#Savior is my least one tbh it even took me a while to like it but still good cuz LOOK AT WHO'S WEARING IT

[uinre]

[tonya-the-chicken]

I've been thinking about Rei and Shouto as her savior and tbh this plot doesn't sit right with me. While very cute and romantic, it paints Rei in a bad light the moment you try to look at her actions from a more objective viewpoint

Here's the thing we know: 1) Fuyumi and Natsuo have been visiting her all these years; 2) Endeavor did not attempt to prevent or punish Shouto for visiting her; 3) During her stay in the hospital she was not allowed to have a phone but she could communicate through other means like letters; 4) at some point (maybe after housekeepers retirement) Fuyumi ended up being the one who took care of her younger siblings and 5) Endeavor neglected his family, not even coming for dinners

So, I got a question. If she was allowed to contact Shouto, why she never did? Sure, she believed that he hated her for the kettle accident but she is his mother and he was 5. Why on Earth he must've lived 10 years without receiving "Sorry for what happened. I love you and I want to see you. I am always waiting for your visit"? She could've written a letter and given it to Fuyumi who wouldn't have any problem delivering it to Shouto since their father never explicitly said they couldn't communicate and even if he did, he's not fucking home to enforce the rules. It's the simplest easiest thing and we can talk all day long about how she wasn't there "mentally" but her inability to get over her own made-up mental blocks (while in a hospital full of psychologists no less) and extend at least some love to her son that was left with an abusive father (and she knew he was abusive), honestly, makes me fume

But anyway this is not what I wanted to write about. The only thing stopping her is her own brain, ok. But then, the way the plot develops about it being a good, honorable thing that Shouto approached her first and not her failing as a mother and then also pushes Hawks to think "I left my parents behind", like, is any of this normal? Do you think we need to see children saving their parents? Do you think we need to act like they can save.... no, like it's their responsibility to save them? That's one of the most fucked beliefs an abused child can develop that will screw their lives. You can't save shit. You can't change them. If your parents wanted to love you, they would find a way, they have a whole ass life of experience

When you compare it with Enji's plotline it feels almost like a joke. Somehow he decided to become a better person on his own accord, despite all his children explicitly hating him while Rei always had the support of two of them and still waited until the third one came around before growing as a person. And her brutal favoritism is showcased by the narrative in a romantic way. Shouto saves her. He is their family's hero

Children are not supposed to save their parents. More importantly, when we talk about anything realistic, children can't save their parents. This is a manga about heroes but it touches on serious family issues and tries to show them in semi-realistic ways. It's straight-up harmful to push the idea that a child can fix their mentally ill distant parent that made no effort to be with them

Rei's behavior is so much more fucked up and traumatizing than the narrative is showing us. Maybe because Shouto never questions it and idolizes her. Sure, it's traumatic to be physically hurt by your mother but do you think her cutting off all contact with her son would help? You can free her from accountability by tripling down on painting Enji as the most horrid unredeemable person. But why? Can't we start talking about how mothers bear responsibility for their actions even if their marriage was fucked up? Can't we start talking about how their traumas don't absolve them from the blame?

This post is too much about Rei's mistakes (that are not discussed enough in this fandom!) but I wanted to talk more about narrative. It often ignores Rei's mistakes, even shows them as good or so so sympathy-inducing and easy to understand. Not only this, with Hawks seeing Shouto as a good example, it's clear Horikoshi puts an opinion out there that it's a great idea to try to save your parent. It is not

[redswanned]

There Was Only One Bed

AOT boys x Reader

(This trope is so overused but its def my guilty pleasure haha & i hope it’ll fix my writers block)

Plot: You and him came back from a mission that left you both insanely tired. It’s too late to go home so you two decide to check into a hotel. There’s only one room left, with only one bed 😳

Eren

my boy Eren rolled his eyes when he saw that singular bed

you both were already so freaking tired after a day of organizing

the last thing he wanted was a fuss about who gets the bed this late

you looked at him as he took a seat on one side of the bed

tbh you saw it as a sign that he claimed the bed so you just

sat on the floor lol

i mean where else would you sleep??

“What are you doing?” asked Eren as he looked at you like a fool

“uh... sitting” was all you said

“You’re not going to sleep on the ground after today. Take the other side”

i mean you weren’t going to say no but wow

THE Eren Yeager sharing his bed with you

you felt awkward and just stayed at the very edge of the bed not wanting to disturb him

he turned off the lights and you guys went to bed

approximately ten minutes laterrrr

“Hey Y/N, do you think I’m doing the right thing? With the Yeagerists and everything?” 

“Oh um, I think our people in the walls really see you as a savior, what’s wrong with that?” you said still a little shocked he even spoke up

“Hmm, I guess what I’m doing is best for humanity,” he said almost a matter of factly, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

even though your little chat was brief you and Eren both relaxed a bit more and scooted a little closer to each other

maybe just having someone nearby to listen helped

Armin

aww Armin would totally approach this situation like a gentleman

even though you were both tired i could see his eyes widening at the singular bed

“Y/N, I insist! you could have the bed!”

“But you shouldn’t sleep on the floor!”

“It’s okay I’ll be fine!”

endless banter haha

eventually the banter convinces him that he should sleep on the bed but-

“Okay, how about you sleep on the bed the first half of the night and then we both wake up and switch places-”

“Armin that plan won’t work”

he has many great plans but this ain’t it

he finally agrees to take the other side of the bed

but lies down on the veryyyy edge

you say your goodnights and fall asleep

until you hear a crash

Armin has fallen off the bed lol

“I told you sleeping on the edge would be a bad idea”

“I- you have me there”

this time he scooted a little closer to you

and bam

he set a pillow in between you two

“problem solved!” 

“Oh Armin, walls have never solved anything,” you said laughing

you two fell back asleep this time both of you snuggled against the same pillow

that pillow was soon forgotten about after the both of you somehow rolled over it???

you both didn’t mind being snuggled against each other though

Reiner

honestly we all know this guy just needs some rest

you insist that he takes the bed

however he could not let you sleep on the floor

“But Reiner, look at you, you’re exhausted and you won’t be comfortable on the floor!”

“Really? I can say the same about you Y/N go on the bed.”

this probably went on for a few minutes before you both went fuck it and took the bed

Reiner was kinda awkward about it but too tired to care

he took one side and you took another

you both said your good nights before going to bed

you were suddenly awakened though when Reiner sat up from a nightmare :(

you’ve both been through a lot so you get it

“Reiner are you okay?” you asked

“Yeah... it’s nothing. Sorry for waking you up,” he said clearly not okay.

you scooted next to him and gave him a hug (he really needs hugs omg)

he accepted it and cried in your arms 

you stayed like that for a while and comforted him

when he calmed down he insisted you both go back to sleep

didn’t mind when you stayed near him before going back to sleep

you woke up safe in his arms and he slept peacefully that night

Jean

Jean boy and you were both just TIRED

being some of the leaders of this new movement in the scouts was tiring

and the hotel just has to have ONE bed

he sighs at the sight and before you can even argue with him he just gestures to you to take the damn bed

but you still want to argue

“Jean, you’ve been awake so long take the bed!”

“You’ve been awake even longer! So therefore you should have it!”

you two kind of had a stare off

realizing you were both too stubborn he picks you up and forces you in bed

“NO FAIR!”

“Sorry but it’s settled,” he says as he makes his way to the ground

though he was much taller than you, you still managed to drag his ass to the bed

“Now stay!”

“I’m not a dog!”

“No shit horse face”

“DAMMIT” he said as he dragged you into the bed with him

it was kinda awkward since you were on top of him

so he quickly shoved you to the side

gently though cuz he’s nice

“There problem solved,” he said after a brief moment of silence

you two went to sleep

or at least you tried to because that room was so freaking cold

“psst Jean”

“What?” he murmured 

“I’m cold.”

and then he opened his arms and enveloped you in warmth

probably the nicest you’ve slept in a while

same goes for him, he was too warm and your ice cold self helped

Connie

as soon as you two entered the room, Connie called dibs on the bed

“No fair! I wanted the bed!” you exclaimed as you jumped on it

“Well I called it first!”

you both tried one up each other as a reason why one of you should get the bed over the other

apparently your banter was pretty loud

“I have an idea, why don’t you both take the bed AND SHUT THE FUCK UP?” oh the hotel manager barged in and interrupted

he said that neither of you would have a bed if he gets one more noise complaint

welp

“I guess we should listen to the man right Y/N?” said Connie nervously

“uh yes! thank you sir sorry for bothering you!” you apologized and got under the covers

it was kind of awkward suddenly since both of you didn’t plan on sleeping in the same bed

but once the two of you were settled in you finally realized how exhausted you two were

you two ended up falling asleep but you woke up a couple of hours later

it was still dark outside

you also realized Connie was lying there awake too

“Were you watching me sleep?” you asked

“What! No, I was just, I couldn’t sleep,” he admitted.

“Yeah me neither”

you both took advantage of the hour and decided to silently just catch up on life

you two had been so busy lately considering how much more responsibility the scouts had nowadays

“You know, I really appreciate that you still try to stay upbeat despite everything that’s happened” you said.

“Well, I guess that’s just who I am. I want to make everyone happy. I want you to be happy,” he admitted glad that it was dark or else you’d see him blush

“Well I really appreciate that” you smiled and nuzzled into him

having each other so close lulled the both of you into a comforting sleep once again

[lord-explosion-baku]

Our Love Is God pt. 2

Dabi x Reader

Warnings: mentions of noncon/somnophilia, abortion, dark themes, yandere characteristics, dabi just being a rat tbh

A/N: so like I said that I’d get back to this fic when I got bored or other, more important things were a drag to write and, well, I got bored/other,more important things were a drag to write. TW for talk of abortion. Dabi doesn’t take things lightly and thinks certain things that may make anybody who has had an abortion or has deep feelings about abortion either really guilty or really angry, but that’s not the point. The point of this fic is that he’s a bastard and not a savior. This is pretty short! And yes I plan on writing more, but that’s when I get bored or other, more important things are a drag to write!

Dabi found himself panting when he finally lifted himself up onto your balcony. It had been, what, almost two months since he’d last snuck into your room? Too long, but you hadn’t called him, and he had been busy to see what the hell was up with you. Now he had a couple days to himself, and he couldn’t shake the pestering feeling of wanting to spend them with you.

The door to your balcony was unlocked, thank god; he really didn’t want to have to burn the knob off—why make a reason for you to get pissed at him already? Dabi smirked. You were fucking cute when you were angry, but he wanted his return to be at least a little pleasant.

Unsurprisingly, you were passed out underneath that ugly-ass, pink canopy, snoozing away peacefully and unexpecting. Your bed was built for a princess, but with you sprawled out on your back with your arms splayed apart, your tank-top rising up to expose your soft belly, and your blanket tossed down so only one of your feet were covered, you looked nothing short of a cavewoman. Still hot though, and Dabi missed you.

That was it. Dabi missed you. He never really expected to miss anybody he fucked. He made plenty of girls mad in the past, so when you last kicked him out, it shouldn’t have been any different. He’d gotten used to a routine: sleep with some chick, piss her off, do crime, then forget about her. But since the night you’d kicked him out, he couldn’t get your bratty fucking face out of his damn mind. Was it that you were stubborn? Or was it that you came across as such a lil do-gooder, daddy’s favorite princess and all that bullshit, when you were really just a filthy slut on the inside?

“What is it about you that makes me crazy, baby?” Dabi asked aloud, tracing a finger up from the hemline of your pajama shorts to your bare ribs. He watched goosebumps appear on your tummy and flattened them out with the palm of his hand.

Your only response was a soft snore. Dabi scoffed.

The first time he fucked you, you had been asleep. Or at least, you were asleep when he began. He visited you a couple nights after he and Twice tried to loot your father’s safe. He’d thought you were a cute little shit, and just wanted to see your frightened face again. He climbed in through the balcony and found you asleep in your bed like you were now, only you were laying on your stomach. After sniffing around your room a little, he couldn’t help but crawl into your bed. He wanted to hear you scream, but you stayed asleep, even when Dabi’s hands inevitably started exploring your body.

Dabi couldn’t forget how deliciously wrong it felt to pet your pert little ass while you slept, how exciting it was to rub a knuckle over your clothed slit, how incredibly hot it was for you to cry out when he plunged two fingers into your sopping wet pussy. Yes, you cried, but you also moaned, and Dabi felt you clench around his fingers when he wrapped his free hand around your neck, pulled you back, and whispered to you, “I’m gonna fuck you, and you’re gonna love it, babydoll.”

Dabi made good on that promise that night. You took him so well, and it really didn’t take him all that long to get you to sing for him. You liked being taken advantage of, and Dabi learned that the more aggressive he was with you, the easier it was to make you cum. And oh, baby girl, it was just too easy to make you cum.

He was hard now, and he wanted to fuck you, but he wouldn’t. Even though you snored, there was something peaceful about watching you sleep. Of course, that didn’t stop him from palming your breasts, if only just to see your nipples pop against your tank top.

“Why haven’t you texted, huh? Was I really all that bad to you?” Dabi’s voice was soft against your neck as he placed gentle kisses along your warm flesh. He nuzzled his nose behind your ear and inhaled deeply, taking in the aroma of your washed hair. “You know I could be real good to you if that’s all you want from me…”

Calloused fingers brushed across flowery lips, the vast contrast between him and you burning a hole into his chest. He leaned over to see your mouth part subtly, invitingly. Dabi took the initiative and planted a light kiss on you. He whispered, “there’s no way you haven’t missed me a tiny bit.”

At this, you hummed, and Dabi felt tension melt from his shoulders. That was an affirmation if he’d ever heard one, which gave him permission to run both of his hands down your sides to take their sharpened places at your hips. He pulled you against his hardened groin and let himself grind his strain courteously into you.

“You know how hot you are, babe? You know how much I missed having you wrap around my cock?” God, he wanted you. He wanted to be inside of you. He wanted to kiss you, and mark you, and love you, and-

You let out a little, “uhh,” from the very back of your throat. Dabi could have damn well nearly melted into you from that tiny noise. He could only imagine what squeaks and squeals you had saved up from him when you woke up.

For a moment, he thought that he would break his resolve to not fuck you—you wanted him to anyhow—and honestly, he probably would have, had it not been for your phone lighting up, snapping his attention to your side table. It buzzed twice, which he could have ignored, and then two more times, which made Dabi grab it, reading the I.D. tag, ‘Daddy.’

Dabi scoffed and used your thumb to unlock your phone. He found that it was your father that texted you, asking about a visit to the doctor’s you made. Dabi kicked back on your bed and decided to dive into the depths of your phone, check your social media PM’s, calls you’d made, etcetera.

