#and in some ways the dramatic irony of knowing so many things that the characters don't makes listening SO FUN

[yardsards]

the problem with taz balance is that half of the things that make me want to recommend it to people are major spoilers that will fundamentally change the listening experience

[yams-here]

So I like thinking about franchises that disappointed me in some way

and after watching too many reviews I redesigned the High guardian spice characters (and thought of how the plot could work way too much)

Rose in this version isn't a complete idiot, and may not be so book smart, but she is very good in combat because she's kind of a fangirl. Like, "she studies attacks and can probably name pretty much every guardian" fangirling. While she is still kind of a dumbass, she's the one that always brings Sage down to earth whenever she gets too stressed. Although she is mostly the source of that stress. Her mom was taken by the rot, but she isn't really sure what it is, so when Thyme mentions it devastating her home she's like "!" so they can actually have something that might bring them together. She decides to take on forging and weapon enchantments so she can have a moment where she steps out of her mom's shadow to do her own thing teehee Sage here is still kind of an ass (her sexist discourse to snap was NOT a Girlboss Moment) but here I think it would be interesting if it was something that other characters think its weird too. Like its a belief ingrained into her together with the more traditional upbringing by her family (thus her only knowing old magic) so it can be part of her character development learning how those thoughts should be changed and that not everyone thinks like that, But she still tries her best to be respectful and kind. (also, her parents sent her to the academy because new magic is VERY new, so the fact that it was being implemented in the curriculum was not widespread, specially in a small town like where she was raised in.) she's an overthinker to the core, so sometimes she needs her friends to calm her down, although sometimes that anxiety is what prepares them for something they weren't even expecting.

Parsley is honestly well written enough in the original show, so the only things I would change is that the progress with the conflict with her parents is stretched a little through episodes, and the conflict is that while her parents want her to be a blacksmith and take on the family business (and help take care of her three thousand simblings) she wishes to go out and do something for herself as a warrior, because she wanting to go to school to become a blacksmith and her parents fighting her on it because they want her to become a blacksmith is kinda dumb. also her short ass hammer feels so weird to watch in the series, so I think that a longer handle would make it a little better. also tiny irony of her weapon being taller than her. Thyme feels like she should be written better because shes the only one that actually has any correlation to the plot, but she kind of... isn't?? I like her backstory of being ran out of the woods she lived in because the rot was devastating it and her dad staying behind to try to solve it, but I think it would be more dramatic if her dad was killed in the conflict but she doesn't know so dramatic moment when she finds something that belonged to him (maybe a little charm she made? for protection? in the way children do that stuff for their parents) and she connects the dots. Also the rot here is because the overuse of the power new magic is able to draw out without the control of old magic is taking too much energy from the earth, and woodsy areas thrive on it, thus the root like structures of the rot. The trees are basically oysters for the magic energy of the world. When its bad, they turn bad too. Also make her more of a "expresses affection through favors and actions, not words" person. She, Rose and Sage took wayy too long to become friends. Amaryllis stays the same because she is perfect and I love her and if you disagree to talk to the wall I personally think Snapdragon is good too but I would make him genderfluid instead. I think that the idea of Caraway THINKING he might be a trans girl but that ending up not the correct answer would reinforce his "there's always more options than you think" speech. And someone needs to point out how he's drawn to women that scream at him. Also we need a better arc with his dad instead of the raw carrot that was the canonical "his dad reinforces toxic masculinity hurr durr" thing we got (that wasn't even well made btw) NOW TO THE SIDIES

Slime boy is now named Slime boy because of an accident he had in potions class the previous year (he's one year older than the main cast) which caused him to continuously produce a slime like substance instead of stuff like spit and sweat. It doesn't inconvenience him a lot other than him making bubbles when he speaks every now and then. He's just an assistant in the terrasphere shop, and the owners are Alloe and Anise (wow they actually do something else in the story!!) but he's mainly just a more experienced student that sometimes knows things the main cast doesn't like secret entrances and cool rooms and stuff. He's a full on bard because that was barely explored in canon and music based attacks are cool. He has the tiniest little crush on parnelle cuz I thought that would be fun Parnelle is ENBY because I SAID SO (and cuz cal is stablished as transphobic and I like payoffs) and since whatever they're doing at the academy is never really clarified, I made them kind of an animal whisperer, like they call on animals to assist them in battle and other stuff. (Maybe then we actually get to see the trixies again after their prolongued mating dance that lead to literally nothing in episode 1) being an animal whisperer is a very rare "old magic" hability thus why they entered the academy one year earlier than expected. They sew their own clothes and are still the generally weird little guy they are in canon, except this time its explained as them preferring to communicate with animals ever since they were a child. They are still very polite and friendly tho, always happy to help. Cal is (his full name is calamagrostis and like if I was named that I'd be an asshole too) still parnelle's cousin, but he doesn't outright bullies them. in fact, he isn't an outright bully, he just tends to look down on other people that don't follow what he believes in, which is a more traditional view on the world, kind of like sage, so I thought of him maybe being a catalyst to her being like "wow I can see why my way of thinking may be bad now, I don't want to be like him" which pushes her to grow and stuff. And I want him to grow as well, so I thought, maybe he and Snapdragon used to be friends, but recently they drifted apart and he started to kind of resent him after he came out as genderfluid, but deep down he still misses his friend, so maybe that pushes his character development. And other people saying that hes kind of a prick. idk I just really hate the trope of a bully character just being there to be the mc's punching bag instead of getting development.

In general, the lore would be (I think, I'm not the best at lore) that Guardians are generally like soldiers, but in a more captain america type of way. they're more like beacons of hope and symbols or power and peace than soldiers are, (thus rosemary knowing a bunch of them as they're usually famous) but they are still required to know combat. High Guardian Academy is known as a guarantee to become a good soldier, and a high chance to become a guardian. They VERY recently implemented new magic in the curriculum, but are experimenting with mixing its high power output with old magic's control of it, (thus why caraway knows how but why none of the students are being thaught it. It's a fairly new tecnique they'd rather get a good grasp on before teaching a bunch of children how to use it) because since they're expertly trained guardians they can tell that a terrasphere takes too much energy above what would be considered okay. They just aren't aware of how much tho, the extent of the rot is a secret held close to their chests by witch country, which is where the terraspheres come from, which has brought them tons of profit and advancements. So when someone knows about the extent, or tries to stop it, they are eliminated, (thus why thyme's dad died. People that stayed in the fairy woods and knew how bad new magic could be were all "silenced" so they could keep profiting out of it.) (Any letters or research about the rot, or from the people that knew, were burned and interfered with, thats why no one else knew about it.) idk what else to talk about cuz this show had such little things to explore but there's so much filler that almost none of it got explored but I think it had potential, even if I prefer to focus on character interactions and how they change eachother. Again, I'm not very good with lore. and plot.

[thenightshadowqueen]

What do you think are Merlin and Arthur’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic?

Also, what are your top 5 favorite moments from Merlin BBC? Sorry if you've answered this questions before....

Ooh, those are great questions! And don’t worry; I haven’t done these yet. Thank you for the ask! I am so, so sorry that it’s taken me so long to get to this; I’ve been having a time the past few weeks, and I wanted to give you a properly thought-out answer.

Okay, so: Merlin. I think the idea of strengths and weaknesses for him really comes from whose perspective you’re looking from. If we’re looking at what makes him such a compelling character, then I think his greatest strength is his complete and unconditional devotion to Arthur. That is what draws me, at least, so totally to his character—not in the sense that he isn’t a fascinating and full character separate from Arthur, but in the sense that his self, especially in the later seasons, is so fundamentally tied to Arthur that it’s impossible to have Merlin as he is without Arthur. However, if we’re looking at strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of Merlin’s own mental health, this very same trait is his greatest weakness. The same is true if you look at all of the bad things that happened due to Merlin’s decisions: his worst decisions were made with Arthur’s best interests at heart.

Arthur’s strengths and weaknesses are, I think, a little easier to determine. His greatest strength is probably his dedication to his people and his determination to do what’s best for his kingdom. On the other hand, he is a bit of a dick, especially during the earlier seasons. He can also be quite oblivious (some of which is his character and some of which is questionable writing).

As for what I love about the dynamic, I think a lot of it comes down to the fundamental imbalance of the whole thing. I’m fascinated and quite compelled by unhealthy ship dynamics (I have my theories as to why, but we don’t need to get into that here), and just the fact that Arthur doesn’t know about Merlin’s magic means that their relationship can never be equal. And then, when you think about Merlin’s self-destructive devotion, it all becomes clear. Arthur is just as dedicated to Merlin as the other way around, but because Arthur doesn’t have all the information, he is unable to put in the same amount of effort and love as Merlin. [Autocorrect tried to change ‘love’ to ‘lube’. Just thought I’d share that.] Of course, there’s also the fucking chemistry; that’s what got me into them in the first place, but the unbalance of the whole thing is why I’ve stayed so long.

Top 5 BBC Merlin Moments

5. “Where does it say my destiny includes murder?” (S1E12)

This scene has always stood out to me during rewatches, because with the context of the full show, it’s dripping in dramatic irony. Merlin kills so many people for Arthur, most necessary and some not, and at some point he stops thinking twice about it, because he’ll do anything to protect Arthur. And this scene is so fucking sad, because he’s so innocent, and you just know that that’s all going to be ripped away.

