#avengers pride icons

[moonxknightx]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ : GAME NIGHT : :;

╰┈➤ ❝ [PAIRING] ❞ Logan Howlett x F!Stark!Reader

・❥・GENRE: Fluff

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆FANDOM: X-Men/MCU

ੈ✩‧₊˚ WARNINGS: None! Mentions of (Y/N)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥SUMMARY: You and Logan get invited to the Avengers game night by your father, Tony Stark. As usual, Wade tags along.

Part 2 of ‘Meet The Family’ (or can be read as a standalone)

IT WAS A WARM SATURDAY EVENING AT THE AVENGERS COMPOUND, and the living room was already buzzing with chatter and laughter. Tony Stark had decided to host a game night, something rare but always chaotic in the best way possible. Naturally, you and Logan had been invited. Well, more like dragged into it by Tony, who had left you a not-so-subtle voicemail: "Game night. Be there, or I’ll build an Iron Man suit with your name on it. Logan too."

Now, you were sitting on the couch, sandwiched between Logan, who had that same calm, unbothered expression, and Wade, who had somehow found his way into the compound again without being invited.

“Alright, team,” Tony announced, standing at the head of the room like he was about to launch into a company presentation. “Tonight, we’re doing things a little differently. No Monopoly. No Twister.” He glanced pointedly at Thor, who looked almost disappointed. “And definitely no more karaoke. Clint, I'm looking at you.”

Clint snorted, leaning back in his chair. “Hey, my rendition of ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ was iconic.”

“Iconic, yes,” Tony quipped. “Also responsible for me needing to soundproof this place. No, tonight, we’re going to play—wait for it— Avengers Trivia.”

There was a collective groan from around the room. Steve facepalmed, and Natasha narrowed her eyes at Tony. “You cannot be serious.”

“Oh, I’m dead serious, Nat,” Tony replied, a grin spreading across his face. “Jarvis is going to be our quizmaster. Everyone teams up in pairs, and we’ll see who really knows the most about this weird, dysfunctional little family we’ve built.”

Logan’s eyes flicked to you, one eyebrow raised. “Trivia? This what you do for fun?”

You chuckled, nudging him playfully. “Trust me, it gets wild.”

Wade, who was seated cross-legged on the floor like a child, raised his hand. “Ooh, ooh! I call Logan as my partner!”

“Absolutely not,” Logan deadpanned, cutting him off without hesitation.

“Rude,” Wade muttered under his breath.

Tony clapped his hands. “Alright, pick your partners. (Y/N), you’re with Logan. Nat, you’re with Steve. Clint, you’re with—”

“Me,” Wade interrupted, grinning maniacally. “The unstoppable duo is back!”

Clint groaned but didn’t argue. “Great. This’ll be fun.”

Thor was happily pairing up with Bruce, already talking about how their combined Asgardian and science knowledge would be “unmatched in the Nine Realms.”

“Let’s get started!” Tony called, snapping his fingers. “Jarvis, first question!”

The familiar voice of the AI butler filled the room. “First question: Who was the first Avenger to officially join S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

Before anyone could answer, Wade leaped to his feet. “Easy! It was Deadpool! Wait, no, I was too cool for S.H.I.E.L.D. It was Cap. Yeah, totally Captain America.”

“That’s correct,” Jarvis responded, and Wade pumped his fists triumphantly.

Steve glanced at Wade in disbelief. “How do you—never mind, I don’t want to know.”

Natasha smirked. “Looks like we’re off to a good start.”

Logan, leaning back in his seat, glanced at you with a smirk. “They’re really competitive about this, aren’t they?”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

Jarvis continued, “Second question: Which Avenger has the most confirmed hand-to-hand combat victories?”

Thor stood up, beaming with pride. “It is clearly I! Thor Odinson, warrior of Asgard!”

“Actually, the answer is Natasha Romanoff,” Jarvis corrected.

Thor froze, his confidence momentarily faltering. “Ah, well… yes, Lady Natasha is indeed formidable in battle.”

Natasha gave a small, smug wave. “Don’t feel bad, Thor. You’ve got the hammer thing going for you.”

The next few questions flew by, with Clint and Wade bickering over every answer, Steve trying to be diplomatic, and Tony repeatedly congratulating himself for knowing all the answers to his own questions.

Finally, Jarvis posed a question that had Logan sitting up straighter: “What is the most common alias used by Wolverine in the field?”

Wade immediately blurted, “Oh! Oh! It’s Wolverine! Wait, no—Patch! Or is it ‘That Angry Canadian Guy’? Ooh, I know—Hairy Murder Grandpa!”

Logan shot Wade a warning look. “Don’t push it.”

Wade, not knowing when to quit, leaned closer to Clint and stage-whispered, “I’m pretty sure it’s Patch. He wore an eye patch. So mysterious, so dashing.”

Clint rolled his eyes. “Is it Patch?”

Logan nodded. “That’s one of them.”

Jarvis confirmed, “Correct. Wolverine has used the alias Patch on numerous occasions, particularly in Madripoor.”

Wade looked smug, puffing out his chest. “See? I know my friends. Not that we’re friends, but you know, friends in a ‘he’ll tolerate me’ kind of way.”

Logan’s gaze met yours, and you couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity of the situation. “You’re handling this a lot better than I thought you would,” you whispered to him.

He shrugged. “Not my first rodeo with these types. They��re alright. Except him,” he said, nodding toward Wade, who was now debating with Clint whether Deadpool could be considered an honorary Avenger.

After a few more rounds of questions—with your team surprisingly holding its own—Tony stood up, waving his hand for attention. “Alright, alright. Let’s mix things up. I’m bored of trivia. Time for the lightning round: Avengers Charades.”

“Oh no,” Steve muttered under his breath, already looking weary.

“Oh yes!” Tony replied, grinning mischievously. “Everyone, pair up with a new partner. This time, one person will act out an iconic Avenger moment, and the other person guesses.”

Clint clapped his hands together. “This should be good. Wade, you’re on my team. Let’s see if you can manage to not ruin this.”

“Challenge accepted!” Wade chirped.

Natasha swapped with you so that you were now paired with Steve, while Logan found himself paired with Bruce. Bruce looked mildly terrified, but Logan just nodded in his calm, stoic way.

Tony raised his hand again. “Alright, first team up—Logan and Bruce. Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Bruce stood up, nervously adjusting his glasses. “I’ll, uh, act it out. You guess.”

Logan grunted. “Fine.”

Bruce stepped to the middle of the room and began... well, thrashing around. He flailed his arms, growling and making these deep, guttural noises, then pretended to smash something invisible with both hands.

Logan blinked. “The Hulk?”

“Correct!” Tony shouted, laughing. “That was the easiest one! Come on, Bruce, give us something harder next time!”

Bruce, looking sheepish, sat back down as Logan gave him a brief nod of approval.

Next, it was your turn with Steve. You drew a card from the deck Tony had provided and grinned. Oh, this was going to be fun. You stood up, positioned your hands like you were grabbing two handles, then mimed jumping out of a plane with a parachute. Steve’s eyes lit up with recognition.

“Cap jumping out of the Quinjet without a parachute.”

“Correct!” Tony called, and Steve laughed, shaking his head. “I knew you were gonna do that one.”

As the game went on, Wade acted out a scene from Thor: Ragnarok with over-the-top dramatics, pretending to be both Thor and Hulk fighting in the arena. Clint just threw his hands in the air. “I’m not guessing this.”

