#but she presented a very compelling image of how to live a life

[spaciebabie]

What's the storyline for your ocs?

nerdy straight A middle school student katherine quin and her pals realize that their government sucks ass and b/c they are impassioned naive youth, entangle themselves in a state of affairs that will stay w/them for the rest of their lives

more under the cut b/c i wrote a lot more than i thought i would kasfjksdfjksfj (i have big feelings abt this story)

i (officially) made the story when i was 14! all the characters are based off me and my experience 2 some extent (especially katherine i mean i made her bi, biracial, gave her a mole, made her like indie games etc). originally the story was going 2 have a happy ending, but as ive grown i have more of an appreciation for....well endings that are not so happy. im thinking i change it. it would make sense w/what happens in it anyway (the story of revolution is not as happy and triumphant as 11 year old me imagined when i first acted this out w/my brother. honestly like ive changed the story entirely 2 be my own but i still gotta thank my bro cuz the orig storyline that inspired it when we played legos 2gether was a conjoined effort and i borrowed many of the characters)! as im drafting it now, the story is not particularly happy lol

the story tells a sort of generational loop that katherine goes thru? if that makes sense? i wont go too much in depth b/c spoilers but its a story of history repeating itself again and again and the endless loops pain and suffering cause and how people are scared/too comfortable/too angry to change the cycle. i think that katherine being a history nerd in the midst of watching history unfold again before her very eyes grants her a certain point of view other characters dont have (except a few who have lived experiences). although this awareness will come later in the story when she's older

it will also touch on something young folks feel 2day where ppl frequently ask, "why is this happening today? havent we progressed?" and katherine will ponder that herself (although the situations that happen in the story are strictly to the story ajsfsjfd i cant talk abt and link real life tragedies it would be too much for me). and i think that as she gets older in the story and gains knowledge and wisdom from what she goes thru, she'll hafta bear this horrifying knowledge that the sands of time dont just erode the past, but the present and future as well.

i was not expecting 2 write this much KJSFKJSDJFKSJDF

anyway! i care this story a lot. its like my childhood and has grown with me as ive aged. im really compelled to make it the best it can be and i get a lot of imposter syndrome b/c i know the ideas i have and the story itself as a whole is good, but im worried my execution will fall flat. idk its kept me from moving forward w/it or talking abt it for years.

tldr; two can basically be summed up by this image:

are things going 2 get better? can they get better? questions i think about as i write and think thru this story.

[blessed1neha]

Varnada Lagna

The Lagna and Hora Lagna are the foundations for the Varnada Lagna. The Hora Lagna represents riches, nourishment, longevity, and the native's sense of what is valuable in life. The Lagna represents the native's health, appearance, activities, intelligence, and talents. These can be used to deduce that the Varnada Lagna (VL) will reveal further details about the native's wellbeing, appearance, longevity, prosperity, and most crucially, his career.

It demonstrates how the native intelligence is influencing the value system and the karma that is advantageous for him to carry out. the Varnada Lagna results A person's life experiences particular karmic developments as a result of the Varnada Lagna being placed in various houses. The results are fairly generic and could change depending on: 

(1) Varnada Lagna Placement 

(2) The Varnada Lagna Lord's placement, which has the power to drastically alter the reading. 

(3) The Varnada Lagna, which stands for the native intelligence and life and is comprised of the three of a Lagna, is positioned. 

Arudha Lagna displaying his rank and image

b) Sun displaying the government (king) 

c) Moon displaying society and consciousness

d) Atmakaraka and Amatyakaraka

e) Other Varnada HOUSES ASSOCIATED WITH VARNADA Varnada situated in a Kendra to the north Lagna will show a person who has the support of his society and family in initiating his career. If Varnada is occupied and owned by natural benefic planets then the native is strongly supported by the community and such family members indicated by the planets. If malefic planets conjoin or lord the Varnada, then strife, challenges and battles are indicated. If Moon is placed in Varnada Lagna and aspects the 9th house or lord, then career starts easily and very easily. If such a Moon is afflicted then there is considerable mental turmoil and work suffers.Varnada Lagna placed in trines to the Lagna shows a person with good adaptability to any community, understanding and upholding the laws of that community. The Lord of Varnada, If the native has a natural benefic placement, it indicates that he will fit into his job well and be a strong support for his colleagues. If the native has a malefic placement, however, it indicates that he will struggle in the workplace because he will be tormented by his coworkers. Varnada Lagna in a dusthana (sixth, eighth, or twelfth house) from Lagna makes the native shun social gatherings and live a solitary life, loving a life of isolation. The characteristics of the ruler of the dusthana reveal the causes of the distance. The twelfth house's Varnada Lagna makes the native extremely antisocial. If other variables are present, this placement may demonstrate a satanic attitude toward his community, enabling him to commit crimes.

If the lord is weak, the native will be harassed by demonic beings (indicating a good soul) and, if Mars is the ruling planet, he or she will have to fight them off in order to survive. The demon resistance will undoubtedly be defeated if the dispositor is elevated or the Lord possesses Nichabhanga Rajayoga. In any scenario, the local will be compelled by circumstances to leave his home and seek his fortune elsewhere if the Varnada is in the twelfth house. A person with Varnada in the second house becomes a trustworthy worker and gains a high social position that is beneficial to Rajayoga. Rajayoga is experienced since the Lord is both a natural benefic and is connected to another benefic planet.

The Rajayoga's origin is shown by the nature of the Lord of the Varnada. The native cedes the throne if they are ill. Varnada in the third house frees a native from adversaries and improves his relationship with the community, making the native content and joyful. If the native is connected to malefic planets, they grant them parakrama (business and courage). Similar to this, if the Varnada is in the eleventh house, the community will be the means by which the individual's goals are attained. In all circumstances, the final perspective can only be formed after researching the lord of Varnada, planets connected to Varnada, and its lord.

[marjaystuff]

Interview with Joy Jordan-Lake

Echoes of Us

Joy Jordan-Lake

Lake Union Publishing

October 8th, 2024

Echoes of Us by Joy Jordan-Lake centers around Joannie DuBarry.  There are dual timelines between the past of WWII and the present day. The author shows the fear and terror of locals as German submarines lurk off the coast of the little island. Readers will learn about the danger that the war in Europe brought there.

Joannie's disappearance and a mysterious older woman who lives on the Island during the present day makes the story suspenseful.

It seems there is an unlikely friendship between an English Jewish instructor, Dov, a Tennessee farm boy, Will, and a German submarine POW, Hans, who deserted. 

In the present day, 80 years later, everything that Will Dobbins, Dov Silverberg, and Hans Hessler fought for is at risk as their descendants’ clash for control of the corporation they founded together. To remake its tattered corporate image, the firm hires event planner Hadley Jacks and her sister Kitzie to organize a reunion for the families on St. Simons Island, Georgia, the place that changed all three men’s lives forever. As Hadley and her sister delve into the friends’ past, they uncover the life of the courageous young woman, Joanie, who links them all together.

It is the story of love, courage, friendship, and resilience set on St. Simon’s Island within the backdrop of WWII. The mystery is center stage and very compelling. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, leading to an ending that is as surprising as it is satisfying. 

Elise Cooper: Idea for the setting?

Joy Jordan-Lake: My family has been connected to where the story takes place, St. Simon’s Island off the coast of Georgia, which was my dad’s favorite place in the world.�� I knew a lot of the history of the Island, but nothing about the WWII history until after they built the Homefront WWII Museum. It is incredibly well researched and allows viewers to see what it was like to be on an aircraft carrier, working on the radar station, a fighter pilot, or someone at home.  

EC:  How did you realize that there were German submarines on America’s East Coast?

JJL: When I first walked into the museum, I saw the story of someone killed on the East Coast by a German submarine. In 1942 a German sub was lurking off the coast of St. Simon’s Island and ended up sinking a couple of ships and killing a bunch of people. This is where the novel starts. Some of the characters are based on actual people. All the fictional characters are based on actual people and actual events.  

EC: How would you describe Joanie?

JJL: Quick-witted, fiery, courageous, and has guilt at times. She became a WASP, Women Air Force Service Pilot. Joanie has the name of one of my cousins that grew up on the Island.

EC:  What did the WASPs do during the war?

JJL:  They flied planes for their country. Joanie is based on a compilation of the WASP women. They are brave women. They ferried planes here in the US. They flew every single type of plane used during WWII.  They had to fly with unbelievable conditions: very little rest, really hard conditions, and unable to cleanse themselves. It was anything but glamorous. In the early days they came from money and learned to fly, while others were taught by their father, or a brother. They had a love of flying. Some were fashion models, farm girls, schoolteachers, and so on. 

EC:  How did Joanie’s relationship with her twin brother, Sam, affect her?

JJL: He is someone Joanie can connect with and share her feelings about the mental and emotional loss of her father just as my father who died of Alzheimer’s.  

EC:  How would you describe Dov?

JJL:  He is the Jewish character. He has integrity, regrets not being in combat, and is very tender.  He is a compilation of characters. He is partly based on a real person who taught at the radar training school on the Island. I interviewed someone who helps to run the museum.  She commented that there was an instructor at the radar training school who was upset that he was here teaching while those he taught would be under terrible dangers and stress.  They had to decide if the plane approaching was a friendly or enemy that needs to be shot down. In the actual person’s letters, he was contemplating going back into the fighting arena. Dov represents this ethical struggle.  The allies decided to have their very best pilots become instructors. He was made British because there was a Brit who was sent to the Island by the English to train Americans. 

EC:  How would you describe the German POW, Hans?

JJL:  He was drafted into the Nazi Navy. He chose to desert. I wanted to show how Dov and Hans were suspicious of each other, wary of each other, and even had hatred. He is partly based on the Captain of a German U-Boat that was on the coast of the Island who did not desert. I did the research on what would happen if someone deserted from the German military. 

EC:  How would you describe William, the Merchant Marine?

JJL: I grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee so I made him a Tennessee farm boy.  He quotes Shakespeare and has an artistic soul. He is brilliant.  He becomes a friend with Joanie and Dov.

EC: Next book?

JJL: It is set in the North of Italy.  It has some flashbacks to 1969 but is set mostly during present day. The plot has the Mafia involved in a theft.  The working title is Outrageous Fortune.

THANK YOU!!

[neophytye]

Bistre

Fandom: Renegades - Marissa Meyer 

Words: 1900 aprox 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

These days, it was gray all Nova saw. Not only in the mud of the prison, but in the soot that was everywhere she looked. It was like the universe was reminding her that dark days were all she had to look forward to from now on. 

