#bitches be on a budget

[lotus-pear]

teen skk being a menace to society (and each other) is my fav flavor of them

[meg-noel-art]

Arcane is a Masterclass in visual storytelling

I hate that a lot of the discourse post Arcane has been centered around it's focus on visual storytelling. Whether this be in regards to character interactions, or plot hints, etc, it seems that the genius of Fortiche and the writers is being criticized unnecessarily. This studio accomplishes what every artist DREAMS of excelling at. It's one of the things I appreciate most about the show. It uses its medium, animation, to its absolute fullest potential. It requires analysis and multiple rewatches and study to fully appreciate it. And I wanted to break down a specific moment that really does illustrate the control Fortiche has over every SECOND of this show (and one that's been controversial) Spoilers for Arcane S2 Episode 9

There is a set up in this final scene that lets us know what will happen to Jinx before it happens. And it lasts a single frame. Your eye and subconscious will register it before your brain ever does. As Jinx throws herself at Warwick/Vander and Vi pushes herself up to reach for her, a single frame focuses on the Hextech crystal in Vi's gauntlet.

Visually the scene could have cut from Vi's face, to her reaching for Jinx. But it shows us the Hextech purposefully - because it will be relevant to the scene. This is a visual cue for "remember this is here, remember what it does? It's about to have a payoff." And it's FAST, but on PURPOSE. And we see the payoff once Jinx uses it to depower the gauntlet moments later.

We knew as the audience, something would, because there was intentionality reminding us it was there. The way Jinx was going to fall was spelled out before it happened. Simultaneously, what they DON'T show in this scene is equally as relevant.

Jinx pulls out the bomb but we never see her deploy the pin. (She clearly DOES as there is an ensuing explosion). But this is different from the moment in season 1 on the bridge during her fight with Ekko, when we see the pin and bomb roll out of her hand before Ekko's reaction shot and the explosion. In that moment they gave us the visual indication of "there is no time" and indeed, they are both caught in the explosion.

But, in the S2 finale, the visual delay in her not removing the pin for us on screen, gives her canonically more time to escape its blast. It's a subtle visual nod to "Never found the body" trope. Hey never saw her pull the pin sooo ;) winkwinkwinknudgenudge. It's a hint to her survival due to nothing more than a single action of what we DON'T see. It needs to be subtle and tricky so that we DO have trouble believing it, but that we also still have a modicum of hope that we're right... That's awesome storytelling.

The next moment we are given a visual of the explosion we see a clear (incredibly fast) offshoot her shimmer abilities (as many have already pointed out.

Finally, in the final scene, Caitlyn nor Vi say a single word about the fallout of the battle. But we are given three visual cues to piece together what happened. Our minds are still purposefully meant to be processing the 'death' of Jinx, which as viewers, occurred 60 seconds ago.

The final battle occurred at the top of the Hexgate and Cait is looking at a blueprint of its construction.

2. The next cut is to the detonated head of the bomb we saw Jinx use while falling, meaning Cait is specifically thinking of the same moment we are. The single piece of bomb she's looking at also insinuates that's the only thing they "found" of her. Another nod to the "no body, no death" trope. But what is she thinking about it?

3. It shows us exactly what she sees and is thinking. A specific location within the Hexgates (which, notably, also includes the only TEXT we can visually make out. The line above it is pure scrawl.) 'air ducts'. An escape route in the same direction we saw Jinx's shimmer line go.

Jinx is likely alive and not a single line of dialogue was needed for that speculation to make sense or be followable.

Without a relevant line of dialogue (besides Cait's memorial-esque voiceover) since the battle, we can be relatively certain of three things:

1.) Jinx escaped the blast 2.) Jinx fled Piltover/Zaun 3.) Cait/Vi know this or suspect it (I believe Vi knows but that's a whole other meta of mine)

Whether or not that is your storytelling *preference*, this show needs to be appropriately commended for it's mastery of its art form. While I think it's fine and fair to say "I wish we had a bit of dialogue" regarding this or that, or a scene that laid x,y, or z out in a different way - it's not necessary. Not with the way the studio visually has told this entire story.

Anyway I don't even know how to end this, this is just a moment that stood out to me really hard, especially because people had such mixed feelings on the ending.

This studio is so god damn inspiring as someone who's dream is to work in storytelling and animation. Standing ovation.

[eightspringdays]

Death Note R2: L's successors.

"What's the matter... Near?"

[idontmindifuforgetme]

There will not be a single moment next week in which I’m not running around doing something

[bludpudding]

the cat king’s real name being thomas gives me the same vibes as corinthian being called alex. they’re thousands of years old with a kill count but now it sounds like they stole my lunch money and have it out for my independent loom band business at recess

[redfish-blu]

Tim Shepard thangs + Curly’s unending misery

I’ve always had an extremely detailed vision of these two in my head and I finally found a faceclaim for Tim (rip Chris Cornell). Anyways I mostly did this to fix that abhorrent crime against fashion Tim was wearing in the 1983 movie like seriously who allowed that.

[ovrarches]

A character of your choice in traditional folk dress (from your own heritage or where you live or just whatever is fun to draw)!

dang ok Deer, kudos for most unique request I’ve ever gotten!

