#I hope she’s the antagonist of the christmas special | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dewdrop-writes · 3 years ago

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Hello! I think asks are open, but I’m not sure, so if they’re not please ignore this!! I’ve read your sagau zhongli/reader stuff and I love it, and I was wondering if you could write about an au where Ei is the one who recognizes the reader? Maybe she’s about to strike them down but she sees the golden blood or stops for another reason. I just want reader to be loved by her since she’s almost always depicted as an asshole along with zhongli in the SAGAU (and I have a crush on her xD). Maybe reader is scared of her and hesitant to return her affections because if insecurities (she can’t be a god, she’s nothing special, ei is pretending to like her to betray her, etc) and ei feels a lot of shame and assures reader that she truly loves them?? I hope this isn’t too much 😅

Eternally yours

Oh yessss I LOVE Ei a lot!! I was. not a fan of her at the start of the Inazuma storyline (because of the vision hunt) but once the story actually unravelled I grew to LOVE her <3

Also merry (late) christmas/happy holidays to everyone! I planned to have this up yesterday but we had guests over and man. That was exhausting. I hope this is okay! I was having a rough time with ending it in a way that felt right, but I hope you enjoy!

cw: slight mention of injuries, insecurities

Length: 3.3 k

You had never really been exceptional. Or special. And you hadn't minded all that much. The life of a protagonist was not one designed to you and you happily lived the life of a background character, going about your life day to day.

However, you too, needed an escape from the dullness of reality. A getaway to a world of magic and wonder. A world where you were powerful - and respected. So - you began playing a game - something to fill in the dull blanks of your life.

On more than one occasion, you had wished to live in the world of Teyvat. A world so different from yours, where you could spend time with these exceptional and special people - and perhaps even be one yourself. Your own spot in the limelight - a main character with powers beyond comprehension.

Well. You had not expected it to play out in the way it did.

Waking up in Teyvat had been amazing. You were excited to explore it and make friendships, even if this was all a strange dream.

You had not expected to become the antagonist of the game you so adored.

And you were very much beginning to fear this was no dream.

As you laid before the Shogun - the electro Archon herself - with her polearm aimed at your bruised and beaten figure, you hoped you would find escape, at last.

You were willing to reclaim the monotony of your life. Anything would be better than being hunted down wherever you set foot - vicious words hurled at you, followed by attempts on your life.

You had hoped Inazuma was different. You had hoped to find solace in your favorite nation of the game - at least some mercy from your favorite character.

But you found none.

And now, you were too tired to keep on fighting.

Your body ached - a testament to the beatings you'd received, the rough attacks upon your body. You could still almost feel the electricity coursing through your body, dancing through your nerves painfully.

So you laid back and closed your eyes - awaiting the final blow to end your misery.

It did not come.

You opened your eyes as you heard something clatter upon the cold, stone floor below you.

Before you stood the ever proud Shogun - her harsh expression having melted into one of shock - fear, almost. Her arms dangled beside her as she stared at you, eyes wide and lip trembling.

She was next to clatter onto the floor, landing on her hands and knees as she kept her gaze upon you - looking frantic. Looking animalistic.

You glanced down at your body, to see what could possibly bring forth such a sudden change in demeanor.

You were almost as shocked as she was.

A golden glow was surrounding you in a protective shield, encasing you within it's warm haze. Your cracked lips parted as you stared at it in confusion.

Was this from you?

"Your Grace! I am so sorry!" Ei exclaimed, clasping her hands together as tears welled up in her large, violet eyes. Her voice was strained, as she was trying to hold together any little piece of her that threatened to crack.

"What...?" was all you could manage to whisper, before she surged forward.

You whimpered and were quick to scramble back - distancing yourself.

Her crestfallen expression on her face almost made you reconsider.

But you could not trust her not to hurt you.

"Please...I didn't realize it was truly you, your Grace," she explained desperately, running a hand through her hair - managing to rough up the perfection of it - strands falling loose from her braid.

Her hand reached out - and you flinched.

She allowed her hand to hover for a moment, shaking, before allowing it to fall, lowering her head in shame.

"I'll call for the best doctors. I promise I'll take care of you now. I won't ever hurt you again."

You were too scared to move as she stood up - lest she cast her fury upon you once more.

Too dazed to react as she called forth servants - too shaken to hear the words exchanged.

You did, however, react when a woman in lovely, yet simple robes reached out for you.

You were quick to back away, your arms raised before you defensively.

"Get away from me!"

"Your Grace..." concern, maybe even anguish, seeped from her words like sap from a tree.

"I won't lay a finger on you. But I'd like to lead you to your room, if you'd like." Her voice was soft, maternal.

Finally, you managed a shaky nod.

She smiled weakly.

Quietly, you followed her. You were left limping, your injuries having left quite a mark on you - yet you refused to accept any offers of assistance. Your gaze was flickering between the woman in front of you and the two looming and armed guards behind you. As you fidgeted your hands, your mind began to wonder.

Would you be locked up to be publicly executed later?

You couldn't help but jump at any sudden movements, ready to run even on your injured legs. Anything to get away.

That didn't seem to be necessary, however.

If this was a prison cell, it was a very luxurious one, for certain.

Your gaze skimmed over the large, plush bed in the centre of one of the walls. The wooden frame was dark and clearly lacquered. Even from the doorway, you could see some intricate carvings upon it. The bedding was a deep violet, with intricate golden thread used for embroidered details. The rest of the room was just as lavish, if not a little void of personality. It was spacious and had a door leading into another room.

"You will find the bathroom behind that door, your Grace," the soft-spoken woman excplained. You simply nodded slowly.

"There are some clothes in the dresser, should you wish to change. And if you need anything - ring the bell beside your bed. We will arrive at a moment's notice and provide anything you wish. "

You slowly entered the room, peeking around - weary of any hidden attackers. Once you were sure there were none, you turned to speak to the woman, but she had already disappeared - leaving the door closed.

With a sigh, you decided you might as well look clean for your upcoming execution.

You scrubbed yourself clean and allowed yourself to slip into the lest extravagant robes in the wardrobe. After some time had passed - a few hours, you were certain - an elderly woman entered your room to treat your injuries.

It was all suspiciously nice.

And you knew for certain that people were never nice without ulterior motives. It rung true in the real world - and you had come to find it did in Teyvat as well.

"Your Grace?" a delicate voice gently awoke you from your slumber. You groaned, tossing around on your plush bed - refusing to open your eyes.

Fine more minutes...

"Your Grace, breakfast is ready."

You finally opened your eyes, hissing as a sudden brightness pouring in from the large windows beside you blinded you momentarily. You rubbed your eyes and glanced around for the source of the voice.

Before your bed stood a well-dressed woman in a silky dress, her hair pinned up in a simple, yet professional updo.

Your brows furrowed.

"I've come to assist you in getting dressed - and then guide you to the dining room, your Grace."

Your eyes widened.

"I absolutely do not need help getting dressed." you insisted, scrambling backwards.

The lady sighed.

"Very well. I've laid out a few options for you on the dresser. Please join me outside your room once you are ready, in that case."

She turned and left, closing the door gently on her way out.

You stared at the clothes set out for you.

Right. The Shogun's palace.

You shuddered at your memories of the previous day.

This was much too sudden of a shift in behavior to be considered normal, right?

Hesitantly, you looked through your options, before finally shrugging on one of the robes set out for you, along with comfortable shoes to match.

It was a little unnerving that they were both your exact size - but then again, so was everything else about your current situation.

The dining room, or rather hall was spacious - a high ceiling with marble flooring, polished to the point of almost becoming mirrors. In the middle of the room, stood a long table, covered with picturesque delicacies.

You gulped when you noticed Ei, stood by the table.

Her gaze snapped up to meet yours when you entered, and she was quick to bow before you.

"Your Grace," she greeted you, her voice shaky.

"I hope you slept well?"

You felt panic crawling at your insides, itching to be released.

"I...please don't call me that- it's not funny..." you mumbled, lowering your gaze.

You missed the way her expression fell - watching your uneasy form with a heavy guilt crushing down upon her.

"But your Grace-" she attempted, before you cut her off.

"Stop! Please!" your gaze met hers, your vision beginning to blur from the tears welling in the corners of your eyes. You forced yourself to not blink - in an attempt to keep the bitter droplets from rolling across your face.

The air was heavy with tension, and a tingling that reminded you of electricity. A feeling of static.

As you watched the Shogun's unreadable expression, you remembered how unpredictable lightning could be.

"I...I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me," you whispered, taking a step backwards.

She rushed forward.

"No, I would never dare to hurt you again, your Grace! I simply wanted to invite you to breakfast - I wasn't sure what you'd like best - so I had everything made, just in case." Her lips carried a desperate smile, her eyes scanning every twitch of your face in anticipation.

She almost seemed earnest in her desperation to please you.

But that earnestness had almost ended your life just as eagerly. There was no way to trust her.

Still, you decided going along with her wishes might be in your best interest.

"...Thank you." You spoke softly, hesitantly nearing the table.

She was quick to pull out a chair for you and slide it back under the table as you took your seat.

"What would you like to drink, your Grace?" she asked, reaching for the cup by your empty plate.

"Water? Tea? Coffee?"

You tensed.

"Just water, please."

She nodded and hurried to pick up the glass jug holding a clear liquid, carefully pouring it into your cup before setting it down on the table before you.

Your plate was covered with an array of samples from different dishes - all cut into neat squares by the Shogun herself. You had yet to touch any of them, however. Even if unlikely, you couldn't shake the paranoia of poison being hidden within your food.

Ei seemed to sense your hesitance.

And she had a feeling she knew the source of it.

"Your Grace..." she spoke gently, catching your attention and reeling it from your plate.

"Would you like me to sample your food for you before you eat?" she questioned, staring at you with earnest, wide eyes.

"If you want to..."

She nodded and gently scooped a bite from your plate, placing it in her mouth and eating it.

Nothing happened.

It eased your fears somewhat, and finally, you began eating, slowly and hesitantly, but eating nonetheless.

Ei's heart soared. You seemed hungry.

Your first few days in the company of Ei were...peaceful, somewhat. Yes, you were weary of everything and everyone, but thankfully, you were provided space. It was nice to feel full for the first time in eons, and to get rest on a soft surface, even if nightmares did plague your dreams.

What kept you on edge, however, was Ei's behavior.

She was. So gentle.

"Your Grace! You look lovely this morning!"

"Your Grace - would you like to join me on a walk?"

"Your Grace, you have the most radiant eyes."

It wasn't malicious but it was strange. How could she go so easily from wanting to snuff out your life, to adoring and praising anything you said or did?

And besides - having everyone around you act as though you were a heavenly creature felt strange.

Because, you knew for a fact that you were not.

And you were just waiting for everyone to realize.

To turn on you once more.

The breeze was warm and gentle in the garden. Rosy Sakura petals floated past you - a faint floral essence spread around by the tame winds. You were sat under a large tree - casting a shadow over you and shielding you from the sun as you allowed your mind to wander.

You barely paid mind to the quiet steps approaching you - only looking up once you were addressed.

"You Grace, what's on your mind?" Ei asked, her voice soft and low as she crouched to sit on the soft grass beside you - not minding a bit that it might stain her flawless pastel robes.

You bit your lip, averting your gaze.

There was that title once more.

One you did not deserve.

"Nothing much," was all you said, your words strained as you focused on a singular blade of grass - swaying in the wind, scuffed from having been trampled, but refusing to go down.

"I understand that you might not feel comfortable sharing your thoughts with me," Ei sighed, looking off into the distance. Despite it's warmth, the breeze caressing her cheeks felt cold.

A heavy silence hung above the two of you - you focusing on your fighter of a blade of grass, as Ei seemed to busy herself with something.

You refused to look at her, lest she realized you were not who she had hoped you were - lest she cast her fury upon you once more, blazing and untamed.

"Your Grace?"

Ei spoke once more after some time had passed. You allowed yourself to glance at her from the corner of you eye.

She looked beautiful, her hair swaying softly in the whisp of wind, her long lashes casting a flattering shadow under her eyes.

Her violet eyes met yours - deep and knowing as they bore into your soul.

Gently, she reached out.

You held your breath.

She placed a flower crown upon your head delicately, her touch feather-light as though you'd break if she applied even the slightest bit of pressure.

She feared, truly, that you would.

Your lips parted, but no words escaped your mouth.

"I hope you don't mind, your Grace," she smiled meekly. "I thought it'd suit you."

You took in a shallow breath.

"Oh...thank you, Ei," your words were unsteady - carefully picked and polished before you allowed them to slip past your lips.

She cast her gaze down in shame.

"I apologize, for making you uncomfortable, your Grace."

You stiffened.

"No, Ei, you don't-"

She shook her head, a bittersweet smile upon her lips.

"I see the way you tense and flinch in my presence. And I know I deserve that. And much more, to be honest. I hurt you, your Grace." Her delicate hand gripped at the edge of her sleeve as she spoke, attempting to soothe the tremors overtaking it.

She had never once wavered in anything after her sister's death, before you came along.

"I...I think you were right to do so," you mumbled, hesitantly reaching for the crown upon your head and removing it. You placed it on your lap, gently caressing the flowers braided into it.

"Your Grace?" her gaze snapped up to meet yours, her eyes frantic.

"I am not this...god, or whatever you think I am."

Ei's brows furrowed.

