#but s1? might still do the trick of making me feel so so scared and so so vulnerable but in a way that's like. yknow. controlled via horror

[skrunksthatwunk]

waiitt i just remembered the promised neverland existed. exists, present tense. i have no idea if it was actually good or if i was just like 13 but that shit scratched a crucial and oft-neglected fiction genre itch of watching small children Go Through It Like Just Having Genuinely The Worst Time You Can Imagine without any support from adults/with active hostility from adults who have way more power over them. which. is putting into perspective some of my own childhood and anyway that was probably the most tense i have ever been watching anything in my life that shit was horrifying. full body clenching my way through like 12 episodes of television. im gonna go watch it teehee

[thesherrinfordfacility]

i did not break my own heart last night thinking about the missing 1941 scene and have it sat in my brain all of today spinning around like a fucking microwave in order to not make you lot suffer with me. and i somehow feel i may be right about this so buckle up and lets break it down.

so yes, following on from this post, i think that there is going to be a third 1941 scene. twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. it's been literally set up like that by even bringing back 1941 into s2 in the first place. but we're missing a crucial detail because it does not - at all, really - explain how they went from evading danger from hell and having a cosy candlelit bottle of red to celebrate, to the bastard 1967 scene. we all know this, this is nothing new.

the symbolism of nightingales is probably going to cast a shadow on this. these two excellent analyses look at the meaning of nightingales in the context of R&J, and the relation that the song has to this point in time, respectively. in summary; it's a song that should be around in 1941 courtesy of vera lynn and others, and the nightingale itself carries the meaning of love being hidden and forbidden by way of it singing under the cover of darkness, before being replaced with reality and soberness - represented by the lark. the Dinner of '41 scene is set in the bookshop at night; this would parallel - that they are safe and concealed, and truths can be shared, but the writing is on the wall that stepping outside would be to shatter the illusion, so to speak. it might be that the song itself gets miracled up onto the record player, or a wireless lying about - whatever. note: i don't think they'll dance though, not given crowley in ep5, "you don't dance"... but then again, if there ISNT a kiss in s3-1941, an aborted dance seems like the next best option... the cowardly one, but i'll take it

this would also track with aziraphale having his epiphany after the church in s1-1941; specifically, in my eyes, that he doesn't necessarily just realise he loves crowley, but that crowley by way of saving his books loves him too. this is only supported by the whole of the s2-1941 scene of trusting in each other as the only way to pull off the trick, the subterfuge. this is then, again, also important in the context of what i think happens in s3-1941.

i do think aziraphale is going to bring the books up again, and what crowley did, because it needs to be addressed. the Nazis/furfur confrontation has scared him, regardless of whether he saved them both, more than he realised. its put things into startling perspective. i think he's going to bring up the books, and actually question crowley a little more as to why he did it. the repeated use of, and subsequent weird reaction crowley has to, the use of the term "friend" in s2-1941 would indicate that this is going to be a focal point in s3-1941. are they just friends? is crowley disappointed that aziraphale is still referring to him as that, after what he did? 'saving' aziraphale in the church, and then saving his books? or is aziraphale just saying 'friends' so hesitantly in both instances because he's not completely sure where crowley stands?

we as the audience know the answer to this, but they obviously do not. if one of the crucial themes of s3 is going to be resolving miscommunication, it makes sense for this scene to be the first, and last, time they communicate properly... at least, until they sort out the issues that culminated in the Final Fifteen.

so let's say they start getting into a very roundabout way of discussing what they mean to each other. there will need to be the sobering, ice-water-over-the-head realisation however, as s2-1941 demonstrated, that they cannot belong to each other, because they manifestly belong to heaven and hell respectively. crowley is still being spied on, and it firmly places aziraphale in their line of sight too. it's going to bring up the holy water discussion; why crowley asked for it - to protect himself, whether by taking out demons or taking out himself, as long as it means he - and most importantly, aziraphale - does not get hurt.

they actively confess that they want to be together, in a way that is more than they are now. aziraphale wants to, but says that they can't, because it's too dangerous. crowley suggests that no one ever has to know, they can hide it (there, in the bookshop, whilst the nightingale is singing), and even if they are found out, they can run. "hell won't just be angry; they'll destroy you..." // "no one ever has to know".

aziraphale doesn't want to have to hide it, doesn't want a halfway measure- is still thinking in black and white. crowley however thinks that something is better than nothing - thinking in the grey. but ultimately, as long as they are still shackled, they cannot do what they want, and it puts the other in danger. "surely the great thing about being a demon is that you can do whatever you want" // "you sound jealous, angel...". instead, aziraphale promises that the day that they are no longer tied to heaven or hell, they can be together; crowley scoffs, thinking that that will never happen, so they will never happen, "you're so clever! how can someone as clever as you be so stupid?!"

the reason they can't right now is because they could be caught. they would have to skulk around, be ashamed, feel guilty - and aziraphale is tired of feeling like that. because only having crowley in secret would hurt more. not being able hold his hand, or dance with him, or kiss him, unless it was in the bookshop. if hell were to find out, crowley would be killed, true, but if heaven were to find out, aziraphale could be cast out. and if crowley survived hell long enough to see aziraphale fall - he'd never forgive himself, and in a way, i don't think he'd ever forgive aziraphale either.

it's tearing them to pieces, but they have to stop whatever is happening between them in its tracks. it's acknowledged, but it's not named. this gives them plausible deniability; if they called it 'love', it would be undeniable. so, aziraphale asks for crowley to go; asks him to leave before they do something they can't come back from. crowley doesn't listen - crowds him, gets in close, and aziraphale is powerless to stop it. doesn't want to stop it. he's selfish by nature, a selfless kind of selfishness, but he wants this with all his being. and then - "this is too fast, crowley, please don't..." // "im sorry, angel. please... please, forgive me". aziraphale never gets to answer, to grant him that, because boom - the actual first kiss.

so. now that i've had to make you read that, i'm going in for the kill. let's look at everything that follows - and look at how the above might recontextualise it.

1967: the offer of the picnic, the Ritz? ie. the literal lyrics of berkeley square? aziraphale has caved in the interest of giving crowley a weapon to use if all else fails, to protect him, but that's as far as he's willing to progress. everything else is still too painful; he's on the brink of tears, promising that one day they'll be able to do what they want, to be open about how they feel, but not yet. they can't. crowley tries to push, "ill give you a lift, anywhere you want to go..." (him offering again to run away? a second chance to leg it?), and aziraphale reminding him that they can't, he can't... don't make him go too fast again, it's not fair. it also sets up perfectly that aziraphale and crowley don't speak for the next 40 or so years (as far as we're aware) until armageddon is threatened.

bandstand: mostly this is still centred around the apocalypse contextually, but i think with the above hypothetical scene in mind (the offer to hide, to run away, to be together), aziraphale is sent back to remembering their mutual confession that they've nonverbally agreed not to bring up, because it's not safe, and it's too painful. they've skirted around it, and returned instead to a tentative kind of friendship at the beginning of s1, but they're still not safe to address why seeing each other again, being so close to each other and not being able to touch is so painful. anyway - aziraphale refuses their side, but the above scene would re-view this as 'our side can't exist yet, you know this! you know why it can't!', and crowley leaves, again after pushing a bit more than aziraphale can stand.

alpha centauri: basically a facsimile of the above; same steps, same dance. but this time, crowley harks back to aziraphale's foolish (?) hope that they will be together, without having to run away, when the day comes that they don't have to answer to heaven or hell. and aziraphale smacks him right back, echoing crowley asking for aziraphale's forgiveness in kissing him, "i forgive you." crowley knows exactly what aziraphale is getting at, there - he's answering crowley's whispered plea to forgive him for pushing, for trying to force him, for acting in desperation. but he's also not answering that - he's skirting around that very thing, forgiving him like a knife would, slicing back at crowley for not only insulting aziraphale on something that is likely a genuine insecurity of his, but also putting him back in his place, for their safeties, because them being together just cannot happen. not yet.

and "please forgive me" in 1941 might seem out of character, but idk if it is; crowley knows that doing what he's about to do will hurt aziraphale, aziraphale has (hypothetically) told him as much, but he needs to do it - and seeks not benevolence or forgiveness as crowley-the-demon, but actually seems aziraphale's forgiveness, as crowley-the-person. the echo would certainly match the tone given here, in multiple ways:

the ritz: i mean, what is there to say? yes, their song is literally playing on the piano, and heralds the shift in their being out from heaven and hell, the day has finally come where they can - again, going by this entirely hypothetical scene that ive concocted - actually be together as they want to. and the nightingale literally singing outside, but as @shoemakerobstetrician beautifully pointed out, god remarks that it's covered up by traffic. so actually, if we again refer back to R&J interpretation of the nightingale, the love is still hidden, still somewhat under wraps, but can only just about be heard over the noise of the streets outside. the prohibition of them being together, of loving each other, is dwindling. and one day, it'll stop singing altogether. that day is coming, it will come, and then they can do what they please. so whilst the ritz scene may well be a mark of them starting the next chapter, it's slow to take hold, there's still hesitancy - which absolutely makes sense when we see that they are still very tentative with each other come the beginning of s2.

s2 general: aziraphale realises their freedom first; he gets excited by the dance, and being able to show his love to crowley, completely and without barriers, in the form of the ball - what he has read to be the best way to do so. he touches crowley more. he shares his bookshop with him, gifts it to crowley as being his as well as aziraphale's, this safe space that is so wholly theirs that crowley has the power to grant entry. the same with the bentley - aziraphale sees it as theirs, and crowley silently agrees, granting aziraphale the same power. crowley is comfortable in the bookshop to remove his glasses, has a place for them. the bookshop becomes tidier, more minimalist, to make crowley more comfortable in it (it is more cluttered in s1, im certain of it). it might just be the grading between s1 and s2, and lack of clutter, but the yellow is more prominent - his literal favourite colour. everything just screams that aziraphale is ready to make good on his promise from s3-1941.

crowley... for once, is the one not quite catching up. not realising the little dates here and there are literally poses them as a couple (although yes, the coffee shop one is to prep crowley for the goob jumpscare), that aziraphale has granted him the power to grant entry. aziraphale literally asking, practically begging, crowley to help him hide goob. the mf colour of the walls. the colour of the bentley. it's not until nina outright asks him if they are together that he realises how careless they've been - but wait, is it careless if they have nothing to be careful of? well, arguably crowley does, hell are still hanging around him like a bad smell... but this is what he wanted! this is what he was pushing aziraphale for! so, does he risk it? he's not sure, but he's certainly realising that aziraphale is ready, if nothing else. and by the time the ladies stage their little intervention, crowley finally realises that the confession he started in 1941 now can be fully aired, can come out into the open.

the Feral Domestic: *fingers at temples* i know i have been fairly vocal about my interpretation of this scene, and frankly - until we get this hypothetical s3-1941 scene, i stand by it - but let's say this speculation about the scene is true, and re-examine the key points in the Final Fifteen that would completely turn on their heads in terms of meaning:

literally, harking back full circle to what aziraphale promised in 1967 as what they would do when they could fully acknowledge their love, and what they did as soon as - on paper - they were free at the end of s1. this is however before he's spoken to by nina and maggie, so maybe this is what crowley was planning in terms of confessing fully to aziraphale, but after their meddling he realised that yes, they need to actually talk about it again. he doesn't understand why they're telling him what they are - because he's existed so long in gestures and gifts and not talking, literally dismissed it now as a viable option, that it doesn't even occur to him to try talking again.

which is why he does something brave, and tries to tell aziraphale instead (say it out loud, make it undeniable, put a name to it, "i love you", something that i think was crowley's actual intention before aziraphale interrupts him) when he comes back to the shop... he's so nervous, because it's vulnerable, and because the last time he did, they ended up hiding for 50-ish years.

next up:

now, im reluctant to think that aziraphale lied in the Feral Domestic, because i do think the key thing at work is his paramount need to do the Right Thing (ie. make a difference in heaven). whilst metatron obviously manipulates him, im not entirely convinced that aziraphale wholly sees through it. i don't think he knew that metatron was up to something, i think the shaking off of this naivety is going to be part of his s3 character development. but this sentence - again, especially in context of the hypothetical s3-1941 scene - must on some level frighten him. especially if you take this meta into account, aziraphale must realise at least that they were never safe, even when they were denying what they were and how they felt, it didn't make a bit of difference. now, metatron could have just been talking about the arrangement, not referring to any romantic elements of any kind, but the threat of it? no wonder he pushes for crowley to join him in heaven; he could keep crowley safe there. they could be together, and heaven - in his eyes - would be able to say a word against it.

then:

the fear sets in; crowley was too late in telling him, acknowledging that they could be together, realising what aziraphale was saying to him without words, and now heaven has come for him. plonked them right back where they were in s2-1941, but perversely mirrored; instead of hell coming for crowley with violence, heaven came for aziraphale with kindness. crowley doesn't have a magic trick he can just do on the fly, perform it perfectly when the need for it is greatest, and has to cling to the hope that aziraphale still sees them as the barrier to them, the reason they can't be together. and in true miscommunication fashion, i think aziraphale does see it, but what metatron said lingers, and in addition to being inside the institution, changing it from the inside out, in order to make a difference... he knows that whilst it's exactly the opposite of what they wanted, he needs to make them safe. better to be inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.

but aziraphale doesn't tell crowley what metatron said, because instead he either deliberately tries to deny the implications of it (cognitive dissonance king behaviour), or he doesn't want to panic crowley and is trying to convey to crowley that he can't speak his concerns, not when the metatron could still be watching, and instead just needs crowley to trust him, take his hand, and join him in heaven where they can be safe. doesn't tell crowley that heaven hasn't captured him in shackles again, but he's willingly held out his wrists because it's the safest thing for him, and them, to do.

so it's one thing to look at what crowley's saying, but aziraphale's reaction? before, i just found it to be out of confusion, him not really understanding what crowley was saying, but tbh i never paid much attention to it (david stole this bit of the scene - not to put down my beloved michael here, but he did). and i know others have remarked here that aziraphale is flitting his eyes to the window and looks scared and stressed, but i don't completely think that its because he's scared that metatron is watching (although, now, i will accept with the rug thing and hypothetical s3-1941 in context it is definitely playing a part), but also because he's just starting to recognise that this is a repeat of the s3-1941 scene, "this sounds familiar, we've been here before... oh, we've definitely been here before... oh shit. i still can't do this, not unless he comes with me. we still can't be together, not in the way crowley wants. the way he's trying again, now, to ask for."

but the issue is: crowley wants to run away together. again. and i totally get why, but once again, going back to 1941: it's exactly the solution that will not work. they cannot run from this. heaven, and hell, will find them. they will come for them. it wasn't an option in 1941, it wasn't an option in 2019, and it isn't an option in 2023. aziraphale begins shaking his head - crowley is confessing, but a) aziraphale doesn't run from things, it isnt in his character, and b) it's just putting them back where they started - something that they have to hide. it defeats the purpose.

and this? yeah, im sure on neither side it was meant the way im about to interpret it, more of an unspoken thing, idk... but if the bookshop is indeed their place of safety, and is where they (as far as crowley sees it) can speak and keep their love, it makes sense that crowley is telling aziraphale he needs to stay. the bookshop can be interpreted so many ways - it represents their relationship, or that crowley means him, himself - but what if we looked at it like crowley is trying now to covet it, because it's protecting them? what if he's saying, "well, if you won't run away with me, we can't be free to have our relationship as we wanted it, not unless we stay here... heaven has come for you, has come for us, and whilst they're here we can't move. so what other option is left remain in this bookshop? to never leave it, and what we have inside it, because there's no other option in which we can be together if you won't run with me."

