#and it starts with an altered ending to the series which means I can't tell without spoiling

[khaylin27]

The Alchemy

pairing: oscar piastri x norris reader; lando norris x sister reader; talks about carlos sainz x norris reader (past relationship)

series: the tortured poets department

synopsis: the alchemy is a term coined in the old days before chemist but back then the aim was to produce gold from other elements by mixing certain chemicals. knowing that she is now with the man of her dreams; she came out of the dark in which she has stayed in for a very long time and found the person in which there was 'no denying the alchemy' that if they were together, there's gold, which to her means love.

warnings: literally none because it's all fluff

author's note: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN THIS SERIES 🥹😭🩶 also i had a different collage for this but i didn't like it so here's a new one

This happens once every few lifetimes These chemicals hit me like white wine

Marriage happens every few lifetimes, but not for you. You once thought you were going to marry Carlos. Looking back now, you're extremely grateful that you didn't marry Carlos last year. The 'chemicals' of love that you had with Carlos had an intoxicating effect similar to white wine.

I circled you on a map I haven't come around in so long But I'm coming back so strong

After the Australian Grand Prix, you and Oscar decided to spontaneously get married here since all of the important people in your life are here in his home country. The wedding ceremony was being held at the beach that Oscar's parents had private access to.

As you're walking down the aisle with your father, you start tearing up seeing Oscar wait for you at the alter. Everything you've always wanted is finally happening.

Once you reach the alter, your father gives your hand to Oscar. "Take care of my daughter." Your father smiles as tears form in his eyes.

"Forever and always." Oscar says to your father and takes your hand from him. Oscar walks you up the alter and you both look at Zak. Zak was officiating the wedding ceremony.

"The bride and groom have decided to say their vows to each other." Zak looks at you telling you to go first.

"Oscar Jack Piastri. I can't believe we're getting married after 4 months of knowing each other." You smile in disbelief that you're actually getting married. "I remember when we first met, we had a shot of tequila together cheering to new beginnings for both of us. That night Lando ended up wasted while I was a little bit tipsy. You drove us back to our hotel on an empty Las Vegas Strip. The song 'Downtown Lights' by the Blue Nile started playing in your McLaren and we found that we both loved this song. We sang it loudly while Lando was passed out drunk in the back seat. I didn't know it at that time but it was going to be alright because I found the love of my life." Oscar wipes the tears falling from his face while you continue to speak.

"That week was the first time coming back to the paddock in so long. I remember breaking down in Lando's room because of something an ex said about my papaya family and I. You were so worried about me even though our relationship was barely building. I remember you told me 'it's time to crack these locks from him and start throwing rocks at that past relationship.' After that night I circled you on the map of my heart and came back so strong." You finish your set of vows and the Oscar speaks his.

Cause the sign on your heart Said it's still reserved for me Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

"Y/N Marie Norris. If you're shocked that we're getting married after 4 months of knowing each other. Well honey, I'll do you one better. I'm surprised I'm marrying a MILF." Everyone including you two laughed at the joke Oscar made about you being older. "But in all seriousness, I'm so happy I'm getting to marry you. I remember when you told me that night in Abu Dhabi that you loved me. I was the happiest man alive because I started to love you too." Tears start dripping from your face as you recall the night in Abu Dhabi.

"I know you have been through the slammer in your past relationship, but the universe knew your heart was always reserved for me. There was no reason to fight to alchemy because you're the one for me."

Once Oscar finishes his vows, Zak continues with the ceremony. You two put your rings on each other and Zake announces you two as Mr. and Mrs. Piastri.

yourinstagram thank you to the man that dumped me, i found the man the universe reserved for me 💍🤍✨

oscarpiastri i love my milf wife 😏

yourinstagram LOVE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET ME PREGNANT BEFORE YOU CALL ME THAT landonorris you're basically a milf @/yourinstagram yourinstagram i'm only 26 😭 landonorris you're basically 30 at this point sister, you can't deny it. please give me a niece/nephew soon 🙏 leo can't be my only nephew, he needs a cousin charlesleclerc i agree with this. @/yourinstagram @/oscarpiastri please have a child soon so leo can have a play mate. alexandrasaintmleux preferably a human one so i can convince charles to give me one too @/yourinstagram @/oscarpiastri oscarpiastri i'll start working on it soon 🫡

user1 OSCAR'S COMMENT IS SO UNHINGE I LOVE IT HAHAHA

user2 i love that lando is playing along with it too HAHAHA they were always meant to be family 🥹 user3 i love that alexandra and charles are playing along too user4 maybe baby piastri might be coming soon 👀

oscarpiastri honestly, who are we to fight to alchemy? mr. and mrs. piastri 💍

yourinstagram the love of my life 🥺🤍✨

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logansargeant so glad you found the girl of your american dreams

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landonorris STOP RUBBING OFF ON MY MAN HE'S AUSTRALIAN yourinstagram excuse me @/landonorris he's legally mine now step aside

zbrownceo congrats @/yourinstagram and @/oscarpiastri 💍🧡

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yourinstagram thank you zak for officiating the wedding. this wouldn't have happened without you 🥹

mclaren the papayas are now married 🥹🧡 congrats @/yourinstagram and @/oscarpiastri 💍 now we need papaya babies

racerbia please we need a papaya baby around the paddock @/yourinstagram and @/oscarpiastri 🥹👶🧡 yourinstagram we're working on it @/mclaren @/racerbia 🫡 user1 BABY PAPAYA IS IN THE WORKS!!!

f1news A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN: After 4 months of knowing each other, Oscar Piastri and Y/N Norris, Piastri's teammate's sister, decided to tie the knot. This is definitely better than the disaster of a wedding Norris had with Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Piastri!

user1 the way she went from thinking she lost the love of her life to then finding the love of her life on the team where she truly belonged at 🥹🧡

user2 CARLOS BETTER BE CRYING AT WHAT COULD'VE BEEN

user3 papaya love 🥺🧡

****

I haven't come around in so long But I'm making a comeback to where I belong

After your wedding and honeymoon, you shortly found out that you were 10 weeks pregnant. You didn't notice you were pregnant at first with all the traveling you do until you took a break on your honeymoon. At the end of the trip, you felt like you had a stomach bug but it wasn't. When you went to the doctor to check what was wrong, she calmed you down by telling you that you were pregnant.

You've never seen Oscar so happy in your life other than your wedding day; you were shock on the other hand. At the doctor visit you asked your doctor when she thought the baby was conceived and she said January 22. That was the night when you made love for the first time.

"I still can't believe I'm pregnant," you exclaim as you two were relaxing on the couch. Oscar puts his hands on your stomach and starts rubbing it. "I don't think I can go to the races anymore."

"I know honey, it's okay." Oscar kisses your lips softly. "I know you'll support your favorite guys no matter what."

"Actually you're my favorite, Lando is ..." As you were about to continue you started to remember the comment Lando put on your wedding post. "Lando is going to be so happy that he's getting a niece or nephew soon."

"I understood the assignment Lando, Charles, and Alexandra told me to do." You laugh together recalling how they all wanted you two to start having a child as soon as possible.

****

For your 27th birthday, you decided to celebrate in Miami where Lando and Oscar were racing at. Even though Oscar wasn't on the podium that day, you were so happy for Lando. Finally Lando got his first ever win in F1.

Once Lando got away from the crowd and back into his private room in the garage, you decided to congratulate him. "Congrats little bro. It's been a long time coming." You hug Lando tightly but then he pulls away feeling your 15 week baby bump.

"Y/N are you pregnant?" Lando asks still on his high of happiness, you nod yes and Lando gets more excited. "YES THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!"

"That's why she hasn't been coming to the races because we wanna make sure the baby is safe." Oscar explains to a very happy Lando.

"My doctor finally approved me to travel to certain countries. I'm making a comeback to where I belong." You smile as Lando hugs you one more time.

****

The next race you went to was Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, you were currently 18 weeks pregnant. You decided to stay in Oscar's private room since you wanted to ditch the crowds.

Once the race was over and the crowds went home, Oscar, Lando, and Charles with Alexandra came into Oscar's private room to see you. You had messaged Alexandra earlier telling her you wanted to catch up with her and meet baby Leo.

"Hey Y/N ..." Alexandra stops talking after seeing your growing baby bump. "OH MY GOD YOU'RE PREGNANT!!!" Charles finally comes in with baby Leo in his hands.

"You understood the assignment." Charles smiles at Oscar and gives him a side hug. "Congrats my friend."

Your celebration of happiness was interrupted by a Spanish man knocking on your door, "Lando where are you?"

Lando opens the door wide to let the Spanish driver in, "What's up Carlos?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you on getting 2nd. It was one hell of a fight." He smiles at Lando until he looks around and is confused what's going on. "Why are you guys here?" Asking Charles and Alexandra.

Alexandra, happy for your bundle of joy says, "Y/N is pregnant. Isn't it exciting?"

"It is," you smile at Carlos with your pregnancy glow radiating off you. "Oscar was so excited when we found out we were going to have a baby girl. As soon as we told Lando about the gender, him and Oscar were online shopping on the couch together." You look back at Alexandra telling her about your pregnancy.

"My niece needs to have the best of the best. Oscar and I were looking at the McLaren merch to see if the factory can make baby versions of it." Carlos didn't care what Lando was saying because all of his attention was on you. Oscar's hands were wrapped around you and your midsection. "Carlos are you listening?"

"Yeah," Carlos coughs. "Congrats on your pregnancy Y/N and Oscar." Carlos says and leaves the McLaren room.

Shirts off, and your friends lift you up over their heads Beer sticking to the floor Cheers chanted, cause they said There was no chance, trying to be The greatest in the league Where's the trophy? He just comes running over to me

It was the end of the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles had won the race and Oscar was in second place. As soon as Oscar parked his car and ran out to you so he can hug and kiss. All cameras were on you two as this was the first time you were showing your baby bump to the public. Before Oscar went up to the podium, he kneeled down and kiss your baby bump.

The rest of the McLaren plus Lando, lifted Oscar away from you so that he can get to the podium. There Oscar and Charles got their trophies while you and Alexandra were smiling happily at them. Once the national anthems were played, the drivers got to spray each other with champagne.

There's no chance to be the greatest in league due to Max's dominance in F1, but you knew Oscar was on a high right now in life. From getting married, to soon having a baby girl, and now getting his first podium of the season. Life was just beautiful.

These blokes warm the benches We been on a winning streak He jokes that it's heroin but this time with an "E"

Once Charles was done with his post race interview, the interviewer starts talking to Oscar. "Congrats Oscar on your first podium of the season and becoming a father soon. It's amazing how these two happened weeks apart."

"Thank you for the congratulations. From getting married at my home country, to finding out we'll be having a baby girl, to now getting my first podium of the season. I'm truly on a high with life right now." Oscar smiles at the camera knowing that you're watching the post race interview with Lando.

"Right now McLaren is in 3rd place for constructor's standings compared to last year's standings at 6th place. Tell me what you and Lando are doing for the team." The interviewer asks.

"Well Lando has been on a winning streak getting podiums after China but to be honest we're not doing anything different. It's all my wife's doing. I joke with her that she's like heroin but this time with an 'E' at the end." Everyone except for Carlos in the room laughs at Oscar's little joke.

"And soon you're going to be having a baby girl." Charles adds to the conversation. "You'll have two lucky charms on track." They both smile at the interviewer before they move on to Carlos' interview.

This happens once every few lifetimes

yourinstagram this happens once every few lifetimes 🌊 ✨

tagged oscarpiastri

oscarpiastri thank god for the alchemy or else our love would've never created this ✨

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taylorswift congrats mama can't wait to meet her

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user1 mother swift approves of oscar and y/n using the alchemy lyrics 🥹

user2 MOTHER IS ACTUALLY BECOMING A MOTHER AHHHHH

mclaren BABY PAPAYA COMING SOON 🥺👶🧡✨

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oscarpiastri baby papaya coming soon 🧡

tagged yourinstagram

mclaren baby papaya is already so loved by the mclaren family 🥺🧡

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racerbia yay! i get to be a tita aunt to a little papaya 🧡

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landonorris IM CALLING DIBS ON BEING THE GOD FATHER

yourinstagram i already picked a god father and it isnt you landonorris WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT ISN'T ME? charlesleclerc it's me and alex landonorris WHAT!! @/yourinstagram @/oscarpiastri say sike 😭 oscarpiastri she's messing around with you of course your the god father landonorris thank god 😅 charlesleclerc have another one already so i can be the god father to that one yourinstagram LET ME HAVE MY BABY FIRST

user1 not lando and charles fighting over who's gonna be the god father 🤣

user2 i love how they’re calling the baby "baby papaya" instead of "baby piastri" 🥺

f1news BABY PAPAYA COMING SOON: After Oscar's first podium of the season, the couple has announced that they are expecting their first bundle of joy weeks after getting married. The driver had made it know that Y/N Piastri, his wife and teammate's sister, was expecting after running to her before he went on the podium.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Piastri on your bundle of joy!

user1 OSCAR MOVING IN THE FAST LANE WHILE CARLOS IS GETTING HIS HEART PUNCTURED LIKE HIS TIRE 🤣

user2 wonder how carlos is feeling after seeing his ex fiance go from getting married to now being pregnant in a span of a few weeks

user3 who cares because he missed his shot of having this in his life

user4 did you see that carlos was about to cry while oscar was talking about y/n and the baby? 😭

tagged: @omgsuperstarg @splaterparty0-0 @2pagenumb @c-losur3

[noneorother]

The grand unified theory of Good Omens S2 - A Detour! We all misunderstood the Bentley scene, and it's going to blow your mind. *Part 5*

Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 4 l Part 5 l The End?

Welcome to the Bonkers Meta Series featuring your favourite Art Director/Clue detective. I have to take a detour around Crowley and the final fifteen, so sorry!

So I'm still trying to wrap my head around WHY the Bentley changes in Scotland, but I think I've worked out what happened in the Bentley as Crowley drives away in the final scene of S2E6. Lots of people have speculated that the music is a last ditch miracle message from Aziraphale, or even the Bentley sticking the boot in, or trying to be consoling. I think it's a gut punch for Crowley, but also... a ✨Clue✨! So we know from the S2E3 that Aziraphael has "trained" (?) the Bentley to play his music that stays his music.

And the next time we hear music in the Bentley it's "Something modern", as Shax is threatening Aziraphale that she knows where Gabriel is. Aziraphale is now making this face :

Also known as the OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT. But then the credits roll, and we are introduced into the 1941* Minisode directly. Which is quite weird, considering the other two historical flashbacks we get are preceded with Aziraphale interacting with something and then *remembering* because it jogs his brain. If we roll over the 1941 Minisode we get this scene directly after it. Aziraphale is parking the Bentley and makes this face.

Also known as the Wasn't that a fun jaunt. And then precedes to NOT TELL CROWLEY ABOUT SHAX. It's like he's forgotten the threat ever happened. So the Bentley goes back to where it was parked after being scolded, and no one uses the radio again (Crowley does drive it but there's no music playing at the beginning of S2E5, my bad!). No one has used the radio since Aziraphale got out of the car in the end of S2E4. So here's the bonkers part.

I think Aziraphale played A Nightingale Sang in Barkley Square to calm himself down on his way back to tell Crowley about Shax, and it triggered the Minisode/memory about 1941. Then when Crowley drives his car for the final time, the radio starts up where Aziraphale last left it when he parked it before the ball.

So Crowley is hearing that when Aziraphale was driving back from Scotland, he was playing their love song. Which he really can't handle right now, and turns it off.

BUT BUT BUT. How do I know it's their love song? If I'm right about it triggering the 1941 minisode/memory, then that means that the song was a record of that story, just like the book of Job or Aziraphale's journal, but it's been erased. Want to know which scene in S2E4 HAS NO MUSIC?

Yeah that's what I thought. Not a date my ass. ___________________________ *If you want, I have more on the 1941 Minisode and it's altered state in Episode 2 of this series.

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 02x26 - Jogress Evolution! Now, with Hearts United! / United We Stand

Previously on Digimon Adventure: After seeing how Ken totally killed that guy, Daisuke decided he likes Ken now. Miyako agreed but waffled on it for so long that Mimi had to come back from America to approach Ken for her.

According to Dub Narrator, there is one question for today's episode to answer: Will Ken join the Chosen Children/DigiDestined? I have a good feeling about this one.

As an aside, the OP has been very slightly altered to add some new details. The four new Adult evolutions have been added to it, as have the mystery woman and her partner we haven't met yet. Near the end of the OP when all the Chosen Children are running towards the camera with their Digimon, Ken and Wormmon have been added to the group. And it also ends with flashes of all the other evolutions that will be acquired for the rest of the series. Ahh, Japanese OP spoilers.

We open in the Digital World continuing the reconstruction. Today's project is to rebuild a large bridge that had a chunk taken out of its midsection by the fighting at some point.

(This is the real reason Ken won't join us. He wants to skip the tedious construction labor. He'll sign on once we're done with this.)

Daisuke's about to lift another of the stones they're using for the bridge when he suddenly has a better idea.

Daisuke: We should take a break soon. Iori: Right!

The team retires up the hill to sit down and relax. Miyako breaks out her usual bag of I-Mart merchandise for the Digimon to dive into.

Digimon/Hawkmon: Nom nom nom / So good!

She watches the Digimon for a moment before turning her attention to the group. She has something she wants to get off her chest.

Miyako: By the way, something's been bothering me for a while now. HIkari: What is it? Miyako: That woman Palmon mentioned a while back. Who was she?

A good question. I do wonder how long this has been burning in Miyako's brain. She only gives a timeframe of この前 kono mae which means "Recently", so episode 25 could have been yesterday or a week ago, who knows.

The dub takes advantage of a panning shot of the bridge at the start to add some argument.

(Rock impact sound) Davis: Ow! Shurimon, watch what you're doing! Shurimon: You don't have to yell at me! (Shurimon leaps out of frame) Davis: He's right. We need a rest. Cody: I'm with you.

