#clent is the guy

[0dontophobia]

Business associates !

[msunitedstatesjames]

Frances Hardinge is a criminally underrated author. If you've never heard of her, I'm not surprised. Even though I'm in several fantasy book groups on Facebook with thousands of members, I've only ever seen one or two other members post about her. And yet, since I first read one of her books in 2020, I've bought every book she's published and read most of them.

Frances Hardinge, for those who've missed out, writes fantasy young adult books. Her books are extremely well written, romance free, unfailingly unique, and somewhat dark, all of which are qualities I find to be more and more rare in today's YA fantasy market (not to hate on YA, I've read tons of it). If you need a comparison, I would say aspects of her books remind me of YA/middle grade books by T. Kingfisher.

If I haven't convinced you yet, here's a little preview of some of her books that I've read:

A Face Like Glass (my personal favorite): A girl named Neverfell lives in a world where people have to be taught how to show emotion in their facial expressions. She has to wear a mask at all times because, mysteriously, she naturally shows facial expressions and if people found out they would freak. If that's not unique enough, this society is underground and produces magical artisinal goods, such as cheeses, wines, and perfumes that can do some wild things. If that still hasn't convinced you, the book critiques the privelege of the wealthy, as in this world only the rich can afford to hire Facesmiths to teach them expression, while the poor languish along with one or two facial expressions for their entire lives.

Fly by Night and Fly Trap (these might have different titles depending on where you are in the world): In a world where reading is illegal and seen as revolutionary activity, Mosca Mye escapes her awful life with her aunt and uncle by forcing an infamous conman (Eponymous Clent, this world has cool naming conventions) to take her under his wing. Joining them is Mosca's only friend, Saracen, the murderous goose. Yeah, you read that right. Highlights of the series include a heartwarming found family tale, an accidental revolution, a city that literally changes its population, personality, and shape when day changes to night, and, of course, an extremely violent goose. I mean, if you've read Pratchett, Saracen the goose is basically the Luggage. There's more than one scene in these books where all hope seems lost, and Mosca is like, "I guess it's up to you now Saracen," and she just straight up lobs her goose at the enemy and he utterly wrecks their shit. If I recall correctly, this happens once during a pitched river boat battle over an illegal printing press.

The Lie Tree: Faith's father, who refused to recognize her potential as a scientist, mysteriously dies. Faith discovers a tree he kept hidden that grows when you tell lies and reveals secrets in its fruit. The bigger the lie you tell the world, the bigger the secret that will be revealed. You can imagine the chaos that eventually ensues. This book critiques gender roles and discrimination, and tackles both the dangers and the necessity of telling lies.

Cuckoo Song: When Triss wakes up after apparently falling in a lake, everything seems wrong. She's missing memories, she has an insatiable hunger, dead leaves are mysteriously appearing in her room, and her sister claims she's a monster. Triss must piece together what's happening to her before it's too late. This book deals with the complexities of life with overbearing parents, siblings who've been pitted against one another, and families that have been torn apart by tragedy.

Verdigris Deep (another one that goes by different titles): A group of friends are cursed by a well witch after they take some coins from her well. She forces them to work for her by granting her wishes. Working with the witch gives them powers, but the wishes are getting increasingly complex. Does that guy really want a motorcycle or does he want to be someone else? And if he wants to be someone else, does that mean what he really wants is not to exist at all? This book deals with issues of self worth, power and control, and toxic friendships.

She has a bunch of other great books as well. So if you're looking for a unique fantasy story with adventure and no romance, definitely check some of Frances Hardinge's books out!

[papamado]

YIPPIEEEE ANOTHER ANALASYS FROM YOUUU :DDD man those are a joy to read

and as a fellow sampo yapper, duty calls, I must throw in a little somethin'

"Ricochet Love" always stood out to me the most, because of the possible implications?

Ricochet - to bounce off, to get hurt by something in the process of trying to attack, like shooting a bullet but the bullet ending up bouncing off some surface and shooting the shooter instead

like, okay, it might just allure to how how the blades go back tohim after he throws them

but what the hell does Love have to do with it?

recieveing love in return but in a weird way? that ends up hurting? or just simply being hurt because of giving love in general???

His love motifs in general are something very peculiar, because it's very not masked fool - like

The Fools don't "love", they laugh at lovers for their infatuation, because love can make you miserable, can make you act irrationally, even if it's fun for a while.

