#but it'd be cool if they trusted us as an audience

[maicrowave]

ello

I have some thoughts, but I want to say them in a way that isn't aggressive or patronizing.

obviously a lot of jokes and discourse are newly on the table in the modern dan & phil era, especially in comparison to 2013.

i think the main principle is to follow their lead. ten years ago, they were pretty clearly setting boundaries for things they Didn't Want To Talk About (sexuality, relationships). Boundaries that people (fans, coworkers, interviewers) crossed over and over. It's worth noting I'm not really talking about fanfiction here—banning rpf is futile, and, lest you forget Dan Howell said he has read youtuber rpf for fun—I'm talking about real life speculation. I believe that's what hurt them.

in the modern era, let's learn from that (probably kinda traumatic) time and follow their lead. they're both openly gay—gay discourse is fine! They're pretty ambiguous about their relationship (see: "are we gay? did we fuck?" quote from dystopia daily's 'Dan and Phil Tell the Truth' video), so jokes of that caliber are ok (imo).

On the other hand... Invasions of privacy? Trying to "prove" things about their personal lives that they've repeatedly stated they don't want to elaborate on? Especially posting that "proof" to public websites. Bringing up past content, posts, etc, that they clearly still don't want to acknowlege? Let's refrain.

Obviously dnp have come to terms with a lot of this stuff existing on the internet... then again, they didn't exactly have a choice. but here's my thoughts: tumblr is a public website, literally anyone can make an account. Dan and Phil want to get into the mainstream via acting/writing projects. If they get popular enough, mainstream media outlets will dig, and some of the personal old stuff is not hard to find... and even easier to look for if people are talking about it all the time. And I would hate, despise even, to see some detached popular media outlet make some "tea" article containing personal stuff from dnp's past that they've tried to move on from/delete. So just... keep in mind plz. I don't want to make them hurt/sad again.

tl;dr: if you're older in the fandom, let's set a good example for any incoming or younger ppl and meet dnp where they're at with the jokes & content, and avoid invasions of privacy!

[geminiartemis]

Let's talk about Mammon's asexuality!

Okay, first of all, I know this post is waaay late to the party, and maybe someone else has already talked about this much more eloquently than I ever could, but fuck it, I just feel like talking right now. lol

So, back in July, this official image was posted.

Most people were surprised to find out that Mammon is asexual. Heck, even I was surprised, although I had seen that theory around.

But after a while – and many, many rewatches of that episode – I realized that it makes perfect sense.

(Obligatory disclaimer: I'm ace. Not all aces feel the same way about sex and allos. Mammon is a piece of shit regardless of his asexuality. Most real life aces aren't assholes like Mammon. I actually love Mammon as a character. Don't take things too seriously. It's not that deep. Calm down. Take a deep breath. Drink water. TRUST US WITH YOUR ENTERTAINMENT!)

Exhibit A

Mammon insists that making a sex robot out of the clown pageant winner is not weird. Then he points at some random guy in the audience and says HE'S weird for even thinking that.

Here's what I think. Mammon knows it's weird. Look at his face. Listen to his tone. He's super weirded out. It's only acceptable to him because it'll make them money, because he's still a greedy bastard, but he does think it's weird. Nobody said anything and he still got defensive about it and put the blame on someone else. “YOU'RE weird, you sick fuck!”

The thing is, to him, sexualizing a young clown is probably just as weird as sexualizing anything or anyone else. Because he's ace and not too worried about the ethics of it as long as it makes him money, sex is weird, sexualizing people is weird, people who like sex and sexualize others are weird, but those things are generally socially acceptable, so everyone is a sick fuck, so how is sexualizing Fizz any different? He just doesn't see the difference, nor does he care to.

Exhibit B

Like I just said, people who sexualize Fizz are, in Mammon's own words, “sick, fucking degenerate adults.” Like, the idea actually disgusts him! He is so disgusted by his customers who sexualize Fizz that he can't even keep his opinion of them to himself while recording a TV ad! Not because he has morals or any affection or sympathy for Fizz, but because sex and sexualizing people disgust him. He just doesn't get the appeal at all. (But it makes him money, so he goes along with it.)

Exhibit C

Since sex is so important to allos and IT KEEPS BEING BROUGHT UP ALL THE TIME, we aces sometimes get the impression that it's all allos think about. We assume sex is allos’ Roman Empire. Assume that allos are always DTF. What do you mean you DON'T want to be fucked, Fizzie?? *Crimson voice* That's the kinda shit you allos like, right?!

The sad thing is, that's the sentiment I saw some people in the fandom express when this scene and this line came out. So Mammon's reasoning here isn't even an exaggeration, ridiculous as it is. I don't know if those people were hypersexual allos or clueless aces, but… yeah… it's something that some people think in real life, apparently.

Anyway, the point is, I can totally see the ace vibe in Mammon now. Is making one of the most irredeemable villains ace, the kind of ace who has zero respect for allos, a wise idea in terms of ace representation? Eh, we've already had this discourse in Hazbin Hotel with regards to Alastor, and everyone has their opinion on this. I'm not getting into that. And hey, Octavia is ace, too! I don't know if that will be relevant in the show, but it'd be really cool if it were. We'll see!

[eightofpents]

A collection of rambling thoughts about London under the cut. spoilers, obv.

The idea that the butterfly's champions Never remember is straight up Canonically not true right? First thing the special says and it's straight bullshit.

The Gorilla grabs Bug Noire's hand to stop her from destroying the door. Can we talk about how stupid dangerous that was? If she doesn't react in time you Die. Bro.

Kagami definitely disapproves of the lying plan, but the "go away ladybug" line, doesn't strike me as angry at her (which is a read i've seen). It feels like Kagami giving her an out before she says something stupid and outs herself, to me.

"And you will need it." The fuck was that Tikki? Oh. Oh you little shit.

"There's no such thing as ghosts." Excuse me you have a fairy literally inside you right now but ghosts definitely DO NOT exist, sure.

Both of Lila's akumatizations being boy shaped could easily be a laudable commitment to disguise. Certainly she's known to be good at it. But. Do you think she has Gender? (also, it was ridiculous (utterly ridiculous) when they tried to play off Kagami's gender as a big reveal. but this is worse. it'd be one thing to they/them akuma!Lila just because the audience knows. but 'Bug says he once and Bunnyx corrects her. they Always assume gender! sometimes incorrectly! (see Kagami) and they commit to it. (is this an english only problem??))

We all love Nathalie for waking up from dead and saying "Time to kill Gabriel again." But she knows she's only awake because he made the wish. She goes down there, crossbow in hand, expecting to find Gabriel And Emilie. (i don't think she coulda killed him in front of her.)

