#another flashback!

[hannahssimblr]

Once, years ago now, Aunt Maureen took me to visit her eldest daughter, Karina. In the midday heat, beneath the shade of a fig tree we sat in a Venice restaurant, where bougainvillaea draped over the front of flat roofed houses and fragrant blooms edged the terrace. 

I loved Los Angeles. The food was always better, the people happier, the streets more colourful and picturesque than in Albuquerque, where everything was brown and beige, blending with the dust land. Karina laughed when I said this, sitting back in her chair in her oval sunglasses, a cigarette balanced between long slender fingers. 

“You should see where I live downtown, then I’ll ask you again how much you love it here.”

I didn’t know what she meant. I was thinking about those cool guys I’d seen on a basketball court earlier with their hats on backwards, the loud, bass heavy music they played from a speaker, and the skaters who dropped lazily into concrete basins on their boards. I wanted to be one of them, though I knew Maureen would never buy me something dangerous like a skateboard. I played things a bit fast and loose at the best of times and once almost rollerbladed clean off a pier, so she’d developed a fear that I might one day die of pure stupidity. Maybe when I was older and she wasn’t watching me from the kitchen window anymore I would move to LA, get myself a board and skate around on it without wearing a shirt, and get muscles and a deep tan like everyone else here. 

These were the kinds of thoughts I lost myself in as Maureen and Karina had conversations that either weren’t interesting or which I was unable to understand, but I was content sipping on my Fanta with ice, lurid orange, and so fizzy that it stung the back of my throat and thinking about being a grown up in LA while Maureen had her white wine and Karina her cigarettes. Soon they would order a plate of oysters that looked too much like boogers for me to sample and speak more about things happening, things that had already happened, and plans they’d made for the summer. 

“What’s your favourite time of year?” Karina said to me suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I knew this is the sort of question you ask a seven year old when you don’t know how to speak to children, but I thought hard about it anyway to make sure I gave her the best answer I could. She was my cool, mature cousin, and I always wanted so badly to impress her. November and December, I told her, because I got presents on my birthday, then time off school on Thanksgiving and both these things on Christmas. I was still reeling from the PlayStation console that Maureen and her husband Mario had bought me last Christmas, slotted perfectly within its square, silver box, which I still had, stored carefully beneath my bed just in case I ever needed to pack it away and move it. 

“What about you, mom?” She said, and Maureen didn’t have to think. 

“The spring,” she said, “I just love to be out in my garden then, with all the flowers and that lovely sun, it’s not too hot. It feels like everything is just on the brink of bursting to life.”

I thought about that later as we passed the canal, all the beautiful spring flowers that erupted from the banks, and of home too, where by now, in the hazy days of mid May, the desert was blanketed with spring grasses, with violets and golden poppies and bluebonnets, burning a trail of vibrant indigo all the way to the mountains. 

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Ty to @scrapplesims for suffering living in LA once upon a time and for answering my weirdly specific questions about what it was like

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Dog Meshi.

[whoisnotmyname]

I love this line lmao

[stealingpotatoes]

luke who do you think you're hiding this from

(donation doodles! // tip jar)

[hexcii]

Awgh

Idk my PTSD and survivors guilt have been killing me these past few weeks

Oh if only I had two robot jesters to hold me through it </33

[pangur-and-grim]

a difficult ear cleaning experience

[pastafossa]

DDBA SPOILER REALIZATION THOUGHT, SERIOUS ANGST

How we feeling about the realization I just had that Matt is probably drinking red wine in his apartment even though he prefers cheap beer because the smell of cheap beer is likely now tied irrevocably to his memory of Foggy's death?

They were at Josie's.

They were at Josie's: cheap beer, hops, bitterness. He knows that scent.

A scent now mingled forever in his mind with the taste of sour fear, of death in the air.

And of lingering copper, and the anguished, familiar tang of tears and Foggy's cologne.

[bunnieswithknives]

The soul of Wicked is randomly inventing extremely elaborate relationships between characters who barely interact at all in canon. Also Fiyero is here.

[persephonel]

silco, vander and benzo are so bloody cool looking here. im sort of obsessed with them. this looks like an album cover

[secriden]

Watching Joong's Hurt Me Please MV with the context of how episode 6 ended and how this is likely a song about Fadel's thoughts and feelings about Style after Finding Out, I wanted to take a deeper look at the lyrics.

