#I knew about them since the pilot but ep 2 just confirm

[xtltokio]

I found the new ship that I will be obsessed with it for the next few years, especially now that I won't have Tarlos anymore

Let me introduce you: Dr. Oliver & Dr. Nichols (brilliant minds)

[open-hangar]

Space Defense Lanzer Ep. 8

LUNARIAN MECHANICAL RECORDS

Μακάριοι οι Παρατηρητές

Custom Lanzer Type-Selene

Size: 20m, 60 tons

Power Output: 990 MW/minute onboard, [REDACTED]

Pilots: 1 active pilot

Weaponry and abilities: Space flight, limited atmospheric flight, modular weaponry and armor. Limited onboard weaponry.

Etc.: Changes to this Lanzer by anyone other than Lt. Truth WILL NOT be approved, and will result in disciplinary action.

Elysian had been going over a list of things to confront their commanding officers about ever since they arrived back on the moon. Or, at least, as long as they’ve sat in this decontamination chamber, as everyone coming back from a chargon-rich environment is forced to. Where’s Cynthia? Why can I breathe easily on Earth? Why didn’t you try to rescue me? Why-

“Lt. Truth.”

Their concentration was shattered as their mother appeared in front of them, her figure flashing up against the wall of the chamber. It was a perfect illusion, proving that it was a direct feed to the other side of this wall. Elysian did their best to put on a serious face to confront their mother.

“Where is-”

“Shut up.”

The chairwoman’s voice was like a laser drilling through Elysian’s skull. They had been trained their whole life to obey her every word, but this was more important. They forced themself to push onward.

“Where. Is. Lun-”

“You had been ordered to confirm the existence of an earthling secret weapon and target it for bombardment. But you failed. You rushed in and got our most important weapon destroyed.”

Lt. Truth knew they had screwed up. They were the one that had been shot down, after all, but something about the way that Chairwoman Truth said it impressed it. Elysian now knew in their soul that they had royally messed up. But they couldn’t let up, not now.

“Why can I breathe without my mask,” the pilot forced out with the angriest scowl they could muster. They hadn’t been given a rebreather to replace the one they had lost on Earth, so every part of his face was visible. Their commanding officer just stared back, and sighed.

“All the work that we put into you, we somehow failed to give you the ability to put 2 and 2 together to make 4.”

This only made the pilot angrier, proven by how they attempted to smash their first against the false window in front of them, which did little other than make the display flicker.

“QUIT SCREWING WITH ME!”

The councilwoman didn’t care about her offspring’s outburst, however. She simply stood and stared before continuing.

“That chamber is filled with the same level of chargon that Earth’s atmosphere does. Roughly 80% or so of the mixture that feeds through your mask, and 40% of what the Type-Artemis feeds through your body when you’re used as a reactor.”

Elysian grows numb as they instinctively cover their face and step backwards. “M-my.. entire life…”

“Before that. In-utero. Carrying you to term shaved 8 years off of my life and every day you make me regret that decision.”

The pilot collapsed to their knees. The scars on their back ached and itched. “The Type-Artemis…”

“You were designed to pilot it. Designed to be the perfect Lunarian, completely unable to produce chargon. But for some reason, that kills you, so you need to be fed more externally. Conveniently, that means that the Type-Artemis can use your organs as a second reactor to boost its strength without needing to carry extra weight. Or, rather, it could until you destroyed it.”

Elysian Truth now knew why his mother had treated him like a pawn, an object for their entire life. It hurt, sure, but the explanation gave them a small bit of closure, as now they knew that their usefulness to her had come to an end with Type-Artemis’ destruction. It was all the pilot could do to genuflect to the floor and beg for forgiveness.

“Mother. I’m sorry that I’m no longer of use to you. Please make my termination as painless as possible.”

A small compartment on one of the walls slid open, a box designed to transfer small objects in and out of the chamber. It contained a rebreather identical to the one that Elysian had worn their entire life. Truth eyed it, confused.

“The chargon scrubbing sequence will commence in 30 seconds. I suggest you prepare for it. Hopefully, you’ll still be useful.”

—

As Councilwoman Truth led her child down the hallways of Aristarchus Base, Elysian felt the crisp, clean air against their skin and felt at home again. But they had to accept that it was a lie. This clean air and the perfection of being a Lunarian would only kill them. Before too long, they reached an elevator, which led down into the subterranean levels, outside of the clearance of most pilots. The door then opened to a dark hangar, and several spotlights shining on a Lanzer.

It was big, maybe 10% larger than most Lanzers that Lt. Truth was familiar with. But the thing that stood out most to them was how unbelievably similar it looked to the Type-Artemis. Same basic shapes, same color, same head, everything. But every subtle detail showed that it was made from completely new parts, a new generation of the Type-Artemis.

“Behold, the Type-Selene,” Councilwoman Truth demanded. “Every weakness of the Type-Artemis has been shaved away, including the stupidity of its pilot. Whereas the Synth-OSi AI merely recommended against foolish choices, it will now take control away from you when necessary, as it did when you were a toddler.”

Elysian could hardly believe his ears. “Cynthia?! It’s still here?! Cynthia!!” The ground and air shook as the clamps holding the Type-Selene in place opened seemingly out of nowhere, and the machine stepped forward on its own. It grabbed the walkway with its manipulators and opened up its empty cockpit, sending a gust of warm, comforting air. From inside the cockpit, a familiar voice reached the young Truth.

“Hello, Lt. Truth. It is good to see you again.”

Elysian could only burst out in tears at the voice. “Cynthia! I thought you had died! I’m so glad…”

“Yes. The Lunarian military successfully retrieved me after what I was told was a long, difficult fight. I look forward to flying with you again.”

The lieutenant looked back at the councilwoman, unsure if the AI was telling the truth.

“Yes,” the councilwoman assured the young pilot. “We still have a mission for you, a chance to redeem your disgusting performance. And you’ll have plenty of backup, too.”

She raised one fist, and snapped her fingers. The rest of the lights in the hangar lit up to illuminate dozens, maybe even hundreds of more Lanzers bearing the signature look of Lunaria’s engineering. They all looked so similar to the Type-Artemis, but painted a sleek black, and each one of them had their own pilots standing at stiff attention saluting Councilwoman Truth.

“If those damned savages think that they can destroy our Lanzers that easily, then we will be glad to prove them wrong.”

Art by https://x.com/REEvolt119956

[idealisticrealism]

TCL 2x09 recap

Phew, this week was busy as hell so ngl this show picked a good time to have a set-up episode haha. Still, I thought the ep was actually really great, and I’m excited for what’s coming next!

