#as a character that pushes the plot onwards he's a marvel

[jeza-red]

That scene between Shuro and Laios hits hard.

Because I can understand perfectly where Laios is coming from...

And yet still, I, an autistic person myself, would punch him in the face just like Shuro did and told him to fuck off.

Which goes to show you that autistic people are not a monolith, and hanging onto a dichotomy of "Laios good-Shuro bad" stands on a false premise that one of them has to be a mean neurotypical and the other a pure neurodivergent baby.

[newx-menfan]

For those who don’t know- Craig Kyle AGAIN recently tweeted that he had intended for X-23/Laura Kinney to be gay in the comics and that if he got a new series in 2023: that would be the story he would tell.

I have mixed feelings on this matter- on the one hand…I would really LOVE KYOST back on a X-book….on the other hand I think Kyle needs to accept a bit that he doesn’t HAVE control over the X-23 franchise anymore.

Truthfully, I have said this before but I will say it again- as much as I like Craig Kyle’s writing and would be happy for him to come back…this kind of feels like a JK Rowling “Dumbledore is gay…but I never actually wanted to show it in the movie or writing” kind of move.

It kind of DOES seem tied to a bid to get back into writing for Marvel, along with possessiveness over the character X-23 and feeling that Marvel disrespected him as a creator…which while that is understandable- Marvel ultimately owns that character. That’s the downside of working for Marvel/DC and why Image comics became a thing in the 90’s. Creators from Liefield to Claremont onward have basically ALL voiced an equivalent to this complaint…

And truthfully I do find it a bit ironic that Kyle is taking this sort of attitude and bitterness at Marvel…because he LITERALLY killed off DeFilippis and Weir’s creations. He had NO PROBLEM altering other peoples original creations to suit HIS story- and honestly, DeFilippis and Weir handled that all with better grace.

I get WHY he is angry- he felt like Quesada cheated him out of introducing X-23 into the comics, Quesada got the “first edition” status to his character, and Kyle has repeatedly gone on record that he hates “NYX”. He feels like Marvel is profiting off of his creation and ruining his previous work…

It’s also unclear if NXM was dropped solely because of “Messiah Complex” shifting gears, because KYOST wanted to do “X-Force”, or because editorial pushed the book out NXM for nostalgia. Around that time, Laura was handed off to Marjorie Liu instead.

I know @dewyatt has talked about Christopher Yost seemingly liking the Julian/Laura pairing and his statements not lining up with Kyle’s-

Here’s an “X-Position” interview from Yost during “Amazing X-Men”

And here’s another statement from their X-Force run:

If you ALSO look at interview statements, it doesn’t really sound like Kyle had a clear trilogy in mind, despite him stating on Twitter he planned for a trilogy….

It sounds like while he MAY have had a concept for a third book…it was never really set in stone.

Ronin WAS originally the planned title for “Target X”, Marvel dissuaded Kyle from using it because Hawkeye used the name “Ronin”. 

MAYBE he changed the plot/cut out things from “Target-X”, that he now wants to use as the basis of“Ronin”…but I kind of doubt it. 

It sounds like Yost more or less thought they were done with the character/had achieved everything they set out to do with Laura after NXM. So these statements don’t really make a lot of sense.

As much as I really like Kyle’s writing and want to support him…this feels like a bit of a mixture of sour grapes and wanting respect as a creator…which is understandable, but I am not sure Twitter is the place to talk about all of this 😬

[uhthor]

Liv,,, the Loki finale,,, a tragedy. I want to hear all of your rants about it and also fuck d*sney

hello sweetie it’s been almost 48 hours and i’m still in shock and disbelief that the finale was that messy but i’ll try my best!

first of all, kang was the highlight of the episode. yes, his chat was long and complicated but jonathan majors was very very good and i cannot wait to see more of him in the mcu!

second, loki himself was incredible as always, sylvie was incredible, mobius was incredible & hunter b-15 was incredible. i have qualms about how messy it all was in the end with ravonna and wtf she been off doing (why were the minute men in ohio finding her on earth? there was no real conclusion to that, no real ending to her storyline and hunter b-15’s self realisation and rebellion which annoyed me to no end) and the ending was a dumpster fire cluster fuck. all three of the shows have been so ambitious with their plotting in the first 3/4 of the series and then the finales are just trying to wrap up so many things that nothing gets the justice it deserves and they need to Stop That Right Now because they just fall FLAT and disappoint

but the k!ss...... literally ruined the whole thing for me. loki as a character went through so much growth in a six episode series and i couldn’t be prouder of the way he changed and learned to believe in himself and that he was worthy of happiness. it’s truly some of the best work we’ve seen with loki in the entire mcu in my opinion.

miss minutes offered him a place in the timeline where he kills thanos and rules asgard and the loki in episode one would have jumped at that opportunity quicker than anything. episode six loki shed a few tears and remembered that he was worth more than that. that the cause was worth more than that, that people other than himself were worth saving and rescuing from the tva.

is that not the most incredible growth for loki? is that not the best growth we have seen alongside his growth in ragnarok? his main reasoning for not killing kang was to be able to help others and for sylvie to be okay. the fact the writers turned all of the growth he had made due to meeting sylvie on its head and had them kiss will always be disgusting to me.

they set the series up so well for loki to discover self love and worth through meeting sylvie, especially in that he said he just wanted sylvie to be okay in episode six — to me it will always still stand that loki learned to love himself and believe in his own worth through discovering he cared about sylvie in a non romantic way and that it changed him as a person. seeing a storyline of loki learning to love himself after a decade in the mcu of being made to be so inferior to everyone else by the people around him would have been the biggest love letter to loki and to loki’s fans, and tom.

it’s just so unfair and sad that they went down the route that they did. loki and sylvie had such a good relationship, something i saw parallel loki and thor’s relationship in the last ten years, and after loki was taken from the timeline and never allowed to see thor ever again, something good and stable and healthy loki could have had in his life from then onward.

but noooooo they had to make it romantic. they had to make things weird and they had to throw away a relationship they’d built so nicely with loki and mobius, too. people keep claiming that it wasn’t a romantic kiss and that sylvie was doing it to manipulate him and hit him where it hurts but as i re-emphasise again... there are literally thousands of other ways she could have done that. she could have hugged him. she could have just straight up pushed him. she could’ve pulled a hans of the southern isles and cupped his face and THEN pushed him. there literally had to be no romance involved. it was a choice made directly by marvel to engage in a selfcest relationship. there’s no ambiguity about it.

it also irritated me that people were saying it was typical for loki to fall for himself. we’re seeing a loki in this series like we’ve never seen before. he is so afraid of being alone and very clearly hates himself so much that to me, i don’t think he’d ever fall for himself. yes, he’s narcissistic, but he’s acknowledged that it’s only covering his absolute fear of being alone. i don’t think in any given circumstance would loki fall for himself because he loves himself. loki doesn’t love himself, which is one of the tragedies that this series focused on and created a beautiful journey with.

by meeting sylvie and learning that he cares about her and that she cares about him and believes that she deserved her own happy ending made him realise that he also deserves that, too. that’s the greatest love story that marvel should have written in this series after all the shit loki has been through. having him loving sylvie because she replicates his own self love and wanting her to be okay and have a happy ending is the way it should’ve gone. they are the same person, variations of the same person. her name is literally sylvie laufeydottir. they’re practically siblings. musical composer for the show natalie holt has said and i quote that loki looks at sylvie like he looks at his mother. ?!!!??!!!!!!??!??!? they’re family and it’s so so fucking weird for them to be romantic. it just ruined all of the work and excellence they provided in the first five and a half episodes and it pissed me off so bad. marvel have the uncontrollable need to pair every m/f that speak to each other for more than five minutes (st*ggy), even if they have no chemistry (bruc*nat, st*ron), EVEN IF THEY ARE RELATED OR THE SAME PERSON but won’t touch same sex relationships with a barge pole. funny, that

i just wanted the finale to solidify all of this — loki finally learning to love himself and discover that he has self worth and cares for others after his journey through the mcu being one of pure pain and suffering. i just wanted it to make sense and set up something with a tiny bit of coherence but i left the series more confused than i have ever been and just angry and betrayed really.

obviously i will watch season two and can only hope that things are fixed (wtf is going on with ravonna, hunter b-15, where is kid loki and allokigator, was the k!ss truly romantic, will they denounce all the selfcest etc. etc.) and don’t even get me started on the ending with mobius... not a jet ski in sight just fucking suffering. like twelve of my mutuals predicted he’d have his memories wiped yet it wasn’t any less painful when i saw it happen. justice for wowki, the actual only good and coherent and healthy relationship to come out of this series </3

also can someone PLEASE tell me if they saw casey anywhere cause eugene cordero was credited but i never saw my boy ONCE! he deserved BETTER!!!!

ok think i’m done tldr: fuck the finale i am gay and confused

[asgardianfemmefatale]

Have you ever noticed that ( AMORA ) from the ( MARVEL UNIVERSE ) looks a lot like ( ELENA SATINE )? But ( SHE ) also goes by ( ENCHANTRESS ). Having the ability to/of ( ASGARD PHYSIOLOGY & MASTER SORCERESS ) sure makes them a force to be reckoned with. They’re known to be ( FLIRTATIOUS ) but also ( PRIDEFUL ) and they’re ( UNKNOWN ) years old. 

character name: Amora 

age: Unknown/Ageless

faceclaim: Elena Satine

skill set: Asgardian Physiology & Sorcery.

family: Unknown, Lorelei (sister)

zodiac: Libra

wiki link: Marvel Wiki

Amora’s headcanon is a mix of some comic backstory with working the MCU in.

CANON BACKGROUND:

Amora’s origins are a complete mystery and she prefers to keep it that way. Some believe she has always been and simply reincarnated each and every time. The truth is that Amora was born into what was considered poverty by Asgard standards and on the edge of the Nornheim, away from central Asgard. Amora was humble but hated the sense of inferiority that she felt due to her perceived status. When she was still an adolescent by Asgard standards, Amora attended Asgard’s Sorcery School, where she began to become known for her superior beauty and natural allure. After, Amora ran away and traveled to the only person she deemed could give her the power to ascend; Karnilla, Queen of the Norns, whose mystical power was only outmatched by Odin himself. As her disciple, she learned more powerful spells but she was deemed too undisciplined and she eventually expelled Amora from her tutelage.

Amora, furious that she would be turned away, turned to seek other magic users, unafraid to use her womanly wiles to sway them. Amora’s beauty was considered great as she whispered false promises and lies as she learned the secrets of many sorcerers. However, she was beaten at her own game by one magician particular who kept her as some twisted bride and plaything. Tortured and abused, this was enough to push Amora over the edge. Having carefully plotted his demise, she had managed to trick the mage into a paralyzing seal in which she forcefully took his mystical knowledge and reduced him to a husk of nothing. From that point onwards, Amora swore she would never let “old, stupid men” dictate to her any longer.

Amora made her home in Asgard and was the subject of many topics of conversation. However, tales of her beauty had even reached Odin’s ears. She approached the court and took note of those who sought her affections. This was how she met Loki, Thor and Sif. During this time, Amora sought Thor as a romantic interest, believing only someone as pursued and admired as herself deserved him. This led to a bitter long rivalry with Sif that only deepened far past their perceived childish crushes into something more sinister over the eons.

The final straw, however, was when Odin agreed on peace with Jotunheim, and in return, he would offer Amora as a bride. Taken against her will, Amora’s criticism soon turned into scathing hate as she watched Asgard fade into the distance with hatred burning in her emerald eyes. Kept in the dungeons, bound and gagged so she couldn’t cast any spells, a Frost Giant didn’t intend to be ensnared by her gaze alone, which was enough to free her. Finally free, Amora enslaved the guard and showed her true power, causing death and destruction as she returned to Asgard, inciting she would not be sold like cattle, thus the hate between Jotunheim and Asgard was reignited.

With her return, Amora was both worshipped but some also feared the Asgardian goddess. Having become a woman of influence in Asgard, Amora began enlisting people into her cause that the only way to protect herself was not to marry into a family or convince an “old man” to do it but to do what she always did; if she wanted something, she would take it by any means necessary. Amora was worshipped for her beauty and warriors fought each other to simply impress her, some even going as far as killing the other. Those who she ensnared to be her loyal followers, included Skurge the Executioner and Sif’s lover, Haldor. Amora’s first big move made waves as she marched on the land of Norns and proved how much of a powerful mystic she was when she conquered land owned by Karnilla and dueled the Asgardian herself, killing her, absorbing her knowledge, her power, and assuming control of the land for herself.

