#also if you were born after 2000 I’m sorry you don’t get an opinion on Eminem yall have no idea what you’re talking about

[muutosarchive]

people really wanna be mad at Eminem for no reason. yall too stupid to realize Megan dissed him in Hiss, & he was just firing a shot back. It’s not that serious.

[exciting]

As requested, books / series I read in 2020 in the order I read them, with a few brief thoughts. (This took me a hot second because there are a few and also I moved cities) Should I keep a consistent goodreads? Yes I should but I didn’t think of that at the time, so bone apple teeth & sorry if I offend you abt your faves x

P.S. I can’t figure out how to do a read more on mobile so long post ahead!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas - This is one of the most vivid published fantasy books I have ever read... I read it twice in rapid succession. The fandom POPS off. I must say I have issues with certain aspects e.g. fae lore completely ignored à la Twilight, all love interests 500+ years old and technically a different species, etc (I’m not going to deconstruct the entire series here but just know that I could... Nesta deserves better)

Cruel Prince by Holly Black - This fucking slaps, HB clearly has done her research, the lore is near immaculate, and it explores the Fae in such a unique way, tying it to the modern world subtly and seamlessly. My only qualm was that the books felt quite short; truly wish there had been more content.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas (6/7) - So basically I read this in one single, hyperfixated fit which meant I literally locked myself in my room for three days straight and read all six books back to back in a row from morning to the wee hours. Which is not to say it was spectacular; although it was a VERY rich world, sometimes it was too much... this felt like 6 stories in one. Ik she was young when she wrote this but it is my humble opinion that SJM needs a better editor & I personally think Rowan is a grade A asshole / straight up abusive (& personally think the ACOTAR Tamlin plot was born from that?). It’s good but not as good as ACOTAR. Skip-read the last book. 

Grishaverse (Shadow and Bone) by Leigh Bardugo (3) - This is essential to read before SOC but was very much simply a YA fantasy book, although the world was cool and the way the love plot played out was, imo, a subtle middle finger to the fantasy trope. Felt very much aimed at younger readers though? Really liked the sandwhich structure of the Proluge and Epilogue, especially in #2

Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo (2) - INCREDIBLE continuation of Grishaverse, better than the original series by a mile. It has the range, the diversity, the representation (the male lead is a disabled asexual and still the most cunning of the entire cast of characters), the plot is phenomenal, and it manages such a well rounded plot in only two books which means nothing is stretched out or squeezed in more than need be. Deserves all the praise it gets.

King of Scars series by Leigh Bardugo (0.5/1) - Personally I don’t consider this book canon, and while it’s nice to see the rest of Nina’s journey & the world again & everyone else, I don't like it. I will, however, be reading book 2 when it comes out, so shame on me, I suppose.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (1/1) - this was incredibly cool although it went off in a completely different direction than I thought it would based off the first few chapters? One of my favourite YA-author-debuts-New-Adult novels in 2020 though!

Crescent City by Sarah J Maas (1/1) - This was supposed to be SJM/s New Adult debut, although personally I would put her other series in New Adult, and I can’t say a remarkable amount was different with this except they said “fuck” and “ass” a lot. WHY is the romantic interest 500 years old AGAIN. I just... don’t... I just don’t think it was necessary... the world was cool though, and the last half of the book was riveting, but the beginning was quite slow and I thought the sword thing was predictable. I am interested to see where this goes though.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (3) - This world is so fucking cool... four Londons aka parallel universes & the one in ‘our’ world is set in industrial era London. Magic, girls dressing up as boys, thieves, pirates, royalty... it all just slaps. Schwab is an incredible writer & I was completely immersed.

Midnight Sun by SMeyer - I didn’t think anything could possibly detract even further from the Twilight story but I was sorely mistaken... seeing the stalking from Edward’s POV - and it was worse than depicted in Twilight, for the record - completely obliterated any sort of romance the first half of the original book may have portrayed. I still hold the opinion that the entire series would have been better if some kind of vampire lore had been abided by, if only to see all of the villains thwarted by someone dropping a bag of rice on the ground, forcing them to have to count them all.

An ember in the Ash by Sabaa Tahir  (3/4) - This was just a very stereotypical ya fantasy series, emphasis on the YOUNG... it wasn’t anything to write home about but I remember quite enjoying it at the time. 

The Power by Naomi Alderman - This book is FUCKING incredible and EXCEPTIONALLY thought provoking... essentially women alone develop a power of electric shock etc. and then take over the world from men, and it explores feminism and the balance between equality & tipping the scales in the other direction. Written by a friend of M.Atwood in a similar tone to handmaids tale, I would say? Content warning; there are some exceptionally graphic scenes in the latter half of the novel. 

Hamlet by Wllm Shksp - I can’t believe it took me this long to finally read it but Ophelia is my favourite name in the entire world & we love to see a woman go batshit (although she didn’t deserve that). 

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas - this was unsettling in the best sense of the word... it was a little slow & honestly more of a concept than a big reveal, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I finished it? A Secret History vibes but make it blurry like the memory of all those dystopian novels you read when you were young?

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V.E. Schwab - This is without a doubt my book of the year, and probably the best book I read in 2020? I stayed up all night on a friend’s couch reading it, got a book hangover and reread the ending, and then thrust it upon my mother who doesn’t usually read but read this, and loved it just as much. HIGHLY recommend and you HAVE to read it, it’s beautiful and endearing and just plain wonderful.

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat (3/3) - I went into this knowing it was going to be terrible, because I had received a blow by blow telling me as much; although I must say that it did learn a remarkable amount of new words, the books did get better as the series went on, and it did have a rather charming ending? BIG content warning for almost everything.

Sapiens by Yuval Harari - mind-expanding & must recommend for everyone, there is everything in this and I daresay everyone should posses this kind of knowledge? I listened to it as an audiobook (which I recommend because it’s rather hearty) but will be buying this in hardcopy & rereading it with annotations. 

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful novels I have ever read, and certainly the most beautiful portrayal of the story of Achilles and the battle of Troy I have ever seen. Patroclus deserved the justice that was given to him in this book; indeed, all of the characters were written with justice and grace. Highly recommend.

Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan (3/5) - Apollo is my favourite Greek God, and the sexiest greek god, and Rick Riordan’s writing slaps, as always. It did pain me to see Apollo, the sexy immortal, have to be forced back into a 16 year old’s body but everything else? Whimsical & wonderful, as expected. 

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong - a retelling of Romeo and Juliette, except it’s set in Shanghai in the 1920′s, and the protagonists already have a history. Very well done, characters are incredibly diverse in race, sexual orientation, gender, and ability / disability (and honestly, representation has never appeared so effortless and elegant). Also it includes a monster and possible magic. Incredibly underrated and highly recommend.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix. E Harrow - this was such a unique concept, and truly captivating, the story was charming, and felt like the kind of beautiful fairytale you would read as children but with more grit? ABSOLUTELY recommend this one

The Pisces by Melissa Broder - I hated this so much, not my vibe at all. Mermaid smut x therapy but make it cynical and judgemental (I know there was a moral in there but that’s not my point) also the dog dies.

Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith (1/2) - really interesting & unique concept (all unwritten novels / ideas reside in a special library that is part of Hell and then sometimes the books can come to life) however, my first thought upon reading this was “this reads as if it’s stemmed from one of those writing prompt tumblr posts” bc of the tone and whatever and as it turns out I was somewhat correct, it did stem from a short story (not bad just obvious). It did kind of settle down as it went on but I found reading it kind of a drag, and I don’t think I will read the second one.

Abandon by Meg Cabot - 1. Meg Cabot’s writing always fucking slaps 2. Hades and Persephone but make it modern & very 2000′s & somehow kind of unique 3. I literally loved this, sue me

Medusa Girls (Sweet Venom) by Tera Childs - Like Percy Jackson except they are descendants of Medusa so they are Gorgons and have fangs & venom (hence the title). Gave me very 2000′s vibes? Quite cool but tbh I found the books quite short (like two hours each, if that)? Do NOT read the GoodReads description of the book before you read it, you will spoil it for yourself.

Bring me their Hearts by Sara Wolf - In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated YA series I read in 2020. The heroine is endearing, self aware, witty, and loves to look pretty even while kicking ass which in my opinion is an incredibly underrated trait. Also, immortality without being hundreds of years old? VERY sexy. HIGHLY recommend. 

A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova - High commendation to be given for the fact that it is a standalone and yet manages to fit in the plot of what would usually be a full fantasy trilogy without cutting corners or being a million miles long? Also sweet storyline & beautiful ending? If you liked ACOTAR you should read this as a “what would have / could have been had SJM had a different editor” (No shade I promise).

The Iron Fae by Julie Kagawa (4/4 + novellas) - Incredibly detailed faerie set around the modern world & our current use of technology & iron in it. Very neat adventure-style series, by the time I read the last novella I was well and truly done with the world (aka provided enough content to be fulfilling). Was definitely aimed at a younger audience though, NO smut / smut was brushed over.

The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black (3/3 SS) - This is technically the prequel to Cruel prince, set in the modern world, but with the fae world inside it as it traditional? All I have to say is that it is excellent & I highly recommend it.

Bridgerton series (The Duke and I) by Julia Quinn (9/9) - I read this after watching the Netflix show twice through and I am obsessed, although the books were not quite as elegant as the show, and some parts that made me cringe either by their portrayal (it is very firmly set in the 19th century and thus some things are not handled with tact or grace), the characters were exceptionally loveable and I am so excited to see where the show takes them! Lovely language & an abundance of words I had never seen before (always a plus). 

[whaleofatjme1920]

I never realized how bad it feels asking for a match-up- it's a really self-centered feeling lmao. But yeah, can I please have a match-up for me and either a Creepypasta character and/or Marble Hornets? If you don't want to do this, that's fine. Thanks for reading anyway!

To start, I go by all pronouns but I prefer she/her since I'm closeted. You can say I'm a straight ally or toric and it'll still be right, I suppose. I was born female. I like to be called questionable names such as Grass, Broskeet, etc in replace of my real name (believe it or not, people mispronounce my name to Elsie when they read it.) But I go by Lee now as an official name to replace my dead name, but I'm still closeted so only certain friends call me Lee.

I have long black/dark brown hair that's flat on top and gets really waves at the bottom, making it really poofy. I have green eyes that turn blue sometimes, and othertimes combine. I love my eyes so much tbh; sometimes one eye would be green and the other blue but it's very rare. I'm 5'2 and 130 so I'm slightly chubby but overall have an okay figure. I'm C-cup but I have like no fkn hips since I take after my dad lmao. Well, I have some but they doesn't move very much.

I'm a pretty neutrally opinionated person if that makes since. Oh, you like [unfavorable political party]? That's great, but just don't push that on to me. Oh, your friend likes [favorable political party]? Spectacular, but don't get me involved. Pretty much like that. Even if I like something, I ain't gonna act on it knowing it could be bad also. I don't have grudges or feelings of hate towards anyone really aside my sister, and it's a long story as to why.

Despite how neutral I can be, I can be one of three things: hella hyper and stupid, anxious and irritable, or tired and easily compelled to be either personality. Whenever I'm hyper, I go overtop if I'm playing a game and often times can make people laugh, but I also get too caught up in that to realize if I'm about to do something stupid. Since I was 3, I was known to be anxious and irritable a hell of a lot whenever; it would just happen randomly, even in the midst of having a good time. Whenever I'm tired, I usually try to sleep but get pulled into being hyper or anxious at some point.

I want to say I have ADHD but since I was never diagnosed, I can't say that it's a true statement. I was supposed to be tested when I was young but it never came. I pretty much struggle to pay attention and remember things, and often times talk too much. Anyway, one of the most notable features of mine is how I try to get people to laugh. It's one of my favorite things to do, especially with my close family.

I have two sisters, two half sisters, and a half brother. Only my half siblings I really get along; one of full sisters hated me as I hated her since forever, and the other other sister is a toddler who'd rather be by herself. My younger half sister and I get along great, but me and my cousin are so close. I'm not exactly family oriented but my cousin is hella important to me. I try to be loyal no matter what with people I care for, and these are good examples of those people. And friends too; I don't have many of them, but I would protect them at all costs even though I probably couldn't do much lmao.

I guess, on to hobbies? I love to draw, write, and read for basics. I've been neglecting how often I write though, I read so much everyday. The Outsiders and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (original) are my favorites, and so many lovable fanfictions too lmao. I draw semi-realistic but always manage to make a cartoon-anime combination on accident. Also, I collect alpaca stuffed animals. No reason other than I need to make a movement on the alpaca market that these creatures are so unfathomably perfect is all ways. I give them all stupid names like Karrot With A K, Kangaroo, MoshPit (it's a rainbow alpaca), etc. They also have backstories~~

I also try to go along with what other people like. Whether in an NSFW setting or not, I can be hella submissive and just go along with what other people want. I don't like like gey my preferences out there very much but I will speak up if someone's being disrespected in some way. I don't put up with that shit.

I love Mexican styled music and dances! My cousin had a Quinceanera that I got to be her Doma in, meaning I got to be part of a dance crew with her and got to give speeches. If you're unfamiliar with a Quence, it's basically a 15th birthday party for girls that's as big as a wedding, and a Doma is like a bride's maid. El Tao, Tao, and Soltera (Remix) are my gavorite lmao.

I love some 80s rock early 2000s rock/metal though. I love Japanese music too, and know the full lyrics to a fee Japanese songs. When I had a vrinfy weebo phase, I started "learning" Japanese but then got serious with it, and now I continue to learn it. I want to learn Spanish too since I clearly have Mexican in my family.

I like to wear all kinds of clothes. I like poofy, short dresses that twirls, Hot Topic styled skirts eith suspenders and chains, plaid pants and shirts, any shirt without sleeves, and a few signature red hoodies. I go for all looks really. But damn, I've recently been in love with skirts.

I watch anime so I might probably suggest my S/O to watch it. Nothing forceful though lmao.

As for NSFW if your up to it- I'm pretty submissive. Anything he likes, I would do. I would do degrading or praise as a kink as well. However, I'm a virgin so I'd be hella inexperienced lol. But yeah, that's pretty much it. Sorry if this is too long or short or just not good enough-

Hi love bug, I shut down matchups a little while ago! I don't know when I'm opening them back up again, but when I do, please feel free to send this in again! My sincerest apologies. It's also never self centered to ask for a matchup, if they were open rn, I'd do this in a heartbeat! <3

Also I briefly skimmed it and people refer to me as "Elise" instead of my actual name, "Elsie" and it's garnered my hatred of the former.

[harrowscore]

Mikasa Ackermann, Levi Ackermann, Amane Misa, Aeron Greyjoy for the charactet ask :3

SOMEONE HEARD MY PRAYERS AND NOW MY TIME HAS COME, tysm!!!!! <3

okay, let's start with levi (my beloved):

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life (THEE little feral anime man after my heart)

hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang (Dark, Tall and Snarky + piercing grey-blue eyes and chronic insomnia? clearly my type ❤)

hogwarts house: gryffindor (maybe....?) | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuff

ugh, the hp sorting house system is way too reductive. he has qualities of gryffindor, slytherin, and hufflepuff - brave, astute, loyal to a fault, etc. so it's a hard choice. but if i really have to choose, i'd go for gryffindor. i know that his Bad Boy facade shouts slytherin, but while he has larger goals (killing all the titans, then saving the world etc.), he's got no actual ambition for himself. hufflepuff would also be a good option.

daemon (from the his dark materials series): (because i've just decided that's just way more accurate than the hp method) some kind of big feline. maybe a panther - a black panther would be the ideal - aloof, predatory, dangerous, fiercely independent.

best quality: besides his obvious strenghts as a leader and warrior, the way he cares for his comrades-in-arms. it's very hard to gain his trust and respect, but once you have it, it's forever. he's pragmatic and ruthless, yes, but he also has a huge capacity for compassion and friendship. not that he would be effusive about his affections, of course.

worst quality: none, he's absolutely perfect ❤ jklsdfhjk jokes aside, he really struggles to open up (a serious understatement), idt he ever talked about his traumatic past with anyone. i mean, maybe he mentioned it to hange and erwin (erwin knew him when he was still an undergound thug, so...), but... he's not great with feelings. despite his apathetic, intimidating mask, he feels and cares deeply, but he has a long history with losing the people he loves, so he tries to not personally care about his squadmates, which can be both a strenght and a weakness. of course, he spectacularly fails at this.

ship them with: well, it's not a secret that i'm a huge rivamika fan, this ship is almost literally consuming my waking thoughts lmao. imo they're perfectly compatible: very similar personalities (stoic, the strongest warriors, absolutely terrifying on the battlefield but with a soft underbelly), very similar pasts/experiences, so many parallels that it's actually ridiculous, etc. i love how they're both each other's equals and likeness (yes, i took it from jane eyre. no, i don't regret anything lmao). a lot of tropes i love, too: Terrible First Impression (the Pride and Prejudice vibes are so strong with these two, you have no idea), Kindred Spirits/Mirror Images, Veteran/Young Prodigy, The Last of Their Kind, even Height Difference lmao. i could write a whole rivamika manifesto, but this is already too long. (maybe for some other time 👀) i would've loved for their dynamic to be more explored in canon but alas, isayama clearly didn't give a shit about the ackerman legacy, he just used it as a plot shortcut to give them conveniently unique powers, since they never really talked about it 🙄 (and before some troll comes into my askbox shouting "you iNcEsT fReAk!!!!1!!", they're only very distantly related. we know shit about the ackermans but we know for sure that they've got at least several generations between them. biologically their shared DNA is 0%, obviously they don't see each other as family, all the eldians have a dead ass common ancestor from 2000 years ago so they're all basically ⁓related anyway. if you really wanna scream about i.ncest, go watch got/dark/the borgias and shut the fuck up please. or alternatively go outside and touch some grass) sorry for the rant, uh. anyway, i can also see levi/erwin. idk if i'd ever care enough to read a fic about them (i'm usually a huge multishipper, but for some weird reason not when it comes to rivamika? same with braime and kastle tbh), but still, i can see it.

