#bring jones back agenda :(

[dazesanddoodles]

actually i think that after “and the apple of discord” ezekiel pointed out that the main reason the representatives were almost compliant with dulaque was that they felt unheard by the library when the previous librarians kept avoiding big meetings so now they do them semi regularly

[startold-a]

// might fuck around and satisfy jones muse by rewriting roswell from season 3 onwards.

the writers introduced such an interesting concept and possible alien world. such an interesting potential between max and jones. and just. overall a lot of interesting shit with jones. just to get rid of him so easily.

maybe it was a budget thing, or a writing thing. but they nerfed jones so much from how he's described vs. what we actually see. and not just described by himself, but by others too (nora and louise, noah sorta) so it's not just an ego thing. hell, if he was so strong that nora and louise felt they had to make a kid to kill so they could kill him by proxy, we sure as hell didn't see it.

[martinsharmony]

Who is the best post-2000 movie or TV villain? Hands down, David Tennant's Kilgrave from Jessica Jones' first season, the perfect embodiment of sexual and domestic violence. He's one of those rare villains who leaves you with unease long after you turn off the TV, and it's because he was there before you turned it on.

He's not the best villain because of his personality, though his glee and charm is a large part of it. He's not the best villain because of the scope of his villainy. He's not out to destroy any cities or conquer any galaxies. He's not even out to take down a hero, although that's what he's going to do along the way. You see, Kilgrave's power is this:

You have to do anything he wants you to do. Anything at all. Maybe he wants your jacket. Maybe he wants you to have sex with him. Maybe he wants you to become his lover and live with him happily, forever and ever, in a lovely little house for the two of you. Maybe he wants you to murder your mom.

You know those intrusive thoughts, the ones you would never in a million years do, the ones that make you wonder if you're a monster? The ones that say, jump over the railing. Hold the match to your sleeve. The dog sure looks happy; why don't you kick its brains in?

Kilgrave whispers the very worst things to you, and you do them.

Kilgrave makes it your fault when he does what he does to you. Makes it your idea. Does it with your hands. Makes your body something bad. And he makes the people you depend upon blame you for it.

So when Kilgrave uses his powers on you, you aren't a victim. You are a villain. And you're utterly, eternally alone in your hurt and your horror.

And it doesn't end when it ends. He's got no master plan or secret agenda. He's just following his whims. If he decides he really likes you, he'll bring the trauma back over. And over. And over. He can leave an idea in your head that never goes away, an idea that sits there where you can't see it until it suddenly shows up at the worst possible moment.

Creating a villain who generates such revulsion and horror in the audience is like capturing lightning in a bottle. As Dorothy Sayers told us, it’s almost impossible to write the Devil without making the audience root for him, because those attributes that make a villain an opponent worthy of writing about are virtues, or are at least the personality traits that make a character fascinating. If your villain isn’t powerful, you’ve got no story. If your villain isn’t talented, you’ve got no story. If your villain isn’t persistent, isn’t charismatic, doesn’t have a good reason to do what they do . . . no story. There is a sense in which it's very hard for us to tell honest stories about evil, because real evil isn't extremely watchable.

So instead of making legitimately evil villains, we make villains who are heroes on the wrong side, or villains who are heroes with a streak of malice, or we just take the hero, run through a list of their strengths, and come up with a foil for each bullet point. Those methods make engaging villains. Those are the villains you love to see, because they thrill you at the same time that they horrify you: the Darth Vaders and the Hannibal Lectors, the Moriartys and the Lex Luthors. Those bad guys may not have our allegiance, but they have our attention, our fascination, the stamp of the viewer's approval.

But to write a villain who elicits horror in the audience, who’s a perfect counterpoint to all the hero’s strengths, and to have the audience feel sick when he’s on the screen—that’s extraordinary. And in this case, it’s achieved by tapping into a kind of violence that has only rarely been addressed on the screen, and even more rarely shown from the victim’s point of view. It’s not the “violent rape” that politicians discuss, the kind that grabs you in an alleyway with a stranger’s hands. It’s the kind that gets up close and personal in all the other ways, in ways that nobody can see from the outside. And its perpetrator is an emotional toddler, raging for anything and everything they want, right now, as if their whims were as essential as oxygen. There is absolutely nothing appealing about Kilgrave. Zilch. Even his charm isn't directed toward us; it's directed toward the other characters, the ones Jessica needs to believe her and help her, and so we hate his charm. He convinces the audience that he’s powerful, maybe too powerful to be defeated, and we’re right there in Jessica’s misery with her, feeling isolated and despairing.

Kilgrave's comic-book villain in Jessica Jones does what speculative fiction does best: turns a mirror on reality. You can make a villain who is stronger than other villains, who rules a bigger empire or has a bigger weapon or is out to kill more people than any other villain ever written. But all you're doing is playing the game of "Oh, yeah? My bad guy is bad times a hundred. No; times a million. Times infinity plus one."

Kilgrave tells us what bad really is, and it rings true. Anybody who's had to take out an order of protection knows Kilgrave already. Anybody who's undergone a rape kit knows Kilgrave already. He's the rarest sort of screen villain: the one we were afraid of before he was written.

[multifandomfix]

Going On A Spa Date With Keeley Jones Would Include

Keeley is super excited about the spa day and has been talking about it for weeks. She loves planning little surprises, so she's already got a whole itinerary in mind.

She chooses a luxurious spa known for its serene atmosphere and top-notch services. Probably recommended by Rebecca. Think calming music, aromatic scents, and a beautiful view.

Upon arrival, Keeley insists on getting matching robes, and adorable matching slippers to complete the look.

The first activity on the agenda is a couples' massage. Keeley chatters away at first, but quickly relaxes into silence, a contented look on her face.

Next are facials for both of you, where you struggle not to laugh and mess up your face masks.

Post treatments, Keeley suggests a dip in the jacuzzi. She brings along a couple of fancy drinks to sip while you both soak and chat, and maybe make out a little too.

After the jacuzzi is a manicure and pedicure session. Keeley picks out the colors, and you end up getting matching designs or cute little nail art.

Before you go to get changed, you and Keeley take a couple pictures in your matching robes and slippers, making funny faces and just knowing you’ll look back at these and laugh one day.

When you’re about to leave, Keeley has a little gift prepared for you, a personalized at home spa kit to remember the day by.

