#Oh beloved pilot episode you hold a lot of answers to this show and of course all of S1 has the rest | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pennypeabody · 5 years ago

Text

Mädchen Amick teases Riverdale directorial debut, and what she learned from David Lynch

Mädchen Amick wasn't planning to direct the Riverdale season 4 finale. But when the coronavirus pandemic halted production across the world, her directorial debut on the CW series moved into the coveted spot.

"You want it to be exciting and climactic and really building its energy, so I wanted to honor that," the actress tells EW of her fateful episode. "There was a little extra pressure."

Amick has been directing since 2015, beginning with one of her daughter Mina Tobias' music videos. And while Riverdale has kept her busy playing Alice Cooper, the uptight, haunted mother of Betty (Lili Reinhart), since 2017, she has long dreamed of stepping behind the camera as well.

She finally got her shot for "Killing Mr. Honey," which was originally intended as the 19th installment of the 22-episode season. Now it will have to stand as the conclusion — and Amick warns that it ends on a cliffhanger.

In the photos above and below, EW has an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Amick's directing days on Riverdale. And ahead of the episode's May 6 airing, we called up Amick to discuss her experiences calling the shots, what it was like pulling double duty, and how working with David Lynch early in her career inspired her as an auteur.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How long have you had an itch to direct, and how did this episode come about?

MÄDCHEN AMICK: I moved to L.A. at 16, and got Twin Peaks at 17. I would say around my mid-20s, I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to be more than just an actress and be a storyteller, but so many things in my career made me busy and made me feel like, "Oh, I don’t have time to step behind the camera. I have to keep busy and focused on staying in front of the camera." This was in the mid-'90s, and there were a few female directors — one in particular was Diane Keaton on the original Twin Peaks — that showed me there are women doing this, but [now] there’s a little bit of this movement to get more diversity behind the camera that I benefitted from. I have to give credit to my husband and my daughter. She asked me to direct her music video, and I was honored and jumped right in. I’ve done a few music videos. I’ve directed and produced a docuseries pilot. At the beginning of Riverdale when I did that first thing, I’d started asking around and asking [creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa] and [producers] Sarah Schechter and Greg Berlanti. I said, "Hey, guys, I really would love to direct an episode." They were super-supportive and excited. So it was this season that Roberto said, "You want to direct this season?" And I was like, "Yes!"

Riverdale has a very specific, highly stylized aesthetic. Did that make directing easier or harder, especially when it comes to putting your own stamp on the episode?

It was easy for me. I know the show so well, inside and out. I really enjoy the storytelling and the filmmaking part of it. So I know what Roberto likes, as far as the way he likes the story to be told and unfold. That was a great template that was already in place, and I wanted to honor that. Then, I just wanted to elevate it as much as I could and get as strong as performances out of all my fellow actors, which they were great and supportive. And just push the visual boundaries as much as possible. Presenting new ways to shoot scenes, but still staying within the world and the visual look to it, and just hoping that Roberto loved it.

I remember Roberto and I had a conversation: It might’ve been season 2 or season 3, but there was an episode and he said it didn’t feel very inspired. That really gave me an insight into [that] he really wants directors to come on board and love the show and be excited about the show, and then bring an inspirational take to it. That made me feel I had a little bit of freedom to run with it, and he didn’t want a cookie cutter, just make everything the same. It was nice to hear he wanted something that was inspired.

When you directed the episode, it wasn’t meant to be the season finale, but now it is. Is that exciting? Nerve-racking?

Since it's [episode] 19 of 22, you are getting to the end, so there’s usually a lot of climactic things happening. That’s a lot of responsibility, just because I want to get it right. I know we’re getting toward the end, and those last few are really important to start tying up loose ends or building to a cliffhanger. You want it to be exciting and climactic and really building its energy, so I wanted to honor that. There was a little extra pressure.

Did it lead to any last-minute adjustments or changes in the storytelling?

The episode that I shot was the last episode that we completed as far as filming. We were halfway through 20 when production stopped, so I was editing when production stopped. At that point, we didn’t really know that the season would be done. It was a little bit of a holding pattern of, "Are we just pausing and we’ll get back to it, or will our season end a little short?" Now knowing my episode will serve as the finale for this season, obviously we’ll pick up back up next season. They’ll have to adjust some storytelling with what they had planned at the end of this season. As far as my episode, it pretty much stayed intact the way it was written. There was a new layer that came into the story that now serves as an interesting cliffhanger.

You also appear as Alice throughout the episode. What was it like having to pull double duty?

I’m not gonna lie, it was a huge challenge. My brain was so much behind the camera that it was hard for me to switch over to being in character. I could easily slip into Alice, but I could not remember my lines, and I’m usually really good at that. I was really struggling. In one scene in particular, there’s a big confrontation that Alice has with Mr. Honey and she drives the whole scene with all of the parents, and I could not remember it, to the point where my fellow actors were whispering the lines to me to try to help me get through it. Man, it was rough. I know I’ll continue to get better with that with practice, but my brain was not in that space at all. I was full-on thinking of shots and directing my other actors, so it was a big challenge.

This episode is going to have to hold us over for a while; what can you tease about it? Would you say it’s a satisfactory end to the season?

The whole theme of the episode is the big confrontation between the kids and their awful Principal Honey, who’s just been tormenting them the whole season. So lots of really, really fun stuff. There’s a mixture of some fantasy of what they want to do to Mr. Honey and some reality of what ends up happening to Mr. Honey. So that’s the big tease.

The back half of the season angered so many Varchie and Bughead fans, and it doesn’t seem like the same instant regret Archie and Betty have had over previous kisses. What can you say about where those relationships and feelings are headed? Might Riverdale be exploding some of its most beloved relationships?

[Laughs] Why? Why were they upset? No, but don’t they always teeter on that? I think Roberto loves to torture the fans, quite frankly. That’s the fun dynamic, and that is what’s classic to the Archie Comics, is you have this love triangle that’s always been between Archie, Betty, Veronica, and now we’ve thrown in Jughead into the mix. It’s complicated, but we’ll see what ends up happening at the end of senior year and where relationships really go. I know the plan for the next season is we were going to jump forward in time and see where everybody had landed, but I don’t know if that’s gonna adjust now that our season changed a bit.

Both Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols had announced they were leaving at the end of this season, leaving you as the only original Riverdale parent left standing. Now that filming has ended early, does that alter their plans? Will we get any hint of where F.P. and Hermione were originally headed?

As far as the episode I directed, there wasn’t really anything different happening for their characters. It was the same story line going on. But with technically three more episodes they had planned, I’m assuming they had plans. I also know Roberto really loves Skeet and Marisol, and he told me he hopes their characters can come and go from the show depending on everyone’s availability. It’s always funny whenever some of our characters die on the show, it’s like, "Oh, well that guarantees you’ll be on more often." Nobody’s ever really gone on Riverdale.

Does it feel weird to know Alice was going to be the last one left? And what might that mean for her going forward? She seems so happy with FP, it’s really sad to imagine that ending.

I know! They were finally doing good. I don’t know what Roberto has planned, but yeah, poor Alice. She’s really going to be alone now. Maybe she’ll just be ruling the town, who knows? Maybe we need to start a new campaign, Mayor Alice. Obviously not until next year, but just even thinking about coming back next season and having all my O.G. homies not around on a consistent basis, it’s definitely going to be really sad. I’m absolutely going to miss them, but I know that won’t end our friendship.

Earlier in the season, we had evidence Chic and Charles are working together. Will we see any answers there, and what might it mean for Alice to discover her long-lost son has betrayed her once again?

We hadn’t gotten into that for my episode. I think that was in the next few, so she hasn’t experienced the betrayal yet. I know she’s really resilient, but there’s been a lot of betrayal in this woman’s life. I think Alice is going to need some therapy next season.

And not of the Farm variety.

Real, good old-fashioned traditional therapy.

We were setting up for high school graduation to round out this season, and the characters going off to college or other futures. Will we ever get some taste of graduation, and have you any hint of where the kids will end up next year?

No, I don’t. I know the idea was we were going to jump forward in time a little bit to see what they had done. I’m assuming something brings them back to the town of Riverdale.

Can you point to moment or visual choice that you felt defined your identity or artistic choices?

Jughead and Betty have a fantasy going about what they would do to Mr. Honey, and so Betty’s revenge fantasy inspires Jughead to write an essay for college submissions. We get to go into and reenact Jughead’s fantasies and his writing. I wanted to push the envelope in those scenes. You don’t want to go too far out of the way where you’re totally getting rid of reality, but I wanted to visually have some fun with breaking the rules of what you’re supposed to do with shots and how you edit them together. Jughead is all about classic storytelling, so my inspiration was Alfred Hitchcock and Citizen Kane and that kind of stuff. We did a lot of twisted shots and shots that moved in weird [ways], very Vertigo- or Citizen Kane-inspired.

How much were you influenced by the visual artistry of working with David Lynch so early in your career?

He was my mentor from the very beginning. I didn’t really know too much about filmmaking until I worked on Twin Peaks with him. He showed me you think outside the box and do things that feel and look right to you. It wasn’t until I went into the business after Twin Peaks that I realized how different and what an innovator he was. That’s always been in there as my base, to just not be afraid of taking risks. He sent me a really beautiful email my first day of directing, and just reminding me to make sure I did every single thing I want in every single shot, and to have fun.

#mädchen amick #falice #bughead #riverdale #varchie #riverdale season 4 #4x19 #director Mädchen #skeet Ulrich #fp jones #Alice Smith

38 notes · View notes

amwritingmeta · 5 years ago

Text

21 Supernatural Questions

I was tagged by @deletingpoint - thanks for the kind words, girl!! Made my day! You rock the block! And yes don’t mind if I do join in, this looks fun. :P

1. When did you start watching Supernatural?

I’d seen stray episodes before - I’ve absolutely no clue which ones - but then I binged S1-6 in 2013 while being ill with the flu and I was hooked before it came up, because I loved S1-3 and the brother dynamic and thought it was a really awesomely well-written piece of television, but when they introduced the will-they-won’t-they-make-this-uber-masculine-guy-be-into-guys-and-specifically-the-guy-with-wings I was pretty much gone for. So I caught up on the show and watched it until a few episodes into S9 (don’t judge me, I was surface watching and couldn’t get with the program at the time because why wasn’t Dean gay already??) and then I quit watching for a few years because I couldn’t stand the grey area and the uncertainty. I also wasn’t invested enough to stand it, tbh, and felt, naw, I’ll get back to this if it ever seems like they’re actually gonna do anything with this thing they’re hinting so strongly at. Picked it back up while S12 was airing and here we now are.

2. Who is your favorite in TFW?

But the other two might get jealous!

(okay, it’s Cas)

3. Who is your least favorite in TFW?

They’re the holy trinity and none of their character progression works without all of them taking up their allotted space in the narrative and how can you not love them all what is wrong with this question why am I hyperventilating why aren’t they beloved equally gaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

(but Cas is my favourite)

4. Tag your top 5 Supernatural blogs!

I sincerely can’t, but I can tag a few people whom I very much appreciate and whose answers to this questionnaire I would be intrigued to see: @godshipsit @charlie-minion @mad-as-a-box-of-frogs @waywardliliana @natmoose @purgatory-jar @myed89 @inacatastrophicmind @rustling-pages @angelneedshunter @nerdylittleshit @obsessionisaperfume @assbuttboyfriends @misskittyspuffy @starsinursa @postmodernmulticoloredcloak @casismybestfriend @mittensmorgul @elizabethrobertajones - you’re all like bursts of colour and glitter glue and I’m happy you’re around! :) (btw I always find it awkward to tag specific peeps because there are so many of you lovelies that I would honestly tag so just know that this most likely includes you) (yeah that’s right) (YOU) <3

5. Who is your favorite character (not including TFW)?

Jack

6. Who is your favorite woman in Supernatural?

Rowena

7. John or Mary?

Mary

8. What were your first opinions of Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack?

Sam: my first impression of him was very coloured by my impression of Jared as Dean on Gilmore Girls, so to hear someone call Jared Sam and then this Sam call someone else Dean was a bit jarring while watching the pilot. My earliest opinion of Sam was that he was kind, good with people, skilled, independent and, yes, haunted by past choices.