"I am not trying to claim to be who I am not." Your voice was becoming steadier, as your heart clenched. Perhaps you could get off with a lighter punishment if you spoke your mind.

"Back in my world...I was nothing special. Ever. And that was mostly fine by me," you refused to meet Ei's eyes, fearing the reaction you'd find sparking to life within them.

"And that can't change just like that. I am not destined to be anything more than I was then. I am just...me. Just (Name)."

The silence was nauseating.

"Have I....have I truly wounded you so deep that you would think so lowly of yourself?"

Ei's voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, her words strained and cracking as she managed to utter them, a great deal of pain resurfacing within her chest as she managed to word the thoughts that had been haunting her mind since she almost killed you.

"What? Ei?" you finally looked at her.

Her stony façade was beginning to crumble, her own doubts seeping through them as she fell apart before you.

"I...you are special. And always have been - even if you think you never were."

"But-"

"You guided me through many adventures, did you not? When you resided in your own world?"

You bit your lip.

"In a game, yes. But so did millions of others."

She shook her head, a sad smile overtaking her features once more.

"I only ever felt you."

You were silent for a moment.

"I understand you being weary of me. As I said - I deserve as much. But you are and always will be special to me. Special to all in Teyvat."

She gently rose to her feet.

"I hope one day, you will come to believe me."

With a sad glance, she turned to leave.

Now, you too, could feel the underlying cold of the wind biting at your skin.

Before you could stop yourself - you had rushed to your feet - your arm stretching out in front of you.

You caught the Archon by her sleeve, halting her in her tracks.

She turned to face you, eyes wide with surprise.

"Ei...I..." your cheeks heated up as you struggled to find the words to say.

"Thank you, for your words."

Her expression melted into a fond smile.

"I meant every one of them," she delicately spoke, gently brushing her thumb across your cheek.

"I'm not sure I'm worthy of them."

She sighed softly, delicately tracing the side of your face.

"But you are, Your Grace." She spoke with utter conviction.

Your eyes flickered between her face and her soft hand caressing your face.

You wanted desperately to lean into the touches, to allow yourself to melt at her words. But could you really trust her to be honest with her intentions?

She seemed to notice the doubt on your face, and slowly removed her hand.

"I know you do not fully believe me, Your Grace, but I would give anything, do anything to be worthy of your trust one day. I cannot even begin to describe my feelings for you."

You swallowed.

"Ei...I want to trust you..." you paused, feeling the way your heart thudded against your ribcage - threatening to break free.

"I've been hurt a lot while here."

Ei lowered her gaze, nodding solemnly.

"But I'm willing to give you a second chance."

Her eyes darted back to meet yours, her lips parting slightly in shock.

Without thinking, she leaned forward, and pressed her soft lips against your cheek.

"That's all I could ask for. And more than I could ever deserve, Your Grace."

The genuine joy on her face seeped its way into your heart.

Perhaps, you weren't special, back in your own world.

But the way Ei's loving eyes studied you, as though you were the only sight worth seeing in all the world, eased some of your insecurities and worries.

Perhaps, you were special. To Ei, if nothing else, at the very least.

#genshin #genshin impact #sagau #genshin sagau #genshin x reader #genshin cult au #ei x reader #baal x reader #raiden shogun #raiden shogun x reader #raiden ei x reader #genshin ei #genshin raiden

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ellasadventuresinfandoms · 3 years ago

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Okay, back in May @isolatedphenomenon asked me if I had an les mis fic recs and I went "oh boy do I !" and then promptly fucked off and disappeared from tumblr for like 6 months...

Anyway on the off chance people are interested, here is my vastly too long list of my favourite les mis fanfic (that I'm almost 100% sure I'll have accidentally missed some of my favourites off of...)

The vast majority of these are main pairing Enjolras/Grantaire, so I've put those first, divided into multi-chaptered and then one-shots. Below that will be other pairings!

Multi-chaptered

• Witch Boy Series : magic AU, starting with Grantaire solving Enjolras' curse - this is just Incredible world building which gets better as it goes on - my favourite is the Babet interlude

• World Ain't Ready : you know how fandoms tend to have a fic that is just associated with it ? in my experience, for les mis this is it - and well deserved ! High school, fake dating AU with some of the most engaging writing

• BE : Enjolras is dragged back into theatre production, helping Eponine put on a production of Hamlet - really love the characterisation in this, and this is really one of those modern AUs that actually feels like real life - really good writing

• After the End : the definitive apocalypse AU in my eyes - les amis are an underground resistance to the dystopian government - really wonderful characterisation of Grantaire and the amis

• You never have to wonder; you never have to ask. : I tend to find fic by scrolling through bookmarks of a pairing, which means I often see repeats; this is a fic that if I see I just re-read cause I know I'll enjoy it - the amis sparked a failed rebellion, and now 18 months later Grantaire ends up staying at Enjolras' after returning to Paris for Marius and Cosette's wedding

• Your Heart on Your Skin : Soulmate AU with flower tattoos marking important emotions and events - wonderful concept and world building

• Impatient to Be Free : Daughters of Bilitis AU - if that doesn't make you excited I don't know what else to say to convince you (aside from saying the author is a simply wonderful writer)

• You Dance Dreams : Okay. Not to be over dramatic, but this fic did genuinely qualitatively change my life, in that it was the first thing that got me looking up contemporary ballet and now that's like one of my favourite things and big hobby So. Also its really great writing; music/creative arts school les amis with Grantaire choreohraphing the ballet for Combeferre's opera, with a heavy emphasis on Grantaire realising he really never actually got over Enjolras

• philia : this one is an absolute classic to me, but not given nearly enough recognition - one of the more realistic college AUs ever written, and the writing of Grantaire is so good because it hits the perfect balance of sympathy and annoyance about his behaviour (that's a genuine compliment)

• Coffee Hooligans : fucking tragedy this never got properly finished, Enjolras leads the amis as social justice vigilantes and tries to hide the criminal bits of his life from R

• Fighting the Hurricane : Pacific Rim AU that's less an AU and more just placing the les mis characters in the Pacific Rim universe. Really good and riveting read, also super interesting depiction of Grantaire

• Weaving Olden Dances : Fairy AU - Grantaire "claims" Enjolras to prevent his execution - really good writing, love Grantaires characterisation

• Paris Burning : canon era (sort of) where cities have a physical being - Grantaire is Paris and becomes entangled in Enjolras' revolution - oh the world building is truly *chefs kiss*

• Euphoria is You For Me : Enjolras and Grantaire keep meet cuting in a wonderfully written Brooklyn - feels like a love letter to Brooklyn at times, and I really like the characterisation of Grantaire

• so please just fall in love with me this christmas : Enjolras works for the environmental company Grantaire volunteers at, and keeps getting secret gifts at Christmas - I sound a little like a broken record but the Grantaire characterisation is very good

• You Are the Moon : Wild West esque Space AU - Grantaire has to call on the amis to help rescue Valjean and Cosette, despite Grantaire leaving the amis 6 months before. On re-reading the Enjolras characterisation feels a little rushed, but overall fantastic story telling and the Grantaire arc is a Delight

• Pandemos : Enjolras is aphrodite, and seeks peace from all his suitors in R/Hephestus' cave

• Pining for You : Hallmark christmas romance - Grantaire returns home to work on his father's tree farm, and Enjolras is the lawyer helping prevent the farm being sold - cute as shit imo

• Once We're Kings : Fantasy AU - a country hosts a ball to marry Prince Enjolras and the rival country sends Grantaire as a fuck you - one of the best ways of doing Enjolras as a prince in a fantasy and just really nicely written

• Never Bitter and All Delicious : Fairy Godmother AU - yes really, yes its genuinely a very good read

• On One Condition : Fantasy AU - Enjolras is a bored knight who finally goes to check out the local dragon, which turns out to be Grantaire - I really like how they capture Enjolras' stubborn nature and it's such a well written soft growth of love between them

• That's How Easy Love Can Be : Les Amis work at a primary school; and its secret santa time! very fun portrayal of Enjolras

• The Lark and Her Lieutenants : re write of canon where Cosette is the leader of the revolution - just *chefs kiss*

• If You Tickle Us, Do We Not Laugh : Grantaire is Enjolras' secret android - really good at writing a relationship that's incredibly loving but just keeps being antagonistic and coming off wrong

One Shots

• True Colours : AU where you leave colours on the people important to you - Enjolras and Grantaire falling for each other is so soft and gently written its lovely, this is genuinely one of my favourites

• Keep It Kind, Keep It Good, Keep It Right : this one is so good to me, because it builds off my pet hatred of everyone assuming Enjolras doesn't care about (or at least actively show he cares about) his friends

• blooming : very soft post-dystopian utopia that has just a really wonderful sense of hope and light to me

• and the wall leaned away (or: The Pros and Cons of Tilling) : perfectly realised characterizations of the amis, Grantaire needs a date to her final year art exhibition - deals with anxiety over protest in a way that actually hits for me

• not just one of the crowd : R helps run a leftist bakery and bike repair shop - very cute characterisation, and I think more les mis fanfic should link to anarchist essays

• Lovesickness : Enjolras is an idiot and thinks he's sick rather than having a crush - the writing of Joly and Combeferre in this is some of my favourite depictions of these two

• If there's a rocket, tie me to it : absolutely heartbreaking sci-fi AU about the amis as doomed mecha pilots

• Where I Fall is Where I Land : Enjolras is a Roman commander as Rome's power is leaving England, and then meets the pict Grantaire (+ fun soulmark stuff !)

• You Started Foreign to Me : Enjolras moves to america and R is the overnight grocery clerk who helps her learn Spanish - cute fluffy lesbians with a wonderfully written driven Enjolras

• Love Is Touching Souls : very cute soulmate AU - and one I really love for really truly considering the implications of soul marks and creating historical lore around it

• Ten Years : R is a musician, and it non-linearly charts his relationship to Enj from high school to 10 years later

• put up with me then I'll make you see : Grantaire lives above Enjolras, and its christmas - I find it to have a very fun interpretation of pining Enjolras

• A Cat Called Trash Can : this was one of the first les mis fics I ever read (yes I know it says it was published in 2020, but I think it has to be a re-upload or something?) and it does still have a special place in my heart - Grantaire rescues a cat, but Enjolras is the only one with an apartment free to look after it

• Still I'm Begging to Be Free : inception AU where les amis have to rescue a sleeping R from his own brain

•I'm in it for You : cw: illness, cancer - R has cancer and is being a martyr about telling his friends so Enjolras drives him back from chemo

• walls come tumbling down : sky high au - a very good high school AU with the perfect level of campy superhero powers

• This brave new world's not like yesterday : Enjolras needs a job, so ends up working in a bowling alley with Grantaire and bonding

Enjolras/Grantaire/Combeferre

• In Defiance of All Geometry : les amis are a student co-op house, Enjolras and Combeferre are pining friends and Grantaire is the newbie

• Still the Same : this is very good writing and very compelling - if you can get over the (imo) plot hole of Enjolras working for the FBI. R was an art thief Enj put away and is briefly helping the FBI out, and Combeferre is Enjolras' husband

• To Kingdom Come : cw: war and PTSD from that, Enjolras and Combeferre are part of a group of refugees that have crossed into a more fantasy land, and Grantaire is a lone traveller from that land that attempts to help - that was a shit summary of this very emotional, wonderfully written fic about war and love in all forms

• Gonna need (a spark to ignite) : I always love a twist on a classic trope, and this is a very fun take on the soulmate AU - Enjolras loses feeling in his soul mark as a child, falls in love with Grantaire and then his soulmate, Combeferre, turns up

Eponine/Cosette

• Pretty Girls Don't Know the Things That I Know : simply stunning writing - perfect example of soft writing about a harsh world

• she knows her way around : Eponine and Cosette bond, ostensibly so Eponine can find out about her for Marius, and their interactions are so playful and realistic, its wonderful

• always find me floating on oceans : Cosette stows away on Eponine's pirate ship - I do always have a soft spot for eposette fics (not just cause I ship it) because they truly characterise Cosette in a really considered and interesting way

• There's No Making Love : I'm putting this under eposette even though there is some significant enjolras/grantaire content, because the Cosette characterisation is so fun and cute

• round and round again : this fic really beautifully translates Cosette's bad childhood and then isolated teenage years, and the impact that would have on her as an adult into a modern AU

• Underwater Thunderheards : this is based off the book The Scorpio Races, and is just a really nice short fic about longing

• How To Change The World Without Taking Power : Marius has a crush on Cosette and she's tried being polite and subtle in turning him down, so just ends up fake dating Eponine instead

• blood red fruit and poison's kiss : Snow White AU - Cosette as Snow White

• The Winters Cannot Fade Her : Snow White Au 2.0 - Eponine as Snow White - this was written as a pair to the one above which is just so cute to me

• marriage à la mode : Cosette and Eponine run a bridal shop together and it's very cute !

• Temporary Hold : I personally find this a really fun and very unique take on Cosette - with exams coming up she decides she needs to get laid on the reg and so hits up Eponine to act as if they're already long term girlfriends

Combeferre/Courfeyrac

• better than you had it : fake dating but kick it up an emotional notch - Courf and Ferre pretend to still be together after breaking up for a family event

• take flight, come near : nice and cute low fantasy, where Combeferre runs a dragon sanctuary and Courf finds an injured dragon

Rare Pairs

• The Future's Owned by You and Me : cute Enjolras/Feuilly with actual radical politics and real life organising difficulties and wins

• First Dates and Other Dangers : Combeferre and Grantaire agree to go on a blind date and it's awkward until it isn't - just cute !