Amora was worshipped as the Asgardian goddess of love, beauty, and lust. She was known for her beauty and power but also her infamous temper and cruelty to those who disobeyed her. Those who scorned her worship or whose worship she deemed unsatisfactory were treated poorly. She has many myths about her, such as turning a warrior into a tree on her grounds as he wanted to bask in her ever-lasting beauty. She had many estates which were often surrounded by foreboding warnings of her cruelty and monstrous creatures she had transformed from Asgardians who came to her.

When Ragnorak occurred, Amora crafted a portal that she stepped through to survive the destruction of Asgard. However, her spell to bring her to the other Asgardians ended her up in Midgard of all places. Assimilating herself into their way of things, Amora made no secret of her identity and continued to let men fight to the death over her or perform dangerous acts to impress her, and simply having what she wanted, having always enjoyed a hedonistic lifestyle. Sometimes a friend and sometimes a foe, the goddess may rule over the hearts of others but she also knows just how cruel love can be.

SOKOVIA ACCORDS:

Amora is only somewhat familiar with the Accords. She has yet to be approached about it and, as Amora does, she has little respect for the laws and regulations of Midgard.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

Friends: Loki, Thor, Sif, Valkyrie, Skurge, Lorelei, Any magic users/dieties.

Works with: Anyone’s whose interested aligns with her own.

Foes: Can literally be anyone.

ANYTHING ELSE?

I have a detailed bio and power set on her blog and please feel free to message me on discord or here to plot with me. Love you all. Amora is basically the Norse version of Aphrodite in this canon.

[obsessivelycapricious]

⭐ for director's cut ask

Heyy! Sorry I saw on this one for a while, hope that's okay!

From this post :)

-

So I'm about 11,000 words into a Marvel crossover fic. It's a reader insert that spans like from 1940's CA:FA onwards and it'll include the MCU ensemble, X-Men, Dr Strange, Venom, Deadpool and probably more by the time it's done. I'm thinking it'll be canon divergent, taking creative liberties before diving off book after 2012 - I don't have the ending figured out yet though.

Each chapter is really small, it's kind of by design. The main character lives a long ass time so it's more a highlights reel of events and memories than minute by minute account.

Her story could also be divided up into acts really. The first act is called 'We'll Meet Again' - from the song by Vera Lynn. It's set in the time before, during and after CA:TFA and crosses over with Wolverine - that part is almost complete.

Then the next act would be from Maria Stark falling pregnant up to the events of the first Iron Man movie and will cross over with Pre-CA:WS, Agent Carter, and college! Tony Stark. Then the next and so on. I'm thinking there are at least 3 acts so far outlined. I'm undecided if it'll be Thanos compliant or not, because I've got some ideas about it but those movies made me cry a lot.

I really want to start posting it, but I'm terrified that I will never finish it if I do. I've already posted a couple of snippets from it though, they aren't huge plot spoilers and kind of work as a stand alone thing (I think anyway). If you wanna read them, you can find them here: x - or at my AO3 account.

Since it's done, I'll post the first 700 ish words of 'We'll Meet Again' - see what you think! It's mostly under the cut as this post is long enough. Feel free to ignore also though.

---------------

In hindsight, Grace had known getting attached was a bad idea. She found herself doing it anyway.

The fourth time she drags Steve Rodgers in from the alley behind the diner, grinning despite the way he swayed, unsteady on his feet with at least one of his eyes swollen shut, she knew it was too late.

“When are you going to learn Stevie? Maybe next time just walk away - y’know? Not everything is worth the fight.”

“Not an option” He grumbles stubbornly, wincing as she applies ice to his face. She knows it won’t be long before he slumps over the counter, the last of the adrenaline running out of his body.

Returning to New York felt inevitable. She loved the hustle and bustle of the streets, giving her enough anonymity to feel safe while still being around civilization enough to really feel alive. It had changed quite a bit since the last time she was there though. Tough times had fallen on the city, but if the news papers were to be believed, the depression would be over soon. Roosavelt’s New Deal seemed to be working.

The lunchtime rush comes and goes without Steve making much move to leave, other than coughing wetly against the crook of his elbow a few times. Grace glances up at the door as the bell chimes, locking eyes with the newest patron as he saunters in, heading straight towards her.

“Hey doll.”

Finding herself mimicking the boyish grin, Grace grabs a fresh mug off the bottom shelf and sets to making a fresh pot of coffee without prompting.

“Hey yourself. Come to pick up your stray?” She adds, inclining her head to Steve who doesn’t make any attempt to register his friend’s arrival.

“Oh boy.” Nodding with a grimace, James Barnes gently claps the smaller man’s shoulder. “Michaels said he thought he saw it on his way down to the Yard. I figured he’d show up here. Stevie? You okay pal?”

Grace pushes the cup of joe across the counter. “It’s on me. You’re gonna have to give him a few. It was a real doozy this time.” She adds, furrowing her brow.

James groans, taking the cup with a nod of thanks. He sounds exasperated. “Damnit Steve, why can’t you just leave it be just once. One time. That too much to ask?”

Steve slurs, his voice muffled. “Should’a seen t’other guy.”

With a scoff, he rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I bet.”

Catching his eye, Grace motions for James to follow her a few feet out of earshot. She casts a worried glance over to the hunched figure. “You best keep an eye on him tonight Buck. He was coughing up a storm not ten minutes ago.”

“Damn, I thought he was over that. He seemed a lot better last couple of days. Obviously well enough to pick a fight.”

“You’d think he’d learn huh?” She muses with a snort, admiring the fact Steve Rodgers would never change.

Huffing a laugh, he looks back to her arching a brow. “Good job he found you huh doc? – How is school?”

Reluctant to get into the details, she glances down to her feet. “Just swell. Six months or so left then it’s over. Thank God.” Grace sighs, wiping the coffee stains on the counter absently.

“You’ll do great.” He says encouragingly with a smile.

The corner of her mouth quirks up. Eager to change the subject, she narrows her eyes at him slightly. “Have you been lifting weights again?”

James’ grin grows wide as he puffs out his chest, not modest in the slightest. “Oh, noticed, did you? As a matter of fact, I’ve been training at Goldie’s Gym. Nice to know it’s been paying off.”

“Was mostly the smell, but sure thing.” Grace quips with a flash of a smile.

“It’s the fish.” Steve supplies dryly – his voice still muffled against the counter.

James’ face twists in mock offence. “Hey!”

The warmth Grace feels inside tells her that getting attached is definitely a bad idea, but it doesn’t stop her from laughing anyway.

[cosmiciaria]

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order review! (Spoiler free)

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (SWJFO) appeared out of fricking nowhere and to everyone's surprise, it was a striking success? How? But… EA was so bad at making SW games!! I don't see micro transactions and… is this… actual… plot… with actual… good characters?? I'm shooketh.

So, yes, SWJFO is a good game! It's not perfect, it has its flaws, yes, but considering where we come from… Battlefront II I'm looking at you.

The game takes place between Episode III and Episode IV. I won't say it's a "bridge" between those two Episodes because it isn't, and some may argue that talking about Jedi in the middle of those two pieces of media doesn't take you anywhere, since we all know what happens next, but let me explain to you: the story fits so well. So well.

We follow Cal Kestis, your average ginger Good Boi, who's a padawan in disguise. It's been five years since Order 66 and he's been hiding all this time in Bracca, a junkyard, where he works mostly enslaved by the Empire. His good pal Prauf tells him he should go outside and explore the galaxy, since he's young and cute probably, but Cal is so scared of being found and he's suffering such a huge survivor's guilt that he doesn't take any action to leave that planet.

It all seemed to be like another ordinary day of work, dismembering old ships and searching for useful parts, when the wing that Cal and Prauf were working on suddenly falls from the body of the ship, and Cal, who hasn't been using his Force since the execution of the Jedi, is forced (pun intended) to save his friend from falling to his death. Prauf understands the stakes, and swears to keep the secret.

However, destiny seems to hate him, because the Inquisitors (the Second and Ninth Sisters to be more precise), an order of Jedi-turned-to-dark-side that serves the Empire, arrive at Bracca, looking for a remaining Force-wielder who hides among the workers. Prauf steps up for his comrade, only to be impaled quite literally in front of Cal. Cal loses his composure and snaps at the Second Sister, revealing his nature as Jedi, and so the hunt begins.

Cal faces the Second Sister, who menacingly swings her lightsaber with red emitters, but he's too weak to defeat her. Just when we thought that everything is lost, a new spaceship arrives: the Mantis, and a woman reaches out from the main gate, asking us to jump. Cal doesn't think twice, bids farewell to a very angry Second Sister and jumps into safety.

Inside the Mantis, Cal meets his saviors: Cere, a former jedi who purposely cut her link with the Force, and Greez, a lateros who is the owner and driver of the ship. Cere goes straight to the point: she's been looking for Cal (or any other Force-sensitive to be honest) for years now, because she has a clear plan: to rebuild the Jedi Order.

From here onward, the game opens up. You'll be visiting Bogano first, which is the sanctuary more or less of Cordova, a dead character that will have a great impact on the whole story. Cordova was Cere's master, and he's worked and compiled information about the Zeffo sages and other interesting mythos from around the galaxy. Cordova swears that in the ancestral chamber in Bogano, sealed by ancient technology created by the Zeffo, lies the Holocron: a cubic thingy only readable for Jedi, that holds key information about the names of the kids who are Force-sensitives. With this list of names, Cere plans to bring back the Jedi and strike back at the Empire.

So the main objective is to get this Holocron, but to get there, you'll have to go to many planets and explore many nooks and crannies. I won't spoil it for you, because I try to never spoil in my reviews, and like I said before, it may sound like this goal doesn't make any sense since we know they don't succeed in rebuilding the Order (hell, not even with Rey and it's been a whole generation since then), but hear me out: the story still fits so well! PLEASE TRUST ME IN THIS ONE

So instead of talking about the plot, let's talk about the characters!

Cal will be your main character. I read that some people think he's boring, ok, I can take that. The reality is that there's so much more to him than just his dashing appearance (alright, maybe I am biased, since I love red hairs) and his kindness and good-boy-ness. Cal is deeply regretful by his actions during Order 66 and he can't forget nor forgive what happened to his master. He feels remorseful and blames himself for the outcome of the purge. He has a scar on his face that constantly reminds him of it. He's a clear case of survivor's guilt syndrome, and it doesn't take one much to see it. I won't say when or the context, but there's a moment in which he has to ride a escape pod, and he looks around, nervously, as if he's going to suffocate, because it reminds him of the purge – man, there's a lot not said that really touches you. I don't need a character to tell me that he's sad. He can show it to me and that's exemplarily well done with him.

Another example of a sad character, more in-your-face this time, is Cere. A former master, now devoid of the Force, Cere wanders the galaxy with a clear goal in mind. But in her past, she hides torture and some too-close-for-comfort connection with the dark side. She wants to redeem herself and she trusts that this sacred mission will, not wipe out, but compensate for her mistakes. Cere is a great north in this game and she always supports Cal in everything. Her unconditional trust may seem overwhelming at first, but she's careful and she knows with what they're all dealing with. Besides she's badass af.

Greez is a less warrior character but much funnier than the rest of the cast. As the owner of the Mantis, he takes care of this ship as if it were his daughter. He has a knack for cooking and even though he tries to hide it, he does have a soft spot for Cal. Maybe his past of gambler and addiction makes him come across as the one who doesn't give a damn of what's going on, but if that were truly the case, he wouldn't be here, trying to rebuild the Order as well. He has by far the best lines in the script, and he's so unintentionally funny. There was this scene, out of context, where Cere and Cal were having an argument while eating, and he was sitting in between, in the background, adding peppermint or whatever spice to his dish, but the thing is, he never stopped throwing peppermint to his dish because he was watching them argue. Damn. I love him.

Merrin is introduced later in the game, but she does play a large role in the story. Born and raised in Dathomir, Merrin is a Nightsister, an order of 'witches' let's call them that have twisted the Force and use it in a different way than the Jedi. After General Grievous (as much as we assume, because he's mentioned as "armored man wielding lightsabers") wiped out all the life in Dathomir, Merrin remained as the sole survivor of her planet, roaming around the corpses of her sisters with no goal whatsoever. She resents the Jedi and has sworn to fight them even if it cost her life. This led her to get in with a bad crowd… but she'll find a better purpose after she meets Cal (And if you ask me, this SHIP HAS SAAAAAIIILLLLEEED).

And last but not least, the Second Sister, who, as I said before, was a former Jedi who was forced into the dark side, now hunts the remaining Force-sensitive that have escaped from the purge. She seems your ordinary villain at the start of the story, but slowly the plot will be unfolding a lot of details about her past and how she became an Inquisitor, making her as much, if not more than, important like the rest of the cast.

If there's thread connecting all these characters, is their broken pasts. These are all broken characters who now must face the consequences of their decisions, however much they don't want to look that way. They have to reconcile with their pasts and overcome their fears. They have all suffered, but in this suffering they found strength. And each other.

