#also “i wanted to do it because i've never done [a movie where the whole script is improvised] before”

[aq2003]

absolutely crying at these serious film critics talking abt nativity 2

[ashtheketchum]

NSFW alphabet Patrick Hockstetter

A/N: I've done this alphabet with a few other characters before, but I've never published anything. Then why don't you start with the biggest psycho? XD

Warning: NSFW content, female Reader, book and movie Patrick in one, mention of killing animals

_____________________________

A(ftercare = What is he like after sex?)

Patrick isn't actually that interested in you after sex. Maybe he asks briefly if you're still okay and then he doesn't care about you anymore. Sometimes he is so nice and carries you to the bathroom, but you have to wash yourself. Deep down, Patrick would like to help you, but the risk of getting a boner again is too high.

B(ody = his favorite body part)

Patrick loves your ass. He can't resist massaging it, pinching it or hitting it. All he has to do is stare at your ass and he'll get a boner and have to stop himself from fucking you to the wall.

C(um = Where does he cum?)

Patrick doesn't care where he cums. Whether in you, on your stomach, on your face, on your back, he doesn't care, you should just tell him. He's not into condoms at all, so unfortunately you have to be prepared to buy the pill. Otherwise, Patrick will never cum inside you (except in your mouth-) because he doesn't want you to get pregnant.

D(irty secret = One thing he does that you don't know about)

In class he sometimes jerks off on you. Especially in the summer when you're wearing short clothes, he can't keep himself together. In fact, no one has noticed it yet and it should stay that way. Since you sit in front of him and always help the teachers, he also has a complete field of vision of your body.

E(xperience = How much does he know about sex?)

Let's put it this way… you're not his first. Maybe the first one he treats a little gently, but when it comes to sex you are (with luck), the third one he's had. He had raped many women back then and therefore has a lot of experience about how he should and shouldn't move best. Sometimes he had to hold himself together not to destroy you completely, but he kept himself well within his limits.

F(av. position = What position does he like to fuck you in?)

Patrick goes through all the positions with you. Missionary, doggy style, riding and more. But most of the time he prefers the missionary position. This way he can see your whole body and do whatever he wants with it. Of course he prefers it if you ride him, but he prefers it if he takes the lead. But he likes to try things out, so be creative.

G(oofy = Does he have a sense of humor during sex?)

This point is critical. It depends on his mood, when he is in a good mood he sometimes teases you. "My little slut… takes my cock so well…" he says, for example. But when he's in a bad mood, he usually never says anything. He sometimes growls, growls or whines, but nothing more.

H(ickeys? = How does he feel about hickeys?)

No. Patrick likes to give you some, but he doesn't want any himself. The world should know who you belong to and not the other way around. Because you belong to him, not he to you. So you have to live with the fact that you sometimes walk around with a bruised neck.

I(ntimacy = Is he romantic?)

HAHAHA no.

J(erk off = Does he masturbate often?)

Ohhh yes. He masturbates very, very often, precisely because he can't touch you all the time. He masturbates at school, he masturbates at home. The only time he doesn't masturbate is when he's sleeping or fucking you. But otherwise he always masturbates when he can or wants to.

K(ink = What turns him on?)

Basically everything you do. Do you bend down to pick something up? He sees your ass and gets hard. You stub your toe and moan in pain? He loves suffering and becomes hard. Are you talking about your day? He wants to use your mouth for something else and gets hard.

L(ocation = Where do you like to do it most?)

If it were up to him, you would fuck everywhere. At school, in town, behind a church and more. But it's too uncomfortable for you, so you only do it in private places. Once you did it in the school toilets because Patrick got a hard on that no one could miss.

M(otivation = What really gets him in the mood?)

Fire and knife games. He loves to hurt you, even if it's just a minor injury. Your loud whimpers turn him on, making him want more and more. Most often he cuts your collarbone, your hip or between your breasts. But he never cuts so deeply that it cannot heal. But sometimes a scar remains.

N(o = What would he never do?)

Start a real relationship with you. He only sees you as a sex toy and sometimes treats you sweetly so that you stay with him longer. Don't expect to be able to change him.

O(ral = Is he a giver or a taker?)

He prefers to receive. The feeling of your lips around his shaft drives him even crazier than he actually is. And your looks, he could never get enough. Especially your strangled moans as he fucks your throat. It's never the other way around, in fact Patrick had never even thought about licking or fingering you in any way.

P(eace = Is he slow or fast?)

Hard and fast. But the closer you get to your orgasm, the more he slows down to tease you. Most of the time he tortures himself, but seeing you suffer is worth the cost to him. As he gets angrier, he gets tougher, but then his knife and fire games hurt more.

Q(uickie = Does he like quickies? Something done or had quickly)

He was never a fan of it. It feels wrong for him to just fuck you quickly and then act like nothing happened. Especially because it takes several rounds.

R(isk = Would he do it in places where he would easily be caught?)

Yes. Patrick doesn't even see fucking you in public as a risk, he sees it as a given. If it gets too much for you, he usually ignores it. But since you mostly only do it in the forest or at home, it suits him.

S(tamina = How many rounds can he last?)

If he's in a good mood, three rounds are easily possible. Maybe more. However, when he's angry, all he really wants to do is hurt you and sometimes you don't even get to your first orgasm. But he does :'D

T(oys = Does he use toys on you?)

The only toys he uses are his lighter and a small knife. He doesn't want anything more, he doesn't need anything more. You never find toys that interesting, and neither of you want to buy them and hide them.

U(nfair = Does he sometimes tease you?)

Not sure if you could call that teasing. But, as mentioned before, it becomes slower and gentler as you get closer to your orgasm. But when you beg and whimper sweetly, he speeds up again and gives you your well-deserved orgasm. But only sometimes.

V(olume = Is he loud or quiet?)

Most of the time he just growls quietly in your ear. He wants to keep his voice quiet and deep so that he can hear you better. But when he cums, he lets out a small whimper, then he just breathes loudly and quickly. He is also quiet when talking dirty.

W(ich position = Top or Bottom?)

Patrick is definitely a top. He wouldn't even think about giving you dominance, even if you give him a blowjob or ride him. He always has control over you.

X(-x rey = How is his cock?)

Patrick is a little longer than average, but he is a little thicker at the base. Slight veins can be seen under his tip and he has a pink tip.

Y(earning = How high is his sex drive?)

Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very high.

Z(zzz = Does he sleep after sex?)

Patrick never falls asleep after you have sex. Most of the time he watches you sleep or he goes to kill some animal. When he really needs to sleep, he sleeps very lightly.

[yamujiburo]

Do you think you could info dump all that you know about Madame Boss and Mayomoto with drawings? I would love to know more about their dynamic and about young Giovanni with baby Jessie. Maybe Delia could ask Jessie about it in a comic? Would it be sad or nostalgic? Maybe both? Like a flashback or something would be cool! Anyway, love your art and everything that you do!! ❤️

I'm not sure I can get it out in just drawings (just because it's a lot) but I have quite a few I've already done if you wanna look through my tags~ I'll also explain a bit here with some of my old comics. Long post under the cut~

Canonically, Madame Boss is the founder of Team Rocket and Giovnanni's mother. Miyamoto was one of her elite agents and Jessie's mother. They're REALLY close as evidenced by how they talk to one another (ex. Madame Boss calling Miyamoto "Miyamoto chan", Miyamoto's informal way of speaking to Madame Boss despite her being her superior, their friendly banter, etc.). Madame Boss sends Miyamoto and two other Team Rocket members on a mission to find Mew, but she and the other members never return. Miyamoto's implied to still be alive, endlessly chasing Mew with Jessie as her north star and reason to keep going. Madame Boss passes away sometime between the radio drama and before the events of the first Pokémon Movie. You can listen to the whole drama here! Madame Boss and Miyamoto are primarily in the first part, but Miyamoto pops up at the end of each of the other parts at different periods of time.

This is more where my headcanons begin! Miyamoto, whose dub name I hc being (Calamity) Jane, joined Team Rocket mostly because of her not great circumstances. She works her way up the ladder quickly and impresses Madame Boss. They become close but at the time, Miyamoto was dating a charismatic performer/con man that MB, not so subtly, doesn't approve of. She was right to not approve as this man got Miyamoto pregnant but left her before he'd known.

Madame Boss, despite her penny pinching behavior (Team Rocket wasn't that big yet), does what she can to help out Miyamoto. They had to tread carefully though, they didn't want anyone thinking there was any sort of favoritism happening.

Jessie is born, and for a little while Miyamoto keeps her and raises her the best she can. On more short term missions she'd leave her with Madame Boss, who's not super fond of children, and would have her own son Giovanni watch her (or have another grunt in Team Rocket watch her). This wasn't sustainable, so Miyamoto quickly puts Jessie in foster care (the foster care part is canon). Miyamoto would still visit her daughter whenever she could.

Ultimately, Miyamoto was a very driven, one track minded woman. She would constantly go on missions and after discovering Mew, became obsessed. It was around this time Madame Boss was starting to catch feelings for Miyamoto. Miyamoto would play along but was not nearly as invested in their relationship is Madame Boss was. Not in a malicious or leading on sort of way, she just had a job she wanted to get done

When it was time for Miyamoto to go on the mission to actually find Mew, Madame Boss, while excited at the prospect of getting her hands on a legendary Pokémon and the money that came with that, began to worry in the days leading up to the mission and tried to get Miyamoto to stay. She offered to send a different team out. To her they were disposable, but Miyamoto wasn't. Miyamoto didn't take the offer, wanting the glory and money of finding Mew for herself (but also had a daughter she wanted to get back to and be able to provide for). She leaves and goes MIA

Madame Boss is brokenhearted and after several years of Miyamoto going missing, is not able to run Team Rocket, troubled by the immense amount of guilt and heartache, and Giovanni takes over. She remains in the organization, more so operating in the background. It was rare for agents to see her out and about. But years later she sees Jessie's joined Team Rocket as a trainee. She requests Viper and Giovanni keep an eye out for her. Viper doesn't know why but does as he's told. Giovanni understands, remembering Jessie as the little toddler he'd have to take care of many years ago as well as her mother Miyamoto, who he knew was very close to his mother.

Not too long after, Madame Boss passes away but Giovanni keeps his promise and continues to keep Jessie employed.

I don't think Jessie remembers much of her mom or anything from around this time. I don't think she even remembers her mom being in Team Rocket or Giovanni babysitting her. She just remembers her mother leaving and never coming back and holds some resentment, not knowing the context of why Miyamoto disappeared.

I've thought about doing a story where Miyamoto returns in my hanamusa au but I still gotta think it out more. It starts with Miyamoto stopping by Delia's restaurant and she and Delia talk, not knowing the little connection they have via Jessie.

[hellspawnmotel]

well you guys really called my bluff on this one, haha. I have a lot to say on the topic so this will probably turn into a long post but the answer really depends on this: what interests you about astro boy, pluto, and the franchise/tezuka's body of work as a whole? what do you want out of this experience?

if you're just looking for places to read/watch these things and that's it, I'll put some links here at the top so you don't have to dig through this whole mess.

you can read astro boy (original manga) here (there are occasionally missing pages on this website, if/when you run into those you can switch to this one which is harder to navigate but complete)

you can watch/download the 2003 anime (english sub) here

you can read naoki urasawa's pluto here

so you're interested in astro boy but aren't sure where to start: my opinion as someone whose point of view you respect for some reason

it didn't occur to me until recently that for a lot of people who follow me, your cultural touchstone for the concept of astro boy is most likely to be the 2009 american movie. I didn't watch that as a kid, I was 14 when it came out and fully into my "anime is superior to western animation" phase, but I've watched it now and well.... if you like it that's great! I did not. I'm not going to dwell on that, but I think it's worth noting that whatever your opinion on it as a movie is I don't really think it's a good representation of astro boy and its themes. moving on.

the manga

if you want the pure, unfiltered astro boy experience, this is as close as you're gonna get. it's gonna be a little haphazard though because the dark horse publication, which is probably the only way you're gonna find to read it in english, does not order the stories chronologically. I don't think that really matters because there's not a lot of continuity so as long as you understand the basic premise you can read in whatever order you want, and this puts a lot of really good stories first anyway so it's nice too. personally as far as all versions of astro boy proper go, the manga is my favorite. it's not always an easy read, for reasons I'll get into in a moment, and it's not always good either. some stories are phenomenal, some are just plain silly, and some are downright terrible. but given how long it ran for and how consistently and without breaks tezuka worked on not just it but all his other manga too I think that's too be expected. but even the bad ones I think are worth a look! this is the history of manga as a medium right here! and I love the manga, it's fun, funny, wonderfully drawn, compelling, shockingly dark at times, and just a fascinating read for those with an interest in classic comics.