Ok I’m really happy to see more of Thony’s buddhism! Lbr she needs his help rn. Was it really necessary for Fi to bring Luca to meet at the temple though? The threat of Kamdar is fairly under control for the moment, so really she could have just brought him to the house. (Sidenote, but in terms of timeline, it sounds like he’s been at JD’s for 2 nights, meaning this ep is only a day or so after last ep?). But anyway. Ngl I like seeing Thony in her jacket bc it just makes me think of her connection to Arman, but tbh I was like ‘why is everyone in long sleeves?? It’s summer in Nevada????’ but oh right no, the filming is in summer/fall, but the show must be at least nearing winter by now (not that winter in Nevada is all that cold anyway haha). But yeah in the pilot, Thony says they’ve been in the US for 8 months, and in 1x07 they celebrated all the holidays they missed having with Marco, which included Christmas. So Thony took Luca to the US in December at the latest, and then the two of them were there for 8 months already before the events of the show started taking place, and it’s now been about 3 more months since then. So I guess we could almost be in November/December again?  Too bad this isn’t the kind of show to do a christmas episode lol, I would have loved that

Ok speaking of jackets/wardrobes etc, Arman needs to stop wearing the same goddamn thing every single day (as utterly sexy as it is), bc it’s making it harder for me to know exactly when everything is happening haha. I’m gonna assume that this scene actually occurs the night before Fi and Thony meet in the temple (aka still the same day as when Thony told him about RK and Nadia’s marriage). Bc I’m guessing that Thony told him, then he left and spent a while being upset (and conflicted, because yes the lying and the manipulation sucks but hey on the other hand, suddenly he’s a free man lol) before looking up the public record, and then he goes to La Habana, where Nadia is excitedly setting up what looks to be a dinner date for them (sigh, I feel sad for both her and us lol). Tbh I think that is the timeline that makes the most sense, bc lbr, if this was happening the following day after he finds out (so the same day as Thony in the temple), then Nadia would have been upset or suspicious about where he had disappeared to for a whole night, because clearly this is their first time seeing each other since Thony’s reveal. But anyway I guess it really doesn’t matter much haha. Also I like how he’s like “so it’s true” and then later tells her that he looked it up on the public record. Like duh of course it’s true lol, you literally saw the proof? Also ngl I was very satisfied when he turned away from her kiss, and then when she hugged him, begging forgiveness, and he didn’t hug back. I know it’s mean but I just love every single thing that further proves that this relationship really has no future… (well, the romantic part of it, at least.)

Also YAAASSSSSS I knew she and Robert were still married!! I mean I’m sure I’m not the only one who called it, but still, gotta love being proved right. And like I said, gotta love Arman no longer being a married man haha. Also incidentally, if RK and Nadia ‘divorced’ after a year, then that was 7 years ago, confirming that her and Arman have been together less than that. (even if they met while she was with Robert, I doubt that she would have dared get with Arman until the divorce was supposedly finalised, given that she was afraid of RK). But anyways then aaaaahhhh the way Arman walks away from her– idk about you guys, but I just really can’t see them going back to being together after this, bc firstly there’s been a betrayal of trust on both sides, and secondly, cmon, the dude knows he’s in love with Thony, and knows that it’s her that he really wants to be with, not Nadia. Tbh though this did all work out a bit differently than I expected; I absolutely assumed that Nadia would demand to know how he found out, and would then learn of how he’d used her. But now instead of both of them being pissed at each other, we have her feeling guilty and desperate for forgiveness, while also accepting that she may have caused the end of their relationship. Which is kind of true but also not really haha. I think the dooming of this ‘marriage’ was a mutual effort tbh lol

Ugh the combination of Hyper-competent Doctor Thony and Worried Mom Thony gets me every time. But man seriously can the universe just give her and Luca a break?? Like she said in 1x06, why does it always have to be so hard?? (Bc it makes for good TV drama, of course, haha). Loved the throwback to Dr Saroyan, who has probably been enjoying the last few weeks of respite from these very stressful clients haha. I kinda wish we’d get to see him again bc I miss him, but at the same time we don’t really need him as much bc Arman has a new personal doctor now :P 

Speaking of Arman, ughhhh at the fact that she’s clearly told him about Luca being sick again. Despite the uncomfortable way their last meeting ended, they’ve obviously been in contact, arranging the next med pickup and talking about Luca and still just being there for each other even when they’re kind of being pushed into being on different sides in regards to their situation with RK/Nadia etc. Tbh I just love this scene: the way he and Fi greet each other (from her expression, it looks like she has come to accept him and his place in Thony’s life and I’m so happy about it); the way he immediately asks after Luca; the simple sincerity and the eye contact with the “I wish I could help”/”You are” ughhh. (Bc the thing is, he’s not helping Luca directly; Thony and Dr Saroyan have that covered. But he’s supporting Thony, and that’s what she truly needs).  

Nooooooo Boscoooo my boy :’C I know the writers have been basically telling us this was coming since like 2x03 but I’m still sad!! I do love that in this scene, Thony’s first response was to start checking for survivors/people needing medical help, then she saw the truck and her focus shifted to the meds and what their absence meant for Luca (and also her and Arman). Which is very much her character– help anyone in need if she can, but her family’s needs take priority. Arman’s response was just as perfect– his first reaction was Protect Thony, by warning her to stay back and also scanning all around them for further threats, and only once things appeared safe did he even think to look for Bosco. But ugh I really didn’t want to have to see Arman lose another friend, especially another whose death he’s going to torture himself over ughh. I’m sad Bosco didn’t even get to say any last words either but at least he wasn’t alone when he died. Ugh my boy deserved better :( 

And then suddenly there’s magically appearing bikers (let’s ignore that their engines should have been audible way before they got that close, shall we? lol) and Armony running from bullets and stealing a bike and a high speed chase on a dirt road and honestly I didn’t need this kind of stress in my life haha. Also damnnn son I guess Arman is an amazing rider because do you know how hard it is to keep a bike steady at speed, on dirt, and with a passenger?? I do! It’s bloody hard! And kicking an object while riding without then causing yourself to crash is even harder lol. And don’t even get me started on that chain they broke through– like dude if that chain was attached at all to more than one side of the gate, riding into it would have clotheslined them both and sent them hurtling right onto the road in the path of that RV lol. Good thing it was apparently not attached and was just draped across the gap or something though… and like man I know it’s Vegas and all but that was a hell of a gamble lol