Thinking about the last few weeks.... it was hard. She had known, deep down, that it was foolish to have hopes so high, to even begin to think that she could get Ace out of this dammed prison. 

Now, been one of its residents, she understood how impossible of a task it was. Maybe she, herself, had set up for failure. 

 - Stop thinking about that – Nova scolded herself – there is no point in crying about it 

Now, indeed, was the time to think about what she could do. It has been just a few days, but she hasn’t seen Ace anywhere... maybe he was locked down elsewhere, or maybe.... 

 - Nop – she reiterated- not going that route either.... 

She didn’t know what to think about these days.... and nights. Every memory of hers brought pain and desolation, but she couldn’t escape the ever-present memory of her family being murdered. 

She had spent countless nights crying, but now, isolated like this, it was even worse. The residents didn’t even want to talk to her and felt like a total outcast, like she was truly alone in the world, left to pick up what remained of her former life.  

Sometimes she wondered if she was a total failure. 

Around the room, a small light entered, and she could see her own hands, and her broken fingerprints, from the time when she was first going to enter the Renegades. So close and yet so far in time.... is like she has live a lifetime since then. 

What would her team be doing right now? - she wondered – would Adrian even care? Would he be disappointed? Heartbroken? Does he even care? 

Tons of questions plagued her immediately, and she couldn’t help but wonder... 

Could she had been compelling enough to make Adrian believe she was being wrongful arrested? 

She was transported back to that precise moment, and his sad face was haunting her like a curse. He totally didn’t want to believe she was his enemy. 

They were dammed from the very begging, and she shouldn’t have hoped for anything. Yet, these days, she wishes she could wake up again in that paradise he created, while his family was having breakfast upstairs. 

She longs for these simpler days, when her lie wasn’t destroyed, when her uncle was somewhat safe and when she could pretend she was a normal Renegade, with a promising future. 

 - What a foolish hope – a voice said. 

Nova was... confused. Nobody was here, but yet... She swore she heard someone talk. 

 - Look at you... when did you fall so hard that your dreams got reduced to that. 

She realized that the voice was coming from the mirror. But when she looked, there was nothing else than her own image. She hoped it was Narcissa coming to the rescue, but it was not the case. 

 - So, dependent from the rest; where is the brave Nova? - her reflection said. 

If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought she was hallucinating due to exhaustion, but she can’t get tired, not like that. Intigued, she decided to play along. 

 - So.... mirror on the wall, what do you want? - she said, trying to be sassy. 

 - Very funny – the reflection answered – but you know very well you should be saving that for later. After all, you will be staying here for a while. 

Nova was taken aback; for a hallucination, she wasn’t expecting such a response. 

 - What, cat ate you tongue?  or have you finally realized your current predicament? 

She still didn't know what to respond, so she let der double rant more. After a while, her expression softened, and she looked a little bit sad. 

 - I warned you, you know. This whole thing with Adrian wasn’t going to work out, but you still went through it. You should have kept your distance when he was getting away. 

This is getting crazy – Nova though – sitting down gaian, and tryint to shout the voice down. 

It didn't work. It keeps going and going about how she was a failure and reminding her of everything she could have done better. Her anxiety kept going harder and harder to keep at bay, and she felt horrible. 

It was no physical pain, for sure, but she still felt like a thousand cars had run over her. Or even worse. 

So, as she felt herself being pushed over the edge by some imaginary voices, she did the best she could. She started breaking things down. Literally. 

First, she went over the mirror, and she punched it hard, breaking its glass into pieces and making her own hands start to bleed a bit. But she didn’t stop there; the voices just kept making fun of her and she continued punching through the remaining structure of the frame. 

Due to it being wood, it wasn’t as durable as an iron one, so, with a lot of punches and a lot of dedication and fury from Nova, she eventually tore it down and it fell apart on the floor. 

Her fists were now a dark shade of red, not a good look for sure, but she didn’t even notice. Her own mind was dead set on one only objective, and it was not caring about herself. 

An outsider would have agreed that she had lost it, but there were no guards that care enough. It was just another villain. Another failure of society. 

On her own, Nova even managed to make a small hole on the wall. And then, when she realized, the voice had shut down. It was replaced with the screaming of some guards suddenly entering her cell; it looks like making a hole on your wall could be considering trying to escape, even a tiny bit. 

The last thing she remembers is looking down at her bloodstained hands and lousing consciousness and a heavy object impacted on her head. 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

From safe distance, a shadow was looking down Cragmoor, satisfied with the results of its own meddling. 

 - I hope you don’t lose focus little Nightmare – Phobia said – for this is the price to pay for your own failure. 

Skeletons couldn’t smile, but one could argue that, in that moment, Phobia was the happiest he had been in a while. 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

A few days after the Supernova, there were still just getting started with the changes in society. Nova was trying to help as much as possible, but she couldn’t be anywhere. 

But this was one of those rare occasions where she forced her now filled agenda to be wipe out clean for this visit. She was coming back to Cragmoor. 

The trip wasn’t easy, and her team offered to go with her, but she felt like going alone. She needed it. It was like closing chapter of her life; it felt right. 

So, the moment she entered the prison, memories flooded her; how at first, she felt like an outcast, how recomforting was to hear that Adrian still cared, that her... that Alec was alive, that her comrades dint hate her.... 

It might sound a little awful to say, considering how much she suffered the first days, but the strength she found after, the clarity in her ideas, it may as well pay off in the end. After all, she, alongside her team, they saved the world. 

Yeas, it was from her uncle, but still... it was a win. She gets the change to change the world for the better, finding a middle ground between what it was in the Era of Anarchy and these last ten years. 

While she was looking for the place, she was glad it was empty; everyone was being relocated elsewhere while awaiting a trial. Because now, they were looking to reintegrate the less dangerous people back into society, looking onto their cases again, one to one. 

It will take a while, but she hopes that at the end, the ones that deserve a second change gets it. 

In her little crossing, she ended up in the cells, and all those good ideas in her mind were exchanged by bad memories. And where she got to her past cell, it got even worse. 

She started to have an ache in her stomach, and she wanted to throw out. Her body was screaming to run away, because she was going to get locked up again. 

She ignored those unfounded fears. Better to get over them now. So, she asked for permission to enter the cell, and she had a brief look. 

Of course, everything was as she left; there was not much to change. Indeed, the only mutation in the room had been the new mirror they had brought soon after her... crisis. The very same mirror where Narcissa had talked to her. 

She took the mirror in her hands and put it on the ground. The mark in the wall was still there; the only proof she had that that night was indeed real. She hated to remember that moment; she had never experienced something like that before, but she had to admit that those days had been really tough.  

As she was touching the mark, she realized some guards were looking at her. She didn’t know if they knew about the history behind, if they were the same guards. She didn’t care either. 

Right now, it was a conversation between her and her memories. And she could picture herself, crying in a corner, not knowing how to stop the voice. She wishes she could talk to that Nova, to reassure her that the voice was totally wrong, but she couldn’t. That Nova was in the past, immutable as always. 

She would give her a hug if she could though. 

After a few moments more of reminiscence, she got out of the cell, never looking back, and closing that door, at least, for now. 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

From time to time, Sketch’s team liked to keep up with all sorts of things, from sports to celebrities. They preferred to keep politics as out of their civilian lives as possible. 

 Not for Nova though; she, wherever she had free time, she liked to read about the stories of the villains who got reincorporated after Cragmoor, and how well they were doing. 

Most of them struggled at first, as everyone was suspicious, but once they got a chance to shine, they succeeded. For the ones who opened a business, Nova tried to go there, from time to time. 

Some of them remembered her time there, others were struggling so much they had completely forgotten that time. But she always found time to recollect those stories and make sure they weren’t forgotten. 

Maybe both the Renegades and the Anarchist were the main protagonist of this story, but she was looking forward to getting the full picture.  She is going to collect the story beneath, and learn from it, so they don’t end up making the same mistakes in the future. 

Because, as much as she hated to admit it, her original ideals were as wrong as the ones from the Renegades. They didn’t need to wipe out the heroes as much as Alec wanted. 

So maybe, she still had some flaws, and the only way to find them was to confront their ideas with the real world. With both heroes and former villains, so they can finally move forward. 

And with a pen and paper, she entered a beekeeping store, while she waited for the owner to come and talk to her.

[abigailvonah05]

Artist Research #3: Adam Magyar

Introduction/Background:

Adam Magyar is a Hungarian artist based in Berlin. He was born in 1972 and didn’t originally have any intentions of pursuing photography as a career, and instead wanted to be an engineer. He started taking photographs after visiting India and seeing places where bodies were cremated after death. Seeing life and death take form gave him an interest in people and photographing them as they were. Magyar explains during a lecture at Fresno State that, “Photography is the way we think about time and memories; we emphasize things.” This is how he has taken photos for his entire career, which has garnered him international recognition in various solo and group exhibitions. He particularly emphasizes in his work people in circumstances that they do not belong and doing this by observing, “time flowing by and life pulsating in front of his eyes” (Stephen Bulger Gallery, Bio). He also likes to capture images of a constant never ending flow of people in daily life. In fact, many of his better known photographs were created using this technique. 

Notable Works: 

From looking at Adam's website, it is evident that he is very talented in what he does. I found influence in much of his work as well. One work of his that stood out to me the most and seemed like one of the most prominent projects of his is Squares. This one stood out to me for multiple reasons. First, the perspective and angel it was taken from was very unique to me. Most of his photos focused on capturing moments in front of him, but this picture captured the camera looking down at people walking from a higher point. Secondly, the colors are a lot more vibrant and lively than the consistent black and white aesthetic found in most of his other photos. To me it felt like that there was a lot of meaning behind the images but according to Magyar, “he never thought Squares had deep meaning despite its visually pleasing aesthetic” (Phoblographer). Although this photo does intend to compel the audience to wonder where, when, and how all of his images were shot? The colors of this shot add a nostalgic and peaceful feeling  to the aesthetic of the photos. Magyar is specifically reminded of “Where’s Waldo” because of the various people present in one area. Overall all of his works are highly dependent on his techniques with light, movement, color, and the overall aesthetic to create something thought-provoking for the viewers. 

