#I love redemption arcs as much as the next guy but we have to realize there's a lot more ways to do it than that

[benjaminrydersnest]

Repeat after me: Being "redeemed" does not mean you are forgiven, it does not mean you have friends, it does not mean you deserve kindness, and it does not mean you cannot go back. Being redeemed is simply the choice to do the right thing in someone's judgement. It doesn't even require change, and it certainly can be actions that are ostensibly evil.

Though, it should be noted that a character cannot simply do whatever they want forever and always be right. They can certainly think that but that doesn’t mean it’s true.

[twyftwyt]

…you have more pieces of me than the desert has sand - part 3

(that’s a little teaser to the main chapter, but I just couldn’t keep this one to myself)

part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/twyftwyt/733712682800365568/part-2-to-this-little-imagine-that-i-posted

Pairings: Noah Sebastian x Reader

Warnings: smut 18+ (lots of dirty talk, some slight manipulation)

Authors note: The real nasty part is coming up in the main chapter, so we’re just getting started here. You’ve seen nothing from toxic Noah. Ah, yes. This Noah is very toxic. And arrogant. Hasn’t been to therapy yet. He’s a menace. And maybe he’ll have his redemption arc. Maybe not.

I tried to push him away with my hands. I really did. I placed my palms on his clothed chest and tried to escape from his lips. But that lasted only a moment.

“Noah, I can’t. I shouldn’t. We shouldn’t.”

I was basically panting in his mouth and I was sure I looked a hot mess, trying to escape a grip that I was practically melting in.

“When was the last time we listened to our own advice, hm?”

His wet lips were leaving trails all over my chin and down my neck and the air that hit afterwards was making my whole body shiver.

“Tell me you don’t want me inside. No, actually.. let me check for myself.”

I felt his hand trace my stomach down to the hem of my panties and I realized that I’ve been standing outside of my own house in nothing but a cropped shirt and underwear.

His slim fingers traced over my center through the thin fabric and felt him hiss under his breath.

“If you’re so certain that you want me to leave then why are you soaked?”

His teeth traced my ear and a bite followed shortly after. At this point I was putty in his hands. He was holding me by the waist and I was sure that if he let go of me right now, I’d fall and crumble on the patio. I gripped his arms and stood on my tippy toes, desperately trying to find his mouth.

“Who fits the way I do?” he pulled away before I could kiss him, “Who licks you clean the way I do?”

At this point I was fidgeting and moaning into his mouth.

“Who devours you the way I do, Y/N?”

“Noah, please..”

“Who fucks you to sleep the way I do? Who measures up, Y/N? Is there anyone that comes even remotely close? Do you get so dumb for anyone else? Can you? Am I not embedded in that little brain of yours?”

“Noah..” I was basically crying.

“I don’t even have to touch you, do I? You’re just so weak for me, it’s almost pathetic.” he was hissing the words in my ear, his hot breath leaving a wet trail down my neck

“And I’ve a soft spot for you. I really do. I love watching you fall apart in my arms. You’re so cute when you’re desperate. And fuck, do you love begging. So don’t tell me what we should and shouldn’t do, cause you know you’re gonna let me inside and I’m gonna make sure I fuck your confused little head to sleep.”

His lips pressed hard into mine and I fell apart in his hands. He lifted me off the ground and I locked my ankles around his waist and the next thing I felt was my back pushing the front door.

“Let me apologize properly, baby.”

The only way you know, I thought.

[almacambiondaughterofsaleos]

Your responses to the Stolas/Blitzo debate are… odd. I agree that Stolas is being hypocritical, overly judgmental, unfair, and ignorant of his own behavior- but isn’t that the point of the show? Blitzo’s also messing up in a lot of ways, he takes jokes/insults too far, he has problems respecting boundaries, he’s acting unfairly aggressive and apathetic. But that’s the whole point of the show, isn’t it?

We are only halfway through season 2 of a 3-4 season show, which means we still have sooo much further to go in the story. Therefore, of course the characters are still flawed. If Stolas and Blitzo were perfect and weren’t being flawed the story would be flat and boring- or if Blitzo was the only one making mistakes. Then there would be no show to watch, no?

Also, I feel like, if Blitzo’s allowed to be ignorant, narcissistic, and intentionally hurting others due to his insecurities, trauma (like being overly rude bc he’s defensive, disrespectful of boundaries) AND he’s allowed to make mistakes on his path to healing and redemption-

then so isn’t Stolas? Stolas also had a hard upbringing and an abusive marriage, so there’s many things he flawed in (like expressing proper intimacy, or properly self-reflecting). He’s not as far as Blitzo right now in his journey to be better but he will get there- as Vivzie has said herself. There’s still AT LEAST one and a half more seasons, in which will contain Stolas’s self reflection.

This is also why I think you might have the perspective that the SHOW itself sets Blitzo up as the bad guy. Because 1. Anyone with proper media literacy can also see Stolas’ flaws but more importantly 2. The show is about Blitzo, and at the moment is focused on Blitzo. Therefore we are seeing every side of him, the good the bad and the ugly. We haven’t entirely begun Stolas’ arc (we’ve like… dipped our toes) and thus the show isn’t putting a main focus on anything about him- his mistakes OR his healing. But those things will start to unravel as this season goes on and into the next season.

If you have the opinion that the FANDOM hates on Blitz? Well I can’t really help that, besides saying idk what side of the fandom you’re on. My side very much stays in the middle and admits they are both wrong.

I just feel you’re being too harsh on Stolas and aren’t really seeing the show for what it really is: HALF of a story about two equally flawed individuals.

Thoughts?

You think I'm too harsh. I will be even harsher. The reason why I am harsh on Stolas is because the crew doesn't realize how much Stolas is fucked up as a person and how realistically in life Blitzo would get the heck out of their with that crystal and leave. Yep, no being gaslighted into a relationship based on a facetious grand gesture but just leave that unapologetic bird. The guy said he was trying to make things right but he never properly apologized nor showed he truly understood the gravity of power he had on Blitzo. Also most of all he doesn't understand how condescending and bigoted he was and even when Blitzo spells it out the doubles down and claims Blitzo is the bigoted one. It's projection on his part and shows he still hasn't learned anything while pretending he is. The problem is he doesn't have he narrative harshly hold him accountable. It doesn't try to correct his behavior but gives him new excuses to feel sorry for him as we groan at the narrative's favoritism towards him and how supposedly he's actually this great guy despite that erasing all of season one. Sorry, but Stolas is worse and the show refuses to admit it because they have fallen so in love with him. Also the guy should expect to instantly be forgiven and be sympathetic for it. That is what shows Bojack called out for which is feeling entitled to forgiveness after you didn't do anything to try to properly heal those around him while Blitzo gets wrecked for the same thing. The show is hypocritical on who it wants to punish and who it wants to reward. And it's rewarding a abuser who thinks he's the victim.

[octo-in-the-mainframe]

Deltarune Stuff I Think Might Happen Before the Next Chapters Come Out (so I can say I was right)

Papyrus is the Knight. (I have a whole essay on this I just haven't edited it yet).

Gaster won't be evil, but he will be an antagonist at some point.

Gaster will probably make an appearance in Chapter 6, maybe in the Bunker.

Noelle is the angel.

Every Undertale main character will go to a Dark World, except maybe Alphys and probably Mettaton (Unless the whole town turns into a Dark World).

My reasoning is that Toriel, Asgore and Asirel are so obviously important, Toriel is already in a Dark World, Undyne is most likely coming along for the ride, and Sans and Papyrus are connected to Gaster and also Noelle and Dess through Snowdin and the weird bonus content for the Xbox version of Undertale.

Sans will die in the Weird Route, giving us an actual "No Mercy" Papyrus battle.

(I know this sounds edgy but like...Sans is the ONLY main character who doesn't die unless it's a No Mercy Route, mad sus).

Nightmare Knight will be used in some way for the Knight's theme.

Megalo Strike Back will make an appearance, possibly in whatever potential Gaster battle track we get.

Dess has more to do with the secret bosses than we think.

Dess is trapped in a NEO Dark World and/or the Depths.

The Secret Boss Soul Modes are based off the colors behind Sweet Capn' Cakes in the room where you can make them play their Jingle Bells remix.

Asriel is to Dess as Kris is to Noelle.

Gaster is 666, Chara is 999, Papyrus is 333. (I don't remember what the 3's stand for but there was a reason, or if this even matters in context to Deltarune).

Spade King will have an arc dependent on if you manage to recruit everyone, though I don't know if it will mean redemption. I've seen people get really mad at this idea and honestly? As long as it's a sensitive portrayal and has him apologize to Lancer and do better going forwards I'll be fine with it. I only really think this might be true because of how he is in Chapter 2, and that it would be weird to have the only guy actually criticizing you for your actions to be just straight up an evil guy you can ignore. Also, abusers are people too, and fandom spaces have a really hard time accepting that forgiving and growing is just as realistic as cutting the abusive person off. (shout out to @nukedimplosion for putting this into way better words than I could).

And now, for how I think the message of the game will present itself...

The game likes to tell you your choices don't matter right off the bat. I have a hard time believing the "No one can choose who they are in this world" person to be the same guy who was so nice about our "WONDERFUL CREATION," so I'm going to assume there are two different people talking to us.

I think this other person could be Dess.

Gaster, who has survived despite being shattered across space and time, Gaster, who has managed to connect with us, the real world, is ultimately someone who wants to change fate. Pushing and pushing until he gets the result he wants. I think Gaster believes that our choices mean everything. Why else would he gives us a character creator of all things?

But the other voice...

They do not believe in choices. They've been stuck in this pit of nothing, forced to keep going knowing everyone they love is living on without them. They most likely know about the secrets of this world now, having spent so long in its depths. Dess takes away the character creator, forcing you into Kris's body because she didn't get to choose. But some part of her, deep, deep down, wants to believe she still has a choice. So, she put us in someone who has even a slight chance to Find Her.

Someone who remembers the day she disappeared.

Someone who remembers the Bunker. Noelle isn't any help, no matter how much she misses her. Noelle blocks everything out. Asriel is out of town.

It has to be Kris.

It has to be.

And on the other hand, Gaster is optimistic, but some part of him realizes that this could all be for nought too. I think it would be really cool if we have an optimist desperate for freedom, and a pessimist who won't let herself believe in a way out.

(To clarify, I realize this has little to no evidence to back it up, it's just using what we DO have and filling in the blanks with the vibes I get from the characters. Like, I do genuinely believe Gaster likes us and the world of Deltarune. I don't think he's evil or anything. With the tiny bit of info we have on Dess, she seemed like a protective but fun older sister. I think she would feel ashamed for not being able to take care of Noelle while she's stuck, and after having been a very assertive person in her life, feeling hopeless when faced with the seemingly impossible to escape depths for years. Of course, I could be wrong, and she actually has some sick plans for the future or something, and Gaster could be more malicious than he seems. But who knows?)