There were quite a few messages from boys in there. Some of them were coming on to you, others were asking when they’d see you again. Dabi’s jaw clenched when he read those messages, but he was pleased to see that you’d left all those jagoffs on read, even the ones who were more persistent. Dabi would be lying if he said he didn’t go out and sleep with a couple chicks while you were there ignoring him. You couldn’t blame him. He was a man with needs. But he never called them again. None of them mattered like you mattered, and by the look of things, it seemed like you felt the same way.

Dabi checked your photo album, finding nothing more interesting than the racey selfies you took of yourself, probably trying to feel good about yourself (Dabi sent those pictures to his own phone, before deleting the evidence). Then he went to your search history, smirking at the very specific websites you visited.

“You’re absolutely filthy,” he chuckled in the middle of watching a video you seemed to frequently visit. He couldn’t wait to try this out on you—a little make up sex surprise. In response, you turned in bed, throwing your arm around Dabi’s lap, your elbow just a few centimeters from his erection. Dabi frowned down at you, and clicked out of the video, knowing that it was just gonna spur him on. He decided to look back to see what you searched when you’d last saw him—see if you looked up anything close to ‘sex with a villain’ or the like. But he didn’t find that. What he found was weird. What he found made a pit form in the bottom of his stomach.

‘how to deal with heartbreak’ first caught his eye. Dabi thought that this could have been about him but this was about seven weeks after he’d last seen you. As he kept scrolling, it only got worse.

‘depressed after termination’

‘how to stop the pain without taking medications’

‘best ways to clean blood off of linens’

‘discrete doctors near azabu’

‘should i tell the guy im not dating about pregnancy?’

‘is there anything i can eat to not be oregano?’ (Dabi couldn’t even sneer at ‘oregano.’)

‘top 10 signs you are pregnant’

Dabi’s chest constricted. He nearly dropped the phone on your arm, but that would definitely wake you the hell up. “Pregnant?” He whispered out loud. It only made sense. Dabi never wrapped himself up with you like he did with other girls. There was something so fucking dirty about you taking him raw when he knew you didn’t want to. He knew you were clean because you didn’t fuck around—at least, not before him, which made his frown deepen.

Fuck. Despite the unusual shattered feeling Dabi felt deep in the pit of his stomach, he was still so fucking hot for you. He turned you over so that you were on your back again so he could examine your belly. He kissed you below your navel, wondering that if you hadn’t been ‘depressed after termination’ would there already be a little bump there?

There was a brief flash of a little hand pressing against the swollen stomach of a white haired woman, but Dabi quickly shook that memory away.

“Why, babe?” Dabi kissed your stomach again. Seriously, why? Did you think Dabi would be a shit dad? He probably would be! But he’d still be a dad, if he were raising a kid with you. Did you not know that? And it wasn’t like you didn’t have the funds to raise a healthy child with everything it could ever want and more! You were a spoiled brat and you would’ve raised an equally spoiled brat, and Dabi would’ve loved the hell out of the kid! What the fuck?!

Dabi’s mental fit was interrupted from a little bleep! chiming from your phone. It was from Snapchat, of course, because you were a little social media whore. Not even caring how it could look once you woke up, Dabi opened the snap to see a picture of city lights taken from high above with a little tag that read, ‘wish you were here.’ The user who sent it was nicknamed ‘K’ and their username was something indecipherable. Probably just another one of your rich-bitch friends, showing off the view from their penthouse apartment.

Dabi discarded your phone on your bed and brushed his hands through his spiky hair, cursing softly. He decided to leave then. He needed time to think and reflect. He’d have to bring this up to you sooner or later...if not, he’d figure out a way to work himself back into your life. You probably hadn’t called because you were feeling guilty, rightfully so. That didn’t mean he didn’t want to have you anymore. In fact, he wanted you more than ever before.

Jumping out of your window, Dabi decided then and there that he’d be back. He’d make you talk. And he figured that if he could get you pregnant once, he sure as hell could do it again. Easy peasy. He’d have you calling him daddy again in no time.

TAGS FOR EVERYTHING (CLOSED): @ayeputita @yandere-inamorata @dee-madwriter @unboundbnha @rizamendoza808, @lemonlordleah-shinzawa-kitten @rubycubix​ @zellllyyyy​@sarcastictextstuck@kpanime @captain-sin-allmight-queen @psionicsnow@wickedlewicked @ghost-of-todoroki @kattariapenn@im-an-adult-sometimes @bnhya @local-senpai@eggpienutbuttercroissant@usernamekate94 @reyvenclaww @hi-ho-and-hello

[hawkeyedflame]

Okay! This is all from memory so forgive me if I've forgotten something.

Starting with Roy: while I still maintain that he's a himbo, I think he's more complicated than I initially gave him credit for. When I sent the previous essay I was fully expecting him to go from this morally gray Dirty Harry style government figure to the white knight hero who saves the day and becomes a saint, but he maintained his moral ambiguity, which i REALLY appreciate in a character. A common theme throughout the show is being haunted by your past, and Roy is no exception, while he might have justified his actions at the time with the guise of doing his duty and patriotism he always knew what he did was wrong, and this ate away at him more and more as time went on. And to find out the atrocities you committed were not justified, but in fact utterly evil? Devastating. That's why I think the confrontation with Envy is so powerful, not only did Envy start the war, but they also killed Roy's best friend, and this truly set Roy off the rails. Perhaps he thought that by destroying Envy he could somehow vindicate himself. But that's not true, if Roy lost himself down in the tunnels he would only have spiraled downwards out of control, and it took a guiding hand to bring him back from the edge.

Speaking of, Riza! When I first spoke of her I Thought she was just a cool lady with guns, now I see that she's more than just a cool lady with guns, she's another example of a broken individual just trying to do the right thing. I think she's had a hard life, I can't imagine growing up with an alchemist father was easy, especially when his subject of choice was so dangerous, but then to have said dangerous work permanently marked on her own skin and told to keep it secret is tragic. It must have taken so long to precisely tattoo on her, and longer yet for Roy to study it. She must've trusted him enough to allow him to study it, so I imagine her thinking "did I make a big mistake?" upon seeing Roy use flame alchemy during the war. Speaking of the war, Riza appeared to be very young when she was involved, which is also tragic. It's like she had her youth and Innocence ripped away by forces she couldn't control. And while Roy might have had a higher body count, Riza was a sniper which meant she had a more...intimate relationship with the atrocities she committed. This is reflected in the scene where she buried a person she killed and asked Roy to disfigure her back to rid the world of her father's burden. She felt it was her mistake. Another very powerful, defining scene. Her father's work, the war, that moment, all stuck with her for the years after. Changed her. She clearly became very close with Roy during the war and they decided that they had to stick by one another.

To touch on their relationship very briefly, I honestly don't have the words to describe how just PERFECT their relationship is tbh. Like, their relationship inspired me to alter how I portray the relationship between two of my own characters, so that should tell you how much I like them. The dynamic is just great!

anon i love you, but you understand that himbos are like.. dumb and nice, right? roy is pretty much a genius and like.. he's not very nice, despite being a good person. i concede that, at times, he absolutely radiates himbo energy, but he is NOT a himbo. i will throw hands with you on this hill.

also, yes i completely agree that i prefer he was not relegated to a boring white knight. he is much more interesting as a man seeking redemption than a man absolved of his past. the confrontation with envy is easily the most impactful moment of any piece of media i've ever engaged with, personally. the life-and-death stakes of that moment were so unconventional compared to life-and-death in other stories. in most stories, the danger of death is coming from the opponent the hero is fighting. you're on the edge of your seat because you don't know if your protag is going to dodge the attacks, find the opening to strike, and be able to finish the job. but roy has already won. he has overpowered envy with very little effort and reduced him to his weakest and most helpless state. the danger is not from his opponent here. in this moment, the greatest threat to roy's life is his own hatred. we don't want him to finish the job; it would mean his own undoing if he did. we ache for the pain that he is in, but we also know deep down that riza is right, that what he is about to do will bring him to a place where nobody, not even she, can reach him. and it hurts so badly, because what brought roy to such unbelievable hatred is the unmitigated intensity of his love. because we all love. and to see such love turn into such hate is to see a crossroads in our own souls, the choice between hatred and grief. i am certain that choosing grief is the more difficult path, and i cannot imagine the state of his heart and soul in that moment.

as for riza.. god.. she fucking kills me, man. it's not in the anime, but in the manga when she tells edward about ishval, she tells him that she was brought to the front lines when she was in her final year of the academy. so she was about 20, maybe 21, when she was taking part in a genocide. as a cadet. the unfortunate thing about it is that she didn't actually have her innocence quite ripped away without her control, not as she sees it at least. she maintains that she made the decision on her own to join the military, and she knew she would have to kill people. she says she has no right to see it as a burden. i think this is partially because of her own body count, but also because she feels responsible for every single ishvalan who died at roy's hand. i cannot imagine her feelings when she first sees roy there. in the manga, she actually saves him and hughes from an ishvalan assailant, and then hughes brings roy to meet his savior, and that's how they reunite. it is not clear whether riza was aware of roy's presence on the front lines via rumors, or if that moment where she rescued him was the first time she knew of his being there. either way, it's fucking tragic to realize that the boy you trusted because he told you of his naïve dreams for the future turned out to be using the powers you've given him to kill thousands of innocent people. even after she speaks with him, finds out he feels the same way she does about the war.. i simply cannot fathom the war inside of her over how she feels about him throughout the war. i have to wonder if him agreeing to burn her tattoo off was what convinced her that she could still trust him. and then she goes on to stay in the military, at his side, in spite of everything she went through and knowing there will be more to come. she bears this guilt by his side; even though she could have walked away, she would not have found rest in a civilian life, not after everything she did, the things she facilitated. she tells roy, in the manga when she reports to his office after graduating from the academy, that she likes guns because she doesn't have to feel her victims die. roy tells her this is nothing more than self deception, and she tells him she knows, and that she will continue to deceive herself for his sake, so that he can reach his goals.

and their relationship....god. i could cry. i have never loved a fictional relationship with anywhere even approaching the intensity of my love for royai. it's just so... fucking good ksjdfhgjksdhfksud like... god. the tenderness, the trust.. the fact that they literally have already been through hell and would go there again for one another willingly. the absolute dedication. the fact that they know each other so well, when riza hesitates for only a fraction of a moment, roy knows immediately that something is terribly wrong. all the little looks they give each other. god. just. GOD. damn it. i love their love so much.

[tthankstoyou]

hey i was just wondering why you dislike finn so much? no judgement just genuinely curious

Thanks for asking, nonny! 

He’s far from my least favorite character. It’s good to criticize the bad aspects of characters every now and then, that’s what my posts today were meant to do. I will say that even though Finn is a mediocre white dude from the midwest, Glee does a really good job with making his character interesting. He could’ve easily been the most boring person on the show (like how they did with Ryder). 

Under the page break is my criticism on Finn’s homophobia and violence towards Brody:

The textpost about him dressing as Lady Gaga was less of a jab at Finn and more towards RIB tbh. They set up that scene showing Finn as Kurts savior, because apparently gay people can’t stand up for themselves (Thank you Chris Colfer for having Kurt save himself in Prom Queen). Overcoming homophobia is not a one & done thing. The show could’ve had Finn have an ongoing thing with learning how to accept Kurt, but they chose to do it all in one episode and act like Finn was an angel after that.

In Duets, Finn is painted as the hero of the episode. Especially when Burt took Finn’s side in the whole situation. Finn “saved” Sam from being bullied despite having very homophobic reasons behind it all. Sam wanted to sing with Kurt, but Finn was afraid he would leave the Glee club for “looking gay.” (which we know Sam wouldn’t do bc he’s an actual angel). I will point you towards this hilarious post made by @angelhummel

In this episode, Kurt and Sam call him out on his bs but it’s brought right back around to them. Finn says that Kurt was creepy last year, excusing his concerns for the duet & he tells Sam that he’s trying to help him not get bullied. RIB wants us to be on Finn’s side, especially when they show Kurt “coming to his senses” and breaking off the duet. They want us to think that Finn was right all along and was trying to break up the duet out of the goodness of his heart, not because he was homophobic.

Don’t even get me started on the lack of discussion of Finn’s homophobia when he outed Santana.

Now, the scene where he beats up Brody is gross but I can’t help but laugh when he says “stay away from my future wife.” Let’s look past the unintentional comedy of that line. Why did Finn beat Brody up? Was it because he was a sex worker or because he wasn’t truthful to Rachel? 

If it was the former, that is disgusting. Sex work is real work and glee made it seem like it’s okay to abuse sex workers. The amount of violence against sex workers is astounding and that scene only makes light of that. They could have had an actual discussion on how many sex workers are abused & the trauma they experience from it, but they decided to turn it into an “awww look at how much he loves Rachel” moment. Here’s a link if you want to learn more about the violence against sex workers.

The latter is also disgusting. Finns forgetting that he slept with Rachel while she was dating Brody. Finchel isn’t innocent in this situation. We’re expected to hate Brody and root for Finn because he became the hulk, which makes no sense. Violence is not cute but RIB wants us to fawn over Finchel because he was willing to beat up somebody that Rachel was dating.

[just-another-author-i-guess]

Boiling rock:

Requested: yup

Warnings: she/her pronounced reader, more gross making out stuff

Pairing: Zuko x reader

A/N: I’m so sorry I haven’t been posting in a while, but I think I kinda killed my creativity or something. Tbh, I’ve just been sleeping a lot. Anyways, I’ll try to post some more from now on, now onto the story! Also, I don’t really remember the exact plot line of the episode, so I’ll just kinda make my own thing up. Anyways, in this you’re a water bender and you’re in the same prison as Suki (boiling rock), when Sokka and Zuko comes to rescue you, and Zuko instantly falls in love.

~

As soon as Zuko’s eyes locked on you, he froze. Never had someone captured his attention like you had, and the only thing he could do was stand with open mouth and wide eyes, as Sokka who came running down the hall, ran directly into him, not expecting him to stop all of sudden.

“Agh! Why are you stopping?” Sokka asked, annoyed, as he adjusted his fire nation helmet on his head.

“You’re going to get us caught, if you don’t start moving soon!” He pointed out, and started almost dragging Zuko in the direction he was previously going.

“Uh, w-who’s that?” Zuko asked, and stopped in his tracks once again, to point out the little window to the courtyard, where you and Suki were sitting.

Sokka squinted his eyes, looking closely out the small window in the direction Zuko was pointing, his eyes following yours and Suki’s move as you talked.

“Oh, her? Besides Suki? That’s (y/n), from the northern water tribe, they caught her and Suki, when they helped us escape,” he explained, and Zuko nodded slowly at every word, eyes still intensely focused on your form.

“You done staring? We got people to rescue,” Sokka said, as he quickly put his helmet back on and dragged the lovestruck prince down the hall.

~

All around you was chaos, people were running around, trying to destroy the prison, while the guards shot fire everywhere.

The word about a rescuing team coming to free you all, were out, which had surprisingly given the prisoners a whole new energy to fight with, and you were no different.