• after midnight : Combeferre has insomnia and meets Grantaire in various all night fast food chains

• as you are : Bahorel and Jehan getting ready together

• Almost Romantic : Jehan works at a museum, and takes Combeferre on a little tour

• Understudy : Jehan/Combeferre, with Combeferre's insecurities regarding being seen as second best to Enjolras

• Here There Be Dragons : Courf/Enj/Ferre - Courf and Enj are superheroes and Ferre is the doctor that patches them up

• To Let it Occur (Laisser Faire la Nature) : Feuilly has a stupidly long stopover in Paris and meets Enjolras

• rule of three : Courf/Enj/Ferre as spies and loving boyfriends

• Good Rhetoric : snapshots of cute cuddly courf/enj/ferre

• subluxate, dislocate, replace : found family and chronic illness with Joly/Bossuet/Musichetta

• Strike stone, strike home (like lightning) : so this fic took one minor piece of lore about Tolkien's dwarves and made a beautiful j/b/m fic from it

• Almost Inevitable : Bahorel/Feuilly friends-with-benefits

• god only knows (what I'd be without you) : Bahorel/Feuilly with a closeted Feuilly and a beautiful Feuilly and Eponine friendship

#les miserables #fanfic rec #les mis #les miserables fanfic #les miserables fanfic rec

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postmodernmulticoloredcloak · 4 years ago

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I would love for you to talk more indepth about the montage. To me it feels so off and weird. Almost like a parody? So many scenes in it are "funny" moments that just don't make sense in the context of an emotional overview of the road so far... (Like all the scenes where Dean is eating, Donna with donut dust on her face, Sam getting hit during the game show.) I don't know. Isn't the montage supposed to make me nostalgic, teary-eyed? This one definitely doesn't do it for me!

Here I am! Yes, I absolutely agree. The montage is Weird(TM). It’s kind of a tone rollercoaster. It’s very full of funny/silly moments, with some serious moments smacked in. And it definitely looks like... there’s something about it.

For an easier consultation I will reference the gifs I have made of the montage sequence here.

[Gif 1] It starts pretty much like I’d expect a Supernatural goodbye montage to start. The two brothers meeting for the first time in the pilot, a reminder of their childhood with John, their banter still from the pilot, a couple moments of them driving in the car in the first seasons, Dean saving Lucas in 1x03 which is the first Dean-heavy episode and also an extremely symbolic moment for Dean’s entire journey - just think at how Lucas as a mirror was still relevent during the “drowning” Michael possession arc. Everything feels normal so far. We’re starting from the beginning! Now--

[Gif 2] Interesting and weird choices start here. Them pretending to be high school teachers from After School Special 4x13 - actually a very iconic moment for the fandom, remember that post of Dean in shorts from that episode that you had to reblog when it came on your dash? (Actually I’m not sure if I ever reblogged it lol.) Dean celebrating getting young again from The Curious Case of Dean Winchester 5x07 (and Jensen showing off his agility). The two of them showing their FBI badges to Jesse Turner’s biological mother in 5x06. Dean mowing the lawn of Mary’s house in the Djinn dream and immediately after Jess and Sam kissing also in the Djinn dream, from What Is And What Should Never Be 2x20. Then Dean after killing the witch when he was under the memory loss spell, in Regarding Dean 12x11. Sam happy when they celebrate Christmas in A Very Supernatural Christmas 3x08. Them being “lucky” under the effect of the rabbit’s foot in Bad Day At Black Rock 3x03. Sam also happy in Baby 11x04.

Again the present, then the montage starts again with the water-related ghost from Red Sky At Morning 3x06, a Bela episode, and then Bela herself from her first episode, 3x03 again.

What do these moments have in common? Not all of them, but for many of them I’d say reality being manipulated. The Djinn dream, the rabbit foot, Dean’s aging, the Antichrist... and it’s not over yet. Also, them pretending to be teachers, agents etc - not “real”.

[Gif 3] The tone suddenly gets more serious and relevant to current events: Chuck in The Monster at the End of This Book 4x18 (eh). Death in Two Minutes to Midnight 5x21 (the first appearance of Death, while now we’ve had Billie’s last and a very short-lived new one), and then two major moments from Lazarus Rising - Dean emerging from the grave and finding the handprint on his shoulder. Crowley’s first episode, Abandon All Hope 5x10. Zachariah’s death in Point Of No Return 5x18. Anna from The Song Remains The Same 5x13, where she is the antagonist having been brainwashed successfully by heaven. Michael burning and Sam jumping in the cage with Michael in 5x22, then another moment from 4x01 (the brothers hugging after reuniting). A moment from The French Mistake 6x15 (reality fuckery again!). Sam in Frontierland 6x18.

[Gif 4] Reality fuckery continues with Becky marrying Sam in 7x08. Funnily enough, this is the peak of Becky’s obsessive behavior which she went to therapy for and grew away of - it definitely emphasizes how far Becky has come. Donna’s first appeance in 9x13. That iconic shot of Dean in Bloodlust 2x03 because he’s pretty. Charlie’s first appearance in 7x20 while she dances to Walking On Sunshine (relevant?), Kevin’s first appearance in 7x21 when he becomes a prophet (lots of firsts). Abaddon’s first appearance in As Time Goes By 8x12. Then there’s the first appearance of the bunker, in the next episode, a couple shots in fact. Then more 4x01, Ruby pretending to mistake Dean for the pizza man (eh). Then more present...

This section seems to be mostly “first appearances” - including Ruby’s s4 meatsuit, i.e. Genevieve’s first appearance.

[Gif 5] We suddenly jump to more recent events with Kelly and Jack in heaven in Byzanthium 4x08. Jack’s iconic hello from 4x16 Don’t Go In The Woods. Dean teaching Jack how to drive in 14x07 Unhuman Nature. But then we suddenly go from Jack things to something completely different on the surface: two consecutive moments from Changing Channels 5x08, including the iconic Nutcracker scene, and Sully from Just My Imagination. We are actually back to the previous theme: reality fuckery. Gabriel’s episode was about placing them in “television shows”, Sully, while real, is literally a child’s “imaginary friend”. And then... a moment from the cartoon part of Scoobynatural! It doesn’t get more reality fuckery than that. Oh, wait! Charlie and Dorothy going to Oz in 9x04. That’s a pretty strong contender. Dean being hit in the face by a fairy in 6x09 - also about a realm Dean briefly went to. And, in case we felt like we hadn’t gotten enough 4x01 yet, Pamela’s first appearance (her last, albeit a hallucination, was about the whole “How come you only want what you can't have?” thing).

[Gif 6] We continue again with a mixture of firsts and weird things. Ellen’s first appearance in 2x02, Dean and Cas in 4x18 (we saw Chuck from that episode earlier), Jody’s first appearance in 5x15 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. Rufus in 6x04 Weekend At Bobby’s (not his first but a good episode...), Garth in 9x12 Sharp Teeth (not his first but the first in which he is a werewolf and is married... relevant to recent lamp events??), Missouri in 1x09 (her first appearance).

Then Gabriel from 13x21 Beat The Devil (an episode where he plays a trick on Lucifer) and Rowena from the same scene (in fact a scene where they’re flirting). Then Eileen coming back to life in 15x06 and smiling at Sam. Jo flirting with Dean in 2x02 - her first appearance, again. Funnily enough, she had been introduced as a love interest, but ended up being repurposed as a sisterly figure. Tempted to say it’s relevant in an ironic way. Mary in 14x11 Damaged Goods, when Dean has a goodbye mother-son moment with her. Amara in 11x09 Oh Brother Where Art Thou when she was looking for her brother. Then Lucifer in two different vessels (12x07 Rock Never Dies and 12x21, when Lucifer regains control over the vessel).

Then Metatron doing the find a wife make babies speech to Cas in 8x23! Relevant??? Dun dun dun. Then Ketch for some reason (the first episode where we see his face, 12x08 LOTUS).

[Gif 7] Then Jo/Anael in 13x13, another first appearance. (I cropped these horribly I should have cut them when the present happens lol.)

Sandwiched between two shots from the present, Dean Sam Mary and John having dinner together in 14x13 Lebanon.

Then we start again with Dean riding Larry in 12x11, Dean and Cas dressed as cowboys in 13x06 (mini pattern here...), Asmodeus with the archangel blade in 13x13 (insert meta about Asmodeus in Christian lore here), and the really intriguing “Intermission” shot from the play in 10x05.

[Gif 8] To continue a certain pattern we might be tempted to see, Dean eating piecake from 14x06 Optimism (an episode about a distorted version of romantic love), then Dean eating noodles from 10x13 Halt & Catch Fire (the ghost is a husband that passes on thanks to his wife). Dean after his dentistry session with Garth in 15x10. Meg from 6x10 Caged Heat (the episode with the pizza man porn). Dean and Sam investigating in 4x12 Criss Angel Is a Douchebag (an episode about growing old poorly). Crowley in 10x16 Paint It Black (that episode). Dean playing that game in 14x17 Game Night (the episode Cas calls for God, and when Mary dies - the one playing the game was God...). Sam and Dean getting out of the car in 13x05 when they visit the traumatized kid (peak mourning Dean episode...). Then we go into reality fuckery territory again with 14x15 Peace of Mind, Sam under the psychic’s control and Cas disgruntled about it.

[Gif 9] Mick Davies from 12x16 Ladies Drink Free, when he learnt a lesson about monsters. Dean geeking out about the Hatchet Man - so heavy with mirror significances - in 14x04 Mint Condition. Belphegor - Jack’s dark mirror - in 15x03 The Rupture, the break-up episode. Donna’s first episode again, this time Dean and she eating donuts. Dean, Sam and Mary hugging in 12x22 after the confrontation in Mary’s head. Kaia in 13x09 The Bad Place, when Jack uses her to find the way to where Mary is (Mary pattern?). Claire&co rescuing Jody and Donna in 13x10 Wayward Sisters. Dean in 1944 dresses as a sailor in 11x14 The Vessel. Baby nyooming in 15x11 The Gamblers...

Aaand more Changing Channels, the genital herpes ad. It’s almost like reality fuckery is a theme. Followed by Sam drinking the anti-cold concoction at Garth’s in 15x10 and the two of them outside the monster fighting pit in the same episode. Then Cas, Dean, Sam and Jack on a video call with Ketch in 14x09 The Spear when they talk about the egg to trap Michael.

[Gif 10] We stay in the same episode with the four of them heading to Michael. Then the four of them celebrating Jack’s return to life (after Cas’ deal with the Empty). More present, and then the iconic “we’ve got work to do” [trunk closes] moment from the pilot.

So: some of these moments seem like genuine moments you’ll want to put in a montage, but there’s a weird predominance of characters smiling and looking happy or goofy. It’s kind of... not exactly representative of the show as a whole, you know? There are moments that fit as, you know, iconic steps in the story, but surprisingly few, and many moments you’d expect to be in a “final” montage are blatantly not there. Several moments with, let’s put it like this, suspicious meta connotations. Moments that, well, we don’t know what happens in the finale yet, but smell like they might be relevant to future developments. (Metatron’s speech to newly human Cas anyone?)

What really strikes me is the amount of moments connected to reality being manipulated or distorted in some way. Lots of Changing Channels, fantasy elements of various kinds (the Djinn dream, Scoobynatural, Oz, the imaginary friend Becky’s wedding to Sam, the fairy, ...), them acquiring luck (s3) or losing it (s15), and so on. It’s almost like the sequence is telling us something...

Thoughts?

#anon #my spn thoughts #spn meta #spn 15x19 #spn

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elliewan · 3 years ago

Text

I've been a bit conflicted with IQ/Kali lately. It's a bit hard to go against the canon and what it leads us to imagine, sometimes. So here're some headcanons I tried to come up with, to try to reconnect a bit to this ship:

When standing side by side, Kali likes to sneak her hand in IQ's trousers' back pocket.

IQ sometimes nicknames Kali the 'Panda' because she often wakes up with khol all over her eyelids and upper cheeks. Kali's pet name for IQ is "Moon"; she sometimes uses it publicly.

When going out in civilian outfits, Kali wears boots with heels because she doesn't want to be the smaller one.

Kali sneezes like a cat, and IQ like a dog.

Their definition of sleeping together often involves them falling asleep side by side on the bed, mouth open, tablets or laptops on their legs/belly. Kali often drools in her sleep.

It took them several months before they accepted to let the other use their nail polish or wear their color (especially IQ who was possessive of her purple.)

Kali secretely brags about IQ with non-Rainbow close friends or relatives. When visiting her family in India, on special occasions, she brags about how her partner went to the MIT, is the most skilled military engineer of the planet, knows muay thai and writes books. It often turns into a competition with her relatives regarding who has the best partner, and she can get very obstinated and agressive.

IQ actually organized a meeting with her family and Kali, in the hope that Kali would scare her slightly homophobic parents (esp. her mother), but Kali cheekily played the perfectest and most innocent daughter-in-law and gained IQ's parents' heart. IQ is still mad at her for that.

After hard and trying events (missions gone wrong, injured colleagues etc.) they both put a cold facade on, but secretely hide and stay together in their rooms, or go on leave together. They know each other well enough not to have to actually talk about the event, but they comfort each other in their own silent way and hug a lot.