all that said, I think it would be irresponsible of me to recommend it without also including a big fat disclaimer, which dark horse was kind enough to put at the front of the book.

if you have an interest or familiarity with classic/vintage manga, anime, comics, and cartoons, you probably saw this coming, but some of this shit gets REAL racist, most often in terms of how people are drawn. some of tezuka's biggest inspirations were the rubberhose american cartoons of the 20s and 30s, and all that implies. for whatever the opinion of a white american is worth, based on his writing I really do believe he had good intentions- he consistently speaks out against racism and bigotry in general, in astro boy especially. you can tell he was very passionate about it. but I'm not gonna defend the guy either, you can't be drawing people like that, even if it was the 40s-80s. a lot of the experience of getting into tezuka is reading a story where the moral is "racism is evil! end discrimination!" accompanied by straight up racial caricatures in the art. it's baffling and infuriating. if I could I would travel back in time and hire the man a sensitivity reader, but I can't, and he's been dead for 35 years so we'll never know what he would've done about it today. all we can do is take it as an opportunity to learn and do better. but, if all that puts you off getting into the manga or the series at large, I don't blame you!

with that out of the way, the size of the manga might intimidate you. there's a lot of it. lucky for you you don't have to read all of it if you don't want to! I've read the entire thing because I'm a completionist at heart, but I've had several friends come to me for a smaller and more manageable reading list, which is as follows:

(stars for my personal favorites, grimaces for "I did enjoy this one and I think it's worth reading but I don't feel good about recommending it". I also think "the artificial sun" and "atlas" are important reads if you're interested in the history of the franchise because they get referenced a lot, but they are VERY racist and I don't think theyre good enough overall to make them worth putting on the list despite that.)

that was long. next up:

the 2003 anime

I am not quite done watching this one but I'm pretty close so I feel confident in saying: on the whole, it's great! it looks absolutely fantastic for a tv anime from that era, the character and world design is top-notch, and overall it does a really good job adapting the best and most important parts of the manga into a continuous story, although it softens the blow of the darker moments quite a bit (which might be a good thing for you, depending on your tastes). it's pretty beloved by western fans, and for good reason.

I do have my issues with it, for one this might not be a popular opinion but I think they majorly screwed up on adapting the "greatest robot on earth" arc (my favorite arc btw, yes I might be salty), for another they really sand the edges off of uran's character compared to the manga and make her a lot more meek and girly. but that's just my opinion and if this show is the only one you've watched you wouldnt know that anyway. so don't let that deter you if you're interested, you'll be missing out on a pretty fantastic kids show.

so, if you're looking to really dive chest-first into astro boy as a franchise and understand all there is to know: maybe don't start with this one. it changes a lot from the source material and kind of does its own thing. but if you're just looking for a good story thats fun to watch and total eye candy, go nuts!

pluto

pluto by naoki urasawa is an adaptation/reimagining of astro boy's most famous and beloved arc, "the greatest robot on earth". it's also what got me into the franchise and one of my favorite manga ever! pluto reinvents the story as a detective thriller set in the aftermath of what is effectively, and obviously, the iraq war. it's brutal and harrowing, and beautiful and cathartic and hopeful. to me it is the gold standard for "dark and gritty reboot of a children's story" because urasawa adores tezuka and respects the original version, which was always a dark tragedy anyway, just presented differently. you might have seen pluto got an anime adaptation last year as well. I've watched it, it's pretty good! it doesn't change all that much (I don't like the few things they DID change but whatever) but I just think urasawa's artwork, paneling, and pacing are completely unmatched so I'd recommend the manga first. I'm not gonna be that asshole who insists you gotta read the manga over the anime though, if anime is easier for you you're better off having experienced pluto that way than not at all.

(if you ARE interested in both astro boy and pluto and are considering which to get into first, it's important to know that reading the arc pluto is based on will spoil a loooooot of things about the story. so weigh the pros and cons of that before making a decision!)

so, that's basically what I have to say. I haven't watched the 60s or 80s anime adaptations so I can't give insight on those, and I'm by no means an expert on any of this. I only started reading the original manga like three months ago and before that my memories of the other stuff was pretty faded, before I revisited it. if you're interested though I hope this helps, and I hope you enjoy yourself if you decide to take the leap! it's kind of a rabbit hole. I did not know what I was getting into when I decided to reread pluto, but I'm sure glad I did.

if you have any other questions about my personal opinions, feel free to shoot me an ask as well!

[clairegregoryau]

Through the Looking Glass

From fairytale in Season 1 to stark reality in Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death- meta ported across from this Twitter thread by popular demand!

This thread contains spoilers for the entirety of OFMD Season 2

First OFMD S1 rewatch since S2, and holy shit, if you haven't done that yet... do that. A thing that it made instantly clear: they told us *all along* where this was going, but there was a reason we didn't see it. Because we were living in Stede's world then. Now it's Ed's.

I know that a lot of us have felt that the tone shift at the end of S2 was... jarring, compared to what's come before. This felt like a show that wouldn't go there. One where being run through was a temporary hiccup. We've travelled all the way from this to this.

But we haven't jumped there without a journey in between. And from the minute we started hearing about Blackbeard, the show never tried to hide what Ed's world and his specific life was like. Not once. In fact they told us over and over and over.

But Season 1 told us a lot of those things through song and story and fuckery. It blended reality with fiction.

Stede met the Blackbeard he knew through books and tall tales, and the real man was even more wonderful than he'd imagined.

We, along with Stede, were comfortable thinking that all those other tales were exaggerations and misrepresentations, and a lot of them very likely were.

The Ed Stede got to know was a person who was capable of whimsy and silliness and loved soft things and doing something weird. Yep, he was also capable of violence and rage, but when he was with Stede, he didn't feel it so much.

This was a vacation from that life.

To Stede he was absolutely lovely... oh, and also a bloodthirsty killer. And Stede loved (and loves) everything about him, and both of those things can be true. This is a perfect example of a spot where (in watching Season 1 without the benefit of hindsight) I assumed that everyone else in that pub was wrong, and Stede was simply trying to protect Ed's fearsome reputation by agreeing on the bloodthirsty bits. And I think from Stede's perspective that was largely true. I think that's how they wanted us to see Ed, through his eyes. Now, after watching both seasons, I think it wasn't the whole picture.

They told us, we heard it, we saw glimpses of it. But we (and Ed) were in Stede's run-away-to-sea fairytale the whole time. It wasn't until Stede left that we saw the reality- the Ed we knew had been, to a degree, a fictional character all along. I always saw this scene as Ed putting a bit of distance between himself and reality; it always felt like the Blackbeard of Stede's storybooks was the fictional one. But now it feels like the softer Ed that Stede knew was much the same- neither of them the whole story of who Ed was and is.

The one person who refused to live in Stede's fairytale was Izzy. I've seen people say it before, but he always gave off that vibe of the only human in the Muppets movie, or the guy who was in Black Sails while everyone else was in Pirates of the Caribbean. He saw the real risks clearly.

And in that light, the end of S1 has shifted an inch to the left for me, and I'm seeing it at a slightly different angle.

Izzy ripped away the healing Ed was doing, but in some respects he did it by tearing away the fairytale we'd all been living in, shoving Ed back into the Blackbeard story.

And that's where we pick up again in Season 2.

The fairytale reference came back in S2 in two notable places, those being Jim carrying that legacy forward in the darkest times, and in Izzy invoking the wooden boy against Ricky's efforts. Stede's made himself into a real boy. Ricky, nope.

Now that I've watched both seasons together, the tone shift doesn't feel so jarring at all, actually.

It feels like sliding through the looking glass, out of Stede's world, and into Ed's- a world that existed all along; we were just seeing it, la vie en rose, through Stede's eyes.

At the beginning of S2, Stede's gone, and we're seeing it unfiltered through Ed's reality.

But Stede wasn't lying when he said he loved everything about Ed. He made a promise to come back and find him- he went down into Ed's darkest place and reminded him that no matter how bad things got, there WAS someone waiting for him, ready to love him.

The contrast between S1's fantasy and S2's reality (excluding mermaids and actual bird guys and cursed coats) is stark, but it really is that.

We have the same settings, the same people, and very different ideas and outcomes at different times.

But it was always there.

Things do come back to a state of (precarious) balance once they're all together. Apologies are made, whether they're spoken out loud or through actions. Things go right, things go wrong. Healing happens. Izzy continues to have the steadiest, most real through-line in the story as he tracks toward redemption, finds acceptance, and to an extent finds himself.

Once again, I hate that they went here with the ending and I wish they hadn't. But it got a fraction easier for me looking at it not as a continuation of Stede's fairytale, but of the grounded-in-pirate-reality arc Izzy was always on, even while we lived in Stede's world.

Where does that leave us? We're not going back to the fairytale, but we're not going to be living in Black Sails for S3, either. We've hit a fusion point where S1 ended with each of them going to separate, miserable homes, but S2 ended with them in the same place, ready and willing to make a go of it.

Season 3 is going to give us their world, together.

I LOVED the moments in this season where the deep emotions were in balance with the silliness I've always adored about this show. Eps4-6 were wonderful like that. Clearly we're not done with drama, either, but like Ed and Stede, I think we'll find a middle ground.

Anyway in conclusion, a rewatch of S1 after S2 somehow made me love the first season even more, which felt impossible? It's now gained /even more/ layers of depth than it had before. No matter how you feel about S2 I think it's worth that rewatch.

Adding one more bit of clarity for myself: I think we got a bit (intentionally) seduced in S1 by the idea that the Ed of the storybooks, the Vampire Viking Clown with the nine guns, was a version of him that others saw, when Stede saw the REAL person who 'worked' for Blackbeard.

In hindsight I think it's clear the Ed Stede go to know was also not the complete version of himself- the reality is, there's a whole spectrum between the two, and they've landed in the middle of it now. Ed intentionally leaned into the unlovable Kraken image to protect himself.

It very much didn't work, just like being just... Edward hadn't worked to protect himself, either. This season has been very much about pulling those two extremes together and finding all the parts that make up Ed overall (another thread on that here on Twitter, which I'll also shift across to Tumblr soon!)

And I think one of my favourite things in S2 has been seeing the way Stede SEES that- he knows what Ed's done, everyone's told him, but he still loves Ed. sees his trauma and how it affects him, and believes he's a good man regardless. He IS lovable; he's not forever broken.

And together, they can heal.

[elvisqueso]

"Our warriors fought with courage, but none as bravely as Kocoum."

Pocahontas (1995)

long, rambling meta under the cut:

you know i've taken some light dips into the tags looking for content on kocoum and i never see anyone going into depth about him as a character. sure you see the posts that are all "omg he was so hot pocahontas should have picked him instead :p" but that has little to do with his character or his place in the narrative or anything. in fact, it's a further objectification of a guy who is already dehumanized in-narrative, which is so very sad to me. kocoum is a lot more than his looks, which is why they're the first thing about him you're meant to notice. he's handsome, and he doesn't smile. he's a warrior and a stoic kinda guy. but that's all surface-level stuff. he's a very complex person with an intense internal turmoil that circumstances aren't allowing him to deal with properly.

like, you really can't come to an understanding about his character and go on to say "and he should have been with pocahontas" bc the fundamental aspect of their relationship as characters is that they would have been terrible for each other. you could feasibly make an argument that, on some level, kocoum would have been good for pocahontas (the "handsome, sturdy husband" who could ground her), but there is no way in any universe that pocahontas would have been good for him, bc the one who actually needed and wanted a steady, reliable partner is kocoum and pocahontas is the opposite of that (which is one of the reasons she and john smith kind of deserved each other but that's a whole other post).

see, kocoum is like a hemingway protagonist. remember, at the start of the movie, everyone is returning from war; it's important to note how much emphasis the movie places on family as a representation of "the ordinary world." the same is done with the virginia company members at the top of the film. there, they say goodbye to their normal lives and start an adventure. here, the powhatan warriors are returning to theirs. but who does kocoum, the celebrated warrior, have to return to?

kocoum doesn't have a normal life yet. he still belongs to the battle. there's a lot to be said about PTSD as a character motif in this film: it affects a lot of the major characters in different ways. for kocoum, it means he's not allowed to depart from his wartime mindset until and unless he can start a family of his own, and for that he pins his hopes on pocahontas. why exactly he likes her goes unsaid; it's implied they aren't particularly close, but may be familiar with each other. pocahontas being the chief's daughter may be an element, but it may also be that he's harbored an admiration for her from afar for some time. whatever the reason, kocoum has a misplaced idea that being with pocahontas will bring him peace. like a hemingway protagonist, he's taken up with the notion that being with a woman, an angel, will fix him; but the woman he wants is neither interested in doing so nor able to do so, whether or not she cares for him.

and this is why his outburst of emotion when he finds pocahontas and john in the glade is so understandable. he's watching his hopes for the future being ripped apart before his eyes. he'll never get peace, and that breaks him and then kills him.

and when i say he's dehumanized, i'm talking about the way characters talk about him and then how he dies. he's fierce, like a bear. he's handsome, but doesn't smile. he's a tool, an obstacle, and ultimately fodder for both pocahontas's and thomas's character development (mostly thomas's). there's something to be said about how both kocoum and his foil john smith are objectified so differently. where john is the subject of pocahontas's female gaze, kocoum is also objectified through a masculine one (the tension-filled lens that marries fear and admiration for athletic, warrior men and rivals). and then, again, he gets 'fridged for plot reasons because he's also the paris to pocahontas's juliet.

basically what i'm saying is kocoum really needed someone to take care of him, and no one did nor could. and that's why he's so tragic and tbh deserves better treatment by the fans, too.