Forever Tag: @baubeautyandthegeek, @ghostsunderstoodmysoul, @immyowndefender, @valencethefriendlychangeling, @crimsonwidow666, @rebelbossheart, @thedailyspiritualist, @orangeisnttheonlyfruit, @woman-simp, @aperol-with-izzy, @leonoralessoem, @ellepossum69, @lakita-fisher, @nclgsticore, @analuw, @luvlesavyy, @malfoyfeed, @aliciabrower, @bitchr-mkay, @sparrowspixie, @imaginationismyworldlypleasure, @og-kxsh-420

[aradeia]

Between a crazy spring semester and writing my MA thesis this fall, I didn't get to read for fun too much this year unfortunately. But here are my five favorite books of the few I did get to in 2022:

(1). The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. One of the best myth retellings I've ever read. Atwood presents Penelope as an unreliable narrator with an agenda of her own (this is an Odyssey retelling after all!). She then counters Penelope's version of events with the maids' point of view. Penelope's relationship with the maids, as well as her relationship with Helen, were the highlights of the book for me.

(2). A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. I know, I know. Game of Thrones. I blame beloved House of the Dragon for making me finally pick this one up. I'm so glad I did. I love Martin's characters. They're so well designed; each point of view character provides a different critique of chivalric society and the fantasy genre. Martin does a good job bringing each characters' story to a satisfying end in this one (especially Daenerys, Sansa, and Catelyn). The execution of the honorable Ned Stark is a shocking subversion of tropes.

(3). Carrie by Stephen King. I felt so bad for Carrie! I related to her very strongly. The most interesting relationship in this book for me was Carrie and Sue Snell. Between them was the complicated and ugly female bullying story I wanted to explore–– especially after the simplistic, boring story I'd gotten from Stranger Things 4. I wish Carrie and Sue had interacted more (I think it would have made Carrie's death scene more impactful for me), but Sue got replaced by her boyfriend Tommy in the narrative. Heteronormativity strikes again.

(4). A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner. So fun, and I love Sophos! I found it really compelling that Sophos had to come to the realization that there was no nonviolent solution before him if he wanted to stay alive. He lost innocence in this way. In retrospect, that kind of character development reminds me of what I love most about Game of Thrones. Also, Sophos' relationship with Helen/Eddis is wonderful. I love that Helen helps to deceive him, because it's for the good of her country. I don't often come across stories about women in power who are not guided first by their personal loves and interests. (Thinking of Cersei Lannister here. Also Rhaenyra Targaryen by the end of dragon show.)

(5). Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I love the characters! I love Sophie, and Howl, and most of all, Calcifer! I hadn't read this book as a kid or watched the movie, so it was all new to me. I think my favorite part about this story was the decision to present old age as liberating for Sophie. Becoming old allowed Sophie to shed her inhibitions, grow more confident, and more powerful in her magic. I like that story, especially for young girls, who are told that becoming old is the worst thing that can possibly happen to them. It's not!

Even though I didn't get to read so much this year, I still read some pretty compelling stories and met really fascinating characters– my favorite part of reading. Definitely getting back into the A Song of Ice and Fire universe has been a big deal for me. It's replaced Star Wars in my heart, I can't believe...

Here's to hoping I get to read more next year!

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

Charlie Cox’s 1 Tip For Getting into Character

By Briana Rodriguez  December 1, 2014 (X)

When Charlie Cox went to audition for the role of Jonathan Hellyer Jones in the Stephen Hawking biopic “The Theory of Everything,” his head was shaved nearly down to the skin. He looked nothing like the character he was meant to be playing. He was sure he’d never get the role.

“My mum said I looked thuggish,” he admits, laughing. “I was reading the script and getting a sense of this character, and I was just thinking, Oh my God, no one is ever going to think I’m right for this part! But James [Marsh, the director] was open to the idea of me, and I heard back relatively quickly afterward that they were interested in me; I thought, He must be really open-minded!”

Marsh cast Cox as Jonathan in the film that chronicles the decades-long marriage of Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones) and Hawking (Eddie Redmayne), beginning with Hawking’s diagnosis with ALS. As his disease progresses, Jane enlists Jonathan to help her, but emotions become entangled with responsibility and they fall for each other; the two are now married.

“My concern, the only real one I had, was that I felt there was a chance that it might seem like Jonathan had an agenda: He met Jane, he fell in love with her, and he was trying to win her off Stephen,” Cox says. “And I don’t think that’s what the script is intending. I think he does meet Jane and falls in love with her very quickly, but he offered his help to the family. It’s almost like he had a love affair with the Hawkings, with all of them, and through that, the love he has for Jane—he thinks he can suppress [it] and he realizes he can’t.”

To prepare, Cox read the script repeatedly (“As you read more and more, the whole thing, the character and the story, slowly becomes simpler and simpler and simpler”) and went to breakfast with Jonathan. “I was interested in the energy he brought into the room, what kind of a man he was, how he greeted you at the door, and how he sat and spoke to you,” he explains. “I realized there was no way you could ever think he would be duplicitous in that way. He was incredibly kind and generous and just a sweet, lovely man, so I tried to bring that energy.”

During the filming process, Cox was on point with his earlier assessment of Marsh, who has a background in documentary filmmaking, as open-minded. The actor says the director’s experience capturing real-life events as they’re happening gave the set a sense of spontaneity and freedom when it came to his performance.

“The way he ran set was that we would always have a feeling where we could try something and if it didn’t work, it didn’t work,” he says. “There’s a scene with Eddie and I in the church and he comes in and he’s basically asking for help with Jane and he brings beers into the church. Just ’cause Eddie’s an old friend of mine and we were just mucking around trying to make each other laugh, for one of the takes I handed him a beer and said, ‘Bear in mind you have to drive.’ [Marsh] ended up using it in the film and it was kind of a silly moment. And the funny thing is I can see Eddie laughing.”

The moment ties back into Cox’s overall approach to his roles: “When you get to set you don’t try to play the plot, you just play the character,” he says. “I think sometimes if you’re unfamiliar with the text, there’s tendency to try and play the surface of what’s written. If you become really familiar with the text you play what’s going on underneath it all.”

~*~

[glassprism]

I was walking by the Majestic the other day and I peeked in and saw Cameron Mackintosh personally tearing up the proscenium. It was kind of frightening to watch him mutter about covid tests and orchestra salaries and pedialyte popsicles. But as a stagehand went to throw away the Phantom's skull staff, Cameron had the good sense to stop him. "You fool, we'll need that for when we reopen the show with JOJ and ____ in the leads". I'm not sure who he said was going to play Christine, I guess we'll have to wait and see. Hopefully it's a young actress, someone like Rachel Barrell.

