#I DID IT!!!! i'm actually proud of this parallel so if y'all could give it some love 🥺🥺

[thetreestumptherapist]

Y'ALL I MADE SOMETHING FOR 1/17

I need to infodump about the thought that went into making this video. Please watch it before reading the rest of this post to avoid spoilers for the video because I will be going IN DEPTH in my self-analysis.

So, many thoughts.

First, this whole video came to be because I had the twisted idea to put Johnson's line "send me out with a bang" directly over the sadder and slow version of "let's go out with a bang". I am very pleased with how it came out.

Second, I made this with iMovie on my old iPhone, so please excuse anything that could have been done better. I am aware of it, I just couldn't really do anything about it because I didn't have the tools or didn't know how to use them.

Now, about the video itself.

The synchronization of the clips with the song makes me so happy and gives me all the satisfaction dopamine.

I love the line "the rumpus and ruckus are comfortable now" for Chief. It describes how he's grown comfortable with the chaos of war and it makes me sad to think about it.

It switching to him in the cryo pod as the song says "so I got an apartment" was intentional. The questionable hilarity of the song going "quinoa in my fridge" as we zoom in on Chief in a cryo pod did not escape my attention even though it was on accident. But when he steps out of it and we get that "bang Bang BANG" and it's perfectly synchronized? Makes me so happy.

Pausing to say, I'm not trying to brag about how well I can make a music edit, I am just losing my mind at how well it actually came out. And I am still getting the satisfaction of a job well done from it. So I apologize for that. Now, back to the video.

When it switches to the marines preparing and the song goes "so put your best face everybody, pretend you know this song everbody" it's like it's saying "you've need to be at your best right now. You've never done this before, but pretend you know what you're doing" to the marines about fighting the covenant. This was only half intentional. However, the foreshadowing of it being focused on Johnson while going "let's go out with a bang" in this section was not intentional at all but I am happy that it happened.

Skipping over the scene of Chief and Johnson for now, except for Chief's fist pounding as the song goes "bang" again. I am a sucker for synchronization.

I tried to use a lot of parallels and comparisons. So, him blowing up the scarab and walking out of the smoke switching to him walking away from the burning AA gun felt like a good way to switch from two to three.

Now, this scene here. With Chief looking at the sky as the lyrics "thank you all for coming" feels like he's thanking them for the back up or something. And then the line "Hope you like the show " as the ships are flying overhead feels like an air show and a quip from the pilots as they get ready to blow something up. As well as "Because it's on a budget" alluding to the fact that their resources are spread thin at this point. So, I am really happy with these lines being there.

"So put your best face on everybody" as it switches to the cockpit at the front of the pelican was intentional. And then "let's hang" as the group is "hanging out" in the air. I like this part too. But the next part is what makes me really happy.

The song going "let's go out with a bang" as the ship gets hit, and then then running into the other ship as the song goes "bang Bang BANG". I am especially proud of this part.

Skipping over Chief and Johnson too young and too old section for a bit again, but I have to point out Chief grabbing Johnson's arm and it panning to Chief as the song goes "bang Bang BANG" feels like a big reveal and was half intentional.

Now, it going from the beginning of the game to the end was intentional. And again, I love the parallel.

Pausing again to say, I am analyzing this video the same way I would analyze any other edit. The only difference is, I know exactly what was intentional, what was not, and the thoughts that went into it. Again, not trying to brag. Just doing a heavy analysis of my own video.

"Put your best face on" as guilty spark turns red. I like the irony. I can't remember if it was intentional or not though.

Obviously, "let's go out with a bang" at the EXACT same time as "send me out with a bang" is symbolic.

Now, for the too young too old parts. Throughout the entire song Chief has been too young, and Johnson has been too old. But here, Cortana's too young and Chief is too old. This is important for a few reasons. One, Johnson is still very capable despite his age, so technically not "too old". But, he is older than Chief. Two, Chief is also not getting any younger. Three, and most importantly, in the next game, Cortana is the one to fall apart due to old age. Not Chief. I may have to make a sequel edit tying into this one to show that. Idk.

And the ring lighting as the song goes "bang" was absolutely intentional and took some tweaking to make it work.

The song didn't end softly like I needed it to, so I took a part from the middle and tacked it onto the end. "Everybody come hang" as Thel sits in the pilot seat feels like it means something, but I can't figure out what. Thinking about it now, it's kind of like he's saying "everybody hang on" as he gets ready to pilot the ship away.

