#Yes she's a great villain and I wouldn't change her but

[peony-pearl]

Also boy howdy for a show that likes to tout 'no one is born evil' they sure have not spared that sentiment for Azula huh you know a child living in her father's regime, the same as Zuko and Iroh and Lu Ten? Lame.

[ittsybittsybunny]

ATLA Live Action Series Review:

The Good

Aesthetically this show felt right. Sure sometimes the outfits didn't quite feel lived in, but I always felt like I was watching a fantasy world with decent effects and interesting design. Also, I really enjoyed the sets!

Bending: Yes some of the fights feel very quick, but the bending looks cool. It is certainly better than 10 benders lifting one big rock. I can honestly say the opening bending fight scene gave me so much hope for this show.

Kyoshi Warriors: I loved seeing them in live action, and I thought Suki's performance was great!

Omashu: I think the mashup of the mechanist made sense since that is an important character overall and I would hate to see him cut. However, both Jet & the secret tunnels felt sloppily thrown in.

Northern Water Tribe: I really loved the way it looked, and appreciated the two episodes we spent here. I think Yue gained more agency in this interpretation, and why shouldn't the moon spirit be a waterbender. Also, episode seven felt the most in tune with the original show's spirit.

Zuko: I think he was one of the most fleshed-out and best parts of the show! Dallas Liu really captured Zuko's spirit, and the scene between him and Aang in episode 6 was wonderful!

Soundtrack: Hearing the original soundtrack bits is always great, and when I first heard the ending music I was so excited.

Is the show perfect, no - but I wouldn't mind a season 2.

The Bad

Pacing: Turning 20 episodes into 8 was bound to lead to some cuts...but oftentimes times things felt too quick or disjointed. I think there were editing problems contributing to this for sure, but sometimes things skipped around too much without a clear purpose as to why. Also, why bring in plots from later seasons when you barely have enough time already?

Writing: This show definitely suffered from exposition dumping, though it did get better as time went on. I think the biggest example of this is actually opening in the past rather than the present. We do not get to learn along with Aang that the world has changed, instead, we get to learn that 100 years have passed....which doesn't hold the same tension or worldbuilding.

Clunky Dialogue: Along with exposition, clunky dialogue is another example of bad writing. I think sometimes I felt like the acting was kind of meh in the beginning, but then over time I began to realize it had far more to do with the lines characters were trying to deliver. The actors themselves are not bad, just cursed with awkward writing and lines that feel out of touch with the setting they're in.

Main Trio: I don't entirely know that I believe Katara, Sokka, and Aang are friends as opposed to 3 people stuck together to save the world. Aang feels a little too somber for a young kid running away from his responsibilities, Sokka is protective, but not exactly the heart of the team, and Katara is sort of just there until the last two episodes. Where is her struggle, her desire to learn so strong she steals from pirates? Also, while Gordon Cormier did a great job, Aang does zero waterbending on his own, is overly serious, and tells Katara not to fight. Where is his desperation to protect his friends? It feels like they all lost emotional depth.

Tension: Bringing Ozai, Azula, and Zhao out in the beginning immediately causes us to lose the realization there is an even bigger bad. Part of why Ozai is so terrifying is he is a primarily silent villain until the third season when we finally see the face of the "big bad evil guy" behind it all. Yes, they add to Zuko's backstory, but again, they are revealing the villains too early. Azula is the antagonist of season 2 and one of my favorite characters, so I hope they do more with her in the future. Finally, Zhao is supposed to be an example of the uncontrollable nature of fire unrestrained, instead, he comes off as vaguely threatening with the supposed true power being Azula.

Characterization: While all characters are bound to lose something in a shorter show, it still felt like certain characters were more mutilated than others. I am sure there are 100 different opinions on who, but I think the biggest victim was Katara.

Katara: Katara manages to go from a complete novice to a bending master in what feels like a matter of days. The journey feels short, and that makes the results feel largely unearned. Katara is one of the strongest personalities in the show, determined, kind, and fiery. In many ways, she is the unpredictability of water - equally dangerous as it is necessary to live. She is the child of a war who lost her mother, forced to grow up too soon, and even raised her older brother. Yes, Katara often gets stereotyped as the mom friend, but overall she feels underutilized in this show. We really don't see enough of her journey until the very end.

Iroh: Iroh was always comedic but most importantly wise. Even when Zuko is trying to give himself advice, he mimics Iroh. Instead, he seems to be used more as comedic relief without the underlying experience. He just doesn't feel right. Also, he kills Zhao instead of Zhao getting himself killed - which is less about Iroh and more about the writing than anything.

Ozai is weirdly a little too nice. Yes, he burned Zuko and pits his kids against each other, but he feels toned down in a show claiming to be more mature than the original cartoon.

Azula is perhaps more realistically worried about losing her status as the golden child, but she is also missing the cruelty she and her father share. I understand worrying about making your character cartoonishly evil, but the Fire Nation is currently a deeply nationalistic empire trying to control the world. Where is the deep-seated belief that they are better than other people, not just trying to bring balance to the world? There is a line between creating complexity and toning down the very real evil inherent in this plan.

Roku: I can only say what the fuck was that. He was barely there, and not the serious master to Aang's youthful exuberance.

The Ugly

Show, Don't Tell: The show's single biggest issue seems to be speeding through story parts by simply stating things. Instead of allowing the audience to discover, trusting that we are smart enough to understand, let's just blatantly say things like Zuko is the only reason the 41st division is alive to their faces. Even though in the context of the story Ozai literally already said that.... it's the division, the division for Zuko, Zuko's division.

Thematic Misunderstandings: I think this show makes several minor changes with major implications, such as airbenders actively fighting the firebenders, when airbenders are known for their pacifist nature and the lie of an Airbender fighting force is actively propaganda. Similarly, Aang very quickly accepts his role as the avatar and doesn't even run away in the beginning. Without this conflict between his desire to be a carefree child and the fact that the world needs him - the show loses a key aspect of Aang's character. Also, the obsession with downplaying the avatar state as something dangerous feels like a disservice to the tradition, connection, and strength of the avatar, which can be permanently destroyed as the trade-off for that kind of power. It's dangerous for the balance of the entire world, not just because it's powerful!

The Agni Kai: Zuko's fight against his father is one of the defining moments of Ozai's cruelty, not just because he is willing to fight his child, but because Zuko tried to do everything right. Zuko shows deference to his father, apologizes, and most importantly refuses to fight! The determination not to upset his father and still be grievously injured and banished is a hugely important theme for the fire nation and Zuko's life as a whole. He tries to do everything he is supposed to and only regains his father's acceptance after he "kills" Aang. Zuko's struggle between moral vs. social right and wrong in contrast to his family is hugely important to his character.

-----

TLDR: ATLA was a fantastical animated television show that was never afraid to show character development and flaws. When you turn 20 episodes into 8, you are bound to lose something. You hollowed out the middle, leaving the shell of important moments and events without ever wondering if all the times in between formed the true spirit of the show.

Rating: 6.5/10 It's perfectly fine and worth a watch. Not a disaster, but certainly falls flat of the original.

[somehow-a-human]

The angels don't have to ask to enter the bookshop.

DO NOT ASK NEIL ABOUT FAN THEORY.

We've been operating under the assumption that BOTH the angels and demons have to ask to enter the bookshop, but I don't think that's true. I'm pretty sure it's one of our red herrings for season 2.

Continued under the cut.

When Gabriel shows up to the bookshop nude and oblivious, the doors are closed and (I believe) locked. Gabriel doesn't even know who or where he is, so he does what the default is... he knocks, and asks "Can I come in?" Aziraphale is frightened at first and tells him he can't come in but eventually our angels empathy wins and he says "Alright! Just... just get in!"

>> It's never clear that Gabriel would have physically been unable to come in otherwise.

When the Archangels show up Aziraphale literally cuts them off before they reach the door of the bookshop. Saraqael suggests, "Shall we discuss this inside?", and Aziraphale continues, "By all means. Would you like to come in?"

>> If Aziraphale hadn't rushed out to meet the angels, why wouldn't they have just walked into the bookshop like they did numerous times in season 1? Additionally I am fairly certain Aziraphale's "By all means. Would you like to come in?" was added in post via ADR. That doesn't necessarily add credence to anything, just an observation.

When Muriel arrives to surveil Aziraphale they ask, "Great! Well, could I come in and do it inside please? Only cause it's really noisy out here and I can't hear anything." Aziraphale replies, "By all means."

>> Muriel is an endearing angel who doesn't know much about life on earth, but had the shop been open and unlocked at the time of their arrival, they might've just wandered in as well.

We're never told the angels *can't* enter the bookshop explicitly like we are for the demons. We've always just assumed the same rules apply to all of the ethereal and occult beings.

But then, might I ask, why does Aziraphale tell us "Technically, this bookshop still counts as an Embassy"?

If the bookshop is still an embassy, the angels wouldn't need permission to enter, they would still have jurisdiction, and would still be able to monitor what's going on there... yes?

Let's compare this to the demons attempts to enter the bookshop, because Shax states clearly that she can't enter without permission. We see this again when she tries to get into the Bentley after it's canonically 'our car', and therefore at least partially owned by an angel.

I'm pretty sure John and Neil make a point of having the angels all ask in some way to enter, and Aziraphale seem to grant them permission as a red herring. They don't need to, but they want us to assume a false sense of security, to think that the bookshop is a safe space for our duo, outside of the reaches of both Heaven and Hell.

Technicalities are big in season 2 and I definitely think they're a huge underlying string running through all of Good Omens. In season 1, Crowley and Aziraphale stop Heaven and Hell from trying to restart Armageddon on a technicality. Gabriel and Beelzebub don't technically know if the great plan *is* the ineffable plan! It's definitely a favorite trope of Terry and Neil's to mock unfair, broken, bureaucratic systems, and Heaven and Hell are a PERFECT example of this.

**Somebody has written a meta on technicalities, I know I've seen it but I cannot for the life of me find it so if anyone could tag me so I could link it that would be brills! (Yeah that's right I'm adopting that from Charles from Dead Boy Detectives, 80's british slang ftw, I'm obsessed; please watch it, please, I need a second season.)

Neil has mentioned that the plot for season 3 might've had to be changed from he and Terry's original vision a bit, based on the political climate of the current day, and I'm sure that means we'll see some technicalities being the downfall of Heaven and Hells systems in Season 3 as well. I don't think the metatron is a villain, nor any of the other angels or demons. They're just fulfilling their function, following a set of rules, very much to a fault. This is all just God's big experiment after all, freewill, choice, eating the apple, and the angels and demons aren't exempt.

I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of technicality about the angels and demons themselves in season 3. We've seen that they're of the same stock, and we know Crowley at least is technically still the same person he was when he was an angel... more or less. Could the book of life end up revealing something like that the demons still exist perpetually as their angelsonas? A technicality, if you will?

