#I don't think i'd make it into a shipping thing but definitely a Kara getting to Earth some how sort of thing

[rocketonthemoon]

So I'm probably never going to write it but I'm replaying ME3 and in Act 2 there's a conversation series you can overhear of this C-Sec guard talking to this teenager who's waiting for her parents because they put her on an evac shuttle and told her they'd be on the next one out, just wait for us to get there while the guard promises to check on her every time he's on shift and the more you listen the more dejected she sounds and the harder she tries to convince herself they're actually coming

and maybe it's the character design (blonde human teen) but every time the blorbo effect is strong in making me imagine Kara fresh off the shuttle with her baby cousin waiting for her parents. No sir, they promised they'd be here soon, they put us on first and promised. We're all supposed to go to Earth/New Argo together once they get here. They Promised. They told me to take good care of Kal while I wait but they wouldn't be long.

They Promised.

[sssammich]

🪤

box of super pairings for the ask game? :D

oh crap

wrong box

📦

there it is!

lmaooooo alright alright let me think

as usual, read more because i went overboard

the blanket statement that i will say is that kara is not sg's Little Black Dress for me. that, if you couldn't tell, falls on lena luthor. her character just feels more adaptable without having to, like, manufacture Legitimate Reasons to put people in the same room. also, in a highly biased lens, she's my favorite character so she's the barbie i'd wanna have everyone play with.

back to kara: her pool is small because i think it's specifically because of the fact that kara is actually a rather Particular Character so her pool of candidates for romantic partners is small. can you make it work with any of the others, no matter how far or close they are to her canonically? yeah of course, duh. but for me, it's all about how much more work it takes for me to get there. and the reality is that it takes a lot of work for me to get there, i guess

superguardian (or kara/winn) - NO

i mean i think they fumbled that bag so i don't feel inclined to pick it back. the potential is there, but i think the larger disservice to james' character as a whole means that i now have to work twice as hard to get to where i would want for it. which is to say i don't want much of it in the first place. 2 be frank, het ships have potential and it's not like i automatically hate them but it just doesn't bring me joy im so sorry

i do think the existing friendship though works well enough for me the same way that kara/winn also works well enough for me. for all my feelings about s6, i did like their little s1 crew reunion before the SuperfriendsTM truly became what it was, i guess kara and the boys could have truly been a Unit, and for a time, it was

kara and william - NO

here's my thing

the way that lena doesn't know how friendships work and has slept with her three friends, kara doesn't know how friendships work with male coworkers and should not be dipping in company ink. like why is that your immediate dating pool? i know it's because your life is working 2 jobs, but maybe consider not having your one and only dating pool at work (unless of course you've shared a compelling starcrossed lovers family history, in which case, by all means that shit is delicious)

kara and brainy - NO

let kara be friends with guys who want nothing to do with her romantically and brainy succeeds in this so good job

not just because i want to only ship kara with a woman; if anything, i don't have the same issue about shipping kara with a man as i do with lena lmaooo i think it's because she DOES come across as super straight on the show. my headcanons of course have kara a bit more butch, definitely gayer, but from watching her on the show, she's pretty Heterosexual lol

i'd like to headcanon that brainy is the kind of brother figure that i think kara would have wanted with kal. if kal wasn't so much older than him and didn't reach earth before she did. kara has such intense younger sibling vibes that it would have been interesting to get Order Sister vibes from her

kara and monel - NO

i don't care about mon-el LMAO

but! kara and imra is an interesting enough rarepair im happy 2 play with. here's what i'll say: dolly parton's 'jolene' but the gay reading of it

superrojas - YES, BUT

i think it's possible, if you believe in yourself enough (which i do). but i think the Effort required for it requires jumping through a few hoops. the difference between superguardian is that i'm focusing on the ladies. anyway i think their getting together literally needs lena as a connection point. first of all, they exist as canonical foils to lena; the betrayal, the reconciliation, etc etc. lena's best friends who independently broke her heart. there's solidarity there, there's camaraderie there. while lena is getting her happy ending with sam (lol), i think andrea and kara can find love due to the love they lost. the recognition across the table from each other can be fertile ground on what not to do, how not to hurt or be hurt. and i think it's a relationship that exists outside of what's traditional or typical, which i think the both of them are kind of afraid of. because i think the both of them care for that and their potential relationship would exist outside of that and people might not understand it, but they would understand each other. admittedly, one of the hiccups is the differences in their station in life. as i mentioned in the lena-version of this ask meme, lena and andrea are literally just in the freakin .05% of society and so their class status in life is so different from kara. andrea hosts galas and swanky parties and kara rents dresses. the discrepancy of 'from opposite side of the tracks' would be more apparent, which is funny because kara is decidedly middle class LMAO in any case, i also think it can still happen though, in very particular circumstances, especially if we're to focus on a version without lena. and that is actually if i put on a more serious lens to their work dynamics. i think some power imbalance exists there that feels more reasonable to overcome than kara and cat, at least for me. this is where enemies to lovers could really be something here

kara with sam, kelly, or nia - mmm idk i think it literally has to take A Very Specific Instance

for sam: i just don't believe sam would put up with kara's bullshit at all. she has a child already ya feel me? i do think there are opportunities to make this work before the reveal and rift happens. post-rift, though?god sam just doesn't seem the type to forgive on lena's behalf. so it would feel like such an insurmountable barrier to overcome. if i'm not stuck on canonical events, i do think it can happen just by virtue of their personalities. they hit similar emotional beats and function in the Supportive and Loyal departments

for nia: i'll say never say never, but i think they are better off as friends. i think platonic commitment to being friends and to be calling her out on her bullshit is the name of the game. the mentorship between kara and nia could be extended in a way that really puts her to think about her Role and Leadership seriously, both at work (catco) and at work (superheroing). the mentorship is there, but i need kara to step up a bit more, to go beyond her punch first, think later. what is the cost of being a reporter? of being a superhero? as both at the same time? nia is literally following in her footsteps, so how can she make it better for the person after her?