Standing alongside with Suki, your newly acquired best friend, you were doing the best you could at blocking out the guards fireballs, with water from the sea below you.

Blocking fire left and right, you were so consumed by keeping an eye on the prisoners, you didn’t notice a guard quickly approaching you, already readying his fire.

Only when you felt flames lick up your cheek, did you look up, and gasp. The man was standing only a meter or two away from you, and were ready to attack.

The fireball dancing in his hands, almost seemed to move in slow motion as the world around you stilled. You realized it was already too late, there was nothing you could do now.

A tear slit down your cheek, mixing with the burning wound on it, as you closed your eyes and braved yourself for the flames to consume you. But they never came.

When almost a minute had passed, you dared to open your eyes, and instantly met the eyes of your mysterious hero.

Quickly standing up form your crouching position, you brushed your clothes off and put a hand against your burning wound, which was beginning to hurt more and more.

“Are you okay?” The stranger breathed, and you noticed a slight redness and something that look like soot scattered across his nose, which made you laugh lightly.

“Yeah, thank you,” you said, a kind smile on your face, as you looked up into his golden eyes, and you immediately felt save.

“I-“ the stranger started, when suddenly you spotted Sokka in the distance.

“Zuko watch out!” He yelled, and instantly Zuko’s attention were on the ball of fire quickly approaching you, and without as much as a second thought, and wrapped his arms around your waist and threw you on the floor.

The fireball missed you, only by and inch, but you had other things on your mind.

Sokka had called the stranger Zuko, which could only mean one thing.

The one and only banished prince Zuko, had just saved your life, twice!

Your cheeks reddened, as you could feel his chest heaving quickly, into your back. He was so so close.

“You’re prince Zuko,” you panted, as he helped you up, and immediately looked down at you with a guilty look.

“I wish I wasn’t,” he awkwardly chuckled, praying that you wouldn’t turn your back on him, like so many others had done in the past.

You furrowed your eyebrows at his words, a look he found very endearing, as you spoke, “Why? I don’t care who you are, you just saved my life, twice! And, once Aang defeats your father, I’m sure you’ll be a great firelord!”

Zuko raised his eyebrows, surprised by your honesty, but let a little smile creep onto his face.

“Oh! I haven’t even presented myself yet! I’m (y/n), from the northern water tribe,” you spoke, and Zuko couldn’t help but widen his smile at your innocence.

“I know, Sokka already told me about you-“

“God damnit Zuko, stop flirting and watch out!” Sokka yelled, as he stormed over to you, and pushed you both down to the ground right as another ball of fire flew over your head.

Instinctively, Zuko wrapped his arms around you again, pulling you to his chest and bracing you from the fall.

The gesture certainly didn’t go unnoticed by you, as another thick blush covered your cheeks and you were once again thankful for the handsome prince you could now call your savior.

~

Later that night, you and Suki where safely back in team avatars camp, Katara tending to your wounds.

When she reached you, she gently put a hand on your scarred cheek. “I’m so sorry (y/n), but I don’t think I’ll be able to make this completely go away,” she said, her eyes filling with worry and sorrow as she spoke.

Your eyes saddened a bit, but you quickly covered it up with a comforting smile. “That’s okay, this will just be a new part of me,” you offered, and she gently squeezed your shoulder, as a layer of water wrapped around her hand.

“I can still try to make some of the pain go away, if you want?” Katara kindly asked, and you nodded gently as she began working her healing powers.

~

“Does it hurt?” Zuko quietly asked, as he bravely let his hand wander up your face to cup your burned cheek.

You flinched a little, but soon relaxed into the careful touch of the prince.

“A little,” you mumbled, and sadly looked down into his palm. “Katara says it’s gonna feel better soon,” you added, more to yourself than to him.

“I’m so sorry,” he mumbled, and stroked the burn gently with his thumb, as a quiet tear slid down your cheek.

“It’s fine,” you sighed, and angrily whiped the tear away, and looked up at him.

“At least we match now!” You giggled, and Zuko quietly admired your ability to turn even the saddest of situations happy and hopeful. A thought struck his mind, you were exactly what him and his people needed in a firequeen.

“What?” You asked and cocked your head to the side, and Zuko realized he had been staring at you.

“Nothing, nothing, you’re just perfect..” he mumbled the last part, and even though you heard it, you decided to tease him a little.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” You grinned, and by the sheer look of cockiness on your face, Zuko could tell you were teasing.

“What about I show you instead?” He said, finally feeling confident enough to make the first move, as he quickly bend his head down and molded his lips to yours.

Instantly, you responded, and wrapped your arms around his neck, as you stood on your tiptoes and deepened the kiss, making a breathy groan escape from somewhere in the back of his neck.

You giggled, as he gently lifted your legs up, one by one, making you wrap your legs around waist, and tangle your fingers in the hair on his neck.

You practically clung to him like a koala, faces so close, your breaths was mixing, as he continued kissing you more needy by the second.

He wanted to prove to you, exactly how perfect he thought you were.

Forcefully, he pushed his tongue against your lips, as you playfully denied him, making him growl into the kiss.

With a breathy chuckle, he grasped your tights a little harder, making you slightly gasp, and he took his opportunity to slip his tongue inside, instantly meeting yours and in a battle you had no chance of winning.

You sighed, and licked at his tongue, as sinful wet noises escaped the two of you, and you wrapped your legs tighter around him, making your hips grind against his lower stomach.

Zuko whined breathily, sucking your tongue into his mouth one last time, before pulling away, resting his forehead against yours.

“We better stop while we can,” he panted, looking hazily into your eyes, and you giggled.

“Do you really wanna stop?” You giggled, and lifted yourself a little higher up in his embrace, so you could look down at him, as you kissed his forehead a little sloppily.

“No, but I think Toph would really appreciate it, if we continued this later,” Zuko cheekily pointed out, and you turned your head, to see Toph standing a few feet away, with a horrifying expression on her face.

Quickly, you unwrapped your legs from Zuko, as he carefully sat you down, and you wasted no time in hiding your face him his hard chest.

“Why didn’t you say that sooner?!” You cried out, cheeks burning up as you lightly hit him in the chest, feeling his chuckle vibrate through his chest.

~

Finally, the war was over, Aang had defeated Ozai, and everyone was cheering. Quickly, you glanced over at Zuko, as you all made your way out into the big balcony, so Zuko and Aang could speak to the crowd.

As Zuko and Aang started speaking, you spaced out a little, as you noticed how big the crowd was. You gently squeezed Zuko’s hand, as you gulped slightly, trying to get the nervousness out of your system.

Suddenly Zuko stopped his speech.

“O-oh, that reminds me-“ suddenly Zuko let go of your hand, and started to fiddle with something in his pocket.

“As the new firelord, it is my responsibility to find a firequeen, a-and I couldn’t have been more lucky to find the perfect one,” as he said those words, he turned to you, making your heart race as his golden eyes met your soft ones, giving you a breathtaking smile.

“And now, I can only hope that she wants to be my firequeen.” Then it finally registered, Zuko was asking you to be his queen, and your eyes filled with tears, as you threw your arms around him and buried your face in his neck, not able to do anything but gently nod into the crook of his neck.

The crowd erupted into yet another fit of cheers, as you engulfed yourself in Zuko’s red and golden ropes, smiling and crying not carrying wether his shirt got wet.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Zuko mumbled into your ear, gently smiling and burying his own face in your hair.

To be continued...?

[if-found-return-to-gusu]

It was a normal day up until then. Summer was slowly fading into Autumn but it was still hot. The cicadas were making their final screams of the season and the air was stiff with the last dregs of August. 

 I’d gone to the skate park to let off some steam. I don’t remember what had happened. Something had pissed me off so I’d been out there for a while.

Skateboarding… It helps calm my soul. Something about the rush of air. The feel of the board vibrating beneath my feet. Separate but connected. Something I could control but not entirely. 

Even when I fall I don’t mind. Every scrape and bruise is earned. And through them I learn. 

I wonder… do I only know how to learn through pain? 

I didn’t really get much relaxation this time around though because that Jin bastard was there. Lording it over the place like he owned it. 

Well he sorta did. Or well, his family did. Not on paper or anything but they’d donated a SHITTON of money to the Rec Center that ran the place so they may as well have owned it. 

The skate park is only a small part of the compound. There’s lots of stuff to do there. Some of it you need a membership for but the skate park and a lot of other things are free to the public. 

Captain Constipation didn’t start showing up at the park until after I did. I know that because the others there told me as much. They said he used to come once upon a time but sucked at it so he claimed it was for lowlifes anyway and never came back. 

I don’t know if he was practicing in secret and just came back now that he knows how to board a bit better or if he actually just came to piss me off. 

Not sure. Don’t really care. I just know that the days he’s there I’d rather be anywhere else. 

Well that day he’d decided to pick a fight. Who knows why? Maybe the stars were in the right position. Maybe he sat down too fast and the stick up his ass got shoved even further in. 

I don’t know. 

Well I didn’t see him coming in time so he caught me off guard. He had a few other thugs with him. Roughed me up a bit but I’ve never had a fight I couldn’t win.  Well, okay they won once but that was only because of the knife. 

There was actually a bit of news coverage about that one though so I don't think he dared bring a knife again. The guy who actually stabbed me is still in jail I think but the guys who held me down still play flunky so I got a bit of revenge that day. Preeetttyyy sure I knocked out a tooth from the big one.

I remember cleaning myself up in the bathroom quick before I left. I guess that’s when they must have fucked with my board. I was on my way home when the wheel gave out. Came clean off the board. I was just cursing my luck, hoping that I at least wasn’t about to fall into the street when instead of kissing pavement I fell into something large and soft. 

Someone caught me. Someone tall and strong. They’d barely even staggered. 

I remember looking up and thinking that I must have rolled into the street after all and finally kicked the bucket because the person holding me could only be an angel. 

Sometimes I still think that. 

What else could Lan Zhan be but an angel? 

Apparently he’d been wandering around town for a while and happened to be there when he saw me fall. Caught me like I weighed nothing at all. 

After a moment of me staring stupidly at his face he cleared his throat and set me back on my feet.

Embarrassing. 

I thanked him and thanked him and thanked him. Insisted he let me treat him to ice cream to pay him back for saving me. The least I could do for my romantic handsome hero. 

He agreed but I kinda thought it was rather reluctantly. I thought he was probably only humoring me but since he said yes I was already in. 

Kinda selfish, but I was happy for the excuse to be able to look at him for longer so I wasn’t gonna back out even if he was just humoring me. 

I was fortunately able to find the wheel that had fallen off my board. Looks like it was just a loose screw and easy to repair. And a lesson not to leave my board unattended… ever.

I took him to this cute little ice cream parlor that I really love. It’s not too expensive but it’s cute and the ice cream is delicious. I was kinda hoping it’d be cute enough to get him to want to see me again but aah wishful thinking am I right? Just one of those idle fantasies that plays in your head. 

I tell him to get whatever he wants! The least I could do for my savior!

Except.

Par for the course.

My wallet was gone. 

Those assholes must have stolen it sometime during the fight. 

Just 

The whole wallet

Actually

The whole damn pocket.

Somehow I hadn’t noticed

(did thank whatever deity there was in the world that it had ripped clean and did NOT end up with me showing my boxers to the world that entire time. 

Lan Zhan paid. 

I’m still so ashamed. What kind of reward is this? I make him indulge me to buy him ice cream that HE then has to pay for?????

He said he didn’t mind. That it was fine. 

I don’t know. 

I felt so bad (still do tbh.) 

And in a moment of absolute idiotic inspiration

I asked him for his number. 

Just blurted it out. 

I wanted to be able to pay him back again. For real. So when I got paid again I could really thank him. And I told him it would be something better than ice cream. Wherever he wanted to go. 

He stared at me. At the time it was pretty intimidating. That stare. It was like standing at the doors to the afterlife waiting to be judged. 

So strange.. Now there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to feel those eyes on me again. It doesn’t matter the reason or the expression. If he looks at me it means he knows I exist. It means I occupy at least some part of his mind. 

He sees me. So I exist.

I know how crazy that sounds. I do. And it’s not like I don’t exist if he’s NOT looking at me it���s just…

I don’t know how to explain it. 

The world feels more real when I know he sees it too. I don’t know. 

I don’t know.

Anyway. He agreed after a while. I still can’t believe it. But he agreed. 

And…. well I know he told me his name, but I already told you how I was with names. I’d forgotten. 

Though this time I think it was because of all that had already happened that day. Or maybe because I couldn’t dare believe someone so beautiful would be staying in my life. 

I don’t know.

But that’s why he’s in my phone as “Ice Cream Hottie”. Because I couldn’t remember his name. 

I’m terrible. 

I called him anyway when I got paid. I was determined to hold up my end of the deal. 

He sounded as surprised to have gotten a call from me as I had been that he’d actually answered!

And beyond that he agreed to meet me for dinner!

After that we started texting. Slow at first but then more regularly.

And then he told me about his cafe and invited me to come see. (heard MianMian say his name which let me save some face.) ((Though after I called him Lan Wangji he told me I could call him Lan Zhan. I didn’t really know it at the time but that was really important. He doesn’t let a lot of people call him that. ))

The rest is history. 

I don’t know when I fell for him. It could have been instantly. 

I know it took me a long time to recognize it for what it was. 

I know what it is now. 

I won’t forget. Not his name. Not a single thing he says to me. I’ll hold each word. Each action. Each moment he looks at me. I’ll carve them into my heart for safekeeping. For comfort in the cold quiet that I can’t stand. He’ll keep me company even when he’s not there. 

Even if I never share a similar space in his heart. 

It’s okay.

Even if he never loves me like I love him. 

It’s okay. 

I already have more than I ever could have dared to ask for just for being allowed near him. Just knowing he considers me a friend. 

It’s okay. 

[icharchivist]

so. I see why events are such a drain on sp now. yukis design for this event tho slaps whenever he showed up in practice it put a smile on my face! also I feel like I’ve been super super lucky w/ gacha? like I’ve gotten at least 1 ssr everytime I’ve like done a pull for cards... the event is fun though! definitely adds a lot more incentive to keep up with doing the practices and stuff now that I have classes again lol

Welcome to the events’s... hecticness :’D

I joined a3 when the english server just started so it took about one? two months? for the first event to happen (and then they didn’t stop coming and they don’t stop coming and they do-) and i remember how, before that, i felt like the SP weren’t especially to use a lot, aside from doing your dailies and getting the first clear missions, you don’t need them THAT much, and then the events came around and proved me that alas, SP are useful and you’ll cry for them.

Yuki’s design is so so good!! he looks so amazing it’s so good aaah

and ooh :O i do wonder if there’s an ssr rate up for new players tbh, my luck has pretty much ran out in EN server lol but i recently joined the JPN server (which is faaar ahead of us) and i do get goodies much more easily... Still i hope this luck will carry through!! SSR SSR SSR.......