IQ writes a sci-fi novel that depicts a complex geopolitical system in which the first antagonist is the leader of a private paramilitary interstellar organization. She takes a lot of inspiration from her (and Rainbow's) relationship with Kali, and her book grew an additional romantic layer ever since.

Kali used to spoil IQ with lavish and pricey material things at the beginning of their relationship, but IQ hated the way Kali was putting her in a sugar baby position. Now, money is almost a forbidden subject, and they talk about it only when they are forced to (like when they're preparing vacations for their next leave, for example).

IQ disapproves a lot of Kali's behavior with the rest of Rainbow, especially with Ash who's one of her closest friends and former bunkmate, and often scolds her when in their room, because she knows Kali can be a decent human being when she wants to, and hates to see her acting all villainy with everyone.

That time Kali actually cried when they were on the verge of a breakup because of her stubborness, IQ understood it was no game for Kali who had meant every single moment of their relationship and actually loved her. They talked this through, and their bond deepened afterwards.

As a greyromantic person, it took IQ much more time to actually fall in love with Kali. Their actual dating phase was a long 'getting to know each other', 'opening up to each other' and 'working together' period. Even though I've already written them as a couple, they would perhaps not even be together yet, since Kali only arrived 2 years ago in the canon, idk.

Their first sexual relation happened after a big party in the base (perhaps after New Year's Eve or Christmas.) They were both dressed up for the occasion (IQ with a slim black dress and Kali with a purple and gold sari) and after a few disinhibiting glasses, they couldn't take their hands off the other and walked back in their room. The day after, they nearly regretted it because they didn't like the idea of losing control to alcohol like teenagers, but since they loved the moment, they prefered to take it as a small help and not make a fuss about it.

#iq/kali #r6s kali #r6s iq #headcanons

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victoriareyloficlists · 4 years ago

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26/11/2020 Additions to Reylo Work Environment

These fics have been added to the Enemies-to-Lovers list located here.

Boss/Employee Relationship

The Christmas Conundrum by Zoa (AO3 2019 Rated T Complete, 9 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: After getting fired from her job right before the holidays, Rey is accidentally mistaken for an abandoned baby’s mother and is forced to take care of him. Ben Solo is the boss guilted into giving Rey her job back. Confusion, chicanery, and romance ensue.) that's where you take me by blessedreylo (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Single dad Ben asks his daughters nanny Rey to live with them during quarantine so she can help take care of her while he works remote. Lots of domestic proximity and mutual pining ensues.) Clumsily Yours by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020 Rated M Complete, 3 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey is injured at work. She is shocked when her boss Ben Solo carries her to his car and takes her to hospital much to her embarrassment. He is over-bearing and over-protective of her during her stay and Rey doesn’t understand...although it is sort of sweet in a way...could it be that the big bad executive Ben Solo actually likes her?) Threads by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020 Rated M Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben Solo is a cantankerous boss known for throwing away any gift his underlings give him. When newbie Rey decides to knit everyone a scarf for the start of fall, she's warned that Solo will not appreciate it. Everyone is surprised when he shows up the next day wearing it.) Go And Catch A Falling Star Chapter 5 by Ayearandaday (AO3 2020 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben reluctantly helps his friend Kaydel pick up lingerie. In the dressing room, he runs into his intern Rey as she's trying out some items.) You Make Me Weak by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey decides to faint to get her boss's attention.) Not your omega by riseofskyloren (AO32020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey Johnson and Ben Solo cannot stand each others, she's way too joyful and he's just so cynical. They're definitely not mate material, not a chance. But what happened when the person you despise the most in the entire world becomes the one your body's craving?) Anonymous by andabatae (AO32019 Rated E Complete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: At the annual Halloween office party, Ben and Rey hook up, but neither one knows who the other is because of their costumes.) He Made It Through the Wilderness (somehow he made it through) by LovesBitca8 (AO32019 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey has a one night stand with Ben Solo, her hot, moody, and cocky coworker. It's the most awkward lay of her entire life.) Devil Spawn by OptimisticBeth (AO32020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: After a hot anonymous encounter at The Annual Organa Halloween Ball, Rey realizes she slept with the horrible guy who is her new boss. But he doesn't recognize her! And he asks her to track down his mystery hookup, which she totally agrees to do (wink wink, haha, she's lying). But then she finds out she's pregnant! ) Unmasked by SageMcMae (AO32018 Rated E Complete, 5 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When Rey meets a masked guy at Maz's annual Halloween party, she is instantly smitten. Her mystery man is perfect -- compassionate, protective and a dedicated Star Wars fan. It's like he was made for her. There's only one problem. She doesn't know Kylo Ren is actually her asshole coworker, Ben Solo.) Miss Johnson & the Professor by ElegyGoldsmith (AO32020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Professor Ben has his TA Rey accompany him to a conference in Japan but she accidentally booked a single room.) If You Can't Beat Em'.....Join Em' by PrinceofDarkness15 (AO32020 Rated E Incomplete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: "I really fucking hate you." She grits. "Oh, sweetheart believe me." says Kylo with a sensual smirk that makes her cunt clench. "The feeling is entirely mutual.") The Elevator by someonesbeenhere (AO32020 Rated M Complete, 6 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: A dirty one-shot turned multi-chapter fic. Hard working Tech Support Rey is working late one evening when she gets stuck in a broken elevator with a complete stranger. He manages to distract terrified Rey through some rather promiscuous means. Unfortunately for Rey, her seductive saviour isn’t a random from another department but none other than the CEO of the First Order company, Ben Solo himself.) Coworkers

Lizzy Solo by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020 Rated M Complete, 3 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Its bring your kids to work day and little Lizzy Solo meets Rey for the first time. "Are you the same Rey that my dad told Uncle Hux he was half in love with?") A Child and a Mortgage by AverageEpaulet (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: It was bring your child to work day. Whoever came up with that bright idea had a special place reserved in hell for all Ben Solo cared. He loved his daughter, more than anything, but that didn't mean he liked flaunting her around like a trophy with ”Got laid at least once” engraved on it.) A Reylo Christmas Carol Chapter 2 by altargaryen (AO3 2019 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben and Rey find themselves under some mistletoe.) A Reylo Christmas Carol Chapter 3 by altargaryen (AO3 2019 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben wants to know what Rey wants for the office Secret Santa.) In Bloom by Celia_and (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: The flowers that bedeck her skin don’t lie. Ballet dancer Rey is in love with her partner, Ben. But the years go by and his skin stays resolutely, devastatingly blank. He doesn’t love her. But when his hands are on her body, she can pretend.) Spending Valentine's Day Solo by jyn-z-solo (jynzandtonic) (AO32020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey has the hots for her coworker, Ben, and decides to send him a Valentine's Day card. While at the shop choosing one, she bumps into him. Too embarrassed to confess it’s for him, she lies about the intended recipient. Ben is in love with Rey and gutted the card is for someone else!) let's taco-bout it by kylorithic (AO32020 Rated M Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey invites Ben Solo, resident HR grump, to eat tacos. things escalate from there.) User Not Found by violethoure666 (AO32018 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: It's not Rey's fault that her computer literally never works, but tell that to the grumpy IT guy who never leaves the basement.) Give in To Me by LoveofEscapism (AO32018 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: At the office Christmas party, Rey has one too many wines and ends up spilling her darkest secret to none other than her sexy co-worker Ben Solo. Hilarity and some sexy bathroom shenanigans ensue.) Sensual Storytime by andabatae (AO32019 Rated E Complete, 7 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When Rey Johnson starts a new job, her initially antagonistic relationship with Ben Solo from IT turns into friendship... and maybe something more. Little does she know he also moonlights as Kylo Ren, the creator of her favorite audio erotica. One day at the office, worlds collide, and she realizes the sweater vest-wearing nerd of her dreams is also the tattooed fantasy man she listens to while getting off every night...) Ben, You Ignorant Slut Chapter 1 by JJJJ12 (AO32019 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey Johnson is forced to sit across from irritating salesman Ben Solo. He’s arrogant, prone to temper tantrums, but worst of all, good at his job. To complete the prank of all pranks, she sends him a love letter hoping to turn his world upside down.) Tits v. Porny by jeeno2 (AO32019 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben Solo and Rey Johnson are attorneys, working together to defend their client against claims of plagiarism and copyright violation brought by a published author of original A/B/O fiction. It involves them having to read a lot of online porn and leads to some pretty awkward moments.) Trapped by jeeno2 (AO32019 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey stares at him as she processes what he’s telling her. Then, in spite of herself, she starts to laugh. Ben Solo, the nightmare of every junior associate and paralegal in this firm, somehow got himself stuck in the copier. And now he needs her help to get free.) Client Relationship

Matchmaker, Matchmaker by meeda (AO3 2019 Rated E Complete, 10 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey Niima Compatibility Application Results - NEAR PERFECT MATCH If her brain wasn’t so busy being shocked, Rey probably could’ve calculated how much of a statistical anomaly this result truly was. There in black-and-white was the name of the unlucky bastard that had the honor of being her match: Benjamin Organa Solo.) say it with a braid by reylo_mo (writermo) (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: An AU where hairdresser Ben loves to style actress Rey’s hair in braids for events. There’s even a particular type he always goes for.One day Leia texts to ask him why he hasn’t brought his fiancée over for dinner. Thing is... he’s been giving Rey Alderaanian wedding braids.)

#Reylo #reylo fanfic

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slayernina · 4 years ago

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Hello! What's your opinion on Billy's abuse?

Thank you for your ask, Anon! This was an unexpected one XD

Well, I’m always for a good villain, and I think Billy is one of them. There are two sides of this, though.

From a character standpoint, I’m glad Dacre Montgomery pushed for a character less flat (the Neil scene in 2x08 was his idea). Even Stephen King’s bullies had something on them. The Neil scene wasn’t a justification of why he is like he is, but an explanation, and I like it waaaay better than “he is just a 2D asshole, period” or “your crazy character is the evil one because he is crazy” (which has some unfortunate implications about mental illness there). He is your Antagonist, he must be interesting to watch.

From a writing standpoint, I think there was a bit over the top. The ideas were good and interesting, but it was too much in very few screentime, and then throwed aside like nothing. Let’s say if this was a D&D game, Billy would be the friend that roleplayed the “dark, angsty, tragic past” Sasuke character of the game. The phrase “beating a dead horse” comes to mind to me when I think about him.

His father is abusive and gets away with it, ok.

His mother left him. But apparently she didn’t even bother to call??? Or Christmas cards???

His stepmother doesn’t intervene (ok) but in the book she also openly hates him!

Max is the preferred kid of the family and he has to take the blame of whatever Max does.

His social network and monetary independence is inexistent.

He seems to have some addiction/drug problem and hits the bottle pretty hard and nobody cares.

The Party were sooo on board to destroy him that it was kind of horrifying. They have very good and valid reasons, and Max gave a very small protest, but you know, they are supposed to be the “good guys” and the closer Nancy has ever been to him was the time she was shooting right at his head!

He is sexually abused and groomed by women way older than him and it’s depicted like a joke.

Well, he is the sex toy of the town, we even have a glimpse of his POV in S3 and if this is how he wanders around the world, that’s downright predatory.

He expend a full season mindraped, tortured and being physically attacked over and over again. And the makeup team made sure you saw all the damage done.

He is impaled in the most gruesome, explicit (and slow death) of the show until this point in front of a bunch of kids and his stepsister. Because nooooo, the MF has to have its revenge.

There is a FX mask of the face of the actor around which leads to think 1) we were going to have a full autopsy scene of Billy’s body at the end of S3, or 2) the initial plan was how he was going to die decapitated or some strong shit like that???

The comics have a scene in which an unknowingly Max’s D&D character stabs him to death several times... and she is super happy about it and enjoys it!

Seriously, at this point, I was expecting a scene in which Billy’s puppy was hit by a car, the Camaro eaten slowly by the MF, or something.

Trauma was severily brushed over for most of the characters that aren’t Eleven, Will or Hopper, but damn, I hope the writers do something next season, specially with Max (and Steve needs something too)

#stranger things #billy hargrove #slayernina writes stuff #asks #ask me

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edorazzi · 5 years ago

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IDK if you watched the Chat Blanc episode, but if you did, what are your thoughts?

I don’t usually post about my reactions to episodes these days (unless it’s in snarky comic form), but a few people have asked me about this one so why not!

This got super long, so I’ll throw it under a cut (and apologies for anyone on mobile if Tumblr dot hell still opens readmores automatically).

I personally thought Chat Blanc was an underwhelming episode. Everyone knows how much I adore Adrien so of course I loved all his scenes, and I thought the actual Chat Blanc content was really exciting and well-done (when we were actually THERE), but the rest of the episode was pretty meh for me. For whatever it’s worth I watched this episode in French, so I don’t know if the English dub changed anything.

When it comes down to it I’ve got two big gripes: logical and emotional. My logical complaint is that the plot just DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. I respect that the rules of time travel are very loose in fiction and every work has its own take, but the episode’s “whatever happened today changes the future” basis absolutely doesn’t work when there’s been no interference from outside the timestream. Are they telling me Marinette has to follow a particular set of actions for the rest of time in order for the past to match up with the future, and every time she puts a foot wrong on this invisible path Bunnix will show up to berate her? It’s ridiculous. If Bunnix exists in the future then that path has already been written, so anything Marinette does in the present day she would have done anyway. It doesn’t work and I’m kind of amazed the writers thought it made enough sense to put in at all, let alone hinge the entire plot on. This has to be a Bunnix problem because both her episodes have been full of scrambled logic like this, and it’s really making me not enjoy her.