brotp them with: hange and erwin, obv. veteran trio >>> ema trio, sorry not sorry (at least h. and e. died before yams had the chance to ruin their character arcs)

needs to stay away from: ...uh, filth, i guess? lmao

misc. thoughts: besides the stupid teenage fangirl crush i have on him, i'm genuinely fascinated by the man himself. he's a huge mess of a contradictions, and yet somehow it works: he's violent and brash and kind of an asshole, but also has a strong moral code and integrity; he's obv very skilled at all the killing/torturing stuff and yet he has a huge respect for life; he's got a potty mouth to say the least, and yet some very aristocratic manners/tastes (the way he sits, his preference for tea and usually refined clothes); he comes from what's supposed to be an illustrous bloodline, he's methodical and very precise, and yet he was born and raised in the underground, he's been used to filth and blood and poverty since he was a child, kenny of all people was his father figure, and probably has known no other life than a perennial survival mode existence. he's "humanity's strongest soldier", but while well-built he's also small, the david to the titans' goliah, and probably not what people would assume a born warrior looks like. he's also one of the few characters who stayed true to himself and his original characterization until the end, bless you smol king ❤

(okay, this is getting long!)

mikasa:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them (so much. she deserved better ❤️) | actual love of my life 

hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! (stunning lady ❤) | 10/10 would bang

hogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuff

this is actually easy: mikasa belongs to hufflepuff and no, i won't take criticism (just joking lol). enough with this "hufflepuffs are fluffy puppies/Cinnamon Rolls <3" thing: mikasa values loyalty and duty more than anything else. she's also hardworking... and fierce, strong, lethal. yes, hufflepuff and lethal are not mutually exclusive concepts.

daemon: (finally the better option) a she-wolf, fiercely protective of her pack.

best quality: loyal, brave, incredibly strong (alongside her more fragile qualities). practical and level-headed on the battlefield, at least when eren is not included in the picture.

worst quality: struggles to let go of the past (understandable, considering her trauma). tunnel-vision when it comes to eren, obv. extreme levels of delusions ("if only i spoke openly about my romantic feelings for him - as if i didn't made them abundantly clear in ⁓6 years - he wouldn't kill 80% of humanity :(((" lmao okay. just. okay), but that's more on the writing. she's sadly more static than any other main character throughtout the whole series.

ship them with: see above :) but recently i've also started to be intrigued by mikasa/annie and mikasa/sasha. also, i'm sympathetic to jeankasa fans, though i don't actually care for the ship.

brotp them with: EMA trio, especially armin+mikasa. their friendship is so beautiful and special. also sasha.

needs to stay away from: ...... eren, at least romantically. again, that's more on the writing than anything else, but e.remika unfortunately encompasses many tropes i loathe with all the strength of my old shriveled heart: childhood friends-to lovers where the (male) childhood friend doesn't acknolewdge/is completely indifferent to the other (female) friend's romantic feelings, she hopelessly pines for him for years without anything more than a cold shoulder... until in the last chapter it's revealed that he loved her all along and doesn't "want other men to have her!!! :((" (then why did you have no reaction whatsoever to jean's years-long crush on her while she was jealous of any vaguely female-shaped human being you were friendly to, including hange? are you that dumb, man?); the female character's development and entire arc 100% revolves around the male protagonist - she has no goals, no dreams of her own except staying with him forever and ever; the romance is based on an idealized childhood dream, therefore reaffirming those childish illusions would make the character regress, not actually grow up (and nope, epilogue!jk doesn’t count; that also lacks build-up - i would’ve said the same about rm as well, so it’s not about shipping, guys, it really isn’t - and mikasa needed an inner change; getting married to another man but still praying to eren’s shrine is not substitute to actual development lol). post-time skip she's never really frustrated/angry with him, they never get a confrontation about him becoming a, y'know, mass-murderer of gigantic (pun intended) proportions; she puts him on a pedestal, and never stops idealizing him/never sees him for what he actually is (the narrative framing him as some kind of tragic martyr/saint eren from paradis with zero agency and basically... no clear motivation for the abovementioned mass murder, and not the actual complex tragic anti-hero/villain motivated by revenge and righteous fury he deserved to be, does not help). it lacks a good or even decent build-up - it's basically all tell and not show. now, if they'd actually been childhood friends to enemies to lovers/mutually co-dependent... it could have been interesting. sadly, it's not my cup of tea. of course this is just my personal preference, no hard feelings to the shippers.

misc. thoughts: enormous potential. she's been my fav female character since s1 - and ah, i miss s1!mikasa, when she had actually other stuff to do besides mothering eren. i love that she's the strongest warrior (second only to levi, obv), that her skills are never called into questions despite her gender, i love how she stands up for herself and the people she loves, that she may seem cold and stoic and yet has a such a huge heart, that she's not perfect but also sometimes awe-inspiring. sadly, she never really gets out of eren's shadow; what she lacks is an arc focused on herself. that's why imo getting deeper into the ackerman lore would've helped (also, you cannot make the main female character and the most popular male character descend from the same Unique Bloodline or whatever, and never really make them acknowledge it out loud; as a writer, you just can't lol). my spite is so strong that i'm currently writing a ridiculously pretentious fic that's 70% development for her character, to give her a voice, and 30% ackerthirsting. (yes, that's the fic i'm always vagueblogging about lmao, rip @ my brain). if any other rivamika fan is interested… mind you, it’s in italian tho, and idt i have the skills to translate into english.

misa:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life 

hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang

hogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuff

daemon: mmh, maybe some kind of butterfly? beautiful, colorful, and short-lived.

best quality: glorious fashion sense, more inventive and ingenious than fans actually give her credit for.

worst quality: shallow, impulsive, and obv her dependence on/obsession with light (which stems from trauma btw, but still… the very opposite of a relationship between equals).

ship them with: rem, kinda (monster/human ftw!). also weirdly enough mogi, a little bit? she deserves someone who actually respects her… though she’s far from being a perfect angel. she may actually be crazier than light on some aspects. but in this house we stan evil ladies anyway, so i have no problem with that <3

brotp them with: uh, idk, maybe matsuda?

needs to stay away from: obv light. also takada.

misc. thoughts: a tragic victim of sexist writing. she may be… unhinged to say the least, but she didn’t deserve the abuse she got from light (and from the fans). the female characters’ writing in dn is so bad that idk if it’s on purpose, to kinda mirror the reality of women in a patriarchal society (dependent on men, housewives whose life entirely revolves around their husband/boyfriend etc.), or just casual misogyny lol. it’s even more baffling since we don’t know the author’s gender (they may be a man, a woman, nb, anything really). i tend for the latter option tho.

aegon greyjoy (now, i wasn’t expecting him lol):

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life 

hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang

hogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuff

i’m so sorry, i haven’t the slightest idea lmao. maybe gryffindor? mind you, it’s been a long time since i’ve re-read the books, so i don’t have many thoughts about him.

daemon: maybe it’s cliché, but some kind of fish/squid lmao

best quality: ugh, i really can’t remember much from his chapters :(( he’s not a coward, i guess? (lame answer, sorry!)

worst quality: definitely his religious fanaticism.

ship them with: no one.

brotp them with: uh… his family, ig? except euron.

needs to stay away from: obv euron. brr ://

misc. thoughts: i genuinely like the greyjoys chapters, though i vastly prefer the martells (with the exception of theon and asha, bcs i love them). yes, they’re deranged. yes, victarion is… well, victarion lol. but the drowned god religion is actually interesting, grrm knows how to write trauma - every time aeron mentions euron and that freaking door i’m like… :// - and the tragedy of it all… just great writing all around.

okay, that’s the end lmao. thank you so much, love!!! ❤❤

[skyeofloxlay]

(WV) Pietro Maximoff x Reader - Help of hidden powers

I usually criticize myself a lot, so anything that is not perfect (in my opinion) I end up giving up, but this time I wanted to try to break that barrier that often prevents me from writing, so I just let it go. I'm sorry if it sucks. 

Sorry if it has English errors or are confused, let me know if you find something wrong. 

(And I didn't know if that agent's name was Jamie, James, Jimmy, so I left it as Jamie, I'm sorry if I got it wrong ._.)

(y/n) = Your name

(y/f/n) = Your full name

Summary

(Y/n) is a person with superpowers, she has extraordinary powers, but unfortunately she was not born to be a superhero and save humanity, but that doesn’t mean she’s a villain, she just decided to stay out and not use her powers, no matter if it was for good or bad, she just didn't want to get involved. And was she wrong to make that choice? Just because she had powers did she have to use them and be a superhero? 

But this time, she was found by an old friend who needed her help, even if she didn't want it, she has a mission now, stopping Wanda and her sitcom. 

Will she be able to stop Wanda and save people trapped in the sitcom? But what about when she finds her first boyfriend that is supposed to be dead? How to pretend to be a sitcom actress and not let Wanda find out why she is there? Will things work out in the end? 

(I'm not the best at making summaries, I need to improve this)

Word count: 2268

Warnings: I think none? Maybe spoilers?

Wanda has gone too far with her sitcom program, kidnapped an entire city with people to be citizens, took Vision's body and resurrected it in some way, raised her own children and somehow resurrected her brother, in addition to now having increased her barrier, someone has to do something to stop it all.

Through contacts, Monica and Jamie find someone who can help them, someone who has been hiding in the shadows for years, someone who can help end it all.

Jamie and Monica have just arrived at the meeting point, and a 28-year-old woman emerges from the shadows of trees, she was wearing a black tank top and jeans jacket, she was wearing leggings, and she wore blue sneakers with no laces, but what caught attention the most is that she wore a necklace and two bracelets on each wrist, all these accessories seemed simple, made with leather cords and each one had a single stone, each with a different color, she looked nothing more than being someone normal.

- So, are you (y/f/n)? - Jamie asked the woman in front of him, who nodded positively but hesitantly. 

A friend, or if you can call it that, maybe more to old acquaintances? Went to find (y/n) and told about the whole story of what was going on, and that they needed her.

- Are you the agents of the sword? - (y / n) asked the two strangers in front of her.

- Yes, we are. - Monica replied firmly. - I believe that whoever contacted you already told you about the whole situation.

- I think so. Wanda created a world of sitcom, kidnapped a lot of people to be the population of Westview, took the body of the Vision that was in the Sword and resurrected him, also had twin children and now apparently has revived her brother Pietro. 

- Yeah, it seems to me that you really know things. - Jamie exclaimed, impressed by the amount of things that woman knew.

- And how exactly do you expect me to end this? What exactly do you know about me?

- Enough to know that you could easily defeat Thanos if you were a real heroine. - (y / n) looked at the floor, understanding what Monica meant.

- But I guarantee that I'm not a villain, I just don't think I can help people when I can destroy more than save. - (y / n) argued why she shouldn't be a hero when her powers could save thousands, in fact billions of people.

- It is better not to waste any more time on this, Wanda is there and we need you to go in there, talk to her and make her end this. - Monica guided while pointing to them to go to the car that was not far from there.

- I didn't want to say anything, but I've heard of some attempts by Sword, and I think that talking or threatening her won't do any good. - (y / n) said while walking and opening the back door of the car.

- And you have a better idea? - Asked Monica.

- I can't say that I have yet, but if talking to her didn't work before, why would it work now? - After thinking for a few seconds, (y / n) answers the sword agent's question.

- Because you dated Pietro, you were close to Wanda, you must know more about her than we do. - Jamie replied looking back, since he was in the passenger seat, it was okay for him to look.

- Just because I dated Pietro, it doesn't necessarily mean that I was close to Wanda. - (y / n) said in a lower tone, remembering painful things from the past.

The three ended up being silent in the car until they reached the barrier.

- So we're here. - Jamie said pointing to the giant red barrier.

- It seems so. - (y / n) replied looking at the barrier in more detail, how did Wanda have powers for that?

- You already know what to do. - Monica said, and (y / n) nodded, and took a deep breath.

- I think I do. - And so she took a step forward and started to cross the barrier. It was difficult at first, but she managed to cross the barrier without harming herself.

She looked around, and realized she was close to some circus place? And then she looked at herself and realized that she was wearing the same clothes. 

"If I'm right, it’s the 2000s, maybe it’s better to blend in with the style here”

Upon snapping her fingers, her outfit changed to jeans that were wider at the ankles, wore a shod clog on her feet and had a white shirt that was too short and tight for her taste, and her hair had some white and blue highlights .

"It's certainly not my style, but I think I can disguise myself as such."

When walking (with a few stumbles) through the amusement park, she noticed that there were only employees there, that they only did the same things? It's like they're bugged. It was very strange, but for now she had to pursue her goal, to find Wanda. It shouldn't be hard to find, since she would probably have some kind of energy around her.

"Come on (y / n), you can do this, you're just a little rusty."

(y / n) moves her left hand, where her bracelet with the aquamarine stone stayed and presses her index and middle finger on her temple, the stone began to emit a blue glow, focusing on auras, in a short time she could already see a very strong scarlet aura, probably from Wanda. By locating Wanda's aura, she can also see 4 other auras, 2 were very fast, 1 resembled Wanda's, and a different one, an aura that was not of a human, was probably Vision.

Knowing where these 5 auras were, (y / n) with her right hand where the moonstone bracelet was located, she made a portal, which made the stone emit a light that changed faintly between white, blue and yellow, and so she was there, very close to the Maximoff's house, but a place where no one would notice her.

Arriving on the street, she passed some people who acted in a strange way, and when crossing the street, she was at the door of the Maximoff's house, (y / n) could hear voices and screams animated by something.

"Come on (y / n) act like you're really a sitcom actress"

[Meanwhile, on the other side of the barrier…]

Jamie and Monica were on the other side of the barrier, still looking for other ways to break the barrier in case (y / n) failed in her mission. Both were watching the sitcom on a television they had gotten.

- Has she appeared yet? - Monica asked Jamie, who shook his head negatively.

- Not yet. Will she be able to get there?

Monica just responded with a shrug, turning her attention to the television when she heard the doorbell at Wanda's house ring.

- Are we waiting for someone? - Vision asks to no one in particular.

- Well, not that I know of. - Wanda replies, while Pietro and Tommy said "I'll get it!"

And when they open the door, (y / n) appears and in the background you can hear the sounds of shouting and clapping, celebrating her appearance.

- (y / n)? Is it really you?? - Pietro asks incredulously when he sees that woman in front of him.

- Yes, it's me. - (y / n) stutters slightly, but nothing very noticeable, and smiles at the man who answered the door.

Pietro, who seemed to be very excited, runs a few times around the house before hugging (y / n) tightly, which made (y / n) feel emotional and also feel suffocated by the grip of her former boyfriend.

But the moment is spoiled with Vision clearing his throat and asking.

- Sorry to ruin the moment between you, but who exactly are you? - Vision points in the direction of (y / n)

- I am (y / f / n), I am-

- My girlfriend - Pietro replies before the woman can finish and puts one of his arms around her waist.

- I mean, I was Pietro's girlfriend. - (y / n) feels embarrassed by the display of affection in front of other people, and gently removes Pietro's arm.

- Cool! - Billy and Tommy say, and start asking several questions to the woman who had unexpectedly shown up at their home. "Where are you from?" "How old are you?" "How did you meet Uncle Pietro?" "Why aren't you his girlfriend anymore?"

- Boys, please don't ask so many questions. - Vision scolds the boys, and takes them inside, leaving Wanda alone with Pietro e (y / n).

Wanda, who until that moment looked like "What's going on here?" finally decides to say something.

- What are you doing here?

- Well, it's a long story, but… after I finished my studies at college, a colleague of mine had said that she knew where Pietro currently lives, and I thought about visiting, because… I missed him.

(y / n) explains, hoping to have been convincing enough, and trying to use her powers to be able to manipulate Pietro and Wanda's mind, so that what she had said would make sense in their memories.

- I don't remember that you went to study- Wanda started to question, but her question was cut by Pietro.

- Did you miss me?

- More than you can imagine. - In the background there are sounds from the audience saying "Awww"

The two look at each other and approach to kiss, but are interrupted by Billy and Tommy who say "Ewww, they are going to kiss", which makes the audience laugh, and makes Pietro and (y / n) ashamed.

The events go on, (y / n) is invited to enter the house, she exchanges looks with Pietro, Billy and Tommy are chattering, Wanda and Vision are confused with what is happening, until Billy asks if (y / n) could go to the amusement park together with them, Pietro says "Of course," Vision said "For me, it's okay" and Wanda was apprehensive, but in the end she said it was okay.

When it gets dark, there they are in the amusement park, the children together with the bigger child Pietro were very excited, mainly to win in the games that were there.

Pietro obviously won several because of his powers, so he gave several stuffed animals to (y / n) who absolutely loved stuffed animals, but was a little lost with all the rush. Of course, Pietro also took a lot of cotton candy, and shared some with his nephews.

- Billy and Tommy, could you go with your mom and dad and leave me and (y / n) alone for a few minutes? - Pietro asked his nephews, and they stated, disappearing quickly using Tommy's powers.

- So, I- The two spoke at the same time, and ended up laughing at the coincidence.

