#but also you know. glad that Linda swept

[tenitchyfingers]

Ok wrt the Beatles girls poll… I cannot understand how so many people voted for Yoko. She’s a fucking psycho. Like you looked at Cynthia (who literally never did anything wrong) and Yoko (who kept John’s family and Cynthia from going to his funeral and kept them from grieving, and also got him addicted to coke) and you just chose the most toxic bitch of the bunch??? Wtf is wrong with people

[joyful-soul-collector]

The Card Counter

Welcome to me reacting to Oscar Isaac Movies (and other movies if people like these/if I just feel like it). I know nothing about this movie except that Oscar is in it and that's all I need to know anyway, let's GO:

The only reason I know Martin Scorsese's name is because he did Goncharov

I know nothing about gambling so I'm sure this will make zero sense to me

"I like the routine, I like the regimen" He's autistic, I've decided

Interesting to see his hair so straight, I've only seen it curly before

... Sir what in the hell did you do to your hotel room

KITTY

The eyebrow raise man...

Ok so I'm 90% sure this man is traumatized somehow. Jail possibly but likely somethin else, like what he got arrested for? Whatever that is

Oh my god it's Cyclops

Oh my god it's the Green Goblin

Oscar Isaac always plays sleep-deprived little meow meows

Jesus this kid has had a Life

Ya know how you casually suggest kidnap, torture, and murder

I'd quite like if Will became a father figure to Cirk, that'd be sweet. Reluctant father trope

Mr. Tell sir, I distinctly remember you saying that doing whatever it was with La Linda was a BAD idea

Awww he wants to help the kid!! Loving reluctant father Will

Dude could be a fuckin magician why is he gambling

Oh he is not. okay. Like at all. Didn't think he was but still.

If I knew how to play any of these games this scene would probably be a lot more anxiety inducing

"do you do anything else?" of course he doesn't, cards are his special interest, OBVIOUSLY

Something something Will and his drinks. Probably worth analyzing if I find the movie worth rewatching

He writes with a fountain pen interesting. Means he writes a lot, probably every day, you have to to keep the pen from drying out

I like the way they shoot the scenes in this place, with the fish eye? V interesting

Also this is absolutely horrifying

Probably not autism but actually PTSD but hey, who says he can't have both

Love a bloody little meow meow who feels so guilty he goads people into beating him up

This movie's music score is good

Haha he's nervous, he's fidgeting with the napkin. Worried about the kid

"What could be so bad" how bout torture and murder?

Also I figured out why he puts sheets all over his room and takes down the art. It's so every room he stays in looks the same. Likes the uniformity, routine, regimen, PSTD, autism, etc etc

Will in this grey suit.... I'm sure someone's made some gifs of it and I need them all STAT

"you live like this?" Hey That's The Thing Will Said Earlier To You

Oh shit he just yelled

Ya know I would prefer if we didn't torture the kid that was abused his whole life

Only 20,000 in debt?

Okay why is he so obsessed with this kids mom the woman abandoned him

"how'd you get him to do that" I was very physically threatening and probably gave him flashbacks of his father

Ik the whole hair swept back thing is his Look but he looks so much prettier with a few hairs out of place

OH SHIT FUCK CYCLOPS IS GONNA KILL THE GREEN GOBLIN

Shiiiiit this is gonna throw Will off his game so hard

PFFT DUDE JUST WENT BACK TO HIS HOTEL ROOM

Oh noooo, the kid got killed... Poor Will, he tried so hard to help him

He didn't even untie his sheets to take them with him

Oh shit he's in Goblin's house

Off to torture time!

Glad they're not showing any of this I didn't really wanna see the actual torture

Oh his finger is NOT secured to his hand okay

Damn he's turning himself in. Fair enough.

V interesting movie for sure! Not sure it's one I'll rewatch so there probably won't be any further analysis posted but it's definitely a movie Oscar did well in and has a good story!

[elizabeethan]

Time and Time Again- Part 2

Follow up to Time and Time Again because I have no self control! Killian’s POV of when they get home from Neverland.

Thanks to @the-darkdragonfly for enabling me and then editing this.

Rated a very soft M... I guess.

Part 2/2 (now it’s complete)

~3400 words

Read on Ao3

Tagging: @courtorderedcake @kmomof4 @stahlop @klynn-stormz @laschatzi @emelizabeth88 @lfh1226-linda @kday426 @elisethewritingbeast @timeless-love-story @captain-emmajones​ @gingerpolyglot @ebcaver @ilovemesomekillianjones​ @teamhook​ @superchocovian @itsfabianadocarmo @tiganasummertree @gingerchangeling @jrob64​ @onceratheart18 @xhookswenchx @winterbaby89​ @swampmedusa @ultraluckycatnd @dancingnancyy​ @love-with-you-i-have-everything @shireness-says​ @snowbellewells @hollyethecurious​ @ouatpost​ @daxx04 @the-darkdragonfly @donteattheappleshook

If you want me to add or remove you from my tag list please tell me!!

She’s the strongest woman he’s ever known. Of course, Milah was a fierce lass with fire in her heart, but there’s something about Emma Swan that seems to blow Milah’s disposition out of the water.

Perhaps it’s the way she defeated one of the most cunning and menacing foes he’s ever known. That must be it. The way he’d tried to do it years ago, using sheer violence and residual anger, hadn’t even come close to working. Meanwhile, this bloody woman succeeds in a matter of weeks.

He loves her; he can deny it no longer.

She’s the smartest person he’s ever known. Her instinct is almost always correct and he hasn’t had a single moment in which he doesn’t trust her to the fullest extent.

So he isn’t sure why no one seems to be listening to her.

He’s surprised when she comes to him. It’s not with the intention of confiding in him, but it isn’t a difficult bridge to cross before she is. “There’s something wrong with Henry,” she tells him, voice soft and scared and desperate. She looks so small across the hall from him as she hugs herself. “I don’t know what, but…”

“Alright, Swan,” he tries, hoping to comfort her, reaching through the space between them to touch his hand to her shoulder but careful not to get too close. “We’ll sort this out.”

He can’t move past the look of surprise on her face when he promises this, as if she’s shocked that someone would offer to help her- believe her.

Rumplestiltskin defeats Peter Pan- his father, apparently- but the curse has already been cast and cannot be stopped. It’s determined that nothing can be done, save for Regina casting her own curse and bringing everyone back to the Enchanted Forest.

Everyone but Henry.

But not to worry, Emma escaped the first curse, so she can stay here with him.

And Killian wants to kick and scream and revert back to the man he once was, not too long ago. The crocodile died a somewhat noble death, effectively taking away his chance at revenge, but it would’ve been alright. Because he would’ve had a chance to love Emma Swan and he suspects that would’ve been endlessly better than revenge.

And now she’s leaving.