4. Merlin poisoning Morgana (S2E12)

This is such a crucial turning point. This kind of solidifies Morgana turning sides, but it’s also the first moment you get to see that ruthlessly devoted side of Merlin. I mean, he poisons one of his closest friends to save Arthur. And I feel like this is one of the first times we really get to see how far he’s willing to go. Also, shoutout to Colin and Katie, because the acting was incredible.

3. That one five-second shot of Morgana grabbing Gwaine’s jaw (S4E12)

Look, I have deep reasons for the other ones. I’m allowed to have one shallow moment as a favourite. As a treat. They’re both so fucking gorgeous, and together? In that dynamic? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: they are conspiring to cause my death.

2. Arthur and Merlin’s fight in the marketplace (S1E1)

They’re both such sassy little shits in this scene, and I love them for it. But also the pure sexual tension in that scene is unreal. Like, Arthur is so fucking delighted to find someone who treats him like a normal person, and Merlin is just pissed off. Is there a better dynamic? I don’t think so.

1. Arthur’s death (S5E13)

It’s heartbreaking. I’m not denying that. But it’s gorgeous. Colin and Bradley did such an amazing job, and there’s so much love and heartbreak packed into those few minutes, and I actually don’t know what I can say about how much I love it other than just look at it.

[watermel0ns-dumb-cringe]

Okay SINCE I DID A YAP SESSION ANALYSIS ON CONNIE. IM DOING ONE FOR PENNY/JANE. buckle up this might be a tad longer since I'm obsessed with funky lil tragic girls that are doomed to the dramatic irony of their worst fears

Okay. So. Jane/Penny IMMEDIATELY sets up the overall undertone of the musical during Karnak's Dream Of Life. I was admittedly a tad confused upon first seeing it— especially with how it seemed to be brushed off for a good 15 first minutes of the musical. Then- woah. Holy shit. Jane appearing from behind the curtains out of basically nowhere as the "mystery contestant" gave me chills. Her tone as a character is so vastly contrast to the others in such a surreal and unnerving way that you can't help but be so intrigued but wary. Especially with how, like— so many characters similar to her that I've seen tend to be villianized a lot. But- no. She's- she feels more- human. To me, at least. That's the irony of it, huh? She doesn't know who she is. She walks with only the lingering regret & guilt of mourning a distant memory that she might never get back. Cursed to a fate that's admittedly horrifying when you think about it; all without knowing or remembering what she did to deserve such fate. Jane- DEFINITELY has some catholic guilt themeing going on, and it's fun to speculate all the religious undertones and details of her character!

She's just- so interesting to me. I deadass had to pause the musical and stare at my screen for a few minutes after TBOJD just so I could like- take it all in. Since it REALLY. REALLY. Hit close to home for me, as someone who's very much struggled and even temporarily lost their sense of identity, often being deemed forgettable by most— or just straight up cast out and alienated. Being formerly religious and deathly afraid of messing things up and ending up in the bad place was just the cherry on top!

Jane is. Such a complex character to me, ESPECIALLY if you bring (Legoland)Penny into the mix, viewing them as the same person. There's so much dramatic irony and slight foreshadowing in both shows that only deepens her as a character.

She's definitely not dumb or anything, that's for sure. She seems to be pretty damn smart! Guess it runs in the family, lol.

But like- being forgotten by almost everyone, well aware of the horrible fate you've been condemned to. Confused and lost, yet simultaneously an empty shell of someone who used to be "human." Now just. Only viewed as a creepy, unfeeling empty "doll." Not knowing how to properly express your emotions and desperately trying to connect with others, seeking that warmth of familiarity that deep down you know you'll NEVER get back. Nothing is waiting for you after the smoke clears. You've been abandoned by everything you currently know, including "god" itself. Swallowed up whole by time itself like you never even existed. You just want to go home. You just want to feel something— anything. You just want someone to treat you like a person and tell you who you are.

It's. So heartbreaking once you realize some of the implications and slight foreshadowing placed in Legoland. Penny says something about how she was afraid that nobody would notice if she died. There's multiple references to decapitation. Both Karnak & Ricky repeat lines that Penny’s said in the Legoland script. There's so many little details about her and it's just JRHRGSHAHAKJSEGGAJA/vvpos

SPEAKING OF LEGOLAND & PENNY!!

She. Probably harbors a lot of guilt, going off of all the implications & themeing around her in both LL AND RTC. Penny's shoved around a lot from what we know— even to the point of people burning her backpacks & having to avoid the stairs entirely just so she doesn't get shoved down them, risking breaking something. Yeah, she DEFINITELY has her flaws; but that's honestly what made me connect with her. Even without the flaws, I very deeply related to her as well, just as I did with her inevitable future "self." (If you believe in the LL! Penny = RTC! Penny/Jane Doe thing like I do!!) How she just- kinda attaches herself to her interests & the whole lashing out and fucking MAIMING A GROWN MAN reminded me of myself a lot. (I have not maimed anybody for the record. But I did lash out at other kids and have actually hurt them before. Not severely, but- I'm definitely not proud of it. I had BAD. anger & mood issues.)

OH. And then you discover Ezra's existence!! Which. Makes shit a LOT worse! Adds a lot more potential with how you see Jane Doe as well, along with a LOT of potential for Ezra's character as well. UUGauahah it's always the doomed siblings that get me I totally haven't cried over this damned trope before multiple times wdym

But yeah! There's. So many intricate details about everything— the themeing, the implications, hell- even in the character design & NAMES‼️‼️ (The last name being LAMB is just. Really ironic to me. Lamb to the slaughter,,)

RGRHJSSGHD THERES SO MUCH DRAMATIC IRONY ESPECIALLY WITH THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN TOWN THING IAAGKKFK AND ALL THE DETAILS WITH SYMBOLISM I AM NOT NORMAL ABOUT ALL THE DETAILS THEY PUT IN THIS GOD FORESAKEN SHOW SOMEBODYHELPM

so yeah uh I'm. Not normal about Jane/Penny in the slightest! You can definitely tell the Lambs are my favorites JSHSHSSHSJ (Connie's also one of my favorites if you can't tell sHES SO SILLY AND DESERVES SO MUCH LOVE TOO AIAYSGSUIAK)

Everyone in this fucking musical deserves better you can't change my mind (excluding the carnie. That fucker can go die in a ditch <3)

[the-far-bright-center]

In discussions of TCW-Anakin vs. film-Anakin, I understand why some people see them as being incompatible or entirely different portrayals. But whatever problems I personally have with TCW are more to do with certain OOC dialogue lines that I don't agree with, or the overly-contrived situations that TCW tends to force him into just so an episode or scene can function as a 'meta-commentary' on his character or storyline. Believe me, I have issues with specific aspects of TCW's writing for Anakin, but the fact he's more outwardly 'suave' or 'dashing' than some people expected is not one of them. If anything, I see the 'Skyguy' persona as perfectly in keeping with Anakin as portrayed at the beginning of RotS, and I would argue that a great deal of the TCW characterisation is pulled directly from those Battle of Coruscant scenes. TCW Anakin is also heavily inspired by Jake Lloyd's Little Ani in TPM, which, lest anyone forget, counts as FILM-Anakin. Seriously, do people not recall how much swagger and self-confidence little Ani has at the beginning of TPM? (🎵Do you see him hitting on the queen, though he’s just nine and she’s fourteen.’ 🎶 😅) He's a hotshot little ace podracing pilot and he knows it! And in AotC, the only reasons Anakin comes across as more 'awkward' at the beginning is that he's nervous about seeing Padme again after so long. Once he knows for sure she reciprocates his feelings at the battle of Geonosis, the suave, confident Anakin is back! And thus by the time of the Clone Wars, it makes sense that after being a general in the war in charge of many men, he'd have to have a certain level of outward charisma no matter how much inner doubt or turmoil he might be feeling. So, in my opinion, the actual baseline 'persona' for both versions of the character isn't as different as some seem to think. I'm tired of the idea that film-Anakin ISN’T supposed to be seen as ‘cool’ in-universe, just as much as I’m tired of the idea that TCW-Anakin ISN’T supposed to be viewed as a figure of pathos by the audience, either.

Imo, they’re both takes on the same character coming from different angles, set at different stages in his life, and portrayed through different mediums — an animated series heavy on self-aware, darkly ironic humour in a more contemporary style intended to entertain and increase enjoyment of the Prequels-era and its characters. vs. a more serious Greek tragedy with Shakespearean overtones made with old-Hollywood-style sensibilities as part of a mythic six-film saga.

While there are plenty of things that TCW gets wrong about Anakin (see my 'TCW discourse' tag for more on that), dismissing him because he is ‘too macho’ seems to miss the mark a bit. Just because TCW Ani doesn’t shed literal tears on-screen doesn’t mean he’s not emotional or emotionally vulnerable. As far as I remember, there's even a scene where Obi-Wan and Anakin discuss the fact that Anakin has trouble keeping his emotions hidden, especially when it comes to his feelings for his loved ones, which is the opposite of the stereotypical stoic, self-reliant 'macho' ideal. And the amount of times we're constantly bashed over the head with dramatic irony about his fate as Vader in that series surely drives home the point that his trajectory is a decidedly tragic one. (The way he cries out in agony in the Mortis arc, 'I will do such terrible things!' gets to me, every time.) Despite his powers and prowess, TCW Anakin is even shown as being physically vulnerable at times, as well — see the Jedi Crash storyline which he spends mostly knocked-out unconscious, the nod to his mechanical arm as a liability in the Zillo Beast and Citadel arcs, and the scene of him futilely struggling like a wild beast before being captured with ropes in the Zyggerian arc, or the fact he gets captured and tortured by Dooku in 'Shadow Warrior'. I see endless jokes about TCW Ani getting electrocuted every other episode, but then fandom uses this to fuel the dismissive view of him as just some dumb himbo instead of understanding that this, too, is supposed to add to the character's pathos.

