#but can’t believe they’re gonna be in live action

[inseobts]

Bet

sabo x gn!reader

you meet your childhood rival and crush again after thinking you've lost him forever.

words count: 1.2k

tags: spoilers about sabo(?), rivalry, childhood crush, romance, humour, angst, gender neutral

masterlist || ko-fi

The wind rustles through the trees of Dawn Island, carrying the scent of salt and adventure. You stand at the edge of the forest, hands on your hips, glaring at Sabo. He glares right back, that infuriating smirk on his face.

“You’re gonna lose” he taunts, tossing an apple in the air and catching it effortlessly.

“Tch, in your dreams, rich boy” you snap, crouching into position. The goal is simple: first one to reach the river and back wins. But to you and Sabo, this is war.

Ace and Luffy sit on the sidelines, watching the two of you like a live-action play.

“Why do they always do this?” Luffy mumbles, stuffing his face with meat.

Ace snickers “Because they’re stupid kids. And because Sabo’s trying to impress y/n.”

Luffy tilts his head “I thought he hated them?”

Ace shakes his head “Nope. The other day he told me he’s gonna marry y/n one day.”

Luffy almost chokes “What?! But they’re always fighting! And where was I??”

Ace grins “You were sleeping like the baby you are. Anyway y/n has no idea, so it's a secret”

You, of course, don’t hear this conversation. All you hear is the count.

“Three… two… one—GO!”

You and Sabo take off, kicking up dirt. You’re fast, but he’s faster. He always is. It infuriates you. But you push yourself harder, determination burning in your chest. For a split second, you think you might actually win...

Then Sabo’s hand grips your wrist, yanking you back just enough for him to sprint ahead.

“YOU CHEATER!” you shriek.

“Work smarter, not harder!” he calls back, laughing.

He reaches the finish line first, arms raised in victory. You arrive seconds later, seething.

“You’re the worst” you growl.

Sabo winks “And yet, you keep challenging me.”

You huff, turning away. You’ll beat him next time.

Sabo is dead...

The words shatter something inside you. First, he went missing. Then he was gone. Just like that.

You sit on the shore, watching the waves crash against the rocks. You don’t cry, not in front of Ace and Luffy. But at night, when no one can hear, you let the tears fall.

He was supposed to be here. He was supposed to grow up with you, to keep annoying you, to keep winning. You were supposed to beat him at least once.

But now you never will.

So you make a decision. You can't lose another one of your friends, so you’ll fight for Luffy. You’ll help him reach his dream. And maybe, just maybe, that will be enough to at least try fill the hole in your heart.

The world shifts beneath your feet.

You stare, mouth slightly open, heart hammering against your ribs.

Sabo.

Alive.

He grins at Luffy, ruffling his hair, and your chest tightens. This isn’t real. It can’t be. But then his eyes find yours, and the grin falters.

“y/n…”

Your breath catches. He looks older, stronger, but those blue eyes are the same. And they’re looking at you like he’s seeing a ghost.

You don’t think. You act.

With a sharp inhale, you march up to him and punch him square in the face.

Luffy cackles. Koala gasps. Sabo stumbles, rubbing his jaw “Ow. Okay. I deserved that.”

“You’re damn right you did!” you snap, fists clenched “You let us believe you were dead, you absolute asshole!”

He has the audacity to chuckle “Well, technically, I didn’t know I was alive, either.”

You glare “That’s not funny.”

His expression softens “No. It’s not.” He hesitates, then steps closer. “I… I missed you, y/n.”

You swallow hard “Yeah, well. You have a shitty way of showing it.”

Luffy slings an arm around both of you “This is great! Now we can all hang out again!”

Your eyes narrow “I don’t think I want to hang out with him.”

Sabo smirks “Holding a grudge? Come on, I thought you’d grow up by now.”

You scoff “Oh, please. I can still kick your ass.”

“Oh?” He raises an eyebrow “Wanna bet?”

And just like that, it begins again.

It starts small.

An arm-wrestling match at the bar.

“You’ve got noodle arms, Sabo.”

He grins “And yet, I still win.”

A stupid dare.

“I dare you to flirt with the next person who walks in.”

You do. Sabo sulks the rest of the night.

And then the others get involved.

Koala, amused by the whole ordeal, makes a bet with Luffy “I say one of them confesses first.”

Luffy tilts his head “Confess what?”

Franky laughs “About their feelings”

Luffy’s eyes widen “Oh! Sabo’s gonna lose, then.”

Everyone stares.

“Wait” Nami leans in, hoping he knows something that can make her win that bet “why are you so sure?”

“Yeah,” Luffy shrugs “He’s been saying he’d marry y/n since we were kids.”

Silence.

Then, chaos.

You and Sabo, oblivious, continue your stupid challenges. But now, the crew is watching closely, waiting for one of you to slip.

And maybe, just maybe, one of you will.

Sabo leans against the railing of the Sunny, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips “Admit it, y/n. You can’t win anything against me.”

You scoff, tightening your grip on the barrel of sake in front of you “You wish, rich boy” you glare at him, cheeks already warm from the last round “Next bet.”

The crew has gathered around, eagerly watching as you and Sabo go head-to-head once again. This time, it’s a drinking contest, and things are getting interesting.

Luffy, sitting cross-legged beside Franky, grins “Sabo’s totally gonna lose.”

Nami chuckles, taking a sip of her own drink “You think so?”

“He might win the challanges buy he always loses when it comes to y/n, I don't think that changed” Luffy says casually.

Robin smirks “You mean when it comes to his feelings?”

Luffy tilts his head. The crew groans.

Meanwhile, you slam your cup down, staring Sabo dead in the eye. “Still standing.”

He raises an eyebrow “Barely.”

You roll your eyes and gesture toward him “Your turn, hotshot.”

Sabo picks up his drink, but instead of drinking it right away, he grins “Let’s raise the stakes.”

You narrow your eyes “I’m listening.”

“If I win, you do whatever I say for a day.”

You scoff “Please. And if I win?”

His smirk falters for a split second before he recovers “Same deal. I’m yours for a day.”

The crew collectively gasps.

Zoro chokes on his drink. Sanji drops his cigarette. Nami leans forward in delight.

You blink, caught off guard. But then your competitive nature kicks in, and you smirk “Fine. You’re on.”

You both down your drinks at the same time, and for a while, the match is even. But then you see it, Sabo’s fingers tighten around the glass. His eyelids droop for a second too long.

He’s reaching his limit.

You grin triumphantly “You can't win this one, I've trained with Zoro for years... And looks like you’re about to pass out, rich boy.”

Zoro, now at your side smirks.

Sabo felt a feeling of jealousy but he tries his best to stay composed and chuckles, setting his cup down “Nah. Just taking my time.”

But Koala, standing off to the side, shakes her head “He’s done.”

Sabo groans “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

The crew erupts into cheers as you throw your arms in the air “Ha! Suck it, Sabo!”

Sabo sighs, rubbing his temples “Alright, alright. A bet’s a bet. What’s your request, oh mighty victor?”

You pretend to think, tapping your chin. Then, with a mischievous grin, you say, “You have to compliment me every time you speak to me tomorrow.”

The crew howls with laughter.

Sabo groans “You’re evil.”

“You love it” you tease.

His eyes flicker with something unreadable, and for a split second, you swear his smirk softens.

“Maybe” he murmurs, too quiet for you to catch.

The next morning, you wake up to the best sound in the world... Sabo suffering.

“Good morning, Sabo!” you chirp, stretching.

He groans from where he’s sitting, nursing a cup of coffee “Good morning, y/n… my shining spirit of the seas.”

Luffy bursts out laughing “You sound so weird.”

Sabo sighs “I hate this already.”

“Oh, come on,” you say, grinning “That’s not very enthusiastic.”

Sabo pinches the bridge of his nose “You’re breathtakingly annoying.”

Nami snickers “That counts.”

All day, Sabo follows through with his punishment.

“Wow, y/n, your swordsmanship is as graceful as a swan in flight.”

“You’re incredibly skilled at eating three plates of food in record time.”

“I have never met someone as stubbornly determined to make my life miserable as you, and it’s truly awe-inspiring.”

By the time the sun begins to set, he’s exhausted. You, on the other hand, are having the time of your life.

“Admit it” you tease, nudging his shoulder “You’re enjoying this.”

Sabo rolls his eyes, but his smirk is back “You’re impossible.”

“But?”

He hesitates.

But before he can respond, Sanji appears with drinks, and the moment passes.

The crew finally make the bet official: who will confess first?

Koala places her money on Sabo “He’s been head over heels since they were kids.”

Zoro shrugs “y/n’s just as bad.”

Luffy, grinning, throws in his input “But I told you that Sabo already kinda confessed years ago! When we were little, he told Ace who told me that one day, he’ll give y/n their favourite candy ring and make them his spouse!”

Meanwhile, you and Sabo continue your rivalry, completely unaware of how obvious your feelings have become.

But one of you is bound to crack first.

And when that happens?

Well.

The real fun begins.

The next few days on the Sunny are torture.

Things between you have shifted. It’s subtle, but it’s there, the way his gaze lingers on you a little too long, the way your heartbeat picks up whenever he’s near. And, of course, the infuriating way your crewmates won’t stop watching, waiting for one of you to slip.

Sabo, to his credit, acts like everything is normal. You? Not so much.

“Oi, y/n, you okay?” Zoro asks one afternoon, watching you repeatedly stab a piece of meat with your fork.

You blink “Huh? Yeah. Why?”

“You’re massacring your food,” he deadpans.

Sanji, setting down a fresh plate, grins “they’re just distracted. I wonder why~”

You shoot him a glare “Shut up.”

The cook winks “Don’t worry, my beauty, I support you.”

You groan, dropping your fork. Across the deck, Sabo is laughing at something Koala said, and you swear she catches your eye on purpose before smirking.

This is a nightmare.

“Alright, it’s time.”

Nami’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts. She and Robin sit around a small pile of gold, each with amused smirks.

“Time for what?” you ask warily.

Koala arrives and grins putting some gold as the others, “Final bets.”

Luffy perks up “Oh! We’re picking who confesses first!”

You freeze “Excuse me?”

Robin chuckles “Come now, y/n. Surely you’ve noticed.”