(I also don’t understand why Bunnix just did NOTHING even when she found out what the cause of the whole mess was. Why did she sit around waiting for Ladybug to defeat Chat Blanc when she could have just gone back to five minutes before Ladybug jumped through Adrien’s window and told her not to do it? I know she was gradually losing limbs to the altered timestream and stuff but she didn’t even try! There were easy fixes in this plot which no one took and that’s so frustrating!)

My emotional complaint might not be shared with everyone, but I was left feeling really irritated that the entire storyline was based on a problem created for this specific episode, which was then retconned into never happening. Adrien has a lot of emotional issues and it’s not been lost on me that Ladybug is starting to treat him pretty badly lately (the way she behaved in Reflekdoll was APPALLING, and I don’t understand people who say Adrien was a brat in Syren because I feel he was completely justified in demanding some respect and proper communication from his PARTNER), so it rubs me wrong that his akumatization - which is a VERY big deal! - was the result of this mangled “oH bUt WhAt iF gAbRiEl rUiNeD tHe LoVe SqUaRe AnD wAs EvEn MoRe eViL LaTer” concept instead of actually addressing the unfair way Ladybug’s been treating Chat Noir this season on top of everything else the poor guy is going through.

Having Adrien bottle up his problems the way we know he does only to explode in such a drastic and dangerous way, like in the Christmas special which resulted in him running away and nearly destroying the town tree in an act of rage and spite, is SUCH an interesting route to follow for something like Chat Blanc. I don’t want it to be about some half-assed nothing-matters-in-the-end-anyway-lol love square BS laced with a big middle finger to anyone who’s been hoping for an identity reveal sometime this century. It’s just a sign they’re planning to hold on to this formula until the end of time itself, and I don’t know about anyone else but that’s going to make any future identity teases REALLY underwhelming (or terrifying, since now we know that APPARENTLY identity reveals result in the moon exploding all life being wiped out. Tread carefully, Marinette).

And comparing this to the Christmas special reminds me how horribly out of character Gabriel was! Like oh my god, who was this man?! Xmas Gabe was out of his mind with worry when Adrien went missing (and grateful enough for his safe return to let all the plebs into his home for dinner), and in several other episodes we’ve seen that Adrien’s wellbeing is his real weak spot, particularly when he’s suspected he might be Chat Noir (Jackady is a great example of both). Yet I’m expected to believe he’d ruin his son’s happy relationship for the sake of an akuma, then just go full maniacal villain in the event of discovering Chat Noir’s identity and try to physically fight him right after revealing Emilie instead of appealing to him on an emotional level? Hell no! That’s stupid and boring and nothing like the complex antagonist we’ve come to know over three seasons, and considering that’s what the akumatization hinged on that’s really disappointing.

(Also Nathalie is a snake, but I don’t feel I know enough about her character to know if she’d rat Adrien out or not. She’s definitely hopelessly devoted to Gabe but I like to THINK she wouldn’t.)

I would definitely have preferred a much more lowkey episode focusing on Chat getting akumatized because of something Ladybug says or does, because she’s (canonly!) become complacent and isn’t treating him very well as a partner. Something which explores all his (canon!) insecurities and his (canon!) tendency to bottle up his emotions and not bother anyone. It could have been a great starting point for the pair of them to confront their issues and start fixing their relationship and getting back to that wonderful Season 1 dynamic! And this was none of those things. Nothing changed or progressed and nobody learned anything. :/

There were parts I liked though! As I said before I loved all the Chat Blanc scenes which I thought were really powerful, and Ladybug’s reaction was nice; being so gentle and near-tearfully sympathetic until Chat Blanc forced her to defend herself. I also adored the final scene where - to Chat, who has no idea about all the time travel stuff - it seems like Ladybug called him out exclusively to cuddle. I’m a sucker for that kind of platonic affection and it’s a huge improvement on their uncertain relationship in recent episodes! But that’s about it. I’ve heard this was supposed to be the finale at one point but got pushed back, and oh my god, can you imagine?! I haven’t even watched the finale yet (I wanted to keep my viewing in some kind of chronological order, not that that means ANYTHING with this show) but it cannot be more of a disappointment than this would have been. Extremely hard yikes.

Anyway, I could keep going but I think I’ve put more effort into this than the writing team did with the episode. This was a MESS.

#IF PAPILLON TRIED TO AKUMATIZE FELIX HE SIMPLY WOULDN'T LET HIM; RIP TO ADRIEN BUT HE'S DIFFERENT #yellowmagicalgirl #josie talks about things #ml spoilers #does this still count as spoilery? i'll tag it anyway because who knows #i'm curious about why so many people have asked for my opinion on this episode specifically #is it because it was Like That or because it's the most recent one to ask me about which isn't the Felix episode lmao #(which i still haven't seen yet so please don't spoil me! i'm getting to it tomorrow though)#BUT ANYWAY YEAH THIS WAS..... AN EPISODE; CERTAINLY #miraculous ladybug

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everything-media-with-blank · 4 years ago

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UNWARRANTED: NO ONE ASKED, [BLANK] DELIVERED - Miraculous: The Tale of Ladybug and Cat Noir

I found Miraculous Ladybug when it has just begun its first season. It quickly became a guilty-pleasure watch, seeing as it was technically considered a ‘children’s show’. Though it lacked any real plot progression or even character development (something that would usually cause me to hate a show), I found myself coming back season after season.

Maybe it was the hope that I would someday see some sort of progression or development in the show (though we do see that later on, most of it is just ‘reversed’ or holds little-to-no importance and impact to the plot). Maybe it was because of my love for the character Cat Noir/Adrian (I do really enjoy the idea of his changing personality depending on what persona he’s playing). Maybe it was simply because I had gotten hooked on the (alas, poorly written) back-and-forth romantic dynamic that took up the meat of screen time.

I still have yet to figure out why I am so drawn to the show. Though, regardless of my need to watch as the show (slowly and agonizingly) unfolds, I whole-heartedly acknowledge how bad it is.

My true purpose of this post was to convey my disappointment at MLB’s slowly crumbling plotline, awful writing, and character development which is severely lacking (what is even going on with Chloe’s character anymore??). I’m even more angered by the fact that this is all written off as the product of this show’s catering to a younger audience.

Though it’s been said before, I feel the need to say it again; just because a show is targeted at a younger audience does not give it an excuse to be inherently and objectively bad. There are hundreds of children’s shows and movies that are absolutely phenomenal or even just good. Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated is a wonderful example of this. While marketed to children, it still has a compelling and engaging plotline, memorable catchphrases (let’s split up, gang!), wonderful well-rounded and written characters with arcs that fully flesh-out their personalities and motives (even the side characters, which is rare to see even in some of the best shows!), exciting plot twists, and wonderful color schemes and animation to top it off.

Miraculous Ladybug lacks even one of these features. The only real plot progression took place in season five (which I fear might not even impact the plot at all come the inevitable season six) and the characters' motives and actions make absolutely no sense. This is especially true in Chloe, who, at the beginning of the series, seemed like a typical petty school-yard antagonist who could easily be redeemed when her motive was revealed. Now, five seasons in, she’s switched between good and evil so often that her character is now far beyond redemption, though I’m sure the show will find an excuse to toss her between sides a few more times before the series’ end (if there ever will be one).

Marinette’s down-right stalker-ish behavior as the show has progressed and aggravatingly over-the-top clumsiness has made her almost as unlikable as Chloe. Half of the issues that take place in the show are due to Marinette’s own stupidity and could easily be avoided if we were given a protagonist that thinks before she leaps.

The only likable character as of now is Adrian. Though, it seems like his character might soon be butchered, too, if MLB continues the way it is now.

When the series began, it had a promising future, but due to the above-mentioned issues and the overwhelming amount of filler (seriously, we’re five seasons in and it’s practically void of any story), it seems by now Miraculous Ladybug is utterly irredeemable.

(Also, who thought the Christmas special was a good idea? I still haven’t recovered from witnessing that train wreck)

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous lb #cat noir #ladybug #unwarranted #anime

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 4 years ago

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Psycho Analysis: The Rogues Gallery of the Powerpuff Girls

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

There are few rogues galleries I hold in higher esteem than that of the Powerpuff Girls. Aside from Spider-Man, Batman, and Danny Phantom, there are few heroes who can claim to have a more colorful and creative set of foes than the crimefighting superheroines of the city of Townsville. Previously I’ve talked about their archenemy, the wonderfully devilish Mojo Jojo, but they have a lot of other great villains worth talking about… so, why not just talk about all of them at once?

This one’s gonna be a little different, and will be divided into two sections: MAJOR ANTAGONISTS and MINOR ANTAGONISTS. Major antagonists will be villains that the girls fought most frequently, while minor antagonists will be notable one shot villains and lesser foes.

MAJOR ANTAGONISTS

These are the foes that the girls face most frequently in the series, and the ones that will likely come to mind when you think of the show’s rogues gallery. Aside from Mojo Jojo, and according to TVTropes, the major antagonists from the series are Him, Fuzzy Lumpkins, the Gangreen Gang, Princess Morbucks, the Amoeba Boys, Sedusa, and the Rowdyruff Boys.

Motivation/Goals: The major antagonists all tend to vary in what exactly they want to do, but they all have one thing in common: their motivations are broad enough that they can fit into a wide variety of plots. Him is the best example, because his goal tends to be a vague mix of “take over the city/world” and “be an absolute dick,” which leads to all sorts of battles such as the bad future where he rules the Earth or the episode where he sends the girls out on a series of ridiculous riddles as part of a bet with Professor Utonium to see if he has to pay his full tab at Him’s pancake restaurant. Considering Him is supposed to be a stand in for Satan himself and is the ultimate evil of the show (even if his power level doesn’t always reflect that), it makes sense he’d constantly be doing crazy, tricky schemes like this.

Of course, not all of these villains are massive threats like Him; others are simply nuisances, like the Gangreen Gang, who just love going out and committing crimes for the fun of it in between their leader Ace moonlighting as a member of the Gorillaz. While they are still dangerous, they tend to be motivated to do things just because they find it amusing, like when they snuck into the mayor’s office and crank called the girls into repeatedly harassing the other villains. Then there’s Princess, who is basically just a snotty superpowered bully who decided to turn to a life of crime because the girls wouldn’t let her become a Powerpuff Girl. She’s motivated entirely out of jealousy and spite, but she never really rises to the level of a truly world-threatening threat, though she did almost screw up Christmas one time to the point Santa decided to slap her on the permanent Naughty List. The final major antagonist who falls into this category is Sedusa, who true to her name, seduces men. That’s… about it. She also has prehensile hair.

The Rowdyruff Boys are kind of a mix of being super serious dangers and just being jerks, as they were created by Mojo to be the opposite of the girls and so have all of their powers but none of their good qualities aside from maybe their love for each other (which they rarely show, but it’s there). They’re mostly just jerks and love to cause chaos, but sicne they have all the same sort of abilities as Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, they’re a lot more dangerous than the typical foe would be, and that’s not even counting the fact that their two “dads” are Him and Mojo, which means they have the cream of the crop when it comes to bad role models.

The last type of major villain is perhaps the funniest, because these are the villains who are just so bad at being evil that it’s comical. Fuzzy is a lighter example, as he’s not exactly bad at being evil; he’s just more not evil to begin with unless provoked or manipulated by other villains. He’s entirely content to just sit about at his shack, strumming his banjo, but if you piss him off he’s gonna grab his gun or a big old rock and cause some mayhem. The crown emperors of being failure villains, however, are the Amoeba Boys. These guys are the most utterly inept dumbasses you will ever see, a group so utterly bad at being bad that no one in the show is able to take them seriously. Since they are amoebas, albeit rather large ones, they don’t have the mental capacity to do much more than the most petty of crimes such as – GASP! - standing on grass when there’s a sign that says not to! Or even… LITTERING! Those fiends!

Performance: Tom Kane portrays Him, and alternately is able to make him hilarious and terrifying. It’s pretty amusing to think that the guy who played Professor Utonium and Mr. Herriman is capable of playing such a messed-up villain (ok, maybe not so much for the latter, Mr. Herriman was wack).

Fuzzy is portrayed by everyone’s favorite Trump supporting Pooh bear, Jim Cummings, and that good ol’ ragin’ Cajun accent he’d use in The Princess and the Frog and Zombie Island fits this southern hick quite well.

Ace, Big Billy, and Grubber of the Gangreen Gang are voiced by series MVP Jeff Bennet, who manages to make all three characters very distinct and unqiue in their voices, capturing the lovable oafishness of Billy and the smug leadership of Ace very well, and obviously whatever it is Grubber is doing. Lil’ Arturo and Snake are Tom Kenny, though the former was in his first appearance voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, which means twice now Tom Kenny has usurped Alazraqui in a voice role (the other time being the title character of the Spyro the Dragon franchise). Tom Kenny, being Tom Kenny, does a great job.

Princess and Sedusa are both voiced by Jennifer Hale, but I’m gonna be honest, neither of them are my favorite roles. Princess just has a really shrill and unpleasant voice - which is the point, mind you, I just don’t love it. Meanwhile, Sedusa is just forgettable.

