#Letitia deserves the world

[namor-shuri]

Marvel Studios Assembled & Wakanda Forever Podcast: Namor/Shuri + Tenoch/Letitia Moments

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Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Wakanda Forever [available on Disney +] [w/ time stamps to follow along]

▻ The whole cast comforted and gave Letitia a group hug at San Diego Comic Con as she broke down [Tenoch kissed her shoulder] [0:27]

▻ “We know what Black Panther is but what makes it a Black Panther movie? If we were to do another one….how would audiences recognize it?” - Ryan Coogler [Director] [5:44]

▻ We learn that Namor’s character was discussed to be in Black Panther 2 while the first movie was being written. “In the comics, the two worlds have a great rivalry” - Joe Robert Cole [Screenwriter] [13:25]

▻ Ryan was interested in Meso-American culture for the Talokanil and “…upon research it became more clear that the people of the Yucatán made a ton of sense.” - Ryan Coogler [Director] [14:40] They wanted to give Namor a culture/background different from the comic book version [a white man]. “Their [Mayan] artwork and their advanced agriculture…all of these things that they accomplished, it was a perfect palette for us to delve into.” - Joe Robert Cole [Screenwriter] [16:40]

▻ Namor’s costumes and headpieces are curated from post Yucatec Mayan culture roots. “We used a lot of kelp and things to make the headdress and hand wove his cape, but we kept it pure to what he looked like in the comics.” - Ruth Carter [Costume Designer] [17:50]

▻ Ryan and Hannah Beachler [Production Designer] show us the set of Namor’s cave and explain the time/labor that went into creating this elaborate set. Ryan points to the mural painting of Namor and the Black Panthers fight. “This one’s my favorite one” - Ryan Coogler [Director] [22:25] We learn that the style of art is “Bonampak”

▻ Letitia had to learn how to swim for her role, along with the majority of the cast. “I struggled with it. Ryan called me and he was like ‘Tish, can you swim?’ I was like ‘Sir, sir, I’m in the lab. What more do you need from me coming out of that lab?” - Letitia Wright [Shuri] [26:06]

▻ All of the water scenes were half filmed under water, called “wet for wet”, and filmed outside of the water, called “dry for wet” scenes. The exosuits [Shuri is shown wearing one when exploring Talokan] were real suits that were also filmed underwater and were about a million and a half dollars each [explained by Chris Denison, Stunt Coordinator] [29:40]

▻ A clip of Letitia Wright’s “Screen Test (2016)” from the first Black Panther is shown [41:54] and we learn that Dominique Thorne [Riri Williams] also auditioned for Shuri’s role a while back

▻ The cast had differing emotions/opinions than Ryan about the decision to kill Queen Ramonda [played by Angela Basset]. “When I read that Ramonda was going to die by the hands of Namor, I was very upset. I think I almost cried on the phone to Ryan.” - Letitia Wright [Shuri] [43:43] Ryan and the writers felt her death would be a big “motivator”/ transformative moment in Shuri’s development and the eventual break down of her character to become the Black Panther [her arc]

▻ Ryan supported and pushed Letitia during the whole process of becoming the Black Panther to do her best work and continuously reminded her of who she was and what she was capable of when stepping into the role. Letitia wished Chad could have passed the torch to her himself to do it [46:02] + [55:03]

▻ [Referring to the making of Shuri’s Black Panther suit] “We were working with the design language of silver being representative of T’Challa, gold being representative of T’Chaka, and the little bit of where Killmonger’s coming from…We’re essentially taking those two elements and combining them.” - Ryan Meinerding [Head of visual development] [46:58]

▻ “Shuri vs Namor. We put alot into that fight.” - Aaron Toney [Fight Coordinator] [49:59] We see that a lot of the BTS of their big fight on the desert were shot with different individual sets with Tenoch, Letitia and stunt actors, separately and together. “I’m so proud of it. Shuri’s looking amazing, Namor’s looking amazing.” - Letitia Wright [Shuri] [50:27] Their fighting styles are explained to be very different, where Shuri is more calculated and Namor is more in his body. “With Namor, when it came to fighting styles, I pulled from….cultural aspects like Lucha Libre…asian cultures…I pulled from a style called Baji.” - Aaron Toney [Fight Coordinator] [50:49]

▻ “Processing in a way of expressing her pain and fury towards Namor, she thinks that’s going to be satisfying to her soul and it’s not….I think that’s a beautiful way to complete that arc, to realize that my brother wouldn’t do this, my mother wouldn’t want this for me….We see Shuri become a woman in her own right.” - Letitia Wright [Shuri] [53:00]

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Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast [Hosted by Ta-Nehisi Coates]: Chapter 5 w/ Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta, Dr. Gerardo Aldana [available on Spotify]

▻ “What does it mean when Wakanda and Talokan give us a beauty created not to justify enslavement but to celebrate freedom?” - Ta-Nehisi Coates [Host]

▻ Tenoch continues to put the spotlight back on indigenous communities/culture and does not claim to be apart of their experiences. “I don’t practice the culture so it is impossible to name myself indigenous….I’m not pretending to be something that I’m not…I’m just trying to honor my ancestors.” - Tenoch Huerta [Namor]

▻ A fan went to the movies with his Mayan grandma and she began to translate scenes herself while watching the film with him. “The Mayan group in LA said it [the character’s Mayan in the movie] sounds beautiful. You have an accent, it sounds good! They were happy with it.” - Tenoch Huerta [Namor]

▻ “Why are these two groups [Wakandans and the Talokanil] fighting each other? Why can’t they get together and go beat the colonizer?…I am a huge Black Panther fan but I was sitting there and found myself rooting for the Talokanil!” - Ta-Nehisi Coates [Host]

▻ Letitia was bullied in school for her appearance when she was growing up (ex. her size, being African, etc) “I kind of let that go…I talked myself out of the idea that I should be like anyone else.” She found comfort/ amusement in going viral on TikTok. “It’s definitely flattering but I’m really shocked…I’ve never been crushed on before in school…As a black woman, I’m moving into a space where I’m finally being called beautiful but I didn’t wait for them [the media/world] to tell me that at first. I told it to myself.” - Letitia Wright [Shuri]

▻ “This is the highest grossing movie with the lead character as a black woman and it’s you [Letitia]. How does that feel?” - Ta-Nehisi Coates [Host]

▻ “The love that Shuri has for T’challa is the love that Letitia has for Chadwick and that’s intertwined.” Letitia shares her initial hesitancy about doing the film without Chadwick after his passing and taking on the mantle as Black Panther. “I see it as I’m a vessel. I’m a trusted vessel that’s here to honor my brother.” - Letitia Wright [Shuri]

▻ Letitia laughs about fun moments they had on the set of Wakanda Forever. “He [Ryan Coogler] would say Namor and the Black Panther are having a conversation. It’s a big movie. Turn your phones off!” - Letitia Wright [Shuri]

[merevide]

people who wanted (and still want) killmonger to somehow return and be black panther instead of just accepting the possibly and fact that it was going to be shuri were so goofy i’m sorry

[blackerthings]

Finally watched Letitia's episode of Small Axe on Amazon Prime (Mangrove, which is a based on a true story of racial injustice in England) and my fucking goodness. Had I not watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever I probably would've been floored but at this point I already know what she's capable of. There's a specific scene in Small Axe that reminded me so much of Letitia's acting during the scene where Shuri's with Nakia and Riri and she's pissed, hurt, and angry feeling like her family abandoned her. Like if y'all haven't seen it already please go check out Small Axe on Amazon Prime because our girl was acting her ass off. And obviously if you loved her in BP you'll love her in this as well. So go check it out!

[liyawritesss]

ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇɪɢʜᴛᴇᴇɴ ; ᴘᴀʀᴛ ll

ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ʙᴏʀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴅᴏʟʟᴀʀꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪx ᴅɪᴍᴇꜱ

Characters: MCU!Shuri Udaku x Black!Masc!Reader

Type: Fic

Word Count: 6.8k

Synopsis: Your return to Wakanda is welcomed, but there is no time for celebration. In preparing defenses against Talokan, you urge Shuri to concoct a serum that would enhance your abilities for the fight to come, despite knowing the complications it comes with.

Warnings: cursing, mentions of reader having post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mentions of medical tools such as syringes, blood from said syringe, body convulsing, major character death (rest in power queen ramonda)

A/N: here is the second part of this series! I sincerely want to thank @kingstormpostsshit for originally pitching this idea and allowing me to turn it into a series. This one goes out to all the masc women out there cuz we deserve some love too ‼️

Tags: @inmyheadimobsessed @badass-dora-milaje @babyboiboyega @verachii @heartsforjojo @letitias-fav @kingstormpostsshit @shurismainbxtch @zayswriting @rxcently @nzia-writes @writingintheshadowsforever @hufflehans @kokichiis7 @xxmilli @typicalme111 @zestgodtj @generallysapphic @ziayamikaelson @shuriszn @yvxmpire @justariellove @n7cje

“Is she not going to come in?”

Shuri’s hopeful look only makes it harder for T’Challa to break the news to his dear sister - that you had absolutely refused to step foot into her lab. Even after multiple attempts at coaxing you with persuasive words, the crowned prince had only managed to get you to the hallway, and you wouldn’t go any further. In an attempt to compromise the situation, he allowed you to examine the vibranium-laced walls that made the hallway shine a bright blue color and the glass tanks of fish that lined the walls, while T’Challa ventured further into the laboratory to fetch Shuri.

Quite frankly, T’Challa had never been more nervous in his life. In an ideal world, he’d want for you and Shuri to get along well. He believed it good that you had some sort of companionship, especially for the times when he would not be around. Given the fact that you and Shuri were in the same age range, he felt that it would be a good start to integrating you into regular life.

Though, this was not an ideal world, as he is reminded of every time he looks at you, and remembers why you’re even here.

“Remember, Shuri,” T’Challa eases, “she’s not very…fond of labs.”

Shuri is fifteen and easily excitable, so the arrival of a possible new friend had the young princess smiling uncontrollably the entire morning. It was nearly impossible for T’Challa to keep knowledge of you a secret from his little sister - more or less because her brilliance would allow her to uncover any secret within minutes of noticing an air of secrecy. Therefore, the crowned prince felt it necessary for at least the royal family to be aware of your existence, and that there was a possibility of introducing you into Wakandan life if integration into the Avenger’s at home base proved difficult. 

