#SHE WAS MY FAVORITE I WAS SO UPSET WHEN I WATCHED THAT EPISODE I THOUGHT NETFLIX JUST SKIPPED CONTEXT BUT NOPE THATS JUST HOW IT HAPPENS

[cyanide-sippy-cup]

Okay, I know I've literally never talked about Supernatural before on this blog but I actually am a massive fan of the series. I could honestly run an entire separate blog about it. Anyway I rediscovered Milo Greene's song "What's the Matter" earlier and it got me thinking about the episode Bitten.

People have eased up on this episode in recent years but overall the general opinion is still pretty negative, which I think is sad since this is probably one of my personal favorites. Keep in mind it's been a couple years since I've rewatched the show, so I'm running mostly on memory here.

First things first, I think it helps keep the series connected to its roots. After season 5, they kept trying to one up themselves in terms of stakes, ultimately leading to such events as "Satan's son's birth opens the multiverse". And we were sitting in the aftermath of Dick and the Leviathans™ where the show was heading back on its stride, so it feels really nice to just remind us where we began. Saving people, hunting things.

Second, it actually does a lot for the worldbuilding. We get to actually see the perspective of both the people being saved and the things to be hunted, all while they have to grapple with it. While they may not be the most compelling, it was really important we got to see the evolution of these friends, a view into the mundane yet interesting history of these regular people's lives. That way it really hits when things go to shit, you (or at least me) genuinely wish things could have gone differently for them. These people had dreams and goals, loved ones, and now two of them are dead and the other is on the run. All that and they still manage to convey it in a way that feels mostly organic.

On top of that, we get a particularly interesting glimpse into how Sam and Dean look from the perspective of strangers, including some interesting character details. Their shenanigans, their work. We really never get to see people who recognize them from other things (like don't they technically still have warrants for their arrest?) so I thought it was cool how the characters pick up on that.

The found footage aspect is usually hated by people, but I thought it was a really cool way to see it unfold. Cause remember, they could have easily just given us an episode from someone else's POV. But instead, we experience it as the brothers experience it. Context for certain things is missing, there are time jumps and finally it ends with a message directly for them both.

It makes sense that they would film what they do too (for the most part). We see that these are people who record fun and mundane things just for the hell of it, so of course they would record one of the most strange and harrowing events of their lives. In an era where people record strangers for internet points, it's honestly refreshing to see people record mostly just for the sake of capturing memories or entertainment for themselves.

I know a lot of people like it, but it holds a special place in my heart. When I think of the heart of the show, I don't think about the world ending or the multiverse or any of that, I think of stuff like this. Things that really stick in your mind.

And also that song fucks.

[mirai-e-jump]

Uchusen Vol.186 (Autumn 2024) Kamen Rider Gavv | Detail of Heroes ft. Main Cast Interviews (other pages and translations below)

Publication: October 1, 2024 (between episode 5-6)

Chinen Hidekazu (Shouma)

"Which shows from the Kamen Rider series have you seen?"

Chinen: From my generation, I watched "Kamen Rider W," "OOO," "Fourze," and "Wizard." I've been watching "Kamen Rider Zero-One," a masterpiece by Director Sugihara, who also directed the pilot of Gavv, and recently I watched "Kamen Rider Den-O" for the sake of studying.

"Who would your all time favorite Rider be?"

Chinen: Including OOO, I like alot of them, but lately I've been particularly fond of Den-O. It was really amazing to see each of the Imagin's personalities being performed by Satoh Takeru-san, the lead actor. The theme song is good too. I listen to the OP every episode without skipping it.

"Please tell us about the time of your audition for Gavv."

Chinen: We were put into pairs, one would play a role reminiscent of the food lover Shouma, and the other played a cool role similar to Hanto. During the first audition, I made a mistake. When I was supposed to do a performance where I entered the room from outside, I mistook the door for an outward opening one instead of an inward one, so I kept trying to pull it when I should've been pushing, and it ended up making alot of noise. I also heard the Producers laughing because I was having trouble getting in, but when I finally did, I continued the performance as if nothing had happened. Thinking about it now……I guess maybe that feeling of disconnect was also linked to Shouma's.

"We're sure you must've been quite flustered at that time"

Chinen: I was really flustered because of that (laughs). I was panicking quite abit because it wasn't an act, I really made a mistake. Still, I thought, "I've come this far, so let's do this!," so it might've been a good thing that I was able to accept it and give an earnest performance.

"How were you informed that you had been chosen?

Chinen: One day, my manager called me and said, "I need you to come to the office after work." I went to the office thinking, "Maybe they're upset at me for failing something?," but they said, "We have a report. We're disappointed to tell you that the final audition for Kamen Rider is no longer available." I was frustrated because I thought I had been rejected, but I still said, "I understand, I'll do my best next time." At that exact moment, the staff came through the door and shot off party poppers. That's when I asked my manager, "This isn't a dream, is it?" I pinched myself just to be sure (laughs). Even though it hurt, I couldn't believe it, and when I finally became aware of it, I felt like, "I'm the happiest guy in the world right now!"

"How did you inform your family?"

Chinen: I immediately called my mother about it. She said, "Hide, will you be okay with having the lead role?" Ever since I was little, I always said I wanted to one day play the main character in Kamen Rider. Both my mother and father supported this dream and saw me off to Tokyo. However, I really didn't think it would come true, and I think I was more worried about whether I'd be able to play the main character in such a big title before I was happy.

"Please tell us your impressions when you learned that Gavv was a Kamen Rider with a sweets motif."

Chinen: I received the proposal at the same time I was chosen to play the lead role, so that was the first time I learned about it. My first thoughts were, "A sweets Kamen Rider?" and "What will the gummies be like?" I didn't immediately understand the concept. It was the same kind of impact I felt when I first saw the orange and armor motif of "Kamen Rider Gaim." Still, when I read the proposal, it was very original and interesting. I could really feel the passion of the creators in wanting to create such a hero needed in the era we live in. I thought, "I want to be that kind of hero, and I also want to do my best!" I was impressed by the way the Rider's design incorporated gummies and potato chips, and I thought, "The person who thought this up is a genius."

"What's your absolute favorite form?"

Chinen: As of right now, it's Zakuzaku Chips. I'm a big fan of dual wielding swords, as I often use dual wielding characters in games. Also, I like the jagged potato chips on its eyes. From a distance, doesn't it look like Kamen Rider OOO? I like that about it too.

"Due to the complicated background of the character, we feel that Shouma, who you're playing, requires difficult performances. What kind of orders did the Director give you?"

Chinen: Director Sugihara said, "While he is a young man, I want him to retain a part of his innocence," and that, "He's friendly, but there seems to be a wall between his heart." He said, "He has a bright side and a dark side that he doesn't show others. I hope you can show us how well you can switch between those two personalities."

"Shouma's upbringing is one thing, but it's also cruel that the enemies he's fighting against are his family."

Chinen: Yeah, I personally think it's so cruel, that I pity Shouma. It's a harsh story for a show that's meant for small children to watch. I personally feel like it's mentally draining to play the role of blood related brothers fighting against each other as enemies. What's more, there's no escape from that fate. However, while the story and Shouma's circumstances are hard, the eating of sweets and poppin scenes help soften the situation. The gap between those scenes gives more depth to the hard story. I also try to be conscious of this when I act differently.

"It seems to strike a good balance between the poppin imagery and the hard content."

Chinen: Some fans predicted, "Is it going to be a show like Gaim?," when they saw the official announcement before the show aired. Kamen Rider productions that start out appealing to the "pop" part tend to have harsher developments (laughs). I myself don't want it to be too serious, so through trial and error, I'm still trying to figure out how to make the "pop" in Gavv stand out.

"The role sounds like a pretty high hurdle to clear."

Chinen: Still, I think it was the same for my seniors who performed in previous Riders. I believe that it's Kamen Riders who overcome their troubles, conflicts, and ordeals.

"How was filming for the transformation pose?"

Chinen: The pose was decided on three or four days before we started filming. We agreed on it through discussions among myself, Action Director Fujita-san, and Director Sugihara. In the first episode, there was no proper pose, as the transformation was done during a pinch, so the pose wasn't done until episode 2, but the transformation scene in the first episode was also very cool. Shouma's body slowly changes, and at the end, we get a closeup of his face and Gavv's mask, but he doesn't change all at once, leaving the eyes unchanged. It was very cool, and I was trembling by the way they showed the expression in my eyes until the very end! This is a special version that's only found in the first episode, so I hope you'll watch it again.

"We think that there'll also be action scenes before the transformation, but what about you?"

Chinen: The action is alot of fun……that being said though, I struggle with it quite abit. Action isn't just about being good at punching and kicking. I have to make the action visually appealing. Despite all that, I of course have to put my feelings into it. Fujita-san was by my side the whole time, and Gavv's Suit Actor Nawata Yuya-san was also always near the cameras, and he was very helpful and gave me advice like, "You did it this way before, but why don't you try it this way?" Also, I practice kyokushin karate, so that might be why I was praised for my kicks. So, when it came to direction, we also had an increase in kicking scenes. Over the next year, I'd like to improve my action skills more.

"How was post recording?"

Chinen: It was my first time, so it was much more difficult than filming. Director Sugihara spent alot of time with me for episodes 1 and 2 in particular, since they're the ones the viewers would see for the first time. After that, Director Sugihara gave me some advice. Shouts like "Hah!" and "Tah!" tend to become monotonous as it goes on, so he said, "I want to see some variation." He recommended the game "Street Fighter" as a good reference. I wrote down the shouts I thought were good in a memo and did them my own way. Naturally, I also referred to the shouts of my senior Riders.

"What's been your most passionate scene so far?"

Chinen: It would have to be the transformation scene in the first episode. Until then, the wind had been blowing so strongly, that it was like a cloud of dust, but it stopped right as it came time to do my performance. Thanks to this, we were able to shoot the cut where the wind makes Shouma's hair rise up and reveals his eyes. I also talked with Director Sugihara about it, saying, "It's a scene where the wind was on our side."

"How's the teamwork with your costars, Hino Yusuke-san and Miyabe Nozomi-san?"

Chinen: Both of them are usually friendly, but when they get in front of the cameras, they quickly switch into their roles. They're the type of people who can clearly switch on and off. Not just for Shouma, they're also my own reassuring friends.

"We were told that among the three of you, Chinen-san's plays the role of the funny guy, while Hino-san's the straight man."

Chinen: Sometimes I'll derail the conversation or make bombshell statements (laughs). Each time, Hino-san puts us back on the right track. Miyabe-san watches from a slightly removed position, but will sometimes react.

"By the way, Chinen-san, what's your favorite sweet?"

Chinen: It's gummies, naturally! However, since I'm from Okinawa, I'd also like to promote "chinsukou" and "sata andagi" (laughs).

"We'd also love to see those two appear as Gochizou."

Chinen: Will they appear?! It seems like they'd be limited to Okinawa. Of course, I'd be happy if they come out, but for now I'll just hope for it within my heart.

"Finally, please give a message directed to all the fans of Gavv."

Chinen: The story of Kamen Rider Gavv began with a young man coming from another world to the human world. I hope that you'll pay attention to how Shouma meets unique friends in the human world and grows. Especially the bond he has with his mother, family bonds is one of the themes, so if possible, I'd like you to watch it with your loved ones. If you watch it, you'll definitely want to show your love and respect to your parents. I'd like to make this a show that you can support throughout the year. I hope you'll pay attention to and enjoy the activities of not only our cast, but also the Gochizou. I look forward to your support throughout the next year!

