#Hope you enjoy this Tumblr user modern-day-pain

[odo-apologist]

My dealer: Got some straight gas 🔥😛 This strain is called "Despair Squid Ink" 😳 You'll be zonked out of your gourd 💯

Me: Yeah whatever. I don't feel shit

5 minutes later: dude I swear I just saw a cop who thought I was the leader of a fascist government

My buddy Cat pacing: Duane Dibbley??

(Posted for @modern-day-pain after making this post)

[kopykunoichi]

The Legacy of Star Wars: An Open Letter to the Writers and Creators of A Galaxy Far, Far Away

“Suddenly the Rebellion is real for you. Some of us live it. I’ve been in this fight since I was six years old!” ~ Cassian Andor

I saw a great meme once that played off that quote, meant to depict an older fan describing to a newer fan how they had been invested in the story of Star Wars from childhood. I could relate. Though I am not old enough to have seen the original Star Wars movies in theater, they were a significant part of my childhood. I remember renting the original theatrical VHS from our local video store all the time when I was little. Then we bought the digitally remastered Special Edition VHS Box Set and I spent the next decade wearing them out! We would have popcorn and Star Wars marathons all the time. My friends and I would always pretend we were in the story. My swingset was the Millennium Falcon. I was that 11-year-old girl who would argue with my friends over who was hotter - Luke or Han. (The correct answer is Han, of course!) My mother would read the Expanded Universe novels to me in the afternoons and we would talk about the characters. All my spending money went to Jedi Apprentice books and 6 inch action figures. In short, I loved Star Wars. 

I was 13 when The Phantom Menace hit theaters, and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to get to see new stories from my favorite fictional universe play out on the big screen. Though I struggled a bit with some of the acting, the story was absolutely amazing to me. Star Wars felt all the more real to me with the amazing graphics and intense action sequences - not to mention the layers of politics and the complexity of the story. I watched Revenge of the Sith several times in theaters, and though it broke my heart to see Anakin’s fall, I never considered it to be a sad ending overall, when taken as a whole with the original trilogy. 

When the Clone Wars aired in 2008, I was ecstatic. Here was an Anakin I could actually get into (sorry, Hayden). I loved him. I adored Ahsoka. I wanted to marry Rex. The character development and the plot deepened my attachment to that era, and made me question everything I had previously taken for granted as good and bad. The whole system was flawed - the Republic and the Jedi. It wasn’t just a matter of mistakes being made and the wool being pulled over their eyes, there was deep rooted corruption in the side that I once felt was “good”. The light side and the dark side were not as black and white as I thought. I found myself strongly disliking some of the “good guys” and deeply sympathizing with some downright detestable people (I don’t know how you got me to care for Maul, Filoni - but well done). While the series had not yet ended, we knew where it was going. But still, we had already lived through the pain of Order 66, and we knew that the story would eventually culminate in a victory at the end of Return of the Jedi.

I couldn’t believe our luck when the first installment of the sequel trilogy hit the theaters in 2015. It had some of the feelings of a reboot, but I was beyond thrilled to have a series of Star Wars movies that I could now share with my children, as my parents had shared them with me. Though it was hard to say goodbye to the first love of my life, Han Solo - I just knew that Ben would be redeemed and Han’s sacrifice would be worth it...

2016 brought us Rogue One. We knew how that one was going to end too, but we still ate it up. I fell in love with a whole new set of characters, only to see each and every one of them die in the end. Talk about tragedy. But Leia’s line about hope reminded us that five minutes later, a whiny little farm boy was about to have his whole life upended in the best sort of way...so it was okay. Sort of.

Four years of Rebels ended in 2018, and it was so, so lovely - but it hurt so, so much. My perfect, beautiful space family had been torn apart with Kanan’s death. Ezra was missing. Rex was a 29-year-old man who should have been in his prime, but was instead struggling with the wear and tear of a 60-year-old body. Ahsoka was separated from him - AGAIN - and then she left with Sabine to look for Ezra. The ending still held the promise of the fight to come with the Empire, but the majority of our characters were left in a place of grief and brokenness.