The one aspect of you that would make things a bit difficult with your assimilation, however, was the very place he stood in with his young sister. With different beeps and clicks and whirring of machinery, as well as the pristine whiteness of the lab, would surely trigger unpleasant thoughts and memories of your past. And Bast forbid T’Challa would put you through that, by any means necessary.

So it didn’t confuse T’Challa when Shuri’s smile faltered slightly at the news of your refusal.

“She is in the hallway, though,” He hums in an attempt to pick up Shuri’s spirits, and it works. Upon hearing this, Shuri is all but ready to sprint out of her seat, but T’Challa’s towering figure calms her eagerness, as he isn’t done explaining just yet.

“We will have to be patient with her, dear sister,” T’Challa continues, “so we will have to meet her half way in a lot of areas.”

Shuri tilts her head to the side a bit, furrowing her eyebrows at T’Challa’s statement. The young princess was made aware of your unfortunate previous situations, but even T’Challa could see that she found it a bit difficult to grasp your resistance to certain situations. In her young mind, things were much simpler. You were in a safe place, so should you not feel safe? Wakanda’s technology was made to help, not harm, so why were you so wary?

In many ways, T’Challa viewed Shuri’s innocence to the horrors of the outside world as a blessing. However, there were times where he dreaded having to explain complex concepts to a young mind that seemed to have a simple answer to everything. Because in reality, the world was not simple, and neither was your situation.

“I thought you said she was an Avenger?” Shuri questions as the two begin to walk to the aforementioned threshold to the hallway. From her understanding, and observations from T’Challa’s own affiliation with the group, she believed Avengers to be fearless people, and had expected that same rhetoric to apply to you.

“She is, though, not for the reason you may think.”

Bounding the corner, T’Challa and Shuri’s pace come to a halt at the sight of your curious figure examining the walls embedded with vibranium up close. Your hand traces down the length of a sliver of the precious material, the blue glow from it dancing beautifully on your skin. Your curls fall messily over your face, obscuring your visual, and the Princess finds herself entranced by the mystery girl who refuses to enter her sanctuary, but seemingly finds solace in toeing the line.

The sight leaves Shuri holding her breath.

The royal sibling’s arrival startles you as you see them come from around the corner. You immediately pull away from the wall, which held your attention while T’Challa went inside to fetch his sister. Now your feet were planted stiffly in the middle of the walkway, and your body shrunk further into your already baggy clothes. The exchange that followed could be likened to that of a human introducing two infant kittens to one another; as T’Challa began walking closer to you, gesturing for Shuri to follow. By the time the princess stood in front of you, your body was rigid with discomfort.

You hated meeting new people. Especially new people you couldn’t read right away.

“(Y/N), this is Shuri, my sister,” T’Challa introduces, gesturing to the ball of energy that stands in front of you, who is trying her best not to make any sudden movements that would frighten you. “You both are around the same age. I think it would be nice for you two to get acquainted with one another, yes?”

Your gaze shifts between the two siblings, eying them down, attempting to uncover some secret plot or scheme they could have concocted together. Though, the more you look at them, the less likely that is. Unlikely, because you know T’Challa, and the man had proven to you numerous times that he would make no move to put you in harm's way. And despite the giddiness that simply bleeds from the girl in front of you, part of you determines that she is the same.

“Hi!” The princess starts, her voice high and eager, and the suddenness of her greeting almost causes you to step back.

Almost, but you don’t.

T’Challa radiates warmth and protection. He is soft and gentle and attentive, and he has a knack for compromising that has helped him, help you. His eyes encompass security, and looking into them lowers your guard and relinquishes trust to the crowned prince.

His sister, Shuri, is a beam of unforeseen light, brighter than the blue mineral that shines on the three of you. Ambition seeps from her pores and there is a thick air of curiosity around her, of which you visibly see her trying to keep under control.

Yet, when you look into her eyes, it is the same as T’Challa’s. They are warm, inviting, and it makes you remember your humanity.

“Hi.”

The memory leaves you the moment you open your eyes back to the real world.

It’s a fond memory, that much is clear by the way your eyes soften at the thought of the pair of you, innocent in your youth. When times were simpler and for the first time in your life, you didn’t have walls guarding your person, and you were allowed to be vulnerable when needed. 

“Does it feel different, being back in Wakanda?”

Ayo’s question had been mulling over in your head since you’d landed. It loomed over you like a cloud, uncertain in your answer.

You had been gone for almost a decade. You’d lost your accent that you adopted from the people, and your guarded walls had all but rebuilt themselves in your time away. Warmth exuded from the land itself, but you found it hard to embrace it.

After all, who could, when your return home is due to an underwater nation ensuing war with it?

There were times you would lie awake at night, playing reels in your head, planning your return home. How Queen Ramonda and T’Challa would embrace you deeply, delighted for the return of their daughter, their sister. How Shuri would embrace you deeply, euphoria washing over the both of you, having been returned safely into each other's arms. 

“If anything, I wish I could’ve come back on different terms.”

Ayo and you walk in tandem with one another, your set destination being the Design Group laboratory, where Shuri was currently working.

The minute she stepped off the ship, Shuri’s feet carried her to her lab. She was silent as her figure walked off into the distance, only disappearing when you turned to the queen to accompany her back to the palace with the young American scientist. 

You knew why she was so brisk in her getaway; Shuri wasn’t that hard to read to you. She knew what had been set in motion with your actions back at that underwater cave, probably more than what you had determined yourself just from your observations of the entire situation. There was no doubt in your mind that Shuri’s beeline to her sanctuary, her laboratory, was to prepare defensive measures just as much as it was to quell the buzzing in her head from everything that’s come to pass.

“For what it is worth, Wakanda is grateful for your return.” Ayo hums as the both of you round the corner to the entrance of the laboratory. You could hear your feet treading on the glass floor beneath you, and the sun's rays from outside disappeared as you were enveloped in the cold blue glow that the vibranium gave off. 

Your feet slowed, as the sound of machinery and murmuring voices grew louder the closer you came to crossing the threshold. It was overwhelming for you, even after almost a decade away. The looming ambiguity of the lab washed over you the same way it always had, with its pristine cleanliness, crisp white interior, and technology at any turn.

It made you feel sick, and yet, you pushed forward.

“Princess, (Y/N) has entered the laboratory,” Griot’s familiar voice echoes alerting Shuri of your arrival. She had been looking at a holographic screen, with scribbles and notes of equations and various charts that you were never able to understand. She turns to you, and as Ayo leaves the two of you alone in her little sector of the lab, another blanket of ambiguity makes itself comfortable atop your shoulders.

“Hi.

“Hi.”

The greeting is short and curt, and you’re almost certain it’s due to Shuri’s defense mechanism. She’s on the defensive, trying to keep herself in tact.

“I didn’t think you’d come here,” Shuri confesses, turning back to her holographic screen. She’s recalibrating something, that much can be determined,  and while it is important and holds most of her attention, it also acts as a distraction. In truth, she doesn't think she can stand looking at you for too long without certain thoughts intruding. Certain thoughts she longed to act on the moment she saw you, thoughts that were housed in her dreams, of which detailed your return to Wakanda on brighter terms, “I would have met you elsewhere if you needed me.”

“What I’m about to ask you can only be done here.”

Shuri pauses in her movements, turning to you once more. You step closer to her, growing so close her arm makes contact with your chest. It’s a slight touch, with the fabric of your shirt and her jumpsuit clashing, and the ever so light contact of your body onto hers, but even so, it causes the princess to slightly pull away. If things were different, perhaps Shuri would have fallen into the touch, but in this case, she resists, despite her body screaming otherwise.

“Can we talk,” you mutter, low enough for only to hear, “somewhere where there isn’t a bunch of people?”

The people aren’t mainly what you’re concerned about, Shuri knows this. She knows this because the grip you have on her elbow is one she’s familiar with despite not having felt it in years. You never liked prying ears, especially when it came to discussing yourself, your powers, your state of being. She also knows because when her gaze shifts to your eyes, they scream with not only the desire for privacy, but also rising anxiety, and she’s sure it’s because of the technology that surrounds the both of you. It’s overwhelming, she’ll be the first to admit that, and while it has brought her more comfort than anything in the world, she remembers how damaging the very premises is to you.

Glancing between you and the holographic screen in front of her, Shuri nods, sets down her stylus, and closes the screen out. She takes the first steps away from her desk, and you follow right after.

The Wakandan royal leads you to the upper level of the laboratory, where there’s significantly less lab personnel, making the space quieter and private, and further into an unguarded hallway, where the blue glow from the vibranium laced in the walls dances on both of your faces so prettily.

Shuri looks at you, determining the look on your face being that of worry and uncertainty. “What are you thinking?”

A sigh protrudes your lips, your gaze falling everywhere but on the princess herself. “I feel it, Shuri.”

She cocks an eyebrow at your statement. “Feel what?”

“The poison- or whatever the fuck he injected me with,” you clarify, the memory of such an encounter still fresh and painful in your mind, “I feel it. It’s heavy, like- like lead. I don’t know what it is, but it’s fucking with my nerves, and thats why I can’t control anything.”

Your revelation only brings more questions to the princess. “How do you know?”

“I’ve felt it before…back in that lab.”

Shuri shifts her weight from one foot to the other. She holds your gaze firmly; it brings you an odd sense of comfort.

“When I was blacked out, memories started coming up. I remember being strapped to a table when those scientists did it, and it was the same exact feeling, pain and all.”

There was a lump of discomfort that formed in Shuri’s stomach from your recollection, as she was still in the dark as to what exactly happened to you when in captivity in those caves. The only thing she’s certain of is that the image of your limp figure being brought to her on a stretcher would always haunt her memories.

“I know there’s a cure for it, because those scientists had it, and that fucker probably knew about it, and if anyone can figure it out, it’s you.”

“What are you asking of me, (Y/N)?”

You’ve always hated this laboratory. Anything technology related, you were extremely apprehensive of, given its dark link to your past. And to think, you had come to a point in your life where you actually needed it for something.

“I need you to take my blood-” you begin, outstretching your arm with the underside of your elbow facing up, of which catches Shuri’s attention, “-and make a serum to get me back at one hundred percent-.”

