#but like. she’s doing that to me. at the highest level. whether she premeditated it or not.

[ghostzzy]

gonna be real. i want to give her the benefit of the doubt but i am not convinced that i wasn’t expertly fucking manipulated into this exact fucking agreement.

[ganymedesclock]

The only problem I have with a Lotor redemption arc is that redemption arcs only work if the character realizes what they’ve done is wrong is actively seeking atonement for their wrongdoings. Lotor does not seem to be seeking any kind of atonement for what he’s done to the Paladins and to Narti. Unless he has a huge turnaround this season, I don’t know how the writers will try to pull of a Lotor redemption arc.

Really? Because the problem I have with a redemption arc for Lotor is I think that with the words “redemption arc” people often do kind of a great disservice to the complexity of writing, the importance of context, and I feel like you’re failing to take into account numerous factors in the writing here!

However you personally feel about Lotor’s actions, that’s not up for me to dictate, but it’s pretty unmistakable that Lotor is presented as an antihero, not a villain. By which I mean, the writers have very obviously attached to Lotor all of the same symbols and gestures that they attached to the heroes: Lotor is young, visually he resembles the protagonists far more than any of the other villains we’ve seen, he’s associated- in fact, nearly drowning in the color blue, which, while we do have blue-tone villains (Hira and her associates in the alternate universe) they’re the only exception, and Lotor exists in the default universe in which blue is the color associated with all of our benevolent parties.

Value wise it is repeated and demonstrated that Lotor, whether or not his actions unfailingly align with them, values mercy, values compassion, values honesty. It is also pretty unmistakable, given Lotor’s tenure as emperor pro tem shows us his utterly failing to enforce his father’s empire and freely acquiescing, for no reason or gain, the only coalition planet he ever took (Puig) he’s also pretty clearly sabotaging the empire. His only interest in expanding it is soliciting the Puigians to “the new empire”- he’s pulling people away from Zarkon.

Lotor is, and from the start, unapologetically the head of his own faction. He and his allies were trying to live off the empire like a parasite until they were in the place to actually dispose of them- that didn’t work out.

As far as atonement: Your proposal here is that the only, only way a non-heroic character can become a hero is if they 1. outline everything they have ever done wrong, 2. regret everything, and 3. beg forgiveness from the heroes or some other form of higher power.

In which case, yeah, I really don’t think Lotor’s ever going to do that. In fact, I can think of numerous “redemptions” that looked absolutely nothing like that. That feels like a very rigid and suffocating framework that would, unless written very carefully and for a very specific narrow kind of character, be very out-of-character for exactly the sort of character who would, y’know, actually warrant one of those arcs.

Let’s talk about Lotor and his actions, shall we? You mention against the paladins, and against Narti, so, I’ll talk about those.

Lotor and the Generals attack the paladins several times- s3e2, s3e3, and s3e4. I will omit s3e6, because in this case, it was premeditated on the paladins’ part, and the generals were acting in self-defense. (I also wonder if you hold these same actions against the generals, as they were obviously aware and willing collaborators the entire time)

In s3e4, we are revealed to Lotor’s master plan at this point: he’s aspiring to get his hands on the Sincline comet, but only Voltron can enter the dimensionally becalmed ship carrying it. Zethrid states they tried to have other pilots get it out before, which... ended badly.

She also is a little sad remembering they (presumably) got people vaporized. Oops!

Why does Lotor want the comet? Again, because Lotor’s attempting to gain massive advantages that will allow him and his comparatively tiny group of conspirators, especially his inner circle, to challenge the empire and win. Personally, I think Lotor’s also keenly aware of the symbol Voltron represents to the universe- and is fully aware that constructing something on part with Voltron itself, out of the same materials, will allow him to challenge them on a grand level and command the attention of the universe- but that’s pretty much just an aside.

So Lotor wants the comet to use it against Zarkon. Considering that as soon as Lotor’s revealed to be building any significant forces, Zarkon drops a “kill on sight” order for Lotor to the entire empire, this tells us that simply, being able to fight Zarkon is a matter of life and death for Lotor. He will either be killed by his father, or he will gain the means to defeat, and thus, escape Zarkon.

I would like to reiterate that. From Lotor’s perspective, if he does not get this comet, he will be murdered by his abusive father.