2019 brought an end to the sequel trilogy. Once again, we had characters who pulled at our heartstrings, and an interesting struggle between “light” and “dark” that reminded me of the complexities introduced in The Clone Wars. It became more apparent than ever that balance in the Force did not mean the light triumphing over the dark, but instead a harmony between the two. At least, that’s what I thought. Until I watched every person I loved from the original trilogy die, Palpatine come back (and die) again, and the same exact ending of Return of the Jedi played out before me - except not as happy. Why? Because Anakin’s legacy had been reduced to ashes - his rise, fall, redemption, and sacrifice rendered null and void. The last Skywalker was redeemed and promptly killed, just like his grandfather. But because Rey Palpatine decided that she identified as Rey Skywalker, it was supposed to be okay. She then went to go hang out (or live?) alone on Tatooine because that’s where it all started. I was dumbfounded. This was the satisfying, hopeful, ending we were promised? How? 

Believe it or not, I’m not here to trash the sequels - I enjoyed them very much - right up until the last 20 minutes. But in that space of time, the entire legacy of the Skywalker family went up in smoke, and the legacy of Star Wars along with it. Since Return of the Jedi, there have been no happy endings to a Star Wars movie trilogy or TV show. And with the ending of The Rise of Skywalker, that one happy ending we did have was ripped from us as well. Star Wars is now a never ending series of tragic endings. The lessons we are left with: Don’t fall in love in Star Wars, it will end badly. Your actions ultimately result in failure. As soon as you turn good, you die. There is no balance in the Force, just a pendulum swinging back and forth for all time. 

Then The Clone Wars finally got her last season. I didn’t think Order 66 could have hurt worse, but Filoni set out to prove us all wrong...and succeeded. I’m still not over it. And once more, the bitterness I felt over the ending to the sequels (which had begun to subside) flared up all over again. What was it all for? All that pain. All that sacrifice. No happy endings. 

I still love Star Wars. Nothing can take that away from me. No amount of bad writing can change that. And there are still plenty of good writers and creators working on Star Wars content. But good writers spinning tales of tragedy and endless pain negates the power of good writing. The Star Wars of my childhood is not the Star Wars of today. We wore out those VHS tapes because we loved the stories and the people. But my kids are not going to wear out DVDs where everyone they love dies or ends up alone. They aren’t going to queue up those digital movies and series over and over - because who wants to subject themselves to that kind of torture?

Just about the only safe space for Star Wars fans right now is fanfiction archives where the people who love the characters are busy writing fix-it fics to squeeze some sort of satisfying ending out of the canon content. The Mandalorian is literally our last hope for a Star Wars story that has the potential to end well. I swear, if Din Djarin ends up dead or alone at the end of this series, I’m going to lose it. The overwhelming sentiment of the Star Wars fanbase - from original trilogy fanboys to Tumblr blogging Reylos, and everyone in between - is that of dissatisfaction with canon content (with the exception of The Mandalorian). So much so, that many fans are just saying “screw it” and churning out a myriad of fanfiction AUs because there is no way to salvage what has been written. Half of Tumblr is in therapy after The Rise of Skywalker ending and the last episode of Clone Wars - but they weren’t exactly stable to begin with. The other forums and social media platforms are not much better, though.

It’s not just about the quality of writing - because Filoni and co. have done exceptional work with The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian. It’s the tragedy, guys. We can’t take it anymore. Is this really what we want the Star Wars legacy to be? Sadness? Despair? It’s a story about war - people are going to die. I get that. Victory comes at a price, but the cost can’t be worse than the victory. I want to sit down with my kids and watch Star Wars over and over again. The Mandalorian has given us a taste of that - but I’m almost afraid of where it will go. We’ve been burned so many times, I’m beginning to know what Anakin felt like on Mustafar - writhing in agony and screaming “I hate you” to someone he once loved. 

I remember happier days when Luke and Leia and Han were laughing and smiling with their friends while Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Anakin looked on. I want that back. Filoni. Favreau. Creators. Writers. Producers. Directors. You are our only hope for canon content. Use The Mandalorian wisely. Use Din’s story to bless other characters. Here’s some ideas:

Let Din have a happy ending! Preferably with someone he loves and respects at his side (like Cara). 

