#but i admire them sticking to their initial episode count like i said before

[blazingcobaltx]

LETS GOOOOOO TIMESKIP ENDING

[smutoperator]

Rookie Initiation

An Yujin, Kim Jiwon (Liz) x Male Reader

Tags: A2M, anal, ass-to-pussy, basketball game, carry-fucking, corrupted, couch sex, (lots of) creampies, cum on ass, facesitting, first anal, full nelson, high heels, kitty and puppy, (a little) lesbian, oil, painal, "small" butt, squirting, tall girls, threesome.

Word count: 5567

Atlanta, United States, March 23rd, 2024

Yujin is truly a lucky girl. One day before the Ive concert, she had a great night attending the basketball game in Atlanta, alongside her cute friend Liz. On the court, it was a big win for the home team, the Hawks, who defeated the Charlotte Hornets 132-91. Off the court, meetings with celebrities like Anne Hathaway.

But amidst all that, Yujin had her eyes focused somewhere else, on a handsome guy distributing the basketballs to the players as the game went on. Once the lights of the arena went off, Yujin made sure to get to him.

"So, my name is Yujin, and I have a concert tomorrow at the arena with my group. Could you come by? I have free tickets for you to meet us before the concert," she said. "Sure," you answered back, a bit unsure but accepting the offer regardless.

On the following day, you entered the arena as the manager guided you to Yujin's room. Meanwhile, she and Liz were chatting. "So, are you ready for this challenge?" Yujin asked the youngster. "I think so; I've never done this before," Liz replied. Indeed, Yujin and Liz dressed themselves with just a bra and panties, a magenta one for Yujin and a cyan one for Liz, nothing else on, waiting for you to arrive as they oiled their bodies up to prepare themselves.

"You really like my small butt, don't you, Jiwon?" Yujin poked fun at Liz, still with that episode of her confusing Gaeul's butt with Yujin's. "Sorry, unnie, your butt is not small," Liz said. "Glad you learned it, and today you're about to see how powerful it is," Yujin bragged. "Come on, spread that oil all over my small ass; let it drip all over my thighs," Yujin ordered.

The two kept playing with each other in anticipation, Liz slapping Yujin's ass as the leader got her legs on the top of the couch in the room while Liz massaged her while sitting on the couch. Liz took Yujin's panties for a bit, warming her unnie up as she ate her pussy. "Put it on my face, please," Liz said, eating her out and feasting on Yujin's meaty clit. "Oh, your tongue is so good eating me like that," Yujin told her. 

"Ready to get fucked in the ass for the first time, slut?" Yujin poked Liz with a little slap in the cheeks. Liz wasn't ready, truth be told, but her unnies kept telling her how amazing it was that she decided to try. "Rei and Wonyoung keep pushing me to do this, and now I wonder what's so good about anal sex," Liz told her. "Well, you'll find out soon," Yujin replied.

"I think you're going to really enjoy it. I see you love to be spanked like a whore," Yujin continued as Liz got on all fours on the couch, letting her unnie lick her pussy sticking out of her thong. "Yes, I love this," Liz confirmed as Yujin admired her long legs, kissing and oiling up the young girl's ass and taking her panties off to massage her tight holes. "You touch my pussy so well, unnie," Liz told her.   As Yujin got word of your arrival, she greeted you with a half-naked look. You were baffled, but at the same time, you loved how pretty she looked. Her body was truly amazing, especially her long legs and her signature meaty thighs, fully exposed for you to see and shiny from all the oil Liz spread over them.

Yujin wasted no time and took your pants off as soon as you got to the door. You were shocked, but just let her do her thing. She then introduced you to Liz. "That's my friend; she was at the ballgame yesterday; her name is Liz," Yujin said. The two got naked from the torso down, letting you admire their perfect legs yourself. You couldn't contain your horniness, matching them as you slipped your cock out, already sliding them between their thighs and slapping their butts, taking alternate turns between them.

"You want us to play with you?" Yujin asked as you kissed Liz and humped your cock between her legs. "She's very pretty, right, big boy?" Yujin asked. "For sure," you said.

"Get on your knees," you said, trying to play the alpha guy. Liz obliged, but Yujin wanted something different, watching from behind as the youngester started sucking your cock. Yujin finally followed suit as Liz started licking your balls. "I didn't know you could work on a cock like that," Yujin said, joining the fun as their faces slid up and down your shaft, one at each side. Yujin was the first to suck your tip as you watched her hungrily take on that massive cock all by yourself with Liz still heating up your balls.

"That cock is so hard," Yujin complimented your turgid shaft as she took it deeper in her mouth. You couldn't resist the urge and pushed it up her face, with her taking your challenge with ease, before letting Liz take it all by herself. "Wow," Yujin exclaimed as Liz not only managed to do it without gagging but pushed her face close to your crotch to deliver the first deepthroat of the day.

You slid your throbbing cock between their pretty faces multiple times. "Oh shit," you exclaimed, feeling lucky to have two beautiful girls worshipping it at the same time as they climbed up and kissed your hard shaft, with you dunking Liz's head against it shortly after. You sat on the couch like a boss, romantically kissing Liz, while Yujin took sole possession of that huge prick.

Yujin's deepthroating skills put you on edge, as she went hard from the start. Meanwhile, Liz was already sitting on your face, letting you eat her needy pussy fully and give her ass a little tap, with her already beautifully moaning as you worked on her folds. Yujin, on the other hand, was such a whore; she was already taking your balls down her basket like a pro and sliding that anaconda all the way until it bulged under her neck.

"Get down on this dick," you ask Liz as soon as Yujin stops her throat craziness. The youngster slides with ease, helped by the mess Yujin made on your cock. Meanwhile, as Liz tries to prove herself, bouncing on your cock all the way deep, Yujin takes her bra off and lines up behind Liz to watch her ride you. "Good slut, already riding that dick like an eager whore," Yujin praises her. Liz and you engage in a fast and passionate fuck, trying to outdo each other as both of you get hornier at each thrust.

"Keep going, Lizzie, all the way down," Yujin tells her, working as a cheerleader for the youngster. "Let's go, baby boy, impale her cunt," Yujin orders you, who pushes up. "Oh yes, fuck, do it just like she said." Liz reacts well to someone who didn't seem ready for the challenge yesterday. "You trained hard for this, didn't you? To take that big cock balls deep in that pussy," Yujin said. "Yes, yes, I did, FUCK," Liz says, screaming just as you hit her cervix.

Yujin kisses Liz as you two keep pushing yourselves to see who pushes the hardest. Liz rides, you answer by pushing up, and the game goes on for a while, but you ultimately let her take over as you fall from the couch and she grinds on your dick with her high heels on. After sitting on the sidelines for a bit, Yujin finally enters the game, smashing her ass straight into your face. "Lick it, baby, tongue my asshole," she demands. Liz continues to moan as she bounces all over your dick, while you please Yujin's marvelous dump truck of an ass, spanking it and already dreaming of fucking it as soon as Liz stops her ride.

"You like that?" Yujin asks Liz, impressed with the way she bounces and grinds on that prick. She had always viewed Liz as the innocent one alongside Gaeul, but little did she know her fellow 2004 liners had already been teaching Liz for a while to meet those moments. 

"Oh, your pussy is perfect," you said. It was unclear if you were talking about Liz's on your cock or Yujin's on your face. But either way, it works regardless. Liz finally took a break to worship your meat, tasting her juices all over it like a good slut. Yujin watched and stared at her as she buried her ass deeper in your face. The two tall women had put you into complete submission, with Liz giving a sloppy mess of a blowjob while Yujin seemed like she wanted to kill you by ass suffocation.

"Let me fuck that ass." You couldn't handle it anymore, slipping away from Yujin's grasp as she got on her knees on the couch, her big butt facing you. "I see you had a lot of fun with kitty's kitty," she said. "But how about you come have fun with this needy puppy right here?" she said, wiggling her tail at you.

You pushed Yujin's wonderful ass up, placing your right foot on the arm of the couch, ready to mount her. If Yujin wanted to be your puppy, you'd make sure to fuck her just like a dog does. You rubbed your cock between her thicc thighs and teased her meaty entrance, but both of you wanted one hole the most, that tight anus of her, which you quickly entered as you topped Yujin, allowing Liz to freely reign on her unnie's pussy and give her extra pleasure eating her folds as you pumped the shit out of her butt.

Yujin loved how you fucked her ass balls deep from the start. She really likes no-nonsense, hard-fucking the most of all Ive girls. The best guys are always the ones who meet the challenge of taking their stallions all the way deep full speed inside her fat ass. You knew you had to be up to the task, using Liz's mouth to help you slide in after some initial dry fucking, sensing Yujin could really get tight and squeeze that dick in a hurry.

"Slip it back in," you told Liz after a few thrusts down her throat, as she lined up your monster dick right back into Yujin's rectum. Liz dove herself into Yujin's meaty cunt as she watched her unnie's moans get louder. You sodomized Yujin like your life was on the line, pushing deeper even with her tight anus giving you a lot of resistance, grabbing her waist for a firm grip as your balls slapped into her cunt and Liz's chin.

Yujin's butthole squeezed your cock so hard that you were forced to stop, using Liz's mouth as a little relief. Little did you know, she was ready to milk you dry. "Put it back in her ass," you ordered, dodging a premature ejaculation straight inside Liz's warm throat just by a second.

You kissed Yujin as you slowly slid your cock back into her asshole, her moaning a lot as Liz increased the heat down her folds. Yujin put one of her knees in the couch's arm, letting you penetrate her butthole easily with one leg fully spread. You gave her some spanks as she moaned with your thrusts and Liz's tongue, sending her to the heavens.

"Oh yeah, fuck, go deep like that," Yujin ordered as the butt-fucking veered into an animalesque turn, with you treating her anus like your fleshlight and her like your slutty puppy. "Spread those legs," you told her, slowing down to let her put both knees on the couch's arm without ever pulling out of her tight ass. As Liz put her head on Yujin's back, you had some fun taking some ass-to-mouth turns between them, with Liz's throat always putting you on edge.

"Gape this slut's ass for me," you ordered to Liz. You could go all day long just fucking Yujin's butt; she was so incredibly tight that each pump gave you a tingling sensation and an increased urge to go harder. Yujin starts howling like a puppy as you destroy her asshole, only stopping to give Liz a taste of it as a reward for helping you.

"AH. AH. AH. AH. AH. WOOF. WOOF. WOOF." Yujin goes from a moaning mess into a barking puppy as you fuck her even harder. Liz gets all the kisses while she gets all the pounding. You push this anal whore to the limit, all while Liz and you treat each other like romantic lovebirds, enjoying watching their little toy suffer.

You finally stop fucking Yujin's ass after 10 long minutes. Even an experienced anal slut like her couldn't handle your nine inches stretching her out nonstop. "Lay on the couch's arm," you tell Liz, who fustigates you with lustful eyes, spreading her legs as you kiss Yujin. "Lick her pussy, get her ready," you say, diving Yujin's face into Liz's cunt as you get ready to fuck your "girlfriend." Liz moans as you use Yujin's pussy itself as a training ground, taking her tight, meaty hole with slow but deep pumps.

"She's already moaning like that, and I'm not even inside her," you say. "That puppy must be a good kitty eater," you praise Yujin as you keep working up and down her kitty. You and Yujin team up on Liz, with her unnie fucking her pussy with her fingers while you shove yours up her little asshole. "That's so tight, I want to stretch it out," you say as soon as your fingers slide up Liz's tiny anus.

"Stick those fingers in my ass; I love it. Yes, Yujin, keep eating my pussy, ahhhh." Liz enjoys all the attention you two give her, getting on the edge just with your fingers and Yujin's mouth working all over her little holes. You increase the pace on Yujin's pussy, driving her head closer to Liz's body. Yujin ends up being the powerful force that links both of your orgasms, as you coat her pussy full of cum while Liz squirts all over her face.

With your cock still hard, you move from one pussy to another, taking Liz by yourself as she's already throbbing and in position. "I love you, I love your cock," Liz says as you start fucking her in missionary. Yujin gets by her side and starts fingering the youngster's pussy as she takes your cock. "Look at the perfect pink pussy." You praise Liz's tight hole as you stretch it out. "Toy with my pussy; take it deeper," Liz responds, feeling very needy of your big cock.

You decide to tease her a bit instead, feeding Liz's juices into Yujin's mouth. "Give me back your cock, please," Liz starts to beg, but Yujin wants it all by herself. You have to take it out of her sight and push it back inside Liz. "Like that, OH FUCK!" Liz says rightly after, moaning even louder as Yujin spanks her cheeks. "Fuck me harder and deeper," Liz demands for more, and you give her, stretching her kitty out even harder than you did to Yujin's ass. Yujin ponders where Liz learned all this dirty stuff. She's really been hanging out with Rei and Wonyoung too much lately, right? These two sluts taught her everything.

"Destroy my pussy, yes," Liz keeps demanding. The floor makes a loud noise as the couch moves with each thrust. You take Liz full force, pounding her pussy with no regard. She really wants to prove herself to be a whore on the same level as her unnies. Her tight pussy squeezes your cock and sucks it like a black hole. But you're ready to try something else now.

"Give me her ass," you ask Yujin, who, just like Liz did before to her, lines your cock to Liz's virgin anal entrance. You are completely unaware Liz has never taken it in the ass before, and watching the way she behaves today makes you assume she would have no issue. Her never-fucked hole is insanely tight, making you wonder how long you're going to last inside it. But all that goes out of the window with just one phrase from Yujin.

