#Therefore in season 4 - when Sam is as powerful as he ever gets - Sam is sorta framed as an antagonist for dean

[acesammy]

I wish spn handled its monsters better. I wish spn knew how to cope with having 2 leads be monsters. I feel like so many of the things about this show that make me want to scream would be fixed if the writers didn’t think they needed their monster characters to be de-powered in order to be ‘good’

[humantorch]

Can you please explain more about the Sam as Antichrist elements?

i would LOVE to explain the sam as antichrist elements. this will not be nearly as coherent as this post about sam and cross imagery, which is definitely some inspo for my thoughts, but I’ll do my best to explain!

for starters, this is my base definition of antichrist: someone born/prophesied to be the opposite/opposer of christ. not inherently evil, but not good either. this definition is how i came to my conclusions about the following antichrist coded Sam stuff

1) the demon blood - I don’t think anyone can make a post like this without mentioning the demon blood. Sam is still a baby when evil is introduced to him, physically altering his body, and it affects him throughout his entire life. the demon blood arc is him becoming more evil (in a sense) for the greater good. he’s going against everything he stands for, but he also embraces it somewhat. his powers are a gift to him, even though he’s destroying the good in himself in the process. it’s the opposite of what a christ coded figure would do

2) Lucifer - once again cannot make a post like this without mentioning Lucifer. Sam was made to be Lucifer’s vessel. Lucifer is a very antichrist type figure. even though Sam resents being Lucifer’s true vessel, he can’t escape what he was born for. in the end, he still says yes to Lucifer and he fulfills his destiny. it’s exactly how you get an antichrist figure; he’s someone born to oppose christ (in this case, heaven in general)

3) psychic powers - Sam’s powers have pretty much nothing to do with him being born to be evil, given that they’re actually very useful and he only ever used them for good, but they’re worth mentioning. his powers change how other people look at him. hunters see him as more of a threat than something helpful, and we’re shown that when he actually does get hunted by Gordon for supposedly being the antichrist in seasons 2/3. and this is before the demon blood!! he’s seen more as inherently Wrong and Evil because of his powers

4) John - this post is my original reference, but take a look at this image

it’s John’s note about the colt with a drawing of a somewhat christ-like figure, halo over the head with a hand over the chest. Sam’s name is in all caps, circled and boxed. I believe OP of the post I linked above used this to reinstate Sam being christ coded, but John seems to view him more as the antichrist. this has been touched upon in the show, with John thinking Sam might need to be killed because of who he is. I think both comparisons work here, since Sam is viewed as the antichrist but eventually changes his own fate (I’ll come back to this)

5) outsider perspectives - as I mentioned before, Sam was hunted for being the antichrist and was generally viewed as evil by almost everyone at some point, whether that be the angels or John or other hunters. this is mainly with the demon blood and his powers, but it’s important to note that being the antichrist doesn’t mean you’re inherently evil, it just means you’re going against what is seen as right. that’s Sam’s whole thing, especially in the earlier seasons.

Overall, I don’t think Sam is actually the antichrist, and I think he’s equally if not more a christ figure. But the base is there for him to be the antichrist if he went with the flow of things. Instead, he goes against what he was quite literally born for and he chooses his own path, therefore destroying the idea that he is the antichrist and becoming something more. Still, I enjoy making the comparisons and seeing how antichrist coded he is, even if I don’t think you can label him as the actual antichrist.

[pixelsandothernonsense]

Some thoughts about fatws and John Walker

!Spoilers for falcon and the winter soldier ep.1-4!

John Walker is under so much pressure, there is no shock he buckles under.

He never met Steve, never got the tutelage that Bucky or Sam got from working with Steve. 

John Walker was handed the shield with the expectancy to pick up where Steve left off, but with no consideration of the toll that mantle has.

Walker gets nothing but hostility from Bucky and Sam, all the while always seeming to lay one step behind them in finding Karli and solving the conflict with the Flag Smashers. 

That would definitely lead to an inferiority complex mixed with the anxiety of not fulfilling his role, his purpose, his mission. 

He is desperate to fill Captain America’s shoes, to be the one calling the shots and successfully finishing missions, but is slowly realizing he is just an ordinary man - a well trained, seasoned soldier and decorated war hero - but no super soldier and no Captain America. 

I read a great post here on tumblr saying that while Steve strived to give the shield meaning, Walker tries to gain meaning from it.

In the lastest episode we got a glimpse into the mental trauma he and Lemar gained from their tours in Afghanistan. It’s clear that Walker is traumatized by his failures to save people in his past. He seemed conflicted from the start as to how he was going to distinguish himself as the new Captain America, and fulfill this new role he was given.

I am surprised by the lack of empathy Walker gets from the fandom. He is a complex character corrupted by the responsibilities and pressure of bearing the mantle of the shield. And with seemingly no support except from Lemar and some sort of celebrity status, he no doubt constantly feels he is not enough. 

When he in ep 4 noted that the Dora Milaje “weren’t even super soldiers” after they defeated him, it was clear to me that he is in an intense identity crisis. He feels he must be better, stronger, more in charge, more respected - and then he isn’t. 

No one ever stops to consider that Walker comes from outside the intricate world of superheroes that the mcu has depicted over the years. Now he is suddenly thrust into it with the task to be the leader of this world? And with no support? No team? We don’t even get to see how the U.S Military or government or whoever Walkers commanders are, treat him. It’s like they’re not even there.

He is all alone in his struggles, and now his only friend, his only partner, his only support, gets killed in action?

There is no wonder he buckles under. There is no wonder he looses it after all that constant failure. 

There was always a slight air of arrogancy to him, but I also believe he was a genuine, hard-working, well-meaning man in the beginning. Then, as the percieved power and superiority of the shield got to him, combined with him failing to achieve his goals despite having the shield, he is slowly twisted into a desperate, spiteful and rash man. Confusing physical brutality with power and authority he starts thinking physical force is the way to gain the respect he feels he is owed by wielding the shield.

Due to his show of new strength at the end of episode 4, it is clear to me that he did take that last vile of super soldier serum, probably encouraged by Lemar saying he would take it without hesitation.  But Walker might have said something very sinisterly prophetic in his talk with Lemar; the serum might change you. 

It seems to me the serum has enhanced Walker, and therefore sadly also enhanced those intense supremacist tendencies combined with his superiority complex - which has made him impulsive, unhinged, desperate to act, filled with rage and spite. 

All this brings so much relevancy back to Erskines words about Steve in Captain America the First Avenger: it’s all about the person you are at heart, not the pyshical strength the serum gives. 

Walker needs help, he needs to be heard and seen as the man he is, not as a fraud trying to usurp Steve - he said himself that he is not trying to replace or be Steve, and I think he always meant that. 

Zemo might have also given us a prophecy in this episode: aspirations to become a super human cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Now, Karli might be the example that proves Zemo wrong, and Walker might be the one who proves him right...

  Also, can I give the greatest applause to Wyatt Russell for his impecable performance. He is balancing all these subtle aspects of Walkers insecurities and past traumatic experiences with the arrogance and percieved importance derived from the shield that makes him come more and more across as an asshole and makes him act like a dangerous brute - he’s brilliant

Sidenote: When Bucky reattached his arm after Ayo disconnected it and he DID THAT ARM SWING FROM CATWS!! woooff, my panties y’all

[deantransgressions2]

13x02 the rising son

21 transgressions. enjoy.

#1: dean criticized sam for wanting to protect jack, and then devalued jack’s entire existence to an “it”.

sam: “look… losing mom and cas, that’s a lot to process, dean, especially on no sleep. and the kid...”

dean: “the “kid”? come on, man, you know how this plays out. kook, when we try to bend the rules, pretend that the bad guys aren’t so bad or that things will get fixed, that’s when people that we care about get hurt. and then we end up doing what we should’ve done in the first place, which is end the problem. so this time, let’s start with the obvious. soon as i find a way to take care of… it.”

time tag: 3:17

#2: after sam failed again to make dean see jack as a child, he tried to make dean see jack as an asset. dean refused to listen or consider any of sam’s insights, and admitted that he is giving up on family, which is something he claims he would never ever ever ever ever do. 

sam: “dean, “the problem” might be our only shot at saving mom.”

dean: “mom’s gone. there’s no fixing that.”

time tag: 3:44

#3: jack was happily watching scooby doo and bothering nobody, so of course dean walked over and scolded him, then turned the tv off. apparently watching tv is illegal now yall!! 

time tag: 9:03

#4: told jack to take the couch and threw a bible at him. luckily, sam isn’t a child murderer and made sure jack felt welcome. sam = good dad. but, dean winchester is already worse of a father than john was. you hate to see it. 

time tag: 9:11

#5: dean criticized jack for eating the exact same way he does. mocking a 3 day old child just for the sake of it, just to make himself feel better. he is pathetic. idk why jack and sam put up with him these next 3 seasons. 

dean: “you can slow down, you know. that’s stuff’s not gonna disappear.”

sam: “ever seen you eat, dean?”

time tag: 10:02

#6: yells at jack for copying his movements. he’s 3 days old...3 days old. 3. 

time tag: 11:35

#7: sam has been rooting for jack to not be evil. he is focusing on WHO jack is not what he is. dean, however, is counting on jack being evil so he can murder him. the confirmation bias is real here. any instance of jack showing humanity dean just tunes it out. this conversation should remind you of dean’s view of sam in s4/5

donatello: “yes, well, not so much anymore. but, uh…look at you. the waves of power… so intense.”

dean: “maybe less human than we thought.”

donatello: “fascinating. you know, i’ve met your father. your power’s nothing like his. not dark, not toxic.”

sam: “that so?”

dean: “not yet.”

time tag: whole time but 15:58

#8: he was a dick to the tattoo artist for no reason expect that he loves to take his anger out on others. 

time tag: 16:44

#9: when in doubt blame sam! when in doubt accuse sam! when in doubt manipulate sam! wooohooo!!!

sam: “so you heard donatello. no evil vibes from jack.”

dean: “proves nothing, except that you’re way too attached to this kid. you need to see this for what it is, okay?”

time tag: 16:54

#10: lessons from our sexist macho man icon:

jack: “it hurt.”

dean: “okay, see, sometimes, things hurt, so you just man up and deal with it.”

time tag: 17:21

#11: some more of dean refusing to listen to other’s correct observations of jack, because there is no changing his mind that jack is evil. he doesn’t need proof that jack is evil, because he doesn’t want it. he wants to murder jack regardless of who he is. dean only cares about WHAT jack is. sigh. 2x03 i miss you. 

time tag: 18:43

#12: dean claimed that since cas loved jack, jack is therefore responsible for his murder. even though it was literally lucifer that murdered cas, not jack. so, using dean’s logic: sam and john killed mary, sam killed jess, dean killed john, sam killed dean, sam and dean and bobby killed jo and ellen, dean killed sam, dean and sam killed cas multiple times, sam and dean killed kevin....etc etc. do you see how fucking stupid dean is being rn?

sam: “okay, look, yeah, jack is on lucifer’s family tree. but we don’t know if that dna is stronger than Kelly’s, or his connection with cas.”

dean: “oh, you mean the connection that got cas killed?”

sam: “i’m just saying, jack doesn’t have to be evil. we can teach him not to be.”

time tag: 18:53

#13: dean called jack ‘the devil��� which made jack so upset he ran away. this is a transgression obviously towards jack, but also towards sam. dean said that a 3 day old child (who literally hasn’t done anything wrong) is the devil. he said it in front of his brother who was tortured by the ACTUAL devil (and michael) for centuries. it’s insensitive and fucked up beyond belief for dean to use his brother’s abuser to try and manipulate him to conform to his beliefs on jack.

NOT TO MENTION that dean is the only member of team free will with absolutely no supernatural abilities at all. he does not understand jack. he does not understand lucifer. dean is the LAST person who should have a say in if jack is good or evil. 

time tag: 19:25

#14: this is a abuse apology. many victims of abuse are manipulated to apologize for them and sympathize with them. this is a prime example of that:

sam: “dean doesn’t hate you. it… look, sometimes the wires in dan’s head get crossed and...and he gets frustrated, and then he mixes frustration with anger, and...and fear.”

jack: “why would he be afraid?”

sam: “because dean feels like it’s his job to protect everyone.”

time tag: 20:45

#15: did the writers include this scene to emphasize that dean is john (but worse)....because that’s exactly what it did. 

bartender: “i hated my old man. I ran away myself. see, my mom would never stick up for me. but…you know kids. no matter what, they still want the old man’s approval. well, that’s how it was with me, just…”

dean: “you know, that’s, uh, that’s how it was with me, too.” 

i’m not sure what dean is referring to here because based on what the bartender is saying, sam would relate more to her story than dean but ok! sure! pity party time needs no logic

time tag: 22:17

#16: sam had to seperate jack and dean in order to protect jack. sam felt that jack was safer with a man that had no soul (donatello), over his own brother. and he was right!

time tag: 23:11

#17: dean made fun of sam and jack by calling jack sam’s “new pal” as a way to not only degrade jack, but also ridicule sam. 

time tag: 27:08

#18: dean is angry that sam isn’t blindly following along with his plans for jack’s death. and everything sam tried to say to get dean out of his child murdering mindset goes in one ear and out the other. 

sam: “point is…if you and i are gonna do this, keep jack on the right side of things, then...then we have to be on the same page.”

dean: “okay. well, that’s the problem, though, sam, ‘cause we’re not on the same page. like, at all.”

sam: “all right. you know what? i know what’s going on here.”

dean: “oh. okay. well, please, tell me, what’s going on here?”

sam: “you thinking mom is gone and cas is gone, and that jack can’t be saved. dean, after everything we’ve gone through… we just lost people we love, people who have been in our lives for a long time. everything’s upside-down. i get it. but we’ve been down before. i mean, rock bottom. and we find a way. We fix it because that’s what we do. and jack w-wants to do the right thing. jack’s scared to death of who he is, and he’s scared of you.” 

you know who else was scared of their father figure? dean. and sam. and now jack. dean stans can hate john all they want but the truth is dean is far worse. they both deserve a special place in hell together

time tag: 27:19

#19: the mental gymnastics it takes to come to this conclusion about jack. to ignore any and all proof that jack isn’t evil. it’s shocking how strongly dean holds onto hate and his need to kill. 

sam: “dean, wait a second. the kid came through for us today. jack saved us.” dean: “no. no, whatever that was, that was a reflex. it was a sneeze. maybe next time he sneezes, he kills us. goodnight.”

time tag: 39:32

#20: dean drove jack to self harm. dean then proceeded to angrily tell him off and call him names for doing so. 

dean: “okay. what the hell? give me that. you...don’t be an idiot. look, a, this is not gonna do anything to you, okay? and b, you… what the hell?”

time tag: 40:35

#21: this is psychological abuse. this is child abuse. this scene is as bad as the panic room of s4. disgusting. and some people actually ship this man with this child’s father (castiel). get help. 

dean: “you know, my brother thinks you can be saved.” jack: “you don’t believe that.” dean: “no, i don’t.”

jack: “so… if you’re right?”

dean: “if i’m right… and it comes to killing you… i’ll be the one to do it.”

time tag: 41:07

[afaimsarrowverse]

The 35 Craziest Arrowverse Episodes

„Crazy“ is an ever changing measure, especially in the Arrowverse. When Time Travel and Parallel Universes were introduced it was a heavy leap from the norm. A couple of seasons later it was pretty much normal. So this list reflects changes in the norm, episodes that pushed the crazy and unusual. What is crazy for on show is not crazy for another one. So if you mix it you might not find it as crazy as something below it, but it is as crazy … for the show it’s featured in.

 So, let’s get into it:

  35. Haunted (Arrow Episode 4.5/74, Written by: Brian Ford Sullivan, Oscar Balderrama, Directed by: John Badham)

 John Constantine crosses over in the Arroverse in this episode which reveals Olivers dealings with him in the past and shows him restoring Saras soul. With this episodes the show started to embrace it supernatural arc, here „Arrow“ got mystically weird.

34.  Hey, World (Legends 4.16/67, Written by: Phil Klemmer, Keto Simizu, Directed by: Kevin Mock)

 In the Season 4 Finale of “Legends” Nate is brought back to life by the power of love and song, Vandal Savage returns in an unusal way and we meet a dancing dragon. Good stuff indeed.

  33.  Mr. And Mrs. Mxyptlk (Supergirl Episode 2.13/33, Written by: Jessica Queller, Sterling Gates, Directed by: Stefan Pleszczynski)

 Do not listen to the haters. This is basically the “Supergirl”-Version of the 90s Trek-Episodes with Q in it. This one is probably the most comic book-y episode “Supergirl” ever did and it’s great.

32.  Welcome to Earth2/Escape from Earth2 (Flash Episodes 2.13-14/36-37, 36: Written By: Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Katherine Walczak, Directed By: Millicent Shelton, 37: Written By: Aaron Helbing, Todd Helbing, David Kob, Directed By: J. J. Makaro)

 Like I said, we got used to multiple earths. However this two parter is the first time we ever visited one. We visit Earth-2 in this, where pretty much everything and everyone is different. We are in for a lot of surprises.

 31.  License to Elongate (Flash Episode 6.6/120, Written By: Thomas Pound, Jeff Hersh, Directed By: Danielle Panabaker)

This one is the „Flash“-Version of a James Bond Movie, with Barry and Ralph encountering a Bond loving villain who steals ideas and lines from movies, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds.

 30.  The Book of Resistance Chapter 4: Earth Crisis (Black Lightning 3.9/38, Written by: Lamont Magee, Directed by: Tasha Smith)

 In this one „Black Lightning“ discovers the multiverse and Jennifer meets different versions of herself, which lead to the shows best episode in quite a surprising way.