You know, I'm sad about Broadway Phantom closing and mad at CamMack over it, but if it brings John Owen-Jones back to the production alongside his favorite Christine (and also the most beautiful and certainly the youngest), Rachel Barrell, then it will actually be worth it and will turn me into a diehard CamMack stan. I <3 Cameron and his agenda to bring JOJ back together with Rachel Barrell, the best Christine to ever grace London's stage.

[sroloc--elbisivni]

(I don’t WANT you to procrastinate but I am nothing if not an enabler! xD ). 💞 🍭 💌

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

answered here, except also i've realized that the most important thing is what I fuss over until a story is actually done, which is what i call 'sticking the landing.' after i hit the climax, did i bring it home? did i carry it out, did I finish it well? is the ending coming to a satisfying rest? i can spitball and brainstorm until the cows come home but for me what makes a story a story is reaching the conclusion in a way that rings.

🍭why did you start writing?

uh. words make brain go brr? i've been writing...at least since I was ten, more likely eight. I had this whole novel in mind as a kid and eventually wrote the whole thing out by the time I was fourteen. it's not good but i'm so fond of it. i like the process of making stories real, and taking them from half formed bits in my head to things i can go back and reread.

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

april's bildungsroman Turn Left fic is also going to feature me furthering my Casey Jones Butch agenda.

[dragontrailz]

YesCymru - The Struggle for Power (Part 2 of 4 - 2021 to 2023)

This is the backstory to what happened when Gwern Gwynfil was dismissed in late 2023 and what's happened since (that will be covered in Parts 3 and 4). Part 1 will cover the 2021 coup (which is summarised briefly in this Part) in more detail and was written in late 2021 and edited recently for clarity.

The detailed story is indeed to act as a historical document in order to inform the membership that restructuring is needed. What happens next is up to the membership. It has become necessary to publish something to stop the paralysis that has overcome the movement and seems entrenched.

Introduction - 2021 to the Gweithgor

I first joined YesCymru in 2020 for a 12 month membership period, as the movement was scaling impressively with the Covid Pandemic bringing more attention to the campaign. Mark Drakeford was perceived to be handling the crisis better than Boris Johnson. A low bar you might think, but it seemed to be drawing attention to how devolved power was allowing us to manage our own affairs and resolve our own problems. 

It was during this period of rapid growth that a group of interlopers with a subversive agenda began to plot and to mount a coup. As the May 2021 AGM approached, the plotters saw their chance to create an opportunity where new members could be voted onto the Central Committee, whilst simultaneously targeting two founder members from retaining their place on the committee. 

All of this might have remained a secret, if it wasn’t for the online bragging by the co-ordinator of the meeting, a Labour Councillor for Prestatyn called Bob Lloyd.

According to a prominent right-wing third-sector blogger named Mr Jones, the plot appears to have been coordinated by Bob Lloyd, Mark Hooper, Lab4IndyWales co-founder Ben Gwalchmai, ‘All Under One Banner’ founder Llewelyn ap Gwilym (who was on the Committee at the time) and a final plotter, who was a key person at a now defunct Welsh media outlet. For the purposes of the story, let’s just call him ‘he who does not like to be named’ (HWDNLTBN).

They were assisted by Momentum’s Harriet Protheroe-Soltani and Elin Hywel from radical-left IndyWales campaign group Undod. Happy to go along with the plot were a collection of artists who seemed to be using YesCymru as a promotional vehicle. 

I verified Mr Jones’ work back in 2021 and it checked out. It was a shame that the research was inflected with some colourful language in places, which seemed to deter some people from engaging in its content. Rather strangely at the time, Nation Cymru, a major rival to HWDNLTBN’s paper, weren’t able to really call out what was happening. I’ve never really been able to ascertain why, but I suspect someone behind the scenes was sympathetic to the aims of the coup plotters.

Once in power the group prioritised trans rights, which they knew could be used as a wedge issue to cause internal tensions within the organisation. Their shift in direction triggered a response, where the wider YesCymru movement made clear their discontent, eventually resulting in the resignation of the Central Committee on August 2021. It was a turbulent 3 months. While Ben Gwalchmai took to Twitter for some epic rants, the wider movement rejoiced and Mr Jones, who it was now rumoured to be in retirement in the Dysynni valley, claimed the credit for being the only journalist, employed or retired, to call what was going on. 

A prominent tweeter who resides somewhere not too far from this author’s location stated on X that “everyone knew what was going on, but no one was able to stop it”.

Well that was because you never got organised enough to do anything about it.

The Gweithgor

After allowing my membership to lapse for a month, I rejoined for a second year, briefly sitting on the Gweithgor transitional council that attempted to regained control of the organisation. The aim was to put in place a new constitution and legal structure, but it was beset by problems from the start.

At the time, it was clear that YesCymru was going through a period of flux after 18 months, largely dominated by the Covid Pandemic, which had seen the organisation scale beyond what anyone had really expected. The tight timescales meant it was challenging for those who sat on the Gweithgor to attend the meetings, communicate the outcome to their group, obtain feedback, integrate the group’s wishes into the process and be ready in time for the next cycle. 

Some members seemed to expect miracles, many others were simply not engaged with the process. YesCymru wasn’t used to operating effectively and democratically across these two tiers, which was a real indication of the trouble yet to come. It seemed clear to me and others I was in communication with, that there were still troublemakers in the working groups obstructing progress.

Despite the obvious obstacles and the rushed timeline, in December 2021, an Extraordinary General Meeting voted to adopt the recommendations of the Gweithgor. 

The movement looked forward to a new start in 2022, albeit with a reduced membership. Almost 3,000 members voted to change the legal status of the organisation from being an unincorporated association to that of a company limited by guarantee. This gave YesCymru a strong mandate to proceed and nominations opened for positions on the new National Governing Body (NGB).

The majority of members who were nominated to YesCymru’s governing body were elected automatically, due to a lack of candidates, after the movement moved to a new regional structure based on Senedd regions. 

Elfed Williams assumed the Chair and the role of Financial Lead; Nerys Jenkins took the Vice-Chair; Louise Aikman the Legal Lead; Geraint Thomas the Communications Lead; whilst Phyl Griffiths headed up Campaigns and Marches. The organisation issued an update, where it looked to professionalise the movement, increase grassroots participation, drive the Independence agenda in the media and engage key demographics.

Barry Parkin was elected unopposed as Director for ‘Outside Wales’ alongside Louise Aikman, who only lasted until May 2022 as Director, before being removed on a technicality after not attending three consecutive meetings. The solicitor, branded the organisation ‘dysfunctional’, after a clash with Barry Parkin and Elfed Williams, a pairing she referred to as the ‘gerontocracy’.

