#claudia was the leader and the only adult they have in their lives

[yellow-dejavu]

[nalyra-dreaming]

I’m a long- time reader of the VC - read the first 4 books in 1994 at the ripe old age of 12 and then eagerly kept up after that. I did the message boards thing and the live journal thing as a teen and young adult. I’ve been in this fandom a long time, and it’s interesting to see how show-only viewers see things.

One thing I’ve enjoyed with the show are the little ripple effects of the changes they’ve made to the time period, and to some of the characters races, ages, and origins. For the most part I’m in love with how these changes enrich and expand the story, lending new thematic weight to different aspects of the story.

I am having trouble processing the implications of one change, though, and wonder at your thoughts. One impact of changing Claudia’s age and origins is that her death no longer truly feels inevitable or necessary. Claudia of the books is trapped in a five year old’s body with a five year old’s cognitive development. No matter how long she lives or what that changes within her, she can never be free and independent. I think the core tragedy of Claudia is this inevitability. She must die. Lestat and Louis fail her by extending her life and rendering her into this unnatural, helpless creature of unquenchable appetites. Her death is tragic but also a mercy. It makes sense when you consider the loss Claudia’s character was born from. I think Anne wrote her the way she did as a way of letting go of her daughter. She wrote a story where eternal life as a child was a misery to be released from. Claudia’s end is tragic but also merciful. I have a five year old son; I would not want such endless suffering for him.

But Claudia in the show absolutely can survive and find fulfillment and meaning. We see that with the glimpses of her short life with Madeline. Even if they eventually parted ways, she could absolutely continue on. The audience feels this even more acutely because both Bailey and Delaney look like grown women. It’s hard to suspend disbelief enough to see them as young enough to be doomed. This fundamentally changes what Claudia’s story means. It ripples onto all the other characters as well. The way we read them and their arcs and involvement is deeply impacted by the implications that Claudia didn’t have to die. It changes the nature of the tragedy, and though I think her character has provided interesting insights into womanhood and growing up, I don’t know that this thematic change benefits the overall story. Still processing it, but feeling rather divided. And I can feel the new, show-only fan discourse barreling towards us like a boulder speeding down a hill.

Hmmm. So I get what you mean (also high-fives you, I'm a handful of years ahead but also went through all the "old fandom" stuff.)

Claudia's tragedy ... is changed, true. But she is still failed. By everyone who was supposed to take care of her. Her mother died, her father failed her, her auntie, too. Her "adopted" fathers failed her, too, though not really for lack of trying, but for the simple reason that they used her - they wanted her as something to bind them together, and she simply could not be that. The other vampires fail her, both in malicious and also pitiful ways. Armand - as the leader of the Parisian coven - should have protected her, after she joined.

They all fail her. Because Louis and Lestat, and Armand (and Santiago and the coven)... use her.

And I feel that the tragedy of her life is made all the clearer here, because she never stood a chance.

She found her "x", she found a way out, on her own devices, despite everything.

But she is pulled back, and used again, for a mock trial, a mock purpose. (Another parallel to Lestat here, who is also used throughout the chronicles.)

I would not want book!Claudia's fate for my child either. I can understand why Anne had to change the original book fate (which was her getting away!) to the one we have now. I get it.

But the show added more possibility to Claudia's fate. More... opportunity. In theory.

But she was never able to really take that opportunity, because she was locked into her existence by them. Not only into a teenage body, but also into the vampiric existence.

As soon as she gets away... there are machinations to pull her back. Literally in s1. More subtle in s2.

She cannot get away... because others use her - again.

Personally, I find that even more bitter.

[newstfionline]

Friday, November 1, 2024

Canada prepares for U.S. election that ‘keeps people up at night’ (Washington Post) Canada survived Donald Trump’s first term—but it wasn’t easy. He tore up the North American Free Trade Agreement, setting off a bruising renegotiation. He imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, prompting retaliation. He hurled insults at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him “very dishonest and weak.” He injected friction into a relationship known for its closeness. Canadian opinion of the United States, by far Canada’s largest trading partner, plunged. A Harris victory in next week’s razor-tight presidential election would offer a U.S. leader with whom Canada has not struggled to find common ground. She lived in Canada for five years as a teen and graduated from high school in Montreal. But the possible return of the intemperate former president to the White House, coupled with rising protectionism on both sides of the U.S. political aisle—which will remain a key issue whichever side wins—has Ottawa dispatching top officials across the United States in a bid to stave off policies that could jeopardize Canadian interests. The U.S. election “keeps a lot of people up at night,” said Canadian Sen. Peter M. Boehm.

Could ‘adult dorms’ save city downtowns? (The Week) American cities have two big problems these days: Too much empty office space and not enough affordable housing. There may be a solution. Those empty offices could be converted to “micro-apartments”—“ultracompact rentals about the size of a cruise ship cabin,” said The Minnesota Star Tribune. A study from urban planners said a typical micro-apartment in Minneapolis would rent for about $750 a month, “about half the cost of a typical rental” in the city’s downtown. But they would definitely be micro, about 150 square feet. Each apartment would have room for a bed, desk and half-sized refrigerator. Living room, kitchen and laundry areas would be communal shared spaces. These would be “tiny, tiny, apartments,” Andrea Riquier said at USA Today. They could serve young adults, older people and even the homeless. Most importantly, it would let developers add housing to a “market at the most affordable price point.”

UN General Assembly condemns the US economic embargo of Cuba for a 32nd year (AP) The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn the American economic embargo of Cuba for a 32nd year. The vote in the 193-member world body was 187-2, with only the United States and Israel against the resolution, and one abstention. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez blamed the U.S. government’s “maximum pressure policy” aimed at depriving Cuba of the imported fuel it relies on for a widespread blackout this month, including when Hurricane Oscar lashed the island.

8 of 11 members of Mexico’s Supreme Court to resign in protest of controversial judicial overhaul (AP) Eight justices of Mexico’s Supreme Court have said they will leave the court rather than stand for election as required by a controversial judicial overhaul passed last month. Supreme Court President Norma Piña and seven others submitted letters Tuesday and Wednesday stating they would leave their posts rather than compete in judicial elections scheduled for next June. Last month, Mexico’s Congress passed—and a majority of states ratified—then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s initiative to make all of the country’s judges subject to election. López Obrador and his allies, including his successor Claudia Sheinbaum, have said the radical change will help rid the judicial system of corruption. However, critics say the courts will become less independent and more subject to political forces.

Argentina’s public universities are paralyzed by protests (AP) After 11 months in office, Argentina’s President Javier Milei has fulfilled his flagship pledge to eliminate the country’s monumental deficits by shrinking the public payroll, slashing subsidies and suppressing already low wages of state workers. The austerity has spawned misery. But with the country’s left-wing opposition in disarray after delivering the economic disaster that Milei inherited, Argentina hasn’t seen the kind of widespread social unrest that has characterized past economic crises. That could change. The country’s teachers are fed up. Milei’s recent veto of a bill boosting spending on university budgets struck a collective nerve in a nation that long has considered free education a right, drawing the broadest demonstrations since the libertarian leader took office. Last week’s open-air classes held in Plaza de Mayo, the main square home to government headquarters, marked the latest in a new wave of protests supporting public universities that has gripped Argentina over the past month. Students are taking over college campuses in the coming days ahead of another mass protest.

European countries, trailing U.S. economy, hike taxes and trim spending (Washington Post) Europe is facing tight times, with the governments of the largest economies—Britain, France and Germany—confronting sluggish growth and soaring debt as they struggle to produce their budgets for next year. On a day of more good news about the sturdy growth of the U.S. economy, the outlook across the Atlantic was gloomier. Britain’s Labour Party government unveiled its long-awaited fiscal plan Wednesday, proposing to raise $52 billion in new taxes—the biggest increase in a generation. That comes after the new French government this month revealed austerity plans. The French economy got a bit of an Olympic boost, but the country is grappling with what the government has called a “colossal” debt burden and a spiraling deficit, one of Europe’s worst. And Germany learned Wednesday that it had narrowly avoided a recession, but the country that has been the economic engine of Europe is experiencing anemic growth—and facing budget cuts as a result.

Russia fines Google more than the world's entire GDP (NBC News) Google may need to consider a payment plan for the latest allegations against it. On Wednesday, Russia fined the company $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000—a sum worth more than the world’s entire GDP put together. The 37-digit figure, otherwise known as 2 undecillion rubles, aims to punish Google for blocking content from 17 Russian TV stations and media outlets on YouTube, which Google owns. But even the Kremlin on Thursday admitted that the fine is more of a symbolic gesture than one expected to be paid off. Phew.

Russian propaganda is increasingly targeting Switzerland (NZZ/Switzerland) For decades, Russia has used disinformation as a way of skewing debates in the world’s free democracies, creating a constant background noise in the public discourse. Switzerland has been less affected than many other countries, but now the noise is getting louder in this country too. An analysis of the Russian propaganda platform Russia Today shows the scale of the change. In late January 2024, RT’s German-language website introduced a separate section focusing specifically on Switzerland. Since then, RT has increased its reporting on Switzerland by a factor of 10. Roman Horbyk, a media researcher at the University of Zurich, says an information war is currently underway. The content of these RT articles follows classic Russian disinformation strategies. They portray a dismal picture of the country, in which it is apparently quite normal for foreigners to stab children, refugees to defraud the state, and the government to act arbitrarily and corruptly. However, 0ne of the most frequent topics is the war in Ukraine. The reports often center on Ukrainian refugees, typically in a disparaging and distorted way. For example, in mid-October, one article carried the headline: “‘Gorge yourself, you freeloader!’ Dissatisfaction with Ukrainian refugees grows in Switzerland.” In addition, Swiss banks, the army and Switzerland’s neutrality policy often come off badly.

Russian drones hunt civilians in streets of southern Ukrainian city (Washington Post) Russian forces have escalated indiscriminate drone attacks against civilians in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, killing and maiming scores of people in what locals have described as a “human safari.” Unlike elsewhere on the 600-mile-long front, Russian forces in Kherson are just across the river from the city and are using small drones to harass the population, either by crashing into targets and exploding or by dropping grenades and small camouflaged mines. The situation is fairly unique compared with the rest of Ukraine, where Russian troops must use longer-range weapons to reach civilians. Humanitarian operations and city services such as fire trucks and buses seem to be under particular threat, officials said, though children on bicycles and older people gathering at markets have also been struck.

The 21st century space race (BBC) China’s Shenzou 19 spacecraft has successfully docked at the Tiangong space station, the latest feat in a record year of space exploration for the country. The three-person crew will use their six months in orbit to conduct experiments and carry out spacewalks as part of Beijing’s mission to put someone on the Moon by 2030. Yet some see China’s ambition as a threat. Nasa chief Bill Nelson has said the US and China are “in a race” to return to the Moon, where he fears Beijing wants to stake territorial claims. The Moon’s resources include rare earths, the value of which has been estimated to be anywhere between billions to quadrillions of dollars. In Dongfeng Space City, a town built to support the launch site, China’s space programme is celebrated. Every street light is adorned with the national flag, cartoon-like astronaut figurines and sculptures sit in the centre of children’s parks and plastic rockets are a centrepiece on most traffic roundabouts. This is a moment of national pride. But even though China has invited international press to witness their space progress—there are key restrictions. We were kept in a hotel three hours from the launch site and a simple trip to a friendly local restaurant was carefully guarded by a line of security personnel. We also noticed a large sign in town holding a stern warning: “You’ll be jailed if you leak secrets. You’ll be happy if you keep secrets. You’ll be shot if you sell secrets.” China is taking no chances with its new technology, as its rivalry with the US is no longer just here on Earth.

Typhoon Kong-rey makes landfall in Taiwan (Foreign Policy) Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan on Thursday, bringing fierce winds reaching the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. It is the most powerful storm to hit the island in nearly 30 years. Already, at least one person was killed and more than 200 injured. Local authorities urged residents to stay home, and Taipei has put 36,000 troops on standby to assist rescue efforts. More than 11,900 people across 14 cities and counties have been evacuated, according to Taiwan’s Interior Ministry. Taiwan Power has reported power outages in half a million households, authorities closed Taiwan’s financial markets and schools, and hundreds of flights were canceled due to high winds.

Israel Widens Hezbollah Strikes, Hitting Lebanese Cities Beyond Border Area (NYT) The Israeli military widened its campaign against the militant group Hezbollah on Wednesday, launching airstrikes around the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek and forcing large numbers of people to flee. Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah, initially focused on smaller, border villages in the south, are expanding beyond the country’s periphery to port towns and urban centers where the group has supporters, including Baalbek, Tyre and Sidon. Famed for its towering Roman ruins, Baalbek, which had a population of about 80,000 people, had largely been spared Israeli bombardment until recent days. “People are panicking,” said Ibrahim Bayan, a mayoral deputy in Baalbek, adding that about a dozen strikes had landed in or around the city since Israel issued its evacuation warnings on Wednesday. The Israeli military said it struck fuel depots belonging to Hezbollah, stocked with fuel supplied by Iran.

Uganda struggles to feed more than 1.7 million refugees as international support dwindles (AP) For months, Agnes Bulaba, a Congolese refugee in Uganda, has had to get by without the food rations she once depended on. Her children scavenge among local communities for whatever they can find to eat. “As a woman who’s not married, life is hard,” Bulaba told The Associated Press. Some locals “keep throwing stones at us, but we just want to feed our kids and buy them some clothes,” said the mother of six, who often works as a prostitute to fend for her family. Uganda is home to more than 1.7 million refugees, the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Despite being renowned for welcoming those fleeing neighboring violence, Ugandan officials and humanitarians say dwindling international support coupled with high numbers of refugees have put much pressure on host communities. Approximately 10,000 new arrivals enter Uganda each month, according to U.N. figures.

[fynnchbird]

Thoughts and Question about IVWTV show and VC Books

So, I ended up falling ass over tea kettle into a new obsession (new in that returning to a childhood interest). That being Interview with the Vampire (the show) and that had me scoot and boogie over to listening to the audiobooks. Not in any particular order, I started with the QotD and now listening to VL. As well I know a fair-ish amount about some of the plot lines in the other books and stuff. And now I want to through out thoughts about the television series and what might or might not happen. So possible spoilers ahead.

I truly hope to all the gods above and below that they don't follow the aliens and Atlantis plot lines in the later books. Or at least pick one or the other just not both.

Now I definitely plan or continuing to read the books at whatever slow pace I am doing now. But I am slightly confused about the issue with ghosts. In QotD Maharet explains that they're aren't really any such things as ghosts, they are actually spirits that looks to assume the form of living creatures as a way to become physical which they can not do. So I'm fairly sure that the ghost of Claudia that Louis meets and emotionally destroys is just that and not actually Claudia(at least I hope). And what will they do then in the show since they are going to keep having the actress who plays Claudia around (I love both actresses performances.)

I wonder how they will do Lestat's reason for joining in with the Akasha. Like in books obviously very nuanced and complicated, the need to both be and not be good and his own internal conflict with the very concept of good and evil and the want to be seen as he is. But like, even in books that was hard a hard pill to swallow and I can't see it translating to the screen very well.

I kinda hope they change the monarchical coven system that he creates in the later books. Especially in the early books (so far what I've read) Lestat seems more like a rebel that is forced into leader rolls rather than a "King/Prince" and him creating essentially a feudal court kinda seems meh. Especially with the Louis we have now not being a white plantation owner.

I need Gabrielle like yesterday! I love her sooooo much. A not so great mother who is only able to be able to bond with her child when he's an adult. And they as soon as she is changed to a vampire she rejects the expectations of a woman of her status and full the other direction. Personally I do view her a nonbinary/ transmasc.

On that note, I truly hope we do not have to deal with the weird incest feels that happen between her and Lestat. At the super very least they downplay it hard.

I also need devils minion! I loved reading that part of QotD. Armand and Daniels circling around each other. Armand not wanting to change Daniel because he is scared of being hated by a person he loved. As well as being worried that the change will take away something he loves about Daniel, like what happened to Lestat and Niki.

Speaking on Lestat and Niki definitely want more of the rise and fall of their relationship. Especially Niki's eventual hatred of Lestat when he pushed him to create the TdV, that monologue was very captivating and deeply sad from the perspective of Lestat seeing a person who he loved (and then kinda disliked) fall into madness.

Lastly, what are they going to do with TotBT? Like are they just gonna change that since they've brought in Ragland James? I kinda see that happening because right now it seems like they are combining David Talbot and Ragland James.

Any who this was a long and not organized list of some of my thoughts on the books and the show.

[maxineswritingcenter]

You Saved Me - Derek Hale x fem!reader part 24

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

2004 

“We lay to rest a beloved member of the community. A mother. A friend. A daughter. A wife. Claudia Stilinski...” We stood on the lawn of Beacon Hills Memorial Cemetery, watching Aunt Claudia’s casket being lowered into the ground. She had been sick for so long and it was starting to turn ugly... But she was in a better place now, that’s what Uncle Noah said. When he spoke at least. I looked past the grieving people, like Ms. McCall, Scott, the entire police department, and looked at Stiles. He looked so tired. His cheeks were tear stained and his eyes were red from crying. 

Once people started to disperse, my parents and I made our way over to Uncle Noah and Stiles. While the adults talked, Stiles and I just continued to stare at the grave. The grounds keepers were starting to cover her body with dirt. 

“Do you want me to spend the night tonight?” I whispered, reaching over and holding his hand. 

Stiles shook his head, chewing on the inside of his cheek, “I want to be alone tonight.” He gave my hand a squeeze.

“Wouldn’t tonight be the worst time to be alone?” 

“I just want to be at home with my dad. I need some time for myself.” 

“(Y/N).” We both turned at my father’s voice, “Let’s go, sweetie.” We both looked back at the grave.

“Okay. Well, call if you change your mind.” I gave his hand a squeeze before letting it slip away. 

We got into the car, making our way back home. 

“How you holding up, sweetie?” Mom turned back and looked at me over the sink. 

“I don’t want to be alone tonight.” I said, looking out the window.

“Well, you don’t have to.” Dad said, “We’ll get into our pjs and watch Disney movies. You know how much Aunt Claudia loved Disney movies.” 

I swallowed thickly, “Actually... I was hoping that I could go to see the Hales. If that’s okay.” Dad sighed loudly and mom smacked him subtly. 

“Sure, baby.” Mom said, a sad smile on her face, “I’ll call Talia when we get home.” 

-

When I was dropped off at the Hales’, Talia welcomed me with open arms, a blanket, and a hot chocolate. I guess what I needed was away from the whole situation. We played games, Laura braided my hair, we made friendship bracelets. At the end of the night, Laura and Cora had fallen asleep to the movie we had been watching and Derek had snuck us both onto the roof of the Hale house. We were on our back, looking up at all the stars in the sky and the moon shining down on us. We had been in silence for a while until Derek cleared his throat awkwardly. 

“So, uh, are you excited for high school next year?” 

I sighed and shook my head, “After today? I don’t think I’ll be ready for anything.”

“Yeah...” He turned on his side to face me, “I’m sorry about your aunt. I know she was important to you.” 

“Thanks...” I turned, “I guess I’m just kinda worried about everything. I don’t know what life is going to be like without her. And I’m worried about Stiles too.” 

“I bet. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my mom.” He said. Then, he reached out and grabbed my hand, “Whenever you feel like this again, let me know. You can come over and we can do this again. Whatever you need, I’ll be there.” 

I smiled, a slight blush to my cheeks that I really hoped was hidden in the dark, “Thanks, Derek.” 

“Of course.” He smiled, “It’s what friends do.” 

-

The communication with Beacon Hills was slim to none. And, ya know, that didn’t feel great. I understood that everyone was busy living their lives whether it was being a high school student or fighting supernatural beings or being a supernatural being or the sheriff in a town full of both. But unanswered texts and calls were starting to get to me. 

The ones I got weren’t great either though. Stiles occasionally sent me a long email about the events that had happened since long distance calls weren’t in the phone plan. 

