#but the physical embodiment of mother nature has a HUGE crush on me

[1mm4d13]

I’ve talked before about my ideas on where a new film run following G: Minus One could go, but I’ll expand a little on it.

So, the first film is done, Godzilla’s in pieces at the bottom of the ocean, and Noriko got hit with some of that goji-goop. My idea is that, over time, all of those chunks of the original Godzilla will regrow into some new abominations; some with horns and broad wings, some with crowns and thick, armoured hides, and all with vague memories of pain and destruction that somehow feel like they are and aren’t theirs, driving them into conflict with humanity. One chunk, of course, becomes Godzilla’s second raid, the memories much more vivid in his head but still, an individual seperate from the original.

Now, while it’d be cool for Mothra to also be one of those regrown chunks, only with a lot more purity and nobility and whatnot, she could potentially tie in well with the whole “goji-goop” thing going on. For instance, if Noriko unfortunately passes and is left a rose where her body lies in the soil, that could lead into Biollante, a late human spirit, a maternal human spirit, reanimated and twisted by the Godzilla‘s mutation and his lingering obsession. Now, once Biollante meets her demise and Noriko gets her final “goodbye”, what springs from this spiritual purification is an egg, and from that egg sprouts the eternal, maternal, noble and pure Mothra.

From here, Mothra can be undyingly defensive of humanity and would fight anyone for their sake, but maybe, can also be fascinated by Goji to the point of following him around and observing him up close, much to his dismay and for no other reason other than I’m a hopeless mothzilla shipper.

Otherwise, I’ll leave it for anyone else to make something of my thoughts.

[love-takes-work]

When someone toxic needs a friend

I just wanna add a little personal reflection to the discussion of Spinel’s treatment in Steven Universe: The Movie.

A few signposts so you know where I’m starting with this:

A criticism I’ve seen: 

Steven was not particularly warm to Spinel. He did not hug her. He did not offer to be her friend. He spoke carelessly and triggered her toward becoming murderous again. He only cared about what she could do for him.

A perspective I’ve seen: 

LOTS of people with borderline personality disorder or strong feelings about abandonment personally relate to Spinel and are critical of Steven from this perspective.

Rebecca Sugar’s commentary on Spinel:

The thing about Spinel is that she’s a really toxic person. 

She’s so toxic that she’s literally trying to poison people. 

In my interactions with friends who have had a history difficult enough to make it hard for them to trust other people and sometimes even actively want to hurt others, it’s just a very difficult situation to navigate. In the case of Spinel and all of these characters, that’s extremely exaggerated because cartoons have the ability to be extreme exaggerations. I wanted to explore what it’s like when you’re trying to help someone who really doesn’t want to help themselves, who wants to embody the negative feelings that they have about themselves. I think that’s something really real. I hadn’t seen that in a cartoon before. 

Spinel, unlike many other characters, actually has the goal of hurting people, which is new territory for the show. She really wants to hurt Steven, and there’s a reason that she does—because she’s in so much pain. I just wanted to explore all the dimensions of that.

I also think Steven has his way of trying to handle and dissolve conflict. It’s not necessarily a good way for him to handle this situation. It really leaves him in a difficult state, and I think what I wanted to show in the way that they interact is that at a certain point, when you can’t help someone, you have to be able to protect yourself. 

Ultimately, he can’t really convince her to change. It’s something she’ll have to want for herself. But what he can do is protect himself from her, making it impossible for her to hurt him. 

It’s sort of up to you if you would like to love her. If you watch this movie and she, you know, frustrates you, that is totally fair. I want that to be a big part of who she is.

[From the AV Club interview]

So here are a few things I want to shed light on.

It’s very interesting that Rebecca intended Spinel to be read as “a toxic person” because so many fans fell in love with her, said they’d be her friend, hated intensely on Pink Diamond because of what she did to abandon the poor Gem, and sympathized with her directly. But Rebecca was looking at Spinel from Steven’s perspective. And that’s also what I did.

I’ve been Steven. I have VERY much been Steven.

When you meet someone who was done dirty, when you recognize the horror they’ve been through, when you see how much pain they are in and agree they have the right to be angry, it’s natural for empathetic people to offer themselves as comfort.

But when you’re Steven, you also know it isn’t YOUR fault either. Before you have the ability and experience to set boundaries, you can get sucked into other people’s stormy waters and think you’re helping if you drown in solidarity with them. What’s really important to preserving yourself is learning that you can stand on the boat and toss a life preserver. That it doesn’t ACTUALLY HELP to jump in the water and sink with them.

Some folks are angry that Steven didn’t jump right into sacrifice himself on the altar of friendship in the service of an intense, literally murderous stranger who tried to poison him and his planet and lash out at his friends, robbing them of their rich pasts and their relationships because all of it hurt HER so much. It is SO easy to understand WHY SPINEL WAS ANGRY. But nothing she was doing to Steven, his friends, or the Earth was going to fix her problems, and furthermore, she FULLY UNDERSTOOD that it was NOT THE FAULT of any of the people she took her anger out on. It was irrational, yes, and that is part of her dysfunction. But also, in these situations, what helps explain it still does not excuse it.

Some have railed at Steven saying he somehow forgave genocidal tyrants like the Diamonds but couldn’t be friends with a damaged Gem like Spinel who just wanted friendship. The big difference there is that Steven got involved with the Diamonds when both parties believed he was a different person. The Diamonds believed he was the lost Pink Diamond, and Steven has also spent much of his superhero life believing he WAS his mother and was therefore obligated to accept punishment for her crimes or to clean up the messes she made. Now that he knows he is not her and that she did some pretty horrible stuff, he also wants the right to stop feeling responsible for every person Pink hurt in the entire region of space.

Steven gave Spinel basically compassionate treatment. He did not abuse her. He did not insult her. He occasionally coddled her when it seemed important (and though some said he was too businesslike while he pursued his mission, he was literally looking at the world ending within two days if he didn’t solve the problem). And most importantly . . . .

He let her leave the garden.

Spinel stayed in the garden all those millennia because Pink Diamond told her they were playing a game. All that time, she had visions of Pink returning so she could see her smile, hear her laughter. We see a sequence where she tried to follow Pink out of the garden and Pink manipulated her into staying willingly. We watch those feet leaving and one pair of feet staying behind. We see Pink disappear.

When Steven goes to leave the garden, Spinel follows in the same manner. Some have criticized him for letting go of her hands.

But he invited her out of the garden. He didn’t say stay. He said come with me.

As he sang about her deserving someone better, he was sincere. But he did not say the person to make her feel found should be him. He did not want to take on another person with thousands of years of baggage who would require a specific brand of attention and so much tenderness to avoid snapping. He did not allow her to be held by the hand and led out. He recognized that she needed encouragement to leave this place because of what was done to her, but he wanted her to take the steps.

Compassionate people are crushed all the time under the weight of needy people who make it hurt to love. People like Steven can acknowledge that Spinel deserves love and deserves to be happy without accepting that it’s heartless to stop short of personally doing it. Especially when you literally have to take physical, mental, and emotional damage as a general consequence of offering support and counseling. It is sometimes just beyond what you can do.

