#and thus subsequently made this post on May 1

[bestagons]

I just want to remind everyone who is camped on wedding hill that Dan has said he doesnt like accessories or jewelry and if you think that man is going to be wearing a ring weather he is married to Phil or Chris Hemsworth or Taylor Swift, youre probably wrong.

[raayllum]

Anyway time to talk about the 6x03 poem:

As many others have speculated judging by the map, Captain Skall made her way to Hook named after her, and then "as east she sailed into waters so deadly and cold" in the Frozen Shards, her ship eventually being stuck and meeting her doom there.

With that out of the way, I want to talk about other pieces of info, why this might be the poem for 6x03 specifically, and where I think Skall may fit timeline wise:

"From the isles without name" makes me think of the Independent Isles in between Evenere and Katolis.

"sailing north, she called herself free" makes me feel feral with Callum (and Rayla) doing the same in hopes of freeing Callum from Aaravos' grasp by destroying the prison

"Through forests and flowers, past the uneven towers" clearly symbolizes Katolis, indicating that Skall lived once most of the human kingdoms had been established, and thereby post-Exile/Exodus.

"Skall hungered for glory, she wanted a story / they’d tell it long after she died". Routinely we see a desire for glory / worthiness / power described as hunger ("Hungry for knowledge and power" / "But that small taste left some humans hungry—starved, even—for a better path. An easier path. And thus Elarion became the birthplace of a new form of magic, a shortcut to primal power: dark magic"). This also comes into seeking a legacy.

"So with winter wind’s blowing / she sailed north, forgoing / a man who’d have made her his bride". This is where we see the poem take a more negative slant in a few ways. The first is winter, wind, and north, setting up a future unfortunate turn of events. This is also the first mention of Skall having something else in her life other than adventure and something she had to subsequently abandon. While the end of the poem is much more on her side of feelings, "forgoing" does mean "renouncing; sacrificing or giving up" something that is more positive.

"Alone in the cold, yet ever so bold" again adds to the more negative feeling the poem is building, as boldness is in the contrast with "alone in the cold" that's overall negative and maintaining a bit more of an upkeep. Likewise, we see the return of the wind with an even more negative connotation in wailing in the following stanza: "And oh, winter wailed / as east she sailed / into waters so deadly and cold". We see the return of cold but also the change into things being 'deadly' (although there were still hints of danger earlier, as 'bold' indicates).

"Then came the ice, and trapped in its vise" The cold finally catches up to her, and we see ice return as a form of entrapment (2x06, 3x08, 3x09, 5x04, 5x06, 5x08). Most interestingly, "vise" is a tool with closable jaws for clamping things. Maybe the ice is magical, or the jaw of a great (the dragon we've seen in the trailer) creature?

"And while she found peace / she wished that, at least / she’d told him she loved him, always". While the poem ends on a somewhat bittersweet end (at death but at peace), we do see that Skall died with a final regret to the man she could've wed but left instead.

Or you could say, a last wish.

Either way, the poem paints a rather grim journey: going North didn't hold the same freedom and achievements that Skall hoped for, and instead led to entrapment, separation, and death.

That said: there's a few Rayllum-y things I think we can glean from this poem, for starters:

1) The episode will likely have a strong focus on Callum and Rayla sailing to and/or through the Frozen Sea on whatever ship they're planning to use to get there. This leaves 6x02 "Love, War, and Mushrooms" more open to either explore other plot lines or another pit stop in their journey (like say, the Silvergrove)

2) The poem itself has pretty clear Rayllum parallels, specifically in TDP's continual gender subversion of the women who puts other things above her romantic relationship, even if it's likewise seen as a sacrifice. Rayla left Callum in order to protect him/the world from Viren, even if that meant damaging their relationship, and Skall puts her desire for glory and adventure over presumably a more settled married life at home. (Excuse me while I scream over "forgoing a man who'd have made her his bride.")

3) The poem likewise has some parallels to Rayla's "Dear Callum" letter specifically. There are wishes expressed of the leaving party, a desire to have made feelings more plain that Callum reiterates in 5x04 when they think they're about to die ("I hope you know—" "I know"), and most notably, a parallel to the always mention:

she wished that, at least she’d told him she loved him, always.

But, if it does—if you feel that soft aching—know that that piece of your heart isn’t missing. It’s not missing at all, Callum: I’m carrying it with me! Always. I love you. I love you so much.

4) All this bodes quite well for 6x03 being an episode with a big Rayllum moment in it — perhaps even their Big "You Finally Came Back" Talk — especially since there's not much else to (presumably) happen on a ship if they're just travelling somewhere (and not being pursued this time).

Episode Speculation (a summary / misc thoughts)

Callum and Rayla travelling to the Frozen Sea

Big Talk happens

+ potential love confession / reaffirmation?

They reach the other end of the Frozen Sea

Maybe fight the big dragon from the video game teaser we see with Rayla (like Skall, she has literal hooks = blades) whose guarding or in their way to the Starscraper? Could account for the jaws and maybe the ice

One of them is worried and/or has a moment of thinking the other person is hurt/injured bc of said dragon fight?

Maybe some Aaravos backstory in his lost love (although like I said, I don't think it's Skall exactly — I still think the likeliest names are Elara-adjacent or Kalik)

Episode Title Speculation (in about this order):

The Frozen Sea

By River and Sea

Always (this would be my personal favourite and i would never stop screaming)

[llyfrenfys]

In which I try not to be That Guy TM when it comes to Irish ancestors: An exploration of ancestry, diaspora and culture

Because of The Horrors TM in my life atm I've been looking into my biological family tree. I'm adopted but estranged from my adoptive family and I never met my biological family since I was adopted just short of my 2nd birthday. I've been tracing my ancestry for about 3 years now and it's genuinely quite stress relieving to me. It's also fun and challenging from a research standpoint - putting together my own family tree gave me the skills to write articles like this one I wrote in 2022 about historical Welsh queer people, for example.

Lately, I've been finding out more about my Irish ancestors while an adoptee (and thus not knowing any of my biological family) - but also doing this as a Celticist and tired of people doing the 'my sister's friend's cousin's father's mother was Irish' thing. This has created an almost unbearable tension between curiosity at my own ancestry while trying not to be That Guy who finds out about one (1) Irish ancestor hundreds of years ago and is weird about it.

Especially since mine are quite distant ancestors - my great, great, great grandparents were born in Dublin and in a tiny village in County Down called Dunnaman (near Kilkeel). However, they were Irish Catholics and emigrated to Liverpool in the 1870s - all of their subsequent children and grandchildren were born in Liverpool and all of the above + great grandchildren were raised Catholic - including my grandmother (who died before I was born). So there was an obvious attempt to maintain that heritage. There's even evidence my great, great, great grandmother at least spoke Irish (which, as she was born in County Down, would have been Ulster Irish).

The problems with uncritically throwing oneself at an ancestor's nationality:

Now, not all North Americans of Irish (or Welsh, Scottish, Italian, Scandinavian, German etc.) descent do this - but there's a very vocal set of North Americans of Irish descent who find awe and interest in their ancestry - which is actually quite a positive thing! - however, due to either temporal or cultural disconnect, they may end up doing or saying things (and not necessarily with bad intentions) which can have a negative impact on the Irish and the Irish language (or [nationality] and [language(s) associated with that nationality].

I'm reminded of the time an American commented on a Welsh language rights post I made in support of Welsh speakers, but they accidentally ended up using a white nationalist slogan by mistake. It can be a minefield - and with regards to Ireland specifically, mistakes like that can be so much worse. To literally give my own (mild) example, today I decided to relearn Irish (since I haven't spoken any in years since being taught basics at undergrad) and picked up a blank notebook I bought at Tesco the other week, while completely forgetting the inside cover of the notebook was orange. I was planning on decorating the notebook anyway and painted it a different colour. While I know that nobody would really hold it against me if I didn't change the colour, I just know that walking around with an orange notebook filled with Irish I'm relearning because of interest in my Catholic ancestors could be a confusing set of messages, at the very least. If you don't understand why this is, look up the meanings of the colours on the flag of Ireland.

Which is to say, even those of us in Northern Europe who have significantly greater physical proximity to Ireland than North America (and therefore should know better) still can and do get things wrong. And not just benignly wrong like in my case.

The tendency for some North Americans of Irish descent (Canada isn't exempt from this) to conflate Irish ancestry with a contemporary connection to the modern countries located on the island of Ireland as a whole can have results ranging from 'a bit weird' to 'jesus fucking christ'. As a Celticist, I've seen far, far too many Americans of Irish descent try to weigh in on modern Irish politics without any background knowledge or tact at all - and naturally they stake their claim on modern Irish politics entirely on the premise of having distant Irish ancestors. Or, even worse, things start to get all phrenological.

'Irish blood' and the nonexistence thereof:

'Irish blood' is continually evoked by some to validate their sense of 'Irishness' and the obsession with '[insert nationality] blood' is a distinctly North American phenomenon- likely related to or an offshoot of the concept of 'blood quantum', in which enrolment into some Native American nations and tribes is determined by how much 'Native blood' a person has. Notably, many people who would ostensibly have been described under this system as 'full blood' were registered by the US as 'half blood'. This is a method of genocide intended to wipe out tribes and nations by imposing strict measures of who does or does not qualify to enrol into a tribe or nation. This concept seems to have been extrapolated over time (in a North American context at least) into the idea of descent from other nationalities' being measured in a similar or adjacent way. This is how you end up with some North Americans declaring they are '1/8 Italian and 1/4 Irish' on their dad's side etc. While in Europe (where these nationalities hail from, crucially) this practice is seen as a really weird way to describe your ancestry. In general, it's simply 'my 4 times grandfather came from Spain' or 'my great great grandfather on my dad's side came from Finland' etc. if it comes up at all. For various political reasons, many Europeans with descent from multiple other European nationalities may choose to omit to mention descent from certain nationalities, especially if in recent history there has been conflict between their birth nation and an ancestor's nation. The most famous example of this is literally the British royal family changing their surname from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the more 'British sounding' Windsor in 1917 due to the onset of the First World War.

Where it gets really weird (and also very offensive and rude) is when cultural stereotypes get invoked alongside the whole 'blood' thing in usually quite damaging and/or disparaging ways. I've seen way too many North Americans of Irish descent claim they're alcoholics because they have 'Irish blood' or even worse, claim it's normal to domestically abuse their spouses because of it!! (Genuine thing I have seen btw). Same goes for claiming to be a naturally good chef because of 'Italian blood' and so on. As a general rule, people from the place where your ancestors were from don't generally like to be inherently be considered drunks or prone to violence due to their nationality. Or have weird and inaccurate idealisms projected onto their language or cuisine.

Aren't there any positives?

It wouldn't be fair to make a post like this without mentioning some of the positives that can come from interest in an Irish ancestor. Like I mentioned at the start of this post, I myself felt inspired to relearn Irish because of my own Irish ancestors. I was taught the Connacht dialect at undergrad, however, since my ancestor was from County Down, I'm going to try and learn Ulster Irish instead. One doesn't need Irish ancestors to learn Irish of course - when I learned I wasn't aware I had any Irish ancestors. But being inspired to learn Irish because of an ancestor can't hurt and directly increases the number of Irish speakers in the world (provided you keep at it). This is a net positive for the language as a whole.

Similarly, people who have educated themselves on Irish politics because of their ancestry and genuinely learned something are also a positive thing to come out of discovering Irish ancestors. In my experience, these people are the kind of people I enjoy talking to about being a Celticist because they actively want to learn and respect the cultures being talked about. Which is huge to me!

Conclusion:

As a Welsh speaker whose national identity is more-or-less Jan Morris-esque, my Irish ancestry is an interesting facet of my ancestry I simply didn't know about before. And being an adopted person, I can sympathise with the general sentiment of a lot of white North Americans of feeling disconnected or alienated from any ancestral heritage. The conditions which create That Guy TM as described above rely on that sense of alienation to propagate a very ineffective, tactless and often very insensitive approach to Irish and other European cultures. But the important thing is that that approach can be challenged by people genuinely interested in their ancestry who are also conscientious of the living versions of the cultures their ancestors hailed from.

For me, that means learning Irish in a dialect my ancestors are likely to have spoken. I also visited the library today to check out some books on the Irish emigration to England and the sociopolitical reasons behind that emigration. I know the broad strokes, but the details are desirable to know to get a better idea of the why and how the country of my birth had a hand in creating the conditions which led my ancestors to emigrate in the first place. I think the world would be a better place if people took the time to understand the history and politics of ancestors which don't share their nationality.

As always, reblogs and thoughts are welcomed and encouraged!

Thank you for reading to the end - and if you'd like to support me, please see my pinned post. Diolch!

[petermorwood]

Crisps / Chips again

Associated with this post, here's an artefact, two anecdotes and an opinion.

The artefact is a slightly dented but still remarkably airtight "Charles Chips" tin.

It was bought, full, many years ago from the Vermont Country Store, from whom we subsequently bought reflll packs - given their size, "sacks" would be more accurate - which were shipped to Ireland in sturdy cardboard boxes.

VCS no longer carry Charles Chips in either tin or refill. I know. I checked. BUT...

The Charles Chips company, which per Wikipedia was doing just fine in 1990 then got sold and went bankrupt twice in less than three years (gosh!) is Back In Business, and note has been taken, with considerable interest - oh, you bet - that they do international shipping...

*****

Anecdote No. 1 is from when @dduane lived in Bala Cynwyd near Philadelphia, in what was known as "The House of Dangerously Single Women" (ahem). She tells me that the household used to get Charles Chips delivered to the door about twice a week, by the company's own vans.

