#but she watched the episodes where he returned without me so i have no idea why lmao

[unforth]

Me; gah, this fight against Obito is so long. It's been like a hundred episodes.

My daughter, while yawning: actualllly I think it's been MORE than a hundred episodes...

[beansprean]

E11 Ideas in no particular order:

Simon the Devious rug pull/reveal

Simon the Devious was behind the documentary all along. He is Greg the camera guy. The documentary was produced by the Daltry Brothers Production Company with thanks to the Toby Daltry Memorial Film Foundation

Outrageous nandermo flirting throughout

Nandermo secret off-camera relationship (we already have canon nandermo QPR I just wanna remind everyone Guillermo is officially in the polycule)

We find out via tv news in the background that Jordan got hit with that sign Nandor threw and he died (no one cares bc they are doing more interesting things)

Nandermo get served by the local Staten Island Chapter of Vampire Vigilantes for operating as superheroes without a permit

"Clip show" where they all watch the documentary

"Clip show" where they all watch the documentary and its full of 'deleted' scenes that we have never seen before (leading to revealed secrets and arguments and confessions and-)

1 hour special that is literally the documentary (with a special guest narrator)

The Guide x Miguel I am so serious

The entire episode is just a backdoor pilot for a spinoff series (seanmaine sitcom?) (life as cravensworth's robinson's monster?)

The house blows up/is destroyed somehow

Colin, as part of the house based on my own personal EV lore, dies or nearly dies bc of this. They get a new house and bury him there and then he pops back up babystyled and the monster has to be his dad now

The monster sacrifices himself to save his dads (noooo!!!!!!!!)

Last scene all the vampires are going into the fancy room to have an orgy and Nandor pokes his head out to say 'arent you coming Guillermo?' and he grins and shrugs at the camera and goes in and thats how it ends

Jenna was there The Whole Time (please god it would be so funny i will die on this hill)

Guillermo dies and Nandor has to turn him anyway

Guillermo dies and Nandor tries to turn him but apparently thats how energy vamps are made whoopsie

Laszlo says "Guillermo" correctly

Red carpet premiere of the documentary with all the fan favorite characters returning as guests

(maybe even including the two Freddies bc it would be very funny. Nandor getting jealous like excuse me step away from Guillermo you had your chance and Freddie is like oh sorry no I'm the other Freddie and Nandor is like o rly hello and Guillermo is like exCUSE ME STEP AWA-)

Red carpet premiere of the documentary with all the fan favorite characters returning as guests that turns out to be a trap set by the Vampiric Council and they all have to fight their way out of that shit again

Red carpet premiere of the documentary that turns out to be a trap set by Batdor and Robllermo to murder a bunch of rich people

Nadja starts an mlm foot pic empire with the monster as her bouncer (dressed in a cute little pimp suit and feathered hat)

Somehow, the Witch's Skin Hat has returned

Guillermo returns to his pre-corporate color palette (greens and browns and reds and patterns pls!!) but its well fitted and non shitty sweaters

All the ghosts of all the people they ever killed/buried at the house rise up and attack (including lisa's severed head), and this somehow leads to Dolly finishing her unfinished business and saying goodbye

The Guide is proud and relieved to see that Nandor is no longer obsessed with her and they are buddies now

She insinuates that he found what he was looking for (in Guillermo). sometimes you hurt every woman in your life because your soulmate is a man

Sean dies (noooooo!!!!!!!!)

Sean gets turned into a vampire

Sean gets turned into a vampire and immediately breaks every rule and also turns Charmaine and somehow manages to take over the entire eastern seaboard and overthrow Tilda Swinton as supreme leader of the Vampiric Council

MAJOR timeskip, like multiple years or even decades. 10 year retrospective post-documentary release?

They recreate the supernatural finale beat for beat, complete with colin in a very bad wig and two covers of "you're dead" back to back to fill up the runtime

Vampire society rises up against the house after the documentary is released and they all die

[dailyfanficsx]

NSFW

Nurturer: Aemond x Reader

Summary: Aemond is looking for you while he’s in a grumpy mood and it turns into a moment of vulnerability.

(authors note: i got this idea from last weeks episode just my little twist on it. a little bit of nsfw content towards the end)

Aemond looks out the window with a frown. He huffed as he felt himself growing incredibly frustrated. Where was she? He had a lot of patience, but for this he had none. A man as powerful as him shouldn’t be left wondering where his lady wife was. It was disrespectful. He began pacing around. His eye scanning the room. He had to busy himself or else he’d explode. He sat down on the bed. His fingers playing with the silk pillowcases. He huffed once more, his eyes glancing out of the window as he waited.

You finally walk in. Your long curls in a ponytail and wearing a long sleeved burgundy dress. Aemond glanced at the wedding ring on your finger but you weren’t wearing the necklace that he gifted you. That he specifically told you to wear whenever you went anywhere without him. You place your books down and gasps softly as you finally see him sitting by the window.

“Aemond, what are you doing here” You ask softly. You usually didn’t see him much until after his meetings for the day.

Aemond stands up quickly, he steps to you. He looks you up and down. He gently grabs you chin, lifting your face, so you’ll look at him.

“Where have you been, dear wife?” He said with a stern, almost cold tone. He gripped your chin gently. His eyes raking over your body. Your curves in that red dress. Your hair in that ponytail. Your sweet plump lips.

“In the library” you say softly confused at his stern tone looking into his cold eye.

Aemond’s eye narrows. “In the library” he repeated in a low voice. He let go of your chin as he looked down at you with a mixture of annoyance and a hint of something else.

“And you couldn’t bother to wear my necklace?” He said bluntly, his eye looking at your bare neck.

“I forgot it, I was in a rush” you say softly. You were used to his temper. The way he would act so possessive over you. You walk over to sit on the bed hoping he would follow.

Aemond rolled his eye at your excuse. He followed you to the bed and sat down beside you. He gently grabbed your wrists and pulled you against him. His large hand rested on your thigh as he looked down at you.

“You know how I feel about you not wearing it, darling…” He said in an annoyed tone.

“I will remember next time” you say softly as you look up at him. You could tell something else was wrong with your husband. He was never here this early.

“Lay with me” you say softly as you caressed his face.

Aemond’s face softened as he felt your hand upon his cheek. He let you pull him down to the bed, and he laid down beside you. His body half on top of yours. He pulled you closer into him. His big arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you against him. Despite his cold and stern demeanor, he was quite affectionate with you. He buried his face into you. Inhaling your scent. He was silent for several moments, debating on if he should talk to you about the other matter that was bothering him. You wait patiently for him to speak, knowing it took time with him. You slowly help him undo his armor. Until he lays completely bare and you pull the covers over you two.

He watches you silently as you remove his armor and eyepatch. He reaches over to your hair, gently pulling the ribbon holding the ponytail in place. He lets your hair go free, running his hand through the soft curls. He lays back down into the bed. Pulling you to lay beside him. He gently kisses your forehead. Aemond’s arm is tight around you. He is silent once more. He is enjoying this quiet moment with you, yet the thought that’s been bothering him ever since you returned is still there.

“What’s wrong?” You ask him as you look into his one eye caressing his long silver hair.

Aemond let you caress him, enjoying the feeling of your hand on his skin. He huffed as you ask him what’s wrong. His eye darkening at the thought of his brother and his teasing right before he came to your chambers. He pulled you even closer to him.

“Aegon being an annoying prick as usual…..more than usual.” Aemond says bluntly in a tone that’s dripping with annoyance.

Aemond lays with you for a moment and thinks about what just happened in the study with his brother. The mention of his trauma and childhood were not things he wanted to think of. They were scars that he tried to forget. Yet Aegon always seemed to find a way to bring them up.

“He has no right to tease me. But you know that it doesn’t stop him.” He says. He looked at you with a tired expression. He was frustrated.

Aemond’s expression softens as he stares into your eyes. He let out a deep sigh as you saw the sadness written all over his face. He knew hiding his feelings from you was pointless. He gently cups your face and runs his thumb over your cheek.

“The things he was saying have been lingering in my mind. It is quite annoying honestly” He says quietly.

“You cannot let it bother you anymore…he has no real power over you…at least not anymore” You say softly trying to console him.

Aemond’s jaw clenches at your words. He didn’t like being reminded of how he was just a boy who was teased and bullied. About not having any power.

“I know he has no real power anymore, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened….the taunting….losing an eye….and the women he used to make me lay with….” Aemond said quietly with disdain, his thoughts trailing off.

You nod gently understanding. “Let me comfort you now” You say to him.

Aemond’s eyes softened at your words. He wanted nothing more than your comfort. He pulled you close. His arms wrapped around you tightly. He buried his face into your shoulder.

“Please.” He mumbled. He was a strong, dangerous man. A dangerous man who desired your comfort and love like a small child.

He unwraps your dress and let it fall just to your hips. Aemond pulls you closer and practically buries his face into your chest. His arms wrapped around you tightly. His face buried into your soft skin. He drank you in. His lips kissing your chest. He felt soothed by your presence. In this moment, he was vulnerable and needy. He desperately needed your comfort.

He let out a content, shaky sigh as he latched onto you. He buried his face between your chest, his nose buried so deep in your skin he could faintly smell the scent of some of your favorite oils that you had on. He kissed some more before making way to your small erect nipple. He latched onto it greedily. He practically suckled on your skin like a small boy.

He felt a mixture of comfort and embarrassment at his own vulnerability. He knew he was supposed to be strong. Like a dragon. Yet there he was, practically feeding from your chest like a lost child. He could feel his cheeks heating up but he didn’t care. Your comfort was soothing his troubled mind and body. He looked up at you with his one eye, his voice still muffled from his face being buried in your chest.