Yet here he is, having "love" written all over him both literally and symbolically

I feel like The Fools approach to love applies to all kinds of love, not just romantic one. As long as you are devoted to something that might leave you miserable in the end - they will make fun of it

And that brings me to the point how in some aspects Sampo's "love" motif might not necessary be JUST that of a "romantic" kind (although I think the idea of romantic love when it comes to him is pretty obvious, so i'm like 90% sure it's importatnt, too, but yeah, non-romantic love is also something i think is worth looking at alongside it).

So what example of non-romantic love can we point out when it comes to him?

There's one thing we know that we can say Sampo loves, and that is Belobog - the city and it's people

His character is strongly tied to Belobog in general

He's willing to save it despite it meaning he might have to do thing he does not want to (getting his mask back, taking the centre stage)

And yet, 'The Deeper the Love, the Stronger the Hate" (a line that can be applied to bot romantic as well as non-romantic love)

his love and devotion for Belobog won't be reciprocated, he will always be a criminal in the eyes of the public, seen as not much more than just some weird guy doing some shady business, even tho he already did play a crucial role with saving it once

-

When it comes to his ultimate (and his kit in general), It's clear to see that the love motif is combined directly with him just. throwing bombs. exploding stuff. yeah

And my first thought regarding that was "love bombing", a type of emotinal manipulation where Person A showers Person B with love and affection, to make them dependant and trusting, to later take advantage of that

For me it doesn't really sound like something sampo would do necessary? But the combination is still interesting and how it might apply to his character in some other way we have yet to see. He does give a lot of complments to his clents (us included) so I guess there's that.

-

His way of moving feels very... light. An oomfie of mine compared it to dancing. Sampo moves in a way that makes you feel as if he's been doing it for ages and he's just very very veeery used to every little movement he makes

-

When using his Basic Attack in the overworld (as in, outside of battle), whenever it hits the ground you can see it making an opening in the surface, that quickly heals itself, does it mena anything? no clue, but it's a cool detail!

Another cool detail? Him winking during the same attack. Feels like another subtle instance of him breaking the 4th wall imo

No footprints / water splashes when walking are obvious but yeah

okay that's it for now I think, once again TY for writing your analasis!!! Can't wait to see more:))

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ KIT & ABILITIES ⌝

sampo analysis m.list

— what the stars reveal: analysis, elation!sampo

— word count: 2.5k

— overview: (as of 2.2) a thorough look at sampo’s kit and gameplay, assessing for potential links to aha the elation.

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

Let’s start with the basics: his Path and element.

Nihility: The Path of the Aeon IX. Its symbol is reminiscent of both a sharp-edged eye and a black hole, which matches with the idea of “Nihility” seeing the universe as ultimately pointless and meaningless. Playstyle-wise, Nihility relies on debuffs. 

For Sampo, I find the “Nihility” Path interesting, mostly because it implies a lack of something. A stripping down, a falling away. Hiding, shadows, disappearance — these are all concepts evoked by the “black hole” of IX. While I don’t believe Nihility to be the beginning of Sampo’s existence, it is important to note that this “lessening,” this “disillusionment,” seems to be enough of a part of him to warrant walking on the Path. (My personal theory is that the Nihility is directly related to Sampo’s position as Aha or an Emanator of Elation, and his walking on the Path is either due to a genuine “disillusionment” with his existence or a deliberate hiding of his true feelings — essentially using the Nihility as a cloak to obscure himself from prying eyes. Or both.)

Debuffs are also important, as it shows Sampo’s nature of avoiding direct confrontation. He isn’t a tank, or a healer, or a main DPS — he’s a DOT dealer. Damage over time. He waits for the seeds he planted to sprout and take down his enemies for him. This is reminiscent of the silhouette in Aha’s splash art to me, as both carry similar themes of shadows and operating from the background. (It also reminds me of the time Aha infiltrated the Express Crew and spent who-knows-how-long subtly stealing Pom-Pom’s leftovers — among other things — before finally being caught. Aha seems to have a preference for operating in chaotic yet patient, debuff-type ways.)

These general concepts can also apply to his Element — wind. Wind shear is a strong DOT effect, so my conclusions about debuffing and DOTs can carry over. However, wind is additionally interesting as its base element. I find it interesting that Sampo deals Wind damage rather than Ice or Lightning since his surname (Koski) translates to “water rapids” in Finnish. At the very least, Ice is a different state of water and Lightning is often associated with storms, but no — his element is Wind. 

My main theory is that perhaps this symbolizes his ever-changing persona; like the wind, he flits from place to place, letting the currents of air take him wherever there is new Elation to experience, new money to be scored. It might also symbolize a want to be free. A want, like the wind, to drift away from land and soar in the sky. Wind is, after all, an extremely flexible element. 