Let Cara become a Mandalorian - and put Paz Vizsla in charge of her training (we need to see them spar).

Let what’s left of the Tribe establish a new Mandalorian colony - and let Sabine Wren lead it. And give her that Darksaber back - she earned it. 

Let Ezra come back from regions unknown with a deeper understanding of the Force, and have him train the child in the new colony. 

Forget the Jedi and Sith, let’s start a medical training center/hospital run by Force users who can help heal people when modern medicine fails! 

Ahsoka can use her talents for that too. 

Find the rest of the child’s race and bring any of their Force sensitives onboard. 

Let Boba Fett and Din have their epic showdown, but then use a sample of Boba’s unaltered DNA and some mystical Force healing to restore Rex’s body to what a 43-year-old should be (and then he can marry Ahsoka so we can have the Clone/Jedi couple we always wanted...thanks to you, Filoni).

Let the Mandalorians partner with the New Republic in the Outer Rim as law enforcement instead of bounty hunters, so they can get their reputation back. 

They can train new recruits and pilots, just like Fenn Rau trained clones. 

Let them keep their autonomy and traditions, while helping keep the New Republic honest.

Let them be a force for good in the galaxy, for once. 

The Mandalorian could serve as the vessel to give a lot of characters with unresolved or tragic storylines some closure and better endings. If not The Mandalorian, then other new shows. My 6-year-old daughter wants nothing more than to be Ahsoka Tano. My 3-year-old son asks me to watch The Mandalorian every day. My 18-month-old daughter walks around in her brother’s Mandalorian helmet babbling “Way”. Please let me share the Star Wars legacy that I grew up loving with them. Let me show them the happy endings I enjoyed. Let me show them that even in the midst of conflict, not every life has to be ruined. Let me show them a Star Wars story with a satisfying ending. Hope. Redemption. Love. That’s what Star Wars means to me. 

May the Force be With You (and your pens),

Rebekah, A Star Wars Fan

[guylty]

Hello, weekend readers. I took the liberty of scheduling the weekly round-up a day late. Not necessarily because I only got back from London on Friday afternoon, but really because I wanted to ride out the unusual level of attention I was getting since late Friday evening when I posted my Observations on the SD with David Tennant. Here are my observations on the posting of my observations: The David Tennant fandom (what are they called btw? The Tennantettes? The Tennanters? The Tens?) certainly have some impressive reach. My post was quickly picked up by a fan on Twitter, and my “stats are booming” ever since as WP calls it. As always, my pictures are gifts to whichever fandom, so I don’t mind them being reworked and reposted, but I have to commend the original re-poster for crediting me via @ mention. That’s proper netiquette. Thank you!

Via @GuyltyPleasure Photos & interesting write up about #DavidTennant at the stage door after Don Juan In Sohohttps://t.co/2Hn5teISGU pic.twitter.com/lAh6cpoyNg

— David Tennant (@David_Tennant) June 2, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

There’s a definite spike in my traffic due to those frankly not very good pictures I took of DT… Not complaining. I just find it interesting, and it puts our own jokes about “the mighty reach of the Armitage Army” in perspective, particularly when you compare the usual traffic on my blog with the days since posting the “Observations”. Why, check the screenshot of my stats from last night – I racked up almost twice as many views yesterday (the orange column) than on the best post in May (the blue box)

Anyway, sorry for rambling on about that. Let’s move on to *our* man instead. Here’s a compilation of noteworthy posts from Tumblr this week:

Sooo, Castlevania. Judging by maryjanezigzag’s picture of the game DVD, the Trevor part *always* had RA written on it…

An amusing little story, written by life itself, recounted by hannibatchsmuse… I guess that could only happen in the US 😉

*coughs* that scene with *that* line really made me laugh the first time I saw it. I remember thinking that Fuller fudged the line by putting an unnecessary “with” in there *coughs*. Giffed by riepu10

A still from Pilgrimage, edited by ausschweifendemotte. We’ve seen it before. But I put it in here because I noticed something. Check the teeth! That’s the hair/costume dept at its best. Certainly not the pearly whites we usually see. I actually like the fact that they have thought of adjusting the dentistry to the middle ages because it always annoys me to see medieval films with 21st century perfect dentures…

Ok, I really, really dislike the word ‘dork’. (I just think Richard is about 20 years too old for that adage.) But I really really *don’t* dislike this gif set by tinkertailor1212. A mood enhancer on a dark day!

