#but that and The Mind of Evil are now the only Master serials I don't have on DVD

[thirddoctor]

it's all going to be over for you guys when my DVDs get here

[sneakertin]

if anyone is still interested in the bounty hunter tentoo au, here's my huge little ramble about it!! it's a bit wild. sorry not sorry.

also, there's some more details in this post, in case anyone missed it.

and here's a couple of sketches, of course^^

ok so. when tentoo finally finds thirteen and yaz it's almost like an episode-style kinda story with him as the villain of the week, simply because i think in this format. after he has his hysterical little explanation of everything that's happened the doctor is visibly traumatized and yaz is profoundly concerned. predictably, he tries to kill the doctor(but not yaz). they manage to get away, and now she has to tell yaz about who tentoo is. she basically sits her down like a grandpa and tells her the entire long ass story. reasonably, yaz has very conflicting emotions about him. yes, his story is heartbreaking and all, but he does want to murder the woman she loves?? anyway. tentoo soon finds them again. he's a very tough enemy, maybe one of the toughest the doctor has ever met. he spent years preparing for their confrontation, he has her memories and her mind, her thought process. not only that, he knows all her weak spots and all her insecurities(he's a bit like the master in that respect). at first it seems like he's always a step ahead of them, but that soon changes. after all, he is extremely mentally unstable. he has been running on spite for the last ~15 years, and the doctor is much older than when they last met. he may have her memories, but she had plenty of time to gain new ones, to become wiser. this goes on for a while, tom and jerry kinda shit, but tentoo looses in the end.

also, there's this little scene where he stumbles upon the tardis while chasing the doctor and yaz. he sees her, stops dead in his tracks. he hasn't even realised how much he missed her. he approaches slowly and feels a faint presence in his mind. his telepathy is very weak, his time sense practically gone. he leans his forehead against the door and tardis welcomes him. he almost cries. that's the first friendly telepathic contact he's had in years. he feels at peace as he reaches for the door handle and.. it doesn't open. he tries again. she doesn't want him there, he realises. anger rises in him. he kicks the door.

"Oh, I see how it is. You want to protect her. You know that I'm going to hurt the Doctor. I mean, of course you do. I don't know what I was expecting."

he gives her one final, longing look before leaving.

initially, he dies during their battle. killed by his own weapon or something like that. it's all very dramatic and tragic, he forgives the doctor right before dying and asks her to live the life he couldn't. she gives him a gallifreyan funeral. she and yaz hold hands as they watch his body burn. the doctor has a strong sense of deja vu.

BUT then i thought that i don't want this story to end so soon because i need something to think about during the day, and i'm not ready to let go of this au yet. so, i made tentoo travel with thirteen and yaz!! this doesn't make much sense but it's fun so i don't care. the doctor feels insane amounts of guilt over tentoo and she desperately wants to make it better(it's a rather selfish decision, very typical of the doctor). and tentoo probably just realises that the doctor is not nearly as evil as he thought all those years. meeting her in the flesh reminded him of when he was her, of the fact that he never did anything out of any malice and yet people still blamed him for the things that weren't his fault. he's completely burned out, all the fight leaves him. on a subconscious level he just wants some company, wants to travel properly again. and after all the shit he went through, the doctor is probably the only person who can understand him. so, to his own surprise, he agrees. yaz is not too excited about bringing a serial killer aboard, but she sees the potential in him.

their battle was messy. his spaceship is destroyed, and it feels like the end of an era. they walk back to the tardis in silence, there's rubble all around them.

he realises, as he stands in front of the blue box, that he's trading one stolen spaceship for another. that brings a laugh out if him and yaz gives him a weird look. by that point, the doctor is nearly vibranting with excitement.

"Ready to see what she looks like?"

right, the tardis must have redecorated. he nods. the door makes a familiar creak as he takes a step forward. his jaw drops.

"Oh, you gorgeous!!"

he rushes ahead and moves around the console, touching the corals and admiring their colours. yaz is a bit shocked at his surge of enthusiasm. he seems so... doctor-like, she thinks. yes, his smile is manic and his eyes are filled with pain. his face is marked with a scar and there's nothing but an empty space where his right hand used to be. but in that moment, he is human.

slowing down, he runs his fingers along some buttons with a solemn expression. he lifts his gaze up at the moving column.

"I'm sorry for kicking you. You were doing the right thing and I... I was just upset that you didn't let me in. You understand, don't you?"

the tardis makes a low, gentle noise. he smiles.

"I missed you too, old girl."

he startles a bit when the doctor approaches from behind.

"I take it you like her new look." she laughed, awkward. "Erm, listen, I wanted to ask... About your name. Or, the lack of one. We couldn't very well keep calling you the instantaneous two-way biological metacrisis, could we? Now that you're not trying to kill me anymore, you could be the Doctor ag-"

"No!" he blurted, suddenly. "I mean, I... I don't wanna be you. I'm not you." she stared at him, open mouthed. "I think I wanna be my own person now. Fresh start, you know? Not the Doctor, not the Verisian Slayer or whatever it was that they called me." he looked lost, scared by the thought of his own future, but determined.

"That's the spirit!" she grinned and slapped him on his back. he grimaced. "Sorry. Anyway, we still need to come up with a name for you! How about good old John Sm-"

"Absolutely not!"

"Alright. John Handy?"

"Be careful, I might change my mind about not trying to kill you. By the way, you owe me a new hand." he angrily flapped his empty sleeve at yaz. she raised her hands in defence, laughing. she felt a bit guilty now, for nicking and breaking it earlier that day. oh, what a mad day that was.

"I'll make you a one! Back on the topic, how about James? You know, like Jamie Mccrimmon."

his shoulders sagged and she saw his eyes fill with memories of an old friend.

"Yeah, I think I like that."

...

AHEM!! got a bit carried away there. this thing nearly turned into a fic, but i'm not a writer so it's probably very messy. i don't wanna pull the "english is my second language" card so i'll just apologise for the ungodly amount of grammatical nonsense. sorry.

ANYWAY, they start traveling together and it's literally the most dysfunctional friendship ever. you may be thinking: "how is this gonna work? are they just gonna forget about the fact that james spent the last ten years killing people left and right?" well, he can't be any worse than the master, right? but he is a very troubled character and he spends a lot of time trying to recover from everything that's happened. the doctor and yaz are there for him all the while.

as for their relationship... basically, the doctor is very protective of james. as i said earlier, she feels directly responsible for what happened, even tho he doesn't really blame her anymore.

also, damn. that name change is very sudden, isn't it? i still can't tell if it's cringe or not. but i don't want him to go back to being the doctor, so it's not like there's any other options. the way it works is that he doesn't actually reject his past. has the memories of being the doctor and even tho he didn't actually live through them, to him it feels like he did. he was the doctor up to a certain point and then he became an entirely new person, albeit with a mutual past with her. he finally embraces his humanity. during their travels he is surprised at how refreshing it is to be in the role of the companion, to not be the doctor anymore. he no longer feels the weight of all the responsibilities and expectations that come with that bearing that name. people no longer blame him for every little thing gone wrong, for the most part. he's relieved to feel that kind of freedom, but at the same time he feels sorry for the doctor who is still being treated like that, and probably always will be. tho he is faced with his own bad reputation occasionaly. someone recognised the doctor and james once and called them "the doctor and their personal assasin".

relationships, yes. james has no problems getting along with the doctor, for obvious reasons, but he and yaz take some time to get used to each other. in the end, they bond in a way that i can't really explain. he sees right through yaz, and it kinda freaks her out. he immediately recognises the exact kind of relationship she has with the doctor and oh boy, he turned himself into a fucking matchmaker. you'd think he'd be horrified at the prospect of the doctor falling in love with a human again, considering the massive trauma he has regarding this topic, but no. i guess that as a human he takes it much easier this time around. he is mortal, and so is yaz, and that kinda makes her seem less fragile to him.