“Thank you…” He mumbled quietly

He closes his eye gently as he went back to suckling. He pushed you back onto the sheets so that you could lay comfortably as he remained latched onto you, fulfilling his need for comfort and nurturing.

[shadyr4m]

REWATCHING SEASON 2 EPISODE 7 OF ARCANE

+ some of my highlights and notable moments that I enjoyed bc people can’t understand media anymore

This is mostly an infodump of stuff I can fit into a twitter thread/didn't rly want to make into a thread. I'm not great at words so I apologize in advance, I am sure there are many people much better at analysis than I.

I want to start off by saying I am heavily invested in timebomb so this is very much going to be a ship analysis. If you're looking for someone unbiased i am very much not the person for that 😭

FIRST OFF:

The disc on the music box is adorable!!! It features au Powder (who I am going to refer to as just Powder for the duration of my analysis) and au Ekko

Compared to the normal Disc

This is very obviously because it takes place in a different universe, one without Vi or "Jinx".

The first scene starts off with AU Ekko writing in his notebook. (Cute mention is Powder's doodle in his notebook!!) Then we see flashes of the wild rune. This is when AU Ekko switches to canon Ekko.

Also one of my favorite silly images from this episode is this one.. Powder is being so adorable and Ekko is just scared out of his MIND. it's so silly.

In the Last drop, Powder asks Ekko. "What is up with you? You've been out of it all day?". One thing I noticed in my rewatch is that i think Powder is aware this Ekko isn't HER Ekko. This is just one instance of many that makes me think this.

This hideout seems so much more vibrant and loved, similar to Jinx's hideout after Isha. It's colorful. There are guard rails that I like to think was pushed by Vander. We can see Ekko's art scattered around. It just shows how much more support and family Powder has compared to Jinx, which i mention a lot.

Id also like to note Ekko being shocked au him went to powder for help. In his mind at this time he believes Jinx to be all that is left, no more Powder. Through out the episode we see that change.

Notice how Powder gets upset at Ekko in this scene. However, she doesn't react explosively like Jinx would've. She handled it in a way that shows she had support. She told him to leave instead. Again, the main difference between Powder and Jinx isn't only Vi but also the existence of multiple support systems that Jinx simply didn't have.

THIS FLASHBACK! Oh my god this flashback. The fact it happened after he upset Powder? I think it shows just how much he truly cares about Jinx/Powder. He remembers VIVIDLY the day that he thought he killed her. Jinx was his childhood best friend, and I don't think that kind of feeling ever truly goes away. He doesn't want to hurt any version of her, not even the alternate universe her. We see that showcased more later on. Also, random probably insane note. He is interrupted by small children playing, having fun. This isn't a coincidence, it shows he does miss the moments from when they were kids.

While talking with Heimerdinger, we see Ekko look at Powder multiple times. Watching her laugh and be expressive, he smiles. When she doesn't return it we see him get upset. Once more this brings me to my point that he doesn't want to hurt her. Considering he hasn't known this Powder very long you can see where I gather my point that he doesn't want to hurt her in GENERAL. Any version of her.

THIS SCENE!! He is such a bad liar it's adorable. This brings me to my earlier point, Powder knows what's up!! She suspects something 100%. He is talking about this dream her like it was real.

"You aren't the kind of person who helps other people with their projects. Your ideas change the world. I can't shake the feeling that that's who you're supposed to be."

Are you LISTENING TO THIS? He is obviously talking about Jinx. You can tell this by the first sentence because obviously Powder IS that kind of person. He's starting to see that Jinx is just a part of Powder, one that is unavoidable and that he unknowingly appreciates in a sense. Like two sides of one coin he can't see Powder without Jinx and that is good. I think it is here he realizes truly just how much he cares about Jinx.

This whole montage is beautiful but I want to zero in on two things. Powder's reaction to the notebook and how she looks at Ekko after. NOW THIS. This is the nail in the coffin for her. She knows that this is not her Ekko. She has fully gathered that he isn't from this universe.

Also heimerdinger totally knows how Ekko feels you cannot tell me otherwise. Pushing him to go to the party? yeah he knows what you are.

THIS WHOLE SCENE. I AM NOT ANALYZING THE WHOLE THING HERE BUT IT IS GORGEOUS. I saw someone talking about how it was animated on 4's to signify the way Ekko can only go back 4 seconds and I honestly shed a tear. THE SONG TOO? I encourage everyone to look at the lyrics because they're beautiful.

Okay now for my favorite part of this episode so much to dissect and i'm totally going to mansplain but yk..

"I used to dream the undercity could be like this" — That sets the tone for the whole conversation and just what world he is talking about. The canon one.

"But somewhere, I got consumed by all the ways it wasn't. I gave up on it. Gave up on YOU." — Heavy emphasis on this line. Once more he is talking about Jinx. He is talking about how he got so consumed by the way that Jinx wasn't good, and he gave up on her. Believed she was irredeemable. Powder showed him that Jinx is capable of love and happiness, it's just under that tough protective shell. The undercity in the metaphor is Jinx, from my interpretation.

"I promise i'll never forget this." — Now time for my insanity. He doesn't forget this. That's why he saves Jinx from ending her life in the first place. He remembers Powder and knows that with the right support Jinx doesn't have to be the way she is. It's not that she "needs to be fixed" she just needs to be LOVED, like Powder. He sees that now. He sees how in the au the love that everyone shares for one another shaped the undercity beautifully, and made everyone in it much healthier mentally despite going through hardships. That is beautiful. People with mental illness are not unlovable they just need more support, it can't be cured, or fixed just healed. Mental illness is always there it is how you DEAL with it that matters.

Nothing too major to talk about with the kiss. It's sweet I love it, but nothing too notable for me to say about it.

Finally, Ekko leaves the au. I have seen people say that this is a sacrifice, he could've had everything he wanted and he gave it up to save the people at home. But i take insanity to another level. I see this as him appreciating his home. He knows he can never truly love this Powder because she isn't the version he fell in love with. He learned to appreciate Jinx even through her flaws, and that while this world has everything he could want and more he can have that home too.

I am experiencing HEAVY timebomb brainrot if you can’t already tell. I was tired of people taking things in the complete wrong way with this episode, if anyone has different views pls tell me I love hearing how other people took certain scenes. there are a few scenes I love but I would’ve made this post way too long..

[joeys-babe]

Joey B Blurbs: With A Little Help From My Friends

————————————————————————-

Summary: You and a few other WAGs do a prank on your boys by buying them all matching shirts for a get-together without them knowing.

Warnings: Fluff, unserious/funny, pranks

Pairing: Joe Burrow x reader

Imagine Universe: Into The Mystic

————————————————————————-

January 20, 2024 - *36 weeks pregnant*

“Joe, I have your outfit laid out on the island in the closet.” - you

Joe’s head snapped away from the TV and over in my direction. I'd just walked into the kitchen from getting ready upstairs. Joe sat on the couch watching The Office reruns, all cuddled up with Tyson and Miles - looking adorable.

“What? I can pick my outfit out.” - Joe

“I know, but I ordered you a new shirt that I'd like you to wear.” - you

“Oh, okay. What is it?” - Joe

“A flannel.” - you

“Mmm, okay.” - Joe

A few moments later, I sat down on the couch with my boys, but Joe left just a minute later to get ready himself.

Robin and Jimmy were coming in a bit to watch the twins while Joe and I went over to Sam’s for a get-together with some of his teammates.

The guys had no idea, though, that the WAG’s group chat had been super active the past week leading up to tonight.

A prank was to ensue, and it was that we'd all secretly ordered the same shirt for our men. We'd all show up one by one, and the guy’s reactions to matching would be hilarious.

Plus, Joe would look hot as hell in a flannel.

Half an Office episode later, Joe came bounding down the stairs. The greyish flannel looked amazing on him, giving off major dad vibes, paired with regular-fitting blue jeans that had been sitting untouched in the closet since I'd ordered them.

I let out a teasing whistle, Joe blushing at the cat-call.

“You like?” - Joe

“Yes. You look amazing, Joey. Do a little spin for me?” - you

Joe happily obliged before searching for approval in my facial expression.

“Love it. I need to start sneaking more of this style into your side of the closet.” - you

“Is that style ‘I have two kids and another on the way’?” - Joe

“Bingo. I told you, you're a DILF.” - you

“You love to remind me of that.” - Joe

“Because it's true.” - you grinned

——

There was a ring of the doorbell, and I went to stand up from the couch, but Joe ushered me to sit back down.

“Hey Mom, hey Dad. Thanks for watching the boys.” - Joe

“Oh, of course!” - Robin

Robin and Jimmy had barely made it into the house before they were ambushed by Tyson and Miles.

They happily hugged their grandbabies, and Jimmy picked up Miles in his arms.

“Where's your wife, Joseph Lee?” - Robin

“On the couch, she went to open the door, but I waved her off.” - Joe

Robin gave her son a proud nod, grateful that he was treating his pregnant wife as he should.

The five of them eventually walked back into the living room, and Joe plopped back onto the couch next to me, putting his arm around me on the back of the couch.

“You look great, y/n!” - Robin

“Aww, thank you. I'm feeling great as well. Baby girl is treating my bladder a lot better than the twins did.” - you laughed

“That's good! I love your dress, makes your bump pop.” - Robin grinned

“Joe actually picked it out.” - you

I put a hand on Joe’s chest and smiled up at him, a glint in his eye when he returned the soft grin.

“Wow, I would’ve never expected that.” - Robin

Laughing, I understood where she was coming from. My dress was a solid black, nothing like anything in Joe’s side of the closet.