[corkinavoid]

Hogwarts??? So you hate trans people then, if your supporting jk

First of all, it's 'you're', not 'your'. If you want to accuse someone of something, then at least do it in a grammatically correct way.

Second, that's a lot of conclusions for no apparent reason.

Third, don't like - don't look, the 'block' button exists for a reason, and I'm not here to provide a comfortable experience for you. You're the one responsible for that part.

With that out of the way, let me rant about how much I fucking despise J.K. Rowling.

Let me get this straight, though, her stance on trans rights is not the first or the main reason for my dislike. In all honesty, I don't have enough care in myself to touch internet drama with a ten foot pole, so all I know about it is that apparently Rowling hates trans people, which, yeah, fuck her.

By the way, what do you even consider 'supporting an author'? Buying their books or merch? Liking their Twitter posts? Defending them on social media? Because I've done literally none of that. I haven't even watched the movies, and I've never read the last book, because at the time it wasn't published (or written yet), and by the time it was, I was already into Eragon series and didn't care about Harry Potter.

Now, to the important part.

I fucking hate J.K. Rowling because of her absolute lack of comprehensive worldbuilding. She sucks at creating a logical system of magic, at her own world's history, economics, and politics. Nothing in her books makes sense.

Why do the wizards need wands? Why do they write with quills on parchment when there's paper and notebooks and goddamn ink pens and color pencils? Why don't they teach math in Hogwarts? Why don't the teachers have, like, some introductory lessons or at least books for muggleborn or muggle-raised students? What the fuck was that 'power of mother's love' bullshit? Where did that story about Peverell Brothers and Death come from, and why didn't anyone think to mention it when Harry first got the Invisibility Cloak? Why in the world is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets in the girl's bathrooms of all places? Why is there a subject for Ancient Runes but no one fucking uses runes? Why didn't Harry sign up for Muggle Studies, it would have been an easy grade? Why was Hermione the only one to have a time-turner in the whole school, she was fucking thirteen, what was McGonagall thinking? Where are any kind of PE lessons? Why the everloving fuck was Triwizard Tournament held at a school, with teenagers participating? What's more, why couldn't they choose the champions beforehand so the visiting schools didn't have to transport their whole student bodies over for a year? Why were they fighting dragons when it's common knowledge that no sane adult person would dare to do that alone by themselves? What was that arch in the Ministry where Sirius died? What the fuck was even going on for the most part of the series?

None of it makes an ounce of sense. Every fucking event in the books is a product of poor imagination and lack of logic. Rowling is fucking dumb as a brick. I've heard five-year-olds come up with stories that had more reason than the whole Harry Potter series.

Have you seen the 'map of wizarding schools' she came up with? That thing makes me feel the rage of a thousand men. One single school for the whole damn Africa? Bitch, there are over fifty countries there, each with their own language, how do you expect them to communicate? Not to mention India and China having one school for both of them, do you have any idea of the population of both of those countries? That school must be, like, a size of a city, not to mention culture differences and language barriers again.

Also, what was that fucking thing about kids flying on whole ass trees instead of brooms in Koldovstvorets, that one offends me personally. Not to mention the actual name of that school, because it translates to 'magic palace', are you kidding me?

I can keep ranting about this for hours, and never run out, but this is getting rather long, so I'm going to wrap this part up. Just know that the whole of Rowling's worldbuilding is a ton of bullshit that has no right to be as popular as it got.

Yet, I do like the general idea that she had. The magic world that is hidden inside the real one, the whole charms and spells aesthetic, a castle full of secret passages, and all that old classic English vibe to it. It could have been good. It could have been marvelous, if Rowling had, like, a few more braincells. Alas, she didn't, and here we are.

A few years ago, I've found a fic on ao3, 'survival is a talent' by ShanaStoryteller. It's a Series Retold, and it's incomplete. If you haven't read it, I really advise you to, it's perfect in a way the original will never be. Ever since I've read it, I decided that that fic is my canon version of Harry Potter.

On a different note, I think that at this point, HP fandom and J.K. Rowling exist in two different dimensions. That woman had created a world, yes, but it doesn't belong to her anymore, it belongs to everyone who enjoys it. She clearly doesn't, she only enjoys the profit she is making from it.

If you've made it this far through my Harry Potter related rant, thank you, and have a beautiful day <3

[luceafarul-de-dimineata]

Do you have any headcannons for the paradise lost gang? I'm dying for more of my healers.

Paradise Lost is my favorite set of character, of course I have hcs about them. My beloved disfunctional sitcom family that's somehow a hospital <3

Paradise Lost hcs

Everyone in Paradise Lost is on something. There's no way Morax can be so chill without some weed in his system

The only Paradise Lost citizen that graduated high-school was Bathin and he left

Lucifer was born in his 30s, he was born with a doctorate in every major

Becoming a citizen in Paradise Lost is almost impossible. Both Lucifer and Gamigin need to give you a vibe check and you have to learn healing magic.

Since Paradise Lost was founded after Lilith's disapearance, there are no native Paradise Lost citizens, the closest being Gamigin and Jjok

During Sundays where nobody in Paradise Lost works, each of the nobles has to come up with a fun family activity.

Be it board-games, movie marathons, walks through the forest, anything, they have to all do it together during Sunday

Lucifer has a picture of God or Jesus in every room of his castle because he is a true Orthodox Christian

Even though Lucifer has his own room in his own castle, he preferes sleeping in Gamigin's bed with him. He likes cuddling with the young dragon

Marbas is allowed untied whenever he's not dealing with patients, but he sometimes keeps the restraints on even when he's off duty

Lucifer sees everyone else as being beneath him, but he cares for them like they were children or pets

Lucifer never goes to meetings with the other kings because he doesn't like how often they happen and how little is actually done with them.

Morax has a facebook account where he posts low quality edits of him and the other people in Paradise Lost. They always get one like and it's from Lucifer.

Marbas has a brick phone because it's the only one he can't break with his bare hands. He sometimes calls his 'friends' from other regions with it, but he has no phone attiquit. He would call someone and just ask them for stuff with no hello, no small talk, no nothing

Buer is the best with phones in the whole country. He also didn't pass 5th grade tech lessons about how to make a folder on Windows. He has what used to be the latest phone model when he left Tartaros, but he only uses it to call patients.

Gamigin doesn't have a phone and Lucifer prohibited him from touching the internet. But Lucifer does give Gamigin his phone to play on during breaks or stuff

Lucifer has a fancy phone that he only uses to like Morax's posts on facebook and ignore the mail the kings give him

Depending on the type of meeting and the availability of his staff he will either take Gamigin or Morax with him during diplomatic travels.

He takes Gamigin most of the time, but if the subject is mainly about the atrocities of war he brings Morax. Morax is an airhead with no self preservation, he's used to seing people dying left and right in gruesome manners, but Lucifer would prefere to protect Gamigin from the sort of trauma

Everyone in Paradise Lost is devoted to Lucifer, but Gamigin fluctuates between "wow, he's so cool, I need to impress him" and "my king can beat your king in a fist fight"

Gamigin's also the noble that Lucifer spoils the most. He lets Gamigin do basicly what he wants around the country and he even lets him touch his angelic body.

Whenever there's a long ride from Paradise Lost to a different country, Lucifer sits Gamigin on his lap and let's him sleep there. If anyone speaks louder than a whisper, Lucifer will glare them down.

Gamigin is the favorite kid and by a lot

It's bordering on platonic yandere, but we'll keep it light for this post (unless you want some darker stuff, feel free to ask 👀)

I've said this before and I'll say it again: there is no official uniform in Paradise Lost, Marbas just hates Buer in particular (and he wants to rip the clothes off him)

Lucifer has a photo album of all the memories he had with his brothers. There are some photos with Gabriel, Michael and Raphael in there as well

[see-arcane]

Seeing the Nosferatu and Creature of The Black Lagoon remake summaries reminds me that heterosexual Monster movie summaries are like "The intense and tragic and erotic encounter between a Lagoon creature/vampire/demon/victorian zombie and a woman he is infatuated with." When will the monster be the woman.

Seriously. So fucking seriously. The most I can think of off the top of my head are one-off bogeywomen who never brush the mainstream.

First off, monster women. Not sexy waifu vampire girl with baby fangs meets Average Everyman and they do kissing about it. Real monster women. Who are decayed, or ugly, or inhuman, or outright horrifying. Even just a visibly cadaverous revenant babe ala Warm Bodies' R or Lisa Frankenstein's Creature. Where are they? Where the hell are the actually monstrous monster women?

I know The Ritual has Moder the Jotunn and her badass giant chimera god utterly non-human look. She does some killing, as one does. But we only actually learn she was female from outside sources, not in the film itself. When Moder is referred to as 'a god' the assumption is male, rather than just calling her 'a goddess.' Feels like a cheat.

There's Jenifer from Masters of Horror, based off the comic from Creepy by Bruce Jones and Bernie Wrightson. Her whole deal is being 1) Unavoidably uncannily grotesque and 2) Capable of some depraved shit via simple violence or using her psychic ability to orchestrate some very very unpleasant intimate interludes (and tragic demises).

I know the V/H/S movies have gotten a good handful in, some Medusas and body horror babes, but always in the form of those brief one-shot anthology bits. There and gone. They had an exception with Lilith (the type who starts as Pretty Girl and transforms into Something Else) who appears in the first movie with "Amateur Night" and got her own standalone movie with Siren, which I thought was a really well done sexual/amorous horror story--one in which the woman is the unambiguous predatory monster seeking and assaulting a man as her human crush-target. ...And is also barely known to the horror community.

There's the nightmare shit that happened to the protagonist of Bite. The full movie is here. Do not--Do NOT--watch if you have any phobias to do with insects, disease, reproduction or slow transformative body horror. This is the daughter of Cronenberg's The Fly and The Metamorphosis' pure misery. Good god.

And...that's it. That is the full roster of visibly monstrous females on film I have in my memory.

Second thing: Romance. Human Guy and Monster Lady.

Literally the only thing that comes to mind is 1) Corpse Bride with the Most Hourglassed and Beestung Pout Lipped Cadaver You Have Ever Seen and 2) Spring (2014). The latter I haven't seen yet, but the premise is very clearly Legit Monster Babe and Smitten Lover. Kudos.

Everything else I've come across is just Hot Chick has Fangs and the guy is a guy. No genderswapped Beauty and the Beast. No scaly hulking Ladycreature of the Lagoon pining for a young man taking a swim. No eldritch/demonic horror-woman forming a relationship with a male admirer who has heart eyes despite (or because of) her power and monstrosity.

There is no equivalent of Nosferatu with a female villain being gruesome yet intoxicating to her young man victim.

There is no equivalent of Lisa Frankenstein or otherwise romantic fairy tale between a scary bogeywoman and a handsome--dare we dream, pretty--gentleman.

It simply does not happen in the mainstream and rarely if ever in the niche indie efforts.

And I'd ask why, but like. We know why.

Who wants to see a frightening woman as the powerful villain?

Who wants to see a frightening woman as a romantic partner?

Who wants to see a frightening woman?

[ficsinhistory]

Sonic 4 and Amy Rose: How her character can be.

So…Sonic 3 is kinda stuck in my head and spinning like a microwave.

In particular, Amy Rose. I loved her cameo and her possible dynamic in the fourth movie with all characters plus her story made my writer’s ideas go WILD! So, I decided to do a silly little post about it! 

I never played the games, just watched the movies, but I've done my search! 

 So let 's go!