It's awkward but what I think they're going for is that Davis hurt Shurimon's feelings so Shurimon stormed off to go take a break, and then Davis realized the rest of them could use a break too.

(Digimon snack) Hawkmon: Uh, do you have an Worcestershire? (Yolei watches, then looks at the others) Yolei: Kari, I wonder... Do you think it's possible that Ken's in some kind of danger? Kari: What do you mean? Yolei: That woman that Palmon was telling us about. I just know that she's up to no good and I think he might be in her way.

Miyako doesn't really need a justifying reason to be curious about the mystery woman. She just is. Yolei only brings up the mystery woman because she's worried for Ken's wellbeing.

This change might be for the segue. We transition from here to Ken standing in front of a Dark Tower, contemplating recent events. He, too, is wondering about the mystery woman.

Wormmon: What are you looking at? Ken: How does this become a Digimon? Wormmon: Do you know something about it?

Ken steps forward and places his hand on the Tower's smooth surface. Then, after a moment, he pulls away.

Ken: No. I don't. The old me, the Kaiser, might have been able to understand it. But the way I am now, I can't possibly comprehend it. Wormmon: (nervous) Ken-chan... Do you want to go back to being the Digimon Kaiser? Ken: No! That's not what I meant. Back then, there was a clarity to my mind that made me feel like I could understand anything. But I couldn't understand the one thing more important than any other. Wormmon: ...? Ken: Right now, there's only one thing I can say for certain. Wormmon: Ken-chan.... Ken: I was the one who built this.

Ken doesn't clarify what the most important thing is but after everything we've been through with him these past few episodes, I think we know.

This is a strong scene for Ken. We can feel the weight of his guilt and his conviction in equal measure. I talked last episode about portraying ex-villains as just being sad to get audience sympathy, and this is a good counterexample.

We do feel how much Ken's heart aches for the things he's done here, but the point isn't just that he's sad about how evil he is. Instead, he offers an examination of what it felt like to be the Digimon Kaiser, an admission that he does feel more limited now that he isn't the Kaiser, and also a reassurance that he has no desire to go back. This is a moment of genuine emotional reflection.

There's a substance here that isn't found in just having him say things like "No one understands me! I'm a bad boy."

In the dub:

Wormmon: Look on the bright side, Ken. At least no one will ever say you think small! Ken: You certainly have a good point. Wormmon: Just trying to help. (Ken puts a hand on the Control Spire) Wormmon: Don't touch it! It's-- Ken: --pure evil. They're my creation. But even I don't understand how Arukenimon can take one of my Control Spires and somehow turn it into a Digimon!

Uh, we don't know that name yet and neither does Ken. She's just the mystery woman, Dub Team. Though the dub does have an explanation for why Ken knows it. We'll get to that.

Ken: I don't get it, Wormmon. When I was the Digimon Emperor, I understood this sort of thing. But nothing makes sense to me now! Wormmon: Earth to Ken: You're a genius. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Ken: Thanks, pal. I'm glad someone still has faith in me. Now I just have to have faith in myself. Since I was the one who built these things, you'd think I would have some kind of clue as to how they work. But I don't. I don't! As the Digimon Emperor, I was a genius. Now I'm just plain Ken.... Wormmon: That's a relief. Ken: Yeah, as far as you're concerned. But what about the Digital World? Wormmon: They'll get over it! Ken: Wormmon... Looking at these things makes me sick to my stomach. Wormmon: Oh, great. Stick your head between your knees and take a deep breath.

Dub Ken does sound like he wants to go back to being the Emperor. Like. He says it's good for Wormmon's sake that he's not the Emperor but bad for the rest of the Digital World. That's a really weird take, my guy.

There's a lot of "Poor Sad Ken" dialogue in this bit too. Special mention to the part where he says "I'm glad someone still has faith in me" about Wormmon one episode after Davis and Yolei made it pretty clear that they're chomping at the bit to bring him onboard.

Wormmon: I'm sorry. If only I was stronger, this would never have happened to you, Ken-chan.

At the sound of those words, Ken whips around, his eyes full of heartache for his Partner. He kneels down to get on Wormmon's level and grips Wormmon's front legs.

Ken: It's not your fault, Wormmon. I'm the one to blame. Wormmon: Ken-chan, let's rebuild the Digital World together, okay? Ken: Heh... Thank you, Wormmon. Wormmon: (fierce) I'm gonna bring all those Dark Towers crashing to the ground!

In the dub:

Wormmon: This whole thing is my fault. (Ken whips around and kneels down) Ken: Aww... How many times do I have to tell you, it's not your fault. There are people you can talk to about this stuff! Wormmon: Then why didn't you talk to them before becoming the Digimon Emperor? It had to be easier than building Control Spires. Ken: Excellent question, Wormmon. Wormmon: Alright, if you can't figure out how they work then I'll just have to knock them all down!

Dub Team uses this space to say that Ken should have just gone to therapy and then the whole plot could have been avoided. Abridged Parody-ass dialogue.

Back at the now-completed bridge, the Chosen Children take a moment to appreciate their work.

Iori: It's done! Daisuke: Sure is! All our hard work paid off, huh? Takeru: That's right! Miyako: So, since we're done here, ON TO THE NEXT ONE!!! Group: YEAH!!!

The Chosen Children celebrate their victory and head off. But they aren't alone. Watching from a nearby hillside, the mystery woman files her nails and grumbles to herself.

Woman: After all the work we put into destroying the Digital World... How irritating. Human children are so utterly useless, to say nothing of their interference.

She runs her hand through her hair, only for a clump to break off. It's not super clear whether she was trying to pluck a strand for her Dark Tower trick or if she was just being dramatic. Letting go of it, she inspects the hair left on her head for a moment.

Woman: A split end?

She's not having a good day. She sighs and slumps over for a moment. Then she's ready to try again.

Woman: (furious) That does it!

This time, she cleanly plucks a strand of hair and forms it into a needle. Tossing it into the air, she lets the needle drift in the air until it plunges into a nearby Dark Tower.

The dub uses the completed bridge as an opportunity to dunk on Davis.

Cody: It seems sturdy enough. Davis: Of course it is! What do you mean by that, anyway? Don't you think I know what I'm doing? T.K.: You said it! Yolei: Yeah! Even if it is what we were all thinking. Davis: Hey! That rockslide thing wasn't my fault! It was Flamedramon's! Flamedramon: Was not! Davis: Was too! Flamedramon: Was not! Davis: Was too! Flamedramon: Was not! Davis: Was too!

Consequently, they depart with no clear indication of their destination. I guess they're going home? That would be the natural assumption.

The dub takes its first commercial break here. When we come back, Davis and Flamedramon are still going at it.

Flamedramon: Was not! Davis: Was too! Gatomon: (irritated) You two would make good scratching posts. Arukenimon: Those meddling kids... Just when I had the Digital World so deliciously destroyed, too. (Arukenimon runs her hand through her hair and breaks off a clump) Arukenimon: Oh, what's this? A split end? (Arukenimon inspects her hair) Arukenimon: How did this happen? Intolerable! Ugh.... (Arukenimon slumps over and sighs) Arukenimon: That's enough! Now it's personal! SPIRIT NEEDLE!!!

The timing of the split end bit is a bit off. She says "What's this, a split end?" while her hand is still moving through her hair, right before the clump breaks off and gives her the split end in question.

I do like the absurdity of "Now it's personal!" The original line is simply "むかつく Mukatsuku", an emotional expression of outrage, disgust, or offense. "Screw this!" "Fuck you!" Etc. The woman isn't so much saying words as just making angry word noises.

She accidentally pulled out a chunk of her hair, looked at it in her hand, and did the "REEEEEEEEEEE" raptor screech.

The direction the dub takes that outburst in is having Arukenimon blame the children for the fact that she accidentally messed up her own hair while stalking them. That's funny. XD

The Dark Tower morphs into the shape of a minotaur Digimon.

With visible zipper going up the midsection.

At her command, the creature slides down to the riverside and stomps towards the bridge. As he marches, he lets out a loud, guttural groan.

While the Chosen Children are heading out, Takeru suddenly hears the groan. He whips aroun, spotting the vague silhouette of the Digimon approaching the bridge.

Takeru: That's.... Daisuke: Huh? What is that? Iori: It's moving towards the bridge we just fixed up. Hikari: It's not going to destroy it, right? Miyako: (groan) But we just.... V-mon: Daisuke! Daisuke: Yeah! DIGIMENTAL UP!!!

Daisuke opts for mobility to get in there quick, evolving V-mon into Raidramon.

In the dub, Davis and Veemon are still arguing.

Arukenimon: Go. That bridge offends me. (Digimon slides into riverside and stomps towards river) Veemon: But you said, "Give me the rock on the bottom"! Davis: Did not! Digimon: HROOOOOARGH!!! T.K.: Huh!? What's he think he's doing!? Davis: Looks like he's headed for the bridge! Cody: Maybe he's just admiring the detailed architecture. Kari: Yeah, or a way to blow it up. Yolei: No! Not again! Veemon: Davis! Davis: Yeah! DIGI-ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!

I've been holding back on mentioning it because I wanted to see if the trend continues but the dub is getting better at catching the important non-dialogue noises. I feel like psychic premonitions are becoming fewer and farther between.

The enemy Digimon reaches the bridge and pounds that metal chunk mounted on their left arm into it. I pegged that as a minigun but it's actually a set of rapid-fire pistons for smashing.

Minotaurmon is an Adult-stage Virus-attribute Beastman Digimon. They are the second-to-last of the Digimon introduced in the Sega Saturn version of the V-Pet, which also gave us Tailmon and her evolutions. They were originally a Perfect evolution for Evilmon, but have been pretty consistently downgraded to Adult in subsequent appearances.

Their name requires a judgment call because, as with Centarumon, it's not spelled correctly. The word is ミノタウロス Minotaurosu, the Japanese word for the Latin "Minotauros". While the Digimon is named ミノタルモン Minotarumon, lacking the ウ u that should come before ル ru.

It's clearly supposed to be Minotaurmon. But it's Minotarmon. Do we let it slide?

...eh, sure. it'll make it easier to justify the leniency I'm gonna give the mystery woman later. The clock is ticking to when we finally have to talk about her name.

Narrator: Minotaurmon! Adult level. Their special attack is Darkside Quake!

I would say "Thanks, informative" all sarcastic like but clarifying that this originally Perfect Digimon is Adult for our purposes is actually pretty informative.

Fortunately, the narrator has good news for the team because Minotaurmon has been downgraded to Adult for this episode.

Daisuke arrives a moment later to find MInotaurmon.

Daisuke: Hey! The hell are you doing!? Raidramon: LIGHTNING BLADE!!!

Raidramon lunges and fires at Minotaurmon. Minotaurmon turns, parries the shot with their smashing arm, then follows up by parrying Raidramon himself straight into the river. In the process revealing that I have been way underestimating Minotaurmon's height.

In the dub, Minotarumon calls his attack.

Minotarumon: EARTHQUAKE DRILL!!! Raidramon: (rundown) Minotarumon is a Champion Digimon with a nasty left jab! His Earthquake Drill will turn that bridge into stepping stones! Davis: Not my bridge! Get him! Raidramon: THUNDER BLAST!!!

Thanks, Davis. I always like when the characters react to the diegetic rundown. It's fun.

Daisuke's attempt to thwart Minotaurmon did not go well, but it doesn't take long for the rest of the team to arrive.

Takeru: DAISUKE-KUN!!!

Takeru comes running, followed shortly after by the rest of the team. He finds Daisuke and Raidramon in the river.

Takeru: Are you okay? Daisuke: Takeru! This thing really is trying to wreck the bridge we just fixed!

While Daisuke's briefing the others, Raidramon lunges from the river at Minotaurmon's back. Minotaurmon swats him away so effortlessly that it's downright comical.

At the same time, finding out Minotaurmon's intentions makes Miyako feral.

Miyako: WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THAT!?!? HAWKMON!!! Hawkmon: Right!

Quickly evolving to his Adult form, Aquilamon grabs onto Minotaurmon's shoulders and lifts. He succeeds in hoisting the wriggling bovine up into the air before Minotaurmon's wriggling causes him to lose his group. Minotaurmon comes crashing down hard onto the bridge, smashing a much larger section of it than they had managed to break on their own.

Miyako sheepishly facepalms. We are not doing a very good job of protecting this bridge. F job all around. Daisuke's completely ineffectual and Miyako's making it worse.

The dub uses this as a chance to dunk on Davis some more.

T.K.: Davis! Taking a swim? Davis: Very funny, T.P.! A little help here!? (Raidramon tries again and gets easily knocked away) Yolei: (feral) DAVIS IS GONNA MESS THIS UP AGAIN!!! HAWKMON!!! Hawkmon: My pleasure! (Aquilamon evolves to Adult) Aquilamon: That's enough! (Aquilamon lifts Minotarumon, who wriggles and falls into the bridge) Yolei: Ah! Oy vey....

Apparently Yolei is Jewish.

Not a fan of changing Miyako's feral outrage at Minotaurmon's destructive intentions to Yolei's feral outrage at Davis's incompetence.

Aquilamon's attack did worse than just failing but he did rip chunks out of Minotaurmon's shoulders when they fell from his grip. Part of their outer aesthetic has been torn away, revealing Dark Tower substance underneath.

Hikari: Is that...!? Iori: A Dark Tower! Takeru: It's another Dark Tower! Hikari: Tailmon! Takeru: Patamon! Hikari & Takeru: DIGIMENTAL UP!!! (Nefertimon & Pegasmon Armor Evolve) Nefertimon & Pegasmon: SANCTUARY BIND!!!

Before Minotaurmon can get to their feet, the golden lasso wraps around them and binds their arms. Minotaurmon roars an angry moo in protest.

Raidramon explodes from the water for a third attempt.

Raidramon: BLUE THUNDER!!!

Unable to defend themselves, Minotaurmon has no choice but to take Blue Thunder head on. They let out one last roar of pain as the electricity courses through them, and then they're vaporized. Another Dark Tower destroyed.

Sanctuary Bind remains OP.

In the dub:

Kari: Hold on! That thing's a Control Spire! Cody: It's not real.... T.K.: It's real enough! LET'S GET HIM!!! Kari: You got it! T.K.: You ready!? Kari & T.K.: DIGI-ARMOR ENERGIZE!!! (Nefertimon and Pegasusmon evolve) Nefertimon & Pegasusmon: GOLDEN NOOSE!!! (Golden Noose restrains Minotarumon) Raidramon: THUNDER BLAST!!! (Thunder Blast kills Minotarumon)

Either Cody started existentially dissociating about Minotarumon or T.K. misunderstood his intentions with that statement. A little awkward that "Let's fight this guy harder" is presented as a counterargument against him being a Control Spire.

With Minotaurmon destroyed, we've won! Hooray! VICTORY FOR--

Daisuke: YES!!! WE DID--eugh....

Oh. Right. Having cool anime battles isn't our actual job here. Daisuke's jubilation is abruptly cut off when he realizes the extent of the damage Minotaurmon Aquilamon, honestly, inflicted on the bridge. A couple of rocks fall into the water from the crater Minotaurmon left behind.

Daisuke returns topside before dropping to his knees at the edge of the crater and crying.

Daisuke: Agh, we worked so hard on that.... T_T Takeru: We'll just have to start over. Hikari: As long as we all work together, it will be fine. We can rebuild it. Iori: Armadimon and I are ready to do what we need to do. Miyako: Me too, though I'm not happy about it. ^_^;; Daisuke: (sigh) As long as we work together, huh?

Daisuke isn't happy about it either. Motivation to re-rebuild this bridge isn't high, but the team is ready to re-knuckle down and redo what needs redoing.

Suddenly, all this talk about working together gives Daisuke an idea.

Daisuke: Hey, let's get Ichijouji Ken to help out too. Group: Eh!? Daisuke: I'm sure he'd come help if we asked him to. Iori: Well... I don't know if that's true.

We proved last episode that it is, but Iori has his feelings on the matter.

Daisuke: Iori, you don't agree, do you? Iori: No. I don't see things the way you do, Daisuke-san.

Still advocating in Ken's corner, Daisuke wants to use the reconstruction of this physical bridge as an opportunity to help repair the emotional bridge between Ken and the others. I see what you did there, Daisuke.

In the dub:

Davis: HA, NOW YOU'RE TALKING-- Huh? (Pan up to the damaged bridge) Davis & Raidramon: OH NO!!! Davis: It looks like he took a big bite out of it!

XD It does. It absolutely does. That got me.

(Cut to Davis on the bridge with the others) Davis: Agh, I feel so violated.... T_T T.K.: We still respect you. Kari: That's right, Davis. We're just gonna have to rebuild it again. And it'll be easier this time! Cody: She's right, you know. We really learned a lot from all our mistakes. Yolei: Yeah! And this will give you a chance to make new mistakes! Davis: Aww... But I liked my old mistakes better....

XD Again, that was pretty good. We're still dunking on Davis for shits and giggles, but it does hit the key points of a) we have to re-rebuild the bridge and b) that sucks.

Davis: Huh? Hey! Speaking of mistakes, we should ask Ken to help! Group/Yolei: KEN!?!? / Are you out of your mind!? Davis: Thanks for the support. Seriously, I bet he'd jump at the chance to help us! Cody: I don't know. I don't trust him! Davis: You may be right, but he's the only one who can help. Cody: Well... I'm just not comfortable around him. It's hard for people to really change. I think it's too risky.

We're talking about doing architecture.

"He's the only one who can help" and "I think it's too risky" are both a little overdramatic for the subject of whether we should have Ken carry rocks.

I do like that Cody specifies, "I'm not comfortable around him." This isn't really a tactical consideration; Iori just hates Ken's fucking guts. Overdramatic or not, that comes through well with this line from Cody.

Faced with the troubled expressions on the rest of the team, Daisuke decides to come clean about where exactly he's coming from with his advocacy for Ken.

Daisuke: You know, I heard it back then. Iori: What's that?