Oh, and before I get someone asking why Papyrus would overthrow the three kings, every Knight candidate needs a reason to do this, and none of them make sense until we get more context. Another thing: all of the Knight candidates that seem possible either haven't been seen yet or are side content. (Or are Kris. And. I have so many reasons why I don't think they're the Knight. At least, not THE Knight). It's very likely that any of them could be built up in the next couple chapters.

Heck, I think we might see them in Chapter 3, curious as to why a new Dark Fountain has been opened. It would be a neat way to introduce them to the group, being in someone else's Dark World, where they're not fully in control. We would also get to see how they'd act towards the Darkeners of Kris's Dark World. We would be able to get some of their personality, without them being the main focus. At the very least, I think we'll get more hints so they will actually be a satisfying reveal with what we're given. Though, this might result in too many characters...hmm...

Anyway, I think that's it.

I might come back to this if I have more, and depending on how the 14th goes, we might have some new stuff to theorize over.

[purrincess-chat]

I wonder, if for some reason Adrienette were to break up in the upcoming seasons (not necessarily due to a fight, but simply deciding to stop their relationship for a while), would you stop watching the show? Honestly, I think this might happen in the next seasons due to things related to their superhero lives (maybe even Lila influencing it to annoy Marinette and try to take Adrien for herself). Also, to achieve character development, they probably need to show that constantly keeping secrets can harm relationships, and the Love Square is structured in a way that one part of their lives affects the other. What happens on one side of the Love Square can impact the others. I don't think it would make them as a couple unworkable because: 1. It has also negatively affected their romantic relationships with other people; 2. Our hatrel to Gabriel Agreste will always be not enough. All the negative consequences could have been avoided if not for this guy who left kids with problems for several seasons ahead.

For me it would depend on the reason/how it was done. For instance, if the break up is something they're forced to do, but they're still very obviously madly in love with each other (i.e. Ben and Leslie from Parks and Rec), then maybe. 🤷‍♀️ What I don't want is some bullshit contrived reason if they are going to do it. Because after everything that went down in s5 and how hard they fought to stay together, it seems like kind of a waste, imo. If s5 had been different and their relationship a bit more shallow and rocky, then I could maybe see it, but they worked really hard at their relationship to make it work in s5. And I don't even know that secrets would be an issue because we've had an episode addressing that, and Adrien has shown that he doesn't fault Marinette for not telling him everything, he just doesn't want to hurt her. Because truthfully, it would make him a bit of a hypocrite bc he is also keeping a secret from her?? So, he really doesn't have a leg to stand on.

I think a lot of the push for them to break up comes from a couple of places, and they're both salty. 1. People will find any excuse to salt on Marinette and her knowing about Gabriel is just the latest excuse, so they feel she needs to be "punished" by losing her relationship, which ew. 2. People just really can't get over Adrinette being canon, and at this point, it's just kind of sad.

In my honest opinion, there is a lot that we don't yet know about future seasons, so it's not really possible to judge right now. I don't think we as a fandom realize how much shit just got flipped on its head when Gabriel made that wish. The world that we have been living in within the ML universe up to this point is GONE. Things are vastly different now. Yes, the characters may still be the characters we know and love, but we don't know how much control Gabriel exerted over this new world. We don't know everything that he changed and how it will affect the characters moving forward. Adrien might care that Marinette knows things he doesn't, or he might not. He may never even know she knows something he doesn't. It may never get brought up. Or it might. 🤷‍♀️ we don't know. The show may choose to explore a breakup, or it may not, and honestly, I'm just tired of people assuming it will happen or insisting that it has to happen. It's the Chloe redemption arc all over again, and if they don't go that route, people will bitch and complain about bad writing and a butchered story and how they should have done it another way and the writers are so stupid and bad. Then on the other hand if they do break up, people will be like see? Adrinette was bad, and I just...

I'm tired of seeing people root against the love square and be pissed about every little thing. And personally, I don't think the love square NEEDS to break up in order to be interesting or move forward. Those things aren't necessary in a relationship. It's not as realistic or interesting as people think it is, and I'm tired of people pretending it is. I vastly prefer seeing couples that overcome trials together and stay together. Those are the couples that can survive anything. If they break up over every little thing, that is not a healthy relationship model, and I don't want to root for it. Rip to everyone else, but I'm different. It may come as a shock to some people, but they can address secret keeping without breaking them up. It can definitely be a blow to their relationship, but they could work through it and come out the other end stronger without needing to totally end things. I just find it hard to believe that all of the cheerleaders for Adrinette's downfall are doing it innocently or because they think it's narratively necessary. I don't buy it.

I dunno. I've already said that whether or not I stick with ML will depend on how s6 goes up to mid-season. Thomas stepped down as head writer, so the writing of the episodes may feel different. The new world may be trash (it is Gabriel we are talking about). The new heroes might get too crowded and annoying. (I already wasn't a fan in s4, I didn't care for Penalteam at all). There are a lot of factors that could sway me in either direction, but honestly, I could forgive some of those if the love square interactions are still good. (I honestly think Adrinette hard carried s5, personally) But if you pair several of those with an Adrinette break up, then yeah, I don't see me having a reason to still watch. If I don't enjoy the show anymore, I'll stop watching. (A novel fucking concept for some, I know)

[lenioxoxo]

what do you think abt the way spectra was redeemed?

loving the fanfic btw

Thank you! And ooo I have a lot of thoughts on this

TLDR; I think on paper, his redemption arc was fine, in execution— not so much. The process was okay, but the turnaround was too quick and dramatic to really feel earned and I think he just need the slightest smidge of more time to get it ironed out.

The thing you have to keep in mind about New Vestroia is that it moves an incredibly brisk pace. If you watch very closely then you’ll see that there are a lot of plot points that were raised and either quickly resolved to get it out of the way, or forgotten altogether. Spectra’s redemption is the former, while Ace’s character arc is the latter. So when we enter discussion about how something would theoretically be fixed, you can’t plausibly give an elaborate idea because there just wouldn’t be time for that and retaining everything else that happens in the allotted runtime of the show.

The most obvious explanation for his redemption given via the show is that he came to the realization that he just simply wasn’t strong enough to overcome Zenoheld and Dan, no matter what he did to Helios, and realized that Zenoheld is the bigger threat and therefore it’s better for everyone if he joins up with Dan. We see this in small increments before he joins up with them officially and I think that was a good choice because it eases us into the idea that he might not really be a bad guy later on if he can work with us. So okay, this is fine. But my problem with this is that it doesn’t really force him to re-examine the bad that he did while he was a villain. Had he just bullied a few kids I wouldn’t care, but he was actively torturing (and in the JP dub was implied to have killed) sentient creatures for his own goals. As it is, it seems like he didn’t really care about reforming as much as he just wanted to be on the winning side of things. It would be one thing if he was very open about the fact that he’s only in this for himself, but once he switches sides he acts like he’s a completely changed man and I just don’t buy that with this scenario.

It feels like he gains too much too quickly and doesn’t have that “come to Jesus” moment to warrant it. I feel like there needed to be at least one scene where he sort of unpacks everything he did, maybe one with Drago since he tortured him, and he understands the repercussions of his actions. He wasn’t just being mean to children, he actively ruined (and maybe ended) lives, this is just sort of swept aside.

Now I want to address that him feeling like he has to win this war isn’t the sole factor in him switching sides. While the feeling of powerlessness started this transition, I think the (subtler but maybe more important) nail in the coffin was losing Gus. There are a few wide shots of him alone that really stresses his loneliness, and this does make the sudden shift of him and Mira being best siblings ever make more sense because he would have been desperate for that relationship again. But I do think that everyone being willing to trust and be friends with him is just way too soon. The episode him losing to Dan ends, and then in the first two minutes of the next one, everyone is best friends with him. IIRC (and if I’m not then ignore this) there’s maybe one or two lines by some characters along the lines of “are we sure we want to trust him”, but those fears are really quickly assuaged by him being cooperative and nice, and I’m just needing more of that distrust.

If I was writing this arc, I would make very minimal changes to the lead up and aftermath of him switching. I would have one tiny scene before Gus vanishes of him contemplating how far he’s pushed Helios and he can’t go any further safely, because this plants a “fuck I ruined him too much” seed of doubt and gives leeway to reflection later. Then, instead of him being immediately hopeful after losing to Dan and taking off his mask, I’d show him being a little more apprehensive of his uncertain future. He doesn’t have to say anything, his face just needs to look a little uneasy. And then the last thing I would change is giving him a moment of reflection (whether it be by talking to Drago or Helios) that in his quest to be powerful, he might have been doing the wrong thing the whole time— because he’s now more powerful by having secure alliances/friendships and no one had to be hurt to do it. Maybe replace a couple of the “Omg guys Keith is so nice” lines from the cast with more discernible concern or distrust for good measure. I don’t think anything else would need to be changed. It would still be a little too quick, but I think it would feel more rewarding for him if very minimal adjustments were made to compensate him. If the show had all the time in the world then I’d have a thousand more suggestions, but if we’re keeping this arc as brief as possible to stick closely within the runtime of the show and not step on anything else happening in the plot, then I think this is a decent way to go about it.

So I like the ideas presented by the show, but it needed just a little more time to feel worth it.

[itsthenovelteafactor]

OMITB S3 Thoughts:

Overall, really enjoyed season 3. I do consider it a bit of a step down from seasons 1 and 2, but there is a lot to enjoy and appreciate and I am looking forward to season 4!

Things I liked:

The. Musical. Numbers. 

They were so good and weird and surprisingly emotional

Honestly all the Broadway stuff made my inner theater kid happy

The main three are delightful as always!

I was so happy Uma and Howard got character spotlights! 

The parallels between the play and the mystery *chefs kiss*

Loretta. Meryl Steep was incredible as always and I loved her in this role. Definitely my favorite of the new characters this season I hope we see more of her! 

Mabel learning ASL!

Charles and his emotional support fish

Costuming as always is great. I want Mabel’s sweater collection.

Mabel’s notecard script in the last episode was GOLD 

Spitzprobe might be one of my favorite episodes of the show as a whole 

Things I didn’t like as much:

I did feel like some of the characters built up in the first two seasons got put on the back burner for the new cast

Biggest ones were Will and Lucy. Like, Will especially because his father had a heart attack and he wasn’t mentioned?? Oliver fully wrote the musical at the end he’d definitely be coming with VIP seats, right? 

Trio was so great together but only really came together the last few episodes. :/ 

WHY DID SELENA GOMEZ NOT SING?? 

Also. Like. I am a huge Theo fan and seeing him back was delightful and James Caverly is always a standout but I feel like we jumped over some pretty important stages in his redemption arc that I would’ve loved to see. Like, we went straight from “maybe you’re not such a bad guy” to sleepover buddy. I will admit I was looking forward to a drawn out healing/forgiveness process that kind of got skipped over.

