#You can tell i'm going insane over the 'you're not the only actor in this play' line

[sillylittlecharacters]

Isabeau, Siffrin and Mirabelle are very fun to consider in relation to each other because they're all characters who have - for different reasons and to different extents - crafted their identity for the benefit of others.

Warning: Spoilers and gratuitous theatrical metaphors below! They're light (the spoilers, not the theater imagery), but this analysis is really only for those who've finished the game.

Siffrin and Isabeau play the roles of the Funny-Jokes-Person and Team Himbo respectively - the comic relief duo, needed to keep the journey's tone light and moral high. This 'Act' is genuinely part of their personalities, but - and this is made clear in the Loops for Siffrin - they both rely on it to avoid expressing their genuine thoughts or feelings. I mean, there's a reason why it took until the DAY BEFORE THEY FOUGHT THE KING for Siffrin and Isabeau to have an 'important conversation' - these two are professionals, after all, and nothing less than a country ending catastrophe would make them break character. The difference between their performances is why they made those characters for themselves in the first place. Isabeau crafted his personality actively, to make himself as different as possible from the person he used to be. On the other hand, Siffrin, like Mirabelle, accidentally, or passively stepped into his role. (more on that in a moment)

Ah, how could we forget Mirabelle? Now, the nature of Mira's 'Act' is slightly different from our dynamic duo, as it's less to do with her personality and more to do with her status as a Saviour. Or more specifically, as the Change God's Chosen One. It's a lie she maintains, a part she plays, to give hope to the people of Vauguarde, but it wasn't one she chose. It was an accident that she was blessed, an accident that people assumed it was the Change God who did it. She's similar to Siffrin in this way: His performance is also based on how other people perceive him, only the 'other people' in his case is the party. Before Siffrin met them, he was effectively a blank slate, and he used the parties' expectations and reactions to his actions to build an identity. Take this dialogue from Act 4, fittingly found in Isa's friendship quest:

(That you didn't know how to describe yourself, you didn't know who you even were, until you said a bad pun once and he laughed so hard you thought he was going to pass out.)

Neither of them were looking for the role, but they both got type cast.

And in terms of the beauty alliance? Their biggest similarity is that they're both unsatisfied with their roles. Mirabelle hates being treated like the hero: hates the attention; the free gifts she feels like she doesn't deserve; the weight of the entire country's hopes and dreams she feels unable to carry. And Isabeau says that he hates being treated like he's stupid, hates that people assume he's brainless just because of his friendly demeanor. But they feel unable to step out of their roles, because that's what everyone needs from them, right?

(I guess this last point technically applies to Siffrin too, but that's after the Loops. Before they start, it seems like he's more than comfortable and even enjoys his role. It makes sense that he'd enjoy the feeling of having a concrete identity when he's so used to vague emptiness that comes with no memory.)

It's so fun ~!

[undreaming-fanfiction]

I am massively busy with work and finalizing my Big Bang, but this idea just won't leave...

Steve and Eddie are both actors. They're in their mid thirties, well established, but they never starred together in anything. Steve tends to be cast in the same type, the dumb but pretty love interest, Eddie has lots of indie and disturbing movies under his belt. But this time, they both landed something big.

They get cast in the new Batman movie.

Steve is, of course, Batman. He insists on doing his own stunts. He refuses to get dehydrated for his shirtless scenes because he knows how damaging it is to both young men and women alike, he's not going to contribute to shitty expectations. The director (Dustin, duh!) sees something in him other directors never have - a potential for depth, for internal turmoil. He gives Steve the chance to prove himself as an actor and Steve pounces on it.

He's still very hot.

Eddie is cast as the Joker. He is a fan of the comics and scoffs at how absurd and deranged the character is becoming. He gets hired because he immediately says he doesn't think the character needs to rely on cheap tricks and shock value to be terrifying. Cutting off his face? Not cool. He suggests to play the Joker according to one of the older comics he has - one where the Joker is actually absolutely sane, but hides it to never be held accountable for his actions. The only person who ever saw through his ruse was Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Joker took care of that issue very quickly.

The chemistry between Steve and Eddie on screen is insane. They go toe to toe, it's impossible to look away when they interact. Eddie utilizes his bright smile to the maximum, tweaking it just right within moments so it becomes unsettling. The first time he laughs, Steve gets goosebumps.

Steve encompasses Bruce's loneliness so well Eddie's heart breaks for him. Dustin finds him in the trailer, giving himself gentle slaps over the face and muttering "you're evil, damn it, you don't want to comfort the Bat!!".

Batgirl (Robin) and Harley Quinn (Chrissy) find their slow descent into love hilarious. They all become good friends on the set.

Hopper, an acting veteran who plays Commissioner Gordon, grasps Steve's shoulder after an intense fight scene and mutters: "Good job, Steve, but maybe don't stare at his lips so much?"

Robin doesn't give him the same courtesy and once Dustin yells "Cut!", she screeches: "NOW KISS!"

The movie is a hit. People love the cast and the story, some of the OG fans complain as they always do, but the ratings are great, there are many interviews, panels, all of that.

And of course, there's gossip about Steve and Eddie being a thing, which enrages the macho Batman fanbase. Their Batman isn't gay!

But the rumors quickly disappear after an award ceremony where Eddie is nominated for the best supporting actor. He wins, of course. And as he gets up to accept the small statue and deliver a speech with enough "fuck"s to give the censor a headache, he drags Steve up and kisses him in front of the whole world.

A week later, Steve and Eddie are together in front of a camera again, answering questions in an interview.

The host asks: "What do you say to those fans that are disappointed, who say that their Batman isn't gay?"

Steve just snorts, pulls Eddie closer and answers: "They're right. Their Batman isn't gay. But he's definitely bi."

Also the comic story I'm mentioning exits and is short but fantastic. 10/10 recommend.

Oh also. The first spark happens when Steve sees Eddie's hair and blurts out: "Please tell me they're not making you cut it shorter. It's too gorgeous for that."

Also because people were asking about the comics - it's Batman Black and White - Case Study and it can be found on Tumblr HERE

[springseasonie]

Auralism Pt. 2 | PJS (M)

Voice actor Jisung x fem reader

Part 1. Part 3. Part 4.

Summary: just another night of your nightly routine except you've become a little more delusional than before.

Warnings: sexual content, auralism (voice kink), masturbation, guided masturbation, praising, degrading, parasocalism (it's bad for you)

Word count: 1,2k

A/N: I'm very glad all of you liked the first one so much. I had no idea people liked the thought of erotic voice actor Jisung as much as I did but I'm glad y'all all also see the vison lmao. Feed back is loved an appreciated 🩷🩷

"Hi baby."

"Jesus," you sighed breathlessly. Another night, you're laying in your bed on your back staring up at your ceiling. It's almost embarrassing how much you keep coming back to this specific audio. It's the first one you ever heard, but nothing will ever compare to it. "Stress relief" is what it's called, and it's exactly that. You only listen to it on your toughest days, and you're bound to have some tough days working a minimum wage job.

"For this audio, please calm your body down. Take a deep breath, okay? Close your eyes and feel the space around you."

You did just that, closing your eyes and sinking into your bed as you calmed your body down. At that moment you started to feel all the aches and pains from your day settle in.

"Try to forget about your day and just be present with me. I'm the only thing in your mind right now. I'm the only person you can hear. Focus on what I'm saying to you. You're gonna be a good girl and follow my directions like always aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna be a good girl," you mumbled quietly to yourself. You'd crawl in a hole and die if anyone had to bear witness to this exact moment. You're in a room by yourself responding to a man who's only making audio porn to pay his bills. But it's not your fault no one can live up to the expectations of his voice alone.

"Today, I just want you to relax. I want you to pull your clothes off for me. You can pause while you do so, I'll wait for you."

You paused it, taking everything off your body till you were on your bed completely bare. You quickly started it up, sighing when hearing his voice again.

"Now I need your undivided attention okay? Rile yourself for me. Run your hands all over your pretty body. Press your fingertips into your skin and feel yourself. Run your hands over your nipples. Pinch, squeeze them. Aren't they sensitive?"

That they were indeed. And so was your cunt. If there was a thing you needed to fuck more than right now it would be him despite not knowing what he looked like. You need that voice in your ear telling you that you touched him so well, that you made him feel good. It was going to drive you insane for the rest of your life probably. You pinched your nipples, hissing at the sting on the sensitive peaks. You did this every single time, listening to every word he said and it never got old.

"Move your hand to your mouth. Suck on those fingers for me. Yeah, just like that. You look so good, beautiful."

You put your fingers in your mouth, swirling your tongue over the digits coating them in your saliva. You were so turned on at the point you would probably burst.

"Take your fingers and put them between your legs. Rub your clit for me. Get it nice and wet. I bet that feels real good. Don't you wish it was me touching you? I bet you do."

You rubbed your clit slowly in a circular motion, deep breaths slowly quickening. Your legs spread wider as your other hand squeezed your breast, the ecstatic feeling spreading all over your body.

"Keep touching yourself for me. You're such a good girl you know that? Pretty, beautiful, good girl."

You kept going, soft moans now falling from your lips. All that was in your head was him, his voice. What else were you supposed to think about? Your brain had gone numb the moment you heard him say baby.