(do tell me what SSR you got tho i’m curious :3c)

oh right i forgot to say! you can add me as friends if you want (or i can add you)!  that’ll get us to help each other eheh. I just need to know if you do that so that i can accept you bc i have, more friends requests that i have place in my friendlist for so i gotta find you there my code is 1122335871

Glad you’re enjoying the events though!! it does make you more interreacting with the game than you do normally and ahah that sure helps keeping up with the practices! hope you’ll get toons of xp from it ;O  (and tbh doing mindless A3 while working on class works pretty well for me dLFKDJ since it’s rather low focus-energy for the events it can turn in the back while i’m studying)

for now it might be too early because you need lots of cards and leveling up materials, but the thing with events is that if you probably would rather limit your SP use per representation. 

I’ll put some tips between the cut but also i am talking about more gameplay stuff that often requires having a certain amount of characters or leveling up material: so you don’t have to worry too hard about it, but it’s a guideline for the future.

Take care and good luck ;O

You will want:

IF You have Event Cards:

-Event Cards, hopefully fully leveled up or trained.Even the R brings some boost during event though check  if the boost is worth it. SR and SSR are definitly worth it

-if you have event cards, put them as the leader of your team (according to the type of the card, for exemple current SSR Omi is Drama so you need to set him as lead in your Drama team), as it is the card that ends up showing up in the “support” screen.

-If you have a R as leader (with no SR/SSR cards that could take their place) you’ll be better off setting a team in the “Team 4/5″ slot that is the team you intend to use for full power. R as leader tends to bring your power down, so this is the way to both keep your R as leader to help others while also keeping your own fire power.

-Note that Event cards from Gacha are more powerful for the events that are the cards you can get in rankin up.

-Birthday cards’s stats seem lower than event cards when you see them in the list but they can also have a little more impact on your result, so they’re still very good to have. or check out.

-You’re not obligated at all to have event cards to do well in an event, but the SP use will be drastically different. I remember an event where i had every gacha cards bloomed once and even when it was at its worst, i never had to spend more than 2 SP for an Encore. Meanwhile while lacking event cards it can easily go up to 5 SP or more for an Encore. So it depends on which events you want to invest. on the long term you’ll want to check the event lists and see which are the cards/characters you want (keeping in mind all of them come with a backstage story you can’t read otherwise), and ranking up can deserve at least one attempt at pulling the event gacha.

IN GENERAL:

-On the long term you will want to fully level up all of your SR and SSR cards, bloom them when you can, and eventually train them (this later takes a lot of materials so it’s not your priority). The best bet to do that are Yuzo cards bc manual leveling up is hell. (note that event cards have higher raw stats than the base cards too)

-To try to maximize your points, once you have enough cards (i’d say at least one SR or SSR of each character) your life savior would be to use Link Skills. those are specific combos that multiply your total points by a certain percentage. They’re different for each categories, but it helps. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see an optimal link option for each character. 

-When you are playing an event and you don’t have any event cards, you will want to build your team around which is the main support card you’ll find, in the best case scenario with the Optimal Link Option. For exemple: Drama Omi.

if you can combo all of them you will have an optimal %. The wiki show you in the “Optimal” screen what is the best team when you’re looking for combos around only one specific card.

-If you have an event card, especially if you have more than one/a different one than the support one, you will want to build your team manually by looking at both event characters you have (or more) and see how you can build your team to maximize their combo while keeping the event boost

-I’m already talking about more high level stuff but if you already want to start using links, if you have enough cards for that, focus on leveling up cards that you can use for the Links in priority. (note that it’s always a priority to level up your event cards tho bc other people will use them)

-On the long term when you will have multiple cards for each character, do take the time to check which card is best. For exemple if you want a link with say, Citron in Drama, but you have a comedy Citron and an Action Citron, compare their drama’s stats to see which is the highest and the one you’d rather use.

About the Shows themselves:

-The least time you have for a show, the more points you will gain for doing them. if you need to discard some shows, it’s best to discard those which will take the longest time

-Ideally you’d want to keep your kamebuns for the Encore, since they cost a lot of SP and they always happen after you already used some before that.

-Note that if you use your SP on a play that will fail, you will be able to continue this specific show and spend more SP on it. FOR EXEMPLE: if, especially for an Encore, it still says you will “fail” the play after using 5 SP, you can use 5 SP, look at the “failed” screen, and then go back to the preparing show screen and use more SP to try to get the points missing for you.  Obviously this is really SP consumming so you don’t have to do that, but it’s good to know it’s a possibility. (on the JPN server, when i just arrived i tried participating to events with very low cards. I had to use 11 SP for one Encore. Never again.)

OUTSIDE OF THE SHOWs:

-You can pause the Practice Lesson anytime you want. if you go on Menu>Pause, it’ll bring you back to your homescreen. It means that the lesson will not trigger more event show, ultimately sparing your SP while waiting for them to refill.

-However during the pauses you cannot access any others lessons.

-BUT!! you can also just QUIT the lesson room from the same menu. If you still haven’t maxed the flairs and the crowns, you will lose any progress made during the lesson, but if they’re both maxed, you should be okay? i THINK the progress made on the rank XP doesn’t get lost. Though any progress in leveling up the affections of some cards will be.

NOW IN GENERAL: 

-If you want to rank up you will have to use diamonds.Honestly it’s best preparing yourself in advance if you think you’ll rank up for an event. But for now that’s really too early for you, unless you aim for the SR.

-especially early on what you will want is just clearing the flairs and crowns (free diamonds and the dialogues, that are all saved in the Mini Chat tab in the story mode), and especially unlocking the event story. (in this event, it will take reaching 700 points to unlock all of the story, take it easy, you will get it cleared with no problem, since it’s generally the “lowest investment” reward. Note tho that the point system is different from Seasonal events (like the Valentine day event is) and the Play Events)

-All i said are more long term things, see if you can/want to apply them early on.

-Right and there’s the bentos: you will want to aim for them, as you can only use them during the limit of the events. You will do best to use them outside of the events to rank up to unlock chapters. Note tho that, especially at low level, it means you’ll level up quite fast, which will refill your LP and SP, so once you level up you can go back to events to clear your SP and then come back to grinding.

-if i’m not mistaken, i was about level 56 when i unlocked all of the chapters from the first act (ie, up to the end of chap 4 : Once more with feelings). For reference’s sake, when i started playing the JPN vers recently and used that trick of using the bentos to unlock stuff, i leveled up a lot pretty quickly. I think it took me 2 weeks to get to level 56 without events on the EN server but it took me far less in JPN server while using the event’s bentos to my advantage

i hope it’s not too confusing? it’s not something you have to think too hard about just now, but it may help you out on the long term.

Either way, good luck and good grinding ;O i’ll be ranking up to get Hisoka’s SSR so o7 see you on the other side eheh

[steve0discusses]

Yugioh S4 Ep10 pt2: Yugi’s Never Ceasing Commute Continues

Last we left off, it was time to eat. Thank you. Thank you, Yugioh. You get me.

Not one of their better spreads, TBH.

No cheese wheels, too. They are truly living in hard times.

(read more under the cut)

Rex and Weevil decided to look for rare cards in the rubble of Arthur Hawkin’s house.

I don’t know why they bothered with this, everything was very clearly exploded and on fire, but youknow, these two just seem to be very hellbent on being bad at life. Just two jokes that are here just to be jokes, wearing these duel disks that they’re not going to use until it’s finally time for them to betray us. Checkov’s jokes.

And I hate to say this but they really are this season’s Bakura.

I know I just said that.

But this show really likes having at least one character that might turn at any moment and stab our protagonist in the back. They like to have at least one at all times there, hovering over Yugi’s oblivious shoulders, with that figurative knife (or literal, in the case of that time when Bakura stabbed himself without nearly any provocation).

In the past, when Bakura was out to lunch, we would have betraying friends like Kaiba, who would go solo in the middle of his own card game and end up throwing everyone in danger, and also Tristan who got full on possessed by the Big 5 and tried to murder everyone, but I guess after 4 seasons they were like “Youknow...I think Kaiba got over it.” and like...you can’t have Rebecca stab us in the back so lets bring Rex and Weevil.

At least their showtime is minimal, because unlike Bakura, who is pretty likeable even when he’s being an asshole, Rex and Weevil never turn off the asshole and are mostly just visual gags stumbling over eachother. Bakura was quite clever and had a bit of depth and mystery, while I don’t think Rex and Weevil are smart enough to even know how to spell mystery.

And if Rex and Weevil end up being good guys and the saviors of the whole show then my sincere apologies, but they are still kind of grating.

Now Rebecca gets a duel monster’s card that has a death threat on it, which is probably the normal way to sign your duel monsters cards in this universe. I imagine every card in Yugi’s deck has a couple death threats on each of them by now. Probably makes them more lucky.

Ya so...

I can forgive this. The people who made this looked at a map of California, forgot that California is roughly the same size as Japan, and were like “I mean, there’s like 50 states, it can’t be that big.”

But here’s the thing about Death Valley. I am a Californian, but I have never been there. This is why.

Death Valley is ASS to get to. Barely anyone lives there. Nothing goes there. You can’t just take a train, you have to drive there by going south past it and then turning around. It’s real round about and just in the middle of nowhere. May as well get there by flying into Las Vegas, and if you are flying into Las Vegas, chances are slim that you will leave that Vacation Town USA to vacation in a literal desert.

Clearly they saw the name “Death Valley” and got super excited but y’all...there’s a reason why we call it that, and everyone who knows about geography or is a Californian is kind of like “um...is Yugi...going to Death Valley???? That city slicker?”

Cuz this is not a normal desert. Normally, a human can survive 3 days without water, in Death Valley you apparently can only survive for 14 hours. It is the lowest point in the US and also the hottest point in the US and the place where the highest temperature was ever recorded on the Earth. And while that heat is only for 5 months of the year...it’s not winter in the show, is it? It’s fairly warm. San Fransisco wasn’t even foggy?

Like even the Death Valley website is like “please don’t leave the main roads and hike during the hot months” because y’all, this park is damn serious. Like this is one of the only National Parks that has not just one, but multiple ghost towns in it.

Don’t get me wrong, Death Valley’s very pretty and very fun I’ve heard, and it has like a very fancy dayspa in it, and if you like geography and like to rough it, then you will absolutely love how freakin weird Death Valley is. So, if you’re safe and know how to pack your gear, you’ll have no problem, but...Y’all, Yugi Muto, who barely survived Pegasus’ island (and only because Mai fed him) is going to just casually go into Death Valley.

In that outfit.

Then, in some barn somewhere (I have NO IDEA where this exchange takes place) Rafael is grilling Arthur only to realize that this is a very pointless conversation.

And in case you forgot Darts exist, he’s still out there, murdering people off for kicks. we’ll just add 20 more to the death count, the internet told me that’s the average amount of people on a fish boat of average size (although sometimes this boat seemed like the size of a shipping container barge but youknow...)

And in case you missed it, I have been doing the death counter wrong so I was 2 people behind--it’s correct now. With the rate this show goes I feel like we might see death 666 eventually. But, yes we did pass 269 so we’ll have to wait another 100, I guess, because it went to some rando on this boat. Nice.

(The highest surface temperature of Death Valley ((not the air, but the ground)) ever recorded, was 201° F.)

(That’s 94° C for those in the back.)

I mean Yugi is part Pharaoh so I guess he just has a strong attraction to really terrible deserts. He’s also half a dead guy so maybe he also just has a strong attraction to being dead.

But I dunno, maybe this is the months of the year where Death Valley is manageable? Maybe? Possibly? We’ll just assume that it is.

Now you can go horseback riding in Death Valley, as you can in any National Park, but it isn’t real normal to ride your horse all the way from San Fransisco. And like you can’t even let your dog off a leash in Death Valley. This is such a bad park for pets!

Also, I found out some fun facts about horse travel, for anyone interested in writing fantasy and wants to know the average speed of a horse.

So a horse can go about 100 miles in a day, but only for one day. If you do 250 miles, the time has to be more spread out since you must recharge your horse. According to some horse-specialist on the internet who does horse marathons from coast to coast, if you have to do 500 miles, then you average about 24 miles a day, accounting for horse-recovery time and assuming it’s a horse that wasn’t bred for super long distances. (this is about a 500 mi horse ride, ps)

The pony express of old, the iconic Wells Fargo, would actually have horse stations along the prairie, where you would trade in your tired horse for a new horse, so that way you would never have to stop going 100 miles in a day. Since Yugi never changed his horse, this ride would have been absolutely ridiculous, and Copernicus the horse, would have stopped somewhere in Gilroy.

But this is a kid’s show so wtv, we’re gonna ignore that.

(reminder that Yugi decided not to unhitch the perfectly serviceable truck and drive away with air conditioning.)

And Yugi really did make Rebecca promise not to tell these much older teens that he took off (something about how he doesn’t want to put more people in danger yada yada, normal Yugi stuff), but the show kind of blames this on Rebecca...but like...she’s 12. This one is on Yugi.

But, if Rebecca were older, maybe she would have done the same thing. Rebecca seems like maybe the type that realizes that when you like an idiot boy, you gotta let them do idiot things, and make idiot mistakes. You can’t just control what your friends do all the time, unlike this crew, which is controlling because that is the only way they keep eachother alive.

So Joey decides to ignore both of the cars right next to him, and just book it to save his stupid ass friend. On foot. To Death Valley. From what the show insisted was just outside San Fransisco.

And I guess that Rafael decided to just let Hawkins go?

Probably because Yugi got on a horse and Rafael was like “of course I know Yugi is chasing me on horseback off the main roads. Of course I know that.” and then he just...let Hawkins walk all the way back...

Hawkins should be dead, but not yet.

So lets check out Death Valley.

So like...again I just think they probably boarded everything and had a rough idea of “America has a bunch of natural canyons, right?” and didn’t realize that the Grand Canyon was soooo far from California.

There are actually canyons in Death Valley but like...I dunno if the art matches that so much? They aren’t nearly as massive as the canyon situation farther East.

Again this was their art choice that they made and it’s...a choice. And they committed to it.

And this bike thing happened?

This tandem bicycle for children lost among the wreckage of Rebecca Hawkin’s home is like a whole “baby shoes, never worn” short story in itself. Rebecca has nooo siblings or parents, right? She has a really old grandpa who is like 80 and doesn’t bike? Just uh...bringing that up...was this tandem bike for her to hang out with Yugi? Does Rebecca even have friends her own age? She already graduated college.

So much inferred by the bike that I know is just here because it’s a funny joke to see Rex and Weevil on a stupid tandem bike.

So I’ve heard about the bike/car/horse paradox before in regards to this season, (it’s one of the few things I knew about this season before going in) so I’m happy to see I’ve recapped enough Yugioh to see it play out.

The paradox being, if Yugi is on horseback, and Rex and Weevil are on a bike, and the rest are in a car, who arrives first?

Apparently the show itself isn’t even sure because Rex and Weevil can keep up with a horse???