Likewise, fandom claims that Prequels-Anakin is 'uncool' and 'cries all the time', which is simply not true. As noted above, film-Anakin banters, jokes, laughs, makes daring jumps out of speeders, does bold piloting moves, is in fact an imposing duellist, and so on. Sure, his character is not supposed to be seen as aspirational (obviously!) and the most memorable and dramatic moments of the latter two Prequels films feature him in the midst of extremely intense emotions. But the oft-repeated view of him as 'uncool' completely ignores the fact that by the time that RotS starts, film-Anakin is supposed to be a well-known and widely-admired charismatic general, aka the Hero With No Fear, who is viewed as almost singlehandedly saving the Republic. The audience may be privy to Anakin's inner struggles with his fear of loss, but in-story he is supposed to be seen as THE golden boy of the Jedi Order and the Republic. The RotS novelization frequently mentions that Anakin has 'dash', 'boldness', and a 'presence' 'like the Holo-Net hero that he is'. It literally says he's the best at what he does and he KNOWS it. He's not just supposed to be an awkward idiot in the way some people seem to perceive him solely based on certain scenes in AotC. Rather, he's supposed to be shown as falling from a 'great height'. By the time of RotS, film Anakin has just as much swagger and self-confidence in his role as General Skywalker as he does in TCW. Just because that side of him is not the main focus of the film doesn't mean it's not supposed to be there.

[aihoshiino]

This recent chapter is making me wonder how long and how did Nino know that Ai had kids if she was also involved with Ryosuke since the Gorou incident…unless she met them both after which feels unlikely at this rate...so many things getting off screened. Like how did she even meet Hikaru to begin with?? Was she stalking Ai all along too or she just overheard things conveniently?

Remember when Aqua quickly dismissed that anyone from B-Komachi couldn't have been involved in this? Yeah me too.

It's so ?????

There's SOMETHING potentially interesting about Nino maybe knowing about the twins for way longer than we originally thought and like, doubling down on willful ignorance/denial because of her obsession with Ai as the untarnished, ultimate idol. There's that bit in 45510 where Nino stops reading the blog post before she can see what Ai wanted to talk to her and the others about, but I think can be reasonably assumed to be the truth about Aqua and Ruby. I initially took this to be some dramatic irony, but if Nino already knew about the twins existing at this point, I actually think that's some potentially really fascinating recontextualization of her actions here?

Like, everything else about it is still true - her instinctive revulsion and rejection of the real Ai and her vulnerability but there's also an interesting potential subtext in her refusing to read any more, doubling down on her willful ignorance and clinging to the image of the pure, unsullied Ai of B-Komachi who has never had so much as a dirty thought in her life let alone actual sex. With that context, her deleting the blog is not just silencing Ai's cry for help but it very much is prioritizing the image of 'the idol Ai' over the real human woman because it's also destroying the evidence of Ai's confession.

So like… with all that, I don't mind her knowing in THEORY and I think it adds some potentially interesting angles to her character. But like you said, it's so unclear how and when she learned this and how it went on to influence her r/s with Ai that it just ends up coming off like the clumsy retcon it is.

[piosplayhouse]

This didn’t quite fit into my response to the mpreg survey, but I’ve been thinking about it and wanted to mention it to you somewhere— I’ve noticed that a lot of mpreg content has a passive or even overtly pro-life stance. The most dramatic outliers are what stick with me ofc (I once read a fic where Shen Jiu said he wouldn’t get an abortion because “he’s not a child murderer”. The irony.) but for they most part it’s just a subtle slant. Do you think this is caused by the fact that, by the plot’s necessity, they gotta force their blorbo to have that baby (inserting moral objections to abortion like a horror movie inserts reasons for cell phones not to work)? Do you think that people with that belief set are more likely to have a pregnancy kink? Do you have other ideas for causes I’m not considering?

Ok I can only speak to things I've read and other responses I've seen (that fic sounds so ?????) so I do have to say the majority of things I've read (esp in scum villain) are mostly pro choice leaning where if a character gets pregnant they're given the chance to abort and usually don't take it (insert sy voice binghe I would never abort you) (however I do remember reading a wangxian fic where lwj drives his coworker wwx to a clinic to get an abortion (pre wangxian relationship) because lwj wanted to support wwx in his decision bc lwj was horrified that his mother was never given a choice on whether or not she wanted to be a mother and suffered a lot because of that, which was a really interesting subversion on the topic I think)

There is a trend I've seen in the responses to the poll where some people appreciate mpreg as a genre that takes bodily autonomy to a sort of emphasized issue, particularly outside of omegaverse/transfic (responses on whether or not people see trans pregnancies as mpreg were actually pretty even from all demographic groups) where there's this heightened sense of unexpectedness and urgency to the idea of pregnancy. As far as I know, there are a nonzero amount of people who use this framework to work through their own issues with a sense of detachment-- for example, many people mentioned having pro-life family members in real life who are pressuring them to get pregnant, and they like mpreg that either subverts that idea (what if a character was given the space to get pregnant on their own terms with full family support) or portrays it to an extreme (what if a character was being forced to not abort) but from the safe distance of fiction where they can just pull away whenever things get too real. It gives them a sense of agency and control over a situation that in real life they don't have control over, similar to how a lot of trauma kinks work.

Of course, there are equal numbers of people who are vehemently uncomfortable with that as well, so that should be considered too. On a broader demographic level, since much of fandom skews (unfortunately) American, there's also of course the probability that a lot of people have just grown up with heavy evangelical pro-life beliefs/influences, and this either consciously or subconsciously affects the way they view pregnancy as a topic. In terms of the actual heavy pro-life evangelicals, I think the majority of them would be opposed to mpreg on the basis of lgbt topics (lol) but it has been long speculated that quiverfull movement and adjacent adherent people do have some form of pregnancy kink that unfortunately they work out in real life on real children rather than in fiction, based on how they treat their coming baby/themselves while pregnant versus how they actually treat their children when they come out (unfortunately very poorly in most cases)

Anywayy that's all kind of speculation, but I hope that helps a little bit. There are always people with a billion different reasons for everything, and it would be impossible to capture those all in the span of a Tumblr ask response, but I hope this gives you something to chew on! If anyone else would like to add things to this feel free to reply or reblog or send another ask with your thoughts, it would be much appreciated :)

[kustas]

talk about those books!!! <— hungry for recommendations

okay anon :)

the first book i've been reading is "People of the lake" by Richard Leakey. it's a book about paleoanthropology in africa! i am reading a french translation dating from 1980, which was very touchingly renamed "those of lake turkana". it describes the finds and research which was done at the time on ancient hominids.

this book is remarkable in two ways to me: one in that it's genuinely well written, something rare in science books - usually, people very knowledgeable about a specific topic spent their time perfecting knowledge, not writing skills, which typically leads to science lit being hard to read. but in this book, the prose is great, with some parts feeling like you're reading some fantasy novel! i actually had to take a break reading it because it was so delicious of an experience i couldn't bring myself to read it at home or at work where i'd constantly get bothered by people and noises... which is why i turned to reading slop instead. but that'll be detailed later.

the second remarkable part ties to being a book written in the 70s. the thing with science is that new discoveries make it nearly certain something you'll find will be made obsolete a few years later. reading a 50yo science book means...many years of modern knowledge, especially in a field like archeology/paleontology where new discoveries can completly change what we think of a given species. but this book handles what it hypothesizes with such care, grace and humility that it has not aged so far. everything is presented openly as "might have been, might not, but wouldn't be wonderful?" which is such a sweet damn way to approach science to me!

now, the slop.

the second book i've been reading is actually bookS because it's a series! is Moorcock's Elric saga, which i only started reading because all the art of the character (and there's lots of it) was so uniquely wildly horny i wanted to know what the deal what. these are very famous among fantasy nerds as foundational to the genre, but not exactly mainstream.

they are mostly short adventure stories, centered around a same main character, who vary in quality. now, i will be open, i won't exactly call these books good - they are very dated for better and worst, and are not written especially well, and shine to me for their creativity that's wild in some given places as well as a constant atmosphere of irony that makes them (more or less intentionally so) hilarious. these books were written by a true hater. and it shows.

the core of these books is the main character, who stands out because he sucks. he's an overdramatic whiny richkid who's constantly running away from responsabilities and getting into deep trouble that's always more or less his fault, you either like it or you don't - i love it. his central gimmick is that he's afflicted with extremely poor health and carries around this fucked up evil sword that allows him to not wither and die the more he kills people. much dramatic conflict ensues, boohoo. it's interesting to see the sheer impact these books had on fantasy, inspiring a lot of more famous media - if it's got dragons and it's a bit edgy, there's a chance it's related. the books might feel a bit derivative to a modern reader because of this, but with a step taken back it's cool to study. i discovered to my immense pain that it's more or less what invented the modern concept of multiverse. deep sigh

where i'm loving these books is in conjunction to witch hat, because both series are fantasy i enjoy but with glaring flaws that balance each other out. i loved WHA for it's logical worldbuilding and interesting side characters (hello boy of URL) as well as its touching attention to real world issues, i hated WHA for being very meanies vs goodies with forced dialog that felt at best condescending and it's inability to address rougher issues because the manga is too nicies. Elric has the most bullshit fairy recess logic happenings, its offensive in the good old proud pulp way and most side characters could be replaced by cardboard cutouts - but it's not afraid to be weird and ugly, the main character feels as convoluted and complex as a real guy would, and the Hater's Edge (tm) and related strangely subtle dark humor cured me from the salt i was feeling at WHA and its fans inability to read between the lines.

i still have to finish them in the meantime if i fully explain the MC we're gonne be there for hours so here's a collection of silly images ive been collecting with my friends that remind us of him instead. cheers

[david-talks-sw]

Luke Skywalker in 'The Last Jedi' (2/2)

OK, so in Part 1/2 of this post, we explored why Luke's TLJ characterization isn't really inconsistent with what had previously been established in Star Wars lore. It tracks. Dare I say: it works.