OH!! i forgot to mention the little running gag i came up with. so, every now and again james gets his prosthetic broken, or stolen, or eaten or absolutely obliterated in the most unpredictable comedic way possible and he gets soooo mad every time. at one point they meet the pting again... you can guess what happens.

oh, i was also thinking about bringing jack into this whole mess because i'm obsessed with tenjack, but i'm still not sure about that. i was just wondering how different their relationship would be if the doctor was human. we already know that jack loves the doctor and will probably never stop. but james doesn't have much of his time lord senses left now and therefore he wouldn't be able to feel jack's "wrongness". moreover, he spent years with barely any human connection and now he's desperate for it. most importantly, the majority of the doctor's relationship hang ups are based on their immortality, and guess what!! james doesn't have that anymore. he's not the doctor, he's changed, but he still has the memories. jack is still his friend. with nothing holding james back, i truly think he would be able to return jack's feelings. or maybe I'm thinking to much about it. maybe i just everyone to be gay, who knows?? i honestly don't know just how weird it would be if they were together but, my god, i just want them both to have some comfort, something that goes farther than friendship.

anyway, jack joins the dysfunctional trio post revolution of the daleks(for him) so he already knows thirteen and yaz. you can imagine his shock when he sees james. james is no less surprised. a wave of insecurity hits him and he immediately tries to explain to jack that he's not who he thinks he is. that's he's not really the doctor, that's he's that weird little guy who grew out of The Hand. jack hears his words, but goes for a hug anyway. james sighs in relief. at least he doesn't have to deal with rejection again. he's also startled to realise that jack doesn't feel wrong anymore. it's supposed to be a bad thing: his mind can no longer sense the timelines. but instead of panicking about it, he just chooses to relax in his friend's embrace. the doctor looks at them, and smiles.

...

aaaand that's all i have for now!! when i tell you i nearly died trying to convert all my loose thoughts into a semi-comprehensible text. you a real soldier if u read all that. hope you enjoyed<3

[thegayhimbo]

Stranger Things Rebel Robin (Book and Podcast) Review (Part 2 of 2)

WARNING: The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS from the book and podcast!

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my other Stranger Things Reviews. Like, Reblog, and let me know what your thoughts are regarding the show or the upcoming season! :)

Stranger Things Comics/Graphic Novels:

Stranger Things Six

Stranger Things Halloween Special

Stranger Things The Other Side

Stranger Things Zombie Boys

Stranger Things The Bully

Stranger Things Winter Special

Stranger Things Tomb of Ybwen

Stranger Things Into The Fire

Stranger Things Science Camp

Stranger Things “The Game Master” and “Erica’s Quest”

Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons

Stranger Things Kamchatka

Stranger Things Erica The Great

Stranger Things “Creature Feature” and “Summer Special”

Stranger Things Tie-In Books:

Stranger Things Suspicious Minds

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 1 of 3)

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 2 of 3)

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 3 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 1 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 2 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 3 of 3)

NOTE: If you would like to listen to "Surviving Hawkins," the companion podcast to Rebel Robin, you can find all 6 episodes here.

Part 3: Dash Montague (and people like him)

I wanted to do a separate post talking specifically about Dash's character. It's not just about how Dash relates to Robin's story, but how he's representative of certain types of people I've seen for a while now: Those who claim to fight against social injustices and for people who face discrimination, only for these so-called advocates to reveal themselves to be just as hateful, cruel, condescending, self-serving, contemptuous, and hypocritical as those they criticize. It's a trend that's been around for a while, but started spiking again in recent months due to a number of different factors and world events, and it's caused me (and other mutuals I know) to become deeply distrustful of others currently.

As I noted earlier, Dash is the kind of person who frames himself as a geek/nerd who's unfairly an outcast and deserves better because of how "intelligent" he is. In reality, he is a small-minded prick, and a contender alongside Billy and Angela for one of the most unpleasant and loathsome characters in the series. On the surface, Dash presents himself as a friend to Robin and other members of the Odd Squad (the nickname for Robin's friends). He eventually shows his true colors when cheats on Kate (his girlfriend at the time) and tries to force a kiss on Robin without her consent. When Robin expresses her disgust, this is how Dash responds:

And we later find out that this wasn't a one time thing or a lapse of judgment on his part: He is a serial cheater who had multiple flings with other girls when he was supposed to be dating Kate.

Now, sleazy womanizing creeps are nothing new. Nor is the concept of entitled "Nice Guys" who pretend to be decent people on the surface before showing a nastier side to themselves when they don't get what they want. Dash isn't unique in those departments, and most of us probably know at least one person out there who behaves like this. It's gross, but that isn't what got under my skin.

What made Dash truly revolting to me, aside from how callously he throws away friendships like used condoms, are these observations Robin makes about Dash after he reveals himself to be a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing:

People minimizing evil in their own minds.

Inverting the Social Pyramid.

Pretending to want to change things when it's really about coming out on top and looking like the underdog while doing it.

Using intelligence as a means to justify putting others down.

Becoming obsessed with fighting monsters without realizing (or caring) that you've also become one.

Like I said, I have constantly seen these aspects from people who champion themselves on social media as an ally to the oppressed, who love to virtue-signal for everyone to see as if to say "Look at what a great person I am!", who claim to be against cruelty and unfairness, who position themselves as being empathetic and understanding.........and yet constantly reveal their hypocrisy and demonstrate they are the kind of people I want nothing to do with.

I am no stranger to being on the receiving end of belittlement and condescension from these kinds of people. Last year, I had an extremely unpleasant encounter with a Hughie Campbell Stan from The Boys fandom because I said something about the character they didn't like, and they got condescending about it. I proceeded to block them, only for them to use another account to send me a nasty reply accusing me of being "triggered" along with a snide suggestion to leave social media. All of this was followed by a separate post from them where they tried to make it sound like I was unreasonable for blocking them for their behavior and called me "weak." In other words, someone didn't like what I had to say, belittled me about it, got mad when I blocked them over their attitude, used another account to continue harassing me, and then called me weak for not putting up with their bullying. This was over a fictional character from a TV show no less. 🙄 And it was also from a user who not only claims to be against people who use that kind of Trump-like language (i.e. calling people "triggered" and "weak"), but also posts disingenuous messages about caring for other people's self-esteem. She sure as hell didn't care about being unkind to me as long as she could get away with it.

Sadly, she isn't the only person on the Left who acts like this.

There is this idea from people that if you have certain attributes, like serving in the military, or being a part of the Democratic party, or supporting left leaning causes, or NOT voting for people like Trump, or even if you are a part of a minority that faces discrimination for who you are (i.e. being a POC, or LGBT+, or a woman, or a nerd, or whatever is supposed to make you an "outcast" by today's standards), it somehow means you're automatically a good person and your actions are above criticism. I've seen this mentality REPEATEDLY used by people like this to justify being cruel and unkind to others, or saying the type of heinous rhetoric I expect from the Alt-Right as opposed to someone who claims to denounce that kind of behavior (like the Hughie Campbell stan who called me triggered and weak because I wouldn't put up with her patronizing behavior).