With that in mind, Lotor looks at the comet.

He needs Voltron for the comet- well, now, he doesn’t have Voltron on speed dial. Obvious choice? Attack a coalition planet. Because Voltron’s trying to make allies, they’ll thus try to defend these allies. Voltron can either show up to defend them, giving him what he wants, or be a no-show, which denies him access to Voltron, but makes them look very bad in the coalitions’ eyes, which Lotor can then make his own offer to Puig, hop to the next planet, and repeat until Voltron makes an appearance.

During this occupation, Puig is merely a pawn on the board. We notice that Lotor, again, with his policy of mercy, leaves the occupation in the hands of Acxa, his right hand, who explicitly orders the rest of the generals to kill no one. This reinforces Lotor’s values, that while mercy is considered a shame worthy of execution to the empire, among Lotor’s generals, the most obviously merciful and inclined to restraint is the one offered the highest position.

So, Lotor takes Puig, makes his offer, and Voltron shows up to defend the planet, springing his trap.

Here, Lotor wants to confirm first and foremost that Voltron is intact. That established, he leaves, content, and pulls all of his forces out of Puig. Lotor stops fighting and attacking the paladins as soon as he’s seen what he wants, all five Lions.

Casualties of this incident: no lasting damage to the Lions, scared paladins, several injured Puigians, no fatalities except if any of the destroyed galra fighters had living occupants rather than drones- which is on the paladins, not Lotor.

Our heroes, who are unambiguously heroes, are more likely to have killed someone in that altercation than Lotor and his generals were.

Keith hangs a tracker on Lotor’s flagship, and, thus, chooses to pursue him, which leads to the next encounter, s3e3. Realizing the paladins are pursuing them, Lotor makes a decision to test them a second time- using his own personal fighter. After a few altercations- no lasting damage to the Lions, and all paladins summarily shook up but unharmed- Lotor is displeased- jeez, he can’t risk these people getting his comet for him, they’re suspiciously incompetent. They can’t even combine into Voltron, which means they wouldn’t get into the rift.

Because of that, he chooses to set the trap at Thayserix. It’s worth noting this trap hinges entirely on Keith’s willingness to keep chasing Lotor- unlike at Puig, he has no hostage, and his only bait is himself. He works to keep the paladins’ attention on him, and thus, off the cruiser and away from his generals. Again, we see Lotor actually does consider the losses of his subordinates as significant, unlike Zarkon, and more like the paladins.

Lotor has his game of merry chase, scares the hell out of the paladins, and again, chases them around/sets them up in explosions. Again, we see no lasting damage to the Lions, and no real damage to the paladins except emotionally. Allura freeze rays him, and, conceding defeat verbally, Lotor limps off- and the generals call in two imperial fleets as a smokescreen to cover their escape. Voltron is formed, and makes short work of them.

Casualties of this incident: Scared paladins, Lotor’s pride, no fatalities or injuries on heroes’ side. Two imperial fleets destroyed.

Again, our heroes did more damage than Lotor did. You could make an argue here that Lotor and the Generals were both quite callous at the losses caused by throwing those two commanders, likely not conspirators to Lotor’s “new empire”, to Voltron like a juicy bone to a guard dog, but if they weren’t conspirators, that’d imply as imperial commanders they were in the general business of attacking and subjugating other sentient races throughout the universe, so, it’s really up to you how that pans out morally.

So, this works out, as Lotor says himself: this is the very opportunity he’s been waiting for. The paladins can form Voltron, and they have a modicum of competence between them. While he’s prepared to profit from them potentially not making it, he’d really rather have the comet, and, so, it’s time to send them after his pride- so, like ringing a desk bell for service, he goes and turns on the beacon.

Voltron answers, a merry jaunt in another reality occurs, the sanctity of brains are threatened, computers are unplugged, Sven appears to assuage that Shiro-shaped hole in the fans’ broken hearts.

Two of the generals (unidentified, but not Lotor) shoot at and attack the castle before seizing the comet and making off with it.

Casualties of this incident: The paladins’ dignity, the Sincline comet.

This may not impress you much but let’s consider the casualties of Sendak’s raid on the Castle:

Heavy internal injuries and unresponsive state that required medical intervention via healing pod- Lance, electrical torture- Shiro, destruction of the castle’s crystal, Rover, most of the buildings in the Arusian village [immediate]...