"Now I want you to finger yourself for me. I want you to stuff that pretty pussy with your fingers."

You did as he said, eyes rolling back at the stretch You've been aching to feel all day. It's been fucking with you all day, wanting to hear his voice even just for a second. You were addicted.

"Does my voice turn you on?" He chuckled softly, making your brain turn to mush like always. "Does my voice make your pretty pussy wet?"

"Yes, yes it does," you sighed as you fingered yourself. The sounds coming from your body were shameful. Panting and whimpering filled the room, your body getting hotter and hotter as your sheets stuck to your legs.

"Keep going. God, I wish I could see you right now. All cute and wet for me, legs spread wide. You're such a little slut for touching yourself to my voice, you know that? My little slut."

You nodded, a small smile tugging on your lips as his deep sultry voice landed on your ears. You wish you weren't so crazy and delusional but when he talks to you like that you turn to mush all over again. Your fingers grew in pace, palm of your hand also stimulating your swollen clit.

"You wanna cum pretty girl?"

"Yes, yes I do." You were whining, the sounds growing in pitch and volume the more you moved your hand. "F-fuck, oh my god.."

"You can cum. Cum as hard as you want, but don't you dare stop."

You kept going, fingering yourself harder and harder. The moment you curled your fingers inside of you, you came hard, vision turning blurry and mind going fuzzy. You were already so sensitive, but you were a good girl so you didn't stop. You wouldn't dare stop.

"I want you to cum for me again. I love it when you cum for me. I wish I could see it. I wish I could feel it. Feel that tight pussy around my cock squeezing me tight. I know you want that too. I know you want my big cock to stretch you good."

Your moans bounced off the walls, back arching off the bed as you kept thrusting your fingers. It was too much, but it felt so good. Too good. Your cunt was squeezing your fingers once again, wet squelches coming from between your legs.

"If I had you, I'd fuck you so good you wouldn't remember your name. You'd love that wouldn't you?"

"Yes, fuck yes.." You were gasping for air, eyebrows scrunched together right as you stared down at your hand, watching your fingers go in and out of you.

"But for now, I just need you to cum in your perfect, soft hands. Make a bigger mess for me. You can do it."

"J-Jisung, shit.." You came, and you said his name. You've never done that before. Maybe you're a little in too deep, but Jesus, there is no one that could make you see stars the way you did just now. There's no one who can make you shake by just talking the way you did just now.

"Do you feel better? Are you still stressed because if you are, I guess I didn't do my job. But when have I ever failed, hm? Now clean yourself up and get some rest for the next day, or the rest of your day. Bye beautiful."

The audio finished, leaving you heaving on top of your covers. Usually, you would just get up and clean up, but you felt different now. You moaned his name out loud like a crazy person. You were definitely in a little too deep. Maybe you needed to take a break from your nightly routine.

Just as you were about to close the app on your phone another notification popped up.

"surprise :)"

And just like that your night got a whole lot more interesting.

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

That's the day that Chad and I found out that the show wasn't coming back. Or the, that I'm sorry, I take it back. That the show was coming back just without us. -Hilarie 

Wait, the day you were shooting your flaming Amy's flashback. Tell us everything. -Sophia

Well, we'd shot everything else. Right? -Hilarie

Wait, wait, wait. So you were doing these flashbacks, these like this deep nostalgia episode, not knowing that it was teeing up the exit. -Sophia

I was put in the blonde wig again as punishment for having red hair. Right. And I noticed a conversation with like Brooke and Victoria where it was like, are you really gonna leave the company and ruin the careers of all the people that you've been?  Like such a pointed conversation for you to have to have 'cause we were all in contract negotiations at this point, except me. I had never gotten a phone call from anybody. And so they were making offers to everybody and everyone was trying to hold the line. And all they needed were a couple people to sign on in order for the show to come back. And Chad and I never even got phone calls. So we were seated in that diner booth and we're like, it's our last day of filming. We did all of the present day stuff, we did most of the flashback stuff. And all of a sudden our producer Greg Prange is like, all right, everybody like pause what you're doing, circle up. Just wanted to make the announcement. The show is coming back. We've been picked up for a seventh season. And Chad looks at me and he's like, have you even gotten an offer? And I was like, no. And he's like, I haven't gotten an offer. And so around us, everyone around us is like hugging and high fiving. I mean, it felt like balloons were dropping from the ceiling. Everybody was so fucking pumped. And he and I just kind of sat there and we knew it was coming. We had, you know, Peyton got hit by a car in the last episode. She's on her death bed, you know, and he and I were the highest paid actors on the show. And we knew we were on the chopping block. And so our bosses, Voldemort and other Dipshits were in town. And we said, can they come to set? They were at the production office and we were at Flaming Amy's. We like, can they come to set? It's only, it's two o'clock in the afternoon. Can they come here and just like explain to us what's going on? Is there something, can someone just talk to us? They refused. They would not come speak to us. And instead they took other actors out to dinner that night to celebrate. And so Chad and I wrap work and I gotta take that fucking wig off. and you know, there's a sense of betrayal 'cause you're like, huh, okay cool. We didn't hold the line and so we'll go be the expendable ones. Fuck it. And Chad and I decide for the first time ever in our time together in Wilmington, that we are gonna go out together and we are gonna tie one on. And so Chad and I ended up at the Whiskey, which was like a bar right on the corner of downtown. You know, and like metal bands played there. And Bibis, our friend would play there all the time until two o'clock in the morning. He and I are just like sweating and smoking and drinking and dancing. And Chad's a very good dancer and every college chick in the place is like, oh my God, it's Lucas and Peyton and they're really together and this is so crazy. And it was insane. And so then from two to three o'clock in the morning we sat on, on like a retaining wall downtown and just really discussed like, we're out. We've had this shit dangled over our heads. There's no one here who's fighting for us. You know, the friendships are fake. It's not real. And we're gonna go and we're just gonna do some other stuff and we'll always tell each other the truth. You know? And so he walked me home and I remember that also being kind of weird. It felt like a date. It's the one date that Chad and I went on and it was very platonic. And then I called him a cab. And even the cab driver was like, I'm picking up Lucas Scott from Peyton Sawyers house.  It was crazy. But from that moment on for the whole rest of this season, it was, it was hell. It was really bad. It was really bad. 'cause it was, it was so pointed, you know, I'd been the person to do every upfront, every TCA every advertiser dinner party. I hosted the launch party for the CW  I had been the company girl and it was the biggest fuck you. -Hilarie

But Chad and I had this magic night. We still laugh about it. I mean it was, it was probably the hardest I ever partied in Wilmington. And he didn't really drink, so I remember being shocked. Shocked, That he was drinking his like vodka cranberries or whatever he was drinking. We were both just so blindsided by it.  Like we, we knew it was coming, but until it happens. -Hilarie 

[galvanizedfriend]

hi! so i’ve read pretty much all of your works and loved them so much. your writing is amazing and some of the best fan fiction i’ve read.

the only ones i haven read from you are the wolf series but i keep hearing so many good things about it.

i know it’s a TO rewrite with caroline instead of hayley (and i could look past the baby plot if it means klaroline) but i’ve tried watching the show a few times and hated hayley’s personality and some other nuances to the show and o was wondering if The Wolf is Caroline in place of Hayley but her personality and the way she acts in situations is how Hayley does in the show, or if it’s very much so Caroline if she were put in the position Hayley is in? if that makes sense

First of all, thank you very much, nonnie! ❤️ Glad you enjoy my little fics 🥰 Your question makes perfect sense, yes.

The short answer is: no, Caroline is not just Hayley in a wig 😂 If you're asking me, I'm obviously going to say it's completely different! I'm biased, but I also know how much work I put into it, so I know all the ways TW deviates from the show. I think Caroline is very IC in this, if I may say so myself, so obviously not Hayley, and every time I've gone back to re-read parts of this fic I have had a great time 😂 So personally, I think this is a very entertaining story, but again, it's my story lol Other people might be able to give you less biased opinions.

If you hate hate The Originals, there is still a chance you won't like this anyway, but I do think it's very different, and I have a longer answer if you're interested.

Under the cut because I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! Be careful what you guys ask me, you might get a freaking bible as a reply.

I have become deffensive of this fic over the years because I have received some very nasty comments in the past (not saying your question is offensive in any way, nonnie, this is a very valid question!). I can respect people not liking it, I can respect this isn't everybody's cup of tea, and that's totally fine. What I can't stand is when people tell me I haven't done anything to the show, or that Klaus and Caroline are exactly the same as Klaus and Hayley. I did not spend the amount of time I have spent overthinking and overwriting this shit into something that makes much more sense and is way more fleshed out than the show ever was to hear from people that I've done nothing. I can't even list all the ways TW deviates from the show, or Caroline from Hayley, because I'd be here for the rest of the day.

