#Jemma Revell

[tenshichan1013]

frozen london dream team

[tvseries-writings]

Road Trip VIII

Road trip masterlist

Wandanat x Bioquake x reader (Bobbi x reader platonic!)

TW: blood

Summary of previous chapters: When Nat, Wanda, Daisy, Jemma and reader have an accident, reader is injured so badly that Jemma and Wanda must combine science and magic to save her with only one side effect...special healing powers that allow to project the injuries onto someone else but at a high price. What happens when the girls find out what this “high price” consist in?

Silence invades the room since you told them the truth about the tests. You had hoped that lie would last at least a couple of weeks, but instead it hadn't even lasted a day. Jemma looks at the papers in her hands, barely holding back tears and quickly shaking her head.

They say there are five stages of grief. And even if that is not their mourning, not yet at least, each of them, knowing the truth, is going through at least one of those stages.

Jemma is facing denial, rereading again and again those words that are incomprehensible to you but which Fitz has diligently summarized for you, as if by doing so he can find a permanent solution to your situation that you can accept.


"No, no, there must be something we can do...if you don't use your powers then, maybe-"

Daisy paces back and forth across the room, making her shake just barely, almost imperceptibly to anyone who doesn't know her. Daisy is incredulous, bewildered by a revelation of such magnitude.

"This is not your choice, all right? I wanted to tell you because I was forced to," you cast a glare at Daisy before continuing to speak, "and you have no say in the matter, get over it."

You know you've been hard on them, you know it and you see it in their looks but it's for their own good and for your own sanity. No one banned them from using their powers, even when they were hurting them so they have no right to ban you...not if you can save lives. You could even heal cancer with your powers, how can they not understand that.


"You may be right, sometimes our powers hurt us but we don't sign a death warrant every time we use them detka." Wanda takes a few steps toward you but you back away, shaking your head.
"I could save who knows how many lives, I...you are special, you always have been, by your powers or your qualities and now I too will finally feel useful in something" "Even if it means your death y/n? Because that's what we're talking about, you can't deny it and each of us is all too aware of it; do you realize that if you keep using these strange and dangerous new powers, you'll only destroy yourself until there's nothing left of you?"

Natasha struggles to keep the fear from seeping into her voice but you know her, you know she is only scared and afraid of how far your recklessness may take you this time.

You look away, unable to sustain the former widow's sharp but concerned gaze.


"I'm aware of that Nat, I know I'm signing my own death warrant but if it will help even one person then I'll be more than happy to take the risk."

"This is bullshit! Are we really going to allow her to do something like this? This is stupid and dangerous. You're committing suicide y/n and I can't stand by and watch you do it, at the cost of stopping you by force."

Daisy raises her arm toward you, she doesn't know why either but hopes to stop this madness even though both you and she know she would never hurt you. In fact, after a few seconds in which you all remain silent, the inhuman lowers her arm with a defeated air.


"Please love, please...we would not survive without you."

Daisy lets tears line her cheeks as she collapses to her knees, repeatedly shaking her head, "you can't choose to leave us if you have the option to not to, please..."

Your heart breaks and your body moves before you can stop it. You kneel next to her and hug her, kissing her cheek and whispering that it will be okay even though you know it is a promise you cannot keep. Wanda approaches you and joins the embrace, Jemma follows her while Nat remains motionless, just a few steps away from you. She would like to join but the pain she is feeling right now prevents her from doing so.


"Nat" Wanda whispers, turning toward her lifelong companion, inciting the redhead to join but the latter shakes her head.
"Please" you look up, mimicking the word with your lips, and she resists for a few seconds before complying with your request. This warm squeeze is supposed to be for Daisy but actually, if you have to be honest, you think it serves all of you.

You don't know how long you stay like this but when you speak again, your mouth is dry and your voice trembles.
"I'll...I'll be careful, I'll only use them when I think it's necessary okay?"

The girls nod, not what they wanted to hear but they know they won't get anything else from you.
"All right but first I want to do some tests and many, many blood tests so I suggest you prepare yourself psychologically."

You huff dramatically and hide in Wanda's arms.

"Wands save me" you whimper and Nat pats you on the butt shaking his head.
"I don't think you're going to get off that easy" "No no, Jemma is right and in fact, we'll help her hold you down for as long as detka" Wanda leaves a kiss on your temple and smiles when you let out another whimper.
"If you're going to have your way at least you have to suffer a little" Daisy sticks her tongue out at you and you kick her on the shin which makes her pout and massage the injured area.

"I hate you" "No you don't" "No you don't...I hate you very much."

"Y/N!"

.................................................................................

During the next three weeks Jemma doesn't give you a break and Bobbi certainly doesn't help. You have pitted arms and think you're missing a lot of blood after all the blood draws the biochemist forced on you. Just like she's doing today.


"Stop it Bobbi, that's the third one today..please."

You sigh, shaking your head and withdrawing your arm from the blonde's hands and almost injuring yourself with the needle.
"Y/n! Be careful or you'll hurt yourself."

Bobbi removes her gloves and places them, along with the syringe, on the small table to your right.

"I know you hate all these rockstar withdrawals and I know how terrible you are as a patient but-"

Your phone rings and as soon as it does, you immediately recognize the ringtone.
"Director Fury, tell me."

Bobbi watches you throughout the entire call, trying to figure out what your boss is telling you but can't. She has never been good at reading other people's emotions, let alone their looks.

"All right director, no problem. We'll leave right away."

You end the call, putting the phone back in your pocket and getting up from the infirmary bed. A dizziness forces you to sit back down and Bobbi snaps toward you, grabbing your arm to keep you from falling to the floor.

"Hey hey, easy. I just took a liter of blood from you, I don't think it's a great idea to get up so fast without even drinking your juice."

Bobbi hands you the juice and watches you carefully as you drink it all so as not to infuriate her.

"Can I get up now boss?"

A smile of defiance paints your face and the spy rolls his eyes, nodding his head to give you permission.


"What did Fury tell you?"

Bobbi tosses the used syringe and gloves into the trash can, but continues to watch you out of the corner of her eye to make sure that once you're on your feet you don't get hit with dizziness again. 
"We have a mission and we need to leave right away, it's a 084."

"Origin unknown..." Bobbi whispers and you nod. You both know that code all too well, as does Daisy.
"We need to warn the others and move now."

You head for the infirmary exit but Bobbi blocks you.
"You can't go on the mission, Fitz hasn't finished designing the electricity absorber for your neural connections yet and if anything goes wrong Jemma would kill me, non-" "Bobs, I know. It's going to be okay okay? I promise. Now get ready, I'm going to call the others."

When you finally find them, they are all four ( or almost) engaged in a violent, but also deeply exciting, sparring session.

Natasha is on top of Daisy, pushing her against the mat beneath them while Wanda and Jemma watch them on the sidelines with mischievous smiles on their faces.
"Do you give up Agent Johnson?" "Forget it Romanoff."

It takes Daisy a couple of tries before she gets the better of Nat and knocks the redhead to the ground, holding her hands above her head and legs apart.

That sight makes you hot, but as soon as you remember the real reason you came after them, to your regret, you interrupt the little scene before you.

"As much as I hate to interrupt you...Fury called me, we need to leave immediately for a mission. It's about an 084."

Daisy untangles herself from Nat's grip and looks at you with a look you've never seen on her before.
"When do we leave?"

………………..………………………..…………………………….

In less than four hours, 084 turns out to be much more "known" than expected, and you, Daisy, Bobbi find yourselves tied, in a cold, dreary gray cell, to each other, because of a white, misogynistic, and, above all, psychopathic Nazi asshole.


"I remembered you dead."

You spit on the floor; the mix of saliva and blood settles inches from his designer leather shoes.

You cast a glance at Daisy and Bobbi. The former is still unconscious but the rise and fall of her chest indicate that she is still alive while the blonde is awake and struggling against the handcuffs as she watches that being torture you helplessly.


"Oh my dear, you know how we Hydra people are...when you cut off one head two more pop up."

Whitehall smiles; a crooked, sick smile so sadistic it makes you cringe, even if you don't show it.
"Although it's been years, I see you still use the same jokes. Old age is looming eh? Indeed, since you ran out of your beauty serum, quite a few wrinkles have appeared."

Another fist crashes against your jaw and is so hard that your head snaps to the side and more blood joins the blood from before on the floor. Whitehall wipes his hand on a handkerchief taken from the pocket of the ivory jacket he is wearing.

He shakes his head, smiles at you and grabs your face with his right hand, cupping your chin between his index finger and thumb so hard you think he might shatter it. Despite his age, the asshole still has a lot of strength.

As long as he takes it out on you and leaves Daisy and Bobbi alone, though, he's more than okay. At least until Nat, Wanda and Jemma come to your rescue. Knowing them, they will already be hot on your trail.