and what if aziraphale is saying, "no, i have an option, and that's to be together in heaven! they won't be able to do anything, not when im in the position the metatron has offered me, that can be our new bookshop... nothing lasts forever - this bookshop won't last forever, it's compromised, and we can't continue to secret away what we feel inside it, it's time to move forward."

welcome to the line that breaks my heart the most in this whole goddamn scene - and tbh i think is fairly self-explanatory in the hypothetical s3-1941 context. that aziraphale is trying, once again, to tell crowley that he is offering himself, letting them be an 'us', as crowley says shortly after - that before he couldnt do it, and these arent the best of circumstances, but they can finally do it and not have to hide in the bookshop. but crowley reminds him, "hey, i was in your shoes, remember. i wanted us to be together then, and you told me you couldn't, didn't want a halfway measure - well, now i don't either. and this will be a halfway measure, because i don't think us being together in heaven is going to go the way you hope it will. i understand a whole lot better than you do." in any case, it would explain why aziraphale choses this moment to look so devastated. this is what he promised crowley, but now crowley - to his mind, in the things left Unsaid - doesn't want it... him.

and then... back to the nightingales. they're not singing at all, not even under the rumble of traffic, like they were at the Ritz. they're completely absent - day has broken, the things unspoken have now been said, and there's no denying them anymore. from crowley's point of view, there was nothing to stop them this time, but if aziraphale won't run with him, then they have to go separate ways, because there is no other way. aziraphale knows there's the possibility that the only place they could actually be safe is heaven itself, that the bookshop was never as safe as they hoped it had been, but that crowley might actually come to see that. but the fact that crowley is resigned to just... returning to 'reality', to a world that's still turning where they aren't together? despite everything they've just said? "we could've been... us." well, that hurts.

and then... the kiss. now. im still of the mind that the kiss was an Issue. i definitely think it was meant out of love and desperation, and out of possibly being a goodbye. this would echo the hypothetical s3-1941 kiss... but it was hurtful. it was abrupt, and harsh, and not at all romantic (imo). it was possessive, and almost cruel. i do think still it was a last ditch attempt, a temptation, to get aziraphale to change his mind, before crowley leaves the shop and returns to the 'real world'. but it hurts aziraphale in many different ways - but with 1941 put in there, too? crowley is just testing his resolve, trying to push him, come around to giving in. crowley asked him to forgive him the last time he kissed aziraphale, and this time - this time, aziraphale is giving him what he asked for.

[mod2amaryllis]

Lots of people are coming out with their best shows/movies/anime etc. of the year, and since you have such impeccable taste I'd love to hear yours! Only if it's okay ofc! Have a wonderful rest of 2022 and great 2023!

ok this is the only end of year reflection i have the capacity to do tonight, lemme thiiink ummm it was a big year for things tbh!!! I'll just ramble i guess, first up...

TV SHOWS

SEVERANCE: possibly the best first season of a show I've ever seen, and absolutely the best s1 finale of a show I've ever seen, huge ups to @tricktster for recommending it. you've probably heard it a million times but if you haven't, GO WATCH SEVERANCE, it lives up to the hype.

THE REHEARSAL: the magic trick that this show pulls is so bizarre and unprecedented it's like. impossible for me to even talk about. the entire time watching it i was gaping at my tv in open disbelief. it does and says so much in the wildest ways possible I'm still obsessed.

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS S4: three words, Baby Colin Robinson

ANDOR: I'm not a star wars guy at allll. not even a little bit. my expectations have never been high. but when i saw @variastrix loving it up on my dash i was like okaaay and holy shit. SO good. the prison arc especially was just like OUUUGHH THEMES AND DIALOGUE OFF THE CHARTS!!!

ANIME

SPY X FAMILY: what's especially fun is that we were in Japan while the second part of the season was dropping and Anya was fucking eeeeverywhere!!! everyone agrees with me cannot get ENOUGH of that funny little girl!!! best execution of fake dating trope everr the more convoluted the better.

MOB PSYCHO 100 III: ......like. c'mon what is there to even say. what's there to saaaaay! it's in my top 3 anime ever! the subversion of shonen anime has basically ruined all other stereotypical anime for me forever because it's just. so much better. so much funnier and more poignant to watch the most powerful boy ever strive to be a better person. i love that little guy and his silly conman role model

MOVIES

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE: i feel the same way about this movie as anyone else. saw the trailer, hooked instantly, then when i actually watched it i walked out going "this is the greatest movie I've ever seen??????" insanely shot, cast incredible, the whole premise simultaneously huge as a multiverse and small as an immigrant couple in a laundromat. this movie defined my cosmic outlook on life. that nothing matters, so we should make the most out of what and who we love. in any other year this would've been my far and away fave. but then came:

NOPE: you guys follow me. you've heard it already. this movie ..... this..... FUCKING MOVIE.... haunted me from the moment i saw that chimp covered in blood. it scared me so bad i wasn't even sure if i liked it but then i thought and kept thinking AND I THOUGHT AND KEPT THINKING AND I HAVEN'T STOPPED THINKING this movie this god damn movie. it's a social commentary, it's a blockbuster popcorn hit, it's about animals, it's about people, it's a creature feature, it's funny, it's glorious to look at it's glorious and i love it so so much. Jean jacket really is a beautiful name for a baby girl.

GAMES:

VAMPIRE SURVIVORS: this game is like if you broke gaming down to it's purest chemical form and injected it directly into your bloodstream. it's a game that might be perfect in its simplicity. it's also really funny that i can be a stinky old garlic man, i like that a lot. it's free on mobile what are you waiting for.

HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST: i feel so fucking bad for this series not once, but TWICE releasing at the same time as two of the greatest games literally ever made (i still have to beat elden ring oops) because i love these games SO MUCH! they scratch a very particular itch for me which is plenty of upgradable weapons/armor for me to chase, incredibly in depth lore, and post apocalyptic robot dinosaurs. literally no notes. i love games like this that're like "we know what you want. you want to kill a spinosaurus with a bow and arrow and afterwards treat yourself to some incredible American vistas, here, take it, enjoy." it's an incredibly Me game. probably my goty if measured by how much fun i had playing it.

ALBUMS:

BRONCO BY ORVILLE PECK: the biggie. life changer. this beat out pony for me. makes me wanna be a lonesome cowboy in the Rockies so fucking bad i can taste it. like....im already thiiiis close to being a lonesome cowboy in the Rockies and when i listen to curse of the blackened eye on my morning walk, looking at the snow capped mountains, I'm there. I'm a cowboy baby. also saw him live and sobbed he's insane, the talent, he's just showing off he's nuts.

LAST NIGHT IN THE BITTERSWEET BY PAOLO NUTINI: through the echoes specifically. came up randomly in a mixed playlist and swiveled my head so fucking fast. one of my favorite artist finds of the year.

NOPE OST BY MICHAEL ABELS: that's right bitch nope gets featured TWICE, idc!!!

DANCE FEVER BY FLORENCE + THE MACHINE: this is the album to finally get me into Florence + the machine, before i was just into the hits but this album.... King? FREE???? DAFFODIL???????? good god welch

THINGS IN GENERAL

mfucking!!!!!!!!!

FISH!!!!!!!!!! 🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟💙💙💙💙✌️✌️✌️🥰🥰🥰🥰🐠🐠🐠🐟🐠🐟🐠🐟🐠🐟🐠🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡🦈🦈🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

[tma-thoughts]

I wrote s5 Jon going back in time to s1 and smiting Elias, told from the perspective of s1 Jon. Also I couldn't be bothered to write the beginning or a sound ending so take this I guess

"Do you think you can beat me, Archivist?" Elias asks, a smile tugging at his thin lips. He steps forward, his eyes glowing bright green in the dim light of the Archives. "I know everything you don't."

At this, the Archivist huffs out a laugh, chuckling until it sounds more like a strained cry. "Is that supposed to scare me, Jonah?" He asks smugly. An eye opens on his forehead, then another on his cheek, then a cluster on the back of his neck, and others, surely, beneath his clothes. They all glow a bright, piercing green. Jon takes a cautious step back.

"I see you've learned some fancy tricks," Elias says, "Is that all?"

"Hardly."

"What do you think you can really do to me?"

Elias' words are heavy on Jon's ears. His voice resonates in the room, bouncing through his mind. The Archivist seems unfazed, though, and starts laughing again. It takes him a good couple of seconds to gather himself, like Elias had just told the funniest joke he'd ever heard.

"Did you just try to compel me, Jonah?" He asks, his chuckle still laced throughout his words. "You should know better than that. You don't have power over power itself."

There's a shocked look on Elias's face, but his eyebrows furrow as it's clear he tries to hide it. He takes a protective step back.

"Do you think you can actually scare me?" The Archivist asks, "I've seen horrors unknown to even the Eye itself. You simply serve fear, allow it a vessel through which to feed. I am fear. I am the monster under your bed, I am the thing that goes bump in the night, I am the thing that watches you as you sleep. I plunge fear into the very hearts of innocent people while you are simply a leech, watching--always watching."

He steps closer to Elias, and Jon can see Elias' face begin to sweat. He'd only ever seen the man as cool and professional--if not incredibly boring. To think that Jon from approximately five years down the line could do something like this is almost too much.

"You strike fear by telling people what they refuse to believe. You make them See their mistakes, their pasts, their hidden truths. All you do is suck Knowledge like a vampiric leech and throw it back at your unsuspecting victims. But it wont work on me. I know the fear I cause. I know it more than anyone else, and it is the thing I understand most of all. You cannot surprise me with something I already know.

"You think you know the fear you cause, but all you can comprehend is the tip of the iceberg. I can make you understand. I can instill so much terror into your heart that your physical form cannot take it. I did it to the thing that stole Sasha, I did it to the goddamn Distortion, and I can do it to you.

"The Ceaseless Watcher is on my side. You feed it and feed it and yet it has never liked you. Not when you were Jonah, not now that you wear the face of Elias Bouchard. The Watcher obeys my every command, it Knows I am on it's level. Every fear knows I am on it's level, and they cower before my wrath.

"So do you want to go the easy way, or the hard way?"

Elias looks actually scared now, but if he's anything it's incredibly stubborn. "And what do those options consist of?" He asks.

"Oh come on, Jonah, do I need to spell everything out for you?" The Archivist replies, rolling his eyes (all of them). "Either I smite you off the face of the Earth or I grab the knife in the bottom drawer and stab you until you've properly bled out. Both, I can assure you, are extremely painful. Or, well, I can't really speak for the smiting as I've personally never been killed that way before, but I can infer from the screaming."

"What!" Jon exclaims, unable to keep his confusion inaudible. The Archivist doesn't answer him, though, and keeps himself focused on Elias.

"If I stab you with Gertrude's old knife in the desk drawer, it's almost like she's getting her revenge, but if I smite you, you'll be killed by the one thing you ever pledged loyalty to. Oh, the choices, the choices. What do you think, Jon?"

Jon jumps in surprise. "Uh, well, I-uh, I suppose that, um... the knife might be a bit bloody?"

"Ah, you're right," the Archivist says, "It'd be a pain to get blood out of the carpet."

He turns to Elias, who's sweating bullets. "Are you ready, Jonah?" The Archivist says with a sick smile.

"Now, c'mon Jon, this is crazy," Elias says, "You wouldn't actually kill me, would you? Of course not! Spare me, spare me, please!"

The Archivist doesn't listen to him, and instead all his eyes glow brightly as he lifts slightly off the ground.  "Feel the horror you cause, the feelings you plunge into the hearts of others. Feel it. Suffer it," he says, spitting venom from his words, "Ceaseless Watcher, turn your gaze upon this putrid excuse for a servant and drink your fill."

The room seems to warp and bounce around Jon, and he feels like he's going through a bad high. Elias is screaming, but his voice is distorted in his ears. He might be screaming, he doesn't know. There's a loud ringing following everything, until finally, the world seems to come to a halt.

"Holy shit," Jon whispers, seeing the scorch mark burnt into the carpet where Elias once stood. He feels the Archivist's eyes on him, and whips his head around to look at him. The extra eyes are closing and fading into faint scars and stretch marks.

"I'm not smiting you, Jon, I'm not an idiot," the Archivist says, "If I kill you, I cease to exist. And I'd really rather find my Martin before that happens."

With that, he walks out of the Archives.

[xplrvibes]

about snc’s newest video: stas giving colby her necklace and him feeling more protected + her feeling less protected to me illustrated perfectly what this video was mostly about: mental manipulation/manipulation of faith. it wasn’t a creepy place per se, it looked like something out of a movie, but i’m sure the energy there is dense because of the stories that are told. and then amanda saying the spirit was sort of pissed bc of that necklace thing like??? what even- anyways. i liked that colby sat on the chair but overall i didn’t feel any heebie jeebies throughout the video. it was a great esthes method (and i’m hoping sam finally lets himself immerse on the experience) but most of all i felt like whichever was around was actually fucking with them even further. like it said, that’s its home, its territory. whichever or whoever spirit is there doesn’t necessarily want help or to communicate, feels like its choosing to stay right at that place and not bc something traumatic might’ve happened (i don’t believe in haunted objects), but because it’s a good place to get (mostly) negative energy if it wishes to.

i feel like they toned down (thank god) on the scary images during editing which allowed for better immersion imo. also what’s with them still doing the stupidest things ever??? it’s like they’re hoping to piss off whatever thing(s) might be there. i also didn’t see anything revolutionary for the paranormal investigation like they claimed, but like you pointed out: they did get the biggest paranormal asshole to be nice to them so hey, that’s a win in my books.

they also keep mentioning portals and trying really hard to correlate things and keep that s1 narrative going and that’s starting to annoy me ngl lol. like sirs those are spirits, not vampires. they don’t need an invitation or a taxi to come and go to places 😭😭😭 they’re spirits. non material beings. laws of physics don’t really seem to affect them 💀

also the scrying method. seth’s done it on one of his videos so it wasn’t anything new to me but it’s always interesting to see how the mind can play tricks on us based on our emotions, thoughts, the place, subconscious signals and so on (not to say there’s nothing paranormal about it) and how after we stare at one specific point for too long, we lose focus and sort of get in a “trance” where it’ll be easier for us to see things and usually those “visions” go according to - again - the place we’re in and how we’re feeling (or the collective feeling of a group).

a lot of their equipment didn’t truly go off which makes me, again, question how “haunted” that place is vs how much of it is just energy projection fueled by stories and legends that are told by workers, mouth to mouth and so on.

and sam and colby being protective of their friends was really sweet. colby especially seemed more assertive and protective when he said “it’s targeting our friends”. he seemed genuinely worried for the girls’ well-beings and was quick to shut it down bc “if it’s targeting us, that’s one thing, but it’s targeting them so nope we’re done here, let’s go” type of thing. (though i do believe it doesn’t matter who it’s targeting, if it’s attached to sam, for example, it can still affect people close to him so doesn’t really matter much imo). but it was sweet nonetheless!

Yes, absolutely! The necklace thing really showcased how powerful fear and faith and superstition can be psychologically when going into these types of situations. Colby, who had been having moments of fear beforehand, seemed to be mostly fine afterwards (aside from the Devil's Chair), whereas Stas began feeling worse and worse after she lost her "protection." Really interesting stuff!