Dean: Immediate impression was oh, he’s one of those guys, and then almost straight away that first impression was blown to bits and everyone knows that he’s very, very easy to fall in love with quickly, so my love for him grew strong within a few episodes, for sure. First opinion formed holds until this day: someone who’s lost and who’s searching for a way home. In every sense of that sentence.

Cas: Holy shitballs, who’s this now?? was pretty much my first reaction to Cas’ entrance. It blew me away. It was an absolute game changer. It made me sit up. It made my brain go... are they... are they going to make Dean Winchester... is Dean Winchester into men?? And because on my first watch I’d not seen the little hints of this that now are so damn glaringly obvious, the chemistry between Dean and Cas literally made a lot of shit click into place for me regarding what I was potentially actually watching, and raised my emotional investment sky high considering the possible social commentary baked into the overall message of family and identity, and yeah, that still holds true to this day.

Jack: I was ready to fight tooth and nail for him after 12x19. That episode is still one of the best 42 or so minutes of television I’ve ever seen. The plant of Jack as a needed push for Cas’ progression hit me in the heart, and once it clicked that Jack represented the holy trinity of Heaven, Hell, Humanity, and how he might narratively prove a knitting point for TFW, something for them all to rally around, well, I was pretty much done for.

9. What’s your favorite season?

This is a really hard question because watching a season from start to finish means taking all of it in, and all of them - when start-to-finished - I feel are rather outstanding, but twist my arm and I’ll say: S1 or S4 or S5 or S8 or S9 or S11 or S13 (I can’t narrow it down to just one season alright?) and S14 and looking at what we have so far with this unfinished season I’d name S15, definitively.

10. What’s your least favorite season?

Oh, man. Make a girl sweat. So, here’s the thing, I genuinely see each season as adding something valuable to the whole, you know? I suppose S6 drags a bit, but I really like the tone and the noir sensibility of it, so I wouldn’t really call it my least favourite, but if I were to choose one season to binge over a weekend, S6 wouldn’t necessarily be first pick.

11. Opinions on Destiel?

Ah, yes, the obligatory essay question. Please see attachment. *points to blog*

12. Do you believe Supernatural queerbaits?

Look, to my mind, the reason Dean and Cas aren’t together yet is character related. They need to get their fucking ducks in a row. (and then those ducks will hopefully be fucking all over the place) (okay that’s graphic bird sex but you know what I mean) (not literally Dean and Cas dressed up as ducks and fucking) (but like... good stuff for the eyes will be happening that isn’t necessarily fucking feather related) (wait) (oh ffs brain!!) (you HAD to go there didn’t you??) (moving on) (or rather answering the question) --> I don’t believe they queerbait, no.

13. Seasons 1-7 or 8-14?

8-15x03

14. Favorite villain (plot wise)?

*chills are multiplying*

I love Chuck as the Big Bad, sincerely, but oh mannnn Michael.

15. Do you think they should end the Lucifer plot line?

Yeah, this questionnaire has been in drafts for a while now so um... I mean, the Lucifer plot line as it pertains to SAM should reach a satisfactory conclusion, but as it pertains to Lucifer’s play for Jack and breaking God’s toys etc. yeah, no, done.

16. Who do you think has gone through more trauma (Sam, Dean, or Cas)?

That’s too relative to their highly linked, and yet wholly individual relationship with their past and lingering sense of trauma. I think @deletingpoints reply was something along the lines of: Can you measure trauma? And I agree. They’ve all been deeply traumatised at different stages of their life and they’ve all dealt with their individual trauma in different ways.

17. What’s your favorite Supernatural episode?

I’m sorry, what? I thought you just asked me to pick one favourite episode out of 3678916236363487236783 times infinity. This is mathematically impossible and since I’m sadly not fluent in math and have absolutely no access to any type of calculator or abacus or, I don’t know, a neighbour who happens to make amazing fucking latte and dresses in knits and is attractive in a non-conventional way and also happens to be a math genius, I must reject the question outright and plead the 105th. (i.e. I cannot possibly)

18. Do you like case episodes?

Where’s that gif of Dean going Dude Yes?

^^^

19. Who do you relate most to in TFW?

Darling Cas. Socially awkward and lost but growing into his own skin Castiel. My God, I love him so dearly. There are not words for how much I relate to him, or for what he’s done for my personal self-reflection, or how much I’m now re-relating to his need to push himself out of his comfort zone and dare. I owe him. *hugs into oblivion*

20. Why do you like Supernatural?

Ohhhhh, goody, one of those multi-choice questions. Is it:

a) because of the absolutely stunning character journeys

b) because of the absolutely smashing world and all its mythology

c) because of the underlying social commentary and the intricate use of subtext to effectively, though subtly, bring ideas linked to the conscious/unconscious sides to us into not only the use of already mentioned mythology, influencing the world building, but also wholly guiding, impacting and giving momentum to the already mentioned stunning character journeys

d) all of the above

e) all of the above, and a little bit more that would take an actual book to relay

E. It’s E. All the way the answer is E.

21. If you could bring back one character and kill off another who would they be?

I’d bring back Eileen and holy moly Shoshanna is coming our way. And I don’t have a character to kill off tbh. Let them live, I say. :)

I genuinely tag EVERYONE. Go on, everyone, you know you wanna! :) xx

#tag me if you decide to #tag along #:D

27 notes · View notes

chancellormatt · 6 years ago

Text

Voltron Rewrite Episode Eleven - The Coalition Strikes Back

Prince Lotor walks carefully, as if on eggshells, into the planning room of his father. Zarkon has his back to Lotor, staring at a display showing a holographic sequence of a teleduv opening, and lines of energy coursing out. A readout of numerical calculations are projected alongside.

Lotor waits for his father to speak. Zarkon says nothing. Lotor’s hands clench and unclench, as he continues to wait. Zarkon just keeps staring at projection, watching the numbers change as the calculations continue.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Zarkon speaks.

“You failed.” The voice sounds neither angry nor surprised.

“...yes.” Lotor says, forcing the word out.

Neither says anything for several long moments.

“...your mother took the teleduv to a secondary location for some preliminary tests. You will go to her.”

“...for what purpose?”

“To be out of the way.”

Lotor flinches. “...and...my punishment?”

Zarkon finally turns around to face Lotor.

“There is nothing I think I can do, that is worse than the dishonor you have laid upon yourself. You know what a failure you are. Do I have to hammer in what is already clear to see?”

Lotor’s eyes bore into the floor, tightening his fists so hard the knuckles go white.

“Leave me. Do not return until you have something of value to offer.”

With a jaw clenched so tight the words can barely be heard, Lotor says:

“...yes father.”

With that, he leaves.

***

Pidge gazes intently at a display showing frequency readings. She sits inside a laboratory in the Garrison base, at a computer terminal. She types a few keys on the board and more frequencies appear, overlaying on top of the existing ones. Her expression grows harder.

The door slides open, and Keith walks in.

“Hey, Pidge. You wanted to show me something?”

“Take a look.” She nods to the screen.

Keith walks over, and looks down at the display.

“So uh...you wanna tell me what I’m looking at right now?”

She sighs. “When we first got back to Earth, I had them tune the astro spectrometers to look for quintessence, and other unique energy signatures.”

“And lemme guess: You picked up some?”

“You could say that. I’m getting some crazy readings all over the place. Been using my spare time trying to locate the epicenter, which I finally did. Check it out.”

A map of celestial bodies appears on the display.

“This,” she says, pointing to a highlighted spot, “is the source of these energy readouts. And this,” she points to another spot, “is the Quantum Abyss. Just a couple of lightyears away. I’m betting that’s not a coincidence.”

“Me either.” Keith says, eyes narrowing. “It's got to be Zarkon.”

“So...what do we do?”

“For now, just keep an eye on things. Let me know if anything changes. I’m going to ask the Blades and the Warlords if they know, or can find anything about this.”

“Roger that.” Pidge says, returning the display to the readouts. “Oh and Keith?”

“Yeah?”

“Whatever this is...it's big. These readings...I can’t even begin to describe how scary they are. Whatever Zarkon and the other Dark Paladins are planning...we have to do everything possible to stop it.”

“We will.” Keith says confidently.

“How can you be so sure? We sure got beaten last time.”

“Because we’re the Paladins of Voltron. That’s why.”

Pidge nods, seeming to accept this answer. With that Keith leaves her to her work.

***

Lance walks inside an open hanger, towards Hunk, who’s back is to him. The big man is talking to a group of cadets that surround him. Lance smiles as he approaches, hearing his friend’s words.

“-rookie mistake. I used to make it all the time. Those gyroscopic stabilizers can get a little wonky once you get past three G’s. Talk to your engineer about it, they should be able to adjust the compensators, to make that a little-”

“There he is!” Lance calls out, for the whole hangar to hear. “The man, the myth, the legend: Hunk Garrett!”

Hunk cringes, but the cadets seem all the more excited.

“Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a little bit…?” Hunk says, as Lance walks up to throw an arm over his friend’s shoulders.

“Not even a little! Ya know this guy always talks about how scared he is? Turns out he’s a real heroic one. Totally called it.”

“Come on, I was the last one to even get in the fight.”

“Yep. Real thematic entrance, too. I’m proud of you buddy.”

The Cadets start to clamor, asking questions and swarming them. Hunk, however, cuts them off with a wave of his hand.

“Alright, alright. Cool down guys. We aren’t going anywhere. You all on the other hand, are due for flight drills if I’m not mistaken? I’d get to your fighters before your drill sergeant starts to wonder what’s taking so long.”

The cadets get a wave of panicked looks, and quickly disperse, calling out farewells as they run.

“Amazing.” Lance says shaking his head. “Just hold one of your eyes shut and you really would just be the spitting image of Iverson.”

“Oh stop it.” Hunk says shrugging off Lance. “I was just running their tests on the Yellow Lion, and after seeing Voltron firsthand they wanted to ask me stuff.”

“Uh huh. So in other words, you’ve become their beloved hero-pilot.” Lance sighs exaggeratedly. “Man, how come no one ever notices how heroic I am?”

“Well I’m sure before long they’ll all be singing the praises of ‘Lance the Sharpshooter.”

“Guess we’ll just have to see…” Lance grumbles. A slight quirk of his lips indicates that he is not as downcast as he pretends.

Hunk chuckles.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. Just glad I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

Suddenly a wide grin grows on Lance’s face. “Not yet ya aren’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well buddy, I think it's time we both got some well deserved R&R. Whatcha say we sneak out of this place before another alien invasion or something happens, and go hit the town? Yaknow, for old time’s sake.”

“That does sound like it could be fun.” Hunk admits.

“Great! Now let’s just make sure Keith doesn’t-”

Both of their communicators squak to life, with the sound of Keith’s voice.

