#but that doesn’t like endear me to the character cause it just feels cheap

[daydreamerdrew]

Iron Man (1968) #6

[bamf-jaskier]

I’m reading a non-canon short story written by Andrzej Sapkowski about Geralt and Yennefer’s wedding called Something Ends, Something Begins and my heart is literally so full. Even Asaps has to get tired of having so much angst so this short story is a literal fluff-fest and I love it so much. 

So I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes from the story and if you all want to read it, here is the link. 

"One day she'll break her neck," growled Yennefer, watching Ciri galloping in the splashing water, bent, firm in the stirrups. "One day your crazy daughter will break her neck."

Geralt turned his head and without a word looked into the sorceress's violet eyes.

"All right, then," smiled Yennefer, without averting her eyes. "Sorry, our daughter."

She hugged him again, pressing herself against him firmly, bit him in the arm again, kissed him, and bit him once more. Geralt touched her hair with his lips and carefully pulled her gown over her shoulders.

I am literally...I swear, we finally get domestic Yenralt and it isn’t even in the canon universe. I am literally going to fight someone. This is so damn cute and the way Yennefer is like “our daughter” my goddamn heart. 

The list of the guests wasn't that long. The engaged couple compiled it together and charged Dandelion with sending the invitations. Soon it turned out that the troubadour lost the list before he could even read it. Because he was ashamed to confess, he used a cheap trick and invited whomever he could. Of course he knew Geralt and Yennefer well enough that he didn't miss anyone important, but it wouldn't have been him if he didn't enrich the list of the guests by an admirable number of quite random persons.

Why does it just make sense that Dandelion would fuck this up? It’s so in-character, putting him in charge of the guest list was the first mistake. 

No one invited the golden dragon Villentretenmerth, because no one knew how to invite him and where to look for him. To the general astonishment the dragon turned up, of course incognito, in the form of the knight Borch Three Jackdaws. Of course, where Dandelion was present, one could not speak of any incognito, but even so few believed when the poet pointed at the curly-haired knight and claimed it was a dragon.

The image of Dandelion just pointing at this dude and yelling “He’s a dragon!” is fucking hilarious, especially when you consider most people don’t know dragons can shapeshift. 

"Was it you who invited

Triss Merigold?

"No," the witcher shook his head and silently praised the fact that the mutation of his blood system didn't allow him to blush.

"Not me. I think it was Dandelion, even though all of them claim to have learned about the wedding from the magical crystals."

"I don't want Triss to be present on my wedding!"

"But why? She's your friend."

"Don't make a fool out of me, witcher! Everyone knows you slept with her!"

"That's not true."

Yennefer's violet eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It is true."

"Is not!"

"It is!"

"All right," he turned around angrily. "It is true. So?"

The sorceress was quiet for a moment, playing with the obsidian star on the black velvet ribbon around her neck.

"Nothing," she said at last. "I just wanted you to admit it. Never try to lie to me, Geralt. Ever."

I love the little bickering. Also, like, even though Triss and Yennefer are friends try valid of her to not want her at the wedding. She slept with Geralt!! Love how Geralt tries to deny it at first but gives up ten seconds later. Geralt really tried to pull the “just friends” card and Yennefer was having NONE of it. 

The doppler accused Villentretenmerth of racism, chauvinism and lack of knowledge on the discussion's topic. Therefore, the insulted Villentretenmerth changed for a moment into his natural dragon form, destroying several pieces of furniture and causing a general panic. When the situation calmed down, a fierce quarrel began, in which humans and non-humans accused each other of lack of open-mindedness and racial tolerance. 

A quite unexpected twist in the discussion came from the freckled Merle, the whore who didn't look like a whore. Merle announced that the whole debate was stupid and pointless and didn't concern true professionals, who don't dinstinguish between such things, which she was willing to prove on the spot (for an adequate reward, of course), even with the dragon Villentretenmerth in his natural form. 

In the silence that fell abruptly in that instant they heard the female medium proclaim that she's willing to do the same, and for free. Villentretenmerth quickly changed the topic and began discussing safer topics, such as economics, politics, hunting, fishing and gambling.

Everything about this sequence is perfect, absolutely prime. Dragons and Dopplers fighting, Merle saying she would fuck a dragon in dragon form. This has EVERYTHING. 

"I'll get going right after the feast," Ciri repeated. 

"I want... I want to feel the wind in my face on the back of a galloping horse again. I want to see the stars on the horizon again, I want to whistle Dandelion's ballads at night. I'm longing for a fight, the dance with a sword, I'm longing for the risk, for the delight victory brings me. And I'm longing for solitude. Do you understand me?"

"Of course," Geralt smiled sadly. "Of course I understand you, Ciri. You're my daughter, you're a witcher. You'll do what you must. But I must tell you one thing. One thing. You can't run away forever, even though you'll always try."

"I know," she replied and cuddled herself closer to him. "I still have hope that one day... If I wait, if I'm patient, then I, too, perhaps will live such a beautiful day like this... Such a nice day... Even though..."

"What, Ciri?"

"I've never been pretty. And with that scar..."

"Ciri," he cut her off. "You're the most beautiful girl in the world. Right after Yen, of course."

"Oh, Geralt..."

"If you don't believe me, ask Dandelion."

"Oh, Geralt."

Ciri telling Geralt she wants to travel and move on is just heartbreaking but it makes sense. She has more adventures to go on. Geralt’s story is ending. Hers is beginning. Also Ciri feeling insecure about her appearance and Geralt being a good dad and comforting her? Amazing. 

"I have unfinished business there," she hissed. "For Mistle. For my Mistle. Even though I avenged her, but for Mistle one death is not enough."

Bonhart, he thought. She killed him out of hatred. Oh, Ciri, Ciri. You're standing on the edge of an abyss, daughter. Not a thousand deaths would avenge your Mistle. Beware of hatred, Ciri, it consumes like cancer.

"Watch out for yourself," he whispered."I'd rather watch out for others," she smiled ominously. "It pays off more, it works better in the long run."

I will never see her again, he thought. If she leaves, I will never see her again.

"You will," she answered unexpectedly and smiled with a smile of a sorceress, not of a witcher. "You will, Geralt."

When Geralt asks what Ciri plans to do on her travels she literally says: I am going to avenge my dead girlfriend and murder some people. Which is not a healthy coping mechanism but damn if the idea of a gay revenge story doesn’t sound good to read. 

The priestesses Iola and Eurneid also sobbed, when Yennefer refused to put on the white wedding dress they had made for her. Not even Nenneke's mediation helped. Yennefer cursed, threw around hexes and dishes, while repeating that she looks like a fucking virgin in white. 

The enraged Nenneke began yelling, too, and told the sorceress that she behaved worse than three fucking virgins at once. Yennefer responded by conjuring a ball of lightning and demolishing the roof of the corner tower, which had its good side, too. The crash was so terrible that Caldemeyn's daughter got shock from it and her diarrhea stopped.

Once again, this scene has EVERYTHING. Yennefer getting so pissed it demolishes a tower. The shaking being so bad it stops diarrhea. Also, why does Asaps use diarrhea so often in his books? You know what, I don’t want to know. 

Triss Merigold and the witcher Eskel from Kaer Morhen, were seen again, sneaking, arms linked, into the garden summerhouse.

Is that...IMPLIED TRISSKEL?? OKAY THEN. All the Trisskel friends out there: They hooked up at Geralt and Yennefer’s wedding I don’t make the rules. 

"Yen..."

She looked breathtaking. Black wavy locks, curled up with a golden tiara, fell in a shining cascade over her shoulders and the high collar of a long white brocade dress with black-striped sleeves, pulled together on a bodice with countless drapes of lilac ribbons.

"Flowers, don't forget the flowers," warned Triss Merigold, all in dark blue, and handed a bouquet of white roses to the bride. "Oh, Yen, I'm so happy..."

"Triss, darling," sobbed Yennefer all of a sudden, upon which both sorceresses embraced and kissed the air around their ears and diamond earrings.

"Enough of those endearments," ordered Nenneke, smoothing the folds on her snow-white priestess dress. "We're going to the chapel. Iola, Eurneid, hold her dress, or she'll kill herself on the stairs.

Triss and Yennefer’s friendship is so sweet sometimes. Like, they would literally murder each other but they would also murder FOR each other too. 

Yennefer approached Geralt and with a hand in a white lace glove she straightened the collar of his black cloak, embroidered with silver. Geralt offered her an arm.

"Geralt," she whispered into his ear. "I still can't believe it."

"Yen," he answered her in a whisper. "I love you."

"I know."

I don’t know is Asaps is purposefully referencing Star Wars here but either way this had me tearing up. Geralt and Yennefer deserve a happy ending and even if it’s not officially canon the author wrote it so this is canon in my head. 

The wedding was splendid. Ladies and maidens cried collectively. Herwig was the master of ceremony, a former king, but still a king. Vesemir from Kaer Morhen and Nenneke stood in as parents of the betrothed couple, Triss Merigold and Eskel as witnesses. 

Okay but why is Asaps sneaking in the Trisskel? I want more of it and this pairing definitely intrigues me. Also Vesemir and Nenneke as their parents? That’s so damn sweet. I swear to fuck this entire short story is too damn cute and I want more of it. 

I cannot stress how much I love the energy Merle brings to the table. Saying she would straight up fuck a dragon. The power of it all. 

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About the First Season of--

Salutations random people on the internet who most likely won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

When I first saw the sneak peek of--

...I...didn't...think it would be anything all that special. I love animation, and I love superheroes, so it would go without saying that I would love an animated series about superheroes. But the animation looked a little too stiff for my liking, and aside from featuring J.K. Simmons, there wasn't anything grabbing me when it comes to this show.

Then I heard some s**t goes down at the end of episode one. So, letting my curiosity get the better of me, I binged the entire series in a day to see what the fuss was about. And, um...Yeah. Holy s**t.

This is a series that will very much make you uncomfortable in all the right ways. However, it is a gigantic gorefest at times, so if you get queasy after a single drop of blood, DON'T WATCH THIS SHOW! Trust me, you will not be prepared for what this series has to offer.

At the same time, I highly recommend you watch this series before reading this review. I'm going to spoil major plot points and characters so I can appropriately discuss what I think about the season, so trust me when I say you should click away if you haven't watched it yet. It's one of those series that are better to go in as blind as possible. You can call it a cheap way to appeal to shock value, but I call it one of the best reasons why--

...Is a contender for best-animated series of the decade--That bit with the title card isn't going away anytime soon, is it?

WHAT I LIKE

The Guardians of the Globe vs. The Mauler Twins: This is the best possible way for the series to begin. The first fight scene is bright, colorful, and kinda fun. Thus setting the ultimate expectation subversion in making audiences think that will be the series staple. However, just because it has the energy of a harmless superhero fight, there is a sense of intensity as the Guardians give their all in saving others. Like that moment with Darkwing (Not the duck) as he rescues that woman without hesitation, despite knowing he might die because of it. Or Green Ghost, who just barely rescues all those civilians from that falling debris. It shows that you don't need intense scenes of violence to make a fight scene thrilling to watch.

Diversity Wins: I don't know how diverse the comics are compared to the show, but I'm impressed with how inclusive this series is. So many members of the main cast are people of color, with the main lead being half-Korean. And it's not just different races that the series shines a light on, as we also get the rare, but very much welcomed, animated male gay character. Who's thankfully isn't cliched in ten ways to Sunday...for the most part. It really does seem like writers are starting to grow up and that it's better to be as inclusive as possible instead of pretending certain people don't exist for the sake of "convenience." It might not solve oppression in general, but it certainly makes certain people feel better, even if it is briefly.

Mark Grayson: Mark is a pretty solid super-protagonist if you ask me. Sure, at first, he comes across as whiney...and even more so in later episodes, but he's really an endearing character at times. Mark nails the role of the relatable everyman that's also inspirational with his determination since he never gives up until beaten to the inch of his life. Seriously, while he might not entirely be--

...I guess that bit with the title card really isn't going away.

Anyways, while he might not entirely be invulnerable in the literal sense, he is very much so in the figurative sense. Mark, in so many ways, refuses to call quits once he finally gets the hang of being a superhero, which is what makes him so inspirational. Plus, it's funny seeing how much of a rookie he can be to the gig at times. Mark is far from a perfect lead but is still charming to a fault, and it's nice seeing him grow more heroic each episode. I hope to see him develop more in future seasons, as he has the potential to be ranked higher up as one of my favorite superheroes (it's hard to compete with Spider-Man and Batman, but he'll make me consider it).

Debbie Grayson: This is almost what I expect a mother and wife of superheroes would be. 

Your son is constantly crash landing in your yard? Tell him to knock it off because he's past his curfew. 

Your husband disappeared into another dimension to fight off invaders? Shrug it off and expect that he'll be late for dinner.

It's a ton of fun to watch, and I adore how supportive she is of Mark, despite how much danger he could be in as a superhero. But, what really endears me with Debbie is her complicated feelings with Omni-Man. There's not a doubt in my mind that she loved him with her whole heart, but she also isn't an idiot. She is quick to pick up how unheroic her husband can be at times, often scolding him for it when necessary. And when she finally starts investigating if he really did kill the Guardians, I love that she instantly comes up with every single plausible excuse she can, despite knowing the truth. Because she believes that she knows who Omni-Man is and refuses any possibility that he might be a supervillain. So when she finds out that there really is no other explanation and hearing him call her a pet (big ouch when that happened), you wanna know what she does? She cries. Not because the man she loved is gone forever, but because the idea of him is. And it's that level of emotional devastation that comes from those complicated emotions that make me think Debbie Grayson is the most complex and endearing character on the show. And I. Will. Stand by that.

Seeing the Guardians of the Globe on their down time: Wow, what a cute collection of scenes that are charming as much as they are heartwarming! A set of scenes that show how human these characters are with their close relationships with friends and family! I sure hope it's not followed up with a brutal emotional gut-punch of a scene that will be even more devastating after thinking back on these! Especially with that bit with Martian Man and the little girl, cause OOO-WEE, would THAT tear me up inside!

Omni Man destroying the Guardians of the Globe:...I'd follow through on my joke here, but holy s**t.

That's really the best way I can describe all of this. It is a brutal, I repeat, BRUTAL scene that will stick with you hours after watching it. Not only that, but it's one of the few instances when I was damn near speechless because I couldn't think of anything else to say other than, "Holy s**t." The only time another superhero property did that was Avengers: Infinity War, except with that, the only difference is that the characters come back. Here, except for The Immortal, the Guardians stay dead! There's no magic amulet or alternate versions from another dimension. No, they die and never come back. Thus setting up how serious the show can be. Because if these superheroes can stay dead, then so can others.

Plus, what makes it more impactful is how throughout the entire fight, there was a glimpse of hope that the Guardians can beat Omni-Man. I heard he got nerfed for the sake of drama, and I approve of that decision. Because if he was really--

...If he was really unbeatable, then the fight doesn't have weight to it. There wouldn't be a point in rooting for these characters to win when we already know they're going to lose. But, by showing there's a chance that they could win, it becomes all the more intense watching the fight and even more tragic seeing them lose. It is a masterpiece of a battle that proves once and for all: Batman is right. You need contingency plans.

Omni Man: J. Jonah Jameson has become the one thing he hates the most: A masked MENACE...Ok, I know Omni-Man doesn't wear a mask, so the joke doesn't work as well as it could. But it was served to me on a silver platter, damn it! I had to take it!

In all seriousness, though, Omni-Man might give Homelander a run for his money on best evil Superman. Because while Homelander might be terrifying in his own right with his style of evil, Omni-Man takes it a step up a notch with the mystery behind WHY he killed the Guardians of the Globe. We know right away that there's something off with him, but up until that point, we see multiple instances of Omni-Man doing the right thing rather than the wrong. Sure, he might come off as cold when interacting with people, but so does Batman and other great superheroes in comics. That doesn't mean he's evil. So when he does do something so incredibly heinous, we're left with this mystery as to why. Because there has to be a reason for it all, right? Like, maybe mind control or his family was threatened. Something and anything that means he was forced into killing the noblest of people. So when it turns out that his actions were intentional, it is already pretty devastating. But when we find out why he does these things, it paints how truly evil Omni-Man is, given how little respect he has for human life.

Plus, as terrifying as Homelander is, Omni-Man is ten times more of an engaging villain. With Homelander, what you see is what you get: A narcissist with a god complex. For Omni-Man, it's more or less the same thing, but it's something fed to him because of the conditioning from his planet. There is a tiny, molecule-sized part of him that genuinely cares about others. It doesn't change what he does, nor does it mean he deserves forgiveness (far from it), but it hints that maybe he's not evil because of his own ego. It's because of how he's trained to be. And judging by his pained expressions from Mark's words and the single tear he sheds when leaving everything behind, there's a chance that he might be willing to fight back that mentality.

Or he will stay evil, and that he'll return to do worse things in the future. I don't know. I haven't read the comics. But I feel like I don't need to read anything to tell you all that Omni-Man is up there as one of the most intriguing comic book villains of all time, and I can't wait to see what happens with him next.

This show is f**king Violent: I mean, I refer you back to that scene where Omni-Man destroys the Guardians of the Globe. But, unlike other shows that use violence to force that mature rating, I feel as though In--

...Title card. You were cute the first time, but now your novelty has quickly worn thin.

Anyways, I feel as though this show...uses gore more appropriately. More often than not, death and carnage get treated as a literal joke in adult cartoons because people are sick bastards, I guess. But with...the current series I'm talking about, it all has an impact. No one dies or gets mangled for the sake of shock value or for a laugh. Instead, every instance of this type of violence is to either make a point, set the tone, or prove just how dangerous a specific character is. It makes...the series more mature than most adult cartoons you'll find because it actually brings a worthy discussion for its violence rather than milking it to give the illusion of maturity. And I gotta respect the writers for doing that.

Cecil: This man is basically Nick Fury if he was overpowered but in a good way. There is just something about a man who knows superheroes are needed in the world but also trusts a "hero" like Omni-Man as far as he can throw him. Not only does Cecil have contingency plans for his contingency plans, but the guy also knows to send the right heroes out for the exact missions that require them. Plus, a man is an instant badass when he's stone-faced about a demon saying he'll go somewhere worse than hell and is calm when being face-to-face with an angry Omni-Man.

I don't make the rules. I just abide by them.

The title card gets bloodier with each episode: This is just a really cool gimmick. It proves how intense this show can really be and how the stakes get higher and higher with each installment. Also, I like to think the amount of blood that splashes over the title card reflects how brutal the episode will be, especially with episode eight, 'cause holy hell.

The plot structure: The way the story works is very similar to how a comic book series handles its overarching narrative. Even though the writers begin a new arc that continues for a handful of issues, the overall main plot still develops in the background of the current adventure the hero goes through. That's basically how--

>Intense inhale<

>Calm exhale<

That's basically how THIS SHOW operates. Each episode can be seen as its own story that's given a ton of room to develop with its forty-five-minute runtime (which blew my f**king mind when I started binging it). Despite that, there's still a great sense of continuity. Everything involving Omni-Man and the mystery behind his murder of the Guardians gets fleshed out throughout the season, even when it takes the background of Mark's escapades. It really does feel like sitting down and taking the time to read an entire volume of comics, which I like to believe is the intention. After all, what's the point of making a series about superheroes if you don't make it feel like a comic book at least once?

Dark Blood: I desire a series based on this character alone. I know it's probably just Hellboy, but I want it. 

The idea of a demon solving murder crimes to work off his debt in Hell is too much of a remarkable concept to strictly be a c-plot in one series. Give Dark Blood a spin-off, damn it!

The Realistic Portrayal of a Superhero world: Unlike certain superhero properties--*cough* DC *cough*--it's--

>Huff<

>Puff<

>HUFF<

>PUFF<

>HUFF<

It's. This. F**KING. SHOW! That really does an excellent job at portraying how much it would suck to live in a world of superheroes. Sure, you got the cool battles and awe-inspiring heroes with incredible powers, but do you know what else you get? Hundreds upon thousands of people dying from the very threats those heroes fight against. Not to mention all the realistic physics that come from people like Mark trying to save others. Just look at how mangled that old woman looked when he attempted to help her. It, uh...It sure did not look great. Don't get me wrong, I love superheroes and the worlds they live in. But when watching a show like...this one, it really makes me appreciate how I don't live in those worlds with them.

It’s Still Funny: This is something I appreciate the most. When most superhero shows go for the realistic approach, they go with the doom and gloom route, making everything so melodramatic about how serious the world is. But here's the thing: Superheroes are f**king stupid.

Don't tell me they're not because they are. Superheroes have cornball hero names, bright costumes, and logos on their foreheads, chests, belts, and what-have-you. Taking a superhero too seriously is the worst mistake you could make, which is why I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Say what you want about Marvel having "too many jokes," but at least they know it's for the best to laugh at themselves and embrace the weirdness. It's something similar with...you know what. Because while the series tells a serious and realistic story about superheroes, it's still a story about superheroes. So it tells some jokes and some pretty funny ones at that. Because while it's essential to include some drama in a story such as the one in...you know what, it's just as important to never forget to have some fun.

