#RECAPPING HIS MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS??

[completeoveranalysis]

[7]

Ooh I will say the expression of dark rage on Evil Wolverine is MAGNIFICENT here. They really went all out. This is gorgeous. 

Considering I hate looking at the man THIS looks fantastic! 10/10 Evil Wolverine panel, maybe only beaten by the one where he gets stabbed. 

And I suppose if you were going be mad about anything, being stabbed through the chest is a pretty reason.

Oh!

I mean yeah, I guess that is how it works. You stab a man and he wants to stab you back. 

On a side tangent I love that he has the same Pull-Sword-Out-of-Hand magic that Fai used on Kurogane before they went to Seresu. I’m a fan!

Fai and Kurogane are markedly less excited to see it come back this way but I think it’s neat!

MEANWHILE try not to think about Kurogane, who has spent his entire life haunted by the image of Evil Wolverine stabbing his mother with that sword, is now watching Evil Wolverine pull out the same sword to stab his son. 

I am interested in the hands in the final panel though let’s see what that means. 

OH. 

Oh. 

Yeah I suppose this too would also happen. 

If anyone WAS going to be stabbed by Evil Wolverine here it WOULD be Syaoran jumping in the way to save Lava Lamp. 

We get the whole reversal of Syaoran stabbing Sakura in Nihon, but now he is now defending them and being stabbed in return. 

Potentially foreshadowed in Outo with Syaoran being stabbed by Seishirou there as well. 

(As well as when Evil Wolverine kills Xing Huo, who ALSO betrays him while working for him, who ALSO got stabbed all the way through with the same sword, ALSO IN THE SERVICE OF SAVING LAVA LAMP)

And Syaoran closing the loop of, like… Lava Lamp defending Syaoran by giving him half his soul to protect him from Evil Wolverine, and now Syaoran defending Lava Lamp by protecting him physically from Evil Wolverine. The giving of a soul and the giving up of a soul to save each other from the same man.

IT ALL LINKS UP. 

[askpokepelago]

Moon, Gladion, and Hau’s Silvally playing tug-of-war on the shores of PokePelago

[amelikos]

Small snippet of an interview with Hikaru Takahashi, the debut ambassador of the anime (translation can be found here).

What do you think the appeal of the Pokémon anime is? I think the way the characters support each other, do their best and try to figure out what they want to do is really cool and feel like it cheers me up. Everyone in the show are really strong characters, and I personally particularly like... well, of course I like Liko and of course I like Roy, I really like all the characters, but what I PARTICULARLY like is the relationship between Explorers Amethio and Hamber. Amethio really shows how much he desperately wants to get stronger, and, well... it's so wonderful to see everyone's honest feelings on display like that. Just watching such scenes makes me want to do MY best too! There are so many scenes like that in the show that make me want to support the characters. This aspect is the one I really love about the Pokémon anime.

Amethio mentioned, as well as his relationship with Hamber.

[raisedbythetv89]

ATS in their recap of Spike’s final moments on btvs in 5x2 very very intentionally showing Spike and Buffy in their final moments meaningful gazes, hands clasped but completely omitting Buffy telling Spike she loves him is actually so embarrassing of them 😹😭😹😭😹😭😹😭😹😭

It’s the pinnacle of angel and his relationship with Buffy. In order for him to be painted as the hero and him and Buffy as “doomed soulmates” (instead of what they actually are which is an abuser and his underage victim) large parts of both his and Buffy’s past and present have to be completely erased or rewritten and the audience has to be brain dead to all of the completely transparent and blatant manipulation tactics joss employs

I can’t imagine the experience of watching ATS first and going back watching BTVS and being like wait THAT’S WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED??????

So you agree… Buffy does love Spike and her doing so completely undercuts everything you’re trying to do with this whole bullshit “rivalry”between the two vampires because if you told the audience everything that both Spike and Angel did in regards to their lives and Buffy herself with complete transparency it’s literally no contest so they have to play up Angel and minimize Spike

[respectthepetty]

As if My Stand-In wasn't rude enough, remember that poster of Ming new Joe first saw when he was leaving the hospital?

It's the same shirt Ming was wearing when he broke Joe's heart.

And remember when I wrote Joe had core strength because he was lifting Ming's shirt up with his mouth since his hands were tied behind his back?

He is wearing the same hoodie in episode four's preview, which means Ming is probably going to do some real stupid shit for Tong.

Remember those ridiculous pillowcases Joe bought?

How could we ever forget them?!

They are laying on each other's in this scene. Ming is on Joe's and Joe is on Ming's.

But Ming takes his when Wut shows up.

Oh, and in the trailer, Joe is laying on his.

And Ming is leaning on his.

And they are clearly in Joe's house because the picture on the nightstand is the same as the first time they had sex.

But . . .

On the very first night they tried to have sex, Ming was wearing white pants and Joe had on these yellow-ish boxers.

And in the trailer they are wearing the same outfits, YET we didn't get THIS scene in the first episode.

BUT . . . those damn matching pillows are on the couch.

They normally are on the couch AFTER JOE BOUGHT THEM!

So that scene from the trailer isn't their first night together. It's later! But how much later? Because these bowls show up in odd places too.

You know, the green and gold bowls Joe bought before Ming broke his heart?

The ones they ate off of like a cute couple when Wut brought them food?

Yeah, the bowl is behind Joe in this scene from the trailer.

And that shirt is the same shirt under this jacket from this scene in the trailer.

Ming is also wearing the blue watch in this scene.

And we know Ming had that suit in the past because it was hanging in his closet.

And we know the fight continues to the house because of this promo picture.

Which would make sense why Ming is sitting there all sad with the green and gold bowls waiting for Joe to return.

BUT . . . why would they be kissing by the gold and green bowls if they are breaking up in episode four and Joe is about to die?

So either Ming wakes up, Joe says nothing, Ming puts in a great effort to cook and sex up his man, only to fuck him over for Tong which leads to them fighting in the street and death.

Or Ming is still living in Joe's house in the future with their green and gold bowls and king of heart pillowcases and we will see those two scenes later.