"The light is already on. They were always here." There is only one timeline forever. But then what the hell is Bunnyx's job. Timetagger, yes. A villain gets timeywimey powers, gotta stop em, a reasonable use of time police. "Marinette you made a wrong decision for the timeline (what? how?) and now you gotta stop Chat from blowing up." Stupid. The elder buns knew this was coming. But they still fade. This show has a fixed timeline. But parts of it explicitly involve risking the timeline itself and pretending there's a world where they might lose? Astruc get your shit together.

Using papillon to refer to the new unnamed butterfly holder makes sense. Translating that as Hawk Moth does not.

Marinette: Should I lie to Adrien about his dad? Everyone else: Definitely not. But you're Ladybug and his girlfriend so we trust your decision. (what?) Marinette: Got it. Time to lie.

Calling the lucky charm to get untangled is fucking great. (i'm never gonna be over this actually.)

Completely in love with the London fight. A portal fight is always sick. And the fact that it's Bunnyx in control of the portals, not Chronobug? the team work! And I'm, like, distractingly into the song in the back half. The bug's out here sayin' all this cool shit and I can't hear her cause my brain is Locked In on the music. (and i am not known to notice a soundtrack)

Lila has never interested me. I Love Chloé, and Gabriel and Nathalie are the loves of my life, but Lila's villainy just doesn't do anything for me. (Maybe if she were allowed to be a person, I guess.) But. If Lila's willing to get Fucky with it, poke around with the rules of the miraculous. I think I can get behind her. (a villain with more cunning than gabriel will be fun. the butterfly is immensely powerful and he was too dumb to use it well <3)

[chemighoul]

I find being a fan of these two blogs extremely frustrating in these times. Both you and Crane chastise and condemn your readers each time Isley shows up, because we're not interacting with your blog the "right" way. We just don't "get it" when we see the initial scene, and the actual truth gets revealed later, while you tell us to "calm down" as if we should know the whole time that we're overreacting or misinterpreting. We see you unconscious on the floor with no explanation but somehow we're supposed to know this wasn't an attack and then you say WE are the ones overreacting for thinking she's done you harm!

I don't get why it's so hard for you to understand. We don't LIKE her. We like YOU, and each time she shows up, one of you gets injured and/or incarcerated. So of COURSE we're going to act antagonistic toward her! It doesn't take a psychologist to guess that's how these scenarios are going to go.

Then afterward you both get all pissy and lecture us because we're not "doing it right" (i.e. the way you want) when it comes to interacting with her. It all comes off as pretty scummy, like you're purposely setting up scenes so you can insult us with the big reveal at the end, like "Aha, you guys were so dumb for thinking this was an attack (when that's what it looks like) because obviously I was just having a reaction to an injection! Why can't you calm down and just be cool?"

I'm so pissed off that this is how you treat your fans, who obviously care about you, that I'm going to stop following these blogs for a while. I need to go cool off. Ciao.

And now, a word from the writer.

First and foremost, I am sorry to have brought you this aggravation. It's not the intention of the blog to play games like that, and given this response, I understand I haven't made that crystal clear, and hope to make things make sense with a bit of background explanation from this side of the blog.

First and foremost: Ghoul is a scrungly 19 year old runaway from the streets, isekai'd, and under no circumstances is he willing to admit to moments of peril being out of his control. This is the face of a guy built like a dowel rod who is entirely confident he can throw hands with Batman:

More below.

You can't always trust that what he says is a fully accurate picture of his scenario. He's not lying, per se, but he's also not going to post anything he hasn't curated. Such is the way of a grumpy teenager: sometimes his takes are bad and his presentation is trash. This doesn't reflect on the audience at all: this is just standard with fallible DC villains. He's gonna be a grumpy gus, but he wouldn't be responding at all if he didn't care about the people writing him letters, and I wouldn't be drawing all this stuff if I didn't think it was mutually fun.

The problem is that two days after the incident, I got a really gnarly ask about burning down Pamela's garden house, well after Ghoul was confirmed safe, and punctuated by calling her something pretty misogynistic/slut-shamey. Plausible deniability in wordplay aside, it was a wildly excessive response to a ten-hour event, and definitely not something I was going to post directly to respond to, hence his statement to cool it: both for the sake of his own advocacy, and also because he thinks people are being very harsh on what was clearly (in his eyes) not a crisis. He's a lil' stupid, he's a lil thoughtless, and he doesn't always think every side of things through, even though he tries.

On my part, I had a stupidly huge writing project that I needed to focus on over the weekend, so I handed off my tablet to my partner, who writes Jon as well as Pammy, and we agreed it'd be fun to give Jonny a scare and show that his spooky not-son can be trusted to make choices about who he associates with and where he puts his trust. They got to have fun drawing a plotline, I got my writing project done, and there was a learning experience for all of the characters involved concerning communication, trust, and misunderstanding. This is also why I didn't post anything myself until Sunday or so, because my brain was gelatin.

At no point was any of this meant to bait any of you, and I am sorry that it upset you.

We were just trying to give a little thrill, and the reaction was more explosive than anticipated. We're not DC, we're not going to fridge our characters, and we're trying to have fun alongside you while balancing our characters' expressions of their boundaries with the variety of people who write to them. They're not always going to be forgiving, they're not always going to be nice, and they are, at the end of the day, villains. This is as nice as they can be when someone's threatening their ally with arson over a misunderstanding while someone else is soliciting fetish material at 9 am.

Their writers, however, do want you to have fun and enjoy the story...so, please understand, it's not anything personal from the writers' desks when the characters are cranky about something.

We're trying to give you a genuine experience, promise.

[tremorsmackenzie]

one thing i love about aos is the way that characters reasons for what they do are most of the time presented neutrally and with depth.

its never "this character is right and everyone else is wrong". every person in aos has a unique personality and reasons for why they are the way they are and think the way they do, why they respond to situations in certain ways, and its just presented as is.

theyre people making choices and sometimes those are wrong or inconsiderate or tragic but still perfectly understandable and in line with who they are.

but then also, thats not used as an excuse for their behaviour. its perfectly clear why ward is the way he is for example, and why he does what he does, but hes still a bad person. the way daisy deals with the aftermath of hive is tragic and terrible and full of bad choices while still being perfectly understandable, but the show doesnt judge her and tells you what to think about it, its just presented as is and you can draw your own conclusions.

same way with coulson in season 5. not telling anyone about his deal with ghostrider is messed up, but theres a lot of nuance and it doesnt get disregarded at all and you can view it from multiple perspectives and understand where everyone is coming from.

i dont know if i really got across what i mean, im just pointing it out because its refreshing and just nice. It'd be cool if more media trusted its audience like this.

[problemswithbooks]

More Dain Stuff

So I'm still thinking about Dain and more so, who he might end the story with.