Given the bookshop is still technically an embassy, is everything that happens inside observable by Heaven? Can they access the bookshop in their Earth Observation Files? There is some questionable blocking surrounding the bust in Aziraphale's bookshop, coupled with a curious record cover from Maggie's bookshop pointed out by @noneorother

Anyway... Let me know your thoughts. I haven't been posting as much, I have been mega busy and I'm trying to be thankful for it. Love you all, hope you have something nice happen for you today! <3

[weclassybouquetfun]

We bid a very fond adieu to INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE and the coven Théâtre des Vampires.

Take a bow, luvvies!

Especially Esme Appleton and Suzanne Andrade (who play Estelle and Celeste, respectively) the duo who are co-artistic directors of theatre 1927 which was responsible for the expressionism style of the plays and its projections.

Fans can at least rest easy knowing that there will be a third series.

Until then they and swoon over, swear over, sneer at or salute series two's finale.

SPOILER FILLED THOUGHTS

THE GOOD

-Pretty much everything: Louis avenging Claudia (and Madeleine though IIRC her name wasn't even uttered this episode).

The bad thing about a fantastic villain is losing them and Santiago you had to die.

You did what with Claudia's ashes???

But Ben Daniels, how do I love thee.

-Armand and how he fumbled a bad b*tch part 2. My maître made mistakes, yes. But I'm going to pull a page out of Claudia's playbook of how she asked the coven if she could cry and say she's sorry too. Can't Armand cry like Lestat and be forgiven? What do you mean what he did was unforgiveable?

It's terrible that Claudia was used as a pawn in Louis, Lestat and Armand's relationships. Louis needed her for salvation, Lestat had to turn her for the man she loved then resented her for the space she took in their relationship and then Armand, whether he was adhering to the Great Laws or not, went along with her murder IMO because he was fed up with Louis performing an affectation of love while Armand's neck was on the line.

Louis knew how to use Armand's vulnerabilities to keep him compliant and would turn cold when Armand wouldn't do what was being asked of him. Whether Santiago and the coven were gunning for Armand or not because of him letting the de Pointe du Lac de Lioncourts slide, Armand was ready to kill them because he hated that he was used and willingly let himself be used out of a need for love.

He was so angry that he workshopped his hurt with the coven. I absolutely loved that he gave Sam a note about how the script didn't go deep enough into Louis' hoarding. Armand sat there listening to Louis talk about his Grey Gardens years like,

Armand was fine with killing them in this protracted show trial, but had Louis burned, it would be a relatively quick death. I think when Armand heard Louis' screaming and knew he was approaching death, he had a change of heart and freed him.

And LOUIS STILL WOULDN'T LEAVE TOWN WHEN ASKED!

These three led their relationships as poorly as their joint hand hearts.

-That leads to the reveal that Lestat made the choice to save Louis over Claudia and Madeleine. Which I don't think was even much of a choice to him. Yes, he would rather not Claudia die, but he figured it was fait accompli because he knew these vampires (as he warned Claudia in S1) and knew their ruthlessness. But there was no way he was going to let Louis die.

He brags about having Akasha blood in him, but he's still bleeding from the ear when using that mind control power. You still need to level up after Akasha?? A booster from a more powerful vamp?

Claudia's death hurt him much more than he thought it would. He probably figured there would be feelings - she is his fledgling - but the horror and the finality of it devastated him. His daughter (and how great was it that Louis kept pushing that fact. She was their daughter.)

Which leads hovel Lestat.

Candlelit, ramshackled dwelling, with a wooden "piano", but practising with an iPad?

Lestat, if you don't get on Amazon and order one of these!

Lestat, know who you should bring on your tour? The grandson of Tom Anderson, Sidney.

The Louis and Lestat reunion was beautiful and perfect in every way. But then again, I love when characters have a powerful moment while chaos is around them.

And Louis chose himself! He didn't need to get back with Lestat, they both just really needed closure and forgiveness. The rest can come later.

And even though we will likely never know what Louis says to Lestat, I think he says "I love you" at the end because that would be the last bit of healing Louis needs because kept himself from saying those words to Lestat their entire relationship.

THE BAD

FIle Not Found

THE REST

-Sam isn't author Samuel Beckett, but Sam the Talamasca informant and helmet wearing DJ, possibly Deadmau5?

-At first I wondered why Louis' -whose family had a legacy in New Orleans- name would be lost to history, yet Lestat's alias is known. That Tom's and the Alderman's rep was still known, Louis' would as well and not just call him a Creole businessman. Then I wondered if it was because Grace "buried" Louis but her getting that crypt was symbolic. Even if their deed and other paperwork was under Lestat's aliases, the town knew who they were by name and I would think their names would be bandied about as much as Tom's as Louis and his "child bride" and Lestat went missing the same night as Tom, et al. But then I told myself I'm not Neil DeGrasse Tyson so I'm going to just enjoy and not logic police.

-In post-episode featurette Rollin says Daniel's vampire reveal happens when Daniel take off his sunglasses, meanwhile he's flashing almond shape nails throughout his interview. We know this man has been turned immediately.

-The limo driver talking about his wife wanting to see New Edition at Essence Fest - N.E actually did play Essence Fest in 2022 so hat tip to the writers for putting that in.

-Louis returning home albeit briefly. I love that this episode addresses his family. This is completion. He has put down everything he was carrying and is ready to move into his new life. This was what he wanted to do when he and Claudia first left, but he couldn't move on because of "killing" Lestat. He's exorcised his ghosts.

-A Reddit user pointed out that the name above the crypt Louis uses to store his fresh kills is "Mapothier" and posits if it is a nod to Tom Cruise as his real surname is "Mapother".

-Louis is still an AmEx holder, but now a black card haver.

-Louis was the knight and now he owns it.

Talk your sh*t, LDPDL!

-Not from the episode, but I love how Jacob does the excited smack and it doesn't jar Sam at all.

[beaniebabyidiot]

Here is part 5 of me watching all the x-men movies in order with commentary from when I was texting my friend about it

fifth: dark phoenix

(ps i was told not to watch it but i made a commitment, I WILL watch all the x-men movies)

charles her parents just DIED and ur promoting ur school? i mean i know u want to help but give the girl time to process man

"it's a gift" SHE JUST KILLED HER PARENTS IDK IF SHE IS REALLY FEEING GIFTED

WHY IS HANK NORMAL AGAIN COME ON

oh nvm i guess he's blue again

mystique looks so much worse her wig and her makeup do not match what she looked like previously

why did kurt need a helmet and jean didn't? she is literally in the vacuum of space she should be dead rn

bro charles and raven are sooo out of character based on the previous movies, why did they just switch motivations and personalities???

oh hey dazzler!

i truly do belive that charles is trying to help jean and the other students, he just goes about it horribly

one thing i do like abt this movie is charles characterization, he comes off as really wanting to help and being a genuinely good person, he just can't admit his faults and SERIOUSLY messes up a lot

bro i know all of these actors can be good why are they acting so poorly?????

did the director just choose their worst takes??? like what??

so Jean is a God now?

girl i don't think they are afraid of u be ur so cool and powerful but because you killed a woman

WHOA SCOTT AND MAGNETO ARE SWEARING SO MUCH

HOW CAN THEY DO THAT

bro who are these side villains?? і gotta admit the guy with the dreads he can move is pretty cool but who is the girl lookin like negasonic teenage warhead???

THESE EFFECTS ARE SO WILD

WHATTTT IS HAPPENING

the effects of jean making him walk were so gross i literally had to fast forward a bit they look so bad and uncanny

i know that's kinda the point but i cantttttt

jean i wouldn't trust weird alien lady if i were u

yoo charles admits he's wrong for once in his life!! let's go!!!

i do love all the beast content in this movie

THAT WAS SO AWESOME

KURT JUST DROPPED HER IN FRONT OF A TRAIN

YES!!!

i know he seems all innocent but in these movies he was in the fighting rings

he has DEFINITELY killed someone before

i love him so much

overall this movie is bad but this fight scene is SICK

LIKE ERIK JUST CRUSHED A TRAIN CAR THATS SO COOL

"i had a change of heart" erik we all know you are just down bad for charles and you will do anything if he asks u really sincerely

you can't fool me

charles and jean are so father daughter core

i mean he's not a great dad but they sure have the dynamic

CHERIK COFFEE SHOP AU YEAHH

bro do u know what the name of that cafe is

the french says "vieux copains"

THAT LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO OLD FRIENDS

THEY ARE AT THE CAFE OF OLD FRIENDS

well that movie was... bad

there were some good parts

but overall it was not good

it wasn't even funny bad like origins wolverine

this movie was NOT funny and if i'm being honest i only watched it for that scene at the end cuz i saw gifs of it on here

[wilcze-kudly]

If worked for the team who made Avatar TloK. How would you rewrite TloK?

To be completely honest, rewriting tlok wouldn't fix all it's issues. Tlok just needed to have longer seasons, an actually established amount of seasons so they weren't pressured to make every single season a complete story for fear of not getting more time.

But let's say, hypothetically that I murdered mr Crabs or whoever is in charge of Nickelodeon and removed any studio meddling from the show.

My perfect world would include:

More filler episodes that focus on a singular character. Think Sokka's Master or the Painted Lady. The Krew are all fascinating characters with a lot of potential, however, due to the runtime of the show, their storylines are rushed... or completely nonexistent. Give me more details of Mako and Bolin's childhood. Show me emore of Asami struggling with her father's arrest.

I'd try to cut down on the westernisation of the show. I can see why these foreign aspects slipped in, since the closer the Avatarverse inches to our modern times, the more blurred the lines become. At least to my whiteass. I'd try to lean towards silkpunk, rather than the much more west based steampunk. It would be a fascinating endeavour to imagine what a world with mostly eastern influences would look like.

I'd make Vaatu the overarching villain/final boss of the story... it would require a bit of moving around of the timeline but I think I'd structure it as: Red Lotus> Kuvira> Amon> Vaatu. However I'd blur the timeline more. Make Amon a background threat in the eariler seasons, only for him to rise in popularity and power after people see what benders like Kuvira are capable of, for example.

This would also allow for certain villains to become redeemed or at least helpful in some way, later on. Mayhaps Amon and Kuvira team with the Krew to defeat Vaatu in some way.

Also, instead of destroying Vaatu completely, I'm leaning towards Korra absorbing him, in a way. Yes Vaatu is a dark spirit, but 'darker' urges are necessary for humans' survival and happiness. Korra embodies the duality of man very well. I think it would be a fascinating idea to see the Avatar become the embodiment of both light and darkness.

In general, making Vaatu and Raava more morally ambiguous, rather than the simple good spirit/bad spirit thing they had in the og show would be a fascinating concept.

I'd do my best to pull away from the show's original centerist narrative. Have Korra learn from the villains and make active changes to the world, showing her growth as an Avatar and person. Perhaps she's reluctant to see the Red Lotus' point of view at the beginning of the show, but sympathises with Amon at the tail end of the story.