At the beginning of this year, there was a Tumblr post that came out which got a lot of traction and controversy.

Now for me, this post was a pretty straight-foward message from the OP about not treating 12 year old boys like they're inherently monstrous before they've actually done anything, and then later acting surprised when people from the Alt-Right swoop in and begin to groom them with their hateful ideologies because the Left demonized them first. Unfortunately, while some people took that message to heart, others..........did not. A post that could be summed up as "Be kind and empathetic" got twisted by other users with their own personal agendas into "YOU'RE PROMOTING MISOGYNY, RACISM, FACISM........" These people not only became the very strawmen the OP was calling out, but also validated the OP's point about the Left's obsession with identity politics, being intelligent over being kind, and demonizing boys:

I find the last two comments ironic considering this is the EXACT mentality Dash has in Rebel Robin: He believes he's smarter than "the popular kids," and uses intelligence (and his insistence that he's an underdog in the social pyramid) to justify his nasty, contemptuous behavior, and then pass it off as him being "morally correct."

Also, speaking as a gay man and someone who's been on the receiving end of bullying and abuse, I'm not impressed with the attempts by these people to justify their thinly-veiled hatred, most of which can be summed up as "I was abused, so it's okay for me to be abusive to others." Disgusted isn't even a good word to express my feelings about this. I don't give a damn who you are, what experiences you've had, what your political affiliations is, or what minority you belong to: If you're going out of your way to be vicious to others and then try to justify it like it's okay, you're a terrible person, and no amount of "intelligence" on your part changes that.

I knew someone like this named Daze_Confuse, a Redditor who was on the site for 10 years before his account got permanently suspended this year. He is someone who identified himself as gay (like me), was against Donald Trump and the Republicans, claimed to speak on behalf of the LGBT+ community and other minorities, and served in a branch of the military.

He is also one of the most vile people I had the unfortunate displeasure of encountering.

This is the kind of person who put other people down out of a sense of moral superiority. This is a person who was repeatedly condescending, contemptuous of people he disagreed with, smug, coasting on self-righteousness, petty, deeply insecure, and cruel to others when he could get away with it. This is the kind of person who made comments designed to shrink others, and then would later try to pass off his comments as "jokes" when he was called out on them by the moderators (which happened frequently). This is the kind of person who, in order to "win" an argument, would go through a person's entire Reddit history and cherry-pick certain comments or posts and take them out-of-context so he could metaphorically beat them into the ground and feel justified in doing so.

This is the kind of person who railed against "toxic masculinity," but never once looked at his own behavior even though it had elements of that.

This is the kind of person who pretended to be against "Nice Guyism" and yet defended people who behaved like that (both fictional characters and real people).

This is the kind of person who acted like he was against bullying (similar to the homophobic troll I dealt with years ago) and yet was one of the most vicious bullies you could run across.

This is the type of person who intentionally went out of his way to provoke fights with people and make others feel bad for having opinions he didn't like or agree with. He did this over fictional characters and TV shows, and he did this with his real life political and social opinions.

I remember coming across him. I wish I hadn't. He made things personal with me in a way I will never forget, or forgive.

He is the embodiment of Dash from the books (with a little bit of Billy Hargrove and Angela sprinkled in there). He was the kind of person who would use intelligence to justify his awful behavior because he constantly believed he was in the right. He is the kind of person who positioned himself as an underdog in society (much like Dash), but was more interested in "inverting the social pyramid" (as Robin would put it). If you saw how many times this guy projected his issues onto others, or went out of his way to paint himself as the smartest person on the site, or expressed jealousy at men who (as he put it) "got pussy" or were conventionally attractive, you'd be able to peg pretty quickly that, for all of his posturing and virtue-signaling and claims about how he was against injustices, he was a worm who only cared about social issues when it was convenient for him.

I won't claim to know the circumstances behind what happened to him, but given that Reddit is a site where incels like this still have their accounts up despite the bile they spew, whatever u/Daze_Confuse did to get permanently suspended must have been egregious enough that the Sitewide Administration wasn't willing to ignore it. Considering how he acted, I'm not surprised. It's gotta sting to lose access to 10 years of posts and comments though.

And if it sounds like I'm being judgmental of him, just know he behaved much worse with multiple people besides me. You reap what you sow: He chose to be a smug asshole, and paid the price for it. The world is better off without him.

My overall point is I'm tired of these types of people. I'm tired of people like Dash who frame themselves as outcasts who are better than the popular crowd, and then reveal themselves to be just as heinous as the people they criticize. I'm tired of seeing people on the Left, who claim to be against injustices and bigotry, engage in the same level of hatred they condemn the Alt-Right for. I'm tired of people who claim to fight for my rights, but would gleefully turn on me in a heartbeat and throw me to the wolves the moment I said or did something that constituted "stepping out of line" in their eyes. I'm tired of people who talk a big game about caring for other people's self-esteem, but will bully others when it's convenient for them (looking at the Hughie Campbell Stan who is still active on this hellsite). I'm tired of seeing people who put on a big show of advocating for social causes, and then use their political ideologies and philosophies to justify being cruel and contemptuous to others. I'm tired of seeing people act like bigots and then trying to pretend they aren't doing that.

I'm not going to claim I'm a paragon of virtue when it comes to doing things right. I've had my moments of being unkind. I've said things before that I look back on with regret and wish I hadn't said. I've acted in ways I'm not proud of. I am not even going to say I'm the most intelligent person on this site. For all of my flaws though, I am consciously making an effort to be better than I was before.

The roughest thing I've seen so far as I've gotten older, aside from people looking for any excuse to be nasty to others because reasons, is how we as a culture have started defining others in extremes, or love digging up other people's history and then flinging it at them as if to say "This is who you are," like there's no way to change it and you will forever be defined by it.

This post put it best: We are so obsessed these days with "gold-star activism" and "purity culture" and looking like the smartest person in the room that a lot of us have abandoned empathy and compassion and refuse to acknowledge when other people grow and attempt to become a better person. There's a difference between someone who continues to behave badly (which is why I am calling out people like u/Daze_Confuse, the Hughie Campbell stan, the homophobic Reddit troll who is unfortunately still active and engaging in the same behavior from years ago, and the users who responded to the post I linked to earlier who justify being vicious to 12 year old boys) vs someone who recognizes that their behavior was bad and makes an effort to grow from it.

In one of the many conversations I've had with my friend @stillhidden, she told me something I haven't ever forgotten: Truly stupid people are the ones who think they're right about everything. They are people who are so calcified in their beliefs that they refuse to change them or consider the idea that they could be in the wrong, even if there's overwhelming evidence to show their thinking is flawed. They lack the self-awareness to realize how awful their behavior is, which leads them to falling down the pipeline of smug superiority, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy.

I see this as the biggest difference between Dash Montague and Steve Harrington: For all of his flaws, or even how he started out at the beginning of the show, Steve isn't stupid like he gets treated by some fans. He's someone who's willing to grow, own up to his actions, and learn from his mistakes. He's someone who's willing to change his thinking and perspective on things, and be the kind of ally and friend that other characters need. It's why I find it annoying whenever Steve-Antis come out of their caves to continue bringing up the same tiresome arguments about Steve's behavior in season 1 to say "THIS IS WHO HE REALLY IS" while ignoring any character development he had later on.