Anyway, the correct answer to the paradox is that everyone not in a car is dead for not bringing any water.

Everyone except for Raphael, who probably put a camel pack into each of his shoulder pads.

OH NOW IT’S AN ANIME.

I don’t get why this is happening. But it’s a thing now. Rafael has either literal or metaphoric wings. Bear in mind I thought Pharaoh was Metaphoric for like 14 episodes. These Icarus wings might just be real. Rafael might have been a card this entire time, and I wouldn’t even blink.

Anyway, if this is your first post of mine you’ve seen of this, my apologies, we’re in S4 and this is very confusing. You can read from S1 ep 1 in chrono order by clicking this very handy link here!

[aegon]

The thing is, I'm open to talking about show!Daenerys being a white savior bc it's good to be aware of the media we consume and tbh the show (read: D&D) didn't handle a few scenes very well compared to the books. But when show!Sansa stans use that to complain about Daenerys and then turn around to say at least Sansa isn't a white savior...I'm always like "omg ur so right!! she can't be a white savior if there are no POC in her story to begin with!!" Ik that isn't Sansa's fault but still.

While I do agree that white saviourism is something we need to talk about more, the problem does not lie with Dany’s portrayal on the show, but with a clear misunderstanding of her decisions (show and books) and the way the slaves, slavers and Dothraki were written on the show. The arguments I’ve seen by antis focus on her being white and helping a bunch of brown slaves (oh no, the horror!!! she should have left them in chains like a good little girl!!! fucking idiots) when the reality is far more complex.

I especially take issue with white antis who have no real understanding of what white saviourism means seemingly warping the definition to suit their hatred of Dany. Just....no.

To me, white saviourism is never about true justice, it’s about exercising one’s privilege and controlling the narrative in their favour. It’s not just hurr durr white girl forces her culture on brown people hurr durr.

The selective narrative for personal gain is what’s most important. White saviours look down on the supposed ‘barbarism’ of a foreign culture and exploit it in their favour, while still coming across as the better person. It’s presenting morality as something a white person must teach a non-white person, because the latter inherently lacks it as a characteristic.

Antis’ arguments are that Dany exploits the slaves and Dothraki for her own army, and she believes she’s better than everyone around her which is why she forces her own beliefs on them.

Ignoring the fact that in the books, the slaves and Dothraki don’t all look Arab and hence the whole ‘white girl saves brown man’ schtick becomes obsolete, the truth in both the show and the books is that Dany doesn’t need to free anyone to help herself. She’s not exercising anything for personal gain, because Dany breaking the slave trade has brought her a thousand more problems than she needed.

Dany was literally handed the Unsullied army and could have walked away with 8000 new men under her control and sailed straight for Westeros. So this narrative that she exploited them really doesn’t hold up when she’d have been in a far better and stronger position had she not helped the slaves to begin with.

Also it’s not a “selective narrative” when her destroying the slave trade was OBJECTIVELY the RIGHT thing to do. In whatever light you see it as, the slave trade needed to be abolished. And violently. Antis can miss me with the whole “blah blah she could have been nice about it blah blah.” Read a history book. Systematic changes are inherently bloody and violent, such is human nature.

Secondly, D&D are at fault for these diverse cultures seemingly having no personality other than working for Dany. The books portray them with a myriad of characters of different moralities. They didn’t need Dany to show them what morality means, there were good eggs there already.

Compare that with the Wildlings who were given so much screen time to show how ‘good’ they were. The Wildlings were given names and feel-good characters like Tormund, the Dothraki were not. But god forbid the antis give her something as ridiculous as bad writing.

But despite all of this, the simple matter of fact is that Dany’s only crime was ending the slave trade. That’s her big “white saviour” nonsense moment, and it’s a tired argument because there are a thousand other examples in media (12 Years A Slave etc) that can be used in discussion. Dany can’t be, so I’d rather she isn’t brought up, either on the show or in the books, because it’s just too muddled to really help conversation in any way.

Also why they even bring Sansa into something that has nothing to do with her amazes me. Sansa has literally nothing to do with POC, they’re non-existant in her narrative. That’s like saying, “Sansa is so great because she never hunted baby elephants and enslaved giant badgermoles to terrorise kids with cancer :’) :’) my queen is such a good person ❤️ :’) :’).” lol ok susan.

What did happen was Sansa took one look at a non-white army coming to save her life and decided to hate them all, so take from that what you will.

[fizzingwizard]

In winter I discovered the “Anne with an E” series on Netflix. Of course, I was excited, because I grew up with Anne of Green Gables - I am pretty sure I never finished the series, but I read at least half the books. I loved the early ones but lost interest when she grew up. I was not one of those kids who idolized adulthood; looking back, most of the stories I loved best were about kids, so I think I just didn’t connect with Anne the same way when she became an adult. I still adore her story, though, and the first book in particular.

(actually, I wrote my senior thesis on kids in literature, meaning outside of children’s/MA/YA books. It was fun)

The show’s been canceled after season 3, which I’m sad about, but it’s mixed feelings tbh. As usual I have Thoughts.

So there are a lot of great things about “Anne with an E.”

the intro is beautiful and fitting

the casting is pretty well done, imo. Matthew and Marilla in particular were just perfectly cast.

the setting, costumes, etc are really gorgeous, I get such a fresh, pastoral sense looking at it

the appreciation for and development of my quirky girl Anne is there

there is a huge focus on female relationships and friendships without much in the way of cattiness

the addition of some new characters and themes both keeps an old story alive and relevant while also pointing out that what we think of as “modern” problems (lgbtqa+ representation, for instance) are really things that have existed throughout history

and on that, I loved all of the new characters, especially Bash, Mary, and Ka’kwet. Also Diana’s lesbian aunt is Lifestyle Goals.

But there are also things I definitely didn’t like.

the acting... like I’m sure all the actors are very good, but the script I think doesn’t play to their strong points. There’s a lot of stiffness. The character I think who does the smoothest job no matter what is actually Bash. It’s worst with Gil. He can act, I think, he  seemed pretty good with body language, but I cringe when he talks. He only gets pure, wise things to say. He never sounds like a child. Everything he does is right. The same is true of Anne as well, and another thing that bothers me - as much as I appreciate her passion and sense of justice, I don’t like that it overrules her childishness so much of the time. But she’s the main character and has a lot more time to shine in many ways, while a lot of Gil’s storyline outside of Anne is new stuff not in the books, mainly not there to develop him.

three seasons of the show and very little of it seems to actually be from the pages of the books. They did the apple cordial scene, but there were so many others that Iooked forward to and they just didn’t bother with. Those scenes were the reason I loved Green Gables. I don’t mind that they changed characters etc so they could make room to include those so-called “modern” stories - like I said, that adds to its relevancy. But why cut out so much of what was good in the books?

because they skipped so much canon development, the rushed finale in season 3, presumably when they realized they were being canceled, has no tension or impact.

also because they skip so many good parts in the books, many episodes feel like a Hallmark TV show to me. Anne goes from quirky, clumsy, fiery, and interesting to the writers’ social issue megaphone. There’s got to be a way to Be Super Feminist or whatever without sucking all the life out of your main character. She’s not like that in *every* episode, but there are definitely those where you feel like you’re being hit on the head with a protest sign.

I hated them killing Mary, and I hated that they were setting up for Bash and Ms Stacy in season 4. I swear that’s what they were doing. I sensed it from the moment Mrs Lind says Bash has to find a new wife. The show was canceled, but already we’d had a sudden influx of significant scenes between Bash and Stacy that were nonexistent before Mary’s death, and these scenes were specifically themed around loss of loved ones, moving on, parenthood, and family. It was absolutely a set up. And given the incredible pace at which this show liked to tackle Social Issue after Social Issue, I have no doubt that “interracial marriage” was next on the list. Normally I wouldn’t care, except that it feels like Mary was killed in order to make room for this storyline! That’s my beef with it. I don’t think season 3 is all that well written, overall, to be honest.

But my biggest issue of all is with Ka’kwet. I remember reading about residential schools when I was a kid. They were horrifying. The show at least doesn’t mince how horrible it was. The introduction of Ka’kwet and her family was great. The inclusion of indigenous actors was great. The history is incredibly important. And then... we don’t even find out what happens to her. I read a bunch of people saying “That’s realistic! Those schools were terrible and letting her have a happy ending would have had white savior overtones and undermined how awful this was.” Perhaps if Anne with an E were a different kind of show, I’d agree. But everyone else got a satisfying conclusion. Even though Mary died, at least she found her happiness first, and her estranged son even comes back in the end to ask forgiveness at her grave and turn his life around. *Everyone* ends on a hopeful note, except the Mi’kmaq storyline, which ends with Ka’kwet imprisoned at school and separated from her desperate family. Even if you really believe the argument that “it’s realistic so it’s good,” the other issue is that that whole subplot was really short! It was suddenly introduced and had just got momentum when it fizzled out. I was SO confused in the final couple episodes because I could think about NOTHING but Ka’kwet and kept expecting news about her, one way or another, yet the show only wanted to talk about Anne & Gilbert, Diana and going to Queens, fricking Billy and Josie... Sorry, but it was a very, very bad look. I love Anne and Gil in the books, but when you put them up against the story of a 12 year old indigenous girl imprisoned by white people at a brainwashing school... I mean, how can you expect me to get all worked up over Anne’s note to Gil getting stuck under his boot when something much much larger is at stake?? Confusing. Exasperating. I am certain it’s this bad because of the cancellation, but I’m not super hot on the build up to it either.

Regarding Anne & Gil. I was confused through all three seasons about them. Their relationship did not remind me of what I remember from the books, but it’s possible I overlooked some things as a child, or just don’t remember it all. Anyway, I didn’t really care about their romance during the show. On the one hand, that’s good because it’d be a tragedy if Anne were spun into a romantic period chick flick. It’s not. But on the other, I can’t get excited about a character’s romantic journey if it’s underdeveloped. Not everyone may agree with me that it was underdeveloped, but I needed more - not even necessarily more romance, just more of what made Anne and Gil so magnetic to each other. I suppose it’s a moot point because in the books, it literally takes years before they even become close, and the show couldn’t wait that long. Plus they changed so many other things, why not this? That’s fine, but the why not spend more time of them too?

So... ultimately, I’m disappointed in this show. It’s not that it’s bad. It’s not. I enjoyed watching it, for the most part, though I had to struggle through some of the more Hallmark movie moments. It’s just not Anne. It had promise... it has some good scenes... but in changing so much, they lost a lot of what made the books magical. And a lot of the themes they took on appeared and then vanished, like Cole coming to terms with his sexuality and going to art school, and then only making cameos after that. (Though I highly appreciated that he went with Anne and comforted her when she returned to the orphanage.) It’s too bad. I don’t know how much other fans would agree with me - what I’ve seen online has mostly seemed positive. And it’s hard, because my overall opinion is a complicated “I feel positively towards this show but I’m also disappointed in it.”

But gotta be honest - I’d be much less disappointed if I hadn’t felt so let down with how Ka’kwet’s story disappeared. That I just can’t forgive.

[lansizhuis]

WARNING: ZHENHUN SPOILERS

WARNING: ZHENHUN NOVEL SPOILERS UNTIL THE END + HINTS ON EXTRAS

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‪[WARNING: ZHENHUN NOVEL SPOILERS; i was word vomitting my thoughts solely on the novel so some of my initial points may have a diff conclusion in the end haha; honestly just block #spoilers tag i just needed to let this out and hey if you have your own takes and the like about this I’M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HEAR AND DISCUSS THEM ❤️]‬

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I was wondering what it was about WeiLan that I love so much. Tbh, for me, Zhenhun wasn’t really very well written (which was expected of an old work of priest dating back in 2012). It had a good premise and a potential for great world building on the whole gods, ghosts, humans, and reincarnation thing — sure. But that’s where it ended. Potential. Because at the end, the explanation on what happened was too mystical and confusing despite its genre being fantasy in a sense as well. The thing with magical genre is that yeah it can have ~magical reasons~ on plot but that magic should have “rules”. For example, one of the nature of ghosts is inevitably sucking up the life force of ordinary humans — that “rule” then points as a reason why SW cannot get close to Kunlun’s reincarnations. The reason was magical in nature but it also adhered to rules making it more “logical”. Zhenhun did good in setting those boundaries early on until the last fight where (personally) suddenly everything’s awry. The explanation was all over the place. The rules were thrown to the dust.

Zhenhun also introduced SID and we don’t see much found family diving more into them. Zhenhun was all about WeiLan (not that im complaining lol) but it had all the chance to show more of Zhao Yunlan with SID, with his mom, with his dad, etc — basically all the connections he has as a human being. And that’s what Zhao Yunlan was then — a human. Sure, he had some cute interactions with them (with him coming out to his mom most especially!) but I feel we could have had more. Or wait maybe I’m just used to MXTX’s writings where we get to see the focus on everyone’s humanity. Ahh, that could be a reason for this feeling then haha. (Shen Wei not having deep connections with others made perfect sense bc 1) he’s a ghost — remember their nature; and 2) his devotion and focus was on the first and only individual he’s ever loved who gave him so much of himself as well.)

Basically, the world building and side characters had so much potential but we didn’t get much of it. The focus was literally on WeiLan — and this is why it’s easy to say that WeiLan was extremely well developed but the same sentiments can’t be said to Zhenhun as a whole.

Controversial/Unpopular Take (most probably): I think that Zhenhun was, first and foremost, the love story between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan. It was difficult to empathize at first when we barely deal with the characters’ “humanity”. Zhao Yunlan returns as a god and Shen Wei never was human. They both are entities far from us. And then we think back and deeper to the both of them and suddenly our empathy is easily pulled with certain realizations.

I first thought “wow, shen wei’s really obsessed with zhao yunlan”. And then I recalled that shit bruh this ghost felt his non-existent heart beat for Kunlun the first time they met, this ghost spent hundreds of years with Kunlun who showed him teasing gentleness and how it was okay to be more than what his nature dictated of him, this ghost was given the gift of freedom with the bone from his god, this ghost was presented a future with a purpose with his god’s soul willingly and lovingly gifted to him, and this ghost spent 5,000 years watching and suffering in silence (because never again will he inadvertently hurt his beloved like in that shen san extra). Who wouldn’t go mad? Who wouldn’t be obsessed? And he’s not even human — he’s a ghost, someone who was literally born from the depths of hell, someone who doesn’t have a soul, someone who’s an abomination because they’re darkness personified. Remember the theme for ghosts? The more beautiful they are, the more terrifying they are. And Shen Wei’s beauty was one of the recurring things we are reminded in the story. Priest lets us laugh at Zhao Yunlan’s thirstiness for the most beautiful being. But Priest simultaneously subtly nudges us to remember that Shen Wei is also the most terrifying being here. Shen Wei’s nature is to destroy and devour and then Kunlun shows up and he strives to be “better” but while Kunlun serves as an outside factor for the change he wanted to himself, it should also not be denied that Shen Wei’s individual choice (the internal factor) is extremely strong here as well. Shen Wei started out with just solely focused on Zhao Yunlan but in the end, while his intensity on his beloved never diminished, we see him softening up to select people because of his experiences and Zhao Yunlan’s reassurances on his love for him. We see how much Priest improved as a writer with that Shen San extra. It made us empathize with this dark ghost easier. We are suddenly given a glimpse on what he experienced; suddenly the 5,000 years isn’t just some number but a reminder that it was nothing but pain and suffering for this man. We feel for this inhumane ghost; that while he’s not human in any form — the story of his love and devotion was something we can now understand as human beings.