I kind of feel like tacking One Final Effort onto the end of the video feels like a cheap emotional grab, but at the same time it feels kind of wrong to make a H3 video and not feature One Final Effort somehow. I don't know that I like it there, but my sibling said to keep it. So, what are y'all's opinions on that?

I think this concludes my infodump about this video. I apologize for any audio issues. iMovie doesn't have a lot of audio adjusting abilities so some things may be louder than others. I purposely made the ending of the song a little quieter after Johnson died. I don't know if that was a good idea or not, but it's like that now.

So, what are y'all's thoughts on the video?

[larentsaloud]

Do you think Lita father knew that Lita was acting to break up engagement with Thyme?

It looks like that since he was calm and most parents would get angry if they thought their kids was being married to volatile/ angry person.

that's a really good point. I loved this scene. it truly gave me the redemption I wanted for Lita. she went from sweet to evil back to sweet real quick.

Lita notices that Thyme is struggling to contain himself at the mention of early wedding. I think Lita made the decision to break off the engagement back in Thyme's bedroom, when she saw how useless he was in his declarations to free himself. Lita really looked at him and thought, wow this boi is in love but utterly clueless on how to secure the love of his life. she gave up Thyme the same way Gorya gave him up. the difference being that while Gorya betrayed Thyme to give her the opportunity, Lita betrayed her parents by lying. but as you say, perhaps the father knew that none of that was true.

you know Thyme takes a deep inhale and swallows thinking he is about to reveal the truth, that he cannot marry their daughter. Lita doesn't want to be anymore humiliated than she has been. remember she has been a pawn between Gorya and Thyme for a while now. Thyme begged her to be his girlfriend, promised to love her only to fail on all fronts. Lita is proud, and it is her pride she treasures above all else, I think that was the reason she stuck to him for so long like glue, like Thyme said, it was about winning.

when he goes to announce the split, she is faster and dispels the illusion of perfect couple quickly. she blames Thyme for being a brute, she blurts it out, almost as if she had to hurry or she might change her mind. but I believe my girl had this planned all along.

I think it's brilliant that she assaults and insults him and they part ways in the same way they met. he calls her a monkey, she stomps his foot, ruffles his hair and he looks at her like a lost puppy. a true bottom indeed. lmao. what a deja vu. they mirrored this with Gorya at the airport, too and I liked the parallels.

listen.

Thyme releases that she was preparing to do this back in his room. his flashback confirms it. he goes to her to comfort her, actually but she pushes him away, which is ironic.

it's as heartbreaking as watching Thyme and Gorya break up. I swear I cried. the way Thyme is looking at Lita, admiring her self-sacrifice, because they've both learnt that you can't gain love that was never yours. Lita understood Gorya's sacrifice and so did Thyme. Gorya taught them BOTH that by caring for other people you gain more than you lose, that losing a battle doesn't mean you lose a war. sometimes it's a out the long game. and Gorya is plying the long game y'all.

Lita lists all the reasons why she could never love him, but they are the reasons why she fell in love with him. which...pain train.

Thyme gains respect for Lita, he watches her with adoration for the first time, as if he saw a whole new person. he is grateful, guilty and proud of her. well done Lita baby. you earned yourself a gold star from mommy D.

sorry y'all I'm still on strike, I'm having some kind of emotional breakdown that I am curing with bridgeton and pizza and ice cream so...yeah. can't believe no Thyme Gorya kiss yet my fucking gawd.

[klainelynch]

1, 11, 21 and 24 for the end of the year fanfic asks 💕

Ahhh these were such great questions, thank you for sending them my way!

1 favorite fic you wrote this year I've managed to write a lot of fic that I'm really proud of this year, but I think (unsurprisingly) what will you leave behind? has to be my favorite. I've already babbled on about how much this project means to me, so I won't get into it all over again, but I will just say that it's been very strange and gratifying to have a fic that was so personal and that I feel like I did a great job writing actually resonate with people (because it's been the case in the past that I poured my heart into projects that received minimal attention/feedback, and while we're not necessarily owed anything by fandom, it was very gutting and made me wonder if I wanted to keep writing fic at all).