“No,” Shuri’s response is almost immediate, her gaze refusing to rest onto your exposed arm. She doesn’t wish to think about it, think about causing you harm. She begins to walk away, but you’re quick to grab her arm and bring her back to you. It’s a desperate touch, one that’s strong with the longing for closeness. Shuri should know better, but her body betrays her desire to keep to herself, one of her dark hands hesitantly running the length of your arm as she shakes her head, “I can’t- I can’t do that to you-”

“There’s no other way, Shuri,” you interject, and with the same arm you had exposed to her, your hand, as well as the other, come to grasp her upper arm, desiring contact with the princess. “You think I’d ask this if there was any other option?”

Shuri swallows thickly, her gaze returning to yours.

“Wakanda needs all the help it can get right now. I can’t be fightin’ with half-assed powers out here. If there’s anyone on this god-forsaken planet that can recreate that serum, it’s you, Shuri.”

The princess is silent. It was the kind of silence you hated around her. It was the silence she held when she knew she had to do something, but was still considering against it. She was always stubborn and argumentative; and it was a blessing and a curse; endearing, but nevertheless, infuriating. But you knew the only reason she didn’t want to do it was because it would hurt you on so many levels.

But you couldn’t think about yourselves individually, when soon, an entire nation was at risk of feeling the consequences of your actions.

Shuri curses under her breath, taking hold of your hand and dragging you back into the main room of the laboratory. She positions you near an untouched counter, and goes off to one of the many cabinets surrounding the room. You have no doubt she’s fishing around for medical tools, and you are proven correct when she comes back to your side with a variety of items you were familiar with.

“I’ll need a full vial-” she begins, it’s the start of her rambling, over-explaining herself as a result of guilt. She’s guilty because she knows she’s going to hurt you, and there’s nothing she can do about it.

“-I know-” you reply, as she takes your arm into her hands, swabbing down the juncture where your vein protrudes against your skin with an isopropyl alcohol wipe.

“-and it is going to hurt-”

Shuri preps an empty syringe, the needle glistening in the crisp white overhead light. 

“-I know-”

Your hand starts to reach up to Shuri’s face.

“-your PTSD might flare up-”

“Shuri.” The princess’s rambling ceases when your hand comes in contact with her face, caressing her cheek and directing her gaze to yours. It’s your turn for your eyes to ease her mind.

“I’ll be fine.”

Shuri takes your word for it. “Don’t look.”

You feel an uncomfortably familiar pinch in your arm, letting you know that the syringe has pierced your skin and has started drawing blood. You wince, jumping from the contact. The thought of it, its very presence in your body makes your chest tighten, but just as quickly as you feel the pinch of the needle, Shuri pulls it out, and a soreness replaces it. You release your breath.

Shuri’s nimble hands make quick work at wrapping gauze around the middle of your arm to cover the puncture wound. She transfers your blood from the syringe into the vial, walks over to a nearby synthesizer, and gives direction to Griot as she drops it into one of its many slot.

“Griot, synthesize (Y/N)’s blood and find whatever was used to incapacitate her. Then detect any possible antibodies for antidote production.”

Suddenly, you're sixteen again, and you’re meeting Princess Shuri for the first time.

You couldn’t deny that all of this, the suddenness of everything, was starting to get to you.

You were just starting to get the hang of this thing called ‘life’ when you bunkered down in Massachusetts. You’d chosen a decent part of the city to dwell in, one where chaos was known to ensue, thinking that the chaos of Boston would give you a great cover. It was a good advantage point, near all the needed stores and shops and institutions, near the water, and would have served you well in your hiding. It would have been the fifth place you had moved to since your departure from Wakanda, but you didn’t much mind the back and forth, state hopping thing. It oddly provided you with a level of thrill you hadn’t felt  since your Avenger days.

But this - being pulled into a war with an underwater nation - this was almost too much. Even with the experiences and skill set under your belt.

You watch as Shuri busies herself, preparing the serum that had been synthesized. You were laying on a table, about to have said serum administered to you. Though the setting was uncomfortable, sparking memories you’d long ago buried, you knew what you had to do to get things done. And if it meant sacrificing your comfort for a few minutes, then so be it.

Well, you’d be sacrificing more than your comfort, but Shuri didn’t need to know that.

“Are you sure this is alright?”

Shuri’s voice is filled with concern, rightfully so, given your history with these sorts of things. The listed side effects for this serum, of which Griot was so gracious to point out to her, did very little to comfort the already anxious princess, mainly because they weren’t just the ‘simple’ side effects that could be cured with rest and herbal medicine.

Hypertension, blood clotting, muscle spasms, nerval pain - it sounded like it would be doing more harm than good to you.

You knew the risks; of course you knew the risks, as you endured this same ritual long before your presence was known to Shuri. But knowing she would refuse if you told her just how much agonizing pain you’d be in from the serum alone, not to mention the stripping agent that was used on you prior would surely increase the level of agony you’d be in - if she knew you would be subject to waves torture from it, she would have never agreed.

So, you lied.

“Yeah- yeah, it’ll be fine,” you replied.

Shuri was still hesitant though, as she walked over to your lying figure, syringe in hand. You took a deep breath, attempting to calm your nerves, as she looked you in your eyes for confirmation to continue.

Her eyes always held a whirlwind of emotions, you remember. Those chocolate brown irises were home to sparkles of happiness, of thoughtfulness, of anger and distress, of guilt and agitation, always carrying the weight of having to prove herself to people, to her people; the same people who were suppose to uplift her, but who instead doubted her and mocked her brilliance.

Right now, her eyes screamed unease. “I don’t want to do this if it’ll hurt you-”

You quickly placed your hand over hers, which rested beside your hip, and gave it a light squeeze. “Shuri, I’ll be fine,” you reiterated, “please…just do it.”

There was a pause, a moment of reflection, before Shuri did as told. The injection itself was short and swift, and Shuri found herself holding her breath with anticipation, her stomach tightening with panic as the scientist in her tried to decipher what would happen next.

But nothing came as fast as she had expected it to, and so, she made the mistake of letting go of the breath she was holding. The princess had only turned to set the syringe down, to have herself take a deep breath to prepare for one of the side effects she was sure would ensue, but in the split second she turned her back to you, a loud thud rang out in the tiny medical testing space.

Shuri spun right on her heels to see an empty table, and she didn’t have to look much further before she saw you, on the ground, heaving and wincing heavily at the pain that was coursing through your veins. You were trying your best not to scream, hands balled into tight fists, your nails surely breaking the skin of your palms as you tried to keep everything together.

Before she could comprehend her movements, Shuri was at your side again, unsure of how to bring you any comfort, but nevertheless, allowing the sudden urge to console you overtake her senses.

She’s on her knees here, and despite your attempts to swat away her hands, to push her away out of fear of you hurting her, the princess grasps onto yours and holds them tight. The sight of you gritting your teething, grunting, groaning, spewing curses of which Shuri had never heard before; it was traumatizing to watch, especially when Shuri began noticing your veins protruding against your skin with a deep, royal purple, despite the darkness your skin tone held.

Shuri wasn’t sure how many minutes had passed before your convulsing body began to calm down, leaning in to her touch. There were tears in Shuri’s eyes, but she did not let them fall, selfishly not wanting you to worry about her, but the other signs of distress weren’t easily quelled. The quivering lips, her own heavy breathing, the trembles that racked through her body; Shuri’s mind fell into disarray at the sight of your vulnerable body in agony. And she could not do anything about it.

Shuri isn’t sure if it was the pain or the exhaustion from your desperate struggle to keep any screams or cries within that caused you to pass out, but nevertheless, she continued to hold your body in a silent prayer; because even though she was there when you woke up once before from this, the thought of losing you haunted her now more than ever. Even when two Dora soldiers come to the entrance upon hearing the loud thud of your body on the ground, offering to hoist your body back up onto the table, and your vitals appeared back on the screen, her worries did not rest.

Shuri had already lost a piece of her heart, and she couldn’t bear to lose another.

You weren’t used to this.

You took your time walking through the royal garden, it’s location sat high in the palace to receive the best sunlight for the plants inside, and for the moonlight to shine beautifully within its glass walls. There were plants here you’d never seen before, never heard of before, of varying sizes, colors, and shapes. The intricate design of the space flowed beautifully, and it truly deserved the title of royal garden. But despite the beauty these plants and flowers held, you were not here to see them.

You’d heard that Queen Ramonda was up here, presumably to enjoy the beauty of the garden. You didn’t know much about queens, or about royalty in general. Being annexed into the royal family by affiliation had given you a glimpse of the royal life, but despite the beauty of it all, you’d determined that a royal’s job wasn’t easy.

T’Challa, for example, was the crowned prince. His father, T’Chaka, a man you’d only seen a handful of times, but according to T’Challa, he was the previous Black Panther. T’Challa didn’t spend his days doing just anything; he didn't indulge in simpler pleasures like food, drink, and woman (in fact, you’d only ever heard him talk about one woman in particular, and you’d come to determine that the lucky lady had the prince wrapped tightly around her finger. After learning the term ‘lovesick’, you’d only ever described T’Challa as that when he spoke of Nakia). T’Challa took up the Black Panther mantle and all the difficulties that came with it - mission after mission, risking his life out on the field for his people.

Shuri, the crowned princess, had burdens on her shoulders that she never showed, too. No one would say it, but it became quite clear very quickly that her youth, brilliance and natural affinity to technology was not accepted amongst the elders on the Royal Council, of the elders of the country. Regardless, she’s proved her capability and remains true to her passion, helping her people with what she knows best.

And Ramonda, the Queen Mother…She wasn’t just a pretty face sitting beside her husband or her son, watching over the decisions they made. She took her title as Queen Mother very seriously, evolving into this maternal figure that everyone looked up to, that everyone could depend on. Whatever one needed, the Queen took great care in aiding that person to the best of her abilities.

And you…you weren’t used to asking for help. But Ramonda was the only person you felt could actually help you.

You’d finally found her, walking unaccompanied, though you assume that the Dora entourage she normally had with her were the same two guarding the entrance of the palace garden. Without much thought, your feet began to pick up the pace to catch up to the Queen, who took notice of another set of steps approaching behind her. She turns, greets you with a warm smile, and stops walking for you to catch up.

“(Y/N), what a pleasure to see you.”