Now, I'm 98.9% sure Violet will stick with Xaden. Not saying it couldn't be interesting if, after the whole Venin thing and their already rocky relationship they broke up, but at the same time that's not how romance novels are written. The story might have dragons, but it is primarily a romance book. Xaden has always been the main focus of Violet and they got together in the first book--just like other fantasy/romance books; think Edward/Bella or Alina/Mal. Plus, most of her audience really like them together; not having them as end game would be alienating her readers.

So Dain's not ending up with Violet. To be honest he could end the story single if he survives, but I'd be a little surprised. Many authors even outside the romance genre have a habit of pairing up their characters at the end. It would be nice if the series didn't go that route, especially if it didn't have a time-skipped epilogue, but I'm expecting at least the main side characters to get paired up to some extent since it is a romance book.

That leaves the question of who he could be paired up with. It's hard to say at this point because he hasn't had many interactions with anyone besides Violet. The few times other characters mention him, most don't really like him. They're are Violet's friends or Marked, so they already have a poor opinion of him or hate him for Liam's death.

I'm not saying that Yarros couldn't have those characters change their opinion of Dain in later books (I really hope they do) and then pair him off with one of them. The issue is that I think most of Violet's close group have been given hints already to who they'll end up with. Sawyer is crushing on Jesinia, Imogen on Garrick. Rhiannon is with Tara, who will hopefully get better established as a character in later books. Though brief Sloane and Cam have some flirtation and in a lot of ways it would make a lot of sense to have them end up together, particularity if Cam becomes King. It would fully show the Marked ones are apart of the kingdom again and fully trusted.

Now, Ridoc is a possibility, but only if Dain is established as bi (which isn't impossible). The biggest hurdle there is that Ridoc is the exact opposite of Dain in a lot of ways. He's the goofball, while Dain is portrayed as a strict. Ridoc doesn't like him. It's really doubtful they'd get along. That could change as the series goes on; Ridoc could show a more serious side, while Dain could lighten up. Violet said he used to smile and laugh a lot, be less of a rule follower. Maybe Ridoc could bring that back out. I think it could be pretty cute and honesty it'd be cool if Yarros put an end to a love triangle by pairing up the spare with another guy.

One possibility though that I really find interesting and I could see is Cat.

First of all she also needs paired up as that failed third wheel of a love triangle with Xaden. There is a man in her Gryphon Flier group that likes her, so that might be who she gets put with in the end, but if that does happen I hope he gets a bit more screen time given how important Cat has been at least during Iron Flame.

Second, their powers complement each other. Dain can see memories (pretty much read minds to an extent) while Cat can manipulate emotions as long as they're present. I could easily see these two using teamwork to get stuff done. Cat could get someone upset enough that they lower their shields so Dain can read them, or Dain could read someones memories and give Cat the best ammunition to get them into the state of mind she needs to manipulate their emotions. Physical fights wouldn't change much but in intelligence work they could be really good as a team.

Third, I want a Flier/Rider romance and Cat's the most prominent Gyphon Flier we have as of Iron Flame. She's third in line for the throne which is interesting and could mean she ends up as Queen. Giving her a dragon Rider partner could be a good way of showing that even once the Venin are gone Navarre and Poromeil are still allies. Also would be interesting to see how a relationship like that was seen by the dragons.

Fourth, it'd be a bit funny. Cat is Xaden's ex, while Dain was Violet's first crush and childhood friend. I doubt Xaden would care much, since he never cared about Cat, but I think Violet would have many conflicting feelings about it which would be fun to see her stress over. By the end of Iron Flame she seems to have grown to respect Cat and Cat respects her in return, but I it wasn't that long ago she hated her. Meanwhile, although she was furious at Dain, he was her best friend for fifteen years.

It'd just be funny to see Violet struggling with that sort of roller coaster of emotions and perhaps catching herself thinking similar things Dain said to her about Xaden. I mean I could see her first thought being Cat is getting close to Dain to mess with her, since she can't get to Xaden anymore. Having her catch herself and realize she's making snap judgments could lead to some interesting conversations with both Dain and Cat or even Xaden talking to her more about his past with Cat. Just cool character interactions all around!

Fifth, character development. Dain is seen as Mr. By the Book, and although there probably isn't some rule against Flier/Rider relationships (because they've never worked together before) it could still be seen as wrong. They might be working together but they were enemies for hundreds of years. Dain picking Cat despite it being seen as against the spirit of the Codex continues his growth as getting over his issue of putting rules before people he cares about.

Meanwhile Cat, although tackling her anti-Dragon Rider hate and working with Violet has another flaw the one that was probably the biggest reason her and Xaden broke up. She wanted a crown. Now, I actually don't think this is a terrible thing for her to want given what we know of her and her situation. Poromeil has been essentially left to die by Navarre for hundreds of years. Frankly it makes sense Cat would want political power so she could use it to form an alliance with a Kingdom that might be strong enough to save her home.

Still the story makes it appear to be a flaw--that she wanted a crown over love. So, in that sense picking Dain, someone who isn't a prince or king, and has very little sway with anyone with power (Xaden hates him, and he deserted the army so he doesn't have any allies on that front either--dude is not getting a good job no mater whose in charge) shows she'll pick over over a crown. Even if afterwards she still gets the throne of Poromeil for whatever reason, it'd still prove she picked Dain over power.

So, that's my essay on possible end ships for Dain. I sort of still think he'll die--I'm always prepared for a character I like to die. But if he does live and get paired up I'd say it'd be Cat, with Ridoc as a runner up.

[itzymidzy]

GRAMMY

In the concept trailer, each member embodies a distinct character in a unique setting, but the final message, "Our World Is Still Different," unites them all. Why did you feel highlighting the concept of being unapologetic yourself was important?

Yuna: It's been a while since we all came back as five, and we really want to show the audience that our friendship is always unique and fun. I think the key elements [for our group] are respect and consideration, and these acts have built trust — creating a stronger and deeper bond.

Lia: The message from our debut hasn't changed. It has always been the same, but with [diverse] themes and perspectives on every comeback. We just thought it was nice timing together as five to remember that message [of being different]. We still feel the same way as we were five, or six years ago, and we will continue to spread it.

Which song from your new album do you believe best reflects this core belief, and in what ways does it connect with your individuality?

Yeji: I believe the title track "GOLD" best represents our individuality, especially because it conveys the message of how we shine most when we are all together and how our world changes after "meeting you." We wanted to portray this feeling to [our fans], MIDZY, and also how we just shine by comparing it to gold.

Chaeryeong: We really want to show very different sides of ourselves. I want to show that ITZY is a team that can pull off and express all kinds of feelings.