Daisuke flashes back on receiving the Digimental of Miracles from the generator room inside the Digimon Kaiser's base.

Daisuke: Back when Ichijouji's Crest of Kindness changed into a golden Digimental... I didn't really understand what it was saying, but I knew it was asking me for something.

Returning to the present, the others watch silently as Daisuke explains himself.

Daisuke: I don't know how to put this into words, or how to say it. I just felt like I could trust that Crest. I don't really get it, but I felt like that was Ichijouji's heart. Hikari: So you're saying that you know what's in Ichijouji's heart, Daisuke-kun? Daisuke: Well, when you put it like that.... Takeru: Maybe you understand it, Daisuke-kun, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

Daisuke bares his soul for Ken, but Hikari and Takeru remain reluctant to go along with Ken being our reconstruction buddy now.

His reasoning makes sense for him. It explains where he's coming from and ties into Ken's own soul-searching mission in episode 23, where he finally found his heart in the Crest and Wormmon.

Reminder that in Japanese, the heart is your full range of expression and identity and feelings. Daisuke feels that he got a glimpse at Ken's truest, most innermost self. He believes the Crest, not the Kaiser, is the truest expression of Ken's identity, of his soul. And what he saw there is what's giving him faith now that we can build this bridge and make a connection between Ken and the other Chosen Children. That Ken can come back from all this.

Meanwhile, this all goes right over Miyako's head. She lets out a big yawn, then starts in on the others.

Miyako: Come on, let's think simply about this. Crests and hearts... do we really have to make it so complicated?

Of course, she's already on the Pro-Ken side so who cares if she gets it or not. XD

In the dub:

Davis: You've got a point, but I have a good feeling about him, Cody. Cody: (skeptical) Really? But why, Davis? Davis: The Digi-Egg. If you had seen what I saw, you'd believe in him too. (Flashback) Davis: I mean, his Crest of Kindness turned into a golden Digi-Egg! It was the most amazing thing! You're gonna think I'm crazy when I say this but I guess you already think I'm crazy so here goes: That Digi-Egg believed in him and it was like it was telling me I could believe in him too! It almost felt like... It was asking me to go ahead and trust him!

It was. With words.

During the dub of episode 20, the voice Daisuke heard coming from the Digimental got left on the cutting room floor. Davis never heard anything of the sort. So the dub has to do some awkward talking around it now that the voice's unheard words are suddenly critical to Daisuke/Davis's character motivation.

The Digi-Egg believed in Ken, which Davis just... felt... somehow.

Davis: I know that's not very logical but then again, neither am I! All I know is, he has to have the Crest of Kindness for a reason. And what about his Digimon? He believes in him too!

Wormmon believed in Ken when he was actively kicking and whipping him. I don't think that's the hill you want to die on. Like Wormmon actually did!

Davis: I think it's because Wormmon knew what was in his heart! He's good, I know it. Kari: But what if you're wrong, Davis? And besides, he's made it clear he doesn't want to be part of our team. Davis: Yeah, I know. But I'm an optimist. T.K.: Goodie for you but realistically, he could still be bad to the bone! I think Cody is right! He usually is. (Big yawn from Yolei) Yolei: I'm bored and all this talk isn't getting us anywhere. Don't forget that crazy white-haired chick is still out there and she's up to no good!

White-haired chick? Yolei, when did you ever lay eyes on Arukenimon? I guess Palmon might have given them a physical description to go off of. That makes sense.

More pressingly, the dub is re-e-eally hoping you won't remember that they made T.K. say last episode, and I quote: "I think everyone deserves a second chance, Patamon. Even Ken! I believe that he's sorry for what he's done and it's time we forgive him and let bygones be bygones. I hope he forgives himself...."

Hey. Hey, maybe don't go off-script to deliver platitudes to the audience. That speech from T.K. has basically been rendered non-canon by his sentiments in this one.

Back in the computer clubroom, Koushiro notices a strange pulse on the map of the Digital World.

Koushiro: (gasp) What's that?

The discussion in the Digital World is suddenly cut short by an email alert chime from Iori's D-Terminal.

Iori: It's from Koushiro-san. Koushiro: A strange anomaly is occurring nearby! Please investigate it urgently! Iori: The Power of Darkness seems to be growing! Daisuke: Let's check it out!

That last part from Iori was not in the email; That's his assessment of the strange reading that Koushiro's received. A sudden surge of Dark Power is concentrating in the Digital World.

In the dub, there is no email alert tone. Instead, Davis provides his own when Cody opens the D-Terminal.

Izzy: (gasp) What's that!? (Email, rewritten to be in English) Davis: Huh!? Cody: It's a message from Izzy! Izzy: I'm getting a real bizarre signal. It's not too far from you. Check it out! Cody: Hey, it looks like the sector where Ken's base went down! Davis: Let's get moving!

It is, yes. Cody's line here is a lot less cryptic. Thus far, we've only had 暗黒のパワー Ankoku no Pawaa brought up in the Chimeramon arc, so it follows that he's referring to that. But it still comes a little out of left field when he suddenly says 暗黒のパワー Ankoku no Pawaa is increasing.

Returning to Ken and Stingmon, we arrive just in time to watch Stingmon knock down a Dark Tower.

Ken: Thanks. You must be getting tired. Stingmon: No, I'm good to keep going. Ken: But there's always tomorrow. We can stop here for the day.

As Ken speaks, we see a field of destroyed Dark Towers that Stingmon's left in his wake. Amazing how much easier destroying them is when you don't have a dozen Evil Ring Digimon jumping down your throat every time you approach one.

Ken wins the discussion and Stingmon reverts to Wormmon. Walking through the rubble field, they continue talking.

Ken: Are you okay? Wormmon: I'm fine, Ken-chan! You worry too much. Ken: I just wish there was more I could do. Wormmon: You being here is the reason I can evolve, Ken-chan. So don't worry about it! Ken: Let's go home and eat our fill. Wormmon: YEAH!!!

It's interesting to note that although Ken isn't rebuilding bridges and towns, he is cleaning up the mess he left in the Digital World another way. Even setting aside the dangers of what the mystery woman can do with these Dark Towers, tearing them down is still a public good.

Even inactive, they're still hideous symbols of oppression.

In the dub:

(Control Spire falls) Stingmon: And another one bites the dust! Ken: Ready to take a break, Stingmon? Stingmon: I guess I've wreaked enough havoc for one day. I want a bath.... Ken: No offense, but you really need one. (Cut to Ken and Wormmon walking through the rubble field) Wormmon: Please, Ken, slow down. I have awfully short legs, you know. And not to put too fine a point on it, but these Spires you built have splinters.... Ken: Sorry, Wormmon. This isn't exactly Sunday in the park, is it? Wormmon: Now that's a great idea. You see? You're still a genius. Let's have ice cream sundaes in the park. Ken: That does sound good, but would you settle for half a jelly roll at home? Wormmon: Yummy!

In the original, Wormmon's loving this. He is all about evolving into his Adult form and tearing down the fruit of the Digimon Kaiser's ambitions. It's probably cathartic for him.

He doesn't want to stop, but he reluctantly agrees to do so and assures Ken that just being here and facilitating his awesomeness is contribution enough. In an odd way, Ken and Wormmon have sort of switched roles, with Ken now tagging along to facilitate Wormmon's (righteous) carnage.

The dub takes that enthusiasm away from him, characterizing him as the same long-suffering and pitiful Wormmon we've always known. Just. Like. With a Partner who actually cares about him now.

Meanwhile, Daisuke and the others arrive in the desert at the final resting place of what was once the Digimon Kaiser's base.

Daisuke, Hikari, and Takeru got here on the backs of their transport Armor Evolutions, but Aquilamon's way bigger than Horusmon so Iori and Armadimon hitched a ride with Miyako.

Miyako: This is where the trouble's coming from. Koushiro: Negative energy is concentrating in that location. If this goes on, the ensuing explosion will cover hundreds of kilometers in every direction. Daisuke: AN EXPLOSION!?!? Takeru: EH!?!? Koushiro: We have to find a way to stop this. Iori: Stop it? But how?

It doesn't take Daisuke long to diagnose the problem here. Considering for a moment, it suddenly hits him.

Daisuke: (gasp) It must be because we removed the Crest of Kindness. If we put it back, that should stop it. Iori: But that's....

Faced with the sight of the Kaiser's fortress, there's no mystery to what this accumulation of Dark Power is. The reactor is melting down. And, unfortunately, only one person is in possession of the means to stop it and that person is not present. Nor do many of us want him to be.

Without waiting for permission, Daisuke begins typing out a message on his D-Terminal.

Miyako: What are you doing, Daisuke? Daisuke: I'm sending a message. I'm going to have Ichijouji bring us the Crest of Kindness!

And with that declaration, we break for commercial.

HEY KIDS IS YOUR COUNTRY HAUNTED BY THE SCARS OF NUCLEAR WAR??? Buy ChuChu Jelly today at your local corner store.

As a side note, the fansub for this one massively lowballed the blast radius. "A few dozen miles" is underselling the severity of 数百キロ suu hyaku kiro, or "several hundred kilometers". Even accounting for the fact that a kilometer is about 0.6 of a mile, if it's more than two hundred, "dozens of miles" doesn't cut it.

In the dub:

Yolei: What's going on? Can you tell? Izzy: My theory is that a major power source is about to melt down. If you guys don't shut it down, and I mean fast, it'll explode! Davis: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, EXPLODE!?!? T.K.: HUH!?!? Izzy: I mean explode! You know, BOOM!!! Cody: This is bad, but what can we do?

The animation accidentally tricked the Dub Team here. Miyako and Daisuke have their D-Terminals out as they talk. They're talking to their D-Terminals and Koushiro's talking to his computer. They're all dictating the messages they're sending back and forth conversationally for the sake of the scene's flow.

But the dub takes that to literally mean they're on a phone call with each other, a function the D-Terminal doesn't possess.

Koushiro's second line plays over a shot of the Kaiser's base. So, for Izzy's line, they put a filter over his voice to make it sound like it's coming out of a speaker on the D-Terminal. Their hearts are in the right place with that one. A for effort.

Davis: Ohh! The Crest of Kindness! I'll bet it's because Ken's Crest isn't there anymore! I don't care what anyone says! We need Ken's help and we need it NOW!!! Cody: But Davis.... Yolei: ...shouldn't we talk about this? Davis: We just DID!!! You guys are going to have to trust me on this! I know I'm right and we don't have much time!

The dub also takes its second commercial break here.

Davis's characterization here is pretty much perfect, and since he carries the scene, it goes strong.

Yolei sounds too negative about the prospect of bringing Ken here. As of last episode, she's supposed to be on the Pro-Ken side. Literally had a whole episode reckoning with her feelings on the topic of Ken. Miyako's question, "What are you doing?" was one of curiosity, not hesitation or criticism.

The biggest problem with the dub script, however, is with the blast radius. The Emperor's base is going to explode somewhere deep in the desert, but the dub script fails to establish the scope of the blast. Without that, we don't know the stakes.

Base is going to explode in an empty patch of desert: Cool. Who cares? Let it burn.

Base is going to explode in an empty patch of desert, which will wipe out several hundred kilometers in every direction: OH FUCK OH FUCK OH FUCK

The scope of the blast is critical here.

Coming back from commercial, we find Ken and Wormmon chilling at home when an unexpected message arrives.

Unexpected. Adjective. "NOT the one you might have expected."

Ken's got what looks to be three slices of fruitcake on a plate, plus a glass of orange juice.

Wormmon: Ken-chan, can we split this? Ken: Of course.

As Ken's answering, a computer beep comes from behind him. Wormmon's excitement fades and his face softens with worry.

Wormmon: Ah.... Ken: What's wrong?

Ken turns around to see the mystery woman on his monitor, sending a transmission from somewhere.

Woman: Nice to see you again. How have you been? Ken: YOU!!!

Ken leaps to his feet, his hands closing into fists. This is the last person he wanted to hear from.

Wormmon: Just ignore her, Ken-chan! Woman: Oh no, am I unwelcome? I'll just excuse myself, then.

She does not end the transmission there but instead just turns around to feign leaving like a dramatic asshole. But Ken falls for it.

Ken: WAIT!!!

The woman stops, turning back to look at the camera.

Woman: You wouldn't be talking to me, would you? Ken: Who the hell are you!? How do you know me!? Woman: Ugh, it's too hot for this. Ken: Where did you come from!? What are you planning for the Digital World!? Woman: Hmm? Who cares? That's not any of your business, is it?

Ever the bastion of wisdom, Wormmon has this pegged from the start. We should just ignore her. All this playing coy that she's doing is clearly to mess with him, though her angle isn't immediately clear. She wouldn't have started this conversation if it didn't benefit her in some way. The correct answer was to let her fuck off.

But Ken just can't help himself. He steps right into the trap in his desperation to understand.

The dub suggests that Ken and Wormmon have already eaten a bunch of the fruitcake, though the food certainly looks untouched.

Wormmon: Hey, Ken? I feel queasy. Ken: Me too. Let's save the rest for later. Wormmon: (audible shivering) Ken: What's wrong?

Rather than a beep, the dub has a larger activation noise. It also comes in during the line, "What's wrong?" Which is after Wormmon reacts to it, so that's awkward.

Arukenimon: My, my, my. Now isn't this just too domestic? Ken: AGH!!! YOU AGAIN!!! (Ken gets up, balling his fists) Wormmon: Oh please, Ken, don't talk to her! Arukenimon: Did I come at a bad time? Well, I'll be going. Bye-bye! (Arukenimon turns to leave) Ken: NO, WAIT!!! (Arukenimon turns back) Arukenimon: Your little friend there is being quite rude. Why should I? Ken: Because you're the one who keeps calling me! What do you want with me!? Arukenimon: What makes you think I want anything from you? Maybe-- Ken: Then why are you bothering me!? What do you plan to do to the Digital World!? Arukenimon: Why, Ken.... What a nosy little boy you are. That's really none of your business, is it?

Arukenimon's frustrating coyness is perfect here.

Original Ken asks some salient questions here. Who are you, what do you want from me, where did you come from all of a sudden, and what are your intentions for the Digital World. These are four incredibly valid questions that Arukenimon more or less baited him into using this opportunity to ask her.

Dub Ken gets out two of them, but he also seems to suggest that Arukenimon routinely makes a habit of chatting him up. That's not a thing in the original; This is a special circumstance. He hasn't exchanged words with her since that night when she showed up and fired him.

There is a reason she's talking to him right now. You might have already guessed what it is.

He also asks, "Why are you bothering me?" even though he's the one who kept this call going. She tricked him into it, of course. But ostensibly, he's now the one leading this conversation. If you don't want to talk to her, my dude, just let her walk away. You're keeping her on the line right now.

In the Digital World, a small explosion suddenly rips out the side of the Kaiser's fortress.

Miyako: That blast just now.... Takeru: That was just a smaller blast leading up to the big explosion. We're running out of time! Daisuke: DAMMIT!!! Why isn't he responding!?

Daisuke's eyes are fixed on his D-Terminal as the clock runs down.

Back in his room, Ken's back-and-forth with the mystery woman continues.

Ken: What do you mean, it's none of my business!? I....

Ken deflates. His rage subsides, replaced by despair.

Ken: I... why...? Why...? Woman: "Why did I become the Digimon Kaiser?" Ken: (gasp) Woman: I can read you like a book.

And now she has him. Hook, line, and sinker.

In the dub:

T.K.: This is crazy! What do you expect us to do, Davis!? Davis: Agh! Where's Ken!? When he was the Emperor, we were always tripping over him!

Well, for the first half of the arc, anyway. Also, I don't hear you proposing any better plans, T.K.

Ken: Of course it's my business! You're using my Control Spires! My cre... ation... My shame.... Arukenimon: You think rather well of yourself, little boy emperor. Ken: Huh? Arukenimon: "Poor me. Why did I do such awful things when I could have used my awesome powers for good?"

I like Ken's counterargument here. Uh, yeah, he made the Control Spires so he does have a solid claim to involvement here. Original Ken just spirals into despair when he's told to butt out, but Dub Ken gets out a solid point before joining him.

Too bad he didn't read his contract. The company retains legal ownership of the Control Spires even after his termination of employment. Too bad, so sad. She did a capitalism to his ass.

Splitting the word "creation" into the gap between "僕は Boku wa..." and "どうして Doushite...?" puts a noticeable break in the word, and it flows weird. No one would say that word like that.

Suddenly, the phone rings. Though Wormmon is the only one to notice.

Wormmon: Ken-chan, the phone's ringing. Woman: Well, if you really want to know... Ken: Rrgh... Woman: ...I suppose I could tell you.

Wormmon looks up at Ken, then back down at the phone. Ken isn't paying attention at all. He is hyper-focused on the mystery woman.

Woman: ...do you want to know? Ken: I want to know. Woman: (sharply) Then spin around three times and bark! Ken: What!? Woman: Hehe... You idiot. Anyone could have built the Dark Towers for us. It just so happened that with you, there was a clear opportunity we could exploit. Ken: So you used me?

She's playing you like a fiddle even now, my guy. All the while, the phone keeps right on ringing.

Ken is learning things from this conversation, but what he's learning isn't very pleasant. There was nothing special about him that made him suited to becoming the Digimon Kaiser; He just happened to have been vulnerable at a convenient moment. He isn't special; He was just available.

This was never about him.

In the dub:

Wormmon: Hmm, telephone. Oh, Ken? Arukenimon: (sarcastic) Oh yes, you're so special. Ken: Rrgh.... (Wormmon looks back and forth from Ken to the phone) Wormmon: What now? Arukenimon: The truth is, any pretty little boy would have been as good. Ken: You used me! Arukenimon: Of course I did, you little fool. Ken: RRRGH!!! Arukenimon: Temper, temper! But you always were so easy to manipulate. The perfect toy! Oh, I meant to say "tool". And you thought building the Control Spires was your idea! Ken: What are you talking about!?