I am immensely satisfied that I accurately predicted exactly what Arman would do and say the moment they got off the bike haha, though lbr he IS kind of predictable when it comes to Thony and being worried for her safety. And okay I’m very glad they’re both uninjured (and look, shooting a target is hard at the best of times, so I understand them not being hit by bullets shot from a moving vehicle while they were also moving at speed), but I mean couldn’t Thony have gotten just a little bit shot? Like nothing serious, just a nasty graze across the shoulderblade or something? Just enough for Arman to freak out over and for her to have to take off her shirt for him to check it lol. But sigh, I guess I’ll just have to save that for fanfiction lol. Anyway though, you really gotta feel for Armony rn because they are really not having a good week lol

Ah, everyone’s least favourite sociopathic peacock is back. But how satisfying to see him get slapped right in the face haha (though lbr he probably likes that kind of thing?). Ngl though I almost enjoy how utterly pathetic he is when it comes to Nadia? Like with everyone else he’s self-assured, powerful, always at the advantage; but with her he’s a total simpering mess and I want her to crush him under her heel like a bug lol

Nope, not okay with hearing Thony just barely holding back tears over the phone with Dr Saroyan, and then trying so hard to keep things together as she explains the situation to Fi. She’s right about Luca never surviving the flight though ugh; I literally just did a course on the physiological stress of flight in critically ill patients and no way would he make it in his condition. Maybe on an official repatriation flight with a medical team accompanying him, but not as a deported immigrant on a commercial flight ugh. But anyway, I digress lol

And now Thony’s bad day is getting even worse as she has to go deal with RK’s shit lol. But oooh the burner phone is back! Given that later in the ep RK texts her on her other phone, I’m guessing that it’s Arman who texted her just then to let her know RK was back and that they have been summoned to see him– considering they show up to RK’s office together, it’s likely that Arman came to pick her up and take her there. And ugh that’s yet another moment between them I wish we could have seen, bc like did they talk about what they would say? Or the possibility that RK might hurt them as punishment?? I need to know lol. But ugh that moment when RK does snap and signal Joseph to kill Arman? (which tbh I don’t think he would have dared to do if Nadia hadn’t basically just told him she wanted nothing to do with him; bc previously it was only the fear of turning Nadia against him that kept him from killing Arman). Ngl I am obsessed with the way Arman clenches his jaw and stands straight, accepting his death like he has known ever since the prison that it was only a matter of time, that there would be no escaping it, not after everything that’s happened. But Thony will never accept that, will never stop fighting to protect him, and so she immediately moves closer to him, pleading on his behalf and getting herself even more deeply ensnared in RK’s web as she saves him ughhhhhhh

Ugh more DoctorMom Thony… I can’t deal with the way she looks at Luca before she walks out of the room. She knows that this may be a one way trip to the Philippines for her, but I guess she’s holding on to the thought that even if it is, she’ll be able to send the meds back and he’ll get better– and then eventually he may be well enough to fly back too and they can be reunited. (Well, if she doesn’t get murdered by RK, that is. Ugh). But at least in the meantime he will be safe with Fi– although dude “give him more morphine whenever he needs it” is an INCREDIBLY dangerous statement to say to someone who doesn’t have medical training haha. But I’m sure she wrote down some clearer instructions lol. Also aww at the fact that Fi has apparently been sending money back to her parents all this time, despite having such a challenging relationship with them and also having little money to spare?? I love her Your Honour

Seeing Arman and Thony pull up to the plane in the caddy reminded me that his motorbike is still back at Bosco’s camp ughhhhhh. Maybe he’ll be able to ride the other bike back and go get it? Though lbr the risk is probably not worth it. Ugh RIP you beautiful motorcycle I will miss you and all the Armony-embracing you created. Ngl the power couple in the caddy look is still hot though haha. As is the fact that Arman is dressed rather similarly to the last time these two took a private jet flight together, and then later slowdanced by firelight… got some subconscious hopes rising to the surface there buddy? Me too tbh lol. And then ugh RK shows up and completely ruins all our hopes, as usual. I love that both Arman and Thony tried to argue against Arman being left behind (“I need Arman to come with m–” yes you do need him ughhh). But then ugh when Arman realises that he has no way to fight this, that he has already been pushed out and deemed worthless, and as a result has no power to protect her anymore? And he just stares after her and she looks back at him for just a second and they’re both thinking, is this the last time we’ll ever see each other?

Boooo the ledger didn’t actually help?? So Arman went through that ‘reconciliation’ with Nadia for nothing? Great. Also ngl I am still stuck on my ‘Russo is indebted to Kamdar and under his influence’ theory. C’mon show, tell me what side she’s on, I need to knowwwwww

Of course RK chose the seat right across from Thony and is watching her sleep. Goddamn creep. Though tbh we all know that she is completely under his power rn and so there are far worse things he could be doing to her (things I’m sure Arman’s imagination is currently torturing him with), so I guess I should be glad that sexual violence does not seem to be one of RK’s proclivities. But ugh this flight is still so uncomfortable, especially the way she is forced to reveal her friend’s identity to him, knowing that it will put her at risk but having no choice. But holy shit the line “The chief of cardiology? That’s a lot to give up… the godlike power of saving lives, just to become a maid for criminals” is possibly one of the most powerful statements we’ve had in the show. And then her response: “My life became about saving one person’s life. My son.” Like wow, that really captures the entire essence of the show, doesn’t it? The lengths that a mother will go to for her child, the sacrifices she will make to save one person above all others. Though  tbhI would argue that the truth has shifted a little bit now– in S1, yes, her life was all about saving Luca. But since the end of S1 it has become about saving her family– Luca, Fi and the kids, and Arman. Thony says in 1x04 that she became a doctor to be like her father, who her mother always said was brave and risked his life for others. She clearly dedicated so much of her life to that goal, to being the best doctor she could be, to help all the many the people who needed her knowledge and abilities. But after Luca got sick, and after she reunited with Fi and saw the way she was struggling through life as a TNT, and after she met Arman and developed such a deep and unexpected connection with him, I think that all that determination and caring and protectiveness that had been spread across scores of cardiac patients instead focused itself intensely on just five people. Of course, she always helps whoever she can, but those five people are who her life is really about. And I think that RK actually respects that, respects that she is willing to do whatever it takes for the people she loves, even when it comes at a huge risk to herself. Tbh I think he’s found her quite intriguing for a while, ever since he’d learned that she was more than what she’d claimed at their first meeting, and since seeing the power she held (in different ways) over both Nadia and Arman. Let’s just hope that he stays intrigued enough to not have her murdered lol

Ooooh I have been hoping for AGES that Joseph is Filipino!! Honestly I always felt it was too much of a coincidence that RK’s right hand man– who we’ve seen RK abusing more than once– should just happen to be South East Asian. Like that casting has to be deliberate. And now he and Thony are kind of vibing?? Like yaaaaassss c’mon Joseph, turn on RK and take Thony’s side instead!