“Earth is not yours to conquer.”: Such a great line that gains an even greater meaning once we fully know who Omni-Man is. The main creditor for how effective it is goes to J.K. Simmons for making the line sound explicit yet implicit at the same time.

Allen the Alien: ...It is an absolute crime that this character only has about six minutes of screentime. Allen is such a bro, partially because of Seth Rogan's performance, that I would honestly be upset if he doesn't show up more often in later seasons. Seriously, bring him back for more.

The Mauler Twins: Thankfully, these characters get as much attention as they deserve. The banter between the Mauler Twins is always entertaining, often being the comedic highlights at times. On top of being funny, they also work as efficient villains who can come across as threatening at times.

But what I love most of all about these two is the explanation behind the cloning process. The reasoning of why neither character remembers which one is the cone is a brilliant idea that I'm surprised no one else did in the past (to my knowledge). It also provides some excellent fruit for thought in wondering if it really is better to live your life not knowing if you're a clone or not. The whole thing is great to watch, and it makes me really glad for their inclusion...too bad they had to be forced into a story that makes a character look like a reckless superhero and an inconsiderate jackass to his friend. Seriously, what was up with that?

“That Actually Hurt”: This just might be my favorite episode of the first season. Machine Head is both equally hilarious and devious, Titan might just be my favorite character due to how intriguing his allegiances and motivations are, that final fight was the perfect amount of brutal, and we get the biggest hint of the man Omni-Man really is. Having him simply watching Mark instead of flying in to help him actually shocked me the first time seeing it. It's not until we learn what a Viltrumite really is that it becomes clear as to why. He doesn't care about saving his son but instead seeing Mark reach the same potential Omni-Man did during that smash fest the planet went through to reach perfection. And something tells me he felt more disappointment than sadness after seeing his son get nearly killed by Tony the Tiger (I know he has an actual name...but this is funnier to me). It's such a solid moment with great implications that just so happens to exist in an even greater episode.

Eve deciding to just help people for the heck of it: I actually love this idea more for the potential it has rather than what actually happens so far. Because the main reason why heroes don't fly around and solve every little minute problem people have is that they need to learn how to act without help. If you suddenly make food appear out of thin air or stopping forest fires, you're doing good, but there's also potential harm that comes from it. I think back to that episode of The Powerpuff Girls, where the townspeople are so idiotic and complacent with having their heroes solve every problem that they really can't think or act for themselves. A similar thing can happen with Eve if she's not careful. Even worse, if she keeps trying to end famine for farmers, because she might get into a Supergirl situation with people building a cult around her. And, you know, that's not going to be fun.

But again, that's just the potential that this presents. We--Or the people who haven't read the comics--don't know if Eve will actually face this issue. Regardless, we still get some solid moments that proves just how much Eve is a true hero in this series as she has no other motive to help people other than she just wants to. And I actually think that's pretty cool.

The Immortal’s rematch: I gotta hand it to the guy. Not a second after being brought back to life, and The Immortal's already flying off to get revenge on the bastard who killed his closest friends in the world. Or, globe, I guess.

I respect that, to be honest.

(As a bonus, The Immortal causing Omni-Man's eyes to become bloodshot adds to how evil he'll be in the last episode)

Mark trying to snap his dad out of mind-control: Oh, I felt that.

I'm pretty sure we all felt that.

Ow...Big ow.

The Train Scene: ...This is the most horrific thing I have seen in entertainment. Seriously, while Omni-Man annihilating the Guardians left me speechless, this is another level. Because him using Mark's body to kill a train full of people ramming into them, leaving Mark all the more helpless to stop it, makes a scene that is so...so hard for me to describe how effectively f**ked up it is. It's one of those moments where just by seeing it, you know why it's awful in all the right ways. And I will never forget the look of shock and horror on my face when it reflected onto my laptop's screen after the scene briefly cut to black soon after the carnage. Because if that doesn't explain how unmerciful this moment is, I don't know what will.

Saving Mark after the fight: I really love this because as it flashes between still images of people carrying Mark away after his brutal fight with Omni-Man, it really feels like you're reading a comic from panel to panel. It’s pretty neat. I won’t lie.

WHAT I DISLIKE

The Animation isn’t that great: Now, in terms of action, the animation is fantastic. You feel the impact of each attack, there are some creative uses of powers, and the gore is better implemented because it's all animated. As for everything else...yeah, it kinda sucks. Movements are a little stiff at times, the CGI backgrounds could use a bit more polish, and don't get me started on the CGI crowds of people. I understand the shortcuts that need to be taken to make everything else more effective, but man, this series needed a little more time in the oven before being shown to everyone. It's never too bad, but it can be pretty distracting at times.

Amber: F**k Amber. Just f**k her. Everything people tell you that is wrong with her is one-hundred percent on point. She is easily one of the worst love interests, and to me, it has everything to do with the fact that she knows Mark is--

...That she knows Mark is--

...

...

...ThatsheknowsMarkisInvinci--

--BECAUSE IT INVALIDATES ANY POINT SHE HAS, GOSH DANGIT! I don't give a single S**T if she's upset that he's late all the time! If Amber was always unaware of it, then I would understand. But having her know means that she thinks her issues are more important than Mark, oh, I don't know, SAVING THE PLANET! I mean, the girl helps feed the homeless! You would think she would understand.

But fine. Maybe Amber's just upset that Mark's lying to her. Sure. That's understandable...BUT WHAT THE F**K IS UP WITH HER BLOWING UP IN HIS FACE FOR NOT HELPING ANYBODY AT THE COLLEGE WHEN SHE KNOWS HE'S HELPING EVERYBODY!? Even if it's her giving Mark one last chance to tell her the truth (which is a mile of a stretch, and you know it), did she really expect him to reveal his secret with tons of people watching? That is a crazy expectation that no one should live up to!

Amber is quite possibly the worst thing about this show. She was fine at first, and her chemistry with Mark was on point, but MAN, did she get worse later on.

And if I see one mother f**ker calling me a racist because I don't like this character who just so happens to be black...I'm going to be upset, not gonna lie. Because that is a cheap shot to dismiss any criticism, especially since her race has NOTHING to do with why people hate her...Or, at least, most people.

Edit (5/27/2021): Disregard the above. The long and short is that I don’t like Amber. She just doesn’t sit right with me for the reasons that her anger towards Mark just never felt entertaining to me in comparision to everything else. But saying her thoughts and arguements are invalid is not cool, and I’m sorry to both any readers who are black or especially female who would be upset by this.

Rex-splode: I understand the point behind Rex. He's a character who we're supposed to hate, so it becomes so much more satisfying seeing others s**t on him. But those characters are hard to get right if you’re not careful. Make them too irritating, then any suffering they go through will seem too little. Make them not annoying enough, and their punishments can be too harsh. Rex fits into the "too irritating" category. It's satisfying to see Monster Girl wreck his s**t after he started commenting how ineffective she might be, but with what he pulled with Dupli-Kate, I feel as though he might deserve worse. Although I will admit Rex gets slightly better in later episodes, showing at least a smidgen of character development. But I don't think it's enough to make his a**holeness worth it. Still, I hope he at least becomes above decent in the next few seasons, which is way more than what I can say for Amber.

(Seriously, writers, if she just disappears without an ounce of an explanation in the season premiere, I won't question it. You have my word.)

Edit: I no longer agree with what I crossed out, but I won’t delete it either. I want people to know the mistake I made so I can prove that I changed in the future.

Robot cloning himself to be with Monster Girl: ...Nope! 

Nope!

Changed my mind.

I am NOT touching that.

I will touch a lot of things, but I will not touch--That came out wrong.

Please forget you read anything.

Thank you, and goodnight.

Let’s move on

Transitioning to the title card: Here it is! The nitpickiest of all nitpicks! But, seeing how it happens in every episode, meaning that the writers have no choice but to commit to it, means it's one of those things that viewers are forced to get used to. And boy, is the transition to the title card hard to get used to! Oh, you thought it was annoying how it kept happening in this review? Well...fair enough. But trust me when I say it's much more aggravating in the show.

The funny thing is, I had no problem the first time it happened. It was a cute way to introduce the character as well as the title of the series. But having that be the basis for transitioning to the title card every time was a gimmick that got old real quick. Especially since every time that a character says the word--

--it always feels forced. What's even more annoying is that sometimes it interrupts characters as they're saying invin--

LIKE! F**KING! THAT! Because interrupting someone before they say something is one thing, but doing so as they're saying it shows a sense of bad timing. Not even that, because this is something that I feel like could have been the easiest to change in the series by having someone go, "Hey, maybe we should edit out this single second."

It's laziness that doesn't happen often, but it still grinds my gears a bit. Plus, is there really no other smoother transition the writers could come up with? Did they really believe this is the best way to do it?

Think, writers! THINK!

It's fine to have a gimmick, but this is one that really shouldn't have any follow-through on.

-------------

That's about all the issues I have with the show. It's far from perfect, but still, an A- is pretty impressive work. The stuff that this series does right not only outnumbers the mistakes but also heavily outweighs them. Besides, no show in the history of creativity has ever been perfect in its first season. There are always dents that need to get buffed out and improve upon for the subsequent seasons to come. Only then can a series truly be Invincible from all criticism.

...

...Oh, sure. 

SURE!

NOW it lets me say it!

GOSH, DANGIT, I HATE THAT TITLE CARD!

[jiikyu]

Taste of Marigolds In Bloom

Herb of the Sun — Or Marigold was often used during the Middle Ages as a love charm. Carrying one of these brightly colored flowers was thought to bring love. Though be warned for they are also poisonous. Chapter V. It’s becoming painfully clear you find comfort in the wrong things. Like the smell of the ocean. A smile that’s far too blinding. In the way calloused hands always seem to find their way back to you. Despite everything — Can you really be blamed for falling? ∘◦ ✿ ◦∘ All characters are 18+ Yandere!Mirio x Fem!Reader(AΩβ) Y/N = Your Name F/N = Your Full Name E/C = Eye Color H/C = Hair Color Warnings: Yandere / Unhealthy Behavior / Delusions / Angst / Possessiveness / Manipulation / Breaking & Entering, tho we don’t really elaborate on it this chapter? First Chapter Here❦ Previous Chapter Here❦ Next Chapter In Progress... Taglist. @missyredbean @yandere-romanticism

∘◦ ✿ ◦∘ You’re fading or — At least that’s what you’re starting to suspect. Time seemingly has escaped you. Who knows how much time has passed with you holding of the bathrooms door handle. The metal resting loosely against your skin is now warm from the shared contact and it’s beyond disappointing because — It’s the farthest you’ve been able to will yourself. Motionless you find yourself stuck at standstill. You hate it. You hate the invisible thing stopping you from opening the door, like you would have if it were any other day. It’s not the dry clothes that stick uncomfortably to your skin or the wet droplets coldly clinging to you. Something familiar yet foreign. Settled in the pit of your being, it claws and begs you not to abandon the shelter these thin walls provide. You know what’s taken hold of you and god, does that make it so much worse. You just want it gone. But, how do you kill fear? There is no reason for your hands to be clammy or for the hairs on the back of your neck to stand raised. All you’re doing is making the situation worse, for yourself and — For Mirio. He’s probably worried. Plus, it’s not like you can stay locked away forever. Right? Only when you’re able finally gulp down the passing mania and turn the handle do you realize that you’re alone. Light pours from behind you, spilling into the empty hall. Your E/C eyes take a moment to adjust but it’s clear that Mirio is nowhere in sight. How long had it been? The stillness is broken by the familiar ding of your microwave from the kitchen. “Just in time Y/N!” And just like that the shame eating away at you disappears as quickly as it appeared, lulled into submission by the voice calling out to you. It should probably frighten you. How fast your troubles seem to melt away with the sound of his voice. Leaving the bathroom you forget the jacket still hanging from the tubs edge. Your footsteps are muffled by the carpet underneath, it’s then that you notice the sweet scent dusting the air. You follow the faintest hints of sugar and — milk? Rounding the corner you spot the familiar silhouette standing under fluorescent white light. And it’s hard to miss just how comfortable he appears to be in your kitchen. The jug of milk has been removed from the fridge, garnished with paper towels littering the back counter and a lone spoon sitting forgotten... Oh and one of the cupboard doors has been left hanging wide open. You’re really not sure what he’s done to cause such chaos. The last thing you notice are the two steaming cups, filled to the brim. It’s so faint but, you swear it smells like honey — “Sweetheart I don’t know how you do it!” And suddenly all the thoughts buzzing around your head just stop. A total short-circuit. He just called you Sweetheart. And the bastard doesn’t even bat an eyelash, he just lets it slip past his teeth without any repercussions. Though, if you’re being honest — You’re not even sure Mirio realizes he’s said it. It’s fine, really, it’s not that big of a deal. There are plenty of people around the world that use nicknames. Something as simple as a title of endearment shouldn’t have your heart doing backflips and cartwheels. But it does. You’re absolutely screwed. “There’s barely enough room in here for one person!” His words have you more than a little confused. To demonstrate what exactly he means he lifts his arms in the air. From one hand to the other he practically touches the walls that represent the beginning and end of the kitchen. “See, it’s no good!” Huh. You suppose Mirio’s right in some sense of the word. But it’s him that makes the space feel small. “Well...” You can’t help but chuckle between words at the man T posing in your kitchen. “I guess for you it might be a bit much.” “Nah I think I’m onto something. You’ll just have to move in with me!” It’s hard to tell sometimes when Mirios joking because he always wears a wide grin. But there’s no way it’s a serious offer. Maybe your missing the point, but you don’t see the problem at hand. Sure your dorm might not be as uh — spacious — as the ones meant for rising star heros. But you’re nothing if not appreciative, the space had came with all the basic necessities and for that you couldn’t be more grateful. You’re lucky enough to even have the opportunity of sleeping under the roof of your dream school. “Now you’re pushing it.” Your tone is lighthearted. “My place isn’t that bad.” Though your smile brings warmth to his little heart the moment is soured. He cannot help but stare at the puffiness just under your eyes, from where tears had fallen and stained. A reminder that has the blond to biting into the meat of his cheek. Mirio would be lying if he said felt comfortable with your living situation. It’s far too small — Let alone for the both of you. But most importantly, he couldn’t help but notice the lack of heavy bolts on the front door. He doesn’t like it one bit. Maybe it’s just the itch of anxiety from what happened but he’d much rather see you someplace safer. Somewhere you weren’t forced to be alone, preferably someplace he could stay by your side. Like his dorm. “What’d you make?” Freed from his thoughts it takes Mirio a second to process the question, his eyes follow your stare — The two cups cooling on the counter, the steam vanishing as it rises. He’d almost forgotten! “Oh! It’s honey milk.” Suddenly one of the cups is pushed across the smooth counter surface, till it sits within your reach. “My dad used to make it for me when I was a kid, usually when I was upset or had a bad day.” His smiles softens when he ends with. “I thought you might like it.” What he can’t tell you is that he made it in desperation. A distraction from what he’d done. “Thank you.” Blue eyes watch your fingers wrap around the heated smooth surface of the ceramic. “Really, it means a lot.” He can’t help but stare as your lips part to take the first sip. “Anything for you.” Those words are your wake up call. You’d got caught up in his antics... Are you really that weak around him? Because, now you understand there’s a deeper promise there. One you almost wish had remained in the dark. Almost. “If you want we can watch a movie, or —“ “I think.” You stare into the swirl of milk and honey before continuing. “Maybe we should sit and... Talk about what happened.” Your words always seem to have an effect on him because his pulse begins to race. It’s fear. “Yeah.” ∘◦ ✿ ◦∘ You’re in trouble. Even with the suppressants dulling your senses they’re not strong enough to block the scent of seashore and sandalwood now permeating the walls. Not strong enough to hide the fact that your dorm is already starting to smell like Mirio. If people knew you allowed an Alpha into your home, let alone an unmated one, you’re reputation would tarnished. You know this, it’s been drilled into your head since presenting as an Omega, but... It’s Mirio Togata that’s seated next to you in your kitchen. The one exception — Or at least that’s what you hope. The cheap material of the barstool digs into your back and there’s a constant drumming of fingers against the laminate countertop, a harmony of tension. The thing that held you captive in the bathroom is back and whispering in your ear. It doesn’t use words, no, instead you’re haunted by awful unintelligible garble. Of blood filled lungs struggling for air. This is a bad idea. You can already feel your mouth becoming dry, but there’s no going back — “What happened during the fight?” It’s the one question that could’ve caught Mirio off guard, and his smile falters, if only for a split second. “Oh you mean —“ A hand rubs the skin of his neck sheepishly, as if you caught him redhanded in the cookie jar. “I guess I did go a little overboard on that guy, didn’t I?” He says half jokingly, he wants so badly to be able to sweep the whole thing under the rug. A little overboard? “But don’t worry! From here on out I’ll make sure no one ever hurts you.” Even without his quirk, he’ll manage. “I promise.” Even if it means he has to get his hands dirty. He reaches an arm to wrap around your shoulder, so you know your hero will always be there for you and — You flinch at the touch. ... Mirio blinks a few times because he’s not sure what happened. You hadn’t meant to flinch. You really hadn’t meant it. But it’s too late. It’s clear as day, he sees it in your eyes. And you know it when his smile begins to fall, it’s plummeting. There’s fear in your eyes. Somewhere in your subconscious you must’ve been praying. Stupid, so incredibly stupid. Praying that you were strong enough to hide it from him. And it makes what comes next all the worse. “Wait you’re —“ Blond brows knit together, still grasping the change in atmosphere. “You’re not afraid of me... Are you?” There it is. The air is suddenly tens times heavier, like breathing through a straw. Your throats so dry you’re not even sure you have the ability to speak. When Mirios only answer is deafening silence does he become hyper aware of the situation. You literally see the moment it clicks. It’s in the way his mouth opens and closes in disbelief, in the way his blue eyes widen in realization. It’s like watching an incoming car crash in slow motion , you know it’s going to be horrible but there’s nothing to stop it. You have to tear your eyes away before the inevitable collision and when you do... Mirios panic truly sets in. He had been afraid of you to thinking less of him. But never in a million years did he think that you might see him as a potential threat. This is a nightmare. He’s sweating bullets. “Sunshine I know — I know I messed up.” Another nickname. “I never meant to scare you. I’m sorry — I don’t know what took over, you know I never would have let it go that far but the guy, he —“ Each word more unsteady than the last, more desperate, because you won’t even look at him. And it’s killing him. He can’t take it anymore. Mirios scarred hands find your shoulders, slowly — Like you might crumble away from the touch but this time you don’t recoil from the fingers pressing into the material of your shirt. “Will you please look at me Darling?” Having averted your eyes you don’t bare witness to the pain carving his face but god, do you hear it. It’s absolutely heart wrenching. And despite it all, despite having watched him beat a man within an inch of his life, the last thing you want is to hurt Mirio. So you give in. And you look up to see a man on the edge. It’s worse than you imagined. You see the wild storm of blue, one that could easily ravage everything within its reach. “This is all some sort of misunderstanding right? I was just protecting you that’s all, you know I would never hurt you.” One of his hands has left your shoulder to snake its way to cup your face, thumb stroking languidly over the cherub of your cheek. Desperate for contact, for anything he can get from you. “Please just — Say that you’ll forgive me.” Everything. 

From the way Mirios voices wobbles weakly to the way he looks at you with desperation. It’s enough to crush every last bit of reason within you.