29.  Cause and XS (Flash Episode 5.14/106, Written By: Todd Helbing, Jeff Hersh, Directed By: Rachel Talalay)

It’s the “Flash”s time-loop episode. More dark than funny, but with a lot of deaths and an happy ending, so in the end really worth it.

 28.  An Un-Birthday Present (Batwoman 1.11/11, Written by: Chad Fiveash, James Stoteraux, Directed by: Mairzee Almas)

„Batwoman“ goes into the whole doppelganger business with this unusual episode, where Beth is back, which is a surprise for Kate, even more given that Alice is still running around as well.

27.  Invasion! (2) (Arrow (5.8/100, Written by: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Wendy Mericle, Directed by: James Bamford)

While the writers cleary had fun with Barry and Kara in this one, the heart lies in the dream reality, where weg et a look at a world where the Gambit never sunk.

 26.  Doomworld (Legends Episode 2.16/32, Written by: Ray Utarnachitt, Sarah Hernandez, Directed by: Mairzee Almas)

 Alternate timelines are kind of an Arrowverse thing, but this one did not came to be through time travel but through the Legion of Doom rewriting history to their own liking. Therefore there is no cause and effect to the changes, which allowed the writers to have a lot of fun.

 25. Camelot/3000 (Legends Episode 2.12/28, Written by: Anderson Mackenzie, Directed by: Antonio Negret)

 From the far future to Camelot and King Arthur – this episodes travelled far and mixed those two areas up quite nice.

24. Witch Hunt (Legends Episode 4.2/53, Written by: Keto Shimizu und Matthew Maalaa, Directed by: Kevin Mock)

 Here „Legends“ inserted the a singing Fairy Godmother into the era of the Salem Witch Trials. The Fairy Godmother was really not the fairytale kind, but rather an evil one, but boy, she could sing.

 23.  Back from the Future Part 1 (Supergirl (Episode 5.11/98, Written by: Dana Horgan, Katie Rose Rogers, Directed by: David Harewood)

 An evil Winn from another earth turns up, which brings back our Winn and we get a Winn-Off, so to speak, and Winn with Clark Kent glasses so he wouldn’t be recognized.

 22. Elongated Journey into the Night (Flash Episode 4.4/73, Written By: Sterling Gates und Thomas Pound, Directed By: Tom Cavanagh)

 This episode introduces the main one, which was Ralph of course, who discovers his new powers in this and is not as amused about them as we are.

21. What’s Past is Prologue (The Flash Episode 5.8/100, Written By: Todd Helbing und Lauren Certo, Directed By: Tom Cavanagh)

 In the 100th episode Barry and Nora time travel through the history of the show, face down the Flash greatest villains of the past while trying not to change the time line, which of course does not work out.

 20.  Reset (Arrow (Episode 8.6/166, Written by: Onalee Hunter Hughes und Maya Houston, Directed by: David Ramsey)

Yes it’s a time loop episode in „Arrow“! It’s probably the moment the show embraced it’s funny pages origin the most wholehearted.

19. The Virgin Gary (Legends Episode 4.1/52, Written by: Phil Klemmer und Grainee Godfree, Directed by: Gregory Smith)

 John Constantine joins the Legends in the time for a murderous unicorn at Woodstock that roofies most of the team and gets Ray to snog a tree, Mick and Nate to exchange loving vows, and Zari to chase lights.

18. Helen Hunt (Legends Episode 3.6/39, Written by: Keto Shimizu und Ubah Mohamed, Directed by: David Geddes)

 Helen of Troy single handedly destroys the Golden Era of Hollywood, simply by being there and driving men nuts. Studio exes try to kill each other in order to get her, while Damien Darhk becomes her agent to wreck even more havoc.

17. The Fellowship of the Spear (Legends Episode 2.15/31, Written by: Keto Shimizu, Matthew Maala, Directed by: Ben Bray)

 This episode is “Legends”-Homage to Tolkien and his works. However the most quotes and nods go to the Peter Jackson Movies, which is no problem, because we love them too.

16. Starling City (Arrow (Episode 8.1/ 161, Written by: Beth Schwartz und Marx Guggenheim, Directed by: James Bamford)

We are essentially reliving the pilot with a few signifcant changes. Turns out we are actually on Earth-2 and Oliver pretends to be his doppelganger in order to do a thing for The Monitor.

15. Séance and Sensibility (Legends Episode 4.11/62, Written by: Grainne Godfree, Jackie Canino, Directed by: Alexandra La Roche)

 What have Jane Austen and Bollywood in common? Both a represented in this episode that features a Bollywood number and the death of Jane Austens writing career.

14.  Luck is a Lady (Flash Episode 4.3/72, Written By: Sam Chalsen und Judalina Neira, Directed By: Armen V. Kervokian)

This episode introduces Hazard, a Meta who generates Bad Luck in order to have Luck herself which creates a lot more chaos than you would think.

13.  Emerald Archer (Arrow Episode7.12/ 150, Written by: Marc Guggenheim und Emilio Ortega Aldrich, Directed by: Glen Winter)

„Cops“ meets „Arrow“. This is a documentary about Team Arrow, or rather the making of the documentary about Team Arrow or rather a very special very unsusal episode.

12. The Bottle Episode (Supergirl Episode 5.10/97, Written by: Derek Simon, Directed by: Tawnia McKiernan)

 We get a lot of doppelgangers, most of them Brainys, and a lot of chaos, I mean more chaos then most other shows usually have, except for „Legends“.

11. Aruba (Legends Episode 2.17/33, Written by: Phil Klemmer und Marc Guggenheim, Directed by: Rob Seidenglanz)

 The Finale of Season 2 features two sets of Legends, while the team goes back and while Malcolm, Damien, and Snart are mostly confused Eobard strikes back by recruiting a lot of his former selfes.

10. The Good, the Bad and the Cuddley (Legends Episode 3.18/51, Written by: Marc Guggenheim und Phil Klemmer, Directed by: Dermott Downs)

 In the Season 3 Finale we got a massive Beebo who fights a gigantic demon. The Beebo was created by a Legends Orgy and symbolizes … well love I guess.

9. Raiders of the Lost Art (Legends Episode 2.9/25, Written by: Keto Shimizu, Chris Fedak, Directed by: Dermott Downs)

 This is officially the episode where „Legends“ went nuts. Oh and it’s a delicous one. George Lucas never became a filmmaker after being scared of by Malcolms and Damiens attempts to kill amnesiac Rip Hunter who thinks he is an American filmstudent, whose script is basically the plot of the shows first season of „Legends of Tomorrow.“

8.      It’s a Super Life (Supergirl Episode 5.13/100, Written by: Robert Rovner, Jessica Queller, Derek Simon, Nicki Holcomb, Directed by: Jesse Warn)

The 100the episode watches videos of the show and comments on them, then inserts Kara into the past and let her change things and create alternate timelines, what ifs, so of how things would have turned out if she had made different choices.

7. Beebo the God of War (Legends Episode 3.9/42, Written by: Grainne Goodfree und James Eagan, Directed by: Kevin Mock)

 Mostly it’s the episode about Beebo Day. You know, the blue god, who hungers for war and conquest? Whose birthday we celebrate once a year in december and … wait? What was I talking about?

6. Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 1-5 (Supergirl, Batwoman, Flash, Arrow, Legends, Part 1: Supergirl Episode 5.9/96, Written by: Robert Rovner, Marc Guggenheim, Derek Simon, Jay Faerber, Directed by: Jesse Warn, Part 2: Batwoman Episode 1.9/9, Written by: Din Whitehead, Holly Henderson, Directed by: Laura Belsey, Part 3: The Flash Episode 6.9/123, Written By: Lauren Certo, Sterling Gates, Eric Wallace, Directed By: David McWhirter, Part 4: Arrow: Episode 8.8/168, Written by: Marv Wolfman, Marc Guggenheim; Directed by: Glen Winter, Part 5: Legends of Tomorrow Episode 5.0/68, Written by: Keto Shimizu, Ubah Mohamed, Directed by: Gregory Smith)

 In the biggest and craziest Crossover in the history of television the multiverse is destroyed and rebuilt, Oliver Queen dies, we meet an evil Batman and we get a Supermen Team Up, among many other things.

5. Legends of To-Meow-Meow (Legends Episode 4.8/59, Written by: James Eagan und Ray Utarnachitt, Directed by: Ben Bray)

 Sulky about missing out on the Crossover the Legends crossovered with themselves in Season 4. John and Charlie destroyed the timeline for selfish reasons, and now everything is wrong and everything they do makes things worse instead of better.

 4.     Meet the Legends (Legends Episode 5.1/69, Written by: Grainne Godfree, James Eagan, Directed by: Kevin Mock)

This episode is the documentary and the making oft he documentary. Think Arrows „Emerald Archer“ only way carzier and funnier.

 3. Duet (Flash Episode 3.17/63, Written By: Aaron Helbing, Todd Helbing, Greg Berlani, Andrew Kreisberg, Directed By: Dermott Daniels Downs)

 It’s the Musical Episode! The „Supergirl“-Crossover has all the jazz – singing, dancing, kissing, opening up about feelings – and also a mini „Glee“-Reunion.

2.      Elseworlds Part 1-3 (Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Part 1: The Flash Episode 5.9/101, Written By: Eric Wallace und Sam Chalsen, Directed By: Kevin Tancharoen und Tom Cavanagh, Part 2: Arrow Episode 7.9/147, Written by: Marc Guggenheim und Caroline Dries, Directed by: James Bamford, Part 3: Supergirl Episode 4.9/74, Written by: Mac Guggenheim, Derek Simon und Rob Rovner, Directed by: Jesse Warn)

In this Crossover Oliver und Barry switch identities which no one on Earth-1 believes, but Kara’s help leads to an evil not-quite Superman and a brand new reality.

1.      The One Where we‘re Trapped on TV (Legends Episode 5.13/81, Written by: Grainne Godfree, James Eagan, Directed by: Marc Guggenheim)

And the award for the Craziest TV Episode of all time goes to this one, where the Legends are trapped on TV. We get very familiar but strange versions of „Friends“, „Downtown Abbey,“ and „Star Trek“ with the Legends as the main characters instead.

[donheisenberg]

Deadwood The Movie Review

“Our Father which art in Heaven..” “Let him fucking stay there”

12 years. That is the length of time between the initial commissioning of a Deadwood film and it actually airing. In that time its cast went on to populate just about every great TV show of the last ten years, its creator David Milch has had various projects fail for reasons as varied as low ratings to equine welfare, only to then be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. So often in pop culture these long, attritional tales of production end in disappointment. Whether its Axl Rose and Chinese Democracy or Terry Gilliam and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, these mythical projects can’t help but underwhelm and are sometimes better left mythical.

Not fucking Deadwood.

While flawed, Deadwood: The Movie never disappoints and immediately feels necessary in a way that these kinds of continuations/revivals so rarely do. It is interesting to me that Deadwood the Movie came out the same year as El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Unquestionably two of the greatest dramas ever aired Breaking Bad and Deadwood; I think fundamentally only one of these films works.

I’ve already written a review of El Camino which you can read so I won’t rehash my thoughts on that too much but suffice to say while I mostly found it harmless it never for me justified its existence. Breaking Bad had ended conclusively on its own terms, in a very satisfying way. Deadwood on the other hand ended in very different circumstances, with a cancellation that neither side wanted, but as a result of some confusion happened anyway.

This is not to say I didn’t have some reservations about Deadwood coming back though. While the final episode of its original run was clearly never designed to be a final episode and therefore is quite unsatisfying in many ways, one truth of filmmaking and certainly television is the most important shot is the last one. Series finales are almost all defined by their closing moments and final image and Deadwood’s is an all-timer. Al scrubbing the blood left by murdering the prostitute made to look like Trixie says everything Deadwood ever had to say. History is the agreed upon lie. And there are bloody and tragic consequences to maintaining that lie that men like Al are left to clean up.

Milch would struggle to come up with a moment that encapsulates the rich themes of his masterpiece as well as that one to close this film on, but he comes mighty close with those final lines of dialogue quoted above.

One of the other key differences between El Camino and this is the ways in which this film does acknowledge the passage of time. While the former starts immediately after the final moments of Breaking Bad, Deadwood: The Movie takes places almost in real time, 10 years after the finale. In its tone and dialogue it acknowledges this passage of time throughout.

Yet in another way it feels very much like a condensed version of what season 4 of Deadwood would have been, had that cancellation never happened. The conflict with Hearst continues to drive proceedings as it was always planned to do. Of course certain problems come with this condensed nature. Certain plotlines, like Harry joining Hearst’s side, or the arrival of the new prostitute working at the saloon don’t feel truly explored and certain characters don’t maybe get the screen-time we would have hoped for, but that’s to be expected.

Even with this passage of time, it feels like Deadwood. Having said this I would say that there is a subtle difference of emphasis from Al to Seth. While Olyphant was always the first credited in the show’s title sequence it always felt like Al was the true protagonist of Deadwood’s original run. It’s part of the reason, despite Deadwood being his best show; I’ll always see Olyphant as Justified’s Raylan Givens before I see him as Seth Bullock. Al was always the breakout character and face of the show but this film is really more about Bullock and that’s not a bad thing.

Olyphant, a bit like contemporary prestige TV hunk Jon Hamm, has carved out a bit of niche playing douche-y versions of himself in sitcoms (mostly in cameo appearances) since the conclusion of Justified. So watching this film was a nice reminder of what a fantastic dramatic actor Olyphant is and has been for many years.

His screen-time with Ian McShane remains totally electric and a highlight of the film but I think just as much as the film is about Al’s deterioration it’s about Seth’s journey too. Bullock arrived into Deadwood to establish some law in this most lawless of places. This film is about him trying to maintain those values in the face of Hearst. In the film’s climatic moments when Seth is dragging Hearst handcuffed to the station Deadwood civilians grab a hold of Hearst and begin beating him to death. For a moment Bullock stops and almost allows the thing he has fought against for so long to happen, because he like most of Deadwood would probably like to see Hearst dead, but when he sees his wife Martha run away, he stops it.

The scene between him and Sam, singing together as the latter is in bed recovering subtly evokes the death of Bullock’s son in season two of the show and is an incredibly powerful moment and a rare one where we see him breakdown. In his final moments he returns to his wife and announces “I’m home.” As he kisses her it feels a triumphant moment but is it just another agreed upon lie? While the film isn’t able to explore it to the level it would maybe have liked to, the connection between Bullock and Alma is there for all to see, including Martha. Bullock has no real choice though but to live with the decision he made years ago to be with Martha, particularly now that they have a family again.

Fittingly we end with Al and those defiant final words. And it’s that writing by Milch that has always really elevated this show above so much else. With or without Alzheimer’s, writers much better than myself could spend millions of hours in front of keyboard typing before they got close to writing a line with lyricism, meaning and poetic profanity Milch laces every piece of dialogue with.  

There are some fairly obvious holes to be picked here. Much as it feels a bit like what season 4 of Deadwood would have been, you could also argue it feels slightly like a rehash of the final few episodes, with one of Deadwood’s more likable inhabitants being murdered by Hearst and with Al and Bullock trying to deal with Hearst’s wanting Trixie dead. Having Trixie reveal herself to still be alive to Hearst also feels a bit cheap and more generally you could argue that this film does not do a whole lot to actually resolve a lot of the loose threads left by the series finale. But honestly I don’t really care. Having those characters, those performances by McShane, Weigert and Olyphant and those words of Milch on our screens again is more than enough for me.

A-

[cagirl9270]

I’m posting this now before Supernatural actually ends. It’s just something I thought of. I don’t want it to end at all, but this theory came to me and I went with it.

Chuck is not God as he claims to be, and thank heavens for that because he would make a dreadful one. I have been thinking about the possible outcome of the end of Supernatural for sometime now, and with Covid-19 stunting production and just about everything else on the planet—hey we never wanted Supernatural to end anyway, so here we have it, not ending—I have had time to ponder things.

Chuck is not God, he is, however, a genius. He is a talented writer who has studied the King James Version of the Bible, along with every kind of monster lore there is because it fascinated him. He has loved making up wonderful and terrifying stories since he was young. His father was even, at one time concerned for his well-being and pushed him to play sports. He hated it, but did, as an obedient son. When his father wasn’t around, he continued to write as it was his true passion. He felt it was his gift. He felt in charge. He felt like a god. He could control every circumstance. He could control the weather if he wanted to. He could create a world with only monsters. He did. He decided there was such a place, but he didn’t have a name for it yet, so he called it The Monster World, just so he wouldn’t forget it was there. Soon Chuck created his own earth, with his own people. Of course this earth was just like this one. It was what he knew, what he studied, but then he added some elements into his earth that ours didn’t have.

Chuck brought demons into his world, vampires, wendigos, shape shifters, ghosts, and every other thing that goes bump in the night. Chuck made them real on his earth. Now his earth needed someone who would be willing to fight these things. He didn’t want Super heroes. That had been done to death. He wanted humans. He wanted humans that would fight for their lives for the sake of the human race. He wanted that because maybe his own world lacked that. So Chuck created two young men. He decided they were brothers, but that wasn’t enough. Just being brothers fighting against monsters for the sake of humanity? People would want to understand why! So being a god, Chuck created the Winchester family, a family that on the surface would seem suburban. Husband, Wife, and two children. But it would go so much deeper than that. And all along, Chuck knew how the story was going to play out.

Now we all know how it starts, so I will skip ahead a bit. But instead of the books being kind of underground and a cult classic, they are big like the show, and for the sake of this commentary, the show itself doesn’t exist only the books do, Chuck is increasingly aware of his power to create. He is getting a little in over his head in the season 3 area which would be closing in around book 60 if we assume each episode represents a book. So now he has reached wild fame (think Harry Potter/Game of Thrones) and maybe there are talks of TV or movies. But Chuck doesn’t want that. Remember how elusive he actually was in the show. So he sends Dean to hell believing that would end the series. The producers often left on a note that would close the series, in case they were not picked up in the fall. When the books were not enough the fans demanded more.