And I cannot not mention BD-1, your companion droid. He has personality, you can't deny it. Every time Cal went like "How is it going, BD-1?" and the droid threw his "Boops-beeps", please, they're having a profound conversation DON'T INTERRUPT THEM.

As far as gameplay goes, this game borrows from other great creations of the PS4 era: Uncharted (you'll be climbing and doing parkour a lot), Tomb Raider (sliding down and tomb raiding, yes), Dark Souls (meditation/save points where you can level up your skills and also whenever you die you lose your exp gained, but not the ability points. You can recover that exp though), and Sekiro (parry. Parry a lot). This may seem to all of you like the game lacks originality, and while it's debatable, I still think that it has a lot new and original gameplay to offer, specially when it comes to Force wielding and lightsabers. Oh, yes, you're a Jedi (padawan, actually), you'll be using the Force! The game tries really hard to integrate the Force not only in combat, but also while you explore and while you solve puzzles. The more you level up, the more powerful your abilities become, and it comes a point when you feel unstoppable. The Stormtroopers might sound cocky at first, but when you start pushing and pulling, oh, yes, fear the Jedi! So yes, the game may look like a copycat of previous works in the gaming industry, but it does make a good use of all those mechanics, while still throwing something new elements into the mix.

The level design is ASTOUNDING, sometimes I turned around one corner and appeared somewhere I thought it was like miles away from my place, and I was marveled at how well everything interconnects with everything. The level of detail also is so meticulous and well crafted, like there are so many little things that if you stop to stare and pay attention you'll be so mesmerized by them. Some of the places are so eye candy, even Dathomir with their "I AM DEATH" vibes has such a beautiful color palette, that I couldn't help but take a thousand screenshots. This game looks gorgeous, and it shows. You know, when a game has a photo mode, you know the devs are convinced of its beauty.

But, like I said earlier, the game isn't without flaws. While I praised the intricate level design, there's also one thing I hate a lot: backtracking. Yes, in these huge maps, there are no fast travels. You can create shortcuts and such, but, if you want to get to that 2% that was left unexplored in that particular area, you must return to it by foot. This is a huge let down for me. I did the game with a guide, so I grabbed most of the collectibles during my first time in each planet, but still there were some things that I missed, and I had to go all the way there to revisit places with the only purpose of grabbing that stupid chest or filling that small percentage of the map, while trying to survive against the enemies, since everything in this game, everything, wants to actively kill you. Damn, Cal was wanted.

Another huge drawback for me that it normally doesn't bother me much were the low framerates. I played it on normal PS4, not the Pro, and the rendition of the game wasn't good. I wasn't even fighting or doing a lot of stuff on screen, I was just climbing and chilling, and still the framerates would fall like under 20. When there a lot of things going on screen, the game suffers from it and it makes you know that the play station is giving its all to make it function. I believe this isn't a problem for those who have a nice computer and play it with the highest specs, but as I know that there are people out there who really care about the performance, I had to at least mention this.

Also, do not come here thinking that this is an open world game. Yes, granted, you can travel from planet to planet with no real rush and take things with time, but the maps are mostly linear (except for the interconnections between each area), and once you explored or got all chests, that's all there's to it. Now that I have completed the game and platinumed it, the planets feel barren, empty, like there's no real life breathing through the leaves or the rooms. And I think I know what this game could've benefited a lot from: sidequests. There are no NPC's here, except for some Wookies at that moment in the story or your crew members, so there's no one to give you a sidequest. But even without NPC's, they could've thrown sidequests from the different collectibles that you come across in your path, or maybe when on arriving at a certain place. There's like one thing that gets close to a sidequest and it's exploring a crashed Venator in the planet Zeffo, but that's all there's to it: more of the same killing, climbing and cutting ropes. If you're a rookie collector, then yes, this game got you covered, for there are over 200 collectibles (I think over 300 actually, considering echoes and chests and scans), but it's not like there's anything in between these, except for enemies. No banter with your crew members while you walk around, some occasional beep boops from BD-1 only.

I think those are my main complaints, but all in all I believe that the good compensates the bad. The last "mission" is reaaaaally good, and they did something I really like, which I won't spoil. I'm just going to say that I'm so glad with the decisions they took. The relationships between the characters grow vividly before our eyes, and we see Cal develop from a frightened fugitive into a fighter. There are moments in the story and in the gameplay where the game made me go like "whoa", I was truly amazed by what was going on. The acting is flawless, the music gets under your skin and the vistas are just dreamy. There so many easter eggs to appease even the most hardcore SW fan! They could polish all the things I said, but if there's another SW game developed by Respawn and with that writing team, I'll be there to buy it.

It's not perfect, but it's good. Give Cal a chance!

[beckmessering]

scrambled review no.2

die walküre / bayreuth 1991/92 / directed by harry kupfer

Characters

Siegmund (Poul Elming) – hard to believe Elming first trained as a baritone. His tenor is very well-controlled and made me think of a metallic golden glow, as far as colour-voice comparisons go. Would’ve wished for a bit more legato in his phrasing sometimes – he tends towards choppiness – and his acting is a bit exaggerated in the beginning. Very sweet with Sieglinde, though.

Sieglinde (Nadine Secunde) – speaks very much through her face and her eyes with a voice to match in intensity. It sounded so voluminous and rich to me, and she manages the spectrum from distressed and scared to utterly fierce and enthralling. The Wälsungs fall for each other a bit too quickly for my taste (I prefer slow-burn incest) but they steal hearts once they’re in love.

Brünnhilde (Anne Evans) – vocally not as rich as Sieglinde’s but instead bright and lithe and strong. I’m well aware that complaining about any aspects of someone’s Brünnhilde is complaining at the highest level, but to me, she was missing a youthful spark, and were it not for her playful relationship with Wotan, I wouldn’t have quite believed that she’s his daughter.

Wotan (John Tomlinson) – took me a bit to figure this Wotan out. A bit smug sometimes, but he seems to honestly debate his wife in Act II rather than try to manipulate her. Is this just the guise of an uber-manipulator? Who knows, I don’t. His low notes are gorgeous and the top very stable and I gladly stand by my Rheingold opinion on his voice. There’s no sharp edge in this Wotan and no venom in his “Nimm’ den Eid!”, but rather a lot of weariness and defeat. Very much had a melancholy air to me, bitter perhaps only towards himself as he sits on the ground in the final scene – we never find out though because his face is turned away. Wotan interpretations vary greatly indeed, and I found this one lovely and fascinating.

Fricka (Linda Finnie) – is definitely very disappointed in her husband and fuelled by righteous anger, but she gives off the air of wanting to actually persuade her husband instead of furiously fighting against his tricks. Therefore, her vocal measures aren’t as drastic and dramatic as sometimes heard and seeing her and Wotan embrace before he promises to kill Siegmund was an interesting surprise. Overall, the relationships so far seem more salvageable rather than shattered in this Ring.

Hunding (Matthias Hölle) – one of my favourite basses said in 2017 that when singing Hunding, he tries to enter the stage with “as much negative energy as possible”. That idea must’ve transpired through time, because this Hunding does the same ca. 25 years earlier. He overdoes it occasionally and a bit of calm rage would do him well, but his singing is rightly terrifying.

Production

First of all, who came up with the idea of Siegmund opening his arms toward Wotan, who then proceeds to push his son into Hunding’s spear? Congratulations, that was awful to watch. But a good idea. Second of all, I’m inclined to say “what production?” because there is barely anything on stage at certain points. It works, though. For much of the most wrenching scenes, there’s little more than some blue light, yet you don’t notice because the singers do so well with each other and fill the stage with their own presence. Have I mentioned I quite appreciate productions like this? Yes. Will I say it again? Probably. Could do with a few more things on stage occasionally. Just occasionally. The stage effects are mesmerising, though, especially the sudden appearance of a pit in Act II.

Conducting

Quite a few people warned me about Barenboim’s tempi and…yep. Not very apparent while there’s singing, but the slowness is obvious anytime an orchestral Leitmotiv appears. Especially Loge’s motif at the end could be a bit faster because it’s supposed to be fiery and flickering. Other parts worked out better, especially vocally, like Sieglinde’s “Oh hehrstes Wunder!”. He balances the sound of the different instruments well and stylistically it felt continuous from Rheingold to me.

Bottom line

To me, Die Walküre is full of highlights – musically, plot-wise, and as a consequence, emotionally, and they came to life marvellously. Onwards to Siegfried!

[naruhearts]

14x18 First Watch Thoughts: Mary Winchester the Mirror, TFW and Destiel

**FLAILS**

My thoughts are practically incoherent because I’m having BIG FEELS right now...VERY big feels re: TFW/Destiel narratives.

I am SUPER glad Berens was the one who penned Mary’s death!! The episode was just well-done all around from start to finish and intensely executed, with the proper solid balance of angst, emotional insight from the characters placed inside Mary’s cathartic contextual role, and the consistent reiteration of Mary as TFW’s overall Parental Catharsis in 14x18′s storytelling (and S12-14′s whole parental premise in conjunction with John Winchester’s ghost). 

Mary was portrayed as the singular contrasting foil to TFW’s individual and combined arcs. Absence was, obviously, a core theme, with Mary’s absence -- her death -- playing out as A. familial purpose (accountability and her death as the impetus to work together --> forgive each other, forgive yourself), B. self-purpose (self-realization via Jack: what did I do? Why did I do it? Why do we do things?), and C. romantic purpose on the Dean/Cas front. 

Let me explain C. -- well, WE BEEN KNEW. The metasphere wrote about this (my post x).

x

Dean was HEAVILY subtextually framed as the angry spouse undergoing a rough patch with Cas over Mary’s death  (the tension, juxtaposed by sad orchestral strings and soft lighting, Dean lashing out at Cas, romantic framing via Dean’s back turned to Cas, their interactions holding frustration yet still underpinned by certain tenderness etc *sighhhhh*) and Dean continuing down the route of giving Cas, not Sam, frosty shoulders -- emphasized by the romantic visual framing of space between them e.g. Sam preventing Cas from comforting Dean during Mary’s funeral, backs again facing each other, Dean and Cas interacting sparsely, Dean bitter and disengaged, Cas longing for forgiveness from Dean, Sam as the overt brother caught in the middle as he embodies the role of mediator and stable thinker for both of them etc -- just strengthens my belief that Destiel is going to experience another (hopefully) intense romance-coded confrontation as intense as the one they had in the cabin -- one that leads up to a lover’s make-up or some kind of emotional breakthrough/realization which has Cas happy enough to be taken by the Empty (remember, DEAN STILL DOESN’T KNOW ABOUT CAS’ DEAL. Cas’ life to save his son’s life, harking back to Dean’s own fatherly self-sacrificial deal by saying Yes to Michael. He is utterly unaware that he’ll lose Cas) and it’s a double punch here, because Dean will realize how stupid he is for not appreciating Cas -- more accurately, trying to be mutually transparent and honest with him (he has, though, and he’s made leaps and bounds) before it’s too late but failing (final regression before progression). He does appreciate Cas, and Cas means more to him than anyone could ever describe *points at his Mind!Bar 14x10* yet their love languages still don’t align. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN, DEAN! 14x19 is written by BL so I additionally hope the D/C subtext from this point onwards works in our favour!!

As I said in above and in my liveblog posts, a summary: 

The differences in Dean’s grieving are a COMPLETE visual comparison to 12x23, complete with overhead 📸 shots and differing funeral pyre scenes: when he grieved over Cas, he was alone, kneeling on the ground, and was blatantly numb/emotionally incapacitated – Dean mourned the loss of his lover. When he’s grieving Mary, Sam is by his side. Brothers mourning the loss of their mother. Romantic vs familial.

Overt romance-coded parallels with Sam/Rowena keeping constant contact just like Dean/Cas do both offscreen and onscreen

Sam telling Dean IT WASN’T JUST CAS and his own emotional pull in this ep as expressing accountability for TFW’s actions in general – besides internalizing/talking about the self-guilt, shame, and the inevitable pain of losing people despite saving people (also re: the 🔑 theme of doing the wrong, stupid thing for the right reasons) -- was character development on a marvelous scale. Dean was enlightened and began to admit it himself. Honest, open words. Dean and Cas should learn from him!!