Hino Yusuke (Hanto)

"Have you watched the Kamen Rider series?"

Hino: I have an older brother, so we had alot of transformation belts from "Kamen Rider Kuuga" and other early Heisei series at home. In terms of my generation though, it would've been "Kamen Rider Den-O." After that, I watched "Kamen Rider Kiva" and "Kamen Rider Decade."

"Who's your all time favorite Rider?"

Hino: I watched it with enthusiasm, so it'd have to be Den-O. When I was in elementary school, I commuted to school by train and was once stopped by a station attendant when I tried to walk through the ticket gate with the pass for the transformation belt (laughs).

"Did you play the role of Hanto during the audition?"

Hino: I also played the role of who I later found out was the main character, but in the end, I was frequently assigned the role of Hanto. Still, I thought his character had a cool position when they explained him to me, so I wasn't sure if he'd fit with my everyday self.

"How was it when you learned that you had been chosen?"

Hino: I was shocked because I wasn't expecting to be picked. The way my agency informed me also startled me abit. I was so happy and shocked, that I was in a state where I couldn't think straight for about five minutes.

"Did you contact your family right away?"

Hino: I was told it was okay to contact my parents as soon as I could. My mother cried and was delighted. Hearing my mother's tearful voice on the other end of the phone caused me to cry as well. My father never seemed very interested in my work, but when I told him that I had passed the audition, he exclaimed "seriously?!" in the loudest voice I had ever heard (laughs). It made me really happy when I heard that. My father's always worrying about me. I started this work when I was in high school, but was told, "You're a student, so your priority is your studies and to then go to college." However, my work became so busy, that it became difficult for me to attend college, and my parents were constantly worried about me. That's why I think I was finally able to reassure them by passing this audition, and it's a new starting point for me as well. In this day and age, TV dramas that run for a year are rare, so I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate in one, and I'll do my best this year without forgetting to keep my mind fresh.

"What was your first impression when you read the script?"

Hino: When I first heard about the motif, I thought, "What would a sweets Rider be like?" I think everyone's first guess would be a poppin, cute hero. So, while yes, the designs give off a cool, cute and modern feel, the story is very dramatic. The lives of Shouma and Hanto, who I play, will gradually overlap, and many other appealing characters appear, which always makes me wonder what will happen next. I myself look forward to the next script whenever I receive one. How will Hanto become a Kamen Rider, and how will he relate to Shouma after becoming one? I hope that you'll look forward to that.

"Did the Director give you any orders regarding your performance?"

Hino: I was told, "It's good to be more flexible." There's the way he approaches people with his fake smile when he's a freelance writer, and his "I'll crush you" anger when he confronts a Granute. It didn't matter what others would think, he told me, "I'd rather you vary his strengths and weaknesses so that he looks like a different person." At first, I thought Hanto was a cool character. It certainly looks that way when compared to Shouma and Sachika, but there are surprisingly few scenes resembling that in the show, it's more like he's clumsy around people. The Director raised the mood of my first appearance scene, up to the point where it felt like a silly older brother had appeared. That part changed the impression I had when I first received the script considerably.

"We have the impression that freelance writers are prone to being disliked, as they're always snooping around and are persistent in pestering the main character."

Hino: While I can't speak for myself, Hanto himself is a character who's teased during the show, so he's the most lovable character. He acts with conviction, and I think that's what makes him so cool, but he sometimes ends up getting nowhere, so he gets teased. And yet, when he's teased, he'll get angry and say, "Don't screw with me!," but he doesn't deny it (laughs). The reason Hanto's slowly becoming more like that may be due to the fact that my own character is starting to come out. In this sense, I feel that the synchronization with the role has risen. This way, Hanto's character has a wide range, so I'm able to play him rather freely.

"After this, Hanto reaches a major turning point when he becomes a Kamen Rider, so did you switch up your performance there?"

Hino: For Hanto, it's not so much a situation where his fate has taken a turn for the worse, it's more like his connection from the past has further unfolded. That's why rather than switching between before and after he becomes a Kamen Rider, I tried to separate his role as a freelance writer from his desire for revenge against the Granutes. To tell you the truth, after I learned about Hanto's early life, I tried to avoid "seeing" his family as much as possible in order to understand his loneliness alittle better. That's why when he confronts the Granutes, I think his eyes are pretty much burning with anger. It is of big help for him that he's surrounded by cheerful characters like the Gochizou and Sachika.

"How was the first transformation scene?"

Hino: Before his first transformation, another major event happens to Hanto which leads to him becoming a Kamen Rider. With the power he's acquired for the first time, Hanto's first transformation is a scene where he shows the anger and hatred he's been holding onto for such a long time towards the Granute. Trying to convey those emotions through my performance was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I think that Valen's transformation itself was also unrefined, unlike the image of a perfect hero with overwhelming strength. Still, he's unrefined but works as hard as he can, so I'd be happy if everyone who watches the show can feel that there's a cool feel to him. In a scene where "tears" are an important point in the direction, I was so emotional, that tears genuinely ran down my face as well. I still remember this because it was a moment when my emotions and my performance matched up.

"As Hanto, did you feel like he reached the climax from the earliest stage?"

Hino: No, no! This isn't the end of his story! (laughs). I'm sure there'll be many more climaxes from now on, and I'm personally looking forward to them.

"What did you think of Kamen Rider Valen's design?"

Hino: There was more chocolate than I expected (laughs). Despite that, it's cool. I also like that Valen is a "helmet type," while Gavv is a "mask type."

"By the way, Hino-san, what's your favorite sweet?"

Hino: Chocolate of course!

"Do you have a favorite secondary Rider from previous Riders?"

Hino: It's Kamen Rider Zeronos from Den-O. I love his "I'm pretty strong!" catchphrase! In terms of actors, I like Yoshizawa Ryo-san, who played Kamen Rider Meteor in "Kamen Rider Fourze." When you're that cool at giving a performance, you can't be beat. Director Kamihoriuchi previously told me that when Yoshizawa-san was told to "do something like this," he instantly made it his own performance instead of following instructions. He also said, "His ability to adapt was exceptional." It made me want to be an actor like him. He's a respectable person.

"We'd like to see a catchphrase from Valen as well."

Hino: Yeah. He currently doesn't have any lines that he's always saying, but I'll try to bring out Hanto's human appeal while standing beside Shouma, the hero from another world.

"Do you want to film some action of yourself before transforming?"

Hino: Action is fun! I do voluntary training on a daily basis together with Valen's Suit Actor Kaji Kotaro-san, Gavv's Nawata Yuya-san, and everyone else on the Action Team. The day before an action scene is set to be filmed, they would assist me in practicing for it. With the exception of impossible scenes, I've been challenging myself to not use a stand in.

"How's the teamwork with your co stars, Chinen-san and Miyabe-san?"

Hino: We get along very well. They're both really adorable, but they're professional actors who are reliable on set. In a good way, we're rivals and friends. I hope I can build a better relationship with them from now on.

"Not long ago you said, "It might be his own fault that Hanto's become a character who's teased," but is Hino-san himself a character who's being teased?"

Hino: Basically, I play the role of responding to Chinen-kun's jokes (laughs). However, including Miyabe-san, when the three of us are together, I sometimes play the role of a fool, and will often be the one saying, "Hey, cut it out~." That's the way things usually go. Just so you're aware, I am the oldest (laughs).

"And now finally, please give a message to all fans of Gavv."

Hino: For me, Kamen Riders are the heroes I've dreamed of being since I was a child, so I'm very happy that I'm able to be involved in this historic series. Over the next year, I'll do my best to meet and exceed everyone's expectations with sincerity, and without forgetting my original intention. I look forward to your support!

Miyabe Nozomi (Sachika)

"First, please tell us about the time of your audition for Gavv."

Miyabe: I'll be honest, the audition was a disaster. The audition script contained several assignments, each being individually numbered. At that time, act 2 was a fainting performance and act 3 was a conversation between two people, and even though I thought, "I absolutely have to pass!," I was so incredibly nervous, that I ended up doing a fainting performance for act 3. The other actor spoke to me according to the script, and that's when I realized, "This is wrong!," but it was too late. The final audition didn't go well either. The Director told me, "Act like an aunt from Osaka," but I wasn't confident that I could pull it off, and that's when I became depressed and thought, "This is a lost cause." In spite of all that, I was surprised that I was chosen.

"How did you receive the report that you had been chosen?"

Miyabe: After the audition, my manager called me to come to Ginza. As I headed there and thought, "I wonder if they're upset about something?," they messaged me with, "Take a selfie with your phone." I didn't understand what they meant and was like, "Eh? Did I gain weight or something?" but then I got a message saying, "You passed the audition." It seems that the selfie was to document me going from freaked out to smiling. I had never been so emotionally moved as I was at that moment. This video captures a memorable moment in time, so I hope to be able to release it in some form someday (laughs).

"Have you watched the Kamen Rider series?"

Miyabe: I have a younger brother who's eight years younger than me, so we watched "Kamen Rider Drive," "Ghost," and "Ex-Aid" together. After I passed the audition, I watched "Kamen Rider Gotchard" in order to study.

"We're sure your brother was happy to know that his sister was going to play a role in Kamen Rider."

Miyabe: I still haven't told my brother yet (at the time of this interview). I was given the okay to talk to them about it, so I did contact my parents right away. I plan on surprising my brother by not telling him until the official announcement.

"What were your impressions of Gavv from reading the script?"

Miyabe: Each and every character has a story to tell, so I thought it was a production that'll keep you interested even early on. That's why I can never wait for the next script. I'm sure all the viewers feel the same way.

"Did the Director give you any orders regarding your role?"

Miyabe: Along with Shouma's Chinen-kun, Director Sugihara gave us acting lessons even before filming began. Each time, I was told, "Cheerful, cheerful." It was required at the auditions, so I always try to have the cheerfulness of an Osakan aunt and the kindness that seems to embrace everyone. Sachika is a gyaru president, but I've personally lived a life with no connection to gyarus. I also wasn't the type to stand out in class. That's why after I was chosen for this role, I learned to be more like a gyaru by listening to songs with a cheerful tempo, reading gyaru magazines, and watching official Youtube channels and TikToks.

"What does Miyabe-san think a gyarus mind is?"

Miyabe: I wonder…….No matter how difficult a situation may be, you can always think, "Well, I'll figure it out!," and in a positive sense, I think it's important not to "overthink" things. A friend of mine often says, "Keep a gyaru in your heart,” and I thought it was a very good saying. Thanks to those words, I'm now able to have a gyaru named Amane Sachika reside in my heart.

"Playing the role of Amane Sachika is also a "transformation" for Miyabe-san."

Miyabe: You're right! There's quite a gap between myself and Sachika, so I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that it's a transformation for me. I've never played a role so different from my own self before, so it's fun (laughs). It's not just acting that I enjoy, but also doing alot of research for the role.

"Did you also make your hair blonde for the role of Sachika?"

Miyabe: I did. I've always had black hair, but I bleached it three times to make it blonde. At first, every time I looked in the mirror, I was like, "Who are you?" (laughs). Still, once I got used to looking at it, I started to see myself in photos as a different person from who I used to see when I had black hair. Sachika also wears heavy makeup, so you might not even notice me when I walk down the street during my private time. That's why I'm thinking of wearing colored contacts and false eyelashes in my private time so people will notice me (laughs).

"Sachika isn't a fighter, but are there any plans for action scenes?"