I made the mistake several times of getting very close to someone who treated me poorly while taking comfort in my presence. I cared that they were hurt and I didn’t know how to say “You deserve love” without stepping in and loving them. In EVERY case I was involved with, the person went from initially grateful to “why don’t you help me more?” shockingly quickly, and two of them deliberately tried to create situations where I would be trapped with them and isolated from others. 

I could get very personal here but I don’t think I need to. Those of us who relate all too well to Steven wanting to help others will have been in this situation. Your heart hurts for people who live with pain that has never touched you, but when they’ve made it clear with one of their first actions that they feel satisfied at the idea of ruining your life, trusting them could mean the end of you. Especially if they demand that you risk life and limb to fix and save them before you’d dare to call it love, and especially if they want to be fixed without feeling responsible for initiating any of it. Some people mistake suffering for working hard toward a goal. Both can hurt but only one is constructive. If I’m expected to spend extensive resources on someone, I need some partnership in the goal, and I can’t accomplish that with someone whose wish for companionship manifests as “I want you to feel as bad as I do, and will take steps to hurt you so I have someone to cry with.”

Steven risked his actual life while he didn’t have powers so he could go talk to Spinel, and he wouldn’t fight her when she wanted to fight. He protected himself while she spent her anger. He STILL put himself in the line of fire far more than a less compassionate person would. He took time and tenderness to listen to her story and sympathize with her, tell her she deserved better, bear witness to what she’d become after being treated like a discarded plaything, and bring her hope with promises of a new future and a way to feel found.

Sadly, Spinel flipped back to being murderous at the first sign that Steven might be about to prioritize someone other than her, reframing his reasonable needs as if he was planning to abandon her, isolate her, discard her. This was a trauma reaction, yes, and she isn’t entirely to blame for being upset because she was worried she was just being used and none of her actions were logically thought through. 

But does someone ever “deserve” the friendship of a specific person who can’t feel warm toward them because of their OWN bad experiences? 

No! 

Steven has a big heart but he has his very own huge storehouse of trauma, and being physically attacked with his family and planet put in danger over the actions of his mother is at the top of the list. Instead of assuming that the person who has trauma the loudest is the most hurt, can’t we just acknowledge that Spinel’s and Steven’s respective traumas make them NOT the best match for friendship?

The ending of the movie, with Spinel going off with the Diamonds, might seem a little disturbing with all the codepencency floating around there, but if you want to talk about compassion, I think this is a good place for Spinel to start. 

She just wanted to make Pink Diamond laugh and enjoy her life. She longed to do that for so long and then it all ended when she found out she would NEVER GET TO DO IT. I think bonding with the other Diamonds and having a familiar, safe place to experience the kind of love she’s used to will be a good FOUNDATION for building herself into a person beyond that. For now, she needs comfort. I hope they treat her well.

[ally22042000]

Linked by fate

Introduction

Werewolf AU

Fluff, Angst

OT7 x Reader

Pack Alpha: Namjoon

Alpha: Hoseok, Jimin, Jungkook

Beta: Seokjin, Yoongi, Taehyung

Omega: Y/N

Wordcount: 2K

A/N: Hobi’s got kind of long 😊. I hope you like this. I had this idea in my head for a while and would love to write more pieces about them and their journey. Pls tell me what you think about it and you can always leave requests if there are certain things you’d like to read. -Ally

It has always been the eight of you. Since your childhood you were inseparable. A bond was created whose strength and depth was unknown to most. A phase, everybody thought, that was going to fade away the older you would get. The longing for independence was supposed to fill your minds and draw you apart from each other. A prediction that since this day has not occurred.

Namjoon, the born alpha, who one day will take over his mother’s pack and be the leader everyone imagined him to be. He has shown his ability to take care of others, since a young age. Like that time in Taehyung’s first year of elementary school. He never told the others about the bullies at school who made is life a living hell simply because he had a different approach to most tasks. They declared him as weird and treated him like an outsider.

The leader picked up on his change in behaviour quickly, noticing that the six-year-old started speaking less and only answering questions that were specifically direct at him. A one-eighty to his usual happy and chattery personality. He picked the younger boy up from school the next day and walked in on a scene that made his blood run cold. Three boys were standing above Tae, the little wolf covering on the floor, his painting crushed under the tallest foot.

A growl left the alpha and before Namjoon knew what had happened, he had shifted for the first time. Four paws running across the school grounds scaring of the three kids, that knew they didn’t stand a chance against the son of the cities pack alpha. It was the first time Namjoon had to stand up for one of his members and seeing Taehyung on the floor in front of him, tears glistening on his round cheeks and admiration shining in his eyes as he petted the brown wolf in front of him, he knew, he would do anything to keep his pack safe.

Seokjin, as the medic of the group, was an important asset. Always patched up the maknae line when they were rough housing as you were all growing into your hierarchical roles and pheromones were going wild. Or that one time an older she-wolf had pushed you to the ground during Junior High, saying you were too young to play with them. Quickly you had gotten up and pulled on her hair, which resulted in her running her nails over your face and leaving scratches on your cheek and chin. Her teacher broke up the fight and you were both send home. 

After the scolding of your parents, Jin was called over and addressed your wounds. Nothing major had to be done and at the and you and the beta fell asleep watching a movie in your living room. Your faced buried in his neck, in haling the familiar mixture between wood and rice, which had always been able to calm you down.

Yoongi, who always napped in the corner during kindergarten and growled at anyone who annoyed him. But he was always more bark than bit. Unless the situation called for it of course. In elementary he shifted his nap place beneath the tree on the playgrounds. Enjoying the shade as a brise tousled his dark brown fur. Jungkook loved to sneak up on the elder and pull his ears, then quickly escape his nip and giggling while Yoongi chased him around the tree. Seokjin calling from the seesaw that he would not patch up any injuries. A smile bright on his face.

Hoseok, the glue of your group, as the son of your pack’s master of fight he was born with an amount of agility and skill like none of you. Nobody believed that the little sunshine boy could arise to the role assign but whenever the necessity arouse Hobi proved to everyone what a skilled fighter and wolf he was and that he was able to protect his pack.

You remember it clearly, that day Jimin and you went for a run. It had only been a few weeks since the both of you turned for the first time, so walking on for legs was still a hurdle to overcome. You weren’t allowed to leave the grounds of your pack; it was too dangerous considering that you still couldn’t protect yourself in this form. But you didn’t care, choosing to enjoy the freedom you had and testing your limits in this new form.

Unaware of the presence watching you, analysing your movements and swiftly deciding, that you both were an easy match. One second you were pulling on Jimin’s tail, messing with the older and the next a vicious growl came from behind you. Jimin immediately stood between you and the rouge, trying to shield his omega from harms way. One look at the other wolf showed that he was older, probably in his thirties or forties, and as strong as Jimin was or a seventeen-year-old, you both were aware of the fact, that he didn’t stand a chance against the intruder. You needed help. The second your howled, was the second the rouge decided to attack. He new he didn’t have much time and had to get rid of you fast. He crashed into Jimin’s body, their forms rolling around on the ground. The white fur of your pack member a stark contrast to your surroundings and the brown fur of the attacking wolf.