 Cas was absolutely humanized, subsuming the Winchester Way of Bringing Family Back, and he additionally evoked honesty/an emotional justification while admitting his mistakes and again representing FAITH: faith in Jack narratively linked to FAITH IN HIMSELF and the season-long theme of believing there’s another way -- in believing that good things shall come. As he appropriately told Anael last episode -- loneliness is a construct misconstrued by her; not being in one’s physical presence doesn’t mean they aren’t there -- they are there. They are there for you. Narrative symmetry with 14x17′s presence of emotional acknowledgement despite physical absence re: God (and TFW; just because Cas wasn’t with the Winchesters did not mean he loved them any less) vs 14x18′s absence of full-frontal communication despite physical presence re: Dean and Cas/TFW (being physically present also entails being emotionally present through HONESTY). Berens interlinked the subtext. Negative spaces are being filled. And there’s also an Evil/dark dimension added to this Presence vs Absence commentary: Lucifer’s a visage in Jack’s mind, just like Sam. Jack’s soullessness has come to a psychological crux. He’s teeter-tottering – tried desperately to bring Mary back, and now he might have fucked up the natural order (if BTS pics of zombies in 14x20 is linked to this).  Furthermore:

(*clutches chest* There’s the heartbreaking spousal-coded visual narrative.)

Oh, Cas...Jack is BOTH good and evil. This is the intrinsic dualism of human nature. It’s what makes Jack human. And goodness involves badness. 

CAS: [Jack] was good for us. Indeed, we know he was. The unhealthily-codependent-abusive notion of family TFW used to possess (where their overarching parental issues -- Chuck’s absence, John’s abuse and Mary’s absence -- crippled their early formative growth, extending into decades) was deconstructed and rebuilt in healthier ways. Being a parent to Jack offset their true capabilities/qualities: FAITH (Cas), HOPE (Sam), and LOVE (Dean), alongside all the stickiness that came with his birth. By direct association, Cas learned (is learning) how to believe in himself. Sam learned (is learning) how to hope in himself. Dean learned (is learning) how to love himself. Mental/emotional release from their internal chains took place (will come to its final culmination in S15). In other words, Jack the Unifying TFW Mirror -- like Mary -- was the great interpersonal conduit for (a Jesus-figure-representation) honesty, appreciation (spending time with your loved ones), positive vs negative self-process, and self-awareness. Keep in mind that Jack has characteristically taken the place of Dean, Cas and Sam’s own dark arcs (Soulless!Sam, in particular) with what looks like a Godstiel mirror in 14x19 -- he’s literally becoming textualized as TFW’s mirror -- and, like his parents, he is going to make his independent (wayward) choices and question the primacy of human nature: good, evil, and the grey in-between. Will he listen to his head or his heart?  Most of all, Jack taught them that HuntingTM is filled with pain, horror, and death, but genuine purpose lies beyond it. The lives they live are also innumerably interlinked with joy and happiness. These positive things aren’t as sparse as they think: they have each other.

Mary Winchester is ⚰️ and resides in Heaven (her death successfully made me emotional and packed a deep personal punch; the black and white flashbacks interspersed throughout 14x18 relative to Mary’s influence on TFW was A++). She disappeared right when TFW’s arcs came together to display character progression. Her purpose – pushing TFW to engage in self-introspection, personal growth, and honesty with the Self and others – is done.

Mary, the Cas mirror, carved M.W. into the table with S.W and D.W. You know who should be next, right? CASTIEL W. (and Jack W.) (recall that in 14x17, Mary relayed to Dean that she treasured and enjoyed her time with him and Sam -- channeling Cas’ 14x12 farewell speech. Mary has always embodied LOVE, both romantic and familial, with the great virtue of honesty, and Dean, by proxy, has been telling his family he loves them. Again, who is the next family member he’ll say I LOVE YOU to? What do Dean and Cas WANT? Time to answer this question!!)

WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE. Narrative cyclism, y’all. Mary and John Winchester are finally at ✌️, and by so doing, TFW will experience emotional/personal/psychological ✌️ as they leave their past behind to create their own optimistic self-actualized future. THERE’LL BE GENUINE PEACE WHEN YOU ARE DONE.

TFW MUST TALK

I mean, I’ll probably reblog this with new thoughts during the next few days, but yes, ENDGAME’S UPON US, and all the extensive meta regarding Dabb Era Love and...Love, Unity, Family, Honesty, the centrality of interpersonal relationships and Reconciliation of the Past & Future since Season New Beginnings 12/13 over Season Who Am I 14 should be realized in the final two ANGST-filled eps. TL;DR a gigantic multilayered soup of character-positive/relationship growth-positive meta coming to fruition for the main plot.

Berens has killed us all. 14x18 is one of my favourite Emotion-centric episodes yet!

RATING: 10/10

Thank you for reading my sloppier-than-usual word-vomit!

[historicfailure]

Do you think that itachi should have been brought to life again like Kakashi? Sometimes I feel like I'd want to see him try to make village reforms but then I think his death was needed

Mhm, that’s a really interesting image…

Itachi who’s alive and well going back to Konoha and working alongside Naruto to reform it. I mean, her certainly would make sure that the clans would stay in line and also would get their fair share of reforms aka the Hyuuga and their Two-Class-System of their members…

As the character he was (pacifist and devoted to do what it takes to bring things onto the right track) I think also it would’ve been interesting to bring him back.

But… BUT (a really big ‘but’ here), his death and that he stays dead serve more purpose than a resurrection. Let‘s get down to ze business, shall we?

You’re totally right Anon. His death was needed. At first, because Sasuke finally achieved his goal. He always wanted to kill Itachi, for what he did to their parents, for what he did to their clan. When it comes to their final fight, the only outcome is one of them dead. But as we get to know later, Itachi planned for him to die that way, in order to make Sasuke the “savior” of the Uchiha. Their saving grace, because he wasn’t aware of the revolution his parents and the clan planned and was therefore untainted by their planned betrayal. Itachi, knowing of his sickness and actively pushing Sasuke towards hating him, was aware if Sasuke would just gain the same strength he possessed at his prime, then their fight would be in his little brothers favor.

(Basically “the king is dead. Long live the king!”)

What he didn’t know is, that Tobi/Obito used his death to further manipulate Sasuke into now plotting bloody revenge against Konoha, instead of returning and being celebrated as the hero who killed the killer of the Uchiha. (It’s a bit hard to watch over a plan after one is dead, sooooo… Yeah.)

Now, what did his death do to Sasuke character-wise? He achieved his goal of chasing after the murderer of his parents, avenged his clan, fulfilled his dream for which he gave up almost everything. His friends (Naruto, Sakura), his loyalty to Konoha (to learn under Orochimaru), almost his body (for Orochimaru, the ultimate pedo). At the same time, he killed his big brother. The one person he always chased after. His idol, the one who taught him stuff, the one person who he always looked up to. It was raw, emotional, deeply disturbing for Sasuke to kill that person in a fight, even though he had ��valid” reasons to do so.

We don’t even have to talk about the way how Itachi died. The slow walk up to Sasuke, one last forehead-touch, “There will be no later” and dead. Fuck, even though I liked at this point neither of them, I was so close to shed one or two tears.

For Sasuke, Itachi’s death was a crossroad. What would he do from there onward? He achieved the one goal he dedicated his life to. It’s like you work all your life to (example) star in a Marvel Movie. For years, you study and work, train and exercise, and when you finally did it, the camera’s are off, you’re sitting there. What are you going to do now? At first, there will be a little bit of emptiness, a time to find yourself and evaluate your choices.

For Sasuke, this time was heavily undermined by Tobi. He butted in, told him a slightly modified version of the truth and led Sasuke towards his own goal, the 4th Shinobi War and the Eternal Tsukuyomi. In a sense, Itachi’s death unlocked this way for Tobi and thus, has utter significance for the story in itself.

The next point we have to watch out for is Itachi’s resurrection during the war and his fight alongside Sasuke with Kabuto. They had time to reconcile, spoke about what went wrong and where they went wrong (Itachi admitted that his way was maybe the wrong one, seeing how much harm it had brought, but in the end, it still achieved the desired outcome, and could also tell Sasuke that he loved him and never stopped doing so, just like a big brother should do). This meeting allows Sasuke to reevaluate his choices and he comes out with “I wanna be Hokage” (granted, that came a bit out of the blue, but hey, he got the spirit). But it was also good for Sasuke that Itachi wasn’t permanently resurrected, in my opinion.

Why? Well, Sasuke was in the middle of making his peace with the death of his brother. He killed him, heard the truth about his actions and was on the path to avenge the fate of Itachi, when they’re crossing paths again. His resolution on what he was going to do after that was still up in the air, but meeting Itachi and parting again in a much gentler, nicer way, not tainted by Sasuke’s hatred and search for revenge allowed him to come to peace with the plans and intentions of Itachi. Also, allowing Itachi to die again is a metaphor for Sasuke moving on. He can let go of the past and his past grudge now, grief and mourn, but continue to move forward. If Itachi would’ve stayed alive, this process wouldn’t have started and Sasuke would’ve come to another conclusion. What kind of conclusion? Who knows what’s going on in his brain? ^^’‘

So yeah. I see where you’re coming from, Anon and I hope my answer satisfies you in some kind of way ^^’‘ (I rambled again a bit, didn’t I?)

[a-ratt]

One Marvelous Scene Playlist

So, with Endgame coming out in three days, a variety of Youtube personalities have decided to band together and analyze their favorite scenes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve collected them all in a playlist here: (x)

I’d love to join them, but I don’t have the right equipment or footage to edit a whole video essay. I do, however, have a whole collective of followers on Tumblr, along with the rest of the site that might come to read a little.

So, uh, this is my favorite scene from the MCU:

A little background on this. I didn’t actually watch Captain America: Civil War when it first came out. I was in high school, the most I heard of it was from classmates. I wasn’t big on the MCU back then.

I loved the Thor movies because of their scope, visuals, and world-building. The first Avengers was a big meme among my friends because we picked roles to fill on the team.

Then, I got into college and started studying screenwriting. I watched a bunch of video essays, read books, and so on. I really want to write for films, shows, etc. I want to create my own animated show, I’ve already got a whole story, cast of characters, and scenes plotted out.

In studying all of that, though, I started to focus on the down-to-Earth quality. The grounded and relatable content. And surprisingly, the final battle between Iron Man and Cap and Bucky is one of the most grounded in the MCU.

But, back to that scene. The scene in which the Avengers are left fractured and broken.

There is so much that goes into this scene. So much that it does in return.

In the background, we have Tony Stark, who started out infamous for being a playboy and a notorious corporate ass. Then, he’s nearly killed and kidnapped in the Middle East. That experience changes him after he learns that these extremists who held him hostage were using his own weapons.

His entire arc has been his attempt at becoming accountable for his actions. He’s struggled with completing it though. The first time he really succeeds is when he returns from the Middle East and stops production of Stark Industries’ weapons. The next is when he becomes Iron Man and deals with the extremists himself. Going onwards, however, he continually experiences a cycle of success and failure. When he joins the Avengers, he does not actively help the team. However, he redeems himself by redirecting the nuke into the Chitauri portal, thereby saving New York City. When he faces the Mandarin in his third film, he discovers that his enemy is a demon from his past that he originally brushed aside due to his ego. In the second Avengers film, his trauma from the first one prompts him to create Ultron. That act nearly causes a cataclysm, but they minimize it to the destruction of the city.

Civil War sees his full transformation from privatizing world peace to handing the power to institutions because he believes that is the best method of ensuring accountability.

On the other side of the spectrum is Steve Rogers, who started out an idealist that just wanted to do his part. He gets that chance and picks up his shield, becoming Captain America. However, he later wakes up to a world that prefers pragmatism over idealism. He is forced to confront that clashing of beliefs in his second film, in which S.H.I.E.L.D is revealed to be a front for a reborn Hydra.

His arc has been his attempt at upholding his philosophy on responsibility and adapting to a new, different world. Cap’s first film establishes his character, who he is and what he’s about. He doesn’t want to join the army to kill Nazis, he wants to go to Europe to do his part and stop some bullies. By the end of the movie, the audience knows he is. Then, when they see him in the Avengers, they see him trying to get his bearings in this strange, new world. One of the most iconic moments is the first major argument between the Avengers, when he accuses S.H.I.E.L.D and Nick Fury of being just like Hydra, then attacking Tony for his narcissism. The Winter Soldier brings that argument further when he learns that the institutions he fights for are planning on pointing a gun at the world instead of trusting it with that gun. That conflict of beliefs happens even before the big reveal by Arnim Zola. The entire film is a political thriller that ultimately leads to Steve consolidating his philosophy and taking a stand against extreme pragmatism, placing good faith over cold efficiency.

When we finally reach Civil War, both characters have had their philosophies inverted by the modern world. Thanks to the guilt of his own actions Tony now believes in handing responsibility over to the governments of the world to make sure they are held accountable. In contrast, Steve’s experience with corrupt institutions pushes him to not trust the governments of the world and therefore  keep that responsibility to themselves as they are the only ones that they can trust.