Thor, of course, took the opportunity to stand up and reenact an exaggerated version of his own scene, complete with an invisible Mjölnir that he swung wildly around the room.

“Another point for Team Asgard!” Thor announced proudly, and Bruce just shook his head.

Finally, it came down to Tony’s team—himself and Nat. Tony drew a card and immediately smirked. He stood up, putting on a ridiculously exaggerated “hero” pose, and then pretended to fire repulsor blasts from his hands.

Natasha crossed her arms. “Really, Tony? You’re just doing yourself?”

“Can you blame me?” Tony replied, winking at her.

Natasha sighed. “Iron Man in literally every movie you’ve been in.”

“Bingo!” Tony grinned, bowing dramatically as if he’d just performed Shakespeare at the Globe.

The night wrapped up with everyone gathered in the living room, laughing and sharing stories. You leaned against Logan, feeling his steady presence beside you as the chaos of your family—both old and new—buzzed around you.

“Well,” Logan said quietly, watching as Thor tried to explain to Clint why throwing Mjölnir wasn’t cheating in charades, “this wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.”

You smiled, resting your head on his shoulder. “Told you. We’re a weird bunch, but we’re family.”

Logan looked down at you, a rare softness in his eyes. "Yeah, I can see that."

Just as the moment settled between you two, Wade suddenly jumped up, startling everyone. "Wait! One last round! We can't end game night without one final showdown."

Tony groaned, already halfway out of his seat. "Wade, it's late. And I think we've done enough—"

"No!" Wade insisted dramatically, waving his arms. "It's tradition! And by tradition, I mean something I just made up. The Ultimate Battle: Avengers Pictionary!"

"God, no," Clint muttered, but it was too late. Wade was already tearing open a random box from Tony's game collection, pulling out a whiteboard and markers.

"Alright, alright," Natasha sighed. "One round, Wade. One."

Wade grinned and tossed the marker at Logan, who caught it midair with practiced ease. "You, Logan! You’re up first!"

Logan glanced at the marker, clearly unamused, then at you. "Pictionary, really?"

You shrugged with a grin. "Rules are rules. Besides, I wanna see how good your art skills are."

With a small grunt of resignation, Logan stood and moved to the whiteboard, glancing briefly at the card Wade handed him. His eyes narrowed slightly, and then, without a word, he began to draw.

At first, the lines were slow, hesitant, but as the seconds ticked by, Logan’s rough sketch started taking shape. There was a figure—a man, with claws and an iconic stance.

Tony leaned forward, grinning. "Oh, this one's obvious."

But before anyone could guess, Wade leapt up. "It’s me! Deadpool! No, wait, it’s—"

"Logan," you cut in with a smirk, recognizing the stance. "It's him. Wolverine."

Logan stopped drawing, looked back at the group, and gave a small, satisfied nod. "Yep."

The room erupted into laughter, and Tony threw his hands up. "Okay, that's it. Game night over. Logan wins."

Logan shook his head, placing the marker down. "This was ridiculous."

"Ridiculously fun," Wade chimed in, unbothered by Logan’s usual gruff demeanor.

As the night wrapped up for real this time, you leaned against Logan once more, feeling the warmth of his presence amidst the laughter and camaraderie around you. Sure, game night had been chaotic, but in the end, it was just another reminder that no matter how strange or dysfunctional, this was your family.

And Logan? Well, he was officially part of it now, too.

🏷️: @twinky-wink @fidgetingbee @astarions-girl-dinner @layladestiny8 @birdy-bat-writes @slowlikehoneyyy @wolviesgirl @shybluebirdninja @boomveronika @lanabobana @corvusmorte @seamlessepiphany

If you want to be added to the tag list, let me know!!!

[seaside-m3lody]

I watched the DnD movie a couple days ago and I have so many FEELINGS.

Simon is my new blorbo. Every moment with him, I was like “that’s my boy! 🥹” Loved watching this man on his self-confidence journey.

The affection in Simon’s voice every time he talks about Doric. The absolute PRIDE seeing her absolutely annihilate guards as an Owlbear. *chef’s kiss*

Bonus: the absolute lack of hesitation this man has to give her everything. The way it overcomes his own fears and anxieties. “Always.”

Despite basically all the characters having canonical straight relationships, they’re still brimming with queer found-family dnd energy.

Edgin and Holga’s iconic sibling dynamic.

The Avengers WISH they were Edgin’s party.

Edgin is a good dad.

Holga is an icon.

Xenk is an icon.

Hugh Grant is a delight in every role he plays.

Edgin’s lute is surprisingly durable.

Jarnathan my beloved, you didn’t deserve any of this.

[purpledemonlilyposting]

Lorch is being confusing about writing conventions again.

[Lily's Post]

Just because people tend to use villain and antagonist interchangeably doesn't mean they mean the same thing in a literary sense. So in order to demonstrate a protagonist can be a villain, that an antagonist isn't necessarily a villain and a villain can have a valid point lets go to the Breaking Bad universe!

Walter White

Villain. Protagonist. There you go.

Everything bad that happens to Walter after his cancer diagnosis is the consequence of his own decision making. He doesn't have a good motive. He keeps telling himself "I'm doing this for my family" but it's really for his own ego. An ego that grows and grows out of control as he fails upwards through the drug trade only to have it all justifiably come crashing down on him in the end. He's bitter, angry, full of unwarranted self-importance and only accomplishes ruining the lives of his family and everyone around him before his death.

Chuck McGill

Here's a complex antagonist for you. I was impressed when I first watched Better Call Saul that they managed to make a even pettier narcissistic manbaby than Walter White. But he's also more nuanced than Walter.

Chuck is a highly respected lawyer in his field. He's suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity, a psychosomatic mental illness that is borne of his own controlling nature and pride. It is real to him and he's really suffering from the effects of it. He has always resented his brother Jimmy (Saul) for being the more personable, charismatic brother. He liked when Jimmy was just a burnout loser running schemes and getting arrested for public indecency because he at least had his success and his devotion to the law over him. But when Jimmy decides to get his life together by following in Chuck's footsteps? Chuck gaslights him, sabotages him, does all this underhanded shit while shaming Jimmy for doing the same.

But was he wrong about Jimmy not being able to resist falling into his baser instincts to circumvent the rules? Would Jimmy had gotten as bad as he did if Chuck had just supported him, or was this always going to be in him?

Gustavo Fring

The villain with a point.

Gay icon who played a 20 year long game to murder the Salamanca clan and the cartel leaders to avenge his boyfriend. Legend.

Gus is unequivocally a villain. He has devoted his entire life to this one thing and doesn't give a shit about anything else. His street dealers can kill kids for all he cares, he'll slit a minion's throat to intimidate Walter, he'll threaten Nacho's dad to keep him in line as a forced double agent. But he's also taking out dangerous criminals. He also runs a legitimate restaurant business as a front for his drug empire, takes pride in the food quality and treats his employees there well.

I think Lorch of all people would definitely argue that Gus is pretty damn justified to desire revenge when Hector shot his lover through the brain right in front of him. Have fun with that one, asshole.

Bonus round!

Mike Ehrmantraut

How the FUCK do you even classify best girl Mike as a character? He was unplanned, added to the show as a fluke, a stand-in character when Bob Odenkirk wasn't available to film, and became one of the most fascinating, well-written characters across both shows.

Is he an antagonist? A protagonist? A hero? A villain? He's been all of these things at various times.

To Lily "has a point" only has to be "expresses a correct or valid idea" so there you are. Chuck and Gus both have valid points. Walter doesn't. And Mike is a medley of I don't even know what the fuck.

