#Tom Domino theory

[kiss-my-freckle]

Liz’s alter ego, Tom Keen. Ressler’s comment to Red in the first gif is fact. She’s not behaving like Red would, she’s behaving like Tom would. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

Becoming Keen.

He’d need doctors, like [Krilov]. Someone who could change his face.

Liz in Rederina context. I still believe Ressler will rebury Liz next to Jennifer, and Liz’s reveal will lead to Red’s. Liz is no more a criminal than her biological father was. They parallel each other. 

[terastalungrad]

BB20: Tuesday 10 October

Let's start by addressing the horrific state of modern TV ads:

If anyone ever says "Domino-OOH-hooooo" to me, or invites me to McDonald's with that sinister eyebrow movement, we are simply no longer friends. Even if intended ironically. No matter how much history we have.

Olivia has a Scots song for any occasion. Whether it's getting herself voted as entertaining, or trying to drive people out of bed.

Fun task: a bed has been set up that fits all 16 housemates. Last housemate to get out of the bed wins a secret prize.

Henry, Jordan and Tom give up early. They're not going to win, so why bother trying.

Big Brother tries to bribe some of the housemates with their favourite drinks. Matty hasn't made much of an impression on me so far, but the he looks so joyful and scandalised when he sees his favourite drink on the screen. I also really like his T-shirt, which I've found online look:

It is really weird that Marcus Bentley does parody Big Brother narration in the ads for the sponsor this year. It's only the speed at which he delivers the lines that helps my brain recognise they're not part of the show.

Now, you know I would die for the Welsh contestants. But - Chanelle doesn't lose well.

(She's thrown out of the bed byu Big Brother for falling asleep.)

Ahh, Hallie's so good at fielding annoying questions about her gender. I could watch her represent all day long. Imagine being this good at talking people through their endless questions when you're only 18.

Kerry leaves the bed to accept Big Brother's latest bribe - some of the contents of Jenkin's suitcase.

Haha, there are some SUSPICIOUSLY sharp cuts in this series. ITV Big Brother clearly has some hard boundaries around what they'll broadcast.

Don't have a great read on Noky yet. She's bonding with Yinrun, who's an S-tier housemate. The S stands for "Steff". I'm saying she's a fave.

Matty thinks the novel 1984 is named and set in 1974.

LET'S TALK GAME THEORY. The bribes keep getting better, and include treats for other housemates. It is in the interest of ALL housemates for the maximum number to stay in the bed, so that they can trade their departures for treats.

That is to say, Henry could have stayed longer and - despite not standing a chance of winning - gained something for the group rather than getting nothing back. But, like the Tory MPs for whom he votes, Henry left when it suited him best, rather than when it could benefit the community.

Hallie leaves, bribed by a cheese board. Noky leaves because she needs the loo.

I like this show. Maybe I'll watch all of the Circle at some point.

Really strange Pot Noolde-related incident in the kitchen. Let's see if I understand it.

A limited number of Pot Noodles are provided. Presumably this is product placement from a sponsor.

Yinrun makes some noodles, but feels guilty about hogging them, and offers them to Dylan - or whoever, really. Dylan doesn't want them. Yinrun tries to convince someone to take them, because she feels guilty about hogging them.

This pushes Olivia's buttons. I THINK what happens is, Olivia's annoyed by Yinrun. Why doesn't she just eat her bloody noodles and shut up? But that's not a reasonable thing to be annoyed about. So instead of telling Yinrun off, Olivia instead tries to be really positive but in an annoyed tone of voice.

So she's like, "Yinrun, don't even worry about it! Don't feel guilty! Just enjoy your noodles! No need to worry about other people! Be your own person!"

Except it's so clear Olivia's annoyed at Yinrun, so this sounds like an attack on her.

Tell you what sounds brilliant in Jenkin's Bridgend accent:

"I would not have argued over a Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle."

I hadn't even finished enjoying this sentence before he went on to say, "If it was Chicken and Mushroom, though, I would've lost my shit."

Jordan has taught Yinrun some cheese-related jokes. Absolute highlight of the episode.

Men are bonding. I'm against this in principle, but let's see. Paul, Matty, Zak and Dylan.

Paul talks about his childhood. Dodgy group of tearaway friends, until his headteacher did some good mentoring. Paul got his GCSEs, went to college to focus on boxing, and drinks relatively little as a result.

Matty's childhood - more money growing up, but hard to be gay on the Isle of Man. ("They're CALLED I Love Man" -- obligatory Josie Long quote) Matty has few male friends, but these hetero lads promise they're his friends for life now.

Zak grew up dirt poor. In Thailand, saved rainwater for showers. Used to fish for food, building fires to grill the fish.

"This is a social experiment, celebrating different people, different cultures, and what they're about." This is what Farida says to Hallie.

I think we know how ITV coached these housemates.

I saw a lot of people on Twitter express relief that we "finally have real people" in the show, rather than the "influencers" of later Channel 5 series.

But ... these people kind-of are influencers, right? Surely? There's no way Zak doesn't have an Instagram. In fact, I've just checked, and I'm correct - he has 109k followers, which I believe is the same as the total number of people left on Tumblr.

But they're different sorts of influencers. The level of artifice is the same, but in service of a different dance.

Channel 5 Big Brother would've given us a bitchy, vicious war between Farida and Hallie - microaggressions interwoven with battle cries.