But do you want to know the craziest part of this entire spiel? It’s all backdrop. It’s not the main issue, but the reasoning behind the main issue.

Tony’s belief in accountability lead him to work for the UN in an attempt to capture Bucky Barnes, who was framed for a terrorist bombing.

Steve’s belief in responsibility lead him to uncover the truth on his own, as well as save his childhood best-friend from being held accountable for a crime he didn’t commit.

The political beliefs come to a head in the iconic airport battle where the music ramps up, but doesn’t meet a grand, climactic note. Instead, there’s a crash and a symphony of tragedy. The Avengers clash: Cap battling Iron Man, Wanda flinging cars at Spider-Man, Black Panther pouncing on Bucky, War Machine flying after Falcon, Black Widow pinning Ant-Man, and Vision phasing through Hawkeye’s shots. The entire sequence is full of wide, fluid shots and grand, complex plans.

Then, we get to the Soviet missile silo. Here, the environment is small and cramped. There’s only two ways out: straight up or through the door. The entire film the audience were lead to believe that the big bad guy at the end was a team of super soldiers akin to the Winter Soldier that would be under the command of Helmut Zemo, someone with a grudge against the Avengers. Instead, Steve, Tony, and Bucky discover that each one of the super soldiers were murdered and Zemo was responsible.

He provides brief exposition, telling them about his Sokovian family and how the Avengers had killed them. He tells them about his time planning and plotting and what his final goal is. Then, he plays a recording of a Hydra assassination mission. The same mission Bucky was shown to be performing at the very start of the film.

That moment when Tony recognizes the road, Bucky realizes what is being shown, and Steve discerns what Zemo is trying to do is one of the most powerful moments in the entire film. The following battle is also one of the best in the entire MCU.

It’s not cosmic or grand like in the Avengers’ films. It’s not big and explosive like in the airport battle. It’s cramped, brutal, and primal. There’s not big plans or clever tricks. It’s just a fight for survival.

Iron Man bashes Cap away and tackles Bucky to the ground. He prepares to blast his head with his repulsor, but Cap stops him. He tackles Cap, then shackles him before grabbing Bucky and holding him up against a wall. They struggle and Bucky breaks one of Iron Man’s repulsors before redirecting a missile.

The entrance to the silo is closed off, leaving only one last exit: the roof. Bucky climbs while Cap tries to stall Iron Man. The latter wastes no time with words and flies past him, but gets one of his jet boots broken. The chase goes on for a bit before all three combatants fall into the abyss.

At the bottom of the missile silo, Cap gets up, standing in dim lighting. Iron Man crawls over a platform, shrouded in darkness. They argue briefly before the former launches himself at the other. There’s no more flashy moves or signature attacks, it’s just a fist-to-face duel. Hand-to-hand combat.

Bucky joins in a second later, beginning a short sequence of 2v1. It’s quick, fluid, and absolutely savage. Then, Iron Man blasts Cap back and faces Bucky. The Winter Soldier is able to hold his own and even backs Iron Man up against a wall.

In an attempt at ending the fight, he tries to rip out the arc reactor in Stark’s armor. Iron Man is quick to fire a unibeam, completely disintegrating Bucky’s prosthetic arm. He is left incapacitated as Cap gets up to protect him, leading to an iconic shot taken right from the comics:

Then, we get to the finale.

Iron Man beats Cap by analyzing his fighting style. He goes under his guard and breaks it, beating Cap into submission. Cap refuses to stay down, though, and Iron Man prepares to incapacitate him. Bucky stalls him, though, long enough for Cap to grab Iron Man and throw him to the ground.

He gets on top and wails on him. He grabs his shield and breaks off his helmet.

For a very, very brief second, Tony looks at Steve. Then, Steve raises his shield.

Tony protects his neck and face. Steve goes for his arc reactor. The swelling music reaches a solemn note, then turns into a deeply tragic symphony.

The look that they give each other is telling.

Tony believed that Steve, his friend and teammate, would kill him. That moment, that brief second where he defends himself in vain, is the moment when the trust between them is broken. That is the moment the Avengers are truly broken.

And that’s why I love that scene.

It’s not political. It’s not cosmic. It’s not big and grand or amazing. It’s personal. Deeply, honestly personal.

It’s two friends who stuck by each other despite their arguments and disagreements reaching a head and losing it all. There aren’t any winners. There are only losers.

The fight doesn’t even truly end. When Steve starts to leave, Tony tries to get a final jab in, claiming he doesn’t deserve the shield. It’s not his to keep. It was made by Howard Stark, not Steve Rogers.

And Steve, who has worn red, white, and blue on his uniform and shield for most of his life, drops the shield.

Everything that both sides put into the fight has failed them. Iron Man’s belief in accountability became null and void when Secretary Ross refused to believe his allegations of Bucky’s framing. Cap’s belief in responsibility failed him when he inadvertently got his friends imprisoned for following him.

There is no victory. No triumph. No heroes in the end. Just the solemn truth that these aren’t gods, just people. Humans. Flawed and all.

It’s a lesson I take to heart when writing, because the characters that we relate to aren’t the infallible heroes living power fantasies. It’s the very human characters that struggle and endure, that mess up and make amends.

So, uh, thanks for coming to my TEDtalk. Uh, make sure you check out that Youtube playlist. All those Youtubers are great and excellent at their craft. Their analysis of storytelling, structure, characterization, and what not is exceptional in a way I hope to match some day.

Anyways, have a great day! Also, Happy Earth Day!

[silverducks]

Avengers: Endgame

So, what can happen next to the Asgardians? Spoilers below.

Alright, so it's been driving me nuts trying to fix the way Endgame screwed over the Thor franchise. More details of just why I think that are in my other posts about Endgame, also with spoilers. But so much just didn't make sense... Like how can you fix something so riddled with plot holes? But you know what, if the actual canon can time travel and not obey it's own rules, why can't my fix it? 

And for me, a fix it isn't complete without doing *something* to fix the way they killed off Loki in IW. Because it was stupid. Not the sacrifice, Loki accepting who he was etc, but the fact that someone so clever he was coined God of Mischief and Silvertongue could think he had any chance of trying to trick Thanos and killing him with a conjured knife.

So, whilst I refuse to get my hopes up (too much) that Marvel will right the wrong they did to the Thor franchise, (and it would take an awful lot to fix the way they treated the Asgardians!) here's my idea on how they could (and very likely won't) fix it. 

But there is a Loki show confirmed, more Thor likely in GotG and a possible Thor 4, so something can happen, right?

It's pretty full of plot holes, but as the canon was too, why not?

So, Loki used the Tesseract to sneak off, creating a different timeline where Thor came looking for him. He goes off and has a bit of freedom, chills down (as this is post Avengers 1 Loki after all), then starts digging around and playing with his space stone. He uses it to go back into the main film verse timeline, (it travels through space, why not time realities too) thus causing that other timeline to end (ie, no Thor still looking for his escaped brother.) He can come back at any point, but he kinda needs something to help him in that awesome redemption arc he had, so he's kinda chaos good/neutral. 

Anyway, whenever he comes back, Loki is smart and patient, so he waits and watches his other self and kinda knows, being clever ya know, that he cannot get involved, as hard as that is. But he's also there when the Asgardian ship gets attacked (maybe he was there and helped his other self come back in the Dark World...) and then, he confronts his other self and, as there are two now (as we had two Nebula's interact, why not). They realise one has to now sacrifice themselves. Bonus if Dr Strange shows up, after seeing what had to happen, and either tells Loki at the scene with the Asgardian shipwreck, or when Loki was "falling" in that vortex Strange created for him in Ragnarok, that things have to work out just 1 way...

Anyway, there's two Loki's, they realise they must sacrifice one to push the events involving Thor in motion, so either one (I think it could work with either tbh, but slight edge on the new Loki biting the dust so we don't lose Loki's awesome redemption arc.) And that's why Loki "sacrifices" himself - he knows it's the only way, but that he actually doesn't kinda die too... (And yes, this is the kinda intricate easter eggs spanning loads of films coming together plot I wanted to be a part of Endgame.)

Anyhoo, none dead Loki has this other Tesseract, which he uses to escape, but he knows (from Dr Strange) he has to stay hidden so he does his bit from the sidelines, fighting Thanos' bad guys where he can. And it's really hard seeing his brother so broken, but he knows he has to stay away. And like all this happens in the Loki TV show.

Fast forward to the end of Endgame, maybe even GotG 3, Thor's semi found himself again and Loki can finally show up and meet Thor. And at some point this morphs into the 4th Thor film. (C'mon Marvel, you know you want to, if only for all the pronouncing Thor 4 jokes.) Causing Thor to finally stop running and get his act together. But in the time Loki's been hiding, he's been busy digging and playing with the space stone. The stone that rebuilt the Rainbow Bridge after all, and they find a way to use it - maybe even pick up that Ether stone (finally ending the question of just why Loki gave the Ether to the Collector) and they use them, and maybe another stone or two, to rebuild a proper new Asgard, in space, maybe even using elements of the old Asgard... They fight a few baddies along the way, and Asgard isn't really the same, but it's something to call their own rather than the silly, quaint fishing village as a final resting place.

So ultimately Thor 4 ends the way the Thor franchise should end, with Thor as King, Loki now happy to be a councellor at his brother's side as they continue to rebuild and regrow Asgard, because the Asgardians are like all super strong immortal beings and they need their own place in the universe. And it ends with them both looking forwards to the future with hope... Afterall, Ragnarok is also a cycle of re-birth (and perhaps an excuse for Thor yet again regressing and coming back to himself again.)

And bonus points if Jane and Sif can be there, because I just ship Thor/Jane ok. And Loki/Sif, but that's kinda just an absurd hope on top of all absurd hopes. Although Sif being part of the whole Loki TV show thing, even platonically, would be icing on the cake - maybe she's even the one to find him in his alternative timeline and helps bring things about - and why Sif was missing from Thor 3 onwards. Idk, why not given how impossible plot holes became canon in Endgame. 

And so it'll explain why Loki had so little screentime in Avengers 3 and 4, why he was so cryptic in his clues in his scene in IW (which currently make even less sense than after IW.) His whole story is being played out in the TV show, because it'll need a long time, and many side adventures etc, to pan out. And more Loki, so all good. (Although the humour and awkward feels of Loki fighting with the Avengers against Thanos would have been amazing!) And it meant that Endgame could stay about the Avengers, and Loki's part in it all explained later. And why they can just about get away with Thor's regression, because seeing his brother again and finding a way to rebuild his home and help his people enables him to make one last character development and finally become the King he is, not the King he thought he should be. (Frigga and her words of wisdom and unconditional love for him was brilliant btw, though nothing excuses Thor as the butt of the jokes.)

So there, my very inplausible, clutching at straws, never actually gonna happen, fix it for Thor and Loki and the Asgardians. And I'm sure I'll change my mind soon, but this is my idea on how things could still be ok for the Asgardians...

Another theory I just had is based on the idea I read on a post somewhere where they just catch Loki again. Therefore righting the timeline and leaving no alternative reality Loki. But for me, because he had the Tesseract and disappeared off for a while, he could have gotten up to allsorts, including living out along his time line. He could have lived all the way to the end of it, saw what happened, still had a meeting with Dr Strange so knowing he had to die and then agree to go back with Dr Strange's/ time machine whatver helpand be captured again, righting the timeline. But he left an ace up his sleeve, so he really isn't dead, and the fast forward post Endgame with meeting Thor again and rebuilding Asgard could still happen...

I do think the fact that they've confirmed Loki's TV show won't be ongoing at least adds some weight to it covering the period from him getting that Tesseract in the Endgame version of Avengers 1, to him meeting up again with Thor in a 4th Thor film...

I gotta have something to help me recover from Endgame after all. And if inplausible time travel, wibbly wobbly timey wimey can happen actually in canon, why not? 

#I need something to help me imagine it's all actually ok # Because Endgame just was not.

[hauntedskeletonmoon]

DAY TWENTY-ONE: SILENT HILL 2

This year—the month of November, to be exact—marks the ten-year anniversary of the first time I played what is probably the greatest horror game ever made and a strong contender for the greatest overall horror story ever conceived. When I write recommendations for this blog I try to stick to media that’s easily accessible: books still in print or in the public domain, movies on streaming services, etc. I’m making an exception for this entry for personal reasons, and also because I’ve been itching to write something more serious than a shitpost about Silent Hill 2.

The strange, fungal growth of video game technology means that the nuts and bolts of Silent Hill 2’s construction were rendered obsolete long ago. Like Night of the Living Dead and Psycho, the plot has been so copied and spoiled by other properties as to seem predictable or even disappointing to the casual newcomer. The voice acting is stilted and the puzzles are needlessly complicated. 