"Now tell me agent y/n, where is the journal that S.H.I.E.L.D. seized from me?"

Whitehall grazes your cheek with the scalpel, causing a small cut that makes Bobbi wiggle even more from her restraints; you know that look, she's telling you not to pull too hard.

"For the umpteenth time, you Nazi prick, I don't even know what you're talking about!"

Blood drips from your nose, probably broken considering the throbbing pain. Obviously you know what he's talking about, it's no secret that S.H.I.E.L.D. came into possession of the red journal inside of which were engraved the super-soldier activation words but I doubt that a Hydra bigwig would need it so badly that he would kidnap three S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Daisy lets out a groan as she slowly opens her eyes and you freeze, aware that Whitehall will now focus all energy on her.

And to think he only managed to capture you with a sedative in the form of gas...uh, Nazis, those assholes never change.

"You Americans are so stupid...the red diary, from Hydra. Seems obvious to me."

Whitehall cracks a smile before carving you one more time with the scalpel only this time, the cut is deeper and all too close to your carotid vein and Daisy, who has just woken up and recovered from the sedative, as soon as she sees how you are reduced struggles against the handcuffs and yells at Whitehall to stop.

"The destroyer of worlds...glad you could join us in this pleasant reunion."

He turns away from you, focusing on Daisy. The Inhuman tries to activate her powers but can't, the collar on her neck prevents her from doing so, and the Hydra scientist smiles as he sees her tenacity.


"Daisy Johnson, Quake, the Destroyer of Worlds, many names but without powers you are nothing."

Whitehall approaches one of your soulmates, and when he injects something into her neck, you can't see anymore and the handcuffs become completely useless against the rage you're feeling and the fear that whatever that was inside that damn syringe might cause Daisy harm.

It all happens quickly; Whitehall reaches down and grabs you by the chin again and then uses that same hand to dab the blood that suddenly comes out of the wound in his neck-the exact same wound he gave you that is now gone from your skin and transferred to his. The blood from your nose comes out even faster and more copiously so that your head starts to spin but you can still make out a smile on that psychopath's face.

"Ha Ha, I knew the rumors were true, and a little water injected into one of your lovers gave me the confirmation I was looking for. What amazing powers, the gift of healing and destruction as sides of the same coin."

Whitehall shakes his head while continuing to smile as he takes his handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabs the blood coming from your nose; not that it has much effect since the bleeding is due to your powers.
"I look forward to experimenting on you, my dear. It will be painful but you know, breakthroughs require experimentation."

He turns to the two energetic men on either side of the door, the only way out of that room, and motions for them to take you away.


"Pick her up and take her to the room. I'll prepare for operations; we must start now. Science does not wait!"

Bobbi watches intently, and as soon as Whitehall and one of his two henchmen emerge from the gray and far too brightly lit cell in which they are keeping you locked up, the handcuffs that held her bound fall to the floor. The sound the handcuffs make as they hit the floor makes Igor the enforcer turn toward the blond spy. Bobbi picks up the chair to which she was tied and smashes it over the giant's head, and within seconds the latter falls unconscious to the floor before he even realizes what is happening.

You observe your surroundings without really doing so. Your head is spinning and the nosebleed still doesn't seem to have stopped; in fact, you don't know if it has; you are so dazed that you don't realize it. Passively, you watch Bobbi untie Daisy and then pick up the gun that the giant idiot dropped after being stunned. And then, as Daisy approaches you and Bobbi unties you, you feel yourself return to the reality around you. At least in part.

"Hey, look at me, are you okay?"

Daisy takes your face in her hands, tearing off a piece of her shirt and dabbing at your nose to the best of her ability.

Bobbi keeps her gun pointed at the door as her spy skills take over, though that doesn't keep her from checking you out with her eyes every few seconds. After all, she is one of your closest friends and she cares a lot about you.
"You're an idiot, you shouldn't have used your powers for me."
"You would have done the same for me Dee," you whisper, concentrating on focusing on her face and straining to pronounce the words correctly. Daisy does not respond and merely looks at you, continuing to hold the now blood-soaked piece of her T-shirt under your nose.

"Shit Bobbi, it won't stop bleeding. What should I do?"

Bobbi continues to watch the door as she kneels down to slip something metallic from her right boot before tossing it to Daisy.
"This is the neural connection stabilizer that Fitz designed, it's only a prototype but it should help. Besides, it's not like we have much choice right now sestra."

Bobbi shoots you a look, startled by how out of it you seem and lacking connection to reality. Daisy applies two electrodes to the sides of your temples, attaching them to the thick and particularly heavy iron headband at the back of your neck, and then, as soon as she presses the power button Bobbi points to her, the pain suddenly fades and your head stops spinning considerably, the same way the blood stops going down.


"How I love Fitz," you smile, shaking your head just barely to try to ward off even the dazzling nausea that unfortunately has not yet gone away.
"Yeah well, don't push it, we don't know how much it holds and I'm not about to find out y/n" Daisy gives you a warning look before helping you to your feet. You sway dangerously to the side as the world tilts but Daisy keeps you firmly anchored to herself, giving you a concerned look. It takes a few seconds before you stabilize.


"I just feel a little dizzy, that's all. I'm okay Dee."
"Yeah, sure, you're okay...if you're okay, I'm the director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

You roll your eyes and snort, giving Daisy a gentle nudge and realizing only then that the Inhuman is still wearing the collar that blocks her powers.

"Bobbi, can we get it off without hurting her?"

You turn to the blonde, and when the latter shakes her head, you tighten your lips, thinking how much you'd like to put a good bullet through Whitehall's skull.

Noises outside the door alarm you and you waste no time in grabbing a broken chair leg to use as a weapon.
"Oh, that's scary."
"Better this than air."

You stick your tongue out at Daisy, and for a few seconds you think you are safe, perhaps on the couch, sitting between the women you love most in the world as you watch a few movies on one of your movie nights.

Then, three gunshots cause you to take a defensive stance, putting yourself in front of Daisy to protect her just as the door to the closed cell you are in is smashed open and falls to the floor with a thud.

Bobbi doesn't lose sight of the entrance, but when she recognizes the silhouette of the person standing in the knocked-down doorway, a smile breaks out on her face and her shoulders relax as she lowers her gun.
"Did I step on your moment?"

Natasha smiles and runs toward you and Daisy, squeezing you in a hug before exchanging a pat on the back with Bobbi.

"Good entrance Romanoff, I see you still like to show off."
"Oh Morse, you know me well. My ego comes first."

Natasha presses the earpiece she has in your ear, looking at both you and Daisy relieved to see that you are both okay albeit with a few bruises and some blood.
"Jem, Wands...yes, I found them, they are fine. Whitehall escaped but we will find him."

...............................................................…………..

The journey to the Zephyr is silent, methodical and full of bullets lodged in the heads of Hydra soldiers. When you arrive on board, you are greeted by a warm, smothering embrace from Jemma and Wanda, and even Bobbi cannot escape it. And then, as was bound to happen, Jemma drags all three of you to the infirmary.

"Come on Jem, I'm fine. Really." you grumble as the biochemist wipes the crusted blood off your face, ignoring your protests.
"You're not fine, you used your powers and you shouldn't have. It was stupid and reckless, so let me do my job."
"That lunatic injected who knows what into Daisy, I couldn't stand by and do nothing Jemma! You would have done the same. All of you would have, don't lie."

Jemma shakes her head, casting a glance at Daisy before moving to the front of her crib.

"Oh, don't start with me. Think y/n."

Daisy gives you a dirty look, one of those that a brother gives his sister after the latter has ratted you out, and you amiably show her your middle finger. You two really love each other only you have a strange way of showing it, that's all.

The biochemist tilts the Inhuman's head, looking closely at the tiny little hole the syringe has left in Daisy's skin.

As Jemma drains Daisy with at least two vials of blood, you approach Bobbi and brush her arm with your hand.

"Hey, are you okay?"

You whisper and Bobbi nods, sighing so softly you almost heard it.

"You went too far, it could have been bad," the blonde whispers and clenches her jaw. You look away, doing anything to avoid meeting her eyes," she could have killed you and I couldn't have done anything about it. Do you understand that y/n? You cannot jeopardize your life like this...your life is not worth less than my life or Diaisy's life."

You shake your head and flinch away from Bobbi, drawing the attention of the other two girls in the room.
"I had no choice, you know how fixated Whitehall is on Daisy and her mother!"

Bobbi remains silent, she probably would have done the same thing in your place but the fear she felt at almost losing her best friend a few hours earlier still grips her stomach.

"Y/n, Bobbi is right. My life isn't worth more than yours and I don't want you to do shit like that ever again."

Daisy gets off the crib and walks over to you, taking your hands between her own and drawing circles on your skin.