As the person writing the story, I know exactly how much thought I have put into it, how many original scenes and dialogues and shit I write each chapter, and how much of what I've taken from the show I have cracked my brain to twist and change in a way that fits. I have spent more time of my life overthinking the crappy writing on this show in order to add context and find correlations and make connections and rationalize characters' behaviors and add depth to their actions and their thoughts, and let me tell you, nonnie, it was not easy. It's unbelievable how weak the writing for TO is, the actors do a lot of the work all by themselves. My friends who were with me during this time know how fucking annoying I was lol

This was me sending messages to @definedareasofuncertainty in the middle of the night to explain an idea:

I realize I can't expect readers to feel the same way, everyone is entitled to their opinions and I can only be responsible for what I write, not for how people are going to understand it, but I can't help the way I feel because, to me, it's insane when someone reads this and thinks it's the same. The entire premise of The Wolf is different. It's never about the baby, the baby is almost background noise. The Originals starts and ends around Hope, but The Wolf is not about baby Eve (that's the baby's name), it's about Caroline. Everything is about Caroline, and about Klaus' feelings for her.

A lot of what I think is wrong with TO is that it just doesn't make sense. The things they do, the choices they make, the way they relate to each other just doesn't work, and what I tried to do was rewrite it in a way that it did make sense, not only moving the story forward, but also, and especially, the characters, their motivations and their relationships. I feel like TO was always going to be a better show if they'd focused more on characters than on plot, because that's what I was there for from the start, the family and their bonds, not undercover werewolf packs or baby-stealing aunts. But the writers sacrificed the characters so much for the sake of some arguably very silly plots (don't even get me started here…). While I do keep the plot points, what I tried to do (and hopefully succeeded, at least to a certain degree) was to bring the characters to the front and push the action and enemies and wars and such to the background. So instead of having the characters reacting to the plot, I have the plot serving the characters, if that makes sense. I kept the parts that interested me and that I felt I could use to serve my purposes and threw out everything I could dispense with.

And what I was aiming for first and foremost was to get Caroline the center stage I always felt she deserved, and the love story she could've had with Klaus. So the whole thing is really about that. S1 is the two of them sorting through their differences and understanding their feelings for each other, S2 is the two of them negotiating an actual relationship, S3 is them being married. That's it. I had the best time writing about the two of them through the eyes of the other characters, to have Elijah and Rebekah and Kol and Marcel witnessing and monologuing about Klaroline, all these different points of view on them. And my actual favorite part of the entire story is the part that isn't The Originals at the end of TW2.

So anyway, my point with my TO rewriting was never to fix everything that is wrong with the show. I wasn't writing the version of TO I wish it had been, my ideal spin off. I could've done that, but I didn't, because it's not what the project was ever about when I started. I wanted to keep the show as close to what it is as possible, whilst trying to prove a point (to myself, but also, hopefully, to some other people) that there was a way that this show could've still kept me invested. I'm an easy girl, just give me faves on their journey towards endgame and I'm satisfied, you know.

If you made it to the end of this, congratulations, nonnie 😂 You wanted a yes or no answer and you got a STATEMENT. I'm very sorry for my dumbass response, I've just become *protective* of this fic. If you do read it, I hope you'll find it enjoyable. If not, that's ok too! There are many amazing fics out there for you to be wasting your time on something that won't spark joy for you ❤️ And thanks again for reading my other fics, that's very lovely of you!

[zalrb]

If you don’t mind me asking, why does loumand work for you a bit more than loustat

I don't mind at all! Loumand works for me more because a) the show allowed me to see in scene that their relationship is more fucked up than initially presented whereas Loustat is more me liking the idea of them because season 1 is mostly dialogue and b) I also find it more sinister just more subtle.

So, Loustat is supposed to be this volatile, stormy, all-consuming vortex of a relationship but like I've been saying, I think that's mostly in dialogue that makes me go, I want to see this (including the push pull of sentiments like "I wanted him dead, I wanted him all to myself" "I wanted to be the man" because those lines are voiceovers over Louis' face and while I think Jacob Anderson is a good actor, he doesn't provide the nuance needed for me to see the hatred, love, desire, resentment in his expression for those lines to really get me when it’s just on his face) along with a few key moments -- such as having hate sex in Antoinette's apartment, the reveal of what actually happened when they turned Claudia into a vampire -- that make me go, it should be this all the time.

It's supposed to be insanity and chaos, it's supposed to be this rollercoaster of emotion, like when Louis says "that's Lestat" where he says lies and lies and then says something real, I thought to myself, is that Lestat? Did we really see this before? They are way too contained for me, which is partly why I like making vids for them because I can edit things to be as chaotic as I believe they're supposed to be. I hear them talk about what their dynamic is more than I actually see it, so watching it I get frustrated because it should be more.

Loumand isn't supposed to be insanity and chaos, they are supposed to be light and flirty and then calming and stable and I see that in their interactions

but I also see the other part of why Louis is attracted to his relationship with Armand. Armand is extremely powerful but Louis is in control, he can tell him to take his clothes off and read while he fucks him and Armand will love it

Louis sets the pace, Louis leads.

Or so he thinks.

The show portrayed Armand as somewhat passive and docile for a 500 year old vampire in charge of a coven. We get a sense of his power and what he can do but he only seems to react to potential conflict, which he says

and then we get 2x05 and we get to see what he's like when he's angry and his, "Oh, he's fine. You're fine. This is fine. We're all fine" while torturing Daniel to hurt Louis

and him interrogating Daniel because he's hurt that Louis called him boring,

besides being more interesting to me than something like Lestat bringing soldiers to the house in a temper tantrum because I find Armand's calculated punishment way more insidious (which isn’t to downplay Lestat’s abuse), I am shown that this relationship isn't quite right and Armand isn't toothless.

Not to mention, he doesn't tell Louis that Lestat said "I love you" so if he's withholding that,

combined with what happened with the photos

combined with the fact that Armand had been hovering around the interview from the beginning pretending to be someone else,we're left wondering if this is true

and then when we get to Armand's role in Claudia's death, we're left questioning whether or not this supremely powerful vampire really was as powerless to stop it as he tells us he was

and while Armand's love may be sincere, his protection of Louis may be sincere, is he also maybe emotionally manipulating him to stay?

It's ironic that Louis says this

when it's quite clear that he does need these things and the way Armand even interacts with him in that very fight is him doing the things Louis says he doesn't need.

I'm along for the ride with Loumand and left wondering who is in control, who is manipulating who, and find that the show actually illustrates the subtleties and power shifts etc in more than just moments.

[furiroad]

Furiosa spoilers under the cut 🚗

It's actually staggering how much that movie did not need to exist. Gonna bullet point some thoughts

My sarcastic lol @ the lightning fast sisters cameo at the end where they're all played by completely different people. the quick flash of Cheedo's eyes bc they managed to get Courtney Eaton back for three seconds didn't appease me

I guess it technically passes the bechdel test bc right at the start Furiosa says "be still" to Valkyrie but iirc that's the only pass moment. I know not passing the bechdel test doesn't mean the movie is automatically bad I just think it's interesting considering it's following Fury Road

"she talks to her mother" I don't think they ever said her mum's name out loud

You know how mad max fury road could have a silent version w no dialogue + isolated soundtrack and it worked because you could tell what's going on anyway? This movie has the opposite problem. Way too much talking. They over-explain everything

The best bit was the prolonged torture scene at the end where Hemsworth explains Furiosa's entire character arc and the message of the movie out loud to her and also us

Even his teddy had an arm missing, replaced with a barbie arm. Thanks. We get it

Her arm made robot noises

Actually threw MY arms up in disgust when she went back for that boy she supposedly had a romance with despite the film never bothering to actually show/explain that. I'm calling it a romance because the actors did. I guess it was supposed to be a Capable/Nux parallel but it didn't work for me and not just because I'm a dyke and a hater OK, if you're gonna do a ROMANCE, DO A ROMANCE. don't leave me sitting there wondering why Furiosa is risking it all for some guy she's had ONE conversation with, especially after he offers to get her away from the Citadel and back to where she came from, WHICH IS HER ENTIRE MOTIVE EVER SINCE SHE WAS TAKEN

I DON'T GET IT

Them trying to emulate Max and Furiosa's instinctive, perfect we have to trust each other moment by having Jack and Furiosa... look at each other Meaningfully fifty times while they were supposed to be driving cars? Don't make me laugh! You will never be them!!