And yet…and yet. James Sunderland’s journey into hell has informed so much of how I approach horror media and how I write my own fiction that I hardly know where to begin. There are a lot of things I cared deeply about at age seventeen that I never even think about at twenty-seven. I still think about Silent Hill 2. It persists. Maybe in another ten years I’ll feel differently but right now I count this as the most influential work of fiction I’ve ever consumed. Silent Hill 2 is the perfect distillation of grief in horror and the horror in grief. H.P. Lovecraft put forth that the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear. I think the oldest feeling is that of grief. Rather than just the fear of one’s own death, I think the root of all great horror is the simple truth that you will outlive your loved ones or they will outlive you. 

James and Mary were husband and wife. They married young, if the game manual is considered canon, and once took a vacation in a quiet resort town called Silent Hill. It was the last place where they were happy. Mary contracted a terminal respiratory illness and died, still young, bedbound and in agony. Three years after her death, James receives a letter from her, the text of which I’ve had committed to memory for the last decade: 

In my restless dreams, I see that town. Silent Hill. You promised you’d take me there again someday. But you never did. Well, I’m alone there now…in our special place…waiting for you…

From this point onward there will be spoilers for Silent Hill 2.

James is the only player character in the Silent Hill franchise who goes to this town entirely of his own volition. He isn’t following someone who he knows is there or fleeing an external threat or transported there through black magic. James goes to Silent Hill because…why? Because he got a letter? His wife is dead. He knows this. He tells this to the few other people he finds in town. If he expects to meet her ghost he never says as much. Unlike other protagonists, as soon as he arrives in town the road does not collapse behind him. He is not bound by supernatural restrictions. If the player tries to make James leave Silent Hill he will refuse. If you are so motivated, you can make him run all the way back through town, through the back roads, through the woods, all the way back to the dingy abandoned rest stop where he abandoned his car with the front door still open. Nothing will reach out to grab you. No trap doors will open. There’s a clear path back to the outside world but James will never follow it. 

If you’re paying attention to how the story unfolds—if you read the game like an attentive reader with a layered text—it’s not at all difficult to guess what’s going to happen or what happened before James returned to the site of his last vacation with Mary. The truth is only a surprise if you really desperately want to believe that the physical appearance of the town and the creatures within it is totally arbitrary and meaningless. Silent Hill the town is a thing in itself, a thing separate from the broken souls that pass through it, but it also shows people what they feel they deserve. An observant player would wonder why almost all the monsters attack James by trying to choke him or why they evoke diseased, feminine forms. Why the few other people he meets in town accuse him of having done something terrible. Why the text of Mary’s letter fades and then vanishes. 

Of course Mary didn’t really die three years ago. The only really certain things are that she’s dead and that James is the one who killed her. She got sick three years ago, or she took a turn for the worse. It’s not clear how long she suffered, both her and her husband knowing that she would never get well, but it wasn’t until she was sent home from the hospital—when there was nothing more the doctors could do for her—that James pulled the pillow from under Mary’s head and smothered her with it. 

James goes back to Silent Hill because he wants to die. It was the last place where they were happy. He leaves his car with the door open because he’s not planning on coming back. He doesn’t persist in his search in spite of the monsters trying to kill him but because of them. He says at one point late in the game that he would never kill himself, and I don’t think he’s lying when he says that. James wants to be punished; he wants someone else to do it for him, and Silent Hill is more than able to conjure up the necessary demons. Maybe he doesn’t feel he has the right to take his own life: to make that choice, after he made the choice for Mary. Maybe he just needs a little push. 

This entry has proven more difficult to write than I expected. I haven’t even touched upon the other characters, or the sound design, or the red/green color-coding and the doubling that both hearken back to Vertigo, or any one of a number of marvelous aspects of this game. There’s so much more I could talk about but I’m going to stop myself here. That’s all, folks. That’s all for now.

[thedeadflag]

@dreamsheartstory​ said:  if you find any good sci fi, let me know… it’s so rare…

It really is. For a genre that has so much potential, it rarely makes the small screen without being corralled into a few very specific tropes (sci-fi cop procedural is so, so overdone, but I’m desperate haha)

Still, this is what I’ve watched over the past...3 years? 3 years, yeah. At least, the notable ones, not including the obvious big name Netflix marvel shows, Sense 8, orphan black, etc..

SOME MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

The Expanse:

Harder sci-fi. Essentially, it’s the future, where humanity expanded across the system, and Mars split off to do their own thing after a civil war. The people working on “the belt”... as in the asteroid belt and other such unsavory places and stations...are the clear have-nots and are generally abused at will by both Earth and Mars, and the show starts where tensions are at an all-time high, with the belt a hair’s trigger away from revolt, and the Earth/Mars tensions coming to a head

Great casting, the crew of the Roci is fantastic. Though Thomas Jane is...a Thomas Jane character. He’s such a perfect fit for Miller, because Miller checks all the boxes for his strengths, and hides his weaknesses well enough in the flaws of the character. So i can’t blame the show for that, but I hate looking at his face. Still, the casting is just top notch. And they have Shohreh Aghdashloo, who is always fantastic, and Frankie Adams pops onto the scene in S2 and does quite well. Essentially, casting = A+

Only real complaint is that i read the book, and there’s a pansexual lady character that is exceptional and amazing and I love her and her mouth of a sailor. The show cut that and made her more passive and scared in S2, which is bullshit, and led me to stop watching because I was furious at that decision, but in the end, it’s still absolutely 100% worth watching. If just for the Roci crew alone and the endless shenanigans they get into (and sometimes out of)

Binge-worthy. Pacing of the first two episodes is a bit inconsistent, but they’re covering an absurd amount of ground, so that’s expected.

Killjoys:

Lighthearted space-faring sci-fi, set in a totally built from the ground up universe. It slowly leaks out the lore as to not jeopardize the general tone of the show. However, it does turn serious for stretches.

Easily binge-worthy. Takes 3 episodes to get momentum, but after that, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

My only real quibble is with the origins of Dutch. We get a hint of her growing up essentially as property, abused into being a living weapon/assassin, before we get a good read of the world, and that...really comes off as a bit exploitative, given she’s a woc. 

The ship is an A+ lovable sassy ladybug

Dark Matter:

A bit “harder” sci-fi than Killjoys, but it has its lighthearted moments

Super super slow burn. I finished the first season and only then did I really start to dig my claws into the show. It’s slow. 

That said, interesting lore, and the overarching series of narratives are solid and worthwhile, they just take an egregiously long time to lift-off.

There’s apparently wlw content in season 3. I haven’t finished S2 yet, but I’m hoping it’s solid.

Westworld:

Western meets Wizard of Oz featuring Anthony Hopkins with an old west fetish. Set far off in the future. There are, like, androids and stuff

I didn’t get through it since western shows give me the creeps, but most of my friends who watched it says it was pretty great. I only watched the first episode, but the acting and cinematography and music were all very well done.

Ascension:

A sci fi mystery, set in a space-ship, if that space-ship was sort of like one of the Bunkers in the fallout games, full of people from the 50s.

The show is not without its warts, but it’s a miniseries (so it’s not long), and it’s surprisingly well done.  Doesn’t cover all the themes it brings up with the greatest nuance or skill, but I’d wager it’s probably worth a watch? 

The OA:

Another mystery! Sci-fi in the vein of alien abduction and strange abilities.

It’s kind of surrealistic? It makes you pay attention, and if you slip up, you’ll probably miss out on something. There’s a decent chunk of content mashed into those surprisingly few episodes.

Didn’t like that it robbed a character of a disability. I think it would have worked just as well with the character still being blind. They could have made it work. 

Trans guy rep in this show, which was a plus

American Gods:

I’m not sure if this counts? It kinda counts. I’m saying it counts. It mixes sci-fi and fantasy. 

I haven’t finished this yet, mostly just because it’s hard to find torrents that aren’t tracked by the network. My ISP is okay with me getting one or two notices a month, but past that, it’s tricky, and I can’t afford a good VPN, so I’m playing the waiting game for a bit.

Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane were fantastic in the episodes I did see. The show is, if nothing else, visceral and beautifully shot.

3%:

Sci-fi in the vein of Hunger Games, but a better premise, and better executed

I only managed to get it with the dubbed audio, so that was flat out atrocious and made me weep over the injustice

Still, despite the absolutely grating audio, I pushed through that and enjoyed much of the rest of the show. it’s solid. Not, like, the best show out there, but it does what it does well, it covers its themes well, and the visual elements of the acting seemed strong.

Find the sub-titled version with the original language (portugese iirc?) audio. I think that’s available on Netflix now, or at least Netflix USA, from what I understand.

12 Monkeys:

It’s a police procedural time jumping sci-fi with a dystopian, post-apoc future.

It’s okay. Nothing special. The two leads really do try to put the show on their back, btu the writing’s not real strong. Watchable, but lots of plot holes, plot armor, and writers shoehorning in sudden/coincidental events out of nowhere to increase tension. if you want something to watch for background noise, or maybe if you want a procedural show and have checked out the others already, maybe this will be for you.

Agents of Shield:

Superhero-based sci-fi

First season is slow and full of filler because they were waiting for that Captain America Winter Soldier movie to come out before tying their show in with the events. There are guides to watching the first season. I thought it was all decently fine, and good writing alla round, there’s just too many episodes that season to justify the few meaningful narrative events.

Season 2 has Dichen Lachman. The final half of that season character-assassinates her (and the other inhumans) to provide the show a late-hour villain to root against. I hated that. It’s the weakest season, thankfully, and I’m sure there are watch-guides to skipping through that because...

Shit gets real in season 3, and it’s worth watching even outside of S1-2, I’d even rec skipping those if there wans’t so much character-building in those 2 seasons. The writing is better, the acting is better from S3 onward. There’s still some fumbling of themes, but not to the degree of the previous seasons. Same with Season 4, where it arguably has it’s greatest few episodes. Ends with a brief Hydra-AU arc that IMO is skippable, but some adored it. I didn’t, but eh.

Colony:

Harder sci-fi. Aliens invaded and swiftly won. Now they’re ruling us from a distance, using human figureheads to do so. Really neat lore, and worldbuilding.

Unfortunately, it’s the most frustrating sci-fi show i’ve seen in years, because the male cop lead always has a gut feeling that always aligns with what the revolutionaries are planning, so he always intercepts them. And they get unbelievable plot armor to escape the writers’ ham-handed tension-building, ensuring the writers don’t pay any consequences for the shitty bullshit they keep pulling over and over.

If you can take that sort of crap, and care enough about worldbuilding/lore/etc., then go for it. There’s definite value, and things improve greatly in season 2. But my lord, season 1 is so frustrating.

Person of Interest:

You’ve probably watched this one

Hard sci-fi in the vein of "Hey, maybe writing a secret intelligent AI is just a really bad idea” *five minutes later* “Oh no what have we done”

It’s a really bad idea.

But we get fun police procedural moments out of it, because John is solid, and Carter & Root & Shaw & Bear are excellent. 

Bear is best.

The show has watch guides for getting through the first season, and parts of S2. 

Avoid the final 3 episodes of the series. Maybe the final season altogether. Otherwise fantastic and heartwrenching stuff.

The Last Ship:

Naval Adventure to Rebuild the World After a Rampant MegaVirus sci-fi

Surprisingly decent for a show that’s basically funded entirely by the American Navy.

Just keep in mind that there will be shitty patriotism bits of bullshit tossed in here and there, and there won’t be so much shock when those bits show up.

First two seasons play out like a mix of The Hunt for Red October and Jesus Camp. It’s bizarre, but sometimes it works? Rhona Mitra and Christina Elmore are probably the reasons for that. And Dichen Lachman is in S3 and she doesn’t die, so that’s a plus.

It definitely has its dips into shit-tier quality, and self-righteous bullshittery, especially in S3.

But it also handles a national political arc halfway decently for a sci-fi show in S3. 

Anywho, this is good for, like, background watching? Or low-intensity, low-effort watching. In that context, it’s a good enough show.

The Leftovers:

Three seasons of super depressing and heart-wrenching drama with sci-fi at its core (huge amounts of people vanish one day...the show is about the world finding out how to move on, what ti all means)

Excellent acting. Top notch. Like, some of the best on TV. Some stunning stuff.

The show only gets better. I didn’t like the first half of S1, it’s very slow and arduous, but it’s worth it. 

Not very sci-fi, at least not until S3, but still. It works with sci-fi elements and it’s a very thoughtful, smart show.

Wayward Pines:

It’s sci-fi in the vein of Under the Dome, but it manages to be even worse somehow don’t ask me how

Oh my god don’t watch this, the cast does not make up for it, they flounder in atrocious writing. i’m only mentioning this here because it’s just so bad, don’t waste your time like I did.

That’s...well, the stuff that’s not far below mediocre.