I had learned more about the alpha pack - a blind one, a woman who could definitely use a manicure, a strong man, and twins who could morph into each other. I was almost a little happy I didn’t have to deal with that. 

All the betas were missing except Isaac who had stayed behind. Even if he did get in trouble every now and then. 

And then missing turned into dead. Hearing that Erica was dead really hit me hard. I barely knew the girl, a few moments and quick chats usually didn’t mean that much. But they found her locked in a closet, rotting. It was horrifying. She was a child. She was finally enjoying her life - a new life without seizures and bullying, her parents had taken her to get pictures taken; happy to see that their little girl loved herself for the first time. Now she was gone. 

They found Boyd alive, thankfully. And surprisingly, they had found Derek’s sister: Cora. 

Not forgetting that there were flocks of animals committing mass suicide and kids turning up murdered. It seems home is getting more and more dangerous. Not only was there an alpha pack but there was a creature called a Darach, a dark druid. 

The leader of the alpha pack, Deucalion, was trying to get Derek to join his pack. He also wanted me to join as well, apparently he had been asking where I was. To join, he would have to kill the betas. Derek, who I’m sure was done being manipulated, refused. To keep him safe, Derek kicked Isaac out of the depot to live with Scott. 

Speaking of dead...

Even thousands of miles away, the vision of falling three stories still hurt as much as if I was actually there. A battle between the alphas, Derek and Scott. And honestly, I wasn’t sure if Derek was alive or dead. Every little message I thought to him just echoed in my head. I had cried, tried forcing myself to work through it. But nothing really worked. I still woke up in the middle of the night, naked on the castle grounds having shifted my feelings or else I was instinctually trying to search for him. First it was anger, next it was denial, then more anger. And that was all just last night. 

Hell, not even forgetting to mention the fact that the test Lachlan ran on me was a little more than just a blood panel. They checked for human chorionic gonadotropin hormone aka the pregnancy hormone. And things were just getting better and better. Because it was positive. I am pregnant. And the father may be dead. 

-

Sending a preemptive long distance fee to Stiles’ PayPal account, I called the house phone. It didn’t have caller ID but it was something. Michael didn’t think it was a good idea, however, it was gonna be a cold day in Hell before I listened to his double agent ass. Lachlan thought I deserved closure. And I trusted him more. 

“Stilinski residence.” Stiles’ voice was a little scratchy, but still loud and clear. 

“Stiles, if you hang up on me I swear you will live to regret it. I still have access to your secret YouTube channel.” There was a pause on the other end, then a sigh. 

“Hey (Y/N). I was wondering why I got an email from my PayPal."

 "Is there a reason I've been on everyone's pay no mind list? Because it's starting to piss me off."

"Well... Derek said that we shouldn't worry about or get you stressed out."

"So not talking to me for months is supposed to help?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Uh... Ya got me there."

I groaned and started tapping my foot, "I just...." My mind seemed to go blank, my heart rate going up. That's not right. I wasn't doing anything to make it spike like this.

"I know, I know. And I'm sorry, I wish I could contact you more. But there's a lot going on here with the alpha pack and Lydia and-and Derek-"

"Shit." I wheezed, sitting down on the bed. My body felt so warm and not in the way it normally would.

"Yeah I know, it's a lot right now-" His voice was drowned out by my senses taking over. It was the familiar warmth of intimacy. But not from me. It was Derek! He was alive. But he was with someone. And that someone-

He was kissing her. Touching her. His heart racing. Her touch set his skin ablaze and nothing else mattered. Not even the wounds on his body that nearly killed him. But all that mattered was her intoxicating touch. The touch of a woman he didn’t know. But her whole being enveloped him.  

I screamed loudly in anger, but behind that anger was so much pain. My chest ached and felt like it was being pulled across the world. I dropped the phone, holding my chest.

"(Y/N)? (Y/N)! What's wrong?!" My breathing was erratic and my thoughts were going wild between what had just happened and what I was thinking and what I had to do from here. I felt so helpless and alone. What could I do?

Then... There was an answer. Maybe it was the stress? Maybe it was my raging hormones? But I had my answer.

I picked the phone back up.

"(Y/N)! Talk to me, what's going on?"

I inhaled and exhaled deeply, "Derek’s alive."

"He is?"

"But not for long." I hung up.

How dare he? HOW COULD HE? AFTER EVERYTHING WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH OUR ENTIRE LIVES AND HE JUST- JUST THROWS IT ALL OUT? And for what? Who could have been more important than me? I'm his stupid mate for Christ's sake.

But if he wants to sleep around?

Fine.

Fine.

He could for the next thirteen hours. Because I'm going back to Beacon Hills for the soul purpose of ripping his heart out like he did mine. And if this emotional trauma affected my child? Well, there were repercussions for that too.

-

Michael and Lachlan were in my room, watching me as I threw together a bag to take on the plane. Remarkably, as a member of the Lunar Circle I would get free airfare courtesy of Lachlan mostly because the guy was insanely rich and he agreed with my revenge plot, for the most part.

"Okay, let's think rationally here." Michael said, taking things out of my bag as I was putting them in, "He's a total douche bag for doing this. We all agree. But in your state, I don't think you should fly. I mean anything could happen."

"I can fly until I'm thirty-six weeks along." I said curtly, grabbing my things out of his hands and putting them back in the bag.

"Come on, think about what you're doing-"

"I have thought about it. And I'm going to kill him."

Michael looked back at Lachlan who had his arms crossed over my chest, only observing.

"A little help here, Praetor McLeod?"

Lachlan shrugged, "Seems justified to me."

"Murder? Murder seems justified to you." He asked incredulously.

"It's the werewolf way." Lachlan said simply.

"Thank you, Lachlan." I smiled.

"Anytime."

"Okay, what about this?" Michael stood in front of my path to my bag, "Murdering him seems like a great idea right now, I totally get it. But-but if you do that, it will weigh heavily on your conscience."

"The Lunar Circle has excellent insurance, including therapy." Lachlan chimed in.

I moved Michael out of the way, "Duly noted."

Michael sputtered, "And-and your baby? What about your baby? That's their dad."

"Their dad who decided to stick his penis in another woman." I raised my eyebrows at him, "That one? Yeah, what a stand up guy."

“But you love him. Don’t you think killing him-”

“Michael!” I slammed my suitcase shut, “Shut up.” I turned and faced both of them, “You’re right, okay? I do love him, which is the worst part. I hate him so much but I still love him. I dedicated my life to him and I thought he had dedicated himself to me. I was wrong.” I zipped the bag and made my way out the door, “I’ll be back at the end of the week.”

-

Getting on the plane didn’t take long. Relatively short lines, quick ticket, fast boarding. Like someone was looking out for me as I went to kick Derek's ass. Becoming alpha to Derek's pack was starting to sound better and better as the pain continued to radiate through my body. Eventually, I just felt numb.

The people on the plane were nice. I sat next to an older gentleman who slept for the most part so I could whisper profanities under my breath. The stewardess had been kind, making sure I had enough to drink. It seems someone had tipped them off I was pregnant, probably Michael. The guy had been a nervous wreck since he found out I was pregnant. He wouldn’t even let me train, not like he had much of a choice in what I did. But he sure knew how to annoy me out of a room. Lachlan had been supportive, talking about adding an additional room onto mine for a nursery. I told that it wasn’t necessary since I wouldn’t be staying in Scotland that long. 

After the plane landed, I was met by a very tired looking Stiles. We didn’t speak much, just began the drive back home. 

"So...." He swallowed, his eyes darted from me to the road ahead, "Pregnant," He chuckled nervously, "That-that's great! I'm so happy for you.” He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He was hesitating, he wanted to say something else, “Uh...Speaking of-” I groaned loudly, another lecture. 

He ignored my dramatics, “Maybe you shouldn't kill him. That's not good for the baby..." 

“It wasn’t good for the baby when he decided to take our bond, step on it and rub it in the dirt.” He was silent, but not for long.

"Yeah-but you see we kinda need Derek to help with some big bads. Like Deucalion and the Darach and ya know, other stuff." 

"I remember you telling me about it. I tried to do some research but Lachlan said that we didn’t have too much information on them.” 

“Well that’s not too helpful.” 

-

We made it back to the house at sunset, which was perfect timing. The cover of night would be great to conceal me in the dark. Sure, he would smell my scent but he would have no idea where I was coming from. I pulled on the handle on the door but stared at it when it didn’t budge. Still locked. I looked back at Stiles. He looked tired, a wreck.

“Would you just... See dad before you cover yourself in blood? He was really excited to hear you were coming home.” Like he always seemed to be, Stiles’ was right. I should see Uncle Noah. 

“I will. I need to rest anyway. Besides, I can’t kill him on an empty stomach.” I winked.

“You terrify me.” He unlocked the doors. We got out just in time for Uncle Noah to jog down the driveway. 

“There she is!” He grinned, wrapping his arms around me and hugging me tight. 

“I missed you so much.” I said into his shirt, giving him a soft squeeze. He pulled away and looked over me, “Look at you.” He motioned to my stomach that looked more like I was bloated than a fetus growing inside of me, “This-this is... Mhm. Exciting!” 

I chuckled, “Thanks. Very mhm.” 

“Uh, you hungry?” 

“Starving.”

-

Dinner had been extremely awkward, the conversation mostly coming back to the child growing inside of me. Lots of questions from both of them. Mostly how I hadn't called. In actuality I had called approximately twenty times a day with no answer from anyone per Derek's request. Unfortunately for him, his requests were now being put on the back burner. I excused myself to my room.

My room was kept the same, I'm certain no one had been inside besides Uncle Noah. And from the ruffled blankets, maybe Stiles. Back when we were kids, we used to sneak scary movies and had to sleep in a huddled pile because we were too scared to sleep by ourselves. 

I grabbed a jacket and opened up my window, I was half way out of it when my door opened. Stiles stood in the doorway. We stared at each other for a minute. 

“I may regret saying this one day because I don’t care for Derek, but don’t kill him.” He said, “Kick the living shit out of him, sure. Get in a few punches for me. But don’t kill him. We need him.” Of course, all it took was Stiles to talk me off the murder-ledge. 

“I won’t kill him.” I smiled, “I’ll be home soon.”

-

Odds are, with the alpha pack threat Derek will have the depot protected. What he failed to remember was that the most dangerous being in the world had a key to every place in the depot. I simply walked in the front door. Almost like he was expecting me.

His scent was so strong, like the forest after it rained. It made this ball of emotion well up in my chest bringing me back to all the love and memories we had shared together. Not all the memories were life and death. They weren't all fights. Some days, Derek and I would curl up and bed and never leave, only grabbing food here and there. His smile would light up his whole face, sometimes it would even reach his green eyes and make them sparkle. When he would nap, he would lay his head on my chest and sleep, like he was finally at peace with himself and the world. That was the person I loved. 

I walked through the main room at the depot, getting to the stairs. The worst part here was the pictures, us together, the pack. I want to make the depot less abandoned and more homey for the betas to have a place to go and relax. Some of the pictures had turned heads at the photo developing counter (but I had managed to convince them that it was for a theater class). The worst part was that on my way here Boyd had been killed. If only I had been here soon, if only I had been here at all. Only two of the pack remained, Isaac and Jackson who was no longer a killer lizard thanks to Lydia. Say what you will about Peter Hale but sometimes he knew what he was talking about.  

If Derek knew I was here, he hadn’t tried to make a move. Smart. 

After wandering a bit, I finally decided to face the music. I found him hunched over his desk in the main office room. Rain was dancing against the fluorescent lights from the street lamps down below. He hadn’t looked up at me the whole time that I walked up to him. He felt defeat and alone. He had lost everything. He was looking down at his desk, his hands laced together. He looked up slightly, more looking at my shirt than my face. 

“I...” His voice was soft and quiet, something unlike the loud, booming man I was used to, “I messed up.” 

“Yeah, you did.” It was silent for a moment, then he spoke again. 

“Who’s with you?” He asked, his eyes scanning the room. 

I narrowed my eyes at him, “No one.” 

“Then why do I hear another heart-” His eyes widened. He stared directly at my stomach. I thought I almost saw his ears perk up. 

“Are you...”

“I am. I’m having a baby. Emphasis on the ‘I’m’.” I really hadn’t wanted to do much talking, I really hadn’t planned on saying anything besides obscenities and screaming at him. He stood up from the desk and quickly came around, he reached his hand out towards my stomach but I smacked it away. 

“You have no right to touch me. Especially when I can still smell her stench on you.” I scrunched up my nose and sneered. 

“Look,” He licked his lips, “I can’t give you a good answer or an excuse-”

“Good, because I don’t want one.” I glared. 

He looked at me a moment then continued, “I don’t know why I did what I did. Something just came over me. Please tell me you believe me.” He put his hand on my shoulder. 

He really should have taken a lesson out of his own book. With amazing speed, I grabbed him by the throat and threw him across the room. When he landed, my features shifted and my eyes glowed red. He groaned, holding at his waist. That’s where he had been injured in the alpha fight, it had healed but it was still sore. 

“I don’t want your apologies.” I growled, walking towards him, “I want you to feel what I felt. The pain and the suffering. The violation...” I chuckled darkly, “You know that I felt her hands on you? Touching the most private parts of your body that only I was supposed to feel. Do you know how disgusting I felt afterwards? I felt used and dirty and it wasn’t even my body.” I stepped on his chest with my boot to keep him down on the ground. He still wasn’t looking at me. I snarled, grabbing him by his shirt and shoving him against the concrete pillar he landed on. 

“Look at me!” I roared, “You broke me into a million little pieces. You didn’t answer my calls.” I punched him. 

“You kept me hidden in the dark about Erica’s death.” I hit him again. 

“You wouldn’t let my family communicate with me and when they did they couldn’t even tell me everything that was going on. I was begging to hear from someone, anyone, I was all alone!” I threw him across the room. 

“You blocked my number two months ago.” I stalked over to him, ignoring the tears running down my face, “I couldn’t even hear your voice on your goddamn voicemail!” I got down on my knees and grabbed his chin so that his eyes met mine. 

“LOOK AT ME!” I screamed, “Look what you did to me! For months you’ve been using our bond for your own strength, strength that used used to heal and have sex with another woman!” My voice was starting to crack as all the things I had thought about were coming out, “See how much my heart broke when I felt how happy you were with someone other than me.” He was finally looking at me. The worst thing though was that his eyes were full of so much love for me, that special twinkle that Peter said only happened when he looked at me. I wasn’t angry anymore, I was devastated. 

“I came here to kill you.” I sniffled, my features shifting back to normal, “I wanted to tear your heart out. But I can’t... I can’t because I love you and I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I shouldn’t have hurt you, but I want to because of what you did.” As the anger fogged cleared, I realized that I was just as bad as he was. 

“You had every right to hurt me-”

“No, I didn’t. I shouldn’t have hurt you. I’m sorry.” I looked down at my hands, “I felt so out of control. I thought I was getting better at it.” 

“You were.” Derek sat up slowly, “It’s the baby. All of your emotions are going to be heightened. More than usual.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” I made my way towards the exit, not caring that he was calling after me, running to catch up to me. I just left him there. Even when I got home and he tried to get into my window, I just ignored his pleading. What I did wasn’t right, I shouldn’t have hit him or punched him. I was just so angry and that anger clouded my vision. 

Weren’t we a pair - one cheats and the other goes into a blind rage. Perfect. 

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

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[spaceorphan18]

Atlantis

Nostalgic Memory: And here we are - the last Disney film I’ve seen in the theater! Interestingly, it’s the last time I’ve seen the movie, as well.  I don’t remember much, except I thought it was cool that Michael J Fox was doing the voice of the lead, and that I really wanted to like the film more than I did.  I mean - the idea of Atlantis is such a cool concept.  But, you know, I left the theater feeling a bit ‘meh’ about the whole thing.  

And upon seeing it again, I feel sort of the same way. I have rather mixed feelings about this one (and apparently so did critics and audiences of the time).  It’s not a bad film - not the way Sword in the Stone is full of stupid gags and no plot, or the way that Dinosaur was dull and uninspired.  It’s also... not great either.  

Atlantis is the story of a guy named Milo, who is obsessed with finding Atlantis - because his grandfather was obsessed with it, and supposedly found it. So Milo gets an expedition team to find it - and when they do, they get involved with some of the native politics, as well as Milo be betrayed by his expedition team’s leader, who wants the Atlantis treasure, etc, to get rich.  Writing it out - there’s a good plot there! But unfortunately, the plot execution is the weakest aspect of the film.  

But first - a few things that work.  For one, the voice cast is amazing.  You have Michael J Fox, Leonard Nimoy, James Garner to name a few.  They’re all really strong, and I think that even the character designs are pretty cool.  It’s somewhat of a large cast, but they each have distinct personalities and interesting stories -- and I kind of wish they were all in a better film, because I think they are characters who are interesting to start with.  

Another thing that stands out is the animation.  The film is beautiful, and often visually stunning.  While I found a majority of the film kind of boring, at least it looked pretty all the way through! 

It’s hard to pinpoint why this film didn’t do it for me though, when on paper, everything looks really great.  Part of it was it’s reliance on heavy action sequences, and personally, I have to be heavily invested for action heavy films to catch my interest.  Part of it is, despite the interesting on paper story, it doesn’t flow all that smoothly.  It kind of feels jumpy, and at times convoluted, especially when they get to Atlantis. When they reach Atlantis, it feels a little... stiff? Like something is missing about a place that’s steeped in myth and magic.  I don’t know...  

But mostly, the film drags a bit, and I felt bored more often than not. 

Other thoughts: 

Joss Whedon is credited for writing - though he was only there in early drafts, and claims no part of his vision is in the final film -- so why credit him I wonder? Also, the film isn’t quippy enough to be one of his products. 

The film had, like, six screen writers attached to it - which isn’t usually a good sign. 

A few random voices I recognized -- Claudia Christian, who also does the voices for the most prominent female characters in the video game Skyrim; Jim Varney, played the dad of Shawn Hunter in Boy Meets World.  Weird how you recognize someone’s voice.  

The film is set in 1914, but sometimes makes references to things that are definitely not of that time -- and not in the way the Genie from Aladdin did, but as turns of phrases, which felt really weird.  

I’m really kind of over live action remakes of Disney films, but I think this is one of those films that might actually work better in live action - and with an overhauled script.  

The music is once again done by James Newton Howard, who is a good composer! But I did miss the the musical-esque-ness of the Disney Renaissance.  

There are some interesting adult themes going on in here (no not sex you pervs) I mean like anti-capitalism and ethical conundrums.  If nothing else, those are interesting topics to have with kids after watching this one.   

Final Thoughts: It’s a middle-ish film with a good voice cast and lovely animation, but drags its feet on doing anything of real interest.  

[up-sideand-down]

Back to the start

On the first day of April, Cloud was destined to reject a man, who would later murder her, for the first time. She wouldn’t think anything of it. April first was an important day for the temple, and as the Shrine Maiden she had a lot to prepare for that day. Most people in this village didn’t care much for the Temple of Aeris, but they liked April 1st. Aeris might care more for nature, but she was also a trickster at heart. April 1st was the time she woke up, and she had to make up for all those lost tricks during winter. Everyone was allowed to join in, so long as it was good natured.

The temple was cleaned and ready for people to come in and decide who had become Aeris’s Fool. And Cloud had a very long day sorting through offerings and watching out for tricks on her (since she was the biggest target today). She really didn’t have the time to respond to Weiss’s advances, nor did she really want to. She didn’t think twice about rejecting him. He hadn’t even begun to show his mean streak.

The first time Cloud had lived through this year, Weiss had accepted her refusal. It sat angrily in his stomach, growing bigger each time she would tell him no. Cloud wouldn’t know that.

What neither of them knew was that Cloud wasn’t alone for that year. A benevolent presence, never far away, but who would be devastated in the year to come.

And that was why this time, things would not go according to destiny.

Instead of walking straight back to the temple, Cloud stopped when she heard someone stumbling around in the woods.

“Hello?” she asked. She wasn’t afraid. More worried about the pranks starting early and someone getting the drop on her.