(Spoilers to Sonic Movie 3)

Tagging @annymation @nerdyneko6373

BACKSTORY 

I answered an ask before with some basic thoughts, but repeating here, Amy would have a widely new backstory, motivations, arc and narrative purpose while keeping her core: Unconditional love for all living things and a deeply Empathy. 

From the mid-credits, we could see that Metal Sonic apparently came from the future, so not only we may have time travel but that Sonic 4 probs will be based on Sonic CD, which heavily has time travel and fate in its theme.

In the game, cards told Amy she would meet Sonic and she fell madly in love because…destiny said so. Ok, obviously, the movie will need a stronger reason for her to exist, and her role as a whole.

So, here's my theory:

Amy will be on a mission to protect Sonic to save the future from Metal domination. 

She would be a little girl from the Little Planet, or a place where it came close, raised in an orphanage where she never was adopted. Her home would be destroyed because the Metal Army wants the Time Stones. From who doesn't know, the Time Stones are 7 stones that can fold time itself. A crazy power to fall on bad hands. 

In this scenario, Amy would risk her life trying to save everyone, getting the stones first to use them to stop the Metal Army somehow. However, the time stones would why the Metals exist, because Sonic was defeated, before sending her to Earth (at the same age of Sonic or a little older, it depends)  to protect the gems and Sonic. But there is a small problem: she doesn't know where he is!

So she would grow up running away from Metal Army and the GUN, who find her after their readers went crazy since she didn't travel through rings but by the Time Stones, which would generate a lot of chaos energy. Amy also would have a beef with this organization not only for persecute her but for… you know…destroy the future as is known!

You heard me right, they'd be the ones who made Metal to be a “prevention” against Sonic before they get out of control (if with the help of Robotinik, Stone or not is open) and dominate Earth and universe. 

I also theorize that her being an orphan gave her attachment issues and feelings she will always be left behind, longing for a place to belong at least once since he could never stop running. Growing up with this mission of saving everyone by finding this specific boy and keeping the Stones safe would be the only constant in her “always running away to survive” life.

With those changes in the backstory, Amy Rose would become guardian of the Time Stones and an anomaly in the current timeline. With her latest pursuits settling her in New York (why Sonic ended up there is still a mystery, maybe his powers evolved?).

But not only that! She also would gain powers related to time. What I personally think is perfect for her. Sonic has speed, Tails his brain, Knuckles his strength, Shadow his teleport, Amy Rose, time.

In her case, time manipulation to some extent with chaos energy (and sure, Silver can do this but he already has psychic powers not to mention that there isn't really a reason in how he does it and I don't see any harm in transferring this ability to Amy, or even both of them having it in this universe, since Silver has more psychic powers as a trademark). 

I think abilities related to seeing the future and past, allowing her to think strategically and would be great for her core traits. Imagine when you can know all about a person's story? Or even a second chance, like Ekko’s from Arcane? Whatever could be, I think is amazing giving Amy a proper ability that also could push her empathy, love and determination more.

Also with her being the last refugee for a dominated planet and timeline would give her more complexity and a compelling story. Making her the only chance that things can be different and save everyone would be a responsibility and pressure for. While Amy could do anything to make sure things change, because that is who she is. 

Not only that, changing Amy’s backstory to protect Sonic can give their relationship a deeper foundation. With her, presumably coming to Earth not much younger than Sonic and always seeing him as her hope, is so cool! He would inspire her even before they knew each other. Imagine her powers showing some glimpses of him as Amy grows up with Sonic being the only constant in a life she always has to be running away. 

That would give a cool nood to her debut in the video game but with a blast! Destiny indeed brings her and Sonic together, but now isn't about her. Is about this lifetime mission. Is Sonic’s life on the line. The Wachowski’s life. 

Billions of lives across the universe on her shoulders. A hard mission she assumed because she loves those people and thinks all of them deserve a good life with freedom. That she has to try to get a better future.

She'd try to be a heroine, even if she was too young and this is a hell of a life. Because Amy Rose cares. She empathizes soo much! And always believes things can be different, better. What brings me to…

PERSONALITY AND TRAITS

Listen, I know she evolved a lot but…Amy, to be a movie character has to have a strong characterization. A thing thank God got better, but can get upgrades.

As I said above, with some story before Sonic like Shadow, Knuckles and Tails have, Amy can bring good points to establish her arc and persona.

First, this Amy would be more…traumatized. Sorry, but it is true. Everyone in these movies passed through the horrors, so should Amy. 

The girl'd see her home falling on evil hands and be the only one who escaped, that's alone is terrible. Now, add the responsibility of fixing things, find and protect the only being in the universe that can change things and she doesn't have any idea where is AND being on her own for years in one place after another? The past would do a NUMBER on Amy Rose.

Because see, Amy at her core is a lovable and kind character. And I can see this being the reason that she doesn't give up fighting at the same time she beats herself. Is too much pressure and stress, to think about. And she cares. Because is Amy Rose, and she cares too much. Amy’d be anxious and perfectionist in the movies, with the constant memory of a terrible future looming above her head. She can’t relax, she can’t get attached to anything or anyone.

More than that, if Amy really is an orphan with no family, always left behind, she can start to think that the mission is more important than herself, which would bring? Exactly, sacrificial tendencies. Amy would do all she can to protect Sonic and the rest of the Wachowski, even this put her life constantly on the line. If your mission is to save billions and you don't have anyone to care about you, why would you?

 Not only that but I think, because of her mission, Amy would be very lonely and independent. She doesn't allow rely on anyone, so she does it all by herself, without having others help her for so long. Amy may also not let herself dwell too much on her own sadness, being reserved with her emotions and avoiding talking about her past suffering in silence most of the time, leaving her, as well as her powers, unstable. Maybe working hard to put up a facade.

She also wouldn't be willing to sacrifice her loved ones, maybe prefering to die than to lose someone adopting, like in the games, a mentality of “between the world and you, I chose you” with her new found family. Again, pretty interesting conflit to her, and the whole save the world mission. 

But not only angst makes a character, so Amy would also be kind, gentle, emphatic and forgiving. I can see her loving the Earth and the animals and humans in it, even if it was humans – the GUN who still persecutes her – that shattered her life in the first place and still gets in the way of the mission which is nothing more than cleaning up their mess because she believes that all life is valid.

Amy would want to help, raising the morale of others and feeling very compassionate (imo she also would be amazing giving advice). I also see her being the type that sees someone's needing help and doing that immediately. I can see her being gentle with Tails because he's this cute, smart, little kid or admiring Knuckles’ strength and instincts. Or helpful to Maddie and Tom because she accepts her. Always glad for the good actions of others.

She also would be persistent, feisty, hot-tempered and aggressive.

Fight for the future can wreck someone's nerves and Amy is kinda irrational and violent sometimes in the games and, to be honest, go girl! I mean, she destroyed and beheaded Metal Sonics like they were made of paper. The girl can fight and is pretty good at it! She did it for a long time, I can tell. Amy also would often be in touch with anger, with some moments that would make anyone regret annoying her.  She's temperamental and it would be good to see it. Imagine seeing this little pink, cute, girl  who almost has a heart attack because things don't go the way she planned or because she was bossed around. Amy always has been angry, let her be in the movies too!

Not only that, but this is my “Amy is a powerful chaos energy user” agenda. The girl's hammer was infused with chaos energy to such an extent that it glowed brightly and seemed to obey her commands from a distance (please, let her cuffs be limiter rings 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼). Not to mention her stealth skills as she approached machines made to track without being noticed.

Amy also would be resourceful, clearly living by herself for so long, would make her see different ways. And I don't know if she made her hammer or brought her or built but it's a point. Maybe using her time powers to heal herself?

I think she would also have some difficulty acknowledging her own feelings, due to years of constant travels and persecution. But it would be more like she doesn't know how to behave with her being kind of intense at times. Not only that, I think that because of this she may not understand some feelings that she is not used to, such as acceptance and attachment, not allowing herself to get too attached because thinks she'll have to leave soon.

And of course, a funny sense of humor. I think Amy cracks jokes at the most random moments, but she would also go down the route of witty observations, dry one-liners, and good-natured teasing. And she really has time powers, time travel references. And propensity for chaos and shenanigans cause, c'mon…girl hates GUN (and any authority let's be honest, she does whatever she wants)  AND is a war refugee. Amy doesn't have the goody-two-shoes atitude, no way. If anything, she’s only less impulsive than the main cast in doing crazy shit, planning little to not get caught.

Amy would also have a strong belief in time and destiny. Having grown up on Little Planet with the Time Stones or at least them being prominent in her culture, she might have that mindset. Which would be fun since she's essentially trying to change the fate that was the end of her home and interfering.

My girl also would be a great leader. She would guide everyone on how to deal with the robotic threat that adapts to enemies and copies attacks very well. And also a love for adventures and emotion.

We can't forget her love for girly things. Amy is a girl who loves being one. I imagine she likes what all average girls like: music, books, fashion etc. I dare say that this is one of the most important traits to portray. Amy being more independent and a warrior should in no way erase how feminine she can and likes to be. The character was inspired by the average Japanese girl of the time, it would be a disservice to forget this very important trait. Not to mention that in the context of this story, it could give her comfort. Fighting your whole life is tiring and can destroy someone's spirit. So having these feminine hobbies and tastes could be a way for Amy to maintain her own sanity. To have something beyond the mission to define herself. An escape. And a funny way to put her obsessive traits in work like her being crazy about a saga she knows in a YouTube video's essay level.

And the greatest trait: Unconditional Love. Amy loves all things. It's her trait that has to be brought to the games. To all her interactions. It has to influence her decisions. 

Amy has the type of compassion and kindness that would make this girl hold your hand, say she's on your side and fight with and for you. The do-good-because-you-can type. That inspires the best in others. She canonically remembers Shadow of Maria's compassion in the games. Amy Rose never gives up or left behind those who chose to do good. She gets out of her way to help a random bird in the games, for goodness' sake!

That's what they can't get wrong. If SCU!Sonic already has compassion, Amy has to irradiate it. Have this vibe at the moment you look at her. Is who she is. Love is her central trait. Not that Amy couldn't hate anything, she can. She has the temper to do it and is as any character. But Amy chose hope and mercy by default, not fighting. 

She can be violent and angry as much as any girl is (which is a lot) but at the end of the day, would believe in the one she loves until the end without wavering and that cannot be ruled out. Amy is a loving person. An optimistic.

A girl that believes she can defy destiny by putting heart enough. An average little girl that chooses to put herself in danger in the name of others because of love and compassion.

With that covered…

DYNAMICS!

Oh boy I love this part!

To start, the Wachowski, more specifically, our colorful bunch: only child meet brothers.

That's it, fight me.

 Look me in the eyes, and tell me she didn't give the energy to the girl that made everything by herself finds THE trio ever. Amy would love all of them and the boys would be thrilled with her (one more but I'll get there). Tom and Maddie? In the clouds! Maddie, especially.

First, Knuckles and Amy would be besties. Protectors of a powerful gem? Lost their home? Badass warriors? Sold. They would click in a blink of an eye! Let's recall Amy is pretty strong and a class A fighter. This boy just found his new sparring duo! Not only that, but Knuckles is a protector above everything and if my theory about Amy is true, she can relate more than anyone with the role: my life is devoted to a single purpose, protection. Imagine a scene where Knuckles stands his hand ro a handshake and Amy actually gives it back with a big smile and equal force. 

Tails and Amy? She'd see Tails and would kill everyone in the room than herself if anything happened to him. He's the cutest little boy, c'mom. Tails? You see Amy's hammer? A gorgeous technological weapon? Nah, he's a simple boy. Plus, Amy is really gentle and Tails' main insecurity is people despising him. But if anything, she'd find him endearing, valuing him as a team member. This little kit would see this really cool pink girl who is kind and imprints on her like a baby duck. Is her sibling too now, your honor! She carried this boy on her back like a backpack whenever she could. I need to see them as the duo ever!

Now… Sonic.

Fun fact, I'm not a Sonamy shipper, but I am a writer and man, and I love when a dynamic can be WILD.  

To start: Amy is protecting Sonic. Period.

That girl doesn't find the boy randomly, no, no. She found him. 

And if it is true, it makes me so FERAL! Because in a meta level, would change the Amy's damsel in distress portraying, placing Sonic as the one in need of protection and rescue. Would be amazing! On a narrative level? Epic, because now Sonic, the everyone's hero who always meets their new allies fighting them and after being friends with them, is the one someone fiercely defends against an enemy that can't be reasoned with. He's out of his comfort zone.

