#being overly sentimental about a CW show

[rejoyous]

*SPOILERS FOR CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND! SERIOUSLY GO WATCH IT!!!*

Just watched the ending of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and it was a masterpiece. The best scene in the finale was when we find out that all of the songs in the show were in the MC’s (Rebecca’s) head. Rebecca—because of her best friend Paula—realized she could write the songs in her head, and perform them.

The scene where Rebecca and Paula are in Rebecca’s head subverts the entire notion of music in media; the music was tricking us into thinking it was something every character could interact with.

This last scene didn’t break the fourth wall; it merely poked holes through it; letting the sunlight in. These songs weren’t really happening, but they weren’t fake. It’s as if Rebecca was performing for an audience she didn’t know she had.

[turtlecleric]

Venty thing set in the bayverse, Raph is mentioned but no turtles show up

CWs: Implied depression and suicidal ideation, hurt no comfort

Hm.

-

Maybe it's because you haven't been sleeping much lately. Actually, it could be that you haven't been doing a very good job of taking your medicine consistently. Yeah, maybe- but you've only missed a few doses. Work is stressful, sure, but that's nothing new.

Whatever the case, it's 5:00 in the afternoon, and you've yet to drag yourself out of bed. Not because you've actually been resting, no, but there's just... something weighing you down. Something holding you here that you can't name or explain very well.

You consider reaching out to one of the guys. They always make you feel better - at least, until you say something stupid and ruin your own mood. But you... you don't really want to be around anyone right now. Especially them. They haven't seen you like this. At least not when it's been this bad. No, better to wait it out, you think. Wait until you can actually make yourself smile. Wait until you can at least act like a normal person.

You feel like you've spent most of your life waiting.

Your phone buzzes shortly. An email, maybe. Or some random app notification. You don't care enough to check.

You feel gross. Maybe a shower would help. But if you're going to shower, then you might as well work out a little first. That's supposed to help, too, or so you've heard. Hasn't yet, but maybe it's the kind of thing you have to do over the course of several months? Or maybe you're just... doing it wrong.

Sometimes it feels like you do everything wrong.

You sigh and roll over, staring at the light filtering into the room through your curtains. For some reason, you wish it was darker outside. This feeling, whatever it is, when it's dark out, it feels... well, not better, exactly, but. Easier? No, that's not right either. More understandable? You don't know. But you wish it was darker all the same.

Surely there's something you can do to feel better. It's been months of this feeling, though, with very little reprieve, despite everything you've done to try and push through it. Trying to keep a positive attitude. Trying to be kinder to yourself. Trying to distract yourself and take steps to avoid isolation when things get dangerous. Trying, trying, trying, that's all you ever do is try. You're tired. Tired of feeling like this, tired of pretending that you're h-

Crying again. You're not sure why you started. You're not sure why you can't stop.

You wonder if Raph ever feels like this. If he ever has days where it feels easier to stay down. Probably not. He's never been one to stay down - not in the time you've known him, at least. He'd probably be able to push through this like it's nothing. He'd probably be disappointed in you for not being able to-

No. You're being overly critical again. Putting sentiments in other people's heads when you've got no evidence that that's what they think. You can't possibly know what Raph would think unless you actually ask him - and that's certainly out of the question.

Still. Maybe you could... text him. It would distract you for a little while, at least, from the gaping maw that is your chest.

You roll over again and reach out, fumbling with your phone. Shaky hands. You should eat.

Maybe later.

You swipe away the notifications that have gathered. Nothing of importance, you note. No one's messaged you. The emails are all spam. Just a bunch of random shit, like you expected.

A voice in the back of your head whispers that if Raphael wanted to talk to you, then he would have messaged you first. You push the thought away, reminding yourself that relationships are a two-way street. And just because someone hasn't reached out doesn't mean they don't want to talk to you at all.

Still. Your thumbs hesitate after opening the text thread you've got with him. You... don't even have anything to say. Not really. There's nothing you feel like talking about, you just- you just want-

You don't know what you want.

You lock your phone and toss it to the side. Maybe you'll message him later.

Or maybe you'll go into the bathroom. And stare at the medicine cabinet for a while.

[finniestoncrane]

can i request a nsfw alphabet for gotham victor zsasz please 🫡

NSFW Alphabet: Gotham!Zsasz x Reader

abso-fuckin-lutely you may 💖 sorry this took a bit longer to get out but it required a lot more thinking than usual lmao 👀 request info • prompt list • send me a request • kofi minors DNI!! 🔞 cw for nsfw stuff: a LOT

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Surprisingly sweet? If you're someone he really cares for, he puts a lot of importance on showing that. He's not going to get up and run away for sure, he's into displaying a bit of dominance by having you wrap yourself around him, head on his chest, so he can put his arm around your shoulder.

B = Body part (favourite part of theirs and their partner’s)

His favourites are his index fingers. Trigger fingers, they know exactly when to move and twitch to get the reaction he wanted. Also his eyes, he's so sure he can manipulate someone with one puppy dog look. In a partner, he likes their back. A blank canvas for him to work with.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum)

He loves playing around with cum, has definitely tasted his own, is very keen on tasting each partners to get to know them better. When cumming, he has a definite preference for seeing it spread over his partners body as opposed to cumming inside. Definitely enjoys marking you with his seed.

D = Dirty Secret (something they keep hidden)

He is lactose intolerant. But he drinks milkshakes and eats ice cream anyway. Just for the pain of it all, he supposes. Admitting to being unable to process dairy? Weak.

E = Experience (how experienced are they in bed)

Very well-versed in that area, and extremely knowledgeable on most kinks, specifically relating to BDSM for obvious reasons. He can dish it out or take it to, a very versatile switch. He might as well have an equal amount of little scars for his sexual partners as the amount of people he's killed. He's adorable, it's hard for people to resist him.

F = Favourite Position

Doggy style. Absolutely in command of you and able to bang it out as rough or gentle or fast or slow as he wants. But he has a thing for waiting until right at the edge of climax and then laying beside you for some classic mutual masturbation to finish things off. Maybe you're focused on yourselves, arms entwined, or maybe you're jerking each other off, either way he likes cumming at the same time as you and this is usually the easiest way to ensure that happens.

G = Goofy (are they serious in the moment?)

Are you kidding? Has he ever gone longer than five minutes without making some kind of cheeky little remark? You think that stops when he's fucking, or even trying to persuade someone to fuck? Absolutely not. He's definitely not afraid to be silly and giggly in the moment, it's all part of his adorable charm.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they?)

Smooth, like the rest of his body. Soft skin, warm to the touch. Definitely helps him look a lot bigger and more impressive, which is daunting actually (please see X...) but he looks so pretty and kissable all over.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment, romantic aspect)

Ok so intimacy is very important. Romance follows with that. He's not going to be overly flowery in his words or sentiment, but he will be gentle and thorough and make sure you feel desired, loved and fulfilled by the end of the sex.

J = Jack Off (masturbation headcanon)

I genuinely think his brain is too focused on other things for it to even think about jerking off. There's pleasure to be had with another person, and he'd rather pursue that. However, mutual masturbation is something he is keen on. It's intimate and usually pretty quick so works if there's nowhere to lie his partner down and get on top of them, push them up against, bend them over etc.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Ok so very obvious to start with, but S&M. He'll do a lot of BDSM, but letting you hurt him, and hurting himself, is his greatest weakness and his favourite pleasure. Body worship. He loves having you sit or stand in front of him while he kisses you all over and tells you exactly why he loves you. Especially if you have scars or imperfections, something for him to softly graze over as an appreciation of the story you tell. Uh, gun violence? Like hold a gun to his stupid head and tell him he better make you cum or you'll pull the trigger. It's not loaded, or is it? He won't say actually. At least the safety's on...you assume. Leather and PVC. Boots, gloves, skirts, trousers, tops, masks, fucking anything tight and smooth and shiny and black.

L = Location (favourite places to do the do)

In his bed, which seems super boring for someone like him, but he has nice sheets, the vibes are right, and it's safe and cosy. It's a controlled environment where he can take his mind off of everything else. And if he needs to leave you sleeping, he can feel safe that you're not in any danger. That and all his shit is there, what, he's going to carry around his various toys and tools in case the notion takes him in the back of a cab? He has guns to carry, his pockets, and holsters, are full.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Guns. I mean he's into a lot of stuff, but shooting with a high accuracy and aim turns him on. It's the skill level, the power and control, the damage and chaos and violence. He could never take a partner to a shooting range, or even see them holding a weapon. He'd lose his mind. Childhood crush on Annie Oakley? You bet.

N = NO (something they wouldn’t do)

There's not a lot on this list, but I think he would find it difficult letting you be the one who was hurt. He couldn't be a sadist with someone he loved. You can beat the absolute shit out of him, but his touch is always soft and delicate with you.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving)

Ok so it's an intimate, time-consuming, drive you wild kind of activity? He's in, and he loves it. It's the whole "do the job right" thing again. You give him a task, he's going to complete that task in the most flamboyant way, with great expertise and pride in the work. He definitely has a preference for giving rather than receiving. Smother him, choke him, don't let him breathe while he's going at it. Getting head for him, he can take it or leave it. If you're going to suck his dick, you have to edge him and not let him finish. He's a sucker for punishment.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual?

He can do both! Which is often a surprise to any potential sexual partners because he seems like a nasty little chihuahua of a man. But he's so soft and cute and absolutely has the ability, and often the desire, to be romantic and slow and fill all your sense up. If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex)

Ok so, as above, while he can do it fast and hot and rough, he would rather do it slow and sweet. BUT he has been known to bend someone over for a quick release while he's on the job. You ever been banged from behind while the person inside of you is trying to steady a sniper rifle? It really adds a lot of tension to the situation.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment?)

Absolutely he is. Music to his ears in fact. Zsasz is a freaky girl. He'll do whatever you want, especially if there's an element of pain or a risk of him getting a little bit (or a lot) hurt in the process. As long as none of the risks involve you, that's where he would draw the line. But risks that involve exposure, some exhibitionism, potentially being caught as he's being trailed by the police/enemies? He's frothing at the mouth.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Victor has the energy of a feral chihuahua. He's able to go for a very long time, and as long as you give him a minute to get 'prepared' he can go for another round for sure. And there's very little you have to do. He'll top the whole time, he'll do all the work, exert all the energy, and make sure you're well and truly fucked out.

