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jacnaylor · 5 years ago

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romance book recs!!

romance is my feel good genre, and it’s also usually somewhat easier to read during stressful times, so here’s a list of some books that are either romance or have a romance element i feel like mentioning.

(EDIT: I STAYED UP TILL 2 AM DOING THIS HELP. this is why some of the comments. don’t make any fucking sense.)

romance books and authors:

CONTEMPORARY:

1. The Bromance bookclub series by Lyssa Kay Adams (A group of men form a bookclub dedicated to romance books in order to understand women, improve their relationships and become better men. It’s funny, cute, and all about dismantling toxic masculinity one romance book at a time)

2. Mariana Zapata books (The queen of slowburn romance. The only book I’ve read by her is ‘Under Locke’, but ‘From Lukov with love’ and ‘Kulti’ have rave reviews. There is so much build up and SO much sexual tension with a great pay off)

3. Milly Johnson books (A uk author whose books are primarily set in the north, these are total feel good books. Not so much graphic and more romantic, but her characters are great and her plot lines really hook you in.)

4. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (Super cute, quick enemies-to-lovers story about a bridesmaid who has to go on a honeymoon with the best man when the bride and groom get food poisoning. Obviously this means the holy of holies: fake relationship!)

5. Well met by Jen De Luca (Oh my gosh! Super fun, the characters are just wonderful especially our heroine. A hate-to-love romance set at a renaissance fair! All about overcoming the limits you set on yourself and rethinking your first impressions.)

6. Katherine Center books (My personal favourites are ‘How to walk away’ about a woman who falls for her PT after a near fatal plane crash. And ‘Happiness for beginners’ about a woman taking part in a wilderness trail with her brothers annoying best friend. She writes such great plots and you really feel all the emotions!)

7. Mhairi Mcfarlane books (my personal favourites are ‘Here’s looking at you’ about a woman who comes face to face with her high school bully years later - only he doesn’t recognize her. And he’s not awful? Don’t worry. I know how that synopsis sounds. He’s not excused his actions, but you also understand how he’s grown and changed. It definitely gets you in the feels though. As does ‘You had me at hello’ Which is about a couple from university meeting again years later. God this woman can write angst and yearning!!)

8. A part of me by Anouska Knight (On the same day she and her husband have been accepted into the adoption process, their marriage implodes. This has such a cute romance which follows hate-to friends- to love and it’s v funny)

9. Southern Eclectic series by Molly harper (Just as it sounds. Southern small town romance with a great, quirky cast of characters)

10. Maggie’s man by Lisa Gardner (writing as Alicia Scott) (An escaped convict kidnaps a woman from the courthouse to act as his hostage whilst he tries to prove his innocence. Surprisingly funny and warm. Maggie as a heroine is an absolute joy. They’re sort of chaotic together and it’s a wild ride.)

11. The Mister by E.L James (LISTEN OK - SIT BACK DOWN - It’s not winning awards but it’s actually decent! I was skeptical, but I will admit I was won over. I mean parts are cheesy but it’s so addictive. Basically a rich man falls for his cleaning lady - but it’s also about the yearning. It’s also quite action packed as there’s danger, drama and a chase across europe to get the girl.)

12. RECENT Colleen Hoover (Now, you may enjoy older CH books. Personally I find them very problematic. Now I’ve really enjoyed her recent books though. Especially ‘Without Merit’ and ‘It ends with us’ and ‘Regretting you’. High angst, high drama, dark topics for all of her books. But you can tell she’s matured with her writing. She isn’t for everyone but they’re addictive, fast paced reads.

13. The Austenland duology by Shannon Hale (You might have seen the Austenland movie - The cutest, cheesiest, sweetest, campiest movie ever. Well there’s a book! It’s about women who go on a holiday and live their own Jane Austen story with actors. The first book leans towards Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield park. The second book is more Northanger abbey and Emma.

14. Brigid Kemmerer contemporaries (She is an auto-buy author for me, especially her contemporaries. She writes the best teenage characters, the best teenage boys I’ve ever read about. Her characters are real, she writes about kids trying their best, struggling, and being good, and kind, and the world not being kind to them. Usually the books have a pov from both the female and male love interest. I would rec any of them tbh. ‘Letters to the lost’ comes before it’s companion novel ‘More than we can tell’. I loved ‘Call it what you want’ with has modern Robin Hood elements!!!! seriously she is my favourite YA contemporary author.

15. Sophie Kinsella books (If you haven’t picked up her stand alone novels then what are you doing???? she is the queen!!!! Personal favourites are ‘Can you keep a secret’ and ‘I’ve got your number)

16. A quiet kind of thunder by Sara Barnard (I love her ok. Her books are short and sweet but she packs a punch. TBH these aren’t primarily romance, they’re more just about teenage girls but this one has a good romance element so I’m putting it on here. It’s about Steffi, a selective mute who sometimes communicates with basic sign language who is assigned to look after the new boy at school Rhys, who is deaf.)

17. Meet me at the museum by Anne Youngson (GORGEOUS! moving, tender. A lonely housewifes strikes up a correspondence with a widowed museum curator in Denmark. Oh gosh. I just love this one. It’s about friendship, love, grief, second chances, the choices we make. Seriously love this one and it’s not that long.)

FANTASY:

1. Sorcery of thorns by Margaret Rogerson (Elisabeth has grown up in the great library, protecting grimoires with powers and fearing sorcerers. When a dangerous grimoire is released, she’s forced to team up with an enigmatic sorcerer and his demonic servant in order to save the world.)

2. Sky in the deep duology by Adrienne Young (A viking inspired story about a warrior who is captured by the tribe she is at war with. Such good tension and it’s also got a lot of action. Battle couple romance! Mutual respect! Hate to love!)

3. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (I’ve reread this book once but will end up reading it again. It’s a time travel romance about a woman staying in cornwall dealing with the death of her sister who is transported back and forth to the 17th century. It’s a favourite. The romance is wonderful but the stakes are really high too. I also love ‘Belleweather’ by the same author)

4. An ember in the ashes series by Sabaa Tahir (Oh god, the romance. THE ROMANCE! it’s so much. The angst, the pining, the longing. The first book follows Laia, part of a slave class in a roman inspired world. She begins spying in the top military academy and meets Elias, a reluctant soldier. This is a proper fantasy series with only the first three books out, but it’s so great.)

5. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen (Let me just copy the blurb ok: “Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan's rules.” I MEAN COME ON. a gorgeous adult fairytale with love and redemption at the center.

6. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot (Obviously Meg Cabot is the most iconic and we stan. But this series is my absolute favourite by her. About Suze Simon, a kickass, no nonsense mediator - Someone who helps ghosts move on to the other side. Sometimes by force. She has to move house and ends up sharing her room with a 100 year old hot ghost named Jesse. The tension. The angst. THE BANTER!!!!)