[supercoolgamesstuff-blog]

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

New Post has been published on https://www.coolgamingzone.com/the-geeks-guide-to-movies-in-2020-6/

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

With 2020 looking to be a great year for video games, we wanted to look ahead at all of the movies plotted out for the new year. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a state of refresh following the cataclysmic events of Endgame and Star Wars is taking a breather on the heels of The Rise of Skywalker, there are plenty of films in nerd culture to look forward to this year.

Check out our list below and start planning which ones you’re going to leave the comfort of your house for, and which you’ll probably wait until they’re streaming to see.

Winter

Dolittle – January 17

We’ve previously seen the likes of Eddie Murphy and Rex Harrison take up the role of Dr. Dolittle from the Hugh Lofting children’s books, and now we get to see how Robert Downey Jr. handles the role of the doctor who gains the ability to communicate with animals. Downey is joined by Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen as live-action actors, while a star-studded cast with the likes of Rami Malek, John Cena, Emma Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Selena Gomez, and more handling the animal voices. Fans of Marvel movies will even be able to enjoy a psuedo-reunion between Iron Man and Spider-Man, as Tom Holland plays Jip, a dog who wears glasses.

Bad Boys for Life – January 17

Nearly 17 years later, the long-awaited conclusion to the Bad Boys film trilogy is finally here. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return for one last action-packed showdown, this time taking on a cartel mob boss before retiring from their jobs at the police department.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – February 7

The prevailing notion of 2016’s Suicide Squad is that while it wasn’t a great film, Margot Robbie does an excellent job giving Harley Quinn her live-action silver-screen debut. While 2021 will bring a new take on the Suicide Squad with a mix of new and returning cast members, in the meantime, Robbie returns as Harley in Birds of Prey. The storyline follows the crazed clown princess after she breaks up with Joker. However, she hasn’t completely escaped trouble, as Black Mask (played by Ewan McGregor) starts stirring things up. This film promises appearances from other beloved female superheroes like Black Canary, Huntress, and more, but according to Robbie, we shouldn’t expect to see Jared Leto’s Joker appear at all.

Sonic the Hedgehog – February 14

After outrage ensued following the reveal of the original design of Sonic the Hedgehog for the upcoming live-action film, Paramount pushed the release back to February 14, 2020 to create the version of Sega’s iconic blue hedgehog you see above. In addition to Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic, the live-action cast features James Marsden as Sonic’s friend Tom and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. In typical Sonic fashion, the story revolves around collecting rings and stopping Robotnik from conquering the world. Here’s hoping it can defy the odds and continue the trends set by live-action, game-inspired properties like Detective Pikachu of delivering an enjoyable end-product.

Onward – March 6

As the magic-using power of society diminishes thanks to the convenience of science, two teenage brothers set out on an adventure to recapture the abilities their world once wielded in order to save their father. This Pixar adventure stars Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more.

Bloodshot – March 13

While Marvel and DC may reign supreme in the comic-book movie world, Valiant Comics is trying its hand at producing a blockbuster based on its property. Vin Diesel already looks and sounds (and has a name) like a comic-book character, but to this point, he’s been relegated to voicing a single line of dialogue for a sentient tree in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bloodshot brings him out of the voice booth and into the spotlight as the eponymous technologically augmented killing machine on a quest for vengeance.

A Quiet Place: Part II – March 20

The tense first part, which stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, delivered a compelling and daunting tale of a family trying to survive in a world invaded by blind extra-terrestrial hunters who will tear anything they hear to shreds. Krasinski returns to the director’s chair once more, with Blunt joining the remaining cast in front of the camera.

Mulan – March 27

Disney’s live-action remakes with Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King have consisted of varying degrees of quality, but everything of Mulan looks terrific. Those familiar with the source material will revel in seeing iconic scenes recreated in stunning live-action sequences, while the uninitiated will be able to enjoy the tale of Hua Mulan overcoming obstacles put in her way as a result of the Imperial Chinese Army’s perception of women as she strives to join the ranks of the military in place of her ailing father.

Spring

The New Mutants – April 3

Though Disney is poised to absorb the X-Men property into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a part of its acquisition of Fox, the final 20th Century Fox Marvel film is set to release this April. The New Mutants was originally supposed to be a jumping off point for a trilogy based on the comics of the same name, but with the acquisition and Disney likely already putting things in motion to bring mutants and the X-Men into the nearly all-encompassing MCU, we’re not so sure how this fits into the Marvel puzzle.

No Time to Die – April 10

Daniel Craig takes up the mantle of 007 for the fifth time in No Time to Die. This time, he’s opposite Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Until Dawn star Rami Malek. The story centers on a post-retirement James Bond who, predictably, gets sucked back into the secret agent lifestyle through the abduction of an important scientist.

Black Widow – May 1

After the events of last year’s climactic Avengers: Endgame (and the wrap up in Spider-Man: Far From Home), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has slowed down just a bit while it readies the stage for its next major narrative arc. Despite being set immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow is said to serve as the jumping-off point for the next phase of the MCU. Whether that comes in the form of villain Taskmaster or some other way remains to be seen, but it will be great to finally see Natasha Romanoff take the spotlight for a long overdue solo film.

Scoob! – May 15

This origin story tells the tale (tail?) of how Scooby-Doo met the Mystery Inc. gang. With movie posters featuring puppy Scooby-Doo and the film possessing an endearing computer-generated art style, Scoob! looks like a cute and fun adventure for theater-goers of all ages. Throw in a voice cast featuring Will Forte, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong, and Mark Wahlburg, and you can see the studio is hoping to create something more than simply another adventure with these beloved characters.

Fast & Furious 9 – May 22

For a series that started as a story about Paul Walker and Vin Diesel racing cars illegally at night with an occasional high-speed truck heist, the recent movies sure veer closer to the superhero genre than anything else. Who knows what we’ll see in the ninth mainline entry of the series: Tanks flying through the sky? Cars backflipping over bodies of water? Vin Diesel punching through a nuclear reactor? Sure. Why not? None of the plot matters, but that doesn’t mean these movies aren’t relentlessly entertaining thrill rides, and we can’t wait for the next entry. Oh, this one has John Cena and Cardi B.

Artemis Fowl – May 29

Based on the books from Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year-old genius who comes from a family of brilliant criminals. However, when his father mysteriously vanishes, Artemis must investigate the disappearance, which kicks off an adventure. Disney has brought in a supporting cast that features Judi Dench, Josh Gad, and more to help tell the story.

Summer

Wonder Woman 1984 – June 5

As the sequel to the best film in the DC Extended Universe, Wonder Woman 1984 has lofty expectations placed on it by fans. Gal Gadot has shown to be the perfect casting for Diana Prince, and with Wonder Woman set to face off against both Maxwell Lord and Cheetah with a 1980s backdrop, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most anticipated DC live-action films in years.

Soul – June 19

Pixar makes this list for the second time with Soul, a film that features Tina Fey, Jamie Foxx, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs in both writer and voice-actor roles. The story is set to tell the tale of an aspiring jazz musician whose soul gets separated from his body. The dynamic duo of Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor are set to provide the score in what is sure to be a crowd-pleasing animated film.

Top Gun: Maverick – June 26

Set 30 years after the events of Top Gun, Maverick looks to do for the Top Gun series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Top Gun: Maverick places a keen focus on Maverick, reprised by Tom Cruise. With a story that involves the son of Maverick’s late best friend Goose, and Val Kilmer returning to the role of Iceman, this sequel has all the nostalgic trappings fans of the original are likely looking for.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – July 10

Set 30 years after the events of Ghostbusters II, Afterlife looks to do for the Ghostbusters series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. As you might expect, much of the core original cast returns in unknown capacities, but we’re just excited to see Bill Murray as Peter Venkman once again – we just hope he has a bigger role in Afterlife than Luke Skywalker had in The Force Awakens.

Purge – July 10

With creator James DeMonaco saying the 2020 entry will be the final entry in the series, those who have been following the franchise are hoping the team can close it out in a satisfying manner. Unfortunately, not many details are available at the moment, but Everardo Gout is set to direct.

Tenet – July 17

Christopher Nolan films always garner a certain level of attention, but Tenet was off many fans’ radars until IMAX theatergoers were treated to an extended Prologue for the film before screenings of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. A secret agent with the ability to time travel must use his powers to prevent World War III in what is sure to be a mind-bending, action-packed film that hits way too close to home in 2020.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie – July 17

After the success of The Simpson’s Movie, Fox hopes to effectively transition another one of its beloved animated series to the silver screen with Bob’s Burgers: The Movie. The voice cast from the popular show returns for what is being described as a “musical comedy.”

Jungle Cruise – July 24

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt headline the newest Disney film to be based on a Disney ride – hey, it worked for Pirates of the Caribbean. The group heads out into the jungle in search of the Tree of Life while avoiding dangerous wildlife and racing a rival expedition.

Morbius – July 31

Jared Leto may not be in the Birds of Prey film, but that doesn’t mean comic book fans will be completely deprived of his acting. The Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman and (former?) Joker actor steps into the role of Michael Morbius in the newest film in Sony’s Marvel Universe based on the characters surrounding Spider-Man.

Bill & Ted Face the Music – August 21

Set 30 years after the events of Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Bill & Ted Face the Music looks to do for the Bill & Ted series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. This August, Keanu Reeves will take some time out of running around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 with us to join Alex Winter on yet another nostalgic time-travel romp.

Fall

Monster Hunter – September 4

If Capcom has demonstrated one thing with its loose game-to-film adaptations, it’s that it loves Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich. The spousal combo that ran and starred in the Resident Evil films respectively returns to similar roles in Monster Hunter. Milla Jovovich stars as Natalie Artemis, a captain in the United Nations military team. Her team falls into a portal that leads to an alternate world full of giant monsters, and the adventure begins to save Earth from the invading beasts. Did I mention it’s only loosely based on the games?

The King’s Man – September 18

A prequel to the over-the-top action franchise Kingsman, The King’s Man tells the story of a man who must stop a group of history’s worst tyrants and criminals in order to save the world from a devastating war. If you’ve seen the first two movies, you probably have an idea of what to expect, but having it set in the early 1900s and starring a completely different cast gives us something new to look forward to.

Venom 2 – October 2

Two years after one of Spider-Man’s biggest rivals kicked off Sony’s Spider-Man-less SpiderVerse, Venom is back for a direct sequel. Tom Hardy returns to the role of Eddie Brock, while Woody Harrelson looks to deliver on the post-credit tease of his interpretation of the popular and brutal villain Carnage. Additionally, rumors have circulated that Tom Holland could have a small role in the film, which would connect Spidey (and potentially the MCU) to the Sony SpiderVerse.

Snake Eyes – October 16

The G.I. Joe film franchise has been dormant since Retaliation in 2013, so it would make sense to bring it back with a prequel film telling the origin story of one of the most popular characters in the series. Previously played by Darth Maul actor Ray Park, the titular character is now portrayed by Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding.

The Eternals – November 6

While Black Widow kicks off Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in May, The Eternals looks to continue it by telling an extraordinarily different kind of story. Taking place over the course of multiple millennia, theatergoers will learn about this immortal alien race created by the Celestials. The Eternals also signals the entry point to the MCU for several high-profile actors including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kit Harrington.

Holiday

Godzilla vs. Kong – November 20

Legendary’s MonsterVerse comes to a head with Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth film in the franchise. Bringing the Godzilla that has starred in 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters face to face with the King Kong from 2017’s Kong: Skull Island should be an exciting cinematic affair for those who love kaiju films. The human actors are often meant to convey that everyone is afraid and things are out of control, and Legendary has tasked Alexander Skarsgård and Millie Bobby Brown in those roles.

Dune – December 18

Based on the classic novel of the same name, Dune adapts the first half of the iconic science-fiction book with a star-studded cast. Those who watch the film will see the novel brought to life by actors like Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Stallan Skarsgård.

West Side Story – December 18

The beloved musical gets a modern interpretation. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, this story of forbidden love is said to follow the original script more closely than the 1961 film many know.

Coming 2 America – December 18

Set 30 years after the events of Coming to America, Coming 2 America looks to do for the Coming to America series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Eddie Murphy returns to star, joined by a star-studded cast featuring Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Wesley Snipes, James Earl Jones, and more.

Tom and Jerry – December 23

The timeless and iconic dynamic of Tom and Jerry makes its way to the big screen just in time to close out the year. This time, the classic animated series joins the trend of animated characters joining the live-action world. It will be interesting to see how the eternal game of cat and mouse translates to this latest cinematic trend this holiday season.

For our list of the games coming out in 2020, check out our constantly updated list.