ITV Big Brother shows us a tale of conflict resolution. Offence is caused by mistake, by a housemate who processes the conversation by talking to others, and the situation is resolved with a compassionate conversation at the end of the day.

Course, the other thing that's happening is that Hallie is far happier to be brutally honest about her feelings when Farida isn't around. Will that matter? As the weeks go by, is it the housemates' excellent social skills that'll stand strong - or will the tough situation cause them to descend into the same den of filth the Big Brother house normally becomes?

I hope it's the former. I'm enjoying a wholesome take on the voyeur show. Sure, we're creepily watching strangers going about their lives. But hey, now the epsiodes end with a really lovely conversation about the nature of love.

[kiss-my-freckle]

10x1 Rewatch 

If you don’t like my Tom Domino Theory, probably best you keep scrolling. This episode hit some of the bigger dominoes in my theory. 

The inside man. 

Diane Fowler and Meera Malik vs Richard Deever and Siya Malik. 

Siya: You need agents you can trust. I'm one.

If Cooper allows Siya to join the task force, this opens up the door for my Fowler frame theory. She’ll see the same enemy for Fowler that she sees for Meera. Meera worked for Fowler, after all. It would be hard to trust Meera after Fowler’s betrayal. The point of Siya’s comment. 

Siya: Maybe it's time for me to finally know more about the work my mother did.

Diane Fowler, Victor Fokin, and Tom Connolly will connect with a single fingerprint. Because Siya is interested to know the work her mother did for the task force, Diane Fowler and Victor Fokin are automatic. Fowler was the one who placed Meera on the task force. Meera interrogated Tom during Gina’s episode, and she wasn’t pleased with how the case turned out. She knew Gina was Tom’s lover, and knew he could stop her from bombing the port. 

The black site incursion, Wujing vs. Anslo Garrick. This was an added storyline for Diane Fowler and Meera Malik. Meera worked for Fowler, Fowler was the inside man for Garrick’s incursion. Siya worked for/with Richard. Richard is the mole for Wujing’s incursion. 

Siya: Just too many secrets.

Secrets and Siya’s issue with them. I don't know how many times they talk about Tom and his secrets, but enough to count. Red only ever had one secret. 

Liz: A few years ago, I found out my husband was living a double life. Esi: Whoa. Liz: Yeah. He had secrets. Lots of them. Including this apartment.

Siya will remain loyal to the task force just as Meera did, and basically continue doing the good work Liz was supposed to. 

Liz’s second memory wipe. 

The intro to Liz’s second memory wipe in Ressler’s scenes. 

Ressler: I have a hard time letting go of the past. I mean, it's in my nature to want to fix things and... It's just hard for me to accept. I lost someone I loved, and... it can't be undone. I mean, I... I became an addict. I hit bottom. Uh... I wish it didn't happen, but it did. And letting that go and leaving that be... It's hard for me. 

This is written opposite Liz in season 7. 

Red: I’m sure it’s been difficult since Tom. But you have Agnes now. You should be looking forward, not back. You deserve a bigger life.

Someone has to look back in order to uncover Liz’s second memory wipe. The very purpose of Meera Malik’s daughter joining the team. Once she pushes Fowler, she pushes Connolly on the opposite side. It was Tom’s gun Liz used to shoot him in 2x22. Because it was Tom’s gun, it will present itself just as the gun he used in Fokin’s death. His print will be on the shell casing. Both shell casings will match the print left on the record brush in Fowler’s case. Once it pushes to Tom Connolly, it pushes to the flag Ressler put on all of Tom’s aliases in 2x17. 

Ressler: Well, we'll have to walk down memory lane another time.

Intentional. The Freelancer and Wujing take us on a walk down memory lane with Liz. Flashbacks from Wujing’s episode. Storytime with the Freelancer about season 9 Liz. I’m predicting a great deal more will be coming soon enough. 

Agnes: Maybe we should go back to Go Fish.

Agnes hits Tom’s scene in 3x11 with Go Fish. 

Red: You will not marry her. Tom: Why? Because I didn’t ask daddy’s permission? Is that really why you called me here? Or did you just want someone to play go fish? Red: You married her over my objection once. It will not happen again.

A coffee klatch.

Red: Well, not much of the gang. More of a coffee klatch.

A house that looks like a cruise ship.

Red: I mean, all of this would have to come out. It's ridiculous. It looks like a cruise ship. Like, what's this? A balcony?

This also pulls in Red’s ship in Marvin’s episode. 

♪ Our house is a very, very, very fine house with two cats in the yard Life used to be so hard Now everything is easy 'cause of you ♪

Tying it all together.

Tom: All right, dream scenario. We finish our coffee, we hop on my boat. We leave, okay. We never look back. Preferably, we take our clothes off at some point.

Because Agnes is Ressler’s daughter, and he’s 301 days sober. Siya is the best person to uncover all of Tom’s bulshit because she’s an agent and a spy. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

I think the final 12 are gonna lean on Tom Keen. 

"Raymond would know better than I do. He did his own vetting when Diane Fowler put your mother on the task force all those years ago." 

It's all there. Panabaker with Scottie, Siya with Fowler and Meera... the kill list, the record brush.

And the synopsis for episode 11. 

“When Red is identified as a possible hostage during a deli robbery in Philadelphia, Dembe and Ressler take action. Back in D.C., Senator Panabaker evaluates the task force's dealings with Red while Siya digs deeper into her mother's past.”

My Tom Domino Theory. 

