#adds some fun juxtaposition

[were--ralph]

Hey i saw you ranting about trans men on a post, and i was just wondering a few things. This is a genuine question, as a stelth trans man, i really cant find anything about a pre op transitioning body attractive. Especially a pre op Chest. Now i do take testosterone, and i think that the parts that i find gross (ex: tits mixed with chest hair) are a perfectly acceptable thing to deal with so i can look the way i want to look. I love my body hair and my muscle growth, i just dont love the obviously not cis parts of me. What do you find attractive about this? I truely cannot for the life of me understand why people find trans men attractive but i would really like to understand.

I think spicy food is disgusting generally. it's like. hot and not fun and to me it adds nothing good to the food experience. Genuinely I don't understand why people enjoy hot foods it makes like. literally no sense.

and yet, people do. it's weird. I've tried on multiple occasions to get into spicy food and it just. suks. every single time it sucks. But everyone else in my family lives by it. And I've asked why for years literally unable to understand it until I realized.

sometimes people just. like things. things I certainly don't like and cannot enjoy whatsoever. But at the same time, this is true for me and not for them. I fucking love coffee to the point I drink it more than water most days, but no one else in my family likes it. BUT other people outside my family enjoy it too.

Life is weird and what I'm getting at is something that took me a lifetime to understand and I still can't wrap my head around it all the time.

People just like things. People love things and hate things. What things mean to one person can mean the world to another and death to the third. There's not always a reason for it, but what you have to do is accept that there are things in life that you just might not like much right now. but as time goes on you'll find value in it the same way your partner will find value in you and all the minuscule things you do and become and like and dislike.

And to build on that point, there are things I hated as a kid that I'm fine with and even love now. Each day changes you more than you'll ever know and with those changes, the acceptance that comes with them may be easier or harder.

So, to answer your question, I don't know! I just love men. Men with tits or pecs, men with vaginas or dicks. maybe both at the same time or neither at all! I just think men are generally attractive no matter the design or what's different about them. and not just men but people who present as masc in general. If you're masc nb there's a chance I'm looking at you through the window of a bar as much as if you were cis-male or trans-male.

I do know for some men, the allure of masculinity displaced with the typically-feminine concept of a vagina intrigues them. Maybe it's the juxtaposition of them together, maybe they just want something unique and new to them. Maybe they just really like vaginas and it doesn't matter who it's attached to, or maybe they just like trans men. Same thing with boobs, some guys just like boobs. Some men have boobs. the overlap doesn't mean net-negative results, it could be double positive.

And I don't expect you to love everything about yourself, god knows I don't love everything about myself, and despite people telling me what's good about me I can still find flaws within it whenever I choose. I think men with chest hair are hot as fuck, but also I've seen some smooth men that are just as if not hotter. I love me a fat man or a man with muscles, but i've seen twinks i'd demolish in one sitting as well. I've seen men with dicks and boobs and scars and and hair pretty much everything under the sun and sometimes I want them to sit on me and forget I'm there and smother me.

What you do have to do though is accept that you have those things, and you are those things, and even though you may not like those things you have to accept that they're a part of you and find value in that. And it's not an easy task at all to love yourself, but you have to try because even if you don't right now, there's a partner who will be waiting for you somewhere. there's a future version of you who loves you as you are. there are friends who love your flaws, pets who don't judge, and there are a lot of things that accept you as you are.

So just say you have boobs and chest hair. even if you don't love it about yourself right now know that there are and will always be people who do, and personally I've said before, but I wish i had boobs and chest hair it's just a perfect look to me. I'm fine with whatever my gender is, i just think its a good look. If I had money for top and bottom surgery I'd get it and never look back. You just have to find the value in yourself we all know is there, and if you can't just know that we know it's there and let that carry you through the day!

[justin-chapmanswers]

AAAA THE SILVER SPOON EXIT IS FANTASTIC!!! You guys always do such a good job with the Exit Interviews. They're super fun videos that also add juuust that little extra amount of characterization that makes them even better to watch.

What inspires you guys to add the little mini-stories in each interview? Do you usually have an idea of what direction you want it to go beforehand, or do specific questions give you inspiration?

Thank you so much!!! Had so much fun working on that one. And looooove the question. Partly cause I'm like "idk if anyone cares that I do this, but it's fun, anyway!"

When writing any Exit Interview (I've been sole-writing or co-writing all from Box's-and-on, but might not for Balloon's?), I always want to be writing with some sort of angle. Sometimes it's a story for the contestant (TK, Cabby #1, Paintbrush, Silver) , sometimes for the interviewer (Box, Clover), sometimes both (Goo). Sometimes it allows us to hit on an angle on a character that we haven't already, sometimes it gives us some time to show off how far a character has come. Sometimes something that affects the whole interview, sometimes something that'll pop up towards the end that we can hint at earlier. But we tend to try for at least a little-something! We like presenting new narratives wherever we can. The tale is never quite done with these pals!

As for how we plan it out, I'll often go into an interview knowing exactly what angle I want to come in with, and how much that angle'll need to weigh on the characters. I knew I wanted to tell a narrative about Paintbrush wrapping up their three-season-journey and expecting a hyper-dramatic interview to express every facet of their emotional experience... only to receive a bunch of nonsense questions that leaves their final wrap-up feeling empty. So I noted to the audience that we'd love silly questions. I knew that for Silver's Exit we were going to explore the anxieties around criticism, so I made sure to write in the question prompt that Silver would love to hear some compliments- so that we could then receive a bunch of complimentary questions for him to appreciate (but not enough to make a deep impact), and inevitably we received some negative too- which I could then use to show how hard one mean comment can hit for the guy.

For Cabby we wanted to prep for her eventual return by sewing in her current troubled state of mind without tying things up to cleanly in a bow. Clover we wanted to flip it around and have her help an interviewer down on his luck. With Bot we needed to let them reflect on what they've been through but also think on some of the elements of their existence that are still feeling complicated. In Yin-Yang's we knew we wanted to make sure we were following through on their tricky feelings regarding their experience Candle, while also demonstrating their growth as a fun lil duo. Etc.

Occasionally I'll need some inspiration, so I'll ask for the questions first and see if that sparks any particular ideas. When we received a bunch of motherly-oriented characters for Tea Kettle I was left to ponder "how would she feel about this?" With Goo's Exit a couple Cheer Factory questions popped up and I started to think about the fun juxtaposition of matching Goo with someone serious who expects Goo to be a legitimate entrepreneur. Since then we've enjoyed leaning into pairing contestants with very different-vibe interviewers when possible.

And the mindset of writing with an angle all stems to working on Inanimate Answers. Not sure how many people have seen that, since the newest ep predates Invitational, but there we had a very very similar format. It's sorta like the unintentional test-run of Exit Interviews, with some personal conflicts for the contestant, and some for Justin. I'd loooove to make more of those, but they were being made at a point in time where I didn't have a non-II full-time job, and II wasn't focused much on episode production. So finding the time has been tough. We did make a mini version for the Inanimate Direct which was fun (although funnily some of my favorite on-camera work I've done for the channel was in that same video but the Patreon-information segment- which no one will ever watch again cause the Patreon no longer exists haha). And I have an old Yin-Yang Inanimate Answers 5 script that would need to be pretty heavily reworked now that season 3 exists for YY, if I were to try at them again. Maybe there's room for IA in the future. Lots to figure out with the channel! But I'm glad we've had Exits to take on the legacy of some bonus viewer-interaction-based-storytelling.

[mechaseraph]

One guy. Er, I mean two, no, no! Four, four completely different guys, no correlation between them, no sir! Started this around same time as this KID one. It should be same style proportion-wise. As I was messing around for fun/on purpose of finding something that more cartoony? simpler in flow? Anyways, the design/style notes/thoughts under the cut, I did put lots of my exhausted braincells into Kaito/KID difference

Overall style inspos: 1) "I need to think of Sonic but like more human-y" 2) Miho Shimogasa (PPGZ/Kaito Joker/BatuSpi Toppa Bashin) 3) PSWG and SPvsW lol kinda, just from my head how I remembered em though

>Cone and Shin: Originally wasn't planning on putting shadows in his eyes, but without em he's straight up "People with blue eyes" meme. Creepy too much. Neat and sharp a bit. Cone is a pain to size correctly. I think I kinda got it right? But maybe he should had been just tad taller? You never know if he's like 95cm or 1m and something Side note, but Cone's shoes really make me think of Sonic's- >Shin and Kaito: Neat and bit sharp vs more laid back and messy. Also more puffy/round on corners? I basically want him to have puffy sleeves/sleeves that got some volume to em because it fits the magician in my eyes. Adds to hands/arm movement Also Shin's eyes of more your blue/dark blue shades, while Kaito's of blue-ish purple That's to say, I imagine/think Shinichi is the one who hunches more, while Kaito is the one who tends to lean back a bit/keep posture mostly straight (if he ain't sleeping in class lol) >Kaito and KID: Kinda pathetic and messy vs your perfect phantom thief. More shadowy/half-closed eyes vs "oh he's bright awake and ready to go stupid go crazy". Some guy vs the charisma itself. That's to say, shadows cover Kid's visible eye most of the time. And he also has that grin...or his mouth hidden at all. His hair appears bit more fluffier and neater, too. I also tried to keep that juxtaposition with Shinichi of "more sharps vs more round" with him as well. Overall, I like the thought of what if Kaito was more loser in canon, as in less people in school liking him, pitying for his family situation, etc, no entirely of course, because it's simply him, but feel it be more fun in contrast with Kid (and Shinichi) Also, for Kid's cape...just didn't felt like drawing it here, you can excuse me, right?