Dash, for all of his talk about being intelligent, is one of the dumbest characters in the series. It takes a special kind of stupidity to throw a friendship with one person (Robin) and a relationship with your girlfriend (Kate) into the trash because you think you know better, and act like your so-called intelligence gives you carte blanche to act however you want to.

If Dash continues behaving like this into adulthood, it's gonna be a rough ride for him, and there's a very real chance he will end up friendless, alone, and bitter. I know plenty of people out there on social media (Reddit, Twitter/X, Tumblr, TikTok, etc) who are still trudging through life with Dash's self-serving mentality, and I can 100% say from what I've seen that it's going poorly for them. They brought it on themselves.

[sproutsimmer]

THE SIMS 4 333 CHALLENGE

Hi friends! I @sproutsimmer have created a new challenge for the sims community! If you love the sims but sometimes lose inspiration like I do then play this challenge along with me! I stream on twitch @ sproutsimmer, but don’t worry if you miss it I post all my VODS on Youtube. 

I noticed on YT that there have been the same challenges out there for years so I wanted to make something fresh for every sim player to enjoy! I plan on making a version of this challenge for the Sims 3 soon ! I just wanted to share the Sims 4v now, get creative and enjoy!

The purpose of this challenge is to add goals and limited guidelines to your gameplay to make it fun and give you different ideas to work with! You can play any generation in or out of order, think of this as a gameplay shell challenge. I give you the basics, can’t delete but you can add anything you’d like! If you don't have a required pack just substitute for something else! I'd love to see your storylines and routes taken for this challenge! Use #TS333CHALLENGE so I can see y'all's versions :)

SIMS 4 333 CHALLENGE 

Basic Rules : 

Must Complete Each Goal For At Least 3 Gens (does not have to be the first 3 it can be in any order you choose) to complete the 333 Challenge

No cheats to help you complete the challenge, only for storyline purposes. 

*Recommended Mods (MCCC + UI Cheats only to help game bugs)

I made an extended version including most of the packs going up to 10 generations to continue on your gameplay!

Generation 1-3  [Base Game Optional]

Generation 1 - The Founder

Your founder can be whoever you’d like, I personally imagine them to be super unserious and goofy, but smart and hard working and loves their children.

Start with a Young Adult Sim (any gender or lack thereof;) 🏳️‍🌈

Human

Any traits or likes/dislikes

Must Complete 3 Aspirations 

Must Master any 3 Skills

Must have 3 Children (in anyway is possible)

* Recommended

Traits (Family Oriented, Geek, Genius) 

Aspirations (Nerd Brain, Joke Star, Grilled Cheese)

Skills (Logic, Handiness, Comedy)

Career (Entertainer or Self Employed Comedian or both)

Generation 2 - The First Heir 

This Sim goes with the flow of life, and has a hard time making up their mind. 

Must Complete Renaissance Sim Aspiration 

Must Master any 3 Skills

Must reach at least level 3 in 3 different careers

Marry 3 different sims 

Accept any trait changes naturally occurring in the game

Have one child with 3rd spouse

*Recommended 

Traits (Non-Committal, Clumsy, Goofball)

Skills (Guitar, Video Gaming, Programming)

Careers (Barista, Programmer, Freelance Programmer)

Generation 3 - Good vs Evil

Good Route

Must Complete 3 Aspirations 

Must Master any 3 Skills

Must Complete Crystal, Fossil, Frog Collections

*Recommended

Aspirations (The Curator, Angling Ace, Soulmate)

Traits (Loves the Outdoors, Loner, Good)

Skills (Fishing, Gardening, Violin) (or Gemology if you have new pack cuz I think that would fit nicely)

Evil Route 

Must Complete 3 Aspirations 

Must Master any 3 Skills

*Recommended 

Aspirations (Master Mixologist, Chief of Mischief, Serial Romantic)

Traits (Kleptomaniac, Outgoing, Evil)

Skills (Mixology, Charisma, Mischief) 

Either way

Die as an adult after finished goals (tragically)

Generation 4 - Wealth and Ambitions 

Your parent died as an adult, you matured at a young age and always wanted to make something of yourself and live life to the fullest.

Achieve Responsible Trait as a child/teen

Must Complete Fabulously Wealthy Aspiration

Must Master 3 Skills 

Must successfully run 3 businesses (ex. yard sale for any made goods, retail, vet, restaurant, rental)

Must Vacation 3 Times (in any vacation lot)

Must adopt at least 1 child

*Recommended 

Traits (Ambitious, Generous, Self Absorbed) 

Skills ( Any Skills That Go W/ Business Chosen for Challenge)

Generation 5 - Filling a Void

Your Parent has it all figured out and has given you everything your whole life, you feel grateful but never fulfilled. You spend your life trying to fill a void.

Must Master 3 Skills 

Must Get Level At Least Level 3 in a Career

Must Complete One Location Aspiration (ex. City Native, StrangerVille Mystery, Beach Life, Mt. Komorebi Sightseer, Fountain of Tomarani Knowledge)

Enroll in University (don't have to graduate)

Create Robot Friend

Must have bad relationship w child heir

*Recommended 

Aspiration (Mt. Komorebi Sightseer) 

Traits (Gloomy, Green Fiend, Slob)

Skills (Robotics, Athletic, DJ Mixing)

I get bored when my sims are too rich so since we’re halfway to 10 generations let's restart with money if you hadn't already. Use cheats (Ctrl + Shift + C), type in 

‘testingcheats true’ then ‘money 333’ Enter.

Or if you like your sims rich, continue on your own way..

Generation 6 - Starting Over

Your parent was too busy trying to gain their own happiness; they didn’t care too much about yours. You don’t blame them or hold grudges, you just live life to learn yourself and grow!

Start with either empty lot or (budget of 33,333) shell of a house then (333 in account to start) 

Must complete Bodybuilder Aspiration 

Must Turn Into Plantsim + 2 other occults of your choosing (ex. mermaid, werewolf, vampire, ghost, spellcaster) total of 3 occults in one life

Must Reach Top Level In 3 Careers

Must master 3 Skills

Must have a house worth at least 133,333 

*Recommended 

Traits (Erratic, Loves the Outdoors, OverAchiever)

Skills ( Logic, Gardening, Fitness)

Careers (Lifeguard, Gardener, Astronaut) 

Generation 7 - The Simfluencer

This generation is about making your family a household name, this sim craves fame in any way possible. 

Must complete World Famous Celebrity Aspiration 

Must Master 3 Skills

Must get at least level 3 in 3 careers 

Adopt 3 pets 

Make 3 Simtube videos a week

Have At Least 1 Science Baby

*Recommended 

Traits (Cringe, Cheerful, Vegetarian)

Skills (Media Production, Painting, Gourmet Cooking)

Careers (Painter, Freelance Artist, Chef)

Generation 8 - The Musician 

Your first and only love is music, you dedicate your life to it. 

Must Complete Musical Genius Aspiration

Must Publish 3 Songs 

Must Get Level 10 in Arts Critic Career

Must Perform 3x a sim week for tips (any instrument/singing) 

Must get Level 3 Celebrity + Maintain Whole Life

Must Master 3 Musical Skills 

Must never get Married

*Recommended 

Traits (Creative, Music Lover, Snob)

Skills (Pipe Organ, Violin, Piano)

Perform on M,W,F to remember to perform for tips

Generation 9 - Is there a Doctor In The House ?

You want to help others in life, you become a doctor. 