And yet... something still feels off, right?

Well, the reason for this is because Luke's character development is impacted by the film's structure, which in turn is impacted by - of all things - Poe's lack of development in Episode VII! Just hear me out!

The intention: Making the audience feel the same emotions as the protagonist, deuteragonists and antagonist.

This is what most movies strive for. Unless the film is trying to go for some dramatic irony, you want your audience to be on the same page with your protagonist, emotionally-speaking.

And y'know what? Rian Johnson does this very well.

Overall, he displays a very good grasp of making us, the audience, feel the same emotions as a film’s protagonist (generally, the main character, whose POV we follow) or deuteragonist (the ‘secondary main character’).

Rey was expecting to meet the Luke from the Original Trilogy, the Luke from Legends... and instead was disappointed to meet an old jaded hermit. Just like many of the fans were.

Finn is fooled by DJ, mistaking him for an archetypal "misfit with a heart of gold". Just like the fans were.

Poe is increasingly frustrated with Holdo, just like we were.

Call it "meta", call it "subversive", the bottom line is that some of the narrative choices that a lot of fans criticize the film for are intentionally placed there to put you in the same mental state as the characters you're following, even during the film's twists.

But as a result, if a character isn’t the protagonist (Rey), or the deuteragonists (Poe or Finn), or even the antagonist (Kylo)... they'll barely get any development.

They might get one or two scenes for themselves tops, but overall secondary characters like Luke, or Holdo, or DJ will mostly be shown through the filter of Rey or Poe’s or Finn's POV.

The Problem: Luke isn't a protagonist or deuteragonist, so he isn't developed to the audience's satisfaction.

Don't get me wrong: Luke has the second-most screen time in the whole film, but that's because Rey is the one with the most screen time, and he's primarily a character in her storyline.

To be fair, he does have his own subplot, he's the spiritual center of the whole film. But concretely, he’s one step above support characters like Holdo, Leia, Rose and DJ. We're barely shown his own POV and mainly view him through Rey's lens.

Like, there's a reason why in this scene...

... we don't see what Luke witnessed in Ben’s mind, simply his reaction to it: Rey didn’t see it either.

All three "Rashomon" flashbacks are what Rey is picturing in her mind when she’s being told three different versions of the story. She doesn't see what Luke witnessed, so we don't see it either.

And you know what? On paper... this is also not really an issue. It's actually quite standard. I mean, Yoda doesn't get much backstory or an arc in Empire Strikes Back. He's just the mentor figure, and we see him through Luke's POV.

There's no arguing that Luke in TLJ receives much more development than Yoda does in ESB.

But y’know what?

Yoda was also never the protagonist of a whole other trilogy.

So if you're gonna tell an audience that "the protagonist of the previous trilogy strayed from the path and is now a completely different person" - even if they eventually make their way back with a character arc - I don’t think it’s out of order for audience members to expect more development than a regular mentor archetype.

Context is expected, and when it isn't delivered, that'll kill the suspension of disbelief, for many fans. They're not just disappointed in Luke like Rey is, they're not immersed in the movie anymore.

So how do you go for what Rian was going while also trying to keep about half the fans from jumping ship?

The Solution (?) Delving deeper into Luke.

So let’s suppose Luke was treated like a deuteragonist. Suppose we see his own POV more, rather than just seeing him through Rey’s eyes. Would that help? And what would that look like?

Firstly, we keep that deleted scene of him mourning Han’s loss.

Or we show it like in the comic adaptation of TLJ, with Luke getting angry at his decision to cut himself off from the Force, unintentionally levitating objects until Chewie consoles him.

WHAT IT DOES: Either version humanizes Luke, shows who he is beneath the jaded mask he's putting on, gives audience a chance to mourn Han with him.

We keep that deleted scene of him explaining to Rey why he thinks the Jedi were flawed, also known as the “3rd lesson scene”.

WHAT IT DOES: Spells out Luke's rationalization that the Jedi Order needs to end. Marks the beginning of Luke's wake up call.

We add one or two additional short flashbacks of Ben gradually becoming darker and unhinged. Maybe he harms one of his fellow students in a fit of rage.

WHAT IT DOES: Clarifies that Ben was going through a dark period and that's why Luke went to confront him in his hut. He didn't just saunter into Ben's hut, sabers blazing.

Maybe halfway through the film, we see Luke pack his bag as he prepares to rescue his friends with Rey, only to find her communicating with Kyloe.

After all, the novelization shows that, upon opening himself to the Force and sensing Leia, he immediately decides to get back in the game. So if that’s not just something Jason Fry added to embellish stuff, let’s see that.

WHAT IT DOES: Drives home the fact that Luke realizes his mistake. (Although, it might also take away from the subsequent scene with Yoda).

Finally, let’s actually see what Luke saw in Ben’s mind: him killing Lor San Tekka, killing Han, killing Leia, murdering Chewie and countless more innocents all with a smile on his face.

WHAT IT DOES: Provides context for Luke's extreme reaction.

Most of these things are already technically canon, the only difference is that it would be shown on screen. And if all these elements are added, then Luke’s reasons for staying away and his reaction in Ben’s hut are already more understandable.

So where’s the flaws in this solution?

Solution Flaw #1: Plot twist would be ruined.

Talking about this one:

Again, we're seeing Luke THROUGH Rey's POV, for the most part. Our reaction is - intentionally - the same reaction as Rey.

The whole point of the twist is that

we, with Rey, believe Kylo can be redeemed, because

we, like Rey, remember Luke redeemed Vader.

So when she realizes “oh shit, Luke was right, he’s too far gone”... we react that way too.

But if we had seen Ben’s turn as well, if we had seen how he was during his training, if we had seen what Luke’s saw in Ben’s mind, we would all collectively agree with Luke and think that Rey is making a mistake in trying to redeem Kylo.

So when Rey walks away from Luke, rather than hoping she succeeds, we’d just be waiting for her to inevitably fail. We'd be thinking:

"Rey, you moron, you're walking into a trap and Kylo isn't gonna turn!"

Emotionally-speaking, we would be detached from the protagonist.

Solution Flaw #2: Increase in the runtime at the cost of other scenes.

The Last Jedi is already the longest film in the franchise. Adding just three of the above-suggestions would increase that runtime, which wouldn’t work. So you’d need to take something out.

But Finn and Poe’s storylines are already stripped down to their bare bones as it is. Hell, so was the Rey/Luke storyline, for that matter.

Actually, wait... why do we have three storylines, in the first place?

After all, if we look at The Empire Strikes Back, they only have two storylines, right?

The protagonist, Luke, goes to Dagobah.

The deuteragonists, Han and Leia, evade the Empire.

Main plot & subplot. Great.

Wouldn't it be better to just have Poe and Finn do the Canto Bight storyline together? That would give us sme remaining time to focus on Luke’s past, right? Where’s the issue?

Well, Rian Johnson put it this way:

Bottom line, in The Force Awakens, Poe is a clear-cut character. Simple as that. He’s charismatic and fun, but there isn’t much room for him to grow.

A lot of people compare his character to Han, but there's an issue with that comparison (besides the obvious fact that Finn is Han and Poe is Leia)...

In ANH, Han has an arc. He's the philosophical antagonist of the film, he's only out for himself which conflicts with Luke's attempts to help others. Han goes from being a selfish irresponsible gun-slinger to taking responsibility and becoming a selfless rebel, a part of something bigger. Arc concluded.

(Hell, this very reason is why Harrison Ford didn’t wanna keep playing him and lobbied to kill him off.)

So in ESB, Leia is the one who has the arc. Han is just being himself. Leia is the one who must slowly come to terms with the fact that she does love him, despite him being a total nerf-herder. So she and Han bicker, there’s conflict there, but there’s also an underlying affection.

As such, when Poe doesn’t have an arc in TFA, and is already on great terms with Finn, then there’s no conflict if you put them together in a subplot.

And conflict is crucial, in storytelling. If it's absent, then the story becomes boring.

As a result, Rian Johnson had to create conflict and growth for Poe.