I think that's all I have to say, but if there's anything ya wanna point out/hear, please ask away!~

[pseudonymphomania]

Top 5 Kinks to Write About

I’m going to tell you right now that a lot of this list probably isn’t kink, but that doesn’t stop it from being compelling to me, ergo, constituting a thing I like to write about. Let’s go!

One

FROTTING

There may never be something as fun for me to write as frotting. It’s pretty boring. It’s dick on dick and someone’s rubbing it, but the narrative utility of frotting is bar none. First, I love switch relationships. I do not believe for one second that being penetrated or penetrating someone means anything other than personal preference in the grander scheme of things but I do know that people use it as a narrative short-hand for top/bottom and its associated personalities. It’s also why I enjoy writing power bottom or service/inexperienced top or use the narration to explain why someone is taking it; evening it out. What is a narrative shorthand for equality for me? Dick on dick. Add in some flavor like who what when where why and how and you’ve got yourself a story! That’s not to say that I don’t play the tropes straight sometimes, but you will be able to tell that I wrote it because something about it is unconventional.

Two

KISSING

There are a million ways to write two people kissing. A story is more important than what kind of sex happens in it because I must show you the flowers before I wrap it in the bouquet. Are they rough? Sloppy? Sensual? Thoughtful? And does this happen before, during, or after sex? Kissing is a very malleable concept and I honestly think it’s more intimate than writing sex. If you’ve read some of my work, maybe you’ve noticed.

Three

MASTURBATION or MUTUAL MASTURBATION

I have a particular writing style where half of the story is a character’s thoughts written in third person limited point of view. That means that a character spends a lot of time by themselves introspecting through the story and triggering plot points, so this is what I tend to do if I want to make it sexy. What do they think about as they’re touching themselves? Can I sneak plot-relevant information in as they’re jerking it? And mutual masturbation is more fun to write than sticking it in and hitting the prostate a few times. 1) two people figuring out how the other likes it, whether they like the tip of their cock teased or if they’d like to avoid it because it’s too sensitive, and even then, they don’t necessarily synchronize on the speed. 2) the selection for positions is different and you can place them in any setting (in a car, on a bench, standing, sitting, back to front, who is technically more dominant at this moment and why because you don’t have the narrative shorthand of who gets penetrated, right?). Nobody in my stories is inherently top/bottom. The story has to take them there.

Four

COVERED IN…

Cum, saliva, lovemarks… whatever it is, someone’s going to need some shower sex. This is the money shot of the whole thing. I think it’s especially fun to write liquids getting into clothing that is hard to take care of. Even more fun when nothing is revealed and the character comes with their clothes on. Juxtaposition is my favourite thing to play with if you haven’t figured that out yet.

Five

UNDRESSING

It’s not as simple as taking off a shirt and throwing it across the room. I need you, the reader, to literally see this happening. I get into a lot of detail sometimes, whether someone unbuttoning something, playing with the placket of someone’s pants, what the material feels like and the difference between the over-layer and under-layer and the textures therein. Does the character’s hand shake? Are they confident? Nervous? Delighted? The reason I do this is to slow down the story and to make sure you know that the character, despite their racing thoughts, is treating this like a big deal. The way someone finally gets to the skin layer and just touch, rest their hands there, feel the warmth of someone’s skin and maybe they’re kissing or light touching before the big show, is foundational to the rest of it.

This was written by a sex-positive asexual. Storytelling > Sex. The sex must further the story or it shouldn’t be there. (Read my PWP one shots for just sex)

[prismaticpichu]

Do you think that if Sephiroth's wing had appeared while he was still Miniroth, he would have had a white wing?

Oooh, that’s a good question!!!

(This is gonna be a bit of a hot take LOL), but I personally envision Sephiroth’s wing as always being black—regardless of his moral status. I love the juxtaposition between him having a pitch-black wing, a symbol of darkness and despair and doom (like a crow or raven, for instance), and then having a good heart in his chest in spite of it. I think it adds some neat layers to the symbolism, too, like with Angeal (kinda a morally gray character) sprouting a pure white wing in spite of some of his misgivings, and Genesis not sprouting a perfectly pitch-black one either (despite being the game’s central antagonist). Goes to show that not everyone’s motivations and moral compasses are so, well… black and white 🤣 💕 (Even tho there’s a solid chance that Square was just going for the “white wing = pure” and “black wing = evil” shtick LMAO…)

So, ye!! I like to picture that Miniroth would have a black wing, even though his heart’s still in the right place ❤️ Very fun ask!! 💕

(Tho, YES… Miniroth is surrounded by white feathers in some EC shots 🤣 So the argument of his white wing getting “tainted” is definitely valid too!!)

[jar-of-maise]

stellaron hunters found family (i)

Blade thinks to himself for a moment, in truth he has an inkling about the so-called “power” and it’s origin, but keeps it to himself for the present. For now, he contents himself with watching Silver Wolf and Kafka argue. It’s a rather one-sided affair but entertaining to watch nonetheless. 

Sam returns from a mission later and Blade gets the honour to witness one of the duo’s legendary video game duels. It’s fun to watch and Kafka joins him on the couch as the Silver Wolf and Sam battle it out. Sometime, when it’s late in the night and Silver Wolf has finally dozed off, Kafka puts on a movie. It’s an action packed one, with horrid flashing lights and cinematics that has Sam worked up to the nines. 

“That’s not how it works in real life.” He grumbles, pointing at a rather risqué interrogation, “movies aren’t made the same anymore,” he adds unhappily when the following escape scene ends with the lead actor bursting out through a window. 

“Oh well, it’s value is in entertainment. Realism is secondary,” Kafka says delicately, she’s examining her nails carefully though Blade isn’t sure how she is given the dim lighting of the room. 

He hasn’t been paying a lot of attention to the movie, more preoccupied with not moving so Silver Wolf doesn’t wake up since Kafka always insists he be a human pillow. 

“You’re just comfortable Bladie, don’t overthink it,” she once said to him after a mission where she had insisted on sleeping on his shoulder. 

Even now, she’s leaning against him on the couch, legs thrown over to the other end of the sofa. Silver Wolf is resting against his other side, snoring lightly, somehow oblivious to the noise and explosions of the movie. It’s not like they try to turn the volume down either. She’s also got his coat draped over her lopsidedly like a blanket. No one had wanted to get a blanket when asked and naturally it just happened to be the day when all their couch covers were in the wash. 

So Blade sacrifices warmth. Not that he runs cold, it’s a strange juxtaposition, because the heart beating in his chest is certainly cold, but his body itself still runs hot. Warmer than the average human for some strange reason. Perhaps he’s simply keeping the furnace fire he can no longer use in his body instead. 

It seems it comes in handy, as Kafka and Silver Wolf always use him as a pillow. Even Elio, for all his prissy, posh cat ways, isn't immune. Maybe Sam is the only one who doesn’t see Blade as a portable heater…then again, Sam is self-sufficient, relying on machinery alone to accomplish tasks. 

Speaking of Sam, he’s sitting on the ottoman. Blade isn’t too sure why, there’s space on the couch – there was a reason they had needed to upgrade it several times in the past, but when he sees Elio stalk into the room from the hallway, he thinks he knows, especially when cat-Elio jumps onto Sam’s lap to get scratches. 

The night wears on and soon, not one but two people are fast asleep on each of Blade’s sides. He’s pretty sure Kafka is faking it, but knows very well that Silver Wolf is dead to the world. Not even a hard shake would make her wake up. The ending credits of the movie are rolling on the screen and still, neither have woken up. 

Blade gestures at Sam, who stands up and takes Silver Wolf back to her room, coat and everything. Elio is perched on his broad shoulders, amber eyes gleaming as they walk away. Thankfully, Silver Wolf sleeps deeply. Blade supposes it’s one of her many strengths, especially since she is still a child. 

Left alone with Kafka, Blade thinks that it really would be rude to leave her on the couch, even with a blanket and pillow. Well he doesn’t have a coat to give her and the one Kafka wears is much too small for the night so he takes her back to her room. He makes sure to remove her sunglasses, pistol(s), jacket and katana. 

The door is carefully shut, done in a way that wouldn’t make a noise and wake Kafka up. They share a trait there, that they are both light sleepers. With Kafka and Silver Wolf secured, Blade begins the trek back to his own room. It’s dark in the hallways, but occasionally, a window opening into the starry seas appears.

[makoredeyes]

What do you think the Siddharta Golem was back in the Golden Age? Must have been different enough to Rasputin to be considered his son but we really don't know anything about him.