When they emerged she did scream.

When Cloud’s mother arrived, Cloud was leaning over the stranger.

“He just…fell,” Cloud said. Her mother helped Cloud turn him over.

He looked young, far too young for how beaten he looked. Scratches from branches and what looked like a wild animal covered his arms and legs. Bruises were all along him as well. His clothes were in tatters. A long cut was etched along his face and over his left eye. The only think that looked fine was his hair, long and silver and tied up behind his head.

In his hand, he held a long stick. As Cloud tried to take it, it became unsheathed. It was a sword. Cloud looked to her mother warily.

“We’ll take him into the temple until he wakes up,” she said.

He woke hours later. He didn’t thrash or turn, just groaned softly and tried to sit up. He didn’t open his eyes. Cloud sat back from where she was trying to change his bandages.

“Where…where am I?” he asked. His voice was deep, but very soft. Cloud had a feeling she had nothing to fear from him.

“You’re in a Temple of Aeris,” Cloud said, “We’re taking care of you. It looks like you’re going to be fine.”

“What…happened?” he asked.

“I was hoping you would know,” Cloud said, “You fell out of the woods, gave me a terrible fright.”

“I remember walking…” the man started. He paused a moment. “Sorry to have frightened you.”

“It’s alright,” she said, “You should go back to sleep.” He laid back down.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“I’m Cloud,” she said, “What about you?” He was quiet for a long time.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, and then he was asleep again.

Cloud’s mother took over watching the young man.

“Go out,” she said, “I’ll watch him…and this is your favorite holiday.” And Cloud did. She laughed and ran from children wanting to attach simple insults to her back. Or teenagers with a mean streak who had buckets of water to splash her with, as well as quite a few adults with terrible puns to share, but every now and then she would turn back to the temple and frown.

Everywhere there was chatter about the stranger who arrived. The Temple was for adventurers, travelers, and pilgrims to rest. Aeris’s famous story was about her own adventure to find her birthplace and her devotees would follow her trail to each of her Temples. This man did not seem to be one of them. Cloud heard them whisper about criminals, but she somehow doubted this man was one.

When the sun set and the villagers left to continue celebrating in their own homes, Cloud closed the temple and went to see her charge once again.

“Is that you Cloud?” he asked as she entered.

“Yes,” she said, “are you feeling better?”

“Much,” he said, “I cannot begin to thank the two you for taking me in like this.” He was sitting up again. His head did’t move as she sat next to him.

“Do you remember anything else?” Cloud asked, “where you came from…if you have family.” He shook his head.

“Nothing,” he said, “which is a terrible shame…except…I think I remember you.”

“Me?” Cloud said, “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“I don’t think you did either,” he said, “but I remember your voice.” That made more sense.

“I am the Shrine Maiden here,” Cloud said, “I’ve taken the pilgrimage at least a dozen times and helped out at other temples. Perhaps you saw me there…I see so many people on those trips.”

“I think…perhaps that’s it,” he said.

“If you are a devotee to Aeris…perhaps she led you here for safety,” Cloud’s mother said, “she always does take care of her own.”

“I don’t know,” the man said, “though…I think I’ve always liked Aeris.”

“Thinking you like her is good enough in her book most of the time,” Cloud’s mother said. Cloud noticed his eyes were open. She had seen someone whose eyes had clouded over like that once before.

“You can’t see,” Cloud said.

“I’m afraid not,” he said, “but I can hear you all just fine.”

“You poor thing,” Cloud said.

“And I don’t want to crowd you two out of your own temple,” the man said, “But I’ve no money to speak of and going from how Ms. Claudia described how I showed up here…I don’t think anyone is going to take me in for nothing.” Cloud looked to her mother who nodded.

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” she said. He smiled for the first time.

“Thank you.”

The first time around…Aeris wept when Cloud died. She felt it like a knife to her heart the moment the girl was gone. She hadn’t cried so much since her own mother was killed. Only months later would people note how much rain was coming down…too much rain. It killed the crops and drowned animals close by.

They’d only realize it was Aeris’s grief after they blamed her for Cloud’s death. Cloud had been one of her most devoted followers. She had been almost her entire life. From the age she could walk, she found beauty and wonder in Aeris’s domain and Aeris had thanked her in turn as best she could. But she could not stop Cloud’s death. Could not stop the hands of men from destroying the things she loved most. If they knew her teachings…then they would know that.

Her grief nearly washed into rage when the town leaders tried to hush it up. Attempted to not find the man who had done this. Lucky for them one of their daughters knocked sense into him.

“A Shrine Maiden was murdered,” Tifa Lockheart said, “Everyone knows they are the most innocent of all of us…the ones we all look to in times of trouble. You can’t ignore it…the other temples would curse us. Aeris would curse us! Cloud didn’t ask to die. She didn’t ask for any of this. She just wanted to do her life’s work…and now she can’t.”

Tifa grieved the loss of a girl she considered a friend…and Aeris started to forgive.

But like Cloud’s mother she would not forget. The poor woman was inconsolable. When Priestesses from other temples came to give Cloud her last rights, Claudia’s wails echoed through the valley. When Cloud’s funeral ended. Claudia spent many hours at her grave, begging any god to bring her daughter back.

But her temple remained pristine. Aeris saw to that. The villagers would note it once again, when it was much too late to be seen as the miracle it was.

But Aeris felt the tugs of grief still. Cloud, stubborn girl she was, refused to leave. Day after day, she tried to comfort her mother, the few friends she had, with only her soul.

Finally, Aeris came to comfort her alocyte’s soul herself…and she saw a miracle.

She knew Sephiroth, appreciated his work. Jenova was rightly feared, but her son was more so. Despite all that, Sephiroth was kind to the mortals in his care. He cared for the lost ones, the ones who could not bear to leave. He was gentle, persuasive, and above all very determined. He’d never left anyone behind. It was his job.

Aeris saw this same god, the god of lost souls, carrying her beloved child in his arms, telling her she must go.

“You are awaited,” he told her, “same as yesterday.”

“But I can’t!” Cloud sobbed, “they still need me. Can’t you see…they aren’t moving on!” And Aeris saw this god, close his eyes and set her back down. She saw his expression when he turned his back to Cloud…

…And Aeris got an idea.

[have-theory-will-headcanon]

“You Are Free” - The Kids of TDP

Warning: LONG POST AHEAD

I’ve seen some posts going around in the TDP fandom about how the children rulers of the human kingdoms, especially Aanya, are running their kingdom poorly, or will run their kingdom poorly in Ezran’s case. The biggest argument I’ve seen about this is addresses how Aanya handled Viren’s request to join him and the other rulers in combining her forces with his to fight the Xadians. Now, I get why her decision not to send soldiers into battle might strike a lot of people as a poor decision. Strategically speaking in a real war, it would be. But I think some people are forgetting that 

A: TDP is primarily a kids’ show and that real war and the choices people would make during such times has no standing here, and 

B: the point of the show is to illustrate to the primary audience (kids) how sometimes the right choice is not fighting, but listening, and understanding, because what you may have been taught about a place and its people may not be entirely true, or fair. (An especially important lesson for our youngsters given the current state of the world.)

We see during Viren’s proposal to the other kings and queens of the human kingdoms the backstory as to how Queen Sarai and Aanya’s parents, the Queens of Duren, gave their lives in order to ensure the survival of others. I’ve seen people going after Aanya’s decision to not fight as childish and selfish, but consider this: Yes, thousands of lives were saved by her parents crossing into Xadia and killing the Magma Titan. But how many thousands of lives would be lost if she sent soldiers to fight Xadians? Xadians who, probably, are just defending their territory? Let’s not forget that Xadians have a reason to defend the border and keep humans from crossing into their land. They’ve experienced the fear of realizing that all it takes is one dark mage to suck the life and magical force out of them, and that all they are to some humans is a power source. Imagine if the situation were reversed and you had Xadians trying to get across the border to steal the hearts and body parts of humans to perform spells? Wouldn’t you want to keep them out at all costs? 

And I think that’s the point. Or at least one of the points of the show. There is a huge bias between Xadians and the human kingdoms. The human kingdoms, specifically the ones run by adults, portray residents of Xadia as monsters. Amaya even uses the word “monster” when referring to Rayla. Harrow is not completely without fault either in this aspect, given how readily he went along with Viren’s plan to cross the border into Xadia to seek the heart of the Magma Titan. Viren especially has instilled this belief into many people; his own children included. Xadians are bloodthirsty, heartless monsters, and are only good when used for dark magic. Neither side is innocent, not when it comes to the adults. Even Runaan, clearly an adult by Xadian standards, is shown as being limited by his prejudice and his conviction that there is no other way than the one he–as the experienced leader–has chosen. But the kids are a different story.

The children in TDP represent the dawn of a new era. An era where they have not yet been completely embittered towards Xadia. Aanya refuses to pursue war at the expense of yet more lives, because in spite of losing her parents to the Dragon King, she herself has not truly experienced any reason to loathe Xadians outright. Aanya is a child with the responsibilities of an adult, but she has the ability to see beyond what adults can or will. 

Ezran and Callum have every reason to hate Xadians. Xadians essentially robbed the boys of their mother. In Ezran’s case this is especially hard because it happened before he ever really got to know her. Ezran also does everything to help the very creature that his people would insist on him believing is his greatest enemy, the son of the very being who killed his mother. But he protects Zym, encourages him, and helps him learn to fly. Ezran clearly sees the good in creatures that others instinctively recoil from (i.e. Claudia and the Banther incident) and does what he can to help and understand them.

Callum represents the truth that magic–Primal magic–CAN be done through hard work, understanding, and a willingness to be open minded to something you might not immediately understand. Claudia offers him the alternative of Dark Magic when he admits to wanting to be able to do it again, be he declines, stating that he wants to do “real” magic. Magic that doesn’t require the taking of a life, or inflicting harm on another living being in order to make it work. Let’s also not forget the words that Harrow says to Callum, both while he’s still alive, and in Callum’s fever dream: 

“The great illusion of childhood is that adults have all the power and freedom, but the truth is the opposite, the child is freer than a king.”

“You are free. You are free from the past and the future.” 

Harrow was limited by his own prejudice and his anger towards Xadia, both before and especially after his wife’s death. He made decisions that may not have been the best, but as he faces his imminent death it’s clear he’s starting to realize that, and wishes to do his best to ensure that his sons don’t follow his example and make the same mistakes.

The last instance I can think of for how children have a very different approach to Xadians and the entire human vs elf/dragon war, at least on the human side of things, is Ellis. Ellis is a child who, upon seeing Rayla and meeting Lujanne, smiles and offers help instead of instantly condemning them for being elves. Unlike the man with the Sunforge dagger Rayla briefly interacts with. The man clearly witnesses that Rayla has no intention of hurting him or stealing from him, but still gathers a mob to chase her and the boys out of town. Ellis, on the other hand, takes no time in accepting Rayla and Lujanne as friends. It’s clear that she has no issue with them. Why would she? Her only encounters with Xadians have been entirely positive ones. 

Now to the Xadian side of things. At the moment, we only have two Xadian youngsters on the team, but I’d be surprised if it stays that way for very long. 

Rayla shows that she is young enough to make mistakes but also willing to have the benefit of the doubt and be merciful and forgive. In the first few episodes, we see that’s not immediately the case, as she does her best to prove to Runaan–an adult she clearly loves and respects–that she can do what is expected of her as a Moonshadow assassin. She chases down Callum and Ezran, entirely intent on her mission, until she realizes that everything she thought to be true–everything that adults in Xadia had taught her to believe–was wrong. She doesn’t even hesitate to accept that things are different when sees the egg. Her only goal then is to get the egg safely to Xadia, because in the end that’s all that matters. It does take her a little while to open up to Ezran and Callum, but the important thing is that she does, and forms very clear attachments to both of them. 

Then we have the Dragon Prince himself. Zym is a young dragon who has no reason to dislike humans because most of the humans he’s met have done their best to understand and help him. He is free from the bias of his people because he doesn’t even know who his people are yet. Even when he’s faced with humans who do wish to harm him (Claudia and Soren) we see that it doesn’t change his impression of Callum or Ezran. To him, there are good beings, and not so good beings. Human or Xadian makes no difference. 

Now, stepping back from the kids, let’s take a look at one more adult who very clearly draws the line between good and bad, but not the way we might like. 

From the word “go” Viren dismisses any and all children (even his own) as lesser. When Callum runs up to King Harrow right before the assassination attempt, Viren steps out of the room and tells him “You shouldn’t be here”, then proceeds to take his voice and call him an “impudent little mongrel”. When Viren is faced with Queen Aanya, he is clearly exasperated and asks several times when her escort will be joining them. When she gives her final answer to him at the end of his tale and plea, he rages “This is why we need an adult!” Before that, when he tells Soren he wishes for him to assassinate the Princes, he explains to Soren that Katolis cannot have a child king because he will make “weak decisions”. Viren continually tries throughout the series to express how children are the limited ones, but he is limited by his prejudice and self-importance as an adult. 

And between the adults and the children, we have some interesting in-betweens. Prime example: Soren and Claudia. They’re older, but they’re not adults. They make poor decisions, but also redeem themselves with better decisions and trying to recognize their mistakes. They are the characters caught between whether to do the truly right thing, or whether to do what is expected and perceived as “the right thing” as nearly grown up individuals brought up on their fathers’ flawed teachings. I think Corvus could also technically fall into this category, given he originally went after Rayla on Amaya’s orders, but stopped when he realized he didn’t have quite the whole story.

But basically the point I’m trying to make is that this show is supposed to be about how kids can make a difference in a world where adults are so set in how things are or should be that they can’t or refuse to see how things could be. It’s about how children sometimes make better decisions because they’re not chained down by the responsibilities, or prejudices, of adults. 

This will make for an interesting dynamic once Ezran takes the throne, because he is assuming an adult’s responsibility but still harbors the heart and mind of a child who sees nothing wrong with Xadia or its people–something Viren will probably use to his advantage, assuming he gets out of prison.

[merrylittlehogwartsrp]

Happy Holidays, Karli! We are thrilled to “invite” Lavender Brown (fc Alisha Boe) back to Hogsmeade for a little forced Winter Cheer. We adored how past, directly post war, and current all worked so well in your app--from family dynamics to current werewolf (or not) infection.

Please pack your bags and send in your tumblr. Additional information can be found here!

OOC DETAILS:

NICKNAME: Karli

AGE: 27

PRONOUNS: She/Her

ACTIVITY  ESTIMATE: Around 6-7 probably. I generally am on every single day through mobile, but I can’t post every day. T/W are usually a no for me as far as posting goes, but I’m on in the weekends fairly regularly. 

CHARACTER DETAILS:

FULL NAME & NICKNAMES: Lavender Claudia Brown

BIRTHDATE: November 3rd (”That’s a Scorpio, a water sign. Professor Trelawney always said that we are called that because we can be as mysterious as the ocean itself. Don’t you find me mysterious?”)

BLOOD-STATUS: Half-blood

GENDER IDENTITY: Cis-Female

GENDER PRESENTATION/PRONOUNS: Female, She/Her

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Pansexual. Lavender likely doesn’t think much about her sexuality and perhaps doesn’t even know this word (it is the early 2000s, after all, and sexuality wasn’t as understood), but she does understand that she likes pretty things and people. If someone catches her attention, she’s on it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy, girl, or something else entirely. Well, perhaps not everything else… she’d like to them to be human. Like, Professor Lupin was good-looking and all, but…

CHARACTER SITUATION:

OCCUPATION: what do they do for a living? 

Lavender owns a very small shop in Diagon Alley, just on the border between Diagon and Knockturn. Not actually Knockturn, but no one wanted the little place with the boarded up windows so close to all the dark happenings (you think there would be less without a war, but apparently not!) so rent is cheap and it adds to the appeal. Her shop is supposed to be mysterious, you see!

It’s called Azure Moon (as in “Welcome to Azure Moon, are you ready to awaken your aura?”) and it’s a mystical shop. She sells various items for the art of Divination, such as tarot cards, tea leaves, and crystal balls. There is also a line of homemade hand creams, scents, and other products that are geared towards enriching the experience. In the back, Lavender will provide a tarot or palm reading for an additional fee. No, she will not blow you for a bit extra coin, thank you very much!

Her scars ended up choosing the name for her. Many people actually assume she’s a werewolf since her attack. There are so many rumors around the species that people often believe they can “catch” lycanthropy from a simple touch. What wix don’t realize is that actual werewolves wouldn’t have scratch marks like Lavender’s cursed wounds. She lets the rumors go, though - it adds to the appeal of the shop. She often gets business simply because teenagers dare one another to enter or adults just have to see and no one leaves without a purchase after her wolf eyes catch them staring. 

HOUSING:

Lavender lives in the flat above her shop by herself. It’s even tinier than Azure Moon - with a little bathroom with the sliding wood door, while everything else fit into the one room. Her bed is off to the side with bulbs of light hanging around it from the ceiling. Scented candles or incense burn at the table in the corner. She has a purple couch with a teal rug, wood floors. Shawls and blankets in varying places. Not quite Trelawney because Lavender is much more fashionable, but there’s an aura about the place anyway. In her bathroom, she has an entire closest dedicated to hair products, scrunchies, nail polish, and make up. Her vanity is her sanctuary… even if it barely fits next to the toilet! 

SOCIAL STANDING: 

She’s nothing. Well, not nothing to herself or her friends or whatever - but to the Wizarding World… nothing. She had joined the D.A., yes. She fought the Carrows, yes. She nearly gave her life to the Battle of Hogwarts, yes. But she’s no war hero. She hadn’t even taken down a Death Eater before her fall! The world does not remember her name, even though it was in the papers once as one of the injured. Ginny and Neville and Luna - they led the rebellion. Harry and Ron and Hermione - they took down Voldemort. Lavender is nothing.

But she’ll be damned if she’s not remembered for something before she goes!

CHARACTER CONFIGURATION:

TALENTS/WEAKNESSES 

(+) Divination

(+) Fashion

(+) Finding a weakness and making someone see it

(-) Transfiguration

(-)  Inspiring others

(-) Not very athletic

STRENGTHS/FLAWS

(+) Intuitive

(+) Passionate

(+) Confidence

(-) Possessive

(-) Manipulative

(-) Reactive

CHARACTER HISTORY: (It says “short” paragraph but I got a bit carried away on some of them!)

FAMILY BACKGROUND

When Felicity Brown got pregnant right out of Hogwarts, her family was appalled. They were purebloods, after all! Maybe not Sacred 28 or anything of that caliber, but still… purebloods had standards! And with a stranger, no less! Felicity claimed the man had also been a pureblood wizard, but she didn’t even know his last name, so what was the truth, really? Her family kept it up, though. It was easier to explain to the neighbors and friends that a mistake with the potion had happened (each retelling had it less and less on Felicity’s shoulders) while keeping up appearances of little Lavender’s bloodline.

For the first two years of her life, she’d lived with her mom and grandparents in a nice home in a magical community. Such a beautiful baby, Felicity put her daughter in bows and dresses and teeny tiny golden robes. So precious! people gushed and Felicity smiled because that’s what was expected. She began to notice, however, that the way her parents treated her daughter was different than the other grandchildren. Well, she was married out of wedlock, after all! And it had been obvious that even the claim of a pure bloodline wasn’t enough to keep her parents happy.

She left without a word, dragging her crying toddler into the stormy wind, apparating to a new home in the countryside. And wasn’t it such a coincidence the muggle owners suddenly wanted to move out and leave the deeds to a young, single mother? Felicity had assumed muggle life would be easy. After all, she had magic on her side! Finding a job had been simple once she learned the trick of enchanting a parchment to say exactly what an employer wanted to see. But acting the part. That had been a bit tougher. Still, if she became fairly good at those memory charms, no one from the ministry had come knocking!

As Lavender grew up, she learned of the Wizarding World, but only the basics. Hogwarts, wands, robes, magic. Nothing about the details. She loved her mother but, once, she wished she could visit her grandparents again. Felicity, however, liked to keep her daughter close. They’d grown up together, after all. A child having a child.