11 fandom you enjoyed writing for the most this year Absolutely Fullmetal Alchemist, and especially Royai! It's hard to believe that when I finished the anime back in February, I knew that I would want to read all of the fic, but I wasn't sure if I would personally find a way in with my own writing. I started with missing moment from Riza's POV (because of course I did), and from there, the writing just flowed in a way that I hope will continue for a long time. This world is so rich in its characters and world building, and I still have a few ideas bouncing around in my head for new fics in 2022.

21 most memorable comment/review

I just went back through all of my comments and wow I truly could not even pick a single one, because I feel so loved by all of the amazing people who have read my writing and felt compelled to leave a comment, many on more than one fic! I do want to give a shout out to @musing-and-music and @nightofnyx8 for always leaving amazing comments, especially on the SpiritfarerAU. Each of y'all made me cry more than once!

24 favorite fic you read this year

Yeah I’m gonna have to cheat on this one too, because I read WAY too much amazing fic, and I’m leaving out some amazing stuff, I know, but I tried to narrow it down, and unless I wanted this post to be longer than the color of the sky, this is where I landed. In no particular order, some of my favorite fics that I read this year include:

A way of keeping you by @by-nina. This fic includes every single thing about Royai that I love, from their banter to their trust when their backs are against the wall and especially their tenderness.

where there's smoke by @kickedshins. This was a JOURNEY for Royai, and it murdered me at least five separate times.

oil spill by lilantis. If you want to know how to write a kiss that is wildly sensual and still rated T, please read this fic like wow. Put it in the curriculum for a creative writing class during romance week.

Care to Dance? by wishingforawand. Oh I’m telling people to read about Royai dancing as teens and later as adults, with all of the tender parallels implied within that premise?? Must be a day that ends in -y!!!!!!!! BUT SERIOUSLY HOW DOES THIS FIC NOT EVEN HAVE 500 HITS???? proof that we might be in the worst possible timeline

Inheriting The Wind by @appassaddle. I love Tenzin so much, and this fic just nailed his characterization, and all of his insecurities and growth that he went through before we finally meet him in Korra.

my faraway friend by @lunati0ns. I think I said it best in my bookmark for this fic: I didn’t cry when Atul left in the game, but I SOBBED reading this fic.

[shoujocentral]

Top 5 Kannazuki no Miko Characters

KnM is one of my favorite anime of all time. The story is unique, the romance is beautiful, and the mecha battles, though divisive, are entertaining as hell. However, the best part of the anime by far are the characters. There's so many of them, and while some are... less impressive than others (*cough* Girochi *cough*), the ones that leave an impact REALLY leave an impact.

Today, I'm here to count down my five personal favorite characters from the Kannazuki no Miko anime. But first, and honorable mention...

Hon. Mention- Makoto Saotome

Mako is best girl. No doubt about that. She's energetic, upbeat, and one of Himeko's few friends. But all of that changes when she loses her entire Track and Field career in the first Orochi attack, and in her grief blamed Himeko. Of course, she eventually comes around and makes up with Himeko by encouraging her during her lowest point. FRIENDSHIP GOALS!

So... why is she only an honorable mention? Well, she's barely in the show. Her only times to shine are in episode 2 and 9, and she's basically non-existent for all the episodes in between. Basically, she's awesome, but awesome only in minimal doses.

No. 5- Reiko Ota

My favorite sub-villain of the bunch. Reiko has a kind of "don't take no shit from nobody" attitude, which is a personality type that I relish. She's a woman of few words, but every word that comes out of her mouth is just pure bliss. My personal favorite is her "Number 69" joke towards Corona (which is actually kinda messed up once you know Corona's backstory). I also love how she's the only one to call out the fact that Tsubasa is gay.

One of my favorite parts of the show is when we learn that Himeko is a fan of Reiko's books. This injects a bit of dramatic irony into her character since she became an Orochi due to her failed career as an author. It really makes me wish that she and Himeko interacted at some point. Oh well, that's what fanfiction is for ^_^

No. 4- Souma Oogami

Ladies, gentlemen, and those of unspecified genders, may I introduce the manliest man who ever man-ed! Souma may not be the most deep or complex character of the bunch, but you can't deny that he's a total badass. His Japanese voice actor has some of my favorite battle screams in all of anime, right up there with DBZ. I get chills everytime he shouts his signature attack "Nichirinkouretsu Daigekiha!"