It’s wild! Because even Rasputin becomes fairly verbose about Felwinter, but not what or who he was before he was risen. (Props to dad for not deadnaming his kid I guess??!?* except I still have this funny impression that Felwinter never liked his risen name much SOOOO )

But Siddhartha. His namesake is telling of course- gone out to wander the world and see it for all its goods and bads first hand, to grossly over simplify things.

Rasputin himself tags the activation record with the quote, "Experience is the teacher of all things." Which sure compounds the intent there.

But looking at that same log, yano Rasputin’s code is always cryptic and full of prose but this one has to be absolute THICKEST of them all:

>>AMYGDALA VOTIVE GRASP>>

V149GAQ145CB120

AI-COM/RSPN: ASSETS//GOLEM//INTERROGATIVE

IMMEDIATE ACTION ORDER

This is a SUBTLE ASSETS IMPERATIVE (NO HUMAN REVIEW) (NO AI-COM REVIEW) (secure/AUTARCH).

Initiate SIDDHARTHA GOLEM upload at DSC-342 to assess integrity of moral structures.

Stand by for CRITERIA:

Under PASSAGE (obsolesce/SIDEREAL):

If NANOBE SONDER is IVORY

If HAMMURABI is ACTIVE and passes human review under context TURING

If DURYODHANA is in FAILURE and passes AI-COM review under context IDES

Set spectrum certification to SMARAGDINE

Else, stand by for CONTINGENT ACTION ORDER:

Set spectrum certification to AMARANTHINE

Initiate human review unless tactical morality is built at MIDNIGHT

"Experience is the teacher of all things."

STOP STOP STOP V149GAQ145CB121

——

I had started to unpack this at one point and got a little lost because Big Red is going WAY the fuck out there with some of his prose in this one. We see the term Sidereal a few times in Destiny lore it’s a fun one they like to use but is a weird term to drop here for example, and as best I can conclude might infer something like “long shot” but like. That’s not really what it means either. So there’s some stuff here that doesn’t really translate and then the fucker uses SMARAGDINE which is a shade of green. GREEN. He means green. Like go.

So like. Even without unpacking everything Tldr the old man is feeling extra poetic he’s having some feels about this and he’s also doing this totally on his own without review from humans or other AI-COMs, specifically in secret. So safe to assume we can confirm yeah Siddhartha was pretty important to Rasputin from the very start.

**I will add that the juxtaposition of NANOBE, which is a form of microbe, a tiny life if you will, and SONDER together really does give me the impression of like. A child. A sort of parental wonder at a tiny individual. But that is a WHOLE LOT of inference.

[should-know-better]

I put The Dream Synopsis through a dream analyser!

I was bored and came upon an online dream analyser (my algorithm is so wrong) so for fun, put the lyrics to The Dream Synopsis into it. The results are quite interesting however, so thought I’d share.

I used dreamybot.com and typed in three ‘dreams’ below (in red). The bot came back with the (purple) analysis. I’ve highlighted the bits that stood out to me.

We were kissing, it was secret, we’d had to sneak beyond the kitchen. We were both aware that there would be trouble if the manager should find us. You were carrying a leaning tower of pint pots in your hand as you can carry much more than I can. A wicked gale came howling up through the city centre in my hometown. There was palm tree debris everywhere and a Roman Colosseum.

What a unique dream... Let's unpack this. It seems like there's a lot of hidden emotion and perhaps some tension in your waking life. The secret kiss suggests a desire for intimacy or connection that feels forbidden or complicated. This could reflect a part of yourself that's yearning for something deeper but fears the repercussions of pursuing it. The manager symbolizes authority or societal expectations, hinting at your struggle between personal desires and external pressures.

The leaning tower of pint pots might represent the weight of your responsibilities or the precariousness of a situation you're involved in. You might feel capable of handling more than what’s currently expected of you, yet there's an underlying fear of it all collapsing. The gale and the debris could signify chaos or upheaval in your life, perhaps related to emotions or circumstances that feel overwhelming. The presence of a Roman Colosseum adds an interesting twist, as it may indicate a struggle or conflict, reminiscent of battles fought in history.

This dream could be nudging you to confront these hidden feelings or desires and assess how they align with your current situation. Are there aspects of your life where you feel restricted? It might be worth exploring what this secret kiss represents for you. What feelings does it evoke? Do you feel like you're hiding something in your waking life?

I’m in a building and I notice that I’m surrounded by the ocean. I get a feeling, I start running, I don’t really know why I am running. I never really know why I am running ‘til I get caught.

And the snow is falling thick and fast, we were bombing down Los Feliz. There was you and me and Miles Kane and some kid I went to school with.

That sounds quite intense. The ocean surrounding you suggests that you may be feeling overwhelmed by your emotions or circumstances. Water often symbolizes the subconscious, so being trapped in a building surrounded by it can indicate a sense of confinement or feeling stuck in a situation that feels too big to handle. The act of running—without knowing exactly why—might reflect a sense of urgency or a desire to escape something in your waking life, possibly stress or unresolved issues.

Getting caught in the dream could symbolize the fear of facing the consequences of your actions or the inevitability of confronting certain truths. The snow falling thick and fast adds an interesting layer; it can represent purity, but also the idea of being buried under responsibilities or feelings. Los Feliz, a vibrant area, suggests a longing for excitement or a break from the mundane, yet there’s a juxtaposition with the chaos of running and the heaviness of snow.

The presence of familiar figures like Miles Kane and a schoolmate might indicate connections to your past or aspects of yourself that you associate with those individuals. Perhaps they embody traits or memories that are influencing your current situation. This dream seems to be urging you to examine what you’re running from and how those past relationships impact your present. What do you think is driving this sense of urgency? Are there unresolved feelings or situations that you’re avoiding?

Visions of the past and possible future shoot through my mind and I can’t let go, inseparable opposing images, when can you come back again?

That sounds quite poignant. It seems like you're grappling with a tension between nostalgia and anticipation, which can be a heavy emotional load to carry. The "visions of the past and possible future" suggest a struggle to find balance between what has been and what could be. This could indicate feelings of regret or longing for moments that are no longer accessible, while simultaneously feeling a pull toward what lies ahead.

The phrase "inseparable opposing images" hints at a conflict within you—perhaps between your desires and fears, or between your past experiences and your aspirations. It’s common to feel stuck when caught in this dichotomy, as it can create a sense of paralysis or confusion about your next steps.

The question “when can you come back again?” reveals a yearning for resolution or closure, perhaps related to a relationship, a phase of life, or even a part of yourself that you miss. This could be an invitation to explore what you feel is missing in your life right now and what that longing signifies. Is there something specific from your past that you wish to reconnect with? Or is it more about healing and integrating those experiences into your present?

So there you have it. It seems as though many of our discussions and analyses about The Dream Synopsis is backed up by the bot! If Alex did really dream this and put it in a song, (or even if he just made it up the lyrics) it’s massively personal and shows his intense feelings well before the eycte tour of 2016.

[jbuffyangel]

The Love We Deserve: Arrow 2x06 Review (Keep Your Enemies Closer)

This is the episode I knew the writers were going THERE with Olicity. I wasn’t sure about endgame. I certainly did not know how Oliver and Felicity’s story would unfold, but “Keep Your Enemies Closer” confirmed we were in this, fam. We were in this all the way.

2013 Jen's live reaction:

Let’s dig in…

Olicity

The first scene immediately sets up this juxtaposition between Felicity, Oliver and Isabel and it carries through the episode. It’s not a love triangle. Isabel doesn’t matter enough to warrant a point on a triangle, but they use her (quite effectively I might add) to show Oliver and Felicity are anything but “just friends.”

Isabel is bitching at Oliver for whatever-he-failed-to-do-this-week and Felicity is trying to get his attention for some arrow (Roy Harper) related business. Initially, she tries using “Mr. Queen” in a very boss/employee way, but ultimately is fed up with being ignored and yells “Oliver!”

Isabel barely tosses Felicity a glance, but Oliver ends the Co-CEO argument to leave with Felicity. Trust me when I say, Isabel clocks this decision.

Source: @okmcintyre

Oliver and Felicity join Diggle in his search for Lyla Michaels. She went to Russia to search for Deadshot and now she’s missing. Oliver uses a Queen Consolidated subsidiary in Moscow as their cover story and use of the company jet. Unfortunately, Isabel tags along. She believes Oliver is meeting with their overseas partners behind her back. Once she discovered Oliver didn’t have any meetings planned with their subsidiary in Moscow, her accusations shift to Felicity.

Oliver: I’m not this person you think I am.

Isabel: That depends.

Oliver: On what?

Isabel: On if I think you used the corporate jet for a weekend of fun with your assistant.

Oliver: Excuse me?

He does his very best to look incredulous at the idea of hooking up with Felicity while on a romantic weekend in Moscow. I really wouldn’t put Russia on my Top 10 list of romantic getaways. Tahiti made a lot more sense, but whatever. The point is – Oliver’s feathers are immediately ruffled. Did I see him blushing? Oliver lies all day every day both professionally and personally, but this line of questioning has him quite tongue tied.