The removal of Louise Aikman appears to have been the start of a process where Barry Parkin and Elfed Williams began their consolidation of power. Her departure left Parkin as the only ‘Outside Wales’ Director, as she was not replaced until April 2023, when Dafydd Smith was appointed as a new Director for that region.

A month after Louise Aikman’s departure, in June 2022, the organisation took to the streets of Wrecsam, for their first national march in almost three years. It was recognised to be a huge success and there was a general feeling of relief and euphoria, which carried YesCymru through the summer. To most members at this time, the organisation looked to be back on track.

In September 2022, Gwern Gwynfil was announced as the new CEO and he set to work to re-establish YesCymru, stating that the organisation needed to raise its membership in order to be effective. 

A second march of 10,000 people took place in Cardiff in October 2022, at which the new CEO addressed the crowd, alongside former Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Wigley, actor Julian Lewis Jones, novelist Ffion Dafis and Irish comedian Tadhg Hickey. 

My impression was that Gwen Gwynfil was popular and he seemed to be doing a good job. The reality was the membership were not engaged with the NGB via the regional group structure and many did not realise how the organisation was being governed. This lack of democratic engagement with the grassroots, was to prove a real limiting factor. However, YesCymru did attempt to address this by organising a National Conference in Aberystwyth during the summer of 2023. 

What happened next came as a shock to the membership and raised the spectre that there were hidden problems at the heart of the movement, which had been overlooked when Louise Aikman was sacked.

[martacontextualstudies]

Project 03 - The Word for World is Forest

In The Word for World is Forest, Ursula Le Guin explores various ecological themes as well as social and political issues and how they correlate with the natural world. In her book, Le Guin writes about a fictional planet that becomes inhabited by humans. As one of their people (The Athshean’s) get attacked and killed, they fight against them to leave their planet. However, being peaceful citizens, their natural world is severely affected by the mass destruction and remnants of war. We can see this when she writes ‘My city was destroyed by the yumens when they cut down the trees in that region… we went in daylight, and killed the yumens of Kelme Deva with arrows and hunting- lances, and burned their city and their engines.’ I think her use of a made up world is really significant in the way it mirrors our real one. Another reason for this significance is her own past experiences, including her negative exposure to the Vietnam War and her strong anti-colonial and anti-military outlook.

Le Guin also brushes on the concept of culture and political views by linking her fantasy world to a theme of colonisation and oppression. In an article written by Stefan Raets, Kat Hopper and Tadiana Jones, they mention ‘the contrast between two opposing worldviews’ between the humans and the Athshean’s and their cultural identity. They continue to write that ‘some characters are more aware of the Athsgean’s cultural identity, and others treat them as little more than animals or slaves.’ The theme of colonisation and oppression, at the time, was quite prevalent, so it made sense for her to include the narrative of the two themes in her work. 

Le Guin’s well crafted, protest novella, also features commonly used undertones of humanity. She looks through the different viewpoints of each character and really shows the difference between each one and how they think and view the world. She successfully does this as she allows the reader to think deeper about what it means to be human. What defines us as human and how we see each other. I think this is critical as she builds on the idea that each human sees things differently, even in regards to what is considered right or wrong. I think this idea of humanity within her novel, relates closely to the point in my previous paragraph, as she successfully uses a connotation of non-violence to fight against the idea of colonialism and to push her agenda of fighting against it. She almost questions whether violence is justified or not and it brings me back to the point of how she uses humanity in her text to portray the different stances that humans have towards violence, and how acceptable it is to them. Phil Svitek and Marisa Serfani, build on this point in their book discussion, bringing up the idea of ‘every action has an opposite or equal reaction’. This is crucial as the Athshean’s ended up with their natural world destroyed from the war against the yumens, despite them not being violent people. What had caused them to become violent was the injustice that the yumens placed upon them after hurting and killing one of their kind. It makes you question, why and when is violence justified? 

My print in response to Le Guin’s, The Word for World is Forest, was inspired by the opening paragraph in chapter two, stating, ‘ALL the colours of rust and sunset, brown-reds and pale greens, changed ceaselessly in the long leaves as the wind blew. The roots of the copper willows, thick and ridged, were moss-green down by the running water, which like the wind moved slowly…’ I felt most inspired by this part of the novel to focus my print on, as I felt it was the first part of the made-up universe that described a natural setting we could easily find in our real world. I liked the idea of the ‘rust’, ‘brown-red and pale green’ ‘sunset’, and decided to incorporate this colour scheme into my print. For my imagery I wanted to portray it similarly to how Le Guin described the setting, but decided to incorporate images of birds as they often symbolise new beginnings, hope, freedom and peace. I think this is important as Le Guin’s anthropological upbringing and her interest in Taoism, anti-violence and ecological awareness really falls under this symbolism. 

In conclusion, I think Le Guin’s protest novel is a really successful piece of fantasy writing, specifically because of how she takes her real life experiences and the topics she is passionate about or fights against, and paints them in a fantasy-like realm which mirrors our own. I think they way she combined these social and political issues that we as a humanity face, with the use of nature and ecology, really cements her political and social viewpoints, in a way that isn't too aggressive or outlandish, and allows more people to agree or related, or ponder deeply at how we live in our real world, and how not much is different to what occurs on the planet of Athshe. 

The Word for World is Forest: A powerful, somewhat allegorical tale | Fantasy Literature: Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews

Stefan Raets, Kat Hopper and Tadiana Jones. (24th November 2017)

The Word for World Is Forest: Ecology, Colonialism, and the Protest Movement | Tor.com

Sean Guynes (5th August 2020)

The Word For World Is Forest (Ursula K Le Guin) In-Depth Book Discussion - YouTube

Phil Svitek, Marisa Serfani. (23rd January 2023)

The British Empire in the 19th Century | Máire ní Fhlathúin (gale.com)

ní Fhlathúin, Máire: "The British Empire in the Nineteenth Century." 19th Century UK Periodicals. Detroit: Gale, 2008.

[findingedenrei]

Am I the bad guy?

I thought I saw an old friend of mine that turned out to be an enemy.

The Spring of 2023 taught and showed me how I can go so long in an environment that I'm not happy just so I can accomplish something. To some, this is a remarkable trait that should be respected because of patience but for others they ponder why? Why would you want to stay in an environment that's not allowing you to thrive? I did exactly that with when I lived with two girls I thought I could be friends with due to mutual paths but ended up being mean girls with the male agenda on their brain. The friendship failed because it was built on people pleasing, lack of proper communication, severely different lifestyles, and most importantly different foundations.