“All Paladins, gather in the usual meeting room. Follow up on the attack, and discussing where to move from here on. Attendance is non-negotiable.”

They both sigh.

“Well he’s sure got ordering people around down.” Lance says.

***

The five Paladins of Voltron, Shiro, Coran, Matt and Sam Holt, Admiral Sanda, and all the other various leaders of both Coalition and Garrison sides sit in the large meeting room.

Admiral Sand sighs long and hard, before standing up to speak.

“The council has agreed to support the Coalition in their efforts to stop Zarkon and the Galra forces he controls-”

Before she can continue the room erupts into a cheer. She gives an annoyed look, though a slight tug at the corner of her mouth seems to tell a different story.

“-this means that we will supply the Coalition with all our resources.” She goes on once the cheers die down.“Most important of these, is our own military forces which, when necessary, will join the Coalition in deep space, and assist in the fighting.This includes the Atlas mecha, and all the currently battle-worth starfighters we possess. That is all.” Sanda sits back down.

“Oh come on Sanda, it's okay to get excited!” Matt says with a smirk. “This means we can finally officially work together again! I know you’ve missed my sense of humor.”

“With how much time you spent hanging around base, one could be convinced you never left.” Sanda sniffs. The comment however, is lacking it's usual bite. Though reserved, she does seem pleased.

“Thank you, Sanda. Really.” Shiro says. “Delays aside, I know you fought hard for this. We all owe you for this.”

“Pay me back by finishing this war quick. Oh and try not to bang up the Atlas any more than you already have. Speaking of, how are the repairs coming along?”

“Just about finished, actually.” Sam Holt replies. “While the arm came off, the actual damage was relatively minimal. Plus Coran showed us how to implement some Altean technology that expedite the repair work. Should even make upgrades easier, too.”

“Ah yes, modular construction.” Coran says, massaging his mustache.“Very helpful in building the Castle. Interestingly enough a version of the same tech was instrumental in Voltron’s-”

“I’ll leave the details to the engineers.” Sanda cuts in. “As long as it's back to being battle ready. I don’t want us to be caught with our pants down, again.”

Keith clears his throat. All eyes turn on him.

“On the subject of battles...I think we should probably discuss what we’re doing next. Moving forward with the war, I mean.”

“I’m all ears. You’re in command here now.” Sanda says simply.

Keith looks taken aback by that, but recovers quickly.

“Right. So, I’ve been thinking lately that we’ve been fighting a little too defensively. So far we’ve just waited for our opponents to show up first, then deal with the aftermath. But we’ll never win like that. I think it's time we attacked, and put them on the defensive.”

“A good decision.” Sanda nods approvingly. “But my question would be, where? As far as I understood it, you were not aware of your...our, enemy’s precise whereabouts.”

“That’s not...exactly true.” Keith says carefully. “We know that at the very least they’ve taken over the Altean Colony in the Quantum Abyss. The Blades have confirmed as much. They also verified that a lot of enemy galra activity is centering around there, so it's a safe bet that they’re using the colony, or a place very nearby as their headquarters.”

“So we attack this ‘Quantum Abyss,’ then? Cut the head off the snake, as it were?” Sanda asks.

“Tempting as that is, we don’t really have enough info to make that kind of attack, yet. We have no idea what kind of defenses they have, how they have their forces situated, or any of that. The Blades, unfortunately, haven’t been able to get close enough to get a read on the place.”

“Do you have an alternative suggestion then?”

Keith nods. “Over the past few days, Pidge has been monitoring some suspicious energy readings coming from an area not far from the Abyss. Just recently I was informed by the Blades that there is, in fact, a large compound there, with a significant amount of security guarding it. We think they might be testing some kind of new weapon.”

��Whatever this thing is, it’s a big deal. I can tell that from the readings alone. We’ve got to figure out what they’re doing there, and stop it if we can.” Pidge explains.

“I assume you have a plan?” Sanda asks.

“So far, the idea is we launch a good portion of our forces to attack this thing. We’ll have a ton of ships, Atlas, and a few Lions, but not Voltron. The reason for this, is because the attack is just a distraction. While our forces are attacking outside, one of the Paladins is going to sneak in, hack their computer and take every scrap of data on what’s going on in there, then evac. Then we’ll pull out, before reinforcements can arrive.”

“Wait a minute.” Lance cuts in. “Hack in? That means the one going in will be…”

“Me.” Pidge says, as if it were obvious. “I’ve got the computer skills, plus Green already has cloaking abilities, so getting in should be easy. I’m going to be the one sneaking in.”

“...alone?” Lance asks, looking confused.

“Well yeah, that’s the idea. We don’t exactly want them to find out the real reason we’re there.”

“Why don’t we send in some of those Marmoran Blade guys, too? They’re all space ninja-ey.”

Pidge sighs. “The more people we send in the more likely it is we’ll get noticed. As good as the Blades are, adding more people will just make sneaking harder. Besides, they”

“If...you say so.” Lance says, uncertainly.

We can discuss the finer details later.” Keith cuts in. “But, right now this seems to be the right move. We’ll deal a blow to our enemy, and gain some much needed intel, in one move. Any more questions?”

There are none.

“Alright, then. Let’s get ready for battle everyone.”

***

Prince Lotor, inside the Dark Red Lion, flies towards a massive space station. It is built in a gigantic, flat, ring shape. At the center of the ring, is the teleduv, with six robeasts hovering over it.

Lotor pulls into the station’s hangar bay, and lands his Lion. He steps outside, and is met by Raimon, standing there, in his usual maroon armor.

“Raimon.” Lotor nods.

The other man nods back, ever so slightly.

“I suppose this is where Zarkon is sending all those he wishes to punish. Though, I should hope I never do something to earn as much ire from him as you.”

Raimon does not reply.

Lotor sighs. “Ever the quiet one, my friend. Very well, take me to my mother.”

“Yes sir.”

***

Lotor and Raimon step inside a room, where the far wall is one long viewport. The viewport is built into the inside of the station’s ring, giving it a clear view of the teleduv and the robeasts hovering over it. Honvera stands in front of the port, looking out, unmoving.

“Mother.” Lotor greets.

“Son.” She replies. “How did it go with your father?”

“He didn’t throw anything at me, so I suppose that’s something. Just told me to get out of his way, and stay like that. Almost makes me more worried, that he didn’t do something worse.”

Honvera pauses before replying. “...I see. Well that aside, your timing is impeccable. Come, we are about to start the next test.”

Lotor walks over to stand next to his mother. “How goes your mad plan to open the quintessence field with the teleduv?”

“So far the readings have been promising. By using the robeasts, and by extension, the altean pilots, we can more easily control the rate of quintessence draw.”

Violet lighting begins to crackle along the teleduv’s surface, then begins to arc out to connect with the robeasts.

“...does it hurt the pilots?” Lotor asks after a moment.

“Yes. I suppose it does.” Honvera says unconcerned. “I believe it only takes a few hours to recover, however. No one’s died yet, so it shouldn’t be a resource concern.”

Lotor winces, but his mother doesn’t seem to notice. The crackling grows more intense. A glyph appears at the center of the teleduv.

“...what is the purpose of today’s test?” He eventually asks.

“I’m trying to solve a rather interesting conundrum.”

“Interesting how?”

“After the first few tests, the outputs suddenly changed. It appears as though there is some kind of block in the quintessence field. Like a large stone obstructing a stream. Quintessence still pours out, but not nearly as much as we should be getting.”

“What could be causing that?”

“My best hypothesis, is that there is something physical stuck in the quintessence field, and due to the nature of reality, it is trying to slip out every time we open the teleduv.”

“Something physical…” Lotor muses. “...could they have tried to make another-”

“Mistress! Something is coming through!” A voice crackles over comms.

Honvera narrows her eyes. “Expand the portal, and run stabilization. I don’t want it-”

There is an explosion of violet light, sending several of the robeasts flying. The violet lightning grows more erratic, striking out at the station itself, causing the whole facility to shudder.

“Shut it down!” Lotor calls out.

“It does not appear to be responding.” Honvera replies, fingers flying across a holographic keypad.

The crackling grows more intense. Lotor grabs his mother’s arm and makes as if to run for it.

Then, all at once, the energy crackles to nothing, an all is dark. Honvera tests the comms.

“Report.” She says.

“Damage was minimal, mistress. Just a power surge from all the quintessence. We’ll have things back up and running soon.”

“The pilots?” Lotor asks.

“Two dead. Rest are in critical condition. Reeling them in now.” The operator replies.

Lotor’s eye twitches at that.

“Prioritize getting me a visual.” Honvera says. “I want to see what we just dragged into the physical universe.”

After a few moments, lights from the station come on, illuminating the thing in the center of the teleduv.

A mecha of dark armor, with a long segmented tail, hangs limply in space.

“What…” Lotor says carefully. “...is that?”

***

Lance runs through a crowd of Coalition and Garrison personnel. They are standing in a crowd around Keith and the other Paladins.

“...the Atlas is going to be flanked by Garrison fighters. Now remember, as good as you guys think you are, you’re still at a technological disadvantage, so don’t take unnecessary risks…”

“Sure cutting it close huh?” Hunk whispers.

“Just psyching myself up, before the battle, as usual.”

Hunk gives him an odd look.

“What? Do you not do that?”

“I usually just pretend we aren’t actually fighting until the last minute. That way I don’t have time to think about how terrifying it really is.” Hunk shrugs.

“...Meanwhile our Galran allies will attack from another angle. Finally us Paladins in the Lions will attack from a third angle. This should convince them we really mean business. Meanwhile Pidge will be commencing her operation. ONce this begins, Lance and Hunk will board the ship as well, but in less covert fashion...”

“He means awesomely.” Lance whispers.

“I think he means make a bunch of noise.” Hunk corrects.

“This, hopefully, will keep them for looking for other intruders, by giving them a false lead. After that, it's just a matter of waiting for Pidge to get the data…”

Lance shoots a look over at Pidge, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

“...destroy as much as you can on the way out. And, I’ll say this again, but no unnecessary risks. The more people we lose today, the fewer we have to fight Zarkon tomorrow. That’s all. To your posts.”

The group disperses, to head for their respective ships. Lance however, instead of heading to his own Lion, walks over to Pidge.

“So, going in there all commando style, gonna steal the glory from the rest of us, eh?

“Glory’s got nothing to do with it. It's just the logical move.” Pidge shrugs.

“Riiight.” He smirks. “I think you just decided video games aren’t enough you gotta beat me at being a hero, right?”

“Oh sure, we’re all just trying to beat you Lance, but you’re just too hard to one up. Really we all feel inadequate with you around.” She rolls her eyes exaggeratedly.

Lance chuckles. “Glad someone recognizes me…” his expression suddenly get serious. “But uh...be careful.”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“It's just...these guys are dangerous. Really dangerous.” He glances down at his hand, as if expecting it to star shaking. “ I wouldn’t want…” He shakes his head, and his smile reappears “...I wouldn’t want to have to come rescue you. It’d be really embarrassing for you.”

Pidge snorts. “Yeah, sure.” She moves to enter her Lion, then hesitates. “I’ll...try to look out.”

Lance nods. “Good luck, then.”

Then, he turns around, and heads over to his own Lion. Pidge watches him go. After a moment she shakes her head, and steps inside the Green Lion.

***

Prince Lotor watches, as the strange mecha is laid down inside a hanger on the station. Workers using laser-torches make vain attempts at opening the hull.