Isabel: A blonde IT girl all of a sudden gets promoted to be assistant to the CEO? There are only two ways that happens. One is nepotism and she doesn’t look like your cousin.

Source: Paigeota

It absolutely should be happening, Oliver.

Isabel: What were her qualifications aside from an abundance of short skirts?

Source: Paigeota

This scene is incredibly important because A) it’s hilarious and B) this is the first time Arrow has addressed OUTLOUD Felicity Smoak as a love interest for Oliver Queen. Everything up until now has been gazing, fervent glances, shoulder touches, soft tones, sexual innuendo and the electric chemistry between Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards. But Isabel puts her money on the table and flat out accuses Oliver of sleeping with Felicity.

We, the audience, know Oliver and Felicity are not having sex (much to our horror and disappointment), but Isabel presents the one question we’ve been dying to ask Oliver – does he WANT to sleep with Felicity? And his answer is… glorious.

First he laughs, uncomfortably, like this is the most INSANE line of questioning to ever take place. Keep in mind this man was tortured on Lian Yu for information about bombs, planes, the location of a Chinese archer and Japanese soldiers bones from WWII. But nope, Oliver is shocked – SHOCKED I TELL YOU – that anyone would ever think he’s having sex with Felicity. Methinks he doth protest too much.

But Oliver trips up at the mention of skirts. He stutters his way through defending Felicity. It is damn near gallant of him to argue they are an appropriate length. No ma'am, the skirts are not too short. Not for Oliver Queen!

We can chalk this up to Oliver being a flesh and blood heterosexual man. The day they stop looking is the day they die. But this is the first time anyone has asked Oliver if he is sexually attracted to Felicity. He blushes, laughs, protests and stammers his way through his answer like a 13 year old boy.

Also, it’s extremely important to remember one episode prior Oliver was rejecting Laurel Lance in her apartment hallway after she tried to kiss him - his primary female love interest. Then the very next episode, the writers are crafting a scene forcing Oliver to address a romantic relationship with Felicity.

Is it a funny scene? Yes, but the real win for Olicity shippers is the question is being ASKED. The answer is even better. Yes, Oliver has noticed the skirts and the spectacular legs that go with them. You don’t say that about a character who is going to remain a platonic, comic relief Girl Wednesday.

We are so far from done. Diggle infiltrates the Russian prison where Lyla is being held while Oliver and Felicity meet up with Anatoly to purchase a Russian police car as part of their escape plan. Felicity is extremely anxious about Diggle, so Oliver offers her some witty banter and a shoulder touch as reassurance.

When the Russians try to fleece Oliver he threatens to make their children orphans in Russian.

It’s all very Bratva Oliver and menacing, but with Felicity he makes a little joke and winks! One could say his demeanor is quite light hearted – dare I say flirting?

Source: Paigeota

Oliver returns to the hotel and has a drink with Isabel. Bizarrely, he brings up Felicity again – unprompted. He couldn’t wiggle out of this line of questioning fast enough and now he can’t stop bringing it up! Pick a lane, my dude.

Oliver: Does everyone really think that Felicity and I are…

EXPLAIN THE DOT DOT DOT OLIVER! LET'S BE SPECIFIC!

Isabel: No. Just everyone who works at Queen Consolidated.

My kingdom to hang out by the water cooler in that office.

More with the loud chuckling. Nothing to see here but friendship. Look at all the friendship. Hardy har har.

Isabel: You don’t seem like the kind of man who has female friends.

That’s the understatement of the century. Putting Oliver’s sexual partners aside for the moment - Felicity is in a unique position. Oliver doesn’t have a lot of friends let alone female friends. Felicity is also the only female in his life who knows he’s the Arrow. Has he told her everything about his past? No, but relax. We’re only on Season 2. 

Oliver has shared quite a lot with Felicity in a relatively short amount of time. He trusts her (as much as he's capable of) and Oliver does not trust easily. Felicity is the only woman Oliver can be completely and authentically himself with. This makes her more than unique – it makes Felicity special. I think Oliver understands that and he approaches their friendship with reverence. He toes a very strict line with Felicity – for a very good reason which he will reveal later on in the episode.

Isabel: Underneath that swagger, I see you pretty clearly. You’re intelligent, driven and lonely.

Isabel reveals she doesn’t buy Oliver’s bad boy routine and instead believes she shares a lot in common with him. We can take this conversation one of two ways – 1) two people connecting over vodka and a shared ability to speak Russian or 2) Oliver is working Isabel to keep the real reason for this trip a secret. Bonus? He gets laid in the process.

Clearly, I’m going with option 2. He feeds her a line about loneliness in Russian and Isabel practically races Oliver back to the hotel room.

Mercifully, we don’t have to watch them have sex. Oliver is pressed for time because they need to save Diggle, but Isabel is fine with the wham bam thank you ma'am. Oliver thinks he left enough time, but as he opens the door to his hotel there stands Felicity just about to knock.

Oliver left Isabel undressed and in his bed, but the woman finds her clothes with lightning speed when she hears Felicity at the door and purposefully makes her exit then.

If Isabel bought Oliver’s “we’re just friends” speech then doing this would not be necessary. Isabel wants Felicity to know they slept together. Regardless of what people at Queen Consolidated think, Isabel knows there’s more going on between them than Oliver will admit. She wants to hurt Felicity. Isabel is marking her territory and I would encourage you to listen to Stephen Amell’s thoughts on why. #Cosigned.

However, this is NOT information Oliver wants Felicity to know. He is so embarrassed he can’t even look at Felicity as Isabel walks out the door.

Felicity is stunned. She’s actually speechless. Oliver tries to offer up some feeble explanation, but he doesn’t get very far. 

Felicity immediately makes a joke to alleviate the tension, but as she turns we can see her hurt and anger.

She cannot fathom a reason why Oliver would sleep with this woman. Whether or not Oliver heard Felicity’s remarks – he grimaces because he knows he screwed up. BIG TIME. It is so awkward and painful.

But again, the viewers must ask a fundamental question – why is this scene being written like Felicity caught Oliver cheating on her? Oliver is single. Isabel is single. Felicity is single. Nobody is dating anybody. And yet, the Arrow writers make it clear Felicity is hurt by this encounter – like she’s been betrayed.

As for Oliver, he absolutely did NOT want Felicity to know he slept with Isabel. He knows it will hurt her. This shows Oliver is somewhat aware Felicity has feelings for him. Congratulations, Oliver you’re not a total pine tree.

What’s more telling is Oliver’s reaction. He acts like Felicity caught him doing something wrong. If he didn’t return Felicity’s feelings then her opinion wouldn’t really matter. It’s never stopped him from dating or sleeping with other women before. And this is just a one night stand. Not even – it was a quickie. But Oliver is ashamed. This makes him look bad. Generally speaking, when you have romantic feelings for someone you don’t want that person to see you hooking up with someone else. It sends a very mixed message.

THIS IS NOT HOW YOU WRITE A PLATONIC COUPLE!!!

Felicity Smoak wears her heart on her sleeve. She can’t let it go. It’s not just that Oliver slept with someone. It’s that he slept with ISABEL. The woman who is trying to steal his company. Her bitchiness is embedded in her DNA, so Felicity’s work environment probably less than fun. Felicity cannot stand Isabel and Oliver slept with her. HER. 

Felicity: Over 64 million women over the age of consent in Russia and you sleep with her.

But this time it is Oliver’s turn to make a joke to deflect. The entire vibe is couple’s fight.

Source: Paigeota

But Felicity is not joking when they get home and she’s tired of the mixed messages. So ask the question point blank. God bless her. No sexual innuendos, stammers, deflections, furtive glances or unspoken truths.

 Source: Paigeota

Oliver’s initial response is kind of flippant to be honest.

 Source: Paigeota

He gives Felicity a very generic “It just happened,” which is the exact non-explanation cheaters use. Sex doesn’t “just happen.” It’s a decision. Oliver made a choice and Felicity is trying to understand why because maybe if she understands then it will hurt less. Even worse, he says it didn’t mean anything. The problem is it meant something to Felicity. Take it away Willow Rosenberg.

Xander: We were just kissing. It doesn't mean that much.

Willow: No. It just means you'd rather be with someone you hate, than be with me. - BTVS "Innocence"

Truly one of the most devastating lines in television history delivered by an equally heart wrenching performance by Alyson Hannigan. What Felicity is truly asking Oliver is not, “Why her?” but rather, “Why not me?”

Felicity’s disappointment in Oliver’s response is palpable and feels very similar to their scene in 1x12 when she asked Oliver if she could trust him. She didn’t want a flip answer then and she doesn’t want one now.

Source: Paigeota

Oliver lowers his voice into his gentle Felicity tone and says, “Hey,” so she’ll look at him again. The real intimacy between them is revealed in a single word. He cannot wiggle out of this, so Oliver is approaching her question, and pain, with the reverence she deserves. Felicity closes her eyes for a moment before she meets Oliver’s gaze again, like she’s steeling herself against whatever explanation is coming next. This time the answer will be honest, but it will hurt more.

