#Jonathan is like jealousy (sad version)

[feralsteddie]

Ya know what? Fuck it, I want Steve and Argyle to get high and make out while hanging with Jonathan and Eddie. I need those two to be seething with jealousy.

[pumpkinstrawbrew]

.batcrow feat. the owl.

or a situation, which is stuck somewhere between existential threat an’ scuffle between barn animals.

...

(it’s one of those underdeveloped, raw-ish concepts that i indulge in just for funzies. it all started very simply. i was thinking about what kind of person might make bruce jealous. the topic was kinda challenging, considering that bruce in the comics *at least in the ones, i read* or even btas is rarely express this emotion if at all. in fact, at one point, he literally said to the woman, who he supposedly was in love with, that she should stay with the other man, who also liked her, bc he needed her more *he got disfigured an' such* an’ she was like ‘wtf is wrong with you. to paw me to the other man like that’, clearly outraged. but bruce didn’t seem to fully grasp what her issue was lol.

still, what if he somehow got jealous of another man, when it comes to crane, anyways? and who that man could possibly be? my first thought was superman, bc bruce generally can be kinda petty, when it comes to him. but clark is such a puppy-like character. he wouldn’t have been mean about it, or even be someone who could potentially like jon in such a manner. at worst, bruce might have got annoyed at crane *not clark*, if he said smth about superman’s strong arms in front of him. some jealousy there, but not quite what i was looking for, when pondering on that set up.

an' then, i recalled the owlman! i only know the version of him from the cartoon, an’ honestly after seeing glimpses of what they do with him in comics, i’d say this is the only owlman for me. from the crisis on 2 earths ‘toon. gotta admire a character, who is SO nihilistic an’ SO sure in his own worldview, that he literally does nothing an’ dies, just bc it doesn’t matter to him. he even smiles a bit, if i remember correctly. kinda both chillin’ an’ sad. the owlman had an ego, but he also just kinda….wanted everything to die an’ that’s it. he is what might have happened, if bruce went full blown doctor strangelove, after his parents death. which is funny, bc owlman isn’t bruce wayne at all, but he is the one who ‘takes’ his place in his own universe. i don’t remember if it was ever revealed in the cartoon, who the owlman was or if they left it ambiguous. i'm pretty sure, that they made him bruce’s brother in the comics, specifically. but i might be wrong, bc there was a few owlman in batman's ran, i think...?

either way, this version here is devoid of backstory. the main thing for him is that there was never a bruce wayne in his universe, an’ coincidently enough, no jonathan crane, either. as result, owlman knows nothing about scarecrow. he had analogs of other batman’s rogue gallery, who were either heroes or anti-heroes, but he never had professor of fear of his own. an' that’s part of the reason why he gets slightly curious about him. at the begining, it's very casual on his part. i guess, he might have wondered why it's those two *jon an' bruce* specifically, who never existed in his reality. everybody else, clearly did. so he looks a bit closer into it, still mostly for the sport. only to find out about strange relationships that crane has with the bat.

the owlman is an isolated kind of character. he doesn’t care for his own teammates. nor he's able to reciprocate their affection. i mean, he didn’t really react to the villain version of wonder woman kissing him. he was surprised, sure, but not hurrying to return the gesture or even seemingly knowing what to do about this situation. which led me to believe, that at least in the frames of that toon’s worldbuilding, he had no alt alfred or robin or anyone, who he was close with. kinda an opposite of batman, who does to a degree surrenders himself with people, even if he keeps them at *emotional* distance, more often than not. but the point is, that bruce still wants a connections an’ not devoid of hope to see the things sorta/kinda working up. in comparison, owlman is as nihilistic as a person can get, so it makes zero sense for him to have close ties with anyone. or even see it smth that he needs. but i imagine that witnessing how batman acts with his enemies, jon esp, be a very confusing experience for him. like, why pity such a person? why even show some small signs of kinship with him? an' what’s so different about this one, if anything at all? 

so after some more pondering, he approaches crane just to see for himself, if he is worth all that effort *sympathy* or not. an’ hey, scarecrow is kinda fun. reactive an’ jerky, an’ surprisingly aggressive for such a coward. owlman's usual enemies are the good guys. they're heroic an' noble. but jonathan isn’t that. not even close. his worldview is bitter an' twisted. whatever wrongs were done to him, didn't mold him into a hero like with any other owlman's enemy. the scarecrow is a villain to the boot an' it's...new. his use of fear is interesting too. none of his enemies had this gimmick. this makes the owlman wanna play around with him for a bit longer. or owlman experience unknown emotions for the first time in years an’ kinda not fully certain what to do about it, other than indulge in it. his end goal still the same. it won’t change for/or bc of anything, but he can have a small distraction, before the curtains call. it's not everyday, when he can find a person, who is kinda interesting to him, even if bc of pure novelity that he can hang out with a man, who had never existed in his own timeline.