"Destroy her ass," Yujin demands. Yujin knows this won't be easy for Liz, sitting on top of her face, attempting to cover any of her struggles for you not to see. "Eat my pussy and my small butt," she tells Liz. "Small?" you asked, confused. "It's just an internal joke between us," Yujin laughs.

Liz's tight virgin ass leads you to start slower, as it proves to be a challenge to stretch it out. She lets out some moans that are muffled into Yujin's pussy, feeling a little pain but getting slowly adjusted. Yujin grinds on Liz's face as she enjoys looking at your cock stretching the youngster's ass. You pump a little faster as Yujin starts massaging Liz's chest. Her moans get more painful, and feelings of regret run through her head. "Rei and Wonyoung are a bunch of liars; this hurts," she thinks to herself.

You get another close call as Liz's ass squeezes your cock, using her pussy as a relief in the absence of any mouth in the vicinity. Yujin senses it and offers to suck your cock. Liz feels relieved as she gets a break to breathe. Yujin takes your cock deep in her throat, buying some extra time for Liz to recover, spitting on your dick as you go back inside the youngster's butt.

Yujin closes Liz's legs, leading to her hole tightening. Liz clings all the way to Yujin's ass on her face as you push deeper into hers. Every pump you give her feels like a shot; one minute of anal penetration feels like 10 hours. Yujin kisses you, still trying to distract you from Liz's struggle. She finally lets you see Liz's red face. "Yes, please, just like that," Liz lies, giving you incentives to fuck her harder. She doesn't want to look defeated in front of Yujin. She doesn't want her leader to poke fun of her, so she keeps going.

Liz would soon regret her decision as you manhandled her virgin anus full stop. "AH. AH. AH. AH. AH, FUCK. TAKE ME LIKE THAT!" She screamed in pain, her face twisting and turning even redder. Her tiny boobs jiggle nonstop. Yujin tries to offer a little help, but she knows inniations can be hard and, in the end, just lets Liz take it by herself.

"PLEASE DON'T STOP. I'M BEGGING YOU, FUCK ME LIKE A TOY," Liz screams, even though she wanted the opposite. Yujin just pinches her nipples. In the end, she knows Liz is doing well. All anal sluts are forged through pain; it's a prerequisite to the pleasure of taking it up the butt. She knows that if Liz survives your rough pounding, she can take any cock in the ass after that.

"I WANT MORE, I WANT MORE," Liz screams. "GIVE IT ALL IN MY ASS. PLEASE," she keeps lying to herself, trying not to look weak in front of Yujin. Her cheeks clap as you pump her even faster. "GO CRAZY ON ME," she keeps screaming. Yujin fingers her pussy to add some real pleasure to Liz.

"USE ME, FUCK THE SHIT OUT OF MY ASS," Liz keeps saying, posing as strong while almost dying inside. Yujin doesn't seem to bother at all anymore. This was the best initiation Liz could ever get—a big, foreign cock that has no fear of going hard. She wishes hers was like that; thankfully, he's a quick learner, and she knows so is Liz. 

Yujin sticks her fingers deep into Liz's kitty. "OH MY GOD!" Liz screams. But her innitiation is done. Her tight ass was truly blissful for you to stretch out. Yujin appears on top of her to be the first girl to taste the youngster's virgin butthole out of a cock. Liz clings onto you. Even though you destroyed the shit out of her, she isn't mad at you but rather pissed off at her groupmates for it. "I can't believe Yujin made me do this; I can't believe Rei and Wonyoung lied to me," she thinks to herself.

"Take me up in the air," Liz tells you. Truth be told, despite all the pain, she does love your cock a lot. You put it back in her pussy and lift her tall, long body up. Yujin just watches as Liz gets carry-fucked, clinging to your neck as you plow into her tight pussy. "Fuck me up like that," Liz says, still numb from the anal pounding she just took. Yujin approaches her and pushes a finger up Liz's ass, making the young girl get even clingier and instantly remember all the pain she just endured, kissing you to dissipate those thoughts.

Liz brings Yujin close to you while still riding your cock up in the air, as you three share a romantic kiss while you clap her pussy hard, flooding it with semen and fulfilling your dreams of breeding your cute girlfriend. Your white fluids spill down to the floor, and Yujin activates her puppy mode, getting on all fours like a dog to lick them all up, climbing up to also lick what got stuck into Liz's long legs. Liz herself then climbs out as you sit on the couch, and she licks your cock from top to bottom, thankful for filling her up the way you did.

Liz's initiation may be over, but Yujin wants more for her. She checks her phone, seeing there are still 30 minutes left before soundcheck—more than enough time to get stretched out, take a shower, and get ready after. Yujin sits on your lap and starts giving you her iconic thighjob, smiling as your cock gets harder and bigger each time she rubs her honey thighs against it. Once she feels you're ready, she sits her ass on your pole in one go. Liz joins in and sits on your face with her cream-filled pussy while pouring oil all over Yujin's "small" butt as the duo gets ready for more pleasures before soundcheck.

"Show me what you have; pump that ass hard and deep," Yujin demands as you start pushing your cock up her butt. You get so ahead of yourself that it slips out the first time. The oil Liz pours into Yujin's ass gets things even more slippery, but you overcome their challenge with your desire to stretch out that tall Korean girl's asshole. "I love watching you get impaled by that massive cock," Liz tells Yujin. "Bet you can't do it," Yujin replies, reminding who between the two is the experienced anal whore.

Yujin moans and barks as Liz spanks her butt, the oil spilling as you thrust upwards, your balls hitting her ass cracks. "Hmmm, bubble butt anal slut!" Liz laughs at her. "Getting stretched out by that big cock like a good puppy," she continues. "Keep going, baby; go crazy for that ass," Yujin says as she pushes you to the limits, her and Liz kissing each other on top of you.

Yujin takes advantage of you getting tired to take control of the bounce. Her endless stamina is just too much for you. Each time her butt hits your hips, it's like an earthquake. And you don't even have Liz's honey pussy to cling onto anymore, as she watches her unnie bouncing to learn a thing or two, hanging you out to dry. Yujin is so insane, it doesn't feel like you're impaling her ass, but rather that her ass is fucking the shit out of your cock.

Liz chimes in to taste her unnie's butthole juices, and soon as Yujin is done, You finger Yujin's asshole to admire the way your cock has shaped it. But, in reality, it was her ass that shaped your cock. "Let me put it back in your ass," Liz says. Yujin loves her initiative and is ready for more as soon as Liz slides it back inside.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Yujin curses as Liz takes the opportunity to slap her unnie's ass. As Yujin starts to pant, her asshole clenches and makes you cum for the third time on that day, as you couldn't resist her bombardment. That puppy and kitty are truly milking you dry. Liz is, as always, ready to taste that huge cock as soon as it comes out of her unnie's butthole.

But Yujin wants more, sitting on your lap and lifting her legs up, pushing your hands to grab her thighs. The way she looks at Liz sliding your cock back in is pretty telling; she's about to teach her the position that sets the top anal whores apart from the others. "Lick my pussy, Lizzie," she orders as you put her under a full nelson. Your cock hits Liz's right in the chin at full speed as she pleases her unnie, who's now turned into a submissive anal fleshlight for you to fuck until you get tired—well, even after you get tired.

Yujin dunks Liz's head into her pussy as her ass gets drilled more than the net of a basket during Steph Curry's 3-point practice. "Fuck me, fuck me, woof, woof, woof," Yujin says out of breath as your cock and Liz's mouth give her immense pleasure. Liz moves a bit outside to finger her unnie's cunt and let you plow her even harder. As you reach your hands wrapped under Yujin's thighs to grope her perky tits and pinch her nipples, Yujin becomes a squirting mess, showering Liz as soon as she gets her face close to Yujin's pussy.

This time, you're the one who starts barking. You thought you had endurance before Yujin, but her ass just milked you a second time in a row. You lift her legs up, letting the cum leak out of her anus right into your belly as Yujin laughs. For her, the more, the better. If her holes make a guy like you cum so easy, she must be doing something right.

"Good kitty licking all this cum like a whore," Yujin says to Liz as she makes sure to lick her unnie clean, sweeping all of your semen that drops out of Yujin's fuckholes, and even diving inside to get a taste of Yujin's nasty, cream-filled holes for herself.

Your cock is flaccid, but you're so addicted to Yujin's ass that you keep pushing inside just for the sake of it. You know there isn't much time left, so you want to enjoy every second you get inside of it. "Let's get him hard again; I know he still has some left in the tank," Liz says as Yujin pulls out and both team up on your cock.

Liz's deepthroat is enough to bring your cock back to life, as her wonderful singing hole seems to have a magical grip over it. You push her face down your crotch further and further, wanting more and more of her tight throat, coming out of it with a throbbing cock that is ready for more. You then let Liz suck your balls, and Yujin took her turn tasting her butthole as you slapped her ass and fucked her face.

Yujin places her hands all over Liz's pussy with your cock still pounding her mouth. "KEEP DOING THIS, FUCK!" Liz screams as her unnie's stimulation makes her squirt all over the floor. 

"Stand up, baby." You aren't done with Yujin, putting her on all fours as you go back in her ass. Liz helps spread her unnie's cheeks out for you as you slowly push it back up Yujin's butt. "Fuck her like a good puppy," Liz says. "Give me that perfect view of your dick going inside her ass," she continues. Yujin fingers herself as you fuck her gently this time, already almost out of stamina, kissing Liz up top and playing with her little titties. Seeing those two playing with each other makes Yujin a little jealous, so she decides to ask a question.

"Hey Liz, don't you think it's time you try it again?" Yujin says. Liz's facial expression suddenly changes. She thought it would be a one-and-done thing. Initially, so did Yujin, but she started feeling a bit sadistic and wetting herself over the thought of seeing Liz get destroyed.

Yujin went under Liz's long legs as you went back in her pussy, tasting the last remnants of cum you had left there earlier. After some training, you switch back to Liz's ass. Shivers went down her spine, but this time she settled down rather quickly. "Stick it my ass, please," she said, honestly, this time, albeit still clinging onto you for some kissing in case she felt pain. Yujin this time wasn't going to make it easy for her, diving straight down her folds to make her already spread legs under the couch's arm weaker.

You grabbed Liz's tits as you pushed deeper into her asshole. The pain was suddenly gone. Liz could finally understand what her groupmates were talking about. She had passed her innitiation, her second time taking it in the ass, feeling like a bliss that she wanted to go on forever.

"Oh fuck, I love it. I love it," Liz said as you kept fucking her ass. This time, she meant it. Yujin fingering and eating her out down low, you grabbing her tits up top—this was the best experience she could have had. Suddenly, her regret was about taking so long to do it first. For all those months that Rei and Wonyoung could brag to her face that they could do what she couldn't,.

"FUCK ME UP!" Liz screams. Yujin now just feels like a proud mommy, enjoying herself eating Liz's out as another girl under her wing blossoms into a sexy slut. Liz lifts her right leg as she enjoys her orgasm with the touch of Yujin's hands, standing on just one leg as you stretch her ass out. "You're so fucking good inside me," she says.

Yujin pinches Liz's tits as she kisses the youngster. Her body language of kissing and cuddling tells Liz she has passed the test. The two get back on the couch, with Yujin on top of Liz this time, as you take turns ramdomly striking their holes. That manages to milk you for one final time, as you struggle to pick which hole to finish, ultimately giving the prize to Yujin's golden ass that you loved so much, but this time on the outside, as you coat her butt with your seeds, finally running out of cum.

"Lick my small butt," Yujin tells Liz as the young girl is quick to place her tongue between Yujin's fat cheeks while her unnie shakes her tail, serving her perfectly. Yujin approaches you once Liz is done, ending the session. "We have to go now," she says. "But I want you to stay for the concert," she continues. "I'll bring you three more girls to fuck at night," she says as your eyes get brighter in a snap.

Epilogue

The concert goes on perfectly—another sold-out crowd for Ive in their successful world tour. The girls are glowing, but Yujin and Liz are in a league of their own. Still sweaty from the concert, Yujin approaches you after: "Meet us right here.".

Gaeul, Rei, and Wonyoung join her and Liz this time. You feel blessed to have such beautiful girls ready to serve you. After some games and a little warm-up, the five girls are all completely naked. Then, Yujin finally asks.

"Who wants to go first?"

Wonyoung gets ready to start it like always, but another girl jumps ahead of her. "I think this is the first time you wanted to go first," Rei says to Liz. "Indeed, she's quite shy," Wonyoung continues. 

Liz moves in your direction and, just like in the afternoon, slides your huge cock deep inside her, but this time straight in her ass. The other girls get awed, as Liz has always avoided any kind of anal sex.

"Girls, let's just sit and watch; this is going to be special," Yujin said, sitting straight on your face and getting a privileged view for herself. Gaeul joins her to the side as Yujin starts fingering her sunbae's pussy.

Liz rides you with ease, taking it to the fullest. The other girls just can't believe it.

"How did she get this good this early? We have to step our game up." Rei chats with Wonyoung. "Either way, we can finally do a 2004 line anal foursome now," Wonyoung lets her dirty thoughts out.

Just like in the afternoon, you don't last long, coating Liz's anal insides after she rides your cock into oblivion. Four more baddies to go.

"My turn next," you hear someone say. It's Wonyoung. She better finish soon, because Rei is already waiting.

"Look what you did, Yujin—you turned all those pretty young girls into cock whores," Gaeul says.

"I'm so proud of myself for that," Yujin laughs. Indeed, no one is better at rookie initiations than her.