+ Alex being called short

[lightbulb-warning]

i used to freehand comics all the time as a child and since the part i liked was the drawing part i would just draw panel after panel because i didn't want to stop drawing to think about icky icky words, plus the story TOTALLY still made perfect sense! to me! and noone else, but 'whoooo caaaaares omgggg its not like comics and sequantial art are a communicative meeediummmm lmaoooooo'. i spent my entire childhood telling myself stuff like "oh pfft I know this story by heart- ill SIMPLY remember the dialogue and write it later" ...and. I can't help but admire baby maiora's (call that a minora ba tm tsk) fucking audacity? hubris? confident wrongness? kid couldn't even remember to finish the comics in the first place? INCREDIBLE levels of unearned self assurance, wish that were me, genuinely- what an icon!!! anyway i think i have forever cursed myself

[atopvisenyashill]

on reflection the fact that we didn’t see laena claim vhagar, and now didn’t see the moment addam got on seasmoke either? kinda annoying me

[welcometogrouchland]

Finally saw Wicked today. I fear it is, in fact, actually all that and a bag of chips. Like it is genuinely that good

[icouldhyperfixatehim]

watching the new wave of mediocre GLs with my biggest "that's nice honey" face on like i'm being presented a child's drawing and don't want to discourage their artistic exploration (continued production of GLs)

[practically-an-x-man]

Me describing all the projects I've gotten in touch with by being in theatre: It's a whole bunch of creative people in the area, all gathered together, and you get to know them really well. It works for getting new projects!

My mom: it only "works" if you get paid...

Me: I mean... I need the portfolio work too, right now. Obviously it's not as good as getting paid but it's still good. And I am getting paid for the mask project, and for the new Beauty and the Beast makeup...

My mom: Hm. 😒

[lesbiansanemi]

Currently trying not to vomit over the fact that I essentially just lost almost a thousand dollars brb

[girlwiththegreenhat]

oh so knight rider 2000 is like, dogshit dogshit huh

[bvckbiter]

i dont think ive seen anyone rlly discuss this yet but one scene im still miffed they took out was the hellhound attacking percy during capture the flag (after the showdown between clarisse and percy). this isn’t so much a gripe for 1-to-1 accuracy but rather what it represents. least important to most important (in my opinion):

1. percy’s powers are forced to fully manifest. his displays escalate, from percy making the fountain grab nancy bobofit, to spraying clarisse in the toilets, then finally to heal himself. it makes sense that his displays should escalate in response to his opponents, instead of a repeat of clarisse and gang trying to bludgeon him.

2. the chapter where it happens is when percy starts realizing that chb is not a perfectly safe haven and the gods arent all that (“i could begin to understand luke’s resentment…”). clarisse may be holding a monumental grudge against him; but the hellhound is pre-meditated, murderous intent, and it requires scheming and betrayal from someone inside/affiliated with camp. because chb is no longer a place where percy can just blend in as unclaimed and hide forever, poseidon is essentially cornered into claiming him, and the quest is inevitable.

3. the hellhound tells us just how dire the stakes are even while percy is esconced in chb—the lengths to which the antagonist is willing to go in order to draw out the war between zeus and poseidon, to kill anything standing in his way. the hellhound tells us how dangerous kronos—AND LUKE—are, a point that is underscored by the following chapter describing the iconic (TO ME!) horse and eagle dream… which is something they also took out.

for comparison, in the show, capture the flag ends with annabeth pushing percy into the water so he heals from the injuries dealt to him by clarisse. so to me its not as impactful and, in an on-brand move by the tv show, severely diminishes the stakes of situation, so instead we get chiron horse-splaining the whole situation rather than actually feeling the consequences of it.

you could argue that the show version does achieve points 1 and 2, just differently—or not to the fullest degree, depending on if you agree with me or not. point 3 though is what irritates me particularly. it’s the show’s take on defanging luke. i could understand removing the scorpion because yeah it’s feasible that kronos would try to take a softer route with percy and recruit him.

but removing the hellhound, which is the murder situation where you could actually still make luke not entirely at fault for the situation (kronos threatened him, kronos foresaw that percy would be in that spot but luke didnt, etc.) is basically just. absolving him of any actual moral reprehensibility in the show. which i dont like. luke’s character is one that i def agree can afford to be made more sympathetic, especially since in tlt-som hes quite a cardboard cutout villain (likely bc rick didnt know fully yet his plans/vision for luke), but the show just swings in that opposite direction, almost as if it’s too afraid that it will be too complex/polarizing for its audience. as a longtime luke fan its insulting; and as a pjo fan it’s quite worrying, because if they miss the point of luke’s character, high chances are they miss the point and spirit of the series entirely.

to conclude, this is not to say that this scene, or any singular scene at all, is the make or break for me, or for anyone at all (though i think the lotus casino scene/episode may be a close placeholder for that lol). however, it is, in my opinion, one part in a very long string of show retcons that swap the source for something worse or with less heart.

[nowshesdoingitallthetime]

Me and chy are truly meant to be