"Yeah, I'd say we have enough stubborn, reckless people in this relationship already."

Natasha says, entering the infirmary at that moment. Behind her, Wanda crosses your gaze, turning a small smile.
"Honestly-and happily-I still don't know how you are all unharmed considering you never think before you do anything."

Jemma shakes her head and emphasizes a sigh of exasperation to let you know how much you stress her out.

You smile and the tension that seemed to hover in the room before quickly dissipates. Jemma picks up the tablet next to the crib Daisy was on, looking at the results that the fast S.H.I.E.L.D. machines have sent her.

"Well, then Dee looks like Whitehall was telling the truth. I don't know if it was water but it didn't alter any of your values so at the moment I'm satisfied...Not that you're safe from any future tests in the days to come, let's be clear."

Daisy snorts and Wanda hugs her to comfort her, unsuccessfully holding back a smile. After Jemma finishes observing your test results, the biochemist clears Bobbi for any substantial damage, simply giving her a palliative for a nasty bruise on her shoulder, and then, after long and careful consideration, decides it is time to remove Fitz's device.

She has you lie on the crib, though your protests are anything but feeble, and then hooks you up to a million machines. Heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, CO2--everything.
"Bobbi come here, Wanda stand by in case your intervention is needed."

You feel like that crib is your bedside, with all the people you love around you and wires poking out of your body everywhere. Jemma lifts up your shirt, gluing the two electrodes one above your left breast and the other under your right armpit.
"Oh Jem, I don't think we should do this right now," you whisper, pretending to be scandalized as Jemma pats you on the shoulder. The whispered word "idiot" and the laughter that follows make your heart warm.

Daisy, Wanda, and Natasha remain silent as they watch Jemma slowly and carefully detach the electrodes on your temples, also slipping off the iron tube behind your neck.


"How do you feel?" Bobbi says, watching the monitors and checking your vitals, noting a gradual increase in your heart rate.
"Simmons, heart rate 95 and BP 130/85 and rising."

Jemma runs to one of the drawers; you can't quite make out her movements or the faces of your girls despite the fact that they are inches away from you. Your vision is blurry and you're pretty sure your nose has started bleeding again and profusely too, considering the concern-laden tones of voice of the girls around you.
"Shit y/n, stay awake," Bobbi says to you, slapping your face a couple of times when she sees you squint.

Natasha is dabbing your nose with all the paper she can find, and her face contorts more and more from worry with each blood-soaked handkerchief she throws on the floor. And then, in the general chaos, while Jemma is injecting you with drugs for hypertension and to try to lower your heart rate, Daisy does the only thing that makes sense to her: she takes the electricity absorber and puts it on you in the exact same way it was just moments before. And everything disappears, your vitals return to normal and stable, and the nosebleed stops.

In your regained lucidity, you rub your suit sleeve under your nose, trying to get the crusted blood away.

"Well, Fitz really did a good job."

A small smile curls your lips as Jemma leaves a kiss on your cheek, breathing a sigh of relief.
"You're going to kill me one of these days, really. And anyway, you're going to stay on this crib until I'm sure you're okay, and we've got to find a solution to this," the biochemist taps you a couple of times against Fitz's jaw-dropping invention.
"We'll probably force you to stay there for life, considering the heart attacks you're giving us" Wanda giggles, wiping away tears she hadn't been able to hold back.

"I agree" Natasha leans over, leaving a kiss on your lips and being immediately followed by Daisy.
"Not bad for an agent without a degree, is it?"
"You're an idiot."

"Daisy Johnson, you know you're not just a stupid piece of paper to us. You don't-" "Jeem, I was joking. Chill."

You shake your head as Jemma continues to rail at a poor, helpless inhuman who nevertheless deserves every single word the biochemist is saying. Ah, they are so cute when they bicker. You love them.

Thanks for reading! I know it's been a long time but hey, at least it's a very long chapter come on. Comment, share and tell me what you think. If you want to support me, this is my ko-fi link☕️ and as always: have a great day!

Taglist: @wandanatsbaby @bioquaked @bioquakeweek @daisyjohnsonx @wandanatsgirl @chaekhan @station19 @resilientpendragon @so-no-kissing-then @thearchpitbullmx @ashadash0904 @kingshitonly @alwaysgoodnight @callistic @xjule @yuleni18 @simpforwandanat @alexxislexi @mrsdanversromanoff @coollemonsaresour @hushed-woodsman @razorscooteer @eponine-xx @maniacallinc @michelle170 @classyig @elenaguarnieri @scarletwidow @tati3001 @cristin-rjd @your-my-mission @mr-nicely @hi-i-1 @anniethurs @ktstwice @scarlet-raccoon @maria-403 @goldfishthegr8 @wandanatfan @looiegirl-blog

[cosmicqvake]

I can still imagine the smug look on Mack’s face when he reunites with Yo-Yo after the final battle. After they inevitably hug, and kiss, and revel in the fact that everyone is alive and safe, I just know that he immediately held out his hand for that $20.

He was not forgetting about it, and I just know Yo-Yo was pissed about it as she forked it over too. You also can’t tell me that Jemma, Coulson and even May weren’t in on it as well. I just picture Daisy and Sousa walking in together- possibly holding hands- and the entire group immediately exchanging cash amongst themselves with knowing smiles. Sousa would be unbelievably lost (Fitz too, not to mention) and Daisy would just be completely done with them all.

[hiddenvioletsgrow]

10 fandoms, 10 characters

Thanks for tagging me darlings @backgroundagent3 @amelia-mariee

-

1. Jemma Simmons - Agents of Shield

2. Hadrian Blackwater - Riyria Revelations

3. Inej Ghafa - Six of Crows

4. Patrick Jane - The Mentalist

5. Daniel Sousa - Agent Carter

6. Alyss Mainwarning - Rangers Apprentice

7. Peeta Mellark - The Hunger Games

8. Lucy Carlyle - Lockwood and Co

9. Edmond Dantes - The Count of Monte Cristo

10. Sophie Hatter - Howls Moving Castle

Tagging: @permanently-stressed @igotthisaccountunderduress @iguessthisismymainnow @faeriefully

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER 10/24/2023: DREAM DEMON (1988)

This is one of those movies I really deeply enjoyed, but if you asked me what it was about you'd think I was lying because I'd have a hard time telling you! It has kind of a Freddy Kreugerish premise as you might expect, in which a pair of young women are dragged bodily into one another's nightmares where they are pursued by deranged perverts; they have to unravel the mystery of what is causing this phenomenon, which has something to do with the dark history of the house where they are staying. The actual solution to this mystery is really confusing, and so is the path to the final revelation, which is mostly pretty aimless--but thankfully it is also tense and terrifying, with wonderful makeup and special effects and overall great design sense, and honestly two of the most adorable gal pals you have ever seen.

I feel to need to say that I'm a straight woman and so when I speak about the adorableness of Jemma Redgrave and Kathleen Wilhoite, I'm not being infantilizing or just boning out. I realize I'm being very "no homo" right now, but there's plenty of film fans whose viewing habits are directed by the fact that certain performers make them horny, which is like normal and all but I think not a very interesting way to watch movies or even enjoy performances. Unless we're talking about Jeffrey Combs or Peter Cushing or someone I personally think is hot, then all bets are off obviously. But Jemma Redgrave and Kathleen Wilhoite are just so very adorable! It is just a fact.

Meanwhile Jimmy Nail and Timothy Spall are extraordinarily frightening and intense, but especially Timothy Spall. I love that he's a sophisticated enough actor to be in things like SPENCER and LIFE IS SWEET, but also fully capable of playing horrible fucking creatures in weird genre movies. I like imagining that the Queen had to watch all of his movies including DREAM DEMON before making him Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

And speaking of the Queen, the characters Nail and Spall play are incredibly sinister, intrusive paparazzi who prey upon "Diana" (Redgrave), the pretty, virginal blonde fiancee of an aristocratic Falklands War hero. It's impossible not to assume that this was inspired by Diana Spencer's ill-fated induction into the royal family in 1981, and chilling to think that DREAM DEMON was made 9 years before her essential murder at the hands of the press. All of the scenes with Spall and Nail are thoroughly hair-raising--the one thing this movie has over ELM STREET is that we have to sort of backburner Freddy's pedophilia in order to enjoy that series, while the sexual violence and scenes of child abuse in DREAM DEMON are right in your face and highly effective; but the paparazzi thing becomes really disturbing because of the real-life event that it seems to foretell. Basically, I'm saying that I highly recommend this movie, even if it's hard to describe what it is literally about!

[winthorntales]

Femslash Friday: Couples That Never Were But Should Have Been Vol. 3

It's no surprise to me that Jemma and Daisy/Skye is already a known ship (maybe even popular as far as non-canons go.) So I don’t think I need to discuss how much these two, aesthetically alone, just make sense. 