Sure, Tails saved him too, but Tails also is a young kid that needs his help. Amy? Don't let the pink fool you, girl is a menace. She destroyed at least a dozen of Metal Sonics alone when Sonic himself barely scratched one. She knows this enemy in the palm of her hand because, remember, this thing can copy abilities AND improve itself! Girl is fighting an AI made to fight and is winning!

Amy isn't a person who needs Sonic…is him that needs her.

Amy Rose has survived all this chaos all this time, she doesn't need a hero for herself. She needs one for the world, for the future. 

Sonic has always fought villains like Ivo, or people who were fierce antagonists but became allies with him by extending a helping hand, like Shadow or Knuckles. Or even allies from the beginning, but who still depended heavily on external resources, like Tails.

Amy? Nah, girl can fight but not against him. On contraire, he is fighting for him. From the start. Total change. And it's so intense and incredible that I'm going to set aside a session just for it.

Amy and Sonic are equals in this version!

And God, this is AMAZING!

Tom Wachowski. The man would like Amy just for the fact that she saved his son. After all the saving him, saving future, and her being friend of Sonic (maybe more, I will cover later)? The man would be supportive as hell! Let's recall Tom is a helpful person as Amy and both would  find a common ground in this. She would respect his leadership as the patriarch and Tom appreciate Amy's effort in defending his family.

But now…Maddie Wachowski. The movie can destroy me so bad here. First, Maddie would be thrilled to have another girl at home. But not only that. Maddie's a nurturing person. She's the emotional support, the doctor, the mother of the house. And Amy would align very much with Maddie's personality. She's this sweet, brave girl who's trying to save everyone and just wants to help all the time. Maybe Maddie feels relieved to have another girl in the house because Amy understands her position: Love through sacrifice as a loving and caring person.

Maddie only is a veterinarian because Tom bust his butt to make her happy. She willingly would move her whole life to SF because now was time to support her husband. Maddie also supported Tom and adopted the boys. This woman helped and was helped, loved and was loved, many times. 

Both Maddie and Amy have this love in their essence. And how hard it can be for those who accept so deeply.

Maddie almost died a lot of times, so do her sons, and her husband who she loves so much too. Amy fights and hides and risks her life for this family. Love isn't easy. Can hurt.

Maddie almost lost her darling husband thanks to her adopted sons, aliens, that she accepted. Amy lost her home to humans that still want to kill her. But both don't give up on loving those others would hate. Because their caring and loving sides are bigger than any hate.

Just…Amy and Maddie man…

GUN. Oh, GUN…Amy would hate this organization's guts so much. They not only would make the things that destroyed her home and hurt billions but also their lack of empathy and complete disdain for others definitely put them as her public enemy number #1. 

Shadow. You hear me right, Shadow, because, fun fact, they're kinda friends from what I could see in the games and he has a great respect for her. Amy literally inspired him to save Earth once and believes that Shadow is a good person, having faith in him to do the right thing. They're like siblings. And I need to see this in the cinema. They could bond through similar despise to GUN :D

Metal Sonic. Your enemy is just like the hero you forseek. I need more info to go deep but thinking in how Amy fights copies of what should be her “savior” is sooo mess up and endearing.

SONIC AND AMY

I told you they would have a separate part!

Like I said, I'm not a Sonamy shipper, I only watched the movies and Sonic Boom sometimes. But man, the grip the version of this duo got me should be studied. 

They are a…controversial topic. Can see why, the foundation of them isn't good and they are kinda a mess. But in the movies? Oh man, how different things can be.

They will come from scratch in the movies which gives them a big advantage. No crazy behaviors or one-sided feelings. Is a fresh start!

As said, probably Amy will look out and protect Sonic for the Metal Army.

Which is great because it's not only an excellent reason to bring and keep the two together but it also avoids any of the obsessive stalking Amy had originally. No, she's looking for Sonic but to save his life and ensure the universe a good future. She's selfless, she takes Sonic as a person into consideration.

Which is good for Sonic too, since he will have an ally who is skilled in combat and who didn't start out wanting to kill him the first time. They will be equals, unlike Sonic who had to save Amy.

Now the dynamic. It's a... complicated topic. I understand why people are afraid it’ll be terrible with the writers apparently going the Sonamy route.

Some people fear that the film will be just that, that Amy will lose her personality in the name of romance or that they just aren't big fans of Sonamy because of how she was done in the games or because they have other preferences, which is valid.

But, at least in this version, I think it can work. And not only can, but be extremely well done and coherent, going beyond simply platonic and romantic.

To begin with, no matter how it develops, I firmly believe that their friendship and bond will be the strongest foundation of these two.

The games didn't start out focusing on Sonic and Amy's friendship, more in the romance-ish. However, the movie would change that. Instead of following the typical relationship story, I think the writers could explore more a route where they show why they are the person for each other.

While yes, because it was said by the directors that the plan involves a "romantic" route; the most important thing established for Amy and Sonic in the movies is to show why they work as a duo, why they get along in the first place rather than just romance and saying that they will be together. Will be about the bond. 

To begin with: Amy and Sonic's versions of the movies are extremely compatible. As a whole, independent of the label.

Movie!Sonic is a brave but extremely traumatized boy. He has some trust issues and what all the people he loves and cares about have in common is that they are all undeniably selfless and good people. Tom protects and helps both people and animals. Maddie is a veterinarian who helps animals. Tailes is his little brother who always helps. Knuckles is his protective older brother. Even Shadow, at the moment he realized that the black hedgehog was just very traumatized and manipulated, Sonic had no problem putting aside any animosity after nearly killing him. Sonic grew up isolated, with his first guardian telling him he would be persecuted for his powers.

If there's one thing he values in people, it's kindness and goodness. 

And these qualities Amy has plenty. 

And I say more, while Sonic would be impressed by the rescue, he would trust and like Amy seeing how kind and concerned she's with people and animals (I mean, in the games, she’d this story about helping a bird). Sonic would admire her for her fighting skills, yes, but above all, he would value Amy for her compassionate and loving personality. Someone who is risking everything just to keep people safe, to keep him and his family safe. 

Not only that, Amy is a deeply sensitive, forgiving and kind soul and that would be one of, if not the most, important points for her and Sonic's dynamic. This boy... has been through a lot. He's lost a mother figure, almost killed people, almost lost his dad and must surely have a lot of guilt. And if there's one type of person who knows how to deal with people with guilt, it's those with kindness and unconditional love. 

Amy, in Sonic's POV, wouldn't be amazing because she knows how to fight or because of the really cool powers she’d have, but because of her ability to show love and kindness unconditionally even after all she has been.

He shows so much compassion throughout the movies, but I think what still really gets Sonic is to receive it. And Amy shows it easily, like breathing. If Sonic at some moment lost faith in himself, that he maybe doesn't deserve his family, if he loses in guilt, Amy will be there with all her trust and love.

Amy, on the other hand, would value Sonic as well. 

She would grow up with this beacon of hope, this person who could put an end to the terrible future. But not only that, I believe that she had him as a role model, perhaps seeing lapses of Sonic's life, and how he always persisted even when alone and afraid. This would inspire her, he would not only be a hero, but like her hero. What she wants to be. Remembering that Amy would enter this mission purely to do good, the girl would be going through this. She didn't want to be a hero, maybe explore and have adventure, but not being in charge of countless lives so young.  But she entered this because it was the only way to fix things, that doesn't mean she doesn't crack under pressure.

Sonic is not just the trigger that can save the world. He is the shattering of expectations. Someone so good and special that he can change an almost certain destiny. For Amy, Sonic would be the reason she doesn't give up, won't let this crazy endeavor go by and accept defeat. He is the fastest creature in the universe who not only breaks the sound barrier, but also writes fates. The simple fact that he lives makes a difference and this would inspire Amy that maybe she can too. 

That a simple girl who threw herself against everything and everyone in a mission that could kill her in the name of change can be a heroine. That she doesn't need to accept bad things passively without fighting, that she can indeed change the timeline.

Sonic would be a reason for Amy. Someone who never gives up, who will try again and again, no matter how many times he falls. Who will keep running until he reaches the finish line.

What I mean is, that there is no shortage of real and profound reasons for these two to enjoy each other's company. Their personalities complement each other. Isn't just superficial reasons, but real, deep things that influence both of them. 

Is a mutual connection they have that is different from anyone. That just exists between them. Is about building.

Development

Everyone talks about reverse Sonamy and I see the vision, but may I add: both are low-key crushing…except they don't see it.

We're talking about a boy who was isolated for ten years before having a family, carrying devastating traumas, and a girl who lost everything, is on the run without creating bonds for years also with devastating traumas.

C'mon, they don't know shit about romance.

And no, it's not that the passion isn't there, because it is... it's just that they don't know.

Starting with Sonic, maybe he'll notice the signs: his heart beating faster, his need to impress Amy, his nerves on edge...but don't connect the dots until someone points them out.

While Amy thinks he's a little weird but definitely endearing and heroic, and finds Sonic's actions silly but cute... and ends up attributing it to devotion and attachment to him in general.

Meanwhile, Maddie and Tom are nearly having a stroke because for the love of God they are so obvious while Tails and Knuckles also didn't get the why.

And while it might be a funny running joke, it also takes the pressure off the romance. They're not self-conscious about it. For them, they’re just new friends…with a weird amount of tension. But friends, noneless. Y'know, not second intentions or anything. Just them thinking their new pal is cool! As should be.

With that said, I buy the idea of Sonic showing his feelings more openly and being the one who goes after Amy more while she is more shy about it. And considering that she has a mission that determines the end or not of the known universe, it makes even more sense.

Although I see moments where Sonic is flirting really cheesy and Amy comes with a super deep declaration full of sincere devotion and drives this poor hedgehog to blue screen.

Something that can also contribute to their dynamics is parallels.

Sonic has parallels with almost everyone: Tails, Knuckles, Shadow. Heavily in Shadow. Good dynamics are born from it. All iconic audiovisual interactions have them. And with Amy and Sonic it would be no different.

One really cute thing about them is, Sonic and Shadow for example thrived on the parallels of similar loss, grief and as opposites, which is amazing narratively, Amy and Sonic are more parallel in qualities and, depending on how the film approaches it, in backstories.

They are both kind and sweet souls who fight for the ones they love until the end and are compassionate. Not only that, Amy and Sonic may be young folks who grew up alone feeling the weight of loneliness hit them hard. And heroes who now have to save the world because no one else can.

They have opposing parallels too, like Sonic being more laid back and impulsive while I see Amy being more strategic and thoughtful, him having to hide while she had to constantly move around, or Sonic finding family while Amy can't have bonds for the greater good. 

Heck, the writers can even pull a Amy and Sonic/ Tom and Maddie parallel if they really want to hit us!

But imo, they'd thrive in the alikeness. In their shared compassion.

In the capacity of changing the other for the better.

Sonic could help Amy relax. She would have a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, without support and always struggling. He would show her what it's like to have support, a family, how to take life more lightly. That she's doing well.

Amy can help Sonic to find peace. That he’s a hero and that although isn't perfect by any means, and yes he makes mistakes, that does not diminish his worth. She gets what he has been and keeps the same hope and trust in him.

And that's the appeal, imo. Not a love at first sign or destiny. But showing how they work, how they don't need to change who each other is but help, and how natural the interaction is. The growing feelings. The simplicity of the whole thing.

The lightness of young love, y’know.

Conflict

Trust me when I say it, the writers can make Sonamy doomed by narrative. Not only that, but it would be their core conflict as a duo.

No, I'm not crazy. 

See, cuteness apart, Sonamy is almost an “anomaly” by default in this universe. With the Metal Domination, Sonic probably should be dead in the future, not possible to meet anyone after that. Amy who came from the future to a time that isn't hers to stop it. She is not from his timeline, and he isn't from hers either. 

Sonic and Amy never should meet each other in any normal circumstances. They have a mission bigger than them. They have a clear reference to Terminator and my pal, it romance doesn't end well.

If my theories are correct, the fourth film is essentially a fight against destiny. The star-cross story writes itself. Amy and Sonic meet and hit it off, but man, none of the odds are in their favor.

And to make matters worse, I'm pretty sure that if love is a theme in the film, the writers will pull to love is to sacrifice. 

Remember the Tom and Maddie/Sonic and Amy parallels I mentioned? Tom and Maddie’s relationship has a strong foundation in sacrifice.

Maddie has said that Tom did everything he could to get her to go to veterinary school while Maddie gave up her life in Green Hills to be with Tom and make his dreams come true. Same with Sonic and Amy, except the stakes for these two are so much higher.