“Where do you think it came from?” Lotor asks.

“I do not know.” Raimon replies.

“Best guess then.”

“I have no guesses.”

Lotor narrows his eyes at the other Paladin. “My father really did a number on you didn’t he?”

Raimon remains silent. Lotor sighs.

“Wherever it came from, hopefully what's left of the pilot or onboard computer will tell us more.”

“What is that?” A voice suddenly says.

Lotor and Raimon turn to see Sendak approaching.

“Sendak.” Lotor smiles. “What brings you around here?”

“Routine inspection of the contingent I left here. I heard something of note had been found but…” He gazes up at the mecha. “...this is something.”

“It is, isn’t it.” Lotor muses. “I must say I like the color choice…”

“Hold a tick.” Sendak says, as his communicator beings pinging. “This is Sendak, report.”

“Sir! Enemy activity detected!”

Lotor perks up, with interest.

“Numerous enemy ships on a course towards our location.” The office goes on.“It seems they are approaching the compound in force. Lions have been spotted but no Voltron as of yet.

Sednak furrows his brow. “ETA?”

“Just under a varga.”

“Understood. Launch defenses, and prepare for assault.”

“I will be in my Lion. I suggest you do the same. Perhaps a good performance here could...improve your situation.” Sendak says carefully.

Lotor hesitates. “...no. Don’t get in your Lion.

Sendak quirks his head looking confused. “...forgive me, Prince Lotor, but you are not currently in command here.”

“Fine. Take it as a suggestion, then. I don’t think we should go out. At least not yet. If we wait to show ourselves, we’ll get a better hand on what their goal here is. More than that, we’ll be able to upset their rhythm. They launched a surprise attack on this station. Seems only fitting we should return the favor.”

Sendak stares at Lotor for several long moments, before finally nodding. “Your words are wise, Prince. Let us try this plan…”

***

The forces of the Voltron Coalition open fire on the ring-shaped space station. Defense turrets and galra cruisers return fire. Swarms of fighters on both sides pour over the battlefield. Four of the Lions of Voltron tear through the battle. Energy-fire from all sides turns the whole scene into a lightshow.

Pidge ignores all this, engaging her Lion’s cloaking ability and disappearing from sight. She guides Green in a careful trajectory, weaving around and out of the way of all the other ships, friendly or enemy.

She makes it all the way to the station’s surface without incident, touching down on the dark metal.

“On the surface, gonna see about getting inside, now.” She reports.

“Roger that. Lance, Hunk, time to move.” Keith orders

“You got it!” Lance yells over the comms. “Gonna hit these guys so hard they crawl back to Zarkon and tell ‘em stories of ‘Lance, the Greatest Paladin that ever lived!’”

Pidge smiles and shakes her head.

The Red and Yellow Lions tear their way through the battlefield, aiming for a hangar bay that fighters are streaming out of.

Pidge picks her way long the surface of the station, still unnoticed. She comes upon a hatch built into the top of the station.

“Found the maintenance hatch.” She reports, inserting a wire from her wrist into a side-panel. “Just making sure they don’t notice me entering…” The hatch pops open. Pidge slips inside, and the hatch closes after, shrouding her in darkness. There is a hiss as the compartment fills with air. “...I’m in.”

***

Lance and Hunk glide their Lions inside the hangar bay, mouth beams blasting all the way. Dozens of enemy fighters are destroyed, and galra sentries go flying.

After a few more rounds of shooting, they both land.

Lance dashes out of his Lion, rifle at the ready. “We just made our entrance. And with a lot of style, too.”

“Good work, now go make some noise.” Keith says.

Lance and Hunk share a look and nod. Hunk hefts his bayard cannon, and opens fire on a door at the end of the room. After a few shots, it crumples, and falls to the floor. They dash through, to find a squad of sentries running up to meet them.

“Well buddy guess it’s just you and me against the world.” Lance says, taking aim.

“More like against the universe.” Hunk corrects.

“I guess so. Thinking about running away, yet?”

Hunk blasts apart a pair of sentries before they can get shots off. “Not a chance.”

“I thought so.” Lance smiles.

***

Pidge sneaks down a long corridor. She stops just before an intersection of hallways. Across the gap, on the next wall over there is an access panel. She starts to move across, glancing around the corner, before jumping back into cover.

A pair of sentries walk down a parallel hallway. She waits several moments before peeking around the corner again. Nothing. She runs across and plugs into the panel. She types on a holographic pad for several moments before a light turns green, and her wrist projects a virtual image of the station’s inner layout. She zooms in on one location.

“Central servers. Got ya.” Pidge smirks, unplugging from the panel.

She resumes her creeping down the hallway.

***

Lotor watches the battle being waged outside. The Black and Blue Lions still tear their way through fighters and cruisers. On the other side, Atlas is wreaking havok on the station’s defenses. Yet another feed shows Hunk and Lance shooting their way through the inside of the station.

“Tell my mother and Raimon to fly out and engage the Lions outside.” Lotor says. “I assume you should be able to handle those two making a mess inside?”

“Do not insult me Lotor.” Sendak scoffs. “But even still, where will you be?”

“I’m going to go confirm a hunch.” Lotor says, walking out of the command room. “If I’m wrong it's galran ale on me for you and all the men.”

“Very well, sir.” Sendak says a slight smile touching his lips. “Happy hunting.”

“And you.”

***

Keith and Allura fly in a tight pair, keeping the fighters off each other, and blasting lines through the enemy fighters.

“Two more on your six!” Keith warns.

Allura fires the Blue Lion’s tail laser, taking out one. Keith finishes off the other.

“Thanks!”

“Don’t thank me just yet. We got trouble.”

Sure enough, the Dark Blue and Green Lions fly out from the station, opening fire. Keith and Allura dive into evasive maneuvers, narrowly dodging the blasts.

“Let me take the Blue one. We have unfinished business.” Allura says narrowing her eyes.

“Careful.” He warns, letting out a blast that is aimed at the Green Lion, but is evaded. “These guys are no joke.”

“I’m well aware.” Allura says, dodging a blast. She fires her sonic cannon, to stun the other Lion. She follows up with a mouth beam, but despite the previous blast, her opponent is still able to move enough to make the shot only grazing.

The other Lion then replies, by firing with his own mouth blast, forcing Allura to dodge into his second shot from his tail.

Allura shakes off the hit, and punches her Lion back into motion, facing off against the Dark Blue Lion.

***

Pidge creeps up to a corner, around which is a short hallway, ending in a door guarded by two sentries. She notes these on her map. Biting her lip, she dismisses the map, and pulls out her bayard. She takes a deep breath, then dashes around the corner.

The sentries notice immediately, raising their weapons to fire. Pidge is faster. She fires her bayard, it's blade taking the first in the chest. She reels in the line at the same time, dragging herself and the sentry towards each other. An energy shot from the other one flies over her head, narrowly missing. Pidge kicks off the first sentry, leaving it a broken mess on the floor, and freeing her bayard to stab at the second. It's weapon cleaves in two. The sentinel tries for a punch at Pidge’s head, but she slips under it and drives her bayard’s blade upwards. The sentinel’s head shears off, and it collapses.

Pidge admires her handywork, giving a self satisfied smile. Hacking through the door takes only a moment, and she steps into the room beyond.

Long columns, from floor to ceiling, with blinking lights fill the room. The central and thickest columb is the one Pidge moves for. She immediately sets to work on the terminal built into the side of it.

“Guys, I’m in the server room now. Should only be a few minutes now.” She says, fingers typing quickly.

“G-” there is the sound of an explosion over the comms. “Good work!” Keith manages to get out. “Just make it quick, these guys are putting up a fight!”

“Will do.” Pidge pulls a drive out from inside her armor, and inserts it into the server. “Gonna copy everything I can down. Until then…” She opens one of the files on the terminal display. “...let’s see if we can’t take a peek as what you guys have been up to…”

Pidge opens another file, scanning it before closing it and opening another. She does this for several minutes, before finding one file that is different. When she opens this one, her eyes immediately widen with shock. She nearly falls as she stumbles back from surprise.

Sincline. Lying in a hanger, held in the very same station she stands inside.

“I take it that you recognize that machine.” A voice says from behind.

Pidge whirls around, throwing up her bayard.

Standing barely two dozen feet away, is Prince Lotor.

“When did you…?” Pidge says with confusion.

“Oh, I was here from the start. Just, waiting for you to show up.” Lotor explains causally. “To be honest, my first thought was that you’d go after the power. But, that’d be too well guarded, with too man redundancies. After I thought about it for a moment, I knew that you’d have to actually be here for information.”

Pidge’s eyes flicker to the drive, still slotted into the server.

“Tell me little one. That mecha there, do you know where it’s from? I’m betting you do. If you tell me outright I promise to make sure my mother doesn’t torture you too badly. I might even let you live after that, though perhaps that would not be much of a mercy. My mother does do nasty work when it suits her-”

Pidge dives, snatching the drive free and rolling across the floor. Lotor summons his bayard, cracking against the spot she just vacated. The energy whip slashes a glowing tear in the column, having missed Pidge by inches. Lotor cracks the whip again, and Pidge only barely dives behind another column in time.

“Prepare to disengage!”She yells over the comms. “I was discovered, evacing with as much data as I could get!” Then, as an afterthought, she adds. “Keith, Allura, blow a hole in the hangar on the third quadrant, and see what’s inside. You’ll understand when you see.”

“Roger that.” Keith replies.

“Wait, discovered?” Lance asks. “You need help evacing?”

“Negative! Evac with Hunk as planned!” Pidge is forced to dive again, as Lotor’s whip slices the column she was hiding behind in half.

She makes for the door, sprinting as fast as she can. Lotor’s whip slashes across the floor in front of her, cutting off her exit. She spins, bringing her bayard up and firing at Lotor. He smiles, shifting his bayard into it’s curved sword form, and knocks the green blade aside. Then he launches himself at Pidge, blade swinging. She tries to dodge, but the blade connects.

Pidge cries out as her helmet is knocked from her head, and she tumbles across the floor.

“What was that? Pidge? Pidge!” A suppressed voice says from her helmet lying several feet away.

Pidge looks up, fear in her eyes, as the towering Lotor approaches.

“...you realize, of course, that I cannot let you leave with that data.” He explains, twirling his sword experimentally. “Not that I was ever going to let you leave anyway…”

***

“Pidge? Pidge!” Lance repeats over the comms. “Pick up, quiznak it!”

No response. He shoots Hunk a worried look. He opens his mouth as if to speak, but is cut off when a door ahead of them is blown out of the wall. Sendak steps through, staring them down. Hunk and Lance raise their weapons, but no one yet fires yet.

“At last,” Sendak says. “I get to test myself against the Paladins of this realm. It is one things to fight in Lions, or Voltron itself. But there’s nothing quite like beating a man with your hands.” Sendak clenches his large robot hand into a fist, as if for emphasis.

“We should evac.” Hunk says.

Lance nods slowly. His gaze shifts away from Sendak, past him, deeper into the station’s bowles. Hunk notices this. He takes a breath, and turns back to Sendak.

“Go.”

“What?” Lance asks with confusion.

“I’ll keep this guy busy. Go find Pidge. Make sure she’s all right. And if she’s not, get her out of here in once piece.”

Lance hesitates only a moment before nodding. “...okay.”

Sendak laughs. “That assumes I will let you do such a thing.”