Which means that, now, a third storyline is thrown in the mix... and the pacing and development of the other two are affected by this. Some really good scenes need to be cut, some stuff needs to get shuffled around.

For example, remember this deleted scene, from further up?

In the commentary, Rian explained that the reason it wasn’t in the film is because it didn’t intercut well with the other two storylines. *Three and a half, if you wanna count Kylo's personal scenes.

As such, there’s no space to add more scenes to develop Luke's perspective.

And if Rian made more space, well, that wouldn't work either. Because while Luke is the spiritual core of the film... this isn't his movie. He's not the protagonist anymore. But he used to be, and if you show him too much (not as Rey's mentor figure, that is, but as a protagonist or deuteragonist), he'll take the spotlight off the new cast with the snap of a finger.

When Michael Arndt was working on the Sequels with George Lucas in 2012, he encountered this same issue:

“Early on I tried to write versions of the story where [Rey] is at home, her home is destroyed, and then she goes on the road and meets Luke. And then she goes and kicks the bad guy’s ass. It just never worked and I struggled with this. This was back in 2012. It just felt like every time Luke came in and entered the movie, he just took it over. Suddenly you didn’t care about your main character anymore because, ‘Oh f*ck, Luke Skywalker's here. I want to see what he’s going to do’.” - Michael Arndt, Entertainment Weekly, 2015

And I'm guessing this is a problem that JJ had to deal with too, hence why Luke was pushed to the end of Episode VII: so as to give the new characters a chance to be developed a bit more, first.

“In a very general sense, the original idea for Episode VII started midway through what we now know as Episode VIII...” - Pablo Hidalgo, Twitter, 2016

There's finally the fact that, while most of those ideas can make Luke's fall more understandable... his story isn't about "how he fell".

It's about how he got back up. The whole point of the film is that even when you've reached your lowest point you can still inspire and be inspired by hope.

So while adding any of the above scenes would only reinforce what was already shown in the movie, be it explicit or subtextual... they wouldn't ADD anything to the theme of learning from failure and getting back in the saddle.

Do I care about Luke’s characterization in TLJ...?

In spite of what the length and intricacy of these two posts might indicate... I don’t, really 😅

Like, sure, I wish more had been done with the character, but Luke was never really my childhood hero, Obi-Wan was.

So Luke in TLJ isn’t a gaping wound in my chest. I didn't whine about it in 2017, nor did I shed tears of joy and said “he’s finally back” when we saw him in The Mandalorian, for example.

Like, it was an awesome scene, but in my mind Luke never left.

Also I’m the type of Star Wars fan who’ll tolerate any addition to the canon by virtue of it being new Star Wars content.

So even if that addition is something I didn’t enjoy during the viewing, I still focus on the positive and roll with it, I come up with a headcanon that'll make it work.

Because you get to do that, with a transmedia franchise!

If you don’t like how it went down in the movie? There's always a comic around the corner that'll retcon it and/or retroactively make it better... that's how it was for the Prequels.

But for the Sequels, it's difficult. There's a scarcity of transmedia content, when it comes to stuff set around the Sequels era.

I mean, can you think of any

Luke-centric work

that serves as a meaningful addendum to what's seen of him in the Sequels?

A novel, a comic issue and a distantly-relevant manga.

That's it.

(The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett are too soon after ROTJ to have any meaningful impact on Luke's journey in the Sequels. Some people see Luke's behavior in those shows as "the beginning of his failure", but I covered why I don't think this is really the case, here.)

Instead of just three items, how about a comic mini-series focusing on the year Luke spent training Leia, or on his adventures across the galaxy as he tries to rebuild the Jedi Order? Maybe he meets Cal Kestis, or Quinlan Vos? Maybe he needs to face against an Oppo Rancisis who was consumed by the darkness, post-Order 66?

Or better yet, how about a video game centered on Luke, in the style of Fallen Order or Jedi Academy?

Get Mark Hamill to motion cap it, he's done it before.

This would also allow the fans who grew up with the powerhouse that is Legends Grandmaster Luke Skywaker to have some fun!

Many fans wanted to see Luke in action, in TLJ, and instead got a pretend-samurai fight. Which is nice, powerful and symbolic, he goes out like a true Jedi, it makes the Force more than a superpower... but it's not a lightsaber duel. In a game, though? Players can go to town.

I dunno... any additional content would've smoothed the blow for many people who didn't like what was done with Luke in TLJ. Sure, you'd always have people who just hated the whole thing, but if transmedia content helped reduce the hate for the Prequels, it could've done the same with Luke.

I'm not sure why that route wasn't taken.

[clinicsharmartia]

DISCLAIMERS BEFORE YOU PROCEED!

This is a DELAYED character review. I know what’s going to happen to them in s2. I’m saying this as to say that I’m fully aware of the dramatic irony of some of these character reviews 😭 also this is a transcript from an audio I sent to my friends when I actually finished S1 so I’m sorry if some bits don’t make sense. I’ve edited a bit but not entirely.

TWD CHARACTER REVIEWS - SEASON 1

Rick Grimes: 10/10. He is an amazing person, he’s an even more amazing father. He's selfless, kind, gentle, understanding, caring, protective, loving, brave and so much more. The relationship that he has with people around him is so nice to watch. Him owning up to things immediately without knowing how people react is such a nice characteristic about him that I really hope he doesn't lose. He’s just— ugh I love him. I can’t wait to see how his character progresses and how his relationships change.

Lori Grimes: 9/10. She's an amazing mother. She's an amazing wife. She is a good person who is trying her best. So many people hate on Lori Grimes because she ‘cheated’ with Shane. He was a rebound. If I was in her situation I would do the same. You get told that your husband is dead during the apocalypse, which means he’s DEAD, never coming back, and you’re forced to live in the woods with your only son who only looking up to you in this moment. It is such a devastating situation to be in. You’re mourning and grieving while trying to keep your only son safe in this horrible horrible world and the next best thing to your husband, the closest thing your him, walks up to you to give you comfort, protection and security. Of course she would turn to him. Of course she would sleep with him. I would do the same thing. And the guilt on her face, you know she regrets it so much. She's so kind and sweet and protective. I know it's not gonna be for very long unfortunately but from what we have with Lori Grimes I cannot wait to see her progression in the show a character, as a mother, and as a wife.

Carl Grimes: 10/10. I'm pretty sure I teared up a bit when I first saw him on screen because he's just so little he's just a baby it's just a little baby boy he is so small. My maternal instincts kicked in fucking immediately when I saw him on screen. He's just a little kid and this is what I love about Carl Grimes. He is accurate representation of what happens of what would happen if you put a child in the apocalypse and then them having to go through puberty during the apocalypse. I am so fucking excited to see his character progression. I cannot wait for him to be sassy. I love him mwah.

Shane Walsh: -10/10. I know we need characters like him in these types of media, and I know that he was an important part of the plot, and I KNOW that he is a well written character, but I hate him so much. The only time I want him on screen is when he’s dying. The only time I want to see him open is mouth is when he’s screaming in agony. I hate him. Disgusting filth.

Daryl Dixon: 8/10. He's a very very funny character with a lot of baggage but he’s so loving and caring, just in his own ways. You can really tell that he wants to protect everyone there and that his act is just an act because he can’t admit to loving anyone. He’s a complex character and I like it a lot. Also, the way that people treat him in this season is so horrible. You come back after hunting for the group of people that you have decided you were going to look after and you see this guy rock up and he says “yeah your brother? yeah I left him for dead after I locked him up to a metal pipe on the top of a roof in the sweltering heat surrounded by zombies LOL. I'm Rick Grimes by the way” and people get upset with him getting angry at that? Then, people are saying you shouldn’t go and find him because no one likes him. And then you go after him anyways BECAUSE HES YOUR BROTHER and you find his SEVERED HAND instead. And then you come back and your camp gets attacked by walkers and one of your camp mates get bit, and when you say you should kill him to prevent any pain or suffering, people call you crazy and weird. WTF! Wtaf. Daryl is getting so much hate from them like what. Anyways I love Daryl, I can’t wait to see how his character develops and how his relationships change, and how he adapts to the new environments and people (because we all know what he’s like).

Glenn Rhee: 9/10. Glenn is an amazing guy. He's funny, a bit stupid and has some great lines as well. He's very smart, very valuable and his humanity and compassion is what really makes me love him. He saw a random stranger surrounded by zombies and instead of doing what he was supposed to do he took time out of his mission time out of that situation to save him. What could've very much gotten him killed to help the stranger. And then the stranger comes back and makes him do something that he really doesn't want to do (covering yourself in blood and guts and gore and walking through a street of zombies which could very much kill you in a second is not something he wants to do) but he does it anyways because he does it for the people that he cares about. Then he comes back to camp and the whole ambush happens and they're about to burn one of the camp members bodies and he yells at them and he says “we don't burn our people we bury them”. That line made me so so emotional and it means so much to me that they added that in because it is such an emotional and beautiful line for me. It honestly really highlights him as a character and the humanity and compassion he carries even after everything. I really loved him again. I can't wait to see his character progression, I can't wait to see how his relationships progress as well and how his skills are able to be used in the long run.

Dale: 8/10. I really love him. He’s a great guy doing his very best to try and teach and help the group. He is the word of wisdom, he is the one you look to for guidance. I absolutely adore him. Although, dragging Andrea out of suicide was not great, didn’t like that. Can’t wait to see how he’ll help the group in the future.