Or Ming could eff over Joe and still be living in his house two years later since this is the same guy who broke a man's heart in a blue and red striped shirt and wore that same exact shirt a year and a half later when he started working for the same company his ex worked for.

Which is something he never had an interest in.

So to recap, Ming is possibly a sentimental asshole who has been holding onto meaningful items and conversations from his relationship for the past two years and he is acting because he no longer wants to be himself since he doesn't have Joe.

Cool beans!

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Weekly Recap | June 24th-30th 2024

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians! Here comes a more reasonable weekly recap compared to last week :P

Complete

see the stars with my morning eyes by trippedandfell/ @trippedandfell (Teacher Buck AU | 3K | Teen): “So,” Buck announces, sitting down between Hen and Chimney at the concessions stand. “I think Eddie’s trying to get me to sleep with him and his fiancée.” or: Eddie calls Lucy his partner. Buck extrapolates.

kiss my lips, feel the rhythm of your heart and hips by Daffi_990_ao3/ @daffi-990 (Post-S7, Getting Together | 3K | Mature): After months of clawing at the ground and scraping through the mud of his memories of his relationship with Shannon, his childhood and a whole bunch of religious guilt, Eddie had finally accepted the truth about his marriage and himself. He’s queer. His sexuality isn’t the only thing he’s discovered though. Eddie Diaz is queer and he is in love with Evan Buckley.

Being Selfish by Inell/ @inell (Post-7x10: All Fall Down, Getting Together | 4K | Teen): It’s been a little more than six weeks since Eddie’s life became a chaotic mess. Luckily, he’s had Buck’s support and constant presence to help him get through it.

in the rough draft, [s]he loved you by iinryer/ @iinryer (S5, Outsider POV | 5K | General): during the flight home to LA after ramon's retirement party, eddie tries to write down some things he wants to say to buck

wrap your arms around me, baby boy by marviless/ @marviless (Getting Together | 6K | Teen): in which buck pretends to be asleep and overhears something he shouldn't.

🔥 i’ve seen a couple suns that set forever by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Post-S7, Christopher POV | 7K | General): Freshly home from Texas and faced with the prospect of his dad's feelings for Buck, Christopher's abandonment issues surface. A conversation with Bobby, and realizing the parallels between Buck's relationship with Bobby, and his relationship with Buck, gives Chris the perspective he needs.

i'll be the north star that takes you home by marviless/ @marviless (Post-S7, Getting Together | 8K | General): eddie is moving back to el paso for the summer.

Just to Chase the Pain Away by UnderwaterNinja/ @underwaterninja13 (BTHB: Public Humiliation, BDSM, Subdrop | 11K | Explicit): Buck makes the poor decision to go to a kink club to deal with his emotions. After he's left with no aftercare, someone comes to his rescue.

Firehouse Baby by Nejinee/ @nejineeee (S2-S7, Getting Together | 21K | Explicit): One day, Eddie put his hand on Buck’s thigh and Buck hasn’t stopped thinking about it since.

🔥 something touched me (like a knife-blade) by kithmet/ @kithmet (Alternate S7 Finale, Getting Together | 42K | Explicit): Eddie self-implodes. Christopher, seeking refuge, flees to Buck—whose priorities amount to, in varying order: take in the kid, get Eddie to talk to him, and keep the three of them afloat in the process. (Oh, and Tommy’s there too. He thinks.)

🔥 Further Than Blood (Or Than Bones) by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Vampires AU | 50K | Explicit): Once, Eddie chose to save a newly turned against his better judgment. Five hundred years ago, Buck was saved by a rescuer he thought was a hallucination. Now they're together again and about to find out just how far either of them will go to try and deny what they are to each other.

🔥 Descendants of Cyrano by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (~S7, Dungeons&Dragons, Getting Together | 55K | Explicit): People have their characters romance each other all the time while playing Dungeons & Dragons. There's deep meaningful monologues and sometimes some crying. It's normal. "Normal" is definitely not the word for whatever Buck and Eddie are inflicting on the rest of the 118.

WIP

🔥 If You Can Make the Music by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon Divergent, | 2/5 | 5K | Mature): Spin-off Sequel to Evan Buckley & the Coma-Verse of Madness - Chapter 5 (Seaside): A year after a whirlwind two week love affair with bartender Buck in Galveston, Texas, Eddie Diaz finds himself coincidentally relocating to the area. But when he attempts to reconnect with Buck, he's in for an unfortunate surprise. (Part 3 of Coma-Verse)

Podfics

[podfic] but it feels like a fortress when the weather gets bad by TheBoyWhoWalksInTheLight/ @aro-of-artemis (Post-3x15: Eddie Begins | 20-30min | Teen): Buck has a nightmare about Eddie dying, but he also has a key to Eddie's house.

Re-Read

Like a Sack of Bricks by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Feelings Realization | 2K | Teen): One word from Christopher, and Eddie's realizing he's made a serious miscalculation about his best friend.

[outlanderfandomfollies]

MIK s2e2: MĀORI CULTURE: Sam recalls some poignant moments when he gets a Māori "moko"

After reading a post about a TV Line recap of MIK episode 202, I decided to watch this episode about Māori culture for myself. I was touched by the scenes where Sam and Graham each tell their stories in the process of getting a nonpermanent version of a "moko" (or tā moko), a deeply meaningful form of tattoo in the Māori culture.

Tā moko artist Hohua Mohi explains that someone who wants a moko will "sit down for a good hour" and start talking about some part of their life that is meaningful, like their family, where they came from, etc. As they are talking, the moko artist is drawing, and consequently, every moko is unique and very personal.

The Story Behind Sam's Moko

SAM: Well my dad left, when I was, uh, very young, three years old, so I didn't--I didn't know him at all. HOHUA: Yeah. SAM: I actually didn't know his name.

SAM: And uh, my mum brought me up with my elder brother in the south of Scotland. She's--she's been very, very strong my whole life. And she struggled, I think, to look after two young boys.

SAM: Um, and it probably wasn't until I was… mid-20s that I finally, uh, met my dad. And, actually, very recently, I got to see him just before he died, which was uh, incredible, just to learn about him and his life.