Make the entire Krew queer. And talk about queerness more, in general. Have the characters have open conversations about queerness in their respective enviornments and cultures. Tlok already has a very queer undertone to it, even before korrasami became canon, but touching on this subject more overtly would provide great opportunity for characterisation and worldbuilding.

Have the story span several years. Watch the Krew grow up. Tlok works very well as a coming of age story even in its original form. Have Vaatu and his darkness and chaos symbolise the uncharted waters of maturity at the end of teenagedom. This especially works if Korra merges or accepts him like i suggested.

There... that's some basics. I think that most of my criticisms of the show could mostly be solved if the studio wasn't being a bitch but well. We can't have nice things, can we?

I took a while to answer this ask because it was genuinely such an interesting, but overwhelming question.

Also now I have wayy too many ideas about a potential tlok rewrite, so feel free to ask me about that if you want to hear me ramble.

[kimhargreeves]

New Mission- Clayface x Reader (Suicide Squad Isekai)

(Based on the upcoming Suicide Squad Isekai. Things won't be accurate of course but decided to have fun writing it. Making it the first fiction I've posted in almost over a year. Decided to have fun writing on the new Muzan lookalike😅)

(Based on the upcoming anime Suicide Squad Isekai)

We were all rounded up by Amanda Waller in a room as we all had chips implanted in our brain, ones that would explode if we're to disobey her and her missions for us. We all sported the same orange prison suit. I am a criminal in Belle Reve locked with my best friend, Harley Quinn. Like any prison its divided by men and women, Deadshot and Clayface on the other end. I frown as I glanced at Clayface or Basil Karlo his real name, I knew them before we got captured at separate time and place, but I never got along with Clayface both of us occasionally clashing heads and annoying each other....

"Ugh why do we have to be a team?!" I whine as I roll my eyes as we stand in a line.

Clayface glanced at me in annoyance as he leaned back in his seat, his clay face forming a frown as he spoke

"As if you're exactly a delight to work with yourself sweetheart"

"Haa?! I'm a great delight, the best to be around with! Besides you got caught way earlier than me" I remind looking at him. He smirked as he glanced at me.

"You're pretty full of yourself aren't you? I may have been caught before you, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're more of a competent villain than I am. Let's not forget that you wouldn't be in this situation if you had been more careful in the first place"

"I'm as great as a villain as the Joker" I glare referring to Harley's boyfriend, he's still loose in Gotham.

He scoffed, shaking his head.

"Comparing yourself to the Joker? Please, that's an insult to my intelligence. The Joker is a criminal mastermind, someone who always thinks three steps ahead... You, on the other hand, simply rely way too much on your looks and charm in order to get away. The difference between you and the Joker is vast"

"Well of course I'm gonna use my beautiful looks! Every female villain does..like Poison Ivy"  I say shrugging.

He rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"Ah, yes, the seductive nature of female villains. Ivy uses her seductive looks to manipulate and deceive her victims before poisoning them. But do not deluded yourself into thinking that you're on her level, sweetheart. Ivy possesses a depth of cunning and wickedness that you could only dream of. Comparing yourself to her is laughable"

I scoff . "Heh. no I'm not! She may be taller than me with bigger attributes but we work the same! *I blush as I defend myself.

Clayface chuckled, raising an eyebrow.

"Work the same, huh? It's not just her height or her attributes that make her superior to you. Poison Ivy commands nature herself, harnessing the power of plants and using them as her own personal weapon. You, on the other hand, are essentially a weak link with nothing but looks as your only strength. But hey, if you want to keep living in delusions, be my guess."

"Yeah right, any man would be lucky to have me!"

He shook his head, a dismissive scoff escaping his lips.

"You're quite deluded if you truly believe that, love. Do you really think that your beauty is the only thing that matters to men? You lack the intelligence, the wit, the charisma, and the darkness that true villains possess. And those qualities make a woman far more attractive than pretty looks.

I frown now remaining silent as I keep glaring. He looked at me with a smirk.

"What's the matter, love? Am I hitting too close to home? Perhaps you're realizing that you're nothing but a pretty face with no substance. It's not too late to change that though, although that would require some self-awareness on your part, I don't quite think you have that...yet."

I glare as I walk closer standing in front of him as he remained seated. "You said what?!

He grinned up at me as I approached him, unfazed by my proximity to him.

"Oh, don't worry, love, it's just a little dose of honesty that you desperately need. But by all means, feel free to continue being a shallow little girl using nothing but your looks to get by in life. I'm sure that'll take you far, won't it? Pfft, such a waste of potential...”

Oh yeah? We'll see about that. I glare as I lean down gripping his chin and pressing my lips to his.

He was caught off guard by my sudden gesture, surprise evident in his expression as my lips met his. He could feel the heat rising within him, and for a brief moment, he found himself struggling to maintain his composure. But then he pushed me away, a displeased frown on his face.

"Whoa there, love. I suppose you're trying to prove a point by using your feminine wiles, but let me be clear, I'm not so easily swayed by your charm, no matter how tantalizing it may be."

Hmm I smirk to myself as I touch my lips blushing a lot. "All men fall for me..it's just a matter of time before, well, before you do, Karlo.

He scoffed, shaking his head in amusement as he observed my confident demeanor.

"Ah, I see, you believe that I'll inevitably fall for your feminine allure. Well, I hate to disappoint you, sweetheart, but you're in for a rude awakening. Just because I can acknowledge your physical beauty doesn't mean I'm helplessly entranced by it. It'll take more than a pretty face to break down my defenses and win me over."

I frown but then smirked remembered an event. "Oh yeah? Says the man who before we got locked up came to me, and we had an amazing night together"

 Ismirk blushing, "Don't think I forgot about that.

He sighed, a hint of a blush creeping onto his cheeks as I brought up the topic.

"Alright, I may have conceded to your advances that one time. But let's not kid ourselves, that was a moment of weakness on my part. It doesn't mean I'm under your spell or anything."

I hum blushing as I hold my face. "You've always been adorable when you don't acknowledge yourself.

He rolled his eyes, trying to maintain his aloof demeanor.

"Adorable? Please, I don't do 'adorable' sweetheart. I'm a hardened criminal, not a fluffy little bunny. And as for acknowledgement, I don't need validation from anyone, not even you, love."

I smirk turning my back to him. " 'Oh, (Y/N)! Do it like that harder!' I fake a moan imitating his words

His cheeks flushed a deep shade of red and he muttered.

"Sh-shut up. You know I'm not like that... And you certainly weren't so quiet that night either..so stop bringing it up"

"Of course I wasn't quiet! Was I supposed to?!"

He let out a huff, his annoyance growing.

"No, but I'd prefer it if you didn't go around reminding me of that particular moment. It's embarrassing, alright? I have a reputation to uphold..and having a pretty little villain like you turn me into a weak little-"

He stopped mid-sentence, cutting his words off before he could finish.

I blink surprised and blushed immensely hearing those words.

Realizing that he had said too much, he quickly changed the topic, a scowl on his face.

"Anyway, that's all in the past. It's done, I've moved on, and we have bigger things to focus on than some random one-night stand. So let's just forget about it and move on, shall we?"

I kept blushing and tilted my head. "You..think I'm pretty?

He hesitated for a moment before admitting it.

"Well, you're not displeasing to the eye I suppose. But let's not get carried away, your looks aren't enough to make up for your lack of intelligence and wit. There's more to a villain than just good looks, love. You may be pretty on the outside, but there's nothing to admire on the inside" he scoffed.

I smile as I blush grabbing his arm to hug him. Wanting to tease but also touched by his words.

He raised an eyebrow, surprised by my sudden display of affection. "What in the hell are you doing?" he said, a tinge of confusion in his voice

He let out a deep sigh, his annoyance momentarily forgotten as you hugged him. “Oh, fine, enjoy your little affectionate moment. But don’t think this changes anything between us, love. I still find you incredibly aggravating.”

I hum smirking and winked. "Okie dokie “Ugh, you're insufferable” he muttered, his annoyance returning. He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but secretly feel a bit of warmth from my affection. “Now can we get back to the matter at hand? We have a mission ahead of us and I'd like to get it over with without any unnecessary distractions.”

I let got of him as Harley came to my side.  Harley, who had been observing the interaction between you and Clayface, couldn't help but chuckle.*l

"Looks like ol' Clayface is softening up a bit, huh? You got him wrapped around your finger, (Y/N)."

I smirk as I hear her. "Guess I do don't I?! I chuckle and you're lucky to have a guy like Joker so devoted to you Harley's eyes lit up at the mention of her relationship with the Joker.

"Ain't that the truth! My puddin' is one of a kind. Who needs a normal guy when you can have the Clown Prince of Crime himself, am I right? We're meant to be together!"

"Absolutely, Harls" I smile at my best friend, "Definetly a keeper"

Clayface rolled his eyes at the exchange between us two.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. You two are both in love with crazed lunatics. Typical behavior for female villains, right? But when it comes to real villainy, I prefer my partners to be cunning, manipulative, and ruthless. Love is a weakness and I don't have time for that nonsense."

I pout a bit looking at him since I didn't expect him to be listening on us as Harley and I fangirled  and had a girl chat. "Yeah yeah keep saying that, Harley and Joker are the perfect couple.

He scoffed, shaking his head in amusement.

"Perfect couple? Please, they're just a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Love never lasts in our world, especially not for criminals like us. One day, Joker will tire of Harley, and she'll be left shattered and broken. But hey, if you two want to idolize that mess, be my guest."

I held Harley back as she tried to grab him.

He raised the eyebrow, his expression a mixture of amusement and irritation.

"Oh, what's the matter, love? You don't like hearing the truth? That your precious Joker and Harley are just a recipe for disaster? Maybe you should face reality and realize that true villains don't waste their time on love. But go ahead, keep clinging to your delusions if it makes you feel better"

I sigh turning to Harley. "I'm sorry, Harls...don't listen to him you both are adorable together"

Harley scoffed, still trying to break free from your grasp.

“Yeah, (Y/N), I'm not gonna listen to him. My puddin' and I are meant to be, and nothing he says is gonna change that.” Clayface just smirked, clearly amused by the duo's fierce loyalty to their dangerous partners.

Of course! And you have my full support" I chuckle.

He chuckled, shaking his head at your supportiveness.

"Oh, how sweet. The two of you supporting each other’s delusions. It's like watching a pair of love-struck teenage girls with their first crushes."

"Well...duh?" I tilt my head

He rolled his eyes, clearly unamused by my attitude.

"Of course you would see it that way. But let me tell you something, love. Loving a villainous psychopath like the Joker isn't some romantic fairytale. It's a twisted, destructive path that only leads to heartache and ruin. But I suppose you two are too blinded by your naive notions of love to see it that way."

I blush as I look at him my eyes almost turning to hearts. So fun to tease him.

He raised an eyebrow, noticing the shift in my expression. The sight of you blushing and staring at him with hearts in your eyes was...unexpected.

“What's with that look, love? Are you getting sentimental on me now? It's not very villainous of you.”