[aangs-surrounding-love]

My take on Aang’s trauma:

Alrighty everyone this is going to be a long one. I’ll do my best to only include the more important parts of Aang’s actions that I think reflect his trauma. Also, moments that I think reflect his trauma. Actually, I don’t really know if I can directly categorize this post but let’s just say this is very Aang-centric and somewhat of Aang-defense. Aang-protection? Feh-I’ll start.

In season 1 episode 1: The Boy In The Iceberg we see that Aang is briefly told that no one has seen an airbender in 100 years. We can see a tiny bit of shock but what happens next is that the topic is dissed and they move on. Aang doesn’t yet know what happened. But that small little face of shock and confusion always gets me.

Season 1 Episode 2: When Aang finds out he was stuck for 100 years, a war broke out, and his people were very likely killed, he looks on the bright side and looks to Katara saying, “I did get to meet you.”

When they find out he’s the avatar everyone is like, no wayyyy. He still offers himself up to protect the tribe.

Why didn’t he tell them? “Because I never wanted to be” is 100% a valid answer. He was scared. He thought that they’d push him away as his friends did at the temple. Or maybe send him away like the leaders wanted to do to him. (Although Sokka did banish Aang, it wasn’t because of his title and because he put the tribe at risk so it doesn’t exactly count)

Season 1 episode 3: The Southern Airtemple. “We’re home, buddy. We’re home.” Aang says to Appa. Something about this seems like a nostalgic moment. He left on bad terms and now he’s back seeing it 100 years later, hopeful.

He looks for all the old things that made him happy. Air ball, Gyatso’s statue, searching for people. (The little fruit pie flash-back)

He goes to the statue room and looks for answers. He meets Momo. However, when Aang and Sokka start chasing Momo I see Aang tearing up when he’s jumping down the cliffside. My take on this isn’t because he’s falling down at such a velocity that he starts crying, my take is that it’s because it’s his first chance to reveal that there’s hope that some of the Air Nation survived and that Aang isn’t alone.

Aang discovers Gyatso’s skeleton and goes into the Avatar State. His major hopes have been diminished.

He says to Momo, “You, me, and Appa, we’re that’s left of this place now. We have to stick together.” It’s so sad. They’re the only parts of the Air Nation that are alive. They don’t have anything left of the air nation and that’s why they need each other; they need to stay together.

At the closing of the episode, we see Aang and Momo flying away from the temple on Appa. Aang's face is so somber like he’s watching his happy memories diminish. Like the nostalgia being wiped away directly in front of him.

Season 1 Episode 5: The King of Omashu. This one is more of fine detail, but to me, it’s still very important and needs to be mentioned more. At the end of the episode, when Aang figures out it was Bumi, his old friend, you can see little tears welling in his eyelids. My understanding makes me think that Aang was tearing up because he sees someone who isn’t dead. The tears are of relief because to Aang, maybe not everyone is gone. His childhood isn’t over, Aang can still be a kid. Because the reason Gyatso was protecting Aang was that he wanted Aang to have a childhood. Although it was stripped away, this gave Aang another chance to have fun intentionally. Another sign that his childhood isn’t completely over.

Season 1 episodes 7-8: Winter Solstice Part 1: The Spirit World and Winter Solstice Part 2: Avatar Roku. In the first part, we meet a village. Aang tries to help them by saying, “I have to try” my legendary overthinking and analysis makes me believe that Aang truly wants to help these people already, but also that as the Avatar he wants to make up for the lost time he was stuck. He feels the burden he afflicted on the world.

His ability to relate to Hei Bai. Aang felt terrible about the woods and trees that were burnt down. It’s the empathy the made Hei Bai Aang’s friend. The compassion that Aang brings is truly amazing.

Part 2: Avatar Roku. Okay, so he wants to go alone because he doesn’t want Katara or Sokka to get hurt. My take on this is not only are they friends, but he also doesn’t want another one of his actions affecting the casualties of the war.

Season 1 Episode 12: The Storm. This episode is great. We get his backstory. We see why he ran away. We see what causes him to get stuck. And we get to see him upset. We see his guilt. “My people needed me, and I wasn’t there to help.” Followed by, “the WORLD needed me, and I wasn’t there to help.”

“How could they do that to me? They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I’ve ever loved!” This quote digs deep. Not only is Aang angry, but this takes a play on how he reacts to people and how he responds to people. He wanted to be a normal kid. (I’ll bring this back later)

Earlier in this episode, there’s this fisherman who was blaming him, so I’m in the cave Aang says, “the fisherman was right. I DID turn my back on the world.” He knows what he did was wrong and he saw the consequences. He ran away, and now that he faced the consequences, he actively wants to change and become better. He’s learning from his actions.

Season 1 episode 13: The Blue Spirt. Admiral Zhao says to Aang, “tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left? Do you miss your people?” Not only is this said in such a vile, evil way, we see Aang’s face which changes from being angry and upset with Adm. Zhao, we see that it changes to ashamed and guilt ridden. Actually, it kinda looks like Aang wanted to talk back to him, but he needed a moment. He needed that moment to take in what Zhao said.

Aang finds out that the Blue Spirit (the person wearing the mask) is Zuko. Aang was going to leave him there, to get caught by Admiral Zhao, but Aang instead takes him to safety. And may I mention that Aang made him a little leaf bed? Anyway, he stays with Zuko until he wakes up. Aang was talking about they could be friends and that one of his best friends was from the Fire Nation. I think not leaving Zuko behind shows both how Aang does his best to no longer leave people behind and to try to bring the best out of Zuko.

Season 1 episode 15: Bato of the Water Tribe. Aang takes the map to guide them to Hakoda for himself out of fear that Sokka and Katara would leave him. Though it was a bad decision, the thing is he didn’t think he could handle being alone. He was alone enough as it is. His people were gone and his friends (excluding Bumi) were gone or dead as well. So having to trek to the NWT alone would be a continuous reflection of his actions and would likely send him down on a more hateful path.

Season 1 Episode 16: The Deserter. Aang wants to learn the elements as fast as possible, even if it means doing it irregularly. He also is unsure whether he’ll ever get the chance to learn firebending again after he learns the other elements. So he starts to learn firebending from Jeong Jeong. He wants to make up for lost time which is another reason for this decision.

He hurts Katara and becomes afraid of handling fire and vows to be more careful with it in the future. (I will bring this up again later)

Season 1 Episode 17: The Northern Air temple. Aang sees that the northern Air temple became inhabited by people and they built pipes and other things that ruined the temple. They destroyed the temple and there wasn’t anything left that remained the same. When he saw the wrecking ball machine, he rightfully knocked it away for “destroying something sacred”. It was the last place that remained unaffected by modernization and industrialization then it was knocked over, right in front of him. So my take on this is a question within itself: if you loved something that was deeply close to you like a relic, something important, something that’s the only thing left of your family, got destroyed right in front of you, how would you feel? The answer would probably be pretty freaking upset.

Season 1 episode 19: The Siege of the North: part 1. Starting with part 1, the fire nation comes to the northern water tribe and the fight begins. Before the fight begins, Aang says, “I wasn’t there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I’m going to make a difference this time.” He wants what’s best for the world, he’s going to stay. He isn’t going to run this time, he’s going to fight of the sake for the world, for the sake of the future. Still, the look on his face when he says that, it’s guilt plastered all over. The guilt is also shown with a determination to make his difference.

Aang flies out on Appa to try to prevent further damage by taking out a few ships. He returns around sunset, exhausted and somewhat defeated. He says, “I’m just one kid” then buries his face in between his legs. He’s right, he is one kid. The avatar, yes, a kid, yes. I have a feeling he’d be thinking about how massively overwhelmed his people were when the Fire Nation attacked. With the power of 500 suns, it would be disastrous. And with this, there are hundreds of ships in that fleet with hundreds more men, ready to fight.

Season 1 episode 20: The Siege of the North: Part 2. Aang returns to the spirit oasis and enters the avatar state saying, “No... It’s not over” he won’t give up on the tribe. He won’t let the Fire Nation win. Still, he isn’t running away, he chose to return to the Spirit Oasis to try to save the spirits.

Season 2 episode 1: The Avatar State. Aang’s told by General Fung that he could defeat the Fire Nation using the Avatar State. Gen. Fung manipulates Aang using Aang’s own guilt and faults to get him to try to train to turn the Avatar State on. Gen. Fung shows Aang the wounded to get him to join.

Initially, Aang doesn’t join. But he changes his mind upon further debate. During the training (well after a day of training) Katara and Aang have a long conversation about it. First, Katara tries to convince him to stop training to turn the Avatar State on but Aang refuses. Katara says, “I don’t understand.” Aang replied, “No, you don’t. Every day, more and more people die. I’m already 100 years late.” Aang’s own guilt is driving him to pursue helping everyone. Even though it wasn’t the right decision, he realizes that he needs to try everything he can to save the world.

Season 2 Episode 3: Return to Omashu. I already did my take away on Aang’s trauma for “The King of Omashu” but this will make my point stronger. Anyway, to the point. Aang goes to Bumi to learn earthbending. His old friend, the mad genius. When he arrives at Omashu, Katara, Sokka, and Aang see that Omashu was conquered by the Fire Nation. Despite Sokka trying to convince Aang to turn around, saying that there are other teachers, Aang shuts both of them down. He wants to rescue Bumi. Not only because he’s his best friend, but I think it’s the added reasons of impending guilt that he receives from leaving the Air Nation to fight on their own, and always wanting to protect his friends.

Season 2 episode 10: The Library. By goodness. Beginning of the episode. Aang is “making an orchestra”. My little headcanon is that all airbenders play an instrument and Aang chose the flute. Anyway, in this headcanon, the air nomads had a band that Aang loved to participate in. Just a little reminder he can’t be in a band surrounded by his people and wanted to make an orchestra on his own to feel happy like he would if he was around the Air Nomads.

Professor Zei calling Aang a relic. Just... terrible. That’s what he, his people, his culture surmounted to. Only a relic. An episode in time.

“We had no choice. Please. We’re desperate to protect the people we love.” This is what Aang says to Wan Shi Tong after the spirit’s anger about using the library to win a war. Aang is trying to protect the world and whoever he has left in the world. His people died. His friends before the war excluding Bumi are dead. Now all he has are his current friends, Appa, and Momo. That’s all he has left and he’s going to do anything to protect them.

Appa gets taken away. That’s it. They exit the sinking library. “Where’s Appa?” Aang asks Toph in confusion. As Toph shakes her head, humming, “mmm-mmm” Aang’s face looks so scared, so hurt. This is his best friend, his life partner to the death. His closest friend, even before the war. They have an inseparable bond and then Appa’s taken away from Aang. Aang doesn’t know if he’s alright, one of the three surviving members of the Air Nomads.

Season 2 Episode 11: The Desert. Aang is so hurt that he lashes out at Toph. His best friend and life partner were stripped from him. I could feel the pain and anger in his voice.

“I’m going to find Appa.” Aang flies away to search on his glider. Again, one of the last surviving members of the Air Nomads is gone. I will elaborate in others.

“APPA!” He calls out. He begins to tear up but sucks it down. “No... No!!!” He creates the gush of air at the ground, making the sand rise up. The complete anger is apparent.

“I’m sorry, OK? it’s a desert cloud. I did all I could.” Aang is left angry and lashes out at everyone. Aang blames Toph at first but it goes deeper than that. If Aang hadn’t gone inside, Appa could’ve been with him. Everyone could’ve gotten out of the desert.

Momo gets carried by a Buzzard-wasp. “I’m not losing anyone else out here.” If Momo was taken away that makes Aang the only one left. He’d be completely alone. And he would only have himself to blame. If he hadn’t run away... if he hadn’t gone inside the library... if he hadn’t chased and knocked the buzzard wasp down. But luckily, Aang gets Momo back.

Aang finds out that the sand benders he encountered were the ones who stole Appa. He acts appropriately and questions them. He wrecks a sand sailer. He wants his bison back. He needs Appa back.

“You muzzled Appa?!” He enters the avatar state in rage. Appa was much more than a pet. Appa is Aang’s best friend. His life partner. His link to his people. Hearing that Appa was treated like an uncontrollable, rabid animal isn’t alright with him. His people were already killed. So hearing that Appa could be in the same situation or worse hurts.

“I traded him with some merchants.” Trading him. Like property. Appa is living, breathing, he isn’t property. Then Appa was set to be sold. Sold.

Season 2, Episode 12: The Serpents Pass. Aang is trying to remain emotionless after Appa was taken away. He doesn’t want to grieve. He doesn’t want to feel. He wants the war to end and be done. He wants Appa back of course, but I think Aang feels that his emotions are going to prevent progress. So when Suki mentions how Appa wasn’t there, Aang was the first to look away. It hurts him immensely.

“Are you doing okay?” Suki asks Aang. At first, Aang looks to Suki and then to Katara, Sokka, and Toph. The view switches back to Aang where he says harshly, “I’m doing fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me?” Aang doesn’t want to be reminded further that -in his mind- that he failed.

“And now it’s like you don’t care about him at all,” Katara states. Katara continues about how worried she is for Aang and offers him a hug. He steadily rejects, “thanks for your concern, Katara.” He walks away. He is so hurt that he doesn’t want to feel. He doesn’t want to be human.

“But you’ve made me feel hopeful again.” It doesn’t mean he’ll stop himself from blaming himself, but it means Aang will return to being hopeful and optimistic.

Season 2 episode 13: The Drill. It’s towards the end where Aang gives the final blow, it’s not really about the moment but the music. Aang is determined to save the world. Even though he’s going through in an incredibly tough time, he’s not going to give up and he’s going to save Ba Sing Se. The music displays this perfectly also while the French Horns add Aang’s musical theme in the background.