Destruction of King Alfor’s AI, Shiro being actively, maliciously baited into a panic attack, Allura having a sobbing breakdown [did not emerge until Crystal Venom]

But sure- the fact that Lotor breaks out the kid gloves in a way that no other villain we’ve seen does dealing with the paladins is largely more a consequence of his minimal-engagement, overly frugal tactics and disinterest in fighting long battles, he still picked on the paladins several times, and that’s fair. Maybe you’re mad about that.

Lotor at this point has no good reason to regret it. He literally hasn’t even been given the opportunity to get to know the paladins, and I think you’re really kidding yourself if you assume any of them would respond positively to Zarkon’s son waltzing up and extending an olive branch that he inevitably won’t have the support of the empire to actually enforce- not that he could even do that, anyway, because he’d be executed as a traitor very quickly if he were caught negotiating with Voltron. 

In s3e1 Lotor talks about how “the masses” are easily swayed- them cheering his name in an arena once doesn’t mean that if he suddenly makes a highly controversial decision that basically demands they chose their loyalty to Zarkon or their five seconds of fondness towards him, when many of them were willing to back Throk’s coup against Lotor- yeah, Lotor’s not going to win.

From Lotor’s perspective, either he gets the comet or Zarkon kills him, and probably kills the four at-risk minority women he’s kinda trying to keep around and in power. At bare minimum the Generals would likely lose all of their standing since Zarkon certainly wouldn’t let “mere half-breeds” operate at that status.

He uses Voltron, Voltron gets him exactly what he wants and needs, and for their troubles, they were shook up and scared, but again, no lasting harm, physically or emotionally. The closest he came was scaring the hell out of Allura in s3e3 which he was largely unaware of her fear outside of where it affected her piloting and commented positively when Allura started turning the tables on him, acknowledging her competence and learning curve.

Even if Lotor really got to know the paladins, he wouldn’t feel that bad about it. After all, these guys face danger far greater than his threats all the time. He did what he had to in order to survive, they did what they had to in order to fight him. Fair is fair.

As far as Narti...

Lotor killed Narti and left her body on the cruiser. There’s no other way to slice that.

He did so because the only possible explanation for what had happened that he was aware of was that Narti had somehow betrayed him to his father- which is a big deal because, again, that tip-off led to Zarkon ordering the entire empire to murder Lotor on sight.

Narti did not do so voluntarily. Lotor had less than five seconds to consider the situation, did not know if Narti would start attacking them once she was discovered, and had no way of knowing what had transpired between Narti and Haggar. We, the nearly-omniscient audience, watched it happen and have, scientifically speaking, no fucking clue what happened.

Lotor has to make a decision right then and there if he’s going to leave Narti behind to the dubious mercy of the empire, take her with and risk being hunted down even further or killed and having the comet ships taken from him.

Immediately afterwards he is nearly unresponsive, uncharacteristically snappy when he does speak, crosses multiple lines he never has before onscreen with his generals, and makes an entire vocabulary of deeply upset, highly agitated and anxious faces. When Acxa attacks him, Lotor’s reflexes are uncharacteristically so slow that he actually doesn’t even turn his body to face Acxa before she shoots him. This is someone who was able to, from a standstill and with a sheathed weapon, run Narti through and pull his weapon out of her body in seconds. There’s no way he didn’t have the time to cut Acxa down.

Everything about this scene tells us Lotor didn’t want to do that, that the only possible thing that could motivate him to do that was the situation adding up to the undeniable conclusion that Narti had betrayed him first, and the only counter-evidence we have passed silently behind his back some twenty minutes or more before he even had an inkling something was wrong.

But okay- Narti’s dead, we’re all heartbroken. Maybe it’d make us feel better if Lotor was just, taken down a peg in a way that made it clear this was an awful thing.

Maybe like... completely losing the loyalty of his generals, something he can’t even bring himself to hold against them because he clearly regrets everything about Narti and the only reason he’s not trying to make amends is because as far as he knows it was necessary, and there’s nothing else he could’ve done.

Or just getting shot in the back and having to hurt himself to escape the situation.