Awards/Nominations: 

Adam Magyar has won a total of 2 awards and 1 scholarship. These include the following: 

'2009 International Photography Award, 1st place in Fine Art - Collage subcategory for Squares, 1st place in Special - Aerial subcategory for Squares,[47]

2006-2007 Jozsef Pecsi Scholarship,

2004 Grand Prize, Hungarian Press Photo

Personal thoughts: 

I have learned a lot from Adam from watching the video lecture and also simply observing all of his work on his website. Seeing how much he focused on capturing the continuous movement of humans reminds me of an example similar to this in the world of interior design. There is a building (I don’t know where) that has many digital walls all throughout the inside walls. These screens respond to the movement of people around them, and in turn move with them. For example, there was an archway with autumn leaves on a tree and as a person walks underneath the arch, the screen will sense this movement and respond by making the leaves fall at the same time she passes by. This has the same idea that Adam has, but instead of capturing it in photography it has been adopted by interior designers in their own designs. This is an idea that is futuristic and pushes creativity to a new height. Having the same mindset as Adam in how to capture an image effectively, also inspires me to try the same in my own work. If  myself and others continue this mindset, great developments in the world of art can start to be made in order to create a better future. 

Works Cited:   

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Magyar

https://www.thephoblographer.com/2022/03/06/how-adam-magyar-shot-squares-a-series-of-beautiful-photographs/

http://www.magyaradam.com/wp/?page_id=810

https://www.bulgergallery.com/artists/144-adam-magyar/biography/

[in-mutual-weirdness]

[Chapter 3 - How Do Women Establish Personal Identity and Gender Orientation in a Heterosexist Society?

THE FORMATION OF WOMEN'S IDENTITY

The third major theme appearing in the interviews was the struggle women had with the development of a clear sense of themselves and with acknowledgement of their own identifications, attributes, and desires. These women found that their personal assessments and judgments were often not accepted or taken seriously by parents, husbands, and friends. Their attempts as children, and as adults too, to experiment with a behavior or to discuss an attitude, feeling, or value at variance with those commonly expressed in their circles were met with resistance or were patronized. Often their experiences were not considered valid. Even for those with supportive parents, setting their own paths to a sense of personal continuity of self over time, to an identity they could embrace, was, at best, extremely challenging and, at worst, shame producing. The message they received was don't be who you are.

When the sexual aspect was added, the women found the going even more difficult. Where one's thoughts and ideas, feelings and impulses are not taken seriously, discussion and exploration of self and/or of sexuality are nearly impossible. In this society, in which heterosexual gender orientation is presented as the only acceptable outcome, many women (and men as well) struggle to fit in, hiding or ignoring their genuine impulses.

Ideally, a woman's sexual or gender identity (I feel like a woman) and her gender orientation (the gender to which I feel sexually attracted) informs the development of her personal identity as a woman. Her personal identity informs the development of her gender identity and orientation. Without an authentic interaction between these factors, a woman has the sense of something being "not quite right." She is likely to feel a sense of incoherence in her presentation of self and her subjective awareness. Many respondents in my research reported the unrest that this internal confusion creates.

Respondent #23, age forty-seven, gives a compelling description of that sense of incoherence:

"I was very strongly convinced that I wasn't OK - that there was something inherently wrong with me. I can remember that same guy I was telling you about…telling em that I just didn't see myself right and I think that was true. That it was sort of like being steeped in original sin or something like that. This was something that couldn't be fixed. And I just didn't want to deal with it at all…I think it came from my feelings about my sexuality. I think that I…when I sort of came out to myself, decided that this was something I was going to have to deal with and that was going to be a part of my life, if I was to live, this was going to be who I was. It was almost like if you had two different images and it came into one image, like focusing, and that's why when you asked that question earlier about - was this something that i didn't recognize or that I knew and didn't know - it was like a ghost self all those years, and I would feed that ghost self, just enough to keep her alive. Music was very important to me. Women's music was very important to me. I went out of my way to go to women's concerts and so on. Usually alone. Through all of those years. It was sort of like, trapped, that I could feed this little self on the side. But still not really acknowledging the presence in me."]

karol l. jensen, from lesbian epiphanies: women coming out in later life, 1999

[infamous-empire]

Infamous Empire’s random movie thoughts - Perfect Blue

Just to give some context behind this: my relationship with films in general is... weird. I’m constantly surrounded by endless shoutouts, references, and general osmosis to movies I’ve never watched in pop culture and I watched a ton of videos about movies growing up, but for most of my life, I rarely actually cared enough to watch that many movies. I just kinda thought “yeah, I’ll get to watching all these movies whenever I have the time” then just walked away. Plus, part of me kinda had a weird sort of prejudice against films as a medium during my teenage years since I was used to the MCU and hundreds-episode long anime at that point and just thought that self-contained films couldn’t deliver the kind of long stories I’d become accustomed to, but that’s neither here nor there Anyway, a few months ago, I kinda just decided “alright, I’m not getting any younger, might as well watch every movie that’s on my backlog” and I’ve been grinding my way through them ever since. So it was around this week I decided that I might as well have something to show for it by slapping my thoughts on whatever movie I’d watched onto Tumblr, and this felt like as good a place to start as any.

Anyway, I’ve never seen any films from Satoshi Kon, so going into this movie, all I knew was that it was really artsy and kind of a Mind Screw. I tend to find that those kind of works can be rather hit-or-miss for me, so I properly kept my expectations measured going into this. Thankfully, every concern I might have had going in was completely swept away by how great the film ended up being

At its core, the film is the story of a struggling actress/former idol trying to keep her sanity and identity in the face of an industry that strips of her autonomy and controls her self-image, and a rabid fan whose stalker behavior and criticism of her outward behavior wear at her mental health. From the very premise, the movie is relentlessly critical of the misogyny often inherent in the film and idol industries, the attitude of fan entitlement which fuels it, and the way all of it affects those simply trying to make a living doing what they love

Mima’s struggles are compelling in their nuance. She’s trying to convince herself that she’s changed for the better just as much as she tries to convince the public, and the separation between the mask she wears as a celebrity, her former life as an idol, and the various roles she plays in film and television are key to the movie’s central theme of identity. The more success she gains, the less control she has over her image, instead decided by callous producers who care nothing for her outside of profiting off her success, which leads her to break down even further. The deterioration of her mental state made clear by how she hallucinates of her past idol self judging her for her “impure” decisions, and her reaction to that hallucination becomes more and more severe as the film goes on

One of the best parts of the movie’s presentation is the way its structure collapses just as much as her mental state does. Towards the last third of the film, it feels almost like a dream in a way that’s honestly hard to describe without going into an obnoxious amount of detail, but it genuinely left me speechless and questioning what’s even real or not, as did several of the major plot twists that came in towards the end, which retroactively reshape how you view several parts of the film.

Overall, this movie is nothing less than the masterpiece it was hyped up to be, and for how strong the whole thing was, I’m now genuinely excited to check out the rest of Satoshi Kon’s filmography, since I’ve heard they don’t exactly disappoint either

[thephilosopherspupil]

Was just reminded of the existence of dear coquette, the ur-mean girl advice blogger of the late 2000s. AFAIK, she left la and then mostly disappeared from the internet around when trump was elected. love to be suddenly overwhelmed by a very particular sense of nostalgia

[fleur-marigold]

centaurworld is a very neat take on our modern approach to recovering from trauma through therapeutic approaches: an essay

in true tasty storytelling fashion, centaurworld makes great use of highlighting the narrative dichotomy between its protagonist (horse) and its villain (nowhere king). as pointed out, these two are very compelling foils to each other, since they have so many similarities in their lives but such radically different outcomes to their stories. centaurworld shows how these two live through their formative traumas, and how the events, actions of others, and their own choices shape their paths from there.

it does so by covering what I’m going to dub the ~pillars of healing~

[read more]

pillar 1: communication

when horse arrives in centaurworld, there’s such a huge rift between what the herd know about her, and what she assumes about them as characters. the first step to moving through this is to begin to express her deeper, painful feelings to them, and recognize similar complexities in them, an act of vulnerability that later gives her the insight to peer below everyone’s surface. it takes a long time for everyone to feel comfortable opening up to each other, but this show is very articulate in its use of communicative language, placing a heavy focus on real-world therapeutic terminology for acknowledging, understanding and expressing our messy and confusing feelings to others.

elktaur’s first mistake, of course, is lacking the skills to, and then refusing to take the steps to learn how to, communicate authentically and effectively with woman, making huge, tainted, biased leaps in assumptions about how she would think or feel about him. he cuts himself off from this avenue, and retains secrets about himself for years into their relationship, creating a huge barrier of broken trust and unspoken feelings. their bond is literally founded on telling her a lie, and it’s clear he never planned to rectify this.

pillar 2: integration

one of horse’s biggest challenges in season 1 is growing the ability to accept her new self, with all its cartooniness, squishiness, musicality, absurdity and farts. she feels they’re antithetical to who they are, and might risk distorting the image of herself she wants to present to others, but it turns out they’re highly valuable parts of her personality, which aid her through life and help her find joy, creativity and new possibilities all around her. she works with her herd to recognize these qualities in herself, allowing them to be comfortably present around them, and eventually, she takes the risk of showing them to rider, another act of vulnerability that is rewarded with understanding of change, acceptance of a new form, and recognition of the true self within.

elktaur, in opposite fashion, completely and physically severs his connection to the parts of himself he dislikes & is conditioned by the public consciousness to dislike, creating an enormous shadow out of fragmented personality shards, and consequently, the part he rejects runs rampant with loneliness, pain and suffering. he pretends it isn’t there, and is happy to maintain a lie with the person he cherishes most just to avoid the discomfort of confronting it, and working through the process of deconstructing the fabric behind why he was told to hate it in the first place.

pillar 3: community (vs isolation)

this can really be the kicker in healing. whether or not someone happens to have a support group around the time of trauma can radically impact the effect it will have on the person’s life, but this factor still remains significantly up to chance - many people struggle with isolation, and it’s not something they necessarily caused or can easily change.

horse, for example, finds herself seemingly isolated from rider with a bunch of weirdos when she first arrives, and continues convincing herself she doesn’t need to be around them for most of the season. they prove vital to her survival, wellbeing and happiness time and time again, saving her from the depths of despair by reaching out to her out of earnest care. eventually, she internalizes how important it is that they stay in her life, and while self-isolating and oversaturated independence is something she clearly wrangles with as a trait, she is more frequently able to rely on, confide in and ask for help from others when she needs it.

elktaur seemed socially quiet even from the beginning, which gets thrown into a 100 when he’s split into the general (the only creature to turn from centaur to human thus far), and the nowhere king - a conscious, frightened animal that he feels belongs to neither centaur nor human world. on top of this, an enormous amount of trauma is added to his psyche when he is imprisoned, removing his chance to find this vital tool. this is especially notable when he is traumatized by being (perceptively) removed completely from the binary between centaur and human, while horse is able to find a home among both.