Andrea: 6/10. She is a little bit annoying, but she seems quite smart. I don't like how she treats certain people though. Like, I can't explain it but the way she goes about some things just urk me really bad. I think she has a lot of room for improvement, but right now she's okay. I want to see what she can bring to the table though.

Carol: 9/10. BAD ASS BITCH. She is amazing and funny and trying her best. I cannot wait to see her healing process and how her relationships change and how her skills develop. I love her.

T-DOG: 7/10. He's cool, I like him a lot. You can tell that he's trying his best and he has a nice voice. I think he can do a lot of good for the group in the later seasons as we can see that he's already helped quite a bit. Also, his loving and caring nature is really nice to see. Merle called him a racial slur and threatened to hurt him and still he went back to chain the door shut so he could have a chance to survive. He's super cool.

[mandy4ever69420]

1. idk how many people process mickeys unwillingness to tell anyone or describe ian's symptoms as a form of protection but it's so swag. Like straight up no it is embarrassing to have your business out like that even if it's family. also how his mouth was SHUT while everyone was explaining ian's symptoms to those like. military cop whoeverthefucks 👍

2. mickey being like one of two people to comment that lips construction job was probably for a gentrification business. hm. anyway it's cool how easy he finds it to manipulate lip into wanting his approval and then also deny lip his approval for not blasting the fuck out of that cafe.

3. like i know that "gay and homophobic" is a joke but i think it's missing a big piece of context that the vast majority of the time when mickey is violent towards gay men it's in more or less direct response to him or ian being sexually harassed -> ned / macy's bitch / i'm not the one licking and groping on underage boys huh / dude not taking no for an answer after telling mickey ian left with someone else.

a) and walking into a straight bar and being a bitch non violently to a woman who also won't take no for an answer. bc of different ideas about how women are which btw are misogynistic but in a way that's not that big a deal.

so frustrating to me that people can't understand that mickeys pimp plot Wasn't really misogynistic bc it makes it harder to point out how he Does interact with misogyny eg he can't understand that women can be perpetrators or thinks maybe they inherently need protection. not too extreme a case of this even bc he also knows how to back off. more complicated bc tbh it is obligation to protect marginalized people that you love. see: mandy in s1.

so funny to me when people take mickey being into redheads as a character trait instead of him just saying he's already in love with someone

4. mickeys learning of ian's porno is like. so good. also owie

a) ian and the audience are aware mickey literally doesn't Care abt screwing other guys if it's for Money.

b) mickeys pivot from being hurt to being worried about ian's safety. Yeah it IS true that walking off with some random bitch who says he'll pay for porn is a terrible idea.

c) they don't actually discuss ian cheating (cheating-cheating, not for money but because of hyper sexuality) but i assume mickey put 2 and 2 together with how rash ian's decision making was.

d) thankyou mickey for having the right priorities about condom usage and health before "omg porn is BAD". i know you're mickey but i have the internet and people are so annoying about this kind of thing

e) i really like that ian called mickey psycho. it's like so good. i mean not the terminology i'd ever use but i know how these characters vocabulary's work so like dramatic irony. well not dramatic irony the definitions not right. it's close to that.

5. again like ian taking yevgeny as a reaction to "oh people think i'm like monica you know what monica would never do??? take her kid with her!!". probably also the most touched i am in any episode about shameless' portrayal of bipolar bc kidnapping is some shit that universally is agreed not fucking cool && is in fact indeed often done by a loved one in crisis && at that you dont usually get a sympathetic look at it. i think the only other media offering smth like that is wolf 359 whose finale im still so so mad at so angry. anyway i looove being asked to and genuinely moved by sympathy for someone doing something it'd also make sense to never forgive them for. 👍

[nikadd]

911 7x09 speculation based on the stills

ok im gonna do this thing for fun where i try to predict the order of events of 911 7x09 from the stills that were released bc there were MANY and im just trying to figure out how they are gonna fit everything into the episode. obviously everything is going to be under a readmore.

for clarity's sake, it is 11pm pst on 5/22, the episode airs tomorrow 5pm pst, so the sneak peek clip into the episode has not been released yet.

and i will come back to this post later to see how close i got. there are definitely going to be scenes where i got their order relatively to each other in the same storyline, but maybe the way they intersect with the other storylines could be offbase.

we are most likely missing scenes to have full context of everything, but this is the closest i think i can get to without having seen any sneak peeks or anything else. feel free to let me know what yall think!

1. 911 call

i think we are going to begin with a cold open of a call, just like many other episodes. from the pictures released, there's only one known call, so i'm not 100% sure that it's going to be the first one.

if the call is actually in the middle of the episode, then the first scene would be:

2. the award ceremony

it makes sense to have it happen earlier rather than later because it sets up both bobby's and hen's storylines (and also im assuming eddie's)

it's probably gonna begin with a few speeches and then a sequence of scenes happening around the same time.

3. athena and maddie

athena and maddie celebrating their husbands' medals (with a quick emphasis on bobby's convo in the corner and maybe athena's reaction)

4. henren + surprise guest

hen and karen and their kids also celebrating, but then this guest actress character shows up and somehow affects the whole adoption storyline (911 instagram earlier posted stills from 7x02 where the son of a councilwoman died while hen was interim captain, so im assuming it's either the councilwoman or her agent). this scene could also take place later within the sequence, maybe right before we switch to another location.

5. buck, eddie, christopher, and marisol

a quick moment with buck, eddie, christopher, and marisol. maybe there is a line that directly addresses eddie's lie in a dramatic irony kind of way, like the audience knows what's going on but the other characters don't.

6: henren and tommy

not sure if henren and tommy talking happens before hen's storyline or after and whether it happens before the buck/eddie scene or after. also would be interested to see if this scene is tommy apologizing for past behavior (it was implied offscreen). or maybe it's some kind of a mlm wlw conversation. or maybe even some kind of "if you hurt him we hurt you" conversation. IF this happens after the buck/eddie scene, then maybe tommy asks henren about the nature of that relationship and buck's connection to chris. basically, idk if it's gonna be a conversation about buck or not, but chances are, it is.

7. back at the grant-nash house

this scene was in the promo. basically, bobby still has a lot of survivor guilt and doesn't like being called a hero. athena is worried. the ad break probably happens right after here.

8. eddie and kim's date

absolutely zero idea how this is going to go. kim might do something that is very shannon-like, or maybe she does the total opposite. they might get caught, they might now. actually, i think it is too early in the episode for the secret to be fully revealed, but there is a chance that buck might run into them, and so maybe they have an awkward scene. we are promised a buck x kim scene, but it's unclear if it's gonna happen in this episode or next.

9. hen figuring out the adoption issues

(unsure if the meeting with madney is gonna happen before the first still or not, but im assuming after.)

hen is disappointed with some kind of bureaucratic bullshit she is being put through, so she needs advice.

10. athena seeks out amir's help

in the promo, athena is at the hospital when she says that bobby needs help. amir also has survivor guilt, so it's smart for athena to ask him.

it's cut closely with a scene with henren and madney, but it's definitely a misdirection. the way that athena says it, im assuming there is an ad break or a scene switch right after.

11. henren and madney figuring out the adoption stuff

they are making a plan!

WILDCARD: marisol and christopher

okay so these pics were posted a while ago so i'm assuming they are for these episode, even though there is a chance it's for the finale.

this scene could be happening closer to the end of the episode, but i feel like it might be a scene where eddie actually has marisol babysitting christopher because he's out with kim. or something like that. like i think maybe here we have marisol suspecting something? now, the second pic does look like it's in a hospital, so MAYBE it's not from this episode, but we'll see.

12. amir and athena

they are continuing their previous conversation outside.

13. firehouse

next day? later same day? hen is working on the documents. probably some kind of thematically important conversation with bobby. transitions into:

a fun little sequence of the 118 crew working together to make a meal and then enjoy it together. very much a bobby focus. maybe he's considering finally retiring?

14. more henren and madney

later that day, i'm assuming. the bottom image has somebody in the right corner, and i'm assuming it's karen, sharing an update on the situation.

15. amir, athena, and bobby at athena and bobby's place

not sure if the images are in the correct order, but i'm assuming that the plot here is that bobby shows up in the house as athena is talking to amir, so bobby finds out they've been working together behind his back.

16. eddie and christopher

this conversation seems very important. the bottom pic makes me feel like it's closer to the end of the episode than the beginning. i think eddie either realizes something here or at the very least decides to do something, as he's reminded that christopher is the most important person and he shouldn't hurt him.

17. buck and ...?

same as with the previous scene, the bottom pic makes me think it's in the end of the episode. could be a scene with tommy? maybe it's them breaking it off, or maybe just having an important conversation. buck does look like he's experiencing Something.

(there IS a chance that this scene happens before the eddie and christopher one. maybe it's between buck and eddie.)

18. the fire

okay so there IS a chance that this fire is a dream. if it is, i'm assuming it happens in the beginning of the episode, like a cold open instead of the 911 call. BUT... i think it's in the end of the episode. i think the fire is how the episode ends, and that's how bobby ends up in the hospital in the finale.

[homestuckreplay]

a tasty beans and mustard treat

(page 431-440)

8/3/2009 wheel spin: Dramatic Irony verdict: ? MAYBE ? ADJACENT ?

