#This ended up becoming just me talking for a long time about Epic characterisation but I think that's fine

[gingermintpepper]

I hear the original Odysseus and Epic the musical’s Odysseus are pretty different to the point they’re sorta their own characters- how do you feel about this?

Hello beloved Anon!! Thank you so much for the ask <3

Generally, I feel like a very big part of the appeal of adapting stories, especially myths, comes from seeing what these stories and characters mean to the author and how their interpretations of the themes and conflicts in a piece of classical literature are expressed in their interpretation of the story as a whole. This, naturally, means that I fully expect and look forward to unique interpretations of well loved figures whenever I hear that something is going to be adapted! I love being able to see what aspects of a character has stuck with an author, I love being able to trace said aspects back to the original myth and see what other places the author has picked up inspiration from along the way to inform their interpretations! A big part of the appeal of reading and interacting with a whole lot of different mythical media comes from my genuine excitement and anticipation in seeing how a favourite figure of mine has been adapted or how a moment from a story that I really like has been handled!

With respect to specifically Epic and the Odyssey, my opinions on how the characters have been adapted are somewhat mixed. Putting aside my general misgivings about the current writing of the musical, I really like the directions Herrans has taken with the theming and the broad strokes of Odysseus' character and consequent arc. I like the idea of Eurylochus as a well-meaning but still very fallible second, I like the idea of Odysseus and Athena's close-knit mentorship that completely goes to shit after the Cyclops Incident, I even really liked a lot of the representations of the gods - from Hermes' carefree and relaxed kind of power to Aelous' frivolous cruelty to Zeus' power and command prior to God Games. A lot of the interpretations in the Wisdom Saga are things I feel much more neutral-negative about though. While Telemachus' ingénue-esque naivete and enthusiasm in Legendary and Little Wolf is endearing, I much prefer the Odyssey's slight desperate but unfailingly politically apt Telemachus - the wily son who helped his mother with her staling schemes and who was praised for his wit by his father. Telemachus is a young man and while he's technically characterised as such in EPIC, he's also treated in the same way a Disney Princess is where she is technically a young woman but must still appeal to very small children and I'm just not a big fan of that. I'm also not a big fan of Antinous' characterisation though that was something I was originally intensely excited about in the early days of following EPIC! Hold Them Down is a song I'd been dying to hear a full version for because I felt like it captured the quiet menace of Antinous so well - his charisma, his vile motivations, his absolute disdain for the strong-willed Penelope who has thwarted his attempts to take Ithaca for himself and the way his mask has slipped from barely cordial but socially correct visitor to absolute monster who is willing to do anything to get that crown. Just, UGH, Hold Them Down had me HYPED, but the Antinous we got in Little Wolf was... inelegant. Not subtle at all, crass with his intentions - the kind of guy who would've gotten kicked out ages ago for contempt against the queen. The whole political aspect of why they couldn't just kick the damn suitors out is that technically they'd never done anything punishable that would justify rejecting them and sending them on their way. Antinous was the head of that malicious compliance - the one who had the intelligence to be menacing but not so much that his words could be blatant insults or threats. That was part of the whole point of Odysseus striking Antinous down first! Little Wolf's Antinous,,, was not that and I found myself intensely disappointed by it considering that he was that in the earlier versions of Hold Them Down.

My other misgivings in terms of characters just have to do with Apollo, Hephaestus and Zeus in God Games tbh. I'm someone who is generally more concerned with the portrayal of gods in a work than I am with the humans and EPIC has a super unique take on all of the gods that accompany and inhabit its world. I've made a separate post voicing my misgivings about Epic's Apollo but I don't have a long laundry list of issues with EPIC's Hephaestus, I just wish he had more time to shine and that there was more to chew on with respect to his argument. Zeus however is in a similar boat to Antinous where in the first half of the play he was perfect - literally the perfect neutral god-figure who was simply doing his job and obviously not personally swayed one way or another when it came to Odysseus and was maybe having some fun at his expense in Thunderbringer. His violence in God Games then was not only greatly surprising and seemingly out of character, it was also completely unsubstantiated in the story of EPIC itself. Zeus had nothing against Odysseus, he has no particular reason to bar Athena from rescuing him. Likewise, he is the one who offers up the proposal of a game, why would he have a problem with losing it? The reason of 'he doesn't like to lose' doesn't cut it for how extreme his reaction was and it completely undermines what was a genuinely super enjoyable and different take on Zeus in a modern Western-based greek myth inspired piece of media. Absolutely such a tragedy to me.

Of course, to me, the biggest actual crime of adaptation that EPIC's committed with respect to its characters is that we only have about 10 songs left based on Herrans' original outline for the musical and Penelope still has not had a single song or showing or meaningful reference apart from "I am Odysseus and I miss my wife (her name is Penelope)". The Odyssey was a twofold story split between Odysseus vibing on the way back to Ithaca and the political bullfuckery that was awaiting for him when he inevitably returned to Ithaca. The center of that aforementioned political bullfuckery was Penelope and Telemachus. Considering Penelope has been Odysseus' guiding motivation for the entire play, the fact that there has not been a single solid piece of real characterisation that can be attributed to her this late in the story is uh! Criminal actually, and it's the only thing for which I hold some level of genuine disdain over.

In conclusion: I generally quite look forward to people doing adaptations and interpretations of myths and such! I generally think EPIC's done a good job with the adventure and exploration part of the epic but the political and domestic aspect of it really isn't where Herrans shines as a writer and it shows.

[ilummoss]

I was reminded of these scenes a few days ago, and started thinking about why i liked them so much (Shower Thoughts™). To me, they really shine a light on one of the central conflicts in Anakin and Padmés marriage and on how that conflict never gets resolved. Anakin and Padmé have a choice to make, a choice about how they want to live their life, but that they keep postponing. 

I’ve seen people say (often jokingly) that the characterisation on Padmé is off in this episode, as she is the one who tends to focus more on their duty and responsibility. That is something we have seen in an earlier* epiosde, “Senate Hostages”, which is almost a mirror to these moments. There, Anakin was the one pushing to set their duties aside, while Padmé tried to focus on her work. *(An “earlier” moment which in true Clone Wars style is chronologically later.)

But it’s important to remember that she also ends up giving in to Anakin this moment above. She too gets caught up in the romance of the moment. It’s easy overestimate how rational Padmé is about this relationship, as Anakin is our main point of comparison. But Padmé is also very invested in their epic romance. 

Which is why her reaction when Anakin is the one talking about duty and leaving makes a lot of sense. It follows these really sweet moments where we see how happy she and Anakin are to be reunited. Anakin has been gone for a long time, she has missed him, worried about him.

We are also given hints here of how little time they actually have together. They’ve been married for months, if not over a year at this point. Yet Anakin calling Padmé's apartment home becomes an important moment, something that seems to happen for the first time now.

Then Anakin has to leave before the evening is even over. That Padmé is later mad at him for this is unfair, but not strange. She’s probably isn’t even really mad at Anakin as much as the situation, the circumstances that keeps them so apart, but she is directing it at him for lack of other targets. Their relationship is what’s frustrating her, because it’s not as she wants. She, as Anakin so aptly puts it in RotS, wants more.  

As for Anakin prioritising duty, I don’t think it’s strange either. See, Anakin is prioritising his duty here. Anakin does truly care about being a Jedi and he cares about protecting innocents suffering from the war. When Anakin is telling Padmé to focus on him instead of work, he is on a leave. He is not the one that has to compromise in that moment. It is Padmé’s duty he is urging them to set aside. (To be fair to Anakin, I do not think this is something that he is consciously aware of. He just has free time and wants to spend it with her. He most likely thinks that he himself would drop everything for her if she was the one asking... unless it was really important, you know... like the war.) 

Here in this scene Anakin is the one who hears duty call, so off he goes. Padmé has time, so she is frustrated by other things having to come first. Neither of them are yet willing to compromise on their calling, to put their work and other dreams in second place. But this clashes with how they both want their relationship to be put first. 

They have yet to figure out a balance between their duties and their marriage. This problem is made worse by how such a balance might not actually be possible for Anakin who has made vows to the Jedi Order as well. He’s kind of trying to juggle two marriages here, which is likely to end in two unsatisfied partners. Anakin cannot forever keep trying to balance full commitment to both Padmé and the Jedi Order. He, and Padmé, have to make a choice. They can decide that duty must come first and adapt their expectations on their relationship thereafter (which neither of them wants). Or they can choose to put their romance first, but then Anakin should leave the Order (which neither of them wants either). (And they put off this choice until Padmé is pregnant and the stakes have multiplied infinitely.)

They are both being unfair and asking for impossible things. This isn’t unusual though. A lot of relationships start out with unrealistic expectations. The key to going forward is discussing the issues. But Anidala never stays in their conflicts until they are resolved. They brush them under the carpet, often with some outside help. 

This episode contains just such a conflict. A conflict where Anakin and Padmé should have had a conversation, to adress the actual problems going on here, how they haven’t actually negotiated the boundaries of their relationship yet and Anakin’s jealousy over Clovis. 

Padmé is angered by Anakin jealousy and nigh attempt at controlling her and Anakin doesn’t express what is true issue here is, that he is jealous of her previous relationship with Clovis. While Padmé does seem to understand that Anakin is jealous, she also doesn’t adress it until the end (it is also a lot more on Anakin than Padmé to initiate that conversation). When she does speak of it, she is the one apologising to him. 

Her anger at his behaviour forgotten after he swooped in and saved her. Anakin, who here claims to have never doubted her, has spent the entire episode stewing in his jealousy. The conflict has been left behind but not solved. 