Her tone is warm and inviting, it almost makes the initial anxiety within you fall away. You nod your head down in acknowledgement, then you go to speak, but suddenly your words are gone, and silence is the only thing that leaves your lips. It’s an embarrassing moment, but Ramonda quickly chases the silence away as she asks you to walk with her through the garden.

“How are you enjoying your stay?” The Queen questions. She’s taken a seat in a nearby gazebo, watching you become fascinated with the greenery around you.

“It’s alright,” you mumble in response. Though, you soon remember who’s speaking to you, so you redirect your attention to Ramonda and clarify your reply, “I mean- I like it here. It’s…nice. I can’t complain, I guess.”

“And my son, T’Challa, has been hospitable to you?”

“Oh, yeah. T’s been amazing-” theres a quick pause and a clearing of your throat, as you correct yourself once more, “T’Challa. T’Challa’s been helping me settle in alright.”

Ramonda nods in approval, a light chuckle escaping her lips at the mention of the fond nickname you had given her son.

“And Shuri, my daughter?”

You’d visibly tensed at the mention of the princess. It took everything in you to keep down the heat that rushed to your face.

“Shuri’s cool, too.”

Ramonda gave you a knowing look as you approached the bench she sat on to take a seat, but she did not press further.

“Something troubles you, child,” Ramonda hums as you take your seat, your gaze landing in your lap, unable to make eye contact with the Queen.

“It’s not…’trouble’, really,” you mumbled again. Ramonda tilted her hair slightly, urging you to continue, “I, uh…wanted help with something.”

“Whatever you may need, I will try my best to help.” The Queen eases. 

You chewed your lip in thought, a sudden urge to dismiss your original statement, but then, Shuri’s words rung loud in your head. ‘Mama is just like any other mom,’ she said, ‘and you’re like her daughter. She would kill for you; what you are asking of is childsplay. She will agree immediately!’

“Can you, um…” you began, your hands finding each other and fiddling with one another out of nervousness. The Queen remained silent, waiting for you to continue. It was a long pause, and Ramonda was growing slightly concerned, one of her hands moving to rest on your shoulder, but before she could make contact, you spoke up to finish your request.

“Can you help me with my hair?”

You spoke so fast, Ramonda barely caught the words that spilled from your lips. Examining your figure and how tense you seemed, she could tell that you weren’t used to asking for assistance

“Your…hair?” She repeated. You nodded in response, uncertain in your voice, maintaining your gaze in your lap. You weren’t sure what you were waiting for - a hysterical laugh, a lecture, an aggravating tone - but what you were met with was something you didn’t expect.

“Well…what did you have in mind?”

Wait. She’s….actually gonna help you?

You swing your head up and to the side, facing Ramonda with a look of shock on your face. You try to speak, but nothing comes from your throat but sounds of surprise. 

“Are you alright, (Y/N)?” Ramonda questions, re-initiating the action of placing her hand on your shoulder.

You honestly thought, if she was willing to help you, she’d recommend a braider of sorts right off the bat. But she was asking you what you’d wanted, and honestly, you hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“I, uh….didn’t think I’d get this far,” you admit, releasing the breath you were holding. Your body relaxed into her touch, “so I don’t have anything, actually…”

Ramonda hums, and you watch as she gives you a once over. You shift a little under her gaze, wondering why she was looking at you so intensely.

“How do you feel about locs?”

“Like…dreads-?”

“Locs, dear. We do not call them ‘dreads’, here. There is nothing dreadful about your hair.” Ramonda is firm in her correction, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d think she was actually becoming your mother here. With her firmness, there’s no room for debate, and so your response is a simple nod.

“Locs- locs, right. Um…I think they’re nice, I guess.”

And it’s here that Ramonda looks at you with an emotion unfamiliar to you. You’ve seen it before, it’s the same way she looks at T’Challa and Shuri; with immense warmth and care, with a desire to nurture and protect. The look of every mother to their child.

“I think you would look beautiful with them.”

By the time you had woken up, an hour had passed. 

Unlike when you were in the cave, this regaining of consciousness came smoothly and without troubles, save the dull ache in your head and, oddly, in your arm. You awoke in the same room, only Shuri’s presence was missing. Lifting your upper half up first, you swung your legs off the edge of the table, taking your time to stand up so as to not cause a headrush. While your body was still a bit weak from the effects of the serum, you pressed forward to find the princess.

As soon as you exited the threshold of the medical room, you saw Shuri sat at a workstation with another holographic screen up, presumably the one she was working on hours before your initial arrival. Your eyes scanned the rest of the room, noting that no other laboratory staff were present. Descending down the stairs, you called out to the princess, but the moment she turned to you, vexation was written on her face.

“Woah, woah, woah-” you begin, as Shuri stands on her feet and is fast approaching you, and you can practically feel the heat radiating off of her.

“You lied to me!” Shuri says through gritted teeth.

It’s then you remember her asking you about the serum, whether it would be alright to inject you with it, and your less than truthful response. Her face shows that she knows; that she knew of the side effects before she had even consulted you, which only binds your position further into a corner. Funny how this blinding heat of crossness was exactly what you were trying to avoid, but as always, you’d somehow managed to do the exact opposite.

“Listen, Shuri, I can explain-”

“-explain lying to me? Once more? I would love to hear your reasoning.”

The ‘once more’ stings a little too close for comfort. You know she’s referring to when you originally left Wakanda; when you packed up everything and went back to the very country whose scientists were after you, for the sake of protecting such a sacred place, and its sacred people. It stings because she still doesn’t accept that as the real truth. It makes you think has Shuri made you out to be some villain, and if so, for how long?

“My reasoning?” You scoff, becoming defensive at her accusatory tone. “You know damn well if I told you what would happen, you wouldn’t have agreed in the first place!”

Shuri doesn’t reply to you, instead, she chooses to walk away, frustrated, because she knows you’re right. She wouldn’t have agreed to it, at least, not right off the bat, because despite what she may feel - if she could even put a name to this feeling of desiring your closeness but despising your presence - she could not bear the thought of harm coming to you from her hand.

She tries to walk away, but before she can get far, she feels her arm being tugged back, and she’s forced to turn back around to face you once more. But before another exchange of words can ensue, the ground beneath you two begins to shake, and the light fixtures above you blink in and out from the startlement. You and Shuri share a look of confusion and worry, which is even worsened when Griot’s voice echoes to life with unsettling news.

“Princess, there seems to be an attack on the capital city. The river's defenses have been breached.”

Talokan has started its retaliation.

“What is the damage?” Shuri questions the AI, her tone frantic, as the Griot brings up three screens above the sand table that stands in the middle of the room. One shows camera footage of hysteria overtaking the city; another shows a list of sectors within the city’s defense barriers, some of which show up in red, showing that the defense mechanisms have been compromised; and the last shows a high percentage of the damage done to the defensive barriers and the city itself.

You and Shuri share a look of distress, a void forming in your stomach. Everything starts happening so fast, you can barely keep up with it.

It’s as if a switch had been flipped inside the both of you, one that’s turned off your petty argument and set it to the side, forcing the both of you into action. You direct lab personnel to seek shelter, Shuri is directing Dora soldiers to the landing pad, and in the split second it would take for you to think, you’re up in the air in one of the smaller talon fighters, with Shuri as the pilot, as you sail out into the city.

The damage that Talokan has already done is equivalent to that of a great flood. Thousands of homes submerged in water, and thousands of civilians desperately reaching for higher ground as they are swept away in the current.

You look on at the devastation in panic. Namour was truly a cruel man, retaliating on thousands of innocents for the one life lost. You’d sympathized with him before, but now, all thoughts of sympathizing with this fish man went out the window for you.

Scouring the land beneath you, you spot that Shuri is flying right above the river, and with confidence, you take a leap of faith

“Drop me off at the river!” You suddenly shout to Shuri, who is all but confused.

“What? No! I’m not doing that!”

But she’s too late, you’re already unbuckling your seatbelt and discarding your head gear, reaching past her to slip through the glass opening of the talon fighter, and despite Shuri’s pleas and protests, the howling wind has made your ears deaf. And without a split second to think, you jump.

Shuri’s heart stops as she watches your figure falling from the high altitude, disappearing into said river she was now soaring over. But her horror is soon replaced with awe as she watches the water below swirl into a whirlpool, and gradually rise higher and higher into what she could only describe as a tornado-pool of water from the river, with you in the middle of it.

You gesture for her to continue flying on, and once she’s out of view, you start to focus your energy on the water around you, bonding with the molecules themselves, conjuring up two large water tentacles that encompass your real arms and perform the same motions. With height on your side, able to see the sweeping currents and the civilians struggling against them, and with your new elongated limbs, you start to fish out civilians and survivors, swooping them up in your tendrils and placing them on whatever nearby roofs or hills that withstood the strong flooding currents. Your mind is set on one thing - saving as many people as possible from this onslaught.

When you’ve picked up the last visible civilian you see from the currents, you start to command the whirlpool of water holding you up to shift from one area to another, fishing for more survivors. But as you do, you catch a glimpse of something that makes your heart drop to indescribable depths.

Namour, flying right in front of the palace. Right in front of the glass window of the throne room. And with him, something you can only describe as a water bomb.

The world deafens around you, even to the point where your own scream of terror comes out virtually silent, as you watch the glass break, the throne room flood, and only one word echoes throughout your shattered mind.

Mother.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune

* * * *

Trump’s Thanksgiving rant was not normal.

As most of the nation was blissfully preparing for Thanksgiving, Donald Trump posted a Thanksgiving “greeting” at 2:00 AM on Thursday that is a sign of a disordered mind filled with hate and rage. We shouldn’t dwell on what Trump says, but this post is important, as explained below. I have removed a racial slur and omitted some rambling passages, but here is the gist:

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL, including the Racist & Incompetent Attorney General of New York State, Letitia James, who has let Murder & Violent Crime FLOURISH, & Businesses FLEE; the Radical Left Trump Hating Judge, a “Psycho,” Arthur Engoron, [and] Crooked Joe Biden, who has WEAPONIZED his Department of Injustice against his Political Opponent, & allowed our Country to go to HELL; & all of the other Radical Left Lunatics, Communists, Fascists, Marxists, Democrats, & RINOS, who are seriously looking to DESTROY OUR COUNTRY.

