#big barry and gunny are so funny

[thelesbianluthor]

Started watching A Starstruck Odyssey because I wanted some more fun silly antics and I am really liking it. Getting into the groove of things of the sci world was a bit confusing at first but I knew I would get used to it. I am just less of a sci fi nerd than fantasy so I need a little more to get my bearings but I do enjoy it.

Ngl it's really fun to see Ally play the most capable and serious person of the group. I love that they have to be the person in charge so they are not supposed to get into shenanigans but they can't stop themselves from feeding into the chaotic energy.

The Zac character switch was great too. I did not expect that at all I was curious to see how Skip was gonna work and then he got slugged lol. Honestly it's so good because Zac is so insanely great when it comes to physicality and he sells the character so well.

[bored-trans-orchidsexual]

A Starstruck Odyssey, and Masculinity

I have thoughts and am just gonna unload them on Tumblr. That's what we do here, right? I recently have been re-listening to Starstruck and have had some thoughts on it's depictions of masculinity. This isn't a serious post per se, just some thoughts and observations. Starstruck has a wide spectrum of masculine characters on display, though a lot of it is hostile/toxic. Most men or male-coded characters are either outright villains, or more neutral parties with some toxic and selfish tendencies. Don't get me wrong it's a wild violent galaxy and that's the point, the entire party participates in scamming, kidnapping, exploitations, and unnecessary murder and we love to see it, it's not like it explicitly makes all men out to be inherently more monstrous and evil than others. But I do think the depictions of masculinity can be interesting to observe. Amercadia is a pretty cut and dry critism of the patriarchy and American nationalist culture, which is fantastic worldbuilding to include. Many of the masculine-coded androids are actually pretty nice, friendly and helpful or serious about their jobs, aside from a bitchy one in the beginning who injects our main 'droid with an anxiety spike about being one of a kind. Pretty much all of the Slugs we meet occupy masculine bodies, and they seem to have an abstract gender that picks up pronouns from the body they occupy, though the monarch is objectively a king and uses masculine pronouns even before getting a body, and he's pretty selfish and stupid.

But the main pair I'm thinking of, is Barry and Gunnie. Looking at the two of them, there's a lot you can assume. Big Barry Syx is this massive, bulky dude in power armor and shades with a mullet, while Gunnie is a 4' 11" techie cyborg with a big ol' smile. Listen to them in action and many of your assumptions are reinforced; Barry is a total dude-bro associated with nuts, steroids, working out, and acting much like gym bros in our modern life, while Gunnie is a hyperactive technician just doing his best, despite being mired in sympathetic tragedy. Barry's trauma is fairly fantastical or common to stories, having his family gunned down by one of his own, while Gunnie is mostly weighted down by medical debt after he got in an accident after trusting the wrong person. Based on these apperent details one would assume Barry is this toxicly masculine jackass who's insecure about his flaws, while Gunnie is the smartest man on board and is trying to keep everyone in line, doing the right thing, ect. And of course, you'd be dead wrong. Gunnie, while a sympathetic and likable character, is *mired* in toxic masculine traits. While it was an accident that put him in his situation, it was brash foolishness and ignoring obvious red flags that got him in that position in the first place, not to mention a rebellion against his family driving him to it. Furthermore, as Lou himself admits in Adventuring party, Gunnie's *pride* is the reason his problems are so vast; He comes from a lot of money, his initial debt might have never happened or mostly gone away to begin with if he went back to his dads for help. His toxicity doesn't make him an unlikable character but he does have these traits. He's brash, prideful, and ignores common sense a lot. He is also very nice and friendly with others, listens to people, ect. He doesn't have *every* toxic trait in the book, but has them which I tend to not even notice because he's just a funny little guy. Barry, meanwhile, is just about the most wholesome and giving person in the entire 'verse. Syx *And* Nyne, when not under a slug's control, are these total sweetheart bros. Sure, they shit talk each other with friendly ribbing, and yes they are very good at violence, but this violence is always motivated by helping those in need or fighting for those who can't fight for themselves, the Barry Battalion way. Barrys hate it when people are rude, or hurt the innocent. Barrys fight for their friends, provide endless support and praise, and will throw their very bodies into danger to protect or help, as seen on Rec 97 and in the big finale of the battle of the brands. And while the thing the love most is other Barrys, that does not mean that what they respect is also being heavily macho dudes. Barry one (or was is spelled differently? Barry Won? who knows) was the professor who created the other Barrys, a nerdy and fragile professor type, that the Barrys loved and treated as a fellow Barry *literally* the moment they were created. Even Syd is a Barry now, and that's accepted both by Barry Syx who's known her a long time and bonded with her, as well as Barry Nyne who literally, to his perception, *Just* met her, despite her appearance as like a waitress with an arm canon. Being a Barry, in other words, isn't about being just like them, having the name Barry, or anything like that. It's a vibe, it's a way to be, and the 'verse is better off with these super wholesome boys who, despite embodying many stereotypes of the gym bro, posses *none* of the commonly toxic traits also associated with that. They aren't insecure around smarter people or those with different skillsets, they hold no gendered assumptions, and they never wanna use their might to opress others for their own satisfaction.

Just, some thoughts.

[celestial-sadgirl]

Rest of Ep 1. Welcome To The Spacin Life, Buddy

Spoilers for A Starstruck Odyssey under the cut.

- Zac playing jerks will always be my favourite. I really wish we got to see more of it, especially with Norman. His facial expressions and physical comedy is off the charts.