Harley grabbed my face telling me to try and stop blushing.

He couldn't help but crack a slight smile at my flustered state.

"Oh, look at you. All embarrassed and flustered like a damsel in distress. Is there something I said that has you all tongue-tied, love?"

I blush looking away a bit. "Everything..idiot" I mutter.

He smirked, his amusement growing. "Ah, so I have that effect on you, do I? Well, as charming as that is, I'm afraid we have more serious matters to discuss than my ability to make you blush. We are in the midst of a mission, after all."

Fine fine *I sigh and turn to glare at the woman in charge. "Waller! What the hell do you want us to do?!" I ask our superior bitch.

Amanda Waller spoke up, her tone as cold as ever.

"Well, if you can stop bickering like children, I'll fill you in on the details. We have intel on a secret government facility dealing with advanced weaponry and experimental technology. Your mission is to infiltrate the facility, gather information, and sabotage their operations."

I sigh loudly and groan. "You're no fun, lady." Harley nods agreeing.

Waller fixed you with a stern gaze, unfazed by my attitude.

"I'm not here to be fun, Miss (Y/N). I'm here to ensure that we achieve our objectives. You all have been chosen for this mission because I believe you each possess...unique qualities that will help us succeed. So if you're done wasting my time, let's move on to the details."

I frown. He chuckled, enjoying my reaction to Waller's intimidating demeanor.

"Don't worry, love. I'm sure we'll find some way to inject a little fun into this mission. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of "unique qualities" she sees in us..." Waller continued on with the mission briefing, outlining the facility's security measures, layout, and potential threats.

Amanda Waller put Rick Flag to keep an eye on us along with his side kick Katana. Both serious about the mission.

Rick Flag, a no-nonsense soldier, stood by Amanda Waller's side, his eyes scanning over the group of criminals. Katana, meanwhile, stood quietly beside him, her sword glinting in the dim light.

"Our priority is to make sure this mission is successfully carried out," Flag said in a steely tone. "We'll be keeping a close eye on all of you."

A man on our team Peacemaker confronted him, seems like they'll be at each other's throats.

Peacemaker, a cocky ex-soldier, faced off with Rick Flag, his ego and brash attitude evident in the way he spoke.

“I don't need you babysitting me, Flag. I've got this.”

Flag glared at Peacemaker, clearly not amused by his arrogance.

“We're doing things by the book, Peacemaker. No solo heroics, got it?”

"Whoa whoa men let's try to not kill each other, okay?! We haven't even left prison yet" I say stepping between them.

Harley, ever the voice of (a different kind of) reason, chimed in..

“Yeah, fellas, let's not start this mission with a brawl, alright? We gotta play nice for now. Can't afford any in-fighting with Amanda Waller watching our every move.”

Flag nodded, clearly agreeing with the group’s sentiment.

“Fine. We’ll put aside our differences for now. But I’m warning you all—if any of you try anything that threatens this mission, I won’t hesitate to take necessary action.”

I roll my eyes but smiled. "Ready to serve under you!"

Rick Flag smirked a little at my sudden change in attitude.

“That's the spirit. Let's get loaded into the vehicles and make our way to the facility. Remember, once we're inside, we'll need to stick together and follow the plan. No going off on your own, got it?”

"Right!" We all said. We reached outside once we got rid of our prison clothes and into our civilian ones or villain ones as people would call it.

As the group of villains exchanged their prison uniforms for casual civilian clothes, they boarded the vehicles, ready to embark on their mission. The ride to the facility was tense, with the villains aware of the gravity of what they were about to undertake. Clayface glanced over at you as you got into the vehicle, his eyes locking on your civilian outfit.

"What?" I ask glancing up over to him

He shrugged, a cocky smile on his face.

”Just admiring the view. You know, even out of your villainess get-up, you're still a sight for sore eyes. Makes me wonder if you ever stop looking good."

Aww falling for me then? *I smirk blushing again.

He smirked and rolled his eyes, playing it cool.

“Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart. I'm just appreciating a pretty face when I see one. It doesn't mean I'm falling for you or anything."

I huff pouting as I cross my arms over my chest.

Clayface chuckled, finding your pouting adorable.

"Aww, don't pout at me, love. You know I can't resist your little puppy dog eyes when you do that. But don't worry, I won't let myself fall for you... I'm far too cunning and heartless for that."

"Ha! See? Every guy falls for me" I sing

He rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle at your confidence.

“Oh, is that so? Well, I must be the exception to that rule because I am utterly unbothered by your feminine wiles. I'm completely immune to your charms, love.”

"God damn it I'm gonna throw up" We heard Peacemaker say making me frown at him but not taking him seriously.

Clayface turned a glare towards Peacemaker, unimpressed by his comments. “Watch it, Peacemaker. We're all here to get this mission done. No need to be disrespectful. Besides, if you're feeling sick, try taking deep breaths or maybe even closing your eyes. Anything but spewing insults at others.”

"Huh?! You both are the ones making me sick not the car ride" he says pointing at Clayface and I. Having stoic expressions.

Clayface couldn't help but scoff at Peacemaker's words.

“Oh, I'm sorry if our presence is too much for you to handle. Perhaps we should ask Amanda Waller to arrange a separate transportation for you, given that you seem to be so easily nauseated by our mere existence.”

I roll my eyes "..typical men..." I whisper to Harley.

Clayface couldn't help but overhear my comment, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Oh, did you say something, love? I couldn't quite catch that. Care to repeat it for the entire team to hear?”

Didn't say a thing" I quickly reply.

He arched an eyebrow, clearly not believing you for a second.

“Oh, really? Is that so? Because it sounded like you just mumbled something about ‘typical men.’ Seems like you have quite the habit of muttering things under your breath, love.” I hum glancing at him as he sits to my right and Harley left, "shut up."

He chuckled, a smug grin on his face. “Oh, you never fail to amuse me, love. Maybe I should start a tally of all the times you tell me to shut up. I'm sure it'll be quite the impressive number by the end of this mission.”

I roll my eyes and we all remained silent during the long car ride. Harley has fallen asleep on my left shoulder and I began to close my eyes, nodding off and rested my head on my right where Clayface is.

Clayface noticed you dozing off, your head resting against his shoulder. For a moment, he pondered whether to wake you or let you sleep, but ultimately decided to allow you to rest. As he continued to keep watch, he couldn't help but notice the way your face looked so peaceful while you slept, your usual fiery demeanor completely absent.

I blushed as I remained deeply asleep.

Clayface found himself unable to resist a small smile as he observed your peaceful expression and the gentle blush on your cheeks. Despite his attempts to remain aloof, a hint of affection tugged at his heartstrings. The sight of you at peace reminded him that beneath your tough exterior, you were just a human being with emotions and vulnerabilities, just like himself.

*************

Don't know how long it has passed when the car stopped.

As the vehicle came to a halt, Clayface gently nudged you, trying to rouse you from your slumber.

“Time to wake up, love. We've arrived at the facility. And I've got to say, your drool on my shoulder isn't exactly the most flattering accessory.”

"Huh?!" I blushed fully waking up now, II quickly pull the sleeve of my jacket as I attempt to clean it. " I'm sorry, okay? You should've woken me up when you felt it"

He chuckled softly, clearly amused by my  reaction.

“It's fine, love. Accidents happen. But I must admit, the sound of you apologizing is a rare treat, especially considering your usual defiant attitude. Maybe I should keep you asleep more often. You're much more agreeable this way.”

"Ugh...don't you try to bring my apology up."  I warn.

He grinned, unable to resist teasing me.

“Oh, I plan to bring it up every chance I get, love. But for now, we've got a mission to focus on. Let's get this done, and then we'll see what else we can do to keep you in this more cooperative state.”

I grit my teeth and huffed stepping out and seeing a place which wasn't Gotham. "...where the fuck are we?"

Clayface followed closely behind you, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

“Looks like Amanda Waller has picked this place for the facility. No surprise there, she's always one to keep things under wraps. Judging from the scenery, we're probably in the middle of nowhere. No city in sight, just wilderness.”

Rick stepped forward with Katana.

Clayface glanced at Rick Flag and Katana, his expression a mix of curiosity and caution.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't the fearless leader Flag and his deadly sidekick Katana. How nice of you to join us. So, what's the plan, Flag? Are we just going to stand here in the middle of nowhere and admire the scenery, or is there a mission we're supposed to be undertaking?”

Rick said nothing and Katana remained silent as usual. Rick grabbed his equipment and told us all to follow him.

Clayface smirked at Rick's annoyed response, clearly amused by his irritation. He glanced at you and Harley, motioning for you to follow as they fell into step behind Rick and Katana.

I groaned "I hate walking...hey, carry me" I say behind him unashamed to ask.

He rolled his eyes, an amused smile playing at his lips.

“Oh, is our tough little villainess tired already? Wanting a ride, are we? And here I thought you'd be able to handle a little stroll on foot.”

I pout as I look away. "That's what you said last time about wanting a ride" I mutter on the..different type of ride he had asked.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained by my innuendo. His smirk widened, as he responded with a teasing tone.

“Well, love, if you think this walk is too much for you, I suppose I could give you a ride. But only because I can't resist seeing that adorable pout on your face.”

I hum and quickly got behind him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

He couldn't help but chuckle, easily lifting me up in his arms as he carried me in hud back.

“Well, aren't you quite the opportunist? Ready for your chariot, love? Just don't get too comfortable, I might just toss you around if you start getting too cheeky.”

"Hey hey! Very careful on tossing me!" I warn as I glare and blushed. "and quit touching my ass!"

He smirked at the warning, clearly enjoying teasing me.

“Oh, I'll be careful, love. I wouldn't want to upset my precious passenger and get a well-deserved beating from you. But as for your rear, well, it's a bit hard to avoid when you're this close to me. Perhaps you should be the one being more careful.”

"If you let me fall me I'll kill you" I warn as I hold onto his shoulders as he carries me from behind.

He laughed lightly, his voice full of mock concern.

“Oh, such a threat! I promise not to dump you, love. After all, it'd be a shame to lose my human backpack so soon. But keep making those endearing threats of violence, I have to say I do find them quite charming.”

I silently hum and smiled to myself as I rested my head on his shoulder as I held him and he continued to carry me. Only this mission will tell if we'll get closer to each other.....

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

"Come with me" by Alicent after b&c and well, basically everything, was such a disgusting way to put a final nail in the coffin of what once was, or could have been, a great character. I'm so tired of this useless and distasteful queerbaiting and the nonsensical ship that has been so detrimental to the story. And 'a son for a son' by Rhaenyra?? B**ch, what?! What about baby Jaehaerys? And why wouldn't Alicent mention him? No mention of Jaehaerys, but we got the cringe nail biting, what a peak character development. They must think they are so smart, Condal and Co. Anyway, almost everything was bad in the episode, but the Rhaenicent scene must be n01 of the horrors.

