#I think I'll take a break from my AC marathon for now

[neko-tempo]

Finished Silent Line: Armored Core 3 today. It was pretty good! Some rly neat and ambitious missions in this one but it sure had some pretty stanky ones towards the second half (at least the final ones were pretty cool). Didn't really feel compelled to 100% this one so i'll leave it at that for now.

[the-insomniac-emporium]

J Watches Arcane: Ep. 5, Random Thoughts/Play-By-Play

Still can't sleep, so the marathon continues! Hopefully my increasingly uncomfortable sleep deprivation doesn't impair my ability to make dumb jokes. This one is also very long, to the point I almost split it in two. Again, lots of these aren't important thoughts or whatever, and I'm sure plenty of folks won't find 90% of this interesting... but it's mainly for myself, so... ya know

(0:54) Look, I don't care about guns in any way, except for one single one, because it makes the most satisfying sound in the entire world when you're reloading it (specifically when the magazine comes out, iirc, but also again I don't know anything about guns so pardon me if that's not the right term). I heard it in a video game once, got curious, googled it to see if it really makes that sound, found out it does, and now the M1 Garand is the only gun I give a shit about.

Cait's gun doesn't make the exact sound, obvs, but for a brief second it was close enough that my brain went ! also the design of the weapon has similar aesthetics (I mean, a lot of older rifles look a lot like the M1, but idk, feels more than just something necessitated by the nature of the weapon) and I guess what I'm saying is that it's a pretty gun

(1:35) I am so glad to see Grayson again, even though it's just a flashback! I thought she was very interesting in Act 1, and I was real sad she got killed off (especially so off-handedly, ya know?).

(3:35, "uh, they all do, how could anyone not know that?") I am assuming that Marcus has been taking steps to ensure that Cait stays away from any actual important work, but it does kinda surprise me that she seems so surprised at the mention of Silco? Doesn't really feel like skinny-boy has been playing Trencher King with any sort of subtlety. Then again, how often do folks from Piltover pay Zaun any mind? Ah, right, basically just when someone causes trouble

(5:00~) I don't think I'll ever not be heartbroken about the shit Vi has been through at Stillwater, and I have to wonder what's going through her head when Cait is the first (Piltie) person in years to not beat the shit out of her. How long does it take for Vi to get rid of that paranoia, you know? Does she wonder if this is just some particularly elaborate "chat", like the warden mentions? I just want to hug her, my dudes

(7:30~) so Vander was a DILF (as in I'd like to f*ck, metaphorically cuz I'm ace), and Marcus is a DILF (as in I'd like to FIGHT). I mean, I get that there are some complications, considering his daughter (and I saw something implying the mother is dead, and I wonder if maybe part of why he made that first deal with Silco was cuz the money might help with the situation? was the mother sick, maybe?), and the fact that he did technically save Vi's life (even if he did so in a way that led to her getting beat to shit in prison, over and over, for years

But, ya know, mostly just want to fight him

(9:36) I am going to laugh about Marcus' "oh shit. oh no. not good" face for about ten years, probably. I am imagining that this is literally the first thing he went to do after that talk with Silco, and the timing is just MWAH

(10:02) :( my boy. wondering if this is the moment that really sparks his decision to use Hextech to counter his declining health

(10:40) Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but one of my favorite things, both in romantic and platonic situations, is listening to someone infodump to me about something that they know a lot about (even if I also know some, but especially if I don't have a clue), and now I just want to chill with Jinx while she explains the intricacies of mad science to me, even if half the terms she uses aren't technical at all, but just what she personally refers to things as. Also might use part of this scene as inspo for my OC, oops

(11:09) back to sobbing full force :((((((((((

Paragragh break again for formatting reasons<3

(11:41, "too risky") oh my god, Vi, you are incredible, perfect, I love you. Jumping off an edge without a second thought to how the Piltie enforcer escorting you will react. I love her so much. But also, like, I know some skills last for life... but how is she still so good at this, when she just got out of prison?... Seriously though, if you recall Cait's rough landing from the last episode, watching Vi and noting the contrast (she rolls with the landings, or slides, never lets herself come to a hard stop), it's just a beautiful display of how to correctly Parkour<3