That Estes Method was the first time I saw Sam seem truly affected by what he was going through. Sam, I feel, has a little bit of an issue truly letting go of his skepticism long enough to really experience what's going on around him- but in that session in the Chair, he was scared. Scared, but far more immersed, as you said, than I've really seen him before.

I've never been to the Museum (though it is on my bucket list), but the place looks like its very heavy inside, and i think its because of the way they have it built and staged (and obviously, the creepy shit inside). That place is built to house and amplify fear in everyone that walks through it. I can't even imagine what the energy is like on there.

Oh, yes, the portals! The word portal is really starting to go by the way of the word attachment, in that I am starting to never want to hear it again, lol. Same with vortex. Not every double mirror is a vortex! Sometimes it's just really shitty decorating/fung shui.

And I absolutely agree- I don't think that place is really haunted with anything intelligent, so much as it's just the fear based energy that is created in there on a day-to-day basis, taking on a sentient life of its own, so to say. It's really interesting, regardless!

And the ending was definitely sweet! They are very protective of their friends, which is a refreshing trait in youtubers, lol.

[zeppelin-and-unicorns]

Fanfic recommendations part five: Alternate Universe (canon divergence)

I am going to make three AU posts, one with AU’s that diverge from canon (this one), one with 100% AU stories, and one with Soulmate AU stories, I’ll probably post the next category tomorrow or maybe even today.

After the AU’s there are only two more categories left, Christmas fics and Crossovers! After that I will make a master post with the link of all the previous fanfic recommendations posts.

Enough rambling, this is a long category, which means, long post.

a retro romance by poeticlyme

Jackie Burkhart, the Princess of Point has an unrequited crush on a certain paranoid burnout. Or is it so unrequited?

Please read this story, it’s amazing and I love it!!! The slow burn and the sexual tension between Jackie and Hyde in this story is everything!!

This story is a WIP and it’s being updated constantly.

59k words, 18 chapters for now.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna and Kelso/Brooke.

Cheater, Liar by Maleesha (MalissaNgov)

Jackie hates cheaters.

(or when Jackie is less naive and Hyde was more aware of her situation.)

This story is a WIP.

36k words, 12 chapters for now.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Contact by tanith75

Stop what you’re doing and go read this story right now!! It’s amazing, this story is definitely on my top 10 favorite stories of all time.

What if the night Hyde and Jackie stood in the Forman driveway, kissing, the sliding door hadn't been locked? What if Kelso had gotten outside in time to confront Hyde? What if...

This story is not complete, but please don’t let this stop you from reading it.

53k words, 10 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Everything Works If You Let It by Ultrawoman

Jackie and Hyde pretty much hated each other from the get go, and yet he still agreed to take her to Prom. Kelso was unable to win Jackie back that night, and everything changed between the rich cheerleader and the Zen Master. S1 rewritten from 'Prom Night'.

This story is complete and it’s SO CUTE.

60k words, 23 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Endless Midnights by Anonymous

Were they stupid? Of course. Were they terrified? Duh. Were they doing it anyway? Hell yeah.

In which Hyde feels guilty about covering for Kelso and Jackie finds out about Laurie much sooner.

BOY OH BOY THIS STORY IS AMAZING PLEASE READ IT.

This story is complete.

54k words, 17 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Escaping The Friendzone by KayRight

Jackie doesn't take Kelso back at their prom. Instead, she starts an odd friendship with Hyde. They both want more but the only problem is he thinks she's on the rebound and she thinks he's not interested.

This story is complete.

73k words, 23 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

Going to California part 2 by holograma209

What if the whole gang went on a road trip to California after graduation, finding themselves along the way? Set at the very beginning of season 6.

This story is a WIP, it hasn’t been updated in a while but I still have faith.

11k words, 5 chapters for now.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

Halloween: Extended Cut by Hyde’s Bride

An extension of the season two episode, "Halloween". Jackie forgets her poncho in the field where the gang buried their permanent records. Hyde goes back with her to get it. What tricks or treats will be in store for them on this Halloween night?

I love horror stories (even though I’m scared shitless of them) and this one is really nice! It’s not THAT scary, so don’t worry.

This story is complete.

8k words, 3 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

High on Summer series by QueenBookBuff

Hyde has been craving Jackie for a long time. It's summer time, anything is possible, and he is positive she will be his new favorite drug.

This is a WIP.

9 works on this series for now, according to my calculator, the entire series has 26k words.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Hyde Bags Jackie by gah-linda

After s3ep8 “Jackie Bags Hyde”, Jackie and Hyde start a very steamy affair behind everyone’s backs.

This story is abandoned, but it’s pretty good.

75k words, 23 chapters.

Rated M. Very, very M. Seriously, this work has a lot of sex, but the story’s plot is overall very interesting, I really like it.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

I’ll be There by crimsinsky

When Jackie finds out that Kelso cheated on her again, she was hurt that her so called friends didn’t tell her. A new friendship happens starts up, and an old relationship turns obsessive.

This story is a WIP, and it’s being updated constantly.

26k words, 19 chapters so far.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Knowing Me, Knowing You by Writerperson100

After being cheated on by her second boyfriend, Jackie accepts her aunt’s offer to come live with her.

When her past is ready to catch up with Jackie, will she be ready to face it?

This story is complete.

61k words, 26 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Movies As Friends by rymilu

Jackie realizes a few things about herself after her kiss with Hyde. She once more tries to bag him after Michael and Donna leave to California, no longer hiding her feelings. Instead of pressuring him like before, she decides to start with taking him to the movies.

This story is a WIP.

38k words, 6 chapters so far.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Never Look Back by Shabbuuu

Jackie and Hyde decide to leave Point Place instead of waiting for Kelso to return.

Pretty sure this is an abandoned story, but the ending of the last chapter was nice, and they’re happy, so...

20k words, 17 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

New York, New York by Shabbuuu

This one is also on my top favorite stories of all time, do yourself a favor and read this, it’s amazing.

What if Hyde did go to New York City with Chrissy? It's 1981 and Jackie has just moved to NYC for a job. What happens when she runs into a familiar face at a bar?

This story is complete.

40k words, 38 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Of All Things Creepy and Unnatural by CaedanceLaura

Also on my top favorites, lol. I can’t help myself, I really love AU’s.

What if Donna and Eric hadn't found out about Hyde and Jackie? Hyde and Jackie manage to keep their relationship a secret for much longer. How will this change the development of their relationship without having their friends lack of support and ridicule in the beginning?

Not complete, but it ends in a nice place. No cliffhangers here.

56k words, 16 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

One Difference: Donna and Kelso Have a Fling by MistyMountainHop

Believing she's lost Eric forever, Donna accepts Kelso's offer to have a fun, commitment-free fling. They plan on keeping it a secret, but Jackie and Hyde's own summer secret complicates matters.

This story is complete.

32k words, 11 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Eric/Donna, Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

One Difference: Hyde Catches Jackie by MistyMountainHop

Kelso forgets to pick Jackie up from work ... again. Feeling neglected, she falls into the arms of her boss, only to be caught in a transgressive lip-lock by Steven Hyde.

This story is complete.

15k words, 4 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

One Difference: Hyde Doesn’t Lie by MistyMountainHop

Hyde tells Jackie the truth about their Veteran's Day kiss, but his choice alters their relationship — and the lives around them. One difference can change everything.

This story is complete.

12k words, 3 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

One Difference: Hyde Goes to Kelso’s Ice Shack by MistyMountainHop

Kelso plans to get Jackie back by taking her to his uncle's "fabulous" cabin in the woods. He has everything in place—the right lie, the right couple to emulate—but an unexpected variable threatens to dismantle his scheme: Steven Hyde.

This story is complete.

21k words, 5 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

One Difference: Jackie and Hyde Don’t Kiss (During the Summer) by MistyMountainHop

With the basement to themselves, Jackie and Hyde can't seem to stay away from each other. Buried feelings rise to the surface. Jackie makes the first move, but Hyde blocks it. Rather than kissing, they end up in a chess match of escalating risks and consequences.

This story is complete.

126k words, 31 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

Also Available on AO3

One Difference: The Answer’s Probably Yes by MistyMountainHop

In a desperate act, Hyde seeks advice from Jackie, a girl who thinks he's scum. He's not fond of her either, but she makes him a crazy yet strangely-appealing offer.

This story is complete.

60k words, 15 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

Also Available on AO3

OPERATION: REBOUND by ShanghaiLily

I was having a lot of trouble categorizing this, since it can be considered an AU and a season 8 fix-it, but in the end I placed it on the AU category because there’s a original character involved.

Jackie & Hyde have trouble hiding their secret relationship, because a housebound & heartbroken Eric continually walks in on them while they're fooling around. Sexually frustrated, they resolve to find Eric a girlfriend to distract him so they can be alone in every way. What happens when Donna comes home and finds that Eric has moved on? Will she fight for him?

This story is complete.

65k words, 13 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Eric/OC.

Spur of the Moment by shy1214

What might have happened if Hyde had made a different choice and said a different thing at one point early on?

Donna is not a nice character in this story, just to let you know.

This story is a WIP

49k words, 9 chapters for now.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Tiny Dancer by ourinvisibleink

After a summer of fooling around with resident bad boy Steven Hyde, Jackie discovers that she is pregnant.

This story is a WIP. It hasn’t been updated in a few months, but I still have faith.

9k words, 5 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Trick or Treat by MistyMountainHop

Kelso invites his single friends to his brother's Halloween party. Casey's Monster Make-Out Mash-Ups are renowned for encouraging commitment-free flings. Fresh from a break-up — and pining over Kelso's girl — Hyde needs some naughty-bad fun. But Jackie is far from happy herself, despite being one-half of the only couple left in the basement.

This story is complete.

14k words, 2 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Also Available on AO3

Welcome to Hydeville (One Difference: Hyde Doesn’t Toss Jackie’s Bag) by MistyMountainHop

When Jackie tries to prove her coolness to Hyde, Hyde shows her just how uncool life with him would be.

This story is complete.

13k words, 6 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

You Look Like an Angel by crimsinsky

It all started with prom, but what if Hyde hadn’t immediately gone off with Pam Macy and waited to see what Jackie would do?

This story is a WIP.

22k words, 17 chapters so far.

One-shots:

A chance encounter by hanaasbananas

When Jackie rejects Kelso's serenade, she leaves the basement and the gang behind for good. Seven years later, a meeting in a bar gives birth to an unexpected friendship that could change the course of her life forever.

7k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Beats of Silence by vampy.rEVOLution666

When she was with Kelso, Jackie never experienced the passion that she always thought she would when it came to sex, so responsibility falls upon the Zen Master to show her that it can be so much better when you're with the right person. Jackie Burkhart and Steven Hyde finally go on their first date, they have their first kiss and they spend their first night together.

3k words.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Catching Up by springsteenicious

Hyde isn't exactly sure just how he ended up in a smelly ice shack staring at a notebook paper with his name written on it in Jackie's curly handwriting, but he does know that today is going to change things between them.

Or: Hyde goes to the ice shack.

3k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Communication Breakdown by springsteenicious

Donna told Jackie she didn't want a new boyfriend after Eric. Hyde offers his friendship and Donna mistakes it for more. When Donna makes a move, Hyde tells her something shocking about himself.

6k words

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Donna/Hyde friendship

Creepy and Unnatural?? Not at all! by HydeLuver

As usual, Hyde is the only one who can comfort a heartbroken Jackie.

1k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Fez dates Jackie by zeppelinandunicorns 

A rewrite of S3EP21. Instead of asking Donna for help with Caroline, Fez asks Jackie, making a certain burnout jealous beyond befief.

5k words

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

From the Land of Ice and Snow by MoonTickler

Blizzards in the Midwest suck at the best of times, but never as much as when Hyde and Jackie get stranded in the Vista Cruiser together, and they're forced to confess their feelings for one another, which may or may not have to do with the first kiss that neither would confess they felt anything during.

7k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Hyde Doesn’t Sleep With the Nurse by springsteenicious

What if Hyde hadn't slept with the nurse in "You Shook Me?" What if he and Jackie had just talked things out?

1k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

It’s Just a Kiss Away by springsteenicious

It's Veteran's Day and everything Hyde thought he knew about love is being changed. Jackie, on the other hand, is just happy to finally be with him.

2k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Little T&A by springsteenicious

Eric and Donna actually do get married, prompting Hyde to make a decision about his own relationship.

(Eric and Donna's wedding told from Jackie and Hyde's POVs)

2k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

wouldn’t you love to love her by donutcats

And the story deviates off course yet again, because Jackie twists her mouth for a moment and then says; “Can we try that again?”

“What?”

“Can we kiss again?"

11k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Feel free to reply to this post if you think I left out a good story!

I’ll repeat this at the end of every single post (seriously, I literally copy and paste this every single time): Speaking as someone who writes, it would be really cool if you guys decide to leave a review (or a comment, if the story is on AO3) in the stories you read, especially the unfinished ones. It really motivates the authors, and receiving a compliment is always a mood lifter. I’ve seen some authors updating stories after years because of nice reviews, so… yeah, this is just an idea.

The next category is: 100% Alternative Universe stories. Will post it soon!

[intothewickedwood]

Once Upon A Time Rewatch: 6x09 Changelings

Okay, another episode I have hardly any memory of. Oh! Is it a Rumbelle flashback? I feel like Gideon is in this one. It’s so weird not having memorised or deeply analysed s6. I’ve rewatched and analysed other seasons so many times but I’ve probably seen this season twice at most. I hate not remembering things. I must know everything!!

Are the fairies still nuns, as Whale asked in s2? You would have thought Christianity and magic wouldn’t mix but maybe they found a way.

Okay! I’m getting a strong sense my girl Belle is about to do something batsh*t! I love it when she does things completely bananas! 

Belle: “He’s trying to scare me so I’ll go back to him.” Yep. Generally, not a good technique for getting someone back.

Okay, but how on earth does Belle know the baby is a boy???

There’s a manual on defeating the Dark One? Gideon must have somehow placed that there. 

Ugggh. Finding it really difficult to concentrate here because here I am watching a show about magic, which is completely fiction while my mum is on the phone with my Nanna talking about fantastical witchcraft and how everyone is casting curses on them as though its real. I am going to scream. 

It’s giddy up Gideon!

It must be weird seeing your child all grown up before it’s born. 

I forget, is this a genuine vision of Gideon who’s trying to help or are the Black Fairy or Gideon manipulating Belle? 

Did he cut his own fate?

Ooh! Call back to s1! I’m guessing Snow doesn’t know Sidney killed her father. Or she probably does due to the Agrabahn vipers.

Don’t you touch Zelena, Split Queen istg!!

Why doesn’t Zelena even fight Split Queen?! Maybe she thinks she’ll just absorb her magic like Hyde did, which I’m not entirely sure if she possesses that power. But Zelena could have taken her! I don’t know why they didn’t show Zelena’s true magic potential this season.

Good! Thanks Reggie! 

Squid ink does not last long.

Oh my God! Leave Belle alone! 

Bell speaks fairy language?

Oh! He knew she was going to translate it so used that to his advantage by tricking her into it! Clever!

Oh. He didn’t use the magic to speed up her pregnancy?

Stop being a zingwhipper, Regina! Hades killed Robin.

