#but a quick rundown of your main character and the conflict

[brain-deadx0]

There is a way to imply enemies to lovers in a summary while still giving the overall plot. Romance novels do it all the time. Like, "Superhero Man and Captain Villain have been enemies nearly as long as they've been a hero and a villain. But what happens when these two enemies face a threat to both their lives in the form of an alien space cat bent on turning the world into its personal playground?"

Like, you can guess there will be some sort of enemies to friends thing going on while still knowing that the plot is two guys have to stop an alien invasion and thats from like, half a paragraph. Give people a reason to want to learn about your characters. Why are superhero man and captain villain enemies? What happens to make them interact when the space cat shows up? Why did the space cat show up in the first place?

Sorry it’s early but you really can’t use fanfiction terms in a non fanfiction context like if someone is trying to sell me a book to read and they tell me there’s an enemy to lovers I would be annoyed because why are you spoiling the story lol

[jennicatzies]

Okay so we're doing this.

Since some people are interested. I bring you

Oh brother. Where do we start.

Your average timeloop au I believe. Au where everything is scripted and the cast's fates are pre-determined. And doomed to live through their mistakes over and over again. BUT there are a few twists to it.

Centered mainly around Burr and Hamilton, as they're the stars of of our little show. In varying levels of literal. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a "ship" au. I do admit I like hinting at it though fjdkfjrkfk

If you can't tell I'm a big big fan of tspud

Mass yappery/somewhat proper details under the cut

Here's a quick rundown (oh no) of the main plot

Everyone in this universe is... well, pretty much identical to canon in terms of looks and plotline. That's until our deutragonist and Narrator, Burr, slowly experiences more and more hints of dejavu in each loop that follows, until eventually he's just. Aware. His mind slowly becomes less and less wired to the script and script only. In simpler words, Burr is the most aware/conscious of their situation out of all the cast.

Burr realizes that. Oh shit he's the only guy aware of what they're going through. Not even the main character is aware. Well this took an interesting tur

Wait hold on what do you mean Alexander is not aware.

Well uh, slowly but surely, a little after Burr, Hamilton gains his own consciousness. He is *less* in control compared to Burr, but just enough to be able to conspire with him fjhdjfhdl

They've been trying to send eachother signals throughout "the play" until finally they're both just conscious enough to respond to eachother off script or well. Actually converse and not have to rhyme or have a melody to it every time they do.

I'm bad at words. Their main goal? Undoom themselves from the narrative! The conflict/obstacles? Oh. Oh brother. Everything.

And now. the masterdocument of all the worldbuilding and more to be added.

that up there will be updated accordingly. woaw

[crabknight]

While thinking about the child unit feature, I was thinking, what if there was an entire game based around that feature? The protagonist is a manakete who, during the first part of the game, becomes close friends with a prince after helping him during a war. The prince grows up to get married to a character of the player's choice and the manakete leaves.

You return some 30 years later to find that the prince's kid is now in a pickle. The continent is still fragile after the first war so now the main country gets into some conflicts with a few others over resources. The player takes care of this but they're growing increasingly worried by the increase in monsters in the continent but whatever. Player character leaves again to go home and hang out with other manaketes and rest and regain energy. Also, manakete is thrilled to hang out with the first prince (now king) again and they've got lots of catching up to do.

20 or so years later, monsters attack the manakete's home. Player fights them off then goes to the main continent to figure out what's going on. The princess of the main country (so the prince's granddaughter) explains that during those conflicts between all the countries, monsters kept popping up and causing problems. They kinda just took over and they got some characters from the last two generations.

Now, the manakete is getting really tired of these stupid human conflicts and agrees to help them one last time. You help fight off the monsters and then return home. The manakete watches from afar and is happy to see that the humans listened to their omen. A thousand years later, there still hasn't been a single war and the continent is peaceful and the manakete can finally die in peace knowing the continent is in good hands.

So, the child unit feature!

When a character has a kid then that determines part of the story. Characters have different philosophies so their children would adopt them and handle the conflicts differently.

Maybe the first prince loves peace but he marries a very bold and aggressive person so their child ends up causing more conflicts and screwing over the continent.

Maybe he marries a very shy nonconfrontational person and their child let's the country practically get sucked dry out of fear of starting another war.

The couples you make n stuff in gen 2 would determine with gen 1 and 2 characters die in gen 3 too.

This game would only have maybe 3 potential partners for each character for the sake of simplicity. There'd probably be 7-9 endings.

It'd definitely be super hard to make though cause of the child unit combinations plus amount of chapters and maps for the different routes. Definitely not something IS could pull off with their crappy writing team but a fella can dream

sounds like a really awesome idea tbh big fan

I will say, when you said it would be cool if there was a game based around child units, I was kind of thinking that that already exists, being genealogy of the holy war, which is the fe game that focuses on child units the most and is honestly somewhat similar to this idea

I don't know how much you know about genealogy, but I'm gonna give you a quick rundown. There's 2 generations, in the first one you follow Sigurd and friends fighting in some smaller wars that escalate into a much bigger war. In these chapters your units can marry each other which you can influence through conversations and by placing them close to each other. Once someone has been married they have two kids that show up in generation two, and always a boy and a girl.

Then once you get to generation two you follow Seliph, the son of Sigurd who is fighting a war of liberation against the empire and periodically recruit the children of the gen 1, though the siblings are not always at the same time. The sons have the items of their fathers and the daughters of their mothers (with some exceptions) And they both have all the skills of their parents. Their stats and growth rates are also influenced by their parents, but more so the ones from their parent of matching gender. Additionally they will also get their parents holy blood and gold

[ladyloveandjustice]

Blue Beetle was a fun movie with a great cast! You should go see it if superheroes are your thing, Jaime deserves it! It does stick close to the superhero origin formula in a lot of ways, but the chemistry between the cast, the focus on some heavier themes, and the fact Jaime's family was extremely involved throughout the entire movie kept it really entertaining.

Quick rundown of things I really liked and some not so liked things:

Liked:

-Jaime's family, but especially Nana the revolutionary. I loved that each of them got a moment to shine

-Harvey Guillen's De La Cruz-verse

-The Scarab learning Spanish was so adorable!

-Jaime's Mom getting a 'kick their asses' moment like in the comics and also talking directly to the scarab.

-When Kord cops went after Jaime's family it was really well done. You could feel the terror there.

-The heart to heart moments were also all well done

-Just Jaime in general as a character. They kept him sweet and relatable.

-It had a solid character arc and focus on characters, which is a miracle in the modern superhero landscape

-Honestly tragic villain backstory flashbacks usually don't get to me, but they handled this one really well. It hit hard.

-A movie that truly understand 'don't trust the cops' and 'there's no jobs in this economy, especially for minorities." The reference to the fact there were undocumented people in Jaime's family was also well done, and contrasted the original comic never really taking a stance on that.

-the fact that Jaime was so against killing people but his family absolutely wasn't and racked up a massive body count was lowkey very funny.

-Victoria was definitely hateable, glad she died.

Some stuff I'm like 'hm that wasn't a great change':

-I don't understand why they put cliche superhero beats that aren't even in the source material in this. Jaime's dad didn't have to die. He doesn't in the comics and that's what made his comic different. He didn't have a tragic classic superhero origin. Why give him one and make him MORE like everyone else?

-Also the fact the villain amounts to 'Blue Beetle and...Antagonist Blue Beetle' like 99% of Marvel villains. I think this was used a lot more meaningfully than most examples of the trope, but it's still overdone. They could have had a similar character but given him different powers than Blue Beetle that he was experimented on to have, something that would be difficult for him to go up against and give contrast. Or picked a villain from the comics. There were a ton of options.

-the girlfriend/Ted's daughter character was very bleh, which is a shame, because the original comic had really fun female characters outside Jaime's family as well as inside. The movie is still better than male superhero origins in the female character department overall because the women inside Jaime's family are so cool, it just sucks they couldn't have a love interest with a vibrant personality too. Her sad rich girl schtick just wasn't compelling.

-There was barely any conflict between Jaime and the scarab, compared to the comic, where it was like...the main thing. Jaime was just like "hey don't kill people' and the khaji da was like 'okay' pretty easily. I don't get why they didn't explore that a lot more, because 'trying to bond with something programmed to kill and deprogram it' is so meaningful and could lead to some really fun comedy too? The lack of struggle also made the reversal they pulled at the end less meaningful.

-Honestly I personally didn't need so much about Ted, let Jaime stand on his own for the first movie with Ted being mentioned a few times and leave the discoveries about Ted for later movies. I'm probs in the minority there!!! I like Ted, but this is about Jaime. It also kinda sucks they made Ted a bad dad with a fridged wife.

-I also think they shouldn't have made Victoria a victim of sexism, i guess they were trying to give her a sympathetic quality or something, but it didn't work. "She was passed over for the company because of sexism but that turned out to be a good thing" is kind of like...idk why is that there.

-Harvey Guillen died :(

But overall, solid movie, and I hope they get to do more.

[selenafreshfriendkidoaf]

Why are you afraid of commitment according to your zodiac sign

We as a whole have an alternate way to deal with dating and connections; a few of us make a plunge into adoration, while others take reluctant, gradual steps prior to taking any huge actions or commitments. On the off chance that this sounds valid, their hesitance could be put down to a requirement for opportunity, unadulterated hesitation or simply over-examination. While placing our eggs in a single bushel appears to be straightforward for some, it very well may be a complete bad dream for other people.

Why are you afraid of commitment according to your zodiac sign

Responsibility phobic zodiac signs Because of the assortment and variety of our characters, each sign has their perspective on how a relationship ought to push ahead. Do you jump at the chance to tell your accomplice you're in for the long stretch from the get-go, or do you like to endure it until you're certain? Find which zodiac signs escape connections here and why. Responsibility might appear to be threatening, however staying away from it will just through your sentiment into risk and make your accomplice question your sentiments.

1. Aries can't stand focusing on their sentiments While the Aries character is quick to get things moving, in all parts of life, they are not all that great at owning them as far as possible. What that implies, with regards to connections, is that despite the fact that they might deeply inspire you from the outset, the air may rapidly change when they feel compelled to express their dedication. Assuming that they get a clue that their opportunity will be limited, they will run.

2. Gemini can't settle down As an air sign, the Gemini character values their opportunity, and frequently esteems it higher than a committed relationship. As far as they might be concerned, early dedication is a major no and one of their greatest mood killers. Notwithstanding this requirement for opportunity, their apprehensive and conflicting qualities imply that persuading a Gemini to commit is a genuine accomplishment.

3. Sagittarius won't ever stay close by With their mind, joyful mentality and limitless hopefulness, a Sagittarius character has every one of the characteristics to enchant you. Nonetheless, they likewise have a profound requirement for both physical and close to home opportunity, so they will essentially leave in the event that they figure this need can't be satisfied seeing someone. At the point when things look unpropitious, a Sagittarius will search for an elective course as opposed to determine the main thing.

4. Do Libras have responsibility issues? - Indeed, Libra will not be held down You probably won't have felt that the Libra character would make the rundown in view of their contempt of being separated from everyone else and their longing to see as their other half. Be that as it may, it is a Libra inclination to be extremely uncertain as they persistently weigh up the upsides and downsides of each and every likely relationship, while never coming to a conclusive response. Normally, this implies that Libra's are exceptionally hesitant to do their absolute best to a relationship except if they can see it enduring forever.

