#and while i haven’t watched the movie so much of his terrible ness is internal monologue so that translation to screen can get lost especia

[robertsbarbie]

the more i read of this book the more is cements in my mind that this was never meant to be a snow apologist book people just don’t have any reading comprehension anymore

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

What Lies Beneath

So my wife is incredibly supportive of my movie-watching goals. She helped me set up my blog and my Patreon, she was my very first patron, and she watches at least half the movies with me. As my patron, she has the right to request one movie per calendar year for me to review just for her. But sometimes she tries to skirt the rules by insinuating, nay, cajoling nonstop in her goal for me to watch a movie she wants me to see without it counting as her “official” selection. And because I love her, I (sometimes) allow it. Such was the case with What Lies Beneath, a twisty psychological haunted house thriller that stars two middle-aged, serious actors (Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer), and that I shockingly wasn’t lining up at the megaplex for when I was 13. What did my preteen self miss? Well...

A fucking GREAT movie is what I missed. I won’t sugarcoat it - this was a huge surprise in the best way. I won’t spoil the ending at all, because this is one film I think you really need to watch unfold for the first time without knowing exactly what’s going on. Basically, Claire and Norman Spencer are new empty-nesters, and in their gorgeous Vermont home all to themselves, strange things start happening. Is it something to do with the mysterious new neighbors? Or maybe some past traumas that are dug up over the course of the movie? Could their house be actually haunted by some malevolent spirit? All of these are distinct, and delicious, possibilities, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun figuring out what exactly is going on.

Some thoughts:

A VERY GOOD DOG at the very beginning! I was so concerned for the dog at a few points in the film, but the dog (Cooper) is absolutely fine and remains happy and carefree all the way to the end of the film. 

I have always had a thing for Harrison Ford, and that is not diminishing at all as I watch him shirtless in bed while writing a paper about science. Unf.

Very into the way this exposition is handled - Claire (Pfeiffer) missing her daughter and finding the Julliard tank top in her dresser, then looking through photo albums where we see the daughter wearing it, then see Claire studying at Julliard, then see HER wearing the tank top, plus some articles about Norman’s father dying and photos from a car accident in which I think her first husband died. It’s all tiny pieces of exposition, just little bits of information that you, the viewer, have to put together and remember, and I love that. 

Don’t love Norman (Ford) gaslighting her about what to do about the neighbors. If you mind your own business and never reach out when people sound like they need help, that’s how people get hurt. Makes me think he has something to hide or maybe some kind of connection to the neighbors?

Loving the Rear Window vibes of spying on the neighbors, thinking you’ve witnessed a murder, complete with binocular surveillance.

There’s a lot of wind in this movie. Wind is basically like another character.

The layering of dialogue - Norman and his friend are talking about a colleague who got fired for stalking an intern, and Claire and her old friend are catching up. The two conversations are overlapping, and I think they’re both important but we’re so wrapped up in Claire and her friend that that stalking conversation gets buried. This is really well-thought-out character development and building of backstory and motivation. I haven’t watched a movie this skillfully thought out in quite awhile.

I hate the way Norman diminishes her. Like he’s charming and he’s Harrison Ford, but he kind of implies that she’s hysterical or silly for the things she’s been experiencing, and laughs at her expense. 

She didn’t say goodbye after playing with the Ouija board. ROOKIE MISTAKE, everything that happens afterward is clearly a result of poor Ouija etiquette. 

Oh interesting, so she was in a terrible car accident a year ago, which is part of why everyone is worried about her mental state and fragility. We don’t discover this until HALFWAY THROUGH THE FILM. This is storytelling like prestige television does it, and it’s so unusual to see in a film now that it keeps bowling me over. 

Their water bill is gonna be sky high after this. These completely full tubs? The rates are astronomical.

