#Whole cake arc us literally RIGHT THERE.

[spiderp0nk22]

Sanlu cowboy au?! More likely than u think!!!!!!

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

I love being a wild card in this fandom.  

What I love about Sauron/Mairon x Galadriel is that their dynamic isn’t some basic Light vs. Dark nonsense. Because this is Tolkien, not some Hollywood digested cr*p, as the professor says himself:

Some reviewers have called the whole thing simple-minded, just a plain fight between Good and Evil, with all the good just good, and the bad just bad. Pardonable, perhaps (though at least Boromir has been overlooked) in people in a hurry, and with only a fragment to read, and, of course, without the earlier written but unpublished Elvish histories. But the Elves are not wholly good or in the right. Not so much because they had flirted with Sauron; as because with or without his assistance they were 'embalmers'. They wanted to have their cake and eat it: to live in the mortal historical Middle-earth because they had become fond of it (and perhaps because they there had the advantages of a superior caste), and so tried to stop its change and history, stop its growth, keep it as a pleasaunce, even largely a desert, where they could be 'artists' – and they were overburdened with sadness and nostalgic regret. Tolkien, Letter 154

This is what I've been telling you guys. The Elves are not hopeless victims of Sauron, nor are they the "heroes" of the story. Tolkien lore is complex, it's not "pure Good vs. pure Evil" like the "lorebros" or the Peter Jackson fanboys claim. Stop believing their nonsense, they don't know what they are talking about. The battle of “good vs. evil”, in Tolkien legendarium, ultimately, happens within each character.

When they first met, Mairon and Galadriel both turned their backs on literal heaven (Valinor) because of their pride: Galadriel wanted the glory of seeking and destroying Sauron for herself; Mairon couldn’t bring himself to face judgement from the Valar. Mairon was the repentant sinner, while Galadriel was on her way to become one.

Galadriel is a literal ticking bomb, ready to explode and turn Dark at any moment, in "Rings of Power". Mairon was drawn to the darkness within her, and not to her “light” (this is another way he self-deceives himself). Her “light” (= Two Trees of Valinor) is merely aesthetic. She doesn’t have that light, and that’s why she’ll use Nenya, and her Mirror and her Phial to harvest purest Light, and become the “Lady of Light”.

In “Rings of Power” there is a clue that Mairon might be blood bound to Morgoth, and, so, he’s always unconsciously seeking his former master, and that’s why he wanted to serve Galadriel. Because he's a Maia, he was created to be a servant to a Vala. The deal, wasn't her becoming his servant, but the other way around.

And we are talking about Sauron, here: his whole character arc is not one of redemption, so he the interest he believes he has on "Light" is not real, it's one of his self-deceptions. And for Sauron to never stop grouping Galadriel’s mind, thousands of years into the future, when he’s already officially the “shadow of Morgoth” it’s because he recognizes her potential for darkness, not her light.  

This doesn’t mean that he’s unredeemable, mind you. Tolkien’s work is infused with Christian doctrine (mainly Catholicism), and in this religion one can always find redemption and forgiveness if one actually repents for their sins, and makes amends for them (which will be Galadriel's case). And this is also present in Tolkien lore: no character is unredeemable on his world. But in the legendarium, after refusing to stand trial before the Valar, Sauron never truly repents, and becomes the "a reincarnation of Evil" aka Morgoth come again.

And there is Sauron. In the Silmarillion and Tales of the First Age Sauron was a being of Valinor perverted to the service of the Enemy and becoming his chief captain and servant. He repents in fear when the First Enemy is utterly defeated, but in the end does not do as was commanded, return to the judgement of the gods. He lingers in Middle-earth [Halbrand]. Very slowly, beginning with fair motives: the reorganising and rehabilitation of the ruin of Middle-earth, neglected by the gods', he becomes a reincarnation of Evil, and a thing lusting for Complete Power – and so consumed ever more fiercely with hate (especially of gods and Elves). All through the twilight of the Second Age the Shadow is growing in the East of Middle-earth, spreading its sway more and more over Men – who multiply as the Elves begin to fade. Tolkien Letter 131

Sauron was of course not 'evil' in origin. He was a 'spirit' corrupted by the Prime Dark Lord (the Prime sub-creative Rebel) Morgoth. He was given an opportunity of repentance, when Morgoth was overcome, but could not face the humiliation of recantation, and suing for pardon; and so his temporary turn to good and 'benevolence' ended in a greater relapse, until he became the main representative of Evil of later ages. But at the beginning of the Second Age he was still beautiful to look at, or could still assume a beautiful visible shape – and was not indeed wholly evil, not unless all 'reformers' who want to hurry up with 'reconstruction' and 'reorganization' are wholly evil, even before pride and the lust to exert their will eat them up. The particular branch of the High-Elves concerned, the Noldor or Loremasters, were always on the side of 'science and technology', as we should call it: they wanted to have the knowledge that Sauron genuinely had, and those of Eregion refused the warnings of Gil-galad and Elrond. Tolkien Letter 153

Halbrand was repentant Mairon. Annatar is Mairon falling back into evil.

Galadriel is not yet the “repentant sinner” Tolkien described her to be, in his legendarium, either. In Season 2, she doesn’t own up to her actions, and is still making excuses for them: “I was deceived”; “Sauron used me”; “Under his harp I was played to a melody not of my choosing”, bla bla bla.

She’s still in self-denial about her actions in Season 1: she’s the one who tempted Mairon with promises of power and, pretty much directly, caused him to choose deception over redemption, and condemned Middle-earth to Sauron’s tyranny (this is also somewhat compatible to what Tolkien wrote, because in the lore the Elves are also to blame).

And I’m almost certain she’ll have to f*ck up even harder in order to have a “eye opening” moment. Because one can’t really be a “penitent” (using Tolkien’s words) unless one takes ownership of one's actions, and makes the conscious decision to atone for them. 

[sarasade]

It's been pretty interesting to follow the

"Why Didn't Viren Get Redeemed vs Viren Got What Was Coming To Him"

discussion after The Dragon Prince's 6th season got released.

Hot Take

I think Viren got redeemed.

Because to me Viren humbling himself and acknowledging the hurt he has caused was redeeming. His conversation with Soren was the main event. His rather heroic death was only the cherry on top of the character development cake that has been baking since s4.

I think Viren dying wasn't as significant as what he did before that and how he tried to provide Soren with some kind of comfort and closure, you know, as a parent should, before going. Viren's redemption wasn't just him dying for Katolis but acknowledging his wrongdoings and trying to salvage what he could.

That was pretty redeeming for me at least. Viren did the right thing even when he knew there wouldn't be any reward for it. Even if he couldn't stop Aaravos from destroying Katolis or manipulating Claudia even after his death. Like, man, I kinda feel for the guy.

I think it has always pretty easy to feel sympathy for Viren. Viren wants to matter and wants to be important. However, his grandiosity, as psychologists would call it, keeps him from creating genuine connections with others. His friends, wife and children are only there to prop up his ego or get rejected if they fail to live up to his expectations. It's also pretty damn tragic that Viren opens up about his deep insecurities to Aaravos of all people. Someone who was the most likely person in the world to exploit these insecurities for his own gain.

Viren had to taste his own medicide but I don't think TDP says that's an objectively good thing per se or that we should enjoy this sort of revenge fantasy uncritically. Viren is still portrayed rather sympathetically and of course there is the part about his actions affecting others and the world in unpredictable ways. It's still a tragedy because Viren's actions and personal problems have caused so much collateral damage. The Why behind Aaravos exploiting Viren and Claudia is part of that tragedy, too. There are no winners here. In a way Viren is a victim of his own narcissistic tendencies, too.

This isn't just about the final episodes of Viren's arc. To me it's essential to ask What was Viren's biggest sin he should be redeemed or punished for? Depending on your answer you may have a relatively different reading of s6 story development compared to mine.

To me it's not a specific action he took but his whole worldview. Viren is a fictional character (duh!) so his story isn't exactly literal but metaphorical, a representation of certain values and morals real people and society holds. In s3 TDP draws a pretty straightforward, though brief, comparison between Viren and reactionary right-wing ideologues. It's not exactly subtle.

It's just one way TDP goes to show how toxic and abusive Viren's core values are. that gets reflected both in Viren's personal life aka how he treated Lissa, Soren and even Harrow and Claudia (last two more indirectly). Since he also had a ton of political power as a high mage and briefly as a king we see what he did with that power. It's a pretty clear take on people who dehumanise others, fetishise power and see all living things as something to exploit. TDP explores that both philosophically and psychologically through Viren. Dark magic encapsulates this philosophy well since using magical creatures like tools or objects is essential for it to work.

Also also- I don't really get why people see redemption or atonement as something black and white. It's not bad or anything but Redeeming Yourself For Your Sins is a very Christian concept and Christianity isn't the only way to understand villain story arcs. Like I wish there could be more discussion about WHY redemption is the main analytical framework we impose on villains when villainous characters have a ton of variety anyway.

I don't really have anything to complain about Viren's death itself and I'm not surprised that he ended up dying (for real this time). Aaravos seemed like someone who'd turn against Viren the moment he stopped being useful to him so Viren's life has been hanging by a thread since s4. Viren was the best part of TDP and every scene he's been in had been a delight, well expect the s5 dream sequence because it was too long-winded and obvious, anyway, I'm sorry to see him go and I look forward writing AU fix-it fics where he and Aaravos are married and run a hot brown morning potion shop with all their four totally not dead children. RIP Viren. You lived like a messy bitch and died like a messy bitch. Iconic.

[selkiewife]

Alicent's relationship with Dragons

“The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion.”

This is a fascinating quote and I love how it builds on the dragon lore we already see being established in asoiaf with Daenerys:

She would sooner have returned to Meereen on dragon's wings, to be sure. But that was a desire Drogon did not seem to share. The dragonlords of old Valyria had controlled their mounts with binding spells and sorcerous horns. Daenerys made do with a word and a whip. Mounted on the dragon's back, she oft felt as if she were learning to ride all over again. When she whipped her silver mare on her right flank the mare went left, for a horse's first instinct is to flee from danger. When she laid the whip across Drogon's right side he veered right, for a dragon's first instinct is always to attack. Sometimes it did not seem to matter where she struck him, though; sometimes he went where he would and took her with him. Neither whip nor words could turn Drogon if he did not wish to be turned. ~ A Dance With Dragons, Daenerys X

And I also love how it is supported throughout the whole first season of House of the Dragon, both literally (as with Aemond and Luke at the end) and symbolically with Otto and Alicent.

I've been thinking a lot about the symbolism of trying to control dragons in Alicent's arc. Throughout the first season, Otto attempts to use his daughter to control "dragons of flesh" (Rhaenyra and Viserys.) The first part of Otto's plan was to have Rhaenyra supplant Daemon as the heir and I noticed on this second rewatch that Alicent may have been tasked by Otto to encourage Rhaenyra's ambition for the throne:

ALICENT: You're worried your father is about to overshadow you with a son. RHAENYRA: I only worry for my mother. I hope for my father that he gets a son. As long as I can recall, it's all he's wanted. ALICENT: You want him to have a son? RHAENYRA: I want to fly with you on dragonback, see the great wonders across the Narrow Sea, and eat only cake. ALICENT: I'm being serious. RHAENYRA: I never jest about cake. ALICENT: You aren't worried about your position? RHAENYRA: I like this position. It's quite comfortable.