Speaking as a long-time crisp fan, I found that both very neat and a source of mild envy. :->

Anecdote No. 2 is from 30-ish years ago, when we were in New York for something or other and, being rather jetlagged with our internal food clocks out of whack, did our usual thing and went out for a walk.

Curiously enough, this involved visiting several food stores and supermarkets where we bought a lot of Interesting Foreign or Much Missed (i.e. American, in both instances) junk food for grazing on back in our hotel room.

In one of them DD was about to lay claim to a huge bag of Wise potato chips (its bag would have been the design in the middle)...

...while nattering to one of the shop staff how much she missed them. He told her that a new delivery was expected in about 20 minutes and if she wanted to wait, she'd get much fresher chips.

And So It Came To Pass.

Well done, that guy!

*****

Finally, while Saratoga Springs may have been where potato crisps / chips were popularised, standardised, commercialised or whatever, it's definitely not where they were invented.

Even the oft-repeated "creation myth" frequently has its hard-to-please celebrity demanding to have his potatoes sliced and fried really thin "The Way I Had Them In France" - which kinda sorta suggests they were, um, being made there just like that well before the Saratoga thing happened.

Myths are okay, even marketing myths - so long as they're recognised as myths and not shilled as true by places with reputations like the Smithsonian.

*****

It's a bit like the still-current nonsense about spices being used in medieval kitchens to disguise bad meat. As far as I've been able to find out, this originated with a historian called J. C. Drummond in the late 1930s - yup, just before World War Two - simply because he didn't know his period terminology.

"Green" meant fresh - even nowadays, an inexperienced or immature person is "green" - so green cheese was newly made, and green meat was newly slaughtered, unaged and consequently tough and flavourless.

Just ask any steak fan the difference between a fresh steak and a 30-day dry aged one.

Drummond, in his overspecialised-scholarship wisdom, assumed that "green venison" meant meat which had gone off, and that a recipe to improve it with spices was to cover the bad smell and taste.

In fact it was somewhere between a marinade and a rub, meant to improve the tenderness and flavour of fresh meat as if it had aged for a while, thus shortening the waiting time between killing a beast and getting it to the table of a hungry court.

As I've said before, it's always easier for no-proofs-given pop history to dismiss medieval people as (insert derogatory observation here) than take the time needed to explain why and how they in their time were not that different to us in ours.

*****

PS: when looking for that previously posted stuff about green meat I found a post where, with even less evidence than Saratoga Springs inventing crisps, a Brit poster claimed Brits invented curry.

Snrk.

Among other more or less pertinent observations, I mentioned that what Brits invented was BRITISH curry, and anyone who has read "Nanny Ogg's Cookbook" will know what I meant by that... :->

[hollowwhisperings]

The Mythology of Keyblades: Riku the Beach Boy of Avalon

This theory is partially Crack and partially a genuine investigation into the usage of Arthurian mythology within the KH series.

(this line from Monty Python & the Holy Grail inspired this whole theory: all i had to do was replace the referenced [Lady of the Lake] with Riku)

If you've loitered about the Kingdom Hearts fandom enough and read enough interviews with Tetsuya Nomura, you'll soon conclude that Riku is Tetsuya Nomura's Favourite Child in this series. Riku is the driving force for most of KH's story beats & Riku has played deuteragonist to Sora, story-wise if not in gameplay, in every game that isn't a prequel. Riku seems to gain a new & unique special ability with every game (often at a harsh price). Yet, for all the time the audience spends with Riku... the series is very careful about revealing anything about the boy beyond his utter devotion to Sora. The game even encourages players to Forget and Overlook the integral roles Riku plays in the series, typically via throwing a Kairi between him & Sora.

Jokes aside, while Riku's Secret Anime Prince coding is STRONG, it is not the point being explored here: there are 2 seemingly nonsensical Disney Crossovers established prior to most everything else: 'Alice in Wonderland' (something somewhat explored in my 'Princesses of Light as Stars' series of tinhattery) and 'The Sword In The Stone'. This post shall examine the latter, an animated adaption of the King Arthur myth, and how it is represented in KH not solely through the character of 'Merlin' but as the underlying principle behind the x-blade, Keyblade Wielding & how Riku acts as Kingdom Hearts itself.

Boy at Beach Distrubiting Swords

Let's start with Riku's Keyblades: he has had more than one, not due to gears or keychains but due to... apparently being able to churn fresh swords from his Heart as the Plot Requires.

The different keyblades used by Riku throughout the series thus far are the following:

Kingdom Key (Sora's default keyblade)

Souleater/Way to the Dawn (Riku's default from KH1 until KH2.9)

the Keyblade of Heart (while possessed by Apprentice Xehanort's Heartless, AKA Ansem Seeker of Darkness);

the [Combined Keyblade/"Gayblade"] (alongside Sora)

Braveheart (Riku's current keyblade)

(given that King Mickey found Kingdom Key-D in the Dark equivalent of the Destiny Islands & the whole "x-blade was made of light & darkness" thing... THAT keyblade, currently wielded by King Mickey, may ALSO come from Riku)

That's 5 different keyblades (6 if we include Kingdom Key-D), and ALL have been seen onscreen with at least 1 other, typically Kingdom Key, marking each of these keyblades as being 'distinct' and 'separate' from each other. Before figuring out what Heart Maths may be at play here... a brief interlude.

Young Adult Gifts Toddler Giant Sword: More Wholesome than it Sounds

Supposedly, the ability to [manifest] & "wield" a keyblade is only possible through a successful Bequeathing Ceremony: Terra performed such a ceremony for Riku in BBS. This, however, is a method passed on by the Master of Masters & subsequent schools of keyblade masters: given... literally EVERYTHING seen on "traditional" schools of keyblade mastery, this Premise is Factually Dubious. The series shows multiple characters manifesting or otherwise wielding keyblades without any such ceremonies: even assuming that these rites "carry over" through acts of Posession and Cloning, the Need for a ceremony becomes questionable. This would not be the first (nor last) time in the KH series that the "knowledge" of Foretellers, Mentors & Scholars prove to be Assumptions rather than Absolute Fact.

Exhibit A: Axel & Accidents

Axel is the best example as, unless we are later informed that Subject X performed the ceremony on Lea (or that Roxas or Xion did so without knowing), Axel has never been part of nor possessed by an existing keyblade wielder: his keyblade is entirely his own, a surprise to all.

Sora & Kairi were never formally bequeathed a keyblade though the latter "accidentally" inherited the ability from Aqua in BBS. Sora never had such a ceremony, the KH Wiki (dubious resource that it is) explains Sora's keyblade wielding as being a result of Ventus sleeping within Sora's Heart: I think it is more likely that, unlike the Formal Ceremonies of past keyblade schools may have taught, Hearts do not actually require outside recognition of "worth" in order to manifest a keyblade.

Once Upon A Meteor Shower

Riku's Heart entrusting Kingdom Key to Sora in KH1, a last-ditch effort from its Light to keep to its Oath of Protection, strikes me as being more "faithful" to what we have observed of keyblades in-game. For all that the formally schooled Keyblade Wielders past recited "May Your Heart Be Your Guiding Key", no one embodies the intent of this principle more than the entirely self-taught Sora: Riku and King Mickey likely next closest in trusting their Hearts over what they have been taught.

A Heart entrusting its physical manifestation to Another due to the Connection between them seems a "Truer" bequeathment than the (admittedly heartwarming) recitations of a stranger. Keyblades may NOW be deemed "weapons" to conquer Darkness... but the original x-blade was made of Light AND Darkness, a union of forces working in balance rather than opposition. The first x-blade was a tool for Protection, not Hurt: a creation of Heart and, thus, of Love.

Exhibit B: Body & Hearts

A creation of "Heart". As in, 1 heart = 1 keyblade. Multiple hearts in 1 body? Multiple keyblades.

Roxas is the Go-To example: the Nobody Twin of Naminé, created when Sora "unlocked" Kairi from his Heart whilst Ventus slept within it.

Roxas, in his every appearance, is capable of Dual Wielding: a keyblade from Sora, a keyblade from Ventus. Upon gaining an independent, replika body... Roxas can still, apparently, dual-wield.

...despite no longer sharing the Hearts of Sora nor Ventus (nor Xion).

(as this is a Riku speculation post, not a "what the heck is up with Roxas" one, i'll just... put a Pin in this mystery for now but the "maths" of 1 heart = 1 keyblade are, indeed, still facts of canon: Nomura confirmed as much when revealing the Above Album Art he made for Utada Hikaru's KH3 songs)

Exhibit C: Proof of Concept

Then we have Aqua: she lost her keyblade between saving Ven & falling into Darkness. The keyblade of Master Eraqus came to her aid: this is consistent with the established concept of Bequeathing Ceremonies. It's uncertain whether the same person can bequeath keyblade-wielding to multiple persons but it seems likely given the scale of the Unions in KHX.

(At that same point in time, the Heart of Eraqus was hidden within a Nort'd Terra: 3 Hearts existed within Apprentice Xehanort, all of them in conflict with each other, to varying degrees.)

The keyblade Aqua receives, the keyblade of Master Eraqus, is named 'Master's Defender'. This was originally the keyblade of the Dandelion Brain but was passed onto Ephemer and from pupil to student until eventually being inherited by Eraqus. This seemingly aligns with the concept of Masters 'bequeathing' keyblades to students, specifically THEIR keyblades.

Interestingly, Riku has never wielded Terra's keyblade (or its likeness, via keychain) 'Earthshaker/Ends of the Earth' after its being bequeathed to him, likely due to its remaining with Terra's 'Soul', the 'Lingering Will' within his armour. If this is the case... NONE of the keyblades Riku has conjured or wielded are a result of his Bequeathment Ceremony. Terra's Keyblade becomes a 6th (or 7th) keyblade connected to Riku, albeit an unused one.

Speaking of Terra...

Xemnas (the Nobody of Apprentice Xehanort AKA 'TerraNort') is NEVER seen wielding a keyblade, let alone two.

...but he DOES wield two [lightsabers]/'Ethereal Blades'.

If Xemnas had ever believed in his own personhood, it's plausible that he could have dual wielded keyblades like Roxas... though the conflict between the Hearts of Xehanort & Terra are unlikely to have cooperated long enough for dualwielding to be sustainable in combat.

Back to the Beginning

Kingdom Key was formed by the Light within Riku's Heart. That Light entrusted itself to Sora while Riku himself was lost in Darkness. Riku is later seen wielding a different keyblade, 'Soul Eater'. Given that KH1 sets up a premise of there being 'two' Kingdom Keys, one of Light & one of Darkness... perhaps 'Soul Eater' was made from the Darkness within Riku's Heart. Maleficent or Ansem SOD would know better than most anyone how to create such a thing.

(it's still Weird that Riku's Heart is the ONLY Heart we see capable of manifesting TWO, simultaneously existing & separately wielded keyblades: Riku using Souleater never prevented Sora from using Kingdom Key; Souleater becoming 'Way to the Dawn' did not affect Kingdom Key; and Riku & Sora use each other's keyblades interchangeably in KH2, even dualwielding at times)

While Riku is possessed by Ansem SoD (the heartless of Apprentice Xehanort), he wields a keyblade forged by the hearts of 6 of the 7 Princesses of Heart: this keyblade is named 'Keyblade of Heart' or 'Keyblade of People's Hearts'. This is an artificially made keyblade, wielded by an entity made up of at least 4 people's Hearts (Riku, Xehanort, Terra, Eraqus) and it does not seem to survive past Ansem SoD's defeat.

During the events of KH2.9 (at the 'Drop Point' between the first timeline of KH3 & Sora's First Retcon), Riku and King Mickey find themselves struggling in the depths of the Realm of Darkness. They had hoped to find the missing Master Aqua yet their journey has only proven the point of Master Yen Sid's preventing such a rescue 10 years prior: alone, surviving the journey to the abyss would be all but impossible. Similarly, Sora immediately post-DDD would not have survived the pace set by Mickey & Riku: Sora needed the lessons and confidence boost he found through Herc & Meg before he was truly ready for Aqua's Attempted Rescue.

Before Sora has his Hero Moment (complete with Riku's slow-mo heart-eye reaction to it), Riku's keyblade 'Way to the Dawn'... breaks. Riku also spontaneously gets a Hair Cut. Not due to any attack landing on him from the Demon Tide nor due to any bout of Gay Agony: just... "randomly" (Sleeping Realm Theory covers this).

So then Riku casually manifests a BRAND NEW KEYBLADE, while not at all possessed nor acting as a Heart Hotel, and that keyblade is Braveheart.

(which is basically Kingdom Key but Make It Modern)

It's also in the Realm of Darkness that Sora & Riku first wield their Combined Keyblade whilst in the same plane of reality: in DDD, they wielded their blade across parallel dreamscapes. The [combined keyblade] in KH3 looks exactly as it did in Dream Drop Distance: half Mirage Split, half Nightmare's End.

How Many Hearts Does 1 Riku Have?

The highest number of "hearts" occupying 1 Riku is 10, in KH1: his own, Xehanort's & Terra's, the ghost of Master Eraqus (still biding his time for Maximum Drama), with the 6 Disney Princesses of Heart smooshed within the 'Keyblade of Heart' the Riku Vessel is wielding.

By that time in KH1, both Sora and Riku have wielded Kingdom Key. Riku had also acquired & begun wielding the 'Souleater' keyblade.