Source: Paigeota

Oliver speaks hypothetically of course, in an attempt to discuss what he feels for Felicity without really discussing it. It keeps their friendship in this little protective bubble as Oliver takes an infinitesimally small step over the strict line he has drawn between them. Oliver feels life as The Arrow, and his proximity to danger, prevents him being in a loving relationship. He slept with Isobel because he doesn’t care about her. Oliver won’t be with Felicity because he does care about her.

What is MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT about this scene is Oliver acknowledges the elephant in the room for the very first time. He feels more than friendship for Felicity.  Does Oliver Queen love Felicity Smoak? Yes. Is he ready to admit that to himself - let alone to her? No. Oliver believes his love endangers Felicity. He cannot lose her, so he will not allow himself to love her. As frustrating as Oliver’s answer is it’s not difficult to understand why he feels this way - especially after losing Tommy.

Felicity gives a little nod like this was the explanation she expected, but still needed to hear. Despite the hypothetical, they both know Oliver is speaking about her. Rather than a meaningful relationship, Oliver has resigned himself to a life of loneliness. He may have hook ups and one night stands to fill his bed and relieve an urge, but he withholds access to his heart. This is not just about Oliver’s refusal to truly love someone. It’s also about his refusal to allow anyone to love him in return.

He's taken bullets that hurt less than this.

In the end, it’s Felicity’s response that truly packs the emotional punch. She believes Oliver deserves better, regardless of his way of life. He deserves more than empty affairs and lonely, dark and violent nights.

There is so much this man cannot forgive himself for and the guilt is overwhelming. Oliver believes he has no right to happiness. Loneliness is his penance.�� When all you experience is pain and loss it can be difficult to imagine a life without it.

"We accept the love we think we deserve." - Perks of Being a Wallflower

Oliver hurt Felicity deeply by sleeping with Isabel.  They both know it. He continues to hurt her by drawing this line in the sand between them. Yet, in the face of that pain, Felicity dreams a life for Oliver that’s more than the one he’s resigned himself to. It is forgiveness, compassion and unconditional love in action. He does not feel worthy of Felicity Smoak, but those are the lies Oliver’s guilt tells him. She knows the truth.

Source: Paigeota

The stunned look on his face says it all - no one has ever told Oliver Queen he deserves to be loved. 

John Diggle

Contrary to the previous six pages, this is actually a John Diggle focused episode. And boy, does he drop a bomb on Oliver and Felicity.

Oliver didn’t immediately recognize Lyla’s name, which is fine because I don’t think they’ve shared a scene. Felicity reminds him Lyla is John’s ARGUS girlfriend and I had whiplash at that status update. Girlfriend? When did we get to girlfriend? I feel more comfortable with super spy sexy time friend.

Diggle lowers the boom. Lyla Michaels is his ex-wife. SAY WHAT??!

Felicity: Explain that sentence.

Honestly, how do Oliver and Felicity not know this yet? What do they talk about in the bunker? It can’t always be about crimes and arrows. Sharing is caring OTA – embrace it.

Diggle: We couldn’t figure out how to stay married without a war to fight.

Diggle and Lyla were married while on tour in Afghanistan, but divorced shortly after returning home. Lyla joined ARGUS and Diggle went back for another tour.

Diggle and Oliver hook up with Anatoly (!!!) and he informs them Lyla was trying to break into the worst prison in Russia on a tip that Deadshot was being held there. Unfortunately, she was captured. It hasn’t been a pleasant stay given how battered Lyla is looking.

The only way in Gulag is to be a prisoner, so Diggle volunteers. Oliver balks at that, but Diggle needs him on the outside make the moves necessary for an escape. Also, Lyla is Diggle’s woman and he's going to save her, damn it. SWOON. Find you a man with a hero's complex. They make divine husbands. I speak from experience.

Anatoly provides enough drugs to land Diggle in prison for 400 years. Oliver and Felicity are nervous about this plan. In one of the sweetest moments between Diggle and Felicity, she gently kisses him on the cheek and wraps his scarf around his neck. It’s a good luck kiss, but everyone is clearly worried it’s a goodbye.

Of course, once John is inside he runs right into Deadshot. He sure is easy to find for a globetrotting criminal mastermind. Deadshot knows where Lyla is being held and wants in on the escape plan in exchange for her location. After Deadshot kills Anatoly’s guard, John has no choice but to team up with him.

Lyla: You came for me.

Diggle: I always have and I always will.

This is what stellar ships are made of folks. This is the content we're here for.

Of course, Oliver and Felicity rescue Diggle, Lyla and Deadshot, but the pinnacle of the episode for John is when they dump Deadshot on the side of the road. They’ll help him get out of prison, but not out of the country. John holds a gun on him – ready to pull the trigger to avenge his brother’s death, but he can’t do it.

Deadshot: That’s the thing about honor, John. You can’t turn it on and off.

What a great line! I love that line!!! It’s so fully encapsulates John Diggle’s character. I’m sorry I know he’s a killer, but between Deadshot bringing Olicity together with the ridden computer and this moment with John– I’m really starting to like this guy.

Deadshot offers John some additional information about his brother’s death. A thank you for not killing him I guess. He asks John how he thought Andy was killed.

Diggle: You shot at a client that Andy was protecting and you missed.

Deadshot: I don’t miss. Your brother was the contract.

Diggle: Who would want to kill Andy?

Deadshot: I don’t know their names, just an alias. H.I.V.E.

The plot thickens! I’m sure all the comic fans were excited about the introduction of H.I.V.E. I was clueless, but with a quick Google you’ll discover H.I.V.E is a terrorist organization. So, this means one of two things, John’s brother was an honorable man who ticked off a terrorist organization or Andy was not as honorable as his brother and ticked off a terrorist organization. This adds a layer of complexity the Diggle vs. Deadshot storyline desperately needed. It was running a little stale.

Diggle: You know me and Carly broke up because I couldn’t love her and hate him at the same time.

Lyla: I’m honored to be the exception.

Diggle: Lyla, you were always the exception.

Ok, I’m onboard the SS Dyla. Let’s get remarried. I’m ready.  

We go from the Dyla love scene directly to Olicity’s final scene in the office. This is not a mistake. John guides Oliver on his path. This also includes his romantic life and one of the ways Diggle guides Oliver is by example. Dyla always points the way.

Stray Thoughts

This is the first episode we meet Amanda Waller. She’s loyal to Lyla Michaels and knows about Oliver and Diggle’s vigilante operation, so she’s arriving on the scene as a fully formed bad ass.  

Diggle refused Anatoly’s vodka. Based on the look Oliver gave him I’m guessing that was a very bad idea. Drink the vodka, John.

“I wouldn’t mind a drink.” I mean honestly the boys could be so sexist sometimes. Felicity likes booze too!

“I will take care of her.” Snort. Yeah, I’ll bet Oliver.

Isobel immediately jumps to the conclusion that Felicity is sleeping her way up to the top. Way to be supportive of your fellow female coworkers and fighting that glass ceiling together, Isobel. This just makes her more evil in my opinion.

Sara left town. That’s fine I need a break from the Lance drama.

Quentin lets Roy go because he's working with the Arrow too, so I'm counting Lance as part of the team.

No Laurel. Hallelujah. Did you even notice she was gone? Nope. This character lifts right out.

There’s this whole weird subplot where Moira’s lawyer wants Thea to dump Roy because he’s a felon and it makes Moira look bad. Sure, Roy Harper is the problem. Not the 500 people who died. Even Moira thinks this plot line is ridiculously stupid and gets these crazy kids back together. Can we be done with the Theroy breakups? I’m tired. Find these two an actual storyline.

Slade: I will not be the reason something happens to you.

Shado: When I care about someone there's nothing I won't do for them.

Slade is in rough freaking shape after being burned over half his body, but he gets snuggle time with Shado so it isn’t all bad.

Never trust a Russian woman. Has Oliver ever seen a movie?

Flashback Sara betrays Oliver and gives Ivo the location of Slade, Shado and the soldier bones. Let's go with Stockholm syndrome to explain this insanity. Or she's just completely terrified of Ivo. Either works. But still - dick move Sara.

Why does David Ramsey wear shirts? It’s really a crime against humanity.

Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 2x06!!!

If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me!

[quotidian-oblivion]

Not-Yet-Written Fic Game

Tagged by @chemical-processes!! Thank you so much for tagging meeee. Especially in writer games, i love them <3

Post about some of the fics you plan on writing

I'm gonna do both batfam and Merlin for this one. You can put down any number of wips. I have so many, but I think I'll choose 10 😅 Feel free to ask about any of them!!! I'd love that ^^

No pressure tags: @sardonic-sprite @igotthisaccountunderduress @pericreatesstuff @foursixtwonineoh-pieces-of-lego @foineswoine-writing

@uncertainwallflower @cygnusdoesthings @blightwritesfic @wakkoroni

A Dance Across the Stream [BBC Merlin]

A slave!Arthur fic where I really pump up the angst. Arthur has been a slave for so long that people are starting to lose hope that he's even alive. His slavers decide to auction him since his past status, health and general looks will get them a pretty penny. He's collared by magic that hurts him if he doesn't listen to his masters' orders. As he stares down blankly at the faces and hands rising eagerly to buy a slaved prince, he hears a voice-

"Twelve hundred and thirty gold pieces!"