Max being there for a second wasn't cute! I rolled my eyes

Same at "remember me?" MAKE UP YOUR OWN STUFF

So many things happened because they needed to happen (plot demanded it) and didn't make any sense in context. My favourite was when Furiosa rode her motorcycle up a dune to get away after cutting off her arm and the biker gang couldn't follow her up there for some reason

So much Christian imagery... threw me off tbh

Considering it's Furiosa's movie it sure isn't about her + she doesn't speak at all for almost the first half

This movie was way too long

I called it about the peach seed

I called it that she cut her own arm off

George Miller read some of my blog but not all of it

You know how The People Eater rubbed his nipple that one time and it was delightfully weird and gross and got a good reaction? Well in this movie he's constantly rubbing it, the whole time. Really lessens the impact of the nipple rub

As you can see this movie has made me insane

Like this is not really about the nipple rub but do you get what I'm saying here

Furiosa spends most of the movie hiding her hair (because as we all know, having long hair immediately identifies you as a woman) and then when her head covering gets knocked off and her hair is revealed (omg she's a girl) she leaves it like that and becomes an Imperator. On what planet

The history man frames the entire movie for some reason. Do they show Miss Giddy? Take a wild guess

One of the coolest parts of fury road was that a gang of bikers ended up being hardcore wasteland grannies w guns and loose morals in response to people fucking around for far too long without finding out. Did this movie have anything like that for me? Take a wild guess for a second time

The car fight scenes weren't even that great. Couldn't remember hearing any good music under them (brother in arms truly lightning in a bottle) and they went on for too long which feels wild to say about suped up car battles in the australian wasteland: 2 but oh well. This is how I feel. Fury Road was so good at carefully measuring out high octane action and then downtime and careful, quiet character introspection and this movie had no idea what it was doing either way

Honestly I don't hate it but I feel like it was a waste of time and it doesn't need to exist at all. A real nothing experience. Am I going to see this movie ten times in cinemas? No I am not even going to see it twice in cinemas

I don't know what I was expecting.

oh my god also they played clips of Fury Road over the credits as if to say "remember how fucking good this is in comparison to the dumb shit you just watched"

[slashthrashandcrash]

Okay, I had to go see what JedMEg was for myself and now I'm hooked. Can you talk more about them? Like does Meg ever find out the truth and how she reacts, for example?

I had to go digging for the last ask (here) about them just to remember where I left off in my insane ramblings lmao

So my original idea for this AU was that there is no fog, meaning once the Jed Olsen cover is purposely blown as per the lore, then it's totally game over, there's no Entity to whisk Danny away from the fall out. But that's part of the problem, isn't it? He's gone and gotten himself a little too attached to what was supposed to be a fake girlfriend, a girlfriend who's in love with a man that doesn't exist rather than the actor playing him.

Normally when he would snag himself a partner to accompany whatever persona he was putting on, Danny would kill them just before he skipped down. That satisfying moment of betrayal in their eyes, the soul crushing realization that everything was a facade, a convenience, that he never even liked them enough to give them a quick death no matter how many sweet "I love you"s he told them prior. As well as just another "fuck you" to the cops and community for how close under their noses he had been all along.

But he can't do that with Meg. He has no idea why, it was never this difficult before, but he's also never felt this way about any partner in general either. Fucking hell, he's really gone and gotten a crush on a pretty little redhead, huh? It doesn't matter, Jed Olsen was never someone who was meant to be around long term, and it's about high time he moves on since eyes are starting to shift towards him a bit. As much as it weirdly twists his heart to abandon Meg and leave her behind with the awful truth of who he really is to come out to the public afterwards, he knows it's for the best. Well...best for himself, anyways. And maybe for her, too, so that she's not entirely caught up in the shitstorm (of course, being the very public girlfriend of the now most wanted suspect in an ongoing murder case isn't going to be an easy ride...)

And Meg is beyond horrified to say the least. She still can't comprehend the entirety of the betrayal, that not only would her boyfriend leave her without a word, but that he would leave her because he was the very same murderer who had been harassing her for weeks! The one he was closely reporting on, the one whose ass Meg would try to kick every time he broke into her home, the one who used to threaten her "boyfriend" when they were in fact the same person. Everything she ever knew about him was a lie while she unfairly shared her whole heart to him. Not only that, but it's near impossible for her to try and imagine sweet, dorky, shy Jed being anything remotely close to a coldhearted killer. He couldn't even open a sauce jar half the time!! And you're telling her he can easily overpower multiple victims and haul their bodies around for sick poses???

Now Jed (?) is still out there, still on the loose, and Meg has no idea what to do. Reporters are hounding her for a statement. Police want to wring her dry for any clues or information that might help. People stare and spread rumors about just how "involved" she might have been from the start. And what if he decides to come back in the end, to tie up the loose end he left behind for whatever reason, is she even safe here anymore? Well, not for long, because that stupid ache in Danny's chest still hasn't subsided...it almost feels like it's gotten worse. It's not remorse or guilt, it's longing. He wants his bunny back, he liked how she felt sleeping in his bed and holding his hand and smiling so perfectly for a candid shot when she wasn't looking.

The dirty laundry has already been aired. They could start fresh, in theory. Whether she wanted to or not.

Although again, this was only the original idea I had when I first started making brainrot. There are so so so many new paths I've ended up concocting for them...if Meg found out Jed was a killer right before he left by catching him in the act or fitting in too many pieces herself...if Meg refused to believe Jed was the killer and was instead framed by Ghostface who she now has to hunt down for answers about Jed's real whereabouts...if they got taken into the fog shortly after that anyways per canon with Meg either not knowing or not believing that Jed is Danny/Ghostface while he keeps up the ruse to avoid her truly hating him (plus the outcome for when Meg does find out the truth while they're stuck in this hellhole)...if they were taken into the fog while he was still Jed and then him having to painfully confess why he was put into the killer camp and having to live with the heartbreak he's trapped her with...

[starlightandfairies]

Dancing in the Moonlight ~Austin Butler~

Description: Reader and Austin have a fluffy date in the park, late at night where they can just be the two of them without any fans and paparazzi.

Warnings: fluff

Key: Y/N = Your Name, POV = Point of view

Word Count: 1,141

Requests are open! I've only just started my crush on Austin so I'm still learning things about him, so please be nice about any inaccuracies. Also, I haven't written something in 2nd POV in a very long time, so please be easy if it's not that great.

Being in a relationship with someone who was an actor was difficult, especially when you were not in the celebrity world and just someone out of the spotlight. Austin was a private person, especially when it came to social media, and also with his relationship with you. Austin was having a hard time with his new growth of fame after his big role, playing Elvis in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis. He met you not long after filming had been completed and was in awe of your every move and existence. 

Austin wanted to keep his life with you as private as possible, not because he was ashamed to be with you but because he wanted you to be safe and let you have less struggle with dealing with tabloids and the fans who were as supportive as the others. The relationship between the two of you was difficult to have in public, going on dates was hard because, as lovely as they were, fans would be coming up and asking for photos and autographs, ruining any sweet moments between you two. Paparazzi would be bombarding the dates and tabloids would constantly be saying that you were just some insane fan that managed to be dating the star and was only with him for the money. 

However, there were days were the two of you could have peace, would be able to have days where you'd both be out in public without being seen and could have the sweet time and privacy that offered the two of you to have the dates and time together you both wanted. 

For the last couple of weeks, the two of you could barely leave the house together, paparazzi would practically be surrounding the shared house, swarming you both with questions and closing you in a circle while you tried to get past to get in and out of the driveway. Austin wanted you to be safe, you had been mildly injured because of their lack of personal space, and he was getting sick of seeing you have grazes or being pushed around because they were each trying to get in to ask you a question. 

As you laid in bed, reading a book, Austin came in with a flustered look and made his way over to you, placing the book down and holding your arms out for him. 

"Are they being difficult again, love?" You asked gently, Austin nodded and flopped on the bed beside you, pulling you into his arms. Austin took a couple of breaths, just wanting to be able to get off the property without being surrounded by people asking him tons of questions. 

"Yeah, sweetheart... I'm getting real tired of not being able to take you out for some peace and quiet." 

"I know, love... but we're here together now. Just you and me." Austin smiled as he heard your words, he rested a kiss on your forehead and smiled lightly. 

"Sweetheart, wear something warm tonight, I just had an idea." You nodded, smiling lightly at him and giggled as he placed kisses across your face, giving gentle kisses to you and holding you close as he embraced you to his chest. 

"Any particular style?" 

"Whatever you're most comfortable in, sweetheart."

Later during the night, around 10:30, you still hadn't eaten. Austin told you to not eat until the two of you went out, you waited in the car and kept the jacket wrapped around you as you waited for Austin to join you in the car. You heard the boot open and shut, watching as he came around from the back of the car and sat beside you in the driver's seat. 

"You gonna tell me what's going on?" 

"No, you'll find out soon, sweetheart." You nodded at the response, smiling gently at him as he leaned over and gently cupped your face in his hands. The man rested his lips upon yours, kissing you sweetly but deeply. You sat back with a giddy expression, watching the world outside as he drove around and parked somewhere. 

Being the kindhearted man that Austin is, he walked to the side and opened the door for you, helping you out and helping with getting your jacket on. Austin grabbed out a basket from the back, walked over to you and wrapped his arm around your waist and started leading you through the warmly lit park. 

"So, what do you have planned?" 

"You've got no patience, sweetheart." 

"I have patience, I just want to know what's going on." He smiled, staring at you with love in his eyes, and rested a kiss on your cheek before stopping and grabbing a blanket from it. He handed you the blanket, which you started to place on the ground and smiled as he started grabbing food out to place on the blanket. 

"I've got all your favourite foods, sweetheart and all your favourite treats." 

"You love me." You smiled at him, brightly, laughing as he pulled you up and swung you around. 

"I do love you." He whispered back, resting you down and sat down with you to get some food out. The two of you ate, enjoying the peacefulness of the night and the quietness of the world. After most of the food had been eaten, Austin dragged you up, smiling lovingly at you and placed a song on. 

'At Last' by Etta James started playing, you smiled at him and sighed contently as he gently wrapped his arms around you, placing them in a way were he could hold you and sway along with the music to make it all, sweet and pretty with a gentle sway. 