I have transcribed the English lyrics on Youtube side by side with a fan translated version (credit: bl_zonee on Twitter) just because there's different shades of meaning between them that I find really interesting and I'm curious which one is the more accurate translation or if both are valid, but just give different nuance. (Perhaps a mutual who understands Thai would be willing to give some insight? *u*)

Verse 1 makes a lot of sense to me: Fadel must be wondering how Style could be so cruel ("unkind" / "heartless") because every instance of Style being honest and asking for honesty in return, all of Style's genuine desperation to bare his heart to Fadel in episode 5 and 6, now looks like a calculated, cruel deception.

And after being so afraid to reveal his secret to Style for fear that it would make Style walk away from him, there's a painful irony in Fadel now wishing Style had walked away before. Because the betrayal hurts so much more now that Fadel has given in to his heart.

The chorus is where the nuance between the translations gets interesting.

The Youtube version seems almost like Fadel is taunting Style, putting up a front that he can take the pain Style is dishing out and more. It's like he's hiding behind the bravado of being able to handle the hurt, and even more.

The MV also depicts Style smiling sadistically after slapping Fadel, as if he's enjoying the pain he's inflicting. Meanwhile, Fadel looks up almost in adoration, a strange softness in his eyes at odds with how cruelly he's being treated. The knowledge of Style's betrayal has turned Style into a monster in Fadel's mind, one which he cannot help but to still have soft, affectionate feelings.

But the fan translation sounds much more hurt and accusatory. Fadel is expressing his pain and anguish much more plainly and "you did this to me" is a line that demands responsibility.

In both translations, though, the last line ("can't get enough" / "enjoying the pain") gives us a hint that Fadel isn't willing to give Style up even now. Despite the pain, despite feeling as if he's simultaneously burning up and drowning, there's a part of him that still wants this. That still wants Style.

Interestingly, as Fadel sings the last line he begins to visibly struggle against the rope tying him to the chair. The soft look vanishes and in place is a determination and shadow that spells trouble for Style. The shock is wearing off and Fadel is starting to fight back.

Verse 2 is where the agony really hits, for me.

In both versions, Fadel recognises the way Style's love was (maybe still is?) precious to him ("your love feeds my soul" / "your love nourished my heart"). But because Style's love is a lie, it's transformed into a weapon ("poison"). It twists Style's love into a source of "hurt" to Fadel.

Which is why I think both versions have a line where Fadel admits that there's a part of him that wants Style to keep hurting him -- or rather, to keep loving him; because these are the same thing to Fadel now -- ("hurt me, make me feel used" / "the more I was hurt the more I enjoyed it") whilst also remaining accusatory ("the more I loved, the more sorrow/I suffered").

The lines about "nothing left to write about our love" / "our story" also feel very pointed and final. A closing of a chapter; a closing of the possibility of their former, uncomplicated happily ever after. Style has nothing left to write (report) back to his superiors (the police) because Fadel's love is already complete and his deception has reached the inevitable conclusion of Fadel being found out/destroyed.

All this happens while we see Style continuing to threaten Fadel with a golf club and an almost crazed expression of glee juxtaposed with flashes of Fadel and Style in much happier times.

Also the fact that this line comes with this scene where Fadel lets Style kiss him despite “knowing” it’s all a lie *sobs uncontrollably*:

The first chorus comes back once and the music reaches a plateau. We are clearly preparing for a drop or a modulation and we get exactly that (twice!) with the second chorus:

Here, both versions converge: Fadel is angry, he's furious. Style hurt him and he's going to repay all of it and more ("you'll hurt [by much more]" / "you must suffer more than I did"). The lyrics tell us that, while Fadel cannot take back the hurt (take back his love), he can certainly ensure he isn't alone in the suffering (this love will also hurt Style).

It is at this part where my heart sank as I realised that Fadel's "I think I love you" line in episode 6 now takes on a much more sinister tone.

Because I think that discovering Style's betrayal was also what made Fadel realise the truth of his love for Style; the very agony he was in was the sign that Fadel's heart was lost to him. But even as it is true, I also think he still made the choice to ruin Style in the same breath. Because if Style could use Fadel’s love as a weapon then Fadel is going to use it (Fadel’s love) to hurt Style too.

A decision was made in this moment, and everything Fadel does afterwards in this scene is deliberate.

There is, however, one piece of hope:

Despite Fadel's expressed fury, what the MV shows us is Fadel breaking out of his bonds, shoving Style back and punching him once and then:

For all his anger, for all his rage, for all his threats of manifold vengeance, what we see is Fadel pressing close and kissing Style; once on the lips, and once on his chest (heart), all while the lyrics makes space for one last plea:

("don't betray me")

For me, its the way the line is shown together with this direct visual parallel between the ignorant Fadel in the past (left) and the Fadel of the present who has seen through Style's deception (right) that I find particularly compelling. Even now, even at the point of Fadel discovering Style's betrayal, there is still hope for forgiveness.