You open your mouth, ready to deny it, but then Zoro speaks.

“You like him.”

Sanji nods “And he likes you.”

Franky grins “It’s so obvious!”

You sputter “I—what?! No, he doesn’t!”

Nami raises an eyebrow “Luffy literally told us Sabo planned to marry you.”

Your face burns “Luffy told me after we thought Sabo died, but that was years ago! We were kids!”

Brook chuckles “Love has a funny way of surviving, even through death.”

The words hit you harder than you expect.

Even through death.

For a moment, you say nothing. The memory of seeing his boat burn, of grief so deep it drowned you, flashes through your mind. The nights spent staring at the sea, whispering his name into the void. The years spent forcing yourself to move forward, never allowing yourself to dwell on what could have been.

But now, he’s here. Alive. And the feelings you buried long ago are clawing their way back to the surface.

“…I need some air.”

Without another word, you turn and leave.

You don’t realize Sabo follows you until you hear his voice.

“Running away from a challenge? That’s not like you.”

You sigh, not turning around “Not now, Sabo.”

But he doesn’t leave. Instead, he steps closer, leaning against the railing beside you “Alright. Then let’s not talk about their bet.”

Silence stretches between you. The ocean glows under the moonlight, waves lapping softly against the Sunny’s hull.

Finally, you break the silence.

“I thought you were dead.”

Sabo stiffens. You don’t look at him, keeping your eyes on the horizon.

“For years,” you continue, voice steady but heavy, “I had to live with the idea that you were gone. That I would never see you again. And it hurt.”

He doesn’t say anything, so you keep going.

“Do you know what that kind of pain feels like?” you whisper “To lose someone without a body to bury? To stay up at night, wondering if maybe, just maybe, for some miracle, they survived, but knowing you're just to yourself about it?”

Sabo’s hands tighten into fists “…I do.”

That makes you finally look at him. His face is shadowed, but his expression is raw “I didn’t remember my past before the Revolutionaries,” he admits “Not until I saw what happened to Ace. And when the memories came back…” He swallows “I realised many things. I realised I couldn’t save Ace, that I couldn’t help you and Luffy… that I had left you behind.”

Your breath catches.

“I don’t have an excuse,” he says “But I know this... When I got my memories back I realised that I missed you like crazy, y/n. More than I can ever put into words.”

His voice shakes, and suddenly, the air between you feels different. He isn’t teasing, isn’t smirking... he’s serious.

You take a slow step forward “Then why didn’t you say anything? From the start, you acted like nothing happened.”

Sabo meets your gaze “Because I didn’t think I deserved to.”

Your heart clenches “That’s stupid.”

He laughs, but it’s soft, almost sad “Maybe.”

You exhale sharply “You should have told me.”

“I know.”

“I hated you”

“I don’t blame you.”

You take another step “But I also...” You hesitate, then shake your head “Dammit, Sabo.”

He smiles faintly “That’s my name.”

And suddenly, you’re done. Done with the games, the teasing, the bets.

You grab his collar and yank him down, pressing your lips against his.

Sabo freezes.

For a moment, everything is still. Then, his arms wrap around you, pulling you closer, and he’s kissing you back, desperate, relieved, alive.

When you finally break apart, you rest your forehead against his. “You’re mine now, rich boy” you murmur.

He grins “And you’re mine. I've dreamed about this since we were kids”

"Oh I know... I want that candy ring one day"

"OMG WHO TOLD YOU?!"

"Ace told Luffy and Luffy told me... but to his defense he just wanted to make me feel better"

A loud whoop makes you both jump.

You whip around to find the entire crew watching from the deck.

Luffy, grinning like an idiot, throws his fists in the air “I WIN THE BET?”

Sabo groans “Of course they were watching.”

You bury your face in your hands “I hate all of you.”

Koala winks “No, you don’t.”

Luffy bounces excitedly “Hey! Does this mean Sabo’s finally gonna marry you?”

“LUFFY YOU TOLD THEM! YOU CAN'T KEEP A SECRET”

The crew erupts into laughter, and as embarrassing as it is, you can’t help but smile.

Because for the first time in years, your heart doesn’t ache.

Sabo is here.

And this time, he’s not leaving.

[bullseyelover]

BULLSEYE (2017) ISSUE #2

writer marv wolfman | artist alec morgan

[lionblaze03-2]

personally I don’t hate gray wing nearly as much as everyone else because he’s a great example of having rose colored glasses just because ‘well, he’s family’, and not realizing until far too late that that essentially ruined his life and made him amount to almost nothing. Because clear sky is his brother, he wants to assume the best of him. Surely, my brother would never. Surely he didn’t mean it like that. Surely he’ll do better next time. He’s my brother. He COULDN’T be a bad guy. So he keeps giving him chances, over and over and over again, until it’s completely destroyed him. Until he can no longer breathe, his lungs full of toxic smoke that clear sky abandoned him to breathe in, until he is under his claws, nearly killed under the moonlight, until his people are battered again and again, until borders become inevitable. But he never, ever realizes, because- it’s his brother. Surely, his brother will do better next time. Surely, he didn’t mean it. Surely, he will change.

And believing that is the death of him.

[nobodysdaydreams]

My toxic trait is that I think if Elphaba, Galinda, Fiyero, Nessarose and Boq had all gone to the Emerald City together as friend group, they totally would have been able to stop the Wizard and Morrible. Wouldn’t have even been a challenge.

Galinda, Nessarose, and Boq might have been hesitant or afraid to openly challenge the Wizard, but as soon as Elphaba objected and the Wizard and Morrible made their little threats, Fiyero would for sure throw a punch in the Wizard’s direction, at which point the battle is on and the group is running through the Wizard’s castle being chased by flying monkeys like they’re the Scooby Doo gang. Fiyero swinging around on those hot air balloon ropes knocking guards left and right, Boq panicking and accidentally doing some looney tunes style stunt that saves Nessrose, and they all escape on the balloon to Kiamo Ko with the Wizard as a hostage, because Fiyero would for sure drag that pathetic mess on board, tied up and everything to make sure they can escape.

And Morrible wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it because you know that the second Nessa calls her dad to complain, the governor is going to come rolling up to the Emerald City in his ridiculous top hat yelling in Morrible’s face demanding to know “what kind of school she thinks she’s representing here?” and talking about how he wasn’t made aware of this unauthorized balloon field trip, and panicking about Nessa falling out of the sky. Now Morrible has to deal with him, and she can’t pull the “a wicked green witch kidnapped our Wizard and his spellbook” this time, because is she really gonna say the witch was either helped by or succeeding in kidnapping (in addition to the Wizard) a famous prince, the daughter of wealthy upper class, the beloved and favorite daughter of an esteemed governor, and another random student all on her watch? There are only so many people you can throw under the bus before the story is too crazy to be believed, plus now you have all those angry parents demanding explanations. So now Morrible has got to tell everyone some bs story about an “unfortunate ballooning accident, which she is sure the Wizard will rectify in no time” while she figures out her next move.

Meanwhile, at Kiamo Ko, the kids have the Wizard tied up and he’s trying to reason with them but they aren’t having it, and since this is an integration, it eventually comes out that he’s Elphaba’s deadbeat dad. He gets emotional and tries to spin it as a tragic star crossed lovers story rather than a one night stand and Nessa’s not having it because if you found out your parent cheated with a villainous dictator who tried to kill their own child who is also your half-sister and then said dictator has the nerve to try to spin it into a story where you’re supposed to feel sad for them because they “couldn’t be with the woman they loved” (because she was married to your father) and “never knew their child” (because they left knowing full while their actions could have created your sibling) you’d be mad too. And Elphaba is also angry because who would want to be related to someone willing to oppress people for power? Pathetic.

But Boq stops Nessa from angrily doing anything crazy to the Wizard because after he saved Nessa from some flying monkeys, he realized that he loves her and that Galinda doesn’t like him and he has to respect that, and now that the gang has had time to talk, Galinda also realizes Fiyero obviously loves Elphaba and decides to be happy for them, because they all take one look at the Wizard’s fake overdramatic crying for a woman he had a one night stand with who was never gonna leave her husband for him anyway who he never even called again anyway so why is he crying now, and they say “let’s not over complicate our love lives and be mature about our feelings.” Good decision on their part.

Meanwhile, the Wizard tries to start singing about his regrets and offers them all a chance to rule with him if only they’ll untie him, but no one is having it and they send him and Morrible to jail and make Elphaba the new Wizard because she’s the one with the actual power. She can visit her father in prison, and he can do his silly little puppet/figurine shows and song/dance numbers for her then. If he has good behavior, maybe Elphaba can make him her court jester because goodness knows all the Wizard is good for is being a clown. Morrible stays in jail, no parole. Then you’ve Elphaba ruling the Emerald City, Fiyero ruling Winkie Country, Galinda being an elite socialite in Gilkin Country or wherever she’s from and Nessa ruling Munchkin Land with Boq at her side, willingly this time. The whole friend group is running Oz and making it better. The end.