[ironwoman359]

NOOOO YOUR HAT

(I honestly forgot the hat wasn't the default)

The hat will return in the next avengers film Halloween season!

But yeah, the hat is not the default. My little icon has gone through a number of iterations over the years, in fact. So much so that it actually started as a pencil drawing!

It was a playful little attempt at a self portrait, that I ended up liking so much that I traced over it on my ipad to make a digital version, which became the icon we all know and love:

And then I started to make different iterations. One for Pride month (which is still my discord picture, will probably just keep it that way):

One for @ironwhumper359 :

and one for Halloween!

I tried to draw one for Christmas but I couldn't get the shape of a Santa Hat right, so Halloween is the only holiday that gets rights on this blog /j

[shabou11]

Special encounter (Tom hiddleston x reader)

This is my first one shot ! Requests are open so don't hesitate to ask for something (I don't write smut sorry)

Summary : Tom and Y/N are spending the day at Disneyland. But what will happen when Loki make an appearance ?

Warnings : none

_

The morning sun bathed Disneyland in a warm, golden glow as Y/N and Tom approached the park's iconic entrance. Both were brimming with excitement, eager to spend the day indulging in the magic of Disney. For Tom, it was a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of his usual life, and for Y/N, it was a chance to share a dream day with the man she loved.

Tom, dressed casually in a comfortable shirt and jeans, wore a baseball cap to shield his eyes from the sun. Y/N, equally relaxed in a sundress and sneakers, grinned widely as they walked hand-in-hand through the turnstiles. The excitement of the park was palpable, with children's laughter and the joyful melodies of Disney songs filling the air.

"This place is even more magical than I remembered," Y/N said, her eyes wide with wonder as they entered Main Street, U.S.A.

Tom chuckled, his gaze sweeping across the park. "It really is. I think it's the perfect place for a day of fun and adventure."

They made their way through the park, taking in the sights and sounds, riding classic attractions like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Tom was particularly enthusiastic about the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, where he showed Y/N his knowledge of the Star Wars universe with genuine excitement.

As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, Tom and Y/N found themselves at Avengers Campus. The area was buzzing with excitement, with guests lining up to meet their favorite Marvel heroes. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the energy of fans eager to see their superheroes up close.

They strolled past various meet-and-greet locations, their eyes scanning for anything that might catch their attention. That's when they noticed a commotion near one of the stages. A crowd had gathered, their anticipation evident. Tom's eyes widened in recognition.

"Look over there," he said, pointing towards the stage where a familiar figure was holding court with the crowd.

Y/N followed his gaze and gasped. "Is that... Loki?"

Indeed, it was Loki, the mischievous god of lies himself, played by none other than Tom's onscreen alter ego. Dressed in his iconic green and gold costume, Loki was captivating the audience with his trademark charm and charisma. His presence was larger than life, and it was clear that he was enjoying every moment of his interaction with the fans.

Tom and Y/N approached the stage, their curiosity piqued. As they drew closer, Loki's eyes seemed to light up with recognition. He glanced towards them, his gaze lingering with a twinkle of mischief.

"Well, well, well," Loki said in his smooth, velvety voice as he noticed the couple. "What a delightful surprise. I see we have some esteemed guests in our midst."

Tom grinned, giving a theatrical bow. "Indeed you do, Loki. It's an honor to meet you in person."

Loki's smile widened, and he stepped down from the stage to greet them. "The pleasure is all mine. And I must say, it's quite a unique experience to encounter my own likeness outside of Asgard."

Y/N, her eyes sparkling with excitement, extended her hand towards Loki. "It's amazing to meet you. You're a lot more charming in person than on the screen."

Loki took her hand with a flourish, pressing a dramatic kiss to her knuckles. "Why, thank you. I do pride myself on being charming, though I must admit, the magic of Disney has a way of making even the most mischievous of gods look good."

Tom laughed, clearly enjoying the playful banter. "So, Loki, what's the most mischievous thing you've done today?"

The god's eyes gleamed with mischief as he leaned in conspiratorially. "Ah, well, let's just say I may have caused a bit of trouble with some of the park's attractions. A few enchanted objects here and there have taken on a life of their own. But worry not; nothing too catastrophic. Just a bit of harmless fun."

Y/N chuckled, her laughter mingling with the sounds of the bustling park. "Sounds like you're living up to your reputation."

"Indeed," Loki said, straightening up with a flourish. "And what about you two? What brings you to the enchanted realms of Disneyland today?"

"We're just here to enjoy the magic, the girl replied, her eyes twinkling. "And meeting you has been an unexpected and delightful bonus."

Loki inclined his head with a regal nod. "Well, it's always a pleasure to spread a bit of magic and mischief. If you should happen to encounter any more enchanted curiosities, do let me know. I do enjoy hearing about my little schemes."

The couple spent the next few minutes chatting with Loki, who continued to entertain them with his witty remarks and playful antics. The interaction was filled with laughter and joy, and it was clear that Loki was thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to engage with his fans in such a unique way.

As their time with Loki came to an end, Tom and Y/N took a moment to pose for a few photos with him. Loki struck dramatic poses, his expression a perfect blend of charm and mischief. The photos captured the essence of the magical encounter, preserving a memory that would be cherished for years to come.

"Well, I must say," Loki said with a dramatic bow as they prepared to part ways, "this has been an enchanting interlude. I trust you'll continue to enjoy your day at the park."

"We certainly will," Tom said with a grateful smile. "Thank you for making it even more memorable."

Loki gave a final flourish of his cape. "Until we meet again. Farewell, mortals!"

With that, Loki returned to the stage, his presence once again captivating the crowd. Tom and Y/N walked away, their hearts full of joy and their faces glowing with excitement.

"Wow," Y/N said, still beaming from the encounter. "I can't believe we actually met Loki. That was amazing!"

Tom chuckled, squeezing her hand gently. "It really was. It just goes to show that magic can happen in the most unexpected places."

They continued their adventure through Disneyland, savoring each moment and relishing the joy of their magical day. The encounter with Loki had added an extra layer of enchantment to their experience, turning a fun day at the park into an unforgettable adventure.

As the sun set and the park lights began to twinkle, Tom and Y/N made their way towards the exit, their hearts full of happiness and their minds still buzzing with the thrill of their encounter with the god of mischief. They knew that this day would remain a cherished memory, a perfect blend of Disney magic and Marvel wonder.

And as they left the park, hand in hand, the two of them couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected moments of joy that life had to offer, and for the special memories they had created together.

[yelenabemylova]

Misfortune - Older!Nat x Reader (epiphany au one-shot)

summary: a few minor inconveniences cause you to feel overwhelmed, thankfully natasha is great at comforting you

Cold sheets.

The worst bad omen of them all.

You knew your day was ruined as soon as you woke up and Natasha wasn't lying in bed with you. "Tasha?" you grumbled as you trudged down the stairs, blanket draped over your shoulders.

"Morning, detka," your wife sat at the kitchen island, typing intensely on her laptop. "What are you doing?" you asked her curiously.

She turned her screen around to show you, she was attempting to create an instagram account. Laughing, you began to make breakfast for the two of you, pancakes being the only thing within your skill set.

Nevertheless, Natasha was appreciative and you received many, many kisses for your hard work.

"Come back to bed," you whined, leaning your head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, malysh. I have to go run some errands today," she wrapped an arm around you, giving you an apologetic squeeze.