5. Virgo can never dive in Prestigious for their down to earth and scientific personalities, the Virgo character is conditional going into connections. While they are not generally so cold and far off as individuals might accept, they really do require a significant stretch of time to open up to accomplices, not to mention dedicate themselves to the relationship. With their nearby regard for little subtleties, anticipate that a Virgo should investigate every part of a relationship with the highest level of examination, to see where it very well may be better.

[omegas-spaghettios]

In Defense of Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Echo

I want to clarify that I like Crosshair. I used to love him and I just kinda like him now, but he's a great character. I hold nothing against his fans. I just want to talk about how people are slandering these 4 like they did everything wrong when everything they did was pretty justified.

I need to talk about Crosshair's chip, because that affects how we all view these final episodes. While I agree things don't add up completely, Cross has no scar, nursing a headache, etc., his behavior DOES indicate he is telling the truth.

Chipped clones have been shown to show loyalty to the Empire above all else. They killed the jedi, they'll kill innocents, they forget all sentimentality, and we see with Jesse that they will more than happily die to accomplish the chip's commands. The Batch has experience with this with Captain Grey in the premiere and later Wrecker. Chipped clones are basically battle droids.

Crosshair does not act like that at all. He shows sentiment and loyalty to personal history, he defies orders to even kill his fellow imperials, and he puts aside his anger in order to escape Kamino. NONE of those things are congruent with him having a chip in at all. So while it doesn't add up completely either way, the evidence honestly seems to favor that he's telling the truth as his behavior is a huge tell that has not been shown to be able to be countered for more than a few seconds (love you Rex) while an absence of a scar could indicate a variety of things and the headache can honestly just be chronic pain from his insane head injury in Episode 8. I'm not saying that is the truth, but what I am saying is the evidence provided can easily line up to more than make it believable that Wrecker, Echo, and Tech believe he has it out.

Wrecker does know what a chip feels like, so we all expected more empathy from him, but Crosshair is not acting the way did Wrecker did AT ALL. Wrecker lost all control and immediately tried to kill the people he loves most, while as stated Crosshair is exhibiting almost opposite behavior. Wrecker knows what a chip does to you and Crosshair is definetly not showing that, so why would Wrecker show empathy for it? Wrecker knows first hand that is not what the chip does to you so it more than makes sense that he sees Crosshair's behavior and story and believes it.

Crosshair's intense feelings of Supremacy and loyalty to the Empire are not out of no where. We see in TCW that he is incredibly cruel about regs, he has always hated them. So considering the journey he went on this season it does feel like a realistic progression of belief.

Crosshair also is hurting his own cause here. Now we as the audience know for sure he had it in for Episode 1, we are shown explicit evidence. We have no idea when he got it out though due to the lack of a scar, and his refusal to specify hurts him here because what he actually did as himself vs. chipped is VERY important. I also want to say that while the audience knows Crosshair has the chip in in Episode 1, no evidence is provided to the Batch to know that, so Crosshair saying he had it out "a long time ago" means it is reasonable that the Batch could even suspect everything he did since Episode 1 was him. And here's a quick rundown of some things he did this season that the Batch would know about:

Obeyed Order 66 and shot at a child jedi even when ordered to stand down

Advocated to kill civilians to the others

Shot Wrecker and used him as bait to lure the others out

Lead dozens of Troopers to Bracca to kill them

Went out of his way to order his troops to kill Omega during that confrontation within earshot of Hunter

Tried to burn them all alive with an Ion Engine

Contributed to the oppression of Ryloth

Arrested Howzer, a clone who was trying to do the right thing

Spouted supremacist jargon about how they are superior to regs (something Hunter, Tech, and Wrecker have been shown to be softening up on)

Said the might of the Empire was the only way and basically gave them all the choice to join or die.

And remember, our heroes just got the revelation that potentially all of those actions were taken of Crosshair's own free will. They have every right to be harsh or unwelcoming after that. Sure they didn't try to rescue him but he also tried to put multiple blaster bolts through their heads, no one is innocent.

So the general coldness and harshness is more than understandable considering that Crosshair just admitted to trying to get them all killed on multiple occasions on his own free will, that would sour your relationship with anyone I reckon, so why are they expected to be okay with Crosshair doing all of that?

Anyway, to specifics. When Wrecker says Crosshair never even tried to come back and that they would have taken him, there is truth to that. During both Bracca and Ryloth, Crosshair was right there and had opportunities to turn heel and help them all escape, but he never did. I've seen this described as victim-blaming but you guys need to realize that Crosshair has potentially done ALL of this of his own free will and is actively trying to pull the others to the Empire. Wrecker is right, Crosshair put more effort into killing or converting them than he ever did in returning. It's harsh but it's true.

And Tech saying it's in his nature is like, classic Tech. I don't necessarily agree that they all have set paths due to their biology like Tech does, but Tech began this season rattling off about how Wrecker was made to be the way he was, this is just how Tech rolls.

The one I see a lot is after Crosshair rescues Omega and they still have the guns up and then never thank him. First of all, Crosshair never thanked them either for saving his life so let's not go around expecting any shows of gratitude from everyone. But more importantly, how were they supposed to know that Crosshair was saving Omega? As a viewer I legit thought he was aiming for Hunter there, it makes more than enough sense that they pulled their weapons on him. And considering their recent history, it makes sense that all three of them keep their weapons up longer than needed, both Hunter and Omega are potentially at risk. We all saw how quickly all of them drew their weapons in Episode 13 at even the slightest hint of danger to Omega. Considering everything before, it makes sense they kept them up until he disarmed himself, that's just good self defense honestly.

And my final point:

CROSSHAIR WAS NOT ABANDONED AT THE END OF THE SEASON

He was given multiple invitations and opportunities to join. Sure, he was not made to feel all that welcome, but even after all of the season and the finale, Wrecker stops to ask if he is coming and Hunter gives him one last chance. He was given many opportunities to go with them. He said he made his choice, that isn't abandonment, that's stepping away.

In Conclusion

Honestly all 6 of the main characters really dropped the ball on this season's conflict and no one is blameless or unjustified.

I'm not mad about it because it makes for compelling character drama, but everyone involved kinda didn't do their best, so maybe let's not slander one side over the other?

(Small lists of commenters who showed interest is seeing this: @violettavie @shilsvampsinger @rain-over-kamino )

[rev3rb]

I always love your thoughts and today’s were no different! Honestly, the way you’re able to look at the bigger picture and make inferences on where things are headed gets me so much more excited for the series. At this point I’m really just anticipating how everything is gonna culminate and shake out. Reading your response made me realize just how many characters are back into play rn. With Mika deciding to be a demon we’ll be able to return to the squad and their next move, we have a couple demons up in the air loyalty wise, plus the First is apparently making a move that multiple progenitors are gonna respond to. With all these groups in place there’s so many possibilities for how exactly the next big confrontation or step in everyone’s respective plans are gonna play out. I’m especially curious to know if Yu’s squad is gonna have a ‘enemy of my enemy’ type of alliance with the vampires or if there’s gonna be a 3-way conflict. I mean it could even be 4-way if the army gets back involved.

So yeah, I’m feeling pretty optimistic that things are somehow gonna settle into place soon, maybe even for the main/final climax of the series idk?? But what you said about what might happen with Shinya, Kureto, and Mika made me feel a lot more confident about my faves’ fates so thank you for that lol. At this point, I’m just gonna keep my fingers crossed that Rigr’s plan works without too many casualties to our protagonists 🤞🏽

Aw thank you for the kind words anon! I'm glad you enjoy hearing my ramblings. Owari no Seraph as a whole is pretty hard to predict. I do my best since it's fun to speculate, but I could be incredibly wrong. Only time will tell if I'm right. But yes, like you said, it's apparent that things are finally starting to come together. I believe Kagami has either outright said this or has implied it, but I think we're reaching the climax of the story here? Maybe he just said midpoint. Either way, we're building to something big.

Alliances are ridiculously hard to pin down. Everyone is using everyone and while we know motivations, we don't know what that entails for their plans. This is just off the top of my head so I may get some of the characters we haven't seen in a while wrong, in which case I'm sorry. For a quick rundown on how chaotic this all is:

Rigr: Get revenge on The First for abandoning vampire kind

Urd: Maintain/Restore order in vampire society (help Rigr?)

Guren: Stop his friends from dying and resurrect everyone who's died because of his ending the world

Mahiru: Stop The First's plans? (tbh her exact goals are a little unclear iirc. She's helping Guren but I don't believe her goal is the same)

Yuu Squad: Protect/save their family (Mika primarily atm)

Mika: Nothing atm really since his memories are messed up, but essentially it's Protect Yuu

Krul: Get Asura back

Ferid: Get revenge on Rigr for his vamprisim

Shinya and Guren Squad: Save/Protect Guren

Kureto: Firmly establish humanity's place/power in the current ruined world

The First: Stop a catastrophe? This somehow involves reviving Mikaela.

Everyone else is backing one of these parties without a big goal for themselves. My point is this is a mess. Not really a problematic mess as it's not bad to see so many different goals clashing, but jeez. End of the day, I could def see some of the currently formed factions teaming up if their goals align, and I think it could be argued that they do.

As a last note, let's just hope what I said about Mika, Shinya, and Kureto was right. This series could easily throw us a curveball, but I'm glad my thoughts have made you more optimistic!

[unholy-randomness]

Starting off easy, I like to be really loud about my opinions when I'm with the right people, and I was about to go be really obnoxious about my opinion of the book The Love Hypothesis, which honestly would have been a bad review, when I decided that maybe I should start off a little nicer.

Before I go off about May the Best Man Win, by ZR Ellor, just keep in mind that I'm going to stay far away from talking about representation in depth because I am out of my depth here. I'm sticking to character development, the plot and themes for the benefit of literally everyone.

Quick rundown of important things:

The main characters are, Jeremy Harkiss, Lukas Rivers and the secondary characters include Naomi, Sol, Ben and a lot more characters.

The book is written from the alternating POVs of Lukas and Jeremy.

The main plot device is that they both want to be the Homecoming king for their own reasons and they basically seem down for anything to get there.

Now for my illustrious opinions.

Firstly, the race for Homecoming King drives the plot, but it's not something that they just want for popularity. Lukas thinks if he wins, he can go to a good college the year after and so maybe he won't be a letdown to his family who ignore him in favour of his older and recently dead brother (I could have put that better ack). Jeremy thinks that being the Homecoming king would get him the validation he wants as a man (He's trans btw I forgot to mention that). So at the very beginning, you get to know each characters motivations and as the story goes, their character growth is very prominent.

The background characters have their own stuff going on. Naomi and Ben have their typical Asian Family Expectations ™ plotline and yes I will give it to you that it is stereotypical, very surface level, but this is represented either from Jeremy's or Lukas' point of view. Canonically, Jeremy is too wrapped up in his own problems, like his transitioning and validation needs, to focus on his friend Naomi, and it's a big thing in the book that he feels bad about but also can't help because he is too overwhelmed. Lukas has the same blinders, because he is too focussed on keeping his family steady after his brother's death, and because he can't cope with how they treat him. A very minor background character was a college dropout with 2 jobs and criminal tendencies (very complained about online btw) and well, it was badly done but that character was a very background character. While it could have been done better, it's not a big deal if his whole story isn't done in detail.