T = Toy (do they own toys? do they use them?)

Absolutely. Mostly on himself, like impact play, whartenberg wheels, electrostimulation, clamps, bondage, you name it really! But as he doesn't want to hurt his precious loved one, unless they really really convinced him to, he will fuck you while holding a vibrator against whichever part of you makes you squirm the most.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He's a full-time tease. Complete flirt, very aware of his charms and his looks and the power he has over people with those big brown eyes. And he will absolutely rile someone up to the point that they are begging him desperately, just to let them down. He knows all too well that the longer he keeps you hanging on, the better it'll be when he finally gives you what you want.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make)

Aw baby, he is a very vocal boy. Praise, snarky little comments, jokes, sarcasm, feral grunting? You've got it all with him. It depends what mood he's in and what you're doing. When he's being flirty, it's rude little comments that are always filled with innuendo. If you're jerking him off or giving him head, he's very conscious of praising you. If you're just going at it, 100% loud yelling and groaning.

W = Wild Card (a random headcanon)

He desperately wants to fuck you in his old childhood bedroom. Something about finally knowing that the room got to see some action. It would make his arc complete, I guess.

X = X-Ray (let’s see what’s going on in those pants)

He's thick, like good lord. Not way above average in length, about 6". Good luck managing to suck him off though because unless you can unhinge your jaw like a python because it's gonna be a tight squeeze.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

You'd think he'd get a lot of his adrenaline out during his murderous little escapades but that is his job. It's almost dull and repetitive to him, not that he doesn't find joy in the work, but his only release for the passion and pent up urges is definitely sex. And he's ready to pop off at a moment's notice.

Z = ZZZ (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

I don't think he sleeps. I don't think he's 100% human. He's just going to lie there and stare at the ceiling until he feels the urge to go do something violent and mischievous, or something ridiculously soft like getting some cupcakes and having a solo picnic.

[self-loathing-angel-of-thursday2]

Beautiful Spouse’s Rewatch Thoughts SPN 02x04

Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things

“That’s a helluva title” pink razor 

“Right off the fkn corner” “Idk how fast she was going, but I feel like there would have been more damage at that speed”

“Delicious.” “Idk who I agree with in terms of visiting Mary’s grave” “He’s going to dull the dull the shit out of that knife” “tree’s dead” Dean’s looking very slutty in this episode

“Yeah, you touch that wood, Dean” “Giorgio Tsoukolous Aliens” “Did we ever find out what day/time this is? There’s not always a groundskeeper at a cemetery in Smalltown USA” “I like how expressive Dean’s face is. Sam’s expressions often feel forced then it looks same-y a lot” “The audio is very reflective, They left the audio being more natural in a bathroom. I like it” “Why is Sam always pointing out Dean not processing John’s death the way Sam wants him to?” “I barely remember this episode” We both just realized that was the main guy from Letterkenny

“Canada must not have a lot of people in it” “She’s gonna buy that line?” “I think Dean is kinda allergic to this type of girl?” “Those fkn eye, dude” “Idk what to say about Sam almost watching porn. I guess they grew up in those kinda joints but who watches PPV porn?”

Me arguing how are they going to download porn with shitty 2000s internet and carry around a porno magazine 

“How does Dean know that a girls best friend is her diary? They try to paint Sam as emotionally mature and in-touch, but then they have Dean say this line with almost a wrist flick” “I love how Dean replied to this guy with his whole face”

“I mean, wouldn’t she be all taxidermied at this point? Doesn’t that shit help you not rot right away? They do you up and put you in a fridge for a little while.” “How do you keep her from turning all fucked up and zombified?” “I know they’re talking to the normie father, but dean is being really insensitive” “Dean gave Sam that fkn look again” “I never noticed ANY of this shit beforehand. Not a single tiny bit of it” “creepy” “just go into somebody’s house…armed…no big deal” “I love how they’re being all quiet and talking at normal volumes” “I think I would have passed out if I saw my dead best friend like that. I was just at their funeral. I’m usually calm, but I think this would have been too much. And even after stabbing them, I would definitely be passed out after that” “Dean’s clearly not using hollow-points” “Imagine being the kid who did this and it works. No one knows, and then a few days later, these dudes show up asking questions about zombies” “that’s a weird ass sentiment about killing those people” “hell yeah brother” “they never explained how she moves so quickly” “We spend a lot of time looking at Sam’s back”

Me mentioning that the CW likes Jared Padalecki

“Nobody likes the corporate girlies” “things make more sense now - you have the girlies and the corporate girlies. The girlies are the fanbase, and the corporate girlies renew the seasons” Spouse is talking about brain stems but I spaced out. I think he’s saying that zombies just need them removed.

“They buried her. Let’s say the cops exhume her for whatever reasons. They find her with stab wounds, bullet wounds, etc. What the fuck do you do that in that situation?” “That was a very odd episode” “really? He’s going to do this whole get outta the car emotional thing now?” “Such a weird man thing to do - stop the car then apologize and make the other person ask why. Like who does this shit?” “Wow. What a takeaway” “Jensen’s not good at the overly masculine traditional man emotion faces. The straight ass face”

[leggerefiore]

Creep

cw: 18+ only, yandere, stockholm syndrome, dubious consent, afab reader, kidnapping, polyamory, all that fun stuff

Summary: A walk-through of a life filled with codependency. Chasing the dragon of freedom, you find yourself worse off than when you started.

this is a repost of a fic from ao3 i felt would be appreciated by yous on here

`

Anville Town was a quiet, unassuming place to grow up. Few visited without good reason or were train enthusiasts looking to see the rail yard. It was a peaceful place to live and so dreadfully boring to an overly active child. You and your friends, Ingo and Emmet, had known each other assumably since birth. Well, they had known each other before birth, but you were not related to them as far as you knew. Your time was mostly spent following them around and listening to them point out facts about whatever train had parked for an overhaul. Both of them were always together with you somewhere nearby. Other kids often assumed you were triplets by how you were glued their sides. 

Passion for adventure and action led to you sneaking away from town and into the wild to seek out a pokemon. It was unfair that Ingo and Emmet both had two already, but you had not a single one! Just as you were about to charge as sleeping Lillipup, a hand pulled you back. Ingo glared at you while holding you close to him. His small cheeks were flushed pink, but his face showed none of the emotion. "You can't do that! Wild pokemon are dangerous without your own to protect you," he scolded you but reached to the pokeballs on his belt, "Here. Borrow my Litwick and catch something, but be careful!" You proceeded to turn around and squeeze him tightly. Gratitude poured from you as he simply nodded.

After you had caught your first pokemon, Emmet ran up and wanted a battle. Ingo shook his head and explained to his counterpart that you had never done anything like that before. His words went ignored as Emmet sent out his Tynamo. You giggled at the idea and mimicked him. Ingo shouted the rules loudly and Pidoves flew away from the sheer frequency of his voice. The battle was horribly confusing and overall messy, but Emmet came out victorious. His smile grew wider, and he hugged his Tynamo firmly. You, however, started crying. Ingo sighed as he moved to comfort you; he knew this would happen. Eventually, you had calmed down and demanded that Ingo teach you everything he knew about battles. Even breaking out threats, by saying you would never listen to him drawl on about trains ever again. Naturally, he agreed and forced Emmet to help him explain.

Soon, you found yourself battling every single trainer available to you in Anville Town. All of it was training for your rematch against Emmet. Your determination to beat him became a drive to move in the sweltering, summer heat. Soon, Ingo was your next opponent and he refused to go easy on you. His Litwick was downright terrifying, but you managed to beat him with barely any health left. He gave a slight smile at your victory and congratulated you. "I think you're ready for Emmet, now," he stated while spraying his Litwick with a potion, "We're both thinking about challenging the gym competition. Would you like to, as well?" You beamed at him and nodded rapidly. That would get you out of you small town. Your adventurous heart jumped at the thought.

Your rematch against Emmet went better than your first attempt. His pace was matched easily, and you quickly overcame his team. He sighed at the lost but brought you in for a hug. You babbled on about how excited you were for the gym challenge to him. He grinned and promised to get all the badges before you and Ingo. His sentiments appeared to be shared between the three of you. Being best friends did not stop you from craving rivalry. That day, you three shook on it. You would travel the Unova region together when you were older.

Badges were collected with relative ease. Some leaders gave you more trouble than others, but your group of three soon found itself in Nimbasa City once again. The twins chatted amongst themselves about the Gear Station and the Battle Subway. The amusement park caught your attention instead and you separated yourself from the twins to go explore around. Your eyes sparkled at all the bright, colourful lights and loud, energetic music. People passed around you as you took in everything properly. The Ferris wheel invaded your mind as your feet absentmindedly carried you toward it. Impossibly large, strangely attractive, and noticeably romantic, you wondered would someone ever take you on it. Another person, a boy around your age with bright blue hair walked up to you with an amicable grin. His skin was tanned, but his sandaled feet proved his natural skin tone was decently pale. "'Sup, I'm Marlon! Do you wanna to ride the Ferris wheel too?" his voice was friendly and bright. You nodded and giggled excitedly. 

Marlon and you waited in line together as you chatted about many different things. Pokemon, the roller coaster and proper swimming techniques. The blue haired boy was horrified to hear you had never gone swimming before. His offers to teach you came off as pleas because he could not imagine world without swimming. It was all he did for the most part, he claimed. You were eager to try new things, so you promised to do it after you beat all of the gym leaders. "You're challenging them? Dude, me too! We have to, like, battle sometime!" he was just as excitable you were. A woman called out and your turn to board had finally come.  You sat down giddily with Marlon across from you. The view was wonderful as the Ferris wheel began to move upwards and give you a bird's eye view of Nimbasa City. You had pressed yourself against the window in order to see everything. 