“I picked his outfit out, though.” - you smiled

“That was my next question! That style looks good on you, Joey. You look very adult.” - Robin

“Thank you? I think.” - Joe

“It was meant to be a compliment. I think so, at least…” - Jimmy

A few seconds of laughter went by before Joe patted my thigh and spoke up.

“Ready to go, babe?” - Joe

“Sure!” - you

Joe stood up before turning around to me and putting a hand out to help me up.

Once I was on my feet, Joe let go of one of my hands but still held the other.

“We’ll be back later!” - Joe

He led me over to the garage door of the house and grabbed his keys to the Porsche off of the hook.

Sweetly, Joe walked me over to the passenger side of the car and opened my door for me, along with helping me sit down before shutting the door back.

“Whatcha wanna listen to?” - Joe

Joe always joked about my passenger princess ways, but here he was, offering me to pick the music before I even asked.

In the end, I pulled up my Spotify playlist “’60s-’70s Love Songs” and shuffled it.

Looking over at Joe as he backed out of the driveway, I giggled as he playfully rolled his eyes with a smile on his face at my music selection.

For dramatic effect, I grabbed onto Joe’s shoulder and sang Be My Baby by The Ronettes into my hand like I was holding a microphone.

“You're crazy.” - Joe laughed

“But you love me.” - you

“That I do, my baby.” - Joe

——

I had my arm looped with Joe’s as we stood on Sam’s front porch. Joe had just rung the doorbell and now we're waiting for an answer.

Squeezing his bicep lightly, Joe’s eyes darted to me.

“You okay, Mama?” - Joe

“Mhm. Just love you in this shirt.” - you grinned

Just a few seconds later, the front door swung open, revealing Sam.

“Hey, Burrow’s! Woah- what the hell? Joe, are we matching?” - Sam

I giggled to myself as Joe and Sam looked down at their flannels and then at each other.

“That's weird man, but I def wore it better.” - Joe

Sam rolled his eyes before stepping to the side to let Joe and me inside the house.

I immediately greeted Jess, who complimented my pregnancy glow, and while we were deep into conversation, the doorbell rang again.

When Sam opened the door, Jess and I exchanged knowing looks at each other.

On the front porch, Cody Ford and Evan McPherson were laughing about the fact they had matching shirts on while Tianna and Gracie stood to the side laughing.

“What the hell!” - Sam

“You guys have it too?!” - Evan

Joe was full-on cackling, and I couldn't help but mirror my husband.

The girls walked over and sat next to me and Jess, our boys all pointing at each other’s shirts while laughing.

Thirty minutes later, over ten more guys had shown up, all in the same flannel, and Joe and his guys found it hilarious each time.

The girls and I all sat in a corner of the living room, recording and laughing at the reactions coming out of the guys.

They really were adult toddlers, but that's what makes being married to one fun.

After dinner, Joe found me by myself in the kitchen and wrapped his arms around me from behind. At first, I couldn't tell who it was because all the guys here had the same long-sleeved shirt on, and all I could see were the person's arms.

The thought didn't last too long when I saw the wedding ring on the person’s finger that was too unique to be anyone other than Joe.

“Hi, Mama.” - Joe

“Hi, Joey.” - you

“Can I ask you a question?” - Joe

“Of course.” - you

With Joe’s hands on my bump, I covered them with my own and let my head fall back onto his chest/shoulder.

“Who wore the shirt best?” - Joe

“I'm kinda biased, but you, for sure.” - you

“Yeah?” - Joe

“Mhm, I'm gonna start sneaking more flannels into your closet.” - you

“I'll wear ‘em if they get a good reaction out of you.” - Joe

“Oh, you know they will.” - you giggled

I turned around in Joe’s arms and looked into his gorgeous blue eyes, my hands on his chest.

Slowly, Joe leaned in and pressed his lips onto mine.

A minute later, we were still kissing. The craving for each other was never satisfied, but we were interrupted by a loud, fake, gagging sound.

“For the love of god, she's already pregnant! You guys are disgusting!” - Ja’Marr

I leaned my head onto Joe’s chest with a giggle as he glared at one of his best friends.

“Ja’Marr, get the fuck away!” - Joe

Ja’Marr threw his arms up in surrender before walking out of the kitchen. Joe turned back to me with a sly grin on his face.

“Sorry, Mrs. Burrow. Where were we?” - Joe

I’d never get tired of him calling me that.

“Mmm, I think we might've been kissing.” - you

“Let's test that theory.” - Joe

Just as Joe was leaning in, our lips brushed together, but something made him pull back.

“Y'all nasty!” - Ja’Marry whisper yelled

“Ja’Marr!!” - Joe yelled

Sure, they got annoying sometimes, but deep down, Joe knew he wouldn't get by without a little help from his friends. Even if said help was unwanted.

————————————————————————-

Authors note: y'all, I ground out a fic for you guys. 💀

Request for this fic;

Hope you enjoyed! 💕

[wistfulnightingale]

Finding Forgiveness (or, Text Barrages and Apology Dances)

Mini Meta-Musing #8

Forgiveness after a disagreement or an argument is such a simple yet complicated thing. In even the closest, most intimate relationships, it requires a great deal of trust and love. The person who caused the hurt must surrender some of their pride for the sake the loved one. They must also trust that it is safe to do so. The person who was hurt must be willing to let go of their anger or resentment, and open themselves up to the relationship again.

In the first episode of Season 2 of Good Omens, we are presented with two relationships in conflict. One uses words and words and more words... but there is no listening, no trust. The other settles the conflict with very few words at all. With a dance, in fact. Yet the trust and love there is deep and obvious.

The first is Nina and her partner Lindsay. Lindsay has assumed that Nina broke her trust by not calling when she was locked in the coffee shop with her phone out. Sure, the situation sounds a bit implausible... but Lindsay sends a barrage of accusatory texts before she knows any of the facts. As the days go by, we learn that not only is Lindsay controlling, but she also has no faith in her partner. She dumps words and accusations and guilt trips, never believing or listening or trusting, until finally breaking up with Nina in a resentment-filled text message.

After seeing that first deluge of text messages when Crowley restores power to the coffee shop, we are immediately shown a far different way to resolve conflict. The next scene is Crowley's melodramatic return to the bookshop. Aziraphale and Crowley have a lasting, deeply rooted relationship. Although some argue that they don't communicate enough, especially in this resolution, I propose that they have found a lovely and mature way to resolve serious conflicts.

Everytime I watch this scene, and see how intensely difficult it is for Crowley to accept doing this, I'm actually a little in awe. Crowley HATES DOING THIS DANCE!!! But as much as he hates humbling himself like this, he Loves Aziraphale MORE. It is far more important to him to fix their conflict quickly, be back on good terms, and help his Angel solve this Gabriel problem. Although his face looks fierce and his tone is irritated, his eyes never leave Azi's. I think they look a bit imploring. The apology is in his golden eyes.

" 'Kay?" is not just, "Are we okay now?" It's also a trust, a gift. "You understand how much I care about you, right? I really do accept how stubborn and thoughtless I was earlier, and you see that I'm very sorry, even though it's hard for me to say the words, yeh?"

Aziraphale is of course, deep down, just a bit of a bastard, so he does take a bit of a comeuppance in his "Very nice." Many of us read a bit more in that look... Crowley looks very elegant in that deep bow! Nonetheless, Azi is happy to be reconnected with his demon, and he eagerly engages with Crowley's brainstorming about their "tiny miracle."

They don't need to verbally process what the fight was about. They've had this fight before, in varying contexts, and they'll surely have it again. But they're working on it, each of them. They know each other's faults, and they love and forgive each other anyway.

I love these moments (in the above photo) after Jimbriel toddles down the stairs. Crowley has just scolded Jimbriel to stay inside. Meanwhile, behind him, Aziraphale steps in closer with an idea. Without even looking back, Crowley steps backwards into that familiar spot where he will be perfectly paired and facing his angel once he turns towards him. Like magnets. Like a couple who is completely synchronized, as long as they are open and trusting each other.

And the familiar excited exchange of ideas begins again!

Oh yes indeed... This is definitely An Old Married Couple (I wrote a meta on it!). They know how to communicate, how to trust each other, and how to forgive. At least as well as many of us do...!

And, although we don't really NEED to see it here, I'm including a gif of Crowley's Apology Dance. It's beautiful, it's graceful... Aw, heck, we all just LIKE to see it again!

[soaringthroughthegalaxy]

Hello. I left a request with Crosshair the other day, but seeing the down state of my boy Hunter in this new season I had to come here to leave another one. So the idea is Hunter x F! Reader (with established relationship?) where on the mission to capture the Pike, she gets hurt and has to stay in Pabu. So when he and Wrecker come back with the cadets, they have a moment of comfort together, you know? It's clear that Wrecker is trying hard to keep Hunter sane, so maybe the reader is too? Xx

Hello lovely! Thank you for the request. I had a lot of fun with this one - he looked so tired and sad in that episode 😔 x

Whispers of Home's Embrace

Hunter has always been calm and strategic, but with Omega's prolonged absence, he's unraveling at the seams, working himself into the ground. It's a good thing you're there to slow him down, and remind him that neglecting himself in the process isn't healthy.

Pairing: Hunter x f!reader

Word count: 2.1k

Warnings: slight spoilers for S3E02, fluff, sweetness, comfort, pet names.

Translations: ri’vod - sibling in law

A light breeze wafted in through the open window, the late afternoon sun flooding the kitchen as you hummed along to the music from the small radio on the window ledge, adding the final touches of icing to the cupcakes you’d baked.

Capturing the Pyke who’d brought dishonour to Roland wasn’t easy, and you’d paid a small price for it. Whereas Hunter and Wrecker had their old armour to keep them safe, you didn’t, preferring the manoeuvrability you had with softer protection.