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[waringout-blog]

The Most Important & Definitive MCU Ranking, Probably

Come one, come all, and witness my subjective attempt at objectivity! The Marvel Cinematic Universe, whether appreciated or disavowed by fan or critic, is an ever present entry into the canon of film history and the cultural zeitgeist. With multiple MCU films releasing every single year between now and the end of time, there is no denying the sway these films hold over the Western cultural conscience and the conversations about the film industry, art, and fandom that they encourage. I have found in creating my ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that list-making is an ephemeral practice in the subjective. Better yet, my making of this list has been a Sisyphean practice in futility, as I constantly revise these rankings based on the Marvel movie I’ve most recently viewed, or upon hearing a rousing argument from a friend, or some such constraint on my ability to establish objectivity in my arbitrary designations. Thus, I invite you to be my editors through this endless struggle. Here is my proposed draft of the MCU films, ranked from worst to best. Obviously, revision will be necessary as time moves ever onward, but if I am blatantly incorrect please let me know and we will collaborate together on some sort of truth in this cynical world. 

15) Thor: The Dark World

14) Iron Man 2

13) The Incredible Hulk

12) Iron Man 3

11) Avengers: Age of Ultron

10) Thor

9) Captain America: The First Avenger

8) Ant-Man

7) Doctor Strange

6) Captain America: Civil War

5) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is an endearingly warm film that returns to the cast of misfits that shattered the Marvel movie-making model. I’ve written about the film at length here, so I’ll keep the details brief. GotG Vol. 2 offers delightful moments of character and light-heartedness that is purely joyful. This movie is among the best that the MCU has to offer, and James Gunn, the director, continues to bring instinctive innovation to the superhero genre through wit, charm, and bad-assery. The Guardians of the Galaxy films nestle seamlessly between episodic space opera, a groovy soundtrack, and the most out-of-leftfield, off-beat superheroes that any studio has dreamed of. I left the screening of GotG Vol. 2 full of adrenaline and the largest, cheesiest grin beheld upon an apathetic college student’s face.

4) Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America is the MCU’s most iconic superhero among its current roster. In 2008, Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man was the catalyst of this growing film universe and a symbol of all that is excellent of that which followed. Unfortunately, the Iron Man sequels set precedent for the lack of imagination and/or execution that has defined MCU sequels (most will argue in favor of Iron Man 3, but I was largely unimpressed and haven’t revisited it since the first time). Robert Downey Jr. remains grounded as the inimitable Tony Stark, but unfortunately his charm is unable to sustain the unsavory sequels. This is not the case for Captain America, whose films continue to supersede the original one. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is bold and exciting, giving the audience an engaging plot, magnificent characters, and some of the most stylized and provocative action sequences within the MCU. While Captain America is often one-dimensional as an individual, his inclusion in the Avengers helps anchor the entire series. Everything that the character represents is reflected upon his fellow heroes and pushes them beyond what they are ordinarily capable of. It is Cap’s lack of cynicism, apathy, or arrogance that also inspires the audience to be better versions of themselves. Robert Downey Jr. laid the foundation of success upon which the MCU was built, but it is Captain America’s shadowing presence that bolsters it.

3) Iron Man

I continually return to the word iconic because it represents how the MCU has infiltrated the American consciousness through their ability to embed themselves within the cultural zeitgeist. This relevance is created in moments of gravity and inspiration so profound they cannot be ignored. Marvel Studio’s creation of Iron Man and their decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. brought about the emergence of a new brand of filmmaking and iconicized superhero movies forever. Marvel Studios, under the guiding vision of Kevin Feige, set upon tempered waters by taking one of their lesser known characters (one of the few they still retained movie rights for) and turning him into the foundation of their franchise. Feige set out to emulate comic books by creating serialized movies for audiences to track with and enjoy, as they attempted to streamline these heroes’ stories into an overarching narrative. At the time, there was no precedent for this type of universe building. The producers, working for the nominally independent Marvel Studios, were staking their claim in the tepid milieu of superhero filmmaking. The fact that Robert Downey Jr., a recovering addict humbly working his way back into the goodwill of Hollywood, acted as the impetus propelling the property into what it is today was an outlandish gamble. This bold vision paid off though, and Iron Man was both a financial and critical success. Nowadays, Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr. are synonymous with the MCU. This is most evident in Iron Man’s inclusion in both Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming, and while I argue that Cap now carries the torch for the franchise, he does so piggybacking on the success of Tony Stark and his super-suit. Iron Man loses steam towards the end, specifically as they rush the story towards its inevitable and calamitous conclusion, but the overall design, effects, and plot are well realized and the perfect entry into this mammoth franchise. Audiences would not have been introduced to this vast universe of characters nor been taught the idea that “we are Groot”, had Marvel Studios, and subsequently Tony Stark, not had the audacity to proclaim, “I am Iron Man.” 

2) The Avengers

This movie feels like a laborious day’s work coming to a close; as the hours wind down and the body’s strength weens, there is a sense of relief and accomplishment at the sight of a job well done. By the time Marvel’s The Avengers released in 2012, four movies and four years had passed since Nick Fury, and subsequently Marvel Studios, hinted at the Avengers Initiative. Marvel had delivered a bombastic entry into their cinematic universe through Iron Man, but proceeded to produce two flops (The Incredible Hulk & Iron Man 2) and two mediocre entries (Thor & Captain America: The First Avenger), leaving fans to wonder what they were buying into . Franchise fatigue began to set in for the first time and fans started to wonder if this elaborate film industry experiment was beginning to be derailed. That’s not to say that these films weren’t successful and the general population wasn’t willing to see them at the box office, but the question remained as to whether this franchise would break the glass ceiling and become something greater. Fortunately, the anticipation of seeing the Avengers team up in a single movie liberated viewers from their cultural malaise. The Avengers succeeded in bringing these separate superheroes together on screen and followed through on Kevin Feige’s original vision for the coherent, overarching narratives of many films to assemble into a single story within the confines of a single film, much like the team ups featured in Marvel’s comic books. The film is able to converge these characters without losing their individuality and allows each hero the time needed to be effective. The Avengers also offers the greatest MCU villain to date in the unruly and sinister Loki, as a continuation of his previous entry in Thor. Villainy was, and always has been, a problem in the MCU, but Tom Hiddleston's Loki is constructed so well and transcends the typical contrivances, that he is able to deliver a menacing performance that places him in the same iconic lineup as Iron Man and Captain America. Since its reception, The Avengers has served as the mold from which all MCU films are now made. Regardless of rumblings of superhero ennui settling in once again among fans, the franchise filmmaking model established by The Avengers is not an indictment on the film itself, but an accolade and example of being the type of film that so firmly supplants itself into the cultural conversation. In an era almost compromised by tedium in superhero filmmaking, The Avengers proved that it was the most evocative superhero film of its time, and that despite cultural listlessness, the MCU was still able to excite and shatter viewers’ expectations. 

1) Guardians of the Galaxy

While considering Marvel’s The Avengers and its induction as the mold through which Marvel films are fitted, it is worthy to note that there are a few exceptions. Chief among them is Guardians of the Galaxy. Sure, it’s a superhero team-up movie that is both funny and action packed, but James Gunn took the Avenger model and notched it up to eleven. The film is daringly subversive and the heroes it displays are characters with whom audiences were widely unfamiliar with and unprepared for. Guardians strikes a delightful balance between irreverent and contemplative, and does so without paying attention to the conventions of other Marvel films. Expanding the cinematic universe into the galaxy and unveiling uncharted spatial and character territories quintessentially invigorated the franchise unlike any previous film. There was an unfettered joy in the creation of this film that translates perfectly into the experience of viewing it. It may be argued that Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers are tied for first or are out of order, but Guardians is just more delightful than any superhero movie that I have ever seen.

Please comment below and tell me how I’m wrong, or share it with your friends, solidifying my attempt at creating something pure and true. 

[for-gold-and-glory]

List of Weekly Events Dec 26 to Jan 2nd

Wednesday - G&G Weekly Event - Twinkling Terrorizing Treants - @8:30pm EST - Central Shroud Thursday - Garlean Weekly Event - Stop the Presses - @10:00pm EST - South Shroud Friday - The Golden Gala @ 8:00pm EST - The Gold Court, Ul’dah Saturday - Heavensturn Showcase @ 7pm EST - Mist Ward 10, Plot 38 Saturday - Alliance RP - A Timely Inspection @ 11:00pm EST - The Fringes Sunday - Imperial Shadow RP - X Marks the Spot @ 3pm EST - Kugane Monday Happy Gyuki Healing Clinic - 8:00-10:00pm EST - Shirogane, Ward 10, Plot 18 Tuesday - Shirogane Shogatsu Street Festival - 8:00 - 11:00pm EST- Shirogane, Ward 6, Akanzaka Markets

Wednesday - G&G Weekly Event - Twinkling Terrorizing Treants - @8:30pm EST - Central Shroud - An unusual client has beckoned the Gold & Glory to the Shroud. With the holiday season coming to a close, it’s time to start taking the decorations down, but one starlight tree is having NONE OF THIS and has gone on a rampage. Local Wood Wailers are staying clear for fear of the greenwrath, so its up to the adventures to put a stop to the twinkling treant’s tantrum of terror. Status: Open to G&G Adventurers and any non G&G that has a character that would be in the Shroud at the time. Walk-ups welcome. GM: Aegir Hlerson Thursday - Garlean Weekly Event - Stop the Presses - @10:00pm EST - South Shroud https://fustuarium.tumblr.com/ - An imperial who worked closely under Zenos yae Galvus threatens to relinquish some information regarding the Legatus that not only endangers the Empire but is also set to trash the propaganda they’re trying to press upon their own people. Is the target going to the Alliance with this tasty information? NO! They’re going to a member of the Eorzean press. Now it’s up to the Fustarium to stop him before he reaches his destination and run counter-intelligence against the reporter. Status: Open to Fustuarim RP members (accepting new members!) GM: Aegir Hlerson and X’tehra Algus Friday - The Golden Gala @ 8:00pm EST - The Gold Court, Ul’dah http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=21007 - An elegant party of music, dancing, and most of all gift giving. The Gold & Glory would like to end Starlight and ring in the new year in style. Please sign up for our White Oliphant Gift Stealing contest. Featuring the musical talents of Savo and WYNG! This is the third annual rendition of this event! Status: Open World RP - Check out the link if you’d like to sign up for the White Oliphant game. GM: Araceli Caillen, Aegir Hlerson, Hali Naras Saturday - Heavensturn Showcase @ 7pm EST - Mist Ward 10, Plot 38 http://for-gold-and-glory.tumblr.com/post/168769534335/fantasiaplayers-ffxiv-the-fantasia-players - The Fantasia Players welcomes all to the White Rose Theater to celebrate the coming new year, Heavensturn style! Per Doman tradition, this year’s showcase will celebrate the spirit of canine companions in a way only the Fantasia Players know Status: Open World RP, please check the link for more information GM: fantasiaplayers-ffxiv.tumblr.com Saturday - Alliance RP - A Timely Inspection @ 11:00pm EST - The Fringes http://for-gold-and-glory.tumblr.com/post/166923158095/alliance-roleplay - It’s time to push the front. The 42nd Ranger Brigade has secured a key bridge in East End and soon the main army will be advancing onwards to Pike Falls. Before the territory can be graced by the Flame General and other superior officers however, a certain Chief Flame Sergeant Dadadoga Gagadoga has come to INSPECT the 42nd and make sure they are up to snuff for what is sure to be an auspicious affair. Status: Open to members of the 42nd Ranger Brigade, Still Accepting Members! GM: Aegir Hlerson Sunday - Imperial Shadow RP - X Marks the Spot @ 3pm EST - Kugane https://fustuarium.tumblr.com/ - This isn’t a real mission, per say, but SOMEONE got their hands on a Treasure Map. Yes. A treasure map. In Shirogane. It’s going to be a high jumping adventure across the city as the Shadows try to get to the bottom of this mystery without getting caught by the sekiseigumi. Status: Open to Imperial Shadows working under Zheng Diremite (still accepting Shadows) and anyone who might be in Shirogane at the time GM: Aegir Hlerson Monday Happy Gyuki Healing Clinic - 8:00-10:00pm EST - Shirogane, Ward 10, Plot 18 http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=21025 - The Happy Gyuki Healing Clinic is a free clinic sponsored by the Garlean embassy, held in the friendly and neutral location of Shirogane. Because the Empire cares about you. Status: Open World RP, everyone welcome! GM: Aegir Hlerson Tuesday - Shirogane Shogatsu Street Festival - 8:00 - 11:00pm EST- Shirogane, Ward 6, Akanzaka Markets http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=21123 - Join us in a marvelous community street festival to celebrate the Year of the Dog. Vendors, performances, and exhibits of all sorts will help ring in the new year with friends and family. Status: Open World RP, everyone welcome! GM: Aegir Hlerson