          Trump was not content to allow our nation to have a moment of peace. Instead, he tried to stir up feelings of resentment and hatred against imaginary enemies on Thanksgiving. Heather Cox Richardson highlighted another dictator who employed similar tactics in her book, Democracy Awakening.

          Reader Jay M. sent me the following passage from HCR’s book with a prefatory note. Jay M. explains that HCR cites a report written after World War II for the OSS (precursor of today’s CIA) that was finally declassified in 1999. Professor Richardson writes:

The U.S. Office of Strategic Services had picked up on Hitler’s manipulation of his followers when it described Hitler’s psychological profile. It said, “His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”

          The similarity between the OSS assessment of Hitler’s psychological warfare tactic of keeping his followers in a constant state of anger and Trump’s rage-filled Thanksgiving “greeting” is stunning.

          Trump’s Thanksgiving greeting deserved front-page treatment. His post is a sign of mental illness and fascist intent—a dangerous combination. But most media outlets did not bother to report on Trump’s post. Instead, on Thanksgiving Day, Frank Bruni penned a very respectful, very supportive op-ed to the Biden family suggesting that they stage a loving intervention with Joe at the Thanksgiving table:

Does he have a plan for the pace of the next 11-plus months? When he’s brutally honest in his self-assessment, does he feel the same vim that he did in the past? If he doesn’t, there’s no shame in that — in fact, there’s honor in the acceptance of it.

          A very soft touch, but the message is unmistakable: Biden is too old to run. Would that Bruni devote his talent to describing the danger bristling in Trump’s Thanksgiving greeting. Or at least give it equal time. Maybe Bruni will get around to it after the Thanksgiving weekend. We can only hope.

Concluding Thoughts.

Ugh. That was a rough newsletter, especially as a re-entry into the news after a long Thanksgiving weekend (for some). I wish it were otherwise, but there were tough topics that needed to be addressed.

          I am going to take this opportunity to make a direct plea to journalists, producers, and editors in the news media who read this newsletter. I know you are out there because I hear from you when you feel that I unfairly bash the news media. I occasionally receive mistaken “reply-to-all” or forwarded emails to your colleagues that inadvertently include me. (Don’t worry; I delete them immediately.) (Hint: Do a Google search for “How to remove a name from autofill in an email address field.”)

          Let me start with an olive branch. There are exceptional journalists doing great work every day. I cite them every day. They can’t please everyone all the time. They deserve our support and thanks—and forbearance for the occasional mistake. So here it is: Thank you to every journalist who is doing a tough job well in a news environment that is the equivalent of a war zone of disinformation.

          Ignore my whining and carping; dismiss me as a crank if you want. But please ask yourselves whether the news reporting and editorial stances at your outlet are rising to this perilous moment in American history. Everyone—including you—knows in their bones that Trump is a unique threat to democracy. He is consciously emulating the worst dictators of the last century. His aides are leaking their plans to undermine democracy. That existential threat must be in every story you write. If you must, report on polls or horse races or political infighting but do so while acknowledging that one candidate seeks to destroy democracy while the other candidate seeks to operate within its confines.

          I believe that Americans will prevail against the threat of MAGA extremism with or without the support of a free press rising to the challenge of this moment. But it would be easier—and victory would be more assured—if major media outlets did not treat Trump as just another candidate after his failed coup and incitement to insurrection.

          Imagine if Hitler had survived WWII and then ran for re-election as Chancellor of Germany from a prison cell. Would any story be written that merely reported on polls discussing the level of voter support for Hitler versus his opponent? Or would every story include discussion of his fascist takeover of Germany, his war on Europe, and his attempt to exterminate the Jewish people? Why does Trump get a free pass in hundreds of articles a day that treat him as the legitimate political opponent of Joe Biden? How can any story be written that asks, “Is Biden too old,” without asking the more urgent question, “Will Trump end democracy in America.”

          I have slipped back into offense when I meant to invite you to reflect on the balance and editorial position of your news organization. Tens of millions of Americans are hoping that you will get it right. You don’t have to defend Democrats or Joe Biden. But defending the Constitution and democracy is not partisan. The future of our democracy is partly in your hands. It should be a part of every story you write.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[cantstayawaycani]

Can’t Stay Away’s Fic Rec Friday Posts

My ao3 Bookmarks (if it’s bookmarked, it’s usually a completed fic)

Can’t Stay Away’s Fic Rec Friday #1 (04.14.23)

Can’t Stay Away’s Fic Rec Friday #2 (04.28.23)

Can’t Stay Away’s Fic Rec Friday #3 (06.30.23)

Hello! Because of my love for Wakanda Forever in all of its GLORY, I have been sucked back into the world of fanfiction!

Formerly known as @krockafella, I actually came back to Tumblr after I left all social media over a year ago, because I am truly hyper-fixated on Tenoch Huerta after his turn as Namor in BPWF. Also the performances that Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett gave in this film deserved all of the awards! Those women, along with Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’o are the backbone AND the meat of the film, no question. This film, more than even the first, has me thinking about it and consuming content/media about it almost obsessively now days. Y'all know how it goes.

So now, during this phase of hyper-fixation, I am interested in exploring these characters and reading the ways in which others interpret their motivations and arcs in their writing.

Fic writers in this fandom have been FEEDING me, with such amazing content! Every day I am amazed at the creativity and skill people are demonstrating with the fruitful motivation the film provided.

So! Because I’ve been reading and enjoying so many of these gems, I decided that I would do this Fic Rec Friday post every other Friday (that’s what I can commit to right now) where I post the fics that I have read, that I’m currently reading, or re-reading with a brief comment on why I love it.

These will Include, but not limited to:

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fic

Namor x Shuri

Namor x Reader (preferably Black/of color/Indigenous)*

Namor x OFC (preferably Black/of color/Indigenous)

Namor x Shuri x Attuma

Namor x Ramonda (generally platonic character study, but I’m open to read anything good)

Okoye x Attuma

Okoye x Namor

Okoye x Attuma x Namor

Shuri x Riri Williams

Shuri x Fem!Reader (preferably Black/of color)*

Shuri x OFC (preferably Black/of color)

Aneka x Ayo

Aneka x Ayo x Namora

Namora x Fem!Reader (preferably Black/of color/Indigenous)*

Namora x OFC (preferably Black/of color/Indigenous)

M’Baku x Reader (preferably Black/of color)*

M’Baku x OFC (preferably Black/of color)

Tenoch Huerta Character Fic

Rafa Caro Quintero x Reader (preferably Black/Latina)*

Rafa Caro Quintero x OFC (preferably Black/Latina)

I will read other things, but this is what I am mainly interested in right now, and it’s already a lot.

*If I specify that Reader fic characters be coded as Black or a Character of Color, it's because a lot of Reader fic tends to be coded white. If the reader fic is written in such a way as to truly be devoid of indicators to race/ethnicity, I will read it.

A few things to know:

I ship both Nashuri and Attoye (among other pairings, some of them are rare pairs). I DO NOT engage in fandom wars or discourse. I do not argue with strangers on the internet at my big age. If either of these pairs doesn’t make sense to you, or weirds you out or makes you uncomfortable or upsets you, it’s OK, but we don’t need to argue about it. If you are an author and your fic is on this list, but you do not wish for it to be included because you don’t want it on a list with the other pairing, just let me know (cordially please, without attitude) and I will remove your fic from the list. No harm, no foul.

That said, if there is anything on the list that you feel is beyond simply nonsensical, but problematic, genuinely offensive, discriminatory, et al, please let me know. I do my best not to read or recommend things that fall on that spectrum, but if you have a genuine concern I of course want to know if there's something I overlooked or didn't consider.

These recs will be posted with the link to the fic on ao3 and if the author has a Tumblr, their @handle. If the author has no Tumblr, but is on some other social platform, I will post that instead.

If the fic is posted on Tumblr, I will ❤️ it first, and then it will be queued to reblog on Fridays. I will usually comment on it, but my comments can mostly be found in the tags. If that is unacceptable to you, I’m sorry, that’s the way I like to run my blog. I like to do a rapid scroll, like, and then go through my likes some time later (days maybe weeks depending on how busy I am) and queue them up for reblogs. If you’d rather I’d reblog as soon as you post your fic or not at all, let me know (cordially please, without attitude) and I will do my best. I have a full time job, and sometimes all I have time for is to scroll and like quickly. Then on the weekends, I sit my old ass down, go through my likes and queue them up. I’m saying this multiple times so that there is no misunderstanding.

If the author has more than one work, not all of them will be listed in one post. I may not have read the others yet, and spreading them out will help keep the list fresh.

I will only recommend what I have read. I can’t recommend something I haven’t read myself, for obvious reasons. If you want me to read something, please ask. However, if it doesn’t end up on this list, please understand. I am open to giving feedback, but I probably won’t recommend something I don’t like.

This is mostly for me to organize the fics I like in a way that’s easy to find for anyone who is interested that may stumble across this blog. It’s useful, but it’s not that serious. If you want to interact with me about it, please do! (be nice tho)

Just to reiterate, SO THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING: if I haven't reblogged or commented on your fic it's for one of these reasons:

I legit haven't seen it. 

I haven't had the chance to read/formulate an opinion on it.

I gave it a ❤️ because I'm bookmarking it for later.

And now I have decided the "later" will be Fic Rec Friday.

It may not be what I'm interested in. I hope you understand.

Here are my current fic sources on Tumblr that I personally follow:

@attoye (fics) <- a treasure trove of Attoye "juice"

@tvreadsandsleep (fics) <- one of the most prolific attoye fic writers in the fandom

@namorslutfanfiction (fics) <- Namor and Tenoch goodness abound, take a swim, get wet

I haven’t read everything on these blogs yet. If I’m missing a fic source and you think it should be included here, please let me know.

These posts will be tagged with their respective fandom pairing tags so people can find the fics. As I said before, I am a multi-shipper and I do not engage in negative fandom discourse or ship wars. Please don’t interact with these posts with any of that. Thank you.

Tags: #ficrecfriday #csaficrecfriday #fiction reccommendation #fic rec friday #fic rec #can't stay away's fic rec friday

I will also tag the date I make the posts so you can find it that way as well.

Enjoy!

[legion1227]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review

I miss Chadwick Boseman. 

Chadwick Boseman will always be The Black Panther, T'Challa. When news broke that the actor passed from colon cancer in 2020, it was heart-wrenching. Beyond portraying an iconic superhero, the world lost a genuine, kind soul. One that inspired children to want to be like him. One who donated thousands of dollars to programs like the Boys and Girls Club. His passing was tragic, and there will never be another like him. 