Unfortunately, that had meant the blow the Pyke had struck to your side while you’d been wrestling him into submission had cracked a rib. Hunter’s fist had met his face seconds later, rendering him unconscious. Still, the boys had insisted on returning you to Pabu before they took him to Roland and collected the information you all desperately needed.

With nothing but time, you’d turned your focus to more domestic tasks to drown out your worry. Hunter and Wrecker were more than capable, but it felt wrong for them to be without you. You’d been with them since the very beginning.

Lost in a haze of icing, you almost missed the sound of the front door opening. Quietly, you placed down the piping bag, fingers sliding around the hilt of the knife you’d left on the counter. You weren’t expecting guests.

Moving silently across the kitchen, you pressed your back against the wall beside the door, hiding yourself from view. As the footsteps drew nearer, you held your breath, tension coiling in your muscles. The familiar creak of the floorboards announced the intruder’s approach. Your grip tightened on the knife, your heart pounding in your chest. Then, a soft voice broke the silence, dispelling the tension like a gentle breeze dispersing fog.

“Hey, it’s just me.” Came Hunter’s familiar voice, concern evident in his tone. Relief flooded through you, and you released a shaky breath, lowering the knife as you stepped out of your hiding spot. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” Hunter chuckled, his expression softening as he took in the scene before him - the cupcakes, the radio playing softly in the background, and you, with a hint of flour dusting your cheek.

You shook your head, dismissing his apology with a wave. “No worries, it’s…”

“You live here!?” An unfamiliar voice interrupted your apology, and you watched Hunter step aside, revealing three young boys who were decidedly dirty and a little malnourished.

Wrecker barreled into the kitchen behind them, a giant grin on his face. “Smells good in here, ri’vod!”

Confused, you look at the three young boys and then back to Hunter. “Who are they?” You ask, wafting your knife in their direction.

“Regs. We found a bombed-out Imperial base. They escaped and were fending for themselves in the jungle.” Hunter gives you the short version, watching as you quirk an eyebrow.

Not wanting to be impolite, especially after brandishing a knife, you set the utensil down on the counter and introduce yourself.

“I’m Mox.” In return, the tallest of the three boys introduces himself before gesturing towards the other two boys. “This is Deke and Stak.”

“You’re pretty. Are all girls as pretty as you?” Deke pipes up, wide brown eyes focused on your face.

Amused by Deke’s straightforward question, you chuckle softly before replying. “Well, thank you, Deke. But trust me, plenty of girls out there are much prettier.” Your words earn a shy smile from the young boy.

“That’s a lie.” Hunter retorts, leaning against the nearest wall, arms folded across his chest.

Rolling your eyes, you offer him an amused smile. “You’re biased.” You fire back, holding his gaze for a moment. The simple action conveys a thousand words, and you can’t help but spot how much more tired he looks compared to the other week when you were dropped off. He’s been neglecting himself again.

“Well, if you’re done hitting on my wife, we can show you around.” Hunter breaks the moment, turning his focus to the three young boys.

“Wife? Aw, hell.” Deke mutters, earning laughter from Stak and Wrecker.

“Thought we weren’t allowed to get married?” Mox probes, narrowed eyes darting between you and Hunter.

“Technically, no,” Hunter answers him straight. “But things are a bit different here on Pabu. We’re treated like equals. We have the same rights as anyone else.” He clarifies, head tilting to look at you for a moment.

You smile fondly, remembering the quiet little ceremony you’d had right before everything had gone to hell. Echo, Wrecker, Tech, and Omega had been the only ones present for the union. Getting married had been an impromptu decision – during the war, neither of you had dared hope it would ever be possible - but you didn’t regret it for one second.

Sensing that you and Hunter might need some time, Wrecker offers the kids a grin. “C’mon, lemme show ya around.” He starts ushering them out of the kitchen. “We can get ya cleaned up, too.”

Pushing off the wall, Hunter goes to follow, but Wrecker holds a hand up. “I got this, Hunter. Don’t worry.” He offers his brother a smile before leading the boys away.

Gratitude curls through Hunter. He knows you and his brother have been going the extra mile for him lately, and he hates the burden that is placed on you both.

“Omega?” You ask quietly, stepping towards your husband, sliding into the warmth of his arms as he draws you into an embrace.

Hunter shakes his head and sighs. “Roland’s intel led us to the facility where we found the regs. Deke downloaded some intel from a panel – not much to go on, but we have a sector as a lead.”

Heaviness weaves through your body, and the hope that had been building dims into a small flicker. You’d keep hold of it, though. You weren’t about to give up. As you step back, you take Hunter’s hand, leading him out of the kitchen and towards the stairs. “They’ll be safe here. That’s something.” You insist, guiding Hunter upstairs and into your shared bedroom. He was in desperate need of a wash, some sleep, and a good meal in the morning.

Hunter makes a slight noise of agreement. It wasn’t the outcome he hoped for, but it still counted as a win. Inhaling deeply as you enter the bedroom, his shoulders sag as your comforting scent fills his nose.

Easing him down onto the bed, you kneel at his feet to remove his boots, wincing a little at the ache in your ribs as you set them aside. “I’ll start looking at the maps for that sector in the morning.” You vow. “Echo or Rex might be able to fill in some blanks for us too.”

Impatience rolls through Hunter. There was no time. It couldn’t be left until the morning. What if something happened and Omega was moved again? They wouldn’t have any leads anymore. “It can’t wait until then.” Hunter insists, attempting to stand up.

Unwilling to take any of his nonsense, you press a hand to his abdomen and shove him back down. “Yes, it can.” You insist, your tone catching Hunter by surprise. “I know Omega’s been gone a long time. I want our girl back as desperately as you. But what good are you exhausted?” You question, prying off the limited armour that covers his legs, stacking it nearly at the foot of the bed. “Finding her and Crosshair is of the utmost importance. But you cannot neglect yourself in the process.”

Hunter grumbles, but he knows you’re right. He sinks back into the mattress, allowing exhaustion to finally catch up. Your hands move with practised care, stripping away the layers of armour and padding. As you work, he watches you, a mixture of gratitude and worry in his eyes. You’ve always been the anchor, the one who keeps him grounded when everything else threatens to spiral out of control. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He admits softly, his voice heavy with emotion.

You pause, meeting his gaze with warmth and determination. “You won’t have to find out.” You assure him, leaning down to kiss his forehead gently. “We’ll find Omega and Crosshair. Together.” You vow. “Now, let’s get you a bath.” You rise to your feet, pointing at his undersuit. “Off.” You instruct, leaving him to follow your order as you move into the fresher. Plugging the tub, you turn on the taps. While a shower would be more efficient, it wouldn’t help him relax.

As the water fills the tub, you add a few drops of essential oil, knowing its calming properties will help ease Hunter’s tension. Returning to the bedroom, you find him obediently removing his undersuit, looking worn but determined. His commitment to the mission is unwavering, but you understand the toll it takes on him physically and emotionally.

Silently, you help him into the warm water, watching as the tension gradually melts from his muscles. Hunter leans back, closing his eyes, a rare moment of peace enveloping him. Sitting beside the tub, you run a wet cloth over his shoulders, gently washing away the grime, offering him a moment of respite from the chaos of the galaxy.

As you work, your mind drifts to Omega and Crosshair, wondering what trials they’re enduring and how you can help bring them home safely. The weight of responsibility sits heavy on your shoulders, but you refuse to let it crush you. You’ll do whatever it takes to reunite your family.

After a while, Hunter opens his eyes, meeting your gaze with a soft smile of gratitude. “Thank you.” He murmurs, his voice laced with exhaustion and affection.

“Anytime, my heart.” You whisper back, abandoning the washcloth to instead pry the filthy bandanna from around his head. With his hair free, your hand finds its way into it, fingernails scratching across his scalp.

A low moan slips from Hunter’s lips at the sensation, and he leans into your touch, eyes fluttering shut again. The warmth of the water soothes his tired muscles, and the gentle rhythm of your fingers through his hair lulls him into a state of relaxation he hasn’t felt in ages. As you continue to massage his scalp, he lets his mind empty. “You were right.” He admits quietly.

“Happens sometimes. Rare as it may be.” You drag your nails down the side of his head until your fingers skim the shell of his ear, changing gear to stroke down the plane of his cheekbone.

A small huff of amusement leaves him, and Hunter’s eyes open to meet your own. “Don’t undersell yourself, riduur.” 

Warmth sweeps through you at the title. It would still take some getting used to. “No promises.” You tease, earning a tired smile from him. “Also, does this mean we’re starting up an orphanage?” You tease.

Hunter chuckles softly, his fatigue momentarily forgotten as he enjoys your playful banter. “Maybe we should. Seems like we’ve already got a few residents.” He remarks.

“Well, if those kids are anything like you and Wrecker, they’ll fit right in.” You reply, fondness in your voice as you reach for a small bowl sitting on the tub’s edge. Dipping it into the water to fill it, you lift it as Hunter tilts his head back, letting you pour the warm water over his hair. You take your time washing away the grime until the water cools before helping Hunter out of the tub, handing him a fluffy towel to dry off.

“You staying for a nap?” Hunter asks, giving his wet hair a rub with the towel.

“Of course.” You reply with a smile, reaching for another towel to hand to him. “Just let me clean up here first.”

Hunter nods understandingly, wrapping the second towel around his waist before leaving the bathroom. You quickly drain the tub and wipe down the surfaces, ensuring everything is tidy before joining him in the bedroom.

When you enter the room, Hunter is slipping into a clean pair of sleep pants. He looks more refreshed, the exhaustion still evident in his eyes but less pronounced than before. You can’t help but admire the strength and resilience he carries, even in the face of adversity.