for kelly: i guess for me, i'd want to know who is kelly outside of kara? i think she'll also call kara out with her bullshit, but i would want the military and vigilante tension and the larger understanding of sacrifice and justice to exist as tension points. let them war about it. but otherwise, i think kara just needs more female role models.

supercorp - YES

obviously, i have established that i do

but for a more thoughtful answer, i think for me the biggest thing here is that i just honestly love how their lives are intertwined already, simply by being collateral to the feud of their male relatives. before they knew each other, the lines have been drawn between them. come to find out that they're trying to cancel out the friction between lex and clark and be better than them? let me gobble that shit up. but also, the chemistry between them is great, even with the betrayal. to be the friend who broke lena luthor to such a degree as to seek revenge on behalf of the world? like, who else is doing it like them? they also just have chemistry and history with each other, the foundation for a relationship that, if nothing else, carve themselves in each other's souls, you know? the truth is this: it's like when one partner cheated on the other partner and they have to crawl back out of the hell they fell into to see if there's still a future with them. kara can be stubborn enough to try and go for it (as i choose to believe despite the wrong lesson she learned of washing her hands of her impact on lena) and lena, like i've established before, needs the kind of painful grit to know she's alive. that's so emo and melodramatic, but there needs to be a challenge or struggle of some sort for lena to exist. smooth sailing through and through would hurt her more than help her.

the point is that there are parallels to their lives that i think are interesting to jump off from, but i also think the dynamic of sinner against sinner, perpetrator and victim, friends to enemies to friends to lovers is so good for them

there are others probably but my brain is mushy now so just send it if you remember it

[connorboyyy]

With this being my third ask (am the one who recently sent about 'slow and steady' and the generations ask lol), I might need to soon give myself a little moniker to myself so I don't have to keep saying 'Oh, I'm the anon who sent X' lol

I'm just a bit curious, but is there anything in particular you'd change about the DBH storyline, characterization, worldbuilding, or smth like that? I'd personally probably change some plot twists or points or completely remove them, but idk tbh lol. One thing I'm almost 100% certain I'd change is the thing with Alice being an android and/or bringing back her concept design. Maybe the timeline, too, because the main game (post-Hostage chapter) takes place within a week, which... feels a LITTLE fast for a revolution and relationship development lol

I really like this game, probably top 3 or at least 5, but yh, just curious :)

(Also, I think I've started to ship Hankcon, and it's a bit off-putting how quickly my brain did that lmao)

You should! You should get yourself a little identifier! Maybe a fun little emoji or sign off/greeting 👀

Oh love this question—listen, I love this game. I think there are a lot of good qualities, but I can also recognize it’s totally imperfect. In MANY ways

First off, I completely agree about the Alice thing. I feel like it was something added just for the sake of being a plot twist and really weakened their story. Not to mention the plot holes it generates that are technically able to be explained, but you have to stretch the narrative to make it do so (for example: how Todd could afford two androids, was Alice deviant or was she just programmed to be more emotionally available to fulfill human’s emotional expectations of a child, etc, etc). It also took away a lot of cool opportunities with Alice and Kara. If Kara had to actually be responsible for finding Alice food on a regular basis or finding her clean clothes or places to bathe. It would’ve been interesting to see how much more Kara would’ve had to venture into public spaces to fulfill Alice’s needs and there could have been a sort of peaceful vs violent route for Kara—whether she chose to tread carefully to get Alice what she needed, or demand it/take it by any means necessary. Not to mention how heartwarming a narrative of a human girl and her android mother would have been—getting to grow older under her care.

Also what you mentioned about the timeline—I agree. It was too short. I think a lot about the depth of relationships the characters could’ve had if they had spent more time. Hell, even just one month as opposed to a week. It really cheapens the effectiveness of any romantic relationship in Markus’ route especially cause it just feels unbelievable.

I also really wish that Connor had deviated because of Hank. Which I admit, is maybe a little corny and definitely a tired old complaint LMFAO And I get why Markus was the one who pushed him there, because he actually pushed him, whereas Hank sort of just watched in awe from the sidelines as he saw signs of humanity in him. (But to be fair, Kara and Markus both deviated without a push from an encouraging individual too, the circumstance just demanded it). But if maybe the story had a longer timeline, maybe they could’ve reached a point where Hank had encouraged it. Or sort of an Alice and Kara deal where Connor deviated for the sake of protecting Hank in some scenario. Maybe if Connor was supposed to report back to Cyberlife to be decommissioned due to how long it was taking him, but Connor knew Hank would be vulnerable to some instance—something like that.

And don’t even get me started on the way the revolution is handled/public opinion or Markus’ limited romantic options. But I’ll stop there cause this response is already crazy long LMFAOAO

(Welcome to the club. It’s a great ship, they have great chemistry, it’s easy to love ❤️)

[sanversandfriends]

This writer needs no introduction. She's been keeping eyeballs glued to AO3 since the Halcyon days when the show was still good and Alex was still Alex. Behold the origin story of the Sanvers fandom's very own @performativezippers!

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started writing fic? Have you written for other fandoms? What are your favorite tropes?   I've talked about this before, but I found fic because of research I was doing in grad school. I was studying a fan advocacy group about queer representation on Glee (bleak times!) but the group folded before I had everything I needed. I had to produce a publishable paper by the end of the semester, and fanfic was the closest pivot I could make to use the research I'd already done. So I started studying Glee fanfic, and went down a rabbit hole of canon vs noncanon representation in fanfic and what that means for queer imaginations, basically (one of my papers was called "Faberry is Love, Pass it On," and another was "Write Your Own God Damned Stories," good fucking times). And then later I was like...you know what, there's a formula to successful fanfics, and now that I know it, could I do it? What if I wrote something as a test? And oops that was in like 2013! 