But I do want to point out that the canon for AoS being what is when it comes to Jemma/Fitz, this FSF post will first focus on one character, who should have at least been a WLW (woman-lovin’ woman a.k.a. sapphic-inclined - pick any orientation label you’d like for that.)

Daisy shoulda been into chicks, y’all. If not to be with Jemma, then to be with some damn body because I needed to see all of her badass femme!top-seme-realness reach its glory.

Jemma is clearly deep in with Fitz when Daisy’s sapphic vibes peak (meaning all her male love interests are dead and she’s focusing on being solo dolo).

My heart would’ve equally, if not more so, melted if we could’ve at least gotten some young adorkable hacker lesbian with the personality of Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds on the team. She could’ve taken over the former Skye’s role as the web-wiz of the group. 

And then these two sapphos could’ve competed against Jemma/Fitz for most adorable couple ever on AoS before Yoyo/Mack even came into existence.

absolutely played by the enchantingly cute Taylor Russell, right? I mean, right?

*lovelorn sigh* .......After getting (emotionally-wounded-and-closed-off) S3/S4-Daisy to open up, let the guard down a bit and return to her normal self some, Daisy and Adorkable Hacker Girl could first bond over hacking and swap stories about their backgrounds as outcasts. Daisy’s being because she was an orphan, Adorkable Hacker Girl’s being because perhaps she was severely neglected and abused by a family whose idea of love was three square meals a day and a slap instead of a fist some days. 

This could lead to conversations about what defines family and revelations about how AHG sees herself as weak compared to Daisy because she has this aversion to violence and could never stand up to her family, stand up for herself or the siblings she cared about. She instead ran away and erased herself from the world by becoming this shape-shifting entity on the internet, which fills her with shame.

Then Daisy could try to teach her how to fight in a very private intimate setting as a way of encouraging her and protecting her from feeling embarrassed, letting her learn at her own pace. Of course, AHG doesn't let on about her traumatic past with violence and goes along with the training because she appreciates the gesture and wants to be close to Daisy. And of course, there comes a point when it all becomes overwhelming. At this point, when AHG shuts down and wants to quit, Daisy realizes, the hard way, that this approach to helping her overcome her aversion was a mistake all along because literally not knowing how to throw a punch is not actually the root of her problem. She could either find out what that root problem is through talking to her or dig through her past with the ole hacker skills and piece it together or do a combination of both.

She’ll go on to rescue AHG from violent ambushes by SHIELD enemies and comfort her later, when she feels like crap for freezing up or freaking out when the team needed her. Then what must follow is the inevitable episode where AHG does something brave without using violence, gets results and a near fatal injury in the process, which will lead to a bedside scene where the girl smiles through the pain and says “I just wanted to be strong like you for once.” 

And then Daisy, sitting next to her in bed and holding her hand with interlocked fingers, will kiss her hand and say “you’re stronger” and with tears sliding down, Daisy will kiss her forehead and---well, you get it, you get it. 

Now, let’s circle back to the idea of Jemma as our sapphic-inclined Daisy’s main love interest. 

As much as I love love love Fitz....his and Jemma's whole universe keeping us apart thing just doesn't hit the same romantic beats (especially since it's waaaay overdone) as Daisy's more recent anything for her thing with Jemma.

What I mean by Anything For is the prioritization of another person’s safety, feelings, and goals over the doer’s own, if they have any. Maybe this is just me over-analyzing things, but I feel like, in the later seasons, we see Daisy shift into the specific role of Jemma’s guardian. First, in a small way in S4 - when Daisy finds Jemma during the LMD take over. 

This scene! this SCENE!?!?! Oh, the way she talks her down, pulls her in, and makes her feel safe, that acting -- THAT acting! This whole moment is what officially awakened me to Skimmons! Daisy was hitting all my romantic hero beats to a TEE but only on some best friend shit. So could you imagine if they were actually a couple and she’s searching for her, trying to talk her down and pulls her in like that, I--dead. I have an entire urban fantasy series about demon slayers planned inspired by these two characters because of this precise moment. It’s working title is literally ‘the Daisy x Jemma story.’ Oh yes, I’m not in the messing around business. If I see wasted potential, I pick it up and I build.

In S5, we see Daisy Anything For Her-ing again in a big way when she goes on a tear through the lighthouse trying to rescue Jemma from alien slavery. Which is way more dramatically and immediately satisfying than just knowing Fitz is somewhere out there ‘working on it.’ 

And then once again, we see more Anything For Her-ing in S6 when Daisy supports Jemma flying them across the universe to fight more aliens looking for Past Fitz. And of course Daisy doesn’t mind being Jemma’s Hound because Jemma’s her bestie and she likely sees it as just doing her duty as Captain of the FitzSimmons ship. To the Hets and others who just happen not to ship them, all these acts of love and devotion are likely seen as just Daisy being a good big sister figure to Jemma and Fitz. And that’s lovely for them. 

But you know what would have been lovely for me, fellow femslashers? Leo Fitz being Jemma’s twin brother this whole time and also, of course, Jemma being gayer than a pack of skittles.

Truth be told, I was never a fan of the Twilight-y/Jacob Black-ish way that Jemma/Fitz started, with the latter harboring these feelings and the former being completely oblivious and then awkward about it at first.

I’m not a fan of the Unrequited Love trope in general. And I love Fitz, so I was rooting for him to move on with someone who didn’t need to ease into the idea of loving him that way. But ease Jemma did. And they’re in it for real and for life...well, for the five minutes a year they get to be in the same room, anyway. 

But what could’ve happened if FitzSimmons were twin siblings instead (and I was the head writer on the show who made Jemma and Daisy definite lady-lovin’ ladies, no squinting required)?? 

Jemma and Daisy’s love story begins post-Ward Betrayal, somewhere in late S2 early S3 with some "my emotional rock" moments, followed up with mild flirtations and blushing denials.

Then, as the pair were just beginning to show more overt feelings toward each other, Jemma starts being all anti-inhuman right when Daisy’s powers are emerging.

After the cat quakes out of the bag and Jemma is angry at Fitz and Daisy for hiding this from her, what ensues between the two girls is a tearful conversation about secrets and lies and fixing things that aren’t broken involving the words “are you afraid me?” & “I would never hurt you” somewhere in between. 

Then, after Jemma has some time to cool off, she apologizes to Twin!Brother Fitz for abandoning him and making him feel broken/discarded, then to True Love!Daisy for making her feel afraid to come to her, and then this quote happens “you have to know that the love I have for you runs deeper than fear of the unknown ever will.” 

only there would be kissing...yeh, lots more kissing.

I could sit here and rewrite every arc and scene with Daisy and Jemma as a couple spliced through it, but I won’t take up anymore time. 

Call me old fashioned but a strong rescue romance theme between a Rogue Toughie living by her own code of honor and a Strong-Willed Softie always surviving some kind of peril with her wits until her knight in shining gauntlets returns for her....the concept just melts my heart.

And that’s the vibe Daisy and Jemma give, especially in later parts of the show, which makes me wish that these two had been given the ‘Love Story of a Lifetime’ instead.

[estrellami-1]

Writing Patterns Game

Rules: share the first line of your last 10 published works or as many as you are able and see if there's any patterns.

Thanks to @stevesbipanic for the tag! I don’t have my fics posted in chronological order, so I’m going to do my ten most recent fics from my general masterlist. Some of these don’t have official names, as they were based off of someone else’s post.

Mechanic Eddie Meets Stephanie - “Good afternoon,” a voice says.

Appalachian Cryptid Wayne - Wayne wakes up with a start.

How Steve Harrington Gets a Family - The first time it happened, Steve didn’t remember.

With You - Some days, Steve wakes up pain-free, and the only reminder of the living hell that was his late teens through early twenties is the slight muffledness of his left ear.

The Foundation (I’m Not Leaving You) - Steve thought of love like a house.

We’ll Help You - “Bye, Mom, Dad, I’m going to Steve’s!” Robin calls into the house. (I don’t know if this is actually one or two sentences?)

Quite Miss Home - “Helloooooo, Chicago!” Eddie yells into the mic, reveling in the roar he gets back from the audience. (Same for this one. One or two sentences?)

Skipping Every Time You Shine, I’ll Shine For You as it’s a continuation of another fic and I’m not going to count that.

The Easiest Thing (I’ve Ever Done) - The camera’s shaky, moving from Eddie trying to place his phone down, making sure to keep his face in frame.

Also skipping Until You for the same reason.

(Healing From The) Pain - Steve spent most of his life feeling pain.

Jemma - When the bell rings, Robin wearily sighs, stands, and affixes her hat on her head.