Kingdom Key is the keyblade born of the Light in Riku's Heart: a sword entrusted to a Crowned Prince from someone hidden within water, a gift that marks its wielder as a saviour and a fate-chosen king. Sora bears Riku's Crown, a pendant he is never seen without, and Riku (& his Heart) was sinking within both literal (storm and tide) and metaphoric (falling into darkness/sinking within deep waters) waters when Sora receives Kingdom Key. When Sora arrives in Traverse Town, the Final Fantasy & Disney characters there hold Kingdom Key in reverence: the Key follows Sora so THEY follow him too.

There is an Irony about every keyblade-related argument Sora & Riku have in KH1: Kingdom Key WAS Riku's before it was Sora's, the authority of the sword & reverence given to its wielder WAS on "loan" from Riku... but, ultimately, the wielder chosen by the Physical Representation of Riku's Heart & the Light within it?

Yeah, no, sorry Riku: your Heart Likes Sora More.

After KH1, Riku never attempts to "reclaim" Kingdom Key: it's probably during the events between KH1 & KH2 that Riku realises that Kingdom Key is not only a literal manifestation of his own Heart but that he believes Sora to be the best person to wield that "Heart", that "Destiny".

Even if Riku had not somehow managed to manifest the Souleater/Way to the Dawn keyblade, needing to "borrow" Kingdom Key during his year-long vigil at Sora's bedside... I doubt he would have KEPT the sword or that it would let itself be "kept".

Riku's unique connections to both Light AND Darkness make it somewhat reasonable to conclude that 'Souleater' is the Dark counterpart to Kingdom Key: a keyblade formed by the Darkness of Riku's Heart, a keyblade that evolves to 'Way to the Dawn' and Riku's efforts to master his Darkness and return to the Light.

(this still begs the question: how the heck does Kingdom Key-D fit into all this?? no, i'm genuinely asking: what is up with that keyblade)

ALTERNATIVELY! Kingdom Key-D was very logically forged by Riku's Darkness, manifesting in the Realm of Darkness alongside the Fallen Destiny Islands. This makes it Interesting that Mickey could carry it around prior to personally meeting Riku but, regardless of any realizations on its nature & likely relationship with Riku (or Sora), Mickey wields this keyblade-D from KH1 onward.

(This potentially leaves Mickey's Original Keyblade, seen in BBS, as yet ANOTHER keyblade available for Riku's use: the count has risen to 9, 8 if excluding Key-D.)

So... if Riku's Darkness forged Kingdom Key-D, what was Souleater & what IS Braveheart?

Alt #1: Riku, like any Strange Pond Person, can summon as many Magic Swords as Destiny Requires because... he is Literally Kingdom Hearts & that leaves ALL hearts "free" for his use.

Alt #2: The keyblades Riku wields (Souleater, Way to the Dawn & Braveheart) are all manifestations of SORA'S Heart. Sora may be oblivious as to why he is so fixated on Riku but, if Chain of Memories is anything to go by, Sora's HEART knows what it wants, damnit! Even without any allegedly required Bequeathment Ceremony, Riku is a "Child of Destiny" and had already crowned Sora as one too: just as Riku's Heart reached out to Sora, Sora's Heart may have reached BACK for Riku. Thus both boys end up with Keyblades: each holding onto a piece of the other (somewhat literally).

This gives additional explanation to their easy trading & wielding of each other's Keyblades in KH2: the keyblades "belonged" to BOTH boys and always had.

This interpretation easily applies itself to Sleeping Realm Theory, too: 'Way to the Dawn' still "broke" because of Riku's Sacrifice but instead of figuratively representing Riku's Heart "breaking" via his actually Dying, it would represent physically the effect that Sacrifice had on Sora: his Heart broke, "dying" with Riku.

Alt #3: Riku's extra keyblades were from Maleficent, "Ansem", Ansem &/or King Mickey. The timeline allows for Maleficent's providing Riku with the 'Souleater' keyblade: it does not QUITE align for the broken connection between Riku & his Would-Be Fairy Godmother that we can assume happened upon her death in KH1, nor account for any effects caused by her subsequent "resurrection". The timelines required for the other candidates to be involved are not consistent with that of the games nor supplementary canon.

Before wrapping up, let's acknowledge the Giant Crowned Rainbow Sword in the room:

The [combined keyblade], wielded by Riku & Sora in DDD & KH3, is a manifestation of "their Hearts [beating] In Tune". It is That Simple: any efforts to straightwash its existence WILL cause plot holes so just Accept The Gayblade is Gay.

That the Gayblade just so coincidentally resembles both the Ultima keyblade(s) and various x-blades, definitely fit most description of what the x-blade is & how it can be made?

These are also Just Gay. Kingdom Hearts has been building up to (gay) Love being the Ultimate Power of the series from its very beginning: it has ALWAYS used heart imagery and symbolism, used Disney Couples to mirror the changing relationship of Sora & Riku, used "the connections between hearts" as a child's understanding of love (in all forms).

The logical evolution for a Coming of Age journey about a Boy & his Best Friend, in a series that repeatedly uses & is named for 'hearts', who have become stronger as their hearts became more attuned... is for said Boy to realise, acknowledge and recognise that the connection of their hearts has Changed into something less platonic: romantic love, like that between couples in Disney films, like Riku (& Selphie) brought up to Sora through star-shaped fruit before ever exploring those stars personally.

The [combined keyblade] was naturally forged through mutual devotion: its existence implies that the fabled x-blade of legend was ALSO forged by mutual love, that Kingdom Hearts chose its guardian because of Love, that the x-blade's legendary strengh came from its need to protect its dearly Beloved: there is no Straight Explanation for Sora & Riku being able to make the combined keyblade.

[eilinelsghost]

Director's Cut: Grief in All Her Guises

Continuing to chip away at the Director's Cut game (still taking asks if you have any you'd like to send in - the more specific the better 😊) and today I'm hopping in with this delightful ask from @mangez-peches-art:

This is such a good question!

I actually went back and forth on this for a long time while I was planning out the series arc, and it was one of the main reasons it took me a really long time to get the first two installments nailed down (I'd been working on both of them for probably four months or so before I finally decided to post part 1 and get the series going). That meeting is such an iconic moment in their whole story and it felt like an oversight to leave it out at the beginning.

However, I ended up deciding to jump in after the relationships had been established for several reasons:

Logistics

First and most simply, there was the logistical difficulty of writing those encounters. I confess I balked at trying to accurately depict the process of two people learning each others' languages from scratch, even with the help of Finrod's ability to just stroll through Balan's brain. I don't have a lot of linguistics in my background and I wanted to be careful that I didn't lead with an installment that would undermine authorial trust if I completely botched how that process would go. Or, to put it more forthrightly, I was just scared of looking like I didn't know what I was talking about 😂

Perception of the Encounter

Another thing that made me hesitate was that the whole nature of that first meeting is laden with dreamlike imagery and I did not want to begin by "demythologizing" it at the start of the series. I wanted it to retain an unsteady and ethereal presence throughout their growing relationship that undergirds how they relate to each other. Each, in their own sense, feels that they have stumbled upon the other in a dream and the unsteadiness that brings to their daily reality shapes how each beholds the other.

For Finrod, dreams are laden with intent. It is through such that he retains any tangible connection to the Valar (or to Ulmo at least), and it is through such that he was given what he understands to be his purpose and duty in Beleriand. Even his moments of foresight hold a dreamlike quality where he seems to be pulled out from the reality about him to experience/witness moments of understanding that structure the subsequent direction of his life. Meeting Balan in a kind of dream, therefore, sets Balan alongside those other moments of import: their meeting is intended, their bond is unquestioned, this encounter was fated and they (Finrod and Balan/Balan's people) immediately belong to each other in a way that other meetings do not engender. In fact, this ends up being a large part of why Finrod is able to deceive himself re his own feelings for the whole of that first year. He does not question that he feels an unusually close bond - this is Balan, sent to him in a dream; Balan's people, brought to him by powers outside himself and each fated towards the other. Thus when he realizes what is actually going on within his own feelings, he panics both at the mortal/immortal divide and also at the fear that he has betrayed what was entrusted to him (entrusted by fate? by Eru? by the Valar?) through desiring that which was committed to his keeping.

For Balan, he and his people have finally crossed through the perils of the mountain passes, they have left behind (as they think) the danger of their former lives, and have come at last to a land of safety - where some even believe they may find the gods' own dwellings. And one of the first things that happens is he wakes in the middle of the night (is he awake? is he dreaming?) and meets Finrod's eye over a dying fire, his own harp held in the hands of a seeming god and images rising through the air about him in ways that defy understanding. Balan remembers this vividly throughout his life, but it is always somewhat fluid, always filled with an uncanny awe, fear, a nagging sense of unreality. This recurs throughout their relationship at various points - see, for example, the confession scene from In These Holy Waters where Balan once again encounters Finrod in a woods and once again doubts the reality about him:

The glade was spinning. Balan forced himself not to look away, for he could see his own passion blazing back from the other’s gaze, ardent and desperate, and his breath fled before the force of it. Did he sleep still? Had he awakened indeed or was he slumbering yet beside the boulder in the sun? He reached out to brush a strand of hair from Nóm’s face, his movements slow and muddled as though caught in the dream he feared

Keeping the mythological feel of that initial meeting was really important to me, especially early in the series to set the tone, and so I concluded that beginning with depicting it in full would likely undermine that strategy.

Memory as a Character

Finally, the third deciding factor for me here was that I wanted memory to function, in some sense, as another character in the series, given how Finrod speaks about the Eldar and memory in the Athrabeth. We begin the series with Finrod's confession to Aegnor and end the series with [redacted for spoiler reasons], which serve together to structure the intervening installments as a cluster of progressing memories, moving between past and present in (what I hope is) a stream of consciousness flow of connections. The lines between Balan's memories and Finrod's memories are deliberately blurred (who is it doing the remembering when both POVs are present throughout?) because their bond leaves them with the lines between each self blurred as well - Balan never fully absent because some part of him is still present in Finrod's own self, Finrod ever with one foot crossing into mortality because Balan too has preserved some part of Finrod within his own departed self.

So as part of this, there are three main memories that the series dances around long before we see them (or hear of them in greater detail): their first meeting, their eventual coming together, and Balan's death. Each of these are such laden moments that memory shies away from recalling them directly until it cannot be avoided. (This doesn't mean that you have to wait till the end of the series for each of these, I promise! Just that they all participate in a similar dance before appearing directly in the narrative.)

------

I think that covers most of the reasoning? That ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would! 😂 Let me know if there's anything else you'd like me to unpack more or if this didn't quite answer what you were wondering. Thanks so much for the question - this was such a fun one to answer!

[whilomm]

a completely unproven but sensibleish sounding theory regarding discrepancies between "male" and "female" tattoo charts i found on google

so, had a discussion last night regarding these Tattoo Pain Charts that I see posted a lot, specifically this one that depicts "female" and "male" pain maps, which seems to be posted across various sites (including "reputable" ish ones like healthline)

to head off the obvious question a lotta ppl on tumblr would probs ask, "okay what does this mean for trans people?": fuck if i kno. Like, fat distribution probs plays a role meaning it will probs depend partially on hormone status ("do you got tits? big or small hips?" etc) but also none of the sites im seeing. get into that. they just kinda tend to drop this chart in there and not explain jack shit. when i say "men" and "women" thruout this, assume i mean "cis men" and "cis women" bc i assume these are based on the cissies and fuck if i kno how this applies to trans ppl

anyway, at least some aspects of this chart seem to make sense. Apparently major factors in tattoo location pain tend to be how close it is to bone, how thin the skin is, and whether its fat or muscle covering the area. so, if the women they surveyed for these things tended to have more fat on their hips relative to the men surveyed, itd make sense that you might see more of them rating the hips as less painful. same thing if a lotta the men they surveyed had more muscle in certain areas.

BUT.

personally, there are a couple bits that look uh. weird to me.

NOW, of course, I have no data to prove these charts are bunk due to not being a researcher and only having one (1) tattoo, but. they look weird right? well, I decided to look at the sources (at least the ones i could find), and on the healthline article, the source for the discrepancy in gender pain levels is this paper:

...now, I can't find if like. the graphic is directly pulling from this paper, or if the healthline article is just sourcing it and the graphic was made using a different paper or was just made independently, but still, the paper has some interesting bits to look at.

overall, the paper looks solid enough to my non expert eyes. theres a couple of weird bits, like all the stuff about the sexual origins of tattooing which. fuck, i dunno. maybe. but It seems like the overall conclusion the paper came to was that there actually wasnt that huge of a difference between perceived pain across men and women surveyed, tho (unless i missed it) it doesnt specify if it means overall whole body averages, or if it means area per area (but i was skimming so. mightve missed it lol). it does note that there were differences in pain LENGTH after tattooing tho, but that also might have to do with the size and type of tattoos gotten

the paper does take care to acknowledge a few problems in methodology, which I think might be relevant:

there was some difficulty in finding people to survey right after they got the tattoo, because a lotta ppl they asked said no they were tired. fair.

because of that, a lotta the data was taken somewhat significantly post tattooing, which can majorly effect the perception of the pain (asking about st that happened 5 minutes ago vs 5 months ago)

pain is subjective. duh.

generally, the men surveyed got bigger and thus more time consuming tattoos than the women surveyed. This effects the type of pain experienced apparently (dull pain, sharp pain, radiating pain) and of course general levels of pain.

people may report more or less pain in an effort to look "tough", and this might be more prevalent in men

pain perception might be affected by how many tattoos someone has and thus how used to tattoos they are, plus a lotta stuff about "blocking out the pain" in various ways, but "participants were not asked whether this was their first or subsequent tattoo", so that might skew the results

the paper outright says there were a LOTTA limitations and more research is needed

which ya kno, is all pretty interesting. So, the results could easily have been skewed by stuff like this being participants first tattoo, and men mightve self reported less pain in gen, hmm..... this leads me to my theory for why at least a couple of the weird spots on the charts exist:

these charts might be skewed by popular locations for first/only tattoos, especially in the womens chart. the pinterest zones*, if you will.