I originally wrote for Rizzoli and Isles, then for Sanvers, now also for Kacy (ncis hawaii).

In terms of tropes, I'm a sucker for a good friends-to-lovers slow burn arc. That's *chef's kiss* when it's done just right. What were your inspirations for this particular story? What was it about this/these ships that grabbed you?

Not to remind people of The Wars, but if you don't mind remembering, back when Sanvers was broken up (I'M SORRY), they said it was because Alex wanted a kid. Now, I thought that was stupid, because lord knows I fucking love Alexandra Danvers with all my heart but she was definitely not a parent of the year candidate in any way. I don't remember how it happened, but to get through our pain, some of us were joking about like, "just give her a dog and dress it up like a baby" and then I was thinking, "hmm, Alex would probably want like, a big ass predator for a child" and then somehow, probably in a fever dream, it became Make Alex's Child a Velociraptor. So it's actually a direct response to canon, which is weird because it's about a dinosaur and also Kara isn't in it, but there you have it.

This ship (Sanvers) grabbed me in a chokehold from day one. I had started watching Supergirl in season one because I like superhero stuff and I like ladies, and I crushed on Alex hard from the beginning. And then Maggie showed up for season two, and it was...fucking magic. I didn't know what was going to happen, I wasn't on the spoiler internet yet, so I watched it with baited breath. So often when you see two women characters with that kind of chemistry, you're screaming at the TV "YOU GUYS, THAT'S GAY" but it never happens. And this time it did. I yelled, "Alex, that's gay," and Maggie said, "Damn Alex, that's pretty gay," and then Alex said, "Fuck, you guys, I'm gay" and then THEY KISSED. I couldn't believe it.

And Alex's coming out speech was the most me-like thing I had ever seen on television, hands down. Has the time spent away from your story changed your outlook or approach to any of the storylines or themes? Have you had any new inspirations or breakthroughs/revelations in the meantime?

I'm a much better writer than I was when I started this fic. I've learned so much, from line-level work to how to write a plot and everything between. I still really love the worldbuilding I did originally, and the character of Gertrude the Dinosaur, and most of the large-scale choices I made for the ship and the tension. What's interesting about this fic is that it's the only thing I ever outlined, and it's the only thing I never finished. Not a coincidence! If I know what's happening, I get both bored and confined, and it doesn't work for me. The trick was to wait so long that I straight up forgot what was in the outline. I literally haven't reopened that word document, and I won't until my draft is finished. Maybe I'll find some gems in there that I want to work in, but I learned my lesson! No outlines! No thinking too far ahead!! That way lies madness (and unfinished fics). Any advice for new or aspiring fic writers?

Write what you want to read. Honestly, that's it. When I'm sad, I read my own stuff. When I want to be delighted, I read my own stuff. It's really easy to get hung up on what other people say or want to see, how many comments or kudos you get (I'm very guilty of this!) but ultimately, write something that, when you want comfort, you can read and go, "oh yeah, that's the good shit right there." Maybe that's fluff, maybe smut, maybe 100k of bloody torture--doesn't matter. Write what you want to read.

(But please, for the love of lesbian jesus, my actual advice is to put the dialogue tag on the same line as the dialogue. Please!) If you were going to promote this fic with a single line, what would it be?

Alex's child doesn't like Maggie, which is difficult because Alex is in love with Maggie and also the child is a velociraptor.  If you’ve already posted some of your work, please provide a link.

You can find the fic here, but I haven't posted the edited versions of the existing chapters yet, so I honestly recommend not diving in until I've posted the first of the new chapters (chapter 10): https://archiveofourown.org/works/13799136/chapters/31724760 

"Thanks, Zipps!"

she said.

[fairyroses]

Um Hi, So I'm super late to the party when it comes to shipping Brainy and Kara but I really enjoyed your writing and was hoping you could recommend some stuff if you don't mind, please? Even the actual comics if you know which have them romantically involved? Again, really loved your works and hope to see more. Thank you. :)

Hi!! Welcome to the ship! And aw, thanks, I'm glad you liked my writing! I'm sorry there isn't more of it - I'm really bad at finishing things. 😩

But hmm, okay, Karadox recs. I have a few things in mind. This is going to get kinda long, so I'm just gonna put the rest under a cut, I think...

Okay! If you're looking for fics, @cyclone-rachel has written a lot of great stuff for Kara and Brainy (mostly the CW versions). I'm sure Rachel can recommend some more fic writers, too.

If you're looking for comics, I'd suggest Supergirl Annual #2 (2010) as a nice (mostly) one-off comic that focuses on the beginning of their relationship. Also Supergirl (2005) #52, which is technically part of a larger "Last Stand of New Krypton" arc, but I suppose it can be read on its own, and it has a lot of great Karadox stuff.

There are also some comics that you might not expect to have good Karadox content in them that actually do, such as the Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny Special (2017) and the "Sugar & Spike" story from Legends of Tomorrow (2016) #6. You can also read the "House of Kent" arc in Action Comics (2016) #1022-#1028 if you want, because Kara and Brainy are both featured in most of those issues. They don't interact as much as I personally would've liked, but they have some nice moments, and there was definitely some romantic setup happening towards the end.

Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes (2006) is another option, but be warned that Kara and Brainy are NOT romantically involved in that version of the Legion (Brainy was paired up with Dream Girl's ghost instead... it was a whole thing) so their dynamic isn't as good as it normally is. But they do at least interact a lot.

Honestly, the majority of Kara and Brainy's comic romance took place before Crisis on Infinite Earths (meaning pre-1985), and I haven't actually read most of those older comics yet, just bits and pieces here and there. Someone like @supergirltastic would be a much better person to ask for those specific comic recommendations.