This is the way the war is both helping and undermining their relationship. There is a war going on, with life and death stakes, so it’s easy to brush things away. Almost encouraged. They don’t have to evolve their problem-solving strategy. The conversations they need to have about their relationship is hard and painful, so avoiding them is tempting. But it is not going to work longterm. These conflicts, by never being resolved, fall to the floor and form an ever growing pile they will keep stumbling over.

Anakin’s jealousy and how he acts on it is just such a “pile”. Being jealousy is by itself not a necessarily a problem. But how Anakin expresses and acts on his jealousy is bad. He puts the responsibility for his jealousy on Padmé, rather than facing his own insecurities, or discussing it with her in an open vulnerable manner. He attempts to control her to assuage it. Padmé is visibly frustrated by this and refuses to let him, but in the end, she is the one who apologises and they brush this conflict away, until next time. 

I really like this episode for showing both the sweet aspects, how much they like being around each other, how happy they can be together, but also the problems (and lack of resolution of said problems) that will eventually contribute to their marriage’s tragic and horrible end. 

[bedeliainwonderland]

I understand disliking a character..but you realize anything that happens to bedelia in context of the show is driven by hannibal, right? the man you ship her with? the stinger, her fear, all that necessitates her self preservation is instigated by hannibal. the show frequently did a disservice to its female chars, but hannibal was the tool they used to do it. denying that and then shipping him w/ your fav only to turn it around on another char seems...hypocritical.

Ahh yes, some good ol’ anon hate, I missed that. Honestly, perfect timing, I am having the worst of times and getting to talk about my favs literally saved my day. So thanks!

First of all, Bedelia and Hannibal are a canon ship, whether you like it or not, so let’s get that out of the way (as opposite to certain other ship but that is a whole other thing). I merely fill in the blanks of what the show failed to provide because, for some inexplicable reason, the show named “Hannibal” was centered on a character named Will and every other character (especially the female characters) served only to further his “man pain”. But I digress, that is surely not why you chose to hide behind that grey square.

I don’t know whether you follow me or just saw that one reblog (which ironically weren’t even my words but I stand fully behind everything said), but I have already spoken about this extensively. Every day, really. I find it hard to understand how something is hypocritical when it is based on canon information. I am not denying anything. So here we go, under the cut, because I have a LOT to say:

The stinger- oh god, you all know how much I hate it. First of all, there is no proof that Hannibal is involved, we don’t know who is involved, that is kinda the point of a cliff hanger. We don’t even know if it’s real. But it’s absolutely pointless and makes no sense! It was quite literally Fuller wanting to do something “shocking” to finish off the series without any regard to continuity or characterisation. It was supposed to be shocking and look aesthetically pleasing, that’s it, no logic. It is as if he looked at the character list and thought “hmm, which female character is yet to be hurt? Oh right, Bedelia!” The so called “punishing Bedelia” as the fandom loved so very much is mere misogyny. Why can’t a female character do something morally questionable or even plain evil and get away with it? Because Will didn’t that is why. If she were a man, no one would scream for “she has it coming”, no, he would be uwu baby.

Having Hannibal involved in that would be completely out of character and contradictory to all their previous interactions/ their relationship. So let’s expand, shall we?

When we first see Bedelia and Hannibal, it is mentioned that she has been his psychiatrist for 7 years. 7 YEARS, let that sink in. No one, NO ONE, has been in Hannibal’s life for such a long time. It is clear she means a lot to him. If she didn’t, he had plenty of chances to kill her. It is established she is a loner, so it would so easy for Hannibal to dispose of her and claim “she left to UK” or something, like he did with his secretary. But he didn’t because he cares for her and she is important to him. He literally says he feels protective of her. Every session, you can see how much he needs her approval and how he hangs on her every word. How hurt he was when she said she wasn’t his friend (and yet he did nothing). How enamoured he is with her. When he comes to bring her dinner in Savoureaux, the dish included roses! Such a romantic.

Hannibal knew Bedelia was similar to him that is why he set up the whole Neil incident; he wanted to make sure she is. Do note that Bedelia wasn’t ever in danger, since Hannibal was there to step in if needed. But here is what I’ve found interesting; Bedelia killed someone, proving Hannibal’s hunch right, but she refused to fully acknowledge that part of herself. And Hannibal let her withdraw, doing nothing (as in not killing her, as I’m sure he had done many times with unsuccessful “candidates”) merely securing her continuous therapy. Because she was more than just another experiment to him.

And Bedelia isn’t so innocent in other aspects as well. She knows, yet she purposely evades the truth while talking to the FBI (“Will could use friends like Hannibal” ha!) under the cover of patient/ doctor confidentiality and even warns Hannibal directly (“they are starting to see your pattern). I have had my fair share of “Bedelia doesn’t care for Hannibal” posts and nothing could be further from the truth. If she hadn’t cared, she would not have done any of that.

But then of course, Hannibal’s game goes one step too far and he gives her the written permission to discuss him with the FBI. This is bad for Bedelia because it puts her under the scrutiny as well and that is not where she wants to be. Bedelia’s self-preservation always comes first (both Bedelia and Hannibal are egocentric by nature). Yet, she still comes to say goodbye to him and he lets her go! The script described Hannibal’s reaction to her words as “imperceivable wound”. “But he then went to kill her!” I hear you say? *Thor’s gif* Did he though? If he wanted to kill her, he would have done it then and there. No, he went to check if she were really gone (again, script) and whether she betrayed him. That was his only concern (betrayal is a big thing with Hannibal), but she didn’t. She even left him a memento. It said it was a memento of friendship, I think it was a “see you later” card.

This is getting super long, so let’s quickly skip to Florence. Bedelia left with Hannibal, knowing exactly who he was. Unlike other (all of them, actually) characters, she did not reject him/ was scared of him. “You let them see you/ I let them see enough” exchange says it all. She is not surprised by him or shocked by what he is; she is merely stating the facts. She has long accepted him in full. They lived together in Florence, openly behind the so called veil, as fake husband and wife, but the wedding rings remained intact even at home (showing how important it was to them, not just a front), displaying a ridiculous amount of domesticity and intimacy. This deserves a whole separate post but I am trying to be brief(er). “But she was scared!” you might shout again, except that she wasn’t. Even if Antipasto purposely played with the ambiguity of her situation for suspense purposes, the following episodes made it clear she was exactly where she wanted to be, from the very start, on her own terms as Hannibal’s equal. We were obviously misled by the promos, they promised us a Bedelia and Hannibal show and what we got was, well, you know… And that is yet another post altogether.

Now to the glorious farewell, boy, do I love to talk about that. Bedelia packs Hannibal’s bags and tells him to leave, and he does! What more, he promises to tell her story. HER STORY. Now, that is a major thing, because Hannibal has never ever done that for anyone. He always turns other people’s stories into his own, manipulating and adjusting accordingly. But with Bedelia, he simply agrees to do it, on her own terms. Not only that, he is visibly impressed and enamoured by her. Again, if he wanted to kill her, he could have just killed her then. He was going to get caught anyway, what is one more murder? All this “he waited until he could eat her” story makes no sense at all, since as it was already mentioned, he knew her for almost a decade, plenty of time to eat her if he wanted to. He lets her go because he wants to. Because he cares for her.

The point I have made several times is that Bedelia is the only person that Hannibal treats as, well, a person! Everyone else is beneath him, meat only if you will, but not her. Even the ever so special (apparently) Will and Abigail aren’t treated as ��people”. Bedelia is the only person that Hannibal respects; that is what makes her so special. Not love (even though he obviously loves her), because respect is rarer for Hannibal than love. Sure, he “loves” Will, the same way you love your favourite book. You want to have it and you don’t want anyone else to have it, but you don’t expect the book to return your feelings. Bedelia is Hannibal’s only equal.

The Red Dragon arc was a mess of epic proportions so I don’t even want to get into that. But I do appreciate the acknowledgement of Bedelia’s darker side and now she has become comfortable with it since Florence. Let’s make a few notes so it doesn’t look as if I am purposely omitting things: Hannibal’s letters to Bedelia? Clearly a part of his “telling her story” and helping her cover, plus he was not able to send her proper letters, so that is his way of telling her he thinks of her. Sessions with Will? You can’t really take everything she told him at face value, she is obfuscating after all. Why would she be honest with Will? She wouldn’t be, she was just continuing what Hannibal has started with much better results (slightly too good actually, as proven by Will’s stupid plan). Bedelia wasn’t afraid Hannibal would come after her, because she had no reasons to be. NONE. She was protected by him.

So there you have it, the great many reasons why I am so unapologetic in my shipping. Because it is all there. Thank you for reminding me why I love these two so much! Have a great day, maybe next time you can message me off anon.

(And thanks to all who got to the end of this almost dissertation, this is my testament, I love you all fellow bedannibal fans!)

[sixth-light]

OKAY FINE Endgame has been out for a few days now and I am overflowing with feelings which can't just be shared in ROT13 on Twitter. Major massive spoilers behind the cut, obvs, stop here if you're on mobile.

Spoiler-free overall summary: there were some big misses but mostly they hurt because so many of the big swings this movie took did connect, and as a very ambitious attempt to tie a bow on 11 years and 22 movies, it's...actually pretty good. It even makes me like Infinity War better in retrospect. 8/10, will see again in the theatre.

. . . .