this isn’t a factor we can always control in healing, which is why this show’s themes of community, solidarity and collective care are so important: the more a society compassionately connects with itself, the less trauma will occur. sometimes, in my experience, it even comes down to the heartbreaking realization that, if you need help, it won’t always come on its own. but in the depths of painstaking existential loneliness, you can be the one to call out for help for it to come. no one deserves to be left alone or left behind, and you shouldn’t put yourself through that, either. horse is able to find the courage to do this, while the nowhere king, for a variety of reasons both his fault and not, can’t find support, and his pain is left to turn into hatred. which brings me to:

pillar 4: responsibility

this is what it really boils down to. after bonding with her herd and traveling centaurworld, horse is embued with a new sense of liveliness - not only to commit to living life as her new and strange self, not only to embrace herself as part of this weird and wonderful family, but also to use the powers in her hand to help others: she’s seen the suffering of both worlds, and she wants to put an end to it. she realizes she has a purpose to help heal the world around her, and a responsibility to do what she can to make sure the pain she’s experienced isn’t passed on to another.

elktaur completely falls apart here. the general pins the blame on the monstrosity of the beastial self he separated from, and thinks he can fix things by capturing, containing and hiding it. the nowhere king loses all sense of care for the beings around him, and funnels his painful energy into creating new tools for violence, death and trauma across the world. he even goes so far as to shift blame to woman, implying her (interpreted) rejection was what caused everything, all the unspeakable things he himself decided time and time again to do.

and I think this is really important, because it’s so interesting, easy and powerful to be able to observe the internal environments that contribute to people turning to mass violence. but we also have the responsibility to decide where we place our focus afterwards. woman retained severe psychological trauma from what this man put her through, leaving her scarred, separated from her home life, filled to the brim with doubt, guilt and fear, with an impacted ability to trust, and a very limited social circle out of fear that someone will hurt her the same way he did.

noticing and understanding the reasons a monster rages destruction on a town is vital to navigating similar situations in the future, but it’s also important to help the villagers out of the rubble while we’re there. stories like this offer a space for introspection: if you had the choice, whose path would you want to follow? horse’s or elktaur’s? but ultimately, centaurworld is about healing: directing love, compassion, energy, support, healing tools, care and second chances to those who have been devastatingly effected by something catastrophic in their lives. woman, especially, is someone who needs this, and her pain is easily as complex, tragic and worthy of examining as the nowhere king’s. we know what made him make the decisions to hurt her and others. but through learning about healing, we also know how we can help her (and people like her) recover now that it’s done.

centaurworld about love’s ability to give reason and hope to even the most tortured lives - how family can still find and bind you to one another, no matter what you’ve been through, and how meaningful that can become to you when it’s what you need most. and it’s about giving people hurt by abuse and trauma the space to feel angry, hopeless, messy, confused and tired of it all, while still reaching them a hand to help them back up afterwards. it’s about teaching them to breathe, communicate, ground, be mindful, catharsize, process, and with time, move on. it’s about creating a safe haven to really dive deep into the depths of what hurts us as living beings, and how we choose to respond to that. and what better way to explore that than through:

pillar 5: MUSIC!

or, just, artistic self expression in general. I just love that centuarworld is a musical. I love how well it juggles the absurdity of magic singing rainbow coloured half-animal people, with the grim grittiness of a world scarred by years of conflict. it’s like a shining symbol of life pre and post trauma: one filled with innocence, play, hope and affection, and the other defined sheerly by terror and the will to survive. at the same time, it never portrays either of these as a binary - they are present in each other, merging together like cosmic magical soup. trauma may darken our lives, yes, but that possibility for childlike joy and new discovery never truly goes away.

self exploration, self expression and reconnection to the sensualities of emotion are pivotal for recovery. artistic endeavours, such as singing your feelings spontaneously as they come to you, is a beautiful example of something we can do to not only sense our inner feelings, but give them an outlet into the world around us, where that energy, now freed from our bodies, can resonate with others, too. in centaurworld, you can sing about the joys of symbolically fixing friendships through boats, or you can sing about how the love of your life heartwrenchingly betrayed you and left you with unimaginably huge emotional wounds that effect your every living day. you can sing about wondering how food is made, or you can sing about how you feel almost ready to give up on your life entirely and cave into suicidal impulses.

and all of these songs can be heard. and all of these songs can be sung along with by someone else.

and all of these songs fucking slap.

art as a healing tool is a very important concept to me, and it gets even more meaningful when you consider that that’s probably what it means to some members of the crew, too. the fact that they could make a space where they could talk about breathing exercises to calm an overactive amygdala, show on-screen depersonalization and derealization caused by onset of unprocessable traumatic memory, and have a character come back and find renewed meaning in their life after bordering on complete self annihilation - is really magical to think about.

because it shows that once again, the art we make as humans, even our cartoons, fundamentally reflects our current state of consciousness as a whole, and watching that grow into ever more considerate, nuanced, thought provoking and meaningful contemplations on the struggles of human life, all while feeling the waves of earnest care these creators have for everyone watching from a similar place - “I see you, I made this for you, I want you to get better” - is absolutely amazing to experience. and the fact that they clearly had so much freaking fun making this show together???? that’s it baby. that’s what healing’s about

[zalrb]

I think a lot gets said in the DE v. SE argument about how Stefan always respected Elena’s choices, and to extent I think it’s a fair argument. However, I think the show makes some pretty clear choices, especially in season 2 that hints at the arcs of both relationships. By the time Damon has fallen in love with Elena in s2, he is already hellbent on the fact that he will do anything to keep Elena alive. Even if it means she will hate him for it. Stefan even mentions this in S2: “I’ll have the one thing you never will; her respect.” The way I view this, it’s like Stefan cared more about preserving this fantasy and construed version of himself that Elena had of him than anything else. When Elena thinks she’s going to become a vampire, Stefan and her are very clear that this is something they’ve never talked about before. They avoid having the hard conversations about the reality of their relationship. On the other hand, Elena knows exactly who Damon is, and Damon doesn’t care if she hates him as long as she’s alive. The writers portray it in a fucked up way, don’t get me wrong (again, viewing this in the context of they’re vampires and all terrible), but Damon had a fierce loyalty towards Elena (“I promise you, I will never leave you again”) that a lot of fans loved. His loyalty towards those he was in love with was one of the characteristics about Damon’s character that people loved

Even if it means she will hate him for it. Stefan even mentions this in S2: “I’ll have the one thing you never will; her respect.”  The way I view this, it’s like Stefan cared more about preserving this fantasy and construed version of himself that Elena had of him than anything else.

You know, I find the willful misunderstanding of Stefan as a character to be kind of fascinating because I was reading this like, so by your characterization Stefan won’t act like Damon because he wants to maintain some idealized image of himself to Elena

and not that Stefan says that he has Elena’s respect because, let’s look at the context here, Damon is compelling and using Andie and essentially treating her like a living sex doll

and Stefan is a character who wouldn’t do that.

Now, I’m not saying that Stefan hasn’t done anything terrible

but the point of Stefan is that he genuinely strives to overcome his darkness

so what’s a default choice for Damon, humanity and all,

would only be something Stefan would do (and Stefan didn’t even do things like this) without his

He’s a character who wants to protect people without harming them

and who thinks of what others want for themselves and not what he thinks is best for them.

It’s not about being perfect or being a hero or appearing that way, it’s about trying to do better because he genuinely wants to be better

and that’s what Elena respects because she recognizes him as someone who tries

Now, in terms of his construed image. Stefan is a character who, at his core, is conflicted by his very existence

a character who is meant to legitimately want a life defined by humanity 

so yes, when he first comes to Mystic Falls, he wants to live his life free of his vampirism, but part of his arc is embracing his vamprisim and he does that with Elena:

It’s his greatest insecurity, it’s being a vampire, it’s the thing that he runs away from the most, he’s ashamed of it.

So the fact that she can accept that and think it’s beautiful, to Stefan there is no other closer form of intimacy for him

this is not the same thing as “I’m going to trick Elena into thinking that I’m perfect and then show my true colours when I have her fooled”, this isn’t even the same thing as meticulously crafting an image to present himself in a certain way, (like, for instance, what Damon did with the council i.e. presenting himself as a do-gooder, vampire-hunter citizen to gather intel to see if they’re onto the fact that he was the one murdering the victims they’re investigating), and then that image getting shattered because Stefan wasn’t presenting something, he was being himself.

It’s about the fact that since the 20s he’s done everything in his power to overcome his darkness and his weaknesses

because that’s not how he wants to live or be because again, the point of Stefan is that he strives to be a good person, that’s who he is, and circumstances threatening to destroy what he had worked for.

So sure, initially, he didn’t want her to see what he had spent thirty years overcoming,

and what he had alluded to throughout the first few episodes

(he doesn’t say ‘they’re predators, they hunt, they stalk’ he includes himself in this description)

-- let’s not forget that Elena thought that Stefan was going to murder Damon in 1x08 --

and that she saw how dark Stefan could get in 1x12

but because of circumstances,

she does see it

and the point is that they deal with it together.

Stefan doesn’t make excuses for himself, he doesn’t compel her to forget that it happened, he doesn’t even tell her “this isn’t me”

but she knows him and knows him enough to be like, “this actually isn’t you”

Antis say essentially what you say that here Elena doesn’t listen to him because she wants to keep this idealized version of him in her head, which doesn’t make sense to me because a) why go through all of the work to maintain a false image when she could just walk away if he wasn’t the person she thought he was? That’s absurd b) Elena knows that Stefan is the person who tries to do better, to be better, who saves people:

and she appeals to that in im:

and he tells her she wouldn’t understand

so she tells him to talk to her

and he does

which is actually development from 1x08

And then in season 2 this development continues and it deepens:

Not to mention, Elena could’ve walked away at any time. There’s this narrative around their relationship like she was caught up in this web of lies and didn’t know left from right, up from down and I’m always like, did we watch the same show? But this is something I’ve already mapped out in great detail:  

https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/190417664885/stefan-followed-elena-to-the-graveyard-went-to

so this construed image argument always has me like, finish the thought, though.

When Elena thinks she’s going to become a vampire, Stefan and her are very clear that this is something they’ve never talked about before. They avoid having the hard conversations about the reality of their relationship.

They never talked about it before because they didn’t need to. Stefan already knew how Elena felt

and Elena says that she wanted to deal with things, particularly their lives together, as they came along,

which for a seventeen year old is fair. Why would Stefan have a problem with that? He’s been alive for over a hundred years and is immortal, he doesn’t need to rush those conversations. That isn’t avoidance, that’s things developing organically, that’s just, you know, life.