- You can talk first. - (y / n) smiled after giving Pietro permission to speak, who smiled in response.

- So, I was thinking, I know it's been a long time since we dated, but I still love you very much, and I wonder if you'd like to date me again, if you want to.

(y / n) froze for a brief moment, and looked away before answering.

- Pietro, I- Before she could answer, Pietro runs to who knows where, and when he comes back, he is wearing a suit and has a bouquet of red roses in his hands, he knelt and smiled, besides saying a " please ", (y / n) took the bouquet and said.

- Pietro, I ... I'm just afraid that everything will happen like the last time. - She looked away with tears from him for a few seconds and when she saw Pietro again, she saw him full of gunshot wounds and lifeless eyes, which only made the urge to cry increase, she looked away and could no longer avoid the tears to fall.

- It won't happen, I promise. - Pietro approaches (y / n), placing one hand on her waist and the other on her face, wiping tears from her face. Pietro approaches his face to (y / n), about to kiss her, but she interrupts him before he can do.

- I think it's still a little early for that. - (y / n) puts her free hand on Pietro's chest, it was possible to see that he seemed to be disappointed, but he somehow understood what she meant by that.

- Does that mean that…

- No, no, I mean ... I want to date you, Pietro, I just think it's better not to rush things, you know? - Pietro smiled and stated shaking his head. (y / n) separated a little from Pietro and looked at the big circus tent. - I think we better get in before we miss the show.

- Well, that's no problem. - He smiled widely and in seconds Pietro and (y / n) were in the tent, sitting next to Wanda, Vision, Tommy and Billy.

The show went on, until it was time for everyone to return home, and Pietro insisted that (y / n) go along with them, she said she didn't want to disturb them, but said she would be back the next day.

When she leaves, the credits show up, and Jamie and Monica don't know what would happen to (y / n), well at least until the next episode starts.

(y / n) actually didn’t know exactly where she could stay, so she just went to a distant part of the city with her powers to create portals, and where had nothing, she created a small house, but enough to be able to spend the night , but unfortunately for her, she couldn't sleep, because she kept thinking about the past, her powers, in Pietro, how it all started.

[itsnina-bitch]

The podcast part 1

Summary: Bucky and Nat start a podcast on murder mysteries

Warnings: mentions of murder, I don’t even know if this is considered angst, fluff, the f word once or twice, this is my first fanfic so I hope you enjoy it!

(R/P)= random person

It started when Steve and Bucky started listening to a podcast on the 2000s and everything they missed

Not only did they listen to them EVERYWHERE it was about literally everything

Like EVERYTHING

Including murder mysteries

Which weren’t always correct

And that annoyed Bucky, mostly because he knew that HYDRA was the one to blame, not some brainwashed person

Sometimes Natasha would join them, mostly to point out the many mistakes

To quote Steve “Why don’t you two create your own podcast?”

He was mostly kidding

But they thought it was a pretty good idea

So the two most dangerous ex-assassins decided to correct them

That’s how “Murders explained” was born

They’re first episode was a bit awkward

Who am I kidding

It was extremely awkward

But after a few episodes and a few coffees together they started to understand each other better

Their past with the red room and HYDRA, stories of their past and script writing

Though Bucky didn’t remember his past with her, there was something really familiar about her

But Nat couldn’t say her memory of him is crystal clear either

It became blurry, and she was ok with him not remembering

She wasn’t sure if she even wanted him to

But “Murders explained” was still going strong

Nat wrote most the scripts with some advice from him and Bucky tried to find people who could give them the extra information

Once, they got Clint to help them

It didn’t go very well

He spent half the episode saying that he shipped them and the other half asking questions

Though once they got a HYDRA fugitive to give them and the audience information of how HYDRA goes unnoticed when they commit crimes

It was one of their most successful episodes

But the number one most viewed was a 12 second one

“So today we’ll talk about (R/P)’s murder. We think it was-“

“It was me”

And then the end music started playing after Bucky

The next episode was Bucky and Nat clearing up their past and how they were trained to be a living weapon and how HYDRA and the red room where involved

It was a pretty emotional episode, but their voices kept the same tone and you couldn’t tell they where traumatized by the experiences

After they finished recording, they just stared at each other without saying a word

It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence

They just stayed still grateful that somebody understood them

Eventually Tony called them to eat

Most of the avengers where talking about missions, ideas, projects and all of that kind of stuff

But they remained quiet

Until they just stared at each other

As if they were having a mental conversation

Clint was the first to notice something was happening; he made a mental note to ask what had happened

Steve eventually caught up, and tried to include them in the conversation, which didn’t really help

After what felt like hours the dinner was over

Clint immediately ask what was going on

He didn’t know of the past she and Bucky shared together

Clint thought it was just a one-time thing

She responded with “We where just thinking of ideas for the next episode”

“How, telepathy?”

He didn’t believe her for one second, but he didn’t push it

Steve also asked his best friend if he was ok

“Do I know her? She just looks so familiar...”

Bucky asked, but he didn’t have an answer

Later that night, Nat could sleep

It wasn’t too big of a deal, so she decided to go to the kitchen to eat something

When she got there, she was sure she was alone

“Tea?”

Said a voice behind her

Bucky and Clint where the only avengers that could sneak up on her without her noticing

“What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t answer my question”

She turned to him and nodded

He felt her stare on him as he prepared tea, but he didn’t mind

“So you’re just gonna keep starring at me?”

Natasha couldn’t deny he wasn’t hot and a complete sweetheart

“Shut up Barnes” she said turning to the frige

Both of them weren’t sleepy, so they decided on watching a movie in the living room while drinking their camomile tea

Through out the movie she realized he was staring at her

“So are you liking the movie?”

Without looking away from her, he asked “why does it feel like I’ve met you before?”

Natasha knew one day this would happen, especially now that they were really close friends

She stiffend up at the questions, but she tried to sound casual

“We’ve met in a mission before”

“No, something else. You look so familiar”

“James, are you sure?”

Now it was his turn to freeze

Nobody called him James, not even Steve; he was sure nobody knew his full name

Now a familiar looking girl who has a similar past to his called him his real name

Once she realized what she’d done, it was too late

“Natalia?” Bucky asked shocked

Nat got up immediately but he grabbed her arm, not allowing her to move

“My name is Natasha, now if you will excuse me I have to go”

And she left

The next morning they didn’t talk to each other

They continued their normal life

Since a new episode launched every Monday and Nat had a 3 day mission Bucky would have to record an episode alone

To make matters worse he also had to record it live, like they usually did

He talked as naturally, as if she was there, until he was rudely interrupted by Steve and Sam who didn’t know he was recording

“Hey buck, what happened with you and Nat? You two have drifted apart since last week”

He wanted to scream for the to shut up, but he was live

“Steve’s right. You two lovebirds aren’t together as much as before”

“Sam, me and Natasha weren’t in a relationship, and I am live.”

Sam and Steve left the room after the death glare Bucky shot at them

Meanwhile, Natasha was in a quinjet with Tony and Clint, who were listening to Bucky’s live podcast

She was still mad at him, but he was still curious to what he’d be talking about

Nat watched in horror as the comments started theorizing what had happened to them

And the grin on Clint’s face

“Soooooo, you and Barnes?”

“Shut up Stark”

When they arrived at their destination, she couldn’t focus.

It was an easy mission, but because of the many locations all over the globe it would take long

“What’s going on Nat? Did something actually happen between you and Barnes? Because I can kill him for you”

Clint knew something was going on, but this time he’d find out

3 days later, they still weren’t talking

Bucky wanted to talk to Nat and apologize, but every time he was around she’d disappear

Until one day he caught her in the kitchen at 2:00 am

Luckily, she didn’t run away, but when she realized he was there she asked what was he doing

“Nat, please tell me what’s going on”

She looked at him blankly

“Look, I’m sorry but I am starting to remember you. I don’t know why but I feel like I’ve known you for decades. I am sorry if this is to much to ask Natalia, but did we know each other?”

So she told him

How they went from teacher & student to lover & lover

How his punishment was to forget and hers was to remember

She only didn’t tell him about the night they spent together making love to each other in dead silence

He wasn’t surprised but he definitely had a growing admiration for her, of how she still remembered him but didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to ruin their friendship

As she was about to leave, they heard a sound from the vents

“Fuck you Barton”

Clint obviously heard that

“Gee, thanks Nat”

Even after the explanation, Bucky still couldn’t sleep

He kept remembering scenes from his past

Natalia

He knew that he had a relationship with a redheaded girl, identical to Natasha, but it didn’t hit him that they were the same person

Until now

Now even if he attempted to have a relationship she would think it is because of the relationship they had in the past

Not because of his actual feelings towards her

The next morning Nat was prepared to start writing the script for the next podcast

And murder Clint

Well both

Bucky wanted to help her write the script

“So... how do we clear up that we weren’t in a relationship?”

“Well, we kinda were”

“Yeah I know Nat, I remember a few parts of it”

“So why did you ask?”

“To make sure”

“What if you don’t” Clint rudely interrupted “keep the audience guessing”

“First thing James and I know what to do, and secondly just because you heard our conversation last night doesn’t mean you get an opinion on our relationship”

After that Clint left, but his idea was kind of good

A few hours and cups of coffee later they finally finished their script, not mentioning anything about their relationship

Friendly or romantic

It was their secret, not the internet’s

During dinner at the compound, they were more in a conversation mood than a week back

But Tony wouldn’t leave them alone about their most recent podcast

The one where Steve and Sam interrupted

Until Thor suddenly appeared with hundreds of people, a rip-off of the avengers called the “revengers”, no eye, no family (except for Loki) and short hair

Tony ended up buying a smal village and send the Asgardians there whilst Loki and this girl named Valkyrie stayed in the guest room

The avengers where hesitant towards letting Loki in

But Thor said he was good now

He and Bruce have their own rooms

Anyway, the next day they had to finish the podcast so Nat and Bucky left dinner early and went to bed

The following day they where going to edit and add the final touches to their script

Except that that wasn’t what they did all day

Normally Nat worked on a few S.H.I.E.L.D files, trained and sometimes she had missions

She had just finished a meeting and was on her way to spar with whoever was currently at the gym

Usually she did so with Clint because of their similar fighting style but she tried to train with everyone

Bucky was currently was doing cardio

He was alone there since most avengers where either on a mission or helping Thor out with his people

“Wanna train?

Hey guys (or person who’s gender is unknown what ever makes you comfortable)! I already mentioned this but again this is my first fic so please give me suggestions. And a few questions; is this writing format good? Is it too long or too short? Any idea for the next part? Btw this will be a 2-3 part mini-series, but I could always write another of these but longer

[embcldens]

。· . ˙ ☀ ⌈ addison rae + cis female + she/her ⌋ yo , have you meet that POGUE , finley bauer , yet ? — no ? well , to give you a little heads up before you do , they’re a TWENTY year old , ZOOLOGY COLLEGE STUDENT & N.E.S.T VOLUNTEER , and have been living in coston for EIGHT YEARS . since i’ve known them , they’ve reminded me of FRECKLES DUSTED ACROSS THE BRIDGE OF YOUR SUNKISSED NOSE , TOUSLED SEA SALT HAIR , A BRIGHT SMILE ETCHED ACROSS YOUR LIPS THAT COULD GIVE THE SUN A RUN FOR ITS MONEY , BEFRIENDING EVERY ANIMAL YOU COME ACROSS , NIGHTS SPENT UNDERNEATH THE CLEAR STAR FILLED SKY & THE SUNS WARMTH AGAINST YOUR SKIN . usually they’re quite EFFLUGENT & DRIVEN but just make sure you keep an eye out for them around town because i heard can be quite CRITICAL & FERVID as well so here’s hoping they aren’t the ones to undo this whole peace pact they have going on this summer . but just between you & me , i kinda hope it all falls apart . the rivalry keeps this whole boring town interesting .

hello , hello , hello !! i’m bronny ( the admin ) , i’m 23 , i’m from new zealand & to say that i’m excited about opening this place back up again & being able to write my lil sunshine girl finley again would be an UNDERSTATMENT !!!  i won’t ramble on about me though bc this intro turned out far longer than i meant it to ( is anyone surprise ? no ... just like finley i too ramble on forever for 0 reason ) so without further ado ... here is finley raegan bauer !!

LINKS

pinterest

about / stats

BACKGROUND

from the moment finley bauer was born , animals have been at the epicentre of her life . you see , finley bauer was born on march 25th 2000 in durban , south africa to charlotte and ragnar bauer . both of who have dedicated their lives to researching , rehabilitating & preserving the wildlife of africa . charlotte bauer worked for a rehabilitation centre for turtles & ragnar bauer worked as a ranger in kruger national park . so it was no surprise that finley followed in both of their footsteps when it came to their love of animals . animals to finley , no matter how big or small , were ( and still are ) the most special and precious creatures in the world and should be looked after no matter what . it was the first thing she ever really understood and the first thing her parents taught her .

throughout her childhood , finley lived a life many may have envied for one reason or another . for the most part , she had lived with her mother in st lucia where she spent the majority of her free time with her mother at the turtle sanctuary she worked at learning and helping in any way she could . but once the school holidays rolled around … finley traveled the 5 hour journey up to kruger national park to spend the weeks with her father . those , if she was being honest , were her favourite moments of all time . she was only quite young but her father allowed her to not only go on tour after tour with him but she was even allowed to witness some of the most heart warming scenes of the rehabilitation of many animals that had been injured by poachers . it was moments like that , that really cemented in her from an early age about what she wanted to do in life . all she wanted was to be able to help animals in the way her parents did and there was nothing that was going to stop her and becoming a wildlife vet was exactly how she was going to do it .

but at the age of twelve , finley’s life was moved half way across the world due to her mother getting a new job — one in her home town of coston , north carolina . if finley had it her way , she would have stayed with her dad . moving from sous africa , her home , was the last thing she wanted to do but both her parents agreed that kruger national park wasn’t the best place to raise a child so finley swapped her life in south africa for one in coston , north carolina in the united states .

it was an adjustment to say the least . moving to a new town was hard enough to begin with but throw in a small town where everybody knows everybody & a slightly odd pre-teen with a different accent and it makes it even harder . but finley tried to make the best out of a not so great situation , after all if there was one thing that finley bauer was it was adaptable . her parents always thought she was one of the most laidback energetic kids they’d ever known . she had that seemed to last for hours on end and was open to just about anything in the world — something of which they said was a blessing and a curse because adaptable may be something finley is but trouble would have to be the word that describes her perfectly . no matter what , trouble seemed to find her and she seemed to find trouble . which may have been one reason why it wasn’t all that long before finley fell in step with the pogues like she’d been there from the beginning . south africa may always be home to finley but coston quickly became one of her favourite places in the world once she started to settle in .

not much changed throughout her teen years . she was still getting up to mischief , still exploring the world around her and most importantly , still working towards becoming a wildlife vet . not once did the promise she made to her father when she was only 6 years old waiver . it was just about the only thing she took deadly serious in her life . between studying and signing herself up for beach cleans , volunteering for N.E.S.T every year when it came to laying and hatching season , advocating for not only animal rights but human rights as well , it was any wonder that she did find time to be dragged into pogue shenanigans . but somehow she did because the pogues quickly became like a second family to her . she would do anything for any one of them .

which was why once college came around finley found it so hard to leave . she’d thought leaving south africa was hard , but leaving coston and the pogues behind for college ? she had never remembered crying so hard . all she could do was remind herself that this was what she wanted . she wanted to go to college . she wanted to study zoology so she could get into veterinary school . because without it , her dream of helping save wildlife would never come true . plus , it wasn’t like she’d never see them again . she’d only applied for a college on the main land that had an outstanding reputation in science fields , which meant her friends and mum were only a ferry ride away from her if she ever got homesick . it was almost like she’d never left .

PERSONALITY & EXTRAS

a pogue but could also cross over into kook territory if she REALLY wanted to , but this just in : she doesn’t want to . she , her mum and her mum’s boyfriend who’s been living with them for the past 6 years all live on the outskirts of town in a nice little comfortable 2 story home . the bauer family is nowhere near struggling but they’re nowhere near able to live in figure 8 .

a literal ball of energy . has a hard time keeping still . you’ll catch her leg bouncing if she sits for longer than 5 minutes but it’s fine !! give her a little prod and she’ll give you a lil sheepish smile before quitting it …… until about 3 seconds later

v bubbly v friendly . will talk to just about anyone if they don’t give off dodgy vibes . basically just a lil ray of sunshine .

one of the most laidback people you’ll meet . planning isn’t really her thing , she’s a go with the flow kinda gal !! has been caught saying , it’ll be right far too many times in her life even when things have in fact not been right in the end .

will give just about anything a go . believes that an oops is better than a what if . which is exactly why she’s gotten in trouble more times than anyone can count .

loyal to a fault !! will have the back of anyone she loves till she dies . once you have finley on your side , there’s no getting rid of her . she’d kill for the people she loved .

i say she’d kill for the people she loved …. but she really is more on the pacifistic side of things . but at the end of the day , she would fight someone if that was the only thing left to do . she’s kind up to a point . she’s friendly up to a point . she’s helpful up to a point . she’s no doormat that people can walk over .

not that one may ever think that finley bauer was a doormat . because she ? she can be loud ! she can make her opinion heard ! if she doesn’t like something , she’ll say it outright . she can have a real mouth on her .

you’d think she’d be vegan but …. no . the only thing she doesn’t eat is red meat but everything else ? she calls it her personal downfall . but she does try to keep her meat intake down to a minimum . she just has a weakness for seafood okay , no one is more sorry than her . she’ll only eat it if it’s sustainably sourced though so that’s 1 thing

wears a necklace 24/7 that has an elephant pendant that she got from her father for her 10th birthday .

has a big cats paw print ribcage tattoo on her left side ( this position but ... a paw print )

judges people on how they treat animals and how animals react to them . she will immediately distrust you if you don’t like animals .

has an australian shepherd called rafi aka rafiki  ( originally was named scout but she wasn’t having that ) when he was only 2 and she 15

wants to eventually specialise in big cats ( lions , cheetahs , etc. ) or elephants but she has MANY years to figure that out

will watch every nature / wildlife documentary in the world even though she knows they’ll make her cry like a little baby 

is fluent in afrikaans but since limited people in the world actually speak it she .... only sometimes speaks it with her family  

has a south african accent ( example )

CONNECTIONS

to keep this from being any longer , you can find my wanted connections page here & my wanted connections tag here !!

alrighty , that’s it !! if you made it all the way through that ... you’re a real one bc PHEW it got long . i cannot wait to get to plotting with you all so pls , if anything catches your eye and you wanna plot ? just hit that lil heart & i’ll come crawling otherwise just slide on into my dms on here or on discord ( which i kind prefer if we’re being honest here ) !!