And she’s crying again.

And he knows he won’t survive this.

“That’s quite the vessel you captain, Swan,” he says in a pathetic attempt to distract from the pain he’s feeling.

She laughs in a way that tells him this hurts her too, and his assumptions are confirmed when she leans in close to him and draws him into a tight hug. “I don’t want to do this alone,” she whispers against him.

He squeezes her back then pulls away to wipe a tear off of her cheek. He feels weak, but she needs strength, so he digs deep. “You aren’t alone, love,” he whispers back. “You have Henry, and we’ll all be with you, here.” He points to her heart, feeling the violent pace it takes as it slams in her chest.

She chokes and sniffles but says nothing, so he supplies, “there’s not a day will go by I won’t think of you,” and he means it more than he’s ever meant anything.

Through tears and strangled breaths she says, “good,” and supplies him with a smile that will surely haunt his dreams.

He wants to kiss her. He’s not sure he can live with the memory of her lips on his and with the knowledge that it will never happen again. But her family is here and he thinks they know naught of their dalliances on the island, so he holds back.

Regina talks of giving Emma and Henry memories that aren’t real to numb the pain of the loss they’ll feel. He’s glad that they won’t remember losing their family- that Emma won’t remember losing her parents again- but he feels jealousy. Forgetting her would be so much easier.

But as he watches her cross the town line in her yellow contraption and the curse whisks them away, back to Misthaven, he knows he wouldn’t trade loving Emma Swan for anything in the world.

~~~~

Six months pass painfully. Killian Jones knows loss, he’s experienced plenty of it in his centuries of life, and this is no easier. The loss of a love not yet bloomed is almost worse than the pain he felt when he lost Milah. At the end of the day, he knew what they had and how they changed each other. He wishes he could have that luxury with Emma.

His crew tries desperately to help him move on. Of course, none of them know the pain he feels and why, but he’s certain that they can sense a change in their captain. He tries to move on as well, attempting to pirate distant lands and pillage royal carriages, but nothing seems to distract from what’s always on his mind.

At month eight, they buy him a night with a woman- a brown-haired lass who stirs nothing in him. He pays her off and ignores the look of confusion on her face as he walks through the streets. The mermaid finds him, threatens him with a blade to his throat if he doesn’t help her, and he can’t fight the thoughts of a love lost that sprout in his mind. He can’t walk away without helping her because, as he painfully realizes, he knows how she feels. She at least has a chance to get her love back.

But then he thinks having the Jolly back will cure him of his ailments of the heart, so he behaves foolishly and throws Blackbeard overboard. It serves him right, truthfully, for stealing a man’s ship. But then the mermaid asks him if true love is worth more than a few planks of wood and a sail, and he knows that it is. He also knows that his love is lost from him, so a few planks of wood and a sail is all that he has and all that he’ll ever have again.

The bird that lands on his helm is a surprise, and the note attached to her leg even more so. Another curse is coming, and Emma’s family needs her. It’s the first time he’s seen her name outside of his mind’s eye and his heart constricts in his chest, thumping painfully against his ribs. He thinks of her when he thinks of his ribs, of how she diagnosed them broken in the street and celebrated silently when she was proven correct, and wonders how morbid of a thought that is.

A curse swept through Misthaven, making travel between realms possible again. The only problem is that he’s essentially destroyed any sense of trust between himself and the fire-haired mermaid who could make him a portal, so he must find another way. The thought of giving his ship back to Blackbeard, who was apparently saved by the siren, causes an ache in his chest that rivals the one he’s been feeling for the last year. But the thought of missing out on the chance to help Emma, to see her again, blows that pain away and it’s the easiest decision he’s ever made. So he takes the bean and thinks of her when he tosses it to the ground. He’s never felt so hopeful.

~~~~

She knees him in the groin. It’s poetic, really, the way he tries True Love’s Kiss with her and she shoves him out the door without a hint of remembrance. But he knew it was a long shot. True Love’s Kiss doesn't work when one person doesn't remember the other. Perhaps it’s foolish for him to believe that she loves him.

He watches as she struggles to answer the scrawny, unkempt man’s proposal. He wonders if it’s because of what he said to her, but he tries not to get his hopes up. He’s missed the fire in her voice, the sarcasm dripping from every word, more than he could have possibly imagined.

She still doesn’t believe him despite having proof, and he shouldn’t be surprised when she chains him up again. He wonders fleetingly how many pairs of these handcuffs she owns as the officers haul him off and lock him in the brig. He’s been in worse, of course, but then they try and give him their strange meat and he knows he must escape.

He’s just started working on his plan, wondering about the strength of the metal bars holding him in place and wishing he had his hook, when an officer opens the cage and sets him free. “You made bail,” she tells him, and Killian wonders what the bloody hell that’s supposed to mean, but he doesn’t waste the opportunity. Once he’s outside, he sees her golden hair and knows everything will be alright.

And she believes him. She believes him! It’s almost too good to be true. She struggles with the decision, but he sees the moment that it’s made in her eyes. The moment she reaches for the vial in his fingers, her own grazing his and lighting a fire in him, and pulls it to her mouth. He sees her take a deep breath and prepare herself for all that is about to change for her.

What he doesn't see is the man rushing by them, bumping into her back and causing her to drop the vial at their feet and destroy its contents. “No,” she says softly, sadly, as she looks down at the broken glass. “I was going to…”

She looks up into his eyes and he sees the same pain that was on display a year ago, when they lost each other. She looks lost and confused and disappointed at the idea of losing the chance to know herself again. She knows there’s something wrong, and she was moments from finding out exactly what it is before her opportunity was crushed at her feet. He can’t stand to see this look on her face.

“Come, love,” he says, offering her his hand which she takes easily. He isn’t sure where they're going, but he can't sit idly by and not make an effort to sooth her worries. “Let’s get out of the street,” he suggests.

She nods, pulling on his hand and leading him down the busy pavement as they weave through other pedestrians until they arrive at her building. He’s let in by her this time, doesn’t have to sneak in through the nearly closing door behind someone, and, once they get out of the metal death trap, he watches her take out a set of keys and open up her apartment door. She lets him in without a second thought and sets her things down, dropping onto the couch with a huff.

“This is… it’s too much,” she finally says after moments of silence.

He steps closer to the couch she rests on, her knees pulled to her chin and her arms hugging herself tightly, but does dare sit down. “I’m sorry,” he says uselessly.

“It’s just that I… I feel like there's something wrong. Like something has always been off, but I've always just denied it. And just now, I was so ready to take that step and find out what my life is supposed to be. And then it just slipped through my fingers.”

“I wish I could fix this,” he says helplessly. “We needed to get back to your family, Emma. They need you and I… I need you.”