The secondary characters are allowed their opinions and the main characters' actions and behaviour have impacts and consequences. Naomi and Jeremy basically don't talk to each other because of how self absorbed Jeremy is, Lukas ends up pushing people away because of how goal oriented he is. And yes, the main characters feel bad about it, but they don't get this dealt with until like 3/4th of the way in, which is fine.

Btw, Lukas and Jeremy dated before Jeremy came out. I'm guessing people figured it out even though I didn't mention it. Okay, so they're broken up when the story starts and it's fine because we are given the character backgrounds. We dont need to accept at face value that Lukas and Jeremy used to date and broke up and still like each other. There's reasoning, there is observable behaviour. It's a big part of their stories but not so big that it overshadows other conflicts, like each characters internal turmoils and I think that's pretty great. Especially because that is why Jeremy broke up with Lukas, because he couldn't deal with Lukas' emotional baggage as well as his own stuff. Good decision making? No. Realistic? Yes. Lukas is very annoyed at Jeremy's behaviour for understandable reasons. That's good. Your main characters aren't there to be perfect and liked. Hell, id probably really dislike Jeremy if I knew him, but at the same time, it might be because he's too real to me. Jeremy is what I could very easily turn into and it's scary and it's a good thing for a character to be. Lukas, I don't personally relate to, but I know that he has the same impact on others. Even I, and I am completely clueless about anything related to being neurodivergent, or the need to prove myself to my family, could see where Lukas was coming from and that's brilliant.

Okay, Lukas being autistic may be good rep or bad rep, I wouldn't know and I am not proud of that. But why hasn't it featured in this yet if it's a main plot point? Well, I've been avoiding it, and also because Lukas avoids the topic so while it's there, it's there as something he feels the need to overcome. Good message? No. But that's the point. The book doesn't glorify that or anything, it's part of the character's struggles and beliefs.

The other character id like to bring up is Sol. They are non binary and a computer geek and on surface level the Characterisation ends there. Good? No. Regardless of that, they are an important character because of their associations to Jeremy and Lukas. Their relationship with Lukas could use work. A lot of it. But their relationship with Jeremy is honestly great. Sol is both a plot device which I'm not happy about, because there's so much potential, and their own character. They act as a plot device because of how they impact Jeremy. Jeremy wants to do away with his identity as a Trans Boy, because to him and to Society, it is a reminder that he isn't the exact same. Problematic but that's the point. Sol desperately wants Jeremy to really own his identity as a trans boy and as a gay boy, and their influence and by association, the GSL's influence on Jeremy makes him a lot less antisocial. Oh look, character development.

Lukas, once he gets his closure from Jeremy, grows because he isn't held back by that nagging thought anymore. And it's gradual but it's great.

To wrap up (because I could go on and on but I'm lazy) it's a good book, it has its flaws but really, what book does not. The main reason I give it a pretty good review is maybe because I like it. I might be back with problems later once I get a bit detached. But that won't mean the book was unenjoyable because it was a great read, and oh my god if you get attached to a character, get ready to die of heartache.

Anyway, this hasn't been a hot take, but it's been a very long review.

-Berry

[veliseraptor]

Hey Lise, I was wondering if you could maybe just give me a quick and dirty synopsis of The Untamed characters? I really like your fics and wanna read them, but I have NO idea who anyone is hahaha

I was gonna like. Link to someone else’s rundown of this, but then I decided it might be fun to write my own, which was a mistake. But I make all kinds of mistakes! So unsurprising.

This is going to, by virtue of being a character overview, contain spoilers, so if you think you’re gonna want to watch and want to avoid spoilers then watch out for that. This is also broken down by sect because that makes it easier.

The degree to which I explain the plot here varies wildly and I’m not actually sure how coherent it is. If you want a more detailed rundown that has pictures and shit and also other information, see here; also some of these characters have more than one name, which I’ve noted where the usage of multiple names is likely to pop up in fic.

This is very much QUICK and DIRTY and NOT COMPREHENSIVE, just to underline that a few times. It’s also show focused rather than novel focused, because that’s most of the canon I’m working with. I have also not translated titles here (Hanguang-jun, Zewu-jun etc.) because they just sound better untranslated.

THE JIANG SECT

Wei Wuxian: Also known as Wei Ying or (if you’re nasty) the Yiling Patriarch. One of the two main characters of the show. He died (killed himself) in disgrace, universally reviled as evil, but it’s okay, he got better. Or rather, his soul got swapped into the body of a man named Mo Xuanyu, whose life really sucked and who almost never gets acknowledged by the narrative. Sunshine boy on the outside, but it’s complicated. 

Sort of invented necromancy, or at least perfected it. Will kill you with his magic ghost flute, but mostly only if you deserve it. Mostly. Self-sacrificing to a fault due to basement level self-worth and a tendency to believe that he can handle things other people can’t. Swapped out his ability to do magic to keep his brother alive via nonconsensual surgery. This had a lot of somewhat unexpected consequences, it turns out. Got thrown into a very bad place called the Burial Mounds and came out with new powers and a whole new pile of trauma.

Rescues the Wen remnants from being killed in a prison camp after the war against the Wen Sect; this is not a popular move. Founds a commune with them in the aforementioned Burial Grounds. Also raises Wen Ning from the not-dead. 

Adopted older brother (ish) to Jiang Cheng and younger brother to Jiang Yanli, adopted father to Lan Sizhui, eventual husband to Lan Wangji (at least according to novel canon and many, many post-canon fics).

Jiang Cheng: Also known as Jiang Wanyin, but only if he’s being a little bitch. He technically has a title (Sandu Shengshou) but I don’t remember if it’s ever actually used in the show. The youngest of the triad of Yunmeng Siblings (Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Jiang Yanli), and possibly the most dysfunctional. Expresses all his feelings as anger, and he has a lot of feelings. Abandonment issues and inferiority complex the size of the lake that he grew up on. His entire family died and it fucked him up pretty bad, along with all the other terrible shit that happened. 100% Slytherin especially in terms of “protect my own people first and probably nobody else second.” 

Adopted younger brother to Wei Wuxian, biological younger brother to Jiang Yanli. Uncle to Jin Ling (see below). 

Jiang Yanli: I’ll take “oldest daughter who doubled as parent figure” for 500, Alex. Jiang Yanli is relatively quiet and mild-mannered but she loves her brothers very much and will throw down for them in a pinch. Tends to wilt in the face of people treating her poorly; not very good at standing up for herself. A professional at taking care of other people and not herself (Wei Wuxian and she have this in common!). She dies and it really does a number on her siblings.

Oldest sister of Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, wife of Jin Zixuan, mother of Jin Ling.

Jiang Fengmian & Yu Ziyuan: Parents of Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng and source of the above’s dysfunction, in a lot of ways. Jiang Fengmian plays favorites (with his adopted son Wei Wuxian) and takes out his feelings about his wife (complicated) by ignoring Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. Madame Yu is straight up abusive; physically of Wei Wuxian, emotionally of everyone else. In her first appearance she walks into dinner and specifically targets everyone’s weak spots, demolishing three children emotionally in about two minutes, then leaves.

This family! It’s a disaster.

THE LAN SECT

Lan Wangji: Also known as Lan Zhan or Hanguang-jun. The other main character. Has a reputation for being very upright and righteous and rule-abiding; is that, sort of, but also kind of a socially awkward, deeply lonely boy who is trying to be a good person and thinks he can get there by following the right rules. Eventually figures out that’s not how it works. Doesn’t make friends easily but when he loves someone it is with all 500% of his heart. 

His circle of people is very small, though. It’s kind of just two: his brother and Wei Wuxian. That’s all! Lan Wangji could use some friends, maybe.

He’s good! Also learns to rebel when appropriate, and “appropriate” especially involves things having to do with Wei Wuxian, for whom he will do just about anything, at least after he comes back from the dead. Before that it’s a little harder. 

Younger brother of Lan Xichen, nephew of Lan Qiren, adopted father of Lan Sizhui, eventual husband to Wei Wuxian (see above).

Lan Xichen: Also known as Zewu-jun. He does have a birth name (everyone does!) but it doesn’t get used in canon. Also parented his younger brother (there’s a lot of sibling parents in this show!). Is the peacemaker, does not like conflict, diplomatic to a fault. Noticed how everyone else is very quick to jump to conclusions and decided he has to take all of the giving of the benefit of the doubt and good faith and “let’s wait and see and not jump to murder” because no one else is going to.

People in fandom give him a lot of shit for being stupid but he is not! He is just conflict-averse and cautious and inclined to reserve judgment on people. It just turns out that he happens to place his faith in the wrong person, which is to say Jin Guangyao. It does not work out. He ends up getting tricked/manipulated into killing Jin Guangyao by Nie Huaisang, and is about to stay and die with him when Jin Guangyao surprise pushes him away and thus saves his life. 

At least one of the Lan brothers gets a happy ending!

Older brother of Lan Wangji, nephew of Lan Qiren, sworn brother/boyfriend of Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue.

Lan Qiren: Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen’s uncle who essentially raised them due to family dysfunction involving a mother who was basically on house arrest (because she killed someone??? not sure what happened there, information minimal) and their father seems to have been absent, and both died before series start. Rigid and hidebound, very much not a Wei Wuxian fan, very strict with both the Lan brothers and sometimes that involves corporal punishment and yelling.

There are no good parents or parent figures in this series.

Uncle to Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen.

Lan Sizhui: Also known as A-Yuan / Wen Yuan. Originally a Wen kid, first adopted by Wei Wuxian when he founded the commune with the Wen remnants, then adopted by Lan Wangji when everyone in his family was killed and also Wei Wuxian. Grew up a Lan with no memory of his past. Lan Sizhui has two dads.

Cousin/brother (??) to Wen Ning and Wen Qing, adopted son of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian.

Lan Jingyi: Sassmaster extraordinaire; the Lan kid who gets to say everything the rest of the Lans are holding back. Of the younger generation quartet formed by him, Lan Sizhui, Ouyang Zizhen, and Jin Ling. If a Lan kid in a scene is sassing someone, it’s Jingyi.

THE NIE SECT

Nie Mingjue: Also known as Chifeng-zun. Very strong opinions about right and wrong with not a whole lot of room for nuance. Formidable warrior. Anger issues, also daddy issues but we don’t get into those as much. Not exactly the friendliest of fellows but it’s not completely his fault, he’s being gradually poisoned by the malevolence of his own weapon. It’s a thing. Dies as a result of being poisoned by evil music courtesy of Jin Guangyao.

Sworn brother/boyfriend to Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao. Older brother of Nie Huaisang.

Nie Huaisang: Mastermind (sort of) of questionable morality, sometimes in order to get revenge for the murder of your older brother you have to wait ten years while building up a reputation as someone utterly useless, then get your old best friend resurrected as part of a series of dominoes meant to demolish your brother’s murderer’s entire life and reputation. Loves art and fans, not a fan of losing his mind to violent sabers as is traditional for the Nie Sect. Smarter than he wants you to think he is, and also just really good at winging it.

Younger brother of Nie Mingjue.