Alright, let's look at the key points for Arukenimon to cover here.

-> They were just using Ken to build Control Spires. -> It could have been anyone; Ken isn't special. -> They picked Ken because he was vulnerable at an opportune moment.

The dub hits 2 out of 3. Ken being vulnerable at an opportune moment becomes Ken being easy to manipulate, which is more of an insult than an explanation.

Realizing that Ken's too fixated on the woman to answer the phone, Wormmon does it himself.

Wormmon: Moshimoshi. Ichijouji Ken can't come to the phone right now. Please call back later. Koushiro: Moshimoshi! Is this an answering machine? Wormmon: This is not an answering machine. This is an answering Digimon.

XD Goddammit, Wormmon.

Koushiro: Then you're Ichijouji-kun's Digimon, right? Wormmon: Yes, that's right. But right now, Ken-chan is-- Koushiro: This is an emergency! I need to speak with Ichijouji-kun right away!

Unfortunately, Ken is still presently engaged with the mystery woman.

Woman: It's so easy to exploit the weaknesses that humans possess. You're a perfect example of that. Ken: But why!? Why did it have to be me!? Woman: Didn't I just explain that? It could have been anyone. It was just the luck of the draw. Ken: I don't accept that! I can't accept that answer! Woman: (sigh) What a stubborn child. Calm down before I lose my temper.

Ken rejects the woman's explanation for his choosing and it's... honestly not clear whether he's right to do so. We already know that she's messing with him in order to distract him, so it's equally possible that she's revealing harsh truths or making up a provocative lie.

Her goal is not to inform, but to hold Ken's attention. Whether or not her words are true is beside the point.

In the dub, Wormmon gets an offscreen line just before picking up the phone.

Wormmon: I can't take this anymore. (Wormmon answers the phone) Wormmon: Hello, Ichijouji Residence. I'm sorry, Ken's busy right now. Would you please hang up and try your call again later? Izzy: Are you... the Operator...? Wormmon: No, I'm the Digimon. May I help you? Izzy: You must be Wormmon! You seem bright enough to me! Wormmon: Thank you... I think? What have you heard about me? Izzy: Oh, never mind! This is an emergency! I need to speak to Ken right away!

Dub version of the "answering Digimon" gag is a little awkward. The Operator wouldn't have answered with "Hello, Ichijouji Residence". But they've got the spirit of it.

Not sure what "You seem bright enough to me" is about. Have the others been shit-talking Wormmon to Izzy? That seems to be the implication.

Arukenimon: Humans with something to prove are putty in my hands. You were particularly easy to mold into shape. Ken: But why me? Why did you have to mold me!? Arukenimon: "Why me?" Really? You must stop asking that. I told you it was just a whim. Ken: I am not your whim! And I am not going to let you get away with this! Arukenimon: But you see, I already have. And there's nothing you can do about it! Poor Ken....

*CinemaSins ding* "You won't get away with this" cliche. :P

No, this is fine. No notes. They're off-script but the spirit of the scene is still preserved, and they don't miss any key details here. Arukenimon is just saying shit to hold Ken's attention and Ken is falling for it.

Finally, Wormmon intervenes by yelling at the top of his lungs.

Wormmon: KEN-CHAN!!! KEN-CHAN!!! There's a phone call for you from someone named Izumi Koushiro-san! He says there's a horrible emergency happening in the Digital World! They need your help, Ken-chan!

Ken gasps. Then he puts the pieces together, glaring at the woman on the screen.

Ken: Oh, you piece of shit! WHAT DID YOU DO!?!? Woman: (coy) What do you mean?

Ken takes the phone, listening to Koushiro explain everything while scowling furiously at the mystery woman.

Koushiro: Is this Ichijouji-kun? I think Daisuke-kun should have sent you an email with all the details. You can enter the Digital World by yourself, right? Please hurry! Woman: Oh, what's with that look on your face? Ken: You were stalling to keep me here. Woman: Ahahahaha! And that's why I said you're too soft, little boy. Wormmon: Ken-chan....

One more provocation for the road, but Ken can't stay here and keep dueling blades with her. The mystery woman took this round, but he needs to get going before the damage gets any worse.

Man, it's a good thing someone was able to call Ken on the phone! Which is not a functionality that the D-Terminal possesses, by the way! That's why we needed Koushiro to do it.

In the dub, Wormmon doesn't need to shout to get Ken's attention. I guess he wasn't that distracted.

Wormmon: Oh, just hang up on her. She's not a nice woman and this is important. The Digital World is in trouble, Ken. They need you right away. That boy Davis is sending emails. Ken: (gasp) (Ken turns and yells at the screen) Ken: YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS, DIDN'T YOU!?!? Arukenimon: ...maybe I did. (Ken answers the phone) Izzy: You need to get to the Digital World as soon as possible and take your Crest. I think Davis may actually be right this time!

Was that necessary?

Izzy: His theory is that the power source of your base can only be contained by your Crest. It's a good theory! Arukenimon: Oh, Emperor Boy~! Ken: (bitterly) I have a little theory of my own to check out. Arukenimon: Ahahahahahaha! Very clever, but I'm still ahead of you! Wormmon: Not for long!

The dub tries to end this scene on a moment of strength for Ken and Wormmon, which is not the right tone here. We got played and now we're scrambling to catch up. There is nothing empowering about what just happened.

In the Digital World, another explosion rips out from the base.

Iori: Another one. It's only a matter of time before the big explosion.

Ken and Wormmon come running across the sand.

Ken: I was part of this. Wormmon: That's over now! Ken: I felt like I was the greatest. I was proud of it. I'm responsible for all of it.

Ken flashes back on Osamu's funeral, and he remembers the way his parents grew even more distant afterward.

Ken (V.O.): I was lonely, so I shut my eyes and ran away from it all. (End Flashback) Ken: That's why I have to put an end to all of it!

Invigorated by the resolve to destroy what he's made, Ken double times it towards the base just as a third explosion rips through the wall.

Hikari: Another one! Miyako: Ichijouji-kun still isn't here yet!? Daisuke: He'll make it! I know he will! Woman: Huhuhu... I wouldn't be so sure.

Finally confronting the Chosen Children in person, the mystery woman stands out there in the sands, right in front of them.

Daisuke: (gasp) Iori: Is that the human that Palmon was talking about!? Woman: I can't have little kiddies interfering with my explosion!

At least, we finally meet. Mystery Woman is a Human-stage Asshole-type--

No no, we're not quite at that point yet.

In the dub:

(Second explosion) Cody: Another one. Do you think maybe we should all move back a little? (Ken and Wormmon come running) Ken: (thinking) What was I thinking!? Wormmon: You're thinking too much, Ken. Ken: That's because I have to find a way to end this! She used my pain and guilt to control me! (Flashback to Sam's funeral) Ken: I didn't mean it! Ken (V.O.): I'm guilty of too much already. Ken: Mama, Papa, where's Sam? (End Flashback) Ken: NOT THIS TIME!!!

Original Ken and Dub Ken have very different takes here. Original Ken says "I have to end this because I'm at fault for all of it; It was me, I did it." Dub Ken says "I have to end this because she took advantage of me and made me do it."

The dub, which has already been a lot more forgiving of Ken whenever the script will allow them to be, is now letting him shift blame onto Arukenimon rather than owning his responsibility for his participation in all of this.

(Third explosion) Kari: IT'S GETTING WORSE!!! Yolei: SO WHERE'S KEN, HUH!?!? Davis: I'M SURE HE'S ON HIS WAAAAAAY!!! Arukenimon: Don't count on it. Yolei: Who invited her!? Cody: Maybe Ken sent his secretary instead! Arukenimon: You children are all so terribly rude, always interfering in my business.

Yolei's tone is still skeptical and lacking faith in Ken; She delivers her line in a challenging way, as if Ken's absence proves her right about him. Whereas Miyako's just getting reasonably antsy 'cause we're standing at ground zero for a nuclear meltdown and the one guy with the keys to the reactor is still a no-show.

Cody swaps out Iori's positive ID on Arukenimon for a rude comment.

Arukenimon plucks a fistful of her hair and lets it fly, with each strand soaring into a different Dark Tower. The Towers levitate into the air, merging together to form a single massive Digimon with some familiar-looking features.

Hikari: The Dark Towers...! Miyako: They turned into a Digimon! Iori: So that's the process for it....

Miyako and Hikari are just shocked while Iori's like, "Knowledge +1!" Anyways, Analyzer time for real.

Oukuwamon is a Perfect-stage Virus-attribute Insect Digimon. As you can probably tell, they're the Perfect evolution of our old recurring nemesis Kuwagamon.

Oukuwamon hails from the Nature Spirits line of the Pendulum V-Pets. They are the third-to-last Nature Spirit to debut in the anime, leaving only Jyagamon who we'll see in Tamers and Tentomon's Ultimate form HeraklesKabuterimon.

Like their Adult form, their name is based on 鍬形虫 kuwagatamushi, the stag beetle. They slap on an オオ Oo or Ou from 大 Ou, which means grand or big. 大 is also the same kanji that reads Dai in Daisuke's name, fun fact. Because kanji is fucking confusing.

Narrator: Oukuwamon! Perfect-stage! With Scissor Arms Omega, their wicked pincers can cut through diamond! Takeru: (worried) It's Perfect-stage....

Takeru's never seen one of these before, so it's not super clear if he's just an excellent judge of Digimon or if somebody's reading off the Digimon Analyzer to him. This was way simpler back when Koushiro could just rattle information off of his laptop.

In the dub, as usual, Arukenimon calls her attack.

Arukenimon: SPIRIT NEEDLE!!! (Control Spires merge into a giant Digimon) Arukenimon: DESTROY THEM!!! Kari: Well, now I've seen it all! Yolei: How does she do that thing!? Cody: I don't know, but she's sure good at it! Arukenimon: (rundown) Okuwamon is an Ultimate Digimon. Stay clear of his Double Scissor Claw attack. He has a cutting sense of humor. T.K.: It's showtime, guys!

The dub kids are showing much less reading comprehension with what's happening in front of them. Kari, Yolei, and Cody's reactions show no sign of recognition that this is an established metaphysic that we've been dealing with for a couple episodes now. Meanwhile, T.K. seems surprisingly confident in our ability to throw hands with Ultimate Digimon.

Props for not calling it "fully evolved" this time, though.

V-mon, Hawkmon, and Armadimon evolve to their Adult forms and throw themselves into battle.

XV-mon: X LASER!!! Aquilamon: BLAST LASER!!!

Taking to the sky, XV-mon and Aquilamon fire on Oukuwamon with everything they've got. The creature recoils just slightly; Enough to show it is being affected, but still strong enough to stand its ground.

While Oukuwamon's distracted, Ankylomon charges in and leaps. Rolling in the air, he slams his armored shell into Oukuwamon's gut for a solid hit... But one that puts him into Oukuwamon's melee range. The titanic beetle swats him to the ground and Ankylomon comes down hard.

Iori: ANKYLOMON!!!

Three inexperienced Adults against a Perfect just aren't great odds.

In the dub, Ankylomon gets to call his tackle as an attack.

ExVeemon: VEE LASER!!! Aquilamon: BLAST RINGS!!! Ankylomon: TAIL HAMMER!!! (Okuwamon swats Ankylomon) Iori: AH!!!

Tail Hammer involves using his tail but it's hardly the most incongruous attack callout the dub's ever added. I would've gone with Megaton Press.

With three Digimon engaged, that just leaves two others.

Tailmon: If we could just evolve to our Perfect forms! Patamon: That thing wouldn't.... Takeru: It can't be helped. We'll just have to do what we can. Hikari: DIGIMENTAL UP!!!

Patamon evolves into Angemon while Hikari, lacking any natural options that aren't Angewomon, resorts to Nefertimon. Now that we're ready to fight at an Adult level but Tailmon still doesn't have her Holy Ring, Hikari is well and truly nerfed.

This is the first mention of the plot point that the Chosen Children can no longer send their Digimon to Perfect level. And. Well.

Please ignore that they evolved all the way up to Ultimate in the Hurricane Touchdown; That was questionably canon anyway.

And also that Tailmon tried to evolve into Angewomon in episode 24, but couldn't because the Dark Tower was suppressing her. You know, she didn't succeed in evolving into Angewomon so she might have just forgot she couldn't do it.

...and also that Tailmon successfully evolved into Angewomon in episode 13. That did not happen. You did not see that. Angewomon was never climactically in that episode and it did not happen. Maybe it was a dream Hikari was having. Who knows.

...yeah, this is probably the jankiest retcon in either of the original two Adventure shows. The seams aren't just visible, they're neon green. But as of this moment, Patamon and Tailmon are restricted from evolving above Adult and retroactively have been for the entire 02 series up to this point.

As the two remaining Digimon join the fray, it's already going badly. Oukuwamon smacks Aquilamon out of the sky for a one-hit KO, sending him back to his Hawkmon form as he slams into the sand.

Miyako: HAWKMON!!! Angemon: HEAVEN'S KNUCKLE!!!

Angemon, famous for punching way above his weight class, shoots Oukuwamon straight in the face with Heaven's Knuckle. Oukuwamon doesn't even flinch. Once the attack subsides, Oukuwamon nails him with a left hook for another one-hit KO.

Takeru: PATAMON!!! Hikari: Angemon's attacks are only effective against Darkness types!

I... think that checks out. Angemon's always been great at hitting above his weight class but his fights have been with opponents like Devimon, Vamdemon, Piemon, etc. Like that one time he punched Vamdemon so hard that Phantomon died from standing next to him.

It does make more sense that Angemon is simply a hard counter to their particular kind of Digimon than that Angemon is just generally able to throw Perfect-sized punches whenever he wants. Against an Insect Perfect like Oukuwamon, he comes up short.

It's interesting that literally being an animate mass of Dark Towers doesn't qualify Oukuwamon as, like, an honorary Darkness-type Digimon. Game mechanics are weird like that.

In the dub:

Gatomon: He'd be kitty kibble if I could become Angewomon! Patamon: You go, girl! T.K.: Well, you can't. So you'll just have to do what you can, got me! Kari: DIGI-ARMOR ENERGIZE!!! (Angemon and Nefertimon Digivolve) Okuwamon: DOUBLE SCISSOR CLAW!!! (Okuwamon KO's Aquilamon) Yolei: HAWKMON!!! NO!!! STOP!!! Angemon: HAND OF FATE!!! (No effect; Okuwamon KO's Angemon) T.K.: PATAMON!!! Kari: Angemon's attack is most effective against evil Digimon! That thing's not even a Digimon!

Kari proposes an alternative theory: That it's not the "Darkness-type" that's the problem but the "Digimon". Interesting theory. Props for that.

I hope nobody blamed the dub for the abruptness of "Wait, since when can't Gatomon evolve? Didn't she literally do that?"

Yep. Yep, she did. And yes, this is just as sudden and "Uh, okay, bruh" in the original as in the dub. There is no context you're missing in the English version; It's just a gaping plot hole.

With three Digimon down, only two remain in the field to challenge Oukuwamon.

It does not go well.

XV-mon just barely escapes away from one of Oukuwamon's swings as Nefertimon comes in for a flanking attack.

Nefertimon: ROSETTA ST--HURGH!!

Oukuwamon smacks Nefertimon out of the air before she even finishes her attack callout. She too goes down with a one-hit KO.

Hikari: TAILMON!!!

Despite what the dub says, we're getting murdered out here with basic attacks. And that's terrible. The Chosen Children hurry to their Partners' sides, leaving only Daisuke and XV-mon in the field.

The dub mistakes XV-mon's narrow escape for him getting smacked down like the others. They give him a cry of pain as he's "struck". They also have Okuwamon call an attack rather than giving Nefertimon an interrupted callout.

Okuwamon: RAAAARGH!!! DOUBLE SCISSOR CLAW!!! (Okuwamon smacks Nefertimon)

As Nefertimon goes down, we get the reaction shots from the rest of the team but skip Hikari running to Tailmon's side; Instead, it's time for our third commercial break and for some slicing and rearranging of footage.

When we return from commercial, all the Digimon are in their Digivolved forms again and the footage of them getting beaten down is replayed. First Aquilamon, then Nefertimon, and then closing on Angemon.

So... I guess while we were contemplating McDonalds ads, they all got back up, re-Digivolved, and jumped back into the mix to get taken down again. The purpose is to re-establish how badly we're losing after the break but it makes the choreography awkward as shit.

With only Daisuke left in the field, suddenly hope arrives. Ken and Wormmon crest the dune behind Daisuke and head straight into battle.

Wormmon: Ken-chan! Ken: Wormmon, evolve!

Not for the first time for them, but for the first time for the show, WORMMON SHINKAAAAAA!!!

Wormmon gets his very first stock footage evolution sequence to the roaring sound of Show Me Your Brave Heart.

Stingmon: SPIKING FINISH!!!

As Oukuwamon grasps for XV-mon, Stingmon comes in hot. His Spiking Finish does little damage but knocks Oukuwamon's pincer away, shielding XV-mon.

XV-mon: Stingmon!

Daisuke's faith in Ken has finally been rewarded.

In the dub:

Wormmon: My turn? Ken: Hero time, Wormmon! (Stingmon Digivolves) Stingmon: SPIKING STRIKE!!! (Stingmon knocks away Okuwamon's pincer) ExVeemon: What took you so long!?

XV-mon's relieved to see Stingmon but ExVeemon's mad about the wait. To be fair, that was a genuine fuck-up on Ken's part. He let himself get played. ExVeemon's right to criticize.

Now that Stingmon's joined XV-mon in the air, Ken joins Daisuke down below.

Ken: Sorry we're late! Daisuke: I knew you'd make it! Did you bring the Crest?

Ken pulls the Crest of Kindness from his pocket, showing it to Daisuke.

Daisuke: That's it! Now, hurry and--

Daisuke reaches for the Crest, but Ken closes his fist and pulls it back.

Ken: You guys need to get away from here. Daisuke: What?

Another explosion rocks the base.