“Well in 2x14---″ spoke about it: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/181561642750/can-you-analyse-the-2x14-do-you-ever-think-about

As for the rest of it, I don’t particularly care why DErs ship DE just like I would assume that DErs don’t care why SErs ship SE, it’s why I don’t actually go into inboxes and explain my reasoning and just stick to my blog, but in terms of the loyalty thing, I will just say this:

I’m not responding to your other ask about me being biased or condescending towards DErs, I’ve heard it all before. My opinions remain and so does the way I express them.

Your argument isn’t new but thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[soulmate-game]

New fic *test*

New Bio!dad Bruce story? I’m testing out this first chapter, and if I like where it’s going I might add it to my growing pile of WIPs. If I have inspiration, I might as well use it. Because of life events stressing me the hell out, I’m throwing any writing plans out the window and I’m purely gonna write to destress right now. Whether that means updating THG or not, or continuing Maribat March, we’ll just have to see how this all pans out. Things are subject to day-to-day change.

I got inspiration from this from rereading my day 1 story for Bio!dad Bruce Wayne month from last year. I’m just gonna change a few things.

—*—*—*—*—*

For once, an unfamiliar face attracted the attention of everyone who caught even a glimpse of them. It wasn’t even because of the person themselves at first, but their dress. The skirt like the most fantastical of storybook ball gowns, fluffy layers of satin over a luxurious petticoat, with a stunning pink floral pattern whose busy appearance was tastefully offset by a shorter, sheer layer of leaf green tulle artistically weaved and somehow sculpted over the floral in order to tame it. The effect turned what should be a grandmotherly pattern into something softer, sophisticated and youthful and yet also reminiscent of fairytale princesses. Over top the short layer of green tulle was an even shorter later of white tulle, almost invisible except for the elegant embroidery of crystal-white vines that twined all over it, connecting the green below it to the bottom-most floral pattern and oddly adding a layer of childishness instead of maturity. At the waist of the dress was a dark plum pink satin ribbon, to separate the elaborate ballgown skirt from the bodice. Attached to the simple ribbon was a large brooch of fabric flowers, with a single plastic ladybug in the center.

The bodice of the dress came up into a cheongsam neckline, but was sleeveless. It was a simple design, of half green and half dark pink, with a white border separating the two. The white border had expertly done embroideries in a soft silver thread that would only be visible close up, the images the thread made being that of fairies and ladybugs dancing around one another.

It was, all in all, a stunning display that made the small eurasian woman wearing them look like absolute royalty. Perhaps a long lost fairy princess. Her black-blue hair was even done up in elaborate looping braids and a braided bun, with silver and green pins that further completed the regal ensemble. And yes, while the expertly done dress was what initially captivated her current audience, it was not what kept them from leaving her alone. That was all her personality, bubbly and bright as her blinding smile. It was a sunny disposition that very few people present had any exposure to at all, and it drew them like a sunflower to the daylight. They could not help but flock closer, or even just stand back and keep themselves turned to her presence. Already she had been at the gala for two hours, but there was no issue. She just kept proving her generosity, admitting she had donated both a dress and a suit of her own making to the charity auction that would begin soon, one of the main attractions of the gala. She skillfully charmed the more snooty of the attendants, and artfully twisted her words so that they felt compelled to donate more money that they truly had no use for. Later, they would remember their donation and wonder what compelled it, but come up with no satisfying answer.

And yet she was entirely unaware of her more silent audience, who stood back and observed. Truth be told, every one of them was glad to not be the center of that attention for a change, to have room to breathe for so long at an event where usually that commodity was so scarce that it demanded a fierce competition for. Compared to her garden of color, they were all shadows in shades of blacks and blues and whites, with a touch of red here and there that was entirely too thematic for their home city. The one who sported a royal blue suit tilted his head at the scene they were all calmly witnessing, his bright azure eyes glittering.

“She’s like magic,” he mused, clearly enchanted despite having not said a single word to the woman. “Perfect socialite. She’s kind, generous, she made that dress and the ones she donated to the auction herself so she’s obviously got an intimidating amount of skill for her age. She even tricks those old fuddy-duddies into spending money. It’s like a dream come true!”

“I don't trust it,” the one to his right said, a man just a few inches shorter in a classic black suit with a red dress shirt underneath. He absently swept his bangs away from his face as he narrowed his eyes at the woman. “It seems too perfect. She doesn’t have any identifiable character flaw, except maybe being a little clumsy and too energetic. She does babble a little… but nothing that actually suggests any depth besides her just being— good. That’s impossible, and I don’t trust it.”

“Tt. I agree with Drake for once. She seems entirely too comfortable with this setting, despite her blushes and rambles,” the one who spoke this like was taller, clearly a teen in the middle of his growth spurt. He, too, wore a plain black suit but his had subtle charcoal embroidery and he wore an emerald-green dress shirt under it that made his matching eyes gleam dangerously. “It seems almost playacted. Expertly so, but nonetheless not entirely genuine.”

“Wow, not many pick up on that. I’m gonna give your observations a solid eight out of ten. They’re all perfectly sound, but not quite complete,” a new voice made all of the silent group stiffen— somehow they had been snuck up on. The newcomer smirked at them as if having fully expected their reaction but still being pleased at being able to evoke it. This was yet another stunner; far too much color in her outfit to be a Gotham native, and far too much skill in the construction for it to signify anything less than extreme influence. She had bright golden-blond hair that was coiled into a low bun, with her bangs artfully curled and arranged to display her crystal blue eyes.

In contrast to the garden-themed dress of the Eurasian woman who had garnered their attention at first, this newcomer was wearing a pantsuit. It was all in a dark honey-gold, in a stiff fabric with construction that made it lay entirely in perfect, straight lines and hug her form in the right places. Black embroidery decorated the long, flared sleeves and pant legs and dripped around the square neckline like a faux necklace. A cape made out of the same material as the rest of the pantsuit was draped on one shoulder. It started out as the same honey-gold color, but it became a gradient as it faded to a solid black at the ends. Gold thread embroidery decorated the solid black bottom of the cape in delicate, deceptively simplistic swirls. The top half of the pantsuit was clearly inspired by military garb, simultaneously rigidly constructed yet fitted, with circular onyx buttons going down the center of the chest and a thick metal belt, all in swirling silver and black, sat perfectly clasped around her waist. It was far more solid-colored and simplistic compared to the fairytale dress in the center, but no less show stopping and luxurious. It simply showcased an entirely different attitude, almost as if the two women could never get along if their personalities matched their outfits.

“And who are you?” The man who had been the center of the group of shadow-like adults spoke up, back straightening to milk every speck of his generous six-feet-and-three-inches of height. This was none other than Bruce Wayne, the host of this annual charity gala. And normally, his current stance would either intimidate or utterly charm whoever it was directed at— but not this pantsuit-clad blond warrior. Her smirk merely widened, and her blue eyes took on a slight shade of teal as if trying to mimic the dangerous ocean depths.

“I am Chloe Bourgeois, the daughter of Andre Bourgeois, the mayor of Paris, and Audrey Bourgeois, the Style Queen. It’s nice to meet you again, Monsieur Wayne,” she introduced herself imperiously. “I also happen to be the best friend of the girl you were just staring at.”

Bruce nodded, but had trouble reconciling this clear powerhouse of a woman with the bratty and entitled preteen he had met years ago, at the last gala she had attended with her mother. “Of course, I didn’t recognize you at first Chloe. You’ve grown a lot since the last Gala I saw you at.”

Chloe wrinkled her nose, clearly not appreciating the reminder. “I was a bitch,” she admitted easily, seemingly not at all bothered by the confession. It caused not only Bruce but also the oldest three of his sons, who had all also met her in the past, to blink in silent shock. “Things have changed. Paris is apparently the perfect chaotic environment right now to promote emotional growth and smack spoiled kids over the head with reality,” she shrugged. Part of the reason her and her whole class had even been able to come to the Gala in the first place was the fact that Bruce wanted to offer the most attacked group of Parisians a respite and some support from their crazy lives. The fact that even Gotham seemed sane in comparison to Paris was a bit of a hard hit for both involved parties, but in the end everyone understood that “more sane” didn’t always equate with “less dangerous.” Considering all that, Chloe had no reason to sugarcoat the situation in her home city. “But it wasn’t easy at all, and Marinette was largely responsible for my improvement too.”

“Marinette?” The heathen who somehow got away with attending a gala in a black leather jacket over a dress shirt and suit pants asked, raising a brow. Chloe nodded.

“The girl you were just goggling at. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the class president and resident workaholic. Does she ever sleep? Nobody knows,” Chloe shrugged.

The blue-suited man, Dick Grayson, shot a suspicious glance at Tim, who was standing to his right, as if he was worried his brother had made a female clone of himself just so he could continue to work hard and never rest. Tim ignored him and sipped from the thermos of coffee he had somehow snuck in.

Bruce cleared his throat to bring the focus back onto himself, and shot his most charming smile at Chloe. “They would have known who she was, if they had read the brief information I gave them about your class. But they never do listen to me,” he complained with good humor. “But back to the original topic, Miss Bourgeois, do you care to correct us on how our observations are lacking?”

Chloe laughed easily, smiling and nodding to indicate Marinette, still stuck in a circle of socialites and not seeming the least bit worn out.

“Of course. First; She is not completely acting. She really is like magic sometimes— disgustingly kind, generous, far too willing to help just about anyone for just about any reason. She’s one of the best people I’ve ever met, as much as it pains me to admit it. But she is exaggerating her personality a bit and hiding the parts she doesn’t want anyone to see, so there is a little acting involved. Just not as much as you seem to think,” Chloe then waved her arm in a flourish as if she were presenting Marinette to them. “In short; behold Mari Dupain-Cheng, the ridiculously likeable, disgustingly cute, extremely philanthropic mask that she shows everyone at public events like this. You don’t see any of the insomnia, or the anxiety, or the self doubt. Just the parts she wants you to see, accompanied with a smile to blind you to everything else,” her all-too-deep blue eyes settled back on Bruce then, a knowing glint shining in them. “Don’t you think that’s ridiculously similar to Brucie Wayne for you, Monsieur? Utterly, ridiculously, similar?”

Bruce grit his teeth. He hadn’t expected anyone else to know about his exceptionally well hidden secret, not even his kids had caught on or found his buried evidence yet. Yet his heiress comes up, nearly flaunting her knowledge in his face with all too many unspoken questions and criticisms.