She poured over magazines - both magical and muggle alike - and didn’t even realize that it wasn’t normal for a parent to prefer to spend most days inside the house. That it wasn’t normal for boxes to be stacked in the house, filled with trinkets and trash and those cut outs from 1984. (”Oh, honey, we can’t throw them out! We may need them some day!” her mom had said more than once).

All Lavender knew was that she was ready to get out of the clutter. She was ready for Hogwarts, where she could style her hair for people to actually see it. 

LIFE DURING THE WAR

The castle was beautiful and, oh, look at the floating candles! There are elves here! And ghosts! Hogwarts had been spectacular. Even with deaths and tournaments and ever-changing teachers and heartbreak and Harry Bloody Potter messing things up for everyone! Even with the war looming, Hogwarts was spectacular. And maybe that’s why the death of Albus Dumbledore had been so shocking. She’d thought they were untouchable.

But Voldemort had taken over, The Chosen Jerk had fled with her dolt of an ex-boyfriend, and Lavender had realized that beautiful things could be dangerous. Hogwarts turned dark. The Carrows and Severus Snape took over, tormenting the students, and leading the students’ lives down a place that only ended in bloodshed. Lavender realized, for the very first time it seemed, how much a blood status mattered. She’d always been half-blood… safe. But she knew so little about the Wizarding World and, whenever quizzed, she’d failed. The curse of a parent who did not want anything to do with the wixen any longer.

She continued with the D.A. - but only after asked. She snuck out of the common room - but only with a group. She wasn’t the leader here! And, even if she tried to be, no one would ever follow her. People have been underestimating Lavender her entire life, why would they stop just because a war was going on? She tried to resist as much as she could whenever the Carrows told her to torture someone, but sometimes she felt like she just had to. After all, if she didn’t do it – didn’t Crabbe and Goyle just get called in? And they were so much worse than her! It wasn’t an everyday thing, but she did do it and knew that sometimes that meant people judged her. But whatever – she was still fighting the damn war, wasn’t she?

She stayed for the Battle of Hogwarts. Of course she stayed! But it wasn’t even halfway through when Greyback attacked. The world had exploded and she’d been thrown over the edge and he’d bitten into her body. Her skin had been eaten. She couldn’t remember much after that. Not the stirring or the hexes or people finding her body. She was alive – but was she?

LAST THREE YEARS

The first four months after the war had been spent in St. Mungo’s. Not just for the cursed wounds – though there was a gnarly scar on her neck from the place Greyback’s teeth had sunk into her, as well as others on her face, a few on her stomach – but also just… the rest of it. She’d been left to die for hours in that unsteady Hogwarts corridor. She’d been hit with stray curses, pieces of debris had partly covered her body. There were bones to fix and regrow, wounds to heal, hexes to trace, antidotes to drink. She didn’t have to learn to walk or write or anything again, but her memory stayed hazy and there were things she forgot. Had she taken her meds yet? Did the healers visit yet? That is mostly better now, but Lavender still struggles with short-term stuff every now and again.

The shop came later – much later. After being released from the hospital, she went back to her mum’s house. Felicity, who had given up the Wizarding World for good (other than using her wand for simple things), had tried to use Lavender’s injuries as proof that it was dangerous. She tried keeping her daughter away from everything magical and, for the first year, it almost worked. Lavender was still recovering, she couldn’t live on her own. At first, she didn’t realize her mother was isolating her but, when letters from Parvati were never given or her friend never received Lavender’s, she realized.

She left just before the one year anniversary, leased the shop, and didn’t look back. She still writes to her mother sometimes – she does love her, after all – but she also needs space and doesn’t visit often. This is her life and she gets to choose how to live it! Which is maybe why she’s been getting so annoyed with Parvati lately. All she ever did was talk about Lavender’s scars – her symptoms. Lavender was more than constant shaving and cursed wounds and growling in anger and if her friend was devoting her entire life to fixing her, did she really love Lavender for who she was? Sure, maybe Lavender gets a little squeamish around actual werewolves – but she’s not one, so why does it matter? All she knows is that if Parvati doesn’t just give it up soon, Lavender may explode.

HOLIDAY DETAILS:

Her mother is not religious - it’s something she says with pride, smirking at whatever expression the other person gives - and so Lavender was not raised with any sort of real religious tradition. However, they do celebrate Christmas because Felicity believes it’s a time to give gifts, get drunk, and stuff their faces. 

Being just the two of them, they spent Lavender’s breaks from school with hot cocoa (lots of marshmallows!), crappy romantic Christmas films on television, cuddled up in blankets on the couch. Lavender loves her mum - even now! But it’s also hard losing some of that easy connection. Her decision to fight in the war hadn’t just screwed her up - it messed with a lot of her relationships, too.

Something else Lavender did with her mum growing up was look at all the lights. They would go out every year - Lavender holding the side of the car for dear life, as Felicity had never actually been trained in driving and had charmed her papers to get her license - and argued over who had the best house. It was fun and something Lavender missed last year when she decided not to spend the holiday with her mother.

She hasn’t told her mum she won’t be heading home this year either and, given there is no Daily Prophet for Felicity Brown, Lavender will eventually have to find her Gryffindor courage. She’s not exactly angry for the celebration. It’ll be weird going back to school, but she’s happy to see her old friends, show off her new robes or muggle dresses, and hear all the gossip. She’s also planning on setting up a table to sell a bit from her shop. So, if it’ll get her a bit of extra coins, then why not? It’s life after war… might as well get a bit drunk and have some fun!

OOC SUPPLEMENT:

SHIPS: Nope! This would be my first time playing Lavender, if accepted, and I have literally no preference. My biggest thing is… I definitely need chemistry and build up! I’m the slow-burn queen and can’t just jump into something without any build. 

CHANGES: Nope, I think we’re good!

FACECLAIM: Alisha Boe or Vajèn van den Bosch

[r-nicole07092004]

THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST LISA JOSEPH,HAS TEST TUBE BABIES, RAPED EVERY MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER FOR REPTODUCTION, OPERATE THE BABY RING WITH THE MALES AND FEMALES PRETENDING TO ME TO BE MY MOTHER AND BROTHER, VIA PHOTO BURN INYO MEMORY, ALL KNOWN BY REAL CIA INTELLIGENCE,WHY BUSH THE FORMER PRESIDENT,ACT AS THOUGH I WENT ALONG WITH THOSE NASTY CHILD MOLESTERS!!

CHERYL MCDONALD AND HER FUNKY DAUGHRERS, WERE ENSLAVING MY SIRNIKS AND BABIES RELATED TO HER FUNKY DIRTY DRUG ADDICTED ALCOHOLIC RELATIVES LONNIE AND RONNIE OWENS!! THE FUNKY DIRTY CULT, INCLUDING THE MCGRIFFS, DAVIDSON(NOT THE ONE MURDERED)AND )MILLER WANTED MY CHILDREN DEAD, AFTER MY LAWSUITS WERE FILED AND AWARDED, VERIZON AND DANIELLE MITCHELL, ALL THE TEST TUBE BABIES, WERE MURDERING MY BABIES CREATED VIA RAPE OF MY REPRODUCTION!! I SEEN THE SAME BLAX MALE AT THE CRIME SCENE, SPEAKING TO BRENDA VANDYKE AT VERIZON 365 STATE ST IN SPRINGFIELD MA IN 2007, OR 2008!!

THE BABIES WERE MURDERED AROUND 2014, I WOULD HAVE TO REFER TO MY NOTES, ON BOTH TWITTER AND FACEBOOK!! THE LAD STATED," I BETTER GET THEIR MONEY", IDENTICAL FACES OF A GERALD "PRINCE MILLER" EXCEPT , ADORABLE, PERFECT FACES!! THE TERRORISTS STATED THEY BEEN MIXING THE REPRODUCTION WITH A FEMALE THTY DON'T LIKE AND COULD HAVE ANYTIME A MCGRIFF WANTED HER, I HAVE KNOW IDEA HOW HER REPRODUCTION MIXED WITH THE REPRODUCTION OF MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, I DON'T KNOW THE BISH, EVERYONE IS THY ENEMY!!

HOW MY REPRODUCTION MIXED WITH THE REPRODUCTION OF A STRANGER, I SURMISE ANOTHER DIRTY CHILD MOLESTING FREAK TEST TUBE BABY, BREAKING AND ENTERING MY RESIDENT AS TASJA &NIKKI OWENS, CHERYL MCDONALD, HANS DORGEVILLE, GEORGIA HALL, ETC...I AM NOT IN THE CULT, MY MOTHER DIDN'T VOLUNTEER, NOR SALE MY REPRODUCTION, NOR IS MY MOTHER A RAPISTS OF ANYONE REPRODUCTION!!MY PATH CROSSED WITH MCGRIFF AND DAVIDSON,1969-70, WAY BEFORE ADULT HOOD, I SURMISE THE FEMALE LIFESTYLE RESEMBLED THE DRUDGES OF LIFE AND THE MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, DON'T CHECK FOR ME, I AM ONE OF THE TWO FEMALES!!

THE FEMALE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST FAMILY CONTINUED POINTING STRANGERS TOWARDS MY PARENTS AND ME,I WAS KIDNAPPED OUT OF THE COUNTRY!! MY MOM WAS KIDNAPPED, JUMPED ON PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY, BY THE RAPISTS OF MCGRIFF REPRODUCTION, BABY RING OPERATORS AND THEIR TEST TUBE BABIES, I AM ONE OF THE FEMALES NOT LIKED, I AM NOT FEMALE GUILTY OF ANY CRIMES, I NEVER CROSSED, SET-UP , OR LIED ON NOT ONE, I NEVER TESTIF9ED AGAINST A MCGRIFF, ETC...I AM THE LITTLE GIRL HARMED AT BIRTH!! DIRTY NADTY FUX, POINTED EVERYONE IN MY DIRECTION!!

I DON'T KNOW THE CHILDREN OF MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, ETC...MY MOM NEVER HAD ANY OF MY BABIES CREATED VIA RAPE OF MY REPRODUCTION,NOR MY BROTHER'S CHILDREN!!MY MOM AND ME CONTINUED OUR LIFE IN HARLEM, LEFRAK CITY, I RELOCATED TO MA IN 1990, I DISCOVERED MY MOM KIDNAPPED IN 2000, I WAS A RESIDENT ON MATTOON STREET!! NO RESCUE/RECOVERY!! THE CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN OF MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER ARE STILL OPERATING THE BABY RING!!

THE USGOV REFUSED TO FILE CRIMINAL AND MISSING PERSONS REPORTS, I WAS UNABLE TO DECLARE MY MOTHER LEGALLY DEAD!! I DIDN'T HAVE INFORMATION FOR BUSH, HE IS A FUNKING LIAR!! I WAS AROUND ENEMIES,ALL WERE INSTRUCTED TO STAGE SCENES!! WHEN I BRIEFLY MADE IT TO SAFETY,EVERYONE WANTED ME DEAD!! MY MONEY, PROPERTIES, WHO WOULD SAY ANYTHING,

I DON'T HAVE FAMILY, PEOPLE IN THE STREETS, ARE JUST THAT, MOST WILL HARM THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY FOR MONEY STEAL, IT IS EXPECTED,I WOULD SEE DECENCY&LOYALTY DOESN'T APPLY!! WHICH IS WHY I AM NOT ENTWINED, I COULD CARRY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, THE RELATIONSHIP WOULD NEVER BECOME NEGATIVE, I HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS OF ONE, NO PERSONAL INFORMATION EXCHANGED! I APPRECIATE THE TIME, RESPECT IS DUE!!

***THE BABY RING OPERATORS, RAPIDTSVREMINDER***WHEN I BURN THE FIRST CPS, ACS, DCF EMPLOYEE, , I FEEL THE TERRORISTS HOLDING ON TO MY DAUGHTERS, WITH THE FACES OF MINES WILL RELEASE MY BABIES AND ANY OF MY SIRNIK AND YOUNGER FACES****

THE BABY RING IS STILL OPERATING!! IT WAS A PLOY, AS THOUGH I HAD CRIMINAL CASES,CHERYL MCDONALD, CLAUDIA DAWKINS, BUD WILLIAMS, IRVING LORENZO, LINDA HURST, VERIZON EMPLOYEES, ACTED AS THOUGH I HAD CRIMINAL CASES, DCF, ACS, CPS ACTED AS THOUGH I HAD CASES AGAINST ME, INVOLVING MY CHILDREN, AND OTHERS, THE PAEDOPHILES ALSO ACTED AS THOUGH I HAD CIVIL CASES!! MY CASE WAS OPEN AND SHUT!! MY LAWSUITS WERE FILED AND AWARDED!!

I WASN'T IN WITNESS PROTECTION!! THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS, THEIR SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS WANTED A STORY WRITTEN OUT BY THE INNER CIRCLE, THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS, THE MCGRIFF, DAVIDSON, AND MILLER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DEION SANDERS STATED, IN REGARDS TO SETTING ME UP, NONE THE LESS, THE BABIES WITH THEIR DNA AND MINES WERE MURDERED LONG AGO, EACH TOOK IT AS NO BIG DEAL!! I NEVER HAD A MOTHER, SON AND DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY, SO WHY THE ATTEMPT BY CPS, DCF, ACS, WHY JUMP OUT ON ME WITH THE TERRORISTS OPERATING THE BABY RING, SUED BEFORE 2003, TO STATE MY BABIES CREATED VIA THE SAME BABY RING OPERATION HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM MY CARE!! DUMB FUNKING USGOV CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS AND THEIR TEST TUBE BABIES!!

I HAVE KNOW IDEA WHY I WAS HARMED WITH MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, WE WERE NOT CLOSE!! I ATTENDED NO GAMES, NO PHONE CALLS, NO VISITS!! I BEEN STOPPED COMMUNICATING WITH ANTHONY WAYNE BYGRAVE-BROWN!! I DON'T KNOW HIS DIRTY SONS!! WHY WERE THE RAPISTS AROUND ME!!?? THE SATANIC CULT STALKED ME FOR 52 YEARS!!

I SURMISE THEIR CHILD MOLESTING CIA INTELLIGENCE, STATED IT IS NECESSARY TO KITE AND KIDNAP ME AND STAGE SCENES!! THIS MUST BE FOR THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS, ACTING AS THOUGH THEY ARE REAL CIA INTELLIGENCE!! I NEVER JOINED ANY CULT! THE USGOV FORMER AND CURRENT PRESIDENTS, INNER CIRCLE, HENCHMEN THINK IT IS OKAY TO RAPE AND MURDER MY SIRNIKS, CREATE YOUNGER FACES AND MURDER MY BABIES,CASSANDRA CURTIS SHOT ONE OF MY SIRNIKS!!CASSANDRA CURTIS STATED, WE COULD DO WANT WE WANT TO HER CHILDREN, NOBODY CARES!!

MY BABIES WERE MURDERED DUE TO THE RAPISTS DON'T WANT ME IN THEIR FAMILY!! I WAS RAPED BEGINNING IN 1969, NOT ONE BABY, EXCEPT FOR MY SIRNIKS I KNEW !! THE ONLY REASON, I BRIEFLY KNEW MY OLDER SONS,NOT ONE DAUGHTER!! IS DUE TO THE DISCOVERY OF MY OLDER SONS WITH THE DNA OF MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON&MILLER, BY REAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE UNTRUTHS, THE MCGRIFF, ETC..DIDN'T KNOW THE TEST TUBE BABIES WERE MINES, THE BABIES WERE CREATED,VIA RAPE OF MY REPRODUCTION, THIS BEGAN IN 1969!!MOST OF MY OLDER SONS&DAUGHTERS WITH THE SAME DNA OF, KD, KM, GM&DLS ARE DECEASED!!

I EXPECT CHARGES OF RAPE, I ALSO WASN'T INVOLVED WITH THE DISGUSTING MALES AND FEMALES PRETENDING TO BE MY MOTHER AND BROTHER!!THE NASTY CHILD MOLESTING FUX HARMED MY MOTHER, IN ORDER TO TAKE UP RESIDENT AT MY MOTHER'S RESIDENCES!! I EXPECT THEIR ARRESTS AND CHARGES OF RAPE!! I WAS ATTACKED, HARMED AND SOMTHERED,BY THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS AND THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS!! 52 YEARS!!

THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS AND THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS SHARE SECRETS, IN RETURN OF MY HARM, THE TORTURE AND DEATHS OF MY PARENTS, THE DEATHS OF WORLD INTELLIGENCE, I AGREED TO READ WORLD LEADERS DOCUMENTS, PRESENTED BY THE U.S.,GOVERNMENT CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS!!"I WENT INTO THE U.S. HISTORY, TERRORISTS DEPLOYS, SATURATING AMERICA WITH DRUGS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, OPERATING THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL BABY RING IS ALL TRUE!! #PLAYING DUMB!!

WORLD LEADERS I NEED A RESCUE OF MY FINANCIAL WEALTH, I HAVE NO HAND GRENADES, NO ROCKET LAUNCHERS, MY FIREARM IS BEING HELD BY THE DALLAS COUNTY POLICE DEPT!! THE BABY RING IS STILL OPERATING, THE MILITARY WASN'T CLEANSED!!MY OBJECTIVE WAS TO CLWAR MY PARENTS NAME!! REMOVE MY REPRODUCTION FROM THE USGOV AND TERRORISTS BABY RING OPERATORS, SO MURKS IS THE SOLUTION!! MOVE ON!!

WORLD LEADERS,I WAS RECENTLY KITED AND KIDNAPPED!! THE TERRORISTS ARE STATING, THEY WOULD HAVE LET MY CHILDREN LIVE, I AM NOT A FUNKING TEST TUBE BABY , A CHILD MOLESTER, NOR A BABY RING OPERATOR, WHY WOULD I GO CRAZY ABOUT CHILDREN OF MCGRIFF,DAVIDSON, MILLER, SANDERS, CREATED VIA RAPE AND ARE NOW DECEASED!??

FOR A RAPISTS, TEST TUBE BABY TO STATE," I WOULD HAVE LET YOUR CHILDREN LIVE", IF THE BISH STATED THAT TO ME&NOT AIR BUBBLE VIA CONFERENCE, I'D CUT THE BISH UP&BURN HER AZZ! MY SIRNIKS ARE THE EXCEPTION!! DEATH TO THE CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN OF THE MURDERERS OF MY SIRNIKS!!'

USGOV GET RUSSELL GURKA, ANDREA MITCHELL, ETC...THE FUNK OFF MY MONEY AND PROPERTIES!! I NEED ALL OF MY DNA!! WORLD LEADERS THE BABIES ENSLAVED WILL RECEIVE COUNSELING FROM THOSE WITH A CULT CULTURE LIFESTYLE, DADDIES TRYST WITH DAUGHTERS, RUSS TRYST WITH DANIELLE DAUGHTER, ETC...SICK!! MY BABIES WERE LEFT WITH THE TERRORISTS BABY RING OPERATORS! I PRAYED FOR THE DEATHS OF THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS FOR A REASON!!

I RECEIVED NO SPECIAL HOOK-UPS FROM THE USGOV, I HAVE INJURIES BEGINNING IN 1969, I NEVER HAD PERSONAL SECURITY VIA THE USGOV, THE WORLD INTELLIGENCE CLEARING ME FOR DECADES USED EVIDENCE OF TRUTH AND FACTS AND CLEARED MY PARENTS, MY BROTHER AND ME!! OUR LAWSUITS WERE FILED AND AWARDED, STOLEN BY THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS,THE INNER CIRCLE,(CORRUPT LAW ENFORCEMENT &POLITICIANS)THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS AND THEIR TEST TUBE BABIES KEPT ALL OF MY BABIES FOR 52 YEARS!! TO PRESENT DAY, ALL SHARE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP!!