Miyabe: There are no particular scenes set for me, but I was once allowed to participate in an action session. I didn't do very well at the time, but I'd be happy if they could prepare some action scenes for Sachika too! Since I went through great lengths to appear in Kamen Rider, I'd like to try my hand at action.

"Would you like to transform into a Kamen Rider like Shouma and Hanto?"

Miyabe: I'd like to do that too! Recent series always have female Kamen Riders, and my dream is to be one of them. However, Sachika's a woman with a strong heart, so even if she can't transform, I'd like to use the strength of her feelings as her "weapon."

"Miyabe-san, which Rider do you like more, Gavv or Valen?"

Miyabe: That's a tough question! (laughs). Gavv's a Rider from another world, so he's incredibly strong, but when he's alone he usually ends up in a pinch. And since Valen's the one who helps him, it's like they're one and the same. So, I guess I'd go with both.

"Have you ever directly seen the Kamen Riders on set?"

Miyabe: They're so cool! Being able to see those forms up close and personal will definitely motivate me for the next year. Before I entered this set, I thought the camera work was what made the action so powerful. Naturally, there are scenes like that, but the action itself is very powerful. When I watched episodes 1 and 2, I was surprised to see that the scenes that were already powerful without CG were even more powerful with CG.

"Were there any other spectacles unique to tokusatsu heroes?"

Miyabe: The Gochizou are made by using both props and CG, so during filming of the CG scenes, Chinen-kun talks to Gochizou that aren't there. I thought that kind of performance was difficult. Still, Sachika doesn't know that the Gochizou exists. She also doesn't know about the Granutes, or that Shouma and Hanto are Kamen Riders. They're so close, yet she only knows about Kamen Riders through gossip. I can only imagine what would happen to Sachika if she knew of the Granute's existence. She might want to try to get along with them instead of fighting. Of course, she'd become angry if someone she cared about got hurt by them.

"What's been the most impressive scene up to episode 5?"

Miyabe: Sachika runs a general store, so she and Shouma do alot of jobs together. I enjoyed the scene where they were handing out flyers to advertise the ramen shop. I'm looking forward to seeing what other jobs they do in the future. I also like the scene in episode 3, where Hanto comes to Hapipare and Sachika pokes him with a toy. I thought it was a good representation of their relationship. It's not that Sachika can't read the room, as when she has to do something, she'll do it, but the mood of the place comes first (laughs).

"Hino-san himself said that Hanto's a character that everyone teases."

Miyabe: Hino-kun himself often makes the set feel more relaxed when he's teased. I also mess around with him alot (laughs). It's kind of easy to tease him, almost like there's a sense of security and that it's okay to tease him. He's the oldest out of the three of us (laughs). Chinen-kun lightens up the mood with his interesting remarks, like when he says, "That's one way of thinking about it!" Once Hino-kun gets into it, it becomes really noisy. We screw around when it's time to screw around, but we're very serious when we have to face our roles. They'll suggest things like, "Let's try this here," or "Let's practice this alittle." I'm glad that the three of us will be together on this set for a year.

"Miyabe-san, what kind of sweets do you like?"

Miyabe: I like plum types of sweets, like crunchy plums and dried plums. On days when we have filming, I'll stop by a convenience store and buy one of those before heading to the set. However, the makeup artist pointed out to me that I should be careful not to eat too much, otherwise my face might puff up (laughs).

"And now finally, please give a message to the fans of Gavv."

Miyabe: Kamen Rider Gavv is poppin and cute, and I think it's a show that'll be easy for all kinds of people to relate to. I really hope that people of all ages will watch it. Since I'm also "armed" with a gyarus mindset, I'll do my best to cheer up tons of people. I look forward to your support over the next year!

[shadyr4m]

REWATCHING SEASON 2 EPISODE 7 OF ARCANE

+ some of my highlights and notable moments that I enjoyed bc people can’t understand media anymore

This is mostly an infodump of stuff I can fit into a twitter thread/didn't rly want to make into a thread. I'm not great at words so I apologize in advance, I am sure there are many people much better at analysis than I.

I want to start off by saying I am heavily invested in timebomb so this is very much going to be a ship analysis. If you're looking for someone unbiased i am very much not the person for that 😭

FIRST OFF:

The disc on the music box is adorable!!! It features au Powder (who I am going to refer to as just Powder for the duration of my analysis) and au Ekko

Compared to the normal Disc

This is very obviously because it takes place in a different universe, one without Vi or "Jinx".

The first scene starts off with AU Ekko writing in his notebook. (Cute mention is Powder's doodle in his notebook!!) Then we see flashes of the wild rune. This is when AU Ekko switches to canon Ekko.

Also one of my favorite silly images from this episode is this one.. Powder is being so adorable and Ekko is just scared out of his MIND. it's so silly.

In the Last drop, Powder asks Ekko. "What is up with you? You've been out of it all day?". One thing I noticed in my rewatch is that i think Powder is aware this Ekko isn't HER Ekko. This is just one instance of many that makes me think this.

This hideout seems so much more vibrant and loved, similar to Jinx's hideout after Isha. It's colorful. There are guard rails that I like to think was pushed by Vander. We can see Ekko's art scattered around. It just shows how much more support and family Powder has compared to Jinx, which i mention a lot.

Id also like to note Ekko being shocked au him went to powder for help. In his mind at this time he believes Jinx to be all that is left, no more Powder. Through out the episode we see that change.

Notice how Powder gets upset at Ekko in this scene. However, she doesn't react explosively like Jinx would've. She handled it in a way that shows she had support. She told him to leave instead. Again, the main difference between Powder and Jinx isn't only Vi but also the existence of multiple support systems that Jinx simply didn't have.

THIS FLASHBACK! Oh my god this flashback. The fact it happened after he upset Powder? I think it shows just how much he truly cares about Jinx/Powder. He remembers VIVIDLY the day that he thought he killed her. Jinx was his childhood best friend, and I don't think that kind of feeling ever truly goes away. He doesn't want to hurt any version of her, not even the alternate universe her. We see that showcased more later on. Also, random probably insane note. He is interrupted by small children playing, having fun. This isn't a coincidence, it shows he does miss the moments from when they were kids.

While talking with Heimerdinger, we see Ekko look at Powder multiple times. Watching her laugh and be expressive, he smiles. When she doesn't return it we see him get upset. Once more this brings me to my point that he doesn't want to hurt her. Considering he hasn't known this Powder very long you can see where I gather my point that he doesn't want to hurt her in GENERAL. Any version of her.

THIS SCENE!! He is such a bad liar it's adorable. This brings me to my earlier point, Powder knows what's up!! She suspects something 100%. He is talking about this dream her like it was real.

"You aren't the kind of person who helps other people with their projects. Your ideas change the world. I can't shake the feeling that that's who you're supposed to be."

Are you LISTENING TO THIS? He is obviously talking about Jinx. You can tell this by the first sentence because obviously Powder IS that kind of person. He's starting to see that Jinx is just a part of Powder, one that is unavoidable and that he unknowingly appreciates in a sense. Like two sides of one coin he can't see Powder without Jinx and that is good. I think it is here he realizes truly just how much he cares about Jinx.

This whole montage is beautiful but I want to zero in on two things. Powder's reaction to the notebook and how she looks at Ekko after. NOW THIS. This is the nail in the coffin for her. She knows that this is not her Ekko. She has fully gathered that he isn't from this universe.

Also heimerdinger totally knows how Ekko feels you cannot tell me otherwise. Pushing him to go to the party? yeah he knows what you are.

THIS WHOLE SCENE. I AM NOT ANALYZING THE WHOLE THING HERE BUT IT IS GORGEOUS. I saw someone talking about how it was animated on 4's to signify the way Ekko can only go back 4 seconds and I honestly shed a tear. THE SONG TOO? I encourage everyone to look at the lyrics because they're beautiful.

Okay now for my favorite part of this episode so much to dissect and i'm totally going to mansplain but yk..

"I used to dream the undercity could be like this" — That sets the tone for the whole conversation and just what world he is talking about. The canon one.

"But somewhere, I got consumed by all the ways it wasn't. I gave up on it. Gave up on YOU." — Heavy emphasis on this line. Once more he is talking about Jinx. He is talking about how he got so consumed by the way that Jinx wasn't good, and he gave up on her. Believed she was irredeemable. Powder showed him that Jinx is capable of love and happiness, it's just under that tough protective shell. The undercity in the metaphor is Jinx, from my interpretation.

"I promise i'll never forget this." — Now time for my insanity. He doesn't forget this. That's why he saves Jinx from ending her life in the first place. He remembers Powder and knows that with the right support Jinx doesn't have to be the way she is. It's not that she "needs to be fixed" she just needs to be LOVED, like Powder. He sees that now. He sees how in the au the love that everyone shares for one another shaped the undercity beautifully, and made everyone in it much healthier mentally despite going through hardships. That is beautiful. People with mental illness are not unlovable they just need more support, it can't be cured, or fixed just healed. Mental illness is always there it is how you DEAL with it that matters.

Nothing too major to talk about with the kiss. It's sweet I love it, but nothing too notable for me to say about it.

Finally, Ekko leaves the au. I have seen people say that this is a sacrifice, he could've had everything he wanted and he gave it up to save the people at home. But i take insanity to another level. I see this as him appreciating his home. He knows he can never truly love this Powder because she isn't the version he fell in love with. He learned to appreciate Jinx even through her flaws, and that while this world has everything he could want and more he can have that home too.

I am experiencing HEAVY timebomb brainrot if you can’t already tell. I was tired of people taking things in the complete wrong way with this episode, if anyone has different views pls tell me I love hearing how other people took certain scenes. there are a few scenes I love but I would’ve made this post way too long..

[rxmqnova]

Misunderstanding

NO ONE'S POV "Natty, no" Y/N whines, holding her girlfriend tightly and not wanting to let go of her.

"Baby, we're doing this almost every morning" Natasha sighs, trying to peel Y/N off of herself. She wants to go for a run, but Y/N just doesn't want to let her.

"Why can't you just skip one time, cuddle with us and then have breakfast with us?" Y/N asks, a sigh escaping her lips when Natasha gets out of her hold.

"I will cuddle with you two after my run, I promise. I'll see you soon" The redhead smiles, pecking Y/N's lips, then walking over to the other side of the bed and kissing still sleeping Wanda's forehead.

And she's gone, making Y/N let out a little groan, so she cuddles up to Wanda, the witch unconsciously wrapping her arms around her immediately.

After a while of cuddling and waking Wanda up, the two change from their pajamas and make their way to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Pancakes?" Wanda suggests, knowing her girlfriend never says no to that, smiling when Y/N nods eagerly.

Wanda gets into making pancakes immediately, Y/N trying to help her as best as she can and soon the breakfast is ready, so they sit down and get into eating.

Though Y/N suddenly starts looking at Wanda, deep in her thoughts, thinking about a conversation she had with Wanda yesterday while chewing on a piece of pancake.

"You should dye it" Y/N says all of a sudden, her full mouth making it all sound differently.

Wanda's been thinking about dying her hair red. She knows Y/N has a thing for redheads and she kinda wants some change as well.

Although Y/N's sentence sounded more like 'you should diet', making Wanda just stare at her girlfriend, wondering if she's serious or not.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Y/N furrows her brows in confusion when Wanda sends her a glare.

But that question makes Wanda even more angry and hurt, so she just stands up and leaves without a word.