(A quick Google search has also revealed the element of wind to widely symbolize fleeting, transient, and elusive natures of being, as well as change, uncertainty, and the intangible. These are aspects I find relevant to Aha, as Aeonic consciousness is most likely all of these things — difficult to grasp, difficult to understand, a constant intangible state far above mortals. Wind also symbolizes freedom, which depending on what theory you go by, may be something Sampo is trying to obtain as well.)

Now let’s get into the real focus of this analysis: Sampo’s abilities. Let’s start with his Basic ATK, then work our way up.

So: Dazzling Blades. I feel like I should address the elephant in the room — Sampo wields dual blades. 

We can see this clearly in his idle stance before his Basic, as he has them separated by hand (unlike how they seem to be combined in his splash art). I’ll leave my red string board connections between dual blades and dual consciousness, as well as the blades looking like snake fangs, for my outfit analysis. For now, let’s just focus on the ability itself. The dual blades Sampo wields allow him to be dexterous in his fighting style, constantly combining and breaking the two apart (trust me I am trying so hard to hold off on “the combining and splitting of dual blades potentially links to the combining and splitting of Aeonic consciousness” for my outfit analysis, ooh I am trying so hard).

For the Basic ATK, he uses both split-apart blades to deal damage. The icon art for this shows the weapon as a whole, and doesn’t seem to stick out much in my opinion. It’s a simple attack, steady, durable, and it plays on Sampo’s strengths and dual-sided nature.

(Note his confidence in this pose. No longer is the “separation” causing him to be more on guard — he seems more relaxed here, confident in his power. Hips thrust out to the world, fully open, no shame in sight. He is whole, now, and he is powerful. Yet, this delusional, dare I say Elated, confidence seems to go a bit too far to be safe or sane. Look at that head tilt. Man is drunk on power.)

Next is his Skill, Ricochet Love, which combines the blades together as Sampo tosses them between enemies. This higher level of power from Basic ATK to Skill includes combining both blades (both dual “sides”) to achieve a greater amount of damage. This does not have to be purely read as Aha!Sampo, and could also be seen as him combining both the “Fool” in him with his persona as Sampo Koski. Either way, reconciling these two parts of himself — these two “blades” — leads to more effective output. (Even the icon art shows this, with two circles appearing to be in motion.)

(Side Note: The combined blades seem to be inverted — if you’ve read my Aha splash art analysis, this may also tie into the seeming “inversion” of Sampo’s E6 and Aha’s silhouette. This could count towards the idea of “two halves of one whole,” or dual consciousness. Or it’s just a cool snake motif so his hand doesn’t get scratched when he throws. Who knows 🤷.)

The name “Ricochet Love” is also notable to me because it shares a similarity to the name of Sampo’s E1 “Rising Love.” We are once again getting heavy indications of “love” as a main function of his kit, and by extension his personality. “Dispersing love” (which can potentially be seen as “dispersing Elation” depending on how you look at it) seems to be a central theme for his character.

Which segways fairly nicely into his burst, Surprise Present.

Oh Lord, do I have so much to say about his burst. Saving the best for last, let’s start with the smaller details: “love” and deception. As we can see, the icon art (and direct usage of his burst) has hearts within hearts, even hearts seeming to function as eyes. That combined with the hiding of his upper face during his burst hints at a hiding of one’s identity as well as themes of “love” and dispersing it. In fact, it may imply that Sampo sees this damage — these DOTs, these debuffs — as a form of love themselves. 

Okay, I can’t hold back anymore, I have to get it out:

(Caps Warning)

HIS BURST IS A BOMB I REPEAT: HIS BURST IS A BOMB. HIS BURST IS A HIDDEN BOMB THAT HE HIDES BEHIND HIS BACK BEFORE DETONATING. YOU KNOW WHO ELSE HID A BOMB. YOU KNOW WHO ELSE IS KNOWN FOR A BIG BOMB-RELATED SCANDAL? THAT’S RIGHT BABY AHA THE ELATION AHA THE ELATION BLEW UP THE ASTRAL EXPRESS! WITH A BOMB!!!

Sorry. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s see if I can collect my thoughts more coherently.

I would say Sampo’s burst is one of the most solid pieces of evidence towards an identity as Aha the Elation (right up there with the third person references and lack of boarding the Astral Express). 