Settling into bed beside him, you pull the covers over yourselves, the warmth of the blankets cocooning you both in comfort. Hunter turns to face you, his gaze softening as he reaches out to brush a strand of hair from your face.

You smile, reaching out to intertwine your fingers with his. “Get some rest, love.” You whisper, leaning in to kiss his lips tenderly. “I’ll be here when you wake.”

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[emeryhiro]

My Thoughts on TBOC SDCC Panel & Interviews

First off, I felt like a kid again watching Melissa and Norman on an SDCC panel for the first time and was overwhelmed by so many positive emotions ♡

Regarding what was covered during the panel and what I'll be sharing my thoughts on, in this post, I'm going to try to keep it brief and only talk about things that are new to me compared to what I heard during the Tribeca panel and in my thoughts post on it [here].

~~~~~~

Zabel on his responsibility with the show:

Firstly, Zabel is actually pretty funny, and every time he speaks about the show I find myself trusting him more and more and feeling more confident that he knows what he's doing. I especially loved how he said, and I quote:

"There is a responsibility to live up to the standards of The Walking Dead, the standards that Norman and Melissa had as actors creating these characters. So that's the part where you wanna make sure that you don't let anybody down, you don't let the fans down, you don't let the actors down, you don't let the history of the show down. You have to at least try to maintain the same standard and hopefully maybe even push it forward."

Melissa, on her return to the show:

It was wonderful hearing her speak about how much she missed Carol and how excited she is about, and I quote:

"getting to go forward in France, where [Norman] set the roots, thank you very much. I had some things I had to do"

and how France will be a catalyst for all sorts of changes for Daryl and Carol.

I love how much she said she enjoyed the role of an EP, and I have no doubt she's brilliant in it. My main thought here is that I really hope that, like Lauren and Danai, she also has the chance to direct an episode in season 3, because whatever she touches will end up being Gold.

Norman on Daryl and Carol's bond:

I loved how he described their bond as cosmic and beyond tangible. Carol can sense that there's something wrong with Daryl even from across an ocean and vice versa, which is so true to their characters. They don't need to say a single word for the other to understand everything they're thinking and feeling.

Also, when he said:

"He's starting to lose that feeling cause he's been there so long,"

Melissa's face and reaction had me laughing out loud. What do you mean, Norman? Can you please elaborate on that for us?

If I had to guess what he means, I'd say it links to Daryl's self-esteem and his idea of self-worth. As I've mentioned before, it's obvious to me that the longer Daryl has been away from Carol, the more he's regressing into his old self and habits, and I think this feeds into that. I think he doesn't believe he's worth being loved, searching for, or crossing the Atlantic for. And that sense of security and confidence that he'd built with his family in America is slowly climbing away.

In comparison, Carol has always been one of, if not the strongest, characters on the show. Yes, she is struggling without Daryl, but the moment she's told his life is in danger, she has this overpowering sense of motivation and strength that she'll do anything to save him.

Norman on his favourite scene (The Reunion):

The words he used to describe the reunion scene and how he felt about it really had me in a puddle... especially the comparison he makes at the end, and I quote:

"When we meet, when that finally happens, there's a build to that that happens, and we worked really hard to make that scene what it was, and that kind of was fireworks going off inside me"

This is the sweetest description of the scene, and I don't know if my heart can handle it.

Additional moments I loved:

I love how both Melissa and Norman keep checking on Louis to make sure he's okay.

Norman calling Melissa his partner in crime, describing how excited he was for her to come back, watching her work, and Melissa's reactions to his words 😭❤️‍🩹

Overall, I just love how they appreciate, support, and genuinely love each other so much ♡♡♡

~~~~

Thank you for taking the time to read this. We're so close to having them back on our screens, and I'm so overwhelmed by the excitement for the new season!!

I'd love to read all of your thoughts on the trailer and panel, whether in response to this post or a post of your own; I can't wait to read it ♡♡♡

[shorthaltsjester]

oh temult family i will never not be insane about you. thank you laura bailey for my rights and the good fucking food this ep with imogen messaging both liliana and relvin. i will have more elaborate rot undoubtedly soon but , the love in those messages! the love!!!! the love and the fact that it isn't enough in either of her relationships to her parents (or their relationships to one another).

like. imogen has just come out of the realm of one of the gods that her mother at best really does not like and at worst is happy to slaughter where she chose to trust the image of her mother and got power word stunned and then watched one of her friends kill that same image. and then she sends a message saying "I don’t know where you are or how it’s going, but I love you and I trust you." and the ache of that message being kind, a reminder to her mother that even when she stands at the side of someone imogen has committed to fighting, imogen is also choosing to love and trust her. but the point that imogen not knowing where her mother is or how its going speaks to how little she actually knows of her mother due to liliana's choices -- ones made out of love perhaps, but ones that aren't rectified by the presence of that love. and liliana returns "Imogen, I’m glad you’re okay. I love you, too. I’ve kept him at bay so far and I think he believes me. I think." and between sending's limitations and the improv setting of cr, i'm not resting any arguments or ideas on this occurance, but I Do think it is interesting that liliana spends words saying she's glad imogen is alright but does not return that statement of trust the way she returns the i love you.

and then. much more life ruining to me because of just. less relvin appearances and general . laura bailey sure knows how to make a character that is a daughter to a father reasons. imogen messaging relvin is my superbowl actually. thinking about like 2 episodes ago imogen saying "he's her father, but he's not her daddy" about zathuda, and today, despite all the distance literal and emotional and temporal, imogen starts her message calling relvin daddy.

like i don't know if i can really encapsulate the way that exchance made me feel, just imagine me pointing at the words and gesticulating emphatically but Good God

IMOGEN: Daddy, things are crazy. I love you, no matter what. Thank you for doing your best. RELVIN: Imogen, I think about you a lot. I hope wherever you are, you’re happy. You always were a wanderin’ spirit. Horses miss you as much as I do.

"thank you for doing your best" in a message sent to her father hours after sending a message to her cult-indoctrinated mother who she is choosing to trust is working on her side. who she can't be sure is actually doing her best. do you get it. do you see what i see.

and the fact that one of the first things in the campaign we heard from imogen about her father was that he was probably better off now that she wasn't there, that she figured based on the distance that grew between them, he was probably relieved without her around. and relvin's message tonight rebuting that idea. because he's a reticent man who has probably uttered the words 'i love you' a maximum of 10 times in his life, but he tells her he misses her as much as the horses do, that he hopes she's happy (implies he imagines she is because she was always a wandering spirit -- me choosing not to think about relvin saying he always assumed liliana would leave gelvaan, he just thought he'd go with her) and that he thinks of her often. i can't take it. i can't.

[youhideastar]

WujiWatch: CQL Rewatch Episode 29

Since this is my favorite episode, I’m making room for three topics in this one!

First, I often focus in these posts on moments when a rewatch shows me I’m remembering something wrong, and this episode has a big one: I am very guilty of thinking that Wei Wuxian, all by his genius self, brought Wen Ning back.

But is that true? This episode has the scene where Wen Ning returns to life/consciousness, following a pretty lengthy (by this show’s standards) battle with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. The thing that struck me about it this time is that, after Wei Wuxian has done all the talisman-ing he can do and stands back, Wen Ning still isn’t himself. That only happens after a big final burst of spiritual energy from Lan Wangji—after Lan Wangji has been pouring spiritual music into Wen Ning for quite some time, too. It’s hard not to wonder: could Wei Wuxian have taken that final step, brought Wen Ning back to himself, if Lan Wangji hadn’t helped? Is his ghostly path, on its own, enough to achieve these miraculous results? Or is it the combination of Wei Wuxian’s heretical cultivation and Lan Wangji’s orthodox cultivation that ultimately solves the puzzle?

Second, I know not everyone is on board with the idea of Wangxian as A-Yuan’s parents, even symbolically, and I respect that. But I think it’s a useful exercise to ask, re: the scene in and outside the Yiling Tea House, Why is A-Yuan there? You can easily imagine the scene unfolding basically the same way without him (Wei Wuxian runs into Lan Wangji; they chat over lunch and Wei Wuxian grieves the loss of his dream of his sister’s wedding). So what purpose does A-Yuan’s presence, specifically, serve?

I think it’s hard to escape the conclusion that A-Yuan’s presence is, in fact, intended to set up the idea of Wangxian as A-Yuan’s potential parents—from the onlookers calling Lan Wangji A-Yuan’s dad, to Wei Wuxian’s joke that A-Yuan is his son, to the visual tableau of the two adults eating lunch with A-Yuan sitting on Lan Wangji’s lap. Maybe it’s just my personal blind spot, but I’m having a hard time thinking of any other reason for those beats to exist. This is perhaps extra important to the drama writers because of censorship: giving two characters a shared kid is the perfect plausible-deniability signifier of couple-dom, since there’s nothing expressly romantic about it… but viewers are culturally accustomed to co-parents being romantic partners. That gives the writers a reason to really lean into the “Wangxian Dads” thing, above and beyond what might be in the novel. Whether that’s fair to Wen-popo and the other Wen Remnants is a worthwhile question—but I don’t think it's plausible to say that fans who also lean into the “Wangxian Dads” thing are imposing something on the characters that the writers didn’t intend.

Third and finally, it’s striking how comfortable Wen Qing is bantering with Wei Wuxian in front of Lan Wangji; she basically treats Wei Wuxian the same exact way she always does, even though she’s normally quite reserved in front of outsiders. (It also makes a very striking contrast with the way she treated Jiang Cheng when he visited the Burial Mounds in the previous episode.) It kind of breaks my heart – I watch that scene and can’t help thinking, “This is how it could be, this is what they could have had.” Which I think is the point of a lot of this episode.