Her brows pinch together and she releases her legs, standing quickly and looking as though she wants to walk over to him. “I don't know what we—” she stops herself pensively. “If we have some kind of history, or whatever. But it’s like… it’s like I trust you somehow. And I was looking forward to swallowing that shit and finding out why I trust you so much. And you’re telling me I have to help my family, and even though I’ve never had one, I still believe you. And now knowing that I’ll never have the chance… it hurts so much, and I can’t put into words why.”

She’s crying again. He can’t stop himself from stepping closer to her and taking her hand in his, pulling her as close to him as he can without actually touching his body to hers. All he wants is to hold her until her pain is gone. “I’m so sorry, love,” he says softly, and at the sound of his voice, he can feel her melting closer to him. “I wish I could fix this for you. All I want is to take away your pain; I wish I could bear it for you.”

“I just want to know you,” she says, sinking closer until her forehead is pressed to his chest, and he wants to squeeze her like he did in Neverland. “I wish I knew who you were to me.”

“I’m yours,” he answers easily.

Her arms are around him and there’s no better feeling, until the pain of knowing that it isn’t her, not fully, sets in. He has to squeeze her to keep his tears at bay. “It doesn't make any sense,” she whispers again. “How I can feel this way about someone I don’t know— someone I don’t even remember ever knowing?”

“We did much together, you and I,” he says fondly. “We made quite the team.”

“What happened to us?”

“I lost you,” he whispers painfully, the words burning his throat on their way out. “For a year I suffered thinking I would never see you again. And then I found you, and, well…” He trails off, thinking of their first meeting and the damage she did to his pride and to his groin.

She lets out a small chuckle against his chest, rustling the hairs slightly as she does so, and says, “sorry about that. But you were just some stranger and you kissed me!”

“Aye, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why did you?”

He falters just slightly before deciding to take the chance, unsure if the consequences of his honesty truly bother him. “It was a long shot. I was hoping the kiss would work to break… Well, I suppose I just hoped you felt as I do.”

She pulls away from him just a bit so that she can look into his eyes from below him. She looks so small from this angle and he wants nothing more than to protect her; scoop her up in his arms and hold her close so that nothing can touch her. “How’s that?”

With a soft, sad smile, he says simply, “I love you.”

Emma cocks her head pensively, looking sad and dejected, but also hopeful. “I’m—” she starts, shaking her head. “I don’t know why, but I…”

She cannot answer him with words, it seems, and instead, she leans forward towards him and slips up onto her toes, holding her arms around him a bit harder to keep her balance. He wishes he could pause this moment while also letting it play out; perhaps if he could relive it again and again, he would be content. Her lips find his and it’s as if there’s an explosion between them, a vibrant burst of rainbow light brightening the room as she slips her fingers into his hair and pulls him closer.

“Killian,” she mumbles against his mouth, though he struggles to pull away from her after a year of knowing he would never see her again. He separates them minutely, his lips still grazing hers slightly as he whispers her own name back to her. “Did we just…?”

He can hardly think of the words that leave her mouth because it’s still so close to his. Rather than responding, he kisses her once more and revels in the feeling of her lips massaging his as she kisses him back. “Aye,” he says against her, keeping her as close as possible.

“I remember,” she whispers into his mouth, and she’s pulling away and looking gleefully confused. “That kiss…?”

“All curses can be broken, love,” he tries to reason.

Expecting to be met with panic and denial, he’s shocked to see some semblance of acceptance in her eyes as she says, “with True Love’s Kiss.”

He smiles at her and cups her cheek in his palm. “You don’t need to say anything, darling. Having you back with me is enough.”

She shocks him more still when she tugs him back to her, her lips crashing into his and her tongue seeking access to his mouth immediately. While their last kiss was soft and slow, this one is wanton and desperate, as if she can’t get him close enough to her.

They should be focused on getting her and Henry back to Storybrooke. Whether their kiss broke the memory curse that made her forget her family, or the Dark Curse that brought them back to the Land Without Magic, he isn’t sure. It’s something they should be trying to figure out. But it’s impossible to focus on that when Emma Swan pulls Killian Jones onto her couch without breaking her lips from his.

She doesn't ever stop kissing him. Not when she pushes his greatcoat off of his shoulders; not when she tugs his blouse over his head; not when she whispers “I love you,” into his mouth. Not when she wipes moisture off of his cheeks before it drips onto her own.

Eventually they break apart, but it’s only when his own lips start to travel down her chin, along her throat, to her exposed chest. She only allows that for so long, sealing them back together and letting him swallow her moan as his fingers find her center. His tongue traces his love for her against her clit until she’s writhing beneath him and begging him to make her his. Obliging, he slides into her easily, fitting perfectly between her thighs and inside her tight core. Their foreheads never part as they make love to each other slowly, with a gentle force that expresses just how one feels about the other.

They reach a precipice together, and he lets himself fall off the edge of the cliff he’s been hanging off of for the last year without her, plunging into the depths of what it is to love her and holding her the whole way down. He’ll never let go again.

There’s a knock on the door hours later, while they’re still bare and covered in only a small blanket. Their time spent sleeping and talking and holding each other and making love some more had to come to an end eventually, and Emma’s realization of who is at the door knocks them back into reality. “It’s Walsh, Henry invited him,” she explains as if he knows who that is, and she stirs from his hold on her.

He tries to pull her so that her back stays put against his chest, but she giggles and pinches his side until he lets go, slipping out from under the small blanket and reaching for her shirt before he can get another good look at her. “I can get rid of him,” he offers.

“No, my memories may not be real, but he is; I at least want to let him down easy.”

He puts the pieces together as he gets dressed himself, only after watching her walk out the door with a promise to return. Walsh must be the man who proposed to her the other night. A sense of worry sets over him as he considers the worst possible outcome. The fact that she could decide to stay with him and send Killian away. Though he doesn't get much of a chance to let this scenario play out in his mind, because he hears a crash from above and rushes upstairs to see Emma alone on the roof, panting and holding a pipe in her hand.

She hurries towards him once he opens the door, crashing into his hold and saying, “I was never safe.”

If there’s one thing he vows now, it’s that she will never feel this way again. He whispers into her ear as they walk down the stairs that they’ll take care of this. They’ll go back to Storybrooke and deal with the threats as they’ll do everything else for as long as she allows: together.

[be-the-creature-fan]

The River by be-the-creatue-fan (Read my first story AIN'T NO TIME LIKE 1969 before reading this story)

Chapter 1

"Martin? What are you doing here again? Dr. Corvado was looking everywhere for you!"

Martin turned around to see who was talking to him.

"Mom?! What are you doing here?"

"It's a good thing that we've found you in time." Linda Kratt said as she grabbed Martin arm and took Martin away from the tomb stone.

"Mom, what are you doing? where are you taking me?"

She didn't say a single word and they both continued walking until they got to the parking lot. There stood an ambulance type vehicle with several doctors and police officers that ran towards him.