A yelp from Jimin is what caused you to spring into action. Blood was dripping down his left shoulder. You tried to let out a terrifying growl but even to your ears it sounded pathetic. It was enough to get the wanted attention though. The rough turned his attentiveness to you, baring his teeth which were covered in Jimin’s blood. You stood your ground, willing to do whatever it took to protect your pack member. His slow steps rapidly changed into a sprint and you reciprocated the action. But before you could meet, Hoseok jumped out of the bushes surrounding you, catching the wolf mid-air and forcing him to the ground.

It wasn’t much of a fight. Hoseok was clearly stronger and more skilled than the intruder. Quickly he brought the enemy on his back and snaped his neck with his teeth. Letting go of the body, he turned around and scanned the situation. It was clear that Jimin need immediate attention, so he ran over to the younger wolf. You stood frozen in place, staring at the dead animal, whose eyes were open and facing you. You hadn’t noticed when the others arrived and Seokjin tending to Jimin’s wound. Jumping slightly when Hobi pressed his head into your neck, startling you.

You stared into his eyes. Apart of both of you feared that you would be scared of him after having seen him murder someone. Taking a life so easily. But the look in his eyes showed nothing but love and protectiveness. A silent massage, that he always would protect you and the pack, whatever it may cost.

Jimin, beauty and elegance personified in one little being. Form a young age he was always well spoken and able to swoon anybody with his silver tongue and remarkable looks. Especially in Senior high, those looks brough a lot of insecurities with them and put a lot of pressure on Jimin mentally. He would skip out on meals and train whenever he could. Being a part of the dance team with Hoseok, his body was always on display for others to judge. A fact which brought a lot of fear and dark thoughts.

It was Yoongi who realised it first. The both of them were always bickered like an old married couple but cared for each other deeply. When he realised what Jimin was doing he immediately went to Jin and Namjoon. The four of them had a long talk which involved a lot of shouting and accusations. Until Jimin broke down crying. The walls he had built came trembling down and he admitted to the negative thoughts clouding his mind. That night you set up a nest for you and the alpha. Cuddling him all night long, while whispering uplifting words of affection into his hair.

Taehyung, the artist with a smile that could dazzle the sun. His talent for remembering paths and nature facts has helped your group out of a lot of scary situations and gets acknowledge often in your pack. Particularly, when the alphas and betas went out for a hunt, Taeyhung’s attended was often requested alongside Namjoon’s and Hoseok’s to insure the safe and swift return of everyone.

Furthermore, he loved to help out in the nearby day care. Playing with the kids and reading them stories took up a big part of his free time, especially during holidays. He often forced Jimin to go with him, so he could teach them a new choreography. It always ended with Jimin going home more exhausted than he is after dance practise.  

Jungkook, brute strength embodied in a boy with a heart of gold. Always ready to stir up trouble, especially with Tae or Jin, and loves to be babied my everyone. He never fails to be responsible and attentive for the ones he loves though. Like that time, you caught a cold during winter break and only the maknae line was home. The hyungs had to attend a pack meeting with Namjoon’s mother out of town.

Jungkook had cooked you soup everyday and made sure you took your medicine at the right moments. He called Jin multiple times during those four days to make sure he did everything right. Late at night he would crawl into bed with you and provide you with his body heat. His alpha on high alert to make sure his omega was comfortable and protected while she rested.

Y/N, the only omega of the group, but still a force to be reckoned with. As the only girl in the group, you know how to keep the young wolfs in check. Never letting them get out of line. Whacking them over the back of their heads whenever the situations called for it, which was often. Although you are able to stand up for yourself, your omega tendencies shine through whenever you are with the boys. Loving to be pampered and cared for by them. Physical affection playing a huge part in your relationship. A language all of you learn to read and communicate with.

Getting off form a stressful day at school, you would ride the bus past your stop and go over to one of their houses. Laying in Namjoons bed while he reads a book about pack laws and traditions or you would back hug Seokjin while he prepared something to eat for everyone. Calling the others over, so the eight of you could watch a movie or play a board game. You firmly planted on Hoseok’s lap, enjoying the way he played with your hair and getting fed popcorn by Taehyung.

In public you were the strong and independent omega your parents raised you to be, but with them you were able to relax and let them take control. Letting them indulge in their providing nature. Something you were very grateful for. Every day.

This were the eight little troublemakers whose love for each other is unheard of. A weird mixture of personalities. Where one goes the other seven follow. 32 pairs of paws, seven tails and one heartbeat.

[goat-yells-at-everything]

Final Thoughts: The Witch

*SIGH*

I didn't hate it.

I wanted to hate it. I use to hate it.

I didn't hate it.

I didn't even hate William as a character as much as I use to. Still hate Ineson, though.

My Bias

Let me start off with my bias. If you couldn't tell by now, I love goats. What originally drew me to The Witch that day in Family Video (not sponsored) was, of course, the goat on the cover. After watching the movie I did some reading on it and the VAST majority of coverage about the movie was about Black Phillip. "Fine by me!" I thought. "I'd rather read about the only star that matters here anyway!"

And that's how I learned of Charlie. Charlie was a beautiful black buck with gorgeous piercing golden eyes. There isn't much base information about him but from my own research and knowledge, I beleive Charlie is an Old Irish. Funny enough, the striking horns that earned Charlie his place in the movie because of how large they were are not actually that big by Old Irish standards. These boys can grow some IMPRESSIVE racks. *cough* 

Charlie was not the most dedicated actor on set. If they wanted him to be boisterous and act aggressive, Charlie wanted to take a nap. If they wanted him to hold still and display the calm demeanor of The Devil, Charlie wanted to run around like a kid discovering his legs for the first time. This description didn't shock me in the least. "Thats...thats just a goat?" I thought. "Thats just how they ARE." Goats are like...well, goats are unique animals. While even a cat can be trained with enough patience and the right reward, goats are wonderfully intelligent and MIND NUMBINGLY STUPID animals all at the same time. You look into their eyes and you see the infinite knowledge of the universe AND the mindless empty void AT THE SAME TIME. That is just the nature of the domestic goat. So of course you will never have a goat do what you want it to on the first, second, or even tenth try. If you work with goats in any way, you just need to accept this.

So Charlie, this incredibly intelligent and extremely stupid animal, was on a set of a movie where He was the antagonist in the minds of the characters, actors, and crew. Charlie could have been just fine on the set if the actors had kept their animosity to filming sessions, and most of them did just that. Most of the actors and crew were, at worst, neutral towards Charlie when not actively filming a scene with him. Most of the actors.

Ineson was not among them. Ineson is quoted as saying "From the moment we set eyes on each other it was just kind of hate at first sight." Now, because of their vast infinite nothingness in their heads, goats really aren't capable of "hate at first sight," but they CAN sense animosity from others towards them. Like when your cat knows that your dad hates cats. They just know. So you have an incredibly intelligent moron that weighs just over 200lbs looking at this imposing angry man that was Ralph Ineson and he knows the man does not like him and Ineson has decided that every action Charlie makes is just to spite him, specifically.

It was not the best paring...

By the 4th day of filming, Ineson reported that he was on pain killers for the remainder of the 5-week shoot.

The thing was, the rest of the actors and crew (aside from Eggers but he was trying to direct a goat in a movie so he gets a little leeway) actually recall how sweet and wonderful Charlie was. Anya Taylor-Joy has said that the shoot was a "beautiful" experience. Anna Kilch, a veteran animal trainer, said Charlie was a dream to work with.