Zelena: “you’ve been forgiven. You’ve grown. You’ve changed.” Regina: “You’re not me.” No, you’re much worse, Regina! I can’t with this hypocrisy, again. You’ve slaughtered villages upon villages with children. What makes you so special that you’re worthy of forgiveness but someone who hasn’t even committed half the murders you have isn’t?? And worthy of your forgiveness no less?! You’d think Regina would be more forgiving given the heinous crimes she’s committed but I guess not if her revenge on a ten-year-old is anything to go by. I’m not saying any of them are worthy of forgiveness or not but if we’re gonna forgive a child mass murderer we might as well forgive everyone else. 

Aladdin! If Ouat in Wonderland is anything to go by, becoming a genie is a huge sacrifice!

Blue! You got big for no reason! Why does she keep doing that this season? It goes against her abhorrence at Tinker Bell doing that.

Blue: “no one knows exactly (why the Black Fairy turned evil).” Another lie! Blue was literally there when it happened!

This must have been one of the only times Belle got out of the castle during her stay of a few months there.

Emma is so checked out this season and the last. Girl needs some coca cola or something.

Who sped up Belle’s pregnancy?!

Okay, but I am so attracted to the black fairy.

Also, she gives me Bellatrix Lestrange vibes.

You can tell she cares for Rumple by the way she looks at him. I’m not sure why she’s pretending that she doesn’t. Maybe I’ve forgotten something.

No need to hurt him!

I remember those few episodes where I thought Rumple was half-fairy and Henry was an eighth fairy lmao!

Well, at least Emma was kind enough to be there for Belle. God knows not a damn soul else looks out for her.

“Can you push me on the swing, mummy?” What? Loooool!

Did Belle just freaking black out during childbirth in order to see Gideon? She must have. When I have kids, I bet I’ll just straight up blackout during the first 5 minutes of labour. So many times I’ve had stomachache I’ve ended up unconscious on the bathroom floor lmao. I just can’t handle it! 

Gideon: “You know what you must do.” Belle: “Go into complete batsh*t insane mode again?” Gideon: “You know it!”

Belle, why are you listening to a vision that is probably the product of being blackout-drugged up to your eyeballs on painkillers??!

The stupid flipping book lol. Mustn't forget the book!

Belle, honey, this is a little extreme. I get you wanna keep him safe from Rumple but it’s not worth sending him to live in the freaking clouds! Whatever Rumple is going to do, which likely isn’t to hurt his son, is not worth leaving your baby to the fairies!

And you’re trusting him with Blue of all people?! She probably wanted this to happen!

Gideon means destroyer. I knew he was going to be a villain from the moment she named him that.

Jesus, she is obsessed with that book. I mean, her mum died trying to save some books so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s like everything she does is to be like the characters in that book but, like, to a detrimental effect!

“Okay, Giddy Up, look after Mummy’s book and don’t damage it or get food marks on it! Byeeeeee!”

That was absolutely bananas, Belle!

I do feel for Rumple here. Lost another son. 

Did he speed up her pregnancy?

Belle could have at least have gone with Gideon, no?

These parents are supposed to be Jack and Jill. Aren’t Jack and Jill meant to be brother and sister?! 

Oh! Split Queen sped up the pregnancy! 

Oh God, he has to find his son again! Oh no! 

Emma, are you okay? You seem tired to the point of being a different character who has possessed Emma’s body since season 5!! I miss s1-4 Emma so bad.

Destroy the sword, guys! 

[fuckofffuckofffuckoffloveme]

Runaway - Epilogue

~Masterlist~

Concept: Hazel Richards is a twenty-year-old woman living in London. When she meets a mysterious time-travelling alien known only as the Hunter, she’s thrust into a world of wonder she could only have imagined.

Warnings: swearing, follows S1 of Doctor Who.

Hazel groaned softly as she stirred, her eyes flickering open to see the Hunter watching her, a small smile gracing her lips. She frowned slightly, pushing herself up to rest on her elbows. "What happened?"

"Don't you remember?" the Hunter asked quietly, leaning against the console.

"It's like there was this... singing?" Hazel shrugged, trying to remember.

The Hunter smiled sadly. "That's right. I sang a song and the Daleks ran away."

"I was at home," Hazel remember, then frowned. "No, I wasn't, I was in the TARDIS, and there was this light. I can't remember anything else."

"You will do," the Hunter promised, her eyes flickering to her hand, seeing golden energy rush up it. "Soon, you'll remember." She sighed, shaking her head, before looking back up at Hazel. "Hazel Norton. I was going to take you to so many places. Barcelona. Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona. You'd love it. Fantastic place. They've got dogs with no noses. Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke, and it's still funny." She grinned.

"Then why can't we go?" Hazel asked warily, sitting up properly.

The Hunter shrugged airily. "Maybe you will, and maybe I will, but not like this."

"You're not making sense," Hazel shook her head, frowning.

"I might never make sense again," the Hunter realised, her eyes widening at the possibilities. "I might have two heads, or no head. Imagine me with no head. And don't say that's an improvement. But it's a bit dodgy, this process. You never know what you're going to end up w- Ow!" She doubled over in pain, her face contorting.

"Artie!" Hazel cried, scrambling to her feet.

The Hunter put out a hand. "Stay away!"

"Artie, tell me what's going on," Hazel pleaded, her eyes wide and scared.

"I absorbed all the energy of the Time Vortex, and no one's meant to do that," the Hunter replied, clenching her hand into a fist. "Every cell in my body's dying."

Hazel's blood ran cold. "Tell me you can do something."

"Yeah, I'm doing it now," the Hunter assured her, wincing. "Time Lords have this little trick, it's sort of a way of cheating death. Except it means I'm going to change, and I'm not going to see you again. Not like this. Not with this daft old face. And before I go -"

"Don't say that!" Hazel cried.

"Haze," the Hunter sighed, hugging her tight before she backed up again. "Before I go, I just want to tell you, you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what? So was I." And with that, golden light burst out of her body, filling the console room with brightness. Hazel ducked behind one of the coral structures until the light faded, and peered round.

"Artie?" she asked timidly, her eyes wide, but all she saw was a slightly taller woman with very short blonde hair, wearing the same t-shirt and jeans the Hunter had been a second ago.