Now in season 4, Chuck the Prophet was writing again. He was called a prophet because he didn’t want the boys to know he was God. That can still be viable here as Chuck is becoming so attached to his books and therefore more convinced that he is a god. This is when Sam and Dean become self aware for the first time. It scared Chuck. In fact, it skewed his reality so much that he decided to end it for good because it was too much. He decided that this time Sam would say yes to Lucifer, he would go to hell and Dean would finally get that life he deserved. The End? Do you remember that Chuck ended it with a question mark? He did.

Once again, the writers/producers left it open should the show come back. Chuck wasn’t ready to give up his world either. It was so perfectly created and Sam and Dean were his favorites. He brought them back by popular demand but to keep reality from blending with fantasy he left Sam without a soul, threw in Mother Eve, so that the boys would forget they were real.

Then the leviathan came and a lot of Dick jokes happened because Chuck was having fun screwing with everyone. And I believe he met Becky in real life and that they dated, and that she dumped him because he was crazy, and by this time he was an alcoholic. She also couldn’t help but notice how strangely and oddly connected he was to Sam and Dean. Don’t get her wrong, she loved the boys too, but they were fictional. And having her put a spell on Sam in one of the books just so he would marry her, was a low blow she thought.

By the eight season or mid 100s at this point of writing, we are looking at the trials and throwing the biggest massive shit the boys have ever seen; including a Knight from Hell. When they meet the scribe of god, he's small, old, and more crazy old man than an angel who scribed god’s word. But let’s look a little closer at Metatron for a minute: when we meet him he speaks of writing and storytelling and how it is like being a god. I am not sure if Metatron/Marv is a real person to Chuck, perhaps a past teacher or crazy uncle. Whoever he is, he seems to be someone Chuck trusts. Think of season 11 when Chuck is writing and his book is a suicide note.

This brings me to Amara. I think she may be real too. Marv brings Amara to Chuck (not Dean—though in the series/books it is, of course, otherwise) In this version, Marv brings Amara to Chuck to save him because he tried to kill himself because he was going crazy. He could no longer tell what was real. He was having full blown conversations with Sam and Dean, as well as Lucifer and Castiel. He couldn’t take it anymore. His world was slowly dying. Remember at the climax of 11, when Amara injured Chuck and the world started to die? It was her that ultimately saved Chuck.

Since Marv was encouraging Chuck to write, Amara told him to stay out of Chuck’s life that he was poisoning his mind. Amara (in the series) killed Metatron—painfully—so Chuck might see his banishment as death.

All is right with the world, except it felt unfinished. Chuck had to complete his story. The boys were not together. They needed unity. They needed family. They needed, their mother. But it’s never that easy. Chuck decided to keep writing; despite his sister’s wishes. She left him again. He did what he did best. He wrote and gave the fans more. Of course, The Men of Letters was not his best work, but he had bigger plans. He just needed the boys to be distracted. If they were distracted, it meant they were quiet. They didn’t talk to him. They were busy. They had work to do.

Then, Chuck got careless and decided to make a baby. It had been done so many times before. But this time it would be different. Satan’s baby was not going to be good or evil. It was up to the world, to the child, and well, as luck would have it Chuck! He was god after all.

As Chuck continued on this path, he grew deeper and deeper into his psychosis of him being a god. He began creating alternate universes all containing Sam’s and Dean’s. Sometimes everything was backwards, sometimes it was all yellow, and sometimes they were squirrels, but his first Sam and Dean, our Sam and Dean remained his favorite.

Chuck medicated himself with alcohol, with prescription drugs, anything he could think of to silence his characters. They were so loud and demanded his attention. He couldn’t make them handle their world alone anymore. “Free will” as he called it, much like what he learned in the Bible wasn’t working. His characters demanded answers. Chuck was losing the battle worse than ever before. He reached out to Amara, but she couldn’t handle his mental issues anymore and begged him to check himself into a hospital.

Desperate for reality and maybe even validation, Chuck reaches out to Becky only to find out she is married and has children. This is where it finally unravels and he loses all control. Chuck writes Becky off in the most literal sense. He obliterates her in his story along with her family. They are all gone. The story continues to get scarier and bloodier with him at the helm as a vengeful and wrathful god. Sam and Dean are warriors though and they fight valiantly. They will no longer have their lives played out or dictated by Chuck. It is by their rules.

In the end, the bitter end, Chuck is found alone in his hospital room with words written all over the walls, he is on the floor and writing furiously. Amara is being escorted in by Dr. John Winchester and Dr. Mary Campbell. Perhaps, Cas is a nurse, Sam and Dean are brothers but they are patients, and part of the group therapy sessions. Each of the supporting characters playing some role in his reality, that is now a mental institution with us not knowing how long he has been there or Chuck himself. The last thing he writes, “Carry on…”

[outlanderlush]

SAM HEUGHAN

By William Shatner Photography David Bailey

Published April 25, 2016

I understand that you have these contraptions for women called a Shewee, which means women can stand up to go to the bathroom, and that’s good. That makes men and women more equal. Sam Heughan

In every sense, Sam Heughan is the stuff of fantasy. No fan base in the world rides harder for the pinup of their choice than the Heughligans—who in turn have cast him as the star of their fantasies, in large part, as a result of his role in Starz’s steamy time-travel soap Outlander, which returned for its second season in April (the #droutlander is over!!).  

On the show, the 36-year-old Heughan plays the dreamy but star-crossed lover Jamie, a Highlander in 18th-century Scotland. In real life, Heughan grew up in the shadows of a 17th-century castle in Southwest Scotland, and his career has been no less fabulous. While still attending classes at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2003, he was nominated for an Olivier Award. Ten years and several TV roles later, he landed Outlander and the part that launched a zillion ‘shippers. 

And still, the fantasia does not end there for Heughan, as we discovered when we spoke to him last year. Turns out, there was a little (very little; hobbit-sized, in fact) something of the mystical traveler in him from the get-go.

“Are you really named after Samwise Gamgee?” we asked.

“Well, yes,” he said. “On my birth certificate, it’s just Sam, but my brother does have a name from The Lord of the Rings. It’s Cirdan—he was the shipwright at the end of Lord of the Rings that takes them across to wherever it is they all go when the elves leave the earth. My family were pretty big hippies.”

“Did you identify with Samwise when you read the books as a child?”

“It always was like, ‘I don’t want to be that one!’ because he’s so nice and honorable and good. And I wanted to be Bilbo; I wanted to be more dangerous, less dependable. It’s funny, though—as a child, you’re already thinking, ‘Who do I want to be and how do I see myself portrayed?’ ”

Which made us curious. Over e-mail recently, we wondered, “Are you much of an escapist or fantasist?”

“I guess I’m quite practical,” Heughan wrote. “Or at least like to think I am. I do tend to lose myself in whatever job I’m doing or hobby I’m into. (Currently, I love fitness activities—I have run many marathons, triathlons; I spent Christmas and New Year’s in Thailand training at a Muay Thai gym.)”

“So, are you a fan of sci-fi?”

“I love sci-fi. Growing up, I was a big fan of the Alienseries, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, etcetera. Plus, anything apocalyptic—I Am Legend, 1984, Battlestar Galactica … I find end-of-the-world stuff enthralling—to imagine how life will be in the future on Earth and in space!” 

While on a press trip to the fantastical city of the future, Tokyo—or, perhaps, on a mission to discard a ring of pure power in some distant land—Heughan got on the phone with another sci-fi stud, William Shatner himself, to talk about real love, real haggis, and really bad gas.

WILLIAM SHATNER: Say, it’s the middle of the night there, isn’t it?

SAM HEUGHAN: It’s a half past seven in the morning. Happy birthday.

SHATNER: Thank you so much for the bottle. I’ll treasure it and drink it really slowly, thinking good thoughts about you in Australia. Tell me what you’re doing.

HEUGHAN: I’m currently in Tokyo and it’s pretty mental. We went out yesterday and had a look around, but I got pretty ill. We were supposed to go to this amazing sushi bar and … I don’t know what I ate on the flight, but it wasn’t good. So my first day in Tokyo was a bit of a letdown.

SHATNER: And those bathrooms are so small.

HEUGHAN: I think I’m falling into some sort of relationship with this toilet.

SHATNER: You get a porcelain fixation and you sort of hug the bowl.

HEUGHAN: You can hug the bowl, but also, this one washes you, it can give you a massage.

SHATNER: It’s actually better than a girlfriend.

HEUGHAN: I think we might be falling in love.

SHATNER: [laughs] Are you shooting in Japan?

HEUGHAN: No, we’re here for press and we’ve got some fan events. There were some fans that waited for me to get off the airplane last night at 4 a.m. And they brought me lots of gifts, including some Japanese whiskey, which I didn’t send you.

SHATNER: Suntory.

HEUGHAN: This one is Hibiki.

SHATNER: Their beers are really good. I was in Tokyo and Osaka, and that’s really a beautiful place if you can get there—on a bullet train it’s a couple of hours. Do you like Japanese food?

HEUGHAN: Yeah. I’m extremely excited to just eat sushi and obviously have some good beer. I’m a big fan of Kirin and Asahi and all that.

SHATNER: I had an event here yesterday, about 20 people. There was somebody lecturing, and in the middle of her talking, somebody farted. Everyone looked at everybody else because it was outside, and there was no directional sound. But I knew it was the lady speaking because I was close-up. [laughs] Have you ever been in one of those situations?

HEUGHAN: I just had one in Australia.

SHATNER: Tell me about it.

HEUGHAN: We were doing an interview on live television, and there were like five of us on the sofa, five interviewees chatting. And they brought out some haggis for the presenters to try. And haggis, as you know, is a delicious Scottish dish that should be eaten on occasion but—

SHATNER: Delicious only to the Scots, Sam.

HEUGHAN: Well, I think the …

SHATNER: Only to the Scots, Sam.

HEUGHAN: Well, it’s a delicious …

SHATNER: Only to the Scots.

HEUGHAN: That’s why we send it to you guys so you can try it as well.

SHATNER: No, no you send it to us so we realize how fierce the Scots really are.

HEUGHAN: How fierce our stomachs are.

SHATNER: Right. So everybody ate it, and then what happened?

HEUGHAN: Well, as it came out on a platter, I thought it looked uncooked. There was this terrible stench and it smelled like someone had, I don’t know, lost control of their bowels.

SHATNER: That’s really what haggis is, you know.

HEUGHAN: Well, exactly. But I think everyone else thought someone had farted, and we’re all sitting there talking on this couch, and I was convinced it was one of the other presenters. And they probably all thought, “Who is this very smelly Scotsman?” But they all proceeded to try the haggis, and I think they’re probably going to be very, very ill.

SHATNER: [laughs] The person was never found out? Well, once it’s in gas form, it’s difficult to determine its origin.

HEUGHAN: [laughs] That’s true. We need to develop a system. They probably had one on Star Trek, didn’t they? So that you could track somebody by their—

SHATNER: Well, no. But do you have dogs? We have dogs, and you can tell which dog is passing air by the smell.

HEUGHAN: Uh, great.

SHATNER: Have you ever been able to identify somebody by the smell of their methane gas?

HEUGHAN: I don’t think I have. What do yours smell like?

SHATNER: Well, roses and daffodils really.

HEUGHAN: Daffodils, wow.

SHATNER: Have you ever been in bed with someone who passed air? Do you mention it or ignore it? What’s your custom?

HEUGHAN: I think it’s probably more gentlemanly to ignore it. Is it not? Unless it’s someone you know very well. How many people do you get in bed with that pass gas?

SHATNER: It depends whether I’ve offered them haggis or not.

HEUGHAN: Or a half a bottle of whiskey.

SHATNER: Yes, Suntory particularly. [laughs] There was a commercial here about eliminating gas from your system, and at the end of the commercial, there are two people in bed and the lady lifts up a blanket and wiggles the blanket, airing it out a little bit. It’s a subtle note that somebody with a fun sense of humor used on a commercial. But it really is a matter of how well you know somebody, isn’t it?

HEUGHAN: I think it is, and maybe when you can do that, you know that you’ve gotten really close to someone.

SHATNER: Now, that’s interesting. So is that the moment of love, when they pass gas in your presence and nobody’s self-conscious about it?

HEUGHAN: I think you might be on to something here.

SHATNER: The criteria of love is if you can accuse them of doing it. It’s evil, but necessary. A true test. If they accept the guilt when you know it’s yours, you know they love you. That’s brings them down to the street level, and do you want to put your lady on a pedestal, or do you want her on the porcelain toilet?

HEUGHAN: Probably a Japanese toilet.

SHATNER: It’s so complex.

HEUGHAN: It’s just so good. I think I’d rather justhave a Japanese toilet. I understand that you have these contraptions for women called a Shewee, which means women can stand up to go to the bathroom, and that’s good. That makes men and women more equal. They have them in the military.

SHATNER: I never thought of that. But, if the troops are mixed, do the ladies go in the same place the guys go?

HEUGHAN: I guess so, yeah. I guess if you’re in the military, you’ve got to be quick and, therefore, you can go anywhere I suppose.

SHATNER: It can be lethal. I wonder if you can smell a soldier coming by the MREs they’re eating.

HEUGHAN: What are MREs?

SHATNER: Meals, Ready-to-Eat. I guess they’re precooked and all you have to do is heat them up.

HEUGHAN: Oh, Christ. I bet they were bad then.

SHATNER: They must have been bad, but not as bad as Spam or something like that.

HEUGHAN: Or haggis, yeah.

SHATNER: Well, the Scots used haggis while they were on marches, didn’t they? Wasn’t that the whole reason? It didn’t rot too easily?

HEUGHAN: I’m not sure if that’s quite true, but they would make porridge and get a bit of blood from an animal. You’d bleed an animal a little bit and put it in the porridge. You’d basically have bloody oatmeal, which is very nutritious I think.

SHATNER: Well, depending on whose blood you took.

HEUGHAN: Yeah, you don’t want to bleed out your horse too much, otherwise, you’re not going to go anywhere. Are you having a good birthday, though?

SHATNER: I think I’ve exhausted that subject completely. Where do you go from Japan?

HEUGHAN: I’m coming to see you. I’m expecting to see you in Los Angeles next week.

SHATNER: You come here and I’ll take you to the best sushi. I’ve been to Tokyo and other places in Japan, and I’ve never found sushi as good as the place right near us in Los Angeles.

HEUGHAN: That’s a deal.

WILLIAM SHATNER IS AN ACTOR, AUTHOR, AND FILMMAKER. HE HAS WON TWO EMMYS AND A GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD. 

[toaquiprashippar]

My Rewatch Notes :)

Hiiiiii guys!

I know everyone’s been doing their own rewatch and I’m sure none of the things I’ll write here will be news but I just thought I would share a few things I noticed as I watched everything. I think It’s actually my first COMPLETE rewatch, I freaking loved it. I just finished it and I’m in tears. BUT I did take some notes and commented on them here, so here goes nothing. LOL

SEASON 1

I love how when Jon claims he’s not a Stark, he finds his direwolf which is the ultimate proof yuup he is one.

The fact that Robert threatens Ned with the very things Joffrey does after? Damn, this show is cruel.

Maester Aemon’s words tends to stay with Jon and I bet your ass he will think back to Maester Aemon’s words on how honor is nothing compared to the love of a family. He thought Ned would always choose honor because he always did the right thing, yet he compromised his honor for Jon, which Jon thought he would neeeever…I know he’ll be upset at first but have you ever considered how deeply this will strike him? How he will realize he’s been deeply loved this entire time?

SEASON 2

Was not a bad season, actually it was a very good one but I didn’t take many notes here, sorry. 

But we cannot avoid mentioning the House of the Undying, Dany does not touch the throne and goes to what it looks like the Wall. Do notice that when she’s in the throne room, The Red Keep seems to be destroyed. Not like it was in s7, but maybe how it will be in s8? But she does change her course to go to what her heart’s desire, love, family. She is so happy to see her former husband and her baby, but she leaves them because she knows they’re not real. The dragons call her and she returns to them, it doesn’t mean she’ll never get to the throne room again or that she will never rule, it means that had other priorities at some point, but her children reminded her of reality and she went back for them.  I’m saying this because people love to use this as a foreshadowing for her not becoming a Queen. So if you’re going there, I am as well. 

SEASON 3

Arya telling Gendry he can be her family is a total foreshadowing to me and no one will ever change my mind but you are allowed to rub it in my face if s8 ends and they’re not together, although you’ll be making fun of a sad shipper.

Littlefinger actually describes many of the upcoming deaths as he speaks to Sweetrobin, I nearly fell off my chair the moment I realized that one LOL SO FREAKING CLEVER, It’s one of the reasons why I love this show.

SEASON 4

Tyrion’s speech at his trial is one of the best scenes of the entire show. Of any character! That’s it, thanks for coming to season 4 and my ted talk. 

SEASON 5

Tyrion asks Ser Jorah when will they go back to build cities like Valyria, I thought: “Hmmmmmm, maybe a hope for the future? Nothing is said without a reason at this amazing show.”

I really hope Jaime saying he wants to die in the arms of the woman he loves does not mean that I get to see Jaime dying in Brienne’s arms. Or else there’ll be tears. LOADS. Like hours of it. 

This one is nothing new, I just wanted to point out that Jon refused a beautiful woman like Melisandre because he was still in love with Ygritte, yet…he slept with Daenerys. Y’all know where I’m going with this but I just would not miss the opportunity to point it out! :D

It’s pretty obvious by now, but I loved how Sam assured Olly that Jon always comes back, maybe this was a foreshadowing for only S6E2, but who knows, for s8? A fangirl can dream.