Rhaenyra's flirting aside (I'll get to that later lol), Alicent seems very intent on discussing Rhaenyra's position as heir. I think that Alicent has true concern for Rhaenyra's desires (and she knows her very well) but she has also been told by her father to encourage those desires in Rhaenyra. Even though Otto is trying to manipulate the situation, I think Alicent is happy to comply because to her mind, making her best friend the heir to the throne is really a win win for everyone- her father, Rhaenyra, the realm, etc. Her own desires align with Otto's at this point.

But then Otto tasks Alicent to essentially "break" her "dragon bond" with Rhaenyra and establish one with the king instead. This is when things really begin to fall apart for Alicent because her desires absolutely do not align with "claiming" Viserys. But she does as her father bids and begins a long, traumatic arc of trying to control dragons- both Viserys and later her "dragon" sons, Aegon and Aemond (as we see at the end of Season 1 and from the trailers of Season 2.) But this is doomed to fail because, as Viserys himself says, control of dragons is an illusion.

I think it is also doomed to fail because Alicent is also trying to control her own dragons- that is to say, her own desires. I think that the dragons- and her fear of riding them- is symbolic of Alicent’s sexuality and her feelings toward Rhaenyra. The first thing that Rhaenyra says to Alicent in the show after she climbs off Syrax is that she wants to take Alicent dragon riding with her. But Alicent declines:

ALICENT: Syrax is growing quickly. She'll soon be as large as Caraxes. RHAENYRA: That's almost large enough to saddle two. ALICENT: I believe I'm quite content as a spectator, thank you.

There is a moment where Rhaenyra registers the rejection while Alicent turns to go inside the carriage- which looks similar to a cage. Rhaenyra looks back at Syrax who is lead away into the dragon pit- also a cage- before going in after her.

Rhenyra's invitation to join her on her dragon is an intimate one in my opinion. It reminds me of Rhaena taking Elissa to ride on Dreamfyre. Dragons can symbolize power but I think they can also symbolize sexuality, freedom, and gender fluidity. As Maester Aemon said in asoiaf:

"Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame." ~ A Feast for Crows, Samwell IX

Rhaenyra talks about flying with Alicent again when they are in the godswood and Alicent responds by becoming flustered and attempting to leave. I think that flying on a dragon symbolizes a kind of freedom- and perhaps a kind of sexual freedom that frightens her. So by shutting that conversation down it symbolizes how she is trying to shut down that part of her as well. She is trying to control the "dragons" of her own desires- to keep them locked up in a cage. Unfortunately, "there is a beast beneath the boards" and her desires (like dragons) cannot be caged indefinitely. They will eventually be let out- even if it is in a very destructive way.

[ikroah]

I have reached the breaking point, the point of no return, it’s very clear to see a fool like me will never, ever learn. I have reached the breaking point, I hear the drums of doom, I’m gonna flip my wig in one great big atomic boom! —“The Breaking Point,” Bobby Darin (1966)

It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin’ #27 - Ring-a-Ding-Ding VI

Collaborative Issue! Guest Artist: @sas-afras

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Read IKROAH on Archive of Our Own

Notes / Transcript:

Notes

Huge thanks to Monty over at @sas-afras for getting this one done! I handled the original layout and lettering, but the rest was all them. Layouts like this can seem simple and easy because of how straight-forward and repetitive they are, but when all you've got are a dozen and one reaction shots, every single one of those reaction shots needs to be as perfect as you can get them. And Monty did a hell of a job. Especially on the coloring! Monty, if you're reading this, you're a hell of a good colorist (on top of everything else). Thanks again!

Another note about this issue is that it, along with the previous one, were some of the most difficult to write in this whole damn comic so far. I really hate repeating in-game dialogue verbatim without good reason, but there's really not much else I could do here. It's a very necessary part of the story that is also literally a part in the game where your character is fixed in place listening to a monologue. I took some liberties, did some punch-up, not just for its own sake but to really drive home what I find most interesting and vital here about Mr. House as a character.

Anyway, Agnes is in trouble. And there's only one issue left in Volume 2! The next one closes out this arc of the story, at long last. Stay tuned.

Transcript

INT. LUCKY 38 BASEMENT. From an observation deck of sorts, AGNES SANDS watches several SECURITRON robots position themselves in a testing area, containing several sandbags, dummies, and makeshift fortifications. A voice booms from an unseen speaker.

MR. HOUSE: You're well familiar with my Securitron police force. But have you ever wondered: what exactly makes them the marquee option in perimeter security and pacification?

AGNES glances in the direction of the voice, uncomfortable.

MR. HOUSE: Well to start, the reinforced titanium alloy housing of each unit, which protects its electronic core, easily deflects small arms and shrapnel.

MR. HOUSE: As for its offensive capabilities, its X-25 gatling laser—produced to spec by Glastinghouse, Inc.—is deadly against soft targets at medium range.

SFX: BZZTZZTZZTZZTZZT

AGNES recoils as a red glow washes over her from the testing area.

MR. HOUSE: And then for close-range suppression or crowd control, the Securitron is also armed with a 9mm sub-machinegun.

SFX: DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA

AGNES shuts her eyes, wincing from the crack of gunfire.

MR. HOUSE: These features have been sufficient for keeping the peace within Vegas, but with the NCR and Legion closing in on Hoover Dam, and sizing up my city like a piece of prize cake, more than ever we need to be prepared for, well...external conflict. Policing is one thing, but when geopolitical powers are involved, my Securitrons can only pose so much of a threat.

MR. HOUSE: That is...if they're forced to rely exclusively on their secondary weapons--as they have been, all this time!

AGNES looks upward, surprised.

MR. HOUSE: Remember, the Great War interrupted a pivotal moment for RobCo's work. Consequently, all extant Securitrons have been stuck, running on a mere Mark I operating system—the first production version of the OS—which has simply lacked the software drivers for the use of their primary weapons all this time!

AGNES looks around, as if HOUSE were in the room somewhere and she could find him, in a panic.

MR. HOUSE: The platinum chip, you see, was never just a token. At a time when industrial espionage ran rampant, it was minted as a high capacity, proprietary, and uniquely irreplicable data storage device. In a way, it's more like a computer chip. And now—with the data from the platinum chip finally installed onto my nextwork—it's time for a very crucial software update. Behold: the new Mark II Securitrons!

AGNES gawks downward at the testing area, eyes wide. Oh no.

MR. HOUSE: Their newly accessible M-235 Missile Launcher gives them the ability to engage ground and air targets at significantly longer ranges...

SFX: PSSSSSHHH KTHOOM THOOM THOOM THOOM

AGNES flinches, covering her face for protecting, and screams as explosions rip apart the testing area below.

MR. HOUSE: ...and their rapid-fire G-28 grenade launching system, another part of the Mark II, makes them much more powerful in close-range engagements as well.

SFX: THMP THMP THMP KRRSSH KRAKTK KABOOM

AGNES, nearly frozen, watches the bombardment with horror.

MR. HOUSE: It also includes rewritten drivers for the Securitrons' auto-repair systems—although always sophisticated, the new optimizations render them inexhaustible in even the most protracted and attritious of engagements. Altogether, the Mark II upgrade confers a 235% total increase in combat effectiveness per unit—and it's all because of you!

AGNES lowers her arm slowly, jaw slack, mortified.

MR. HOUSE: Vegas finally has an army—worthy to protect not just the city itself, but the best interests of all of mankind, at home and abroad. Which is to say: this simple display of might remains a mere teaser for what I can, and what I will, accomplish, in an illustrious new epoch.

AGNES sinks further into a paralytic terror.

MR. HOUSE: What we will accomplish, Agnes—should you accept my offer, of employment. Ah—but I digress. I'm certain that you've had a long day. You can rejoin Miss Cassidy in the presidential suite for the night, if you'd like to, as they say, "sleep on it."

MR. In fact...say for as long as you'd like. However long you may need, to think everything over. And you'll be very well provided for in the meantime, consider it a taste of what could be...should you make the right choice before you.

MR. HOUSE: That reminds me—I've already sent Victor to collect your belongings from the Vault 22 Hotel, so no need to exhaust yourself further by making that trip on your own, hm? There's much about your future to consider, Agnes—and I would like you to think of it as our future.

AGNES stares straight ahead with a deadened expression.

The testing area in the basement has been reduced to smithereens. Fires rage on the rubble of obliterated structures, gnarled steel, and collapsed walkways. The dummies have been dismembered entirely.

MR. HOUSE: ...Goodness, what a mass. With friends like these, I sure wouldn't envy my enemies.

MR. HOUSE: Wouldn't you agree?

[fennelrabbit]

Maybe I'll find time to make a longer AT post, maybe even a detailed presentation, but for now I have to say:

The arc they put Simon on for the miniseries is just so, so wrong. It's incompatible and not what his character needs to grow at all.

Simon's problem was never that he couldn't see how important he was to the world or other people. In fact, that was one of the flaws Simon always had - valuing himself based on what he could do for other people, and not for what he values in himself.

Simon lived for Marceline because he needed to care for her and keep her alive. It was the right thing to do, and this sense of purpose slowed his descent into madness a lot more, but it wasn't enough.

When Simon is freed from the crown in the future, he doesn't worry himself about Marceline anymore because she's grown up and outgrown him. She's not a weak little girl anymore so Simon decides in his short time that she can live without him, now that she doesn't need him. Of course he knows that his death would be sad, but Marceline has friends and family now. In his mind, Marceline will be ok because she's not alone.

What else does Simon do with what little time he's given? He apologises to Betty.

Again, it's the right thing to do. Their "breakup" was very scary and confusing. So he makes it his duty to explain himself to her and he tries to set Betty free. "I went crazy. You don't have to feel bad about leaving me. I forgive you". Again, Simon is thinking about his life in relation to other people. He was a bad boyfriend to Betty in that moment, so he must rectify that.

And after that, what does Simon do? Does he fight to stay alive? Does he ask for help, does he try one last time to crack the crown and free himself before he dies?

No. Simon seeks and accepts death because he's tired, and he thinks he is empty. That there is no point to him staying alive.

Nobody needs Simon anymore.

Simon does not value or care about himself.

🐰🐈 So, how does this relate to the Fionna and Cake series?

Well, the issue is that putting Simon on this "Ghost of Christmas everything" style journey through the multiverse does not address Simon's problems at all. Simon isn't a selfish and arrogant character like Scrooge who needed to learn to care about and value other people. In fact, Simon was always very aware of how much people needed him. Simon liked feeling needed.