Ken: There's no time left! We can handle this ourselves!

Up in the air, Stingmon flies over the other Chosen Children, trying to tell them the same.

Stingmon: All of you, hurry up and run from here!

Oukuwamon tries to grab Stingmon from behind, but XV-mon kicks its pincer away.

XV-mon: We're not running unless you're coming with us. Stingmon: I can't do that.

Ken and Stingmon are here, but they don't want to share. They're both insistent on clearing the others away from the base. Something's wrong here.

In the dub:

Ken: Davis! Davis: It's about time! And they doubted me. Where's your Crest? (Ken shows his Crest) Ken: It's right here. Davis: Great! Come on, give it here! (Ken pulls it back) Ken: What do you think you're doing, Davis? Davis: Saving the world! Ken: This is my responsibility! I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me!

"Saving the world" is a bit of an embellishment. Right now, the only established stakes are that the base will explode in an empty desert, with no clear sense of scope for the blast size.

(Stingmon warns away the others) Stingmon: I can take this from here. (Okuwamon tries to grab him and ExVeemon intervenes) ExVeemon: Are you nuts!? He's an Ultimate! Stingmon: So? I'll do this alone.

Nonetheless, the dub captures Ken and Stingmon's insistence on chasing away the others.

Sensing something wrong with all this, Daisuke presses on it.

Daisuke: What are you talking about!? What are you doing to do!? Ken: I don't want the things I've done to burden the rest of you anymore. I won't let it! Daisuke: Ichijouji....

Despite trying to put on a strong face, Ken cracks. He voices his guilt to Daisuke.

Ken: Why did I have to become the Digimon Kaiser?

Up in the air, Stingmon voices similar regrets to XV-mon.

Stingmon: I wasn't able to stop Ken-chan. XV-mon: Stingmon....

Down below, Ken balls his hands into fists.

Ken: I want to restore the Digital World with these two hands. But things keep getting worse and worse... I can't take it! I don't want to contaminate this world anymore....

Baring his soul to Daisuke, Ken trembles in place, still staring at his fists. Daisuke realizes where this is going.

Daisuke: (angry) You.... Stingmon: So long as I can pay for the things that I've done.... Ken: ...then it doesn't matter what happens to me! I have to stop the reactor-- Daisuke: ...IDIOT!!!

Daisuke cuts Ken's spiraling despair off with a loud, heavy slap to the face.

This is where Ken's journey has brought him. It puts a whole new context on what he meant when he said he had to put an end to all this earlier.

There have been strong undertones of suicide in Ken's journey up to this point, and here the atmosphere of self-destruction is so thick you can cut it with a knife. This is what all his reflection on his crimes across the episode has been building to. What his unsatisfying answers from the mystery woman have brought him to.

Ken came here to die, and to finally put an end to the Digimon Kaiser's influence on the Digital World once and for all.

In the dub:

Davis: What are you trying to do, get yourself killed!? That's a genius move! Ken: It's my base, my Crest, and my fault. No one else is going to die for my mistakes, understand! Davis: We know the risks. Ken: Have you forgotten? I was the Digimon Emperor! I was a monster! Stingmon: And I am as guilty as Ken! I didn't stop him! ExVeemon: You two need to chill! (Ken holds up his fists, examining them) Ken: The only way I'll feel like a human again instead of a monster is to erase all trace of my evil. To fix this. And the only way to do that is with my own hands! Davis: But Ken.... Stingmon: He still has nightmares. Horrible ones. But then, mine are worse. Ken: It doesn't matter what happens to me as long as I can accomplish my goal! Davis: ENOUGH!!! (SLAP)

Ken doesn't break down in this version the way he does in the other. His voice remains determined and full of conviction to act, rather than crashing into grief and remorse.

Consequently, it's easier to take him at his word that he's just worried about the others getting hurt. He's willing to die if that's what it takes, and the dub even goes so far as to use the words "kill" and "die" to emphasize it, but you don't get the sense that he intends to die.

Dub Ken wants to do whatever it takes to "feel like a human again instead of a monster". Original Ken wants to "no longer contaminate this world".

Of note: Ken's and Stingmon's conversations are happening far from each other but parallel each other, so we keep cutting back and forth between them. In the dub, participants of the two conversations respond to each other as if they were one big shared conversation.

And Daisuke/Davis wants Ken to shut the fuck up and listen because it's his turn to speak.

Daisuke: You make it sound so simple! XV-mon: Are you out of your mind!? Daisuke: Think about everyone who will mourn you when you're gone! If I let you go now and you don't come back, I'll have to carry that with me for the rest of my life! LIKE HELL AM I LETTING YOU GO!!! XV-mon: You really think you can just let your Partner die like that!? Daisuke: You might be okay with that, BUT I'M SURE AS HELL NOT!!! Ken: ...Motomiya.... Daisuke: You have to live! XV-mon: Aren't Partners supposed to keep each other going, no matter what? If you want to atone for your crimes, then you have to live! Stingmon: You're right... I have to be alive in order to atone. Daisuke: If you let this be the end of you, then you'll never be able to make it right! I can't accept that! Ken: ...I can't either. There's still so much I have to do. I can't let it be over, not here and now. And besides... I don't want to give my family any more grief!

Daisuke isn't letting the subtext remain subtext here. He caught that undertone, grabbed it firmly in his hand, and hit Ken in the face with it. He is not talking around the topic; He is furious that Ken wants to commit suicide, and XV-mon is equally furious that Stingmon intends to let him.

But their feelings break through and they're able to reach Ken and Stingmon, bringing the pair back down to ground.

Boy, it's a good thing Oukuwamon decided to hang out and let us have this conversation. It, too, is emotionally invested in whether or not Ken will be able to achieve his own apotheosis. It's just offscreen wiping its eye with a handkerchief.

In the dub:

Davis: I'm tired of your Big Bad Wolf act! ExVeemon: He means Lone Wolf. Davis: That's what I mean! What he said! I'm not gonna let you do this by yourself, get it! What about the people who care about you? At least think of your Digimon! We're here, we're helping, and that's that! WAKE UP, ICHIJOUJI!!! ExVeemon: Yeah, wake up, Stingmon! Here's your chance to stop him from doing something stupid! Davis: That's what I said! You're the genius, Ken! You figure it out! Ken: If I'm not here.... Davis: THEN WHAAAAAAT!?!? ExVeemon: Davis is right! Then what? How will you fix your mistakes if you're not here!? I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I know that much! Stingmon: Hrmm... You're right. I guess neither of us has been thinking very clearly. Davis: Okay, so you messed up a few times! You think I haven't? I do it all the time! Don't give up, fix it! Ken: I don't know how.... Davis: Do you think I do!? You just keep trying until something works! And when it gets really bad, you hang with your friends 'cause they're always your friends even when you mess up! Ken: (half-crying) Great. So what if you don't happen to have any friends!?

They put a fucking "Davis is so dumb LOL" gag in the middle of Ken's suicide counseling. Dub Team, go to the Timeout Corner.

The dub goes to great lengths to talk around that particular topic while still framing the conversation around "Ken is going to die". It's a difficult needle to thread, but it can't be said that they aren't talking about it with arguments like "What about people who care about you?" and "Here's your chance to stop him from doing something stupid."

It's a shame they did that stupid Big Bad Wolf joke in place of Daisuke's killer "If I walk away and you die then I have to carry that" argument. That's a good line that still works in the "We're JUST talking about letting him do it alone" context.

An even bigger shame is how it ends. Davis goes wildly off-script and somehow makes this about how cool friendship is. He also greatly trivializes the Digimon Emperor's crimes as "Ken messed up a few times but so have I!"

Ken, meanwhile, does not have an emotional breakthrough like his Japanese counterpart has. If anything, Davis's rambling nonsense makes him even more depressed. But he'll still be inexplicably rewarded in a moment as if he'd had one anyway.

As Daisuke's feelings break through to Ken, suddenly their D-3s both activate.

Daisuke and Ken take out their D-3s and find them glowing with the same shared light. That light then overtakes Stingmon and XV-mon both, causing them to glow.

Both Daisuke and Ken can hear a heartbeat pulsing in the background.

Daisuke: (thinking) Is that the sound of Ken's heartbeat? Ken: (thinking) I can feel the beating of Daisuke's heart....

Two hearts, two beings joined together as one.

No, not like-- And you're already shipping it. That's okay. So does everyone else in the 02 fandom.

The dub does not have the pulsing heartbeat sound effects behind Davis and Ken, though they still talk about it as if it were there.

Davis: (thinking) Cool! I can hear my heart beating! Wait... That's Ken's heart! Ken: (thinking) So this is what it feels like to have a friend. It's not that bad....

I still don't know why that was the direction they decided to swerve this in. They did this to Wallace/Willis too.

With two hearts combined, their D-3s erupt with light. XV-MON AND STINGMON JOGRESS SHINKAAAAAA!!!

Jogress is a concept that's been in Digimon since the Pendulum release of the V-Pets. Named as a portmanteau of the English words "Joint" and "Progress", it features two Digimon combining in order to ascend one of them into a Perfect or Ultimate form.

Effectively one Digimon eats another in order to reach an evolution on their tree that would otherwise be inaccessible. A lot of Digimon in the Pendulum trees were Jogress exclusives, such as WereGarurumon or Piccolomon.

But as of this episode, they've found a way to bring Jogress into the anime as... basically the Fusion Dance from Dragon Ball, complete with being as temporary as any other Partner evolution.

In the games, it serves as an avenue for Digimon who can't meet the criteria for higher Evolution to reach that stage, and it does something similar here as well. We are no longer capable of reaching Perfect, but we can still get there anyway using Jogress.

The dub calls it DNA Digivolving, which I think is because of the way the two Jogressing Digimon spiral around each other in the stock animation, evocative of DNA strands.

The debut evolution of Paildramon also comes with with the new evolution song Beat Hit, which cleverly incorporates gunshots from Paildramon firing dramatically his weapons as part of their lead-in music.

The dub just uses the same Digimon evolution music as all the other evolutions. Paildramon's gunshots lose a lot of coolness when they aren't punctuating the music.

Freshly evolved, Paildramon floats high in the air above Oukuwamon.

Daisuke & Ken: Paildramon!? Takeru: They combined.... Miyako: Jogress Evolution!?

And that's where we leave off this episode. The debut of not just a new evolution but a new form of evolution.

With a whole new ED that's loaded with spoilers for the upcoming evolutions. I'd argue it's even more spoilery than the OP because it dwells on the new forms more. Catchy, though!

In the dub:

Davis & Ken: Paildramon!? T.K.: That's amazing! Yolei: Whoa! I don't believe it! Narrator: Will the combined power of ExVeemon and Stingmon be enough to stop Okuwamon? Find out soon on Digimon: Digital Monsters!

T.K. and Yolei are as impressed as Takeru and Miyako, but in a more generic capacity.

So, how'd we do on last episode's promise? We were supposed to find out if Ken will join the Chosen Children/DigiDestined. I think this counts as a yes.

Assessment: Well, that was fucking heavy. Daisuke has had to be Ken's advocate to everybody else and now it's finally his turn to be Ken's advocate to Ken. I love the way Daisuke calls out that dying for atonement is just dying; the real work is living for atonement.

This has long been one of my personal bugbears Society, especially American society, often puts a lot of emphasis on sacrifice and martyrdom. But the actual work of progress and change doesn't get done by corpses; It's done by the people who carried on in those people's wake.

You don't become inspirational by dying; You inspire people while you're alive to keep going even if you're gone.

And redemption is much the same. Dying isn't growth and change; It's just dying. Growing and changing is something you have to actively do, and you have to be alive to do it. So Daisuke's words really spoke to me.

I also really liked the mystery woman's baiting of Ken. The bit about Ken simply being a convenience and not being intrinsically special in any way plays well to the show's general demystifying of the Chosen Children.

[eukarisparadise]

There's something I really needed to get out of my system for the long time, and I understand that many have probably said this before.

Look, I adore MTMTE. I respect Roberts as a writer and he made an absolute masterpiece that changed my life (literally, I've met my life-long friends over this comic) and I think that he did a fantastic job in terms of plot-twists and character development.

However, what he did specifically to Rodimus was... uh.

I know that the entire IDW universe is, essentially, a one big anthology of the works of various authors, who, let's be honest, didn't always read each other. That's how, I believe, we got an MTMTE Rodimus, who does things... that feel so unnatural to him that you can't help but wonder, what was really the reason for doing so.

When I started reading this series, I asked my friends, what do some of his actions mean – «why the hell did he even agree to take Overlord?»; «why would he allow Drift to take all the blame on himself?»; «HOW DID HE ACCEPT MEGATRON ON THE BOARD??» – and their answer was... nothing. Nothing essentially to explain here, because the only reason for these and many other of his actions I could think of, is:

Roberts needed the plot to happen. And for that, he sacrificed Rodimus's already established character integrity.

I don’t remember which comic it was in, but I vividly remember one scene from some other, not connected to MTMTE series: Optimus (as usual) refused to kill Megatron and Rodimus, his face twisted with rage, started torturing Megatron with electricity. You mean to tell me, this guy would listen to anyone and let him on the ship? You mean to tell me, he wouldn't kill him on sight the second they make the quantum leap from Cybertron, trial or not?

And, although I don't like Getaway and the way he left the entire crew with DJD, but Rodiums I got first familiar with would be just thrilled to hear all of his ideas on how to creatively get rid of Megatron, because- no, literally, what the hell was that?

Okay, I understand the fact that I'm biased. I live in a country that's currently under siege, and I share the internet space with people who, in the safety of their homes, sometimes are still choosing to humanize and sympathise with a crazy fascist dictator that would be glad to wipe them out like he does with us. I acknowledge that that's alters one's perspective a little bit. But the entire Cybertronian race (AND MANY OTHERS – let's not forget countless organic civilizations that endured genocides after genocides in Megatron's colonial expansion) had to deal with this guy for four million years.

And I get that it probably wasn't entirely Roberts' fault – IDW publishing had the universe ending planned beforehand and that's why the entire «Lost Light» sequel felt so rushed. But are you seriously implying that MEGATRON, of all people, could be reformed by one fun trip? And forgiven not just by the crew – but Rodimus and Ultra Magnus specifically??.. Mind you, they already made their mind on him before the sequel – and it absolutely wasn't the one that they would make if they weren't so heavily OOC'd.

I hate the fact that the plot just wouldn't happen the way it did without this forced character dumbing. I hate it, because I love MTMTE story, and its crew, and its captain. And its lessons. But the way of teaching these lessons sometimes makes me want to throw in a towel, because no. I refuse to believe that someone who's entire life was defined by the want to be the leader his friends wanted, could do this many mistakes that lead to their hurt (and both allowing Overlord AND Megatron, were such mistakes). So, I choose to continue to be delulu and pretend that none of this happened – and they never returned to Cybertron as well, and they achieved something more. Don't blame me, I know you all are doing the same.

[anastacialy]

actually, fuck it, i AM writing the essay, even if no one will read it.

my thoughts on penelope, how she sees herself, and why the carriage scene's ending is the most important thing in the whole wide world under the cut. and bridgerton season three part one spoilers, obviously.

penelope featherington hates herself. bit of a strong start here but, there we go. that's what you get when i'm going feral about her again at three in the morning. (it was eleven a.m. when i finished writing this post. i rewatched all four episodes of season three...)

i'll start from the beginning — she isn't a confident person. i think that's what a lot of penelope hate really comes down to, not relating to her in that way at all. not understanding what being treated the way she has can do to you. so let's start here:

imagine for a moment, no one fucking listens to you.

this includes her favorite people in the world. her family, for one thing, that's obvious, but her best friend, too. many times we hear eloise discover and re-discover what penelope's interests are in the series because, as she says, "i didn't really hear it." she was so frequently not really listening to her. they've been friends for years, but huge aspects of her friend's personality were completely unknown to her. this isn't anti-eloise by the way, i love her too, but we're adults who can admit our favs are all flawed people. the show wouldn't be nearly as fun if they weren't. eloise continues to belittle others for their interests when they don't match up to hers (like that poor girl who was just really passionate about embroidery) and she's done so to pen, however unknowingly, for ages.

penelope tried to beg marina to not fool colin into marriage. she had so, so many other suitors, so many other choices she could have made. all pen wanted was to not have her other best friend slash crush make that life altering of a mistake. but for this, she was called a child. immature. talked down to as if she knows nothing about the world. (she had been mostly right, by the way, in her insisting that george must still love marina, would still want to marry her, discovering that the letter had been forged. if he'd not died on the battlefield, penelope would have been the one to secure a happy ending for marina.) when she wasn't listened to then, she got more desperate, telling colin that marina was in love with someone else to deter him from the marriage while still careful to not ruin marina's reputation and expose her pregnancy in the process. she tried. but no one would listen.

so only when the situation became dire, she did the only thing that she could, and took matters into her own hands.

which brings us to lady whistledown.

it's interesting, really, that she chose that name. to specify lady so she might be taken seriously, yet not hide under a pseudonym completely removed from herself (i.e. using a masculine pen name or implying she's not a part of the ton at all) it's clear that lady whistledown is, for the most part, what penelope wants to and yet fails to be: someone who commands attention, who people admire and trust for an opinion, someone who gets listened to.

by the time we find her in season three, she's fresh off hearing her crush saying he'd never, ever court her, and her best friend finding out that she was lady whistledown all along and had exposed a secret of hers — only after penelope had, of course, also begged eloise to stop seeing theo, to stop raising the queen's suspicions, and was once again ignored. her only friendships have been destroyed, and she has resigned herself to a loveless marriage of convenience because she can't stand to be ignored, controlled, and belittled by her family any longer. she's ready to take the devil she doesn't know over the devil she does.

so, when i say her self confidence is on the floor, i mean it.

yes, a sliver of hope remains in her, and we can see that in her decisions (wearing parisian fashions, for instance) but her plan remains, she is simply going to marry someone, anyone, because she has to.

but even still, her confidence has not taken it's last hit.