SEASON 6

Theon says he will never be able to make amends for the things that he’s done for the Starks, maybe he will…in s8? I know he’s saved Sansa and that’s a good way to redeem yourself, but he was partially to blame for Robb and Catelyn’s deaths (he betrayed and weakened Robb’s campaign), Rickon’s as well since he only ends up where he did because he escaped Theon in the first place. Maybe this is how he goes? If he does at all, I mean. Maybe he either saves Bran or Sansa? Just thought it was worth mentioning.

Tommen tells Cersei all the things he should have done to the High Sparrow, and some of those stuff like killing the man and destroying the Sept, our Mad Queen actually does, so I thought that was actually a clever and discreet one.

Olenna tells Cersei she’s alone, surrounded by thousands of enemies, left by her brother and all the family she had. She asks Cersei what would she do, kill everyone? Well, I bet she’ll try at some point in s8, and I though this sounded like a proper foreshadowing. I’ll let you guys decide for yourselves.

Is it just me or we get to the see the face the Waif wears as she attack Arya on the bridge when she first meets the Hall of Faces?

Arya deciding who she is, yup, I cried AGAIN. 

One of my biggest problems with Sansa was her behavior towards the Battle of the Bastards, she could have saved maaaaany lives just by saying a few words. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and mine of her changed after 6.09, not gonna lie. 

Sansa murdering Ramsay was probably one of my favoirte Sansa moments of all show. 

SEASON 7

Arya amazingly starts the season with the beeeeautiful words: “leave one wolf alive and the sheep are never safe.”, right? Well, next episode Olenna clears things up telling Danny is no sheep, she’s a dragon, therefore to be a dragon. If Dany is no sheep, then a diehard fan can assume she’s safe? Or not and just ignore me LOL

Jaime being told Cersei will be the death of him by Olenna kind of breaks my heart because fuck she will :( That’s a sad but accurate foreshadowing to me, honestly. PLUS: ‘TELL CERSEI, I WANT HER TO KNOW IT WAS ME’ will always be one of the best quotes in Game of Thrones!

Jon punching Littlefinger has nothing to do with him being in love with Sansa, he’s protecting the sister he knows been through enough shit, especially when it comes to men. Sorry to burst some shippers bubble. 

Melisandre letting us know Varys and her will be killed this season, WAY TO SPOILER THE SHOW, bitch. LOL

WHY THE FUCK WOULD THE HOUND THROW STONES AT THESE BITCHES? Sandor, bitch, I expected more from you.

Drogon is so close to the NK, and Rhaegal is not far behind, why would he attack Viserion? Maybe because he knows something we don’t and I’m eager to learn. It’s not a foreshadowing, just a questioning.

The way Rhaegal cries in the back as Jon gets pissed and attacks it’s almost as if we’re seeing the physical manifestation of his pain, it’s his pure connection to his Targaryen blood. That scene is amazing and I don’t have words to say how this “little” thing affected me.

The way everyone is shocked beyond words when Viserion dies is amazing, nothing is deadlier than dragons in the world of Ice and Fire, and for them to see a mighty creature as a dragon to be murder by this villain, shows them how helpless they are and how serious the threat is, if a dragon is not invincible, what does that make them? If a dragon can be killed, anyone else can as well. It’s a short moment but one that says a lot to me. Powerful af.

ONE WORD: CLEGANEBOWL.

“Jon is young and unmarried. Daenerys is young and unmarried…together they would be difficult to defeat.” I would love to take that as a foreshadowing, so keep it mind, Cersei and everyone else out for my babes.

BTW, can we talk about Ser Jorah’s ‘fuck me’ face when Dany tells that she and Jon will sail together, AND YOU CAN SEE THE HIDDEN MISCHIEF IN JON’S EYES! LOL I live for that.

Jon telling Theon how he does not have to choose, that he’s both a Greyjoy and a Stark is a delicious foreshadowing to me on how he’ll come in terms with his own parentage reveal in time, he’ll see that he is not only a Stark and a Targaryen but also a Snow, and for him to somehow be in peace with it. I can’t wait, honestly.

I think it makes sense that Arya and Sansa won’t like Dany at first, Daenerys is beautiful and charming, they will think Jon is in love or smt, I mean…can you blame them for being wary of anyone outside their family? But I bet all of your asses that in time, they’ll see Dany for what she truly is, not just worthy, but family as well. That line at the end of 7.06 between Dany and Jon could very well mean this! :)

So, just to point out a thought: Jaime and Cersei’s child will not be born and the dead will probably come South. UGH, season 8 cannot come soon enough!

“He loved her...and she loved him.” But sure, political!j0n 

In a season that defines identities, such as Arya with her ‘Home’ theme, Bran claiming to be the Three Eyed Raven and not Bran anymore, Sansa to be totally comfortable with her place as Lady of Winterfell… Jon leaves Winterfell and goes to Dragonstone (to seek dragonglass but we know what he finds…love, and we find his identity). Not to mention he finishes the season going back to Winterfell, but also with the promise of going back South again to fight for Dany. If that’s not a claim on his identity, IDK WHAT IS.

It's hardly a final project for a degree or masters but I thought it was worth writing down a few things that caught my attention. Whatever I did not write, I was probably either too lazy or too comfortable lying down to take notes.

Anyway, what do you guys think?

[nightqueendany]

The Original Final Season 7 - Episode 1: Family, Duty, Honor

This is a combination of events from “show canon” and what I believe would have happened in the “Original Final Season 7.”

Should be noted that King’s Landing is gray and not sunny and the weather gets worse as the season progresses. It does not stay sunny at all...because that’s just fucking stupid.

IN THE RIVERLANDS

The episode opens in the same fashion as the show canon 7x01, Arya Stark as Walder Frey, taking out the rest of the Frey men

After walking out of the hall, Arya heads to the dungeons and frees Edmure Tully. Arya tells him what she’s done, the Riverlands belong to House Tully again. Edmure asks what Arya will do now and she says she’s heading back home, her brother Jon is now KITN. 

Edmure, honoring the previous pledge he made to House Stark, asks Arya to send his pledge to Jon; the Riverlands will remain under Stark rule, under the King in the North

On her journey North, Arya runs into the Brotherhood Without Banners and the Hound. She’s still pissed at them for what they did to Gendry. As reparation, the Brotherhood decide to accompany Arya to Winterfell to see her safely home

IN THE FAR NORTH

The Winter Winds are rising, the Night King and his massive army of the undead march south...

AT THE WALL

Bran Stark makes it safely south of the Wall with the help of Meera and the Black Brothers. 

As Bran’s there, preparing to leave for Winterfell, we notice several of the Black Brothers are in incredibly bad health - either due to illness, lack of supplies, the cold, or some combination.

In looking for medicine/supplies, Lord Commander Edd Tollett comes across some of Sam’s old things, a cloak with a few remaining shards of dragonglass in it AND The Horn of Winter (though Edd doesn’t know what it is)

IN KING’S LANDING

Cersei Lannister - in losing all her allies and discovering news of the Frey massacre, Jon/Sansa ruling the North, and Dany/Tyrion coming to Westeros - becomes more obsessed with the Younger More Beautiful Queen prophecy. 

Because Sansa would be Jon’s heir if he dies and therefore QITN, Cersei isn’t certain if the YMBQ is Sansa or Dany, yet is convinced it’s one of them. This is when Cersei tells Qyburn to send word to Jon to come south to bend the knee to her

Cersei tells Jaime of the YMBQ prophecy and he worries for her mental state - having just lost Tommen, their last child...

...Until Qyburn reveals Cersei is pregnant. Cersei is then convinced this means the prophecy was indeed wrong, as she will now have more children than the prophecy foretold of

But, Jaime still worries about her as her actions and emotions are all over the place

IN OLDTOWN

Samwell Tarly finds out about the dragonglass on Dragonstone and writes to Jon

Sam also has his argument with Archmaester Ebros about the Army of the Dead, after which he steals the books from the Restricted Section of the library

IN WINTERFELL

Jon Snow receives Cersei’s raven scroll about “suffering the fate of all traitors”

Jon also receives word from Sam about the dragonglass on Dragonstone. 

Petry Baelish informs Jon and Sansa that he’s heard rumor Daenerys Targaryen is on her way to Westeros with Tyrion Lannister and Lord Varys at her side, along with the allegiance of several key regions of Westeros - Dorne, The Reach, The Iron Islands - he says she will likely land on Dragonstone

Before Jon and Sansa can process this information or weigh its pros and cons, they’re informed of someone at the gate:

Bran has arrived. Jon and Sansa are beside themselves with joy, (Bran is not robo Bran, he’s normal Bran), Jon tells Bran “You’ve finally made it back home…” CUT TO:

ON DRAGONSTONE 

Daenerys Targaryen arrives in Westeros, she’s finally made it back home as well

The title of the episode comes from Arya’s rescuing Edmure and getting revenge for her mother’s death by killing all the Freys. We’ve had many episodes named after house words, but never House Tully so this finally honors them. It’s also the theme of the episode. 

Episode 1 Inside the Episode: Family, Duty, Honor

1a) The Cold Open - Arya kills all the Freys:

Yes, I know the original Cold Open of 7x01 show canon was the White Walkers, but I’m assuming D&D would have made the same executive decision in post to swap that scene with this one because it’s so badass. So there you go.

1b) Arya heading home immediately:

Back in 6x10 Arya tells Jaqen that she’s Arya Stark of Winterfell and she’s going home. So why did she head to the Riverlands first to kill the Freys, just to want to go back south to kill Cersei? 

Such bullshit. Arya wanted to go home. And if she thought the Boltons still had Winterfell, she’d want to kill them too. She’s a faceless assassin. They killed her mother and brother. She’d want them dead as much as Walder Frey. She snuck into the Twins, a place she’s never been, to kill them all. Winterfell, her home, would be a piece of cake to take from the Boltons. And geographically, it makes sense for her to continue heading North after the Twins anyway. Otherwise why not kill Cersei in King’s Landing first, then head North to the Riverlands, then finally home to Winterfell, where she told Jaqen she was going? Cersei might have always been on Arya’s list, but in 6x10, Arya wanted to go back to Winterfell. That should have remained her plan. D&D retconned this to delay Arya’s return to Winterfell in S7 for their idiotic Starkbowl plot. Which we all know was pointless filler because they had split the seasons and added three extra episodes.

And side note: Of course Arya would meet up with the Brotherhood. We know they’re in the Riverlands (based on them staying at that house with the father and daughter Sandor had previously screwed over). They had to meet up. It’s stupid that they didn’t in canon.

1c) Edmure pledging to Jon:

This one is a no-brainer. Of course the Riverlands would side with the North in the war against Cersei (which hasn’t happened yet, but with Jon being declared KITN, it’s only a matter of time). This move makes Jon the King of ALL the Northernmost Kingdoms and puts him in a really really powerful position - and an appealing position for any single ladies out there looking to secure an alliance *cough*Dany*cough*.

2) Sam’s raven:

Jon should have gotten word from Sam about the dragonglass in 7x01. Anyone who regularly reads my metas should remember, I have mentioned several times that the timing of Jon’s receipt of Sam’s raven is off. Sam sends Jon the raven in 7x01. Tyrion sends Jon a raven in 7x02. But Jon receives Tyrion’s raven first so, nope. Huge tip-off of a retcon. Jon should have gotten Sam’s raven first.

3) Baelish being the one to tell the Starks about Daenerys going to Dragonstone:

This another no-brainer and we already had hints of this in 7x07 show canon. Baelish has been keeping tabs on Dany, he just doesn’t ever get to really show this. “I’ve heard the dragon queen is quite beautiful.” Just as Qyburn had info on Drogon being injured in the fighting pits of Meereen, Baelish should have information on Daenerys, her advisors, and her movements. Why would he know she’s beautiful, but not know anything else about her when this is his primary function in the series?

Baelish, like Sam, Varys, and Bran, is an “information guy”. His job is to know things and inform the other characters, mostly to his own benefit. So Baelish having knowledge of Dany heading for Dragonstone, as Cersei had this knowledge in 7x01, just makes sense. And this way, when Tyrion sends the raven to Dragonstone next episode, it will be something Jon has been anticipating, because of course the first thing Dany will want to do when reaching Westeros, is gain more allies and allying with the North makes the most sense. 

4) Cersei’s onset of madness:

We know this was where the plot was supposed to go, what with the miscarriage from 7x07 and everything. Cersei has already mentioned the YMBQ prophecy to Jaime before, telling him about how she knew their children would all die and that he couldn’t have stopped Myrcella’s death. 

With Tommen’s death still fresh in mind, it would make sense this prophecy would come up again. Season 7 Cersei really doesn’t need much of a push into madness and her obsessing over this prophecy, especially with Dany on her way to Westeros, is a natural progression for her character. At the end of S6, D&D promised us that a Cersei without her children would be “very dangerous” and it was never delivered to us. A prophecy-obsessed Cersei would definitely deliver. 

5) And finally, Castle Black:

We were so fucked out of seeing more of the Night’s Watch in the last two seasons in show canon. Edd finding the Horn of Winter in Sam’s old room will be incredibly important and be a final, long awaited pay-off for the scene from Season 2 in which Sam first discovered the dragonglass at the Fist of the First Men, when the horn was first shown to the audience. 

Aaaaaand that’s it for Episode 1! I know it’s short and for the most part looks very similar to show canon, so I will post Episode 2 as well today, though you guys will have to wait until next week for Episode 3.

Original Final Season 7: Preface Post

Season 7 Episode 1: Family, Duty, Honor (current episode)

Season 7 Episode 2: Greywater Watch

Season 7 Episode 3: The Last of the Dragons

Season 7 Episode 4: Dragonglass

Season 7 Episode 5: The Storm

Season 7 Episode 6: Summerhall 

Season 7 Episode 7: A City Fit For A King

Season 7 Episode 8: Protectors of the Realm

Season 7 Episode 9: The Battle For The Dawn

Season 7 Episode 10: ?

[worldsbuild]

🎁what do they want most? what are they willing to sacrifice to get it?

SEND ME A MEET AND GREET MEME! // still accepting

🎁 – what do they want most? what are they willing to sacrifice to get it?

Honestly, more than anything else, Chuck wants control. I’d like to think that’s a season 14/15 thing, but it’s there in season 11 as well. Heck, it’s even there in season 4. Chuck says to Dean and Castiel in 4.22, “You guys aren’t supposed to be there [at St. Mary’s convent] you’re not in this story”. And then again, 11.20, he says to Metatron, “This isn’t [Amara’s] story. It’s mine.” If I had to name one thing Chuck wants, it’s control. He describes himself “being”, and Amara as “nothingness” – everything in his worlds is his. He made it, he’s God, Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, yada yada yada, and therefore, he gets to control it. That’s his right, as the author of the universe.

As for what he’s willing to sacrifice to get it? That’s tough to answer. Initially, he sacrificed his sister, the Darkness, what Metatron describes as “the only thing he’d ever known”. Now, while it could be seen as selfless – Chuck sealing away his evil big sister, the Darkness, to keep his precious creation safe (Chuck himself says, in 11.21, that “the world needed to be born”) from her wrathful destruction – it is also very selfish. He wanted to tap into his creative powers, to make something other than himself, to explore what he could do, and make worlds. Amara says that he did it to make himself Lord, to bring things into being. And that’s true. Chuck locked away his other half, the yang to his yin, the Darkness to his Light, so he could have total control over his story. Amara is his only equal, his celestial antithesis, and he sacrificed her for his control.

Another thing he’s willing to sacrifice for control is connection. Look at Sam and Dean, and how he treated them in the season 14 finale. He was their buddy before, because it suited his story at the time – in seasons 4 and 5, he was the prophet Chuck, and then he was the relatable dad Chuck in season 11, because those roles suited where he wanted to be in the story. He was the wizard behind the curtain, the secret puppet master, but still happy to let “his guys”, Sam and Dean, have free will. He says it himself, in the beautiful 5.22 speech, “I’d say this was a test, for Sam and Dean. And I think they did all right. Up against […] God himself, they made their own choice. They chose family. And, well… isn’t that kinda the whole point?” For a long time, he let the brothers have control over their own story, and let it play out how they wanted, just to see where it went without his involvement. Until he wasn’t.

He sacrificed a lot when he “outed” himself as the master manipulator of Sam and Dean’s story. He sacrificed their trust, their friendship, that rapport they’d built in season 11. He sacrificed Sam’s starry-eyed awe, Dean’s begrudging acceptance, the tentative respect both the boys had for him as God-with-a-capital-G. And he sacrificed all that for control over the story, because he lost his temper and wanted things to go his way, so he demanded that Dean pick up the gun and shoot Jack, he told them all “this isn’t how the story’s supposed to end”. And, in doing so, he sacrificed the one thing that, I think, he’s always sacrificed for the sake of control. It’s the same thing he sacrificed when he locked Amara away at the beginning of time. Family.

[violethowler]

No News is Good News: Dissecting the timeline of the Second Colony

With Lotor’s role in the second half of season 8 edited out, we are left with many unanswered questions about the Altean Colony and what Lotor was doing at the lunar outpost. Two rather significant ones are the questions of when and why the facility was shut down before Keith and Krolia’s arrival.

Romelle’s flashbacks are vague about the timing of when these events took place in relation to the series timeline, but what we were initially presented with on the surface in Season 6 seems to suggest that Lotor shut down the second colony several years before the return of Voltron. I’d argue that the shuttering of the Second Colony happened more recently than that. Much more recently.

Let’s rewind things to Season 3, Episode 6 “Tailing a Comet”.