So I'm not the biggest fan of Ineson...

The Movie

With that said, what did I think about the movie?

It was...not horrible. In fact, if I put aside my own animosity towards Ineson, it was pretty ok. There are PROBLEMS, no doubt about that, but it was decent.

The Good

The atmosphere was beautiful. It was shot in a quaint little bit of nowhere in Northern Ontario. Pretty sure they put a blue filter over everything but it really did work. It muted all the color and made it all very dreary and damp feeling. In most other situations this would be a major detriment but the overall feeling of hopelessness from the characters was perfectly accented by the misty and drab landscape.

The characters....there were problems but I'll touch on that later. What I liked was how they represented the Deadly Sins.

William is pretty clear. He is the Sin of Pride. It was his pride that had them exiled from their settlement. It was his pride that caused him to lie and steal from his own family. It was his pride that kept his family in a place that was blighted and would not produce anything. It was his pride that made him refuse to see Black Phillip for what he was.

Katherine was also very clear. She is the Sin of Wrath. Her anger at Thomasin for the loss of her infant blinded her to everything around here. It blinded her to Thomasin's innocence. It blinded her to her other childrens sins. It blinded her to how hard Thomasin worked to regain her mothers favor. And, eventually, it blinded her to the avatars of the devil that came to her that dark night.

Caleb, again, very clear. He is the Sin of Lust. Caleb was a bright young boy who was dedicated to and dearly loved his family. He loved one family member a little too much. Caleb lusted after his elder sister. That lust eventually lead him into the arms of the titular Witch as she seduced him with her HUGE....tracks of land... c:

Mercy and Jonas are harder to pin down. Eventually I settled on Envy and Sloth respectively, though I'm not 100% sold on them. Jonas I'm a bit more sure on. His character is fairly one note and all about shirking any work his elder sister tries to give him. I settled for Envy for Mercy mostly because of the scene near the creak. She seemed to envy the attention her father and elder brother gave to Thomasin. Neither one are very strong connections though.

Thomasin didn't really show a sign of a serious sin until the very end. Actually, she almost seemed to embody ALL of the sins in the end after being almost pure as snow for the whole movie. Almost. She displayed minor sins throughout the movie but it made her a believable character. She was a young woman, somewhere between 14 and 16 I'd say. She got angry at her siblings, she wasn't totally focused on her chores, the normal teenage stuff.

However, by the end of the movie, Thomasin displayed nearly all 7 Sins. She was wrathful towards her father. She was greedy for her mothers love. Black Phillip's offers display Gluttony (Butter) and Envy (the Dress). She was certain that she was right in all of her actions, blinded by Pride. She was apathetic once her family were all dead, leaving them all to rot in the elements as she wallowed in self pity. And finally she disrobed and frolicked with the devil in her Lust.

The Bad

Oh yes was there bad.

The sound direction was OBJECTIVELY horrible. What should have been ambient sound effects were too loud, the dialog was WAY too soft, the music was all over the place. It fell well into that nasty hole that Horror has of turning all the sound to soft and quiet before hitting you with a sudden jolt as the action jumps to life. When used well, this can elicit a visceral feeling in the viewer that lets them connect with the urgency of the scene. When used wrong, its just a cheep tactic to get a scare just like jump scares. This REALLY needs to be called out more often in Horror. We all denounce jump scares as cheep and over used and we need to do the same for the auditory equivalent.

The dialog was really hard to understand. I understand the choice considering the setting, but it was the biggest wall that kept me from enjoying anything the first time around. By the nature of Old Low English, words would blend into one another and become almost gibberish. Its a very lovely language to read, but a chore to listen to. I put on subtitles this time around and was able to follow the story much more easily. I would absolutly advise putting on subtitles while watching it.

The ending was the weakest part of the movie aside from the sound issues. I mean the very last scene. Everything leading up to that was actually very well done. The way Thomasin goes to Black Phillip and demands he talk to her. The way he offers her everything she could ever want. How you see both the hope and defeat in Thomasin when Black Phillip began to talk to her. It was clear he was the one who set in motion the cogs that ended with her families death but they were all victims of their own sins in the end. She saw his power over their insignificant lives and was crushed by his seeming superiority to the Lord she had been raised to love. At the same time, she saw the power he could bestow on HER, a clear tangible power unlike the "story" of Heavenly Power that she never saw physical examples of.

To end on the scene of this naked woman, no longer the innocent girl burdened by heavy trappings of modesty, walking into the woods with the black billygoat hot on her heals would have been so powerful. Just cut to black right there. You can even still have the witches chanting as it cuts to black and the end credits fade in.

But they decided to take it one step further and it did NOT help the ending. It was just too over the top with the naked women writhing erotically around this fire. When the camera turns back on Thomasin and she begins writhing and moaning and laughing and you see her rise into the air, maybe its just me but it took away the power of that sure confident woman walking into the woods.

It just feels like a step too far and would have been much stronger if they'd just left that part out.

The G.O.A.T

The best part was still Charlie.

Black Phillip, Black Phillip

A crown grows out his head,

Black Phillip, Black Phillip

To nanny queen is wed.

Jump to the fence post,

Running in the stall.

Black Phillip, Black Phillip

King of all.

Black Phillip, Black Phillip

King of sky and land,

Black Phillip, Black Phillip

King of sea and sand.

We are ye servants,

We are ye men.

Black Phillip eats the lions

From the lions' den.

[stevenuniversallyreviews]

Episode 104: Kindergarten Kid

“I'm smarter than your average Peridot.”

Oof. I need a break. Do you need a break? Let’s take a break.

When I was a kindergarten kid, my family had a firm policy against “commercial TV,” as in any children’s television programming that included commercials. Our house didn’t get Cartoon Network until 2003-ish regardless, but this meant pretty much everything that wasn’t PBS (and later Disney Channel, which had commercials but not for toys) was restricted to friends’ houses until I was about eight. I was born in 1990, so the ban lift came right on time for Digimon and Pokémon to debut (in that order, fight me), but until then my access to cartoons was largely limited.

So yeah, unlike others of my age group, I didn’t grow up with Rugrats or Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, and due to the continued lack of Cartoon Network I also missed out on Dexter’s Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls until reruns in the aughts. But I did have The Tapes, and The Tapes had Looney Tunes, so I was more than satisfied.

I still remember sitting up straighter when I first realized what Kindergarten Kid was doing back in 2016. The southwestern setting is a pretty big hint from the start, but we were cleverly introduced to the area in Beta and Earthlings and aren’t primed to see the Road Runner and Coyote connection until the plot revs up. And yes, these rivals are the clearest inspiration for Peridot’s futile attempts to outsmart a faster, “dumber” foe with intricate traps. But with an exception here or there for comic relief, Messrs. Coyote and Runner are silent, while Peridot is anything but. And as much fun as it would’ve been to go full throttle and make the entire sequence silent, I’m so glad to see Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco instead have Peridot emulate another icon from the Looney Tunes roster. And no, it’s not Porky Pig.