- I adore Riva, truly one of Siobhan’s most underrated performances on the channel. They are so funny

- always love when an intro immediately turns into flashbacks

- I feel like the d20 fandom doesn’t appreciate how awesome the TaleSpire art is. Like we all get hype when we see cool minis but the computer art is STUNNING

- Moonbounce has to be the coolest last name I’ve ever heard, and it’s crazy that it’s a real persons name and not on NPC in Starstruck

- I would love to go to Aguatunisia, I’ll tell everyone the truth, I promise.

- I already love Emily and Murph an unhealthy amount so be prepare for my ‘roids ‘n’ droids obsession to shine through, they are too fucking cute

- Sid’s backstory always makes me rly sad :( like I might have to go cry for a bit.

- I love the Barry Battalion with all my heart, they are my big beautiful boys. And they do good in a galaxy that rewards bad behaviour

- It took me way too long to realize Gunnie is complete idiot. I fell for the academic background like a chump, I thought it was just privileged naïveté

- Margaret’s intro is iconic. Immediately establishing herself as the level headed party member and Norman’s favourite in one fell swoop

- I feel like a lot of people forget cause of the energy during the beginning, but the Gunner Channel does actually work pretty well together towards the end, and it’s pretty cool

- Norman’s asshole speech at the end of the ep after the crate shenanigans is one of Zacs best performances, he plays angry so well.

Re-watching A Starstruck Odyssey for the first time.

Might as well keep a chain of my thoughts I guess <3

[keirashark]

……… Riveting ………

[basketcasemp3]

[pagingdork]

nothing hurt me more than the gambling scene this ep

[cleave-and-plough]

well said, ruben's apparent inner conflict seemed like a rich source of tension and drama, but yeah, i guess it was more a result of his rage-spawned emo persona? which could also be a fun idea, but in either case kind of underexplored - like you said, there's a lot that we have to read into here from the finale (e.g. kipperlily being the only person who wasn't killed and resurrected - an interesting reveal/twist that still feels like only a piece of the whole picture)

it's funny you mention the carlos thing because i just watched that this evening lol and i think you're totally right! though 5e can work for mysteries, it can't be too rigid or it's basically just un-interactive, which seems like an issue they ran up against here (e.g. the haunted mordred manor/baron encounter kind of coming out of nowhere due to an unexpected nat 20). this was something that impressed me about mice and murder, which still probably could've benefitted from a different system, but the theater of the mind / funhouse setting made it really conducive to just letting the players run around and figure out pieces in what seemed to be a fairly organic, adaptive order. generally a season i liked a lot, even despite the zoom setting (and the… infamous... ending)

agreed on the good balance of fanservice and independence/development - i think the whole fake triumphant final battle in the premiere really set the tone well for the season's relationship to callbacks, and while i missed them, i understood the choice to make gilear/ayda/aguefort basically AWOL for the season to make room for new NPCs. i'd have liked a little more detail to some of the bad kids' arcs, but the general ideas were solid, and the scope of the plot/this being a third season sort of necessitates them not having huge dramatic journeys on the level of the previous seasons, so all that made sense to me. i absolutelyyyy think a college years thing sounds more appealing than a full senior year season (or i think i've seen people floating the idea of like, jumping ahead to when they're like in their 70s which would also be fun) - either that or like, maybe make it like a 4-episode special? simple, tight, and wrap it up with a bang, calamity-style

seconding the endorsement of WBN but also totally understand your principle - i've had the same thought about prioritizing podcasts using other systems since i want to learn some and demo them with my group (my current project is Eidolon, which also has a great AP featuring the designers). are there any series you've particularly enjoyed that you'd recommend? (besides your streams, of course :) ) the big caveat with WBN is that you have to be psychologically down for intraparty conflict cause they really lean into that at times, and brutally so - otherwise, it's a rich world, almost fantasy novel-like at times, the audio production is great, they don't overuse rolling, and it's nice that it isn't limited by set design… but part of me still wishes it wasn't d&d. they're almost 30 episodes in and i think there have been 5 combats? if that? if that tells you how much they're engaging with the core rules of the system, haha

i've tried naddpod a couple times and bounced off, but more due to life stuff getting in the way than not liking it, and it still sits at the back of my mind as something to return to - do you feel like there are good starting places (besides the very beginning)?

starstruck is so, so good… what a fun mix of a really rich setting, the cast trying out new character types, and a story with enough flexibility that they could push it around without feeling too boxed in, and some truly unforgettable moments (battle of the brands forever, plinth forever). also features one of my favorite d20 quotes of all time - some moment at the Rec Station i think where UTP is questioning gunny and barry, who deny their knowledge of anything the party is doing, and brennan as this very professional npc is very politely like "alright then, thank you for your time, and um… get them? get them." just perfect combo of a archetypal villain line delivered so nonchalantly, it killed me. absolutely one of the best seasons for me too - if the cast were all up for it, i'd love a second season of it (maybe with some new PCs a la unsleeping city 2), but it's also nice as a standalone.

coffin run was a lot of fun, jasmine's aesthetics and presentation ruled, and i really like the short, focused seasons (and izzy and zac's interactions were golden). revisiting bloodkeep has been on my list forever, i think it was actually the first d20 season i tried after getting started with actual play shows via critical role c2 and i just found brennan's energy so intense that i dropped off - very funny to think about that in retrospect now having seen almost every season. totally feel you about ACOFAF (again, there were what, like two combats? why use d&d? the rumors and letters were the best part!) and i likewise wasn't the biggest fan of wuvvy other than when she helped stir the pot - for me it was so much more about the setting and the players' interactions than the big picture story for sure.

i'm unfortunately in the other camp for crown of candy, haha - there's so much to like and some truly iconic moments to be sure, but following up on the thread of like, the series' strength tends to be comedy, i think the comedy wasn't enough (for me) to balance out the atmosphere of like, continual dread and the players seemingly slowly getting ground down by it. i'd actually say i found it more psychologically gruelling than neverafter, weirdly enough. but that said, i'm glad they did it for the same reason i'm glad they did starstruck - branching out and pushing themselves to find new modes, and how can i turn away from the season that gave us "slammed down big style"?

finally finished the season and was curious if you had any thoughts on the junior year finale?