Or just, the complete revelation that his dream of having a weapon that could challenge Voltron just nicely went up in smoke because all four of the people he trusted to pilot it with him are now decisively inaccessible, killing what the show has repeatedly emphasized is the greatest advantage for him- the support of a knowing, caring team.

Because I don’t really know how to respond to the implication Lotor doesn’t already regret the hell out of what he did to Narti. He’s borderline catatonic for the entire rest of the season afterwards and only seems to recover, coincidentally as soon as he’s contacting Voltron- people he’s not sure he can trust.

And our very first scene with Lotor tells us when he’s not sure he can trust people?

He lies through his goddamn teeth the entire time.

So, the only actually content seeming Lotor we’ve seen since Narti’s death is in the one context where he’s most likely to be faking every second.

So... even as superficial and character-inappropriate as I think your prescribed schedule for a reform arc is, Lotor arguably qualifies, in that pretty much the one genuinely nasty thing he’s done besides his comprehensive screwing over of Throk is also the one thing he seems to feel so awful about that it actively impacted his ability to defend or take care of himself- since, y’know, the guy who spent all of s3 and the first two episodes of s4 carefully taking it easy and protecting himself suddenly made five different incredibly self-destructive decisions in the span of two episodes effective immediately after losing Narti:

1. flung self and Zethrid at an experimental portal and burnt irreplaceable resources doing so, 2. dislocated own shoulders, 3. repeatedly tried to sleep while flying spaceship, 4. flung self into a sun, 5. went towards an area immediately after hearing a fatal explosion was likely to occur there

Like I mean if you don’t think Lotor doesn’t obviously regret killing Narti then I don’t. know what more to tell you.

[thetrumpdebacle]

The FBI says proper protocol was not followed in following up on a tip about Nikolas Cruz, the suspect in the mass shooting at a South Florida high school on Wednesday that left 17 people dead. A law enforcement source told ABC News that investigators believe approximately 150 shots were fired in the incident.

Interested in Florida School Shooting?

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A person close to Cruz called an FBI tip line on Jan. 5 with information about Cruz’s desire to kill people, erratic behavior, disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting, according to an FBI statement.

“We have determined that these protocols were not followed for the information received by the PAL on January 5. The information was not provided to the Miami field office, and no further investigation was conducted at that time,” the FBI said in a statement Friday.

FBI director Christopher Wray said the agency is still investigating and regrets any additional pain the information could cause to victims.

“I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public. It’s up to all Americans to be vigilant, and when members of the public contact us with concerns, we must act properly and quickly,” Wray said in the statement.

Candles that were placed on crosses still glow after last nights vigil for victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, at Pine Trail Park, Feb. 16, 2018, in Parkland, Fla.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office received “20 calls for service over the last few years” regarding Cruz, Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said at a news conference today.

“We will continue to follow up as we do with any investigation. We want to try to find out why this killer did what he did, what we can learn from it and how we can keep our kids safe moving forward. So everyone of those calls to service will be looked at and scrutinized,” Israel said.

He warned, “If we find out like in any investigation that one of our deputies or call-takers could have done something better or was remiss, I’ll handle it accordingly.”

Israel added, “A call for service simply means that our dispatch center received a call. Doesn’t mean we went out on something. Could have been a telephonic contact with a deputy, a person in another state or we might have gone out there.”

Leah Millis/Reuters, FILE

FBI Director Christopher Wray in Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2018.

In a statement, Florida Gov. Rick Scott called on the FBI director to resign. “The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable,” he said. “… We constantly promote ‘see something, say something,’ and a courageous person did just that to the FBI. And the FBI failed to act. ‘See something, say something’ is an incredibly important tool and people must have confidence in the follow through from law enforcement. The FBI director needs to resign.”

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Florida Governor Rick Scott,(C) walks to the media to speak about the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed yesterday, on Feb. 15, 2018, in Parkland, Fla.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also slammed the FBI, saying the agency “utterly failed the families of 17 innocent souls.”

“The fact that the FBI is investigating this failure is not enough,” Rubio said in a statement. “Both the House and Senate need to immediately initiate their own investigations into the FBI’s protocols for ensuring tips from the public about potential killers are followed through.”

In the wake of the news, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered a review of the process at the Justice Department and FBI “to ensure that we reach the highest level of prompt and effective response to indications of potential violence that come to us.”