[drconstellation]

Once and Future Royalty

Just, stay with me on this one. I know its going to look crazy at the start, but trust me, I know where I'm going.

It all started with the 537AD scene in Wessex in the opening montage of "Hard Times," S1E3. Yeah, the one where Aziraphale is supposed to be a knight of the Round Table and Crowley is role-playing the Black Knight, and they are both so super-squeaky shiny clean - not a speck of dirt or mud on them. wtf! It looks out of place, unrealistic, and was bugging the crap out of me, like a stone in your shoe. It just didn't fit. I mean, why put a myth, a legend, into that sequence? Oh, OK, yeah, the preceding stories from the Bible, like the Garden of Eden and the Flood, aren't "myths" as well, you say? Hmm. In the context of the Good Omens AU, being a biblical based story, they belong there far more than the legend of King Arthur.

King Arthur, who supposedly united Britain under his rule during the late 5th century and early 6th century, was shown to have the divine right to rule by wielding the mighty sword Excalibur. Some stories tell of Arthur pulling Excalibur from a stone. Some tell of him receiving Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake. Either way, it was bestowed upon him by divine grace. Despite his triumph in battle, he left no heirs, as his queen, the fair Guinevere, was barren. She had a long-running love affair with the greatest knight of the court, Sir Lancelot, but despite this being an open secret in court Arthur would not put her aside. The knights of the Round Table in the court of Camelot were near-paragons of Christian virtue, and there are many tales of their search for the Holy Grail, the cup from the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.

In the end, mortally wounded in battle, Arthur was taken away for healing, and never seen again. It was said he would return when Britain was at it most direst hour to save the day once more. A "messianic" return.

The Once and Future King.

Now, I'm no Arthurian novice; I drank up all of T. H. White as a teenager, read the Dark is Rising multiple times, Marion Zimmer Bradley's interpretation and what ever else I could lay my hands on for a good couple of decades. And there is LOTS of King Arthur stuff around. You are not left wanting for anything new to read or consume. And I'll bet there are a fair few of you also out there who know a quite bit about the legend as well. Oh, and I can't tell you how many times I have watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I still walk around quoting it day-to-day, like the good little Gen-Xer I am, having grown up on that stuff. So I really should have listened to my intuition when bits of Monty Python kept popping up in my brain in response to other parts of GO I was thinking about. (Staaay, I said, stay with me here....)

I kept chewing away furiously on the Wessex problem, growling in feral frustration at it, but also kept reading and sorting out some other ideas and metas at the same time. Eventually I found the key in a tiny little post, about a small detail in the 1941 Blitz episode S2E4, of all places. I wanted to slap myself with how much was staring me in the face so obviously once the door opened. And the damn beauty of it is, that I already written about some it, out of context, without knowing the why.

OK. Where to start this journey...hmmm, back to Monty Python, because, guess what - the Wessex scene is actually riffing off one the more famous skits out the the Holy Grail. The scene is a masterpiece of political satire, from start to finish, but the relevant part here is this sequence:

In case you missed the salient points: Arthur claims he is king by divine providence, because he was given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake. Dennis the peasant protests this waterlogged method of determination, mentioning ponds, watery tarts and a moistened... well, I hope you get the idea about where this is going.

Meanwhile, in 537AD, Wessex, as the mist swirls around them:

"It is a bit damp," complains a shiny silver Aziraphale.

Yes, Excalibur would be a bit damp after it emerged from the Lake. (vidavalor! Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm trying to have a serious discussion here! Please! And I wasn't even going to go anywhere near what the sword in the stone is really meant to be referring to...it's not even relevant to the discussion at hand, I swear! Well, there is going to be sexual relations mentioned but - oh, never mind...)

Right. Where were we. Lets leave those super-clean elite pretendy knights to swim off through the swirling mist back to their dry homes to write and file reports to head office, along with Patsy and the hired Igors, and Dennis can keep playing in his lovely muddy filth after he finishes protesting being repressed by the divinely-deluded Arthur. I've got a bit more to say about what Aziraphale and Crowley might represent here later but you need some more context first, so lets move on. I just needed to show you the first bit so you can see the Arthurian theme stretches across both S1 and S2, and will likely appear in S3 as well. More about that towards the end.

Ah, before I forget...another ref from the Holy Grail we need to cover:

This GIF, unfortunately, doesn't have the full exchange between the peasants, which is this:

P1: "Who's that then?" P2: "I don't know. Must be a king." P1: "How can you tell?" P2: "Because he doesn't have any shit on him."

Ah. Er. OH!

Have you made the connection?

Who have I been emphasizing as being unusually clean in their Arthurian setting? That's right, Aziraphale and Crowley.

What's this implying? That they are royalty. Celestial royalty. Maybe not kings, but how about princes? You know how we've been discussing whether Crowley was a once at least an Archangel, and there is even a hint that he was a fallen prince of Heaven given during the replay of Gabriel's trial? (Not the prince, but a prince - a seraphim) And that Aziraphale may have once been Raphael, and may be again in the future? Once and future royalty. To me it adds weight to the past discussion, and helps to explain the assumed authority expressed in these two scenes here: On the left, Aziraphale takes control inside the book shop as the angels and demons argue who is going to punish Gabriel and Beelzebub (finally found it after several months!) and on the right, Crowley is shouting at the assembling demons in the street that they are "out of order."

Onward, Patsy. (I hope you're still with me.)

1941, the Blitz part 2, minisode.

We've found Excalibur! On to Camelot!

[Edit note: I've added a few GIFs and screen shots into the sequence of parallels above because I was thinking over a few things since I posted and felt this actually sat better. To try and explain, as they don't exactly match as I would like, in the Holy Grail movie, King Arthur and the knights he has gathered rock up at the foot of Camelot and gaze up in awe at it. "Camelot!" Arthur declares to the party. "Camelot!" Galahad echoes in excitement. And a third "Camelot!" comes from Lancelot. What do we get in GO? Aziraphale leaps out of the Bentley (Crowley's black horse) and declares "The theater! Sophocles! Shakespeare!" I swear, if you put the two side by side, they would match. It's not just a reminder of how much time Aziraphale has seen pass by, or that we are seeing a tragedy play out. But damn it, I could so just see Aziraphale attending a Sophocles performance in Athens back in the day...]

Camelot was King Arthur's castle and home of his court. In S2 of GO the Windmill Theater is established as our court of Camelot where our 1941 Blitz-era Arthurian drama is to play out, involving Furfur and the zombies.

Yes, poor old Furfur. Two's company, three's a crowd, as they say. Now we know we're in Camelot, we need to be reminded of the central tragedy of the Arthurian story, that ultimately led to the golden kingdom's fall. Lady Guinevere, Arthur's queen, famously loved Sir Lancelot, and the two were passionate lovers. It was essentially a love-triangle at the top, with Arthur being jilted, but he wouldn't/couldn't discard his queen. Where do we see this playing out in 1941?

Furfur, pleased with himself for catching an angel and a demon in the act of consorting together (with the help of the zombies,) barges into the backstage dressing room, and confronts the lovers with their crime. But who is playing who in the Arthurian love triangle? I would say Furfur is clearly caught in the role of Arthur here. Consider the following exchange:

FURFUR: Hmm, well, well, well… What have we here? AZIRAPHALE: Sorry, have we met? FURFUR: Oh, no, you never had the pleasure, but… we have, haven't we? CROWLEY: Have we? FURFUR: What do you mean "have we?" You know we have. We were in the same legion. Just before the Fall. Doing dubious battle on the plains of Heaven. Remember? CROWLEY: I remember going into battle, I don't remember being there with you. Sorry. FURFUR: I was right next to you. We did loads together. You use to jump on me back, little monkey in the waistcoat. Anyway, whether you do or whether you don't, it doesn't matter. I'm here to inform you, as a representative of the Higher Powers of Hell, that you, Crowley, are in breach of the Infernal Code. Consulting and collaborating with an angel, Fell the Marvelous, aka… [opens book] Azirapalala. Azirapapap. Aziphapalala. AZIRAPHALE: [annoyed] Aziraphale

Furfur claims a past intimate relationship with Crowley, which Crowley spurns offhandedly. Crowley is playing Guinevere here, jilting Furfur/Arthur, which leaves the demon-smiting Aziraphale standing in for the handsome hero Lancelot (with his French connections, no less), and doesn't he make us weak at the knees when he drops his voice an octave in dominating disgust. (Is it suddenly getting hot in here...? Phew!)

Interestingly, looking back in S1 at 537AD Wessex, though, I would say that Crowley was Lancelot as the Black Knight, a role that Lancelot sometimes played in the legends, and Aziraphale would then be the fair maiden Guinevere. It certainly plays into Crowley's long term role of playing the knight who comes to the rescue of Aziraphale's princess in distress. Excalibur was no where in sight, perhaps still beneath the waters of the lake. Nor Arthur. Perhaps it was still too early in the story then...

I had originally suggested in my very first post that Furfur was given a stag as his demon avatar because he was wearing horns for being cuckolded by Crowley. But I wasn't quite thinking about it in context with the Arthurian legend! The stag is also often associated with royalty, plus while wandering around the medieval bestiary website that someone linked to, it interestingly notes that the enemy of the snake is the stag and the stork (Shax's avatar.) Ah ha!

So how can we extrapolate this knowledge into a possible appearance of the Arthurian theme in S3?

Will we see the love triangle of Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot come back into play and cause more chaos? I'm wondering if it might have something to do with the Fall.

Or will our lovers bring down a divinely-appointed ruler via their committed behind-the-back defiance of expected propriety?