"Mom? MOM! What are you doing? what's going on!?"

Linda remained silent but her eyes were starting to water up as the doctors restrained him and shoved him into the back. One of the doctors looked very familiar, Martin looked at the name tag that was on the doctors shirt. Dr Corvado.

"Aviva! Oh man it's so good to see a familiar face!"

But Aviva didn't say a word, and ignored him. Martin being very confused still tried to talk to her, but with no luck.

"Aviva it's me Martin, Me, You, Chris, Koki and Jimmy would go around the world to rescue animals. you're a genius inventor and-"

"Smith! he's speaking crazy talk again, we should probably give him the shot now."

"Alright Corvado he's your patient."

"Wait what shot? Aviva you have to listen to me we were friends you have to beli-"

And just like that Martin was out cold.

Chapter 2

(Flashback to July 20th 1973)

It was what you would call a perfect summer day, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and excitement was still in the air. Chris had just celebrated his 4th birthday and he was still hyped about being another year older, but he was even more excited to go with Martin and his older sisters to the near by river at the place where the whole family camped.

"Bill are you sure Chris is old enough to go with them to that river?"

"Linda, of course he's old enough, they're going to the shallow part of the river, and plus I'll be close by incase the kids need anything."

"Oh alright, have fun you guys!"

As Bill, Martin, his sisters and Chris got closer to the river the more excited Chris became.

"Martin are we there yet?"

"It's going to be awhile until we get there, but don't worry we'll be in there in no time"

But Chris wasn't the most patient kid and decided to run ahead.

"Now Chris don't run to far ahead yah hear!" Bill called out.

"I won't!"

After a while of walking and running they finally made it to the river, only to find it flooded from the storm the night before.

"Welp, looks like we can't go swimming gang"

"WHAT!? But why Daddy?" Chris winned

"Well you see squirt, the river is over flooded, it's too dangerous to go swimming, but, it's not to dangerous to go berry picking" Bill said as he pointed towards some blackberry bushes. "Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Uh I guess" Chris said a little disappointed.

So Martin, his sisters and Chris started picking blackberries close to the river as Bill went fishing just up river not to far from them.

"Man it's hot outside, I'm gonna cool off in the river"

"But Martin, Daddy said to not go in the river because it's to dangerous" Chris said

"Yea, he said it was dangerous for you because your to little"

"I'm not too little, I just turned 4!"

"Yea, and I'm 7 almost 8, I'm technically a man, and I'm old enough to go into the river if I want to."

Chris didn't take that to kindly and wanted to prove that he wasn't the little kid that everybody thought he was. When no one was watching he decided that's when he would make his move to go into the river.

"Chris what are you doing?" Susan said (one of the twin sisters)

Chris didn't respond as he jumped into the river. Chris underestimated the depth and power of the river as he was swept away by the strong current.

"MARTIN! Chris jumped in the river!" "He's getting carried down river!"Both Christine and Susan screamed.

Martin turned around to see Chris's head pop out for a split second, before the current pulled it back down.

"Susan! Go and get Dad! Me and Christine will try to get Chris out!"

Susan ran to get Bill as Martin got out of the river because even he knew that the current was to strong for him.

"MARTIN! HELP ME! *GASP* MOMMA ,PAPA *GASP* SAVE ME!...... save me....." Chris's head went under again.

"CHRIS! NOOOOO!"

(A few hours later)

Mr and Mrs. Kratt, we've found your son's body down river and I regret to inform you that your son didn't make . We are so sorry for your lost. we need-....................................

Martin and his sisters were sitting inside the trailer, he could hear his mom screaming in agony, he looked out the window to see them both crying. That's when Martin knew, but that's not how it was happen, Chris didn't die, he couldn't have died, he didn't die, he didn't die, he didn't die!

(Back in Present day)

Martin woke up to find himself in what seemed to be some sort of jail cell.

"Martin, you awake?"

"Jimmy? Is that you?"

Chapter 3

"Jimmy! Oh my gosh I'm so glad you're here! Where is here anyways"

"We're in some sort of insane esylem, but that's all I know because HOW ON EARTH DID WE GET HERE!!!"

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Well, I was asleep in the Tortuga and the next thing I heard was sombody screaming and when I woke up I ended up here. I saw Aviva but for some reason she didn't respond, it was like she didn't recognize me"

"Wait do you remember Chris being alive?"

"Yea why wouldn't he be alive...unless. What happened while I was asleep?"

Martin explained what had happened to him, Chris's gravestone. the strange dream and how Aviva treated him on his way to the esylem.

"Oh my gosh...OH MY GOSH!"

"Jimmy what is it?"

"Its all wrong, this wasn't supposed to happen, when Chris went to the past, something happened that messed up the space time continuum."

"Well, how are we going to fix it?!"

"I-I don't know, its going to be hard to find the cause of how or what caused this to be our new reality. Time is very complicated stuff."

"Wait, how do you know about this stuff?"

"Martin, I don't just sleep, eat pizza and play video games all day. I usually subcaunsely listen to what Aviva and Koki talk about when it comes to complicated things like time trampolines and such."

"Oh"

"Hey Cell 37! SHUT UP!"

Martin and Jimmy turned to see one of the guards banging his fist on thier cell door. Then they saw the shadows of two other faceless figures before the door opened.

"I don't know how you escaped this time, but we'll make sure that it doesn't happen again yah hear?" The first person said

Martin and Jimmy were very confused as the 2nd figure walked in. Aviva walked in with a huge syringe. That was the last thing both Martin and Jimmy remembered.

Chapter 4

Martin and Jimmy were laying on their bunks. Numb, Cold, Afraid, their heads were pounding and they both were uncontrollable twitching. Martin's eyes began to water from the pain that he felt. Jimmy on the other hand felt anger and rage, his blood began to boil. Jimmy jumped from his bunk and ran to their cell door.

"YOU HEARTLESS SWINE!!! WE'RE NOT THE CRAZY ONES, YOU'RE THE CRAZY BIT-"

"Jimmy?" Martin said with a weak voice. "Was Chris ever alive? Or was I just crazy this whole time?"

"No, Martin, your not crazy, we're not crazy, Chris was alive. He was alive..."

The Next few days were rough for Jimmy and Martin as their hope began to dwindle. Martin kept having the same nightmares of his brother's death as well as having the same horrible dream of him just disappearing from existence like what he had originally witnessed, as the days passed it was getting harder to believe what was true. Jimmy was also going through a rough time. He still felt utterly betrayed by Aviva and missed Koki dearly.

"I wonder where Koki is?"

"Who knows." Martin said kind of miffed

"You know I loved her, right? I-I wanted to tell her how I felt...b-but I was always too chicken, a-and now I might never get the chance."