Must Get Level 10 In Doctor Career

Must Travel to Destination World(s) 3 Times

Must Master 3 Skills

Must Have 3 Children 

Must Get Married + Stay Married (doesn’t matter what age)

Must Complete Successful Lineage Aspiration 

*Recommended

Traits (Self Assured, Loyal, Proper)

Skills (Logic, Archeology, Herbalism) 

Generation 10 - The President

This generation completes your family name by becoming the President. They work hard on themselves, because of their flaws.

Must Reach Level 10 Political Career Politician Branch 

Must Master 3 Skills

Must Complete 3 Aspirations

Must Write Own Biography 

Must have 333,333 + In Savings 

Must Complete 1 Collection (ex. mysims trophies, city posters, snow globes ect) 

*Recommended 

Aspirations (Mansion Baron, Seeker Of Secrets, The Curator)

Traits (High Maintenance, Bookworm, Jealous) 

Skills (Writing, Charisma, Research+Debate) 

I hope y'all enjoy this challenge and get creative!

I plan on streaming the challenge on twitch, come play with me! https://www.twitch.tv/sproutsimmer

[krispykroissant]

DrPGame Time!

@npfannen

"Identifying as members of a community is powerful in supporting learning. Find and share an image of something from your favorite TV show - explain why you love this show."

⚠️WARNING!⚠️ Cringe up ahead!

Doctor Who! Also known as "British People's One Piece" xD!

This is definitely one of my favorite shows of all time and has been since I was a kid. There are many reasons that I could list on and on for hours on end, but particularly there are a few that come to mind:

The weirdness. From the very beginning of the series back in 1963 and all the way up to the current/modern seasons, Doctor Who has been fascinating because of its creative, spontaneous, and overall weird nature with science fiction scenarios that are completely different from any other show you can think of. Besides the nature of the plots, characters, dimensions, and whatnot, there is also the weird style of filming with elements of technical/compositional absurdity that is just so intriguing. It was seen as a very experimental/progressive show at the time that it was created, and it certainly has maintained that reputation to this day. Extra-dimensional beings/creatures range anywhere from semi-faceless aliens who you forget exist when you stop looking at them to little tiny marshmallow-shaped creatures made almost entirely of fat, and super evil, Nazi-like aliens who use giant tin trash cans with bumps and a plunger for a hand.

In addition to this madness, every single actor who has portrayed the Doctor has had their own unique aspects in every single category. The original idea to have the Doctor "regenerate" his body as a way of cheating death was originally not even a thing until the actor who played the first Doctor was getting too old to continue playing the role. This is such an important aspect of Doctor Who, because if regeneration didn't exist, Doctor Who would not be relevant today. But because it exists, Doctor Who is now the longest-running TV serial ever (to the best of my knowledge)! With each new generation comes a new face, new clothes, new sonic screwdriver (a special all-in-one time lord tool), a new TARDIS (the time machine, in the shape of a police call box, which is bigger on the inside), new companions, new (and old) enemies, new theme songs and intros/outros, just about anything you can think of. This is such a masterful concept since the show can be refreshed every few seasons and always has something new to offer for old fans and a way of consistently bringing in new fans.

Every special episode/movie has always been very consistently loaded with (non-sexual) fan service with references that usually only hardcore Doctor Who fans will get. This awareness from the writers and producers of the show is so important for fans since they usually listen to what fans have to say and are an active part of their communities. There have been only a couple of "bad" Doctors, who have really only been a victim to poor writing or other unfortunate circumstances, and those have been few and far between. Culturally, this show makes such a huge impact, that I would consider Doctor Who to be the Beatles of fictional television entertainment (and don't get me started on the Beatles!)

Such a quirky show can simply not go under anybody's radar. I can't recommend this show enough. If you're interested, I can share a link to all of the classic episodes from 1963 up to 1989 that you can watch for completely free, and some streaming platforms have the modern seasons as well.

[circular-time]

All caps for my favorite for each Doctor and bold for my alltime fave; I've listed a smattering to give you glimpses of most of the companions and some vague non-spoilery comments since different stories appeal to different tastes.

First Doctor: The Daleks although slow-paced by today's standards set the show on its feet as the second serial and there's some extraordinary visuals for a 1963 show with no budget and almost no precedents to work from; The Aztecs has Babs being awesome some interesting perspective on white saviour syndrome trying to avert colonialism filmed when the last of the British Empire was still throwing out the Brits (also blink and you'll miss it gender discussion), THE ROMANS is a Funny Thing Happened on The Way To the Forum Meets Doctor Who, The Dalek Invasion of Earth was groundbreaking for the time (post-apocalyptic Earth was not yet a setting many mainstream audiences had seen outside of a few blockbuster films) a chewy story plus the first companion departure

Second Doctor: MIND ROBBER is just fun watch it, Enemy of the World with actual ( gasp) sharp acting all around partly because Troughton is the villain as well as the lead

Third Doctor: Spearhead from Space so you get at least one with Liz who is Great and the Brig in fine form, a lot of fans will rec Inferno for very good reason but be warned it drags in the middle, Terror of the Autons for a great Jo & Master story, The Daemons ditto plus one of the Brig's signature moments, no one ever remembers Carnival of Monsters because it's not important or epic and there's a lot of running about but it's a fun little D&D adventure like Ghost Monument, THE TIME MONSTER which is a bit naff but we love it to bits as The Gift That Keeps on Giving there's so many dumbass and funny and heartwarming moments in it

Fourth Doctor: MASQUE OF MANDRAGORA fun melodramatic costume drama with bonus gay couple don't talk to me I shipped Marco/Giuliano before I knew what gay WAS, Brain of Morbius has Sarah Jane and the Sisterhood of Karn and Four in fine form with bonus throwaway Hey That Totally Screwed Up Canon (What Canon?), The Deadly Assassin which established Gallifrey as we know it today and therefore pissed off fans tremendously, Face of Evil as an all around fun story introducing Leela Who Is Great I wish I could rec more of hers but i've already got too many of Four here; Horns of Nimon for a drinking game ep that's so bad it's hilarious (moreso if if you know the camp villain was considered for the role of the fourth doctor) but Romana is in a different story acting her socks off LIKE A BOSS, City of Death aka the Doctor and Romana's Paris honeymoon, Keeper of Traken because I just love it (preview of my favorite companion though she's only a side char) plus it kinda sets up spoilers spoilers still relevant in new Who

Fifth Doctor: Castrovalva is a fun regeneration story but find the Blu-Ray if you can where they were finally able to achieve the MC Escher effect intended, Black Orchid (I dunno why some people dislike this one it's Who meets Agatha Christie!), Kinda which is a little crack but there's some great acting and classic quotes even if my fave is out with a migraine, Mawdryn Undead for an interesting reunion with an old friend even if the writers once again can't juggle an ensemble cast, ENLIGHTENMENT is awesomesauce ok not as much now as then when the first cliffhanger literally pulled mom and me out of our seats but the story has aged well even if the FX now look quaint, Planet of the Shorts of Fire for some Master/Doctor shipping although they nearly had the Master say he was the Doctor's brother and cut the line mid-word!