then, he learns about the scarecrow’s life. how it went downhill or rather, how it was sorta doomed from the start almost. an’ oh. here it is. that’s what batman feels too, isn't it? that silver of kinship. the owlman never had this before. an’ it’s not a bad feeling, either. he was never able to relate to the others. it’s like ‘everything sucks so much. everything just sucks forever’ an’ he has found someone who understands the meaning of this sentiment, an' not just being an emo about life. at least, the owl would assume that jon understand it in the exact same way he does *but jon doesn’t lol* 

meanwhile, bruce is concerned. owlman is a very bad, bad kind of man to have around crane for many different reasons. one of which is that it doesn't sound like a hard thing to convince someone like crane, that destroying everything is the only 'right' way to go about things. jonathan's life is generally was an' still is awful, so why not end it all, but with a huge, literal bang?

it’s like a nihilistic doom an’ gloomy buddy club. sounds hella corky, but in reality, it’s dark stuff, actually. jon be beyond depressed in this case. him getting all buddy-buddy with people, who are more unhinged an’ dangerous than him isn’t a new thing. but in this case, it’s like an extra salt on batman’s open wound. the bat himself states in comics at least twice, how crane is one of those villains, who don’t just stay the same, but who progressively gets more an’ more insane an’ deranged each time he breaks out of arkham. him hanging out with the person, whose worldview is basically ‘it would have been so much better, if we all were dead’ an' who literally an' genunily means this, isn’t smth that is good for jonathan's *already declined* mental health. esp if owlman is also rather problematic in other ways too. not to meantion, that him dragging crane along is also kinda personal. in this way, he might be showing bruce, that no matter how much he wants his rogues to change or how much good will he shows them, they're all just human, therefore they're all hopeless an' bad. bc all humas are bad in owlman's understanding. it's like 'aw, you want to believe that this one isn't a lost cause? what if i will make him help me to murder everybody? still think he worthy of your delusions?' owlman might have an end goal, but he's also arrogant an' petty too.

on main, i have two rough-ish concepts for their uhhh, trio shippy thing. in PG-ish version, it’s just that owlman influencing jon in an awful ways, an’ since he kinda/sorta resembles batman, crane subconsciously rely on him, bc he's somewhat familiar. besides, the owl hints that his own life was bad too, an’ it’s like finally someone gets on the same level of despair as crane does. an' also, maybe...this what could have been, if the bat was a villain too. they could have been on the same team. so in a way, it's kinda more of jonathan playing into this weird fantasy of himself an' bad batman, than him fully understanding the real level of 'oof' that owlman tries to acomplish with 'the plan'.

*funny enough tho, where it really counts, jon isn’t like owlman. he, for one isn’t someone who would just give up. after every fail an’ each kick an’ shove, he still gets up. the thing about jonathan is that he wouldn’t just lie down an’ die no matter how much pain an' humilation an' despair, he felt. an’ he also wouldn’t *in the end* commit to the idea of murdering countless people just bc his life sucked. even if, it doesn’t mean, that he won’t go through motions an’ nearly, truly consider going along with it. he isn’t alright in the head, an’ his negative emotions tend to get the best of him. still, i feel like most versions of jonathan would in the end, decide that no, it's not what he wants or ready to take responsibility for.*

it all would resolve in comic book fashion, where jon would help the bat in the end, an’ not that other man, who had his allure an’ had almost seduced crane into doing one last evil act any human being in existence could have ever done. still, there always be longing on scarecrow’s part for this odd, wrong ‘batman’, even if he sticks with his own, regardless. 

*an’ yeah, the bat is kinda jealous throughout all of this lol. the world can be hanging by a thread, but no one said, that he cannot be a tad possessive, while he’s saving it *an’ crane* too. owlman will have fun with this knowledge, while it will go completely over jonathan’s head. mister ‘i can pin-point everyone’s fear from one conversation’ would have a really hard time understanding that batman’s beef with the owl not strictly hero vs villain thing*

then, in more mature version, it's kinda the same-ish plot, but owlman prob would do way more messed up things, which might put crane into a position, where he’s afraid to not comply, but also not actually willing to do it. an’ naturally, there bruce won’t be jealous, more so angry. really struggling with idea, if he should let just this one man *or an owl, whichever rings more true* die. an’ then, if this is a reflection of him, what kind of person, he really is. so it’s more of moral dilemma an’ a character study of a nihilistic sociopath, who just might have wanted to have a lil chew-toy, as he prepares his biggest scheme.

anyways, it’s not like an otp3 or anything. i’m a very bond/pair oriented fella. so when i’m dabbing into 3 way dynamics, it usually has more situational/reactive undertones. but i won't deny, that it’s fun to think about 'what if' or even about some situation in the void, where the bat an’ the owl double teame the crow. which in any plot-included or a somewhat coherent narrative just wouldn’t have happened bc of how all 3 of them function / react to things. it just not in their character to do it this...randomly. but if i will ever make a superhero pwp ficlet collection, i might try to do smth with this idea.)