Will Excalibur appear from beneath the waters, perhaps in another form, to declare a new king?

Could it even be a combination Jesus/Arthur, King of the World, returned? And they turn out to be a very naughty boy, disappearing into the night clubs of Times Square, New York, and that's how they lose him? (Social media viral sensation, anyone?)

I wouldn't be half-surprised if Greasy Johnson's name turns out to be Arthur, actually.

And no, I haven't forgotten that Adam's dad was named Arthur as well.

Bring on S3!

**Bonus**

If you've made it this far and you're thinking:

Let me leave you with this last connection.

In the back stage change room, remember Furfur delivers these lines:

FURFUR: What do you mean "have we?" You know we have. We were in the same legion. Just before the Fall. Doing dubious battle on the plains of Heaven. Remember?

On the first level, he is referring the Great War in the Good Omens AU.

On the second level, Furfur is paraphrasing Milton's Paradise Lost.

On a third level, I can (and will in a future meta) connect this back to the training initiative paintball fight at Tadfield Manor in S1.

And even deeper on a fourth level, if you do know the Holy Grail movie well, you'll remember there is an odd little subplot in it, that infers that the whole King Arthur and his knights thing is merely a full-on violent cosplay that is murderously rampaging across the countryside in the present day with the police in hot pursuit. It's a strange juxtaposition between reality and dream, and you aren't quite sure what it is real or not. The ending is bizarrely and abruptly surreal as the two story lines collide in the heat of battle, as the police turn up and arrest the combatants. A bit like this:

[spotsandsocks]

Inspiration Saturday 🐎

Going first this Saturday cos I’m feeling this one.

Highwayman fever has hit me … was already leaning that way and then I’ve started watching Renegade Nell (first 2 episodes so far) and I’m enjoying myself immensely. Ideas percolate. Madney and Buddie themes afoot and probably more fire family. I do tend to go overboard with an au and plot so bear with me…

It’s the tone of the cough that warns him exactly what Chim is going to ask. Eddie gives his answer in anticipation of the inevitable.

“I told you last time, no more.” He bangs the hammer down on the anvil for emphasis.

“You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have to.”

Eddie sighs and wipes the sweat off his forehead without looking at his friend. “I have to think about Chris now.”

It’s the truth, now he’s on his own with Christopher he can’t be reckless with his own life anymore.

“We’ve been planning this one for so long but Bobby’s arm means…”

He trails off, Eddie knows very well what Bobby’s newly broken arm means. It means either Chim will go on his own or Bobby will ride with him regardless because there are people who depend on the money they bring in through unconventional means and neither of them will let those people down. Unless….

“Chim…” his regret is clear, it’s not that he doesn’t want to help, it’s just complicated now, before if anything went wrong Chris had Shannon, now she’s gone it’s just the two of them. Not that Bobby or Athena wouldn’t take him in, or Hen and Karen obviously but they all lead dangerous lives and he can’t anymore. Chim understands

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked but you know I can’t let Bobby come tonight so if anything goes wrong, you know where all my things are right? Give them to Hen, she’ll know what to do.”

“Chim just don’t go. It can wait.”

“It can’t, Hen’s got to fence the goods and we can’t change the date for that meeting. Also Lady Kendall’s carriage is traveling tonight. We have the plan. I’m going.”

Eddie sighs. “Fine, I’ll come, but this is the last time.” He holds up a finger in warning. “I mean it this time.”

Chim grins and rubs his hands together . “ you won’t regret it, this one will be easy, I can feel it.”

Eddie rolls his eyes and returns his metal to the forge.

He hopes so but either way it seems that tonight the Darling brothers will ride one more time even if their Captain won’t be joining them.

loveyourownsmiilee @monsterrae1 @shortsighted-owl @the-likesofus @hoodie-buck @loserdiaz @buddierights @fiona-fififi @rogerzsteven @bekkachaos @jobairdxx @thekristen999 @ronordmann @hippolotamus @spaceprincessem @disasterbuckdiaz @underwater-ninja-13 @wildlife4life @wikiangela @stagefoureddiediaz @thewolvesof1998 @exhuastedpigeon @weewootruck @giddyupbuck @honestlydarkprincess @pirrusstuff @elvensorceress @jesuisici33 @eddiebabygirldiaz @daffi-990 @diazsdimples @steadfastsaturnsrings @theplaceyoustillrememberdreaming @rainbow-nerdss @lover-of-mine @tizniz @fortheloveofbuddie @actualalligator @watchyourbuck @loveyouanyway @say-bi-for-me

[mixterglacia]

CONTENT WARNING: Vivziepop Critical/ Stolitz Critical below the cut.

This episode made me incredibly angry, so it's not going to be as well structured as I try to manage.

TL;DR The pacing and tone was a horrible mess, and this should have been split into at least two episodes to pull this off.

To start, we prove in the first five minutes how little these two actually know each other. They're surprised by very simple things and I don't like that. It tells me that neither of them, but especially Stolas, EVER asked about the other's interests. Cool, that's good to know I was right about that the whole time.

Blitz is WILDLY out of character in the bulk of this episode. I LOATHE how he's waiting on Stolas hand and foot. If we're being honest, he'd probably just say "figure it out yourself" and focus on his life, business, and daughter. Why are we always having to baby Stolas' feelings? It feels like he's the only one allowed to actually be doted on. (In a non-humorous way.)

And now he remembers Via? Sure, just run off without thinking about your family. You have never let that stop you before. And now Stella is being cartoonishly evil in front of her daughter? We've never had it proven that she's a bad mother. In fact, from what Via states later, that's the case! I really think they have no idea on how to be subtle with her.

In a similar vein to the moment with Blitz watching the family later. You didn't need to tell us who he was imagining in that window. The moment worked without you punching it down our throats.

Likewise with Millie's pregnancy. I wish they'd left that as an open thread, rather than taking time to fully confirm it. Like maybe all the way up to the point where she went into the bathroom and left looking a little fucked up? That way it can be an engaging thing to return to in S3.

The non-drama parts of the episode (especially the first five minutes) dragged HARD. They gutted any emotional moments and just felt like padding for the runtime.

I am so annoyed at the way this show is trying to lessen what Stolas did.

HE CHEATED ON HIS WIFE. HE DESTROYED HIS FAMILY. HE ABANDONED HIS DAUGHTER. HE IS A TERRIBLE MAN WHO GETS EVERYTHING HE WANTS BECAUSE THE SHOW BABIES HIM.

This is not some cute little quirk. His wife was never implied to cheat on him first. She was a bitch, but she didn't do anything to deserve this. I can't stress enough that if you showed her playing around too, it would immediately solve most of the hypocrisy with this.

Trying to weasel around that by Blitz trying to say cheating really so bad is fucking gross. It's not like they had an open relationship and Stella got jealous. Stolas is a slimeball. He doesn't deserve Blitz. He doesn't deserve Via.

He hasn't earned any of this.

While it came out of nowhere, the Via song is STELLAR. As a product of divorce, she owes her father nothing. She deserves to feel so hurt and betrayed.

"My tears won't fall upon your shoulder...I'll just get older and you'll only know my name." Hit me like a truck.

So imagine my outrage when we aren't allowed to sit and think about her feelings for more than a few seconds after the song. We aren't allowed to focus on her pain. If they staged a sequence between the number and her finding her dad's pills, I think it would work better.

Or even uploading the song by itself. But no. You have to CONSTANTLY remind us to feel bad for the stupid fucking owl. Feel bad because he's depressed. Feel bad because he's trapped in the same loveless marriage as his wife. But don't feel bad for her because she's a bitch.

Fuck. Off.

My dad was manic depressive, that doesn't mean he got to treat our family the way he did. Stolas didn't even think about her before throwing his life away over his booty call.

This show has so much potential that it just squanders. There are two different series being forced together and it doesn't work. You have the comedy series shoved into the same sweater as the soap opera. They aren't mutually exclusive, but truly the team seems incapable of making this work.

I'm done.

This isn't even fun to critique anymore.

If folks want my opinions on future Helluva Boss content, you'll have to directly ask me to watch the piece in question. I'm still going to give S2 of Hotel a shot, but as far as this?

I'm throwing in the towel. Of the two, I was so excited for Helluva. I loved the characters, I loved the idea, and I truly loved the first couple episodes.

But that show doesn't exist anymore.

Once again, I'm going to take a moment to remind you all:

You are allowed to love this series. I am just a dude on the internet. I am not trying to change your mind. I am not trying to ruin your fun. If you love it, that's awesome. I am so happy you found something that sings to your soul.

Don't let me harsh your buzz. Okay?