Mh, nice edit posted by guest2x2. I hope you retain control, too

Muhahaha, yeah, I bet, Guy. Another naughty What a Guy Wants by nfcomics

Tinkertailor1212 subtitled this “pure”. Pure fun? Certainly makes me smile

Ghisborne turns Sir Guy into a modern!AU. Convinced!

Riepu10 finishes the filmography with part 5

This one was put out there by thewolfsbaneofmylife. Discuss!

Let’s remember one of the *essential* scenes in BS. Thank you to ulmoides for bringing this back to our attention. I’ll definitely be watching for *that* plot in season 2…

Hope you enjoyed that. (I deliberately ended on that aprés-shower scene… maybe *you* need one now? 🛀)

So, I am back home in Ireland after four days of summer (SUMMER!) in London. And yes, I am mentioning that *deliberately* because whatever happened there last night, we can’t let terrorism keep us from enjoying London, life and any place we love. Gosh, it was gorgeous over there. I had a launch event to attend and a few business meetings, and one of my pair of “the best bosses of all” put me up in my favourite hotel. Pop!Thorin was appreciative. He hopped under the covers as soon as he saw the bed (see right). Of course, he couldn’t stay on his side of the double bed. Noooo, he had to sleep right in the middle. Likewise, he also tucked right into the scrumptious breakfast, served – as always – in bed (see below).

Cheeky bugger.

As always he was a great companion, though, cheering me up and watching over me, even at work.

Lording it over my laptop, so to speak (see below right):

Mind you, that may be the last time he is lording it over Little Miss Bling. Because the *other* best boss of all is insisting on replacing Little Miss Bling after I mentioned some problems with the Macbook due to the latest forced-upon-me MacOS update. Annoyingly, the laptop keeps running out of battery power – even when it is plugged into the mains. (Do other Mac users have similar problems? It has doesn’t connect to iCloud anymore, the keychain doesn’t work, and the CPU appears to be overworked.) In short – it’s a pain in the ass. Boss-man immediately said “let’s get you a new one” 😂. I’ve heard that before. I’ll actually try having it repaired by an Apple expert first, but it’s good to know that there is the option of getting it replaced…

Anyway, I’ll leave you now with two architectural gems from London. I have increasingly begun to ignore the tube in London and explore on foot instead. Florin Court is Hercule Poirot’s magnificent Art Deco residence in the David Suchet ITV series. Located on Charterhouse Square is very close to my hotel and office in Smithfield. The opposite direction is Charles Dickens’ House in Doughty Street, Camden, is about 15 minutes by foot from the London office. I just love the mix of architecture in London…  And I will not stop going there because extremists are using violence to get their way. It’s got to stop. Let’s not allow them to bully us into submission.

Florin Court

48 Doughty Street

Guylty ❤️

2017 Armitage Weekly Round-up #21 Hello, weekend readers. I took the liberty of scheduling the weekly round-up a day late. Not necessarily because I only got back from London on Friday afternoon, but really because I wanted to ride out the unusual level of attention I was getting since late Friday evening when I posted my…

[whatdimissmotherfuckers]

A way with words

Word count: 1941 Pairing: Alexander x Reader Au: Modern Highschool Warnings: swearing, No idea, pls tell Summary: After a stressed day, your excited to meet you long time tumblr crush, and it takes an unexpected turn. (I will think about this later, i just wanna upload this rn.) Note: Have fun. I had. XD Y/T means your tumblr name. “Fuck this shit.“The school was horrible today. Or to put it better, your social studies lesson was horrible. Everything was going well, you had put on your favourite outfit, you had managed to eat something before school and the teacher was strangely fond of your contribution to the class. But then Alexander Hamilton happened. You couldn’t stand him. He was an arrogant loudmouth who could never shut up. But that was not the problem. The things he said weren’t wrong, and sometimes they were even brilliant. But if a single person disagreed, he would start a huge debate, which mostly ended up in blatantly hurting that person. Just like today, where he started a huge fight with Thomas and James, two close friends of you. And as it started to get personal, you intervened, since your teacher, Mr. Washington didn’t even bother to. But as Alexander saw you standing up for you friends and simultaneously his rivals, he completely lost it. "I didn’t think that you completely lack of common sense. But since your siding with these two assbutts, you obviously do. I thought better of you.”