"I love you." He whispered, staring at you gently, smiling as he gently spun you around and then continued to dance with you. Your head rest against Austin's chest, listening to the music and listening to his heart beat. 

"I love you more." You whispered back to him, glancing up at him and smiling as he moved a hand to your face and rested a long, loving and deep kiss on your lips. 

"I'm glad I get to spend the night with you. I'm glad it's just you and me, sweetheart." Austin looked relaxed, more so than he had been the last few weeks from being surrounded by people who refused to give them any curtousy of space and time. 

"Well, I quite like dancing with you under the moonlight, so... how about that on every full moon you take me here and you and I can dance like this every month." 

"That sounds wonderful, sweetheart." He rested another kiss on your lips, humming as he continued the song that had just finished and smiled as you joined in as well. 

[princeasimdiya12]

Bucchigiri Finale Thoughts

So I watched Episode 12 earlier today and had some time to think things over. And unfortunately, I realized that I didn't like this episode very much. Granted there are a good amount of moments that I did enjoy and contributed well to the main themes of the series. But there were too many moments that I felt undercut my enjoyment of the show. So fair warning, a lot of what I have to say is fairly critical and kinda negative. If you agree or disagree with anything I've said here, feel free to reblog this with your own comments. And if you're not into negativity, feel free to ignore this.

But I will start by mentioning the things I did like.

Just like everyone and their gyoza-making mothers, I loved the final fight scenes. The choreography was well executed and I thought the animation was top notch, both when it came to Senya vs Ichiya and Arajin vs Matakara. I really liked how in depth they went with the fighting sequences and the dark colors fit really well with the tone of the drama of the scene. The emotional range between the fighters felt incredible; the actors truly gave it their all when going about their fights.

And the part with Arajin mustering the power to save Matakara was beautifully done. I was in awe when Arajin brought up how Matakara became the very monster he tried desperately to destroy which really got a crack on his defenses. The sequence of Arajin reaching out to Matakara's inner child to help him out of his despair was gorgeous. Especially since Ara-chan used the Friendship Stone both to help the inner child and later when telling his old friend that he's not alone anymore. That was really great and genuine character growth, especially since Arajin accepted that he was in the wrong for leaving him all the time.

And as I mentioned in an earlier post, I did love the first scene with Arajin meeting Matakara for the first time. But as a twist, it was Arajin who was inspired by Matakara's dedication to being a Honki Person and volunteered himself to train alongside his new friend. That was a great twist and it adds new depths to how Arajin was actually inspiried by his old friend and not the other way around like we believed for so long.

So those were the parts that I genuinely enjoyed. Now for the parts I didn't really like..

On one hand, while it is nice that Zabu wasn't brutally beaten to subconsciousness, I do kiinda wish that he did have to be hospitalized. It just feels so off-putting how he's relatively okay despite being brutally mauled by Matakara only a few hours ago. Especially since Marito and Kenichirou wound up in the hospital after losing to Matakara. Plus I feel like it undercuts the drama and severity of the situation by having Zabu be fine enough to look for Matakara. It doesn't help that he and Komao don't really do much apart from running around trying to find their friend.

Also, I hope I'm not the only one but did anyone else feel uncomfortable with this scene?

I understand that Mahoro did it in a desperate bid to bring her brother back but the way she described Kenichirou here was just... gross.

Not insane, not weird, not quirky, not even ridiculous.

It was just gross for me to see her dehumanize one of the few dark skinned characters on the show. Even if he's not black/black coded, it still rubs me the wrong way that she would say those things so casually. Especially since Japan can be really casual when it comes to making racist/offensive remarks to brown skinned people in it's media. Plus there are tons of other ways she could have referred to him without calling him a gorilla. Like meathead, blockhead, oaf, ogre. Any other insult could have worked and been more acceptable than the ape insult. And it's unfortunately consistent since she did call him a gorilla during the Gang War Arc.

And then there's this part...

I don't know if it was Mahoro's doing or if that's what the original nurses did, but it was just uncalled for. Both for the unspoken racism and for how it doesn't even apply to Kenichirou's character. Out of the three banchos, he's always been the least violent and was always shown to be tranquil and easy to work with, unlike Marito and Akutaro who were more unhinged, wild and violent in comparison. There shouldn't be any reason for him to behave so violently that the staff would resort to shackling him like an animal. Especially given how defeated he looked when Matakara beat him in a fight.

Another reason why I dislike this scene is because the characters involved (Mahoro, Marito, Kenichirou) do nothing to contribute to the final duel between Arajin and Matakara. None of these characters actually show up until the end when Matakara apologizes to everyone. You could have made it so that during the apology scenes, the two gang leaders could have shown up while covered in bandages or crutches. There really isn't a need to show us Marito waking up since we could get that later on in the end with Matakara apologizing to Siguma Squad.

The same can be argued for Zabu, Komao, Outa, Jabashiri and Hagure. Even though they spend most of their time hunting down Matakara and Arajin, they don't exactly contribute to the final duel or offer any words to the main heroes. They just show up and the duo resolve their problem like nothing.

Regarding Ichiya's secret of him dying, while it's not the worst reason for him to be so insistent on fighting Senya, I do wish there was more build up or at least some hints to it. It just feels like a random reason for why Ichiya developed his grudge against Senya. It's not the worst reason and it does make sense for why he wanted to die like a Honki Person instead of to a random illness, it just leaves a bad taste to how it happened to him out of randomness.

And wow, Arajin is never going to overcome the internet hating him for being a perverted simp mc.

In a way, it makes some sense since Arajin's character arc was never about respecting women or learning that there's other ways to be a man apart from stealing a girl's virginity. That was never the focus as the story wanted him to confront his mistake of abandoning his old friend and not running away from his problems. That said, this still won't look good for him since fans are going to be turned off of Bucchigiri because of his perversions and how the show doesn't encourage him to change.

And as I've come to realize, the show itself doesn't seem to mind with the characters not growing out of their negative vices. A critique I have is that the show doesn't go out of it's way to challenge the beliefs of these characters or push them to grow into better people. Arajin is perfectly okay with being rude to everyone while pursuing a girl just so he can lose his virginity to her, Mahoro continues to lust over her older brother and has no interest in anything else, Marito is still a bloodthirsty bad boy who lives and breathes fighting, Kenichirou doesn't mind repeating high school as long as he gets to run Minato Kai, even Yayako prefers to act like a bubbly airhead rather then act like a responsible and respectful adult. And even with Matakara's corruption arc, he doesn't really recognize how harmful his idolization of Arajin was since the focus was more on his loneliness and trauma of being alone. Maybe because I'm spoiled by Mob Psycho 100, but it saddens me to see how these characters don't grow into better people or make an effort to change themselves. Especially since there can be potential for all of them.

And while I'm glad that Arajin and Matakara were able to become friends again, it feels like a letdown that there's no build up to it. It just rushes straight to them becoming friends again without acknowledging their negative attributes. Th same with puppy boy getting everyone to just accept him with no repercussions or consequences. It feels like letdown as there were no serious consequences for his actions. Like he could just go on a despair-induced rampage again and they'll just keep accepting him. On paper it's rather wholesome, but it does feel contrived if everything just works out without problems or how Matakara doesn't need to work hard to earn their forgiveness. That would have been for a greater character moment and to show Matakara taking responsibility for his actions. But we never see Matakara doing that and him being accepted by the gang feels rather hollow. It's technically nice that he has his friends back and that SS won't have his heart on a stick, but it feels hollow.

Speaking of taking non-responsibilities and being accepted by the gangs, Akutaro is now back with the NG Boys and they're accepting of him?

I really do wish we could have had a scene that explains how the heck he was able to win back his old gang despite them professing that they weren't going to let him beat them around like before. It just feels offputting that Akutaro is back in charge and has their respect with zero explanation or even any build up to it. He spent all his time trying out different jobs and activities but nothing to suggest that he wants to go back to his old club again.

Not to mention that this is still bad news for Minato Kai since Akutaro still has his hatred for Kenichirou and still longs to destroy him. And given how he also hasn't grown out of his negative vices, it's more than likely he'll come up with a new plan to destroy them albeit a different approach. Though the other gangs will be aware of him trying to wreak havoc on them again, I sincerely doubt that that'll stop Akutaro from having his revenge. And with the NG Boys and Girls behind his back, he definitely has a shot at it.

Then there's the resolution with the Nyan Nyaight Love segment. While it was endearing with the Receptionist wanting to help out the Customer, I'm just trying to wrap around the logic behind the Receptionist accepting him again.

It doesn't make sense to me how he'd be accepting of the guy who abducted one of your prized cats, lose her, and then just welcome him back with another cat. It's setting up a cycle for the Customer to fall in love with a new cat only for him to become obsessed with her and then try to steal the cat out of "love". And while the show focuses on him learning to lose his shame of visiting NNL, it doesn't try to challenge his dependency on cats for company along with his hostile jealousy.

Is the Receptionist aware of this potential problem and how it can happen again to another cat? Is the manager of NNL willing to accept the Customer again along with the risk of jeopardizing his business? I can't imagine how difficult it must be to promote a cat only to lose it because of a depressed nutjob.

Also, to the anon who was grossed out by Arajin's mom, I'd like to give a complete apology to you for refuting your claims. Because this...