"Wanda, what's wrong? Come back!" Y/N calls after her girlfriend completely confused, wondering what in the world has just happened that it made her girlfriend upset. "Did I say anything wrong?" She asks herself.

———

Ever since this morning, Wanda's been avoiding Y/N which is hard for both of them and Y/N's still completely confused about what she did wrong.

"Hey, do you know what's up with Wanda? She's acting weird" Natasha sighs, flopping down on the couch next to Y/N who's watching a movie right now.

"I have no idea. She's mad ever since I told her she should dye her hair this morning. I mean… she's wanted to dye her hair, so I don't know what's gotten into her" Y/N sighs, resting her head on Natasha's shoulder.

"I'm gonna go talk to her" Natasha decides, pecking Y/N's lips with a kiss before standing up.

"Can you ask her if she wants to watch The Dick Van Dyke Show with me? I know it's her favorite and I feel like watching it" Y/N asks. She feels bad that Wanda's avoiding her for whatever reason and this might make it up at least a little bit.

"Sure, I'll ask her" Natasha shoots her girlfriend a quick smile before turning around, ready to walk away.

"And you come watch too! You promised me cuddles this morning!" Y/N calls after the redhead, making Natasha chuckle.

"Sure, детка!" Natasha calls back on which Y/N smiles and gets into looking for Wanda's favorite episode of the sitcom. (baby)

While Y/N's busy with finding the right episode, Natasha just stepped into her shared room with Wanda and Y/N, finding Wanda sitting on the bed and reading a book.

"Hey, Y/N's asking if you want to watch The Dick Van Dyke Show with her?" Natasha starts, taking a seat on the bed next to her girlfriend.

"I do not. And you can tell her she's sleeping on the couch tonight" Wanda answers coldly, not taking her eyes off of the book.

"Oh… What did she do?" Natasha asks, confusion written all over her face.

"She was being mean this morning. She told me I should diet" Wanda simply answers.

"Diet? She told me you got mad when she told you to dye your hair" Natasha explains.

"She never said anything about hair. She just said 'you should diet'" Wanda reasons, her eyebrows also furrowing in confusion.

"Why don't we just ask her then?" Natasha suggests, standing up and holding her hand out for Wanda who groans and accepts her girlfriend's hand, following her to the living room.

"Oh, you're here. I found Wanda's favorite episode" Y/N smiles at both her girlfriends, her eyebrows furrowing when she notices the expressions on both girls' faces. "What's wrong?"

"Y/N, did you tell Wanda she should diet this morning?" Natasha asks, breaking the akward silence as Wanda hasn't been doing anything but glaring at the girl on the couch.

"What? I never said that. Why would I tell her that?" Y/N looks at the redhead confused.

"You did! You said 'you should diet' when we were having breakfast" Wanda scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I never said that! I told you to dye your hair and then you got mad and went away! I never said anything about a diet!" Y/N defends herself, also crossing her arms over her chest.

"…. Honey, you were talking with full mouth again, weren't you?" Natasha raises an eyebrow, assuming she found the issue.

"No?… Okay, maybe" Y/N admits, knowing this bad habit she has ever since she was just a little girl.

"See, mystery is solved" Natasha sighs in relief, hoping the two will be okay again and she can peacefully watch TV with both of them.

"… Were you really talking about my hair?" Wanda asks after a while of thinking, playing with the sleeves of her hoodie which she does every time she's nervous.

"Yeah. I think red hair would suit you" Y/N smiles, standing up and walking to the brunette, taking Wanda's hands in hers. "Wands, I love everything about you and I'd never want to make you feel insecure about your body or anything. I love every single thing about you"

"… I'm sorry. It just sounded differently and I got so mad and-"

"Hey, it's okay. How about the three of us just snuggle up on the couch and watch your favorite episode of your favorite sitcom?" Y/N suggests, holding one hand for Natasha so she would join them.

"Well, but that sounds like a great plan" Wanda smiles, leaning in and pecking Y/N's lips with a kiss. "I love you"

"I love you too… both of you"

----------------------

WandaNat masterlist

Masterlist

[uncriticalbunny]

thoughts on season 3. my first and last probably. spoilers ahead.

my least favorite season by far. first things first, there was way too much screen time devoted to the faks. literally unbearable. i was bored a lot of the time and after a certain point, i was watching just to get to the finish line. the episode ayo directed was far and above the best of the season. getting tina's backstory was wonderful. i really hope ayo gets to direct more, and that her, liza colon-zayas, and catherine schetina get some recognition for it.

this season was definitely a win for the "carmy doesn't deserve sydney" camp. after season 3, i really think the chances of sydcarmy happening has decreased heavily, and i'm not even sure i want it to at this point. which was probably the point. storer won *slow claps.* only in that regard though. season 3 has absolutely none of the magic of season 1. i don't think season 2 had it either if we're being honest, only a few moments here and there, but it was still a way better season with tighter writing and a more cohesive story. i wasn't all that optimistic about sydcarmy either way due to all the interview comments from the writers, showrunners, actors, etc. sorry to the sydcarmy peeps. the racists and platonic truthers are truly getting some undeserved vindication this season, and i hate to see it.

it was tough to see carmy continue being an asshole to everyone, but sydney especially. it was upsetting to see her so... diminished. she took a backseat to carmy's ego trip in the kitchen, publicly, and narratively. no recognition for all that she contributed to the restaurant. there was no partnership this season. no meaningful apologies to her from carmy. not to mention the racial implications of his behavior and him getting all the shine. i don't care about her being carmy's "calm" and i sure as fuck did not care for all the scenes juxtaposing her with claire [again]. her conflict of staying vs leaving the bear made a lot of sense and felt forced at the same time considering the 'ever' guy barely acknowledged her contribution when they first bumped into each other. throughout the series, she's been brilliant. the bear literally would not exist without her. and yet it still feels like she's had barely any wins in 3 seasons of this show. i feel like we barely saw her this season. she hardly exists outside of the restaurant.

and there's still zero romance for her character. there are no romantic displays of affection from her or towards her in 3 seasons, sans a botched attempt to ask her out on a date. all the white characters got their romantic displays though. we can always count on that. this season was a slog to get through and now i just feel tired. and also sad for my favorite character sydney adamu.

[cassiebones]

Please Chill

Please, I am begging you all to chill out. I'm speaking specifically to my wlw Agatha fans right now. Even more specifically to the ones who are angry that the last episode revolved around Teen/Billy.

He is a main fucking character. His backstory is important to the plot. We only get nine episodes in this series and the plot needs to move forward. We cannot do that without revealing who he is and what his motivations are, from a storytelling standpoint.

I studied creative writing in college. I worked really fucking hard to get into my program, too. I took classes on novel writing, mainly, but also in screenwriting and playwriting. I took classes on TV writing in the mid 2010's at a time where the trend was shifting to streaming services putting out entire fucking seasons at a time.

But I remember having to wait a week for an episode of a show I loved. I remember what happened to my favorite wlw characters. I remember being absolutely devastated by Lexa's death in The 100. I know you're scared of it happening again, but there is so much evidence on the contrary to prove that it's not going to happen here.

Firstly, I don't think for a second that some of the actresses who signed up for this would have done so if they thought they were going to pull the same shit. I don't think Jac or Kathryn or fucking Aubrey, who legit said that she signed up because it's a queer show, would do that.

But i don't know. Because the show isn't over. We have three episodes left over the next two weeks. I, like you all, am praying that they're not about to pull some bullshit, especially considering the majority of their current fanbase is comprised of queer people.

But you can't just call them lesbophobic because they focused on a canonically gay character rather than your favorite lesbian ship for one(1) episode. They have confirmed that Rio and Agatha are estranged exes. They showed us so much flirting and yearning and longing. From a storytelling standpoint, they are building that tension for a great payoff. Its's gonna happen. Please, just be patient.

I was upset, too. I did not want them to shift focus to Billy. When I saw that that was going to be the majority of the episode, I was upset. I made a couple posts about it. But I still watched and it was honestly a pretty good, important episode. And fucking funny as all hell. We truly saw the aftermath of Wanda's actions. Wanda, who wasn't trying to be malicious or harmful, but she still caused so much harm.

As much as I would have loved to see Rio, I understand why she wasn't in this episode just yet, but she'll likely be in the next one. It was probably only like 2 minutes after he threw them into the mud that Agatha crawled out. Also we see Lilia and Jen in future promos, so they'll be fine.

I predict that the next three episodes are going to be longer and more plot heavy moving forward. I really hope we see more of Agatha's delusions from the POV of Rio, because Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey are fucking hilarious and I know it's going to be just as funny as last night's Teen POV.

I want to see people theorizing about the next three episodes and what's going to happen and how they're going to rectify anything, but I'm seeing so many negative posts about why your favorite lesbians didn't kiss or fuck yet on this Disney show. Please, just be fucking patient. It's coming.

That being said, if I am wrong, I will be the first to admit it and be super salty about it. I hope I'm not, but who knows? I'm not going to make a snap decision either way. You shouldn't either.

[antiguagealach]

Thoughts about this relationship

First of all I am sorry for my English, but its not my first language. I will try to express myself the best I can. (If anyone wants the Spanish version, let me know.) 🥲

Before watching Rings of Power, I was already familiar with all the lore surrounding Elrond because he���s always been my favorite character. So, when the first season aired, I watched it with the idea that Elrond and Galadriel had this mother-in-law/son-in-law dynamic. That was a mistake on my part because I didn’t realize the show could take a different path as an adaptation. I should’ve kept an open mind to this new take instead of being stuck on the original lore. I think that’s why, up until episode 2x07, the relationship between Elrond and Galadriel felt a bit weird to me.

After that episode, I decided to rewatch the series from the start, but this time without any preconceived ideas, just enjoying the show for what it is, without thinking about what will happen or following any specific lore. And I think I’ve figured out what they’re trying to do:

By unifying several storylines that in the books take place over centuries into one timeline, they’ve limited the appearance of certain characters—like Celebrian, for example. I get that, for Galadriel's character development, she can't be a mother just yet. But considering I’m 99.9% sure the series will end with the War of the Last Alliance, there isn’t enough time for Celebrian to be born and for centuries to pass so it wouldn’t feel strange for her to marry Elrond. After all, that would take a thousand years, and Isildur and Elendil don’t have that kind of lifespan. Plus, if we stick to Elrond and Galadriel’s relationship as close friends, Elrond would basically become “Uncle Elrond,” which would feel pretty weird. I think if they had planned to include Celebrian from the start, the relationship between Elrond and Galadriel would have been portrayed differently.

That’s why I have the feeling the show is playing off some of Tolkien’s earlier notes, which hinted that these two characters could’ve been married. As I read recently, a Tolkien expert said this world was always evolving—so why shouldn’t the series took a diferent way too?

What I see is that the show has been testing the waters with this potential relationship since season one, probably to gauge the fans' reaction. What’s my evidence? The kiss scene. Not just the kiss itself, but the music. All the elements surrounding that moment suggest something beyond just a platonic relationship (and I know people who saw that scene and felt the same, even without knowing anything about the lore). Plus, throughout season two, we see Elrond rejecting the rings because they could be manipulated by Sauron, but in that final scene, we see the conflict on his face. He doesn’t want to use the rings, but he also wants to save Galadriel’s life. It’s an act of love where Elrond puts Galadriel’s life above his principles and the risk of using the rings, without hesitation.

I like to think they plan to keep developing this relationship (a friends-to-lovers), even if they do it subtly so that the purists don’t get too upset. And then, in the final episode, just confirm it all and not care about the backlash anymore.