Foundations? What is that. Something you stand firm on something you can go back to and rely on. Something that no matter what happens in life you have firm ground that will never fail. For me that's God, for others it's things in this world i.e. money, men, popularity, clothes etc. Don't get me wrong I fell into it. I tried to keep up with the Jones by trying things like drinking, going out, gossiping, dating, etc. But it all failed. I wondered why? every time why God don't I feel close to these people. We try to hangout, we share laughs and play games but I don't feel anything for these people. Then it hit me. They were not supposed to be my people.

You can play games and casually talk about the superficiality of life for so long that you come to realize you crave more from someone. You crave substance. Now it would be rude to say they lacked substance because the people I lived with did bring things to the table that I admired but the baggage that came along with it truly blindsided me until I had to face when I left. I left because I was respected or heard. I left because I was sick and tired of being in an environment of falsehood and straight up meanness. I thought being one of the "cool girls' would be fun, something to take pride in. I tried to and it had its moments but there is a difference between making people laugh wholeheartedly and not being the butt of someones joke.

One of them stole some money from me and is passive and narcissistic that thrives off male attention and enjoys spending their money. The other well she also struggles with people pleasing and being dismissive, only present when fantasizing about her wedding day to rid herself of the matriarchal role she was placed with for her demanding family.

Now you say, that's so mean and judgmental. How can you call yourself a Christian. I'm not perfect to the World's standards but, being Christian doesn't mean being a doormat and doesn't make me oblivious to my environment. In a sense it heightens it and makes me more aware of why God placed and removed certain people in my life. Everyone that comes into my life has meaning. And those girls I believe came into my life to show me that not everyone will like the light you bring. Not everyone is used to it nor knows how to care for it and that's ok. We all do shitty things from time and time but those who admit to it and own up to it those are the people you want to be around. The people who want to converse when times get hard and have a heart and sense of respect for others. And I'm so happy to say God introduced people into my life that fit just that.

People pleasing made me go from allowing everyone into my circle. God pleasing is realizing that your love for others shouldn't be a way for you to let down guarding your heart. Not everyone is deserving to be in your close circle and I'm learning to be ok with that.

[gra-sonas]

Just as her character Maria DeLuca was being challenged on Roswell, New Mexico (blame the alien Jones, played by Nathan Dean), Heather Hemmens was as well (blame the weather), stepping behind the camera to direct the September 6 episode, “Goodnight, Elizabeth.”

“It was one of those moments where you’re challenged to do time management beyond the hours in a day, but it was a really, really great experience for me that taught me a lot of skills that now that I’ve done it, I can take forward and conquer with,” Hemmens tells TV Insider of the experience.

“[It] came about from hours and hours and hours of shadowing behind the scenes, directing short films, so this was years of preparation meeting opportunity for me,” she continues. “It really was a great time to grow within the show especially behind the camera. So I’m really excited to do that on my home court.”

Heading into the episode, Maria remains in a coma after her encounter with Jones (not Max, also played by Dean, as they’d all thought). But at least everyone knows who they’re really dealing with now… right? That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to stop him.

Below, Hemmens talks directing — she’ll helm another episode later in Season 4 — before previewing the rest of the season and Maria’s slightly reckless behavior.

Where does this episode find Maria in her fight against Jones?

Heather Hemmens: We find them very well matched where she has unexpectedly met him in the mindscape, but she is holding onto her powers for dear life. Right now she’s just buying time until she can outsmart him. They’re very well-matched because Maria’s strong-minded and determined and she’s just as good as Jones as evil, so it’s going to be an epic battle between them.

What’s everyone else up to now that they know they haven’t been talking to Max, but to Jones?

Heather Hemmens:  Everyone is frantically searching around for the real Jones and trying to stop him from whatever he’s set out to do. It’s a really fun storyline where the Scooby-Doo gang is setting up traps and different schemes to try and get ahead of Jones’ agenda. At the same time, they’re trying to receive psychic messages from Maria, helping them figure out what his motives are and also to help them get her out of this coma. This all is going to culminate with showdowns and explosions and big reveals that people who have been watching the show for years will never see coming. And it’s just going to be jaw-dropping turns that will take us into the rest of the storyline for the season.

There is quite a bit going on in this episode – the Jones storyline, Alex [Tyler Blackburn] is trying to get answers, Rosa’s [Amber Midthunder] still figuring things out about herself. What were your favorite and the most challenging scenes to direct?

My favorite scenes were Rosa and Isobel [Lily Cowles] in the cave where they have a real sisterhood bonding moment. That was such a joy just to have a scene where it wasn’t about special effects or anything sinister. It was just about two women connecting and having this great dialogue. It was really just such a joy to work with both of those actors, who are my close friends, and we had a lot of fun with that.

One of the more challenging scenes is this showdown. There’s so much going on. There’s a bunch of characters in the scene. There are explosions, special effects, all kinds of things happening, and it felt like a major movie set. It was really, really fun to film and we got rain right in the middle of it. We ended up being more crunched for time than I was supposed to have, and I was just really happy that I had prepared for that day in a way that I was able to still finish one of the most important scenes of the episode without having to sacrifice.

The scenes that I was in as an actor had special effects in them. And I also had to make time to watch playback and spend an hour and a half in hair and makeup before I got into director mode. So those were also challenges that I was happy to explore, that new skill set for myself, and just try to enjoy it along the way.

Speaking of great scenes with two women this season, one of my favorite relationships right now is Maria and Isobel’s. Are we going to continue to see more of those two together?

Heather Hemmens:  Absolutely. These two strong women are realizing that they’re even stronger together. They have such a fun dynamic. They have witty banter and they have great ideas and they also still have that competitiveness that makes them really fun to watch. I’m happy for the storyline and for the characters that the catty nature of their relationship has been overcome and now we’re into seeing two empowered women support each other. I just think that’s a really beautiful dynamic, and we’re going to see a lot more of it throughout the season.

It seems like Gregory [Tanner Novlan] has adapted pretty well to everything going on in Roswell. What can you say about his and Maria’s relationship?

Heather Hemmens:  I think the reason that Maria loves hanging out with Gregory is that he’s so easygoing. He has taken everything in stride. He’s been a support system. He’s been a really warm presence and just a good friend throughout all of this and Maria really needed a rock. He’s very stable. So I think that is the initial attraction and it could be budding into something romantic. I think it’s at a good starting point in friendship to be able to grow into that. … He may be crushing a little bit harder than her at the moment. But I think when he’s showing his true colors that he really cares for her and he has her back when she’s not well, that could go over pretty good with Maria when she catches wind of it.