Sixth Doctor: oh this poor guy didn't get enough good scripts until the audios showed just how fantastic he can be but The Two Doctors (which shows his era had gotten a bit grim for classic Who, but it's good), VENGEANCE ON VAROS which believe it or not predates the reality TV fad and I haven't seen it since the 80s but it was a damn good episode at the time

Seventh Doctor: Delta and the Bannermen is nutty and joyful and unique and a palate cleanser after Sixie's era got too dark and I will defend it to the death even if it's kind of insane, The Happiness Patrol for a strong Sylvester ep with Ace being great (these two are always great), BATTLEFIELD with the Brig (both of them!) and a girlfriend (we wished) for Ace and random Arthurian bullshit and Kate Stewart's mom and oh this was LOVE when it came out Doctor Who was BACK baby (poor Colin), Remembrance of the Daleks which should have been the 25th anniversary special and we all pretended it was and there is the most awesome cliffhanger ever (it's like the punchline to a joke 25 years in the making for fans) but really it's so good the guest chars in this story have a popular multi-season spinoff audio series; Survival as the very last story of classic Who with more Doctor/Master shipping which may have been deliberate and this time we know Ace's "girlfriend of the month" plotline was deliberate although it's coded and cloaked because the queer author had to slip it past the censors

Okay so I'm continuing to venture through Classic Doctor Who. I've watched chunks of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker and adore the TV Movie. I've also seen a few of the "specials" like The Three Doctors and The Five Doctors. I know some episodes are considered much better than others 👀 What's your favourite or must watch episode??? Help me out

[violetwrites]

a little too late.

pairing: spencer reid (criminal minds) x reader

summary: confessions of love a little too late.

warnings: swearing, violence. this story does not have a happy ending.

word count: 1,233

4650 minutes.

76 hours.

3 days.

3 days since you'd last seen sunlight, since you'd last licked your lips without tasting blood, since you'd last seen the faces of your team, the bau.

3 days since you'd been kidnapped.

I see these people way too much, you remembered thinking when you'd first started this case, the case that would change everything. Now, you'd give anything to see them once more. JJ, Emily, Derek, Spencer. You let out a loud sob against the gag in your mouth as Spencer's face appeared in your mind. You missed his face, his voice, the scrunch in his eyebrows as he concentrated, you just missed him. Over the course of the year that you'd spent in the bau, Spencer was your best friend.

He was always there for you, always checked up on you after a particularly hard case. On Valentines day, just a few months prior, he knew you'd be spending the day alone, and so invited you to a film festival with him. Though it wasn't necessarily your scene, you still had a lot of fun, and it was better than spending the day alone, way better.

Now, you would probably never get the opportunity again.

Even worse, you would never get the chance to tell him how much you loved him. How hard you had fallen for him. At some point in your friendship, you developed feelings for him, and with every waking day, they only got stronger. If it were anyone else, they probably would've caught on straight away with the way you acted, spoke and looked at him, but this was Spencer, clueless, oblivious, beautiful Spencer.

Your vision was blurred from tears, you struggled against the rope binding your hands behind your back. You gave up, the only thing it was achieving was making your hands sorer, making no actual progress. You were past hope at this point. You knew that your chances at survival were slim. All of your limbs had been tied up, and most of them you'd lost feeling in. You didn't doubt the team for a second, but it's been days before your first actual lead, and shortly after you were taken. It also didn't help that you were a pessimist by nature, a trait you'd inherited from your mother.

As more tears formed in your eyes, the door straight ahead of you in- what you assumed to be a basement opened. A tall, dark-haired man entered, his clothes stained with blood; presumably your own. You screamed as loud as you possibly could, your throat straining, the cloth in your mouth acting as a gag muffling it slightly.

"Oh, baby, don't do that. You'll tire yourself out." his voice was low and raspy, his tone in-genuine and mocking. He crouched down to you, reaching his arms out and removing the gag from your mouth.

"Let me go, you sick bastard!" you practically spat the words out at him, the corner of his lips turning up in a grin. Your stomach churned. More than anything, you just wanted to punch his repulsive face, and then again, and then again, and again until all he was, was a pale, lifeless body, the shell of an evil, vicious, psychopathic son of a bitch.

"That," he stood up, wiping his hands on his trousers, "I can't do."

You tried your fucking hardest not to let out the cry you could feel building up inside of you, not wanting to look vulnerable in front of someone who would surely take advantage of it. "My team are going to find you," you spoke with confidence, believing every word wholeheartedly, "and they are going to put a bullet through your head." you just hoped that when they did, it wouldn't be too late.

He laughed. He laughed so coldly, so cruelly, you could feel the sadism dripping from his voice. He laughed in a manner that only a serial killer could.

You looked up at his face, to his eyes. There was no compassion, no remorse, no emotion, no semblance of evidence that he was even human, there was nothing.

And that moment was when you realised,

You weren't getting out of this alive.

You swallowed thickly, your eyes betraying you, overflowing with liquid. Your shoulders shook as you cried, unable to hold yourself together any longer.

You were so tired.

It had been so long and you just wanted- needed for this to be over.

"If you're going to kill me, just do it already." your eyes opened slowly, tears running down your chin to your neck.

He grabbed your chin, stroking your cheek softly, the tears smearing across your face as he did.

BANG.

The door flew open. A gun was the first thing you registered before the unsub picked up a gun from beside him, grabbing your body and holding the weapon to your head.

"Damian Hunters, put the gun down!" you looked at Morgan in front of you, tears streaming down your face. He looked back at you, still pointing his gun, a pained expression on his face.

"Move any closer and I blow her brains out!" he nudged the gun further into you, almost as if to prove his point.

You looked behind him, the room flooding with cops and SWAT and- the agents- your family.

Emily stood just behind Morgan, JJ next to her. Hotch stood to your side, inching closer, Rossi opposite him. You moved your eyes slightly and that's when you saw him- Spencer's eyebrows are furrowed, his eyes glassy with tears and, although his gun is trained on the unsub, his eyes are fixed on yours. Another tear slipped down your face at the sight of him, and you just want to run to him and wrap your arms so tightly around him and never let go.

You could hear Morgan's voice in the background, but your mind wasn't registering anything he was saying. Hot blood coursed through your veins as you feared for your life, your eyes shutting involuntarily.

You hear Morgan scream before you feel it.

The sharp pain in your chest.

You look down, blood soaking your shirt. You collapse, falling to the concrete floor.

Spencer runs over to you, immediately untying you before putting your head in his lap, crying hysterically. "No, no, no, no.." He repeats, almost like if he says it enough, all the events that just occurred would somehow un-occur.

You reach your hand up, placing it on his cheek. He puts his hand on top of yours, a loud sob ringing through his body.

"I love you. I can't lose you. I love you so much." a tear falls from his eye, falling on to you.

"Spence." your voice is hoarse and quiet, barely audible.

"y/n." his lower lip quivers as his blinking rapidly increases.

"I love you. I've always loved you." This time it comes out in a whisper, and your words cause Spencer to cry even harder.

"I've loved you since the day I met you, since the day you walked through the doors of the FBI. You mean everything to me, y/n." his voice quivers as he also whispers.

Spencer's face is the last thing you see before your eyes shut, and you sigh contentedly.

You did get the chance.

And your wish came true, It's over.

You smile in the arms of Spencer.

and

Darkness.

a/n: I hope this wasn’t too disappointing of an ending. This is my first one shot (?) that I’ve written and posted on here, and I’m not entirely sure how tumblr works exactly so this is all very new to me. Please give me feedback and let me know if you liked it! This was written quite some time ago. I have to confess I did cringe a little reading this back but hopefully I can post some of my newer works alongside this one as soon as I figure out how to make a master list lmao. Constructive criticism is appreciated greatly!!!