[francesderwent]

so for the purposes of this discussion I’m going to assume that we all agree that it’s not a desirable state of affairs to be sexually intimate with a whole bunch of people just for fun. I know not everybody agrees with that *gestures vaguely to the sexual revolution and the hookup culture*, but if I have to prove that first then that’s going to take forever and I don’t think it’s what we’re talking about anyway.

we’re going to assume that our interlocutor believes sex and love do have something to do with each other, and wants to know why we shouldn’t treat sex the way that most television shows these days treat sex: like kissing on the lips. you’re in love with your boyfriend so you kiss him on the lips. and then you might break up, and fall in love again and kiss a new boyfriend on the lips. in certain circumstances you might kiss someone on the lips who isn’t your boyfriend, like if they save your life or you go through a bonding experience together or something. and eventually you get married to someone and you only kiss that guy on the lips from then on, but you have kissed a few other guys before and it’s not a big deal or a scandal at all. why, is the question, can’t we treat sex exactly the same?

so, point one is: because the whole physical world is infused with symbolic meaning, the human body speaks a language of its own. we don’t assign meanings to the “words”, they’re inherent and universal. you can’t twist bodily actions to mean whatever you want them to mean, they’re going to go on saying what they really mean whether you want them to or not. a slap does not mean love; its violence is not and cannot be loving. a kiss does not mean hatred; Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss adds an extra layer of hurt to his deception.

point two: in order to exist happily and healthily in the world, we need to speak the truth with our bodies, and not try to twist the language of the body into saying something it isn’t. when we lie with the body, the whole real world we live in resists us. we’re trying to impose our own meaning by our own will onto something that already has its own meaning, given it by God, and quite frankly, God’s meaning is stronger and it’s gonna win. think of this as living in a state of denial—even if you can stay in your denial for a little while, eventually, reality will have its say, it will make itself felt. more on this later.

point three: sex, as a word in the language of the body, is saying something other than just “I feel love for you”—i.e. it is saying something different than a kiss. how do we know this? first of all, sex causes bonding on a chemical level in a way that kissing absolutely does not! secondly, sex creates children—and therefore exists on a very different level than kissing! both of these differences point to this: kissing as a “word” speaks about love as desire, when it says “I feel love for you” it’s mostly saying “I want you”. sex as a word speaks something more, it says something in itself about a commitment which is forever. what sex is saying is “I give all of myself to you and I receive all of you in return, we belong to each other forever”.

point four: the only circumstances in which sex can be spoken truly is marriage. sex speaks in the body the same total commitment that is made in the marriage vows, reiterating and confirming the mutual gift that has already been given.

this is sort of where it gets tricky (and where I think TOB speakers often fail their listeners), because when you’re dating somebody, if you’re not being disingenuous and stringing them along until you find something better, you do hope that you’ll be together forever. and so the more you fall in love with someone, the more you naturally (and appropriately, I’d say!) want to have sex with them, because you want to be able to express your longing for that forever. you don’t intend to lie with your body! you want to say what sex says and make it true in the saying of it!

I think the usual Christian response is to say “ah yes, but that forever isn’t yet promised or guaranteed, so you don’t know if it’s ever going to come”. and as much as the person currently head-over-heels in love doesn’t want to hear it, unfortunately it is very real. for every Jack who meets his first serious girlfriend in college, has sex with her because he really wants them to be together forever, and then marries her six years later having had sex with no one but her, there’s just as many (if not more) Jill’s who meets her first serious boyfriend in high school, has sex with him because she really wants them to be together forever, then is blindsided by a breakup and goes on to repeat the pattern with several more boyfriends before she finally finds the “one”. it’s a tragically common story, so common that the trauma of it is becoming harder to recognize. but it causes severe emotional and psychological harm, to give all of yourself to a person hoping for the gift to be received, only to have your whole self be rejected, or trivialized, or used and discarded. it takes tremendous courage for Jill to pick herself up and believe in love again, and often she’s disappointed over and over again. even when the “one” does appear and the gift is finally received completely in marriage, the scars don’t fade completely. I think a lot of people who get their happy ending end up experiencing that phenomenon of psychological backdraft, all their old sexual traumas bubbling up again now that they finally have a healthy sexual experience to know how it should have been. they then have to spend the honeymoon years of their marriage healing from everything that came before. so the usual Christian guidance is “you don’t want to go into marriage with all that baggage, so better to wait just to make sure”.

and while I do think avoiding trauma is generally a good idea, I think this is a little bit of a cop-out. for one thing, it kind of seems to be saying “don’t have sex with your significant other, because you don’t really know if they’re telling the truth about wanting to marry you”—that is, it’s encouraging you to not trust your partner. sure (she said sarcastically), that sounds healthy!! there has to be a better, more loving reason not to have sex with a significant other before marriage. and it’s this: if the Church’s teaching about sex and marriage are really true, then it is just as wrong for Jack to have sex with his girlfriend before marriage as it is for Jill to have sex with her boyfriend—Jack’s eventual marriage to his girlfriend doesn’t retroactively validate every instance of premarital sex! and if Jack having sex with his girlfriend before they got married is wrong, then what we’re saying is it must be hurting them. even though their love story ended happily! even though they did end up giving and receiving the gift of self completely! getting things “out of order” is hurting them and making them unhappy. this is the burden of proof, and it’s much harder than proving Jill’s sexual history is hurting her. and yet if we believe Church teaching, it must be true!

so we return at last to my above point two—in order to exist happily and healthily in the world, we need to speak the truth with our bodies, and not try to twist the language of the body into saying something it isn’t. and here’s the kicker: we are not God. we cannot make a thing so just by saying it. so no matter how understandable it is to try to create a relationship that will last forever by speaking forever with our bodies, it simply does not work that way. when the word is spoken out of the context which makes it true (i.e. when you have sex outside of marriage), it does not and cannot bring that whole context into being—it doesn’t create a vow of fidelity, it doesn’t create a shared life, it doesn’t create a public commitment. someone can have sex with you and then break up with you, someone can have sex with you and then get in their car and go home leaving you there by yourself to sleep alone, someone can have sex with you and then pretend you don’t exist. the sex, on its own, doesn’t create a slippery slope that leads swiftly and inevitably to marriage. it just creates tension between the life you actually have, unmarried, and the unreal life you’re pretending you have in sleeping with one another. it makes all those parts of yourselves that you haven’t shared stand out more strongly, making you feel every little separation as a wound. and instead of creating a sense of peace and security, it leads to a kind of desperate grasping feeling—“we’re acting like us being together forever is a done deal, but it’s not a done deal, it’s not set in stone, so what can I do to make it work, how can I control this, how can I make him want me enough to stay?” even if in the end Jack proposes, the foundation of the relationship has been damaged. it can be healed, and rebuilt! but it is not good for a relationship to develop under that kind of strain. not good, and not necessary.

what’s the alternative? when you wait to have sex until marriage, your dating years with a partner can be years of expectantly looking forward in hope, while also living in the moment. you are not married yet—so your relationship is not set in stone, you’re still deciding what kind of relationship you want to have together, which means it can still get better and better as you build it. talk a LOT! talk about everything! talk about your pasts, talk about your dreams for the future! work out your issues in the present instead of covering them over with physical affection! because you’re not burdened by the anxious desperation to turn a lie into the truth, you will be able to see more clearly what the strengths and the weaknesses of the relationship really are, which allows you to address your weaknesses and work on them! and because you’re not pretending like you’re already totally committed, the prospect of actually making a total commitment will be more and more attractive. when you’re not trying to act like you’re married already, it’s so much easier to have open conversations about the future you want together, and easier to know when it’s time right now to take steps to get there. and that’s exciting! it’s fun to have stuff to look forward to, it’s fun to make plans together!

it’s not a better way because there’s less collateral damage, because you’re hedging your bets playing it safe just in case something goes wrong. it’s a better way because it’s all about letting love develop in its own time, according to its own internal laws. I’m not gonna say “guard your heart”, as if your significant other was an enemy at the gates. instead, “guard your relationship”, because it’s worth protecting, worth giving every chance to be as happy as it can be.

[wh0reforcoriolanussnow]

Imagine if Y/n and tom blyth played Anya and Dimitri from Anastasia. 😍⁉️

Anastasia || Tom Blyth x actress!reader

A/n: IM SO INLOVE W UR IDEA. also, if u haven’t already seen Anastasia? wtf r u doing? WATCH IT RN. guys you’re gonna have to imagine a lot bc of the pics 😭 but dw I wrote whos supposed to be who so it’ll make more sense!!! p.s should I do a fic where tom x actress!reader is in bridgerton?? 👀 send requests if u have any ideas.

Divider by @pommecita

~

y/n_y/l/n_fp

Liked by y/n_y/l/n, y/l/nupdates, and 297,484 others

Y/n and Tom spotted out in London today!! CAN WE TALK ABT HER HAIR OMG??? ITS RED?! AHHHHH

view more comments

user49: OMG SHE LIKED! CONGRATS

↘️ y/n_y/l/n_fp: IM STILL IN SHOCK 😮

user16: RED HAIR Y/N YESS

user037: what hair colour can she not pull off. lets be real here 🤷🏻‍♀️

user88: they’re still together? even after the rumours of her cheating on Tom w her co-star? 💀

↘️ y/n_y/l/n_fp: they’re called rumours for a reason babes x

user20: EVERYONE GO WATCH ‘HER’ RN

↘️ user643: y/n ate in that movie

↘️ user017: it’s so good 😭

↘️ user03: she was so cringe in that movie 😐

↘️ user94: if it was so cringe, why should she be nominated for an Emmy then? 😃

user55: maybe it’s for her upcoming film that she talked about in an interview?

~

mtv

Liked by madelyncline, rachelzegler, y/n_y/l/n, tomblyth and 14,307,583 others

it’s been announced that ‘it couple’ Y/n Y/l/n and Tom Blyth will be playing Anya and Dimitri in Lockshin’s upcoming live action adaptation of Anastasia! Lockshin says to expect release dates soon.

view all comments

y/n_y/l/n: yayayyayayaa

madelyncline: I’m so excited @y/n_y/l/n 😆

↘️ y/n_y/l/n: ME TOO!

user927: ya’ll I’ve been waiting for them to do a live action movie of Anastasia. Just can’t believe y/n and Tom will be in it 😭

user05: OMG OMG OMG OMG

user2: THEY’RE PERFECT FOR ANYA AND DIMITRI

user73: finally they’re in a movie together, can’t wait to see their chemistry even more on screen!

user84: with Michael Lockshin directing and Y/n and Tom as the main characters, I just KNOW this movie is gonna be so good.

user10: SO HER RED HAIR WAS FOR THIS MOVIE?!

user42: y/n and tom are so anya and dimitri coded 🥹

~

More instagram posts (click here)

[jaggedamethyst]

circuit breaker 🔬🌌 (part one)

tutor!jayce talis x reader, modern college au

content: reader is forced to take gen ed classes in order to graduate college. this unfortunately includes physics for which you desperately need a tutor for...jayce talis happens to need community service and is available to help. (references to adhd/neurodivergence in this chapter, that’s all)

notes: hiii. as i am on my indefinite break from golden boy, i wanted to start something else bc the yearn for jayce content can only be filled as long as i work to preserve him myself... so here’s my first official series!! double note, while this is modern, i still want to keep hints and references to the show/characters so they’re believable! so if you see viktor talking in a way that seems unnatural with dialogue, its just my smarty pants bf being his smart self with vast vocabulary. 🤍

word count: 1.5k

series masterlist here

。·:*:·ﾟ★,。·:*:·ﾟ☆　　 。·:*:·ﾟ★,。·:*:·ﾟ☆

The absolute worst part of college is being forced to take the general education classes simply to graduate. You were an arts major, there was no reason for you to be cramming your brain with math equations so many years after high school—and yet here you were. Unfortunately, you waited until later in your university career to take on the required course load, and now you were stuck in one of the only classes with availability that worked with your schedule—physics. The thought of the class alone made your head hurt. The only upside was having it with a friend, albeit much more skilled at the subject, Viktor was always welcome company. 