Yes! I watched it when it came out and I'm kind of bad at remembering what happens in shows, haha, but I do have some thoughts (these will probably be more "entire season" thoughts rather than JUST the finale thoughts).

Overall, I really enjoyed this season. It was really funny, and maybe one of the seasons I laughed at the most, and since I view Dimension 20 as a comedy show first, that's a big selling point to me.

I don't know how I feel about the down time mechanic. On the one hand, I think it's the only way they could have done this season, since it seemed like they were pretty set on it taking the whole year. On the other hand, there were quite a few rolls that Brennan said we'd come back to that I don't think were fully addressed (I could be wrong about how many, I'd have to go back and re-watch.) When they first introduced the mechanic, I thought it was basically a way for time to quickly pass while establishing how the school year was going, so each roll wouldn't involve too many scenes or roleplay, which I thought was smart. But then they did involve a ton of scenes and roleplay! So I have mixed feelings.

Similarly, it did feel like some things that could have been fun were underexplored because there was SO much jammed into this season, plot-wise. That's partially the medium of Actual Play, and partially being ambitious with how much they included. I love the idea of character foils or "dark reflections" of characters, and I wish we would have gotten a little more time with the Rat Grinders. We ended with a lot of implications about them, but I kind of wish there would have been a "this is what happened with them exactly" kind of moment. I guess they were all killed by Porter while on an adventure? Maybe I'm forgetting stuff and there was a more clear answer. I'm usually playing Power Wash Simulator while I'm watching Dimension 20 so sometimes I miss things.

Specific finale stuff! Gorgug and Unit and Gorgug and Mary Ann were both so funny. Zac is one of the funniest people alive. Brennan cannot keep his NPCs from flirting with Zac, and Zac cannot say no to a funny bit. I thiiiiink the finale was also the "Say it don't spray it" moment, which was incredible. Murph using Hold Person to take out Kipperlily was great, so tactical, so timely.

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but I think the finale episode retroactively made the infamous "blimey" moment less funny. I wish Brennan wouldn't have gone back on having K2 destroyed. His rationale was that she actually did have access to Divine Intervention but also he gave advantage on the roll which isn't how the ability works, so I think having K2 be destroyed was fair and also really funny.

I was a little underwhelmed by the Bad Kids reactions to Ankarna's scenes with each of them. It felt like none of them knew exactly what was going on, and even though they had some good character moments, it felt muddled and I wasn't sure what was supposed to happen or honestly even what *did* happen there.

I liked Buddy's new god and Kalina showing up. I don't think she's evil, I think she just knows that Ankarna wants to kill her, so she's hitching her wagon on a new star.

Brennan said something during the final Adventuring Party about how if people would have laughed more at Gilear saying they were getting a dog that Fabian's mom wouldn't have been pregnant, which confirms something I've always thought! Obviously a lot of Dimension 20 is planned in advance because of the sets, but I've always felt like sometimes when things don't make sense it's because they decide something on the fly because it's funny. Even Porter being evil was decided because it would be funny (although that obviously wasn't decided on the fly). It makes sense why sometimes the pacing and plot of the shows are a little weird, because they're actual plays, and they're comedic APs at that. It's kind of heartwarming that it seems like even though they're making a show, they're all mostly just trying to make each other laugh, because if they make each other laugh, it'll probably make the audience laugh too.

Thanks for the ask! There's probably a lot of other stuff I thought that I've forgotten, haha. Would love to hear what you thought of the finale, too!

[calderskillday]

A STARSTRUCK ODYSSEY EPISODE 6 liveblog!!!!!

let's go spacers!!!

i Want siobhan's SHIRT

SKIP CLAPPING LMAO

sid self realizing is so great

HOW HAS EMILY PICKED UP A FAMILIAR DAMMIT THE DICE REALLY WANTED THIS FOR HER i truly cannot believe that she rolled another nat 20 animal handling

i love that lou gets to be in charge of the budgeting & math stuff lmao

EVERYONE HANDING THEIR CONTRACTS TO GUNNIE TO LOOK OVER SIFHDKF "oh THESE are my people"

emily finding this so silly just tickles me

oh my god they have silly names and are silly little slugs but this backstory is so. deep

SKIP MY DEAR SLUGBOY PRINCE

lmao the whole crew agreeing that they want skip to stay and they don't want norman to come back

THE ACAPELLA MUSIC IN THE BACK OF THE KITCHEN SCENE LMAOOOO

the sound effects as the princeps is cooking oh my GOD

brian headinhands murph is back (god him and emily sitting next to each other is a goddamn treat)

"imagine, if you will, me."