SAM: And, uh, we spent a few days together. I work a lot, and I'm very fortunate. But I always put it first. So I guess, uh, relationships are difficult.

Sam's Moko Explained and Revealed

HOHUA: So, if you look at it, it talks about your--your father. It talks about your dad and then your brother in here. This manaia here represents your mum. And so it's obviously facing upwards. SAM: Yeah. HOHUA: I've been giving you advice. SAM: Ah, so she's been giving me advice, mm.

HOHUA: And if you look at it, rather than just follow a single line, all of these colors, they branch off, they branch off, they branch off. SAM: Yeah, yeah. HOHUA: And it was-- They came from you talking about how you wanted-- ultimately, you know, you don't know whether or not you're gonna settle down there, but you- you want to go and see the world. SAM: Somewhere else, yeah, yeah. HOHUA: So that's what--that's what this will remind you of. You know? SAM: Different branches.

HOHUA: Yeah, but also, no matter which way you branch off, never forget where... [speaking native language] SAM: Wow. HOHUA: Hmm. SAM: My friend. [shakes hand] So beautiful. GRAHAM: That is really-- SAM: Thank you so much. GRAHAM: It's pretty. SAM: Isn't that awesome?

SAM: A strange experience as well. GRAHAM: A unique experience. SAM: Yeah, just also very personal. It felt like going to therapy a little bit. GRAHAM: Yeah. SAM: But, uh, very, very honored. GRAHAM: Yeah. Yeah. Really, thank you so much.

Being a therapist myself, it seemed to me that the process of getting a moko is very much a therapeutic experience. The person getting a moko focuses inwardly and shares important parts of their past that define who they are. The moko artist appears not to be judgmental and listens at a deep level. Then the artist presents the moko, which is a visual symbol of something very unique about the person. And they also give verbal feedback to the person about what they have understood to be the essence of their story.

Sounds like a "therapeutic" encounter to me!

[edited]

___________ NOTE: Images of Sam's moko were enhanced for clarity and to accentuate the colors. Thanks @thetruthwilloutsworld for making the TV Line Recap post. I'd never watched any episode of MIK before. I'm glad I watched this episode. I enjoyed learning about Māori culture, as well as finding out more about Sam's and Graham's personal backgrounds.

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

Remember that scene from episode 7, when Aemond tries to approach Jace on Driftmark, looking like he is about to offer his condolences but at the same time knows he shouldn't because even Jace can't acknowledge his real father? And Jace looks somewhat annoyed and Aemond leaves, then Jace glances at Aegon who is already in his cups and doesn't even notice him? There were no scenes like that in season 2. Short but meaningful, the scenes that reveal so much about the characters involved. We have Aemond who even after being mocked by his nephews still can sympathise with them in a way and the two (Aemond/Jace) can give us a 'what if' moment that creates the ultimate fallout more tragic. Then we have Jace who obviously is interested more in Aegon as a ringleader, an older boy he looks up to, and yet, it's Aemond, the boy he mocks for not having a dragon, the one who approaches him. These kind of scenes are important for the character building and also for making a stronger emotional impact on the audience when it comes to the fate of the mentioned characters. S2 had none of this and destroyed and undid whatever s1 built character and story-wise. Aemond's and Alicent's characters suffered the most, no doubt, but it was bad in general.

Also, in the balcony scene it's obvious how helaena and aemond have a great chemistry and it just made me even more mad because they had so little screentime together in both seasons. Same goes for Aegond. It's criminal they had zero good scenes , save for that one in e6 that is just used to not so subtly remind us that Aemond is a sadist. Also, why wouldn't Aemond just finish Aegon off because as long as he lives, Aemond is not safe? The answer: in the book he obviously didn't try to kill him at RR and therefore wouldn't want to kill him in the aftermath either, but these idiots just needed their shitty change to all of the sudden make Aemond a one dimensional villain, make Aegon as pitiful as possible and to show how terrible and dysfunctional the greens are as a family. However, they couldn't just kill Aegon off so early and that's why they attempted to fix their stupid plothole with that scene when Aemond threatens him. Like, what?? I'm supposed to believe that was enough for Aegon to shut up for weeks and then just leave? Nah. There were bunch of similar idiocies through the whole season and I'm sure that something seriously went wrong between s1 and 2 because the drop in quality is jarring. I'm not saying s1 was that great, but this one was abysmal. Probably Miguel leaving was one of the main reasons, but whatever it was, this season will remain a great example of what not to do when you make a TV show. I just feel sorry for the lost potential and also for the people who are planning to watch s3 because, unless you're a die hard tb stan with zero critical thinking skills, I can't see the appeal.

Ugh, I hope this rant makes sense 😅

Hello, and thank you for the ask!

You're making a very good point. Season 1 was by no means perfect; but there was at least some if not love then genuine investment in the story and the characters from the showrunners - one could feel that at least occasionally. I guess it really came from Sapochnik's end because Condal clearly couldn't care less. The show used to have a soul - and now it feels empty. And, as it has been proven time and time again through the entirety of cinematic history, it is virtually impossible to create a truly good film or TV show if you don't give a damn about its essence.

I saw some people calling season 2 "a trailer for season 3" - because of how underwhelming and lacking in substance it turned out to be, I assume. To me it feels like something in between a trailer for the things to come and a recap of an actual season that was filmed but not shown to us for some reason. Pretty much everything feels superficial - even the dragged out scenes supposedly added for symbolism purposes or whatnot. The relationships between the characters are underdeveloped at best, destroyed at most (for example, chemistry between Green siblings' actors is utterly wasted indeed); some plot points make no sense; quite a few characters seem to have got a personality transplant in between the seasons.

Actually, I can understand why people, even TG fans would still be willing to watch season 3 (some for Aegon and Larys storyline, some for Alysmond - whatever form it takes, some for other reasons which could be many). As for me though - at the risk of sounding too dramatic - I had too much heart poured into this show and got hurt too badly by what it has become to even think of continuing to watch it without feeling sick. At least, for now.