In this episode, Team Voltron attempts to track the trans reality comet Lotor stole at the end of S3E4 Hole in the Sky. In the course of their search, they find Lotor’s generals attacking a Galra base under the command of Throk. The base contains a fragment of the large Teludav the heroes used as part of their plan to defeat Zarkon in S2E12 “Best Laid Plans”. Lotor’s generals attempt to steal the Teludav, but Team Voltron is able to trick Acxa into destroying it. Lotor is angred by the loss of the Teludav, but expresses satisfaction when Throk takes the fall from Haggar for failing to protect his base.

There are two details I want to point out:

First, while Allura’s mind immediately jumps to Haggar at the revelation that Lotor is after the Teludav, we know already from Season 3 that Lotor wants nothing to do with Haggar, even before Seasons 4-6 confirm he actively despises her. The only explanation, then, is that Lotor was stealing the Teludav fragment from Haggar for his own purposes. But his surprise at having the Mark of the Chosen in S536 White Lion confirms that Lotor was unaware of his own potential for Altean Alchemy. This means that whatever Lotor was going to do with the Teludav, he wasn’t going to be using it himself.

Second, while Lotor is angry at Acxa for inadvertently destroying the Teludav, there is no evidence it was ever relevant to his plans to construct Sincline and access the Quintessence Field. There is nothing in his endeavors that even partially required the use of a Teludav, which means that he had a different purpose in mind for it.

But there is one facility that Lotor controlled that housed Alteans that – going by various comments in S6 and S7 – were there because of their high levels of Quintessence, and therefore, potential for Altean alchemy. Who – based on AJ Locascio’s post-S7 tweets, Sam Holt’s last line of S7E13, and Bandor’s ability to fly a shuttle pod back to the main colony even though none of the Alteans on the main colony knew how to fly one – fans have theorized were being taught to fly ships that used the pilot’s own Quintessence as a power source.  

All these details point to the Teludav fragment stolen in Tailing a Comet being intended for delivery to the second colony to be studied and reverse engineered.

But Lotor doesn’t seem like the type of person to leave something like a Teludav, or a piece of one, in storage, so if the Second Colony had already been shut down at this point, why was Lotor so furious with Acxa when the Teludav is destroyed?

Unless it wasn’t shut down.

Now, let’s look at the second thing that’s connected to the Colony: the Blue Quintessence introduced in Season 4.

Kolivan and Keith’s dialogue indicates that this type of Quintessence has never been seen in the empire before. While Season 6 would have us believe this was taken directly from the Alteans, the visuals of the series don’t agree on that:

Season 1 established in Collection and Excraction that raw Quintessence taken directly from a living being is colored Yellow.

Quintessence that has been processed into a concentrated form by Haggar and the Druids’ magic into imperial fuel is pinkish-purple.

And Quintessence that has been concentrated by Altean Alchemy is blue, as shown in The Legend Begins.

Lotor was not directly draining Alteans at the Second Colony because if he was, then the batches being exported would be the same yellow Quintessence seen in Collection and Extraction, and we’d be seeing Keith and Kolivan raid one of those bases to watch it all be processed.

But when discussing where the new Quintessence is coming from, Kolivan specifically mentions something that is capable of purifying raw quintessence directly into its pure blue-white form: The Komar, which Kolivan points out has already been destroyed. But the last thing Haggar used it to drain Quintessence from before Allura destroyed it…

Was Voltron. Which is so full of Quintessence that it overloaded the Komar and resulted in glowing blue-white orbs emanating from the device that look exactly like those seen when Allura and Lotor go into the Quintessence Field in S6E4.

As @leakinghate speculated, Lotor was trying to use Quintessence extracted directly from Voltron itself to power his plan to enter the Rift Gate in “Begin the Blitz”. The ship Ranveig and Krolia recovered carrying a vat of Quintessence through the Quantum Abyss was heading into it, to see if the new Quintessence could be used to heal the drained test pilots. When explaining how Ranveig got his hands on the vat of Quintessence, Krolia says only that the destroyed ship had passed through the Quantum Abyss, she did not specify which direction it had been traveling in. It’s all but stated that the same creatures that destroyed Keith and Krolia’s ship in “Razor’s Edge” are responsible for the cargo ship’s destruction.

Based on the time that appears to have elapsed between seasons, Ranveig would have captured the shipment travelling through the Quantum Abyss sometime between seasons 3 and 4, as the shipments are implied to have stopped after Lotor goes on the run in Black Site, leaving him with only the amounts stockpiled in the Sincline Ships when he and the generals escape.

But that raises the question: if the covert shipping network that Kolivan and Keith discovered was secretly funneling the blue Quintessence from Central Command to Lotor’s cruiser and the Second Colony, who was flying the ships?

While Hate suggested that none of the ships had crews past a certain point on the journey, someone had to pilot the ships through the Quantum Abyss or else the ships would have taken forever to get to the Colony. Like with his (false) claim of conspiring with Acxa, there are too many variables in the Quantum Abyss to believe that Lotor trusted autopilot to get the Quintessence to its destination.

So, who was flying the ships to and from the Second Colony?

In Romelle’s flashbacks where the Alteans are being tested for the second colony, Lotor is always accompanied by Galra medical/research officers. Previous seasons have established through shots of standard Galra troops working on constructing Sincline Ship #2 in S4E3 “Black Site” that there are Galra outside of his generals who Lotor trusts with his secret projects. This would make the medics who helped him oversee the Second Colony the ideal candidates to pilot the Quintessence shipments through the Quantum Abyss. And the medics are conspicuously absent when Keith and Krolia go to investigate the second colony.

Here’s what I think happened:

At some point between Seasons 3 and 4, the Altean pilots training at the Second Colony being testing the first Pilot-Quintessence-fueled ships. Due to faulty research, the energy demands of the ships are too much for their pilots, who are drained to the point of near death. The test pilots are quickly placed into stasis to keep them alive until Lotor has access to the resources for proper healing. One of the pilots, Bandor, panics. He steals a pod and manages to fly back to the main colony where he gives a cryptic statement about the second colony being a lie before dying in his sister’s arms. 

As has been theorized by others, Lotor gets ahold of the Quintessence Haggar extracted from Voltron. Thinking he can use it for his Sincline project, he ships it out a little bit at a time through a network of secret shipping routes, using decoy ships like the one Keith, Kolivan, and Regriss encounter in “Code of Honor” to throw Haggar off his trail and keep her from finding out what he’s up to.

The majority of the Quintessence is being delivered to his personal cruiser to be used by his Sincline ships, but he thinks he might be able to use it to heal the drained Alteans and has a shipment set aside to be taken to the Colony.

The medics take a cargo ship from the Second Colony through the Quantum Abyss to collect the shipment. Since all of them are going to ensure the security of the shipment (we don’t have a confirmed number, but the maximum seen on screen at once was 5), they leave the lunar outpost running on low power, shutting down everything but the stasis pods and whatever systems are necessary to keep those running.

They collect the shipment just fine, notify Lotor that the package has been received, and start their return journey back to the colony.

On their way back through the Quantum abyss, something goes wrong. The same creatures that attack Keith and Krolia arrive and attack the cargo ship. The medics are armed and start opening fire on the creatures, but their hits don’t land, and they end up damaging the ship themselves. Between the creatures and the misfires, the ship is torn to pieces and the medics are either killed, or they ejected, only to be sucked into a gravity well and lost forever.

Given the nature of the Quantum Abyss, communication between one party inside the abyss and one party outside would be spotty at best, impossible at worst. And given his paranoia over keeping his plans secret from Haggar, it would be plausible that Lotor would order the medics to only contact him in the event of an emergency. Even after becoming emperor, Lotor assumes that the colony is still secure since the medics haven’t called to tell him that the secrecy of the Alteans has been compromised.  

But then suddenly one of the Alteans from the Colony – worse, Bandor’s sister – arrives on the Castle of Lions, accusing him of murdering Alteans in cold blood, and he realizes that the medics are dead. That the shipment of Quintessence never made it to the Second Colony. That with the base running on minimal power there would have been no way for Keith and Krolia to access the computer files and verify what was really going on. That all they would have seen was an abandoned facility full of desiccated Alteans and assumed the worst.

TL;DR: The failure of the second colony happened sometime between Tailing a Comet and Code of Honor. The reason the facility was abandoned was because the medics had left to collect a shipment of the blue Quintessence only to be killed on their return journey by the same creatures which later attack Keith and Krolia.

[ginmo]

Okay this is going to be long haha. As a disclaimer, Jaime can still die. This just explains why I’ve become skeptical over that fate.

I have not been given a straight answer to Jaime’s fate by any of the people I have spoken with, and I can’t be too detailed in my explanations because of reasons, but this is what I can say:

1. Jaime doesn’t die in the battle of WF. I’m making this clear because this has become popular spec. Now when I say die, I mean permanently dead, not resurrection dead. I have no info about any resurrections, so it’s entirely possible he can “die” and still come back. All I know is that Jaime is definitely alive after the battle of WF, so don’t listen to any leaker who says his final farewell is during that battle. I know of a specific event (actually, two of them) that happens after the WF battle, and he’s very much alive for it.

2. Jaime is in all 6 episodes, and no, that information is NOT taken from Nikolaj’s contract. I can say this with 99% confidence.It’s possible he could be in less depending on how they move scenes around in post production, but at least during filming, every person I spoke with was certain he was in every episode.

3. Jaime is not dead during Tyrion’s trial in episode 6. Tyrion’s trial is AFTER the KL battle.......... sooooo.................

4. Okay this really isn’t anything lol but, they were all pretty excited to tell me what happens, and wanting to tell me “so badly!” while… knowing I want him to live. Like I said, that doesn’t mean much, but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they’re not, like, Satan or something. “Omg you want him to live so I’m so excited for you to see him DIE! :D!!”

Recent Observations:

This isn’t what I’ve been personally told, but this is what I have observed in fandom over the past few months. Take all of this with a grain of salt. I’m only including these because they got my attention, considering what I know.

1. There have been a couple randos that have popped into fandom just to say that everyone is wrong about Jaime because he lives and then they poof. Like I said, take this with a grain of a salt. It probably is nothing, but they always stood out to me as suspicious.

2. Recently, someone said they spoke with a family friend and that friend said a person everyone thought would live ends up dying and someone who was “seemingly marked by death from the beginning” would survive. This actually can’t really be argued for any character. Not every character has been around since the beginning, and only a handful have been “marked by death” in the eyes of fandom.

Speaking on average: Jon, Dany, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Sam… all of them have fairly uncertain fates or the assumption of survival. Minor characters? No one is going to care so much about their fate to give a spoiler about it (“oh man dude! Melisandre LIVES! People will freak!”) or the others haven’t been around since the beginning… IMO, there are only two characters that fit that description: the twins. Considering I have good reason to believe Jaime may actually have a chance at survival, and since literally every sector of the GoT fandom, including the JB fandom, he's talked about as if he’s already dead, I’m going to make an assumption here and apply that to Jaime. Out of the twins, Jaime has actual potential set up for survival, Cersei not so much.

Narrative:

As much as Jaime’s death would fit the traditional mold for the path he is currently on, there is setup for a possible survival in the books and the show. I had always envisioned his fate going either way, and was confused why people would be completely convinced of death or survival. I felt both had set up? I went from thinking he was doomed, to thinking he would survive, to being totally unsure, back to thinking he’s dead again, and now I’m residing in survival camp.... for now, at least lol.

I could go on and on and on with the support in the books. I could describe a different interpretation to his weirwood dream, dig up quotes about how he’s yearning for fatherhood and a married life and how he thinks he will only ever be a warrior, explain how the hand chop was his “death,” moan about how eye-roll worthy it is for him to be a Stark prop. I can find evidence to argue that he’s simultaneously being molded into a leader and heir and therefore it would be a wasteful death that accomplish nothing. I can also blab about how Brienne is basically his plot armor because of how ridiculously redundant and meaningless it would be for HER arc if another person were to die in her arms and leave her exactly where she started (actually, no, I’ll probably still talk about this with the show evidence because it annoys me). But since this is a somewhat show-themed post, the question being about season 8, I’ll just stick with the show evidence.

Show Evidence:

1. Watch: Jaime and Tywin’s conversation #1 , conversation #2, conversation #3. Look. The show decided to include THREE SCENES about marriage and the Lannister Legacy. THREE................

“Oh but in the first one he says that he doesn’t want the Lannister legacy to fall like the Targaryens did which foreshadows the Lannisters going extinct.”

Jaime fulfilling his duty as heir has been brought up T H R E E times.

And the Targaryens went… extinct? … I mean… who are the two leads of this series? If they’re going to parallel the Targaryens in some form, then that means they definitely don’t go extinct. Baby Lannister left behind? Possible. But…

2. Jaime is removed from the KG in season 6. Why?  In the show he... didn’t need to be removed from KG so he could later on leave Cersei (even in the books he ran off while still on the KG). Brienne says Fuck Loyalty and he Fucks Loyalty anyway. They could have had him do that while still member of the KG. It was perfect setup. Tywin wants him removed so he can fulfill the Lannister legacy, Jaime eventually gets removed. What’s the point of removing him from the KG to simply lead the Lannister army for two seasons and then die if he could have been doing that anyway as LC? They removed him from the KG because he’s being molded into an heir and freed of vows for endgame. And, again, connects to the Tywin conversations.

3. Purple Wedding. Ah, one of my favorites. (<- that one kinda sucks because the youtuber edited Brienne’s walk to be more quick but you still get the point)

When Loras and Jaime are having a conversation, Jaime says, “You’ll never marry [Cersei]” and Loras responds with, “And neither will you.” Loras walks away, Jaime looks down, Brienne walks past and Jaime looks up. Keep in mind GRRM at least wrote the Cersei and Brienne portion, and it was even mentioned that they paid attention to the transitions. when filming and editing.

Minor detail to mention: the Bear and the Maiden Fair is playing in the background.

”lol that song has been used before for other people.”

Yeah... for marriages. Not only has it been consistently used for Jaime and Brienne - also season 3 when they’re captured and used as the episosde title for the bear pit- but the other times it has been used were for: the wedding feast between Tyrion and Sansa, the wedding feast between Edmure and Roslin, and then the wedding of Joffrey and Marg... and when did it play at theirs? During the Jaime and Brienne scenes, literally during and after Loras told Jaime he would never marry Cersei and then Brienne walks past and then Cersei accuses Brienne of being in love with Jaime.

“It just means Jaime won’t marry Cersei because he’ll fall in love with Brienne.”

Maybe? But he’s already simultaneously falling in love with Brienne and he was (in the show) still trying to marry Cersei? Why is a theme of marriage hammered in so often then? (like Brienne’s monologue, which I’ll get to)

Maybe I can also throw in this more tinfoily bit in. “Maybe you’re a Lannister too.”

4. “Die in the arms of the woman I love.” -sigh-. Okay, I admit, the first time I heard this I jumped on the SEE JAIME IS DEAD bandwagon and was firmly stationed on that wagon until I got info that started raising my hopes and then Brienne’s, “nothing’s more hateful than failing to protect the one you love” popped into my head and I’m like

and then “who wants to die defending a Lannister.” Yeah yeah, “who wants to die defending a Lannister” is simply foreshadowing Brienne’s love for Jaime and doesn’t necessarily mean she will die (she at least survives to episode 6, after the battle). But if you take that and mix it with “nothing’s more hateful than failing to protect the one you love” and stir it in a pot, you got yourself Brienne making a move that almost gets her killed to save Jaime and NOT fail the like 4th or 5th person just because.

That line about failing is so often overlooked. Yeah, of course it’s possible it can mean she fails again, but I’m just… even if it doesn’t foreshadow shit, it made it clear that failing the one she loves is a thing she wants to avoid so... why the hell would the story have her fail another fucking person? What’s the point? She feels like she failed her father, failed Renly, failed Catelyn (more in the books), she’ll probably feel that way after Pod bites it, let’s have her fail Jaime too! :D! Let’s also be repetitive and have a guy die in her arms again just to rip her heart out and leave her exactly where she started just for the demonic lolz (btw I never subscribed to GRRM being as blood thirsty as people make him out to be). To me, that line sounds like she’s going to do everything in her power to not let that happen ever again. There will probably be a close call where she thinks she failed but doesn’t. Jaime saved her twice, maybe she will be the knight in shining armor and save him.

“Okay  but what if she’s left with his baby? She’s not exactly where she left  off then.”

No, she’s not in the exact same spot, and that’s a scenario I definitely find plausible. However, she... still kinda is? Stripping her of the only person who has ever  genuinely loved her in that way sends a message that society is   correct- Brienne, an ugly, undesirable woman- is unworthy of love. Brienne is unworthy of a long, happy life full of love because the Gods gave him to her for just a bit, dropped a baby in her lap as a consolation prize, and took the one person who has ever genuinely loved her for who she was.Normally I would argue that GRRM isn’t writing a story that gives characters everything they deserve. And I agree with that, but I’d argue that he’s using Brienne to literally tell a message of BatB. Inner beauty triumphs, superficiality does not (Cersei being example A). The message isn’t as effective if this rejected, freakish, beast of a woman continues to feel like a failure, continues to get fucked over and remains fucked over in endgame.

Now back to “die in the arms of the woman I love.” This line was used to set up the JC downfall to the viewers, and get Jaime questioning by having Bronn say, “does she feel the same?” On the surface it’s Cersei, the subtext is Brienne. That was it’s purpose. But I tend to agree with the people who say it can also be foreshadowing. So can he still die? OF COURSE! Will I agree with the narrative decision? NO (explanation further down). Can he die and be resurrected like a literal BatB tale? YEAH! Can it mean that he dies in the arms of the woman he loves as an old man? SURE! There’s multiple interpretations here.