Sighing, you went back upstairs, getting ready for the day. Last night, you had made plans with Wanda to meet up at the compound. It had been ages since you'd seen any of the avengers, so to say you were excited would be an understatement.

Just as you slipped on your shoes, your phone rang. Wanda's name lit up your phone, "hey, Wands. What's up?" A beat of silence passed before she spoke, "Carol just came back from space, and I promised her I'd hang out with her next time she was here. I'm so sorry, we can still hang out this evening if you want?"

Your heart ached a little bit, you didn't have many friends, and the ones you did have didn't seem to have time for you, "okay, see you later." Hanging up, you sulked into the kitchen, but Natasha had already left. It seemed to be a common occurrence with Wanda, she'd always agree to make plans with you but rarely followed through on them.

A wave of sadness washed over you, your thoughts felt like they were being amplified by a huge speaker.

Kicking off your boots, you decided to head back to bed. You pulled the blankets above your head, letting your feelings take over and quiet sobs escape your throat.

"Ангел?" Natasha's familiar voice helped you escape your thoughts, "what's wrong?" Sniffling, you reached out for her, letting her scoop you up in her arms and hold you like you were the most delicate, precious thing in the world, "it's just not my day today."

You felt stupid for crying over such small things, but Natasha always assured you that even tiny things can cause huge feelings and that it was okay for that to happen. "I'm sorry, detka," she took her hoodie off, laying you down in bed with her, "how about we have that cuddle session you wanted this morning?"

Natasha took pride in her new social media account, showing you it multiple times. You couldn't help but notice she didn't have a profile picture, though. "Do you want to have matching icons?" you asked her hopefully.

"I don't know what that means, but anything for my pretty girl," she handed you her phone, letting you change her profile photo to Wednesday and you had one of Enid.

"Look, now we're just like them," you grinned, looking up at her. "Whatever floats your boat, darling," she chuckled.

The next day Wanda texted you about how she was sorry that she forgot about your later plans and that she had accidentally fallen asleep. You assured her it was fine, but in reality you'd had enough of her antics.

Fans of the avengers went crazy when they found out Natasha was now on instagram. She posted photos of you on her story constantly, usually without asking. Of course, you got her back for it. You always did.

[endlesstwanted]

Pride in Motion

For @fluffystevefest I wanted to try a pairing I’ve never written! This was inspired by day 3 prompt | Icon ☆

Also created for: @anyfandomgoesbingo | James Rhodes / @julybreakbingo, Pre-July Break 2024 | Location: Subway Bus / @steverogersbingo | Steve’s List

Fandom: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)

Rating: General Audiences

Pairing: James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Steve Rogers

Tags: Established Relationship, Pride, Steve Rogers is Good With Kids, Queer Character

Summary: On their way to their dinner date, Steve and Rhodey have a unique first-meeting.

Wordcount: 1,3k

Excerpt: 

“Are you sure your mum put the action figure in?” The young person asked while the kid kept playing, pulling out from the bag a couple stuff like hand sanitizer and a rainbow flag Steve recognised. The streets and locals were decorated with it now that it was pride month, and there was one just like it hanging from the walls of his bedroom.

“Captain America!” The kid exclaimed, eyes wide when they landed on Steve. That put a smile on Rhodey’s face and made Steve chuckle.

“I heard you buddy, that’s what I’m looking for,” the adult replied calmly.

“No,” the kid reached to grab the other’s hand, and tugged him to look at Steve. “Captain America!”

Continue reading on Ao3 here!

[vampireshaman]

𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐍

I think of her now—my granddaughter, my greatest pride, and my greatest sorrow. She will be a Daemudang one day, just as I was. The blood that runs through her veins is strong, and she carries the weight of all the sacrifices I made to protect this lineage. But Haeseol does not see the world The way I did at her age. She is kind where I was cold, forgiving where I was ruthless. And I wonder—will that kindness be her undoing? Or will it make her stronger than I could ever hope to be?

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄

the reluctant hero, a heart of gold, the resilient survivor, haunted by past traumas, an outsider in every world, a keeper of secrets, the tragic protector, the cursed soul, an empathic seer of dreams, quiet but unbreakable, a beacon of hope, and a protector weighed down by fate.

ੈ𑁍༘  INTRODUCTION

an independent, semi-selective, & non-exclusive roleplay blog featuring HAE-SEOL KIM, an original crossover character set within the universe of BLOOD+ / Marvel's Avengers. Please read the rules before interacting.

welcome to my blog, my name is moe ( she / her ) & I am twenty-five years old. This blog is multi-ship positive and though semi-selective, it is also crossover friendly and as a added bonus, non-mutuals may interact. Discord for 1x1 rps is available upon request!

elixir caps: one | elixir pages: one

icon / divider credit

Comic FC: Bayan (Elixir Of The Sun) | Live Action FC: Kim Tae-Ri

ੈ𑁍༘  GUIDELINES

first and foremost, due to my ADHD, I am a impulsive and slow writer - replies ( which can range from months to weeks, especially due to tumblr formatting ) are more a spur of the moment when I'm in the writing mood. I am prone to long burnouts. this is a mid to low activity blog. But I am faster on discord.

No drama. No harassment. I am here to have fun - if you have a problem with me, either approach me privately ( and calmly ) or click the block button and have a nice day.

If I follow you, I want to write with you! Though this blog is semi-selective and welcomes non-mutuals with open arms. I follow for about three days to a week to see if the person will follow me back before unfollowing (I sincerely don't want to force anyone to write with me!) but if you feel the need to jump into my inbox to clarify things about the non-mutuals aspect of your rules, go right ahead!

I don't place time limits on replies. We get to them when we get to them and nine times out of ten, I'm always still interested! If one roleplay is just feeling stale or a muse is being difficult let's just make a new story! What matters to me is that me and my partner are having a good time.

ੈ𑁍༘  CONTENT WARNINGS

this blog contains dark & triggering themes meant for mature audiences ( minors / personals will be blocked ) and above the age of eighteen - viewer discretion advised. custom tags for triggers are fine.

dark and triggering themes related to violence, gore, pregnancy, vampirism and demonic possession will be present on this blog. This includes NSFW / SMUT as well but everything will be tagged and put under "read more" It should be kept in mind that my muse is legally 25 years old (and bisexual) and her age is verse dependant.

ੈ𑁍༘  ABOUT THE MUSE

BACKGROUND INFO: [ PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 ]

EXTRA NOTES: PART 6.1 | PART 6.2 | PART 5 |

CULTURE & HISTORY: Part 1 |

Haeseol Kim is the biological daughter of STEVEN GRANT ROGERS & SAYA OTONASHI that was created by small group of RED SHIELD members without either person's consent or knowledge - a lab grown experiment that is a unique hybrid of human & chiropteran ( vampire breed ) genetics with particular buffs from the super soldier serum. Neither Haeseol or her parents have been aware of one another's existence up until a few weeks ago after the death of her grandmother.

ੈ𑁍༘  EXTRA STUFF

( important: these scenes and usually paired with journal entry posts & they are a better look at my muse, her thoughts, family, information, lore etc especially if you aren't sure how to approach her -- I'll do my best to keep them organized. )

muse centric:

[ 1 ] an unwelcome guest | journal one / journal two

[ 2 ] a different kind of strength

[ 3 ] in the name of love

[ 4 ] Haeseol x Taejun | part one | part two | part three

muse lore:

marvel related:

[ 1 ] thoughts and papers | journal.