"you really don't wanna let those sit" "can i get peppers and mushrooms" LOUUU

honestly love how crunchy this season is

WORFFLE HORSE

"you roll the dice like it hurts to be in your hand" YEAH THATS IT emily put into words exactly how beardsley rolls

not this guy suggesting a casino to deal with gunnie's problem 💀

TRUCK NUTS FOR THE SHIP

i cannot believe. they have roped a ROYAL into being their INTERN

SQ is such a sassy passive aggressive AI damn

emily and lou have such a great dynamic GOD what a funny lil scene

lou's little yell as he throws the dice omg

HAHAHA MURPH'S REACTION AS BARRY TO HIS GUNS GOING OFF

"i'm doing something crazy, don't worry about it" UH BRENNAN

props are a big yes from me

CLIPPY?????? OH MY GODKSJRHFBFK

oh my god this is hilarious lore i love that they can draw on real world things that we've all experienced and pretend it's this ancient intelligence FUCK brennan's a genius

THE MICROSOFT PUNS

oh my god. OH my god. holy shit

so many breakthroughs and one huge terrible issue

MORE PERSONHOOD MORALITY ETC ETC STUFF I LOVE THIS SEASON

it needs a promotion from being a helper 🥺🥺🥺🥺

BEARDSLEY DID NOT JUST. HOW. EVERY SEASON. HOWWWWW

"baustin"

oh this is the city for this crew

i know i say this every week but damn they all look so good next week i want all of their clothes

ANYWAYS what a THICK SODE so much LORE

[pinkletterday]

Prelude: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo

Pairing: Barry Allen/ Iris West

Rating: All Audiences

Summary: “Aw hell, no!” says Linda. “Iris, you’ve been planning yourself this big white wedding for weeks. This is your dream, you guys. If you give up now, the Nazis win. We can’t let them win, yo. You gotta have your wedding. For truth, justice and the American way!” 

Tags: Iris West goes wedding dress shopping with her girls, Sara Lance is the Westallen fairygodmother, the wedding my babies deserved, apologies for the lack of Felicity, author was really mad at the time

Notes: Am I procrastinating life by posting old fics on tumblr? Why yes I am. 

This was my oldest fic for this fandom and my first in ten years. 

Part 1 of the Westallen Wedding Album

It is seven in the morning and someone is ringing the doorbell. The universe really does hate them. Iris is too demoralized to care at this point.

“Go away,” calls Barry from under the covers, clutching Iris like a security blanket.

“It’s me, Caitlin. It’s urgent, open up!”

This is why they can’t ever turn their phones off. Et tu, Cait?

They shuffle fatalistically to the door in their pyjamas to let her in and Caitlin looks apologetically at the sleep-rumpled duo. “I’m sorry, guys, but they insisted.”

“Who -”

Sara bursts into the loft. “All right, everyone get dressed. Wedding’s back on, bitches!” she hollers, in full captain mode, as Catilin grimaces away. “The time is oh seven hundred hours and we have fuckton of work to do so. Ass in gear, folks!”

Barry and Iris blink at her like injured meerkats. “...What?” They notice a flustered Cecile trailing in after Sara, followed by an offensively bright-eyed and bushy tailed Kara, and… “Linda?”

“What up, girl,” greets Linda Park, hugging a stunned Iris. She appears to have a distinctly fresh-from-airport-hell brand of dishevelment and the vibrating energy of a sports writer on Redbull.

“How are you here?" asks Barry in confusion. "You said in your RSVP that you’d be at your family thing in Oklahoma-,”

“Yeah so I did and I was and then I got a hysterical call from the kidterns at CCPN that your wedding had been bombed by Nazis. Followed by news footage of Central City being attacked by actual, honest-to-God Nazis and then beaten back by a mess of leather fetish-types...you get the idea. In conclusion: Nazis. Seriously, guys, what the hell!” Linda throws her hands up at them with a bewildered expression.

Barry slumps onto the couch with a groan and Iris drops wearily beside him, making a helpless gesture that is somehow supposed to convey “we couldn’t tell you if we knew/ the universe hates us/ it is written/ this is our life now". They lean against each other like sad puppies.

“Anyway, the point is, you guys are getting married today. Properly.” presses Sara.

“Can’t,” grunts Barry.

“What d’you mean, can’t?”

“Lost all our deposits. Tux ruined. Guests flew home after martial law was declared. Fire. Murder. Plague.”

“My dress survived but I frankly don’t even want to see it again,” says Iris sadly. “That thing cost five thousand dollars and now all I remember when I see it is our minister getting vaporized. Oh God.” She hides her face in Barry’s shoulder, stifling a sob, as he puts a comforting arm around her.

“Ok, yes, we figured,” interjects Kara, advancing with a "hear-me-out" demeanor. “But guys. This is all fixable! And we’re gonna fix it! You still want to get married, right?” She looked expectantly at them, a golden retreiver puppy convinced of the world's innate goodness.

“Well yeah,” says Barry, scratching his head. “But Iris and I are just thinking to going to a Justice of Peace-”

“Aw hell, no!” cries Linda, making Barry jump. Redbull and sports are just not a good combination for this early in the morning. “Iris, you’ve been planning yourself this big white wedding for weeks. This is your dream, you guys. If you give up now, the Nazis win. We can’t let them win, yo. You gotta have your wedding. For truth, justice and the American way!”

The other women all nod, appearing to agree on the connection between propping up the wedding industry and patriotism. “She’s right,” says Caitlin the Betrayer, staunchly.

“And exactly how are we supposed to do that?” asks Iris with some asperity. She doesn’t particularly care about truth or justice or whatever the American way is supposed to be right now, unless the American way involves a bubble bath with Barry, sex and some post-coital Netflix.

“You leave that to us,” says Cecile firmly, sitting herself next to Iris. She takes her hand with a maternal air. “Iris, you and Barry aren’t alone in any of this. You have your family. Your friends. We have resources. Let us do this for you.”

“Cecile, that’s really sweet, believe me, but we’re just too tired-”

“That’s why you don’t have to lift a finger,” says Linda determinedly. “Except to put a ring on it. Look, I used to work part time as a wedding co-ordinator in college. I still have contacts. Just give me and Cecile your wedding binder and go find a dress. We can throw you the shindig of your dreams and get you married off before tomorrow morning.”