But if it were up to me, they would confirm it in the next season. 😋

I hope they continue be brave.

[the-badger-mole]

i've scrolled through your blog quite a bit, and one thing i haven't seen you talk about (though maybe i just didn't scroll far enough) was the scene where sokka is wearing the kyoshi warrior uniform.

i've seen so many people say "wow, the show is really taking a stance against toxic masculinity! sokka wore a dress! it humbled him!" but if you actually watch the show . . .

it wants you to laugh at that, actually. it's one of my least favorite lines from aang. sokka is repeating something suki told him about what different parts of the uniform represent or something like that and he's looking pretty proud, but then aang walks by and says "hey sokka, nice dress" and laughs. and that's never walked back and aang's never punished. so the narrative is clearly pushing that . . . what aang said was okay? but if what aang said was okay, then that means that sokka wearing a dress was meant to be laughed at, right?

anyway, i don't understand how people watch that scene and take away "wow, that scene was so progressive! sokka wore a dress!" yeah . . . we as the audience are supposed to laugh at it. it's supposed to be funny. because boy in dress can't be taken seriously! it has to be a joke!

and i don't understand how people watch that scene and like aang. that was his first major red flag for me. like??? it get that he's twelve and a little shitster, but as you've said so many times, his age isn't an excuse to not hold him accountable. in fact, his immaturity means he should be held extra accountable, so he doesn't end up the same little shitster as an adult. the end of that episode should have had aang apologize to suki (who was also there when aang made that comment iirc). that comment was demeaning and threw away the entire point of that scene (and episode, honestly) in just four words. it demeaned the kyoshi customs and culture, and it completely throws away the point of suki telling sokka "if you want to train with me, you have to follow all our traditions" (paraphrase, not real quote).

anyway aang sucks, and if you've already talked about this, sorry. but if you haven't would love to hear your thoughts.

Of all the things that I think are wrong with Aang, his sexism is pretty low. That's not to say I don't think he's got the potential to be sexist, I just don't think it's occurred to him. He grew up in a gender segregated monastery. I wouldn't be surprised if Katara was the first girl around his own age that he'd spent any time with at all. What were the monks teaching him about girls, and why they were separated? Who knows? Clearly, he knew enough to ridicule Sokka for wearing a dress and to be upset about being played by a woman in EIP. Aang does have some sexist tendencies, but I don't think he's thought through the implications enough to actually be outright sexist. His worst moments have to do with his cultural biases, and an Air Nomad superiority complex. One of his worst moments had to do with him being disrespectful towards Bato about SWT artifacts.

The most obvious potential example of his sexism the way he treats Katara throughout the series, at least on the surface, but while there was absolutely sexism involved in how Katara was treated, I think it was more sexism in the writers room than in Aang himself. With Aang, it was less sexism, and more general entitlement. He wanted Katara. Her feelings didn't matter, not because she was a girl, but because she was an object. I've pointed out before that Nightmares and Daydreams proved that he understood what enthusiastic consent is, but he never even considered her feelings enough to think that she could turn him down. He was very entitled about Katara's affections and even her body, but I don't think the entitlement would've been different if the genders were reversed (look at how entitled Korra felt to Mako), or even if Aang and Katara were both boys.

I'm sure someone else could find more examples of Aang being overtly sexist- in fact, I remember reading a really good meta about Aang's reaction to being played by a woman in EIP, but I can't remember who wrote it. Still, don't think it matters if Aang was sexist or not. He's more toxic than Sokka ever was, even without being overtly sexist. Sokka, at least, was open to learning and growing, and his sexism was never that deep. But Aang? He never gets the opportunity to grow, because his bad traits are never called out like Sokka's are. I'm convinced that Aang benefits from cute privilege within the fandom. If Aang was a year or two older, and looked like Sokka or Zuko, he'd be right up there with Ross Gellar and Ted Mosby in the Nice Guys Who Aren't Actually That Nice pantheon, but because he's got big ears, chubby cheeks, and a big ol' smile, he gets a pass.

[shebeafancyflapjack]

What I love about Ghosts is how much of a slow burn the enemies to found family is. Yes there's a pretty big leap from "tried to kill her" to "forced allies of convenience" in the first two episodes, there needs to be to set up the premise, but after that there's such a gradual build up to a real cosy feel in the group.

It would have been so easy to have this dynamic reach its peak by the end of S1. There's a few soft moments like Alison talking to Pat's family and the Friends sofa bit outside but only after Pat explains to her how important the moonah ritual is to Robin. But it's not enough to make them that close yet and in the finale the ghosts mostly want Alison to stay for their own convenience, except Kitty and Thomas, with Fanny only just beginning to accept Alison is part of her bloodline. Captain still wants them gone but concedes to help them stay more for the others. Alison is touched by the gesture of the jewel but still admits that it's a nightmare living with them and wants to leave - and only stays because Captain screws her over via manipulating Kitty.

S2 starts with her waking up and sighing about how she's still "living the dream" (aka her nightmare). However, so we're not quite on the same page as last season, she has now established a routine with the ghosts and knows what each of them need. There's a feeling of comfort beginning to creep its way in, even if they still annoy her. And they're still not willing to help her at the drop of a hat, especially Julian unless he can get something in return, and some will go as far as to work against her when she's trying to make the house look haunted. Had the Grey Lady episode took place in S5 you know they would have all jumped at the chance to help Alison whatever she asked. But this series has a lot more episode focused on Alison connecting with the group like learning about how Thomas died and the Captain's past and Kitty's kinda sad childhood, so it feels natural and heartwarming when they all come together to help protect the house from burglars for her and she appreciates out loud how they're not as selfish as when she first came there. And they all do what they can to help with the wedding, partly for it to be a success for Alison but also just to help. Honestly on my first watch, with the snow and everything, I thought that was the Christmas special! So it lead in nicely to the actual one. Because the gang are finally at the stage where Alison would be comfortable spending Christmas with them and they all come together to sing with her to make her happy, even Robin who thinks Christmas is just a recent fad.

Series 3 is where that leap from friends to family happens and is contrasted with Alison thinking she's found a long lost blood relative, which she confesses is something she's wanted as she never had a lot of family around her. I like that they didn't have Lucy be her actual sister that turned out to be a villain, as we already have an abusive sister with Eleanor, but it still serves as a parallel between her and Kitty to make Alison realise that she has found a sister, and more. Robin saying "welcome home" and the look on Alison's face is enough to let us know this is no longer just a project for her with some annoying pests to deal with. And the final shot of them all "eating" together is one of my favorites.

The show could have easily ended there if it wanted to. Or it could have gone on another two seasons with everything being perfect and wholesome. But it doesn't; because families are not perfect. We still have an episode centered around the ghosts trying to apologise for upsetting Alison, much like a bunch of kids with an overworked mother, and they want to make it up to her not for their benefits but because of what she means to them. Episode 2 also has Alison missing feeling needed by the ghosts when they're busy doing their own thing and realising she just wants to spend time with them, even if it's just something as simple as a walk with Robin. And when Mary passes on, Alison is absolutely devastated and puts aside her work duties to prioritise helping the other ghosts grieve. Then there's her joining (evil) forces with Julian to take on Barclay together. And the series ends with Robin, who began the show just enjoying scaring the shit out of Alison for the lulz, confronting his ten thousand years old ptsd and taking a bolt of lightning to save her husband.

That's four years of development. Compare this to the CBS version where they all click together a lot faster and we don't see nearly as much of Sam losing her temper with the ghosts, and plots always seem to be wrapped up so much quicker (the fact there was no apology from Thor for possessing her still irks me). This isn't necessarily a knock against the American version, their episodes are ten minutes shorter because of ads, and it's more of a style choice as well as Sam just being a far more patient character than Alison. I know a lot of people prefer that the show begins a lot more wholesome to start with so it's down to taste. For me the heartwarming moments mean so much more when they've been earned over a lot of struggle.

Take the climax of Series 5. It's one of the few moments of TV that have made me gasp out loud. I genuinely forgot that we never saw Alison find out Julian pushed her. I guess I assumed she found out off screen or worked it out when she realised Julian's ghost power. But it really was the perfect point for her to find out; because had it happened any earlier then she wouldn't have hesitated to leave with no amount of speech able to change her mind, and likewise Julian wouldn't have had anything to say to her. But as someone else pointed out, it's much more difficult to forgive someone you love for doing something truly evil, even if at the time you were less than strangers. It's a crushing betrayal for Alison to find out that someone she thought as family once tried to kill her but also that the rest of them kept it secret. There's no obligation or pressure for her to forgive them; but she chooses to, because it's been earned over more than three years. And to parallel the S1 finale, the other ghosts are desperate for her to stay (including Cap this time), no longer for their own convenience but just because they love her.

And now we wait in terror for the Christmas episode to rip all of it to pieces. 🥺

[umbramoons]

TECH MOMENTS PT. 6

The Bad Batch S1 E2: Cut and Run

- “That would be dirt.”

- The way that he kind of smirks when he points out that they're deserters to Echo. Like he's almost proud of that fact. ❤

- The way he immediately starts paying attention when Omega speaks up about the inhibitor chips.

- “How else did you think it worked?” ❤

- I love that he looks up to watch how happy the kids are with Wrecker.

- Tech RUNS when he hears Omega is out past the fence.

- HE LOOKS UPSET WHEN OMEGA IS APOLOGIZING. ❤

- The worried look he gives Omega as Cut carries her away.

- “All in all, I would say that could have gone much worse.” ❤

- Hunter: "Tech, you think you could forge some chain codes?"

Tech: "I only learned of them moments ago, but yes." ❤

- I love his pose, leaning back against the navicomputer, looking down at his datapad… I adore him.

- “It’s… ingenious.”

- “Already thought of that.” 

- Echo: “You’re suggesting we call the authorities and have them seize our ship?”

Tech: “That is exactly what I am saying.” ❤

- "This was the simplest solution."

- "I have this under control."

- He looks genuinely concerned when he realizes that he roped Omega into his plan.

- The way he’s bracing himself above Omega to look out the hatch and down into the ship. He’s so subtly protective of her, and I love it.

- I NEVER NOTICED THAT HE STRAIGHT-UP FLIPS OVER OMEGA AND OUT THE HATCH! Show off. ❤

- Waving Omega down so he can catch her. Something about that little movement drives me crazy.

- He barely strains at all when she lands in his arms, my man is strong! ❤

- “Excellent.” ❤

- "In progress. The encryption shouldn't be a problem."

- “Don't worry. I can slip through security unnoticed and deliver the disks to you momentarily.”

- “Found her.” His eyes look like he’s smiling. ❤

- He looks a little irritated by Echo’s jabs, but he knows better than to snap back, especially after all these years dealing with Crosshair.

- “We cannot get caught with these chain codes.” His EYES. Beautiful!

- “Well, we didn’t let her go. She ran off on her own.” 

- "What is taking so long with the boot? Are you trying to get caught?" ❤

- He must have run outside SO fast to get that trooper who found Echo, which was an epic moment. ❤

- “That is not ideal.” 

- “Hunter, we have worn out our welcome. We need to go right now.” Sir, how are you always so calm?

- Putting up his blasters for a second to watch when Hunter joins the fight. 

- “Glad you could make it.” ❤

- Shooting as he runs onto the ship.