*authors note: this is not to diminish these small tattoos in these specific areas, just noting that these are very popular areas specifically for getting mini tattoos, and places where a lotta ppl, mostly women, get their only tattoo. theyre trendy and make good pinterest pics ya kno? theyre cute. Also, the author literally just got a mini tattoo on their wrist and thus can reclaim.

my theory is that at least some of the survey results were skewed by the fact that some of the red areas just happen to be super popular for cute lil tattoos that a lotta ppl get as their first/only tat, especially the wrist. search "mini tattoos" on pinterest, and youll see a ton of wrist tats! youll also see a lot of ankles, clavicles, and. ouch, at least a couple of inner elbows. yeah. no. dont like that one. but my theory is that for at least a portion of the women surveyed, it went like this:

woman gets first and possibly only tattoo, specifically one of the cute mini wrist tattoos that are trendy

because its her first tattoo, she doesnt have much of a frame of reference for how painful different areas are, and also stuff like being nervous/tensing up mightve made the experience more painful in gen

when asked to complete the survey she says that she got it on her wrist, when asked about the pain levels thinks "oh yeah, it hurt like hell! hm, 8 out of 10 pain wise i guess?"

now the survey has a buncha woman who got a trendy tat in a specific area, rating it highly bc it was their first tattoo and they were nervous so it hurt more and they dont have a frame of ref, and that skews the data

thus, woman's pain bracelet.

like i said i have no proof of this but like. even if these charts used different survey results, the same or similar research limitations mightve been present, and unless they only solicited responses from ppl who are tatted up head to toe they probs got a lotta ppl who only have one/a couple of tattoos, including a lotta woman who got trendy wrist/ankle tattoos. like. maybe? maybe not but Maybe. or maybe women are just biologically disposed to Pain Wrists. and we dont have data on how this applies to trans people of various genders, because of course we dont. why would the people making these graphics care about that.

quick someone find out nonbinary people's tattoo weakpoints.

...also idk whats up with the stigmata. like. i get that the palm is probably Bad Hurty. lotsa nerves there. but not the fingers??? theres nerves AND bones! maybe its like. idk, asking dudes with hand tattoos and they say "oh yeah like the center of the palm and the back of the hand were the worst parts" and instead of writing it down correctly (most of the area is orange, but those bits specifically are red) they write down "hand tattoos cool 👍 EXCEPT STIGMATA!!!"

anyway. this is written very rambly. but theres my theory. these maps are at least partially a heatmap of popular first/only tattoo spots, which skews the data maybe. or maybe these graphs are complete bullshit based on no data really. fuck man idk. pain bracelet.

[shyearthquakedaze]

May 18, 1986: Interview with Larry Warren, Former USAF Airman, RAF Bentwaters, 1980 .

Posted on January 13, 2023 © 2023 by Linda Moulton Howe

Part 9: Hall of Mirrors with A Quicksand Floor

“The Grey-type ETs were described as joined mind-to-mind in instant telepathy as bees in a hive; thus, a “hive mind.” Betrayal by an alien hive mind that could not be understood  is the quicksand. The illusions planted in human minds by the Greys is the hall of mirrors.”

– Linda Moulton Howe, Fall 1989, confidential interview notes

“Bustinza said our military bases are a decoy – like a big stage play — like maybe under them underground all over are the alien homes here on Earth?”

– Larry Warren, former USAF Airman, RAF Bentwaters, England

Return to Part 1.

Reposted January 13, 2023 – April 6, 2014 Albuquerque, New Mexico – In 1983, the ET history that was outlined for me by the alleged presidential briefing paper as well as from government sources said that the grey aliens are responsible for our biological evolution through manipulation of DNA in already-evolving primates on this planet. Various time intervals of the DNA manipulation were specified for 25,000, 15,000, 5,000 and 2,500 years ago. Further, the story outlined for me in the briefing document and subsequent discussions about it was that the ETs that set up this Earth “experiment” with evolving primates meant no harm to current resulting humans. Once humanity got use to looking at their reptilian/insect forms, we would love them.

Along with that portrait of the grey Ebens, another group was also described in the briefing paper as the “Talls.” These are also referred to as “Nordics” or “Swedes” because they are pale blond-haired, blue-eyed with very white skin. Confusing me at the time, I was told these Talls were considered to be “troublemakers” by the U. S. government insiders and were said to have fought a major “300-year-long-war,” which the grey Ebens had won. But now the two groups “tolerated” each other. I asked what the conflict was about. No one had an answer.

From the 1940s on, according to the 1983 government scenario, an agreement was made between the grey aliens and MJ-12, the secret group of scientists, military and business minds appointed by President Harry Truman. MJ-12 thought information about the universe and advanced alien technologies from the grey Ebens (extraterrestrial biological entities) would be privileged for America and would exclude the Soviets and other American enemies. In exchange for exclusive help, the United States would allow the grey Ebens to have underground bases in the U. S. where our own government scientists could work with them and learn.

Linda Moulton Howe private file notes, Fall 1989: “The story now is one of great deception at several levels. The Greys allegedly used a Trojan horse-style entry. In the beginning, the aliens convinced the government that they were benevolent and were in fact the creators of much Earth life on this planet, including standing up primates up to Cro-magnon Homo sapiens sapiens.

At some time in the 1960s, the MJ-12 group allied the U. S. with the Greys in a secret treaty. That treaty allegedly gave the aliens land at Nellis AFB near Las Vegas, Nevada, for a base of operations. The U. S. also agreed that the Greys could abduct humans and kill animals for medical research purposes in exchange for American scientists gaining knowledge about the extraterrestrial advanced, superior technology.

In addition to the base of operations at Nellis AFB, the Greys had one other major request: U. S. government help to keep the Grey presence secret while the Greys conducted their ongoing eons of research here. Major question: If that alien demand for secrecy had been rejected, how would the history of the entire world in the last half of the 20th Century have been different? Would it have been more peaceful? Are geopolitical conflicts of humans on Earth over the past 5,000 years at least somehow related to the Grey and Talls presence? If those two groups are in conflict, could they be using humans like pawns on a chess board for their different warring goals?

It’s clear that the U. S. government since World War II has been obsessed with maintaining the social, economic and religious status quo and “avoiding public panic at all costs,” as leaked documents state.

To insure that secrecy was maintained, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) hired psychiatrists and psychologists to plot sophisticated misinformation campaigns designed to persuade the public that UFOs did not exist. Fear and ridicule were, and still are, the major weapons used in that ongoing misinformation strategy. Thus, there have always been these levels of deceptions and lies occurring simultaneously:

— the U. S. government’s misinformation of the UFO subject in order to perpetuate and protect the agreement with the grey Ebens free of public scrutiny;

— the lies of the aliens to abductees in the form of contradictory messages, which create great confusion about the origins and motives of the ETs, whether tall, grey, blond, reptilian or other.

— the Greys — and others? — abducting humans and bloodlessly killing and excising tissues, blood, enzymes and fluids from a wide variety of animals all over this planet perhaps for their own survival;

— a biological deception of Blonds seen with Greys, which are allegedly Greys in camouflage to interface with humans more easily. Thus, there are short and tall Blonds with blue or gold eyes and pale, blond hair that look the same to humans, but in fact can be representatives of two different sides of a long war now being played out through unsuspecting human pawns on the alien War Chessboard.

In a discussion about these deceptions, lies and camouflage with a military source, I was told that by 1972, MJ-12 types and their secret government agents realized they were “walking on quicksand in a hall of mirrors,” a rephrasing of my own thoughts and title used in article for George Andrew’s taxonomy book. That’s when the government types realized that aliens they were trying to trust in a treaty were mutilations animals in increasing numbers and leaving the carcasses to be found by shocked ranchers and law enforcement, perversely violating their own demand for secrecy. Human abduction reports were increasing and the government also realized that the grey Ebens were not confining their “medical research” to a select list of people shared with MJ-12.

I asked one military source, “Are you serious that MJ-12 thinks extraterrestrials are checking in with them on every human being that’s taken?” Then I was told a truth. My investigations of animal mutilations and human abductions were being monitored for names and places so that the MJ-12 group could do a reality check on whether the grey Ebens were complying with the terms of the 1960s treaty? The Eben list, I was told, was far short of the actual human abductions taking place around the world.

The Grey-type ETs were described as joined mind-to-mind in instant telepathy as bees in a hive; thus, a “hive mind.” Betrayal by an alien hive mind that could not be understood is the quicksand. The illusions planted in human minds by the Greys is the hall of mirrors.

In addition to those multiple layers of deceit, there is increasing information about at least one tall, perhaps blond, group not manufactured by the Greys, which would like to help humans, but cannot yet aggressively act for some unknown reason that might relate to the alleged 300-year-war that the Grey types won.

Several sources describe intense conflict within the MJ-12 ranks about letting the public know the truth. Currently this Fall 1989, it would appear the power lies with those who say, “No, keep on suppressing, confusing and misinforming.”

Perhaps MJ-12 itself still does not understand the Grey alien creatures it has been trying to deal and collaborate with. Perhaps some other event occurred in the early 1980s that shook their confidence even further and they have been trying to concoct yet another cover story to hide their mistakes?

Perhaps MJ-12 has come to believe the Earth is at the end of a cycle that is engineered by another intelligence and will be replaced by something entirely new? If so, perhaps some in MJ-12 say, “What’s the use of telling people when the end is near anyway?”

One former White Sands Missile Range meteorologist told me he met a physicist who told him, “Humans are like grasshoppers before the winter,” when it comes to the fate of humanity and some event coming to Earth.

But that would not explain the energy and obsession, which continues in the development of the Star Wars SDI program, in spite of prominent physicists who say the SDI goals are impossible to achieve.

[ Editor’s Note: Wikipedia – The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983, to use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles from places like . The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) was set up in 1984 within the United States Department of Defense to oversee the Strategic Defense Initiative. ]

Back in 1983, after President Reagan’s SDI announcement, I was told by a military source that SDI had nothing to do with the Soviets. “SDI is to defend this planet from an outside attack from Something Else in the cosmos that the Ebens have warned us about.” Later, the Army source said that SDI was a Grey-motivated effort because THOSE ALIENS are afraid of Something coming this way from out there!

If any of this is true, which ETs with which intentions are headed this way? If we know the Greys are betrayers, why would we attack another group, which the Greys are afraid of and which might be coming to help us? Or are the Greys trying to provoke our government to attack forces that might interfere with an insidious Greys invasion of this planet at the hybrid-creation level?

The “facts” keep shifting and that means we are all still wading in quicksand. All the scenarios could be part of the CIA’s engineered misinformation strategy to control and deflect public awareness, keeping the stories so wild and changing that no one can believe anything. Something like blowing radar chaff into the public mind.

[ Editor’s Note: Wikipedia – Chaff, originally called Window by the British, and Düppel by the Second World War era German Luftwaffe (from the Berlin suburb where it was first developed), is a radar countermeasure in which aircraft or other targets spread a cloud of small, thin pieces of aluminium, metallized glass fibre or plastic, which either appears as a cluster of primary targets on radar screens or swamps the screen with multiple returns.

Modern armed forces use chaff (in naval applications, for instance, using short-range SRBOC rockets) to distract radar-guided missiles from their targets. Most military aircraft and warships have chaff dispensing systems for self-defence. An intercontinental ballistic missile may release in its midcourse phase several independent warheads, a large number of decoys, and chaff. ]

Since the 1960s, John Keel and Jacques Vallee have both written about the “control system” aspect of the UFO phenomenon and/or humans in league with the phenomenon. People are definitely subjected to controlled ignorance — keep everyone dumb and blind.

However, there is one fact I can state with certainty. Since March 10, 1989, eight cattle and one horse have been reported dead and mutilated to sheriff’s offices in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Strange lights and craft have also been reported in those stats. I have collected tissue samples from animals in all three areas and can assert with medical proof from pathologist and hematologist John Altshuler, M. D., Denver, that the cuts were made rapidly with high heat and were “pinpoint” thin. One cow belly had a bloodless 18-inch by 22-inch neat excision. I asked a large laser manufacturer how long it would take to make such a cut in cow hide and the answer was “at least an hour” with state of the art 1989 laser surgery equipment.

From the general civilian human point of view, it’s a one-way trade route. What is taken is not by permission nor paid for. And what is left behind is fear, anger, dead animals and traumatized people.

Perhaps MJ-12 feels pushed into a corner of stunned futility and inability to act because the Greys have demonstrated so far their superior ability to do anything they want to, including instant destruction of men and machines when they so choose? Perhaps, as the worst case scenarios describe, the Greys are actually controlling Earth events and human governments are helpless?