"So, where are you from? You look totally stunned by Nimbasa," Marlon asked coolly. You kept your attention out the window but answered him, "Anville Town." An 'ah' came from him as he chuckled good-naturedly. You looked down at the amusement park and spotted Ingo and Emmet. They appeared frantic and were looking around for something. "Oh! I can see my friends!" you called out to no one in particular. "I think they're trying to find something." Marlon gazed out, but he did not know what your friends looked like so he just shrugged. Your time on the Ferris wheel came to an end as soon it came. Marlon held your hand as you stepped out and helped steady you as feet adjusted to solid ground once again. A loud gasp was heard along with a yell. 

Emmet had charged right at you two with a furious expression plastered across his face. "Hey! Hands off of them!" His voice was as loud as he could get it. Marlon gave him a funny look before letting you go. "Emmet! Calm down, he's my friend! This is Marlon," you tried to amend the situation, but it got worse when Ingo strolled up. "Why did you wander off? We were worried sick about you!" His voice was booming and definitely brought attention toward the four of you. Marlon shook his head at the mess but turned to you, "Hey, I'll leave you to sort this out. We should totally hang out again! I'm going to Driftveil for my next badge." He gave you once smile before running away a bit too fast. It was understandable, however, as Ingo had taken to an aggressive stance toward him.

Their nagging over you had made you huffy and irritable. They acted like you had abandoned them forever rather than went around exploring. Your shared room in the Pokemon Center was spent awkwardly and in complete silence. You woke up before them the next morning with a plan. Noiselessly, you packed your things together and left them behind in Nimbasa. Maybe you would meet Marlon again in Driftveil. You could only hope for it as you crossed the drawbridge in the dawn's dim light. The world felt different away from the twins. It was wider, brighter and lonelier. You found yourself making comments, but there was no one to listen to them. Your introspection was interepreted by the scent of spices. Driftveil greeted you with a buzzing market with people swarming in and out. The city held a much different feeling to Nimbasa, but it was not a bad thing. Your feet carried you clumsily as you tried navigating the town on your own. Usually, one of the brothers would direct you. They had seemingly memorized maps of the towns. Now, however, you were alone. A flash of blue hair caught your attention from the hustle of the market. Marlon waved you over to him. Your promise was broken as you ran toward the boy.

Ingo woke up and knew something was wrong. It was gut-feeling he often got whenever Emmet was upset over something. His turned to where his brother slept, but he was not there. Next, he looked over where you were sleeping. That was where he found Emmet. His twin was leaned over your bed bawling his eyes out. "In-Ingo, they're gone! I can't find them. What if they got kidnapped?" Emmet hiccupped out while checking under the bed for what must have been the hundredth time. Ingo's heart dropped into his stomach as he wrapped his arms around Emmet. You? Kidnapped? He hoped not, as your captors were woefully underprepared for the pain train the twins would bring. Though, Ingo had an idea as to what happened. "Em, I think they just went on ahead of us," he explained with a soft tone. Seeing his normally jovial brother in tears hurt more than anything. Emmet perked up slightly at the thought. "W-we need to go then! They must be verrrry lonely without us. I couldn't imagine!" his voice was cracking as he moved to pack his things. Ingo could only wonder about that.

You had beaten Clay with advice from Marlon. His water-type strategies amazed you and his overall demeanor played well with yours. The feeling of having a new friend was a high you sailed on. You both decided to travel through Chargestone Cave after leaving Driftveil. Marlon claimed it was for safety related reasons. Your attention was caught by the magnetized rocks contained within. The electric types had Marlon annoyed, however. You laughed as he brushed a Joltik off of himself with a gasp. The light of day hit your skin warmly as you finally escaped the cave. You both were horrible with navigation as it turned out and had gotten lost multiple times. Once, you had even walked out of the cave back toward Driftveil. Marlon groaned about that for the following hour. "Only on land," Marlon stressed while walking into the Pokemon Center. "Hey, we still need to find a body of water to teach you how to swim." You just shrugged as you handed the nurse your pokeballs. There were only three more gyms left, so maybe you would if the two of you stumbled across one. Probably not, though. Part of you still wanted to beat the twins, mostly out of spite rather than friendly competition now. The other half just wanted to try your luck at the league.

The next two gyms went fast, and your excitement was palpable as you entered Opelucid City. The town was futuristic, and the sound of a keytar had you pumped for the last gym. Marlon rolled his eyes as you ran over to tip the musician who complimented your mood. Shivers shot down his spine, suddenly. He looked over his shoulder with a harsh look. Someone had definitely been glaring at him, but they were out of his line of sight. You returned to his side and grabbed at his hand to drag him off somewhere. Marlon swore he felt the glare intensify in that moment. The both of you wandered around the town until you found a food stall that caught your stomach approval. Placing an order, you had your dinner. Thoughts drifted around your mind while you ate. "I think I want to become the champion," you admitted to Marlon. "I want to be more independent, too." It had never crossed your mind just how much you relied on the twins until travelling with Marlon. Your emotions were often handled and taken care of by one of them. You were even afraid of going into stores alone. 

"Man, I think I wanna to become a gym leader," Marlon still felt the eyes on him. "Do you feel weird?" He had to be careful with his words, as whoever it was could be aggressive and he did not want to bring harm toward you. "No? Is something wrong?" you honestly felt fine, if not a bit chilled in the autumn breeze. Marlon shook his head and focused on his food. Perhaps he was just overreacting. The sun was beginning to set by the time you both had finished eating and lazing about. Standing up, you tried to recall where you last saw a Pokemon Center. Footsteps echoed loudly on the mostly empty side street where you had found a bench. Marlon's head whipped around and yours turned to a nearby alley way. Someone strolled out. Your stomach twisted. Ingo regarded you with cold eyes. How long had he been there? Your mood shifted in discomfort, but you stood proud. There was not a chance would act weak because of him. Arms suddenly entrapped you from behind and as face buried itself in your neck, "You're alright! We've been verrrrry worried about you." Emmet's monotone voice could be recognized anywhere. They wore different clothes, you noted. Green uniforms that reminded you of somewhere, but you failed to pinpoint just where it was.

"Dude! Let them go, they're uncomfortable!" Marlon snapped at the younger twin. He was not usually aggressive, but he had grown into a close friendship with you and worried for your safety. Esspecially after learning how dependent you were toward them. "And how would you know? You haven't known them nearly as long as we have," Ingo cut in before Marlon could think to move, "In fact, I know them so well that I know what they're thinking, 'Marlon will save me, I won't even have to defend myself.' We always came to their rescue so now they naturally expect that even from others." You froze at his words. He was not wrong and that terrified you. Why had you expected Marlon to save you? Emmet giggled as he watched your face twitch. "That's right. We always come to rescue you," he pecked a kiss onto your cheek before whispering into your ear, "That's what we're doing right now, in fact."

Marlon sent out his Carracosta, but Ingo moved promptly to send out his Klinklang. The battle was aggressive and with each trainer displaying impressive skill. You kept praying for Marlon's victory while Emmet constricted you against his body. One of his eyes twitched a bit. Ingo arrived at victory and Marlon fell to his knees. Emmet cheered for his brother, but you just screamed in terror. Someone had to hear you. Someone had to notice what was happening. Your voice was cut off by a rag being pushed against your face. Emmet's grin, too wide for his face, haunted your mind. Your struggling grew weaker alongside your consciousness. Why had this happened? You pleaded for answers as everything faded to black.

Your next moments of coherency were present in an unfamiliar bedroom. It was decorated averagely, and nothing seemed amiss. Well, perhaps the handcuffs around your wrists, but they were something to be expected when you get kidnapped. Pulling at them, you came to the conclusion you were not breaking out like that. The metal dug coldly into your soft flesh. Time passed by with nothing to focus your thoughts onto. You started falling asleep once more until the bedroom door opened. Emmet strolled inside and gasped when he noticed that you were awake. "Darling! You're up! We missed you soooo much!" his smile was innocent, yet the last memory in your head reminded you of the truth. "I'll tell Ingo to bring some food home for you too. Please wait." He pulled a phone from his uniform's pocket and made a call. You realized where the uniform was from now, as you thought of your home. "You'll have some food soon. I promise," he moved to sit beside you. "We got jobs at the Gear Station. We've been working our way up, too. At our current speed, we should arrive at Subway Bosses soon." That was good and all. They still had kidnapped you! Icicles bloomed in your blood. Was Marlon safe?

"Stop worrying about that boy. He's fine," Emmet snapped as his smile turned cold. You wished they did not know how to read you. Your body was soon pressed against the twin as he sighed contently. Time passed and the bedroom door opened again to reveal the other twin's presence. He carried a bag of take-out and looked over you carefully. His steps were planned as he approached the bed. "You're wondering why we did all this, right?" Ingo explained while handing Emmet his food. "Well, simply put, we love you. When you left us in Nimbasa, we realized how important you are to us. Then, what our feelings about you were. We had to have you back." He pressed a kiss on top of your head. There was no chance you were escaping them. They knew you too well. You refused to cry. Ingo brought a spoon of food to your mouth. You opened to accept it as you were starving. The corners of his lips twitched upwards momentarily. 

Your life continued on in a bizarre stasis. During the day, the twins bid you clingy farewells while they worked long and seemingly grueling shifts. Most nights they came home, hit the sheets and were out cold. When they were not, however, you often found yourself subjected to strange affections. Ingo buried his face into your neck while you begrudgingly brushed a hand through his hair. He never spoke much in those moments, but he derived obvious enjoyment in your presence. Emmet, on the other hand, clang to you like an upset child to their mother. He pressed kisses anywhere and everywhere while humming contently. It felt sickening. You were left alone for long periods of time then forced into affection until it had become unbearable. The urge to escape remained in your mind, yet it had begun to falter. Why could you not just stay with them? They worked hard to support you and cared so dearly for you that anything your heart desired was yours.

Their snores were like a train engine around you as they slept. Emmet holding you to his chest while Ingo nuzzled into your own. You were wide awake as you considered plans for escape. Handcuffs only came off when you needed use of the bathroom, or your health became a concern. Your hands were out now, but they always woke up at the slightest of movements. Your arms shifted around Ingo's sleeping form. Perhaps you could manipulate one of them into letting you outside by playing along? Lying was impossible, but you had disgustingly started to enjoy their affections. The months with Marlon had plenty of platonic touches yet you had grown up with much more physical contact than that. Ingo's eyes jumped open in surprise at the sudden hug. He settled quickly into your contact, though. "What's wrong, dear?" he asked. You shook your head and pecked a kiss onto his head. 