Especially since both the play and Ben’s death involved someone getting pushed from the top of a building and the Zoe parallels were right there and never got acknowledged. 

Also rip Oliver that his past two producers have gotten arrested and had sons that killed someone by pushing them off the top floor of the same building maybe he IS cursed. 

Literally why did Mabel not get to sing. Like, I know Mabel the character is probably not a huge singer but it’s Selena Gomez. Y’all could’ve done something.

Miss the Arconiacs! 

I realize this section is way longer than the first one but it’s just because I have more thoughts not because I dislikes more things.

WHERE WERE WINNIE AND MRS. GAMBOLINI??

Wishlist for season 3:

More Will! He’s the last functional character let him get in on the shenanigans please.

More Lucy! I love the energy she brings to the show it’s so good.

Mabel does not need another love interest. Have not cared since Oscar left. (Did people not like Oscar? He’s such a sweetheart I miss him I hope his yoga studio is doing well) 

More of the trio being buddies in general

Theo getting some interactions with Charles and Oliver maybe? Half-brother reveal? 

More hanging out with the Arconia residents 

Would like some explanation for why Theo is not in jail. I’m not upset about it but like…he should totally be in jail? 

More Detective Williams

Honestly with the established characters I’d love to mix up and get some new dynamics like Will and Charles? Uma and Mabel? Oliver and Lucy? Williams and Howard?

There to be an homage to a study in scarlet with different interpretations of what Sazz wrote

You know what Mabel should sing. I’m still holding out hope.

The next time they do a montage of different people reacting to the podcast cut to Theo reading a transcription. I just think if a podcast accuses you of murder the very least they can do is make it accessible to you.  

[starlightbooklove]

Ok, today I was watching a video of a guy reviewing acotar (yes, I know I was impressed too) Something to note is that the videos are good, and without misogyny btw lol. Right now he is going for Acowar and a point that many made in the comments caught my attention was the 'death' of Rhys where they said how bad it seemed to them that SJM gave us collective heart attack with that part and then relived it in the next chapter Don't get me wrong, it's not keeping Rhys dead, but killing him in the first place that was causing the conversation and then I started thinking about it.

Something completely obvious is that people die in wars in books, often being main characters, because that's how it is in reality, close people die, so Having a main character die is something realistic, especially if he is going to be in charge or putting his life in danger, that's why I didn't see it as bad or strange when I read it - apart from having a breakdown crying - , (i did saw Amren's one very forced, It kind of took away a little bit of the greatness of her sacrifice yk) the first time, until I saw that, and then I thought about ACOSF and that something that makes the fandom a little agree is putting the main characters of the saga at risk was direct abuse to our hearts to make a convenient excuse for Nesta's arc, for nothing more.

You'll see, in cinema and literature, the use of death or torture to the characters that are loved by the audience is something Quite used, and i think that they're two ways You can use this: The practical And consistent and the stupid and desperate one.

In the first we can use Feyre's death in Acotar, it made sense, she was a human in a fae world, it went with the story, it advanced the plot, since she answered the riddle right before Amarantha killed her, What triggers Prythiam's release.

It is practical, it is something that in the context, with those characters, would happen, it is consistent because it fits into the environment, into the world that was built and it doesn't come from nowhere, since Feyre decides to go under the mountain, we know that she is in danger, so IT MAKES SENSE.

In the second one i'll use something different, there's a movie that didn't get much success in My country, and that is Enchanted 2, (i don't remember the name xd) where they take the protagonist, Giselle someone we sympathize with, and pretty much kill Her for a few seconds before Magic yk save her, all of this with the intention That the rebel daughter realized that her mother loved her, the movie was not really good really, it was very Made on the fly, it didn't have a specific direction, so this twist came out of nowhere, and not in the way that one manages to sympathize well, it shows that they used it to get a reaction from the audience so we can pay attentionv And to advance the plot, IT MADE NO SENSE, they used a death to grab attention because the movie wasn't surviving very well. So they turned to the fans' emotions In the same way that the nun resorts to jumpscares to have some terror, because it causes a completely instinctive empathetic reaction, not something genuinely felt.

Feyre's risky pregnancy made sense in the book, since from the beginning they specified that it had complications, the problem comes with the ending, where (which I see is not mentioned much) Not only Feyre died for a few seconds, but also Nyx, it is not the fact itself that is wrong but why it is clearly included in the story And it is clear that she is only there to be able to give a complete arc in the middle of this terribly done redemption arc, to Nesta.

It was not necessary, outside the redemptive context.

I think it was there for tel reasons (And one was completely lost in the other), to give some realism to all that about the Illyrian birth, and Nesta, and both could have been done in a very different way. They could have written Nesta more growth, And at childbirth it could have been a long labor or a cesarean section where it would take a long time if what they wanted was to make the the clear point, not directly 💀

It did not have a reason, and hey, yes, death is like that, confusing many times, but when you have a story, where you have absolute control of what happens (who lives, who dies) you must understand and be responsible for what the death of one character will do to the others And the story, it must have an impact that you are going to use in some way beyond just having an emotional reaction to readers to like Nesta.

Because number 1, this achieves the opposite effect because it greatly limits the growth that the character is supposed to have and makes Nesta less likeable.

And number 2 plays with the audience as if they were children, and the author is an adult who has her favorite toy next to fire, underestimating The mental process and maturity as if we could not see the senselessness of their death

If you don't believe it, think about it this way: aside from what Nesta did at the end, what other redeeming acts did she get? That she had anything to do with Feyre...None And who is the character with whom Nesta was the most bitchy in the entire book? Feyre What is the most necessary arc?The one about the sisters, the one with which we have nothing in almost the entire book, Nesta needed something that could cover almost a thousand pages of zero growth, a definitive act instead of writing a complete arc, and this is confirmed In the same book , because they were revived (Nyx and Feyre), And who was the only one with the power to do something? Well, our protagonist.

In essence, sjm killed the characters (characters that feel real to a certain degree for us fans and readers) so that Nesta could revive them, the only reason

What convenience does

If your character can only have one arc in your opinion, saving the people who saved her in the first place, then something is a little off in the story.

And if you can't keep a character dead, because you know what it does to your fans, then don't kill him in the first place. Once is coincidence, twice is causality, three is already a pattern and is crossing the line.

Abusing the integrity of a character in the story just because, without reason, without development, without background, is playing in the worst way with the emotions and affection towards the work of fans.

This is why this part is SO Bad Not only because oh, they die, but because of the reason behind it, when many talk about this, they don't do it from a place of a sad fan, but from a fan who is upset because they use our favorite characters as puppets.

[dvaderstark]

Thoughts on Steve in Stranger Things Season 1

Now similar to practically everyone who watches Stranger Things post Season 1, I think Steve Harrington is a great character that has gone through a fantastic arc and in particular his relationships with Robin and Dustin are two of the best friendships in the show. In fact he and Dustin are the second best sibling type relationship on the show after Jonathan and Will. I do have some issues with basically any of his romance as the popularity of him with Billy and Eddie confuse me beyond he’s Steve and he’s popular. But what I wanted to post about was his portrayal in the show’s first season because I feel that a lot of Steve’s fans from the later seasons have gone back to the first season and have whitewashed some of his actions. Now not to say that Steve is that bad in Season 1 but I think the idea that he was always a good guy is wrong. Now most of Steve’s early stuff is regular stereotypical douchebag stuff that I don’t have too much of an issue with even if I don’t think he’s much aside from a douche at first. Like for example, him being a little too pushy with Nancy when he helps her study and we see he has other things on his mind. Like I will call some of this douchey behavior but not too bad behavior since he does back off. Similarly when he shows more concern about being caught underage drinking than Barb missing. I don’t have too much of an issue here either since Steve doesn’t know what we the audience know but if I was in Nancy’s shoes I would still be annoyed by this too, and he still has skewed priorities. Next, we have breaking the camera. Even for someone who loves Jonathan and has Jancy as their ST OTP, I don’t have any real issue with breaking the camera and the confrontation over the pictures. What Jonathan did was wrong and he deserved some punishment for it. While I wouldn’t call it stalking since Jonathan didn’t intentionally seek Nancy or anyone else at the party out to do what he did it was still wrong and Steve did buy a new camera. The real issues I have with Steve both come in the alley scene. The first thing is the public slut shaming that Nancy undergoes since Steve got the wrong idea. The kind that would have probably stuck on Nancy’s reputation a lot more if this wasn’t a show. What annoys me so much about the way that Steve’s fans response to this is the argument “His friends were the ones who sprayed it and Steve helped take it down afterward”. I hate this argument for the main reason that even if Steve didn’t spray paint the words themselves, he is there when they are doing the second message about Jonathan. He was definitely there when it happened and condoned it. Not saying this is unforgivable after all he’s young and angry and people do dumb stuff when they have that combination but also it is no excuse either and him offering to clean it up while the start of his redemption doesn’t really excuse it either. Letting a friend do something bad and feeling bad afterwards is still a sign that you did something bad. Also what he says to Jonathan that sparks their fight, I will give Steve a point here in that he makes Tommy back off so that the fight will be fair and that is where it ends. What he says to Jonathan is really cruel, cruel insults about his family, cruel insults comparing Jonathan to his awful father, cruel comparisons about Jonathan’s loving mom and of course cruelly insulting Jonathan’s little brother, who while still alive to Steve died only a week ago. I don’t think it’s okay to say stuff like that even if you think the guy you’re saying it to is sleeping with your girlfriend. Once again obviously not unforgivable but still wrong no matter the reason for it and Steve recognized it but a lot of his fans seem to forget that Steve realized it was wrong. Well that got away from me, to summarize, Steve Harrington is a great character but it sometimes annoys me how some of his fans basically try to say he wasn’t a jerk in Season 1 since he was a jerk and him being a jerk is what helps with his arc.

[asoulofatlantis]

That has to be one of my favorite optional-dialog moments of this game and I love reliving it XD

The fact that, despite Rean making all of us love him far too much, we can all agree on that he still managed to mad us made multiple times XD

Honestly? After the Sky-Saga was over, I was pretty sure we would never see Josette again, as she was simply not important enough in Sky to become a recurring character in later games. So it is always amazing to see her again here in later games.

So far it seems that bringing Jusis along is only for meeting Rufus later, I think it is a bit disappointing that there is hardly any difference between how things go, despite the fact that the game forces you to choice EITHER Alisa or Jusis. But that is something that is easily noticeable in CS4, they tried to not change too much, no matter who you take along with you. Wish is the reak reasin they always make sure that you bring certain people along, because those people usually carry the heavy dialogs.