7. House of Earth and Blood by Sara J Maas (a half fae half mortal girl tries to solve a murder with the help of a fallen angel. It’s a LONG book, but for me personally it flew by. It’s a big new fantasy world but the romance has a great build. Overcoming grief! Being normal together! Being in danger together! THE UST! the characters are so good. I ahven’t been this impressed by a new series for a while)

8. Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer (yep, she gets another mention. This one is a beauty and the best retelling about a man forced to relive the same season over and over, becoming a literal beat, until a girl from our world can break the curse. The second book, following secondary characters, is my fave so far. But both feature kickass ladies and those small romantic moments BK is so good at)

9. A court of thorns and roses series by Sara J Maas (a fae inspired beauty and the beast retelling. The only time you support a ship switch. Also the secondary ships are getting their own books and oh my god. I’m so excited.)

HISTORICAL/CLASSICS/MILLS AND BOON

1. Jane Austen (The original rom com queen, obviously. Pride and prejudice and Emma are faves. Also I have a major soft spot for the alwayc chaotic and underrated Northanger Abbey)

2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Actually might be my favourite classic ever. Often described at an industrial p&p. Margaret, from the south, comes face to face with the harsh reality of the world when she moves up north and comes face to face with a brooding millowner. There’s obviously a lot more nuance than that but. THE PINING!!!!!! THE MISCOMMUNICATION! THE DRAMA!)

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (You might have seen the film. Please also read the book. Told entirely in letters. The sharp witted author Juliet Ashton falls in love with Guernsey and it’s characters whilst researching what happened there during the war. Funny, moving and romantic.)

4. The Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn (A butterfly hunter foils her own kidnap and is paired together with a reclusive natural historian. They solve mysteries together. They can’t admit they wanna sleep together. The tension.......unbearable. See also the Julia Grey mysteries by the same author)

5. The warrior knight and the widow by Ella Matthews (So last year I discovered Mills and Boon and I have no shame about it whatsoever. This is a medieval beauty and the beast retelling about a woman being escorted to her fathers estate by an enigmatic and scarred knight. She’s hoping to convince her father to let her steward her own lands, and of course trying not to fall for her escort.)

6. The bareknuckle bastards series by Sarah Maclean (A badass, brooding trio of siblings who rule the underbelly of Covent Garden fall for smart, beautiful women. Opposites attract, Good girl/bad boy, strong women, banter. Super fun historical romance)

7. Redeeming the reclusive earl by Virginia Heath (I just read this and it was seriously cute!!!! And book where the hero blushes even once is a good book in my opinion. Basically aspiring antiquarian named Effie barrels into the life of a new earl - who really just wants to be left alone to be grumpy and sad and disfigured. ALONE. But Effie wants to dig on his land. And she won’t take no for an answer. She also talks A LOT.

8. A family for the widowed governess by Ann Lethbridge (Technically this is part of a series but you don’t need to read them in order and this is the best one. A widow who is being blackmailed accepts a governess post. She can’t tell her employer about the blackmail especially when she starts falling for him.)

9. The bedlam stacks by Natasha Pulley (I read watchmaker and didn’t like it but you might like it. This one also FEAUTRES A M/M ROMANCE. I know this list was super straight im sorry. Anyway this is about a botanist falling in love with a priest in the jungle.

10. The wilderness series by Sara Donati (Think outlander without the time travel and also not set in scotland. Basically Last of the Mohicans fanfiction about Hawkeye’s grown up son. An english woman moves to america when her father promises she can be a school teacher there. Little does she know he actually has plans to marry her off. Things get more complicated when she falls for Nathaniel Bonner, a white man raised native american and who’s daughter and extended family is Native American. Like outlander there’s romance, adventure, history. But unlike the outlander books the love interest is a decent guy (i say as if i don’t love the tv show)

STUFF THAT REALLY ISN’T ROMANCE AT ALL. BUT I SHIP A SHIP.

1. The Lacey Flint series by Sharon Bolton (Lacey Flint is a police officer who becomes involved in the hunt to catch a Jack the ripper copycat. There actually is a strong romantic element with the other lead police officer.)

2. The last hours duology by Minette Walters. A novel about the black death and a closed estate lead by a woman who’s trying to protect her people. There’s also a kind of murder mystery. But she also has a close relationship to one of the surfs that I got super invested in.

3. The Strike series by J.k Rowling (I know we don’t stan anymore but. This series about PI and his assistant slowly growing closer? Becoming best friends and partners? Not acknowledging any feelings for each other?

#books #book recs #literature #romance #romance books #romance reads #penvenens #romance recs #romance reader #historical romance #probably forgot loads

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superemeralds · 6 years ago

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Lost and Found: Lyrical Character Analysis for Shadow the Hedgehog

it’s all under the cut; it’s also really long......

can’t really make a TLDR for it since it’s kinda chaotic and you need the context sajfhsakj just know that shadow is a super deep character and fuck anyone that makes him The Token Edgy Boy,,

if you have anything to add, feel free to do so. If you think I missed a song, tell me! (i spent over 10 hours on this, i fell asleep at one point too sjafhaskj)

song index (each song has a link to a youtube video up here, and also in the analysis of the specified song):

throw it all away

supporting me

waking up

almost dead

broken

chosen one

all hail shadow

i am all of me

never turn back

who i am

1) Throw it all away

Shadow’s theme in SA2, the first theme he ever had.

This show’s Shadow in his state immediately after the ARK raid where he still has *all* of his memories. He is blinded by rage over the events and emotionally confused. His sorrow manifested in a tunnel vision that could only see the revenge that Gerald had planned for him to carry out.

Everybody tries to be straight But things are still unchanged It's useless to resist Their effort will be wasted

obviously this means shadow is gay thanks for reading my analysis.

By “straight” the singer probably means upright, proper and just.

This makes a lot of sense considering Shadow’s world view in that moment. Humans are all the same: They pretend to mean well and fight for the right thing/justice; but in the end their true selfish nature will arise, they just can’t resist being evil. No matter how many people speak of change, he’s seen what they really are. Every effort of people to be good is wasted because they just do bad things anyways. Mostly seen as that even after those 50 years that Shadow was asleep, humans have not changed at all. They are still fighting and at war with themselves (in different ways/forms than back then) and discriminative. And most of all are they trashing the planet that Maria wanted to protect so dearly. (the efforts are also wasted because Shadow wants to kill them all with a big laser)

The trauma of the in a later game implied abuse, aswell as the brutal loss of Maria shaped Shadow to have a very black and white view of the world that led him to believe that people couldn’t redeem themselves. (the same actually goes for the GUN Commander, but that’s for another post.)

Head straight for your goal by any means There is a door that you've never opened There is a window with the view you have never seen Get there, no matter how long it takes

This verse is interesting as it suddenly changes the perspective. This is not how Shadow sees himself, but how an observer would describe him.