Because these two have a policy of no loved ones hurt equally at least in this universe and I know this will be a point of discussion. Sonic would never agree to someone he cares about sacrificing themselves, while Amy wouldn't accept it either. They're alike.

And I say more, it would be worse for Amy because this is her mission but also her feelings. The goal she dedicated her entire life to vs the people she loves. She won't condemn billions...but she won't be able to send Sonic into a near-death fight. And I'll say more, if she can save both of them at the cost of her own life, I say she would.

She doesn't have a family or a home and after spending time with the Wachowski, she wouldn't accept the risk of the family losing their son and brother. And man Sonic wouldn't take this fact well. 

He wouldn't understand why Amy wouldn't try to fight to change things once more instead of just accepting death, not accepting that this time, there would be no way to talk her way out of this situation. Amy would be right in her point. Lives were at stake and any other decision would lead to losses. 

Sonic would be torn too. It's a very important mission, and he has his family and the universe at stake...but leaving Amy would devastate him just as much. She's cool, she's amazing, and she'd still die for others. How do you deal with that?

Love and sacrifice. And always think about the other person and their well-being, not your own because that would be better. Doing things so that others can have their dreams and aspirations fulfilled. And how to balance what them both want.

They will find a way but God, the drama!

So yeah, Sonamy can be doomed by the narrative.

.

.

.

Well, this ends my talk about Amy Rose. What is right we'll see only in 2027. Until then, let's enjoy what we have. Please, if you wanna say something, do it! I would love to hear it! A big hug! Bye!

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Lauren Bacall (To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, Key Largo)—"Just put your lips together...and blow" excuse me ma'am i'm briefly going to turn into a kettle. She's the quintessential Femme Fatale who may betray me in the end but I'd let her it'd be worth it

Pearl Bailey (Carmen Jones, St. Louis Blues, Porgy and Bess)—vintage crush of all time, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and my GOD the PIPES! She wasn't in nearly enough movies, but every time I see her I'm aghast all over with what a gorgeous woman she was. Vote Pearl for diva glamor like no one else! (also....she was on the Muppet Show!)

This is round 5 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Lauren Bacall:

"She is soooo neat. And hot. And everything. That one scene in To Have and Have Not where she says "you know how to whistle don't you? You just put your lips together and blow" altered my brain chemistry during media archaeology class and here we are."

"The VOICE, the SLINK, the EYES. Woof."

"Lauren Bacall was a major lesbian awakening for me. Every picture of her makes it look like she’s about to destroy you physically and emotionally (why is that so hot, I may need help). She had incredible long running chemistry with her husband, Humphrey Bogart, but was an absolute star in her own right. I’ll never be over my crush on her."

"She's got that confident, no-nonsense air about her. She's a boss babe who knows what she wants and gets it DONE. Staunch liberal Democrat her whole life. Campaigned for RFK. From Wikipedia: "In a 2005 interview with Larry King, Bacall described herself as "anti-Republican... A liberal. The L-word". She added that "being a liberal is the best thing on Earth you can be. You are welcoming to everyone when you're a liberal. You do not have a small mind."" Beautiful hair. Beautiful eyes. Beautiful lips. She's just beauty. LISTEN TO HER VOICE. TELL ME THAT'S NOT THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF."

"HER VOICE. Like yeah, she was absolutely stunning but oh my god, I'm obsessed with her voice"

"A gorgeous lady inside and out. One half of an absolute power couple with Humphrey Bogart, tended to him and other actors suffering from malaria whilst filming the African Queen, generally radiated grace and poise throughout her life. Also her last role was in Family Guy so she needs justice for that"

"She was stunning. Tall and beautiful with a distinctive voice and able to carry her own in a male dominated field. She won the heart of millions, including one of Hollywood's most iconic leading men, Humphrey Bogart. Their story was the stuff of legends, and the chemistry between them was apparent in the multiple films they started in together. She personified the film noir dame and yet she also adapted as Hollywood changed. Her career spanned decades, and she was honored multiple times."

Pearl Bailey propaganda:

"Pearl Bailey was an absolute POWERHOUSE! She's best known for her career in music and theater (she's a DIVINE singer, and very funny). But she also did several feature films, including a controversial adaptation of Porgy and Bess (controversial because of the story; the actors were pretty much coerced into it). She's got a style all her own, you can recognize it from a mile away. She's got you chuckling and crying from one phrase to the next. I love her <3"

"Cheekbones to die for"

[steddieas-shegoes]

Request: Steve being a hidden nerd in certain ways (ei: sports, camping, outdoor stuff like camping & vegetation/botony, bugs, animals & shit) the kids losing their collective mind as Steve tells them about it. Maybe on a camping trip or something???? I especially want Hop to be impressed.

This is maybe my first request that didn't have some kind of romantic relationship Steddie. They do have a little flirty moment, but beyond that, I liked the idea of just everyone loving Steve and being so intrigued by his knowledge of all of this random nature stuff. Also, no research was done here. Like, zero. I don't know what is true and what isn't so assume none of it is. This is fiction based on fiction and we're here for a good time. I've never been to Yosemite, but it is on the list for me and Liam to go! - Mickala ❤️

----------------------------------------------------

No one expected Steve to actually want to go camping. Sure, he wanted an RV, wanted to go to National Parks and see mountains and lakes and rivers, but they assumed he’d just want to stay in the RV.

They hadn’t expected him to bring tents.

They hadn’t expected him to suggest sleeping in the tents.

“But…we have an RV,” Mike said, suddenly no longer interested in their trip to Yosemite.

“To travel in. But we won’t all comfortably sleep in it. It’s made for five people at most.”

And that was that. The only people sleeping in the RV were Hopper and Joyce and Max and El, and everyone else was sleeping in tents.

The entire drive there was filled with arguments over music, arguing over who got to sit where, and Steve’s “fun facts” about the land they would be staying on.

He had apparently done quite a bit of research, or he had been hiding a whole wealth of knowledge from everyone.

His fun facts were actually interesting, and everyone quickly tuned in when he started telling them about how the mountains could be dated because of the type and color of the rocks, and how much of the sequoias had been destroyed over the last couple of decades and what they were doing to preserve what was left.

When they arrived, everyone stared in wonder at the meadow in front of them, the mountains as the backdrop to a beautiful sunset.

It would still be light for close to two hours, so they didn’t rush to set up the tents. They went on a short walk along the road they took to the campsite, Steve pointing out different types of plants and birds as they went.

Everyone was in awe of his information, but no one was as surprised as Hopper.

“Where did you learn all this?” he asked on the way back to the campsite as the kids raced each other ahead.

“I went to camp once when I was seven and then I was obsessed with nature. My parents wouldn’t let me go back to camp, but they let me get books and movies about plants and animals. In high school, I took geology and almost had a perfect grade. I just like this stuff,” Steve shrugged.

“So you only went to camp once? Is this your way of going to camp?” Hopper asked casually.

He didn’t usually ask questions that didn’t tell him something he absolutely needed to know.

“I guess. And to spend time with everyone. I like when we can all be together without hell surrounding us, ya know?” Steve admitted.

Hopper’s hand rested on his shoulder and squeezed in silent agreement.

Putting the tents up had been relatively easy, especially when Steve managed to show them a trick he taught himself when he was young and wanted to set up a tent in his backyard but never had anyone there to help him.

No one commented on how sad it was, but Steve realized it after he said it.

As everyone got their sleeping bags and lamps set up in their tents, Steve found a large rock along the edge of the creek in the meadow and sat on it, watching as the sun finally sank behind the mountains.

“Hey,” a voice startled Steve.

He relaxed when he turned to see that it was Eddie.

“Hey.”

“Mind if I sit with you for a minute? Kids are being a bit too much right now.”

“Go ahead,” Steve gestured to the spot next to him. “Not exactly a comfy seat, but the view can’t be beat.”

“Oh, so you’re rhyming now?” Eddie teased as he nudged Steve’s shoulder.

“Not on purpose,” Steve laughed. “It’s pretty great out here, though.”

“Yeah it is. You did good, Stevie.”

Steve looked over to see Eddie already smiling fondly at him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And, for what it’s worth, I think it’s pretty fucking cool that you love nature so much. Nature isn’t really a good friend of mine, but it’s pretty nice to hear about it from you.”

“I’ll make an explorer out of you yet, Eds.”

Eddie looked at him with a look he hadn’t seen on anyone before, at least not towards him.

“Maybe you will, Stevie.”

Eddie only sat there for another minute before excusing himself to check that none of the kids touched his brand new acoustic guitar.

Steve sat there until it was completely dark around him, watching the land in front of him shift ever so slightly as the breeze picked up and the cicadas started their nightly song.

Robin sat down next to him, rested her head against his shoulder and sat with him in silence for a few minutes.

“It’s good to be out here. I don’t think Max ever expected to see mountains like this. She keeps asking when she can climb them,” Robin whispered.

“She does remember her legs aren’t at 100% yet still, right?” Steve asked.

“I think she’s willing to give it a go anyway. What’s the point of being here and surviving everything if you can’t even try?”

Steve nodded.

“Wanna come tell us more about the trail we’re taking tomorrow?”

“You guys wanna hear about it now?”

“Yeah. We like that you’re passionate about it.”

Steve felt his cheeks heat up at the words.

“Okay then. If you guys don’t mind. There’s supposed to be a specific type of rabbit who burrows along this specific trail during the summer and they can grow to be nearly two feet long.”

“That sounds terrifying. Come tell everyone about it,” Robin said as she got up and offered him a hand.

He took it and made his way back to the group.

Everyone listened to him talk about their plan for tomorrow, not interrupting when he got sidetracking talking about the type of trees they would see and what kind of flowers tended to bloom during this particular time of year.

When Steve and Eddie slipped into their tent an hour or so later, they could have stayed in their respective sleeping bags.

But Steve was still too eager to talk about things, so Eddie sidled up next to him in his sleeping bag and held his hand while he talked for another hour about the waterfall they’d be seeing and the type of fish that would most likely be in the river.

[artist-issues]

What are your hopes and fears for Moana 2?

Here's the thing

I mostly don't have any serious expectations or serious fears, because I can't be bothered to care that much, ever since Wish and Mark Henn's retirement. Not to put it dramatically, but Disney sort of died as I listened to the Bancroft Brothers' interview with Mark Henn. I have a baby nephew born around the same time a few months ago, and I listened to that guy talk about how the work stopped being meaningful and how he cried as soon as he got home from his going-away party at the studio, and something in my brain, unprompted, went, "my nephew isn't going to get the same Disney that I got or even my parents got, because it went out the door with Mark Henn."

Anyway.

But if you want my thoughts: the first movie was about how it's good to do new things when you're secure in who you are, and you find out who you are by remembering where you've been & what you've done. I could say it more succinctly but I don't feel like it.

So a sequel would make the most sense if it was about something calling into question who Moana thought she was—like maybe she's adopted or her ancestors waged war on another tribe and were actually conquerors, not just explorers, something unfortunate like that—and then she has to try and right the wrong or find out who her real parents are, something that corrects that fracture in her identity (kind of a Frozen 2 thing)—OR the other route they could go is less Moana-herself-focused and more "worldbuildy," and they could do that while staying "on theme" by having a new mystery about "who her people are" come up—because who her "people" are is a big part of her identity, and the current Western culture is all about finding identity in your "people," so they'll eat it up.

Aaandd the latter seems to be exactly what they're doing, from the trailers I've seen.

My biggest fears are that it's not going to look as good, and it's not going to sound as good, and it's not going to be paced as well, as the first movie. Already there's something off about the character designs in the trailers. And everybody's excited about this new villainess. They're like "yay, a villainess who is a villain!"

But ok guys 1) just because there is a villain in a movie doesn't mean it'll be a good movie, or a good villain. It just means, until proven otherwise, they're ticking off the fan-request boxes they've seen listed on the internet. And I don't find that to be a good sign. In the first movie they have a series of "real villains," even if they're not the driving force behind the main conflict. It's not a good story just because of the villain. The villain has to serve the story in a way that's specific to the main theme for it to be good.

Tamatoa was a good villain because he made his identity all about his outward appearance, as a foil for Maui. Maui was a good villain (such as he was) because he was willing to make his insecurities the rest of the world's problem—which could've been a temptation for Moana to do, too, because her whole village expected something of her, yadda yadda. Tefiti was a good villain because she illustrated the destructiveness of forgetting who you are. Even the dad is a good "antagonist," not straight up villain, because he's also forgotten who he is—the chief of traditional wayfinders—and it makes him self-protective instead of remembering who he is and taking direction for the future from that.

Anyway.