And her cryptic words had succeeded in making all of his kids look at him with extreme suspicion. Shit.

“What are you saying, Miss Bourgeois?” he cautiously prodded. She hummed noncommittally before dropping the bomb all too casually;

“I’m saying I’ve seen her adoption papers, and you won’t be able to run from her for long Monsieur Wayne. As soon as she gets an opening, she’s going to pounce,” Chloe’s eyes glittered dangerously again. “And nowadays, Marinette doesn’t ever let people escape her. Your problem with adoption has created a rather unique problem, you know. You’re at fault for a large majority of her self confidence issues, and I want you to know that I am not going to forget or forgive that anytime soon.”

“Bruce,” Jason’s voice was dark and threatening. “What is she talking about?”

“Something we don’t want getting in the tabloids,” Yet another new voice popped up, allowing Chloe to smugly sink back into the background.

Somewhere during their discussion, Marinette had ambushed them.

“Chloe and I are very good at locating all the reporters in a room and distracting them, but we’re not infallible and this event has far too much coverage,” Her smile reeked confidence and charm, but this close all the Waynes could see the doubt hiding in her bluebell eyes. “Since I’m about to turn eighteen, I figured this would be as good a time as any to finally confront you. I want to make it clear that I seek nothing from you, except the occasional contact. I would like to keep in touch, if nothing else. But if you are adverse to that… then at least answer my questions after the gala,” her eyes developed a hint of carefully controlled desperation. “Please.”

Bruce met her eyes evenly, trying to read her. But she was difficult, simultaneously too many emotions to sort through in her demeanor and much too little. After an extremely tense moment of silence, his voice came out barely above a whisper:

“You do not want anybody to know?”

And hell, if she didn’t recognize the hidden vulnerability in his voice as the very same she heard in her own far too often. In a much tamer version of her own rambling, he went on:

“I can keep it silent if that is what you want. But I want you to know that I will not be adverse to you admitting it anywhere. I don’t expect you to change your name, but I would not be ashamed of the truth getting out. I am not ashamed of it, of you.”

Marinette’s smile grew a little watery. She had to clear her throat to keep herself from tearing up. “Maybe eventually, but not yet. I… I want to stay a little more anonymous for now. It’s one thing to be a well known designer with good connections. It’s an entirely different thing to be…”

“A Wayne?” Bruce finished, ignoring the daggers that were being stared into his back. “I understand completely.

“Father,” Damian’s voice was all sharp edges and rapidly suppressed panic. “What. Is going. On?”

Marinette shot him an apologetic smile. “Apparently, eighteen years ago, his prerogative was to put the child he actually knew about up for adoption when the mother died in childbirth,” her voice was once again only barely loud enough for them to hear, since she didn’t want any eavesdroppers. “Imagine my surprise when I find out he completely flipped sides only months later.”

--*--*--*--*--*

Hey, so please share your feedback on this. This is just to test out a possible new bio dad, multichapter fic and this is the opening scene I'm trying out. If you like it, please tell me what you like about it and please suggest titles for the story! I love you guys' feedback so much!

[v-e-l-v-e-t-g-o-l-d-m-i-n-e]

I think I’ve got a cold and I was feeling really bad today at work so I had to go to a hospital.Took me three hours for a doctor to see me, so in the meantime I finally made some progress with The Witching Hour lmao. Spoilers bellow:

Man, I think when Anne Rice was good, she was really good. I think she was quite skilled at setting a Mood, especially one of horror, and these first chapters are so full of it. The image of little six-year-old Deirdre going to a confessional booth in tears, sobbing and begging for help because she was not being able to resist the devil and she would end up in hell... it’s a very chilling scene, and so good. The horror and tragedy in this book is so present and unescapable, but it is very compelling. And I do feel so bad for Deirdre like... what is her life but a never-ending series of horrors?

I also like how the story is being set up by outsider point of views - priests and doctors and former friends and people who knew these women from long ago. I love this kind of setting tbh it’s really very interesting.

And Rowan’s first chapter! Even far away from the Mayfair clan and with zero contact with them, she’s like, weird as hell still. Very interesting to learn about hew powers and how she, having zero background of her family being full of witches try so hard to ignore the fact that she can kill people with her thoughts lmao. Can’t blame her like, denial seems reasonable in her case.

I’m really curious to learn more about the old Mayfairs like... Stella seems like she surely was a blast, even if she lived so little.

[earnestly-endlessly]

Hi, how are you? Your blog is amazing and your recommendations have already allowed me to read wonderful stories, so thank you so much! I wonder if you could suggest me any cherik fics of them as detectives? I remember reading one a long time ago, but unfortunately I don't know the name and even less the synopsis. Thank you in advance for your help.

Thank you so much @remember5novemberv for your kind words. I'm so sorry this took me so long but I hope you enjoy this list. There are some excellent detective AUs in this fandom so you're in for a treat.

Cherik Detective AUs

Their Mouths Always Lie – keire_ke

Summary: Charles adheres to most police protocols like they are a personal code of conduct. Erik gets things done and over with, for better or worse. Raven knows what she's doing, most of the time. The serial killer kills, regardless. Police AU.

Guilty by Association – Reagan

Summary: While investigating the homicide of a John Doe who he suspects might've been murdered while working the streets as a prostitute, Detective Erik Lehnsherr finds an unexpected ally in a hooker named Charles who seems as determined as he to solve the case. As they become more deeply involved both with the case and each other, there's just one thing that Charles neglects to mention -- that he's really an investigative journalist, one quickly convinced that what they're dealing with is more than simple murder. cop!Erik, fake-hooker-slash-reporter!Charles, Modern AU.

Incy Wincy Spider – Tawabids

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is a renowned homicide detective, with his husband Charles at home and his partner on the job, Moira MacTaggert. When a twisted serial killer starts targeting mutants, Erik and Moira are the perfect team for the job, especially since Erik himself is the mutant poster-boy of an NYPD trying to improve their image.

But what they don't yet know is that the serial killer is an old soul out of Erik's past, and his next move is to pull Charles into his web.

The Theory of Partnership Dynamics – Pangea

Summary: “Detective Lehnsherr, how wonderful to see you out on the job!” The fed in the front greets him as they draw nearer. He’s shorter than the other two by a full head, and he’s beaming at Lehnsherr as if completely undeterred by Lehnsherr’s paint-peeling scowl.

“What do the feds want?” Lehnsherr asks bluntly.

“You know I can’t tell you that,” the fed answers cheerfully. Then his gaze lands on Alex, and, impossibly, his grin gets even brighter. “Did you get a new partner?"

“No,” Lehnsherr says through his teeth while at the same time Alex says, “Yes.”

Charles’ Killer – luchia

Summary: When detective Charles Xavier finds himself hunting down a vendetta-driven serial killer, it doesn't take long for him to realize he's in over his head. It only takes a little longer for him to realize his killer is, too.

Demoted – JayPendragon

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is a detective-specialist with the NYPD Mutant Tactical Unit, ready to help out where his skills are needed. Or he would be, if he and his partner hadn’t been demoted. For the next four months, he is patrolling the Lenox Hill precinct with Azazel – if he doesn’t die of boredom first.

One night they are called in to investigate a potential case of domestic violence, yet the tenant assures them he is both alone and unharmed. However, there is something about this Charles Xavier that compels Erik to follow up.

Watching the Detectives – Clocks

Summary: Detectives Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr are good friends and colleagues. However, when they go undercover at a Christmas party to nab a prime suspect, Erik keeps reminding himself to stay professional and ignore feelings of unexpected jealousy.

Oh, Sinnerman (Where you gonna run to?) – TintagelCastle (orphan–account)

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is one of the best homicide detectives in New York. From small time stabbings to high end mob hits, Erik (and his equally scary partner Logan) makes sure all the bad guys get caught, searching for the final clue to nail his mother's killer. As a string of murders draws the net ever tighter on Erik's life's work, he needs to catch the nightmare of his past whilst continuing to be the darling of the Force...

And so what if he's completely in love with the British guy on Forensics? Who's he ever going to tell?

Wrap up my bones – waifornight

Summary: Damaged detective Erik Lehnsherr is grimly searching for a serial killer whose victims all have extraordinary gifts. But without any clues or leads he and his partner Logan are in the dark. Until Charles Xavier, abducted by the killer, escapes. Together Erik and Charles must confront something far darker than either of them had ever imagined.

Alternate Universe loosely based off the crime movie Kiss the Girls.

I’ll see your heart (and I’ll race you mine) – sirona

Summary: For Kriminalhauptkommissar Erik Lehnsherr, this case will change everything.

Paralyzer – Yahtzee

Summary: In 1965, Erik Lehnsherr has infiltrated the NYPD for his own purposes -- but his powers make him a brilliant detective. Yet that's not why FBI agent Charles Xavier has sought him out. It's because the mysterious killer they're both trying to find is murdering people like them: other mutants.

Their search for a madman binds them together. Their inner demons may tear them apart. But the greatest danger comes when the killer they're looking for looks back.

Wrap up my bones – waifornight

Summary: Damaged detective Erik Lehnsherr is grimly searching for a serial killer whose victims all have extraordinary gifts. But without any clues or leads he and his partner Logan are in the dark. Until Charles Xavier, abducted by the killer, escapes. Together Erik and Charles must confront something far darker than either of them had ever imagined.

Alternate Universe loosely based off the crime movie Kiss the Girls.

The Long Bright Dark – lachatblanche

Summary: Ten years ago Detectives Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr closed the case on a grotesque series of murders that continue to haunt them even in the present day. When they are pulled in for questioning a decade later, they finally have confirmation of something that they have both suspected for a very long time - that there is unfinished business for them to take care of and that the case they thought they had closed so very long ago is in reality still all too open.

A True Detective AU.

Finding North – ClarkeStetler, Goosenik

Summary: Charles and Erik are (loosely) friends with benefits. They don't share personal details, last names, or anything concrete about their lives. This is ruined rather spectacularly when Charles gets recruited by the Mutant Apprehension Division of the FBI. Surprised is a bit of an understatement for their reaction to finding themselves partnered up and sent out on cases with the team.

Closer (to God) – dsrobertson

Summary: Se7en/The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo AU-ish.

Political journalist and editor, Erik Lehnsherr, has just lost £150,000 in a libel case against businessman, Kurt Marko. Down on his luck and in need of money, Erik is approached by the Metropolitan Police’s Detective Inspector Charles Xavier. Well-known for his investigative journalism, Erik is asked to help in the search for a serial killer in return for £200,000 if the killer is caught.

