IS THIS A REFERENCE?

Now, Haikyuu isn’t known for having overt references to other shows, but I like to find potential references in any case. And the title helps as well.

When I see this picture, it reminds me of two things: the first one is Pokemon, and the second one is Yu-Gi-Oh. The point here is: this is a challenge. I’m not very acquainted with Yu-Gi-Oh so I’ll focus on my area of expertise: Pokemon.

Businessman Osamu wants to fight!

(Continues under the Read More cut.)

(Now I wonder what kind of Pokemon team he would have, but that’s a different story and this post will already be long enough.)

I assume the majority of people have played Pokemon, but if you haven’t: yes, Businessman is a trainer class. There are actual businesspeople challenging you to fights because the protagonist decides it’s a good idea to get inside buildings where people are actually working. Or are they? Because all those businesspeople are idle as hell every time they challenge me.

But if you ask me, I’d love a Pokemon AU in which Osamu is a businessman during the day, and a member of the Elite 4 at night.

AN INTERESTING METAPHOR

We saw in the previous chapter that Hinata lost a battle on the net against Osamu because Hinata turned out to have less physical power than Osamu. Kinoshita’s internal monologue was also related to this: talking about the lack of experience that Karasuno has, compared to a team as seasoned as Inarizaki. “They are not college students, or working adults, or aliens” BUT “we are not the same as high schoolers; they’ve put more effort into it and have more experience than me”.

So, Furudate is now using that information in the form of a beautiful metaphor for this cover. And oh, I love it.

Remember that both Hinata and Osamu are the same age: sixteen. Yet, one is presented as a businessman, while the other is a preschooler.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, since I’m not Japanese and I’m not an expert in Japanese culture. But I’ve done my research after I came across the word “shakaijin”: a working adult, but with the connotation of being a full member of society. That’s the word Kinoshita used in the previous chapter (”they are not working adults”), and as far as I know, that word tends to have a connotation in Japan that only a person who works a full time job is considered to be a first-class citizen. I don’t know to what extent this mentality is spread in Japan, but I find this concept interesting if we want to apply it to this particular picture.

This isn’t just about Osamu being depicted as a worker. He is depicted as a first-class citizen, as opposed to Hinata, a preschooler. Hinata doesn’t even get the comfort of being the high-school student he is currently: he is shown as the (in theory) lowest rank in society, a kid who is not even old enough to decide anything by himself. At least that’s how I interpret this picture, because it makes the contrast even sharper.

Both figures get a shadow in this picture, but only one (Osamu’s) threatens to hide Hinata. Osamu looks bigger, towering in front of Hinata, but Hinata isn’t afraid and instead confronts Osamu openly.

It’s a simple, yet so effective picture, and it summarizes what we’ve seen so far in this match: the huge difference in skill between one team and the other, and the fears and doubts that are weighing down some members of Karasuno.

BUT IS IT AS SERIOUS AS I MAKE IT SOUND?

Of course not. I mean, I’ve been laughing at this picture for hours, and I know I’m not the only one who found it at least partially comical.

Let me make a list of things I find hilarious, surreal, or both:

-As a friend pointed out, Hinata is holding a recorder. That’s his weapon. It’s surreal. But, at the same time, it could be an effective weapon: that shit never sounds good. I dare you to find me a recorder that has a decent sound (well, I bet someone could find a Youtube video, but I mean... we’ve all been students and played the recorder and even I, a talented student, could never make sense of that instrument of the devil).

-There is a fox in Osamu’s card. It’s just a detail but I find it so cute and I had to mention it. The rest of the card, though... HE’S A SALESMAN. IN A COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT. HE’S THE JOB AU MADE CANON. WHAT IF THAT’S WHAT HE WANTS TO BECOME? AND WHY IS A BUSINESSMAN FIGHTING A KID? COME ONNNNNN.

-Osamu’s hair is so neatly combed, considering how much of a mess it usually is, and it took me a bit to actually recognize him. It’s logical for him to comb his hair, given that he’s a salesman now, but ISN’T IT HILARIOUS THAT HE STILL HAS THAT STYLISH UNDERCUT? THAT HAIRSTYLE IS DEFINITELY THE LEAST BUSINESSMAN-LIKE THING EVER.