(Note: the only time he actively looks up is with the bomb, all other times are across or down. This subversion of expectation, of only putting oneself in a position of looking up if it’s to harm others to accomplish a goal — may further hint to “hidden” identity, as well as an Emanator potentially going against their Aeon (someone “above” them).)

As we can see in these screenshots, there is a clear deception to the entire thing, starting with the “just one moment” gesture and the closed case behind his back, following through the the sliding forward on his knees like he’s proposing, to eventually culminating in the opening of the case with roses and the “love” bomb. Beyond tying in to Aha’s modus operandi on the Express (gaining their trust, waiting for the right moment, then revealing the deception), it is also notable how the case obscures the upper part of his face. Aha’s splash art has an obscured upper face as well, and the opening of the case over his face is drawing our attention to the bomb — the gaud and the glamor of the masks — while his own, shadowed smile — the silhouette — operates in the background.

Beyond Aha, this obscuring of the face could also speak to a more general obfuscation of his identity within the Masked Fools, as well as the unpredictable “surprise” of Fools revealing themselves, but where’s the fun in that? I personally like to think the “love bomb” relates to Aha’s blowing up of the Express as some twisted form of “love” — that Aha perhaps sees “Elation” and “love” as overlapping concepts, which They then take upon Themselves to spread across the universe. Laughter, happiness, and Elation, after all, are all things that can result from love. (It is important to note that Aha in Aeonic form is most likely not limited to just “Elation as love,” but most likely encompasses a broader range of feelings and emotions about it — however, Sampo in human form may take on more of this idea as a result of being more “mortal-minded” in the moment. Or, an Emanator! or Doll!Sampo may absorb some of Aha’s views by osmosis, while still forming their own conclusions as separate entities.)

(Also! The name “Surprise Present” feels similar to giving a “gift,” once again implying that Sampo may view dispersing Elation as a form of “gift-giving.” It’s not a bomb, Pom-Pom, it’s a loving, handmade present!)

Before I close out, I want to look at his other talents real quick. 

“Windtorn Dagger” is fairly straightforward, upping his chance to inflict DOT and giving it some scaled buffs. The icon itself seems to be reminiscent of a shield or perhaps the shoulder guard he wears. “Windtorn” also implies a wearing away, a potential erosion of a past self — whether that be Aha or Emanator status.

“Spice Up” sticks out mainly in name, tying back into concepts of Elation as interest, entertainment, and fun. It’s the almost compulsory need to make everyone more interesting, more Elated, or else it’s just not good enough. A boring situation needs to be changed, not abandoned.

“Trap,” of course, leads me right back to deception. Aha’s mortal form on the Astral Express was a trap. Aha seems to be good at getting ahead of the curve and setting traps. This implies that Sampo is more than he seems, and that whatever is lurking within his mind may spring out at a moment’s notice.

“Defensive Position” is a natural urge to defend oneself, to protect the more vulnerable parts of one’s being from harm. Not much to say here, only that the “defense” is not a shield or heal, but the regaining of energy (power) faster. This may allude to stretches of time where Sampo cannot use his full power, and must wait and hope for the right time to come around, or for him to properly “charge.” Or, of course, I’m reading way too much into things and it’s just a needed buff for his kit. But I’m not here to digress, I’m here to be delusional. 

So, onward to his technique!

Most of what I would discuss here has already been discussed with his burst — this is yet another instance of him using a bomb to disorient and confuse, heavily tying in to Aha’s bombing of the Astral Express. A notable aspect, however, is the Blind effect. Sampo’s technique does not stun, or freeze, or confuse — it blinds. It allows the team to go undetected, undercover. The enemies literally cannot see the people that are right in front of them, and because of that their actions are delayed when entering combat. 

While this could apply to a general Masked Fool status, again, I’m here to be fun and whimsical and silly! So, I believe this may allude to Aha being “right under our noses.” Just like his technique, Sampo may be obfuscating his own Aeonic (or perhaps even Emanator) status by whatever form he has taken, passing us by and interacting with us while we are none the wiser. The goal of this may be to catch us off guard later, delaying our action just enough so that Sampo can come out on top.

“Shining Bright” also ties to Aha’s splash art — the idea of blinding and misdirecting the viewer with the gaud and glamour of masks while the shadowed silhouette carries out its mission in the background. Basically: Boom! Flashbang!

I also wanted to note how when Sampo slashes destructible objects, they don’t shatter like with other characters, but rather cleanly, silently, slice in half. To me, this further emphasizes the “shadows in the background” nature of Sampo’s character, the idea of operating under the radar so silently even objects bend to his will. It may also speak to split consciousness, as nothing ever shatters into pieces, only breaks into clean, segmented slices.