Any patterns y’all can see? I start with someone talking 3 times, and I mention Steve 5 times, but I do also tend to write in his POV, so that does kinda track. 🤷‍♀️ a mystery for the ages I suppose, though I do like a good in media res, so maybe that’s my pattern?

Open taglist ❤️ I just ask you to tag me in it so I can see everyone’s amazing fics!!

[dragonflies-draw-flame]

10 fandoms/10 characters

Many thanks to @tomatette, @jaynesilver, and @fallingdeeperintothispit for tagging me 😁.

Star Wars (Sequels): Armitage Hux. I really do love Kylo too—Ren is such an interesting, dramatic character, and he's absolutely perfect for Hux, seriously. But Hux with his emotional unavailability, hard, overly-composed exterior, his passion/drive to the point of his own detriment, traumatic past...he's everything I could want in a character, because I am also all of these hard-to-love things (though thankfully minus the space fascism).

Star Wars (Prequels): Anakin Skywalker. Look, I know he's a bit whiny sometimes but damn if I don't love a murderous pretty boy on a fool's errand for the person he loves. Mystical space powers and dramatic sweeping outfits are just an added bonus.

Beauty and the Beast: the Beast. For the handful of people following my BatB Kylux fic, this is TOTALLY shocking, I know (and also you guys are amazing ❤️). I do love Belle—she's a book-loving introvert, so that's a given. But the Beast (notice I didn't say Prince Adam)...yeah, I did NOT know how to deal with my attraction to him when I was younger. Mercurial, cursed, awkwardly endearing, dark-haired, passionate, and desirously fluffy?! Wears dramatic capes, has an enchanted rose determining his future, and has the library of my dreams that he is willing to share?? What the fuck more could I want?!

LOTR trilogy: Aragorn. Do I really need to explain that to anyone?? (Also: sorry, Legolas...you were a VERY close second).

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Jemma Simmons. Brilliant, adorable style, much more resilient than she looks. Her quote that goes "Past events...have shown me that I’m not good at improvisation. However, I excel at preparation" is not that great out of context here, unfortunately, but regardless, it was so validating to me. Me too, Jemma!!

Once Upon a Time: Killian Jones (Captain Hook). My husband loves this show, so we have watched it so many times. Hook is a seductive, charming bad boy who eventually really does try his best. And his pirate get-up? UGH, have mercy. (Also, wow, apparently I really, really have a thing for pretty, dark-haired, dangerous men who wear mostly black INCLUDING at least one garment that falls to at least knee length. Huh. That's...rather specific.)

Harry Potter: Hermione Granger. I related hard to a bookish girl who had a hard time making friends when I read these in grade school.

Howl's Moving Castle: Howl. I did not know how to process the extent to which I was attracted to him either, especially because he's not even human some of the time (which I liked, a lot). It was a revelation to find the world of online fanfic where I was very much not alone in those kind of thoughts!

Mean Girls: Janis Ian. Yeah, I know Janis does some shitty things in this movie, but she is unapologetic about who she is. I totally admired her boldness in high school, especially since I too dealt with the horror of rumors being spread about my sexuality (except the ones about me were true ahaha). And I always leaned much more Victorian goth than punk, but I nonetheless appreciated her style as well.

t.A.T.u.: Lena. I would be remiss to leave off this duo, even if they were a musical group, which is not one of my usual fandom sources. BUT they were the first pairing I actually read fanfic about online, way back when, and wrote a ton for them too (unpublished). For a 12-year-old who was struggling massively with...well, everything, but especially feeling incredibly alone and terrified of my sexuality, their music video/song "All the Things She Said" blew my mind. Unfortunately I never got my own chance to make out/run away with a pretty redhead in the rain, but still.

Tagging: I think I've seen this done by most people I follow already? But if you haven't done this and are reading it, please consider yourself tagged and do so, if you wish! I love these get-to-know-you things and would genuinely love to hear about you :).

[pers-books]

In light of the revelation that Jemma Redgrave is a Gunners' fan I find myself pondering a fic where Bernie is a footie fan and takes Jason to matches - not only the ones for the local Holby footie team, but also to matches at the Emirates Stadium.

I'm still not up to writing following the loss of my mum, but if I were, I'd be tempted to write it.

[denimbex1986]

We didn’t want David Tennant to go, and it was time for Ncuti Gatwa to finally take the Tardis keys, but in a twist we got both of them at once. It was no surprise, though, that Neil Patrick Harris was a scene-stealing romp, revelling in silly accents, closeup card magic and imaginative cruelty.

The Toymaker’s violence-dealing dance scene at Unit HQ to the Spice Girls rivalled the Master’s Rasputin routine in the Power of the Doctor, and seemed like the new Russell T Davies era writ large: bright, bold and knowingly silly, but with an underlying political message.

Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley) was back too, and the barb a possessed Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) aimed at her, that she had seen her getting up out of her wheelchair, was oddly prescient. It was filmed months and months ago, but echoed the ludicrous discourse after Madeley’s first appearance about whether a character in a wheelchair could be capable of crossing their legs. Online discourse like that was one of Davies’ real-life targets with this script, with its not-too-subtle messaging that having every human online and 100% certain they were right about everything was a recipe for global chaos.

A return for former companion Mel (Bonnie Langford) meant she finally got to show that her character really had been, as described, a computer programmer, and not just an eternally-in-distress 1980s damsel. And Langford got to use her singing and dancing skills for plot-driven reasons too.

At its heart, for the first 40 minutes, this was about Tennant and Catherine Tate (Donna). At times tender, at times dry or sarcastic with each other – “I’m already running!” – but always friends. When Donna so effortlessly negotiated a future job at Unit, you feared the worst for her – that it would be another fantastic dream she would never get to have, but she ended up with her family life, and an unexpected plus one in the shape of a grounded 14th Doctor.

Gatwa’s entrance, due to the show’s first ever “bi-generation”, appears to be acting as a character cleanse for the Doctor and a potential soft timeline reset for the show as a whole. It meant a huge tonal shift for the final third, leaving the demise of the Toymaker almost an aside as the Doctors stood together, using the 60th anniversary to wave goodbye to the past and usher in the future.

Sum it up in one sentence? The Toymaker returns to drive the human race to distraction with a doll, only to find they’ve gifted the Doctor a home.

Life aboard the Tardis We got the awkward conversation that happens every time a current companion meets an earlier one – “but you’d never mentioned them”. And the Toymaker’s puppet replay of the grisly fates of Amy, Clara and Bill rammed home how life on the Tardis has become a hazardous occupation in the modern era.

Fear factor The scenes inside the Toymaker’s shop had a creepy dreamlike feel to them, with the dolls at times evoking horror movie vibes – albeit a horror movie you can show to eight-year-old kids on a Saturday teatime.

Mysteries and questions The Meeps’s reference to its boss in the first special, and the Toymaker saying there was a thing hiding in the universe that even he was afraid to challenge, but would be somebody else’s game, seem to be setting up a big bad for Gatwa’s first full season. And the Master couldn’t really be trapped for all eternity in a gold tooth? Of course not. That was surely the hand of the Rani picking up the tooth after it dropped.

Deeper into the vortex * There were too many callbacks to count, but the biggest was the Toymaker, who, as briefly glimpsed in colourised clips, first appeared played by Michael Gough in a 1966 story with William Hartnell. Gough was due to reprise the role in The Nightmare Fair, a 1986 Colin Baker story, but BBC bigwigs had other ideas, put the show on hiatus, and we ended up with Trial of a Time Lord instead. The 1966 story has three episodes missing from the archive, but an animated version using the original audio soundtrack will be released next year. Though from the trailer it looks like it was animated in Roblox, so YMMV. * As Kate Stewart, Jemma Redgrave has now appeared in stories featuring the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and War Doctors. That equals or eclipses the number of Doctors that her character’s father, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, appeared with, depending on how pedantically you count them. * Russell T Davies has said that one of the reasons he thought of casting Harris as the Toymaker after working with him on It’s a Sin was because the actor is a magic enthusiast and has done his own standup magic routines before...'

[themculibrary]

New Years Masterlist 2

part one, part three

3, 2, 1... (ao3) - muscatmusic18 peggy/daniel G, 1k

Summary: What if Peggy and Daniel didn't follow up after their office kiss, and instead have to wait until New Year's?

And a Happy New Year (ao3) - SkyBlue2003 bruce/thor N/R, 666

Summary: Thor and Bruce have a traditional new year's kiss.

At the stroke of midnight (ao3) - StarryDreamer leo/jemma G, 1k

Summary: Fitz meets her for the first time at the stroke of midnight.