We saw how far Maria was willing to go to trigger another vision earlier in the season, and she’s in a coma right now because she couldn’t sit and not do anything. Will we continue to see her push herself to or beyond her limits?

Heather Hemmens:  Absolutely. Maria is now on her own journey with her alien powers and with this alien storyline, whereas in the past seasons, we’ve seen her really supporting the other characters’ experience of this. Now she is on a rampage to fulfill her own destiny and discover what that is for her powers, so she’s willing to go pretty far to figure it out. I think she feels that no matter what the danger brings, she can’t not know.

I love Maria and everything she’s doing this season, but at the same time, I’m like, where’s your sense of self-preservation?

Heather Hemmens:  Yeah, she’s gotten a little bit reckless because she’s in dire need of answers. I think sometimes the hardest thing in life is not knowing and that can outweigh the expense of any maybe physical harm that she can endure and survive. But the most important thing to her is just having those questions answered that constantly plague her mind.

Everything’s building up to this funeral with the Valenti crest on the coffin. What can you tease about that funeral and what we’re going to see going forward?

Heather Hemmens:  It’s one of those mysteries that everybody comes together as a group because not only do they all care about who could be in the coffin, but it could be them. They still have no clarity that any of them is safe, and so in order to protect themselves, they also have to protect each other. That’s just one of the more lovely storylines that bonds them all, this group effort to keep everybody safe.

How certain can we be of anything that we’ve seen in those visions?

Heather Hemmens:  I’d say that they present accurately, but hindsight is 20/20. So just because they’re presenting accurately doesn’t mean that the supporting evidence doesn’t change the dynamic.

What else can you preview about the rest of the season and how it’s going to set up next season?

Heather Hemmens:  This Jones character is very determined to wreak havoc, so he’s not going away, and they’re going to have to battle it out with him for the next chapter of this story. They find different ways to do that and each character comes in to fight that beast. That’s a really, really fun storyline that plays out. And we’re gonna dig a little bit more into Maria’s family history as well and how it connects to everyone else and how it gets specific with this day in time that Jones is trying to find a memory for. Maria has a very big role in whether or not he gets that that piece of information he’s searching for.

[roswellnmsource]

‘Roswell, New Mexico’: Heather Hemmens on Directing, Why Maria & Jones Are ‘Very Well Matched’

Just as her character Maria DeLuca was being challenged on Roswell, New Mexico (blame the alien Jones, played by Nathan Dean), Heather Hemmens was as well (blame the weather), stepping behind the camera to direct the September 6 episode, “Goodnight, Elizabeth.”

“It was one of those moments where you’re challenged to do time management beyond the hours in a day, but it was a really, really great experience for me that taught me a lot of skills that now that I’ve done it, I can take forward and conquer with,” Hemmens tells TV Insider of the experience.

“[It] came about from hours and hours and hours of shadowing behind the scenes, directing short films, so this was years of preparation meeting opportunity for me,” she continues. “It really was a great time to grow within the show especially behind the camera. So I’m really excited to do that on my home court.”

Heading into the episode, Maria remains in a coma after her encounter with Jones (not Max, also played by Dean, as they’d all thought). But at least everyone knows who they’re really dealing with now… right? That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to stop him.

Below, Hemmens talks directing — she’ll helm another episode later in Season 4 — before previewing the rest of the season and Maria’s slightly reckless behavior.

Where does this episode find Maria in her fight against Jones?

Heather Hemmens: We find them very well matched where she has unexpectedly met him in the mindscape, but she is holding onto her powers for dear life. Right now she’s just buying time until she can outsmart him. They’re very well-matched because Maria’s strong-minded and determined and she’s just as good as Jones as evil, so it’s going to be an epic battle between them.

What’s everyone else up to now that they know they haven’t been talking to Max, but to Jones?

Everyone is frantically searching around for the real Jones and trying to stop him from whatever he’s set out to do. It’s a really fun storyline where the Scooby-Doo gang is setting up traps and different schemes to try and get ahead of Jones’ agenda. At the same time, they’re trying to receive psychic messages from Maria, helping them figure out what his motives are and also to help them get her out of this coma. This all is going to culminate with showdowns and explosions and big reveals that people who have been watching the show for years will never see coming. And it’s just going to be jaw-dropping turns that will take us into the rest of the storyline for the season.

There is quite a bit going on in this episode – the Jones storyline, Alex [Tyler Blackburn] is trying to get answers, Rosa’s [Amber Midthunder] still figuring things out about herself. What were your favorite and the most challenging scenes to direct?

My favorite scenes were Rosa and Isobel [Lily Cowles] in the cave where they have a real sisterhood bonding moment. That was such a joy just to have a scene where it wasn’t about special effects or anything sinister. It was just about two women connecting and having this great dialogue. It was really just such a joy to work with both of those actors, who are my close friends, and we had a lot of fun with that.

One of the more challenging scenes is this showdown. There’s so much going on. There’s a bunch of characters in the scene. There are explosions, special effects, all kinds of things happening, and it felt like a major movie set. It was really, really fun to film and we got rain right in the middle of it. We ended up being more crunched for time than I was supposed to have, and I was just really happy that I had prepared for that day in a way that I was able to still finish one of the most important scenes of the episode without having to sacrifice.The scenes that I was in as an actor had special effects in them. And I also had to make time to watch playback and spend an hour and a half in hair and makeup before I got into director mode. So those were also challenges that I was happy to explore, that new skill set for myself, and just try to enjoy it along the way.

Speaking of great scenes with two women this season, one of my favorite relationships right now is Maria and Isobel’s. Are we going to continue to see more of those two together?

Absolutely. These two strong women are realizing that they’re even stronger together. They have such a fun dynamic. They have witty banter and they have great ideas and they also still have that competitiveness that makes them really fun to watch. I’m happy for the storyline and for the characters that the catty nature of their relationship has been overcome and now we’re into seeing two empowered women support each other. I just think that’s a really beautiful dynamic, and we’re going to see a lot more of it throughout the season.

It seems like Gregory [Tanner Novlan] has adapted pretty well to everything going on in Roswell. What can you say about his and Maria’s relationship?

I think the reason that Maria loves hanging out with Gregory is that he’s so easygoing. He has taken everything in stride. He’s been a support system. He’s been a really warm presence and just a good friend throughout all of this and Maria really needed a rock. He’s very stable. So I think that is the initial attraction and it could be budding into something romantic. I think it’s at a good starting point in friendship to be able to grow into that. … He may be crushing a little bit harder than her at the moment. But I think when he’s showing his true colors that he really cares for her and he has her back when she’s not well, that could go over pretty good with Maria when she catches wind of it.