[queenofthedramedies]

Legacies Opinions: Season 2 Pre-Watch: News Faces in a Familiar Place

Hello, my fellow fans and lovely people!

It’s been a long hiatus and it is about to come to an end in less than two weeks! Seriously! 

What is there to talk about right now? Lots of new characters are going to be popping up, along with a few familiar faces. 

For those of you who were born past 2000, you might be unfamiliar with Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. Go! Watch! Now! It’s too good to pass up, I promise, but then again I am biased because it is my favorite TV show ever! Mainly you should watch it so you can see The Salvatore Boarding School’s new headmaster, Dr. Vardemus (Alexis Denisof) in action as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in season 3 and was a huge pain in the butt for the Buffster and company but became less of a pain in the spin-off, Angel. Personally, I really look forward to seeing him again. 

Another alumni coming back to teen TV from the 2000-ish period is Bianca Kaljich who appeared in Dawson’s Creek season 6 and is the new Sheriff of Mystic Falls. Apparently she’s going to be Alaric’s new love interest. I don’t know what to think there because I’m fond of Emma from S1 of Leg. Does this mean that the new Sheriff isn’t just there to replace TVD fan fave Matt Donovan? However it would be nice to see Ric be happy, for once, then again his love interests tend to drop dead so...

It also looks like there will be lot of possibility in the romance department. Rumors swirl around the possibility of a possible Josie Saltzman romance with our resident Phoenix, Landon Kirby, or maybe they’re just really good friends... What does this mean for Handon? 

Well, it might mean that Hope is single and ready to mingle with the thousand new characters coming to the show. Again, according to the rumor mill it looks like the new Sheriff’s kids will be pinning after Hope. (We know Raf will be.) But what will Landon do when his girl comes home?  Never despair Handon fans, because love interests come and go and you never really know for sure where things can end up. We might still have hope... In the meantime, I am a multi-shipper at heart; so I will wait to see what develops...

Speaking of developments, Lizzie might enter a vampire romance with the new bad boy in town, Sebastian, which will remain true to her mama, Miss Caroline Forbes’ ability to attract the bad boys.  And MG is going to get a new love interest, who I already forgot the name of, sorry new girl, really. What do all of these new love interests mean for Mizzie? Means a slow burn, if ever I saw one. So, hold on with all your shipping hearts, kids, you’re in for a bumpy ride. 

Now, I have to scream because Freya Mikaelson is coming in epi. 6 and I am so excited! I have not read the rumors about why, and I don’t want to know! Don’t tell me! Also, Caroline Forbes might finally show up! That would blow my mind! Seriously! 

Who else is excited for Oct. 10, 2019! 😀❤

[looney-joonie]

50 Questions Tag

I was tagged by @bts-blackpink-bitch about 10 years ago (1 week) and I am finally ready to answer them lol

1. What takes up too much of your time?

Daydreaming about fic possibilities and what I could do with my life if I had the ability to create art.

2. What makes your day better?

Two things: my fiance and laughing.

3. What’s the best thing to happen to you today?

My cat laid on top of me and purred really loud!

4. What fictional place would you like to go to?

One that I have yet to put into writing.

5. Are you good at giving advice?

It depends. I’m pretty good at it in general, but each situation is unique and anyone who takes my advice knows that I have a disclaimer stating that I am not responsible for anything that happens if my advice is applied...just as a precaution lol

6. Do you have any mental illness?

No clue.

7. Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis?

Yes and it’s terrifying!! I mean, one time I was able to make my head shake, but my fiance ignored my movement because I move in my sleep...so he thought I was asleep...

8. What musician inspired you the most?

I don’t really have just one

9. Have you ever fallen in love?

Yes

10. What’s your dream date?

My dream date is my fiance. HAHA! (It’s true..) 😂

But no, my dream date is being picked up at hotel in a big city <me wearing a very nice dress, my date wearing a tux or suit> and us going out for a ‘night on the town’. We would dine at a 5-star restaurant and then walk around downtown until we came to a romantic place. My date would then ask me to dance even there’s no music because ‘the music is in our hearts'. And then he would take me back to my room and leave me at the door with a searing kiss.

*sigh* I love my fiance, but he would ruin my dream date because he can’t keep a beat to save his life. I’m sure he’d be able to make up for it somehow 😂

11. What do others notice about you?

They tend to notice I have a huge ass. They never really mention anything else that they notice...IF they notice anything else.

12. What is an annoying habit you have?

UM - ALL OF THEM?? I mean, I have so many that it’s hard to name them. Just ask the people around me and they’ll make long lists without saying the same thing as the other. #iannoyeveryone

13. Do you still talk to your first love?

No, but that’s a good thing.

14. How many exes do you have?

Five...and yet, they never took me on a date. #losers😒

15. How many songs are in your playlist?

My largest one has over 600 songs on it...so many genres, so little time.

16. What instruments can you play?

I played the clarinet when I was in high school and the piano before that.

17. What do you have the most pictures of?

Blurry shit because my phone screen gets turned on and then I’m too lazy to delete the pictures. 😬

18. Where would you like to go before you die?

I’m not sure. I’ve always loved traveling, but have never been super passionate about just one place?

19. What is your zodiac?

Gemini

20. Do you relate to it?

Yup. I’m #twinning everyday.

21. What is happiness to you?

Happiness to me is being able to toss away all of my negative thoughts, just for a moment, and focus on something beautiful. It could be the feel of a cool breeze on a warm day. The fluffy white clouds against a light blue sky or speaking the compliments I think instead of just keeping them so myself. 

Happiness is something you continuously work towards...and sometimes you have to accept that being content in the moment is the best you’ll get for now. I purposely stop to ‘smell the roses’ and enjoy the little things because everything I know and love is in a balanced state. I want to enjoy the moments I have now so that, when things have shifted and there’s the sense of unbalance, I can look back and draw on those moments. Those little moments are so important to be able to recall so that you can continue to work towards happiness in times of sadness. (Sorry for the mini...rant?)

22. Are you going through anything right now?

Yes. I won’t get too detailed, but back in February I went on emergency hiatus because my dad has CIDP (emergency hiatus post here). He hasn’t had a treatment since February, so his ability to walk and do other things has gradually become much worse. It’s not something that many people have to live with for a long time...which is why I had my happiness rant above. Plus I’ve been trying to get a better job since I graduated from college in December 2018, but practically nobody is hiring. So that’s great.

23. What’s the worst decision you ever made?

There really is no ‘worst decision’ for me. I am who I am today because of all the decisions I have made both good and bad. So, for me to point out my ‘worst decision’ would be to say I have regrets. Which I don’t because I don’t have time for ‘what ifs’ and regrets. I only have time for helping myself and others to better themselves.

24. What’s your favorite store?

Gift shops.

25. What’s your opinion on abortion?

I strongly believe in keeping my political opinions to myself.

26. Do you keep a bucket list?

Mentally, yeah. But I’m forgetful, so it’s ever-changing.

27. Do you have a favorite album?

Yes. Comedown Machine by The Strokes. I bought it because it looked cool and I love every single song.

28. What do you want for your birthday?

I really want to have a full-time job! I also want these BTS Hanahaki Series pins by Wiblash on Instagram!!

29. What are most people’s first impression of you?

People think that I cower at anyone who seems to be an authoritative figure as well as be a ‘yes-man’

30. What age do you seem according to most people?

Everyone has thought I look like I’m either younger or WAY older than I actually am. Everyone also assumes I have kids. And I mean EVERYONE. 😠

31. Where do you keep your phone while you’re sleeping?

On my nightstand to prevent an accidental fire.

32. What word do you say the most?

I say um, well, and like a lot because they make it easier to drag my sentences out when I lose my train of thought.

33. What’s the oldest age you would date?

It’s kind of..besides the point now that I’m getting married, but at one point I ‘dated’ a guy who was almost 10 years older than me. I DODGED A BULLET WITH THAT GUY!! With my experience, I probably wouldn’t pick someone more than 5 years older than me.

34. What’s the youngest age you would date?

I’ve always liked my guys to be slightly younger than me ( my fiance is about 9 months younger than me) and all my exs except the one mentioned in the above question were either the same age as me or a little younger. I wouldn’t date anyone born after 2000. Still doesn’t matter much since I’m getting married.😂

35. What job/career do most people say would suit you?

Retail. But that’s only because I’ve been in customer service so long that I have a lot of mannerisms that I have accidentally brought over into my personal life.

36. What’s your favorite music genre?

I don’t have one.

37. If you could live in any country in the world, where would it be?

TL;DWR - Too Long; Don’t Wanna Research.

38. What is your current favorite song?

Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard

39. How long have you had this blog for?

01/07/2019 1:55:37 AM (thanks @memories)

40. What are you excited for?

The BTS concert on May 12th!!!! And for my ATEEZ project 'When Life Gives You Lemonade' teaser to be revealed on May 15th!!

41. Are you a better talker or listener?

Both. Once I’m started, I can talk for hours, but I love listening to people talk too soooooo...

42. What is the last productive thing you did?

AHGJDSAKLGHJA UHHH, WORK ON MY ATEEZ PROJECT!

43. What do you want for Christmas?

DLCs for some software that I have.

44. What class do you get the best grades in?

Um...College Algebra and English were my best subjects.

45. On a scale of 1-10, how are you feeling right now?

About a 9.8?

46. What can you see yourself doing in ten years?

I can see myself being an author and a mom. 😊

47. When did you get your first heartbreak?

First grade when I...liked this boy so much that I would kiss his cheek at least once every time we had gym class. Then he changed schools... (I found out later that it wasn’t my fault and that he had a slight crush on me then)

48. What age do you want to get married?

23. My wedding is planned for right before my 28th birthday, so ya’ll see how well that panned out.

49. What career did you want to have as a child?

Author!!!

50. What do you crave right now?

MORE TIME TO WORK ON MY ATEEZ PROJECT!!!!!! Gosh...there’s just not enough time in the day..............................................😑

I’m tagging @angstchim @ughdesighhns @parkseonghwa @gothicmingi @requestfairy @mhysaunburnt @yurakwonhoseok @today-we-will-survive @supersailorjoonie once again! If ya’ll get tired of it, let me knowwwwwww......😅

[medea10]

Medea Rambles - The HATE on...

You’d think I would have other shit to talk about. In fact, I was planning on making a ramble on Jussie Smollett or finally post that review of Angels of Death. But then something came out on Friday.

Ohhhhhh, Jussie Smollett and Angels of Death can wait.

*cracks knuckles*

The second I saw that thumbnail, I knew I was going to be shattered. I knew that this list was going to upset me more than you could ever know. And me being the curious little idiot, I had to click on this clickbait and watch it.

I innocently thought that maybe, just maybe...HE would be spared and not mentioned.

Or if HE was mentioned, it would be in the higher numbers or an honorable mention.

And don’t get me wrong, a lot of these were characters that deserved every hatred in the world. Especially this bitch!

But I knew, I knew HE was further up.

Press on.

OH COME ON!

HE is better than this annoying little twat!

Come on WatchMojo, just hurry up and get this over with. My heart can’t take no more of this pain.

OH FUCK ME GUY!

You guys can’t still, after twenty years, be heartbroken over you-know-who leaving the show and having him be replaced for like 30+ episodes.

Please let it be some other poor sap be at #1.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON’T DO THIS TO...

AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

THERE IT IS! AHHHHHH! AHHHHH!

A;AJKDJ;K;JKLAF;;IEAWEHIAEF;HAF;HKLD

A;JKLDF;JKLDFAHEHWE;HIO;HA;HDH;A

AIEJG[EAIIERHIEJAIJHIEHIEHIAJ

FUCKING FUCK YOU WATCHMOJO! JUST FUCK YOU! FUCK THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THIS! FUCK YOU ALL WITH A RUSTY, WOODEN SPOON! AND WHEN YOU’RE DONE WITH THAT...

AKLE;JKRJKTRJSIGJIAJRJA;J

*inhales and exhales*

Okay, now that I got that out...

First of all, sorry for that outburst. I mean no ill-will towards the good folks at WatchMojo or the folks who vote for the entries. It’s just that when my favorite character gets attacked, I kinda turn into a monster ready to rip your head off.

If you do not know me, know this. I am a fan of Tracey on Pokemon. I am one of the big and notorious ones at that. I also am aware that I am in the severe, severe, severe, SEVERE minority in this. And divide that into a different digit because I was a fan of Tracey from second fucking one!

That’s right. I’m not one of those Johnny Come-Lately or Born Agains that gave him a second chance years later and came out to say, “You know what, Tracey wasn’t so bad. I actually like him.”

Yeah, where the fuck were you all those years he was getting shit on? NO, I’M NOT SORRY FOR THAT! For years he’s been given the reputation of him being less than nothing. Because he replaced Brock after 80 something episodes. Saying that Tracey has NO CHARACTER AT ALL outside of a sketchbook compared to Brock’s rainbow of charisma. 

Why? Because he doesn’t hit on every piece of ass that walks his way?

Why? Because Brock’s backstory was touching and this guy has nothing?

Why? Because Brock looks SO FUCKING STYLISH while this guy looks generic’s watered down idiot cousin?

Why? Because Brock makes insightful comments to help Ash he’s seen as the second coming of the Buddha, while when Tracey does it, he’s seen as a wannabe to Brock’s greatness?

Well excuse me while I bow down to your all-mighty God of Brock. I didn’t realize I was in the presence of Jesus “Tap Dancing” Christ. I thought I was watching a show about a 10 year old catching monsters in a ball. I didn’t realize Brock was that big a deal. Excuse me while I wipe his ass with the world’s most delicate toilet paper!

WOW, I’m really shoving sarcasm down every orifice.

It’s true that Tracey was not the most developed character. In fact, he was only created because Japan thought western audiences would find Brock offensive due to his appearance. So they created an “Anglo-Saxon” character meant to look less-offending because the 1990s were weird. But once they realized the audience didn’t care about Brock’s appearance and that there was no controversy, they pulled Tracey faster than you can say, “They kicked me in the pokeballs.”

I mean, the Orange Islands were only 36 episodes long (give or take). They could have given us a little more with Tracey’s character to get the attention of wayward audience members. But what we got wasn’t all bad. We got a pretty decent episode with him and another Pokemon Watcher. And even the episode where he catches Scyther. And of course I was enthralled at the fact that he was an artist. But that wasn’t enough to get kids to like him and was sent to Oak’s lab to stay there.

Well, you crybabies got Brock back! They made sure of that! We wound up with like 300 more episodes of the same old song and dance. You happy now? You satisfied that your precious, little Brock is back? HUH? YOU HAPPY? ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW? HUH?! YOU HAPPY THAT HE CAN HIT ON EVERY WOMAN EVERY WEEK FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS?!

Yeah, I think you can tell how “happy” I was that Brock returned in time for Ash and Misty going to Johto. Because I got not only Johto, but all of Hoenn, the Battle Frontier in Kanto, and the entire region of Sinnoh to watch Brock be his “Brocky” self. And trust me, we didn’t get much character development with him until he was close to leaving the show.

Seriously, Tracey gets hate for giving us a break from the running gag of Brock hitting on women? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate Brock. I just got tired of his antics...really fast. In some ways, I am happy Tracey didn’t wear out his welcome (with me). Other people say he wore out his welcome the second he was shown. But I’m glad we were given some time with him (even if it was a small amount) so that we don’t get tired of him.

I’ve spent 19 years trying to defend Tracey’s existence. He doesn’t deserve the hate just because he replaced Brock for a short amount of time. He doesn’t have to be like Brock. Tracey is his own person and I thought he was a breath of fresh air. And let’s face it, the Orange Islands was a fun arc. Plus it gave Ash an actual victory. Yeah, you probably forgot that too!

And even when Brock wore out his welcome and left, fans still had to find fault with the other secondary male leads. Cilan seen as annoying as a Nickelback song, Clemont was seen as a reject from The Big Bang Theory if that ever got an animated series, and Kiawe...well...no, Kiawe is awesome. And on the contrary, I found all three of these boys better than Brock. But that’s my opinion.