STUFF I LIKED:

- The three hour running time is challenging to the bladder but gave the movie room to breathe and room to have the character interactions IW just didn't, and so many of them were note-perfect. Steve and Nat, Tony and Howard, Thor and Frigga, everybody hanging out at HQ doing research. All the family and found family stuff everybody complains isn't there. <3

- They really used the time-travel plot and Big Crossover Event opportunities in a way that was often fanservice but the good kind; the kind that gives you lovely unexpected conversations (Rhodey and Nebula, Tony and Nebula) and hilarious callbacks (the lift scene).

- Speaking of, THE LIFT SCENE, HOLY CRAP, we all shrieked so hard they probably heard it outside the theatre, and also the Cap vs Cap fight (yes, Steve, that IS America's ass) and in general everything about the 2012 time heist section was gold. And Cap with Mjolnir too, so good.

- The big final battle was about ten minutes too long BUT ALSO had the perfect encapsulation of the big two-page comic book epic spread you could want. The all-ladies shot was...look it was transparent and highlighted Nat not being there but also I am easily pleased.

- They whiffed the time travel stuff hard right at the end but leaving out the Steve Thing, there was some genuine attempt to think it through, at least enough for my satisfaction. It's not the perfect time travel plot but it's not entirely full of plot holes. And it left room for characters to not know things - they believed Strange had the Time Stone in 2012 because nobody left alive had any reason to think otherwise.

- Tony's arc felt complete and I cried over him TWICE which is a tall order for me, so well done everybody involved with that.

- Way more Sam than I had hoped for or expected. ON YOUR LEFT. SAM!CAP. I am kinda excited for the TV show now.

- The cold open with Hawkeye's family was genuinely well done (still should have been him and not Natasha though)

STUFF I DID NOT LIKE:

- Nat deserved better. The characterisation of why she made that choice was on point, but the movie should have done better by her (and DID, for the first half, right up until she went to the Planet of Fridging). Do Not Accept.

- The Steve thing breaks the time travel rules AND does a huge disservice to his growth and Peggy's. Some of the best parts of Agent Carter S1 were Peggy learning to move on; TWS, the best Steve movie, is about him forging connections and a family in the present. That all got erased, as sweet as the last scene was. Not to mention the implication that he sat by while Bucky got tortured for fifty years or more. I get Chris Evans wanted out but....

- ...the movie more or less set up that actors leaving the MCU = death for the characters, if they're major enough, which is bullshit and I hate it. Let people retire, FFS. Let them become offscreen mentions. Embrace the idea that superheroism doesn't mean until death. The alternate is so depressing.

- they almost told a really thoughtful story about Thor's PTSD from losing everything, then failing to stop Thanos, and then decided to make it about fat jokes instead. UGH. So close, so far. 

STUFF THAT WAS MEH:

- It's been said before but: fuck you Russos for thinking that doing the literal bare possible minimum in every sense to acknowledge queer people exist = representation. It's been TWENTY-TWO MOVIES. Do better.

- Paul Rudd is funny but that was a lot of time on a character who I find slight at best.

- You all know my feelings on Bucky and Steve/Bucky as a ship, but the character and the relationship - canonically hugely important to Steve - got shafted. One hug, Marvel, c'mon. One thirty-second meaningful conversation. C'MON. I don't even go here and I know you fucked up.

- P sure it didn't pass the Bechdel test, and in general not enough use of crossover to let women interact. LET WOMEN TALK TO EACH OTHER.

- Carol was very underutilised; I understand why but she better get her due in future movies and esp future crossover movies if any.

- The whole Hawkeye Goes Dark thing: blah. Blah.

[wilmakins]

He whoever shall be worthy

This rant is loooong, and…ranty. And full of spoilers. But it’s been long and ranty in my head for days now, so I thought this might help. If you have issues with the characterisation of Steve Rogers (in general, not just in A4) this may be an internal rant you know.

I have just realised that all of my issues with Endgame – indeed, most of my issues with the entire MCU – could have been resolved with three sentences in this movie.

In fact… all the issues I have with Endgame, and all of my issues with the MCU…are the same damn issue. And it would’ve taken so little to fix it…

Right of the bat, I have to say, I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I did. It gave me so much MORE than I was expecting, from a film I thought could only fail. And hey, I got the Ass of America. Never planned for that. But I think it’s pretty obvious I love the MCU by now, and that’s never meant I didn’t have any issues with it…

…One issue, now that I think of it. One main one, at least.

So, I thought my issues with Endgame were

1)      Like most people, Steve’s ending.

2)      The fact that Steve could suddenly lift Thor’s hammer, with no explanation as to why Steve was suddenly worthy now, as opposed to Tony, or Steve two years ago

3)      The fact that Steve never said one word about what he actually did in CACW

And I didn’t let it spoil my enjoyment of the film. I did actually think the actual scene of Steve lifting the hammer was amazing, and I’m so thrilled that Tony got to have his say about CACW when I wasn’t expecting it, so I figured, what with everything else I loved, I could let that go.

But it nagged at me, and eventually I realised – it’s just that Steve never gets his moment.

That’s what’s bugged me about MCU Steve, and every film he’s been in, from the start.

That’s why done of his big moments feel as epic as they should in this film

That’s (one of the reasons) his ending rings hollow, and feels wrong.

Can you imagine if they cut all the scenes in IM2 and IM3 where Tony says he’s a hot mess, talks to his friends, engages with a kid, has a breakdown… they all still happened, they just happened off screen. The scenes we do see of him remain the same – him in battle, him in the lab, him cracking wise in the team and supporting the accords and building ULTRON. He’s still the same character he was, he’s still as coherently written, the bits that they do give us hang together… we just never see the joining parts.

Imagine if Thor never interacted with Loki, or Korg, or his mother, or Rocket, or Jane.

Steve never gets that moment. We just get the stoic looks and the meaningful sounding nonsense sentences that are meant to suggest he’s thinking all this…

Tony gets to rant about his thoughts on CACW. We never get to hear Steve’s answer. Tony get’s to give cap his shield back, and explain that he’s giving up on resentment, and demonstrate through a little joke how he wants to play this…. Steve just smiles, and accepts, stoically.

And I get that some characters are just stoic. Some characters don’t have someone to talk to, they don’t have breakdowns, they don’t interact with children or rock aliens, they don’t keep a diary – that’s just who they are. And it is harder to portray that on film (that’s why Steve works better in fanfic – ah, the joy of the internal monologue)… but with Steve, I just feel they didn’t try. There were little moments where Steve could have had, in character, that would have let us see him, and his journey.

I’m not being funny, Nebula is hardly a gushing character with lots of friends - but she still got to play table football with Tony, and offer him the last of her food, and say to Rhodey ‘…I wasn’t always like this’. Little moments that demonstrate how her view of people has changed, what her priorities are now, what, specifically, she regrets or laments.  

And if you’re asking why you can’t leave everything open ended like that… because you’re literally telling this characters story? As opposed to giving us a prompt with which to write our own?

And I think it came back to bite them on the ass with the ending of Endgame, because I think so many people had filled the gaps in differently to the writers. As you didn’t show us any of his emotional development, we had to interpret his actions on our own … and so many of us thought the point was that he was moving on, becoming his own man, making a home for himself.

And it isn’t even that it had to be that story. It isn’t simply that this is the story we wanted. It’s just that, if you were telling the story of a man who was working his way back to his happy ending, a man who was fulfilling his own destiny so that he could finally make a choice for himself… you could have told me that, rather than just suggesting it. I might’ve bought into that.

And this lack of context for Steve, when I think about it, doesn’t just take the shine off of the ending for me. It’s been my issue all along.

It annoyed me in CACW. Steve was written perfectly coherently, as at least three different characters. You could fill the gaps in with Steve retreating into himself out of panic, Steve coming into himself as a result of what he’s learning – you can believe he either thought about it afterwards and was very sorry, or that he thought about it afterwards and made peace with what he had to do. And you could have given him a moment there. He wrote a letter an everything – one sentence of it could have been real.

He could have said “I am sorry for the way I hurt you, I know I made mistakes, I realise now that there were things I should have done differently, even if I still believe in what I had to do.”

He could have said “I know you and I see things differently. I know you believe in what you’re doing, and the people you work with, and know you’re always doing what you believe is right. I’ve just seen that so many times throughout history, even in SHIELD… but my lack of faith in those structures was never a lack of faith in you”

He could have said “I am sorry I can’t tell you I wouldn’t do the same again. I will regret the hurt I’ve caused you forever… But I’ve learned that its what you don’t do that you regret more.”

He could have been repentant, or panicked, or justified in his own mind, it could have been in character, and brief, and in the letter he was writing anyway… but as you didn’t tell us, we picked our own.

We’ve got our own theories for why Steve, and only Steve, can lift Mjolnir now.

Some people think that maybe he could already lift in in AoU, and was just being nice to Thor (which is a pretty major question of characterisation to be left unanswered at the end of a characters arc… I’m just sayin’…)

Some people think he couldn’t lift it before because he was still lying to Tony, and now the secret is out… well, I could buy that if Steve had actually repented and atoned for that mistake, or learned something from it, or stopped feeling guilty for it because he realised it was what he always had to do – and hey, he could have done any of those things. Off screen. As usual. It assume one doesn’t become worthy simply by dint of a lie being exposed against their wishes…?

Some people think he couldn’t lift it before because he was still trying to be something he wasn’t, still trying to be the person he was supposed to be as opposed to the person he was (borrowing some of Thor’s character development on Steve’s behalf, there…) And, hey, I could buy into that. Maybe that might even help me make some sense of the ending, the way Steve finally decided to make a decision for himself… was it that?