'It can be hard finding time to update it. In fact, you're not even sure where you found the time to write what's already there!'

8/4/2009 wheel spin: Sburb Lore verdict: CORRECT!

I have been crossing my fingers each day for weeks hoping for another 'Years in the future...'/GameFAQs page pair, and today my wish comes true. It features the Wayward Vagabond accidentally turning off caps lock (not their fault, it must be really hard to type with four claws) and thereby unlocking a secret treasure trove in their bunker, like something put together like a doomsday prepper. The trove is filled with canned food including beans and mustard, a potted plant and a book on human etiquette.

This bunker has Sburb spirographs on the lid and internal gadgets, so it was probably created by a Sburb designer, player, or NPC. And it was designed to make it possible to control John, or to control players in general. It's stocked with essential supplies to keep someone alive - food for sustenance, plant for oxygen (?) and etiquette book to manipulate the player - to better learn how to play not only Sburb, but also Homestuck. It suggests that the bunker might be designed for somebody not human, such as a game NPC, or it could just be a sick burn at humans. Even if it's designed for a NPC, I don't think the Vagabond is the one who's supposed to be there, since 'wayward' specifically means 'straying from the intended path'.

Accompanying their paired pages, these updates also show Rose and the Vagabond vying for control over John. Rose hits John in the head with a box while the Vagabond shouts in his mind about cookies, and poor John is stuck in the middle near crying over having no control over his body and mind. It's kind of horrifying, and also throwing a real hurdle into John getting started on his character arc, as hard as he's trying to resist them.

The line 'It's pretty much all his fault you're in this mess in the first place, so he can just button it.' from p.433 was the most out of left field punch in the face. Is it???? Taking this at face value and not just an annoyed person lashing out at the closest target, it is possible that Jaspers' death was the first thing that drove a wedge between Rose and her mom. The mausoleum was the first evidence we saw of the rift between them, so that might make sense, and Rose might then track the path of her life starting at that moment.

We learn that Rose can see Nannasprite's dialog through the Sburb interface, suggesting that it either appears in a chatlog somewhere on the screen, or in speech bubbles above the characters' heads. I wonder if John speaks out loud and the game automatically converts it into his John-styled messages. All this means is that Rose's GameFAQs are now lore filtered through both a clown grandma NPC and a first-time player who's learning on the go, so they're not reliable, but it is interesting to see the differences in what Rose and Nannasprite focus on.

Specifically, Rose seems VERY interested in the prototyping process and the way the prototyped objects impact both the game world and the sprite itself. Very different from the start of the act, where she was prototype with 'any old crap lying around.' She is also intrigued by meta-game questions like how the Incipisphere is created, how many Incipispheres there are, and how the number of players is determined. I also want to know the answers to all her questions. This is very different to Nannasprite, who as a NPC unsurprisingly sticks to discussing what's happening within the game world and what the player needs to do, and doesn't really discuss her own creation.

And then Rose gets unexpectedly personal in a struck through section, a complete inversion of affect that parallels the Vagabond becoming more polite, and references the game 'deviat[ing] from [her] expectations' and that she had some 'information... obtained on good authority' before comparing Nannasprite's creation with necromancy. I guess she's not wrong, but it's not a word I'd have thought to apply just due to the tone and aesthetic of the Nanasprite scenes. But I'm so intrigued by Rose's secret source. Does she know someone who's connected to Sburb? Is that how she and her friends got to be beta testers in the first place? Or the worse option, does she know somebody who works at GameBro?

[deafchild2000]

H2O Headcanons #29:

What if Rikki was Karl's granddaughter?

(This is for @opalsiren for her headcanon that Charlotte was Max's granddaughter as well.)

This would be crazy, right? Once upon a time ago, I did a post believing Julia was Rikki's grandmother, and oh, how the tables have turned since then. So, where to start: How did I come up with this?

(It all started when I got into contact with @misuutira for her Calamity AU and didn't hesitate to show her my headcanons to inspire her. We got to talking, definitely hit up WaterSpirit!Gracie tore Cleo in for her part in Charlotte being the "Bad Guy" and might have mutually agreed that Gracie would go after Rikki & make her regret messing with her granddaughter 😅. I won't say what she did, but Gracie called out her cruel & unnecessary behavior towards Charlotte vs her hypocrisy with Bella, and the next thing I knew, I threw out there that Gracie isn't surprised as it's expected of Rikki as she's Karl's granddaughter!... Needless to say, @misuutira loved the idea!)

And from there, what was just put out as dramatics became a deep dive into what would be a plot twist in the tail (pun intended!)

So, to get this out of the way, how or why would make Rikki - everyone's feisty mermaid - related to the man who nearly exposed her 50s predecessor work?

1. Admit it, we've all talked about who would be a fitting "grandchild" to the 50s characters! @Opalsiren pushed it by making Gracie & Max both Charlotte's grandparents (a nice theory but personally disagree with it). The parallel theme wouldn't be surprising if it was Zane being his grandson - but ultimately not following in his footsteps. And given Taryn Marler played Julia before coming in as Sophie Benjamin - any fanfiction writer worth their salts could have seen a potential plot there. So by that logic, the fandom had been playing it safe. But I, for one, push boundaries. If canon went out of its way to make the granddaughter of a former mermaid an antagonist, why can't one of the main protagonists be related to an antagonist?

2. Did anyone ever question the fact that looking back, Karl believed Julia when she told him her secret? Put some realism here: This was the 50s! It would make more cinematic sense that Karl would think she was crazy with her confession or just outright not believe her and the next scene where Julia revealed herself to him would flow better (but even that didn't). We can imagine that talk in many ways, but the main gist is that she told him and he believed her on the first try - got angry and insulted her, but still believed her. That's an incredibly important detail for someone only mentioned once! And yet, he tried to expose her and while we know he was thwarted, are we supposed to believe nothing came of the only other guy outside of Max Hamilton that knew about mermaids?

Now, here's why Rikki being his granddaughter makes sense (with many dashes of irony).

There's a lack of information about Rikki's family other than her father, Terry. While some people believe that Rikki's mother left and is better off without her, there is no mention of her extended family from either her parents' side, which could imply that Rikki wants to keep her family matters private or simply doesn't know much about them. This poses an interesting question: how did Karl, who was presumably from a wealthy family, end up with a granddaughter living in a trailer park? I theorize that Karl's obsession with mermaids might hold the key to this mystery. It's hard to believe that someone like Karl would find out about mermaids and just leave Julia alone after one attempt. I even wager Karl might have posed a threat to Mako Island and that Julia took action (personal and for the sake of the Secret) to protect it. As a result, Karl was disowned and humiliated by his proud and prominent family and left town. Sometime after this, Karl had a child, who could be either Terry or Rikki's mom, but they cut all ties with him, Rikki would never be told about Karl or his obsession with mermaids because they thought he was crazy and mermaids didn't exist.

And then, there's the personality flaws. Karl believed Julia was a mermaid (and Julia exposing herself just sealed away any lingering doubts) and Rikki becomes a mermaid and immediately takes to it. Next, they are distrustful. This follows Karl as he had Julia's trust (she let him in) and betrayed her and whatever followed caused his life to go downhill and likely left him a guarded and mistrustful man from his experiences. Rikki has always had trust issues, even when she learned to be open with her friends, regardless of personal issues or whoever came close to the Secret. Despite the fact Charlotte had many reasons to know about mermaids and Gracie being one, she openly rejected the idea - especially Charlotte being one - listening to Louise's words that there are only supposed to be three mermaids. Any mature fan of H2O likely recognizes the girls were just as much to blame for Charlotte going rogue as Charlotte getting a superiority complex about being a mermaid (stemming from their treatment of her). Rikki was the only one refusing to try to get to know her and enabled seeing her as the villain of the story when her actions - ironically betraying the rebel idea of trying something new - also caused Charlotte's downfall. And lastly is the hypocrisy Karl and Rikki share. Karl was angry with Julia for not trusting him with her Secret (for good reason in the end), yet came around only when it fit his needs and wants. With Rikki, I bring up Charlotte again - notably the volleyball game. While already displeased with Charlotte being a mermaid and having Cleo's powers - it wasn't until Charlotte made herself useful in their plight to not fail P.E. and helped them win beach volleyball (working together) that Rikki began to come around to her...until Charlotte revealed she had all their powers, to which the momentary sense of camaraderie went down the drain and Rikki upped her antagonism towards her. Let me reiterate: Rikki liked Charlotte as long as she was useful. I'd even extend it to Bella Hartley, how after Charlotte and Emma were gone, she let her inside, and given that she was an outlier with her issues and there was a space to fill, there were no problems outside Will. Lastly, Karl wanted to use Julia for greed and ambition, and Rikki - having always aspired to rise above her living situation - in a similar vein, turned her Secret into a lucrative diving/treasure-hunting career that brought her fame and attention.

Perhaps the redeeming quality is that after the pain Karl caused Julia, and for how Rikki grew up to end up in her shoes and loves her tail, she's placed in the best position to be one of Mako's protectors and to understand the value of being a mermaid - and the costs that come with it. But let's be honest, if this was canon, Rikki would not be okay with the revelation as - compared to Charlotte - her familial connection to Mako Island and mermaids is conflicting as knowing she's directly related to the man who once hurt Julia (her counterpart) and a threat to the very Secret she loved.