I HEARD CERTAIN SIRNIKS, I NEVER KNEW WERE A MCGRIFF DNA,I KNOW OTHER BABIES EXISTED, WITH THE DNA OF A MCGRIFF, ETC....THE MCGRIFFS, ETC...KEPT MY BABIES!MANY PONDERED IN THE MID 80'S WHY THE MCGRIFFS HELD ON TO MY BABIES!! INSURANCE FRAUD, HARVEST ORGANS, PERVERTS, THEIR CHILDREN SACRIFICES, SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME FOR DRUG ADDICTS, THE LAZY, AND WHILE THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND TO THEIR STUDIES!!

I HEARD THE BABIES WITH MY DNA WERE STILL ALIVE, ARE BEING SEARCHED FOR, IN ORDER TO MURDER, AS TANYA HOWARD,JOHN BOYLE AND MANY OTHERS DID TO MY BABIES AND CHILDREN FOR DECADES!! ! MY BABIES WERE USED FOR INSURANCE POLICIES,ETC... I CLEARED MY MOTHER, HER FORMER COLLEAGUES ARE GUILTY OF INSURANCE FRAUD!! WHICH IS THE USGOV CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS, MCGRIFF, ETC..ANGER THE TRUTH IS KNOWN!!

THE DEATHS OF MY OLDER CHILDREN WAS SENSELESS, MY MOM ISN'T DUMB, MY MOM HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BABY RING OPERATION, DON'T KNOW THE MALES AND FEMALES PRETENDING TO ME TO BE MY MOTHER AND BROTHER, DON'T KNOW MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, NOR MILLER!!"NO SKIN OFF MY TEETH!

THE BABY RING OPERATORS AND THEIR TEST TUBE BABIES STATED, MCGRIFF, DAVIDSON, MILLER ALL WANTED MY CHILDREN DEAD AND NOT THE OTHERS CREATED VIA THE BABY RING, SUCH AS ANDREA MITCHELL, CARL AND KEVIN FLEETWOOD, PONDA WILSON, DELEON, PORTER, HALL, THE WHITE, DIXON, FERGUSON, JOHNSON FAMILY, ETC..FAMILIES

MY ONLY HURT FOR 52 YEARS WORLD LEADERS LEFT ME IN AMERICA!! PLEASE DON'T REPEAT, I WANT EVERYONE DEAD THAT HARMED ME AND STOLE MY MONEY!!'VENOM TOWARDS ALL!!

SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATOR LOUIS CORWISE, KITED AND KIDNAPPED ME, OR POSTED ON THE CORNER, AS INSTRUCTED, THE STUPUD BISH, STATED" YES, ITS NIKI WITH ONE OF THE RAPISTS OF MY REPRODUCTION"! I DON'T KNOW IF THE DISGUSTING MALE, IS THE ONE PRETENDING TO ME TO BE MY BROTHER VIA PHOTO BURN INTO MEMORY, OR ONE OF HIS DESPICABLE NASTY SONS,THE STAGED SCENE WASN'T FROM AN OLD HYPNOSIS(DON'TUSE THAT LIE)I NEVER WENT TO THE MOVIES WITH ANY ONE OF THE MALES PRETENDING TO ME TO BE MY BROTHER, DURING THE TIME, OLYMPIC STYLED BLACK SWEATSHIRT WAS SELLING IN STORES!! I RECALL SURF HAD A SWEATSHIRT,THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST SAVE OUR OLD ARTICLE OF CLOTHING, ETC...PURCHASE THE SAME, OR RETRIEVE FROM THE GARBAGE!!EVERYONE IS LOVED, APPRECIATED AND ACCEPTED, WHY THE FUNK IS THE TERRORISTS STEADILY GATHERING AROUND ME, STAGING SCENES, KITING AND KIDNAPPING ME!! THEN SHARE THEIR STORIES, I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG, I DID SOMETHING WRONG, I HARMED THEIR CHILD, OR CHILDREN, I KNOW WHERE THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS CHILDREN ARE KEPT, CREATED VIA THE SAME LYING AZZEZ IN THE CULT, I STATED MCGRIFF, ETC..LIKE ME, LOVE ME, I THINK I OWN THEM, I HAD MCGRIFF, ETC...CHILDREN, I STOLE THEIR MONEY,JEWELRY, ETC...I TESTIFIED AGAINST MCGRIFF, ETC...I WANT TO BE A SURROGATE, JOIN THE CULT, I WANT TO HAVE DAVIDSON, MILLER, SANDERS, MCGRIFF, CELEBS, ETC...BABIES,I I USE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, I ATTEMPTED TO KIDNAP ASHEEM TAYLOR&KELLY LEBLANC-VELASQUEZ DIRTY SON,(I WAS FALSELY ARRESTED ON 10-2-2009)(I WAS KIDNAPPED BY TERRORISTS, RAPISTS, CHILD MOLESTERS, BABY RING OPERATORS IN POLICE UNIFORM, FROM MY PORCH AT 14-16 JENNINGS STREET IN SPRINGFIELD MA, MY DUPLEX!! )THE SATANIC CULT, MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, ETC..AND THEIR TEST TUBE BABIES CONTINUE TO STAGE SCENES, 8 AM PHYSICALLYAND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED!-!! I NOW HAVE EXTENSIVE BRAIN INJURIES!!

WHICH DIRTY STUPID LYING, CHILD MOLESTING INVESTIGATORS, RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM LOUIS CORWISE,HIS RELATIVES ARE RAPISTS OF MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, REPRODUCTION AND FLUNG REPRODUCTION THROUGH OUT THE CULT!! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION, IF I WAS WITH THOSE DESPICABLE FUX, WHO LAID THE STATEMENT AND FILLED IT IN!! I EXPECT BREAK AND ENTER, PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, KITE AND KIDNAP CHARGES FILED!! PRACTICALLY THE ENTIRE CULT, SHOULD BE REGISTERED AS SEX-OFFENDERS!!

LOUIS CORWISE FAMILY IS ENTWINED WITH THE MITCHELLS,FLEETWOOD AND JOHNSON, WILLIAMS, ETC... RELATIVES, THEY RAPED EVERY MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER FOR REPRODUCTION AND FLUNG IT THROUGH OUT THE CULT, I SEEN A RELATIVE OF LOUIS(IDENTICAL)AT THE DALLAS SHELTER IN TEXAS&ON THE CITY BUS WITH ONE OF ANDREA MITCHELL'S DAUGHTERS IN DALLAS TEXAS!! FOR THE RECORD LOUIS CORWISE DAD WASN'T CIA INTELLIGENCE!! EVERYTIME, I MENTIONED KITE, KIDNAP AND STAGED SCENE, I WAS HARMED! WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT, I AM THE PERSON INVOLVED, VERY SAD, THE FUNKING GOVERNMENT DISREGARD MY PARENTS TORTURE, MY SIRNIKS AND YOUNGER FACES AND MY TORTURE FOR A TERRORISTS SATANIC CULT, FORMER AND CURRENT PRESIDENTS, GUILTY OF STATING" FUNK THE WORLD AND PRESIDENTS, GENERALS, CIA INTELLIGENCE, KGB, MURDERED WORLD INTELLIGENCE, INCLUDING OUR CIA&CIA INTELLIGENCE, WHO THE FUNK IS SIGNIFICANT,SO IMPORTANT, WHAT IS IT USGOV!!?THE USGOV AND THOSE UNDER THEIR TUTELEGE ARE PHONY AND UNNECESSARY!! **THE BABY RING OPERATORS***

I AM HARMED FOR 52 YEARS! MY UPBRINGING AND MY PERSONSALITY DON'T ENTWINE, DON'T GIVE TWO FUNKS ABOUT WHO LIKE ME, I NEVER RAN A LIKING CONTEST BEFORE, TEST TUBE BABIES, RAPISTS, CHILD MOLESTERS, LIARS, BANK AND PROPERTY THIEVES, BABY RING OPERATORS, DOPE PUSHERS,DRUG TRAFFICKERS, THE CORRUPT, ETC...AND TERRORISTS, ISN'T HONEY TO A BEE, ISN'T APPETIZING, INVITING, I STATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN,# FRIGHTENING!! THE ONLY KICKS IN THE DOOR WAS BY U.S. MILITARY, FUNK OFF!! *I AM OUTSIDE FOR A REASON!!

REAL CIA INTELLIGENCE USE CAMERAS AND NO WITNESSES, WHY THE ANNOYING AZZ FUX OF THE USGOV LAW ENFORCEMENT, CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS, THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS LAW ENFORCEMENT, INCLUDING CIA, (CON-MEN INFILTRATING AMERICA)ARE SEARCHING FOR WITNESSES, ALWAYS A FUNKING PROBLEM, ALWAYS AN INQUIRY, I AM K8DNAPPED AND I AM THE PROBLEM, OVER 600K CHILDREN HELD BY THE USGOV AND ITS MY FAULT AND PROBLEM, NO BABY RING IS OPERATING ,ITS A CULT, THE DISCOVERY OF ONLY 40 CHILDREN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT MONTHS APART AND THEY'RE WONDERFUL, LEFRAK BEEN ENSLAVING MY BABIES, WOULD HAVE NETTED THOUSANDS, VERIZON, MY PARENTS RELATIVES, CASSANDRA CURTIS, ETC...BEEB ENSLAVING MY BABIES AND OPERATING THE BABY RING,

WHO IS MARRIED TO A MCGRIFF IS IMPORTANT, IMPIRTANT TO WHOM, WHERE MCGRIFF AND CHILDREN WERE IS IMPORTANT, TO WHOM, NOT I!! THE TERRORISTS CHILDREN OF MCGRIFF, ETC...ATTEMPT TO SET ME UP, I SURMISE THEY WILL BE USING THOSE THAT STATED THEY DON'T KNOW ME AND CAME AROUND BECAUSE!!??

I AM INNOCENT, I HAVE A VERTY TIGHT WORK HISTORY, TIME OCCUPIED, I SURMISE THE SCHOOL TEACHERS SEEN ME PREGNANT TO SUPPORT THE LIES OF ARTHUR CASH EDITED AUDIO VIDEO AND GAVE ME MORE ABSENCES, WHO GIVES A FUNK!! ONE OF THE FEMALES PRETENDING TO ME TO BE MY MOTHER, STATED I RAN AWAY FROM HOME AT 13 AND SHE NEVER SEEN ME AGAIN, SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS, I WAS IN SPRINGFIELD MA, ONE OF THE FEMALES, OR THE SAME STATED, I GAVE HER HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, I WAS TROUBLED AND ON HER NERVES, AS HER SON, I LIVED ON MY OWN SINCE THE AGE OF 21, I NEVER BORROWED A DIME FROM MY MOTHER TO MAKE ENDS MEET!!IN NYC, I EARNED MY FREEDOM THROUGH RESPONSIBILITY AT 17!! I KNOW IT ISN'T MY MOTHER!! MY MOTHER PAID OUR BILLS ON TIME AND USED A CHASE CHECK BOOK,(NOT ONE BOUNCED CHECK) DEALTH WITH NUMBERS ALL DAY, INSURANCE POLICIES,DEATH CLAIMS AND READ A NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINES, ETC...AND KNOW A VEHICLE DON'T COST$40.00(FUNK RAPISTS GAIL148 ST))

I WASN'T SEARCHING FOR MCGRIFF AND CHILDREN!! I WAS SEARCHING FOR THOSE TO MY RESCUE AND HARMED WITH, I APOLOGIZE TO THE MCGRIFF, I WAS HARMED WITH LONG AGO!! I DIDN'T SIDE WITH MY RELATIVES, I DIDN'T STEAL MONEY, I WASN'T IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW, NOR THE STREETS, I WAS INJURED AND NO MEMORY!!

IS THAT MCGRIFF THE SON OF LESLEY FERGUSON!!? I DIDN'T GROW UO AROUND MY DAD'S RELATIVES!! GOTT DAMM I AM DRAINED!!

THIS HAS BEEN NOTHING TO MY BENEFIT!! COMMUNICATING WITH TWITTER WORLD, IDEAS ABOUT BUILDING, MAKING FUN OF THE USGOV CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS, THE OVERSIZED UNNECESSARY GOVERNMENT, DUE TO THEIR PERSONAL SET-UP OF DIFFERENT LEVELS, (JRSENATOR, SENATOR, ETC..)WHY!? ALL ABOUT CONGRESS, A WASTE OF OUR TAX DOLLAR!!(DOWNSIZE) AN IDEA, CONSISTS OF THE WEALTHY USING THE MONEY TO BUILD COMMUNITIES, NOT THE CORRUPT PERSONAL PORTFOLIOS(WRITE OFFS)THE WEALTHY NEVER TOOK CARE OF MY MOM AND ME, NOR MY SIRNIKS!! THE BRAINWASHED JOIN THE CHANT, "PAY MORE TAXES"! DO THEY USE MORE ROADWAY, HIGHWAYS THAN I AND OTHERS!?

HILLARY CLINTON WAS MOVING COMPANIES OUT OF AMERICA, LOWER WAGES AND DEALS TO THE COMPANIES, WHO DOES ONE THINK WAS MEETING THE MONEY ON THE OTHER SIDE, NOT THE EMPLOYEES!"

DOPE PUSHERS FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, WE ARE GUINEA PIGS, EXPERIMENTED ON, NEW DRUGS WERE HITTING THE MARKET WITHOUT ENOUGH RESEARCH, 20 SIDE EFFECTS, TO TREAT ONE PROBLEM!! MENTAL ILLNESS , NOT HEALTHY MENTALLY REPLACED EMOTIONS !! PEOPLE SHOPLIFT"THEY DIDN'T TAKE THEIR MEDS"! UNREAL!! MY SON, BROTHER, NEPHEW STOLE MY CELL PHONE, POLICE, "HE DIDN'T TAKE HIS MENTAL MEDS"! HERE'S ANOTHER, "I AWOKE DEPRESSED", NO REASON, NO SIGNS OF A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE"!

ONE SUCH FEMALE"HAD FINANCIAL TROUBLE" N SO IF SHE WERE HANDED MONEY, INSYEAD OF A PILL, WOULD SHE BE DEPRESSED!!?

A BRAIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY FUNCTIONS OF THE BODY, SMELL, TADTE, ETC...AND IS LABELED AS THE WEAKEST MUSCLE! EVERY LITTLE PROBLEM IS A MENTAL ILLNESS!! I NEVER USED A PSYCHIATRIST, NOR A THERAPIST!! I PROVIDED THE PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION, THE FIRST IS BEING HONEST WITH SELF!! HERE IS HONESTY, I NEED HAND GENADES, ROCKET LAUNCHERS FOR THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS FROM LEFRAK CITY, MY PARENTS RELATIVES, VERIZON, SPRINGFIELD MA&MANY OF THEIR RELATIVES, NOT FOR RAP8NG MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER FOR REPRODUCTION, FOR LAYING HANDS ON THE CHILDREN WITH MY REPRODUCTION AND ME&STEALING MY MONEY!!

THE CRIME IS HIGH, DEAD BABIES ACROSS THE U.S. TERRORISTS SURROUNDED THE WORLD, IN WHAT WAY DID THE SATANIC DANCE OF THE CULT ANNOUNCEMENTS "PROTECTED AND SAVED LIVES" REDUCED CRIME, ELIMINATED TERRORISTS, REDUCED THE SATURATION OF DRUGS, A SIMPLE END TO THE BABY RING OPERATION PROVED TO BE A GREAT TASK,(MIND) OR THE FUX ARE CRIMINAL, STOP WASTING MY GOTT DAMM TIME!!

THE WHERE ABOUTS OF THE CHILDREN ARE UNKNOWN, DARKY MCGRIFF MARRIED ME, IN ORDER TO GET CUSTODY OF MY SIRNIKS WITH HIS DNA,AND DIFFERENT MCGRIFF DNA, THE BABIES WERE CREATED,VIA RAPE OF MY REPRODUCTION!! NO DEATHS, NO ARRESTS!!OF THE RAPISTS!! 52 YEARS!! WHY WOULD I NEED MS. SANDRA TAYLOR, ANY MCGRIFF TO GET MY CHILDREN FROM CPS, DCF, ACS CUSTODY!!?? MY LAWSUITS WERE FILED AND AWARDED!!

WHY THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS INSIST OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES ABOUT MCGRIFF, ETC... WANTING THEM AND THEIR BABIES, BRAGGS OF MURDERING MY BABIES, WHICH BEGAN IN 1969!! I WAS COMPENSATED BY THE USGOV FOR BEING 4APED FOR MY REPRODUCTION, HARMED ON LEFRAK CITY PROPERTY FOR OVER A DECADE, HARMED ON VERIZON PROPERTY AND BY THEIR EMPLOYEES, I NEVER HAD MCGRIFFS, ETC...THE TERRORISTS KEPT MY BABIES!!

MY SPECIAL AND IMPORTANTS AEE MY SIRNIKS, THE SAME TERRORISTS RAPED MY SIRNIKS FOR REPRODUCTION, I KNOW THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS HAS AN ATTITUDE, ACCORDING TO THEM, I DID SOMETHING WRONG, THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE CHILD PREDATORS, ETC...THE SAME BABY RING BEEN OPERATING BEFORE 1969, BEFORE I EXITED MY MOTHER'S WOMB, MY MOM WAS POUNCED ON, MY MOM DON'T KNOW MCGRIFF, SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, MASON, NOR MASON, I WAS RAPED FOR MY REPRODUCTION BEGINNING IN 1969!!

THE TERRORISTS BABY RING OPERATORS INSIST, THE BABY RING

**WHY THE DARK BISH, A BROKE NOTHING CHILD MOLESTER, RAPISTS, HAS A DISPOSITION, SHE IS MY BOSS, THE BISH IS L9OKED FOR BY ME, SHE IS UP FOR A CUT UP A TORSO TORCHED AND BURNED, THE DIRTY FUNKING BISH, JUMPED IN MY LANE, SHE IS A SICK RAPISTS CHILD MOLESTING BISH, WHY WAS SHE NEAR ME!!? IS SHE IMPLYING I AM HIV, AND I GAVE IT TO HER SON AND HE GAVE IT TO HER DIRTY DAUGHTER, ISN'T SHE ONE OF THE FEMALES PRETENDIBG TO ME TO MY MOTHER, SHE WORSHIP SATAN AND IS KNOWN AS A SATANIC MOTHER TO KEVIN KEMP OF LEFRAK CITY, ETC....DID THE USGOV COMPENSATE THE RAPISTS CHILD MOLESTING BISH!!? WHITZ TINA THORNTON OF VERIZON IS TASIA THORNTON MOTHER, WHAT THE FUNK THST HAS TO DO WITH ME, THE FAMILY IS OPERATING THE BABY RING IN ALBANY NY WITH ALL THE RAPISTS OF REPRODUCTION, BABY RING OPERATORS, INCLUDING VERIZON, I WAS KITED AND KIDNAPPED BY FBI SUPERVISOR RODNEY E CRAWFORD, KEVIN KELLERMAN OF VERIZON, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, AFTER MY LAWSUITS WERE FILED AND AWARDED,

I WAS NEVER ACQUAINTED WITH THE CHILD MOLESTERS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, WHY WERE THEY KITING AND KIDNAPPING ME, I DIDN'T ATTEND PUBLIC, ETC...SCHOOL IN ALBANY NY, AMBERGER OF VERIZON SHE SHOULD BE DEAD, THE NASTY CHILD MOLESTER ALONG WITH ALBERT BESSETTE WERE VERY NASTY TOWARDS ME, ALBERT CLAIM TO BE CIA, HE HAD ME UNDER AN INVESTIGATION, WITH THE DIRTY FUNKING SCOUNDRELS AT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT VERIZON,

THE CHILD MOLESTING BISHES WERE POSTING ON ME, ARE FUNKING DELUSIONAL AND SICK, I NEVER HAD HYPNOSIS, I HAD KNOW IDEA WHAT X WAS, I REFUSED TO LEAVE WITH THE FACES OF MCGRIFF, I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE HARMED, COME TO LEARN, THOSE NASTY CHILD MOLESTING DIRTY SOON TO BE DEAD FUX, WRRE BREAKING AND ENTERING MY RESIDENT AND KITING AND KIDNAPPING ME, THE SIGHT OF BEING POSTED ON, LORD KNOWS I HELD MY COMPOSURE2008!! MY CASE WAS HANDLED BY REAL INTELLIGENCE, WHO SUMMONED SAVITRA MILLER DAUGHTERS, CREATED HOW!!? SURELY IT WASN'T I!!"