It’s ironic, because his best work sees him fail to come out on top, but I legitimately can’t think of a better cartoon character than Daffy Duck. Like, out of all cartoons, from every country, from any time period, period. Bugs Bunny is no slouch—he follows the legacy of Loki, Anansi, Reynard, and Maui as modern America’s most notable trickster deity—but Daffy perfected an archetype that’s largely unrepresented in myths of yore, and stands head and shoulders above all other examples, including Wile E. Coyote himself (and Daffy’s fun but better-in-the-comics counterpart, Donald Duck). Aptly referred to in Babylon 5 as “an ancient Egyptian god of frustration,” Daffy evolved from a perfectly good screwball character (Daffy Doodles is the best of this era) to the embodiment of self-inflicted pain.

I’ve already compared Peridot and Ruby to the little black duck before (seriously, stop what you’re doing and watch Daffy Doodles if that weird nickname doesn’t ring a bell), but Kindergarten Kid seems to go out of its way to evoke the essence of Daffy. Wile E. Coyote’s ploys may have the same convoluted detail as the Peri-Plans we see, but going on at length about how a scheme is going to work only for it to immediately fail? That’s Daffy Duck. Puffing up in confidence at the infallibility of said plan, and having it collapse in the middle of a smug victory lap? That’s Daffy Duck. This episode pulls its pacing straight out of the Hunting Trilogy (from which we get the famous “Rabbit Season!” “Duck Season!” debate), with Steven subbing in for both Elmer Fudd and Bugs depending on who Daffy is allied with at any given time, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. 

We even get variations of classic gags to keep things fresh. It would’ve been acceptable for Peridot to slowly dismantle an injector to crush Gem Runner, only for it to not fall until she’s right beneath it. But no, she realizes the risk, takes a step back, then gets crushed by falling rocks. I still would’ve laughed if her cannon refused to fire until she stepped in front of it, launching her over the horizon. But the recoil launches her backwards, crushing her with more rocks. Rehashing the exact same classic gags would’ve been an easy way out, but the gags are classic for a reason and I would’ve appreciated the tribute; that we see actual creative changes instead brings Kindergarten Kid to even higher heights. Yes, the final plummet is directly based on Wile E. Coyote’s own falls (sadly without the sound effect), but there’s a level of innovation here that’s compelling for an episode referencing the past so vividly.

Still, the biggest difference between Kindergarten Kid and vintage Looney Tunes is that unlike Daffy or Coyote, Peridot can make a change. The episode is similar to Barn Mates, in that both are a series of sketches that show Peridot and Steven trying and failing to accomplish a goal (which is perhaps the most clinical way to describe the standard Looney Tunes short). Both episodes end with a victory for Peridot when she realizes she must rethink the core problem, but Kindergarten Kid works better by halving the number of characters that need to grow. Barn Mates is by no means bad, but it’s hard to balance the story of its two leads, so Lapis is left without much focus behind her actions. This time the opponent is something of a force of nature, so we can spend more time digging into why Peridot’s plans aren’t working.

Peridot has already changed quite a bit, but her superiority complex remains a central tenet of her personality. It’s been tempered when Steven is involved, but she still treats most other Gems as intellectual inferiors even when she gets along with them. So of course she sees outbraining a Corrupted Gem as a cakewalk, and of course Steven teaches her the error of her ways with a lesson in empathy. These are obvious story beats, but old habits die hard, and I like that Peridot still has issues with her ego despite how far she’s come as a Crystal Gem.

It’s hard to compare any voice actor to Mel Blanc, in the same way it’s hard to compare any English-speaking playwright to Shakespeare, so I’m not gonna give praise that lofty, but Shelby Rabara still nails the fury of a gremlin who's smart but thinks she’s way smarter. It’s not easy on the throat to shout this much, and in such specific nonverbal ways, but I still think her best moment is when her confident front falters, and she yells that she’s doing the best she can. She’s as angry as ever, but that glimpse of vulnerability shows that she’s not a lost cause like Coyote.

Steven also returns to old habits, focusing all his energy on helping Peridot and not mentioning his mother once. I can see how this might make Kindergarten Kid seem too flippant, but as we’ll confirm in Mindful Education, our hero is pushing down the bad feelings instead of dealing with them. I think it’s crucial to have a few episodes where he seems okay to lull us into the sense of security that his breakdown destroys, and just like Bubbled, it’s clear that his coping mechanism is putting others before himself. He never complains about the physical injuries caused by Peridot’s poor planning, instead making sure his friend is okay.

Like Log Date 7 15 2, the show leans into Peridot’s brand of comic relief to cool us down from a major event. This is an even sillier episode, to the point that the other Crystal Gems are watching it for entertainment value, but it comes after an even more harrowing Diamond reveal. And because this one has more to do with Steven, he gets more to do in the episode: he’s not reliving a Peridot montage, he’s participating in her adventure, and the episode is stronger for it.

I understand that comedy is subjective. For instance, I’m not huge on meta humor in the style of our next episode; I acknowledge that it’s done well, but it’s not for me. So I don’t expect everyone to be huge on this episode, especially if you tragically lack a childhood full of ducks getting their beaks blown off and rabbits dancing up to bulls to slap them in the face. But hopefully folks who were let down in their first viewing, expecting more drama and lore in our post-shattering reality, can give Kindergarten Kid another look, perhaps after downing some classic cartoons, and enjoy it for the outstanding love letter that it is.

(I still don’t know why she references Yogi Bear, that’s a whole other era of cartoon, but nobody’s perfect.)

If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn’t have inconsistencies…

I know it’s absurd to nitpick unrealistic elements of such a cartoony episode, but Steven’s endless bag of marshmallows bugs me. At least it gives us another Peridot-as-raccoon reaction.

We’re the one, we’re the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!

It barely misses the cut, but boy do I love this episode. Like any great Looney Tunes short, I can watch it and laugh no matter how many times I’ve seen it; the gags are so pure that rather than getting bored of them, I now chuckle in anticipation before the hits even come. 

Top Twenty

Steven and the Stevens

Hit the Diamond

Mirror Gem

Lion 3: Straight to Video

Alone Together

The Return

Jailbreak

The Answer

Sworn to the Sword

Rose’s Scabbard

Earthlings

Mr. Greg

Coach Steven

Giant Woman

Beach City Drift

Winter Forecast

Bismuth

When It Rains

Catch and Release

Chille Tid

Love ‘em

Laser Light Cannon

Bubble Buddies

Tiger Millionaire

Lion 2: The Movie

Rose’s Room

An Indirect Kiss

Ocean Gem

Space Race

Garnet’s Universe

Warp Tour

The Test

Future Vision

On the Run

Maximum Capacity

Marble Madness

Political Power

Full Disclosure

Joy Ride

Keeping It Together

We Need to Talk

Cry for Help

Keystone Motel

Back to the Barn

Steven’s Birthday

It Could’ve Been Great

Message Received

Log Date 7 15 2

Same Old World

The New Lars

Monster Reunion

Alone at Sea

Crack the Whip

Beta

Back to the Moon

Kindergarten Kid

Like ‘em

Gem Glow

Frybo

Arcade Mania

So Many Birthdays

Lars and the Cool Kids

Onion Trade

Steven the Sword Fighter

Beach Party

Monster Buddies

Keep Beach City Weird

Watermelon Steven

The Message

Open Book

Story for Steven

Shirt Club

Love Letters

Reformed

Rising Tides, Crashing Tides

Onion Friend

Historical Friction

Friend Ship

Nightmare Hospital

Too Far

Barn Mates

Steven Floats

Drop Beat Dad

Too Short to Ride

Restaurant Wars

Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service

Greg the Babysitter

Gem Hunt

Steven vs. Amethyst

Bubbled

Enh

Cheeseburger Backpack

Together Breakfast

Cat Fingers

Serious Steven

Steven’s Lion

Joking Victim

Secret Team

Say Uncle

Super Watermelon Island

Gem Drill

No Thanks!