Honorable mentions include: Sampo’s crowd controlled state and downed poses.

(Cutie pie, holding the blades close to his chest like a snake about to strike. Hip window on full display. Mr. Sampo Koski I’m love you.)

(Gremlin status, looking like a puppet cut from its strings. Hiding his face with his hair as much as possible. Oh, he is not having a very good time.)

(Pure creature mode. Fully hiding face. Interesting to note how he has a fixation on his face — “Hey, watch the face!” comes to mind — and hiding it. May be a Masked Fools thing, but I like to think it’s because either A. There’s some hidden power he doesn’t want us to see or B. Doll!Sampo is worried about “breaking.” He’s not like the other characters here, somewhat hiding their faces just because they’re bent over. No, he’s almost pushing his face between his knees, using them to bracket any view someone might get. Perhaps he’s trying to keep something in. Or maybe he’s just a puppet going offline.)

Some other downed poses for reference:

Overall, I think Sampo’s kit and abilities carry a lot of clues for Elation!Sampo theories. While most of this is pure interpretation, I feel like the bomb burst is a pretty strong connection, as well as the “Shining Bright” technique. There’s also definitely something going on with his downed pose — whether he’s just a dramatic person or it has bigger implications is up to the player. Even in a vacuum, I really love his expressive body language! (But also he definitely has the kind of delusional self-confidence I’d assume a higher Path being to have.)

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ જ⁀➴ thanks for reading to the end!

(template 1 from @/Mhuyo on twt, template 2 from @/dohwoodz on twt)

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

© analysis by sunderingstars. do not copy, repost, translate, modify, or claim my work as your own.

[galacticlamps]

Jamie, pleading with Leader Clent after Penley drags him back to the base for medical assistance: Look, you've got to help!

Clent, checking himself bc he’s been arguing w/ Penley but is now talking to a guy who's still very much paralyzed: Yes, yes of course, boy. Um, Walters will take you to the medi-control center.

Jamie, struggling between clinging to a computer bank to keep himself upright and waving off Walters: No, I didn't mean me, I meant Victoria and the Doctor. Look, they're inside the alien spaceship, you've got to help them!

[xayneimagines]

Part Time Immortality (pt 1?)

Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Pairing: Spike x Reader

Warnings: Cussing?

Genre: I think it’s cute and funny.

Summary: Y/n is a vampire with a soul who works a normal human job and does a lot of normal human things. Spike doesn’t get it. Featuring, Spike pinning and Y/N being a little hard to get? (This isn’t a request. I just started a new job and my body is hella mad at me for it).

  “I don’t get it, pet.”

  “And I don’t get why you’re even here. Now both of us are confused.” The kitchen was mostly loud and crowded, but luckily the spot of the dishwasher had some space away from the racket. For a while, Y/N enjoyed the extra space and the separation from others, though recently that space has been filled by a vampire who, for some reason, has been allowed to enter the establishment with little to no questions?

  “It just makes no sense. You do realize you’re an immortal being, right? All-powerful, grr, and what have you.” As Spike spoke he fished a cigarette out of his jacket, placing it lightly between his lips before lighting it. Spike had been at this same tangent for what seemed to be days. It wasn’t until today that he actually followed Y/N into the establishment, complaining about their odd choice in income. Really, he just couldn’t stand the idea of the somewhat object of his affection slaving away at some shit show that only gave them minimum wage. 

  Y/N let out a sigh at the sound of the lighter, not fully turning towards the vampire to address his oddly mortal addiction. 

  “Do you have to do that in here?” They didn’t hate smoking generally, but in a small place that was already humid and stuffy, it threatened to make them just a little more uncomfortable and that extra discomfort could cause them to snap.

  “What, is it illegal?” His face tightened, not liking being told what to do. Granted, he’d make a lot of exceptions for Y/N, but he couldn’t just roll over and be lovey-dovey when the bloody person wasn’t even with him. 

  “Uh, yeah. Passed 1995 in California...not that it hasn’t just been ignored for the most part...” Pulling the rack out from the dishwasher had hot steam blowing up into their face, irritating them further. 

  “Ugh, still so annoying.” They quickly wiped their wet hands on the apron before moving onto the next batch of dirty dishes, rinsing off the ones that wouldn’t just get washed in the dishwasher.