"Well sucks to be you. At least Koki might be alive somewhere, but guess what, Chris is dead and everyone thinks I'm a looney!"

Jimmy fell silent as he was to angry to say a word.

Weeks turned into months and not a word was spoken.

Until one day Martin overheard a conversation.

"I think I did it!"

"Did what Ms Corvado?"

"Well, for the past couple of years I've been working on a time machine and now I've think I've done it!"

"So she has been working on a time machine" Jimmy said kind of miffed.

"But what good would that do" Martin said feeling rather hopeless "it not like we can fix any of this, or can we..."

(Meanwhile with Chris)

Martin, that was the last thing Chris saw before he felt as if he was drowning. Fear was the last feeling that Chris had before he dissapeared into the abyss.

"Wh-Where am I?"

But the only response he got was an echo. His surroundings were white at first before becoming more clear. The first thing that came into focus was the green grass and the surrounding tombstones, soon more things came into focus he spotted Martin standing infront of one of the tombstones.

"Martin!" Chris yelled as he ran towards his brother to embrace him, but he went right through him.

Martin didn't hear him, he couldn't hear him, he couldn't feel him, Chris was nothing more than a soul.

(I'm putting this story on hold I am so sorry for leaving this on a cliff hanger I just need to think how I'm going to continue the story because honestly I ran out of ideas. Oop)

[valeriemperez]

After the first three episodes, do you think they’ve been trying to hard to be funny to make up for last season? IMO Flash hasn’t spent enough time on the meaningful moments. Also, for future episodes like 4.08, I saw the video of the double wedding and I hope they filmed that in a meaningful way because I can’t imagine WA saying their vows with passion while Diggle is all up in their personal space. I’m gonna need several WA couch scenes to make up for this.

They definitely haven’t been pulling any punches with the jokes, but it hasn’t reached try-hard levels for me. And I have seen very meaningful moments in each episode: Iris telling Barry “I don’t know what I would do if this is all that’s left” made me tear up in 4.01, their talk about “We are the Flash” was lovely in 4.02, Barry and Joe talking about memories of home and Cisco telling Harry he’s family were both lovely in 4.03.

There are a few scenes that missed the mark, like Wally’s send-off, but that’s the only plot so far that I think was a fail. But I also hope the double wedding scene is filmed in a meaningful way. But remember we haven’t seen the actual filming of it - since the cameras are no doubt all up in their faces for that and we can’t even see our actors’ expressions in the rehearsals.

I’m surprised you think the Joecile pregnancy is real? You’re just going with it huh 😂 I’m praying it’s the writers fucking with us…I can’t with old man Joe having a baby before Barry.

We actually discuss our Joecile pregnacy theories on the podcast this week! Suffice it to say, I’m allowing for the possibility of her to actually be pregnant and have the baby, but I’m also allowing for her not to be. It doesn’t really matter to me either way, though, because no matter what I expect it to be foreshadowing for the West-Allen babies.

4.05 looks like it will be fun! (Of course I’m seeing complaining because that what this fandom does but whatever. Sure it sucks Linda isn’t around, but Iris doesn’t seem to care that much). I’m lowkey hoping that pregnancy is a false alarm because how much fun is a newly pregnant lady with a high risk pregnancy at a bachelorette party? I’m glad you’re enjoying the season so far, I am too and it’s nice to see positivity ❤️

I’m pretending Iris cares offscreen, or that Linda is in fact around and just busy, haha. But I can’t base my feelings on a guest star from two seasons ago not being here, no matter how much I love her. A false alarm is much preferable and far more likely than a miscarriage, so I agree with you.

I know fans are upset about the double wedding and it’s understandable. However, there is literally nothing we do. Its been shot. The most can be having low to zero expectations. Or taking a hiatus to get away from fandom(s) - Arrow including because there tends to be some WA/OF spats. The wedding is not going to be executed the way we wanted it to be. Fans gotta find a way to accept it and try enjoy some or any parts they can find tolerable. 😊

Pretty much. I’ve already moved onto the acceptance phase, most likely because I’m 90% satisfied with the season so far.

I’m on your side here, I’m happy we’re hearing the full set of vows from Barry and Iris at all, I don’t really care about the double wedding part. I mean, I’m not thrilled with the idea, but it’s happening so deal with it? That seems to be an unpopular opinion though 😂. I’m sure we’ll still see part of the church and there’s nothing stopping 4.09 from having a reception type party with everyone.

Exactly. For me, hoping they get through as much of the wedding as possible before an interruption was for the sake of missing out. It’s not like the camera is gonna be trained on OF during WA’s vows, so I’m not worried about that. I fully believe the showrunners love their ship, so I think we’ll get something nice even if it’s not a full-on reception including random peeps WA met two seasons ago.

Sounds like a mess to me. Having dark!Barry express that what he really wants is to be with Iris. From my understanding the issue ended by more or less saying these future kids aren’t necessarily going to happen and they probably won’t show up again. Still a stupid storyline and I’m a little pissed DC comics agreed to have it be done.

It was a mess, and you are correct on how it ended. Considering it was Hitch’s last arc on a run that was largely considered a dumpster fire, I am sure no other writer will pick it up.

Sorry I’m still confused. After the future kids save them with all hope the whole league (including Barry) accepts and wants these kids to be their future kids? Or does Barry and the rest decide the kids are part of a future they don’t want? This isn’t you by the way, the storyline sounds like a MESS.

No, they don’t want these future kids. They just randomly remember that alternate universes and divergent worlds exist, and these kids will be just fine wherever they come from even if they’re not our kids. So they’re like, “May our future will include y’all, but most likely not. Don’t worry, though, you guys are totally real where you come from!”

Did Barry and Jessica at least have a awkward “welp that was fun but lets never have kids okay?” Or did the writer sweep it under the rug and just ignore the whole thing? I’m confused tho….did the ending make it firm that these future kids aren’t coming back?

They didn’t even speak to each other at the end, so it’s more like they swept it under the rug and ignored it. And the ending implied the kids would never come back, and that it was a totally random future. Considering that Bart is showing up in Super Sons in January, I don’t think we need to worry.

[glenngaylord]

AND THE REST - CAPSULE FILM REVIEWS FOR 2019

I see a lot of movies but don’t always have time to write a comprehensive review for every one of them.  By catching up on screenings and screeners these past few weeks, I’ve managed to compile a small batch of artisanal, locally-sourced capsule reviews.  While less wordy than usual, you still get my clever/groan-inducing titles, one to five star ratings, and their placement on the Gay Scale.  So start your New Year’s Resolutions off right with these bite-sized morsels.  