“I hate these weekly quizzes, I genuinely cannot afford to fail another one.” 

Viktor chuckled, “The subject matter isn’t that difficult…” 

“We can’t all be geniuses, Viktor.” 

“Yes, some of us are more skilled than others, I’d say.” He moved to gather his books, the class having ended. 

You mirrored his action, packing your bag as you spoke to him. “Natural skill or not, this shit is actually dumb…makes me feel dumb.” 

“You are not dumb,” he reassured you, “It can be a lot to comprehend.” 

You shuffled through the aisle, following behind Viktor as he moved toward the exit. “It’s these gen ed classes…why do I need to understand physics for liberal arts. Granted, I know the school is more tech based…but I changed my major! I should be free of the shackles of math by now.” You wiped a hand over your face, clearly exasperated. 

You matched Viktor’s steps, picking up a bit to open the door for him. The slight breeze of the outside air brushed over you—cooling the heat that you didn’t realize was there. A breath left you, exhaling the bubbling rage in you. 

Viktor reached a hand toward your shoulder, grasping it with a firm encouragement. “You will conquer physics. Natural skill…or not.” He smiled again, a teasing tone on his voice. 

“Viktor!” You swatted his hand away, “I hate you! Could you at least offer a solution? These quizzes are literally every week. What’s the point of checking my comprehension if I know I’m gonna fail-“ 

“Listen, you will not fail. In fact,” he paused, “I have a solution for this little conflict.” 

“The solution being?” 

He stopped walking, an obvious look on his face, “Get a tutor.” 

A scoff, “Yeah right. I’m not in middle school. I don’t need a tutor, Viktor.” You started walking again, “Besides, why can’t you just help me—you’re all the tutor I need!” 

“I have quite a bit on my plate this term already. I have two labs, recitations, and work-“ 

“Which is just code for find time to see Sky, got it.” 

He didn’t reply to that, not directly. But the way he blushed and looked away was indication enough. Viktor explained before that he and Sky have known each other practically their whole lives. They always saw each other around; the fact that they ended up at the same school was purely by fate, or chance, Viktor would say. That was, despite the relatively high probability with there being so few state schools. 

He changed the subject, leading you across the street. “I know someone who would be willing to help. He mentioned needing community service.” 

“Fine, I guess…” 

“Good, because we’re here.” 

You looked up, the student resource center labeled clearly in front of you. The prospect of walking in was already daunting. You loved independence and it often came at the expense of feeling incompetent when you had to ask for help. You confided in Viktor about that before. He figured the best way was to just show up, not giving you the opportunity to get yourself worked up and find an excuse to not go. 

He opened the door, tilting his head towards the inside. “You got this.” 

You shook your head, the idea making you nauseous. He returned the motion, this time shaking his head. You can do this. 

It took a second, but you finally walked in, Viktor slightly on your trail. “He should be here, he told me he would be.” He continued as you nodded silently, “Oh, there he is.” 

His back was to you, speaking to a woman he seemed to be friendly with. His shoulders were wide, making her barely visible to you from this angle—but she was undoubtedly stunning. You couldn’t help but acknowledge the way they so enthusiastically spoke. You didn’t want to interrupt, that would be embarrassing, torturous, even. Instead, you turned to the desk, eyeing the receptionist. She seemed to be close to your age…which somehow made you even more nervous—gosh. 

“Hi…” You cleared your throat, “Hi, I wanted to ask about tutoring? Like for physics?” 

Viktor nodded behind you, proud of the seemingly small gesture. He knew this was actually an immense step for you. 

The receptionist greeted you back, “We do have physics tutoring available! There are a few student volunteers, but we usually assign according to those with a more free schedule…” She looked to her left, pointing to the QR code that faced toward you. “You can register here, it’s fairly quick and someone…” she locked onto the man across from her, still mid conversation. “Someone should be able to help you get started today actually…Jayce!” 

You turned to see the man pause his conversation, a brow raising at his name being called. Recognition flashed in your direction as well, “Oh hey, Viktor.” 

“Hello, Jayce.” 

The man walked up to the counter, a more annoyed tone and body language accompanied him, then. It wasn’t genuine, but rather one out of familiarity, like he and the receptionist had known each other a while. It was quite jovial, actually. “What do you want, Cait?” 

She rolled her eyes at that, “Someone needs a tutor,” she smiled at you before looking to him with a grimace, “You’re a tutor, correct?” 

He shrugged, “I need community service.” 

“Great, so you two are a match, then.” 

Your phone suddenly became rather interesting—the simple intake form immediately became numerous pages long and excessively tedious. You felt his eyes on you, though, and saw a hand out towards you in your peripheral. “Nice to meet you…Jayce.” 

You looked up finally, reaching to shake his outstretched hand. The only thing that came to you was your name—first and last, simple. 

He half smiled, echoing your reply, “Jayce Talis. I like the formality.” He chuckled, dropping your hand. 

You looked back silently at Viktor, a sort of terror on your face. He spoke then, “I should be going. Shouldn’t these two have their introductory meeting now?” He observed your twisted facial expression, looking towards the desk for a reply. 

She nodded, “Great idea! It’s a short one, just getting to know one another and scheduling for later. You can use that room right there,” she looked at the computer in front of her for confirmation, “It should be empty for a few more minutes!” She motioned her hands for you two to hurry along. The man, Jayce…Jayce Talis…walked over and spoke to the woman he’d been talking to before. You couldn’t hear them, but observed the way he rubbed her arm before reaching for a hug. You tried not to stare, but you weren’t entirely familiar with the resource center and he was supposed to be leading you, you thought. 

You trailed behind Jayce, turning back to see Viktor. He stood with a hand on his cane, the other with a thumbs up to you. You nodded, rubbing your hands awkwardly at your sides. You watched as Jayce opened the door, stepping back to let you in first. That was nice. You held a tight smile, a pleasantry you’d grown accustomed to displaying in uncomfortable situations such as this one. 

Both of you sat down, a brief silence filling the room. Jayce spoke first, “So what brings you to tutoring?” 

You swallowed, “I am not great at physics…I’m pretty bad at it actually…and Viktor said you could help.” 

He nodded, “You two are friends?” 

“Yeah, we met a while back. How do you know each other?” 

“Lab partners, same major, rest is history.” 

“Right…” A huff from you and the shuffle of Jayce reaching in his pocket were the only sounds in the room. 

“So,” he scrolled on his phone, “You noted you have a hard time focusing. Is it just this class?” 

“Not just physics, no. I have a hard time paying attention in general. Bad memory, disorganized brain, the works. Makes retaining the information really hard as you can imagine.”

“I get that, but we can work on that…find things that help you remember a bit better…make it more interesting.” 

You could only blink as a response. This was the first time you could recall, besides with close friends, that someone didn’t make you feel extremely weird for not being able to stay focused. You often skipped from one topic to the next, forgetting your starting point. Conversations would float away from you, or you’d get too emotionally invested. People would call you loud, random, even. You appreciated that Jayce replied simply, concisely, offering a solution. Sure, it was his job…kind of…but it felt pretty good. 

“Thank you.” 

“Sure.” 

He went over a few more questions with you—referring to the intake form you’d filled out on your phone. In no time, you had set a meeting time for the following day. 

Both of you stood, collecting your bags. 

“See you tomorrow?” 

“Tomorrow.” 

part two

[raptorladylover6969]

Every time someone says “the raptors are gonna betray The Handler”, an angel dies; because genuinely, HOW.

How can one look at a bond like THIS and think, “Yup, they’re gonna kill her.”??????

Even with the laser pointer, which is said to “make the atrociraptors kill whoever it targets” I feel like even if the laser were to be pointed at The Handler, the raptors wouldn’t do anything.

When the laser was pointed at Soyona, Red was not hesitant to kill her. If anything, she’d probably kill her when given the chance to. “You can’t engineer loyalty, you have to nurture it.” Clearly Red isn’t loyal to you if she wanted to kill you 💀 and these raptors aren’t dumb, they’re extremely intelligent and are well aware of their actions. So to claim you have “control/loyalty” over these raptors is kinda stupid when you FEAR your own raptors, and when they won’t hesitate to kill you.

Soyona is just the buyer. The raptors might be hers, but deep down, they don’t believe they are hers. She isn’t their alpha, and she definitely doesn’t seem to be part of the pack as much as The Handler is.

In terms of pack behaviour within the atrociraptors, I’ve noticed they seem to value each other over the mission at hand. When Daniel Kon tried to grab and tackle and push one of them, they ganged up on him, killing him. When the T-rex and Allosaurus got out, they completely abandoned mission and started trying to take them out since they posed a danger to the pack. And these don’t just apply to the raptors alone, but also might be towards The Handler as well.

There was a scene in the s1 finale, the warehouse scene, when Mateo crashed into it, the raptors are knocked unconscious, everything comes crashing down, and The Handler is unconscious and stuck underneath a concrete beam. When the raptors wake up, there was a part where they all walk slowly to a specific area, the exact area where The Handler was laying. They all look at her, and each other, like they’re debating on what to do. There is a slight pause, and the sounds of clanging, before the raptors run out of warehouse, finishing what they started. Seeing The Handler atop the building at the end of that episode had me thinking, “How did she get that giant beam off of her?????” Until looking back at that scene with the raptors and realizing, they mightve actually pulled it off of her. They checked to see if she was still alive, and when confirming, they dragged the beam off to let her breathe, and regain conciseness.

So clearly the raptors also value her life as a member of their pack. They’re intelligent enough to know “she isn’t of our species” and yet, they still treat her like one of them.