There is a chorus of "yeahs!" and "all rights!" and even a "whoo!" from Caitlin, who immediately looks embarrassed and subsides mid hand-pump.

“Where do I find a dress to get married in this evening?” says Iris hopelessly.

Sara smirks. “Did you know the Waverider has a fabrication room?”

“What’s a fabrication room?” asks Barry, Iris and Caitlin

“What’s a Waverider?” asks Linda and Cecile.

Sara grins smugly at Iris. “Just call me your fairy godmother, Cinderella.”

___

“I’m in a timeship,” Iris hears Linda say aloud to herself for the umpteenth time. “A timeship with a giant dress up room. With superheroes. Shopping for bridal gowns. For the Flash’s fiancee.”

Iris is the dressing cubicle and can't see anyone, but can picture Linda swigging her third glass of champagne, fluffing the white feather boa she had wound around her shoulders. She had decided that she didn't feel right drinking champagne in a fancy dressing room without a wearing one.

“Linda, honey, you’ve been saying that since we got here,” sighs Cecile, relegated to sparkling grape juice, but seated comfortably on the Persian rug. “It’s not really helping.”

They are in the Waverider's fabrication room, which Gideon had science babbled at them about reconstructing garments and accessories via subatomic teleportation and reassembly, and what Sara had simply described as "the Waverider communal closet". Except the "communal" part being all of time and history, apparently. It honestly just looks like a hi-tech walk-in closet from Dr. Who, only with outfits atomizing into being inside a cubicle once its design is selected from a 3D holographic projection.

"Anyone want more cake?” Ray Palmer, ex-billionaire and apparently current time traveller, calls out sunnily.

“Ooh, me me me!” says Kara enthusiastically from where she has been vamping in a crinoline in front of the mirror. “Oh my God, Ray, is that whipped cream frosting? And these strawberries taste so real!"

"The Waverider molecularly restructures any food stuffs we want," Ray says in proud tones. "Although, I usually prefer to get the raw ingredients and make recipes by hand. The champagne is all Gideon's work, though."

"That’s so cool, Gideon!" enthuses Kara.

“Thank you Miss Zor-El,” Gideon's disembodied voice resounds around the room. “This is high praise coming from a race as advanced as the Kryptonians.”

“You’re welcome and thank you!” Kara says happily. “My ship has an A.I but it has my mother’s personality imprint, so it can be kind of a bummer sometimes. Allura definitely hasn’t made me alcohol,” then mutters more quietly, “despite trying to drive me to it.”

“Wait, you have a ship too?” Cecile and Caitlin chorus in surprise.

“What’s a Kryptonian?” wonders Linda.

“Yeah, I have a ship. It’s how I got to earth. Krypton is my home planet,” Kara explains casually. Cecile and Linda are obviously still bemused. “I’m an alien,” Kara clarifies.

There is a stunned silence.

“I’m in a talking timeship,” intones Linda, swigging her drink, “with an alien. Eating cake. Shopping for dresses for-” she’s cut off when Iris throws a cloud of tulle on her head.

“Knock it off, Park,” Iris says, stepping out of the dressing room. “How do I look?” she smoothes down the sugar white confection expectantly, which somehow manages to be both creamy and frothy.

There is some diplomatic hemming and hawwing from the crowd. “Well, it’s a bit…,” Caitlin hesitates and pulls at the back of the synthetic white sheathe.

“Like someone dipped you in a vat of Ray’s frosting,” says Sara bluntly, looking up at her upside down from where she's sprawled on the floor. “And before that you looked like something from a Lady Gaga music video. Really, Iris, are you even taking this seriously?”

“I thought it was funny!” protests Iris, returning to searching through the ship’s dress archive on the holographic display. “What about the one before that?”

“You looked like Queen Elizabeth,” says Linda, flatly. “Present day Queen Elizabeth. What was with the hat?”

“Wow, tough crowd," Iris tries to laugh it off only to be met with skeptical stares. She sags.

“I just. It feels like tempting fate again, you know?” she says quietly. “Ever since I was a kid, I really wanted to dress like a princess at my wedding and it almost came true...three times. I just feel like the minute I put on a wedding dress again, I’m going to bring giant killer robots down on us, or one of us is going to get kidnapped by an evil megalomaniac and replaced by a frog-eating clone-”

“What’d you mean frog-eating clones?” interjects Linda in panic, clutching her boa. “Oh my God, is that an actual thing too?”

“Probably,” says Sara with supreme unconcern from the floor. She pulls herself upright and looks at Iris seriously in the eyes. “Look, I understand what you’re saying. You don’t have to wear a wedding dress if you don’t want to. You can wear a pantsuit or a gunny sack and none of us will care.

But I think you really do want that princess dress. This is all about saving your dream. You can’t let fear make you make decisions that you’ll regret down the line.” There is a murmur of sympathy and assent from the others.

“You only get married once,” says Caitlin, looking at Iris with a deep understanding.

“Well, I mean, actually-,” Linda starts, but is cut off by Cecile who sternly takes her champagne glass away.

"I mean you will only marry your soulmate once,” says Caitlin, looking at Iris steadily. “He’s the love of your life, Iris. You’re not going to lose him. We won’t let you. I promise.” Iris thinks she sees Caitlin’s eyes flash silver.

A solemnity descends on the group. Iris pulls Caitlin into a hug, feeling touched and grateful.

“You know, you could settle for a middle ground,” pipes up the ubiquitous Ray, making everyone start because they had forgotten he was there. “Personally, I think you’d be able to carry off a Galia Lahav like nobody’s business, but if you wanted something a little more classic, a little less elaborate, you could look to something boho like Ru De Seine or vintage feel like Amanda Garrett. Her beading is amazing. I’ve always thought ivory lace is really the thing for a fall wedding myself. Oh! And A-lines are so under-appreciated. You can always get them to flare out almost as well as a ballgown.”