Aw Thony being welcomed by her friends is so sweet (and I love the very classic bilingual conversation), but oh mannnn it’s so uncomfortable to watch her trying to be normal and social all the while knowing that she’s there with a motive and that RK is outside and that so much is riding on her friends taking a huge risk for her ugh. When she escaped to the bathroom I just wanted to give her a hug ugh. Just like I wanted to give Arman a hug when he was suddenly faced with Isabel selling the club, kicking him when he’s already down, and god as much as I’m suffering rn I do love the way the show juxtaposed those two scenes, like it’s saying that even separated by thousands of miles, their pain is still shared. Ugh our babies really are going through it lol  

Nope nothing to say about this awful scene with Thony and her friends and her trying to beg for their help while suffering such a mortifying level of shame and guilt and ughhhh nope can’t deal with this at all. Although I feel like the drug he mentioned about hepatic damage might somehow become relevant later on? It seems Luca is copping every possible side effect or complication so who knows lol. But ugh when her friend gives her the name but then realises that Thony brought RK with her and basically exiles her for it ughhhh it hurts me. Especially because Thony has said before that many of hers and Marco’s friends stopped talking to them because he would borrow money and not pay it back– this woman may have been one of the only friends Thony had left from her life in Manila. And now she’s lost that too. 

Lol I like this bisexual lighting in La Habana– I’m gonna headcanon that Nadia chose that lol. It’s also really cool to hear that she was the one who made the place into a cigar lounge; between that and her influence on RK’s business, I’m definitely getting the sense that this woman should absolutely be running the show. But ugh when he says he’s not going to say goodbye to either her or the club, I honestly kind of liked it?? Because I want her and Arman to be able to stay in each other’s lives, just not in a romantic partnership, and tbh I think we are actually getting closer to achieving that with each episode? Because they’ve had their heated, angry breakup, they’ve had their unwilling (on his part at least) make-up, and then they’ve had the reveal that their marriage was never ‘real’ and all the painful emotional fallout that came as a result of that. And now they’ve made peace, have apologised to each other for the way things happened and how they hurt each other, but it’s definitely got a ‘forgive but don’t forget’ vibe to it, in that while they can absolve each other for what they’ve done, they’re not just going to pretend it never happened and go back to what they were. Bc in my mind, they’ve now reached a place where returning to the relationship they had– the marriage– is impossible, yet it is still possible for them to have a new relationship, one where they are partners of a different kind, two people who know and respect and trust each other and can work well together toward a common goal. And tbh we’ve all always noted even from early in S1 that they seemed to behave more like business partners than husband and wife, and now maybe they can have that, and can see that it fits them better than being married ever did. 

YEAAAHHHH BOOYYYYY “I’m gonna kill Kamdar. And you’re gonna help me.” Aaaaaaahhhhh you guys I have been WAITING for this and I am so excited. And you know what the absolute best part is???? The timing of this decision from Arman. He is suddenly filled with determination to kill RK, but that determination didn’t appear after RK forced him to commit murder, or after he found out RK caused his whole marriage to be a lie, or after RK literally almost had him shot dead in his office. Yes all of those things contributed to it, but it was truly cemented the moment RK flew away in the jet with Thony completely at his mercy, and Arman realised he no longer had the power to protect her.  Like yes I know that RK has made it clear that he no longer has use for him (and that therefore he may potentially have Arman killed at any moment) but honestly, I don’t think that “it’s either him or me” is Arman’s real reason. It’s an effective reason to give Nadia, because if forced to choose, she would absolutely choose Arman; but I really don’t think Arman truly cares about the possibility of his death. Like in 2x07 he literally told RK that he wasn’t going to follow his orders to kill Maya, and to just kill him instead; and it was only when Thony’s life was threatened that he gave in. Even earlier in this ep when Joseph nearly shot him, he didn’t do a thing to try to stop it happening. Honestly I think that he believes that he deserves it; I think he’s now convinced that he only brings death and destruction and pain to those around him– Matteo, Carlos, Hayak, Maya, Bosco (and that’s not even counting the people he killed for Hayak)– and that by dying he would be paying penance for them, but also protecting Thony and Nadia from suffering the same fate. And so that’s why he is suddenly so desperate to kill Kamdar: because of Thony and Nadia. Because that moment at the hangar made it clear to him that unless he takes out RK permanently, neither woman will ever be able to get free of RK’s grip, and will always be in danger from him. Which means now he knows that he needs to act fast, to kill RK before RK can kill him, because if he dies before RK then there’s no one left to protect his family– the two women he loves. 

Also, can I just say that I called it about the fact that if RK dies, Nadia– as his still-legal wife– is likely his main beneficiary, and so she would inherit his entire kingdom? Like ngl I could see some potential issues there, like the fact that if he died, the FBI would probably be pretty interested to investigate exactly what happened, and would most definitely tie up all his assets rather than releasing them to the estranged wife that had very suspiciously just made a very recent return into his life, and whose second ‘husband’ is a known enemy of RK’s lol. But who cares about logic and legalities, right? And tbh it was a very smart move of Arman to appeal to Nadia’s greed and ambition by reminding her that she could become queen of it all, and could finally have what she has worked so hard to earn. There’s a look of almost disgust on his face as he says it, which may be because he’s acknowledging that Nadia is RK’s wife, not his, but tbh I read it as also being disgust at a) manipulating her again, and b) the fact that money and status and power mean so much to her. If the situation were switched and it was Thony in her position, Thony wouldn’t care at all about what she might inherit from RK; she’d only care about keeping Arman safe. But to be clear, this is not a judgement of Nadia! Her greed and covetousness are actually really interesting character traits and they make her more nuanced and real, and tbh I can totally understand why someone who came from nothing (and who worked hard for everything she had and yet still lost it all, while watching others get richer and richer without ever working for it, purely because they were born into privilege) would be drawn to the idea of doing one ‘bad thing’ to get to have everything she feels she deserves.

Ugh at Thony keeping her promise to Fi and going to Fi’s parents’ house to leave the money she gave her. I’m glad she didn’t have to go meet with them– she could have stopped them when she saw them leaving, but she chose not to (in fact it seemed like she was waiting for them to leave), and she clearly knew where the spare key was kept (she may have had her own copy when she lived in Manila, but lbr she wouldn’t have taken her copy of the key to the US with her). Also the envelope Fi gave her was white, and she puts that on the counter first, but then she also takes out a thick, fresh stack of cash, and a yellow envelope– and tbh I think the cash and yellow envelope are from her. @enigmaticfox said, and I agree, that this moment feels very much like a goodbye; a goodbye to her former parents-in-law– the only parents she has had for years– and to her connection to the Philippines. Her work life there ended 5 years ago with Luca’s diagnosis, and her friends were lost one by one over the years due to Marco using them, with the last finally lost on this trip due to Thony using them; and then with the loss of Marco and the fallout from his death, the family ties she had to this place are gone now too. She says it herself when she gets back on the plane– “The Philippines are not my home anymore.” And it’s true. Her home, her life, everyone she loves– they’re all in Vegas. 