For the first time in months, Arthur dares to raise his head. Because he knows that voice. Has heard it incessantly rabbiting on, talking his ear off several times a day before his capture.

But it can't be him. It can't be Merlin. Because the bid for him was only open to sorcerers. And Merlin can't be a sorcerer.

2. Let Me Die, Let Me Drown, Lay My Bones In the Ground [BBC Merlin]

(I'm cheating a little bit cuz this is actually written but) My first fic where I really unleash my angst weapons. I wanted to test my limits. And I did.

The storm that had passed through Albion didn't only bring devestation, it brought a party belonging to the king, queen and princess of a distant land on the edge of Albion's maps. As per propriety and courtesy, Camelot was required to hold a feast and provide accommodation for them. The feast started off smoothly, the royals of Camelot getting along quite well with the royals from Harden.

But a single questioned changed everything. Including the destiny of Arthur and Merlin.

"What are your stances on magic?" Uther asked.

3. Doesn't have a name yet, but the wip doc is named 'My Limits Tested Through Merlin' [BBC Merlin]

While writing LMDLMD (the above fic), I discovered that the angst I put in there was not actually my full limit. I could push further. I could write worse. So I started this multichap wip. And it's going splendidly. Honestly, this fic is such a good jar to add my inner demons to. And I decided to work in some foreshadowing, juxtaposition, symbolism and all that lovely fun literary devices stuff because I found that I actually enjoy that process. So this might just be my best mutlichap fic yet!

Summary: That the kingdom they traveled to was peaceful was a lie. That the king was a good and fair man was also a lie. That Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights of the Round Table would be safe was the biggest lie of all. 

As Merlin scrubs the floor beneath the king's feet, despite the pains and bruises on his body, he wonders if escape will also be a lie. 

4. Empire For Two [BBC Merlin]

Part two of a two-part series. I've finished writing the outline and currently it's standing at 50 chapters, but as it gets written it might increase. Since it's MASSIVE and too much for me to take on alone, my lovely fwens Joan (@tireddruid) and Tristi are helping me with it! Joan's alpha and beta-ing while Tristi's gonna be a co-writer. For once, I'm not gonna start posting after it's written, but post as we write each chapter.

A Golden Age AU where I fix the fucking show.

5. Tim gets de-ages to a toddler fic [DC]

I've finished the outline for this too and it's currently standing at 21 chapters and I've already written 2. @mispeltnostalgia is beta-ing it ^^ And it's angsty. And fluffy! Majority of it is fluffy! But the angst at the end and major character death tag kind of overshadows the 19 chapters of fluff 😅 I also do a character study of Jason here. It's very enlightening.

Inspired by the very first fanfic I ever read (by choice) and Tim gets de-aged to a toddler because of a mistake Jason made. Jason's bonds with the family is already fragile and this mistake might just drive a further wedge between him and them. So he keeps the mistake a secret.

But the fact Tim is a toddler isn't. The batfam try their hardest to look after Tim while trying to find a way to age him back. Tim's an adorable kid but... there are warning signs. Too many warning signs. It makes everyone question just how well they had known Tim and his personal life.

For some reason, the toddler seems attached to Jason. And surprisingly, Jason seems to go actually well when dealing with him.

But after an explosive fight between Jason and the rest of the family, when Alfred opens the doors to the bedrooms, he finds both the toddler and the crime lord gone.

6. I Quit (not the actual fic name, just a wip name) [DC]

It started with a crack-genre scene where Tim accidentally resigns being Robin over the phone.

It quickly escalated to Tim running from the Bats, trying to cure Jason of his Pit Madness, and raising a 10-year-old assassin Damian when Talia mistakenly dumped the kid on him. Fully outlined, 19 chapters, I'm probably gonna start writing this soon.

7. Found Him [DC]

Not a multichap fic but a series with oneshots and twoshots and threeshots! Why? Because I was lazy and didn't bother with filling chapters. Why? Cuz I wanted to get to the action bits. Why?

Because this, my friends, is an evil!Tim Drake AU >:)

Tim wakes up in Titans Tower before Bruce and Dick can show up. He wakes up and all he sees is blood.

His blood.

He is in excruciating pain, but for some cruel reason, he can still think and feel clearly. His mind is not a haze, he has all his memories and he is very well aware of the carnage that has been made out of his body. Very well aware of the person who created the carnage out of his body.

In a Red Robin #4-esque style, Tim crawls out and sloppily secures the wounds that bleed the most, then grabs a bike and collapses in the middle of the road. The emergency services think he's a normal civilian boy since Tim had torn his Robin uniform and had ridden out in the blacks underneath. They manage to save his life but the damage was done.

Tim had snapped. He thought he was alone. And nothing was going to convince him otherwise.

8. All 'Board Mind Games [DC]

Inspired by Zugzwang written by sardonic-sprite. Ra's keeps kidnapping Tim and forcing him to play different board games from different cultures (cuz I like representation) and each member of the batfam is kidnapped along with him and with every time Tim loses, he gets to choose between forms of torture or being Ra's heir. Ra's gets what he wants either way because he wants Tim as his heir, but he also wants to see Tim suffer because he blew up his League's operations.

This fic I am so so so incredibly excited for because I am adding brain factors in it. Here is a plan for one of my chapters:

Damian — Barjees — Fear gas — "Be the person you needed when you were younger" (or Ideasthesia)

9. Talons (not the actual title) [DC]

What if Bruce didn't arrive in time to adopt his sons? What if the Talons did?

And what if, years later, Batman comes across four child assassins in Gotham whose eyes are screaming help?

10. Danny meets Tim (not the actual title, obvi) [DC x Danny Phantom]

Not very outlined, but the idea has been written down. During Tim's Red Robin arc where he's traversing the whole globe to find Bruce, one of the places he stops at is Amity Park. He heard about how ghosts are a regular here so maybe he can find something? Proof whether or not Bruce is alive?

Who he finds instead changes the whole trajectory of Tim's life.

~

And those are some of my wips! I am 100% planning on writing and posting all of them. They've all been outlined (except the last one) and are very much ready to be written or posted. I keep getting ideas after ideas for fics though so don't know when I'll be writing them 😂 Rest assured, I'm too excited to delay some of these wips.

[blackwatervial]

The Pete Show.

For my rewatch of The Pete Show (sometimes and more uncommonly known as KinnPorsche The Series La Forte), I will be noting down time stamps in which the main character Pete (from the Pete Show) makes an appearance. I will also, as a little bonus, add appearances of his romantic interest “Vegas”. Today:

Episode 3

After the absolute Pete-fest that was episode 2, treating us with nine glorious Petes, episode 3 is on the lacking side. Still, the Petes it offers are nothing short of spectacular (mostly because Pete is physically incapable of being anything but spectacular)

We have to wait 7 minutes and 22 seconds before seeing our beautiful boy sprawled out on a couch. This Pete is very enabling. The way he looks at Porsche tells us "I am Pete and I am shippable.", which is why, next to canon-shippers, connoisseurs of niche ships also like him very much

The next Pete, who we meet at 21:20, is one we've never seen before. A Pete who deals out violence without flinching, who beats up a guy without batting an eye. He's an antithesis to the characterisation he has presented before, a juxtaposition to himself and the first direct sign that tells the viewer: Watch this space, we are building something great here. These are a lot of words to express that I'm absoltuely feral about this Pete and I want to sink my teeth into him and shake him

Okay enough of this, forget everything I just said!! Because! Now! Comes! Babygirl! Pete!!!! Timestamp 34:10 with a special shoutout to 39:37, my love! Here we see Pete in one of his favourite black-and-white leisure outfits. There is probably some symbolism here about black, white, and shades of grey but I don't care because Look! At! Him!

Are you seeing him? Isn't he just the cutest little guy? I found him at the local shelter and took him home, put him a little enclosure and twice a day I poke him with a stick and make him do fun little tricks!

This episode, despite having not many instances of Pete, captures the very essence of The Pete Show. We have basic Pete, badass Pete, and babygirl Pete all in one package deal. What a Treat!

Previous Pete Show Posts

[melit0n]

Per your request for lyrics, how about my favorite line from Ascensionism (my favorite song)?

"Lipstick, chemtrails, red flags, pink nails/ with one eye on the door other eye on a rail/ other other eye following a scarlet trail/ and the last few drops of the Holy Grail."

Oooo this is a good one!!

First off, there's a obvious juxtaposition within the first line "Lipstick, chemtrails, red flags, pink nails". Lipstick and pink nails typically connotate to feminity and beauty, pink being symbolistic of love and compassion as well as being the 'girly' colour.

However, "chemtrails" and "red flags" suggest a threat. Chemtrails are those fun little trails that are left in the sky due to airplanes/general aircraft, but, on the conspiracy side of things, the reason why chemtrails are called chemtrails is because some people believe the gov is releasing toxic chemicals into the atmosphere via aircraft. It's being used as a descriptor of someone who is utterly toxic but hidden under a layer of beauty.