     5. Horror Club      4. Fusion Cuisine      3. House Guest      2. Sadie’s Song      1. Island Adventure

(I’m almost happy there’s no promo art for this one, because hot damn do I love this pic from Dark Tarou.)

[shakingthestars]

An interpretation about Kylo and Rey’s “shocking fate” in TLJ

Within the previous weeks, the Japanese marketing has teased a “shocking fate” expecting Kylo and Rey who will “resonate with each other”

In a recent Japanese inteview, Rian Johnson also made some revelation on Kylo and Rey’s fate in TLJ, emphasizing that it would be “emotional”

https://www.excite.co.jp/News/world_ent/20171110/Dramanavi_036872.html

Rian Johnson:  “The things that happen to these two people are emotional, and it’s really important for the viewer to empathize”

In September 2016, Johnson had also confirmed that although The Last Jedi wouldn’t make any epic revelation like “I am your father”, there would be some shocking moments in particular that would make the  audience gasp for breath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4iK9Xot7hw

As I interpret it, both Kylo and Rey will indeed experience emotional things individually but the various  information undertone that they will experience emotional things together that will make them resonate with each other. So if we gather these information, we have a shocking and emotional fate expecting these two characters that will culminate in some shocking scenes with the goal to make the audience emphasize with him.That shocking things won’t involve a out of nowhere revelation like “I am your father”  but emotional things that would come naturally and make the audience gasp for breath

What could it be?

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Rian revealed that in The Last Jedi y , romance was not the centerpiece.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/05/whats-in-star-wars-the-last-jedi-and-whats-not

It doesn’t mean that there would be no romantic vibe but it IMO rules out the possibility of romantic Reylo happening in TLJ like Anidaladid in Episode 2 HanLeia in Episode 5.

So what would be the centerpiece of the Reylo dynamic?

I. The importance of E.T. the Extraterrestrial in the Reylo dynamic

Let’s keep in mind that the president of Lucas Film, Kathleen Kennedy, became worldwide famous by producing Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extraterrestrial in 1982. From his side, J.J.Abrams got inspiration of this movie for his previous movies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdTLYoormdE

And indeed, TFA is full of callbacks to E.T. the Extraterrestrial in which a lonely boy whose family split because of marital issues meets a lonely extraterrestrial left behind by his family. Sounds familiar? Except that in all visual clues, Kylo Ren is the one who parallels E.T. whereas Rey parallels Elliott:

TFA introductory shot:

Kylo Ren’s introduction:

(Scary) encounter scene:

Bonding scene:

Mirroring each other:

Resonating with each other :

Bonus:

II) “Finn will be fine” deleted scene: a foreshadowing?

 Now, let’s have a look at TFA deleted scene “Finn will be fine” that is supposed to take place between Leia and Rey hugging scene and R2-D2′s awakening scene. First let me point out how these two mother’s embraces look incredibly similar:

A lot of people reacted surprised that Leia hugged Rey instead of Chewie and thus concluded that Rey was a Skywalker . I don’t think that there was any mistake there from J.J.Abrams contrary to what he said to justify his choice. Leia’s embrace is described by the TFA novelization as a mother’s embrace. Interestingly, John Willims used the music “Torn apart” precisely at the moment where Leia and Ben connect through the Force just after Han’s death. Make what you want from this but my conclusion is that Leia feels her son through the Force bond that he and Rey share. Friendly reminder that Kylo was heavily wounded by both Chewie’s bowcaster and Rey’s strikes and thus most probably fighting for his life 

Now, let’s come to the analysis of the “Finn will be fine” scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCeQ4o88oSM

At a first glance, there is nothing particular about this scene. It is only Rey worrying for Finn and getting the good news about his physical  state from Dr. Kalonia. As we all know, Finn got really bad injured during the snow fight. By analyzing this deleted scene, I first noticed that some things seemed somehow «out of place». If you have a look on the transition of the first shot to the second shot (0:13), it really LOOKS LIKE Rey is staring at Finn while he is treated for his injuries. So you really get the impression that Rey is in front of him and is observing what’s going on there. She seems very concerned and really deep in thought…And then Dr. Kalonia shows up to deliver the diagnosis to Rey.

BUT notice that she comes not from the FRONT but from BEHIND Rey. It seems logical to me that Dr. Kalonia has just checked on Finn by herself before she came to Rey to deliver the good new. So why does she come from behind and not from the front if Rey is supposed to observe what’s happening?    So what does it tell us? It tells us that Rey is certainly not staring at Finn being treated for his injuries. And indeed, she actually stands in the main room  next to a pillar.:

Since Dr. Kalonia comes from behind her on her right, Finn is most probably in a separate room somewhere behind her. Providing that Rey is not staring at Finn at that moment (0:14), WHY does she looks so deep in thought (she stares in front of her as if she is completely in another world!), anxious and somehow scared at a very specific moment?   Notice how her eyes suddenly widen, she somehow gasps and her face expression is anxious (0:15). She obviously react to something bad that she is witnessing right now.  If something bad was happening to Finn at this moment, shouldn’t Dr. Kalonia be with him at this moment rather than coming to Rey to deliver the good news?

I think I find out why while focusing on the sounds recorded during the scene. Right after the second shot begins, a FIRST SOUND - that is not easy to notice – (0:14) can be heard. This is the sound of an electrocardiogram and nothing more is to be heard at that point. Then Rey’s face breaks in anguish: she looks somehow scared and it seems that she feels that something is going really wrong (0:15) Then Dr. Kalonia interrupts her thoughts to bring her the good news about Finn. And at that precise moment,  the same electrocardiogramm sound  can be heard  for the SECOND time (0:16) while Rey is listening to Dr. Kalonia.

Even if Rey is distracted by Dr. Kalonia, she still looks very deep in thought and doesn’t seem to react to the good new immediately as if her thoughts were somewhere else. And then you hear the sound of the electrocardiogram for the THIRD time followed by a SOFT HEARTBEAT SOUND (0:18). And suddenly, Rey looks somehow puzzled and relieved at the same time (0:21): she not only seems to react to the good news about Finn but also to the heartbeat sound itself!!! And then the sound of the electrocardiogram is to be heard for a FOURTH time followed by a more distinctive hearbeat sound (0:22)!!!

Don’t want to draw definitive conclusions but…

So if my analysis of the scene is right, it suggests that Kylo came close to death by the end of TFA and that Rey felt it through the bond, explaining why her face expression went from this...

...to this!

...and finally this!

Meanwhile, Leia probably felt it too...