This was not necessary.

I mean, it is interesting to know that Marito shows attraction to girls/women which gives more depth to his character. And while it is weird for him to hit on an older women, it's still technically okay since it is normal for teens/youth to show attraction to adults that catch their interest.

But what isn't okay is Yayako's reaction to his attention.

Again, she is a grown woman getting over excited because a teenage boy is trying to hit on her. And she's okay with this? Like ma'am, not only is that concerning because of the blatant age differences but you're also a married woman (according to the additional info). How are you so lenient with being hit on by a guy who could pass for your son? Like really? I used to think of Yayako as a quirky, wholesome woman who needed to not let her son treat her like trash. But now I'm seriously questioning her values and how she treats everything in her life like a soap opera.

In regards to Mitsukuni being in a coma and waking up, it was... okay. Like I'm happy that Matakara will get his big brother back and they'll be able to move into an apartment like they wanted to. But I feel that the reveal of him being in a coma undercut alot of the emotional turmoil Matakara went through. I don't know, it just feels rather hollow knowing that Mitsukuni was always there and was going to make it out alive while his little brother was running around like a war machine. It's conflicting in all honesty.

But what isn't conflicting was how much I really didn't care much for Senya returning in the last shot. I wasn't moved by Senya showing up in the last scene or how Arajin secretly missed him. Maybe it's because of how Arajin constantly yelled at him or acted like he didn't care. And while he does care in his own way, I just felt disinterested in the reunion and I had no strong emotions of Senya returning. It doesn't help that the part with Senya and Ichiya "leaving" didn't really have alot of emotional depth to make the reunion more impactful. Senya not coming back would not have me upset.

And those would be my thoughts on the final episode. For those who stuck around to read all of this, I thank you for doing so. And to those that stuck around, I apologize for the excessive negativity. And like I mentioned above, you're more than welcome to reblog this with your thoughts and whether you agreed, disagreed or have something to say regarding my post.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this along with my other posts for this ridiculous show. Your feedback means alot to me and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Nana na na, Nana na na, Nana na na na na...

[cromearts]

so i watched interview with the vampire.

and you're gonna be like "laila, i thought you like to watch things after the hype has died down" well i thought so too but they put it on netflix and the brainworms got to me. i watched both seasons in a weekend. i'm gonna read the books next. usually i really don't like shows where the characters you follow are just "so complex!!!1!!!!1" and "hard to understand!!!1!!!!1" because a lot of the time this is just a cheap copout for people who want to fuck very surface level villains with very surface level writing (a lot of you have let fanon make you think some characters are deeper than they actually are but thats a story for another day) but i am SO happy to report that this is NOT the case for interview with the vampire. you have so many conflicting feelings for all of these characters (except claudia. i do in fact support her every decision. love that queen. my princess.) and it's just so good. this is the true drama people are looking for on tv. kind of wish it was on during the era of cable cuz you KNOW it would've been craycray. going into this, i really was expecting to completely dislike lestat but honestly i can't even say that. i love him and i hate him. the same way i love and hate louis and i love and hate armand. claudia and daniel are really the only characters that i love unconditionally. but there are so many scenes that just really pull on my heart strings. the finale where lestat says "armand called me, did you hurt yourself?" with those SAD ASS EYES. i don't know if people have already said this but whenever lestat is really sad sam reid puts on these puppy eyes that practically FORCE you to feel bad its insane. and louis.......... the man who is fumbled over and over again constantly. my favorite unreliable narrator. seeing how the "turning of claudia REALLY went down lowkey rewired some neurons. "please ill do anything ill be anything please please please." the guilt was literally eating him alive to the point of no return. that had me really gagged. jacob anderson lowkey best actor ever? like where are the awards we need them right now. and armand......... oh armand. biggest fumbler ive ever seen. its okay though cuz he's gonna fuck that old man. i know he is. but him lying over and over again to louis is actually so crazy. like bro is a pathological liar AND a gaslighter. you've been alive for over five hundred years and i can tell you havent gone to therapy not one time in your entire life. like for him to take the credit for lestat saving louis is what REALLY got me. like lowkey that's worse than the betrayal itself. like 70 years of mending back together our relationship after you killed my daughter and almost me only for me to find out MY EX SAVED ME? AND NOT YOU? like oh i would've really crashed out. and my dear claudia.... my favorite. it's so crazy like i will absolutely not allow any claudia slander because i can defend her from anything. like i genuinely do not think any "bad" thing claudia does is her fault because she literally did not ask for this. like you can argue that it made her life WORSE! instead of simply dying in that moment, she had to die later after suffering so much and THEN proceeding to experience happiness for one moment (insert the have you ever gotten everything you ever wanted? no. but i once got very close quote here). claudia did nothing but suffer, was treated seriously by NO ONE in her life, and the one time someone picks her, they both proceed to die immediately after. that genuinely upset me so much i wanted to turn the tv off. and the crazy thing is we ALL knew claudia was going to die because they talked about her in past tense THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW! LIKE I KNEW SHE WAS DEAD THE ENTIRE TIME! AND I STILL WANTED TO SMASH THE TV! it's actually insane. at least in her final moments madeleine chose her. which was done very beautifully in my opinion. "my coven is claudia." goosebumps man. because a lot of people probably would've chosen the other option but no not madeleine. she loved claudia more than she wanted to live. i love this show man.

[skinnymeanfaggot]

4... "Stay. Please stay."

RUBBING MY FUCKING HANDS TOGETHER sehnsucht spoilers and tw for slight slight ableism?

Everything was going great for Sana, so it was only a matter of time before it all fell apart again.

It was the sound of coins hitting the floor that alerted him to what was happening. There was a soft “Oh fuck”, and Sana threw the covers off of him and jumped out of bed. Even in the darkness he could see Eva's form hunching over to pick up a bag of coins they must have dropped; Sana had to appreciate how they at least left some gold on the dresser for him. It didn't stop him from barreling into them and pinning them against the door.

“What are you doing, Eva?” Sana whispered, even though he knew exactly what they were doing. They were abandoning him. Again.

“Sana,” Eva breathed. “I know this looks bad, but trust me, I'm doing this for you.” There was genuine pain in their eye - were there any the last time? Or were they glad to go, and leave everything they had together behind?

“No - no, you're not. You're leaving me again.” It felt like he was being stabbed in the heart. Oh, God, this pain, he hasn't felt this since he came back to find their hideout ransacked - was it this bad before? It had to be worse. “Why, Eva? I thought we worked this all out - why are you doing this to me again?”

“I - I'm not trying to -” The realization seemed to hit them, and Eva slumped against the door. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to - to do this to you again, I don't want to hurt you - it's just -”

“Just what?” Hot tears stung at the corners of Sana's eyes. “Just fucking what? What excuse do you have for me this time?”

“I - I - ” Eva's eyes began to water. “It's - it's because -”

Sana expected a grand confession, but what came from their lips was hardly a whimper.

“I'm cursed.”

“What… are you talking about?” Fucking what? He scanned their face desperately for any hint of sarcasm, but they were on the verge of sobbing. Eva was a good actor, but not that good. “What do you mean by that?” He swallowed, his grip on their cloak slowly beginning to loosen.

“If I - I l-l-love - someone,” Suddenly Eva burst into tears. They sunk to the floor and began heaving for air. “When I-I l-love… someone, they die.”

Sana stared down at them with wide eyes. He knew a lot about magic; there was no curse that could do that. They must have been lying, but then…

Eva was curled up in a fetal position, their long tail wrapped tightly around them. Each sob ripped a hole in Sana's heart, and he couldn't - he couldn't bring himself to be mad anymore.

“Why do you think that?” He whispered softly, settling on the floor next to them.

Eva lifted their head, just enough for Sana to see a glowing white eye narrow in frustration. “I d-don't think it,” Eva hiccuped. “I know it. It's - it happened before. And it's g-going to happen to y-you - if I stay -” They let out a wail. “I know y-you d-d-don't want - m-m-m-me to -” Sana gently, gently placed a hand on their shoulder as Eva desperately sucked in some air. “- leave but it's t-the only way - way I can keep you - s-safe…”

Sana… Sana was at a loss.

He hadn't seen Eva like this since when they first ran away together. He was more cruel back then, he had to admit; he remembered staring blankly as they wept and secretly hoping they would shut up. But now - he was still upset, but it was like a switch flipped in him.

“Okay.” Sana settled up beside them and pressed his side against theirs. “I understand.” He didn't fucking understand. His emotions were shut off, but distantly, under a layer of fog, there was some anger at the situation. Eva was either telling an incredible lie, or they were batshit fucking insane. Sana didn't know which was worse. “So, the curse makes it so the people you love die. Do you love me?”

Eva was dead silent. At the same time, their tail began to twitch, and the tips of their long ears darkened considerably.

In any other circumstance, Sana would be overjoyed. Instead he just felt hollow. “Why do you have to leave?” He wanted to sound calm, rational, but instead the words came out pitifully, as if he was a little kid.

“I have to -” Eva sniffled. “I have to. To k-keep you s-safe.”

You're hurting me! Sana took a deep breath. “And that's why you left before?”