let's imagine some more: no matter what you do, people are going to laugh at you.

penelope finally, finally gets her big moment. people stare at her as she enters the room. she still immediately hides herself in a corner because that's who she's always been, but still. she has a moment. not quite what she'd imagined, i'm sure, as she bought all new gowns, but attention and awe nonetheless. but it cracks almost instantly when her social awkwardness comes out, failing to get anyone to ask her to dance, and shatters completely when cressida destroys her dress before she can ever take to the floor.

colin tells her she looks nice, and her immediate reaction is "do not mock me, please."

it's only after this that she confronts colin about what he said, only after this that she speaks ill of him as lady whisteldown — not saying any more than what his sister had already pointed out earlier in the episode, mind you, that his change in personality seemed disingenuous — only after she has been publicly humiliated that she lashes out in her anger.

and, this anger, she also immediately regrets after colin has proven himself to be kind. it's a bit like making a snide comment online without the ability to delete it after.

but when penelope has hope, she is kind. she writes of the promising ladies of the ton and wishes them well with their matches, when she has hope she speaks positively of would-be spinsters and their successful marriages. many of her earlier musings in previous seasons were to call the women of the ton beautiful, to speak to their skills.

but hope for penelope does not last long. she manages to successfully speak to one suitor at the next ball (which, though this is another argument entirely, is backed by a string quartet version of "jealous" as colin re-approaches her at the drinks table — any arguments that his feelings start at their kiss isn't paying near enough attention) but the entirely true rumor about her having help from him spreads through the vine and penelope is hopeless once more.

and a hopeless penelope is a cruel penelope, as we've seen, and this time, she turns that cruelty inward, publicly. while she later says it would have been suspicious if lady whistledown hadn't commented, in truth, she has proven time and time again that her emotions rule lady whistledown's writings. in that moment, eyes tearful, she was embarrassed and ashamed of herself, she decided to say so. she repeats the same sentiment to colin when he comes to visit her:

"in truth i brought this on myself. a sad, stupid girl who believed she might actually have a chance at love."

and here is where lady whistledown continues to be someone penelope sees as different to herself, because penelope doesn't see herself as a lady. not just for lack of title — she does not see herself as worthy of or requiring protection. to call back to antony's season one romance: "every woman is not afforded such gallant protection." "every woman is not a lady."

she says nothing of him bribing her maid to give them time alone. like most of the ton she doesn't think the time they spend alone together could be anything other than platonic, at least on his end. they spent extended time unchaperoned at the bridgerton house and not once did she speak on impropriety. he'd been alone with her in the previous season and even when they were caught no one had a thing to say about it. no one questions it because penelope is not recognized as desirable, not seen as needing this protection, not seen as a lady. she is seen, even by herself, as a spinster already.

when she asks colin for a kiss, she reassures him that she would ask nothing of him for it, she would not entrap him in a marriage citing impropriety, she doesn't even think about whether someone might see. she does not care in this moment if she is to be "ruined," she only wants to feel some illusion of intimacy, some imitation of being wanted. even her running back inside immediately after, and the subsequent conversation under the willow tree, are further proof that she doesn't believe he could have kissed her for any reason other than pity.

and, even after all she goes through with lord debling, she is still not the only object of his affections. the entire time she pursues him, cressida is there, hot on the trail, ready to sweep him away on a moment's notice. penelope writes of their dance that his choice of her is surprising. though her feelings for colin have not simply fluttered away once debling's shown interest, her possible engagement to debling is on a wavering tightrope. not once in this can she feel wholly at ease with lord debling, only afforded a bit of security once he asks her mother for her blessing. and amongst this, her mother still belittles her, saying she should not become greedy for wanting to marry someone who actually cares for her.

she asks lord debling if he might ever love her, in all the years of marriage they may have ahead, and he says probably not.

and when colin breaks up her proposal, insisting debling isn't right for her, still penelope does not even consider, can not even conceptualize that it might be done out of jealousy. colin having feelings for her is laughable, she says as much, and it is the same thing she has been told over and over since the start. he chases after her carriage out of breath asks to be let in, gets on his knees and tells her he can't stop dreaming of her and she tells him "please. do not say things you do not mean." she cannot imagine that any of this is real. it is confusion that prompts her to repeat the agreement they had in episode one, "but, colin, we are friends."

and while an entirely separate essay could be written about the rest of the carriage scene, it is what happens the moment the carriage arrives at bridgerton house that stands out to me. they have this moment, colin asks "could the carriage driver not keep on driving?" and they both laugh, the way they always do with one another, and he fixes her dress (carefully, avoiding using a select few fingers as he does so) and they kiss again, and he gets out of the carriage.

and for a single, heartbreaking second, penelope's face falls, and she calls after him: "colin?"

it is so clear in her demeanor that she thought that was it; that's all she gets. the fantasy is over and it is back to reality. for a split second, she believes he is no longer hers.

for a single second, it's as though she thinks he is going to shut the carriage door on her, and walk away.

but he turns around, hand outstretched, asking if she'd like to come in. and she's once again confused, "what?"

do not say things you do not mean. do not mock me please.

and when he says: "for god's sake, penelope featherington, are you going to marry me or not?"

she looks so relived she could cry.

[melanieph321]

Dominik Szoboszlai x Black Reader - First Sight Part 3/8

The party

The face of distress 😅. What did Y/N say to him?

⚠️Warning ⚠️

18+

This story is about the night reader met her boyfriend Dominik and the series of crazy events that led up to the beginning of their love story.

Enjoy!

"So...do you have a boyfriend?"

You had been walking for a while, through the city, all the way downtown. As you were about to ask Dominik if this was him kidnapping you, those words left his mouth.

"A boyfriend?" You smiled.

"Yes, do you want one?"

"I thought you asked me if I had one?"

"You took too long to answer, which means you don't."

"Wow." You laughed. His arrogance was unmatched.

"Yeah, so we should just stop pretending like we don't want to fuck each other and just do it."

Your steps altered, followed by a sassy finger waving in his face to make things clear. "Trust me Nikki..." He cringed at your new nickname for him. "I have no intentions to fuck you."

He chuckled. "Not now you don't. Later."

You snorted. "In your dreams."

"That was you, wasn't it?"

You rolled your eyes and turned your back on him, walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh come on, Y/N! Don't tell me that you can't take a joke?"

Perhaps it was a joke, but your feet were starting to hurt from all that walking.

"Come on Y/N, I was just...." He ran to catch up with you, grabbing your arm to prevent you from leaving. You jerked it away, an appalled expression on your face.

"Sorry." He said, face faltering.

The evening was quiet, a distant thud heard from one of the brick buildings down the road.

"I should go back." You said, only now thinking about Tara and how you left her in some random apartment with two guys.

"What about the beer?" Dominik said, clearly not wanting the night to end. "My friend, he lives just down the road. I promise we'll be quick."

His offer wasn't as compelling to you as turning back to get Tara, however, that damn spark...

Turns out that the loud thud you heard coming from down the road was actually the base of a speaker, blasting nothing but French trap music.

"Ibrahima!"

"Szobo!"

Dominik did not hesitate to knock on the house hosting a crowded party. Apperently it belonged to his friend that was meant to hook you up with more beer.

"And I see you brought a friend." The guy called Ibrahima said. He had a friendly smile and wanted nothing than for the two of you to join the party.

The vibe was unmatched. People were dancing and drinking, all around enjoying themselves. With a hand to your lower back, Dominik guided you towards the kitchen. There his friend was seen unboxing two bottles of Bacardi and placing them on the kitchen island between you. "Is this enough?" He asked Dominik.

"I said we needed more beer mate, not a blackout."

His friend laughed. "You're here for a good time man, beer won't assist you with that. The ladies know what I'm talking about, no?"

Dominik's friend spun the cap on the bottle and poured you a shot, sliding the glass over to you. You hesitated, but eventually brought it to your lips, emptying it in one go.

"Wow." Dominik looked at you with wide eyes as you didn't even wince.

You shrugged. "I was thirsty."

The rest of this part of the night would later be a blur to you. As Dominik's friend poured the two of you another round of shots, followed by another round. You were only left wity faded memories of hands roaming your body, pulling you in by the waist and pressing your back against someone's hard front. You surrendered yourself to the waves of the music, a playlist including the greatest afrobeat hits. Songs that made your hips roll against whoever was pinning you against them.

"God, you're so sexy."

His voice was at your ear, whispering nothing but erotic nonsense.

"Fuck, Y/N, you feel so good against me. Can't you feel it? Tell me that you feel it."

"I feel it." You whined. Eventually the flashing lights revealed that it was indeed Dominik, who's crotch your ass was grinding against. He turned you over, pinning your back against the nearest wall. He bent down to kiss you and the first taste of him caused hysteria within yourself.

His lips were soft and well moist, perfectly attached to the crease of your neck. But imagine what more they could do and where.

"I wanna fuck you."

"Yes." You nodded. "Please."

You were dragged to the nearest bathroom, not the classiest place to get dick down in, nevertheless, Dominik had you bent over the bathroom sink, lifting your skirt up to expose your pink thong.

He chuckled

"What?" You quickly got insecure, no longer bending over against the sink.

Dominik brows furrowed. "What?"

"You laughed at me. Did I do something wrong?"

"What, no?" He seemed confused. "Of course you didn't, you're perfect." He took you in, cupping your chin and pulling your lips against his.

You were balancing yourself on your tippy toes, struggling to meet his height. Dominik hands went to squeeze your ass, making you gasped against his open mouth. "Dominik?" You were panicking a little, knowing where things were headed.

"Y/N, don't talk so much. Just let me fuck that pretty little mouth of yours."

You felt his erection grow stiff against your thigh, as well as his fingers that hooked around the lace of your panties, searching for the entrance to your...

"Dominik!"

He stopped, not too drunk to hear the panik in your voice. "You okay baby?"

You were flushed from all the kissing, your lips tender and plumb. "You should know." You said, struggling to catch your breath.

"Know what?" He removed a curl that was irritating your eyes.

"You should know that I've never..."

"Yes?"

"I've never...."

His lips curled into a smile. "You've never what Y/N, had sex? You can tell me, I won't judge."

You gather your courage and swallowed. "I've never been with a man before, only women."

Dead silence followed.

Dominik didn't judge you, but he sure enough wasn't smiling anymore.

[ghostyclay]

Since yall seem to like my other AUs/headcanons, I've decided to rant a bit about my 'main' one :3 (kept vague to avoid spoilers)

Small summary: (more indepth rant below)

it's a villan & hero hermitcraft / life series / empires au, focused on bad boys (at least during the first arc). Joel creates a bar as a cover for a fighting ring/information selling business, joined by pearl effo gem grian and jimmy. Grian refuses to participate in the criminal activities at first, but doesn't rat them out either. (inspired by his resisting the resistance thing in s9)

However, as u can probably guess, this doesn't last long and he slowly gets more n more involved, especially once random people mysteriously start getting "the red curse", which he recognizes from his past... (hehe watcher lore) Grian continues to pretend to stay uninvolved while trying to keep the Watchers at bay behind the scenes, even going as far as creating multiple alter egos / secret identities in order to hide his involvement.... (poultry man, cute guy, mother spore,...) Sadly, the Watchers think identity reveals are incredibly amusing and make it their mission to reveal Grians secrets... :)

Now, lil poll bc i wanna know yalls preference:

Im not a very experienced writer, so I can't guarantee the fics would be any good- while i def prefer comics, it would take a long ass time and I'm not sure whether its a good idea since i tend to loose interest in projects p fast wkdhakdj

Still debating what to name it, I think ill call it "Web of lies", "Wolau" for short LMFAO. Im not very good at naming things 😭 suggestions are welcome!!!

Some more background info:

Joel is a fairly new villain who has decided to start a business focused on fighting rings, selling information and just generally doing criminal stuff. (inspired by his secret fighting club in s10). He hires Gem and jimmy, two ex-vigilantes who became a bit more... Villainous. Their cover is a normal bar, which ofc means they also need normal employees who won't snitch. Jimmy suggests Grian toJoel, since he's a retired informant. He basically started out as an investigative journalist in another city, but got more n more involved with both villains and heroes (which is how he knows jimmy) before joining a cult (watcher lore watcher lore watcher lore-) and suddenly dissappearing.

Although he went missing a few years ago, they manage to track him down. He joins, but tells them he's not involved in the world of villains anymore and that he wants to stay out of everything (so hes basically working in the bar that they use as a cover as a 'normal' employee and turns a blind eye to anything criminal going on)

That's kind of the start of the story? Afterwards, Pearl, a villain who used to be a vigilante that worked with Scott (<-number one hero), then got betrayed by him and is now plotting his murder, joins in. Later on etho joins, who is originally sent by the hermits as a spy (<- p big villain&vigilante alliance in the city) but ends up deciding to side w/ them. (BOAT BOYS BOAT BOYS BOAT BOYS-)

(pearl & Scott's conflict is ofc a double life ref and etho is a mycelium resistance ref, he also ends up finding out about some of grians secrets and helping him behind the scenes)

Although its focused on the members of the bar, later on it focuses more on other hermits (since they get more involved w/ the villain group "hermits" which most of the hermits are a part of) but there's also some side stories that focus on other ppl (there's a whole side story about Ren and Doc getting to know each other after Ren gets infected by the curse, or martyn whole listener thing & how it's connected to renchanting/ren getting cursed and the Watchers showing up in the first place... But i dont wanna spoil too much :3)

Oh also! Hermits r mainly criminals(vigilantes, villains, big salmom mafia,...) and Empires members r usually heroes! But there is some exceptions to this rule. (jimmy n martyn for example)

ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS R WELCOME!!! might not be able to answer everything bc of spoilers, but ill def try to do some foreshadowing instead :3

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.230 thoughts

[Big VIC is Back in Town!]

(Topics: art - visual metaphors, thematic analysis - perspective/tragedy, character analysis - Victor, lore analysis - Negators)

Reunited and It Feels So Good

Artistically, I think this might be the most beautiful chapter in the entire series. The imagery of Julia literally entering Victor's soul through the wound she inflicted, his happiest memories floating by on hazy film screens until finally she arrives at the start of it all, only for the screen to shatter and reveal the stairway of Victor's descent into isolation and despair, with a young Victor, his true self, waiting at the bottom, flanked by the motivations of his and Juiz's mutual love...what else is there to say about that sequence than simply that it's gorgeous??

And for this younger Victor to look at Julia, see how much Juiz has changed, but still smile and call her partner, is proof that the most fundamental aspects of Juiz have not been lost. After all, who would know Juiz better than Victor?

This new Juiz, with no connection to all of the joy and pain that her past self had experienced and endured, went out of her way to find her way to Victor and tell him that even here, when it seems like he can finally die, that she wants the ending to their story to be a happy one...of course he realizes that this is still Juiz. The Juiz that he doesn't know yet does know

I've talked before about how one's soul is telling of how the view themselves - Fuuko is still her short-haired self with Gina's jacket tied around her waist, Haruka is still the little girl who lost her grandfather, etc., but this is the first time we've seen someone update that sense of self. When Julia takes Victor's hand, his young, thin arm immediately bulks up, accepting all of the struggles that made him as strong as he'd become over the eons so that he could use that strength to continue fighting for his partner, but this time retaining the glowing grin he used to sport when around her

This is what I mean when I talk about this cast becoming complete. The best traits of his past self and the best traits of current self have come together to make Victor's absolute best self. Gina's philosophy on change becoming flexible rather than reversing, Feng's acceptance of age while still striving to reach the peak; Undead Unluck's reverse character development style is not about undoing what has been done, but finding the balance between one's old and new perspectives

What's particularly fun about this is that, in Victor's case specifically, perspective is a major part of his character arc

A New Take on an Old Classic

It was during the Andy vs Victor fight that we first learned that Negator abilities could be altered through interpretation; in Andy's words, the key to Negator abilities is "all a matter of how we perceive the Rules," and for Andy, Victor was the embodiment of that concept, as the two of them had different takes on what it means to die in the first place

Victor is, quite literally, Andy with a different perspective. They both clearly have the same core personality, but that personality was shaped by radically different experiences, which in turn gave birth to radically different philosophies

Back then, the dividing line between these philosophies was in the sense of logic they used for manipulating Undead; for Victor, he used it to manipulate his body, the part of a person that can die, but for Andy, he used it to manipulate his soul, the part of a person that can't die. However, this still wasn't the key difference in their approach; where Andy realized it was a matter of recontextualizing the Rule itself, Victor simply moved his body as he pleased. Victor wasn't thinking about the implications of his Rule, he wasn't saying "technically that drop of blood is still my dying body," it was all just a matter of course

Victor evolved his ability through sheer brute force and experience using it, not self-reflection and careful introspection. In all of his eons of existence, Victor's soul is still the child from 460 billion years ago; he never let that base interpretation of himself change, never challenged himself to become anything more or anything else. Until now

Now Victor understands that the Rules aren't set in stone, that they aren't matters of fact. And as it happens, it's not just the Rules that can be examined, deconstructed and recontextualized, it's also the tragedies that make Negators and all people who they are

Tragic Origins

When Fuuko said that the world of L001 was too different from L101 for Unjustice to manifest, I thought she meant it in the sense that the structure was too fundamentally different, like the lack of UMA Sex or what have you. Instead, it seems that it's because of the context that Unjustice itself was originally given to Juiz under: as the first Negator, Juiz wasn't chosen by a predecessor, but by Justice itself

Moreover, the accompanying tragedy was surprisingly subtle, to the point that I'm not sure anyone involved even realized at the time what the cause was. While Victor was resolving to die, forget, and eventually remember Juiz, Juiz accidentally used Unjustice on him, forcing him to declare that he would instead become Undead, and thus cursing him to live forever

That context really was near-impossible to recreate in L101; all Negators have already been selected, and it is no longer within Unjustice's power to assign new Vessels. I suppose Unjustice could still manifest by forcing someone to commit an act they wouldn't, but the scale would be so different that it may not successfully resonate with Juiz's latent soul

Which is why Victor went out of his way to reframe Julia's actions

If I Could Do It All Again

As Victor said, he was about to fade away forever. Presumably, Andy and Fuuko used Unluck to target Victor with Death's scythe, separating the piece of Andy's soul that still held Victor's within it from Undead. Since they were two separate entities, Victor was no longer Undead, and thus susceptible to Death in the fading piece of Andy's body

By reviving Victor, though, pulling his soul back to the forefront of the Andy fragment, Julia forced him to lose his opportunity to finally die and thus continue his unending life. This is the moment that reawakened Unjustice, allowing both Julia to stop Soul's final attack and Victor to become Undead once again. The difference this time, though, is that Victor can live with a smile

Just like Andy, Victor now has something to live for again, a beacon of hope guiding him to a goal he once thought unreachable. It's tragic that he didn't get to die, but while tragedies are unfortunate, they aren't always bad. After all, remember what Fuuko said in ch.122? She was only able to meet Andy because she endured hardship. The same goes for Victor now: he is only able to experience this hope and happiness because of his repeating tragedy

Everyone experiences tragedy and hardship, but it's what we do afterward that defines us. Losses hurt, but it's our decision whether we allow them to break us or make us stronger. We can give up, we can pick up the pieces to fit them back together, or we can throw them out and build something new from scratch, but no matter which we choose, it's our choice

In L100, Victor gave up. He was broken and thought everything was unsalvagable, so he tried to force Juiz to give up too. But now in L101, even after her death, Juiz was able to start anew as Julia, and still fights to make something better. After seeing that, how could Victor not pick up the pieces and start again?