In the past, I used to approach things with the mindset of "Let's do well with what we've prepared," but now, depending on the stage, I do what I've prepared, while also expressing what I feel at the moment. Personally, I feel more connected to "Imaginary Friend."

The contrast between "GOLD" and "Imaginary Friend" is striking. What song proved to be the most difficult to record yet left you feeling the proudest? And what aspects of the experience made it so demanding?

Yeji: I'd say it was "Imaginary Friend," and I was a bit worried [initially]. We've never sung a song that feels this dreamy and fantastical before, so the vibe of the track itself felt like a challenge for us. But as we went through it, I realized it wasn't that we couldn't do it — it was just that we hadn't tried it yet. It became a recording session where I rediscovered the members' voices and talents.

Ryujin: I think "GOLD" was a little bit more difficult because we had to show that [atmosphere] that we hear from the original [demo]. I felt that the song was wild yet youthful, lively but still weighty, so I prepared for recording by analyzing even more the pronunciation, trying to figure out which parts gave me that feeling.

With a song called "Bad Girls R Us" listeners might expect a heavy-hitting instrumental, but instead, we encounter an elegant, dynamic composition. What were your initial impressions of this composition, and how is ITZY redefining or expanding the concept of a "Bad Girl" by blending this tempered sound with a bold title?

Lia: It’s one of the tracks that I listen to the most from this album even before its release. Once you put on your speakers or your earphones and listen to it, you feel very bad but powerful. [Laughs]. Listeners can also get into that character, and I also thought it'd be a fun song to perform in a concert maybe in the future.

Ryujin: I love a song with minimal sounds, and "Bad Girls R Us," is a good example, so it's my favorite song [from this album]. I put a lot of effort into making this song more charming, and I love the results. The "bad girl" in this song is more about a cool vibe.

"Supernatural" is made of beautiful and ethereal melodies, and it feels like a journey through the sky. What emotions surfaced for you inside the studio? Or what personal experiences inspired your creative expression in this song?

Chaeryeong: I wanted to portray that I’m an angel. [Laughs]. I thought it would sound even more beautiful if we blended in more breath, giving it a mystical and nostalgic vibe. It was fascinating to receive such an ethereal and emotional song, and I loved it as soon as I heard it!

In "FIVE," how does the song's message resonate with where you are now as a group? Is there a particular lyric that holds special meaning for you and that you'd like listeners to pay close attention to?

Yeji: I feel like this song captures the fact that ITZY shines the brightest when there are five of us. We weren’t perfect from the beginning, but as time passed, we laughed, cried, and grew together, making the number five even more meaningful.

Ryujin: Since the lyrics carry the meaning that the five of us are the most perfect together, I think MIDZY, who’s been waiting for our full group comeback, will relate to it the most. The line "But nothing is better than five" seems to best capture the message of the song.

"VAY" stands out for its collaboration with Changbin from Stray Kids, who's known for his intense rapping style. How would you describe your dynamic with him during the recording process?

Lia: It was a very comfortable and nice experience. [Changbin] knows our voice and singing, so it was more convenient for him to direct us throughout the session, for example, when dividing parts or whatever expressions we had to use — it was much easier working with someone who understands us.

I remember him telling me to have more confidence because, at the start, I was worried if I could express the right emotions. He was very nice in complimenting us; he told us, "You guys are already good at it."

Lia, from all the songs the group re-recorded from Born To Be, which one were you the most excited to work on and why?

Lia: It's hard to pick one, because the previous album also had different sides of songs, and they were all very nice. One of my favorite songs was "Escalator" because when I was at the concert, I thought it was really cool and amazing. It’s just a sophisticated song in a style that I like.

Finally, could you delve into one personal objective you hope to accomplish during this era?

Yuna: The choreography of "GOLD" is very powerful, so while having our performances, I want us to do it very safely and well. I plan to consistently stretch and get treatments with my physician.

Yeji: Adding to Yuna's answer, I want to show ITZY, more clearly as a team, to a much larger audience. And to MIDZY, I want to say thank you so much for waiting for us. We will have a great time during this [promotional cycle].

[quackle]

Between Julia and Heather, who’s a better villain in your opinion?

hm... even though i like reboot s1 more than s1, i'm still leaning more towards heather. rambles as to why under the cut:

the narrative heather got was completely different from julia's. for the most part, you could see exactly how heather causes all these eliminations around her, namely in s1 when she was the main antagonist. she was rather obvious to us, the audience, and we can label so many eliminations as complete and utter bullshit because why oh why did people trust heather for that long, but it was still explained well enough why certain people got voted off because of her. nothing felt too off screen. she's thee face of the villains of the show (to me!)

meanwhile, julia was an antagonist for both seasons she was in. and while it was cool in that first season, the second one... well, it felt like it fell flat. like i said, julia's narrative is completely different from heather's. i actually liked how julia seemed to be a villain just because, rather than heather who grew up to be that way due to circumstances like her upbringing and past bullying. sometimes people are malicious for seemingly no reason! we need more of that shown in shows!

but while it felt like heather's caused eliminations were well planned out, julia's felt so damn rushed, especially with all those off screen actions. it got to the point where i would roll my eyes at the start of every ep because i knew who was going home, but i could never predict why since it'd be something so outlandish and random mentioned either before the elimination ceremony or during it. i would have been cool with julia as a finalist if her actions were shown more, but they weren't, so it was stale. to me. (she had iconic faces tho like i'll give her that and that only!)

this could have all been avoided if the writers used their typical formula: never give a main antagonist from a previous season the main antagonist role in the very next season. you know who should have been THEE main antagonist in reboot s2? HER.

one of the biggest missed opportunities of reboot s2 imo. but that's a rant for another day.

[onstoryladders]

Do you know those early 2000s to mid 2010s shows with 26 episodes per season and full of filler eps where one of the characters like, learns to play soccer or whatever, just for that to never be brought up again for the whole of the show?

If stranger things was one of those shows, what filler episodes would you write?

(originally sent this to foodiewithdahoodie but it was so great I'd love to see more answers now)

THIS IS SUCH A COOL ASK GDBDJDBDNDGDG

Alright so I would definitely use those filler eps to explore different relationships and dynamics! I would hate to let them go nowhere tho 😭

These ideas are mostly funny, with a 2000s sitcom/Disney Channel show vibe gdvdudbsb

❀ THE OBLIGATORY SPOOKY EPISODE

This could be set on a Halloween night, but whatever works! The kids find themselves in a spooky situation, maybe they decide to explore an abandoned house or get stuck somewhere and get scared because they think there are ghosts or something gfbrkfbdy this would be the kind of episode where the audience sees unlikely pairings working together after being separated from the others (imagine Madwheeler... it'd be hilarious!).