You break. This is the man that little voice inside your head screamed and begged you to stay away from? The man who lost everything to save a little girl from some madman? The man who rescued you and is now pleading for forgiveness in your kitchen? That man? Life is cruel. You’re finally able to find your voice. “Mirio. What you did was horrible —“ His heart just about stops beating right there. It hurts. Having his name associated with something so terrible in your eyes, even if to him it was something he’d done out of devotion... It’s a stab to the gut. “And despite everything.” Is this how it ends? You’re going to break up with him. “I — I can’t find it in myself to be upset with you.” Those words leave your lips and Mirio can finally breath. The blond hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath till now, the lack of oxygen straining his lungs. But you’re not done yet — “I’ve never met a person quite like you. You are the sweetest, definitely a little dense.” By the end your lips have started to curl upwards, it just comes naturally. “What I’m trying to say is that — I still care about you, and this isn’t the end —“ It’s like the worlds gone silent, your words are going in one ear and out the other. All he knows is that. You’re here. You’re smiling. And you’re not leaving him. It’s all Mirio needs to understand. The swell of emotions is just too much for him. It just sort of bursts out. “Though, you’re —“ “I love you.” ... The last — What? Six hours of your life have been nothing but a rollercoaster, one you’d like to get off of now. You don’t need a mirror to know you’re wearing the most wide-eyed expression of your entire life. But you couldn’t care less, because you’re far too busy replaying those magic words over and over in your head. You’re not sure you heard right. Maybe your skull was smashed against the pavement at some point during the fight and this is all some weird fever dream. That’s right. You’re probably in some hospital with IVs hooked to you. “Mirio —“ Pinching your inner arm before continuing, it’s almost concerning when the tinge of pain feels real. Very real... And you’ll be damned if you can’t find the reason for the sudden lack of common sense in the room. “Did you hit your head?” “I — What no? Y/N I’m being completely serious here.” “Are you sure? M-maybe you should you lie down, just incase?” You’re starting to panic because — Dear god, what if he needs medical attention and he’s here because of your own problems? As if reading your mind he understands. His heart skips and stutters because it’s him you’re worried about. He hasn’t lost you yet. And as much as he would love to tease you about how cute you are — He’s having none of it, because he just admitted his true feelings and your too worried about a stupid concussion! Suddenly he’s no longer seated next to you but standing and... He’s taking a few steps back? Once far enough away he outstretches his arms forward so that his thumbs mirror each other. “Could someone with a concussion do this?” In one swift motion his hands are planted to the floor with both legs kicked to a point in the air. A handstand. “One, two, three —“ Of course, nothing can be easy when it comes to Mirio. Show off. “— Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen and twenty!” Twenty seconds. Your jaw would’ve hit the floor if it were physically possible. It’s impressive. More than that. “I can go longer if you want.” When he hops back to stand on his own two feet the floor trembles. “But, I’m not sure you want to watch me do a handstand all night.” He’s smiling and laughing. It makes you feel small and irrational, that you’ve been overthinking everything. That you’ve made something out of nothing. The panic starts to settle, like a layer of soot waiting for its next opportunity to suffocate. But you gotta ask one last time. For your own sanity. “So... You’re really okay?” If he’s fine then that would mean — “Never been better! Because — Here, let me say it again.“ He says stepping closer, like there’s a magnet between the two of you, he closes the gap. Before you know it large hands find yours, with the outmost care. You can only describe it as being bathed in sunlight, warm and glowing, your digits are dwarfed in Mirios own. It’s slower this time, softer. “I love you.” Has your heart ever flown this high before? “It doesn’t matter whether you believe me or not but, you’re the only person that’s made me feel this way — The only one for me.” You know there’s no way for you to come down unscathed. “I was being serious earlier you know? That... We could move in together.” His thumb maps the tiny hills of your knuckles. “So, won’t you please consider moving in with me?” Really now, it’s got to be one of the most ridiculous things you’ve be asked in a while. Hadn’t you only just admitted your feelings a few hours ago? Doesn’t he care what others will think? Why are you even entertaining the idea? Even as the list continues to grow, reasons on it’s unrealistic, why — Sitting perched atop the stool your feet dangle, support-less. You’re helpless because those blue irises are looking down upon you like your the only one in the world. It’s too much. “I —“ Why won’t the butterflies stop swarming you? “I need to sleep on this Mirio — This. It’s just a lot.” You’re certain now, now more than ever before. You’re in far deeper than you ever could have bargained for. Because you still haven’t said no yet. “Of course!” Voice soft and lighthearted, Mirios hands give yours a squeeze. Whether in reassurance or in fear of letting go he doesn’t know anymore. “Take all the time you need.” ∘◦ ✿ ◦∘ The night ends with you helping bandage-up Mirios knuckles. Rubbing alcohol, cotton balls and Hello Kitty bandaids. The ugly futon you found at a garage sale and a few spare blankets are included in the five star Hotel experience. The springs groan back to life when Mirio unfolds the furniture. You don’t know how long you stand in the doorframe of your bedroom, there’s just so much — Why’d he have to pile everything on you at once! You just need time, that’s all. Time to think. Once you get your head out of the clouds you’ll be able to let him down gently, because it’s a childish idea after all. One you’d never agree too. Right? And maybe if you hadn’t succumbed to a night of stress you wouldn’t have failed to notice the bottle of pills missing from your nightstand. ∘◦ ✿ ◦∘ At some point sleep overtook you in your exhaustion, because your phone now reads 10:12AM. After laying in bed for an extra twenty minutes you finally sit up and only when your feet touch floor are you startled fully awake. Something touched your left foot, and it rattled at you. Your eyes adjust enough for you to see the culprit, it’s your bottle of suppressants. They must have rolled off your nightstand while you were out. It’s quiet. If you didn’t know any better you would say it felt like any other regular morning, besides the lingering fatigue. That’s why when you open your bedroom door it takes you by surprise, the lumpy, vaguely looking human shape on the futon. Mirios sleeping form barely fits the ancient pullout. One of his arms hangs off the side with his fingers resting against the floor. Only with the glow of the television are you able to make out his sleeping face. Whatever miraculous hair gel he buys no longer keeps the mess of blond together, bangs of gold hang over his soft features. A normal persons heart probably wouldn’t flutter at something so simple. From under the blanket peeks the same t-shirt he’s been wearing for at least a day now. The same one you cried into. In a few days the scent of calming sea waves and citrus will fade. And you’ll be all that’s left behind. It’s a realization that leaves you feeling, empty. You find the more time spent mulling over the situation the blurrier everything becomes. It doesn’t matter how hard you try to convince yourself, no matter how many hours you spend staring at your ceiling in the dark of your bedroom — It won’t change the way your heart beats wildly whenever you’re around him. You can’t help but wonder. Is it really such a bad idea? 

And you know you’re a terrible person because the curve of your lips is real as you gently place your hand on his shoulder. There are roots that have already taken hold of you long ago. 

[thattimdrakeguy]

I couldn’t finish Batman and Robin 2009. It was just... mentally exhausting and I stopped shortly after Bat Dick put fake Bruce in the Lazarus pit. Based on his appearances in Teen Titans, Bruce Wayne: Road Home, as well as his big fan base, I assumed Damian’s character development was executed nicely in his own series. But then again in Gates of Gotham (literally read it just for Cass) he’s impulsive, arrogant and rude to Cass both to her face and behind her back-even after she saved his life 1

Don’t get me started on the sexist things he’s said to Steph. I want to like Damian, but writers don’t make it easy. I got into comics because of batfam fanfics and he was a fave of mine. Dude was extra violent and displayed borderline sociopathic tendencies in his first appearances, cool beans. There’s a lot they can do with a character like that. I just felt like his bad behaviour was never properly dealt with before B&R, and I couldn’t muster the energy to see him through his own series. 2/2

IMO, Damian felt like a Gary Stu at times.

I don’t know if that last one was from the same person or not, but I just got the feeling it is, and if it’s not, then well it blends well enough and don’t feel the need to answer it separately.

Like all I can really say is that I don’t really like Damian. A lot of people confuse that for me thinking he’s an evil monster. I imagine cause I have a Tim icon and other Tims do rage on about that every now and again. As well as just plain taking things I say the wrong way (though I have probably said things in the moment I imagine). But I just plain don’t really like his writing, and if I can’t really read a comic he’s in that I actually like. Idk, I just find it weird to say I like him, when all I really like is what he could be. I don’t feel like that really equals me liking him, cause when I think about it, I kinda realized that meant the opposite, and didn’t wanna project the wrong idea.

But I wanna say this about Damian. He is insanely inconsistent as a personality and character. To this very day. So, as I do with every character, I start from the beginning, figure out what was meant to be by the writers that helped develop them, and figure out what’s in-character and out of character from there. I just feel like it’s the most objective way I can look at anything if I want to review things with standards that are more than just “I like this” or “I don’t like that”.

And in the case of Damian he’s never not been inconsistent. Like one of the main reasons I reread Batman and Robin (or at least Morrison’s run) was for plans of a post about flanderization in the Bat-Family, cause it was pretty rampant in the 00s and still continues often to this very day, and I think is the cause of a lot of lost sales and unhappiness and overall fandom diminishment.

However also to say it, I liked to see a lot of what Damian could be within B&R 09.

But anyways, basically just because I can’t really do a part of the post on Damian without trying to figure out what he was like to begin with, and what he was supposed to be per his creator.

Cause you can’t really tell in fandom. Cause his most popular comics are from stuff that isn’t in the main universe and was purposely a lot lighter, or in the main universe from writers that really surprisingly didn’t get the character despite the popularity--which continues my thinking on it was less about the quality of the writing and more about the lazy fan service. They honestly really flanderized him in a similar yet opposite way then what they did with Tim in the 00s.

And while I can’t act like the sexism and homophobia wasn’t an actual part of the character of Damian at the time--he shows both of those traits in the series (at least the homophobia, cause I’m now realizing that I might be thinking of another series for the sexism). He was flanderized even then by other writers from the different series.

Like how he’s written in Red Robin, is not freaking Damian. It’s not Damian to me. I don’t accept it as Damian. Even a lot of the content of him in Batgirl I even less feel like is Damian--besides unfortunately some of the sexist comments, but they never really proper developed him on that as far as like--actively showing that, at least that I can recall. So all I can really say is it’s uncomfortable, and how they don’t delve into it is the only real reason I say “That actually sadly does fit in with him”. But it’s not like it doesn’t make sense, he was raised to fight, not to handle emotions or feelings, he probably would do and say really creepy things when he has a crush--I just wish they’d actually acknowledge that what was going on rather than sacrificing a good story for more fan service.

The other writers make him too much of a bratty, snotty, kid. And I found that, that is an absolutely terrible interpretation of Damian, because beyond his origin, he isn’t a typical brat, and he doesn’t really act like a kid (in some ways yes, but general mannerisms and personality no). And even then he was a different kind of brat. He was entitled and bitchy in his origin, not immature (at least in the same way) and snotty. They have him act more like some spoiled brat from next door rather than a kid that was abused into being obedient to be what his abusive mother wanted (Talia shouldn’t be abusive, but like I said before, I think the series sucked overall for reasons like that and more).

(I also find that stupid line cutting scene in RR where I presume he was trying to kill Tim to be even stupider, cause Damian wouldn’t freaking do that at that point. They make Damian come off as so stupid in that issue, I hate it. Cause it was all just a cheap way to force sympathy for him, but it doesn’t even make sense when you think about it and is a huge stretch.)

Damian doesn’t make jokes when he’s written better--it’s like his thing. He’s got quite the temper, and understandably why of course. He’s violent with criminals, but he’s also mostly just stoic as his base state when not in a stressed situation, and even shows remorse (which is a big stretch from his origin, but I blame that on the writing which could be very rushed and lazy). He was treated like just another adult for the most part, and it had a weirdly endearing quality despite the maturity of it, and general edge of the series. It was Damian’s place and it worked really well. It just felt right for their dynamics. Damian’s a unique kid, and they respected him for who he was. He just needed help on his morals and stability.

But other series didn’t really get that. He would still be really rude like his origin, and not really the same tone of rudeness (I’m not sure if I can really explain what I mean by that), he’s aggressive, but putting him in Teen Titans never made sense to me, because I don’t see Dick doing that. Dick had a lot more respect than to force Damian to do something like that. Dick was more patient, and while he did lightly smack (not any kind to hurt him any. literally to demonstrate without pain. more taps really) him to teach him a point about aesthetical weaknesses in his costume like the hood, it was mostly done out of finding a way to teach him that would speak to him. So just forcing him to do something he didn’t want to do--which would clearly not work on him--was just contrived and plain bad writing wise. Something they did more as a stunt so they can say “TITANS NOW HAS THE SON OF BATMAN” than to use him well or continue his story in a natural way.

With Cass I can’t say anything, because that’s like the one time he talks to her, and that basically shows their dynamic. So that’s just them, I can’t really say anything on it. If he felt challenged by her I could see him being a total jerk. It really depends on the scenes themselves. I never read the series myself cause I genuinely really don’t like that Batman Reborn era of Bat-Family. Too much of it was just done for publicity and random changes, and for the most part didn’t work much to me.

But overall, at the same time, despite me singing the praises of what Damian could be, and was for a little while. The overall writing for the character arc was super lazy. Stuff just kind of happens, and way too quick to fit in with what they introduced. He just kind of goes “this is right, now”, which makes his whole brainwashing thing feel a bit--useless, and makes how he went from chopping heads off to that in very little time sort of cuts out depth that could’ve really made the series more rereadable. Damian actually comes off surprisingly as a very flat character for stretches of time in the issues because his character arc is never focused on as much as you’d think until they need to be like “Oh yeah...uh, here’s an emotional moment”. Which just felt really cheap to me.

So the series to me isn’t worth it if you want a good story. None of the stories were good to me, I think I was questioning each one cause it was either schlocky, out of character, or both. I know people like Grant Morrison, but they aren’t for me, I’m not a fan of their writing. Damian was a Gary Stu a lot, which they try to explain with the League thing--but having the League give him experimental surgery so he could walk the same day (or next) after being legitimately paralyzed was just way too freaking much to me. But he does make mistakes, so he’s not at base a Gary Stu really--the writing just really stunk badly sometimes.

This isn’t me putting in a bid to say “OH YOU JUST NEED TO READ THIS, AND YOU’LL FREAKING LOVE HIM”, because to be freaking honest, when you already have a bad taste in your mouth, it’s best to just wait a bit till trying again. I read the fandom recommended comics and felt there was so many problems that I couldn’t read Damian for literal months. And he still has a lot of the problems you said. I’m just saying Damian is surprisingly different when written by his creator than others, cause honestly nearly every single other writer for him has gotten him wrong. Like mind-blowingly wrong. He does not feel like the same character anywhere else. It’s nuts.

To put it another way, it’s a generally speaking bad series, but if you want to see what Damian was meant to be like before they kept regressing him, and diminishing him, and turning him into more a joke, and see what his dynamic with Dick and Alfred was meant to be like, it’s a brilliant and perfect series to read it for.

It’s better for learning about them--then it actually is to enjoy it. Because it’s most likely not a series I’m going to be returning too often unless to research something again.

[iturbide]

If you haven't done him yet....character breakdown for Goodest Boyo Raphael?

You know what I haven’t done Raph yet and this is in fact A Crime

How do I feel about this character?

Okay so you know how a while back they did a big Plegia banner in Heroes?  And Raph was for some reason part of it?  I got him to +10.  And spoiled the absolute shit out of him by giving him Bold Fighter to make him into a player phase bomb made specifically for crushing my enemies into oblivion (with hugs).

He’s just such a good guy?  I’ve talked in brief about how inordinately attached I get to characters with more muscles than brain cells, and Raphael fits that to a T; on top of that, his biggest muscle is absolutely his heart, which just makes him that much more endearing.  He’s so kindhearted and so caring, not just able but endlessly willing to go the extra mile for other people, even if it means putting himself at risk; he looks out for everyone as best he can and tries to make even the most timid of them feel more at ease around him; and he cares so much about his little sister.  He’s doing everything for the sake of ensuring that she can live the absolute best life possible, and that is just so incredibly touching to me.  Raphael is really charming to me, and all the more for the fact that it’s just his natural, earnest, caring nature.

...also let’s be real, some of his supports are absolutely hilarious.  Just thinking about some of them will send me into a fit of laughter (especially his B with Dimitri); any character that can make me laugh that hard just thinking about something they did is A+ in my book.

Who do I ship this character with romantically?

TRICK QUESTION I seriously don’t have a lot of ships for Three Houses, and Raphael isn’t one of the very few I have.  If pressed I’d say that I low-key ship him with Ignatz because I find their supports really sweet and love the idea of them establishing a stronger friendship after getting past the tragedies in their past -- but when I say “low-key,” I mean that it walks the line between platonic and romantic so closely that it’s more or less impossible for me to call it in one direction or the other (and since all my planned stories for Three Houses are intended as genfic, I usually just err on the side of platonic).

Who is my brOTP for this character?

Bernie.  I absolutely love his friendship with Bernadetta, the way that he gets so excited about her musical talents and how he has no problem whatsoever letting her talk to his back to help her build her confidence up with baby steps.  He’s just so considerate and kind to her and even though she finds him scary she recognizes that it’s incredibly sweet to me.  Also Marianne and how he gets so excited when he sees her talking to birds that he goes out of his way to do the same just for the chance that she might talk to him, too; he just wants to be friends with her and see her open up that he gives talking to animals his absolute best shot and it’s just so heartwarming.  And the whole thing with teaching Flayn how to do a proper battle cry before easing her into real muscle training is just so adorable to me he’s just so good and I love him being friends with all these different people (especially the shy ones, it’s especially sweet with them).

What’s my Unpopular Opinion™ about this character?

I don’t know if it’s an unpopular opinion necessarily but I really feel like fandom doesn’t appreciate him much and that’s an absolute crime.  I vaguely suspect that this is because people playing on harder difficulties might be writing him off as an actual combat unit due to the investment required to keep him in line with his classmates -- something I can’t speak to personally since I play on Normal mode (I just want to bond with my students okay) -- but it’s a shame because he really can be an absolute powerhouse when he’s taken care of well, on top of how good and kindhearted he is as a character.  I just really wish that more people would give him the chance he deserves, because he really can shine if people let him.

What’s one thing I wish would have happened with this character in canon?

Okay I know that this is super petty but I hate his end card with Ignatz.  After everything they went through together, coming to grips with what happened in their past, Ignatz struggling with his feelings of guilt over how his family’s actions potentially caused Raphael to lose his parents, Raph insisting that what happened couldn’t possibly be his fault and therefore he’s not responsible for it, the wonderful reaffirmation of their friendship...having their end card be “and then Raph’s sister randomly runs off and marries Ignatz” feels like a slap in the face.  They didn’t have to make it a romantic thing between Raph and Ignatz if they didn’t want to!  They could have easily had it be Raph going back and helping to run the inn with his family, with Ignatz coming to visit when his travels brought him home and giving his old friend one of his paintings before leaving again, which Raphael insists on displaying at the inn for everyone to see, therefore helping to spread Ignatz’s reputation and build his fame.  It could have been so touching, to see their friendship endure that way...but no, instead they had to shoehorn in some bullshit romance with Raph’s sister, who never even makes a physical appearance in the game.  It’s just so...cheap, after everything, and I can’t help but feel that IntSys are cowards at best for stomping out any chance of romance between them for people who wanted to see it with something this clumsy and heavy-handed.

Give Me a Character    

[anogete]

Bullet List of My Very Random Thoughts on Endgame

Don't click the keep reading link if you haven't seen the movie yet.  I don’t want to be responsible for ruining your first watch of the movie.  Serious, guys.  Only click if you’ve seen it.

I really enjoyed it and I'm happy to suspend my disbelief with almost all of the time travel plot element.  All things considered, it was masterfully executed and a beautiful love letter to the characters, movies, and fans.

My original six lovelies:

- Tony's arc was beautiful and heartbreaking but in a very satisfying way. I think most of us saw that one coming with the way IW set him up against Thanos.  It was that much more poignant when you saw he was happy with Pepper and their little girl but still couldn’t step away from helping make things right if he had the ability.  Pepper knew he couldn’t avoid involving himself despite not wanting to jeopardize his life with her, so her encouragement at the beginning and her comment to him right before he died (“We’re going to be okay. You can rest.”) just break my fucking heart.  So does Peter crying over a wounded and dying Tony, telling him they won.  Oh man.  The waterworks were something fierce.

- Nat was a surprise but packed a shockingly hard punch for me.  Maybe that was in part because it WAS a surprise and also because when we opened the movie she felt so fragile even though she was the one keeping the hope alive.  That moment with her sad little sandwich and the news about Clint being so far off the rails that Steve interrupts?  That alone made my heart hurt for her.  My stomach dropped when I saw her and Clint climbing the mountain on Vormir as I realized what had to happen to get the Soul Stone.  I was hopeful they could game the system and jump off the cliff together and both live, but I understand why this would cheapen it.  She always felt like the glue that kept all these big personalities and big egos together, so it hurts that she’s gone and the group has been fractured with Tony’s death and Steve being out of the game.

- As for Clint--I’m assuming he returns to the family man life unless something big comes up in the future.  I don’t know anything about Renner’s contract, but I’d like to see Hawkeye again.  The hair and the sword and the arms and tats and revenge attitude really did it for me.  How very dare they make him look this edible.

- Thor coping with grief by drinking beer (that beer belly, though!) and playing video games with Korg and Miek was actually refreshing and endearing.  I know some people didn’t like seeing him that way, but it gives his character so much depth.  Besides, he was back to his kickass self by the end of the movie.  I do love that he handed over New Asgard to Valkyrie to rule, and I hope we see him pop into movies in the future, especially with that adorable rivalry between him and Quill.

- Bruce and his newfound truce with Hulk was a delight to see and completely unexpected.  Also, Bruce/Hulk with the muscles and the voice and the five o’clock shadow and the glasses?  Ummmm...  ::is tempted to write Hulky Bruce smut::  I hope he’ll be in future movies.