“Go!” Hunk repeats,

Lance does, dashing down the hall, towards the doorway Sendak blocks. Sendak throws out his fist, hurling the metal hand right for Lance. It is blasted off course by a shot from Hunk’s cannon. Hunk fires the next shot at Sendak himself. Sendak activates his bayard in shield mode, blocking Hunk’s blasts. Lance dashes past Sendak, not even giving the galra a second glance.

Sendak turns to throw his arm at Lance’s back. His shot his thrown off balance when something slams into his shield, pushing him back. Sendak looks up to see Hunk, standing there with a large hammer having replaced his cannon.

“I’m not going to let you stop my friend.” Hunk says, hefting the hammer.

“Interesting…” Sendak says, pacing back and forth. “...and do you really think you’re strong enough? Can you can defeat me with what pitiful power you have? You’d be better off running. At least you’d live a little longer.”

Hunk sighes. “You know, not so long ago, I might’ve taken you up on that. But here’s the thing: I realized that bad guys like you don’t just go away. Someone’s gotta step in your way. Someone’s got to stop you. And today, that’s me. No one else is gonna do it, so I’ll have to. To answer your question, I don’t know if I’m strong enough. Let’s find out.” Hunk raises the hammer to his shoulder.

Sendak grins hungrily. “Yes...show me your strength…” He turns his bayard into an axe. The two Paladins of the Yellow Lions charge each other.

***

Lance dashes for a group of galra guards. He shoots the first two sentinels down before they can even react. His third shot misses, but the following one lands, taking another sentinel in the head. The fourth and final guard’s shot glances off Lance’s energy shield, as he crashes into the guard. They tumble and Lance comes up on top. He shifts his bayard into a sword, and holds it to the guard’s neck.

“Oh, a living one, not just a bot. Good.” Lance says, noticing the flesh of the guard’s mouth and chin from the gap in the helmet’s chin. He presses his sword against its throat, making the guard swallow in fear.

In a very cold voice Lance says: “Tell me where the server room is, and you’ll get to keep your head where it is.”

***

Keith and Allura spins their Lions around, avoiding fire from the enemy Lions, while letting out blasts of their own. They try disengaging from the fight, but the Dark Lions give them no opportunity to escape.

“Dangit, we can’t shake these guys!” Keith calls out.

“What about that part of the station Pidge told us to find?” Allura asks.

Keith looks out at the enemy Lions, as if deciding what to do. He moves to intercept the Dark Blue Lion, which is gunning for Allura. The Dark Green Lion fires a crackling Violet shot from its mouth to stop Keith. He evades easily, but oddly the bolt of energy, once past him, loops back around to strike Keith’s Lion in the back.

Meanwhile, Allura fires three quick shots in succession, all of which are deftly avoided by her enemy. The Dark Blue LIon blasts Allura, sending her flying back.

The two Dark Lions are moving in, about to strike on their weakened foes. Before they get a chance, the Atlas flies in blasting both sending them tumbling backwards.

“Need a hand?” Shiro’s voice asks.

“Sure can!” Keith replies. “Just hold them as long as you can.”

“Roger that.” Shiro says raising both of the Atlas’ fists.

He flies up to meet the now charging Dark Lions, while Keith and Allura slip away, to further down the station.

***

Pidge dodges out of the way of Prince Lotor’s latest attack. He chases after her, wicked sword in hand, an even wicked her smile on his face. It is all Pidge can do to avoid getting her head taken off. Her armor already features many scores, where the blade has grazed her. Panic is in her eyes.

She keeps glancing back at the doorway, searching for a path to escape. She makes as if to duck around to the side of Lotor, then jumps back to dash around the other side.

Lotor sees through this, and puts a kick into Pidge’s gut that throws her halfway across the room. He back slams into the side of a server column. Pidge seethes with pain. Despite this, she manages to push herself up, and takes aim with her bayard. She fires at the open doorway, the green tethered blade sailing for freedom.

Lotor knocks the blade off course with his sword, then with his free hand grabs hold of the tether, and yanks hard. Pidge is dragged across the floor, sliding to a stop just in front of Lotor. He smiles down at her.

Pidge tries to scramble back up to her feet. Lotor slams a foot down into her chest, holding her there. The blow makes her cough and gasp for air.

“Finally.” Lotor sighs. “You Paladins of this reality are so slippery. Just when we think we’ve got a hold on you, you manage to worm yourselves away. Pathetic.”

While he is talking Pidge tries to drive the tip of her bayard into Lotor’s leg. Before she can he slams his other foot down onto her arm, pinning it.

“Do you know how much trouble you lot have cause me?” He sneers. “How many of my atleans I sacrificed, by sending them on futile attacks? How much of my father’s ire I earned with the failure at your hands? It's worse that you aren’t even very competent. You;re just children, playing at an adult’s game. We should have finished you off when we had the chance.”

“These...these children are gonna kick your ass!” Pidge glares up with defiance.

“I don’t think so.” Lotor says, lifting his sword.

He drives the blade down into Pidge’s shoulder. She screams. Blood starts to pool where the blade enters her suit. Pidge tries to squirm, but Lotor presses his foot down harder on her chest, making her gag. He leans down, so their faces are only about a foot away.

“You shouldn’t have come here alone. Maybe then you’d have stood a chance. Probably not, though. But to your credit, at least the only screams you’ll hear, when my mother questions you, will be your own.”

Pidge, with tears in her eyes, looks up with absolute terror at Lotor.

Suddenly, there is the sound of an energy rifle being fired.

Lotor leaps back, pulling his sword free as he does. A bolt of blue energy blasts into the column, where Lotor’s head had been just a moment prior.

“Don’t. You. Touch. HER!”

Lance stands in the doorway, rifle held in his grip, fury in his eyes.

“...Lance.” Pidge says with shock. She winces throwing a hand over the bloody wound on her shoulder. “L-Lance get out of here! He’ll kill you!”

Lotor smiles. “Your friend knows what she’s talking about. Go on then. Abandon her. Leave her to-”

Lance fires again, aiming for the Prince’s skull. Lotor blocks the shot with the edge of his sword. “...I was really hoping you’d do that.”

Lotor charges. Lance fires two more shots, both blocked by Lotor’s blade. Cursing, Lance lowers his rifle, and shifts it into a sword. Then, letting out a battle-cry, he meets Lotor’s charge.

Blades clash, throwing up sparks in their wake. Lance pushes the offense, throwing rage-fueled blow after rage-fueled blow. Lotor blocks, deflects and dodges each of the strikes. Lance continues to hammer down on Lotor, but the Prince moves like water, with none of the blows coming close to hitting.

“You really don’t know how to use that thing do you?” Lotor asks, amusement written on his face.

“Shut up!” Lance barks, swinging to take Lotor’s head off, but meeting only air.

Lotor deflect’s Lance’s next strike, an overextended thrust, and slams a fist into the boy’s ribs in reply. Lotor then steps forward, and lands a slice on Lance’s wrist. Lance retreats back, clutching his arm. He looks down to see his bracelet, the one Pidge made, in two broken pieces on the floor. He looks back up at Lotor, not masking the utter rage in his gaze, and raises his sword again,

“Lance stop!” Pidge cries out, struggling to sit up. “You can’t beat him! He’s been fighting with that sword longer than we’ve been alive!”

“You think I don’t know that!?” He retorts. “But like hell I’m going to use that as an excuse to leave you!”

Pidge can only stare, unable to muster a reply.

Growling, Lance charges at Lotor again. This time, the Prince does no playing around. Every strike Lance throws Lotor counters with one of his own. Lance thrust forward. Lotor parries, and lands a hit on his Lance’s arm. Lance swings overhead. Lotor blocks, and slams a foot into Lance’s chest. Lance tries a wild trio of blows, Lotor deflects each of them, before slicing into Lance’s side. Lance steps back, wincing from the shallow, but painful wounds.

Lotor pounces, unleashing an onslaught of sword strikes at Lance’s guard. Lance is barely able to defend, only partially blocking most of the strikes, and earning multiple scores along his armor, and some biting into the skin below. Lance is forced to retreat backwards, as Lotor’s flurry does not let up.

“Is this really all you can do!?” Lotor demands, sharp teeth revealed in a grin. “Is this all that this reality’s Paladins can offer!?”

Lotor smashes Lance’s sword to the side, and drives his own blade into Lance’s leg. Lance cries out, stumbling back into a column. He brings his sword back up, in a weak guard. Lotor chuckles and shakes his head. The Prince raises his sword and motions for Lance to come forward.

“Come on. Face your end like a man. I only need one of you.”

Narrowing his eyes Lance moves forward. He nearly stumbles, from the leg wound, as he strikes out.

“Pathetic.” Lotor knocks the blow aside.

Gritting his teeth, Lance strikes again.

“Weak.” Lotor uses a lazy backhand to fling Lance’s strike off course.

Yelling, Lance launches himself forward, for one more swing.

Lotor moves to sidestep the blow. “Honestly, you really are-”

Pidge fires her bayard along the floor, tether blocking Lotor’s feet.

Lotor stumbles, and for a moment his guard opens. Lance’s sword swings forward, slicing across one of Lotor’s eyes.

The Prince howls with back, stumbling back. He falls to his back, clutching his wounded eye, fury filling the other.

“Let’s go!” Pidge yells, running over to Lance. He stumbles, but she supports him as they dash for the exit.

Lotor lashes out, shifting his sword to a whip, but he just misses them, as they slip out the door.

“We’ve...gotta get out of here…” Lance says, wincing as he forced to run on his bad leg.

“This way!” Pidge say guiding them down a side hallway. She leads them to a large panel on the lower half of the wall. “Blast it.”

Lance complies, raising his bayard, shifting it to a rifle and firing. It blows apart the panel, showing a small vent beyond.

“Service tunnel. Short cut.” She explains in a tired voice. Lance nods weakly.

Clutching to each other, they leap down.

***

Keith and Allura blow apart the blast door holding the hanger close. They guide their Lions inside.

“Now what could be so important that...oh.” Keith says, seeing what lies in the hangar.

“It...it can’t be…” Allura gasps.

Sincline sits in the hangar. Galra workers scatter at the presence of the Lions, leaving the mecha behind.

“Lotor. Our Lotor. They...they freed him. Why? How?” Allura asks.

“Dunno, and at the moment, don’t care. Come on.” Keith flies his Lion up to Sincline.

“What are you doing?"

“Taking him with us. Friend or foe, we can’t let Zarkon use Lotor for whatever he’s got planned. Get the other arm.” Keith says, locking his Lion’s mouth around one of the mecha’s arms.

Allura hesitates for a long moment, staring at the Dark metal of Lotor’s mecha. “...you’re right.” She finally says. “We can’t leave him.”

She moves her Lion over to grab onto Sincline’s other arm, and together they haul the mecha out of the hangar.

***

Lance and Pidge move down the hallway, each keeping the other from stumbling and falling.

“...sorry about that bracelet you made for my hand. I broke it.” Lance laughs hollowly.

“I don’t care about that idiot!” Pidge scolds. “You almost just got yourself killed! What’d you do that for!?”

“You’re one to talk.” He scoffs. “And here I thought you said you’d be perfectly fine by yourself.”

“I’m serious!” She elbows him in the ribs. Both of them wince. “Sorry.” She apologizes.

“It's fine. What’s a little more pain, on top of the rest?”

Pidge gets a sick look. “...I mean it, though. Why did do that. Come rescue me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“That’s not an answer. We had the mission. I told you guys you should all get out. But then, not only did you come after me, but you tried to fight Lotor! With a sword! How insane do you have to be to do that!?”