Oh Russo what the actual fuck were you thinking? Kissing Garrett at any time is an incredibly terrible decision for many reasons, but kissing him at work only days after he lost someone he loved?? Someone whose picture he was literally just staring mournfully at as you walked in the door?? Like woman I have so many questions about your sanity haha. (Also about your loyalties. Seriously tell me, does Kamdar have you under his thumb???)

Damn Thony’s outfits for this trip have been so good. She looks so effortlessly elegant and sophisticated, and while I love that as a character she’s clearly not at all vain and will normally just wear the same simple clothes repeatedly, it is nice to see a little variety being included– tbh I feel that her tiny wardrobe was a symbol that her time in Vegas was only temporary and that she didn’t  ‘belong’ there, so the more clothes that get added to the mix, the more it feels like she is putting down roots and really claiming Vegas as her home. Of course she doesn’t have a lot of closet space rn so she can’t go too wild with the wardrobe lol, but I hope it does get at least a little bigger by the end of the season. Anyway phew at RK basically pulling the rich-people equivalent of a jedi mind trick (aka bribery) on the customs guy lol; money really does open all doors huh

Okay so either RK is even more of a ridiculous simp for Nadia than I previously thought, and is completely fooled by her (let’s face it, rather terrible) acting lol, or he knows she’s deliberately trying to manipulate him into buying La Habana but doesn’t care and is happy to give her what she wants anyway, because it will get him what he wants– Nadia’s affection and gratitude. Tbh I hope it’s the first option because that’s just so much funnier. But either way, now that he’s the owner of La Habana, she can just “what’s yours is mine” her way into being the next owner upon his untimely demise haha. Work smarter not harder ladies!

Why do I feel a sense of foreboding hearing Luca say “mommy I don’t want you to go”? Bc like she literally just came back? Maybe he means he doesn’t want her to go away again? And ok even though I know nothing will happen to her (she’s the main character after all, and this show is no Game of Thrones lol), it makes me afraid of foreshadowing lol. But ugh when she tells Fi that the meds will fix Luca and Fi says “well, then whatever you went through over there, it was worth it”– yet another line that has really captured the heart of this show. Whatever Thony goes through, no matter how bad, it’s worth it to her as long as Luca (and her family) are okay. She will bear any pain, any burden, as long as it keeps them safe and healthy and happy. Which is why she will keep working with RK, bc even though she knows that he’s so unpredictable and mercurial that just being in his vicinity is a danger in itself; she’s willing to take that risk as long as he can supply the meds that keep Luca healthy. Which means that the situation between her and Arman is about to get a little complicated lol, because right now she needs RK, and Arman needs him gone. Bc just like her, Arman will do anything to protect the people he loves– and for him, that means protecting her from RK by eliminating him before he can hurt her. It’s the best kind of conflict imo, because it’s one person saying to the other “I love you enough to do what needs to be done to save you, even if it makes you hate me”. Of course, Arman doesn’t want to endanger Luca by taking away his access to the meds, but in his mind, RK is a far more immediate threat to Thony’s safety than the short supply of meds is to Luca’s wellbeing, and so he probably figures that once RK is eliminated he can then use RK's funds and connections (via Nadia) to get Luca all the meds he will ever need.

But the real question now is whether he will tell Thony what he’s planning to do to Kamdar??? I honestly can’t decide, because on one hand, keeping her in the dark would protect her (plausible deniability, etc etc) and that definitely seems like something he would do– plus, in terms of storytelling, it would create some delicious angst because Thony would see Arman suddenly shutting her out and instead spending most of his time with Nadia, and she would assume it means that Arman has now definitively made his choice regarding who he wants to be with, and so she would then endure their every following interaction with the quiet suffering of a secretly broken heart ugh. (God I would LOVE to see that, because the eventual reveal of the truth– that he loves her, has loved her the whole time and has only been trying to keep her safe– would be glorious). However, if on the other hand he tells her what he’s planning, and she tells him not to do it because she needs RK (also bc she doesn’t want him to get caught for RK’s murder, of course) then there’s a different kind of delicious angst where they both know how they feel about one another but they’re stuck on opposing sides regardless, due to external factors outside of their control. Which tbh would also be glorious. So basically, whatever happens next will be a freakin delight lol. And ok I know there’s a lot of fans who are unhappy about Armony being potentially pitted against each other while Arman teams up with Nadia, but I honestly cannot wait, because the truth is that any conflict between these two now will just make it all the sweeter when they eventually– and inevitably– finally give in to their feelings and accept that everything they’ve done, they’ve done for each other, and that there’s nothing they want more than to be together.

Oh no. The gun. Lbr, RK absolutely just had it planted in order to get Arman out of the way now that he thinks he’s got a chance with Nadia again– gotta remove the competition, y’know? lol. Though I definitely do take issue with the fact that he dared to plant for the FBI to find, considering that in 2x07 he himself touched it with his bare hands before Arman did, and that seems like a risk he would never take, but whatever. Plot hole maybe. But anyhow aaaaahhh now Garrett (and ofc Russo/the FBI) know about Arman, and I can’t WAIT to see what he does about it. Tbh my ideal headcanon would be that he immediately goes to arrest Arman, and Arman argues that if he’s already going to be going down for murder, why don’t they make it count– and so convinces Garrett to give him a couple of days to kill Kamdar (thus making him truly pay for what he did to Maya) before he takes him in. It would be fascinating to see Garrett agree to that, clearly venturing more into the moral grey zone, and also to see these two nemeses teaming up in that way. Especially if part of their agreement is that Thony is kept completely out of it so she won’t go down with Arman, because neither of them wants anything to happen to her. Ngl, I’ve already drafted the fic haha, and I’m sure I’ll get around to posting it one day– but in the meantime, I’m so goddamn excited to see what the show gives us over these next few episodes ugh. Honestly I am living the fangirl dream here kids and I hope you guys are too lol

[inconsistentenigma]

Blitzo Not An Imp?