Oh no things have escalated so quickly - I feel like I’m trying to outsmart the twist at every turn and I can’t quite grasp it, which is good because I actually think this is an incredibly plotted movie that’s so purposefully and carefully crafted. I can’t help but feel that we are missing so much now, because we just don’t get mid-level budget domestic dramas with A-list actors like this anymore. I think their era might have completely passed, and that’s a damn shame because the nuance and care here makes this such a delightful and surprising ride to take.

A huge part of that is Ford and Pfeiffer just absolutely nailing how they play every single scene. Their chemistry is great, and watching them play off each other, you can sense all the layers of their relationship, all the past traumas and the lies and the reconciliations. 

He says “I know you’re going through something I don’t understand and I’ve tried to be there for you” but like...have you, Norman? You’re always working, you shut her down every time she wants to talk. 

The brilliance here is that you don’t know if something supernatural is actually going on or if there’s a rational explanation, and I’m so here for the ambiguity. We simply don’t get enough ambiguity (that’s purposeful) in mainstream Hollywood films anymore. It’s all in the indies, which are great, don’t get me wrong! But I want more audiences to see how it could be done.  

I know I just keep going on about it but every new scene reveals a detail that feeds into the overarching mystery in such a natural way. For example, this NICE callback to the key, which I had totally forgotten about. This honestly is a fantastic slow burn of a film, really well done. 

I’m so enjoying Harrison Ford using his charm and his looks and his general Harrison Ford-ness to play a not very nice guy. He’s not a lovable rogue like Han Solo or a stubborn adventurer with a heart of gold like Indiana Jones, he’s just a guy who thinks he deserves to have what he wants at any cost. He’s worked hard, he’s a “good guy” and he thinks that he’s entitled to have things go his way just because. 

Holy shit the symmetry with the first scene of the film to the big climax - that’s just some damn good writing, that is. 

I’m so pleased that there’s no music at all during this final sequence - the score had been a bit overbearing at times, but this eerie silence with just the water running is, frankly, terrifying.

One slight critique - the movie has almost as many endings as Lord of the Rings. You think it’s done, and then there’s another whole section that you think is gonna be the last, and then everything’s underwater again and it’s STILL NOT DONE. But in a good way, I didn’t get nearly as pissed as I do at the end of LOTR. 

Holy fucking shit, Clark Gregg wrote this?????? Agent Coulson Clark Gregg?? This is my absolute favorite bit of movie trivia I’ve learned all year. 

Did I Cry? No. 

I am never going to stop talking about this movie. Wife was right, and I will say it loudly and publicly - I am so glad she cajoled me into watching this film. If you haven’t seen it, watch it immediately. It’s smart, it’s well-paced, it keeps you guessing, and it boils over into an absolutely bonkers climax in the best way. I will be thinking about this for aaaages and missing the way movies outside of the “Disney/Pixar/Marvel vs. teeny independent Spirit Award winner” machine used to get made. 

If you liked this review, please consider reblogging or subscribing to my Patreon! For as low as $1, you can access bonus content and movie reviews, or even request that I review any movie of your choice.

[batgirl-87]

Your Jacob Character

I was tagged in @hufflepunk-asfrick ‘s Jacob challenge by @cptaincarswell and  @dahlwyn - I am so excited to do this! I saw this going around and really wanted to be tagged so thank you so much! 

I tag @arnyan @wilhelminafujita (I’ll leave you to tag blueroses 😉) @missnight0wl and @gryffinpuffthunderbird if you haven’t already and want to and anyone else who wants to because this is so much fun!

Rules:

Make a collage of characters that summarize your version of Jacob (Okay so I followed cptain’s way because there were certain quotes and gifs I thought captured my view of Jacob in addition to making a photo collage because I’m an overachiever [or just bored] - Also, I mainly focused on big brother characters and sibling relationships because that’s how I view my Jacob, he’s the big brother! So really it’s just a lot of big brother characters =p)

Alec Lightwood - Shadowhunters

Besides being a great face claim for my Jacob, but with different eye colour, I also think the relationship between Alec and Isabelle is a great representative for my Jacob and MC.