Going back to the last one, I find it curious that immediately before Jaime mentions his preferred way of death, Bronn said he wanted to die as an old man in his castle with children groveling at his feet for his fortune and Jaime makes a comment about how that’s boring. So, I’d find it kinda funny then if the two desires were combined. (and Jaime never said in a battle, btw. The scene he describes is romantic with no context).

5. Brienne. Don’t tOUCH ME. Okay.

a) She told Catelyn she wasn’t a Lady, told Pod she wasn’t, Cersei told her she’s a Lady whether she wants to be or not... her insecurities over being a Lady is CLEARLY a theme that the show decided to keep. And then there’s this scene. Brienne fulfills her oath by keeping the Stark girls safe and getting them North. Pod calls her my Lady, Brienne begins to say she’s not a Lady, stops herself, and then thanks Pod. why is this always ignored?? This is saying that plot is done. Brienne is done being a bodyguard (which is also made crystal clear in Season 7 when Sansa basically tells her she can protect herself and Brienne tells the Hound that Arya doesn’t need protection). Brienne’s acceptance of her title is the story saying that Brienne will move on from this dragged out af plot and will now get ready to fulfill her role as Lady/heir. So what does this have to do with Jaime? Ahem. Well who else is being groomed for the role of Lord/heir?

b) I’ve been dying for them to finally give some book canon backstory to Brienne and show her vulnerable side. I was pleased in season 5 when we were delivered a wonderful little nugget that isn’t straight book canon, but an adaptation of it. Look, the fact that they even CARED to adapt this for the show is huge. Here is the scene.

The addition of this scene is important because it’s Brienne literally telling Pod (and the viewers) that the happiest she has ever been was when all the boys wanted to marry her and take her back to their castles. It’s reminding the viewers that romance is a major theme of her arc. They had her specifically mention marriage and living a domestic life in a castle and that made her fucking happy dude. The happiest she had ever been.

Now… why? Why is that necessary if Jaime and Brienne are just destined to bang and then he bites it? If they wanted to highlight that Brienne is a sexual being that wants to be loved, they literally could have taken out the whole marriage and castles and kept it as the boys dancing with her and complimenting her and flirting with her made her happy. But no, they brought in marriage. She wants marriage, man. She secretly desires the life of a Lady, with the one she loves, and that’s okay. And do NOT tell me that her destiny is to be some bodyguard for the Starks. I already wrote like 4 paragraphs on it but deleted because… not the place. Anyway, they adapted the marriage bits because it’s something that comes up in Brienne’s chapters quite a bit. (The lions on the cloak as she watched the boy she was to marry walk away and Jaime putting a cloak around her shoulders are probably my favorites).

“But what if they marry and then he dies!”

Oh, a little spoiler: Let’s just say it doesn’t seem likely they marry on screen. Possible, but very unlikely. So if they marry, marriage would have to be implied after the show... -whispers- which means he would have to survive.

Also, I already explained why I personally find that an ineffective ending, but again, is it possible that’s the version being told? Hell yeah it is. This is why I’m not completely convinced of his survival, and why I have always been open-minded about his death, and have gone back and forth depending on how much I trust the quality of writing. In most redemption arc narratives the character dies because death itself is something they have avoided, usually by obtaining power or through an exploration of a courage theme. Jaime has already proven he’s willing to sacrifice himself and has accepted his death on many different occasions (ex: he jumped into a bear pit with one hand and no weapon with literally no plan, and on the show he charged a fire breathing dragon head on with nothing but a spear I mean....), so what does his death as a knight really accomplish for his character besides, “it’s TRADITIONAL! Redemption = only DEATH! Knightly honor = only DEATH!” (I can feel myself going down a rabbit hole by wanting to talk about the hand chop so I’m going to stfu now because this is getting ridiculously long.)

“GoT has been inconsistent in the past and sometimes they do things that make no sense.”

I know, and it’s still entirely possible the execution of this story is trash and everything was pointless. That argument could apply to literally everything I say in this post. But at the same time, GoT is shit at being subtle, and when they want to drive a point or theme home, they do, even if it’s sloppy. (and yeah, like mentioned, I see this in the books as well... I’m not basing my opinion entirely on the show. It’s just if I add book bits on here, it’s going to get even more boring than it currently is lol.)

“Gin, sorry, I just disagree with you.”

That’s okay! It’s possible I end up changing my mind 50 more times, based off of the info coming in. Guys, I just think this story can be DIFFERENT. I’m so goddamn tired of the same, predictable narratives. And also because, like I said, I see potential set up for survival. I see all of the different interpretations. I’m tired of seeing people act all arrogant, like the answer is already there, when I see evidence for at least the possibility of something different.

Like we can’t even fucking discuss his survival in fandom, and if someone even BREATHES it they’re called delusional or in denial, even by their fellow JB shippers. NO? I just see multiple paths and interpretations?? And... to make it even more confusing I’ve been receiving optimistic hints that have raised my hopes??????? Fuck, I’m basically a victim here because I had been comfortable assuming the worst lol. 

I’m legit procrastinating on posting this because I have anxiety putting it out there. Discussion of his survival is that unpopular.

[rexinferorum]

( thomas doherty, unknown, he/him )  welcome to  san francisco, VURAS.  rumor has it they are a DEMON / KING OF HELL, but only they could tell you the truth! when i close my eyes, i think of them and imagine RED EYES AND SHARP TEETH, A KING ON HIS THRONE, AND A HEART WITH BARBED WIRE WRAPPED AROUND IT.

PREVIOUSLY  ON  SEASON  ONE

vuras ( or v as he prefers ) is a v v v old crossroads demon  therefore  he has RED demon eyes instead of black ones.  he’s been above  ground before various times over the last few centuries but this is probably the longest he’s stayed in awhile.

vuras is not currently in his ~true~ vessel and is possessing the body of a fairy named ever elsey.  ever originally lived in avalon but decided he wanted to live in the outside world.  honestly bad choice given, y’know, he’s currently possessed by a demon.  but it DOES mean that v has his demon powers and his new fairy abilities bc of the vessel.  he also has their weaknesses too which pisses him off.  

ever  elsey  was  the  prince,  son  of  king  evander  and  queen  elsa.  when  he  left  avalon  it  was  a  huge  scandal  and  his  parents  basically  said  he  was  on  his  own.  when  v  took  over,  he  murdered  the  elsey’s  --  so  idk  who  is  royalty   in  avalon  now  bc  they’re  fucking  dead.  

v currently lives with aidy  silvermist’s  brother, who is also a fairy. ever and this  character left avalon together and v has assumed his identity to live among humans in secret.  he has a running bet with another  demon  on whether or not he can keep the charade up without being discovered.  so far he’s doing okay. all things considered.

as a crossroads demon, he can be summoned or station himself somewhere to essentially give people what they desire most in exchange for their soul.  he also has a hellhound that is always with him, though mostly invisible.  its name is simply z.   he basically works his demon duties like a 9-5 job and the brother thinks he’s a janitor or something else mundane.  blood on his shirt? must have worked in a hospital that day.  washes his hands as soon as he gets home? a germaphobe.   y e a h.

PERSONALITY WISE? 

 v is two people.  he’s v around other demons, or people who won’t ever trace back to the  brother.  he’s cruel, vindictive, and enjoys the misery of others.   he’s ever around the brother,  or anyone who might be in his vicinity.  he’s kinder,  more patient, and apparently the most boring person in the world.  if anything, when v’s done with this vessel and disposed of it,  ever can thank him for livening up his life.  

update march/april 2020

over  the  months  he  spent  in  san  francisco,  trapped  by  the  barrier,  v  has  been  living  his  best  life.  he’s  been  making  deals,  keeping  up  his  ‘  employee  of  the  month ’  aesthetic  by  bringing  in  as  many  souls  and  deals  as  he  can.   he has  goals  you  see  and  he’s  working  towards  them.  move  over,  current  king  of  hell.  v’s  coming  for  your  throat  and  your  throne.

over  the  months  they  lived  together  in  the  city,  v  became  booboo  the  fool  and  actually  started  developing  feelings  for  the  brother.  this  all  came  to  a  head  when  someone  he’d  sent  his  hounds  after  (  who  had  run  out  the  clock  on  their  deal  )  survived  thanks  to  an  annoyed  god.  the  would  be  victim  made  an  arrangement  with  one  of  his  enemies  that  led  to  the  procurement  of  the  demon  killing  knife.  the  man  broke  into  v’s  house  and  stabbed  him  with  it.   he  would  have  died  had  the  brother  not  killed  the  victim  and  saved  his  life.   the  wounds  healed  and  their  bond  was  cemented  for  good.  now  they’re  your  regular  psychotic  sid  and  nancy  and  everything’s  great.  

i  bet  you’re  wondering  —  hey,  how  can  things  be  great  when  ever’s  still  kicking  around  in  v’s  head?   good  question.   so  after  the  brother  accepted  v  for  who  he  was,  who  he  really  was,  he  sort  of  ...   decided  he’d  Had  Enough.   he  started  fighting  for  control,  trying  to  end  his  life  so  his  suffering  would  stop.  v  always  managed  to  stop  him  but  it  was  starting  to  get  old.   in  the  end  ever  did  get  his  wish  and  he  was  murdered  by  father  silvermist.   yes,  the  brother’s  father.  v  had  told  him  once  that  he  was  a  demon,  that  he  was  corrupting  his  son  and  together  with  him,  and  that  he  was  telling  him  the  truth  because  he  knew  no  one  would  believe  it.   when  a  blanket  of  sinly  feelings  fell  over  the  city,  papa  silvermist  gave  into  his  wrath  and  murdered  ever.   v  yeeted  to  let  him  do  it,  finding  it  funny,  and  while  he’s  annoyed  about  using  a  dead  vessel  he  was  able  to  fix  it  and  go  back  to  his  regularly  scheduled  plans.   does  he  miss  ever?  fuck  no.  

WHAT’S NEXT?

given  he  didn’t  need  to  pretend  to  be  ever  anymore,  v  acclimated  to  being  himself.  he  bought  a  huge  house  with  a  swimming  pool  and  the  sportscars  to  match  and  started  living  the  life  he  wanted.  he  used  a  real  estate  scam  to  convince  hundreds  of  humans  to  sell  their  souls  in  a  matter  of  weeks.  you  tell  a  GEN-Z  they  can  have  the  house  of  their  dreams  with  no  down-payment  and  you’d  be  surprised  how  willing  they  are  to  part  with  their  souls.  it  was  almost  too  easy.  

v  also  started  getting  his  affairs  in  order.  he  called  in  old  favors,  called  on  people  he  trusted,  and  started  putting  pieces  in  motion.   he  staged  a  coup  for  hell’s  throne,  taking  it  for  himself  and  killing  the  existing  king  of  hell.   maybe  he  should  be  worried  about  sam  winchester,  who  once  vowed  there’d  never  be  another  king  of  hell,  but  as  far  as  he’s  concerned?  bring  it.   he  won’t  hide  in  hell  like  the  former  king.   he’s  still  hanging  out  in  san  francisco  with  an  entrance to  hell  in  the  basement  of  harlow’s  club.   he  has  his  own  little  throne  room,  as  a  king  does,  and  his  guillotine  is  on  full  display  —  AS  IT  DESERVES.   no  more  gathering  dust  in  storage  containers.  (  MAKE  BEHEADING  GREAT  AGAIN.  )

TLDR?  v  is  the  new  king  of  hell,  he  made  aidy  and  harlow  his  knights  of  hell,  and  he  is  honestly  thriving  and  loving  his  new  life.   he  moved  on  from  the  brother.   maybe  he  left,  maybe  he’s  dead,  maybe  he  couldn’t  take  not  being  the  center  of  v’s  world  anymore.  whatever  the  reason,  he’s  gone  and  v’s  fine.   he  didn’t  need  love  anyway,  not  when  he’s  got  power.  they  say  you  can’t  have  your  cake  and  eat  it  too  but  he’d  have  to  disagree.

CONNECTION IDEAS

- someone who owes him a life debt and now he’s come to collect.  they’d be his errand boy, someone he uses to spy on people he thinks might be a threat to his throne. - co-conspirators that helped him in his plot to overthrow the previous king of hell. - the wanted connection for his enemy.  another demon who he believes destroyed his old vessel (one he’d been using for 200 years) although they didn’t actually do it. - knights of hell (2/4) harlow valentine & aidy silvermist. - chaotic book club, bc of course he would be in a book club filled with true crime junkies

[ruffiorocks]

Rewatching season 5 of Game of Thrones

Rewatching Game of Thrones

1. Dany has some sense, not 100% on the ball but still not quite up to last weeks standards. She's constantly being advised on how to rule and simply refuses to actually pay attention. She arrives in cities and just assumes she knows how to rule them even though all she has ever lead is the Dothraki. Poor Hizdahr zo loraq 🙁 he tries to advice her on how the city runs and she just won't have it. She threatens to feed him to her dragons purely on the grounds that he is the head of his family. She then tells him he is going to marry her and he doesn't have much choice as the alternative is being a dragons lunch. Dany also openly still sleeps and flirts with Darrio just making herself look ridiculous. Hizdahr still tries to educate her on how the city works and she thinks she knows better. Well the poor guy had a tragic end. Dany tells Tyrion when she meets him she has dragons and that's how she'll take Westeros, hint hint there. She also punishes people by burning them alive whether she knows if they are guilty or not. Dany never really learned to listen to advice. She didn't know how to rule because she never had.

2. Tyrion has some sense, he even said he trusted Varys more than anyone else 😑. He told Dany dragons were not the way to go when it comes to Westeros. He spoke sense nds seemed to stop her in her tracks when he asked her why the common people should support her at all.

3. Jon has what counts as sense for Jon. He brought the wildings past the wall. He was a good Lord Commander.

4. Say what you will be about Qyburn but that guy was loyal to Cersei, probably the best friend she ever had. His death by his own Frankenstein creation was very underwhelming. But he stayed loyal to Cersei to the very end.

5. Stannis just burned that wonderful angel Shireen!! 😭😭 And not one soldier stood up for her! Remember when Stannis was boring and even the characters thought he was borning? But he was the one who probably would have made the best king. He was going to make Jon a Stark. He even gave his ships to Jon to save the Wildlings. Stannis didn't want to be king, he simply believed he was the rightful heir and that it was his duty to take the throne. Remember he knew that Cersei's kids weren't Roberts. So his only legitimate rival would have been Dany and she wasn't around. Renly was a younger brother and therefore a usurper. I believe without Melisandre Stannis would have been much better and level headed, he was taken in by a fanatic. Without her? Renly would still be alive and so would little Shireen!

6. The Dornish plot was horrific!! What were those Sand Snakes? Prince Doran was so boring! He had the potential to be much more exciting. But all his scenes were just him talking. What he was talking about made sense, but he was ridiculous when it came to Elira Sand, he should have locked her up the moment she disrespected him and took it upon herself to send threatening messages to Kings Landing on his behalf. Prince Trystane wasn't much better, all he did was walk in the gardens with Marcella and then lounge around with an entitled, pompous look on his face. He met a crap end as well. They missed such a good opportunity here, in the books Doran has three children. The eldest is a daughter named Arianne and she is his heir. Dorne doesn't practice male primogeniture. Arianne believes that Doran wants his second son Quentyn to be his heir and Quentyn goes off to court Dany. If I remember correctly he believes he can just say hi to a dragon and he pays the price. Arianne then decides she wants to crown Marcella as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Marcella loses an ear at some point. That would have been way more interesting than what we got.

7. Poor Sansa 😭 watching her scenes with Ramsey is still so uncomfortable. But man she still sasses him! The girl has strength and I will stand up for her no matter what!

8. Ollie sucks! We get it his fam were killed by Wildlings, Tormund led the raid. Ollie should have a beef with Tormund then. But he doesn't under and neither do the majority of the Nights Watch that leaving the Wildings beyond the wall will result in more white walkers. It's simple math! Grudges don't mean a thing when you're all dead!

9. Sam got laid lol good for Sam! Also Ghost came and saved Sam from being beaten up and Gilly from being raped.

10. Remember when the Night King was an actual threat? 😂 Remember when Jon and him had the longest stare down in TV history? We all thought that meant Jon would kick his ass at some point. Yeah.... I'm all Team Arya and everything but really? All that for Arya whose arc never included the Night King to be the one who killed him?

11. I have one episode left to go on this season and I can't remember if ive even seen Bran??? That right there says it all.

12. Margery got cocky! She was stupid to antagonise and humiliate Cersei of all people.

13. Tommen was sweet but entirely useless. So easily manipulated by Cersei. He sat around crying that Margery, Loras and Cersei were locked up but didn't actually protest once when Margery was dragged away. Say what you want about Joffrey but he never let Cersei manipulate him after he became king. Joffrey would have done something.

14. Theon got over being 'reek' pretty quickly. Also in later seasons it seems to have been forgotten he's supposed to be missing fingers and toes.

15. I don't entirely disagree with everything the High Sparrow was on about. He wasn't wrong about the wealthy lording it over people. When he said we are many you are the few it's a lesson that still applies today but people don't realise it. Those in power are there because we put them there and we let them stay there. He was a fanatic on other things though.

16. Uncle Kevan Lannister is such an underrated character! He didn't recognize Cersei's non existent authority and left Kings Landing and her to it. Then he came back and dealt with things quite well while she was locked up. Kevan should have been around more.