As news broke of a Black Panther sequel in the works, everybody wondered, "How do you do a Black Panther sequel without Black Panther?" 

Well, there was an attempt. And it was great. 

After the death of King T'Challa, Queen Ramonda, Shuri, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje work together to protect their nation from other world powers looking to intervene. The Wakandans are skeptical of the other countries that aren't Wakanda. Tensions and emotions are high after the passing of T'challa. And as the Wakandans are so focused on the humans, a new force presents itself as an enemy to Wakanda: the Talokans. 

There's so much in this film that works. Acting-wise, everybody performs amazingly. Letitia Wright, as Shuri, has grown up since the last Black Panther film and has no choice but to grow up and take a role she thought unfathomable. The loss of her brother affected her deeply, shaking her foundation to its core. She found faith in science over tradition for a considerable amount of time. Danai Gurira, as Okoye, grieves in her way and provides excellent chemistry with Shuri and other cast members. But Angela Basset as Queen Ramonda? Her presentation is immaculate. When Ramonda presents herself to her subjects or enemies, she's a majestic beacon of royalty. She's that bitch. But when she's alone with Shuri, she takes off the headwear and appears more vulnerable with her daughter. Basset tightropes between both displays effortlessly. In one of the trailers for Wakanda Forever, there's a snippet that shows Ramonda as she says, "I am the queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone. Have I not given everything?" The delivery of that line is perfect. That scene is enough proof that Angela Basset deserves an award for her role. 

And as far as antagonists go, Tenoch Huerta makes for a fantastic Namor. In the comics, Namor and his people appear Atlantean with Anglo-Euro origins. Injecting Latin flavor into the character and his civilization was an intriguing choice that I loved seeing as a person of Hispanic heritage. Namor is a top-tier foil to Shuri and the others. His motives are understandable, and the character is menacing. He's not even a villain. I emphasize that he's more of an antagonist. The fight scenes between the Wakandans and the Talokans are energetic and make for a fascinating watch. A particular favorite of mine involves a Talokan and Okoye on a bridge. 

Unfortunately, there are some gripes I harbor with the film. Dominque Thorne plays Riri Williams and makes a fine debut. Her scenes with the Wakandans are a bit lacking. Her character reminds me of Shuri in the first Black Panther. I would've liked something more substantial with her, but I feel that may come in her upcoming show "Ironheart." I look forward to getting more of a taste of her there. Also, lacking screen time were the other Talokans. Namor remains stellar, but his subordinates Namora and Attuma are less memorable as characters. Attuma has a solid fight scene in the movie, but I can't tell you much of anything about either of the character's motives or personality or otherwise. M'Baku is not in the film as much as he should be. And finally, Martin Freeman and Julia-Loius Dreyfus appear in scenes mostly distant from Wakandan's direct conflict, and they're the least interesting parts of the movie. I like Freeman and Dreyfus immensely and in the other Marvel projects they have appeared in, but whenever they were on screen, I found myself wanting to see what Shuri or Namor was doing. Honestly, the scenes with them should have been replaced with more scenes dedicated to building up Namor, Attuma, and Namora's characters. 

So there are a couple of choices they could have made to improve the film but don't get me wrong, it's still great. The acting, action, and heart drive the movie to immense highs. It's my favorite superhero movie I watched this year, and in the top ten films, I saw this year. 4/5.

The movie deserves so much praise, even to the end. Without spoiling, there's only one credit scene in the film, and it's the best post-credits scene any Marvel movie has had. It's not an exciting, thrilling romp that reveals a game changer of a character, like "The Avengers" teasing Thanos. Nor is it something comedic or goofy like the ant playing drums in the end credits scene of "Ant-Man and the Wasp." What makes it the best is that it's a beautiful reveal. It's one more tug at the heartstrings that's sure to leave audiences teary-eyed. 

 A beautiful ode to the wonderful man that was Chadwick Boseman.

[jespersfavouritegun]

guys i just watched wakanda forever and can i just say. this is the best movie i’ve watched in a long time

the representation is so important and i’m so glad they took the time to show not just wakandan culture throughout both of the movies but also the culture of talokan

and shuri oml no words just. pure praise for letitia and everyone really

dominique did such a good job too her character was comedic relief throughout the movie i love her she’s iconic

danai angela and lupita were just absolutely phenomenal and filled with emotion throughout they literally deserve all the awards (i’m not updated on whether wakanda forever has won awards yet or not but if they haven’t they better)

and oml just the entire cast and crews dedication to making this movie the best one yet and honouring chadwick like. i’m sure he’s so proud <3

this really was a love letter to chadwick and means a lot to the whole world

honestly bless their souls they did such an excellent job

ALSO ALSO the cinematography and the costume dept did a great job too i just love the movie’s aesthetic

[shoujo-wizard]

Netflix has decided to undertake another Austen adaptation this time Pride & Prejudice & I'm not very excited abt it given the abysmal Austen attempt we've seen....... tht being said I do have a dream crew & casting of the characters in pride & prejudice specifically those often deemed the most important in terms of how they get the plot to move along & a few tht r just my personal favorites, this got quite long so I've written out the rest under the cut

Elizabeth Bennet, Yara Shahidi would fill this role spectacularly, to see her be soft with her family of chaotic embarrassments, console & counsel her most favorite sister Jane, tear Darcy apart for the rudest of marriage proposals, her tears at Lydia's fall into Wickhams hands & her defiance against Lady Catherine's rude remarks, to finally see her glowing w love when Darcy returns to bring her his suit once again, I feel like she'd rise to the challenge of this role spectacularly

Mr Darcy, Dev Patel would bring this most dreamy of male characters to new heights he'd be a proud addition to the Darcy collection amassed over the decades, what began with Firth in 1995 & then proudly expanded by Macfadyen in 2005, i think he'd brood beautifully & at the same time give the warmest smiles for his dear little sister Georgiana tht our Elizabeth in this cast can only choose to end up loving him in all his complicated humanity, and I will absolutely have tht man also jump into water & walk around in a wet regency shirt

Jane Bennet, ah yes the most beautiful of the Bennet sisters & I have decided tht Lupita Nyongo would bring the soft angelic Jane to life in a way tht speaks to her characters sweetness & quiet heart & exemplary beauty both without & within

Mr Bingley, for this role I've decided I'd love to see Henry Golding in a Regency suit at the Netherfield ball trailing lovely Jane as if on a cloud of roses & music & love

Charlotte Lucas, this was a tricky one for me to settle on but I eventually decided I'd like to see Nicola Coughlin give us the speech abt how marriage cannot b abt daydreams such as love, one must make decisions abt security in a world where women do not have their own money

Mr Collins, was a character I went back and forth btwn actors on, I decided Martin Freeman would lend Mr Collins the right air of affected superiority & it'd b quite fun to see how the man could bow & scrape to my casting of Lady Catherine

Lydia Bennet, the most wild of the Bennet sisters I'd love to see portrayed by Letitia Wright, she's got the potential for bubbly flirtatious escapades tht her character is known for & I think the actress would have fun w the role

Mr Wickham, the rat bastard must b beautifully cast so I've chosen Jude Law for this dream of mine, he's charming & handsome & has played many a role tht involves manipulation & dastardly energy of a rakish nature

Lady Catherine de Bourg, her snark & prestige can only b played in my mind by someone new as I think Judy Dench deserves a vacation & I've chosen tht someone to b Jane Lynch, I will not explain further & she will not affect an accent in my version

Now onto my 3 favorite characters in every p&p I watch:

Georgiana Darcy, our lovely little sister to the dreamy Mr Darcy, a young girl targeted by Wickham & sheltered by her brother, for this role I've chosen Charithra Chandran, I think she'd bring the right counterpart of youthful energy & sisterly love to a Patel Darcy & she'd do a fantastic job of further humanizing this brooding man of fortune, she's proven herself perfect for such a role w her portrayal of Edwina in Bridgerton season 2

Mrs Bennet, I struggled w this casting till I realized I want to see Viola Davis running abt Longbourn shouting abt Mr Bingley buying Netherfield & choosing one of her darling daughters to b his bride, to see her mother & primp her many wayward girls, to cry abt little Lydia being led astray & scold Mary in the same breath, to berate Mr Bennet to do his duty as a father & gentleman of the Regency countryside, I think tht she too will not b directed to affect an accent

Mr Bennet, I think the choice couldn't b clearer for me & that's to cast Colin Firth in the role of the aging patriarch of the Bennet household, he's played Darcy to perfection & so I'd love to see him return to the story in a new role, one where he gets to b a witty but ultinately neglectful Regency father, I think Firth would have fun playing a character so decidedly different from his previous one

This is my dream cast tht I suppose can also b considered a fan cast, obviously this exact cast of actors will likely never happen unless I become unfathomably wealthy overnight allowing me to produce this to my weird/loving standards.

The technical side of things I've also put some thought into. I'm envisioning my adaptation as either a short series or a lengthy film ala 2005

Director? Autumn de Wilde would b my choice to take on the challenge of a new p&p adaptation, she's shown her skills with Emma 2020 & I'd love to see what she'd do w a story decidedly more dramatic.

Screenplay? I'd like to have a hand in the screenplay but I would want to collaborate w the mind behind the screenplay for (u guessed it) Emma 2020, tht is Eleanor Catton of course

Costumes? Alexandra Byrne brought us the gorgeous world of Emma 2020, I adored every costume piece I saw in the film & was thoroughly impressed by her ability to appeal to the aesthetics of the current day audience whilst maintaining the Regency silhouettes tht r so admired, not a sequin in sight in Emma 2020 & that is what I want for my p&p fantasy, plus I'd adore a scene of a Patel Darcy getting dressed (perhaps after a certain dip) like we got in Emma 2020

Music? I'd want a movie score tht uses music to showcase the class commentary Austen was often making in her writing, I want Elizabeth & Darcy to have their very own individual leit motifs tht come together in the end of the story in a soaring symphonic orchestra, the opening upon the Bennet household must b memorable perhaps with a folk song, I would like all of this to b done in a manner similar (once again) to Emma 2020

[haroldgross]

New Post has been published on Harold Gross: The 5a.m. Critic

New Post has been published on https://literaryends.com/hgblog/aisha/

Aisha

[3 stars]

You need to be in the right mood to appreciate this emotionally intense view of immigration. Writer/director Frank Berry provides an expansive look at a woman’s story of escape to Ireland, and her struggle to remain in the face of near-certain death should she return home.