It's a very smart descriptior, if that's what it's aimed to be instead of the remains of biochemical waste, which is equally as toxic.

I don't think I need to explain how red flags equals bad.

Then, we have "with one eye on the door, other eye on the rail". Straight up, it gives prey vibes. Something coming out of its burrow and keeping a careful eye for what might just be the end of it. He's on the watch for both an exit (the door) and a path leading to it (the rail). It's fight or flight, basically; flight has already been chosen, because he knows this isn't a fight he can win, so he's mapping out his ways to escape. Also gives off a trapped vibe.

And then we get third eye imagery in "Other other eye following a scarlet trail". Also I'm glad I'm not the only person who hears 'other other' instead of 'with' or 'while' lmao. The third eye is typically, by Wikapedia definition, 'associated with religious visions, the ability to observe chakras and auras, and out-of-body experiences.' Third eye sees what cannot be seen by the other two, basically, which links into to the whole Vessel being a supernatural vessel of Sleep thing.

With "scarlet trail", what are the first things you think of with scarlet? Probably blood, right? Scarlet is actually a very 'religous' colour, believe it or not! It's typically worn by Cardinals of the Catholic Church and represents the blood of Christ; salvation, devotion and sacrifice. And, y'know, death. It invokes an image of a dead body, a corpse of prey, being dragged back to the Hunter's den to be consumed, which adds to the overall sense of danger.

Finally, we've got "the last few drops from the Holy Grail". It put emphasis on the mildly hidden religious imagery of the past line with The Holy Grail, which is (in Christian theology) the cup that Christ drank from at the last supper and that was used to collect his blood at his crucifixion. In some theologies, and The Indiana Jones movies, whatever is drunk from the cup will turn the drinker immortal. Whatever you believe "the last few drops" represent, it's been nearly depleted.

Thank you for indulging in my want for lyric analysis! I had a bit of fun with this one, so I hope this wasn't too much.

@moonchild-in-blue think you might like this one!

[cicada-days-of-summer]

WILL WOOD THE NEW NORMAL LIVE REVUE

"Blue Velvet" Reboot Starring Tom Waits (Suburbia Overture 2024 Edit) - Revue Lines are delivered with much more clarity than the 2022. The tone of voice used in "Vampire Culture" is significantly less deep, which does add to the aforementioned clarity (he says some wild stuff in this part i just couldnt hear before!) but i do think takes away mildly from the juxtaposition of the three parts. The same can be said about "Love Me Normally," where the voice he uses is much closer to his normal singing tone (as seen in "Suburbia Overture") 4/5, the changes were large but noticeable, the piece overall retains the same charm as the original "Suburbia Overture" seen on The Normal Album

Second Sight Seer! S! (2222024 Edit) - Revue Significantly more clear than the original "2econd-2ight-2eer (that was fun, goodbye.)" and i feel like it does much more for this song than "Suburbia Overture." I think its probably because this song is just generally faster paced. You can much more clearly hear what Will is saying. This might also just be placebo, but the backing track ALSO sounds much crisper. He also kinda does a silly little twinge in his voice. This version is an improvement over the original. 5/5

The Moral Implications of a Deterministic Universe feat. The Onceler (Laplace's Angel 2024 Edit) - Revue OH MY. GOD. His voice in this song is AMAZING. its slightly different than the tone he uses in the original and it so slightly changes the tone of the song. This shit is ORGASMIC. THE ENDING BIT… THE INTRO INSTRUMENTAL… OH MY GODDDD every part of this song is better. i like the onceler reference because his "am i really that bad line" does sound like him lol. WW my tumblrina king. 7/5

I/Me/Myself (2024) - Revue Nothing huge, increased clarity on lyrics and backing track is notable. Just as good as the original 4/5

…well, better than the alternative (Better Alternative Edit) - Revue First i was squealing at the new intro instrumental but then his VOICE!!!!! i started stimming on this shit immediately. im biased because this is easily my favorite ww song ever. HIS VOICE!!! it was amazing in the original and its a subtle change if ur a new listener but oh my fucking god it actually is bringing a tear to my eye. the instrumental is amazing also. THE LAST PART OH MY GOD IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER IM ACTUALLY GONNA START CRYING. 10/5 EASILY this is so fucking good!!!

I Lied About the Apple Thing (Skeleton-Bones Edition) - Revue First thing u notice is the instrumental change. AMAZING. His voice is once again alot clearer in the version, slight tone change is noticed and appreciated. 4/5

Ideas Only Spread Because People Like Them, The "Free Market of Ideas" is not a Meritocracy, it's a Set of Unhealthy Coping Skills and a Corporate Oligarchy, Wake Up, Man! Don't Let the Lies Dim Your Light! anyway this one's black box warrior (2024 edit) - Revue Clear lyrics doing alot, his enunciations a little different. The pace is the same tho which is nice. the voice is kinda different. Like how the choruses are a bit more in this version. I don't feel like changes are that prominent, comparable to the original all honestly, its a perfectly good song though. I generally feel like BBW is one of the weaker songs on this album so im not really shocked by this. the ending sounds better in this one 3/5

Karen, Thannsdfghjkl You for the Casserole, But I Need You to Lea-n into a Typo (Marsha 2024 Edit) - revue oh my loordddddd the voice is already so much better. this already puts it above the original. the backing track seems similar this far. Rerecording the vocals improved this alot his emphasis is great in this. Its not a shocking difference like some other songs so far but its very good. 4/5

Love, Me Normally - Revue This is the last song on the original The Normal Album, cant even tell its a edit. Because its not apparently. i was tripping trying to review i was going back and forth between the two. apparently legal issues didnt let him remaster it???? whats the freak

A Knee-Slapping Joke Title Referring to How Ending Tracks on Will Wood Albums Are Always Kind of Like That (Memento Mori 2024) - revue HIS VOCALS ARE SO CRISP ITS LIKE HES IN THE ROOM WITH ME. the backing is much more subtle letting the vocals really take the lead which does alot for this song i think. SO crisp an amazing remake this is SO FUCKING GODO THE ENDING OH MY GODDDDD THIS SONGS GREAT 5/5

I/Me/Myself (2018 Live Studio Demo) - revue WOAH. this is!!!! fresh!!! avocado ass song god dayum. Clearly unrefined but i kind of LOVE it oh my goodddd classic will voice and acoustics!!?!?!???!! with different lyrics??!??!?? on such a popular song this is sooo refreshing god damn. oh my god. oh my god. this is incredible. oh my god. 6/5. this is so. new. oh my god

Laplace's Angel (2018 Live in Studio Demo) - Revue once again the acoustic is AMAZING its really refreshing after how synthed TNA is. his voice in this again is GREAT the lyrics being slightly different do alooot. generally very yurmy. 4/5

Memento Mori (2018 Live in Studio Demo) - Revue Talking intro? cool!! WHAT REFERENCE TALKING INTRO… different lyrics again! love that. alot more chill than the final, nice sound. Hes playing the piano and says "take it away hands" instead of "take it away hank" for the musical interlude, thats fun. he does a weird voice thing. sure. this ok enough. 4/5

[disgruntleddemon]

i had a lot of fun with the last redraw i did, so i thought i'd try my hand at another i've been meaning to do. i drew the original back in 2021!

it's supposed to be for the childrens poem, the calico cat and gingham dog! for some reason it's one that always stuck with me since i was a kid. basically, these 2 stuffed animals tear each other apart until there's nothing left hjhjk

i wanted to lean much heavier into them looking like stuffed animals this time. i always how skinny the way the originals look, and the way they don't look like toys at all. i also made them more distinctively a cat and dog respectively. i liked giving them more cutesy faces, i think it adds a nice juxtaposition :]

all in all, i'm pretty content with how the new one turned out!

[ncisfranchise-source]

You may have questions before sampling CBS‘ NCIS: Origins, which launches Monday, Oct. 14 at 9/8c with a double-episode premiere.

Well, since Rule No. 15 tells us to “always work as a team,” let’s see if TVLine can’t dot some I’s and cross some T’s for you, ahead of the prequel spinoff’s debut.

Opening in 1991, NCIS: Origins follows a young Gibbs as he starts his career as a newly minted Special Agent at the NIS Camp Pendleton office. There, he will forge his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by the legendary Mike Franks.

Austin Stowell (A Friend of the Family, Secret Life of the American Teenager) fills the role of Gibbs (played on the original NCIS by, of course, Mark Harmon), while Kyle Schmid (SIX, Big Sky) channels a young Muse Watson as Franks.

The series regular cast also includes Mariel Molino (Promised Land) as Special Agent Lala Dominguez, a former Marine with a dark sense of humor; Tyla Abercrumbie (The Chi) as Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Hayes, who has wryly dubbed herself “HSIC” (Head Secretary in Charge); Diany Rodriguez (The Blacklist) as Special Agent Vera Strickland, a no-nonsense Brooklynite who’s tough as nails; and Caleb Foote (Made for Love) as Special Agent Benjamin “Randy” Randolf, the “golden boy” tasked with showing Gibbs the ropes.

Read on for answers to a dozen questions we had, and maybe you do, too….