So this whole "Look Simon, Marceline is evil in the universe where you're dead!" and "in this universe, the crown ruined Finn Merten's life" isn't helpful for pushing or developing Simon's character. If anything, it's just enabling his tendency to value himself as a tool for other people.

And I know people are going to say "yeah, that's the point. In the end Simon learns to live for himself because Betty has moved on from him and wants him to be happy".

But it's like...no??? That's not really a cohesive story at all.

Man wants to die, metaphorically or literally. He can't admit it, because it's shameful to himself. Then someone needs his help, so he uses "helping people" as an excuse to sacrifice himself again, so that he can feel good about himself.

But this multiverse journey doesn't teach Simon to start doing things for himself again. The only new "friends" he makes are Fionna and Cake, and that was really forced. Simon isn't pushed to change anything in his life in the series, because he's not even inside his life anymore, he's hopping around in a multiverse adventure that is basically just a longer, more distracting version of the adventure Finn sent Simon on in episode 2.

Simon isn't shown the benefits of living for yourself. He's only told to keep on living "because he has to". Because the multiverse needs him. This is just Simon and Marcy 2 all over again, but worse, because we're supposed to believe that this experience showed Simon how to care about himself. This is the same reason he was living for Marceline. "Because he had to".

And what's the conclusion of this mismatched character arc? Does Simon finally find something new and exciting that sparks his will to live again? Does Simon make a new friend on his own volition, without the obligation of "saving them"?

No!!! XD We go on another tangent where Golbetty shows Simon he was being selfish because he wasn't paying enough attention to Betty's needs, puts him back in exactly the same shitty situation that pushed him to death to begin with -

Except now, for some reason, he feels happy, and doesn't want to die.

This is all completely wrong!!!!

You can't show a couple's entire relationship with 1 bus scene and then tell the audience it was unbalanced. It looks like Simon is being punished for one mistake (not getting on the bus) even though Betty is an adult woman who makes her own choices, and needs to communicate with Simon as well. It's lazy, it's rushed, and it's so half baked that the sentient dough is raw and asking not to be baked into bread 💀

Simon and Betty's problems are not given enough time to fit into the 'Simon your life impacts others arc' and it doesn't properly address Simon's inability to live for himself at all. We're shown he worships Betty and that his love makes him live for others, but we're never shown why he's like that. There's no new context about Simon, no new information.

We get a little hint that before meeting Betty, he actually was living for himself and doing his own things, but that's it.

And this whole miniseries, as well as reducing Betty to a sexist girlfriend prop again, does nothing to address or even validate Simon's misery.

All it does it tell a depressed, suicidal man that he's not allowed to die because it would make other people sad, and that he plays some stupid cosmic role in the multiverse.

Simon is being treated like a tool, again.

Betty doesn't have her own voice outside of Simon, again.

Anyway, yeah. I didn't like this miniseries obviously, hahaha 😅 and this isn't the only problem I have with it, not by a long shot.

This story was tone deaf and insensitive. Justice for Simon and Betty! They both deserve better writing.

[mmogurl]

So, last night I finally got through Daemon's arc in Fire and Blood.. There are going to be major spoilers in this post, so only click -keep reading- if you have read it already.. or don't care if I spoil it by talking frankly about its contents! I will be discussing Rhaenyra as well as Aemond. **SPOILERS!! IF YOU KEEP READING! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

So, I am just completely wrecked by his ending and how Rhaenyra basically pushes him to it with her psychotic, stupid ways. I mean.. I strongly disliked Rhaenyra after the show, before even reading the book (especially after that fight where she says she can't trust him which is not in the book). But now after reading it, I utterly despise her! She's awful! Horrible.. and the worst kind of stupid! It's like, she just goes kind of nuts, but nobody notices that she has. But it's so obvious that she is not thinking clearly, that or she truly doesn't care about anyone or anything.. Like they are all just pawns to her, dogs to use. But then she doesn't even know how to move them properly on the board - hence my calling her stupid.. I feel like her response of ordering Nettles death was the last nail in the coffin for Daemon, and he was just like.. Fuck this shit.. I mean she literally says, she doesn't care if the lord there takes her head in her sleep.. and she slept with Daemon! Can you imagine that shit?? And this is after she said it's perfectly ok for him to sleep around with Mysaria while Rhaenyra is seemingly uninterested in him, so it's not like she was jealous. But, it seemed like he might have actually cared for Nettles and so he sends her away to save her from all the fucking madness surrounding Rhaenyra and by proxy himself... The line where he and Aemond are talking and the young prince says he's lived long enough.. where Daemon simply replies.. "On that much we can agree," is just so telling.

Imagine having been instrumental in putting Rhaenyra on the throne only to have it become so fucked in the end. And ultimately, I don't think he has the heart to do what he SHOULD do.. which is kill her.. he just decides to go off and die an honorable death in battle like a fucking Viking warrior going off to Valhalla.. But it's so bittersweet.. I hated it.. hated how it all felt like it was for nothing.. because Rhaenyra's a fucking idiot who can't listen to a god damned bit of advice from her much more experienced husband! Like, he suggests TWICE in the book to give Ulf and Hugh something to keep them happy and twice she refuses! So how does it come as a surprise when they turncoat?? But let's be realistic.. the whole Red Sowing was fucking foolhardy to begin with! Tell me, does it make sense to give the power of a god to bastards with no allegiance!? And then to not even buy their allegiance!? It's. just. stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. I'm going to be writing my fic with even more fervor now, because honestly, the entire war in the book.. What happens to Maelor, what happens at Tumbleton!? It's all a nightmare and should be avoided.. A terrible, terrible wrong that must be made right! Ugh! Rhaenyra was already an opponent in my fic - In the Shadow of Dragons. Without spoiling the story, I already have it out for her, but now it's on like fucking Donkey Kong, bitch! Ugh, and to lose Daemon and Aemond at the same time!?! X_X!!! It was at least an awesome battle and the art in the book was epic level, but they are both my favorites and now they are both dead. Now all that is left is to read about how cake eating, psycho Rhaenyra gets overthrown. I am currently at the part where King's Landing has gone into revolt.. and I'm thinking it won't be pretty for her when it happens. And there's another thought.. when you see everything awful that happens under Rhaenyra's rule, one cannot help but consider.. That even Aegon might have done a better job!

/End Rant

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Hi its me! Cupcake berserker reader anon!

Can we get readee during the whole cake arc since she's rather new to the crew big mom isnt fully aware of who she is.

Reader tries to sneak around the island trying to find sanji and she bumps into general katakuri. She knows hes the enemy but she cant help but be amazed by him.

Hijinxs ensue as reader accidentally impress big mom and her family starts to adore reader

At the end I really want her to comfort and violently head butt sanji when he yells at luffy when judge leaves. Ive always wanted to do that she could say something along the lines of " I'm the dumbest person I know sanji but right now your the dumb one! You say that you hate everything about your heartless brothers yet you're allowing your shitty daddy get to you?! Hes right! Youre nothing that he planned but those are the parts are what I love you big dummy!!!" She would head butt him a few more times to get the message across.

I also think she would be really cold to nami after that one scene when sanji and the strawhats reunite. Think of the coldness of marika from " chilling in my 30s" if you dont know her you can get a clip of her on youtube!

I hope this is alright!

-It was supposed to be an easy mission, get to Whole Cake Island, find Sanji, then meet up with the rest of the crew in Wano!

-However, with your captain being Luffy, nothing ever goes to plan. You knew this well, but when you found yourself alone, apart from Nami and Luffy and now staring up at one of the Charlotte Family’s Sweet Commanders, Katakuri.

-He didn’t know what to make of you when you literally ran into him and almost took him off his feet, despite not even reaching his knees.

-He felt a pull towards you, you were so strong, but so soft and delicate looking, choosing to ignore the battle axe you were dragging behind you, wearing a cute, fluffy dress and looking just downright adorable!!

-Big Mom didn’t know what to make of you when her son brought you to her, she knew that you were a part of the Straw Hat Crew, much like Judge’s son who was due to marry Pudding soon, but she didn’t know much about you, since you were new to Luffy’s crew.

However, you looked so adorable! You didn’t look like a pirate at all! How could someone as dainty and adorable looking as you be a pirate?!

-However, Big Mom shocked everyone, as Katakuri had never shown any interest in women before, “You should marry Katakuri!!”

-Katakuri wasn’t against it, actually happy, but he wasn’t showing it, but you were polite in your refusal, “I apologize, but I’m not looking to marry anyone right now.” Many were surprised of your refusal, as most would never think to, but this showed how naïve you were, you needed to be protected!!

-However, when Katakuri went to grab you, you showed off your skills, showing why you were in Luffy’s crew as you easily knocked Katakuri back, using the blunt edge of your axe, showing your strength and unfortunately getting a lot of attention on you.

-Big Mom and Katakuri both were impressed with your raw strength, Big Mom knew that any children you had, especially with Katakuri, were going to be insanely powerful!!

-An hour later you were finally reunited with your crew, including Sanji, and you cheerfully called out to him, “Sanji!!” his brothers saw you and you instantly took all four of them off their feet.

-You held your hand over your lips, “Ah~? There’s four of you?” Nami and Luffy were both yelling at Sanji as you noticed a larger man walking away and Sanji sneered down at them, telling them all to leave.

-You knew this was just a front, as Sanji would never talk to Nami like that, and he had way more respect for Luffy than to talk to him like that.

-You glared hard as you leapt up, leaving your axe by Nami, “You big- DUMMY!!” as you shouted your head came down hard on his own head, head-butting him and sending him to the ground hard.

-His brothers were in shock, as you didn’t look like a fighter as you shouted down at Sanji, hands on your hips, “You’re going to let him get to you even though you can’t stand a thing about them? You big dummy! Nobody is going to be perfect- those imperfections are what I love about you- what we all love about you- except maybe Zoro.”

-You calmed down towards the end of your little rant, losing steam as he stared up at you in shock from his spot on the ground.

-Sanji then flew back, blood spurting front him nose as he got an eyeful as you turned, hearing Luffy call out your name and saw your panties and you turned, rushing over, “Sanji- are you okay?!”

-You didn’t see what hurt him, not realizing what he had seen, as his brothers were surrounded by flames of rage as you held him up, resting his head against your chest, unintentionally making things worse as Sanji felt like he could die happy.

-Nami held her hand to her face, shaking her head, a bit exasperated, but she knew that you got through to Sanji more, but that didn’t mean he was off the hook!!

-Once you were all sailing away to Wano, Sanji waited on you and Nami hand and foot, trying to appease you both, as he knew you were both upset with him.

-Nami was pettier than you were, trying to drag it out, while you were showering him with love and attention, so he would never want to leave ever again.

-He didn’t, especially if he might get to have a glimpse of heaven again, but nobody else needed to know that.

[justanotherpersonsuniverse]

Hey Cap!!!

First section of OM observations plus commentary, chapters covered is: fox skin and changeling. Questions are numbered and in bold! 

Right, finally found the time to have a sit down and do this, yippee! College has been taking up far too much space in my brain! 