And I just think… It would have taken a few little moments over the course of 11 years to really tell us the story of Steve, the way you did Thor and Tony. Chris Evans gave you a deep, human performance of a man coloured and by all his past experiences, a man struggling with many issues we wanted to see him resolve. You had a coherent character on screen, a journey that could make sense in a few different ways. But, instead, you gave us a hint… and that’s why so many people felt blindsided by the ending, now.

But even if you weren’t going to do that.

Just a few sentences in this film.

Let him answer Tony, and say “I am sorry/This is what I’ve learned/This is why you’re wrong, but I forgive you” (whichever you want to go with). He doesn’t have to cry, he doesn’t have to get drunk and throw something. Just a hint of the direction of his thoughts – as opposed to my faith’s in people, I guess, which sounds very Captain America-y but could actually be said by anyone, about anything.

Let him have a moment with Peggy in 1970 – let Peggy tell him something important about himself, if you really can’t have Steve Rogers ever say what he’s really thinking. Or, better yet, since she’s the love of his life and this is the end of the world anyway, maybe this is the one time Steve could say something like “I’ve made so many mistakes, Peg…” or “The man you were in love with… I don’t even know if I like him now. I’ve done so many good things, since then… the man you knew would have called them treason.”

Let him at least be honest with Sam at the end, rather than talking about the ideals of Captain America in the language of Hallmark. Let him say “…I was just so tired, Sam. I had rebuilt my life so many times, and after Nat, and Tony, and everything changed… It wasn’t that I didn’t want to keep fighting. I just didn’t want to start all over again.”

Then Steve lifting Mjolnir might have been the truly epic moment he deserved it to be.

Then maybe I understand the ending you gave me (even if I still don’t like it)

Then maybe, after three frickin years, I could stop ranting about Civil War…

 But you didn’t.

 …I really did love the movie though. Honest.

[dailyarturia]

I apologize for bothering you for your objective opinion so much, my king, but once again I need your objective opinion. This time I need your objective opinion on the Berserkers. I'm severely concerned that I have shit taste in Berserkers, and I know that unlike me you are definitely a man of culture.

very large. back from ye olde days where berserkers generally couldn’t actually communicate so unfortunately a bit lacking in complex characterisation compared to others. lovin the whole ‘made to kill his own children in rage which is what qualifies him as berserker in the first place and now gives his all to keep this singular parentless child safe despite supposedly being made into a mindless raging beast’ thing. 8/10

bucket knight. also an old school zerker who can’t talk outside kariya’s fever dreams but he does scream in french sometimes. an overly loyal knight who nonetheless put his own wishes above what he believed were his king’s once and then spent the rest of his life feeling guilty about it to the point where it straight up drove him crazy because he couldn’t understand that arturia has -15 consideration of her own wants. his kink is getting shamed and he would probably get a heart attack if arturia did that hands on her hips disappointed look pose in his general vicinity. 8/10

get OUT of my HOUSE. ugly and horrifying but could totally beat gilgamesh in a fight and the image of ol gregory getting his nuts kicked in by a metal underpants enthusiast is high quality content so he gets points for that. 3/10

this is what we in the scientific community call a daughter. a good girl who just wants to be loved but has severe trust issues after being abandoned by the person who literally created her. can in fact talk but it takes a lot of effort so she doesn’t bother because like, fuck humans right, why should she put in effort to make herself understood when they’re not gonna want to understand her either way. I’m so blessed & grateful that moriarty is her dad now. 9/10

i’ll be honest I still have no idea what his character is supposed to be like its not like he had a lot of screentime in extra and extella is very bad to its side characters. ?/10

the fucking supreme. pandered to like a dozen of my kinks and gave me a few more. my first 5*. the end of my f2p days and the start of my journey to becoming the monster god. the design. the skillset. the teeth. the c l a w s. a king despite hating kings. a machinelike killer despite living for the thrill of the fight. a man who wants to just die already yet obstinately refuses to. a contradictory mess that denounces every ideal he used to live by yet clings to them harder than ever. a monster whose personal arc after being summoned isn’t how he’s still human at heart or whatever but how he was a monster before he looked like one already so like, don’t even worry about it. his mad enhancement is EX(C ) and his material entry revealed that this weird rank is bc it’s not even actual battle rage, he’s just so fucking stubborn it gets classified as mad enhancement. EX/10 the love of my fucking life

the smile of an angel. seems completely rational at first but is still classified as a berserker with EX rank mad enhancement because of her inhuman determination to save as many lives as possible without any regard for the quality of that saved life. she’d amputate all of a person’s limbs in an instant if that’s what it’d take for them to not die. she has canonically beat people to a pulp to ‘cure’ their mental issues. completely dedicated her life to becoming a healing machine at the cost of her own health and even personhood. her profile says she doesn’t actually listen to others but in her myroom lines she takes an active interest in your hobbies and opinions and she also gets flustered when you call her an angel. i literally cannot fucking wait until ch america hits NA server she’s so fucking good and i want everyone to love her. 15/10

THIS IS WHAT A FRIEND LOOKS LIKE. the actual embodiment of “cool guy has a chill day”. a smile that rivals the sun and an attitude that turns even the most ordinary days into a grand adventure. his mad enhancement is basically just that he’s kind of an idiot. 10/10

OX MOM OX MOM OX MOM her mother got knocked up by an ox demon in a dream and had to raise her in secret, and her human father didn’t accept her until she proved to be really strong and even then only as long as she would exterminate anyone who stood in the way of the clan. so scared of being shunned for her demon origins despite being loved & trusted as leader of the minamoto clan that she straight up exorcised her demon self into a separate personality to kill it (& herself with it) and was only barely stopped by the four heavenly kings. nowadays fiercely protective of anyone who knows about & accepts her demonic side to the point of insanity, which is where her EX mad enhancement comes from. a huge crybaby but gets shit done anyway. 10/10

THIS IS ALSO WHAT A FRIEND LOOKS LIKE. someone who was labeled and locked away as something evil due to being what is by all means called a monster even though he’s got a really gentle personality and likes being helpful. really good example of the whole “heroes and villains are nothing more than the roles individual complex people are forced to take on” theme fate likes to play with. has difficulty talking but it’s easy to come to an understanding with him as long as you call him by his personal name asterios rather than the name of the monster minotaur everyone assumed he’d be and he thus inevitably became. 10/10

the only reason he’s a berserker is because his name and the word “berserker” have the same etymology and the grail had no idea what other class to put him. this is the canon reason. he doesn’t have any mad enhancement to speak of beside being a lil hot blooded and liking to fight. literally only here because he likes to throw punches. got his ass beat by li shuwen in ch america because despite loving to throw a punch he’s not actually a martial artist and can’t win from someone with actual technique. a classic ‘jack of all trades master of none’, he literally sucks at being every single class but can’t not be summoned as a heroic spirit because he’s from the oldest english epic poem and a prototype for many other heroes. a free spirited adventurer who takes things as they come but can be responsible when it matters. 9/10 

once a good & wise ruler but fell into insanity in the last few years of his rule before finally getting assassinated. loved rome with all his heart for its beauty & splendour but got overwhelmed by the conspiracies and other evils that were also a part of it until the goddess of the moon, who he was in love with, made him insane, which he claims saved him in his bond ce. determined from then on to become the ugliest most evil motherfucker in all of rome so that he could take all the nastiest parts of rome with him in his inevitable death and have his dear cousin nero live in happiness, if only for a while. summoned as a hero despite being very close to an anti-hero because the good ruler he was before going insane responded to a call to save the world and still intent to do his part by simply dragging everything evil down with him. 8/10 wouldn’t it be nice if chapter rome had actually paid attention to roman servants other than nero.

looks like a bratty child but talks like an archaic mob boss. has horns and huge claws. easily bribed with chocolate. has a huge sword but just fucking headbuts her enemies instead. 10/10

many berserkers are angry men but only he is anger man. classified as a berserker not just due to his battlefield conduct but also the insane commitment he had to the laws of the shinsengumi, to the point where he would personally execute former comrades who broke them. both the first and last member of the shinsengumi, a man who dedicated his entire life to upholding its values in a rapidly changing japan. surprisingly rational and during gudaguda 2 okita didn’t even realize he’s a berserker because he didn’t become the fanatic that qualified him to be summoned as one until after okita’s death. one of the coolest skillsets in the game and definitely some of the sickest animations. 10/10

NORMALISE

FINDING

AND KILLING

ACHILLES

10/10

my fuckign girlfriend 10/10

the cutest enabler. 10/10

please god let me meet her. 10/10

when will takeuchi die

[misscrawfords]

11, 12, 16

Sorry for the delay in answering @cinquespotted and thank you for asking! :) Been a manic couple of days and I needed to think about non-fiction books about classics because that’s not so easy to answer when I haven’t been in academia in the subject for almost ten years. (Yikes…)

11. recommend a piece of non-fiction about the classical world

I was thinking about this on and off for a couple of days and then the answer hit me. Adam Nicholson’s The Mighty Dead. I’m not sure that “non-fiction” is quite the right way to describe this utterly brilliant book. It’s a lyrical, imaginative, semi-fictional investigation of Homer’s influence and power, as simultaneously oblique and direct, beautifully written and πολυτροπος as one of Homer’s heroes. 