01

DON'T WE KNOW ALL OF THIS ALREADY...?

To longtime NCIS fans who assume that across 19 seasons with Mark Harmon‘s Gibbs — including visits from Muse Watson’s Mike Franks and a smattering of flashback episodes starring Harmon’s son Sean as a young Gibbs — they already know everything about Jethro’s beginnings, “I would tell them, they don’t know as much as they think they do,” says co-showrunner David J. North.

On NCIS, “We talked about things, and we had little flashbacks that we went to, but that doesn’t come close to getting into the texture of what could be explored there,” North explains. “Seeing Gibbs arrive at NIS on Day 1, and seeing how Gibbs became Gibbs…. there’s so much to explore. Even for [co-showrunner] Gina [Monreal] and I, every day in the writers room is something new. When I was writing the mothership [NCIS], I never pictured Gibbs exactly like this, but of course he would have done that, of course there was a time when he actually learned where his gear is.”

Adds Monreal, “Gibbs as probie, we’ve not seen that before. We’ve not seen that dynamic between Gibbs and Franks.”

02

HOW WILL NCIS: ORIGINS DIFFER FROM ANY NCIS BEFORE IT?

The series’ co-showrunners had just reviewed the first dailies from the premiere before sitting down with TVLine, “and as proud as I am of what we’ve built at NCIS, this doesn’t look like that,” David J. North shares. “Tonally, we’re a little darker, and the whole look of the show, we wanted it to look current yet ’90s, and I think that our [set designer and DOP] delivered that perfectly.”

Monreal zeroes in on the juxtaposition of the “big orange” NCIS squad room where “they have everything their fingertips” and the Quonset Hut at Camp Pendleton from which Gibbs, Franks et al work: “It’s just so messy and gritty and underfunded, and that’s been really fun to explore.”

03

DOES YOUNG GIBBS HAVE FAULTS?

After all, the older Gibbs who we got to know over nearly 20 years of NCIS was the sharpest and savviest, if not chattiest, of Special Agents. But as a probie, will he have rough edges that need sanding?

“I wouldn’t call this a ‘fault,'” says Monreal, “but when we’re meeting him [in 1991], he’s so fresh out of the Marines, and that is a totally different perspective than we’ve seen. We’re seeing him transition to being a civilian and a civilian agent, and that gives him a different kind of shading than we’ve seen before.”

North then chimes in, alluding to the failed psych eval mentioned in the series’ trailer.

The recently widowed Gibbs’ “biggest fault, in a large, 30,000-foot sense, is taking a job as a Special Agent at NIS that he maybe is not ready for,” the EP offers.

04

IS MARK HARMON PROTECTIVE OF HIS 'YOUNGER SELF'?

Is Mark Harmon, as Gibbs’ longtime portrayer (and an executive producer on NCIS: Origins), protective of the character he created? Has he set up “guardrails” for just how green (or even bumbling) young Jethro can appear to be?

“No,” co-showrunner David J. North answers. Rather, “He’s as hands-on as we want him to be.”

Harmon is “there for us to talk through things, if Gina and I can’t come to a consensus on something,” North elaborates. “If we’re not sure which way to go, left or right at a fork in the road, and we need another opinion, he’s there for us. Mark’s not going to bulls–t you. And he’s certainly there for Austin [Stowell, who plays young Gibbs], which has been a huge thing and obviously is important to us.”

05

WHAT IS THE GIBBS/FRANKS DYNAMIC LIKE?

In two words? “Boss” and “probie,” says co-showrunner Gina Monreal.

“The way that Austin [Stowell] is playing it, the way he looks at Franks, you can see the bit of awe in his eyes, which is so interesting for both of the characters,” the EP shares.

“I describe them as ‘there’s nothing I love writing more,'” adds North. “Seeing Gibbs in these situations that you could have never imagined Mark in has been wonderful.”

Situations such as…?

“The other day, Gina and I said to Mark, ‘Did Gibbs ever ride in the back seat of car?’ And Mark said never, in 20 years. Because Gibbs was the leader.” So, expect to witness that “first” in the series premiere.

06

AGENT VERA STRICKLAND? THAT'S A DEEP PULL, NO?

Diany Rodriguez’s Special Agent Vera Strickland is a character first played by Roma Maffia once — and only once — in a random Season 11 episode of NCIS. “It is a deep pull,” co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal acknowledges, “but we looked at the timeline and she would have been there [at Camp Pendleton]. She was described [on NCIS] as Franks’ first partner,” though that is no longer the case when Origins opens… and for conspicuously vague reasons.

“Vera has some mysterious elements as well,” Monreal teases, “so being able to flesh out a character that was so clearly defined in that one [NCIS] episode has been really fun, for sure.”

07

WHAT SCENE STEALERS SHOULD WE WATCH FOR?

Tyla Abercrumbie as “Head Secretary in Charge” Mary Jo “is dynamite,” raves co-showrunner Monreal. Adds North: “She’s so, so good.”

But most every character gets a fun moment to shine in the double-episode premiere. “There’s a scene between Mariel (as Lala) and Diany (Vera) that’s really great, and powerful,” North previews.

08

WILL WE MEET A YOUNG DWAYNE PRIDE? HETTY LANGE?

Younger versions of Mike Franks and Vera Strickland (characters played on NCIS by Muse Watson and Roma Maffia) appear on NCIS: Origins. In success, could the prequel one day also cast/introduce Gibbs to circa-1991 versions of Dwayne Pride (played on NCIS: New Orleans by Scott Bakula) and/or Hetty Lange (NCIS: LA‘s Linda Hunt)– the former of which Jethro met as a young agent? “Sure!” affirms North. “I don’t think we want to say no to anything.”

09

WAIT, HOW CAN GIBBS' ESTRANGED DAD BE A PART OF THIS?

When the late Ralph Waite first guested on NCIS, it was established that Gibbs and his father had not spoken since Jethro’s wife Shannon’s funeral, in 1991. So, how will Longmire‘s Robert Taylor figure into NCIS: Origins, playing a younger Jackson?

Addressing the canonical conundrum, co-showrunner David J North says, “We did solve it. We’re very aware of the canon and what’s been set up, and we’re working within that. But I’ll say this: Jackson is an important role, and we’ll see the influence of him on Gibbs.” 

10

REMIND US, WHAT IS '90S CRIMESOLVING TECH LIKE?

Gotta reach an agent in the field? Ping their beeper.

Need to report back to the office? Hunt down a pay phone, or use the wall phone in the dead petty officer’s kitchen.

Need to walk everyone through the evidence? No smart boards here! Grab a bunch of thumbtacks.

Such 1991 constraints are “wonderful,” North avows, because “it pushes you to solve the stories in ways that’s not just fingers flying over a keyboard, or answers popping up for Kasie in the lab. It pushes us to go further into character, and that’s what we’ve done.”

11

WILL THIS 'GRITTIER' NCIS STILL HAVE HUMOR?

Yes, by way of the characters played by Caleb Foote (“golden boy” Special Agent “Randy” Randolf) and SNL vet Bobby Moynihan (forensics lab boss Woody Browne), among others.

“Woody is this overworked guy who’s working the forensics/fingerprints thing, but [in 1991] everything takes forever,” North says with a laugh. “The crew had to try to stop from laughing when [Bobby] was shooting, he’s that good.”

12

IS THERE A REASON WHY ADULT GIBBS, AS NARRATOR, IS TELLING US THIS STORY? NOW?

Yes, NCIS vet Mark Harmon will occasionally appear on-screen, as the older Gibbs relays this story of his NIS beginnings… to anyone in particular?

Why is he looking back on this time in his life? Now? Is he being interviewed? Writing a book? Maybe it’s (gulp) an epitaph of sorts?

There is a reason, North assured me.

He and co-showrunner Monreal later elaborated in an email, “As the creators of the show, we viewed Gibbs telling his own story as an enormous opportunity to actually get into the head of one of the most iconic, enigmatic characters ever.

“As far as how we’re getting this peek behind the curtain — meaning, in what way exactly is our beloved Gibbs telling us his story? — that will be answered on October 14th,” they promised.

[kingprinceleo]

Absolutely loving the vibes of the desert vampire AU🫶🏽 the juxtaposition of vampires and scorching sun is such a brain scratcher ♥️♥️♥️

I was wondering if you'd thought of any established lore you could share or an overall plot summary?

WAHHH tysmmmm i think theyre very fun... and i will yeah!! but everything is still in its baby stages rn so dont expect lore drop to be fully set in stone rahhhh i plan to have two major lore bits that i havent mentioned yet drop with an art piece soon... >:) but i do have a few content warnings about it, just as a heads up- unlike the main vampire au this one is gonna go into more of the fucked up monster part, and it leans more into existential horror, alien horror, likely some body horror, and in general darker themes, violence, death, torture, cannibalism (but not like, crazy shit, its pretty mild) and suicidal ideation i wanna get a lil fucked up and weird with this one dbhfhsd but i will counterbalance it with found family cowboy moments 👍 tbh when i update my pinned post im prob gonna add content warnings for everything and like. what ships will be present for each au