She smiled when she saw Hazel. "Hell- Ooh." She frowned, feeling around in her mouth with her tongue, looking spooked. "Okay. New teeth. That's weird. So, where was I? Oh, that's right." She grinned, winking at Hazel confidently. "Barcelona."

~~~

And that’s all for that series! If you enjoyed reading this, please please like and/or reblog, and consider donating to my Kofi so I can keep creating fics like this! Thanks for reading :)

[samsoleil]

9 and 10?

ask game

V I am sending the most fond vibes in your direction I hope they make it there okay!!

10. Your favourite season and why.

Honestly? Either S2 or S11.

Season 2: Sam has psychic powers and Dean is terrified that his brother might actually be bad, but is still ride or die for him. This is where we can see their relationship flourish without the search for John hanging over their heads. But y'know what does hang over their heads? John telling Dean he'll either have to save Sam or kill him, and Sam who is desperate to be saved and willing to be killed. And then!! when Sam dies!!! Dean saves him in the worst possible way!!!! Also, it's visually gorgeous. You've got the high contrast vibes from S1 but slightly less desaturated and you've still got the grainy film texture. An excellent time.

Season 11: Listen. I still think it should have been Chuck sending Sam visions. And I don't particularly care for the B plot. But Sam and Dean peak in this season for the first time since pre-s4 and it was amazing. It's the immediate aftermath of Sam literally unleashing  "a force on the world that could destroy it" to save Dean. Codependency at its peak. And in two mid-season episodes they absolutely nail the S2 energy. I mean, establishing beyond any doubt that Dean loves Sam? And then making him think Sam is dead in the very next episode? Where Sam is also the dictionary definition of BAMF? Not to mention, Sam is just. so understanding of Dean and his messy feelings about Amara. Love that for them.

9. What episodes best encapsulates the brother’s relationship? Does this change throughout the series? Doesn’t have to be the best episode btw.

To answer the second question, the brother’s relationship very obviously changes throughout the show. It’s obviously very codependent from the get go (especially from Sam’s perspective! Literally unendurable), and it varies in toxicity. Some seasons they are very soft! Some seasons I want to shout at Sam to run for the hills and never return. And then there are some episodes in seasons where their relationship is literally awful that are wonderfully tender (like 08x21 when Dean says “You gotta let me take care of you, man”). 

Imo, S1-3 are peak brothers. S4/5 are excellent to watch but not the most tender. S6 is on thin fucking ice. S7-10 are, generally speaking, when I would absolutely be willing to kill a man (Dean), but are still SO compelling because these crazy kids are devoted and have no moral boundaries when it comes to the other. S11 is a return to the good stuff! I haven’t seen the seasons after that but from what I have seen, Sam becomes a Dean apologist and Dean just gets worse. But they’re still codependent, so that’s fine. “You were gonna leave and you weren’t even going to tell me?” and “What about me? Would you trade me?” are baller lines. Sam is a grown man but he’s out here saving the world by being Dean’s baby brother. Iconic of them.

OKAY so. First question. I originally had several episodes per season but I have to limit it to 2, this is going to be too long otherwise. Also, as you well know, I've only watched up to 12x06, so I won't include S12 here. 

Episodes (and explanations) under the cut!

Obviously, both 01x01 Pilot and 15x20 Carry On. Literally the perfect bookends for this show. I don’t need to elaborate.

01x05 Bloody Mary - Has the moment where Dean actually has an emotional conversation with his brother, because he’s switched on to Sam’s emotional needs. He was willing to let Sam blame him for Jess’ death so that Sam didn’t blame himself! And near the end it has the iconic line "You're my brother and I'd die for you." Dean, right? No! It was Sam!! Anyone with any sort of reservations about whether Sam cared about Dean in early S1 can refer to this episode. It’s episode 5!! of the whole show!! and it has that line!!

01x11 Faith - Sam has absolutely no regrets about someone dying to save Dean's life. In retrospect, this episode says a lot about how much Sam loves Dean.

02x01 In My Time of Dying - Sam can sense that Dean is there, either through psychic powers or because they are soulmates. Both are good. Also, Dean is told that he may have to kill Sam, which influences their dynamic for the rest of the show <33

02x21 All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1 - Dean, on his knees in the mud, telling Sam's corpse that it'll be okay and screaming his name. That is all. Also, after thoroughly chewing out a victim earlier in the season for selling his soul to save a loved one, Dean sells his soul to save a loved one. 

03x08 A Very Supernatural Christmas - Sam decorated a Christmas tree with pine air fresheners to give Dean a Christmas. Obsessed.

03x11 Mystery Spot - Dean dies repeatedly, then dies for good for about 6 months, and Sam becomes a ruthless hunter in order to bring him back. Dean spends longer dead in this episode than he actually does at the end of S4.

04x14 Sex and Violence - Dean's siren is literally just a version of Sam that is devoted to Dean and would do anything he says. 

04x22 Lucifer Rising - Bobby coming for Dean's life. The VOICEMAIL!! Dean acting as though them being family is a cure-all and saying he'll beat Sam up, but also apologising. I'll take it. And then, of course, the voicemail Sam hears, which is more or less what Dean said in 04x04, and that being what tips him over the edge. The edge, of course, being killing Lilith to avenge Dean’s death, which has been his quest since the end of S3. Excellent.

05x16 Dark Side of the Moon - Ohoho. This episode. You know why this episode is here.

05x22 Swan Song - Same as the above! Dean who doesn't have a plan, just doesn't want his little brother to die alone. Sam, who fights off the devil himself and (essentially) kills himself to save his brother and the car they call their home. That memory sequence, for me, gave Sam the power not to save the world, but to save his brother. The world was just a bonus.

06x11 Appointment in Samara - "Dean doesn't care about me, he just cares about his little brother, Sammy, burning in hell. He'll kill me to get that other guy back." Dean's anger at himself for screwing up and forfeiting Sam's soul was. a lot. Also, Sam begging for his life and Dean just continuing anyway? Horrific. But very testament to their relationship at this point. Dean wants Sammy back and he WILL kill this other guy to do it.

06x22 The Man Who Knew Too Much - Sam being right about the consequences of having his soul put back in. And "You know me. You know why. I'm not leaving my brother alone out there."

07x03 The Girl Next Door - I was tossing up between this and 07x02 but. this has some flashbacks to past Sam!! Unfortunately, it also has Dean punching Sam for using the Impala, the car they both rely on to get around. And Dean murdering Sam's childhood friend for killing rapists. This isn’t an episode that makes you think “Awh, they’re codependent!”, it’s an episode that makes you send Sam vibes screaming at him to get out.

07x14 Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie - Ever think that maybe Sam fears clowns because he associates them with being abandoned? Also, nostalgia vs reality.

08x09 Citizen Fang - The voicemail from S4 is still hanging over our heads. Dean asking “Does that sound like the Benny we know?” and Sam replying “I don’t know Benny.” Dean keeping Benny away from Sam because Sam is apparently the one who will kill monsters with no nuance or remorse. But this episode is on the list specifically because of how pivotal the line "Yes, I do – too well. In fact, every relationship I have ever had has gone to crap at some point. But the one thing I can say about Benny – he has never let me down." is in absolutely wrecking Sam's mental health down the road!

08x23 Sacrifice - For obvious reasons! “You know what I confessed in there? What my greatest sin was? It was how many times I let you down!” and then Dean’s speech of blatant lies. It sounded good, though. Dean really is that devoted, but unfortunately he has amnesia.

09x01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here - Autonomy violation. This is what advanced care directives are for. Dean being so dependent on Sam that he would violate his autonomy and trick him into consenting to possession. Dean will do anything to keep Sam alive, including destroy Sam.

09x16 Blade Runners - The parallels between Colette and Sam are unbearable. “Drop the blade.” Also, Dean becomes SO feral when Sam’s cheek gets cut.

10x19 Book of the Damned - Sam’s speech! “But I can’t do it without my brother. I don’t want to do it without my brother. And if he’s gone, then I don’t….”

10x24 Brother's Keeper - Ahahahahaaa. Sam kneeling down in front of Dean and letting him kill him, if he wants. Dean not doing so. Please do not emulate this relationship in your real human lives.

11x04 Baby - Obvious reasons. Also, the perfect example of how these two communicate. Dean clearly states his opinion so that Sam has something to base his arguments around, and then Sam provides his perspective. That meta about how Dean and Sam communicate and how Sam is the major decision maker opened my eyes. Impeccable takes.

11x16 Safe House - The thing Dean loves being Sam (and Sam being genuinely relieved that it was!!). Sam propping Dean’s sleeping body against the fridge while saying “I got you! Stay with me.” Him cradling Dean in his arms and patting his head and Dean being SO confused but not fighting it.

11x17 Red Meat - Okay, I lied about the 2 per season thing, I just needed all three of these episodes. They are too good to not include. Dean joking to hide how scared he is for Sam? Being willing to let all three of them die just because he thinks Sam is dead? Attempting/committing suicide to try to bring him back? Sam fighting through immense pain to get back to his brother? This episode is so good. They are absolute lunatics (affectionate).

[unshatters-your-teacup]

Anyway this is a really long post, but I read this post and I can’t stop thinking about it so here’s a lot of thoughts I had about The Great Red Dragon (3x8)

I know we all joke about how Will literally told Jack he wanted to run away with Hannibal in 3x04, but I’ve been thinking about the exchange between Will and Jack right before that admission: 

Will: “Not all our choices are consciously calculated”

Jack: “Our decisions are”

And then there’s a few lines about how Jack knows Will called Hannibal and warned him and then we get:

Will: “I deliberated while the phone rang. I decided when I heard his voice”

Re-watching the Great Red Dragon, I was struck with how Will seems to be trying to decide if he should go back to the FBI and, more importantly, if he should go back to Hannibal the entire episode. Deliberating while the phone rings so to speak. 

Will knows getting into the minds of murderers is bad for him. He gets too close, stuff starts to blur, and eventually he opens the door to the darkness inside himself. Will made a choice in 3x07 to get out, get away from Hannibal, and start over. He’s got a new house, a nice normal wife, and a kid that kinda looks like the boy version of Abigail, he’s a different man now. 

Then, Jack shows up and starts talking to Will about the dead families that Will doesn’t want to see or think about. Will doesn’t want to go back because he knows how he is and what opening that door will do. He makes excuses and says “I don’t think about this anymore, Jack. I don’t believe I could do it now.” But Will lets Jack stay for dinner and steps out so that Jack can give Molly the hard sell. This isn’t s1 unsure Will. This is the new and improved Will. The Will that confidently manipulated Hannibal into trusting him in s2 and holds eye contact with Jack when they talk. Will knows Jack, so he had to know that Jack was going to have Molly convince Will to go and that is exactly what happens. Molly doesn’t want Will to go, but, like Jack, she thinks its necessary. At this point, all signs are pointing to Will going. Even Will knows he’s going. And then he tells Molly “If I go, I’ll be different when I get back.” Will knows how hard it is for him to be steeped in violence and the minds of murderers, he has no illusions about what is about to happen. He’s going to go and pick up where he left off with his dark thoughts. Will looks conflicted even though he’s leaning toward going, but he still needs Molly to be sure that she’ll be fine if he’s not the same anymore. 

And then Will waits until Molly is asleep and reads Hannibal’s letter that he hid in a drawer in their bedroom. We see Hannibal writing this letter earlier in the episode so Will can’t have had it too long, but I still think its important and telling the way Will treats the letter. Will waits until he’s alone and Molly won’t interrupt him to read it. This secretive behavior screams that he’s trying to keep it from her. Why? Maybe because he told her he was over Hannibal? Maybe because he doesn’t want to remind Molly that going back might mean getting close to Hannibal all over again? Or maybe because he’s secretly wishing he could take back what he said in the previous episode and gather back the teacup? Either way, I think this scene is when Will completely decides to go back to the FBI and help Jack. 

At the crime scene at the Leeds’s house we can see a bit of unsure s1 Will. He’s shaky and nervous when he sees all the blood and, despite imagining where the bodies would have been quite well, he’s hesitant to do his visualization trick. Will is scared either because he’s dreading what he’ll see or because he’s worried he can’t do it anymore. Unsurprisingly Will’s still got it. However, he does take a shaky pause before he goes into murderer mode and re-enacts the crime. 

After a pretty normal day in the FBI lab with Jimmy and Brian, we find Will again at the motel. He’s obviously nervous (with good reason) that he’s going to have nightmares. He calls Molly but she doesn’t answer and he hangs up (before the voicemail too, so a bit prematurely). This sets up Will as Sad and Lonely, poor Will. 

If we’ve learned anything over s1 and s2 about the way Will does his best work is that Will needs two things:

He needs someone to bounce ideas off of 

He needs someone to be his paddle/anchor/crutch depending on the metaphor you want for it

Depending on the season and who he’s with, various characters have filled one or both of these roles for Will. Jack (usually by aggressively interrogating Will), Beverly, or Hannibal are good people to bounce ideas off and they all help Will organize his thoughts and make the jumps he needs to in order to find the killers. Alana, Hannibal, and now Molly are good emotional rocks that Will can balance himself on so he doesn’t get lost in his fears and nightmares. In some ways, in the motel Will is back in s1, scared of his darkness and needing someone to rely on. Will NEEDS someone he has an emotional connection with so he doesn’t get lost and he wanted it to be Molly but he couldn’t get ahold of her. Will needs someone to talk to and no one can give him that right now so overnight he decides he needs to see Hannibal. 

Immediately after the motel we’re in Jack’s office and we get this exchange:

Will: “What do you expect me to do?”

Jack: “The best you can, that’s all.” 

“The best you can”? Really Jack? That's a bit insulting for the guy who literally helped you catch the Chesapeake Ripper. I feel like Jack made a tactical error by treating Will like the fragile teacup he did in s1. Jack is tiptoeing around Will and trying to be careful and respectful, but really all he’s doing is making Will put his back up because Will knows he can go toe to toe with the worst serial killers and come out relatively unscathed. Right after that is the “there’s a mindset I need to recover” line. I originally thought it was just another part of the lie Will’s been telling everyone (maybe himself too but particularly Jack) that he isn’t all the way back on board and needs a little push, but now I think its 1000% just a ploy to see Hannibal because Will decided that he wants/needs to see him again. 

Also! If you didn’t catch it! The entire time Will is explaining and making excuses as to why he needs to see Hannibal he’s giving Jack a look that’s pretty reminiscent of his flirty face when he explains the jailbreak plan to Hannibal and says “pretty please”!

[k-s-morgan]

Will, Hannibal, and Alana in S2: Changing Dynamics, a Sex Scene, and a Gun

This post was initially sparked by WarriorSilicon’s The Gun thread but when I started writing, it grew a bit :D Before approaching the topic of the gun, I think it’s important to evaluate how Will’s attitude to Alana changed from his release, up to the gun-giving moment, and later, as well as the dynamics between him, Hannibal, and Alana.

So, in E7, Will leaves the prison and returns home to his dogs. Alana is there and Will is in a clearly good mood. He treats her pretty warmly, but at the same time, there are some arrogance and condescension in his words. He’s also being accusatory to a degree: *“Because you didn't believe me? Or in me? Because you let me question my own sanity, my sense of reality?”* In a way, it can be read as teasing, but I think the line between teasing and accusing is very thin here. Will genuinely despises the notion that Alana (and Jack) didn’t believe in him, no matter how logical it was, and he even attributes the guilt of having to question himself to Alana, though out of them all (Alana, Jack, Hannibal), she knew Will the least and had no reason to believe otherwise.

Alana lets Will know her opinion changed because he attacked Hannibal, and all Will’s warmth visibly dies. He’s not hurt by the realization that Alana and Hannibal sleep together — instead, his emotions are more subdued and he grows irritated and curt. He warns her to stay away, a genuine warning, as I see it, dictated by the care he feels for her, and leaves. So, at this stage, Will has warmth for Alana, but it’s tainted by his bitterness.

In E10, Will tries to fantasize about Alana as he’s having sex with Margot. However, he sees the image of Wendigo near the fireplace, Wendigo who he’s used to associating with Hannibal. Two interesting things: first, Will actually sees Hannibal’s room and consequently, he sees himself in it (or he sees their rooms united). Second, he sees the Wendigo near Hannibal’s fireplace. Fireplace has many meanings, including passion, sexuality, home, family, and resurrection. It emphasizes the sexual and romantic subtext of this uniquely shot scene, where people destined to be together have sex with the wrong partners.

Will’s eyes widen and he looks in scared disbelief at what he sees. And then his vision begins to contract, focusing on Wendigo, on how it’s sitting and then standing up in all its dark glory. Will is having an orgasm at this very moment, imagining the Wendigo’s face very close, approaching him. Still through the misty eyes, he tries to focus on Alana again, but his gaze moves up to Wendigo above her, as if he can’t help himself. He and Hannibal reach orgasm first, with Alana and Margot following them. Conclusions: Will has absolutely dragged Hannibal into his sex fantasy. It’s both symbolic and physical: he tried to imagine Alana just like he tried to have a relationship with her before, in S1, out of his desperate desire to be normal. But his attention is inevitably drawn to Hannibal, who’s his “real deal”.

Then there is an interesting scene of Alana turning away from Will in the bed where all three of them are lying. Will reaches out, seemingly to touch her hair, but — and this is up to interpretation — maybe he reaches toward Hannibal, right *through* Alana. As his hand starts to slip down, we see Hannibal’s hand start to slip up toward Alana (and Will). Maybe it’s just about Alana, or maybe it reflects a trend of Will and Hannibal reaching for each other but never quite meeting in the middle (not yet, at least).