I’ve got a mocha, and a slice of lemon drizzle cake so I’m all set up :3

[— — —]

I’ve always really loved what you open with for OM, its both nice and straight to the point and the tone is kept light to play up the comedy that *somehow* no one has figured out just what Juleka is. 

Question 1: How does glamour work in this universe? Is it a natural magic that developed as a defence mechanism from when monsters were being persecuted or was it something cast over monsters by design? Is it a different sort of glamour that protects miraculous users' identities?

I did chuckle when Juleka referred to the miraculous as “hero business she wants no part of” because a) PN being a thing, and b) Juleka is literally insanely protective and sacrificial in OM as is so she’s heroic either way, so like ha! I know what you are Juleka… mentally ill…

Oh, I do love reading and seeing the gang form, you introduce these familiar characters with unfamiliar aspects so wonderfully. The way each of them have a different intro… it’s so much fun. I do like how the reveals slow down as the story goes on but still pop up from time to time, like with Kim in later chapters. 

Speaking of, I do adore how you write, like, overall plots? It’s hard to describe, but you always have a very good mix of character driven plot beats, and manage to keep the story arcs flowing. OM does have less of a clear ending point because of how it’s written but if anything it adds to the vibe of the story; teenagers being silly goofs and learning to rely on each other and discovering who they are as people. 

It’s so funny how Rose kicks off the plot by casually mentioning Alya’s coat, like did she just get bored or something?? 

I do like how you write Juleka’s vampiric driven thoughts, they toe the line of being a bit funny and with her being self aware enough that they feel grounded. They don’t feel unnecessarily creepy or melodramatic.

Christ it’s really weird seeing Juleka interact with Marinette. I'm so used to the toxic LadyNoire yuri…

Question 2: But also. Fr. Why did Marinette react like that when asked about Alya’s jacket??

Question 3: Does Juleka also have to count things if they are thrown on the floor as another weird vampire thing after needing an invitation and being unable to cross running water? Also is Juleka burnt in the sunlight and she’s just been wearing a huge hat and been fully covered this entire time or…?

I do love Alya as a character, especially in this she has so many fun qualities which are a lot of fun to read about. They’re awkward in an adorable way in this chapter, both of them lack any tact Juleka’s “I like your skin.” line will always make me lose my mind, why tf is she like that?! I do like their dynamic in this with the magical investigative side of things and becoming closer friends it's super cute :3

Question 4: How does Juleka’s whole mind control thing work? Because you explicitly wrote that the “I suggest you tell me more.” thing is a suggestion spell and I’m not sure if we ever see Juleka attempt to mind control someone. Like, I get why she wouldn’t whip it out on the reg, it’s kind of nasty on the consent side of things, but for when they’re fucking around and finding it out it feels like it could be useful depending on how it works :)

EEEE, Alya’s transformation is so cool… love how you wrote that, plus her reaction afterwards with immediately wanting to know more about Juleka is so in character for her. 

The running bit of Juleka being like “Why does everyone think Rose and I are dating?” only for her to be the only one who didn’t think that is literally so funny. My poor girl has no self esteem but to be fair Rose, girly, use your words!

Question 5: In your lore, is a bitten vampire different to a born vampire in any capacity? If so, in what ways?

Question 6: Why are Etta and Ella just people but Nora and Alya are selkies? Is it because their mum didn’t bring her coat with her when they escaped the sperm donor? If so; does that mean their mother lost the other traits of a selkie (as was described about Alya having sharper teeth, claws, etc.) or is it another reason? Also I find it so upsetting that Alya’s mother couldn’t keep her coat like man wtf she suffered enough

THEY’RE SO CUTE. I love Juleka just rambling about her experience as a vampire with all that stuff and Alya’s rapidly writing everything down… the buddy cop duo of all time actually. 

HA, Alya actively stalking observing Rose and Juleka as a fox at the end is so silly…

[— — —]

The way that I’m like so frustrated that Juleka doesn’t try harder at shape shifting… girl if I could turn into a few animals and all I had to do was practise a lot you best know I’d be experimenting on the reg

Hey… the gangs (mostly) all here! (plus Marinette) 

To be perfectly honest with you; until I read this I never cared about Sabrina as a character. She just felt so directionless without Chloe there. Plus the writers kept flip flopping between Sabrina relishing in the nasty tasks Chloe gave her, ending up as a quieter mean girl or being this poor girl who’s Chloe’s lackey and is being pressured into everything. So in canon she had no consistent behaviour and had no substance behind her actions. 

On the other hand, Chloe felt similarly baseless and like she was just used for cheap plot progression until they introduced her mother and everything sort of clicked into place, as far as I can remember they never did the same thing for Sabrina.

Like the show really didn’t give us anything but hints on how you could make her interesting but you write her fantastically :)

Like, you both managed to make her a really fun character to read by pulling from bits and pieces of the show and when adding the magical element to it all you created a very compelling person who has complex relationships with people and herself and it’s just a joy to read

Not the title drop-

HEHEHE I love Alya and Juleka covertly gathering information they’re so silly, the idea of them concocting this plan all mischievous like is so funny

Alix expertly changing the subject (“Marinette wasn’t you dad a werewolf Akuma?”) but still hinting towards being / having connections to a werewolf was very smooth I don’t think I noticed that before! 

Question 7: Can a werewolf be Akumatized during a full moon? If so; what would happen? I’m ngl, this question does stem both from curiosity as I may have a little bit of a plan for that in my over complicated miraculous fic (Like, seriously, I get why you largely ignore Adrien, Marinette and the miraculous in this. Combining superhero + miraculous shenanigans AND monster / magical society AND civilian stuff into one, is a right bloody fucking nightmare to make it all fit together and figure out how the different aspects interact. It’s a lot of fun but jesus christ is it a pain in the arse to sort out)

EEEE, I love Sabrina and her changeling thingmies, it’s so much fun how you write the glamour being peeled away from each character once they have an ounce of evidence and are actively looking for it

Help not Juleka rolling her eyes at Marinette motor mouthing about Adrien, girl you are no better about Rose. Though I wonder why Adrien makes Juleka nervous.

Also, I wish we fucking went on nature walks more often. The last time I did that in school was when I was in primary 7 (grade 7 if you’re american… I actually don’t know if you are sorry) wait how old are the gang?? 

Question 8: How old is everyone in this?? Wait not literally everyone- you know what I mean!

Anyway. The point is a nature walk would rock and I love how absolutely none of the reveals for the monsters are the same! Like, Alya and Juleka’s ‘’confrontation’ was in her flat, Sabrina gets fucking lured through a forest by Juleka “Blunt as a dull hammer” Couffaine, and it goes on but I’ll natter on about them when we get there :3

Insane about the Sabrina backstory with her mother divorcing her dad after she found out Sabrina wasn’t the child she gave birth to. I headcanon that Roger also sucked ass at being a husband. He seems the sort. 

Neither of her parents are the best but like I can understand freaking the fuck out that your child got kidnapped and you were left with something inhuman, I cannot, on the otherhand, understand Roger treating Sabrina as he did and then trying to get his ‘real’ daughter back… but we’ll get there and I can rant more! 

I am curious about how they found out their baby got replaced, changelings are supposed to be convincing copies or were used as an excuse to kill physically deformed babies- but let’s not get into that! 

Juleka’s simply speaking the truth about all the changeling nonsense largely pushed by how her dad talks about her.

YES GIRL SHE IS NOT A FAKE. SHE. IS. HER OWN. PERSON!!! Juleka + rightful rage about other people’s shitty situations is always so much fun, a bit depressing that she’s so much more vocal when it’s someone else but rarely if ever speaks up for herself. But fr, whenever you write a character going off about another character’s shitty parents / situation or whatever I’m always right there with whoever’s ranting and raving. You write righteous anger impeccably cap, the dialogue and the action tags, all of it gets the feeling across spectacularly. 

Not the way that you said the stump Sabrina was sitting on was “now flourishing, not regrowing in any way, but moss and grass continued their newly improved growth, flowers blooming around their feet along with mushrooms and shrubbery.” is. Is this because Sabrina has been fucking smother by her dad her entire life and this is symbolic of how Juleka’s words affected her. If it is I’m a fucking eejit cause how did I miss that, it feels like it is because of how you phrased it. I mean it might be that but it is also foreshadowing about her botanical magic

Sabrina must be getting whiplash from Juleka suddenly being all chatty and asking pointed questions about her friendship with Chloe compared to her normally just like. Nervously standing somewhere in silence. 

Also. Hey. Sabrina girly you’ve been dealing with this whole life altering revelation by yourself for four years? What the actual fuck? I feel so bad for her?? Like I am so glad the gang forms and she hashes out her shit with Chloe and- aaaaah… The gang is just such a good friend group, the dynamics feel fleshed out for all the characters…

Question 9: Hey. what the fuck is Ms. Bustier? I vaguely remember you saying something about her nearly being a succubbus and then rethinking that cause she’s a teacher, and I *think* that it’s implied she is the Fae Queen from that story about Anarka but I’m not sure… Obviously don’t say if it’s spoilers but I just realised I’ve kind of assumed she is Fae and idk if that’s correct

I do love the wee bit at the end with Alya and Sabrina jokingly pushing Juleka to get drunk off of Fae blood, it’s really funny. Also in my head Fae blood is a dark turquoise and I’ve just realised you said “off-coloured blood” not fucking blue where did I get that from???

[— — —]

That's all for tonight! I’m not sure if I’ll go as in depth with each chapter (and I may get too into reading and forget to write stuff down). I might fiddle with making the questions easier to find… Oh and If this is too much text in one ask, do say and I’ll split things up :)

(P.S, thank you for wishing me a happy birthday after my last ask :) it was very sweet <3)

YAYYY IM SO GLAD YOU ENKOYED YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

guahh Im so happy to read this guahhh okay lets get to answering

Question 1: Glamour is both a defense mechanism and a hunting mechanism! In terms for defense, its used by monsters to hide from being hunted or bothered. In terms of hunting, creatures like vampires and kelpies benefit from looking "normal"

Question 2: As for Marinette's reaction, she just straight up didn't notice Alya's coat! It confused her, and when Marinette gets confused by something she gets curious and suspicious. But she was made to show the difference between her, a normal human, and Juleka, a monster who knows what to look for.

Question 3: Juleka has a desire to count things but its not very intense its more like a subtle observation. It's also deeply uncomfortable and slightly scary to cross running water. Juleka would dub it a phobia of getting carried away by the water. She also gets pretty bad sunburns, she won't turn to dust, but god will it hurt to go out without a hat or sunscreen on for a full day.

Question 4: Suggestion magic kinda taps into a curse side of things I imagine! Like, putting someone magically into your debt by being polite. I imagine the origin lies in Fae stuff.

Question 5: They are in fact different! Juleka is a born vampire, meaning while she's sensitive to sunlight she will not die, and other 'holy' objects won't immediately kill her. She can also eat human food. Meanwhile, to be bitten into a vampire means Dying. When you're bitten by a vampire, you dont turn unless that bite Kills You.