This was suggested in my interview with Larry Warren (RAF Bentwaters mystery) on May 18, 1986. New York math professor Benton Jamison joined me in the interview. Larry Warren was one of the U. S. Air Force security guards at RAF Bentwaters, England, when strange aerial lights and beams were seen and investigated in Rendlesham Forest near Woodbridge, the three nights of December 26-28, 1980. One of the airmen housed where Larry Warren’s quarters were at Bentwaters was Adrian Bustinza. Some time after the December 1980 phenomena, Warren told me he came upon Bustinza sobbing on his bed. When Warren asked him what was wrong, Bustinza told him about an underground briefing by a high ranking officer and some kind of small, thin, large-headed creature behind a screen on a theater stage where a briefing was held soon after the December 1980 events, apparently for some of the men who had been involved in the ET events in Rendlesham Forest.]

May 18, 1986: Interview with Larry Warren, Former USAF Airman, RAF Bentwaters, 1980

Larry Warren: Adrian said a little alien was there (in the forest) with a bubble on its head and got scared and took off.

Linda Moulton Howe: Do you know if anyone said anything at all about aliens present in debriefings?

Warren: No, never once. Never ever. Never said alien. Never used the word UFO. It was all military regulations. Who to speak to, what not to do, don’t discuss anything. They went around it so smoothly. The debriefers never said anything, but we obviously knew what we were there for.

Howe: Could you go back over again sitting with Bustinza and what he said?

Warren: We went over the incident at Bentwaters. He mentioned about something with a cape — and how he fit that in I don’t recall. Something about someone tall with a cape. He told me about the underground facility and it was about Men in Black.

Howe: Could you go into detail about what Bustinza said?

Warren: He was told to meet a car at a certain time just outside the dorm where he lived. A big car with New York State licence plates pulled up and parked there. Adrian got in the back of the car and was driven.

Howe: By whom? Who talked to him?

Warren: I don’t know. I don’t remember. Someone called Adrian on the phone and said to meet such and such. I don’t know who. Adrian was taken by two men — this blew my mind …and they drove to — Adrian said he could not open his eyes, and I remember he could not move for some reason as soon as he got into the car, but he could hear. He could hear that they were near the flight line because he could hear the jets land. And Adrian said he remembered the feeling of descent going down (stairs). And the next thing he knew, he was eating in a room like a small cafeteria. He remembered in pieces. He remembered being in a room full of a lot of high-tech equipment … engineers or whatever around … being taken to this cavernous place and was on a catwalk and could see a tunnel. Bustinza said he looked down and it was dark, but there were some people — humans — walking around. And there was this object — a space ship down there.

Businza went into another room and it was not an auditorium— it was like a classroom. And they were put in chairs and he said all of a sudden he could not turn his head from side to side at all to see the person sitting next to him. (In front) was like a screen that a light shone from behind, so you couldn’t really see what was behind the screen. Bustinza and others in the room were briefed by a general or a commander or whoever. I don’t remember who. And then something came up behind the screen. Bustinza said he could see the silhouette and it talked to him through its mind. Told them a lot of things about religion, how the government, our government, and Russia aren’t what they seem — that the bases can be made invisible if it had to be, or destroyed at a flick, if they had to be.

Everything up above (on Earth’s civilian surface) is a mask — is all false, is covering the truth about what is going on. Adrian said government is not real. … Religion and about Christ. He was religious. The ETs knew his birth, things about his life that no one knew, but this voice was in his head and he/it could communicate that way (telepathically).

They said religion is not as it seems. It’s a control over people. But there is a greater Force in the universe, much above whoever the aliens are and everything. And something about the Pope, but I don’t recall what it was. The Pope got shot at soon after this (4.5 months later on May 13, 1981). The religious thing was very interesting to Bustinza, but much different than we imagine it to be.

[ Editor’s Note: Wikipedia – The first attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II took place on Wednesday, May 13, 1981, in St. Peter’s Square at Vatican City. The Pope was shot and wounded by Mehmet Ali Agca while he was entering the square. The Pope was struck four times, and suffered severe blood loss. Agca was apprehended immediately, and later sentenced to life in prison by an Italian court. The Pope later forgave Agca for the assassination attempt. He was pardoned by Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi at the Pope’s request and was deported to Turkey in June 2000. ]

And the military structure and the U. S. and Soviet Union — it’s corporations that handle all the – they make wars and they make like gas prices and economic stuff.

Howe: Can you remember in detail what Adrian Bustinza said the alien communicated about that?

Warren: Oh, my God, the most important thing and I almost forgot it! This is what Bustinza told me. They (aliens) are coming here, they are among us, you might know them. There are people on the Bentwaters AFB, who either work with them or ARE them (aliens).

And I said to Adrian, ‘How do they look like them? How do they look like human beings?’

Adrian said, ‘They do. They can. And they are in government’. This is the thing, this is what got me, really blew my mind — they are in government in levels even beyond the Presidency. The U. S. President is nothing. The alien said the President is an ornament, every world leader is an ornament. There are so many things. When I got upgraded in security, there were three levels that were available to my people — like General Gordon Williams would have a TOP SECRET clearance. I had a Secret. I was told getting my clearance that there were 38 levels above TOP SECRET in our government!

Now, Bustinza told me the President means nothing. A lot of out government is them (alien). He said they are having to come here because of something dying. And they have been doing it since the 1940s, coming here, getting into society here some how.

There are underground bases — Plattsburg was named. If you’re going to put anything, put it up in the Adirondacks. Bustinza said under a lot of military bases, there are these underground facilities — they are massive apparently. Under Florida is one of the biggest installations. In South America, they have a massive installation — that Shirley MacLaine was right in the area where these things are, Peru. He said the aliens have one of the most massive installations they have down there. The Peruvian government is fully aware that it’s there and they stay away. They don’t mess with it.

[ Editor’s Note: Wikipedia – During the Cold War, military functions took a prominent role in Plattsburgh, New York, which was home to Plattsburgh Air Force Base (PAFB) and was the location of the Strategic Air Command’s primary wing on the East Coast due to its geographic desirability. The base’s location in the Champlain Valley (protected by the rain shadow of the Adirondack Mountains) ensured consistent, year-round weather that was safe for take-offs and landings. The 380th Bombardment, Aerospace, and Refueling Wings, all stationed at PAFB, included B-52 Bombers, air-refueling tankers and FB-111s. The base had a great deal of land surface and was one of only four military bases in the United States with a landing strip large enough for a Space Shuttle landing.

On September 1, 1961, the 556 Strategic Missile Squadron was activated at Plattsburgh AFB. The Squadron consisted of 12 Atlas “F” Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles stored in underground silos at 12 sites surrounding the city of Plattsburgh. Ten of the silos were in New York, two across Lake Champlain in Vermont. The squadron played an active role in the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis. PAFB was closed on September 29, 1995, in a round of national base closures. The base property is now managed by the Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corporation (PARC) and is used by a number of industrial manufacturers and commercial airlines. ]

Howe: Larry, how did you come to talk with Bustinza about all this?

Warren: He was crying! This guy was crying, a grown man crying. And I think he was my age, too. Telling me these things.

Howe: He starts crying like he’s been holding something in?

Warren: Yeah! And it’s so frustrating to him, he says, ‘I want to get out of here!’ He said, ‘I’m either going to kill someone or they’re going to kill me before it’s over.’ Apparently Adrian pulled a knife on this lieutenant, a black lieutenant, who was pressuring him about something. He flipped and pulled a knife on her.

Howe: The woman, the lieutenant, was pressuring him to keep quiet?

Warren: Something, I don’t recall. There was so much to that conversation — it was emotionally charged. And Bustinza had me on the border of tears because after having the experience about what happened out there with us (UFO landing Warren said he was near), this guy Bustinza is laying on me that I’m sitting above an alien base here on Earth (Bentwaters AFB). I had no reason to disbelieve. I have seen that They (aliens) are here (in one of the three UFO nights at RAF Bentwaters December 26

28, 1980).

I told Bustinza that for me to tell it right (Warren says he agreed to tell Bustinza’s story when he got out of the Air Force as though it was Warren’s experience to cover Bustinza. That cover story came unraveled some time before this interview I did with Warren in 1986. That’s why we were going over as honestly and openly as possible all the details Warren could remember what Bustinza had told him).

Adrian hit on religion and something about them (aliens) coming into society. Somehow they look like us and they’re doing something — I don’t know if they are taking over — I don’t think they are taking over, but they have identities taken care of by the governments of the world. And something about Third World countries are almost insignificant.

Howe: So what is the game that is being played between the Soviet Union and the United States with the aliens?

Warren: The Soviet Union has had major catastrophes apparently with these alien things — some of them (different aliens?) dislike the Soviet Union a great deal. Some don’t Some like them. Some deal with them. And they are like the maggots of the space race — you know, the bad guys! And Adrian told me that he found out that there were hundreds upon thousands of races that have come here through the centuries and millions of years and they have always been here — longer than we have. And that we are the descent of them! Of Someone!

Howe: What did Bustinza say about the Pope?

Warren: I don’t know. But he said something about the Pope and that they have something at the Vatican. They know exactly what it is and they can’t say, or else it would destroy religion. Adrian said there were predictions made and they’ve all come true — that the last prediction will not be shown. Of course, we all know that Pope Pius saw it in the 1960s and said, ‘Oh, lock that stuff up!’ All the Popes see it, but will not release it. It destroys religion as they want you to have it.

Howe: Did he talk anything about the aliens and Christ?

Warren: He said Christ had dealings with the aliens, that he was a man, but there was a definite connection.

Howe: What was the alien-government connection?

Warren: Bustinza said the U. S. government isn’t as it is, as we see it. The President isn’t real. The aliens control everything. And these people answer to whoever. And there are people way up — the President just does his job like a janitor.

Howe: Did Bustinza ever say why the aliens are doing all this?

Warren: I don’t remember if he said it was for good? Or for bad? I was kind of scared, I remember after the conversation. I knew one thing. I wanted to get the hell off of that base (RAF Bentwaters). You could feel something in that area though all the time. There was something wrong.

Howe: Did you ask Bustinza what the alien was talking through the screen to everyone for?

Warren: He never said it was an alien, but it was the impression that it was. The (alien) thing was talking apparently to everyone in the room at the same time, and yet individually in each person’s mind. Explain that – mentally! Adrian could not turn his head side to side.

Howe: What about evolution? What is human relationship to the aliens? They made us?

Warren: It was down to that, basically that we were from them. That’s what he said.

Howe: And that underneath all these bases, the aliens and human relationship is really happening there and not on the surface of Earth?

Warren: Well, our military bases are a decoy – like a big stage play. I don’t know why or how. But Adrian said that the base, that if it was found out or something happened, the bases can be gone like that (snaps fingers). What he meant, I don’t know. You wouldn’t see them. Maybe England’s a big UFO itself!

It was just mind-blowing stuff. If I had never had a UFO experience and someone told me that stuff, I’d say, ‘Go away!’ The military bases – like maybe under them underground all over are the alien homes

here on Earth?

Howe: But if the aliens are controlling everything that happens on this planet, to what end? If they are walking among us and looking like us …?

Warren: What the outcome is, I don’t know. Adrian said what it is all about, but I don’t remember if it’s good or bad. I can’t remember. But I remember leaving that conversation with Adrian feeling angry and frightened. So I’m sure maybe it wasn’t good. But it seemed like games — the human beings in the government’ as we call them — play games. And people die in the meantime!”

[luthien-under-bough]

❔Choose a random WIP and talk about it (!!!!)

thank you for the ask! 🫶

I'm going to talk a little bit about my Daemyra gothic romance au since that is the WIP occupying approx. 95% of my brain space. My current challenge with this fic is the worldbuilding involved in creating an alternate history for a "Victorian" era Westeros. I drafted the majority of the story during NaNoWriMo, but left myself a lotttt of placeholders for filling in worldbuilding details. The main point of divergence is that there was no Aegon's Conquest, and subsequently the Targaryens never became monarchs. I'm working off the premise that the Durrandons remained Storm Kings, and ultimately maintained control over what in canon would have become the Crownlands. The Targaryens established themselves as friends of the crown, and built up King's Landing (which I'm trying to figure out if I want to rename since no king will have, in fact, landed there in this version of history) as a prosperous port city, and were thus rewarded with a hereditary dukedom. In the present day, Viserys Targaryen is the Duke of Blackwater, and Rhaenyra is his only child. Dragons are also extinct at this point, which is a something that will come into play over the course of the story. I am determined not to start posting any of it until it is complete, but you can keep reading below for a little snippet I recently wrote for an in-world text on the dragon extinction.

II. 

Excerpted from Archmaester Jorrel’s Living Among Giants: A Study of Terrestrial Megafauna in Westeros:

The draconic extinction event is unusual in that it primarily affected a single species. Other observed extinction events indicate severe, rapid, planet-wide collapse, eliminating a vast number of species (see Chapter VI - the Arborean Collapse). 

A single triggering incident is not clear; but records show that within one generation, all remaining dragons in Westeros perished. Evidence gathered from marine fossils and stratigraphic data, when compared with dragon skeletal remains uncovered on the island of Dragonstone from the same era, do not indicate any significant stress or shock to the biosphere. 

Therefore, it is likely the draconic extinction can be attributed to several interdependent factors: 

(1) Westeros lacked the necessary climate and habitat to sustain the creatures. 

Dragones are generally thought to have been born from the Fourteen Flames, and thus thrived in the very volcanoes that would come to spell doom for the Freehold. They required a certain temperature and humidity to maintain ideal health and condition.

The Dragonmont, being the only active volcano located within Westeros, could not possibly hope to accommodate the supposed hundreds of dragons that inhabited the Freehold at its height. Sources differ on precisely how many dragons made the journey across the Narrow Sea with Aenar Targaryen; however, evidence suggests there were not more than twenty dragons living during any given period.