III.Possible implication in TLJ

Given the importance of E.T. the Extraterrestrial in TFA, it would be surprising if the movie didn’t influence Rian Johnson while strengthening the Reylo dynamic. What the “Finn will be fine” scene suggests is that the Force Bond between Kylo and Rey is already strong enough to make one of them impacted  by distance as something happens to the other:

Even if we have no context to this shot, we know that Rey is gasping for air for unexplained reason. We may assume that Rey reacts to something happening to Kylo just as Elliott reacts once to  E.T.’s fear:

In E.T. the Exterrestrial,Elliott also gets impacted by E.T.’s behavior: when E.T. gets drunk, he also gets drunk.

There is something more important As the connection grows, their lives become interdependent.  If one is dying, the other is dying:

Elliott: We’re sick!I think we’re dying...

In other words, if Kylo’s life would be endangered, we may assume that Rey’s life would be also endangered.

And here comes my point.  Although the movie wasn’t clear enough about it, the novelization makes it pretty clear that Kylo is the archetype of the Disney Prince(ss) targeted/cursed from birth by the manipulative villain. I would even suggest that Snoke is actually a Dark version of E.T., representing all what a Dark E.T. could have been for Elliott: a manipulative, possessive, exclusive friend.  And indeed, Ben embodies this lonely boy shaken by marital issues within his families that found in Snoke an understanding but toxic friend:

So we may assume that there are actually two E.T. and two Elliott in that story. And it was confirmed by Andy Serkis that Snoke has a huge agendalimited by his own physical state. Plus, the the novelization makes it pretty clear that Snoke sees himself as a sculptor fashioning Ben to create a masterpiece for an some unknown purpose to fulfill his huge agenda.

And if you want my opinion about this, Snoke won’t let Ben leave that easily. Ben may turn his back on him, trying to break the abusive relationship, making it clear that he won’t let himself us anymore, we may assume that Snoke will no matter what achieve his agenda by using him and ultimately crush him. IMO, Han’s line may be a terrible foreshadowing of Ben’s fate by the end of TLJ:

Han to Ben: Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he’ll crush you

Admiral Ackbar: How is it possible to power a weapon of that size (=Snoke)?

Finn: It uses the power of the Sun (=Ben). As the weapon is charged, the Sun is drained until it disappears

In Christian faith, the death of the Sun is associated to the Death of the Son aka Jesus Christ. In Hebrew, Ben means Son:

The Jack of Heart is the card of “Christian spirit of sacrificial love”

So  I think it is possible that Ben will be used by Snoke against his own will to allow him to  achieve his huge agenda and will ultimately get crushed by him as Han had foreshadowed:

Recently, Rian liked this tweet, leading many people to assume that we will get indeed shirtless Kylo during the movie

No doubt that we could get shirtless Kylo in some romantic scene, but since Rian gave any precisions  that could very well happen in these kind of circumstances too, right ?

Medical droid: Medically she is completely healthy. For reasons we can’t explain…We’re are losing her… Obi-Wan: She is dying? Medical droid: We don’t know why…

Given the many parallels with ROTS in the TLJ trailer and the many parallels between Reylo and Anidala in general, I don’t think that it is impossible that we get some callback to these scenes. And here comes my final point: I think that the emotional things happening to  Kylo and Rey Rian is referring to  may happen as they’re dying together until Kylo sacrifices for Rey like E.T. sacrifices for Elliott:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSrd_ToLVgo

Would that kind of scene be shocking for the audience? Yes!

Would emotional things happen to both characters? Yes!

Would both both characters resonate with each other ? Yes!

Would the audience emphasize with the emotional things happening to both characters? Yes!

Would that kind of scene woud scream romantic Reylo? From a certain point of view probably but not equivalent to Anidala and HanLeia’s love pledge

Would we get shirtless Kylo? Yes!

Reminder how both Episode III and Episode V whom TLJ seems to parallel the most both ended:

IV. Why Ben’s sacrifice/death/fall by the end of  TLJ would makes sense in the context of the ST

A) Why Luke won’t turn to the DS despite the hints:

Mark Hamill made it pretty clear in his most recent interview that Luke was rather in some kind of depression than in dark side mode. Rian Johnson said he wanted each character to face his greatest challenge: I think that Luke ‘s greatest challenge will be to become once again the optimistic hero he used to be and accept to take part of the fight against the DS again. Plus, Hamil insists Luke is meant to be a supportive character because the ST is not about Luke’s story. Having Luke turning to the DS would surely move the centerpiece of the story from the Rey/Kylo dynamic to the Rey/Luke dynamic. Besides, who would  bring back Luke to the LS with a redemption arc that would be way too reminiscent of Vader? Logically Leia since she is his closest relative as his twin sister but the sibling dynamic ain’t centerpiece of the  story. Kylo would be the second option since they’re family but their uncle/nephew dynamic ain’t the centerpiece of the story. Rey as the heroine should logically play this role but honestly: why Rey would go after a 60 years old man who is neither her belonging behind (father) nor her belonging ahead (husband)? And Luke’s fall would indeed be shocking for the GA since he is a beloved character  but we already know that LF wouldn’t  to make him die unreedeemed. And making him die as shocking outcome in TLJ would bring anything to the story after spending a whole to search for him and spending a whole movie to convince him to  join the fight again.

B) Why Rey won’t turn to the DS despite the hints

As much as Rey will struggle with her raw power, I don’t think that her character journey consists in mirroring Anakin’s fall to the DS. I heavily doubt that she would accept to join Snoke to the DS after she gets tortured by him. And the bruise she has on her forehead on Crait makes it pretty clear that the torture scene with Snoke (in which she obviously has no bruise) happens after she confronted him on Supremacy. In other words, Rey would have no reason to leave the Resistance to join Snoke if she escape Supremacy safe and sound after he tortured her. Besides, if we consider that Rey ain’t a Skywalker, her fall to the DS would indeed have a big  emotional impact on the GA but her fate would be no surprise. She is the heroine: we already know that she will come back whatever her fate is in TLJ. What’s more, her fall would be an emotional shock for Ben & Finn but I doubt that Luke and Leia would feel really concerned.

C) Why the sacrifice of the Son in TLJ - after the sacrifice of the father in TFA -  is necessary

1) Because TLJ needs to raise the biggest emotional stake/conflict possible for Episode 9

TFA introduced us to two central stakes:

- An explicit one:

“Luke Skywalker has vanished”

- An implicit one:

“If you see our son, bring him home”

Which one would be solved by the end of TLJ? Which one would be unsolved?

We know that the Reylo dynamic is the central relationship in the ST.  Luke falling to the DS would move he central dynamic from Rey/Kylo to Rey/Luke.  Rey falling to the DS would indeed represent an emotional shock for Kylo himself but not for the Skywalker family. Kylo going down whatever his state is would raise the following major stake

Rey: You must be dead...because I don’t know how to feel..I can’t feel anything anymore... (Elliott to E.T.)

The heroine,  a young woman wanting desperately belonging, would not only get the confirmation during the movie that her belonging behind (her parents) are never coming back but would also lose her belonging ahead (soulmate). She may not fall in love with Ben in TLJ or make a love pledge to him but his loss would surely create a big emotional shock especially if she got accustumed by their Force bond.

Leia: I’ve lost my only son...forever

A mother would lose her only child, a theme that wasn’t really explored yet in SW. In Episode 2, Anakin lost his mother; In Episode 8, will Leia lose her son? Leia all by herself reprthe tragedies of the Skywalker family, beginning her life losing her mother, maybe ending her life losing her only son...