Shadow is a person that does whatever he needs to achieve his goal and in this game it is even more prominent because of his tunnel vision and the fact he acts a lot on emotion. (rage, sadness, confusion, guilt)

The door and the window are symbolic to the opportunities that Shadow has to make a difference and be the change he wants to see so badly, aswell as a reference to his tunnel vision and an urge for him to open his eyes to what he is doing and that there is more to the world than what he believe it to be at that time, mostly considering that Shadow never got a chance to actually see much of the real world, since he was born and raised in an artificial and military environment in space; and after that he was immediately put to sleep and imprisoned. And after THAT he was too fixated on destroying the world to actually pay attention to his surroundings.

It almost sounds like this is Shadow’s voice of reason speaking to him. It is gentle and patient (Either literally Maria or Shadow’s suppressed memories of her)

Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk Throw it all away! No-one can break you, nobody can tear you You live an endless life forever

Dusk is the colors at sunset. (I googled it to be sure.) so that might be symbolic for the light fading from his sight, darkness and negativity creeping up on his bright and colorful old self.

Shadow realizes his mistake late in the game and he is reminded of Maria’s wish. he throws the darkness away. (he also “throws his rings away” in the final phase of the fight against the finalhazard…)

He has put this mask on himself, created this persona of himself that is unfazeable, unbreakable. This is him speaking to himself, telling himself he should not let anything stop him in his plans, that he is the strongest and true ultimate life form.

He knows that he is doomed/cursed with his immortality. Exactly this is why he’s ready to “throw it all away” and ultimately sacrifice himself in the end.

Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk Throw it all away! You see a light wherever you go You have to face it again and again (and again and again)

The memories of Maria haunt him, but even if they do make him suffer, at the same time they are only his last and only reason to live and to move forward. She is his light, and he has to face the truth about her fate over and over and over again every time he has those flashbacks.

The way he has to face them is not a haunt though, it is a reminder. His subconcious wants him to remember his true purpose, but his stubbornness makes it really really hard to see the truth.

Alternatively he also encounters Sonic who is trying to stop him from destroying the planet at numerous places. Sonic is also a light in shadow’s world, a very harsh one that literally tries to beat sense into him.

Now, wake up, up, up, up…

He has to wake up and snap out of it and save the world.

This song is easily a dialogue between Shadows true self and the version of him that is blinded by rage. He argues with himself about if he is doing the right thing and urges himself to snap out of his anger induced trance.

2) Supporting Me

Arguably not directly one of his theme songs but there are important hint to Shadow’s character development within SA2.

Remember how Shadow was very selfish in his wish to destroy the planet? Well get a load of this then:

I'm gonna be desperate

He’s outright desperate to right his wrongdoings. He did not believe in redemption before, but now he’s not so sure himself. He doesn’t know or care if he will be redeemed, but he’s desperate to do what he was to do to make it right again. (By fighting his brother and winning Sonic and Knuckles some time to stop the ARK from crashing to the earth)

Never lose, hurry Never lose, hurry

Shadow can’t lose, not ever, and most of all not now. He has to beat the Biolizard at all costs and he has to do it fast as time is running out.

I believe in my future, farewell to the shadow It was my place to live, but now I need your hand Lead me out with your light I have breathed in the disgusting air of darkness But I never lose out to the pressure

Shadow stopped looking back to the past, all that matters is the present and the future of this planet. He bids farewell to

1) the shadow that was clouding his view

2) the Shadow (himself) of the past.

He insisted that he was the real and Sonic was a Fake, he told him to die and that he didn’t have the right to be alive since it would be a mockery to his existence. He regrets his words and acknowledges that implying that he was the only one who had the right to live was wrong. He needs Sonic’s help now. Sonic is his light (as mentioned in the song before) that can lead him out of his darkness. The disgusting air of darkness he’s been breathing for too long. (This verse also refers to how the Biolizard is Shadow’s prototype and how Shadow was the one who was allowed to “live a life” while the Biolizard was artificially programmed (however they did that) and made a consciousless slave to Gerald’s plan.)

But no matter what happens, Shadow is able to stay cool and not give in to his emotions in the sense of his mission. He has to keep fighting without any disturbances or distractions. He can’t afford failure. Pressure (mainly the pressure of time in this context) is nothing.

(The instrumental in this part has a distorted part of live and learn in it!) Everything's just like an illusion I'll be losing you before long

I never lose my confidence

Everything being an illusion is a reference to how fast everything is going for Shadow, how confused and unsure he is of his actions and the future of the planet. It’s too much to take in, but at the same time he (as mentioned before) can’t afford the confusion. He’s quick to adapt and accept this fate, but he can’t help feeling like the last few hours have been too wild of a ride.

He’s ready to sacrifice his life to save the world though, and the You he’s referring to… well.

I know you were supporting me Supporting me Supporting me I'll be losing you before long

Who’s supporting him? Sonic. Sonic is supporting him. Shadow already know’s he’s going to sacrifice himself to save the planet. He’s known from the very moment he was reminded of his purpose.

He doesn’t believe in redemption. He knows that he did something villainous, and he doesn’t deserve to be saved and supported by Sonic (the Hero). He’s okay with it. It’s okay. He lived and learned. He doesn’t want to live out his curse of immortality anyways.

3) Waking Up

Covering the ShTH songs is a challenge, but I’ll do my best to make sense.

This is the true neutral theme of Shadow. well… “true”. I’d call it more of a… this is the theme for a Shadow that was not told any new information throughout his quest and the only thing he was told by Eggman was a lie. (him being an android that is. it’s a lie. Eggman confirms it later in the game.)

Jet sounds a distant roar behind you As you try to clear your head You start to look and answers find you Your inner purpose lies ahead

This isn’t about Jet The Hawk btw.

Due to the Alien Invasion that’s going on right now, the military (GUN) is out and about having war with them. It’s loud and irritating and it’s distracting Shadow from his true mission: Remembering his past, his identity. Finding out who he is. Finding answers. He finds them, but many are not what he actually wanted to know. He gets more answers than he asked for and he has to sort them out and find the truth behind them. The true ending: his inner purpose that’s always been there right from the start.

One step to calm the storm inside you Unlock the secrets in your head Not another day, no more confusion No more living like you're dead

His mind is in turmult, he’s confused and scared, but determined to find the truth. One step forward towards that truth can clear his head and help him focus. He’s tired of being manipulated and confused, he wants to know who he is and why he exists! He feels fake and unreal and its suffocating. He will remember at all costs.

It seems it's just out of sight The ones with answers always get their way And I think they should know That I'm coming for them Now

He’s so close to the truth it seems, because everyone keeps telling him they know who he is, and they are willing to tell him if he does them a favour. He plays along for a while but ultimately he sees through the manipulation and opposes them. Eggman, GUN, Black doom…. He will combat their manipulation by using it to his advantage. He just wants to know who he is…

Waking up, breaking out *This is what it's like to be free Rip it up, tear it down *This is what it means to be free Waking up, breaking out *This is what it's like to be free Rip it up, tear it down *This is what it means to be free

(lyrics with * are in omegas voice as this is the ending song for shadow being told he is an android and he and omega join forces to kill eggman)

waking up and breaking out is meant symbolic aswell as literal… being aware of the abuse you’re going through and breaking out of it…. it’s freeing. You feel free.