Fireworks (ao3) - shipskicksandgiggles harley/peter G, 1k

Summary: Spending New Year's alone was perfectly fine with Peter. That changes when his best friend shows up at his door with a couple of glasses and a bottle of champagne

First Time For Everything (ao3) - cordeliadelayne clint/phil E, 2k

Summary: Coulson doesn't do New Year's resolutions. Luckily for him, Clint does.

hopeful for the new year (ao3) - PietroBarton bucky/pietro N/R, 1k

Summary: Pietro grew tired of the chatter and pleasantries of the new years eve party.

i'd say i love you with my final breath (ao3) - wmthackeray druig/makkari N/R, 2k

Summary: He presses his forehead to hers and it's like hundreds of years of tension simply drips off of her, and she feels lighter than ever. As if she could run through the entire universe -- but she won't, since she's back in the place she likes best.

On the eve of a new millennium, Makkari decides she's tired of celebrating alone. So she pays Druig a visit.

Let This Moment Be The First Chapter (ao3) - SuburbanSun leo/jemma G, 1k

Summary: After the year they've had, neither Fitz nor Jemma are sure they have anything to celebrate on New Year's Eve.

(They find something to celebrate, anyway.)

Millennium Bug (ao3) - WhiteravenGreywolf carol/maria G, 1k

Summary: It's New Year's Eve at the Danvers-Rambeau family, and in the last few hours of 1999 Monica has a revelation for her mothers.

New Year Playboy (ao3) - Scotland_Axel (orphan_account) steve/sam M, 1k

Summary: Steve meets Sam at an Avengers New year's party dressed as a playboy bunny.

New Year's Kiss (ao3) - Daddyshield (orphan_account) clint/natasha N/R, 1k

Summary:

Prompt from Tumblr Person A goes to get something from another room not realizing it's almost midnight and when they do realize they sprint and parkour across the house to kiss Person B on midnight.

New Year's Party (ao3) - captainmistyknight (vicspeaks) steve/tony G, 1k

Summary: Tony used to love New Year's parties, but that was before the Avengers became his family. Steve helps him find a reason to love them again.

New Year’s Resolution (ao3) - frostyfluff31 bruce/natasha G, 726

Summary: Bruce and Natasha spends New Year’s eve together and share their resolutions with each other.

New Year's Resolution To Kiss You Like I Mean It (ao3) - seibelsays bucky/darcy G, 1k

Summary: Bucky has learned a thing or two over the last few years. He's finally putting that knowledge to good use and prioritizing Darcy over work.

Resolutions (ao3) - memorizingthedigitsofpi leo/jemma G, 2k

Summary: Sometimes New Year's Resolutions are just a glorified to do list. Sometimes, they mean so much more than that.

Smooth Like Velvet (ao3) - Rubick sam/bucky T, 5k

Summary: Steve hummed, taking a step back. “Sam is not going to know what hit him when he sees you.”

Bucky’s pulse spiked as he frowned at Steve. “What—What are you talking about? Why would I care what Sam thinks?”