- Steve.  Ahh, Steve.  I loved the fight with himself and the funny little winks to the viewers with the lines (America’s Ass, “I can do this all day”, “Hail Hydra”).  I loved that he was encouraging others to move on when he couldn’t seem to do so himself.  I LOVED him wielding Mjolnir, especially when the lightning started flying out of it.  Thor’s reaction to that (”I knew it!”) was adorable.  But, I’m torn with Steve’s storyline.  I wanted him to get his happily ever after.  I was dreading seeing him die in this movie, which I thought was definitely going to happen.  But what was so shocking to me was that he got exactly what I wanted him to get but it felt so cheap to me.  I left the movie satisfied with everything but the way they ended things with Steve, and yet I couldn’t seem to put my finger on why I started hating it the more I thought about it.  I know a ton of people are Stucky ‘shippers and, while I love his relationship with Bucky, I’ve never ‘shipped them together.  I’m not thrilled about the way they glossed over that relationship, but I understand the necessity because of time constraints.  I don’t mind that Steve handed the Shield off to Sam because I assumed either he or Bucky (or even both) would pick it up in Steve’s absence.  Bucky would have been a nice full circle between the two of them on their separate paths, but I also understand why it was given to Sam.  Bucky obviously knew exactly what was going on, though I thought the distance between him and Steve was a bit strange.  Maybe they were trying to make a point of showing that Steve and Bucky have both changed.  Whatever.  I can live with it, I  guess.  No one wanted Steve to get his happy ending more than me.  So, what gives?  I couldn’t figure out why it felt so wrong and cheap and like the worst kind of fan service.  @bulmavegotaku sent me THIS ARTICLE which actually articulates what has been bothering me.  Just because I wanted a happy ending for Steve doesn’t mean that it was what was best or even what was in-character for him.  I know other people thought that him hiding in the past to live his life with Peggy WAS in-character, but I don’t think it was at all.  And that’s not even to mention the fuckery with Peggy’s timeline.  Yeah, yeah, they left the question of who Steve married up in the air by not having him divulge that info when Sam asked, but I’m not stupid.  He says she’s the love of his life.  If he’s going back, he’s not going to share a dance with her and then go marry some other chick in the past.  Please.  And that makes Steve Sharon’s uncle.  Which is... weird and WTF.  But maybe they thought we’d forget all that since it is now an alternate reality or whatever.  So, Steve’s “ending” was the one major thing I really didn’t like.  I’m sure one day I’ll write some fic that branches off into an AU in which it didn’t happen that way.  It’s a little too fresh right now for me to tackle, though.  I need to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

Other things I liked:

- Nebula’s dynamic and (at times) heartbreaking storyline as we watched her internal struggle actually play out in front of us with two Nebulas.  My heart dropped when Rhodey was able to return to the present time on Earth, but she got trapped in the past with Thanos.  I’m so happy she survived.  Plus, her game of finger football with Tony was so goddamn endearing for both of them.

- Gamora being alive and the thought of watching her future interactions with Quill all over again.  I love the sexual tension and the chase for sure.  However, if past Gamora ends up in present time, then did all that stuff with Quill and the other Guardians even happen?  Her past self is in the present and so is Nebula’s past self.  Plus, Thanos plays a part (even if he’s off-screen) in much of the two Guardians movies, so if his past self died in the present, did this create some sort of alternate reality in which the things we witnessed didn’t actually happen in that way?  This kinda ties in with my dislike of Steve’s storyline.  Too much fucking with time travel begins to unravel the plot and create holes that I start picking at.

- Thanos turning to dust.  So so so satisfying.  What an absolutely arrogant turd.

- “On your left.”  What a wonderful moment when you heard Sam’s voice and saw T’Challa appear from that portal followed by all of the others.

- While I didn’t enjoy it, I did think the fight between Steve and an emaciated and exhausted Tony at the beginning of the movie was so well done and well-acted.  What a low point to climb out from.

- The scene in the beginning when they kill Thanos was also pretty low, but I thought a great way to start the movie.  You can kill the bad guy, but that won’t change all the bad he did.

- I feel like Scott Lang is all of us.  The scene with him outside when his taco blows away was so wonderful. And the scene in the diner when the kids want pics with Hulky Bruce, but not poor Antman.  So awkward and so funny.

- The closure that Tony got with his dad.  Oh man, that was the best and made even better because he was a father himself at that moment.  Thor being able to speak with his mother and move forward from that was also unexpected but so needed for his character, especially at that moment.

- While I love Carol Danvers and the Captain Marvel movie, I didn’t want her to come in and steal the show from the core group of Avengers as we ended this era of the movies.  I’m pleased with the way they used her to rescue Tony and Nebula and then go off to bring some order to the rest of the universe before returning to help in that final battle.

- Speaking of Carol--the scene during the battle when she takes the new gauntlet from Peter in an effort to get it away from Thanos and all the badass women fall in line behind her to assist brings a tear to my eye.  What made it even better is it caused the two bros seated beside me to mutter and wiggle uncomfortably in their chairs because it was obvious they didn’t really like that part.  As Beyonce would say, “Suck on my balls,” boys.

- Wanda’s white (red?) hot rage toward Thanos when she finally came toe-to-toe with him during the battle.  YES.  I was cheering her on.

- Steve’s ass.  Oh, I’m sorry America’s ass.

- Did I mention Steve wielding Mjolnir?

- Loki being the sneaky little snake he is and grabbing the Tesseract during the confusion when Tony gets hit by the flying door.  And Hulk screaming in frustration about how many stairs there are since he wasn’t allowed to ride on the elevator with everyone else.

- Bucky’s luxurious hair.  Although, I do want my beefy Civil War Bucky back.  On a side note, can someone please please please fix Sam’s facial hair before the next movie or show?  Please?  I do not like it at all.  Anthony Mackie, please go back to WS or CW facial hair.  I’m begging you.

I’m ready for more Guardians of the Galaxy featuring Thor.  I’m ready to finally watch the first Spiderman movie before the new one comes out.  (Don’t shoot me for not seeing it yet!) I’m pumped for more Carol as Captain Marvel.  I love the original characters the best, but I understand we have to move forward and I’m trying to embrace these new babies even though they aren’t Tony or Nat or Steve.  I’m consoling myself with Bucky and Sam right now.

And most of all, I’m excited to start writing again.  I started something last night, but I don’t want to give many details until I know if what I threw on the wall is going to stick.  If it does, then it’ll be Wintershock, take place after Endgame, and will probably be fluffy and free of life and death situations.  My heart can’t take any more of that between Endgame and Game of Thrones.  I’ll pop in periodically to keep anyone who cares updated on new material from me.  Can’t wait to see you again over on AO3 this summer!

[hakuryuu]

Ain for both of those ask memes!

Full Name: Ain Hest

Gender and Sexuality: trans woman, aro/ace

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: human, i Uh do not know what world this is set in but she'd probably be from the far du magi plains

Birthplace and Birthdate: she's a virgo

Guilty Pleasures: she's not the type to feel guilty about things she enjoys but she's allergic to strawberries and eats them anyways cause they're tasty which probably counts

Phobias: she's (perhaps ironically) SUPER afraid of dying, but like dying for good? it's kind of interesting because she really trusts adwir and knows he'll bring her back so dying in an immediate sense isn't scary for her but the Traditional™ image of dying, like, old in a bed is SO scary for her. also she really doesn't like bugs

What They Would Be Famous For: dying and then coming back and being like fine would definitely make the papers

What They Would Get Arrested For: harebrained get rich quick scheme or some really poorly thought-out robin hood type shenanigans

OC You Ship Them With: i love the ain//adwir vibes but strictly platonically

OC Most Likely To Murder Them: a-adwir? maybe?? also [redacted lady]

Favorite Movie/Book Genre: SHE LOVES A HEIST STORY, also cowboys. also inexplicably loves really dry nonfiction about the lives of minor politicians

Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: she HATES it when the protagonist dies at the end!!! she says it's because it feels like cheap storytelling but it's also because it makes her feel sad

Talents and/or Powers: god best friend will resurrect her when she dies, charming and open personality means she can consistently endear people into giving her what she wants, pretty good vocalist

Why Someone Might Love Them: she's genuine, determined, straightforward, and easy to talk to: you get the feeling that she honestly cares. very empathetic and cheerful

Why Someone Might Hate Them: she's fanciful, impulsive, stubborn, not at all prone to planning, and takes forever to get stuff done

How They Change: i think she slowly learns to stop thinking of the things she does or devotes her time to as a 'game'? i'm not sure how to put it. eventually she comes to the realization that the stakes she's invested herself in are real and not always something that she can deal with by just reloading from the last save point

Why You Love Them: she's a type of self indulgent character that i feel like i don't write or haven't written very often and that doesn't much get the spotlight when i do? it's been really fun to have a super easygoing go with the flow protagonist cause she takes stuff in interesting directions that more uptight characters wouldn't go and that's really fun for me hehe

how they smile: a big close mouthed smile with crinkly eyes

"tell" for lying: she's a really obvious liar, she fidgets and avoids eye contact and stammers and hesitates

posture: straight back but slouchy shoulders, kind of leant back like the slope of a 'z'

volume of speech: she has a pretty medium volume average! when she gets excited she'll talk pretty loud though and when she's being dramatic she'll do a stage whisper

nervous tics: avoids eyes contact

how much eye contact do they make in a group conversation, how close do they stand to others? Are they off to the side just listening and occasionally speaking or are they right next to people?: she makes a bunch of eye contact, not like an Aggressive amount but she really really likes looking people in the eyes so she'll stand among a group of people and turn to make sure she's looking at them. she also definitely participates a lot in conversations but she works hard to dominate them

when standing, what do they do with their hands? Talk with their hands, cross their arms, put hands in pockets, prop up against the wall, etc: she's a big hand talker or if her hands are in her pockets she'll talk with her shoulders or her elbows!

the sound of their footsteps: kind of loud and consistent, not quite stomping or marching but walking with Confidence

nonverbal greetings-- do they wave, nod, hug, glare, punch, high five, something else?: wave, do that thing where you hit the back of someone's arm with the back of your hand as like a 'hey' thing

how do they get others’ attention? Raise hand, clear throat, etc: wave more wildly, call their name, sometimes wave with both arms if they're far away

[hopevalley]

I’m back, and with the usual nonsense. 

I’ve been thinking about that potential novelization again. Heck, I dreamed a while back that I was going to tweet Hallmark to ask “permission” to do it (but ended up tweeting them in the dream to novelize the Wedding March series instead). It’s fanfic. I don’t need permission to write it!!! (Dream!Me was stressed out at the idea that Hallmark could say yes, because then I’d be locked into writing it. I’m still marveling at Dream!Me’s confidence.)

I’m gonna ramble about the potential for a novelization of When Calls the Heart here, just ‘cause I can. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings and nowhere to put them. Read on if you’d like!

I like When Calls the Heart! I really do. It’s had its ups and downs, but overall things have been pretty darn awesome.

I don’t think any of us would be here if there wasn’t something about the show that really captured us, took us by storm. For some people it was the romance. For others, the friendships. I know people who watch the show for specific characters or character arcs (Henry comes to mind), or because they like the feel-good nature of the series while it deals with some realistically awful situations/issues; the Lee and Rosemary and the infertility plotline that popped up in S6 comes to mind, here.

Honestly, I wish I could trust someone else to novelize the tv series the way I’d like to see it done. Unfortunately I’m a picky baby and I have very specific ideas of what these characters are like from a more intimate POV than we get with the show, so...if I want it done, I gotta do it myself. (RIP my free time, though.)

The biggest roadblock, though is...feedback.

This fandom is notorious for being terrible about ‘participating’ and fanfic isn’t everyone’s cup of tea anyway. Imagine working your tail off to produce a well-crafted novelization of the series only for it to get ignored. I’d probably never write again...and that’s not me being dramatic, either. I think it’s fair to say “my time is worth something” and stick to that. It is. My time is worth a lot to me. I could use it to clean the house, do dishes, spend time with my husband, play with the cats, clean the yard, do gardening, work longer hours and get paid, play video games, crochet, et cetera. I have an endless supply of hobbies! It’s harder than it sounds, because it means I can’t ever dedicate tons of time to just, you know, one of them. On the plus side it means I’ve got something waiting in the wings no matter what mood I’m in!

The possibility exists that the story would be a surprise success, too. I mean, I doubt it (judging by the numbers, fanfic for this series isn’t that popular), but...you never know! Jack and Elizabeth are a focal point of the first few seasons and a novelization of the series would also support this.

Anyway, I think I said before that I was toying with the idea of pre-writing five chapters, posting them a week or two apart, and gauging interest based off of that. If people aren’t interested, I can abandon the project early enough into it that nobody has to feel sad about it. If people are into the idea, and take the time to comment on the chapters... Well, it looks like I’d have to keep going.

It’s just a struggle to get started.

For two reasons. 

The first is the possibility of failure. Now, you could say it’s not a failure if you complete the project, or no time spent on a hobby is wasted, but for me that just isn’t true—at least not completely. Writing is a hobby, but it’s a very personal hobby. I pour a lot of myself into those stories, into storytelling, and the very point of writing for me, especially when I post it online, is the social aspect of it. Fanfiction is a social hobby! When nobody comments on the story, nobody favorites it, nobody bookmarks it... 

Well, I might as well have just left it all in my head and not taken the time to write it down.

The second is...Elizabeth, and by extension, Jack. And, uh, by extension of that, Jack/Elizabeth.

Hear me out!

I think both characters have some good foundations going for them. Season 2 shattered a lot of the good things they had going on for the Dramaz (which I wholeheartedly disagree with), but I feel fully capable of warping the S2 events to better suit the characters we ended up with (and to avoid some of the unnecessary meaningless drama that never did sit right with me). I just feel like both characters are...a little bit...empty? And especially for focal characters, they need depth that the show just simply refused to provide outside of Dramatic Situations.

I’ve been working through some of that in my head. Something I always liked about Elizabeth was how she unapologetically enjoyed being rich! Whether she was in Coal Valley or Hamilton she sported fashionable things. She loved going shopping with her sisters, dressing up for dinner, et cetera. Her vague ignorance of people like Abigail visiting (welcome in the house, but definitely unaware of ‘dressing for dinner’) was this really nifty mix of like...endearing and frustrating. I think playing that up a little further, or rather...bringing it to the forefront, might be a great idea.

--

Speaking of Abigail, I think the character was an excellent addition to the series in the beginning and I’d prefer to continue along those lines, here. I’d fully plan to include her, but with my own slight twist on things; she stays Abigail. No Lorigail.

I can’t decide exactly what to do with some of the other characters, though. I greatly enjoyed Cat and her children, and as Emily is still around later I feel like I’d want to keep her around, but she needs a role to fill and it doesn’t feel quite right to relegate her to the very background when Elizabeth spent the first season going up to bat for her. I think I could figure it out easily enough, but it’s another consideration I’m up against.

--

Of course, this is all kind of hinging on the idea that the first five chapters would be met with some measure of success, because if people kind of shrugged over them it won’t matter what I do with Cat or anyone else.

Anyway I feel like it should be stated outright that I have no real intentions of completely altering anything...at this time. That could definitely change, though, if the readerbase wanted it badly enough and I felt it was appropriate. There are some things that I think need more attention, but that’s not the same as altering events, per se. Bill as a character comes on really mysterious but what’s the point of writing him that way when the entire potential readerbase already knows he’s married? Already knows about the counterfeit plotline? It might actually be more fun to get into his head and write some of those scenes from his perspective (third person limited, not first person; I despise first person). Then we have his reasoning (stupid or not) instead of the mystery.

Therein lies the reasoning necessary for anyone to actually start reading it in the first place: it offers something the tv show doesn’t (because text-based mediums can get into people’s heads and narratively examine their psyche) but doesn’t actually deviate hard from what people already know and like about the show. I guess you could say that it’s giving them more of what they like?

--

I think the difficult part of balancing a novelization has to do with the points of view; do you pick a few and stick with those? Do you GRRM it up and everyone gets it sometimes, or do you choose the scenes and select the narrative based specifically on how that scene would best be told, which could result in some people having more scenes than others?

I’m leaning a little toward the latter with the idea that some characters will probably never get their own scenes, because if a character is only allowed to have one, why bother even giving them that? I’m not sold on the idea though, because I can’t even choose a character who wouldn’t get a scene. Probably characters who just aren’t around enough for it to matter? I’m thinking about characters like Greta (the investor) or Jenkins (bank manager) more than I am even characters like Ray Wyatt, ‘cause at least Ray sticks around in the story for a reasonable period of time (and therefore might deserve a scene or two along the way).

(Though I mean, I can’t say for sure. We all know what happens to these characters, so maybe I’d have to stick with giving characters scenes who will eventually join the ensemble of Hope Valley? Hm.)

I guess it’s something to think about.

--

Rolling again with the assumption that the story is a success (let’s just be confident, here!) there are future aspects of the series that didn’t really do it any favors and/or weren’t presented in a satisfactory manner.

I’ll give a few examples off the top of my head: Season 2′s drama, Lorigail, AJ and Bill’s weird relationship dynamic, wedding drama for Jack and Elizabeth.

I can swallow a lot of nonsense! I like drama...when it’s interesting and done well. What I don’t appreciate is the cheap stuff, designed to fling a roadblock in the way of a romantic couple. Jack and Elizabeth didn’t need Charles to make things feel off/weird/bad, or for Jack to be made to feel unwelcome. I personally think the entirety of the S2 plot could be better shaped and molded for the characters. We can still have drama, but not at the expense of the characters’ integrity!

Just throwing ideas out there, but in the novels Elizabeth’s original contract was only for a year, so when that year was up and it was the summer break from school, she returned to Hamilton and waited to hear from Coal Valley to find out if she’d be invited back there for the next school term. I’m not against Elizabeth’s mother falling ill to get her back to Hamilton, but I’d prefer if her...extended stay there didn’t hinge of iffy (flimsy) health stuff. They resolved that way too neatly and it was just... I don’t know. It could have been better done, maybe to offset the potential for drama.

As far as Lorigail goes, I think Abigail taking on a role in town as part of the town council and eventually stepping up as mayor should come at a cost, and those costs eventually lead to her giving up her role as mayor (which would take care of a lot of the lorigail issues of her just being involved in everything). Obviously this is so far in the future it’d hinge on a very successful story overall, but I’m busy being confident so I’m willing to entertain the idea that someday I’d have to address this. 

AJ also doesn’t show up for a very long time but her introduction was pretty mediocre, and Bill’s reaction to her (not chasing her down instantly) didn’t make a lick of sense. Bill isn’t easily swayed by anyone’s dumb opinion, and he’s not a romantic in the traditional sense so it’s hard to imagine a kiss from a stranger made him slack on his job duties. An easy fix here would just be to show the good moments that had to have existed between the bad ones. The only reason Bill would let AJ go without even trying to find her is if he feels that 1) she doesn’t deserve to be jailed, and/or 2) she’s safer if she’s free. It’s not a huge issue in the grand scheme of things but I think it’d be a real shame not to ‘fix’ the issue while possible.

Finally, with the wedding drama... Honestly they didn’t need any of it. The church didn’t need to burn. If we want wholesome content: there’s been a bit of a drought and there aren’t any nice flowers for the wedding, so Elizabeth’s dad remembers that his girls used to like making paper flowers and organizes everyone to use colored paper to make them so they can string them up in the church. I mean, something little like that doesn’t really change the backbone of the story we’re getting (I mean, we’re here for Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding, a celebration of happiness, not for the drama that ends up being completely meaningless). Cute mishaps on the wedding day would be much better/more interesting/tell a better story.

(Or maybe Bill just about completely misses the wedding and then we get Lee and Rosie’s rings being used, which sort of ties in with how close Elizabeth gets with them in S6 storylines...)

--

The more I think about it, the more potential for an amazing story I find in this, and the more excited I get. 

Henry is SUCH an interesting character; it would be amazing to get into his head early on.

Imagine getting to see Elizabeth and Abigail’s friendship actually form.

Clara’s relationship with other people, like Abigail and Elizabeth, but also exploring the specific kind of grief she feels vs. the grief Abigail feels and how that might clash/be different.

Exploring the different relationships the women in town had with their husbands. Some were obviously still in love, some not so much, others ready to move on quickly and a few completely closed to the idea.

A schoolhouse/group of kids that isn’t replaced every ten seconds and remains somewhat consistent...

Getting to write Jack and Elizabeth actually falling in love over the big and the little things. 

Elizabeth as a passionate teacher.

Characters dealing with nightmares, good dreams, dreams about their friends or potential love interests... I want to see real raw human emotion, here! The good stuff, definitely, but maybe some of the bad, too, because writing the different ways they deal with it could be...fun.

Abigail being Abigail and staying Abigail... ♥

HOBBIES being a part of everyday life!!

CHURCH!!!!! SERMONS! Worship! Gathering together for meals! 

Rewriting some of the dangerous scenes to actually FEEL dangerous.

Writing in Julie’s perspective would be SO much fun.

Including travel time for the big events and shaping the world into a place where time MATTERS aaaaaa that’s so fun too!