Even so, it is likely there were simply too many dragons and not enough habitat to accommodate them. This would also account for the changes observed in the average size and overall health of each subsequent generation of dragons born natively to Westeros. 

(2) Cross-species transmission of a virulent pathogen among the common lizard population resulted in an outbreak of disease in the dragon population.

There is some causal evidence to suggest a distant relation between the great wyrms of Essos and the more common lizard endemic to Westeros. Regarded as some as a spurious claim by Septon Barth in his Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History, it has also been purported that the first dragons were created by the ancient Valyrians mages from wyvern stock.[3] Given the relation between dragons, wyrms, and wyverns, it can be extrapolated that the common lizard’s physiology may be used to apply a certain board understanding of dragon morphology.

Anecdotal evidence (see Appendix III - Supplementary Materials, Pre-Modern Era) suggests that sometime in the second century AC, there was a marked decline in lizard species on the isle of Dragonstone and other nearby coastal communities such as Dritmark, Sharp Point, Rook’s Rest, and Duskendale. If there was a disease that impacted the lizard population, it is reasonable to assume the dragons may have been subject to its effects as well. 

(3) A significant loss of Valyrian magical arts and cultural practices was a contributing cause to the extinction of the dragons. 

Somewhat controversially posited in Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History by Septon Barth, the dragonlords of Valyria controlled their mounts with binding spells and sorcerous horns.[5] As previously noted, Barth also theorised that dragons were first bred by mages via magical methods. Knowledge of this magic was either lost with the Doom, or simply lost over the generations after Aenar Targaryen and his kin settled on Dragonstone. 

Given that the creation and control of the creatures was heavily dependent upon sorcerous arts, it is possible — and likely — that other aspects of their care and maintenance depended upon such magical interventions as well. Lacking such knowledge, the ability of the dragons to successfully reproduce and generate robust offspring was significantly reduced.

[crownbonding1]

An Insight on Bail Bonds in Spartanburg, South Carolina

Introduction

Dealing with an arrest in Spartanburg could be overwhelming and knowing the proper bail bonds is essential to get out of jail early. Bail bond services are intended, for the purpose of ensuring a suspect is released on bond in readiness for trial, to provide financial compensation where the amount of bond set by the court is out of reach. We go ahead to explain how the Spartanburg bail bonds work and the things you should expect when dealing with a bondsman in Spartanburg South Carolina from agencies like Crown Bonding.

What Are Bail Bonds?

Bail bonds can be defined as contractual arrangements made between a defendant a bonding company and the court. Instead of making payments to the court based on the bail amount, the defendant pays a fee to the bondsman spartanburg sc which often totals 10-15% of the entire bail amount paid to the court by the bondsman. Bail bond services in South Carolina are to provide defendants freedom during the legal process but also keep them coming back for subsequent hearings.

If the defendant has met all the court requirements then the bond is exonerated. However, if the individual does not show up in court, the bondsman in Spartanburg South Carolina loses the bond amount thus properties are repossessed or the defendant is rearrested.

Spartanburg Bonds Offered

Other bail agencies such as Crown Bonding offer different types of bail that suit every instance of this legal matter. Common services include:

1.  DUI Bonds – Suitable for people who have been arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol.

2. Domestic Violence Bonds – This category of bonds allows defendants charged with domestic dispute offenses to be released.

3. Transfer Bonds – These will ensure that a person who was arrested in a different state but has a bond in South Carolina will be released.

These services facilitate the release process to be fast and reliable to enable defendants to work on their defense rather than to be concerned with detaining for long times.

How to Choose the Right Bondsman

Choosing a proper Carolina bondsman Spartanburg SC can really influence the speed of the process and the level of comfort. Here are some considerations when hiring a bail bond agent:

Availability: The agencies that provide ng services around the clock should be selected. People get arrested at any time during the day, and having a bondsman readily available allows for faster release.

Reputation: localization will benefit from a local agency knowledgeable with Spartanburg cases, doing so successfully. Other agencies such as Crown Bonding are not only involved in bail services but also in providing comfort to families by taking them through the whole process.

Flexibility: There are those agents that propose reasonable stand or payment structures in a bid to assist defendants and their respective families in containing their expenses.

Understanding the Process of Bail in Spartanburg

The bail process begins with the presiding judge fixing the amount of bond in consideration to the offense charged, the criminal record of the accused, and likely to attend other court sessions or not. After the bail is set:

Contact the Bondsman: Bail seekers in Spartanburg South Carolina, contact a bondsman to bail them out or represent them in court.

Agreement and Payment: Bondsman costs the client a small percentage fee (between 10%-15%) and may need a form of security to reduce risk.

Release from Jail: When the bond is posted, the jail authorities free the defendant. This process normally takes several hours Being able to analyze fairly quickly also gave me several hours to go through the information and really think about the concepts at hand.

Therefore the defendant is only free to operate under the guidelines provided by the court and the bondsman. Breaching these terms may subject the accused to be arrested again and of course, lose the bond.

Conclusion

It may be a DUI case or some other criminal offense, but release through a good bondsman in Spartanburg SC attracts quick release with minimal issues. There are companies such as Crown Bonding, which offer customized services to the individual and hold their hand throughout the process to help them avoid as much worry and expenditure as is feasible. Choosing the correct professional in the field of Carolina bondsman Spartanburg will certainly entail searching for a person who will have sufficient experience in his work and will be ready to help at any time.

[newbookcats]

The Cruel Prince's Epic Song Playlist from Cardan to Jude…As Long As Current Pop Songs Can Be Played By Goats On Lyres

Originally posted on https://newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-cruel-princes-epic-song-playlist.html

All foundations of great relationships rely on two things: partners with shared interests and specially made mix-tapes presented on anniversaries or all-nighter parties. Meanwhile, if you were in a relationship that resembled the great 80's and 90's classic movies, then the above statement is nothing but an obvious necessity for the relationship to continue.

Although I cannot relate to burning songs to CDs or creating playlists for a significant other, my high school years were spent scouring Spotify and YouTube for the next "it" song. Thus, my time spent on these platforms were in the top 1% as a musical theater nerd and overall shy, hoodie-wearing hermit crab. Consequently, after engulfing Holly Black's Folk of the Air trilogy within three days and while surviving the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, I immediately began to soak my sorrows with both tissues and sad break-up songs. These sorrows were eventually subdued after re-reading the stories again, leading me to identify all the dramatics, shared smirks, and obvious romance between Cardan and Jude.

Thus and in the spirit of the riddling fey, it only seems fitting for Cardan, if he were to grow up in the mortal world, to establish his relationship status with Jude via a mix-tape. However, instead of spectacular guitar riffs rumbling over the radio or MP3 player speakers, Cardan will have them recited by the lyre at any time Jude wishes...if only she doesn't attempt to kill him due to today's current pop hits.

Cardan's Epic Playlist of His Relationship with Jude...If She Can Even Trust His Music Tastes

Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please"

Jude may have been exiled from Elfhame in The Wicked King/The Queen of Nothing but definitely not from Cardan's "shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous" heart. Whether it is Jude's mortal ability to lie or Cardan's affinity for cruelty, Jude and Cardan have reasons to not trust each other; however, theses attributes level these morally gray characters and enhance the success of their kingdom. Still, there are moments when Jude's fruitless attempts to protect her ego from further potential heartbreak goes wayward with a classic Cardan smirk or when Cardan needs to pull Jude away from the knight-life. 

Carpenter's "Please Please Please" not only reflects Cardan and Jude's emotional rollercoaster of a relationship but can undoubtedly be the theme song of this trilogy.  

Olivia Rodrigo's "So American"

While Cardan may swap the lyrics to "So Mortal" for Jude's sake, Rodrigo's lyrics and voice are so reminiscent of Cardan's constant reminders of Jude's mortality. It's perfect!

Princes can be cruel year-round, not just in the summer. Still, readers know that even Cardan's "[F]ever dreams high in the quiet of the night" his gaze cannot keep from slipping to Jude...whether she is dancing in darkness or planning her next espionage.

Olivia Rodrigo's "Love Is Embarrassing"

While Cardan and Jude's relationship only heightens throughout the trilogy, we cannot ignore the growing pains both he and Jude experienced in their trials of romance. Cardan cannot help but be disgusted by his own desire for Jude; meanwhile, Jude remains confused and obsessed with besting him. Previously, Cardan was betrayed by Nicasia with his best friend, and Jude was manipulated by Locke while he was in a courtship with her sister.

Rodrigo's ode perfectly captures the embarrassing woes of love, whether its a first or a subsequent one. And, what a better way to describe the imperfect relationship of enemies to lovers?

Coldplay's "Viva La Viva"

Anytime Jude has to sneak into the Court of Shadows' lair, anytime she has to manipulate a situation to her gain, anytime she has to risk everything for the safety of others, Jude should have a "Get Psyched" mix ready. I can fully imagine Jude enacting her schemes of preparing Elfhame her forever home and chessboard while her heart rate rises with the beat of "Viva La Viva." 

Dua Lipa's "Dance the Night"

Jude may be busy with the paperwork and daily delegations of ruling a kingdom in The Wicked King; however, Cardan is busy with his endless number of parties overfilled with booze and excitement that trail into the next morning. Cardan may be stepping more into his role as High King near the end of The Wicked King, but that does not mean that Jude cannot forget the pleasantries of Elfhame.

Also, this pop hit would be an exhilarating addition to any coronation or celebration.

Queen's "I Want To Break Free"

Although Cardan's initial indifference in being the High King prevented him from enjoying his royal duties in the beginning, this quality along with his selflessness advanced him from ruler by birthright to a just, beloved leader. 

However, before all this pleasantness could resume, Cardan needed to express his trust to Jude and ask for her to remove her command over him. Plus, who would not love a rendition of Queen's "I Want to Break Free" featuring Cardan belting "I've fallen in love"? 

If no one else, then I will petition this for the movie when it eventually is made!

Queen's "Killer Queen"

"Seelie and Unseelie, Wild Folk and Shy Folk, I am glad to have you march under my banner, glad of your loyalty, grateful for your honor." [Cardan's] gaze goes to [Jude]. "To you, I offer honey wine and the hospitality of my table. But to traitors and oath breakers, I offer my queen's hospitality instead. The hospitality of knives."

Now they see me as the murderess queen.

Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now"

Cardan did a full 180 degree turn from elfin-eared, magical Nicasia into the mortal Daughter of Clay Jude's arms. As this song was on-repeat while I read The Queen of Nothing, this song commemorates any passive aggression of Cardan's directed toward Nicasia after she betrayed and a subsequent murder/not murder attempt...if otherwise, I will not be able to produce more posts when she finds this playlist.

Imagine Dragon's "Dream"

"We all are living in a dream, 

But life ain’t what it seems"

Both Jude and Cardan could be said to live in a dream land. 

Jude's parents were brutally murdered in front of her before she was whisked to Elfhame and forced to live amongst faeries; however, in the time she has lived in Elfhame, she has been raised like any other faerie - participating in academic studies and revelries held by royalty, learning swordsmanship and war strategies from her pseudo-father Madoc, and raised in a stable household (if you ignore the initial demise of her biological parents by Madoc). Yet, she still faces discrimination from other fey due to her mortality to which Jude responds with: 

"I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. You remind me that I am a mere mortal and you are a prince of Faerie. Well, let me remind you that means you have much to lose and I have nothing. You may win in the end, you may ensorcell me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I promise you this is the least of what I can do."

Cardan, on the other hand, is the envy of all as a prince of Elfhame. From his expensive clothes to his large friend group to the reverence bestowed to him, there is much to desire from Cardan's life. However nice this may seem, Cardan was the product of two absentee parents, fed food scraps and dressed in tattered clothing as a young infant, and later assaulted by the instruction of his older brother. Add these traumatic childhood experiences to his hunger for a stable, loving family, and the reader is left to wonder whether Elfhame is as superior to the human world as the fey embrace it to be.

Imagine Dragon's ode puts into perspective both Jude's and Cardan's struggles, both while they are together and apart. 

Imagine Dragon's "Demons"

The majority of the trilogy is focused on the cruelty of Cardan, and this quality lends itself to the titles of The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, and the overall environment Jude is in. As Jude has more interactions with Cardan, however, his toxic actions are revealed to be fueled by his spite for Jude and encouraged under Balekin's care and by his family's absence. 

I know what it is to say the clever thing because you don't want anyone to know how scared you are. 

Cardan's explanations do not excuse his behavior and treatment toward others, but Jude also lacks empathy for others as she attempts to gain power over other fey. Both Jude and Cardan have demons to hide but try their best to grow from their mistakes, particularly as they rule Elfhame in tandem and prepare Oak to become the next High King. 

Sia's "Unstoppable"

Lastly, Cardan and Jude have been an unstoppable pair since the beginning of The Cruel Prince. I cannot imagine a better ending of Cardan's playlist to be gifted to Jude, especially when he knows Jude herself is unstoppable. 

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As there were spoilers (considering this was a playlist overviewing The Folk of the Air trilogy), which of the books or novellas was your favorite? Furthermore, what quality of Black's intricate world made it so swoonworthy? Additionally, what songs would you have liked to see featured in this playlist? As many of these songs are on-repeat in my mind and Spotify soundtracks, I am incredibly biased but in love with the playlist above. Correspond with me below in the comments or via my social medias.