“Oh come on, Pidge. As if I’d leave another Paladin behind.”

“And that’s just it?” Pidge scoffs. “You’d be and idiot and try to save any one of us in that situation? It’d be the exact same, and you’d do the same dumb thing?”

Lance seems to think about it. Pidge studies him as he ponders.

“...no.” He says finally. “I mean, yeah I’d still try to save them if it were Hunk or Allura or Keith. That’s just the kind of guy I am. But, no, it wouldn’t be the same.”

“Wh...what do you mean?”

“I mean, that when I saw you sitting there, blood on your armor, Lotor standing over you, I lost it. I just...I couldn’t stand the idea that I’d lose you.”

Pidge looks up, eyes widening.

He goes on:“In that moment, no one, not Lotor, not an army of galra soldiers, not even Zarkon himself wouldn’t have stopped me from trying to save you. You are the one person I can’t lose no matter what.” He looks down at her, as if having realized something for the first time.

For a moment, they just stand there staring at each other. Then, they both blush and avert their gazes. Pidge gaze flickers back to Lance, studying him one more time. She sighs.

“...dang you Matt.”

“Huh?” Lance asks.

“Nothing.” Pidge shakes her head. “I just...know something, now.”

***

Several minutes later, Lance and Pidge shamble past the scene of Hunk and Sendak’s fight. The two combatants slam powerful blows against each other, both looking beaten and weary. Despite this, Sendak is smiling.

“So you do have power! And here I thought there were no worth adversaries in this reality!”

“Well...sorry to cut things short then…” Hunk backs away to his retreating friends.

“It's not over yet!” Sendak sneers. He pulls back his fist to strike, and throws it towards Hunk, and the other retreating Paladins.

Hunk stands directly in front of it, and shifts his bayard into a shield. The fist bounces off. Sendak doesn’t even look mad, as Hunk slams the door shut and destroys the panel

“What happened to you guys!?” Hunk asks as the run.

“Lotor.” Pidge winces. “He was waiting.”

“I…” Lance cringes as he steps too hard with his bad leg. “...had to come in and save the say, as usual.”

Hunk eyes them warily but doesn’t question them further. He runs inside Yellow, while Lance and Pidge stumble into Red.

“Drop me off at Green.” Pidge says.

“Can you fly like you are?” He asks, nodding to her shoulder.

“I’ll...be fine.” She says, covering the wound.

Reluctantly, Lance nods, and pulls the Blue Lion out of the hangar bay. He dodges the odd fighter as he brings Lion around the station, to where Pidge directs.

Pidge hits a button on her wrist and the Green Lion appears. She moves to leave the Blue Lion, then stops. Then, she spins around and hugs Lance from the back of his chair.

“...thank you, Lance. For saving me.” She whispers.

Lance blushes and lets out a strangled cough. “You uh...you saved me too. So, really I think we’re even.”

“I...guess so.”

Then, before either of the can say anything more, Pidge pulls back, and turns to leave. She jumps out of one Lion, and into the other.

Back inside her own Lion, Pidge immediately winces as she tries to move the throttle with her bad arm. “Gonna be a fun ride home…” She opens her other hand, and allows a slight smile. She still holds the drive.

“Keith...I got it. Mission was a success.”

Then, gritting her teeth, she pushes the Lion into motion.

She rejoins the rest of the now retreating Coalition forces. There is still some exchanging of fire, but the Coalition breaks away, and one by one, jump out of sight.

***

Prince Lotor watches them go. His right eye now shut, with a deep cut running through it. Sendak, Raimon and Honvera are also in the room, watching the display.

“Zarkon will not be pleased.” Sendak notes.

Honerva’s eye twitches ever so slightly at this comment.

“No...he wont.” Lotor turns around, facing the others. “Which is why I won’t be here when he arrives.”

“Running, Prince?” Sendak asks. “That is...unlike you.”

“Not running.” Lotor shakes is head. “But I’m not going back to him empty handed, either.”

“What then?” Honvera asks.

“I think...I’ll have to go after them myself.” Lotor says, as if coming to a decision. “We know where they are now, and I think I’ve begun to understand how they think. It’ll take a subtler touch. I don’t think I’ll manage it alone. They seem to work well together...” He rubs his new scar, absently. “...Raimon?”

“...yes?” The armored man replies.

“Will you come with me?”

The man does not reply.

“Sendak is occupied with the armies. My mother is occupied elsewhere. It's just you and me. The two ones Zarkon hasn’t deemed fit more much else.”

Still, Raimon remains silent.

“Oh come on. I know you’ve got your dedication to Zarkon, but he hasn’t give you orders yet. If he hasn’t given you orders you can’t defy him, right?”

Raimon gives the barest of nods.

“Then come with me. The two of us, we can show Zarkon why he needs us, what we bring to the table. We might even deliver the critical blow to our enemy in the process. What do you say, old friend?”

Raimon seems to hesitate, as if torn. After a long pause he finally says in a quiet voice: “...I will join you.”

“Good.” Lotor says, narrowing his good eye. “Let’s go hunting.”

#plance #pigdance #pance #garden #voltron #lance #pidge #hunk #lotor #prince lotor #season eight #fixitfic #fix it fic #voltron legendary defender #katie holt #lance mcclain #theplanciestepisodeyet

34 notes · View notes

therewatcher-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Introduction to The Re-Watcher: First Up, Gilmore Girls

Recently, I’ve accepted something about myself. I love re-watching television. I don’t think this is unique. In fact a good chunk of the streaming business model is predicated on the fact that most of us like what we already know. I started my third? fourth? rewatch of Gilmore Girls at the beginning of the month, and decided that rather than just mindlessly blazing through these rewatches of shows with the random tweet reinforcing the viewpoints I’ve always had, I thought I’d try to be a more active viewer. It will never be the first time again. I will always know what is going to happen to the characters in my beloved shows that merit this amount of hours devoted. So instead, I decided that each time I rewatch a show, I will choose a topic and focus on it in a mini-write up for each episode. Not only will this stop me from watching too quickly, I hope it will help me in forming skills writing about TV and maybe I’ll learn something new about the shows I love as I watch with a specific goal in mind.

We’ll start with Gilmore Girls. The topic I’ve chosen is, The Best Underrated Scene. I want to focus on the scenes that don’t get necessarily quoted as much or that catch me off guard in my rewatch with their depth, brilliance, and significance. Amy Sherman-Palladino has finally gotten some awards and recognition with her newest show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but her talent was evident from the beginning and her cast in Gilmore Girls certainly did everything they could to take it to the next level. I want to look beyond the big fights and big cries and find those nuggets that offer depth to even the more cartoonish of Stars Hollow characters or reveal an important character trait and dynamic in a subtle way. Let’s see how this goes!

1x01 – Pilot

Pilots are difficult. I know this from watching many and from hearing screenwriters talk about it. Comedy is particularly difficult, it seems. With the exception of Veep, Cheers, and maybe Arrested Development, I have a hard time thinking of comedy pilots that operate at the same level of the show in its prime. Gilmore Girls was marketed as a typical WB teen drama, but also, it’s really a smart show about family and class. It’s a comedy, a family drama, a small town fantasy. It’s so many things and the pilot has a LOT of exposition to get through in as smooth a way as possible for a show whose premise is deceptively simple. As such, finding a truly great and understated scene that isn’t bogged down by introducing our big dynamics and long arcs for the season and series (Lorelai and Rory, Lorelai and her parents, Lorelai and Luke, Rory and Dean, the Inn, Stars Hollow, etc, etc, etc.) is difficult.

With all of this in mind, my first pick for Best Underrated Scene is maybe a bit of cheat since all the scenes in this that are really worth talking about are all a bit iconic.

Lorelai Asks Her Parents for Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njZo0lvgCsY

This is almost halfway through the episode. It’s the turning point and the whole premise for the show. While Lorelai and Rory are interesting and fun and I enjoy their dynamic, Lorelai and her parents (Emily and Richard) will always steal the episode away with their interplay. The strain between these two generations is painted so beautifully and delicately from the beginning. The transition to this sequence comes from a picture that Lorelai keeps on her mantelpiece of herself as a young child in front of her parent’s mansion that seems dark and cold compared to the warm, tchotchke–riddled home that Lorelai has built for herself. Lorelai is looking at this picture as she realizes her only option to pay for Rory’s new fancy school is to borrow money from her parents. We cross-fade from this small token of Lorelai’s childhood to the present-day real deal. But even the fact that Lorelai has this picture is telling. For every bad thing she has to say about her upbringing and her parents, a part of her still holds ties. As the series continues we will see in which ways Lorelai is really a lot like her parents, but for now this maybe is just a slight hint that nothing has ever been as black and white as Lorelai likes to act like it was.

Lorelai waits with her coffee, next to her Jeep (which obviously stands out against the backdrop of her parents house…”HELLO! I’m different from you!” Lorelai loves to scream with all of her purchases). She is gulping down her pride, finding the courage to go in and do what she never in her lifetime wanted to do. Cut to Emily opening the door, clearly surprised to see her daughter who only lives forty minutes away. “Is it Easter already?” she jokes. While we constantly have instances throughout the show of Emily and Richard not understanding Lorelai’s jokes, we can see from this first interaction that she probably got much of her wit from them. Emily is hilarious. She is maybe a bit harsher in her sarcasm, a bit drier than Lorelai’s hyper-joking mannerisms, but it is there and we see it right away. I love even more so that Richard makes the same joke when he first discovers Lorelai there unexpectedly (“What is it, Christmas already?”). Emily and Richard’s marriage has it’s ups and downs in the show, but they are solidly made for each other in many ways. They have a partnership that has lasted for decades and it shows in the way they at times seem to have one mind.

As Lorelai and Emily make their way to the living room, making awkward chitchat we are greeted with maybe the longest pause in the episode yet. Pauses are a big deal in the famously wordy Palladino scripts. It speaks volumes how little these women seem to be able to say to each other. “I’m sure I told you,” Lorelai tells her mother answering in a bit more detail about her business class. “Well if you’re sure, than you must have,” Emily bites back sarcastically. We get no answer to whether Lorelai did or not (my guess is that she didn’t), but either way we see so clearly the miscommunications that bubble up between these two who have so little faith in the other’s ability to understand the other. They don’t make this one a big fight, but it is part of the fight we will see later in the episode. Emily resents that Lorelai shuts her out of her life. Lorelai resents her mother’s controlling nature which causes her to avoid telling Emily anything rather than risk criticism or involvement in her choices. It’s a vicious cycle. Every bit of Emily’s dialogue is dripping with sardonic disbelief as she explains to Richard that Lorelai decided to just “drop in to see us” after her “business class” that “she told us about it, dear, remember?” “No.” Richard demures. He doesn’t play the same games that Emily and Lorelai do with each other. No, he doesn’t remember. This could be because he doesn’t listen, but it could also be a point in the column for the theory that Lorelai never told them.