[lilitblaukatz]

I was thinking about byler playlist. For the last couple of years I listened to many queer musicians, especially contemporary ones, but decided to go with period appropriate songs. There are quite a few with queercoded lyrics too. I was really glad to know that my favorite childhood songs were written by people from my community. Among them are the ones which Jonathan gave to Will. Of course Bronski Beat (have you heard the long 12" version of Smalltown Boy? It is magnificent), but the Smiths are too. So I took some and also divas, who was and is popular in gay clubs because of identification with the heroine. There are half a dosen so far. It is mostly for Will's POV, Mike is eluding me for now) 1. "Jealousy" by the very gay Queen (April 27, 1979) self explanatory for Will I especially like the end: But now it matters not If I should live or die 'Cause I'm only left With my own jealousy 2. "Art Of Falling Apart" by the very gay Soft Cell (January 1983) for Will whole song, yeah. Will isn't smoking, but Jon is)

Falling through at the seams Living life in a dream Even smiles make a line And I smile all the time

I'm skilled at the art Of falling apart It's the holding together Together forever

Trying all of the vices Is what's doing the damage All the good things are bad things And I'm paying the prices

I'm skilled at the art Of falling apart It's the holding together Together forever

I'm covered in bruises From mixing with losers It's the black and the blue That's seeing me through

My cigarette diet Means my throat hurts like hell My friends say I'm dying But I do it so well

I'm skilled at the art Of falling apart Its the holding together Together forever 3. Who Needs Love (Like That)" by the very gay Erasure (May 1, 1986) for Will There's something going on Something not quite right There's something stranger Happening to me There's someone at the door I hear voices in my head It seems things aren't the way They ought to be and Love can turn you upside-down And leave you cold It's plain to see You're losing all control And all the way to the last line 4. "Walk Away" by the great sassy Donna Summer (April 25, 1979) for Will Walk away When you know that I need you Walk away When you hear me call you (don't) walk away Don't you see that I want you Here by my side 5. "Open Your Heart" by the great sassy Madonna (June 30, 1986) for Will the whole effing song! I see you on the street, and you walk on by You make me wanna hang my head down and cry If you gave me half a chance You'd see my desire burning inside of me But you choose to look the other way I've had to work much harder than this For something I want Don't try to resist me (chorus) Open your heart to me, baby I hold the lock and you hold the key Open your heart to me, darling I'll give you love if you, you turn the key I think that you're afraid to look in my eyes You look a little sad, boy, I wonder why I follow you around, but you can't see You're too wrapped up in yourself to notice So you choose to look the other way Well, I've got something to say Open your heart, I'll make you love me It's not that hard, if you just turn the key 6. "Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship (January 1, 1987) if Will and Mike are both taken by Vecna mid-confession)) Let the world around us just fall apart Baby, we can make it if we're heart to heart And we can build this dream together Standing strong forever Nothing's gonna stop us now And if this world runs out of lovers We'll still have each other Nothing's gonna stop us And all the way to the last line

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #440

Top Ten Songs in Hamilton

I’ve had to put up with hearing about how good Hamilton is for about five years. For a lot of that time it wasn’t even on in the UK; when it finally opened in London it cost a fortune and was booked up for months. So I was reconciled to probably not seeing it till it had a film version. Full marks to Disney, then, for spooging a wad of cash all over it to show an excellent filmed performance on Disney+ (yes, them again).

Anyway, now I’ve finally seen it, I’m like those other sad evangelists who just bang on all the bloody time about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s phenomenal wordplay, combining historical events with hip-hop, showtunes, and intense politicking. It really is a tremendous piece of work, and the cast in the Broadway performance on D+ are just belting it out of the park.

And of course I’m listening to the songs over and over. With this in mind, this weekend’s list is my favourite songs from the film/play/Spotify album/whatever. I’d love to see it on stage with different actors, but this is all drawn from the performances of that Broadway cast.

So let’s start reading like we’re running out of time…

One Last Time: mythologising, sure, but it does a great job getting across the heroic notion of a leader voluntarily surrendering power in order to strengthen a nation after his death. A brilliant two-hander but Christopher Jackson’s performance is barnstorming.