I am not Junas biggest fan, as you all know, but I still got a bit teary eyed here. I think that are my maternal instincts speaking. I think if you have a little empathy, its easy to imagine what a mother would feel if her child went “missing” (not to mention being basically a wanted fugitive) in a country that just started a war.

Realizing the fact that this guy shows up in way too many games, for being such a... annoying character. Seriously, at the point of Kuro 2 you are no longer surprised about him constantly switching sides. One moment you fight against him, the next you fight with him and then you fight against him again and then he actually helps your team... and at some point it is not surprising or entertaining anymore, but simply only getting old.

No matter how much I have struggled through certain parts of the Sky-Saga as well as both Crossbell-Games (especially Zero) I will still NEVER regret playing those games because it wouldn’t feel the same to see Estelle and Elie (and later the other again) if I hadn’t. Also... I get that our “main Heroes” - Cast is far too big for this at this point, but I would honestly love for the final Kuro game to reunite us with Rean, Estelle, Joshua, Elie and Lloyd once more. It would make my day. (And I guess they can add Kevin to the mix, if they have to - the fandom wants it and its time for the dominions to do something about a certain someone and her organisation so... chances are high.)

Lechter has always been a character that you can not hate, but sometimes really wish you wouldn’t like either. And given how he stands next to Campanella who also somehow manages to worm his way into the “not exactly hated” - characters, this is a weird but really fitting mix ^^’

I know he is probably under an insane amount of medication and strong painkillers right now, but seeing him sitting there smiling, makes you think for a moment that he isn’t as much in danger as he actually is. (I want to say with this that Falcom should have tried a bit harder here.)

The fact that I got a chance to see that Jusis followed the cue, as expected XD Seriously, after Musse and Juna talk about the Ferris-Wheel being a romantic place and all, you have Alisa thinking of Rean. So it makes sense that Jusis thinks of Millium as well - DESPITE THE SISTER-ZONING.

The fact that I totally forgot that Lechter just spoiled one of the biggest plot-points behind Osbornes motives and that so early in the game.

D-Did Jusis just snap? Never thought I see that day.

You know what really sucks? That this damn assholes of a literally backstabbing traitor gets the best redemption Arc the Trails-Saga has seen. This man, for once, actually earned his redemption. Rufus, of all people. Grrr...

[ben-talks-art]

Wanted to talk about Random Chat a little

"Random Chat" or "The Girl From Random Chatting" is one of my favorite webtoons as well as one of my first webtoons.

It has a lot of themes and ideas that I find really interesting and that I feel get explored in equally interesting ways that I don't often see in other media, so I felt it would be nice to show a little of my appreciation to it by discussing what's about, who are its characters, the messages, and what I like about it.

The basic premise of the story is that a boy named Joonwoo suffers from depression, insecurity, social anxiety, and low self-esteem and tries to deal with all that by spending his time on a random chatting app that allows him to talk with strangers.

One day he ends up finding a stranger who he really gets along with on the app and they start to develop a bond, only for Joon to later discover that this stranger is in fact one of the girls in his class.

Using this newfound information, Joon decides to use the app to find out more about the girl so help her out in dealing with her problems at home, school, and in love, and basically be some sort of hero that attends to her every need as a way of showing his gratitude for being his friend online.

Now... Just from this premise, you're either going to think "Wow, that's really sweet! I bet they're gonna become great friends and maybe even more!" or you're going to think "Wow... Like... WOW!! That's creepy as hell! He's basically stalking her, manipulating her, and taking advantage of the fact he knows who she is while she doesn't! That's messed up!!"

Yeah... There is no way around it, what our main guy is doing is basically catfishing, acting like he's some stranger online while he's in fact right next to the girl in class as she shares with him a bunch of personal information about herself to someone she assumes lives on the other side of the world.

The story is fully aware of how messed up our main lead's behavior is, but unlike other series where they try to paint the situation as "oh, he's just sad and misunderstood and in need of a friend" to try to forgive these actions, here we just have him get called out on his actions multiple times and realize over and over again that what he's doing is wrong.

While we do see Joon helping out the girl on multiple occasions with things like bullying or stalking, we also never ignore the fact that his interference in her life is nothing more than a form of entitlement, as if he thinks he knows what's best for her because he knows her more than anyone.

And as the series progresses, we see that the girl is getting so comfortable with her secret app friend that she starts to develop an unhealthy dependency on it, to the point where she basically can barely live without it, so much so that when Joon does try to cut ties with her through the app so she'll get less attached to it she goes insane trying to find him again.

A lot of the series is focused on characters trying to look at their own actions and realizing if what they're doing is right or wrong, and I'm always a big fan of that.

I always respect when a series has their characters receiving a reality check and realizing that they need to stop and think about what they're doing and if they should continue with it. It's why I like Battle Of The Labyrinth, why I like John from Unordinary, why I like Zuko.

Reality Checks are one of my favorite tropes in storytelling, right up there with redemption arcs.

And the reason why I like it and respect it so much is because, as you keep seeing more stories in different types of media, you start to see that a lot of authors have trouble calling out their main leads on their errors because they are afraid the audience might not like them. They want us to think they're flawless and deserve to be rooted for by never addressing their flaws.

When you do a "reality check" story you're actually addressing these flaws and exploring how you can build a better message by actually showing that your character has problems they need to work on and that they can grow from it, and I love character growth! It's one of my six favorite traits in a character.

What sold me on Random Chat isn't just that it was a reality check story about a guy realizing the errors of his actions, but it was also the fact that these errors were built on the concept of entitlement, which is always something I feel needs to be talked about more.

One of the earlier arcs of the series is about Joon dealing with a stalker that's following the girl using her social media to find out where she lives, and we have a brilliant scene where once they confront each other, Joon realizes that he's basically no better than the stalker and even starts to see himself in him.

And this is all the way back in chapter 12! The series actually called itself out and said "I know my main lead is horrible. Don't worry."

I was so relieved when I saw that because it was then that I realized the story was in good hands and knew not to mix character favoritism with morality.

But that's not the only focus of the series. We also get tons of other arcs focused on basically every possible danger that could come from the use of social media, miscommunication, obsession and dependency, public image, judging people, bullying, and several other themes that are super relevant for every teen to know of.

And these themes are always discussed in fun and engaging ways. It's not like the author just goes "Today we will be talking about bullying! Next arc, we will be talking about harassment!", it actually knows how to keep the story going with a good pacing, charming characters, and some really solid dialogue.

I really like when these people just talk to each other and exchange ideas about their opinions on certain topics and I like how they actually seem to be evolving and maturing as the comic goes on.

It's not perfect, of course, there are some topics where I'm going "I don't think we needed an arc to focus on that" or "I feel like this could have been handled better", but for the most part I just really enjoy many of the things they do talk about.

One of my favorite scenes is where one of the characters who was framed for a crime he didn't commit and ended up being labeled as a delinquent by society realizes that everything could have been solved if he just swallowed his pride and actually tried to talk to his friend, but he then realizes that it was too little too late and that the damage was already done and he keeps having visions of a life that he could have had, days filled with bliss hanging out with his friends and just laughing at stupid stuff, all gone forever because he just wouldn't take two seconds to clear things up properly over a misunderstanding.

The series also has a surprisingly solid romance between the main guy and this grumpy gamer girl who acts like his conscience, always trying to make him think about his actions and ask himself if he's really on the right path.

I just love that! I love how the love interest isn't just a fangirl that agrees with everything the main character says but actually tries to challenge his ideals and his behavior. She's legitimately trying to help him become the best version of himself that he could be because she sees potential in him.

There are just so many things about this series that just click with me... That thankfully help me overlook most of its flaws.

It's definitely not a perfect series. Sometimes the artwork can be really stiff with characters looking like they're posing for a picture and other times the proportion feel a little off, sometimes the attempts at making characters look evil by making their eyes glow while having a dark background looks a little too silly, there is way too much focus on action and dealing with members of gangs, and sometimes it feels like the main lead is learning a lesson that he should already be aware of.

Stuff like that can turn some people off, it turned me off a little as well, but the commentary and discussion of different topics that the comic tries to bring and explore is always at the very least interesting to think about.

While I don't think this is for everyone, I still think this is a very good series to at the very least check it out and see if it might be your thing.

[spinningintheshadows]

Wedding Bells (1)

warnings & stuff: This is part three of the "Going on Vacation with JJ" no smut this time, but it does talk about if JJ succeeded in his mission to get your pregnant. Also, gave Luke Maybank and redemption arc for once, just don't expect it to happen again. Here's 1.05k of just cute and maybe a little angst idk

It seemed impossible that your trip to Bora Bora was two years ago.

Of course you’d went with your best friend, and left with the love of your life.

Admittedly you guys were a bit much when it came to public displays of affection.

The other Pogues would dramatically fake gag every time he kissed you goodbye only for you both to playfully flip them off as you pulled away.

And when you discovered that the afternoon everything came to a head in Bora Bora had indeed resulted in two pink lines on an overpriced piece of plastic?

The group swore you got even more gross.

When you told your mom that you were pregnant, she worried for a week.

“JJ are you prepared to raise another mans child?”

“Mom why would he have to do that? It’s his baby.”

“What?”

“Well some things happened on our trip.”

“Oh thank god. I thought you two would never realize your feelings for each other”

JJ was obsessed with you while you were pregnant.

His love language was physical touch and it showed even more as you grew more pregnant.

You’d frequently wake up to him pressing his lips against your belly and talking to your child.

His hands never seemed to leave your belly either.

When your son would get worked up, he’d make himself comfortable next to you and rub your belly in an attempt to settle him.

“Buddy, I know it’s getting cramped in there but Mama needs to breathe too, you know.”

“I don’t think he’s listening to you J.”

“He’s already stubborn like his Mama.”

When you got closer to your due date and it would happen, JJ was prone to use the name you guys had settled on.

“Riker Dean, I know you are a stubborn little guy in there, but Mama and Daddy would like one more good night of sleep before you decide to come.”

“I haven’t had a good nights sleep in over a month.”

“Because my son is playing soccer on your organs.”

“Our son.”

“Our son”

When little Riker Dean Maybank did finally arrive after nearly 32 hours of labor and a full week after his due date, it was love at first sight.

The first time JJ held him he had to sit down because he was sobbing.

“Oh my god, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me besides your Mama of course.”

“I can’t believe we made him.”

“I would willing go to Bora Bora again if it meant I could relive this moment.”

You were sitting in that hospital bed nursing your son when JJ dropped the big question.

“Y/N, do you think we should get married?”

“Am I dreaming because it sounds like John James Maybank, king of “I don’t think marriage is for me”, just asked me to marry him.”

“You know you’ve always been my only exception, pretty girl. I would have married you in that little Villa if you'd have said yes.”

“Of course I will marry you J.”

“We’ll do it when he’s older of course, so he can be a part of it.”