Because Fadel cannot help himself. Because Style made Fadel's bleeding heart whole again; and it beats, it feels, and despite how much it hurts, what Fadel still wants more than anything else in the world -- desperately and simply -- is Style.

[kacievvbbbb]

i do love how one of the main themes of spy family is motherhood, and the emphasis that there’s no wrong way as long as you show love. i also love how it treats its more “feminine” characters like becky, it doesn’t feel to me like the series is laughing at her for being girly, the humour is from the juxtaposition of her and anya, or because she takes it way too far (her thirsting for loid)

it’s a low bar, but spy family is good at having women who feel like people lol

Yes! I completely agree with this! I like how the series expands on what it means to be feminine even within the tight constraints of the society they live in. Most of the female characters are infact just people. even the less "hyper-feminine" ones like Martha and Yor and even Anya still have very feminine hobbies and such they just arent constrained to them. And I agree about Becky it feels like the joke is less haha she's a girly girl and that's lame and more she 6 but she's trying to pretend she's this high society woman and that's adorable not because of the things she cares about like romance and fashion are intrinsically ridiculous but because she speaks with so much authority on them and is trying to educate a gremlin and she's six. Anya doesn't necessarily like the same things as Becky but that's never stopped them from having fun. A big part of Becky is that she always stands up for herself, her beliefs, and Anya. She is literally a day 1 you can't speak badly about Anya in her presence. I love her I love their friendship it's great. But yeah the strength of mothers does seem to be a recurring theme in the manga and I like that. It's in Loid's memories of his mother, Yor trying to be a good one and, Melinda Desmond trying to overcome her own fears for the sake of her children, the handler and her yet-to-be-revealed past. Spy x Family focuses a lot on the connections we form with people and just how those connections give us strength and its really beautiful and fitting that the threat always on the horizon is war because nothing else tears apart family and connections like war and how every character in their own way is fighting for the right for people (not just the ones they love) to make those connections freely even if it means they are excluded. It's a really good story.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The dog days are over.

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[that-crazy-five-foot-two-chick]

They made Souta a chair for 97% of the movie because they knew we'd all pass away from his beauty if they didn't

[boyfriendsmalec]

Will isn't going to have a secondary love interest in Season 5. He's already involved in one love triangle (Will-Mike-El) why would the writers develop a second one?

I could make a lot of narrative arguments as to why I don't see this happening but ultimately it boils down to this: There's no time.

The show is in its last season. The Duffers have already said they're shifting away from adding new romances (Byler is not a new romance, it's been built-up over the whole show) and new characters (few exceptions like Linda Hamilton have been added). They need to wrap up storylines for at the very least 12+ main characters (not to mention side characters). Point being: the cast is stacked enough as is. They don't have time to create a new love interest for Will, especially if it's not a character he's going to end up with in the end. If they wanted to add a new love interest for Will, they would've started it in Season 4.

Will is the main character next season, and he already has a lot going on:

His connection with Vecna and the Upside Down (this will largely take up most of his plot since it'll be the central plot line)

Will getting Upside Down flashbacks from 1983 (like El did in S4 with her flashbacks of Hawkins Lab)

New friendship/mentorship with Robin (and Vickie)

Coming out arc to his family and friends

Contending with his love for his best friend (including the painting lie reveal coming to fruition)

Will has more than enough going on this season.

Also narratively-speaking, I'm sorry but there's no way Will is going for a jock who's bullying Dustin and likely him and his other friends by extension (for being associated with Dustin/The Hellfire Club). That's just wildly out-of-character for Will. And they have zero time to develop some tertiary bully character.

Also adding a secondary love interest for Will at this stage would undermine the central focus of Will's love for Mike, which they're building up over the course of the whole show. We know this isn't a crush, Will is in love.

The most we'd get is maybe a scene of a male character expressing interest in Will, to see Mike's jealous response, or to have Will turn him down to reassert to the audience Will's love for Mike.

TLDR; The ST writers are in crunch time with the final season and don't have time to waste on a secondary love interest plot device.

[meownotgood]

nobody look at me nobody talk to me im. I'M REALLY NOT OKAY....

[wishesofeternity]

My problem with The Dragon Prince is that while it preaches about "breaking the cycle" and "choosing love", it repeatedly does so in a way that echoes the age-old idea of telling victims to passively accept their lot in life and the injustices inflicted upon them while their perpetrators never have to acknowledge their wrongs or face consequences for their actions. This is the kind of narrative they follow on both a personal and systematic axis, and it's exactly why the show will always frustrate me.