I also pulled out my undergraduate dissertation bibliography which was the last time I read classical scholarship seriously and I remember being blown away by some of the things on it. (Unlike many students, I absolutely adored writing my dissertation - I was very lucky.) Here are a few of the academic books I read which I recall enjoying even at the distance of 9 years:

-  Chew, Kathryn. “The representation of violence in the Greek novels and martyr accounts”-  Frye, Northrop. The Secular Scripture: A study of the structure of romance (not classical per se but brilliant and influential - I read more Frye for my masters and I’m a big, big fan)-  Konstan, David. Sexual Symmetry-  Loraux, Nicole. Tragic ways to kill a woman-  MacAlister, Suzanne. Dreams and Suicides: The Greek novel from Antiquity to the Byzantine Empire

Yep, my dissertation was basically about sex and death. (What else is fiction about?) No, I didn’t do it on purpose…

12. who is your favourite poet? why?

(Oh how nice, this meme was created by someone writing British English. How delightfully unusual!)

Am I allowed to cheat and give two - one Greek and one Roman? Good! :P

On the Greek side, I have to go with Homer. I mean, I honestly feel he (he? As if we know!) might be my favourite author. Or at least sit up there alongside Austen. I guess at the moment I’m in more of a Homer mood than an Austen mood. Polite tea drinking and elegant sniping in a ball room really isn’t cutting it for me at the moment. (YES I KNOW THERE IS MORE TO AUSTEN THAN THAT. SHE’S MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND I’VE WRITTEN A DAMN MASTERS DISSERTATION ON HER. I’m just having a reaction against that kind of writing atm. I don’t know why. I don’t know what to do about it. I feel sad. But that’s another post.)

HOMER

I mean, where does one start? I’ve always loved The Odyssey from reading Book 6 for Greek GCSE and tittering over Odysseus covering his naked manhood with a fig leaf (lines inexplicably missed out from the Bristol Classical Press’ edition for fear of offending the sensibilities of school children, clearly not realising that by missing them out there is no indication that Odysseus isn’t stark naked in from of Nausicaa the entire scene lololololol). I did a final year paper involving reading the whole poem in Greek (spoiler: I failed, but I read about 2/3rds of it missing out the many books of recognition in Ithaca and it was a wonderful experience reading 100s of lines of Homer and getting a feel for the vocabulary and the rhythm of it all. I wish I had been a more dedicated student and had actually completed the whole thing.) It was my favourite paper. Professor Simon Goldhill (who looks and sounds like Zeus) opening the lecture series by booming, “The Odyssey is all about how to be a MAN”. ανδρα μοι εννεπε. First line of the poem. I get shivers thinking about it. Odysseus - his character. WHAT A GUY. (I don’t mean to say you have to like him or approve of him - that’s not what appreciating fiction is about, you clodpoles, but you have to admit he’s an amazing, amazing character and concept.) We actually had Professor Edith Hall come to my school today and she gave a talk on Odysseus as a hero and ngl I actually almost teared up at one moment. I just can’t believe such a great character exists and over 2000 years later, he still speaks to us and we can trace SO MUCH in Western culture back to these texts. Actually, while I was nursing a raging crush on Odysseus (I was 20 okay), it was Penelope who was the revelation to me in that paper. Did Penelope know her husband was back before the recognition scene? This had never occurred to me before and I was plunged into debates on the stability of the text and characterisation and feminism and narratology. I mean, it was just amazing! And whatever nitty gritty you might go into with it, I was just struck by this wonderful, admittedly overly romantic idea, that Penelope was absolutely Odysseus’ equal. That in this ancient epic, we had a woman who bested a man at his own game, that she was playing him - and he loved it. These two tricksters, separated for too long, finally getting their happy ending. And I know it’s not about that. But it also is. Emotionally, that’s what I got. And it made me so, so happy. Because, honestly, I don’t have a problem studying works written by, for and about men if they’re good, but there are SO FEW opportunities studying classics (at least traditionally; the approach is changing now which is great) to grapple with amazing female characters or figures - and here I had Homer’s hero and Homer’s heroine. I mean, there are many other things I love about the Odyssey but this is already long enough.

I always joked about the fact that I managed to get a classics degree from Cambridge without having ever studied the Iliad. (Ikr, it’s crazy!) And youthful, hubristic me was okay with that. I was an Odyssey girl through and through. I’d read the Iliad and it was all battles and death and the catalogue of ships. YOU FOOL. So the first time I really had to deal with the Iliad was when I found myself teaching it to A Level Classical Civilisation. And it was an absolute revelation. I’m teaching it for the third time at the moment and it’s not getting old. Every time I see something different, every time the students find something new, every time I cry quietly in class when we are reading. The places vary but the moments that are guaranteed to set me off are Achilles’ grief over Patroclus, him putting on his armour and his final unbending towards Priam. Why the armour? I’m not entirely sure. I think it’s something to do with this sense of inevitability of the approach of the end, of imminent climax (somehow more significant than the climax itself). It’s like how the lighting of the beacons in LotR is such a powerful scene. It’s not that the thing itself is particularly full of pathos but because of everything it signifies. I can’t altogether explain it but it always really affects me. When my uncle died the other year, I was reading the death of Patroclus with my class at that time and my mum came to visit. I didn’t know how to talk to her or talk about my uncle’s death and we had this absolutely awful walk around a country park in the rain (I am never going to be able to go back there for the memories it triggers) but somehow the only way I could articulate something of what I felt was by clinically and factually describing Achilles’ anguish and explaining to my mother how the ancient world mourned its dead and what Patroclus had meant to Achilles and what blinding grief and rage would drive him to do. And she gripped my hand and we both wept, silent tears, and we walked on in the rain talking about the Iliad. I’m actually crying again, writing this, right now. I am not sure there is ANYTHING in literature more powerful than Achilles’s rage and anguish.

If Odysseus is the hero of romance and comedy, a clever hero whose very wiliness makes my heart sing and my academic brain bounce up and down looking for mythic parallels, Achilles does something else altogether. I’ve been thinking about him a lot recently - partly because I’m teaching the poem and once again we’ve got to Book 16 and Achilles’ tragedy is becoming the focus of the remainder of the poem (if it wasn’t before) so it’s literally my job to think about his character - but also in the context of my recent obsession with SW, Reylo and Kylo Ren’s Episode 9 possibilities. I’m not trying to be trivial here but it saddens me SO MUCH that people have the nerve to police interest in that character, one of the most fascinating and complex to grace the screens of a fantasy blockbuster series in - well, honestly, I can’t think of another one. What a treat we have. Nobody has a problem loving Achilles’ character and weeping over him (and making soft pastel shipping graphics of him and Patroclus…) but he was objectively speaking an awful person in many ways. A violent, unpredictable, psychopathic overgrown adolescent who holds an awful grudge. But of course, that isn’t the full story and it’s not the purpose of this post to educate the internet on the nuances of Achilles’ character and his profound tragedy. I’ve got emotional enough, but honestly, we NEED Achilles. We need that larger-than-life expression of all our deepest fears and regrets and violence and destruction - and also wit, compassion, sense of justice and deep love and loyalty. I think someone once said that everyone should read the Iliad at least once in their life. Whether they did or not, it’s true: everyone should.

Okay, so I was also going to talk about how much I love Ovid too but that would be literally going from the sacred to the profane, the sublime to the ridiculous and I have spent way too long on this already. So, yeah, I really love Ovid as well.

16. Cicero - love him or loathe him?

I unironically love Cicero. 

Okay, so I started along this journey from the worst of reasons. The first guy I ever liked in high school was obsessed with Cicero. At the time, I’d never read anything by him, so I decided to like him because liking the same things as your crush is an A+ way of getting him to notice you and like you back. (Spoiler: it failed.) Along the way, I got really inspired by Cicero’s wife Terentia. My first internet handles were Terentia. (I WONDER IF HE KNEW I HAD A CRUSH. lol he did. it was awful. I cringe.) Anyway, Terentia was fabulously wealthy and responsible for financing Cicero’s political career, married twice more after Cicero’s death, including to the historian Suetonius, and died aged 103. What a BAMF.

So first off, I love Cicero’s Latin. He’s my favourite Latin prose author to translate. Even if his speeches are sometimes on the dull side (we had De Imperio as an AS set text a couple of years ago and it was such a snooze-fest), the actual style of writing is so lucid and balanced and satisfying I can forgive him the content. I love all the rhetorical devices and how you can still see them at work in (good) political speeches today. I just get tremendous pleasure from translating him. It annoys me no end that the prose unseen author at A Level at the moment is Livy. I have no patience for Livy’s Latin; it doesn’t thrill me at all.

But I also kind of like Cicero the man. He lived at one of the most fascinating periods of history and although you can’t altogether trust his bias, he was a really important figure in that history and documented so much of it. I wish we had more sources to sit along side as I think he definitely puffs himself up, but nevertheless he’s invaluable. I even quite like his arrogance. He’s the ultimate self-made, intellectual man in Rome and I think he has reason to be proud of what he achieved. He must have been formidable to listen to.

Thank you for letting me ramble on about classics and literature like this. I miss writing on tumblr and not just reblogging pretty things.

Ask me about classics (or anything else obviously)

[yavemiel]

Top Ten Fic Recs

Tagged by  @callioope and @justkeeponthegrass thanks guys!

This says top ten fic recs and I was like ‘I guess I can limit myself to ten’ and now having started going through them I’m like ‘ahahahahahahah NO’ so without further ado, split into three categories, here are thirty-nine of my favourite Rebelcaptain fic recs, listed in no particular order, because you see how easy it was for me to cut down the list I have, there’s no way I could chose between them. The only concession I could make was to keep it to one per author, but know that if one is on the list, all the rest of their stuff is amazing too! All the links are to AO3 and I’ve tagged the authors on Tumblr when I know their handle, but if you spot one of yours and I’ve not tagged you, let me know! :) Recs are below the cut because this is a LONG POST.