In this movie, if the main point is something like "We'll never be Who We Truly Are if we disconnect from parts of ourselves" (which is what I predict it'll be) then the villainess should be someone who's compartmentalizing parts of herself. While she gets in Moana's way. Maybe she can think she's doing the right thing but actually she's compensating for some major hurt from her past. Maybe she's doing all her evil deeds to cover up a weak spot or bury it. Maybe she lost something and doesn't want to deal with the grief.

That might make her too "sympathetic" for y'all's "give us a real villain" tastes, but if it serves the story it'll be good. There are ways to make her a "despicably evil, no good villain," and still stay on theme, though. If the main idea is "We'll never be Who We Truly Are if we disconnect from parts of ourselves," she could be a goddess who gave up mortality in a Faustian deal; sold her regular life and her family or something to be ultra-powerful and immortal, because she's afraid of her weakness. Or she can't stand the thought of being viewed as "normal," she wants to be "special," so she makes all the drama and evil plots as a sadistic bid for attention—like who Maui was in the first movie, but more unhinged. After all, Jafar is a power-hungry liar because Aladdin has a tendency to lie and thinks power will solve his problems. Ursula's motivation is petty vengeance because Ariel's is love that understands. You just need a villain who does the opposite of, or shines a back-light on, the Main Idea.

But I don't think they'll do that.

I think they've forgotten what it means to make a good story and they just go for dress-up box-checking now. Thats all Wish was, and who's in their story room to help them?

I also think it's too vague and too broad a thing to have it be about "reconnecting the islands." What magical Twister do they have to play with their plot elements to explain how one island makes or breaks the unity of all islands? Or are they going to do a bait and switch—they think that setting foot on one island will solve their problems, but actually, no, they just have to do the hard work to make community happen?

I'm mostly afraid they're going to make the movie all about how you have to Be Yourself, and you can't be afraid of what others think—"just Be Yourself and find the people who like you for who you are, and don't ask you to change, and those are Your People. Thats unity!" Ick.

Or they'll go the generic, "come together and embrace what we have in common, no prejudice!" thing that like, Amphibia does, or The Land Before Time limps around.

And there'll be a bisexual, gay, or transgender allegory, if not character, in that mix. And the crew Moana has will be a mini-object-lesson in unity: Old Guy has to value Young Fresh Ideas, Ditzy Boy has to find Confidence in himself instead of hero-worshipping the Princess, like Ken from Barbie, even though the girls will do all the heavy adventuring, etc. There'll probably be a bookwormish girl character, or Moana's little sister, who will need to learn to Embrace Their Power as a Woman and throw spears and punch things and let their hair down or whatever. Those are my fears.

Sorry to be a downer. Maybe it'll be good. I will not go into the theater expecting those things; I will go in open to what the movie is trying to say. But if you ask me to guess what it might say from the trailers beforehand, those are my takes.

[harmless-variety-of-garden-snake]

What else could Day Fourteen of BuckTommy Fluffebruary be but Valentine's Day? Happy Valentine's Day, you lovely folks. Here's an extremely fluffy fic for all of you. Once again, Tumblr doesn't believe in total HTML formatting and I had to use a fake iMessage thing for the texts. You can also read this on AO3 over here. Tagging @bucktommyfluffebruary

Tommy’s always outwardly been a “Valentine's Day is a commercialized bullshit holiday” kind of guy, but inwardly wants to love it. The problem has been that he's usually working or just wasn't in a serious relationship when the holiday rolled around. Twice, he'd done the whole wine and dine thing with Abby and another ex, Ben, who had actually been a “fuck commercial holidays” guy, as Tommy had found out over a very stilted Valentine's Day dinner just before they’d officially broken up.

He's working until midday, because Jerry on B-shift had needed to switch so he could take his daughter to an appointment and go to her gymnastics meet. That had given Tommy a few days to try to figure out what he could do for Evan, who's off all day. He'd decided on making dinner at the house and then taking him to the movies, since a theater near his place is showing Princess Bride, which Evan’s never seen. He starts a grocery order to get to the house when he should be getting home so he can start right away. He already has a card that he’d drawn and painted along with a set of tickets for an outdoor light show at a botanical garden in Palos Verdes and an itinerary for a trip to Napa, and they’re all safely in his glove box where no one can stumble on them.

When he's helping Sherri clean one of the engines, there's a call at the front for a delivery under his name. He frowns, looking at his watch. Even if he'd mistakenly ordered the groceries to his job, the driver's about three and a half hours early.

“Be right back,” he says, and she waves him away.

He opens the app on his way, wondering if he'd missed a message, but it's still telling him that it'll let him know when his shopper gets to the store. That's when he reaches the front desk and sees a huge bouquet of flowers. There's red roses at the center, but there's also pink hydrangeas, calla lilies, and peonies scattered throughout. Some sort of greenery with round leaves is poking through between some of the flowers. The entire bouquet is at least eighteen inches in diameter, and a card is standing in a holder with his name on the envelope.

“Tommy Kinard?” the delivery guy asks, and Tommy nods slowly. “Can you sign here, please?”

Tommy nods again and signs the paper without really looking. When he's done, he takes the card from its holder and opens it. It’s printed with a message that says:

For my Valentine:

I love you For sentimental reasons I hope you do believe me I've given you my heart

Evan

Tommy's breath catches. It's from the song they'd danced to in his kitchen just after they'd gotten back together last month. It was while that song was playing that Tommy knew he'd ask Evan to marry him one day. He remembers looking at Evan’s gentle smile and twinkling eyes and quietly singing along and feeling his heart ache with how much he loved him.

He holds the card to his chest with one hand and reaches out with the other to stroke his thumb across a soft, delicate rose petal. It's the first time anyone's ever gotten him flowers. He takes his phone out of his pocket and calls Evan.

“Hello?” Evan says, picking up on the first ring.

“Evan…” is all he can really say, his voice valiantly not shaking, though it’s a near thing.

“Do you like them?” he asks, sounding nervous.

“They're perfect,” Tommy says, his voice soft. He knows there's people milling around, but he just wants to exist in the bubble of Evan’s voice and the beautiful flowers. “Thank you.”

“Happy Valentine's Day, baby.”

Tommy smiles, his face warming at the term of endearment and with just how sincere Evan sounds. “Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart.”

They can only talk for a bit, because Tommy's supposed to be cleaning and doing a stock check before he hands the keys over to the next shift, but they confirm their plans for that night. Before they hang up, Tommy tells him he loves him, and he huffs out a laugh when Evan sighs and replies in kind, sounding so happy.

He takes a picture of the bouquet and scoops it up to bring to the kitchen so he can temporarily keep them in a large ice tea pitcher. He knows he has a vase big enough for the bouquet at home, because he has a lot of his Nonna’s and Zia’s things, but it’s packed away. He’s never had a reason to use it.

An hour later, there's another call for him at the front. This time, it's cupcakes from one of the only bakeries Tommy likes nearly as much as his boyfriend's baking. The note that's attached is handwritten and signed by Evan, and he wonders when he'd actually planned all of this.

For nobody else gave me a thrill With all your faults, I love you still It had to be you Wonderful you

Love,

Evan

Tommy laughs, because it's a bit of a private joke between them. He'd shown Evan A League of Their Own in the week after they'd gotten back together. When Marla Hooch drunkenly sings to her future husband, Evan had pointed at the screen and said that would've been him if Tommy had shown up to the karaoke night Howie had organized before Christmas.

“I would've tried to woo you back with sad, drunk love songs. I was so close to calling you and doing it anyway.”

“I mean, that might've worked.”

“Now you tell me.”

He calls Evan again, but his boyfriend texts him that he's picking Jee-Yun up from preschool.

He gets a picture from inside Evan’s Jeep of him making a kissy face from the driver's seat and Jee-Yun in her car seat in the back doing the same. She's wearing a pink sweater with little red and white hearts all over, and her cheeks are extra puffed out from the face she's pulling. Tommy wants to press kisses to them and blow a raspberry and make her shriek with laughter. It's one of his favorite sounds in the world.

There's no reply, likely because Evan is driving, and Tommy goes back to his end of shift duties. He's getting gently ribbed for getting two special deliveries, and more than one person is lamenting that Evan makes them all look bad. It’s the kind of thing he’s been able to say to other people, he’s never been on the receiving end of it. He can’t even pretend to be annoyed or over any of their comments, he’s too busy being happy.

It's when he only has forty-five minutes left that the B-shift captain comes up to him with a smile on his face.

“Delivery at the front, Kinard,” he says. “Delivery girl's real cute, too.”

Tommy snorts and sets down his clipboard. “Yeah, I'm sure she'll be just my type.”

“You never know.”

When he jogs to the front, he doesn't see anyone for a moment, but then he hears a giggle and Jee-Yun peeks from around where the bay doors are open. Tommy’s face splits into a grin, and he's on his knees to squeeze her close.

“Cap said the delivery girl was cute, he didn't say she was the prettiest in the world!” he exclaims as she giggles into his shoulder.

“Uncle Tommy!” she says loudly, pushing his shoulder and looking at him sternly. “I'm s’posed to give you a present.”

Tommy sits back on his heels and gestures for her to continue. “My apologies, please continue.”

She smiles and looks back just before a distinctly Evan-shaped hand reaches around to hand her a colorful piece of paper. She hands it to him, and Tommy unfolds it to reveal a wonky heart covered in crayon scribbles, several smiley faces drawn with marker, a flower (or sun) in marker, and words written by an adult hand that had been loosely traced over in crayon. They read:

Will you be our Valentine?

Love,

Jee-Yun Buckley Han and Evan Buckley

Tommy hugs the valentine carefully to his chest and smiles. “Yes. I'd be honored.”

“He said yes!” Jee-Yun whispers loudly over her shoulder.

And then Evan steps into view, and he has a single red rose in his hand and a smile on his face. Tommy stands and kisses him, plucking the rose from his grip, nearly lifting his boyfriend off his feet. He feels like he could float away at any moment.

“I love you,” Tommy murmurs, nuzzling their noses together.

“I love you, too,” Evan says softly, smiling and looking at Tommy with so much warmth radiating from his entire being. It always feels like Evan’s got a ball of sunshine inside just beaming out of him.

Tommy kisses him again before picking up Jee-Yun and pressing kisses to her cheeks and grinning when she does the same.

“I love it,” he tells her. “And I actually have something for you at my house that I can give to your uncle tonight.”

“Really?” she says, looking shy and happy all at once. He wishes so badly that he'd thought to put the stuffed dinosaur (store bought) and matching card (handmade, full of puns) in his truck.

“Of course! I had to get something for my favorite Valentine,” he says, finally blowing the raspberry on her cheek. When she laughs so loud it almost hurts his ears, he squeezes her to his chest and feels his eyes prickle when she throws her arms around his neck and squeezes back.

“Happy Valentine Day, Uncle Tommy,” she says, and he twists his mouth for a second so he doesn't cry.

“Happy Valentine's Day, Jee-Jee,” he says softly, kissing her hair.

She straightens up and looks around the bay they're in, and Tommy turns to see that they've accumulated an audience of people glancing over from whatever they’re doing. He instinctively tucks her close, but all he sees are smiles.

“Do you want to see where Uncle Tommy works?” Evan asks, and Jee-Yun nods. “I think he'll give us a tour if we ask really nicely.”

She turns her big eyes on him. “Uncle Tommy, can we please see your work?”

Tommy kisses her temple. “Absolutely. Let's go, baby girl.”

Everyone is charmed by her, especially when she starts pointing at some of their ground equipment and calling it by name, telling them that her Daddy uses it, too. It's when they get to the hangar that she looks excited, almost wiggling out of his arms to get a look at one of the helicopters.

“C'mon,” Tommy says, handing her to Evan before climbing into the cockpit. He reaches out for her and settles her on his lap while he points to different instruments and tells her what they do. She whispers the names of some of them quietly to herself as if she's trying to memorize them. Hell, she might. She's got the recall ability of both parents and her uncle.

When he looks out at Evan to check on him, his boyfriend has a phone pointed at them.

“Don't mind me,” Evan says cheerily.

It's past the end of his shift when they get back to the front.

“I gotta get her home,” Evan says, reaching for Jee-Yun. She goes with some reluctance, looking longingly back at the door out to the tarmac.

“Before you go,” Captain Marsh says, holding out an LAFD folder. “A present for our special visitor.”

It's the coloring pages and stickers they give out to kids, but theirs are cooler than most LAFD swag, because theirs also includes Air Ops stuff. Tommy had personally illustrated the helicopter and plane pages, and Melton’s husband, who had a side gig writing kid’s books, had written out the captions and a little digestible explanation of what made Air Ops so different than a regular unit.

“Thank you,” Jee-Yun says, hugging the folder to her chest. “I like your station.”