“We will make this a top priority. It has never been more important to encourage every person in every community to spot the warning signs and alert law enforcement,” he said in a statement. Do not assume someone else will step up — all of us must be vigilant. Our children’s lives depend on it.”

Robert Lasky, the FBI special agent in charge of the Miami division, said today the FBI regrets “any additional pain that this has caused.”

“The men and women that work in the Miami field office are part of this community. We walk the same streets. Our children attend the same schools to include Stoneman Douglas,” Lasky said. “We worship in the same places. We are part of this community. As this community hurts, so do we.”

Israel added that the “only one to blame for this incident is the killer himself.”

John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP

Students released from a lockdown are overcome with emotion following following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 14, 2018.

Hannah Carbocci, a 17-year-old junior, told ABC affiliate WPLG that she was in a first-floor classroom when shots rang out.

Carbocci said the gunman “shot through the door and the glass shattered. I was under my teacher’s desk so I was really hoping that I would be OK. Not knowing if my classmates would be OK or not really scared me. ”   “We had four to six people injured in our classroom, and two of them have been confirmed that they passed away,” she said. “It was a horrible experience, the sounds that you hear, the sights that you see. When you’re walking out of the building you see people in the hallways laying there dead that you know, that you went to classes with, and you went to school with, and you saw them every single day.

Brynn Anderson/AP

Students Nicole Baltzer, right, and Alex Debs, embrace, Feb. 15, 2018, in Parkland, Fla., during a community vigil for the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

“Once I was out of the building I knew I was OK, but I kicked my shoes off and I ran as fast as I could,” she said. “My dad picked me up on the side of the road. He works for the Broward Sheriff’s Office. I broke down in tears when I saw him.”

Cruz was arrested after the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

Cruz — a former student there — slipped away from the campus by blending in with other students who were trying to escape, police said. After a tense manhunt, he was apprehended.

Police photo

Nikolas Cruz is placed into handcuffs by police near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following a mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 14, 2018.

He briefly appeared in court Thursday and was held on no bond.

Brody Speno, a neighbor who spent nearly a decade living a few doors down from Cruz, told ABC News that the suspected shooter was “aggressive, crazy weird, psycho.”

Speno said he remembers one day when Cruz suddenly “cornered a squirrel and was pegging it with rocks trying to kill it.”

Another neighbor, Malcolm Roxburgh, said Cruz would attack pets.

He called Cruz a “strange character” who always stood out from other teenagers in the neighborhood.

Broward County Sheriff

Nikolas Cruz is seen here in his mug shot, Feb. 14, 2018.

Roxburgh’s most vivid memory of Cruz is his roaming the streets. Even in South Florida’s sweltering heat, Roxburgh said, Cruz occasionally walked around in a camouflage jacket.

Public defender Melisa McNeill, who appeared with Cruz in court Thursday, called him a “broken child.”

“My children they go to school in this community and I feel horrible for these families,” McNeill said, adding, “and Mr. Cruz feels that pain.”

The firearm used is a Smith Wesson MP 15, a variant of the popular AR-15 rifle. Law enforcement sources said the suspect bought the rifle himself nearly a year ago and investigators believe no laws were broken in the purchase or sale of the weapon.

Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP/Getty Images

Outside view of Sunrise Tactical Supply store in Coral Springs, Fla. on Feb. 16, 2018 where accused school shooter Nikolas Cruz bought an AR-15.

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is looking at whether Cruz had any help or accomplices.

“Our goal is to figure out, how did this gun get into his hands?” ATF Special Agent in Charge Peter Forcelli told ABC News.

Investigators are continuing to look into Cruz’s mental health history. Law enforcement sources told ABC News that Cruz told investigators he had been hearing voices in his head that directed him to conduct the attack.

Under federal law, any person who has been “adjudicated as a mental defective” or “committed to a mental institution” is prohibited from shipping, transporting, receiving or possessing any firearm or ammunition punishable by a $250,000 and/or 10 years in prison. That adjudication must be done by a court, board, commission or other lawful authority that determines if a person as a result of “subnormal intelligence, mental illness, incompetency, condition or disease” is a danger to himself or others, lacks mental capacity to conduct their own affairs, are found insane by a court in a criminal case, or incompetent to stand trial because they lack mental responsibility.

via The Trump Debacle