Oh! You should also DEFINITELY watch the new Legion of Super-Heroes animated movie if you haven't yet! It's basically Karadox: The Movie™ lol, it was a lot of fun and had fantastic writing for both of them. Unfortunately it's not on HBO Max yet though, so to watch it you'll either have to buy/rent it or, uh, y'know... 🏴‍☠️

And make sure you watch the "Far From Home" episode of Justice League Unlimited (season 3, episode 10) too! It's basically a 20-minute speed-run of Kara and Brainy's relationship and it's veryyy cute. (It's also one of the only stories I can think of that gives them a happy ending.)

Anyway, that's all I've got for now! I hope this was helpful!! I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff, but in my defense it's almost 2 AM right now lol.

If anyone else has other Karadox things to rec, feel free to add on to this!

[theredcapeofk]

20 Questions More

A deeper and more detailed version of the 20 questions for AO3 fanfic writers. Thanks @fazedlight for the tag!!

1) How do you keep getting ideas for your ship/fandom?

I have three main sources of inspiration:

my own brain where my ship and fandoms live rent-free.

tumblr: other people's works keep the passion alive and new ideas coming

discussing the ships and fandoms with other fans

2) Which authors inspire you in your fandom, and why are they so freakishly good?

So many of you guys do inspire me for so many different reasons it's hard to make a list.

3) Aside from the characters of your main ship, who are the characters you love to write?

I love to have Eliza around she brings a sense of calm and reassurance to my scenes. I also love to have Esme, she's so cute and I like having her melt everyone's hearts from sheer cuteness.

4) Are there pairings or tropes you know for sure you'd never write about? Which ones?

Writing and reading fanfics have taught me that my views tend to change on ships and tropes. So my never today could inspire me tomorrow.

5) What is your writing process and why is it cursed?

I don't know about a writing process... I get an inspiration and start writing. Sometimes I outline longer fics and sometimes the stories cannot be outlined so I let it write itself as I go. Of course I make the whole thing coherent.

If that wasn't cursed enough, I'll just add that there are times where my brain just won't English so I have to think my writing in French and translate it.

6) What is your favorite part of your writing process?

The outpour of inspiration that makes me write until my eyes/fingers hurt

7) What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to research for a fic?

I honestly don't remember. But every research I ever make for a fic is a fall down the rabbit hole. You start by a word research and two hours later you end up watching a tutorial on how to comb a Giraffe's hair...(It never actually happened, but you get my point lol)

8) Is there a particular writing rule you struggle with (grammar, spelling, tense, reality in general)?

Sometimes all of the above plus typos and the sequence of tenses? This used to never be a problem, but the further I get from my English classes the blurrier sequence of tenses become.

9) What was your hardest scene to write so far and why?

Fight scenes and action scenes. Like how am I supposed to describe who does what and how...?

10) Have your characters ever done something you didn’t expect, changing your plot completely?

Very often. In Change my Direction Kara was supposed to heal a lot faster. And then she didn't and here we are lol. In My Eyes are Up Here Kara was supposed to spill the secret sooner but she couldn't. And in a project I'm still working on on the rift era, Lena was supposed to cave in sooner but she's stubborn lol

11) If you could converse with any of the characters, who would it be and why?

Definitely Kara and Lena. I have so many questions and I would love their take on what canon left unsaid. I would also like to speak to Brainy and Cat. I would pester Brainy about the 31st century to know the extent of Kara's and Lena's legacy. I'd ask Cat how she managed to create Catco and also what finally gave Kara away.

12) What are some of the tropes or themes that you find yourself returning to in your writing?

Kara and Lena are always idiots in love in my fics and when they do admit their feelings to each other, they only live for one another.

As for themes, I tend to come back to the rift era because canon created a tension that needed solving and their version only broached the surface. And this conflict brought so many things to the surface for the characters there are so many alternate answers to be given I feel that it's an exploration that keeps on giving.

13) What's your most important resource as a writer?

My phone. I've been writing mostly on my phone for years and I love the flexibility it gives me. I can carry it around with me and write whenever inspiration strikes.

14) Can you share some of your strategies for editing and revising your work?

You guys actually have strategies for that? Hahaha. What I tend to do, is highlight words or sentences as I go along. Then, when I'm done with a chapter, I put the fic away for a few days and then I start re-reading the chapter from the start. Best-case scenario I take the highlights off, worst-case scenario I highlight more stuff lol. As some words need translating I try to do this step incrementally because I know how long or hard the language check can be.

When I get stuck to a point where I can't move on, I beg my English speaking friends for help. @lenaralanvers has helped me so much since 2021

15) Which is worse: making the summary, picking the tags, or the anxiety when you post your fic?

The summary is always my absolute nemesis

16) How do you define success for your fanfic - hits? Kudos? Comments? Bookmarks? Or just if you like it?

I think I define it from the hits.

17) Do you have a playlist for your favorite character/ship?

I do have a playlist for Supercorp and it's always growing. There's a lot of Celine Dion and Greek pop songs in it. There's something about Celine Dion's voice and late 90's and early 2000's songs that just screams Supercorp to me. The Greek pop songs have a special way of expressing pain and regret that fits perfectly with the rift era.

18) If fan art was going to be made from your work, which fic would you pick and which fan artist would you like to create it?

If I had to pick someone, I would commission them :). maybe 2024 is the year I finally do this.

And if anyone wants to create fanart from any of my fics please feel free to.

19) How many WIPs do you currently have?

Phew...tough question! I don't have time to actually count them all, but I'd say twelve? out of the top of my head. Some will be one shots, some will hopefully become multichapters.

20) What's your advice to new fanfic writers?