[i-am-just-a-kiddo]

ok so I tried to come up with three characters like you did for me but this was very difficult. so feel free to ignore some if you don't like it or feel like talking about someone else :'D but the beauty ghost/liu qianqiao (word of honor), yu tangchun (killer and healer, bc i know you like our opera boy) and seo moonjo (strangers from hell, bc i am always curious about you and this dentist lol)

Aaaah thanks for these! 💗 It’s been a joy to answer them, so I hope you can get through my ramblings about them. 

Referring to Give Me A Character

and I’ll break their ass down:

How I feel about this character

All the people I ship romantically with this character

My non-romantic OTP for this character

My unpopular opinion about this character

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

My answers under the cut: 

Liu Qian Qiao/ Beauty Ghost (Word of Honor) 

How I feel about her: I love her and she deserves better. I’ve not finished the drama yet and I know surprisingly little spoilers about her. I just love to see her acting on her own accord, standing up for the person she loves. Being protective and so caring of Luo Fu Meng, it breaks my heart. From what I’ve seen, she’s gotten on my radar only recently - after they saved Luo Fu Meng from the prison, I got really excited to see more of her and them in general. 

I think she deserves better than that pathetic man whose name I don’t bother to remember. I’m scared of what the show will do to her but I’m so excited to see more, especially now that Scorpion got them in his clutches? She’s on par with him and I’m curious which direction this will go. However, as with many C-dramas unfortunately, she does not really feel tangible to me? There is always something missing, just a small piece that will make her feel more true to me. Maybe the drama will deliver on that? I’m not sure what to expect. 

All the people I ship romantically with her: Luo Fu Meng!!! Lesbian ghosts rights!!! Their recent scenes have been breaking me and I just want to see more of them. I want to know more about their past together, about their dynamic. Luo Fu Meng is her master but right now, Liu Qian Qiao is the one guiding and caring for her. It shows how equal they actually are, even if not in their title. Liu Qian Qiao’s devotion to her feels so burning and determined - whatever she has going on with that man just pales in contrast. She was ready to risk it all for her and she would never abandon her. She’s willing to do anything and I’m just praying for their lives - please don’t fuck it up, @ show writers. 

In short, I just need more of them. Please. 

My non-romantic OTP for her: I loved her interaction with A-Xiang a lot - she truly seems like an older sibling to her and it’s precious to see. I can see them being easily annoyed with each other but also fiercely protective of the other. I can see A-xiang being an unstoppable whirlwind and Qian Qiao trying to ground her, while being incredibly fond. I can also see A-xiang pulling her older sister out of her own head, grounding her and validating her? Tell her that she is more than she thinks of herself, and that she deserves a lot more than she allows for herself. I need more of their interaction because I’m weak for found family tropes and I need more of the ladies doing their own thing outside of Wen Kexing’s or someone else’s periphery. 

Also I want more interaction with her and the Evil Bodhisattva???? The potential that friendship has? Please gimme. 

My unpopular opinion: I don’t know any opinions? I’ve not yet dived deeply into the WOH fandom because I’m not done with the drama yet. I’ve generally seen little content about her and the other ghost ladies, which is a pity. Once I get there, I’m excited to dive into all the fandom has to offer. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I’m on episode 24, so I can’t really judge what the show is gonna do to her, but so far I wish for more depth. Less of that horrible man being affiliated with her. Less of her being subjected to violence. More agency. More of her and Fu Meng interacting, caring for each other, being in each other’s space. I hope her to survive and not be killed, so I’m crossing fingers. 

Yu Tangchun (Killer and Healer)

How I feel about this character: OH BOY. I have freshly baked feelings about him, get ready. Warning for spoilers:

First of all, I always felt the drama did not dive into him as deeply as I had wished. Something was always missing there, but I can’t really name what. Maybe more depth, other than just being sick and out for revenge? He had more potential and I will get to it later. But from all I’ve gotten from him, I love how strong he is, and how much bravery there is in such a small body. He has his own mind and own agenda and doesn’t allow people pushing him around - I also love how deceiving he can be, even to his friends (namely Chen Yuzhi when he asked for that drug). He is a clever fox and I love that for him. Which also made him incredibly unpredictable to me in the beginning - I just couldn’t quite place him? 

In the end, am just incredibly fond and he deserved so so much better than the show ever gave him. 

All the people I ship romantically with him: Zhan Junbai, with all its flaws. From the first moment on, their tension just made me go ???????? the whole time. It was amazing and unsettling to watch, see its development and knowing this could not end well. A very delicious dynamic that always treaded the line of will they or won’t they (whether that refers to killing each other or otherwise). At some point I felt a little more invested into their plotline simply because it was so interesting and unpredictable. The mutual attraction is undeniable, which made what happened later even more heartbreaking and fucked up.

It could have never worked, even if Zhan Zhunbai had been less of a dick. They deserved a different ending - at least Yu Tangchun should have been the one to kill him, or at least they should have had a proper showdown together. After all - they were more than friends at this point. 

My non-romantic OTP: I loved his friendship with Chen Yuzhi, but I must say I would have loved to see him more with Chu Ran! If we imagine a different ending, they could have bonded together so much over what Zhan Junbai did to the both of them. They are both so gentle and headstrong, I wish we had gotten more of them together. It could be relaxing and freeing for the both of them. 

Also I’ve always wondered how exactly Yu Tangchun’s friendship with Jiang Yuelou worked? I think this got way too little spotlight. 

My unpopular opinion about him: I have no idea what is popular and what isn’t? Maybe that I sort of enjoyed the idea of Yu Tangchun joining Zhan Junbai, even though I knew it wouldn’t happen. Let me dream, that could have been a different level of conflict. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Oh boy. Oh boy. SO MUCH. Spoilers ahead if you haven’t finished the show: 

First of all, his ending?? It felt way too rushed and while not out of character, he deserved so much more than his death being an afterthought to the plot and a few sad gay flashbacks. The entire ending felt rushed and oh boy, could I rant about it here, but I will try and focus on Yu Tangchun. So yes, give him the respect he deserves. 

Another thing which I have mentioned above is that I wished they had given him more depth? Just a little bit more other than the trauma and agony he went through. I also wish I had seen more of his opera and his story with it - how he got there, how he thinks about it. We only ever got glimpses and I get that a show can only focus on so much, but still. 

I also wish his ending with Zhan Junbai had been different - in a sense that I wanted him to break Zhan Junbai, lure some genuine emotions on his face other than anger. I wish they had gotten more….closure? I don’t even know. It didn’t feel satisfactory at all. Zhan Junbai went through so much trouble to keep him and then suddenly he let’s him go and then he dies? It just went too quickly. If at least Yu Tangchun had been there to kill him in the end, or at least get some sort of closure. I’m rambling now because I don’t know what I wanted for them but it was certainly more than what the show gave me. I am so frustrated about the ending of the show, help me. 

Seo Moonjo (Strangers from Hell)

How I feel about this character: Conflicted. That is the short answer to that, but of course I’m not here to give a short answer. Do I have to clarify that I do not condone the actions of a cannibalistic serial killer in real life? I hope not. Okay, let’s get to it then. 

Seo Moonjo (or Mr. Dentist, as I lovingly call him) to me is incredibly intimidating. Part of it is that Lee Dong Wook does an incredible job at depicting him as charming and terribly unsettling at the same time. From the first second he shows up on screen, you feel this presence - and you feel intrigue and fear. Which is what Seo Moonjo wants, it’s what he preys on. 