Eva nodded, and looked up at him with a wet eye. It at least seemed like they were beginning to calm down, which was a relief to Sana, because he felt like he was going to crumble to pieces.

“It was so you'd stay alive.” They sounded so sure of themself, Sana wanted to punch them. “I'm sorry for taking your things. I thought - if you hated m-me… things would be better.”

“But you left me.” The shell around Sana was beginning to crack. “I saved you, and you left me. And now you're leaving again -”

“I have to,” Eva whispered. “I'm sorry -”

“You don't!” He exploded. “You don't have to leave, you - you can stay - you're - you're just - you can stay, please!” Now it was Sana's turn to gasp for air, to choke and flounder like a fish out of water, to start bawling like a dumb child who didn't get their way - “Eva you - you aren't cursed you don't have to leave please - please don't leave I'll do anything -”

“Sana,” Eva whispered, and they were looking up at him with shock and horror but Sana couldn't care because everything was falling apart and he was just trying to pick up the pieces -

“Please,” he sobbed, and grabbed onto their cloak tightly. “Stay. Please, stay. Please, Eva, I can't lose you again. Please stay.”

“I-I - I -” For a moment, there was silence, and then Sana felt their hand on his shoulder. “Okay.”

HEHEHEH THIS PROMPT WAS PERFECT FOR THEM AND SANAS ABANDONMENT ISSUES. HEHEHEHE

eva is arkris aka my dnd oc and sana is their boyfriend rival thing. they were in a thieves guild together but ran away. when they got captured again sana used magic to help get eva away before they were executed but when he managed to escape he found they were NOT waiting for him but they just kinda took everything and left. and when he finally finds them again they explain their "curse" (in otherwords this isnt technically canon sadly, because in canon they had this conversation already) and they kiss and makeup. then theyre together again but sana still has to deal with eva acting up.

eva has ocd and ptsd from watching someone they loved die in front of them and has the delusion that their love will make people die. so if they ever get a crush on or start caring for other people they just abandon them. which is very normal of them to do. unfortunately it left sana with huge abandonment issues and bpd. he also kind of minimizes his own trauma a lot so when he sees them breaking down he tries to act as a caretaker and push down his own feelings. its really cool

[jupitermelichios]

What the fuck is Riverdale actually about anyway?

that's not an easy question to answer, but I've been asked it a lot, so I'm going to do my best.

disclaimer: while the plot summaries are accurate, my interpretation of the themes is just my interpretation. other fans might disagree, and that's valid. unless it's about season 6. if you disagree with me about season 6, you're wrong. archie literally sings bread and roses. union busting is compared to mass murder. that one's not up for debate.

Season 1

[ID: a promo image for riverdale season 1, showing the characters of betty, veronica, and archie in the diner, while cheryl, josie, and jughead pose dramatically outside the window. The words 'riverdale series premier tonight' are superimposed over the picture]

The Plot: the murder of a highschool student leads his classmates to discover that the adults in their small town are all hiding dark secrets. also there's a love triangle.

What it's actually about: mostly just that, tbh. there's not a lot of subtext in season 1. This is the season where they let showrunner Roberto Aguierra-Sacassa (he of glee and pretty little liars infamy) write stuff, before the writers all barricaded themselves in the writing room and started writing plots which are just about how much they hate him and his ideas

Season 2

[ID: a screencap, showing archie posing with the vigilante gang he starts. the gang is made up of shirtless men wearing red balaclavas. archie is wearing a blue shirt and his face is uncovered, because when you're bating a serial killer it's important to let them know what you look like]

The Plot: A serial killer, the black hood, begins terrorising the town. Jughead accepts his birthright and joins a biker gang. Meanwhile Veronica's gangster father begins trying to take over the town so he can commit crimes with impunity

What it's actually about: this season is mostly a series of increasingly self-aware riffs on different horror and thriller subgenres. It's the transition between the uninspired first season and the genre-parodies that make up the rest of the show, so it's not as tight as other seasons. It does feature an episode which is almost entirely just the writer being real pissed off about aguira-sacassa framing a teacher-student relationship as romantic and consensual in season 1, in which the teacher in question is shown to be a serial abuser and then immediately brutally murdered because of it, and ngl, that was pretty based.

Season 3

[ID: a screencap, showing the main actors playing their character's parents in a flashback to the first gargoyle king murder. the characters are dressed as fantasy stereotypes; a paladin, rogue, warrior-king, nobleman, and wizard. they are pointing their weapons at someone off screen]

The Plot: A new serial killer, the gargoyle king, begins terrorising the town and seems to be connected to a ttrpg which mind controls its players. Meanwhile a cult which claims to allow its members to contact the dead has started recruiting at the school. Also Archie is sent to prison for a murder he didn't commit and forced to participate in an underground fightclub but that only lasts like 5 episodes.

What it's actually about: wouldn't it be ridiculous if the shit people believed during the satanic panic was true? wouldn't that be insane? wouldn't it be unbelievable. wouldn't be insane if, say, a huge portion of trump voters still believed in the satanic panic? tell me you believe in the satanic panic, i dare you, i fucking dare you-

Season 4

[ID: a screencap showing the entire cast dressed as Hedwig from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, with blond wigs, blue eye make-up, denim miniskirts, and high-healed boots]

The Plot: Jughead gets involved in a murderous battle to become the new ghost-writer for a hardy boys parody that ends with him faking his own death. Archie starts a boxing club for underpriviledged youth but Veronica's dad keeps trying to shut it down because he thinks Archie might be going to uncover his illegal paladium smuggling ring. Veronica becomes a bootlegger and opens a speakeasy because she wants her dad to respect her and thinks the only way to get that is by being the fucking worst before she realises that actually he sucks and she shouldn't care what he thinks.

What it's actually about: rich people are the fucking worst and we should probably just kill all of them. Listen. Listen, they're evil. It's very important to all the writers that you know this. They're all evil.

Season 5

[ID: a screencap showing what is referred to in the show as mothman, a boney humanoid with no hair, ridges over its eyes, and boney stubs that may be the tops of wings growing out of its back]

The Plot: following a 7 year timeskip, the gang return to Riverdale as adults and try to stop the town from being discorporated and demolished by Veronica's dad to make way for a new property developement. Betty hunts a serial killer who's been targetting sex workers in the area. Also Cheryl starts a Maple Syrup-themed cult and controls bees with her mind.

What it's actually about: Honestly, this season is mostly just about genre parodies. They're good genre parodies, don't get me wrong, but there's not a lot of coherent theming.

Season 6

[ID: a screencap, showing archie topless and tied to a saint andrew's cross, wearing a crown made of antlers. cheryl is standing in front of him wearing a red robe, elaborate headdress, and holding a knife, as she prepares to sacrifice him to ensure a good maple syrup harvest]

The Plot: after riverdale colides with a parallel universe, the gang find they have developed superpowers which are all related to their key character traits, which they must use to battle an evil wizard called percival pickens who is trying to destroy the world using a magical train. the genre parodies get weird this season, because a lot of them are comics riffs rather than movie or tv riffs. also there's an extended alan wake parody.

What it's actually about: Unionize. Unionize right the fuck now. Why are you not already in a union? Don't you know joining a union will literally improve your changes of getting into heaven? Look at Archie Andrews singing bread and roses and tell me you still think unions are bad you coporate bootlicking piece of shit!

Season 7 (so far)

[ID: a promotional image for season 7, showing betty, archie, and veronica wearing costumes based on the archie comics of the 1950s. They are sitting in the diner, and Berry and Veronica are each holding one of archie's hands]

The Plot: as a result of stopping the evil wizard in S6, the gang are sent back in time to the 1950s with no memory of their previous lives, where they are once again in highschool. Jughead has been told by an angel to make the town more just as this will help the angel bring them back to their own time, but someone is commiting murders and framing kids in the highschool for them. also there's an extended reference to alex hirsch's fight with disney S&P over gravity falls, which I did not see coming

What it's actually about (so far): oh, you think this show would be better if it was set in the 50s? You do know the 50s were the fucking worst, right? You do know the apple pie america the archie comics are set in never existed, right? you do know people who insist the 50s were a great decade are all racist homophobic sexist pieces of shit, right? right?!

[kalena-henden]

Destined With You Final Thoughts

THE GOOD

Rowoon - Every new role I see him in (Extraordinary You and Tomorrow), I feel like he's grown leaps and bounds as an actor. Here he got to be literally be EVERYTHING. He was an arrogant emotionless jerk, a lovesick puppy who says the cutest most ridiculously things, a serious no-nonsense professional who's great at his job, a man struggling with his feelings and choices, a devoted protective lover, gutted and sobbing over life or death circumstances, respectful patient attentive boyfriend, an impulsive and passionate lover. I know we say ALL THE EMOTIONS sometimes but he literally when through them all.

Jo Bo Ah - Hongjo was a hard character for me because she was so passive and let everyone walk all over her again and again. Her saving grace is she always stood up to Shinyu and eventually learned to stand up to those around her. I could easily be annoyed with this character if it was played by a less competent actress.

Ha Joon - I enjoyed his turn as a suave lawyer who's actually a total dork in his personal life so much so that I started watching his new 50-episode family drama, Live Your Own Life, where he's finally the male lead with his own romance. Jaekyung came as Hongjo's sage guide when she needed him and happily exited when she was settled. Honestly, not a bad arc for a SML.