It was a rare day in which one the brother's had off while the other had work. Emmet appeared huffy about it but left for his shift nonetheless. It left you alone with the older twin for at least eight hours, likely to be longer with how they worked. Ingo laid next to you in bed with the television playing some daytime shows. He listened to your heartbeat with his head resting against your chest. You hated how domestic everything felt. It was genuinely pleasant to you how calm the scene presented. Had you not been handcuffed; people would be green with envy at the level of comfort in your relationship. You decided to lead him further into that bliss; it was time to act out your escape plan. "Emmet mentioned something about a promotion during dinner last night," you started with careful words and a trained face. "What was that about?" Ingo hummed loudly as considered his words. 

Your mind raced at Mach 10 in the moments of silence. Would he fall for it, or would he realize your intent? His pale eyes considered your own as shifted from your cuddling position. "We've been approved to become Subway Bosses," he explained with an unmistakable twinkling in his eyes, "It's quite exciting, I'd say. We get to work with two things we're passionate about; it's a dream come true." His hand grasped yours and his thumb traced over your knuckles. Then, a kiss placed to your cheek. 

Your mind rushed to memories of Anville Town. The three of you, children, gazing down to the rail yard. Hair swaying the gentle breeze; their eyes filled with enthusiasm toward whatever locomotive had parked itself. One would state a random fact and the other would follow with another. They went on and on for hours. It was indisputable about the passion they held. When asked by a teacher what they had wanted to be when they were older. Ingo loudly blurted out conductor. A few kids laughed at him, but Emmet shot a terrifying glare out. They grew silent immediately. The younger twin then noisily proclaimed the same interest with the sudden coldness completely gone. You could not even remember what you had answered. 

Ingo brought you back to present as he moved to stretch. You needed to continue your plan, there was no time to reminisce. "Hey, I feel kinda gross. I got too hot last night," you prompted with a mild annoyance in your tone, "Could I take a shower? You could have one with me." If you understood him well, and you believed that you did, then he would agree. Next, all you had to do was catch him unprepared and knock him out. There was no estimate to how long he would be unconscious, but it would assuredly be long enough for you to make a mad dash for the nearest authority figure. Ingo took a few moments to scrutinize your request before ultimately agreeing. A shower would do you both some good.

The bathroom was small and cramped, the three of you barely fit in when they both tried to bathe with you. Thankfully, they had realized it was not working out and made a schedule for who bathed with you and when. The cheap, plastic tub felt refreshing on your underused feet. How much time had passed since they had first taken you? They never gave you much indication for what the date was. Pleasantly warm water hit your bare skin from the low-pressure shower head. The apartment was clearly a lower-end one, but you figured they would eventually move with how much they seemed to make. It did not matter to you. All that mattered was escaping, you scolded yourself for letting your mind wander. You shivered when Ingo's hands travelled across your body exploratively. Sex was something that had only happened a few times. It was never anything more than moments of pure carnal desire and desperation. 

He had just laid a gentle kiss on your shoulder when you decided to act. Roughly, you shoved him back. He flinched at the sudden aggression, and you took the opportunity to grab a heavy shampoo bottle. Hurt was evident in his pearly eyes. The shampoo bottle harshly whacked the side of his head and he collapsed onto the basin of the tub. His eyes were closed, and his breathing grew slow. You huffed from the exertion. Turning the water off, you rushed to get clothing. The past months (... You presumed, yet were still unsure) were spent in their spare t-shirts and underwear. You threw on an extremely baggy shirt and loose-fitting shorts before you finally escaped the apartment. A few people in the hall gave you funny looks, hair dripping wet and clearly underdressed, as you sprinted toward the stairs. 

Sun felt foreign on your deprived flesh. The air felt strange, unregulated by a unit and slightly polluted. You recognized the location as Nimbasa instantly. It was a larger location and difficult to navigate without proper knowledge of the city. You did not care about that, though, and let your bare feet carry you anywhere. There had to be someone that could help you. Someone that would believe you. Tears bubbled over from numerous contradictory emotions. Guilt, joy, fear, anger and despair all mixed into a vile, toxic solution. Crowds passed you by, but no one ever stopped to check on you. Ingo and Emmet always paid special attention that you had grown completely accustomed to. All you could do is wander while precious time ticked away. 

Somehow, you found yourself at the amusement park. You shuddered, knowing nearby was the Gear Station. How long until Ingo woke up? Had he already? Emmet was sure to be a bat out of hell when he got that call. You entered the place of excitment and blended into the crowd. No one looked like they could help you. Smiles, annoyed frowns, angry brows and empty eyes. You were truly alone here. No Marlon, no twins. You needed help but felt unsure how to get it. A bright yellow caught your eye as your searched wildly for anyone. Her demeanor demanded respect alongside her strong aura you felt despite the distance. This was someone with authority. You approached her sheepishly. Her eyes, blue as the sky above, focused on you. "I-I need help," you stuttered over your words, nervous and unsure of everything. "I was abducted and I- I-" Sobs began escape you as you felt so dreadfully small. You were smaller than a Joltik and no one could see you but her. 

Her hand drifted onto her hip as she jutted it out. She must have thought you were insane. Who walks up to a complete stranger and says that? You started hiccupping, but she shook her head. "Hey, it's alright, I believe you," her tone was understanding, "How about we talk somewhere private?" You nodded rapidly, wanting nothing more than to be somewhere safe. She motioned you to follow her and you did. As you travelled, she introduced herself as Elesa, a gym leader and a model. You never challenged her, so you imagined she was a relatively new addition to the Unovan gym roster. You flinched as she led you in front the Gear Station. If Elesa had noticed, then she did not say anything. Eventually, she brought you to a deuxe apartment complex and invited you into her home.

Everything was modern and luxurious in her apartment. It felt worlds apart from the homey bedroom you had grown used to. Stiffly, you sat down on her tuxedo styled sofa. Elesa was just about to begin listening to you when her phone rang. She gave a polite apology and went into another room to take it. You tried to relax yourself in the meanwhile. You were safe now; they could not get to you. It was all over. You kept trying to reassure yourself. A mocking voice snarled that you should have just stayed with the twins; they never did anything to hurt you. Teeth dug into your cheek as you ignored the malicious thoughts. When Elesa had returned, she attentively listened to your story. It had been impossible to stay calm during your recount and you found yourself crying once more. She offered you a comforting side hug and promised that you were protected here.

Another apology was given to you when Elesa explained that work had called her back in. You were free to stay in her apartment, and she actually suggested that you did. Leaving was not something you planned on unless the twins were incapacitated, so you naturally agreed. A goodbye was given as she locked the door behind her. You sat alone in her quiet flat. The silence reminded of you to the beginning of your imprisonment. The twins left you alone with nothing to entertain yourself while they worked. Everything felt painful; every thought led back to them in some way. You may have been free of them physically, but mentally they would haunt you. Nauseatingly, you even hoped that Ingo was not majorly harmed.

You were just about to turn on her television when you heard a noise. The locking mechanism of the door shifting ever so slightly, like whoever was on the other side wanted to go unheard. Fear exploded in your mind as you rushed to hide somewhere. Settling in a coat closet, you had a view of the front door. Tenuously, the front door opened. You heart jumped into your throat when a man dressed in white entered. Their face was obscured by their brimmed cap, but the hair was distinct. Emmet. He examined the room carefully with a manic smile. Motioning in someone, you watched as a stumbling Ingo followed. An ice pack was held to his head, and he looked exhausted. How had they found you? Was there a tracking device on you?

"Darling! We know you're here. Please come out!" Emmet called out. His tone was vacant as usual, but his body language read vexatiously. Ingo sat down on the couch and sighed, "Your punishment won't be as bad if you come to us willingly. I suggest you count your small victories." His tone was authoritative and harsh. You contemplated his suggestion. They had never punished you before and you could only wonder what it entailed. Emmet buzzed around the apartment in a frenzied search. You were so scared. He slammed a door shut somewhere out of your line of sight. Could you live without them? The thought honestly scared you when actual effort was put into it. Something was knocked over and thumped loudly against the flooring. You let out a shaky breath.

Opening the closet door, you fell to your knees bawling your eyes out. Babbles of their names and pleas for help mixed as their attention shot directly to you. Emmet hurried over to you and scooped you into his arms. Kisses were left on the streams of your tears while you buried yourself into him. Ingo slowly strode over and shook his head, carefully as it was clear it still hurt. "You've been bad, dear," his words pierced your heart akin to a fine dagger. "Very, verrrrrry bad," Emmet continued. You hiccupped out apologies as you desperately clang to the younger twin. Ingo brushed a hand through your hair delicately, "Though, I did make a promise. Your punishment won't be as harsh." He pressed a kiss onto your temple.

The apartment was a mess when you returned. Things strown about and furniture turned over. Your view of it was fleeting as you were whisked into the bedroom. Handcuffs were around wrists in an instant. Groaning, you were laid you across Ingo's lap. "How many do you think is fair, Emmet? I would say around twenty," he pulled the shorts off with ease while he questioned his brother. Emmet brought a gloved hand to his chin and debated for a moment, "That sounds fair!" You shivered as he rubbed your ass tenderly. The younger twin shifted in front of you and forced your attention on him. This distraction led to you crying out when a hand slapped down ruthlessly at your ass. "Count aloud, darling!" Emmet directed you with a sadistic grin. "O-one!" your throat was suddenly dry. 

The slaps came quick, hard and in a harsh rhythm. You choked out each ascending number. Two spanks followed in fast succession and caught you off guard. The numbers got caught in your throat and Ingo tsk'd at you. "Do keep up, dear. You brought this on yourself," his words enunciated with another hit. You hated that you agreed with him; you also hated how hot your body had become. Bare thighs garnering some slick that you only prayed did not drip onto his pants. By the final slap, you were fully in tears again, "Twen-Twenty!" The hand that had just struck at you became one of comfort as he massaged the reddened and irritated flesh. Emmet licked at your tears with a child-like giddiness. Everything around you felt so polar; it all blended together but remained opposed at the same time. 