The Amoeba Boys are Chuck McCann, and he gives all of them the exact sort of goofy, cartoonish Chicago gangster accent you could hope for, though each boy has a distinct voice. The other boy group, the Rowdyruffs, are voiced by Rob Paulsen for Brick and Boomer (the man behind the legend that is Carl Wheezer) and Butch is Roger L. Jackson (Mojo Jojo himself). As can be expected, the RRBs have very distinct voices, though I can’t say they’re quite as memorable as the characters they’re directly copying.

Best Episode: So yeah, this time instead of individuals scenes, I’m highlighting the very best episodes of the various foes of the Girls. First, let’s get the obvious one out of the way: if we’re talking altogether for Him, Fuzzy, and Princess, their appearance alongside Mojo in “Meet the Beat Alls” is just utterly hilarious, ESPECIALLY Fuzzy’s rock, their breakup bickering, and just how they decide to come together and cause chaos. As far as villain teamups go, you can’t get better than one that is nothing but a constant string of Beatles references (though they lose some points for not drawing attention to the fact that Him is based on the Blue Meanie from Yellow Submarine).

Individually, for Him, it really depends on what you’re looking for, since he’s a very versatile villain. If you want him at his best and most serious, “Speed Demon” is the way to go, as it shows a bad future where he has completely won, which goes a long way towards establishing him as the single most dangerous enemy of the girls. But if you want funny Him, well, “Him Diddle Riddle” is an absolute riot which leads to one of the most shockingly ridiculous punchlines in the show. It’s a real treat.

For Fuzzy, I’d say his main series debut “Fuzzy Logic” is a great solo showing, firmly establishing the character and how he has changed from the initial pilot. Fuzzy is an amusing character to be sure, but I feel his best showings are in ensemble pieces, which is why I say his debut is his best work.

For the Gangreen Gang, the obvious answer is, of course, “Telephonies,” because this is them at their most hilariously petty. They just sneak into the mayor’s office and crank call the other villains, and in the end, the day is saved! ...By Mojo, Fuzzy, and Him. Even the narrator is baffled at this one, but you’ll probably be laughing too hard to care about that.

Princess gets one of the best Christmas specials ever with “’Twas the Fight Before Christmas,” where she scams Santa into giving her superpowers while every other kid in the world gets coal. Of course, the Girls don’t take this lying down, and Princess gets the most awesome comeuppance ever, courtesy of Santa: she gets her name carved into the Permanent Naughty Plaque which has such notable figures as Adolph Shicklgruber, who you may know better as fucking Hitler. That’s right, Santa came right out and said Princess Morbucks is as naughty as Hitler is.

The Amoeba Boys have their main series debut, “Geshundfight,” which does a firm job of establishing these guys as such utterly incompetent morons that you can’t help but love them. It also establishes that these guys could only ever be a threat by complete accident. It’s good to see the boys got better after the girls threw them into the sun in the “Whoopass Stew” pilot!

Sedusa has “Something’s a Ms.” While Sedusa herself tends to be a rather dull antagonist, this episode rules and is her best appearance for one reason and one reason alone: we get to see Ms. Bellum kick ass. Hell yeah!

“Custody Battle” is the best appearance of the Boys because, let’s face it, having Mojo and Him argue over who has the right to be called their dad (Mojo Created them, Him resurrected them) is absolutely hilarious, and a great use of the characters.

Final Thoughts & Score: Alright, let’s go one by one here:

Him

Him is easily the best of the bunch and, aside from Mojo, is the definitive Powerpuff villain. I think part of it is, much like Mojo, Him is capable of being a hilarious jerk or a genuinely intimidating threat in equal measure. You get showings where all he does is try and make the Professor pay a full tab on his breakfast or give everyone tooth decay or even just hang out in his house and do some aerobics, and then you have episodes where he decimates the earth in the future or torments the girls in their dreams. He kind of really fits a lot of the old folkloric tales of the devil, where he could be anything from a prankster to outright malicious, for all it’s worth, and being based on the Blue Meanie certainly doesn’t hurt either. He’s just a very fun character who fits into so many different situations, and so he easily gets a 10/10.

Fuzzy Lumpkins

Fuzzy is an odd one, because as I mentioned earlier, he’s not really a true villain in the sense that he goes out and commits crimes for the sake of it like the others. He’s more of a chaotic neutral force than anything, who goes on angry rampages or gets swayed over to the dark side whenever the mood suits him. It’s kind of interesting how he was a smarter and calmer character in the pilot, where he invented a gun that could turn things into meat… but in the show proper, he’s just a dumb, irritable hick. While he’s certainly not the best member of the rogues gallery, there’s something charming about Fuzzy, and I definitely love his design and voice; I think he gets a 7/10.

The Gangreen Gang

These guys are some of the more enjoyable antagonists in the rogues gallery despite typically not being a huge threat. I think, really, that’s what makes them so fun; they’re a lot more low-key and just in general more prone to just being dicks than doing anything on the level of Him or Mojo. They’re the fun kind of villains where you don’t ever really need to take them seriously, to the point you can fully accept their leader Ace joining the Gorillaz, which is a thing that actually happened in real life and it’s amazing. I think that alone is enough to edge these guys into a 9/10.

Princess Morbucks

So out of all the major antagonists, I think Princess is probably my least favorite, mostly because she’s just a snotty, entitled, rich little brat. That being said, I’m not overly opposed to her, nor do I hate her; I really can’t hate a character that Santa Claus deemed is the moral equivalent of Hitler. I can’t stress enough how much I love Santa came right out and said “Rich lives don’t matter” and just slapped this little girl with the most grievous punishment you could give. Overall, Princess functions as a casual reminder rich people suck, and I’m okay with that, even if she’s not particularly high on my favorites. 7/10 is a solid score for her, I feel.

The Amoeba Boys

Idiot villains wish they could be these guys. Literally, as far as idiotic harmless villains go, these lads are the absolute cream of the crop. The fact these are giant amoebas wearing fedoras and talking like stereotypical gangsters and yet are so incompetent they don’t even know how voodoo dolls work and think that littering and standing on grass is the greatest crime of all is just… amazing. These guys are perfect. And yet they are so incompetent and harmless that it’s almost unfair to call them villains, despite how desperately they want to be villains. The fact everyone in the show treats them as a mild annoyance at best really goes a long way to making these guys endearing. They’re certainly not the best foes in the rogues gallery, but I think an 8/10 is a good score for these single-celled suckers.

Sedusa

I’m frankly not sure why she’s considered a “main antagonist” on TVTropes; when I think of PPG villains, she really doesn’t come to mind. Frankly, if she is a “main” antagonist, she’s one of the most boring and forgettable ones there is. Sure, she has a couple of decent episodes, and of course the one where Ms. Bellum gets her time to shine is a classic, but overall Sedusa is just a mediocre villain who doesn’t do enough to stand out among the crowd. I’d say she’s a 4/10. I think if they had gone with the concept from her third appearance where she had all those cool Egyptian powers from the start she would have been a far more engaging and fun antagonist. But hey, she gave Ms. Bellum her time to shine, so I can’t really say she’s all too abysmal.

The Rowdyruff Boys

So… these guys. I’m not particularly sure what to really say about these guys. They’re some of the most popular antagonists the PPG have, and they have great interactions with Him and Mojo. But they’ve never quite struck me as being as amazing as others have hyped them up to be. Maybe I just don’t quite vibe with their concept. All that being said, though, they’re not bad antagonists in the slightest, I just kind of find them uninspired as a concept. It won’t keep me from giving them an 8/10, so don’t worry about that, I just don’t find the idea of evil versions of the PPG to be particularly interesting.

And now we go on to the lesser rogues, the one-shot or minor antagonists! They don’t have the major presence the villains above do, but remember, you don’t have to be a major reoccurring villain just to make an impact; sometimes you just gotta be good at what you do.

Also, this is by no means an exhaustive list; I’ve left off some minor antagonists and probably forgot some, and then there’s some that just don’t have enough info to talk about. Like, I would love to tell you all the wonders of Salami Swami, but there’s just not enough… oh well… let’s talk about these guys. And they aren’t going to have a best episode listed, because… well, they’re minor one-shot characters. By default their best appearance is their only appearance.

Motivation/Goals: Unlike with the major villains, there’s a lot more variety in the one-shot characters, with their goals ranging from simple robbery to revenge to chaos for the sake of it. And yes, sure, their major villains do that stuff too, but they tend to have a solid theme, whereas these folk tend to have one gimmick that they run with for a whole episode before vanishing, never to be seen again. For instance, Femme Fatale is a raging radical feminist; Abracadaver is a lich who seeks revenge for his violent, untimely death; the Gnome is a cult leader who commits mass genocide of other villains so that he can create a utopian society; and Mr. Mime is a mime.

What I think separates them from the major foes is that they have a singular gimmick and they need to really excel at it, because if they screw it up, they’re gonna go down in infamy. Femme Fatale is not a villain who is recalled fondly, for instance, because her gimmick was horribly botched. Meanwhile, characters like the Boogie Man or the Gnome are looked at more fondly because of their silly and cool gimmicks that make them stand out (being a disco-themed monster under the bed and being a gnome with a beautiful singing voice that sounds like a certain lead singer of Tenacious D, respectively).

Performance: Let’s go one by one on these:

The Gnome is voiced by none other than Jess Harnell, who you may know as Wakko Warner or the current (as of 2020) voice of numerous Crash Bandicoot characters, including everyone’s favorite Wumpa-loving title character. They couldn’t afford the real Jack Black, but I think that Harnell does a very impressive vocal imitation of JB, to the point where you’d be forgiven for assuming that it was JB in the first place. The fantastic singing voice is no shock if you’ve ever watched Animaniacs, but boy is it good to hear.

Jeff Bennet may be the MVP of the lesser rogues, as he voices Major Man, Dick Hardly, and Harold Smith. This is quite a variety of characters each with different personalities and goals, so it’s pretty great he was able to give them all the exact sort of vocal characterization they needed to be distinct. On the subject of the Smiths, though,

Femme Fatale is Grey DeLisle doing a very generic voice. Like, it sounds like a less cheerful Daphne or a less evil Azula. I think she may have just been talking in her normal voice for this one? It just doesn’t really have anything to it to make it stand out among her more notable roles.

Boogie Man is voice acting god Kevin Michael Richardson, who has voiced numerous characters I really should do a Psycho Analysis on such as Chairman Drek and Gantu. There’s really nothing else to say here, really; Richardson gives exactly the sort of glorious performance you’d expect for a funky blaxploitation pastiche boogeyman. Talk about black excellence!

Lenny is Tom Kenny. Tom Kenny really does a good job with weird geeks like this, and so what else can I say but he did a good job with this creepy neckbeard. Abracadaver is played by legendary voice actor Frank Welker, who is in literally everything, but who you mostly know as Fred from Scooby-Doo. Much like with Kenny, he kills it in the role.

Finally, our last speaking villain is Roach Coach, and he’s most notable because he is voiced by Roger L. Jackson, who would graduate from this starter one-shot to become none other than Mojo Jojo. I don’t find Roach Coach quite as memorable a performance, but Jackson certainly doesn’t half-ass it.

Final Thoughts & Score:

The Gnome

I think the Gnome is one of the single most fascinating one-shot villains in the series, and not just because “See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey” is a gloriously cheesy rock opera where he gets to be the villain. His philosophies are incredibly intriguing and are sort of the focus of the episode, and his effectiveness is frankly unmatched as a villain; he succeeds in killing every villain in the series for a time. And while he is a bit hypocritical in that he too wanted to rule over Townsville and transforms it into a cult, he does ultimately realize that he was in the wrong and not only graciously accepts his defeat, but allows himself to die to return the world to its natural order, stating:

“"As I descend to the earth and I view the universe above me, I realize that life evolves, revolves, and dissolves completely around the opposites. Therefore, I conclude that I cannot exist in my...utopian...mind."

That’s a low 9/10 if I ever saw one. They didn’t need to go and make this Jack Black gnome in a rock opera such a fascinating character, but there we have it.

Dick Hardly

Dick Hardly is one of the most “love to hate” characters in the show’s entire run, and it’s not hard to see why; he is the lowest of the low, the scummiest scum there ever was. Look at this excerpt from the PPG Wiki, which was a godsend when writing all this up:

“Despite appearing only once in the 1998 series and never in the various spin-offs or the 2016 series, Dick Hardly is among the franchise's most memorable villans [sic]. This is because he's the only member of the PPG Rogues Gallery who has absolutely no redeeming or comedic qualities. Most villains have lines they will never cross. However, Dick is ruthless enough to kill anyone in order to achieve his goals, even his own ex-friends. In fact, he actually manages to make HIM (who is nastier than Mojo Jojo) look like a saint in comparison.”

He’s a slimy, ruthless, unrepentant bastard, and the fact he’s one of the few villains to bite the big one just helps him stand out even more. Throw in his incredibly cool monstrous transformation, and despite his single episode it’s not hard to give this Dick a 9/10.

Femme Fatale

So not to be lazy, but I did kind of do a Psycho Analysis on Femme Fatale back when I did an Episodyssey on her sole appearance. And yeah, I stand by what I gave her there; she’s a 2/10. She’s just a really preachy, obnoxious, and poorly executed moralizing villain. I’m also gonna go out on a limb here and say that she probably hates trans people. I suppose that’s just a headcanon but… come on. Look at her. If this show was TV-14 and came out today, she’d be even less subtle in her contempt for trans people than every episode of South Park that featured Mrs. Garrison. Enough headcanons though; she doesn’t get the lowest marks possible because, quite simply, she has a pretty nice design and her voice acting is good enough since it is Jennifer Hale.