How could he not take the eternal tragedy of his immortality and negate it?

The Exception that Proves the Rule

While Luna's first appearance to Juiz and Victor was oddly underwhelming, her words were simply fascinating: Negator abilities were a glitch in Sun's Rule system, an unintended side effect to the creation of the UMAs. For Death to exist, then so too must its inverse: Life. For Movement to exist, then so too must Stillness; for Luck, Misfortune; for Justice, Amorality. These Rules are defined by how their states differ from and compare to their inverse, and those inversions needed to manifest somewhere

Presumably, Luna could have created her own set of UMAs, but instead she chose to implant these anti-Rules into the side effects of her own creation, Soul: humanity. This became the basis of the Gods' game: the UMAs that govern the Rules vs. the humans that negate the Rules

From there, humanity negated every expectation placed upon them. They found ways to extend their lives, to manipulate their fortunes, to grow beyond their tragedies. Humanity was always going to rebel against the Rules that God placed upon them, so it was simply perfect that Luna bestowed the Negator glitch upon them - it merely crystallized their nature into a more directly applicable form

Victor's ability to see his tragedy from a new perspective is the final evolution of this concept - the thing that makes him a Negator, the curse that has been put upon him, is now his hope for the future. Other Negators have taken this to heart as well, like Shen legitimately enjoying Untruth or Nico deliberately accepting Unforgettable to see the path to victory, but Victor is the first to look at the tragedy itself as a blessing, thus completely freeing the Union from the last element of the Negator system that was tying them down

Now all that's left to do is overcome the Rules themselves

Of course, that doesn't mean that this is the end already. I've mentioned before that Soul is certain to enter Phase 3, which will turn the tide back in the favor of the Master Rules, but the return of Undead Unjustice is a huge milestone moment for the Union. I sense the Bad News phase is coming soon, but no matter what happens, I know that the Union will overcome it

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[kawaoneechan]

Another fun Animal Crossing thing.

In the previous games, with each acre being a full model that could only be altered through plants and objects, the map was generated by picking and choosing acres that fit together. If that failed, it'd scrap the attempt and try again.

So for example in the N64/GC game, the top row would always be train tracks, right? There's some variants of just the tracks with only ponds, dirt patches, or shrubbery, another some with a river going north/south and always starting and ending at the same horizontal, and some variants with the station, which always have a path going south. That means for for the first set, any acre can be chosen that has nothing going north, for the second any with a river from the north, and for the station any acre with a brick road. And that's always one with the four player houses, so the station is always directly north of the player's house. If the acre directly to the left of the station has a river, there must be a river acre to the left of the player houses, and it can go west or south but never east. If that happens, start over.

Similar things apply to the other games except for New Horizons, as far as I can tell.

I'm... still not entirely 100% certain how New Horizons generates the island.

The fun begins when you have Intentions to implement custom map generators for use in Project Special K, which would have ACNH style cliff and river editing. The acres can't be single models any more. So what I'd do is have each non-beach acre be defined as a series of individual tiles. Then the rules I just went over can apply and presto you have an N64/GC style map that you can freely edit cliffs and rivers in.

Except for the cliffs on the borders, of course.

[dominickeating-source]

TV Zone Issue 63 (2005)

Reed All About Him

As the curtain comes down on Star Trek: Enterprise, Dominic Keating talks with Steven Eramo about the show's final episodes and looks back fondly at his tour of duty as Lt. Malcolm Reed.

His favourite food is pineapple, he tends to be shy around the opposite sex, and he takes great pride in doing a job well done. Over the past four years, fans of Star Trek: Enterprise have gotten to know a bit about what makes the Enterprise NX-01�s tactical officer Lt. Malcolm Reed tick. Recently, he was even forced to reveal a part of his life that he'd previously kept well-hidden. But the lieutenant's TV journey has come to an abrupt end with Enterprise's cancellation. 

"I was in the parking lot of the YMCA when Rick Berman called to tell me that the show had been cancelled," says Reed's alter ego Dominic Keating, referring to the series' executive producer. "I more or less took it on the chin. Deep down, I think we all knew. It's quite sad, really. I mean, there are people I know at the gym who ordinarily wouldn't watch a show like Star Trek. However, because they know me, they've been watching and have become fans. Over the past few months, these people have come up to me and said, This year has just been incredible. They've been genuinely excited to tune in each week, especially as Enterprise seemed to have finally found its stride this season. But, of course, now it's all over."

There's no denying that the first half of Enterprise's fourth year was very much Malcolm Reed-lite. Except for his bridge scenes and the occasional rescue mission, the character remained off the radar. However, Keating was of the mind that good things come to those who wait, and he was right. "I did hardly anything in the first 11 episodes of this season," says the actor. "That said, they were terrific stories in terms of Star Trek lore, and I was just happy to be working. I'm not an actor who reads the scripts week after week and says, Is that all I get to do? I'm lucky in that I got off to a good start with Enterprise and had some neat Malcolm stories in the first three years. That sort of satiated my actors vanity and need to be recognized," he laughs.

"As for this season, things started to pick up for Malcolm with Observer Effect, in which his body is among those taken over by an alien life form. I had some fun scenes in that one, including the opening teaser where Malcolm and Ensign Mayweather [Anthony Montgomery] are playing chess. That was an actual chess game that Anthony and I played for every take. It was shot in a fairly wide angle so that you could, in fact, see each move."

Reed's other moment in the spotlight - albeit a very shadowy spotlight- came in the two-part story explaining the differences between the smooth-headed Klingons of the original series and the bumpy headed models of more recent years.

"I can't tell you how excited I was when I received the scripts for these two episodes," says Keating of the episodes which revealed Reed to be an agent of the black ops unit Section 31. "Funnily enough, I'd actually pitched a story not unlike it back in season one. It was an idea for a Manchurian Candidate-type episode apropos the Suliban. So when Affliction and Divergence came along I was thrilled that my character had this 'boiled sweet' as it were at the back of his mouth that nobody knew he was sucking on. I didn't even ring Manny Coto to ask for any backstory. I just figured that Malcolm was a member of some skull and crossbones society that he joined years ago and that it had now come back to haunt him.

"This was a solid story, very gritty, and a nice little arc for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes I had with Scott Bakula, and Eric Pierpoint, who played Section 31 chief Harris, was a pleasure to work with as well. The two of us really hit it off and we had a lot of laughs together on set. Eric has guest-starred several times on Trek, including the year one Enterprise episode Rogue Planet. This season, his character of Harris recurs almost right up to the end. In fact, threes a scene in the episode that LeVar Burton directed Demons where Harris and Reed meet in a dark alley and he suggests that my character go work for him. During one of the rehearsals I asked, "Why, what have you got? A TV pilot? A movie? That brought the house down, especially as we'd already heard about the cancellation."

It was while filming the second half of the alternative universe episode, In a Mirror, Darkly, that Keating along with the rest of the Enterprise cast and crew learnt of the shows imminent demise. " Supervising producer Merri Howard had announced she was leaving while we were working on the first part of this story," says the actor. "That was a bit of a belly blow. It was like, Oh, God, they're all jumping ship. Merri kept saying it didn't mean anything, but it was difficult not to imagine that it did. And then we got cancelled. The news was tempered by the fact that for this episode they'd built a replica of the original Enterprise bridge as well as its corridors, and our characters were dressed in classic Trek costumes. Still, it was an odd time. As I mentioned earlier, we all had a feeling this was coming, so it was like a dark cloud was suddenly hanging over us."

Not surprisingly, shooting Enterprise's finale, These Are The Voyages, was an emotional experience for all concerned, including Keating. "We shot our last scene in engineering on Friday night [25th February]," he notes. "It was Connor Trinneer and me, and it's quite wonderful, really. I think it's one of those moments that fans will play back over and over in their heads. Basically, it's a thinly disguised allegorical scene for the end of our stint on Enterprise as both characters on the ship and actors on a TV show. It's very moving. There were a couple of times that night where I welled up. That Friday it really hit home for all of us that this was it."

Although he has no idea what fate has in store next for him, Keating is sure that he'll be OK. "I truly believe that, generally speaking, things happen for a reason," muses the actor. "I remember at the time I was gutted when my contract wasn't renewed on the UK sitcom Desmonds. Nonetheless, I went ahead with my plans to visit friends in San Francisco. I ended up going to Los Angeles, which wasn't planned, met some people there and six weeks later I moved to the States.

"Had things not turned out the way they did on Desmonds, I wouldn't be here today. I love living in Southern California and best of all, during my time on Enterprise I've learnt how to really act in front of the camera. I'm a different acting animal than I was four years ago. The show was an amazing luck of the draw for me. It may take some time, but I've just got to wait for the right part in the right project to come along again. I'm confident that will happen."

Celestial Bodies

Among the final episodes to be shot for Enterprise's fourth season was Bound where three Orion slave girls use their feminine wiles to persuade male crewmen to do their bidding. "Let me just tell you, the dance that the three actresses perform in the episode is very sexy," says Keating "The choreographer they worked with had also worked at one time with Janet Jackson. There were no wardrobe malfunctions, but there was quite an energy on set, green or otherwise," chuckles the actor.

"Cyia Batten, who played the lead Orion slave girl, was one of the original dancers in The Pussycat Dolls. She's just beautiful, as are the two women who played the other two Orion gals. William Lucking, who guest-starred as the girls owner did a terrific job as well and gave a very Marlon Brando-like performance. The set for this episode was great, too. It was a sort of space-age Sci-Fi tent where our characters were seduced with food, drink and foxy chicks."

Taking the High Road

Looking back at his time on Enterprise, Keating has nothing but good things to say about the shows cast, in particular, Scott Bakula. "One of the times I welled up on the Friday that I previously spoke of was while we were shooting a scene in the shuttlepod launch bay," he says.

"It was me, Scott, John Billingsley, Linda Park and Anthony Montgomery. I remember watching Scott at work and thinking, Scott, I can't tell you how great these past four years have been. I've learnt so much working with you, not only about the craft of acting and how to carry oneself on a film set, but also about being a human being.

"Scott is an extraordinary individual and one of life's true gents. Without sounding too full of myself, there are moments in my daily life when I'm not prone to take the high road, and I'll ask myself, How would Scott Bakula behave in this situation? That's the kind of positive affect he's had on me."

Source: www.dominickeating.com

[bookofmirth]

I feel like Sarah’s latest projects Acosf Hosab and Hofas have felt kinda different from the og acotar books and the throne of glass series, tho i don’t know if it’s maybe just me connecting them less. I was entertained with all three. Especially with acosf which I don’t think it suffered as much as the cc books. But in all three Sarah’s writing feels off.

Now I’m no specialist in criticising English books in depth but I think you said once you’ve studied literature and that’s why you make mostly analyses of the text.

So I was wondering what’s your take on this, if you’ve noticed it too or not and if yes why or how you believe the writing is off

I've been having a lot of conversations about this with people and we had different ideas, though none of them are certain.

I think that the crossover played to Sarah's weaknesses and took away from her time to write to her strengths. I think that she's at her best when she is delving into characters and emotions, and at her least effective when she's trying to do all this big plot and world stuff.

The points in her series where you can see people starting to wonder what the hell is going on, is where you can see her trying to manipulate the plot in order to set up other stories she wants to tell. The best examples of this are acowar and the acosf/hofas arc. acotar was originally going to be a trilogy and then she manipulated acowar to set up more stories. CC was going to be a trilogy until she came up with the crossover and decided to set up more stories. If she could just stick with her original plans, everything would go much better. The points at which she decides to expand the world or plot or characters, those are the places where she begins to falter. (Some people I think would include HoF in this, but I do not.)

Sarah's writing style is to not outline - she is on record saying that she does not do extensive world building, that she isn't good at it, that she doesn't outline, that she let's the story take her where it will. All of those are fine, valid ways to write! However, they make it nearly impossible for her to pull this crossover off successfully. You absolutely cannot go about such a massive undertaking and just bang out 100k words in a week, or whatever ridiculous pace she worked at this time, and have it make sense.

She is also on record saying that the crossover came to her while she was writing hosab. That means she was thousands of pages into acotar and hundreds of pages into CC before she decided to do this huge, series-altering thing. That's... not just poor planning, it's a recipe for disaster. This is why there are inconsistencies, the weird pacing, and dropped plots from hosab. It was too much and she's not the kind of writer who can take on those sorts of tasks and make it still compelling and cohesive. She just isn't.

One of my big concerns about the crossover was the genre shift - CC being urban fantasy and ACOTAR being high fantasy meant that it wasn't going to fit together. There was going to be some friction, no matter how good a writer took it on (and imo a better writer would have known that and not done it in the first place). It's not that it can't be done, it's just that both series need to have an equally strong foundation to work from. The world building in CC was much more intense than it was in acotar, and so trying to fit those two together was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

ToG never suffers from this because Sarah never tried to make it something it wasn't. She always had a clear vision of what kind of person Aelin was and why, and even though she doesn't outline, I would bet a lot of money that when she started writing ToG, she knew that at the end, Aelin was going to end up happy and on the throne of her own kingdom.

Also - and I'm sorry, I know that I am babbling haha but since your question was about acosf/hosab/hofas specifically, I do think that urban fantasy is not Sarah's genre. She clearly reads it, but... it's not the genre for displaying her strengths as a writer. All of the swearing and sex and drug use had me rolling my eyes constantly because she was just beating us over the head with how hardcore and adult the characters are.

So there are a couple of things, really, that made those three books feel off in comparison to the rest of them:

urban fantasy is not Sarah's genre,

the crossover took her energy and attention away from her strengths (emotion, character) and made her emphasize her weaknesses (plot, world)

It feels like we are watching her become a worse writer, and not better. I'm going to chalk it up to her experimenting a little bit with hofas and it not panning out. Optimistic!Lele says that now that this is out of sjm's system, we can go back to our regularly-scheduled emotional journeys with some magic stuff sprinkled in. Pessimistic!Lele doesn't trust sjm farther than she can throw her.

All of this has made me really nervous to read anything ToG-related that she might come up with in the future. I would love more ToG content from 2016 Sarah. 2024 Sarah? I'm honestly not that interested in more canon ToG stuff from her.

Sorry this got long, and I'm not even sure how cohesive all of this is, it's just been on my mind since I finished hofas!