“I like it, too,” Marsh agrees, grinning. “Have a good Valentine's Day, Miss Han.”

Tommy walks them out to the lot, his arm around Evan as they make their way to the Jeep. “Thank you both. This is the best Valentine's Day I've ever had. I really mean that.”

“Me, too,” Evan says, grinning and leaning over to kiss him on the corner of his mouth without breaking his stride.

Tommy helps get Jee-Yun strapped in, gives her another cheek raspberry and a smacking kiss, receives both in return, and then Evan decides to do the same when Tommy leans in for a good-bye kiss.

“You are such a brat,” Tommy complains, wiping slobber off his cheek.

“Well, yeah,” Evan says, grinning. “But I'm your brat.”

Tommy pulls him close and rubs a hand down his back. “Yeah, you are,” he murmurs, smiling at the flush of Evan's cheeks. “You can come by a little early if you want.”

Evan bites his lip and nods, smoothing down the fabric over Tommy's chest. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Tommy confirms before kissing him, sucking gently at Evan's bottom lip and feeling a bolt of heat shoot through his belly when Evan lets out a soft noise against his mouth. When he releases him, Evan looks a bit dazed. “Get her home safe.”

“Y-yeah,” Evan breathes, bumping into his sideview mirror as he backs up toward the driver's side door. Tommy raises an eyebrow at him, and Evan flushes, ducking his head as he gets into his car. As soon as it’s on, he rolls down the window. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See you,” Tommy says, raising his hand in a wave.

He waits until the Jeep is gone before going back in. He takes twenty minutes to finish the stock check that had been interrupted, hands it off to Lucy, who had arrived mid-tour for her shift, and tries to ignore the knowing or sappy smiles pointed his way as he gathers his stuff and heads out to his truck. They don’t bother him, he’s just not used to it. He thinks he could learn to get used to it, though.

When he gets home, the groceries are waiting for him on the front step. He takes everything inside and goes to the kitchen, ready to make aroz con pato, since Evan has been reminiscing about the food in Peru on their last date.

While the duck is simmering, he goes into the guest room closet where he has the few boxes of things he hadn't found a place for in the house. Some of it is old paperwork, old uniforms, photos that need to be put into albums, mementos he should probably part with, and one has carefully packed china from his Nonna along with a hand-painted vase that had passed from Bisnonna Valia to his Prozia and then his Zia and now it's his. His Zia had never had children of her own, so he’d ended up with a lot of the Carlevaro family heirlooms when she’d passed. He’d never used the vase, though. The closest he'd ever come to receiving flowers was when people sent them after his mom died.

He wipes down the colorfully painted vase with a damp cloth and then with a dry one before filling it with water and putting the flowers in. He props the card against it and puts the other two on his fridge.

It's quiet in his house, but he knows that soon his doorbell will ring and he'll let in a man who talks almost unceasingly about whatever's on his mind, who will laugh and make Tommy laugh, who will fill the house and Tommy's heart with so much beloved noise that he'll feel it echo in the time they're apart.

And one day, maybe, he won't have to say goodbye unless it's followed by “I'll see you when I/you get home.” And they'll add to the collection of Valentine's Day cards every year until they’re old enough to have to think long and hard about the story behind each one. And inevitably, one of them will remember or someone—Jee-Yun, her children, their own children��will chime in because they've heard it a million times before.

When his doorbell rings, Tommy gets up to answer with a smile on his lips and a lightness in his heart that he doesn't think he's ever felt before.

[anxresi]

They're absolutely right...

...It's the writers that deserve the lion's share of the backlash, for poor, innocent, boring-as-hell Zoe is merely a tool of the oppressor, aka Mr Astruc. What's being oppressed, you may well ask? Well, interesting storylines, proper continuity, two-dimensional personalities... I could go on. Everything that makes a show compulsive and rewarding viewing that Miraculous Ladybug conspicuously and utterly lacks in every department due to his increasingly destructive machinations, basically.

This pink-streaked plot device masquerading as a serious character can (along with another equally pointless individual called 'Soquerline' who was so unmemorable I almost forgot she was ever a thing) exists for one reason and one reason only: to diminish Chloe's relevance and role in the show to the sum of precisely nothing. Well after S5, job done I guess guys. Well done. Well done indeed. (Although apparently not... they're bringing Miss Bourgeois back for more torture in the London 'special'. Guess Tommy Boy just can't keep away from his favorite punching bag, can he?)

The irony is though, having such a super-sweet but dull-as-ditchwater Mary Sue to replace a well-established and multi-layered person such as Chloe actually sends out a seriously awful message. Why? Because if I was a bad kid and saw S1-3 Chloe, I'd think 'what a fascinating redemption arc, I can inspired by that and do better.' But after seeing S4-5 Chloe and what an arguable downgrade as a replacement the incredibly tedious Zoe is, I'd be more like 'well, obviously there's no point in trying to be good, because you'll probably turn into a psychopath overnight with no explanation in the middle of your genuine efforts to improve. And if what the show is presenting to me as the ideal for a teenage girl to be is the waste-of-blank-space that Zoe clearly is... then a life of deliquency sounds more tempting with every passing minute! Now, where did I put my spray can?'

The most shameless aspect to this whole argument though, is by those trying to paint the hapless Zoe as some kind of lesbian icon. Pardon? She got a plot-mandated crush on Marinette in one episode and somehow that makes her insipid and needless presence an asset for the gay community? Somehow a few people have got it into their heads if you 'dare' to make someone non-straight in cartoons these days you deserve a big pat on the back for that 'risk' alone. WRONG. They should also be fleshed-out, complex, necessary characters whose sexuality isn't just define them or deflect from deserved criticism as to what the hell they are doing there if they turn up in the middle of proceedings with no prior explanation. See: The Owl House for how it's done.

And that's all Zoe being gay is... an irrelevant trait Mr Astruc can point to cynically and say ' you're a bigot for disliking her whatever your reasons are, so I'm not listening to you' instead of engaging with the actual argument which is SHE IS NOT AND WAS NEVER NEEDED IN THE SHOW. Everything you required to make Chloe the brilliant character she could've been was RIGHT THERE in the script but you CHOSE to rub it all out and scrawl some hastily scribbled doodle with no personality other than being 'very nice' in her place. A tragedy. The worst case of self-vandalism I've ever seen. No wonder Jeremy Zag wants to start from scratch with his rebooted movies. More power to him, IMHO.

Needless to say, nearly all the above in the quoted post about her father loving her (we haven't met him yet, it's DEFINITELY not Andre Bourgeois, his name ends in 'Lee' for a start) her supposed growth (the only 'growth' she's had is when she turned into that giant golden Chloe after being akumatized) her alleged pansexuality (all in the desperate mind of the OP) her 'abusive' family (I think you'll find Chloe had it FAR WORSE over the course of the show in that regard, so why not idolise her?) is complete bunkum. and to be frank I couldn't compose a much delusional post if I tried. Sometimes I wonder: what planet are some people on to reach such implausible conclusions? I don't understand it, I'll never understand it and quite frankly I feel quite sorry for the arbiters of such risibly deluded takes.

Last but not least though, we have...

Now this I ALSO agree with 1000%. And I know just the place to 'flush' her... ;)

[toomanythoughts2]

I've been thinking a lot more of Post-Klok Pre-Series Toki and I keep coming up with so many missing scenes on his development.

I've been really thinking on how Toki's role in the band, a lot of times, is the "younger brother" arche type, which is obvious, but there's also a lot of snippits in the show that really highlight just how ingrained it is in their mind that Toki was once a child or very young when he joined. In "Dethclown", Nathan yells at Toki to not run because it's wet (near the hot tub) when Toki goes to get the door for Rockso (also the whole, "I thought we agreed--no clowns?"/"No, we didn't agreededs on nothings. We all just yelled and then he was beaten. That was our conclusions." - Very older brother/younger brother argument) (Also, Skwisgaar telling Toki he doesnt have to overcompensate, that they'll all pay more attentions to him -- very older brother energy). In "Dethecution", Nathan tells Toki, "Toki you may clear the table when you feel it is time." How many times do you think Toki cleared the table as a kid when he was living in the apartment or wherever they stayed before Mordhaus was complete? Toki can barely cook (granted, he made chicken tenders in "Diversityklok" but this like a decade after the time we're talking about, so that doesn't count.) but the others do have a few skills. It was probably a chore of his while living with the band. In "Dethcamp", (which is arguably the most family dynamic-esque episode in the entire show) Nathan is seen picking up Toki's clothes, helping him pack for camp, gifting him something he knows Toki would like, and defending him from bullies. He also called Toki, "Little guy" when he said how much he misses him. Pickles is seen defending Toki from Skwisgaar and Murderface's bad talking, while Murderface and Skwisgaar rag on Toki because deserts always have to be made sugar free and they can't watch scary movies with him around. In the episodes where Toki gets wrapped up in Murderface's schemes, a lot of the hatred or aggravation from the other three, never seems to be on Toki, but more so Murderface. Like how parents get mad at older siblings for getting their younger siblings into stuff because they don't believe that the younger siblings would have done it by themselves. Like in "Dethsiduals", it's very clear that Toki is just along for the ride, even going against some of the things Murderface says while in court. All of this just screams that Toki is, unfortunately, still seen as this younger "child" because that's how the band first met him and treated him. Now on to the fun part!

I don't think that the band was overly parenting, they're still rockstars, they're still assholes. But this is a level of care and structure in the band that definitely shows that they did something to help Toki. Or things they they choose not to do if Toki was a minor when he joined.

For one, I've been really loving the idea that Skwisgaar had a very strict "No sex in the house if Toki is there" due to his own personal traumas with his mother. Toki did a lot of 7/11 runs with other band members or by himself if Skwisgaar brought someone home. Like, he would see Toki and a part of him yearned to be protect in the way he wishes he was protected. So, he did not have sex when Toki was at the house. Now, once he's 18, that goes out the window but Toki is now a legal adult and needs to deal with it.

I also like the idea that Toki did not understand a shower set up and was taking baths from the sink. Like, he would look at the shower knob and immediately freak out. He just wouldn't understand it. So, Pickles ends up teaching him the basics and Toki is so enthralled by it, he strips down immediately and gets in with Pickles still right there. (I see Toki as being very unashamed of nakedness) Pickles also helped him understand shampoo, conditioner, and basic hygiene using modern "gadgets" (deodorant in a stick or toothpaste from a plastic tube.) Pickles just didn't want another Murderface. 1 Murderface stank was enough for all of them.

Another idea that I'm honestly thinking about writing is Charles taking Toki to the mall to spend his first paycheck and going straight for the toys only to get overstimulated and freak out. Charles has to take Toki back to the car to calm down. When everyone comes back with their purchases, Toki is embarrassed that he didn't buy anything. On the way home, they pop a tire while getting gas, and the guys have to change it. Toki doesn't help (he has no idea) but he spots a store across the street from them and decides to go in without telling anyone. It ends up being a hobby store and a cashier spots him staring at the model plane, and starts explaining them to him. Toki has no clue what is being told to him, but likes the attitude of the man, so he buys one, plus some paints and brushes and other gear to go along with it. Charles rushes in after the purchases, slightly alarmed because Toki just disappeared. But Toki doesn't notice and is ready to go back to the car to show off his purchases. (Charles ABSOLEUTLY makes him hold his hand across the street and tells him to look both ways.)

I've also been thinking about what did Toki and Murderface's first scheme look like? Was it something really simple like Murderface using Toki to ask one of the guys if they could have Mexican instead of Chinese food tonight? Or was it something sneakier, like using Toki as a distraction to steal booze? Did Murderface teach him bad words with wrong meanings, and tell him to say them in front of the others? Did Murderface also get some hero worship from a very young Toki because he too played a guitar-like instrument? Murderface was probably a bad influence on Toki (they all were but...) with how to act in public, his view points on women and children, how to talk, how to have his form of "confidence".

Toki was probably never allowed to partake in interviews without Skwisgaar, Nathan, and Charles present. Skwisgaar to translate to Toki and Charles to make sure the questions were "within legal right to ask a minor". Nathan was there to make sure that their image was upheld and to intimidate the interviews from asking anything non-metal. But a lot of old footage of these interviews actually show Nathan doubling as a bodyguard around Toki from interviewers on his back and show him gently guiding him through crowds and away from people who keep asking odd things or just generally gave him an uncomfortable vibe. Nathan definitely has some kind of guidance/caregiving vibes when it comes to Toki. He does not do it to any other bandmember, just him.

Anyway, the band looks at Toki and they probably still see this version of Toki:

Ok, that's all :)