You squeaked when fingers unexpectedly ran across your cunt. "It seems you enjoyed your punishment," Ingo mocked your state, "Will I have to find another one that actually works?" Your head shook aggressively as tried to squirm away from his touch. Emmet stopped you and held you still with a giggle. Fingers entered you and worked you open with frightening precision. Moans left you as pleasure began to build from the ministrations. Then his thumb moved to work at your clit. You were losing your mind from every little thing. The juices within your brain surged with bliss. Emmet brought himself down to kiss you; saliva mixed as his tongue broke your mouth's seal. You groaned into his mouth as Ingo crooked his fingers just right. The thumb pressed harder on your clit and ground perfectly to the point where you saw stars. 

In those few moments where you felt weightless, the twins had shifted you into Ingo's lap to sandwich you. A hard cock prodded your sensitive pussy as you dumbly ground against it. The older twin growled and pushed you forward to lean against the younger one. Emmet gazed directly into your eyes as your felt boneless. Ingo pushed into you. The grin on his twin's face widened impossibly. You felt your entire body move with Ingo's thrusts. Squeaks escaped you from the rough grinds as the younger twin began to tweak at your nipples. Harsh pinches followed by loving, tender strokes. "Our darling is just the cutest," Emmet commented happily before moving into another kiss. Ingo's loud groans echoed within the halls of your brain as he rocked your body into another high. "You're not allowed to leave us, dear," Ingo's growled out, "I forgive you, but I think you need to settle down. Don't worry, I have an idea as to how." His thumb worked at your clit again as his thrusts grew sloppy. Your second orgasm was harsher than the first and it brought Ingo to his own end, deeply as possible, his cum buried in you. 

Ingo moved away from you with heavy pants. Emmet pushed you roughly back against the sheets. He positioned your restrained hand around him as he pushed your legs up. Weeps left you as Emmet rammed himself into your overstimulated heat. He beamed at you with a soft whine. His thrusts were wild and rough. His eyes trained on your face and gazed into your soul. Cold fingers curled around your neck suddenly. Their grip tightened just enough that breathing was difficult, but not impossible. Your cries made his movements turn brutal as he chased his high. It was all too much; your body could not take anymore, and your thoughts were turning into a nonsensical soup. Breaths were unfulfilling and your body felt it was boiling. The strokes of his cock moved you toward a third time and he squeezed your neck just a bit too tight. You screamed as he fucked you through your orgasm. He kept going for a few more thrusts before he stilled suddenly. Warmth spread in you once again.

You watched as Ingo tightened Emmet's tie. They were wearing new uniforms witht their promotion it seemed. Your body was covered in marks from all the events of the previous weeks. The television played the news distantly, but your mind was elsewhere. Ingo slicked his hair back and placed a black cap on top of his head. He turned to you and gave a small smile, "We'll be back later, alright? Do you need anything before we go?" You nodded and he stepped closer to you. Beckoning him even closer, you leaned up to kiss him. "I'm truly sorry, Ingo..." it still felt as if you were speaking to a parent after an argument. He shook his head, "I already forgave you, dear. Anything else you need?" It was your turn to shake your head. 

The twins bid you their morning farewells, filled with as much affections as usual. Kisses all over, bone-breaking hugs and longing clasped hands. This time, however, you returned them. Now, you were allowed to wander freely around the apartment. Both of them knew you were not going to leave them; you had learnt your lesson. The dependency between the three of you was plainly visible for anyone to see. Your hand drifted down to your stomach as you wondered what would be good for breakfast.

[mrs-nate-humphrey]

So not to be dramatic, but if you could get a degree in discourse-ology, the topic of my master’s thesis would definitely be “Which political candidates did the characters of the CW’s Gossip Girl (2007-2012) support?” I’m doing this in order from most to least obvious, and considering both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

[ little ivy interjection here: i haven’t changed ANYTHING, except adding a screencap of the title + the submission, because that made me laugh & more people deserve to see it, and putting this under a read more because that’s how i generally try & organise stuff on this blog. so this submission is exactly as it was when i received it! also while we’re at it, anon, this MADE my day.]

Blair Waldorf: “Hillary Clinton is one of my role models. I do not break treaties, you ass!” (04x13) There’s no question that Blair would go hard for Hillary in 2016, she praised her on multiple occasions throughout the series. Blair’s a classic American neoliberal, third wave Democrat-type: she’s decently progressive when it comes to social policies, and would be decidedly supportive of causes like gay marriage, racial equity, and women’s reproductive rights, but she’s still very much in favor of maintaining the status quo when it comes to capitalism and the hegemonic structure of power that, lets face it, heavily favors her own class interests. To use the American healthcare system as an example: Blair would have been all for the Affordable Care Act, and is largely supportive of the idea of creating a public option - but single payer, nationalized health care? It just wouldn't work in a country like the United States for “X” reason (although the real reason, deep down, is that she doesn’t want to see her tax rate go up in any meaningful way). So she’s thoroughly for Clinton in both the 2016 primaries and the general election, she maybe even comes out with a line of high-end “I’m With Her” merchandise if she’s still CEO of Waldorf Designs, and is personally heartbroken when Clinton loses.

Flash forward to the 2020 primaries. Blairhates Donald Trump, like emotionally, viscerally hates him - his misogyny, his incompetence, and his blatant tackiness are a direct repudiation of her beliefs, and the fact that he’s representing Manhattan society and the Upper East Side to the world in such a godawful way is frankly embarrassing. So in a certain sense, her strategy, like frankly many Americans at the time going into the 2020 Democratic primaries is, “Which one of these candidates has the greatest chance at beating Donald Trump?” I see Blair being rather conflicted at first, but ultimately going for either Amy Klobuchar or Kamala Harris. She has a certain admiration for Elizabeth Warren given her professional background, but her policies are a bit too progressive for someone like Blair. Buttigeg is fine, but not especially thrilling. Biden, quite frankly, doesn’t seem like he has any real chance at winning, although I think he’d be Blair’s third choice after Harris and Klobuchar. I can see her leaning more towards Harris ultimately - although, after the “Amy Klobuchar throws staplers at her interns!!” rumors start spreading, Blair cannot help but, at a personal level, kind of respect her for that. When Biden unexpectedly takes South Carolina and then the Democratic nomination, Blair is a bit disappointed, but not overly so, and quickly marshals her financial resources into supporting and fundraising for him for the remainder of the election. At least it’s not Sanders - or Bloomberg. As a New Yorker, of course Blair’s opinion is “Fuck Michael Bloomberg”.

Chuck Bass: Now here’s where it gets interesting. Chuck, as you said, isn’t stupid - there’s no way he falls for the “build the wall” crap or any of Trump’s rhetoric, he knows it’s a bullshit farce and sees right through it. But you know what he definitely is? Deeply greedy and deeply selfish. I’m hardly the first person to point this out, but Chuck Bass is, in many ways, the fictional equivalent of the Donald Trumps and Michael Bloombergs and Brett Kavanaughs of the world - new money billionaire who inherited his wealth from his father working in the real estate industry, who despite his lack of business acumen and deeply problematic history with women, has managed to coast through life failing upwards with absolutely no social or legal accountability? I mean, back in 2010, Forbes Magazine actually did a real interview with the fictional Chuck Bass in which they outright compare him to Donald Trump. I couldn’t tell you if the Gossip Girl writers meant to write Chuck as their Trump analogue - I mean, they did invite Jared and Ivanka onto the show, after all - but the parallels are just too strong to ignore. All of which is to say, not only did Chuck Bass vote for Donald Trump, he held exclusive political fundraisers for him and was probably a substantial donor to his campaign. Now, did Chuck distance himself publicly over time as the political climate became increasingly caustic and public sentiment towards Trump plummeted even further? Perhaps, perhaps not. It really depends on if the board of Bass Industries felt like being connected to Trump was a liability or an asset - but privately, I imagine Chuck once again voted for him in 2020, because the one policy Donald Trump did effectively execute during his tenure in office was massive tax cuts for billionaires, and for someone like Chuck Bass, that’s the only political policy that really matters. He wouldn’t wear a red hat and wouldn’t be caught dead within sniffing distance of a MAGA rally and the hoi polloi, but dude is basically the image of what the kind of rich conservatives backing the Trump administration for personal gain look like. On the off chance that the distastefulness of it all got to be a little much for even Chuck post-2016, perhaps he might switch his vote to Bloomberg. But I highly doubt Chuck would be politically invested in anything other than his own wallet to such an extent that he wouldn’t vote for Trump, no matter how much it would no doubt completely infuriate Blair.

Dan Humphrey: As the unofficial king of the hipsters, Dan has been a Sanders supporter since before it was cool. Seriously, Bernie Sanders appeals to Dan intrinsically on every level - his policies, his rhetoric, even his aesthetic - the rumpled old man with wild hair wearing mittens and railing against the upper class is the sort of thing that’s basically political catnip for someone like Dan Humphrey. Not only would Dan vote for Sanders in both the 2016 and 2020 primaries, he’d go out and be one of the celebrities campaigning for him. This would definitely lead to him butting heads with Blair, and she would no doubt call him out on supporting someone like Sanders when Dan himself is now a millionaire, who made his money from writing stories about the upper class. The fact that in 2017 he apparently gets married to Serena, a billionaire heiress, and may or may not have been engaged to her back in 2016 when the Democratic primaries were happening might cause him a bit of cognitive dissonance, but really, just because he’s climbed up the socio-economic ladder now doesn’t mean his values have really changed, have they? (Debatable.) In any case, in both the 2016 and 2020 general elections, Dan would definitely vote for Clinton and Biden respectively - although he’d be significantly more disgruntled about it than Blair would be switching from Harris to Biden. I don’t think Dan would be a “Bernie bro” in the way that term is used, but he’d definitely chafe against Clinton’s past policy decisions, and would probably make some snippy Tweets about her during the election. Nevertheless, once it became clear that Trump was going to be the Republican nominee and was a serious threat, I think Dan would change his tone and start encouraging his fans and followers to vote for Clinton. Likewise, in 2020, Dan would probably become one of the Sanders supporters doing outreach for Biden, having become more politically pragmatic following the experience of living under the Trump administration.