[greenreadsdresdenfiles]

Proven Guilty

Green: OK, in the past few chapters, there has been exposition on both mind magic and time magic

Green: which, when Harry was explaining mind magic, l was like "OK, looks like this is going to be the book in which the bad guys use mind magic"

Green: but then Bob started talking about time magic so now it's like which one's it going to be?

Orange: exposition is my fave position

Green: l mean, probably something else

Orange: ahahaha

Green: it's probably going to be using themes from the discussion on mind magic, which is that some types of magic turn you evil

Orange: i think it's either a setup for this book or the next or like

Green: my guess is there's going to be someone who is like, halfway there

Orange: there's setups several books in advance sometimes

Green: yeah

Orange: sometimes there's been setups the whole time

Orange: and you only learn it when all the dominoes crash down in one book

Orange: and they crash on our boy, harry

Orange: like they were calculated to do so by a malevolent god

Green: Bob's like "if a paradox happens in a weak enough spot, the entire world could be destroyed"

Orange: because they were

Green: and l'm like "l smell a sideplot 10 books from now"

Orange: book theory: butcher is a supernatural entity in his own series

Orange: he's the bad guy behind it all, specifically focusing on making harry suffer as much as possible without actually killing him

Orange: stringing him along with hope so he doesn't go full breakdown and become a hobo

Orange: a cruel and vicious god

Green: hahaha

Green: here is my prediction

Green: harry is going to bang michael's daughter

Green: (not serious)

Green: oh she's 17

Green: even less serious now

Green: l was just thinking, "what's something that would make Harry want to avoid Michael even more?"

Orange: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Orange: wait

Orange: mind magic

Orange: so are you on book 8

Orange: is the daughter somehow mixed up in shenanigans

Green: yeah I'm on book 8

Orange: hohohooo

Green: she had him bail her bf (who works at splattercon) out of jail

Orange: i remember some of this one

Orange: yeah

Orange: splattercon

Orange: the best

Orange: good stuff here

Green: also all of Michael's kids are incredibly cute

Orange: what kind of father would michael be if he didn't raise very solid great children

Orange: who then have freaking

Orange: GOTH EMO PHASE

Orange: as you do

Orange: as i did

Green: this is my favorite thing in the universe

"Don't call me Leech," she said in the patient tone of someone who has said something a million times and plans on saying it a million times more. "Hello, sir," she told me. "Alicia," I said, nodding. Evidently the use of her actual name constituted a gesture of partnership. She gave me a somewhat relieved and conspiratorial smile.

Green: like, she calls him sir? She really appreciates him using her proper name?

Green: that's cute

Orange: nothing but the best from michael

Orange: nothing but the best

Orange: his wife too

Green: and he just gives her the name greeting

Orange: yes he does that

Orange: it's so weird

Orange: when he's uncomfortable he freaking lets his mouth run wild

Orange: when he's okay, he can do the cool sorta minimal wordage stuff

Green: yeah!

Green: with Matthew he doesn't even say hi he just nods

Orange: yeah

Orange: uncle dresden

Orange: ahahaha

Orange: uncle harry the hairy uncle

Orange: man getting my nieces and nephews to use 'uncle' before using my name is a constant struggle for their parents

Green: also Amanda calls him Bill because they already have a Harry

Orange: waehehehe

Orange: i forgot they have a harry

Orange: why not tom, they can call him tom and have another kid and he can be Richard

Orange: and then you have tom dick and harry

Green: geeze

Green: black magic is always the fucked up stuff huh

Green: oh hey it's maeve!!!

Green: l remember her

Green: she walks in and this isthe first thing she says

Maeve stared at me for a long minute and licked her lips. "Look at you," she all but purred. "All pent up like that. You haven't had a woman in ages, have you?"

Green: also l like her outfit

Green: l know l said l don't like reading descriptions, but outfits are a huge exception

Green: highlights include rainbow-colored hair, blue cut-off jorts, and a t-shirt that says "YOUR BOYFRIEND WANTS ME"

Green: chad

Green:

Maeve waited for her lemonade, wrapped her lips idly around the straw, and sipped. Then she settled back into her seat, chewing. Crunching sounds came from her mouth. The lemonade had frozen solid when it passed her lips. Which made me feel pretty damned smart for avoiding the whole sexual temptation issue.

Green:

"The good guys win!" Bob cheered. "Or at least you do. You're still a good guy, right? You know how confusing the whole good-evil concept is for me."

Green: looks like white court vampires' eyes turn silver when they vamp out

Green: also so far Harry's fought Jason, a Xenomorph, and…a scarecrow? I want to say it's Jack Skellington

Green: heyyy it was mind magic all along!

Green: btw I hope to god that the fairies who clean his house become important at some point

Green: they were a huge plot point in Pale and that was so much fun

Orange: Ehehehee

Green: Btw l love that the security guard sees harry and giving him the once over is like "hmm...big bearded man with a giant dog, wearing a huge coat, looks pretty messed up, looks like he's packing heat- oh he has a splattercon badge this checks out

Green: "

Orange: hahhahahahahaha

Orange: i forget who the scarecrow is

Orange: but you got the xenomorph and jason i think

Green: They just fought a couple rabid animals from a movie I've never heard of, and also "Bucky the Doll"

Orange: there's gotta be some spooki scarecrow out there

Green: Who's clearly supposed to be Chucky

Orange: yes

Green: So yeah the unknown ones are the Scarecrow (who l'm pretty sure is Jack Skellington?), the rabid animals, and the Hammerman

Orange: well like

Orange: it's gotta be horror movie stuff

Orange: horror/thriller

Green: Jack Skellington is scary in-universe though

Green: His whole thing is scaring people

Orange: yeah but i'm assuming these appearances are something to do with the actual fear existing in people right

Orange: phobophage, was it called?