“The control you can have over these dinos once you really take the time to earn it.” “You can’t engineer loyalty, you have to nurture it.” It wasn’t Soyona. It was never Soyona. The Handler was the one who earned the trust, the one who took time to earn it. Changed her own mannerisms to make the raptors relate to her more. Soyona is scared of Red. There is NO BOND there between them. She doesn’t even have the right accommodations for Red to even LIVE properly. She has her locked in a room inside her PENTHOUSE in the middle of THE CITY where she can’t even get the proper exercise or food probably. And the way Red started randomly crashing out in the van??? Did anyone else notice that and how random it was??????? Red is CLEARLY not comfortable, and yet you look at the rest of the raptor pack, and you can see just how comfortable they seem to be with The Handler.

The Handler most likely created the laser pointer herself just for Soyona so she could have some control, but in reality, the whistle is a more mutual way of communication, and I will say, much more precise. (Srry Soyona 💔)

Yeah, I think the raptors are off the “how The Handler dies” list.

[sokuly419]

So now that I cried, sat in relative silence for about an hour, and had some time to sleep… I think I can make some kind of choppy ramble about Act 2. It’s gonna be long… sorry.

First, let’s just appreciate the cheap shots.

Jinx calling Vi “Fat Hands” after just absolutely dogging on each other.

Vi calling Cait a “rich, unhinged mongoose” and Cait following it up with “angry oil slick.”

Cait cracking Vi in the face with the butt of her rifle (seriously, girl, stop it) and giving the “I’m really sorry but you asked” shrug.

Vi spitting on Cait’s cheek just for her to wipe it across her lips.

Vi telling Ambessa to “just shut the fuck up.”

Guys. This act was pure pettiness and lovely.

Okay, I think a handful of people need to be reminded there was a time jump of several months. I’ve been seeing a lot of people accusing Cait of immediate rebound with Maddie and an immediate switch when she reunited with Vi. More on that later.

The way I started out mad as fuck because, well, Maddie. I did laugh at the way Cait kept pulling away every time Maddie tried to get intimate. Girl was feeling all sorts of guilt about it I think. When Cait made a comment about not thinking about it going on so long, it could either be taken as whatever she had going on with Maddie or about the martial law. I have a feeling they were going for the martial law situation, but I saw it as either. Either way, there’s some kind of realization that happened.

Honestly, Jinx was dishing it out the whole time and I loved it. All of it. She’s just a little shit. Jinx was never my favorite, but like I said before, I do like her. No hate here. And her relationship with Isha and Sevika? Come on. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Now, I’ve never played the game and I don’t ever plan to but I have listened to the in game dialogue or have at least heard some of it. And I’m so glad we got Jinx calling Vi “Fat Hands.”

Vi was a damn mess. I mean, we all knew it was gonna happen. But seeing her pale and sunken? Even after Jinx shows up? Ooooof.

The banter with Jinx was lovely. They’re just sisters and it shows.

And we finally got to see her actually smile. Only for it to be ripped away. Again.

Now… I want to address the seemingly sudden switch for a lot of things, particularly Cait and Vi.

There was a time jump of “months.” Even if it wasn’t flat out said, you can tell by the length of Vi’s hair. It doesn’t get that much longer in even a single month or even two or three, guys. On average it’s about 6” per year. Even in the trailers and teasers we got before s2 even started, I knew there was going to be a time jump at some point based on that alone. I remember kinda looking at my wife like, “Vi’s hair is… longer. Wonder when that happens.” I’m thinking this jump is around 8-10 months after Act 1

Anyhow, the characters had time to think and do things in that time. Cait probably finally started to realize her actions do, in fact, have consequences. And seeing Vi again was the final nail in that coffin. We watched her fold quickly. And that little “cupcake” sealed it. And before we start getting into the “I can’t believe they’re working together again so quick after what Cait did” let’s take a second to think about the Act 3 teaser. They’re gonna argue. 100% things are going to get thrown in Cait’s face. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine.

And then there’s Vi. People are dogging on her for essentially losing a physical interaction with Cait when she fought in a pit for a living for those several months. To start, it was an ambush and took her by surprise (Jinx was also able to land one hell of a slap by taking her by surprise too). Cait also had a weapon at her disposal and used it (seriously, can we stop hitting Vi with the butt of the rifle?). Now this is just me throwing some realness into all of this, but Vi was drinking a lot and falling into alcoholism. When you stop drinking, you feel weaker and sick and foggy (at least that how it was for me). I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that was something to do with how easy it was for Cait to take her down. Vi was likely going through some withdrawals. Again, that’s just some speculation and giving some real life attributes.

Now for them to trust and work together again so quickly? I think it was at a level of just needing to get something done and complete the “mission.” At least at first. The amount of care and love Cait still has for Vi was so obvious. Which brings me to… y’all should really listen to Oil & Water by PVRIS. It’s been confirmed a while ago (if I’m remembering correctly) that it’s about Cait and Vi from primarily Cait’s POV. Vi clearly still loves Cait but she’s also still, rightfully, pissed off and hurt.

Can Jayce just… leave shit alone? Just once. For the sake of everyone. Doing that to Viktor was uncalled for and now he caused even more problems.

I’m still not ready to talk about Isha. Because what the actual fuck. The music and flashback montage started and I knew… I just knew. The tears started and then the explosion and then I was full on sobbing. Not cool. I’m still in absolute shock.

Vi having to watch Vander die AGAIN. Give the girl a damn break, please.

Also, where’s Ekko and Heimerdinger? We need the unproblematic ones to calm everything down a few notches. Ekko just wants his tree fixed, man.

My thoughts on Act 3? I’m still hoping we get the Caitvi sex scene. But I’m also so scared someone else is going to die now. Like absolutely terrified.

“Hope you got a chance to, you know, before…”

I will simply give up on everything. Full on rage quit and I’ll end up like Vi at the bottom of that pit.

Someone please tell me I’m wrong and looking too far into it.

Or Jinx sacrificing herself? That’s a popular opinion I’ve been seeing.

I need answers. I need Ekko’s tree fixed and Caitvi to just end up together without question.

And this concludes this round of Arcane season 2 Act 2 rambling.

[scamallach-1]

When fellow “US” settlers tell each other that they wanna learn about indigenous decolonial land back here on this land but then spend time making an issue about their time, saying they don’t really have time to educate themselves, my autistic ass is at a loss. Cus I’m stumped. You say you want to learn and then when provided with resources your regular response is that you don’t have time? I see it constantly, this excuse. In comment sections when people ask questions and then claim they don’t have time to read the answer; in my own circle when my fellows blab about things they don’t know and then when presented with correct answers and sources, they get quiet and say they just haven’t had time to look into it (yet that doesn’t quiet their mouths on shit they don’t know). We settlers need to ask ourselves right now what we are willing to change for the greater good. If you make a bed from selfishness then expect to sleep in it, I think.

I can’t make other people work decolonial edu into their schedules, I can only send them the resources directly from where I myself am learning about decolonization: the First Nations educators and historians and scholars and Black New Afrikan educators, historians and scholars. If you want to learn about this stuff - and you must - I think it does require making the sacrifices in your daily life necessary for you to be able to do that. Settler-colonialism has us in a chokehold so we need to be more than what it ‘allows’ in order to unlearn it!

I don’t know what other settlers want me to say? Do they want me to be wishy-washy with them about it? Say that whole “if you have time, please consider, sometime…” No, i am not gonna say that because I believe that is bullshit and nothing will get done with that passive attitude.

I do think we working class/poverty class/disabled settlers need to help each other be able to prioritize this education NOW. The indigenous and Black educators we learn from also have jobs, also have children they need to care for, have personal responsibilities and important things to do - and have active genocides against their people. They believe full-heartedly in working toward decolonial land back because of course they do. This is their lives, and not just individual by individual. They’re working for their people’s liberation in the face of settler-colonial genocides!

And so when we look at our work and school and family schedules - as settlers, no different in status than the “Israeli” settler occupying Palestine - and we prioritize our own overwhelm when we are asked to make the fucking space and take the fucking time for this imperative education, so we can be ready accomplices to decolonial action in the coming years, you gotta know how fucked up that is. We should no longer snap into this typical self-serving behavior!

No, I’m not going to say anything less than what I believe is factual, based on the edu ive so far learned from the indigenous and Black liberationists who are telling us, with their radical perspective and wisdom, what we need to do and how we should go about it, even as potential settler accomplices. Prioritize decolonial edu. Make fucking room.

We settlers should all help each other to accomplish this. Plenty of settlers like me with learning disabilities are out there trying to encourage others and make it easier for people to read the histories and theories. People break this information down for you so you can learn it in different ways (audiobook recordings, forum discussions, infographics that take a couple min to read, key histories in “less than 6 minutes”, YouTube interviews and discussions, podcast discussions, free book banks with PDFs, free articles). We have different ways of learning and in different stretches of time available - I really think what matters is that you work to get it done regardless of daily constraint. Show some solidarity. Working class settlers are not the center of the oppressed under settler-colonialism. We are the settler-colonialism. We must actually work to dismantle it by following FN leadership.

The idea that anything liberating and meaningful just falls into someone’s hands is a white supremacist lie.

What I wish is that in my circle at least, fellow settlers would say “I want to learn this but it’s hard and I need help, will you help me?” — to which I would do all I can in order to ensure they can learn. I have more time than others do because I work only part time due to my disability - but that is time I have to give to discuss, share, read-to others (I have dyslexia but I will fucking READ TO YOU because I know how hard it can be!) The point here is, if you begin your edu, you won’t be alone. Reach for support to make it happen and there will be people who will take the endeavor seriously with you.

But you have to be committed to learning this going forward. You have to actually want to begin learning about decolonial land back.

[cherrybomb107]

I see people saying that Silco ultimately had Zaun’s best interests at heart, but I disagree. I think HE definitely thinks that, but at the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. Silco didn’t act like a revolutionary. He acted like a wannabe Piltie who disguised his rhetoric with vague plans of rebellion and monologues 😭😭😭

Disclaimer: I love Silco! He’s one of my favorite characters in Arcane and I think he was a fabulous villain. Not quite THE big bad(that title is reserved for the institution of Piltover and its apathy and downright callousness towards the Undercity) but he was definitely a villain at the end of the day. No amount of “nuance” or “character complexity” is gonna erase that

Let’s start with the obvious: the fact that he fully planned on killing Powder before she launched herself into his arms and he realized how similar they were. I’m sorry, but in my mind, no one who’s willing to kill children is a revolutionary. Sorry. 🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️Only reason why he didn’t is because he saw himself in her. If he truly believed in revolution, he could’ve done youth outreach programs to get young people involved in protests, and given them classes on what to do/how to prepare for when the enforcers show up to shut them down. That’s a real thing that’s been done before btw. I know Arcane is fiction, but it deals with politics that mirror our real world struggles. If Silco actually backed up his claims of wanting freedom for Zaun, he’d do things like this.