So here you were, a little over a year later, trying to get your 14 month old son to put his shoes on.

Riker, ever like his father, had started walking at 10 months old, almost skipping the crawling phase all together.

You sighed, reaching out to grab his tiny arm as he toddled past you, his sandy blonde curls starting to hang in his eyes.

“Shoe time, Ri”

“Nooo!”

“You gotta put your shoes on if you wanna see Daddy, buddy. We can’t go to Daddy’s job if you don’t put your shoes on.”

You knew that as soon as you dropped him off at the mechanics shop, the thoughts of shoes would be gone and he’d be playing with whatever wrench JJ gave him.

You were thankful that his boss let him bring Riker to work with him when you had appointments and your mom couldn’t watch him.

What really surprised you was Luke Maybank.

You’d known that when he got out of jail, five years ago, JJ had told him he’d help him get back on his feet with rules and conditions.

JJ was firm on the no more drinking, no more drugs, and his dad had to go to anger management as well as therapy.

He helped him get a job that he’d kept the last five years.

He even checked in with JJ every day, to keep his promise.

Now, he was a completely different person, but you knew JJ was still coming to terms with trauma that he had from his childhood, which is why he threw himself into being the best dad that he could for Riker.

After your dad had passed away while you were pregnant, you were secretly grateful that Luke had kept his promise.

If only because he got to be a loving grandfather with his thoughts not clouded by drugs and alcohol.

As soon as you had Riker’s sweatshirt and shoes on, you loaded him up in the car.

You were almost grateful that he fell asleep during the 10 minute drive to JJ’s job.

You pulled up and JJ was waiting on you with the keys to his suv, since you were going off island with the girls to find your wedding dress.

“Hey, Pretty girl.”

“He’s asleep.”

“Of course he is. Daddy gets off work early and he needs a nap for our adventures this afternoon.”

“Do not harm our child in any way.”

“I could never. I’ve got his lifejacket and sunscreen and the guys are going with us. He likes when JB makes the boat go fast.”

“Heathens, all of you. Kiss me before I go?”

He pulls you in closer to him to kiss you, wrapping his arms around your waist.

Nearly two years together and he still treats you like he’s kissing you for the first time.

“Oi, Maybank! You’re supposed to be collecting your kid, not making out with your girl.”

His boss is standing in the door to the garage staring at you.

“I gotta go, anyway, I love you”

“I love you more, pretty girl. Can’t wait to call you my wife in six months”

[hmspogue]

Outer Banks season 2 Official Trailer shot-by-shot rundown

A comprehensive post where I scream about analyze the entire trailer frame by frame for clues, theories, and plot. Just my own opinions and general tin foil-hatting

These are screenshots from Netflix’s trailer for Outer Banks season 2. I do not claim or own any of these.

note: this post is tagged as a long post if you wish to avoid having to scroll until your thumbs break.

“My old man used to tell me, ‘it’s best to never say you’ve hit rock bottom’.”

(Putting all of these shots together since they’re scenes we already know but-) Holy shit, okay let’s just....start off like this I guess, damn.

“'Trust me’, he said...”

Kiara looking back and forth between the boys like this really just feeds the headcanon I have that her form of grief this season is going to be her trying to hold it together for their sakes (and eventually just snapping).

JJ just looks fucking furious someone give these kids a hug? I already know this scene is going to ruin me.

“You can always go...”

JJ back working at the hotel. He looks literally so angry again in this scene I could see him self destructing at work and losing his job? (Please do not be isolating yourself you beautiful son of a bitch even though I know you’re going to).

Pope in the Twinkie (costuming wise they all are in warmer looking clothes for some of the shots, so just confirming it’s a little bit into the school year when this all takes place).

“Lower”

Big John was real big into pep talks, I see. (seriously can you imagine Big John having this conversation with like 8 year old John B after he fucking dropped his ice cream cone or some shit I shouldn’t be laughing).

I’m just-

These poor kids, I wanna know how the police all the way down in the Bahama’s knew about them?

Their calves....

“RUN!”

Are going to be so fucking jacked by the end of this season I stg.

Fuck you.

“The gold from the Royal Merchant....it’s here.”

For a while, I had thought that maybe they didn’t even make it to the Bahama’s at the front of the season and ended there (because everyone had been filming in there). But I guess they’re going to be making two trips.

If I were a bird from this POV I’d shit right on that house no questions asked.

oooooh ho hokay. Just so we’re clear. Ward Cameron not only get away with murder and about two dozen other felonies, but-

“Half a billion.”

HE STILL FINDS THE GOLD IN THE CRAIN HOUSE AND GETS TO KEEP IT?

Not the polo with the snap back, I just know this man has a playlist called Sad Boi Hours that is just Juice WRLD’s top 5 songs on Spotify and he tells his friends they wouldn’t know the underground artists he listens to.

Sh, you have lost screaming privileges. Go inside and take a nap maybe.

“John B, we are fugitives in a foreign country.”

So, previously, I was talking about how I was confused how they would still be trying to find him is everyone thought he was dead, but here the wanted poster clearly says “presumed lost at sea”. I think that will be interesting to see how the Pogues all interpret that. 

Especially because they already had a memorial for John B and everything, I wonder if there will be any part of the Pogues holding out hope that they both could still be out there OUCH.

I’m going to circle back to this, but it looks like John B and Sarah are going to get separated for a little while in this man hunt, I could see my idiot himbo son trying to sacrifice himself so Sarah can get away but in reality just....stranding her.

“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid?”

Oh, sweetie....

“Well, Sarah Cameron, I do stupid things all the time without realizing it.”

The volume of his self awareness is astronomical. sir, that is your whole character summed up in your own words.

GOD, IT’S ME AGAIN. PLEASE LET THEM LEAN INTO COMPLETE HIMBO JOHN B THIS SEASON I’LL DO ANYTHING-

nyyooooOOOOOOOOOOOOM-

“Hold on!”

The complete abject terror I would feel having John Booker Routledge driving get-away and then saying the words “Hold on” while reaching fro the gear shift? The english language fails me. 

Sarah, bestie, I’m so sorry.

I just wanna know-

what the plan or objective was in this situation. What was the reason for being this dramatic.

Rest in piss, bozo <3

“Ward’s still out there...”

Okay, same conversation they were having as before. I wonder what makes them decide they need to get back to the OBX for this tho.

“I can clear my name. This can all be over in one shot.”

It looks like Topper watching this but way more concerningly, correct me if I’m wrong but this 100% looks like....John B gets caught. And the DEATH PENALTY?! He did have a mug shot for the fliers in s1 and the one above but he was never brought in? Plus he just looks super dirty and dishevled in this one so I-

Jail break anyone?

I also still want to know if they’re going to go with a Topper redemption arc this season. like, does he know more than he should just from being around Rafe and his big fat mouth? Is he going to help out the Pogues even if it’s just for Sarah?

This shot just suddenly made me really sad. The thought of this all started because Big John left one last thing for his son to find, his literal life’s work. And when it all started, it was just a fun adventure John B and his best friends were going on together and having fun with. Then it all got dragged to absolute shit and turned into what it did, including the remaining 3 Pogues thinking that this treasure hunt took their two best friends away from them. And it’s nothing like Big John intended it to be.

Why my eyes wet?

Now we’re edging into what I was talking about earlier with John B and Sarah getting separated.

“If you think there is anything I wouldn’t do...”

Once again, John B is no where to be found. Also, just in case y’all didn’t already know or forgot Ward is an actual psychopath.

I believe this one of the new character, played by Jontavious Johnson (Stubbs). Based on the voice over it lowkey sounds like they’re implying Ward maybe hired Stubbs and Cleo to find and bring Sarah back. My theory would be I bet they do go to retrieve her, but she somehow convinces them that it would be more beneficial for them in the end to be on the Pogue’s side instead.

Miss Girl you gotta be keeping your head on a SWIVEL. Especially when you’re a FUGITIVE of the LAW-

“...you haven’t been paying attention.”

My guy, who are you clarifying this for?

It’s what you deserve for monologuing.

in all seriousness, the idea of them coming to face to face with Ward in Nassau after thinking they finally escaped him is genuinely terrifying.

“SARAH!”

It kind of looks like they’re either hiding their faces or covering their noses? I don’t know maybe it was from some tactic to get away from Ward.

What did I literally jsut say about yelling privileges, you unhinged mother fucker?

“I’m calling the shots now. I’m driving.”

The following progression of scenes made me actually snort-

“I can’t drive stick.”

PLEASE THE FINGER GUNS LAUNCHED ME INTO ORBIT I LOVE THEM, YOUR HONOR.

Alright, so now it looks like we’re in Charleston. This is the same scene with Heyward’s truck that got leaked from BTS (read: JJ and Kie shoulder touch).

One of the main things that stuck out to me in the following scenes which, you will see, is it lowkey looks like Pope is kind of heading up this part of the operation, or even going in alone? The following clips are just very Pope focused. 

I don’t know what it means, it’s just an observation.

“John B was not the only one that Ward double-crossed.”

LIMBRY-

Bro, we have been hearing about this woman for literal months and I just have....so many questions? 

Who the hell is she? How is she connected to Ward? Why is she in South Carolina instead of the OBX? How do the Pogues even learn about her and how to track her down? How is she meant to “help” them? GAH I JUST WANNA KNOOOW. I already know I don’t trust her though and no I will not be offering up supporting evidence.

Sir, that is my son please unhand him.

“I think you know what I want.”

.......no? But feel....free to explain yourself?

The print on the paper is the same one that’s on the ceiling tiles in the following scene. Obviously, with a key on it that most likely goes to the place a few shots from now.

Hell yeah, son, let’s get SLEUTHING.

“The treasure belongs to the Pogues.”

DAMN STRAIGHT.

Bestie’s I’m not going to lie, I stared at this frame for a solid 10 minuets and I have no idea what it says on there I’m sorry. Someone in the comments is welcome to enlighten us.

“We gotta find it first.”

I can’t tell if that’s just dirt or if he hurt his head? But he look GOOD right now for one thing. For another, same outfit as the one in the Twinkie from the beginning of the trailer.

Look at her. LooK AT HER! LOOK! AT! HER! I MISSED HER SO MUCH even in that damn smiley face top that continues to haunt my waking hours she is in it so much and it stresses me out for literally no good reason I’m sorry-

I could literally cry right now and I think that speaks volumes to how little we actually see him genuinely happy. Have I mentioned how much I love that red hat?

Also, probably not that important, but this is not from the same scene as the shots of Pope and Kiara were. This is from the next one-

“Woogity-woogity?”

“Give me some woogity, baby!”

Yeah, this pushed me over the fucking edge, the way that they’re actually happy and laughing? The fact that they kept woogity-woogity and made it A Thing? Yes.