If you want to write fanfic go for it. Don't let anything or anyone stop you from ever writing. Never plagiarize anyone and if you get your inspiration from someone, always give credit.

- - - - -

Tagging (respectfully and without pressure). If you've done the game before, feel free to send me a link to it ;) @chaotic-super, @lenaralanvers , @inkedroplets , @fyonahmacnally if you want some rapid-fire q's thrown your way. But also anyone who'd like to do this!

[htbthomas]

Yuletide Letter 2024

Hello, I’m htbthomas on AO3 as well as here and everywhere. I’ve been doing Yuletide since 2007, and I love it. It’s fun to try new things and read things I’d never think to read. My previous letters are here on LJ, and here on Tumblr. Feel free to see how I’ve changed (or not, most likely, heh.)

General Likes and Dislikes:

I have a few bulletproof story kinks. Use them if you like!

Secrets - I love characters with secrets. Ones they’re keeping from their friends, from their family, from their coworkers, from the world-at-large. I like it when one or two inner circle people know, but not everyone they know. Secret identity is SUCH a thing for me.

Reveals - despite everything I just said, my favorite thing ever is someone finding out the secret. I always want the love interest to find out, or the enemy, or the neighbor, or the random acquaintance or stranger. Okay, pretty much anyone. I still don’t want EVERYONE to know, but I ache for the stories of when the select few learn the truth like burning.

Powers/Talents - I like characters using their powers, discovering new powers, using their talents in cool ways, or even making the mundane magical.

Humor - I like everything mixed with humor. Even the darkest fandoms need a little, sometimes a lot. Make me laugh and I’ll pick out all my favorite moments.

Canon-Typical - Unless I say otherwise, I like the humor, violence, and language of the source material to stay similar in fic.

Ship Content - I like anything from G-rated kissing to E-rated smut.

Other things I like: fake dating/pretend relationships, getting together, first times and family/group bonding are my jam. I also enjoy unusual formats, like interactive fiction, graphic/comic or epistolary.

DNWs:

No setting change/mundane AUs

Requests:

Colin from Accounts (TV 2022)

Ashley Mulden

Gordon Crapp

Colin

There's just something about the rocky romance at the center of this show that gets me. They're not suited to each other in so many ways, but they can't seem to stay away from each other either. (I'm also very taken by the real-life romance of the actors.) And though Colin was the tie that originally bound them, he's mostly an excuse now (a well-loved one!). A story from Colin's POV about the two would be adorable. What exactly is going on in his mind? Or maybe a first holiday road trip together (at a dog-friendly resort of course - or maybe not? Some influencer misrepresented the property or something? Or they have to hide him from the owners? I don't know, I guess I want a holiday with Colin where not everything goes to plan.)

Extraordinary (TV 2023)

Jen Regan

I'm still really into this show, and still wish I saw more love for it. Somewhere (not sure where) I saw a suggestion that Jen's power is to cause big changes in the lives of people around her. I like that idea, since there definitely have been some big changes! It's subtle enough that no one would really consider it a power. An exploration of this possible power would be fun, and how it affects the other nominated characters, or anyone in the show you choose. I also would enjoy more with Jen and her therapist, or Jen and that cliffhanger.

My Adventures with Superman (Cartoon)

James "Jimmy" Olsen

Kara Zor-El

Jimmy and Kara's meet-cute was so much fun that I want more of it, her figuring out life on Earth and human dating rituals. But I'd also enjoy a story that explores where their relationship is now post-season 2, considering all the emotional turmoil Kara experienced. A wide range of fluffy to angsty takes on these two would suit me well!

=====

Any prompt that uses some of my likes would be amazing! I am very open to treats, as well!

[ntshastark]

MAWS s2 liveblog: 2x01-02

ok so it's been several months since season 1 and i think i can be honest now...... i don't really like this series too much........

part of it is probably that i'm really not an anime person, so the tone of it all is just... off, idk. the humour especially, i guess, i just don't vibe with it (which is fine, it's a children's cartoon anyway, i didn't go in expecting to be the target audience, even if for other reasons). most of it falls on jimmy, who's the more comic relief-y character, and i don't dislike him for it, i understand it makes sense with the tone of the cartoon. but it also means i'm not very attached to the character.

but my biggest issue is definitely lois..... knowing she's been criticized for being too mean is insane, she's not nearly mean enough!!!!!!!! she's a bit immature, but not in the right way (overly cocky smallville!lois my BELOVED), they just painted her with a Quirky Female Character brush (which is a Specific brand of quirky that imo doesn't really fit lois). and this + her being a full equal to clark at work (instead of a more experienced and established reporter x him being a newbie) just makes it hard for me get into this version of clois. maybe i'd go easier on this lois/clois and justify everything with "oh, it's because they're younger than usual", if both smallville and fucking JL8 (!!!) didn't manage to have even younger versions of lois that were absolutely perfect (and jl8!lois is pretty quirky - she's in the sewers investigating a scoop!!! at age 8!!! - but exactly the right kind of quirky!). the things i love most about lois are her confidence and her mean streak, and the things i love most about early clois are how lois at first doesn't pay clark any mind at all, and even looks down on him, but then he turns out to be more than meets the eye and they start a little rivalry with lots of banter... and absolutely nothing i just mentioned here is on maws... and then they already rushed into the identity reveal and get-together, so i'm just :| what's even left?

clark, i guess. and it's a good clark!! ......comparatively. because, as i said, the tone of the series... they make him look a bit dumb sometimes, especially when dealing with the secret identity thing... and, i mean, both of the characters he interacts the most are very Quirky Sidekick, so even if he was the best clark/kal/supes to ever exist, he doesn't exist in a vacuum, so.

anyway, there's no point to this rant, but i really needed to get it out bc everyone else seems so excited about this cartoon and i'm just... :|

but kara!!!!!!!! i've been on a kara kick lately, and she's in the poster for this season so!!!!!!!!!! maybe i'll love this kara enough to elevate the whole experience! and the krypton plot does seem interesting, i have no idea where they're going with it! (in a good way!)