The Room Where It Happens: as far as I’m concerned the show’s showstopper. Beautifully examining a political meeting that segues into Burr’s realisation that he can no longer wait for it. Plus it’s just a rollicking tune.

Satisfied: a funky inverted love song of unrequited feelings and a woman acknowledging her place in the world (“three fundamental truths”). The lyrics are fantastic, Renée Elise Goldsberry’s performance outstanding. Groovy, happy, and sad all at once.

Dear Theodosia: a beautiful and heartfelt duet that juxtaposes two fathers’ love for their respective babies to the birth of the new nation. The refrain “I thought I was so smart”, and Miranda’s delivery, breaks my heart.

I Know Him: I’m picking this one due to Jonathan Groff’s gleeful, malicious performance, but really it stands in for all of George III’s soliloquies. The spiteful tone of a jilted lover combined with the meanness of a school bully, shot through with hilarious verve.

My Shot: that rap, those lyrics; probably the first moment when Miranda’s combination of the tropes of hip-hop combine with Sorkin-esque descriptions of politics. Supreme wordplay, mythologising, and performance.  

Non-Stop: contrasting Burr and Hamilton, with the former’s growing unease (jealousy?) towards Hamilton’s success and nature. But it’s the insight into Hamilton, racing death by writing like he’s running out of time, that provides a recurring theme.

Wait For It: one of Burr’s signature insightful songs, outlining his pragmatic point of view, but also reinforcing one of the play’s themes of destiny versus chaotic chance (“death doesn’t discriminate”).

Unimaginable: heartbreaking song about grief and loss, especially as the Hamiltons deal with it, becoming different people but finding solace together. Miranda’s performance is intensely sad, the “quiet up town” refrain even moreso.

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: Eliza (Phillipa Soo) has some terrific songs but is in many ways a reactive character, falling in love, being betrayed, being bereaved. So as she reclaims the narrative at the end, outlining her decades of accomplishments, it’s powerful and intensely moving; she’s arguably the most powerful person in the play, telling the stories of everyone else, memorialising them. Her enigmatic final gasp is a great closer too.

Well this was fun. A pity I couldn’t quite make room for one of Daveed Diggs’ big numbers. But I guess that’s the problem with Hamilton; it’s too damn good.

[supervillain-smut]

jonathan crane fluff alphabet please? Your riddler one was so beautifully well done!

Other versions of Crane may be more romantic, but I went with more of his original appearances’ disposition.

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

He loves legs, all sorts. He’s not picky about physicality.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

No. He’s never been the parental type, plus he can only imagine the sort of bullying they’d endure with him as their father.

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

Arms and legs everywhere, spooning you. He’s the big spoon, no excuses.

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

Few and far between, but he makes sure to make time for you at least once a month. When you do go out, it’s whatever you want to do. He doesn’t mind.

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

One fear. He dreads losing you ever, to anything or anyone. It’s something that scares him to the core compared to the momentary thrill of the Bat.

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

It just kinda… Crept in? It was over a longer period time than most, around 3 years of working together.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

He’s gentle with his actions, despite his words. Sometimes he tries to get a reaction, especially during arguments.

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

He doesn’t. He doesn’t like the feeling.

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

Another person that’s going to take one look at him and go ‘nope’.

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Oh yes he does, particularly at the always-flirting Edward Nygma.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

You have to initiate the first kiss, and give him no room to misinterpret what exactly that was about. He will immediately assume someone put you up to a bet, or it’s a prank.

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

You, and you’re the one to say it first every time.

M = Memory (What’s their favorite memory together?)

Probably that first kiss, but a lot of firsts qualify as well.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

He’s not really a spoiler, he budgets, spends every cent on his work. Only ever gives you gifts if it’s mandatory such as Christmas or your Birthday.

O = Orange (What color reminds them of their other half?)

What color are your eyes? He loves looking into them.

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

He doesn’t really do pet names.

Q = Quaint (What is their favorite non-modern thing?)

Books, obviously. Lots of classics, horror novels and poetry surprisingly.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

Sit inside, read a book or work. It doesn’t really change, there’s just more chance for together time.

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

He is the ultimate debby downer. He calls it being realistic, if only for him. The last person you want to go to if only mildly upset, but will 100% kill whoever hurts you.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

His new scheme for the bat, what book he’s reading, the deep and dark corners of the mind.

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Anything that isn’t his usual work environment. If you want to spend time with him, drag him out of wherever he holes himself up to work.

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

He’s very proud of himself for all his achievements, you most of all. His confidence is certainly more obvious.