Season two, episode 15. The tales of Ba Sing Se. Aang creates a Zoo after seeing all the caged up animals. I think that Aang did this because it reminded Aang what predicament Appa could be in. All chained up. Of course, above anything else, Aang goes to the Zoo in the first place to look for Appa. But I think Aang wanted to release the animals into a better space because Aang wanted to help them, knowing at least Appa would want a sense of freedom. Also because Aang could see that the animals were unhappy.

Season 2 episode 16: Appa’s Lost Days. Sorry but Aang sleeps with the bison whistle right next to him. Meaning, the first thing he wakes up to is the whistle. So right away, Aang is reminded that he needs to get Appa back no matter what.

Season 2 Episode 17: Lake Logoai. Weakly, Jet says, “I’m sorry, Aang.” Aang replies, “Don’t be.” Aang is already worried. But after it's inferred that Aang was going to die by Toph’s, “He’s lying,” is another reminder to Aang that having relations to other people puts them in danger. And that Aang might think that he is another cause for Jet’s death. It’s a big rolel, accounting for every death and injury at Aang’s stake.

Reuniting was Appa, finally. The tears, the relief. Appa will forever be his best friend. To death. A weight was definitely released from his chest.

Season 2 episode 18: The Earth King. Aang wants to tell the Earth King the truth. With Appa back, it’s hoped that things could turn out well for Aang. And a chance the war could end sooner. For the fatalities to stop.

Season 2 episode 19: The guru. “What do you blame yourself for?” Aang responds, “I ran away. I hurt all those people.” He holds himself accountable that he wasn’t there. That he was the cause of injury. Even though he forgave himself doesn’t mean he thinks about it. That’s the thing about guilt. It reoccurs no matter if you try to bury it. Or even forgive yourself, it still shows up.

“Lay all your grief out in front of you.” Aang pictures the whole Air Nation with Gyatso in the front. He’s trying to save the word to not leave their names, their culture in vain. He lost everyone.

Season 2 episode 20: the Crossroads of Destiny. He had to let her go. There were too many people against him. He had no other choice than to let go and enter the avatar state. He had to give up another part of himself to be what the world needed. He needed to save Katara, not letting any others fall to his fault.

Season 3 Episode 1: The Awakening. “Everyone thinks you’re dead. Isn’t that great?!” To Aang, it isn’t. In fact, that’s probably the worst thing Sokka could’ve said. To Aang, the world thinks he failed... again. At first, he vanished for 100 years, thought dead. Then he returned to become dead again. Now, the Fire Nation has practically won because he wasn’t able to keep Ba Sing Se afloat.

Aang wants to intervene even though he’s barely able to walk. He wants to handle it himself. He’s holding himself accountable. Maybe even thinking, it’s the least I can do if I’ve already failed to the world twice. He keeps trying to help, having Sokka hold him back.

“I don’t want you or anyone else risking your lives for my mistakes.” This means Aang really blames himself for everyone. Holding everything on his shoulders. Thinking, “it’s all my fault.”

Aang does the thing he knows how to, he flies away on his glider. Hurt and bombarded with a storm. When he’s found by his friends, he finds his glider which we knew was very important to him. Air Nomads weren’t very material, but to a person with a smidge of their culture left, it would’ve meant much more. So, seeing it in shambles and them actively choosing to burn it is heartbreaking.

Season 3 episode 2: The Headband. The fact that the children of the Fire Nation and everyone who was taught after the war started thought the Air Nomads had a military, forcing the Fire Nation to attack them. It’s screwy. It was wrong, but knowing that his culture was thought of as evil and bloodthirsty had to have been off-putting. I mean, the Air Nomads were pacifist!

Aang was stripped of his childhood, so going to a school gave him a new chance without the burden of being the avatar. For example, earlier I mentioned Aang was excluded from playing with the air-scooter, but in the Fire Nation school, Aang as Kuzon was invited to play Hide and Explode. A chance to have fun without his responsibility to defeat the Fire Lord. A chance to be a normal kid.

“You taught them to be free” Aang did his best to help the kids. It wasn’t defeating the Fire Lord but it gave them control. A mind. They were brainwashed by the school and their country! So achieving a sense of freedom by self expression is something more than I can display in words.

Season 3 Episode 9: Nightmares and Daydreams. Although it’s a fun episode, Aang is in his last moments to train before the invasion. He has to be ready. He’s afraid that he’ll let the world down a third time. So, he creates false scenarios and plays them out to prepare. In this process, he gets really sleep deprived because of his stress. He’s rightfully worried. The state of the world continues to burden him.

Season 3 episode 10: The Day Of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion. Aang comes to Sokka’s side when Sokka begins to worry about his moment of truth. Aang says, “I already failed to world once at Ba Sing Se. I won’t let myself fail again.” Again, it’s all up to him. He needs to save the world, he needs to redeem himself.

Season 3 episode 11: The Day Of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse. Aang finds that it was all a trap. He failed again. On Appa as the youngest of the group loads on Appa, Aang is crying. He told himself that he wouldn’t fail. That he needed to win. He needed this victory to find out that his plan was ruined.

Season 3 Episode 12: The Western Air Temple. Aang accepts Zuko into the group. He does this not only because he needs a teacher but realizes that in his past attempt to learn Firebending, he hurt Katara. And that Jeong Jeong wasn’t the right master, but knowing that Zuko changed made Aang accept Zuko into the group and teach him.

Season 3 Episode 13: The Firebending Masters. Earlier, I mentioned that Aang vowed to be more careful with Fire after burning Katara. Showing why his flame was timid and weak. He was afraid for it to become out of control and hurt someone.

Season 3, episode 16: The Southern Raiders. “You’re feeling unbelievable pain and rage.” He’s empathizing with Katara. We can’t forget that Aang is a survivor of genocide. He’s been through so much and wants to help Katara make the right decision. Not making it for her, but guiding her through the decision that would make her satisfied with herself and Yon Rha’s outcome. One she could live with. He’s using his own experience to help her.

Season 3, Episode 18, Sozin’s Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King. Aang wants to find an alternate solution rather than kill Firelord Ozai. He wants to stick to his principles. The ones that have been with him since forever. It’s not an easy decision. Maybe not only because of honoring the monks and their teaching but because the war had already created enough bloodshed.

Everyone is quick to assume Aang ran away. Although Aang is called to the Lion Turtles back. I think it was mostly unknowingly because he was like half asleep.

Season 3, Episode 19, Sozin’s Comet, Part 2: Old Masters. Aang looks to the past Avatars for their guidance. They’re the ones who might give him an alternate solution. In my opinion, they were all like, make whatever choice is right for you and the world. Don’t forget the world. Ultimately, to Aang, there were no other options, leaving him with the only option but to take Ozai’s life.

He meets the great look turtle. Aang respectfully asks him for an answer or an option. Once again, Aang was given the knowledge that he could take away whatever he received from the wisdom.

Season 3, Episode 20: Sozin’s Comet: Part 3: Into The Inferno. Ozai degrades Aang. Says, “you’re weak. Just like the rest of your people. They did not deserve to exist in this world, in my world! Prepare to join them.” So Aang has been told he’s weak and he is in no way weak. I will elaborate later.

Season 3, Episode 21: Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang. Aang unblocks the avatar state and pins Ozai down. Just as Aang was going to kill him, he stops. He stops himself from going against his principles. Ozai continues to degrade him. “You are still weak.” Aang directs Ozai’s fire blast away using the Lion Turtle’s wisdom, Aang pins Ozai down and energy bends. With this, Aang discovers this non-fatal solution by giving Ozai justice and taking his bending away. Ozai can no longer intimidate and oppress anyone anymore.

“Please the real hero is the avatar.” That’s it. Aang is the hero. Of course, he had his friends to help him, but every single one of Aang’s mistakes and choices led to this. Led to the world being saved. So, for the first time in a while, Aang can come out of hiding, proud to be in this Air Nomad robes without concealing his identity.

I think I’m exaggerating about the tiniest details, but then again, I’m putting myself in Aang’s shoes, and that’s how I’d feel and how I interpret Aang’s actions/reactions. Also, I know I missed a few points, but I tried.

Big takeaways:

When Aang is told his people have been wiped out AND that he’s been gone for 100 years, for him, it has only been a few days for him. He left and a day later he wakes up and it’s been 100 years. That’s incredibly off-putting and scary. One day and his whole world shifted.

Aang was given very VERY little time to grieve as he had to save the world and learn the elements right away. When we do see it, his grief, he tries to let it all out at once rather than have it seep out little by little.

Aang is 12! He is a child and he saved the world. He has real emotions and was confused from time to time. He was a little immature at first but developed immensely.

Aang makes mistakes. But most importantly is that he learns from them and uses them to decide what's best for him and how to help others.

He looked for the light in dark situations.

Aang is the beacon of hope but even he was unhopeful and detached. He went to nightmares and back despite the worst.

Despite Ozai’s bashing and false claims, Aang is not weak and never has been. Aang went through the worst. He lost his family, his friends, and at one point, his best friend. He died. He was given an almost impossible task. Yet, he completed this task. He saved the world. Yes, he made mistakes but those mistakes shaped Aang into who he became. And how he was able to save the world. And Ozai was incredibly wrong. Aang defeated him and found his alternative. It wasn’t weak. It was strength. As Katara said in The Southern Raiders, “I don’t know if I was too weak to do it or if it’s because I’m strong enough not to.” In Aang’s case, he found his alternative that honored his teachings, his principles, his beliefs all while doing what was best for the world. That isn’t weak. It’s strong. Adding on, to come back from death isn’t weak. To return to action after running away isn’t weak. To face danger? To help others? To fight on the losing side for what is right? No, it’s not weak at all.

The music is fantastic and I think it reflects Aang amazingly. This doesn’t really fit into what I was talking about but the music fits the show.

Aang deserves so much love. I'll say it again, he's been through so much. Much more than what I could handle or almost anyone else. He is a traumatized child but even through the rough patches became an inspiration. To me, I think he’s sometimes overlooked and pushed aside so this is just some of my headcanons and takeaways.

Another thing, I’m not blaming Aang for anything. When I mention “it was his fault” I mean by he was blaming himself. The Air Nation’s genocide is not his fault. I mean that he blames himself for not helping or staying, for running away. 

Lastly, I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of their characters. They belong to their rightful creators and writers. Also, this is my analysis and a few of my takes on Aang’s trauma. I'm not trying to project my feelings on anyone. I'm just saying what I think.

If you made it this far thanks for reading my post!

[j-k-notrowling]

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Hi there! Spoilers up front: this is a gratuitously long-winded “thank you,” not an Ask (also I’m 31 and don’t know how to Social Media so apologies if this is the wrong page/tab/link/widget).

--(oh actually it’s a blog post now because of course I can’t send an “Ask” this stupidly long see? wasn’t kidding about that Social Media thing...)--