I am, however, going to be intentionally ignoring what appears to be the very intentional stagingof having such an obvious space between where Kiara and Pope are sitting adn where JJ sits, even including the level they’re sitting on because I don’t have the emotional capacity to face those implications right now. Thank you for your time.

Yes yeeeeEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

GIVE ME ALL OF THE SCENES OF THEM ACTUALLY GETTING TO BE TEENAGERS AND JUST BREATHE AND LAUGH AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND NOT BE RUNNING FOR THEIR FUCKING LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!

before Rafe comes in and literally starts shooting because they can’t breathe for more than 7 seconds but we’ll....get to that.

They refer to Sarah as a Pogue this season or I burn Netflix to the ground. Your move, Jonas.

50 bucks says John B is driving the Twinkie again for the first time since being back.

I deadass think the Pogues JUST got Sarah and John B back and they’re just having the time of their life. Kie was in her smiley face outfit when Pope was in this one a few clips ago, and I still hold to the belief that that one still they released of JJ and Kie hopping over a fence is the Pogue reunion so-

Ward? I have no idea what he’s looking at behind the wall paper and I’ll be so honest I don’t care my eyes are only seeing Pogue content right now.

“This is a map of the whole island.”

This fit, when will John B learn how to operate buttons, stay tuned for season 5. Also my previous theory of this being their reunion outfits and stuff because Pope is in the back in the same jacket as before.

The plot thickens and so has JJ’s hair, Rudy drop the shampoo brand.

Please, dear God, tell me they’re back in the sex church. For @jiaaraa sake.

Kiara, your Madison is showing.

Okay, I really did try but all I can make out is Something to the tomb begin something something.

You’re welcome.

I am no expert but I do not believe boats operate on land.

John B looks like he is in the same outfit here that is in his mug shot we saw on the TV screen so I have a sneaking suspicion this is where he gets caught. 

“John B is back-”

Once again with the damn sexual tension that’s always between Barry and Rafe in every scene they do are we about to kiss right now?

“-it’s him or me.”

First of all, no.

Second of all, I’m just....so very confused about this time line this season. It kind of looks like Ward and Rafe follow and find Sarah and John B in Nassau (unless those scenes by the truck were actually back in the OBX). So did they....go to Nassau, then just come right back when they did? I’m just confused.

Put that thing back where it came from or so help me.

Literally when will you stop at this point I am begging you. 

This looks like the same scene the Pogues were, ya know, literally just having a good time at so fuck me, I guess.

Yeah, no, it’s going to be a no from me, I’m just going to pretend like I’m not seeing this and moving on.

I have simply no idea what is going on here or who that is on the bike but maybe JJ? Maybe Luke even? I think that’s JJ’s bike. 

The sewer scene. The SEWER SCENE-

For months sicne that tiktok leaked this damn scene has been genuinely all I could think about. So (obviously) it seems like they’re sending Kie down into the sewer to go do seomthing and things go horribly, horribly wrong. 

If you haven’t seen the tiktok, essentially all it was was JJ and Pope screaming and trying to lift up the man hole cover while Kie is begging for them to hurry from inside. I’m cheating a little bit as this isn’t a shot from the trailer but this picture was posted and it’s from the same scene.

I’ll just....leave this here. Back to the trailer shots.

Nice. Also, same shirt as mugshot.

Hey, um, what? 

Kiara’s car, she’s driving, I can’t tell who’s in the back seat or the front.

Holy God what is going on and how can I as an audience member put a stop to it?

So, same scene as we will see and was in the teaser but, for some reason, they’re all jumping off of a giant ass boat into the little life raft where it looks like JJ gets hurt later but don’t you worry we’re getting to that.

JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE THEY BOTH LOOK SO DAMN GOOD AND THEIR LITTLE SMILES SPARE ME-

Cleo 🥵

I’m so excited to see her arc and what it brings this season you guys have no idea.

Please for the love of God be about to get Ward Cameron’s ass like he deserves literally punt him into jail right from Tanny Hill.

Sarah at My Druther’s with what looks like a bloody bandage on her side? Same outfit she’s wearing when they’re running from the police on the beach and she has the bandage there too so. Interesting. 

Topper hugging who I’m pretty sure is Sarah, being a general douche because he’s clearly looking at John B like 😏 

Clips like these serve to remind me just how many of my worldly posessions I would gladly give up to be able to punch Topper Thorton in the throat one time. 

I think this is Cleo jumping off the boat with Pope after John B and Sarah. 

Absolutely busting a lung at Pope’s form in this one.

John B and Sarah waiting in the life raft, still Cleo and Pope coming after them. The obvious next question is where are JJ and Kiara. The scene I’m sure you all have been waiting for is coming up and clearly takes place in the life raft as well.

So, I really think JJ and Kie get left for last, something horrible happens as they’re trying to jump (my head instantly goes to JJ maybe like pushing Kie out of the way and getting hit on the head instead or even just some accident). 

And, oh my GOD a scene of him falling off the boat after it happens and Kiara diving in after him immediately, having to desperatly try to stop him from sinkingand get to the life raft holy shit-

Girl CATCH HIM?????

Because why wouldn’t this be Rafe’s fault. Part of me wonders if this isn’t related to JJ being hurt.

I am going to try and unpack this as calmly as possible because behind my computer screen I am vibrating at a frequency that could shatter glass but respectfully.

WHAT IN THE FUCK IS TIAUEWFHLAILA

Okay, so scene wise, JJ’s hit his head somehow (probably while he was jumping with Kiara) it looks like and now they’re back on the raft. 

In my opinion, this is either:

A) JJ is in really, really bad condition after getting hurt in the jump and they’re not sure he’s going to make it. So this is a “Please stay with me, stay awake, please don’t die” hug OR

B) They very narrowly just avoided a deadly situation (my first thought is JJ hits his head while jumping, passes out in the water, maybe almost drowns but Kie and the others get him onto the life raft in time) and this is more of a “Oh my God, you’re okay, you’re safe now, we’re okay” hug. 

I honestly lean more to the second one based on the little bit of Sarah’s face we saw in the background. To me, it almost looked like she was smiling thru tears, which, fits way more with the second option than the first. 

Anyways. Moving on before I burst a lung again.

(also, before anyone comes at me, no, I’m not happy JJ is hurt, obviously.  

(Once again, arrest outfits). You can still see the bandage but it looks like Sarah’s limping now too so...good Lord give the girl a break maybe?

Everything in this trailer just went to shit so fast I think I have whip lash, can we go back to the Pogues hanging out and being happy now pkease I liked those scenes.

“I get it. You guys are scared.”

“No.”

She’s cute but, uh, hello sewer scene outfits. Seems like them planning to do whatever the hell they were going to do in the sewers but the boys are starting to get cold feet as maybe they should but hind sight is 20/20 I suppose.

“It’s kind of cute.”

“I’m not scared.”

“You should’ve just led with that.”

I will never be able to express how much I adore Pogue banter and general dumbassery and I have a feeling this season will not be lacking in either department

I high key don’t think these two are actually going to be there for this scene to go down but I’ll let it slide this time because-

They do be kinda cute.

It both feels like I’ve been waiting for this damn show for 3 years and also like I just watched season 1 last month explain that to me. 

Either way holy shit. I missed this dumb show and these dumb kids so much it physcially hurts and WE GET THEM BACK IN T-MINUS 16 DAYS.

Also. Where The Hell Is Wheezie Cameron And When Will She Have The Rights She Deserves.

[quartings]

Gosh, what a heck of a Peacemaker finale. Here's what I think we'll see in Season 2:

I've seen a lot of talk about Chris and Adrian's dynamic in the finale and I really like what I've seen! I'm not a hardcore Vigilmaker guy but I am in full solidarity between others who simp for James Gunn characters. I think that Chris will be in a very rough headspace during season 2, but Adrian will still refuse to understand why, just wanting things to go back to how they were before The Suicide Squad, where he and Chris would just go out killing random criminals together. That line someone said about how Vigilante loves Peacemaker but Adebayo appreciates Christopher Smith is so true and I want that explored more next season.

Eventually, this will cause Chris and Adrian to have a really rough argument and they'll split up for a bit. This is how we get Vigilante's backstory and in typical James Gunn fashion, it'll be extremely painful and heartbreaking. And then from there we'll see if Adrian is willing to move past it to re-forge his bond with Chris or if he'll go into denial and become an enemy. Basically I'm expecting a better version of Jessica Jones Season 2.

I think Goff (Eek Stack Ik Ik) will find a new host in a new character and become an unwilling ally to Chris, eventually culminating in her sacrificing herself for a noble cause when she finally realizes that Peacemaker can change himself and others for the better, meaning there's hope for the rest of humanity.

As unlikely as it is, I really hope Adebayo doesn't return in Season 2, but because I like her so much and I'm so glad she got her happy ending. If she does appear in Season 2, her subplot will 100% be about Waller trying to destroy her life for revenge and I'm not sure I can take that. If it does happen though, I bet Keeya will be joining in on the action this time, which would be awesome.

Same thing with Economos, I don't want him to go through any more pain, haha.

I'm very neutral on Peacemaker x Harcourt. I can picture their romance actually going well with enough time dedicated to it, but I'm more excited to see her bond with characters outside of Chris! I loved her dynamic with Adebayo and I would like to see her character continue evolving like that!

A Judomaster redemption arc is very likely in my eyes but I'm not sure how they'd pull it off without it being too similar to Goff's.

I'm SO happy with the cameo in this episode, but I think I'm in the same boat as many people hoping we'll get Joel Kinnerman as a Rick Flag ghost in season 2 as well!

Speaking of The Suicide Squad, I really want to see how other members of Task Force X reacted to all the news reports of Peacemaker's survival and redemption (Maybe we will see that in that undisclosed other series Gunn is working on...?)

With Sophie, Larry, and Murn (Ik Nobe Llok) gone, that means we get a brand new dance opening next season and I can't wait!!

[firelxdykatara]

ppl love to forget that katara: 1. has her own taste, 2. developed around aang, he needed her for his development and vice versa, 3. ZUTARA IS SHIP BETWEEN AN OPPRESOR X OPPRESSED!!! Ignoring all of the development they had with their respective partners and the trauma Zuko caused Katara!!

In the infamous words of one Luke Skywalker: amazing. every word of what you just said was wrong.

It’s actually kind of ironic that you bring up Katara’s taste, since, throughout the show, we have examples of the guys she likes, to greater or lesser extents in canon--Jet (explicit romantic feelings on her part, word of god that jet was her first kiss--a kiss that would have been consensual, incidentally, something you should keep in mind for later) and Haru (she denies the crush, but that could just as easily have been because of the abomination he’d been growing on his lip rather than denying those feelings ever existed), both of whom have much more in common (in terms of both emotional and physical maturity, and physical appearance) with Zuko than either of them has with Aang.