BONUS: GIFs of my favorite 10 seconds of the episode

[flightfoot]

You know, I started watching Miraculous about a year ago, binged the whole thing pretty quickly. Didn't bat an eyelash when watching Chameleon (it was actually an episode that made me like Adrien -more- lol, dunno if that's weird or rare?). Maybe because I had the advantage of seeing 5 seasons all at once, but Lila never bothered me much because she just... didn't come across like much of an actual threat? Anyways, the idea of being upset with Alya... never once crossed my mind. Adrien is my favorite, and I had already heard some of the saltier takes about him when first getting into the show. Since I was a new viewer, I wasn't sure how much of the salt to take seriously? And was feeling kinda frustrated about it. So honestly, my first reaction to hearing about Alya salt was almost...relief? Because I thought that if the fandom was mad at -her- of all people, I could ignore most, if not all, of the salt as just...bad faith interpretations, people getting angry to be angry. I mean this as a compliment to Alya's character, if that makes sense? She's like, one of the characters least deserving of salt IMO. Anyways sorry if this is confusing or pointless because it's just my (maybe in the minority?) opinion. And I don't mean to invalidate how frustrating all the excessive Alya salt is. But I guess I wanted to bring a little Alya positivity.

I can see what you mean about actually being kind of relieved about the Alya salt, because it's so clearly a bad faith take that most of the rest of the stuff in its vicinity loses validity as well. So you don't feel guilty for not agreeing with the awful things people are saying about the characters you like, because their opinions are bogus.

And yeah, honestly, Chameleon is actually a really GOOD showing from Adrien, when looking at what he actually knows. Seriously, this sweet boy:

Offers to change seats with Marinette so he gets sent to the back of the class instead of her.

Tries to talk Lila into stopping lying by just kindly telling her that she doesn't need to lie to make people like her, but that continuing to lie will turn people against her, and requesting that she not lie to him again.

Adrien advising Marinette against trying to continue to expose Lila. His presumption that she was just a lonely girl lying for attention was wrong but honestly his advice was pretty sound, especially since Marinette's attempts to expose Lila were just backfiring. And his statement about how making a bad guy suffer has never turned them into a good guy had a fair point to it. I have a feeling that Adrien doesn't approve of prison systems, considering that line.

I love that Adrien did, in fact, go back to sit with Marinette during the next class period so she wouldn't feel so isolated. He can't make Lila into a better person, but he can make her effects on Marinette less bad.

Like. Based off of what he knew and believed at the time, he conducted himself amazingly well. It's not like he could have reasonably anticipated how batshit whatever's going on with Lila is.

[cyanide-sippy-cup]

Finally watched Caped Crusader and I have ✨thoughts✨.

Oswalda is straight up iconic. Loved every scene with her. I actually laughed out loud when the dude goes "Thorne got you to kill the wrong son?" and she responds "Not that!" I'd let her lock me in a suitcase and throw me in the sea. She gets a gold star ⭐

I like that we get to see Selina's origin. I like the classic suit. That's kinda it though. A bit sad that Bruce didn't feel any connection with her. Just not a huge fan of her character here. She doesn't feel like Selina (a problem most of this show faces tbh).

I was loving the Harley stuff. The bit with Renee was so cute, and I love that she really was passionate about helping Bruce move past his trauma. I really like that she's Barbara's friend. Was really upset at the fakeout death but at least she was just joshin. The villain stuff felt like fetishes which like okay. I guess Bruce needed to put in something to replace BruceBabs. Anyway, that's the final dig towards him. As much as this Harley episode wasn't my favorite, a promise is a promise. Although I do gotta ask, WHY CAN'T RENEE CATCH A BREAK IN HER LOVE LIFE >:(((

No fucking way the moral of episode 7 was "the system is totally not screwed, it's just a few bad apples and also a criminal is a criminal and should be jailed". Barbara literally says the system sucks cause the cops can do what they want and get in anyone's pockets and then nearly gets killed by a cop and then they end it with "actually, I think you do"?! I mean yeah that specific guy deserved prison but ending it on that note of Barbara feeling betrayed and confused on her morals tells a very not-so-delightful message. Glad the show backtracks on all that immediately but it's still weird and definitely could've used some revising to fit in with the rest.

Onomatopeia was awesome though. I remember people claiming his shtick couldn't work when he appeared in Superman and Lois. They said that it only worked in comics and would be too silly out loud. Happy to report that they're wrong.

I feel like I'm the only one who was excited to see Waylon but that's okay cause I got enough excitement for everyone. Love to see my mans kicking the shit out of potential perverts. You go, Waylon!

Dick, Jason, Steph, and Carrie. Definitely an interesting combination. But it's also so nice to see a Jason who grew up in a different environment and is therefore adorable with no rage in his heart. As opposed to Carrie who was ready to kick some ass. The ending to episode 8 really understood Batman, what with him saying he can't leave her there, carrying her and shielding her under the cape, and then asking about her later.

The Harvey bit is kinda cool but 1, I've always been iffy on the shotty DID stuff and 2, I think they coulda gone further. Just watch The Long Halloween for a better Two Face plot.

I like Harvey helping that guy get his stuffed animal back. That was a nice small character moment. If we had more stuff like that and Bruce being unable to confess his emotions to Alfred, I think this whole thing would be better. This one made up for episode 7's little message by having Barbara tell Harvey that it's not so cut and dry and that he deserves help too. I'm glad they went back to that after the whole "sometimes things are black and white" bit. Batman is about helping people just as much as Superman is and I feel like sending a message that "nope, bad is bad and he should just punch people" doesn't fit the entire thesis of Batman.

This finale really encapsulates how this show doesn't quite understand the character of Batman. It may be comic-accurate for him to be an asshole and put on the voice randomly, treat Alfred like crap, and randomly break character with stuff like "don't start growing a conscience now, Dent" but as I said it goes against the whole thesis. This is more along the lines of the Nolan films with the "Bruce Wayne is the mask" bit. And we all know how I feel about those films.

And then it ends on a boring cliffhanger with the boss guy and then a shitty Joker teaser. Boo.

In short, this show is good but it's not anything special. I do really like the classic Batman aesthetic, but that's pretty much it. It doesn't really understand the characters like MAWS and WFA, the overarching plot is kind of uninteresting and it doesn't feel like we're building up to something great. I feel like this show really wanted to use the episodic style to take a look at all these different elements of Gotham's world with references to existing characters and aspects. But whereas MAWS smoothly slid those into its narrative and setting, this just kinda feels like a villain of the week show instead of working towards this grand narrative. And that can be a good thing, I mean I'm a Scooby Doo fan for crying out loud, but in this scenario, it just doesn't work that exceptionally. If it gets a season 2, I'll probably watch it. But this isn't something I'd be excitedly waiting to see new episodes of.

[pyschedtrickster]

TADC Ep 2 - Depression and the Meaning of Life

Well, I may or may not be a day late to release of the episode, but I've watched it three times so far and I have some thoughts. Let's get the gritty stuff outta the way.

First of all, The Amazing Digital Circus belongs to @gooseworx and therefore everything I say here is just my personal take on the episode. I could be wrong, talking out my ass, etc. But this episode really spoke to me, so good job Goose.

Secondly, spoilers <3

Third, I think I've written enough that people won't get jumpscared with spoilers. This is gonna be a long read, so bear with me. This post will contain ALL my thoughts on the episode, both meaningful and just silly things I liked.

BUBBLE

So anyone who knows me from Bunnydoll Burrow knows I love Bubble. They're my favorite so far and this episode only cemented that further. They're wonderful comedic relief and even if they don't have any character development (which I don't think they will), I will always love them.

Caine Cares Too Much

While watching this, I was immediately off-put by Caine's reactions, even beginning with him calling Zooble back. He sounds so... dire? I don't know if that was intended to mean something or if it was just to put emphasis on how much Caine cares about his creations. Caine is AI, so world-building is likely his ONLY goal, or his prompt if you will. It wouldn't surprise me if that was why he was so upset by everyone's reactions.

But I can't help but wonder if this will play into his character arc. We understand that Caine is ambiguous right now and there's no real explanation of what his intentions are in the Circus. Something about this just really set me off. It made me feel unsafe in a way as if staying behind would result in danger of some kind. Obviously, it couldn't be that bad, as Zooble did stay behind and turned out fine. Still, I can't shake the feeling that this is foreshadowing.

Zoobie

Hilarious. What a solid nickname, I've seen so many headcanons that Zooble would be a stoner in the real world. This only makes it better. They are now Zoobie in my mind.

Pomni's Child Comment

While I'm sure this was just a silly comment to be made, I kinda liked it. Just a little in-show reminder that through all of this, Pomni is a real, grown-ass woman stuck inside some digital Hell. The whole first episode, we see her wallowing and panicking, justifiably so. Finally, we get to see her grow more serious and stable.

Through the episode, we see more of her being a good character and becoming more at terms with her situation. I'll touch on this more soon.

Gangle

My girl CANNOT catch a break. Gangle is such a funny character and so, so sweet. She's level-headed in my opinion, even through her emotions. She seems to have a good grip on the shit happening around her but has a hard time communicating properly because she has a lot of feelings going on. Me too, honey, me too.

Even in the face of violence, danger, and overall shitfuckery, she doesn't shut down. Sure, she cries. But I've cried plenty of times while still holding the fort down. I think I just relate to her.

Lastly, I NEED to know what this means like I need oxygen.

Government Mandated Shipping

I dunno man, I just really liked this. I'm a shipper at heart. I've been writing fanfic since middle school. I saw pure fanfic material when I watched this scene.

Kinger and Raggs

This scene made me smile. It's a cute nod towards how Kinger is the longest-standing character and, according to some lost post of Goose's, Ragatha is the second. Plus, all of episodes one and two, we see her trying so hard to be a rock for Pomni. She tries to include everyone, keep everyone cheerful, and be a stable constant in a realm of chaos; Seeing Kinger recognize how far she's come and using that to bring her back to reason was just so refreshing. Ragatha deserves more appreciation like that: less about what she does for others, and more about what she's done for herself.

Jax's Disappointment

So we don't know much about Jax besides how Goose loves him and says he's an asshole who may or may not be irredeemable. When he started talking about violence and getting excited at the thought, I chalked it up to him being an ass. But it struck me just how much this mattered to Jax in this scene. I have questions, man. But I'm about to go on a wild tangent, so hear me out.

Jax is happy when being destructive. He gets immediately upset when things go well. And in the circus, we can assume that there have been a lot of traumatic, wild things that have occurred. I wonder if the chaos, the violence, is a comfort for Jax because of those traumatic experiences. As a person with trauma, I've learned that there's a funny cycle that I and other traumatized people experience.

We don't like the situations we're in, but when faced with normalcy, it's so much scarier than the damaging situation we come from. So, we run from 'normal' back into the suffocating arms of our traumatizing situations for comfort. Going back to the situation means more trauma, more trauma means a harder time finding peace in a safe, normal environment, which means more trauma... you get the picture.

So am I saying a fictional purple bunny is using violence in a digital realm to cope with the very real topic of trauma? Maybe. Yes. Yes, I am. This is how I cope.

Depression, Finding Your Place, and the Bigger Picture

Now you may be saying, "hey! You skipped over some major scenes to talk about silly stuff! What gives?"

Well, as the title of this post suggests, I had some heavier stuff to address in this episode and wanted to compile it all in one section. So that meant skipping over a scene to bunch it in with other ones. I'll break it down.

Depression

Let me begin with the fact that I have been diagnosed with depression for years now. I've been hospitalized for it and I've had family members struggle with it around me. This heavily influenced how I viewed this episode and specifically this scene.