Vanessa Abrams: Much like Dan, Vanessa is a progressive, although unlike Dan, Vanessa’s activism is more focused around specific issues and less around specific politicians. I can see Dan and Vanessa being in roughly the same place in 2016, and given that the only real choices were between Sanders and Clinton in the primaries (RIP to Martin O'Malley), Vanessa would no doubt go for Sanders. Whereas Dan might campaign for Sanders directly however, Vanessa would instead focus her time and resources around advocacy for specific causes that are important to her, like climate change and racial justice, and would probably use her platform as a filmmaker and documentarian to advance those causes. I could very much see her getting involved with movements like Black Lives Matter and organizations like the Sunrise Movement, and taking part in protests, marches, and sit-ins. When the 2020 Democratic primaries come around, I could see her possibly switching from Sanders to Warren for a while (and Dan would definitely argue with her about it if she did), but I can also see her switching back to Sanders after Warren amended her support for single-payer, “Medicare for All”. She’d definitely vote for Clinton and Biden in the generals, but not enthusiastically.

Nate Archibald: For someone whose family business is politics and who, in 2017, is apparently a candidate in the New York City mayoral election, Nate seems to be rather removed from politics. As Vanessa puts it in 02x19, “The only thing Nate’s ever voted for is American Idol.” Still, as Editor-in-Chief of The Spectator, Nate kind of has to have an opinion, and in that respect, I see him gravitating towards the type of center-left “establishment” candidates that he and his family would no doubt have close ties with. In the Gossip Girl universe, the Vanderbilts are portrayed as being a lot like the Kennedys, and I think Nate’s policies as a mayoral candidate would really reflect that. In 2016, he would vote for Hillary Clinton in both the primaries and the generals without much of a second thought - after all, she’s the obvious choice, and there’s no way a candidate like Donald Trump could actually beat her, right? Actually, optimistically, maybe that’s why Nate decides to jump into the mayoral race in 2017 - previously, he had been for all intents and purposes politically apathetic, but seeing someone as genuinely vile as Donald Trump ascend to the office of the presidency stirs him out of that apathy, and he wants to make a positive difference in the only way an incredibly privileged white man from a politically prominent family knows how. So he runs as a Kennedy-esque center left candidate, further left of someone like Hillary Clinton, but more moderate than someone like Elizabeth Warren - sort of like Kamala Harris, now that I think about it. I have no idea if he would actually be able to beat Bill de Blasio given the major incumbency advantage de Blasio would have, but who knows. Come the 2020 Democratic primaries, I think Nate would probably just vote for whoever he believed was most likely to beat Donald Trump. I don’t see him having any sort of clear preference - maybe he would gravitate towards Biden on the basis of him being the most established candidate, or maybe he would gravitate towards Harris on the basis of her campaigning as the “moderate progressive” candidate. I could also seeing him liking Andrew Yang, come to think of it. In any case, he would most definitely support Joe Biden in the generals. How involved he’d be in supporting him really depends on whether or not Nate actually gets elected to mayor - if he was the mayor, he’d definitely endorse him and probably donate to him, but I think he’d be too wrapped up in his own political responsibilities to really do much more than that. If, however, he lost the election and was still the Editor-in-Chief of The Spectator, I can see Nate getting more involved alongside the rest of his family, officially endorsing him in The Spectator, hosting political fundraisers for him, and maybe even campaigning for him. The Vanderbilts in the Gossip Girl universe (I have no idea what the family’s actual political beliefs are in real life) definitely seem to me like they’d be Biden supporters, and I imagine they’d use their political clout to try and get Biden in, and more importantly, Trump out.

Serena van der Woodsen: Oh Serena. Look, she knows it’s important, okay? It’s just, she’s been really busy lately, and she doesn’t really like to think about politics, and hey, remember that fundraiser she did with her mom for last month’s philanthropic cause du jour? Serena’s a Democrat, vaguely, but if you tried to really pin her down on her political beliefs she’d probably just change the topic. So who does she vote for in 2016? The truth is, she doesn’t. Not in the primaries, not in the general, not at all. She meant to, okay, Blair’s definitely been pestering her to send in her mail-in-ballot for weeks, but she just got distracted and forgot. Serena really strikes me as the kind of person who doesn’t enjoy thinking or talking about politics, save for perhaps a few specific issues, and she has a sense that everything will work itself out eventually and she doesn’t really need to participate. And then the 2016 election happens, and holy shit, she didn’t vote. Blair and Dan might have spent early 2016 bickering with each other over Clinton versus Sanders, but the one thing they can definitely agree on is “What the fuck, Serena?!?!” They both reminded her like, a million times, how could she possibly forget?! Serena feels really bad about it - she didn’t think it was such a big deal, she didn’t think Donald Trump could actually win! - and so she starts overcompensating whenever the topic of politics comes up, maybe even joins Vanessa at a few protests and marches, even though she’s still sort of clueless about the actual issues at hand. She does vote in the 2018 midterms, although only in the general election - straight blue ticket, all the way down. She takes a picture of herself at the voting booth wearing an “I Voted!” sticker and posts it on Instagram, tagging both Dan and Blair in the post (who already voted weeks ago using mail-in ballots, but it’s the thought that counts). Flash forward to 2020, and she really needs to make a decision about who to vote for in the primaries… but there’s just so many choices. Everything seems so scary and stressful and real in a way now that it didn’t back in 2016, and she can’t just ignore it and assume things will work out for the best like she did back then. So who does she vote for? Well, Serena always wins, so she votes for Biden. Conspiratorially, both Dan and Blair privately wonder if her voting for Biden isn’t on some cosmic level the reason for his unexpected victory, even if they know there’s no logical way that’s possible, right? But it would be such a Serena thing to do… In any case, Serena’s just happy her candidate won, and would probably host political fundraisers for him with her mom’s circle of philanthropic friends. Assuming she and Dan are still married at this point, she offers to help him do political outreach to Sanders supporters to get them to vote for Biden, which he sweetly dissuades her from given that most Sanders supporters would probably dislike her on principle.

So that’s how, in my opinion, the main cast would vote, ordered roughly in how confident I am about that analysis. You could make the argument that perhaps some characters would vote or act differently based on whether or not they’re dating or married at the time - like, would Chuck openly fundraise for Trump when Blair is a dyed-in-the-wool Clinton supporter if they’re married? (He totally would.) But I tried to consider them purely on the merits of their personalities and values, and not on the particularities of their situations at the time (with the exception of Nate, just because him being in office or not would obviously make a huge difference in regards to how politically involved he’s going to be).

I wish I put as much effort into my actual university essays as I did on Gossip Girl political analysis.

[truthbeetoldmedia]

The 100 6x01 “Sanctum” Review

Last week, ahead of the 100’s Season 6 premiere, executive producer Jason Rothenberg announced that the show has been picked up for a seventh season. This is incredible, especially since at Conageddon back in March, some of the cast teased that if the upcoming season were the show’s last, not much would feel resolved.

So, we go into the season knowing that this won’t be the end for our heroes. However, their trouble may just be starting.

Season 5 ended with the show’s biggest time jump yet — 125 years, to be exact. Monty and Harper decided to live out their lives on the Eligius ship instead of joining their friends in cryo sleep, and to spend that time finding a safe place for the ship’s inhabitants to live. And oh, one more thing — they have an adult son named Jordan (Shannon Kook) who they put in cryo.

In many ways, 6x01 feels like a parallel to the series pilot. A group led by Bellamy land on the new planet (or moon, as Jordan reveals), unsure of what they may find. There’s even a callback to Octavia’s “We’re back bitches!” that really brings that nostalgia to surface.

However, not everything is the same as it once was. In the six years plus cryosleep since the gang first landed on Earth, relationships have been forged and broken, and those cracks haven’t been smoothed over by the long nap. Much of Spacekru, notably Raven and Murphy, still resent Clarke for her actions in Eden. And though Madi seemed to have fixed Clarke and Bellamy’s relationship by telling him about the radio calls, she can’t play peacemaker for everyone.

It’s frustrating to watch Clarke dodge insult after insult, especially when we remember that Clarke missed her friends immensely for those six years she spent on earth with just Madi. However, their anger is unfortunately understandable, and as they are a family, Clarke is still an outsider.

It’s not all bad though, because Bellamy has Clarke’s back from the moment they both awaken from cryo. They seem to have a mutual understanding of that forgiveness Echo talks about as they all sit by the fire. Though it’s a nice sentiment, it seems out of character for Echo to be so forgiving, especially towards Clarke. She doesn’t have the same insight Bellamy does regarding the radio calls, after all. Perhaps she’s the only one who felt refreshed after her nap?

Regardless, there isn’t much time to dwell on feelings because nearly as soon as the explorers land on Planet Alpha, they’re faced with some bizarre new challenges. Rather than people throwing spears at them, it’s bugs angrily swarming around them, chasing them toward a radioactive tower. Unfortunately, Shaw runs into its invisible forcefield and is subsequently killed.

Though it’s heartbreaking to see Shaw go, Jason Rothenberg has revealed that he was killed off due to scheduling conflicts for his portrayer, Jordan Bolger. Bolger has been cast in an upcoming series on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network called David Makes Man.

Kane is put on ice back on the ship for the same reason, as he recently appeared in the first season of Fox series The Passage. Though Kane is technically still alive in cryo sleep, it’s uncertain what his fate will be as the season plays out.

But just before Kane is sent back to sleep, Octavia is awoken. It’s apparent that the long nap didn’t help soothe her anger either, as she angrily reminds Kane and Abby she is a monster — but they are monsters too.

Seeing Octavia awake in the first episode of the season is a necessary reminder that though Wonkru has been virtually disbanded, these characters cannot erase what they’ve done. It seems like Octavia is going to go on a long and tumultuous journey of self-discovery and perhaps self-forgiveness this season. After all, who is she now that she is no longer the Red Queen?

The highlight of this episode is definitely Murphy’s sarcastic and lighthearted commentary. It manages to cut the suspense in many places as our heroes are expecting to find death around every corner (or behind every door).