I started writing my first book in the Fall of 2016. Before that I’d only written songs. One day I got an idea which didn’t fit within the usual rhymes or rhythms. I tried and tried, but kept on hitting a wall. In addition, I was fed up with the whole “business” of music—the fragile egos, the politics of being in a band, all that. One morning I sat down at my HP desktop computer (again...31) and opened up a blank Word document. I stared at it with murderous intent for a long time, but nothing happened. So I grabbed the nearest book off the shelf (Crash by J.G. Ballard), opened it, and began to type out the first paragraph, copying the sentences line by line. I wanted to see what it felt like — my clumsy fingers pecking at the keyboard, observing how the words fell into place with a musical cadence and tempo almost prophetic, as though the ink were destined to dry in this exact form upon the page, the machinery of its tumultuous birth and impeccable design skillfully concealed. I paused and looked out the window. There was a squirrel on the deck, I remember. And then I saw it. Not outside but inside my own head, behind my eyelids. The song, the one I’d been struggling to write, I saw that it could be a story. I saw it had a clear beginning, middle, and end. I saw a world of characters opening doors to other worlds, other stories, other characters. This was life-changing shit. Suddenly I was a little boy at my first baseball game, drinking my first ice-cold Coke, surrounded by old men chain-smoking Marlboro Reds and muttering dirty words I’d never heard before about the [EXPLETIVES DELETED] on the opposing team. I’d discovered a fire fueled by the psychic anarchy of its own discovery, a Moebius-strip of dramatic invention, a repository for all the pop-cultural turds floating around inside the cracked porcelain toilet bowl of my skull. I wrote prose every night after work. I never thought about what I was doing. I never once stopped to check word counts or page counts. I never thought about sticking to an outline, making sure my story adhered to a specific plot structure, none of that. I wrote like a man in love. Delirious, overheated teenage love. Wear-my-ill-fitting-letterman’s-jacket love (is this also A Thing™️ in Canada?). Stupid stupid stupid love, naive and hormonal and precious and retrospectively mortifying. I’d turn off the world, turn on the music, sit back and watch the words sashay straight into my lap. It took 2-3 months before the ruthless scourge known as Self Doubt farted in my private elevator. Am I doing this right? How many words are in a book, anyway? How many pages? How long is this going to take? Is this an effective way to impress women and/or get laid? Am I writing a novel or a novella? The fuck is “flash fiction”? Are you allowed to write actual books in Microsoft Word? Does it matter that my free trial version of Microsoft Word expires in 30 days? They’re bluffing, right? And so on. I compared my own writing with that of authors I admired; subsequently, I couldn’t get out of bed for a week. I watched 40+ hours of “Kitchen Nightmares” reruns (it’s. the. same. fucking. formula. every. single. episode.) and nursed my shame with bowl after bowl of strawberry ice cream. To think — I’d TOLD people about this fool’s errand, and sooner or later I’d have to show them precisely how awful a writer I was... I turned to the Internet for advice. At first, it seemed like a godsend. There was such a litany of knowledge, so many pro-tips and life hacks and proven formulas for success. This was how I stumbled across your channel. I found other channels which offered more straightforward “DO IT LIKE THIS YOU FUCKING IDIOT” instructions, but I still enjoyed yours the most. I lol-ed at your jokes. I remember a few videos where you spoke highly about All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which remains among the most achingly beautiful books I’ve ever read. Also you’re Canadian, and you guys just generally Human better than we (Americans) Human. ...and here my troubles began. See, the more I tried to adhere to word count goals, the more I tried to properly organize the scenes on my Scrivener™️ virtual cork board, the less I enjoyed the actual process of writing. So I tried other things, based upon other writers’ suggestions: cut the adverbs, write in the morning, write at night, write during your lunch break, write an outline, stick to the outline, write x amount of pages per day, write x number of hours per day, spend x amount of hours drafting and x amount of hours editing, etc. But nothing I tried made me feel confident in my writing. I started actively hating it, to be honest. I dreaded the cursor and the infinite white void. Then I would watch more writing videos and feel guilty about my lack of ambition, my inability to accomplish simple tasks. It’s only a few thousand words, dude — just get in there and do it. Eventually I would. I’d grumble and feel miserable and stay locked in my little writing dungeon all night, ignoring my friends’ texts and phone calls, and the next day I’d hate everything I wrote, trash it, and start over. Then, when I had no more writing left to hate, I started hating myself. The words in my head turned malignant, putrefied into spongy, black tumors. I’d spend all day at work consumed by thoughts and ideas and goals! goals! goals! for my book, then I’d come home and stare at a blinking cursor and wonder why I was such a worthless failure. I couldn’t write the way these other writers did, no matter what I tried. But I still wanted to write. Needed to, in that yearning, terrible way I suspect you understand. I don’t know why The Internet subconsciously invites us to flay ourselves before total strangers, but it does. So I will. Shit got Dark™️, Shaelin. I gained 50 pounds, started living like a hoarder, stopped hanging out with my friends, stopped leaving the house altogether. I kept the curtains closed so my neighbors wouldn’t see the piles of empty take-out boxes stacked up on the kitchen table. I traded the pleasures and contradictions and beguiling enigmas of women for the 24-hour neon distraction of cheap porno. My cat Maggie, basically the only friend I had during this time, got cancer. I watched her suffer and waste away because I couldn’t bear the thought of putting her to sleep and coming home alone to an empty, filthy house. Eventually she died and I hated myself even more for not being able to save her. I wore the same pair of pants for six months. I’d go to work and sit at my desk all day and do absolutely nothing (I was the accounting manager at a small company, technically my own “boss,” so I got away with this for a shocking, frankly heroic amount of time). Then I simply stopped going to work. And I kept torturing myself with those stupid goals and word counts, never happy with the end result, resigned to feel like a failure every day. I remember watching your “Spill the Tea” video back when it was initially posted. Watching it now is eerie, because you describe exactly what I was going through, what I was feeling. Like, to the “T” (see what I did there? #WordPlay #LitPuns101). I’d never experienced anxiety/depression before, so I didn’t really understand what was happening to me. Not that it mattered, because by that point the damage was done. I couldn’t recognize and isolate the real problem. I’d given up. Even though you said a lot of things in that video I desperately, desperately needed to hear, I didn’t listen. I didn’t want to listen to you, because you were one of Them™️. Your eyes were bright and your voice sounded friendly and encouraging, but your name wasn’t McCarthy or Pynchon or DeLillo or Nabokov. You were just a kid. What could you possibly know that I didn’t? In January of this year I called a local psychiatric hospital and told them I was planning to kill myself. I never harbored any true intentions of doing that, but I figured they’d offer me a nice three-week vacation in a padded cell. Considering the circumstances, it honestly seemed like a relief. I ended up quitting my job, selling my house, and moving back in with my parents 300 miles away. I started seeing a therapist once a week (still do, for the record). So far I’ve lost 30 pounds of the 50 pound surplus I acquired. I kept watching your videos, even though I was no longer in the market for writing advice (#JustHereForTheSnark). You kept me lol-ing through some bad days and weeks and months. I’d listen to you talk about problems with the writing community and nod my head like an old woman in church (#ShaelinSermons™️ #SheTeachesANDShePreaches), but I still hadn’t made the connection with my own issues. I swore off writing completely, went back to playing music. Cover songs in coffee shops and family restaurants. It was fun for awhile. I genuinely felt happier. But my story was still an old pebble poking around in my shoe...calling out, issuing playground taunts, drawing hairy cartoon dicks on my forehead while I slept. About a month ago I stared down another blank page, my first since experiencing that fun-sized nervous breakdown earlier this year. I closed my eyes and heard your voice in my head. “You can do whatever you want.” I had no goals, no arbitrary quotas to meet. I wrote a few lines, stopped, fixed a couple things I wasn’t satisfied with, and then went on with my day. I thought about what I’d written, sure, but I didn’t worry or spend the whole day stressing out. The next morning I read over what I’d done, and I didn’t hate it. I thought it was actually pretty good, funny and off-kilter and a little/lotta fucked up. So I sat down and wrote some more. Took some things out, re-worded stuff, dressed up the bones in silver and pearls. Addition and subtraction. Before I knew it, I’d finished a whole page. Then another. And then the hair on the back of my neck stood up, because I remembered: This is how it felt at the beginning. Back when I was young and love-struck and writing only to catch those moments of pure levitation, that devilish tickle, that rush of blood propelled by my own wild heart. It’s been a rough road, but I finally found what I’d lost. I figured out how to write again and enjoy it. And ultimately, the best writing advice I received didn’t come from McCarthy or Pynchon or DeLillo or Nabokov. It came from a young woman in another country with a camera and a nose ring and a big tapestry and bigger dreams which run parallel to my own. So thank you. Thank you for taking time out of your busy life and braving the Steaming Pile™️ that is The Internet to offer words of empathy and encouragement to complete strangers. Thank you for the wisdom you share. Thank you for being who you are. Know that tonight the stars shine brighter as a result. They do for me, at least. (Also I’m sincerely sorry about the absurd length of this “Ask” wherein no actual questions were posed and nothing substantial was communicated beyond a simple yet torturously delayed “thank you” kthxbye #longlivethenewtapestry 

—Justin)

[monkey-network]

Good Stuff ~ Seven of the Season: Tangled the Series

WARNING: Be warned that I’ve never done this, but hey, trying something new everyday never hurts. Thank you, take care out there, and enjoy.

I remember last December when 2017 Me put Tangled the Series on my “Best of” list, and now I want to prove its worth. I love this show, even when the love started to fall apart in my mind per the look back. Ups and downs, it was nice to see Rapunzel given a cartoon of her own, showcasing what a Disney princess worth their skill can be outside their respective feature. So here be the Top 7 BEST Episodes of Tangled. Seven, because it’s lucky, baby. Here we go...

7. Under Raps

I despise myself for shipping Cassandra and Rapunzel sometimes. It feels reasonable but Rapunzel already has Eugene and Disney isn’t making room for polyamorous relationships just yet so the thought feels baseless. But I’ll just stick to the dynamics between the three as this gives the three excellent moments of what makes them the best in show, especially the third act where they fight the predictable bad guy that was pretending to be Cassandra’s pretend infatuation. Eugene’s sensible yet reckless side shines, Rapunzel’s compassionate yet overtly ambitious side shines, and Cassandra’s “I’m done” attitude especially shines through and they are what makes this episode great from start to finish. Only downside is, again, Cassandra’s love interest, who was so predictable even she could see through his shit. “Which makes Cass awesome and makes her and Rapunzel meant to be evermore!” Silence, inner voice, that’s what the next entry’s for.

6. Challenge of the Brave

I can say that this episode certainly solidified my love for both Cass and Rapunzel as characters. Initially, first impressions me was disgruntled at both Cass for her dishonesty and Rapunzel for failing to read the room. But now I realized that heck, why be disheveled at their weaknesses when their weaknesses build their strengths. With Cass being a force to be reckoned with and Punzie as the purest cinnamon you wouldn’t dare touch, I can’t help but love every minute of them together from this episode and beyond. Now you can say it. “Punzie and Cassy, medieval lesbian adventurers for life, baby! WOOP WOOP IN THE SOUP!!!” Furthermore, this frame of Rapunzel below made the episode so worth it, first hand and looking back.

this frame radiates so much good energy, the best energy

5. Max’s Enemy

Now, if there’s one thing the crew behind this show gets right 100%, it’s their animal characters, especially when their animal characters get one off episodes. Out of the two, Max’s Enemy gives the horse, the HORSE, a conflict that not only feels genuine but doesn’t come across as annoying as I’ve seen from other cartoons. You have Axel, who’s essentially the same as Max only more of a show-boater and is better than him at physical feats, but that doesn’t stop Max from outshining Axel in the end because one should never stop doing their best regardless of who claims otherwise. Also, Lady Caine returned, and I think she’s a great recurring antagonist in this series notably because A) she’s basically Eugene with her motives standing to be reasonably justified from before and B) she is one that plans so smoothly yet fails so hard, it’s tragically comedic. I hope they can bring her back another time. Also, this episode gets points for not annoying me with horse noises.

4. Fitzherbert P.I.

Honestly, this is one of the two episodes I put on this list solely because it focuses on Eugene being awesome. I say this because it is a pretty simple episode: Eugene proving his worth and girth of change to Cassandra and her dad while Rapunzel becomes artistically frantic over what her painting should consist of. Pretty cut clean story, but what made this pretty high on the list are particular scenes. One where, after seeing Eugene getting unjustly trampled during training by her father, Cassandra throws him some advice and support after all the smirking she done at the thought of him failing. Gave me a solid notion that while Eugene and Cass are happily at each other’s throats, they share a sibling type bond where they can be honest and will put a squabble aside to help each other out. Another scene is where Queen Ariana shows Raps the kooky portrait she had and that made her....an incredible supportive character in my eyes from then on. She can do no wrong, less so than the King and that clearly shows over the season. Honestly this episode is one where, on the look back, I can’t help but advocate it.

3. The Wrath of Ruthless Ruth

Putting my bias out here now: Danielle “Taystee” Brooks sold me this episode, ten fold. Her voice, and her singing, was the honey to the tea of this spoopy charming episode. The haunting mystery not only allowed for Rapunzel’s tender, optimistic nature, the Captain’s insipid stubbornness, and the pub thug’s slapstickiness to be at their most best, but the musical that culminates from it is to be one of the show’s greatest. One with purpose, flare, and a memorable melodic mood to boot. Shit, I shed a tear when I “listened up” for the fourth time it was that beautiful. I will say the very ending put a bittersweet taste in my mouth, but bittersweet is better than terrible so my love for this wasn’t spoiled in the least. And again, the sister had pipes; can never stop respecting that.

2. Big Brothers of Corona

OYE, this was a tough one. Between this and the real number one, these are the best of the best episodes in the season. *GROANS* I’m gonna put a pin on that last statement, you’ll understand later. But for now, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUck yes do I love this episode. Haven’t been able to say this, but Lance Strongbow is the best new character in this show, tied with Cassandra, and him and Eugene make for as great duo as the latter and Rapunzel. That being said, him and Eugene taking care of two young mischievous thieves made me smile throughout most of the time. This being the second episode where it’s nothing but Eugene proving himself to be awesome, not only do the kids prove themselves to be most purest cinnamon rolls, but it feels all the more crushing when they have to leave with a hug goodbye. I’ll let inner thoughts express this further:  “Why couldn’t Eugene and Lance adopt these kids, MAN?! Why didn’t Lance? He and Red were like peas in a pod, man. They deserve the world! *sobs* Bring ‘em back, writers, I swear to me...... I’m sorry...*sniff* it feels crushing remembering this. Wholesome little young ones.” Only downside to this episode overall is the sideplot with Cass and Rapunzel, not that it’s bad, but it felt too conventional and inferior to the main story at hand. But, it’s that main story that just hits so many good notes. This episode’s a keeper, and I hope, I WISH, Angry and Red come back for season two.

Honorable Mentions: One Angry Princess, Not in the Mood, Return of Strongbow, and Great Expotations in said order

1. Pascal’s Story

Remember when I said this and Big Bros of Corona were the best of the best? Well pulling the pin, I can strongly say that this, objectively, is the best episode of the season, of the series so far, hell of cartoon history. Not only is this a great backstory episode, not only does this pull the heart strings ever so passionately, but it’s one that makes every scene count. I could be like Mr. Enter and go on about how the Pascal’s backstory plays well into his present situation/dilemma, how Rapunzel’s 0 to 100 mood feels so moving & natural, how Rapunzel’s tower from the movie plays an integral part in all this, and so forth. All this from an episode about a princess’s animal sidekick, with the ending to put it all on its own pedestal? Talk about pulverizing my soul. From start to finish, Pascal’s Story is one that admirably hits all the right notes and does so in a way that appeals to anyone and everyone logically and emotionally.

So yeah, this series has most definitely proven itself, and I bet and hope it does provide again when season two comes around this fall. Apologies for Varian not making the cut, but.......eh, I don’t want to make a worst list. All that said, I’m Roy Macintosh, and that’s all I got.