I would also like to make a brief comparison of the two character assassinations we saw this season, Alicent's and Aemond's. Both characters were indeed stripped of any significant and organic development and the result is the mess we've got. However, I think that the intentions weren't the same. With Alicent, I believe that these excuses of the writers wanted to depict it as her atonement, her regression to the only version of Alicent that in their minds, deserves sympathy, young Alicent who longs for Rhaenyra and seeks her approval . She is humiliated and constantly punished by the narrative so when she finally 'comes to her senses' and crawls back to Rhaenyra, she has a chance to ingratiate herself to the audience (and I've seen positive reactions to her in the finale on SM, so it wasn't entirely fruitless). Therefore, the writers actually in a way wanted to endear her to the GA and this was their way to do it. She is in the wrong and must be punished and ridiculed as long as she is the beacon of TG and as long as she doesn't ditch her sons for Rhaenyra, or, "to stop the bloodshed". With Aemond, it was more straightforward. They needed a one dimensional villain and they got him. They wanted to kill all the sympathies for his character and his popularity in s1 was in the way. Hence, all the idiotic changes and inventions regarding his character, and let's not forget the fact that he is one of the supposedly 'important players' who doesn't even have a POV. He needs to be boogeyman for tb and he is allowed to be badass and scary just enough to be a worthy opponent to Daemon so his victory (or whatever it was) at God's Eye doesn't fall flat, but he cannot in any way overshadow the rogue prince. And yes, in the finale he had less than 4 minutes of screentime which proves how Condal's gang sees his character, and also the utmost disrespect they treat him (and his fans) with. Once again, this clearly works because a considerable chunk of the fandom, and I'm sorry to say this, is braindead. It's apparently true that they wrote the show for the worst sort of Dany and Targ stans (and I like Dany and the Targaryens), people who go like 'yass, Queen,' 'slay, queen' , 'the Targaryens are the saviours of Westeros' etc. Daemon's vision and his and Rhaenyra scene proved this perfectly.

Sorry if this was too long. I know I sound angry, but this damn season wae such a torturous and nonsensical snoozefest that it irreparably soured this universe to me. Anyway, it's always a pleasure to read your thoughts wi thanks in advance.

Hello! Thank you for the ask and for the compliment!

First of all, I heartily agree with everything you said.

Condal&Co, apparently, really believe themselves to be oh so clever. GoT callbacks - you got them (overbearing and quite often confusing as heck but who cares). Scenes featuring mirroring, symblolism and whatnot (most of them with Alicent and Rhaenyra) - in abundance (dragged out and pointless - like Alicent swimming scene - but this is Cinema™️). Progressive feministic agenda - you are welcome (said agenda is actually degrading for women as it at the very best presents them as passive and lacking ambition and the will to act - plus it absolutely effing destroys multiple characters and their storylines). And HBO people apparently don't care - and they will not care until all this atrocity bites them in the ass in one way or another.

Alicent doesn't remember Jaehaerys having been murdered - but who does? Poor boy has been all but forgotten right after the show had Helaena announce that she should get over her grief because the smallfolk suffers more than she does. Besides, in the writers' eyes it's not Rhaenyra's fault anyway since she had nothing to do with it. And it's not actually Daemon's fault either since he was shown feeling sad about it for a couple of seconds. You know what, in fact the blame for Jaehaerys' death completely lies with TG: Aemond shouldn't have murdered Luke, Alicent and Criston shouldn't have been fucking, Aegon shouldn't have been drinking with his friends. So it really doesn't count. I have seen a post made by a (quite deranged) TB stan where they claimed that "many sons should die to avenge Luke because we are talking about Lucerys Velaryon". Whatever that even means, Condal and Hess apparently share this opinion.

As for Aemond and Alicent, I agree with you once again. In one of my previous answers I mentioned that the key word for Alicent's character assasination this season is "humiliation" and for Aemond's - "dehumanization". Well, that's literally it: one is shown to be completely miserable (the cause for that misery being her supporting the wrong side of the conflict) - plus she brings the same misery on her daughter's head; the other is left almost without any means for us to understand what he really thinks and feels. Ewan pours everything he has into his eye acting - and it can be seen in the few instances when we are allowed a couple of seconds to focus on his face - but the script staunchly continues hammering home the point of Aemond being a psycho with next to none emotional connection to his family.

Team Green characters had such a huge potential - together and separately - but the writers with their pro-Daenerys agenda (and hence pro-Rhaenyra one as the Black Queen is clearly their Dany 2.0) couldn't have that. There is some hope remaining for Aegon and Larys team up - but I don't trust the writers with them one bit.

[andreal831]

Glad you’re back!

What is your most unpopular opinion on both TVD and TO?

I love when y'all try to get me canceled.

Just joking. I'm all about honesty here, even if it is unpopular. I've talked about a lot of unpopular opinions so I'll try for ones I don't think I discuss that much. But remember, y'all asked for my most unpopular opinions, they are going to be unpopular.

I will make my normal disclaimer. This is simply a personal blog about a show that ended ten years ago. Yes, we have serious discussions, but at the end of the day, it is my opinion of my interpretation. Me not liking your favorite character/ship is not a reflection on you or your opinions. We can have civil conversations even if we disagree over opinions.

So without further ado.

My most unpopular opinion on TVD is that Delena is a bad ship and wouldn't work out in the long run. (Don't get angry, I'm tagging this appropriately. If you want to read this and have a genuine discussion, great. If not, please just scroll).

Damon was brought on the show as the main villain in season 1 and did unspeakable things to Elena and her friends. Yes, there are times we can move past this. I once said that Enzo is what they wanted Damon to be. I feel like in the later seasons they learned their mistakes and attempted to rewrite a lot of the history, but unfortunately, the history was already there. With Enzo, he did really messed up things, but his back story was directly linked to his terrible actions. Whereas Damon just did bad things because it was fun and then had a bit of a sad backstory.

Damon's issue is that he loves too deeply/obsessively. He was so obsessed with Katherine that he was willing to leave Stefan behind to become a vampire with her. He wanted to become a vampire for Katherine. He only changed his mind when he thought she was dead and then didn't want to turn with Stefan. Once he found out Katherine might be alive, he spent every second attempting to get her back. Even using Elena. He was not at all interested in Elena in Season 1, except to antagonize Stefan. He only really turns his interest on her when he loses hope of Katherine, essentially transferring his obsession.

Delena fans often say that Damon loved Elena for herself while Stefan only loved her as a human, but I disagree. Elena was most as herself as human, but once she got caught up in Damon, she began to become like Katherine. He essentially turned her into Katherine when he couldn't have Katherine.

We see repeatedly that Elena chose Stefan over Damon when she had the choice. Damon and Elena have some nice moments, but it was clearly platonic/boyfriend's brother vibes. She cared for him because Stefan did. They only get closer when Stefan is forced to leave town and Damon does everything in his power to turn Elena away from Stefan. But even after that, she was still choosing Stefan.

The sirebond was the nail in the coffin for Delena in my opinion. I may have been able to get past some things if they hadn't done that. Elena never wanted to be a vampire. She says this so many times and even talks about wanting to die rather than being a vampire. Stefan shows Elena the positives of vampirism, but somehow Damon gets credit for it because of the Whitmore House scene. I think people forget the scene immediately after she runs off the dance floor, when she disgusted by what she's done. Between the thrill of the moment and the sirebond, she acts in a way that she never wanted to and regrets it instantly. Damon showed her the parts of vampirism she feared, but because the scene is sexy people love it.

And this isn't the first time we see Damon not having respect for Elena's decisions. When he forced blood down her throat before the ceremony. Or when he yells over the phone that they shouldn't listen to her about Elijah. When he kills Aaron because 'she' broke up with him. This never gets better. The only character development we really see in Damon is when he becomes friends with Bonnie. No, I don't think it is a girlfriend's job to 'fix' their boyfriend, but they should at least bring out a good side of them. Delena brought out the worst sides in each other.

I'm honestly not even advocating for Stelena. If anything, I think Matt and Elena could have had a nice life together. Or just be a normal girl and go meet someone in college or later in life. Damon didn't want the normal human life and Elena didn't want the violent vampire life. They have so little in common, not even their morals or principals. I just found them to be a really unbelievable couple. The flirtation was more interesting to me than anything that happened after they got together.

************

My TO opinion: Kol is kind of a one-dimensional character and benefits very heavily from pretty-privilege. (Again, no need to read if this will just upset you)

I am talking about Nate, but I refuse to put his face on my page. But I will try and put my hate of him aside to talk about Kol.

Kol could have been a really interesting character if he was given more time and more backstory, but the show just didn't go there and left so much up to the audience to fill in the blanks.

We first meet Kol in TVD and he essentially is the Mikaelson psychotic "enforcer." He is wild and unruly, doing whatever he wants. Like targeting Matt for no reason at the Mikaelson ball when even Klaus was on his best behavior. I really feel like they made Kol the way they did to make Klaus look like the sane, practical one since Klaus was quickly becoming a fan favorite.

The storyline with the Cure was interesting, but we don't really get a lot of the backstory of how Kol knew what he knew. I would have loved some flashbacks with Kol and the witches that he supposedly learned this from. But as interesting as this storyline was, it did little to flesh out Kol as a character. He spent most of his time just trying to kill everyone to prevent Silas from being released. It would have been more impactful if they had given Kol a bigger motivation. Explained his backstory with Silas more. I left TVD not really caring if Kol came back. We got one little sad story right before he died about Klaus unfairly daggering him, but really after seeing how unhinged he was in TVD, I kind of didn't care that he was daggered. I felt worse for Finn who seemed relatively harmless.

I didn't mind Kol as a witch too much, but again, felt his character was little more than a charming rake. We knew he was only flirting with Davina initially for his mother, and I even buy his quick infatuation with her since we know he likes powerful witches, but his betrayal of Rebekah just felt impulsive and dumb. It took away from the genius witch they were trying to create. Sure he learned a lot of tricks with the dark objects from witches, but then he imprisoned his sister in an instable witch he did zero research on while his family was still in danger. It felt like he was less of a developed character and more of a plot device.

Similar to Damon, I just didn't feel like his backstory was enough to make me sympathetic. I know we are told he was daggered a lot, but we are also told that he was off on his own a lot. In the 11th century we know Kol had gone off on his own and then for much of the middle centuries he is exploring and meeting witches. The few times we see him in flashbacks, he is covered in blood, smiling at the death he created. I know people say he went off the deep end because of his loss of magic, but the show should have done a better job fleshing that story out. Really go into his spiral, because it happened very quickly. Kol was the only one reveling in killing in 1001, a year after they became vampires. This is also our first encounter with Kol as we don't see him during their human flashbacks. The only daggering we really see that felt unjust was in the 1900s when he was attempting to turn the witches against Klaus and create a weapon. But that also felt out of place in how Rebekah betrayed him but then wanted to do the same a mere year later.