Okay so random little theory about Blitzo-

This is kinda unbiased and out of left field but I think Blitzo isn’t a normal Imp and that he may share some interesting bloodline connections. Why do I say this:

1. Blitzo seems to be different than other Imps. Of course this could just be character design choices and nothing more but what interests me most is the height, spikes and horns.

They’re so different than what we’ve seen previously. I might be disproven once the show continues on but it is interesting how much more...monster-ish Blitzo appears to others. The claws too! Compared to Millie and Moxxie even they seem much smaller and weaker. Even slouched he towers over other Imps. Why? (Also, editing this after ep 3, but the only other tall Imps seen are Succubi/Incubi. Blitzo is right in the middle between Verosika and other Imps, hinting at perhaps him not being fully one or the other?)

Look at those small hands and lack of insignas!

There’s also this scene:

Blitzo looks much more demonic and while it may be because he’s angry he doesn’t look like this in other scenes of anger or distress. He also looks bothered, but not overly annoyed or furious like we’ve seen him before. Whenever he blows up, only his eyes glow, they don’t change colors. (Also peep the eyes on the wall-some enemy/self hating manifesting powers?)

It could just be a ‘demon form’ but do Imps have those? Only other angry red eyes we have seen have been from hellborn royalty like Charlie and Stolas.

2. He has an amazing amount of skill and prowess. From catching the arrow in the first episode to being able to fight Robo Fizz for a while. It seems odd he’d be so skilled while Moxxie and Millie still need to be training (Episode 1 and 2). It could just be attributed to his days in the circus where he’d need to be in top physical condition but I’ll get to that.

Also he was able to make friends with Spindle, the god horse? It may not be cannon anymore because of Insta posts getting disproven but it could be a hint or unused plotline about Blitzo’s capabilities.

3. Why does he know about the Grimoire? It could just be common knowledge but it seems odd that he would know the specifics of it and even where and how to get it. Yeah, he stole it (if the pilot still holds true) but that’s a big risk. Especially if Stolas decided he was one and done with the Imp. Why would Stolas decide to be with Blitzo if he is just a normal, everyday Imp since he sees them so often and is in contact with the help? Not that Stolas knows anything, but perhaps there is some kind of draw to Blitzo? Or maybe Blitzo knew exactly how to worm his way into Stolas’ favor. 

So what am I trying to say? For starters, I do think Blitzo is an Imp. But I think he’s half Imp. He is still hellborn, can still travel the rings and what not and can blend in but he is by no means ‘normal’. What’s the other half? I think he is Mammon’s son. Or at least half of his essence. Or something along those lines.

Bear with me here but if this hierarchy is fucked up with Imps and Hellhounds being at the bottom I can totally see Mammon(or other powerful lords) making Imp children just to populate his ring (Greed) and use them as workers for his various theme parks for free labor. I also say Mammon because of Blitzo working at Loo Loo Land and being so greedy. 

The only other imps that even look remotely like Blitzo are his sisters(or sister, given Tilla hasn’t been mentioned since the pilot) and they are blood related. They would also be related to Mammon, hence sharing similar looks. Barbie Wire especially who seems to be his fraternal twin if the opposite white mark on her forehead stays canon.

Going back to his circus days-I could see Blitzo being a stand in for Mammon and his dirty work pre-Robo Fizz. I think Blitzo was created for that purpose but after beginning to form his own personality and desires his father replaced him with Robo Fizz. Look at how much Robo Fizz looks like Blitzo. He seems so similar from the horns and body type. The biggest similarity being the heart on his head. 

I’ll add onto this the more we go into it but since Blitzo points out that he doesn’t pry into personal lives (even though he does) and no one, not even Loona, knew about his past relationship, it’s safe to say there is not a lot known about Blitzo by his friends and family. Which could leave room for the theory that Blitzo has secrets under his sleeve. It would be interesting to see more of Blitzo’s past coming up and perhaps why he acts the way he does.

I dunno, what do you guys think?

Edit: In light of ep 5. I was wrong about the eyes but that line-

“YOU KNOW THE TWO OF US ARE SUPERIOR THAN MOST OF OUR KIND”

Also, this is the closest imp we’ve seen that looks like Blitzø (in sense of monster-ness and size. Maybe skill too) interesting.

Also the fact he could be related to Mammon is still on, since it’s been confirmed Blitzo isn’t from the wrath ring of hell.

[mochuelovelli]

Okay so I've read and watched a lot of material covering speculation as to who the triplets father is/what he meant to the Duck/McDuck family and I gotta say I've been somewhat dissatisfied that not many people consider that maybe Della used a sperm donor to have the triplets bc I think both Della's personality and parts of the show itself support this possiblity over another such as "Della had a husband that she loved but he tragically died before she crashed on the moon".

So, what would motivate Della to have children via a sperm donor?

Her personality: she is an adventurous, brave, and incredibly skilled individual. She's also stubborn, impulsive, and impatient. If "Nothing can stop Della Duck!" Surely, not having a partner to have a child with wouldn't stop her from having one (or three)!

Her Job: Adventuring with her family as a pilot surely would have absorbed quite a bit of her time, even if sometime during it she went to college (like Donald was confirmed to do in order explain José and Panchito). Even if she was an active Junior Woodchuck Ranger Scout when she was a kid, she still might of put off a lot off "normal" kids with her abrasive personality similarly to Webby in S1. Though, I don't think this would have been something that would such an inhibitor once she'd be college aged (even if she never went) bc if it was a problem she'd find a way to fix it. If anything, she just might find regular people boring which leads me to-

Della's family: going on fantastical adventures with your uncle and brother (and possibly your cousins occasionally if hcs are to be believed) can leave finding someone "normal" to settle down with to be underwhelming to Della. Sure, she could always find someone willing to join such high stakes adventures but they might not be what she is looking for in a partner for one reason in another or maybe even more critically, who she wants to be the father of her kids. Plus to Della, why would she NEED some guy to be a father to her kids when she has her family to back her up? They are Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck. The most brave, trustworthy, and knowledgeable adventurers she knew! Plus they are already family! She knew how to handle them and could raise her boys with 100% control!

In the Show: okay so main reason why the show might support this theory is all the lack of evidence that the boys biological father was ever a person to be considered in helping raising the boys even before Della planned to leave earth. I also think given the season 2 Moon Arc, someone like Lunarius would have totally used an estranged father (someone who either died tragically but the triplets were unaware of or someone who was a deadbeat or even evil) to seperate Scrooges family even more by sowing seeds of distrust. However, when we are shown Scrooges family tree (his hit list) the boys dad isnt even listed. There isnt even a blank box with a question mark in it or anything, he isn't even considered. It is also important to note that Lunarius is specifically targeting the family members that would impact Scrooge and his mystery loving niece and nephew. HDL are who he decides would break down this family dynamic because none of them would want to fight for the earth if their kids weren't alive. They also wouldn't want to know their kids last thoughts about them were filled with anger and confusion over why they never learned about their dad. Therefore the triplets are already aware of their dads circumstance or if they arent, his reveal wouldn't be something earth shattering.