List One (>20,000 words, complete)

- floating, sinking by @shu-of-the-wind (shuofthewind), NR, 188k words [One of the quintessential Rebelcaptain fics, which tells an AU version of A New Hope. The character voices are so spectacular in this, every point of view is perfectly written, and it’s so SO believable. Cannot over-recommend]

- to treat everything as if it were a nail by @things-with-teeth (thingswithteeth), M, 103k words [What if Jyn had been found on Lah’mu and been taken by Krennic? This fic answers that question spectacularly, which such depth and character strength you kind of forget it’s not how it happened in canon]

- gray areas (series name cassian andor nonsense) by @theputterer (theputterer), T, 371k words [This series is a love song to Cassian Andor. If you’ve been looking for the tragic backstory that explains how he got where he is in Rogue One, THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. Bring tissues. Also goes well beyond Rogue One into what might have happened to Cassian and Jyn in this universe, an unbelievable epic]

- Won’t You Let Us Wander by angel_deux, T, 243k words [I have so much love for this series, it’s Cassian/Jyn focused but the other characters are so amazing as well, particularly Leia. It’s basically 243k words of Cassian and Jyn working through their respective issues and building a family and a team as they go and it is a delight.]

- The Words Would Only Rhyme by @betweentheheavesofstorm (betweentheheavesofstorm), T, 51k words [I really love this story, Jyn has visions and it takes a completely different tack to canon AND has ‘fake relationship’ one of my favourite tropes ever and I really don’t think I can do it justice without spoiling it, so just take my word for it and read it] - as the fates unwind by Jaxin, T, 45k words [A look at what might have happened if Lyra had lived to bring up Jyn, it’s been a while since I read it, but the thing that sticks in my memory about this one is the characterisation, it’s Spot On]

- Intersections by Caedus501, T, 139k words [This series is spectacular: intersections is a great name for it, it basically retells the history of Cassian and Jyn if they had run across each other in various guises during their pasts, and how that would affect the events of Rogue One. Excellent writing.]

- For A Good Time Call by @jynsanity (jormaperalta), T, 28k words [This is SUCH a feel good fic, sweet and funny, I can’t tell you how much I love it. A modern AU where Jyn writes her name on the wall of a bar and Cassian texts her, and it works so well.]

- in the spaces by @gizkasparadise (nymja), E, 27k words [I come back and re-read this fic so often, I really feel like it’s one of the truest to canon characterisations out there: Jyn and Cassian are so committed to the cause, but also to each other, and the conflicts that that causes are obvious and heart-breaking and perfectly perfectly written.]

- spes semper mihi adest by @rain-sleet-snow (rain_sleet_snow), T, 27k words [this is another one that I’ve re-read so much, it’s amazing, following Cassian and Jyn all the way through the original trilogy in a way that really makes you believe they probably were running around in canon. Also has a lovely coda set during The Force Awakens called but sometimes it rhymes which I would also highly recommend]

- In the Shadows by @hurricanedancer (StormDancer), M, 21k words [The White Collar AU you never knew you needed! I love this one, the characters work so damn well in their transplanted home, particularly Jyn as the ex-criminal trying to go straight but chafing at her bonds.]

- long way home by @realitycheckbounced (noelia_g), E, 25k words [I love this series, it’s so feel-good, and the relationship between Cassian and Jyn is so joyful!]

List Two (>20,000 words, WIP)

- Resistance is Built on Hope by @chronicolicity (ChronicOlicity), T, 133k words [A stunning WWII AU which actually follows the plot of R1 pretty closely within that setting, fabulous writing and characterisation, and a really really great slow burn relationship between Cassian and Jyn]

- Jagged Edges by @mediumsizedfountain (jncar), M, 105k words [Essentially a story about the survivors of Rogue One learning to live with the consequences and finding their place within the Rebellion, and about Cassian and Jyn figuring out where they stand with each other, a really lovely read]

- In a dark time, the eye begins to see by @imsfire2 (imsfire), NR, 87k words [I love this story so much: Cassian is an artist and Jyn is his muse, but it’s more a canon divergent fic than an AU, as the events and motivations of Rogue One are still very much centre stage] - Chaconne by @ibohe (ibohemianam), T, 221k words [This is one of the first series I truly fell in love with in the fandom and it remains a firm favourite now! A great take on a possible backstory for Cassian, and a look at how he and Jyn might work through their issues together after the war, with a generous smattering of EU influence throughout. I especially love the way they’re written together in domestic scenes in this series: their issues and foibles are all still there but they’re so happy in each other nonetheless] - Whatever I Do (I Do It To Protect You)  by @callioope (Callioope), T, 62k words [Another look at what might have happened if Lyra had lived to raise Jyn, first within the Partisans and then within the Rebellion, and a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL slow burn relationship between Jyn and Cassian]

- per ardua ad astra by @anghraine (Elizabeth (anghraine)), T, 58k words [I don’t want to give too much away about this fic, but essentially, Cassian, Jyn and Bodhi end up on the Death Star and this is the story of how they manage to survive that and infiltrate one of the most secure parts of the Empire. This is so well written and seems so plausible as a continuation of canon!]

- And The Next by @mienuxbleu (ienablu), T, 52k words [This is essentially Groundhog Day Rogue One style but infinitely, infinitely more heart-breaking! It’s so well thought out and so engaging, and you really really get a fantastic insight in Jyn’s character]

- The World Through a Scope by @ruby-red-inky-blue (guineapiggie), T, 46k words (One of my favourite modern AUs, in which Cassian and Jyn meet in the waiting room of their counselor’s office and are drawn to each other despite their respective issues, before finding out that their lives are far more closely entangled than even they realised. A real gem!]

- The Germans Wore Grey, You Wore Blue by @justkeeponthegrass (randomdreamer01) [This is a collection of WWII AUs that are mostly unrelated, and they are so SO well researched and well written, you really get a sense of the history behind the stories, and the characterisation is always spot on]

- only fools rush in by @andromeda3116 (andromeda3116), T, 36k words [I love, love, LOVE this AU, it’s a modern setting and basically has all of my favourite things rolled up in one: fake relationship, bed-sharing, protectiveness, pining: it’s an absolute delight!]

- The Remembrance of Pain (Time Will Explain) by @operaticspacetrash (Jaded), T, 22k words [I could have chosen literally any story by this author and gushed about for a few paragraphs, she never puts a foot wrong! This particular one is a Persuasion AU set in the Star Wars universe, and it’s brilliant, so well conceived and written and you can really feel the shared history and the pain between Cassian and Jyn]

- the light by @ssimpleandclean (Irelando), E, 71k words [A fabulous post Scarif series that runs through what our favourite crew might have been doing during A New Hope, and then continues to describe their adventures and their coming together as a family long after that, great read!]

List Three (<20,000 Words)

- Talk Tonight by @rapidashpatronus (RapidashPatronus), T, 1213 words [I cannot overstate how much I absolutely love this story. The subject matter is so tough and so important, but the ending is hopeful, and honestly, every time I read it (which is often), I come away crying but uplifted. Everyone should read this one.]

- Counting Weeds by @rapidashpatronus (RapidashPatronus), T, 8021 words, WIP [I said only one per author, but I literally couldn’t chose between this and Talk Tonight, so I’m breaking my own rules, surprise surprise: I adore this story. It’s so original, the characterisation is so great, the OCs are a delight, just...gah, everything! Definitely one to subscribe to!]

- I fought the war (but the war won) by @incognitajones (ephemera), E, 9075 words [Ahhh my favourite AU ever: the MSF AU that I didn’t know I needed until it showed up and now I re-read on a near weekly basis! I can’t describe how well this works, Jyn as a roving war reporter and Cassian as a harried MSF doctor, it honestly has to be read to be believed, and their relationship is just perfection.]

- This Here Now (it’s where we touch down) by @mosylufanfic (mosylu), T, 1772 words [Jyn and Cassian become farmers and put down roots and are happy and this is one of my favourite stories, I always feel warm when I read it]

- the sharp edge of survival by @longclaws (with_the_monsters), T, 3950 words [I think the summary of this fic does it far more justice than I ever could: “They're heroes, now, but the not the type of heroes the Republic wants. Not bright and clean and effortlessly Light. Not able to sit still or give up the fight. The fight built each of them, after all. Made them what they are.“ It’s painful and beautiful and excellently written and you should all read it.]

- where my caution should be by @venusmelody (ivyspinners), T, 1242 words [I don’t want to say too much about this one for fear I’ll give the ending away, but suffice to say it’s 1242 spectacularly written words that will rip your heart out in the best possible way. Bring tissues.]

- the road that sets into the sun by @thegirlwholied (lyin), G, 5190 words [A beautiful story set in the EU, about how the end of the war might have looked for a Cassian and Jyn in that slightly different universe. The ending of this one in particularly is just so hopeful and beautiful!]

- the quiet we hold by @dazy-laze (ithacas), NR, 12228 words [Cassian and Jyn both suffer from PTSD after Rogue One and go somewhere quiet to recover. This is such a lovely story, painful in parts, but in a good way, and watching Cassian and Jyn heal together is a joy.]

- when we were young and crossed the stars by @leralynne (katsumi), G, 4008 [Jyn joins the Rebellion at a much younger age and grows up around Cassian. I love this story so much, it weaves their backstory seamlessly and their relationship is so believable.]