Brave, caring, compassionate, and protective older brother. His more quiet and stoic, somewhat withdrawn, demeanor may intimidate others, especially when he can be a bit distrustful towards others, and cause them believe he’s “too cool” for them but honestly he’s very humble and possibly even insecure. He also is caring and even affectionate towards those close to him, quite observant to when something is bothering them and will do whatever he can to be there for them. Sarcastic especially towards those he does not like, unable to hide his dislike for others. And clearly Alec has to be physically fit and athletic, as is Jacob since he has goals of playing Quidditch professionally and is quite the Keeper 😉 (noted since some of these other character representatives are not all that athletic =p)

Mainly it’s about his relationship with his sister, Isabelle. Fiercely protective over those he cares about and loyal to them, particularly his sister. He assumes responsibility as the eldest as serves as a protector and healer while having no second thoughts or hesitation of putting himself in danger to keep them safe. He and his sister are very close, both always watching out for the other. He watches out for her safety and she concerned over his emotional well-being (especially because he seems to internalize a lot and never really talk about it). If one is suffering, physically or emotionally, the other is also greatly affected by it.

It’s not her fight, or his fight, it’s their fight - they have each other’s backs, they’re there for each other, they’re partners - it’s them against the world because they’re really all each other has especially after their mum’s death and their father’s side of the family wanting nothing to do with them. But together they can face anything. And yeah he can be a badass and will punch someone in the face especially for his sister.

And in the sync eye roll - classic Jacob and Keira =p Often sharing looks and knowing exactly what the other is thinking and it may normally be shady about someone else in the room =p They may love teasing each other but they love joining forces to judge others more =p

Sebastian Hastings - She’s The Man

Brother who takes off to follow his dreams and leaves his sister to deal with the responsibilities he left behind... sound familiar? =p

While that is true, I like this quote from him because I feel like this is something Jacob tries to consistently get across to his little sister - follow your dreams no matter what, even if you have to break some rules.

Plus he’s musical like my Jacob, who plays guitar and can sing, but while Sebastian may not be the greatest soccer player, Jacob is a great Quidditch Keeper with goals to play professionally.

However, would Jacob strip off his pants in the middle of a game to prove he is who he says he is? Yeah, he would. And the immediately realize there’s a whole audience of people watching and probably turn completely red and quickly pull his pants back up but he still wouldn’t run off in embarrassment and act cool and stick around like Sebastian who remains “Present!” even after exposing himself to everyone =p Because Jacob truly is pretty chill and doesn’t let much faze him and he’s able to laugh at himself.

Taichi “Tai” Kamiya - Digimon

This is it. Everyone else can go home =p

UGH THE NOSTALGIC FEELS!!!!

I will somehow refrain from delving into my nostalgic emotions and do my best to focus on the task at hand -

Tai for me has always been big brother goals and I love his relationship with Kari (who, yes is my fav) - when she got super sick OMG

Classic older brother sometimes gets annoyed with his little sister and puts his wants and desires over her health (we’re playing soccer even if you don’t feel well suck it up! =p - oh look, an athletic older brother! - Seriously though, Jacob probably would make Keira help him practice for Quidditch even if she wasn’t feeling well and then if she got horribly sick and had to go to the hospital he would feel terrible!)

BUT he loves his sister probably more than anything and anyone and is super protective, especially after almost killing her - he felt awful about doing that and Jacob better feel awful about putting his sister through all this Vault drama. 

Also when they’re little adorable (SO CUTE) and he’s always taking care of her, making her dinner because they’re parents are busy - Jacob did primarily take care of her - they took care of each other - especially after their mom died despite having guardians to take care of them. And then they embark on adventures together! =p He’s brave, he’s a leader, he’s also a bit of a dork but he’ll do whatever he needs to protect those he cares about. (seriously I can’t get into it a lot or I’ll cry from all the feels!)