Just this small part is enough to make this scene practically perfect. We got the back story before this for the most part in a scene between Lorelai and Sookie, but so far this has given us so much of the relationship between Lorelai and her parents (and a bit into the relationship between Richard and Emily). It soars in it’s ability to shed exposition and get to the root of what this dynamic has been for the last 16 years. It’s even better than the first Friday Night Dinner that happens towards the end of this episode, in my opinion. But now we have the discussion of money and the loan. Gilmore Girls at times handles the class dynamics between Lorelai and her parents so well it approaches Mad Men in what it is saying about whiteness and power and inherited wealth and those that reject it. Other times it is a magical place where money and finances make no sense. But that’s down the line. Here we have the simple act of a child asking their parents for money. Something many people have done with various degrees of injured pride. For some it’s easy, for Lorelai it is immensely difficult. Her saving grace is that it is for Rory, not for her, that she asks. It is interesting to note, that while Lorelai is adverse to the moneyed class her parents are in and the trappings of the white, wealthy elite she still wants her kid to have those advantages that she turned down by having Rory and leaving her parents. She still wants Harvard. She still wants Chilton. She is asking her parents for the money to buy her and Rory’s way back into the world she left behind. Of course she believes that it won’t have to affect their quaint little life in Stars Hollow, but it is interesting nonetheless that this is what she wants for her child and what she believes Rory deserves and needs in order to be what Rory wants to be.

Before Lorelai can even ask, Richard repeats two times “You need money.” Again, Richard doesn’t mess around and he doesn’t play games (at least not when it comes to calling his daughter out). He doesn’t need to hear her explanation, but Lorelai won’t leave until she gives it and says what she came to say in the way she wants to say it. It’s for Rory, for Chilton, she explains. Emily’s eyes brighten and she notes how close the school is to her house. “So…you need money,” Richard again chimes in, cutting through the bullshit. “Yes,” Lorelai has to admit. But it’s Rory, she repeats, and she will pay them back. “I don’t ask for favors, you know that.” (Lorelai’s anthem) “Oh yes, we know,” Emily admits. Emily’s voice is rife with bitterness and sadness. She wants to help her daughter, but she’s not allowed to. “I’ll get the check book,” Richard says. It is a sweet moment that is cut short by Emily’s proposal, but sweet regardless. Despite their past and hurt feelings, there is love between these people. Richard does not hesitate and he knows that Emily agrees. Rory binds them all together and certainly they are willing to do this for her, but they are obviously just as willing to do this for Lorelai.

And here we have Emily’s proposal that sets up the backbone for this generational family drama. Emily wants to be actively involved in Lorelai and Rory’s lives. She wants dinner once a week and a weekly phone call in exchange for the loan. Kelly Bishop is honestly so pitch perfect in everything in this show. She has that pose and demeanor here that seems almost villainous. It’s why on first watch you might want to always side with Lorelai. Emily is controlling and privileged and she has many faults, but honestly she just loves her daughter and granddaughter and sees an opportunity to force a connection that Lorelai would have denied her for eternity if she had not jumped on it. There is a softness in this. She doesn’t comment on Lorelai’s inability to provide this schooling for Rory herself, or honestly do anything to make her feel bad (in this moment) about her life’s choices. She just wants to be a part of that life now. Of course it gets messier the more we go into this episode and the series, but for now that’s all there is. We see again Lorelai’s pride, “I don’t want her [Rory] to know that I borrowed money from you.” But that’s not the only fault of Lorelai’s we see in this scene. We see also her stubbornness when it comes to her parents and her oftentimes inability and unwillingness to see the ways they demonstrate their love and their longing for her. She brushes past her mom’s request and agrees to the weekly dinners, but she is annoyed by it. She seems to see it only as her mother controlling her (of course it is this too, but as is often the case with the best scenes in this show people’s motives are both-and. Emily is controlling and vulnerable in this one). She doesn’t see that longing to connect as the simple love of a mother for her daughter that it is.

And that’s that. So much is revealed besides the plot in this elegantly written and brilliantly acted scene. It is simple and yet I could probably go on about how much this one scene says about this show as a whole. So much is revealed and set up for the series. Of all the iconic scenes in this episode, this one stands above the others and for that reason I think it is underrated.

#gilmore girls #gilmore #lorelai gilmore #emily gilmore #richard gilmore #tv #tvrewatch #rewatch #review #tvreview #netflix #pilot #101 #1x01 pilot

3 notes · View notes

hellostarlight20 · 8 years ago

Text

I Fall in Love with You Every Day 5/5

Title from the Frank Sinatra song of the same name Nine/Rose Ten/Rose Regeneration, fluff, angst—oh the angst! happy ending Recognizable dialogue from appropriate episodes

For @natural–blues who wanted Nine x Rose in a committed relationship with full on confession of their love (no oh, you know rubbish) when Nine regenerated into Ten. Also Rose remembers Bad Wolf and feels as if she killed her Doctor. The following story follows canon only in the loosest sense.

AO3 and TSP, on Tumblr part 1 and part 2 and part 3 and part 4

Well this is the end! Thank you for reading, and thank you so much for @natural--blues for the prompt. I loved writing this story and I hop you all loved it just as much. Many thanks to MrsBertucci for the beta.

The Doctor brushed his fingertips over Rose’s arm. Slowly down, fingers barely touching her skin, so tempted to hold her hand and remind himself how right it felt, then up again to her shoulder, the side of her neck. He brushed her hair off her cheek, behind her ear, but never, not once, did he touch her temple. He didn’t give into the lure of that desire and telepathically connect with her

More like fear—he didn’t give into the fear of telepathically connecting with her.

He didn’t know what he’d find if he did. There were entirely too many unknowns for him to confidently merge their minds again. If unknowns equaled terror and terror equaled wondering what the hell happened to his beloved Rose.

Jackie’s Christmas Day preparations had been subdued. The Doctor smelled Christmas turkey and remembered promising Rose just that—Christmas dinner with her mum. (Although, having met your mother nut loaf would be more appropriate.) Mickey had gone round the estate to check that no more robotic Santas lurked in the corners, but the Doctor was fairly certain he’d taken care of them.

He’d taken care of a damn lot, hadn’t he.

Rose lay on her old bed in Jackie’s flat, breathing evenly—no damage, no reason for her to be in a healing coma. Yet that’s exactly what this was, a healing coma.

“Please wake up,” he pleaded.

Lying on the bed next to her, he breathed deeply and closed his eyes. Finally he gave into temptation and took her hand in his. The Doctor just barely resisted curling his body around hers, holding her close. Protecting her. Keeping her safe.

“Please come back to me.”

“How is she?” Jackie’s quiet question jolted him, and the Doctor whipped his head around. He only glanced at her, however, before returning his gaze to his Rose.

“She’s alive, Jackie, I promise you. And she’s fine. She’s just—what she did with the TARDIS, it took a lot out of her.”

Jackie didn’t respond, but he felt the weight of her gaze on him. It burned through him as clearly as Rose’s when she was angry with him. He heard her move, startled when she rested her hand on his shoulder.

“Go change. You look ridiculous in Howard’s pajamas.”

The Doctor frowned at her, but she didn’t look at him. Jackie watched Rose, as if afraid she’d disappear if she didn’t.

“All right. I won’t be long.”

Jackie nodded, and he retreated out of the flat to the TARDIS. He needed to move Her, too, closer to the flat but not inside—or maybe inside. Closer to Rose. He didn’t know. Opening the door, he slipped inside and felt the warm, welcoming hum of his oldest friend.

“What did you and Rose do, Old Girl?” he asked the Time Rotor.

She only hummed in return, offering no answers. Leaning against the door, he banged his head on the wood and rubbed both hands down his face. Exhaustion tugged heavily at his arms and the Doctor knew his own healing hadn’t been completed.

He still didn’t know exactly what had happened in his regeneration, what went wrong, but then none of his regenerations had ever been easy. Probably a result of being off-Gallifrey when they happened. Or killed instead of just in a worn-out body.

Yeah, probably the latter.

It took far too long for him to choose a new look, a signature outfit, but when he finally saw the brown pinstriped suit, he knew it was for him. This him. For this him and Rose. (The way his trousers hugged his arse did not escape him and the Doctor hoped it wouldn’t escape Rose’s notice, either.)

Piloting the TARDIS to Jackie’s flat, he tucked Her in a corner of Rose’s old bedroom and stepped out. Rose still lay on her bed, exactly as he left her. Jackie sat beside her, holding her hand.

“How is she?” the Doctor asked though he knew Rose hadn’t woken.

He’d have felt it if she had.

“Is she going to wake up, Doctor?” Jackie tore her gaze from Rose and looked at him. Her eyes, teary and broken, pinned him to the spot. “Is this like you? Should I make her tea? Or is this—is Rose—”

“No.” He crossed the room in two strides. “Jackie, I promise you, Rose will wake up.” The Doctor knelt in front of Jackie and took her hands. “She’s in a healing coma, like me earlier, yes. But—” but she shouldn’t be, human and all. He didn’t say that. “Rose flew the TARDIS back to me,” he settled on. “No one’s meant to do that, not like she did.”

“She was so determined to rescue you,” Jackie whispered.

Rescue…?

The Doctor lifted Rose’s hand and kissed her fingertips. “She did. In more ways than one.”

“She loves you, ya know.” He looked up at Jackie, startled at the vehemence in her voice. “Refused to stay here where it’s safe, insisted she had to get back to ya.” Jackie shook her head. “What have you done to my daughter, Doctor?”

“I showed her the universe,” he whispered. “She showed me the stars.”

“What?”

The Doctor shook his head. It felt odd, the way his head moved on his neck, the way his body felt kneeling at Rose’s bedside. Unusual, but he’d get used to it. He would, with Rose’s help. Pressing the palm of her hand to his cheek, he willed her to wake.

Wake up, darling. Please, my Rose.

“I didn’t do anything to Rose, Jackie. I took her traveling, that’s all. Rose is the one who showed me a better life. She showed me compassion and love, forgiveness and mercy.”

“Blimey, the pair of ya. Sound alike you do.”

“If that means I sound like Rose, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Jackie sighed and stood. She rested her hand on the Doctor’s shoulder. “I’m going to make tea.”

“I’ll stay with her, Jackie. Promise.”

“I know you will, ya plum.”

He didn’t watch her leave, but knelt there, at the bed, holding Rose’s hand. The Doctor whispered Gallifreyan words of longing to her, even if he and the TARDIS were the only ones to understand them. He promised he’d be better. Do better. With her beside him.

The front door opened and Mickey called out. “Look who I found, wandering around outside.”

Rose opened her eyes and gasped.

The Doctor felt the bend and twist of a fixed point pushing through the flat, shoving timelines out of his wake.

“Doctor,” Rose whispered and he stared at Rose, her golden eyes, her ethereal, layered voice.

“Hey, Doc.” He didn’t look from his love to the new-old-familiar voice, couldn’t bring himself to look away from Rose and certainly had no desire to even glimpse the time-monstrosity that was behind him.

“How are you feeling?” the Doctor asked Rose, firmly keeping his back to the door.

“I—you’re alive.” She hugged him, but he felt her tremble, shake with tears and knew the mental blocks he’d tried to place around Rose’s memories weren’t enough. Her memories broke through (sang through) and he knew she remembered. “I thought—but no.” She shook her head and pulled back, kissing him softly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

The Doctor brushed his thumbs beneath her eyes, catching her tears. “Please don’t cry for me, Rose. Please don’t ever cry.”

“I killed you.” The broken words of grief lay between them, but he shook them away.

“You didn’t. I willingly gave my life for yours. Always have. Always will.” He smiled, a gentle, loving gesture, and pressed his lips to hers. “You’re far more important to me than anything. Don’t you know that?”

Rose shook her head, still crying, but allowed him to hold her close, shift on the bed beside her and just…hold her.

He heard Mickey leave, still trying to find a shop open on Christmas Day to repair Jackie’s hallway from the damage the killer Christmas tree did to the walls. He heard Jackie’s cry of joy when she entered the room. She brought in the tea, as promised, and pressed a kiss to the top of Rose’s head.