[henrysglock]

“Gay Mike vs Bi Mike makes a huge difference in his personal character arc, because it changes everything regarding his relationship with El, his relationship to his Reagan-supporter parents, and the blowback from all the homophobic bullies across the years picking on Will for being”

I mean I just don’t see how that’s true? I DO care about Mike outside of byler. In fact, he’s the character I relate to most and the one I find the most interesting. I think both gay Mike and bi Mike theories are valid and possible. I see both arguments and I nod in agreement.

And I feel like all the things you listed fully apply to Mike regardless of where he falls on the Kinsey scale? I go back and forth on it.

I think there are great people on both sides and see the argument for both. I just don’t see the point of fighting or drawing a line in the sand when we really don’t know anything for certain, y’know? I guess I don’t see much meaningful difference in the queer experience and what being bi vs. gay would mean for Mike’s character? It’s not that there aren’t smaller nuances, but to me, they are just that: small. The basic story and arc remains the same!

I would agree that everything changes depending on Mike’s specific sexuality if I believed a specific label changes things in general? But I’m bi, and it’s not like I would stop relating to Mike if he’s gay? Or if he’s unlabeled? At the end of the day he’s queer, and the queer experience is relatable!

To me everything’s fluid, and experiences and feelings can look pretty similar across the spectrum. I respect those who are able to “pick a side.” But I guess I just don’t see much value in “sides” if that makes sense? When Mike gets more focus in S5, I think it will be clearer. But until then, it feels like pointless fighting?

I’m willing to change my mind. But I haven’t seen anything that convinces me Mike’s story is meaningfully different if he’s gay or bi.

I guess I don’t see much meaningful difference in the queer experience...It’s not that there aren’t smaller nuances, but to me, they are just that: small. At the end of the day he’s queer, and the queer experience is relatable!

How do I explain to you that the difference between homosexuality and bisexuality aren't small, and they are meaningful, or that experiences as a gay person are different from experiences as a bisexual person.

I’m willing to change my mind. But I haven’t seen anything that convinces me Mike’s story is meaningfully different if he’s gay or bi.

Marie's page is a good place to start irt Mike:

And so is Em's:

Do your own research, Nonnie. Posts have been out there since 2022.

[aleksanderscult]

One thing that’s always puzzled me is how, during Alina’s time at the Little Palace, she and Aleksander only shared a handful of meaningful interactions—maybe three or four scenes at most. I understand he had a lot on his plate as the leader of the Grisha and had his duties as a general to manage, but it still feels like there was a missed opportunity for more connection between the two. If Aleksander really wanted Alina to see his perspective and not turn against him (even though I feel like she would still do that because it seems like Mal is always her only goal… 😪), wouldn’t it have made sense for them to have more conversations and moments together? It would have deepened their dynamic and possibly made Alina’s later decisions even more complex.

It’s almost like—more like it is—that Leigh Bardugo forgot that Aleksander had been waiting for the Sun Summoner for centuries, and then, when Alina is finally there, he’s practically absent. I get that he’s extremely busy, but why not add other scenes? There’s just this big gap in their relationship, which feels like a lost opportunity to flesh out their bond further. Why do you think Bardugo made this choice?

The lack of interaction feels so intentional, but I can't help wondering how the story might have shifted if we saw more of them together.

What about you? What changes would you have made to their dynamic in the first book? Maybe more time spent on Aleksander revealing the weight of his past, or moments of vulnerability between them that would complicate Alina’s view of him?

I understand your confusion, anon, but think about it from this perspective and all will make sense: This was Leigh Bardugo's very first novel.

See where my point is? And once you realize this then you understand why this book feels so amateurish. Most of all, it lacks another 100-150 pages of character development where Alina spends more time at the Little Palace and around the Darkling.

This way the reader would get more content about their mentor-student relationship, Bardugo would have the proper amount of pages to explore the Darkling's manipulation and Alina (and the reader) would feel even more bonded with the Little Palace. In canon we jumped from September - October straight to late December - January. We only got a recap of her time there.

Now what would I have done?

As an aspiring author that currently practices to writing and developing stories, I would explore Alina's time there more. It's important not to drag a novel with useless scenes but write down moments that even though would feel simple at first to the reader, will make so much sense afterwards when all is revealed and will make the reader go "Aha!". In short, that's what Bardugo should have done with the Darkling's scenes. I would personally have him around Alina even more but I wouldn't make him seem evil. On the contrary, my Darkling would deliberately let Alina be viciously trained by Baghra and then when he would step in he would be kinder, more understanding and more tolerant in order to gain Alina's trust. A manipulative person wants you to see them the way they want you to see them. (In canon, Aleksander was kind because that's who he was and not because of some grand plan which was such a waste). I wouldn't make him fall in love with Alina but Alina would have feelings for him something that my Aleksander would take advantage of, even after his schemes would be revealed. (I love some good-written manipulation, haven't you guessed it yet?)

Ah yes, of course I would change Alina's character. When you're in a foreign environment you unintentionally trust those that are kinder to you. With Alina I don't know what the fuck happened (mother issues). But I wouldn't write any POVs from the Darkling. I find it much more juicy when you don't know what the enemy is thinking, especially when he's cunning. It makes you guessing his next move and surprises you with it.

Also about the relationship between Genya-Alina. I would make the former more vengeful and darker (I'm sorry but I can't resist to such women in fiction 😩). She would be more focused in her mission than being a true friend to Alina and her kind words and actions towards the latter would be just a mask. In truth, my Genya would only care to see the royal family burned. This whole "I'm sorry for betraying you gonna go and betray the Darkling" wouldn't exist. She would know what she would be fighting for.

[bonefall]

Oooh, can you talk about the meta reason you rewrote the blizzard holly relationship and blackstar's backstory?

HOKAY

But I'm gonna preface this one; I hate Blackfoot's Reckoning. I think it's one of the most "solid" written books in the series and I still fucking hate it. I talk about authoritarianism on this blog a lot, and I think BFR was the one time that the series actually tried to textually address what they'd put on the page.

So TW for fascism, including discussion of an incredibly unfortunate quote from the book that is either an accidental or purposeful invocation of the Nuremberg Defense.