And, technically, you *are* free, too. But Shadow and Omega… they feel like this isn’t enough.

In order to be really free, they have to destroy the source of their suffering. This is their meaning of being free. Once whatever is emotionally holding them back is destroyed, it can’t bother you anymore.

This is the path they had been manipulated into. ( I’ll explain how everything goes together when I get to I am All Of Me)

4) Almost dead

This is the pure dark (and normal dark) ending theme for Shadow.

No more gods No more graves Are you friend or fiend? No more life No more death Somewhere in between

This is the path there he got too many answers, too much information, things out of context left and right that got to his head.

he says, I quote, “I was created to bring order and justice to the humans… With the power of these emeralds I’m going to destroy this danm planet!”

He’s tired of being told what to do, tired of being “meant” to save and protect creatures that are not worth it, sick of catering to black dooms plans. He’s sick of *everyone* what better way to end it than to just kill everyone?

It doesn’t even matter anymore that innocent people will go down with him. Existence is cursed and there’s nothing anyone can do about it anymore.

Heaven can't save us Hell is a joke No place left to go What you see You cannot believe But when we rise, you'll know

This is a reference to the other ending. The ending where shadow is convinced by black doom to be evil. Where he works for black doom. He will help the black arms rise. Humans are worthless and deserve to be ruled over by the dark arms.

Well we're almost dead Almost dead Almost dead to the world Almost dead Almost dead Almost dead to the world

The world is almost dead, since it’s doomed now, but he and the aliens are both not seen as living being either.

5) Broken

This is an unused track that was not included in the final game, I’ll talk more about this later and what ending this would probably be for. (edit: i’ll explain why it’s unused and everything in the next song that replaces this one)

Don't wanna feel like Don't wanna think like Don't wanna live like Like someone else Wanna feel like Just wanna think like Just wanna be like Everyone else

Shadow just wants to be normal like everyone else, he hates his destiny as chosen one (pun intended)

The below verse is a cont of that thought.

Don't wanna sing like Don't wanna dream like Don't wanna act like Like someone else Wanna feel life Just wanna live life Just wanna live life As someone else

Here its like. He isnt even sure if he can relate to pleople in the most TRIVIAL THINGS ... He feels alien to other ppl bc... He literally is an alien.

And he really wished he wasnt. That his past wast so tragic. That all this hadn't happened. That he wasnt made in the first place.

Couldn't walk away from something broken Tried to find a way to make it good again Only you can make a difference, darling But always...

And he refers to himself as broken, bc thats what he is. Just. A scrap heap of memories and misery And he tries so hard to be good but he feels like he cant do it And hes trying hard for Maria, trying hard for Sonic, trying hard for Rouge. Their love is his reason to live, they give him the power to keep going. But always..... Everyone dies and leaves him behind alone again. As is his fate as immortal life form.

6) Chosen one

The Neutral Hero ending.

He mainly learns about the things on ARK and his origin, how he was made.

I can't remember Anything at all I've been turning it all around I'm sorry So sorry Is this what I have become

Shadow says “I’m a research experiment gone deadly wrong, I should’ve never been created.”

He feels guilty that he can’t remember all the horrible things that happened, the horrible thing he did in SA2. All the people he hurt when he was looking for answers. And also guilty for the alien invasion.

He’s guilty for his existence.

Wish I may Wish I might be someone else tonight Sometimes I wish I was never born at all And I'll try to save the world Cause in the end I know I'm the chosen one I'm the chosen one

He can wish all he wants to reverse his past, no be someone else, to wish he was never born. He will do his best to save the world, to right his wrongdoings. To somehow redeem himself and take the weight of his guilt off his shoulders. It all depends on him, because that’s what he was made for. It’s his purpose, his fate.

I can't remember What I used to be Something's turning me upside down You made me I love you But I can't change things I've done (I'm the chosen one)

He can’t remember his past self anymore, he has no idea how and what his childhood was like.

All he knows is that he was close to Maria, that he loved her and that her death was horrible and in vain. All he can remember is her death and her smile.

He doesn’t remember how Sonic had helped him in SA2, but he has new recent memories of Sonic’s support. I assume strongly that Sonic did tell Shadow about their team-up on ARK. He’s literally turning his world upside down.

Sonic helped Shadow realize the truth, he supported him a LOT throughout the game. Emotionally and physically.

After all they’ve been through....

He loves him.

Shadow loves Sonic.

And after all this, even when he appreciates him and is grateful for his continuous support….

Just like on ARK in SA2, he feels like he doesn’t deserve redemption. He doesn’t deserve Sonic’s love.

(disclaimer: love doesn’t have to be romantic. see it however you want lmao)

Broken and Chosen One are connected, you can easily see the parallels.

I think that Broken was meant to be the neutral hero theme, but when that was canceled they put Chosen One in its place.

EDIT: the description of the video i linked does confirm this actually. broken was not written FOR the game, rather Jun thought it was so good and fitting that he’d like to have included it in the game, but was unable to get permission,,,, this is why chosen one sounds so much like broken, because it’s MEANT to kinda mimic it in mood and style.

And I think those two songs are VERY underrated. They show Shadow’s more emotional side that people tend to ignore completely.

7) All Hail Shadow

Okay I’ll be upfront. This is Shadow’s theme since 2006.

And I hate it. It is a very “biased” theme for Shadow that only shows one side of him. I’ll explain.

Suffer long and it will set you free! Only through trial do we find the strength we need It's never over, just another day Of hope and tragedies, and everything that comes our way

This song is all about how edgy Shadow is. It tells of how suffering builds character (bad trope)

What i like about this verse is that it addresses that hope and tragedy go hand in hand, that there's good and bad in a balance in life.

Determination of the strong, Found the meaning that you've searched for so long!

Shadow found the seeming meaning of his life. His promise to Maria, and Sonic.

Somewhere in chaos we all find ourselves This destruction is the only tale we tell White is black and black is white, Right is wrong, wrong is right!

Nothing ever fills this hole inside your heart

more edgy stuff………. i really cant tell you what the fuck this is supposed to mean other than “shadow is an edgy anti hero” and im like. we get it. but where’s the lore? the context? the character?

the black and white thing kinda symbolizes the manipulation he went through to find out the truth. How he can’t trust what anyone says and how he has to rely on his own judgement.

the hole in his heart obviously being his missing memories that can’t magically return, even if he tried hard and was fed tonns of information.

All Hail Shadow! Heroes rise again! Obliterating everything that's not your friend! Nothing can stop you now, No ghost to bring you down! There's nothing left to lose, You win!

In this ending Shadow learned just the right facts about his past to boost his confidence.

And like im glad about that its good for him

And in this context it’s valid to call shadow a hero, because in this ending he IS a pure hero. (he and sonic kill all the dark arms together)

and this is a good song i love it

But not as his main theme. This is not Canon Shadow. This is Pure Hero Shadow.