Green: Yeah...

Orange: you know

Orange: i bet someone's already found out what these references are

Green: Yeah

Green: Oh l looked up "horror movie pumpkin head" and it might be Pumpkinhead from Pumpkinhead

Orange: hmm

Orange: i just looked at a picture of Pumpkinhead from Pumpkinhead and i don't see no pump nor kin on any head

Orange: there's a scarecrow in jeepers creepers

Orange: but no pumpkin

Orange: maybe he didn't wanna have too many references because the publisher/editor kept shooting down ideas

Green: Hm also now that l'm thinking about it, the Reaper might be the guy from Scream, rather than Jason

Green: l didnt read the description that closely

Orange: hmmmm

Green: He just soul gazed molly and hot dang am I excited to see more stories involving her

Orange: HAHAHAHA

Orange: MOLLS

Orange: you may or may not have your wish granted

Green: And her thing is she's really good at mind magic

Orange: yes

Green: That's going to be real fun

Orange: she has T-A-L-E-N-T

Orange: while harry, no offense

Green: Lot of potential for "oh shit I messed up big time" plots

Orange: not exactly the most talented magician

Orange: he's got power sure

Green: Yeah yeah

Orange: but like you can have all the muscle without knowing how to tie your shoes

Green: When he messes up big time it's just political stuff or collateral damage

Orange: i stg the magic meta could have so many broken strats in it if people like harry start minmaxing

Orange: they got all the time to train!

Green: But l bet when Molly messes up it's big and tangled and messy

Orange: well see it's tangled because molly, unlike harry, knows how to tie shoes

Green: Lol true

Orange: (jk i'm sure harry knows how to tie his shoes! And he learned at the very young age of 25!)

Orange: yeah well the whole wizard community seems to be pretty black and white (heh) about the whole following Da Rules thing

Orange: and they already hate harry so if harry's associated with someone who breaks the rules they'll go after them too

Green:

Dressed in his formal black robes, with a deep purple cowl that left his features shadowed but for the glitter of his dark eyes, the Gatekeeper stood in the doorway for a moment, and something gave me the impression that he was staying at the Merlin.

Green: What an interesting outfit he's wearing

Orange: HIS COWL

Green: Hahahaha

Orange: there's no way that cowl will let himself be seen wearing a cowl in his non-cowl identity

Orange: unless.. that's what he wants harry to think

Orange: keep your eyes on that gatekeeper

Green: Haha yeah it could be a false flag

Green: Aw

Green: He told Michael everything

Green: V cute

Green: Also Michael knew

Green: Which, not unsurprising.

Orange: MICHAEL IS SO FREAKING BASED

Orange: just

Orange: kiss already

Orange: KISS ALREADY

Orange: HARRY YOU HAVE A DEMON LADY IN YOUR HEAD RN ITS TIME TO BE GAY

Orange: ;u; but like

Orange: i love how harry was so scared and michael was like dude, it's cool

Orange: just don't be a denarian, renounce your wizarding ways

Orange: and harry's like no sorry haha

Green: Yes!!!

Green: I love Michael

Green: And, l love that he's like "we don't know that that's the only way to get rid of denarianism, so try not to be too evil in the meantime"

Green: Also Molly is hitting on Dresden

Green: Slightly overtly

Green: l stg if you were lying about the dry spell l will shit

Orange: molly is sometimes channeling The Girl That Tries To Ruin The Yaoi

Green: Lol

Orange: but harry, harry can't not suffer

Orange: the only time harry should be allowed to have sex is like, moments before his sexual partner dies right

Orange: or he can have sex with bad guys, who then either is revealed to be bad and killed, or who has a really sweet change of heart and is also killed

Orange: harry's ex's shouldn't be in texas, they should be six feet under

Green: Oh nice callback

Orange: what callback

Green: He dumped ice water on Molly

Orange: I DID NOT GET THIS CALLBACK

Orange: so you're finishing up book 8???

Orange: whatttt

Green: Mhm

Orange: or is this not the end

Green: I mean

Green: Idk

Orange: green you're a voracious reader

Green: Its an ebook of 7-12

Orange: oh is it just the whole thing in one

Green: Yeah

Orange: oh nice

Green: But like, it's been hitting all the "we're getting close to the end of the book" beats

Orange: nice

Green: Like l am definitely solidly in the denouement

Green: All the book mysteries got unraveled, he got the girl, he talked to Michael

Green: l don't see many other conflicts other than teacher/student conflicts, which honestly are better left brewing over the next few books

Orange: ehehehehe

Orange: it took me a while to actually start seeing the patterns you're picking up right away

Orange: or maybe you're just thinking on the right wavelengths

Orange: it's cool

Green: l mean, except that next book should be all about "I'm really new at being a teacher oh god l'm fucking it all up"

Orange: YEAH

Orange: there's no way it won't be that

Orange: right

Green: That's going to be cute, and relatable

Orange: it will be

Green: Gosh l hope so

Orange: very cute and relatable

Orange: it has to be

Orange: butcher can't pass up an opportunity like that

Orange: could he

Green: You're worrying me

Orange: i guess he could just kill molly

Orange: but that wouldn't be satisfying!