Blackfoot's Reckoning is a book that's supposed to delve into Blackfoot's backstory, what made him the cat he was during TPB. Throughout the book they're questioning, "what made him act the way he did?" And trying to drive home that Blackfoot needs to learn from his mistakes so that he doesn't repeat them

But, at the same time, they cling to their slimy Good and Evil dichotomy. So the book decides that Blackstar wasn't an Evil cat, no, he was just a Good Mislead Boy Who Loved His Clan. He's constantly lied to, mislead, people are murdered and he's duped into believing whoever gets framed, suppressing critical thought about his actions. They're trying to both write a "reckoning," but also make his motivations more sympathetic.

So in between questions of, "Is Blackstar really a Bad Boy?" and happy rewards for Blackstar when he goes through a memory, they've decided to shove in replays of Blackstar's most gruesome moments but this time he frowns :( and feels Guilty when he does them. In the eyes of the writers, if you feel sad doing hate crimes, that means there's a goodness inside of you actually.

And just like Clear Sky, all Blackstar "needed" was divine intervention. You can simply retcon in a "reckoning," even if it was never in the main series for the 10+ years the character was alive and active.

But it's not enough that Blackstar himself was getting a stupid retcondemption. No, see, they have to remind you that he was following evil people. The dichotomy inherently crunches away the nuance-- Good and Evil are inherent qualities. Tigerstar and Brokenstar are Evil People. Blackstar asks, "If I was following Evil People, what does that make me?"

The narrative concludes, "A Good Person, but mislead."

And because they can't have nuance with their Good and Evil dichotomy (or couldn't at the time), they failed to address the authoritarianism spectacularly. Think I'm reaching?

They literally wrote the Nuremberg Defense into their book. I'm not doing hyperbole, Blackstar word-for-word thinks the Nuremberg Defense, "I Was Just Following Orders," but then they bury it in a barrage of scenes showing he's Actually A Nice Guy who is Sad to do Bad Things. Either they attempted and failed to do something more meaningful with this book, OR they are so fucking stupid they accidentally included the famous Nazi officer legal defense for a character who DOES A HATE CRIME for a racist dictator.

What was IN TPB was a Blackstar who supported a massacre and expulsion against another group, was complicit in the use of child soldiers, and rehearsed a public execution for a mixed-race character. Like it or not, this is a really heavy subject... and what they decided to do was downplay every one of his actions, because he was good deep down.

And I just find that disgusting. This was ABSOLUTELY the wrong conclusion. They can't show Blackstar ACTUALLY being bigoted. They can't delve into REAL hate, or the idea that maybe he LIKED the power he had over people. Those are Evil People Things. He has to "know," deep down, that what he's doing is wrong.

He cannot have a real change, in spite of the title of the shitty book being Blackfoot's "RECKONING," because he is not bad to begin with.

So, Hollyflower and Blizzardwing.

To recap for everyone who didn't read BFR; Hollyflower is raising her three kits alone because Blizzardwing cheated on Featherstorm with her. Black only learns that he is an accident because he stayed up late one night and overheard an argument. By day, he gets bullied by Clawpaw specifically that he might be mixed-Clan and has to seethe over the truth he knows.

it's dumb. I'm sorry. This is dumb and boring, which is even worse

The war criminal was bullied as a child and that's why he did bad things :( He was good all along he was just sad :( shut up shut up shut up

The "bad environment" he was raised into was... having a single mom and being suspected of maybe being half-clan, but then learning that he isn't half-clan, and being indignant that he can't just share the information he knows about because it would make things complicated or something idk

None of this particularly contributes to his mindset as an adult because he does not HAVE a unique mindset as an adult.

He was just nebulously Sad and followed whatever strongman leader came along, constantly being tricked and bamboozled by outright lies.

"Omg WindClan killed Raggedstar >:0 ??? Oughhhhh that butters my biscuits... was it wrong that Brokenstar sent my baby nephew to battle? No, nevermind that thought that makes me uncomfortable :("

He never has any particular bigotries that were exploited, he was just tricked and mislead the entire time, while also being sad, because God Forbid Blackstar ever have been an 'evil cat'

He gets THANKED by his dead parents for keeping the secret??????????????????? girl ok.....

as usual the bully itself never really gets addressed

It was cheap and easy to just make Blackfoot's backstory the same shitty 'bullying' they write for most villains. This bullying is how he ends up bonding with Brokenkit, a villainous 5-year-old who says, "other cats don't matter" because he's eeeeeevil.

They're supposed to have a commonality connection, Blackstar who is Good Deep Down and Brokenstar who is Evil Deep Down, and that is supposed to serve as the reason why Blackstar willingly blinds himself to the incredibly obviously evil things that his superiors do.

His flaw isn't that he had bad intentions, it's that he didn't think.

FUCK that. FUCK this book. FUCK the Erins for trying to say that there are fundamentally good and bad people. That with the death of Tigerstar, of Brokenstar, of whoever, the society gets to return to 'peace' because now there's no Evil Tyrant to lead everyone astray.

The Erin's depictions of hard childhoods are sauceless. Dry, unbuttered, burnt bread. You want to see a BAD home environment? I'll SHOW you a bad home environment, not just a single teenager being rude. You wanna see the sorts of conditions that prime young people to joining radical causes for a sense of belonging? I'll GIVE you those conditions. Let's TALK about what bounces around in the head of people who aid and abet tyrants.

It's not this dumb ass sadboy shit I'll tell you that much

[purplehanfu]

Rising Feather: Episode 1

notes: Spoilers! Master list of all recaps

We start with… oh my.

Have not seen this before in a cdrama.

But we don't have time to dwell as we need to keep the story moving- we only have 12 minutes per episode, after all.

We meet our male lead Yun Huan who is out in the woods, exterminating Princess Huai's rebels. Just as he finishes the fight, a messenger arrives with a letter. It must be important to be delivered in the dead of night in a remote wooded location, right? Not really- it's Yun Huan's father-in-law Lord Mu announcing that he's taking in a new concubine. Yun Huan heads home immediately as instructed.

And when I say home, I mean a brothel where the concubine-to-be is dancing a solo. Tonight's lucky lady is the female lead Qing Que, who has a complicated past, if all the flashbacks are anything to go by.