We saw how far Maria was willing to go to trigger another vision earlier in the season, and she’s in a coma right now because she couldn’t sit and not do anything. Will we continue to see her push herself to or beyond her limits?

Absolutely. Maria is now on her own journey with her alien powers and with this alien storyline, whereas in the past seasons, we’ve seen her really supporting the other characters’ experience of this. Now she is on a rampage to fulfill her own destiny and discover what that is for her powers, so she’s willing to go pretty far to figure it out. I think she feels that no matter what the danger brings, she can’t not know.

I love Maria and everything she’s doing this season, but at the same time, I’m like, where’s your sense of self-preservation?

Yeah, she’s gotten a little bit reckless because she’s in dire need of answers. I think sometimes the hardest thing in life is not knowing and that can outweigh the expense of any maybe physical harm that she can endure and survive. But the most important thing to her is just having those questions answered that constantly plague her mind.

Everything’s building up to this funeral with the Valenti crest on the coffin. What can you tease about that funeral and what we’re going to see going forward?

It’s one of those mysteries that everybody comes together as a group because not only do they all care about who could be in the coffin, but it could be them. They still have no clarity that any of them is safe, and so in order to protect themselves, they also have to protect each other. That’s just one of the more lovely storylines that bonds them all, this group effort to keep everybody safe.

How certain can we be of anything that we’ve seen in those visions?

I’d say that they present accurately, but hindsight is 20/20. So just because they’re presenting accurately doesn’t mean that the supporting evidence doesn’t change the dynamic.

What else can you preview about the rest of the season and how it’s going to set up next season?

This Jones character is very determined to wreak havoc, so he’s not going away, and they’re going to have to battle it out with him for the next chapter of this story. They find different ways to do that and each character comes in to fight that beast. That’s a really, really fun storyline that plays out. And we’re gonna dig a little bit more into Maria’s family history as well and how it connects to everyone else and how it gets specific with this day in time that Jones is trying to find a memory for. Maria has a very big role in whether or not he gets that that piece of information he’s searching for.

[neeterloveschenford]

I've been thinking about Jones' use of the word heir when Michael confronted him about his parentage. What if Michael was the reason Jones was a stowaway? Isobel pointed out that nobody lies about everything. And they say the best lies have a kernel of truth to them. What if most of what he told them about Nora and Louise was true? Nora got close to the Dictator to learn his secrets and try to clone Jones. She got pregnant with Michael and then they went into hiding underground to keep Michael away from his father. The Dictator discovered their plan to leave the planet and sent Jones to bring him back. Jones getting Max back could have legitimately been his own agenda, but he was SENT to bring back the Dictator's heir........ Michael. (I just gave myself chills thinking about this!)

[doctorofmagic]

Stephen’s indelible sin

For those who follow me for a while, you’re probably aware that I speak of guilt and self-loathing A LOT when it comes to Stephen. Once I wrote about his most terrible sin, but since then, I’ve gathered MORE information concerning Stephen and Hulk’s relationship. And, on a personal level, I think both fans and writers should explore this bond more, given their history.

Today, I’ll bring a detailed review on Stephen’s mistake and how it escalated into a pain that will never cease to exist within his heart and soul.

Warning: get your handkerchiefs ready, this is about to become sad quite rapidly.

We’ll begin our journey of angst in 1967, as seen in Strange Tales #156-157. In order to prevent Umar from walking on Earth, the Ancient One advises Stephen to release an evil and powerful demon called Zom. The demon is able to defeat Umar, but his strength is overwhelming, enough to give the Ancient One a hard time. Zom’s power is so evil and cursed that releasing him is a deed that catches the Living Tribunal’s (undue) attention. The Living Tribunal is so offended he wants to destroy Earth. And guess what? He blames Stephen, even though he was a mere apprentice imbued with blind obedience at that time.

The Living Tribunal imprisons Zom again, while Stephen convinces the deity that Earth deserves another chance. Stephen basically saves the planet, as usual, while Zom remains dormant for literally decades.

We’ll skip now to a not-so-canon event called “the birth of the Illuminati”, or “how Stephen ruined his life for good out of arrogance and toxic masculinity”. It’s uncertain when they first gathered to boss around the planet, but according to History Of The Marvel Universe #3 (2019) and New Avengers: Illuminati #1 (2007), they made this decision after the Kree/Skrull War, creating a secret council to answer for all humanity, even though humanity itself wasn’t aware of those dubious representatives. The Kree/Skrull war dates back to 1971, which means they spent decades plotting their hidden agendas.

Still, they’re heroes, right? They wouldn’t harm people, would they? They wouldn’t harm their friends or make mistakes. They’re supposed to be the smartest, most powerful people on Earth. Oh. Let me tell you something. Their very first mission was the reason why we had Civil War and Secret Invasion. Yes. It’s their fault that the Skrulls invaded Earth. And yes, Stephen is to blame because he was there with the group when they first threatned the Skrulls never to come back, or else they’d face them. Hah.

However, this is not his indelible sin. As you all know, what I consider an irreparable mistake was sending Hulk to Sakaar. And what’s even worse? It wasn’t the first time that Stephen tried to banish Hulk, as seen in The Incredible Hulk v1 #305 (1985).

But why is Stephen so haunted by banishing a menace? Because Hulk was, foremost, a dearest friend.

From Defenders v1 #12 (1973)

When it comes to Hulk’s friendships, people always think of Rick Jones, Amadeus Cho, even his cousin Jennifer Walters. But few people remember that Stephen and Valkyrie were two of the first heroes to treat Hulk kindly and with respect, even though Hulk always called Stephen names (the most iconic, “dumb magician”, which is a personal favorite of mine).

Stephen has always treated Hulk as an equal, as someone who is so much more than a mindless brute. So it’s really strange for me to read that, at some point, Stephen tried to banish him twice.

Sadly, it happened. The first was not as iconic as the second, though. So I’m focusing on the latter. Remember the Illuminati? The group thought they had the right to decide Hulk’s fate after he went berserk and destroyed Las Vegas. And Stephen agreed to it. Namor, who was also a member of the Defenders along with Stephen and Hulk, was the only one who refused, as seen in New Avengers: Illuminati One-Shot (2006). The three of them were the original members. Stephen should’ve known better. So why would he agree to this?

Because, again, the Illuminati are a very dubious group whose foundations are based on toxic masculinity. Powerful, egoic men left unchecked. And Stephen, as Earth’s most powerful sorcerer, couldn’t resist the call. The Ancient One was dead. The mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme was his. Clea left him years later - and he never told her about his dirty little secret, something that is subtly confirmed somewhere between New Avengers: Illuminati #4 (2007) and Avengers v4 #9 (2011).