To continue this, the creation of Shimmer. Silco claims it’s needed in order to give Zaunites the strength they need to fight back against Piltover. Which, again, I’m sure he believes that, but come on. Creating a monopoly on a highly addictive drug that permanently disfigures its users when they take too much is not the way to go about it. Modeling the capitalist system of Piltover is ultimately not going to help. Shimmer does make people feel empowered, yes. But that empowered feeling doesn’t last long, and when you come down from your high, all you want is more, more, more. So where does that leave you?

It leads you to living out on the streets, willing to do anything for your next hit. That’s what happened to Huck, and we don’t even know how many others. Silco never once expressed concern for the wellbeing of the addicts that he created! What kind of revolutionary would toss his own people to the side when they’re no longer useful to him?

Speaking of the drugs, why does he have children working in his factories? Now, child labor is a very complex issue. I’m from the States, so we’re generally (or we claim to be anyway) against child labor. In other countries however, children not only work, but they protest and fight for their right to work. They take pride in their work. So I don’t want to debate the morality of child labor. I wanted to bring it up for the sake of the argument. Let’s say that child labor is a cultural norm in the Undercity. That brings me back to my original question: why does Silco have kids working in his factories? Child labor isn’t the issue; it’s the kind of labor they’re doing and the level of danger they could be in. What kinds of things are the kids that work in Silco’s factories responsible for? Do they get equal pay to their adult counterparts? Worker’s comp if something happens/they get injured on the job? Are there even protections in place so that there are little to no injuries? These are questions which we can’t even begin to answer, because Silco never brings it up!

He never talks about the ways in which he sets out to improve not just the lives of child laborers in Zaun, their adult counterparts, or people in Zaun, period! He only ever talks about “the nation of Zaun” in the abstract. Never once does he sit down and ask himself if this is the best way to go about it. I’m pro revolution. I absolutely believe that the people of Zaun have the right to fight back against their oppressors. But, with the way Silco was acting, he functionally became another oppressor.

Let’s say he was able to make a deal with Jayce and secure the Undercity’s freedom without having to sacrifice Jinx. What would that even look like? What does Silco know about running a government? How would he address the population of Shimmer addicts he manufactured? You can’t just get rid of/stop the production of Shimmer and leave those people without support! It’s true that the air was cleaner under Silco’s reign. But “cleaner” is the operative word. Doesn’t mean it was completely clean. And if people in Zaun didn’t even have clean air, who’s to say they had access to clean water and good food? Did Silco ever do anything to address those issues or did he, along with the rest of the chembarons, acquire enough capital to tell working class and underprivileged Zaunites “fuck you, I got mine”?

To summarize, Silco SAYS he wants freedom from Piltover’s oppression. He SAYS he wants to give his people the power to fight back. But actions speak louder than words. I can’t think of a single action that Silco took that benefited anyone outside of him and those closest to him. Realistically speaking he would have been a terrible leader for Zaun, and it all would’ve fallen apart when he died/was killed for his lack of leadership skills. It was only a matter of time imo.

Did he ever truly want to remove the boot from the Undercity’s neck? Or did he just want to be the one wearing it? I’m leaning towards the latter. But maybe that’s just me.

[schrijverr]

Oehh with chapter 37 and Bobby's POV up, I can tell you all about how Eddie's POV colored chapter 30 and 31!

I love how much taking a character's POV can change how they view everything and how simple misunderstandings and interpretations of actions can spiral out of control unintentionally, so this was really fun to write.

Anyway, I'm putting this under the cut, because it's just me nerding out over my own fic lol

Okay, so this will be mostly focusing on the 118 and their actions and how Eddie sees them and they him, so I'm gonna start with this bit after they just found out:

“You two are married?” “2016? You two didn’t meet until last year!” “I didn’t know you were gay.” They’re all yelling at him and it’s not good for Eddie’s flayed open nerves. He’s been living with the anxiety of everyone finding out for nearly a year already and now the moment is here and he has to face it without back up. It suddenly seems incredibly daunting. Bobby seems to notice his overwhelmed eyes and makes a gesture for everyone to calm down so they can interrogate him in peace. Hen and Chimney both notice and quiet down, backing down from being in his face. Maddie, however, does no such thing.

In the grand scheme of things, these are pretty normal questions to ask when you just found out that your male coworker has been married to your other male coworker the whole time. (Also in my mind the order is Bobby, Chimney, Hen).

However, Bobby notices that Eddie is overwhelmed and Hen and Chimney back down when Bobby indicates they should. It is overshadowed by Maddie, who gets mad, but it isn't the intention of the 118 to overwhelm Eddie, they just got surprised and want to know more, when the initial surprise has passed, they realize this wasn't a productive way to get those answers and stopped and took a breath.

Thanks to Maddie's yelling (which understandable with her Doug trauma but also jikes) we get Eddie's less than stellar explanation (also understandable with his repressed overwhelmedness), which leads to this interaction:

Eddie clears his throat and quietly adds: “You don’t legally have to declare marital status to your employer, so we lied so we could work together.” “HR will throw a fit when they find out, you know there are regulations in place for that for a reason,” Hen says, as if Eddie doesn’t realize that. “I know,” Eddie says, voice small. “We’re already under the loop after the bank robbery,” Bobby adds. “There might be serious repercussions for this. You two could loose your jobs.” Miserably, Eddie again says: “I know.”

Again kind of overshadowed by Maddie blowing up, but very important to me, since both Hen and Bobby point out that what they did was stupid and could endanger their jobs, currently maybe even effecting all of them and all Eddie says is: "I know." Like he is admitting in their faces they did that on purpose. They put everything on the line on purpose and none of them in that moment know how it will effect any of them.

As I expanded upon in the addition, Bobby's decision to call the brass came from a drive to get ahead of this and give Buck and Eddie an as good a starting position in this whole thing blowing up, but naturally Eddie doesn't interpret it like this, same as Hen's choice to take a second to process all this information.

Then as we all know, Eddie goes outside has a cry, before coming inside to this:

Inside Bobby is talking to Athena, who has arrived finally as well. He seems to be giving her a rundown of what has went down, which Eddie knows, because she keeps looking over at him, her brow furrowed and lips pursed. Maddie has returned too, Chimney still by her side. She looks both angry and devastated and when Chimney spots him, he sends him a confusedly angry look, as if he can’t believe what possessed Eddie to what he did. Standing there now, Eddie also questions why he did what he did. He had the right idea at Christmas, to cut Buck lose, divorce him and give him his freedom back. He should have divorced him before he even started working there, when his parents suggested it last year in the week after Chris’s birthday. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. Even now, after everything, the thought of doing that to him, to them, feels wrong. Still, something bad churns in his stomach as he sees the two of them sitting there, Hen next to them. When she sees Chimney mean mugging someone, she turns around to see who he’s looking at, spotting Eddie at the entrance. Upon seeing him, she does a little apologetic wince on Chimney’s behalf. Beside her is an empty chair and there is also a cup of coffee sitting unclaimed, likely intended for him. However, Eddie doesn’t know if he wants to go over there right now. The grasp on the emotions he has only just managed to suck up is fragile and most of the people there look like they don’t want him there. It’s the opposite of the warmth he remembers from when he first started working there. All that ease with which he integrated into the 118 has evaporated like it’s nothing.

While Maddie and Chimney by proxy are acting hostile, he is choosing to interpret Bobby explaining the situation, which is very serious, to Athena as telling her why they should oust him. He doesn't know what Bobby is even telling her, they could be talking about Buck's injury for all he knows and she is looking over, because Bobby is telling her about how Eddie made the call.

And then, Hen. I love her. Like she wasn't planning on ousting him at all, she just needed a second. She got him a coffee too and was saving him a seat. There was still someone welcoming him. It's Eddie's own grasp on his emotions and interpretation of the situation that makes him decide not to risk it, but there was an open arm. And Bobby and Athena would have backed her in that.

Instead he goes to talk to the nurse about Buck's condition and asking an update about it, before doing this:

He gives her a tight nod then turns back to the waiting room, hoping to see something else to do and steadfast ignoring the group of familiar faces that are following him with their eyes. Bobby and Athena have joined them and are probably getting updated further on why Eddie needs to be ousted, which he doesn’t want to be a part of, thank you. Luckily, he spots a vending machine. Perfect. Hopefully they have something with caffeine, since he’s had to pass on the coffee Hen got him. He is definitely not an energy drink kind of guy, but at this point, he doesn’t really care. He gets a drink that he doesn’t recognize and a chocolate bar. A chocolate bar probably isn’t going to be enough to soften the blow that papi is seriously hurt, but it’s better than nothing. To distract himself from his failure as a parent, he cracks open the drink and takes a sip, making a face when the taste hits him. At least he’ll have something to hold as he wanders around trying not to look too stupid. Having something to do with his hands will help keep them from shaking, help preserve the image of strength he definitely doesn’t feel.

Now, we all understand why he does that, since it's his POV so he kindly explains it to us, but from the perspective of the others, Eddie also disappeared for a bit (not showing them that he cried, just like when he disappeared to the bathroom) and rejected Hen's offer to join them, which, again, would have been backed by Bobby and Athena.

I don't know about you guys, but if I got someone a drink and saved them a chair and then they decided to get a drink of their own and stand off to the side while they drank it, I would take it as a sign they didn't want to talk to me and to leave them alone. Eddie has already walked off to take a moment for himself and Bobby held Hen back when she wanted to follow him, asked her to respect that. They're doing that again.

But not only that, he went to ask for an update on Buck's condition and then fucked off to the side while ignoring everyone. He has just been established as the person who gets to decide and know about Buck's medical care right now (much to the frustration of Maddie) and the first thing they see him do after coming back from that is asking for an update and then not share that information. They don't know why he did that, they can at this point assume he doesn't want to share that information with them.