Qing Que begins to make meaningful eyes at Yun Huan as soon as he arrives, and tries to incorporate him into her act.

Yun Huan shoves her away but steals a sachet from her as they tussle.

Later as she walks back to her room, Qing Que has a flashback where we find out Que is an assumed name and she's targeted Lord Mu's family on purpose. The ultimate goal: assisinate Yun Huan. And speak of the devil, he's in her room waiting for her.

He tells her he knows there is poison in the sachet. Instead of turning her in, he gives it back to her and essentially says good luck murdering your new husband. He also makes the following observation:

(This will become important in less than a minute.)

After she returns to the party, Lord Mu grabs Qing Que and starts to remove her veil.

The veil comes off and Lord Mu recognizes Qing Que. So does Yun Huan. Cut to flashback!

It's snowing and no one is wearing a coat but everyone has an umbrella that they can dramatically let fall to the ground at just the right part of the OST.

We find out that Yun Huan and Qing Que had a relationship.

A relationship that ended when Yun Huan found out that Qing Que was Lord Huai's daughter.

Oh noes, those are the rebels he was fighting back at the start of the episode! This level of betrayal merits a stabbing.

oof, right in the ovary

Yun Huan lets Qing Que slide gracefully to the ground and sadly makes the following promise:

Naw dog, I'm good. Qing Que is still alive, but Yun Huan roots around her clothes and steals a broken jade ornament.

Then he walks to where his current wife is waiting for him and they leave.

Cue the single tear. End episode.

why do I keep switching directions?

Final Thoughts This is either a masterpiece of non-linear storytelling or a hot mess.

Master list of all recaps

[80yearoldmanmoodboard]

Could you please offer some more lore on your monkees glam verse? 🤲I love it so deeply

(also you mentioned the solution is polyamory… how would they go about that or how would it come to be?👀)

This ask couldn’t have come with better timing cause I was legit Drawing Glam rock Davy when I got the notification ✨

Im gonna be leaving to do shit soon so I’ll do the polyamory response now and lore later.

So first a recap: Davy & Peter date and then Peter goes back to the village and it becomes Davy & Micky and then when Peter comes back Davy realizes he still loves Peter but doesn’t want to hurt Micky so he goes to Mike to seek advice only to fall in love with his caring and amazing friend Mike. Davy doesn’t know what to do, he loves them all but doesn’t want to get hurt/hurt any of them.

The solution: Ultimately the solution is communication. However when you’ve got Mike (Texan and repressed) and Davy (English and emotionally repressed) trying to help each other navigate romance is difficult. At first Davy ends up pulling away from Micky because he’s afraid he’ll accidentally reveal he’s got a crush on someone else and he doesn’t want to hurt Micky but emotionally pulling away in an attempt not to hurt Micky hurts him anyway. All this while Peter is trying to convince his friends he’s not a bad person and what ends up happening is Mike gives davy a piece of really solid advice and Davy, in an emotional fit, kisses him and he’s so distraught he goes to tell Micky and Micky is upset at first and since he feels betrayed by Mike and can’t talk to Davy about Davy he finally relents and has a meaningful conversation with Peter and Peter (a village Hippy) has all this like knowledge about the sexual revolution which the other Monkees didn’t pick up on. The main one being non-monogamous relationships. (The topic comes up because Micky reveals that he’s also had a crush on Mike this whole time and never did anything about it so why did Davy? Did Davy just not love him enough to stay faithful? no) Micky and Davy have a conversation about this where Micky brings Peter to help him explain polyamory and they talk about boundaries and other stuff and when Micky and Davy have their rules in place and they’re doing much better Mike goes to apologize to Micky (because he feels guilty about kissing his bf and especially that he liked it) and Micky and Mike have a sort of spur of the moment discussion and Mike isn’t quick to jump on having 2 bfs when he’s not even ready to deal with enjoying kissing 1 boy. Now that they have the rules in place the next time Davy and Peter end up alone together Peter asks about trying again and basically it’s a lot of Davy and Micky and Mike learning how to navigate a polyamorous relationship and Peter trying to write the wrongs of his youth.

Okay I have to go now 💛

[ladyhindsight]

The title refers to the point in this chapter where Jace takes Clary to witness the Wild Hunt riding across the night sky. Which, I would’ve liked to believe, was more foresight in terms of the rest of the story whenever new concepts appear, but then I remembered the Wild Hunt will be relevant right in the next book. So not a lot of foresight after all. Disappointment more like since this is the first time it is mentioned in the whole of TSC.

This chapter opens up with Jordan and Maia in the Praetor House. They are feeling awkward together so Jordan goes to take a shower and Maia is left pondering on things.

→ What still is beyond my understanding is why Maia (and Jordan) are so invested in Jace. They have no comprehensible connection nor a relationship, and the last time Maia and Jace had any meaningful interaction, it was in City of Ashes when Jace antagonized the whole pack of werewolved because of his self-imposed angst fest.

→ “She sprung up.” Because adverbs < actual verbs

→ The shadows were closing in. Because filtering < not separating reader from the action

Maia then joins Jordan in the shower and they do the yucky-yuck. We cut to the Team Good where Jocelyn finally learns that Clary has left to join Jace and Sebastian. Jocelyn blames Simon for letting Clary leave so easily. Then Magnus tells Jocelyn that no one can stop Clary for doing what she thinks is right and that Clary is a great deal like her mother. Which supposedly serves as a burn.

I don’t know what it is, why Jocelyn must be called “Clary’s mother” every given opportunity (or Clary Jocelyn’s daughter for that matter) when we know who she is, and, for example, Maryse is mostly always called Maryse. I am sick of it.

→ of course Magnus must have known Jocelyn/her when she was young, (also thank you, Simon, for explaining the obvious.)

→ I also feel that recap to be incredibly unnecessary, so just: when she betrayed Valentine and the Circle. Because who are you trying to win sympathy points for here?

Isabelle then stands up for Simon and berates Jocelyn.