The ending would be left ambiguous. Are there ghosts in the house? Who knows 👀

❀ OBLIGATORY VALENTINE'S DAY EPISODE

Will works on a mysterious paintings for Valentine's Day and Mike is seething with jealousy... until he realizes that the painting is actually for him. But of course Will gives him some bullshit excuse like "I wanted to celebrate our friendship because that's love too!" (valid sentiment in general but not for THEM) and good ol' oblivious Mike doesn't suspect a thing.

The others realize it's bullshit immediately.

ALTERNATIVELY Mike is used to Will and himself not receiving anything for Valentine's Day, so he decides to leave an anonymous message/some chocolates in Will's locker, but then he realizes Will's actually already received some... because we all know Will pulls a lot of bitches 🙌🏻 so he's sad and jealous. And then Will leaves an anonymous message for him too! And maybe something makes Mike realize who the sender is and so he smiles to himself as he reads... 🥰

❀ THE JOB HUNT

Steve decides to quit his job and needs the help of his friends to find a new one. Disasters ensue, and in the end he begs his previous employer to get him back – absolutely nothing changes lmao

❀ THE FUNDRAISER

This is a must. The Party needs to get money for something important, and they come up with a ridiculous way to do it, potentially against the older teens' will gdbdbdhd I can imagine them doing something really dumb and Nancy and the others having to fix their mess before any of the adults find out. Siblings bonding episode!

❀ THROUGH HOLLY'S EYES

An entire episodes narrated through Holly's eyes! Through her interactions and the things she sees and hears in the Wheeler house. Byler crumbs 👀

❀ THE SECRET

A character has a secret and does whatever they can to keep the others from finding out, but one of their friends find out and they have to promise not to spill the tea and to help them. Lucas, Max and Dustin as a focus for this one would be great!

❀ THE BABYSITTER

Someone is stuck working as a babysitter and chaos ensues. I imagine Steve as a character who does 54747473 different jobs like Miss Rabbit from Peppa Pig 💀 and he just ends up at the Wheeler house because Mike's parents don't trust him. So of course Mike has to find a way to get out of Steve's sight, and well... The Party is just waiting for an excuse to wreak havoc anyway 😈

They get in trouble and have to work together of course, so when the Wheelers get home they find all Mike's friends there and Steve like 🧍🏻‍♂️

❀ SCHOOL HEIST

Max and Will have a very bad grade in a subject at school, and an important test is coming up, but neither of them are confident in their knowledge and so Will proposes to steal the answers!

Bonus points if they're not just doing it for the good grade, but also because they made a bet with the others that they wouldn't fail it lmao

Also it'd be hilarious if they got stuck somewhere and had to ask for help 🤣 and El finds them but she wants to tell the truth and so in the end Max and Will have to buy her silence lmao

❀ THE MAKEOVER

El gets asked out on a date but she has no idea what to do and Max isn't there. Luckily Nancy decides to help and gives her a makeover, but she also help her understan what she really wants and also that she doesn't have to go on a date if she doesn't want to!

So in the end they stay home and watch a movie or something gsgvdg and maybe there's a scene where El does Nancy's hair in a cute style 🥰

THIS WAS SUPER FUN TO WRITE THANKS!

[thewickedbohemian]

Fellow So Help Me Todd fans (or w/e we're going to call ourselves as esp. if this show goes on as we want it to we need a demonym), what would you most want to see in future seasons of So Help Me Todd (y'know because we all want to see future seasons of So Help Me Todd)

Here's some of mine

a musical episode later into the show (as both Buffy and Psych had theirs a ways in and assuming it gets that many seasons I don't see SHMT having one until at least a S5) but in a *crosses fingers* S3 I want at least some opportunity for Todd and/or Judy to sing (could be anything from karaoke to one of them (as as a not-technically-a-detective Judy would make the perfect undercover asset) going undercover as a singer a la Leverage's The Studio Job)

If Jenifer Lewis could have the time to appear again as Jacqueline Burton (and could perhaps be as much a recurring-guest-star as her schedule allows) since Jenifer irl has bipolar disorder I think it would be interesting for it to be canon that Jacqueline is bipolar as well (shed some educational light on a scary-seeming disorder by showing a good guy with it for once)

On the topic of mental health a thing I've wanted for this show for a while is for one of the many neurodivergent-seeming main characters (whoever the writers think best fits a given disorder with whatever disorder they best fit (e.g. Todd with ADHD, Lyle with autism etc.)) to go through an adult-diagnosis arc canonizing it and how I'd do that if I wrote for the show (though I don't trust my handling of these characters to find more than broad concepts for episodes or arcs) is through a parallel-recognition thingie when the firm's working a case regarding a parent of a kid with the same disorder fighting Portland Public Schools on behalf of their child (inspired by how Ray Romano's Parenthood character found out he was autistic and if it's Todd himself or anyone else at the firm they'd find it out themselves but if it's someone outside like either of Todd's siblings he notices it about them because of the case)

I mean this in the best possible way but Allison could use a therapist

Wherever Todd's actual career takes him I think it'd be cool if more seasons meant the twice-in-two-seasons pattern was kept up of Todd having to "play lawyer"

more Psych homages/getting Psych-level experimental (like was shown this season with "Dial M For Margaret" the Rear Window homage)

the wardrobe department to (unless it truly is fitting for everyone's character) stop with the dressing half the cast in really obnoxious patterns at once

Some other Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist alum to guest-star outside the musical episode (given the vibe of this show I could see Alex Newell showing up as another unconventionally-gendered character) and Todd making some joke-to-us-the-audience (like his "I hate theater kids" in "End On A High Note") about them looking familiar and if he knows them from somewhere

The endgame arc for Jodd (Judy/Todd) if they're truly going to be the endgame ship of if-this-show-lasts-longer (or at least part of it as for all we know some poly shit could happen either involving just Lyle as well (to appease the Tyle shippers and as the broadcast equivalent of the Leverage OT3) or Lyle and Ariel) being Judy eventually getting her PI license and becoming Todd's detecting partner in addition to romantic partner as a full-circle-parallel-redemption from what happened with him and Veronica

So what would you guys want to see in more So Help Me Todd

[darkenforcer]

yuri bats a hand at dar's counter, a humorous twinkle in his eye, "trust me, i'll manage. i'd rather stick to our battles stayin' out of the ring from now on, anyway." showing off's fun every now and then, but he vastly prefers their fights without the audience. the spectacle doesn't matter, not when all he can focus on is dar'khol.

it's less daunting, he realizes-- speaking freely, that is. it helps knowing his confidence isn't the only one that's been shot (it's cute in dar's case, too, but that's neither here nor there)... suffice to say, yuri's leaving the cage just as quickly, tailing him to his office only to be met with none other than...