ੈ𑁍༘  UNIVERSE LIST

1. house of the dragon | the dragon's oracle -

2. wandavision |

3. agatha all along |

4. avengers aou / civil war |

5. Disney Princess AU |

6. Multiverse Of Madness |

[backjustforberena]

How do you think Rhaenys will react to B&C?

You know what, I was thinking about this the other day because we've potentially got a very different set-up to the book. And that's because of Captain Problematic himself, Daemon Targaryen.

In the show, Daemon has yet to go to Harrenhal. He's the one who delivers the news about Lucerys's death to Rhaenyra in person. In the trailer, we see him still sat at the Painted Table, so we know he's there for a little bit of time at the start (and it's definitely the start), so he's not just packed up his stuff and legged it to get a strategic advantage, despite his war plans last episode.

In the book, he's already at Harrenhal. He's snatched the place up way before Luke ever dies and we have the iconic raven saying that Lucerys will be avenged. No specifics at all. It's a total wild card plan, no one on the Black Council is consulted, Daemon just seemingly does this on his own... which is the most Daemon thing ever, to be honest. There's no time, opportunity or authority to stop Daemon from enacting B&C. It's an act done for the Blacks' side but it is not sanctioned in any way whatsoever, so far as we can tell in the book.

But, if we have Daemon still at Dragonstone before, during or after B&C then that will force some confrontations and questions. We get the potential of either Daemon blatantly disobeying Rhaenyra and/or Rhaenyra being complicit and/or, at the very least, Daemon attending meetings where a response to the death of Prince Lucerys is argued and no one mentions killing another child as payment. What you get is less an act done in isolation, and more one done without consensus.

We don't have any specifics to go on in the book - we don't have any clue about how any Team Black members react to the act. Not even Daemon, I don't think. So that's got the potential to be very juicy. We don't have any evidence (although if someone finds a quote and wants to tell me I'm wrong, please do) about how Rhaenyra reacts, or Corlys, or Rhaenys, or Jace, or Baela and Rhaena. No one. It's just presented as another step in the escalation of the Dance as a whole, rather than something that has ramifications within a fledgeling faction. Which gives the show lots of room to play with.

For Rhaenys, specifically? Horror. I can only imagine horror. She's pretty much consistently been about the kids. All the kids. She's in it for her grandchildren, she warns against kinslaying and bloodshed in the trailer. She was shown to be a caring and involved mother and now fiercely protects the generation after them. She's putting aside a lot of pride to be of service to a woman who has shown her no kindness over the years, in order to keep them safe. If there is one thing she wants to preserve, it's the children - and that likely extends to those on the Green side as well.

Rhaenys isn't bloodthirsty or callous or clouded in her judgement. She's shown to be Daemon's opposite multiple times and, I believe, will represent such next season as well. So, no, she's not going to be clapping Daemon on the back for this one.

I have two more questions about it that I'm interested to know the answers to, when the episode comes out:

How much detail will the Black Council be made aware of? In other words, are they going to know EVERYTHING about the act, and how Helaena's son died and how Alicent and Helaena and all the children were made to suffer? Or will they only know that a child has been killed in recompense and Daemon did it? Will they even know Daemon did it - perhaps Rhaenyra will keep the information to herself? Where are they going to get the information from?

And, whilst Rhaenys will be horrified... I wonder if she'll be surprised or shocked. In Series 1, nothing much surprised her. Things frightened her, and took her aback, but she was never really surprised. I wonder if she'll have never thought Daemon capable of this. Or whether she feared he always was.

How afraid will this make them? Of Aegon's wrath? Now the bad blood is true between both. And we know what happens with the Cargyll Twins. Do the Black Council expect or fear for a similar, ruthless and clandestine mission as Daaemon did upon the Greens? Do they fear what eventually does happen?

[jurakan]

Can I get a Fun Fact about Captain America?

I, uh.... [fishing around in Fun Fact bag] hm....I don't have a lot about Captain America in here, but I'm sure I can find something...

Hope I haven't written about this before, but here goes: Today You Learned about Captain America's birthplace!

"Wait, Jurakan, what are you talking about? I know where Captain America is from. Everyone does! Steve Rogers is from Brooklyn!"

Yeah, uh... okay, so in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we see in Captain America: The First Avenger that Steve Rogers is from Brooklyn. He says as much in dialogue later in the movie, and it comes up more than once in the following movies. Naturally, the people of Brooklyn take great pride in their icon. In 2016, in honor of the character's 75th anniversary, a bronze statue was commissioned and put in Brooklyn, though it's moved around a bit: right now it's in front of the Brooklyn Bed, Bath & Beyond:

Which is pretty darn neat! Except, uh... Steve's not from Brooklyn.

Okay, yes, the MCU version is, but the original comic book character? The one this statue is supposedly celebrating? Yeah, no, he's not from Brooklyn. He's explicitly from Lower East Side. That's in part because that's where one of his co-creators, Jack Kirby, is from.

Almost no one talks about this, though, because the movies are the big things that people remember in culture. I think it's possible that the Ultimate version is also from Brooklyn? I'd need to double-check that, though.

In any case, one of the guys on Tor (now Reactor Mag), Keith R.A. Candido, the one who writes the Superhero Rewatch reviews, has strong opinions on the relocation of Steve Rogers's birth.

[avengerchuck]

Happy pride month!!!!💕 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Thank you!! <:o) Usually I'd change my icon but I couldn't be assed, I love this image of Avenger

(My edit on the right ofc) He was......scary.......before I stepped in

[mttmurduck]

BRUCE BANNER COMIC APPEARANCES RATED

no one was kidding when they said bruce banner had no consistent appearance. this is me failing to reconcile each one i’ve come across. send me more if you want me to rate them.

Matteo Scalera - Indestructible Hulk #9

point for looking fucked up. not a fan of the short hair, but maybe that’s because of the whole prisoner of SHIELD thing, so whatever. 1/10.

Ryan Ottley - Hulk (2021) #1

-10000/10 WHO IS THIS???? NOTHING TO INDICATE THIS IS A MAN OF SCIENCE, EVERYTHING TO INDICATE THE DIVE IN PLOT AND CHARACTERIZATION.

Derec Aucoin - Spider-Man Family #9

THE super nerd. a little young, but hides behind a thin veneer of calm well. the tweed and bowtie is an interesting choice. hope he doesn’t mind if they get ripped. 8/10.

Veronica Fish - Spider-Woman (2016) #11

a bit of a heart-throb???? looks like a long suffering grad student more than a man who’s been running from the military for years. where are his glasses? 4/10.

Lee Garbett - Immortal Hulk #6

super grizzled and super tired. trust me, this issue was exhaustion to the max. this is the haunted (hunted) man, and i’m honestly digging the flannel. gotta show those midwestern roots somehow. unfortunately all of these pluses don’t add up to an iconic bruce banner look, unless he was trying to steal wolverine’s. 5/10.

Adam Kubert - The Incredible Hulk (1968) #466

the scientist! prideful and yet kind, hiding a deep well of sadness and anti-military sentiments. 10/10.

Stefano Caselli - Avengers Assemble (2012) #9

glasses! scientist! a little tired but doing better :) 10/10.

Alan Davis - Totally Awesome Hulk #8

the smile! a very fresh bruce banner. looks like just some guy. 8/10.

Joe Bennett - Immortal Hulk #2

unfortunately i’m not a big fan of the detailed, almost grotesque art style. but, i concede that it’s fitting for this run. anyway, this is a very expressive and tired bruce that still tries. 7/10.

Tom Fowler - Hulk Season One

a dangerous bruce. a scientist and a loner that is intimately aware of the potential to do both harm and good. the glasses are used really well in this comic, trust me. 100/10.