Hear me out guys. ShTH is all about manipulation. You as player get to manipulate Shadow into taking a certain path. It’s about exploring how a person’s personality can change depending on what information they learn and what people they meet and what things happen to them.

Which is why Shadow is an entirely different person in all of those endings.

Yes, all of those are still Shadow, but they are alternative versions of him that do not belong in the canon timeline. The canon timeline is the True Ending that I will explain below.

( also i hate people using this player manipulation as excuse to say “but shadow used guns in his game! its canon! he’s edgy! he uses guns!” like no thats not how it works thats ONE PATH he could go. You chose it but it’s not the one HE chose. in the true ending he uses his chaos powers exclusively.)

8) I am… All of Me

This is the theme of the fight against Devil Doom. This is not the conclusion yet, but it is the immediate reaction to learning the final and absolute truth about himself and his past.

I see no, hear no evil, Black writing on the wall, Unleashed a million faces, And one by one they fall,

I learned that the first line is a saying but I can’t really say much to it and ive been analyzing all those songs for 7 hours in a row now please help with that part.

Black-hearted evil, Brave-hearted hero, I am all, I am all I am, I... I... I am

Against popular belief this doesn’t mean that he is both evil and a hero, it means that he is neither. This emphasises that he is himself and nothing else.

Here we go buddy, Here we go buddy, Here we go, Here we go buddy, Here we go

here we go buddy, you will die now.

Go ahead and try to see through me, Do it if you dare, One step forward, two steps back, I'm here (One step forward, two steps back) Do it... Do it... Do it... DO IT…

Shadow is his own person and he’s determined, more than ever. He feel confident in himself and his power, confident in his destiny and his purpose.

If anyone dares to oppose him…. He will take one step towards them, they back two steps backwards in fear of him.

Can you see all of me? Walk into my mystery, Step inside and hold on for dear life, Do you remember me? Capture you and set you free I am all, I am all of me (I am all, I am of me) I am... I am, I'm all of me, I am... I am, I'm all of me, I am... I am, I'm all of me,

Shadow wonders of other people’s perception of him, of pepole that remember him from before he lost his memory; and he wants them to know that they don’t know this new shadow yet. That they have to get to know him again

The capture part references more like… captivating… Because of his mystery and the urge to find out who he is.

Again. He is all the things that make him himself, but ultimately he’s just Shadow the hedgehog. He is who he is.

I see and feel the evil, My hands will crush them all, You think you have the answer, I laugh and watch you fall,

Reference to the first verse; he used to not see those things, but now he does and he’s confident to be in the right. Confident in what he does and what he believes in. People can pretend to know who he is, but that is merely laughable.

I am... I am everyone, everywhere, anyhow, any way, any will, any day... I am... I am everyone, everywhere, anyhow, any way, any will, any day... I am! I am! I am! I am! I am! I am!

Shadow is himself and nothing in the world can change that. Nothing will bend his will, change his mind… Nothing will manipulate him ever again. He is the one and only ultimate life form and no one can take this away from him.

9) Never Turn Back

This is the real and true Theme of Shadow that plays in the real and final credits after the true ending/final story when you complete the game 100%.

It begins with a piano of the refrain from i am all of me!!!!!!!

It's been a long, rough road And I'm finally here I move an inch forword, Feels like a year

The path he walked to get where he is now, after the black arms, after finally uncovering the secrets to his past…. every time he got new information he was even more confused than before. To him, and the player, it felt like years to get to this point. It was tideous, and who knows if it was worth it?

Everything you feel, It's so unreal Is it true? Is it true?

He doesn’t remember *anything* so are his emotions towards his past justified? Is his grief over Maria, his anger towards the humans and himself… Is it all real? Is it just lies? Is he just pretending to feel to make himself feel real, because if he didn’t react so emotional towards learning those things…. what else would he have? This is a direct reference to SA2 and his quote “Even if my memories are not real, it’s still me, Shadow, and I will fulfill my promise to Maria. That is all that matters to me now.”

Back then the memories were all he had. Everyone he knew and loved (arguably only two people) were dead and long gone. So if he didn’t act on them….. what else would there be to his life and him? He didn’t have any other choice if he wanted to stay sane/stable. Even now that he doesn’t remember, he has this information about his past. And no matter if it rurns out to be true or not, doesn’t matter, because it’s all he has to go by to shape himself and if he doesn’t react emotional to those lies, he mgiht aswell be a lie himself. (His identity crisis was an enourmus mental strain on him that developed into a physical pain aswell, as he very clearly showed to suffer from frequent non contextual flashbacks and accompaning headaches.)

I take one step forward Two steps back I have a hundred-thousand pounds Sitting on my back

A reference to I am all of me! He is fearsome and powerful. Very fearsome and powerful.

He’s done many things using this power that made him guilty. Alone his existence guilts him, as people are scared of him just for *him*. He never asked to be made, to be the only hope to save the world, to live up to all those very unread expectations laid on him as The Ultimate Life Form.

The burden of his destiny is heavy, oh so heavy.

Up, down All around Don't know quite what to do To get through

(time speed highway reference)

He’s confused and his mind is all over the place, he doesn’t know what to do now. He doesn’t yet quite know how to cope with his new found emotions, with his fate, with his existence alone.

Well I'm on my way On my way On my way On my way

Oh boi here he comes!

Here I am (Here I am) Made it to The end of you

Never had a chance when I'm around (No, No) No No No No

Here he is!!!!!!! jokes aside this symbolizes his coming out

double jokes aside

it symbolizes that he’s taken his time to collect himself, his long path of finding himself and building his personality with the scrap pieces of memories he collected. He’s now at the end of the road. He’s at the end of “you”. who is you?

Considering he never had a chance to “get to the end of them” before (and also im biased) I suspect it to be Sonic. He has gotten to a place to be equals with Sonic again, to see eye to eye. To have a close bond with him. The many “no”s emphasis how long it took for him to be able to face him. While he was still unsure of himself he wouldn’t dare to actively build a bond with him, to try and be equals. (he did try to ignore/shove him aside throughout the whole game, but sonic kept coming back/tagging along)

Well now I'll never turn back (Never turn back) I'll never turn that way No matter how life tries to face me, I turn the other way

Shadow, as quoted, “Left his past behind him”. This means he moved on from his memories, from all the things that happened over 50 years ago. Moved on from his destiny. (Hint/foreshadowing to 06 where he emphasises very strongly that “he determines his own destiny.”)

No matter what happens, he swears to himself to never look back at the past anymore. That he will concentrate on the present, aswell as the future.

This is a very very important step to stabilize his mental health and get over his PTSD

Now and then (Now and then) My head starts to spin (Starts to spin) I'll never turn back....again!

Direct reference to how clinging to the past had made him to fatal mistakes (almost destroying the entire fucking planet, and also actually go through with blowing up the moon)

And he will still get flashbacks sometimes, he will have breakdowns and he will have episodes…. But he decides that they can’t and won’t define him. He will stand above them and be himself with his own power.

From this moment on (Moment on) I am moving on (Moving on) And I'll never turn back!