FURUDATE VS. ELE: A PERSONAL ATTACK

I left the most personal stuff for the end, but I mean: I suspected Furudate spies me on a regular basis because it isn’t normal that they keep on giving me the stuff I like.

BUT THIS IS A PERSONAL ATTACK. FURUDATE TOOK EVERYTHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DRIVE ME TO A HEART ATTACK AND MADE IT CANON.

“What do you mean Ele had a heart attack a few months ago because I decided to give Oikawa glasses for the silliest reason ever and everyone liked it but Ele really liked it?” One of the things I love from Haikyuu is that Furudate likes to destroy clichés and give their characters realistic details. And they are fond of glasses, actually. Aside from the (not so) typical glasses character (Tsukishima) and the glasses sensei (Takeda), we have a gorgeous manager who, surprise! Wears glasses! And she’s still considered beautiful! And she doesn’t need to take them off! And nobody makes a big deal out of her wearing glasses!

We get to see more characters with glasses throughout the series, until we got the big surprise: Oikawa appearing with glasses for no apparent reason. And everybody liked it. I am of the opinion that he looks at least as handsome with glasses as he is without them. So I think I can safely say that this fandom ended up having a thing for glasses thanks to Furudate having a thing for glasses. In fact, I like to imagine my faves, those who haven’t appeared with glasses in canon, wearing them.

But if there was one character I wasn’t expecting to see with glasses, that was Osamu. Wow, that was a nice surprise.

The personal attack doesn’t end there, though. I have mentioned a few times that I really, really, reaaaaaaally wanted to see Osamu in a suit. His school uniform would do. I mean, suits are amazing. I love to see everyone in a suit. Everyone. I did, in fact, draw Osamu in a school uniform a few weeks ago (he looks gorgeous, btw). So once I got over the fact that Osamu was wearing glasses in canon, even if it’s for a cover, I realized he was also wearing: a suit.

BOOM.

Now, it’s my time to pray so the anime adaptation includes this scene at some point. I mean, remember that time when Oikawa appeared as a Roman general? That was a nice metaphor, wasn’t it? Please include this metaphor at some point in the anime. Please, please, PLEASE.

TOO LONG; DIDN’T READ

I love Osamu Miya and I’m pleased with this cover but Furudate is definitely trying to kill me so maybe I should call my ambulance friends, just in case.

#i put half of this under a read more because it was too long and got a bit personal at the end #anyway i think it legit took me an hour to write this thesis #give me a medal or something #the thesis format is absolutely done on purpose for the lulz #thank you for your patience #also i might color this page at some point once i get my tablet and my room back (which will take a while)#haikyuu #haikyuu manga #haikyuu spoilers #chapter 258

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agron-rps · 6 years ago

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just finished you and w o w what a wild ride that was.

if you haven’t watched any of you, please don’t read below the cut. i’m not going to post play by play spoilers, but if you’ve seen any of the show leading up to the final two episodes, you might be able to guess the ending based on the tone of my rambings.

i am horrified. i am disturbed. i am sickened. i am at a loss.

i knew everything that was going to happen in the finale and yet i still sat there shaking my head and holding my breath hoping and praying for a different ending that never came. i was on edge the whole last eight or so minutes of “candace” and even now having finally finished “bluebeard’s castle” i still am. because this was a lifetime series led by the same people that created riverdale, i had low expectations but i was hooked by episode 2. the writing, the plot as a whole at the end and holes in the plot (like why did no one question where benji was the whole time, did anyone look into what happened to the other you know who in the finale, or why beck didn’t do what we all would have done in that situation if given the chance -- if you watched, you’ll know what i mean) /questions that the final minute of the finale raised wasn’t the best (like seriously... how??? would??? he??? not??? know??? or??? be??? surprised??? the way the line was phrased didn’t make sense to me unless it’s just joe being joe and the lines between reality and fantasy are blurred again), were annoying for all their various reasons but FUCK did penn and elizabeth actually blow me away in those 47 minutes. her entire performance in the finale was captivating for me, as was his (i got used to him and his creep factor throughout the show so wasn’t really expecting more but he brought it, fam. especially the last couple minutes that were a direct callback to the first minutes of the pilot - fucking CHILLS and it made my stomach turn.) because besides episode 4 we never really got a real taste of beck and who she really was of a person. we were only seeing what joe wanted to see in her up until the bitter end of season 1. we only saw his rose colored glasses with green and red tints version of her. the one that just showed and voiced his obsession with her beauty, body, and the “perfect” nature he imagined. it showed her having no real humanity or any real substantial emotion other than love towards him. i wish we could have seen more of her personality, not sexuality, throughout the series. learned more about her past. heard more of her stories and poems and explored her creativity. instead she ended up being this bland archetype and i think that’s why a bunch of people didn’t really connect with her. and with that being said, it’s funny how out of their way the writers went to make joe relatable.