Alana, Will, and Hannibal have dinner together. Alana is disturbed after her meeting with Freddie and she tells Will and Hannibal about how strange they come across together . She adds that Freddie “sees what no one else sees”.  Will doesn’t like to hear it because it hits too close to home. He almost throws a quick glance at Hannibal, as if for guidance, and then avoids looking at Alana as he asks, “And what is that?”  After her reply (that according to Freddie, Will and Hannibal might be the killer everyone’s looking for), Will stares at Hannibal in grim, somewhat panicked wariness.  He does feel guilty, and I’d say, it’s not just about his darkness. He’s guilty of the growing closeness and intimacy between them.

 Will and Hannibal’s eyes meet, hold, and Will looks at Alana again. Eventually, he tries to push the negative attention to Freddie by comparing her to a psychopath. His initial tension is gone, he is looking at Alana in subtle amusement. She holds his gaze for quite long, and I assume she caught the challenge in his behavior because she outright says that “Freddie isn’t the only one without boundaries” as she continues staring at Will. This is likely a more romantic-colored tension — Alana is no longer concerned about the killers, and the way she targets Will in particular in front of Hannibal feels territorial to me. In fact, she stares at Will for so long that Hannibal finally reacts, and only then does she turn away. However, she then questions the nature of Will and Hannibal’s relationship by focusing on Will again. Note how she doesn’t look at Hannibal during this — no, she feels threatened by Will in particular. When she does glance at Hannibal, it’s at the word “enemy”, as if she’s reminding  him that Will tried to kill him and thus cannot be trusted.

Will also stares at Hannibal now, the wary look is back. He’s waiting to hear what Hannibal says, and Hannibal defends their relationship by saying that “crossing boundaries is different from violating them.”  He directly emphasizes that his and Will’s relationship, whatever it is, is mutual. Will turns to see Alana’s reaction. Alana is clearly displeased. Another long look at Will, and she refuses to give up by saying, “It’s just difficult to know where you are with each other,” her eyes going between Hannibal and Will, stopping at Will.  

Will finally regains his voice properly, so he answers, “We know where we are with each other. Shouldn’t that be enough?” His smile at Alana is fake as hell and jerky. Hannibal is the one amused now, looking between them, first listening to Will’s reply very attentively and then  turning to Alana, as if asking, “Well? What do you say now?” Alana says nothing and just goes on looking at them both.

This scene is really framed like a lover and a wife fighting over their man, with Hannibal in the middle of it. Will’s care about Alana seems to lessen at this point — he’s still concerned about what she thinks but he’s not above challenging her now. He brings Randall’s meat to Hannibal later and Hannibal is hopelessly enamoured — his happy, shy smile during their intimate dinner still makes my heart melt :D  

Episode 11. Will and Hannibal’s relationship is gaining a more explicit tension, with ortolans setting the mood right from the start. Alana comes to Will. She thinks he killed Freddie. Will is not happy to see her and asks rather sharply, “Do we do friendly visits anymore?” He doesn’t feel well, and we remember that when Will doesn’t feel well, his control is shaky (which explains his many-sided motivations, some darker than others). When Alana asks if he killed Freddie, Will starts being creepy. He looks mockingly/with light amused condescension and tilts his head, asking, “What do you think?” Alana is even more freaked out, telling him that this is the wrong answer. Will mocks her in a different way now, telling her that since no one believed him about Hannibal, no one’s going to believe her about him being a killer either. He doesn’t act like someone who wants to soothe Alana or who cares about her at all at this moment. He doesn’t act as if he’s interested in protecting her in any way. When she says, “I don’t think Hannibal is good for you and I think your relationship is destructive”, Will replies bitingly, “Hannibal’s good enough for *you*.”

Based on everything that happened prior to that, including the fact that Will was never serious about Alana, I have no doubts this is him being territorial over Hannibal. Alana has no words for this, and Will adds that she should be afraid. Then he leaves to bring out a gun. He walks slowly, as if he’s unsure if he really wants to do this. “Whoever you are afraid of, don’t be afraid to use it … Find a range. Practice.” Note that he still isn’t sure of whether he should be doing this. He doesn’t give her the gun even when she opens her hand to take it — he hesitates and holds it for a while before finally letting go. It’s very focused on. Then he slams the door shut.

Their next meeting happens at the cemetery, at “Freddie’s” funeral. Will decides to be creepy again and scares Alana by hinting he did kill Freddie. Eventually, he moves Alana’s suspicions to Hannibal as well by telling her, “I’m here because my psychiatrist suggested that it would be therapeutic.” So, considering this and including Will’s growing indifference/animosity toward Alana, what were his motivations for giving her a gun?

As WarriorSilicon noted, this gun doesn’t help Alana at all. It becomes her nemesis that seals her fate and leaves her as Hannibal’s enemy forever.  First, Hannibal smells the powder on her fingers. Then Alana fires, not knowing there are no bullets. WarriorSilicon mentioned how “the gun seemed to be such a huge false sense of protection, as if she was tricked into it”, and she really was by Hannibal, who made her make her own decision by forcing her to think she had a chance. But again, what about Will? Like Hannibal, Will’s mind follows many different trains of thought. Many of them are so subtle that they remain in his subconscious part. Let’s review the possible motivations he could have here, starting with the darkest.

1)      Will likely knows about Hannibal’s unique ability to smell literally everything. And yes, I know he got busted because of it himself — in my eyes, it doesn’t refute the theory of his knowledge (but more about this later). Reasons why Will had to know about Hannibal’s sharpened perceptions:

a)      He directly told Hannibal that unlike him, he (Will) doesn’t have such a sophisticated palate. Hannibal often goes on about delicate shades of flavors and as such, so Will must have at least some idea about it, especially considering his words.

b)      Hannibal recognizes Will’s presence by smell alone two times. First in S1, in the finale. Then in S2, after Will comes after him with a gun. Hannibal knew it was him without turning and he repeatedly bashed his aftershave. Will is highly observant, I don’t believe he missed that Hannibal manages to smell things at least somewhat better than most people.    

If he knows, then he had to at least consider the fact that Alana will be found out. Even if he just has a vague idea, he still had to think about it. Gun powder has a very sharp smell — I can smell it easily, for example, and I don’t have any enhanced senses. In fact, it stays with me for ages if I fire it, so from the practical experience, I’d say it’s next to impossible to miss the smell unless your nasal channels are completely cluttered. It’s possible that Will endangered Alana deliberately, out of frustration, resentment, and possessiveness, maybe out of morbid curiosity. He seemed torn between giving or not giving her the gun, so I definitely think there were several reasons for it. If he did do this deliberately, though, I don’t think he was entirely aware of it. It could be a darker, silent part of him that he tries to keep locked at most times.

2)      Will was curious as to whether Alana would be able to kill someone. The whole show is about Hannibal and then Will putting people in situations where they have a chance to embrace their darkness. Unlike Will, Hannibal doesn’t make mistakes: he knows who’s capable of what and he doesn’t bother good people.  Will seems interested in experimenting on people regardless of the details, based on Chiyoh and Alana in S3 (when he pushes her to “spill blood”). So, I think it’s very possible he could have wanted to see if maybe Alana was capable of murder, too.

3)      Will wanted to commit a suicide by Alana’s hands. And that’s where the bit about him going to Hannibal with Freddie’s smell comes into play. Throughout the show, Will shows an alarming tendency to toy with his own life. He hates himself, has spent years in this hatred, so it’s understandable.

a)      In S1, it’s less obvious. He doesn’t take care of himself at all; he has severe seizures, he walks at night on the empty road, he nearly jumps from the window, and he still doesn’t go to the hospital. After he’s hospitalized, he thinks everything was the fever’s fault. What does he do? He stops taking his antibiotics against the fever properly pretty soon after that.

b)      In S2, Will has a dream about his darker version killing his innocent version by the means of electric chair. He’s obviously torn later, wanting to be with Hannibal, wanting  to punish Hannibal, feeling guilty for being who he is, albeit less so than before, and so on. At the moment of Will giving Alana the gun, he’s the one she’s scared of most. If she had to shoot someone, she would shoot him, especially after his creepy attempts to scare her. So it could be his subtle attempt at self-destruction. Same with Freddie. A part of Will might have gone to Hannibal wearing her perfume knowingly. He felt guilty about lying to him, as we know from S3, so he could have wanted to be punished, half-consciously as it was. In S3, Will does try to commit an actual suicide, so I think it fits into his pattern of behavior.

4)      Will actually wanted to protect Alana. No matter how snappy and cold Will might act, he still cares about her in a way. It’s obvious from how he tries to save her in S2 finale. This care fades into nothing later, paling in comparison to the heartbreak of losing Hannibal and Abigail, his real family, but at this point, Will is still attached. I think this is his biggest motivation out of the four, but I also believe all four are at play here.

So, in conclusion, this arc between Will, Alana, and Hannibal is extremely revealing about their feelings. It emphasizes the romantic part of Will and Hannibal’s relationship and complements Will’s growing darkness.

[sicklyscribe]

hey so if you wanna hit me with that sweet sweet elijah’s characterization meta anytime please feel free. or direct me to any previous posts because my dumb ass is using this time to re-obsess over vampire melodrama.....

It appears that most of my non-tag and non-petty-casual commentary is still in drafts... so instead of finishing the ‘What the hell is wrong with season 4: an itemized list’ meta and finishing answering the ‘What would you change if you could rewrite any of the show?’ ask from a while ago, I’ll just pick out the Elijah bits and add on to them for garnish. (Those posts might exist at some point. But honestly not soon enough for me to worry about people getting annoyed with copy/paste so PREVIEW TIME: ELIJAH FLAVOR)

This is way sloppier and un-cited than I usually meta, by the way, but what the hell, The Fandom is Dead and I Only Have Friends to Entertain Now, so if anyone gets angry and tries to step into my asks then it’ll just be nostalgic rather than annoying.  Here’s the starter, which is from the F*CK YOU SEASON 4 meta and quite a few of these points will be repeated later because you asked for it technically so.

The cracks in the narrative began to show as early as season two, and believe me when I say I’m not saying this because I love him - it began with Elijah. I can make a lot of arguments to this effect, but the only one that I am certain is not propelled by my very strong bias concerns the presentation of the Red Door.

Initially, I was ecstatic at the opportunity to explore Elijah’s past, his perspective, his darkest moments. I was a bit wary in that it seemed as though the narrative wanted to Explain Everything about Elijah through this device, but he was finally getting some attention so I tried to hold back judgement.The result was pretty promising. One of the most gorgeous moments on the show occurs when Klaus enters Elijah’s mind and tells him how much he needs him. It showcases the main pillar of the show - the structural trifecta of Hope, Klaus, and Elijah. And afterwards, as usual, Elijah pushes the experience away.Until it’s convenient. 

Elijah begins to be erratically vicious. At first, I felt as though it wasn’t handled poorly, I could explain away my worries easily, and that was all I needed. But it happens over, and over, and over again, with the same excuse - protecting the family, protecting Hope. Elijah’s triggers, once so crucial, begin to break down, but we don’t see why or how that process occurs. He begins to be the character that is level-headed when it is convenient, and a violent one-track-mind when it’s convenient. Eventually, in order to maintain balanced tension with a softening Klaus, Elijah became violent without nuance in every situation. His continued development is no longer possible, since his character no longer displays depth.

Which is annoying, as a fan. But as a person who loves to analyze narrative, it’s a huge red flag. Elijah is necessary for this story. His love for Klaus, and Klaus’ relationship with him, is one of the things that holds the narrative together as it goes forward. The two of them need each other in order to experience growth, but cannot grow from each other any longer - and that friction is what provides energy and substance that can help drive a multi-year melodrama. This is why I mentioned above that Elijah’s violence was likely intended to balance with Klaus’ changing heart - but there is no balance in the level of development the two brothers experience. It has been shoddy in many places, but attention has been given to Klaus’ journey towards peace and kindness, while Elijah has been given a single metaphor, a single psychosis, and is expected to carry half of the narrative weight. The story has no choice but to make a plot device out of him - he simply does not have the required depth to be anything else, which is made obvious by the attempt to do so in the ritual to bring Inadu to the material plane, which I will discuss later.

When his development is ignored, when he is used as a tool to get from point A to point B time and time again - that’s when the pillar starts to crumble.

Zooming back in on s1, this was actually my only major structural gripe with season 1, so it comprises the entirety of the ‘what would you change’ for that season:

The poison that rotted the whole dang show started very small — casting Elijah too strongly as a white hat, to offset the darkness of the rest of the main family. This was the right move, of course, but it was pushed a twinge too far and it was the tiny weight that set everything wobbling. As an offshoot of that, this was also done with Hayley to a degree. I would have had them bond very similarly to the way they do in the show, but I would have had them connect at least once over the skeletons in their closets. (Only once or twice, again, since their ship relied in this season on the fallacy of each other being saviors). In fact, this was one I felt so strongly about that I actually did rewrite their scene in 1x07 ‘Bloodletting’.

Then season two when it gets more pronounced: 

The rift in the show widened with the swing-and-miss that was The Red Door arc. Elijah became a Problem when it was convenient for the plot and A Fixer/Sounding Board when it was not. They used probably the most INTERESTING and INTEGRAL part of his characterization -- which had been a mystery for YEARS counting The Vampire Diaries appearances -- and Elijah discovering that either from trauma or his mother’s magic, he has repressed the moments which forged him. This lack of knowledge, this lack of control, should have been something much more cataclysmic and its effects should be clear when comparing ‘Elijah Before’ to ‘Elijah After’. Instead, it kind of served to take off Elijah’s ‘White Hat’ that he’d been illy-fitted with in S1, and allow him to accessorize with it or whatever version of Elijah fits the episode at hand.

This tension, and this chaos should have been much stronger and much more messy than simply putting the Suit back on and being Pretty Much Okay (barring one plot-insignificant diner massacre) only a few episodes later. It would make the therapy scene later with Camille even more gorgeous than it already is and it would then place Elijah’s moment of catharsis, and the beginning of his attempts to move on, with Klaus’ monumental forgiveness in 2x11. I think this is what was intended, but it was not at all achieved, because Elijah is such a tricky character to write, and it is so very easy to use him for whatever the scene requires. Because of this, Elijah’s struggles got dropped just long enough for Klaus’ forgiveness to hit powerfully in viewers for Klaus, but not for Elijah. The writing began to lean on Elijah as a Drama Everyman more and more throughout the show, and it’s just tragic to me that The Red Door wasn’t utilized to its potential. (And that we didn’t have a Klaus/Tatia conversation, but hey, I have an unfinished fixit for that whole saga on Ao3, you’re welcome and I’m sorry).

In season three, we got a few good glimpses of the kind of complexity that Elijah should live in -- the way he kills Arianne, for example, I’ve linked what I called a ‘headcanon’ but in retrospect it was pretty explicitly canon -- and we see the youth and terror and involuntary power in him in the flashback where he discovers that Klaus killed their mother. But the relationship between Tristan and Elijah? The man that he made, and that made him? That was far too pedestrian to have produced either of them. If Elijah learned ‘nobility’ from Tristan, learned what ‘superiority’ looked like, and this was the time that he began to change... we should have had words between them, or a scene highlighting just them, at least once in the flashbacks. 

If this season was supposed to be about the creation of the Trinity, the First Children (because Finn didn’t tell no one that Sage is actually the oldest ‘cuz he’s an ashamed little bitch) why did we see only TWO of the THREE transformations? Klaus turned Lucien accidentally, trying to heal him. Rebekah’s sympathy and love were used as Aurora’s tool to turn herself. When and how did Elijah turn Tristan? It is explained that Elijah turned him in order to create a third vampire for his plot to trick Mikael into chasing them instead -- it is explained that Tristan, Aurora, and Lucien were compelled to believe that they were in fact Elijah, Rebekah, and Klaus in order to make their decoy impeccable. But when this compulsion was shattered -- when Lucien learned that he had been used and made monstrous as a tool for a monster who wasn’t even noble -- did he confront Elijah? Did they ever speak, or was their next meeting the day Elijah learned that Tristan had taken over Elijah’s coven? I would argue that Elijah needed equal weight in the France flashbacks even though he didn’t have a flashy romance (though if early press release rumors were true, he and Tristan could have had one and that would have been perfect) 

Season four is really where you can pick an episode and Elijah will put on the stage makeup and play any part. It’s also -- BIG COINCIDENCE -- where the plot deteriorates completely. Here’s just one example from my Excuse You What the Hell? Season Four meta: 

On to the next moment that showed major neglect (I know this has been Elijah-heavy so far, but again, this is where the problem started so I want to carry this thread through for a while before addressing other issues) - the ritual to bring Inadu to the mortal realm. The purpose of this ritual was to scare viewers with the risk of Hope’s safety and hype the Hollow’s “bad”ness, but also to make the first move in the ‘Letting Go’ thread between Hayley and Elijah. Elijah was supposed to be forced to choose between children's lives and letting the Hollow loose upon the world, and decide to kill the children. That was the dramatic point of placing this ritual in the narrative, but it isn’t mechanically sound.