Orange: he should only kill molly at the time where it will hurt harry the most

Orange: <rot13>ba gurve jrqqvat qnl</rot13>

Orange: i joke

Orange: it's a joke

Green: Yeah!!!

Orange: but yes

Green: Or, better yet, he should be the one to do it

Orange: OHHHHH

Orange: GREEN YOU DEVIL

Green: Hehwhehehe

Orange: that's the sorta thinking that we need in the writing community

Green: Hahaha

Orange: that creative ethic of how to make your hero suffer

Orange: Molly should like

Orange: become twisted by the cruel world into a person who does anything to get what she needs

Green: Yes!!!

Green: I mean

Green: No

Orange: and when harry realizes this, on the freaking, when they play the music and walk her down the aisle

Orange: he goes

Orange: "fuego"

Orange: tears streaming down his face

Green: I want there to be two timelines, one in which that happens and one where he saves her

Orange: ok, so there are the two timelines right

Orange: but in the saving molly timeline, she dies right when he thinks she is safe

Green: And the one where he saves her is the one we follow, but we get to see what happens in the other one sometimes

Green: Hahaha

Green: You're too cruel!!!

Orange: I am not too cruel

Orange: i just really like seeing harry suffer

Orange: i don't care how many girls have to die before he turns gay but i'm gonna find out

Green: He just forbade her to masturbate?

Orange: waitwhat

Green: "Hi, yeah, not only am l not going to have sex with you, you're not going to have sex with you"

Orange: dang harry, that's cold

Orange: but i guess it makes sense

Orange: he knew her when she was a wee lass

Green:

"Sex makes things complicated, and for you that could be bad." "But..." "And no, ah, solo exploration either." She blinked at me and asked in a blank tone, "Why?" "You'll go blind," I said, and walked up to her front porch. "You're joking," she said, and then hurried to catch up. "That's a joke, right? Harry?" I marched her up to her house without answering her. Molly wore a hopeless look on her face, as though she envied a condemned criminal, who could at least hope that the governor might call at the last minute.

Orange: harry you dog

Orange: you should have used your one brain cell to make up a story about how you need to power magic with sexual energy or something

Green: I feel like that would be unwise

Orange: i mean, we are talking about harry here

Orange: i'm not suggesting the wise decision i'm suggesting the funny one

Orange: he is incapable of being wise

Green: Hahaha fair

Green: I like that the Harry and Molly thing is exactly the same situation as Anakin and Ahsoka from Star Wars

Orange: mmmmmmmmm

Orange: is ahsoka the lady who anakin macked on in the prequels

Green: I mean, l say this without having watched The Clone Wars

Orange: ah i tooo have failed to watch that show

Green: No Ahsoka was the protagonist of the animated tv show

Orange: oh her

Orange: the twin tails girl

Green: She was Anakin's apprentice, and eventually the jedi council tried to execute her for turning to the dark side

Green: (She hadn't, really)

Orange: ooooo

Green: Anakin was a little bit mad at the council for this

Green: actually l think they might've actually done it?

Orange: oooo

Green: Finished Proven Guilty

Green: And hot dang I'd like to say that I totally called what it would be about

Orange: dang

Green: Green you genius

Orange: you are pretty solid with at least your immediate predictions

Green: Except it was so much better than I thought it would be

Orange: you're not so far from changes

Orange: changes is hype

Green: I'm pretty far

Green: It's #12 and I just finished #8

Green: Next is White Night but l think l need a bit of a break lol

Green: Also l think that title is a bit of a bummer

Green: Since he already used the Knight/Night thing for book 4

Green: But here's my predictions for White Night - it'll be about the white court, and also about finding a home for his magic sword

Green: And also about his brand new apprentice, on the personal side of things

Orange: hmmmm

Orange: yeah idk if white knight was great

Orange: it's probably alright

Orange: nope nope nvm it's ok

Green: it'd better have a bunch of good dresden and molly moments!!!

Orange: and by ok i mean

Orange: i definitely remember a punchy moment here

Orange: that i think is good

Orange: i think you can expect to see molly show off what a magician with more than one brain cell can do

Orange: but i'm not certain, i just think

Green: that's exciting, but what l want is dresden and molly moments!

Green: their interplay!

Green: their banter, if any!

Orange: well yeah

Orange: you might get a moment or two

Orange: harry is a.. fun teacher if anything

Orange: he's got a whole bucket of trauma and he'll maybe try really hard to make sure molly avoids such trauma right

Green: hahahaha

Green: that's pretty exciting

Orange: but harry is stupid right

Orange: so he'd pick really stupid teaching methods i bet

Green:

Molly: You know, I may not see eye to eye with my mom but I really do love my siblings. Dresden: *sucks in air through his teeth* Don't go down that road, Molly.

Green: hm that phenomenon you were just talking about is probably why Dresden forbid Molly from everything sexual

Green: U_U

Orange: it makes sense

Green: "OK Molly, lesson number one is to trust no one. I mean, sure, there are good people in the world, but l can practically guarantee that none of them will want to have sex with you. lf someone is attracted to you? Huuuge red flag. Are you writing this down? Sex is evil, write that down."

Green: You know dresden files is pretty good mystery novels

Green: each novel has 2-4 interrelated "major" mysteries going on and sometimes a few minor mysteries, and while things are surprising, it's never totally out of the blue like "wait, what?"