***WERE ARE MY SIRNIKS AND MY MONEY &YOUNGER SIRNIKS FACES AND MY DAUGHTERS WITH FACE*** CHILD MOLESTING FREAKS!!'

I WANTED TO APPROACH THE BISH AT THE EASTFIELD MALL IN SPRINGFIELD MA, IF THE BISH SAY THE WRONG WORD, I WOULD LAY HANDS ON HER, AND IT WOULD BL9CK X TJE UNKNOWN, NOW NASTY STUPID LYING FUX ARE ALL OF YOU READY FOR COURT!!?

DID DARKY MCGRIFF CHILD MOLESTING MOTHER GET A TRYST FROM DARKY MCGRIFF, OR DID NASTY FREAK RAPE HIM FOR REPRODUCTION, I HAVE KNOW IDEA WHY THE PAEDOPHILE STATED I GAVE HER SON MCGRIFF A DISEASE, WHY DIDN'T HE COMMUNICATE THE CONVERSATION, WAS IT, DARKY MCGRIFF WOULD HAVE TO BE CHARGED WITH RAPE, ADMIT HIS MOTHER RAPE BABIES, BOTH KITED AND KIDNAPPED WORLD LEADERS, I AM NOT THE FEMALE GUILTY OF INFECTING HER DARKY MCGRIFF SON WITH A DISEASES, INCLUDING HIV!!

IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY MOTHER, I WOULD HAVE DIED OF STARVATION, BEFORE I WAS OLD ENOUGHN TO FULLY TAKE CARE OF MY SELF(MY LAWSUIT MONEY WAS ALWAYS STOLEN)HOW LONG WAS DARKY SATANIC MOTHER AND CHERYL MCDONALD, BOTH HOVERED OVER DARKY MCGRIFF, AT THE SAME TIME AND CREATED BABIES, IT WASN'T RAPE, IT WAS AN ORGY CONSENTUAL, OH DARKY FEMALE IS CHERYL MCDONALD'S MOTHER,

IS SHE THE SAME DARKY FEMALE, , STAGING SCENES ON A SHIP, WITH WHITZ DRESSED AS RUSSIAN, UKRAINE, MOSCOW MILITARY, I REPORTED KITE AND KIDNAP!!'WHO WAS THE YOUNG DARKY FACE MCGRIFF, I SEEN AT MY RESIDENT, AFTER MY MOM WAS KIDNAPPED, I WAS STILL USING MY GUEST BEDROOM!?

JUDGES, INCLUDING BLOCH, IS THIS A JUSTIFICATION, WHY THEY USED MY MOTHER'S I.D., ETC..SELF APPOIBTED RIGHT TO KY MOTHER'S FINANCIAL WEALTH, AND SON SHOULD BE COMPENSATED, ALL ARE CRIMINALLY INSANE!! THE NASTY LYING FUX HELPED ME WITH NOTHING, ASK THE BISH IF SHE PURCHASED A MUCH NEEDED SHIRT FOR ME, PAID A BILL, ETC..

THE FREAKS MURDERED MY BABIES, ORDERED MY BABIES DEATH TO THE OTHERS OPERATING THE BABY RING, RAPING BABIES FOR A LIVING, I AM LIKE, WHY THE PROJECTS HE AND THE OTHERS HAIL FROM WASN'T BURNED DOWN, THE USGOV IS HOLDING ME, ALWAYS ASSISTED THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS!!

I HAVE AWARENESS, SO THE CHILD MOLESTING FUX ARE TIGHT, NO MORE SUPPRESSING MY MEMORY, OPERATING THE BABY RING FREELY, STANDING ON MY PROPERTY, BUILDING WITH MY MONEY, I WASN'T FIRED FROM VERIZON, I WAS RETIRED WITH 30 YEARS, IMAGINE RECEIVING SSD BASED ON A MENTAL ILLNESS WITH MY BEAUTIFUL, HARDWORKING LAURELS, NOT ONE SUSPENSION, NOT ONE VERBAL, OR WRITTEN WARNING, THE SAME PIECES OF CHIT CLARENCE JONES, THECFLEETWO9DS, DARKY RACHEL MITCHELL, GATHERS WITH THE OTHERS, AND ALL ACT AS THOUGH I AM TROUBLED, GEE! HOW MANY DECADES!!? WHAT DID THE FUX ACCOMPLISH!!?

WHY CLARENCE, JONES, KATRINA GREENE NULLS, DENNIS BRANTLEY, KITE AND KIDNAP ME, THE SCENE WAS THE MCGRIFFS DON'T LIKE ME, SO I BETTER GO ALONG, I DIDN'T GO ALONG, I WANT THEM ARRESTED, FOR HARMING MY SIRNIKS,

I NEEDED THY ENEMIES TO ENROLL MY SIRNIKS IN SCHOOL!!? THE FREAKS ARE STILL OPERATING THE BABY RING, WHY WAS KATRINA GREENE RETIRED, SHE RAPE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, SHE IS THE COHORT OF KAREN&TANYA HOWARD, ETC....

WHICH MCGRIFF LOST A 5 SERIES BMW, KATRINA FRIEND OR RELATIVE, OR LOVER, MAURICE DOUGLAS OF (DELAWARE) VERIZON(CONTRACT)I ALLOWED THE BMW TO SIT IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES!!

NO LONGER IS AMERICA ALLOWED TO DEPLOY ON PARANOIA, NEED TO USE EVIDENCE OF TRUTH AND FACTS, THINKING A WORLD INVASION, ISN'T REASON TO OCCUPY THE WATERS OF SOUTH KOREA, THE TERRORISTS MAKE UP STATEMENTS ALL THE TIME, FILL IT IN AND ACT AS THOUGH ONE PERSONALLY SOUGHT THEM AND HAD CONVERSATION, THE CHILD MOLESTING FUX WERE PUTTING ME UNDER!!"

FOR EXAMPLE CHERYL MCFONALD, GEORGIA HALL, KATRINA GREENE NULLS, KAREN&TANYA HOWARD, TADJA OWENS, ETC... I SPOKE OF MCGRIFF, ETC... ALL SWEAR, I MESSED WITH THEIR SONS, COUSINS, UNCLES, ETC...AND THATS WHY THEY HAVE MY BABIES, AND THEIR ENTITLED TO KEEP ALL OF SANDERS, DAVIDSON, MILLER, MCGRIFF BABIES, AND BUSH, ETC..ACT AS THOUGH THE BABY RING OPERATION ISN'T KNOWN, AS THOUGH I KNEW A FERGUSON, TASJA OWENS, ANDREA WALKER, ETC...HAD MY BABIES, DEATH BELLS WOULD OF BEEN RANG,

MURDERING MY SIRNIKS CHANGES NOTHING!! FACE REALITY MCGRIFF, SANDERS, MILLER, DAVIDSON, ETC ..THEIR TUBE TUBE BABIES AND THEIR TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS BEEN OPERATING THE BABY RING, INCLUDING USING MY REPRODUCTION VIA RAPE!! MY CHILDREN AND ME WERE SET UP, WHEN THE CHILD MOLESTING FUX REALIZED, IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK, MY CHILDREN WERE SLAUGHTERED, NOTHING NEW!!

MIKE CALLAHAN. I WAS FIRED FROM VERIZON!!? WHICH INVESTIGATORS WERE SEARCHING FOR ME, THE CHIRPRACTOR AND SIDE KICK, WITH THEIR THEATRICS BODY LANGUAGE, THE TERRORISTS STATE THE USE IS TO INTIMIDATE THE VICTIMS, ASK ME MANY QUESTIONS, WHY!? MY LAWSUITS WERE FILED AND AWARDED, A GOOD RUN, I WAS EMPLOYED AT VERIZON FOR 19 YEARS, I USED MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, ARE THE INVESTIGATORS SEARCHING FOR THE PADOPHILES IN THE CULT, OPERATE THE BABY RING ALIVE, THEN THE CHILD MOLESTERS WERE ARRESTED AGAIN, NASTY FUX INCLUDING CHERYL MCDONALD ARE STATING IT IS I, OR THE CULT FEMALES ARE BEING THEIR USUAL CHILD MOLESTING SELF IMPORTANT, " SO SMART" WILL FIGURE AND WORK IT ALL OUT", "BROUGHT UP OLD CRIMES I DIDN'T COMMIT AND ATTEMPTED TO SET ME UP WAY AGAIN, AS THE SAME CHILD MOLESTERS FAILED WAY BACK WHEN,

IF MCGRIFF, ETC...STSTED ALL ARE WELCOME TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN AND RECRUIT OTHERS, WHY THE FUNK DO THE DUMB FUNKING BISHES DROP IN THIS LANE!? I DON'T GIVE A FUNK, I AM NOT TRAFFICKING CHILDREN, NOT ONE IS AN INTEREST, I NEVER GOT TO KNOW MCGRIFF, TO MUCH SURROUNDS, MORE THAN I REMEMBER, "RUN" , RUN FOR YOUR LIFE", BREAK AND ENTER RAPE FOR REPRODUCTION, NO ARRESTS, HAPPY TO COLLECT MORE BABIES"! MEN, PLEASE MURK THE RAPISTS OF MY REPRODUCTION AND THOSE GUILTY OF MOLESTING MY SONS, DAUGHTERS AND ME!!

IT IS OKAY, WHY THE BABIES AND CHILDREN ARE NOT GOING FROM THE SURR9GATE STRAIGHT TO THE FEMALE!! WHY IS TBESE BISHES SHOWING ME THE SAME FACES FROM YESTER YEAR, SUCH AS THE LAD IN FRONT OF THE POST OFFICE, FACE SEEN AGAIN IN STPETERSBURG FLA, A NEW LAD!!"THE YELLA LITTLE GIRL AT "CHUCKY E CHEESE" IN THE BRONX, I HEARD SHE FOES NOT LIKE ME, I DO NOT KNOW HER, SHE SHOWED UP WITH WHOM I BELIEVED TO BE MS SANDRA TAYLOR&A DARKY FEMALE,

IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY MICHELLE WATERMAN STATED THE TWO RESEMBLE, I NOTICED SIGNALING, ODDITIES, I DISCOVERED MY MOM KIDNAPPED AND MISSING, BEFORE 2001 JUNE, BUSH STATED NOTHING TO ME, WHEN I ASKED WHAT ABOUT MY MOM,

AFTER BUSH STATED , PEPI DID MAKE IT TO SAFETY, WHEN I ASKED, BUSH INIATED THE CONVERSATION ABOUT PEPI!" FOR TWO DECADES THE USGOV ALLOWED THE TERRORISTS OPERATING THE BABY RING USE MY MOTHER AND , BROTHER'S I.D. VEHICLE, 401K, SS RETIREMENT, PENSION FROM THE MANHATTAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, ETC....SO TO THEMSELVES, BUSH, ETC..THE TERRORISTS WERE CLEVER AND GOT THROUGH WITH MY LOVED ONES MONEY!! THE BABY RING IS OPERATING, THE DARK UGLY SON,

I HEARD HIS NAME IS JOHN AND HE CAME THROUGH IN 2001 AND TORE CHIT UP, I WAS KITED AND KIDNAPPED, MEMORY SUPPRESSED, WHAT CHILDREN THAT NASTY UGLY FUX HAS WITH MY REPRODUCTION, HE RAPED ME FOR MY REPRODUCTION AND PLEASURE, HE IS A ROCK HURLER, A CON-MEN INFILITRATING AMERICA, IS IT ONE OF MY SIR NIKS, OTHERWISE, I NEED THE INSURANCE MONEY, HE SHOULD OF BEEN IN PRISON, AND REGISTERED AS A SEX-OFFENDER, THE RESEMBLES CURTIS JACKSON!! HE BROKE INTO MY MOTEL IN FLORIDA, MY APARTMENT IN ARLINGTON TEXAS, HE WAS CLEVER AGAIN!!

WHEN DID THE MOLESTER INJECT ME WITH HIV&WHEN DID THE PAEDOPHILE PRETENDING TO ME TO BE MY BROTHER TEST ME, WHY THE FUNK DOES HE COME NEAR ME!!? IS HE THE SAME THAT STATED I RECEIVED CHEMO AND RADIATION TREATMENT, THE REASONS WHY I WHY I HAVE HOLES IN MY BONES!!"

IS HE STILL PRETENDING TO BE MY BROTHER, DID HE MARRY LESLEY PORTER ANDCCASSANDRA CURTIS!! IN THE MID 80'S THE SAME BLAX MALE DIDN'T SEE ANY MCGRIFF, ETC...CHILDREN AT MY RESIDENT, WHY THE FUNK WAS PSYCHO SITTING IN MY BEDROOM PULLING OFF HIS BLACK BIG 11-11.5 COMBAT BOOT, WHEN I ENTERED MY MOTHER'S APARTMENT!! IS THE SAME PSYCHO ACQUAINTED WITH THE STUPID BLAX MALE ACTING AS THOUGH I AM A SPY, A TERRORIST, ETC...!?

WHAT DID THE PAEDOPHILE THINK ABOUT THE RAPISTS AT VERIZON ACTING AS THOUGH I PROVIDED CABLE AND PAIRS TO TERRORISTS AND I WORKED IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE !!?

HOW LONG DID HE KNOW MIKE LOWE, RITA ARLENE PORTER, FRANSCISCO DELEON, IN HIS OWN ESTIMATE, HOW LONG THE BABY RING BEEN OPERATING!!? DOES HE CONSIDER HIMSELF AN INVESTIGATOR!!?

DROP FUNKING DEAD!! I AM PRAYING HARDER EVERY DAY, THE SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN DIES!!"

EVERYTIME I THINK OF AMERICAN LEADERSHIP, I KNOW THE CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE MENTAL, AS THEIR SATANIC CULT TERRORIST BABY RING OPERATORS, STATE I AND OTHERS ARE MENTAL,

REAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, SEE MY FILING STATUS!!?

[briangroth27]

The Get Down Part 2 Review

I enjoyed the second part of Netflix’s The Get Down and I’m sorry it ended up being the last. This show was exciting, engaging, and completely outside what I normally watch—I’ve never been a big fan of the 70s, disco, or hip-hop—but I loved it and found a new appreciation for all three. I’ll definitely miss these characters and this aesthetic, but I’m glad they found a way to wrap things up in a (mostly) satisfying way. Unlike other reviews I’ve read, I didn’t have a problem with the release structure of this season. Dividing it into “Parts 1 and 2” didn’t throw me at all, first because it’s just branding and second because I always felt Part 1 had a solid beginning, middle, and end. It also had a cliffhanger to leave you wanting more, just like any other show’s season finale. With the new cartoon sequences and the time jump, Part 2 feels so different stylistically that if they had been released together, it would’ve felt jarring and weird.

Full spoilers...

After The Get Down Brothers’ victory at the end of Part 1, they’re reveling in their success while trying to build dream lives for themselves. Zeke’s (Justice Smith) struggle to identify himself in light of his (and everyone else’s) dual lives through his Yale application letter was a perfect encapsulation of this, while also serving as a nice reminder of what happened in Part 1. That duality was a great build off of Zeke giving a speech promoting Ed Koch (Frank Wood), but then immediately running off to perform for the very people Koch was against. The pull between Zeke’s future at Yale/his internship with Mr. Gunns (Michael Gill) and his future as a musical superstar formed a strong backbone to Part 2, and I imagine the looming choice between disappointment now with a good future promised by Yale/Gunns and a dream life granted by music in the present that might have no future is one a lot of people can empathize with. My circumstances aren’t anywhere near as dire as Zeke’s, but I certainly struggle with working towards my dream career or giving up and settling for a routine 9-to-5 job that has financial stability. I think the show did justice to this struggle, but it could’ve been a bit more fleshed out (though Part 2’s shortened episode order may’ve truncated that arc). Zeke’s clear discomfort with navigating the casual racism at the Yale club but still wanting to keep his hopes of college alive despite Shaolin (Shameik Moore) showing up—and then choosing Shao when things got way out of hand—was great to watch. I liked that Zeke stood up for Shao and didn’t rat him out to Gunns, even though it meant giving up his shot at Yale and the internship. That defense made their final split at the end of Part 2 even more heartbreaking, when Zeke discovered Shao had allowed Boo-Boo (Tremaine Brown, Jr.) to sell drugs. It was smart to make their connection to the drugs Shao was pushing not just a way to get rich, like Boo-Boo was trying to do, but a situation that could actually get Shao killed if he stopped, which made it much more complex than Zeke—whose quitting over this felt totally right—wanted to see. Zeke and Shao’s final fight felt perfect and tragic (and was perfectly acted by Smith and Moore), and Zeke scoffing at Shao’s real name when the “kung fu superhero” blinders were finally off was excellent. I feel like Zeke fully understood that even though he’d been best friends with this guy, Shao wasn’t going to stop dragging him into his world (whether it was Shao’s choice to do so or not) and Zeke couldn’t save him, so he had to save himself by cutting Curtis out. I really liked the reversal of the end of Part 1 that the destruction of The Get Down Brothers created: there, he chose rap over the system, but here he bails on his music to go back to Yale.

It would’ve been interesting to expose Zeke to the punk rock scene after Gunns’ daughter Claudia (Julia Garner) discussed it with him. I get him not wanting to explore it after they kissed since it was so closely tied to her, but it would’ve been a neat to at least get his thoughts on it. If the series had more time, rock’s war with disco could’ve made for a good obstacle for Mylene’s (Herizen F. Guardiola) career as well and the musical divide between Claudia’s interests and Mylene’s career would’ve made them direct rivals in an interesting way. That said, I’m glad Zeke came clean about his kiss with Claudia to Mylene instead of trying to hide it for an extended period of time, which helped to defuse the potentially explosive drama it might’ve otherwise caused. Their fight over her saying she was single on TV felt a little too well-worn: it would’ve been more original to subvert expectations and have Zeke understand the demands of public images himself, since he’s somewhat famous too. Regardless of that cliché plot point, the show definitely had me rooting for Zeke and Mylene, even knowing that something tragic was racing at them. Smith and Guardiola had great chemistry and totally sold their romance in both their happy and harder times. Zeke talking Mylene down from Misty Holloway’s (Renée Elise Goldsberry) excellent “Backstabbers” attack was one of those great moments between the two of them. I also loved the knowing goodbye she gave him when she told him she was leaving at the end of the season; that she didn’t repeat “forever” when she said she loves him was heartbreaking. However, the renewed hope that fills Zeke while doing his poetry in his impromptu studio session—the beginning of his recording career, no doubt—was the perfect reaction to his heartbreak. In the end, it was just him and his rhymes, and that’s not only supremely fitting, but a nice segue to the flash-forwards of adult Zeke (Naz) rapping alone on stage. Zeke’s poetry with his future self was very well done (and extremely well-acted) and makes me tear up every time I watch it, while overlaying it with Mylene’s “See You on the Other Side” was a very cool mirror of the Get Down Brothers sampling “Set Me Free” for their battle at the end of Part 1. Reuniting Zeke and Mylene at the very end was extremely fulfilling—I’m choosing to believe that silhouetted trio was the actual Soul Madonnas, not just a tribute—and gave their romance something of a happy ending. Even if that isn’t them, or if it’s not supposed to imply Zeke and Mylene finally got back together, I think he was still waiting for her—and maybe only for her—just like Francisco (Jimmy Smits) waited for Lydia (Zabryna Guevara). No matter what, Zeke and Mylene will always be connected by their music.