Shinyu's mom, Shinyu's lawyer friend, Hongjo's Landlady, Uram and his grandfather, and Shinyu's assistant - These characters were alot of fun and added to the depth of the story. I wish we had actually gotten more development from them which would have filled out this story a bit better.

Symbolism & Magic - This show is rife with well thought out symbolism. Love all the flower/plant stuff around Hongjo (Bloom) and Shinyu (Groot) equating to a blossoming and thriving relationship. The magic is actually pretty well explained and is there if you're interested in it.

THE BAD

Dropping the Magic Halfway Through - I am EXTREMELY disappointed in a show billed as a FANTASY ROMANCE that went to painstaking care to introduce the spells and curses to be like oops! don't care if the spells worked or not but we kinda care if the big curse is real cause we want to keep Shinyu in perpetual danger. Like I have ZERO respect that the FANTASTY aspect was dropped (and no the reincarnation plotline doesn't count). I feel hoodwinked and things make even less sense now. It's basically a JJ Abrams Mystery Box level of non-sensical bulls*t which is one of the main reasons I stopped watching most Western shows. It also leaves MASSIVE holes about how and why the Gardener and Nayeon started working together as well how did they learn about and come to believe the curses would even work. It was just she's a backstabbing two-faced bully and he's an insane murderer but zilch on their motivations. I really wanted a mini-montage of the black magic curses that were so well foreshadowed. I'm unsure if this was a writing call or directing call because in Korea the directors have final edit rights, not the writers. What got left on the cutting room floor?

Hongjo's coworkers - Why were they so terrible and unfunny the entire time? They were also irrelevant to the plot. The only good thing was her boss stopping the others from bullying Hongjo. It wasted time that could have been given to the side characters l liked (see above).

Noble Idiocracy & Repetitive Danger - I'm not sure which is worse that they repeatedly put themselves in danger time after time (even when bad things kept happening to them) or they broke up or stayed apart for the other person's 'benefit'. *face palm* If it was a great story, I can forgive some of this but...

The Pacing/Editing - If they had done a big reveal of the magic and other stuff at the end that really brought things to a climax, I would be like yeah it was slow at points but look at the payoff! Instead, I'm looking back at this going, if this is the story you wanted to tell, it could use a serious overhaul in HOW it was told. Even though there was stuff I liked about this drama, I wasn't that emotionally invested.

VERDICT

I would only recommend watching this to see Rowoon act his heart out and be in a ridiculously cute and sexy romance. That's it.

I'm sad because I really loved deep diving into this show. It could have been so much more like Goblin, Doom At Your Service, or Alchemy of Souls.

[mask-of-anubis]

hi. i've followed you for like three years atp and never interacted w you but i need to tell someone who understands bc im still not over it

i used to be obsessed with house of anubis as it was airing on nickelodeon. like. obsessed. hyperfixated obsessed. and. okay. i used to be obsessed with the musical hamilton. like. in 2017. fast forward years. i'm married. as a gift, my husbands parents got us hamilton tickets. it was so silly and it was a day in london so yay!!

we go. we're watching it. and from the beginning i'm like huh. hamilton looks. familiar. by the third song it clicks. but no. i must be insane. i'm just hoping bc i know like 2 black british actors total. no way. and i'm in a theatre during a performance i can't whip out my phone to google.

i wait. for EIGHTEEN SONGS. until intermission where i'm typing faster than i can think. only to be staring at the fact that no. i was right. alex sawyer, my BELOVED alfie, who i loved from age 9 bc i, too, was the only black person in my group w the need to be silly or die. was performing 20 feet from me, at age 22. i literally almost threw up i couldn't believe it. and hoa is one of the things where if you didn't watch it, you have no idea what it is. but you DO and i need to tell SOMEONE bc it made me INSANE. so yes. thank you for reading. you're my fave.

The way I would loose my damn mind if I experienced this???! Just seeing Hamilton live is one thing but being surprised by THE Alex Sawyer as the lead - I wouldn’t be able to handle myself lol 😭

Omg I can’t believe you’ve followed me for so long thank you!! I really love this community and meeting other people who are still as connected to this show as I am, no matter how insane of a show it is

I’m so happy you got to see Alex perform that’s so unreal oh my god

[my-mt-heart]

Look I'm not a caryler but I watch the show since the beginning and I'm seeing the constant discussion here about Melissa and the spin-off and I'm just giving my unrequested two cents, I think you guys are expecting two much from a dead franchise, we all know the only spin off that will make some noise is the Rick and Michonne one and only because people are curious to know what happened to them, AMC needs to capture a new audience, TWD it's their biggest product right now and they don't want to just please segregated fandoms.

Melissa is a great actress that's for sure, no one will question that but her and Carol were never the face of the franchise like Rick, Daryl and Michonne, so it's easy for them to push her aside and make a Daryl centric show, they see how Daryl was always the most popular one and don't twice to make that happened because Daryl is AMC property, they don't have to pay Robert Kirkman and co to use him.

My opinion on her being back it's because she signed a contract and needs to fulfill that, I don't see nothing changing in terms of her and Daryl relationship, it would make sense to make them canon in the mothership show but I don't see them bothering to pull the trigger in the spin off.

To me they will remain best friends and Daryl will stay single with the constant ship baiting.

Sorry if that's too long or if you find disrespectful.

There's a lot to unpack here. Bear with me.

You're confusing "most popular" with most marketed. Just because Melissa doesn't do as much promotion, which is something she gets a say in I should add, does not mean people find her less appealing or less remarkable. Melissa is the 2nd most lauded actor on the show right after Andy. She was the most respected actor on set along with Andy, and everybody wanted to work with her.

“One of those actors that just makes you better because she has no pretence.”—Josh Hamilton

"I love working with Melissa McBride. She's a remarkable actress. You look at her, then you look at the screen and you go – how is this alchemy happening?" —Andrew Lincoln

“One of the strongest actresses I’ve ever worked with…I got lucky because she makes you look so good when you work with her.”—Norman Reedus

She was not kicked out of her own spinoff to adjust to the market. She was kicked out because no one bothered to do any market research at all. If they had, they would've anticipated the insane amount of backlash they got last year. Expecting the majority of fans to welcome a solo Daryl show with open arms says far more about the people calling the shots than it does about Melissa or Carol. It says they're incompetent, biased, and misogynistic. It says they fucked up big time, and if you pay any attention to how they're marketing the spinoff now compared to last year, you might realize there's a huge focus on Melissa and Carol. Granted, they keep fumbling big time and if they don't get themselves organized right fucking now they're going to ruin everything again, but they wouldn't be dangling Carol like a carrot if they didn't think she was going to be an essential part of the show's success. They wouldn't have brought her back at all.

You say she's in S2 to fulfill her old contract, but that's wrong. She signed a new deal that would cover seasons 2-3. I don't know what's in it, I don't trust AMC not to find new and unusual ways to screw over their female talent, but I am 100% sure it was her choice to come back and she had plenty of power to get things she wanted. The excuses "fans" come up with for her being in her rightful place again are ridiculous and very telling.

You say she's less popular, yet you, other Richonne fans, Bethyl fans, and everyone under the sun spend time visiting a Caryl/Carol/Melissa centric blog. Why? If I can manage not to waltz into the Richonne/Michonne tags to try to invalidate their fans' opinions and feelings, why can't those who strongly suggest they aren't fans of Caryl/Carol offer me the same courtesy? Because popularity isn't pure love. It includes those who "love to hate" also.

You are absolutely right that TOWL will get the most buzz compared to Dead City S1 and Le Spinoff S1 and that's because it promises everything Rick/Michonne/Richonne fans have been waiting a really long time for. I have major doubts that Gimple can do right by anyone everyone, but I still hope fans get what they want. The one thing I can't stand about TWD fandom is the insistence on pitting female characters and actresses against each other, which I suspect is the real intention behind this ask. But Carol and Michonne are friends. Melissa and Danai are friends. There is absolutely no reason we all can't support a black woman leading her own show and a woman over 50 leading her own show at the same time.

I agree the best time to make Caryl canon would've been in the flagship show and that Caryl will always be best friends. But that doesn't mean best friends can't also be romantic partners, or that the spinoff can't right the wrongs that were made in S11 for unprofessional reasons, not creative ones.

AMC will not "capture a new audience" with a knock-off version of TLOU or from borrowing American exceptionalism and white male savior tropes from 80's movies. TWDU accounts for too much of AMC's revenue for it to go anywhere right now like you said, so they need to be mindful of their built-in audience. They chose to create different spinoffs for different characters, which means they have to niche down to audiences who are invested in each character's story. Believe it or not, Caryl's fanbase is huge and definitely worth hanging onto, but in order to do that, the show has to meet their needs. Treating Melissa as if she's less than, refusing to make Caryl canon for, again, unprofessional reasons, and shipbaiting relentlessly will just drive them away. So respectfully, I disagree that we're expecting too much (you don't work for the AMPTP, do you?)

I'm sharing this poll as a reminder to never underestimate Caryl's value (I have no interest in starting a ship war).