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Episode 1

oh my god we're gonna see jimmy's journey back to poverty live!

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very brazilian of them to air their valentine's day episode when we're almost in june

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oh my god the pidge from voltron knock-off is still around

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hmmm very unsubtle surname cut. i'm going through jimmy love interests in my head

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speaking of unsubtle

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oh nvm he's married

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i like what they're doing with krypton so far, but i'm not really a fan of how they're dealing with jor-el specifically, kinda reminds me of how they did it in smallville (and that was one of my least favourite aspects of the series)

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man i don't remember anything that happened in the s1 season finale, i was really counting on them doing a 'previously on' thing

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oh i LOVE a morally dubious krypton!!!!

a slow predictable end doesn't really make sense, though. that'd give the els time to build bigger ships, and to a lot of other kryptonians to do the same

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LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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WAIT SHE'S ALSO A BABY?????????? NOOOOOOOOOOO WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT

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����.

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wait. OUR powers? 🤨

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i know it's probably a colouring thing but it really makes it look like he's wearing a very fashionable top. slay.

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OH MY GOD HE WAS

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OH THIS LOOKS SO FUCKING METAL, I LOVE IT

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i'm crying like a baby

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um homem cadelizado

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Episode 2

ugh i can't find this one with subtitles. hate when this happens, completely throws off my liveblogging.

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oh i'd completely forgotten twink deathstroke had already lost his eye

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if not even clark knows what's the thing he can't see through why are they subjecting themselves to lead poisoning 😭

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MÔNICA?????????

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extravagant transportation is literally the dumbest possible way jimmy could spent his money, he should invest in a beat-up car and a pager for clark

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A WHOLE FUCKING YACHT JUST TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER ARE YOU KIDDING ME

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[paris hilton voice] that's hot

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i admittedly don't know that much about either character, but i'm getting the impression they're making general lane too soft and amanda too harsh (thinking of this post i saw the other day)

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PIDGE FROM VOLTRON????????????

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PIDGE FROM VOLTRON IS LEX FUCKING LUTHOR??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[buddha-in-disguise]

I've been around fandoms for several decades now. Both before the internet, through the earliest days of internet fandom, to the present day.

I can genuinely say, the way Supergirl treats its fans, especially the LGBTQ or BIPOC fans as a whole, has been the worst by some margin. Particularly in regards Supercorp in terms of queerbaiting.

Whether those involved in the production of Supergirl want to admit it or not, Supergirl as it stands has been queerbaiting a large portion of the audience. Without a doubt, in terms of a ship, the largest core group of fans there is for Supercorp, and by some margin.

Have there been some fans who have taken things too far? Absolutely. And every good SC fan I know recognise and understand this, and constantly say this.

Yet somehow, an entire fandom gets tarred with the same brush continually.

But worse still, when anyone tries to address the queerbaiting that has gone on with someone who works on the show, other than the women in general, Jon Cryer (who could teach those BTS of SG a lot on how to engage with fans on SM, and not piss off swathes of fans), and Jesse, there are few instances I can think of where it then hasn't resulted in SC fans getting dumped on, or called delusional, or basically saying it isn't there.

Here's the thing.

As LGBTQ fans, the majority of us - especially the older ones like myself - know exactly what queerbaiting is. How do you think it even became recognised as a problem?

Because we called media out on it. The LGBTQ audiences defined it, via our experiences. So we know exactly what queerbaiting is thank you. We don't need to be told it isn't there or isn't something going on - because we are the ones who wrote up the damn definition!

In all my years of fandoms, never have I seen queerbaiting on the scale Supergirl use. Season 5 - especially 5a - brought the queerbaiting to a whole new level.

So many of us now dread S6, because S5 was so bad in a multitude of ways for the LGBTQ audience, including but not exclusively Supercorp queerbaiting.

And I don't speak for all SC fans, but I do see a lot like me are caught in a conundrum. We all love the majority of the cast. Particularly the women. Sure we all have favourites, but also as a whole, the female cast is loved and respected.

Here's my dilemma. I want to support the female cast. Hell I was a Chyler, Katie and Azie fan long before Supergirl, and have grown to love Melissa, Andrea and Nicole particularly. Nicole as a transgender women especially holds a place dear to us. I will support them all beyond Supergirl.

As S6 will begin filming, I want nothing more than to show them I love, support and care for them. But then I'm at the point where I want to just tell the show to go jump, because they've sucked all the enjoyment I had out of it for me. When you actually dread what the next week might bring, that is not what any show should be about. Yet here I find myself dreading what the show might bring.

I also am questioning do The CW even care about Supergirl any more, especially as they finally got Superman, which they've coveted for years, and made no secret of it.

They seem to forget that Supergirl and Superman have two pretty distinct fans. I like Superman, but I love Supergirl. I'm also just a little bit done with all the iterations of Superman we've had on screen.

Supergirl has always struggled on the social media side of fan engagement as well. Not once have I seen a showrunner actively engage with the audience. Or at least, if they have it was a long time ago. The current showrunners definitely haven't. Hell, one doesn't even have a SM account.

But even if a showrunner or others involved in the show don't engage, when others do, it becomes a nightmare. The last 6 or 7 hours are a case in point.

Again, yes some fans take it too far where Supercorp is involved. Yet, once again, rather than just stepping away, a writer got embroiled into something that didn't need to happen, because they gave out conflicting tweets on replies to fans over Supercorp, and then began blocking fans who were polite and respectful and did absolutely nothing to warrant a block.

Then they also liked a post that called SC fans dicks.

Yet somehow again, we are all the bad guys.