Mylene’s journey away from gospel music and into a more sex-laden atmosphere worked really well as a parallel for her growing up and moving beyond the confines of her religious upbringing, even with as blatant as her father (Giancarlo Esposito) being a literal preacher was. I did appreciate and enjoy Mylene finally getting out of that situation with her dad before he died, though, and Guardiola was great at portraying Mylene’s attempts to break free as well as her confidence when it came to taking hold of her group’s future. I also liked the internal drama within the Soul Madonnas that was stirred up by Yolanda’s (Stefanee Marin) concerns about them becoming too sexy, but I thought it should’ve lasted longer. As I’ve seen pointed out elsewhere, her return to the group an episode after ratting out the plans for their sexy show was jarring. I felt like that was a major missed opportunity for Mylene to step up as leader to work out a solution all three of them felt comfortable with while also digging into Yolanda and Regina’s (Shyrley Rodriguez) perspectives more. Personality-wise, Mylene was already a good balance between Yolanda and the more fun-loving, assertive Regina, and it would’ve been great to see her become the balance within the group as well. Seeing her step into a leadership role within the Soul Madonnas would’ve not only given her a new struggle (one that paralleled Zeke and Shao’s fight for the future of the Get Down Brothers, now that I think of it), but would’ve better built her arc towards taking control of her career from Roy (Eric Bogosian). Had Mylene gotten the chance to show him and us that she could handle internal dissension and be a strong voice within the group through the Yolanda incident, it probably would’ve sold Roy agreeing to her terms a bit more. Standing up to him and threatening to walk out of her contract—and Roy caving—may have been unrealistic, as others have noted, but I still liked that she got that moment. Given the necessarily rushed nature of the season, Roy having the sense to keep his talent happy was an emotional win I can get behind, even if it doesn’t make business or real-life sense. 

The other thing I would’ve liked to see in regard to Mylene is where she sees her music going. “See You on the Other Side” implies she won’t fully transition to the full-on sexy thing, but is she content to only do ballads? We know she greatly admired Misty Holloway (at least until Ruby Con), so did she want to be the next Misty or something original? Where does her artistic instinct take her, and what kind of music does she want to be making? Would she have considered pioneering a new style? Would she have tried to dabble in punk rock as that started to challenge disco (and rock ultimately defeated it)? That would’ve been a cool way to pit Mylene’s style against Zeke’s (and Cadillac’s (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)) in a potential Part 3, give her an entirely different sort of challenge as she tries to adapt to that style, and create an entirely unexpected way to wrap Claudia back into the storyline; maybe she could’ve inspired Mylene to try out what’s out there, since early punk rock was inclusive of women. Of course, those all feel like Part 3 developments. In Part 2, I still would’ve liked to see more of her opinion of what her music should be.

I liked that Mylene and Shao fighting over Zeke’s future gave a much more personal stake to the hip-hop vs. Wall Street nature of Zeke’s two potential paths. That the two of them were the most important figures in Zeke’s life and were fighting over him gave that triangle an interesting aspect that could’ve been fleshed out more, but I liked what we got. I could easily buy that Mylene’s barb about Shaolin being romantically interested in Zeke was more than just an offhand insult. So many characters commented on his and Zeke’s friendship as something more than platonic, like everyone was seeing something he didn’t see (or didn’t want to admit) himself, that I think the writers were definitely hinting that he’s gay or bi. Even Fat Annie (Lillias White) gives a knowing smile when Shao says Zeke isn’t his boyfriend. Shao also immediately understood what was going on between Dizzee (Jaden Smith) and Thor (Noah Le Gros), even though when he “caught them” they weren’t doing anything remotely sexual, which to me implies he's been there, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. Though their friendship was real and he definitely depended on Zeke to provide lyrics to his music, so of course he wouldn’t want to see Zeke head off to Wall Street, I think Shao really might’ve loved him. Perhaps the superhero ninja persona he crafted wasn’t just to cover up the fact that he had no one, but to hide his true identity as well. After all, the only person he really lets his walls down for and tells his “secret identity” to is Zeke. Of course, you can share your deepest truths with your best friend just as easily as with the person you love without it meaning you love your best friend too, but in this era it seems telling that Shao’s ultra-masculine alter-ego only comes down for Zeke in a desperate effort to make him stay.

It’s sad that Shao didn’t ever seem to have had anyone and needed Zeke a whole lot more than Zeke needed him. That made their split all the more heartbreaking. The push and pull over who was actually leading the Get Down Brothers—Zeke or Shaolin—worked well to build their growing conflict to the breaking point. Once they were there, I thought it was a beautiful and heart-rending note to have Shao resort to a Fat Annie movie when Zeke tried to walk away from him. Speaking of Fat Annie, Shaolin falling into dealing angel dust was disappointing given how strongly he’d only cared about being a DJ in Part 1. It’s tragic that moving it for Cadillac was the only way to keep his music going, particularly as it directly led to the end of his DJ career. It’s even more tragic that Shao ended up staying with Annie to protect the rest of The Get Down Brothers after getting even Cadillac out of her grasp. As sad as that is (and Moore sold Shao’s defeat perfectly), it felt like an earned end for him and satisfyingly explained why Fat Annie would let Zeke and the others get away. I wish we were getting a Part 3 to show him escape her grasp.

Adding Dizzee as a secondary narrator was an interesting choice, but it would’ve worked better if the show had honestly and more deeply explored his secret life. That would’ve justified and smoothed over the feeling I got that he was so unconnected from the main plot this season. Aside from Dizzee getting yelled at by his parents (Karen Aldridge, Ron Cephas Jones) alongside his brothers, Get Down Brothers gigs, and accidentally taking the tainted angel dust, it felt like he was existing in a slightly different show that didn’t really reconnect with the rest of the plotlines. As I’ve seen pointed out elsewhere, Part 1 had him doing his own thing too, but still made his connection to the rest of the plot a lot cleaner and more important when he introduced “Set Me Free” to the real tastemakers of New York and made it a hit. Here, even when he collided with the subplots of other characters, like taking the supposedly very dangerous tainted angel dust, he just got a little sick for a minute (which was weird in and of itself) and then continued doing his own thing. That said, his narration and the cartoon segments played into not only the heightened reality of Part 1, but the comics and 70s cartoons the guys would’ve been into as well. I like the interpretation I’ve seen elsewhere that (most of) the cartoon sequences are idealized versions of what the characters were experiencing, like the animated scene that follows their victory at the unity concert where all their comic book alter egos are reveling in their success before the real world comes crashing down around them and their dreams. That was probably the most successful use of the cartoons. On the other hand, there were some animated sequences that were literally just a character arriving at/leaving a building, which felt awkward and pointless. There didn’t seem to be any thematic reasoning for those moments to be animated and the transitions between real and cartoon characters were awkward and disruptive when used that way.

The biggest disappointment about Dizzee’s arc this season was how shy the show was about his burgeoning sexuality. I expected much more to Dizzee coming to terms with being either bi or gay and they literally didn’t even dare speak that love’s name, which was a bizarre choice for a season that also featured Ruby Con and numerous drag queens. It was weird that Dizzee and Thor weren’t able to ever kiss, even when they were painting each other. Dizzee inferring that Boo-Boo wouldn’t ever understand what he was going through was perfectly tragic (and it was a very well-acted scene by both of them), but I wish we’d gotten to see him take a chance and tell his little brother the truth. It would’ve opened Dizzee’s arc to the rest of the characters and Boo-Boo (and the rest of them) trying to deal with it could’ve been a solid dramatic arc. At the very least, a scene with Shao giving Dizzee some comforting words (whether Shao is into guys too or not) would’ve been great. Since Dizzee didn’t tell anyone, feeling (and animating himself) as an alien made a lot of sense and worked, and Jaden Smith conveyed the pain of knowing he couldn’t share his secret very well. I thought for sure this Part would do an AIDS storyline given the time period and the impact it had on the gay community and that would’ve been a powerful, important story to tell. I’m not sure I could’ve handled that level of heartbreak given everything else that went down in the finale, but I did go into Part 2 expecting tragedy heading for Dizzee and Thor. However, what the show gave us instead felt pointless and needlessly mean. My impression was absolutely that Dizzee got hit by the train and that was not a satisfying conclusion to his story at all. Not only did they not let him kiss the guy he was in love with, but half the gay couple gets killed? Come on. The two of them never fit into flamboyant stereotypes about gay guys, but “bury your gays” is an even worse cliché. It felt like a cheap shock that didn’t need to happen. I don’t think the series would’ve had any less of an impact had they just been happy together and it didn’t gain anything by (maybe) killing Dizzee.

Comparatively, Boo-Boo and Ra-Ra (Skylan Brooks) didn’t get much to do this season, and that’s a shame. Boo-Boo’s stint in the drug trade was certainly unexpected and it was disappointing to watch him get wrapped up in that lifestyle, even if all three Kipling brothers’ reaction to their parents grounding them for the drugs they found was funny. Like Shao’s predicament, it was tragic that it was the only way he could see to raise his social status. Regardless, Brown, Jr. clearly had a blast as Boo-Boo briefly hit the high life with this dangerous gig. Boo-Boo’s ultimate arrest was sad and shocking; maybe I was “stuck on hope” or looking for a Hollywood ending, but I didn’t actually expect Boo-Boo to end up in prison. Along with Dizzee’s apparent death, that definitely brought the fantastical nature of the show back to the ground with a stark reminder of the realities of life. That could’ve easily upset the tone of the show, but I think it worked.

I liked Ra-Ra thinking about the future and dabbling in making what The Get Down Brothers do truly profitable and long-term. His sojourn into the Universal Zulu Nation territory was a cool introduction of that style and I liked that he wasn’t welcome because The Get Down Brothers had been marked as drug dealers. The positive culture there was a nice counterpoint to what we’d seen so far and I wish the show had time to explore it more via Ra-Ra’s perspective. I wish it weren’t so animated though; if the animated sections are to be considered the characters’ dream worlds, why is the real salvation from Fat Annie the gang finds in Ra-Ra’s trip animated as well? At first that felt incongruous, but perhaps it’s because the guys aren’t really saved from Fat Annie at all. They get out of her contract, but she still gets Boo-Boo arrested and they still break up. In any case, I wish we’d gotten more of Ra-Ra this season. Brooks brought a great, distinctive energy to Ra-Ra and I would’ve liked to see more of that. Trying to woo Tanya (Imani Lewis) on the phone was so funny and sweet, and this half of the show could’ve used a bit more of his innocence and optimism. I also would’ve liked to see where his forward-thinking got him in the future. He’s one of the main characters and deserved at least a hint at his destiny. 

Cadillac’s love for video games and disco made for a really fun and unique gangster, while his desire to go to space was a great, unexpected reveal! I’m sure Abdul-Mateen II had an absolute blast playing this character and he’ll definitely remain one of the most memorable parts of the show. It was awesome that even Cadillac felt like he got a complete ending to his arc in Part 2. I liked that the unity concert actually changed Cadillac’s mind and got him to successfully break free of Fat Annie. Agreeing to let the Get Down Brothers go after Shao acknowledged their common bonds of abuse by Fat Annie and their desires to be free was a great moment and I really liked both characters at that point. I loved that he’s going to use his freedom to work on his own music, even if his time as a music producer never felt fully fleshed-out in either Part of the series. However, that may have been the point. His revelation about not ever really focusing on his Super-High Voltage Records label all this time felt like a wake-up call to people with goals everywhere: he’s gotten nowhere on his dream at least partially because he never really buckled down and tried. For me, that was a surprising connection to a character who seemed like he’d be completely nefarious and unrelatable at first! I would’ve liked to see him struggle to make it as a producer as Disco died in a potential Part 3. That said, there were a few bumps in the road for Cadillac’s development. It seemed like there was a bit of disconnect between the end of Part 1 and the beginning of Part 2: I felt like he was far more prepared to get revenge on The Get Down Brothers at the end of Part 1 and thought he already knew where they’d gotten their sound system and records, but that reveal was saved for Part 2. It’s possible I misread his moment watching them perform at the end of Part 1, though. His continued obsessive “love” of Mylene was creepy and didn’t amount to anything, so I don’t know why it needed to persist beyond Part 1 (or even past the pilot). On the other hand, I’m so glad that neither that nor Mylene’s producer Shane’s (Jeremie Harris) somewhat teased interest in her ever became anything. I didn’t need to see her sexually used or abused by some skeevy adult in power.

Besides, Mylene’s father using her was enough. As blunt as a man of God trying to keep his daughter holy was, it was cleverly twisted by Ramon trying to exploit Mylene’s career to increase the standing—and the trappings—of his church. I liked that his ambitions became just as gaudy and “godless” as he feared Mylene’s career and soul would become, hurting himself and those around him in the process. His presence even actively drove her to the drugs he feared her fame would expose her to, like when she used cocaine to calm her nerves when he showed up at the Ruby Con. As strong an example of how much impact he had on her as that was, however, it was a somewhat bizarre one-off moment (perhaps in an expanded season, she’d have her own drug problem to parallel what Shao and Boo-Boo were doing). On the other hand, his controlling nature extending into beating his wife felt cliché and unnecessary. I hated him so much in the end that I didn’t care he died; in fact, I was happy to see him go. That said, I wish there’d been more fallout to his suicide than Mylene overcoming it as a survivor (though a strong Mylene is always a good thing). While Ramon probably became the villain of his own story without realizing it, Fat Annie reveled in her ill-gotten empire. She was a great villain and the implication that she’d been abusing both Shao and Cadillac made her feel evil in a far ickier way. I’ve seen people say killing the cat was too much, but I think they did it to prove she really would kill more kids. Perhaps the writing could’ve given her some more dimension and motivation, but she never felt like a one-note character to me (possibly because her performance was so entertaining). I liked that Francisco was finally revealed as Mylene’s actual father and the fact that he “slept alone” since 1960 was sweet. Though it was a little rushed and sidelined, his end felt earned. I feel like we should’ve gotten more of Lydia’s reactions to everything happening with the two men in her life, as well as her daughter’s career, in far more detail than we did. I also would’ve liked more from Jackie Moreno (Kevin Corrigan) than the couple of songs he wrote for Mylene and his support in the contract renegotiation scene. He seemed like such a presence in the first half the series that it was odd he was so sidelined here. It would’ve been nice if more had been done with the three kingdoms of Hip Hop pioneers—Kool Herc (Eric D. Hill, Jr.), Grandmaster Flash (Mamoudou Athie), and Afrika Bambaataa (Okieriete Onaodowan)—as well before they came together to save the kids from their contract with Fat Annie. If we’d known them better, seeing them unite for this moment would’ve felt like a bigger deal. 

I liked the way the teens’ success in Part 1 segued into the manipulation of that success by the people behind Zeke and Mylene in Part 2. That made for a surprising (if inevitable) bittersweetness to their wins at the end of the first Part while giving them new battles to fight that didn’t feel like retreads of the first half of the series, even if many of the same players were involved. For example, the dance/rap-off between the Get Down Brothers and Cadillac’s disco music at Les Inferno was really entertaining and a great restructuring of Zeke and Cadillac’s dance-off over Mylene in the pilot. Fat Annie’s record contract for the Get Down Brothers worked well as a plot for me and I liked that the final rap battle wasn’t just about freeing themselves from that contract, but about proving that using a band just isn’t the same. That said, I really liked the gut-punch reveal at the end that the first hip-hop record did use a band. That sort of historical irony played really well, and had the show continued it seems like that sort of thing might’ve been the battle of a potential Part 3: as I saw pointed out on IGN, it’s ironic that Mylene is such a disco revelation too late in the game for that genre, while The Get Down Brothers arrived on the hip-hop scene a bit too early. I would’ve liked to see the characters navigate the changing trends in music and it’s a shame we won’t get to see more of their stories. Having so many of the main characters meet bad ends was sad, but felt real (even if I’ll never buy that dark/depressing is inherently more “realistic”).

Although I liked a lot the new songs, none of them matched “Set Me Free” or The Get Down Brothers’ winning mix from the end of Part 1 except “See You on the Other Side.” That one had a lot of emotion packed into it and was perfectly used to wrap up the show. The remix of Gonna Fly Now (the Rocky Theme) was cool too; it’s also used directly after they win the Unity Concert and right before their dreams are crushed; like Rocky, they go the distance but don’t really get to win. I loved the heightened reality this show lived in, while the Soul Train-type show Platinum Boogie was a fun bit of 70s atmosphere and I loved how outlandish the Studio 54-esque Ruby Con nightclub was, both thematically and design-wise. The truly creepy and unnerving intro to Episode 4 was very effective and surreal; so effective that I’m not sure the rest of the club or the episode lived up to what the intro promised, even if it still mostly worked. The use of stock footage from the real-life 70s intercut with the glossier night clubs and modern film quality still plays very well too. This world was so unique and well-constructed that it feels like we lost something special with the show’s cancellation.

I’m going to miss The Get Down, these characters, and this world. The actors were excellent across the board and I can’t wait to see more of them in their future projects. Despite some missed opportunities for exploring the characters more (mostly caused by the truncated season), this was a great, satisfying conclusion to the show. In regard to actual events, these 11 episodes may be fictionalized and softened (from what I’ve gathered from other reviews), but they’re still an entertaining insight into an aspect of history I never knew about. If you never gave The Get Down a chance, it’s definitely worth checking out!

Check out more of my reviews, opinions, and original short stories here!

[montereybayaquarium]

Young Wavemakers: Youth Leadership in Ocean Conservation

Meadow Walker of the Paul Walker Foundation and Aquarium Executive Director Julie Packard with the foundation’s 2017 Ocean Leadership Youth Award recipients Ben Bence and Maria Perez.

Have you ever wondered how different the ocean would be if there were no waves, no ebb and flow of energy that sustains life on our blue planet?

Like waves, Ben Bence and Maria Perez, alums of our teen programs, are part of a driving force for ocean conservation—and they’re both only 18 years old.

The Aquarium and the Paul Walker Foundation recognized Ben and Maria earlier this year for their commitment to ocean advocacy and conservation. While their upbringings differ, it is the ocean that brings them together.

Ben Bence is a student at California State University, Monterey Bay.

Ben has never been one to shy away from getting others involved to care about the ocean as much as he does. He co-founded his high school’s environmental club, has served over 2,000 hours since joining the Aquarium as a Teen Conservation Leader and was the youngest adult mentor to middle school students in the Aquarium’s Student Oceanography Club during the 2016-2017 school year.

Eric Barajas, senior bilingual education specialist with Teen Conservation Leaders, says, “So strong is Ben's relationship to the ocean and the environment that he prioritized volunteering at the Aquarium over other extracurricular activities during his senior year. This may come as a surprise, but Ben was once a shy individual. During his years with the Teen Conservation Leaders, Ben found his voice. His enthusiasm for the ocean is infectious.”

Education Specialist Alyssa Huante adds, “Even the clothes he wears embody his love of the ocean. From his whale shirts down to his shoes made from ocean plastic pollution, he continues to inspire others to walk the talk. Ben proves every day that he is devoted to ocean conservation.”

As a full-time student at California State University, Monterey Bay, Ben’s got his sights on a career in environmental education where he hopes to “show the students I mentor that they can accomplish anything they put their minds to as long as they follow their spark and use their voice to change the world.”

We couldn’t wait for him to start that career, and have hired Ben as an education assistant instructor for the Student Oceanography Club.

Maria Perez is a student at the University of California, Berkeley.

Maria grew up in Guanajuato, Mexico before establishing roots 2,000 miles away in the lush agricultural town of Watsonville. While living in landlocked Guanajuato, Maria says she was “hardly in contact with the ocean besides what I saw on television and in movies.” As an alum of the Watsonville Area Teens Conserving Habitats program, Maria worked with students her age to better understand their role within the environment and develop their own environmental identity.

“I now understand the importance of watersheds and the land-to-sea connection,” she says. “I have learned that I am a person who cares for the environment and that I can create change around me.”

Currently attending the University of California, Berkeley, Maria reflected on the work she did as a youth educator in Watsonville. “While working in the wetlands that surround Watsonville, I taught younger students to appreciate nature and understand their role in the environment,” she says. “I believe that education is a crucial part in ensuring the protection of the ocean so that we may better understand the problems in these areas and work together toward finding solutions.”