Max Dennison - Hocus Pocus

Somewhat dramatic Jacob moment above =p

Other older brother goals? Bickering and teasing older brother and little sister but they love each other and when she is in danger her brother does anything to keep her safe. And another sibling adventure! Plus, he may try to act cool (nah, it’s all just hocus pocus, why believe in this legend... but I’m still going to go along anyway! Probably also how he dealt with the Vaults, pretended to doubt their existence to be ‘cool’ but what if they are real!? Could be... should check it out...just to be sure!) but he’s really a dork and probably humiliates himself a lot... Fortunately Jacob has a good sense of humor and can laugh at himself. Also can he be bit of a dramatic little shit? Yes, yes he can.

Dwayne Hoover - Little Miss Sunshine

My favorite character in this movie...

Dwayne is very determined and focused on his goals, as is Jacob. I mean taking a vow of silence to show how disciplined he is and how determined and focused he is on his goals - like Jacob making sacrifices for his determination concerning the Vaults.

In also classic teenage angst-ness, Dwayne hates his family and wants nothing to do with them; with Jacob and Keira’s tense relationship with the Black side of the family Jacob has very much the same attitude - he’s going to do what he wants, fuck them, and they can just leave him alone, he wants nothing to do with them. He takes the Black last name because he’s done being a “shameful secret” to them but that doesn’t mean he wants to be a part of this family and be embraced by them - he couldn’t care less about them. It’s more out of spite. 

Despite all this, Dwayne also loved his little sister and was supportive of her. She was also the only one who managed to calm him down and ground him after he realized his colour blindness (also my Jacob is red/green colourblind!). Dwayne bestows some wisdom to his sister much like Jacob would about not caring about what others think, playing into bs beauty standards when life is one big beauty pageant, just be yourself, do what you love, and fuck the rest. 

And again, can he be a bit of a dramatic little shit? Yes, we’re Blacks, we are very dramatic =p Going from this chill, apathetic, ‘whatever, I don’t care’ demeanor to suddenly freaking out in a dramatic rage - classic Jacob =p While he may be more laid back than his sister he still has a fiery Irish rage.

Also that dancing at the end...

Cliff Pantone - Bring It On

Oh hey, another fantastic representation of Jacob and my MC’s relationship =p

First off, look at this dork playing guitar and jumping around his room, thinking he’s so cool when he’s, again, a huge dork - that’s Jacob =p Also possibly another good face claim for my Jacob that I never thought of before...

His relationship with his sister is perfect because they kind of are like best friends. There’s teasing and making faces at each other but there’s love and support (I know he has a thing for Torrence but I still think he goes to support his sister as a cheerleader as well and he totally went to all her gymnastic meets and probably classes too). He’s clearly musical (plays guitar like my Jacob), and although I don’t believe he’s ever shown participating in any athletics or mentions it (I haven’t seen this movie in awhile) he appears to be pretty athletic and fit (look at him! =p) which Jacob is as a Quidditch player with goals to become a professional. 

Despite being a dork, he also manages to be pretty cool, doesn’t let idiot bullies get to him, he’s above all that kind of crap, and that infamous toothbrushing scene - classic Jacob who’s subtle (and okay still a bit dorky) but it works (maybe he teaches Bill a thing or two =p)

~*~*~

All in all, Jacob is the classic big brother who manages to be a chill, cool dork who’s quiet and sarcastic, with fortunately a great sense of humor to laugh at himself. He’s athletic, musical, ambitious, a bit rebellious, but like a true Gryffindor will leap in the line of fire to protect those he cares about without any hesitation while also being a caring and affectionate friend and brother who will punch you in the face, especially for his sister. He and his sister may bicker and tease each other and play fight but they care so much for each other, always have each other’s backs, take care of each other, protect each other, be there for each other no matter what - its them against the world.