There is a silence as everyone stares at Ray.

“What?” he says uncertainly. “Mick and I watch Say Yes To The Dress.”

A collective “ooh” of understanding ripples through the ladies and they turn back to Iris. “I hate that you all just came to the most obvious conclusion right now,” mutters Sara, chewing bitterly on a strawberry.

“Ray’s right,” says Kara, elbowing in front of the display screen and rifling through the database. “There’s more than one way to look like a princess. You might not be comfortable going for the full Cinderella anymore, but there’s Rapunzel and Snow White or even Greek-style like Megara-”

“Who?”

“Hercules’ girlfriend. I never understood why that movie flopped, my cousin loves it.”

"Oh, hey, me too!" exclaims Ray.

In the end, after a heated debate about Disney between Kara and Ray, a decimated whipped cream cake and a large pile of discarded lace, tulle and chiffon, Iris finds the perfect fit. It's an ivory A-line overlaid in lace. The assymetrical drop waist flares to the ground in a fall of tulle, the deep sweetheart neckline, ruched bodice and delicate cap sleeves covered in exquisite crystal beading. It's sweet and summery and simple. Safe. It makes her feel right.

There is a hush of approval, broken by Sara’s irreverent wolf-whistle.

"I would call that a Snow White look," pronounced Kara.

“Nice one, West,” Linda concurs as Cecile coos over it and Caitlin inspects the beading.

“By the way, Iris, Barry called,” informs Caitlin, as she pulls on Iris' skirts. “He said to tell you he’s decided to include Harry and Wally in the bridal party this time around, and I quote, “Tag, you’re it!”

“It? What are you?” asks Linda in confusion.

“Down three bridesmaids, that’s what I am!" huffs Iris, hands on her hips. She surveys her current retinue. “Okay, then. Sara, Kara, Linda, you’re up!”

The three women’s heads jerk up at Iris’ authoritative tone. “Up for what?”

“You’re in my bridal party now. Best find dresses!” grins Iris, “That’s what happens when you save a girl’s planet and her wedding. I mean,”  she suddenly feels a little uncertain, “if you are up for it?”

In answer, Kara, Linda and Sara cheer and surround Iris, pulling her into a group hug, while Caitlin and Cecile raise their glasses at her proudly.

____

Iris doesn’t see them again for hours after sorting out the bridal wear, being summarily banished to her father’s house. She would have preferred to go home but found that her fiancé had banned her from the premises. Iris objects.

“Are we doing the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony thing again? Because a lot of good that did us last time,” Iris huffs into the phone, going downstairs to intrepidly investigate the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen.

“No, I just don’t want you here cause I’m working on a wedding gift for you,” says Barry, over a mysterious banging of pots and pans. “And you may not crack a joke about my family jewels.”

“I would never joke about those, Barry,” says Iris seriously. "Your family jewels are very important to me." She hears the distinctive ding of- “wait, are you baking?”

“...damn it.”

“Bartholomew! Are you baking brownies in our apartment on our wedding day without me?” exclaims Iris in indignation.

“How do you know they’re brownies?” Barry hedges in his damage control voice.

“'Cause you banned me from the loft! I know you, you duplicitous, conniving-,”

“Look, we both know you are fundamentally untrustworthy around things with chocolate in them,” says Barry firmly. “You’re like the Leonard Snart of baked goods.”

“But why can’t I have brownies on my wedding day?” Iris whines. She nearly collides with her father, who is bustling about the kitchen in an apron.

“You can,” says Barry patiently. “It’s for the wedding.”

“I thought Oliver was taking care of the catering?” says Iris, confused.

“Yes, he’s footing the bill for the entire thing, so I told him to keep it simple and homely. He feels really bad about what happened to us.”

“Why?” Iris shrugs, “He didn’t crash our wedding.”

“He’s a rich kid, they throw money at people’s problems until they feel better,” snarks Barry and Iris giggles. “So I heard your Dad and Clarissa and some others are making it a kind of potluck, as much to reign Oliver in as anything, and...I wanted you to have your mother’s brownies on your special day.”

Iris melts. “Awww, babe. That is so sweet. And frustrating. Now I don’t know who I want to eat more," she purrs seductively, "you or the brownies.”

“You do know I can hear you, right?” Joe pops up from behind the kitchen counter with an unimpressed expression, making Iris jump.

“Er, yeah okay. So," Iris awkwardly skitters around, to notice - "Hey, is that why Dad’s making Grandma Esther’s sweet potato pie?” She starts to break off a bit of crust, only to be whacked decisively on the knuckles with a spoon. “OW!”

“Those are for the guests this evening, missy!” reprimands Joe, “Out of my kitchen! Git!”

“But it’s my wedding!” Iris wails fruitlessly into the phone as her father chases her out of the room with a spatula.

____

In the afternoon, Iris gets dressed in her new wedding gown, ignoring the flutter of trepidation she feels as Caitlin buttons her up. Cecile and Linda sweep her hair into a high messy bun that lets soft curls spill around her face and neck, pinning a single full-blown crimson rose on the side of her head right above the cascade of her grandmother’s veil.

She wears her great-grandma Esther’s pearl earrings and her mother’s replica wedding bands on a gold chain that Barry had given her (so very long ago now and not long ago at all) around her neck. Cecile kisses her cheek and fastens her little turquoise bracelet around Iris’ wrist “for something both borrowed and blue”. She laughs as she slips her feet into the pair of transparent “glass” heels that Kara had found for her.