Sometimes a little change doesn’t hurt. Tracey’s change didn’t hurt the Pokemon anime. Fuck no, it didn’t! It gave us some pretty interesting gym leaders and battles (which were later “improved upon” with Alola), an astonishing six-on-six match for Ash, and even introduced us to double battles. That’s right, we got double battles here first! Screw you! We got a whole new experience in the pokemon world with this new travel companion. Which is more than what I can say about most of the other entries on that top 10 list. Characters like Shimotsuki, Pan, and Near were introduced and the anime took a turn for the weird or the worst. Seriously, how could Pan be better than Tracey? Dragon Ball GT happened!

I’ll never understand this world.

But yeah, this is just me unleashing a load of pint-up rage that’s been building. I know Tracey will continue to get hate on lists such as this because the people who vote on this stopped watching Pokemon mid-Johto and can’t count past the number 10. There are worse characters to hate on. Lay off Tracey!

This has been Medea, calling every Tracey-hater a cunt since 2000.

[mojav]

Rey Kenobi Theory

I made this bc some of you need to see the light. Also I think about this theory every day and all the time and uhhhhh i had a desire. i’ve watched A LOT of videos on this so if u can’t already tell i am... how u say.. obsessed.

Before I start I just want to begin by saying this is just a theory. Don’t take it personally. Views/opinions I express are my own, not projections onto you if you believe another theory. Also this post is LONG and adapted from the many theory videos and podcasts I’ve watched/listened to, so you can find a lot of this stuff in other places and in other videos. I’ve sourced everything I could but you’ll probably also find a lot of these points in other theories around youtube etc. Like/reblog if you want!! I put a lot of effort into this so it would be cool to see people actually read and share it lol.

REYLOS DO NOT INTERACT

your ship is shitty and gross and you will NOT be using this theory post to excuse that pathetic ugly relationship so move along

Firstable she’s not Luke’s daughter. 

Sorry Rey Skywalker stans. uhhh dont hate me for saying this but as a writer, not only would it be a ridiculously obvious reveal and a boring narrative choice to make, but J.J. Abrams literally said her parents aren’t in Episode 7:

and whomst’d’ve is in Episode 7 again? Oh, that’s right! Luke! This also puts to rest the theory that she’s Han and Leia’s daughter. Also on the Han/Leia thing,   Daisy Ridley said in an interview that “People are sooo presumptuous...” She mentioned how people told her she had to be Han Solo’s daughter to which she commented, “How do you know that?? Have you seen the film? Clearly not.” Rey Solo theory found dead in a ditch, not a follicle of hair on her head 

 If you’re still not convinced, Pablo Hidalgo, the creative executive at Lucasfilms (wrote the TFA Visual Dictionary) has also hinted on twitter that she’s not Luke’s daughter:

As for other minor things, Han and Leia don’t recognize Rey, which they would if she was their niece right? i mean, especially considering she has the exact same hairstyle she did when she was younger, and she told Han she was from Jakku, which, if he and Leia knew about her they’d know who she is immediately?? That’s just me getting into my own onion... back to evidence. 

Daisy Ridley had a little bit to say about the mystery itself. “I’d love to see the look on people’s faces [when they find out].” Implying that it is a jaw-dropping kind of reveal. Idk about you but Luke being her dad would.... only make my jaw drop bc im yawning. 

She also told Time Out London magazine in an interview that, “I thought a lot was answered in The Force Awakens. Then after the screening, I went for a drink with my agent and everyone, and we were chatting away and I realized that ‘Oh, in their minds it’s not answered at all!'” A lot of people have taken this to mean that the reveal is more obvious than people think and that THAT means it’s probably Luke, but I believe it’s obvious in the sense that there is an overwhelming amount of evidence linking her to Obi Wan that clearly she, as an actress in the movie who read the script and footnotes would be aware of, but maybe an audience at a first time viewing not so much.

Moving on, she was also once questioned directly about the Rey Kenobi theory, asked in a Vulture magazine interview if Obi Wan was Rey’s grandfather, to which she answered, “We will see in a year... Just sit tight on that question.” Hmmmm.... incherstang

Why it makes sense from a business standpoint

I already mentioned that, as a writer, choosing Luke to be Rey’s father would be an obvious and boring narrative decision, but what about looking @ it from the point of view of a Disney exec? 

Disney has invested 4 billion dollars into the rights for the Star Wars franchise, and Obi Wan makes an appearance in literally every film (young Obi in Episodes 1-3, Old Ben in Episode 4, force ghost in 5-6, and a voice in Rey’s vision in Episode 7), so why would they just drop one of the franchise’s most popular and well-known characters after spending so much on the rights to his name (among others).

But also consider the fact that there have been talks about an Obi-Wan Kenobi film and confirmed development starting (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and on and on just google search once lol). Wouldn’t revealing that Rey, a hugely important character in the main series, is the descendant of Obi Wan be a great way to turn viewers on to the idea of watching a movie about him? It would also provide a lot of material to work with, such as how he managed to have a child in his 20 year exile on Tatooine, which, for creative purposes, is likely not going to be him sitting around on the desert planet for a whole two hour movie. He was definitely up to stuff. Not to mention it would tie in the Kenobi name with the Skywalker plot once again which I’ll get into in another section about parallels.

Then, of course, there’s this hugely important article to my argument with some very interesting rumors leaked by the host of Star Wars celebration:

New rumors suggest that the reason a standalone Obi-Wan anthology film is being delayed is because Lucasfilm isn’t “done with Obi-Wan quite yet …” 

Breznican mentioned that he “heard rumors” that an Obi-Wan movie can’t move forward because new information about Obi-Wan Kenobi will show up in the current “saga” trilogy.

Obviously, this is only a rumor, but it’s a rumor from a high-profile journalist with access to people at Lucasfilm

Just a little something something for you to think about as I continue.

It runs in the family 

So there’s this huge Rey Skywalker argument that because she’s a good pilot she must be related to Anakin and Luke, right? (I honestly believe this was intentionally placed as a red herring to make viewers buy into Rey Skywalker at first glance and to make the actual reveal more surprising and that the REAL evidence is much more subtle.) But if that’s the case and we’re basing theories off familial ties, let’s go into how many similarities Rey has to Obi-Wan and even contrasts to Anakin and Luke as well.

1. Jedi Mind Trick

This is one of the most obvious similarities that you’ll see in every Rey Kenobi theory. Rey managed to pull off a Jedi mind trick in TFA without any training whatsoever. And, for anyone who has seen the other movies, a few other Jedi have had issues doing this. Both Luke and Qui Gon were unable to perform one successfully in their attempts whereas Obi Wan seemed to have a natural talent for it, showcasing his well-known signature move in Episodes 2 and 4.

2. The Accent

Both Obi Wan and Rey have english accents, which is no ACCENT-DENT haha get it... accident accent lol. Anyways. John Boyega has an english accent but was asked to do an american accent in the movie, so clearly keeping Daisy’s accent for Rey was an intentional choice. It also makes sense that she would learn this accent from her parents (not her time on Jakku) because she’s old enough to speak and have an accent by the time she’s left on her own. Luke and Anakin don’t have these accents, so if the director was trying to tie her to the Skywalkers, why would he give her such a character-defining trait that alienates her from them in such a huge way? 

3. Solitude

Rey starts out on Jakku all alone, and Ridley mentions in an interview that her solitude is a HUGE clue as to who she is. People originally thought that this was an OBVIOUS DEAD GIVEAWAY that she’s Han Solo’s daughter, but we already know what Daisy had to say about that lol. 

So if solitude is a huge clue and... she’s from a desert planet then... oh! She must be a Skywalker because like.... you know... Anakin and Luke... they were all alone on a desert planet too, right and- WRONG! Another red herring. Come on, y’all. Luke and Anakin were never alone on Tatooine. Both of them had family and friends!!! 

But who do we know was really, truly alone on Tatooine for nearly two decades? Oh yeah, Obi Wan! Both Rey and Obi were alone without family, eating bland food, contemplating their isolation, the days blurring together. How have some people not been eating this up ??

4. Force speaking through family

In Rey’s vision in The Force Awakens, there was a huge effort made to include Obi Wan’s voice. Again, an intentional choice.  

(J.J.) Abrams also confirmed that some iconic actors reprised their roles: Ewan McGregor… and a clever editing move also brought the late Alec Guinness, who died in 2000 at the age of 86, back to the Star Wars universe.

So not only did they pay Ewan McGregor to make a vocal cameo in the film (which I’m sure wasn’t cheap, or at the very least easy, even if it was only a line of dialogue), but they also took time to edit the voice of Alec Guinness so that he said Rey’s name (which, again... why take the time to include that if it’s not going to be important). 

So what exactly does this mean? Well, Obi Wan is dead by the time Rey is born, for sure, so how would he know about her? Unless, of course, they’re related. We’ve seen in the original trilogy how family members can communicate with each other through the force like when Darth Vader (Anakin) reached out to Luke and when Luke called out to Leia all in Episode 5. 

I’d also like to point out how the words Obi Wan says, “Do not be afraid, Rey... these are your first steps...” have a very interesting sound. In my opinion, it sounds like an almost parental phrase, as if Obi Wan is teaching Rey to walk. 

Some people mention that, in the vision, she also hears Yoda’s voice, but it’s lines that have already been said in the series to Luke and likely just a part of the saber’s memories. Obi Wan is the only one who speaks directly to Rey.

In the comic book adaptation of the film, Obi Wan’s figure also makes a huge appearance and even seems to be saying much more than just the one line from the movie. He’s also conveniently placed right next to young Rey crying out....

5. Personality

I’m not sure if you guys have noticed but all of the Skywalkers have been prone to aggravated fits and have a... flare for the dramatic 

Rey, on the other hand, is much more collected and level headed (similar to Obi Wan who was always wise and patient). Unlike Luke, she’s not impatient. She lives every day on Jakku, working quietly and diligently, while Luke often complained about how hard things were on Tatooine and whined to his parents. (We also know Anakin liked to whine cos he wouldn’t stop crying about how much he hated sand.) Luke was also so eager to learn about the Force and the Jedi that he actually scared Yoda into thinking he’d be evil, but Rey distances herself from the force, reacting to the things she learns about herself much differently than young Luke did. 

And while you could say that being dramatic is just a man thing, Leia is also known to yell and get impatient. So it’s definitely a well known Skywalker trait.

Parallels Everywhere

This is honestly my favorite part, because here’s where a lot of the evidence gets undeniably obvious. I’ll start with some of the simpler parallels before I get into the more complex ones.

1. Rey and Obi-Wan wear similar clothes

easy enough. maybe not the most compelling connection, but worth mentioning as it was still an intentional decision by the designers and director

2. Rey sneaks/climbs around Starkiller Base the same way Obi Wan does on the Death Star

4. Other Visual Parallels

5. Obi Wan and Rey both rescue droids with important resistance information

I was too lazy to find pictures for this one but basically in Episode 4, Obi Wan meets Luke while rescuing R2D2 (who carries Leia’s message) from scavengers and in Episode 7, Rey rescues BB8 (who carries a piece of the map to Luke Skywalker) from scavengers.

6. Rey and Obi Wan musical connections

other people explain this much better than I, so if you’re interested feel free to listen. I can’t add more than 5 videos to a post because tumblr hates gays so I just have to link them -_-

OBI WAN'S REVEAL MUSIC IS IN REY'S THEME TUNE

Also HUGELY COMPELLING- when Rey grabs the lightsaber using the force in the fight against Kylo, the same song plays as when Obi Wan uses the force to call his lightsaber in the fight against Darth Maul. I’m gonna be honest and say the theory video I’m about to link annoys the hell out of me because the guy panders so heavily to Reylos but it was the only video I could find that pointed this out and considering how much thought goes into the music, it can’t be a coincidence AT ALL. Here the video at the time stamp.

7. Both Rey and Obi Wan ask Han Solo for help getting the information to the rebels/resistance.

PRetty self-explanatory but Obi Wan hires Han on Tatooine and Rey asks for help when Han comes to reclaim his ship. Also mentioned by some theorists is that Han offering Rey a job after they land the first time mirrors Obi Wan hiring him for that job nearly 30 years before. 

8. The fight between Rey and Kylo mirrors the fight on Mustafar as well as the fight between Obi Wan and Darth Maul

This is where it starts getting really detailed/complicated.

Already mentioned was the fact that the same music plays when both Rey and Obi Wan force grab the lightsabers. Besides that, there are many other parallels to these scenes, such as how Obi Wan and Rey both overcome the struggle of losing another person (Qui Gon dying/knocked out Padme and Finn) to eventually beat the enemy (Darth Maul/Anakin and Kylo).

Slightly unrelated but Obi Wan and Rey both scream NOOO!!! at the sight of their mentor/mentor-figure dying (Qui Gon and Han Solo)

Back to the fight... there are so many visual parallels and mirror images during this scene with that of the Mustafar battle between Obi Wan and Anakin, which is, like this scene (in accordance with the theory) a battle between a Skywalker and a Kenobi. Just look for yourself:

They lock arms in the middle of the fight. Also Rey and Kylo are fighting in cold terrain which directly mirrors the fight on a lava planet.

They both disfigure their enemy before leaving them behind without killing them, though, as we all know, Anakin and Kylo escape what seemed like certain death.

They also both reach down after the fight and pick up the exact same lightsaber.

9. Rey giving Luke his lightsaber parallels Obi Wan giving Luke the lightsaber 30 years ago & brings the Kenobi/Skywalker storyline full circle.

If you’ve read this far, I’m impressed and also I love and admire you. This is my favorite part of the theory simply because of how well everything fits together, and it was really the point of the argument that first convinced me to believe in this theory and feel so passionately about it.

In A New Hope, Obi Wan takes Anakin’s lightsaber out of a chest and hands it to Luke, exactly like how Rey took the same lightsaber out of the same chest and later handed it to Luke. ((Also Luke throws back his hood the same way Obi Wan throws back his hood when he first meets him on Tatooine, but that’s not entirely relevant just something I thought was pretty interesting))

Even the script (as well as the book adaptation) throws back to lines from that scene in Episode 4:

What we know about The Last Jedi is that Luke will be teaching and training Rey. This means a Skywalker would be training a Kenobi, much like when a Kenobi (Obi) trained him and Anakin, reuniting Kenobi and Skywalker who had a long history of working together. Some people also like to point to the fact that if Kylo were to have a redemption arc and work with Rey to stop Snoke (which I believe is likely bc Disney loves that shit, and i believe it’s still possible without him and Rey having a romantic relationship -_- seriously cut that shit out he’s a grown ass man in his 30s and she’s like barely an adult), that would also bring together a Kenobi and a Skywalker. Like I said, full circle, babeyyy.

Counterarguments

I won’t get into too many of these because I’ve already mentioned and dismissed a few plus I’m getting tired, but here’s the ones I haven’t mentioned.

1. The lightsaber was Anakin’s and Luke’s, so the fact that it’s calling out to Rey means that she must be related to them!

Not necessarily. Besides the fact that Obi Wan wielded that lightsaber for 20 years (longer than Luke and Anakin combined) and that it was being kept in Obi Wan’s very own chest, we’ve seen sabers call out to people before without there being familial ties (Ezra Bridger being called to Kanan Jarrus’s saber). 

Some people also point out that Maz Kanata mentions the lightsaber was “Luke’s and Anakin’s before him, and now it call out to [Rey]” but this guy explains perfectly why that only supports her not being related to them. Basically when she says earlier that she sees the same eyes in different people, but doesn’t recognize Rey despite knowing who Luke and Han are, we know there is no apparent connection. Then when she approaches Rey with the saber, she sounds shocked and confused as to why it called out to her at all. 

2. The timeline doesn’t match up because Kenobi was dead before Rey was born!!!

I’m only bringing this counterargument up again to reiterate that this theory is NOT that Obi Wan is her father, but that he’s her grandfather. I don’t personally presume to know who her actual parents are, but some people theorize the man from the beginning (Lor San Tekka) is her father and watching over her on Jakku from a distance. Other people theorize that Sabine from Rebels is her mother because she was born on Mandalore (where Obi Wan’s known lover Satine lived- also the names are very similar), is about the right age, and the ship they fly in looks similar to the one that dropped Rey off on Jakku. 

Believe what you like and look deeper into these theories if you want, but I don’t personally feel that strongly about either.

3. Obi Wan couldn’t marry and have kids because he was from the Jedi Order and that’s not allowed!

Besides the fact that the Jedi order’s rules didn’t stop Anakin from getting married and having kids (and he’s certainly not the only one in all of history to do this), the Jedi Order is totally gone by the time Obi Wan commits himself to exile, meaning he doesn’t actually have any of its rules to hold him back anymore.

While some argue that because he was so dedicated he’d never dream of breaking those rules even while in exile, we already know that he DID have a lover while he was in the Order (Satine), and it’s likely they had a child that she kept secret from him so that it wouldn’t ruin his standing in the Order. That, however, is another theory, and there’s still the possibility, especially with an upcoming Obi Wan movie, that there could be someone else in his life he met while in exile that he had a child with.

4. What if Rey is just virgin born like Anakin was?

(Not necessarily an example of a counterargument, but it conflicts with the interests of this theory nonetheless) I understand why people think this is the case, and I don’t deny that it’s plausible, but I highly doubt it’s what Disney will go for. There has been so much focus on Rey’s parents, that to have the big reveal be that she has no parents is just???? Disappointing. 

The new Star Wars films are also supposed to appeal to mass audiences now, like younger kids and new fans who maybe didn’t watch the prequels etc. but like the idea of a sci-fi adventure movie, so I doubt they’d use Anakin’s origins, which are not well-known outside of people who have seen the prequels, as a major plot point in the new films. Plus, Hidalgo also tweeted that Rey’s lineage would be important.

 “Family, legacy, lineage” doesn’t exactly scream “she has no parents at all because she was born out of magical space particles” but maybe that’s just me.