[betsynagler]

When We Are Told What To Want

I don't get to the movies as often as I'd like these days, but I do watch a lot of TV. There's a lot of good TV and a lot of great TV, and even in front of the mediocre stuff, I tend to be either working out or eating or just slumped in a puddle after a long day on set. So I spend a lot of time thinking about it, and its images and storylines often dominate my thoughts way more than they probably should.

Maybe that's why, a couple of weeks ago, when I was watching The Crown, at the height of a lot of #metoo, somehow the two got stuck together in my mind. It was in a scene when Queen Elizabeth is getting ready for a royal event and her husband, Prince Philip, comes over and kisses her on the back of the neck, and she bats him away. I was struck by this: how this very powerful woman had to act like she didn't want her husband to touch her, how he’s acting (knowingly) as a bad boy, doing something “naughty,” and it's her job to stop him. And I thought, Man, we are so fucked.

Now, you can certainly point out that English royalty have a much more convoluted sense of propriety and duty than anyone else, and indeed, The Crown is all about that — but you could find a scene like this in virtually any show on TV. The idea that women don't want sex or at least have to pretend like it in public while men can behave any way they want has dominated Western culture, if not all culture, for so long that it’s baked into everything. The whole concept of flirting as this dance where it’s the woman’s job to let the man know she likes/wants them, but in an indirect way in which she needs to do it with glances and gestures, because she can't just come out and be up front about it, comes from decades upon centuries of that way of thinking. Men as the bad boys and women as the good girls is a social order that still — still — basically underpins societies around the globe. The wonderful “tradition” of French seduction that Catherine Deneuve and her ilk so feel they must protect: why does this exist? Why does the song “Baby It's Cold Outside” seem rapey but in fact probably isn't? Why do we still have the fucking “third date rule”? Why are men still expected to initiate the first date/first kiss/first sex? Why does anyone still have the conversation, when talking about rape, about what the victim was wearing? Because we all are told on some deep and fundamental level that women aren't supposed to want sex, and when they do, they're sluts/whores/unnatural/wrong. Still.

And then, of course, with playing hard-to-get-good-girl the norm, everyone had to take advantage of the power of the slut, and sex became the greatest selling tool of all. From every 80s movie to nearly every beer and GoDaddy commercial you’re going to see tonight when you watch the Super Bowl to Entourage and its successor Ballers, women as sex objects have also been the flip side social norm forever. And even though none of it's made for us as women, we've completely internalized it too. If we’re not the target audience for the product (and if it’s being showcased during the Super Bowl, chances are we are not), we are being sold the concept of sexy women who “own it” to sell other products, from fashion to lingerie to makeup to Lemonade and M.I.L.F.$, and women and girls are buying. And the complicated part is that of course we should own our sexuality. The problem is that we let everyone else tell us how.

As women, we are groomed to be great listeners, great followers of rules, great adaptors. The self-help books used to be all about getting a man, from Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus to The Rules (both, in typical fashion, written by men). Now, they're telling us how to improve our lives by tidying up better (since the home and cleaning it are a woman’s domain, still), or how to Lean In to succeed in the business world. But they're still all about reaction — about making the best of our lot, coping with men, or being more like them, about adapting better to the system that they built and run. Everyone else but especially men tell us how to be, and we be. Beyoncé may be saying that girls run the world, but if every woman in the halftime show is gyrating in a skimpy outfit while she's saying it, is that empowerment? I love the words of the message, but when you look at how it's delivered, it looks to me like it's still kind of all about men – because all that cleavage certainly isn’t for my benefit. We are still letting them tell us how to be what they desire as if that were the most important thing in our lives, and we are still — still — fucking listening.