THE JIN SECT

Jin Guangshan: The actual worst. Sect Leader for the first half of the show. Should’ve been kicked down several sets of stairs; the world would’ve been a better place.

Father of Jin Zixuan, Jin Guangyao, Mo Xuanyu, and too many other bastards to list. Possibly Jin Zixun? I’m not clear on that.

Jin Zixuan: Disaster Straight. He comes off as aloof and arrogant but partly this is because he’s just really bad at interacting with people and incredibly awkward. Eventually marries Jiang Yanli after failing to express his feelings for 26 episodes. Shortly thereafter ends up dying when he’s fisted by Wen Ning (through the chest, you filthy animal). 

Husband of Jiang Yanli, father of Jin Ling.

Jin Zixun: The other actual worst. When Jin Zixun is having fun no one else is, and when Jin Zixun is not having fun no one else is either. Just generally a tool. As far as I can tell has no redeeming qualities. His ambush of Wei Wuxian provokes the rolling disaster that results ultimately in the deaths of (in order) Jin Zixuan, Wen Qing, Jiang Yanli, and Wei Wuxian. 

Cousin of Jin Zixuan.

Jin Guangyao: Also known as Meng Yao and Lianfang-zun, the former before he gets promoted by his absolute bastard of a dad. He’s complicated! A good boy, also responsible for a lot of the bad things that happen, with varying degrees of culpability depending on who you ask. Son of a (in everyone’s words, ever) prostitute, and he’s really got a problem with it. Made some valid points but also got possibly too much revenge on people who hurt him, including some preemptive revenge on people who might have. Does a lot of murder but mostly via other people or evil music. Gets kicked down the stairs twice, which if you ask me is a pretty good reason to be kinda worked up about things.

His hat is very silly and I will not pretend otherwise.

Dies at the end and it’s real sad, if you ask me. Incredibly gay for Lan Xichen, and who can blame him? 

Son of Jin Guangshan, half brother of Jin Zixuan, sworn brother/boyfriend of Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue. 

Jin Ling: Part of the quartet of juniors including Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, and Ouyang Zizhen. A mess of a child. (Half)-raised by Jiang Cheng and it shows. Spoiled brat but also just like. Brimming with loneliness and desperation for someone’s approval. 

Son of Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan, grandson of Jin Guangshan, nephew of Jiang Cheng and Jin Guangyao (and Wei Wuxian, and Mo Xuanyu, and too many other bastards to name, he’s got a lot of uncles). 

Mianmian / Luo Qingyang: Mostly known as Mianmian, which is her nickname. She’s technically a servant but Jin Zixuan is her best friend. Ditches the Jin Sect when they start being jackasses about Wei Wuxian in a seriously epic mic drop moment. Actually lives to the end of the show which makes one female character!

THE WEN SECT

Wen Ruohan: The first Big Bad of the show. Pursuing world domination by the power of the Yin Iron, aka evil metal that lets you control corpses. It doesn’t go well for him. 

Dies at the hands of Jin Guangyao - going, at the time, by Meng Yao.

Father of Wen Xu and Wen Chao.

Wen Xu: The oldest son of Wen Ruohan; he barely appears but he does exist. Or did, he doesn’t make it very long.

Wen Chao: Absolute worm of a human being. Like Draco Malfoy in early Harry Potter, but with more killing people. Dies an absolutely horrifying death courtesy of Wei Wuxian, but he did throw Wei Wuxian into a place he was supposed to horribly die in, so I don’t feel that bad for him. 

Younger son of Wen Ruohan.

Wen Qing: Incredibly gifted physician, can probably fix anything, including transferring a golden core from one person to another which no one has ever done before. (That’s how Wei Wuxian’s ended up in Jiang Cheng.) Starts out as determinedly loyal to Wen Ruohan basically to protect Wen Ning and keep him safe, but keeps ending up helping our protagonists basically against her better judgment. This does not earn her any points with the Wens, and being a Wen does not earn her any points with anyone else. 

Ends up getting swept up by Wei Wuxian when he finds her destitute in the street and they charge off to save her brother together. Subsequently lives in the Burial Mounds commune up until things go to shit and she goes to give herself up with Wen Ning in the hopes of mitigating damage after Jin Zixuan dies. She is executed.

Has a non-thing with Jiang Cheng because they’re very alike in ways that mean that, under the circumstances, they keep missing each other.

Older sister of Wen Ning, sister/cousin (??) of Lan Sizhui, adopted older sister of Wei Wuxian, sort of.

Wen Ning: Also known as Wen Qionglin, but like, once in canon. So you probably won’t see it much. Neither he nor his sister are actually related to Wen Ruohan - they’re from a branch of the family but serve him. Wen Ning doesn’t get to have a lot of nice things. He saves Wei Wuxian’s life (after Wei Wuxian saves his), and (along with Wen Qing) helps get Jiang Cheng out when he was captured by the Wens and protects Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Jiang Yanli after their family and sect are killed. 

After the Sunshot Campaign he is killed by Jin cultivators (or almost, it’s complicated) but brought back to unlife by Wei Wuxian. Unfortunately this makes him vulnerable to control to make him do things like, say, kill Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun. He and Wen Qing go to be presumably executed in an attempt to mitigate the damage to Wei Wuxian/maybe?? save his life; Wen Ning gets kept in a dungeon for sixteen years and comes back when Wei Wuxian does. 

Younger brother of Wen Qing. brother/cousin (??) of Lan Sizhui, adopted younger brother of Wei Wuxian, sort of.

Wen Zhuliu: Mysterious assassin/bodyguard of the Wens, we know almost nothing about his backstory save that he owes them some kind of debt and he and Yu Ziyuan seem to have some kind of history. The main thing is that he’s capable of destroying the golden core of cultivators, aka rendering them an ordinary person devoid of special powers, forever. Gets killed by Jiang Cheng, whose golden core he destroyed. 

Various Wen Remnants: You don’t get a lot of individual characterization from these folks - basically they are the remains of the Wen Sect after the Wen Sect is defeated in the war (called the Sunshot Campaign) that forms the arc of the first part of the show. Pretty much everyone wants them dead. Wei Wuxian rescues them and takes them off to the Burial Mounds, where no one else wants to go, and builds a commune with them, which works for a while until it doesn’t anymore.

They all die. It’s bad.

YI CITY CREW

These got long because I felt like I had to explain more about plot stuff.

Xue Yang: The gremlin! Will cheerfully murder just about anyone at the drop of a hat, he doesn’t really need a reason. Driven initially by a revenge quest for the guy who crushed his finger when he was seven; he kills his whole family, which is a reasonable response when you think of your own life as worth significantly more than anyone else’s. Subsequently and also during fixated on Xiao Xingchen. Kind of a genius?? but he’s pretty low key about it.

Really involved with the plot in a lot of weird ways. Introduced Wen Ruohan to the Yin Iron and taught him how it functioned-ish, worked with Jin Guangyao for a while on necromancy stuff, after the inevitable betrayal ended up getting picked up by a now blind Xiao Xingchen (more on that later) and a-Qing, and lived with them in domestic semi-bliss for three years while also tricking Xiao Xingchen into murdering a lot of people, up to and including his sort-of-ex-boyfriend Song Lan. Turned Song Lan into a zombie, sort of. Fell apart when Xiao Xingchen died (killed himself, on account of Xue Yang demolishing his entire life, whoops) and spent the next decade or so trying to bring him back from the dead.

Dies messily, as you might guess, and I’m still sad about it.

Xiao Xingchen: Grew up on a secret mountain isolated from the rest of society, came down from the secret mountain to help make the world a better place, it really does not work out for him. Travels around for a while being best friends/boyfriends with Song Lan, getting poetry written about him; unfortunately then he and Xue Yang run into each other which is widely regarded as a bad move. Things get messy, Xiao Xingchen ends up with his eyes in Song Lan’s head and blind, he adopts a teenage con artist (see below) and rescues Xue Yang (who he doesn’t know is Xue Yang). 

Three years of domestic bliss (sort of) ensue, with the wrinkle that while Xiao Xingchen’s sword Shuanghua can sense corpses so he can still hunt things, it has a glitch where sometimes the corpses it senses are in fact living people that Xue Yang has poisoned and cut out their tongues. Whoops. 

After he kills Song Lan (whoops), Xiao Xingchen finds out from a-Qing who he’s been living with and, uh, is upset about it. Xue Yang drops the bomb of “oh yeah so you’ve been killing people this whole time and also! yeah! killed Song Lan too! eyyyy” upon which Xiao Xingchen, his entire world wrecked, kills himself and shatters his soul.

He ends the series basically fragments of soul in a little pouch being carried around by Song Lan. When I put it that way it sounds kinda funny but it’s really not.

A-Qing: Teenage con-artist who pretends to be blind and adopts Xiao Xingchen after stealing his money (he notices, but he also just gives it to her). Knew Xue Yang was bad news but didn’t know how bad. Smart cookie. Xue Yang blinds her and cuts out her tongue (he just loves doing that) after she tells on him to Xiao Xingchen; she gets her revenge by leading Wei Wuxian & co. to figuring out what’s going on, and ultimately enabling the first mortal-wounding of Xue Yang. 

Unfortunately, also dies.

Song Lan: Also known as Song Zichen, rarely. A Daoist priest (I think that’s right?) and “rogue cultivator” (in the sense that he’s not affiliated with any sect). He is definitely affiliated with Xiao Xingchen. “Affiliated with.”

Ends up getting caught in the vortex of Xue Yang when his entire temple-family is killed and he’s blinded; says some harsh things and a guilty Xiao Xingchen trades out his eyes to pay him back for being the cause of Xue Yang targeting his temple, then vanishes. Song Lan spends the next long time trying to track him down, eventually finds him in mid-domestic bliss (sort of) with Xue Yang (yikes), promptly attempts to kill Xue Yang, ends up getting his tongue cut out and himself corpse-poisoned and killed by Xiao Xingchen, who thinks he is a random evil corpse instead of his best friend/ex-boyfriend. Xue Yang turns him into a zombie controlled by him. He gets better (from the control, he’s still a zombie).

Literally the only one of the Yi City Crew to make it out alive and he’s not technically alive.

MISCELLANEOUS OTHERS

Ouyang Zizhen: Part of the juniors quartet with Jin Ling, Lan Sizhui, and Lan Jingyi. A budding romantic. Very good, has the misfortune of having Sect Leader Ouyang as a dad, but at least it’s not Sect Leader Yao (see below).

Su She: Due to a confluence of factors having to do with jealousy but also class/rigid hierarchy issues, ends up as Jin Guangyao’s right hand henchman. He’s very loyal when you’re actually nice to him. Really doesn’t like Lan Wangji. 

Sect Leader Yao: Mostly just there to have really bad opinions all of the time.

[bouvillea]

G25 Part 2 Essay, Very Dense

There is very little I will say as a preamble besides that Part 2 was a very powerful conclusion to an extremely climatic arc. That being said, spoilers below and my Part 1 essay can be found here.

I will start by saying that although I am quite satisfied with this ending I wish things could have ended differently. This is the first time we were given antagonists who were actual individuals we had to overcome. And in doing so, we were faced with people who had powerful reasons and motivations to sacrifice for. That is something I will come back to later so—

In a broad overview of the plot of Part 2, we were given an uplifting reunion with Talvish, who claims that his decisions and choices were made with the Milletian’s best interests in mind. And it’s nice* to work together after so long, to finally have him fulfill the promise of being with the Milletian at the very end. There is a sweet moment where the roles are reversed and the Milletian asks him if he is alright. Instead of being asked to trust him, he wholeheartedly puts his trust in the Milletian.