--

Anyway, I’m rambling. I just really, really love the idea of writing this. I have so many thoughts and ideas I want to do, all without deviating too far from the source material that we all love so much.

It’s just hard to feel like I should spend my free time on it...but lately it’s really been gnawing at me, so...

We’ll see! It could be a lot of fun just to try. At least if I try, I’ll know. If I don’t, I’ll probably always wonder what might have happened if I had.

[hilarymp]

PET SEMATARY (2019) REVIEW

SPOILER WARNING! This review contains spoilers for Pet Sematary (2019), Pet Sematary (1989) and the novel.

    I’ll admit straight out of the gate that I went into Pet Sematary (2019) with a negative attitude. For whatever reason (one that I am still struggling to comprehend) the studio decided not only to make a rather large divergence from the source material’s plot, but to also spoil this “twist” in the trailer and promotional material. That alone was enough to convince me that this remake/reboot/reimagining/whatever the fuck you want to call it probably wasn’t going to win me over. So let’s discuss that first and foremost.

    I am not at all opposed to film adaptations making changes. Case in point, 2017’s new IT. IT and it’s miniseries predecessor are among some of my favorite horror films of all time, despite the fact that they were not 100% faithful to the novel, especially the more recent installment. For me changes are totally fine as long as they a.) maintain the spirit, themes, and tone of the original story and b.) make the film more frightening.

    With those rules in mind the change prominently displayed in the trailer for 2019’s Pet Sematary, the fact the Creed’s eldest child Ellie is the one who is killed and brought back from the dead instead of toddler Gage, already failed at rule b. Don’t get me wrong, any reanimated evil corpse is going to be scary, but why on earth would you deny us an evil murderous baby just to give us yet another creepy little girl. The ‘creepy little girl’ trope in horror is so tired and overused it makes my head hurt. The Ring, Orphan, The Exorcist, Silent Hill, The Shining, Alice Sweet Alice, The Bad Seed, Let the Right One In, Hereditary, Sinister, I could go on and on and on. The use of the trope isn’t inherently terrible, but why would you go out of your way to use it when something less used and much scarier (a straight up homicidal TODDLER) is an option? The simplest and most likely reason, in my opinion, was for convenience. Is directing a 2 year old more difficult to direct than an 11 year old? Yes, of course, obviously. But it’s definitely possible, as Mary Lambert proved while directing Miko Hughes as Gage in 1989. (Honestly, to this day I can not believe the performance she got out of that little boy.) So to me the change is not only a disservice to the film, but also an indication that the filmmakers were unabashedly lazy.

    So now that you know why I had set myself up for disappointment to begin with, let’s break down what the film succeeded at and how it failed.

    Whatever problems I have with the film, at least I can say that I loved the cast. John Lithgow was extremely endearing and likable. His performance as Jud was a refreshingly grounded and heartfelt departure from Fred Gwynne’s high camp in ‘89. Jason Clarke was as engrossing as ever. I always enjoy Clarke’s performances, and he often brings extra depth to characters that would have otherwise fallen flat (Dr. Price in ‘Winchester’ being a prime example). And Jete Laurance was nothing short of incredible. You would never expect that this little girl could transform into something to sinister so effortlessly. Her performance in the first half of the film is filled with such sweet sincerity, that her turn into undead Ellie is all the more frightening. Not as frightening as being terrorized by a little ankle biting toddler, mind you, but enjoyable nonetheless. ESPECIALLY compared to Ellie in the 89 film. Do you remember her? My God, she was so annoying. 

    Speaking of annoying, Amy Seimetz as Rachel was the only weak link in the cast. Instead of being deeply troubled and complex as Stephen King wrote her, Seimetz’s Rachel is so one dimensional that by the third or fourth time we see her crying, I wasn’t just unmoved, I was borderline irritated. ‘The weepy mother’ role in horror films are never especially fulfilling, but in this instance Rachel was meant to be much more than that. And the cheapening of the Zelda subplot doesn’t help matters either. 

    To me Zelda, Rachel’s late sister who suffered from spinal meningitis, was hands down the scariest part of the book and original film, so I was extra disappointed here. I’m fully aware that the character of Zelda is extremely problematic and portraying her as a monster is ableist as fuck. (Let’s be real, 99% of all Stephen King’s works are problematic but if we pull on that thread we’ll be here all day.) But the in the new film she is completely under utilized. Her appearances have been shrunk down to generic Conjuring-like jumpscares. Like most horror movies these days, the film relies on quick cuts, loud bangs, and obnoxious music cues to startle us instead of showing us anything particularly alarming. There is one prolonged sequence of incredible suspense, as Louis slowly walks through his basement in search of his daughters reanimated corpse, that filled me with so much dread that I was finally genuinely scared. Alas, *sad trombone*, it was undercut with a cheap jumpscare just like all the rest.

    On top of uninspired jumpscares, the filmmaking as a whole was ‘meh’ at best, especially the production design. The houses nearly hidden among the picturesque dense woods are definitely more visually interesting than the ones presented to us in ‘89. It also makes the danger of the nearby highway much more palpable, with the road being both closer to the house and more believably prone to accidents, with the thick foliage hindering the drivers’ ability to see. And the ‘pet sematary’ itself is serviceable enough, not much different from what we’ve seen before. But once we are taken beyond the dead fall to the cursed burial ground, the scope of the film shrinks drastically, making everything feel cramped and cheap like a paper mache Haunted house, even with cheap smoke machine effects to match.

    There are a lot of loose ends in the film as well, though it’s hard to tell if they were caused by the script or the editing. For instance, when Jud is explaining the burial ground to Louis, he mentions the wendigo that is suspected to be the source of the land’s power. But… that’s all he says about it. He doesn’t explain what a Wendigo is, what it does, or why it does it. If you’ve never read the book, or have never heard of a wendigo before, the word means nothing. Why bring up the Wendigo at all if you’re not even going to tie it into the lore properly. They could just have easily just said ‘cursed Indian burial ground’ (it in and of itself a tired trope, but still) and we would have just went with it. Another example is when undead Ellie is terrorizing Jud, she turns herself into Jud’s dead wife, and mentions that says something along the lines of “Your wife is “n hell for what you did to her before she died”. What? What the hell did he do? Why the fuck would you even put that out there with zero follow up?!

    Oh and let’s talk about Pascow. His role in the film is minimized so much, they might as well have left him out entirely. If I’m remembering correctly, late in the novel Pascow appears to Rachel urging her to come home. In the first film he appears to Rachel instead, who tells Rachel they need to come home. But in this film he appears to Gage. A toddler. Who can barely speak. Now as disturbing of a notion it is to have a very small child being haunted by such a gruesome image (and you all know how much I love disturbing shit), it’s also kind of pointless and dumb. If Pascow wanted to get Rachel to come home, why would he appear to Gage who, again, can’t talk, instead of just appearing to Rachel? One could argue that Gage’s crying and saying the name Pascow freaks Rachel out so much that it makes her want to go back, but you could just as easily say she left to get away from her memories of Zelda in her parents house, or the fact that Louis wouldn’t answer his goddamn phone

    We’re also missing out on some crucial motivations to explain Louis’ terrible decision making. No scene of Louis and the grandfather fighting at the funeral, no Louis being blamed for his child’s death, no knocking over of the casket. I might be biased since, for me, that sequence is one of the most upsetting moments of the 89 film. But on top of a missed opportunity to shock, it also takes away the debilitating guilt that motivates Louis to resurrect his child, despite knowing it won’t go well. The guilt is still vaguely implicit, but sometimes horror films need to explicitly illustrate cause and effect, if for no other reason than to keep the audience from screaming “Why the fuck would you do that!?” at the screen for 2 hours.

    Speaking of motivations, what are Ellie’s? What even is Ellie for that matter? The film can’t seem to make up its mind. Undead Ellie has Ellie’s memories, remembers how she died, and holds grudges against her parents for both her death and her resurrection. So there must be some part of the real Ellie in there, right? But when Rachel says “You’re not my daughter” undead Ellie agrees with her! So if it’s not really Ellie why does she keep trying to guilt and punish her parents? If she’s just an evil demon or spirit possessing Ellie’s corpse, you’d think it’d be glad that Louis was stupid enough to bury her up there. Free meat suit, hurray! The spirit clearly wants more bodies buried up there, seeing as it takes out the entire family just to bring them back like she was. Surely she just wanted to kill them all for funsies, right? Who the fuck knows. The screenwriter sure doesn’t appear to.

    Another super obnoxious thing about this film is it’s cheap fake-outs. It’s one thing to change iconic moments from the first adaptation, but constantly calling attention to it is another. Like the ominous close ups of Jud’s heel and him kicking the bed before Ellie gets him on the stairs. Yeah we get it. ‘The old movie had Gage under the bed, but watch out, we’re mixing stuff up in this one!’ Yup. Got it. Thanks for the reminder. Or the whole ‘Gage almost being hit by the truck’ fake out before Ellie is actually hit. This one is especially stupid since you already fucking showed us in the trailer that Gage isn’t going to die. Why even try to fake us out like that when we already know you’ve changed that too? You have successfully irritated and underwhelmed me, movie, no reason to draw more attention to it.

Here’s a quick list of some other petty little things that bugged me. These aren’t even necessarily the movie’s fault, some just come from the book itself.

If Rachel is so traumatized and adverse to talking about death, why the fuck did she marry an ER doctor?

You expect me to believe that Louis, pragmatic Louis who doesn’t even believe in an afterlife, would just follow Jud over the deadfall, through the woods, across a swamp and up a bunch of mysterious stone stairs, with zero explanation? No questions asked? I’d be asking “What the fuck are we doing?” about every couple of yards.

Why in god’s name would Rachel’s parents not only still live in the house where their daughter suffered and died, but also KEEP THE DUMB WAITER SHE DIED IN?

Why don’t movies ever address the fact that when you’re buried your eyes and lips are sewn or glued shut beforehand? And the scene where Louis is bathing Ellie and he sees the staples in her head and is all freaked out - wouldn’t she have huge fucking staples all across her chest and down her abdomen from the funeral home too??

    Despite my complaints, Pet Sematary isn’t completely devoid of entertainment value, not by a long shot. It’s not bad, it just could have been so so much better. Pet Sematary is riddled with missed opportunities,  and if you‘re an overly analytical jaded horror fan with a devotion to Stephen King like I am, they are much more obvious. I’m not mad, Pet Sematary, I’m just disappointed. To quote Tyra Banks, we were rooting for you, we were all rooting for you! You had so much potential, you just dropped the ball. Just like losing a loved one, there’s a mourning period that must be observed. Time to cope with the loss of what could have been. But rest assured, by the time you come out on blu-ray, I’ll be ready to try again.

[professortennant]

Sam/Jack Rec List, Pt. 1

This is mostly for me in case my bookmarks are lost but yeah! I’ve gone through like 90% of AO3, a good chunk of ff.net, and I just dived into LJ. But since I have 103 fics already bookmarked, I’m just gonna put this list up first and then add to it later. 

Plz read the tags of each fic to avoid stuff you don’t wanna read. If you read something and love it, GO TELL THE AUTHOR SO THEY WRITE MORE.

Absolute Fucking Favorites (aka I have read these more times than I feel comfortable admitting)

We Made It Series: A series of connected episode tags beginning with Forever in a Day. Sam shows up on Jack's doorstep with a six pack of beer, a bottle of cheap wine and a package of chicken breasts. Jack's confused. They cook dinner.

Taking Christmas Off: How Sam and Jack end up spending Christmas alone together every single year, accidentally at first, and then very much on purpose. A fluffy/shippy Christmas fic in eight parts, with spoilers through season 8.

The Dreams We Left Behind: The day Sam Carter marries Pete Shanahan is not the worst day of Jack’s life; he’s already lived that day. But that doesn't make it easy.

Like Kissing a Stranger: There is not one day he spends on this planet, or any other, that his mouth doesn't get him into trouble.(An episode tag for Point Of View.)

Retrospective: Sam doesn’t give it a name, this feeling. She doesn’t even think about it much, preferring to glimpse it obliquely from the corner of her eye. It’s a secret delight that she shares with no one, scarcely even herself.One story in eight parts charting Sam and Jack’s relationship from the start of S1 to the end of S8.

The Short Straw: She hadn't set out to cheat, certainly, but had thought that she'd at least be able to interpret her own work in a way that would lead to victory. (Tag for Shades of Grey)

Post-Eps/Episode Tags (except for Threads, which is its own category)

The Price of Edora: Sam suffers the consequences of pushing herself too hard in order to bring Jack back from Edora. 

For Just One Taste of This: After that, though, things got tricky and dangerous because they pushed a little more and went a little (a lot) further off that deep end, and soon it was the two of them alone in the empty barracks and this wasn’t wrong, was it, just sitting side by side in the darkness? (Post Divide and Conquer)

Let Your Demons Run: (here can't be that many eyes in the building that haven't noticed her. Post-ep for Entity.

Midnight at the Oasis: What if Abydos wasn't destroyed, and Jack and Sam really did go to Skaara's wedding? A short AU based on the wonderful (!) exchange among the three at the beginning of Full Circle.

Thyself, Unknown: And then they were strangers again and their world was brand new with signs of aging. Beneath the Surface 

Unlearn your Stars: Thera turned her eyes toward the ceiling, as if she could see through the miles of earth and snow to the sky beyond. Something about her seemed to yearn, and for reasons he could not fathom Jonah felt like Thera belonged there. Among the stars. (Beneath the Surface)

Transcendental: Alternate Sam and Jack who got stranded in the alternate timeline in Moebius. 

The Fundamental Theorem of Samantha Carter: Samantha Carter knew precisely what she wanted. And then she didn’t. S.8 Full Alert through Threads with references to Gemini.

The Rainy Season: Tag for The Light. Their arguing was beginning to grate on her nerves.

Icarus Ascending: What if Jack and Sam didn't keep it in the room after all? A/U tag to Divide and Conquer. 

The Space Between: There's a little space between them on the bed. Small enough to be close, but enough space to remind them where the line should be. (tag for Death Knell.)

Mimesis: Jack tries to help Carter deal with her time spent with Fifth and the Replicators.

A Rush of Blood to the Head: "You volunteering to come with me, Carter?" Sam and Jack deal (or don't) with the creation of mini!Jack.

The Breaking Point: Daniel’s ‘death’ in Meridian forces Sam Carter to reevaluate her life and what really matters to her.

Window on a Room: The first time around, Sam had found that face the Colonel was making to be endearing, in the increasingly problematic way she found pretty much everything he did to be endearing. The second time, she had found it alarming - not the Colonel specifically, of course, just the fact that she’d already experienced that exact moment not ten hours earlier. She went from being alarmed on the second loop to being frustrated, baffled and discouraged in subsequent loops as their attempts to stop the looping had all failed. And now that they had settled into this routine, with Sam and Teal’c, loop after loop, learning to translate the altar text themselves, well now she was just tired. Not even the Colonel’s problematically endearing face was helping.Another loop, she thought to herself. Here we go again.

black holes and revelations: It’s late and dark and as far as she’s concerned, the world has stopped for them (they’d done the Earth a few favors, it's time one was returned).

Lifelines: Everyone expects her to be so resilient--but beneath her calm exterior seethe emotions beyond her control and understanding. Months post "Beneath the Surface", Sam finally has to face it all, and find a way to accept the way things have to be.

Reflections on a Broken Surface: Episode tag to Beneath the Surface. How Sam and Jack became a couple in the ep. 

Tilting at Windmills: Jack's struggling to deal with the events of Euronda and Alar's people. Angry, depressed, and alone, he needs Sam's help to find his way home, literally, and figuratively.

untitled: Sam/Jack, word prompt- 'never' Episode tag to Death Knell

the art of reincarnation: Detoxing in a Goa’uld palace, Jack struggles with something he can't let go, and Sam struggles with everything.

Cracks in the Glass: Doctor Carter has stepped through the mirror-seeking refuge from her ravaged world. Her presence forces Sam and Jack to question their own decisions. Sam and Jack focused episode enhancement to "Point of View".

Before the Invitation: A chance meeting in the commissary leads to some unintended revelations. (Set just prior to 'Nemesis')

Threads

Full Disclosure: She looks at him with that complex expression that’s punctuated their relationship ever since Pete barged onto the scene. The one that looks like a question, or a plea – the one he’s never really understood and has never dared pursue.

Down to the Bone: She knows now, what’s essential.

Sooner: Some bonus scenes for "Threads," because a lot went on in and around that episode that we just didn't get to see.

an angel came down: The first Christmas after her father dies is rough. The second Christmas after her father dies is better.

Breathe In: It wasn’t an immediate thing, despite what people thought. They didn’t jump each other the second SG1 was on vacation, with her emotionally vulnerable after her father’s death and no longer engaged, or him now free of SG Command and DC-bound.

Sam or Jack are Tortured/Abused (but it ends happily)

Primary Emotion: After seventeen weeks of torture in a Goa'uld prison, Samantha Carter is rescued by SG-1. In the time that follows she must relearn how to relate to her team, reassess her relationships with both herself and others, and decide whether or not she'll continue to step through the Stargate. Luckily she's got the benefit of a good psychologist and the love of a great man.

Character: SG1 is kidnapped by an alien king who needs Sam to perpetuate his bloodline & will do anything to possess her. The team must find a way to escape before she pays the ultimate price for her defiance. 

Compos Mentis: After Colonel O'Neill is stranded on a seemingly friendly planet, it's up to his team to rescue him. Who they find, though, isn't the man they left behind.

Crawl from the Chasm: After Jack's experiences in Ba'al's Abyss, he struggles to find peace. Angsty Jack/Sam Ship.

After All: They’d been trapped for a month. He’d been tortured within an inch of her life. And then their roles had been reversed.

All We Need of Hell: Jack is captured and tortured and when he returns, he just doesn’t see the point in following the regs anymore--Sam is essential. And he convinces her to forget the regs, too. (Dark fic). (chap 2)

Aliens Made Them Do It

Auctions and Consequences: Slavery has been abolished for good reason, but apparently not everyone got the memo… landing Sam and Jack in hot water.

Auction and Reaction (sequel to the above): Jack manages to get himself captured and Sam is sent to negotiate for his freedom. Unfortunately, the matriarch in charge of the male slaves is unconvinced of her claim and threatens to keep Jack as her personal slave.

Relief: How they'd managed to gate to a planet right in the middle of their annual fertility festival was beyond him.

in doorways and dreams i run to you: They had stepped through the gate together. They were looking for something.Light.There had been a blinding light and then nothing. Nothing but the heat and the taste of his skin on her lips. And now he was on his knees and she wasn't stopping him from sliding a hand underneath her.

Beautiful Far Away: While on a routine exploratory mission, Colonel Jack O'Neill and Captain Samantha Carter get caught up in a children's game that turns out to be the beginning of Rorilian marriage rites. When seismic activity starts to rock the village, the local leaders demand the ritual be seen through to its natural conclusion to avoid further angering their gods. Sam's equipment suggests the tremors are caused by an unidentifiable metal, but her science seems to be a point of contention amongst the leaders. She's convinced she needs just a little more time to figure out what is happening on the planet. Unfortunately, that means she's jumping into a ritual marriage with her new commanding officer. What could possibly go wrong?

Xanadu: The team travels offworld to take care of some mining negotiations, only to meet with an unanticipated challenge on P3X-427.

5 Times Fic

Five Times Jack Sees Sam Out of Uniform

The Nature We Leave Behind Us: 5 Times Daniel (and Teal’c) find out or suspect about Sam and Jack

Five Times Jack Came Close to Breaking the Frat Regs with Sam

Desperation: 5 times Jack kisses Sam

Ambient: 3 morning-afters that they miss and 1 they don’t.

5 missing ship scenes from s9/s10

5 times jack asked sam out and 1 time he didn’t have to

Stranded/Retired/Moved Off-World

My Scars Healed (aka the Cottage AU): Abandoned off-world, living is about more than just survival.

In Media Res: When Sam and Jack are taken captive and put to work in a mining camp, that turns out to be the least of their troubles. Forced by circumstance to live in close proximity, their time as captives has consequences neither one foresees.

Compliance: The end comes fast. One moment it’s a normal day with paperwork and bad coffee and the next it’s a scramble for the event horizon as the Mountain comes down around them. The base empties out with surprising efficiency, and by the time Jack hangs up the red phone on the last conversation he’ll ever have with the President, only Carter and Daniel and a couple techs are still in the gate room, the last of the supplies being sent through to their fall back site.

I Love It When a Plan Comes Together: Dear Airline, I was marooned on an alien planet…

And then I dreamt of yes: The universe has really bad timing, but neither Sam or Jack is ready to give it the last word. 

The Final Straw: Sam's injured and trapped off-world. 

Twilight: General O'Neill gets ansty to do some Gate travel, but a natural phenomenon on another world causes problems and changes things

Bird Stealing Bread: Jack had actually imagined being stranded off-world quite a few times. But he really, really, really hadn't counted on being stranded off-world with Sam. And Pete.