Salvador Larroca - Avengers (2013) #28

okay, i think im going to get some flak for this, but i really like this bruce. dangerous, but still looks like a guy off the street. the hair has the perfect amount of flop. i’ll forgive the lack of glasses and round up. 10/10.

Larroca again! This time from the previous issue.

this alternate universe bruce is soft. a real deceptive one here. and tragic. he steals 616 bruce’s sandwich btw. that’s all i’ll say. 10/10.

Stefano Caselli again! This time from Avengers World #5

really showing us how even the same artist will draw the same guy differently. this time, Stark (tm) edition. unfortunately this means he fits the “asshole engineer” profile more than the “scientist” one. 6/10.

Mike McKone - Avengers: Endless Wartime

a scientist with sadness in his eyes, but he still finds things to smile about, maybe. probably more of a nervous smile. 9/10.

[autisticsupervillain]

It's Fictional Throwdown Friday!

This Week's Fighters....

Captain America vs Soldier Boy!

Conditions:

MCU Cap. TV Show Soldier Boy. Cap does not have Mjolnir.

Scenario:

Vought International has gotten its hands on the Tesseract, so the Avengers have been sent in to retrieve it. The Boys had the same idea and go in with Soldier Boy. Soldier Boy and Cap meet up and fight over who gets the Tesseract.

Analysis: Captain America

Steve Rogers was once a normal man living in Brooklyn during the dawn of World War 2, desperate to join the army because "I don't like bullies, I don't care where they're from". Unfortunately, his plethora of health conditions kept him from qualifying. Realizing the boy had a pure heart, Abraham Erskine subjected him to an experimental super soldier serum to turn him into Captain America, The First Avenger.

In his final mission, Captain America seeming sacrificed his life by crashing a plane full suoer charged nukes into the arctic, only to be dug up years later and brought to the 21st Century. Now stuck desperately searching for a purpose in a world that seemingly left him behind, Cap joined the Avengers to protect the world from all sorts of threats, ranging from aliens to robots to even SHIELD itself, before leaving to rescue his mind controlled best friend and dividing the Avengers into Civil War. All throughout, Cap proves himself to be nothing less than the perfect soldier.

Even on a team full of gods, geniuses, and master assassins, Cap manages to keep up with his mastery of hand to hand combat, photographic memory, and excellent tactical mind. Steve led the team to victory against the otherworldly alien invaders the Chitauri, fought hand to hand against the God Loki and the master assassin the Winter Soldier, and unearthed a plot by neo nazi organization Hydra to take over SHIELD from within. Moreover, Cap's healing factor allows him to power through gun shots to the gut, survive being frozen alive, and drink Asgardian beer that Thor claimed wasn't safe for mortals.

Steve is strong enough to pull down a helicopter with one arm, skilled enough to fist fight an air craft and win, and tough enough to contend with Iron Man's Mark 46 armor. This armor would be much tougher than the suit Tony wore in Iron Man 2, which could create a massive explosion between him and War Machine. Dividing the result to account for the combined effort and each suit would be generating and tanking energy equivalent to 171 tons of TNT.

Source:

He's even fast enough to take down MCU Spider-Man, whose fast enough to compete with The Amazing Spider-Man verse Spider-Man, who can dodge lighting traveling at Mach 1514.

Source:

But none of that competes with the Captain's strongest weapon - his shield. This vibranium metal disk can absorb and reflect almost any attack thrown at it and bounce off of anything. Cao uses it as a super frisbee to knock targets out of the air, cakculating its velocity in his head so that it always ends up right back in his hand. It can even take hits from Thor's hammer, reflecting a blast that completely leveled the forest around them. A 6 kiloton yield feat.

Source:

Finally, Captain America would take up Thor's hammer himself to lead the final charge against Thanos and his army, saving the universe from completely annihilation. Though the Avengers may go on, Cap will always be the remembered as the First Avenger.

Analysis: Soldier Boy

Before there was the Seven, before there was Homelander, before there were even Supes, there was Soldier Boy and his team of legendary Freedom Fighters, Payback. America's very first Superhero and one of the strongest Supes who ever lived, Soldier Boy was a beloved national icon and a war hero of World War 2.

Behind closed doors, Soldier Boy only became a hero to impress his abusive father and when that didn't work, he nursed his wounded pride by doing whatever it took to ensure he remained Vought's most popular superhero. This included keeping his team under his thumb, brutally beating them in sparring matches to remind them who was top dog, and crippling them when they dared to show any ambition. In one instance, he brutally beat Black Noir so badly, he was left scarred and crippled for the rest of his life, forcing him to wear a full body suit to cover his injuries, leaving him unable to speak, and giving him lifelong schizophrenia from the trauma of the event.

The abuse got so bad, Payback sold him out to Russia the first chance they got, setting him up to get captured in an undercover mission and allowing the Soviets to experiment on him for years. It wasn't until 2022 that Soldier Boy was found snd rescued by the superhero hunting group called The Boys for his help in taking down the most powerful superhero in the world: Homelander. Soldier Boy agreed, on the condition that The Boys help him get revenge on his old team for abandoning him.

Soldier Boy is an absolute juggernaut of a Supe. Although he's over a hundred years old, he hasn't aged a day past his thirties, thanks to the Russian's experiments giving him a whole new slew of powers. Years of torture have made him completely immune to fire, radiation, acids, and poisons, with only the deadliest substances on Earth being able to knock him out. And that's on top of being an expert combatant trained in military combat and hand to hand techniques. Soldier Boy carries a knife, a pistol, and a large titanium shield, each of which he uses proficiently in hand to hand combat to beat down his foes. While most of Soldier Boy's supposed war valor was faked, he was still skilled enough to go toe to toe with Billy Butcher, himself a war veteran and proficient superhero hunter. He heals from scarring injuries with superhuman speed and is tough enough to take on Homelander, the most powerful Supe who ever lived.

Soldier Boy's greatest power, however, is his radiation. Soldier Boy can charge up and shoot powerful radiation out of his body, usually by unleashing it as a massive explosion to obliterate everything around him. His radiation even burns hot enough nullify the powers of Supes. All Supes get their powers from the super soldier serum known as Compound V, with Soldier Boy's radiation vaporizing it in their bloodstream and leaving them an ordinary human.... provided they survive the blast.

Soldier Boy's explosions are so powerful, they can obliterate city blocks, with his biggest blast being big emough to be worth 69 tons of TNT. Nice.

Source:

Soldier Boy has even sent Homelander running with some help and he's fast enough to catch nuclear missiles, outrun planes, and outrun explosions at Mach 18.

Source:

For all his power and projected badassery, Soldier Boy is not invincible. He's as much of a misogynist as you'd expect someone from the 1940s to be and his internalized toxic masculinity and ego makes him refuse to acknowledge his flaws. His torture at the hands of the Russians has left him with severe PTSD that he refuses to acknowledge, with particularly bad episodes reducing him to a big walking bomb.

Eventually, he was deemed so unstable that the Boys turned against him, forcing Queen Maeve to nearly sacrifice herself to bring him down.

Soldier Boy is one of the most powerful, and most dangerous, Supes on the planet.

Throwdown Theme:

Throwdown Breakdown:

I think this one is pretty clear cut.

Soldier Boy's power nullification, by all rights, would be effective against Captain America due to his powers coming from a super soldier serum just like Vought's Supes. However, that relies on Soldier Boy getting a clear enough shot with his radiation to nullify him, where Cap has all the tools to keep that from happening.