Thus bitten vampires are undead, and Will die in direct sunlight, and can only survive on blood.

Question 6: You're correct! Etta and Ella lack the traits because Alya's mom lacks her coat. Im unsure if that means Marlena's own traits are fading without it.

Question 7: I think it would be VERY difficult to akumatize a full moon werewolf since theres little emotions involved with the creature. Only instincts.

Question 8: I think they're around 16-17 in this!

Question 9: I shan't sayyyy thats a spoilerrrr

[gokubrain]

are you aware of the hit vegeta image song ‘love is like a ballad’ from the fusion reborn soundtrack where it’s essentially a kakavege love song 😭😭

https://www.animelyrics.com/anime/dbz/ainobaraado.htm

and i’m 99.9% sure it’s about goku too because it uses the word ‘yatsu’ which is only used by men to refer to other men in a derogatory way… it drives me so insane

OH YOU ALREADY KNOWWWW IM WELL AWARE OF THIS LMFAO thank u for giving me the chance to talk about it HAHA

under here cuz its kind of a lot:

lets break down the lyrics shall we ..

right off the fucking bat. starting off STRONG. for vegeta to even have the thought “on this small earth life must be protected to the end” is such a good line but pairing it with “but whenever i look at you i feel like a fool” CRAAZYYYYY. insane. protecting the earth is a huge part of all the earthlings’ characters, and without goku, vegeta wouldnt have those feelings. to talk about protecting earth in one line and then immediately talk about goku next is wildddd. “i want to protect the earth, you taught me the importance of that, and yet when i look at you im reminded that it’s because of YOU that i hold these feelings about this planet.” like okAAAY alright okay!!

“why do i treat you so harshly? why do i hurt you that way? yet still fight against great evils” GRAAAHHHH this is insane right LMAO

vegeta displaying confusion as to why he treats goku the way he does when they share the same goal.. when they fight the same battles.. this self aware-ness is literally what early-stage kakavege IS dude. vegeta feeling conflicted about his actions vs his emotions is the first step to realizing he’s in love with goku.. haha. lol

“for the sake of love […] i would even throw away my rank” VEGETAAA. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUTTTTT LMFAO….

vegeta suggesting he would disown his own ranking, his pride, something very near and dear to him.. this is also early kakavege core LMAO i mean come on. thats just an insane fucking thing for him to say. unreal.

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER….!!!

“IN TRUTH, THIS POWER IS NOTHING. ALL I KNOW IS YOU.” VEGETA……..!!!!!!!!

ALL I KNOW IS YOU? ALL I KNOW IS YOU???

“although i pretend to be a steel wall […] all i know is you” is just. i mean. EXPLICITLY kakavege. this is kakavege poetry. this is vegeta’s struggle perfectly put into lyric form. i cant believe this fucking song exists lmfao

NOW. NOW..

“the smile you give me is always warm” is wild when thinking about how the entire fusion reborn movie consists of 45 minutes of goku smiling lovingly at vegeta LMAO DONT EVEN THINK VEGETA DIDNT NOTICE. !!

“here i am, offering myself completely if we can be together”

AINT THAT JUST THE ICING ON THE CAKE FOLKS. DONT THAT JUST BEAT ALL LMFAO. ANYONE ELSE FEEL SUPER NORMAL RN?

offering myself completely. giving my all to you. devoting myself to you. THIS IS ONE OF THE FUCKING BUILDING BLOCKS OF KAKAVEGE DUDE. THIS IS ONE OF THE RUNNING THEMES, A KAKAVEGE LEITMOTIF. THIS IS SO VEGETA. I WANNA DIE LMFAO

“if we can be together” …. i mean. what even is there to say about that. how much more explicit can he be here. this is the most straightforward thing vegeta will ever say in terms of kakavege lmao this is it folks. this is IT !!!

its just unreal right. that a song like this even exists.. i mean its so obviously about goku, talking about training together and vegeta being mean to him and protecting earth together and throwing away his rank….. if you think even for one second that this is about bulma you are BLIND. like lets all be serious a moment lmao

and i love that this is related to fusion reborn of all things. that movie is the fucking kakavege bible dude i SWEAR. this whole song makes so much sense if you see fusion reborn as a love story, it all fits so perfectly with how vegeta would theoretically be feeling during the (vaguely referenced) place in the timeline that this movie takes place. this is buu arc shit baby its the point of no return for vegeta its the beginning of the end.. he is realizing his feelings for goku.. i live for this shit man seriously this is what i thrive on

also the goddamn song is called “love is like a ballad” i mean what else can even be said lmfao ..!

[raayllum]

Now, TDP doesn’t do this often, but occasionally they will overload character dynamic(s) with like, enough overt symbolism / association in order to centralize a third character’s arc. Think Janai with Amaya and Karim in S4. Karim represents Janai’s uncertainty, pointing out some of the inner thoughts she’d rather ignore and her people’s rising ‘concerns’ shown through dialogue. We also see this more discreetly with scenes like Janai taking off her crown as soon as Karim is in frame, and she spells this out for us in 4x09: “But I am uncertain, I am afraid. That’s why I thought maybe you and I... we could leave. Go live peacefully in Katolis. At least Karim would lead the people with some kind of certainty.” 

Karim represents one path she can choose, the arguably easier, safer path she could choose. And Amaya doesn’t quite represent the other one as clear cut (S4 requires some of her own steadfastness to fade in order for her to grow, too) she is the main proponent as she signs, “Forget Karim. This is not about him. What life do you want?” and expresses that Janai doesn’t have to choose between a life with her and a life as queen: “Just have two cakes.” 

With that in mind, let’s talk about 

Aaravos and Rayla as Callum’s Two Paths in S4 Beyond (+ Bonus Claudia in S2)

Season 4 takes literally every chance it has to emphasize Aaravos and Rayla’s thematic opposition of each other in Callum’s life, as well as the according parallels that come with it (down to having two separate scenes in which people think he’s going to talk or is talking about Rayla, and he’s actually discussing Aaravos). Callum is “the best thing [she] ever had.” He’s Aaravos’ “favourite,” a human mage tainted by darkness like all the others he’s dried up over the years. Rayla herself is the one to primarily identify this usage. Her own description of Callum in the past has also mirrored this one (minus the magic). 

Z: Aaravos could offer them access to the great mysteries of the universe. [...] Yes, mages were his prey.

She is also the one whose arrival turns Callum away from the mirror - away from the darkness - and toward the light. I don’t think I have to explain the symbolism too much on that one, especially not with Rayla’s letter also in mind: “Making hard choices and going to dark places is an act of love. It’s a gift. So please, let me give you this gift, Callum. Stay safe, and stay in the light” as well as Callum’s reflections from the S2 novelization in 2x08: “What sort of primal could glow in this dark place?”

However, if Rayla is the Light to Aaravos’ darkness (ignoring the cube on her shoulder for a second), what does that tangibly mean? Well luckily, 4x07 also spells this out for us pretty directly in tandem with 4x04. Rayla is the first to react to Callum’s possession, gasping; she’s the one who reaches out to Callum when he goes on his knees, backing down when his eyes are black in shock; she’s also the one who catches him once the possession fades. “Already tainted by darkness,” Aaravos claims, gloating over his control both literally in the present and in the future, “and destined to play right into my hands.” Aaravos is confident he’s going to win the game he’s playing. 

Callum reiterates this in 4x05 to Ezran and in 4x07 to Rayla.

C: You know, when he took control of me and used my whole body like a puppet? [...] When Aaravos possessed me at the Storm Spire, I felt so weak and out of control. I was his puppet. I’m not afraid that he’ll hurt me. 

(Perpetually screaming about the way it cuts back to Rayla solely when there’s the “Or hurt people I care about” line, but moving on.) 

So Aaravos represents Control and a pre-chosen Destiny. These things are terrifying to Callum, who has always prioritized and chased after strengthening his capacity to choose - and to choose how he contributes. Luckily, Rayla likewise spells this out and reminds Callum of it as well. If Rayla is his light, she represents his Agency. 

Not without her faltering (leaving in TTM and leaving him behind in other occasions) but agency and choice is largely what she’s always encouraged for Callum, down to agreeing to get his cube in 1x04 and being the first one to see his potential as a mage in the first place, which Callum acknowledges. 

This is why it’s so important that she rejects his request first hand in 4x07. Callum is so scared he’s trying to remove agency from his own hands by putting it (and his life and death) into hers, but that’s just going to exacerbate the problem. Rayla keeps on reminding him that his agency is in his own hands and how strongly he used to believe that: “Callum, you’re the ‘destiny is a book you write yourself’ guy.” And Callum to his credit tries to follow through on her advice by dropping the Key of Aaravos into the lava; he’s just currently unable to go through with it / to let go of it. 

And I also think it’s entirely intentional that Rayla is the one he’s asking to do this for. Not only in the layers it gives their interpersonal dynamic and understanding of each other, but specifically in the way it’s deliberate for future plot lines, set up, and payoff: if the crew wanted to, they could’ve had Ezran go with Rayla in 4x05, leaving Callum and Soren alone. Callum could’ve asked Soren, a crownguard sworn to protect Ezran and who has done so even when it means killing his family, to kill him instead, but Callum didn’t. The crew didn’t. They chose to orchestrate it like this. 

And, not to mention, they’ve done similar things with Rayla and Callum like this before, all the way back in S2. 

Claudia and Dark Magic

Now, S2 and S4 are very similar in the emotional arcs they give the bulk of the cast, especially Claudia and Callum in particular. Hardly anyone’s emotional arcs (outside of Callum’s sky arcanum) are resolved in S2, merely they are built upon and then driven further to provide a broadening and resolution (for now) in S3. I expect S5 to follow a similar pattern of resolving quite a few things, even if it will leave others disastrously open ended (especially if Aaravos gets out by the end of S5). 

But I’m getting off topic. Claudia in S2 very much represents one path Callum could take: he could choose to go home and sacrifice the mission, which he cites as being “the hardest thing we’ve ever done” as well as “the most important thing we’ll ever do”. He’s just learnt that primal magic without a primal stone is a nigh impossible path for him, and so Claudia offers her friend an alternative, encouraging his path as a mage in the worst way.

Callum returns to the dark magic book, literally and metaphorically, in 2x07. Seeing an old sketch of Claudia with her tome is what sparks the idea that dark magic is how he can help save Rayla in 2x07 (“I want to go down there with you and be the heroes who stop all the fighting, but I can’t do that! I can’t do anything”) in the wake of feeling helpless/useless. Then he uses her book outright to complete the spell. What he wasn’t willing to do for himself or his own ends, he’s willing to do to protect a loved one.