[valdrinors-writing]

some amber & luna roleswap au notes

OC HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE 2024 ADDITION

amber talbot - luna derbyshire

luna's still the same kind, sweet and introverted girl as in canon, but she's slightly less insecure and more confident

unlike amber, her mom (here an identity for astraea) is still alive and her dad walked out on her when he found out her true identity as a goddess

astraea doesn't really mind, because she loves luna and prospero 'perry' dearly

luna's closer to her mom then in canon and learnt her powers from her - because her mentor was alive and wasn't her neglectful grandfather, luna's much more aware of her abilities - she's also aware of the dangers of overcharging

meets freddie when she spots him watching her soccer team train - she asks him if he wants to take part to which he points out his leg wound - gives the same song and dance about victor hitting him which immediately luna is concerned over and tries to call cps

freddie quickly clarifies its a joke and luna throws aside the large rock decides not to call cps lol

she asks if freddie would like some training to help with his leg and freddie says 'sure why not' because he doesn't have many friends at school and yeah, luna is 3 years older than him but she seems to care about him

definetly starts looking up physical education and rehab for injuries - she lacks amber's photographic memory but she does have a lot of passion and is very good at note-taking - really wants to make sure his leg is okay (probably comes across as a bit annoying)

when freddie is chosen to be the wizard's champion and shows up in her backyard in his super form, luna nearly wakes her brother up with her excited squeal :')

they go on a quick fly around philadelphia and luna gets so excited that she ends up letting out a photon beam :') that's how freddie finds out about luna's powers

luna is so hyped about learning more about freddie's powers and when she and billy end up becoming his 'sidekicks', billy is... significantly less excited

yes, their argument still happens, but its because billy believes that 'the blue cyclone' is acting childish and freddie believes that the blue cyclone 'needs someone to look after him' - luna's just like "can't we all just get along?!"

so sivana happens and later, luna meets the mk system

i have like 2 ideas for mk system and the one that's on my mind right now is while marc is still the host, its steven who made the deal with khonsu - marc is taking medication to try to 'silence' his alters, so when steven comes back he's shocked

luna is much more empathic towards marc than amber is - she really wants to help him out and is horrified when steven basically tells her 'oh after all this is over, ill just disappear'

"NO! THAT IS NOT A NORMAL THING FOR SOMEONE TO SAY! WHAT THE FUCK?!"

i also imagine that luna gets jake out quicker than amber does - mostly because she encourages the mk system to be more open with each other

when she moves back to philadelphia she sees there are spots open for a roommate position with a girl she vaguely knew from high school - enter amber talbot

luna derbyshire - amber talbot

amber is introverted and cold - doesn't really like talking to many people - has kind of locked herself in her room and kept herself away from other people due to her father's death and her grief

she doesn't really open up to anyone unless she has to, which usually means that she's much less of an open book - still a major overachiever, but not as prone to showing it off

she really hates the idea of people pitying her, which is why she fell into books and tv - specifically the master who series (idk if that's the title lol)

she's fond of the master, who's an ubergenius who uses his intelligence to save the world from alien threats, including the rebellious doctor

due to having watched the show on a night where she was suffering from exhaustion/depression from her father's death and her need to prove everyone that she's fine, her latent psychic abilities activate and she's brought into the tv show

amber never knew she was a mutant - her mom was were the mutant gene came from but their powers tend to activate due to stress or strong emotions - amber's mom has a bad habit of bottling up her emotions and has indirectly taught amber that's healthy (its not)

so finding out that she's not just a mutant but something called the 'constant companion' is a huge culture shock for her

gets along best with delgado and gomez master

she reminds the master of his mentee romana (who switches with susan as the first companion) and it was romana who encouraged amber to form a psychic link with the master, for research purposes

they both bond over feeling like they'll never be enough for themselves or others

okay now onto the doctor aka the biggest tragedy - same backstory, they're the timeless child and they took it... poorly

gallifrey was much less openly corrupt in here then in canon, so the doctor was just seen as a child lashing out at nothing

the master still ends up destroying gallifrey during the time war, a fact that keeps him up at night and leads to him confiding in amber about his trauma

but the doctor survives the war and puts his consciousness into a pocket watch which leads to uh... utopia

tennant is more like a scientist trying to encourage first contact than a politician (idea stolen from this art) - i also dont imagine he makes the 'doctor race' or whatever in end of time

(tbh that art inspired the hell out of this part of the au lol)

amber hates the doctor moreso than luna hates the master, but more because he shows pity for her - the doctor is naturally empathic, and he sees that she's grieving, and he basically calls out the master for not 'breaking through to her'

which leads to amber - in a fit of rage - nearly causing pertwee master to regenerate from a massive psychic shock - amber hates the idea that someone so evil pities her, and it just confirms her suspicions the only people who pity her and her grief are just bad actors trying to use her

at one point - during a break from traveling with the master - amber decides to move out and move into her own apartment. she places an ad because her mom is encouraging her to 'make some real friends', which is how she and luna meet

[chrismerle]

on the whole, I'm willing to let a lot slide under the umbrella of 'the blight is now effectively its own living entity, as it's being altered in real time by Ghilan'nain,' and some of it I'm willing to just go 'that's clearly a loose thread for later' since it's clear that another sequel in probably another fifteen years is intended (mostly with regards to 'something even weirder is in the blight now'). generally speaking, though, I do agree that the blight needed to be handled with a little more consistency than it was (and lbr, 'sometimes red lyrium just means it's angry' was a cop out because they wanted the lyrium to look like blood and ignored the fact that keeping it unnaturally blue would have been plenty spooky) and SOME explanation for how the Neve/Bellara got healed at the end would have been nice. but a lot of this seems ... I don't know if nitpicky is the right word. it just seems really convenient to only bring some of this up solely with regards to veilguard

like, 'oh, the blight is suuuuuper contagious and deadly, except for Rook and Co.! booo!' okay but then tell that to Morrigan, Leliana, Zevran, pre-Awakening Oghren, and Sten, who were all not Wardens and who were all getting wounded by supposedly highly infectious darkspawn. plus your literally blighted dog, which you cured incredibly easily with one(1) flower that is then never mentioned ever again. if that's an inconsistency now, it was an inconsistency then, too. when in reality allowances just have to be made for the fact it's a video game. in-universe, it's super easy to get infected with the blight, but as a player, if you keeled over and died every time a darkspawn touched you then the games would have been unplayable from the beginning. or i guess they would just be another series of souls-likes.

or the talking darkspawn or the heavily blighted Wardens. the blight doesn't just make you drop dead, it turns you into a darkspawn. the calling isn't the point at which wardens drop dead. it's the point at which the blight catches up with them and turns them into a darkspawn finally. that's why a lot of them go off into the deep roads when they start hearing it; they want to go get killed so they can't turn into a darkspawn, while taking as many already-existing darkspawn down with them as they can. it's a zombie plague, but it's set in a medieval fantasy so no one wants to call it a zombie plague. some of the zombies are just smart zombies; this is not a new trope. the heavily blighted wardens helping isseya are talking darkspawn, which have been around in every game, if you include the DLC. the Architect and the Mother in Awakening? they're talking darkspawn. Corypheus, the big bad of the entirety of Inquisition? he's a talking darkspawn. Isseya is the same thing; she even kinda looks like the Architect. if intelligent, talking darkspawn are an inconsistency now, they were an inconsistency then, too.

(and this isn't even getting into the fact that the Architect baldly states 'darkspawn can be returned to full rationality by drinking the blood of a Grey Warden' and it is then never addressed again)

was veilguard messy in places? yes, but that's not unique to veilguard. dragon age as a whole, as much as I love it (and I do love it, so much), has just always been a goddamn mess. there's a random event in Origins where totally-not-kal-el falls from space and is then found by totally-not-john-and-martha-kent and it is never addressed again. the qunari basically turned into a different species between origins and DA2, and the entire thing was just hand-waved away with 'sometimes they're just born with no horns.' in Origins mabari are said to be super intelligent by dog standards, to the extent of being able to understand spoken orders, they imprint on a single owner, and they're relatively rare, but by the time Inquisition happens basically every dog in Thedas is a mabari and they've just become really big pit bulls, and Cullen just finds and adopts a random one. only mages can do magic, but it's apparently not magic when the rogues turn invisible, teleport, back flip 16 feet into the air and still shoot with unerring accuracy, drop a respawn point in the middle of battle, or make spectral clones of themselves, and it's also not magic when the warriors spontaneously become invincible.

I dunno, I don't expect anyone's opinion to change from my tirade. it just feels disingenuous to see so many people go 'can you believe how messy Veilguard is for these things that have been there since Origins but that I'm only conveniently taking issue with now?'

the lore inconsistencies with the blight in this game are actually exhausting. 'the rules have changed the blight has changed' okay but make it make sense within the changes please like

the blight is the titans dreams gone mad with rage okay. red lyrium is lyrium infected with the blight. except that section of red lyrium in harding's quest which is... angry... but somehow not infected with the blight... even though we know what red lyrium is from inquisition

the calling eventually kills you but there's a bunch of super blighted wardens who've been alive for ages underground. isseya has been alive since the 4th blight. these wardens aren't even proper darkspawn they're just Really Corrupted

there's that ominous 'theres something in the blight' quest you do in the wetlands that just turns out to be a giant blight growth. darkspawn appear from blight pools now. also apparently in the wetlands there's just a bunch of flowers happily thriving beneath the blight that are fine once the blight is removed. did we forget the western approach. that the land is barren after it's infected with the blight.

it's super easy to become infected with the blight, except if you're rook and co apparently because that blighted status sure doesn't really have any consequences. spEAKING OF which neve/bellara become super duper infected by the blight to the point they can control it and yet afterwards... they're fine?? they're fine!! there's no cure for the blight except apparently you can just shake it off. the hero of fereldan has been searching for a cure for decades but could've just shrugged it off apparently!

[browniefox]

Undertale/Deltarune FanComics

I put out a post for some UTDR comic recs, and I've decided to compile them all here, both so that I can easily access them as I make my way through, and also so that anyone else who is interested in it can also check it out :D I've provided brief descriptions next the ones I could uh quickly find descriptions for or knew personally, so if you notice one you know that's lacking a descriptions, tell me and I'll add it.

Also if you think this list would benefit from further categorization in some way, let me know! Right now it's a bit of a mess and overwhelming lol.

I'll also be updating this with new (or old lol) comics if anyone has more suggestions!

Edit: I’m making a collection blog, @utdrlibrary, that way one can go through the posts for which comic sounds interesting, instead of scrolling through a messy list lol. I’m still working getting the comics from this post up on the blog

(a 🌟 next to a comic means that I have personally read and recommend it ^-^ )

Undertale

Aftertale by @loverofpiggies - Complete.

🌟 Darker yet Darker and the sequel Second Son of Gaster by @sansybones - Sans' creation, how he came to be and find his abilites, and his relationship with Gaster and Papyrus. Complete.

🌟 Over the Void by @undertale-over-the-void - Post-Undertale. Frisk, Asriel, and Monster Kid end up travelling to a strange alternate universe where the war with humans seems to be ongoing. In Progress.

🌟 Dogs of Future Past by @lynxgriffin - Post-Undertale. Trying to find Gaster for Sans' sake, Frisk travels to the past with Flowey, and stuck in the body of one of the dogs that make up Endogeny. Complete.

Under/source by @slylock-syl - In Progress.

Ask Fallen Royalty by @askfallenroyalty - An Everyone Lives au. In Progress?

Ask Frisk and Company by @chamomilekitten and @comikatva - In Progress?

Ask Chara and Friends by Miamouse - In Progress.

The Thought by @tratserenoyreve - Sans uses the souls. Complete.

Mercy by @renrink - Frisk, Sans, and Chara during the San fight? Complete.

You Are Not Welcome by @rumay-chian - Based on the ending of a neutral run? In Progress.

Shifter Au by @audaciousanonj, @leshyleaf, and @wilwoo (I think? There's a lot of names on this blog) - Papyrus (the older brother in this au) gives up his form to a shapeshifter who he hopes will raise Sans better than he is. In Progress?

Inverted Fate by @megaderping - A roleswap au. In Progress.

Underline Au - okay so I remember reading some of this, but the blog (@/underlineau) pulls up strangely and my browser says there's something weird about it? If anyone knows why that is let me know.

Ghost Switch by @clevercatchphrase - Switches Narra-Chara with uh someone else? In Progress.

Fallen Flowers by @tarableart​ - In Progress.

The Old Monster of the Ruins by @knking​ - Asgore Dreemurr, an old monster that take cares of the Ruins and the humans living in it. Complete?

Name the Fallen by @namethefallen - Papyrus went to sleep in a race car bed and woke up in a flowerbed and is trying to find out what happened. In Progress?

Storyshift by @ut-storyshift - I was unsure exactly what to link for this, or if it is even currently a comic? I think it's a fic now. In Progress?

Altered Destiny by @altereddestinyau - Discontinued?

Entity Neo by @entityneo - In Progress?

🌟 Unexpected Guests by @undertalethingems - Papyrus summons the full form of his Blaster and can't get it to go away. Shenanigans ensue. In Progress.

They Say He Shattered by @emilyparagraph - Neutral Routes start colliding with each other. Discontinued.

The Bar of Sanses series by VanGold - A bar for various Au Sans to visit? In Progress?

Heart and SOUL by @auroragriffon - Sans' and Toriel's daughter ends up in the Underground of the past. In Progress.

Duotale by @ask-duotale-b2fc - An au where it's a different child who is the 7th child? In Progress.

Horrortale by @horrortalecomic - Post-Empress Undyne Neutral Route. A new child has fallen into the Underground, and things have gotten bad. In Progress?

🌟 Handplates by @zarla-s - Papyrus and Sans, creations of Gaster, from creation to and through canon (I'm still catching up lol). In Progress.

Deltarune

🌟 Paper Trail by @lynxgriffin - Canon-Divergent take on Deltarune after Chapter 1 of how the story could've gone. Complete.

The Chara Timeline by @lilybug-02 - Chara is Asriel's college roommate. They're both in Hometown visiting from college. In Progress.

Looking Glasses by @ferronickel - Susie, Ralsei, and Lancer, two years after Deltarune. In Progress.

🌟 Gaster's Great Escape by @moldyjunk - Gaster trying to get back to reality, in Deltarune. In Progress.

🌟 Twin Runes by @akanemnon - Frisk somehow ends up in Deltarune. Mostly rn funny shenanigans but seems to be heading towards story.

[itsbooktimepeople]

Strange the Dreamer

★★★★☆

In middle school, I remember reading and really liking Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. That, and a friend's recommendation, inspired me to pick up Strange the Dreamer, and I'm so glad I did.

What is this book about? It's so creative and wonderful that it's hard to describe, but in short: Lazlo is an orphan obsessed with the lost city of Weep. Sarai is a half-goddess who lives in a giant floating citadel above the city. Lazlo accompanies other experts to Weep in order to help discover the secret of the citadel, and discovers the twisted history of the old murdered gods of Weep.

If that summary doesn't sound enticing, don't worry, because it doesn't do the book justice at all. On a more fundamental level, Strange the Dreamer is about love, both the power it gives us and has over us. It's about prejudice. It's about judging people for their parents' mistakes, and it's about what makes a hero or a villain.. (Let me just say, the themes in this book were presented excellently.)

So, as always, I will start with the things I liked.

High on the list is characterization, because holy smokes, Taylor knows how to write a protagonist. The scene where Lazlo first came to the library almost made me cry because it reminded me so much of why I fell in love with stories in the first place. He's a very genuine character, and something that really struck me was what a good person he is. I mean, lots of books have "good person" main characters, but we were never told that Lazlo is good. It's shown through his actions, and that makes all the difference. He's always willing to lend a helping hand, but he also knows when to back off, and understands that people have to star in their own stories.

And our other protagonist, Sarai, was also great. Her gift of entering and altering other people's dreams is explored deeply, and so is her relationship with Minya, who manipulated her into using her powers to bring nightmares to the citizens of Weep. A lot of Sarai's perspective dwells on her guilt and turmoil and longing to be considered a normal girl, but it never feels repetitive or annoying. When Sarai is sad, so is the reader, and when she's happy the reader rejoices.

Speaking of which, the romance also deserves a shout out. I'm not usually a fan of lovey-dovey books, but Sarai and Lazlo were so sweet together that I couldn't help but enjoy this one. They tell each other their deepest secrets and support each other's most difficult decisions. Maybe it's just me, but I also loved how slow they took their relationship. And, I think my favorite part was that, even though Sarai was raised to despise humans and Lazlo was told horrendous stories about the blue gods of Weep, they came to understand each other's people as well as love each other. And the ending completely broke my heart, but anyway

However, as wonderful as the characterization is, it pales in comparison to my favorite aspect of Strange the Dreamer, which is the sheer creativity. I think Laini Taylor must be a genius or something. I don't want to spoil the story, but let's just say the dilemma Weep is facing, the creatures that used to live there, the fact that everyone in the book has two hearts (one that pumps blood and one that pumps spirit), the tattoos the women of Weep receive, and of course the writing style... Reading this book really does feel like stepping into a dream.

To anyone who loves fantasy, I completely recommend Strange the Dreamer. I can't wait to read the sequel!

[arsnovacadenza]

FAFNER THE BEYOND RANT. FULL SPOILERS

Just to clarify one thing: I never intend to bash Maya.

Long-lived crush on Kazuki aside, I greatly appreciate the bond that they had. Maya had been a great support all those five years Kazuki was coping with having Soushi taken away from again. They had the sweetest moments in Fafner Exodus (baring a few....scenes that made me feel like Maya's characterization was taking a concerning turn. I agree with @lady-byleth) and Kazuki being sweet with the girls close to him is one of the reasons why he's so endearing. Hell, I laugh along when people joke that he's got an untended harem full of women. Reminds me of Athrun, another favorite character of mine.

But the (not actually random) ship tease with Maya at the end of The Beyond makes me feel like it's an absolute cop-out. Do I want to say it's queerbaiting rearing its ugly head? Kinda, sorta but at the same time not really. They've practically erased every meaningful beat of Kazuki's relationship with the two Soushis, so unless Behind the Line delivers that killing blow, I'm holding out hope.

On the other hand....

......I wish I could root for Maya, and I do want the best for her, but to set her up as a second choice because Soushi's out of the picture just like that....well

I don't mean Maya's the bitch. She's just been consistent with her crush on Kazuki. So is Kazuki asking her to come with him because he also extended the same gesture to Canon in an alternate continuity (THAT WAS SWEET, YO. THAT HAD WEIGHT. PUNCHED ME RIGHT IN THE KOKORO WHEN CANON DIED).

The bitch is how The Beyond wraps up Soushi and Kazuki's arc and how Kazuki copes with the aftermath. What's disappointing is all of this buildup to Kazuki and Soushi's (and by extension Kosoushi's) relationship for the last...I don't know, two whole-ass-seasons and two freaking movies (It was there in Left of Right) and all we get is Kazuki getting told "ya Soushi's dead. Get over it" by Kosoushi and then yeeting himself off the island, which.....kinda makes sense considering he did show a desire to see stuff outside the island. I'm not even gonna start with that ship-teasingly promise to Maya (the scene even used the firefly symbolism from Anya Kouro) to return and then just yeets himself from Kosoushi's life. What, are you not going to attempt rebuilding a relationship with Kosoushi? The kid you'd been raising like a son?

But man, speaking of Maya I feel like they've done dirty in The Beyond. This is probably just me, but I was genuinely heartbroken seeing her go from a cheerful, thoughtful, genuinely sweet girl who deeply cares for Kazuki while respecting his bond with Soushi (make of that what you will) to an obviously depressed, deadpan woman with too much burden on her shoulders (I can't tell if it's the killing from Exodus that made her that way or if the altered mental state while piloting Fafner spilled over to her personality). At least, at least give her an arc that has her trying to recover and rebuild her life (that's not just settling with Kazuki). You know, some sort of believable development?

She had been my favorite female character, next to Seri and now Canon. But watching The Beyond was just....ugh

That is all. Thank you for coming to my nighttime TED talk.