Conclusion: i still highly doubt we'd ever get a straight answer when it comes to their dad. I think the show creators will purposefully leave it ambiguous for fans to figure out since discussing such a topic might be a little too much for a Y-7 show. The most I can see them get away with is a little joke in a future ep(especially if it supports Della was a little *ahem* irresponsible when she dated)...something like: "Well, I'm glad Donald has already taught you when to use a 'life vest'".

Edit: I also think it be interesting to speculate more on what the family dynamics Della and the rest planned to have before she got lost. Like since we know a partner wasn't in the picture, how big of a roll were Scrooge and Donald originally going to play in raising the boys? Would it be Della with supreme reign as a single mom most of the time with help of Donald and Scrooge occasionally as babysitters? Like godparents? Or since they were presumingly living together at the time of her disappearance and Donald seemed to be very protective of her kids (maybe that's just how Donald is with Della and he is up in her business when she intended to raise her way only or he was just over stepping his boundaries at that point but it seemed to me that Donald at least was much more involved in the raising the triplets than "just an uncle" would. To me at least. I also assume scrooge would be just as involved but obviously treat being a guardian of the triplets differently than Donald.)

I posted this at like 3 am originally so sorry if not much of this is very detailed. I hope more people will expand upon this bc its very intriguing to me. Both the part behind who the father is/ what is his significance if he has any and the original roles scrooge and Donald would play in raising the boys (to me this is more interesting since we have more concrete evidence to discuss while it feels like the triplets fathers ID doesn't seem all that important to either the show or the characters up to this point and is just kinda fan filler if that makes sense).

[starfleetdoesntfirefirst]

Lieutenant Philippa Georgiou!

- [SHORT TREKS SPOILERS]

- okay let’s discuss

- I watched it this morning and my primary emotion is still just !!!!!

- PHILIPPA PILOTING THE SHN-03 SHUTTLE DOWN FROM THE SHENZHOU

- Before I really get into in-universe Philippa meta, I admit my overall out-of-universe feelings on the episode aren’t very good.

- Portraying a colonized people as ‘not questioning the way of things’ and going willingly to be killed by their oppressors reminded me of a lot of deeply awful racist and colonial tropes.

- While it might be possible for Star Trek to create a story that included some of the elements that were used in The Brightest Star and still tell it in a nuanced and respectful way, there wasn’t enough time for much nuance here, nor much effort made to include nuance and respect in the time they had.

- Overall I was not very comfortable with the story, and I think it would require a lot more nuance and care to tell a meaningful and respectful story about colonization and oppression. I won't be able to address those issues with the nuance they deserve this one quick post-ep characterization chatter post, either, but I wanted to at least touch on them.

- SO

- PHILIPPA

- First, what I wasn’t a fan of: Given the above, I really didn’t like the emphasis in Philippa’s lines about Saru being special and different and (though she didn’t put it this way) ‘more advanced’ than the rest of his people; it was gross and played into really awful tropes.

- Moving on to things I did like!

- Philippa piloting (or co-piloting; I’m dying to know whether there was another servicemember in the shuttle with her) a Shenzhou shuttle! <3

- Actual portrayal of the universal translator in use, a la Star Trek Beyond!

- The amount of nuance and emotion that Michelle Yeoh can communicate in any given facial expression, as always, absolutely floored me. There’s so much going on in her face and eyes as she’s first talking to Saru; she starts with a a mix of professionalism/efficiency, sympathy, pain on his behalf, and wonder/delight to be talking with him; then, when she delivers the terrible news, and he turns away to make his decision, there’s a moment of quiet but absolute devastation—I feel like this is a time when it isn’t an assumption to say ‘this good-aligned fictional character clearly does feel terrible for the awful thing they’re participating in’—for a moment before she watches tensely to see what his decision will be. Then, when he chooses, her smile is so genuinely delighted and relieved while also still showing sympathy, solemnity and pain.

- I love the confirmation of the impression I think a lot of us had that Philippa is a principled person working within a flawed organization. The Starfleet we see in Discovery is strongly suggestive of an organization that was quietly at war with itself long before the Klingon war began, with a mixture of the people like Georgiou and Connor and presumably many other personnel like them, who believe in upholding a certain set of Starfleet principles, and then the Section 31 officers we see on the Discovery, admirals who made Burnham a fall girl for a war she didn’t start, supercilious leaders like Admiral Anderson, etc. It lends fascinating weight to Burnham’s assertions at the end of the series about how “this is who we are”—was Starfleet already building toward the kind of reckoning with itself that the war then forced? And it raises so many questions about what Philippa’s Starfleet backstory is like. We already knew she was a war veteran; a soldier and a diplomat who had fought in space battles. Now we have confirmation that she fought diplomatic battles within her own organization as well.

- I love that she fought for Saru—there’s obviously a hell of a story there.

- And that it was Philippa specifically who was the one space IMing with him the whole time!

- Philippa having a science badge was a little ??? to me. Novel canon says she used to be a field medic, and imo, the onscreen lines about her being a diplomat and a soldier at least somewhat suggested that she’d started out as security track or something similar (in addition to the MICHELLE YEOH, PROFESSIONAL BADASS factor).

- (I admit I may be a little biased here since Philippa starting as a security officer is a beloved headcanon of mine, and I’m also always a little salty over the trend within sci-fi of “women = scientists,” rather than pilots, engineers, fighters, etc. (Of course, criticizing those trends can also be a double-edged sword, as it is also not great to imply that women in very (very) slightly more traditionally feminine professions can’t be tough badasses too.) Anyway, it’s certainly not my hill to die on, plus if I’m not a fan of the idea of Georgiou in science division I can always headcanon that she was only wearing a science uniform as part of a step in a convoluted scheme to convince her superiors to let her reach Saru. ;)

- the Entirely New Piece of Canon Information that I found most fascinating was that Philippa was stationed on the Shenzhou before she became captain! It was clearly a very deliberate choice to show a “SHN” shuttle.

- And not only do we now know she served on on the Shenzhou prior to reaching the captaincy, we know she was there for a number of years; when Michael joins the crew seven years before the beginning of DSC, Philippa is captain and Saru is on the bridge crew, and here she’s a Lieutenant and he’s joining Starfleet, so I think we can safely assume this takes place somewhere in the vicinity of 2-10 years before that.