While, just like in 4x02, Rayla literally turns Callum away from his former path / friend / love interest. This is her mirroring Callum’s own choice of choosing her over Claudia - both in who to ultimately trust when it came down to the wire, but even as a future romantic partner. Not only in the scene on Phoe-Phoe in 2x03

but also literally within the pages of his sketchbook and future spellbook that, as stated, lead to the decision of him doing dark magic in the first place. Rayla, despite being a representation by and large of Callum’s path as a primal mage, is the hinge that causes him to chase it down on her behalf anyway and in spite of the fact he knows she would hate it.

By the end of S2, specifically 2x08 The Book of Destiny, it seems pretty clear that Callum’s has firmly shut down a more active pursuit of dark magic, with his infamous, “No, I get to choose who I want to be! Destiny is a book you write yourself!” and his subsequent connection to the Sky arcanum. Although 2x08 does give hints that Callum’s journey with dark magic and pre-written destinies is perhaps not entirely laid to rest, as it features these shots, I might add:

Paths Converging

Okay, so Callum was given choices represented by Claudia and Rayla in S2, refusing the temptation and possibility of being a dark mage, and thereby subsequently choosing Rayla. Now he’s being given two paths - one in light and one in shadow - in S4.

But without the same merits of temptation (at least for now) which is probably why Aaravos outright possessed him to begin with; Callum may need a different manipulation playbook than Aaravos’ other pawns. Okay, great? What does this all mean, though? Or least, what could it possibly mean?

Remember how I said Aaravos and Rayla are put in thematic opposition to one another for Callum in S4? Yeah - here’s where the symbolism gets a bit muddled, because Rayla shows up with the cube of Aaravos on her shoulder, glowing and pointing downward. In the first 3 seasons, the Key was more often shown with the Star primal at various angles, not necessarily right side up (the primal symbol itself) or upside down (Aaravos’ symbol). But that changes at certain key moments, specifically once the Key is aligned with Aaravos, and how all the runes are shown to be upside down in the dark magic dream. 

If Rayla showing up is truly meant to just be agency, then why have the cube - the same cube featured in Callum’s 4x04 intro, directly linking it to Aaravos’ control of Callum in some capacity - on her shoulder at all? And even if you’re like “well, they wanted to make sure you’d notice Stella making it glow,” the cuddlemonkey could’ve picked it up and not gone directly to Rayla’s shoulder, disassembling the shot. Or they could’ve, y’know, had Rayla with the cube on her shoulder right side - agency side - up. But they didn’t. 

This goes back to the Light and Dark dichotomy with both being represented by Aaravos. Dark isn’t always clear cut bad (just look at Claudia’s hair) and light isn’t always clear cut good (the cube flashing a bright light as Callum’s transformation into a literal pawn is completed). A chessboard has both black and white squares. Rayla’s explicit return, as said by Soren, is “kind of good and kind of bad.” Which brings us back to this exchange from the S1 novelization, as always, in which Callum and Rayla discuss moonberries and deathberries:

“So they look identical,” Callum said. “But they might kill you or they might save you.” “Exactly.” Rayla smiled. “Just like me.” 

Again, most of this points to Rayla saving Callum, and given that a large part of her clearly doubts her capacity to save anyone, anymore (“We can’t save everyone, Soren”) in ways that weren’t present in her youth, Rayla saving Callum from Aaravos’ brainwashing - Callum choosing her as his path, literally, over Aaravos, after all this foreshadowing, makes the most straight forward sense. Callum gets to choose and pick his own destiny (her) and Rayla gets to be restored as someone heroic who can save the people she loves (him, and possibly later on her parents). 

Which would be a perfectly happy ending - if we weren’t still on season five of seven. And if season four didn’t have a massive theme of resolving dichotomies, and reconciling dualities. 

Aaravos’ control extending past the ‘resolution’ of the brainwashing plotline would also make sense. There’s more dramatics / more at stake emotionally if Callum is in his right mind and plays into Aaravos’ clutches anyway. Even the awareness of his possible fate from the start, even escaping the brainwashing, wouldn’t be enough to escape his Destiny. It also emphasizes Rayla’s loss. She did everything she could to possibly protect him, including leaving and hurting for two years, and then she shows up right in time to watch herself be helpless to protect him all over again. How’s that for tragic?

Which is to say: I don’t think, ultimately for the next arc of the story, that choosing Rayla or Aaravos is mutually exclusive. I think whether it’ll be what leads Callum to Aaravos’ possession, or what follows after it, Rayla will be what causes Callum to fall (at least temporarily) into his clutches or carrying out his plans. Kill you or save you. Light and dark. Callum refused dark magic until he felt like he was backed into a corner in S2, and going to lose her. Callum is also likely going to almost kill her and his friends. If Rayla is surviving that, and saving him, why wouldn’t he also be saving her?

Two cakes, where you save and free the person you love more than anyone alongside the person you hate and fear the most, and what’s worse, is that you both simultaneously gave him the tools he needed to do exactly this all along. 

[dorizardthewizard]

Galactik Football season 3 rewatch, eps 10 - 12

Episode 10:

So we open up with Yuki getting mad at Micro-Ice and thinking Zoleen is his girlfriend, and Mice is dumb enough to not reject that claim when she asks him directly if they're going out. He also barely acknowledges Yuki's birthday despite previously rehearsing this dramatic confession of love to her. Thran and Ahito are literally, and I mean literally the only Snow Kids that don't have any love drama going on (I know Mark's got something coming) and every single one has revolved around love triangles, whether misunderstood or not. I can't take this anymore, I'm at my limit.

Anyway, *hits play again*

Since when did this Cyclops dude have a wholeass funded show, when he wasn't even a proper journalist before?

WOOWAMBOO RETIREMENT RUMOUR?! SAY IT AIN'T SO!

Oh christ this is the start of the Sinedd parents arc isn't it. Holy shit they try to stuff so much into this season. But happy we finally got the backstory on Sinedd with him not being born on Akillian!

I can barely watch this segment holy shit it's just so awful (in universe, I mean, not the writing). Not just because I know they're con artists but it's so sudden, Hush Sharky making a whole spectacle of this on live TV in front of an audience and Sinedd had NO IDEA that he was going to meet his freaking PARENTS. WHO HE THOUGHT WERE DEAD ALL HIS LIFE. This emotional and insanely personal moment being used for entertainment fits with the corporate hellscape that the show takes place in, but what the hell. He has the full right to be pissed at Sharky.

Not the con artist parents running off immediately when the ground starts shaking 😭 Parents my ass

lol of course Micro-Ice has to fall in the cake. I think they use him for slapstick too much in this season

Tbf I quite like the villains in this season, it's an interesting dynamic with Lord Phoenix having his own motives but losing control of Vega

Sinedd's reunion with his parents is a pretty sweet moment if it weren't for the fact that IT'S A LIEEEE ToT.

Aarch yelling at Artegor about Adim... all this drama...

THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTIINNNNGGNGNGG and it's so silly

This is how I picture it

Is that the fucking Netherball music

The little TV spots with Yuki and Mei talking about each other before the match are cute! Makes the world feel more lived in and gives us some more interactions between the girls, even if not directly face to face here

I like Mei berating Sinedd for taunting Yuki when she's injured but... girl. He was always like this. You knew this. Why are you surprised?? They never actually showed him becoming a better person, just that he suddenly liked Mei and convinced her to join the Shadows. And Mei does not strike me as a poor judge of character so why would she date him....?

Wow Elektras not letting Mei through to help her friend? Why? They were literally celebrating her birthday together tf??

Poor Yuki, what a shitshow of a match for her although she did score a goal (I'm guessing the Breath is more powerful than the Elektra's flux since she's running in to attack). Loved her lil' chat with Mei though, I will say this season gave us more of the girls in the team being friends which I really do appreciate.

Here for the other Shadows players cooing and awing at Sinedd with his parents, I want to see more of what the team dynamic is like since they seemed to welcome him quickly back in season 1

Thran coming through with his tech knowledge!

Episode 11:

Does Bennett just carry a harmonica on him all the time haha

Harvey fought in the flux war?? ok cool lore I guess?????

Corso wondering whether to trust Sonny just because he didn't bring up Magnus straight away is a bit weird? I just feel that with all they've been through, it would take more for Corso to start questioning his faith in Sonny. This is also like, a 5 minute plot point that goes nowhere so why???

Tia talking with her parents about her concerns is an improvement from what their relationship used to be like in season 1, it's good to see!

Oh so Mei is a striker now. Is this implying that Mei's decision was influenced by her mother? Weren't we over that?? Still kind of sad to see her mum dismiss the SK and seem like she's still the same. Mei probably feels she'll never be good enough for her.

Not Sinedd complimenting D'jok just to be polite to Maya 😂 But what do you mean they haven't met yet? It's literally this season (I think?) that shows Sinedd was friends with D'jok when they were young kids! Maya hangs out with Mama Ice at the cafeteria as well, there's no way they've never interacted before!

Yeah Tia, it WAS stupid of you to be jealous of Lun-Zia. Weird though bc the show previously implied Lun-Zia liked Rocket but turns out she had a boyfriend all along?

Aarch: Artegor? Aarch: I'm sorry we started a bit earlier today, I forgot to mention it

Aarch you're such a petty bitch 😭

Oooo Micro-Ice is up for kick-off. Seeing them antagonistic towards each other is so sad :( Although season 1 Micro-Ice would have found a way to roast D'jok lol

I just realised team Paradisia and the Elektras probably have visors so they can have more diverse character designs in the 2D animation, while still copy-pasting models in the 3D scenes lol

Go Mark! Why did the goalkeeper run out from the goal I don't know anything about football

Nice to see Mark and Micro-Ice working together and having fun

D'jok's plan being to pass to Nikki-4 because the SK will think he's too selfish to let someone else score is so fucking funny

Oooo you don't get penalty shootouts that often in GF

I do love and miss sassy D'jok

Nikki-4: I guess you'll always be a Snow Kid at heart D'jok: At least I've got one

Bold claim with the way you've been acting, D'jok

Niki-4 threatening physical violence on D'jok lmaoo I guess she is a cyborg but it's weird D'jok actually held out until now with the way he's been acting towards the SK. Why does he suddenly now have a moral dilemma?

Episode 12:

Now to rant about the Ahito betrayal plot <3

Ok this how to beat Ahito thing is dumb from the get go. It's treated like some big secret and it would be a big betrayal to reveal it, but that's not how sports work. They could easily have figured out his weak points by just watching a load of videos of his saves, in fact they SHOULD have been doing this anyway – the best teams don't win just by playing their best, but by knowing their opponent's strengths and weaknesses and being able to exploit that! It's not dishonest it's just... how it works! Rocket was doing this back in season 1 when he was suggesting tactics!

So to treat it like a big betrayal to reveal something that's easily obtainable public knowledge is dumb. And also, they're treating this as if knowing a player's weakness is some magic key that means they can definitely beat him if they exploit it, which is... also not how sports work!! It's not like he'll definitely fail to save your shot if you hit in a certain way, and it's not like he can't adjust his play after you score a goal. It just.... it makes no sense!!