Green: l mean there are definitely twists which l don't think l could have guessed in advance even if l went over everything with a fine-toothed comb

Green: but some, like Molly being a wizard, were definitely foreshadowed and l'm like "ohhhhhhh"

Green: ldk these are good books!

Orange: ohohoho

Green: and very readable

Green: l also think book girl being coin girl was a good twist

Green: oh and back in book 2 or 3, where harry's like "there are 3 different types of werewolf, so l guess l need to figure out which type we're dealing with here" and the answer is "ALL THREE"

Green: l thought that was super fun

Orange: ohh yeah!!!

Orange: I forgot those books were so long ago

Orange: must be nearly a decade

Green: yeah they came out in like 2002

Green: so almost 2

Green: Proven Guilty came out in 2006 l think

[kiss-my-freckle]

This post doesn’t contain every detail, only the basic timeline of events as I see them in my domino theory. 2x17 and 2x20 deleted scenes fit perfectly.

Tom is released from federal custody after giving Connolly Liz’s born identity. “THIS deal will happen.” After Peter checks in with Anton Velov to validate Tom’s claim, he then hires him to do what Luther Braxton couldn’t - get the Fulcrum and help him kill Red. They stroke his ego by allowing him to believe he’ll be protecting Liz from Red, while hiding the fact they’re very much planning to frame her for treason. This being the reason he asks, “You okay? Where are you? Are you okay?” He gave them her born identity. 

He turns to Liz for his passports in the following episode because he’s getting paid by Peter and plans to buy a boat. An example of Tom negating Liz...

Liz: You saved a man you hate to save me.

Tom: Hey, don’t hang up. I’m in trouble. It’s not about the harbormaster. Look, when Reddington blew my cover, he exposed me to some very dangerous people, and now they’re looking for me. And the guy who places me, I can’t get in touch with him. And these people, these Germans -

Tom returns after the Germans are taken care of, still wanting the passports. They’re not about the Germans, but about him getting paid. That’s why he’s literally picking pockets, and as soon as he gets them - he buys a boat. 

He baits Liz. By this, I mean... he’s already trying to get her to run away with him on his boat when he has yet to buy the damn thing. It’s not until she tells him goodbye that he chooses to tell her the truth about the passports. He does this because he needs her. Without Liz, it’s impossible to get to Red because he simply would not trust Tom. 

When he sends her the text to tell her about the passports, he has his team in position - ready to track. Their conversation gets cut from the audience, but it coincidentally pushes her to get the Fulcrum for Red. They follow her to get the Fulcrum, then follow her to the meeting location for the sake of killing Red. By the time Red shows up at the location, his shooter is already there. 

Liz: They put a bullet in your chest, and you have no idea how. You’re the most cautious person I know.

They got a bullet in his chest by following Liz. That’s why they were already on the 4th floor and shooting at him within 90 seconds of his arrival. Trust me when I say... if Red couldn't understand how Vandyke got to him and Liz... then he certainly can’t understand how Peter did. It’s the same concept - they followed Liz. Red’s weakness, and she’s not as cautious as he is. 

In 2x19, Tom was forced to help Red because to not help him would’ve worked against Liz. He was literally doing it for Liz, not for Red. As far as he was concerned, Red was supposed to be dead - and he failed. If Red’s team hadn’t been with him, Tom would’ve killed Red. Next episode, he’s desperate to wipe her memory of Red’s shooting. Any truth regarding Red is a certain truth about Red, whether past or current. 

Absurd to believe Tom just hung out while Liz went to Red's second-story flat in 2x20, and did so after asking her who Bill Kershaw was. Tom just woke up that day and said, "Nah, I'm not gonna worry about Red’s secrets. They're private!" Liz heads to Red’s second-story flat where he keeps ALL of his secrets. And by all, I mean all. His life literally depended on the Fulcrum cipher, and he stored it there. Liz was only there for the swing photo. Easy for Tom to track Liz to Bill Kershaw’s second-story flat, and as soon as she left to meet with Red to discuss the photo, he breaks in. There, he finds intel on Dr. Krilov.

2x16, Tom is hired by Peter 2x18/2x19, Tom puts himself in need to wipe Liz’s memory.  2x20, Tom finds contact info for Dr. Krilov.  2x21, Tom introduces Liz to his Krilov dream scenario. 

Tom: All right, dream scenario. We finish our coffee, we hop on my boat. We leave, okay. We never look back. Preferably, we take our clothes off at some point.

Tom: All right, look, I know the whole naked boat thing is a little unrealistic...

Unrealistic meaning not believable - and I’d say more than a little. 

2x22, Tom carries out Krilov dream scenario.

This memory wipe, essentially killing Liz. 

Red: I never wanted you to be... like me. 

There’s far too much for me to add that would make this super long. Details about the passports, details about the flag Ressler put on Tom’s aliases, etc. I just wanted this basic timeline for Tom’s actions. 

This is the basic timeline:

2x16, Tom is hired by Peter 2x18/2x19, Tom puts himself in need to wipe Liz’s memory. 2x20, Tom finds contact info for Dr. Krilov. 2x21, Tom introduces Liz to his Krilov dream scenario. 2x22, Tom carries out his Krilov dream scenario.

Ressler: Damn it, Liz, wake up.

Ressler is stuck between sleep and awake. Literally stuck with Liz on Tom’s boat - since that’s where she wakes. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

A lot of fans ask me how I can interpret so many things for just one character. Yes, I get hit with a lot of Tom questions. For the most part, I don’t answer because my domino theory does that for me, and I feel like... if I have to explain it to everyone who asks, they’re basically asking me to double my work simply because they refuse to read my domino theory. 