The back and forth with his family also annoyed me. One moment he was building a weapon to put Klaus down and the next he was hugging him, just wanting to be a part of 'always and forever.' I understand why Davina was so annoyed by it. They attempted to garner sympathy for Kol based on how he was not part of 'always and forever' but he never really seemed to want to be. Every chance he had to leave them, he did. I don't blame him, but he can't be mad for not being included when he was always leaving. Even in 1001, Kol was the first one to suggest they split up. He and Finn left immediately after being turned and leaving Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah to clean up the mess their family made. This tracked through their 1000 years. He even parties with Klaus multiple times after being undaggered, holding it against Rebekah more than anyone. He never seemed to care for any of his siblings outside of Klaus and yet Klaus was the one harming him the most.

Like most of the characters honestly, if Kol had been played by a less attractive or charismatic person, he would have been despicable and annoying at times. I will own that he has moments of character growth in the later seasons of TO, but they all felt like they came out of nowhere since they appeared to happen off camera. Even his relationship with Hope felt strange in Season 5 when he hardly even acknowledged his niece in the previous seasons except to use her to save Davina. His character, to me, felt like it was constantly changing to fit whatever role they needed him to play so he became less of a character and more of a plot device making it hard for me to connect with him or truly understand his underlying character.

******

Again, don't hate me if you disagree. These are just some unpopular opinions I don't think I've talked about on here.

[madara-fate]

I know you're against the notion of sexist writing in Naruto, but I ought to disagree. The problem isn't that female characters have love interests or are driven by those feelings but that leading roles have that theme way too often and especially how little female characters have to do in the story. They don't drive the story but rather get shoved around, when they do something "major" (seemingly) it's to highlight Naruto - see Hinata vs Pain or Sakura "vs" Sasuke, getting saved by Kakashi, then Naruto as if it wouldn't be absurdly repetitive at that point. This is where the annoyance with the female characters stem from, it's almost comical how little room to develop and individuality they get. Ironically, as much as Sakura is hated on for these things (and quite frankly, many asspulls like mischaracterization of her personality), she's the character that at least has a saving point, which is her aspiration to become stronger and actually doing it. What was missing were more major fights to highlight that. Sure, we have in-verse explanations for why she doesn't fight in the front, she's a medical ninja but those decisions are made by a writer, after all and those rules don't have to exist or can be broken in favor of her having agency in the story.

This is the central part of any good character: agency. We want to see characters make decisions and act upon it. Basically precisely what Sakura did when she decided to lie to Naruto and kill Sasuke herself, I love the idea but the execution is terrible because it ended up circling back to Kakashi and Naruto.

A lack of agency is usually part of a characters struggles, you can see it in villain oirgins and underdog stories, "zero to hero", all that. Sounds familiar? This is the premise of Sakura's character but by not showing how she overcame that through involving her more, it flies over peoples heads that yes, Sakura was a character who didn't have agency and she wanted to change that (except, during important scenes, Kishimoto didn't pull through). I think Sakura is actually the best female character in Naruto due to that premise, however due to Kishimoto sidelining that and not doing the same for any other female character - aside from Tsunade in her introduction (she's the 2nd best female character in my opinion, btw) - his female characters are pale in comaprison to the male counterpoints and people are 100% justified for being frustrated about it. Because revolving the female characters around their love interests is one thing, stripping them of agency to change anything in the plot is another.

I don't hate the characters for it however, I dislike Kishimoto's writing in this aspect and I as an aspired writer take his female characters execution as an example on how not to do it.

This is a great video on Arcane's female characters that I think explains pretty well how agency is integral for good character writing:

https://youtu.be/hML-FGHGEN4

I recommend watching it if you're interested :)

I hope I could explain where the "sexism" claims stem from and why people are frustrated about Kishimoto's writing of female characters. Have a great day!

The problem isn't that female characters have love interests or are driven by those feelings but that leading roles have that theme way too often and especially how little female characters have to do in the story.

Sakura is literally the only leading female character in the story, so to say that the problem is how often this is the case, when there is only one leading female, doesn't really make sense. As for how little female characters have to do in the story, that is a numbers issue, not a female importance issue, which I'll elaborate on later. Because by this logic, I can very easily levy the same criticism towards every male character in the series not named Naruto or Sasuke.

They don't drive the story but rather get shoved around, when they do something "major" (seemingly) it's to highlight Naruto - see Hinata vs Pain or Sakura "vs" Sasuke, getting saved by Kakashi, then Naruto as if it wouldn't be absurdly repetitive at that point.

Only Naruto and Sasuke drive the story. That's why I've always stated that this is not a female character issue, its not an issue of the female characters not having enough panel time, it's that Naruto and Sasuke simply have too much of it. The vast majority of the male characters suffer from exactly the same thing.

The fact that you felt the need to put major in quotation marks, and then add (seemingly) already shows me that you're really trying to downplay everything significant that the female characters have done in the series in order to serve your argument, but why though? Why actively try to downplay the accomplishments and feats of the female characters? To me, that alone is far more sexist or misogynist than anything Kishi has done or shown in the series.

Sakura had major feats which had nothing to do with Naruto, such as saving multiple characters' lives, defeating Sasori alongside Chiyo, unlocking the Byakugou Seal etc. Tsunade had feats which had nothing to do with Naruto, such as her performances against Orochimaru, becoming Hokage, her role in the War etc. Temari's significant involvements, such as saving Shikamaru from Tayuya and then subsequently defeating the latter with ease, had nothing to do with Naruto etc. I can continue listing when female characters have done significant things, which had nothing to do with Naruto, so I do not get this point.

This is where the annoyance with the female characters stem from, it's almost comical how little room to develop and individuality they get.

Again, if you are unable to acknowledge the growth and development that the important female characters experienced, then that is on you, not Kishi. Sakura went from being an ordinary fangirl who cowered in the face of adversity, to being a compassionate person who is the strongest kunoichi in the world on paper. Hinata went from being a shy, stuttering bundle of nerves, to a confident kunoichi who's will can move mountains. Tsunade went from being a pessimistic gambler to a hugely respected leader, mentor and role model etc.

Sure, there are some female characters who experienced little development, but there are just as many, if not more male characters whom that criticism also applies to. I mean, what great development did Kiba receive? Or Shino? Or Kankuro? Even someone as beloved as Rock Lee, is essentially the same person at the end of the series that he was at the beginning.

Ironically, as much as Sakura is hated on for these things (and quite frankly, many asspulls like mischaracterization of her personality), she's the character that at least has a saving point, which is her aspiration to become stronger and actually doing it. What was missing were more major fights to highlight that.

On that, we definitely agree.

This is the central part of any good character: agency. We want to see characters make decisions and act upon it. Basically precisely what Sakura did when she decided to lie to Naruto and kill Sasuke herself, I love the idea but the execution is terrible because it ended up circling back to Kakashi and Naruto.

Okay, so because you don't like the execution of one instance in which Sakura demonstrated her agency, does it mean that the execution of her agency in general is poor? What about all of the other examples?

A lack of agency is usually part of a characters struggles, you can see it in villain oirgins and underdog stories, "zero to hero", all that. Sounds familiar? This is the premise of Sakura's character but by not showing how she overcame that through involving her more, it flies over peoples heads that yes, Sakura was a character who didn't have agency and she wanted to change that (except, during important scenes, Kishimoto didn't pull through).

I'm going to reiterate this point - If people honestly cannot see how Sakura experienced her own "zero to hero" like development (something that I went into a lot of detail on during this post for example), then that is on them, not Kishi. As far as I'm concerned, her development in a multitude of ways, was exceedingly clear. Because contrary to popular belief, Sakura had more focus and development than 99% of the male cast, surpassed only by Naruto and Sasuke themselves, and rivalled by Kakashi.

I think Sakura is actually the best female character in Naruto due to that premise, however due to Kishimoto sidelining that and not doing the same for any other female character - aside from Tsunade in her introduction (she's the 2nd best female character in my opinion, btw) - his female characters are pale in comaprison to the male counterpoints and people are 100% justified for being frustrated about it.

So let's exclude Naruto and Sasuke for a moment, because I've made my criticisms of their general over importance in the story very clear. Tell me, in the context of development and importance to the story, how exactly do the female characters pale in comparison to their male counterparts? Because relative to the number of female characters in comparison to the males, their importance in the story is near indistinguishable.

A quick overview of several of the teams to illustrate my point.

In Team Gai, Neji had the most development and significance, Lee was in the middle, and Tenten was last, fair enough.

In Team 10, Shikamaru had the most development, Ino was in the middle, and Chouji was last.

In Team 8, Hinata had far more significance than Kiba and Shino combined.

For the Sand siblings, Gaara had the most development, Temari was in the middle, and Kankuro was last.

For the Rain orphans, Nagato had the most development, Konan was in the middle, and Yahiko was last.

For Team Taka (excluding Sasuke), Karin had far more development and significance than Suigetsu and Jugo.

So you see, generally speaking, the female characters were given roughly the same amount of focus and development, but because there are noticeably more male characters, it gives the false impression that more focus was given to them. But when you consider the numbers, it's evident that this is not the case.

Because revolving the female characters around their love interests is one thing, stripping them of agency to change anything in the plot is another.

The lives of the female characters did not revolve around their love interests, and they were not stripped of their agency either. Plenty of them had several instances when they changed things in the plot or did something major, so that's just you downplaying what they accomplished, and they were not any less likely to do something major than their male counterparts outside of Naruto and Sasuke.

Sorry but my stance is rather firm on this. I hope you have a great day too, but we'll have to agree to disagree on this.

[coraniaid]

In Season 2's Becoming, after being outed as the Slayer to her mother, Buffy delivers a monologue in which she insists she never wanted to be a Slayer ("do you think I choose to be like this? do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous?") and that she wishes she could be doing almost anything else with her life ("God, even studying") but she doesn't have a choice ("I have to save the world, again"). Indeed by the end of the episode that obligation to put her own desires aside and do whatever's necessary to save the world will force her to send the man she loves to hell. Being a Slayer explicitly costs her everything she cares about ("I've got nothing left to lose", as she tells Whistler even before killing Angel).

So, obviously, large sections of the Buffy fandom on here have decided that this means Buffy loves being a Slayer and has fully accepted it as a part of who she is, that she has no rational reason to resent Giles at all, and that she only leaves town at the end of the episode (leaving a note behind for her mother and not telling anybody else) because her mother doesn't accept her and "kicks her out of the house" (an empty threat that Buffy takes so literally she's back in her bedroom packing for LA before the episode ends).

.... I mean, you do see how at odds with the text this reading is, right? However much you want Joyce to be the singular villain here, she's really not.

Buffy: "I never wanted to be a Slayer and in fact being a Slayer has made me miserable and I'm going to run away and change my name and hide from my Watcher so I don't have to be the Slayer anymore"

The fandom, incessantly: "hoho, Joyce blames Giles for Buffy running away, how ridiculous".

(Yes, there is a popular metaphorical reading of the show in which Buffy being "the Slayer" should be understood as Buffy being bi or trans or otherwise queer. And yes, in this reading Joyce's reaction to finding out the truth about her daughter-- already not great! -- becomes particularly terrible.