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

He’s more of the person to be together for so long, they may as well be considered anyway. That sort of thing worries him to no end.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

You picked Scarecrow by Alex & Sierra one time when he was becoming distant after the events of Arkham Knight. You’re more of the one to introduce him to music, he never really listened to any before.

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

He does, but then his anxiety creeps in and he decides against it.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

He already has his birds, however a stray cat is not out of the question.

[phantomoftheromance]

My affair with Phantom of The Opera

I watched POTO first time in Singapore. Since my seat was rather too high for my liking, I was a bit sad that I couldn't see that much details. Nevertheless it was magical and the voices were hauntingly beautiful. After devouring tons of Phantom related stuffs, I made the decision of going to KL to watch it again at the best seat that my finance allows.

For this second viewing, I have formed somewhat a clearer interpretation of Characters based on original book, movies and other versions. It definitely makes the musical more interesting but knowing too much information also pollutes the magic that it gives. After all, there is the expectation that the whole casts need to live up to. Nevertheless, I dare to say the casts live up to my expectation. Somewhat. This review is based on my second time watching POTO in KL. There is no denial that I am very green to musicals.All of these is based on my opinions alone.

Raoul acted by Matt Leisy

I followed almost all casts on instagram after watching POTO in SG. Matt included. Maybe because of his dorky personality that I have seen on instagram, I could not shake off that dorky images when I was watching. He is like a good student, who does his job neatly,nicely and trying hard to improve on it. But never really striking. At one point when Raoul was declaring war on Phantom, he voice cracked. He was struggling too hard. But he improved and sang well till the final lair. He is good. But not the best.

Meghan Picerno as Christine

Short but mighty Christine. Among all the versions that I have seen, I love her Christine the most. Maybe because I am biased. But Meghan's interpretation is closest to mine. For me, Christine never loved Phantom romantically. It was tons and tons of curiosity, pity and fears. And I can see that in her Christine. One example is "Pass the point of no Return". Often,other Christine continued to dance with Phantom after discovering his mask under the hood.They danced erotically, curiously or simply to unmask to audience and etc. But for Meghan, she started to show fear upon realising it is phantom. She continued to "dance" but more like running away from him in actual fears. Her unmasking of him was like she was asking for help from everyone. And the final Lair, that will be continued below.

Jonathan Roxmouth as Erik

Jonathan is.... Jonathan's Phantom is... crazy. This guy did a lot of homework by reading the original work numerous times I guess. His phantom is the craziest one I have seen from youtube videos to Movie to 25th anniversary, which is very similar to the original book. I love it and "hate" it same time. 80% of the time, he looked like he is about to kill everyone, Christine, Raoul and even the audience members if he can. He stomped the stage like no other. NO other. During the "Stranger than You dreamt it" unmasked scene, He was rolling, stomping and running around the stage like he is the mad killer on the loose. Intimidating indeed but strangely, he did not shout too much like other Phantoms. But then, he does not even need to scream to scare Christine or anyone. Another 20% of Jonathan's phantom is being dreamy of course. His voice is indeed angelic. Very unique and smoothing. Many will love his Music of the Night,which I love it too, but my favourite is his "Wandering Child". NO ONE. NO ONE sang better than him in that part.

Jonathan's "weakness" lies in final lair which is also happened to be his best act. Very confusing to judge the Final Lair, especially for Jonathan.

Final Lair

The scene which even my boyfriend who does not like musicals but forced to come, sat up and focus.Jonathan's phantom was in full murderer mood. His acting shows so much anger but his voice is still in MUCH MUCH control. Still,Not much screaming. It is something that bothered me a bit because Ramin(Phantom from 25th) expressed this part with raw pains and anger in VOICE and acting. Something I loved. I like it when Ramin's Phantom shouted in agony.

For Jonathan,it is just the anger that I feel from him.He could destroy the stage with his stomping alone and I wondered if that bride doll needs repairs after every night. But this anger was clearly from his painful pasts and jealousy that he was feeling. Despite all these acting, his voice, still singing quite softly with much control! So it is something of very new interpretation for me.

When Raoul came to rescue, Phantom gave a very creepy greeting with a smile. I indeed wondered if I am seeing the joker from The Dark Night(Batman 2008). Good Job Jonathan. I will always remember that part.The ceepiest smile ever to be seen in real life.

Christine was definitely on #TeamRaoul but she was very much confused by her pity for Phantom too. When the trio sang together, it was beyond amazing. Jonathan was SO powerful, Meghan was so emotional and Matt(despite the struggle in first parts) was able to join the two voice-powerhouses and held on to his own. After "You deceived me", Phantom's was STILL VERY much in rage that he was about to slap the Christine. He swinged with full force only to stop and touch softly to her face. It was the best act by Jonathan In my opinion.