Literally everything I mentioned above. He’s moving on from his past and all the expectatoins others laid on him and he’s becoming his own person, that lives for his own sake. (well he still lives for Maria and sonic but like. It’s less extreme than before)

I guess I'm doing alright And I'm on my way Facing every moment Day by day

I’m so glad shadow the hedgehog is doing fine guys. He’s living in the present and he’s got his eyes on the prize.

Take a chance, slip on by Got no time to answer why Head straight Head straight

head gay

No time to waste it’s time to be of use to the world. All he got left to him is doing what’s right. He often doesn’t fully know why he does certain things or why he has a certain opinion on things, because he doesn’t remember where that thought camefrom, but he doesn’t want to spiral into a breakdown. He accepts it and moves on. Forward. Gotta look ahead and not backwards.

What will I become if I don't look back? Give myself a reason, for this and that

Exactly what I mentioned above. He isn’t entirely sure, and he’s tempted by the past. But right now he thinks it’s best to not dwell on it, to not know more than he does right now, because it could easily make himself slip up and have another identity crisis, which is counter productive to his mental health since he worked hard to establish his current personality. He’s still a little unstable so he best wait until he has settled and established emotional comfort (in team dark and sonic).

I can learn No U-turn I will stay right here Where I'm at Where I'm at

He knows he can still learn from the past, but he also knows that he has to stay in the present and not go too much in depth about it.

That’s who he is now, and it’s who he’ll stay.

And I think this theme, even if less catchy and less edgy, is perfect for him. It describes him perfectly (which was like. intentional. bc it IS his final theme lmao.)

I’m forever salty…………

okay but here comes the final blow!!!!!

10) Who I am

An unused song that got taken out of the game because Magna-fi liked the song too much to give away copyrights…..

it is an alternative to “I am… all of me” and was originally planned to be the fucking MAIN THEME OF THE ENTIRE GAME!!!!!!!!!! (i am all of me is a nice theme for the game, more catchy i guess? works better with the cgi? lemme actually try playing the cgi cutscene with who i am playing over it.. I’ll be real it was not made for this Clip but at some places it fit incredibly well? also the timing was often actually pmuch on point with the scene change? hm. also the video ended on “this is what you made me and you’re not ever gonna change me”)

I mainly think because Magna-fi also performed all hail shadow, but later there was a crush 40 version (which was also used instead of the magna-fi version in later games, that it’s plausible it was meant to be the main theme. Like even the instrumental from the magna-fi version was entirely ignored after shth)

I don’t know the reasons for *that* (maybe because they disbanded in 2007???)

Anyways here’s song….. it’s so fucking important to me and hooooly shit….

You never really understood me You always put me down Like a dog that's beaten over and over One day I'm gonna take you down

This is Shadow’s lanment at GUN. It implies he’s gone through abuse on the ARK, aswell as down on earth. It emphasizes that GUN sees him as nothing more but an animal, not a sentient person.

This is also a cry for war at Black Doom because he obviously doesn’t understand Shadow and only demands from him to work for his goal, calling him a traitor and failure whenever he doesn’t do exactly what he should or when he questoins his orders.

This is who I am Not a shadow of who I want to be Try to understand That this is what you made me And you're not ever gonna change me

Shadow found himself and he now has established his own sense of self (and self-worth!)

He’s addressing everyone that had shaped his personality throughout the game here, they made him who he is now, and if they don’t like if then to hell with them because this is him and he ain’t gonna change. He’s done being a shadow of his past self, he is *him*.

You underestimate my sorrow How the wreckage of my life I tried so many times to tell you The silence down in both of us (No excuses)

This one is specifically addressing Eggman (and the other people that knew him from before his memory loss to a certain degree). Eggman underestimated his immense emotions, his sorrow, the misery he was in, the extreme guilt he felt about *everything* when he told him that he was just a “copy” of the Real Shadow.

But no matter who, Shadow tells everyone he just wants to know who he *really* is. He needs support to uncover the truth, not people who don’t listen to what he has to say and then remain silent in order to not say the wrong thing.

The no excuses goes for exactly those people who are “heroes”. They don’t get a pass for being heroes, they have to respect his emotional needs.

You have made me You can't change me You don't know me This is who I am

Everyone shaped him in different ways, everyone’s independent input made him who he is.

And no one can take that influence back, he can’t be changed.

And no one knows what goes on inside his head. How he processed the information is HIS OWN BUSINESS. What info he recieved… That’s his business. Only he knows. Other people aren’t able to understand him and even if they knew all the things he was told, this still doesn’t mean they know who he is.

Even the people that knew him before his memory loss…. They might think they know him, but they really don’t. How would they. He doesn’t even know himself.

Alright! That’s it!

Again, if I forgot a song please tell me I’ll add it to the post and analyze it (give me like a day or two tho im super exhausted now)

I hope you can understand where I’m coming from with my thoughts and if you have anything to add go right ahead! If you have contradicting interpretations, please tell me! (if you just want to complain that shadow is not gay then fuck off tho its clearly there. this gaylien hedgehog aint got no eyes for women.)

also again: Disclaimer: Shadow’s love for Sonic doesn't have to be romantic, but it is indisputable that he has a very special and close relationship with him.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

EDIT: continue here

additions! more SA2 songs and the team dark theme from heroes

funny how I talk most about the songs with the least lyrics

Rhythm and Balance

The Supernatural

For True Story

This Machine

#do i dare..................#put in main tag..........#shadcanon #shadows logbook #this took me 11 hours #and has over 6.6k words #long post

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theonceoverthinker · 6 years ago

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OUAT 3X10 - The New Neverland

Ooh! A new episode of Once Upon a Time! I can’t wait to see what Emma, Regina, Snow, and their other com-PAN-ions are up to today!

...You laughed. You can admit it.

...Review’s under the cut. You know what to do!

Press Release

The residents of Storybrooke are overjoyed upon the return of Henry and our heroes from Neverland. But unbeknownst to them, a plan is secretly being put into place by a well-hidden Pan that will shake up the very lives of the townspeople. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, Snow White and Prince Charming’s honeymoon turns out to be anything but romantic when they go in search of a mythical being that could stop Regina cold in her tracks.

Main Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness

Past

Okay, so to start off, this flashback is admittedly a little pointless. Other than the theme of moments -- something so loose, it could’ve just been discussed in the present and the episode would’ve been fine as just a present events compilation -- there’s nothing that this story does to enhance the main one.

That having been said, I think it’s great! While something meatier could’ve gone here, I can’t honestly object that much when a story is just good. And the conflict between Snow and David is really solid. It’s one of those times where it doesn’t feel fully weighted in one direction. Like, we’re supposed to be on David’s side by the end of it, but Snow’s POV is completely understandable, especially after everything she’s been through (Not to mention, her confidence boost from “Lost Girl”). I like the idea of Snow being so caught up in he worries over Regina that she almost destroys her chance at happiness.