- my knees are cold (running home) by @jynersq (jynersq), T, 7302 words [Cassian and Jyn recover together after Scarif, both physically and mentally. I really love how much they look after each other in this story, warms my heart every time I read it]

- all the rest by tomorrowsrain, T, 8334 words [This fic is the best written aftermath of torture I think I’ve read, it’s heart-breaking and difficult but beautifully written and ultimately hopeful.]

- a person can be a home by @ladytharen (mollivanders), T, 3047 words [A really gorgeous look at Jyn and Cassian’s developing relationship in the aftermath of Scarif, the characters are so perfectly written here and their relationship progresses so naturally, I love it]

- The Last Poem of Jedha by @schweinsty (schweinsty), T, 15486 words [This is actually a Bodhi-centric fic with the Rebelcaptain firmly in the background, but there was no way I could leave it off a rec list because it is AMAZING. I am in awe of the world-building for Jedha, the description of a culture and a way of life and the poetry and literature and everything, it’s just...read it, you will not regret it]

- cast some light by @brynnmclean (brynnmclean), E, 16049, WIP [This verse is spectacularly NSFW in the best possible way, it is hot like BURNING, but also with excellently written character voices and really great interactions, such a favourite of mine!]

- Trading Favours by @mellamymake (caramelle), E, 7206 [Another one for the ‘hot like burning’ club, this is roomates-to-lovers modern AU via friends-with-benefits and I love it, it’s so well written and humourous, always makes me smile!]

And that is it, finally the end of the list! Happy reading! :)

[scribbles-by-kate]

On reflection, here are some more optimistic thoughts..

for anyone who needs some comfort right now :)

The finale spoilers are positive. Emilie and Giles’ comments are heartening. Even Bobby’s comment that we’ll learn if Rumple can do the right thing ‘very soon’ seems positive to me. Emilie is wearing Belle’s ring. Matt from TV Line recently tweeted a suggestion that RumBelle fans might enjoy the finale. I think a happy ending/beginning IS coming tonight. I really, really do.

.No one knows what season seven will bring. We will have some answers tonight regarding who Andrew J West is playing and that might explain something and help us see where we’re going from here and what Rumple’s role in that might be. I suspect we’re getting some big time jump, but that doesn’t mean that Belle and Gideon are not part of Rumple’s story any longer. RumBelle could be happily married with ten children, and Rumple returns to help Regina and Hook fix something. It would make sense if West is playing Henry, because that would certainly bring those three characters in particular back together. And, remember, they wanted Jennifer too, originally, so that strongly suggests that we’re dealing with some kind of crisis in relation to Henry (and, on a story telling level, switching the focus to Henry, the Truest Believer and the Author makes a heck of a lot of sense, because he hasn’t had a lot of story to himself, and there is a great deal of potential there).

I would be very, very surprised if Robert Carlyle agreed to return to play the same story over again. I would think he would want to move Rumple on in some way. I can’t see him being happy to play a devolved version of Rumple, so I can’t see him playing the villain, unless this is Wish verse Rumple (and I’m not sure that would appeal to him either, creatively). I also think he would want the RumBelle story to be respected. I firmly believe that. I would think that if that six years of story were disrespected in any way, he would have something to say about it (this is the man who objected so strongly to RumBelle conceiving their son on the cot in the shop that they had to build a new set). So I’d actually be really, really shocked (and think Bobby extremely stupid, which he is not) if we were going to see Rumple be the villain again. The only way it would make sense to do that would be if someone interfered with the story/the happy endings (beginnings), or if there was some kind of curse, or if Bobby were playing another version of Rumple. They have scope to move Rumple’s characterisation on. Make him the wise Sorcerer, make him interested in helping his grandson (???) for the sake of his son. Make him the Light One. Make him a combination of all three. He doesn’t have to be the villain to be compelling. Perhaps he still has flaws? Perhaps he’s still struggling with darkness? With his addiction to power (though also being honest and open with Belle about everything)? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps! :)

I also don’t think Bobby would want them ditching Belle’s influence on Rumple. I think Bobby understands how important that relationship has been to fans. He’s talked about people telling him that RumBelle made them believe they could be worthy of love. Bobby would be incredibly heartless if he agreed to do a story that would shit all over that, and I don’t believe he’s a heartless person. The opposite, in fact.

Season seven happening doesn’t invalidate six years of canon even if they are doing a new story. A&E want to keep viewers, not fucking piss them off and alienate them (any more than we are pissed off and alienated!). It makes no sense to end RumBelle for this new story (unless it is a story about the happy endings/beginnings being threatened, in which case, they have to be reinstated by the end). The new story doesn’t have to have anything to do with RumBelle. Belle not being on screen doesn’t mean she’s not in Rumple’s life or part of his story. We know how good they’ve been this season at showing Rumple influenced by Belle while she’s off screen. That can continue.

We don’t know what the time line for season seven will be. We’re looking at a time jump of likely ten years or more, possibly fifteen. Ok? Here’s a scenario for you….

It’s been fifteen years since the Final Battle and Henry is struggling with his work as the Author, getting disillusioned, perhaps. Regina is worried. So is Hook. So is Rumple. The three of them get together to try to help Henry Emma’s absence will be explained somehow in the premiere (that will be the hardest to explain because she’s Henry’s mother, so how to explain it without making Emma look bad???). Belle’s absence is explainable by her being home caring for RumBelle’s children. Rumple, Regina, and Hook get together with Henry and try to help him. We find out in flashbacks what went wrong in Henry’s life. Eventually, we reach a resolution. Henry gets his hope back and becomes a believer again and all the stories get recorded as they should. Now, that plot could take two seasons to work out (and the show is on borrowed time. I’d be surprised if this plot extended to two seasons to be quite honest), but, canon-wise, it could be two or three months, so that’s not much time, really. This show truncates time a LOT, it squishes a lot into a really short time frame (the entire six seasons in Storybrooke takes place over about two and a half years in canon! Maybe even less!). Two/three months is not a lot of time for Rumple to be away from Belle (if she and the children are in New York or some other part of the world, or even back in Storybrooke and the new plot takes place somewhere else). And we might get references to Belle, or even see her on screen.

Emilie is gone as a regular, but that doesn’t mean she won’t return in a recurring role (they would tell all their bad news first and then release ‘good’ news stories as they work on the plot for the season - ‘exit’ doesn’t mean gone forever, just out of main cast). She said she would be open to coming back and she doesn’t have any other work lined up at the moment, according to her own recent interview. All we know is that RumBelle aren’t going to be a focus of the story as they have been, not that Belle won’t be part of the story (even a small part). We might see her back a couple of times. The epic love story that is RumBelle is being wrapped up tonight, so we’re not going to get a lot of time devoted to our Beauty and Beast’s relationship, but that doesn’t mean we never see them together again or that they’re done. Why would they be done? If the focus is moving to Henry (???), why would they want to spend time focusing on what happened with RumBelle? They wouldn’t. That’d be muddying the waters of the NEW story they want to tell.

A season seven involving Rumple and Henry (???) could be interesting in many ways. We might get some focus on Rumple as grandfather to Henry, at last! On a wider level, we might get to see the ‘villains’ become the heroes. We might get to look more at the problems with stories being skewed in favour of ‘heroes’. We might get to see Rumple and Hook bury the hatchet (not in each other’s backs :) ). We might get to see Henry as the Author and what that involves. We might get some kind of romantic happiness for Regina.

I’m not saying I’m definitely going to watch season seven. When I learned a few months ago that the end of season six would wrap up the original story lines, I considered that that might be enough for me, that I might not wish to watch another chapter, that I might be content to walk away as long as I knew Rumple and Belle were happy together with Gideon, as long as they wrapped up their story in a way that satisfied me (and I feel it will satisfy me). So it’s too early for me to say that I will definitely come back for season seven. I will wait to see what the premise is. I will wait to see what Rumple’s role will be and what the situation is with RumBelle. If that satisfies me, if they write a story that respects RumBelle and Belle’s (and Gideon’s) place in Rumple’s life, and if I like what they’re doing, and especially if I see Belle/Emilie again, then I think I would maybe watch. I think I wouldn’t be as passionate without the focus on RumBelle, but if it interests me, I’ll come back, maybe not watching live (I might get episode recaps and come back in the middle of the season if I like what I see), but maybe, eventually, I’ll come back. I’m not ruling anything out completely.

Of course I understand the fear and trepidation about what they’ll do. I understand the worry about Rumple without Belle and what that could mean. I share it: I do. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t anxious. I just don’t think they’d be that stupid as to shit all over their own story, the one they’ve told for six years! I think there are ways to reboot and do new things without fucking with what they’ve already done. If there s some kind of disaster/curse/everything gone wrong, then they have to fix it, because, if they don’t, then where’s the hope they keep talking about? I don’t think A&E are so heartless. I don’t think they’re heartless at all.

Just my two cents (well, more like two dollars, because it’s so long :) ), but hopefully it’s a comfort. I know we’re losing something special tonight, but it doesn’t mean we’ve lost it, if that makes any sense :)

[10thingsihateaboutyourfic]

Sterek Fic Recs

The Accidental Hale Brood by Julibean19 [Sterek, M, 42k] Kidfic, adoption, fake/pretend relationship, fluff, cuteness, police officers

Author’s summary: Stiles and Derek have been BCPD partners for years when they are assigned Halloween duty and run into a couple of kids from the orphanage. One fake marriage and two real adoptions later, they somehow become a family.