i understand he’s the main character and that the story is ultimately about him. i understand they want you to see the persona he puts on v. the REAL joe that is kept behind closed doors or in the woods or dark alleys. i understand they want to emphasize that this could have been anyone. even the seemingly nice and introverted guy that works at a bookstore. and that’s fucking terrifying. but still. they gave us so many moments for us to laugh during his internal monologues/voice overs (they need to give dexter major props for that idea) or for us to try and fawn over him and root for him in moments where he’s being “sweet” or “romantic” towards beck and claims everything he does is out of pure love. they gave us moments where we could say he was a giant fucking MOOD when he was around benji or peach or had to run. they even gave us moments where they tried to make us sympathize with him and show that he’s human and went through some shit.

but beck really didn’t get any of that, did she? funny how that happens, isn’t it? women characters being overlooked for their male counterparts and only being used for a plot device. also that HARDCORE VICTIM BLAMING FROM PEOPLE WHO’VE WATCHED THO. it’s honesty amazing that someone would blame beck for being stalked and manipulated because she was confident in her sexuality/”used” joe and then say she’s unlikabe and they don’t really care about what happened because she seems “shallow” and “self centered” it’s mind boggling.

i’m not even going to say anything about her annika, lynn or especially peach because... the first two were literally irrelevant, poorly written (though i imagine because of joe’s warped and unreliable perception of them) and served basically next to nothing for the story except annika once for 2 seconds and i just don’t have anything to say about peach fucking salinger. a rant comparing her to joe and how she was made out to be just as manipulative and predatory is for another day because was that really what peach was like? or was joe so threatened by her that it was mostly if not all a facade that made us turn against her to make him look better? is that what happened with benji too? we honestly don’t know because joe can’t be trusted as a narrator due to his behavior and obvious bias (which is why he claims both were a problem in beck’s life so things must have been done about that) so you have to question everything. i now question everything.

also, my most spoiler-y moment for last because I’M UPSET:

PACO WHY DID YOU DO THAT. I TRUSTED YOU. I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU. WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU. that was SUCH a fucking betrayal and i took it personally. as if the rest of the episode wasn’t already hard to watch (and maybe that’s because i watch a lot of true life crime documentaries/series and like i said before, joe could literally be anyone and so could his/her victims) that moment with him just left me speechless and I felt helpless. i need paco to fucking explain himself and apologize to me and women everywhere.

that’s it. goodnight.

#you #i just... i just have a lot of feelings

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flauntpage · 7 years ago

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Boxing's Al Bernstein is Getting Back to His Vegas Lounge Singer Roots

Al Bernstein has been boxing’s foremost commentator for three generations. He began calling fights for the nascent ESPN in 1980. At the time, boxing was the network’s biggest draw. and though Bernstein, a former newspaper man, was interested in covering other sports, the die had been cast. He had prominent ringside roles throughout boxing’s Golden Age of the 80s middleweights. He watched the relative nadir of the sport’s meandering slog through the late 90s and aughts and is still around now, analyzing the action through what he thinks could be another Golden Age.

With his resume, you’d be excused for only knowing Bernstein as The Boxing Guy. But to fans of jazz and “The Great American Songbook” living in Las Vegas, he is also known as a singer. I sat down with Bernstein over breakfast in Brooklyn just prior to a recent Showtime Saturday Night Fights gig at The Barclays Center. We talked about boxing, and even though he said he’s not the kind of guy to “sit down and ramble on about myself”—and I believed him—I got him to talk about music: how he got started as a singer, why he stopped, and the path that led him back to the stage.

His Vegas singing career began thanks to boxing.