And then arrives Chris, who naturally has a breakdown at the news that his papi is in danger and surgery and Chris might never see him again. As he cries, we get this... stellar take from Eddie:

Of course, Chris should drink, be hydrated. Eddie is a medic, he should have thought of that. Guess it’s just another thing he’s failing at tonight, he thinks as he gives her a grateful nod, struggling to swallow the sour taste of inadequacy. Chris is still crying and Eddie still feels like a horrible parent. Everyone else can also see how he’s a horrible parent. A bitter part of him thinks that the 118 will at least understand why he trapped Buck and why Buck felt the need to help, Eddie is clearly terrible at this.

With so many things happening and going on, it's natural that Eddie isn't on top of his game and thinking of everything (and even then he is still doing great), so that's not what anyone thinks at all, it's what Eddie thinks of himself projected onto everyone else.

Also if someone has given me don't talk to me vibes, this wouldn't be the moment I'd insert myself in the situation. Chris is upset and the 118 is close sure, but they're not yet regular bbqs knowing all the kids well kind of close as of then. Chris is a person they don't know on that level and he is upset, a lot of them being parents, know a near stranger coming up isn't the move, as is unsolicited child care advice.

Besides, Carla is there, she is literally hired to help with Chris, overwhelming the poor kid with more people when Eddie already has back up is counterproductive. Something that would only seem proven correct when Eddie takes him out of the situation of the busy waiting room. Eddie isn't entirely alone and Chris clearly isn't in a state for a lot of people right now.

Then he comes back and joins Carla again. She doesn't know the 118 at all, so she didn't join them, just stayed where she had been so Eddie could find her which he does.

The two of them chat, another 'I don't want to talk to any of you guys right now' sign from Eddie or an 'no more people around Chris' sign. Either way, he isn't inviting the 118 with any of his behavior. And while we know why, they don't! His body language is very different from his thoughts, even if he doesn't intend it like that.

And then the doctor comes to tell them the diagnosis, which goes like this:

As she explains how they’ve installed a bunch of bolts and screws into his leg, managing to salvage the bone and expecting that he will walk. The others also gather around to hear. The relief upon hearing the news that Buck is going to be fine connects them for a moment, dissipating the uncomfortable air that had been haunting the waiting room the whole night. Until the doctor finishes: “Mr. Buckley is in his own room. He shouldn’t get a lot of visitors yet, but I’m sure he’ll be happy to find his husband and son there when he wakes up.” Immediately the atmosphere changes again and Eddie is glad Chris is sleeping through all this, sufficiently knocked out. Because he feels the others turning to look at him as guilt claws at the insides of his chest again. Trying to dispel it, he says: “She just said that because of the paperwork, I’m sure he wants to have you there when he wakes up too. You can all visit, it’s not like I will limit it.”

Someone comes with news and they go to Eddie, who doesn't come and get the others, they have to come to them. It could be seen as another repeat of: 'I am the person who gets the news and I am not going over to share.'

Also important to note here is the doctor saying that Buck shouldn't get a lot of visitors yet, but he'd probably be happy to see Eddie and Chris.

The atmosphere does change, but Eddie is the one that fills in why that would be. As mostly medical professionals in some capacity, they all know not a lot of visitors isn't great and yeah, the doctor also does press home once more this new knowledge that no matter how close any of them are, Chris and Eddie have the most right to sit with Buck during this time. That is an adjustment and taking a second at the reminder is not too out there as a primary reaction.

Of course what Eddie says is the wrong thing to say for Maddie, who then overshadows any other reactions that might have been and consolidates what Eddie already thinks of what is happening as being the correct interpretation of the events.

When she leaves and Chimney follows, it is because she thinks Eddie getting to be there is shitty, but that isn't necessarily the case for all the others. Bobby and Athena go with this:

With them gone, Eddie turns to Bobby and Athena, his eyes probably more begging than he would usually allow himself. But before he can even ask, Bobby is already shaking his head. “I have to appear before the LAFD brass tomorrow, explain what happened today. I wanted to make sure he came out the other end okay, but I need some sleep before that.” The reminder of what Buck and Eddie have done – what Eddie has done – weighs heavily on him and he can’t even begin to think of what a mess it will become. The shame of Bobby having to do that because of him grips him by the throat, so he just nods wordlessly. “We’ll come by later,” Athena promises, seeing his expression. She gives him a hug and Bobby claps him on the back and then they’re also gone.

Bobby's words feel like him being a failure to Eddie, but Bobby is operating on the one track mind of needing to argue their case the best he can to help them, because in a situation where he has felt so helpless and guilty as this one, it's the one thing he can do to help Buck, so he is focused on that, because Buck is his son, while Eddie is his friend.

And it's not as if they're planning to stay away. Athena tells him they'll come by later. This is the first interaction they've had since everyone found out, if she had been told how much they all hate Eddie now, she probably wouldn't have been kind to him, but Eddie doesn't even consider that.

With that, Hen leaves with this:

Now it’s just him, Carla and Hen. Hen apologetically says: “I need to go home to Denny and Karen, make sure they’re okay. Be with family. You know how these things get to you.” And Eddie does know, he knows it very well, which is exactly why he wants her, wants everyone, to stay here with him. But he knows he can’t ask that of them. So he just says: “Yeah, I do. Go home, it’s okay.” “Thanks,” she says with a small smile. “Wish Buck the best from me, tell him I’ll come when I can, yeah?”

All Hen knows is that 1) Eddie has been giving off major don't talk to me vibes, 2) Buck isn't allowed many visitors and, I cannot overstate how important this detail is, 3) she has just been in an explosion that was on television.

Like her wife probably saw that, if not live then later, maybe Denny too. Naturally Hen probably texted or called her to let her know she was okay, but that is not a casual shake it off thing. Wanting to go home and shower and kiss her wife and hold her son is very normal after being threatened by a terrorist, especially when she thinks that Eddie wants to be with Buck and not everyone is advised be there by the doctors.

However, despite that, she still explains herself and Eddie is the one that says it's okay. Like we know he is lying and maybe Hen could pick up on that, but it's also an emotional and tiring day, she could write it off as everything putting Eddie off his normal behavior or not notice due to exhaustion. Plus, she has plans to come by and it is not her fault she never gets to due to the department.

Then with her gone, we get this line from Carla:

“Nah, if I see my friend being crushed by a firetruck on the news, I’m here,” she says. “I was supposed to have Chris until tomorrow morning anyway. And I have a free day, so you’re in luck. I can stay as long as you need me to.”

Believe me, I love Carla and her response here is colored by what Eddie told her, so also colored his POV of the whole situation, which she doesn't have any reason to doubt. However, with this line, she confirms that Eddie's view of the situation is correct, that they are bad people for leaving Buck's side right now.

And that's how you get two hostile people and three people trying to be understanding and respectful of Eddie's body language turning into Eddie thinking everyone hates him. Like that is so fascinating to me! :D

No one had ill intentions (except for maybe Maddie, who was having a trauma response TM and Chimney who picked her side bc he is whipped), but a misunderstanding about what the body language was giving up turned it into a conflict and more hurt than necessary.

[sokkabaddiebender2021]

ok y’all i finally finished the neflix live action avatar and…….don’t hate me……..but i enjoyed it 😭 my standards for entertainment is honestly on whether or not it entertained me, so honestly i question my standards.

first off, the visuals and score was absolutely amazing. the fight scenes were well choreographed, and the bending, which i was super nervous about, looked actually amazing.

i think we can all agree the writing and dialogue was pretty choppy at times, and the delivery could be better at times. but i also think (most) of the energy of the original characters was captured well. katara honestly got done the dirtiest because why was she so…….not passionate??? i’m hoping later on she gets more so because that’s a key trait of katara. i was very disappointed with that :/

what they did to suki too……..i liked her being a little awkward and such because it makes sense but i felt like too much of her character was dedicated to her having a crush on sokka. like where is her attitude, her ferocity?

i think aang was played very well by gordon cormier, especially considering this is a child actor we are taking about. his line delivery isn’t going to be great and yes he is a real boy so he can’t be as cartoony as some would hope but i think he was absolutely adorable.

surprise surprise, i loved dallas liu as zuko. i think there were some pretty whack line deliveries but he really captured the anger and cringeyness of zuko well. his martial arts were also also incredible, his fight scenes were my favorite to watch. the scene with him crying quietly on the bed when ozai banishing him shattered me, his subtle acting is underrated honestly.

i have my beef with ian ousley as sokka mostly because of the controversy and such, but i can’t lie he did play sokka well. yet again, as for the last characters, some line deliveries were iffy but he was still a very believable sokka.

so for the writing, i have LOTS OF OPINIONS. there were things they cut that definitely upset me, and that was just because of their lowkey questionable pacing. as much as i hate the slimeball, i missed a lot of the interesting parts of zhao’s story that they cut like his agni kai, jeuong jeuong (aang’s fear of fire??), zuko SAVING him. i feel like they had something interesting there with building a fake alliance with him and zuko, and they didn’t build more off it. [edit] that so, the dude who played zhao had me losing my shit. his line delivery was hilarious and i just love that zhao just gives that manager no one likes/that one creepy math teacher in high school vibes (only combination i could think of y’all).

the additions to zuko’s story was something i absolutely loved. i found myself actually getting very emotional with a lot of the flashbacks, and the 41st division being his crew 🥹🥹 but then i find myself being upset that we were shown other flashbacks so early (like the death of katara’s mother??).

i actually hate the hate azula’s actress is getting. she’s playing a 14 year old……like a 14 year old?? she wasn’t even in season 1 in the og so ofc she’s gonna not be the same, i’m hoping this means they’re building up her up to her fierceness in season 2.

one last critique PLEASE GET A WIG BUDGET GOOD LORD THOSE WIGS WERE BAAAAD. and also a lot of their costumes looked fake or like plastic this was actually my least favorite part 😭

overall, not as horrible as people make it out to be, i had a good time but obviously the og will always be the higher quality product. i’m just glad the young actors seemed to really be passionate for the project :)

[vestaclinicpod]

Audio Drama Sunday - 21st April ✨

Here are the shows which got me through a particularly heavy set of night shifts! 😌

👻 @tellnotalespod (S2E78) The music in this episode was so sad 😭. Of COURSE Frank hadn’t considered the emotional nature of the tether in his research. Jesus 🙄. Leo needs to start running this show ASAP.