But that specific metaphorical reading is the not the One True Way of understanding the show. It's not something to which every single thing that happens on screen can be reduced. It's simply one interpretation among many and, in some episodes -- like this one! -- it works less well than it does at other times.

In the actual text of the show, Buffy has just told her mother that she's a reluctant child solider recruited into an impossibly dangerous conflict by a man who Joyce barely knows. A man who has insisted Buffy keep this all secret from her mother and lied to her face about it for months (Giles wouldn't even let Joyce know about vampires after a vampire trying to hurt Buffy attacked her in her own home! He didn't let her know about Angelus!)

Of course Joyce is upset about this! Of course she blames Giles! You know who else often blames Giles for Buffy having to be a Slayer? You know who started this season with a nightmare in which Giles tried to murder Buffy? Buffy herself.)

[sad-outsider]

Why I didn't like the ending of R&R. Final part

The final part of my analysis and the main reason for my indignation is that the ending of R&R destroyed the entire arc of Alina’s development as a heroine.

Where does the trilogy begin? Alina is powerless, sick, lonely, not finding a place in this world and the only close person is Mal (although this is a controversial statement). Then, according to the classics, she turns out to be the chosen one, she finds allies, enemies and a great goal. In a good story, the main character is faced with difficult choices more than once over the course of the story, and each such choice changes him; each action has consequences and, as a rule, irreparable ones.

What do we see in the ending of TGT? Alina is back where she started, alone and powerless again, while constantly remembering the brightest period of her life, when she was a Grisha, and Mal, whom she sacrificed for the sake of victory, was ✨magically resurrected✨ simply because it was necessary, because Mal her one “true love”, her ray of sunshine and she doesn’t need anyone else, ugh.

What is the message of this story? Never grow up? Live in childhood? Shift responsibility to others, because you don’t want to do something yourself? Maintain the status quo, because you don't care about other people's problems? if you are oppressed, be patient and hope for a miracle? Do not under any circumstances dare to resist oppression, otherwise you are a villain and deserve to die? Excellent moral, Leigh Bardugo… for some immature people.

This ending is tantamount to what if Harry Potter had not destroyed the Horcruxes at the end, become a Muggle, allowing some strangers to kill Voldemort, and then got a job at McDonald's to provide for the Dursleys and returned to live in the closet, nostalgic for Hogwarts, and the author would have said in all seriousness , that everything was originally planned this way and would present it as a happy ending, and not as a tragedy. Do you think many fans of the franchise would be happy with such a “happy ending”? I don't think so.

For those who say that the ending should not always be standard and predictable, I agree, but you just need to be able to write a non-standard ending, otherwise it is better to follow the well-trodden path. After all, the whole point of surprises is that they should please. If someone shits under my door, I will certainly be surprised, but will I be happy?

And for those especially gifted who believe that I have no right to judge the author, because “this is her world, she sees it that way, and if you don’t like it, don’t read it.” I wouldn't say a word if this were fan fiction. But this is a commercial product, I bought these books with money, hoping to read an exciting story with a dark romance (yes, I am one of those people who started reading and finished it mainly because of Darklina), but instead I got wasted potential and disappointment. And people usually get angry when they aren't sold what they want.

[imthepunchlord]

do you think gabriel would work better as a villain if he had another miraculous? because his motivation is to heal emelie but his miraculous easily allows that and doesn't seem to fit his personality as he's very brash and forceful so... do you think he would work better with canon tiger or is there another miraculous you think would fit him better?

Yes and no.

At the core, the biggest struggle with Gabriel as a villain is his polarity and how it just doesn't balance out well, how it feels like he ping pongs between two extremes. They want him to be the BIG BAD that we take seriously and there's supposed to be some level of fear towards him, which is why we get see Butterfly and Peafowl be so OP and limitless in what they can do; but they also want Gabriel to be the campy Saturday morning villain, which you laugh at his idiocy and you don't take as seriously.

Gabriel is now the best example on why you don't mix these two polar types of villains. If Gabriel is meant to be a very serious and dangerous threat, you can't really do so when you know he's an idiot. Why, the start of s5, he could've won then and there cause he had the time traveling Rabbit. Success was right there at his fingertips, and he botched it.

And that there is the biggest struggle for Miraculous in general, they need to pick a lane and stay in it. Now, if they want to weave out of that lane a little, they can do so as long as it doesn't clash with the route they're taking (doing something far out of your lane will make the character OOC). So no matter what Miraculous Gabriel has, it's not going to work unless it's decided if Gabriel is meant to be the cartoony Saturday morning villain or if he is meant to be a serious and dangerous threat.

I will add, what Miraculous he uses can shape that too.

Butterfly and Peafowl, both being long range Miraculous, set their users up to be long term villains. As they can hide themselves away and have minions do the work for them, they control how long this game goes on. They end things on their terms, whenever they are ready to come out of hiding.

By set up, I'd say they'd work better for a serious threat. Butterfly works off emotional manipulation, which typically is a serious threat; and Peafowl can take whatever you imagine and bring it to life (which I'd vote that's more fitting of Creation). So these two Miraculous would best serve with someone that's a more serious threat. Butterfly is set up to force people to try and learn emotional control, to shut down what they feel, less they get taken advantage of. And Peafowl is peak unpredictability, you have no idea what this user is going to throw at you.

So these two are best set up to be used by a serious threat.

To add to it, things would need to be cut or changed with Emilie if Gabriel is meant to be a more serious threat. As what we see with these two is kinda limitless in what they can do. So they should grant healing power or make a healing entity and revive Emilie that way, and to my knowledge, we don't really have a good reason on why Gabriel hasn't tried it (aside from possibly he's an idiot who hasn't thought of it). So it may serve better to just cut reviving Emilie out entirely, go with Gabriel's apparent want for world domination.

OR you go with Emilie being deady dead dead, and she's been dead for a good long year, and the one thing these two Miraculous can't do, is revive Emilie the way Gabriel wants. Butterfly could maybe only make a champion that could either reanimate Emilie's corpse (which doesn't go great) or summon her soul back to the material plane, but she's a ghost now. Peafowl could technically create Emilie, but that wouldn't truly be Emilie, that'd be a copy, an imitation. This latter reason could back Gabriel needing that wish, for these two Miraculous, for all that they can do, can't truly bring Emilie back to him. Not in the way he wants her back.

Now, a Miraculous that will have him out in the open, like Tiger, is better set up for a Saturday morning villain. Now, not to say that Tiger wouldn't be a threat if misused, but the sheer factor of being out in the open, throwing hands with kids, and having more of a risk of having that Miraculous taken, that's a better set up for Saturday morning villain vibe, especially as he'd get to directly banter off the heroes.

Like, with the Tiger example specifically mentioned, you can even have the fun of him and Adrien getting into a "cat fight" over puns, as it is canon (s1 wise anyway) that while Adrien likes to crack puns, he doesn't like other people making puns. So there's some fun you can have right there.

Also, him being out and about, close to heroes, it puts a limit on how long he'd be a villain, as all they have to do is get that Miraculous off of him, and they'd have direct access to him vs waiting for him to come out of his lair for once. And that can set Gabriel up to be a one to two season threat, maaaaybe three if you have him work off other villains who can help him last, but depending on how it's handled, that could also push it.

As for what other Miraculous, well, to work off color coding, Dragon does stand out to me, as Gabriel does have that similar color scheme that Kagami initially had in her intro, having the red and white to contrast Longg's red and black. Dragon would also be the best choice for having an offensive power that has you out and about, but also allows him to be elusive and escape from the heroes as he can become literal elements and escape them that way, as it's impossible to grab air or water.

Also, by set up, other Miraculous can better work off him just not having the means to revive Emilie, as they just don't really have that power too; though exceptions are Rabbit (due to time travel), Rooster (it has the power to hop into other dimensions/realities, so healing should be a cinch), Ladybug (through the Cure), and possibly Cat (cats are tied to healing in various mythology, and technically destroying does play a part in some healing, so could destroy the coma state and revive her that way? maybe?).

At the core, no matter what Miraculous Gabriel has, what sort of villain he is needs to be decided on, else it still won't work. Either he's a serious threat to take seriously, or he's a campy villain to laugh at his dramatics and idiocy. He can't ping pong between both like he does in canon.

[you-are-constance]

how was the great gatsby musical?

overall, one of my favorite theatre experiences. to the level that i have been looping the cast recording nonstop since it came out last week

i do have a lot of specific points that i could talk So Long about with this show, most of which i'll put under a read more, but first: casting

anyway. spoilers for the great gatsby musical (things that were changed from the book for the production)

the 'main four' being Jeremy Jordan, Noah J Ricketts, Eva Noblezada, and Samantha Pauly, were all absolutely incredible. show stopping in their own ways. i was genuinely so scared that when i saw it that any of these 4 wouldn't be on, but i got so lucky and all of them were!! i am 100% convinced that many of the songs were written just to showcase certain actors voices (jeremy jordan).

let me tell you. getting to see jeremy jordan and eva noblezada live was unlike anything i've ever seen before. i was like. genuinely honored to be there. their stage presence, their voices, their acting ability, oh man... and Samantha Pauly was just incredible, and her big number was so. show stopping. Noah J. Ricketts was amazing the whole time, but his emotion in finale as he was saying the lines that are basically quoted exactly from the book... yeah i cried.

but so many other actors were also so amazing! John Zdrojeski as Tom was so good at the role, because Tom really was genuinely awful, but not in like an evil villain way, because he's much more realistic than that. i also find that a lot of times Tom is kinda seen as stupid or whatever for not noticing a lot of things going around him but in the musical he really like. could tell what was going on. and he worked his way into finding out secrets (kinda more on this later bc of my favorite song)

another main this was just. the design. Linda Cho costumes MY BELOVED im so glad she won the tony because this show DESERVED IT. it was definitely a glorified image of what those 1920s outfits would actually be, but most musical theatre isn't meant to be an exact replica of history, it's meant to dramatize it, and Linda Cho understands the assignment when it comes to costumes. the lighting and scenic design were also just incredible, especially their use of the green light shining from across the bay...

the show started out with Gatsby onstage, reaching for the green light. a set piece is moved across the stage, passing in front of him, Nick standing where Gatsby was. within that moment i was like "if they don't end the show with Nick standing there, the set piece passing in front, and leaving Gatsby behind, reaching for the green light, then what is the POINT" and then they DID and it was just as great as i'd imagined.

there were definitely changes to the story to adapt it to the stage, which i actually enjoyed (i've read the book, but didn't love it mostly due to a bad experience with reading it in school so. yeah). it is kinda more romance-centric in the first act, which i have heard people complain about, but i kinda see reasoning for it. yes, the first act is very much centered around the various relationships (especially the romantic ones), and in the second act, while certain characters (mostly gatsby) try to keep it centered on the romance, there is a much bigger, darker story going on all around them. so i really liked that meta perspective of it.

they also gave a lot more character to mr wilson (idr his first name), effectively intertwining him with both Gatsby and Wolfsheim as he, from the very beginning, plans to move him and Myrtle away from the city (its been a hot sec since i read the book, so idr if that's there but i don't think it is).

the relationship between Nick and Jordan is also taken a lot further in the musical, to the point where they are engaged, but after Myrtle's death, it gets broken off. this is because, in this version, Jordan ends up lumped in with both Tom and Daisy, in with the old money. throughout most of the show she is much more aware of society and doesn't want any part of what her role 'should' be, but when things go south, she is just as quick as the others to abandon what's 'right' in favor of what's better for her. and ik some people might not like that change but i actually did.