Now, there’s Zhao Yunlan, our reincarnating god and Shen Wei’s most beloved. He was a human majority of the story and we see snippets of his connections which as I already said had so much potential but weren’t fully dived upon. At first he served as majority of the light tone and humor with how thirsty he was for Shen Wei, how he joked with his SID team, and how he’s weak against his mom and has daddy issues haha. And I kept on thinking “god he’s such a man-child why tf is shen wei in-love with him”. Then tiny hints are shown. Zhao Yunlan kept on trying to save the “girls” who kept on jumping off the building because while they’re fake, what if one really needed saving? Zhao Yunlan who keeps on threatening to cut his team’s bonus but has not really done that. Kunlun who readily sacrificed himself to save the world; Kunlun who took in this weird ghost king; Kunlun who took parts of him to gift this beautiful, terrifying ghost a chance, a future, and godhood. Fate even remakes him as a savior despite being human with the start of the foundations of the Guardian Order initially from Shen San. We now see that despite his asshole and rough exterior, Zhao Yunlan‘s core was a very kind individual — as a god and as a human being. And of course, all those mistakes and lies that Shen Wei made? Zhao Yunlan doesn’t excuse him (as much as i often joke how he’s the biggest shen wei apologist) as he explicitly calls him out on it and they try to improve from there each time. He opens his arms to him and welcomes Shen Wei home and this shows us the depth of his own love as well. Zhao Yunlan makes Shen Wei understand that it’s okay if he makes mistakes, that it’s okay if he isn’t really as “kind” as his facade is, and that it’s okay even if Shen Wei is an abominable creature. Zhao Yunlan shows Shen Wei that he doesn’t have to be perfect to be worthy of (his) love. This is what Zhao Yunlan’s story is telling us as well — that we too don’t have to be pure in order to have the “right to be loved”; and that our kindness can inspire others to be their best versions.

This is why I think Zhenhun was, first and foremost, the love story between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan and later, how their story impacts on us. We learn to empathize with someone not human who was deep inside so raw in his emotions. We learn from a god/human that love doesn’t have to be “justified” — we love because we love and there is no need to attach explanations to such a beautiful emotion. We learn that so long as we have at least one person to give us that unconditional love and we accept it then that is more than enough; and that this can serve as our bridge in learning how to love and accept others as well. And we learn that while Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan seems far off entities as they’re not humans and one only had a touch to experience of what it was like to be one — “love” is a common ground for any creature.

[dbzebra]

actually i have something to ask that's not about ships!! i want to talk about the King Piccolo saga. i can't think of a question, but maybe just ramble about what you liked about it? i've found myself liking it more and more (i'm not at the Piccolo Jr Saga yet in my rewatch lol but soon i will be, so that's included too) than i had when i first watched it a long time ago and i've really come to appreciate how much the filler moments contribute to the overall story!!

HI!! THANK YOU! :D

gonna put this under read more cause it got long lol

Ok so I LOVE the King Piccolo saga. Its been a few years so im a little hazy on details but imma just rant for a bit. Once i get back there ill be a bit more coherent and focused lol

 Imo, its legit some of the peak in the series. ESPECIALLY in terms of art. DKP-Freeza had the best overall art imho. Anyway it starts off with such a bang i love it. Like im sad my boy Krillin dies. And then Oolong is all like “hey this piece of paper says demon on it” and it cuts to Mater Roshi and HE IS TERRIFIED. That shot of him hoding the paper practically trembling goes without saying. 

Its the first time we legit see Goku out for blood. Like this kid is pissed tf off. He anhillates Tambourine when he was running away and fucking kicks Drums skull in without a second thought! And with that scene we have one of my favorite shots in the anime, thanks to the GOAT, Masaki Sato

this dude does some of the best key animation/artwork on the anime PERIOD. its just so clean. He went up to somewhere in the Android saga (I believe the last thing he worked on was Super Android 13. And its missed later on cause the Buu Saga with this style? good lord. (We did get Studio Cockpit for Cell-Buu, but there were only like 4 eps in the series they did)

ANYWay IM getting off track sorry. its just so good. this was the first time where the Z Fighters (ik this aint Z but i still call them that lolol) are legit dying and it just feels so helpless. 

For all intents and purposes, Demon King Piccolo won. he took over the world. Crime was legal. Goku was presumed dead, Tien was MIA, Yamcha was crippled, and the Chiatozu Roshia and Krillin were confirmed dead.

OH RIGHT.

HE FUCKING. KILLS. SHENRON.

Wishes for his youth. Shenron is about to fly off and DKP is just like “nah” and MOUTH BLASTS HIM TO DEATH. 

Its just like, even if they did win, too bad the worlds still fucked and your friends are dead cause the eternal dragon is dead. (lowkey tho it makes me wonder why that was never used again.) Like later on they go all about no Kami/Piccolo = no DBs but never “what if we killed the dragon” would have been interesting on Namek imo

there were only a few times the series felt that hopeless and every time it was great.

One of the sub arcs is all about the Evil Containment Wave which is one of my favorite techniques in the whole franchise 

JUST LOOK AT IT ITS COOL AS FUCK

this move legit kills you just by using it. thats wild

And i love how King Piccolo (and even Junior in the following arc) just shits himself anyone even pulls out the rice cooker or whatever they decide to use. this dude is scarred lmao

Like this man hates martial aritsts so much he legit makes Tambourine for the sole purpose of eliminating any of them around the world so nobody could ever stand up to him again. terriying stuff if you think about it. and theres some sad scenes of seeing guys like Nam and them get slaughtered by Tambourine aka Dameon Clarke doing his Imperfect Cell voice (im a dub watcher lol)

This also introduces Yajirobe and I really like him tbh. His fight with Cymbal was great. dude legit sliced Cymbal ate him. I wish he was around more of the fights, hes tough af. (He was the savior against Vegeta but after that he became Senzu Bean delivery man lol). i mean i get hes the coward but he saved Goku more than once in this arc and hes a good guy overall. 

Also speaking of Cymbal getting eaten, since him and DKP are telepathically linked, could DKP feel him getting eaten or nah since he was already dead? 

As for the filler, this was where the anime staff really shone in the expansions. Like take the Ultra Divine Water. in the manga, Korin is just like “here lol” and Goku drinks it. In the anime theres a whole arc about the darkness. And while imo ti drags a biiit too long, the fact that they made a mini arc about him EARNING IT makes it so much better imo.

And then probably m favorite filler scene in the arc involves Tien when they were searching for Dragon Balls. (At least im pretty sure its filler) They track a dragon ball to the house of a dude Tien crippled back in his dickhead days lmao. The dude is pissed off (for good reasons) and lowkey petrified and this man Tien is beside himself with grief. Iirc he gets on his hands and knees, legit begging for forgiveness. (I think he even says something like, “if you want to break one of my bones or even kill me out of revenge, go right ahead” AND THE DUDE ACCEPTS HIS APOLOGY. its just so nce to see an actual redemption arc. Like with Piccolo its heavily implied in filler but never really explicitly shown when he turned good. With Vegeta he throws a tantrum and then hes like hmmm imma be good now. But Tien? The anime goes out of its way to show that this dude realizes his entire worldview was fucked and he feels the weight of it, all boiling up to when Shen almost kills Chiaotzu for not wanting to cheat. (Shen and Tao’s comeback in 23rd WT was a great conclusion to Tiens character arc buuut tbh i wish Tao wasnt a cyborg. YO WHAT IF GERO TURNED TAO INTO AN ANDROID AND HE WAS #19 OR SOMETHING that would be sick lmao.)

Also the filler with DKP’s origins that showed Muitaitos fight and detah and then Shen’s descent into being the prick he was in canon was really believable. 

I COULD WATCH A WHOLE SERIES ON THIS

(Also my theory on why King Piccolo legit explodes when he dies is that he basically transferred his entire being into Piccolo Jr’s egg, body and soul, so he wouldnt really have a body left. they kept going on about he was his reincarnation so it makes sense to me lol)

nd the next arc (which tbh its basically one big arc) has the best fight in the whole franchise Goku vs Piccolo Jr aka the best fucking grudge match ever lol

[perlukafarinn]

Movies (I saw) of the 2010s, ranked

Because I had lots of better things to do but no inclination to do them.

As I went through all the new releases I watched this decade, a few things came to mind: 

I missed so much! Most recently, I still haven’t seen Parasite, The Lighthouse or The Irishman. I’ve also seen only one of Disney’s live action remakes, two out of four Star Wars films of the decade, and I’ve missed quite a few of Marvel and DC’s outings. My tendency to mostly watch older films came to bite me in the ass here. But c’est la vie, there’s only so many hours in the day! 

A huge part of my viewing history took place during film festivals, so festival movies are way over-represented here. I’m not mad about it.

There’s not too many outright bad movies on my list, because I tend to avoid movies that look bad or like I might not like them (shocker, I know). Even the ones in my bottom ten aren’t as dreadful as I was expecting. 

There’s no way I can rank all these films numerically! What about movies that I can tell are good but just aren’t for me? What about movies that are bad but enjoyable? How can you compare tired Oscar-bait with soulless blockbusters? It’s impossible!

Hence these categories. I’m doing a top 10 worst and best, and the categories go roughly from worse to better movies, but otherwise this isn’t based on quality so much as what clever category names I could come up with (or couldn’t, as the case may be). I’m also listing the movies within each category alphabetically because that’s even less ranking I need to do.

Buckle up, this is over 6000 words...

Oh, and if you don’t feel like reading the whole thing I still encourage you to reply with your own favorite movies of the decade! 

The Worst Exactly what it says on the tin. These movies aren’t just unenjoyable or disposable, they are actively unpleasant to watch. 

American Hustle (2013) Wait, this got how many Oscar nominations again??

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) This movie is so bloated and yet they couldn’t find any time to actually develop most of the main characters? I had such a bad time watching this one, I ended up skipping out on the last part of the trilogy. 

Hurricane Bianca (2016) This looked like it might be enjoyably bad but it wasn’t. I still love Bianca Del Rio, don’t get me wrong, but her humor is not the kind you build a whole movie around, yet alone two. And yet…

Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate (2018) Yeah, I watched them both. I’m a simple woman: I see Katya in a trailer, I watch. I really shouldn’t have bothered, this one is even worse.

Iron Man 2 (2010) Superhero fatigue got me bad in the past few years but even before then I hated this movie. Literally nothing enjoyable here, I was aggressively bored while watching. The Lack (2014) This is a movie about women, written and directed by a man, called “The Lack”. You might think I’m being uncharitable to say this movie is entirely about penis envy but the writer/director himself confirmed this at the Q&A I was at. This is why Q&As are always a bad idea, people!

Left Behind (2014) This one tips into “enjoyably bad” at times but in the end, it’s still two hours of your life wasted on a movie meant to make its Evangelical viewers feel vindicated in their horrible beliefs. Morgenrøde (2014) I have a fairly high tolerance for slow movies but this movie is sloooowwww and literally nothing happens in it. This is the movie that taught me not to trust it when festival brochures use the word “contemplative”.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) Just dreadful. This is the worst kind of film in my books: the kind made to follow a trend, not to tell a story. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) It’s been eight years since the fourth PotC movie came out?? God, it’s been a long decade.

The Utterly Disposable I didn’t exactly have a bad time watching these but they left no impression on me. 

Alex Strangelove (2018)  Netflix has released so many unremarkable-looking teen movies this decade. This is one of the few I bothered to watch and it’s cute enough, I guess. 

Fyrir framan annað fólk (2016)  I am Icelandic but I don’t watch a whole lot of Icelandic movies and I feel kind of guilty about that. Not guilty enough to give a boring movie a pass, though.

Ghostbusters (2016)  This super did not need to exist and not even my love for Kate McKinnon makes it any less disposable. 

The Great Gatsby (2013)  At least it’s pretty.

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) I remember this getting a few laughs out of me but that’s about it.

The Imitation Game (2014) I think I just… don’t like Beneditch Cumberbatch? Sorry. This movie is the perfect expression of the bland, middle-of-the-road biopic, with the added mishandling of the subject’s sexuality.

Isn’t It Romantic (2019)  I love a good satire but this ain’t it, chief. This movie isn’t doing anything that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend hasn’t done 100x better.

John Carter (2012)  If you’re gonna throw this much money into something, you could at least hire a charismatic lead actor. Then again, it seemed to work for Avatar. Magic Mike (2012)  I did like that this sexy stripper movie kept showing how unhappy the main character is doing what he does as if that wouldn’t totally ruin the fantasy.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)  Watched this on an airplane, which is fitting. This feels like a quintessential airplane movie; it’s mildly entertaining but ultimately disposable enough that it has completely slipped your mind by the time you reach baggage claim.

Paul (2011)  Occasionally funny, I think? Barely remember it tbh.

Planetary (2015)     There’s some interesting points buried in here but the movie’s too busy trying to look important to actually get them across effectively. Also feels surprisingly padded for just 80 minutes. Valentine’s Day (2010) Taylor Swift was actually kind of funny in this, which was a pleasant surprise. Zero impact otherwise. 

“I Have No Memory of This Place” Movies I literally could not remember watching until I had read the entire synopsis, but for one reason or another was not comfortable calling “disposable”. 

Bobby Sands: 66 Days (2015), The Departure (2017),  Hell Is Empty: All the Devils Are Here (2016), Innsæi (2016), Last of the Elephant Men (2015), Late Summer (2016), Speed Sisters (2015), Una (2016), The War Show (2016) Lumping all of these together because they’re all festival movies I have hardly any memory of and that I may have in fact fallen asleep over.

Incendies (2010)  Chalk this up to me seeing it almost a decade ago. When I finally remembered it, I could vaguely recall finding it affective. Probably due for a rewatch.

Prisoners (2013), Rush (2013), Warrior (2011) Around 2012-2014 I was working my way through IMdB’s top 250 list and I saw so many forgettable movies about men committing various violent acts. Literally can’t remember a single thing about these movies.

I’m So Sick of Superheroes Dear God Make It Stop I’d probably like some of these more if not for superhero fatigue but that is the trade-off for total global dominance. A couple of superhero movies did escape this category and you’ll see them later on my list.