Under the Sun: ABANDONED FIC BUT IT’S SO GOOD. When lightning strikes the DHD and strands Sam and Jack alone on a planet, they must rely on one another to get through until help can arrive. Soon, though, they discover they're not alone on the planet and things change. Suddenly they're thrust into local politics and Sam is drafted to help save the locals' lives. Perhaps, if they play their cards right, all of it can help them get home.

Total AU

String Theory: Dr. Samantha Carter joins the SGC and discovers a life she never expected.

Imprimatura: Even in a completely different reality, where a strictly enforced color-based caste system stands between them, some things remain the same.

How to Start a Fire: She denies it's physical attraction. He denies it's anything but. Sam/Jack. Changeling Universe.

Convergence Series: Jack O’Neill is a man waiting to die, and she’s the only one brave enough not to look away.

Right as rain: Jack never went on the Abydos mission. Charlie never died. But when Jack accidentally activates a device that Kawalsky brings by the Academy, he catches the interest of a certain Major Carter. Soon he finds himself in for one hell of a ride, and if aliens and space travel and weird DNA weren't crazy enough, he might actually be falling in love with a theoretical astrophysicist...

The Dating Game: Catherine Langford had been instrumental in getting AU Sam/Jack together in There But For The Grace of God

Defining Family: Set after "Ripple Effect". What happens to Janet and the rest of the alternate SG-1 team after the episode? How does it affect our reality?

Worlds Apart: An Ancient device sends Jack and Sam to a world where everything is just a little bit... wrong. Why? Can they cope with the differences? And, most importantly, can they find their way back?

I don’t know what to categorize these as but they’re amazing

Deep City Lights: He picks her up in a blue convertible. (Road trip fic where they say ‘fuck the regs’ and then remember the regs)

we build then we break (and build up again): Sam’s last mission on SG-1, and the life that follows.

the slow revelation of self: In the beginning there was sex. And it was good.

untitled: on a mission, sam and jack are painting their mark on a wall.

things not dreamed: Daniel doesn't understand their need to fly. 

Cultural Drift: Six days before the shit hit the fan and nothing was ever the same again, Daniel fell over a tablet on P3X-324. That was two years ago.

Concentric Unto Thee: Her attempts at normality have never worked before, and Jack won't stand for any attempts to apply the logic of command to their relationship.

the lesson: Jack and Sam haven’t wasted the three years they’ve been cut off from Earth…and though the price is high, they manage to teach that lesson to another couple who badly needed to learn it. 

Escape Pod: "I just need," shift, "to move," shift, "a little." (Accidental Stimulation fic) Tonight: It's been too many years of it, the death, the resurrection, the sheer and aching loneliness, the hurt that comes from walking away.

Rocket Fuel: Sam and Jack get together after Heroes but also AU + Christmas.

Home Economics:  He would never have imagined that the biggest problem Sam Carter would have with his house would be his toaster.

Atlantis/Continuum

Gravity Always Wins in the End: After Sam is held hostage, Jack takes an impromptu trip to Atlantis.

Backlit:  Carter turns 43 years old on day 6 of a 14-day run to P98-007 aboard the General Hammond. The only events that mark the occasion are the little note Daniel must have stuffed into her pack before she left, a cheerful "Happy Birthday, Ma'am" from her second over a morning cup of coffee, and a long stare at herself in the mirror after she washes her face before bed. It's not like she expected more.

Yesterday’s Life: She feels frayed and faded, like a scrap of fabric accidentally discarded and forced to weather the elements. S/J, spoilers for Stargate: Continuum.

Distance: Sam contemplates the difficulties of a long distance relationship with Jack on Valentine's Day...

Post-Series

Look Again Into Your Heart: It's not that cold, not by the standard of some of the places she's been in the last decade or so of her life, but then again, she's not used to braving the weather in heels and an evening dress.

Follow the Star of the North: When Jack talked about losing himself in Minnesota, Sam never really understood the appeal.

Radio Silence: “It’s Mitchell.”He grabbed the phone out of her hand, smiling at the horrified expression on her face when he flicked it open and held it to his ear.“This is General O’Neill. Is the world ending?”

Rainy Days: Sam and Jack spend a rainy day at the cabin

The Lies You Feed Yourself: They simply aren’t part of each other’s worlds anymore. They haven’t been for years. Jack and Sam three years after they leave the SGC.

Bygones: He's a man of few words. Sam, however, wants to hear a couple of specific ones - at least once. It takes another woman to help her understand just how her husband communicates. 

Twelve Years Two Weeks: She had finally 'switched off'. It had taken her a few days to rid herself of the itch that she was neglecting a to-do list the size of her arm.

DC Series: SG-1 is moving on, but Sam is standing still.

Interlude: Jack turns up unexpectedly, and he and Sam make an important decision.

fly me to the moon: Jack is baffled. What do you do for a woman's 40th birthday when she routinely explores alien planets, has blown up a sun, and raced in the Loop of Kon Garat? Give her the moon of course. 

Folding a Map: Distance makes Jack an unhappy camper.

Taur’i Whispers: "He likes her throaty laugh. He likes that her voice has dropped and softened in the years he's known her." - Sam/Jack, romance and a bit of angst and hurt/comfort

Blue Dark: The sun’s barely peeking above the horizon and already she’s up, perched on a stool at the breakfast bar in his kitchen, her index finger circling the rim of her coffee cup.“And we have to go to this?” she asks, taking a sip of the hot beverage.

Un-fish: “Caught any un-fish?” she asked softly.Their lives would never be normal because of little things like fish that were or were not there and sometimes he wondered who had done what exactly to his pond to drive the fish away. He knew better than to ask, unwilling to listen to her explain to him the various possibilities of… whatever.

Real Life: This was what she'd been waiting for, held out for all those years. Someone -- him -- to come home with every night, to sink into after saving the world or spending three days dug in on an alien planet with fifty-odd Jaffa between her team and the 'gate, someone who knew just how she liked to be touched... She rolled onto her back, offering sleepy kisses when his lips crossed hers, sighing when his wandering hands brushed across her belly... 

[moonsbeta]

Jikook Escape Room Au

Summary: Jungkook works at an Escape Room. Jimin ends up going with his friends. What happens when cheesy pick up lines are exchanged over the help line.

Or In which Jungkook shamelessly flirts with the Jimin. And it’s love at first call and sight.

Words: 3k

Genre: Fluff

Jimin goes with a couple of his friends (Namjoon and Hoseok) to the escape room that just opened up near his apartment

Jungkook is one of the employee’s hired in the escape room, along with his friends (Taehyung, Yoongi, and Jin)

Taehyung manages the front desk. Jin is the manager who resets the rooms. Yoongi is in charge of the tech equipment. And Jungkook is the one who watches the surveillance cameras and gives hints to the escapees when they call for help

Okay so one day Jimin goes and there’s a bit of a crowd so they end up having to wait, and are going to be the last ones before closing

Jungkook is already exhausted cause they had not only gotten one group of rowdy teenagers but TWO that day, and let me tell you... Jungkook could have given them the key to unlock the door and they still wouldn’t have known how to escape. So he’s a little peeved but “Don’t worry Jungkookie, only one more group and we’re off the hook for today” - Taehyung

Jungkook goes over to his little station and is playing some Overwatch to pass the time when he hears the buzz of one of the “help lines”. He answers with a bit of a grunt, ‘cause do people really have to phone so often? And also he was whooping some major ass today in Overwatch and now his streak is broken so thanks a lot.

But he’s greeted with a quiet “sorry... umm, we seem to be stuck on the locker combinations”. And suddenly all his grumpiness is wiped out cause on the other end is the gosh darn cutest voice he’s ever heard. In the back of his mind he can remember Tae saying something like “damn this group is an 11/10 would bang” but Jungkook had filed it away as some random shit Tae says. But now his curiosities peeked with this mysterious angelic voice so he swivels his chair over to the monitors that have a clear view of the room and- Oh MaN HoLy ShIT

Even with the not so HD quality cams Jungkook can tell this guy is attractive

Silky dark brown hair tucked into a black beanie. Soft round features and a glowing complexion. And from what Jungkook can make out he’s short cause the boy seems to be drowning in his oversized white shirt. He’s so focused on trying to see more from the pixels on screen of the cutie holding the phone and- Oh shit that’s right the phone

“Oh... ummm..yea” he clears his throat “sorry, you’re stuck?” There’s a breathy shy kind of laugh from the other end of the line and “Yeah.. we’ve found the first clue after the puzzle and I’m guessing it’s for the lockers but we’re not sure just how to solve it. Can you help us.. please?” And I mean it is Jungkook’s job, but how can he not help when he asked so nicely.

And Jungkook doesn’t know what’s coming over him but he can’t help himself when he suddenly says “Before I give you my oh so helpful clue, I’m gonna need a name to go along with that sweet voice” And UGH did he ReaLLy just say that, why on EARTH is Jungkook even trying to flirt. Jungkook’s cringing, oh no he’s cringing real bad... and it doesn’t help that the only thing he hears is the static of the other end of the line,

He’s chewing on his lip searching for any kind of reaction... but damn his boss for being a cheap ass and not installing HD monitors cause Jungkook can’t tell what cutie’s reaction is with these shitty pixels-

But then the silence is broken by a sweet little giggle and a “Jimin”

His gay panic calms down

“I’m Jungkook”

And soon enough Jimin is phoning Jungkook more than he should, and Jungkook’s out there entertaining Jimin with the worst related hot/cold escape room pick up lines in the world

“We’ve gotten to the steam room..”

“Are you a sauna? Cause you’re making me steamy”

~

“I hope you’ve found the fire extinguisher because you’re smoking hot - Is it hot in there? Or is that just you?”

~

“Jungkook, we need to find a candle but there’s no-“ “Are you sitting on a candle cause your booty is on fire” “OH MY GoD- HAhAhHhAahHa... Namjoonie I’m sitting on the candle hAhaa”

Okay so finally Jimin, Namjoon, and Hoseok are in the last room before they manage to “escape”. They managed to get out of the sauna and are now in what seems like an igloo/cold incubation. They’ve found some clues but they just need two more to be able to get the hell out of there. So Jimin skips over to the phone. “Jungkook~~, we’re almost done! We’re in the cold room, but can’t figure out the whole maze on the wall”

“Hmm, okay so the wall inside the igloo has the-“

“Oh oH wait.. I have one”

And Jungkook’s slighting confused to what Jimin means when he says “Jungkook, do you live in an igloo? Cause you seem like a pretty cool person”

And Jungkook’s shell shocked cause not only did Jimin just sort of flirt back but the boy is giggling and Jungkook can see through the monitor how he laughs with his whole body and wooow I think I just fell in love

Jimin’s still laughing when Jungkook is about to reply and then suddenly there’s a ruffling sound coming from the other end and Jungkook sees on the monitor that one of the guys Jimin came with is fighting to get the phone out of Jimin’s grip.

Jimin is being held arms length away whining a “hyungg, what are you doing?” when the guy speaks up on the phone “Okay whoever this Jungkook guy is, I want to get the fuck out of here and we can’t do that with the two of you constantly flirting-“

“Hyunggg, stop omg”

“Oh hush up Jimin, you can get the guys number when we get out of here. But first we have to GET OUT!” And Jungkook can see the blush taking over Jimin’s face and the way he’s struggling to get back to the phone but this new guy just keeps his arm held out and Jimin’s fighting is futile. So Jungkook just stutters out a “sorry” and helps them with what they need

(Cut to Jimin after Hoseok hung up the phone)

“HyuNG I’m going to murder you omg whyyy do you have to be so embarrassing ughhhh” Jimin’s glaring daggers at Hoseok by now

“That was utterly humiliating Hoseok, I can’t imagine what Jungkook feels. Oh god you’re such a dick” Jimin lays his head in his hands to try and block some of the shame. “Jiminie, you know what a scaredy cat Hobi-hyung is.. he just wants to get out of here as quickly as he can and you’re making it pretty hard with the long ass telephone calls.” -Namjoon

Jimin crosses his arms and pouts “Oh come on Jiminie... I’ll admit, it was entertaining at first seeing you act like a love struck school girl talking on the phone but I’m tired of being stuck in this ice chamber!” - Hobi

“LOVE STRUCK SCHOOL GIRL WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?” Jimin half grumbles/screams. Namjoon and Hoseok just look at each other and roll their eyes.

Jimin, Namjoon, and Hoseok finally manage to escape without phoning for Jungkook’s assistance anymore because Jimin is still petrified over Hobi’s humiliation and doesn’t have the courage to talk anymore

While their paying and taking their victory pictures (because they managed to escape under the time limit) Jimin is nervously biting his lip cause: Should he ask to see Jungkook-What would he say? I mean sure they had a thing sort of going on while they flirted through the phone but does that classify as wanting to date or even liking Jimin? Oh god what is he supposed to do?

In the meantime of his mental crisis, Taehyung has managed to chat up Hoseok whose a laughing mess And Namjoon is leaning over the counter spilling his philosophical values onto Seokjin

Jimin manages to break out of his reverie cause how can he concentrate when someone is fucking cleaning windows in here... but when he turns around there’s the really handsome man Namjoon was talking to laughing like a freaking windshield wiper and Jimin can’t help but crack a smile. And then two other guys are emerging from the employees room and woooow. Jimin’s eyes immediately fall onto the taller of the two. He has brown hair that was styled into a half part, showing some forehead but now seems a bit messy due to a long day at work. Thick eyebrows seem to poke through some of the hair. But his eyes... Jimin’s never seen such pretty eyes before. Big and round, brown and friendly and inviting. His eyelids even have a cute curve to them. And there seem to be sparkles in his pupils, twinkling eyes is this guy a fucking anime character? “Doe eyes” is what Jimin would best describe them as. He has a bulbous nose but its so endearing and it suits him perfectly that Jimin just melts a little on the inside. His upper lip is thin but has an adorable cupid’s bow and his bottom lip is pouty and full. And Jimin’s already swooning when he notices a beauty mark right under his lip. His face is youthful and innocent (especially with those eyes). But then Jimin’s eyes are starting to stray from his face and dear lord... he has piercings. His ears are covered in silver studs and earrings and jesus is that hot

Jimin’s eyes travel lower and he’s wearing an oversized thick blue stripped shirt but what makes Jimin breath a little faster is the fact that the first two buttons are undone and revealing some of his subtle tanned skin

His arms are lean from what he can make of the big sleeves covering them but if the veins on his arms are anything to go by... the man is fit. And further down does Jimin’s eyes travel and he audibly gulps. Cause this guys striped shirt is tucked into some high waisted pants and it just shows how long his legs are... and it’s not only that but his ThIgHs oML

The pants he’s wearing are barley able to contain all the muscle, the man is THICC. Those are some thunder thighs if Jimin’s ever seen them. And oh shit, Jimin’s drooling, yep he’s drooling

But when Jimin looks back up, wide and awed doe eyes are staring right back at him and oh shit I think my heart just stopped. Because this handsome man is walking over to Jimin and Jimin’s having a meltdown cause ohh noooo he’s hot. The handsome stranger stops right in front of him and he’s got a lovely blush darkening by the second and if Jimin isn’t wrong the man’s taking a deep breath while scratching his neck when suddenly he says in a quiet bashful sort of whisper “Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see.”

And Jimin just stands there barbecue sauce on his titties, mouth and eyes wide open. A heavy blush starting from his neck to his ears. And his eyes start tearing up and before he knows it he’s gasping for air and clutching his stomach while tears roll down his cheeks, he’s laughing so hard. And the man in front is giving him a dazzling smile, face all scrunched up, eyes crinkled but still twinkling and his teeth are showing. His smile... he’s like a bunny - teeth poking out. And that manages to calm Jimin down... and reality dawns upon him after hearing the pickup line and he says

“Jungkook?”

And Jimin thought before that Jungkook was smiling but now he’s BEAMING and laughing with quick nods of his head. And there Jimin and Jungkook are... both standing in the middle of the empty escape room lounge just grinning at each other

Yoongi’s locking the place up after 3 more extra hours of just everybody hanging out. Namjoon had hit it up quite nicely with Seokjin. And Hoseok had a great time with a bickering Taehyung and Yoongi while Jungkook and Jimin were in their own little world of soft spoken cheesy pick up lines, giggles, shy smiles, and full body laughs

But now it’s time to leave cause boss would have their heads if he knew they hadn’t closed up immediately and instead hung out with people in there. So everyone’s parting ways, exchanging phone numbers and goodbyes

Yoongi mentions trying out a new restaurant two blocks away next week, and everyone’s agreeing and setting up a time. But Jungkook and Jimin are too busy gazing up at each other, procrastinating the inevitable separation. Hoseok yells to Jimin it’s time to go, and the groups already a good block in front of them walking towards their cars in the parking lot. Jungkook breaks the silence by saying a dejected “Well, my buildings the other way so I guess you should probably go back” And he’s stepping back when Jimin takes one step forward into Jungkook’s space again and takes a hold of his sleeve. Jungkook seems a little shocked by the action with his wide eyes and parted lips that Jimin oh so desperately wants to smooch.

And then Jimin’s saying “I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?” And Jimin fears that maybe it’s too much, maybe he’s insinuating something Jungkook doesn’t want. And it doesn’t help that Jungkook is taking a while to react... but then Jungkook starts smiling -his bunny smile - and he’s bending down. And before Jimin knows, Jungkook is capturing his lips with his own. Jungkook’s lips are feather light on Jimin’s, giving him room to step back

It’s a soft caress of Jungkook’s lips with Jimin’s own. But then Jimin gets on his tippy toes and adds more pressure to their lips, and he’s smiling too

Now Jungkook can feel just how full and plush Jimin’s lips are. And Jimin can feel Jungkook’s lips softly press a kiss onto his top lip and slid back down to press onto both. Jungkook reaches a hand and cups Jimin’s cheek while his thumb smoothes over the surface of his cheekbone and his arm is wrapping around Jimin’s waist and bringing him a bit closer

Jimin is enthusiastic and jumps up a little to wrap his arms around Jungkook’s neck and get closer. But during the process their lips detach from one another. And Jungkook’s separating with furrowed brows and a worried gaze. Jimin’s confused by Jungkook’s reaction...

But then Jungkook is bombarding him with questions and apologies “Hyung, I’m so sorry-Did I hurt you?!”“I over stepped, I misread everything- oh god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even ask if you wanted to... I”

Jimin cuts him off with a sad “What are you talking about?” and with a disappointed sigh he says “I should have known you didn’t want to kiss me” And now Jungkook’s confused

“NO!” He basically shouts because he can’t stand the sad frown and downcast eyes Jimin has on his face right now.

Jungkook’s shout surprises Jimin who jumps a little “I.. um, I mean um *inhale* I did want to kiss you but you pulled away I thought I did something wrong.” “I’m sorry” Jungkook murmurs. And Jimin’s once again shocked as he scrambles to say “No! I didn’t pull away, w-well I did but I didn’t mean to I- I was jumping up to get closer but instead I ended up pulling away..” and his voice dies out in the end cause god this is embarrassing. He was having this amazing sweet, charming, hot af guy kiss him and he ends up fucking it up...

Jimin hadn’t even realized he was looking down until he felt Jungkook’s hand come up to his chin and lift gently to meet his gaze.

Jungkook’s eyes are earnest when he says “Really? Are you sure, c-cause I mean I would totally understand why you w-wouldn’t want to kiss me” And then Jimin is standing once again on his tip toes and pecking Jungkook’s lips lovingly

“I’m sorry I ruined it, I really did want to kiss you. I got excited and jumped but instead I just pulled away” and Jimin’s pouting

Jungkook just stares for a second cause honestly how can this gorgeous man in-front of him like him, but as he lets Jimin’s words sink in his bunny smile is back in place and Jimin thinks it’s his favorite thing in the world

Now this time, Jimin’s hands are circled around Jungkook’s neck. Jungkook’s hands are both holding onto Jimin’s hips. And they both lean in. This time there’s more pressure from the get go, and Jungkook tilts his head to nibble on Jimin’s lower lip which as Jimin releasing a soft whimper. And Jimin just presses harder and kisses Jungkook breathless. Jungkook’s tongue is starting to poke out, lazily running over Jimin’s top and bottom lip when all of a sudden they hear a chorus of “SMOOCHIE SMOOCHIE SOMEONE’S IN LOVEEEE” followed by cackles. And as Jungkook and Jimin break apart with fuller and redder lips and a scarlet blush adorning their cheeks... their friends are pointing fingers and laughing at them

Jungkook now has a scowl on his face, meanwhile Jimin just groans and hides his face in Jungkook’s neck

Bonus:

“Okay but this time we really have to go Jimin”

“I’m coming Hobi, calm your horses” Jimin turns back towards Jungkook who now has just one hand resting on his waist, and who is staring at him with a fond expression

“Why are you looking at me like that?” - Jimin

“I guess there must be something wrong with my eyes... ‘cause I can’t take them off you.” Jungkook says with a teasing voice, but the awe is still set in his eyes. And Jimin explodes into a fit of full body giggles and squeaks

In the back they can hear the “uGh’s” and groans from their friends

But Jungkook nor Jimin care anymore. So Jungkook goes ahead and steals another kiss right there.