Her bridesmaids are in dusty rose gowns gathered at the waist, with skirts that swish playfully around their calves. Delicate aster and camellia flower crowns nestle on their loose waves of hair and they all carry small posies of riotously colourful wildflowers that speak of the fall.

Barry is waiting with his groomsmen downstairs as they descend. Wally, Cisco, Harry and Oliver are in sport coats with matching autumn boutonnieres. Barry has also ditched the tux in favour of a grey suit with a crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and is holding her bouquet of crimson and spray roses. He looked so very dashing in his tux, but Iris is glad that he looks more casual today, slightly mussed, more her geeky, pretty, boyish Barry.

He does not look at her as though he would cry, as he had the first time she had walked down the aisle to him. Instead his expression is open and soft, steady, like he knows how afraid she is and he is right there with her, waiting to catch her and keep her safe. It’s a look that makes her feel like he’s holding her in his arms from across a room.

Iris’ father carefully pulls her into a hug, engulfing her one last time in his solid, reassuring warmth and Dad-scent before he takes her hand and puts it in Barry’s. It’s an acknowledgement of putting something where it has always belonged, rather than entrusting it all over again to another. Iris is fleetingly amused by the thought that Joe may have accepted Barry as her son-in-law when they were first married by a giant dinosaur at the age of ten.

Barry gives her her bouquet and pulls her to him, “Hey.”

“Hi,” she smiles. "I see you got my present." She fingers the small gold bolts of lightning on his shirt cuffs.  

"I did," Barry says with a pleased grin. "They're awesome. Thanks, honey. But I think I still win with the brownies."

"Damn it, you're right," grumbles Iris. "Why are you so competitive all the time?"

Barry gives her a sardonic look and draws her into his arms as she giggles. His expression turns reverent as he gazes down at her.

“God, you're beautiful,” he breathes, looking at her like he can't believe she's real. Iris feels cocooned in happiness. “How do you make me want you more every day?”

She focuses on pinning a crimson rose next to his lapel and blinks back tears. “I bet you say that to all the girls you marry,” Iris quips.

“Yes,” he teases back, “since you are all the girls I’m ever going to marry.”

Iris laughs, and smooths his coat. “So, want to give this thing one last try, Mr. Allen?”

Barry's eyes are resolute and tender. “I’ll never stop trying until you’re mine, Miss West.”