So at best, Rikki's flaws are the worst traits she got from Karl as his granddaughter while spiritually taking after Julia (with room for improvement) is what saves her from turning out like him.

[ninjagirlstar5]

Dude did you know/read -2+2 before i started interacting with your posts here or did you heard of it from seing me ramble about it? Also PLEASE get your work done first! This chapter is enormous and i wouldn't want it to ruin someone's schedule.

Also I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, not necessarily just the trial it could be of the story in general, if you feel like rambling that is ^^'

Don't worry, I spent my entire morning finishing my textbook chapter and completing a video question that I could finish in like, five minutes tops. I even shut off Discord to focus. It took four hours of my day to complete cause that's college for ya, haha. :']

Yeah, I read -2+2 before we ever interacted on Tumblr! Ngl, I didn't realize the author was you until I scrolled through your Kizuna tag on your blog and went, "hey, wait a minute, I read this fic-!" As for my thoughts on it so far, I loooove it! I love how Kizuna is forced to face the consequences of her actions while Ayame is grappling with the fact that she was this close to choosing to kill someone to save another and that her motivations weren't as pure and good that everyone makes it out to be for saving Kizuna. I love seeing how different the group dynamics have become thanks to how everyone is split up: the majority of the students sticking together, Yuki being forced out of that group due to his secret note but ultimately forming a little trio with Akane and Ayame (and I think Kizuna and Kanata, too, but they're more focused on each other atm when it comes to her recovery), and the lone wolves of Rei, Tsurugi, and Kinji. It really shows how fractured the group has become and that everyone's opinions are pretty complex and different from each other's, even when they stick to one side. I have yet to read the trial as of writing this, but Kanata's death hurts to witness, especially with how...simple it was. I believe she didn't even struggle, she was just sleeping and now, she can never wake up because someone (Kinji) took advantage of that vulnerability and killed her. I'm thinking that Kakeru, at some point, seemed to have walked in and saw what happened, whether it's his attack on Kizuna or Kanata, and tried to attack Kinji or stop him or something but I'm not sure. But her death definitely hits harder due to how simple it is and we can focus on the tragedy that Kizuna will never be able to fulfill the promises she gave to Kanata, her first friend. And how her grief quickly transforms into anger...ooooough, that's so good and in character for her, especially with how hard she's trying to improve herself now. Also, can I just say, I love how socially smart Kizuna is with her words and how she was able to bypass the third motive just by being clever with how she says things. There are many different ways for being intelligence, so seeing that play out with a character that is trying to redeem themselves is great. Ayame is also just...doing her best while grappling with herself and the thought of almost actually murdering someone, but is trying to be supportive of the others. At least being able to confide in Akane allows her to keep going, and she gets to befriend Yuki! It's so sweet...until you remember the twists with these two, haha, gotta love that dramatic irony. Oh, if (or when) we actually get there, that angst is going to huuurt. </3

Anyways, I do love rambling. And I love this fic! (Totally off-topic, but I hope my boy Teruya is gonna be okay from the whole near death experience of guns and stuff. He's gonna be okay, right? Right? I hope he's okay. I don't want anything bad to happen to him even though I know that's gonna be impossible in a killing game genre although I know his survival is pretty much guaranteed since you mentioned that you don't plan to change the death order. Doesn't mean I don't worry for his mental health though.)

[josephinevalor]

Clockwork Prince Review

By: Cassandra Clare

Quick Thoughts about the Book

Some of the problems with Clockwork Angel where fixed in this one. 

The plot felt a bit slower than Clockwork Angel but it still had the same engagement factor. It just gave the story a bit more breathing room and for some of the characters to develop better. 

There aren’t as many action scenes. But there are plenty of other interesting things that happen. The focus shifts more towards relationships between characters, especially Tessa’s love triangle, Jem’s relationship with Will (their parabatai bond dynamic) and we get to see more of Sophie.

POV

The POV shifts a lot more and isn’t as stuck on Tessa anymore. And so as a result, it doesn’t have that "unnatural feeling".

Inciting Incident

Henry and Charlotte need to find Mortmain within 2 weeks or they lose control of the institute. They basically get fired.

WARNING: FROM THIS POINT, SPOILERS!!

Characters

Tessa:

Inconsistent characterization. Tessa is unhappy she doesn’t want to train to fight during the clave meeting. In the previous book, she was unhappy that Will and Tessa left to fight without her. And here she’s like, “I don’t want to train to fight.” It felt like Cassandra just did this to create drama around the idea. But it just doesn’t work with Tessa’s character.  

Continues calling everyone out and taking no prisoners. Holds Will accountable. 

Learns how to fight so she takes a more active role in physically fighting but subtle cunning use of powers is still there and takes a more central role as far as Tessa goes than brute force. That aspect of Tessa that I loved is still there.  

Jessamine:

Continued to grow on me. We find out she is a traitor and spied for Nate and Mortmain. She comes across as being too naive and easily manipulated for me to hate her. It’s obvious that Mortmain and Nate were the ones pulling the strings and she just fell for it. I felt for her. Especially during the scene when she was trying to carve out her initials in the wall with her ring and her ring broke against it.

At the same time, what she had done had been inexcusably bad. She does deserve to be stuck in the silent city.

Jessamine perfectly demonstrates how you can feel sorry for someone while at the same time understanding that they deserve to suffer the consequences of their actions.

Will:

The mystery of why he is the way that he is is revealed. A demon cursed him. Through out most of the book, we have some good old dramatic irony, where we know why Will is behaving this way but the other characters don’t. I couldn’t wait for Will to reveal it. It was painful to read how he has to continue to pretend to be bad and mistreat everyone and not be able to reveal the truth. Painful but in a good way. 

James:

Such a gentlemen.

He is the opposite of Will. I’m still team James. He ends up proposing to Tessa. Right around when Will finds out that the curse wasn’t even real and he pushed everyone away from himself for nothing. Will has to pretend to be happy for Jem, due to them being parabatai, which was sad but hilarious at the same time.

Charlotte:

I did not like her in this book.

It feels like she is constantly on the verge of a mental breakdown. She complains a lot more. I understand her emotions make sense. She is extremely stressed out about losing the institute. And the Clave giving her the impossible challenge of finding Mortmain within 2 weeks was extremely unfair. But I still don’t like it. And as someone who is in such a high leadership position, she should have been able to handle it a tad bit better.

Charlotte throwing Jessamine into the silent city was a badass moment. But then she had to ruin it by having a mental breakdown about how “it had to be done” when I was on Charlette's side to begin with. 

Charlotte allowing for Tessa to just casually stroll around was not the smartest idea. It increased the probability of her being kidnapped. Tessa should have been only allowed to go out and about in disguise, especially since she can shape shift, which would make disguising pretty easy.

Having Will just casually stroll around wherever he pleases is also not the best idea. Charlotte and Henry should be on high alert after everything that happened with Mortmain. But Charlotte and Henry are just not. 

Henry:

Starts to grow on me more.

He might not show it all the time but he cares about her. During the battle with Nate, he fights with a gigantic automaton to try to defend Charlotte. I still don’t love him but I like him a lot more.

Sophie

She is given a lot more space on the page. Starts to graduate into the main cast of characters from the supporting cast.

Her relationship with Gideon captures the dynamic of a servant employer relationship spot on. 

Mortmain:

We find out his motives. And I found his backstory to be quite interesting. Basically, he has a vendetta against Shadowhunters due to them (from his POV wrongfully) killing his adoptive parents, who were Warlocks. And based on how horribly Shadowhunters treated Warlocks, it's not even unreasonable that it was in fact wrongful.

There is a sense of calm before the storm through out this novel, due to him not making any direct attacks. Automotons did attack Tessa near the manor where Will’s family and his sister lives. When Tessa gets behind Will and Jem, that automaton tried to attack her. But that attack had an extremely low probability of success because Tessa's necklace could save her (which Mortmain knew it would. I can’t say how or why because that would be revealed in the next book but he knew), Will and Jem are near by, and Tessa had also been training, which Mortmain also knew about. So the whole attack was meant more to just screw around with the Shadowhunters than to actually achieve anything.

He is the “you can’t see him but he is there” type of villain through out this book. He doesn't show himself even once. Which is what I love about him because it makes him seem so much more calculating and ominous.

He also got involved in Shadowhunter politics, created an artificial shortage of Yin Fen in order to make Jem's life hell, and used that Yin Fen to increase the productivity of werewolves that had been working for him. He is a smart villain and I love that about him.

Magnus:

Love him. Can’t get enough of him.

Amazing quote about death: “Death is oblivion”. If you assume there is no afterlife, it's so true, since once you die, you will not be able to experience anything and hence will be oblivious to everything.

He is so much better as a character here than in The Bane Chronicles.

There is a lot more depth to him. He seems a lot wiser. Especially in contrast with Will. 

Alecent Starkweather

Perfectly incapsulates the old racist grandpa trope that we all hope to avoid becoming one day. It's so funny how he perfectly fits it.

Benedict Lightwood

While never a sympathetic character, it was still surprising that he was working for Mortmain. The reason was Demonpox, which had been stated to not be real. “Every myth is partially true” motif is a major thing through out Cassandra's work. 

Rating: 4.5/5