So when I think about how I feel about him, I think he is one of the best villains I’ve encountered recently, simply because he makes me feel the same way he makes Jongwoo feel. I’m very fascinated? I feel Seo Moonjo is a very lonely person, lost in his own ideals and morals. He has absolutely no sense of social propriety and does not intend to learn them. He’s so caught up in his own art and his desire for a certain life, it’s almost pitiful how much he desires it. But of course, once I feel a sliver of pity, he reminds me that he is - indeed - hell personified. I am still lowkey mad that he charmed me (why is being a villain so sexy smh).

Summing up, I love and hate him. What a creepy bastard.

All the people I ship romantically with him: Yoon Jongwoo, despite all the cruelty of it. I think comparing this show to NBC’s Hannibal is very valid, even though these two never got a proper development of their relationship like Will and Hannibal did. I absolutely think that Seo Moonjo is in love with Jongwoo and wants him to be his, wants to wrap him up in his life and make him the ‘perfect art-piece’ he had always wanted in his collection. No matter how sick it is, this obsession is probably the closest Seo Moonjo can get to feeling love - he does not know how else to love. 

So what do I want for them? I want Jongwoo to get his revenge, to make Seo Moonjo suffer as much as he did. I want Jongwoo to see eye to eye with him so they can walk with equal footing. I want Seo Moonjo to realise that Jongwoo has as much power over him as he thinks he has over the other. After this, they can be murder husbands for all I care, in true Hannibal-esque fashion. The emancipation of Jongwoo needs to happen first, and Seo Moonjo needs to realise that he is not the invincible one in this relationship. After that, they can have a good time together, no matter how fucked up that time may look like. 

Also, I am convinced that he ‘dated’ Yoo Gihyeok in a twisted way, before he went and fucked up his plans; and before Jongwoo came to cath his eye.

My non-romantic OTP: As mentioned above - Seo Moonjo is a lone wolf. Yes he had his pack and someone that guided him on this path, but none of them ever come close to him to see his heart. The show itself doesn’t give him much space to see a potential friendship except the one he has with Jongwoo. Jongwoo would be the answer for this as well. (also to be fair, I don’t wish anyone to be friends with him damn)

However, if I could explore more dynamics he has with other people, I would love to see it with Officer So. I think she is an incredibly interesting and strong character and the few scenes they had together were fascinating - she came as his patient and ended up being his enemy. In another installment of this show, I would’ve loved to see more interaction like that and see the development of them being pleasant acquaintances (and maybe Seo Moonjo realising that she too is worth his attention) to enemies. I want Seo Moonjo to find respect for her.

My unpopular opinion: I’m not into depicting him as fancy rich, as many do in fics. Yes he’s a dentist and surely has a ton of money, but I like the idea that despite this wealth, he would always be a shabby sort of person. Not decked out with a luxurious rooftop apartment and wearing dress-shirts every day and expensive watches; but rather using his wealth to make himself safe from detection, finding remote areas, buying utensils and appliances for his ‘art’. So no, I reject the vision of him lounging on the highest building in Seoul with a minimalist empty apartment. I see him in a ratty rundown but expensive old mansion/house that has many corners for his artistic endeavours. I’ve already picked the perfect house for him in Busan, on the top of a hill overseeing the city and the harbour. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I’ve mentioned it above, but I wish Seo Moonjo had gotten to feel more pain. We got Jongwoo’s liberation and Moonjo being proud of his ‘artwork’ while Jongwoo kills him, but that was not the revenge Jongwoo needed. In the end, Moonjo still lingers with him, as a constant presence, and he never got a taste of his own medicine. While watching this show, all I wanted was Jongwoo to break Moonjo’s heart. This would not make up the suffering Moonjo put him through but at least they would be equal. So I have my own revenge fantasy with this character that is more than ‘merely’ killing him. Being killed by Jongwoo just felt like an honour to Seo Moonjo and I’m not satisfied with that. 

Phew okay I’m done! Thank you for giving me something to ramble about, it was a joy!! 

[crossdressingdeath]

chronurgy Yeah you're really nailing one of the big problems, especially when playing as durge - everyone is so happy to condemn gortash but it's clear that durge not only condoned but participated in all his crimes! There's no question or doubt from any of the companions about whether or not durge is complicit or whether they ought to be condemned as well. Obviously they don't remember what happened so it isn't clear that they can be held accountable for any of it But there isn't even any discussion about it. Durge is a serial killer and the architect of the master plan, just as culpable in the outcome as gortash, and it doesn't even really come up? Durge is our buddy now so we just aren't going to bring it up :) The same way we don't bring up astarion's victims or any of the people karlach might have hurt working for gortash. They get so close and then refuse to engage with the question.

It gives the strong sense that the party's desire to kill Gortash especially has very little to do with justice and everything to do with vengeance. Gortash doesn't deserve to die for his crimes or for trying to take over the world, he deserves to die for what he did to Karlach specifically. Maybe Ulder also. Durge hasn't done anything to the party, so they don't want them dead even though they're a serial killer who holds equal responsibility for the Absolute. Durge if anything has likely hurt significantly more people than Gortash (especially if you're playing a longer-lived race or subscribe to the theory that they're immortal and have been around since Bhaal's death), but none of those people are the party so they yell at Durge for two seconds and then all is well. Part of it is Larian refusing to engage with the moral complexity embedded in Durge's story (you're either an entirely new person or basically pure evil, never mind how in the other acts you can say very plainly that you're doing things like killing Isobel because you're scared and don't know what else to do), but it does make the party come across as awfully selfish that they aren't bothered about justice for Durge's victims or their friends', just some of the victims (y'know, the ones they're personally acquainted with) of the guy they don't like and needed to do something about anyway.

Actually thinking about it, if you romance Astarion (I don't know about the others) and get the act 2 Durge scene where you try to kill him, you can say that he should just kill you now after all you've done and his response is essentially "Oh please, I've killed way more people than you". Imagine if Durge in act 3 could respond to the party's insistence that Gortash has to die with "I've killed way more people than him, why do I get to live and he doesn't?"

Dame Aylin: Rise, you dog! Retribution has come, and her sword is my sword! Kyvir: Wait - Ketheric has surrendered. Dame Aylin: Ha! Ketheric Thorm would sooner die than lay down his rank cause. Isn't that right, General? Ketheric Thorm: I was a fool to hesitate. Power like mine cannot be hidden, cannot be cowed. But power like mine has a price. A price I am destined to pay. You have one last chance to bow. Once it's gone, I'll have no choice but to destroy you both. Do you hear?! BOW!

There's something in how you can almost, almost get through to Ketheric only for Aylin (a very real reminder of his past misdeeds) to come in to fight him and him to decide that hesitation was futile because he has to pay the price for his power that really gets me. It feels like there's something in there that's almost in conversation with the general themes of redemption and second chances that show up in most of the origin companions' stories; Ketheric has hurt a lot of people, so does that mean he doesn't deserve another chance? If he doesn't deserve a second chance, what makes the companions deserving? There's something so good in there that the game almost touches on but doesn't quite, because BG3 sets up this very fun theme of how the Chosen really aren't so different from the companions with the main difference being that the Chosen weren't lucky enough to have someone or something pull them out of their spiral before they hit rock bottom but never really seems to want to engage with it? That's most notable with Durge (you never get the chance to say "Hey, the only thing making me different from these people is that I don't remember what I did, why do I deserve a chance to be good and they don't" and that will bother me forever), but you can see it a bit here too.