*if you know me even just a little, you know I simp hard for this man and let me tell you I went from “I will be the first one to punch him” to “please don’t go” in a matter of minutes

And then, when everything is rewound and the Milletian is able to protect their friends and prevent the worst possible ending, all the Good Guys have a Good Time. This is of course, glossing over the fact that Deirbhile sacrificed herself, Tani dying with a finality that Milletians shouldn’t have, Piran falling apart, Treasure Hunter breaking down, and Marleid conflicted over what to do with her extremely Problematic Childhood Friend.

We still got to have a good time! We got to revel with our friends! Speak with everyone and catch up and talk and chat and eat and—

It was nice but I am very bitter because those good times only emphasized how different it ended for Cethlenn and Vayne.

If Part 1 was about trauma, Part 2 was about breaking out of predestiny and walking a different path that was set before you. This comes quite literally when Talvish appears and rewinds time* to save the Milletian from the future he saw. He (and later, Hymerark) reveals to us something that touches the fourth wall:

*not sure why I was so surprised that he could manipulate time in such a way when the Milletian’s first meeting with him was through time. Maybe I just thought it was through the Milletian’s powers that they managed to communicate but clearly Talvish’s powers were doing something.         Oh dang it makes sense why he isolated himself in a desert for centuries now…because he can’t affect time that he has been personally involved in

The ability to redo main storyline missions when we fail them is quite literally the Milletian, breaking the flow of time to try again until we succeed. Due to the nature of altering timelines, those uninvolved with the messing of time don’t remember all the previous attempts. Later, it is revealed that all our redoes and failures have a negative impact on Erinn; it increases the entropy in the world as different realities are created and then stopped. Tani is a result of that.

It is further revealed that Vayne⁠—or I should say now, Beimnech, is a singularity who experiences all these timelines and realities. He must return to Mag Tuireadh whenever the flow of time breaks because it is the role he has been forced into by Hymerark. He is the counterpoint for Talvish. The two are diametrically opposed, canonical foils with mirroring ideals and views of the world. Beimnech mentions during Eternal Dreams that he has seen Milletians fail to convince Talvish* to change his mind about the world, or fail to garner enough faith in their friends. In the current timeline, Talvish is enlightened by the Milletian and so takes control of his fate and chooses to rewind time instead of having it cut off and restart.

*It is implied that Talvish also experiences the different timelines over and over again, but he forgets it the moment the timeline is replaced with a new one. Alternatively, Beimnech is also taken out of time and space whenever the flow is broken, so the cycles are even more unbearable because he is forced to witness them as an outsider.

Beimnech did not have the liberty of meeting the Milletian before he met Hymerark. Unlike Talvish, he could not surround himself with equal companions and could not hope for a life where he was not just fulfilling a role to balance the world. The only way he could have some control over his own fate as cycles repeated over and over again was to orchestrate his own death*. He remarked before in G24 that had he and the Milletian walked different paths, they could have been friends and not enemies. Both he and Talvish see the Milletian as a savior—as a guiding, bright light. But while Talvish burned alongside the Milletian, Beimnech burned out like dying embers** or a shadow too weak to hold up against illumination.

*maybe it’s selfish, but who can blame him when he only has himself? I seethe with the unfairness of characters that have no choice but to be the “darkness” to contrast the “light”. The “what could have been if things were different” hurts as do the inability to break free from what was laid out. I seethe, but that means the story is doing as intended and I am by no means criticizing, just empathizing (I’d highkey write something like this ngl I am a ball of angst).

**the refrain that plays when the Milletian is prompted to deal the final blow to Beimnech is called The Last of the Heat Fades/Residual Heat Fades Away.

Beimnech’s disappointment in the Milletian in Part 1 is suddenly very understandable. He had pinned all his hopes in one person and he knew they were going to fail. We even saw him return to end the Corrupted Milletian in the future that we never got to witness. He did for the Milletian what he hoped they would do to him*. And then for once, to have time rewind instead of abruptly ending? I can’t imagine…

*I chose to not stab him. Apparently that gives you more of his backstory. Regardless of the decision, when he tells you he lies for the first and last time about his death…

Something can be said about Cethlenn, too, who was “emptied out” by Fodla. His current name, Cethlenn, was given to him by Beimnech, which honestly if you know your myth and lore spawns so much food for thought*. Speaking to Cethlenn in Tech Duinn on Saturdays reveals that Beimnech gave him that name because he always wanted a right-hand man with that name. Whatever that implies to the nature of their relationship… If you have the time, please, please speak to him with all the keywords at your disposal. It’s worth it.

*another food for thought includes Sera being the one to help Piran escape and Beimnech noticing that. Beimnech being Super Old and Super Tired with so much bottled up Memories and Experience like the opposite of Talvish With a Purpose okay one day I will actually write a whole essay about their foils⁠—

Ultimately, Cethlenn is given the choice to be the watcher in the mists of Feth Fiada. He acknowledges his crimes* and so he refuses to exit (except on Samhain aka Saturday). He is openly antagonistic towards everyone except Marleid, which is understandable. He thinks he has tied Marleid down. Further conversations with him in Tech Duinn reveal that he’s pugnacious and as eager as Vayne once was to spar with the Milletian. He’s also very easy to bully. He implies that in the future, he may recover the powers he lost in his deal with Hymerark and will use those powers for the greater good so…more Cethlenn content in the future? Hopefully?

*what worried me the most at the end of G24 was that I could not see how he or Vayne could be redeemed. I would scoop them up in a heartbeat. But could my Milletian? Could the people of Erinn? Obviously not.

I know I brought up the concept of escaping predestiny and then dropped it like a hot potato so I’ll do some quick rundowns now of other examples. Enya realizing that she can have a life beyond just staying in her sanctum and caring for the Holy Flame, Piran gathering the courage to recognize his own existence is worth something,  Hymerark* realizing that there is no reason to continue to mess around with people and she can just observe. I’ve rewatched the conversation the Milletian has with Hymerark after the battle and I don’t even know where to start…Talvish remarked that she’s the closest in resemblance to Aton Cimeni’s will since she balances both freedom and chaos. Maybe these higher gods were never meant to have sentience or conscience because the moment they do, they make decisions and bam the whole world is a mess.

*the Milletian seem to do this to all the gods, huh?

My current understanding of things is that the Evil God Balor was created by Aton Cimeni as a counterpoint for Talvish, who is the Guardian, the sentinel of Erinn. Why? For Balance of course. But you can’t just create someone to be evil. Somewhere in between, Aton Cimeni stops answering and while Talvish plots machinations for the future he saw, Balor’s disdain for his role grows and eventually beefs it in a fight with Lugh at the battle of Mag Tuireadh. His body is dead, but his spirit remains, picked up by Hymerark to be the…plug stopping Noitar Arat. I imagine Hymerark also faced the same struggle that Talvish did of attempting to carry out duties imparted on them by their creator but yet new to independence and the weight of their responsibilities that now fell on their shoulders. Hymerark expresses her faint indecision of hearing the wishes of everyone. There will always be conflict in decisions.

Meanwhile, Talvish realizes that the balance has shifted in the absence of the Evil God Balor and so the events of G21 happen, where he attempts to recreate the balance with his own hands and summon something to replace Balor. While this fails, Hymerark tries to do the same again by corrupting the Milletian and making them the final obstacle to correct the unending cycle that, frankly, started because of her.

In G25 Part 1, Vayne mentions that Aton Cimeni will always have a solution. I suppose in this case, he was talking about how even if he were to disappear completely, someone will always take his place. Just like how Triona’s role was passed on to Millia, a new darkness grows. Not without repercussion, of course. Something is coming and that’s for G26.

In the final confrontation with Beimnech, he offers the Milletian a choice to either kill him now and escape, or perish together with him in the rift. He mentions that in the end, we are all forgotten anyway. I don’t think that is the case. The Milletian lives and the memories of everyone they’ve fought with lives with them. That is their burden. Not everyone can walk a righteous path. Sometimes, desperate individuals seek the wrong help and I like to think that the Milletian recognizes that it isn’t just black and white, and that they are fortunate to have found the right people. Things are just going to get rougher for the Milletian because they’re also a guardian of Erinn, which begs the question: who is the counterpoint for the Milletian? Does one even exist? Does there need to be one?

Instead of ending on such a gloom and doom note, I’ll go full circle and talk about Llywelyn again and his mentions of a sibling again? And also tea time?? 10/10 would fake date Llywelyn just for the court gossip. (LF > political intrigue comic ft. Milletian and Llywelyn dating like it’s 17th century France) Also Llywelyn being the next captain of the Elved Squad?? Tried to imagine him in Talvish’s armor and as I type this I realize they won’t do something stupid like that they’ll just change the emblem on his armor. Alright I think that’s it I’m hitting 2.3k words so—

Oh right something something the Aces go off somewhere again just as Hunter was going to say something…can we get a base for them please? So we can just visit them? So they don’t just pop in and out of the Milletian’s life? Thanks.

I’m about to get super sappy so readers, feel free to skip all of this. I’ve been playing mabi for about 11 years at this point and it has been a long ride. I didn’t start writing these rants and essays until G21 and I also started drawing in earnest about mabi around the same time with comics and fanart. I don’t participate much in the community as a whole because I am an anxiously overthinking person. It’s no surprise that I found comfort characters in mabi and so I return here again and again (not that I’ve ever really left). We’re getting a new game director after G25 and I am extremely grateful for all he has done for the game. And in the same vein, I’m thankful to all of you reading this. There’s no point in creating content when there is no audience, especially when I am as reclusive as I am. So, to my new readers: thanks for coming along. And to my old fans: thanks for sticking around. Until the next chapter!

[notesfromtheheart]

After a catastrophic event, your characters have to live in a new reality. What they must face depends on the world you create. There are a few things to consider when you plan your post-apocalyptic world if you want to use it as another source of conflict.

#Step 1: Pick an apocalypse

There are many types of apocalyptic events that can cause chaos and conflict for your survivors. You don’t always need to explain what happened because a post-apocalypse is about the effects rather than the event. However, the one you choose will have a direct impact on the landscape and your characters’ chances of survival. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most popular ones.

Zombie

The threat in these stories is ongoing and relentless. The zombie plague spreads across the globe like a virus. Destruction is rapid and danger is everywhere. Survivors often stick together, hoping there is safety in numbers.

Nuclear

Because the landscape is so blighted and devoid of life, stories like these are about the characters’ internal struggles with issues such as loneliness, sanity and hope.

Technological uprising

Humanity is seen as a virus and something to be eradicated. These kinds of stories often focus on attempts to take back the world from a threat that is stronger, smarter, and more ruthless than the human survivors.

Alien invasion

Aliens take over our world and we can’t stop them from wiping out most of humanity. The remaining survivors usually work together to defeat the invaders. Spend time developing your aliens or they won’t seem like a credible threat.

Pandemic

This is similar to a zombie apocalypse except the threat is invisible and this causes a sense of paranoia. You don’t know who is infected until it’s too late. There is usually a race to find a cure from a ragtag group of survivors.