🌲 @hellofromthehallowoods (148) I’m absolutely obsessed with Buck’s glow up. Honestly, goals. What an interesting cast of characters we have aboard this ship, I can’t wait to spend more time with them. Dashiell reporting to have never met Valerie snuffs out one of my early theories … unless he’s lying! I’m so scared for Shelby and Clem! The action writing has always been amazing in this show but the TENSION this season. I can’t cope. Also, that body at the end! A reference to the circle of fifths?? I’m gonna get emotionally wrecked by the murderer reveal, I can already tell.

🧳 Travelling Light @monstrousproductions (18) oh these Augurians are so lovely and mystical but I was hit by a wave of sadness thinking about one old soul whose aviary is down to one single bird companion and then getting the prophecy of when it will die 🥺 But my sad thoughts were soon drowned out by the 🚨HOLDING HANDS ALARM🚨. Good grief, they’re bloody adorable.

🎙️WTNV (246) I’m so glad we actually got to hear this story!! I couldn’t agree more, Abby, it is not incomprehensible that two living people could haunt each other. I’m reminded of a fave Everything Everything lyric ‘if he’s dead, he’s not a deadbeat dad’…. you feel me?

🏛 @the-mistholme-museum (ERASED) oh, boy, I sure hope this episode title is just a fun word which begins with E and not a reference to what’s happened with HoResearch! Anyone down to make a petition for one more season where the guide just talks to itself? It’s so cute!!

🖥️ The Magnus Protocol (12) oh god, I bloody hate mascots/clowns and this is not helping at all….

🍎 @notquitedeadpod (XXXVI) I don’t like listening to Alfie cry 😭 forgive me, but I’m mentally not ready to give up on the idea of Cas coming back. I believe that Haley believes in what she’s telling Alfie but I’m also like… babes, you maybe want to ask your consultant about that? I need to relisten with a notepad or something to get this new biology lore down because it’s so interesting!!

I’m thinking about starting Hi Nay or Small Victories this week, I’ve heard such good things about both of them! If you have a particular fave or if there’s a show you think I’d prefer more - let me know!!

[burst-of-iridescent]

atla live action thoughts: episodes 3 & 4

SPOILERS AHEAD

tw: opinions

things i liked:

jet, you beautiful, beautiful man. had me twirling my hair and kicking my feet fr i NEED this show to get a season 2 just so i can see more of him in the ba sing se arc please netflix

but looks aside, sebastian amoruso DELIVERED on the performance. the softness, the vulnerability, the charm, the intelligence, yet also the ruthlessness beneath it all? KILLED IT.

the moment between him and katara where he tells her to remember her mother as she was alive and not just her death was absolutely lovely. “remember the sunrise” made me very emotional

on that note, can’t believe jetara fake marriage is canon now lmao

i am SO here for desi omashu. i love the vibe and aesthetic of the city and again the visuals are STUNNING. live action repping the south asians better than the original ever did i’ll be honest

shameless fan service but “MY CABBAGES” being so fucking dramatic had me dying

of all the things i expected from the atla live action, secret tunnel and omashu being lesbians wasn’t even on the list but i’m not mad. hilarious that they turned the cave of two lovers into the cave of two platonic siblings though

jet, omashu and northern air temple arcs actually meshed together better than i thought. the NAT episode never sat well with me in the original so i’m glad they moved them to omashu instead.

the freedom fighters were RIGHT OUT OF THE ANIMATION. casting directors absolutely killed

love that they showed resistance movements within the fire nation and azula being part of rooting them out. it’s a nice nod to the deserter, since i’m guessing they’re not including that episode

really glad to see that the atla live action is following the tradition of having weirdly unnecessary zutara crumbs in every iteration of the story because what in the om shanti om was that zutara scarf moment. 10/10 no notes

having one of the earthbenders transporting iroh be angry over losing a loved one because of iroh’s siege of ba sing se was a really great change. i’ve always thought the original glossed over the true extent of the damage iroh did, so having him come face to face with what he’d done in the past was a great way to add some complexity

“how dare you beat up that child!” everyone go home seeing zuko being beat up by a random old lady is the highlight of this series. really love that they were just running around throwing things at each other that was major book 1 zuko/aang fight energy lmao

SECRET TUNNELLLLLLLL

leaves from the vine instrumental was 100% to inflict emotional damage and it fucking worked. the scene between zuko and iroh at lu ten’s funeral was so beautiful & then to have it flipped around at the end when iroh says “everything i need is on this boat”… fuck you for this netflix i didn’t need these tears today

things i disliked/am conflicted about:

not a fan of what they’re doing with katara’s character. they’re toning down a lot of her rage and fierceness, and boiling her down to “trauma over mother’s death.” in the original katara didn’t freeze jet and splash water at him because he tried to fight her, she did it because she was hurt and pissed off! there’s no way animated katara would’ve just run away from jet without sending a water whip at his face first. i’m concerned for how the pakku fight is gonna go tbh

bumi my guy, what did they do to you 💀 this series seems hellbent on having everyone remind aang that he ran away which doesn’t work when a) you already changed aang actively running away to him just going off for a break and b) you’ve made that point! the original omashu episode was about bumi teaching aang to look at the world differently, here it just weirdly feels as though he’s punishing aang by venting all his anger and despair on him?? that’s NOT what animated bumi was like & they didn’t even have the two of them go sliding down the delivery system in the flashbacks so adding it in at the end felt very out of nowhere. they didn’t even genuinely seem to be FRIENDS

having aang immediately figure out it was bumi was… sigh. can we please not do the thing where characters already know everything it’s giving me trauma flashbacks to the percy jackson show

jet’s plan feels more reasonable here than it did in the original. i get they’re trying to show that he didn’t care about the collateral damage to innocent people and that’s bad, but idk him wiping out an entire town unilaterally felt more extreme than a few bombings.

heavily dislike what they’ve done with zhao. i know they’re trying to show him clawing his way to power but that’s more of a long feng move than a ZHAO move. it’s important that zhao always holds more power than zuko and that he has an overinflated sense of ego from the start for him to fulfil his narrative purpose of serving as a warning to zuko of what he might become.

i like seeing mailee but why are they in this show? it feels as though they’re cardboard cutouts there for fan service instead of being actual characters

overall i liked these episodes better than the previous two & i do enjoy how action-packed and visually pleasing the show has been so far.

overall rating: 8/10 for episode 3, 7/10 for episode 4

[alezangona]

A Little Salaar Rant:

Rewatched Salaar again for the nth time and am just so curious as to how the sequel is going to go.

Like number one, a part of me believes that Aadhya is a misdirect as a love interest because in the nicest way, Deva and Varadha are too into each other to care about anyone else. I really don’t think that anything Aadhya says or does can make Deva prioritize her over Varadha (when it comes to matters of safety- like if someone was holding a gun to both of their heads, he’d be picking Varadha no doubt). Even in their interview where they were describing what they take away from their characters:

• Prithvi talked about how Varadha feels incomplete without Deva.

• Prabhas talked about how Deva’s priority is Varadha first, then his mother, and now Aadhya.

• Shruthi talked about how Aadhya doesn’t even belong here and how she just accidentally wandered in and how her character is important in driving the plot forward.

I feel like in the end, they’re just gonna make her a love interest because that’s usually how these films go. But that feels so weird in the context of this movie because it wouldn’t really fit into the character dynamics that have been established. A part of me hopes that she can just be a friend at the end of it all, especially since her and Deva will probably have a side quest as they deal with the asthikalu. But anything more than that wouldn’t really feel just to the story at hand. In my opinion anyway.

And number two, the plot of the next movie will concentrate on the war between Deva and Varadha. I’m so interested about how they’re going to play that out because I cannot picture either of these two wanting to actually hurt each other. It even feels like in Prithvi’s entry scene, Varadha doesn’t look excited by the fact they’ve found Deva. Instead, he kind of just looks tired/done/like there’s a burden on his shoulders. Most probably because he doesn’t want to actually kill or hurt Deva. I feel like he’d rather just turn a blind eye to his location than actually hurt him.

In terms of how the movie ends too, I know Prashant talked about how the last scene of the movie will be the same as the first scene in the movie. Which makes me think that it might end with Deva dying, because what happens in the first scene is Deva doing what he has to in order to protect Varadha. Like maybe the movie will end with the current pole! But that would be so sad… like I need both of them to survive and live out their lives together. Or, if one goes, the other goes with because with how intertwined their souls are, I don’t think either can really survive with the other being completely gone.

I think a big part of me is just hoping that they’ll end up together at the end of it all because their actions showcase nothing but love and regard for the other. It’s something that goes beyond friendship (every interaction that happened between them has literally happened before in other movies with straight couples). I don’t think I have enough faith in Indian cinema at this point in this to truly believe they’ll let Varadha and Deva become a couple.

But I really wish they would because it’s about time. Also, you can’t have a story this big and dramatic, rooted in the story of these two characters who would literally do anything for each other in a setting as bloodthirsty as Khansar, and think that it isn’t a story about love. Ya know?

Also random, but a part of was also thinking about the conflict that happened in Khansar that led to Deva and his mom having to leave a second time. Like post that is when Amma probably really got scared of the power of her son and truly realized what he was capable of in the hands of Varadha. Especially because from my perspective, whatever blood bath occurred that led to Deva feeling guilty (cuz blood on his hands) has to have occurred because he needed to protect Varadha. So even though what happened probably wasn’t directly Varadha’s fault, I kinda of want to see Varadha and Amma being able to meet each other in 2017 and there be a tension in their relationship too. Where Amma probably is wary of Varadha since she knows the power he has over her son and where Varadha probably just feels this sense of unease because how do you confront someone who was like a mother to you?

In general, this is just a rant as I watch and rewatch and try to process my own thoughts. I feel like I know mostly how the plot is going to go and what to expect out of the second film. But there’s also the bigger part of me that hopes that instead of taking the generic way out (the way most series and movies seem to be doing now) the creators will take the time to do justice to the film and to the characters by allowing it to be what it is, rather than fitting into some mold of their own expectations.