Mr. Mime

Oops, wrong picture.

There we go! Anyway, Mr. Mime is a really cool character with a frustrating resolution. Through no fault of his own, Rainbow the clown accidentally gets hit by a bleach truck and loses his color, becoming the evil Mr. Mime, gaining the ability to sap the color and sound from the world with a touch. He’s actually a seriously awesome concept, and the episode itself is good… and then comes the ending where, despite turning back to normal, Rainbow gets the crap kicked out of him and sent to jail, which is strangely cruel for the Girls to do. Apparently they later made amends, because Rainbow shows up at their birthday, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. A 7/10 is a good score for this guy.

Boogie Man

The Boogie Man is arguably the greatest villain in anything ever. He is entirely built around one of the most groan-worthy puns imaginable and plays that pun up for all its worth, being a monster under the bed who utilizes a disco theme to the point he blocks out the sun with a gigantic disco ball. The dude has funky style and if that’s not enough, he’s voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, who gives him the exact sort of voice he needs. The dude is just like something out of the craziest blaxploitation film ever, and he certainly brings the funk to the point where even though he only got one appearance in the series, I wouldn’t hate to bump this guy to an 8/10. What else is there to say but “Blame it on the boogie!”

The Smiths

These guys are just a very funny concept. I kind of like villains who do stuff for the pettiest, mundane reasons, and these guys take it all to the logical extreme. The patriarch of the family decides to dress up in a tacky supervillain outfit to get “revenge” on Professor Utonium because… he envies his perfect life. The rest of his family turn to villainy to avenge him, and are just as pathetic and ineffectual as he is. It’s so funny in a sad kind of way. I think a 6/10 is what they deserve, because while they aren’t particularly effective or groundbreaking, they’re at least good for a chuckle or two. Ultimately though they are a less impressive version of the Nelsons from Minions.

Major Man

Major Man is very interesting because he is very clearly an homage to Johnny Bravo; they’ve got the same hair, the same muscular body type (though Major Man is certainly beefier), the same voice actor! And yet, they couldn’t be any more different. Johnny, as much of a dense womanizer as he is, does have a hidden heart of gold beneath it all and usually means well; meanwhile, Major Man is a self-serving jerk who wants to play superhero. You know, he kind of reminds me of Homelander from The Boys in some ways. Anyway, I think a 6/10 is fair enough for him; he’d get higher if he wasn’t such an interesting concept for a major villain relegated only to a one-shot appearance. He’d have been a better entry in the rogues gallery than freaking Sedusa, for instance.

Abracadaver

So I wanna know how exactly this one got by the censors. This guy is unrelentingly dark, from his origin (he died onstage in front of a crowd which included children) to his absolutely ghastly appearance in which it is very much clear he is decaying and rotten. I honestly kind of love him, despite the fact he only ever appeared once, mostly because I can totally understand why they never used him again. This dude might actually be too scary. I’m giving him a solid 8/10, because I just love how unrelentingly dark he is. It’s definitely a low 8 since he never appeared after his initial appearance (for good reason!), but damn if he isn’t effective and memorable.

Lenny Baxter

Lenny is actually kind of impressive. On the surface, he’s just a gross, exaggerated take on Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons and loony dudebro manchild fans, which is all well and good, he’s pretty effective at being a “take that” and has stood the test of time pretty well/. But, I think what truly makes him memorable is the fact that he actually did manage to capture the Girls and would have won if not for the meddling townsfolk. Then of course there’s the Professor’s wonderfully tranquil takedown of Lenny’s ideology:

"Let me tell you something, Lenny. You may have all of the toys, all of the merchandise, all of the so-called “collector’s value.” But one thing you don’t have, Lenny, is true fandom. For a true fan wouldn't want to selfishly keep the girls to himself. A true fan would want them to be free."

I think that for a disposable one-shot villain, Lenny is surprisingly relevant even today. I think he deserves a 7/10, though obviously he’s not a very high one because ultimately he is just still a normal (albeit very greasy) guy.

Roach Coach

Look, not all villains are created equal. This guy? He’s not too impressive. Sure, he predicted the ending to Team America, and sure, he made a Papa Roach reference, but frankly I don’t think that’s enough to really elevate him into being an impressive one-shot villain. I’d say he’s a 4/10. He’s not lower because he is the starter villain, and his voice actor would go on to bring us the much better and more memorable Mojo Jojo. We all have to start somewhere, right?

The Robbing Leech

This guy is probably one of the freakiest one-shot villains in the series. Unlike Abracadaver, there’s literally nothing explained about this guy. There’s no origin, no explanation, he doesn’t even talk, and hell, the guy might not even be human at all! We the audience are never clued in, and the guy is never seen again, so we’re only left to ponder what exactly this guy is up to. I don’t think he’s quite as disturbing as Abracadaver, but he’s certainly got something going for him in terms of mystery; a 5/10 is fair enough. It would have been neat if they explained something, but I guess he’ll just have to be one of those riddles for the ages. We will never truly know how and why this man was capable of giving people the succ.

And just when you thought it would end...

Salami Swami

Ok, did you honestly think I was going to miss the opportunity to talk about this guy? His name is SALAMI SWAMI. And look at him! He controls MEAT! He only ever appeared once in the episode “Slave the Day,” where his mighty meat powers are no match for the appetites of the reformed Big Billy (formerly of the Gangreen Gang). But like… LOOK AT HIM. The idea and concept and literally everything about him is just so patently absurd and creative that I’m legitimately angry I didn’t come up with it first. He never spoke a single word, but he still managed to find a way into my heart and mind. Can I legitimately rate this guy who had a single joke appearance in the show? Damn right I can! 6/10, baby! If he appeared more or defined his personality a bit better I’d rank him higher but, come on. SALAMI SWAMI. Sometimes all you need to be great is a really incredible, stupid gimmick. And Salami Swami has that in droves; hopefully we can meat him again someday, and he can reignite his beef with the girls while remaining inextricably linked with sausage.

Ok, I’m done. Goodnight everybody!

#Psycho Analysis #Powerpuff Girls #Rogues Gallery #Him #Princess #Fuzzy #Amoeba Boys #Rowdyruff Boys #Gangreen Gang

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doomonfilm · 4 years ago

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Review : Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

2020 certainly threw most everyone for a loop, but for a handful of pre-scheduled blockbuster releases, the whole landscape was thrown into disarray, and the outlook was uncertain in regards to what the future held. Wonder Woman 1984 found itself in the unique position of not only being delayed to an unknown date, but maintaining a high profile due to a healthy number of adjacent promotional campaigns. As the year wrapped, however, Warner Brothers Studios made the shocking announcement that all 2021 films would be released on HBOMax concurrently with their theatrical releases for a period of 30 days, and the first up to bat was Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas Day.

In the year 1984, 66 years removed from her World War I adventures, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) spends her days working for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. as a renowned anthropologist (while continuing to fight crime as Wonder Woman in secrecy). A chance encounter with new Smithsonian employee Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), who is studying the recovered artifacts from a burglary that Wonder Woman stopped, leads to both women encountering a strange stone (later identified as the Monkey’s Paw) that, unbeknownst to them, grants them both a wish. Meanwhile, celebrity and failing philanthropist Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), who is fully aware of the stone’s powers, steals the Monkey’s Paw and makes the wish to transfer its powers to himself, turning him into a living wish stone in hopes of leveraging power from others to boost his profile. Like any situation of exchange, however, bad outcomes stem from the wishes, leading Wonder Woman towards an inevitable showdown with Maxwell Lord in hopes of restoring balance.

Wonder Woman 1984 isn’t going to save the DCEU, but it does take all of the best elements from its predecessor while making some tonal and pacing adjustments congruent to the new era the film is placed in. With no need to build the backstory or the love story, Wonder Woman 1984 is allowed to introduce its key elements swiftly and put them into motion in ways that gives the first act a deceptively strong showing. Once Maxwell Lord really sets the narrative into action, Diana’s dilemma kicks into gear with similar pace, mirroring our main protagonist and antagonist journeys while leaving room in the middle for Cheetah to emerge as a threat. The overall shrinking of Diana’s world mixed with this volatile and multilayered character development is a benefit to Wonder Woman 1984, as it gives it a unique feel from Wonder Woman’s other appearances in the DCEU. The only real misstep is the shoehorning in of the Steve Trevor romance… while very important in Diana’s development of her character and understanding of the people she protects, it would have been nice to introduce a newer, more organic romantic element, or possibly none at all.

The film is also very aware of what it is, setting aside the loftier view of the world presented in the latest Superman and Batman films and presenting a much more direct view on the capitalist and materialist practices of the 1980s. Maxwell Lord and his gifted power fly in the face of the truth, character and honesty that has built and shaped Diana, and despite a minimal use of Themyscira in Wonder Woman 1984, the parable presented runs strong enough to drive the arc to a well-earned landing spot. By the time the film does dwell a little bit on the preachy side (while pulling the double duty of framing the antagonist’s past), the viewer has either completely bought in or checked out, depending on how analytical they chose to be for their viewing. It seems as if the Wonder Woman franchise is doing an extraordinary amount of the heavy lifting for the DCEU, which can put the films under a bit of a harsher microscope than they likely deserve, but Patty Jenkins is doing a fantastic job making films that hold up under the scrutiny of those looking to pick films apart.

For as dark and gritty as the previous Wonder Woman movie was, this one is popping with the life and optimism that the 1980s and its promise for the future held, utilizing bright primary colors, plenty of gold tones lots of visually stunning architecture. The cinematography and choreography mixture really brings Gal Gadot’s action scenes to life, and the special effects used on the lasso really pop on this outing. Thankfully, the film did not lean on a corny stream of 1980’s pop hits, opting instead for a Hans Zimmer score that stands up the character of the film’s titular character. A few old school practical effects were even used to great impact, key among them being the slight breeze that accompanied wishes granted by the Monkey’s Paw. While Diana’s ability to fly did come from out of left field, the flying effects were some of my favorite seen on screen since Chronicle.

Gal Gadot feels a bit more comfortable in the Diana skin, using a calm and collected assured nature rather than a headstrong drive towards a need for proof. Kristen Wiig is delightful as always, bringing a grounded sense of comedy to her initially awkward performance before embracing the remaining two stages of her character evolution with great aplomb. Pedro Pascal puts aside cool and overbearing pride to portray a bubbling maniacal sense of someone struck blind by the madness of power. Chris Pine did not necessarily break any new ground, which was not really any fault of his own, seeing as his character did feel a bit forced into the narrative for a bit of fan service. Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen return for brief appearances to reprise their roles, while supporting appearances by Doutzen Kroes, Amr Waked, Kristoffer Polaha, Natasha Rothwell, Gabriella Wilde, Lucian Perez, Stuart Milligan and one special but familiar cameo, round out the affair.

I’m not going to dogpile on Wonder Woman 1984 like the masses are, as my specific issues with the film are minimal, albeit it impactful. If you’re expecting Wonder Woman 1984 to right the DCEU ship, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment... if you’re just looking to eat some popcorn for a couple of hours and watch Gal Gadot play a character that she excels at in a world that doesn’t quite meet her high bars, then you’re in luck. Either way, you’re not likely to get more out of this film than what you bring to the table.

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allyvampirelass29 · 4 years ago

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The Besiege of Bruce Wayne McQueen

A NOS4A2 Review By: Allyssa J. Watkins

I didn't say you could get up I'll swing the hammer back Until you've had enough Your armor cracking, amidst your son's frantic call Tell me, Victoria Who's the Strongest Creative of them all? Bones breaking You cower before me shaking As I wield my blunt instrument without relent You've had your fun, Bad Mother I hope you've gallivanted to your heart's content I am the magic your beautiful boy has so long lacked Bruce Wayne best behave Or I'll break his mother's back Lost Boys belong in Neverland Consider me, his Peter Pan You don't care for him like I can Neglect and endangerment is the McQueen way, isn't it? You selfish fake C'mon Vic He's safer with his Uncle Manx You ungrateful Brat....... Just say THANKS!!!!

Three words. PULSE. POUNDING. PHENOMENAL!!!!!!! I write this wide-eyed and shell-shocked, a trembling wreck of electric emotion, the prevalent being pure, paralyzing BLISS!!!! DAMN, NOS4A2 you are SPOILING us!!!! Is it Christmas!? Last week I watched the glowing potential of the ascending firework disappear, and just as I lamented its predicted fizzle out, it SHATTERED the skies around me with an explosion of colours brighter and more vivid than anything I've ever seen, in a deafening ROAR!!!! HOLY SMASH!!! I LOVED THIS EPISODE, so much so, that I feel like I lived it, every death defying second, so ALIVE with the rawest emotion, the most terrifyingly beautiful villainy, my every sense heightened, and in this bloody besiege for one, Bruce Wayne McQueen, our spectacular cast shines BLINDING, giving their best, and most authentic performances of the series. Prepare yourselves for a Lake House excursion, you will NEVER forget!!!!