...a very stern repede, laid down with his head resting deceptively relaxed on his paws, an icy, blue stare honed right in their direction. yuri can feel it skim over the dried blood under his nose, the bruises; he'd almost forgotten about the tail, but he definitely remembers it now, feeling it curl self-consciously against his leg.

"relax, repede. it's fine," his gaze slides to dar'khol, holds there for a beat, then -- as he turns back -- he firmly, softly adds, "we're fine."

it's a confirmation on his end, reassurance more so intended for the man in question, rather than the dog he's supposedly speaking to.

there's a lot up in the air, of course. hell, yuri doesn't know the first thing about what this means or how to even approach it. he's still reeling from meeting up with dar at all, let alone trading blows (satisfying as they were), or confessing his guilt and care... being held -- and holding him -- in one of the few moments in his life he's ever had. the only time with someone he cherishes this way.

it's still hard to grasp, the care being reciprocated, and that quickened pulse is going to drive him crazy every moment he spends thinking about it, he's sure. you'd think a grown ass man with zero interest in romance wouldn't let it get to him, but it is.

he won't let it consume him, however. as easy as it'd be to listen to his restless second thoughts, he'll see it through this time-- for dar, if not for himself. now knowing how his actions had affected the miqo'te, he can't escape in a flurry of scrambled emotions again.

after steeling himself, he offers, "i know what i said 'fore our fight, but... if ya want, i don't mind stayin' a bit in case this--" motioning toward the length of 'his' body "--ends soon. i doubt i'll be able to sit still for long, though. not after ya riled me up back there," the fight itself not being the main source, but that's the easiest way to acknowledge what truly is.

almost timidly, he raises a hand (the same he'd used to clasp dar's earlier, he notes with a flash of heat) and places it upon the other man's shoulder, "i trust ya won't leave me dead in a ditch somewhere, so i'm not gonna babysit ya. that's what repede's for."

yuri's companion grumbles in his corner-- grumpy, but agreeable.

with a squeeze, he adds, "fair warnin', i'm sluggin' ya next time we see each other if i hear you've been up to good." a subtle emphasis on 'next time'; an intentional contrast from the half-hearted promise he'd given last.

it's probably irritating for dar, having to wait (it is for yuri, that's for damn sure; if he could tap into his usual decisiveness, he would), but he can't offer anything definitive until he cools off. even now, there's a load of senses -- old and new, his and dar's -- that are making it agonizingly difficult to think straight.

(like those constant 'what could have been' he's just as keenly aware of, for one. story of his life, really, but it's getting ridiculous).

rather comical, really, how different everything felt all of the sudden. how an ache sat within his breast for so long, something painfully maintained, seemed to shift with such ease. he wouldn't claim there wasn't some lingering unease of his own, but he was left with such a build up of emotion that wished to take flight. he didn't know what to do with it.

from being blanketed with equally hushed words, to the warmth of a palm against his own; a hand he wished not to part from. such a simple action in practice, but there was enough meaning behind it that words failed to convey. were they not here, not in his club sitting center stage for all to see... he'd be curling his fingers between the others own without a want to let go. hell, perhaps he'd be the one impulsively moving along. he's surprised he even had the mind to let the swordsman go when he did.

"no, but you did jump at my idea for... this." not his brightest moment, but it did gain results. ones he's more than happy with, truthfully, even if things might have gotten out of hand.

as the other man's weight lifts away dar finds himself laying there a second longer, fingers curling to idly touch the pads of borrowed fingers to his palm, the imaginary image of what could have been still at the forefront of his mind. a setting more private might not have had the warrior spilling his heart in quite the same manner, but there's an unspoken regret for a want of that moment lasting longer.

with a wistful sigh, dar finally peels himself from the floor.

normally, dar'khol would be all for the attention; all eyes on him to witness whatever it was he'd dish out. yet, as he sits in the cage like this, he wants anything but those lingering stares and hushed remarks. certainly something he's not going to be able to get away from for a while, and he had no one to blame for that but himself.

at least yuri was quick to get his staff back in action.

"you give me way too much credit, you know that?" he feels he should be flattered by the assumption he's got a winning streak under his belt, but he doesn't have the heart to admit the last few matches in the past weeks had been rough. his heart was, quite obviously, not in it.

"but! i can take the kick in reputation so long as you," a hand rises, finger outstretched and pointed towards the face he still currently wore, "don't mind having tanked the floor." there's a soft chuckle that escorts those words from his mouth before he's taking that offered hand, pulling himself back onto his feet.

it felt nice. poking fun at each other again; falling back on a level of banter they knew so well. the words rolled off his tongue far easier than they were prior, no longer forcing an act to bury everything else. a smile felt more natural, now, too.

" ... you and me both," he quietly admits, lips slowly pursing as the realization of what that implies sinks in. so engrossed, was he, in their mess of a conversation he'd nearly forgotten there'd be a need to go back to his office; that repede had remained there and kept himself at a distance.

" -- right."

head tilts back with an intake of breath, then slowly lulls forward to release it through parted lips. he'd already put so much out in the open, there was no point in trying to act like nothing was there anymore.

"best not to keep him waiting, right?" no one had to tell dar twice to leave the cage, anyway. he'd make quick work of that.

[braininatankwithalaptop]

My literal one problem with Wakanda Forever, is they never *resolve* the siren thing.

I don't mean explain, they didn't have to do that (in fact I'm glad that they trusted the audience to accept that). What I mean is that they introduce the concept, they use it two times. And the Wakandans never . . . overcome it? We don't see a sign in the final battle where they're all wearing sonic proof ear plugs. We don't see their wrist beads set up to shock them when detecting signs of hypnosis, which signals us to further respect and appreciate Shuri's planning and technological developments.

Hell, I was really expecting to see M'Baku's shouting when he pops back up out of the water be used as a way to snap people out of the hypnosis. It'd be a great parallel to the American scientist using a gun. The Americans are called to action/focus by their military, the Wakandans are called by camaraderie and culture.

I don't know, it feels more of a reference (either to the comics or the myth of sirens) than an actual story element. It's cool, but not as impactful as the other symbolism.

[bookwyrminspiration]

Have you read the first 3 chapters of Stellarlune yet?

I have! I read them when I woke up this morning and it was a pleasant surprise, though I wasn't necessarily surprised by the content in them.

Sophie being all "we need to find Keefe right now" was one of my main expectations for her--the "you know what? fuck this" mindset was more of a haha that'd be cool prediction, but she's got that I can fix him attitude and she refuses to let go of it! She simply cares very much about everyone and thinks that she needs to personally help everyone she can. It was interesting to see how the adults reacted and were like "okay but maybe he can handle himself." Though Sophie does make good points about the human world--I've even capitalized on things like that in the wings au. Sophie had to stop Tam from just walking into the street once in the au, and while Sophie did tell Keefe about some of the rules when they went to London in canon, he definitely doesn't know all of them, which could be a huge problem.