- Also, if she became a captain 2-10 years before she met Michael (and personally I’m erring on the side of ‘this episode takes place longer rather than sooner before he show, so she’s a lieutenant in her late thirties/early forties and becomes a captain not long after that’), and she still comes up in Saru’s space google search of the most decorated captains, that means that either

a) Saru’s space google search terms pulled up the captains who were ‘most successful’ over the course of their careers, and so Philippa was a fucking badass throughout her career before making captain

b) In the space of just 9-17 years as a captain she was so ridiculously badass and heroic that she made the ‘all time best captains’ list

...or both.

- Which DELIGHTS me.

- The parallel between Philippa spreading her arm to invite Saru into the shuttle and into Starfleet and spreading her arm to invite Michael onto the bridge and into Starfleet: poetic cinema

- HER HAIR

- Philippa having an elaborate updo: definitely evidence that was Janeway inspired by the DSC characters and wanted to emulate Captain Georgiou with her own elaborate updo ;)

- I’ve only scratched the surface here and only really touched on meta on stuff we actually saw and barely got into HEADCANONS HEADCANONS HEADCANONS building off of said stuff and I would give anything to hear everyone’s thoughts!

[chibiarmygeneral]

I kinda disagree with the Lance part. It didn't appear Lance-focused to me then again I've forgotten a lot of what happened after my first viewing. I'm a fan of Lance but this season did nothing for him to me. I apologize if this is a mess.

Don't see how Allura and Lance getting together would have worked for Kl*nti rhetoric but then again she died so what would that even matter. Some state A//urance was well built up and coming from day 1. I disagree and to sum up my main issue is that we never see Allura's p.o.v. of her feelings. Like S6, the mice confess what Lance told them and she looks sad. Then in S7 without any significant scenes together, she blushes at him? Like when did her feelings change and why?? To be honest it felt like they made A/L to give Allura a semblance of happiness before ripping it away. (And subsequently leaving Lance sad in the end. Not full on langst, as most delved into his insecurities and up his feelings on inadequacy to an 11 which were never touched on.) Like Lance promising to be her family and so on. (Which, dude chill, this is the first date and you are like 19. That's a heavy vow, you basically proposed.)

I don't recall any scenes beyond in the first episode with Keith where he got encouragement and that was, to me, more to up him to think he was worthy of Allura (as he worried it wouldn't be enough after talking to Coran) rather than he be happy of his own merits. Don't see how that's "constant praise".

I don't see how lotor being unredeemed or him and Allura's stories were making Lance the hero. He just seems like a bystander in a lot of it and gets a "sad" end. They don't even have him to use the broadsword for any monumental moment of triumph (something many hoped for) and when Alfor talks to him, it was about his love for Allura and not anything about him as a person, kind of going back to the scene with Keith pulling him up to be worthy of Allura.

Shiro and Keith hardly interacted in S7 as well after the flashback episode and that's likely due to the EP's mentioning how Shiro was originally suppose to stay dead at the end of S2, they didn't plan to have him there so he interacted as little as possible with not just Keith but everyone. The Shiro marriage was backlash of the Adam death from what I saw was a lot of LGBT+ fans upset over killing at the time one of the only confirmed LGBT+ characters (and the 2 implied before they brought back Zethrid and Ezor in S8) and as I already mentioned, having wanted Shiro be dead early on so there would have been no living rep and it was a way to sort of make it up to the fans and to also erase the ambiguity of the scene with Adam as some could argue that they were close friends/pilots since nothing clearly indicated they were a couple like petnames or physical affections like a kiss but what's more blunt and opaque about what it is than a gay wedding? It's possible they would have chose Keith with Shiro when they decided to marry him off in the epilogue but likely could not because as you said the holders wouldn't make Keith, one of their legacy characters, be with Shiro.

I kind of hope that A/L was meant to be a subversion as I was under the impression in S3-6 when they grew close that it would be a lesson of not always getting with your crush but you can still be friends. Then the blush in S7 occurred so I knew to threw that out the window because obviously they were gonna get together at that point. Maybe they could have later played it to end neutral and still have them be friends (a still good message) but never did since they killed Allura. She deserved better than that.

Keith and Lance both being single in the end is meh to me as Pidge also remained single and maybe Hunk (like he could still be with Shay or maybe not, who knows? Did they ever even say they got together or was it meant to be implied?) Also it's hard to say Lance is "no longer is pursuing women". Like in the epilogue he is still sad about Allura and he may spend the rest of his life as a widower (not married but you get the point) or he could date again (that's what I hope for him). That's sort of left to interpretation since it could go either way. Outside of Shiro, all could be considered single and potential to be together. Even the original epilogue according to JDS and LM abtv interview was about minor characters and wasn't gonna have the wedding till they got the Adam backlash I mentioned before. So all of them could have been open to interpretation.

Lance also never got a "reveal as bi" as many advocated that and is the entire basis of shipping him with keith/any male character but maybe that's once again the holders of his character refusing him to be anything that non-straight.

Not that canon would ever stop anyone. Say they did put Shiro and Keith together or Keith with any character or have Lance marry Allura after she lives. Fans are gonna write and do what they want and nothing "canon" can do to stop it so why even bother to change anything for them, when it wasn't planned, if they'll do whatever they want anyways?

However, the Altean marks I have no doubt (and still confused as to why they appeared?) that's just way too coincidental.

Maybe this is me being hopeful they didn't cave into the demands of ant* or just me blindly defending a character I love but I'd like to think my thoughts above weren't far off and maybe you can explain in greater detail what some of your own points were to help me understand your side better (as I might have forgotten a lot of scenes, last couple seasons have like eroded away from memory) but I'm not trying to attack you or disregard your thoughts just putting my own out there.

I know this post was a while ago and maybe things changed but still thought I'd add a different view point. I got no clue about an "original" season 8. I've got no experience in this field and who knows how much of this "original" even exist. Was it stuck on the cutting floor? Did it make it all the way to animations and the sliced up to the season we got? Who knows but clearly a lot of fans were hurt by this season (last couple were on thin ice tbh but this one was just destructive) and I hope DW hears it and does something about it.

All I need to know is WHY? Why did they do this?

I’ve gotten more than a few asks with this question, and I assure you: if I knew I’d tell you. But, this is the big question, and I do have a theory. So here we go.

I’m sorry. I was hesitant to publish this. Some of you aren’t going to like this answer.

I want to stress that this is all simply my opinion, a theory. It’s my best guess as to ‘Why’ when taking into account all the evidence currently available. Please do not take this as absolute truth, and please do not harass anyone who disagrees with it or thinks differently.

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