The Aging Of Innocence - Capsule Review: The Irishman ★★★★1/2

So much ink has been spilled about Martin Scorsese’s latest gangster epic, with naysayers lamenting the lack of strong female roles and supporters getting swept away by its grand presentation.  While I also missed a Sharon Stone, a Sandra Bernhard, or a Lorraine Bracco in the mix, I loved this film.  With a masterful script by Steve Zaillian, it deconstructs the genre, starting with its Goodfellas-like steadicam shot through a nursing home, to its mournful third act, which achingly lays out the consequences for this band of murderous thugs. With great performances from DeNiro, Pacino, and Pesci and a fascinating exploration of male ego and hubris, I’m in the camp who saw it twice and never felt its 3 1/2 hour length.  The de-aging CGI work may have proven a little distracting at times, but I’m glad each actor had the chance to be their characters throughout.  

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Performance Of A Lifetime Movie - Capsule Review: Harriet ★★1/2

Despite an extraordinary performance by Cynthia Erivo as legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, there’s no getting around Director Kasi Lemmons’ surprising lack of imagination in depicting her life.  Her earlier films suggest a strong and unique visual sense, but everything here plays out like an uninspired, standard coverage, bullet points overview we’re used to seeing in Lifetime movies.  Still, Tubman remains such an important part of history and Erivo truly delivers, so see it but don’t expect cinematic greatness.  Not helping matters is Terence Blanchard, Spike Lee’s talented, longtime composer,  who contributes the most intrusive, overblown score of the year.  

 Faster, Speed Racer! Thrill! Thrill! - Capsule Review: Ford v Ferrari ★★★1/2

Proving they still make them like they used to, James Mangold delivers an old-fashioned true story detailing the competition between the two automotive companies to win the 1966 Le Mans. The film nails it glorious technicolor aesthetic and offers vibrant performances by Christian Bale, Matt Damon, and in one of my favorite film moments of the year, Tracy Letts with the most unexpected and wonderful crying scene.  A pity its lack of character development doesn’t justify its extended running time, but for a movie-movie, you could do a lot worse.  

Days And Days And Days Of Hell - Capsule Review: A Hidden Life ★★★1/2

After the one-two punch of Badlands and Days Of Heaven, the world waited 20 years for Terrence Malick to return with another masterpiece.  Since then, he’s made films of quality but seems to keep spinning his wheels with the same whispered voiceovers, endless nature photography, and barely there narratives.  I’m happy to report that his latest, based on the true struggles of a pacifist during Hitler’s reign, has a real narrative tucked inside his usual bag of tricks.  Yes, every shot is awe-inspiring, but it takes 180 minutes to tell 90 minutes of story.  Still, he’s carved out his own cinematic niche and this time has something profound to say about the human condition.  

  All’s Quite Dire On The Western Front - Capsule Review: Little Woods ★★★1/2

Tessa Thompson delivers a raw, quietly powerful performance as a parolee whose desperate financial circumstances point to a return to drug dealing in her small North Dakota town.  Along with her sister, played by a lovely Lily James, they try to earn enough money to keep possession of their late mother’s house.  Firmly planted in that “low key, indie Sundance” style along the lines of Winter’s Bone and Frozen River,  it may not break new ground, but this deadly serious, hope-deprived story feels like America today, for better or for worse.  

End This Already! - Capsule Review: Terminator: Dark Fate ★★

As much as I loved seeing another triad of strong women in a film (a nod to the Halloween sequel last year), and as sexy as Gabriel Luna is as the latest killing machine, I just didn’t care for a second what was happening onscreen.  Despite some fun action set pieces, none of them have stuck with me.  I loved having Linda Hamilton’s gravely, mature butch energy coupled with Mackenzie Davis’ tough, baby butch energy, and I prefer seeing Schwarzenegger in this role than as Governor, but this franchise needs to…um…terminate.  

Jeez (Thelma and) Louise! - Capsule Review: Queen & Slim ★★★

Road movies sometimes have problematic screenplays due to their often rambling and random structures.  While Queen & Slim tells an important story about the perils black Americans face during a routine traffic stop, its forward momentum as a fugitive tale loses steam and credibility every time our leads (a fantastic Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya) stop to make love, ride horses, visit relatives, or go dancing.  Although Melina Matsoukas delivers a striking directorial debut, Lena Waithe’s script, which still cuts to the bone, could have used a logic pass before going into production.  She tries hard to jump through many hoops and sometimes hits many cultural zeitgeist bullseyes, but its just misses the mark due to a lack of narrative urgency.  

(Sun)Dance Fever - Capsule Review: Brittany Runs A Marathon ★★★

Maybe it’s the altitude or the need to justify the expense of going to a film festival during a blizzard, but this movie, which won the Sundance Audience Award and started an intense bidding war, plays out like a pleasant, indie version of Trainwreck.   Amy Schumer-a-like, Jillian Bell, delivers a fine performance as an unmotivated mess who changes her life by, well, look at the title of the film for chrissakes!  While definitely sweet, elliptical, inspirational but somehow forgettable, it gets points for getting out of scenes faster than most films of its type, for its oddly off-the-cuff but funny final moment, and especially for a devastating sequence in which Brittany decimates a heavy woman.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Adoptive Behavior - Capsule Review: Luce ★★★1/2

Kelvin Harrison Jr. excels as Luce, an adopted American teen whose past as an Eritrean child soldier calls into question whether he’s a terrorist sociopath or the perfect high school valedictorian.  With fantastic support from Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and especially Octavia Spenser as a History teacher with a healthy distrust of Luce, Harrison’s unnerving performance keeps you guessing up through the very last, chilling frame.  

High Tide/Low Tide - Capsule Review: Waves ★★★1/2

Playing another teen who can’t live up to society’s expectations, Kelvin Harrison Jr. electrifies again in Troy Edward Schults’ fluidly directed, unconventional drama.  Unfortunately, while the first half has tremendous power as we watch this young man’s total flameout, the second half loses considerable steam.  Still worth a look for the vivid performances, the great cinematography, and the elliptical storytelling style.  

A Different Kind Of Thing - Capsule Review: I Lost My Body ★★★1/2

Jérémy Clapin’s award winning animated feature uses a fractured timeline to tell the story of a severed hand which seeks to reunite with its host, a lonely Pizza Delivery Man. Prior to whatever event led to his amputation, he stalks a young woman he grows to love.  While the characters may seem cold and distant, a palpable sense of longing permeates every frame of this fascinating film.  I would have preferred a less obtuse ending, but this is French existentialism, so don’t expect an Addam’s Family tone or a completely filled-in storytelling experience.  

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Black Savior - Capsule Review: Just Mercy ★★★

This true story of a black attorney who, in the late 80s/early 90s attempts to exonerate black death row inmates, features vibrant performances by Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx and a refreshing lack of a white savior.  Think about it.  Had this been made in the 90s, Kevin Kline would have starred, truth be damned.  While strong, especially in its depiction of a man bravely advocating for his community, it suffers from a very 90s presentation.  Still, what it lacks in a true filmmaker’s voice, it more than makes up for it with good old-fashioned storytelling and an offbeat, charming chemistry between our two leads.