[dollarstorefern]

i included this scene because it’s an amazing instance of the core idea of the show, words versus actions, “everybody lies” versus “truth begins in lies”, the lines of the theme song itself, “love, love is a verb, love is a doing word”. house repeats the idea that everybody lies and that words are meaningless, because they are to him! what he says isn’t reflective of any truth, only his fears and deflections, whereas his actions are constantly contradicting what he says.

it's insane to really think about the way house believes wilson and cuddy view him, the way he talks about the way THEY talk about him. he says something along the lines of "the house problem", thinking that’s all they view him as. he believes that they believe he's incapable of functioning in a stable and healthy way; house essentially believes that he burdens wilson and cuddy. and how dehumanizing must that be?

i feel like we can tie this back to that one scene in season three, wilson’s "i was afraid your wings would melt" and house’s "god doesn't limp". house's self-perception is so… interesting to me. but that scene right there, that confirms to me that house is wrong! his beliefs are just fears! wilson is comparing house to icarus, which is so humanizing in a way. the fact that, in this instance wilson is implying that house is destined for a fate in which his pride overcomes him, in which house believes he may reach divinity, yet house objects this idea by implying that he himself never believed he could reach this divinity in the first place. he believes that, at the end of the day, he is too impure, too flawed, too broken to be anything amazing, let alone human; oftentimes, house implies that he views himself as subhuman. but there’s more to the comparison than wilson and house’s conflicting views of house himself. if house is icarus, to wilson, then who is daedalus, other than wilson himself? who is the one that watches this fallout, who is the one that helped craft the very thing that caused this death, other than wilson himself?

sure, i believe that we can all agree that cuddy enables house to a certain degree. but she does it without having a dependency on house, unlike wilson. while cuddy can draw the line, she can leave it all behind to do what she believes is best for herself and her family, wilson is stuck where he is. wilson enables house because their relationship is dependent on this back and forth between house and wilson, the idea that they themselves discuss, where wilson feeds upon neediness and house is a beacon of neediness himself.

wilson is the one that is always there for house, he is the one that dealt with house after his leg surgery and his breakup with stacy, he was the one that was there for house before and after mayfield, and house ends up reversing this and being the only one for wilson when he's dying of cancer in the end.

and to bring back the theme song, as i mentioned earlier, "love, love is a verb, love is a doing word" as well as house' s infamous quote, "everybody lies". these two go hand in hand in my opinion. wilson tells house that he's leaving him, leaving the hospital itself, after amber’s death, yet he returns just a few episodes later, being there for house when house’s father dies, even though house wasn’t really there for wilson the way wilson wanted him to be after amber died. house can't tell wilson he loves him when wilson asks house to say it, he blatantly refuses to say it, but he fakes his death to make sure wilson gets to fully live his last five months, a proclamation of love more meaningful and powerful than the words themselves.

people's words are deceiving, and only in their actions may one find wholehearted truth (“truth begins in lies”, a quote heard in the very first episode not long after “everybody lies”). that is what this show is about; that is what house himself represents.

[totallyunidentified]

HAPPY PROPHECY PEOPLE

Ok ok I know sad prophecies bad so I talked with the force voices and they gave me this

It’s kinda shit but idk

Spoilers for episode 10/11

So it’s the end of the season. Omega and the force kids have escaped with Emeri and Scorch and Tech has been revealed. He’s broken and hurt but obviously he has his family to help him.

Pabu…isn’t an option. The empire is there. They have been there. They know that that’s where the batch would return to. And the fact that Omega, Scorch and Emeri killed Hemcock makes them want to stay as far from the empire as possible.

They finally settle down. They get a farm on whatever planet it is that Cut and Suu ran away to. Or whatever planet they were originally going to in season one.

Hunter and Omega share a house. The other three brothers have their own. Each with their own room. They end up in the same room each night though. Comforting each other through the nightmares.

Tech works as a mechanic. He gets to spend all his time working on machines and he loves it. Phee decides to live with him and they build their own house. They spend their time inventing things and fixing the communities little whozits and whatzits together. Phee is there when Tech has nightmares about his reprogramming and time as CX-2.They never marry but are partners for life. Phee calls him Brown Eyes everyday and he calls her Pirate or on special occasions “Darling”

Obviously Tech figures out how to reverse their advanced aging. Hunter gets to grow old and watch Omega grow up.

Crosshair and Wrecker share their house for a long time until Crosshair gets fed up and becomes a bounty hunter. He only takes the big jobs that pay a lot so he only leaves for a month and then is back for a while. He never finds anyone to settle down with but is content with being Omegas older (younger) brother. Eventually he takes her on one of his hunts and Hunter just about disowns him.

Now Wrecker. Lovable sweet Wrecker. He meets the owner of the only restaurant in town. And falls madly and hopelessly in love with them. They cook, they are sweet, they love Wrecker and he loves them. He moves into their apartment over the restaurant and they get married have 3 kids together who all love their Aunt Omega.

Now Omega and Hunter.

Hunter gets his normal life as a father. He gets to grow old. Something he never thought would happen. He gets to watch his daughter grow up from a little kid on Kamino to a young woman blossoming in a beautiful galaxy. He gets a farm where he can hide in the hayloft when his senses get overwhelmed. He like Crosshair doesn’t think he’ll ever find a life partner. Until he meets the female owner of the farm closest to them. It’s on site, but they grow to respect each other and agree to disagree. It’s later on that they finally realize they like each other and get married. Hunter already has grey hairs but neither care. Both are content to finish growing old together. Hunter raises Omega in a steady home without the fear of her being taken ever again.

Omega gets to grow up. Without fear. Without looking over her shoulder. She helps Hunter on the farm and is in her mid 20s when he marries his beloved. She realizes that she misses her life exploring and seeing the stars. She joins Crosshair on some of his bounty trips but decides her time is spent better elsewhere. She doesn’t like the idea of having to take people without their consent. Even if they are bad. She falls in love with, to her brothers absolute horror a pirate Liberator of ancient wonders as she likes to call them. They travel the galaxy together seeing every planet that Omega never imagined. She always comes back with samples for Tech, treasures for Phee, exotic food for Wrecker, random packs of toothpicks for Crosshair, and stories for Hunter to be told around the campfire.

Every-time she comes home it’s a celebration. Wrecker and his partner bring food and their children, Tech and Phee bring the latest invention for everyone to play with, Crosshair doesn’t bring anything other than himself, Hunter and his wife set up a bonfire together joking and teasing each other about the correct way to stack the wood. The families all come together and sit around the campfire. Swapping stories as the Batch recall their time during the clone wars. Before everything that happened. Before they almost lost what they all held so dear. Family together, now and always.

[btr-rewatch]

Big Time Rush Season 1, Episode 18: “Big Time Concert” (Part 1)

Well, it only took me (checks blog) 35 weeks, but I finally made it to the last episode of season 1. Much like "Big Time Audition," this one will probably be posted in multiple parts. Let's jump right in.

Highlights: Like one paragraph of actual episode content, followed by me spiraling into a rambling over the original unaired BTR pilot

The boys run into Gustavo's office all excited. Their first album is finally complete!

They're also going on tour!

Their first show is in two weeks, and we get a daydream sequence where the guys imagine what the performance might be like. The footage from their fantasy is actual footage from a concert they performed in Times Square. I think it might have been their first-ever actual performance in front of an audience like that?

I remember watching that concert special when it premiered on TV.

Just like when they first arrived in Hollywood, Gustavo enlists the help of Mr. X to put them through some grueling boyband boot camp. But with an added twist.

After a montage of the boys bumping into each other, running into walls, and falling off the stage, they make a break for it and run to a nearby supply closet to hide. Sensing his buddies are close to throwing in the towel, Kendall launches into what might be my favorite opening lines to one of his pep talks.

Leave it to Kendall to be like, "On top of his terrible personality, you know what else Gustavo is? Ugly."

At the urging of the other three, Kendall puts his speech into hockey terms, and that made me think about how several of Kendall's pep talks this season have included hockey analogies. I wonder if that carries on through the rest of the series. I know they continue to sprinkle in reminders that the guys are into hockey, but I don't remember it being quite so prevalent as the series goes on.

Onto the Katie storyline. She's up in 2J, hard at work making BTR shirts to sell for the upcoming concert tour. Mama Knight isn't thrilled with the idea of her daughter becoming a bootlegger, but she's swayed once she hears how much money Katie stands to make. I do like her initial reaction to hearing Katie's plan. "How did you get like this? I never dropped you. Not once."

We go back to the guys, who have returned to their concert training where Dak Zevon is ready to teach them all about the art of dealing with rabid fans.

I don't think I've mentioned him much, but I love Dak Zevon. What a fun, goofy character. Curt Hansen is great in the role, and I am always SO GLAD that he was replaced as the original series lead. He's a wonderful Dak, but not such a great "Curt Knight." I remember watching clips from the original pilot back when they were first leaked, and it was like catching a glimpse into a weird, alternate universe. The audition scene especially!!

(this is something I probably should have included in my posts on Big Time Audition, but I didn't think to at the time)

LIKE!!!! Everything about this is so off. Even Gustavo doesn't "feel" like Gustavo. He feels reserved. Not nearly as loud and angry and exasperated as the Gustavo we all know and love. Where's his fire??

It is nice that James got to sing more of his audition song, though!

But the entire scene is off. All of it. Curt is talented, but BTR needed Kendall. I genuinely, truly believe the series (and band) wouldn't have gone on to be successful without him. I'm not sure it even would have survived season 1.

Curt has too much swag?? That's the best word to describe it. He's too pretty boy. Plays the character much too confidently, like he KNOWS how cool and handsome he is, which is so. Not Kendall. Even just the mannerisms. It's hard to put into words, but there's something almost...dainty (?) about Kendall Schmidt's performance throughout the whole series. Like...his mannerisms at times, the way he moves. He's Mr. Captain of the Hockey Team Jock Guy, but he's also delicate? Does anyone know what I'm talking about???

↑ this

Basically, Curt is no tall, blond, and eyebrows. I don't see him having been able to pull off the same level of physical comedy that Kendall does or having that same level of anxiety Kendall carries with him—that constant frenzy of fixing everything and worrying about everyone and holding things together.

(and don't get me started on the original Knight family. That whole scene feels like something out of a bad Disney channel movie)

Well...that was a fun little rant. All that to say that I DO genuinely enjoy Curt as Dak, and I think everyone ended up exactly where they were supposed to be.

Let's pull this massively derailed thought-train back on track. Dak has the guys practice running along the stage to high-five fans. James goes first and is immediately pulled off stage and disappears into the sea of rabid fans. The response to this is delightful.

And because I got so sidetracked while making this post, I'm going to put a bookmark in it right here. Guess we'll find out James's fate in the next one.