17. Sooo Margery, Loras and Lancel didn't have to do a walk of shame but Cersei did??

18. Little Finger sucked ass! He sold and tricked Sansa and actually believed she would forget that?

19. Olenna Tyrell is the queen of sass!

20. Ser Allister Thorne was a nob to Jon Snow. But he believed in his duty. He obeyed Jon when he became Lord Commander, he didn't stand with or up for Janis Slynt when he ridiculed Jon. He could have kept that gate shut to Jon and the Wildlings. He even told Jon he had a good heart. What he did was wrong, the same thing applies here as it did will Ollie, bigger picture! But he died with dignity and he died for what he believed in.

21. Why did Roose Bolton have Ramsey legitimatzed? He knew he was getting married and that could result in a legitimate heir. So why run the risk of your psycho bastard son (who you know is psycho) killing your true born heir?

[elizabethrobertajones]

14x05 watching notes

filed under: episodes that demand a written apology from the writer

Morning, I opened the episode to check it worked and the first thing on screen was dead Maggie, so I guess skip the preamble, let's get rid of that D:

Meredith is going to look after Maggie. Who so far this season has just been the human representation of the :o emoji

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Er, she's not going to look after us, after the THEN card we abruptly drop into Dean having his beach retirement chat with Sam

A lingering reminder of how Jack would help - if he had his powers - but Sam asks "then what would we do" and cut to Dean being Michaeled. At this point I can't tell if we need to remember 13x23 for Reasons or if they just don't trust us to remember the recent history of the show at all and are catching up people who might have dropped by to see how their favourite guest star, Maggie, is doing.

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I mean I love her but she isn't the headliner normally :P

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OH GOODNESS SHE'S THE COLD OPEN GIRL. Maggieee no. She looks so scared. Why are they sending her hunting on her own??? She is a smol scared bean who was not prepared for the apocalypse and surely must be able to find other off-the-radar jobs for a person from another universe in this world that don't involve throwing herself at monsters!

-

She's wearing pink trousers for a stealth mission at night. She makes Sam's orange jacket look like camo

-

Also she's recording herself... Maggie... What are you doing........ hon......................

-

I have adopted her, but it turns out I have another stupid child among my many, many stupid children and just once I wish they didn't turn out like this :P

-

So she's like, attached a go pro to herself to record her hunt for... training purposes? reporting back to Chief? because she's become an adrenaline junkie after all the time she was nearly eaten by supervampires?

-

MAGGIE

Gad dangit

He was slow moving and you heard him behind you. Swing first, ask questions later, when it's a growling noise in a dark crypt.

-

Has anyone been counting the apocalypse world peeps because I'm pretty sure they're relying on us not to recognise them because they're a crowd. At this point we almost certainly have like 50+ distinct individuals instead of the 25 they purportedly rescued.

I say this because I feel like some of the white guys from the original batch appear to have metamorphosed into a more diverse group

-

Sammy setting homework.

Sorry, not Sammy. The Boss.

Dean comes in to observe class.

Sam immediately sheds all his confidence and goes back to being Sammy. He does seem to have a slight layer of scruff more, or maybe it was just that he was looking particularly clean-shaven last episode out of shock

Dean offers to get him a camp counsellor whistle, and Sam gets even more awkward about hunter check ins. I can see this feeding itself here, with Sam blustering and getting weird about his position of authority in front of Dean, and Dean who is both latching on in a brotherly way, and lashing out in a recently emotionally maimed Dean way, but can't yell at the apocalypse peeps they rescued and graciously allowed to stay because, you know, Michael destroyed their world, so taking it all out on Sam... Unfortunately, Dean being the wounded, irrational party, it's down to him to realise he's being a lil too harsh on Sam OR Sam to stop rising to the bait.

In this case, I would say the ball is firmly in Sam's court, not because he's at any particular fault for instinctively reacting like the needled little brother when big bro wanders in snarking at his attempts to do his job, but because he is the one behaving like the adult already in this scenario when he's facing the AU peeps and being The Chief in a natural way where he's thriving in the environment, and crumpling immediately in the face of this one random element is a clear part of his growth and maturity arc. As it is he's feeding Dean's reaction a LOT by getting embarrassed and changing his behaviour and not standing his ground and continuing to act like a mature adult, and giving Dean the little brother teasing opening he feeds off in the dynamic.

In other scenarios this could flip with Sam doing his best and Dean being a dick who's seeking an opening and trying to get Sam to crack and in that case it would be all on him to correct his behaviour, but in this case, I'm leaning Sam being the problem despite the appearance, because he crumpled just to hear Dean coming up the steps, never mind how it went from there. He's acting ashamed of being the leader, because he knows it's emotionally infringing on Dean territory, as he sees Dean as a natural and more rightful leader, and doesn't recognise his own strengths and skills being applied in spades here; his self-confidence immediately is put under the microscope when he knows Dean is there, and it topples his precarious house of cards of self confidence.

He has also put himself in a position of managing Dean, coming in last episode all, alright champ how's it going? and had a success by a country mile with getting Dean to leave his room, open up, and have some fun, and that's not even comparing it to the same time last season when in 13x05 he completely failed at the same task. He has been working gently on Dean to help him, but he can't when it comes to getting Dean used to having the AU peeps around and accepting Sam's new job there, if Sam acts like it's something to be ashamed of and is too horrified by usurping Dean to focus on letting his instincts talk and continuing to blatantly be a wonderful leader.

-

These AU peeps are also seeing their venerated war hero general just crumple into an insecure mess as soon as his brother walks into the room >.>

-

Sam gets coffee, turns into coffee!Sam (Lizbob's on the record favourite character in the entire show), finally snaps back at Dean about how many hunters he's keeping track of right now when Dean stops needling in a funny way and asks about Sam's health - of course, now it's all built up into Dean bothering Sam so instead of being a nice request, Sam snaps.

It's possible that while Sam now runs the hunters, delegating to Mary and AUBobby and even Dean if he'll accept it, to help keep track etc, will really benefit in the long run.

-

Slick way to work where Cas and Jack are into the same breath as where Mary and Bobby are - rugarou, which is code for off screen case - and throw it all out there as plot and ongoing character work AND the requisite where is Cas comment to keep fandom happy.

-

God, I haven't even gotten around to what I meant to say immediately that Sam dropped down into his codependency seat at the table and Dean is unintentionally mirroring 9x13's final scene of all the many times they've been around this block - off the top of my head but as someone who has been keeping a very close eye for a very long time, I can't think of another significant instance where Sam was sitting and Dean was standing while it got heated.

Of course 9x13 was working very hard to show their divisions, while of course here Sam is just sitting in his Dean Is Upsetting Me chair and Dean's not sitting at the table which just means not engaging with Sam on his level in a very literal as well as metaphorical way - in character, that's a body language dissonance as well as making Sam look up at him. In staging terms, it carries the weight of years of directorial and acting decisions about how to portray the brothers in crisis that I've been noting in case of a pattern.

-

"Yeah, but a war isn't hunting" good grief Sam is making their entire lives sound even worse than ever given they grew up in this and now he's listing off all the stuff they need from the perspective of being the Bobby. I mean, when they say they were raised like soldiers, they're adding in the fact they do zillions of almost completely unsupported 2 man raids into hostile territory with limited gear or recon. The recap at the start, showing them going in to fight the werewolves with an angel and a nephilim on their side, was an easy hunt for a reason and not just because there were 4 of them :P Without that, no matter how many hunters they accumulate, it's always looked like a losing battle because many of these things you'd want to call the national guard on if civilians could be alerted to the danger.

-

See, Dean is acting needle-y but as soon as Sam gets an unnerving alert on his phone he's concerned and asks who it is - remember last episode where he was like don't know don't care about the guy Sam was Bobbying from the car? - and when he says "maggie" ... well, they're all clearly protective of her in particular D:

-

Oh good, the body cams thing was a Sam innovation and therefore a good idea and we can pat his head for it

-

Bobby never had that and I bet he'd have LOVED to keep track of his peeps that way.

-

The other hunters meet up on the last thursday of the month to watch the highlight reel from Garth Cam, BYOB, popcorn provided

-

Nyooom

This shot should win awards for the fuckin horrifying perspective that I, as a non-mountain-dweller, can barely comprehend that it looks like the sky but then you keep on looking up and there's trees in there. Is this something people in big countries are used to? I mean I've seen my share of mountains in Scotland and they're way too cramped to fake you out like that.

You have to understand that in my town, wedged between two cliffy cliffs, the entire old town is like 500ft wide at best before more cliff. There's only 2 directions - up and towards the sea :P  You don't need fancy camera tricks to contain everything... I'm getting agoraphobia just looking at this. I mean I don't think it's intended to cause existential horror but mission accomplished.

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Dean getting morbid talking about how having a private cemetery would be nice. I mean, they practically need one behind the Bunker after all this time, wherever the final resting place is of at least Kevin and Charlie's bodies as well as anyone else who died in and around there who wasn't dumped in the sewer like Ketch was :')

During day this place isn't half bad, with its whimsical overgrown look, the slanting fence of the bridge to cross to get there, the jungle closing in around the little plot...

But remember, Dean. Beach holiday. Eyes on the prize, man. You and the rest don't get to hang out behind the Bunker for eternity at least until you're all old and earned it.

-

Dean defends knowing what a walker from the Walking Dean is... in 12x15 he was playing with a Negan bat which I assume he still has somewhere, washed off and placed in the armoury :P Sam is at least being a bit more authoritative here in the sense of reeling off info as the Chief in charge of Maggie's fate and knowing her mission etc...

Honestly this makes me feel like the dynamic of Dean drives, Sam rides shotgun can mature too, in the sense that Dean is no longer taking control from Sam - back in season 10 that was very heavily used as part of their toxic dynamic and there's definitely shades of season 10 dynamics on the chopping block around these parts - because Sam needs all the extra time to manage his army from the road, with his hands free to check the phone and read up on everything, while Dean is free to drive and be Dean.

-

Sam being all I FAILED SHE IS DEAD at every turn and Dean being all "hey check it out, drag marks! :D" "but no blood!!! :D :D :D"

-

As a student of analaysisisign things I have no idea what was just implied by Sam and Dean being called back to the surface followed by the sound effect of spooky cold breath, a wonky focus on a statue of a bearded dude and smol cherub, and then being interrupted by a 1900s gardener.

Apron plus hat seems like Michael coding but god knows what it means.

I bet they're actually talking to a ghost but he's so busy just defending the ancestral land that he's passing as a real alive person and it's one of those completely harmless cases where the ghost just lurks around protecting the land, doesn't go vengeful, and wards off people who hang out there... Not that he had much luck with the drunk teens.

-

1900s gardener stands outside, unable to go into the house, surveying it with a weary eye.

The garden is completely and utterly overgrown, almost like no one has gardened it for 100 years, even though there appears to be a gardener on the property.

*rubs chin*

-

1900s gardener gives them one last suspicious look before wandering back to work, significantly enough that we see it with a whole separate shot

what is his deal

why is he dressed like that

-

Does Meredith feel guilty for MURDERING JOSHUA and side note, can we really trust that it was him who got murdered. Maybe he's in retirement dressed in an olde timey shirt and waving antique gardening implements at Sam and Dean for kicks.

-

Considering they improv'd the line about the HPS it's very lucky that Mobby came up with that line - I guess showing how they think alike and all

-

"Just wish you'd checked in with the main office," Sam bobs his head, like, "ME", "before you came out here..."

Yeah, here's the Sam and AUBobby leadership conflict I was hoping for :P

-

Mary asks for a mo and shepherds Sam out in particular, leaving AUBobby and Dean to handle the architect digest subscriber. She's all momsy with her handling of him, and Dean and AUBobby are left to do the awkward small talk - we know AUBobby really doesn't have it as his strong suite, even though it was Bobby's, like in 6x21 where he was the only one to ever say sorry about your mom to the guy. It also means they have to do the blathering while trying to work out any supernatural history on the property in character, while Mary and Sam are designating themselves the ones who can get to the heart of the problem and handle it like the profession adults. I like the implicit trust/respect bond that gives here.

I mean she has it with Dean too I would think but she's spent more time with Sam lately and it's important now to show she's grown such a bond with Sam, as it's been 2 whole years of her being back before they could begin to properly bond due to various issues.

-

"It was her first solo hunt and she was nervous" listen Sam and Dean are like 1000 pounds of muscle and "fuck you apocalypse" experience and they hunt together. Maggie was smol and wore pink trousers.

-

Is. Is smol.

God. I'm turning into Sam.

-

Lol conspicuous blood transfusion bags. Nice gig, to drain peeps and get a nurse to apply the blood directly to you. Is he a vampire with an olde timey set up?

-

Maggiieeee

stealing her boots is just mean.

Does she have pink plaid as well as pink trousers?

My god how did they let her out of the house? She's too cute and innocent for this world.

Or her previous world.

Can we shunt her along one more world to one which doesn't have this much monster trouble even, as she's clearly still not found the AU which suits her best.

-

Heee Dean knocking the mantelpiece and saying the house has "good bones" like he's an expert on houses

The question is, has he watched a lot of junk reality TV about house refurbishment, or is he just faking on the fly

I have not watched enough aforementioned junk TV to call this one

-

Oh, nope, the daughter validates it by saying her grandpa used to say it. Dean has watched enough TV to pass

-

Ooooh AUBobby having a go at Sam for his shoddy leadership of letting Maggie come here when she had no idea what was up.

I'm guessing the help over text messaging may have been a bit more backseat hunting from AUBobby, but he didn't try to STOP Maggie, or tell her to wait while he and Mary dashed up here.

In any case, here's the conflict of leadership I've been waiting for since before the season began :') Unfortunately, Sam shaved off his beard before going toe to toe with AUBobby, so he takes the first round by default of bristliness, as Sam ceded some portion of control back to Dean on Dean's return and this has made him weird and jumpy about acting like the chief in front of his peeps, and now AUBobby's taking the opening.

-

He has such a power stance that Bobby never had

Shoulders back, beard out

-

Dean defends Sam like when is anyone ready to hunt, because from their perspective of course they were as smol-seeming as Maggie and CONSIDERABLY younger when they were plunged into hunting. She's a grown adult! She can handle it! (she may or may not be a mirror to Jack, who is consumptive, and therefore betraying some sort of inherent unreadiness to hunt and a requirement that the smols among you be protected rather than forced to grow up too young and go hunting as a rite of passage, just as Sam and Dean were given their first beers barely in single digits by gnarly hunters)

"A real leader would have seen that a mile away" Yeah AUBobby is too used to leading his peeps - perhaps he liked a semi retirement where Sam was the leader and the world seemed safer and they could hunt like the old days...

-

Mary mediates, splitting up the team in the only way that makes sense, hoping that Dean can defend Sam in absentia (and thus be forced to confront that Sam IS a good and thoughtful leader and to stop mocking him and start defending him) and she can comfort Sam and build him back up as the Chief.

-

Dean goes on such a face journey about this whole thing, from feeling weird about AUBobby to bad about what's going on with Sam to just worried about Maggie and very much taking on that blame for sending a smol out into the field, especially as he has recused himself from responsibility to these people - while fairly taking a mental health break from the frontline as well as competing with how Sam already got there... Anyway that was like 18 distinct facial expressions each with a story and it's too early in the morning... I JUST got my cup of tea and it's still too hot to drink so Jensen's defeated me this round

-

Sam gets comforted by another trenchcoated figure

"Don't listen to Bobby" "maybe he's right" shush.

"THIS IS WHAT HE WAS BORN TO DO"

ILY Mary. She's coming in fresh on adult!Sam, she doesn't even have the feelings about him as she does to smol scared 4 year old boy Dean, especially if we account for postpartum depression making it hard for her to bond with him as per the entire metaphorical structure of the show from episode one to present. Now she's getting to spend time with him - and especially as her only significant time with him BEFORE this was 12x14 aka Bobo's ode to Sam's leadership round 1... Yeah, she sees Sam as this giant gangly admirable leader guy she happens to have birthed.

-

"Bobby can't see that... not the only thing he's been missing lately."

Good grief, Mary in the trenchcoat has been making the eyes at AUBobby all Michael-hatted up and being ignored and rebuffed from her sparkling heart eyes. I wonder what this is a metaphor for, Ms Meredith Mixtape "know who you love" Glynn.

-

Also, Mary feeling comfortable to innuendo her crush on AUBobby to Sam - it really is an adult relationship and respect and emotional trust that I feel never in a million years could just pop up between her and Dean.

Oh boy, this scene is still going.

*Hides behind the secondhand embarrassment cushion* Sam goes there, like, not going to mention it but you - he sounds less bumbling than he has at other points... Sam's awkwardness factor can shoot through the roof to the point where in 3x04 where he attacks those guys and then is like "have a nice day" when they're not demons? I kinda want to reach through the screen and strangle him with my bare hands before he does it just to spare myself seeing it. Also the gifset of that has been on my dash all week, and it predisposes me to loathe Sam's awkwardness. Please god let us get through this in one piece.

Mary is too busy being wistful to realise her son is an awkward bumbling moose who is all misplaced stammering words and wonky legs spinning for traction when he's out of his depth.

-

Aww now Mary is getting to talk about her deal... She thought she had something good going with AUBobby but since they've been back he's been "hunting all the time and won't take a break not even for a second" - the ole bury yourself in hunting to avoid facing trauma or feelings thing. Of course AUBobby may be struggling with the weight of the world he left behind, the people who he couldn't save there and not knowing what has happened to them. There's a lot to unpack with him that hasn't been explored on screen and a lot of it is casting him as behaving in a Dean-like way, while Mary is the "I'll just wait here then" to his coping mechanisms.