She presses the rose stem against his heart, and his hand covers hers over it. They follow their wedding party and walk out of their childhood home, hand in hand.

~~~~

[thesuperduckling24]

i figure i’d respond with some of my own favorites from seasons i’ve watched!! your choices are all absolutely top tier tho

(note: i’m doing this in chronological order of release date, not watch date cause i’m gonna be so fr i do not remember in what order i’ve watched shit)

fantasy high freshman year: gorgug is also top contender for me, if only because both the "are you my dad?" and his parents being super cheerful and also fucking menace artificers is so so hilarious. fabian also gets an honorable mention though, i Love lou wilson and "rich boy gets friends who care about him" is so so delightful to me. also fabian’s "papa!" lives in my head rent free as a stim lmao

escape from the bloodkeep: god, it’s hard. matt mercer as my most beloved cringefail warlock man leiland, but also weird-creature lover ranger sokhbarr, but also the wettest oracle efink murderdeath, but also supportive wine mom lilith!!! honestly if i had to choose i think i’d pick lilith, solely because i adore erika ishii so so much. lilith is slaying and i’m so excited for you to see where the story goes!!

(i haven’t actually watched fantasy high sophomore year because the livestream format kind of scares me, but with the announcement of junior year i’m gonna try and get into it cause i gotta get caught up!)

unsleeping city: only watched season one as well, but i gotta say that my favorite is absolutely one hundred percent ricky matsui, mr march himself. in general you’re gonna see i have a bias towards zac’s characters but they’re just. so funny! the bit about bringing forth the darkness in his heart and there just Isn’t any cracks me up every time. shoutout to siobhan with misty moore though! so fancy and distinguished :D

misfits and magic: god i love brennan as a player. evan kelmp my beloved. i really don’t have any words i just think about evan kelmp sending a kid to hell and laugh sometimes. so so so good.

the seven (currently watching): i’m only at the second episode or so but god i love katja. horse girl who is just so so awkward around people but deeply deeply loyal to her friends (and of course her horse) my utterly beloved. also the moment where her dad tells the servants to get her anything she wants when all she wants is him back home is. man ;-;. big shoutout to izzy and ostentatia though, utterly obsessed with the accent and also the deep love for her family.

starstruck odyssey: oh god this one is so hard for me. starstruck is like my Favorite d20 season and they’re all just such good characters in this one. barry and the barries are so so delightful to me. rich boy gunnie just Immediately fucking his space adventure up is so beloved to me. sundry sydney my most especially beloved cyborg girl, emily and murph as a cyborg duo meant literally everything to me and i adored her arc of discovering herself and finding her own purpose. and, of course, norman "skip" takamori, brain slug extraordinaire. "i got my proldier’s license right here!" *high kick to fire my straight down gun boots*

a court of fey and flowers: brennan as a player my utter beloved, but my h(e)art was stolen by none other than the lords of the wing. i fucking love birds and emily and lou’s duo of "cousin! cousin? cousin!!!" was just so endlessly entertaining, i was in tears over the chair scene. yes yes, pining and yearning are all good and well, but the flouncy nature of chirp featherfowl and rakish audacity of squak airavas truly stole the show for me

neverafter: god i love pib. pib was catered Specifically To Me, cause that little guy is a Tabaxi Rogue played by Zac Oyama, three of literally my favorite things in dnd. lou’s pinocchio voice was fucking hilarious, though, the nat20 whale screeching scene in burned into my ears forever and ever.

ravening war: to no one’s surprise, i fucking loved colin provolone. ultimate straight man to brennan’s bullshittery, and also deeply hilarious that the guy specifically built around lying and keeping secrets couldn’t do it half as well as zac just chilling there. raphaniel and karna are tied for the shoutout, though, because brennan and aabria are such good storytellers and it’s always fascinating to see that poured into a single character and how it plays out.

dungeons and drag queens: so so torn, all of the questing queens were utterly fantastic. i think my favorites were either gertrude or twyla, though; gertrude because bob’s passion for theatrics and performance gave her and her magic such life, and twyla because jujubee got so so invested into the game and into the story that it just compelled me to keep watching her specifically.

mentopolis: there’s no picking a favorite here. the prefrontal pi’s were all utterly brilliant to me. i loved leaning into all the noir tropes, from the hardy gumshoe always looking for his next case to the femme fatale who ends up in a wonderful marriage with an ironclad prenup, and everyone in between. still not over dan fucks and his diamond hard nuts, though.

who are your favorite pcs on dimension 20? (either as a whole, per season, whatever you want!)

oh gosh, that's such a difficult decision! i might go based on seasons i've seen? and as a disclaimer: i love every single pc, everyone plays so well on dimension 20 and i love the choices people make, this is all just my opinion!

fantasy high freshman year: god i love gorgug in this season, he was such a goofy guy, and i love him. he honestly was what made me switch to playing more barbarians in my own gameplay

fhsy: fig was sooooo good in this season, the stuff with her and ayda, all the skateboarding away, and just her coming into her own as a person hit very hard for me.

the seven: ostentatia wallace was so good, and izzy was so fun at the table! i'm so excited to watch her in coffin run and in burrow's end. just yelling "i love you" at her dad and all the cleric shit was amazing, and i loved every second of her.

unsleeping city: i've only seen the first season, but i loved kugrash so much!! him being rat jesus was too funny, but he also had his heartbreaking moments. he was a very well developed character and murph played him so well

crown of candy: it's a tie between 3, which i know is so bad, but they are liam, lapin, and theo. they each are just so fantastic and i love them all so much. liam was so sweet, and then when he was a war guy, that was so good too! him and primsy <3. lapin was fucking hilarious, i don't care what anyone else says. his banter with theo was unmatched, and the last episode with him was heart-wrenching and i loved every second of it. theo is also so good. casting knock on the door!!! the banter, sprinkle, the protectiveness all of it!

ravening war: god i love colin and raphaniel so so much! they are such a duo. but so are colin and deli! but then deli and karna! but then karna and amongeux! god, that season was full of top players and i probably couldn't choose one rn.

starstruck oddyessy: god i loved gunnie! the ball is rolling up is in my vocabulary now, and i honestly enjoy everything that lou wilson does, he's phenomenal. also skip is fucking hilarious in the beginning, when he's learning how to talk, it makes me giggle all the time

neverafter: tbh i loved everyone in this season! my top favs were definitely ylfa and pinocchio though. lou's voice was fucking crazy but it was wonderful. his arc with his stepmother slayed. ylfa is a character that i relate to a little too much probably, but she is so wonderful. her and the wolf are crazy. i watch way too many edits with ylfa clips, it's probably something i should work on haha

escape from the bloodkeep: tbh i love leiland! i'm only on episode three but he slays figuratively and literally (though not much literally lol) matt mercer is a great player and i love everything he does!

i'm so sorry that this was so lengthy lmao, can you tell that i like dimension 20 and dungeons and dragons???

[calderskillday]

A STARSTRUCK ODYSSEY EPISODE 17 liveblog!!!!

LETSGOOOOOOO

"friendly looking" ha

omg plug's butt ugly stuff hut in talespire 😭

YEAH STRATEGY IN REAL TIME LETS GO

the whitneys are so small lmao

always ponytail barry

BRENNAN AS AURORA AJFKFIG

"please hold" is SO FUNNY

YEAH LETS GO THE WURST THAT NEW PLATING PAYING OFFFFF

hhhhh unraveling the layers of the wurst to go down to jib job??? thank u editors

YEAHHHH U4F BABEYYYY

GALATIA 9!!!!!

LMAO NOT THE GUERNICAN ART SQUAD

GUAAAARANTEEEEED NAT 20

3 quarters cover is clutch

zac is KILLING those saving throws for the ship

wait.... i spoke too soon 😭😭

NO MURPHHHH

WHAAAATTTT

HOW'D HE GET ON THE SHIPPPP

omg murph's face hahaha

"i bought some, but i'm stunned 😬"

YEAH THIS IS SO BIG BRAINED

omg let's go riva

GUNNIE

YOUR BLOOD BECOMES A GAS

LOU SKFJDKF

"i didn't get it 🕺"

MARGARET FREAKIN ENCINO

YEAHHHH AUMAAAA

ally's to do list 😭😭

NOOOOOOO KING PRILBUS

WHAT A CLIFFHANGERRRR

god they all look so good next episode,,,,,,,,,,

[punkbarbarian]

[ID: a gifset from episode 3 of a starstruck odyssey. the party is talking to mona medina.

gunnie says, "we're doing the full nine yards on this one. ball's rolling up, so we're gettig ready to take off." mona looks confused and asks, "what?"

gunnie says, "ball's rolling up. everything's looking good." mona circles her index fingers around each other and asks, "rolling up, like rolling up a hose?"

gunnie says, "no, a hill. like a ball is rolling up..." skip interrupts him and says [garbled] "ball is rolling up." barry says "like our life is still bad, but we're moving." riva asks "our life is bad?"]

Our life is bad?