Steve chuckled and looked at him the way Bucky had seen him look at Tony way too often—with a mixture of frustration and fondness. “Come on, Buck. You don’t have to hide it with me.”

~~~

It’s the Stark annual NYE bash, Bucky’s in a tux, and he’s not staring at Sam across the dance floor.

He’s totally not.

Starlight Wishes (ao3) - xxDustNight88 bucky/darcy T, 2k

Summary: New Year's Eve is a time for making resolutions, or wishing on shooting stars in Bucky's case. It just so happens that his wish for a fruitful New Year comes in the form of one Darcy Lewis. Luckily, she doesn't seem to mind…

Ten Ladies Dancing (ao3) - JulietsEmoPhase peggy/angie T, 1k

Summary: Peggy has a lot of work to do, but it's New Year's Eve, and Angie wants to go and have some fun.

Set after season one, very minor spoilers, no smut.

The White Wolf and New Years (ao3) - Introvertatheart steve/bucky G, 3k

Summary: It's time to ring in the New Years, Steve is excited. Bucky could care less. Harley does what Harley do. But then they get a visitor.

Wanna Kiss? (ao3) - Azure_Waves darcy/loki M, 100

Summary: It's New Year's Eve on Asgard. Remarkably, they have similar traditions.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (ao3) - PlayItRight yelena/kate T, 8k

Summary: After the craziest Christmas of Kate Bishop's life, she's back home and ready to relax for the end of the year. But when Kate receives a text from a mysterious yet familiar unknown number, will New Year's really be relaxing?

when the clock strikes twelve (ao3) - skylarkblue yelena/kate T, 3k

Summary: After Kate gets back from Christmas with the Bartons, she and Yelena finally go for that drink.

[pop-culture-diary]

Czy Londyn ma tę moc?

“Frozen” Royal Drury Lane Theatre 

Muzyka i słowa: Kristen Anderson-Lopez i Robert Lopez 

Libretto: Jennifer Lee 

Reżyseria: Michael Grandage 

Choreografia: Rob Ashford 

Scenografia: Christopher Oram 

Kostiumy: Christopher Oram 

Występują: Samantha Barks, Laura Dawkes, Oliver Ormson, Jammy Kasongo, Ashley Birchall, Mikayla Jade, Craig Gallivan, Richard Frame, India Moon, Phoebe Penfold, Ben Irish, Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly, Jak Skelly, Jacqui Sanchez, Ashley J Daniels, Rhianne Alleyne, Gabrielle Cocca, Molly Francis, Isabella Glanznig Santos, Aoife Kenny, Jemma Revell, Caitlin Tipping, Jemal Felix, Jordan Fox, Dominic Adam Griffin, George Hinson, Jonathan Milton, Rodney Vubya, Marianne Bardgett, Rebecca Botterill, Oliver Brenin, Laura Emmitt, Matt Gillett, Justin-Lee Jones, Jordan Livesey, Harriet Samuels, Ed Wade, Anna Woodside 

Tekst pisany na podstawie spektaklu z 5 września 2024. 

Gdy w 2013 roku "Kraina Lodu" odniosła porażający sukces finansowy, stało się jasne, że sceniczna adaptacja to tylko kwestia czasu. Musical zadebiutował na Broadwayu w 2018 roku, ale zniknął z afisza z powodu pandemii. Na szczęście w 2021 roku odbyła się londyńska premiera musicalu i tytuł pozostał na afiszu do września 2024. W porównaniu z "Królem Lwem" to dość krótko, ale "Kraina Lodu" ma niedługo zawitać do wszystkich domów dzięki platformie Disney+. 

Księżniczka Anna z Arendell (Laura Dawkes) nie może się doczekać koronacji swojej siostry, Elsy (Samantha Barks), która zakończy wieloletnią izolację królewskiego dworu. Elsa nie podziela jej ekscytacji, obawia się stanięcia przed poddanymi i konieczności ukrycia lodowych mocy, z którymi zmaga się od dzieciństwa. Niestety, pośpieszne zaręczyny siostry z księciem Hansem (Oliver Ormson) sprawiają, że traci kontrolę, zamraża królestwo i przerażona ucieka w góry. Poczuwając się do odpowiedzialności, Anna wyrusza za nią. Z pomocą sprzedawcy lodu Kristoffa (Jammy Kasongo), jego wiernego renifera Svena (Ashley Birchall) i magicznego bałwanka Olafa (Craig Gallivan) chce znaleźć siostrę, przywrócić lato i uratować Arendell. 

Gwiazdą spektaklu była bez wątpienia fenomenalna Samantha Barks. Odpowiednio królewska i majestatyczna, pokazywała dwa oblicza Elsy: idealną królową i zagubioną dziewczynę, rozpaczliwie potrzebującą miłości i pomocy. Przepiękny, mocny głos Barks sprawia, że jej wykonanie ikonicznego “Let it go” nie ustępowało wersji filmowej. A pamiętajmy, że śpiewając musiała też zgrać się z efektami specjalnymi. Warto też wspomnieć o perfekcyjnym odwzorowaniu zachowania animowanej postaci, łącznie z pamiętnym szelmowskim uśmiechem. 

Laura Dawkes wniosła w rolę Anny wiele charyzmy i chaotycznej energii, kreując tym samym postać realistycznej dziewczyny, której daleko do perfekcyjnej księżniczki. Jej optymizm i pozytywne zakręcenie ujmowały za serce i stanowiły ciekawy kontrast do pozornie oschłej Elsy. Uroczo wypadała zarówno w duetach z Barks jak i grającym Kristoffa Jammym Kasongo. 

Oliver Ormson świetnie prezentował się jako kłamliwy książę Hans. Łatwo uwierzyć, że z jego charyzmą i mocnym głosem da radę porwać tłumy i podbić serc mieszkańców Arandell. Niestety, od pierwszego pojawienia się na scenie wydawał się nieco zbyt złowieszczy, co zmniejszyło zaskoczenie, gdy w końcu pokazał prawdziwą twarz.  

Jammy Kasongo był za to wspaniałym Kristoffem. Musical sprawnie rozszerza tę postać, pozwalając aktorowi pobawić się rolą (chociażby dodając trochę pazura w scenie poznania Anny i Hansa na targu) i mocniej zarysować relację z Anną. Kasongo świetnie pokazuje zażyłość między Kristoffem i Svenem i błyszczy szczególnie w drugim akcie, gdy w dopisanej na rzecz musicalu piosence “Kristoff Lullaby” niepokoi się o Annę. 

Craig Gallivan miał przed sobą zadanie trudne zadanie, bo rola Olafa nie ogranicza się do zadania wokalnego i aktorskiego, trzeba też operować skomplikowaną kukiełką bałwanka. Co więcej, przez cały spektakl trzeba balansować na cienkiej linii pomiędzy byciem uroczym, a irytującym. W wykonaniu Gallivana Olaf wypadł idealnie, nieprzesadnie słodko, niczym rozczulające, małe dziecko. 

Ogromny szacunek należy się też aktorkom wcielającym się w role małej Anny i Elsy: India Moon (Anna) to wulkan energii, którym wprost nie dało się nie zachwycić, a Phoebe Penfold (Elsa) perfekcyjnie opanowała choreografię magii. Ibie dziewczynki świetnie oddają siostrzaną więź swoich postaci. 

Nie można też nie wspomnieć o Ashley Birchall, która w “Krainie Lodu” mierzyła się z najtrudniejszą chyba rolą na West Endzie. Spędzenie całego spektaklu ciężkim kostiumie Svena, poruszając się w wiecznie zgiętej pozycji wygląda mi na zadanie wprost z koszmaru. 

Sam kostium był wprost przepiękny, bardzo realistyczny i genialnie zaprojektowany, tak by pozwalać animatorce poruszać się jak renifer, a nawet mrugać oczami. Równie dobrze wypadała misternie wykonana kukiełka Olafa przyczepiona do kostiumu grającego go aktora, która nawet z wysokości balkonu wyglądała miękką w dotyku i pozwalała rozróżnić wyraz twarzy bałwanka. 

Zaprojektowane przez Christophera Orama kostiumy stanowiły perfekcyjne odwzorowanie filmu animowanego. Można było zobaczyć zarówno stroje koronacyjne jak i ikoniczną lodową suknię. Pojawiło się też kilka nowych pomysłów, jak na przykład wspaniale realistyczny śnieżny strój Anny czy bitewny kombinezon Elsy z drugiego aktu. 

Tworząc scenografię Oram zdecydował się na połączenie jej klasycznych elementów z ekranami do wizualizacji, stanowiącymi tło. Efekt końcowy zapierał dech w piersiach. Na scenie zbudowano zarówno zamek w Arendell jak i lodowy pałac Elsy, a dzięki ekranom, za oknem można było dojrzeć poruszającą się zorzę polarną. Nie zabrakło też letniej krainy Olafa, która wyrastała z podłogi, by zniknąć, gdy tylko piosenka dobiegła końca. Nie zapomniano też o detalach, wykorzystując nawiązania do kultury skandynawskiej zarówno w kostiumach, jak i wnętrzach. 

Świetnie prezentowały się też efekty specjalne, a przecież przeniesienie na scenę animacji, wymagało ogromnej kreatywności i zasobów. “Kraina Lodu” wykorzystywała mieszankę wspomnianych już ekranów, oświetlenia i zachwycających efektów praktycznych, by pokazać ikoniczne momenty z filmu, włączając w to odlatującą na wietrze pelerynę, tworzoną na oczach widza suknię czy zamarzanie Arendell. Szkoda tylko, że lodowy pałac powstaje za kurtyną. 

Rob Ashford stworzył choreografię bardzo nierówną, która świetnie sprawdzała się w jednej scenie, a w innej całkiem zawodziła. Wspaniale wypadały sceny używania magii, każdy ruch jest przemyślany i perfekcyjnie zgrany z efektami specjalnymi. Cudownie zaaranżowano każde wejście istot magicznych. Zachwycało też przedstawienie zamieci, którą tworzą przebrani na biało tancerze, ale już goniące się przez nią postaci wypadają dość groteskowo. Zawiodła mnie też piosenka “Miłość stanęła w drzwiach”, która w porównaniu z animacją, czy innymi scenami z musicalu wypadła jednocześnie nudno i dziwacznie. Co gorsza, brakowało w niej też energii. 

Jeśli chodzi o libretto, wprowadzono subtelne zmiany względem filmu, pojawiły się też wątki poruszone dopiero w drugiej części animacji. Użyto wszystkich piosenek, które znamy i kochamy z filmu, ale też dopisano nowe, dodające głębi postaciom (“Dangerous to dream” czy “Monster”) i trzymające wysoki poziom, do którego przyzwyczaili nas Kristen Anderson-Lopez i Robert Lopez. 

Szczerze powiedziawszy sceniczna “Kraina Lodu” nie zachwyciła mnie tak jak się spodziewałam. Mimo świetnej muzyki, fenomenalnych artystek i pięknej oprawy wizualnej, w wielu scenach po prostu coś mi nie pasowało. Może zawiodła choreografia, może zabrakło czegoś więcej, a może po prostu ja miałam zbyt wysokie wymagania. Dość, że choć płyta z nowojorskiej “Krainy Lodu” pozostanie jednym z moich ulubionych musicalowych soundtracków, nie wybrałabym się ponownie do teatru, nawet gdyby spektakl nie zniknął z afisza. To powiedziawszy, warto było zobaczyć to na scenie, cieszyć się tą niepowtarzalną atmosferą i na żywo podziwiać Samanthę Barks w roli Elsy. 

Ale to tylko moja opinia, a ja nie jestem obiektywna.

[open-hearth-rpg]

Open Hearth Video Roundup - June 7, 2024

Welcome to the weekly Open Hearth Gaming video roundup!

These recorded sessions represent only a portion of the games we play every week, and anyone is welcome to join the fun! If you'd like to play in games like these, join our Playabl community and click on the "Calendar" tab to sign up for upcoming games. To browse our entire library of session videos, please visit our YouTube Playlists page. To hear our recorded sessions in audio-only form, please check out our Playing at the Hearth podcast.

Open Hearth Gaming Calendar

Fearful Symmetries: Arc Two (Session 12 of 12) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, Sherri, and Will H The magicians finally move to face Lord Portmore. But they discover a darker secret at the heart of their enemy's estate-- a threat to Albion and England. To stop it, one of them will have to pay the ultimate price.

Godkiller (Session 4 of 12) Donogh runs for Madelancholy Newbridge is reeling from the revelations of Wal's actions, but when she wakes from her ordeal it seems that things are changing for the worse already in the town - will Wal cut and run again, or make a stand?

Hearts of Wulin: Three Mountains, One Heart (Session 5 of 5) Lowell Francis runs for Eliot, José Feito, Kevin M, and Sherri The group considers their next steps in dealing with Peerless Zhelan, as our Fox Spirit has a vision. Da Ming discovers a betrayal at the heart of his school while heartless lets loose not one but two dragons. It all leads to a deadly confrontation as the cultivator schools battle in the streets.

Imperium Maledictum: 3 Cycles from Retirement (Session 3) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Dom, and Sabine V. The town of cultists finally pulls back the curtain, threatening to strap the Tech Priest into their sacrificial device. With Octus out tracking down heretics, the other three have to take on mobs, a leader, and a psyker mutant.