I've no doubt that they felt overwhelmed on how the reactions went. I truly do. But I really don't understand why anyone doesn't just step back. Put out a polite post saying it's all getting a bit too much, and they need to disengage. I think each and every decent fan would understand and respect that. I know I would.

But here's the thing.

Ultimately the writer shouldn't be in that position of trying to answer fans on it all. Nor should they dismiss fans who say it is queerbaiting, if they're not LGBTQ themselves.

The problem is Supergirl social media is so lacking, it places a higher burden on writers and others instead. That is on the show. Entirely.

I also have to question just how diverse is the writers room? Having a number of women, if they are White and cis, when you have a cast of characters who are LGBTQ and/or Black or POC, is not having a good diverse writers room. And it shows.

If you say there is no queerbaiting, but not LGBTQ, you need to stop trying to redefine what is accepted queerbaiting.

If someone says it is a gay agenda, you need to stop with that, because that is homophobic. End of. That's no different that being racist if you write it is a Black agenda.

Supergirl put themselves in this position.

I've had family watch Supergirl with no preconceptions on characters suddenly say: I see something between Kara and Lena. Are they together? And being astounded when not only do they realise they're not together, that they actually have 4 seasons of this and counting.

This has come from straight family. Or my very gay, very into men brother in law.

If others see it who aren't involved as Supercorp fans, who might even be straight - that is queerbaiting.

But here's the thing. It shouldn't need us to say others see it too. If a large segment of audience see it, say it is there, pull out receipts to show why they are saying that time and again, that should be enough.

Yet it isn't.

As much as it pains me - I sense now The CW has Superman, they're going to let Supergirl go by end of S6. I'd be more surprised if they announce a 7th season than not.

Whatever decisions on the shows future they might be making, one thing is clear.

If they don't allow Supercorp to develop, and don't get rid of whatever homophobic block is going on for the show, Supergirl will be left with a legacy of being probably the worst example on queerbaiting your audience ever.

The 100 are still panned to this day over Clexa by LGBTQ fans.

Supergirl still have a chance, a choice to pull it around.

Sadly I doubt that will happen.

In the meantime, I'm stuck on wanting to stop watching the show, but wanting desperately to support the cast. That's the conundrum many of us now face.

The legacy Supergirl will leave is not going to be about empowering women if they don't change significantly for S6.

It will be how they queerbaited, how they dismissed the only full cast Black woman, worse still, who played an LGBTQ role. How they dismissed the LGBTQ as a whole.

Those are legacies that will not die away for LGBTQ fans. The CW in general has tainted itself with the LGBTQ audience in more than one show.

What a mess.

And it really wouldn't take much to avoid all of this. That's what is so disappointing. It is an easy fix.

Apologies for any typos/mistakes as I'm posting unedited.

[enabledarmy]

Kpop merch: a UK buying guide 🇬🇧💜

Top 5 places to get kpop merch and albums in the UK

Hi! I live in the UK (as you may have guessed) and support many different groups, but since I first became a kpop fan it's been really hard to find affordable and responsible sources for merchandise. It seemed like everything came from America or South Korea, which can be pretty expensive when you add shipping and import and also isn't super eco conscious (I know most things are shipped in bulk but I still like to buy locally if I can). Plus sometimes it's hard to tell if the site is really legit.

You see new merch releasing online, look it up and it's only available from Singapore for the small price of your life savings and first born child...I'm sure I'm not the only UK fan who's been pretty confused by it all 😅

But recently I've found some great places, mostly based in the UK and slowly but surely my collection is growing and my room is getting happier 😊 It took a while to find these because they're not big/popular places but I've found them great so if you're a UK based fan I'd recommend giving them a try. Here goes!

(Note- none of this is sponsored or anything, just trying to help fellow kstans out)

1) Oxfam online shop (Charity Shops)

Huh, charity shops? Do they even know what kpop is? Well, no, but that doesn't mean they don't stock it 😂 Charity shops are everywhere over here, you probably have a few at least in your nearest town and they stock a pretty random selection of stuff, so you never know what will be there.

I recommend Oxfam in particular. If you check out their online shop and scroll through the music section (there's no kpop section and it won't turn up any search results but sometimes 'korean' works) you'll find a pretty good selection of albums including Jay Park, BigBang, 2ne1, Orange Caramel, Block B, AOA, ZE:A, KARA and more.

The best part is that, apart from of course being a sustainable and ethical way to shop, the person listing doesn't always seem to know how much these albums are worth so you can get a bargain. You might even find some rare albums that you'd be hard pressed to find elsewhere. For example, this signed and sealed B.A.P album is still for sale on their site

I bought these ASTRO albums from the Oxfam site for a LOT less than it would have cost me elsewhere, especially because they're both signed and unopened!

2) Depop

Another perhaps more sustainable choice because it's second hand, Depop has some gems if you dig around a bit. Be sure to check the seller reviews so you know they're trustworthy, but so far I've only had good experiences. You can message sellers directly, get bundles to save on shipping and it's just a nice personal experience. My last order was packaged so nicely I thought it was from a friend, and it came with freebies too!

You can also get fan merch too, I got some lovely art prints for only a few pounds! (Felt like robbery to be honest 😅)

3) Oseyo

Oseyo is a 'Korean food and culture hub', with shops and shops/cafes at multiple locations. If you stop by the Waterloo hub you can get hot Korean food to eat in while watching kpop on the TV, buy snacks and ingredients to take home and they have a few albums and cosmetics in store too.

The location is Soho has no hot food but is a supermarket so there's a much wider choice of snacks, ingredients, general home supplies and merchandise. I haven't been to any others but apparently there's one in Manchester with a lot more kpop merch.

I got this calendar from the Soho location, and from the Waterloo one I've bought albums and face masks.