Zuko’s book 3 hairstyle is almost exactly reminiscent of Jet’s, even, if not quite as floofy.

(This is probably in part because of Jet’s function as a foil of Zuko within the narrative, particularly given their book 2 encounters, which I think just further solidifies my point that, were it not for extenuating circumstances [like the fact that Zuko was introduced as an enemy and they had significant obstacles to hurdle before they could be friends], Zuko would have been exactly Katara’s type. Had they met under different circumstances, she could have been the girl he went on a date with in Ba Sing Se. Just something to think about.)

So, yes, we’ve established that Katara has her own taste. Her tastes seem to be boys with great hair who are taller than her, the same age or older, and of a similar maturity level.

Aang falls short (heh, short) on all counts. So it isn’t Katara’s taste in boys that led her to be interested in him. Hm!

Next, you claim that Katara ‘developed around Aang’--that she was necessary for his development, and that he was necessary for hers.

Let’s take a moment to examine that, shall we?

I will absolutely grant you that Katara was necessary for Aang’s development--only to a point, of course, but we’ll get to that later--but was he really necessary for Katara‘s growth? I suppose I could grant you this on a generous technicality--he did, after all, provide her with the means to finally leave the South Pole and find a waterbending master to teach her (although she wound up largely self-taught anyway). But that had nothing to do with his relationship to Katara and everything to do with the structure of the plot--Katara and Sokka find Aang (and he never would have gotten out of that iceberg without Katara’s own righteous anger, so even that leads back to her own power), and then they go on a quest to find teachers for the Chosen One and save the world.

The story could not have begun without first finding Aang and then providing means for the other main characters to travel with him (or, in Zuko’s case, chase him), but this has nothing at all to do with Aang’s relationship to Katara. Aang was not a mover in Katara’s developmental arc--if anything, he acted as an obstacle more often than not, his actions ranging from innocent but obnoxious (playing and flirting with girls rather than helping with chores like picking up vital supplies, leaving Katara to do all of the quite literal heavy lifting and keeping her stuck in the role of caretaker that she’d been thrust into following the death of her mother), to deliberate and harmful (hiding the map to Katara and Sokka’s father, a truly selfish action, regardless of his lack of malicious intent, and one for which he never actually apologized), to somewhere in between (”she didn’t really mean that” he says to the man refusing to train Katara because she’s a girl, when yes, she very much did mean that, and Aang was no help in finally getting the old codger to eat his words--Katara had to shove them down his throat her own damn self).

While Katara’s overall arc wasn’t exactly big and dynamic (like Zuko’s redemption arc), or in-your-face (like Sokka getting force-fed Respect Women Juice and his eventual growth into a tactician and leader), it was very much present and woven into her character--and Aang had almost no part in it. He provided her with the means to get to the North Pole, but left Katara alone to fight the patriarchy herself. He messed around while Katara took it on herself to do the chores and keep the Gaang alive, but he did almost nothing to decrease that burden so she could grow out of the caretaker role. (Contrary to popular shipper claims, Aang didn’t actually teach Katara to have fun. She already knew how to have fun. But she couldn’t indulge, because she had a responsibility to her family and her tribe, and later to her brother and Aang and Toph, and Aang goofing off and trying to get her to do the same only added to her burdens rather than subtracting from them.) He provided Katara with the necessary motive to learn to heal herself, but he certainly didn’t seem to learn from the experience of accidentally burning her, preferring instead to claim he was never going to firebend again, despite already knowing, at that point, that he was going to need to master fire along with the other elements to become a fully realized Avatar and defeat the Firelord.

He didn’t help Katara keep them alive during The Desert. (In fact, he ran off, leaving her to desperately try to keep Sokka and Toph from succumbing to the heat while worrying for his safety.) In The Painted Lady, Katara makes the decision to stall the Gaang and do what she can to help the Fire Nation villagers on her own--Aang agrees to help her when he finds out, but he wasn’t actually instrumental in her making that choice. The Puppetmaster was, again, Katara finding a master of her own, and having to deal with the fallout from that. And in The Southern Raiders, Aang was--perhaps unknowingly, if I’m being generous, because he is a child and could not reasonably be expected to fully understand the implications of what he was asking her to do or why it was impossible--actively impeding Katara’s development! She desperately needed closure, something he could not understand and actively belittled and dismissed. The only reason he relented in the end (but not without a condescending ‘I forgive you! Does that give you any ideas???’ parting shot lmao) was because Katara was planning to take Appa anyway, and letting her go (and hoping she’d just magically wind up doing things his way) was easier than trying to fight her on it.

While Aang’s existence was necessary for Katara to start down her own path, she needed neither his guidance nor his approval to follow it--and absolutely nothing would change about Katara’s arc if you removed their romantic relationship entirely.

Possibly because the only changes needed to do so would be to remove the two times Aang kissed Katara without her consent (which, hopefully, no one would actually miss), and the epilogue kiss (which was awkward and unnecessary to begin with, since ending the entire show on a romantic kiss as the final shot kind of missed the point of the story to begin with, but that’s another discussion). None of these kisses (which are the only moments in which Katara’s feelings for Aang are so much as addressed; do note that addressing them, or hinting that they needed to be, is not the same as saying she exhibited any sign of reciprocating them) altered anything about Katara’s behavior, her personal arc, or (and perhaps most critically) her relationship with Aang.

It’s that last point that is really damning, as far as ‘Katara obviously had feelings for Aang, she kissed him in the finale!’ goes. Because she didn’t ‘obviously’ have feelings for him. And the fact that he kissed her before the invasion and then she forgot about it (she literally had no idea what he was talking about during the play’s intermission until he reminded her that he’d kissed her) is pretty clear evidence that she didn’t actually have feelings for him. Not the kind he had for her.

I’ve been a teenage girl. I know what it’s like to be surprise!kissed by your crush. And I absolutely for a full fact know that I had not completely forgotten about that kiss three months later and had, in fact, spent most of my waking hours thinking about it and remembering it and trying to talk to him about it. Now, granted, I was not in the middle of a war, but even if I had been, I doubt I would have needed reminding about the fact that the boy I’ve supposedly been developing feelings for had kissed me and showed clearly that he had those feelings for me too.

At the very least, if Katara was harboring feelings that she was worried about approaching until after the war, her relationship dynamic with Aang should have shifted. But it didn’t. She acted the exact same way with him after the Day of Black Sun as she did before it--that is, as a mother figure and a caretaker, responsible for his wellbeing. (And it’s clear she never took him down off the pedestal she needed him to occupy, either--let it not be said that the unhealthy aspects of their relationship only went one way.)

And book 3 is, incidentally, where Katara went from being vital to Aang’s development to being detrimental to it--or, rather, Aang’s refusal to let go of his attachment to her (despite ostensibly having done as much at the end of book 2) was. Because despite having been told by, perhaps, the greatest authority left in the world on Air Nomad culture (even more than Aang, who had left his temple with a child’s understanding of his culture that was never able to mature because he got stuck in the ice berg while his people were wiped out) that he had to let go of his possessive attachment to this girl who never even expressed the possibility that she might harbor romantic feelings for him to begin with, after Azula killed him and Katara brought him back, he went right back into the mindset of Katara is mine, it’s just a matter of time.

And the narrative validated him for it.

Notice how, during Ember Island Players, Aang says the following (emphasis mine):

“We kissed at the invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together. But we’re not.”

First of all, if you go back and watch the scene, it’s clear it wasn’t a mutual kiss. Aang sprang a surprise kiss on Katara, which left her shocked and unhappy after he flew off. (The decision to have her looking away and frowning was a deliberate one on the part of Bryke, who wanted Katara’s feelings kept ambiguous. Heaven forbid you allow the animators to make it clear that this fourteen-year-old girl who was just kissed without her consent by someone she’d never once demonstrated romantic feelings toward might actually have some. Heaven forbid she have a little agency in her own romantic narrative. But whatever.)

Second, he says he thought they were gonna be together.

He thought.

He never once even asked Katara what she thought--or even how she felt. He just assumes. He assumes that if he kisses her, she’ll kiss him back and they’ll get together. He assumes that she must have feelings for him, even though her body language is closed off and she told him with her words that she did not want to talk or think about this right now, and kisses her regardless of those signals, upsetting her and leading her to storm off.

And the narrative rewards him, because despite the fact that they don’t have a single significant scene together after that second disastrous kiss, Katara just decides off-screen that she Does Love Him Really and walks onto the balcony to make out with him.

The upshot of all this being that, while Katara was indeed instrumental to a lot of Aang’s early growth and development, Aang was not necessary for her own arc, and their romantic relationship (such as it was) actively hampered Aang’s development in book 3, while removing it would change absolutely nothing for Katara (except saving her from some painfully embarrassing memories).

As far as your third point, I’m simply not going to get baited into explaining how reducing Zutara to an ‘oppressor/oppressed’ relationship is not only insulting to interracial couples irl (not to mention any other couple with a potentially unbalanced dynamic of societal power, since there are many more axis of oppression than just racial), but demeaning to Zuko and Katara, their personal arcs as well as their relationship development together.

However, I will point out that Zuko was not responsible for any of Katara’s trauma. She did not find violence and fighting in bending battles to be traumatic--in fact, she reveled in it. She enjoyed fighting against Zuko at multiple points (especially noticeable in their battle at the end of book 1), because she wanted to fight--she always had--and once she had the ability, she was ready to throw down with anyone who gave her the slightest reason. (Including, by the way, her own potential waterbending master.) Aang’s death at the end of book 2 was Azula’s doing, and while I think that contributed to Katara’s extreme reaction to Zuko joining the gaang, it was not something for which she actively blamed him, and it wasn’t something she believed would be repeated--she let him go off alone on a journey to find the original firebending masters with Aang well before she chose to forgive him. So she already trusted Zuko’s intentions and that Aang would be safe with him.

Finally, because this has gotten long enough already, I hope you now understand that Zuko and Katara getting together would not require ignoring any of their development with their canonical romantic partners. We’ve already established that Katara’s arc wouldn’t change in the slightest if all of Aang’s romantic advances were removed, and I haven’t even gotten into how Mai meant nothing in the grand scheme of Zuko’s development because I’m pretty sure that’s just self-evident. I mean, the video compilation put together by Nick showcasing Zuko’s journey throughout the series doesn’t include a single scene with Mai, though it does include several with Katara, and even Jin makes an appearance--because Katara, and even Jin, played key roles in Zuko’s personal journey, while his relationship with Mai happened entirely off-screen and her only real function was to showcase just how unhealthy trying to force himself back into the role of the Crown Prince was for him.

What development, exactly, is there between them to even ignore?