Of course, he does have a small bit of development towards the end of the series. He starts off with the impression that he needs to protect Himeko from the Orochi. But after Himeko revives Ame no Murakumo by herself, he recognizes her strength and wants to fight the Orochi by her side. Respekt Wamen, my man!

No. 3- Tsubasa

I love this edgy little gay boi! His mech is a darker version of Souma’s, he’s the first villain with a legit air of intimidation, and his fight with Souma oozes awesomeness! He even gets his own insert song, which is a total banger 😎

What I love most about Tsubasa is that, despite being 100% buttfuq insane, he talks to and treats Souma like a caring older brother. When he fights Souma in episode 5, he almost seems proud that Souma has embraced his Orochi powers and has become stronger.

Tsubasa also serves as a great parallel to Chikane. Both become Orochi because of their love for someone. The difference is that Tsubasa is able to see, through Chikane, what a monster he’s become. With that, he sacrifices himself to give Souma strength. Now that’s character development!

No. 2- Chikane Himemiya

"NANI?! Chikane is Number 2??? Get the torches and pitchforks!!!" I know, I know, but please have patience.

What can I say about this actual goddess that hasn't already been said? Even if you've never seen the anime, you can't call yourself a yuri fan if you've never heard the name Chikane Himemiya. She's beautiful, elegant, commands authority wherever she goes, and the biggest damn sweetheart you'll ever meet (specifically to Himeko).

Chikane is by far the most damaged character in the show. She was born into a wealthy family and raised under the highest of high expectations. She had to be perfect at everything, but no one ever took into account the toll this would take on her mentally. Literally, the first person who treats her like a normal human being, Himeko, she ends up falling in love with to the point of obsession. Yeah... she's clearly not all there.

In truth, Chikane falling for Himeko is the worst thing that could have happened to her. She lives in an environment where homosexuality is clearly not the norm, and thus has no way of openly expressing her love for Himeko. This causes her to see herself as "disgusting" and to make up for this, she tries to help Himeko hook up with Souma.

Of course, I can't talk about Chikane without mentioning the most controversial scene. Chikane's decision to make Himeko hate her so she'll sacrifice her to Ame no Murakumo... by sexually assaulting her. She did something terrible, unforgivable, and that's exactly why it's so effective. This is the scene that proves how imperfect Chikane is. She made a horrible decision because she's flawed, she's human.

I could go on about Chikane forever, but that's a topic for a whole other day. Right now, I need to move on to Number 1. My favorite character in Kannazuki no Miko...

No. 1- Himeko Kurusugawa

I know what you're thinking. I know I'm probably the only person on Earth who feels this way. But I'm standing my ground with this one. And here's why...

I identify with Himeko so much. When I was young, during later middle school and early high school, I was weak, unpopular, and cried at just about everything. I believed I was worthless and that eveyone else was better than me. But as I got older, I grew up and became a more confident person, someone who pursues what they want despite the many obstacles that stood in my way.

Granted, the reason for my growth wasn't because I was forced to become a mystical priestess and revive a giant robot god, but that's besides the point.

Coming from someone who may have been the most pathetic kid you'd ever see, what I look for in a protagonitst is someone who's flawed, but more importantly, someone who's vulnerable. In that sense, Himeko is a perfect protagonist. She's the last person you'd expect to be chosen for the task of saving the world. She's a 16 year old girl who puts eveyone's happiness before her own and blames herself for everything that goes wrong in her life. Even her body is unable to take the strain, as she faints almost everytime she faces a dangerous situation.

However, as the show progresses, we see Himeko grow into her own. She becomes braver, wanting to be there for the ones she loves. She becomes stronger, enduring the trauma of sexual assault and reviving Ame no Murakumo all by herself. She learns to love herself, realizing she does have a place in this world and people who care about her.

The only thing that doesn't change about her is her greatest flaw: her undying forgiveness. Her ability to look past everything bad someone has done to her. This applies most to Chikane. Even after Chikane assaults her, attacks Souma, becomes an Orochi, and DESTROYS THE ENTIRE WORLD... she forgives her. Because that's just the kind of person she is.

There's no greater strength that the ability to forgive the unforgivable.

Well, that was a mouthful. I hope y'all enjoyed my first Top 5 list. You may or may not like Kannazuki no Miko as a show, and I can understand that, but I hope my little insight into these characters swayed you just a bit.

Until next time, my fellow yuri lovers! ❤️😊❤️