Thus, it seems that Stephen, at some point, decided that he was better than everyone around him, a trait that was supposed to be buried in the past along with his arrogant neurosurgeon self. The kind man who has always praised his allies was now gone.

Except... World War Hulk happened. Long story short, Hulk ended up in Sakaar and found a new life after defeating his captor. He married and became king, and he was happy (you can get a very shady glimpse of this story in MCU’s Thor: Ragnarok, but that version is quite family friendly. World War Hulk is far worse). But then, the ship which the Illuminati created to send him into space exploded, killing his wife in the process. Spoiler: it wasn’t the Illuminati. It was Miek, who framed the Illuminati so Hulk would call revenge upon them. Enraged as never seen before, Hulk was truly decided to kill Reed, Tony, Black Bolt and... yes, Stephen.

At first, Stephen tried to reason with him. But Hulk’s hatred was beyond words. Stephen had all his fingers broken, ouch. Imagine his pain, assuming his hands were once injured in the car accident and still hurt from the damage and all the surgeries he has been through...

Now, as you know, Stephen is stubborn as hell. Remember the demon Zom? When everything else failed to stop the Hulk, Stephen finally corrupted his soul and let the demon possess him. Obviously, he lost control and almost harmed innocent people, which was enough for him to be distracted long enough for Hulk to finish him off.

In the end, Hulk discovered the truth behind the explosion and, after a rage outburst, transformed back to Banner. Stephen almost died that day by the hands of his friend. But he didn’t. All that was left from that sad event was guilt. Endless, heavy guilt.

One could arguee that Stephen is out of character. And I would’ve agreed with you, except... Nor time nor actions were good enough to heal Stephen’s heart. It never went away. Never.

The reason why he forfeited the mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme? Because he used Zom’s dark magic and hurt Bruce deeply. And that affected him on so many levels that he didn’t find himself worthy anymore.

From New Avengers v1 Annual #2 (2008).

It didn’t stop there. He tried time and time again. He was never able to find the proper words to apologize because he knows words will never heal the pain he inflicted on his friend.

These thoughts are Stephen’s. “Two words I’ll repeat for the rest of my days. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” (From Incredible Hulks #618)

And poor Stephen even goes and tries to compensate his lack of expertise when it comes to interpersonal relationships, projecting his relationship with Hulk into, well, another Hulk. He’s so afraid of making the same mistakes he doesn’t even know where the line is drawn.

From Weapon H #2 (2018).

As I said, it will never go away. And Stephen knows it.

From Defenders v4 #1 (2011).

The point is, people make mistakes. And sometimes these mistakes are just too painful to be erased. Stephen strongly believes he’ll never be forgiven, which is quite sad because this sin will always be a source of guilt for him. Whether or not Hulk forgives Stephen in the future, it will always remain a burden.

Personally, I believe that blaming himself for what happened to Hulk is even worse than blaming himself for Clea’s departure. Because, see, Clea has forgiven Stephen over the years. They still love each other and, once you ignore Fearless Defenders, there’s no sin. They both agreed to take separate ways, even though their love still existed.

But Hulk? It’s a story about betrayal between friends. It’s quite cruel and sad for both sides. I can only hope that, someday, a writer will make it up for them. They deserve another chance. And, as unreliable as I am, all I want to see is a happy Stephen.

[lovecolibri]

Things that Spark Joy-4x03

This was so far the least fun episode to get through but there were some things I did enjoy so lets talk about those! As always, the salty post can be found here.

Dallas and Michael’s friendship is literally the best thing to happen to this show since it started and established Malex was going to be A Thing. Michael has someone who he can play around with using their powers (like him and Max used to but quit after Rosa and lectured Michael about using his powers all the time), and who he can tease and be teased by without all the pain and weight of history and the little barbs that we see when he has those moments with people like Max and Isobel, and someone who truly understands the struggles Michael faced as a kid and acknowledges the hard work Michael is putting in to grow. Plus, Dallas has Michael’s back and agrees that Michael has a point about the other aliens. Michael deserves to have someone in his corner and since Alex is currently eating sand in the desert and also isn’t ever allowed to be involved with Michael and whatever is going on with everyone else, I’m glad Michael at least has Dallas to have his back. If we lose out on getting more of this friendship and Michael getting to return the favor for Dallas and have his back when he’s struggling I’m gonna riot.

Speaking of Dallas, his scene with Graham and overlaid with him and Michael having a telepathic argument was so much fun!

I have other thoughts on the new aliens that are in the other, saltier post, but I will say Bonnie is a little ray of sunshine when the other two aren’t bringing her down and she’s fun to watch. It reminds me a little of seeing Nora enjoying ice cream for the first time and Michael stumbling onto someone who can help him see the joy in the earth he hated for so long will be good for him I think. It also allows him to have a chance to share the things he has learned to love about earth as well AND someone who can tell him about his home which he has been robbed of MULTIPLE times with the deaths of Noah, Nora, and Jones. And someone likely to be a little less biased in telling him because she’s not (as far as we know right now) related to him or working with an agenda to get him onto a certain side of things.

As...hella awkward as that “double date” was, I always enjoy Isobel and Kyle together and the Kybel crumbs we are getting. Also a winery with nerdy names?! WHEN are Kybel and Malex going to double date there?! And Kyle got some of the references so clearly him and Alex have been handing out and watching nerdy things. Love that for them.

Liz and her absolute JOY over science machinery will never not be a delight. Also, her giving the director of a top secret paramilitary organization a face-smoosh in excitement is just TOO CUTE.

Michael’s plan was actually so good?! WHEN will Max admit that Michael is a genius? Michael totally calling how Clyde would react to Max being Max is so true of him and the heist music was On Point and made me smile. Plus, Michael got to be the hero and throw out a ridiculous line. You know he’s having so much fun and is vibrating with excitement to tell Alex all about it.

We might be getting Jones back?! 😀😀😀 He was SO much fun and they killed him off WAY too early. Also if they had made him just like, a tiny bit less “evil dictator” he would have been the perfect villain to bring back to help everyone defeat the bigger villain later. Him and Michael having to work together and being bitches about it, out loud to each other would be hilarious, and you KNOW Jones would impersonate Max just to confuse Kyle, like they could have had some fun with it! So fingers crossed we at least get to see Jones again for a bit this season! RNM has always struggled with how they handle their villains so I’m not holding my breath, but I will definitely be excited if we get Jones back for a bit.

Link to previous episode posts: 4x01, 4x02