Also, you know that half of this is just Vi going "holy shit I am out of prison" and freaking out about getting to actually run and jump and move around for once<3

(13:07) LMAO, love that the hobbling lady we saw earlier made it to the bottom at the same time poor Cait did

(18:15) Tries her very hardest, does insanely good, and still gets a shy just score of Vi's record. There's some subtext/symbolism here, isn't there? "Vi could do better at half your age" "there are just some things you can't do, Powder" "you aren't a fighter". Can't get any rest with ghosts like that

(19:20ish) Uh, hey Mel, your "girlboss gaslight gatekeep" or whatever is showing. Is everything she does part of the Game (to compare Piltover politics to Dragon Age ones)? Does she "help" Jayce succeed because he's her favorite player, or is he her favorite player because he can succeed? This is why Mel caught my interest so quick in Act 1, but is also why her and I would probably never actually get along. I don't have any qualms with dancing my way around feelings and bullshitting my way into things, but it's not about winning, it's about survival and keeping the playing field even. Not that even the worst of my shenanigans could ever actually hold a candle to Mel's, just that when you feel a desperate need for everyone to like you, and you find that people often do, a few nudges can keep sides from snapping at each other. To put it plainly: I tried to be a peacekeeper (but still find myself having to pull away from playing puppeteer like I tried to when I was young). Mel doesn't seem to have any grand morals behind her ambition, but I don't know what is behind her ambition, though I think it's safe to assume her mother is involved

Also, just want to say that I love that they're at a performance during this scene. They're up on a balcony, using words and charm to manipulate things, playing the aforementioned game with skill, while below them someone plays an instrument with equal skill. Idk, just love when shows do shit like this

(22:31, "you're hot, cupcake") I am not ready for this scene, I am not ready for this scene, I am not read-

anyone who has followed my blog for long enough will know that A: I am asexual, and B: I am incredibly easy to fluster 99% of the time (there is a specific stage of sleep deprivation where I am not, but I am far past that stage). I am going to cry. I am going to have to pause repeatedly and take deep breaths (admittedly part of why is because I also do not handle secondhand embarrassment well)

Look, if Vi pinned me to the wall, leaned in, and asked "what will it be, man or woman?", it would be next to impossible to say literally anything other than "preferably you"

(23:49, "imagining yourself a hero?") there was a single, tiny second, where I believed it. Insomnia makes a fool out of me, when dreams are so yearned for that I see them with open eyes

(25:40~) Oh. Okay. I knew we were cutting back to the brothel, but I honestly thought the scene was going to be longer? Or that we would see a few more seconds of Cait's POV? I made such a big deal out of this for nothing, lmao

(28:10`~) :((((( Viktor :((((((((((((((((((((((((

(30:25) Jinx :((((((((((( this baptism is not very fun :((( still not the worst one I've heard about (looking at you, Bioshock)

what the fuck, imagine dragons are canon characters in arcane???

(32:27, "VI?") this is going to hurt everyone involved. mostly physically, but Vi and I are coming out of this with emotional problems.

Court mandated paragraph break, even though we're only a few minutes from the end

(34:37) Ouch, ouch, ouch, and did I mention... ouch?

Apparently 70% of this show is characters I'm gay for fighting each other, and like 197% tears, but also 84% cool characters being badass and making me swoon

(35:56, "but you're so sweet") Vi, now is not the time for fun banter. But also it is 100% time for sweet banter because that last bit hurt my emotions, and now I get to enjoy you being a gay disaster for a few seconds. I can't wait to watch the evolution of "cupcake" from being a joke/not well received to Cait actually not minding/Vi saying it with a dorky affection