“I was very frustrated at ESPN," he said. "They weren’t letting me do other sports. I’d covered the NFL Draft, I’d done some college basketball. They weren’t so anxious to have me do other things."

"Around 1987 (before Marvin Hagler fought Sugar Ray Leonard) I was having dinner with some executives at Caesars Palace. Just before that Barry McGuigan had fought at Caesars. And his father, who was a pub singer in Ireland, had done a couple nights at the Olympic Lounge at Caesars where he sang Irish tunes and it was great. It was a gathering place for people. So one of the execs says, ‘Don’t you sing?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I like to sing.’ And he said, ‘You gotta do what Barry McGuigan’s dad did.’ I said, ‘Okay.’

And so Bernstein went from ESPN commentator to Vegas lounge act.

"I didn’t have a band, I didn’t have an act, I had nothing. I had done some music in Chicago when I was younger but really nothing. And now I’m doing Caesars Palace as my first thing. I was too stupid to say no.”

Bernstein got a band and an act together and played three nights in the Olympic Lounge leading up to the highly anticipated Hagler/Leonard fight, also taking place at Caesar’s.

“I did it and it went well. I look out and I see all these famous people out there and I thought what the hell did I get myself into. It was standards and some pop. I have very eclectic taste. It was really good, really fun.”

I asked him if he thought it was a way to diversify himself personally since ESPN wasn’t letting him do it professionally.

“Yeah. I said, you know what I’m gonna do something else. And I really love music. If I’m well known enough to get a job then I should do it.”

Bernstein did several of these shows leading up to big bouts at Caesars over the next couple years. He loved it and wanted to keep doing it but because he was still doing 40-plus fights a year on ESPN, he couldn’t rehearse and couldn’t have a full time band. He wanted to keep performing so he and his writing partner Tony Rome put together a hybrid music/Q&A/monologue performance called The Boxing Party. The show included 5 or 6 original songs about sports. These songs would make up the bulk of Bernstein’s first album 1988’s “My Very Own Songs.”

By then he had moved full time to Vegas and was performing The Boxing Party all around town at Caesars and other venues like Mandalay Bay and the Riviera. It was a hit. Bernstein would continue performing throughout the early 90s and put out a second record in 1996 leading up to his coverage of the Olympics called “Let The Games Begin.” But then performances became more sporadic; the time between each stretching longer. Until, as he puts it, “The music went away.”

“I parted ways with the gentleman I was writing with and I didn’t want to use his music because I felt like that wasn’t fair. There were also some other things, but I don’t know. I just got away from music.”

It is not uncommon for people to be pulled away from their passions. Things happen in life that demand, or at least appear to demand, your full attention at the cost of something else. Enough time can pass that the old enthusiast becomes unfamiliar. A face you used to know, but just can’t place. But life also has a way of jarring you back into it. Life did this to Bernstein, though he prefaces the story with, “I don’t want to make this sound too introspective.”

“My wife Connie is a cancer survivor. She had stage IV breast cancer. We’ve had our twists and turns. You need something in your life that is nourishing. For me riding (Bernstein’s first extracurricular activity while at ESPN was the rodeo, but that’s for a different article) was always nourishing. I’m not a religious person but that was my religion. That, and I loved music. I got away from it, I thought about it a lot. I could never figure out a way to do it, and to enjoy it. It sounds crazy but they intertwine.

A couple years back my horse got sick and had to be put down. It was very sad. This was going on at the same time as my wife’s health problems. I couldn’t justify getting another horse and spending all that time. So for a few years there was a hole in my life.

We were out with my friend Clint Holmes and his wife was performing. He said to me, ‘Why don’t you sit in with her?’ He knew I used to sing and I said, ‘Ehh…. okay.’ So I sat in with her, did a couple tunes and I said to myself ‘Why am I not doing this? What’s wrong with me? So I got on it. And in the last year and a half I’ve really dug back into the music.”

I comment that music is unique to people because it can expand to fit nearly any size or shaped void that may exist in someone’s life.

“It really does. It’s meant to do that to people that listen to it and it’s meant to do that to people that execute it.”

Bernstein calls himself “the third best singer in his family.” His wife Connie was a performing singer for many years as part of a sibling duo called The Rocco Sisters and his 18 year old son, Wes, is a singer/songwriter. Despite that status he has taken to performing again on a somewhat regular basis.