It is stated outright that the ritual has to end with the death of the children linked to the spell. The children were linked via their totems found in 4x03 - placing Hope definitively in this group.

But we only ever see four of the five in one place. Maybe it was worth it to the Hollow to reach as far out as Hope was to bind her via her hairbrush, maybe it was worth it to the Hollow to drain her from afar, I’d buy that easily. But they made no attempt to kidnap her and place her with the other four children during the ritual. The ritual that required the deaths of five children. Unless it required Hope to be there only on standby, which is absolutely ridiculous. They had the kids on an alter, even if it was just for show. But why not all of them? If the real goal of the ritual was to lure Klaus and/or Marcel, wouldn’t kidnapping Klaus’ child be a more surefire way to accomplish that rather than just hoping the Mikaelsons would come to the right mystical diagnosis in time?

The reason why Hope wasn’t there was because the ritual was never thought through. The reason she wasn’t there is because it didn’t make sense for Elijah to want to kill Hope to stop the Hollow, which is what this ritual actually demanded if it actually worked the way Vincent claimed. In actuality, all that was desired was for Elijah to display a willingness to kill innocents in front of Hayley, and in doing so it demanded that Hope’s life both be at stake and not at stake at all. This failure to coherently execute a single-episode arc is plainly poor storytelling. It displays not only disrespect to the narrative structure, but a blatant flippancy towards one of their main characters and arguably the most complex one on the series. The sloppily contrived tension here between Hayley and Elijah does eventually contribute to the supposed theme, yes, but at what cost?

Elijah was neglected because he was hard to write, and even harder to write well as a ‘light’ foil to Klaus. Marcel should have fully owned that role, and not been similarly jerked around as a plot-serving every-man once the mystery of season 1 and the reasons behind Marcel’s ‘senseless’ cruelty were revealed. 

Elijah was always the cornerstone of the family’s narrative, because he was complex enough to carry it. Camille provided an additional column of support to Klaus’ individual journey as a person/father, but she was bulldozed for Allmighty Plot as well. By the end of season three, both she and Elijah had effectively been thrown in the garbage one way or another, and the show tried to go on without them. It couldn’t. 

I will say that Elijah’s conversation with Hope in that ludicrous backdoor pilot did make me feel things. I did also see the clip where Elijah and Klaus have a heart-to-heart in some sort of european flashback, which was touching, but felt incongruous for their relationship/dev at the time. Hope asking Elijah how old he was when he made his promises to Klaus, though? Elijah offering carte blanche to Hope for how to punish her friend’s bullies? TWO OF THE THREE SCENES INVOLVING ICE CREAM? 

SOME of season 5 is valid but ONLY because it stole scripts from my headcanons.

[valkerymillenia]

Umbrella Academy

season 2, episode 7

More thoughts and live blogged reactions.

1982. I'm assuming Five used a briefcase... But in s1 we saw that the briefcase travels are tracked (Hazel and Cha-Cha got reprimanded for Klaus's Vietnam trip) so I'm not sure how the board doesn't know someone is coming... I might be overthinking.

Five being creepy.

Is that a Fudge Nutter like Handler mentioned in season 1? Oh, it is.

Jesus, Five! Anger management for you, old man.

AAHH! THEY LET FIVE SAY FUCK! Fucking finally! 🤣

How did nobody notice that destruction? 😆

Oh, the axe! Is Five going to go all American psycho? Because I'd love to see that.

HOLY SHIT!

That smile!

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!

Is he using tiny time travel bursts like Reggie said? Or a briefcase? Or is he just that fast?

AJ hiding under the table 😆

Pausing to drink water and grin, what a psycho, I love him.

He's definitely using time jumps but they are so controlled that I'm guessing briefcase or Handler little time stopping trick. I'm so proud of my mass murder baby.

... Vending machine? Lady, you have interesting priorities.

CRICKET BAT!

Wait! AJ's human body feels pain? How?

Please make Five swallow the fish like in the comics! Please, please, please, please.

The dancers are just like

I LOVE FIVE! The lengths this little killer will go for his family are unbelievable, nobody should ever doubt his love and devotion for them ever again.

This whole murder scene was incredible and Five's obvious glee made it even better. FEAR HIM!

Jesus, Klaus is so afraid of being possessed that he's afraid to sleep and Ben just mocks him? 😘💋 I get that this is supposed to be a funny 'brothers messing with each other' kind of thing but Klaus feels so unsafe that it makes me uncomfortable. What happened to you, Ben, when did you become so dark? You were the nice one!

Ben just getting closer and closer every time Klaus closes his eyes just gave me Doctor Who flashbacks.

"I hate your face" "I hate all of you" - Don't say that boys! You know you love each other.

Ok, Ben has a point. I'm actually liking this conversation. And I'm liking that Klaus is starting to understand his brother.

Ok, this is such a brother conversation. And Klaus constantly pretending not to know who Jill is 😆

Ground rules... Well, at least it's consensual now. That's something. See? Communication works.

Damn, the tension at the lunch table cut be cut with a knife. I'm scared what Carl is going to do.

Ray and Allison have a lovely relationship but I finally identified the problem, the tension I was feeling between since them a few eps back. It's not about Allison's secrets at all, is about Ray being so obsessed with his crusade that he completely overlooks Allison's feelings, he only pays attention to her when they are on the page about the mission. He sees her powers and his first thought is 'we could use this for the cause', Allison is clearly distressed and sad and even says she doesn't feel well and all he can think about is the damn JFK meeting. He's not a bad person and he's not doing it on purpose but he has a workaholic one-track mind that could easy turn into neglect for Allison. He clearly loves her and I'm rooting for them so much but I know that if asked to choose between Allison and his cause, he'll pick his cause.

So Five is done with the killing. I figured this might weigh on his conscience, it's one thing to kill for a greater good or survival, coldly and detached, it's another thing to slaughter for selfish reasons (even if his selfish reasons are a greater good).

Handler going all mom on him and wiping his face. 😆

"What I did today, I did for my family" -we know, baby, and they better respect you for it. You love then so much.

90 minutes??? Wtf, I knew Handler would try to screw Five over but that's just cruel, she's forcing him to uproot the family without even giving them time to say goodbye and that's even IF he can get to all of them on time.

It's not a name, you idiots. Also, that's Olga, not öga.

Don't harass the poor woman... Oh God, you guys are such morons... Diego, you dramatic little bitch...

"Wrong number. Have a lovely day" 🤣🤣🤣

I love the new dumbass buddy cop dynamic between Diego and Luther. This is the sort of positive brotherly dynamic they always should have had instead of being pitted against each other all their lives.

"you have some blood on you" "a lot of blood, actually. Five, what did you do?" -the casual, mildly annoyed way they ask is hilarious, if they knew what he did they'd be horrified (and possibly impressed).

Handler's militaristic chic dress is fabulous. I personally don't like it very much (or the message it sends) but it's haute couture and incredibly designed. Also, the bleached hair is back!

"any questions?" And then she leaves without listening. Power move 😏

Luther trying to comfort Diego like the dork he is. 🤣

Really though, I feel bad for Diego, and Five is under so much pressure that I don't blame him for snapping.

"I'm shy" -are you, Klaus? Are you really? You keep walking around in underwear in front of dozens of people, you're not shy.

So is Klaus lactose intolerant?

Ok, so far the possession thing is not as bad as some people were claiming. So far.

"stay focused" *giggle* -oh Ben, you dork 😆

Ahah, Ben enjoying all the different sensory stimuli. Adorable. He's just so happy, poor boy.

Dirt angels. SO CUTE ❤️

I know this all supposed to be cute and all but it would also be a perfect moment for Ben for experience Klaus's powers (the constant hauntings) as well as his addiction and the claustrophobic expectations of the cult. It would be an excellent chance to make Ben understand why Klaus is the way he is, seeing as Klaus is making a huge effort (and sacrifice) to do the same for Ben. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening because I think they want to keep this part about Ben.

By end of season 1 Klaus cried that people still didn't take him seriously, his compassion despite all his suffering made him likeable and deep, but this season he's back to being the family joke, I don't like that there's no resolution to that. But let's see where this goes, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Oh God, Carl's talk is freaking me out.

"who I am is not a disease" -very powerful LGBT+ statement considering it's the 60s!!!!

Oh, the blackmail...

Everybody keeps expecting Vanya to explode every time she gets emotional but this scene proves how much control she truly has. Respect!

Oh, finally Claire is mentioned! I've been rather upset that Allison hasn't mentioned her daughter even once this season (does Ray even know he has a stepdaughter?) seeing as most of her arc in season 1 revolved around her love and guilt over Claire.

Luther is right when he says they don't get live formal lives because they are special but Allison is even more right when she says that's not fair. This is why this family needs to stick together and love each other, they are the only ones that can really understand each other's struggles.

"hope" -Luther, you really are such a sweet summer child.

OH! I CAN FINALLY SEE ALLISON'S SCAR! The lighting in this scene makes it really obvious. Finally.

Ben and the strawberry. 🤣

"you're different today. You're dorkier" ah! First time anyone called Ben 'Sassy' Hargreeves dorky.

Oh Ben, you're adorable... Wait, "smell your hair"? What the fuck, Ben? You weirdo.

Holy crap! Jill is really forward, isn't she? Hippies, man.

Ben stuttering! 😆🤣 He died a virgin, didn't he?

It's funny but please tell me he isn't actually considering that in his brother's body...

Wait, did Klaus slap him because he doesn't want to have sex or because he's trying to stop Ben from ruining his own chance by saying too much?

Actually, I'm almost sure it's the second one, Klaus is playing wingman on his own body!

WHAT????

Ok so Ben IS a virgin but "you, me and Keechie"? What the fuck, Klaus? You slept with the fanatical crybaby and your brother's crush????

"Klaus, you're so filthy!" "Yes, you are, daddy." -Ben, this girl is not right for you. Run, boy!

AHAHAHAH ASDFGDDGGHSGSGASFHDBKDIS 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 DIEGO CALLING HIM DADDY!

Wait, AJ can speak without the body/suit/whatever?

Handler is going a little bit fascist dictator, isn't she?

Gotta admit, Handler really is such a mom in her own twisted way.

Ben giggling when he talks to Diego. Cute.

"Luther sniffs Dad's underwear" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

AWWWWWWWW, BEN AND DIEGO! THE CHILDHOOD HIJINKS! THE HUG!

GOD, THE HUG! ❤️

I need all the siblings hugging Ben now!

"you stay in this body, we need someone responsible behind the wheel" -Diego, I understand what you mean given the situation, but you playing obvious favorites between your brothers when free will and body autonomy are on the line is a little creepy.

"no one is insignificant" -that line is so loaded when used on Vanya.

Oh no, Vanya and Five playing the blame game is so bad... They used to be so close... They are both under so much pressure, this won't end well.

Oh boy, Five looks like he's on the verge of crying and Vanya sees that! I bet that's why she backed down. 😲😢

The Lila and Diego conversation is heartbreaking without even trying...

Is that Elliot? Is Diego burying Elliot because nobody else will? Diego really does have a heart of gold.

Don't drinkit! I'm pretty sure Lila is drugging you.

Yup, there it is.

What is she planning?

Once again, it's all about the movement with Ray.

"I would take my one year with you over a lifetime with anybody else." 😭 Oh Ray ❤️

But I get the feeling this won't end so easily.

There it is, the Swedes just arrived. And the smart assholes went right for Allison's throat.

You don't need the coffee can, Sissy. The Hargreeves are loaded.

Sissy, hurry up.

BEN, YOU ARE SUCH A 90s KID!!! So the Backstreet Boys are Ben's fault, God, I love this dork 🤣

Come on, Allison, you can fight better than this!

Good girl!

Klaus and Ben running and fighting each other at the same time 😆

Holy shit, that is some Exorcist level vomiting!

Poor Klaus, I totally get Ben's side in this (pretty sure he was trying to save Klaus by getting him to Five ASAP) but this whole thing made me mildly uncomfortable. Klaus just keeps sacrificing for everyone and nobody respects his boundaries.

Holy shit, Allison! That is so cruel! I like it though, so ruthless and vicious. 😈

Problem- Allison can't just leave Ray with a white corpse in the house. Especially not in Texas, death penalty and all.

Oh Sissy, you dumbass. You're a sweetheart but also a dumbass.

Ok, Lila is pretty insane. That's for sure.

Five:

"I don't want to hurt you" - well, Vanya warned them.

My baby is getting really good with her powers.

I hope that hit to the head doesn't give Vanya her memory back, that's so cliché and convenient, or would be really bad writing.

SHIT IS HITTING THE FAN. I'm dying to see more!!!!!!

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Iruma-kun 10 - 12 | Shinchou Yuusha 9 - 12 (FINAL) | Dr Stone 22 - 24 (FINAL) | BnHA 72 - 74 | Stars Align 9 - 12 (FINAL) | No Guns Life 10 - 12 (FINAL)

Iruma-kun 10

That mascot is still around to annoy poor Kalego, huh? (LOL) I also noticed the demonstration demons have horns like oni.

Oh no! This means Azz-Azz is a prime target for Iruma!

(I was going to write something. Then I got so engrossed in the action, I forgot to…)

LOL, Sabro’s too heavy for Team A to lift!

Oh, Iruma’s hair isn’t tied anymore…

“…pruning this cactus.” – Does Eggie-sensei like plants?

Ooh, the first double-parter ever for this show, I think it is.

Shinchou Yuusha 9

Apparently ep 10 got delayed…*sigh*

LOL, thre’s product placement for a certain ice cream brand in this episode, huh?

Can we not with the boob grope???

*Rista takes care of Mash and Elulu* - Rista’s such a mom sometimes…

Stars Align 9

This one scene with Nao looks really blue…it’s almost unsettling.

Oh dear…I understand the sentiment of an inferiority complex all too well.

Dr Stone 22

Now we’re back to good ol’ science vs. survival of the fittest philosophy clash. Now, see, that’s the Dr Stone I like best!

Torricelli’s law.

Why is mica like baumkuchen? Probably because it has a lot of layers…

Wow, for WSJ – which encouraged fangirls all over the world to make yaoi/shonen ai ships – they sure tossed out the yaoi/shonen ai option real fast…

Skarn. I’ve never heard of it until now.

Magma, staring at the product of magma…LOL.

I…don’t get it. Even after watching the bit again, I don’t understand why Magma was trying to save Senku.

So…as is said for most WSJ series, the treasure was the friends we made along the way…LOL, what a way to acknowledge a trope.

Lemme guess…surprise birthday party? (Sorry, when I was reading up on Magma earlier, I saw that Magma helps with a birthday surprise for Senku and I found out what it was.)

I wonder if Rei is still up there at this point…? (Who’s Rei? You’ll find out if you read the Byakuya reboot…)

Well, “Rock Day” only works in Japanese. The language would’ve drifted over thousands of years so it shouldn’t work in the year 5731 (or whatever year Dr Stone is set).

Dr Stone 23

One episode until the end…but I’m away over Christmas, so I’ll have quite a bit to catch up on when I’m back. Update: I never did end up going away over Christmas.

Senku is much more of a trickster hero than an action hero. That’s been pretty obvious all the way through, but here it’s at its most obvious.

Oh, so Kaseki made the village bridge? Is that a correct assumption…? Update: I think the answer was yes from the manga.

How much chemistry does Gen know, anyway? Assuming he’s a humanities person because of psychology and his tricks, it must only be basic, right?

Thse intense stares…I’ve been reading JJBA: DiU lately, so I’m expecting an 80s-style “!!” to appear over someone’s head at this point, LOL.

Ooh, hardware. In fact, it looks like the inside of a computer…or, more relevant to this case, a phone.

So it’s not “rules are rules” anymore? Now Kinro’s changed his words to reflect his faith in Senku…hmm! Interesting! (Update: A quick google says Kinro is 18. Senku is about 18 (+ 3700 years). Plus, after they start dragging Ginro away, Kinro says his trademark line.)

Wouldn’t the coal smoke alert Tsukasa of the village’s location, though…? Then again, thanks to Homura and Hyouga, Tsukasa already knows their location…oops.

Rochelle salt.  

I saw that one shot of the world from the 1st OP and I thought there was meant to be a post-credits segment…LOL, nope.

Dr Stone 24 (FINAL)

The “acquisition message” basically said “We didn’t (just) need one cell phone, (so) it was useless!” Notably, it uses the counter for large items (like computers) for the phone.

Having finished the Byakuya reboot now, I wanna cry every time I hear about the guy…

Oh! The eyecatch is a record!

Basically, what records do is that they recreate sounds by using vibrations created by the grooves of the disc. Sound is a set of vibrations.

“Astronauts are science elites…” – Except maybe Lillian Weinberg…

I like Shamil out of the guys from the Soyuz the most. He’s a cross between Tsukasa and Senku. Stoic yet skeptical, a voice of reason for Byakuya’s sillier outbursts.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the shield was made with CGI, tbh.

Byakuya’s humour here is betraying the emotional capacity of the scene…it’s gone from “100% tear-inducing” to “confusing”.

Please sing Tsubasa wo Kudasai, Lillian…*crosses fingers*

I didn’t get what I wanted, but oh well. This song is good too. (I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the record player was CGI too. It’s good CGI for sure.)

LOL, Puyo Puyo! Even Sherlock Holmes! Dragon Ball, Nintendo Switch, VR, Saiyuki! It’s like a treasure trove of references!

Normally the s2 announcement comes after the credits, so I was thrown for a loop when it was announced before the ED…anyways, this is the end of the s1 coverage. See you for s2!

BnHA 72

[no notes, sorry!]

Iruma-kun 11

Robin looks like Iruma…(this vaguely annoys me.)

I noticed Keroli (sp?) is in the back left, alone…that’s kinda sad.

Sabro is hella tall…even taller than Azz-kun, and that says something.

Ah…I love Eggie-sensei. He’s so funny!

Really? I thought Sullivan wrote them (the rules).

I wanna see an episode where Eggie-sensei can’t turn into his fuzzy form and has to do familiar activities with Iruma. That, or an episode where Eggie-sensei has some human parts and some familiar ones (although that would scare some little kids, I think…)

What a Machiavellian mindset Eggie-sensei has!

Iruma’s got wine, people! Underage drinking is a no-no! (partially joking)

Good on ya, Clara! Go kick those girls to the kerb!

The butterflies are so beautiful in this show!

So basically school clubs.

Hmm…it’s almost a Fordist approach. I mean, “freeing yourself up to do other things” is basically the entire ethos of that.

NGL 10

I was reading JJBA: DiU today and Colt seriously looks like a Jojo’s character…

“Your face is just like…”