Luke: ...

An uncle would feel responsible for the tragedy and would have to sustain his sister:

And beyond the family mourning...

The Skywalker family would lose her only child and thus would end...In other words, Ben’s “death” or (whatever his state is )  would represent a major stake for the heoine, for the Skywalker family and for the franchise.

2) Because Disney/ needs the GA - especially the Kylo haters - to understand that Ben - beyond any reproductive imperative -  was the Prince(ss) victim of the manipulative villain all along

After TFA:

GA/Antis: “Kylo Ren is an emo, ugly, weak villain. He is an abuser, a traitor, a murderer who support a Nazi organization.   He must pay for his crimes and die unreedeemed by the end of the ST! I am never gonna forgive him for killing his father. No way he is the bearer of the great Skywalker legacy! “

After TLJ:

Hardcore Antis: Guys! Guys! It’s party time! I heard that Kylo Ren is...

GA: WTF! I thought that Luke or Rey would turn to the DS!

Antis: Holly shit! So Kylo Ren was actually the only Skywalker child. So this is the end of the Skywalker...

Reylos: My ship...

In other words, Kylo’s “death” would represent a big shock for everybody. It would surprise the GA that seems to expect a shocking revelation and/or Luke or Rey turning to the DS. It would beat the Kylo hater at their own game by giving them precisely what they want in the most unexpected way. And it would be a big shock for Reylos too, who mostly expect Kylo and Rey to make out and flee together by the end of the movie. And it would indeed make the audience sympathize with a generally unbeloved character  and makes the outcome of Episode 9 more unpredictable

3) Because the “death” of a Prince(ss) is something common in Disney fairytales

V) Why Prince(ss) Ben Solo (Skywalker) shall ultimately survive

A) Ben is paralleling the Son/Sun

B) Ben is associated with to Phoenixes reborn from their ashes

3) Ben is our SW E.T.:

4) Ben is our Disney Prince(ss)

And Disney Prince(ss) alway find a way to cheat death...with some help!

VI) Episode 9: Save Prince(ss) Ben Solo

From TFA novelization:

Maz to Rey: Dear child! I see your eyes! You aready know the truth. Whomever you’re waiting for on Jakku, they’re never coming back. But there is someone who  still could...with your help

From Sleeping Beauty

Merryweather: “ Sweet princess, if through this wicked witch’s trick, a spindle should your finger prick… a ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee.

Leia in ANH:

This is our most desperate hour! Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi! You’re my only hope!

From TFA novelization:

Remembering, Rey reached into her pack and removed his lightsaber. Taking several steps forward, she held it out to him. An offer. A plea. The galaxy’s only hope

Good fairy Obi-Wan sent Rey (his grand-daughter?) to the Skywalker and the rest is history...

Reminder that Elliott’s role in E.T. the Extraterrestrial consists in helping E.T. to go home, back to his family.

[polarishq]

Meet RAE GALLAGHER. They are TWENTY EIGHT years of age and hail from SEATTLE, WA. Rae embodies the ROSETTE NEBULA. They use she/her pronouns. Their faceclaim is NATALIA DYER.

Rosette Nebula reminds me of bitten nails coated in chipped nail polish, a tote bag carrying no less than three books at all times, creeping self doubt, ponytails and long sleeved t-shirts, a surprising amount of sass packed into a tiny, unsuspecting form, kickboxing lessons, a sketch book, constantly seeking physical contact, unrealistic romantic comedies.

BIOGRAPHY

From the beginning, it was only Rae and her uncle. Her parents, only teenagers themselves, were planning to give her up for adoption when her birth mom’s brother offered to take her in. With him, she lived a quaint yet comfortable life in the outskirts of Seattle, seeing her birth mother during family holidays and never coming to know her father. She honestly had no complaints about her upbringing. Although it came with the occasional wish that she had a real, nuclear family unit, at the end of the day, she was loved and cared for. Rae has never needed much else.

Her sponsorship tattoo appeared on her left rib cage just shortly after her sixteenth birthday, but due to Rosette Nebula’s nature, nothing quite manifested aside from the occasional, accidental spell. She didn’t get her magic from her mother’s side, so Rae had no idea what she was faced with, and carried about her life with this new mystery hanging over her head.

After high school, she accepted a scholarship to the University of San Francisco to pursue a degree in Architecture & Community Design. It was here that Rae began to come out of her shell, making real friends outside of the constructs of high school cliques. With that came the parties, and with the parties came the inciting incident. 

(TW: Being drugged, attempted sexual assault.) It was during one of these frat parties her Sophomore year that someone slipped a drug in her drink and pulled her upstairs along with two other men when her faculties weakened. Rae, who had never so much as done a pull-up in her life, wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it even if she weren’t drugged. But in that moment of fear and the rush of adrenaline, her mind had two thoughts: I am not Incapacitated and I can fight them. And, just like that, with no time to doubt, Rae’s mind cleared and, with one violent offensive burst of energy, all three men were thrown back–one dead, the other two unconscious. The effects of the drugs began to seep back in soon after, leaving her with just enough clarity left to find help.

It wasn’t long before a professor at Polaris came to visit her, explaining that she was a witch and inviting her to come to Vermont. Under other circumstances, Rae likely wouldn’t have believed them, but she was traumatized and under investigation for the death of that student; and although, in the end, it had been ruled as self defense, the violent nature of it had too many rumors circulating the school regardless. 

She’s been at Polaris ever since, and has only recently come to terms with the idea that, with her inclination, she can truly become whatever she wants to, if she could only get through her mental block. The possibility of living a normal, non-magical life always looms, too, but the fantasies of what she could achieve have kept her there. (Although, at this point, therapy could probably help her more than Polaris, but whatever.)

INCLINATION

Rosette Nebula can be dangerous in the right hands–and absolutely useless in others. Those sponsored by the Rosette Nebula can possess any inclination they truly, unconditionally believe they have, but the second any doubt creeps into their mind, that power weakens and, eventually, disappears. Because of this, the Rosette Nebula’s sponsee’s best weapon is their confidence and mind–otherwise, they’re just your average, run of the mill witch.

CONNECTIONS

Filling the role of Ruby Koh’s Best Friend.

Toxic On-Again, Off-Again: Rae has been in a toxic cycle with this person for several years, now. When they’re on, things are good, until the fighting and the personal attacks begin and everything starts to crumble. This person has been a huge hinderance in her journey, and is a big reason why she continues to struggle with her confidence, yet she continues to fall in the cycle every time, hoping the end result might differ.

Father and/or Half-Sibling: Pretty simple, honestly! Rae’s parents conceived her when they were teenagers and her uncle took her in when they decided to put her up for adoption. She knows her mother, but doesn’t remember ever meeting her father, who she got her magical abilities from. I’d love for either her father (who’d have to be between 43-49) or half-sibling (anything younger than her, honestly) to be chillin’ at Polaris or in town.

Confidence Manipulator: So, long story short, this person likely has nefarious intentions and knows that Rae could cause some Shit™ under the right circumstances. They’ve been charming her and hyping her up for ages, and she sees them as a good friend (or, potentially has a crush on them, tbh), but at the end of the day, their only goal is to build her up so they can use her.

Penned by Ashley ★