Gummigoo had a perfectly reasonable reaction to seeing the perfect replica of him that is his model. Seeing something like that would shatter your world, and we see that happen to him immediately.

But when Gummigoo talked to Pomni and asked why anything matters, it gave me this really familiar feeling. Thoughts of being nothing, of feeling meaningless, the mere idea of being an obstacle--I've experienced all of these. I'm sure others have. Pomni was right when she said it's normal. Everyone has felt down from time to time.

But what Gummigoo is talking about really hit home with my depression. Thoughts like these, especially when they linger for long, change how you view the world. Everything is tinted blue and desaturated. You feel empty and eventually, so does the world around you. You feel like when the party is over and everyone leaves, you disappear--or you think you should, at least.

"Why are you trying to cheer me up? How does this benefit you at all?"

And it's so, so hard to accept help when feeling like this. Depression is a bitch in the way that it wants you to stay depressed. It feels like everyone around you wants you to feel better because it is a convenience for them. It almost feels transactional if you smile.

But Pomni says it so beautifully; "I guess I just don't want you to feel like you're nothing. I don't want anybody to feel like that."

The way she says it makes me feel like she knows the feeling too, and in reality, she says she does understand in a way how Gummigoo feels. But that? That made it real for me. I don't know why. This whole scene, the entrapment and loneliness despite not actually being alone, just embodied how I've felt for years. What amazing writing.

Finding Your Place

This scene was really the cherry on top of everything I just spoke about. We see that these two understand each other, at least as much as they can. They recognize all of this, it's ridiculous. They're hurtling through space into the unknown, hoping everything works out. They may feel empty, but they're not alone. They've got each other, for better or worse. Maybe they don't know where they belong in this liminal space, but they know where they stand in each other's minds.

And then we get this ending scene. God. Fuck.

I knew that there was obviously something to that dream Pomni had in the beginning, but somehow I didn't expect this to be the conclusion to it. I guess I was too distracted by everything else. So when I got to this shot, I got all warm and teary-eyed.

Pomni finally feels like she's got a pack, a place in this digital circus. When you don't feel mentally alone anymore, there seems to be a weight that's lifted off your shoulders. It doesn't cure the sadness, but at least you know that if you need to be picked up, someone will be there. Depression wants you to be alone, but it just lost that battle. The internet has said it best: A win is a win.

The Bigger Picture

We all know where the end of the road is. How we get there is the mystery. This thought can really make a person feel small, especially when depression comes in to tell you that you in fact are small, according to the chemicals in your brain. But the power of numbers and knowing your place in the world makes facing the unknown a little easier.

I'll be honest, the words are kinda lost on me at this point. Our demise is a really hard topic to broach. I've lost a lot of people, especially some major players in my life (shoutout to the Dead Dads club), and still, I don't understand it all. But the best way I can explain it is through my own experience and how I applied it to this episode.

I had for a long time gone through life trying to prepare and prepare. I played the role of the strong, unaffected individual after being hardened by trauma in childhood. I didn't want to be outwardly emotional, because if I was I would have to admit defeat.

It made me feel weak, especially when my depression would whisper nasty things to me about my self-worth. The bigger picture at that time didn't even exist in my mind. I lived to serve and die. It was no way to live.

Only recently, with time, a couple grippy sock vacays and therapy have I started to form my own, new big picture. At the center of this is my interactions with others. Family, friends, and strangers, all of them are affected by my actions. Even during the days when I feel worthless or alone, I remind myself that even the little things I do have a spiderweb effect. I have worth, more so than serving others or being some obstacle. I can simply walk down the street and perhaps I'll be the person who some kid looks at and hopes to look like when they're older. My existence is so much more than just a give-and-take situation with everyone around me.

It felt like Pomni found her purpose in the circus, and it was more than just playing along until the end. Rather, it was to befriend the people around her who have proved in one way or another way that they care. Abstraction wasn't in vain to them. Lives mattered, and therefore so did Pomni.

In a vast, digital world where chaos looms like a grey cloud, Pomni always mattered. She just had to realize how, and it was much more than being an obstacle or a pawn. And so do we, I think.

[jejeta]

about leaks | warning: spoilers for first 10 min of episode 4 season 2

° a little introduction: I don’t support people who publish leaks and I will not show any fragments of it here, the post is intended for those who have already watched the leaks and just want to discuss it among themselves

About Alastor and Rosie:

The dynamic of Alastor and Rosie's relationship, as well as Alastor's entire character, is broken, I don't know why or what for, but they have a deal that seems terribly humiliating to me for Alastor, it's weird and doesn't fit with what was in season 1. From the moment Al walks through the door, he and Rosie act like they're in a silly theater, their facial expressions, their faces, their manner of speech, it's all not the same as in season 1. Am I the only one who feels cheated in a bad way? And it's not because I don't want Alastor to suffer or feel sorry for him, there were more interesting and deeper options for who he could have made a deal with that would have actually made him suffer more colorfully, now it's just humiliating. Now it's as flat as a sheet of paper. And can we talk about the fact that the character has lost his charm and vibe and manners? He literally became selfish, heartless and damn he is such an asshole! His humanization does not reflect him at all, what kind of creepy maniac is this? Where are his principles? Where is all this aesthetics, where is the thoughtfulness? WHY MUSTACHE BRO WHYYYY??? I don't want to feel disgusted by my favorite character on the show. I didn't have high expectations or anything, I just wanted him to act like HE did. He was just a dude who flipped a coin to a busker, ate delicious food, and danced with his best friend. He wasn't callous, he had issues with that, but he could empathize, and he LOVED his friends.

I just don't understand why such decisions were made. So many interesting paths but we got the flattest one.

About Lucifer:

Let's face it - he was a shitty father. But at the end of season one, he was ready to change and find the courage to take responsibility for his daughter and her hotel, become normal father. He had to act like an adult and set his priorities straight. What does a man who respects his daughter do? He remembers her friends' names for example, he respects her friends, he cares about his daughter feelings and he won't drag anyone around her through the mud. He will be with her when she needs him.

Oh no it's just my fantasies. He does nothing! He puts Alastor down knowing his daughter wouldn't want it. He doesn't remember names. And he's not with Charlie when needed, why is she only with Vaggie again? Alastor clearly can't be with her but what's Lucifer's problem? Oh, he has some really important things to do? Maybe work? No, no. He's sitting on the couch surfing the Internet. Dude, you have a daughter! You might not be that stupid. He sends Alastor away knowing that his daughter will be upset, did he even think about the consequences of Alastor's dismissal? Or is this a joke for him?

I don't understand why his character development was thrown out and he returned to the point where he doesn't care about anyone.

this is all i just want episode 4 to be a dog's dream

[sycamorelibrary754]

Whoopie!

Summary: You decide to play baker while Yelena is at work and you’re stuck at home recovering from an injury. A fluffy sugar rush ensues. 

Pairings: Yelena Belova x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Comfort, Angst

Word Count: 2k words

Warnings: A tiny bit of angst, but with a happy ending. Mentions of injury. 

A/N: I had so much fun writing this! I took from my own experience as a dessert lover with a tendency for sugar rushes. Plus, I like the idea of Yelena saying whoopie lmao.

You were feeling restless, cooped up at home. You had already cycled through the TV channels several times that morning, having exhausted all the episodes of Friends on Netflix. It had only been a week since a mission gone awry left you with a gunshot wound to the shoulder and a few lacerations. After undergoing surgery and spending a week in the Med Bay, Cho gave you the green light to continue your recovery at home.

You felt ready to return to work in some capacity, but Yelena insisted that you should keep resting at home. It was her first day back at the compound following your surgery, so you knew she would be calling soon to check on you and ensure you were sticking to the rest. While trying to pick something to watch, you came across an episode of The Great British Bake Off. This show was familiar to you – back when you and Wanda were on an undercover mission together, she had convinced you to watch it with her.

You were notorious for your sweet tooth, which was common knowledge among the team. Your unique habit of stashing candy in your suit pockets sets you apart. There was that one memorable incident when Nat ended up with a Twinkie instead of the weapon you intended to hand her during a heated skirmish, much to her dismay. The power of subliminal messaging was evident as your craving for something sweet led you to search for a treat. Despite your careful movements due to your arm sling, you made your way to the kitchen in pursuit of a sugary delight. Disappointed by the lack of candy, you grumbled as you began to head back to your room. Suddenly, thoughts of "The Great British Bake-Off" came to mind.

You considered yourself an accomplished baker. You made Christmas cookies for the team and pastry chef-quality birthday cakes every year. After a brief pause, you began searching for ingredients and the KitchenAid stand mixer. You figured your girlfriend couldn't be upset with you for being up and about if the stand mixer was doing most of the work, right?

You reach for your phone to look up some recipes and come across red velvet whoopie pies. The idea of baking something delicious for Yelena felt right - a sweet gesture to show her how much you appreciate her. She's been there for you since the moment she found you wounded on the ground, and caring for you has been a challenge. You want to express your gratitude, and for you, baking has always been a way to show love.

You carefully gathered all the ingredients on the kitchen counter: flour, baking soda, vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, salt, buttermilk, and vinegar. The sturdy KitchenAid mixer blended the base mixture perfectly, and then you carefully added the rich red food gel. As the batter gradually turned a vibrant shade of red, the faint sound of your phone ringing caught your attention. You reached into your pocket and pulled out your phone, revealing your favorite picture of Yelena smiling back at you. A warm smile spread across your face as you gently slid your finger across the screen to answer the call.

"Hey, Yelena," you greeted, as you put the phone on speaker.

"Hi, detka. How are you doing?" Yelena inquired.

Okay," you grumbled, exasperated. "But I swear if I have to endure that Rogers: The Musical commercial one more time, I might just have to march down there and give Cap a piece of my mind, preferably to his annoyingly flawless face.

Hmm, I’ll be sure to tell him how much you miss him," Yelena said sarcastically. She continued, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I left some of the pain medication that Cho prescribed for you on the counter in case your shoulder starts getting cranky. I know it’s tough with only one arm, but have you taken a moment to check your stitches today?”

Yep," you said, "I've checked, and everything seems good.

You crank the mixer to high speed to ensure the vibrant red food gel is thoroughly mixed in.

"What's that sound?" Yelena asked.

"Ah, just watching the Food Network on TV," you fibbed. You didn't want to spoil the surprise of the whoopie pies you were baking. Besides, you knew your girlfriend would kick your ass if she caught you not resting and playing baker simultaneously.

Yelena expressed hope by sharing, "I should be home in a couple of hours. Natasha promised to help me write my overdue mission report from the day you were injured so I can get out of here sooner."

"Sounds great, I've missed you," you admitted.

“I've missed you too, malyshka. Make sure to get some rest, and I'll be there soon for some cozy snuggles.

“Looking forward to it,” you said. “See you later, love.”

"Bye," she replied.

You carefully tuck your phone back into your pocket and return to the delightful task of baking. After thoroughly mixing the batter, you gracefully use an ice cream scoop to transfer it to the waiting trays before gently placing them in the preheated oven. Working on the sumptuous filling, you lovingly combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, marshmallow fluff, and a hint of vanilla extract. As you taste the filling, a contented smile crosses your face, and you have to exercise severe restraint to keep from devouring the entire bowl right then and there. While the round cakes are baking, you take a moment to rest on the sofa. Fanny jumps up next to you, seeking your affection and not minding that you only use one arm at the moment.

"I can't wait to see your mom's face when she sees the surprise; how about you?" You asked the dog with a grin.