THAT having been said, I found the scene where Snow and Charming discuss turning Regina to stone to be so annoying. Charming references the flashback in “The Cricket Game,” a flashback that I LOATHE because of how much of a waste of time it is and how much of an idiot it makes Snow. And it gets worse. David says that they shouldn’t turn Regina to stone because Snow stayed her execution during that flashback when the resolution of that flashback was that Snow regretted that decision. Like, without this scene, the flashback would’ve not only been completely serviceable, but actually better for its absence!

Present

The opening of the present is just so amazingly shot. There’s this unequivocally happy tone from our mains and side characters that’s so satisfying, that for a moment, even knowing what was going on with Henry, I actually got swept up in it. It’s purely fantastic framing because you know this is exactly what they were going for.

And it kind of carries through throughout the rest of the episode. It feels like an epilogue at times, discussing resolution-y subjects like who (if anyone) will Emma end up with, establishing more of a co-parent-y relationship between Emma and Regina, curing David of his ails, having Rumple consider his future, and allowing for the minor characters to achieve their happy endings. Honestly, only when we cut to Henry do we get remember that the story is continuing, and I like it. It’s a subtle build of tension and will show just how much Pan’s curse will fuck everyone over in the next episode.

I also really liked the Emma and Regina conflict in this episode. It feels like the natural continuation of everything they’ve had to work through over the past two and a half seasons and was smartly placed just after the baby Henry flashbacks.

All Encompassing

This whole episode is the most lowkey David centric ever. Like, he’s in a supporting role, but it’s like the main supporting role. He gives out advice, he interacts with so many characters, and it’s just great! David’s character never needed to be a major major character and I feel like this episode captured the best of him.

“Moments” is the key theme of the episode. It’s interesting that the idea of moments plays more of a part in the flashback to our next episode, but I do like how the concept is introduced and implemented here. While the concept didn’t warrant an entire flashback, the idea of life having good and bad moments that just need to be felt and enjoyed when they can was a good basis for a Snow and Charming story with a good follow-through in the present with Emma. There’s a good contrast between those who can celebrate moments and someone who might not have that luxuary.

Insights - Stream of Consciousness

-The town celebration is really a thing of beauty (And kind of tragedy given that Henry’s not Henry...those Grumpy and Granny hugs are either sad as hell for that reason or funny as fuck because Pan is hugging all of these strangers and is probably realizing that his life just became a fantastical episode of Full House).

-You can tell how Jared loved every fucking second of being Pan! XD The dude lives for evil Henry!

-”That’s the last time I don’t listen to you.” ...When you can see the future, there’s irony fucking EVERYWHERE!

-You know, I just realized that Neal and Belle never had a proper introduction. For one thing, why is Belle not saying “Oh my fuck! You’re alive!” (That’s totally how she’d say it too XD ). For another, I’d have loved to see a proper introduction between the two of them. I need more Neal :( .

-Also would’ve liked the moment where Rumple ditches the cane to get a bit more umph to it. Like, that cane has been as much a part of him as the red cap is to Mario and it’s such a symbol of his cowardice that it would’ve been better to see it go.

-*Looks at a dude in a red beanie* The fuck you do to Smee, you little bitch?

-Okay, that Darling hug was fucking beautiful!

-Also, Snow giving Regina that level of cred was just beautiful! I found it to be a really good follow up to both what she saw in “Save Henry” and Regina’s harsh, but effective actions in “Nasty Habits.”

-Thoughts on how the reception went after Regina invaded the wedding? I’d like to think Snow and Charming played it cool and confident for the guests, but, like we’re seeing, were reeling on the inside.

-”Steal her magic.” Well, in one realm, you actually DO that! The results were...mixed, to say the least. BUT we got Alice, the best person ever out of the deal so it was ultimately worth it.

-So I have to wonder: If Regina hadn’t made these threats, would Snow have still wanted to go to the Summer Palace? Like, it seems to connect really well to her parents, so i could totally see Snow doing that.

-Damn. Grumpy is just the ultimate support. He’s on better terms with Charming, but is still 1000% loyal to Snow.

-Plenty of cell space?! Storybrooke needs an equivalent to juvie! Like, Felix is a villain for sure, but he’s a kid! Jail -- which in Storybrooke is basically full-on solitary confinement -- seems a little excessive.

-”As long as I’m alive, that boy will never see the light of day.” ...Yeah. About that…

-”Her name is Tinker Bell.” I actually fucking clapped. Yes, Queen! Slay and filet that shady shimmering shithead for what she did to Tink!

-”You don’t believe in yourself anymore.” FUCK YOU, BLUE. Look, I’ve said in past reviews that Blue’s not as much shady as she is the world’s strictest and assholey beauraucrat, but being that kind of person WILL merit a level of scorn. Look at that almost half smile on her face. Keegan plays that well. “How can I believe in you if you can’t even do that?” FUCK YOU!

-”I need a drink.” You and me both! Shame I can’t get a drink at 8am!

-I love that emphasis David puts on the word “threat” in the woods. He’s nagging it up!

-You know, Pan kind of got the ball rolling on Emma and Regina’s active non-animosity filled co-parenting.Give the dude a little credit.

-How is Pan so unimpressed by Henry’s room? Like, that’s a nice room! With all sorts of tech and comics and stuff! Be a little more impressed, you little shit!

-”I’ll protect you. No matter what.” And the award for the most adorable non-Regal Believer Regal Believer moment goes to… *cries*

-Prince Charming, everyone, number one causes of deforestation in the Enchanted Forest. XD

-”Are you sure you want to condemn Regina to a fate like that?” Dude, she killed Snow’s dad (Who to be fair, was pretty much shit, but you guys didn’t know it at the time), indirectly killed your mom, tried to kill you, poisoned Snow, AND ruined your wedding! I love Regina and I’m so happy she got redeemed, but at the time of this episode, being turned to stone was rather warranted.

-”Killing her wasn’t the answer.” And then she decided at the end of that episode that it was!

-”Last time, she threatened us.” No she didn’t. She regretted not causing MORE death!

-SHEEP BROS!

-Snow, David. Did you really schedule your lunch to coincide with Emma and Neal’s date? That was...bad planning. Like, you don’t even do that with Killian!

-”Does he eat with his mouth open?” Either Charming has misophonia or that was a Kristoph reference!

-Killian...I’m honestly not sure what to make with that Tink scene. On one hand, I see it as Killian trying in vain to get over Emma, but being unable to, showing that he really does love her. BUT it also comes off as a “you still have a ways to go” moment because Killian’s flirting can be a little...really off putting. I don’t know exactly what to make of that because the framing is a little wonky there.

-”Perhaps.” That having been said, the misunderstanding at Granny’s with Emma, Tink, and Killian had me laughing out loud. That one’s better at insinuating “you fucking dork.”

-YES, SHADOW! GIVE THAT BLUE BITCH A SCARE! KILLING HER MIGHT BE A TOUCH EXCESSIVE, BUT IT’S STILL PRETTY FUN TO WATCH!