It’s worthy to note that Clary’s own decisions and consequences on those decisions are blamed on everyone else available than her. Clary is reckless because of Jocelyn trying to protect her, not that Clary has a brain or mind of her own, yet the blame never lands on her. I would regard this more leniently if Isabelle threw some selfishness into the mix, like “if her actions meant that she would get her brother back then so be it”, but as of now, it has nothing to do with anything else than other characters sticking up for Clary for the sake of sticking up for Clary because no blame, no matter what, will fall on her.

Also, when had Clary ever said that, and also once again, with their trackrecord, they don't know each other or have known each other long enough for Clary to make such statements. Are you sure you aren't trying to just tell me stuff again?

Jocelyn is upset and gets more upset, and of course her upset with Simon especially could be read as that she can’t berate Clary for making such dangerous moves at the moment. But none of that will ever come anyway, so I dislike this whole conversation no matter what.

Even if Jocelyn is trying to scare them with consequences of their secrecy (or rather, Simon’s) and punishment by the Clave, it’s still so counterproductive. The Clave has given up on Jace. Jace, currently, is to be killed on sight alongside Sebastian. What on earth does Jocelyn think the Clave is going to do to Clary who joined these people on her own volition once it learns her part in this?

Jocelyn throws a tantrum while leaving, and Magnus suggests they get to the summoning of Azazel, the Prince of Hell who makes weapons, to inquire about one that could separate Jace from Sebastian.

We then cut to Clary and Jace on their date and it’s all incredibly boring.

Nu-uh. The em-dash serves no purpose when the only following clause includes just one thing.

→ Jace and Clary spent the day wandering through mazelike tiny streets that ran along…

Ha ha. Straight men joking about being gay. Funny. Also tasteless and gross as to getting someone drunk for sex.

Nu-uh. There's a lot of these throughout the book but gotta point them out every once in a while.

Cut back to Jordan and Maia who have had their steamy moment in the shower and are now lying in Jordan’s bed. They are talking when someone knocks on the door and calls for Jordan to go see Praetor Scott.

Their whole interaction in this chapter has been canoodling each other, and the urgency to help Luke has disappeared entirely. No, they don’t have all the time in the world when they specifically came to the Praetor House to help Luke from dying which he is rather actively doing at the moment. Though Maia probably means they have all the time they need in general, not just in this moment, it is still put up against the urgency in the story, which does not work.

Team Good is preparing to summon Azazel. Simon laments how animals don’t like him anymore now that he is a vampire but Chairman Meow is unbothered.

This doesn’t really fit in here. It cuts the flow between two sentences that should be consecutive.

→ Simon was taking a moment to rest and drink some coffee; it stayed down well, and the caffeine took the edge off the beginning prickles of hunger. Magnus, as it turns out, hadn’t been joking about the candles. All afternoon, they had been helping Magnus set the scene for raising Azazel.

It’s still clunky, but at least the effects of caffeine that are so far removed from the rest of the idea in this paragraph don’t interrupt each other.

Magnus then calls for them—Simon, Alec, and Isabelle—to gather around. We then cut to Maia and Jordan, and I’m so disappointed every time that happens. Praetor Scott presents them with the cure for Luke’s problem. Then Raphael makes an appearance to complain about Maureen having gone rogue and how the Praetor Lupus hasn’t made any headway as to her because they’ve (or Nick who is assigned to her case) been unable to find her.

These are teenage characters, I'll give you that, but this is also incredibly juvenile way to discuss sex or people having it. The idea that someone has to take notice, an adult no less, is weird and frankly also gross. Why does Scott need to care what the hell two horny teenagers are up to or even comment on it or even take notice?

It's closely related to Clare's need to have her intercharacter relationships and intimacy validated by an audience. Someone has to see or know, and it is so tiring that nothing can happen without constantly bringing it into focus or it being treated as a newsletter.

How has Sebastian and the disappearance of Jace incapacitated the whole of the Clave—all of the Nephilim—that they are unable to even continue with their daily duties? Clave sucks and that is the message Clare does put forward a lot, but how come the whole entire earth is so unable to take action, to aid New York, since their Conclave is so busy dealing with this disappearance that they aren’t even doing anything substantial about?

The Clave has no structure other than the Inquisitor, the Consul, and then the heads of the Institutes that lead their own Conclaves. It’s inadequate and unorganized and this will not change no matter how much Clare complains about the Clave she herself created. No one calls for more structure, does not create more positions to take on the load. There is essentially no progress because I don't think Clare sees this as one of the many flaws of the Clave. I think Clare believes this to be solid organization structure.

Why didn’t Raphael handle this himself in the first place? Even if he wanted to utilize “legal” or professional avenues first, he’s still going to handle it himself if these fail, so why not cut to the chase? Because we wouldn’t know about Maureen otherwise, though this knowledge comes at the expense of Raphael being a pretty ineffective leader of his clan.

Then the rest of the chapter is about Clary and Jace and their date and their canoodling because that’s pretty much all they do in their one-on-one scenes. Here Jace takes Clary to a boat to see the Wild Hunt, and then they have to escape because the boat owner comes, and yep. A lot happens in this chapter but at the same time it’s filled up with a lot of unnecessary and stupid prose.

[m0srael]

A series in which I ask my mutuals for fanwork recs, and then come back and tell you why I loved them. Any chance you have something to rec (the criteria are virtually non-existent)? Please, please send it on. Here is my original ask with more info.

I Was Recced:

Make This Leap by @oflights [Drarry | M | 118k]

Harry owns a struggling restaurant which is running out of money, and his Head Chef has just handed in notice. He's at a bit of a loss as to what to do until Narcissa Malfoy presents an obvious solution: bring in Draco Malfoy as Chef and part owner. Harry does.

One Sentence Recap: Make This Leap is a lushly detailed, beautifully imagined slice of life-turned-mystery story about the wizarding restaurant industry, yes, but also healing from trauma, learning to stand firm in one's convictions and sort out one's priorities, and cherishing family in all it's forms.