-

"There's something on his mind, and he doesn't want to talk about it"

Aforementioned trauma, OR a pun about him being possessed by Michael

yeah I'm harping on it as a half-joke half-kinda want to have it on the record in case I'm right :P

-

"Bobby's not open like your dad"

Mary, you do realise how that sounds to literally everyone else, right? We KNOW you're practically from a 3rd AU aka the past where John was practically the mirror AU to his future self

Unfortunately, Mary is the only person in the room who ever has that particular story, which sucks for her

-

Anyway Meredith has reached some sort of characterising level with these people that I am just in pure awe of

-

"Not like your dad when I knew him"

"Bobby's got walls. Big ones"

I do think it's funny that Mary has essentially ended up crushing on a man who is a John-like parallel to the anti-John mirror that Bobby was, who of course had his own Karen who he was a different person with, who was a Mary mirror, and .... yeah

it's an interdimensional timetravelling wife swap

-

It makes Destiel look straightforward

-

Part of Meredith's skill here is not just accounting for every angle, but also juggling this nonsense

-

Anyway Mary doubting she can get through AUBobby's walls and be the person who has to do the emotional labour to get the guy she wants - if she's ready to put herself out there again

this is NOT a conversation to have with Dean in a million years. Even Sam takes a mo

"I shouldn't be talking to you about this!" she giggles and she and Sam smile and set off again, all touchy feely.

Sweet.

-

Anyway there's another dynamic in these woods.

"You think I was too hard on your brother back there." "He's doing his best. He's doing better than his best." Funny way to phrase it but yeah, Dean can see Sam's levelled up and his new best is this new levels of responsibility and good leadership overall.

-

LOL at how terse that conversation was. Dean points out that Sam could do with a hand running things, makes fun of the beard, no offence, and cut back to Sam and Mary

-

Sam explains Karen to Mary, to give her an idea of what might be AUBobby's backstory too.

"he never had any children?" "no"

Scuse me, that's the line that makes me BAWL every time I watch it. HE DID SO, YOU FOOL. IT WAS YOU AND YOUR UNGRATEFUL BROTHER

I am writing a letter of complaint to the management

-

"Whatever your Bobby" - oh dear, AUBobby is now "your" Bobby, like, they found him first but he's now Mary's :p

Sam is now full on giving Mary relationship advice about how it's worth it to move past those walls and give him a go if she really cares about him.

-

Has he ever had this chat with Cas, or is this just practice

-

"Cas, wait, I really appreciate you came to me with this but I am getting killer deja vu for a second here..."

-

Mary finds a disturbing firepit, Dean finds a creepy hunting cabin. This is about to be a barrel of fun

-

AUBobby... Don't just run off. Poke Dean and POINT AT THE THING YOU'RE FOLLOWING

... Dean, also, have some awareness in your peripheral that AUBobby just legged it

-

Again, way more athletic than our Bobby was

-

That's a human hand

-

Are those real IDs or hunter IDs

-

Oh it all came from one wallet, with the same pic on them all, so yes.

-

"Not one of ours" but part of the wider network/family nonetheless. His bearded look recalls Asa Fox, and there's the unspoken discussion again about sharing resources, if ALL hunters shouldn't be pulled into their network and the word spread that the Bunker is at least a resource, that Sam is there to be the hub even if they aren't all part of the centralised AU hunter squad, and Sam starts Bobbying in earnest for this world as a whole.

Of course they'd never have sent Maggie somewhere that a seasoned hunter had already disappeared.

-

Dean finally realises AUBobby is gone, and immediately gets jumped, with rather less warning than Maggie had.

I like how the man has had time to dress up in a suit from his sick bed, if indeed that is the case

monsters in suits

-

Well that's new

-

Well in 13x14 Meredith wrote Gog n Magog who were a fake out full of sand... Now this monster is a fake out full of ash?

-

Cut to: Old man still in his hospital bed, definitely not attacking people in the flesh

-

Oh dear, his daughter hearing something in the house while earnestly getting on with dealing with his estate makes me pretty sure she's not in on anything and she shouted them out of the house in genuine grief-stress, which I already wasn't particularly doubting.

-

The ole dragging chains upstairs ghost trick, which I honestly wish I could say I have never heard for myself but the ghost next door is not my problem, Victorian walls keep them contained, and honestly if you've been following the saga on random incidental comments on my blog I'm really only inclined to believe in ghosts for the humorous fake hysteria of a moment's entertainment but the odd noises next door late at night really have been going on long enough and yesterday some folk moved in so, you know, first act of a horror movie setting up mere feet away from me, the disinterested neighbour scowling at all the evil poured into the walls of that house by careless landlords and human suffering I witnessed firsthand caused by it >.> Anyway. Unlike this woman I stayed right in this spot instead of wandering around trying to work out where that noise was coming from, because I'm in the house with the wacky backstory where weed dealers sawed through the support beam in the roof and the front of my room collapsed shortly after we moved in :P

-

I'm sorry, but if a ghost opens a door for you ahead of you in the hall, my advice is not to immediately go up to the door and go in

-

SUPERVAMP IN THE ATTIC

-

She does an admirable duck and cover maneouver, only to realise he hasn't chased her. Huh.

Michael's super vamps are super weird.

-

"You're not crazy" Neil the nurse immediately straightens up and eyeballs Sam a lil harder.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

PS where is the ghostly gardener in all this because he wasn't the supervamp so

-

this is like a murder mystery puzzle but all the bits are so utterly wild... Dead hunter, Maggie being drained for the "stroke" victim who is also attacking people in a suit while made of ash... supervamp in the attic who won't follow her out of the room she found him in

I mean in all this has no one gone back up to the attic where a supervamp is apparently just LIVING?

He's currently just chilling there while they have this conversation

he's just, like... waiting for them????

-

Dean walks in mid-crisis "You hunt monsters?!" "oh good you told them" He does like when things are all quick and easy and right to the point.

Last episode he cheerfully told Dirk that hatchetman Jordan was coming for them, while Sam blustered over telling Sam even when the EMF was SCREAMING that there was a ghost right in the room with them and the display cases were freezing over.

With Mary's influence at least, Sam is happy to get into telling the full story

-

"Wait time out, there's a dead body on our property?"

THERE IS A SUPERVAMPIRE IN YOUR ATTIC

BIGGER PROBLEMS

-

Dean is entirely brushed down... Like... He must have been brushing ghost ash off of himself all the way back to the house.

-

Sam invokes 8x08 right after I was talking about Fred. Dangit, Glynn.

I feel like Sam is sort of making a jump here, but on the other hand the house isn't under ghostly or vampiric shutdown. The father is here, unconscious, so perhaps projecting and I guess if Sam is wondering how he could be doing it, then astral projections may make sense to some degree... Working out how it all ties together is going to be another huge step though. I know the sell for this episode was partially nightmares and dreams, and we have Maggie in a djinn-like trap and the old man both a sleeping Bobby from 3x10 and also a possible Fred Jones projecting it... The supervamps are something that Dean would have brought here, and "walkers" from the Walking Dead is something the boys could have brought. Which means the other hunter could have been murdered by his own trauma... idk. Why am I trying to piece it together now?

watch the episode, lizzy

-

LOL the daughter just reeling off her dad's "workaholic with textbook narcissistic tendencies" while also herself clearly being the offspring of such a person (is the manifestation of her dad her own trauma?) and hey no doubt that description of the father might come to bear on some of the father/power figures in the episode. Definitely not what Sam is though he's among the mix - perhaps a dark warning of a guy who works himself to death like this and becomes entirely self-absorbed in the process, but Sam just took a minute to advise his mom's love life so he's hanging in there with his sense of self for now. In the sense that a dark arc doesn't seem to be looming for him in such a way as red flags literally followed pre-Mark Dean around.

-

Okay took a LOT of me yelling at the screen but they FINALLY realised there's an unresolved vampire in the attic situation and Sam's going up to check

-

Meanwhile Mary has been separated out in this cursed property to have her own side-adventure with AUBobby

-

Lol the daughter downs some anti-anxiety medication with whisky while Dean sits behind her tuning his knife in a rather grim melody. What a scene.

-

He also has his foot on an armchair like the total troll he was raised as

-

She goes off on one and Dean immediately likes her

"Thanks dad" "no love lost between you two, huh?"

T stands for terrible father

-

"I get it" "not here for a heart to heart" *pause* *launches into a John Winchester Metaphor Of The Hour rant

"But my MOM" *Dean looks up, eyes all vulnerable* "Depression runs in our family" oh booooy

So she found her mom and Dean saw his mom consumed by fire in a way that is still scarring him TO THIS DAY (re: 13x01 nightmare) and this is our first Mary parallel of even a dead mom but one with a personality, and her own problems... Not the temporary insanity of drowning her children like Constance Welch in 1x01, but a woman who had depression and a husband who wasn't there for her... In 14x01 Mary and Sam's discussion revealed how much she was doggy paddling on the surface of all the awful that's happened to her, but this is our real notable parallel to discuss a family history of depression running through Mary's side of the family, which goes not just for Dean (who, like, really has anxiety himself) but also all of Mary's issues, including in 12x21, begging Ketch to kill her at a lowest point before they got her to entirely retreat into herself.

-

Glynn still out for Dean's blood: "the most ridiculous thing is... I worshipped him when I was a kid" Dean is feeling like she took that machete and shoved it in his stomach, as she sits there swigging whiskey and telling him how he feels. "Didn't know any better. He's the only family I have left."

-

"Can I give you a little advice?......... let it go." Oh Dean :')

Emerging from his cocoon, still mostly trapped in there but I think that's a bit of a wing poking through.

"The past is -" *forcefully stops himself from saying "in the past"*

He talks about it as baggage and how every single day he tries to let it go and leave the baggage behind. God he's strong and amazing and working so hard to be the best version of himself.

-

Oh my god who builds the hall up to the attic as part of the crawlspace? This is horrifying on an unnecessary level and I'm writing into that architecture magazine to complain

-

This is the creepiest attic. Who KEEPS these horrifying mementos. Give them to a thrift shop for a hipster to buff up and turn into a conversation piece in their living room.

-

Okay, blood bags and a girl in chains (explains the clinking) are a bit weirder than average.

-

"Sam... it's here" "What?" "It's heeeere" Sam how long have you BEEN in this business?

File this under your panicky first aid to Stuart last episode

-

Sam got ashed just like Dean did. Hm.

It also looked like one of the crazed hunger vamps from apocalypse world more than one of michael's supervamps maybe? It's really hard to keep track of all these :P

-

Oh my god AUBobby has a son, who was murdered by angels. This is terrible D:

Something about the immediate moment of him wandering in... When Bobby went off earlier I was thinking of 7x11 where he saw his younger self. This approach seems almost more like 6x04 and Crowley seeing Gavin for the first time.

Anyway this is of course another way to twist AUBobby around on himself - he managed to get a son, maybe Karen wasn't murdered by a demon, maybe he had a different wife. Whatever it is, it gives us a version of Bobby totally different from ours and also in how he will relate to Sam and Dean - not as the sons he never had, but if he's thinking of young men in the fight...

-

Oh no AUBobby just got stabbed... Er... is this a nightmare or is he just dead?

-

Is AUBobby really going to -

OW

That's more impressive than breaking a crypt scene mental wall to save your loved one. Then again, original flavour Bobby once stabbed himself in the gut to save Dean so I guess he takes a lot of pain for his loved ones, and honestly gathering the strength to pull a knife out... Maaaybe nicer than putting it in???

The fact this is all going down with angel blades as well.

-

I swear to god... Meredith, don't make me watch AUBobby stab a vision of his own son to complete the loop with our Bobby stabbing Karen.

-

"I'm sorry"

*WhOMph grey ash everywhere*

Kinda takes the pure angst out of it at least :P

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Dean gets a better look. "You're giving him a transfusion?"

Yeah, there's some fuckery at work here, sir. The nurse seems a lot less flustered answering this one which is almost as suspicious as someone who has been non-flustered suddenly getting flustered

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Dean regrets saying "make me a sandwich before he is done asking. Which is the only reason I forgive that request :P Remember in 1x06 where he was bossing Sam's friend around to get them a beer and a sandwich so they could talk in peace about shifters? God. She KNOWS about monsters it's just that he wants to ask a sensitive question here.

Or punch the nurse in the face over the comatose form of her father.

A nod to her that it's a ruse gets her in on it, though. Female!Dean who is a different mirror than Dirk (though still messed up by a father) gets on his wavelength.

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AAH He remembered the djinn thing!!! Dean's memory is so good and I love him and he's the best and also Meredith is riffing off 2x20 which is actually illegal, I literally have that written down here in the rules and regulations. Although it does give me my opportunity to remind us all of Dean's long speech about why does he have to be the one to save all these people to John's grave when he was thinking he had to go unwish stuff.

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Sadly he didn't show up with a knife tipped in lamb's blood so let's see how this goes.

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Oh my god the djinn's literally thought Dean was Michael the whole time. I have to rewatch now >.>

Well, not now, but.

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He thought Michael was testing him, and would be back to give him an upgrade, and now he's waxing poetic about the untapped potential of djinn. We're back at season 6, with the hunter compound vs a monster army, except this time the monsters aren't a reaction to the nonsense of angels, they're the direct work of the angel stepping into the place of Eve as the experimenter, his grace vs her black goo. I suppose the weirdness out here is the djinn flexing its muscles with projecting hallucinations.

And I guess that means it hasn't affected Dean except the generic ghost of Mr Comatose over there (apologies to Cas) which I'd assume is part of the generic set up for killing hunters as it was what got Maggie too.

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The question is, is that Maggie in the attic, or a nightmare for Sam. Wouldn't she be djinned too?

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"Because of him - because of YOU - I can bring those nightmares into the world" well that's a weighted line >.> Dean's guilt for saying yes,  for these things done with his face. Literally bringing nightmares into the world.

Which does at least confirm that the nightmares so far have been external and we're not IN a dream which has been worrying me.

On the other hand that means AUBobby really did get stabbed that badly.

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"I highly doubt you have a knife dipped in lamb's blood" I TOLD him.

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you can't just kneecap the djinn

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"I am curious, what are YOUR nightmares"

Literally pausing it because Meredith is absolutely horrible and I hate her and she keeps being mean to my boy Dean and I can't handle this and I don't want to know

(I am curious. What ARE his nightmares?)

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Er excuse me did he just prod his way into finding Michael still in there

Because the other option is that Dean's mind is so utterly scared and scary with all he's been through he literally just out-nightmared a nightmare machine by force of personality.

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"You don't know my family"

Keep the one liners coming

I'm easily placated by them

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Cut to: the next morning. He offers his double a chance to get her apology from her father, and books it.

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Nyoooom back along a CONSIDERABLY less horrifying shot of the same sort of landscape

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Maggie's back! Everyone loves Maggie. She is the adorable mascot of these people.

Keep the cute pink bunny back at home maybe

Dean gives Sam some affirmation about being the leader of his people.

Now Sam needs to not fold immediately the next time he sees Dean seeing him do something leadery. Deal?

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Mobby H/C

You know he's vulnerable not because he has his shirt off, but because he has his hat off.

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These "angel wars" in the AU sound pretty formal.

You know, it would probably be PRETTY HARD to get the average American to fight a war against angels until it's way way waaay too late.

I mean, case in point: we call where they come from, "apocalypse world"

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"Hunting" "it ends the same." "No." Mary F Winchester puts her foot down. No it ends bloody speeches on her watch! All she has is her optimism but damned if she won't use it!

"I don't know any other way to live" "Then we'll find one"

You are doing a good job and you can save all these dumb guys from themselves.

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DEAN TALKED TO MAGGIE. HE'S HELPING. HE WENT AND LEADERED HER FOR SAM.

Now have a beer, bro

"She learned from the best, huh? :)"

":)"

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Awww Mary comes up with AUBobby and they're taking a vacation. Let AUBobby go fishing or something. Good lil Cas parallel Mary fixing her broken warrior with a Donna cabin adventure.

...

Do you not worry a lil about what is out there? Donna comes prepared with a flamethrower.

""relaxing"" """vacation"""

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Anyway best reason ever given on the entire show for a set of characters not to be in the next couple of episodes, second to "Cas is taking his son out to teach him to hunt some more"

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Bobby has a clean new formal black mourning cap to deal with fresh memories of Daniel

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Sam getting the leadership baton from a representative of Bobby who he may see more as Bobby than perhaps he ought. AUBobby says he's not sure he ever had it in him to be a leader, while our Bobby was the undisputed best at what he did and as much as he may have complained, his competency is what Sam is now emulating.

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Mary being "allowed" to go by Dean. "if you need anything... ANYTHING..." *grabs his shoulder and shakes him* You're starting to turn into the mom in a movie who leaves the kids behind and without supervision they throw a wild party to rebel against you stifling them. SO not the dynamic, but that's the licking a thumb and pressing down a stray bit of hair type momming she's doing all of a sudden.

"Go. Be happy." :')

HUGS FOR THE BOY. That's 2 whole onscreen dean hugs this season.

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Aww Dean talking to Garth :')

Sam and Dean in synchronicity, talking to ALL their hunter network, not just Jody plus the AU peeps

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Though. Sam has implemented a buddy system.

Dorky camp counsellor that he is.

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Dean should get him a ceremonial whistle for Christmas.

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"Move on from what I - from what we - from what he did"... Dean. Buddy.

Go lie down.

That's some of the most intense blurring of self ever, between Dean's guilt, whatever made the djinn scream in horror to delve his head, and his symbolic blending with Michael as the Michaelsword...

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"Starting to feel like myself again... almost..." shakes his head and starts heading out to go watch more movies, sad that halloween is passed so no more slashers on every channel

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"We'll work harder" "how, you sleep 3 hours at night" "then I'll sleep 2" *Dean gives him the NO look*

Well there's a great representation of how their issues mess themselves up and they carve away their sense of self and their health for each other.

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Seriously. What did the djinn SEE. What nightmares are in my boy's head? Oh god I'm stressed.

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What happened to the 1900s groundskeeper, Don?