Climate change

This is a slow burn type of apocalypse. All the warning signs were there, but we ignored them. The survivors feel a sense of hopelessness because once it happens, there’s no turning back.

Breakdown in technology

This shows what happens when the technology we rely on so heavily stops working. Some writers use this as a foreshadowing that something even worse is on its way.

*There are other kinds of apocalypse such as natural disasters and comets, but they often focus on the actual event rather than what happens afterwards.

#Step 2: Create your world

Unlike many other kinds of stories, a post-apocalypse world isn’t just a backdrop for your characters, it’s a major source of conflict. This is also the part where you can think about theme because this will influence how your readers feel at the end of the book. Not all stories of this genre have happy endings, but they can teach us a little more about human nature.

Because it’s such a popular genre, you can find it in movies, novels, games, comics, and television shows. I’ve added links to a few of the most interesting and well-known ones.

1. Humans are overthrown

This could be after an alien invasion, robot uprising, or zombie pandemic. Humans have lost their place in the natural order of the world. There is a wide variety of landscapes in stories like these, depending on how recently the catastrophic event took place. They can range from almost total destruction to a clean and beautiful, perfect world. One of the most popular plots in this kind of story is the battle to reclaim what was lost.

Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham

The Last of Us created by Naughty Dog

2. Anarchic landscape

This landscape is usually harsh with a lot of environmental damage and limited resources. Although it isn’t always stated, the assumption is that the world was affected by a nuclear war, catastrophic natural disaster, or dramatic climate change. In this type of post-apocalyptic world, there is no rule of law or a very limited one. The weak are vulnerable and at the mercy of aggressors. This is an excellent opportunity to create a solitary protagonist who has to decide whether to continue alone or link up with other survivors.

The Postman novel by David Brin

Mad Max Fury Road movie directed by George Miller

3. A new “Utopia”

This kind of post-apocalyptic world is divided by those who live in safety and those who are barely surviving. There’s usually some kind of barrier that protects people on the inside from the rest of the world. The insiders’ lifestyle is often at the expense of those that are on the outside. Once your protagonist realizes what’s going on, you can have them attempt to escape or destroy the elites’ world.

Wool novel by Hugh Howey

Snowpiercer graphic novel by Jacques Lob, Jean-Marc Rochette

4. The End of Everything

This landscape is bleak, and resources are almost nonexistent. Your characters are not trying to rebuild because it is hopeless. There are few other survivors and to be honest, it’s probably best to avoid them. Although this kind of world can seem depressing, it’s also an opportunity to write about human nature at its best and worst.

The Road novel by Cormac McCarthy

On the Beach novel by Nevil Shute

5. A Better Tomorrow

The apocalypse is over and the world is at the recovery stage, but it will not be straightforward. Humanity has survived (sometimes barely) and is ready to rebuild a better world. However, the characters will often be under attack from an aggressor who wants things to stay the way they are. This plot is useful when you want to finish a post-apocalyptic series because it’s an acceptable way to tie up loose ends and leave your readers feeling hopeful.

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPraub

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

6. Not over yet

Sometimes the event is still taking place. The main apocalypse happened, but there are still remnants of the initial threat. This could be a virus that hasn’t been completely cured, lurking zombies, killer plants, in fact, anything that needs to be eradicated. This is a good plotline if you want to create a series of books where the threat grows or mutates. And let’s not forget that there is always a threat from other survivors because sometimes it’s people who can be the real monsters.

World War Z by Max Brooks

12 Monkeys TV series created by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett

7. Weird World

Some kind of catastrophic event destroyed much of the world, leaving only remnants of an ancient civilization. The laws of physics and biology were altered, and this is now a magical and weird world. You can do almost anything with this kind of world, but you should have a thorough understanding of the fantasy genre. The Lord of the Rings is not strictly a post-apocalypse world, but it has a lot of elements that appear in this kind of story.

Swan Song novel by Robert McCammon

Adventure time animated TV series created by Pendleton Ward

Once you’ve picked the cause and the world it left behind, it’s time to plan the details for your post-apocalypse world. The longer-lasting effects will be something your characters have to adapt to, in order to survive. You can force your survivors into life and death situations depending on how harsh you want their environment to be, how limited the resources are, and how much competition there is for them.

#Step 3: Focus on the details

Once you’ve picked your apocalyptic event, you’ll need to start looking at the effects it has on your world and any survivors. This is when you should focus your attention on world-building. Don’t skip any details because they could become plot holes later on.

1. What are the effects on the environment?

Consider how to use the environment to cause conflict for your characters. Do you want your survivors to have their movements restricted by a lingering risk such as zombies or plague? Is your landscape going to have areas that are too toxic to enter? Has wildlife mutated and become a deadly threat?

2. How long after the event is your story set?

If the apocalypse happened recently, your characters will be unprepared and have to adapt quickly to survive. If generations have passed, the survivor’s descendants will know the dangers they have to face, but that doesn’t mean life is any easier.

3. How many survivors are there?

Do you want your characters to have regular or sporadic interactions with other people? If resources are limited, which they are in most stories, any survivors will be competing for them, and this can cause a lot of conflict for your characters.

4. Where do people live?

Do you want your survivors to travel across the landscape in search of refuge, or are they going to live in small communities? Are cities abandoned because they’re too dangerous or have the survivors built new ones? Are their descendants living behind the safety of high walls or even underground?

5. Is there a rule of law?

If the percentage of survivors is small, it’s unlikely there will be any kind of central government and nationwide rule of law. In many apocalypse stories, the army and police are among the first casualties. However, if your survivors have had time to adjust and create a new society, think about what rules they live by and if there is any kind of hierarchy they follow.

#Step 4: Have fun!

Now you can go wild. Throw in as much conflict as you want and force your characters to make some hard decisions. This kind of story is all about survival and growth. Some people will rise to the challenge while others will descend into the mire. It’s all up to you.

Conclusion

This is one of the most popular science fiction genres because of the amount of scope it offers to writers. The story can be one that offers hope for the survival of humanity, or it can be an exploration of the best and worst of human nature. Readers can follow initially weak characters as they grow and develop into people who can survive the harshest of environments.

[crimeronan]

im not the last anon that asked about your original fic but HELL is it good. i have no idea WHAT is going on but i can tell you i'd read that book. gonna be thinking about these characters who i know nothing about for months...

thank you!!

the quick rundown on the main triad is that sol is an icy businesswoman with a stranglehold on the city’s corporate resources, ruby is her kindhearted business partner who’s the public face of any good they ever do, and devin is a high priest who also happens to be an atheist and who has decided he’ll worship sol because he can’t worship anything else.

a lot of the main conflict between the three of them bubbles up from the fact that sol depends on ruby’s ability to say no to her while simultaneously depending on devin being unable to say no to her.  this creates the occasional unhealthy dynamic and, uh, poor choices on everyone’s parts.

if you find yourself wondering “why are two of these protagonists apparently callous capitalists”: oh there are reasons.  and i can Promise you that none of the reasons are “the author is a callous capitalist”

[mdwatchestv]

Everything I’m Going to Watch in August: LIFE IS CHAOS

My life is in shambles and I have not finished literally ANYTHING from July. I have seen exactly four Stranger Things and four Veronica Mars - I am not ready to discuss! I started taking a writing class so I can, you know, actually be better at this and give you people the QUALITY PROSE you DESERVE. But now I’m so busy I barely have time to watch anything. In attempting to bestow one gift upon you, I am inadvertently robbing you of another. Such is life.  Veronica Mars is so far so good, I’m sure nothing too bad will happen and Stranger Things has been predictably numbingly enjoyable. Several people I trust have given good reviews to The Boys, and Antoni’s Instagram thirst traps are as far as I’ve gotten into the new Queer Eye season. But none of that matters now because there is MORE NEWER stuff to watch in August!!!!!!! Now excuse me while I scream into my panic pillow.

In the interest of time I am going to highlight in depth the THREE SHOWS I am actually going to make a concentrated effort to watch, followed by a rapid fire list of shows YOU may want to watch. Here we go- 

Friday, August 9th -

GLOW Season 3 (Netflix)

The second season of GLOW found a way to improve even further upon their first season. Season 2 had deeply moving episodes that investigated female friendship, race and social class, and even found a poignant twist on the now-popular #metoo storyline. It also had an anti-kidnapping PSA singalong in a glorious full-length episode of the show-within-the-show. I love GLOW, it brings me joy, glitter goals, and actresses doing special skills ( I LOVE when actors have to do special skills). With the ladies moving to a floor show in fabulous Las Vegas, I can’t imagine this season being anything less than a..... total knock out.  (See, this is why I need the writing class!!)

Monday, August 12th 

The Terror: Infamy (9pm on AMC)

The second season of AMC’s horror anthology series- like the first season The Terror: Infamy merges the supernatural with real-life historical horrors, but that is where the similarities end. Season 2 follows a Japanese-American family who face internment during WW2 in the US. As if being shockingly betrayed by the country where they have made their home isn’t enough, the family is also being actively haunted by a vengeful, murderous ghost. When it rains it pours I guess. But in all seriousness, what I am most excited about in this show is the cast which is made up almost entirely of actors of Japanese descent (from literally all over the world.) Casting anyone non-white in a period piece is rare enough, but to be able to refocus the lens of history onto stories of the past that are often overlooked by media feels especially exciting. It’s important to tell these stories so we can make sure atrocities like this never happen in America ever ever again......oh wait.

Friday, August 16th

Mindhunter Season 2 (Netflix)

Five thousand years later Mindhunter season 2 is finally ready for consumption. David Fincher does hundreds of takes okay, it takes him a while to make a show. That was probably the 60th take of that shot in the gif, but look at it, its perfect! This whole show is perfect!  Cameron Britton! Serial killers! JONATHAN GROFF! The 70s! Son of Sam! Conflicts of masculinity! Cars! Anna Torv! Behavioral sciences! Sepia colors! TENSION! 

As promised a lot of other stuff premieres this month that I would be remiss not to remind you about. So in the spirit of giving,  here is a quick rundown of things I have absolutely zero intention of watching but maybe you will want to for various reasons:

Dear White People S3 (Netflix) - I’m just too behind, but maybe you are better at keeping up on your Netflix queue than me. 

Preacher S4 (AMC) - I consciously uncoupled from this show which I would describe as a medium -to- moderate mess. It’s the final season though, and maybe ya’ll like mess.

BH90210 (Fox)  - Maybe Beverly Hills 90210 was very important to you at one time.

Succession  S2 (HBO) - I don’t understand what the tone is. 

Lodge 49 S2 (AMC)  -I don’t understand what the tone is.

The Affair (Showtime) - I assume some people are still watching this? 

On Becoming A God in Central Florida (Showtime) - Kirsten Dunst and Alexander Skarsgard make themselves ugly. Maybe you’re into that!

Carnival Row (Amazon Prime) -  I could not endorse a show whose main characters are named “Rycroft Philostrate” and “Vignette Stonemoss”. I simply must draw a line somewhere. But I am duty bound to tell you that Orlando Bloom is appearing on television in a waistcoat. 

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix) - Maybe The Dark Crystal was very important to you at one time.