[awanderingcanadian]

Costa Rica for Newbies

After arriving at YVR to discover that our ongoing flight from Mexico City was “delayed” for 2.5 days, and the staff at YVR didn’t have access to options, we arrived in Mexico City around 4am local time, (2am Vancouver time), and immediately made a beeline for the AeroMexico customer service desk. You may be shocked to read that it wasn’t busy at that time of the night. When I booked the flights, I saw that we could go in Business Class for $200CDN more, (I’ve never seen a price that close to a domestic price before), so I booked them. In hindsight, this turned out to be a great decision. Not only were we a priority for rebooking, we also had use of the AeroMexico lounge. The wonderful representative found us seats on the next flight out, (albeit it 12 hours after our original flight, and in an exit row, not Business class, for which she apologized profusely), and off we went for a record 14.5 hours of lounge time. We napped, ate, and drank water, lattes, and even a glass of wine. Arriving into San Jose, Costa Rica around midnight, we weren’t out of the airport until closer to 1am. Our car rental representative was still waiting there for us. We had booked a last minute inexpensive hotel near the airport and had said we would be arriving around 1am, (as this was a small family run hotel we worried about a late arrival). We pulled into the gated parking at 1:30am and crashed hard into our bed. Awakening to this view though, made it all okay:

The next morning we set out for our treehouse accommodation in Cocles, (a few kms south of Puerto Viejo). I had read that it would take just under 4 hours, but almost 6 hours later, we arrived. Our limited experience of roads in Costa Rica, (the ‘highway’ over the mountains to the Caribbean coast and subsequent side roads), have thus far confirmed the opinion that the roads here are terrible. The highway is under construction, moving from 2 to 4 lane constantly, but with very little notice. One moment you’re driving on a 4 lane divided highway, the next, the two lanes over the median are empty, and there are large trucks coming toward you in your ‘fast lane’. In an interesting twist, there are often 2 lanes going down the hills, and one going up the hill?? We quickly understood why our AirBnB host said not to make the drive at night. The ‘road’ to our AirBnb is a 2 km gravel road…with huge rocks and not gravel. It’s quite a workout for the Suzuki Vitara, (probably the most common vehicle we’ve seen here).

Car rentals here are also interesting, as most places insist that you take out the full insurance, regardless of the fact that your credit card company might provide secondary insurance. I called our credit card company and they said to take the minimum required and they would cover the rest. They sent us something to print and take with us specifically stating we were covered in Costa Rica. So, we booked with the “full insurance” package. When we picked up the car, they then informed us that the “full insurance” had an $1800USD deductible if the accident was our fault, and get this…a 20% deductible on the total damage if the accident WAS NOT our fault. WTH?? We’ve declined this extra insurance, on top of our “full insurance”, and hope that if we are actually involved in an accident, our credit car will honour its word. Because of these dire warnings, we took a video of our car at pick up, (as well as some photos…remember it was after 1:00am and we had had very little sleep in the past 2 nights). Two days into our rental, we discovered that we are missing a lug nut from the front and back tire on the passenger side. We looked back at our pick up video and yes…they rented us a car already missing two lug nuts.

I tilted this post “Costa Rica for Newbies” because, although we are fairly seasoned travellers, there’s always something new to learn when you go somewhere new. I’m not writing this to complain, just to maybe help other newbies to Costa Rica!

[celebritydecks]

Elizabeth Huberdeau

Elizabeth Huberdeau

Elizabeth Huberdeau and John Cena: The Triumph and Turmoil of a Power Couple

Introduction: Elizabeth Huberdeau

Elizabeth Huberdeau and John Cena were once considered a power couple in the world of professional wrestling. For WWE fans, the name Elizabeth Huberdeau might not immediately come to mind but she used to be the first lady of WWE Superstar John Cena. Many people respected their connection, but sadly it didn’t last.

She was born on 28 September 1979 in West Newbury, Massachusetts, United States. She graduated from Springfield College in Massachusetts, according to sources. With her parents and one brother, Elizabeth Huberdeau enjoys a large and loving family. Elizabeth A. (Jones) Huberdeau is her mother, and Gene R. Huberdeau was her father. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s father died in 2015 at the age of 76. Her father was a retired police officer. Her mother is currently retired and happy to live at home. Elizabeth’s brother, Adam Huberdeau, is a little younger than she is. He is currently employed by the Groveland Fire Department.

She attended the same high school as John Cena. Currently, she resides in Florida. She formerly worked as a model and currently involved in the real estate industry, according to certain sources.

1. The Beginnings of a Love Story

Long before they became well-known, Elizabeth Huberdeau and John Cena were in love. They first met in their home town of West Newbury, Massachusetts and they were high school sweethearts. As they exchanged dreams and aspirations for the future, their bond grew deeper.

2. The Power Couple Emerges

Despite the challenges that come with fame and busy schedules, Elizabeth Huberdeau and John managed to build a strong foundation for their relationship. Their shared love for each other and dedication to their respective careers made them an unstoppable power couple, loved by fans worldwide.

In 2009, When they made the decision to get married, John Cena was already well-known. John announced his marriage to Elizabeth public while promoting his movie “12 Rounds”. Elizabeth and John were married on July 11 of that same year in a private ceremony performed in Boston, Massachusetts. Elizabeth was lovingly called “Liz Cena” by John and she eventually used this name as her nickname.

Huberdeau and Cena worked hard to advance their individual careers as a power couple. They were aware of the value of encouraging one another in their professional goals, whether it be Huberdeau’s endeavors away from the spotlight or Cena’s job as a wrestler.

3. Cracks in the Foundation

Elizabeth and John enjoyed a few happy years of marriage before a few problems strained their union. The pair divorced each other after around three years of marriage. John filed divorce his wife in May 2012. The divorce was finally finalized the same year in July. Regarding the cause of the divorce, there were various theories. Elizabeth later claimed that she was unaware that the divorce had been filed. According to sources, she also believed John had cheated on her, which led her to subsequently question their prenuptial agreement.

Some stories claim that the couple’s early problems came from a disagreement over a home renovation project and john didn’t pay contractors who worked on their property according to the contract they had with him.

John wasn’t ready to be a parent, therefore they never had kids.

4. Life after Divorce

Elizabeth disappeared from public view after the divorce. Furthermore, she doesn’t post anything about her personal or professional life on social media. She is concentrating on her work as a successful real estate broker and owner of her own business. Her real estate agent pay is reportedly rather considerable, thus she can afford to live an almost luxurious life.

She seems to be doing well in her personal life as well. Recently, pictures of her and her partner, Eli Ayoub, have surfaced online, and she appears to be enjoying her partner’s company.

[doberbutts]

Re your tags, they used a lot of radfem buzzwords both in this post and in their subsequent responses [just as a side note, if I find out anyone is sending hate to this person “in defense” of me I will block you, don’t harass people] so it would not at all surprise me to discover that this person is a radfem, which was sort of my point in my followup. This article that I posted was written directly off of a feminist’s work. A feminist is who is saying that it appears statistics before were wrong and skewed in a seriously one-sided direction, and that as a result we need to change the conversation to include male victims and stop labelling sexual assault and rape solely as something men do to women. A feminist. This is not an MRA talking point. This is a feminist talking point. I am talking about feminism- and, even, dismantling the patriarchy- by bringing this up.

But supposedly I’m talking about “reverse sexism” (no such thing, sexism is sexism) and I’m “all lives matter”ing feminism (by... talking about studies directly researched by feminists...) What I’m actually doing is stating what we currently know about sexual violence, and that it’s that all genders seem to experience this at fairly equivalent rates.

Not “women have power over men”. Not “women oppress men”. Not “it’s not true that men historically use sexual violence as a means of holding power over women”. Not “men and women are assaulted in exactly the same contexts and for exactly the same reasons and due to the exact same power dynamic”. Simply, “men and women are assaulted at roughly equivalent rates, and thus the conversation about sexual violence must include male victims as they account for roughly half of the demographic of survivors, and I don’t think it’s a privilege to be an erased population of victims with zero support”

Maybe the statistics are different in Greece and France. I don’t live there. I wouldn’t know. But in this country, where I do live, I will repeat: men and women encounter less than 1% variance on experiencing sexual violence, and the most common form of sexual violence against men is being forced to penetrate, which is why when rape as a legal definition was only defined as “forcible penetration with a penis”, male victims seemed to be absurdly rare compared to female, however with a broader definition of sexual violence to equal any unwanted sexual touching, the ratio of male to female balances out almost immediately.

Men may not be penetrated as often as women, but that doesn’t mean they are not violated as often as women. And if you claim to care about about sexual violence, then you need to accept that victims may not look the way you’re expecting.

As an aside, since the claim has also been made that I’m “all lives matter”ing a BLM-equivalent topic... BLM can, has, and does in fact support non-black victims of police violence as well. When that little white boy was killed by a cop, BLM sent his family aid. When that white couple was killed in a gunfight during a wrong house no-knock-raid, BLM stepped in to pick up the pieces. Just because you don’t hear about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. BLM centers black people, but it serves all who suffer from police violence. What it doesn’t do is say “I got mine, get your own” like that above response does. Tell me you’re white without telling me you’re white, I suppose.

why on earth do you purposefully misrepresent rape and sexual assault statistics? yes obviously men being sexually abused should be taken seriously, but claiming that it happens at the same frequency that it happens to women at is completely false. this is true both in official crime statistics, and crime surveys.

Probably because new science is saying that's not true and it's estimated now to be roughly equal. I've given links on this before that you've clearly ignored.

This is a less than 1% variance.

AND it's a feminist take.

Why do you continue to ignore modern studies who are actively telling you that you're wrong and pointing out the flaws in the way these statisics and studies were collected and conducted? Is it because it's not useful to your narrative? Is it because if you admit that sexual violence is not solely conducted by men and that all people are endangered by it, then it's more difficult to argue that you're justified in hating and fearing half the population of this planet? Is it because you've gotten so used to thinking there's no way any man could ever share any experience with a woman that you've forgotten at the end of the day that the human experience is rich with common ground?

[mindmeltonabun-blog]

Tale of the Nine Tailed: Explanation of Lee Rang’s Death and Lee Yeon’s Ending Scene

Well folks...here we are once again. I did say that I would not write another TOTNT post unless there was anything worth discussing in the finale. I know many of you may feel utterly devastated or somewhat confused by how TOTNT ended, but I hope my post will be able to comfort you somehow. Anyways, let’s put on our thinking caps one last time for TOTNT!

Lee Rang’s Death

One of the biggest complaints many have had is the death of Lee Rang. Many said that the writer did him dirty while others wished that Lee Yeon and Ji Ah would’ve died instead. However, when we looked at his character arc’s as a whole, his death was justified. We mustn’t forget that he murdered hundreds possibly thousands in wake of his anger. 

Yes, he did do some good towards the end of his life such as taking in Yuri and Kim Soo, but that shouldn’t discredit all the atrocious acts he had committed in the past. Saving the life of two people doesn’t make up for all of the lives he had taken. Additionally, it is noted that Lee Rang did also assist the Imoogi’s group to bring the Imoogi back to life which caused for a slew of horrible events to occur in the first place. 

In the end, it was Lee Rang’s turn to sacrifice for the one he loved. Everything in TOTNT is cyclic if you think about it. First Ah Eum died to save Lee Yeon then Lee Yeon died to save Ji Ah. Therefore, it was only logical that it was Lee Rang’s turn to die for the one he loved which was Lee Yeon. 

Everything in life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, what matters is what you do despite being dealt a bad fate. Both Lee Yeon and Ah Eum/Ji Ah weren’t dealt with a particularly good fate, but yet they still remained good people. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Lee Rang. Yes, he was dealt with a bad fate with having been born with a mother who didn’t want him, but he was also lucky because he had been taken in by a brother who greatly cherished him. Instead of appreciating the time he shared with Lee Yeon and remaining a good person even after the events of Lee Yeon leaving for the Samcheon River, Lee Rang still decided to take a turn for the worst. 

Over and over again, Lee Rang had escaped the punishment he so rightly deserved. For example, even after killing those villagers, Lee Yeon spared his life. Lee Rang had been basically living off on borrowed time. In a way, Lee Rang was lucky that during that borrowed time he was able to resolve the misunderstanding he had with Lee Yeon as well as have a small family of his own. Finally, if there’s anything TOTNT has taught us, it’s that if something is the will of the afterlife judges, it will be carried out eventually. One can’t escape their punishment.

In my opinion, things could have gone a lot worse for Lee Rang in the end. Meaning he could have been reborn as a shrimp. Instead, the afterlife judges granted him reincarnation as a boy who had a mother who cared for him and granted him his last wish which was to meet his brother again. He got all of wishes fulfilled. Thus, it was a satisfying ending for Lee Rang. 

Update 12/07/2020: Does Lee Yeon Meeting Reincarnated Lee Rang Indicate Many Years Have Passed?

No, it doesn’t. The team probably wanted to use the same child actor (Joo Won Lee; DOB: 05/03/2011) as to imply that Lee Rang had been successfully reincarnated. Sure, they could’ve used someone who was a few months old, but how then would Lee Yeon recognize Lee Rang ? Remember that Lee Yeon only met Lee Rang when he was around 9 years old. There would be no way for Lee Yeon to recognize what a few months old Lee Rang could’ve looked like. Get it ? Again, Lee Yeon meeting reincarnated Lee Rang happened in 2021!

Why Does Lee Yeon Still Have His Gumiho Powers?           

Initially, when I first watched this I was beyond shocked, left confused, and was rethinking my opinion of Lee Yeon as a good person. However, once I watched it with subs and then did a little research into how Gumihos can become human, the ending scene made sense. Again, everyone should’ve taken Jo Bo Ah’s advice of looking up myths and see to how they pertain to whatever happened in TOTNT.