Wrapped up in murder, religion, and sex, Erik gets more than he bargained for.

Homo Sacer – unveiled

Summary: In a not too distant future, Detective Erik Lehnsherr meets Charles Xavier: street magician, former academician, and telepath.

One Good Day – troll_under_the_bridge

Summary: One case which is going to turn Charles' world upside down, while he struggles to pacify his boss, investigate murders and come to terms with the mess his life has become.

Playing With Fire – professor

Summary: Charles is a detective determined to catch a serial killer.

If the serial killer doesn't catch him first.

Hold on or let go – aesc, pearl_o

Summary: Teenage telepath Charles Xavier takes a job as a consultant, working with prickly police detective Erik Lehnsherr. Charles is used to being on his own and taking care of himself; he has no reason to think that his relationship with this stern, icy man is going to change any of that. (Also known as: Tough Little Baby Telepath.)

MCIS: First Case – Pookaseraph

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr considers himself a great MCIS agent, and he puts up with a lot from his boss - Moira MacTaggart - in the name of solving crimes against mutants, but he's not so sure about this new empath, Charles Xavier. Their first case together will test Erik's patience, but doubtless be the beginning of a brilliant friendship.

MCIS: Fathers, Sons, and Brothers – Pookaseraph

Summary: Alex Summers has a single case that he has obsessed about ever since coming to MCIS two years ago: Su-M-94-0708-0034, the murder of Christopher and Katherine Summers, and the presumed kidnapping and possible murder of Scott Summers. Very little evidence was found at the time, but hopefully a new team - and new leads - can shed light on the case that left Alex an orphan.

When the Crazies come to town – Chinchillaatthedisc0

Summary: Erik is a surly detective with zero people skills who has just been assigned the murder case of Kurt Marko. Prime suspect? Charles xavier. Who's no where to be found.

My old man is a bad man – faerie_ground

Summary: Sebastian Shaw dies at two am in the morning with a dagger embedded in his forehead. Detective Erik Lehnsherr is on the case, and the number one suspect is the recently widowed Dr Charles Xavier, Sebastian Shaw's husband.

Deep Cover – Subtilior

Summary: Omegas in heat? The perfect whores. Sebastian Shaw? The bastard who kidnaps them for his Hellfire Club. Erik Lehnsherr? A hard-boiled detective who's been on the Hellfire case for months. The catastrophe that unfolds when he goes in on retrieval and finds Charles Xavier still writhing in a Hellfire bed? .... Deep Cover.

A Murder of Ravens – AbandonedWorld

Summary:Charles Xavier is wrongfully accused. Erik Lehnsherr is a top-notch homicide Lieutenant who stumbles upon the case of a lifetime: a serial killer targeting mutants–and only mutants. Charles bides his incarceration waiting on a miracle, reciting Poe's timeless gem in effort to retain his sanity...

Note: Unfinished

[the-descolada]

Penny and Winter as Symbolic Human Machines

So honestly, I’m really impressed by how well done the ending of RWBY Volume 8 was with regard to character arcs being fulfilled, especially for Penny and Winter. I’ve seen a lot of takes, some that I somewhat agree with, and some that I just don’t, that Penny’s death was “bad writing,” and I think that, subjectivity of what constitutes bad writing aside, this is ignoring a lot of aspects of V7/V8 that made for a very compelling narrative, and feels heavily based in just people wanting Penny to not have died.

And I get this! Penny is one of my favorite characters and I’m very sad that she died; however, I really actually loved how fitting her death was for her story and the broader story of RWBY as a whole, so I wanted to do a write-up of my whole rant on this so that people could read it and see my thought process for why this only made me love Penny’s writing more. I’m not necessarily going to ascribe value to the writing itself in this analysis, as that is highly subjective, but I am biased so that’ll shine through some.

V7 through V8 had a lot of moments that frankly I hadn’t picked up on right up until the end that worked to build a dynamic interplay between Penny and Winter’s characters. Specifically, Penny's role is of a literal robot becoming less of a machine in the thematic sense and more of a person throughout, contrasting with Winter, who, while she is helping Penny realize herself as more of a person and less of a tool, is going through the opposite experience herself. This is essentially textual - it’s explicitly said by Winter herself in less words during the Maiden power transfer scene in V8E14.

When we as the audience reconnect with Winter at the start of V7, she is firmly entrenched as Ironwood’s confidante and second-in-command, serving as a face of the Atlas military as it squeezes Mantle. It’s safe to say that not many Mantle citizens like her very much, but she is insulated from this and continues to follow orders without regard for the welfare of the people. Ironwood at this point is already extremely authoritarian, even though he hasn’t graduated to full on dictatorship and declared martial law yet, and his will is also imposed on her through bringing her into the fold with the chief purpose of grooming (god this word feels grossly fitting given their dynamic) her to become the next Winter Maiden.

Winter, despite holding a a significant level of power and authority due to her military rank, has very little agency in this decision. She insists that her choice to take up the duty as Ironwood ordered is something she’s grown into and chosen, but it’s alarmingly clear that this is not the case; nearly every action she takes in V7 is still fully in the purview of Atlas (read: Ironwood)’s goals. I would go so far as to suggest that Ironwood giving her this position within the military after she escapes her father’s influence is intentionally conditioning her to view him as the sole way out of an abusive situation, and to disguise the fact that this new situation is just as abusive as the first below the surface.

Penny’s role in V7 is completely in opposition to this; while she is still theoretically under the control of the Atlas military, she is presented as the Protector of Mantle and seems to be beloved by the people. Our immediate image of her in Atlas is one of emotion and caring; she is overjoyed to see her friends from Beacon again, and this continues throughout the volume as she talks about what it means to be a person with them, Ruby and Winter especially. When things start going wrong and she is accused of killing people through the doctored footage from the rally, she is horrified at the prospect of being seen as a monster and continues to make every decision with the aim of protecting everyone around her, even at the expense of what her “duty” to Atlas might be. It’s clear that she is growing into her own agency, rather than being beholden to what Ironwood wants for her, and this helps prove to herself that she is her own person, not simply a tool of the military, not a machine.

The climactic scene of V7 takes these two character arcs running in strained parallel and drives a wedge between them, even as they battle a common enemy side by side. Winter’s devotion to Atlas (read: Ironwood) results in self-destructive tendencies, uncaring for her personal survival if it would further a goal that she ultimately and ironically does not truly believe in. Penny, however, begins to entirely shake this duty, risking even the Maiden power going to Cinder if it means saving Winter from dying. To her, personal feelings (ding ding ding!) and personal friendships mean more than duty to a state, or even (as we see later) her own well-being. Self destructive tendencies aside, this loyalty to people she earnestly cares about, who earnestly care about her, is loaded with symbolism that separates her from the metaphor of machine.

The result of the V7 finale reinforces the track the two of them are on; Winter, having been molded into a machine of the military, fails in her duty, while Penny, who has begun to recognize herself more and more as a person, succeeds at keeping the power from Cinder. She still has a massive amount of self-doubt and deep-seated fear that she doesn’t count as a person, but the Maiden power, being the perfect thematic symbol of “maidenhood”, goes to her, proving her to be a “real girl” and reinforcing the ongoing narrative. Winter, battling her own mixed feelings over being chosen for the power, never questions this; it’s clear that she, too, recognizes that Penny “was always the real Maiden, while [she] was the machine.” This also reinforces Penny’s narrative being heavily trans-coded, but I think that’s pretty obvious and doesn’t need to be reiterated. The two of them part sides here, one remaining with the Atlas military and one actively rebelling against it.

As Ironwood starts going off the deep end at the end of V7 and throughout V8 and starts sacrificing everyone around him to fuel his own narrow and tyrannical view of how to save Atlas, Winter simply...falls in line. She is continually forced to follow harsher and harsher orders, and any choices she makes as part of that, with only two exceptions, still are entirely in service to Ironwood. She has become, in essence, a machine locked into a set path, a path she, conflicted as she may be, follows all the way up to a choice she cannot abide - mass murder. Even orders that would result in her sister’s closest friends’ deaths she follows unquestioningly - it’s unclear whether she would have actually gone through with it, since the option is taken off the table by forces outside her control, but she certainly says as much in her conversation with Marrow. Only the prospect of annihilating the entire city of Mantle finally snaps her off the track Ironwood has set her on, making her recognize that all of this has never been for Atlas at all, but for Ironwood’s own ego. Fittingly, finally seeing Ironwood as her enemy and not a savior, she is tasked with taking him down herself.

Contrasting this, Penny’s role in V8 is entirely one of rebellion. The entire volume is her building her agency more and more, making decisions based on what she thinks is right and what she values. She rarely listens to any one person telling her what to do; even her father, who she loves dearly, isn’t able to make her do something when her sense of justice is on the line. Ironwood no longer has his hold on her for the most part; any attempt at manipulating her into doing something against her own morals is met with defiance, supported by her friends’ love for her. She has to be outright hacked to be forced into doing his bidding, and she fights this all the way down, her own inherent personhood pushing back against this attempt to dehumanize her. In this sense, even her becoming organic symbolizes this; she and the people she cares about defy this dehumanization of her, finding a way to free her from the last remaining vestiges of Atlesian influence and further reclaiming her own agency.

And what does she do with that agency when she is faced with oblivion? She simultaneously affirms it by making her final choice in a desperate situation, defying Cinder’s attempt to rip her power away, and also gifts it in the form of the Maiden power to the woman who she is watching attempting to also shake the shackles of Atlas, symbolically showing Winter her own inherent humanity. This decision, though dire, is in recognition of what is most important to her: her friends. Even believing half of them are dead, she gives up her life to ensure the rest survive. In the final moment she has with Winter, she reassures her that she won’t be really gone: the memory of her choice and who she is as a person will live on through Winter’s continued choices, through her agency.

In the end, neither of them were machines; just two hurt people fighting back against a brutal world that sought to strip their agency away. The tragedy in this conclusion, that that brutal world took one of their lives away, is fought just as defiantly. Penny knows that gifting the power in her soul to Winter means that her death won’t be meaningless, that her agency will last beyond her mortality and might result in the world finally being freed from the threat of destruction. It’s because of hope, not despair, that she makes her final choice.