Then the kiss came and everything turned 180 degree. From Book, my interpretation of Phantom after kiss/Christine left is a poor damaged soul who embraced his broken life and walked to death. So broken that that he actually died,alone and heartbroken.But he accepted it and was glad that he let her go. Because he found the truth of love,this is not obsession.

For Jonathan's Phantom, it is more like he has given up.Not on life. But on Christine ONLY. Which I don't really like. Maybe he was thinking of "Love Never Dies" while acting last scene but I don't feel Enough pain from him after last scene. His singing is still extremely good though.

Last but not least, The music. I am not well versed in music so anything that is smoothing and enjoyable is good enough for me. So I have nothing to complain about the orchestra. Same with chandelier. It was already magical enough to see this at this tender age where going to Overseas to experience this is an impossible dream for now. I am a phans. And Yes. I like Jonathan a lot too.

[couragehopelovefaith]

My review of Shadowhunters finale part 2

I have watched the finale for three times in a row now, and am loving it more and more. This is gonna be such a mess, because I am so emotional right now. *haha*

I guess It's easiest to start with Maia. Her actress said that because of her schedule stuff they had to shoot her scenes very fast, but she did a great job. I am glad that they decided to have a couple of Saia-scenes as friends and Simon being there in the Jordan’s memorial. I am also glad that she eventually decided to go and meet her parents and solve their issues. The romance between her and the guy whose name I don’t right now remember seemed a little rushed, but we have to remember that in their world it has been a year. Tell me if I am wrong, but isn’t that guy who was turned accidentally and who Simon and Maia helped back on season 2? I am grateful that they gave Maia that restaurant - and a happy ending. (Plus that little detail that she named a dish after Clary… </3 )

Ding dong, the witches (or should I say bitches) are dead. Let me start by saying that I love the showdown between Magnus and Lilith. It really shows that Magnus can use his sassiness and dark side without letting it consume him too much. She knows what to say to get under Magnus’ skin (the words about his friends), but he has gone through too much manipulation to let Lilith control him or anyone else. After the fact that Lilith is the reason Simon got his mark and that caused so much trouble, it's really fitting that the heavenly fire inside Izzy was the thing that got her killed. A part of me is kind of sad that we never saw Kain again - after all, she promised to get his brother back for his help against the others, right?

If you think about it, the quiet ones are always the worst in the cases like this? And I am referring to the Seelie Queen. You could never be sure, which side she was on. She is almost always in her realm, giving orders without actually intefering, but is still - sorry, was - the huge part of everything (making deals with Valentine, wanting to kill Jonathan and Clary…). I was actually kind of freaked about this weird obsession she had on Jonathan. Jonathan just couldn’t have one healthy relationship, could he? I am really glad that the actress who portrayed the youngest version of her was able to come back, even for this short second. Without actually seeing her face but only hearing her voice when she’s dying actually makes it worse and more chilling. I am actually really relieved and happy that Meliorn left her side and reconnected with Shadowhunters. Despite he did such a questionable things sometimes, I never saw him as a bad guy. His humor and sassy was always refreshing and he and Jace made a really good pair. Did he eventually survive, though? I didn’t catch that. 

When it comes to Jonathan... his transformation was well done and actually made me, once again, feel sorry for him. I am kind of glad that they showed him being completely dark for a moment. There were all these little details: his hair being turned out to blond since he no longer wanted to impress Clary or express their connection and he thought that all the hope of getting his sister back was gone - and that the red one returned when all the darkness had been sucked out of him. Like I said earlier, I loved their goodbye-scene and that they were alone there without any other people influencing the situation. I partly hoped that they would have shown us that dream they shared, or the moments of “what could have been” if their parents hadn’t messed things up - like in the books. But otherwise, beautiful job. Hats off for Luke for his awesome performance. 

Aline and Helen ending up together belongs to the “lovely, but wanted more”-section. Their chemistry is undeniable and they deserve to be happy. I can really imagine their wedding. Would someone be interested in writing a fanfic about that? I would be delighted to read that! Plus, I was glad that Helen was the one helping Izzy with the heavenly fire. 

Lorenzo and Underhill...was not something I expected, but - even to my own surprise - I like it. I wasn’t sure if they could redeem Lorenzo in such a short time, but they really did. The fact, that he, despite his jealousy and pride, eventually agreed to help the others with Magnus and guided Alec with his magic (while still partly being his shallow self) was beautiful. I want to give the special thumbs up for his discussion with Magnus. A need for a family is strong for human nature and he is not an exception. Yes, family is not always about the blood or biology, but it can be made. I mean… look at how moved he looks at the Malec’ wedding and how he dances with Madzie! Now that he’s redeemed, I would have wanted to know more about his earlier lover, that he mentioned about. However, when things are how they are...great ending for him.