As for other theories, like that she’s Snoke’s daughter or Darth Sidius’s daughter??? I’m not even... going to go into why I think those are ridiculous, just know that I think they’re ridiculous. Jar Jar though? Maybe....

Okay, that’s really all I’m gonna do with this post. There are actually so many other pieces of evidence, interpretations, and branching theories that go with Rey Kenobi. Trust me, I know because I watched so many videos to research. If you’re interested in knowing more than just the basics here, I’d recommend you look it up on youtube. When the movie first came out there weren’t that many on the theory, but now (coincidentally as people have been able to download the movie, script, and read the books) there’s like... a billion. Anyways thanks for reading!

[marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer]

MTVS Epic Rewatch #179

BTVS 7x01 Lessons

Raise your hand if you never thought I’d make it to season 7!

Shame on you, Wallace, I thought you’d always have my back!

Stray thoughts

1) Except for Welcome to the Hellmouth/The Harvest, I’m of the opinion that this show always delivered lackluster season openers. It’s not that they’re bad per se – most of them are pretty solid episodes. It’s just that they don’t hold a lot of promise for things to come, you know? And while they do tend to set the tone for the rest of the season, they are usually far from stellar. “Lessons” is no exception. It’s a good episode, with some very nice moments and a very promising ending (oh, the promise of what The First could be was definitely captivating!) But a good ending does not make for a great episode, you know? And now I get to another point I wanted to make. “Lessons” is probably one of the weakest episodes in an otherwise pretty balanced, quality-wise, season. Yes, I said it. Season 7 is not bad. In fact, it’s rather good? (cue gasps!)

Season 7 is flawed alright, but so are all the other seasons. I think that what probably bugs most of us is the fact that this season’s flaws are more noticeable, kind of always there, and, in most cases, extremely grating (The First, the focus on the potentials, the wedge between the Scoobies…) But – and I hope I don’t change my mind as I proceed to rewatch it – season 7 is an overall good season, with its hits and misses. I’ve found that I’ve grown to like it more and more with each rewatch.

2) The first scene in the cold open is an interesting change of pace from the usual way most seasons start. First of all, there are no Scoobies in sight and we are nowhere near Sunnydale. Then there’s the fact that the chase scene is very suspenseful. We don’t know who this girl is, but you can’t help to root for her. Unfortunately, she doesn’t make it. But it’s clear whatever went down will have some relevance. And it’s all made clearer when the scene cuts right to…

3) 

It’s hard to miss the connection when you get such a tension-filled scene leading to our main character delivering the very first line in the season, a line that will basically embody the backbone of the whole season.

4) I love the fact that Buffy has kept her promise to show Dawn the world.

5)

BUFFY Never forget it. Doesn't matter how well prepped you are or how well armed you are. You're a little girl. DAWN Woman.

BUFFY Little woman.

DAWN I'm taller than you.

6) Why would this recently born vamp be afraid of the Slayer, though? How would he know what a Slayer is? (remember how Spike didn’t know about her for a while after being turned?)

7) I love the fact that Dawn missed the heart just like Buffy did her first time. Like mother, like daughter.

8) Where this super-sized scissors store, though?

Oh, yeah, also, Sunnydale High is back, btw. Get it? Because this season is about going back to the beginning… *rolls eyes*

9) Giles needs to stop getting cooler and cooler. 

This was also a very gratuitous shot just so that Anthony could show off his horse-riding skills. And I’m very grateful.

10) 

GILES Then why aren't you in your lesson?

WILLOW Sorry.

GILES It's alright. She was just—

WILLOW —afraid. Yeah, they all are. The coven is—they're the most amazing women I've ever met. But there's this look that they get. Like I'm gonna turn them all into bangers and mash, or something. Which I'm not even really sure what that is.

Can you really blame them, though? She literally almost ended the world. You can’t hold it against others if they don’t exactly feel like hanging.

11) 

GILES This isn't a hobby or an addiction. It's inside you now, this magic. You're responsible for it. (I guess we’ll just cross out all of season 6, then...)

WILLOW Will they always be afraid of me?

GILES Maybe. Can you handle it?

WILLOW I deserve a lot worse. I killed people, Giles. (like, I get that you’re a main character, but you should be in jail, like Faith is...)

GILES I've not forgotten.

WILLOW When you brought me here, I thought it was to kill me or to lock me in some mystical dungeon for all eternity or—with the torture. Instead, you go all Dumbledore on me. I'm learning about magic. All about energy and Gaia and root systems.

I repeat, Giles: too little, too late. THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY! Please tell me ONE good reason why he couldn’t have done this BEFORE Willow got the Extreme Makeover from Hell and went on a killing spree.

12) “I want to be Willow.” Even though it’s a bit hard – at least for me – to sympathize with Willow at this point, my heart literally melts at Alyson’s delivery of this line and the heartbreaking expression on her face. Alyson is such a great crier.

13) 

XANDER I ate. I'm good. How are you?

BUFFY My sister's about to go to the same high school that tried to kill me for three years. I can't change districts, I can't afford private school, and I can't begin to prepare for what could possibly come out of there. So, peachy with a side of keen, that would be me.

14) I do enjoy how domestic Buffy and Xander are with Dawn. Like, yeah, Dawn has a bunch of parents and she deserves it.

15) You gotta love all the callbacks to early seasons, though. 

BUFFY Now, remember, if you see anything strange... or, you know...dead.

DAWN I got it

BUFFY And stay away from hyena people, or any lizard-type athletes, you know, or if you see anyone that's invisible.

16) 

Now, isn’t this something that would’ve been cool for the show to explore? Like, isn’t this something that should haunt Buffy? All the lives she couldn’t save? All the people she failed?

17) Dawn’s intro is so early 2000s it hurts…

DAWN I love to dance. I like music. I'm very into Britney Spears' early work, before she sold out. So mostly her, um, finger painting and macaroni art. Very underrated.

And… do you think Joss was taking a jab at Britney because they couldn’t arrange for her to be on the show in season 5? In which case, how dare you judged Britney?

18) So… Anya is not that into vengeance anymore. I guess spending a few years as a human and fighting the good fight really did put things into perspective. And apparently, this was their attempt at giving Anya her own arc? Unfortunately, it won’t last long.

19) So why do you think the spirits or demons were targeting Dawn and Buffy specifically? I mean, other than because of Contrived Plot Device. I get Buffy: she’d touched the talisman thingy or whatnot. But what about Dawn…?

20) I do love how Buffy’s conversation with Wood is intercut with Dawn meeting Kit and them getting sucked into the basement by the manifestations. There’s something off about Robin, and we can just sense it as much as Buffy does. I didn’t think he’d be evil, though, it would’ve been too on the nose if he had been. But we immediately get the feeling he’s hiding something. There’s just something about his word choice and his fixation on Buffy that raises a lot of red flags. And of course, the fact that he’s questioning Buffy while her sister and her friends are under attack kind of paints him as supect número uno.

21) And the great reveal… Dawn’s gift/weapon…

That was a bit underwhelming, especially considering it was 2002 and cellphones were already a household item. I get that the show was kind of making fun of itself and its lack of technology awareness. But I find the joke counterproductive. Instead of making me go “Oh hahaha, they have cell phones now!”, it reminds me how little sense it makes for these teens – now young adults – to have NEVER EVER used any type of electronic devices or technology other than the computer. It feels, again, as a Contrived Plot Device. Technology, in some cases, would’ve made the Scoobies lives much easier. They definitely would’ve have avoided some misunderstandings and miscommunications.

22) And then… 

23)

BUFFY What did you do?

SPIKE I tried... I... tried to cut it out.

Hm. I wonder what this “it” might be... huh.

24) We can safely say that Joss’s primary focus when writing this scene was Spike, right? Did he even remember the last time Buffy had been in a room with Spike he’d tried to rape her? Why wasn’t her reaction to seeing her would-be-rapist again explored? Why wasn’t that the focus of their reunion? Why have her acting so nonchalantly, as if she wants to pick up things where they left them off (that is, prior to Seeing Red, of course…)? She literally asks him if he’ll come help her...

25) Now, why didn’t we get to see more of these two – the punk/bohemian, and, I’m assuming, bisexual, girl and the troubled yet sweet latino boy – instead of introducing like a dozen new characters – most of which were pretty forgettable - almost halfway through the season when the focus should’ve been placed somewhere else?

 26) At least Buffy got a new job out of it. But let’s be real, the only reason she got the job is that she is a fictional character in a fictional world. Like, Joss tries to play it off as “oh, she only got it because it is a crappy position with very low pay.” But even crappy positions at schools require some kind of qualifications. Working at the Doublemeat Palace? Yeah, that’s not gonna cut it.

27) And then the scene that nearly makes the episode…

WARREN Of course she won't understand, Sparky. I'm beyond her understanding. She's a girl. Sugar and spice and everything...useless unless you're baking. I'm more than that. More than flesh...

GLORY ...more than blood. I'm... you know, I honestly don't think there's a human word fabulous enough for me. Oh, my name will be on everyone's lips, assuming their lips haven't been torn off. But not just yet. That's alright, though..

ADAM ...I can be patient. Everything is well within parameters. She's exactly where I want her to be. And so are you, Number 17. You're right where you belong.

THE MAYOR So what'd you think? You'd get your soul back and everything'd be Jim Dandy? Soul's slipperier than a greased weasel. Why do you think I sold mine? (laughs) Well, you probably thought that you'd be your own man, and I respect that, but...

DRUSILLA ...you never will. You'll always be mine. You'll always be in the dark with me, singing our little songs. You like our little songs, don't you? You've always liked them, right from the beginning. And that's where we're going...

THE MASTER ...right back to the beginning. Not the Bang... not the Word... the true beginning. The next few months are going to be quite a ride. And I think we're all going to learn something about ourselves in the process. You'll learn you're a pathetic schmuck, if it hasn't sunk in already. Look at you. Trying to do what's right, just like her. You still don't get it. It's not about right, not about wrong...

There was so much promise in this scene, and it’s beautifully written and masterfully crafted. I think it’s probably one of the most memorable scenes in the show, just because of its jaw-dropping wow factor, the questions it raised, its potential for epic greatness, and the impact of seeing such an iconic group of characters blending together in what promised to be the Biggest Motherfucking Bid Bad Ever. And the biggest question of all…if this thing, whatever it is, is turning into all the Big Bads... then why did he turn into Buffy? 

The answer to this question will be, as most things The First related were bound to be, extremely underwhelming. But imagine... imagine if Buffy had been the Big Bad...

28) Oh, just for funsies, I’ll try and keep count of how many times The First did touch something or someone:

 29) You gotta love the book ends in this episode, though…

[ask-readyplayergaymers]

((Mod post!! Gonna answer some questions for me that have been sitting around for a while, sorry the response is so late ;w;

Everything’s under the cut to save space 0w0 ))

Anonymous said: Okay but totally loving the concept of Michael as Gil and Jeremy as Oz??? Like, freaking Alice is Christine (even tho its totally a personality clash apart from the childish aspect but shhhh) and just yes

YEAH MAN...any type of PH crossover is good hhh but GOSH imagine Michael like. After growing up and spending ten years looking for Jeremy like Gil did ahh my heart aches!! And Jeremy coming back pouting like “You’re taller than me now that’s totally not fair, M” Christine would make a really cute Alice I think, just seeing her dress up like Alice and having her kick ass as the B-Rabbit?! Hell yeah!

zekromztk2 said: Out of all of the Pandora Hearts characters, who is your favorite? Mine is... probably either Alice or Oz

HELL I LOVE GILBERT I’D DIE FOR THAT MAN LEGIT;; I love Oz and Break a lot too and! RUFUS BARMA AS WELL I ADORE HIM

Anonymous said: did I hear Harry Potter?

Ye man talk to me about the Marauder days any time I love talking about Sirius, James and Remus getting into shenanigans at Hogwarts hoo boy

Anonymous said: (Hey mod, so basically Jake and Rich are just gonna be background characters with kind of their own stories?)

Yes! Jeremy and Michael are the main focus here, but Jake and Rich sort of have their own thing going on in the background as more minor characters to the overall blog! I want to make a more developed backstory for the treasure hunter girls and Christine as well, so we’ll see how that goes~

Anonymous said: Thank you so much for introducing the novel this AU is based on to me!! Now that I've finished reading, I understand a lot more about this AU and now I want to ask... Would you consider Mr. Heere/Reyes as Morrow?

You’re very welcome, it’s a great novel so! I’m glad more people are reading it after having run into this blog, I must spread the pureness that is Aech to all of humanity //shakes fists And yes! Mr. Reyes is Morrow, I can imagine him sort of contributing to the hunt with lots of theater related things, which Christine specializes in! Book!Squip is Halliday, and there’s actually a little more about that and his relationship with Jeremy that I want to get into later.

Anonymous said: ((I had literally never heard of ready player one but I lov this blog so much I actually went out and bought it. Consider me murdled dead))

Yeah man like;; I didn’t read the novel until this past summer and after that I just got so into it and BMC at the same time so? I combined the two and here we are! Aaah I’m so glad!! Like I’ve said before I love it when people come tell me they went out to buy the novel and read it because of me, it makes me so happy :’) Hjrhjd please don’t die lol

emibeani said: ((I just finished reading Ready Player One, and thank you so much for this blog.))

I’m glad to hear it!! And you’re very welcome, I honestly didn’t expect so many people to get into but I’m super appreciative of all the interest you guys have shown so far so?? Thank you!!

Anonymous said: THIS IS NOT A ASK, BUT, OMG, THIS AU IS FUCKING PERFECT.

Glad you like it, ty! ;D

aslyn-is-artsy said: Your art is absolutely amazing

Hrhrhgfh I’m blushing thank you wow;;

aslyn-is-artsy said: Thank you so much for showing me this amazing book. I now aspire to become the real version of Art3mis. Just with short blonde hair instead. ;)

No problem!! It’s such a fantastic read and I was honestly blown away by it, so yeah...! Haha yeah I love Arty! She’s such a badass character and she doesn’t put up with any of Wade’s shit, which is great, she’s so empowered and I adore her

theitalianscribe said :I don't remember if this was answered, but is Michael trans male in this au?

Nope! I mean if you want to headcanon him that way that’s fine, I won’t stop you! I’m not going to endorse that since I myself don’t see him being that way, but you all are entitled to your own opinions so! And even if he were trans that wouldn’t be the main point of the blog anyway, I’m focusing more on their actual relationship, not their sexuality or gender or anything like that ^^

Anonymous said:i checked the book Ready Player One out from the library just because of this blog! are there any other books you recommend? (i havent finished the book but i like it so far i think!)

Oh nice!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Ahhh hmm well if you like supernatural teen stories, there’s a series called Darkest Powers by Kelley Armstrong about this girl named Chloe who finds out she’s a necromancer after being sent to a “troubled teens” home, and she meets these boys named Simon and Derek who also have special abilities and then all sorts of crazy things happen! I first read it back in high school and I still love it a lot, so yeah it’s a trilogy and all of the characters are really great so! (I looooove Simon like. So much.) Check it out if you have the time, it’s a good read!

kitikat101 said: Random potential song parodies: I Love the OASIS (I Love Play Rehearsal), Find That Egg (Be More Chill, pts. 1 and 2), Two-Player Game (but with Joust), Oases In My Head (Voices In My Head)

Kit can I say how much I adore these song titles they fit so well I’m really tempted to make parodies for all of them, absolutely brilliant

geeklychic1012 said: So are we allowed to send in fanfics based on this blog? (Cuz I submitted one but my wifi is shit and I think Tumblr might have eaten it haha)

YES!! Please do I’d highly enjoy reading stuff from you guys! And yes I saw and it breaks my heart like. Why. I’ll post it soon for everyone else to see too! They must all suffer as I have hfhdjhgjg

Anonymous said: Who would be I-r0k in this au? Or would I-r0k still be his normal jerk self?

I’m actually...not sure :0 There aren’t enough characters in BMC to properly cross over with all the rest of the RPO characters so;; I might have to go through the BMC novel and find some obscure background character to sneak in as I-r0k lol, because I would like to have all of the RPO characters replaced by BMC counterparts, if that makes sense!

theitalianscribe said: Does someone else take Halliday's place in this au? Also, do the gunters have a shared obsession with pop culture from a certain time period? What time period?

Yeah, I mentioned that up above! But Book!Squip takes over the role of Halliday, and musical Squip is Sorrento, of course~ Honestly I’d say like, probably the early 2000s, since that was when I was growing up and I can actually make references back to that time lol? I mean I love the 80s as well, just as it is in the book, but I feel as if I don’t know enough about that time period to actually. Make proper references and constantly. (I mean I could ask my parents who lived during that time too but;; haha.) Most of the stuff on here are me self-projecting, like with video games, books, and anime, that’s all me lol

Anonymous said: " “You don’t need to sell me on anything, Wade,” she said. “You’re my best friend. My favorite person.” With what appeared to be some effort, she looked me in the eye. “I’ve really missed you, you know that?”My heart felt like it was on fire. I took a moment to work up my courage; then I reached out and took her hand." aka perfect au is perfect how does it fit S O well

!!! yEAH MY DUDE I LOVED THAT PART and just imagining Michael saying that to Jeremy I wanted to cry;; I don’t even know but the INSTANT Aech was introduced I was like “Ohhh man. I’m getting major BMC vibes here” and bam, a week later this blog was born lol

Anonymous said:Would you be okay with cosplay of your character designs? I can't do one anytime soon, but they look really cool (and jerm's hair honestly looks fun to do)

YES!! OH MY GOD I’d probably die of sheer happiness if you guys cosplayed these dorks! If you want I could draw a character ref sheet so you actually get a proper look at their outfits! But yes I’d highly enjoy that;; like the cosplay doesn’t even have to be accurate I’d still love it anyway, and doing things like acting out some of the asks here (I’ve seen it be done before and it’s so cute!) would be totally okay too! But yeah as always TAG ME or submit it here so I can see it aaaa I’d love love LOVE that! ^^

Anonymous said: SPECIAL BOY SPECIAL BOY SPECIAL BOY SPECIAL BOY SPECIAL B

YEEEEEAAAAA IT’S ABOUT TIME I MADE AN OUTFIT FOR RICH RIGHT I LOVE HIM SM

maysurprisedyou said: Hi! This isn't quite an ask, but!! I started reading Ready Player One because of this blog and it's really interesting so far so thank you!! All of your posts seem to make my day ahah <3

Oooh I’m happy you’re liking it so far, I’m glad my blog inspired you to read it! And aaAAAA that’s so sweet I’m?? Hhhhfh thank you! :’)

[dinedelapazblog1]

ME MYSELF AND U? HOW ABOUT A NO?