It’s easy to find. Find it, read it, then ask. 

Random questions like multiple interpretations, open interpretations, and what I like to refer to as the opposite door. Things like that, I have no problem answering. The opposite door is when they say/show something, and the moment you see/hear it, your mind goes in the opposite direction... and when that happens, it sparks a theory or prediction. 

Opposite door

Connolly's comment when he stops into Judge Denner’s chambers is perfect example. Tom is trying to strike a deal to save Liz when Connolly walks in. 

“That deal won’t happen.” - Connolly

Before I get to the opposite door, let me just show a parallel to this line. 

“That woman no longer exists.” - Carla

The opposite door. The opposite of that is this. 

"This deal will happen.” and “This woman exists.”

See how the opposite door sparks a theory? A parallel to this line...

“I know that this man is an imposter.” - Liz

Opposite “that man” Kate unearthed from the ground. 

Multiple interpretations

A quick example of multiple interpretations, and how these things look when combined. After Tom was released from federal custody, he contacted Liz. 

“You okay? Where are you? Are you okay?” - Tom

Two reasons why Tom could be asking this question. 

1. He needed to know that she was cleared of the charges. 

2. He needed to make sure "This deal” didn’t affect her. 

When combined, it flows well. 

Straight-negation

Liz: You knew about Tom - that if he came back, they’d exonerate him to protect the task force. He’d get his life back. You saved a man you hate to save me.

Straight negation. 

Red: Tom Connolly is there? Connolly made the Harbormaster investigation go away.

Red did not save a man he hates to save her. In fact, he had absolutely no idea Tom would walk away a free man. Red’s exact words tell another story. 

Liz: It’s my fault. I never should have put him there. He’ll go to prison for the rest of his life because of me. Red: One step at a time, Lizzy.

One step at a time. Tom walking away just as Liz walks away isn’t one step at a time. It’s two steps at a time. This straight-negation would’ve given Red reason to question Tom’s involvement with the Cabal, all things considered. Despite that, I don’t think he did because he had to put all of his attention on the higher-ups. After all, his life depended on getting the vote. 

To put it bluntly... they had Tom on other charges. They didn’t need to charge him with Ames’ murder to keep him in federal custody or to protect the task force. I know fans like to pretend killing Ames was the first criminal act he committed in the series... but he was literally wanted on charges due to his alignment with Berlin. 

"This deal will happen.” - Connolly

“You okay? Where are you? Are you okay?” - Tom

No, she’s not okay. She’s being framed for treason. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

"THE MAN IN THE HAT"

“When Red is identified as a possible hostage during a deli robbery in Philadelphia, Dembe and Ressler take action. Back in D.C., Senator Panabaker evaluates the task force's dealings with Red while Siya digs deeper into her mother's past.”

Highly possible Red gets taken hostage. Last night, I made mention to the risks he's been taking. His modes of travel, his walking around without bodyguards, his switch to a new cell phone rather than keeping his flip phone, leaving his bath house unlocked so that anyone could barge in at any time. It's like he's daring someone to take a shot. What makes it less likely, is the fact that he's always armed and always paying attention to his surroundings. 

While I do think Red has plans for The Freelancer other than killing him, I think he's saving him for something special. I think we're gonna get a bearded Red from 10x1, but I think he's gonna have flashbacks while being taken hostage. Perhaps this is what Red needs to feel alive.  

Let's not forget this episode leads into Dr. Michael's episode.

Panabaker is another matter altogether. She could very well pull an Esteban with Red, fully intent on killing him because he’s of no further value. It’s also possible she agrees to the plan Red just mentioned to Cooper... unless that plan goes sideways, and I do think it will. There’s also the matter of that audio recording blackmail Red has on Panabaker, so the outcome of that is a tough call. 

I definitely think Siya will drop my Fowler domino by the midseason. If she does, it’s my theory that the fingerprint on the record brush will connect to two other murders... to the shell casing in Victor Fokin's murder, and to the remaining bullets in the gun used to kill Tom Connolly. The beautiful thing about Siya being an agent and a spy. She’d think like an agent and a spy. She just has to consider the fact that Liz had her service weapon taken when she was interrogated. I always believed Diane Fowler would be the first domino, as she’d connect in both directions, and Dembe dropped her for me. She connects backward to 1x6 and forward to 2x22... which includes Liz’s second memory wipe and the flag Ressler put on Tom’s aliases. 

It’s an easy assumption to make. Tom put Meera Malik on a kill list. This would make him a likely suspect for Diane Fowler’s murder, since Diane Fowler was not only Meera Malik’s boss, Tom was targeting Red... and she gave him an immunity agreement. Tom Connolly replaced Diane Fowler, who was the one responsible for releasing Tom from federal custody in 2x16. This then ties Tom to the Cabal. In turn, it’s an easy assumption to make that he wanted to cover his tracks by having Liz kill Tom Connolly. Insert Peter’s inside man - who helped put a bullet in Red in 2x18. Add in Liz’s second memory wipe to cover his role in Red’s shooting. 

Dominoes. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

From Ivan’s whisper back to Kirk’s. 

Simple. 