Anyways, in legends, Gumihos can become human in the following ways:

1)    Refrain from killing and eating humans for 1000 days

2)    The human who found out a Gumiho’s true nature, must tell no one of its secret for 10 years

3)    Over a period of 100 days (other versions say 1000 days or ~3 years), Kumiho must not be detected by the human they are married to.  If the Gumiho fails on this quest, they will lose any chance of becoming human and will be a Gumiho for 1000 years

4)    Gumiho must consume the livers of 1000 humans over 1000 years. If they do not do this by the end of 1000 years, the Gumiho will dissolve in foam/bubbles

In particular, the ending scenes was in reference to #3. When Lee Yeon had came back to life, he was still technically a Gumiho hence why he could enter the Office of the Afterlife. I know you might ask well why didn’t Taluipa or Shin Ju sense he was still a fox? Because at the same time Lee Yeon was human, but only during the day or nights when there wasn’t a full moon (read further below for an explanation). Additionally, Lee Yeon probably didn’t tell Shin Ju because he didn’t want there to be any possibility that information would get leaked to Ji Ah. Better safe than sorry was Lee Yeon’s personal philosophy!  

Although, Lee Yeon did come pretty close to being discovered as a Gumiho when he let it slip that he knew that their child would be a daughter. This all goes back to the intro in Ep 1 where it is said that Gumihos have the “ability to see miles ahead”. Luckily for Lee Yeon, he convincingly tricked Ji Ah and played it off as he was just saying weird things.

Until his 100 days were up, Lee Yeon had to keep his Gumiho nature hidden from the only person who mattered which was Ji Ah. Let’s be honest here, it’s really hard to trick Ji Ah so Lee Yeon had to be super careful around her. Usually in legends, Gumihos fall short of reaching the 100 days because they are discovered by their betrothed. During Lee Yeon’s 3 months transitional phase of becoming human, a situation arose that could’ve have caused Ji Ah to discover that Lee Yeon was still a Gumiho aka Mr Samjae entering into Ji Ah’s life. 

This caused a problem because whatever misfortune befell on Ji Ah it would also inadvertently affect Lee Yeon too. Meaning that if Lee Yeon didn’t get rid of the Samjae, it could cause Ji Ah the misfortune of finding out Lee Yeon still was a Gumiho, thus ruining his plan of ever becoming human. 

The only way anyone could tell Lee Yeon was still a Gumiho was to have seen him during a full moon. This was in reference to how in legends, werewolves (also in the same canine family as a fox) can only undergo transformation into a wolf when there was a full moon (symbolistic of metamorphosis). So while in the transitional state of Gumiho and human, Lee Yeon was able to take advantage of there being a full moon to be able to transform into a Gumiho. Subsequently, Lee Yeon then used his Gumiho abilities to rid of Mr. Samjae Spirit. Thus, Lee Yeon eliminated a potential threat that could have caused Ji Ah to find out his Gumiho nature before the 3 months of remaining undetected was completed.

Flash forward approximately 3-4 years later after Lee Yeon’s face off with the Samjae, Lee Yeon is now seen as having been successful at becoming a full human as well as having daughter with Ji Ah as seen here in the following pictures (family picnic). My only complaint is that the production/editing team ended up deciding to not include the following scene. I do not know whether it was their decision or the writer’s to not include this. There could be numerous reasons why such as they had wanted to leave the possibility of there being a season 2 or there was limited time allotted for the length of ep 16 or the writer had wanted to leave an open ending. Whatever the reason, I do hope we will eventually show this to us. In doing so, they would give so many of us the proper closure we needed for TOTNT!

Side note, it looks like Lee Yeon and Ji Ah did end up introducing their daughter to her adoptive grandparents. Awww!

Updated 12/07/2020: Timeline of Samjae + Lee Yeon’s Transitional Period

There were also a bunch of questions concerning when exactly the whole scenes with Ji Ah and Lee Yeon had occurred. This occurred in 2021.

Samjae is believed to occur over a three-year period, and follows calculations based on the twelve zodiac signs. The first of the three years is known as deulsamjae (Kor. 들삼재, lit. entering the three calamities), the second, nuulsamjae (Kor. 누울삼재, lit. middle of calamities), and the third, nalsamjae (Kor. 날삼재, exiting the three calamities). The first year in this three-year cycle is supposed to be the most unfortunate. 

Source: https://folkency.nfm.go.kr/en/topic/detail/4151

So doing a little math, one will be able to see what years the Samjae entered (deulsamjae), remained (nuulsamjae), and then exited (nalsamjae). So the Samjae entered into Ji Ah’s life in 1994, 2003, 2012, and 2021. The cycle of every 9 years refers to the time period from one Deulsamjae year to the next (not every 9 years from her year of birth). For example, 1994 + 9 = 2003, 2003 + 9 = 2012, and 2012 + 9 = 2021.

What the show was trying to convey is that when Mr. Samjae came into Ji Ah’s life, it also coincided at the same time as Lee Yeon’s 3 months transitional period. Additionally, there were some who asked, “Aren't we to assume that many years have passed because Lee Yeon did say first root canal, first picnic, first snowfall, etc ?”. No, I took that scene as him mentioning things he either already did or will eventually experience.

Anyways, I really didn’t think I needed to point all of this out because I had assumed you all would’ve put on your thinking caps by now!

Last Remarks.

I hope that this post was able to resolve any confusion many of you may have had about the last episode. The writer did truly keep us on our toes until the very end. But with a little research into myths as well as analyzing everything as a whole, one should’ve been able to understand where the writer was coming from. Again, I want to give a big thanks to the cast, crew, and writer for all their hard work to give us TOTNT!

[thoughts-on-bangtan]

Let’s talk: RUN Episode 131

by Admin 1

I know I’ve probably said this about literally every episode but this one was so fun! Admin 2 and I were honestly laughing almost the entire time while also trying our best to follow along their “debates” and just taking in all the chaos. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Quick recap: in this episode we’re at the pool that belongs to the same hotel at which they had lunch at the end of the previous episode and the objective is twofold--not get wet and win a debate. That’s basically it, it’s like the mint chocolate debate episode but even more hilarious and with the addition of wet Bangtan.

Something I truly love is how it took vmin exactly 57 seconds (which includes the 18 second long intro) to find some kind of ‘reason’ to hold/shake hands behind JKs back. Because of course they did.

After the whole “mess” that ensued after the Titanic preview picture was posted yesterday, I can basically just say one thing--there was literally no need whatsoever to get all anxious and uncertain about the picture, or anything the shippers made out of it. As always the best course of action, which is the one I usually apply, is waiting until we get the full thing so we have context for what we’re shown in the picture/teaser/scene. It’s like that scene at the end of one of the ITS episodes where Jimin goes to JK to tell him about a supposed leak in his room which was taken way out of context and proportions until we got the next episode a week later and the actual events were completely different from anything and everything that was theorized. 

So, what’s the lesson? Wait until we get the full thing, dear fellow vminnies, that way we can avoid making each other anxious and unsure.

Anyway, let’s get into it by starting with the ‘warm-up’ which consisted of one-on-one “battles” where the members stood on these floating foamy mats being held by two staff members and having to make each other fall into the water by playing the hand pushing game. 

Yoongi VS Jimin -- I like how the two shortest members went against each other, which I’d assume might’ve had something to do with Yoongi’s shoulder and how chances of Jimin hurting him due to his height/size/weight were the smallest as opposed to Namjoon or even Hoseok. Maybe I’m imagining/overthinking things but it seemed like Jimin was a little hesitant/careful in how he approached the game and in the way he touched Yoongi, which honestly is very thoughtful and cute of him if that’s true, considering his shoulder and all. In the end Yoongi, after they basically goofed around more than actually tried to push each other, offers a deal of just doing it once properly, ending in both of them falling in the water since Yoongi leans forward, hugs Jimin and drags him down with him.

Tae VS Hobi -- These two might’ve been the quickest, given how Hobi said he’s scared at least three times and Tae basically use a moment to ‘attack’ where Hobi was distracted by the fact that a moment prior he thought Tae almost would’ve hit him in the face with his forehead on accident. That lucky did not happen, but Hobi did end up in the water and Tae remained on the float and completely dry.

Namjoon VS Seokjin -- Now these two, how can I put my thoughts/feelings into cohesive words and sentences instead of just a long key smash? They were hilarious, and their round definitely took the longest out of all of them, both trying to make the other fall yet simultaneously seeming like they weren’t trying all that hard since neither wanted to land in the water? After all before the game started Seokjin did complain how the RUN crew told him they wouldn’t have to get into the water. And yet, in the end, after a visible moment of contemplation, Namjoon hugs Seokjin (who hugs him back) and they fall into the water together (when I tell you how much I love them, wow).

JK VS Jimin --Here’s where we get the Titanic moment while JK and Jimin stand on the float and are being pulled to the middle of the pool, the members immediately jumping in with Hobi going “Jack, come back” in a breathy voice while Yoongi (?) sings the melody of My Heart Will Go On and everyone is laughing. It was an absolutely hilarious and cute moment. What made me laugh the most during the whole thing were the Jimin heads used to hide whatever, which I as a joke called the “Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra (Head Edition)” while talking to Admin 2. During the game itself Jimin and JK are hilarious, slapping each other’s chests and trying different tricks to make the other fall, showing how amazing their core strength and balance is, but eventually Jimin shoves JKs chest and JK falls into the water, winning the game since Jimin “cheated” and thus lost.

Seokjin VS Tae -- Interesting to note is how Jimin remained in the water and close by while these two were playing. Seokjin and Tae though somehow seemed the most chaotic out of all of them, despite Seokjin offering that they should just do it in one go...which didn’t work out. They leaned into each other twice while laughing before starting to “wrestle” until Tae put his arms around Seokjin’s waist and basically threw him into the water while subsequently being pulled after him and falling in as well. Sometimes I think we forget how strong Tae is (though after his BE_log earlier today I doubt we’ll forget that again any time soon).

Once “warm-up” was done, the members were split into two groups of three while one person, the MC, sat in the middle in a glass box (though missing the front glass panel). The rules were established and we basically figured out that there are water canons in front of the seated members and a bigger one releasing water onto the member sitting in the middle. They got words and things they were not allowed to do/say since otherwise they would get splashed.

Safe to say they all fairly quickly looked even more like very wet puppies. I mean look at Yoongi and his cute curly poodle hair, adorable!

The debate portion itself was about “crunchy or soft cereal”, “eggs of peas on jjajangmyeon” and “firm or soft peaches” and truly more chaotic shouting than actually debating. The team members and the “MC” changed for each round, which lasted 11 minutes each. Who debated what was chosen by the crew (or the MC). My highlights for the cereal debate (besides Seokjin cutely complaining how he prefers his cereal soggy and Namjoon equally cutely telling him to just pretend he likes it crunchy) were Yoongi (who was team soggy cereal) and his argument that since Kendrick Lamar eats soggy cereal, that’s basically the winning argument, Namjoon arguing that since “cereal” and “crunchy” both start with a c that’s the only right answer, and Tae arguing that if you eat chocolate cereal it’ll melt and you’ll additionally get chocolate milk so obviously soggy cereal is better. The jjajangmyeon portion had discussions about prices, as well as Hobi (team peas) arguing he doesn’t like seeing animals in pain (which was quickly countered by JK saying he’d just eaten pork before the episode) and Tae generally being appalled by having to argue in favor of peas since he doesn’t like them yet used the argument that his dad likes them so if you argue against them...well. 

And finally the peaches debate had Tae and his galaxy brain using their Chilsung Cider ads as argument and how the peaches in it were firm since they bounced and thus they are better, which JK tried to counter by pointing out that those were just CGI to which Tae basically said he’s insulting their beautiful ads, how dare. I also love how Jimin, who was on Tae’s team, went along with whatever nonsense argument Tae came up with as though it was the most logical one in the world. Just lovely soulmate things, we love to see it. Speaking of nonsensical arguments, you have to give points to Namjoon for his ability to sound like he’s making perfectly sensible and logical arguments while doing, well, the exact opposite. Or Yoongi who just bs-ed his way through the entire thing while acting totally serious about it.

Can we please have a quick look at the following screenshot:

And now, can we please talk about how everyone is nicely sitting in their designated place with space between them...and then there’s vmin who are like magnets because “Space who? We don’t know her”. 

Admin 2 asked me to add their comment/thought about how it looks juuuuust a little as though vmin may or may not have been holding hands below the table, which, I mean, we’ll never know but, at this point (especially after the BE unit unboxing video) I wouldn’t even be surprised if it were true.

At one point when Seokjin became the MC the water kept on coming and coming and the members were desperate to figure out what was the thing they were doing that caused it. Jimin thought it could be the caps that some of them wore, so without hesitation or question, he took off Tae’s cap (bless Jimin for giving us another view at wet hair Tae, truly) and then, I swear, it looks like he wanted to ruffle Tae’s hair yet just a second before making contact he stops himself and instead turns his hand in like a “I’m presenting some kind of argument” way. Adorable.

A final note goes out to the fact that they are wearing white button downs which, I mean, makes perfect sense I guess? And also how the crew gave them bathrobes so they’d stay warm, I’d assume, yet very quickly those were drenched as well thanks to the water canons so it basically defeated the purpose completely. And yet, despite all the water etc they all look fantastic.

Overall it’s a hilarious episode that’ll give your stomach muscles and lungs an amazing workout. Bangtan were their chaotic, loud, and mischievous selves and honestly, I can’t wait to see what else they’ll debate in the next episode.