He’s a frequent co-host of Kenny Davidsen’s show at the Tuscany, a spot he calls, “A really great Las Vegas room.” Judging by the website, the Tuscany’s old school, just-off-the-strip vibe suits his style. Davidsen’s MO is letting his co-hosts branch out into different styles (or in this case, vocations) than they’re used to. Getting people out of their comfort zones can chill even the most seasoned of acts but Bernstein’s approach to the show is similar to that of a workman middleweight with a good chin.

“I enjoy it. I try and do it well. I try not to embarrass myself. I stick to the material I know I can sing,” he says.

His version of Desperado is proof of his fight plan. The Eagles are one of Bernstein’s favorite groups and he delivers it with a combination of its original plaintive dustiness and his own Great Las Vegas Room Mojo. Bernstein is going to continue following music and its ability to fill out and brighten the corners of an already full life. The Tuscany gigs are making him feel like it might be time to return to his headlining roots.

“I’m edging towards the point where I’m going to start (putting on shows). I’ve got a couple different ideas that I’d like to put together. One is called ‘Al Bernstein Pays Tribute To The Champions…Of The Great American Songbook’ and the other is called ‘Going The Distance With Al Bernstein,’ which is going to be a combination of video from my career along with songs that fit the narrative. I think that will be the one that’s done more easily somewhere. I’ve even got a lot of good stories from the older shows that I can incorporate.”

Bernstein is not pursuing music to escape boxing, or change his image. Boxing, singing, riding, and family are all part of his persona and he’s not using one to distance himself from any of the others.

While he’s planning these shows, the International Boxing Hall of Famer is still ringside for every edition of Showtime Saturday Night Fights and all of their Pay Per View broadcasts. While we were talking about boxing he called 2017 “the best year of boxing that he has broadcast in 37 years, and the best year for boxing overall in that span,” and it didn’t strike me as hyperbole. The riveting fighthe would analyze two nights later in Brooklyn between Jarrett Hurd and Austin Trout would only burnish that proclamation.

As Bernstein takes on yet another new beginning, the only melancholy moment in our entire breakfast was about an ending. He’s sad that the band Heart has broken up. He pauses after we talk about it. He can imagine what they’ll be missing.

Boxing's Al Bernstein is Getting Back to His Vegas Lounge Singer Roots published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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amtushinfosolutionspage · 7 years ago

Text

Boxing’s Al Bernstein is Getting Back to His Vegas Lounge Singer Roots

His Vegas singing career began thanks to boxing.

“I was very frustrated at ESPN,” he said. “They weren’t letting me do other sports. I’d covered the NFL Draft, I’d done some college basketball. They weren’t so anxious to have me do other things.”

“Around 1987 (before Marvin Hagler fought Sugar Ray Leonard) I was having dinner with some executives at Caesars Palace. Just before that Barry McGuigan had fought at Caesars. And his father, who was a pub singer in Ireland, had done a couple nights at the Olympic Lounge at Caesars where he sang Irish tunes and it was great. It was a gathering place for people. So one of the execs says, ‘Don’t you sing?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I like to sing.’ And he said, ‘You gotta do what Barry McGuigan’s dad did.’ I said, ‘Okay.’

And so Bernstein went from ESPN commentator to Vegas lounge act.

“I didn’t have a band, I didn’t have an act, I had nothing. I had done some music in Chicago when I was younger but really nothing. And now I’m doing Caesars Palace as my first thing. I was too stupid to say no.”

Bernstein got a band and an act together and played three nights in the Olympic Lounge leading up to the highly anticipated Hagler/Leonard fight, also taking place at Caesar’s.

I asked him if he thought it was a way to diversify himself personally since ESPN wasn’t letting him do it professionally.

“Yeah. I said, you know what I’m gonna do something else. And I really love music. If I’m well known enough to get a job then I should do it.”

I comment that music is unique to people because it can expand to fit nearly any size or shaped void that may exist in someone’s life.

“It really does. It’s meant to do that to people that listen to it and it’s meant to do that to people that execute it.”

“I enjoy it. I try and do it well. I try not to embarrass myself. I stick to the material I know I can sing,” he says.

Boxing’s Al Bernstein is Getting Back to His Vegas Lounge Singer Roots syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6