Thor (2011), Iron Man Three (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Lumping all of Marvel’s movies in this category together because I don’t really have a lot to say about Marvel anymore. Special mention to Winter Soldier for being the movie that soured on me the most and to Age of Ultron for in hindsight being the beginning of my superhero fatigue. 

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Boy, this trilogy ended on a sour note.  Man of Steel (2013)  Confused story structure aside, this movie is utterly grey and joyless. It’s also army propaganda! 

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) The only reason I watched this was because it was on IMdB’s top 250 list. Peter Dinklage was good in it, if I recall correctly.

Don’t Like This Nope.

12 Years a Slave (2013)  Very uncomfortable to sit through, which I get was the point, but I’m not sure it was the right choice. It honestly feels like misery porn.

Black Swan (2010) I’ve long made peace with the fact that Darren Aronofsky will just never click with me.

The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012) This movie is exhausting to watch because of the near constant country music playing. Loudly. 

Kate Plays Christine (2016)  This is a movie about a really interesting topic but instead of the real tragedy that actually happened it chooses to focus on an actress’s fictional struggle to connect with her role. I think the movie wanted us to think the struggle was real (heh) but for that they would’ve needed a better actress.  La La Land (2016)  I love classic musicals and I really wanted to like this movie but in the end I just couldn’t. As a movie it’s okay but it’s not a good musical and the whole white savior of jazz thing was……….. an odd choice.

Last Days in the Desert (2015)  I’m a sucker for good, thoughtful religious films. The idea of Jesus and the devil being played by the same actor was intriguing to me and I liked that the devil wasn’t evil so much as just tired. But ultimately, this movie felt a little too cold for me.

Magic Mike: XXL (2015)  I have no idea why every critic on the planet seems to love this movie. Strippers aggressively thrusting their crotch in your face is not sexy, it’s uncomfortable!

A Silent Voice (2016)  Melodramatic and not in the fun, over-the-top way.

Vonarstræti (2014) It’s good but it’s just not for me.

Wir Monster (2015) I saw this at a Q&A screening and decided I didn’t wanna stick around after the credits rolled. On my way out, I tripped and almost fell onto the actors as they were walking past me. That experience had a way bigger impact on me than the movie itself. Make of that what you will.

Guilty Pleasures/So Bad They’re Good An enjoyably bad movie is a better watch than a middlingly competent one.

#REALITYHIGH (2017)  Incredibly clichéd and tries way too hard to be “hip” or “lit” or whatever it is the kids were saying back in 2017. Don’t care, I’ve seen it four times. 

Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016) The first Bridget Jones is a highlight of the genre. The second one is just bad but the third tips over into enjoyably bad. I also loved having Renée Zellweger back on my screen!

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019) Recently watched this with my sister while baking and wrapping Christmas presents. It’s a terrible movie but we had fun (mostly by making fun of it).

Descendants (2015), Descendants 2 (2017), Descendants 3 (2019) I’m not apologizing for this even though I feel like I kind of should. 

The Kissing Booth (2018) This movie is like a 13-year-old’s first fanfic come to life so of course I’m gonna love it. Even if the love interest is incredibly unappealing.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) Who would’ve thought at the start of the decade that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson would turn into indie darlings starring in one critically acclaimed film after the next? I love that for them.

Oscar Bait but I’m Not Biting Not sure the Oscars weren’t a mistake tbh.

The Artist (2011) I kind of enjoyed this but ultimately it’s watered-down Hollywood history made appealing to modern audiences and its aim is far higher than its reach.

Birdman (2014) It was a fun watch but it left no impression.

Darkest Hour (2017) Technically a good movie but such obvious Oscar bait I just couldn’t fully enjoy it.

The Help (2011) Let’s leave the white savior narrative behind in the 2010s, shall we?

The King’s Speech (2010) I love Colin Firth. I barely remember this movie.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)  Don’t love that the racist cop is the most fully fleshed-out character in this movie while the black characters are all unnamed extras.   

Whiplash (2014) It’s just drumming, J.K. Simmons, it’s not that serious. 

I Feel Like I Should Like This More This category is mostly three camps, as you’ll see. 

120 battements par minute (2017), 69 Minutes of 86 Days (2017),  Fire at Sea (2016),  I, Daniel Blake (2016) All important movies with a worthy message that I just couldn’t connect with on a personal level.

Adieu au langage (2014), Before We Vanish (2017), Bridesmaids (2011), Jagten (2012),  A Separation (2011), Timbuktu (2014), Transit (2018), Winter’s Bone (2010) Critically acclaimed, maybe it’s just me?

Her (2013) The rest is all movies I expected to like more than I did. I’m not sure what didn’t click with this one. It’s been a while since I saw it.

Get Out (2017) I wasn’t gonna watch it because I don’t really watch horror so when I finally caved, I knew pretty much everything about it. Watching a movie the first time  knowing everything that happens in it and after seeing it dissected for months on end by every critic on the planet does take a lot of the enjoyment away, as it turns out.

Gone Girl (2014) Really thought I’d love it. It’s good just didn’t click with me.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)  It’s pretty. Liam Neeson is always fun. 

Pacific Rim (2013)  Mako is great and I enjoy the chemistry between her and Raleigh but ultimately this one just kind of slipped out of my mind as soon as I’d seen it. 

Toni Erdmann (2016)  It’s too damn long!

The Tree of Life (2011)  I just watched this the other day so it’s very possible my opinion will change. I was expecting to love it but I… didn’t. It felt like this movie was trying too hard to be profound and important, at the cost of actually saying something, well, profound and important.

No Strong Feelings One Way or the Other I actually have nothing to say about any of these movies and most of them are good but they had to go somewhere.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), Boyhood (2014), Brave (2012), Creed (2015), Django Unchained (2012), Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010), Flavours of Youth (2018), Frozen (2013), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), Interstellar (2014), Intouchable (2011), The Jungle Book (2016), Monsters University (2013), Rogue One (2016), Schaste moe (2010), Shutter Island (2010), Three Identical Strangers (2018), To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), Undir trénu (2017), Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Middling Festival Fare I have nothing to say about these either but I couldn’t lump them in with the others. I mostly liked them more than the movies in the previous category and they took bigger risks. Some of them might even be great, just very much not my cup of tea.

3 Tage in Quiberon (2018), Acid Forest (2018), Amateurs in Space (2016), Barakah Meets Barakah (2015), Der Andständige (2014), Disappearance (2017), Dreams by the Sea (2017), En fremmed flytter ind (2017), Føniks (2018), The Girl Down Loch Aenzi (2016), God Exists, Her Name is Petrunija (2019), Gods of Molenbeek (2019), Jag är Ingrid (2015), Já, Olga Hepnarová (2016), Looking for Oum Kulthum (2017), Mister Universo (2016), Neruda (2016), The Raven and the Seagull (2018), Rester vertical (2016), Slow West (2015), Sugar Coated (2015), Summer Survivors (2018), Tickled (2016), Worldly Girl (2016)

Maybe Not the Best But a Lot of Fun Better than those guilty pleasures but generally pretty flawed. Austenland (2013) A very cute little romcom. Extra points for Jennifer Coolidge, the most underrated character actress of this century.

Baby Driver (2017) I feel like revisiting this one might not be as enjoyable for reasons that have nothing to do with the film’s quality but I had fun watching it in the theater. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) I was a fan of this franchise from the start so even though this movie is kind of dour and dark, it was still a blast to watch. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Do I love every choice this movie made? No. But I saw this at a midnight screening, in full cosplay with my friends, in a theater packed with fans. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I, Tonya (2017)  For a movie that contains so much abuse and such a bummer ending, it’s surprisingly entertaining!

The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)    Lego Batman is my favorite Batman.

Nothing Like a Dame (2018)  I just really love Maggie Smith.

On - drakon (2015) This movie feels like it was pitched as “Twilight but with dragons!”. It’s fun, though, and it’s got an interesting aesthetic and a proactive heroine who gets herself out of trouble with ingenuity and bravery.

Sing Street (2016) I love the soundtrack to this movie and the characters are incredibly endearing. The story is very simple in not a great way but it doesn’t need to be deep to be enjoyable.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) I like that they skip the origin story for once and keep the scope of it fairly limited. A very nice little slice-of-life teen movie combined with a superhero flick. Tom Holland is a good Spider-Man. Would’ve been better without Iron Man tbh. Star Trek Beyond (2016)  I feel like they got the characters right here, which was a problem for the first Star Trek of the rebooted trilogy. It’s a fairly inconsequential movie but it’s a blast.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan so I don’t have a lot of opinions here. It’s fun! Not a lot more I want from Star Wars. Ultimately didn’t intrigue me enough to wanna see the rest of the trilogy.

Ten no Chasuke (2015) This movie is a little weird, a little goofy and a lot of fun. I like the guy who just constantly lives through different movie plots because the angel writing his life can’t think of anything original, that tickled me.

Good Movies I Don’t Have a Clever Title Here They’re good movies, Brent. 

Barbara Rubin and the Exploding NY Underground (2018)  An enjoyable, well-made documentary but considering its subject matter disappointingly conventional.

Black Panther (2018) This movie could have been much better had it not been under the constraints of the MCU. Still one of the best offerings of the genre this decade.

Boy Meets Girl (2014) We need more movies like this. Not just for representation (although that is important) but also because cinema needs a greater variety of stories than are currently being told. 

Brooklyn (2015) The scope of this movie is very small but the characterization is nuanced and every aspect of the film goes towards furthering that. 

Bugs (2016) The focus of this movie is split between its very interesting subject matter (the use of bugs as food around the world) and the chefs we’re following around who kind of seem like dicks and honestly drag the movie down a lot.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)  Steve Rogers is one of my favorite MCU characters, purely on the strength of this movie. In a world where no one seems to know how to adapt Superman to film, it’s nice they got this one right.

Cloud Atlas (2012) This movie has such lofty ambitions and I admire it for that, even if the execution is off at times. But the use of yellowface is..... bad. It’s very bad and the directors should have known better. 

Cold War (2018) I love the music in this, which is good because it is near constant.

Damsel (2018) I love a deconstructed western and I love Robert Pattinson. It’s a shame that the female character at the center of the story wasn’t better developed, considering how much screen time she got.

Damsels in Distress (2011) This movie is quirky and cutesie, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (and usually isn’t mine) but I love it. Some solid acting goes a long way.

Der kommer en dag (2016) This movie is two hours of children suffering yet it comes across as so optimistic? I think it’s the space race stuff. Who doesn’t love the space race?

Frantz (2016) I am always down for stories that reckon with the effects of WWI. 

Future Baby (2016) There’s a scene in this movie where a surrogate mother gives birth and it is both very graphic and heart-wrenching. If the rest of the movie were more like that one scene, it’d be on my shortlist for the best of the decade.

Fyre (2019)  How was Fyre Festival a real thing that happened?

Girls Don’t Fly (2016) Girls don’t fly because the man training them to be pilots is a dick and treats them horribly. It’s a bummer but important to uncover. 

Hidden Figures (2016) Kevin Costner’s character needed to be written out - black stories that don’t involve “good” white people are both possible and necessary. But I adore all three main actresses and they do some amazing work.

Hjartasteinn (2016) The subject matter is cliché but it’s handled beautifully. 

The Lego Movie (2014) Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you’re part of a team!

Journey to the Shore (2015) I honestly wasn’t sure how to feel for most of the run time of this movie but by the end it got me.

On Body and Soul (2017) This movie feels like a dream and I mean that in a good way.

The Salvation (2014) Have I mentioned that I love deconstructed westerns? Mads Mikkelsen is always on point, even with garbage material, but he’s got some good stuff to work with here.

Searching for Ingmar Bergman (2018) This movie made me more interested in its director, Margarethe von Trotta, than Bergman himself. Everyone should check out The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum!

The Shape of Water (2017) This movie is very much like a fairy-tale, which means it’s not particularly nuanced or complicated, but it is beautiful.

Still the Water (2014)  This movie starts with a cow being graphically slaughtered and yet the only word I can think of to describe it is “gentle”. But maybe skip the first five minutes if you’re sensitive to blood or animal death.

Studio 54 (2018) How were the 70s even real?

Sumarbörn (2017)    It’s a rare feat to get such good acting out of child actors.

Thor: Ragnarök (2017)    The best MCU movie. It’s a lot of fun without once losing its heart, which is a rare thing for Marvel (just google the words “bathos” and “mcu”, other people have covered this already). 

Warm Bodies (2013) The cutest rom-com of the decade features a zombie as its main lead. I’m not mad about it.

Wild Tales (2014) The dissonance between the realist shooting style and the cartoonish violence often results in some excellent dark humor. The rest of the time, it just feels kind of off. 

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Jordan Belfast is both a lot of fun and utterly despicable and the movie is not afraid to go as balls to the walls as it needs to.

The Young Karl Marx (2017) So like... Marx and Engel were into each other? At least a little, right?

Great Movies Also No Clever Title

Andið eðlilega (2018) Okay so I don’t watch a lot of Icelandic cinema but from what I have seen, I am incredibly encouraged by the direction it is heading. Call this exhibit A.

Ága (2018)  This movie is very slow and not a lot happens but that’s kind of why it works so well. It hooked me in and had me genuinely interested in every uneventful scene.

Brecht’s Threepenny Film (2018)  I walked away feeling like I’d understood maybe one third of this film but it left me with a feeling of exhilaration that’s hard to define and that few films manage.

Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)  Adèle Blanc-Sec is like Tintin and Indiana Jones combined except way better. In a just world, she would be a much more popular character and the reported film trilogy would have actually happened.

En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron (2014)  This movie is delightfully weird and messed up. Nothing more to say here.

The Favourite (2018)  I was honestly expecting to be let down by this movie after all the overwhelming praise but as it turns out, it deserved all of the accolades and possibly more.

Gravity (2013)  This movie was kind of marketed as “realistic sci-fi” and while I can’t say it felt particularly real, the emotional arc sure as hell did.

Inception (2010) The complexity of this film was vastly over-hyped but it’s still the best work I’ve seen by Nolan (though to be fair, I still haven’t seen Dunkirk).  Kreuzweg (2014) The film is composed of just fourteen still shots, representing the Stations of the Cross. That could have come across as really gimmicky but it works because the shots are well staged and the material is just that good. Loveless (2017) This is the bleakest, most depressing movie I think I’ve ever seen.  The Martian (2015)  The best thing about this movie is the way it shows the world coming together just to save this one guy. International cooperation is the future!

Paradies: Liebe (2012)  This is a movie about sex tourism and it is as unpleasant to watch as that sounds. But it’s also incredible. 

Paradies: Hoffnung (2013)  The third in Seidl’s paradise trilogy (I missed the middle part, don’t remember why). Just as messed up as Liebe but mildly more palatable.

Une nouvelle amie (2014)  I saw this movie with my dad, which was kind of awkward, but that doesn’t take away from its beauty. We really do need more stories like this.