Steve has both a considerable strength and speed advantage against Soldier Boy, being twice as strong and nearly 83x faster than the old war dog. Soldier Boy may have fought in World War 2, but Steve has gone in to fight planetary conquerors since then, and Cap's shield is so durable that Soldier Boy's will sooner snap in half than put a dent in it. This gives Steve all the room he needs to avoid Soldier Boy's destructive blasts and beat him down with superior skill, striking him from outside his range with shield throws and out maneuvering him at various ranges.

As Soldier Boy's frustration mounts, he'll become more explosive and more dangerous, bringing the battlefield down in top of them. This will be a footsy battle for Steve just for that alone... but Cap's solid foothold in every other field gives him all the advantages he needs to break Soldier Boy down.

Captain America is the First Avenger. Soldier Boy is just a cheap fucking knockoff.

This Throwdown's Winner is....

Captain America!

[ogradyfilm]

My Five Favorite Movie Villains of 2022

[The following list contains MAJOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!]

De Guiche (Cyrano): A pompous, foppish aristocrat that wields his wealth and influence like a blunt instrument, Ben Mendelsohn’s De Guiche adds a delicious complication to the love triangle that drives Cyrano’s conflict. As far as he’s concerned, romance doesn’t exist; sexual relationships are all about power and control. This philosophy essentially positions him as the witty, strong-willed Roxanne’s antithesis—making his lecherous obsession with her all the more unsettling. His show-stopping song, “What I Deserve”, is a chilling ode to male entitlement and toxic masculinity.

Namor (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever): Regal. Machiavellian. Sexy as hell. Marvel’s original antihero is as complex and compelling on the big screen as he’s always been on the page: physically imposing yet deviously manipulative, temperamental yet sensitive, vindictive yet honorable. While he favors shock and awe tactics, absolutely devastating Wakanda’s forces in every skirmish, the leader of Talokan is also a cunning strategist and shrewd diplomat; even his eventual “defeat” ultimately benefits his empire—exactly as he orchestrated.

Miles Quaritch (Avatar: The Way of Water): Gleefully sadistic and unabashedly egomaniacal, the resurrected Colonel Miles Quaritch is machismo and bravado incarnate—a brutish jarhead with delusions of grandeur. His quest to avenge his own death at the hands of Jake Sully and Neytiri is motivated primarily by wounded pride; indeed, when he learns that his hated foe managed to tame his flying mount without the aid of sedatives, he becomes determined to mimic the feat—an act of petty one-upmanship that reveals everything the audience needs to know about his character.

[FINAL WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW THE BREAK!]

AJ Gilbride (Barbarian): What makes Justin Long’s unrepentant rapist so disturbing is that there’s nothing especially remarkable about his particular brand of evil; he’s simply an enormous douchebag, selfish and utterly devoid of empathy. Worst of all, he’s completely self-aware, frequently apologizing for his morally repugnant behavior and promising to change his wicked ways. Whenever an opportunity for redemption arises, however, he consistently rejects it—which makes his grisly, gory demise delightfully cathartic.

Miles Bron (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery): The killer at the center of Benoit Blanc’s latest murder mystery could easily have been a shallow sendup of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs; fortunately, Rian Johnson’s sharp script and Edward Norton’s savvy performance elevate the otherwise broad caricature. This New Age tech bro may be the dimmest bulb in any given room, but he’s charming, charismatic, and confident enough to inspire loyalty and obedience among his followers and hangers-on. He’s the personification of capitalism gone awry, living proof that you don’t need to be intelligent or industrious to become a billionaire—just conniving, manipulative, and ruthlessly pragmatic.

Honorable Mentions

Magenta (Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero): A scathing parody of author Akira Toriyama’s experiences with editorial interference—and a hilariously ineffectual antagonist to boot.

Corey Cunningham (Halloween Ends): A meditation on the cyclical, self-perpetuating nature of alienation and violence; this unjustly persecuted youth’s gradual corruption is heartbreakingly tragic.

The Grabber (The Black Phone): The perfect marriage between an iconic design (courtesy of Tom Savini) and a captivating performance (courtesy of Ethan Hawke); leaves an indelible impression with minimal screen time.

The Podestá (Pinocchio): The model conformist—unwaveringly jingoistic, mindlessly subservient, and incapable of independent thought. He'd be pitiful... were he not such an abusive, tyrannical, fascist piece of trash.

Colonel Tom Parker (Elvis): This Mephistophelian trickster enriches the rather predictable biopic surrounding him; I don’t know what the hell Tom Hanks is smoking nowadays, but it is imperative that Hollywood keeps him supplied.

[reviewsfromreel]

Renfield (2023) - Review

Longing for life away from his toxic master, Renfield forms a bond with a local police officer to take down a crime family – much to the dismay of his boss, Dracula. 

As one of horror culture’s most iconic figures Dracula has been interpreted, parodied and rehashed many times over. Chris McKay’s distinctly comedic approach is nothing new, but what Renfield does attempt is to bring famous characters into a contemporary setting while offering enough blood and guts to last a lifetime. While it’s a bold approach to attempt a blend of gothic horror and comedy/action, the two rarely feel cohesive.

Renfield’s quest of self-love and redemption becomes knotted in the story of a local police officer’s search for justice. Awkwafina offers a lot of likeability to the role of Rebecca, but the arc of avenging her father against a local crime family never feels like anything new. Although Renfield delivers on its promise of wild action and humour the actual crime element of its narrative is completely void of anything substantial – offering moments of fun but never blending with the legendary character of Dracula and Renfield. 

The film seems to pride itself on its approach to action, turning up the red and really indulging the bloodier parts of its story. Renfield, aside from performing his master’s duties, is able to give himself superhuman powers by eating insects. It allows the action to play out in gory fashion – in fact one scene sees him impale a goon with his own arms – adding a little flare and fun to match the slew of other R-rated action/comedies we’ve seen over the past few years. 

There will definitely be an audience for this uber-violent spin on Bram Stoker’s classic characters. The action is exciting and Cage as Dracula is everything you could imagine. But, what should have been an iconic marriage of classic horror and modern action-comedy feels more like a film of two parts – leaving it as a tonal mess.

2/5

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 22: Watchers

Spoiler alert: This post is not about the death metal band Draghkar or any other metal bands who are the kinds of nerds as to be fans of Wheel of Time, like Blind Guardian. It's about the books. Pretty sure that's all the spoiler alerts I need. Why would I even need to mention at this point that this post will have spoilers for the whole series?

This chapter has the dagger icon because Shadar Logoth is one of the subjects of Moiraine's research - and because it's the central revelation she has.

["]Nothing is happening as I expect,” Moiraine muttered, not expecting an answer from Lan.

Yep, delightful parallels between Rand and Moiraine.

No danger of pursuit here. No one would expect her to come here. Clear my head, and begin again, she thought. That is all there is to do.

And another parallel. Moiraine's just got twenty years of her epic quest to fuel her paranoia though, not all the craziness.

With the one equally aged Warder who remained to them, they lived quietly, still intending to write the history of the world since the Breaking, and as much as they could include of before. One day.

Yeah, the theme of this series means this particular mission is doomed to fail with another Age about to end. I wonder what all of the pre-Breaking history there is available to these ladies. Just the War of the Shadow, or anything more? Would any of it even be all that interesting, or just some random list of leaders pre-LTT, none of whom had anything to report in the glory days of the AoL?