In the main role, Letitia Wright (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) is devastatingly raw. Berry keeps her very much in check, but her emotions war behind her eyes and her body remains tense as she struggles through humiliations and setbacks. Berry isn’t afraid of long silences for Wright as her character struggles to find the right word or portion of her story that she can share without falling apart. And yet, she has to share if she is to convince the government to let her stay.

Her near sole connection outside of her lawyers is Josh O’Connor (Emma.). He provides a base of hope on which Wright wants to rely. O’Connor has his own past to contend with, but delivers another wonderful performance, supporting Wright without ever stepping on her moments or her story.

This isn’t an easy movie to watch, but it’s well done and unjaundiced. It exposes how similar and frustrating the immigration challenges are no matter where you are in the world anymore. And it reminds viewers that these are people with full stories and deserving of compassion and more than a few minutes plea. And yet, it is also is clear how big the issue is on the government side. It isn’t a movie that tries to solve any problems or that comes to a clear resolution…it’s primary objective is providing some perspective. And it does that well.

Where to watch

[animebw]

Okay, I’m abuzz with Black Panther 2 thoughts, so I clearly need to make a more in-depth most than just “It’s even better than the first one.” No spoilers beyond vague indications of what happens, but proceed at your own risk.

Something I don’t think the MCU gets enough credit for is how good it is at turning audience doubts into the backbone of its best features. People don’t think that a superhero team-up movie could ever work? The Avengers’ in-universe thematic thrust is about proving that a superhero team-up is possible, and it changed global cinemas forever. But how do you just do normal superhero movies after such a huge event? Well, Iron Man 3 is all about Tony Stark asking himself that same question and figuring out who he wants to be after the Battle of New York. What place does a goody two-shoes like Captain America have in today’s more cynical world? Easy: his place is confronting the ugly realities of modern politics and fighting like hell to bring back some semblance of what America should be like he does in Winter Soldier. Even more recently, She-Hulk has a lot of fun toying with its fans and haters alike, and it does it wall because it’s so perfectly able to predict how people will react to it and what issues people might take with it. Time and time again, the MCU turns proving skeptical audiences wrong into the very backbone of its stories, and it’s really damn good at it.

I don’t think anyone expected they’d ever have to pull off something like this, though.

Chadwick Boseman died far too young, and now Black Panther must move on without him. But even aside from the inherent tragedy of his loss, he so perfectly embodied the character of T’Challa that the thought of recasting him- or passing the title to someone else- felt impossible. And there was probably no way to make a Black Panther sequel under those conditions other than by, once again, making the movie all about addressing those conditions in-universe. The actor and character are so closely tied, there’s just no way to avoid the weight of his loss in another story about him, so you might as well lean into it. King T’Challa died far too young, and now Wakanda must move on without him. But even aside from the inherent tragedy of his loss, he so perfectly filled the shoes of the Black Panther that the thought of anyone else taking his mantle, especially with the heart-shaped herbs gone, feels impossible. And all of us, on both sides of the screen, must grapple with the grief of his death while finding a way to carry on his legacy anew.

And it could’ve so easily been a disaster. This is the only way they could’ve made Black Panther 2, but it’s also the riskiest way they could’ve made it. Trying to grapple with such a raw, open wound of grief in the context of a superhero sequel, to answer everyone’s feelings about this real person they’re mourning, is such an insurmountable challenge I wouldn’t have blamed Marvel if they decided to just shelve the property and not risk it blowing up in their faces.

But I’m so glad they let Ryan Coogler take that chance. Because he fucking nailed it. This is one of the most beautiful blockbuster films I think I’ve ever seen, and it easily ranks among my top 5 all-time Marvel films.

I’ll avoid spoilers for now and let you all experience it as mostly blind as I did. You deserve to. But one more thing I want to shout out is that this is a giant movie, all but guaranteed to make a billion dollars, and it’s completely led by black women. Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Dominique Thorne, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright (god, Letitia Wright is so fucking good in this) are this movie’s driving force, its beating heart, its raison d’etre. This is a story about black women in all their complexities and differences, and that is truly something worth celebrating.

[fandom]

Fandometrics In Depth: Black Panther

This post is entirely spoiler-free for those who have yet to see Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

It’s been an eventful five years since the original Black Panther film was released and the titular character introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a fandom, we’ve experienced wins and losses. We got to witness history in the making and incredible representation. We watched as our heroes triumphed against Thanos and saved the universe time and time again. But we also lost a hero along the way. Midway through 2020, the world said a tragic goodbye to Chadwick Boseman, who brought T’Challa to life for the first time on the big screen, and whose memory and legacy will live on forever. In the series’ latest iteration, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, art mimics life as the nation of Wakanda struggles to find its place in the world following the passing of its king. This new chapter brings with it a myriad of old friends and new faces, a foe unlike any we’ve seen before, and a whole new civilization that lies deep beneath the ocean.

For this impromptu trip under the sea (see what we did there?), we analyzed engagement data—that’s searches, original posts, reblogs, and likes—around tags used in the last year, starting on November 2nd, 2021, right up until when this post was written to paint you the most detailed picture possible. Let’s break down the Black Panther fandom in depth:

A nation united.

The cast and crew for the Black Panther films are hands-down some of the most incredible in the business, so naturally, this next ranking is filled with talent that goes above and beyond. Sure, the list is based purely off of conversation on Tumblr, but we personally believe they all deserve to be number one. Check out the full breakdown below:

Lupita Nyong'o | 36.17%

Angela Bassett | 16.61%

Chadwick Boseman | 15.02%

Danai Gurira | 7.92%

Tenoch Huerta | 7.39%

Letitia Wright | 5.98%

Winston Duke | 4.29%

Michaela Coel | 3.83%

Ryan Coogler | 1.96%

Dominique Thorne | 0.83%

A world divided.

With every new entry into the MCU, Marvel strengthens fans’ relationships with their favorite heroes and brings to life new faces we’ve only seen on comic book pages. This time around, we’re introduced to Namor, who rules the underwater city of Talocan. Fans are so excited to see Mesoamerican culture featured so prominently in one of the most anticipated films of the year. Below are the most popular characters in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, ranked:

Namor | 20.93%

T'Challa | 19.81%

Shuri | 19.00%

Okoye | 10.25%

Riri Williams | 9.27%

Nakia | 9.26%

Everett Ross | 4.15%

M'Baku | 3.67%

Queen Ramonda | 2.07%

Aneka | 1.60%

Wakanda Forever.

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is out in theaters now—if you’ve already seen it, we’re betting you want even more, and if you haven’t, we’ve got just the content to get you hyped up. 

Marvel Studios (@marvelstudios​) to keep up with incredible fanart created by the community, Answer Times, and exclusive cast interviews.

Follow the #black panther tag for GIFs, fanart, memes, and more! Don’t forget you can filter any tag from your dashboard for a spoiler-free experience. If you need a reminder for how to do that, check out this handy Tips page.

[swfteverlqrk]

Long Distance Relationship

Part 2

Peter Parker x fem reader

Peter Parker (twin) x Shuri

QUICK NOTE: I DO NOT SUPPORT OR STAN LETITIA WRIGHT NOR HER ANTI C0VID AND VAX COMMENTS IN ANY WAY!

Hope you enjoy this, is short but so cute! Leave more requests, I'm happy to do them.

Part 1 here

bettybrant_1

Prom shopping with my girlies 💕

@yn_yln & @MJ_

↳nedleeds: Oooh! Can't wait to see the dress

↳yn_yln: I love going shopping w you <3

Yn_yln

I had a marvelous time ruining everything 🖤

↳PeterParker: Wooow, simply woow! You look gorgeous 😍

↳MJ_: SO PRETTY!

bettybrant_1: love youuu!

Prom Day.

PeterParker

The love of my life 💙

@yn_yln

↳yn_yln: Peter, I love you soooo much

↳MJ_: for once you are actually cute

↳P_Parker: My parents!

yn_yln

Just me being the happiest girl EVER with him 💙

↳PeterParker: Blue is definitely your color!

↳PeterParker: I love you !

↳MJ_: SLAYYYY!

↳Shuri: You guys are adorable!

HarryOsborn

Her 🖤

↳MJ_: You looked stunning Osborn.

↳yn_yln: cutieeees!

↳PeterParker: Photography creds!

@MJ_

The best looking ever :)

You mean the world to me 🖤

↳@yn_yln: OMG! QUEEN AND KING?

↳@yn_yln: adopt meee :(

↳@HarryOsborn: Love you, Jones

↳@PeterParker: Looking good guys.

-Hey bro- Peter knocked on Phillip door who was reading.

-Come in Pete- He did and sat in front of him.

-Look, I know probably prom is the last thing you want to hear about and I get it, but, if you change your mind, there's a gift on your closet and we'll be waiting for you. I love you brother.

Phillip smiled at Peter words and when he left the room he ran to his closet and found his dad suit...he smile only grew, after some seconds he got ready.

Peter and Yn were taking pictures and ready to leave.

-Hey guys! Do you have place on the limo?- Yn squealed and ran to hug him.

-Of course Phillip! You look amazing, come on.

They walked to the limo, where there was Harry and MJ, they were wearing black and the other couple blue, the drive to the prom was really fun, they all blasted to some tunes and of course because yn was there, Taylor Swift and they arrived to the school.

The food was great, everyone was having a great time, they even convinced Phillip to dance with them in group at least, an hour passed away, and the slow songs were gonna start, so sadly Phillip sat down watching his friends.

-Excuse me... Can I have the honor of dancing with you- a voice said behind him, and when he turned around, his eyes shined and he couldn't believe it.

-Shuri! Oh my god it's you!- He hugged her until she was about to faint. - I can't believe it! How? When?

She laughed and explained that Peter, yn and her had planned for two months now, and she had arrived an hour ago, he was so happy to see her, immediately he took her hand and took her to dance, he smiled to Peter and Yn.

P_Parker

I'm just soooo happy. ❤️

↳Yn_yln: Look how his eyes shine! I'm crying

↳Shuri: I love you Phillip

↳PeterParker: You deserve to be happy bro

↳MayParker: 🥺 so beautiful!