It was also kind of weird to hear D'jok talk about wanting to win honestly when he was fouling Warren last match and got scolded for disrespecting the game, they made it look like D'jok fully only cared about winning now, whatever the cost, but now suddenly he's having second thoughts and doesn't want to betray a team he's been shit-talking all this time?

I also don't like that what made him cave in the end was mind control, it takes away a lot of accountability. It also would have fit more for D'jok to continue doing anything it takes to win, so he can realise he's wrong later and that he's just been using that to run away from his feelings. As stupid as this “betrayal” is, it should have been his low point showing how far gone he is, his big mistake, that he can then work up from.

Rant over <3

Nork, commenting on a player's health problems is just rude

Of course Rocket starts feeling ill the second he has to go up

THRAN SCORES!!! Nice to see him do some shots

Goooo Lun-Zia! She's been a good addition

Last season I got sad that Micro-Ice was the first to flunk his shot, please don't let me down this time

YESSSSS

D'jok: Ahito always jumps in place, a little more to the side he's gonna leap to. He can't control it, it's stronger than he is!

And THAT's the way to beat him? Totally foolproof? Bruh. If all the SK knew this and it's sooooo easy to score against him once you figure it out, surely Aarch should have.... I don't know, helped him train so that he doesn't reveal which way he's jumping as easily?? THIS IS EASILY DISCOVERABLE INFORMATION GUYS THE POINT OF TRAINING IS TO IMPROVE ON YOUR WEAKNESSES

NOOOOO TIA OF ALL PEOPLE???!!! I HAD TO TRADE A MICRO-ICE GOAL WITH THIS? 😭😭😭 It happens though. Also weird she's the first to use her flux so far for this like, it's penalties. You don't have to conserve your energy, just use the goddamn Breath!

TT^TT Nooooo they look so devastated :( On the other hand, kind of crazy it took three seasons for them to actually lose an important match lol it's been win win win the whole time so far, so kind of refreshing.

I want to cheer on Mei for putting Sinedd in his place after shit-talking the Snow Kids but like, girl, HOW IS THIS SURPRISING?! HE'S BEEN LIKE THIS IN EVERY MATCH YOU'VE PLAYED AGAINST EACH OTHER, YOUR LAST INTERACTION BEFORE SEASON 3 WAS HIM PUSHING YOU TO THE GROUND AND THREATENING YOU!!!

She thought he only hated D'jok and now she's realising he's just nasty to everyone? Girl where were you when he was bullying Micro-Ice on your team lol. I mean she didn't care back then but she does now! Mei is not dumb, writers

That was a pretty good pick me up speech, Aarch

The animation makes this kind of funny out of context but, Artegor hesitantly reaching out to Aarch but then thinking better of it... aarrrrgh </3

Quick shoutout to the background designs in this show, they look really cool and I love how it's futuristic while still being colourful and bright. There's some beautiful art of the natural scenery too

What's up with reporters immediately wondering if a team is done for, or the coach might be resigning, after ONE loss? They're still GF champions, losing once doesn't mean it's all downhill from there

Adim standing up for her man <3

In this dub he calls her Mum-Ice lmao. So I guess it is just Mama-Ice? I do prefer the novelisation with her actual name, she's not mum to everyone, although I wouldn't mind having -Ice at the end of a name being some family tradition or cultural thing. Also love seeing her hanging out with Maya!

Poor Kernor just can't eat her ice cream in peace huh 😭

Aww Mama-Ice's speech is so sweet

Aarch needs a new start now more than ever? Why exactly?

Norata dancing in the back <3

Holy shit, Brim Simbra actually intervening?

Oooooo secret supplier guy was Harris all along, who would have guessed?

Huh looking at the ending screen of this youtube upload, I didn't know Robotboy was Gaumont animation too! Well probably Alphanim back then

[bougiebutchbitch]

What would someone (you) say to to someone (me) to convince them to watch jujutsu kaisen (I hope I spelled that right)?

I know literally nothing except for what you've been posting recently.

~🍋

greetings, my luscious little lemon!

okay, where do we start? We got a friendly, exuberant main boy with a demon trapped inside him! We got his moody, mysterious gay best friend with a fucked-up family and the potential to Go Evil! We got the awesome badass bruiser of a Girl Buddy! We got an OP teacher who likes to pretend everything's fine but is actually pretty fucking messed up emotionally and has an intense homoerotic exes thing going on with one of the main villains of the series! It's....

Naruto! It's Naruto, right?

WRONG

It's JUJUTSU KAISEN, a fun and fast-paced horror-adventure where sorcerors fight 'curses' (demons formed from negative emotions) across Japan!

This series is chocka with gross and disturbing monsters (Mahito..... oh Mahito, I loathe and love you so), fascinating politics and worldbuilding (the Clans are so wonderfully fucked up!!), and awesome character development (I am not and never will be over Maki's arc).

Some fun trivia!

Yuji, the main character, is an absolute sweetiepie who deserves the world. He got into this whole messy world of sorcery by, uh, eating :checks notes: the finger of a demon king, Sukuna. And now he's gotta keep eating fingers. And once he's eaten all the demons fingers, he's gonna be EXECUTED, as it's the only way to exorcise the demon inside him forever T^T

He's... a very good sport about this. But it still seriously fucks him up, and he spends quite a significant portion of the series being Tormented both by the occasional horrors committed by Sukuna using his body, and the reality of having to die to exorcise him.

2. You might not get the hype about Maki Zenin, the closed-off badass second year with glasses, to begin with. THAT WILL CHANGE. You will understand why we all scream about her soon enough.

3. You should get very, very attached to Nanami, the tired blond salaryman who kinda hates being a sorceror and would rather retire to an office job. He's very responsible and a great dad to Yuji! Nothing bad happens to him at all!!!! :)

(sobs)

4. Gojo, the OP teacher, is hands down my fave, and many other people's faves as well. He's a hilarious prettyboy dork with orange-and-blue morality who genuinely cares about his kids - but otherwise, cares mostly about cake (relatable, right?). He's cocky and self-obsessed but also laden with SUCH A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY by being The Strongest! He is absolutely Not The Best person to be handed so much power, but he's gotta work with what he's got and everyone has to put up with him being an annoying adhd goober 24/7! He's just great fun all around.

What a shame it would be, if he were to get stuck in a box halfway through the series.

And then if he just. Stayed there. Forever.

What a shame -

[idreaminmugiwara]

Major Spoilers for Whole Cake Island Arc

Turn back if you haven't gotten into the 800s!!! I'm about to give a TED talk about episode 808, which is arguably one of the most emotional episodes of One Piece.

I FINALLY have my computer back!! Which means I can finally get to the myriad of posts I've been wanting to make over the past few days. I've been able to go from Zou to the beginning of Wano in record time and I have SO MANY THOUGHTS.

Starting with this episode right here.

I had heard some hype about Sanji v Luffy but until I actually watched the episode, I hadn't been terribly excited. I (like many others) have very complicated feelings about Sanji. I loved him before Thriller Bark, after which his predatory nature became impossible to overlook and made the majority of scenes with him uncomfortable to sit through. I've had relationships with guys that seemed amazing save for the fact that they refused to acknowledge and appreciate boundaries around women and femmes, and I've watched those guys get away with their bullshit over and over because no one takes it fucking seriously. Sanji can be borderline triggering for me with the kind of abuse history that I have. With that out of the way....

Whole Cake Island Sanji feels almost like a different person than he did in Thriller Bark and Fishman Island. He ceases to be the token perv and becomes an extremely emotionally complex character in a way we haven't seen up until this point. Normally incredibly sarcastic and stoic in the face of drama and tension, he begins to crack at the seams. Being around his abusers brings out a side of him that I hadn't even imagined up until now. His fight with Luffy is EXTREMELY challenging to watch because this isn't about someone flexing their strength or winning a contest, it's about fucking trauma.

It was difficult enough watching Luffy get the absolute shit kicked out of him by one of his dear friends. Then Sanji had to go and shatter Nami's heart. We've seen Nami (rightfully) slap the shit out of him before when he acts a fool towards women, but this literally hit different. The tears started falling for me after that "Sayonara." It felt so definite, so devastatingly conclusive. I don't think we've ever seen Nami angry like this before, not towards a crew member. As a viewer, I hadn't felt this uncomfortable since Luffy's falling out with Usopp.

I could be wrong, but I think the only other time we've seen Sanji cry was when he was saying goodbye to Zeff at Baratie. One of the things I've always loved about One Piece is how little Oda holds back when it comes to allowing his characters to FEEL. Crying is normalized in this world, no matter what one's gender is. But Sanji is typically presented (much like Zoro) as the stoic butch, the cool as a cucumber James Bond type who doesn't seem nearly as affected as the rest of his compatriots by the crazy shit they go through. Seeing him break down as Luffy cried after him, reminding him of how much he cared about him and how he wouldn't give up on him was fucking powerful and gave Sanji some much needed development after over 800 episodes.

Lastly, I just have to commend all the voice actors in this episode, particularly Hioraki Hirata and Mayumi Tanaka. The amount of nuance that went into these performances gives me goosebumps and cemented this as one of the most powerful episodes of One Piece for me. I wish this was the Sanji that could have stayed with us in Wano, but alas and alack. Watching this arc play out in Live Action is going to be absolutely insane.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[vvivacious101]

Rewatching RWRB ALREADY?!

I rewatched the film. And, I can say this for a fact that I liked it a whole lot more the second time around and I already liked it the first time around but watching it for the second time made me appreciate it a whole lot more!

This has never happened in my life, I have never rewatched a movie in a single day! So, RWRB is making my personal history as well.

I remember the director mentioning the fact that Nick or Taylor are in every scene of this movie and they really are! They really carried this film.

Under the cut are all my thoughts that I had while rewatching this movie for the second time. There are spoilers galore. So, you have been warned!

Also, if you make a drinking game out of every time I use the word 'good' you will be dead by the time you reach the end!

With all that out of the way, let's get into it!

"When the revolution happens it will be because of this wedding." Henry's first line in the movie is so underrated!

Cake-gate is AMAZING! I love the fact that Henry pushes Alex down while getting up! Poor guy deserves a little revenge. I had never heard the song ‘Bad Reputation’ before but I'm in love with it!!

Everyone who said Zahra is the BEST thing in this movie is right. I can't get over her railing Alex with a pillow.

“What if I set myself on fire?” Alex is the king of comebacks! “We'd ship the ashes to Heathrow.” But no one is getting one over Zahra.

Taylor as Alex is so good! I can't get over how perfect he is!! Also, I love how Henry is just upstaging Alex in the damage control portion of this movie. Like, Henry's revenge arc is not over yet!!

I feel bad for Alex, every time he tries to one-up someone he just ends up backing himself into the corner.

Okay, the CLOSET SCENE AKA ONE OF THE ONLY SCENES THAT I REMEMBER FROM THE BOOK IS EPIC!!!

The beginning of it with them flailing around is peak physical comedy and then Henry just casually admits to smelling Alex... it's too much and it's only starting.

I just love how Taylor fidgets in this scene, he is like trying to find space for himself so badly but when he turns to confront Henry that moment is so good!