All of this was already brewing in my mind when the Aziz Ansari incident came along. You can see how caught up in all of these cultural messages the poor millennial is who wrote about her terrible night with him. The girl doesn't want sex, that seems pretty clear, but she is also giving him mixed signals — because that's just how women are supposed to act. This woman is supposed to attract the guy by being sexy, forward and friendly (like she was when she met Ansari and gave him her number), then find a way to let him know what she actually wants, or doesn’t, in a way that won't hurt his ego or his feelings. And I have to also pity Ansari, who seems just as caught up in these same mixed messages. It certainly sounds like he thinks his job, as the guy, is to coax and seduce her — because that’s what he’s been told, by film, TV, and clearly, porn. If he sees her being reluctant, playing hard to get, he's supposed to bring the sexy to help her get past it, not considering that maybe she really doesn't want it — because she’s supposed to want what she's told to want…which is what he wants. Still don’t get his point of view? Just watch the last season of Master of None. The first 3/4 of Season 2 are fantastic and creative and full of original ideas and execution. The last two episodes, however, devolve into a traditional romcom written by a dude. They focus on how Dev, Ansari’s character, is infatuated with, pursues, and eventual attains a Hollywood-conventionally perfect woman — beautiful (in a Hollywood conventional way, even though Ansari is not), sexily foreign, cute/fun-loving and new to New York (meaning he gets to show her everything in his world and she loves it), who has the obstacle of being engaged to someone else. And she's absolutely, maddeningly a mixed message machine who doesn’t know what she wants. It's his job to both figure that out and coax her into it. Watching these episodes drove me nuts even when they first came out, which was way before #metoo. The woman so clearly came out of the conventional romantic comedy playbook, a perfect object of desire because she fits right into the guy’s fantasy, with no real personality of her own to get in the way. The list of what Dev likes about her sums it up completely: the things that are actually about her are her beauty, her “magical”ness, and that she makes pasta. The rest are about him.

And it seems like so many of us are like this: we can be brilliant, unconventional thinkers, coming up with the most creative and unusual ideas, but when it comes to intimate relationships, particularly (but not always) with the opposite sex, we somehow fall back to our basest tropes and assumptions and stereotypes, our most superficial and stupid and unoriginal lowest-common-denominator ideas – and that’s what we go with. 

It’s going to be a long time until we all sort this one out. But one of the main subjects we’re going to have to talk about to do that are the messages that the media tells women and men about what they are each supposed to want, or not want. You can say that a lot has changed in this country in the past 50-60 years, but it’s surprising how much the underlying things the culture teaches us about how to be male and female haven’t. When you watch the Super Bowl tonight, in between watching the game (if you even are), pay attention to the parade of commercials directed at male sportsfan America, the performances of the cheerleaders, Justin Timberlake’s halftime show, and take some time to reflect upon what the media tells us about men and women every day. Until we give the conventions we live by a long hard look, and until more women get to positions where we can break them — and we’re willing to take the creative chances necessary to do so — we’re all just going to keep repeating our same bad choices out of the same stupid cultural playbook. 

[nightblink]

Blink Reads Oathbringer - Chapters Two, Three, and Four

Chapter Two – One Problem Solved

Hello Adolin, my sun son, I have also missed you so.

Good man, taking charge and organizing your people just like you've been raised to. Find that purpose in usefulness. Find that distraction. You're going to need it.

Heralds, I'm a terrible person, but I want you to b r e a k.

That's not almost a relief, that is a relief that they found the body, because you are too honest for your own good and The Worst Liar and it's going to tear you apart inside trying to keep this a secret. It's almost a tiny weight off of your shoulders, being discovered and that small step closer to your own Damnation, isn't it?

Oh shit, Dalinar calling out Teft by name-

“Looking for him? You lost your highprince.” Why do I find this so fucking funny. It's such a little thing and yet I'm cackling.