Shuri

In love with him.

(he was arguing with Peter before the pic, lol)

↳PeterParker: In my defense, I just wanted to fix his hair

↳P_Parker: 🧡 you look woow as always

↳yn_yln: Currently dying of cuteness.

The end!

[babypink224221]

Okoye spinoff to start production in 2023 💜😈

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Trump's Thanksgiving rant was not normal.

          As most of the nation was blissfully preparing for Thanksgiving, Donald Trump posted a Thanksgiving “greeting” at 2:00 AM on Thursday that is a sign of a disordered mind filled with hate and rage. We shouldn’t dwell on what Trump says, but this post is important, as explained below. I have removed a racial slur and omitted some rambling passages, but here is the gist:

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL, including the Racist & Incompetent Attorney General of New York State, Letitia James, who has let Murder & Violent Crime FLOURISH, & Businesses FLEE; the Radical Left Trump Hating Judge, a “Psycho,” Arthur Engoron, [and] Crooked Joe Biden, who has WEAPONIZED his Department of Injustice against his Political Opponent, & allowed our Country to go to HELL; & all of the other Radical Left Lunatics, Communists, Fascists, Marxists, Democrats, & RINOS, who are seriously looking to DESTROY OUR COUNTRY.

          Trump was not content to allow our nation to have a moment of peace. Instead, he tried to stir up feelings of resentment and hatred against imaginary enemies on Thanksgiving. Heather Cox Richardson highlighted another dictator who employed similar tactics in her book, Democracy Awakening.

          Reader Jay M. sent me the following passage from HCR’s book with a prefatory note. Jay M. explains that HCR cites a report written after World War II for the OSS (precursor of today's CIA) that was finally declassified in 1999. Professor Richardson writes:

The U.S. Office of Strategic Services had picked up on Hitler’s manipulation of his followers when it described Hitler’s psychological profile. It said, “His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”

          The similarity between the OSS assessment of Hitler’s psychological warfare tactic of keeping his followers in a constant state of anger and Trump's rage-filled Thanksgiving “greeting” is stunning.

          Trump's Thanksgiving greeting deserved front-page treatment. His post is a sign of mental illness and fascist intent—a dangerous combination. But most media outlets did not bother to report on Trump's post. Instead, on Thanksgiving Day, Frank Bruni penned a very respectful, very supportive op-ed to the Biden family suggesting that they stage a loving intervention with Joe at the Thanksgiving table:

Does he have a plan for the pace of the next 11-plus months? When he’s brutally honest in his self-assessment, does he feel the same vim that he did in the past? If he doesn’t, there’s no shame in that — in fact, there’s honor in the acceptance of it.

          A very soft touch, but the message is unmistakable: Biden is too old to run. Would that Bruni devote his talent to describing the danger bristling in Trump's Thanksgiving greeting. Or at least give it equal time. Maybe Bruni will get around to it after the Thanksgiving weekend. We can only hope.

Concluding Thoughts.

          Ugh. That was a rough newsletter, especially as a re-entry into the news after a long Thanksgiving weekend (for some). I wish it were otherwise, but there were tough topics that needed to be addressed.

          I am going to take this opportunity to make a direct plea to journalists, producers, and editors in the news media who read this newsletter. I know you are out there because I hear from you when you feel that I unfairly bash the news media. I occasionally receive mistaken “reply-to-all” or forwarded emails to your colleagues that inadvertently include me. (Don’t worry; I delete them immediately.) (Hint: Do a Google search for “How to remove a name from autofill in an email address field.”)

          Let me start with an olive branch. There are exceptional journalists doing great work every day. I cite them every day. They can’t please everyone all the time. They deserve our support and thanks—and forbearance for the occasional mistake. So here it is: Thank you to every journalist who is doing a tough job well in a news environment that is the equivalent of a war zone of disinformation.

          Ignore my whining and carping; dismiss me as a crank if you want. But please ask yourselves whether the news reporting and editorial stances at your outlet are rising to this perilous moment in American history. Everyone—including you—knows in their bones that Trump is a unique threat to democracy. He is consciously emulating the worst dictators of the last century. His aides are leaking their plans to undermine democracy. That existential threat must be in every story you write. If you must, report on polls or horse races or political infighting but do so while acknowledging that one candidate seeks to destroy democracy while the other candidate seeks to operate within its confines.

          I believe that Americans will prevail against the threat of MAGA extremism with or without the support of a free press rising to the challenge of this moment. But it would be easier—and victory would be more assured—if major media outlets did not treat Trump as just another candidate after his failed coup and incitement to insurrection.

          Imagine if Hitler had survived WWII and then ran for re-election as Chancellor of Germany from a prison cell. Would any story be written that merely reported on polls discussing the level of voter support for Hitler versus his opponent? Or would every story include discussion of his fascist takeover of Germany, his war on Europe, and his attempt to exterminate the Jewish people? Why does Trump get a free pass in hundreds of articles a day that treat him as the legitimate political opponent of Joe Biden? How can any story be written that asks, “Is Biden too old,” without asking the more urgent question, “Will Trump end democracy in America.”

          I have slipped back into offense when I meant to invite you to reflect on the balance and editorial position of your news organization. Tens of millions of Americans are hoping that you will get it right. You don’t have to defend Democrats or Joe Biden. But defending the Constitution and democracy is not partisan. The future of our democracy is partly in your hands. It should be a part of every story you write.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[jsmuts]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Spoiler Review

This is a very spoilery review, so enter if you dare...

I loved this movie so much. It really felt like a goodbye to Chadwick, from start to finish. There were moments that were hard to watch, including the intro which was hair-raisingly silent, the funeral and seeing the Black Panther suit on somebody else (which I'll talk more about later). I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding T'Challa being recast but I genuinely believe this was the better approach. It would have been weird to pretend like Chadwick never existed. I can't just erase him from my mind for a new actor, nor do I want to. Chadwick played T'Challa with such grace and perfection and had led some of my favourite scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. I'm also so glad that T'Challa wasn't just killed by someone off screen or something ridiculous. They made it a similar cause of death and even mentioned how he suffered in silence, which was a really sweet touch. Chadwick was so strong, up until the very end. It feels nice, knowing his memory is being honoured.

Going into this, I had no idea what the plot was going to be, other than Namor being the villain. So I didn't realise that Riri Williams was going to be playing a major role in this movie. Immediately, I was enamoured by her character, so I'm ready to learn more about her. There were some hints to her background which I appreciated - I like having some mystery to her until her series. The design of her suits were really fun and creative. The original homemade one was a lot of fun and I loved the parallels she had with Tony Stark. When she pushed the limits and went as high as she could go to take down the satellite and even her workshop had the Stark vibe. There were nice nods to her inspiration, but it still very much felt like her own character. She's not a knock-off Tony, she's more than that.

Namor's a little shit and I love it. I'll be honest, I wasn't thrilled that he was going to be the villain in this movie. I've recently started getting into comics and started reading the original issues from the 60's and Namor is the most arrogant prick on the pages so far. I wasn't a fan of his character, especially the winged feet, but the MCU made him likable (and I'm sure the comics will eventually down the line). They instantly made him a formidable foe, with the help of Letitia and Angela's acting. They made it look so easy, to capture Shuri and Riri and defeat Okoye. I would have liked more background on the people around Namor, maybe show us a bit more personality, because they felt a bit like Stormtroopers (faceless henchmen). However, they made up for it with Namor's backstory. They hit you with this gut punch of reality, that Namor stepped onto land and witnessed humans enslaving humans. The realisation that the surface world, the world his mother adored, had become a place to fear and pity. Namor's just looking for an excuse to rule the surface world, to bring order and punishment to us and perhaps we deserve it. I am quite surprised they didn't mention sea pollution though...

I loved Shuri in the original movie and I loved her in this one too, however they feel like very different characters. And it's understandable, she lost her brother. But even so, I definitely felt the shift from side character to protagonist very quickly. I'm not a huge fan of Letitia, but she and the writers made me emphathise with her right away. I will say, I disagree that she should be the Black Panther. I know that she's T'Challa's sister, but she's not a fighter. She's a scientist. The Black Panther is meant to protect the country, so I personally think the herb should've been given to Okoye. She's the literal protector of the throne and is such an incredibly skilled fighter - imagine what she could do with the herb. It just makes sense to me that it would be Okoye. Shuri can be the Midnight Sun instead. I'd also be okay with Nakia being the Black Panther, but I'm also quite happy with the idea of her coming and going from Wakanda as she pleases. I will say, why not split the herb? Why not give it to multiple people - especially at a time like this. Why not give it to Riri, Okoye and Nakia during that epic battle? We know we can trust them, so we may as well get all the help we can get.

I will say, this movie seemed pretty dark in lighting. I don't know if that's just me, but even in a cinema, it felt like it was darker than usual Marvel movies. I understand, because long portions of it is set at night/underwater, but I wish they had still lightened it up a little bit more, because there were some moments where the acting was literally overshadowed.

If Angela Bassett doesn't get an Oscar for this role, I'm suing somebody. Flawless performances. I got so many full-body chills. The scene where she's firing Okoye as the general is one of my new favourite scenes. Although I'm on Okoye's side, Angela's performance and the writing for her character made it impossible to argue with her. Such a powerful scene. I was so mad when Ramonda died. I will say, I wish she had a more epic death, but I guess when the villain is of the seas, someone dying of drowning is reasonable. It just felt like a bit of a lame way to go for such an impactful character. But maybe I'm just upset she died at all. I did think for a moment that Okoye was going to save her, to prove she was worthy to be general buuuut that didn't happen.

That end credit scene though? A son named T'Challa? I almost cried. I think if/when I watch that scene again I'll bawl. Such a beautiful way to continue T'Challa's legacy. I'm curious if T'Challa jr will inherit the Black Panther powers, because I'm assuming his parents did it while T'Challa sr was still the Black Panther. I'm also assuming that they're still setting up the Young Avengers, with T'Challa jr being another addition. That's very, very interesting. Really excited to see how that develops in the future.

It goes without saying, but the music was 10/10. Loved it. Gave me goosebumps several times.

I absolutely loved this movie and despite there are certain things I'd have done differently, I'm not mad at the movie at all. It's a great addition to Phase 4.