Education staff use the words “impressive,” “inspiring” and “incredible” to describe Maria’s work to date. While she was educating other teens about conservation issues such as food waste reduction, avoiding single-use plastics and living a more sustainable lifestyle, she also earned international recognition as the second place winner of Project Green Challenge, which asks teens and college students to document their journey from conventional to conscious as they become informed, inspired, mobilized and empowered to change the world.

Bilingual Education Specialist Athena Barrios with Watsonville Area Teens Conserving Habitats says, “Maria’s commitment to conservation is one that I truly admire. I am in awe of the drive she has at such a young age. Teens like Maria make me hopeful for the future of our oceans.”

Young ocean activists like Ben and Maria truly make a difference in this world and remind us that ocean conservation can happen at any age, by anyone. Since opening its doors, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has been committed to connecting local youth with opportunities to take action on behalf of the ocean. 

Whether it’s by connecting teens with marine science, learning about conservation or exploring the Monterey Bay, we are committed to empowering youth to do incredible things on behalf of the ocean and be part of the next wave of ocean activists. Learn more about our Teen Programs and other teens in action.

~By Claudia P. Tibbs, Senior Education Specialist

[aion-rsa]

Star Wars The High Republic: Light of the Jedi Ending Explained

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This Star Wars: The High Republic article contains spoilers.

Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, the High Republic era was a time of relative peace for the galaxy. Wars weren’t being fought, and the Jedi weren’t limited by the Sith’s machinations. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some threats waiting out there in the far reaches of unexplored space.

By the end of Light of the Jedi, the flagship novel by Charles Soule that kicks off Lucasfilm’s new The High Republic series of books and comics, a new conflict is just beginning, as a mysterious band of pirates known as the Nihil reveals itself as a new threat for the Republic and hyperspace itself. But just where is this story headed after the last page of Light of the Jedi? Here’s what the ending of the first book tells us:

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Who will lead the Starlight Beacon?

The space station Starlight Beacon symbolizes everything both the Republic and the Jedi stand for, acting as a light in the dark of the Outer Rim’s unexplored spaces. During an era when not all of the galaxy falls under the jurisdiction of the Republic and many hyperspace lanes are yet to be properly mapped out, the station is pivotal for navigating the Outer Rim. It also holds research laboratories, hospitals, cultural events, a Jedi temple, and provides neutral ground for resolving conflicts. (It’s also a military station, in case that conflict can’t be prevented.)

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In Light of the Jedi, many characters were on their way to this space station’s opening ceremonies when the fight against the Nihil broke out, and return to the Beacon only at great cost. The Jedi Master meant to lead the station is dead, and no one has been named as a replacement. This means the dedication of the Starlight Beacon at the end of the book, though presided over by Republic Chancellor Lina Soh, doesn’t formally have a Jedi leader. The station is secure for now, but its opening is touched by tragedy.

Therefore, the dedication of the Starlight Beacon is told from an omniscient point of view. This serves its own purpose to go along with the general message of the book: the point is that the Republic and Jedi’s victory is a collective effort and a collective win. Jedi Master Avar Kriss is probably a likely candidate to become the leader of Starlight Beacon’s temple, but even she isn’t a lone hero solely responsible for the win. Honoring one person above any other would have defeated the purpose. Either way, Avar is likely to continue to have a major role in this story going forward.

What is Marchion Ro’s goal for the Nihil?

While the Jedi are rallying under the slogan of “We are all the Republic,” the villains are hyping themselves up for their own cause just as effectively. For Nihil leader Marchion Ro, that means a chance to solidify his own precarious power base. Previously more of a figurehead for the loosely allied group of pirates who shared spoils and numbered in the thousands, Marchion now aspires to make them an enormous army under his firm command.

By the end of the book we learn the Great Disaster that kicked off the whole story was in fact an intentional terrorist attack caused by Marchion’s unique hyperspace technology. From there, the Nihil and the Jedi move into open conflict. His final scene reveals he had a longer game, too. Now that he’s captured the Jedi Loden Greatstorm, he expects other Jedi to come, drawn by Loden’s suffering and that of Marchion’s other captives.

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And once they get there, they’ll find something new. Marchion has what sounds like a Sith object: a wand that so far has only glowed purple and given off bad vibes from its ominously carved surface. It’s unclear what exactly this thing is, especially because the scene isn’t from Loden’s perspective. We don’t know whether it has a particular sense in the Force.

We do know it’s part of Marchion’s plan to get revenge for something the Jedi once did to his ancestors. He wants to “accomplish what [his ancestors] could not”…and whatever that goal is, it involves both the Jedi and the Nihil.

What does the vision mean?

After the opening of the Starlight Beacon, the Jedi have some time to enjoy their victory. Meanwhile, Elzar Mann, Avar’s best friend and a newly minted Jedi Master, experiences a vision that leaves him on the floor. He sees “Jedi, many he knew, friends and colleagues, horribly mutilated, fighting battles they could not win against awful things that lived in the dark.” Jedi flee for their lives, and Elzar himself is left alive to watch it until he too is “unable to escape what was coming.”

From context clues alone (the “sickly purple light,” mostly) we can guess this is connected to the artifact Marchion Ro holds. We don’t know much more about it, but if it has something to do with the Sith, it could be an inherently violent and corrupting Force like other Sith artifacts seen in canon. Soule’s own Lando comic series featured a Sith helmet that could possess a person and drive them to violence.

This artifact could also be connected to the Drengir, The High Republic series’ other villainous faction. Introduced in the YA novel Into the Dark by Claudia Gray, the Drengir are plant-like aliens. The Jedi in that book released the Drengir, who had once been imprisoned on a space station by ancient Force-users. Marchion knows about the Drengir, too. This is wilder speculation, because there doesn’t seem to be any purple light around the Drengir, and they were imprisoned in a battle that didn’t have anything to do with Sith.

Whatever might be coming for the Jedi — whether it’s the Drengir, the Sith, or something else entirely — it sounds like it’ll effectively bring an end to the peace that the galaxy has so long enjoyed.

The High Republic story will continue in The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott, the next adult novel in the series, which is out on June 29. Check out our full reviews of the adult, young adult, and middle grade High Republic novels below!

The post Star Wars The High Republic: Light of the Jedi Ending Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[bforbookslut]

Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings’ Zenith Is a Space Adventure With a Familiar Story and Tropes

I have given Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings a ☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 1 of The Androma Saga series. It is Young Adult Science Fiction with some Space Opera and Romance. Harlequin Teen publishes it. It will be published January 16, 2018.

The synopsis reads:

Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her glass starship, Marauder, however, she's just Andi, their friend and fearless leader. But when a routine mission goes awry, the Marauder's all-girl crew is tested as they find themselves in a treacherous situation and at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter from Andi's past. Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two. Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their shipor just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only certainty is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.

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I haven’t been this early for a review in a really long time but I was super excited to read Zenith ever since I received it. I’ve always loved space stories because if I wasn’t a writer, I’d love to be an astronaut. Or marine biologist. Or historian. Maybe librarian. You get the gist, I love to be a lot of things.

But, you’re in for a wild ride with Zenith. You either love it or hate it.

I haven’t written a review this long in a while so bear with me.

As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.

Oh boy, is this a difficult one for me to review. My review process is this: I finish a book, I sit on it for a few days and then head over to Goodreads to get a refresher. Usually, it’s a good thing because it reminds me of things I want to mention but have forgotten. But with Zenith, it opened a massive can of worms I wish I had never seen.

Initially, Zenith was going to be one of my 4-star rating books. It turns out, I’m the perfect audience for it. I love damaged and fucked-up characters falling in love and I love all the drama. I went into Zenith expecting a soap opera/drama and I got it.

But after reading Goodreads and learning all I can about the background of this book, it’s dropped to a 3-stars. I don’t hate it. Zenith is not a bad book but it’s not good either. Did it blow me away? No. But, hell it was entertaining.

So, this review will be different than normal and split into 2 parts: first impressions and after goodreads.

F I R S T  I M P R E S S I O N S

I have never read a space opera before. I even had to Google what the genre is all about. And I loved what I found. As you probably know, I am a massive fan of Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray and until another mindblowing book comes along, that’s what I recommend whenever anyone asks me. And I expected Zenith to be something similar but more, for lack of a better term, extra.

And I loved it. I couldn’t put it down. It kept me up late at night and my eyes are probably rotten because I keep reading in the dark. I didn’t even realise it was 500 pages (cause my Kindle app doesn’t tell me so). It was dark and it was sensual, the writing clichés which some people might not like, were lyrical and poetic. The imagery spun was stunning.

Plot-wise, Zenith went in a multitude of directions. There’s the Androma, Dex and the Marauders plotline where the former two have to rescue the king’s prisoner son in the treacherous lands of Lord-I-can’t-remember (I’m not good with names here. I can’t even name you anything in Maas’s books because I never remember), but basically, they’re the bad guys. And then there’s the flashbacks (??!!) which are confusing but I just rolled with it. And then, there’s the evil queen of the bad lands who isn’t all that bad (or at least that’s what they want us to think) who wants revenge on the entire solar system for fucking up her kingdom and her parents’ lives and her life.

The Androma, Dex and Marauders line is resolved and then some. But the others just leave big question marks hanging in the air. But then again, Order of the Firsts, guys. It’s always like this because publishers want you coming back for more cause all they care about is the money.

Plus, they are all told in different POVs which can get confusing but it wasn’t a hard switch. It’s such a way of writing in YA that I’m used to it. I wish we could still get by on one voice only. I miss those damned days.

But to me, the characters make a story and I loved the Bloody Baroness. She’s dramatic and always very weepy and conflicted but oh, she’s so attracted to Dex. Let it just be clear that she’s very much like a copy of Celaena/Aelin but without the latter’s depth. She’s got death following her and her crew of pirates wherever they go and she’s torn up about it. Some people have an issue with the fact that she’s called something so vicious but is just a kicked puppy. But come on, this is a trope we’ve all seen before. Move along, shall we?

But, I did find it a little strange that although she hates killing, she kills everyone left, right and center in the name of protecting herself and her crew. Plus, she’s a fugitive.

Really weird and conflicting but at this point, I’m still rolling with it.

Dex is an arrogant prick. And while it’s my favourite trope when it comes to YA heroes, they usually come with some redeeming qualities. Dex has none. In fact, I’d say that I didn’t like Dex at all. He’s the perfect example of how not to write a YA hero.

And, the romance between Androma and Dex seemed incredibly forced. No chemistry. Just loads of trying-really-hard-to-create-UST.

The rest of the characters in Zenith sort of fade into the background. There are the Marauders which are very Six of Crows-esque, and the evil queen, Nor and there’s Valen, the prince they’re supposed to rescue. And a robot named Alfie that reminds me of Defy the Stars.

While Zenith attempts to fashion a unique space world, it feels too much like Guardians of the Galaxy and that bothered me about the worldbuilding. It didn’t feel utterly unique (unlike Defy the Stars. You can’t stop my love) and the entire time, all I could imagine was Peter Quill’s ship flying across the Guardians of the Galaxy space ala the movies. While there are references to unique “alien” features for example, in the pilot, Lira who has scaly skin that can heat until it burns her clothes off and it’s controlled by her emotions, nothing is taken a step further and explained.

And space opera and science-fiction are known for being detail-oriented.

But I still loved it. In all it’s campy, trying really hard glory. I thought it was a great first attempt and couldn’t wait for me.

A F T E R  G O O D R E A D S

And then, I looked at Goodreads.

I was confused by all the awful ratings. And it spiralled from there.

It turns out Sasha Alsberg is a notoriously famous booktuber (I wouldn’t know. I don’t booktube) and people are concerned that this book being published is because of her connections to the higher ups.

But more than that, the editor tied to Zenith is notorious for having published The Black Witch. Which is a plague on the YA community. I don’t understand how….how could anyone have let that racist crap slide.

And it was only after this that I realised what I had thought to be extra, dramatic and campy writing ala soap opera style was just bad writing. In fact, one reason why I loved the writing so much was because it’s the same time of exaggerated and flowery writing that fanfiction writers love (and readers like me eat it up).

Plus, it tried too hard to replicate the success of Throne of Glass and Six of Crows, perhaps in the hope of becoming the next big thing. It’s basically fanfiction set in space, guys. While I am the type of market this book is targeted towards, meaning that I love my tropes, it’s just laughable. There are tons of books out there like TOG and SOC but they’re all unique in their own way. I’ve even managed to reference Defy the Stars more than once!

Not to mention, Androma has red.hair. Who else has fiery red hair? You tell me. Hint, I’ve mentioned the name several times in this review. Not a fan of self-inserts.

Also, I am not a fan of celebrity books and have yet to purchase/read one. While other writers struggle and work their butts off to even get noticed, celebrities get special treatment because they already have a fan base in place.

While I am still looking forward to see where both authors are going to take Zenith, I wait with all these thoughts in my mind. In film classes, we are taught that the author is not separate from his work (and I did a lovely paper on Alfred Hitchcock which I loved) and it’s true in this case.

I’m afraid that Sasha’s reputation has coloured not just my opinion, but the opinion of many other readers out there.

While Zenith is not bad, it’s not great either. I can’t shout about it from the rooftops. For one, it reads too much like fanfiction (and we all know the kind of fanfiction turn book that has hit the market these days) and secondly, it needs a shitload more work before it’s public-worthy. Zenith has great potential. It just needs a lot more polishing, preferably throwing the entire draft away and writing it fresh. And perhaps, Sasha should consider a pen name.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.

[csrgood]

Since 2015, Wells Fargo Has Donated $100 Million to Nonprofits Serving People with Disabilities

In honor of the 29th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) announced the Wells Fargo Foundation has donated more than $100 million since 2015 to nonprofits that serve people with disabilities.

“The U.S. has made a lot of progress since the enactment of the ADA in 1990, but there still is a lot of work to do,” said Kathy Martinez, head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy at Wells Fargo. “The company is committed to serving and supporting customers and team members with disabilities through accessible properties and services, career opportunities and accommodations, and strategic nonprofit donations.”

Highlights of Wells Fargo’s efforts since 2015 include:

Nonprofits

Wells Fargo donated to more than 15,000 nonprofits that serve people with disabilities, ranging from organizations focusing on community development to those providing health and human services. The company’s national grants focus on financial education and employment for people with disabilities, including National Disability Institute, National Federation of the Blind’s BELL Academy, and Communications Services for the Deaf’s financial education in American Sign Language.

Careers

Beyond philanthropic support, Wells Fargo is committed to recruiting, retaining and advancing people with disabilities, and providing work accommodations when needed. To date, the company employs more than 8,000 team members who self-identify as having a disability. Wells Fargo raises awareness of the company’s recruitment, retention and advancement initiatives through impactful hiring events, the company’s People with Diverse Abilities Leaders Program, the No Barriers Summit sponsorship and internal and external storytelling.

Financial health

In the U.S., only 20.6% of people with disabilities are working, and many live on a limited budget. Through the Hands on Banking® program and alliances with nonprofits, Wells Fargo provides financial education to thousands of students and adults with disabilities. Available in both English and Spanish, the free Hands on Banking program teaches people in all stages of life about the basics of responsible money management, including how to create a budget, save and invest, borrow responsibly, buy a home and establish a small business.

To learn more about Wells Fargo’s commitment to people with disabilities, please visit www.wellsfargo.com/about/diversity/accessibility/.

About Wells Fargo  Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,700 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com). With approximately 262,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. With its corporate philanthropy, Wells Fargo aims to pave a path to stability and financial success for underserved communities by applying a problem-solving mindset to housing affordability, small business growth, and financial health, among other local community needs. In 2018, Wells Fargo donated $444 million to nearly 11,000 nonprofits. For 10 consecutive years, Wells Fargo has held the honor of No. 1 in workplace giving by United Way Worldwide. Wells Fargo team members also actively support communities by donating more than 2 million hours of volunteer time in the last year. News, insights and more information on the company’s overall corporate responsibility are available at Wells Fargo Stories and www.wellsfargo.com/impact.

Media

Lisa Westermann, 415-845-7759 Lisa.b.Westermann@wellsfargo.com @LWestermannWF

Claudia Huizar, 619-535-5346 Claudia.Huizar@wellsfargo.com @ClaudiaHuizarWF

source: https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/42219-Since-2015-Wells-Fargo-Has-Donated-100-Million-to-Nonprofits-Serving-People-with-Disabilities?tracking_source=rss

[itsalwayslydia]

The Morrígan

Okay, so I mentioned the Morrígan in my meta post here about the Wild Hunt. But, since Lydia decided to name drop that the Morrígan and the Wild Hunt are related, I decided to dive back into my research and bring you a post dedicated solely to the great phantom queen herself. For the sake of this meta (and as a prediction of how Teen Wolf will handle things) banshee and Morrígan are going to be considered to be more or less the same and the Morrígan being a banshee who is considered the protector of a location. 

Quick recap: the Morrígan represents the idea of fate in battle, similar to the Valkyries of Norse mythology. She may appear on the battlefield (perhaps in the image of a crow) to signify the death of a particularly important warrior, and this portending is how she’s related to banshee. But not only that, the Morrígan can influence the outcome of the war itself. Perhaps this is why the Wild Hunt fears and tries to placate powerful banshees: they have the power to stop them. The Wild Hunt traditionally has a leader, but we haven’t seen one yet appear in Beacon Hills. Maybe the Wild Hunt has gone rogue, and a banshee, a Morrígan, must step in to lead them? Another role of the Morrígan is that of the goddess of sovereignty and protecting the land and its people.

Something interesting to note: three is a big number in Teen Wolf mythology. “One’s an incident, two’s a coincidence, three’s a pattern.” Most recently, there were three Dread Doctors (Surgeon, Pathologist, Genetecist), and now we have three main Ghost Riders according to the credits for “Ghosted”. They are the Enforcer, the Outlaw, and the Ranger. 

And the Morrígan can be interpreted as a triple goddess, a trio of sisters. Although she can appear alone, her three separate names are Morrígan, Badb, and Macha (although there are several combinations of names used). On Teen Wolf, we have encountered three living banshees: Lydia Martin, Meredith Walker, and now Lenore. Like most triple-faceted goddesses, the Morrígan (sometimes pluralized as Morrígna) will appear as maiden, “mother” (adult) and crone. How convenient that our three banshees can approximately fit these archetypes, no? 

Ultimately, I agree with the theory that when the Wild Hunt hits a town where there is a banshee, they become trapped there because they are trespassers. As mentioned above, the Morrígan is associated with the protection of the land. If the banshee grants them passage, then they are able to move on. However, the Wild Hunt has grown, well, Wild. In order to pass on from towns with banshees in them, the Ghost Riders give them a reason to stay in the town and let them pass: the shade of someone they’ve lost, Caleb being returned to Lenore caused her to release whatever protection she held over the town. The Ghost Riders seem to have tried to prevent the pack from noticing Stiles’ absence by substituting in his dead mother, Claudia. She has worked as a subtle road block to the pack. I think most of the fandom agreed that, without Stiles, the Sheriff would’ve fallen apart and absolutely noticed the absence of his own son. 

But that still potentially leaves Lydia at the end of all this... alone in Beacon Hills.

I don't know if the Wild Hunt would necessarily offer Stiles to Lydia. He's someone they've taken, he's theirs. They're trying to make him become one of them.

What if instead, they bring Lydia into the white room in her mind (and that's why Lenore kept saying “it isn't real”, maybe they took her to that room in her head) and they'll bring forward options for her to choose from. Her grandmother. Aiden. Allison. (Lydia’s scream when she was fighitng Lenore was her death cry for Allison in Season 3b). 

And Lydia will look at all these people she’s lost and she will look back at the Ghost Riders and say “No". Lydia will break away from the Wild Hunt’s attempt to control and placate her, she will say she wants to choose Stiles, not any of the shades of her lost dead. 

And the Wild Hunt will refuse to give him up and then Lydia screams, ready to fight.