One of my thoughts was that Sophie said everything was about trust when talking to Dex, because it seems like she doesn't trust Keefe right now. She doesn't trust his ability to make good decisions, to get by, to have thought everything through. And while that may be true, I just found it interesting. Keefe made a decision on what to do for himself based on his experience and fears that he thinks will be safest for everyone, and as soon as Sophie finds out about it, she's trying to undo it and bring him back. She's rejecting everything about his choice.

You know, when Keefe ran away the first time, it was in a Keefe is wrong and this is a horrible idea and I should've listened to you situation. I think it'd be interesting if instead of repeating that, this time it's written as Sophie being wrong and Keefe making the smart decisions. So instead of him apologizing to her for running away and causing problems, she ends up apologizing to him for chasing after him and not trusting him.

I also wasn't expecting Lord Cassius's memories to become a part of it, though I suppose given that we've got two whole books left of mysteries to uncover and solve and he's got a whole life with Gisela that we don't know about that he's bound to have more relevance to the story. Was kinda satisfying to see Ro lay into him, even if her buoyant attitude about sokeefe was as uncomfortable to read as ever. She made some good points

I think the one thing I was disappointed by was how the secrets from the last book were immediately revealed. Keefe and Dex had that whole "this is super serious information that we can't tell anyone" conversation and then within the first three chapters of the next book Dex is already telling Sophie because she won't stop prying. Grady did keep his promise not to tell about the imparter he has to contact Keefe, which I like, but I kinda wish there'd been more time in which the fact he'd seen Keefe before he left was kept secret. I know for us it was a long time (like two years...) but in terms of the story it felt like they weren't even secrets, they got uncovered too quickly. Especially since it's such a rare opportunity that we, the audience, have information about other characters that Sophie doesn't! Unlocked is the only book where we can learn about something Sophie doesn't, and the majority of that was just stripped away. All we really have left is the imparter, which is still valuable, but I wish the rest had been prolonged a little.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, because I did enjoy it! Those were just some of the thoughts going through my head as I was reading. I'm definitely curious to see what comes next though, so the countdown to Stellarlune continues!

[braceletofteeth]

"His concept of art makes no sense." Yes, that's been boggling my mind forever. If there were always a transformative aspect to it or something (which I assumed to be the case because of his little arts and crafts table), it'd make sense. But... there isn't really? Hannibal's kills are pretty consistent (TV show, not sure about the books) with his lofty ideals of transformation, elevating things etc. whereas Moonjo keeps confusing me. (Another rewatch for analytic purposes is necessary, huh?)

This has been running through my head for days and still I'm not sure I can give you a good answer (it's not my first time talking about it, but I don't have a very steady opinion on the matter). I'll try to stick to reason as much as I can.

Let's start with what we know. Moonjo has said about what he does: "I break things up, put them together, and recreate".

Now, that could be him talking about his little craft work with jewelry (even though I think the more appropriate word, in this case, would be "take" instead of "break up", since the teeth are material to him, not remainders—he doesn't break the material, he acquires/collects it from a source). That could be it, but based on the final result of his "masterpiece", let's consider he values his work on people more.

Then, the transformative aspect, in this case, it’s not off the table. In his own way, he’s elevating gruesome acts, people’s nature, and murder, all to the level of art.

Since you mentioned Hannibal and is aware of his methods, I think is safe for me to make a brief comparison between them. Consider Hannibal’s tableaus first. The only people involved in the making of them are Hannibal and his victims (his material); then his art pieces are presented to the world, and the rest of the world’s role is of the audience. You may take it in with horror or awe, but the work is done; you’re not supposed to physically interact with his art, because you’re not part of it.

Moonjo’s art, on the other hand, is interactive. He’s an artist who inserts himself in the art he makes (beyond the part where he kills the victims; he dedicates a longer time to them). Other people may interact with it, too (although I would not recommend it). Everybody has partial free will and can make their own decisions, as long as they are in tune with the rules and the desired ending—if they are not, these people are taken (quite literally) out of the play.

I mainly refer to Moonjo’s art as “performances”, because it’s always a single-watch show, with no records to tell they actually happened but the teeth he collects (which I believe are some sort of souvenirs, little reminiscences Why does he put them in rings instead of just keeping them? Good question. I don’t really understand their purpose either.).

It begins with him finding someone to play the main role—usually of a person driven insane before they die (as I believe was the case of the previous people who lived at Eden), but, most recently, the role he tried to fit the foreign guy (the one who used to live in room 303 and had a very concerning diary) and Kihyuk into, but only Jongwoo performed with honors: of the man who had a killer confined under his skin, yet to be freed from his shell (I say “freed” but someone else could say “ripped out”, it depends on your interpretation. The point is Moonjo having a role in their becoming, since it seems important to him that he does, one way or another).

After he chooses this person, there is all the theatrics involving the other tenants at Eden, the manipulation of reality that makes people question what they know, what is right, who they can trust, why are other humans like this and, you know, what the hell in general. Let’s not forget that Moonjo is not only the self-inserted artist, but also the main audience of the show. He enjoys watching people getting confused, losing their cool, being confronted with truths about themselves and with the realities they are afraid of. He wants to know what they will do in the unusual situations he creates for them.

Normal life is so boring, isn’t it? Go to work, make money, look like a perfectly decent human being to appease others. What a (cruel, demanding, annoying) joke. Moonjo has to play the same boring role everyday, like everyone does to thrive in society. He's the neighbourhood's nice doctor outside. But not when he's at the residence. In his society, he chooses the roles, and people have to play by his rules if they want to survive. That’s what it means to be a god in this little paradise called Eden. It may not be a good place for the rest, but it’s perfect for him. The normal world is too dull and lacks flair. But not Eden (as a concept, not the building, of course). A place which came out of a dream, that you’d expect in a movie or in a dark painting, with distorted faces that give you nightmares.

The horror of it all—that’s the real art. Carefully shaped immorality. To him, the route that leads you to your death is as important as the the final act's execution. Perhaps, it is the process what he enjoys the most. Because there is a story behind it, a story he creates himself. You don’t “just die”.

So when Moonjo looks at Jongwoo and says they do something similar, it’s because they really do. They create their own world. Jongwoo’s is a fictional one, a safe environment where he can explore his thoughts and desires without anyone getting hurt (or judging him), and Moonjo’s little world may look more real at first, but it’s all his reflection. Eden, without him, without his vision, is just a place where people go to be tortured and die. Moonjo and his experimentation of human nature give meaning to it. He’s a man with a philosophy... an artistic, romanticized philosophy. He’s not doing it for anyone other than himself and his own appreciation.