It’s nice to see a less angsty, but still equally cynical Murphy (Richard Harmon) in this new world. Jason Rothenberg recently said via his Instagram that season six is Harmon’s best season yet, and if this episode is anything to go by, I certainly believe him. A musical number was certainly a new endeavor for the actor, and he killed it (no pun intended).

And then there’s Jordan back in space with Raven, a refreshingly innocent and hopeful other side of the coin. Clarke and Bellamy have essentially been tasked with acting as his parents, and though he is very much not a child, he has a childlike innocence and naivety that none of our heroes can relate to. After all, he’s been sheltered in the safety of the Eligius ship for his entire life.

His overly hopeful demeanor begs the question: What did Monty and Harper tell him about their time on Earth? We can definitely assume they left out the most gruesome and gory parts. However, in his first moments awake since being put in cryo, he’s already being thrust into drama between Raven and Abby surrounding Abby’s pain pill addiction. So, will Jordan be able to maintain his sunny composure for long?

Regardless, his pure curiosity in this episode feels like a reflection of that of the audience, making his character immediately relatable. Shannon Kook has already proven himself a standout and out of everything to come this season, I’m perhaps most looking forward to seeing how Jordan changes like some of our favorites were forced to do when faced with the unpredictability of earth and, more importantly, its inhabitants.

Speaking of standouts though, we can’t not talk about Bob Morley and Eliza Taylor’s impeccable performances in that scene. Yes, the radio call scene.

Up until now, Clarke has been unsure of why exactly Bellamy has forgiven her for leaving him to die. But now, in a moment that really tugs at the heartstrings, Bellamy tells her that he knows about the calls she made to him every day for six years. He apologizes for not being able to answer, and jokingly calls her pathetic, earning a laugh from Clarke that brings us right back to that playfulness of season one and scenes like the Unity Day celebration — just before things went south.

Unsurprisingly, Morley and Taylor are incredible in this scene, emoting a mixture of sadness for time lost and dynamics changing, and hopefulness for a future as friends again (and maybe something more, eventually?).

Despite the chaos that ensues soon after, this moment serves as a reminder that Clarke and Bellamy are and always will be the head and the heart, connected by their mutual understanding of the struggles that come along with leadership (especially on a dying and wartorn planet). It’s so refreshing to see them side by side once again. One can only hope this means that they’ll act as the power duo we’ve come to love so much as they face whatever’s to come on Planet Alpha. Presently, this is figuring out how to deal with the effects of the red sun.

This episode thrusted us into the new world, dangerous unknowns abound. The quick pace seemed to have set us up for the turbulent season to come as our heroes face entirely new challenges including each other. The tagline of this season is “Face your demons”, and in the final moments of 6x01, we can certainly see that the demons are not anything like the ones they’ve dealt with before. Clarke and friends have constantly been troubled with the internal struggle of being the good guy, and with Monty’s reminder to do so ringing in their ears, they definitely weren’t expecting to lose control of that so quickly.

It will be interesting to see how this mantra carries our beloved character through this season, and if it will be able to hold up in this new world. So far, it seems like the answer is a resounding no — not that they have much control over the matter.

The 100 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on the CW.

[copperbadge]

bisexuhowl replied to your post “Infinity War: A Review As Long As The Movie Itself”

Spoilers so I’m throwin’ it beneath a cut...

thanks for the review Sam, very thoughtful and helped condense and explain some of my feelings about the film. in addition to those, i felt that some of the earlier movies (thor: ragnarok and CW in particular) were cheapened in IW, due to the nature of the beast. like, the whole emotional rollercoaster and eventual hope of ragnarok was undone in 30 seconds. i understand why, but i don't like it. 

I do feel like this movie deliberately undid a lot of stuff done in some previous films. I don’t really understand the reasoning behind some of it. Like, what’s the narrative point of giving Thor back his eye? He lost it for a super important and mythologically symbolic reason, and to just have him pop a new prosthetic eye that’s been up Rocket’s butt into his face in place of the eyepatch was a weird choice. There are other “fixes” too where I’m like “Hey you just totally rolled right over that cool thing that other movie did” but I can’t remember them at present. 

But that’s always the problem with a two parter, maybe it’ll be meaningful next time round? 

In relation to your thoughts about tony being the centre of the whole arc, how did you view his actions in the movies since avengers 1? i thought it was pretty clear that his fear from seeing space full of hostiles drove him to see the bigger picture and attempt (rightly or wrongly) to prevent it, or at least protect earth. that's why i was so surprised at the anti-tony sentiments floating around in the last few years

I mean, I love Tony Stark, so I’m perhaps biased. I think he made some poor decisions and I think occasionally he acted out of emotion when he thought he was being rational, but honestly, the flaws in a person are often what makes them interesting to watch in a narrative sense, and those flaws don’t ruin the character for me. Probably because they are flaws I know myself to have as well.  

Some of the anti-Tony sentiment probably stems from the fact, precisely, that there is a LOT OF HIM in movies where his name isn’t in the title. Like, if I didn’t care about Iron Man and he kept fucking showing up everywhere in movies about other superheroes I did care about, I might get annoyed too. 

And I think a lot of the anti-Tony sentiment comes from Civil War. But I also think Civil War can’t really be examined from a Watsonian perspective because it’s so ludicrously highly-designed as a story -- it’s tough to vocalize it, but what I said about being on the side of the reader in the comics version of Civil War I think still applies to the movie version. I can’t take the writing in it seriously because the plot is so based in suiting the very specific wants of a writer rather than telling a good story. (Another reason I don’t like Iron Man 3, I could give a shit about Shane Black’s stupid Christmas fetish and his creepy rape fantasies). 

Ultimately, though, having just realized that Tony is at the heart of the larger MCU arc, I don’t really have a strong bedrock of thoughts on the movies since Avengers 1, I’d need to go back and rewatch. A few of them I didn’t care overly much for -- Iron Man 3, Avengers 2, some large swathes of Civil War -- but I’d need to review them to say anything more intelligent about them.

[cwdcshows]

Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Five

Alright, let's get this over with.  As if I'm not in a bad enough mood watching this shit after the last episode, now Dish has to be fucking stupid; so that when I cue up Part Five, now all of a sudden my DVR controls won't respond properly.  If I try to hit pause, it skips forward; and if I try to skip back, it fucking skips forward and it's doing that with all of my programs - not on any other tvs in the fucking house, mind you, just mine.  So now I gotta bring this up using the fucking CW seed or whatever their streaming option using Roku is. And is if to answer why it urks me to have to go so round about to watch the last installment, apart from just regularly being disappointed in Dish; it's being stuck watching stupid ass commercials and the first one up is some asshole dancing in a sprinkler so he can take selfies of himself..... Fucking Dish...

Well, Kara got lucky that she didn't accidentally blow her sister's head off... Yeah, of fucking course Lex is getting the Nobel peace prize in whatever fucking Back-To-The-Future-II-esque nightmare this new earth is going to turn out to be that the heroes now have to fix.   Someone going back and get the fucking sports almanac from Lex and fix this shit. Huh, I honestly had my doubts that they'd actually have the balls the merge all of the earths into one; and of course with a nearly full episodes ahead, that may not stay way, but it still raises an interesting prospect that I had pretty much discounted. A Commercial Aside - I think the Liberty Mutual commercial with the who keeps flubbing his lines has finally broken me... it's just so stupid, and yet, having done community theatre and some voice work, I've had more than my share of moments where I can't get the right fucking words out of my mouth; and between him wanting to enter from the water and saying "Libtery Biberty".... I give up... Oh, yeah, "Nash" Wells is supposed to be part of this; and its at this point that I think the writers just remembered this as well.... Why the hell is J'Onn communicating with Sara and Ray telepathically in the bar?  It seems more conspicuous that they seem to be answering questions no one else heard him ask; and when he uses his power his eyes turn red.  But more importantly, he didn't say anything that didn't need to kept quiet. What memories did J'Onn give everybody exactly?  I mean, surely he didn't have some sort of cloud back-up for everyone's individual memory; so a lot of what he's passed along to them would be from his perspective, right? You know, J'Onn helping bring the major players back up to speed is one thing; there's arguably nothing wrong with that, but the way he's going about it is kind of questionable.  I mean, he's going into other people minds and monkeying around; and the blunt way he gave Caitlin's memories back struck me is kind of creepy.  Like, under any other circumstance, that wouldn't be cool to just walk and, boom, here's some thoughts and memories you didn't have before, including ones that make you hate this guy you were treating a second ago.  Hope that's cool, but you can definitely trust that everything I just implanted in your brain is fine and on the up and up. Don't get me wrong, it's a shortcut to give back the necessary characters the knowledge they need to have; because they couldn't be bothered to actually have them present at the logical point in the story where they would have gotten to keep their memories organically.  So instead we're just going to do a deus ex machina to reset everyone's memories to where they need to be; and we're going to do that as quickly and with as little thought as possible, because we had five fucking episodes to tell this story and we're terrible at our job.... Wait a second....God dammit, wait just one fucking minute...God dammit.... now there's only one earth and one version of all or most of these characters.....so now the one and only fucking Wells is Nash God damn fucking Wells????  God damn it! This is even more of a reason why, if they were going to make a Wells Pariah, which I will admit is a generally cool concept if they had bothered to actually fucking use either Wells or Pariah; then they should have made it Harry Wells from Earth 2, so that we'd have already had some history and established background for the characters and also so that when the dust settles, assuming this whole one earth dynamic sticks, that the one Harrison Wells that remains is the Harrison Wells that should get to remain.  The one anyone actually fucking cares about and has actual history on the show. And what about that history?  How do they explain the clusterfuck that is Harris Wells/Harry Wells/HG Wells/Sherloq Wells and now "Nash" Wells?  Is it just going to be one going with a split fucking personality?  How about the Wells who was actually indigenous to Earth 1 and killed by Thawne?  He just gets supplanted by Nash, because Nash just happened to be around during the Crisis? Sigh......I know this is technically the "Legends" installment of the crossover, but.....augh...did they have to drag fucking Beebo into this.....? You know what, fuck it, bring on the Beebo!  For that matter, I want them to find a real, living fucking alien or demon creature that the Beebo doll turns out to have been modeled on; he's not malevolent or anything, more like a baby Yoda or Gizmo who starts traveling with the Legends.  He can be Mick's pal or something. "Is this seriously happening right now?" Hey, that's my line, stay in your lane Diggle. Okay, just how powerful is Mick's fire gun?  Because anything shooting out a beam of fire that's like two city blocks long and does significant damage to something as big as a giant ass Beebo, is pretty much going to just disintegrate anything else of average size or closer proximity.  Does he have a "Stay Puff Marshmallow Man" setting? "Hey, Kate's here too!" Way to blurt out the secret identity of one of the other masked heroes, Kara.... How do they have time for this?  Not only this C-line story bullshit, how the fuck did Sara have time to change and get out into the field with Barry?  I mean, I get him going to get her, but what, did he dress her too?  Because that's just weird. I'd have laughed my ass off if the Mick of New Earth was a teetotaler. So 30 minutes in and they've finally teed up the climax of the Anti-Monitor res-surging and whatever they're going to try and do to stop him.  Yeah, they definitely knew what they were doing when they were pacing this shit out..... I guess they got tired of shelling out money for bad Martian Manhunter CGI and decided to go with practical effects for his suit at least.  Still don't know why they don't bother trying to do make-up for his martian appearance. Okay, couple of things - first, the Anti-Monitor's an idiot for not just mowing down the capes while they were speechifying.  Second, bullets?  We're going to stop this universal threat who has his own personal force field.... with bullets...Sure..... And third, "For Oliver"? ....I....... No.  Just no.  I get the sentiment you're going for and it just doesn't work for me; especially since I have little faith that this is actually the last we've seen of him.  Not to mention that I'm not sure half the people there even know Oliver well enough to really give a shit, even if he did sacrifice himself to reboot time.  It'd be like someone shouting, "For Mike!" "Yeah, for Mi...wait, who the fuck is Mike?" Thank God it wasn't Nightwing who sacrificed himself for the universe; it'd be a little more awkward if all the heroes charged yelling, "For Dick!" Well guys, I guess you know what you need to do....