I LOVED how this episode sent us sprawling right into the action, and I was so so so wrong about the fantastic build-up of the suspense from last week going to waste, because it lit the fuse for one HELL of a firework display. Where last week didn't hit me quite hard enough, this episode STRUCK like LIGHTNING, electrifying every vein, and barely taken breath. The fight scene....... yes, you know the one, the all out, claws drawn, hammer wielding, haughty taunting, smoulder and slashing duel to the death was pure, screaming, POETRY!!! It's ART, the most electric, ENTHRALLING, aria of wit and savagery, it's the single most INTOXICATING scene, not just in an episode full of instant iconic images, but of the ENTIRE series.

Vic VS Manx, a faceoff fraught with revenge and raw energy, no special powers, no knives even, just hurling razor-edged words, fighting, grappling, scraping, nothing but an autopsy hammer between the two of them, was MESMERIZING!!! Charlie is a black, roiling wave of breathtaking rage, coming down on his worst enemy like hurricane thunder, with a ruthless, ferocity, such as we have never before seen. I loved every second, even as I fell apart at the seams, hand clasped over my mouth, trying not to scream. While some might say this head on collision lacked his usual finesse and refined showmanship, I must vehemently disagree. How clever of the writers to give us a Charlie driven to the verge, snapping, shaking off his gentleman's cape, to reveal his sharpest edge, and rawest fury, not to mention darkest intent. Charlie's done playing the game....... he's ready to win, to take the queen. Or in this case, the prince.

The juxtaposition of his elegantly brandished wit, and the brutality of his swiftly dealt blows, is pure, and utter genius, not to mention one hundred percent CHARLIE!!! I grinned like a lovesick schoolgirl when he told Vic, "I hope you have galivanted to your heart's content." I'm swooning, even as I write that, his dialogue was on point, as the kids say, as perfectly tailored to his elegant malevolence, his beautiful wickedness, as that magnificent chauffer's coat!!! Also, forgive me my shameless fawning, but can we TALK about his shiny, raven especially gorgeous HAIR during this episode!? Whether it's falling wild in his eyes, as he draws back his blood-thirsty hammer, or hanging in dark, feathery waves, as he smirks, leaning over his seemingly vanquished nemesis, Charlie's iconic silken strands were as deadly as his backswing, drawing my eye, and stoking my passion something fierce!

I loved how he laid it all out for her in his Malicious Manx Rhetoric, and one of the things I desperately love about Charlie, is how he can speak such vulnerable truth, even in the midst, of a rasping seethe. He explains it all, passes his sentence, this is why you don't deserve him, this is what I'm going to do, and why you can't stop me, even as he pounds the hammer against her back, oblivious to the protective armor, cleverly concealed in her biker jacket, due to some quick thinking, and a fun, surprising telepathic assist from the miniature McQueen. "No Mom, just play dead......" I loved all the nerves Charlie touched on, not just physical nerves, but the exposed, emotional ones as well. He knows how insecure Vic has felt, about the kind of mother she's been, her shortcomings, her fear about not being good for him, not able to love him like she should, provide for him, and Charlie exploits that to profound perfection. "You won't be able to ride away from your Beautiful Boy. He'll call you, sometimes, from Christmasland, and you will see...... He's BETTER with me!!!"

But the thing that shook me the most, was the bleeding truth of his words as he told her, "That's what you do, Victoria, you run. Even from the things that you LOVE!" WOW Charlie....... the depth, the piercing insight in that quote still gives me chills like mad, and it's a searing revelation. I also marveled at Charlie's outright admission of having been in love with Vic, which I'd always suspected, especially after Parnassus, but he's never just come out and said it, and definitely not to her face. "It's a dangerous game...... endeavoring to love Vic McQueen, I found that out myself with Craig, after you set us both on FIRE." I love how he snuck that in there, how he makes Craig and himself out to be HER victims, and I think Charlie's relationship status with Vic will always be, "It's Complicated," because while she holds a special fascination for him, most of her allure lies in the challenge. What he loves is the most about Vic is hating her. Hell hath no fury like Charlie Manx scorned.

You know what else, was just....... a THRILLING chill!? After giving her a good and proper thrashing, and tongue-lashing, Charlie's voice is a spiteful growl as he rasps furious, "Just say THANKS!!!" I could NOT breathe!! WOW........ What SPLENDID writing!!! It's not enough for Vic to lie there, and take her punishment, the punishment that in Charlie's eyes she so obviously deserves, but he demands her thanks as well, for taking her only child, reprimanding her wicked, wanton ways, sparing her from having to be a bad mother. "If you had a grateful bone in your body, you'd thank me......" Charlie has always seen himself as the hero of NOS4A2, saving children from their broken homes, and lonely lives, and if you told him point blank he was actually the villain, the antagonist, he'd scoff in your face. This idea that he's being generous, actually helping Vic, even as he enacts his ultimate revenge speaks volumes to that, and I loved it. He even tells her young son, with such soothe, "Don't worry........ She can never hurt you again."

That being said, I also loved how Vic fearlessly turned the tables on our handsome phantom, dropping the pretense of excruciating pain to strike hard, breaking Charlie's leg, and leaving a nasty gash across his lovely cheek, before reigning down hell on the Wraith. This was especially jaw-dropping for me, since I had written a scene eerily similar, over a YEAR ago, in my NOS4A2 Series, and it was such a giddy, breathless joy, to see it all play out, exactly as I had imagined it!!! I loved how Vic gives Charlie his insisted upon thank you, after making her move, even though, yes, I was a little heartsick, seeing that impossibly perfect face so drastically marred. The warm, happy, fuzzy feel of Wayne's childhood memories, interspersed with the impassioned violence was yet another INSPIRED, and poignant stroke of brilliance, and in my opinion made the scene even more powerful and intense. It also inspired a fascinating theory....... That Wayne is a Strong Creative, that can speak through his memories telepathically to his mother. There are several instances in, "Bruce Wayne McQueen," where our adorable title character floods his mother's mind with happier times, and words of wisdom. Yes, Vic is a powerful Creative, and this could very well be her own doing, but as she's never been one for sentiment before, something tells me Wayne is speaking to her, calming her down, keeping her safe.

This episode is a masterwork of action and suspense, a transformative audience EXPERIENCE. You're in the Wraith with Charlie and Wayne, sitting on the edge of the backseat, you're treading water, traumatized with Vic, as the bullets whizz past you under the surface, flinching with every shot Bing fires, and you're pressed up against the window with Wayne, hands on the glass, as his mother sobs her devastated goodbye, promising to find him, her stricken eyes so full of love, knowing she has to leave him, if ever she'll have the chance to fight again. It's so beautifully executed, every shot, drawing us into our creative heroes' journey with immersive cinematography. It's unique to any other episode that has come before, and stands out as a groundbreaking method of emotional storytelling.

I must say this though....... This episode was as close to achingly perfect as you can get, right up there with Sleigh House, a MAGIC that I never EVER thought anything in my natural life could touch, but as much enamour as I feel, there were a few slightly detracting flaws. I absolutely LOVED the shifts between different points of view, it may be an unpopular opinion, but I thought that was another daring risk, that definitely paid off. My issue however, lies in the repeated events from one person's point of view to the next. I felt that the needless repetition slowed down the breakneck action, throwing a kink in the timeline. There were more than a few times where I was like WAIT, did that happen before or after what we've just seen!? I appreciate that they were trying to give us a new vantage point to what we'd just witnessed, maybe even belabor the moment for dramatic effect, but it ate up valuable runtime, and undercut the flow in my opinion, as well as shortchanged the suspense, knowing full well what was going to happen, because we'd already seen it from another character's point of view! How much better to show a scene from one perspective, and then jump right into the consequent action with the change to the next? How much MORE would we have gotten to see!?!? Had they done that, then this episode would have surpassed even Sleigh House, my ultimate ideal.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy getting to see what happened in the car with the boys, during Vic's ride through the woods. I LOVED how Charlie, ever the paternal guardian, was so taxed by Wayne's vehement cries, and frantic banging on the windows, that he says, in true exhausted parent fashion, "Please Wayne, just a small nap......" There were times that the rewind worked, but most times, I just wanted to get on with the story. Another grievance....... What the HELL are the Wraith's windows made of!? Yes, I understand that this is a supernatural, sentient car, but SERIOUSLY!!!! No amount of force, be it from a swung wrench, or slammed autopsy hammer, or SPEEDING bullet, could shatter even one of the Wraith's windows. Yes, I know it added to the suspense, watching both parents try desperately, and still fail to free their son, but it detracted from the reality, suspending my suspension of disbelief. They should have been able to at least break ONE!!!

I was also a tad bit disappointed with The Hour Glass Man, how about you guys? The way Abe set him up to be this heavy hitter, this "Fixer," in the Dark Creative World, I was so excited to see his knife and how it worked!!! At the beginning of the episode, our calm, sharply-dressed secondary villain, uses an hour glass, not to stop time, not to rewind time, not to alter time, but....... to hypnotize the two feds long enough to assault the lake house, SHOOTING Chris McQueen in the leg, before turning the gun on themselves. Yes, it was only our first look, and I'm sure our man of unsolved mystery has more than a few tricks up his ironed sleeves, he isn't in high demand for nothing, but....... as he was supposed to be Charlie's ace in the hole, I had prepared myself for something truly mind-boggling, something more than just compulsion, an everyday occurrence on The Vampire Diaries. Even in his second go at Vic, he pulls a Manx, and just hits her with his far less supernatural SUV. I knew something was up, the way Charlie didn't veer, and try to run Vic off the road as she pursued him on her new motorcycle, firing shots into the driver side window. He let her ride alongside him, so calm, and I KNEW he was leading her into a trap, and leading me straight into my second disappointment with The Hour Glass Man. I don't know, even though it got the job done, and landed her in the hospital, him hitting her with the SUV just felt....... underwhelming, which this episode is definitely NOT.

The hidden hero of "Bruce Wayne McQueen," is by far Chris Freaking McQueen, who has redeemed himself in my eyes through his fearless fight, both to stay sober for his daughter, and to keep her from losing her son. Not gonna lie guys, I was HORRIFIED, when I thought the Feds killed him at the beginning of the episode, and for the longest time after he got shot I was like DON'T you dare FREAKING kill Chris, oh god, is Chris dead!? A question to which there is no answer until nearly the end of the episode. Vic, still treading water underneath the dock, shakes violently as she hears the gunshots go off a little too close, and I, myself, was scared as HELL, thinking Bing was firing straight down, having discovered her. A horrible moment, as the blood falls thick from between the wooden slats of the dock, directly onto Vic's forehead. And then....... Chris Freaking McQueen, like a gun wielding white knight charges the sick BASTARD, Bing Partridge, shooting him repeatedly, although, to our collective chagrin, does not kill him!!! Seriously. Somebody gut that Creepster Pervert like a fish!!! Chris even takes on Charlie all by himself, firing at the Wraith, as it speeds off to my complete and utter delight WITHOUT Bing Partridge leaving him behind, FINALLY!!! You GO, Charlie, time to sever ties with that obnoxious deadweight.

Where this episode uncovers Charlie in his most heightened, dangerous state, raw and intense, Bing is portrayed at his detestable WORST, and my hatred for this hulking henchman was infinite. I HATE the way he is with Wayne, it literally made me sick to my stomach. Charlie is so sweet and gentle, paternal, and patient with our dear little Bats, doting upon him, and you can tell how excited he is to be his father, how this particular child, Vic's only son, is the second most important entry into Christmasland, after his own daughter. I'm still dyyyying from the way he said, "You and I have been dreaming about each other, haven't we?" How PRECIOUS!!! In counterpart, Bing is disgustingly abusive, grabbing him up off the ground, dangling him by his arm, threatening to shoot him, bite him, calling Wayne a, "pretty girl," (GOD, YOU SICKO!!!!) and I just couldn't stand it, I was so damn furious, I couldn't see straight, and I'm DONE with Bing, I want to put a hit out on that lewd, child abusing, BASTARD!!! It would seem Charlie is done with him too, leaving him behind to die, and I especially enjoyed that cleverly veiled threat in the car, Bing droning on and on about what he wants to do when he gets to Christmasland, and Charlie smirking with a coy mention of a special feast. Yeah...... I see what you did there, Babe. It's time to hang a Partridge, swinging from a pear tree.

Another thing I particularly loved about this episode, was that it had the unique symmetry of beginning and ending in the hospital, and in both instances, Wayne's birth, and the aftermath of his abduction, Vic loses him. Even as a newborn, after a harrowing C-section, Vic knows something is wrong, crying out to the nurses, as they do CPR on the tender little babe, and after only just bringing him into the world, Vic already has to face the threat of one without him. That was beautifully mirrored in the final, heartbreaking scene, when Vic, seeing her boyfriend, and father in hospital beds from her own, but no Wayne, realizes, with abject terror, her son is gone. Her worst fear, the ONE man she'd fought for eight years to protect him from, has taken him. BEAUTIFUL, heart-wrenching, devastatingly good acting from Ashleigh, the desolate sobs, as her mother holds her in her arms, the hopelessness, and fear in her eyes. It shattered me.

An all time high for NOS4A2, "Bruce Wayne McQueen," holds all the emotional drama, and high risk of a proper Season Finale, and we're only FIVE episodes in!!!! If it's THIS good, this early in the story, I can't even imagine what lays in wait, as the Wraith races away with a very special boy in tow. Hold on, Strong Creatives....... Our WILDEST dreams are about to come true.........

#nos4a2 #nos4a2 review #charlie manx #vic mcqueen #bing partridge #chris mcqueen #the wraith #bruce wayne mcqueen

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