Fanny charmingly tilts her head back at you. 

"Sam here. Or, she might scold me in Russian for not taking a break. Either way, we can indulge in dessert," you remark before affectionately kissing her head.

After the oven timer goes off, carefully remove the pan and set it aside to cool. Despite hesitation, you adhere to Yelena's advice and change your bandages. Fortunately, it's your non-dominant arm that sustained the injury. Once you finish tending to your wound, the whoopie pies are cooled and ready to be filled. Using a spoon, you delicately spread the filling on one cake and gently place another on top, feeling satisfied as you finish assembling all the whoopie pies.

You carefully stow away the batch of eighteen luscious whoopie pies in a trusty Tupperware container and pop it in the fridge. As you settle down at the counter, glancing at the clock reminds you that time certainly flies by when you're having fun. In just 30 minutes, Yelena will be back home. At this moment, you become acutely aware of the throbbing ache in your shoulder. You reach for the prescription she had set out for you and grab a glass of water. But as you're about to gulp down the pill, you spot the fine print on the label, indicating that it's meant to be taken with food.

You slump down in your chair with a tired groan, feeling too drained to even think about finding something to eat. Perhaps Yelena was right – maybe you had overexerted yourself. But then you remember the whoopie pies. They may not be the healthiest pair for pain medication, but they are fresh. You open the refrigerator, grab one of the confections, and reach for a soda. You devour the whole thing, then wash down your painkillers with a swig of soda.

You hoped the medication would take effect before Yelena returned home. It was a fact - as an Avenger, you were great at many things, but hiding things from your world-class spy girlfriend was not one of them. You relax back onto the sofa and absentmindedly flick through your phone. Your gaze keeps drifting back to the fridge. Maybe just one more whoopie pie wouldn't hurt. You do need to keep your energy levels up. Giving in to temptation, you grab another treat and a soda before returning to the living room. Fanny's eyes are fixed on you as you savor the second dessert.

"Alright, just a tiny piece. But, let's keep it our little secret," you whispered as you ripped off a small chunk of the crimson cake and sneaked it to the pup.

As you finish up, you let out a contented sigh and run your hand down your face. The baking session was your most physical activity since your injury. Refusing to retreat to your bedroom, you opt for the cozy comfort of the sofa. Wrapped in your favorite blanket, Fanny snuggles up at your feet. After about 20 minutes, you realize the shoulder pain has almost completely disappeared. Delighted, you treat yourself to a little seated happy dance. You cue your favorite playlist and can't resist jumping to your feet when the beat drops on your favorite song. What started as a small happy dance became a full-on, one-armed dance-off with enthusiastic singing. It seems all that sugar is finally getting to your head.

You are so caught up in your sugar rush that you lose track of time. Unaware, you don't hear the jingle of keys or the opening of your front door. Suddenly, Yelena appears in the doorway, silently watching you before finally startling you with an interruption.

"Is this what you call resting?" Yelena asked with a raised eyebrow.

You leap three feet into the air before realizing there's no danger. "Yelena, you're back! Woohoo! Happy dance time!!" you exclaim as you break into a joyous dance around the room.

"What's going on? Have you been sneaking sips of my vodka?" she questioned, her eyes tracking your every move around the room.

"What? No, I just had a snack! Two snacks... Well, dessert. Oh, and sodas! See, I wanted to do something nice for you because I know you've been worried about me since my injury, and I love you, so I made red velvet whoopie pies!" You rambled excitedly.

"Calm down... you made what now?" Yelena asked, her brow furrowed with confusion.

"Red velvet whoopie pies!" you repeated excitedly. "They're these delicious soft rounds of red velvet cake with a luscious cream filling sandwiched in between." With eager anticipation, you rushed to the counter and eagerly picked one up to show her, a child-like grin spreading across your face as you marveled at the sweet treat.

Yelena stares at you blankly for a few seconds before launching into her native tongue. 

Tebe polozheno otdykhat', a vmesto etogo ty provodish' ves' den', kricha! Vy s uma soshli? Vas zastrelili. Chto delat', yesli shvy razoshlis'? YA ne khochu snova okazat'sya s toboy v Med-Bey. YA znal, chto mne ne sledovalo ostavlyat' tebya odnu.

You are supposed to rest; instead, you spend all afternoon making whoopies! Are you crazy? You were shot. What if your stitches split open? I don't want to end up back in the Med Bay with you. I knew I should not have left you alone. 

"Is that your way of saying, 'Wow, you're amazing sweetheart'? I'd love to try one," you questioned with a giggle from the sugar rush.

Yelena shook her head softly as she approached you. Her eyes bore into yours with concern. 'You really should be in bed,' she said gently.

"Come on, just try one for me, please," you pleaded with your best puppy dog eyes.

"If I try it, will you rest?" Yelena asked.

“Absolutely, for sure, of course, affirmative, by all means, certainly, yep, very well, okey-dokey, yes,” happily bouncing up and down on the balls of your feet.

You offer Yelena a whoopie pie. She gazes at you with curiosity, studying you from head to toe, and then takes a deliberate bite. 

“Well?" You inquire with a grin.

"It's good," she conceded, wiping a bit of cream filling from the corner of her mouth. But there's this subtle smile tugging at her lips, and it's obvious that she's absolutely loving it.

"I knew you would love it!" You exclaimed, doing a little celebratory dance and raising my uninjured arm in victory.

She reluctantly admitted, "Okay, it's delicious. Sweet, just like you, Y/N."

"Whoopie! It's really cool, isn't it?" you exclaimed.

Yelena agreed, patting your cheek affectionately to regain your attention. "Yes, your little American whoopie is so cool. I'm going to hop in the shower and change. Could you do me a favor and head back to bed now, detka?

"Absolutely, I could keep doing this all day!" You playfully quipped, channeling your inner Captain America.

Yelena sighed, exasperated, and muttered, "Now I'm going to punch Cap," before turning on her heels and heading towards your bedroom.

As you start following her, you can't resist the temptation to reach for one more whoopie pie quietly.

Yelena's sharp voice cut through the room. “And no more whoopies!” she yelled, her words hanging in the air without her even turning around.

"Awww," you whimpered.

You finally make your way back to bed, feeling the exhaustion creeping in after the rush from all the sugar. Yelena, having showered and changed into comfortable sweatpants and one of your band T-shirts, joins you. She slips into bed beside you, wrapping her arms around you comfortingly.

"I'm the best baker on the team," you whispered before slipping into a peaceful slumber.

“Yes, detka, you're the best baker on the team,” Yelena humored. “Get some sleep now, whoopie.” 

[residentialsinyomakai]

My Thoughts/Kind of a Summary on "Katie's Yokai Butler"

This will all be from memory, so I apologize if some things are off, out of order, or otherwise incorrect `~` Edit Yomo here! I watched it about halfway through this but i have an awful memory ahhh! Anyways, screenshots n stuff might be included now! This'll basically be somewhat of a summary as well as a few observations I've made. Also, I'll be using the English names for characters! Keita is Nate, Fumi-chan is Katie, Warunyan is Baddinyan, so on so forth—☆

[SPOILERS AHEAD OBVIIIII]

The alternative timeline in summary is basically if Katie had gotten the yokai watch instead of Nate. It's first (and last) anime mention to my knowledge is in the Season One episode "Katie's Yokai Butler" if my memory served correctly! The episode follows Whisper through his 'dream' in what is presumed to be a look into the alternate Whisper's life. After a little argument with Nate about his messy room, Whisp cream goes to bed upset. He first wakes up to the smell of roses, and quickly realizes he isn't where he should be. (Probably bc Nate's room smells like cheeto puffs/j) He looks around to find himself in Katie's room. ( ＞Д＜；)

This brings us to the first major difference in this timeline; it takes place in Katie's house obviously! Makes sense since she got the watch instead of Nate >u○ Her room is a lot cleaner, and even appears to be more spacious than her male counterpart. That aside, Katie comes upstairs at some point to wake Whisper, to which he responds with confusion as to where he is and how she can see her. To this universe's Katie, she thinks he's acting strange. She pinches him upon request to make sure he's not dreaming, to which he didn't wake up. That confirms that!

(*￣∇￣)ノ

After a bit, Katie returns back downstairs when she hears her father calling her. This leads Whisper to wonder about another difference; the inclusion of Baddinyan. Besides the obvious fact of it not being Jibanyan, this also means Katie is probably going to interact with other yokai in a rather different manner than Nate! I say that because Nate met Roughraff in Season 1, Episode 3. He didn't even get Baddinyan's medal! (which sucks because that's one of my favorite yokai! Goofy little cat,,, °□°)

Baddinyan's first appearance in the episode 💞🐛👾

If we're talking on all timeline differences—not just the ones in Katie's house—then the meeting with Roughraff might be a good point to bring up. Considering the fusion was involuntary in Nate's timeline, what happened in Katie's? Did they decide to stay fused after that for whatever reason, did Katie fuse them at a place like shonen temple (which doesn't exist in the anime I think >~>), or did something happen pre-canon for them to have became friends and fuse? Sometimes, a fusion can be in the same place as the yokai that fused them in the anime due to certain yokai like Baddinyan forming a separate consciousness from either original host ( 〃=▽=〃) (I probably sound like a huge dweeb rn </33) Maybe Katie said something to the newly existent Baddinyan to make him give her the medal, and thus hanging around her from now on!

After some vague threats at fighting Whisper from Baddinyan, the yokai butler in question wonders about who replaced Hidabat in the closet. He goes to open it leading us into our next difference; Shadow Venoct. There isn't much from me to say about this one to be honest, he doesn't have any lines except for maybe the hissing of his snake-scarf thingies hissing at Whisper (¤o¤|||. I've noticed that a lot of Katie's friends seem to be more powerful, or at least a higher rank than Nate's. [Ex: Shadow Venoct being S Rank, Baddinyan being B Rank, and another S Rank we'll get into later—!♡]

Sometime after that, Katie calls Whisper down to help her investigate the strange way her mother was acting. Whisper attempts to use the Yokai Pad to identify the yokai...although Katie swipes it away just as quickly. <°[O□o;]°> She says that Whisper (or this timeline's original version of...) promised to try and memorize the information instead. It seems un-Whisper like, but to be fair, alternate Whisper probably formed a different dynamic than the usual! She identifies the yokai with the watch, to which Whisper (discreetly uses the pad and) figures out it's Noway!

To deal with him, Katie said that she'd summon a special rare friend. This turns out to be Robonyan's timeline counterpart; Goldenyan! Upon asking the golden robot cat for help, he says that this was 'beneath' his capabilities and basically that his power shouldn't be wasted on it...; ￣Д￣ Anyways, he leaves to the future and the episode ends with Katie using Whisper as a special attack against Noway, much to his dismay >u<. Oh, and it's revealed here that Whisper was dreaming.

Although it may have been a "dream", I'm 99% sure that was a plot device to not have to script in 'Whisper going to another universe!!' to the episode and how he eventually gets back. I personally believe it would be cool to see a spin-off dedicated to something like this! There's Nyanderful Days I guesssss but that doesn't really count cuz it just has Whisper and Jibanyan and it's just inserting Katie into the og series plot (￢_￢) There's a lot of potential, and I'm sure viewers over here in the west and Japan would be happy to see our girl the the spotlight for once wwwwww. Maybe it'd also be an opportunity to have McKraken put into the anime? Hint hint? That, as well as several yokai who might not have been seen by Nate due to him going different places as Katie, hanging out with different people, etc! Anyways, that's all for now!