It's really too bad they don't know any other speedsters that could help out; or you know, other heroes of any kind.  Like a guy who knows actual magic or a guy who can turn into steel.... Man, by the way Ray, Ryan and Wells reacted, you'd think Barry was some sort of screw who was likely to..... yeah, I'm kind of surprised he didn't accidentally press the button and shrink himself into oblivion..... What the fuck was up with the overly dramatic music underscoring Supergirl's super-slow flying towards the Anti-Monitor?  Were we supposed to think she was about to sacrifice herself to save Superman?  Was she not aware of the plan they were about to attempt?  Was Ray's arrival meant to be this event's "On your left" moment? What would have been better is if there had been a situation where it was clear that what Kara was about to attempt in order to save her cousin could be fatal and right before she makes contact, Routh-Superman swoops in joins her, either helping her double the blow, thus, somehow reducing the potential injury by spreading it out; or taking her place to save her and the other Superman, even at the possible expense of himself. And of course it fucking works on the first try, no hitches; they come up with this last ditch plan to stop this veritable god and it just fucking works..... Oh yeah, I forgot about Lyla... what the fuck, so they're not even going to bother picking up the story thread of the Anti-Monitor somehow possessing her and using her to kill the Monitor? Well shit, they brought back "baby" Sara.  And somehow JJ's still there too.  Are they twins?  Because unless they're twins, this isn't really baby Sara at whatever age she'd be now; it's some other kid they conceived and happened to name Sara. Can I just say, as an older brother I can almost guarentee JJ didn't actually want his sister to come play with him.  I mean, it's not impossible that this coincides with the five minutes a week that twp siblings that age will to share and not get into a fight over both wanting to use burnt sienna at the same time, but the odds of those five minutes being consecutive are astronomical. Wait, how does Superman not know he has two sons?  He wasn't at the dawn of time (for some asinine reason).  Or, I'm guessing, this was just contrived dialog to reveal yet another change that instead of Superman having just one kid he now has two; and we're supposed to think that he had to ask to clarify what Lois meant by "the boys" because that's also his nickname for her boobs? Honestly, they dicked us around too much with Oliver's fate for me to care or believe he's actually dead; no matter what they show us, regardless of any world wide moment of silence or whatever they're doing.  There's still two whole episodes of Arrow left of that series and we're to believe that Stephen Amell doesn't appear in either of them?   And if they're going to try and make it seem like he's gone and not have him appear at all in the next Arrow episode and then hold out for one last goodbye with him appearing at the very end, probably with fucking Felicity, it's too late; they've tried to milk this twice already and both times have fallen flat and a third times is definitely not going to land.  I don't care if he lives or dies anymore; I think it's stupid to kill him off and they've lost all credibility that I just can't believe any claims of him truly being dead at this point. O......kay....... So the multiverse was reborn, yet for some reason, some of the Earths got merged, but not all of them.  So what's on Earth 38?  Or whatever Earths Black Lightning or Nash Wells were originally from?   Hmm, I get the whole Justice League tableau they're going for, but there's just something that looks silly about these guys just....really enjoying their office chairs; and in the middle of a run down hanger, no less - it lacks an iconic look and looks more slapped together. And I get the Superfriends Easter egg at the end, but seriously, this abandoned Star Labs research facility that "no one knows about", what, had an alien monkey or whatever sitting in a crate with a single banana for however long the last time anybody stopped by? What’s with the the lack of mention of Mia, William and Connor in this final installment. What the fuck happened to them? I kind of get the idea that with the rebooted history, and Crisis being undone, they wouldn't have been brought to the past in the first place, but that just seems to make a lot of their arc pointless. And it seemed to be setting up the whole Green Arrow and the Canaries thing, setting it in the present and Oliver giving Mia her own suit. All of which is pointless if it's been undone and they have to go to the trouble of setting that all up some other way. God, this crossover sucked

[siphen0]

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212a_0013b2.jpg — Pictured (L-R): China Anne McClain as Jennifer, Nafessa Williams as Anissa and Christine Adams as Lynn — Photo: Annette Brown/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

After such an emotional episode, you know exactly what this kind of malicious act sets up. If these heroes weren’t motivated enough to take down Tobias? Surely enough they have found new steam with one extra hand. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Jennifer (China Anne McClain) seek out her revenge against Tobias Whale (Marvin Jones III) to bring him and his evil empire down once and for all? There might be some bumps in the road like Anissa, but this is a point worth getting to.

Despite everything going on with Jennifer, the world still turns. There was plenty of ways that we could have gone back to Jennifer watched like a hawk, but progress does not come without some changes. Where you admire a show like Black Lightning is the fact that family comes before everything. They fight, but fighting doesn’t define every interaction. They comfort each other, listen, and that is the kind of world you can connect with. With that said, I was impressed by the way they decided to set up this next chapter. Everything going pretty normal, and then boom! This family was hit with the right level of danger to shake things up. This clearly wouldn’t mean that they actually give Jennifer the space she needs, but they now have just as many worries to keep everyone on their toes. Last night’s episode pulled us in a lot of directions, but all of it connected in a way that for now was manageable.

The great thing about the plot for this episode is Tobias having very little to do with it. The trouble that came to Freeland this time around was different and an inevitable development. When a certain character is now involved in Lynn’s world again, it was hard to ignore where things could possibly go wrong, and still go wrong. This plot was actually a quick wrap-up, but it makes a big difference to show that situations can start and end without taking up too much space.

When it comes to Anissa, it has been a while coming where she found herself the focus of a storyline. It may not be as big as other things ongoing, but it is always important to show that she still has a life outside of the family or being Thunder. Without the Reverend, I would dare to say that Anissa is the best character who helps keep one foot on the ground. In other words the best character to take advantage of to connect us with the community. Whether this was as herself, or as her masked persona in black, it was quite a day in the life of Anissa. One thing we did have to look forward to was an action scene that was thrilling for the chance again to see what Anissa can do against overwhelming numbers. That aside, it was also a good time to press forward with her love life. This has been a touch and go subject, though great to know that they aren’t sidelining what that could lead to. Particularly when there’s a secret to her girlfriend.

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212b_0315b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Nafessa Williams as Anissa, Christine Adams as Lynn, China Anne McClain as Jennifer, Yolanda T. Ross as Nichelle Payne and Cress Williams as Jefferson — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Where this week took Jennifer was a big one. Vengeance is on her brain and that is a different kind of upstart from the rest of the family. We have all awaited this moment where Jennifer would finally start owning what she has become, but who would have guessed that her first steps would be to take down Tobias? Not that she doesn’t have the power, though you know that a drive like this will come with some trouble. Nonetheless, this is still a moment that we would have to work up to. Right now the main focus which they are nailing is Jennifer figuring out what kind of change she wants to make. I was over the moon with the form that this took. Sure, there was some rebellion thrown into the mix, but it was with a level of self-awareness that you can’t help but appreciate for someone her age. Not to mention we have finally gotten around to addressing some of the problematic changes that the school went through when Jefferson stepped down. How Jefferson himself weaved into this was very engaging for the kind of argument that he was bound to get into from the start.

The funeral scene was touching when the time came. Great speech, the music was fitting, and it was the moment you were waiting for when Jennifer would finally decide what she’s ready to do with these emotions.

Black Lightning “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” was moving for all the ways that this episode makes you feel sentimental towards recent events. Heartbreaking is what it looks like when regular people grieve and it all comes naturally. There was so many ways that this episode could have been cliche or just like any other show when handling the death of a major character. Fortunate for us that Black Lightning always aims to break the mold with real characters and situations. They don’t do overly dramatized which is never something to overlook.

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212a_0307b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Jennifer RIker as Dr. Helga Jace and Bill Duke as Agent Odell — Photo: Annette Brown/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212b_0035b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Chantal Thuy as Grace Choi and Nafessa Williams as Anissa — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212b_0179.jpg — Pictured: China Anne McClain as Jennifer — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212b_0403b.jpg — Pictured: Nafessa Williams as Anissa — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Black Lightning — “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” — Image BLK212a_0275b.jpg — Pictured: Christine Adams as Lynn — Photo: Annette Brown/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Black Lightning “The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust” Review After such an emotional episode, you know exactly what this kind of malicious act sets up. If these heroes weren't motivated enough to take down Tobias?