[scoundrels-in-love]

Rainy watches Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Let me start this with saying I did spoil my self and quite thoroughly before this movie. And my initial opinion was that this movie will be absolute disappointments on all fronts I cared about.

So, when I walked in the cinema, my expectations were so low, it’d be hard to fall lower. (But as we know, I had same thoughts about year 2017 and it proved me wrong, so it’s not like it was impossible.) I came out thinking, damn, it was pretty okay movie. Maybe even good. No, it will not be my favorite Star Wars movie, it is still Rogue One and I did like The Force Awakens better, but I think the trilogy does not die with it. Especially since it’s trilogy and there is a lot to be seen in Episode 9 still.

I will not give it rating, I can’t rate these things and if I was forced to, I would not give even Rogue One a 10. That’s just how I am. But what I will do is write a long-ass recap and analysis of the movie. Having read spoilers and reactions to them, I have come conclusion a lot of the rage, in my opinion, comes from focusing on the details instead of lessons they’re trying to show. Lessons we may see us give a very satisfying conclusion in Episode 9.

Obviously, spoilers below. All of the spoilers. Read at your own risk. Later, when more folks have seen the movie, I may do shorter extractions with add-ons for specific plot points or characters. Also, this will be ship stanning or hate free (and in general, I tried to keep this positive, instead of dissing anything, though there are quite a few things I dislike). I have my preferences, but those will, hopefully, remain beyond the walls of this recap. Also, it’ll be all over the place, bouncing to and from various details, etc. If you stick around, let me know what you think, I’d love that!

Let me start this with saying I am not built for war movies. I do not deal well with deaths of characters even as brief as Rose’s sister or the pilots who exchanged smile and salutes before the docking bay thingie was blown up. Each time a ship or speeder goes down, I wince and break a little bit inside. So, obviously, that sets me up for being emotionally vulnerable all through the movie.

I did not expect TLJ to start essentially immediately after TFA ended. That took me by surprise and threw me right in middle of hell. I think it was rather solid choice, though.

A lot of people disliked how disheartened and disillusioned Luke was. I think he was still wrapped in illusion, one that Rey forcefully breached. And he was weighed down by guilt. So much of it. He did not just fail Ben, or his sister and Han. He failed himself. In a moment of slip, he lost everything and was reminded that even strongest, kindest hearts can have a slip up, no matter how momentary. And it can have horrible consequences.

To be honest, when Kylo said Luke had tried to kill him I was like “no, that’s Snoke manipulating his memories”. And if it had been the case, I would be okay with it. Right now, I lean more towards the fact Luke never actually physically soul searched Darth Vader, never witnessed that darkness and the endless blood on his hand. And the dark side was so thick around young Ben, that Snoke’s influence could’ve dripped onto Luke in that moment. Just a bit of tar, lasting for few seconds, but enough to turn the tide. If only Ben could’ve slept through it, but it was not meant to be. Possibly also because of Snoke.

Something that struck me deeply was the way Luke had to watch the Tree burn down. For me, it felt like he was forced to watch his second home burn down. Like he had wanted to leave his uncle’s and aunt’s home, he wished to leave ways of Jedi behind, something that had become a home to him in spiritual sense. But in the end, the choice was never entirely given to him, someone else made it for him and he had to watch his home become embers. And as always, Luke carved his own path ahead from that moment.

Yoda’s lesson was, FOR ONCE, one thing said out-loud from the many the movie tried to get across. Failures will happen. Failing does not define us. How we get up from them is what matters. That makes us who we are.

Some say whole Finn’s and Rose’s mission was a filler, absolutely pointless. But, if we’re being really mean, pretty much every star wars episode has one of these scenes/story lines. And, I do not think it was entirely failure. Yes, it was a detour and one that failed, but it also lit another spark, in the hearts of the children on that planet. Plus, again, lesson about failures - they did not let it beat them down and returned to fight to the last breath.

In my opinion, another lesson was ‘retreating is not necessarily cowardice’. Is Finn a coward? No, my son is brave beyond reason. He may want to escape, back in TFA and at start of TLJ, but especially in latter it is to find a spot of safety which can be a beacon for Rey and Luke Skywalker, the HOPES of the galaxy. And even then, the moment he sees a chance to do more, to actively participate in saving, he’s right back in the fray.

Poe gets literal slap in the face for not realizing it. He gets punch in soul later, when Viceadmiral Holdo does what she does and Leia tells him “she was busy saving people, instead of showing she is a hero.” WHAT A GODDAMN QUOTE. Which I sadly don’t remember correctly.

I have a lot of feelings about Admiral Holdo in general. I cried and literally saluted her in cinema when she stayed behind. I felt a little bad I wished she had pulled the last move a moment sooner so more than like, 6 ships out of 30 survived the assault. But she truly went out like the Queen she was.

I think a lot of people could be pissed about how Resistance wasn’t united, how there was an uprising in itself. But we have to realize, it is made of people. Not humans or aliens differentiating here. Just, different people. And there will be disputes and issues. And it’s normal, it’s understandable. Especially in a hellish situation like this. It makes sense. Resistance isn’t flawless, the unity of it must be hard fought for. (Let us recall Rogue One.) Yes, she could’ve handled it better, but she knew Poe would oppose and try to undermine it. In the end, both she and Leia knew his heart is in the right place.

Also, yes, I tried to count how many ships might’ve reached the surface of salt planet. I was devastated it was so few and that the ones who made to Millenium Falcon were literally a handful.

I absolutely loved how Poe was like “LEIA!!!” when it turned out it was her to be breaking in the bridge, so sure she’d be so against Holdo’s decision. only for her to stun him. Like, you still have so much to learn, my boy.

Oh man, I am afraid to get started on Leia, to be honest. Carrie Fisher was my Top Shining Star in this movie. For me, she was the mirror of every loss Rebellion suffered. Her expressions, her eyes. The way she felt Luke pass away, the way she felt Kylo... Ben, nearby. Each and every time I was wrecked. I sobbed during Luke’s and Leia’s reunion, she was beautifully regal and in character and Luke was also most Luke again, reassuring there is hope for Ben. Just before he appeared, I did want to scream, are you just going to sit and take your death? Go out and fight, for one more moment. (Leia with a blaster was a vision.)

When Carrie’s daughter was watching through window at her somewhere in vast space, I teared up thinking about how prophetical this was. And in a sense, Carrie Fisher, did rise up against impossible odds to continue to live in our lives. I don’t know how they will respectfully write Leia Organa off screen, but they better do it right.

I have some issues with space physics in this movie, like would Leia and Rose’s sister for that matter, hovering over open space, like, pull off what they did? But again, this is movie where space explosions have sound, etc. So I am just going to scream: LEIA CANONICALLY USED THE FORCE.

I knew Luke was an illusion/hologram. There was no way he could make it to base, no matter how he tried. And it made me think of just how immensely powerful he is. The way Han’s little dice thing lasted even beyond his departure, the way everyone saw and felt him. I cried so hard during that forehead kiss, I still tear up.

I can’t say I dig Luke simply left, just like that. I feel like there is more he could have done. But at the same time, it seemed to me, and to Rey and Leia, as if he left with purpose. Is he going there to be a Force Ghost and influencing fate and people by popping up all over the place? I don’t know. I hope it is not actual last we see of him.

Skywalkers being drama queens continue, volume lost count a: the cape drop by Kylo Ren. Volume lost count b: the shoulder brush off Luke does after all he walks out of the smoke. I loved that sass. In fact, we saw that the moment Rey appeared, he kinda sparked back to life, with the smirk he gives her when he swings on his spear. I admit some lines felt a little out of character/the mood felt off, but overall, Mark Hamill did magic.

Which brings me to another point of this movie: downfall of pride. Luke threw that around left and right, but it goes beyond Jedi. It goes beyond essentially blind faith Light Side always prevails just because. It also is the cornerstone of Snoke’s demise. “Oh, he was so hyped up and meant to be badass, died just so simply!! HOW COME. BAD WRITING” people say. But, was it not what happened to Emperor? To essentially pretty much EVERY Sith lord and even Jedi that has graced canon, extended universe and so forth? He thought he was beyond anyone’s reach, he thought he could humiliate Kylo Ren to his heart’s content, feed the anger in him, but did not think of the backlash. Did not think that simply taking him back in fold could not be enough. Did not think of age old lesson - there is always two, no more and no less. A Lord and their apprentice. Kylo Ren thinks it is time he took apprentice, Rey. So he offs his Master. And that IS something Snoke should’ve seen, but he did not, because he thought there is no way someone as torn as Kylo could turn against him. That Kylo is thoroughly dependent on him.

Speaking of Kylo, since TFA I wanted him to be shown more as his own person instead of puppet in Snoke’s ugly hands. This movie did that. It made him, if not entirely sympathetic, then still more acceptable. I was glad he was not the one to fire missile at the bridge, he even looked shell-shocked when other tie-fighters did it. And he also never denied than Han loved him, instead he reflected it to try and get at Ray. I enjoyed his thought of that all old must end. In this, he reminds me of Revan from KOTOR and SWTOR. First, he was Jedi (in training), then fell to the Dark side and eventually, went nuts and decided he must end all there is and start over. So, in a sense, a bit of Emperor’s dogma, too?

The cinematography and symbolism of the lightsaber being torn apart, at the same time as the battleship was stunning and I still shiver thinking about it.

As Snoke said, Rey and Kylo are indeed foils to each other, darkness attracted to light and light attracted to darkness. Incredibly raw power. I would like to see this end with Gray Jedi kind of mindset, maintainers of actual balance. This movie MAY set it up for Kylo to have redemption arc at the very end and a (co) founder of Gray Jedi order. Or it may set up him as weak villain all through and through. Weak in the sense he is already blinded by rage and fight with his past, as proven by his fight with Luke. He loses the final, in a sense incredibly easy, battle just because he has to finish Luke off. Either he will clear his head or go about everything as incredibly unstable as he is. And fall because of his pride, as did every Sith before him.

I do wonder, if next movie will start after time, when literally a handful of people are rebuilding the Resistance or we will once again be thrown right into another chasing scene of Millennium Falcon.  There’s potential in both.

Lot of people are saying this movie decimates Rey’s character. I do not entirely agree. She is desperate to clutch onto hope Galaxy can be saved via returning to Ben to light because she’s been denied all other options. Luke has become less of hero in her eyes, in fact, he had considered becoming a cold blooded murderer. And even then, she offers him to come with her and he refuses. Because Rey, fundamentally, believes in best in people. Like Luke once did. What’s more, if she does indeed know her parents were nobodies who traded her for a ration of booze, these are memories, pain and betrayal stirred up by dark side. She is drawn to it. But at the end of it, she does not take Kylo’s hand, sees it can only breed more so much more pain and returns to her friends. I do not think she will ever entirely fall to Dark Side, there is not enough time to make her do that and then retrieve her from it in one movie.

Speaking of Rey’s parentage, Snoke said he created the force bond between Kylo and her, and essentially that he planted certain things in it. Lies about her parents could be one of the things he put in there, to give Kylo tools. The mirror could have been a way to show she is born from Force, much like Anakin was. When Light side was dominant, he was the one to bring more Balance, perhaps by falling to Dark side. Now, Force may have given Galaxy another hero, to turn the tides towards Light.

Now I would like to speak some of other badass lady - Rose. I felt for her, deeply. She was not afraid to stand up to her literal hero. She did not hesitate to say what she hated about the whole rich-planet. She has and always will give everything for Hope.  I have to say, her proclaiming she saved Finn was a VERY big stretch, though. They were literally going to be killed in 10 more minutes, if Kylo wasn’t so busy with focusing Luke. Like, no. You didn’t save him. You delayed the inevitable and incidentally, both of you survived. Also, you don’t have to look at him like coward about knowing where escape pods are on First Order ship. He literally was in clean up crew. Of course he did. But she matters so much in maintaining balance between foolish bravery and retreating is not cowardice message, in fact underlining the latter, by reminding that Rebellion is about saving those we love, not simply murdering the ones we hate.

This episode was SO strong with parallels. Like all the parallels all the fricking time. Finn and Poe getting slapped by their bosses/ex-bosses. Kylo and Rey both calling Millennium Falcon ‘that junk’. THE HUG BETWEEN FINN AND REY from TFA and at the end of TLJ. ‘Floating rocks’, of course. The moment I saw the rock block, I thought, well, here comes ‘Force is sometimes about floating rocks, too’. As well as ‘every thing you just said is absolutely wrong’. A classic. And, like, all the fricking glasses/containers of liquids shaking to show tremors all through the whole movie. There were at least 5 shots of that. We get it, things are getting shaken up. We get it.

Honestly, any scene on the salt planet was SUCH A LOOK. I have NO idea why the speeders had to extend the ‘leg’, apparently for balance, but I think mostly to create a stunning visual moment. After the speeders split up, and mission was essentially failed, it looked like blood on snow. Bloody ice underneath snow. It was gorgeous, heartbreaking symbolism of all the blood that has been spilled. Perhaps even of the bloodshed that rests under proclaimed purity of Jedi mindset. It made my gut clench. Just as did the moment it spills into the base, when First Order finally arrives.

Speaking of which, Hux, what did you think you’re gonna get, screaming at Kylo that First Order is leaderless? Lmao. Loved how they fought for control in walkers/ship. Like they both said “open fire” and Kylo looked at Hux, essentially “binch, really?”.

I did like the whole thing on the rich-folk planet. Amused at BB-8′s tactics of subduing people. Loved the escape of Finn and Rose, that the animals escaped. Heck, I was so worried for them, that they’d just get mowed down or recaptured. I had to remind myself, maybe even death is better than the life they had.