[darlinghowl]

Man, that last post about Loki and Wanda is more cathartic than I expected. Even if they are the same in their behaviour and actions, I’m thinking about how I like them as characters, not as people. I like Loki because yes, as shitty as he is, that’s the point; he’s a supervillain. He’s supposed to be a scumbag, so what’s actually relevant is if he’s an entertaining/compelling one—and I think he is. I think Wanda’s supposed to be sympathetic, or even a hero, compared to Loki in the shows/movies she’s been in. Maybe they’re comparable as people, but how am I supposed to like Wanda as a character if she has the same characterisations as a supervillain, but we’re not supposed to view her as one? She could be really compelling as a full-fledged villain, but she’s awful as a superhero!

i think the main difference here is that loki has been on a trending arc from supervillain to antihero to, presently in the loki show, technically a hero. he’s going through a redemption, and that’s why his story is currently SO rewarding to watch and why it was SO frustrating when the russos had the reins that they killed him pretty much instantly before he got that arc only to put out a new loki who didn’t remember any of that stuff which is why the loki show was so crucial giving him the backstory he needed to his entire life while allowing him, divorced from those experiences but aware of them, to try and make different choices KNOWING that he was capable of change (and healthy, almost affectionate love finally from his brother). and so he did, he changed.

conversely, wanda’s pattern has been different bc she started out as a “villain” or at least on the villain’s team, they converted her to an avenger, she struggled with her image of being a hero (notably in civil war), and then hero again in endgame until she had to pay the ultimate sacrifice of giving up someone she loved for the greater good. and i understand why they’d want to make a miniseries abt her grief and i think it was a VERY good story abt grief and how grief can corrupt you. but the problem i had with it was that it seems like her ability to do the right thing is completely reliant on vision being alive. HE was the one who was with her while tony had her locked in the avengers compound, HE was the one who was with her in infinity war talking about trying to live their lives together, HE was the voice of reason in wandavision that told her she had to let go. it’s always come down to vision being the one to talk her down. and she’s transferred that onto her boys. and so now (post endgame) we’re seeing her go full throttle back into villain territory with enslaving the town with her mind, with using the darkhold to access the multiverse, and now in doctor strange trying to get to them no matter what she has to do. and so, naturally, she’s trending towards villain again AFTER she’s already had a “redemption” arc (it wasn’t a very good one)

and their reasons are pretty much the same! they’re seduced by power (him by thanos with the tesseract so he could finally rule and feel loved, her with the power to cross the multiverse and be with her kids), they have magic objects that are helping them (scepter/darkhold), etcetcetc but what it comes down to is: loki is willing to put in the work and change and that’s where we’ve left off with him. wanda isn’t doing that, until the VERY end of the movie when she crashes the building on top of her, effectively committing suicide (though there was no body so i’m personally not buying it).

[monkey-network]

Why Klaus IS Christmas Kino

Klaus isn’t flawless, let’s get this out the way. My love for this film won’t deny that it bears a couple nits that can distract the experience. Jesper and Alva’s relationship felt like an eye-rolling inevitability, notable cliches here & there, a notable song felt both fitting and out of place, and while enjoyable, I’m not as big a fan of the climax as I thought. But in spite of it all, I love this film and it is one of the best modern animated Christmas films, period? Follow me here. I could go on about its wonderful animation cuz yeah, it’s unlike any other film. But a philosophy of mine is that the best animation enhances the writing and I can say Klaus is that surprisingly well written and has become an all time Christmas fave

*deep breath in* So let’s do this...

I mention that Klaus has its cliches, but you gotta know that it’s smarter than expected. Believe me when I say if the writers didn’t care, this could’ve actually been so much worse. Jesper could’ve been more manipulative towards everyone for his goals, Klaus would’ve given up entirely after knowing the truth about Jesper, we could’ve had an argument between Jesper and his dad about upholding business, the townsfolk could’ve reverted back to their old ways, plenty writing moments where this could’ve been Emoji Movie levels of insulting to your intellect. BUT, they don’t. The film never really turns back on itself, it keeps moving where, as the notable quote goes, an act of good will sparks another as it starts with Jesper’s father.

Even if nepotism was responsible for Jesper getting the job in the first place, he clearly sees his son be more spoiled than he’s worth so is like, “Ma boi, I will send you to the ends of the earth or leave you to the streets if you don’t do something with yourself.” He never cared about his son representing the postal company, or ruining his top class image, he was only tired of Jesper taking advantage of his fortune while not having any ambition of his own. Can’t help but say Jesper’s dad is a very respectable character because the sole reason the whole plot happened in the first place was because he just wanted his son to do better. It’s that act of genuine consideration that pushes Jesper to his wake up call as he reaches Smeerensburg.

People have compared this movie to Emperor’s New Groove through Jesper’s character and I say yes, but this film takes that next step and put Jesper in the pit of pits way early. Reminds me more of Ratatouille’s beginning where Remy’s lowest point is around the same time as Jesper’s. The harsh atmosphere of the island is treated very blunt in how this is our mailman’s nightmare come true. With his situation, our guy is truly at his lowest. Gives up now, he’ll be cut off his inheritance and probably will have worse. Everyone hates him and each other, his post office itself is in shambles, symbolic of how communication is practically thin outside conflict, and the teacher turned fish seller Alva is that path Jesper could notably be if he didn’t try. Everything is literally grey for this guy, but like Ratatouille, when you’re at your lowest there’s no where else to go but up. That’s where Klaus comes in...

This is genuinely the most clever interpretation of Santa I know, hands down. A well established woodsman, a crafter both of living, for him and the birds that reside in his woods, and recreation with the toys he made himself not just for kids, but specifically the kids he and his wife wanted but couldn’t have. Klaus feels like a real person, not just another take on the mythical man. You’re with him and Jesper as he, after familiar winds provide him a letter, a small spark to do something good, soon opens up and gets reminded of what’s kept him going all these years. It is no wonder he sees his wife in Jesper, it’s thanks to him that he could refurbish his dashed dream into a new one. He didn’t just want to do it for the children of the island, but for himself. That is another thing about this film: communication. I mention before how it’s practically thin at first due to a long going feud that isn’t even aware of why it’s still going. The joy in hate is only for hatred’s sake, and they make it very clear how miserable it all feels. That is where Jesper comes in. They don’t take shortcuts with how he gets the ball rolling, both accidentally and purposefully, he boots up to get things done, pushes himself to go to Klaus to make things happen. This is all in part by the youth, what really ties the plot together...

As I mentioned before (again), life in Smeerensburg is noticeably miserable but thanks to Klaus, by extension Jesper, the kids are enticed to do what it takes to get some genuine joy in their lives through the toys they’re able to get. They’ll make them letters, and if they can’t write, they’ll go to Alva for teachings, and if they act naughty, they’ll try to do good which in turn pushes the adults to do good for the sake of their kids. It really would’ve been one thing to sure enough make the kids spoiled because of the toy giving, focusing more on the extrinsic value of Klaus’s kindness but no. The children are very grateful for these gifts enough to feel compelled to do good, and it makes them feel good as much as it soon makes the adults more convinced to stop fighting. It helps that this all takes place in older times cuz I believe this would’ve been far different, possibly worse, if this took place in modern times. That or just kinda rip off Arthur Christmas, it’s my guess. As such, it gradually becomes an amazing Christmas film because it isn’t just the presents, the Santa Claus myth, the festive style of it all that makes this holiday special to me. It’s the warmth... of togetherness.

My favorite detail about Klaus is how it transitions from cold to warm with its atmosphere. We start out with the emptiest, harshest environment, enough fog to choke your eyes, and then we get to this moment with a brighter, clearer sight of the more united town as the Christmas spirit builds in the film, even when it isn’t even that day yet in-universe, so too does the warmhearted feeling that can come from celebrating it appear more and more. This film fleshes out more of what the Grinch taught me, what A Charlie Brown Christmas taught me, what I’ve come to appreciate about Christmas as I grew up in this materialistic world. I can say everyday can have the Holiday spirit, but Christmas is the time where I feel compelled to be grateful of what I’ve made and got and give back when honestly, I don’t care about getting the most expensive stuff anymore like I used to when I was way younger. This film is so sincere in what it wants to say, and you know this is indeed the same guy that made Minions. Yeah, not kidding and I’ll let you sit with that if you’re reading this as I continue because we have to talk about that moment...

Yeah, I don’t like being the Nostalgia Critic, but I too don’t take kindly to the ‘liar reveal’ trope myself and this could’ve been a point where the film lost me a little. Though you know what? It still works. See, with that trope, what sucks is that it can tend to unravel the plot to where you know as soon as they break apart, they’ll get back together regardless of the deed done. This is why I don’t like A Bug’s Life, don’t @ me. But I’m not saying it can’t done right, like in Over the Hedge. The breakup between Jesper and the others is painful, but it is necessary to give us a couple great character moments. One is with Jesper and his dad, who came back personally to see that Jesper has indeed built something for himself. We get no dialogue between them but it’s clear that even when Jesper’s unintentionally successful thanks to Yzma and Bubba, he can tell his son wasn’t happy leaving everything behind, so he lets him stay since that was what he truly wanted this whole time. Again, give that man some credit for amazing dad. Another moment comes before the big reveal where not only do we see Jesper come to understand his own guilt surrounding his original intentions, but in the end they never hated him for coming back, especially due to him inadvertently stopping the enemy feud all together. Lastly, without that moment, we probably wouldn’t have got this smile. When Margu, purest character ever that I could make a whole segment about but I don’t wanna keep you too long, started to tear up after calling for Jesper thinking he left for good but she then sees our guy never really left and we get this teary smile:

I felt that. Almost more than anything else in this film.

Cliched as it can appear, the execution excels in those more memorable emotions for this film. It’s been a year since I watched this again and I remember so much about these characters. And my god, I haven’t even gotten to the animation which... my god.

Klaus is indeed the most beautiful upon beautiful films I’ve seen, and what makes it better is that it all enhances the story. I mention before of its transitional visual from cold to warm sights, but goddamn, the character designs, the environments, the expressiveness, the textures all amount to style perfect for this alone. I think it would’ve as well received if it had a more flat look, but they seriously went higher for a traditional appealing story that compliments the unique children’s storybook look of it all. This honestly is better than most of modern Disney films that I’ve seen, ironic since it feels like if you took Tangled the Series and made it 3D with more fluid character animation. And if I’m comparing something to the continuous mindblower that’s Tangled the Series, you’ve most certainly got on my best side.

Sergio Pablos and his team really pulled no punches in making this a great movie. A great Christmas movie, one worth seeing if not at least once but every Holiday season for tradition’s sake. Klaus gave me a good time, made me cry, and above all showed me to never stop having a good heart because doing good can indeed go far, thankless as it can be. Heck, my heart felt more rejuvenated than before in making this critique, that’s a testament to how much good this film means to me personally. What else is there to say?

It's The Best