He doesn’t care about recognition, or any kind of opinion about what he does, good or bad. Till Jongwoo, he was perfectly fine out of the radar and only sharing what was necessary with the other residents (they would not understand him, anyway).

There is a scene, in the last episode, where Jongwoo asks him “Why do you do this?” and Moonjo responds “There is no reason. That’s what people are made of. It’s your instinct to chew each other out when we’re with one another, then grow tired as we watch them suffer”, and I’m not sure if it was actually him and not Jongwoo’s subconscious self (the hallucination or the alter persona or the version of him that Jongwoo presented to the world in his story I have to worry about so many details because of the last episode Istg the ending only complicates everything), but considering the option he did say that at some point… It kinda matches the “I don’t want to hide myself and I’m tired of everyone's pretenses” mindset, doesn’t it? And there is also another scene (that I’m almost one hundred percent sure truly happened), in which he asks Jongwoo “You had fun when you killed everyone here, didn’t you?”, which supports the idea of him doing it for entertainment (and expecting Jongwoo to do the same). Observe that when he says “(…) then grow tired as we watch them suffer”, he makes use of the word then, which suggests that he is definitely not tired (bored) as he chews them out. On the contrary, he is having fun, as much as Jongwoo must have had when he took his place.

So there are these two motivations that (may) converge when it comes to his art: to create a romanticized, utopian reality, crafted by his hands; and a source of entertainment.

[bmblboop]

a lot of the things you wanna see in v9 are also things that i wanna see, but here's a few things i also wanna see in vacuo cfvy. just more of them. and hopefully with new designs, them and sssn(n) deserve some new looks after so long. give sun his beach boy shorts already !!! winter and robyn-it'd be so so so interesting seeing them act as almost a microcosm of the tensions between atlas and mantle in their new situation in vacuo and how they're learning to work together to fix things. maybe it's just because i really love schneewood forest and want them to interact more, but i think they could have an extremely interesting dynamic, especially if it grows a bit more personal as robyn - yennow, the person who sees through bullshit - begins to help winter break down her own mask that she wears to hide her own grief over weiss and penny so that she can heal properly. i think they're both strong, determined women with a lot on their shoulders who can do immensely good things together, but first they have to learn to get along - which i don't think is completely outlandish to believe is possible

I’d love to see CFVY with new designs! The switch to Maya (can’t believe we haven’t seen them in that long o_o) means that it’s very likely. I want to see them involved in the plot, totally on board with the fight against Salem!

SSSN(N) too - it would be cool to see some updated looks for Sun’s team - see how they are handling Vacuo’s weather. Also Scarlet and Nolan getting super-canon, on-screen confirmation.

-I really need to read the books-

Robyn and Winter have such an interesting dynamic going into Vacuo because they stand as the only authority figures that Atlas and Mantle have now (as far as the audience is aware).

My modus opperendai with putting two characters on a team together, is to get them to talk about things that they are mutually dealing with outside of the problem at hand. Especially if there is something the other person can help with. Robyn using her semblance to help Winter work through her grief is so great, it’s such a great way to build their relationship!

I also think that Robyn and Winter will be nigh unstoppable when they are working together. Getting to that point will take effort, building that trust and camaraderie with each other.

[ae0nx]

COWBOY BOPBEATS NETFLIX SERIES RECAP (EP 4 - 6) - spoilers

EP 1-3 RECAP

- It's even more fucked up that they had someone play Faye's fake mother in the scam. But, I appreciate it hitting harder to the audience than some guy who charmed her - like in the anime

- Wow, those human-to-tree transformations were so gross but so freakin cool and I wanted to get a screencap but any screencap I got wouldn't have done it justice

- Faye really got shot in shoulder and is treating it like whatever. I love this Faye, we deserved this Faye! Oh yeah, and also my favourite connection to the opening song so far is:

- This show really isn't afraid to show Spike being occasionally boujee and fully aware that he's pretty and I'm here. for. it.

LOL WHAT DID YOU PUT YOUR HAND IN, FAYE?!? Best fanservice that I've seen in a while 😂Also, this screencap makes a great 'Draw Your Squad'.

- I really love how they took full advantage of physical sets and exploring interesting places to film in New Zealand. They really kept to making the show a liveable, believable and real universe full of real life in a wacky reality. It's been great.

- I also adore how much they kept the chunky and metallic 90s tech and have almost used it as a way of identifying who's upper class and who's lower class. (Upper class/the rich generally having sleeker and cleaner tech and lower class having the chunky, greyer tech)

Awww, this time it's Faye waking up from the almost coma and Spike being at her bedside! <333 (No, I totally don't ship Spike and Faye! 🤥). I really liked their moment and I even liked their mini-slumber party in episode 5! The Bebop crew are so much nicer to each other in this series and I really love it! It really solidifies their found family-isms.

Also, I'm starting to notice the difference in representation of emotional beats in this series compared to the anime. All the emotional beats in this series feel very easy to read and understand because it's all on the surface... there's nothing hidden. And while I appreciate how the anime requires you to do your own investigating about emotional scenes (cos it's more fun that way I guess), there's something a little refreshing about the characters just fully stating their emotional thoughts and intentions for once.

It does feel very slice-of-life Bebop right now, but I have no problem with that as those are my favourite Bebop moments.

- Jet always gets the short-end of the stick... I already feel like he's the character who lost the most by the end of the anime and this doesn't make me feel any better :(

- Faye and Spike really are a disaster couple but I still can't help but <33333 😍

- Ahhh my Queen... Rachel House!! She's great in everything I've seen her in and she kills it as Mao

- I love the decisions that Alex Hassell is making in the way he plays Vicious to stop him from being a complete 'british villain' stereotype. But yeah, Vicious is still batshit. His reactions to the mere mention of Spike are hilarious

- The more I see the Jet episode play out, the more I'm just like... 'you never saw that coming, huh?'. But tbh, it'd make sense if this iteration of Jet would be that willing to trust despite the obvious red flags.

- Chalmers being a nice asshole really got to me. I feel itchy.

- 'Adieu' playing as Julia realises Spike is alive? 🤌🏾😘

- I still don't know if my feelings about Julia have changed from the anime, I still don't really find her too compelling so far?

I LOVE IT. I'M SURE WE ALL LOVE IT. FAYE KEEPS WINNING IN THIS SHOW. AND I'M HERE FOR IT. <3 🏳️‍🌈

- John Cho and Elena Satine really sell the romance between Spike and Julia really well, which honestly was needed. I just want a reason to really care about Julia.

- Jet and the Lesbians sounds like a dope band name.

- You're not gonna rip off that baby's fingers, Jet lmao

EP 7-10 RECAP