'connoisseur of death' – Dalinar why you gotta be so Extra(tm)

(we all know why, it's a Kholin Genetic Affliction)

I was listening to The Way of Kings not long ago and it sticks out as Dalinar catalogues Sadeas' face and wound that Adolin likes to and is skilled at using his fists while on the battlefield. Also managed the overpowering and stabbing while beat to shit and with at least a broken wrist. If he'd actually managed to get Sadeas in the ring, I'd give the man under a minute, if Adolin didn't drag the 'fight' out for the vicious pleasure of it.

SEBARIAL AND PALONA, AYYYY

'He didn't trust most of the highprinces farther than the wind could blow them.” Dalinar. Dalinar you do know that you live in the stormlands, where I know that a Highstorm's stormwall has been known to lift boulders and carry large trees at least 640 kilometers. The wind can blow anyone pretty damn far.

…..actually, that explains everything, considering how easily you trust.

(Wisdom was your dump stat, wasn't it. Ten sapphires says you have a negative modifier for Insight.)

Palona says what we're all thinking. Give that woman a medal and a nice spa day.

L o r d I forgot how much I liked Sebarial and his combination of common sense (for a Highprince) and snark.

[whistles] I knew Urithiru was massive, but that description puts my visualization on a wholly different scale. Ten tiers, each of eighteen levels? Is 18 going to be another number to watch out for?

RICE PADDY ROCKBUD FIELDS

BrandoSando what powers do the squires osmose from their Radiant. I want a list broken down in detail, stat.

Bridge Four, never change.

Dalinar. Dalinar, he would have undermined you at every turn. Forget uniting Roshar, you wouldn't have been able to unite Alethkar with Sadeas sowing dissent and tearing down everything you try to build! Think what you may, but Adolin did what must be done.

Good man, Aladar. Good to know that you can change when faced with new information. Sebarial being Highprince of Commerce was practically guaranteed from the point we heard of him building a proper economy on the Shattered Plains. Adolin as Dalinar's right hand and general was a given.

But what is Renarin to do, other than attempt to figure out his powers? It's a high-priority task, to be sure, but Dalinar, couldn't you entrust a little less personal of a responsibility to him as well? Make him feel like part of the greater whole rather than set aside as he's always been…?

[sighs] I suppose we'll see how this plays out.

Chapter 3 – Momentum

Ohhhhh, and here we get one of the three chapters released way long ago that I did read.

'Rockbuds crunched like skulls beneath Dalinar's boots' What a line what an iconic line-

Almighty Dalinar you were more arrogant than Adolin easy; you can damn well see where he gets it from

This entire visual is glorious and I'm reveling in the descriptive flavour. Who needs a movie when this plays out in the imagination so well?

He can make a line of spearmen waver with just a war cry, Heralds

I said it the first time I read this chapter and it keeps running through my head – the Blackthorn is fucking terrifying

Even now, he's having trouble feeling the Thrill, or at least getting it to catch and hold. I can't imagine he was anything close to proto-Radiant at this point, but perhaps Alethi predisposed towards Radiant-ness have an innate resistance?

(We never read of Kaladin feeling the Thrill.)

OOOP, THERE IT IS.

I would like to rage.

Bloody as it may be, the thought of young!Dalinar spinning with his poleaxe like a dancer is viscerally satisfying on some deep level.

“I just go where he points me.” Dalinar confirmed for guided tactical missile.

And there's the arrow, and Dalinar is impressed. Nearly gets shot again with just how impressed he is. (Now's not the time for competency-kink to kick in, buddy.)

Dalinar. Dalinar, anyone else would call this a bad idea.

“He's got a hole through his chest. Tough break.” Dalinar please.

….Sadeas had golden Shardplate. Sadeas had golden Shardplate. I suppose this must be before he picked his colours as Highprince, and I am entirely unsurprised that he'd go that showboat-y. Was he forced to give up the gold at some point? Is that why his Plate during the current timeline was painted red as opposed to Elhokar's golden set?

“Oh Dalinar. What would we do without you?” Sadeas, I'm afraid your flirting isn't going to work on this one.