I am really happy for Luke - and the fact that Preator did not turn out to be as bad as I previously thought they would. It’s kind of pity that he and Maryse did not get the last proper scene together (same with Luke and Maia), but they are obviously endgame. Come on, Maryse, did you really think that your own family wouldn’t notice such a clear chemistry? ;) The thought of these two travelling around Brazilia… yes, please! I have also loved the scenes between him and Alec, so them working together as equals is really heart-warming to see.

Even though he was a douchebag, I even enjoyed seeing Robert’s return and am really satisfied that all of them can be adults when it comes to that. Ooh, our baby boy Max has grown so much! <3 As horrifying as it was to see Max so close to evil Jonathan, it was great to see him fight back after what Jonathan did to him. In addition, Max calling Magnus his brother was something I never knew I needed.

Probably, it might be wise to stop this one here and share the last ones in the two parts. Thank you for reading these, it would be nice to hear your opinions as well. 

[salmonthestoryteller]

Seelie Queen

(And other antagonists)

Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

SH - Seelie Queen

I’m actually really sad that Jonathan killed the Seelie Queen. TBH, by the end I was utterly fascinated by her character. I think what struck me the most about was that they did a really good job of portraying how inhuman she was - and I don’t mean inhumane - I mean that at the core she was the least human character. Her motivations and thoughts just didn’t parallel human emotions and thoughts.

Valentine is horrifying, but his evil is very human. How he refuses to see how flawed his thinking is, how he justifies every act - no matter how terrible - with this thought that his end goal is correct. Valentine is skin-crawling, but every flaw that led him down this road is human. Prejudice, jealousy, arrogance; etc.

Lilith’s obsessive love of Jonathan, and her need for revenge after he turns from her, are like human feelings twisted and blown out of proportion. Which makes sense, as she’s a demon, but at the center of her desires are very human emotions.

Asmodeus has an equally obsessive love for Magnus. Strangely slightly less twisted than Lilith’s for Jonathan, but along the same vein. Asmodeus wants to rule, but he’s also utterly obsessed with the notion of doing so with Magnus beside him. Once again, power hunger, and his obsessive version of love, are still human concepts - just twisted into these larger proportions.

Jonathan is much the same, with his obsessive desire for family and specifically his love for Clary. There’s even something kind of sad about Jonathan’s story. Valentine raised him as a weapon, not a child. It wasn’t until Jonathan started killing people who weren’t Downworlders that Valentine decided he was dangerous. Valentine doesn’t throw Jonathan away because he’s a killer - he raised a killer - he throws him away because Jonathan doesn’t share his prejudice so isn’t limiting his kills to the people Valentine hates. Already warped by how Valentine raised him, he’s then sent to literal hell, and has only Lilith’s twisted form of love - which was both physically painful and psychologically damaging - to base anything on. By the time he emerges from Edom, he has no concept of right from wrong. As twisted as Jonathan is, there’s still something painfully human at his core.

The Seelie Queen is different. She is so immortal, so ancient, that anything rare or new - be it beautiful or hideous - enchants her. To her there really is no difference between the life of a flower or a bug or a human or a vampire. They’re all the same to her. Likewise, even the most dangerous of events is just something in passing. Even when one dangerous event is going on, such as Valentine trying to use The Wish, she’s already laying plans for what happens after. ie: making sure Simon cannot refuse taking the Mark of Cain because she knows Lilith is about to escape. She doesn’t even mind her life being threatened - it’s as if that, too, is fun and exciting. Even though she behaves terribly to pretty much every character, it isn’t really born of spite or anger or dislike. It’s literally just a way to pass the time. It makes her frightening on this whole other level because there’s really nothing human about her choices or motivations. As antagonist go, I thought that made her the most fascinating one.

[enygmass]

Scrids!!!!

(Yasssssss b)

who is more likely to hurt the other?

In all honesty, both would hurt each other probably. Edward has a way with words and if he were in a relationship, he would have more then enough ammo of the weak points of his partner to use them to his advantage.Jonathan has his toxin, obviously, but being a trained psychologist he too has a way with words that can make you feel degraded and worthless or on top of the world. Either way, Jonathan might have an unfair advantage with his toxin, but Edward loses his temper faster. So probably Edward.

who is emotionally stronger?

Jonathan tends to have a greater resilience to insults and slurs and the occasional punch, but Edwards emotionally strong as well. He’s built up walls in himself that allows him to handle more than his fair share of insults. Jonathan would probably be emotionally stronger, though, only because he’s practically been trained to be so.

who is physically stronger?