At any rate, I’ve gone on long enough--I hope you enjoy the fact that you activated my wordvomit trap card right when i was about to go to bed, anon, because I just spent two hours writing this instead. In case you’re interested in the TL;DR: at the end of the day, there was no meaningful, mutual development in Kataang’s romantic relationship, and those romantic feelings that did exist were largely one-sided and ultimately detrimental to Aang’s development in the final third of his overall arc. Meanwhile, Mai meant nothing to Zuko’s journey--rather like Aang’s romantic overtures, she could be removed from the show completely and nothing about his story would change--while Zuko and Katara were both vital to each other’s overall storylines, arcs and development. This, coupled with the fact that Zuko never actually traumatized Katara and, in fact, helped her achieve closure from the biggest source of her own trauma, means that Zuko and Katara have better and more believable build up that could potentially lead to a romantic relationship than either of them have with their canon romantic partners.

So no, anon, I didn’t forget anything--I think you may have, though. Perhaps a rewatch is in order? Make sure not to close your eyes for the back half of book 3 this time.

[tetsvhoe]

AFRAID | HAIKYUU FILO SMAU

MASTERLIST | PREV | FIN.

#25 i almost love you

– oh ayan onting backstory chaka redemption arc kay aiko baka may maka relate

– omg finally chapter di ko na to hahabaan basta thank you so much for the support and the laughs! this was my first ever smau and series i hope you all enjoyed and i hope to see you in my future works!

– wag niyo kalimutan si anak ni imelda at anak ng mafia boss, ha? :(( <3

taglist | anitwt

@mirakeul @erinoikawa @haji-bby @seijohoe @szeonn @banananaa4 @stffychn @vvvselfindulgence @devilgirlcrybabiey @knmsapplepi @duhsies @littlemochi @mikeystomanjacket @noitsmrleorio @agasheeee @roanniee @softsakusas @your-girl-mj @hello0i @crustycookiebestie @shanthesamurai @naviation-xx @sciophobia @lady-tokugawa-of-mikawa @bakugouswh0r3 @aizameow

iwaizumi shuts his phone off with a faint click, throws his head back against the headrest and shuts his eyes. he feels lightheaded, hands clam around his phone and the steering wheel subconsciously. was he always this nervous to talk to you? he can’t remember the last time he’s seen your face, the last time since he’s heard your voice. he misses it so much it makes his heart clench.

he lets out a long shaky breath as he wills himself to open his eyes, peer out the window. the club lights pulse faintly in the darkness of the night, he hears the faint music and clamor of club goers. the team’s last reply was from roughly an hour ago. he shivers thinking how he managed to cut the drive time in half and thanks the heavens for the mostly barren roads he drove through.

he can only imagine how everyone must be hammered by now. the “demonic hour” as they collectively dubbed 3:00am, is nearing. the demonic hour is when ushijima starts speaking in english considerably louder than his usual stern yet soft spoken voice. bokuto slouched against his seat, arms over his chest, passed out and snoring steadily. atsumu and sakusa may start swapping personalities soon, osamu and suna are talking about extraterrestrial life, and hinata is probably stumbling on the dancefloor holding in the urge to puke. iwaizumi also fondly recalls your friends, how kiyoko would be sleeping on top of the table, god forbid someone tries to wake her. alisa would be flirting with someone’s girlfriend, and tendou making everyone take “shots” of water, nearly falling off as he laughs at their muscle memory reactions as if they are still taking a slug of alcohol.

and of course, his mind wanders to you. how you slur your words and swear you’re not that drunk. you gauge each miniscule action and word carefully in an attempt to prove to everyone you’re sober, but it only gives you away so much more because you’re moving in x0.75 playback speed. he catches himself smiling at the mere thought and blushes though he’s alone in his car. the demonic hour turns you to an angel, quite ironically. you’re poutier than usual and throw a hissy fit at iwaizumi when he refuses to get you lugaw or mamiin the middle of the night out, not like he can resist your pleads for long anyway. you can’t keep up with the usual playful banter anymore and flirt terribly.

the thought of some other man finding you during your demonic hour flings iwaizumi out of the driver’s seat and he’s marching into the club before he knows it. it doesn’t take long for him to weave his way in and navigate your group, and the scene he finds is exactly as he imagines, but where are you?

“ten, ten, saan siya?” he shakes tendou into sobriety. he peers up at him with dazed eyes before grinning widely upon recognizing iwaizumi.

“oy, tangina mo! ano ginagawa mo dito?” the red head laughs. “‘di ko sure lumabas daw siya saglet.”

the rest of the group slowly registers iwaizumi’s presence, greeting him with clumsy high fives and fist bumps and “ba’t andito ka, kupal?”, “late na late na ba’t humabol ka pa?”, “akala namin di ka pwede ngayon?” and he returns each greeting half-heartedly as he constantly searches for your shadow in the crowd.

suna teases iwaizumi’s panicked state before pointing out you might have gone outside for a smoke. a sour feeling brews in his stomach; how could they have let you gone alone, why weren’t they sure where you went? but he saves the frustration in favor of finding you as soon as possible.

he all but runs outside through a back door near the bar which leads to a terrace overlooking the parking lot. his whole body stills as he sees your back turned to him, the heavy metal door creaks to a close, letting the loud pounding of the club music fade. he half expects to see you barely able to hold your weight with your own legs or with another guy, probably why he was so worked up in the first place, but you were alone. you seemed sober enough. it scared him even more.

as if feeling his presence, you look over your shoulder. iwaizumi debates turning on his heel and making a bee line for the exit, back to his car, and driving another hour or so to manila, but he’s frozen in his place.

you offer him a small smile, motioning for him to join you. “hayop ka anong ginagawa mo dito, ha? nag-drive ka pa, eh late na late na.”

iwaizumi is hit with the realization that in all that time he was driving alone with his thoughts, he didn’t even think of all the things he wanted to say to you. his head was simultaneously full and empty, there was just you.

“ikaw kasi kani-kanino ka nagpapa-picture. akala ko pag-papalit mo na ‘ko,” he manages to blurt out, yet you don’t miss the way his remark lacks the usual sass and playfulness.

“tama naman. ayoko na sa’yo eh,” you laugh, glancing over your shoulder to catch his scowl and an ad-libbed curse. your features soften when you notice the seriousness in his features as he stares into the nothingness ahead. you’re about to ask him if something was wrong when he sucks in a sharp breath.

“ako gusto ko sa’yo,” he says matter-of-factly, eyes meeting yours.

“what?” you laugh nervously, suddenly hyper aware of the way your heart hammers against your chest, of how you get a whiff of his usual perfume because you’re so close, the dark circles under his eyes, the distraught etched on his furrowed brows.

“i said i like you,” he repeats louder and firmer.

“i know what you said, i’m not sure i understand—”

“i like you, fuck i… i don’t know why it took me this long to say it to your face, but if i’m being honest, i was just afraid. i still am, but between being afraid of my own emotions and being afraid of fucking this up, i am actually quite fucking terrified of losing you more than anything else,” he rambles in one breath, words trembling but intense. it knocks the air out of your lungs, and you don’t know why tears start lining your eyes. “i might… even be falling in love with you fuck—”

“haji…” you whisper, body turning towards him like a magnet. he lets out a breath he didn’t know you were holding, oh how he missed you calling him that so soft and endearingly. “you have no idea how long i’ve waited for you to finally grow the balls to say that,” you chuckle, almost bitterly. “but i don’t know how to go about with this anymore.”

“let me set things right. i know we did things out of order, but i want to make us work,” he pleads, rough hands coming up to softly stroke your cheek with his knuckles.

your lips form a tight-lipped smile. he knows you’re about to ramble and finds it adorable. “i’m… i’m not so sure anymore, this is more complicated than i initially thought. w-what about the distance? haji, i’m not built for long distance i—”

iwaizumi grabs your wrist and pulls you against his chest. a strong arm wraps around your waist, his other hand holds the back of your head. you can feel both your hearts beating harshly against your chests, your cheeks heating up while you relish his embrace.

he places soft kisses onto your temple, whispering. “don’t worry that pretty little head of yours too much, there’s no rush. i’ll wait for you for as long as it takes. maghihintay ako.”

your eyes flutter open, light seeps through your vision and iwaizumi’s blurred figure slowly becomes clearer. he’s sat on an office chair, pulled right next to your bed. he watches over you with a soft smile.

“good morning, tomador.”

“tangina mong manyak, kanina mo pa ako pinapanood matulog?” you yawn, stretching your arms and limbs. did he not sleep at all? If he did, that shabby office chair couldn’t have been comfortable in the least. “akala ko ba babalik ka rin agad sa manila, akala ko umalis ka na kagabi.” you sit up, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. the clock reads 6:07am.

iwaizumi tilts his head to the side as he eyes you, a small smile tugs at his lips while you glare at him. “cute mo pala pag bagong gising,” he remarks. “gusto ko lang siguraduhin natatandaan mo pa ‘yung kagabi.” he stands up, pushing the chair back and walks over to cup your cheeks.

“oo naman, tanga. ‘di naman ako lasing kagabi—”

“ano sinabi ko?”

you blink back, stunned. you know what he means, but suddenly can’t get the words out of your mouth.

“hm? akala ko ba natatandaan mo, anong sinabi ko sayo kagabi?” he smirks, squishing your cheeks together in his hand.

“uh… s-sabi mo ano, gusto mo ako.”

“gusto lang?”

“baka… sabi mo baka mahal mo na rin ako,” your ears burn up as the words leave your mouth, you attempt to look away but iwaizumi jerks your face to look at him smirking menacingly at your flushed state. “chaka ano pa?”

“sabi mo mag hihintay ka, ‘yan okay na! tangina mo,”you pry his hands off and attempt to close in on yourself by hiding behind the strands of hair that fall over your face.

“good girl,” he chuckles. “una na ‘ko, ha? tawagan nalang kita mamaya, tulog ka ulit maaga pa.”

you nod wordlessly, still avoiding his gaze. you watch his retreating figure, but he halts right in front of the door. he looks over his shoulder, “bye, i almost love you,” and winks.

summer didn’t last a hundred and four days, not this time. iwaizumi came to visit you a few times over the course of barely a month and a half of vacation. you managed to make it work for until then. he was even more busy tending to documents and requirements for his fourth year on top of helping his mom and grandmother, but he made time for you. he always did.

you both made adjustments to accommodate the distance. regular phone calls, curt text updates, movie marathons on discord, sometimes with your squammy group of friends. some things stayed the same, the regular cussing each other out, the snide remarks, the usual roasts. except this time, days end on an “i almost love you” note.

as you’re running late for your first day of third year, you realize barely anything has changed. and when you run out of the house, hopping on one foot as you tried to stuff the other into your shoe, you see iwaizumi parked outside of your house, leaning against his car, and twirling his keys on his finger, he manages to make your world come to a standstill once again.

“good morning, anak ng mafia boss. late na po tayo, bilisan mo na dyan.”

just like that, you’ve come full circle.