-Also, this park is just beautiful. I really wish we spent more time in later seasons at these parks. Like, they’re such pretty places to have scenes instead of the pretty generic looking woods that we got in the later seasons.

-Evil Jared Gilmore cracks me the fuck up!

-Not gonna lie, a dungeon crawl like this would make for the best honeymoon ever!

-”Promise you won’t touch anything?” “Promise.” LIAR!

-”Rumple.” I love how Belle just nagged him. It’s a very Belle-like way of encouraging him to do good without making a whole speech of things.

-Okay, so even the “Entering Storybrooke” sign makes me whimper like a little bitch, too!

-Ooh! I love that Golden Swan moment! Rumple and Emma’s dynamic isn’t shown a lot, but when it is, it’s really something special. While not enough to earn it the “Favorite Dynamic” of the episode, it is incredibly cool to see Emma and Rumple come to that moment of begrudging respect and trust at the town line.

-Holy crap! The rest of the cast pulled off “Penry’s” escape from Pandora’s Box so well. Everyone immediately grows tense and grabs their loved ones. They’re actually scared shitless, a testament to how terrifying pan is.

-Damn, in hindsight, this is dark as hell. Emma has a gun to Henry’s head, and even though he’s in another body, this is a kid!

-Awww! I love Henry hugging Snow and David! We don’t always get a ton of moments of them together, so this was really special!

-I actually needed a solid minute to recover from the way that “Han” just smoothly magicked Regina. Like, that was so freakin’ fluid! “I know. That’s why this was so easy.” Pan, you bastard!

-These hugs with Henry in Pan’s body crack me up for some reason.

-I’m not sure if Storybrooke being the New Neverland is an upgrade or a downgrade. On one hand, you get all of the modern tech and indoor plumbing. On the other hand, no pixie dust and the suburbs are boring.

Arcs - How Are These Storylines Progressing?

The Mission to Save Henry - I love how in so many ways, this feels like an epilogue and then is like FUCK NO. So much comes together and it feels like everything’s winding down, but the action continues in such a fun whirlwind of a way! This whole arc has been a roller coaster and a fun one at that!

Rumple’s Redemption - “On the house.” How much you want to bet Rumple was DYING inside as he said that? “I’m sure if I ever needed a favor, you’d be more than receptive.” Rumple, my boy. You’ve come quite far, but you still have so far to go! But seriously, you do see more of how Rumple’s come into his own redemption. First, his focus is squarely on making Belle happy. Second, he does actually show that he has trust in Emma by allowing her to see what’s up with Pan.

Regina’s Redemption - We get two really great steps in showing how far Regina’s come. First, she stands up for Tinkerbell against Blue. While Regina’s had no problem standing up to Blue in the past, it’s always been for her own sake. This time, she’s standing up for Tink’s sake! The second instance is her grief that Pan fooled her. I say this because it’s so clear how at this point, she genuinely wants Henry to be with her because it’s his choice and how saddened she was by the fact that when her dream came true, it was only a lie. I love Regal Believer and seeing how much Regina’s broken that chain of abuse is something so special.

Favorite Dynamic

Emma and David. There were a lot of great dynamics on display in this episode, but I love how we got our first real David and Emma moment. Daddy Charming is one of the lesser explicitly shown dynamics on the show, but interactions like these show just how powerful it is. There’s an adorably bit of father/daughter banter between them when talking about their love life, David gives Emma solid honest-to-goodness advice that actually does come back later on in the episode, and he’s so comforting. He knows Emma’s dealt with so much and he just wants her to be happy. The scene they share provides a nice calm before the storm and shows that while Emma and David didn’t have that friendship that Emma and Snow had, they do have that strong bond.

Writer

This is Andrew Chambliss’ first solo episode! And honestly, not a bad job! Andrew did a great job balancing screen time between the eight mains and roughly eight minor characters in half an episode’s worth of time, and that’s honestly impressive! The stories themselves are relatively simpler, with the present storyline using resolution as a cleverly deceptive way of making it seem more sprawling than it is.

Rating

10/10. This is an honestly great episode. While not perfect, it provides for a lot of nice moments between characters, an underlying tenseness that is well delivered on when it’s ready for shit to get real, and a more unified Storybrooke.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Ariel/Eric - These two are so fucking lovey dovey and their reunion is just the cutest sweetest thing ever!

Rumbelle - Like, from the second -- the SECOND -- these two see each other when Rumple gets off the ship, that’s all the other sees. They’re laser-glued to the other. And the hug is just so perf! Also, THE UP PARALLELS STARTED HERE WITH THE FUCKING TIE! I KNOW IT’S NOT THE SAME KIND OF TIE, BUT FUCK! THAT’S AMAZING! XD Also also, the scene at the shop as a whole is just so romantic. There’s a beautiful theme to it and Robert Fucking Carlyle owns my soul. Every line is just so pretty, and I say that both as a testament to the writing and Robert himself. And Emiliee is no slouch either! She’s so in love and there’s an utter sincerity to it.

Captain Swan - Killian’s decision to back off was just the sweetest. It genuinely shows how he cares for Henry and Emma and doesn’t want to pressure either of them. It doesn’t mean he won’t pursue her if she goes after him, but he wants to let the chips fall, even if they aren’t in his favor. That’s just...honestly, I love it. Killian, your looks aren’t the only devilishly handsome part of you. <3 Also, I like how Emma remarks that Killian is still an option. When David’s trying to convince her to go out with Neal, she points out that he’s trying to keep her away from Killian.

Swan Fire - Snow is just the biggest Swan Fire shipper and it’s pretty cute! Also, Neal’s way of asking Emma out was equally adorable! It takes a degree of pressure off of her and is asked in such a cute way! It’s got a nice youthfulness to it! Also, let’s talk about how sad Neal is when it looks like Emma won’t show. Also also, Emma later implies that her date with Neal would be “enjoying herself.”

Snowing - David loves the fuck out of Snow and that makes me feel all of the things! He wants to enjoy his marriage to her and wants her to be able to relax and enjoy it with him! BUT he also knows her so freakin’ well. He KNOWS when she sneaks off and is just there waiting for her (In one of the show’s most underrated funny moments). And he’s totally willing to give up his honeymoon to follow her into danger! Prince Charming, everyone! And to some extent, Snow KNEW he was gonna do that because she brought the sword. Also, the couple banter in this episode is just so en pointe! I especially love David’s speech to Snow about how he knew what he was getting into when they fell in love. And the kisses and inevitable sex at the end is just the best! And in the present, that BIG DAMN KISS once he’s cured! It’s so beautiful!

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Thank you all for reading and to the fab folks at @watchingfairytales!

Next time, we’re coming home! <3

Season 3 Total (96/220)

Writer’s Scores: Adam and Eddy (19/60) Kalinda Vazquez (17/40) Andrew Chambliss (27/50) Jane Espenson (10/30) David Goodman (20/40) Robert Hull (20/40) Christine Boylan (20/20)* Daniel Thomsen (20/30)

* Indicates that their work for the season is complete

Operation Rewatch Archives

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 3x10 #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat

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