“I need to get out of here.” Ugh, I feel for Henry.

Okay the threat neutralized bit is comedy gold. I hope it becomes a viral meme!

We need to talk about Oscar. There is something very weird about Alex's parents. I feel like the writers of the film were very conflicted about their relationship and instead of having them be together or be divorced, they just left them in limbo. We never see Ellen and Oscar interact in the film. In the one scene, they do appear together, Alex is in the middle and it feels weirdly symbolic like he is literally the thing keeping them together.

We need to talk about this coffee shop scene. We all hate Miguel. But seeing Taylor as Alex in this scene is everything. He comes across as so charismatic and gorgeous. Just look at him!

We have got to talk about how many strong female role models Alex has in his life – his mom, Amy, Zahra even, Nora.

Zahra literally puts on a lot of hats in Alex’s life. She is like his big sister, substitute mom and friend and she does all this while looking supremely put out with Alex. This one’s a multitasker.

This is what I actually want to do in parties!

Henry is so awkward, I love how squeaky he sounds when he first meets Alex at the New Year Eve's party, poor boy is so awkward. And, then when he gets left alone he just completely shuts down. Henry, I love you!

I love how Alex just pulls Henry onto the dance floor.

Henry isn’t even dancing he is just getting progressively more drunk and flustered.

Henry looks so devastated in this scene. I literally feel for him. But, I can’t get over the fact that the song playing in the background is 'Magic' originally sung by Selena Gomez for Wizards of Waverly Place the movie. I loved hearing it here even though they are using a remix in this instance.

Their first kiss is so GOOD! I have seen it umpteenth number of times thanks to the trailer but it hits me in the feels every time. Also, I love how panicked Henry is and how shocked Alex is after the kiss.

“More like the first 50 rows of a Gaga concert kinda gay” is absolutely sending me. Also, accurate AF.

Not Alex being completely distracted by the sight of Henry!

Amy and Alex's moments are so GOOD! I really love the casting for Amy!!

IMHO all of Amy and Alex’s scenes should become viral memes, they are all so good!!

This entire RED ROOM sequence is so epic with Alex trying to decide how he should be standing when Henry comes in, to the ending when Amy barges in and Henry starts looking at the books so intently and whatever the hell Alex is trying to do. Oh god!

Like Stonehenge!!! (IYKYK)

Poor maypoles. I really love this scene. There is a reason we got a teaser for it, their chemistry in this one is off the charts!!!

This kiss is my absolute favourite no wait isn't the bicep kiss my favourite but this one is up there. It's so good. The way he pushes Alex and kisses his smile and then stares at him. Ugh so so so good! This teaser might have come close to the trailer in how many times I watched it and you may remember that the trailer came way earlier.

Oh god, Henry is so goddamn happy and SMUG as he says, "Yeah, agreed". He literally goes through every emotion under the Sun in this movie.

Wait a minute! WAIT A MINUTE! I didn't realise this the first time around but as Henry stands in the doorway he seems to be taking a mental picture of Alex and HOTDAMN. Fodder for the spank bank apparently.

The cafe scene is so good. The banter, the eye contact, the flirting, the blushing!!!

"And I thought Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz was a mouthful." "He is."

Oh God! So good!!

"Only momentarily", that scene is so angsty. When Henry flinches it is its own goddamn scene!

I really like the "I'm so not playing this cool right now" moment. His apprehension is so delicious. I'm sorry Alex but it is and when he just puts his head down on Henry's shoulder in defeat. So good!

Let's talk about the sex scene! It is better than I remembered. I really like the kiss they share after Henry tells him that most people are wrong about him. And the thing with the hands. Listen I read a post about it being an old Hollywood thing but man if this is an old Hollywood trick it was masterfully employed. I just loved their hands and how Alex's hand is going down to meet his (imitating penetration) and then how Henry's hand opens up (imitating release) followed by the withdrawal of Alex's hand. This is genius why did people stop doing this! Also, Nick's expressions in the penetration scene are so goddamn... WOW. I don't know how to describe them but holy shit that is some explicit stuff. But what I think I love the most regarding this scene is how intimate it feels like the camera almost feels like an intrusion on a very very private moment because the scene itself seems to depict an intimacy between these two characters that is beyond just sex.

Also, RIGID. IYKYK!

I have got to give it to Taylor he really held his own in this scene with Uma Thurman. Like WOW!

Okay, wait there is another scene with Alex and his parents which I completely blanked out but it still leaves me with the same sentiment regarding the state of his parent's marriage.

Say it with me! Happy Henry is my serotonin!

Zahra really lays into Alex and Henry. "Little Lord Fuckleroy!" WTH! Henry's expression at the end of it all is so good!

This scene between Alex and Ellen is so heartwarming. I think it might be their best scene together. I love how there is this implication that things aren't right as Ellen picks up the phone but then it's undercut by the fact that she is only ordering pizza. I love how Alex's uncertainty over his mother reacting negatively is undercut by her acceptance.

The moment on the lake is probably my favourite part of this movie because it highlights the fundamental difference in Alex and Henry's positions.

Henry's situation isn't time-dependent or a for-now problem it is a forever thing and Nick's expressions in this scene are heartbreaking. But, despite where it ends up going I really love their interactions as the scene starts. Alex and Henry are so happy and touchy-feely. I just love the intimacy of this moment even though it leads to heartbreak.

Also, Henry jumping into the lake to escape a love confession is a whole-ass mood.

So someone pointed out that the transition from Henry's bedroom to the V&A is a bit iffy and it is. It totally is. I also don't know if I get what point Henry is trying to make with the whole trading one prison for another thing but the ending still makes the whole rift come together. I really want to know how this is handled in the book because I need clarification on the minutiae of this scene and how it came to be.

We have seen Henry and Alex in the same bed atleast three times now and this third time is the best. I love how Alex is holding Henry's wrist and how Henry smiles his little smile.

Henry is really conflicted at this tarmac, isn't he? And, things are just going to get worse.

I really like Alex's speech and how it's intercut with scenes of Henry literally trying to make himself smaller followed by scenes between Alex and Heney that we haven't seen so far. I especially like the last scene in the woods. Did I mention happy Henry is my serotonin?!

I really love Zahra's expressions in this scene. Zahra and Alex have some of the best scenes. These two really play very well off of one another.

The scene when Alex calls Henry baby. I remember reading someone say that they wanted this thing to be a whole ass thing and it was. It was a thing. I love how they utilised this endearment to further this moment.

This piano scene is so beautiful. These two really love each other.

I really like how Alex picks up Henry's nervous habit of fiddling with his ring.

So, we are here on election night and I just love the scene in the hallway with Alex and Henry and that hug. It's so damn cute and wholesome.

I really like the ending of the movie. It's kind of a nice allusion to Henry and Alex having a home together.

I really also love the end credits with the actors' names because in the end you have Nick and Taylor and you can see them playing with their pinkies. This scene is actually in the movie it's only that when it appears in the movie you are distracted by everything happening with the King. But, it is positively the cutest thing ever.

Also, the end credit scene. "Do you think anyone noticed?" You betcha Alex we did!!

[miraculouslybroadway]

Tales of Multibug & Vipercat:

Chloe’s Internship (But Really, Chloe’s Character Arc)

At first, she did not like it when Ladybug said she didn’t get the bee miraculous anymore.

Then, slowly, she began realizing why she didn’t get the miraculous anymore. She was no better than Lila, who she despised. Sure she never lied to make herself look better, but she lied to get what she wanted and to hurt others. It didn’t matter how good she was as Queen Bee (well, it mattered a little), if she wasn’t as good as Chloe how good was she?

So that’s when she found Marinette and apologized. Actually, she apologized to all of them. The ones who didn’t follow Lie-la anyways. She even tried apologizing to Sabrina, but Sabrina wouldn’t listen. 

She was the one who came up with the idea for the Superhero PR department. It regulated anything public about the heroes, issued public statements from Multibug and Vipercat, and as the icing on the cake, could override any social media or blog posts (or even whole blogs) and erase them from the internet. 

So yes, maybe she did enjoy getting to click the button to take down the LadyBlog. 

But beyond that there was a whole world of legal things she was learning, and it was actually really interesting. She advocated for herself to get an internship, and even went through an interview process. (That was when Marinette realized she was serious about making a change.)

At first it was hard balancing that with school (who knew actually applying yourself meant working harder), but she got the hang of it. Surprisingly it was Alix who helped her the most. Because Chloe struggled the most in history (and Alix literally lived in a museum), Alix offered to be her tutor.

All it had taken was one gay joke from Kim for Chloe to realize that she didn’t like Alix like that. Actually, she didn’t like anyone like that. She liked the attention, but even with Adrien she never felt like that before. 

Alix was the one who supported her through this discovery, and when she was ready Alix was the one who sat next to her when she told their friends. They were all gathered in Marinette’s room hanging out when she decided it was time. 

She had to go to work soon, but she took a breath and spit it out. 

Marinette was thrilled. She immediately tackled Chloe in a hug. 

“Chill out Nette, it’s not that big.” She scoffed (but was secretly relieved). “Luka get your girlfriend.”

Once Marinette was settled again she smiled and exclaimed, “Chloe it is a big deal! You trust us enough to share with this with us!”

Rose was beaming. “Yeah Chlo! And of course we’re happy! You’re our friend and we love you!!!” Beside her bubbly girlfriend, Juleka nodded in agreement.

That was the first time Chloe felt unconditional love.

The second time was when Marinette invited her over one evening for “no reason.”

“I’m dyeing my hair.” She announced proudly when Chloe entered her room.

Beside her was Juleka, holding an armful of tools. Kagami was there too, and so was Marc and they were painting each others nails.

She raised an eyebrow. “Nette, I could’ve called a stylist.” 

Marinette beamed. “Juleka needs practice, she’s trying to get her certificate, and I volunteered to be a practice model.”

“Same!” Marc added from off to the side.

“Don’t look at me I am leaving with my hair the same color as it was when I arrived. I don’t feel like getting on my mom’s nerves right now, I’m in a good mood.” Kagami blew on her wet nail polish.

“Well…Juleka if you need practice I want some blue in my hair. Or black. Or something.”

From behind her bangs Juleka was beaming.

So that they in between putting foils in each others hair that little group had a lot of fun. By the next morning Marinette was doting pink hair at her tips fading out of her already brilliant blue. Marc’s hair had a rainbow peekaboo (Juleka was very proud of her work). True to her word, Kagami’s hair was the same color, but her nails sported an assortment of glitters, chrome powder, and various reds. As for Chloe, her hair…well it was certainly different. Her natural blonde faded into blue, fading into black. She now sported bangs with some pretty well done added layers. 

It was a bit of a surprise when she first woke up and hasn’t processed that she had gone through with it, but once she realized she had it was worth it. Juleka had really done a great job.

She got picked up by her driver, but as she headed to work she couldn’t help but smile to herself. Chloe knew she was a work in progress, but she knew she had found the right people to help her on the way.