Myrtles character is also taken a lot further in this, which i find really fascinating. she is given her own big number right before her death as she tried to go after Tom, saying that he'll leave Daisy and marry her instead, but then she realizes she'll become just like Daisy in that situation, and the only choice is 'love or money.' she eventually decides that she wants to go back to her husband, and the moment she turns back, she is killed. this was Such a big number and, looking back, might be one of my favorites story-wise.

while i absolutely adored most everything, genuinely, the music was by far my favorite part (besides maybe jeremy jordan and eva noblezada...) a personal thing for me was that Every. Single. Song. has SUCH a good bassline. man i need the sheet music for this show. (side note: i got to talk to the show's bass player for a few minutes after the show! i was super nervous about it but im glad i did. he was super nice)

there's def a mix of more modern showtune styles, along with bringing in a lot of jazzy elements, which was GREAT. i love jazz. like i mentioned before, certain songs were definitely written for actor's voices (Past is Catching Up to Me) which is absolutely not a bad thing because they were AMAZING

two of my favorite songs were 'Only Tea' and 'Made to Last.'

only tea is when Gatsby is stressing about Daisy coming over for tea. this was hilarious. I kid you not jeremy jordan jumped a fence at the end. it was iconic. (you can Feel the nerves in just the cast recording alone).

made to last takes place in the scene in the Plaza. it's mostly Tom, revealing the secrets he learned about how Gatsby got his fortune, then Gatsby trying to get Daisy to tell Tom she doesn't love him. there are So Many Good lines in this song (everyone kinda drags Tom a lot its great) but this is where the characterization of Tom was really just. top notch. because he really is freaking Awful. but he's also smart and not going to let go of what he owns (not good that he considers Daisy a possession though...), and he knows exactly what is going to happen to Gatsby--he's not Made to Last.

(also the song Shady is iconic. spinny tailcoats)

another just. singular line that i need to draw attention to, sung by mr wilson (he has multiple songs directed to the Eyes of God), and this line is right when he decides to go after Gatsby. "God sees everything but he's slow on his commands/You've got the eyes of God, Doc/Who's gonna be his hands?"

(this line is reprised in the middle of Gatsby's song right before the gun goes off. fun fact)

i'm sure there are So Many Other Things i could talk about (i s2g i could write 13 essays about this show) but in general like. while it wasn't groundbreaking to the theatre, it was still Such a good show and absolutely deserves better yknow. attention then it's getting. like jeremy jordan is here for a Reason this is a Good show. and mostly this is my begging people to listen to the cast recoding because its SO GOOD.

anyway. if anyone has questions about specific things i am So Happy to talk but here's a lot of my more general thoughts... (god i haven't even Talked about Eric Anderson as Wolfsheim...)

[bimboficationblues]

Top 5 evil comic book women

going to try and focus on like, legitimately evil women? I mean I love my morally grey cutie pies like Ivy, Harley, Emma Frost, Black Cat, Scarlet Witch, Elektra - all of whom would probably make the list otherwise - but all of them have been trending "heroic" or at least antiheroic, often for longer than they were even villains or actually evil (if ever), and I know that's not what you're here for.

Mystique. I really love how deeply she is embedded in the web of relationships between the X-Men and yet fundamentally at odds with their way of doing things even when that way changes. because Mystique is fundamentally a being of sensual selfishness, an embodiment of mutant adaptability and a dark representation of "fuck you got mine" survivalism. this status as a kind of "deviant" X-Man constantly yo-yos her from "outside" to "inside" their circle even as it expands and contracts, forever escaping whatever conceptualization or box Xavier's disciples try to put her into, in a way I find a lot different from how e.g. Magneto is treated. Also the latest retcon establishing that she and Destiny are both Nightcrawler's biological mothers because she shapeshifted into a form that could cum in Destiny is uhhhhhh good.

Makima. I think Makima has like, one of the most interesting psychologies of an antagonistic character I have ever read. One thing I love is that the whole concept of devils in Chainsaw Man demands metaphorical readings of the characters and their relationships, and Denji's relationship to "control" remains contested even up through the end of the first part of the manga.

Cassandra Nova. Definitely a character with extremely diminishing returns, but at her original peak she's incredibly effective. Xavier's imperial shadow-self.

Lady Shiva. Just raw destructive talent pointed wherever she pleases - not without humanity but you wouldn't call those qualities "good" necessarily. Really excited to see her and her daughter lock horns in the new Batgirl series because they're a great foil pairing: Cassandra, the successor of Bruce who is most wedded to his idealism, and Shiva, the peer of Bruce who is one of the most vocally against it from the lens of reason and interest.

Cheetah. I don't really have a good reason, I think she just slays.

Bonus

Amanda Waller. Yes, Waller is (in my view) unequivocally evil. I think where people like her best is that she's a very grounded form of evil - a highly motivated actor within a bureaucratic and carceral system - who still comes across as larger-than-life amidst the huge personalities that typically surround to her.

Isabella (Promised Neverland). On top of being genuinely dangerous and clever, I have a real fascination with this character and what she represents, a portrayal of motherhood as a kind of socially-reproductive middle-management where you're simultaneously offered power through submission, and enter into sincere emotional relationships that you nevertheless sacrifice on an altar of blood. I put her in bonus because I guess she has a face turn.

[ipatrichor]

dead boy detectives episode three thoughts

NIKO MY GIRL NIKO. i love her so much holy shit. she's just so effortlessly charming and so deeply, sincerely kind 😭 i would kill for her good lord the scene after they leave the devlin house? she was so scared for completely understandable reasons (i would not want to go to a house with an axe murderer ghost either, and she almost just died like the day before on top of that!) but she suits up and braves a Goddamn Coastal Storm (seriously, it was dark when she left and light when she found them meaning she was out there alone in the dark storm for a little while Minimum) to help her friends!! it's like. yeah she's pretty naive and easily scared (again, Reasonably so), but also she cares so goddamn much about her friends. im gonna cry dude

also this episode really is giving me everything i asked for huh. i asked for niko joining the gang and changing their dynamics, and we got that incredibly sweet scene with edwin at the library. i asked for the bickering to stay while dynamics grow and evolve, and edwin & crystal have a scene where they still snipe at each other while working well together to rescue charles and appreciating each other's skills and knowledge. i asked for charles backstory, and holy shit. this show really does have it all huh

okay speaking of charles. i love love love what we got this episode. i mean yeah i kinda guessed his dad wasn't great from what he'd said before, but i was also second-guessing myself a little because well, if he was that bad charles probably wouldn't be checking on him to make sure he's okay, right? and then we get that reveal, and damn. god it was so cool to see something actually really hit charles, because he's mostly a chill guy! sure, he's gotten annoyed and stuff, but it never seems to last long and i've been really looking forward to seeing what'll break that composure. this episode did not disappoint holy shit

speaking of which. idk if it was just the dad's abuse that was affecting him so much... this is an odd theory, but hear me out. it's making me kind of wonder if the reason he was so deeply affected was because his dad was involved with his death somehow. iirc his cause of death was drowning or something? hypothermia maybe i do not remember but i remember something about injuries like broken ribs or something. and i dunno i'm starting to wonder if those injuries were from his dad and they contributed to his death. or maybe im completely wrong and it hit him so hard to see a man kill his wife and daughters because he's spent the decades since his death afraid his dad will do that to his mom! who knows! only time will tell, but i am so intrigued

also i actually really love that him repressing so much doesn't get resolved. like yes girl keep deflecting from your trauma until you get overwhelmed and have a messy breakdown where everything explodes. and like yeah his friends know he's keeping shit to himself now, but that's. really not something it's easy to bring up so really the most they can do is let him know they're there for him and keep an eye out. which is probably harder to do with So Many Goddamn Enemies.

like okay let's count we've got esther + monty, crystal's demon ex, death's scottish secretary (idk her name or job sorry. the lady who played the witch mom on supernatural. rowena??? girl idk i didn't finish s5), the cat king (not necessarily evil but he is literally keeping them trapped so), miscellaneous enemies/villains each episode like the sprites or the misery wraith (terrifying btw! i Do Not like that thing on a personal level but i appreciate it thematically 👍), and ALSO Literal Death is basically looming over them as an existential and also very literal threat. girl this is crazy there is So Much going on how the fuck is this show only 8 episodes

crystal's memories... i actually really like that she might've been an asshole. like yeah you could argue her ex was influencing her (either supernaturally or just like peer pressure) but i actually think it's more interesting if he wasn't and she was just willing to be an asshole. and also maybe endanger people's lives?? idk what was up with dropping a large rock on moving cars but it didn't seem like anyone died bc he would for sure have leveraged that against her so. but i just think it's more interesting and compelling if she has to deal with like... yeah she was an asshole. what now? she can't change it, she's just got to live with it and choose to do better

also back to charles bc that scene will not stay out of my head. his actor is so good... the subtle emotional nuance in his facial expressions... i may need to rewatch the episode everything about his acting is so good. also charles getting stuck in the loop was fucking chilling- i didn't expect hitting the dad to work really, I thought it'd do nothing or go through him, but when he caught the cricket bat and hit charles with the axe i actually gasped. and then just sitting there unmoving and unseeing until the loop restarts and he vanishes... girl that was terrifying. like would they kill off charles like that? no I don't believe so, not in episode 3 of 8. however it was genuinely scary i didn't know if something fucked up would happen that he'd need a while to recover from or something. im glad he's okay physically at least, even if mentally is debatable :')

monty... what do i say about monty. he's cute and so awkwardly charming- if we hadn't seen that he's esther's familiar i would've been rooting for him to be a side character who shows up every now and then, kinda like jenny y'know? but because we know he's part of her revenge, i'm spending his scenes side-eyeing him like hey. the hell is that about. however i will say it's better knowing so we can stress about what his plan is instead of having him introduced as just a guy and then being a traitor or something. idk i like the dread and suspicion! it's a quality writing choice

i will say though, there's one thing about him that's making me side-eye him even harder. why did he antagonize charles? if he's trying to ingratiate himself with the boys + crystal and earn their trust, being a dick to one of them won't help. does esther's plan rely on isolating edwin? why? and if it's not her plan, why is he singling out edwin specifically? idk many questions lots to consider!!

in conclusion, this is such a good show and each episode just keeps getting better. i'm jumping right into episode four, i just wanted to organize my thoughts here first haha