Their pretty on-par with each other physically wise; both aren’t really the hands-on kind of people, preferring to use mind over muscle, but when it comes to throwing punches they’re about equal.

who is more likely to break a bone?

Jonathan, but only because he actually goes out and gets hands-on with his opponents.Edwards more of a ‘I have henchmen and robots to do this, but also you’ kind of guy. This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t go out and do things, of course; he just likes to have others try it first.

who knows best what to say to upset the other?

Edward has the way with words, so he knows how to smooth things over faster. Even then that takes a while since Jonathan has a tendency to not forgive and forget. Although Jonathan too has a way with words, he lacks the charisma and charm Edward has, so his attempts usually take longer because sometimes what he says makes the situation worse.

who is most likely to apologise first after an argument?

They’re both very stubborn, so apologies take a while to come around. Usually after a few days when the incident sinks in and they can reflect on what was said do the apologies start coming out. Sometimes Jonathan goes first, but sometimes Edward does. There’s no most likely in their relationship.

who treats who’s wounds more often?

Edward will probably treat wounds more frequently, from self-inflicted by lab inicdent to ‘Just met Batman behind the 7/11′ kind of thing, but Jonathan is no stranger to wound tending either. Edwards ‘I swear I know how to weld’ and ‘Let me try my robot mecha suit’ injuries are the kinds he deals with.

who is in constant need of comfort?

Edwards version of comfort is praise, and he usually wants to receive a lot of it. Jonathan is a bit more distant and ‘please don’t touch me’ kinda thing, so Edward needs the comfort more frequently. Just to make sure he’s still the best.

who gets more jealous?

Both have notorious issues with jealousy; from jealousy over who did better facing the bat, to jealousy over relationship things, to just jealousy over skills. Neither of them can get ‘more’ jealous because if one gets jealous, the other will get jealous, and it’s a whole slew of jealousy for weeks on end.

who’s most likely to walk out on the other?

Jonathan will not hesitate to walk out without a moments notice. He tolerates a lot, but if Edward were to get on his bad side or take a step too far, he won’t hesitate to just leave and not return. Edwards more of the forgiving type, but if pushed too far, he to will up and leave.

who will propose?

I don’t think either would ever propose? Marriage just wouldn’t suit their lifestyle, and if they did ever stop doing crime and settle down, I think they’d just remain as partners minus all the fuss of marriage, arrangements, ceremonies, and so forth. They might exchange important possessions as a symbol, like vital research notes or blueprints for the other to care for, but nah I don’t think proposal would be a thing.

who has the most difficult parents?

Edwards parents are actually still alive, assumably, so I’d say he has the more difficult of the two ^^ Jonathan sort of killed his mother and his father isn’t in the picture, so he doesn’t count.

who initiates hand-holding when they’re out in public?

I don’t thinl there would be initiation, it would probably just sort of happen. Maybe they’d both do it in-sync, or something along those lines!

who hogs the blankets?

When they actually share  a bed Edward, being the squirmy and irritable sleeper he is, wraps himself in a cocoon on the bed and leaves Jonathan to freeze on his side. If Jonathan tries to take a blanket, he’ll lose it within 5 minutes and get a bruise in return.

who gets more sad?

They both have their moods, but neither gets sadder. Sometimes one will have an off day and the other knows better than to ask anything, but that’s mostly how it goes.

who is better at cheering the other up?

Since they both have off days, they’ve both learned what cheers the other up when the situation arises. Edward enjoys gifts and conversation, Jonathan prefers little things like getting a coffee or someone else making dinner. Just small efforts to ease his day.

who’s the one that playfully slaps the other all the time after they make silly jokes?

Edward, partially because Jonathan can’t make a joke for the life of himself, partially because it’s so odd to hear him make a joke that he deserves to be gently slapped for such travesty.

who is more streetwise?

Both are very streetwise, being criminals in Gotham, but Jonathan has an upper hand as he’s been actually out in the streets more often. They’re both more bookwise, though.

who is more bookwise?

Both are more bookwise, seeing as one has several degrees to his name, and the other has consumed so much knowledge he probably knows 3/4 of the Gotham library front and back.

who’s the shyest?

Jonathan doesn’t do small talk, so one could call him the shyest. Edward is far more outgoing and charismatic, preferring to indulge in multiple conversations, while Jonathan just sits back and keeps to himself.

who boasts about the other more?

They both boast about the other in their own way, but Edward likes to brag a lot, sometimes about plans Jonathan may have and other times about things such as cooking, or conversation. Sometimes he lies to make others envious. Jonathan, on the other hand, keeps very short and honest statements about Edward. This is both good and bad.

who sits on who’s lap?

If either sat on the others lap, they’d probably end up on the floor in minutes flat.