Cool One-Handed Luke - Capsule Review: Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker ★★★1/2

As a casual Star Wars fan, I’m less steeped in the lore and more invested in the Saturday matinee whiz bang, kinetic action of the franchise.  I really don’t know a Boba Fett from a Bib Fortuna, and that’s ok.  Sure, it may undo a lot of plot elements The Last Jedi laid out and has an annoying habit of refusing to let dead characters stay dead or in one case actually die at all, but I just loved the quest for the macguffin in order to kill the Big Bad.  It’s fun, easy to follow, and has spirited performances from our leads, especially Oscar Isaac, who has more than a touch of Harrison Ford’s charisma.  It has an unpretentious quality that feels less like a grand finale and more like a good resting place before the inevitable continuations in some form or another.  Major “Boo! Hiss!” for its handling of Keri Russell, Lupita Nyong’o and Kellie Marie Tran, who get the eyes only, barely there, sidelined treatment respectively…and I see you Pixar Lamp disguised as a new droid!  I see you!

Killing Me Hardly - Capsule Review: Clemency ★★★

Intentionally austere and drab, Clemency features a fine, brittle performance by Alfre Woodard as a Prison Warden who gets more and more affected by the executions she oversees. Aldis Hodge also excels here as the next inmate on Woodard’s list.  A quiet, moody, visually disciplined film with so much to read in between the lines, it’s still a bit of a slog, although Woodard plays drunk better than most actors.  So come for the Johnny Walker Black but stay if you’re in a contemplative mood.  

All Children Left Behind - Capsule Review: One Child Nation ★★★★

What this Sundance Grand Prize Jury Award-winning documentary may lack in filmmaking technique, it more than makes up for it emotionally in this harrowing accounting of China’s decades spanning but now defunct One-Child Policy.  Showing the issue from many points of view, the law may have seemed like a good idea for population control, but quickly descended into forced abortions and sterilizations, kidnappings, abandonment, destruction of property, separation of families, and lives ruined.  A heartbreaking look at what happens when women don’t have control over their bodies and the patriarchy exerts its power over a population.  The chilling propaganda on display and the faces of those who suffered make for a terrifying, unforgettable, and highly relevant film.  This brutal policy began in 1979 and ended in 2015, just a few years ago.  Think about that.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Industrial Resolution - Capsule Review: The Aeronauts ★★1/2

The somewhat true story of a balloonist (Felicity Jones) and a meteorologist (Eddie Redmayne) who team up to soar higher than anyone has before in order to better predict the weather, is oddly threadbare and plays out like a 19th century Gravity. It does feature some thrilling set pieces and stellar cinematography by George Steel. While you truly feel the cold and agonize over the increasingly dire circumstances, the air isn’t the only thing that’s thin here.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Achy Breaky Bloody Bastard Heart - Capsule Review: Wild Rose ★★★1/2

Directed and shot by the same people who made The Aeronauts, Jessie Buckley earns her bonafides as a Scottish parolee, complete with ankle bracelet, who aspires to make it as a country singer in Nashville.  While breaking no new ground with its “Quaint Little UK Village” vibe we’ve seen a gazillion times before, its success rests squarely on Buckley’s more than capable shoulders and a wonderful final song written by none other than Mary Steenburgen.  It also features fine work by Julie Walters and Sophie Okonedo.  Still, as unlikely as they make it seem for a non-American to make it in the country music world, I wanted to shout “Keith Urban” repeatedly at the screen!  

Rust Belt Blues And Reds - Capsule Review: American Factory ★★★★

Maybe because I grew up in Ohio and witnessed firsthand the decline of the auto industry, this incredible documentary about a shuttered GM plant in Dayton getting a new life from an anti-Union Chinese billionaire ranks among the year's finest. Like a slow-moving pileup, the film builds and builds towards an inevitable crash. With sit-down interviews relegated to voiceovers, this scrupulous film makes you care about the people it follows while taking you on a fascinating cross-cultural journey. The fact that the filmmakers had access to all of the parties involved comes across as a miracle. It’s impossible to forget the distraught workers’ reactions every step of the way.

Currently streaming on Netflix.  

Mini Driver - Capsule Review: The Report ★★★

There’s a really good film about the amoral detention and torture tactics sanctioned by the George W. Bush presidency and it’s called Zero Dark Thirty.  Meanwhile, The Report, plays out like a dull, disconnected melding of Spotlight and All The President’s Men as we watch Adam Driver’s depiction of Daniel Jones under the auspices of Senator Dianne Feinstein (a fine but fairly one-note Annette Bening) put together an unwieldy report to expose the government’s tactics.  While Driver does well and shows great passion and alacrity with his bulky speeches, the whole film feels like a slow-cooked beef chili served at a Vegan Barbecue.  It just kind of sits there.  

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.  

[spotlightsaga]