“I’m shy, please come say hi.”

In the year 2000, a millennial baby was born on the 15th day of April. Jorolyne, the mother gave birth to a massive healthy baby girl. Jorolyne, and Rollan, her father were very happy to have their 2nd baby girl in just 1 year of being together. At first, the whole family thought that this wonderful baby girl, was a boy because of her well-rounded shaped face, and the overall aspect, except for her “you know” that confirmed everything, and disappointed them all, even the parents, for they want a boy, but unluckily for them and luckily for the baby, she is a girl.Nevertheless, they love the baby with all their heart.

where did I get my looks? Oh from both of them... since they are both good looking hehe.

15th day of April year 2000

I was born in this chaotic yet full of unexpected things. My parents, Rollan and Jorolyne, named me after a saint of pregnant women who is known as Saint Gerard, and changed the first letter then added  L before the D and for it to sound like a girl they added I-N-E since I can’t be a girl with a name that should be given for a boy, right?

I have two sisters namely, Rolayne, the eldest, and Jerlaine, the youngest. I am the middle child...

These pictures were taken last New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2016)

Rolayne is the one wearing the red skirt, while Jerlaine is wearing the black skirt...and yes... I am the one with the pants. The one in the middle. (and to tell you this was like the hardest position ever! To be the middle child!)

At a very young age, I was already prone to danger. 3 months old, I fell from 2nd floor to 1st floor of our house while my mommy is sleeping (instead of taking care of me lol, just kidding. I love my mommy, I couldn’t ask for another than her tho) in Kamuning Quezon City. Imagine a 13 steps stairs, and my mommy found me at the 1st step of the stairs. The good news here was, I don’t have any bruise and didn’t cry that time. And so they thought, an angel saved me. 5 years old, I was choked with a five peso. I can’t remember it clearly, why that happened but all I can remember is that, I was imitating Darna from swallowing the stone, and replaced it with a five peso coin. My mommy reached for the five peso stucked in my throat, she told me I was already turning violet that time, and when she successfully removed the coin, we saw blood together with the coin. And for the second time, I was again saved, not by an angel, but my mom, a disguised angel. 6 years old, I was already in grade 1 that time. Our school was a school for the orphans, and my parents decided to let us enroll their, because it was the only private school in our place that time.  When we were traveling for school, we stopped at my cousin’s house to fetch them. And I volunteered myself to call them, but I am so unlucky because I fell and rolled down to their place and a tricycle just passed by and my left foot got rolled.

Well anyways, those were just like the highlights of how clumsy I was before… And still, I’m clumsy as ever, right now. Once a clumsy always a clumsy, they say.

There’s nothing really special about me though. So please bear with the simple things/information about me.

Well first things first. I was born in the year 2000 so my age is just easy to determine. Since this year is 2018....(YUP! YOU ARE RIGHT I AM 18 YEARS OLD)

And since I am born in April that makes me an ARIES.

So what is an Aries?

“ Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and that's pretty much how those born under this sign see themselves: first. Aries are the leaders of the pack, first in line to get things going. ... The symbol of Aries is the Ram, and that's both good and bad news. “

that’s the reason why I always want to be in the spotlight...

I am a food lover. So if you see me, or if you barely know me, OR if you would like to be my friend, you could just offer me food. I might call of, or maybe I will be shy to accept your offer at first but that was me being pabebe. But yeah, if you’re hungry and need a companion you can call me! (basta libre mo haha)

I am a joker. I may not be the havey joker, but at least I am trying my best to make you smile, even I am the most waley person you will ever meet. And unlike Joker, I am not creepy so we could be friends. Don’t be afraid...( wala akong topak...mejo lang)

I am actually a lowkey writer at wattpad. My not so good fictional story reached 400k+ reads, and 6k+ votes, not bragging, but I was just sharing, because even though it’s not that good, and some scenarios are not well stated, people who have read it, tends to appreciate my thoughts. Unlike others who judge the story by who’s the writer. (charot)

But there’s one thing I would like to say : The views and opinions of the characters in the story does not reflect the views and opinions of the writer

I am also a cook, not a pro cook, but I can cook! If you want me to cook for you, just tell me! You’re the one who will buy the ingredients, and I will be the one to transform it to something that you could enjoy eating!

I am a lowkey photographer, editor, director, script writer, etc. So you can just message me, if you need some help! I am not a pro, but I can help. But if it includes mathematics...I’m sorry but i am out. You gotta find someone else. (mali ka ng taong lalapitan...wag...masasaktan ka lang...ay madidisappoint pala) But disappointments also hurt.

In this post, I am going to tell you little bit of my achievements

February 15, 2016

I joined an event at our school, and it’s called Campus Queen. My parents disagreed at first, for me to join since they thought there would be a part where I will be changing into a swimsuit attire, but there’s no category for that. So they let me join. It was actually the very first pageant that I’ve joined. My past teachers always asked me to join pageants but I always refuse the offer, since I am scared...I might lose. But then...

I was awarded as:

Best in Recycled Costume

Best in Gown

Best in Goddess Ensemble

Darling of the Crowd

Miss Natasha

Miss Cagayan Appliance Center

Miss People’s Choice

Miss HKC

Miss Sisters

Miss Hot Legs

Miss Ever Bilena

But I was not lucky to be awarded as Miss Campus Queen 2016

I was awarded as the 1st runner up. But regardless of not winning the crown... That time, I’ve felt like I was the Queen. Even without the crown, the people made me feel like I was the winner. ( tho all of us are winners :-) )

Even without the crown on the top of my head, it didn’t made me less of a queen that time.

September 2016

During my 11th grade, I was chosen to represent our strand which is the strand of Accountancy Business and Management in the English Month Celebration. Together with Gurpreet Singh, we did our best to raise the invisible flag of ABM.

But for the second time around of me joining some kind of ‘pageant’ I was again not lucky to be awarded as the winner. But people that surrounds me has the power to make me feel like I was always the winner, regardless of not being recognized as one. So much love to them!

May 13, 2017

I was awarded as Gold Card and Deportment awardee during the 1st Quarter of the 2nd Semester.

June 4, 2017

I was once again awarded as Gold Card and Deportment awardee during the last and final day of the school year 2016-2017.

JUNE 2018

I finished my Senior High School years with Honors! I thanked God for being with me all through my journey! And for helping me to make my parents proud. All the hard works were payed off. Because for me that’s what matters most! My diploma is my biggest and most valuable gift to my hardworking, loving, patient, and very supportive mommy and daddy!

[albionjake]

My Top 20 EastEnders Characters Of All Time

Yes this is happening.

I love EastEnders. Everything about it really. I think it’s responsible for some of the greatest characters ever created on TV. Also some of the absolute worst but we’re not here to talk about those! (Looking at you, The Ferreiras) I have come up with a (questionable) list of my favourite 20 EastEnders characters. My criteria? I think longevity is a big plus. The more time I spend with these characters, the more fond I’ve become of them I guess? I also tried not to be blinded by nostalgia... People tend to forget that Michelle Fowler was only in EastEnders for 10 years, to put that in context: Lauren Branning has now been a character for 11 years... It’s the same for many EastEnders ‘legends’. Den and Ange were only really around for 4 years or so... So I’ve been wary of filling the list with a load of pre-2000 people. Jamie Mitchell, you were handsome but you’ve not made the cut.

ANYWAY. Time for a bloody list.

20. Carol Jackson I originally had Sonia here but then I remembered her old mum and changed my mind. Sorry Sonia, you can have the non-existent number 21 spot. Always the bridesmaid. Carol Jackson is an interesting one because she spent so much of her time being a mopey, moaning old cow but when it mattered she showed so much heart and realness that it has to be commended. Lindsay Coulson is one of the best actresses the show has ever seen and made Carol into the most sympathetic of characters. Carol was more like a real person than most characters on the show and I found it refreshing. She’s also the mother of three genuine EastEnders legends (Sonia, Robbie, Bianca) and has so many strong links to the Square. I think it’s a real shame that she’s gone and I really hope she returns one day.

19. Tamwar Masood This seems an odd placing, I know. But I feel Tamwar represents a side of the show that is a little unrepresented in this list. Comedy. Yeah sure, some of the comedy in the show is a little heavy handed (the wonderful Kim Fox, for example) but there are some characters that are so wonderfully, subtly funny and Tamwar was certainly one of those. He was on the show for 9 years and was such a great presence to have around. Always there with a deadpan, sarcastic comment. He wasn’t involved in many memorable storylines (his whole wedding storyline was a waste of time, in my opinion) but now that he’s gone, I really miss him. The Masoods in general were absolutely brilliant and I’d love to see a return for them, if not the whole family then at least more Tamwar.

18. Billy Mitchell Yeah that’s right, I refuse to ignore the runt of the Mitchell litter. I love Billy. I think he’s another very realistic and believable character. He’s so loveable and kind, completely different to who he was when he was first introduced. A perfect example of a character growing into something more. He’s always there to help the Mitchells, no matter how horrible they are to him. His relationships with characters are always so heartfelt and believable too. His granddaughter Lola, his ex-wife Little Mo, his wife Honey, his kids, Jay, Roxy, Pam and Les and even Jamie Mitchell in the end. All really lovely relationships to have watched over the years and all down to how bloody great Billy Mitchell is. May he remain in the Square for decades to come.

17. Shirley Carter She feels like a fairly new character but she’s been on the show for over 10 years now. In her own right, she was brilliant but since her family joined she’s been a pretty unstoppable EastEnders force. Her initial Phil romance and all that came with it was brilliant and her friendship with Heather was one of the best the show has seen, along with her relationship with Ben. But since Mick and his family arrived, things have got incredibly interesting for Shirley. She’s now the matriarch of a whole family. So many new relationships and dynamics and still so many more places to go as a character. She’s grumpy, funny, nasty, bad tempered but ultimately very good hearted. Characteristics we may see again a bit further up this list. Shirley is the sort of character that EastEnders will always work well with. She couldn’t be more perfect for Albert Square.

16. Jay Brown/Mitchell I want to put him higher but I need to be honest with myself and admit Jay hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of EastEnders classic storylines or anything. I just really bloody like him. Yes, I fancy him a bit too. Ultimately, I just like him a lot. I think he’s a lovely character, the sort of character I hate seeing bad things happen to. His tragic early years with his dad’s death still feel very raw and I feel protective over him. The way the Mitchell’s made him one of their own was a brilliant idea and his relationship with Phil, Billy and Ben have all been a joy to watch. I really hope the show gives him more to play with because wasting such a wonderful little character would be a shame.

15. Den Watts Yeah that’s right. I’ve put Dirty Den here. Why? Because overall he’s only spent about 7 years on the show. His first stint is undeniably iconic. He was the first big character the show ever had. He was the reason that 30 million people tuned in on Christmas Day in 1986 when the show wasn’t even two years old. He was the first landlord of the Queen Vic. He was in the first scene and said the first words. But he wasn’t around for long. By 1989 he was floating in the Thames. Then it was 2003 and he was ‘back from the dead’. That whole return was a waste of time. Yes it gave us the brilliant Chrissie Watts and a few other great moments but ultimately it just soured the memory of who Den was before. He’ll always be iconic to the show but he’s not too high on my list.

14. Bianca Jackson Some may be surprised at how high this is but the woman is an absolute legend. Her friendship with Tiffany was one of the great EastEnders friendships, something the show often does very well indeed. Her affair with her mum’s husband Dan was gripping. Her relationship with Ricky was utterly iconic. She has links to a lot of the greatest characters the show has seen which makes her pretty important all round. Her horrible clothes, her gaggle of children, her brash personality, all of it is bloody wonderful. I can’t imagine we’ve seen the last of her and I hope she comes back soon.

13. Grant Mitchell Lower than many EastEnders fans would put him but Grant isn’t what he once was. Sure, he’s got bags of charisma and has had some of the greatest storylines the show has ever seen. He’s also one half of the most iconic brothers in TV history. His whole family is (in my opinion) the best EastEnders has seen or will see. But Grant keeps coming and going and I think it’s damaging his legacy. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for bringing Grant back but please can we have him for a couple of years rather than a few months! It’s such a shame when he just pops back for a bit to remind us of his potential and then just leaves again. I understand that Ross Kemp isn’t interested in a full time return and that’s a real shame but maybe then we should just say goodbye to him for good?

12. Sharon Mitchell/Watts I know, I know, I know. The way I go on about her, you’d expect Sharon to at least have made the top 5... But the reason I love Sharon so much is that she is a bit shit. She’s been a character since the very first episode and has never gone away long enough for a return to feel like too much. Her initial return in 2001 is one of the most iconically camp moments ever. Everything Sharon does is camp. She’s like a lowkey drag queen. I love every Dynesty-esque look, every flutter of the eyelid, every pout and every black outfit. She’s completely ridiculous and annoying but she’s a complete legend and I love her.

11. Ian Beale I know, that’s three real legends in a row now. It’s just... Ian is Ian isn’t he. He’s never going to set our worlds on fire but he’s fucking Ian Beale and he’s been with us since 1985. He’s the annoying little brother we’ve all grown to love(ish) after 30 years. We’ve seen Ian go through all sorts of things and he really has been at the centre of some of the biggest storylines. His marriage to Cindy was truly delightful and his breakdown over the death of his daughter Lucy was incredible. I maintain that Adam Woodyatt’s live acting on the special episode was Oscar worthy. Ian is a legend and he’ll hopefully be there until he’s very old.

10. Ben Mitchell Look, I’m aware that he’s pretty annoying. But what a character. Why do I love Ben? I find his weird personality very funny. He’s always been weird in a variety of ways and I’ve enjoyed them all. His daddy issues have never felt forced. Anyone with Phil as a father would have issues, particularly if they were gay so everything about Ben makes perfect sense to me. Also, we’ve known Ben since he was born. We saw his mum meet his dad, his mum discover she was pregnant, him being born, him contracting meningitis giving him impaired hearing. We only missed 7 years of his life when he went to South Africa with Kathy so we know him so well. I’ve loved pretty much all of his storylines and I hope Ben sticks around ages longer. I must say, I do hope he goes off the rails again soon, I wouldn’t want him to be normal for too long.

9. Frank Butcher A legend if ever there was one. It’s such a shame that Mike Reid died at the relatively young age of 67. It would have been great to see a bit more of Frank. Frank Butcher truly embodies EastEnders, in the same way Alfie and Mick (neither of whom have made this list) have done since. Proper EastEnd wide boys are a staple of the show and you’ll never get a better one than Frank. His relationship with Pat is one of the most famous in British television and the scene where he wore nothing but a spinning bowtie is one of the show’s most iconic. Three of his strongest connections on the show were to characters that that are yet to come on this list which is probably the reason he’s featured so high, I associate him with the best. He was loud, funny and sometimes utterly heartbreaking. I miss him.

8. Max Branning A higher placing than I expected for Max but I think it’s warranted. He’s an absolutely brilliant character. He’s so charismatic, he’s funny, he’s charming, he’s sneaky, he’s frustrating, he’s clever, he’s a hero, he’s a villain and he’s one of the show’s greatest ever characters. His marriage to Tanya was always brilliant viewing, I still hold out hope that we’ll see a return to those days. The affair storyline with Stacey is obviously up there with the greatest. His two daughters are also fantastic characters in their own right with so many layers. The show is always a better place with Max around and I’d love to see a proper return for the Max Branning we know and love. I want him back with Tanya, with a good relationship with his girls and a nice strong base in the Square.

7. Stacey Slater/Fowler I adore Stacey. I think she’s just absolutely bloody fantastic. I want her to my friend. When she first arrived, it felt like one Slater too many seeing as the family were taking up every storyline going but how wrong I was. Stacey Slater is the best thing about EastEnders right now and she’s not even got a storyline. I just love having her around. Her relationship with Martin has gone from something that felt a bit weird to something that feels entirely right. The way she talks him down from his crazy parenting habits is always such a joy to watch and the way she’s always such a great step mum to Bex is delightful. I obviously loved her affair with Max and now I love their friendship. I love her relationship with Kat and the way she isn’t afraid to kick off. Her mental health storylines have always been compelling and Lacey Turner is just one of the best actresses on British TV.