I think they pulled a really good (double?) bluff with their hacker. I mean, I was not convinced he was on their side, but when he gave the necklace back to Rose, I can see why Finn and Rose would think he’s truly fighting the good fight. I also really hope Finn fetched the necklace out of the wreck for Rose, it doesn’t deserve to be left behind.

It’s a small thing, but I LOVED that Finn didn’t strike Phasma down from behind. Like, of course it was still kinda underhanded, but she could’ve rose weapon in defense (if someone suddenly says hey behind you in this situation, you don’t think it’s an ally). But still. Her quick demise is one of my actual “:/” moments in the movie, I did think she should’ve gotten more time, more stories. But my original point is, my boy didn’t try to kill anyone from back.

Ships or no, I love every glimpse of Finn and Poe and Rey friendship, the way they deeply care for one another. Nothing can take away that Finn screamed for Rey and asked about her first, or that Rey’s one request to Chewie was to tell him something. And Finn wearing Poe’s jacket! Oh man, Poe’s and BB-8′s reunion had me clutching my heart mentally. And I am very glad to add Rose to this roster. I don’t know if Finn reciprocates her feelings or hers are actually more than being still kinda awe-struck for him. But no matter what, he cares about her deeply. With her, we get to see he will always go and save his friend and take care of them with all he got. We didn’t get the line ‘now I have something to fight for’, but I clearly think that’s definition of Finn - fighting for those he cares about, platonically or not.

Also, how did Rey get from Snoke’s escape ship to Millennium Falcon? And how did communication device work from Resistance Cruiser to First Order ship, without interception and all? /squints slightly

I am very glad Rey saved the books, I think it will do her good to study them and figure out her own path inbetween the lines.

And I think that’s.... That’s actually it. Or I am too tired to remember more points. Other than few, plot unrelated observations:

The porgs were a menace. I liked and hated them at the same time, I could only think how mad Han would be about this literal infestation.

The little alien-nuns of Ach-To, tho. They live in peace and suddenly comes this girl, blasts a house up, crashes their cart with cut-in-half boulder. I feel for them.

Salt foxes are AMAZING. (What the heck at the soldier dude who straight up tastes white substance on an unfamiliar planet OFF THE GROUND. You got guts.)

Did the kid at the end use the Force to make broom lean into his hand or was I just too blurry eyed?

Also someone wrote amazing thought of how we should’ve seen Anakin and Luke meet up in the Force, with Han, too, imo. And I really wish for it.

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Good morning/Good afternoon all!!! Ready for the continuation of Philly v DR? There are only four episodes left! Stay tuned throughout the day for those!!

EPISODE 7

“I don't want to leave you,” you whispered as you sniffled. “I don't wanna hang up papi.”

“Neither do I, baby,” Nevada answered, his back against the wall so he could keep an eye on everyone else in the common area of his cellblock.

“I'll let you go,” you whispered through tears as you took another shaky breath. “I love you Nevada.”

“I love you too. I’ll see you soon, mi vida,” he replied.

You ended the call.

As soon as Nevada entered the main area he could see two men ganging up on OJ, fists slammed into him as a few more inmates joined in. Soon half the cell was in a riot, guards rushing for backup as they tried to subdue the prisoners.

As Nevada turned he was quickly slammed into the wall, a sharp pain sticking into his side and twisting as the man smirked.

“You got an admirer that wants ya gone Ramirez.”

Reaching for the scalpel in his pocket, he swung his fist, jabbing the inmate in the neck, severing his carotid artery. As he turned to look for a friendly face, he found Miguel running towards him, and quickly tossed the scalpel to him, the metal sliding across the floor until it reached the inmate’s feet.

“Get rid of it!” he yelled as the buzzers went off and guards came in to break up the commotion, and Miguel quickly took the scalpel, slipping it into his pocket and getting against the wall.

The guards all lined everyone up, one of the guards hauling Nevada to the wall and slamming him against it, ignoring his injury.

Once the inmate count was done, the prisoners were ushered back to their cells, leaving the injured men to head to the infirmary.

“You're lucky we don't let you bleed out,” the guard growled in Nevada's ear before he shoved Nevada and OJ to the infirmary.

The doctor took one look at them and sighed. “You know,” she said to the guard. “You should give Nevada here a punch card for how often here's here.”

“I'll give the spic a punch-”

“Hey!” Her voice boomed with authority. “Now I will remind you that you are a guest in my infirmary. I will not having you starting in with your prejudicial nonsense. Wait outside.”

“I can't just-”

“Outside or the warden will hear about your friendly little comments.”

“Fucking cunt,” he grumbled as he waited outside.

Nevada groaned as he looked down to assess his wound, the blade had gone in just beneath his ribcage, and his skin had torn on either side of the initial stab wound, likely when the weapon was twisted inside him. OJ on the other hand, had welts on his face, already turning shades of purple and blue.

“We gotta stop running into each other like this, mami,” Nevada teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“Shut it before you bleed to death on my clean floor,” she chastised and set Nevada on the exam table before turning to OJ with soft eyes. “Are you okay for now sweetheart?”

“Coño, he gets a sweetheart?” Nevada replied, smirking.

“I’m good, just take care of him,” OJ replied, lying back on the bed.

She moved back to Nevada and looked over his wound. “He hasn't said anything to annoy me yet, so yes, he gets a sweetheart.”

“I haven’t done anything to annoy you,” Nevada replied, wincing as she pulled the weapon out of his side, using gauze to stop the bleeding.

“Don’t you let him fucking die,” OJ called out.

“Oh he's fine,” she rolled her eyes. “It's deep but it missed all the arteries and just lightly grazed one of his kidneys. Not even a full laceration.”

She began to work on him as she examined the wound.

“So how long have you been married?” she asked with a casual tone, to keep him talking.

“Which one of us are you talking to, mami?” Nevada asked.

“You, I know he's okay for the most part.”

“Oh...about six years...been together for seven,” he answered.

“And you?” She asked OJ now as she started to clean the wound.

“Fourteen years.”

“He’s the old man of the family,” Nevada teased.

“Fourteen,” she said with a warm smile. “You must have really found a winner.”

She stitched Nevada up carefully, making sure there were no internal bleeds.

“I'm telling the guards that you need to be observed overnight to make sure that nothing tears internally.”

“Yeah, okay,” he groaned, wincing a bit at the pain, sharing a look with OJ.

“I should stay overnight too,” he announced. The Aryans had a few friends who worked in the infirmary as orderlies, Nevada would be a sitting duck alone there.

“You're fine, but if you want to keep us company, we'd be happy to have you.” She smiled and moved to check over OJ once Nevada was bandaged.

“Good.”

“Oye, mami, how bout something for the pain?” Nevada asked.

“Big baby,” she teased and moved to inject him with a dose of morphine.

“You love me,” he teased right back.

You waited for a phone call Tuesday, the entire day. But it never came.

On Wednesday morning you got Lily to school and put the babies down for a nap before camping out in front of your phone, eyes firmly fixed on it.

They would have called if he was killed right?

The phone rang, but instead of Nevada’s name, you saw Rafael’s on the screen.

You answered, “I have to keep this line free, what?” you snapped.

“Excuse me, I just wanted to see how my little sister was doing,” he replied. “I haven’t talked to you in a while, what’s going on?”

“Sorry, Nevada didn't call yesterday,” you whispered sadly. “He always calls, never misses it...what if-” you sniffled. “Rafi…”

“No, no...if he were dead you would’ve heard something by now,” he answered, sighing softly. “Look, if he doesn’t call today, I can ask around see if anyone knows anything. Maybe the prison is on lockdown, maybe he’s in the hole or got himself put into solitary.”

“Okay,” you whispered. “Will you come over and stay with me tonight...please?”

“Yes. I’ll have to call Roxie, but I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he answered. “Don’t think the worst, you’ll drive yourself crazy.”

“When have I ever thought the worst?” you said sarcastically.

“Do you really want me to answer that?” he asked in a chuckle. “Don’t worry, try not to think about it.”

“Okay...I love you,” you whispered. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Listen, I gotta go, I have court in five minutes, but I’ll see you later,” he replied.

“Okay” you whispered and ended the call.

Nevada woke up from his nap to see the doctor looking at his wound to be sure no infection was developing.

“How’s the view? I’m trying to get ripped for my wife,” he mused with a smirk.

“It's a little pudgy but you're doing your best and that's what matters.”

OJ snorted a loud laugh from the other bed. “Coño we need to come here more often, she's funny.”

“I’ve only been in here a couple months, mami. Just wait, I’m gonna have washboard abs, pero I don’t wanna get bulky, like this pendejo over here. That’s disgusting,” Nevada replied.

“Oye, one look at this body and Melissa's a fuckin’ waterfall, puto,” OJ smirked.

“That’s cause she likes big boys,” Nevada teased back, laughing a little.

He rolled his eyes, “As if I haven't caught Dama sneaking a peek.”

“Like she’s watching the discovery channel,” Nevada mumbled.

“Coño look who's getting cranky,” he laughed.

“Cranky,” Nevada chuckled, looking over at the doctor who had just finished checking for an infection. “So, am I gonna live or what, mami? You’ve been awful quiet.”

“You'll be fine, but I do have to keep you here until it's healed up.”

“Alright,” he replied. “I need to call my wife, you got a phone?”

“In my office--”

“No, no, mami, come on...I know you got a cell phone,” he replied with a wink.

“You think I'm going to let you use my personal phone?” She snorted a laugh.

“Why wouldn’t you? You love me,” he teased with a smirk. “Oye, I got stabbed, you have to be nice to me for at least a day.”

She sighed and tossed him the phone. “Probably got stabbed because you're a nuisance,” she grumbled as she grabbed ice packs for OJ.

“That was mean,” Nevada said playfully as he dialed your number and put the phone up to his ear. “Hey baby, sorry I missed our date yesterday. How you doing?”

“Okay,” you said softly. Afraid if you said more than a few words you'd fall apart.

“Babe, I’m sorry,” he said again, able to hear some pain in your voice. “I got into a little tussle and I couldn’t get to a phone.”

You just closed your eyes, trying to focus on his voice.

“Dama?”

“I thought you were dead.”

“You should know by now that I don’t go down easy,” he answered.

You had to set the phone on speaker you were crying so hard now, sobbing against your hand in relief and pain.

“Mami, don’t cry,” he said softly. “Mira, OJ’s here, you wanna say hi?” he asked, trying to lighten your mood.

You kept crying for another few minutes before the doctor took the phone. “Is this Mrs. Ramirez? Hi, yes I'm the resident doctor here, I thought maybe you'd get some comfort from hearing from me what's going on with your husband….I'm twenty eight, why?”

There was a long pause.

“I'm five ten, a hundred and twenty pounds, blonde, Swedish descent- do you have any questions about your husband?”

“Oye,” Nevada whispered, making a motion with his hand across his neck. “Don’t tell her why I’m here, you fucking crazy?” he hissed.

“Dama, he’s fine!” OJ called out. “He’s already talking shit, don’t worry!”

“She's not asking about you at all-I'm married,” she said with a frown. “No I haven't done his physical exam. I know enough Spanish to know that was very rude!”

“Jesus Christ, give me the phone,” Nevada said impatiently.

She handed over the phone and left the room while you were mid rant, “and another thing puta, if you lay a hand on him that is so much as an inkling more than professional I will come down there and-”

“Oye, oye, oye! Pero qué te pasa, chica? Calm down, carajo! I don’t got all fucking day to talk, so you wanna talk to your husband or quieres seguir hablando mierda?”

You took a breath, “I was scared you were dead!”

“But I’m not, I’m fine,” he replied.

“How was I supposed to know? I was about to drive down there,” you sniffled. “What happened?”

“I got into a fight,” he answered simply. “But I’m fine, I swear. Okay?”

“Okay,” you whispered softly.

“I lost my privileges for a few days, so we can't do a visit this week,” he said regretfully.

You sniffled and nodded, “I understand. I'm just glad you're okay.”

“I miss you,” he said softly. “What are you wearing right now?” he asked with a smirk.

“Your jacket,” you always wore his jacket after a bad day or a nightmare. Anytime you were scared the smell of his faded leather and cigar smoke always warmed you from the inside out. It was your adult security blanket.

“Just my jacket?” he purred.

“Oye, if you’re gonna do that, I’m leaving the room,”OJ chimed.

“Just your jacket,” you mumbled as you tried to sniffle.

“Oye don’t be sad, I’m trying to talk dirty to you,” he replied softly.

You giggled a bit. “You are?” you whispered and curled up in bed.

“Yeah,” he answered as OJ got up from the bed, rolling his eyes as he moved into the next room. Nevada reached under the covers to wrap a hand around himself. “I got a cell phone, so we won’t get cut off this time. Let’s take advantage of it, si?”

“Yeah, let's take advantage of it,” you whispered. “I'm wearing your jacket, no bra or panties,” you said breathily.

“I’m getting so hard thinking about you right now,” he purred.

“Are you gonna touch yourself for me, papi? Slide your hand up and down that cock until you come for tu amante?”

“I already am, amante,” he replied with a smirk. “Are you gonna touch yourself and tell me what you’re doing?”

“I'm running my fingers up and down my legs, moving them to my pussy. Mmmm, I'm wishing it was your fingers, they're so much bigger and rougher.”

He groaned, hand moving over his appendage as he listened to your breathing become heavy.

“Fuck, baby, keep talking,” he whispered.

“I wish I could feel your mouth on me, licking me, tasting my pussy. Do you wanna taste your peach papi? It's all yours.” You moaned a bit.