This is lovely. Fake relationship is one of my favorite tropes, and I love kidfic with well written, realistic kids. This is long enough to be satisfying too, with lots of characterisation and context. A good read.

Lunches, Knitting and Definitely Not Dating by Noxlunate [Sterek, T, 10k] Mpreg, aboverse, past Stiles/OMC, acquaintances to lovers, deputy Derek

Author’s summary: Just a weird mpreg fic with Derek and Stiles totally kinda dating without realizing it, and Stiles figuring out this whole having a baby thing.

It’s not weird, the author’s being way too harsh on themself. I love a good mpreg fic. There’s not enough mpreg in my opinion. I could read mpreg fic all day every day and still want more. So I enjoyed this very much. It’s got great characterisation, especially for Stiles being terribly practical about it from the moment he finds out he’s pregnant, and yet oblivious about how he and Derek find each other without quite realising. Cute.

When You’re Gone by illusemywords [Sterek, T, 27k] Mystery, unreliable narrator, illness, memory loss due to trauma, angst, character death (the Hale fire)

Author’s summary: Stiles Stilinski suffers memory loss and terrible headaches after an accident he had the summer he was fifteen. He doesn't remember what happened that summer or why the Hales left town, and no one seems to want to talk about it. Now he's just turned seventeen and he decides that if he ever wants to know what happened to him that summer he'll have to figure it out himself. Eventually, memories start coming back to him, and he starts piecing them together.

I love fic that’s a bit different, and this is definitely different. It’s got a very unusual narrative structure, but it’s perfect for the fic, which has a creepy, unsettled vibe, due to the nature of the story its telling. It’s angsty and sad and beautiful. I really liked it.

Scowls and Sarcasm by dr_girlfriend [Sterek, T, 26k] Pride and Prejudice Au

Author’s summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single alpha in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a mate.

This is a Pride and Prejudice AU. A good one. I don’t know what more information you could possibly need. It veers off radically towards the end for the sake of drama, which I’m not completely convinced was necessary if I’m being brutally honest, because P&P is epic and perfect just as it is, but Peter Hale as Lady Catherine De Bourgh honestly makes up for anything. Heh.

Married at First Glance by Wonderwolf [Sterek, E, 63k] Reality TV AU, fake/pretend relationship, one-sided Paige/Derek

Author’s summary: Married at First Glance gives its participants seven weeks. Seven weeks, starting when they meet and marry their “perfect match”, to decide if they want to stay married or divorce. For Stiles and Derek though, the challenge lies within trying to pretend that they don’t absolutely hate each other’s guts. When you’re married to a werewolf who dislikes humans, however, this can get a little tricky. But the sweet, sweet cash reward at the end will be worth it. Right?

I’ve never watched these reality shows, they’re not my thing tbh, but they’re undeniably and awesome premise for a fic, and this one really does the concept justice by putting meat on the bones and taking enough time over it to make it feel like a proper story, not just a precursor to Sterek getting together. I followed this as a WIP and read each part as soon as it came in because I was enjoying it so much. Good stuff.

Written Can’t Be Denied by lookslikenico and winglesswarrior [Sterek, T, 55k] Actor Stiles, Photographer Derek, soulmates au, soulmarks, single parent derek

Author’s summary: The story goes that, the first time you meet your ‘soulmate’, the universe will give you a sign in what should be the most obvious way - somewhere in your immediate vicinity the word ‘soulmate’ will appear. ...  A fact that causes havoc the day that up and coming actor, Stiles Stilinski holds up a bottle emblazoned with the word 'soulmate' in the middle of a press conference where Derek Hale is working as a photographer, in the middle of the worst day of his life.

The trend for soulmate/soulmark AUs has cooled off a bit recently, I think, which is fine. It’s just the natural rhythm of fandom, tropes come and go. There have been some really intriguing explorations of the concept, and some that have just used the concept to tell beautiful stories, and this fic falls into the second of those categories. It’s depthful and interesting and well characterised and I was rooting so hard for those crazy kids.

Seat Belts & Gravity by calrissian18 [Sterek, E, 22k] Friends with benefits, mostly canon compliant

Author’s summary: People leave in Beacon Hills, give up on the town, the people, on life itself. And he and Derek are still here, six years later, still able to drink a beer and share space. It’s kind of remarkable in a really understated way.

I love the way this author writes. I love their style, and I love their characterisation. They have an absolute gift for writing Stiles especially in this quirky way that feels more canon than canon, like it’s what Stiles should be if the show wasn’t so hampered and trapped by stupid bullshit like being written by a bunch of apes at typewriters under instructions from network executives who think viewers just want more love triangles. To be honest, if I were you I’d just run straight to AO3 and read everything this author’s ever written, and then find their Tumblr and read the stuff there too. You will not regret it.

Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of by Lissadiane [Sterek, T-ish, 15k] Character death (not Sterek), coffee shop au / college au, ghosts, ghost animals

Author’s summary:  In which Stiles Stilinski sees the ghosts of animals with unfinished business, and Derek Hale is unaware that his dearly departed sister left a few things unfinished.

Fair warning, this made me cry. When I read the summary, I went “phhh that sounds dumb”, but it’s actually beautiful. Just go and read it. But have a box of tissues handy.

The White Hart of Winter by DarkAthena [Sterek, E, 65k] Historic AU, aboverse, mpreg, evil Kate Argent, period typical violence, pre-verbal / animalistic Derek

Author’s summary: Sent to marry the Hale Beast Stiles finds himself alone in a castle left to ruin and watched over by Kate Argent, who he thinks is sleeping with his new husband and seems determined to destroy him.

Oh lord. Where to start. Look, this is not the best written fic in the world, not least (I think) because the author wrote it during NaNoWriMo, so it’s perhaps not been beta read or edited as well as it could’ve been. But it had me absolutely gripped from start to finish. I loved the storyline (it’s historical abo mpreg, I was in heaven), and the historical stuff, you can really tell the author knows what they’re talking about. It’s dark and bloody at times, but Stiles is pretty awesome throughout and Derek as “the Beast” is explained and developed very well. If, like me, you love a bit of abo mpreg and historical high drama, and you can overlook a few typos, this is fantastic stuff.

I’ve Been Everywhere With You by Leslie_Knope [Sterek, E, 61k] College Au, escaping from Beacon Hills, everyone gets therapy, life goes on, friends to lovers

Author’s summary: “Dude, you should totally come with me.” “What? Like on the road trip?" “No, come with me. To Austin. Get out of Beacon Hills.” Derek paused. “What?” he asked again.

This is one of those domestic type fics where there’s no angst or high drama, just people living their lives and finding ways to be happy. I love this author’s style, and this fic is no exception. Lovely, happy, satisfying.

Millstone by eleanor_lavish [Sterek, E, 31k] Sex worker Derek, client to boyfriend stiles, college au

Author’s summary: Derek waits until the door is shut behind him before he turns around. He holds out his hand, plants his ‘if you’re not weird about it, I won’t be’ smile on his face and says, “Nice to meet you, Stiles. I’m Michael. What kind of a good time are you looking for tonight?”

This is a particularly good example of the sex worker trope because it’s not really about Derek being a sex worker, it doesn’t glorify or condemn, it just examines it the same as it examines the other ways Derek responds and reacts to what he’s been through. And it’s told through Derek’s POV, which I liked. Plus Stiles is adorable and supportive in a completely non-pressuring way, which I like to think he would be. Charming.

i have always been the storm by stilinskisparkles [Sterek, E, 25k] Stormchaser Stiles, photographer Derek, break up make up

Author’s summary: that twister au i've been trying to write for three years and finally used a "pining exes" prompt to do so with.

Stilinskisparkles. What can I say that hasn’t been said before. Do you need anything more than to see their name to convince you this is worth reading? Perhaps you do, perhaps you’re new to Sterek. If so, you’re in for a treat. This, like all their fics, has wonderful characterisation, dialogue, emotion, depth, and universe building. It was just so atmospheric. They have a particular gift for showing everyone’s thoughts and motivations while staying within one POV, Derek’s in this case. It sounds easy but it’s really really hard to do subtly, and this author absolutely nails it. And everything else. Go. Read. Now.

The Hollow Moon by thepsychicclam [Sterek, E, 180k] Post s4 fix it, memory loss/alteration, slow burn, mystery

Author’s summary: It's the summer after Stiles' first year of college, and he's working a crappy job and dealing with nightmares and anxiety - but he's okay, he swears. He makes it through most days without too much trouble. Then, a certain werewolf comes back into town. Which Stiles doesn't care about, nope, not at all.

After two and a half years, Derek returns to Beacon Hills with his small Pack. Though he tried to move on, something just kept drawing him back to Beacon Hills, he's just not sure what. Now, he figures he can start building something like a life - but he keeps getting distracted by Stiles Stilinski of all people.

As you’d expect from something that’s 180k long, this is plotty and deep and takes its time taking you on a journey. It’s quintessentially a fix it fic, fixing all the things the author (any many others) didn’t like about canon at and after season 4 of the show. Which means, spoiler alert, a lot of people who are dead in canon are not dead here. But the way everything is explained and how it all fits together works so well, I didn’t mind in the slightest. It’s a bit like everything you wished canon could be, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. I almost wish I’d waited and read it all in one rather than as a WIP, because as much as I usually don’t mind reading things as WIPs, I feel like this should be read the way a novel is read - all in one. So if you can do it that way, I’d recommend it. If you can’t, read it anyway. It’s the canon we all deserve, and if Jeff won’t give it to us, we’ll damn well make it ourselves.