The fact that a sourdough starter--with a name!--is a tagged character should give you some insight into how thoroughly imagined the world of this story is--and yes, you WILL become emotionally attached to Valerius! This is a hefty fic that I consumed (relatively) slowly over the course of a couple weeks, which had nothing to do with the length and everything to do with the fact that each and every chapter of this story feels like a full meal! I would also be remiss if I didn't say that this fic has one of the best final lines I've seen in a long time (yes, you will have to read it to know what it is). There is SO MUCH I could gush about in regards to this story (again, that has nothing to do with the length), but here are a few highlights:

🌍 The World Building Like I said, the level of detail in this story is incredible. I feel like I've been to the White Owl--Harry's restaurant--because the author put so much time and care into imagining and describing it. Even more robust than the place descriptions, though, are the people. All of the characters in this story, whether they are familiar from canon or the author's OCs, are fully fleshed out, nuanced, and entirely relatable. Each new character that we meet is introduced to us for a reason, and all of their stories are treated with the care and attention they deserve. By the end of this fic I was so fully immersed in Harry and Draco's world and so enamored of all the people who populate it that I didn't want to leave.

👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 The Relationships Oflights is exceptionally skilled at building characters with believable personalities and backstories. It's been a while since I've read a fic where the characters feel both so true to their canon personalities and wholly unique and perfectly at home in the world of the story. One standout for me in this story is Hermione--she's frustratingly nosy and presumptuous, assumes she knows what's best for everyone around her, and has a less-than-perfect relationship with Molly Weasley. As much as I found myself rolling my eyes at her, I think she is perfectly written and the love between her and Harry in particular is complex, deep, and so real. Another relationship I absolutely adored in this story is the one between Narcissa and Andromeda--they are sharp, fiercely caring, and hilariously meddlesome, especially when they team up. The family dynamics between Harry, Draco, Teddy, Andromeda, and Narcissa are absolutely pitch perfect and made my heart ache in all the best ways. I loved getting to experience Harry's evolving relationship to the idea of family and the people in his life that he considers family.

🔥 The Pacing Speaking as someone who has never come close to writing a fic this long, I am always in awe of people who can make every single word feel meaningful and engaging! The story unfolds at the most perfect pace, letting the reader come to know all of the different characters slowly but surely. There's a mystery lingering within the story from nearly the beginning, and the moment that it takes center stage feels entirely right and exciting. The slow burn between Harry and Draco is so satisfying, and their relationship (professional, friendly, and eventually romantic) builds at such a believable pace. That said, I do really appreciate that because we're experiencing this story from Harry's POV we get to see how much of a dumb, lovesick baby he is. I deeply appreciate how unguarded Harry is with his affection for everyone around him--Teddy, Andy and Narcissa, and especially Draco. And yet, Harry has a LOT of baggage to work through when it comes to Draco and romantic love--he doesn't figure out his life overnight, and he and Draco have to have some hard conversations along the way.

If you read this (or have read it), let me know what you think!!

*

Make This Leap was recced to me by @geesenoises so I read:

The Best Laid Plans [Drarry | T | 2.2k]

With Harry at Hogwarts most of the year and Draco working at St. Mungo’s, they don't get to see each other very often. So when Madame Pomfrey announces her plan to retire, Harry sets out to change that.

This absolute treat of a fic was written for the Wheel of Drarry Exchange as a gift for @pennygalleon, but it feels like a gift for us all! Geese perfectly captures a very HJP sort of thoughtless desperation and impulsive scheming, driven naturally by desire. He clearly loves Draco so much and is quite dumb about it in the most delightful way. In the end, it turns out Draco might be just as dumb in love, too. I highly recommend nibbling on this as soon as you can if you want something sweet, satisfying, and perfect!

Ride It Like You Stole It [Free! | E | 4.1k]

This is a collection of au ficlets based around the universe of the anime Free! Iwatobi High School Swim Club featuring an incredible mix of rare and not-so-rare pairs. I'm new to the Free! universe and fandom, so when I saw Geese had written my new favorite swim boys I had to dive in immediately. I am in awe of the way that Geese can craft a fully imagined world in only a few hundred words and find the heart of a ship in the process. The au scenarios are inventive and delightful, and this whole collection is so much fun!!

Thanks for sending me a recommendation!

[theaquariusedit]

I think the “most hated” change so far has been the Lotus Casino scene because it deviates so far off of what we expect as book readers. I’ve seen people complain about not seeing them play around and be kids but in the book the casino scene was a plot device to make them lose time and build up the urgency of the quest. The way it was presented on the show makes their situation so much more dire and angst inducing. Not only are they being purposefully delayed by Hermes, but he’s also playing psychological warfare with them by bringing back traumatic experiences which they clearly are shaken over.

So to recap: in the show, they did everything right. They ask for Athena’s help against Echidna and the Chimera, they fulfill Ares’ request and bring back his shield, they go to the God of Travelers to ask for help and time and time again they are outmaneuvered, manipulated and lied to by the gods - even when they know “too much”, as some people claim. It establishes that no matter how closely they follow their rules, how well behaved, well trained, successful warriors they are, they are still just a pawn in the gods of Olympus’ games.

That leads me to my final thought, which is the gift from Poseidon and the end of the timeline. Again, saw many people complaining about this change in the series. In the book, despite losing track of time playing in the Lotus Casino, they still make it out in time and with a day to spare so they can finish their mission. As someone who adores the books, I’m still able to admit that this would be so incredibly difficult particularly if you consider that Percy and Annabeth are *both* somewhat inexperienced demigods (even with all her training) out on their “first quest” together. The odds that they would’ve made it on time for the solstice are slim to none. By changing this and making their deadline lapse, Rick and the writers are building up the stakes for what’s to come and making it that much more of a punch to the gut. Because it gives a clear message to the trio which is “you were doomed to fail from the start and we all made sure of it”. Because it shows their efforts are “useless” and worthless to the gods even when they play by their rules. They tried so hard and for what?

To wrap it up, the change with the pearls also opens a world of possibilities and I really think it’ll be they much more gut wrenching for Percy to go on certain he’ll save everyone and leaving having left Sally behind. It also sets Poseidon apart from the other gods, because he at the very least tried to give some meaningful help to his son and his quest and still he somewhat fails him. I think it opens up a door for us to see a much closer and more complex relationship between them. But yeah, these are all the thoughts that have been haunting me since Tuesday, hope you guys enjoy!