They don't have their own website, but direct online shoppers to 'hmart'. Currently the kpop section seems empty but you can get food there

4) Sokkolab

Sokkolab is an independent shop in London run by kpop fans. It's only been open for a year, but has a good selection of merchandise from different groups, new releases and cosmetics. The shop itself is quite small but still had good stuff, and they're moving to a bigger location soon with seating.

The staff are really nice, the playlists are good and they run events during concert season (SuperM one soon I think) so definitely check them out.

You can order online, including preorders for new releases. I've ordered online as gifts for friends before, and it got here fast although there was a little too much packaging (I'm sure they'll work on that though, they hadn't been open that long).

I also went to the store itself in London, which was really sweet and I got some good stuff even though a lot of it had sold out recently and they were awaiting new stock. I had some birthday money from family and managed to get more than I thought I would for my money, including TXT's The dream chapter: Magic which I'd been trying to get for ages. It had technically sold out but the cool person working there gave me a copy that they had under the counter.

5) Redbubble (for fanmade merch)

I love this site because you can find merchandise for pretty much anything, with art designed by fan artists and printed on the items that you choose. You won't struggle to find your favourite group here! Of course it's not offical merch, but I find them particularly good for stickers, which make good gifts in the post to friends or easy decoration for walls (the vinyl peels off with no marks), device cases etc. They often have deals on so keep an eye on the website.

Honourable mentions:

-HMV

-Etsy (for fanmade merch)

-emp.co.uk (for BT21)

-Argos (for BTS mattel dolls and albums)

-WHSmith (for the occasional stray kpop guide book or magazine)

[zerozeroluckybang]

@tinnefoil I'm not suggesting that men and women on a show like this can't co-exist and be partners. I'm saying this show has yet to show me that they can balance a super powered Mon-El being a partner both personally and professionally to her, along with every other character, plus maintain her awesome relationship with her sister in a way that satisfies all fans. I mean, last season, everyone I knew hated James's storyline. The time they could have spent filling it out went to Mon-El learning to be a hero. Not that I'm not grateful for the Mon-El. I love Mon-El.

This show has always been about Supergirl, tho. It's about her life, her struggles, her family, her friends. Kara is perfectly capable of having love. She should have love. But that doesn't mean it has to be him. He's her literal first actual love and everything with them was complicated. Not saying it wasn't real. I shipped Karamel hardcore last season. Their interactions made me squeal.

Him leaving Earth was the best thing for him, though. He grew and learned and became what he is with her inspiration but by his own doing. Do you know how awesome it is that he found a way to become what she'd always wanted him to be, not because she was guiding him by the hand, but by his own decision. It's that development he's made that I fear he'll lose it if he's a regular in season 4.

And Kara's brand of feminism is very much 'I don't need a man.' Her things is that you can be Girl and be strong. I don't want Chris to leave. Like I said, I love Mon-El, but I don't trust the writers to make everything they need to happen. I want more James and Winn and Kara being friends, i want Kara to have cute moments with her sister, and it'd be interesting to see Kara interact with maybe a human male or an alien male and maybe struggling to keep her secret. I'd like to see her be a girl her age, dating and if she finds love, that's great. But her and Mon-El'a story can come off as a. It Starcrossed at times.

@msclockwatcher I'll say again, and maybe more clearly, because towards the end of that, I was going on fourteen hours and my Ritalin was wearing off. I don't want Mon-El to leave the show, or at least completely. I just don't know where you go from here. That aside, he also spent time in the future, which means he knows stuff, which, I guess could be an interesting story line. Maybe the Legion could get stuck in the past and Kara maybe gets their help sometimes or maybe Kara ends up in the future for an episode or two or more.

And as for him just being the boyfriend, I don't see how else they could work him in. The show can't turn into the Mon-El and Supergirl show. It has to keep its focus on her, and Mon-El can't go back to being the boyfriend that just gets thrown in the wall.

And as for how he's grown, that's definitely not something we'll see just yet. But we know he's learned how to fight and incompacitate people without killing them. He can read the Legion language, learned Saturnian, seems to know that ship rather well.

He's keeping a lot of secrets and I think, given the choice, he would have kept the ones he did reveal to himself. He's there for a reason and there's a reason for everything he's done since he's been back. Him sneaking out to get the power device and get back to the ship was mission oriented secret keeping Mon-El. He probably could have asked, but he didn't, so there's reasons. I'm sure his own powers and his friends powers are only part of the reason. To me he seems invested and I'm already in it for the Legion plot. I'd love for them to come back when it's all over. Or maybe, if the rumors that Supergirl dies at the end, maybe they stick around and help out. They could certainly return him home or maybe the Legion could remain in the 21st and go on missions that would allow Mon-El to come back, but not as a regular.

Idk. It's only my opinion. I'd personally like to see maybe characters from other universes, but different versions start to emerge on her earth. What I want is a Legion show with the Legion, but I doubt I'll get it.

Why I think Mon-El belongs in the 31st century.

If what I’m hearing is true, Mon-El is pretty powerful and if they keep the comic book canon side effect of the cure for his lead allergy, he’s able to keep his powers no matter what sun he’s under.

I’d hate the idea of a character that’s actually super powerful and is regulated to nothing more a side character and the heroine’s boyfriend. Kara’s biggest issue is accepting help. It’s not that she needs it, she doesn’t. But, just because you don’t need doesn’t mean you can’t accept it. I don’t want to keep going through seasons with him trying to be her partner and her keep claiming she doesn’t need the help.

I don’t feel like Mon-El would be content just hanging around the DEO while Kara goes out being Supergirl. You’d essentially be adding him as the secondary star and it wouldn’t be about Supergirl. It’d be Valor and Supergirl.

I think when it’s all over, he should go back to the 31st and continue working with the Legion. He can always come back or we could even have a special episode where she goes to them.