Please credit me if you decide to use this idea, that be a drawing, social media Au, or rewrite. And don’t forget to tag me cause I would LOVE to see your work! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

Here are some visuals of how they looked: pictures are not mine

[florets-in-the-sky]

Started With a Romance Novel (Gladiolus Amicitia)

{Fluff} Chalked up his number quick, did you? He comes barreling into your life anyway 

Warnings: None

Song: Force of Nature

Your ears perked at the gentle chime of the bell, signaling another patron that had come into your lonely corner of the world.

Briefly, you glance up, taking your eyes off the words from the book and into the room around you.  A casual once over and they drift back down before darting right back up.

Normally you’d expect old couples, bookworms, or even the odd Glaive who stumbled in. But him? The only reason he could be here was definitely to cause trouble.

Tattoos, scarring, a shirt so tight that barely hid the muscle underneath, and a general air that whispered he shouldn’t be messed with. Your lips curl, nose wrinkling as he approaches one of the regulars that had managed to catch his eye. She looked just as bewildered as you.

A few words are exchanged, and he walks off with a growing smirk, leaving the swooning customer in his wake. Priding yourself on your more than accurate judge of character, your eyes traverse over his movements, not daring to leave him unattended from the desk you were settled behind. For now, he seemed to not be causing any trouble beside the brief flirtation. Hopefully it would remain that way. 

Oddly enough, as you ogle his form, he looks somewhat familiar. Now just where have you seen him before? Your eyes trek over the planes of his arms over the shoulders, back of the neck, before resting on the intricacies of the tattoo he was sporting. Feathers. 

Oh. 

Amicitia. 

Just what was needed: a meat-headed, muscle-brained shield that probably was too flamboyant for his own good. Just another reason to add to the ever-growing mental list to keep your distance.

Minutes later, he’s approaching the desk, and you shift uncomfortably when he locks eyes with you, that same smirk presenting itself on his face. Without breaking eye contact, he carefully sets the books down. “I’d like to make a purchase.” His voice is deep and smooth, molten chocolate with a rich center. 

“Oh,” you say--and really, oh wow is what you had been thinking--tongue floundering for a moment to find words. “Of course.” 

He chuckles softly at your hesitation, deep and rich and... oddly wonderful. You shake your head, letting out a breath and taking a look at the books he had set down. 

There were the traditional novels you’d thought he’d be interested in, classics of the outdoors and whatnot. But what catches your eye is a romance novel. One you know. It’s your favorite.

“You like this?” A cocked eyebrow and an accusation are sent his way as you hold up the book, almost offended. How dare he have endearing similarities after you had carefully judged his character. 

Now it’s his turn to be caught off guard. “Seemed interesting,” is all he says, a hand coming to scratch the back of his head. 

You let out a brief and scalding laugh. “Or another tactic to flirt with others here.” You revel in the small victory of seeing his face blanch, and his shoulders sink into himself.

But just as expected, he brushes it off. “Tell you what. I’ll read the book, and then we can talk about it over coffee.”

That smirk is back on his face, challenging and lighting every nerve ending of yours on fire with annoyance.

“Fine.” Your cross your arms over your chest, head tilting higher in an air of defiance. Is this a date? Did I just accept to go out on a date with a shield of the crown?

“Gonna need you to scan those books, sweetheart.” He winks and against all manner of willpower and spite that tries to hold back your blush, it comes anyway and you duck your head, scanning and taking his money as fast as you can if only to get him to leave.

He only leaves once location, date, and time are secure for your friendly book club meeting. And yes, that is exactly what you had referred to it as, emphasizing that this was not a date.

A dismissive wave sends him out the door. “See you on the date.” He emphasizes the word, not even looking back over his shoulder to see your reaction.  

~

The dreaded day approaches faster than anticipated and as you enter into the quaint coffee shop, the harsh tinkling of the bell makes you wince. It’s almost like some cheap role reversal from a chick flick. He’s sat at a table, eyeing you like you had done when he first entered into your world.

And of course he looked good. He looked amazing. 

In the cool autumn air he had donned cozy layers, thick-soled ankle boots, and a loose scarf. 

This was getting unfair, because how dare autumn look that good on him.

Before you even made it to your chair, he’s already standing and holding it out for you, pushing it back in once you sit, and truly this is a surprise. You hadn’t expected manners, or even for him to look this well groomed, but here you were. In a coffee shop. For a friendly book club meeting. It’s not a date.

“You look nice,” he says with a grin, which lacks the usual tease that manages to seep into every word he says.

“Uh, thank you. You too,” is all that stutters out of your mouth. This is going to be lovely. You sigh, and he seems concerned.

“Look, if you’d rather not be here, that’s fine. You can leave, if that’s what you want.” And against your better judgment, you end up staying because something in his soft, amber eyes makes you stay on this not-date.

You realize after--as you’re walking back home arm in arm, hanging on his every word--that you hadn’t even discussed the novel. 

~

The not-date bled into a real date. A couple of real dates, actually, each one more riveting than the other with the man who’s slowly, annoyingly, burrowing his way into your life. 

At least that’s what you try to convince yourself with as ammunition when you say you’re finally going to stop seeing him. But each time you try to bring it up, he pinpoints you with that same gaze that sends your insides into a messed up whirl and constricts your throat so the only thing you can manage to say is, “I love your eyes,” which seems like a stupid confession after the serious note you began on, but he doesn’t seem to mind, breaking out into the prettiest grin you’ve ever seen. 

Yes, pretty. Everything about him is poetic. And your appreciation for him is far too much. He’s too perfect. Too perfect for you, who questions his intentions at every turn, but he proves you wrong every time. It’s relentless and endearing all the same.

~

It’s winter and snowflakes are kissing your cheeks and catching in his hair. You thought autumn had done him well, but winter? Winter made him shine with resplendence. He was a crown jewel in her season, and rightly so.

As you admire the side of his profile, he turns to you and your breath catches in your throat at being caught, but he just grins--no smirks, no teasing--just grins. He’s taking your face in his hands for the most dizzying kiss and you swear you can feel your heart melt at the adoration in his eyes once he parts. And instead of him taking the initiative, it’s you who pulls him in by the lapels of his jacket for an even sweeter kiss, winter shedding snowy grace down on you both.

You smile into it, and when his arms secure even tighter around you in a crushing embrace that steals the air from your lungs, you know that this man has singlehandedly captured you in the most loving and intimate of ways, just like that romance novel. And oddly enough, you think you might be fine with that.

Until he decides it is absolutely necessary that he leaves with the Prince to ensure his safe journey to Altissia. 

He’s leaving you. And that’s exactly what you’d expect from a meat-headed, muscle-brained shield. But you can’t find it within yourself to be mad at him when he’s crushing your form into his own. Because you think you might love him and he knows he loves you.

Please don’t leave. 

How long will you be gone? 

What if you’re in danger?

And despite your best points that you know are good points because he doesn’t have the answer to any of them, he has to go. You know that. Which is why you send him away with sweet kisses and a hug that sways you on your feet. He promises he’ll come back.

“I love you,” is what you say as a final goodbye, and this time it’s him who’s swooning. It almost makes him want to stay. Almost…

~

Gladio, true to his word, returns. There are more scars and aches to him than you remember--a newfound pain of a lost brother. You kiss each aching crevice away with a gentle reverence, “I love you’s” sprinkled out so freely you wonder what has struck you to act in such a way.

For him, it’s all worth it. Especially when he returns those kisses with equal fervor, pulling you close with an arm wrapped protectively around your waist.

'Cause you're a force of nature

Look at what you've done

I can taste the danger but I don't wanna run

So pull me to the ground and I won't put up a fight

I'm a caution taker, but baby you're a force of nature

[unholyhelbig]

Mitchsen Prompt-Aubrey Posen has always had her life planned out for her. Go to college, get a degree with the highest accomplishments, go to law school and become a lawyer. It’s the Posen way, and Posens will always want to be the best of the best. But when Beca Mitchell ask what Aubrey wants in life, not what the Posen want but just Aubrey as a person. Aubrey can’t help but feel lost. And as Aubrey ponders, she makes some revelations. One involving the DJ

[A/N: This has been a long time coming. But I loved writing it!]

The old room was desolate. There were not posters littering the cold brick walls. Not lights hung around a tacky cork board that had the memories tacked into the malleable material. There wasn’t even a rug against the tiled floor- just a drab grey duvet that looked like it had never been slept on, a book (that looked like it was by Rudyard Kipling) And a reading lamp.

It’s what Beca imagined prison to be like, without the wires of course, but the closest thing to it. There was nothing personal about the small room in the New York City apartment. And she wasn’t much of a decorator herself- but one could figure some interests from the large amount of mixing equipment she always had close by, and the picture of her girls that rested in a frame crafted during a bonding exercise. But this? This was sad.

“She doesn’t really talk to any of us,” the stranger that had let Beca into the apartment spoke. She looked like a nice enough girl; brunette and snide. If anything, she reminded the Dj of an eel with dark placid eyes. She said something about being a classmate of Aubrey, sharing a few conversations with her. “She’s neat and pays rent on time, so we don’t ask any questions.”

“Yeah,” Beca nodded softly, turning to face the girl. She was leaning heavily on the doorframe, stare occasionally scanning over the woman’s frame. She had her arms crossed over her chest almost like she was studying her for something. Law Majors. Beca thought bitterly. “That sounds like Aubrey.”

And it did. At least the neurotic parts of the girl hadn’t shifted since she informed the group that she had given up on the retreat. It wasn’t what her father wanted her to do with her life. She was wasting good potential and was better suited for a life in the city. This didn’t’ look like the best fit to Beca. All she saw was a sad gloomy room where houseplants came to die. She had even noticed that most of the woman’s boxes were unpacked, and it had been almost eight months. This wasn’t home by a long shot.

“Hmm,” The stranger nodded with absence, “Well, she usually comes home around five from class, but the rain might be keeping her… feel free to crack a book.” She hesitated “Well, one book.”

“Thank you,” Beca stated. What else was she to say? The woman had her own things to attend to, letting the door close simply behind her. It left the brunette to stand in the middle of the room- almost afraid to move like she was in an art exhibit. A man with a yardstick would come over at any moment and tell her not to touch the art, it was only an installation piece to be looked at.  

She was lucky she wasn’t dripping grimy rainwater all over the floor. She was careful to shake herself out before she even knocked on the door to the apartment. The thick scent of must was still in the air- almost like it clung to her black pea coat. It did, at this point, a bad cold to shake. One that rocked her to her core and ate away at her stomach. Maybe it was better this way. Better than getting a dosage of Aubrey’s signature scent. The kind that warmed her in an almost opposite effect.

It was vanilla. Not like the cheap stuff that you could buy at a craft store to mask an odor for a few minutes. The kind with glitter and shine laced into the liquid. No, this was something that reminded Beca of the cooking extract. Picked clean from the trees and condensed into a little amber bottle with a rubber dropper that looked like an old medicinal tool from the 1800’s. Aubrey always smelled sweet and dark at the same time- a library with hundreds of novels just waiting to be dusted off. A little diner in the middle of the night riddled with mysterious characters. An evening spent in curled up by the fire while snow collected at the window sills.

Yeah, the rain was better. Less painful.  

She eventually settled for lowering herself against the corner of the bed, not exactly sitting, but not standing either. She smoothed her palm over the centered wrinkles her added weight created. It shattered the illusion that she wasn’t’ really here. That her eyes didn’t’ begin to flash over the bricks and count them by two’s.  

It was only when she heard the creak of the bedroom door that she pulled herself from her memories. Her midnight eyes flashed towards the offending object. She stood quickly, not sure if she should shove her hands in her pockets or let them hang to the side awkwardly. She wouldn’t dream of crossing them over her chest- as if not to scare the blonde away.

The Aubrey that she saw in front of her was anything but composed. It wasn’t the same confident woman that was at the retreat or the one that looked so elegant sitting across from her in a dimly lit restaurant that was too expensive for its own good. It wasn’t the woman who sat around in her sweatpants and cried over weddings in cheesy lifetime movies. It was someone broken, and tired.

Her hair was damp from the rain, usually, forest eyes faded to a dull grey. Her skin had paled from winters hand, a leather bag hanging off her shoulder. It was weighted down with a laptop and textbooks, no doubt. She had to stop herself from dropping it, fingers wrapping with haste around the strap.

She didn’t know what to say, so Beca spoke first.

“Your roommate let me in.”

Beca licked her lips. They tasted earthy, cold from the weather. Aubrey simply herded herself into the room, shutting the door carefully behind her as she let her bag hit the floor with a dull thud. Her chest was heaving, no doubt from the many flights of stairs that she had to climb. Maybe from the way, Beca stared at her now. If this room at access to a fire escape, she wasn’t entirely sure Aubrey wouldn’t bolt.

“I think she would have questioned me more if she wasn’t so curious about the type of people that you know.” She said. “Knew.”

Aubrey nodded, sniffing. It sounded like she had a cold, or maybe it was just the rainwater that still dripped off her features. The way she had that determined stare that made Beca’s heart warm in a way that she hadn’t felt in a long while. She almost yearned for the woman’s touch again. Completely forgetting about past arguments that lead to why they were in this situation now.

It was the Posen way. That brought the young lawyer to New York in the first place. She left behind her business, her friends, her family- and the love of her life. Or at least, that’s how Beca regarded herself by how often Aubrey had said it. How often she thought she meant it. She was her father’s daughter, and nothing about his demanding future struck Aubrey as odd. It clouded her, and now that was all Beca had come to realize.

Aubrey didn’t think herself was good enough for anyone because that was the household she was brought up in. It caused her to drop everything in Atlanta to go back home- to work at her family’s firm. There was no time for love or loss. She hadn’t allowed herself to feel anything towards the situation. And it had all come rushing back to both girls.  

“I had to ask you a few questions,” Beca stated.

“The phone works well.”

“You wouldn’t have answered.”

No, she wouldn’t have. They both knew that. After a few months, Beca had stopped trying altogether. She knew when she wasn’t wanted. The brunette had her own career to focus on, part of the reason she had flown to the city in the first place. It was just the devils’ hand and the cruel sting of curiosity that brought Beca to ask Chloe for her ex-lover’s current address. The ginger reluctantly gave it up.

Aubrey nodded with care, not pulling herself away from the door. She was scanning Beca, almost like the roommate, but this time, it sent an undeniable wave of pleasure through the woman. She cursed herself, wishing her body wouldn’t betray her the way it had- a form of wetness drumming up between her legs. Her heartbeat pounding with more intent.

She ignored it.

“Are you happy?” It wasn’t the question that Beca had intended to lead with, not in a malice or ill-intended way, either. She was curious. Because this? This certainly didn’t look like the room of someone who enjoyed what they were doing in life. “You know, here, in your new shiny life.”

Aubrey scoffed, her life was far from shiny. It was clouded over and scared her shitless, but part of her didn’t’ want Beca to know that. To know that the rash decision to move with loomed with the desire to pull the younger woman into her arms once more and breathe in her scent.

“No,” Aubrey didn’t have to lie, she was sure that Beca knew she had a tell. It was one of the things neither could forget. No matter how comprised Aubrey was, she couldn’t’ lie. Not to Beca. The corner of her lip would twitch in the slightest of ways. It was almost endearing, how observant he girl was about her. “But is it about happiness?”

“If it’s not, then what could be driving you?” She shot back with another question, gaining more of a nerve. “Your father’s approval? Your five-year plan?”

No matter how much she hated to admit it, she was not apart of that plan. Beca knew that Aubrey had her quirks: the way she left crumbs on the butter that rested in the fridge, the way she would lose her lunch the second things grew too stressful, and the way she had the meticulous five-year plan about her feature. The one that was skewed the second Beca had embraced her after a shouting match between the two. It was the best sex they had ever had, to this day. Passionate and a mix of rage and love. Painful and relinquishing all at once. Almost like they gave up a part of themselves that night. Settled for just being in each other’s arms in bliss.

“Are you asking me what I want?” Aubrey finally settled her breathing, pulling herself away from the door. Her muscles cried in pain, mixing of the temperatures telling her body to relax and tense up at the same time. She stared Beca down.

Beca swallowed, she wasn’t sure. “It clearly isn’t this.”

“I am supposed to be here, Beca.” She said “I make money here. I’ll own the firm one day-“

“I’m not asking what General Posen wants.” It took everything in the smaller girl not to add a twinge of jealousy into her voice. The man clearly had blinding power in the situation that she didn’t possess herself. Her voice was raised, heat in her cheeks. “What do you want?”

With each word, she jammed her finger into Aubrey’s collarbone. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt her, maybe just a bit irritating. Each time her skin made contact with Aubrey’s her heart seemed to grow louder, deafening as the rain picked up past a cloudy window.

The kiss should have come out of nowhere, it should have shocked Beca into complying and letting her tense feelings melt away. Instead, it was completely expected and heavenly. Aubrey clasped her hands gently into Beca’s damn brown locks, pressing her cold nose against her cheek as soft lips met in the middle. The kiss was filled with passion, dear god, that passion.

Beca nipped back lightly, her heart so dominating at that point. It wasn’t an answer, it wasn’t something that she could lull over. Something that made her think more about how the woman in her embrace let her go with so much delicacy. No doubt, crying on the plane as Beca curled into the silk sheets they once shared. Yearning for that vanilla scent- something she felt now. Something she pushed herself flush against.

The answer was clearly and simply put. “You”

[thattimdrakeguy]

Who’s Damian when he’s actually Damian?

People really freaking exaggerate how much of a maniac Damian is in his early years (besides his origin, obviously).

Like his origin to Batman and Robin is a giant stretch to be completely honest. Decapitating people, to helping people in a matter of months is a really big battle against the suspension of disbelief. Which is honestly my biggest problem with early Damian beyond the other writers completely messing with him to the point that it makes him come off like a crap character.

But beyond being extra violent with criminals, stubborn, and obviously bitter: He honestly isn’t that bad? He gets along with Dick well enough, except when they have a genuine moment caused by Damian’s glorification of himself and his parents. Though they really write Dick and Damian wrongly nowadays.

It’s really exaggerated how much of a maniac he was though.

Has lessons to learn obviously, and isn’t well-adjusted. But I enjoy it.

I really like the dynamic Damian has with Dick and Alfred when it came to how it was supposed to be. He’s a mature, young adult at the age of 10, and they treat him so, but yet he’s still a kid that needs to learn so they find a balance in it. As in they still mostly treat him as the young adult he is at heart, but still acknowledge that he has a lot to learn.

Dick treats Damian with respect as much as he can, and isn’t over affectionate like they act like nowadays. Like they basically to an extent gave Dick and Damian Tim and Dick’s relationship--when Dick and Damian had their own unique and interesting dynamic that suited them much more.

He’s more of a dad knowing he has to find the best way to teach his kid a lesson rather than all the nicknames and hugs and stuff they act like they are now.

I’m not saying Dick was abusive to Damian or anything, cause he probably isn’t smacking him all that hard. But they greatly changed their dynamic for something already done and a lot less interesting.

And people always sort of implied this thing were Damian cared a lot about Robin, but in context Damian didn’t really care. It was more about something different than that.

He wasn’t about Robin.

It was all about his dad and living up to his legacy. He has this super idealized version of Bruce in his head (even though he seemed to really dislike him initially in his origin, but Damian was super inconsistent even by the same writers) that he wants to live up to. And later on it was about his father son relationship with Dick. Damian’s parental figures are what causes his inner conflict.

Like Damian’s adult personality I also just find kind of endearing? Like I don’t like the current Damian at all. At freaking all, because it isn’t him. The Damian they act like is just--more of a normal kid in spirit I guess(?). Damian being a miniature adult and people respecting that is so much better than implying him being different is a problem by making him more normal. I enjoy the respect they have for him here with how he is. He’s just being himself and they aren’t pushing him like it’s a problem with him as a person. It’s about his morals not how he’s different. They respect that he’s different from other people his age. Which is oddly a warm dynamic to me that I appreciate. The current stuff trying to act like he’s more normal--completely misses the point of who he is as a character and personality, or even what the point of his lessons were.

As the way it was meant to be, they don’t treat him in a way that he would clearly find incredibly patronizing.

Which is super refreshing after so many writers decided to ignore the uniqueness of Damian to instead make him a lot more--typical and cheap fan service-y.

I also wanna say. I don’t think the comic is good by any means. Characters are out of character sometimes. Dick tries to resurrect Batman when he was against Tim trying it. Which they mention--but, like, it comes across like they only mention it because they’re aware they’re making a big contradiction, and it’s barely even handled. They make Jason have some strange complex about being Dick and dying his hair, even retconning his white streak being dyed in to being a gray streak from the Lazarus pit. They also imply Dick wants to date Kate Kane--which is...ew.