Alright I gotta go watch TV or make TV or something, DEUCES 

XO MD

[sieben9]

“hyperion heights” impressions

{Quick request to anyone reading: I’m watching OUaT for the first time, and I want to avoid spoilers. So, if you want to discuss something spoilery, I’d be grateful if you could start a new post for that. Thank you!}

::plays “New Season” from Galavant::

…look, I’ve got the thing stuck in my head, and I thought I’d share.

I liked the episode? I think? There’s a lot of set-up and not a whole bunch of plot, but I think I like the things that were set up. And the characters definitely got off to a strong start (with one little problem I’ll get to later), so that’s always a plus for me.

More under the cut.

OK, so the flashback was a good, solid foundation for further conflict. Henry and Cinderella had some solid chemistry, and the twist to her particular version of this tale was one I did not see coming.

murderous Disney princess in a poofy dress on a motorcycle is definitely a Look™

I have to say, getting in a traffic collision with your future partner is... actually very on-brand for every single part of Henry’s family. Glad to see you’re keeping traditions alive, pal. (And yes, that explicitly includes Regina, who found her first girlfriend through breaking and entering.)

And it’s ...let’s say “nice” to see that Lady Tremaine, in whatever universe we see her, still continues to be The Worst. More on that below, but I found it interesting that one mainstay of OUaT seems to be that no, she’s horrible to all her children and not just her stepdaughter. It’s just different kinds of terribleness. I’m also wondering if Cinderella just has the one step-sister in this version (I know for a fact that there are some out there where that’s the case) or if it’s a plot point. And if there really is only one sister, the next question is: where is she? Did something horrible happen? And if so, was it the result of her mother’s terribleness or (part of) the cause? So many questions, so little time~

…can you tell I’m loving this bit? I mean, I hate her guts, but she intrigues me, which is always great. (Me? Latching on to a villain? What a strange thing to happen.)

The closing shot for the flashback plotline is very promising, with Henry deciding that no, home can wait, the strange lady who punched him in the face and almost framed him for murder needs help, first. …you know, I can’t even tell which part of his family he gets it from, because they are all completely bananas.

you grew up great, buddy

Also, just as a closing question: does he have a magic motorcycle? Is that why it doesn’t need fuelling up in however long it’s been since he left Storybrooke? Just asking.

I mentioned my one problem with the modern-day cast at the top, and I’ll just get right into it: my biggest problem at this point is not comparing everyone’s “roles” to the original cast configuration. Like, “Roni” doing Snow’s job (even if her temper is very different from Mary Margaret’s). Henry isn’t Emma, even if he’s the “new guy in town”, and Lucy isn’t Henry, even if she clearly inherited his “little shit” genes. (I love her so much, but how her mother manages her on her own, I will never know. Victoria Belfrey sure as hell isn’t Regina, because Regina would never treat any child of hers this way, thank you very much. In fact, I wonder if she and Cora went to the same school for being a terrible mom together. That’s the level of “I do not like this person” I’m on.

Still, the Hyperion Heights people seem like a good bunch, and I look forward to seeing more of them.

Henry is a lovable fuck-up who thinks he made up the entirety of the show so far and managed to squeeze it all into one book. My guy. I know what the transfer rate from TV to prose is. You could never fit that in one volume.

at least not that one. that’s... what? 600 pages, tops?

And is it just me or did his particular role in the curse take a fucking dark turn? Because it’s bad enough to separate everyone from their loved ones, but giving the guy fake memories of his wife and child burning to death in a house fire? Just… wow. Please let the poor man remember soon because this will be haunting me until then.

Speaking of things that will haunt me…

They didn’t recognise each other and I was not prepared for the complete gut-punch that was. They were sitting there, looking at each other, and they didn’t know. Guh! (And yes, I am 100% convinced that Roni is, in fact, Roni and not Regina, because she might have kept up the pretence for a good enough reason, but she’d never have kept that good a poker face; I also doubt she would have given her son and his not-quite-date strong liquor at before 4pm)

Special mention goes to Henry’s line of “imagine if I were to walk in here and say that I’m your son”, because yeah, imagine you doing that. To anyone. What a crazy thing, right? (

And while I’m on the topic of Roni…

I love her so much. Everything about her. Her attitude, the way she moves, the Looks™ she gives people, her voice… Yeah, I may not be entirely objective on the topic, why do you ask. I am also looking forward immensely to seeing her butt heads with Belfrey. Because of reasons.

this scene is 95% of the reasons

I also wrote in my notes “so the villain this season is gentrification?” and honestly, I don’t think I was that far off. There’s definitely a strong theme of class in this set-up, and I hope the writers carry that through at least a little.

A quick rundown of the other characters, while I’m at it:

I like Jacinda well enough, although her main character trait at the moment seems to be “really, really stressed out”. Which is fair. She’s a single mom with Belfrey as her only family connection. Her scene with Henry in the bar and with Lucy at the well was extremely adorable, though, so I’m optimistic as for future developments. (And Cinderella bought her some goodwill because she was determined and vulnerable and scared and generally amazing in all the right ways. I liked that version of her, and it’s been established that your cursed self hardly puts your best traits on display.) I definitely smiled when she made that wish at the well.

Good on you, not giving up hope. (And I immensely appreciated the way it was set parallel to Henry finally writing that first sentence of his.)

I’m… not 100% sure who her roommate is meant to be, which is going to irk me until I am, but I can live with a little mystery in my life *g*

I have no idea what Weaver’s deal is, but I really hope he isn’t awake this one time around.

please take that man’s head out of the water

Rumple as a police officer is… uh, a special kind of hilarious. A really terrible one, too. And now he’s partnered up with not-Hook, which, to coin a phrase, I’m sure they’ll all laugh themselves sick about some day. I’m interested in seeing what his connection with not-Alice is. Both in the modern-day plot and in the flashbacks, because there’s usually some kind of interplay between the two storylines.

Rogers is… not on screen that much. He seems nice. Which is already a better opinion than I had of uncursed!Hook, and that is a crying shame because they’re all bound to wake up at some point. Still, I’m holding out hope. People have said good things about Hook in this season.

Apart from all that, there’s also an implied mystery in this season that I really like, and it’s “who, exactly, cast the curse?”

I mean, it’s clear that the show is setting up Lady Tremaine as the Big Bad, but 1) I’m not new here, I know how much these writers love their villain fake-outs, and 2) I get the feeling that her whole “magic can be taken away blah blah” speech might be meant to give a hint that it’s not, in fact, her.

god, I hate her so much already; it’s delightful

Which leaves the question of “OK, then who?” and I… have a few thoughts. Which I will keep to myself until at least three episodes in because I doubt that we’ve met all parties involved at this point.

In short: on strength of its characters alone, I am cautiously excited for this new season. Bring it on!

And, because it didn’t fit anywhere else:

The keychain made it through!

[whencartoonsruletheworld]

People in the notes are asking what’s happening so here’s a rundown of the musical:

2017, Dear Evan Hansen drops on Broadway.

The musical plot is as thus: a boy with anxiety (Evan) is accidentally mistaken as a friend of a boy who recently committed suicide. Not wanting to tell the grieving parents “your son had no friends,” Evan plays along and the lie eventually spirals out of control.

The writers were inspired by people on social media acting like they knew dead people even if they hadn’t and wanted to explore that idea, along with teenage anxiety and stuff like that.

Thing is, the marketing was kinda. Wack? All of the marketing made it seem like a musical about overcoming anxiety and finding friendship and not uh. All this wild shit.

Anyone who was online in 2017 remembers the #YouWillBeFound. “Waving Through a Window” was everywhere. Theatre kids were insufferable. I know. I was a theatre kid that year.

The play gets mixed reactions: a lot of teenagers and people with anxiety (or both) feel really seen, while a lot of other people are concerned that the show mishandles its mental illness themes, with “Evan lies to a grieving family bc anxiety” and “Connor was bad bc untreated mental illness” (whether or not you think the show says this is up to you but it was a huge discussion)

There’s also the fact that basically the only POC in the main cast was a side-character who only gets a verse of a song, and also the song “Sincerely Me” is way too comedic for the situation and includes some quick homophobia as well.

But also, again, a lot of people thought the musical was really good representation, especially with the title song, “Waving Through a Window”, which does a real good job describing anxiety. I’m going to be real, I personally felt more seen in my complicated feelings on my mother in “Requiem” than I have in a lot of media made specifically to talk about emotionally abusive relationships.

So is it good or bad? DEPENDS ON HOW YOU SEE IT. I’m not getting into DEH discourse with y’all okay? Some people can look past the flaws and some people can’t and that’s okay.

So there’s the musical. Now, here’s what happened after:

DEH gets the Tony for best musical. This causes a lot of discourse about whether or not The Great Comet should have won instead. Again, I do not care about discourse so don’t ask me about it.

The musical was picked for a film FAST. I think around 2018? Cause I remember it was before I went to college, back during the Hype™ days of the musical.

But it was in development for a real long time and eventually some cast was announced and Ben Platt, who originated the role of Evan on Broadway, was returning for the film. He will be 27 when it drops, playing a 17-18yo.

Which was real confusing because. Listen adults playing teenagers on stage is pretty normal due to scheduling conflicts, child labor laws and also the fact that adults just tend to have more experience acting. But in film? People notice that shit fast. It happens but people notice and people are becoming less allowing of it. We’re still making fun of Grease to this day, and Riverdale, etc. So I have no idea how they thought they could get away with that.

Second... they actually did have some teenagers for Evan and his crush, Zoe, on rotation with the adult Broadway cast at the time. (Andrew Barth Feldman and Mallory Bechtel) So uh. How hard would it be to use them??? 

Of course later we figured out Ben Platt’s dad is a big Hollywood and Broadway producer so that explains that.

The trailer drops and we’re all a lil concerned but it doesn’t look. Too bad?

Then, today, the reviews dropped from. I think it was shown at a film festival? I dont know what happens outside so this is just a guess

And apparently it’s BAD. Ben Platt is still clearly in his late 20s and apparently still stage-acting, which is uhhhh very awkward on film. They cut a lot of plot-relevant songs (including fan favorite “Good for You,” where several characters point out that Evan’s being an ass) but somehow made the film LONGER at the same time. People are really going in with the mishandling of mental health issues. People who don’t like the musical are living rn. I am also living because I thrive on chaos.

So tl;dr controversial musical gets a film adaptation that gets stuck in development for a few years and casts a 27yo to play a teenager and now reviews are dropping and it looks BAD.

[boatspeak]

Some of my favourite dramas from the past half a year, ranked: 

1. Because This is my First Life 

k-drama, 16 episodes, each 1 hour long

So sensitively and personally written. I was sucked into the storytelling and felt as though I was seeing these scenes through the eyes of the characters. Bravo to the scriptwriter; as I was watching it I felt, ah, she must have drawn from some intensely personal and important place. It was not a story anyone could have written. Because This is My First Life follows the stories of three BFFs as they experience, and grapple with, love and marriage. It does not shy away from the complicated sides of these issues - the societal, monetary and financial pressures that love and marriage cannot be separated from, the difficulties of communicating with others honestly yet sensitively. There are some frustratingly incorrigible people in the drama (like sexually harassing superiors), but most of the time the conflicts play out between good people who care for and support each other, yet inevitably butt heads because they have different - and equally valid - views of life. Is it wrong to want to marry and start a family? Is it wrong not to? It was painful at times, I think I cried for some of the characters. Not because they were pitiable, but because sometimes in life there is no right or wrong; you have to make tough choices and it hurts but you have to keep your eyes open and keep watching; keep walking. For the literature lovers out there, especially those who might be sick of gratuitous (often cheesy) quotes inserted randomly into dramas, well, good for you! Characters in Because This is My First Life read and are impacted by (real life) books, and you can see how the books they’ve read influence the way they think, act, and communicate with each other. It’s very realistic and mirrors the way you might consume and digest books in your own life outside of the drama. Oh, the PPL is also wonderfully done and actually contributes to character building.  8-9/10.

2. Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu (I’ll be serious in my next life)

j-drama, 12 episodes, each 1/2 an hour long

One woman, five sex friends. I know. I know it sounds messy and melodramatic and angsty. I hesitated for the same reasons as well. But when I finally got over it and watched the damn thing (very bingeable, totalling at only 6 hours), I regretted not watching it sooner. Raise wa Chanto Shimasu is a breath of fresh air. Most of the characters, whether hypersexual or asexual, are pretty unabashed about it, and I love their self-love. Want to have sex? Go for it, gurl. Don’t want to have sex? Also no problem. The title is an apt one and showcases this message of acceptance. We might have bones to pick with our current lifestyles, but welp, we’ll just be serious in our next lives. As one of the characters said at the end, “we all became independent, working adults, I think we should be proud of ourselves”.  Much needed affirmation in a world of moralising, slut-shaming, virgin-mocking, and expectations to get married and settle down.

Warning: one of the characters in a bi/gay relationship is pretty vocal in denying his sexuality even in front of his partner, and a trans woman was harrassed at one point. These were discomfiting for me. 

3. The Fiery Priest 

k-drama, 40 episodes, each 1/2 an hour long (or 20 hour-long episodes)

Action. Comedy. Kim Nam Gil, who won the Baeksang for this role. Honey Lee. Badass babe. Ahn Chang Hwan, who was so realistic at playing a Thai immigrant my friend who studied Korean for three years didn’t even realise he was Korean. Father Han. One reviewer said he was a literal angel, and I concur. Most dramas leave you with at most three or four characters you really like; this drama makes you fall in love with the whole gang. Everyone has a backstory, or some hidden side that you didn’t expect that just adds so much more dimension when revealed. Where some might find it hard to balance the weight of action and the levity of comedy, dipping too deeply into angst or farce at times, The Fiery Priest manages the tone really well even as the plot deepens and our characters have to deal with deep-seated traumas. I have nothing more to say to promote this drama except, how could you pass on Kim Nam Gil doing action plus comedy MINUS tragedy and the moustache? 

A final note: Technically, The Fiery Priest is a stronger drama than Raise and should deserve the no. 2 spot. The former deals with bigger issues like corruption, morality and forgiveness, while the latter is more light-hearted and deals almost entirely with personal choices. However, some issues Raise touched on were really important to me and came at a time when I really needed affirmation to believe in my beliefs, so it edged out The Fiery Priest in my heart. 

4. 传闻中的陈芊芊 (The Romance of Tiger and Rose) 

c-drama, 22 episodes, each about 45 minutes long

甜。This drama is just Sweet with a capital S. What a refreshing watch, especially for women. I loved not having tugging battles between two men. I loved the respect given to consent. I loved having so many smart and capable women who have conversations with each other that do not revolve around men. I love how the male lead wasn’t hung up on Male Ego and gave his wife space to be herself and make her own decisions and mistakes. A rare gem. I’m sure I will revisit this when I’m tired of the usual ドキドキ tactics involving possession and pulling around 

(If you can read Chinese, I suggest watching it on the 腾讯视频 app with 弹幕 on. I found it pretty hilarious, meaning I laugh-cried so hard in the middle of the night my neighbour knocked on my door to ask if I was ok.)   

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A quick rundown of the dramas and films I’ve watched so far in 2020 so you know the pool I picked these four from: 

Penguin Highway 

good watch. super cute. I cannot over-emphasise how cute the penguins were. It got me into a penguin phase and I’m not out of it even after 7 months...

ぼくは明日、昨日のきみとデートする (My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday) 

good watch. bittersweet.

わたしに××しなさい！(Watashi ni XX Shinasai/Missions of Love) movie and drama special

would pass on the movie (which cherry-picked from the manga but unfortunately left out a lot of important character developing scenes so the relationship didn’t make as much sense as it did in the manga)

but the drama special. Whew. I watched the drama special twice. It’s trashy good. Because it’s basically a spin-off to build hype for the movie, it doesn’t have to follow the plot of the manga, instead taking on the format of a (very cheesy) otome game. So you have all these ikemen saying clichéd toe-curling lines like “I am also a man you know” and getting stuck half-naked bReAthInG HeAviLy in cabinets together but instead of playing it seriously (as the movie would do because it’s supposed to make you feel like they are falling in love), the main character goes huh??? wtf are you saying?? at her otome game screen, which is so realistic and just cracks me up. definitely would rec. 

ごめんね青春！(Gomen ne Seishun/ Saving my Stupid Youth) 

hmmm. so-so? Leading lady Hikari Mitsushima is pretty, cool, and fits the bill of gap moe. Ryo Nishikido is also pretty believable (once you suspend your disbelief that somehow all his students think he looks dorky and are not gushing over his ikemen-ness). Unfortunately, relationship development between the otp happened too late and too suddenly. 

Он – драко́н (On Drakon/ He’s a Dragon/ I Am Dragon)

a pleasure to (re-)watch as always. Lovely visuals. 

Tokyo Ghoul: S

decent! Great performance from Shota Matsuda as the Gourmet. He’s definitely a draw-point for this movie - you can see him being featured heavily in the trailers. 

Strong Girl Do Bong Soon

great drama, would rec! 7-8/10. Points docked for all the digressing they did with monks and gangsters. I loved the otp’s dynamic, how healthy their relationship was. One line that struck me was, “Do you know how you’ve found the right person? When you see yourself in their eyes, you look happy”. It was a reminder that while these are obviously fictional characters, we can and should form relationships where our partners are as supportive of us (and us of them) as our dear otp, and not to settle for less. Also loved the fact that smol Bong Soon is so strong and no one can manhandle her >:-) 10/10 also to rookie actor Jang Mi Kwan, who was absolutely terrifying as the villain. How is he only a rookie??  

Because This is my First Life

see above

The Fiery Priest

see above

선덕여왕 (Great Queen Seon Deok)

hehe I watched it (again). As great as ever. Somehow cried more than I did the previous two times I watched it? Took me a week to get over one of the characters (even though I already went through all that heartbreak the first two times I watched this..) Sayang... Definitely has a special place in my heart. Available in full on youtube with subs. 

传闻中的陈芊芊 (Romance of Tiger and Rose)

see above

来世はちゃんとします (Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu) 

see above

覆面系ノイズ (Fukumenkei Noise/Anonymous Noise)

pretty good! Adapted from a manga but very film-like with its color-corrected shots, many cut-scenes to birds and crashing waves. Shison Jun was great in his intense scene, Ayami Nakajo has the most manga-looking face I’ve seen and Koseki Yuta is my bb as always hahaha he’s appeared in, like, four dramas on this list. 

博多弁の女の子はかわいいと思いませんか？(Don’t You Think Girls Who Talk in Hakata Dialect Are Cute?) 

YES!! I DO!! Wholesome drama packed to the brim with hometown (Hakata) pride). I also loved Okada Kenshi going around looking for Ramen shops hahaha. Now I want to see him host a food discovery show. 8/10. Would rec! 

帝一の國 (Teiichi no Kuni/Teiichi’s Country)

面白い 。Interesting watch! In which a bunch of high school boys in an elite school take their student council elections very seriously and attempts at political hijinks ensue. Suda Masaki and his pals somehow make over-the-top super seem natural. I don’t know how they do it, but it’s pretty good. Peppered with interesting reveals and counter-reveals along the way. 

男子高校生の日常 (Daily Lives of High School Boys)

I liked this! It delivers on what it’s supposed to. As a film, it is very film-like. The background is given a lot of weight in this film, and the director “shows, not tells”. The conversations of our characters are situated in the chatter of their schoolmates, you hear random snippets of conversations drift around, you see the school situated in the mountains, piles of decorations around the hall. This helps in conveying the “daily” nature of what happens in the film - not some life-changing adventure, but a warm high-school memory that is pretty like a paper star in a glass bottle. The boys are also very lovable and dorky in their high-school roles. 

ピーチガール (Peach Girl)

not bad. Typical shoujo manga adaptation storyline, even if the leading quartet do well in their roles. Nagano Mei was especially memorable for me out of the typical shoujo heroine roles I had previously seen her in. Inoo Kei also really looks like a boy from a manga. He has a lot of exaggerated actions, but he pulls them off really well. 

突然ですが明日結婚します (Totsuzen desu ga ashita kekkon shimasu/ It’s Sudden But Tomorrow We’re Getting Married/ Everyone’s Getting Married)

pretty decent. It’s not mind-blowing, but it’s definitely not bad. (Or you could flip it around and say it’s definitely not bad, but it’s not mind-blowing). 

ヲタクに恋は難しい  (Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku)

disappointing. I really wanted to like this film for Takahata Mitsuki and Yamazaki Kento, but there were too many useless musical scenes. 

同期の桜 (Doki no Sakura / Our Dearest Sakura)

Hmmmmmm. About colleagues who become inspired in their work and lives because of their colleague Sakura. I wanted more love but that’s not the main point of the drama so it’s not their fault. It got a bit repetitive towards the end, and I felt there wasn’t enough character development. Another drama I really wanted to like more than I did, because I was looking forward to seeing Takahata Mitsuki, Ryusei Ryo and Mackenyu work together. 

Tokyo Coin Laundry

A mishmash of lost souls meet at a coin laundry. A short drama about running away, making choices, and moving on. Katayose Ryota might have been cool in My Brother Loves Me Too Much, but this was where I first saw him and I prefer him in this. I enjoyed this a lot and even drew a postcard based on this. 7/10. 

兄に愛されすぎて困ってます (My Brother Loves Me Too Much) drama and movie

ok don’t judge; I watched this because my friend said it was pretty good. Katayose Ryota IS pretty cool in this, and Tsuchiya Tao brings to life the quintessential image of the Japanese girl, but if you’re watching this for “so cheesy it’s actually good” I would point you to the Watashi ni XX Shinasai drama special instead. If you do want to watch this though, you should watch the drama before the movie, because they are not standalone. 

Nodame Cantabile

What can I say? Classics are classics. 8/10, would rec. This is my first time seeing Ueno Juri acting, and she’s so believable as quirky Nodame I wondered if this was her actual personality. Straight out of a manga. There was potential for messy love-drama, but this drama took the high road and focused on proper character development instead. Thumbs up! They also did really well in “showing not telling” us the OTP’s relationship development. Rather than declarations of love, you can see it in the little caring gestures and almost subconscious smiles. I liked that too. Though maybe I’ll dock a point for how they treated gay expressions of love - “he’s a man you know” and icky faces - and how much casual manhandling there was against Nodame (exaggerated flying punches... maybe that’s how the manga wrote it?)