Tale of Tales (2015)  I am always here for a fairytale adaptation, particularly ones that stick close to the dark, gruesome, humorous tone of most traditional fairytales. 

Welcome to Norway (2016)  This movie is just really, really funny.

White God (2014) If you’re sensitive to animal abuse then this is not the film for you. The dogs in this movie actually won the Palm Dog Award and it was well deserved. They’re very good dogs! Tom of Finland (2017) How refreshing to see a movie about a historical gay person that isn’t all death and tragedy! It does have some of that, unavoidably, but it’s also a lot of fun and ultimately is a celebration of a very important sub-cultural figure.

Vinterbrødre (2017) I wasn’t expecting a movie set in a mining community to look this beautiful. 

Wonder Woman (2017) The best superhero movie of the decade, despite the slightly messy third act. It’s such an earnest, hopeful movie and unlike most films of the genre, it’s not afraid to take itself seriously or to come across as cheesy. Superheroes are cheesy! That’s one of the best things about them!

Amazing Animation I don’t like animation being singled out from live action as if it’s somehow less, but I wanted to highlight how many excellent animated films were made this decade. 

The Breadwinner (2017) I’ve seen this film’s production company, Cartoon Saloon, been called the Irish version of Disney but Disney has never made anything half this daring. Coco (2017)  The ending made me sob like a little kid. This movie doesn’t get enough credit for being one of only two Pixar films this decade to live up to their early work.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) The flight scenes in this movie gave me actual vertigo and I loved it.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)  The rare sequel that’s actually better than the original! For all the franchises that exist out there just to continue milking that cash cow, it’s nice to see something get continued because the filmmakers had more stories to tell.

Loving Vincent (2017)  This movie has been criticized for a weak plot, to which I say: it’s an animated movie made up of oil paintings! Do you really care about the plot? Sometimes the spectacle is all you need, especially when it’s something that touches you as deeply as Vincent van Gogh’s art does.

Moana (2016)  Moana’s scenes with her grandmother and Te Fiti are up there with some of the most emotionally evocative stuff to come out of Disney studios. It’s a pity the rest of the movie couldn’t quite live up to that.

Rise of the Guardians (2012)  Mostly, this movie just looks incredible. I am also an eternal sucker for Chris Pine, even if his voice sounds weird coming out of a teenager’s mouth.  

Song of the Sea (2014)  This is the most beautiful animated film I’ve ever seen outside of Studio Ghibli’s best, both the look and the feel of it. 

Tangled (2010) I know I sound like an old fogy but this movie would’ve been much better if it had been traditionally animated. Still pretty good!

Toy Story 3 (2010) It’s been nine years since the third Toy Story came out?? Christ, this decade.

Your Name (2016) I really should be watching more anime.

Zootopia (2016) Disney’s best work since Treasure Planet, which is an underrated masterpiece. It’s almost worth the resurgence in furries (jk furries, you’re okay).

This Is Why You Guys Should Be Watching Documentaries Because documentaries are a seriously underrated art form.

Ama-San (2016) This is the kind of cinema vérité filmmaking I live for.

Behind the Curve (2018) The existence of flat earthers remains baffling (well, maybe not that baffling when you look at the rest of our society) but this documentary is excellent.

Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016)  This is a documentary about a cache of lost silent films that were found in the 70s and most of the movie is silent, with information being conveyed through text and images. It’s these kinds of choices that elevate a good documentary beyond just educational programming.

Exodus: Where I Come From Is Disappearing (2016)  Absolutely heart-wrenching. It’s difficult to watch but the issues it discusses shouldn’t be looked away from. 

Foodies (2014) There’s a foodie in this movie who rates his food on looks before he even tastes it and a chef whose signature dish is a dessert called “sex on the beach” which includes a very realistic-looking used condom. I wanted those two to meet but they never did and that is my one criticism of this film.

Free Solo (2018)  I developed a fear of heights after watching this movie.

The Great Green Wall (2019)  I had never heard of the great green wall before seeing this movie. It’s so surreal to get a window into a society where no one is arguing about climate change because they are already undeniably feeling the effects of it. And by strange, I mean incredibly sad and upsetting.

How to Let Go of the World: and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change (2016)  Speaking of climate change. This movie takes on climate grief and shows why you can’t stop at that, why you need to push past it and keep fighting. I’d argue The Great Green Wall actually does that same thing and better but it’s still a very necessary message.

Into the Inferno (2016)  Werner Herzog is just. The best. Especially his documentaries.

Kismet (2014) This movie examines how art affects people by way of one of the least respected art forms out there (soap operas). I just really love that premise and the execution is even better.

Merchants of Doubt (2014) Honestly fuck every single person making money by hastening our descent towards climate catastrophe. Good movie, though.

My Scientology Movie (2015)  This was the first Louis Theroux movie I saw and it’s a great one to start with. For all they’ve been treated like a joke, Scientologists are actually pretty scary.

The Other Side of Everything (2017)  The personal is the political in this film. What an incredible look at the ways our past shapes our present and future. 

Pervert Park (2014) This movie fucked me up.

The Prison in Twelve Landscapes (2016) The conceit of this film is looking at the US prison system indirectly by keeping the camera outside the actual prisons and off actual prisoners. It works incredibly well, just astounding documentary film making. 

Push (2019)  Just when you thought you couldn’t hate the rental market any more!

Safari (2016) Fuck trophy hunters.

The Silence of Others (2018)  I didn’t even know about the Spanish 1977 Amnesty Law until I saw this movie. Maybe that’s just my own ignorance but I feel it shows how necessary documentaries like these are. 

Tower (2016) I cried like a baby watching this movie. Using rotoscope animation to tell the story of the 1966 shootings a the University of Texas was I think an excellent choice and made for a unique documentary.

Visages villages (2017) Agnès Varda is possibly my favorite director and it hurts to leave this one off the “best” list (call it an unofficial #11). Still not sure I shouldn’t have swapped out one of the actual top ten for it. 

Welcome to Sodom (2018) The world is so fucked up. 

It Stayed With Me Movies that left me reeling and that I couldn’t get out of my head for days after watching (call all of them an unofficial joint #12).

The Act of Killing (2012) Speaking of fucked up! It is absolutely surreal seeing these mass murderers try to justify their actions to the interviewers. “I was just doing my job” is no excuse and trying to use it as one is actually reprehensible. 

Arrival (2016) I didn’t actually see it until this year and I felt it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype but it did! It’s reminiscent of Interstellar in that in this ‘hard’ science fiction story the ultimate solution is based on an emotional revelation but Arrival pulled it off much better. The Congress (2013)  This is basically two movies in one; one is fairly grounded sci-fi and the other is just a straight up acid trip in film form. In any case, Robin Wright is absolutely flawless.

Carol (2015) Cate Blanchett please date me. Grüße aus Fukushima (2016)  I’m always gonna be a sucker for a movie about women connecting and helping each other through trauma. 

High Life (2018) I saw this one knowing nothing about it and ngl it shocked me a bit. The way it incrementally got more and more fucked up made me feel a bit like a frog being slowly boiled alive.  November (2017) The atmosphere this movie creates is unreal. Maybe not the strongest characterization but it balances a feeling of magic and wonder with just utter bleakness and it left me reeling. Paterson (2016) I can’t even fully explain why I loved this movie so much or why it stuck me. Mostly, it’s just so damn cozy.  The Square (2017) I mean, that scene with the ape man was fucked up right?  Tangerine (2015) I don’t think filming on your iPhone is the future of cinema or anything but it does show how accessible filmmaking is slowly becoming. Also, that scene of Alexandra performing Toyland is one of the best musical moments in cinema this decade and that is not up for debate. Team Hurricane (2017) I’ve never seen a movie with an aesthetic like this before (it’s very vaporwave) but this film is about and was mostly shot by a group of actual teenage girls. It’s a little melodramatic in places but at the same time that feels very sincere and the girls all clearly have a lot of talent and a lot to say.  Varda par Agnes (2019) This movie probably wouldn’t have stuck with me so much if Agnès Varda hadn’t died earlier this year. She is a truly unparalleled figure in film history.

The Best According to me, anyway. But I’m right.

Cameraperson (2016) This is a different kind of documentary filmmaking. What it most reminds me of is Beaches of Agnès (no, I’m never done talking about Agnès Varda) but even that is not a perfect comparison. It’s deeply personal while also covering an insane variety of topics.  Embrace of the Serpent (2015) This movie feels like a dream and I mean that in the best way possible. At turns beautiful, brutal, and absolutely baffling. The Florida Project (2017) I’ve seen this movie criticized for glorifying poverty and I can’t discount that opinion. For my part, I thought this movie did an incredible job balancing the world as seen through the eyes of a carefree child enjoying her summer and the dangerous, precarious reality of living in poverty.  Inside Out (2015) When Pixar gets it right, they get it really right. The Love Witch (2016) I just really, really love witches. The best looking live action movie of the decade. The fact that writer/director/editor/producer Anna Biller hasn’t made another film since is an actual crime.  Melancholia (2011) No movie has ever hit me this hard in such a visceral way; I was miserable for days after seeing it. Lars von Trier is an asshole but he knows how to film depression.  Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Believe the hype, it is actually perfect. And I don’t even like action movies! Moonlight (2016) It’s rare to see a movie this deeply, devastatingly human. The final two shots of the film, paired together, are literally the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in a theater. Kona fer í stríð (2018) The best Icelandic movie that’s been made yet. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is a national treasure.  Shoplifters (2018) I mean, who’s expecting a movie called ‘Shoplifters’ to be so devastating? It’s such a painful film but it is also heartwarming and intimate.  Un couteau dans le coeur (2018) This movie is strange and funny and violent and gorgeous. I’ve never had such a good experience at a film festival as I did the two times I went to see this movie.

[raviposting]

how about two top fives? top five characters you werent supposed to like but you did and top five characters you were supposed to like but didnt

Ooh nice I really have to think about this! And I hope this is what you meant but I took this to be what the narrative wanted you to like and/or who fandom likes a lot 

Characters I Wasn’t Supposed to Like But Did: 

I remember when I started Buffy, I saw that fandom had hated Dawn and I was going in prepared to be like, oh man, I’m probably gonna hate her too I wonder why she’s so annoying what does she do? And then I watched and I just…didn’t get it? I understood why she wouldn’t be anyone’s top 5 but I absolutely adored her and she was tied for #1 favorite character for me 

Probably Cersei Lannister lmao. She was a massive bitch and I was rooting for her death the whole time, but god she was one of the most fun characters to watch and I loved to hate her so much that she’d go on screen and I’d be like “YESSSSS” 

People really hated Carl from TWD and I think that’s lessened a lot nowadays but man I always adored that kid. I know he had his annoying moments but I absolutely adored him and he’s the only reason I ever continued on with the show after Glenn died. 

I’m going to be honest. I really don’t hate Ross from Friends. Yeah he’s pretty shitty and his views are outdated af (maybe even for the 90s?) but I thought he was a funny character and honestly, I thought that with the exception of Phoebe they were all kind of shitty characters (Chandler made fun of Monica’s weight multiple times from a friend to being her husband and was with Cathy while she was with Joey, Monica assumed a maid was stealing from her, etc.). Also side note, Ted from HIMYM annoys me a lot but honestly I didn’t go through the show hating him. I went through the show with him as my least favorite each season and being far more invested in Swarkles and their story, but I ultimately did stick through the show to hear his story, and to see how he may have grown in order to find and be with Tracy - and when he met her I was happy not only because we finally saw how he met the Mother, but because he was finally with his soulmate (until the show fucked it up, of course). But anyway, idk, as much as I love Swarkles and the other characters, I don’t think I would have been able to follow the show if I hated the main character and wasn’t invested in him finding happiness

Kali from Stranger Things. Her story was underdeveloped, sure, but I’m hoping to see more of her in the coming seasons and I’m going to be real, I feel like if she was played by someone like Dacre Montgomery fans would have been raaaaving about how amazing Kali was and how they were excited to see more of Kali in the future. 

Characters I Was Supposed to Like But Didn’t: 

Michael Cordero from JTV. I actually started out liking him, just not wanting him and Jane together, because - and don’t get me wrong before I say anything; Rafael has messed up too, but the extent Michael did things was on a far greater scale to ruin a relationship forever IMO. He made a plan with Petra for her to get Jane’s baby, even when Jane wasn’t sure, he was directly responsible for Mateo getting kidnapped - which wasn’t his intention, but later when Rafael reported him, Michael knew this, went undercover, and still initiated a fight with Rafael saying that he got him fired, and did this while Rafael was right next to his infant son, who ended up getting hurt. Then he continued to just stalk Jane afterwards, and I just couldn’t understand how a character like Jane, who despite being so full of love and forgiveness still loves her son above all else, was with and married a man who tried to get him out of her life and directly hurt him. The more I watched the more I disliked him, and I hated the bad implication of fans ramping up Rafael to be evil while Michael was the “good guy” who “deserved” Jane (and there’s a bad implication there that even though both characters are white, most of fandom didn’t realize Rafael wasn’t a man of color until recently, and that Michael was literally portrayed and shown as Jane’s “white knight” in the narrative). 

Maggie from Supergirl. I tried really hard but I just couldn’t, and I’m going to be honest I think it’s most likely just because I was both really starting to dislike Supergirl and also because I was majorly annoyed at the whole Fl*riana Lima situation, and while I tried not to let it affect how I saw the character, I usually couldn’t look at Maggie after a while without feeling vaguely annoyed - so that’s honestly much less about the writing and me not being able to separate character from actor in that case to be completely completely honest

Trish from JJ. IDK if the show cares if we like her but the fandom adores her and I’m just….eh. I didn’t care about her in the first season (I disliked that she tried going with Jessica even though it was something that made Jessica vulnerable, and that fandom consistently pushed Trish up and would bash Luke) and in the second season she just got much worse to me. I’m not watching s3 unless JJ comes back on Disney plus but from what I’ve heard, I’m not going to like her there either. And I don’t think any of it is OOC from the Trish we’ve seen in the show tbh. I hated her more with each episode, but each progression seemed natural (for the show they’ve written, not what the comic counterpart is because I can’t speak to that at all) 

Dany from GOT. Unlike with Trish, even though I started hating Dany from like….season 5 onwards (although by s4 I was starting to get kind of annoyed) I am still on the crowd that she (like most characters) was written massively poorly in season 8. I think it could have been a natural progression for her to have been a mad queen, but the show rushed it and made a huge jump that her character shouldn’t have made with the story that they wrote. That being said, her being a mad queen didn’t surprise me and while I still love book Dany, show Dany was a huge white savior and watching almost every POC die for her story while she was touted as a feminist icon was………………………eh 

Kurt from Glee ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my god I hated him. He was a massive hypocrite most of the time (I mean everyone was but he really grinded my gears) and after like 2 seasons he always seemed to act like he was better than everyone. Honestly insert him, Rachel (half the time), and Will in here and I like…did not like them 

put “top 5” anything in my ask and i will answer