Also Dick constantly saying “Tim Drake” instead of just Tim, like they’d confuse him for some other Tim, as if he’s already partially forgotten comes off totally wrong. I can’t imagine it was the intention but it’s sort of icky how they completely changed their dynamic just for the sake of a change.

But as far as Damian’s character goes. It just makes it a lot sadder what they ended up doing with him. When he was a lot more interesting the way they had him. Instead of making him constantly regress, and at the same time use him for fan service by having things he wouldn’t do, and even turning him into a freaking joke. Just continuing with what made him unique would’ve been a lot better.

When they went for an odd gag it actually was because of them using his character instead of the joke being “Haha Damian is doing something he wouldn’t ever do” which is horrible character work, and super lazy comedy. When doing a joke that uses the character is far better at representing the character, and even builds characterk.

And another thing I much more appreciate is how they actually have Damian caring about his dad dying.

One of the biggest pains of Red Robin to me was the scene where Tim became Red Robin. One, cause Tim would never hit a kid. Two, Dick wouldn’t just suddenly think Tim is his equal and cast aside Tim when he knows how much Robin meant to Tim. Three, because Damian came off as a generic snotty kid who didn’t even care his dad died.

Damian doesn’t make jokes here. It’s his thing that’s he’s very serious. He’s very mature and adult-like for his age, that’s his endearing quality. He’s very serious and intense when it comes to his dad--like how it would actually be.

They portray Bruce as Damian’s main weakness. There’s no weird contradictions here about rather Damian is egotistical or insecure. He’s very prideful in himself and who he came from, but when it comes to his dad he becomes worried, because of how highly he thinks of him.

The portrayal of Talia (that I didn’t really feel like screenshotting) is of course infamously horrible, and out of character for her. But tis the reason why I’m not an actual fan of this serious or Grant Morrison in-general, or even this era.

Like it’s a plotpoint she does something to Damian’s spine to make it so she can control him--it’s super freaking dumb even for a comic. At least in this modern age.

Just how soulful and mature Damian is, is always why that’s what I say I like in him when ever I talk about him when I like him (which is whenever his writing doesn’t really annoy me at that time, or some other thing). Because it’s like--what he’s meant to be like. They ruined him afterwards to me personally. Trying to make something he’s not just like Tim except in their own unique ways given they’re different characters.

And personally, I don’t even think Damian’s character arc is that well done. It sounds great, but reading it, it honestly isn’t that amazing. He just kind of accepts to be better, and, like, he has a few moments here and there of learning, but it’s not actually a lot. It’s very overhyped. It’s genuinely done super lazy, like I think a lot of the writing in this series is lazy, but while there’s a few great moments--it’s just moments, and it’s hard for me to really get into it when it’s just moments.

To me this comic is very overrated, but like--as a showing of what Damian’s meant to be, given this is written by his creator. It makes things really disappointing for me more so, even though current comics already had me depressed with Tim, and even already Damian to an extent, but this just really sets it in.

I’m still someone who has the complicated opinion of I like Damian as a character in a way but I don’t really. Because he still doesn’t really have any stories I like--I pretty much just liked how he was in the beginning because of how interesting he was even if his stories never used it well--and continued to not like him because I feel like pretty much every other writer no matter what the fandom says bastardized him.

So most of my opinions still remain besides a different perspective on how Damian actually was in the beginning, but still. Like I still don’t think he’s a good character purely because of his later writers, and his character arcs general laziness when it comes to how it actually is on the page. But it’s just what he could be I guess. Which is how a lot of people are about him I suppose.

It really gets me how he has the same similar problems as Tim. Had a very obvious set character, random changes that people treat as character development even though when you look deeper it’s a lot more shallow cause it doesn’t freaking add up, they can’t even freaking draw them right anymore, and everyone has a weird inconsistent idea on what they’re even like because of all the bad writing.

It’s a headache.

[attacksoftheclones]

THE LAST JEDI REVIEW

SPOILERS ahead, you have been warned. Also #long post.

-

I had so much faith in this film. I had so much faith in Rian. With overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, I know my opinion on this film lies within the minority – but here it is anyway.

To get my thoughts on The Force Awakens out of the way, my problems and gripes with the film were the same of that of many others. To sum it up, yes I agree that it was a retread of A New Hope and I thought it fell short greatly in terms of world building. When you have a galaxy from a long time ago in a place far, far away, the possibilities are endless – I didn’t want to see a Tatooine 2.0 or a third Death Star renamed as Starkiller Base. I also felt that the lack of explanations given paired with the abundance of questions it produced tarnished much of it. What additionally disappointed me about Episode VII again much like many other people, was additionally how much more childish it felt compared to other Star Wars films, an obvious attribution to Disney’s reign on the franchise following the six installments of Lucas’ story. There were things I liked, though. I thought Finn was an interesting character and really enjoyed the idea of having a stormtrooper that defected to the Resistance and I anticipated exploring the mentality involved in both making that decision and how such a decision would have consequences in The Last Jedi. I of course enjoyed having a female heroine and finished the film aching for answers on her past just as everyone else had. Of course, what I was most desperately excited for following The Force Awakens was the return of Luke Skywalker.

Whilst I have been vocal (on twitter) about the issues I did have with the film, my excitement for The Last Jedi was in no way diminished. I do not dislike the sequel trilogy for the sake of a preconceived agenda, I would say I was very open to this film. The trailer already established a clearly beautifully shot and notably darker take on the trilogy, something I have come to prefer as a prequel fan as I like the complexity that comes along with it. My excitement was further enhanced because The Last Jedi was the first Star Wars film I was going to see in a cinema and I was keen to feel the excitement of a midnight premiere. I knew experiencing the opening credits for the very first time simultaneously with everyone else, booming with John Williams’ iconic score would be thrilling to say the least. And it was.

The opening was strong, Poe and BB-8 were as endearing as ever. Surpassing his mandate from General Leia and at the risk of increasing the already dangerously high casualty rate of the Resistance, we are introduced to an “at all costs” Poe in this film that largely sets up his arc for what is to follow – which turns out to not actually be much, much like the rest of this film. I never disliked Poe Dameron in any way following The Force Awakens but I knew this film had to really “ignite a fire” in the character for me to become attached to him solely because the previous film produced very little Poe content to go off of. We know he is a fantastic pilot and anything further than a more hot-headed attitude really isn’t established for Poe in this film. Poe spends his time battling his superiors Leia as well as the newly appointed Admiral Holdo, suffering the disappointment of being demoted for the recklessness that we see from him in the opening scene that costs the Resistance more than they can bear. Poe’s arc ventures little from arguing and to be fair wouldn’t have been as dissatisfying if it weren’t so ridiculously dragged out by director Rian Johnson as the only arc for the Resistance, other than suffering from a low supply of fuel. Yes, it was good to see a more of the reality of war in the Star Wars universe which hasn’t really been explored since the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (although being aired on Cartoon Network of course did limit this in areas). We watch the spirit of the Resistance suffer and dwindle, but this unfortunately is carried out through an ultimately pointless and boring side arc of being low of fuel and being tracked by the First Order that left me sighing every time a scene transitioned back into one at the Rebel base. Whilst part of this of course is also due to the anticipation of desperately wanting answers to Rey and Luke’s futures on Ahch-To, the overall story for the Resistance is a back and forth, cat and mouse quest where nothing is ultimately achieved by the end of the film.

Which brings me to: Finn and Rose.

Finn, or should I say the writing of this character, disappointed me in this film and I left incredibly frustrated. From the trailers and TV spots I expected to see Finn and new character Rose (who I was enormously excited to see for both diversity reasons as well as her portrayal by the amazing Kelly Marie Tran) infiltrating the First Order undercover where we would ultimately see Finn finally rid himself of the burden of his unfinished business with the Order, particularly with Captain Phasma. I hoped to see Finn tackle the trauma of returning to the place that birthed him into a life of indoctrination and anticipated a showdown between himself and Phasma who was ultimately representative of his suffering. Instead, Finn (after disappointingly initially attempting to escape the Resistance) along with unknown Resistance mechanic Rose are sent secretly by Poe to put an end to the tracking of the Resistance fleet by the First Order. This arc was convoluted and even positive reviews will tell you that their adventure is unnecessary and unexciting. Providing little to absolutely nothing for the ending of the film, Finn and Rose’s adventure felt like a trip right out of Star Wars especially on Canto Bight, where every alien species in sight was blanketed in brown and absent of the diversity and colour we were introduced to in the prequels. The character shrouded in secrecy by Lucasfilm up until the release of this film, DJ (portayed by Benicio del Toro) whom Finn and Rose meet along the way (much to their later dismay) was additionally not at all worth the mystery that surrounded him and delivered nothing but a petite punch to what little direction this film had. When the time came for them to go undercover as First Order officers, the battle I so looked forward to seeing between Finn and Phasma was short and as a consequence anticlimactic. If that were not disappointing enough, by the film’s end pairing Finn and Rose together romantically with little foundation for this plot point felt cheap and took away from the heroic moments they did have throughout the film. Whilst I don’t personally believe any romance is necessary between Rey and Finn at all or for any character for that matter,The Force Awakens did poke at the possibility and this was only furthered by Finn’s constant mentioning of Rey throughout The Last Jedi. This caused any romantic direction for Rose and Finn to additionally seem one sided on Rose’s part.

Luke. I struggle to decide where to begin in writing about one of my all time favourite Star Wars characters in this film, mostly because I am genuinely insulted at how the character whose heart and spirit was the savior of the original trilogy was treated. Despite Mark Hamill making it publicly known that he initially completely disagreed with the direction Johnson wanted to take Luke in in this trilogy, I did not fear a change for Luke Skywalker. I was excited to see what could torture Luke’s soul so much that he would isolate himself from everything and everyone he has ever known and place himself alone on an island with the sole purpose to die there (as he makes clear in the film), wishing for the Jedi to come to an eternal end. I expected something, being either an action from Rey or a reminder of his old self, to eventually charge him back into action, allowing us to see a changed Luke Skywalker but one who still held all the heart-warming elements of his personality we have come to love. I know this would have been a predictable route and that we were told to expect the unexpected, but I will not shift from the belief that this is what would have been most true to Luke’s character.

Luke acknowledges early on that leaving the island as a one-man force against the First Order will do little to change the drastic state of the fight and I agreed with this. I agreed with his feelings of failure and disappointment after having his nephew destroy his new Jedi order and the unquestionable devotion he put into it. After all, this was a character we know has always followed his heart and to have that backfire would undoubtedly shake him and his core values. What I did not agree with was the extremely snarky attitude of the character, one that would leave Rey hopelessly chasing after him in circles around the island. One that would leave her to sleep without comfort and shelter, one that would refuse to train her despite two small lessons he agreed to give her in some cold-hearted attempts, in which once realising that she had great potential leads him to abandon her in her fear. Luke never returns to the fight with Rey in the Millennium Falcon, although we do at least get to see him momentarily revisit it. He doesn’t oversee the training of a new apprentice. Luke remains on the island and in an utterly bizarre end, he projects himself apparently so powerfully through the force into battle with Kylo Ren whilst actually still in meditation on Ahch-To and somehow gains a cocky and uncomfortably amusing persona (he slow motion dodges Kylo’s hits and winks awkwardly enough to almost break the fourth wall) as a now all powerful Jedi master. This effort presents him as seemingly immortal until it is over and we see Luke disappear into his cloak in front of a sunset much like Obi-Wan’s death in A New Hope. However much like the final confrontation with Kylo Ren it is confusing, unclear and most of all dissatisfying as it doesn’t even feel real, especially as we have never seen the force used in this way before and much like Leia’s use of the force in this film it is quite jarring. I’m already preparing for the “Is Luke Skywalker really dead?” theories, although I do believe with the film’s ending that the answer is yes. It is clear that this trilogy wants to be free of the burden of appealing to original fans of the franchise in ridding itself of Lucas’ founding characters to entirely become its own – which whatever that is, is also totally ambiguous in this film’s cluttered and shambolic end. The destruction of the Skywalker lightsaber was infuriating to say the least, not only as a metaphor for Disney’s cleansing of anything remotely Lucas in this franchise but as an insult to the franchise’s most iconic characters – Anakin and Luke. I felt as if I were witnessing a punch in the gut to Luke saying “I am a Jedi, like my father before me”. The way this trilogy began already majorly undermined the victories of Return of the Jedi, but this film went even beyond that as if it were to render it meaningless especially with the characterisation of Luke. I unapologetically hate everything Disney has done with Luke Skywalker especially as I truly believe that in his heart he is truly the child of his mother, Padmé and this film unlike the original trilogy following the prequels was in no way reflective of that. And I’m not even going to give time to that bizarre green milk and fish scene.

In no way do I mean disrespect to the amazing Carrie Fisher when I express criticism of Leia in this film and what she was given to do. Of course as always it is amazing to see Leia doing what she does best – where she is in a position of power as General Organa and fighting ever so bravely for the Resistance. As mentioned before, I was incredibly disappointed with the Resistance arc considering the Star Wars universe provides endless possibilities for arcs that exceed dwindling fuel supply. Yes, I understand that this was supposed to be more of a ‘war film’ than previous episodes and thus resources and lack of them are a reality of that, but considering this has never been an evident problem particularly during Star Wars: The Clone Wars and additionally how exaggerated this difficulty was by the duration of the arc it took me out of the film. When Rian Johnson and others had stated that Leia’s ending had been left untouched and that she leaves this film with a definitive and dignified end, I expected something big from Leia. Instead we largely see Leia pondering in this film and reprimanding Poe. No I did not want Leia killed, but considering she spent the majority of this film in a coma I feel an actual end to her story here would have been more effective. I hated that she was sidelined by a coma as if any other storyline other than her being unconscious wouldn’t have been better for her. She’s the Leia and she deserved to be able to leave a lasting punch in The Last Jedi. I was so excited to see Leia use the force, but what we saw was the moment that took me out of the film the most. It was quite frankly cringe worthy and uncomfortable to watch and I’m sure many who did enjoy the film would still agree. I felt as if I were Han Solo, desperate to shout “that’s not how the force works!”. I feel that with the knowledge of Carrie’s passing, with some clever editing they could have easily given Holdo’s final act for the Resistance to Leia. It would have truly showcased Leia as the ultimate Resistance fighter. Instead, I fear a poorly executed off screen death.

The Last Jedi has long endured the speculation of force ghosts ever since its’ predecessor, particularly with the release of concept art for the return of Anakin’s force ghost. An appearance of Obi-Wan was practically expected by many including by myself, especially as his voice was heard in The Force Awakens and it would have been fitting to see his reintroduction with the recent news of the Kenobi standalone film. It would have been the perfect way to tie all three trilogies together for continuity purposes, which I already felt this trilogy was in need of. Despite my pro-prequel agenda which I will admit to without shame, I believe this was completely necessary for this film. To have the return of Anakin particularly would have served so many uses whether he spoke to Luke, Rey or Kylo Ren. In an era that lives in the shadow of Darth Vader (who has several mentions in this film), if anyone’s input was needed it was the man behind the mask’s. Instead, original trilogy nostalgia was again used to drive the audience with the return of the clumsily edited addition of force ghost Yoda. If you know me personally you would be aware that I am not a fan of the character at all, but with that aside the Yoda we did see I still believe to be out of character. I do not believe that Yoda would have encouraged the complete removal (well literal burning) of the Jedi teachings even after the rise and fall of the Empire. Modifications and large ones at that yes, but a complete disregard for them I do not feel he would be an advocate for. I fear such a lack of rules regarding force users now will pose more problems for future films more than anything else as it now seems unclear who gets to hold a lightsaber and who does not.

Rey and her parentage continued to be built up throughout this film and I won’t lie and say it wasn’t my number one question going into this film. I did expect her to be no one, but I also expected some sort of alternative (and original) reason for her strength with the force. Whilst I don’t expect every strong force user in the galaxy to be a Skywalker or a descendant of someone related to or in affiliation with one, Rey as the daughter of some unknown junk dealers will not leave this movie free of Mary Sue claims (although I don’t intend to promote those claims either). If she had the force and had undergone training both in the previous film and in this film she would be free to express such strength but without it, Rey feels poorly written and left me not caring for her as much as I had truly hoped to in this film. The lightsaber plot point was also completely thrown out of the window with it now not so seemingly belonging to Rey anymore. Rey was barely trained in this film, so nothing should have changed since just weeks earlier in film time. If we are being told to accept that she is so powerful on her own, why is her power continuously linked to Kylo Ren’s by Johnson in this film? Rey also felt extremely poorly written by Johnson due to a very clear lack of continuity with the character between this film and the last, especially considering that The Last Jedi picked up just moments from The Force Awakens and Rey should not have suffered any discrepancies in character at all. Of course she was not going to be as bubbly and excitable as she had been in the previous film, but so much about Rey was wrong in this film. The Rey who had no problem telling men to stop taking her hand and that she would not give them anything became a Rey that suffered forced and utterly unnecessary sexual tension and who became flustered at the sight of a shirtless man. It is completely out of character for Rey to have even considered trusting Kylo Ren, as if he had not just killed someone she saw as a father figure just weeks before when all she has ever wanted was family. Rey cries at Kylo Ren proving yet again even after a brief team up with her that all he wants is power, again as if she should not already hate this man with every fibre of her being. Even Rey’s identity quest is yielded to Kylo Ren as it is he who reveals her parentage to her. Rey is never left to stand on her own in this film, instead she is forced into a somewhat parallel arc with Ren that never allows her the same independence as she exemplified in the dynamics we see within her friendship with Finn. Rey desperately needs to be written into some sort of solidarity where she can finally have her own concrete idea of herself and I believe this would most effectively occur in a situation where this trilogy’s big three finally unite and share the same path (and in doing so additionally allowing for a more concise end to the frayed path The Last Jedi has created).

Lastly, Snoke. His early scenes with Kylo Ren genuinely had me thinking that the character was far more terrifying than I had initially ever expected. I knew that the intention was for him to be more evil than Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious and I began to prepare myself for this. However, the first issue I found with the Supreme Leader was that we still are never offered a backstory or context for the character. We know Snoke is old and lived to see the rise and end of Darth Vader. So where was he during that time? How did he come to power? Why does he not know that it was Vader who defeated the Emperor and brought down the Empire, returning to the light as Anakin Skywalker? Rey is apparently made eventually aware of this, but neither Kylo Ren nor Snoke seem to be aware despite having far more of an interest in the man that the galaxy feared the most. The other great conflict I had with this character was that for someone apparently so powerful, he was killed so easily. For him to not have the ability to sense a lightsaber being turned against him by his own apprentice was the thing I was most surprised got through the writing room, especially considering the reason Vader was never able to overthrow the Emperor all those years was because Palpatine would have sensed such a betrayal through the force. Someone supposedly more powerful than Palpatine not being able to do the same was unrealistic and disappointing particularly because I enjoyed Snoke and Kylo’s scenes in the first act of the film, as well as the first act of the film in general.

Overall the film felt crammed, messy and long. Much of the film could have been shown the light of the editing room again to tighten the many series of events occurring simultaneously. Whilst beautifully shot with some breathtaking cinematography and stunning visuals, some shots felt included for the sake of showing what magic could be worked with the camera and CGI in 2017. This film suffered from the weight of a tiresome back-and-forth battle with an inconclusive end that didn’t seem to forge any path for its sequel and where neither side of the fight ever actually ever feeling large enough to dominate the galaxy in the way that the Empire did. The film was crowded with characters but barren of any development for them, in some cases true character not seemingly present at all. This film suffered from the consequences of mystery box storytelling, where no reward is gained by the audience because the “mysteries” that have been hyped up detract from all else. “I am your father” is arguably the greatest cinematic reveal of all time, but it was not advertised to be that way prior to the film’s release, allowing it to have its’ full intended shock value effect. A movie sold to audiences as one that holds great reveals and twists in an already established and ever-expanding universe was bound to disappoint, especially with fan culture today. Additionally, the humour of this film was often jarring and too “2017” for the Star Wars saga. Not already being a fan of Kylo Ren as a villain in any way, I would surprisingly have to say Adam Driver gave the best performance. However it is hard to say where Kylo Ren goes next, having now eliminated both his enemies (Han and Luke) as well as his accountability to the Supreme Leader. I additionally found the soundtrack for this film to be the least memorable Star Wars score to date, although Rey’s Theme made a welcome return.

Ultimately I know many people have loved and will love this film and I think everyone has “their” Star Wars. Mine is clearly not in this era and I’m happy to accept that. It isn’t because my ‘ship’ or theory did not come true, but rather my worst case scenarios did. Yes I’ll see Episode IX, but I now have a completely new idea and set of expectations for what Star Wars is today and it just doesn’t happen to be my favourite. Again, I never wanted to hate this trilogy for the sake of it and I had no intention to. I am of course also ready to accept that there are those with opinions that are the complete opposite of mine.

Now if you need me, I’ll be rewatching Episodes I-VI.