N-No way! You mean, the Victor Mary’s wanted to see all along…is the other gunhead…?! Geesh, what a plot twist!

Stars Align 10

“We all play to win.” – That’s very Maki of you, Maki.

Shinjo/Oshimi???? That must be Ryoma…! By the way, what’s up with these Itsuse twins…?

Who’s Hatanooka? Update: That’s the team with Joy in it…and those fangirls who busted Mitsue up.

F*** it…Arashi, I wanna pummel you someday.

LOL, you can sell your temmates out with chanpuru, huh, Arashi?

Did Maki suggest something subliminally…?

*Maki and Toma run around* - LOL, this play is completely unorthodox, haha. I can tell even if I’m no expert.

Shinchou Yuusha 10

We’re back after another week’s break…

Come to think of it, how do fantasy worlds have concepts of “hours”?

LOL, how convenient it was that there just happened to be a dude needing healing walking past! (partially sarcastic, partially meaning it since the circumstances foreshadowed it)

“Talent”, eh? *stares at the camera, which is showing Rista’s boobs, with disapproval*

The Demon Spirit Orb is basically a monster cell from OPM 2, isn’t it…?

If Seiya came from our world…then I’m sorry, Wolks, but whoever told you is completely and utterly wrong. *gestures at all the conflicts around the world, including political turmoil*

“Are you calling…”  

No Guns Life 11

Second-last ep!

Oh great…another yandere?(I read JJBA: DiU hardcover vol. 2 yesterday, so I’m still thinking about Yukako Yamagishi…)

There’s a convertible in the OP, though…I wonder if that will come into play later. Update: Even if it does come into play in the future, it doesn’t happen in ths cour.

Stars Align 11

It was like Joy was showing off to the camera…LOL.

Apparently, Joy’s name is a weird reading for yorokobi (happiness).

This feels like a final episode…

Hmm. I thought Yonex sponsored this. Turns out that’s a parody logo after all (or at least, here it’s a parody).

One of the Itsuse bros looks exactly like Maki, so it’s confusing…

I’m still confused as to why Shijo Minami’s shirts say nantei on them. The minami might be nan in another way of reading it, but…the shi can only be read kokorozashi otherwise and while the jou can be read many, many ways, tei isn’t one of them.

Ume = plum blossom, so that purple-pink colour really suits them.

BnHA 73

Eri’s name means, literally, “to break reason”.

This scene with the stars and the dancefloor…that’s new.

Iruma-kun 12

Sometims you forget this dork *points at Azz* is more powerful than Iruma and Clara…

You can see Clara and Iruma in the shot of Azz-kun.

The reason why I like calling Kalego “Eggie-sensei” is because he doesn’t like it! 

I love how the narrator is even aware it’s been mentioned several times Iruma can’t decline requests.

New Magic is basically science…?

Oh, it would be hilarious if this character Iruma just bumped into and he (Iruma) would be in a Battler together…but I’ve read spoilers, so I know what Iruma will join…

Is this some kind of allegory for technology…?! *eyes sparkle* Yes, I want in! Iruma! Join this club!

Even this demon’s clip is a book! Amazing!

Clara! She dab! In a pot!

Come to think of it, in the basic premise, Iruma-kun (the show) is Kenja no Mago, right? The Wise Man’s Grandson…sort of.

Shinchou Yuusha 11

Almost at the end…I’ll sorely miss this show.

Is Tiana some former version of Rista…?

How old is Seiya again…? Update: Apparently he’s 17…and if he’s the same age as he used to be in this flashback, then…kinda squicky, no?

Stars Align 12 (FINAL)

I heard this show dropped the ball and that Nao’s mother got a rant, but otherwise I don’t quite know what happens here…so let’s finish what we started. Update: Nao’s mother’s rant was in a previous episode.

Oh hey! It’s that running thing Nao and Taiyo were doing…I think. (I don’t think I’ve grasped everyone’s names, even over 12 eps, so I had to check Taiyo’s name up.)

Oh, these gremlins…*sighs happily but also exasperatedly* No wonder this show took out a top 10 position for my 2019 list.

I’m worried now…there’s always a last minute thing to ruin an episode on this show.

I always thought Ryoma’s hair was pretty nice…(small LOL). That’s just my bias for bishonen showing though.

I’m…scared now…Maki’s dad must’ve come back and the red in the sky really sold that moment…

Maki…no!!!!!!!! Aw, f***, that’s the final seconds…geesh, way to end the series. If this were a 2 cour, I’d definitely watch the next one, but since I heard through ANN that this is all we have so far, really, the only thing I can do for a passion project is hope another cour gets funded and (maybe) purchase what I can to help out. Well, that’s it, folks, skedaddle out of here until next time.

No Guns Life 12 (FINAL)

This pendant reminds me of the mana compass I saw in Fate/Zero yesterday.

I bet Danny planted those footprints…or something like that. Update: Yup, he did.

Come to think of it, is Juzo still missing his arm from last time…?

“You weren’t my client, little lady.” – There’s one of two possible options here, I think: 1) the hands guy was or 2) Danny was.

I wonder, will the hand Extended ever become his (Juzo’s) left hand? Or will he get an Extension for it?

Wow, second huge end-of-season cliffhanger! Juzo got a new buddy, it seems…anyway, see you in spring!

Cautious Hero 12 (FINAL)

If the Valkyryja (sp?) isn’t magic…what is it???

That one guy lying on the side of the fountain, looking all drunk…LOL.

Geez, you make me wanna cry, show!!!

Even the alarm clock is dejected…geez…

This is…the best conclusion of the fall season in that Seiya defeated the Demon King and the story wrapped up properly, but the worst in that Seiya died. No one died in Stars Align, even if they failed a tonne! So…I dunno. I guess it should be happy it ended optimistically…anyways, enough of my moping. See you next time.

BnHA 74

Shin Nemoto = “the truth of the origin of the sound”, if you stuck the particle no between each character.

Tintin got scary, LOL.

Lemillion, making “no capes” go out of fashion again (LOL).

Wow, talk about a clip show…! This is really one.

Check the end of the episode, don’t forget to watch the post-credits segments, people.

[ask-ericson-kids]

My status predictions for episode 4 & achievement theories (Clem won't die theory)

Also let me just say I doubt anyone actually died during the explosion besides the raiders and maybe Minerva??

Violet: (determinant) If Louis was saved, Violet is shown to despise Clementine for betraying her and will side with Minnie. Going as far as to attack you in the cell to prevent you from escaping. I believe if AJ was told to shoot Lilly, and depending on what you say to him after shooting her in EP 4, he might kill Violet if she tries to fight Clem again, finding that she's a threat and it is justified to shoot her. This would indeed be shocking. On the other hand if you saved Violet, I think she's relatively safe but I may be wrong. Maybe she can determinantly save either AJ or Clem by an act of heroism and sacrificing herself in the process.

Louis: (determinant) If Louis was saved, I also think he will relatively be okay. If Louis was kidnapped, shockingly, his tongue is cut out and he is absolutely traumatized, needing the help of Aasim to escape the boat. There has been theorizing of Louis killing himself but it seems ridiculous and unlikely to me. He will be depressed but I doubt he would ever do such a thing. Especially if you romanced him but did not save him. All I can think of is that he might sacrifice himself to save Clem or AJ's life maybe?? I'm not sure what to think of Louis' status. Also there's a small chance he could die from his serious injury to the tougne (maybe blood loss or chocking? But I doubt this will happen)

Clementine: (determinant/alive mostly) Okay so Clementine's fate has been foreshadowed and hinted at ALL season which is unsettling. From being hinted at to drown, to get bitten, to be killed, going missing etc. Even Skybound posted pictures of Clem's hat and a clementine covered in blood. However, I think it's all misleading and trying to trick us to think Clem will get bitten like Lee. I think this is very unlikely and kindaaa lazy. This is Clem and AJ's story, not Clementine and Lee's all over again. I do believe Clementine will be okay! However I do think there is one ending where she might die. I don't know what way exactly but I'm going to assume maybe a major injury? But I genuinely doubt this. I'm optimistic about her making it alive.

AJ: (determinant/mostly alive) Here's a twist, instead of Clementine getting bitten, it's AJ. AJ is always telling Clem his status (ex. "no bites!") Except this time, AJ is bitten, probably by a walker from the herd just outside the ship. And the player must decide what to do in the situation. I still have doubts about anyone getting bit this season though... There's been mentions of the kids being very careful and skilled at survival. To live all these years to them getting bit randomly by a walker is kind of a lame way to go. However, it can still be a possibility. NO ONE so far has died from a bite on screen (Abel being closest) so it will probably happen to at least someone. Another outcome, while extreme, Clementine might have to put down AJ of some sort or resort to leaving with him and departing from the school because it is too dangerous to have him around. In general though, I think AJ will be okay depending on how you raised him.

Tenn: (No fucking idea; but probably alive) Oof I don't know about this one. There has been foreshadowing of Tenn dying many times. He also seems to have some kind of interest in walkers. Will Tenn get bitten? Get shot? He was extremely close to getting shot in episode 3, showing the writers aren't scared of killing off a child. But in the end I really don't know. Will Minerva try and hurt him? Will he have to put Minerva down maybe? I just hope this sweet little boy is okay by the end of this. AJ wants him to learn how to be safe (ep 3) and he would certainly be devasted if something were to happen to him because he is his *second best real friend.

Lilly: (determinant/unknown) If Lilly is spared, I believe she will continue to try and hurt the kids again, potentially killing a major character perhaps? And I think there MIGHT be a chance at a redemption arc. But think about it, what will happen to Lilly when it's over? She's certainly not coming to the school to live with us and the boat is fucked so where the fuck is she gonna go? Thankfully it's been confirmed that once characters are saved from determinant death, they will not die like 20 minutes later (COUGH nick COUGH sarah COUGH) However, I think we will have the choice to kill Lilly ourselves this time IF the player choses to. If not, I guess she could esvape and find a way back to Delta? I don't know.

James: (Alive/Unknown) If Lilly is killed, James is visibly upset that Clementine told AJ to shoot her. I think depending on how you treated James during the barn scene, he will still think you're a good person and help you get the kids out and safe, and will stay at the school with the remaining kids. BUT, if you lied about thinking there's more to walkers, I have a feeling this could backfire somehow and AJ could potentially reveal this to James, deeply upsetting him and feeling used. If you didn't respect him beforehand, James dislikes you, is untrusting of you and he will decide to leave the group at the end and live on his own, back into the forest. Leaving him at an unknown status.

Minerva: (Dead) I think Minerva is unfortunately long gone. She's brainwashed and unable to side with the kids anymore. This leads to her trying to stop them yet again and someone decides to attack her fatally (Maybe AJ, Tenn, Violet (determinant) or Clementine herself), or maybe she drowns and dies during the explosion but I feel like that would leave her story unresolved. There's maybe a small chance she can have a change of heart however and go back to the school but I doubt it.

Other kids [Omar, Aasim, Ruby, Willy, Rosie]: (Alive) Someones gotta survive this season and i think these kids are going to be fine. They're minor/supporting characters and while I love all these kids, their deaths would probably not be that impactful as the mains. And besides, with the amount of characters hinted at to die, this seems like wayy too many dead characters if they were gonna die too. Someone's gotta head back to the school at the end.

------------------------- And now achievement theories!! (potential spoilers)

Let me just say many of the previous achievements are misleading and may sound worse then they actually are so don't freak out too much!

Red Water: I theorize this achievement is hinting at the aftermath of the explosion. Having the water be filled with the corpses of the raiders and walkers. Again, I highly doubt anyone else other than the minor raiders will die.

Final Lesson: Perhaps Clementine teaches AJ an important lesson which will become important for act 3? Maybe she will discuss with AJ the choice she made to either kill or spare Lilly and help him understand certain things.

Savior: "You're our savior Clem!" Clementine is the savior of the kids, getting them all (hopefully) back home and safe where they live in peace finally. Although this could hint at something darker.. Perhaps Clementine is their savior, but will she have to die for them or sacrifice someone else to save them? (Haha this achievement just makes me think of Jesus Christ for some reason)

Survivor/Home at Last: So these achievements are a reason that greatly reinforces the theory that Clementine will not die and in fact make it home at last after the horrors of the Delta. However, I could be wrong but I genuinely think Clem is going to be okay.

OKAY THESE ONES... I hope people keep in mind achievements usually do not contain any major spoilers! They're mostly interactions with the world around so I think people should be more optimistic.

Goodbye: So many think this signifies Clementines death but I saw hell no! I actually think this hints at Minerva's fate! Perhaps Clementine, AJ, Tenn, Violet/Louis will attempt to convert Minerva to return to the school and stop her from being involved with the Delta. Or maybe she gets bit on the neck and nothing can be done so Minerva is left behind but first they say their goodbyes. Specifically Tenn Violet and Louis. The goodbye could be directed at anyone or anything really. It's probably tricking us into thinking something terrible is going to happen when it's actually something minor.

Came full circle: I feel like this might be an important bonding moment between Clementine and AJ. It could also signify a good ending? But like I said, I say it's mostly just an interaction I think.

Promise: I believe this signifies promising your love interest or best friend (Louis or Violet) that you will never leave them and stay at the school with them by their side with AJ. Or, this could be directed at AJ as well but I think he already knows Clementine would never leave him.

Lost and Found: Okay so this one is a bit unsettling I'll admit. We see Clem's lost hat on the screen preview of episode 4 near some water and we see Clem's hat in this very achievement but I think we're reading too much into it. This may simply be an occasion where Clem loses her hat and finds it later on (it's just worded weirdly to scare us). Or maybe AJ finds it or you happen to play as AJ? (I doubt it though.) OR this may occur during a flashback! Such as an instance where we meet Lee again and he finds our hat like how he did in episode 2 of s1. Whatever this achievement means, I doubt its anything major.

So that's all. I've been pretty optimistic about these theories because I just prefer thinking on the positive of things concerning the season finale. Either way I think it will be great and I'm excited! If you'd like to add on with your own theories go ahead!

[jess-the-vampire]

What kind of edgy stuff is putting our dear, crazy anon to shame?

honestly, not sure.

but there are a ton of people in the fandom who do genuinely believe in the show going to these kinda extremes. Especially with tom, who is still seen as abusive and violently irredeemable to a portion of the fandom. (Though i feel this idea is really unfitting to how he’s been written and the opposite of the show’s intention with his character).

So while it seems weird, the fandom has never fully abandoned the mindset of tom being who he was in s1 (And even that, while he is at his worst and did make bad choices, i don’t think is nearly as bad as people made it out to be.)

Maybe a part of it comes from the shippers who don’t want to think of tom as a good guy these days, maybe a part comes from the fantasy of demons being these evil creatures who do evil deeds, i personally feel it might come from association…

Tom is unfortunately linked to the “Bad-boy/ evil-ex bf trope” despite really not being either of those. But that trope is so overused in movies and shows people kinda attach to him by default and refuse to see him as anything else sometimes.

It also might have a bit to do with tom’s clear anger issues, something society tends to always link to abusive and violent behavior which many people find irredeemable and when it comes to partners or past partners they always are seen as abusive to their partners.

The problem being, tom’s really not abusive in the actual show. He has anger issues and used to be selfish at times, but the show does make it fairly clear he never really tricked star or hurt her. Star mostly kinda pushes him off, she’s never been scared of him. But because tom has anger issues, everyone immediately assumes he was violent and abusive to star despite that not being canon based on star’s behavior, the show, or the books.

tom’s anger is kinda treated like a mental illness in the show, and some people see him as real positive representation as someone who wants to work through it to accomplish his own happiness. Though people who are mentally ill have the unfortunate situation of rarely being portrayed right in movies or tv, sometimes being seen as evil…so you could even link it to the demonization of mental illness with tom’s anger issues.

Though honestly, if that last bit is true for some of this it does annoy me because while there are people out there with anger issues who do reckless and hurtful things and can be too unstable to have a relationship with…what makes tom different is he actually is true to wanting to do better.

Tom isn’t lying about wanting to get better, this plot goes on for the next two seasons and he continues with it even after he accepts he might never date star again. It feels kinda insulting to have a character legit try to overcome his issues, issues even tom admits he hates and provides so much self loathing for him, and still be outed as though he can’t change and he’s just an awful person.

Tom was never going to fix something like this in a day, especially since he was raised in a violent society where they “Battle to the death” apparently. But the show makes an effort to show this means a ton to him and he wants to do better and it sucks people still rope him into the “Anger abuser” bubble.

I get really tired of tom’s character being this misrepresented or overblown into something he’s not and never really was in the first place. It feels like a step on his character, like what happened with marco in s3 at times, and i wish i could get the fandom out of this mindset but i think people will always have it regardless.

tom can sacrifice himself for marco as much as he likes or rip out his soul purposefully to stop being mad even if it makes him a stale emotionless robot and the fandom still sees him that way and i just don’t think you can do much about it.

TBF, i do think some of the writing around tom is very clever because if tom had actually hurt star or did any of the things the fandom thought he did or became the person the fandom likes to see him as. The show would have no excuse making him as sympathetic and likable as he is later on. And i appreciate how smart they were in making his issues apparent, but never having tom cross a line so hard he was truly irredeemable to the majority of the fandom.

Because those people, they’re only a smart part (Admittedly, a LOUD small part, but a small one). Most of the fandom does know this isn’t who tom is or is meant to be and in that, i can be thankful for.