Without looking, Rose reached out and took Jackie’s hand, squeezing it tight. “Thank you, Mum. For everything. Thank you.”

“I’ll be outside the room.” Jackie gave him a hard look. “Don’t be long.” She closed the door behind her, leaving the two lovers in a silent embrace.

“What do you remember?” He pulled back, brushing the hair off her cheeks.

Rose looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Everything. You couldn’t hide it from me—us.” She frowned and tilted her head. “I’m not sure how that works, actually.”

“I didn’t want you to burn,” he admitted, words fierce and honest. “God, Rose, you terrified me, standing there. All powerful. I was so afraid.” He pressed his lips to hers. His own tears barely held in check, he breathed deeply, inhaling Rose and love, and held her close once again. “I was scared, so scared you were going to—” he couldn’t say the word.

“Never, my Doctor.” Her hands framed his face, fingertips brushing his temples.

He sighed into her touch and opened his mind to hers. Taking her by her telepathic hand, the Doctor guided them into their telepathic grotto, surrounded by waterfalls and bright flowers, by heavy tree overhangs and by soaring birds calling to their mates.

“It looks the same.” Rose turned in a tight circle, looking around their private space with the same wonder and awe she first looked around it.

“Did you think it’d change?”

“Well, I thought—since you did.” She turned back to him but didn’t retake his hand. “I thought it might.”

“No. Never. I’m still your Doctor.”

She tilted her head and studied him. “Are you? What you did to Harriet—”

“No.” He rushed to touch her, reassure her. “Rose, you were right. I changed—I changed everything. Remember when we landed on Satellite Five?” He waited only long enough for her nod. “Remember how I said the history was wrong?” Again he waited for her to nod. “That’s because it was. It was me.”

All his breath rushed out of him, and the Doctor closed his eyes against the judgement in Rose’s. But she took his hand and he felt the warm tendrils of her telepathic presence. When he opened his eyes, he saw patience.

“You said it was supposed to be the Great and Bountiful Earth Empire or something.”

“It was. Is. Will be. The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire.” He frowned. “Harriet Jones will serve out her three consecutive terms as prime minister.”

“I don’t understand, by deposing Harriet, you changed history all the way to the year 200,000?” Rose stopped and when she spoke, the Doctor knew what she was going to say. “No, more than that.” She met his gaze again. “That led to the Daleks.”

Her voice cracked but she didn’t stop. “Getting rid of the jagged fess—” he didn’t correct her, found her mispronunciation endearing as always—“opened the door to the—to them. Or were they always already there, waiting in the dark space, and when the jagged fess exploded, they just stepped up their game?”

“I don’t know.” He brushed her cheek, tucked wisps of hair behind her ear, anything to keep touching her. “I don’t know if we’ll ever know. Just because we remember it doesn’t mean it happened, not any more. I supposed we could hop over to the year 200,000, or even 200,100, but it wouldn’t matter.”

“Because you made things right with Harriet?” she demanded.

“I did. She’s still Prime Minister Harriet Jones, and will be for a long time to come.”

“What about the Daleks? They still broke free from the Time Lock, what happened to them?” She frowned. “Or will happen…or…how does that work?”

The Doctor opened his mouth to explain the intricacies of Gallifreyan tenses but she glared at him as if she knew that was his intention. Instead he cleared his throat. “It happened, but with the changes to the timeline—or the fixes, I’m not sure—I don’t know if it will happen.”

“Can we stop it? If it does happen again, can we stop it?”

He wanted to sound confident, assured in this new body as the new Doctor. But they were in their special, private telepathic haven. No lying allowed. “I don’t know. But I promise you, we’ll try.”

“Good.” Rose smiled and leaned against him. “That’s all we can do, yeah? Try our best.”

He felt her tiredness, and ran his hand down her back. Jackie would barge in any minute now, and they still had to deal with the Time Displacement.

“Why didn’t you tell me about regeneration?”

“I didn’t think it’d ever come up,” he admitted and kissed her forehead. “I’d been in that body such a short time, even for me.”

There was commotion outside the door and Rose looked up. Their grotto disappeared and her old bedroom reasserted itself. Her eyes met his, sad and watery, and the Doctor knew she’d have more to say on the matter. Then Rose stilled. She stared at the closed bedroom door, eyes distant.

“I bring life.”

“Rose.” She scrambled from his arms even as he tried to hold onto her. “Rose, wait!”

But it was too late, and she ripped open the door and raced down the hall. The Doctor scowled but followed, unable not to no matter what awaited him.

**** The Doctor was right, of course. Rose was furious with him for deserting Jack on Satellite Five or the Game Station or whatever it was currently called in this new timeline. She was more furious with herself for bringing Jack back—forever. At least she allowed him to comfort her as she cried, Jackie on the other side of her, Mickey and Jack watching.

Rose turned and pounded him with her fists. “How could you? How could you leave him?”

The Doctor didn’t want to do this here, didn’t want to tell her loved ones what happened. Hell, he didn’t want to tell Rose what happened—all that happened to her, the TARDIS, even to his old body. But he caught her wrists and waited until she looked at him.

“Rose, you were dying. I was dying.” Desperate, terrified for her, the Doctor tried to control his voice but it shook with his fear no matter his efforts. “You opened the Heart of the TARDIS to fly Her back and absorbed the entirety of the Time Vortex. No one’s meant to do that.”

“And I brought Jack back.” She looked at the other man, sitting in Jackie’s worn armchair, elbows on his knees, looking as if he wished he hadn’t brought the subject up at all. “I’m sorry, Jack. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”

In a blink, Jack knelt before her. “I know, sweetheart.” He took her hands and kissed the backs of each. “I know. Don’t—don’t give it another thought. You’re still worth dying for.” Jack gave her a lopsided grin and Rose laughed on a sob. “Even if it’s not a permanent death. I’d still die for you.”

Rose wrapped Jack in a tight hug and the Doctor honestly tried not to be jealous. He had no reason to be, after all, but everything oscillated from one extreme to the next—no. No he had no reason for jealousy and tamped down on it. After a minute, Rose pulled back and looked between Jack and the Doctor.

She swiped the heels of her hand beneath her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t understand how you remember that timeline.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Doctor said it was an aborted timeline now, that history—or the future—changed.”

Jack shrugged and sat back in the armchair. “I remember being in that hallway, surrounded by Dalek dust.” They all shuddered but Jack immediately pushed on. “I heard the TARDIS leave and jumped back here to find you.”

He looked pointedly at the Doctor, who masterfully ignored him. Rose looked between them but didn’t comment; the Doctor wasn’t thick enough to think that meant she dropped the subject.

“Roamed around for a few decades, then when LONGBOW was founded as part of the League of Nations, I joined them. When it changed to UNIT, I stayed on.”

The Doctor perked up. “UNIT? Really? But I worked for them!”

“I know.” Jack smirked and winked. “But that was here, with the Brigadier. I stayed in Genova, out of sight, off the books.”

“You—” the Doctor spluttered.

“I don’t understand,” Mickey said. “You mean you was already back here when the Slitheen crashed into Big Ben? And what about when we all met in Cardiff?”

Jack’s smile didn’t lessen, but the Doctor recognized the pain of living so long—alone—in the other man’s eyes. “Had to preserve the timelines,” Jack said with another wink, this time at Mickey who rolled his eyes.

Preserve timelines…there was something about that line that niggled at the back of the Doctor’s mind. But he let it go when Rose leaned tiredly into him. She still held Jackie’s hand, or Jackie held hers, but Rose leaned on him for comfort.

“Well,” Jackie said in the silent aftermath. “Who’s ready for Christmas dinner?”

**** Later that night, after Mickey and Jack patched up the hallway and after reassuring her mum she was fine, honestly, and after kissing Mickey good night, and after promising Jack they’d never desert him again, Rose walked into the living room and looked at the Doctor.

Her Doctor.

Wow, it’d been a crazy couple of, well, a crazy day. Two if she counted yesterday’s break-open-the-Heart-of-the-TARDIS-and-rescue-the-Doctor madness. Her chest tightened at the memory. At the love she remembered literally flowing from her Doctor to her as he kissed her, taking both the Vortex and the cellular decay from her into him.

Rose might one day ask how he did that with a simple kiss, but that day was not today.

Today was for new beginnings. Maybe there was a reason Christmas fell at the end of the year. So Humans remembered the joy and love and hope for the new year. Hope. Yes, she quite liked hope.

He was so different than her Doctor…her first Doctor. Just different, Rose thought with a grin. Not good different or bad different, just different. And she was looking forward to cataloging all the differences.

Even the mole. Especially the mole.

“Thank you.”

He jerked his head up, sexy specs—seriously he needed to wear those all the time!—slipping down his nose with the movement. The telly replayed Harriet’s earlier press conference about the defeat of the Sycorax with the help of UNIT and how humanity’s first defense ought to always be diplomacy not violence. As far as Rose could see, she hadn’t resigned, hadn’t been forced to resign, and the world—or at least Britain—continued onward.

“Why are you thanking me?” he asked, voice low. But he held out his hand and Rose eagerly took it.

He pulled her onto his lap and she let out a startled laugh at the sudden move. Content to be in her Doctor’s arms, she wrapped her around his neck. “This is new.”

“New, new Doctor.” He waggled his eyebrows in a truly ridiculous display and she laughed again. “Your new, new Doctor.”

“Yeah.” Rose ran a finger down his sideburn, cataloging the differences between her new Doctor and her…she swallowed tears. “I killed you.”

“No. No, my Rose, never.” His fingers tightened on her hips and he looked so serious, so earnest, she had to believe him. “I told you—I fall in love with you every day. They aren’t just pretty words, they’re true. Every day I look at you and see your wonder in the universe. Every day I see your love for me, despite what I’ve done. Every day I fall in love with you a little more. That’ll never change.”

“Even if you did?” She swallowed and licked her lips. “Do?”

“Even if,” he vowed. “Nothing will ever change how I feel about you. How much I love you.”

Rose rested her head on his shoulder and looked out the window. They hadn’t pulled the curtains closed after everything, and with telly the only light in the room, she could see the falling ash from the spaceship.

Rose took his hand and examined it. She held it up, comparing it to his other one. To the other him’s hands. She tried not to think about that. He felt so much like her Doctor. Her Doctor. “I can’t believe he cut off your hand and you grew a new one!” Rose grinned at him. “Still full of surprises, Doctor.”

“Still your Doctor, then, eh?” He grinned, but already she saw the difference between his happy grin and the I’m smiling to fool you grin. Same Doctor, all right.

“Yeah.” She kissed him softly, holding his hands, both of them, tight in hers. “Yeah you are. Forever.”

Leaning back against him, she closed her eyes. “So, where're we going to go first?”

Rose felt him move, and even though they were inside, even though even he shouldn’t be able to see the stars through council estate concrete and paint, he pointed. “Er, that way. No, hold on.” He moved just slightly. “That way.”

Rose looked up, but of course she couldn’t see through concrete and paint. “That way?”

He grinned down at her. “Hmm?”

She smiled back and kissed him, letting her love and hope for the future pour into the kiss. Opening herself fully to their bond and to him. Slowly she pulled back, fingers caressing the nape of his neck.

“Yeah, that way.”

Her Doctor smiled back at her. “Fantastic.”

#ten x rose #ficandchips #Nine x Rose #regeneration #alteration of timelines #ua #this is the end #thank you for reading!#canon?#what canon?

13 notes · View notes