“How dare he?”, you hissed, opening a new tab on your computer. Aching to write someone, you logged into your tumblr account. You knew exactly who you wanted to speak with. Your favourite tumblr-user, @ratherbedivisethanindecisive . Half a year ago, you had fallen in love with his writing and his personality. He was unbelievably eloquent, and not only did you enjoy his passionate opinion on politics, but also his beautifully written poems and letters.  At first you were hesitant, only reblogging and liking his posts. But then you grew eager to talk to the writer that had captivated you with sentences. And it was one of your best decisions. The two of you talked daily, and soon he started asking for your opinion on whatever he was writing and took to heart what you said. But you also talked about, school, about your family, everything you could think of. He would always listen. In the last weeks, you found out you both were living in the same city, and decided to meet one day. That day was today. But not right now. Taking a quick look at the time, you assured yourself that you still had time before meeting him, and hoped he was still online.

(Y/T)

Hey, are you still there?

ratherbedivisethanindecisive

Yeah, but I have to leave soon. I need to look good when I’m going to meet you. ;)

(Y/T)I bet you look good without even trying to. I wanted to talk about my day, it was really uncool.

ratherbedivisethanindecisive

Tell me, I still have a few minutes.

(Y/T)

Okay so this boy. he’s really annoying and always fight and grrrr talks too much

ratherbedivisivethanindecisive

Yeah and what did he say? Was he hitting on you?

(Y/T)

HAH. no. He was being an asshole and bitched at me for defending my FRIENDS. like what he was insulting them I had no other choice

ratherbedivisethanindecisive

Oh, what an idiot. Ignore him. He’s not worth your time.

You continued to chat with him for a while, and discussed what you should do if Alexander would dare to insult you or your friends again, and wow, Al had some great ideas that were worth trying out. You once again wondered how someone so eloquent could also have such a creative, violent way of roasting people. The time flew by, which you barely noticed, but he then suggested, that the both of you should get going. You agreed, but also asked him how you would know that it’s him, since you had never seen a picture, and he stated that he was wearing a green sweatshirt. After you shut down the computer, you absently stared at the wall for a bit. You were so curious to finally meet the writer that had won your heart just through his elegant words. But then, you also wondered how he would react to seeing you. Maybe he expected more than you were. Taking a look into the mirror, you swiftly shook your head. Al would like you, or at least you should hope that. Filled with determination, you hurried through your apartment and put on your favourite shoes. Should you bring a jacket? Probably, but as soon as you grabbed your keys, you had already forgotten about it.

The ride with the subway was more nerve wracking than you thought. Your heart began to race higher and higher with every minute, and your hands were ice cold because of the excitement growing inside of you. Shifting around in your seat, you impatiently waited for the station you could get off. Al decided that he wanted to meet you in a park, which wasn’t surprising, coming from a writer this romantic. Not that your relationship with him was romantic, it was strictly platonic. Which shouldn’t bug you that much, considering you had never met him in real life. But it did. Only a little bit, but it was a noticeable little bit. By the time you had exited the subway, you felt your knees weaken and could only grin. “Pull yourself together!”, you scolded yourself quietly, and took a few breaths, before making your way too the fountain, where the two of you would meet. The weather was more unpleasant than you first thought. Even though the sun shone, cold gusts of wind rushed around you, making you tremble a bit. But the scenery was beautiful regardless. The grass beneath your feet was tinted in a luscious green, just as the leaves in the treetops above you.

As you arrived at the fountain, the excitement in you died down immediately, as you saw one of your classmates. Alexander Hamilton. He seemed to be waiting for someone, and he looked surprisingly happy. Which was not amusing for you at all. “What are you doing here?”, you asked in an annoyed tone, as your eyes met. “I’m meeting someone”, he explained briefly, adding a small “you?” at the end. Grimacing, you answered:“ Yeah, me too.”  He acknowledge your answer with a small nod, and ended the conversation with that. You suddenly had  the urge to test one of the few insults out, that Al had given you, but the suppressed the wish, and instead endured the awkward silence between you and him.