6. Pat Butcher/Evans This is getting very difficult now. The top 6 really are in a different league for me. Pat Butcher is one of the absolute best. She is almost THE icon of EastEnders. She was an ex-prostitute with a heart of gold and a vicious tongue. Her and Frank were the (pearly) King and Queen of the show for many years. Pat was related to so many fantastic characters over the years and had friendships with anyone that mattered. Her relationship with step-daughter Janine was always brilliant to watch. She was always there for her granddaughter Bianca and all her kids. She was a great enemy and eventual best friend to Peggy. Pat Butcher was so many things to so many people. She had the most iconic look with the huge earrings, loud shirts and too much makeup. Her death came far too soon but was incredibly moving to watch. It’s a shame she’s gone. Would be great to have had her around the past few years.

5. Peggy Mitchell The best woman that ever owned the Queen Vic. Yeah sure, Angie was iconic. Pat looked very at home there. Kat couldn’t have been a better fit. Linda is doing a brilliant job. But Peggy is the true landlady of the Queen Vic. “Get out of my pub” is all you need to say to realise that she’ll forever own that place in a way. Peggy was such a tiny little ball of fury and passion. The Mitchell’s are my favourite family by far (there are 6 people with that surname on this list) and she was the undisputed head of that family. Peggy with her two boys, Phil and Grant, will always be the most iconic soap family. She had some incredible storylines and Barbara Windsor gave some wonderful performances. Her one downfall might be the amount of time she actually spent on the Square. She went on breaks fairly often and I always feel like that ruins the characters momentum a little bit. Saying that, her return for her death really was beautiful. I’ve cried multiple times at the scene where Phil reads her letter to him after she’s gone. I think the nation felt the pain at Peggy’s loss as much as the characters did. 4. Kat Slater/Moon What a character. She’s the newest character in the top 5 but has managed almost 17 years! I suppose there was a 5 year break but I don’t think it did much to slow her down. Kat is such a brilliantly complicated character. Viewers loved her and the whole Slater family pretty much as soon as they arrived and Kat was immediately the stand out member. She’s loud, loveable, nasty, compassionate, funny, emotionally draining and much more. She really has got it all. Her Zoe storyline came so soon into their arrival that it gave us an understanding of Kat’s past straight away. It was a brilliant way of giving an explanation of Kat and that little girl who was abused is constantly visible in the character. Her relationship with Alfie is one of the most beautiful on the show. Her relationship with Stacey is a joy. She’s now got a load of kids who will hopefully grow up into great characters in their own right and have Kat as an old EastEnders matriarch figure. She had a great friendship with Bianca that couldn’t have felt more right and she’s had so many fantastic enemies over the years too. You’re never bored when Kat is around and I really hope she returns soon because I miss her terribly. No more RedWater please! Just Kat in the Square. 3. Phil Mitchell The top dog of the Mitchell family has to come highest really. He might not be as likeable as the previous Mitchells listed but he really is the best. He’s had more storylines than most of this list and has spent so much time actually on the show. A good handful of these characters have had loads of extended breaks but Phil really hasn’t. He’s just got back from a break but is already in full Phil Mitchell mode. Phil is best when he’s tearing the Square apart and putting people in their place and it’s great to have him back. This list is full of names that have strong links to Phil: Peggy, Grant, Ben, Sharon, Ian, Billy, Jay, Shirley. It really is testament to what a brilliant character he is. Back in the day, it was Grant who was everyone’s favourite. Grant had all the storylines and Phil was his softer and slightly more boring brother but once Grant was gone, Phil very quickly took over. The ‘Who Shot Phil’ storyline was one of the show’s most iconic. His relationships are always great, even if it is sometimes unbelievable that quite so many beautiful women would fall for him. His rivalry with Ian is one of my favourite long standing strands in the show too. Then you’ve got his two kids Ben and Louise, both great characters in their own rights now who will hopefully be around for a lot longer. He recently had another son with Denise who I’m sure will pop up 15 years or so down the line if the Mitchell’s are still a thing by then. The best thing about Phil is how flawed he is. He’s been a nasty piece of work and will probably continue to be in the future but it’s played so well that you can never properly hate Phil. Everything he does makes sense in his world and the viewers always understand where Phil is coming from, even when they disagree with him. He’s a very special character that Steve McFadden should be proud of. 2. Dot Cotton/Branning The face of EastEnders. Fair enough, Dot’s storylines these days (and most of her history, really) isn’t as exciting as most others on this list but it really doesn’t matter. The character work that has been done on Dot over the years is second to none. EastEnders fans love this woman from the bottom of their hearts and that’s down to how she’s been written for all these years. She’s an incredible character. She’s the only character that’s done a single handed episode. One whole episode with only Dot in it. Dot’s history is so rich and so full of heartbreak but also full of love and happiness. A simple storyline like Abi moving out of Dots comes with such huge emotion and that’s because she’s leaving Dot alone. Anyone but Dot and it wouldn’t have had half the impact. We care about Dot as if she was our own grandma and I can’t think of many characters I can say that about. She’s also so funny. It’s easy to think of Dot as a tragic character after all that’s happened to her and the losses she’s suffered but it’s just as easy to think of her as a comic character. June Brown has always played both sides to perfection. We love Dot whether she’s feeling sorry for herself on her own or being a busy body in the Vic drinking her tomato juice (or sherry at Christmas of course). Dot is an icon if ever there was one and it’s going to be an unbearably sad day when she leaves us. 1. Janine Butcher Yeah yeah yeah, I’m aware that the 5 people above Janine have a much stronger case for being proper EastEnders legends. But come on… Janine is such a force of nature when she turns up, it’s impossible for me to choose anyone else. I’ll admit, I’m pretty obsessed with Janine. I find her completely captivating. She’s so completely evil but then she shows you that tiny glimpse of good in her and you’re right back on her side. She couldn’t be more manipulative, for the characters or the viewers. Obviously the moment you think of when you think of Janine is pushing Barry down the cliff (“If only he’d worn slip on shoes”). She’s manipulated so many people over the years that it’s amazing she’s never been the subject of a whodunnit, hopefully she’ll return one day for that. Although not a murder whodunnit, I want Janine making people’s lives a misery for many years to come. Then there’s the soft side. We often saw the soft side with her beloved dad Frank. We also sometimes saw it between her and different men in her life but never for long. The person I remember most fondly for bringing out Janine’s soft side is Pat. Janine and Pat’s relationship was one of the most hate-filled yet love-filled I’ve seen. When Pat was dying, it was Janine that made me cry most. Seeing Janine so sad about losing someone was too much for me. I have such a great fondness for every side of Janine. I really really really hope Charlie Brooks decides one day that it’s time for Janine to come back because I can’t imagine a year goes by without EastEnders giving her a call. If she never returns though, I wouldn’t mind too much. That final scene when she’s in the airport after murdering Michael and someone asks her what she’s been up to: “Oh you know, just getting away with murder”. OH MY GOODNESS. What a line. What a woman. What a character. Please let her come back soon.

[drethebarber]

THE “DRE THE BARBER” STORY by Andrae Deon Davis

What’s good world! This is a story about a young man some of you may know and others may not, but let me take you on a ride through my life. I was born in March 1982 and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas on the south side of the city. The middle child of three, I had an older brother named Chris and a little sister, Katheryn. My single mother, Wendy, was so beautiful, hardworking, church going, and could sing her butt off. She had one of the most beautiful voices you would ever hear. She took care of her kids on her own and made sure we had things provided for.

Chris had a different father while Kat and I had the same dad. Our dad, Ramon, was a preacher and was part of a gospel singing group. His side of the family was into church heavy and could sing very well. I guess that’s how my mother and father met. Just about every weekend, I would go spend time with my dad and my paternal grandmother, Mae. Kat was too young, so she really couldn’t come. Grandma Mae just loved the boys of the family, not really caring much about the girls at all for some reason. I recall going to be with my dad to watch him sing and play drums, and sometimes lead the group on a song or two. My mother didn’t really care for him, as she would sometimes prevent my sister and I from seeing him and often calling him “Reverend Low Down.” I’m guessing she had personal issues going on with him. Sometimes my dad wouldn’t show up when he said he was coming. I would just have a fit and cry often times because I loved being around my dad so much.

As the years progressed, the streets started taking a bad turn in the late 80’s. Drugs and gangs were on the rise and my brother Chris was slowly getting more involved in the streets. He was hanging with his neighborhood friends. They all went to Mitchell Elementary, hung out every day, and played for a little league football team called the Sunset Tigers. One day Chris and his friends got together and made up a posse. This was during the time that gangster rap was thriving. You had your N.W.A’s and other similar groups, etc. Chris and friends, Alex, Harold, T.J., Bobby, Frankie, and Ant used to hang on this corner called Shillier, and on this corner the street number was 23rd. They decided to take 23rd and make it into a posse. They were kicking people’s butts fighting, stealing, and they were even doing makeshift tattoos with erasers putting “23rd” on their arms. The click took a turn in the early 90’s however. Some of the friends went their ways, but the posse continued to grow, turning into “the Crips.” Alex, Ant, Frankie, and Bobby, remained “23rd” and my brother Chris, Harold, T.J. became “8ball Bloods.” Later through the years, the friends became enemies, and over time relations worsened.

During this time in the early 90’s, it was evident the streets weren’t safe anymore. You had “Bloods” around the corner, and “Crips” on the next. There was drive by after drive by, killing after killing, and violence was rampant. Seeing this, my mother moved around quite a bit, but never quite out of the area. Chris would go spend time with our maternal grandma, Henrie Lee, and our uncles Willie, Mooney, Kwanis, and Aunt Edwina to try to keep him out of trouble. But that didn’t help anyway. Chris was getting into a lot of trouble, so they moved to 29th and Summit in a big, beautiful house on the corner. Though the home itself was a nicer place to live than the last living environment, it was directly across the street from the Sunset Projects. The whole block was full of “Bloods” and “Vice Lords,” drug dealers, killers, and crack addicts. Anything and everything you can name was on that block. There was something peculiar going on. Chris started to really change, selling dope heavy, getting busted, and the streets just took him under. My mother, too, started to change. She was a janitor for the school district making good money, but lost her job because the streets were getting to her. Things just started to change for the worst it seemed as she later on became a crack addict herself.

My brother’s friends were serving off our porch, and serving my mother as well. I was finding crack pipes all around the house, seeing my mother sleep with all kinds of men, walking in her room and seeing her lie across the bed butt naked, sleep with a crack pipe on the side of the night stand. Winter came and we would have no lights, water, or gas at times. Roaches and maggots were in our food, and we’d only be surviving off of Faygo pop drinks and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Often times, we’d ask the neighbors for clean drinking water. Things were so bad, not only did we have pests and rodents living with us, rats would chew up our clothes. So one day, my Grandma Henrie Lee just got sick and tired, and came and got Kat and I while we both were still in elementary school. My brother, Chris, was in jail for beating up a teacher at Southwest Jr. High. Grandma Henrie made sure Kat and I were good, showing us how to respect others, and how to take care of ourselves. My mother continued to stay out in the streets. Progressively declining and starting to be more visibly battered, becoming very skinny, and not looking like the mother I had known. She looked like she could die any day.

As a young man entering junior high at Henderson, I also was straggling the line between being in the streets like my brother or growing up to be a good young man. One day I got caught throwing up gang signs. Somebody told my Uncle Willie, who was a police officer by trade, and understandably stern with me. My uncle got on me tough, put a whipping to my backside, and told me forcefully that he would not let me end up in these streets like Chris. He just didn’t want to lose another nephew, so he did what he could to influence and rear me. By this time it was the late 90’s, and I was entering high school. My grandmother sent me to live with my Uncle Willie and his wife because she felt that I needed a father figure in my life. After reviewing her options, she thought that Uncle Willie was the best fit, and I must say Uncle Willie did a good job at it. He took me in and showed me how to be a respectful, clean, and responsible young man.

While I was in high school, my mom went to prison. The drugs did her so bad, and she just didn’t want help. She was in jail my last two years of high school. Hoping she would get out by the time I graduated in 2000, when she didn’t, my mother sent me a letter telling me how sorry she was. I was just in tears uncontrollably. The slight bright side was that my brother Chris actually did get out of jail in time to watch me graduate. I don’t believe people in high school ever knew what was going on in my life because I never showed it. I would always dressed nice and kept a smile on my face. I would try to keep people smiling, laughing just to be silly, and enjoying being the life of the party. My Uncle Willie’s wife was trying to get me to go to college heavy. She had me applying for school after school. I loved drawing, and was looking at art schools, but there was something different I wanted to do. I wanted to cut hair though never in life had I picked up clippers. I told my uncle’s wife that I wanted to go to barber school and she just shot my dreams down. She said that I would never make it cutting hair since there’s no money in it. Because she came from a family that went on to school, she figured that’s what I needed to do.

Hearing this, I decided to go and talk to my grandmother seeing that I knew she’d give me a different opinion. She told me to be whatever I want to be and if that’s being a barber then I should do it. She said she knew I would make it and be okay if I followed my heart. So then I had a talk with my uncle. He just kept it all out real, saying that college is not for everybody. He advised that if I felt that it’s not for me, then I should just do something productive. That was like the best advice I’d ever heard. After talking with them, I applied to barber school and got accepted. After this, my uncle’s wife didn’t like it at all. We wound up getting into it and she didn’t want me living there anymore. She even went on to say that I was the reason that my uncle and her weren’t working out. After facing this news, I decided to bounce and go live with my brother Chris. He made sure I was straight, but I knew this new lifestyle came with other facets. Chris was then selling drugs really heavy, and most nights we had to answer the door with guns. There were drug addicts running in and out of the home, due to my brother selling everything you can name. With me responding to the cards I was given, everything came with a grain a salt. I was now pursuing my dream of becoming a barber, but things in my life were still becoming worse.

I ended up moving out of the apartment from my brother because of safety. By this time it’s 2001, and I had a girl by the name of Shae. She was fresh out of high school, and both of us got a place together in the same complex that my brother Chris was staying in. I was still in school, but after school I would drive her car around and cut hair for $5 while she was at work. She held me down, paid the bills until I was out of school, and worked long hours to make it happen. My brother was keeping the drugs and guns at our apartment so the cops wouldn’t know where to find it if they busted him. Chris was getting big time, making all kinds of money, and things just started to change in 2002. He started messing with more of the wrong people, and I watched as friends and family got jealous. People were getting over on him, yet Chris and some of our cousins had the city on lock. Things went sour, and Chris ended up catching an attempted murder charge. He shot a chick seven times, and got into it with more people. It got so bad that he told me and Shae to move somewhere else because he didn’t feel that we were safe staying there anymore. He told me to give the drugs and guns to our cousins so they can come up on some money to get him out.

Chris was later able to get out on a $250,000 bond. He was out of jail only three months when he and I talked, and he told me I’m the reason he sold drugs and did what he did. It was because of how he coped with how we were struggling and how he wanted to see the family bounce back. Then a couple weeks after this, Chris got killed. He was found shot dead in a ditch on July 4th, 2002. I had lost my only brother, and our cousin was killed the day before. Grandma Henrie Lee died a couple months later, then I lost my best friend Braylon that same summer, all in one year. Then, to compound this, I broke up with my girlfriend Shae after three years due to the pressure.

Despite this, I ended up getting out of school in 2003, becoming one of the city of Little Rock’s highly talked about barbers. I have traveled around the nation cutting all kinds of celebrities’ hair. I won the “Best Barber” award in 2006. As well, I also became a rapper and had one of the best songs that came out in the city, called “Do the Jump Rope.” The hit made mainstream, allowing me to perform on MTV Sweet 16, and opening up for various big-time artists. Then, however, I knew there was a bigger picture I had drawn out.

In 2008, my mom went back to prison again. I used to be so upset at her, but I learned to let it go, and allow God to handle it. She will always be my mom, and you only get one. For her to get better, she will need me and my sister to hold her down and be there for her when needed. I decided to move to Atlanta in 2008. I jumped out on faith, leaving everything behind. All of my worries, stress, my losses, and just started over. I haven’t looked back since. I’ve met and fostered great connections with people since arriving. In January 2014, I opened my own shop in Atlanta called Levelz Beauty and Barber Lounge. It was one of the most talked about shops in the city. But closed it down in July 2015 due to conflict of interest with my Business partner. Also, I’m glad to say that my mother is out of prison now and has been clean since her release in 2011.

This story is a testament of my life and its struggles. I understand I’ve gone through a lot to get where I wanted to be. It was nothing but the grace of God that got me through this. For the people who are always looking from the outside, you never know what the person you are viewing is going through on the inside. What I did showed people that no matter what happens in your life, it can get better. And I’m a witness to that. Now that I’ve told you, you can see why I’m blessed and why I draw people to me. That’s because I put my mind on being successful and to be the best I want to be. All the stuff I’ve been through in my life, I use it as motivation. I feel that y'all should do the same and stop making excuses. So to all of you that’s going through it, it’s up to y'all to get up and get it! Stop blaming the next man for your struggles. This is my story and I hope y'all enjoyed it.

SHOUT OUT TO MY FAM, THE DAVIS FAMILY, and HUNTER FAMILY. Also, my SISTER KAT. Baby I love you so much eeeeeeeeeeeh!!!!!! To my uncles WILLE, MOONY, and KWANIS. DADDY, FOR GIVING ME THAT CREATIVE SIDE. AND MY BEST FRIEND SHAE of course. I LOVE YOU GIRL AND I OWE YOU THE WORLD. AND ALL MY FRIENDS THAT’S BEEN THROUGH THICK AND THEN WITH ME. UNTIL THEN I’M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BALL OUT AND BE THE BEST! #POW!!!!! YOU CAN HATE ME OR LOVE ME!!!! FOLLOW ME DAILY ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/drethebarber