“Oh fuck, yeah. I miss you, mami,” he groaned, stroking himself faster.

“Tell your amante who that big cock belongs to,” you purred and licked your lips. “Stroke yourself faster for me, papi.”

“It’s yours,” he growled, moving his hand a little faster.

Looking around, he tried to spy something to use as lube in his immediate area. A bottle of vaseline caught his eye and he pulled the phone away from his ear, long enough to reach for it, the movement irritating his injury. Uncapping it, he used two fingers to scoop out enough to get the job done and resumed his quick, sure strokes.

“How many fingers are you using?” he asked.

“Four,” you moaned in slight embarrassment at how dirty you felt as you moved your hand in and out of yourself.

“Coño, that’s alot, no?” he inquired, furrowing his brows over his closed eyes.

“Don't judge me,” you whined. “I'm getting zero dick, papi.”

“And I’m getting zero pussy, mami,” he replied.

You moaned loudly when you hit your g-spot. “Oh fuck, papi,” is you whimpered.

He groaned, tugging his erection faster and trying to imagine his hand was you, moving on top of gim, your nails digging into his skin as you arched and cried out.

“Are you gonna come for me, mi amor? Por favor I wanna hear you come for tu amante.”

“Uh huh,” he grunted, eyes screwed shut as he he groaned, his release spilling over his stomach. He stroked himself through the orgasm and lay back against the infirmary bed.

You came a few seconds later, taking a big breath and relaxing back on the couch.

“Fuck…” you panted with a sleepy grin.

“It’s not as good as the real thing,” he mused with a smirk.

“No, it's really not,” you whispered sadly. “I miss you so much…”

“I miss you too,” he answered, looking around for something to wipe himself off with. “I’ll try to give you a call soon, okay? This woman’s coming back for her phone.”

“Okay,” you whispered sadly and ended the call.

“Love you too,” he mumbled.

[freshmandarin]

K-Drama Review: Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People

Hey everyone! I finished up Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People and am finally reviewing it on my blog- give it a read! I break it down into categories: story/plot, romance, characters, cast/acting, impact, substance, music/OST, and overall impression. This review below has spoilers, but you may read my non-spoiler review here! 

[SPOILERS BELOW CUT]

Story/Plot:

The overarching plot was a refreshing presentation of the Joseon era. Rather than focusing on the King and his court, we see life through the eyes of servants; not merely just commoners, but the lowest caste of servants. Of course, later in the drama the King and political struggle are eventually roped in, but the major heroes and focus of this drama are the common people of Joseon rather than the crown prince’s romances *ahem, every Joseon mini-drama ever*.

To put it in simplest terms, the plot isn’t astounding, and I like it that way. Incredibly complex twists (like in Nirvana in Fire per se) would muddy this drama’s brilliance. The straightforward rise in ranks of a commoner and overthrow of a tyrant king isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but it’s the perfect framework to add complexity through detailed writing and characterization. The way that Ah Mo Gae and the Hong people rise to prominence is interesting, and the comeback of a hero (Gil Dong) after tragedy (Prince Choong Won’s destruction of their town and separation of the siblings) is a classic trope that never seems to get old. The story is nothing new as rebellion results from an overbearing and cruel king, but it’s certainly written carefully and coherently enough to not become trite.

Verdict? The story definitely works.

Romance:

Another plot point I loved was the portrayal of love. The romance was more realistic and practical than most in other dramas. The “love triangle” was so well done that I can’t even call it a love triangle; it was natural and made sense. To elaborate, the first instance of attraction is seen between Gil Dong and Gong Hwa. Gil Dong is taken by her beauty, and loves her regardless of her flaws. The key here is the freedom in their initial relationship, Gong Hwa doesn’t hold back in honesty about her motivations and her past, and Gil Dong isn’t judgmental nor possessive of her. Gong Hwa leaves the parlor despite Gil Dong’s promise to return, but that was her own choice and sacrifice; in the end Gil Dong despairs, but doesn’t blame her, and Gong Hwa chooses to live without regret.

The next phase of romance is between Gil Dong and Ga Ryung. The pure fluff and joy of this pair aside, what I love about this relationship is that their romantic love was preceded by platonic love: caring for each other, recognizing what’s important to each other, and supporting each other. Ga Ryung falls for him first, but it’s not in an unhealthy and obsessive way; she resolves to help him even before he end up loving her back. Rather than desiring to be in love with him, she starts off just loving him for who he is. Once they actually get together, their support for each other is hoenstly just beautiful. Great chemistry, great scenes, and great interactions. Ga Ryung’s devotion to Gil Dong becomes a devotion to his cause, and by the end she would rather sacrifice her life rather than the integrity of Hong Chum Ji’s cause. The only part that could be considered over the top was her plot to avenge her husband, but hey- what kind of sageuk doesn’t have a revenge plot? Honor is on the line here ladies and gentleman!

The additional complexity introduced is between Gil Dong and Gong Hwa after becoming Nok Soo. It’s clear that they still love each other, but they no longer wish to be together. In Gil Dong’s case, he’s moved on after she left him. In Nok Soo’s case, she has decided to let go of the past and stick with her choices. Nok Soo still does everything she can to save Gil Dong, and Gil Dong still wishes to save her from the palace. Love manifests itself in different ways; although marriage and romantic pursuit is most common, things like sacrifice, letting go, respect, and protection from afar still count, and I’d like to see more portrayals of this kind of love rather than pure romance. Now, some viewers may be wondering: “I’m not sure how I feel about Gil Dong still loving Nok Soo after marrying Ga Ryung.” Well, personally, I differentiate polyamory with unfaithfulness. I think Gil Dong’s character is strengthened by his love for others in tandem for his commitment to Ga Ryung. Conflict of emotion is a part of being human; just because Nok Soo abandoned him doesn’t mean he’s vengeful and hateful. Just as Gil Dong is patient and caring of the people of Joseon, he’s patient and caring towards Nok Soo, but that doesn’t make him unfaithful to Ga Ryung. Therefore, I can’t even call this a love triangle because it’s not. I view it as Gil Dong being a decent and caring person without any other agendas.

A special note on romance is the hinted one of Mo Ri’s attraction to Ga Ryung. It seems a little bit thrown in there, but I appreciate Mo Ri’s desire for Ga Ryung to be alive and happy rather than a desire to be her lover.

Verdict? You’ve got fluff, you’ve got a bit of angst, but mostly, you have reality- and this one’s a happy ending (for the main couple at least).

Characters:

As a whole, Rebel really brings it with its amazing characters. As I said earlier in my story/plot section, the plot itself isn’t what is astounding. Swap out any of these characters and the whole immediately becomes weaker. We have Ah Mo Gae, who is strong and intuitive despite being a servant. He fights for his community in a way that is admirable and respectable. We have Gong Hwa/Nok Soo who is resolute in her actions. She makes mistakes and falls into despair, but I admire how she accepts her actions and takes full ownership of her life. The consistency of her character is something more dramas should take note of. Her character is able to remain true to herself without stagnating in development, to grow without losing her sense of self. Lastly, the people of Ilkhwari are simply amazing and lovable characters. They’re not only badass, but a heartwarming family, especially the scenes when they dote on Uh Ri Ni.

Verdict? Characters are well-written so viewers have a solid grasp on who they are and what they want. 

Cast/Acting:

In general, I thought the entire cast was phenomenal. Kim Sang Joon’s amazing performance as Ah Mo Gae and Yoon Kyun Sang’s performance as Hong Gil Dong are just wonderful and unnecessary of explanation; from their first appearances you’ll love them. In this section I’m actually going to highlight 2 of my favorites: Honey Lee and Chae Soo Bin.

We’ll start with my absolute favorite: Honey Lee’s portrayal of Nok Soo. First off, a nod to Honey Lee for her ability to convey deep emotion through a song, a facial expression, and even the mere nuance of what I call “acting within acting.” When Nok Soo is in the palace, she has ulterior motives and lies to the King frequently. Honey Lee is able to maintain a semblance of the Gong Hwa the viewers once knew from the kisaeng parlor, while balancing out the obsequious persona she takes on to appease the king. For me personally, a huge measure of acting quality is the the actor/actress’ ability to ascertain who exactly is the character they are assuming and the ability to maintain it. Therefore, when an actress must act as a character who herself is acting/pretending within the show, the actress’ ability to identify with her character is tested, and Honey Lee’s accomplishment of that was perfect. Honey Lee was a captivating as Gong Hwa in the first half of the drama, but absolutely stunning as the multi-faceted Nok Su of the palace. Beyond acting ability, what surpassed my expectations was her commitment to the role. From her singing to her dancing, Honey Lee pretty much convinced me that she was born for this role. From what I read on Soompi, she apparently rehearsed for three months with traditional dancers in preparation for a drum dance scene. That is commitment to a role. 

Next is Chae Soo Bin as Ga Ryung. Now, I have absolutely loved her ever since Sassy Go Go and Love in the Moonlight, and this may be slightly biased since I have prayed to the gods ever since for her to finally snag a leading role. Although I am a big fan of hers, I admittedly kept my expectations low since I’ve only seen her as a second female lead in shows directed towards younger audiences. However, she completely blew me away, especially in the last few episodes.

What I appreciate about Chae Soo Bin is that she’s already got the “cute” vibe nailed as someone who’s a younger actress, a solid articulation of melodramatic expression as someone who’s played an antagonist, and the classic spunky heroine attitude that I knew was residing within her. Ga Ryung is character who is meant to be lovable like a younger sister, but absolutely lethal when it comes to fighting for Gil Dong. I’m convinced that only Chae Soo Bin is the only younger actress that could fit this role both before and after time skips. While most actresses of this generation can certainly pull off Ga Ryung’s cute side, Chae Soo Bin draws upon years of antagonist experience to capture post-time skip Ga Ryung’s more mature demeanor and emotional outbursts. Although I preferred Honey Lee’s performance over hersoverall, she certainly suited the role and is taking a step in the right direction. I’m excited to watch her grow and improve and see what she has in store for her next drama!

Verdict? Even though the male characters drive most the story, the female actresses absolutely shine through their respective characters.

“Oomph” factor:

In every drama, there’s a certain highlight. Something about the drama that makes to squeal out loud, smile fondly, spam the “Next Episode” button, or possibly all of the above. I call this the “oomph” factor. While a drama can be amazing overall, certain aspects really pack a punch. For Rebel, the “oomph” factor is found in the song “If Spring Comes.” There are two versions: one by 62-year old Jeon In Kwon with a folksy sound, and one by spunky pop-traditional fusion singer-songwriter Ahn Ye Eun (who actually wrote the song) with a more upbeat vibe. Whether if it’s setting an action scene or playing during the ending credits, it never fails to get me to raise my hands and scream out loud “MANSAE!” during the chorus. As a huge fan of traditional and older music, I live for this kind of modern take on an old genre of music.

Substance:

This drama is probably the epitome of why I love period dramas. A setting that is removed from the current era, yet still set in a time that once existed, provides a great framework for both excitement and relatability. The relatability comes from the fact that history often repeats itself, allowing modern messages to work in these settings. The excitement comes from the romanticization of the past often seen in sageuks through sword fighting, class struggles, palace intrigue.

First off, this drama conveys political statements that are clearly very applicable to modern day. Officials that may not necessarily want to harm society ultimately do so while pandering to a tyrannical king in effort to secure their own livelihood. Those who are governed only have power over their ruler when they come together. What is right and what is lawful do not necessarily align; law is dictated by those who have power, while morality is decided by the individual.

This drama nails two ideas: justice and morality. Justice is clearly portrayed throughout all of Gil Dong’s fight with the king. Not much elaboration is necessary when talking about a rebel leader fighting to save innocent lives from a violent king. So next is morality. Morality can often be confused with lawfulness. Law in Joseon is meant to maintain order: punish sin, stay in your lane, and don’t cause trouble. Most people can see the merits in order; however, Hong Chum Ji is breaking order left and right, yet he’s a hero nevertheless. Rebel is able to unambiguously draw a line between law and morals. I also really appreciated how Hong Chum Ji evolved from being a vigilante to an idea. Hong Chum Ji isn’t a single person. Hong Chum Ji is a cause, a fight, and a beacon.

Now for the criticism of substance. Here’s where the villains disappoint. Even though the overall drama wasn’t hindered too much by these lackluster villains, better ones could have taken this drama to the next level. I personally enjoyed unequivocally rooting for Gil Dong and his gang; however a next-level drama would have made the villains more convincing. Yes, I understand the Jo family’s motivation of vengeance and their value of class order. However, they seemed more malicious than complex. Yes, I understand Teacher Song following the teachings of Mencius. However, the disappointing part was when I realized that Teacher Song, while following Mencius, was primarily interested in blatantly grabbing power. They touched upon how he was mocked before, but I wasn’t wholly convinced of his side of the story. As for the King, Kim Ji Suk did a phenomenal job portraying his descent into madness, but the way the character was written didn’t do it for me. I’m not quite sure what exactly was behind his method of cruelty and violence. The villains were mostly one-dimensional (especially the prince), but the drama was still amazing in spite of this.

Music/OST:

10/10. Just listen to it. If Spring Comes is legendary. Ahn Ye Eun is legendary. It’s all so good that you’re practically transported into the drama as soon as you hit play.

Overall Impression: 10/10 stars!

Great drama, probably the best sageuk of the past year. It’s certainly more substantial and well-written than a lot of what’s out there right now. It’s fun, exciting, heart-wrenching, and humorous all throughout, and I enjoyed every minute of it.