My thought... every question fans have are of the first three seasons. They'll push through to that painting in Drexel, reveal Red's identity, then end it. Sam Milhoan, Gina Zanetakos, Victor Fokin, Meera Malik, Diane Fowler, Takoma Park, Swan Lake, and Liz's Montreal DNA test were in the first season. Carla Reddington, the Harbormaster, Red’s shooting, and Tom Connolly were in the second. The Cabal, the hydra map, the glasnost file in Lady Ambrosia, the Drexel painting, Scottie and Christopher Hargrave.... all in the third. Liz's second memory wipe is there too. Liz's memory wipe and Takoma Park are the only storylines I imagine them pulling more flashbacks.

I believe Meera’s daughter will push half this list because while my Tom Domino theory is huge, it won’t take much. She should be able to connect most of it. Fokin, Fowler, and Connolly will connect with a single fingerprint id. Because Ressler put a flag on Tom’s aliases in 2x17, it could very well have continued into the timeline of Liz’s second memory manipulation, and Ressler have no idea. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

I think season 10 will cover the first three seasons because everything after that is basic addition to the story. Meaning... there are no holes in any of the following seasons.  

I basically believe they’re gonna bridge the gap between Kirk and Katarina by covering the first three seasons, which ended with Liz’s fake death... exactly my point. It’s full circle writing. 

Liz’s real death, seasons 1-3 pushing to Liz’s fake death, bridging the gap with Red’s identity reveal, then cut to black and roll the credits. 

I think Meera’s daughter will push a lot of it. My Tom Domino Theory ends at season 3 even though I continue to build it. Everything after that simply supports my theory. Gina Zanetakos, Victor Fokin’s murder, Diane Fowler’s murder, Tom Connolly’s murder, Liz’s second memory wipe, the Cabal learning Liz’s real identity, Liz’s first time on the run, Liz’s fake death, the person who shot Red in Vanessa Cruz’s episode, the Cabal’s inside man, and Tom’s second employer are all theories in my domino theory....and they’re all covered in the first three seasons. 

The Takoma Park tragedy is the only Rederina thread not yet covered aside from Red’s identity reveal. 

“Tom was a man of many truths. Which of those he was going to divulge, I can't say.” My prediction for season 10 in a nutshell. Many Tom truths leading to Red’s identity reveal. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

I’m doubling-up the gifs on this Keenler baby post. When I’m done, I’m gonna connect Tom to every season for my Domino theory, which will include season 10. I can connect Tom to both Wujing with Marvin’s blacklist and Meera’s daughter. You’d be surprised where my mind goes when I write for my domino theory. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

I believe my Tom Domino theory will play out in the 10th season. 

This begins with Constantin Rostov hiring Tom Keen for the sole purpose of finding Masha Rostova, a woman he believed to be his daughter. This would explain why Tom wouldn’t know him as Alexander Kirk, but would know him as Constantin Rostov. Because Constantin didn’t know his daughter’s new identity, would refer to Elizabeth Milhoan as Masha Rostova when he hired Tom. Follow the arcs and you’ll see it. 

I believe Constantin had a stand-in just as Berlin did. So while fake Berlin spoke on Berlin’s behalf, fake Constantin spoke on Constantin’s behalf. After all, he’s going by a new identity, Alexander Kirk. I believe the Russian in 2x20 is fake Constantin. 

Because Tom was specifically hired to find Masha, I believe he’s the one who revealed Liz’s real identity to the Cabal. Velov knew Katarina had a daughter, but didn’t know her by name. So Tom gave the Cabal her identity, then they turned to Velov for confirmation that Katarina actually had a daughter. 

All of this tracks back to the pilot as I believe Constantin ties in Victor Fokin and Gina Zanetakos, and all of this will be uncovered by Meera’s daughter... along with Liz’s second memory wipe. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

Season two has some deleted scenes that fit my memory wipe theory. Ressler’s deleted scene in 2x17 and Dembe’s deleted scene in 2x20. 

It’s my theory that Tom followed Liz to Red’s second story flat in 2x20, and when he broke in, found the contact information for Dr. Krilov. After all, that’s where Red kept ALL his secrets. So much so, that he trusted leaving the Fulcrum in his second story flat... and his life depended on the Fulcrum. 

So what you get is Red depending on the Fulcrum to save his life, only to turn around and have Tom find intel on Krilov that would eventually cost Liz her life. Dembe not directly, but indirectly putting Liz’s life in danger simply by sending her to that second story flat.  

I believe the entire task force will band together once my Tom dominoes start to fall... and I believe that will happen once Meera’s daughter starts digging into her death. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

“Some of the people closest to me are now dead because of Tom Keen.” 

If I’m right on my domino theory, this will track because it all starts with a lie. If Liz should’ve never been at the church with Tom in 3x17, then he pushes all of it. I’m not just talking about the death of Kate. I’m talking about Baz, Dr. Nik, Dom, Anne, Jennifer, Liz, Kate’s sister, even Marvin. Perhaps Carla as well, depending on who killed her. Liz and Marvin followed in Kate’s footsteps, and her footsteps start in 3x18. 

Deaths to go with those dominoes. 

[kiss-my-freckle]

"I’m here to tell you a story."

I call it my Tom Domino Theory. Tom Keen wiped Liz's memory the second time because he was involved in Red's Vanessa Cruz shooting. He got conned into aligning with Peter, acted as the Cabal's inside man because in S2, it was about keeping Red from reading Liz's intel. She was the one who had the Fulcrum. It LOOKS like Tom is the father of Agnes, but he's NOT. 

S3 & S8 are gonna collide. Wait for it...