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Orange is the New Black (S05E13) Storm-y Weather Airdate: June 9, 2017 @oitnb Ratings: @netflix original Score: 8/10 **********SPOILERS BELOW********** What now? Watching an OITNB finale is a bit like the next day after a great roll... You had a great time, and emotionally you're drained, there's a bit of magic still floating around in the air, you wonder will happen next... But in a way, you're kind of sad that it's all over. And of course, you're too stunned to do much of anything except furrow your brow like James Franco attempting to show any simple range of emotion beyond 'stoned'. Until next time, right? The best thing about the end of OITNB5 is the fact that we know it's going to come back for a 6th & 7th season, but with the massively radical shakeup we saw happen here in S5... There's never been a time in the series' history that we have been in such a place where we don't even have a slight inkling of an idea as to what is coming next. Over the course of 4 years and 5 seasons, we've seen characters come, go, pass, come back again, disappear into MAX, and some that have more of a final ending. It's safe to say that as tragic as the S5 ending was, as we saw best friends, lovers, and feelings as safe & simple as familiarity being separated and hauled off into different vans, going god knows where, at least we don't have to deal with another loss like the magnitude we dealt with at the end of S4. It took hours of sobbing and patting my back just to come back to reality and stop crying after that one. We have praised S5 for featuring new characters, as well old characters in a different way... As well as experimentation with new types of storytelling and even head-first dives into different genres just to give the series a fresh beat. It's hard to believe that all this happened in just a 3-Day timespan... Technically we've spent years with some of these women, but never has the series reached such heights in tension as it did here. One again, I feel it pertinent to mention that I'm just glad they decided to not put me in a situation where I could possibly cry like a baby for hours on end. I always knew that this riot would never end well for any of the women, and by E12 when everyone was having their personal revelations and epiphanies as to where they stood in life and with each other, I immediately sensed that they'd all be ripped apart from one another. No way things could be this harmonious with such an ugly consequences hanging above like dark pulpy rain clouds just waiting to burst over all of their heads. I'm not going to lie, there was a part of me that thought someone was going to die (as there usually is a major death in every season), but I was relieved when we were delivered the death of Piscatella instead of a beloved inmate. With Piscatella dead and Angie (Julie Lake) & Leanne (Emma Myles) redeeming their 'bad girl' ways... A majority of which was spent reeking havoc throughout Litchfield, torturing Pensatucky (Taryn Manning), putting on 'Litchfield's Got Talent', and raping CO Stratman (Evan Hall), all by wiping everyone's slate clean in a fire burning everyone's records... It looks like maybe Maria's (Jessica Pimentel) attempt at stealing all the hard work Gloria (Selenis Leyva) put in to moving the guards from 'Spanish Harlem' to 'Poo', by way of cutting a hole in the fence, actually payed off. The additional time Piscatella recommended will most likely never be added on to her sentence and she actually got to hold her baby. As mad as I was at Ruiz in that moment, I couldn't help but shed a tear or two. She made a snap decision, did what she had to do, and actually achieved something from it... Whether this will be only for a short term prize or even as something as big as a sentence reduction, we'll have to wait and see... But even though MCC isn't exactly the keepers of words or showers of good faith, Nita (Gita Reddy) did show that she was appreciate of Maria's sacrifice. That little hint of empathy that Nita let us all see had to count for something, at least I hope for Maria's sake that it does. Just as Pensatucky was once a fearless leader of many and fell to the 'Litchfield Pariah', Maria's decisions will land her in a similar path. I have absolutely zero doubts about that. And now... 'The 10 Count' and other wild inconsistencies of the 5th season of OITNB... Because as great as OITNB can be, it's never without its faults. There were powerul performances throughout this season... Uzo Adbua, Danielle Brooks, Selenis Leyva, Adrienne C Moore, Beth Dover, Miriam Morales, Rosal Colon, Dale Soules, Vicky Jeudy, Julie Lake & Emmy Myles... And some breakout performances by Francesca Curran, Daniella De Jesus, Asia Kate Dillon, and Kelly Karbacz... While Kimiko Glenn, Laura Gomez, Amanda Stephen, Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Lea DeLaria, Diane Guerrero and Jackie Cruz felt wildly under utilized and other extremely talented women were either lost in the shuffle or given small or subplots that won't see greatness born from them until further into the series. Alas, at least the seeds were planted. Even the incredibly talented Taryn Manning went massively underused, but it feels like that they are setting her up for a proper story arc in S6, so at least she'll have her moment soon. Ending her arc in S5 in the Guard House with Coates, snuggled up with her rapist under a blanket, makes for endless possibilities to spiral a psychologist's wet dream of a character study. Obviously the cast of OITNB is massive and not everyone can have large chunks of time devoted to complete character arcs that tie in heavily to the main narrative, but then again women like Uzo Aduba & Beth Dover were still able to take the time and scenes they were given and steal the spotlight, making the most of a short amount of time. It's up to these women, as character actresses, to really take it all the way... But it's also up the writers to give them something worthwhile to chew on and hang onto. And while there is plenty to discuss at the end of S5, not all of it is good. Like many other writers, bloggers, reviewers, and fans... We did the math and we are a bit confused on the '10 count' of missing ladies the men who violently and haphazardly stormed the women's prison turned temporary castle shouted out when attempting to tell Caputo and MCC the progress of the raid. Even with Linda being accounted for, we're not sure where that number came from... Just a small example of short-sighted missteps we occasionally see from an otherwise talented writing team. Also, as a Drug & Harm Reduction activist, I'm not sure why Cindy giving Suzanne a few Lithium pills (which I was under the impression she was prescribed anyway) would ever result in a coma like state needing as something as extreme as an EpiPen. It was just a short stick that wasn't thought through that was inserted into the finale for some additional drama and to get Taystee, Cindy and Suzanne in Frieda's abandoned pool turned bunker. It was sloppy and we at Spotlight Saga condemn any storylines that promote ignorance or false information about chemicals and drugs. Simply put, OITNB is better than that. However, it's hard to deny how beautiful that end result was... Seeing these women who once were so stuck in a pattern of self-segregation stand together, holding each other's hands with grace and dignity brings tears to my eyes as I merely picture the scene writing about it. That picture was worth far more than a thousand words, carried a beautiful message, but could have been achieved without compromising any artistic or factual integrity. I don't aim to cheapen the moment, it was beautiful, and I anxiously await the outcome with a heavy heart. Unfortunately I must steer the conversation back to inconsistencies because I truly believe that OITNB is also better than to not have MCC know that Linda from Purchasing was there at the time of the riots or had at least gone missing around the starting time of these riots. This is the type of woman who'd show up for work, even on the weekends. Maybe this was to give characters and fans satisfaction at the end when they all claimed to work for MCC to make Linda look crazy... But honestly, even though I understand their feelings of betrayal, you would think at least Boo would buy what she was selling. I did. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like Linda grew copious amounts during the short time that S5 took place and actually meant what she said when she promised she would do her part to incite change amongst the prison system. If they treated her right at the end, they could have had a great ally. Now... I'm thinking not so much. If I was Linda, I wouldn't be too pleased with any of those women. I feel like another potential beautiful moment, future or otherwise, was compromised for comedy and unnecessary comeuppance. If it's any consolation, Beth Dover, you were absolutely amazing this season and we have our eye on you and Danielle Brooks for any end of the year awards, such as one we've already locked in favor of Uzo Aduba's incredibly nuance performance throughout the entirety of S5. Regardless of any short sighted plot stick, surely the events of S5 will bring about change to more than just where inmates are shipped after the riot. While OITNB is fictional, New York law states that 'Riot in the First Degree' is a Class E Felony, which doesn't carry much weight, but will still ensure that most of these women, especially those that were public symbols during the riot, will have a few years tacked on to their sentence. I'm actually hoping the plan is to clear the prison, clean it, and then ship most of the important women and characters back to Litchfield to carry on their storylines in a similar fashion under new circumstances. Whatever happens, things are going to be different... But as the series ended on the women left inside Litchfield in the pool as the rest of the prison had been swept and cleared, fading to orange, leaving their fates hanging in the air... I think the main thing we are left hoping for is that none of our favorite women that remain in that lineup are hurt or killed and taken away from us forever. Overall, S5 was a mostly successful season of OITNB... But baby, this doesn't have anything on S4 and the epic rise and fall of one of the greatest characters of Litchfield Women's Prison... The woman whose demise started this whole thing... Poussey Washington. We miss you, Samira Wiley. You were so incredible, so inspirational, your unjust and untimely exit caused a series to be turned upside down on its head. Until S6, guys. You know we'll be there!