A few minutes passed, and you had started to glimpse at your phone every other second, to check, if he had written something. He had not. Was he going to come? Did he maybe just joke, and never intended to come? You couldn’t believe that. Al had become such a closed friend to you. Engrossed in your thoughts, your eyes wandered over to Alexander, who was also checking on his phone. You observed him further, till it hit you.

A green sweater peaked out under his jacket. Long, black hair. Dark eyes. Not very tall. “Al?!” you shouted in disbelief, and Alexander winced at the sudden volume. As he turned to you, the expression on his face was just as shocked as yours, he was speechless. For the first time you interacted with him, he was speechless. But you didn’t care. All you cared about, was, that he just ruined everything. Al stood for Alexander. You could’ve known. You should’ve known. By realizing that the amazing writer you always praised and loved was Alexander, an immense fury built up inside you, together with a sharp pain in your chest. You felt your eyes watering, but refused to cry. Not in front of him.

Not a single would be shed by you, as long as he could see it. Instead, you started to growl at him:“ You dick! You’ve ruined everything! I had one thing I loved! One person, that I thought liked me!” Taking a short break, you took a deep breath, your displeased face was red by now. “But no! It wasn’t! And now I’m the stupid one for thinking somebody could’ve liked me”, you added and felt a lump building up inside your throat. A moment of silence. Alexander gazed inexplicably at you. With a hoarse voice, you concluded:“ Maybe you were right. I might completely lack common sense.” A bitter smile formed on your lips, and you avoided Alexander eyes.  Suddenly, he began to speak in a soft, quiet voice.

“Be happy, and let friendship between us be more than just a name.”   You widened your eyes at his words. He quoted of his latest works, a letter, that he had written personally for you.“ I meant them. I’m so sorry for what I have ever said to you, I know that I get too vivacious whenever I speak, and I apologize. If you could forgive me, I would never mistreat you again.”

What he said calmed you down a bit, but it also made you suspicious. Alexander had a way with words, who knew this better than you did. "But you meant what you said. Just because you suddenly know that I was your online friend all along, doesn’t mean you didn’t mean to insult me”, you argued, and he carefully took your hands into his. “I know what I said was wrong. It’s just that I really didn’t get along with Thomas and James, and I got jealous after you sided with them.”  You let out a amused giggle. “Jealous? You barely know me.” “You’re my classmate, of course I know you and HOLY shit, your hands are cold? Why didn’t you bring a jacket?!” He realized how cold your fingertips were and started to scold you, while he stripped of his own jacket. Before you could complain or defend yourself, he had already placed the coat around your shoulders. “Can we take a walk like we planned to?”, Alexander asked coyly, and you agreed.

Holding hands, you two made your way around the park, and at first it felt weird. Alexander felt weird, and it was weird to finally have a face to the writer of your dreams. But then it started to be more enjoyable, you got used to him and noticed, that he was actually a very suave and kind person. Soon it didn’t feel like Alexander anymore, but more like your dear friend Al. He talked about how you inspire him to write, and what he had planned for the future. You would laugh and just put him off, but secretly you were only flustered. You asked him if he was inspired by this scenery, and he refused to answer, but a little smirk was placed on his lips as he thought about it.

The time went by, and as you had made fourth round around the park, you came to a stop. “I need to go home now”, you stated and became a bit sad, as you saw Alexanders expression. “We should meet again, he suggested, and you had to agree with him. "We will!”, you promised him and engulfed him in a hug, as the smell of his sweet-smelling fragrance flew towards you. After another minute of talking, you were ready to let him go, but he suddenly grabbed you wrist, pulling you closer towards him.  You gave him a questioning look. “Be happy, and let love between us be more than a name.” Your felt your cheeks heat as he slowly lowered his face, asking for permission first before he tenderly kissed you, wrapping his arms around your waist.Alexander had a way with words.

He had built a staircase of sentences, reaching into your mind.