Chapter Analysis: young!Dalinar classed straight Barbarian. WIS for dump stat.

Chapter Four – Oaths

[squints at the pre-chapter quote] Theory that the book Oathbringer in-universe is Dalinar's biography is rapidly declining. Still possible, though.

THE EVERSTORM RETURNS.

!!!! He's feeling the Stormfather's emotions? The soulbond can transfer emotions between spren and Radiant and vice versa? Be still my heart.

Stormfather is bascially a cat, ignoring Dalinar just because he doesn't want to come when called, confirmed.

SNUGGLES

Not only snuggles but bared safehand aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh- I love how that's more a sign of trust and intimate familiarity than anything inherently sexual.

The Everstorm is at least slower than a highstorm, but that's not a whole lot of reassurance. “It wouldn't tear down cities, but it did rain destruction upon them – and the winds would attack in bursts, hostile, even deliberate.” Yeaaaah, definitely not. How powerful can those “deliberate” gusts be, I wonder?

Gavilar was your control back then, wasn't he? External control, rather then the internal discipline you keep now.

You want to- you want to get married before you let yourself 'get seduced'. I mean, that's entirely fitting with the Vorin religion and the Alethi in particular being so focused on oaths, but damn, man. I thought you two were already quietly together.

INFORMATION ABOUT SHSHSHSH GIVE IT TO ME GIVE IT TO M-

….shit. You're telling Navani about the lack of memory. Hoooooly shit.

Hostage? Hostage?!

I am abruptly SO MUCH more concerned for Adolin and Renarin, Adolin was only thirteen and Renarin even younger I thought she'd fallen ill or something but a hostage situation can you imagine how that impacted the boys, how that must have scarred them to the core – during their formative years! I- fuck. This is going to get some serious attention on the RP blog after I've finished Oathbringer.

The thought of Elhokar faced with Dalinar and Navani's wedding vows is partly so hilarious that I almost want it to happen, but on the other hand I feel he'd spontaneously combust with sheer embarrassment and I probably would too.

Dalinar you lunatic.

….still stuck on hostage situati-

'silk-covered virgin' – does that mean that the Alethi traditionally get married in silk clothing? I'm imagining the men in a vest-and-takama set, the women in something light and flowing. There's no way that Dalinar isn't in his uniform right now though.

True spren versus subspren? What would constitute a subspren? Is that akin to the difference between honorspren and windspren, or is there a further level of spren that we haven't seen yet?

What do your sons think of this, Dalinar? They who remember their mother? I don't think they're opposed to you remarrying – on the contrary, they'd want you to be happy, but… what do they think?

BRIDAL CROWN. I NEED TO ART THIS ASAP.

Red is lucky, making a note of that.

“A lady must be prepared.” Oh hush, you planned for this to happen.

This. Is not going to make Elhokar feel any less like he's being ousted as king. This will undermine his confidence in his position even further, which is not good when King Social Anxiety is already pretty much at rock bottom and recuperating from an assassination attempt.

The face of the storm itself opening up overhead, the world hanging on a suspended breath… I'm getting shivers, no wonder the crowd exploded with awespren!

OH GOOD YOUR BOYS ARE THRILLED. Grinning! And joy! And, despite the Alethi not being big on contact, hugs. Adolin you touch-starved nerd

Oooof. That is pretty heretical, Dalinar, you have to admit that. Even atheists like Jasnah are probably less 'heretical' in the eyes of Vorinism than someone 'faithful' proclaiming that God Is Dead. In this time when your goal is unity, this isn't going to help you in the slightest.

[looks at map of Alethkar at the end of the chapter] [looks up]

Why. The everloving fuck. Is there no scale for distance. THIS IS A BASIC PART OF MAPMAKING. I WILL COME OVER THERE AND BEAT IT INTO YOUR HEADS-

...still stuck on hostage situation and I’m apparently not getting over it anytime soon