This was a subject neither of them ever mentioned; nearly twenty years ago she had told him—with all the stiff pride of one still young enough to be called young, she recalled—that she would never speak of it again and expected the same silence of him.

So first of all, their first meeting is awesome and I can't wait to get back to New Spring to take a look at it...

But also, note another weakness of the Oath Rod. Moiraine really didn't intend to bring it up again at the time, so she could say that, but her mind has naturally changed since. She never lied, but what she said has turned out not to be true.

“I was young,” she repeated. “And does your bond chafe after all these years? You are not a man to wear a leash easily, even so light a one as mine.” It was a stinging comment; she meant it to be so.

I don't like this part. Moiraine's upbringing really made her casually cruel sometimes.

“Before we left Tar Valon I made arrangements, should anything happen to me, for your bond to pass to another.”

And I hate this detail too. People shouldn't have their relationships reassigned by someone else's whims. It's a good example of the casual sexism of Tar Valon and how things are forever changing but staying the same - plenty of real life women have been remarried without their consent on the loss of their first husband.

I will not allow you to die in a useless attempt to avenge me. And I will not allow you to return to your equally useless private war in the Blight. The war we fight is the same war, if you could only see it so, and I will see that you fight it to some purpose.

I get where she's coming from and why it must be done but also damn it's cruel to treat people like this.

“I had never thought,” he said slowly, “that I might not be the first of us to die. Somehow, even at the worst, it always seemed. . . .”

Sadly, bro is probably right, since both he and Moiraine survive to the end.

“What I do is for your own good, and perhaps it may be for another’s, as well. It may be that Myrelle will find a slip of a girl just raised to sisterhood—was that not what you said?—who needs a Warder hardened in battle and wise in the ways of the world, a slip of a girl who may need someone who will throw her into a pond. You have much to offer, Lan, and to see it wasted in an unmarked grave, or left to the ravens, when it could go to a woman who needs it would be worse than the sin of which the Whitecloaks prate. Yes, I think she will have need of you.”

Okay but Moiraine said all this happened before they last left Tar Valon and unless I'm crazy mistaken, they haven't been to TV since before book 1 started (if the timeline is right it's only 10 days since she left the party so it's not like she somehow outraced a boat and then got here), which was before Nynaeve was even in the picture. So at this point I have to wonder: did Moiraine's unseen encounters with Min inspire all of these decisions? She very specifically avoids answering Lan's question about foreseeing her death in a straightforward way.

“Why did you do as you did with Rand?” He blinked; it was obviously not what he expected. She knew what he had thought was coming, and she would not let up now that he was off balance.

It says a great deal about Moiraine's unhealthy Cairhienien worldviews that the real threat in her eyes is not Lan's affection for Nynaeve but for his helping the boy they've spent the last two decades trying to find and help. All because he's not helping according to the script. That's what makes all of this justified in her eyes.

“Ta’veren,” Moiraine sighed. “Perhaps it was that. Rather than guiding a chip floating down a stream, I am trying to guide a log through rapids. Every time I push at it, it pushes at me, and the log grows larger the farther we go. Yet I must see it through to the end.”

Honestly, I think it's a lot more about who Rand and Lan are as people than it is about a magic power manipulating Lan. A nudge from the Wheel, maybe, but... Not destiny outright cheating.

Much more likely Rand's ta'veren keeps Moiraine from ever realizing she can't play him until it's too late to matter.

“All men dream. But I know dreams for dreams. This”—he touched his sword hilt—“is reality.”

I wonder what the Aiel would say if they knew their much-respected Lan was saying something like this. Was Jordan setting up the Aiel worldview already with this contrast, or is it just a funny coincidence?

“So many subjects. The Trolloc Wars. The Watchers Over the Waves. The legend of the Return. Two treatises on the Horn of Valere. Three on dark prophecy, and—Light, here’s Santhra’s book on the Forsaken. Nasty, that. As nasty as this on Shadar Logoth. And the Prophecies of the Dragon, in three translations and the original. Moiraine, whatever are you after? The Prophecies, I can understand—we hear some news here, remote as we are. We hear some of what’s happening in Illian. There’s even a rumor in the village that someone has already found the Horn.”

Moiraine is not at all subtle; she clearly was counting on the privacy she requested. Vandene has probably put together a good deal more than she's admitting. Also note that the books on the Forsaken and Shadar Logoth are EQUALLY nasty, more foreshadowing for that.

“No. Except for the fact that the Horn must be found before Tarmon Gai’don and that the Dragon Reborn is supposed to fight the Last Battle, there is no link between them at all.”

And indeed, once this book is over Rand will have nothing to do with the Horn again.

But I believe it means the Dragon Reborn will appear somewhere above Toman Head, in Arad Doman, or Saldaea.

Vandene is of course confusing "above" with "north", which apparently means that 3A maps - and possibly AoL maps as well - have oriented north consistently for some time. Here in the first age, maps used to have "east" atop them (hence "the Orient" describing the east), so it's not a given as Jordan and Vandene assume.

In full, you will have to stay here a month and listen to Adeleas lecture—she has the true knowledge of it—but even I can tell you there’s nothing of the Dragon in it.

I think the reason that Shadar Logoth didn't show up in the prophecies is that revealing its true purpose to the Shadow would ensure Ish destroyed it prematurely somehow, if by no other mechanism than throwing massive armies of Trollocs in until the two evils canceled out.

“If I did,” Moiraine replied levelly, “would I be here, instead of in the White Tower? The Amyrlin knows as much as I, that I swear. Have you received a summons from her?”

Here Moiraine doesn't rely entirely on evasion because Vandene could see right through that, but she does mislead with her leading questions well enough.

“If I thought it would do any good, I’d pull Adeleas’s nose out of her book and set off for the White Tower. But I find I am glad to be here where I am instead. Perhaps we will have time to finish our history.”

It's always so sad knowing what's going to happen to these people.

An answer, or a hint to an answer, for a question she had not asked—but she could not bring the question to mind, either.

Presumably that Mordeth is looking for a soul to steal in Shadar Logoth - or rather, that he already has stolen a soul. Otherwise why would this chapter have the dagger icon specifically?

A shadow loomed dimly only a few paces from her, a shadow that appeared to be a too-tall man wrapped in his cloak. But the face caught the moon, gaunt-cheeked, pale, with black eyes too big above a puckered, red-lipped mouth. The cloak opened, unfolding into great wings like a bat’s.

Really I'm surprised that Moiraine let her guard down, even for a moment. I guess she was counting on being able to sense it and it not being warded, but again: she's actually properly paranoid.

But even as she began, Lan cried out, “Embrace death!” Jaem echoed him firmly. “Embrace death!” And the two men stepped within reach of the Draghkar’s touch, drove home their blades to the hilt.

It's so sad that Moiraine thinks she needs to test Lan at all when he's still got this going. Dude knows his job and he really is just as married to it as she.

It's also sad that this is what Lan's got at the moment.

Moiraine said the words none of them wanted to hear. “The Black Ajah.”

It's practically uncharacteristic of Moiraine to be so open. She must assume Jaem's good behavior proves their innocence even though proper paranoia would suggest that the most likely Black Ajah candidates are right in front of her. They're not of course, but still.

Adeleas turned to study the Draghkar as if it were a puzzling passage in one of her books. “Whether Aes Sedai are involved or not, whatever could have brought it here?” Vandene regarded Moiraine silently.

If you can't say anything but uncomfortable and revealing truths, don't speak at all I guess.

That's it for this chapter! Next time: A trip to off-brand McDonald's!