Girl By Moonlight: Divine Engines (Session 13) Lowell Francis runs for Ethan Harvey, Patrick Knowles, Sherri, and Tyler Lominack The penultimate session and the final mission. The fate of the Bastion will be decided.

Girl by Moonlight: Danger! Unexploded Spell Lowell Francis runs for Clarisse, Dom, Sherri, and Vertin Session Zero- series setup and character creation for Girl by Moonlight using the Danger! Unexploded Spell series playset. It is a campaign of magical defenders and a city under siege. In DUXS drafted unacceptable mages protect their city from arcane air raids and bombings while trying to survive and create a community.

Urban Shadows 2E Cale P runs for Brandon Brylawski, David Miessler-Kubanek, Jesse A., and Kae

Imperium Maledictum: Plausible Deniability (Session 3) Lowell Francis runs for Cody Eastlick, Keith Stetson, MadJay Brown, and Rich Rogers The group returns to their patron and receives their rewards. They take some time to regroup following their endeavor. Then van Grunt assigns them a challenging mission: disrupt the archeological expedition of a rival, without killing them or revealing van Grunt's involvement. As an added wrinkle, they must recruit persons from the Leagues of Votann. But the situation on planet is more complicated than they thought with maybe Orks, a definite Psyker hunter, and rumors of weird killings.

Star Wars Saturday

Fellowship (Session 13 of 13) Rich Rogers runs for Greg G., Kae, Steven Watkins, and Tyler Lominack After 13 sessions, the fellowship faces Warlord Zsinj.

Silent Falls

Bump in the Dark (Session 3 of 3) Donogh runs for Mark and Puckett Another wreck washes up on the beach, but this one has a chilling reminder clinging to it. To get to the bottom of this mystery Jemma & Shanna must brave the hospitality of a strangely avuncular lighthouse keeper, and join the pilgrimage trail themselves.

Off-Calendar Highlights

Hearts of Camelot: Prince's Bride (Session 4 of 7) Madelancholy runs for Alex C, Jazy, Jonn, and Noctua Lore drops galore with finding out about lost tribes and Gauter's past. Gauter and Riesling search for clues among Perin's captors' campsite, finding a possible connection to Alacritus's order. Sir Roderick and Sir Bart deal with the latter's dereliction of duty, then Sir Roderick has a sibling heart-to-heart with Brother Perin. Llurywenn bears guilt about those who died protecting her, but she takes the group to task for harboring suspicions of a possible traitor.

Hearts of Camelot: Prince's Bride (Session 5 of 7) Madelancholy runs for Alex C, Jazy, Jonn, and Noctua A few heart-to-heart discussions, then...Ambush! A mercenary group seeks to delay the escort's party from reaching Spirit Hawk Peak in time, and a betrayal is revealed.

The Between: Stars and Suns, Season Two (Session 14) Madelancholy runs for Jack, Mike, Sarah W., and Steph "Masks and a Show" - Incredible Masks narrated. Sir Atticus makes breakfast. Liat holds a smoky salon. Ernest and Dr. Weiss head to Bethlem to visit Ernest's old friend. Liat's servant is attacked - and Liat is next. The King in Shadows' influence changes reality as Intermission is called. Sir Atticus tries to track down Patrick Figg, and runs into someone who demands reparations from the Wellington-Hughes.

The Between: Stars and Suns, Season Two (Session 15) Madelancholy runs for Jack, Sarah W., and Steph "All in the Details" - Ernest delves deeper into surreality as he speaks with Bethlem inmates who have seen the King in Shadows play. Dr. Weiss investigates the last place the play was performed, with odd results. Liat humiliates D.I. Pettigrew in front of his men, then invites Mrs. Vardhana to tea at Hargrave House.

[themovieblogonline]

Strictly Confidential Review: A Murky Mystery with Muddled Execution

Strictly Confidential arrives on the scene with the promise of thrilling twists, lush Caribbean locales, and a family riddled with secrets on the grim anniversary of a tragic suicide. Unfortunately, Damian Hurley's directorial debut, while ambitious, ends up a meandering mishmash of missed opportunities and underdeveloped intrigue that struggles to keep the viewer engaged. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7wm_g0icuw The premise itself is not without potential: Mia, played by Georgia Lock, ventures to the Caribbean to commemorate her best friend's death and finds herself amid a family teeming with secrets and deceit. As the narrative unfolds, Mia’s investigations into her friend's mysterious death promise a journey filled with suspense and dark revelations. However, the execution leaves much to be desired. Despite the inviting setup, Strictly Confidential fails to capitalize on its intriguing foundation, instead meandering through a convoluted plot that often feels as lost as Mia in her quest for the truth. Damian Hurley's inexperience in the director's chair is palpable throughout the film. Though there are glimpses of visual flair, particularly in the use of the vibrant Caribbean setting, these moments are few and far between. The pacing of the film is inconsistent, at times dragging its feet through seemingly irrelevant subplots before hurtling through key revelations with little care for coherence or impact. It’s a disservice to what could have been a tightly wound thriller, making it all the more frustrating to watch. The script, also penned by Hurley, does no favors to its cast or audience. Dialogues often feel stilted and expository. They serve more as clumsy vehicles for plot advancement rather than genuine exchanges. These could've deepened character development or thematic exploration. It's a shame, as the premise hints at complex family dynamics and the profound impacts of grief and guilt, themes that are unfortunately only ever touched upon superficially. The ensemble cast, featuring Elizabeth Hurley as Lily, alongside Lock, Lauren McQueen as Rebecca, Freddie Thorp as James, and Genevieve Gaunt as Jemma, brings a degree of charisma and effort that occasionally breaks through the film’s lackluster script. Elizabeth Hurley, in particular, brings a necessary gravitas to her role, embodying the enigmatic matriarch with a performance that suggests deeper layers than the script affords. However, despite their best efforts, the performances can only do so much to elevate the material, often coming across as hamstrung by the direction and writing. Character development suffers significantly throughout the narrative, a consequence of the film’s inability to balance its ensemble cast effectively. While Mia is ostensibly the protagonist, her character arc feels disjointed and lacking in depth. This makes it challenging to invest in her journey. The supporting characters fare no better. Revelations about their secrets and motivations are presented with little buildup or exploration, undermining any potential impact. Visually, Strictly Confidential fails to fully leverage its Caribbean setting. This is an element that could have imbued the film with a distinct atmosphere and tone. Instead, the location feels like little more than a backdrop. This missed opportunity sums up much of the film's approach. Instead of providing distinction and depth, they handled the elements with a disappointing lack of finesse or imagination. In attempting to craft a thriller brimming with secrets and lies, Strictly Confidential stumbles over its narrative complexities. It delivers a final product that feels simultaneously overwrought and undercooked. The film fails to deliver on its potential for a compelling mystery set in a beautiful and tumultuous setting. It results in a confusing and disengaging experience for viewers. Moreover, the film’s resolution, presumably intended as a shocking twist, lands with a thud. The underwhelming buildup and development that precede it hinder it. The film lacks suspense and fails to deliver dramatic revelations. Overall: Strictly Confidential serves as a cautionary tale of ambition overshadowed by execution. The film fails to deliver the thrills, drama, or emotional resonance that the premise promises. It’s a disappointing debut that will leave viewers, much like Mia, wondering what could have been. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Bq3r-9kog Read the full article

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony's Stupid Daily Blog (662): Mon 8th Jan 2024

I felt like letting out a rebel yell as soon as I woke up this morning as it was my final work day before my holiday. True I was only in for five hours but the day before your holiday always drags like a bitch. Even if I was only supposed to be in for an hour that hour would’ve felt like a fucking month. I took the precaution of wearing mask to work today because I didn’t want to risk one of the dirty bastards I work with giving me covid. I don’t know why I stopped wearing a mask to be honest as I never minded wearing it during the pandemic. Not only did I not get covid (or any kind of cold or cough or runny nose) while I wore it but also it stopped people having to look at my face, my hideous hideous face. Anywho the five hours went by fairly quickly to be honest so I can’t complain that much but these bastards made me work an extra day plus an extra hour a day over Christmas so I’ll complain all I want thank you very much. When I got home I had a nice nap before tuning into this evenings Hollyoaks which featured the much anticipated revelation of who killed Rayne and it turns out it was Romeo and the whole Hollyoaks fan base is shocked, SHOCKED…well not that shocked I mean who the fuck else was it going to be, Dale Winton? It turns out that Rayne was physically attacking Romeo so he pushed her in self defence and she hit her head on the floor and fell into the pool and drowned. Just think if Romeo and Rayne had had their fight on a bouncy castle Rayne would still be alive. I still think they made a mistake writing Jemma Donovan out of the show as she is a 10/10 goddess babe sex machine and the makers of this show need more of these to bring back the viewers who ditched the show a long time ago after it stopped being about sexy young people and became more about average looking older people. There was a moment early in the episode where Tom caught a glance of Dilly sending a naked photo of herself to Rafe which she then bollocked Tom for and input the following hypothetical exchange on Twitter at the end of the episode: Dilly: Did you get the nudie photo I sent you? Rafe: No. Let me see…..where's my phone? (Cut to Tom sneaking out of the house clutching Rafe's phone) Tom: MY PRECIOUS!!

[ao3feed-fitzsimmons]

Unexpected Surprises

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/nKoGILw

by ddh1973

After the events of Sometimes Your Worst Enemy Is Family, revelations come out that keep things interesting for Grant Ward, his fellow Shield agents and his family. As all of this is happening, Hydra and the damage they can cause is still a looming threat.

Words: 2838, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of Ward Family Drama

Fandoms: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Rape/Non-Con

Categories: F/M

Characters: Grant Ward, Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Melinda May, Phil Coulson, Bobbi Morse, Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie, Lincoln Campbell, Grant Ward's Sister, Thomas Ward, Kara Lynn Palamas, Christian Ward, Anna Ward, Grant Ward's Father, Grant Ward's Mother, Grant Ward's Gramsy, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson/Grant Ward, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons

Additional Tags: other OC's - Freeform, Rose Ward - Freeform, Grant Ward's Nieces and Nephews, Ward Family Drama, Takes place between season one and two

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/nKoGILw