  “Yes, well, immortality doesn’t make you immune to getting annoyed...in fact, it tends to make it worse.” He took another long drag of his cigarette as he watched them move around the line. It was odd how they could make the most lackluster movements entrancing to him. They didn’t add anything special to their movements, but he could write a poem of how he felt it was a show nonetheless. 

  As they loaded in the next part of the dishes, y/n turned around with another heavy sigh and stared at Spike. They leaned against the counter behind them and crossed their arms, a pout setting in on their face. 

  “Okay, what is it? Why are you here? Actually, why did they even let you in?”

  “Well, for the last question, most of your coworkers including your boss is at least buzzed if not drunk. Something about kitchen service brings out the worse in any creature. Secondly, I’m just trying to figure out why you’ve subscribed to this bullshit? Aren’t you a bit young to have a soul? You should be out killing and stealing. Unliving up the good life.” His tone carried his disbelief and his arm gestures added that flare to sell home the point.

  “Well, the whole soul bit was a choice and I’m working so that I can get money so that I can pay bills and blah blah blah. I don’t do the dine and dash thing.” This wasn’t the first time Spike shared his disbelief over their choices. Heck, he wasn’t even the only vampire that used their choices as some quip against them.

  “Fine, you don’t have to. I’ll provide the all you can eat buffet.” The way he spoke was nonchalant and confident. 

  “Oh yeah? And what’s the price for that?” They couldn’t help the huff of laughter that escaped them. It was odd to be at the end of his praises, especially considering their past was filled with literally trying to kill each other. 

  “Just for you to be on my side. I think I’m being very generous.” He locked his eyes onto Y/N to gauge their response. It wasn’t as though he was simply testing the waters by this point, he all but declared the word ‘love’ since he had come to terms with his feelings. Looking at their response was more of a service to see if they were at least opening up to the idea. 

  “No, you’re being very demanding and persistent. I’m friends with the scoobies and an enemy to the big baddies, which includes you by the way! In case you forgot!” Their arms had dropped and they looked at him with such an expression of disbelief that it could almost hurt his feeling. It probably would have added to the sting of rejection if he didn’t have a good bet on them feeling the same.

  “...You think I’m a big baddie?” A mischievous smile spread across Spike’s face at the perceived compliment. 

  “Oh my god, Spike. What has gotten into you? You literally tried to dust me a few mo-”

  “BACK TO WORK Y/N! SAVE YOUR LARP TALK FOR OFF THE CLOCK. YOU TOO….BLONDEIE...” The boss had rounded the corner and had apparently decided to get strict on the amount of work being done. Y/N rolled their eyes before turning back to the dishes, shaking their head as they tried to brush off the shout.

  “...Honestly, it is amazing the human race has lasted this long.” They couldn’t help the exclamation, frustration building up with every moment spent inside of the kitchen.

  “See! You’re too good for them. You should be with your own kind-” Spike quickly went for it, figuring now was as good of a time as any to accurately show what he was meaning. 

  “You mean you.” Y/N interrupted with some annoyance written on their face but not nearly as much as earlier when the boss had spoke up. They had turned back to the vampire, already losing their motivation to continue the job at hand.

  “Yes, you should be with me. Glad we agreed to this!”

  “Spike!”

  “Y/N!”

  Y/N groaned and turned away from the vampire once again, annoyance causing their body to feel as though it was heating up despite knowing that wasn’t likely. While they were trying to will themselves to put forth the effort into their job, they simply just stared at the dishes. They stayed quiet for a moment, their thoughts racing with the conversation they were having. 

  “Spike, even if I said yes, you have that chip. You couldn’t provide if I wanted you to.”

  “Oh sure, rub it in love.” 

  “I’m not mocking you, Spike. At least not right now.” Their voice had gone somewhat quiet by the end of their sentence before they looked back to Spike, confusion, and a sort of vulnerability showing in their eyes. The look risked causing Spike’s heart to start beating.  

  “So, why are you being like this exactly? Last time I checked you hated me about as much as you hate Buffy. Something about me being a no-good vampire like your old friend Angel?” 

  “Well, you are an awful vampire. I’m not going back on that.” He snorted, eyes glancing to his hands as he fidgeted ever so slightly.

  “So then whats going on? Are you okay?”

  He hesitated at the question, always caught off guard when they expressed any concern for him. Of course, they would ask questions like that and then wonder why he was so intent on providing literally anything for them.

  “Why do you care if I’m okay?” He tried to egg them on, wanting to get them to confirm something he already knew. The question obviously backfired as their face went back to a look of exasperation.

  “Okay, if you’re just going to act like this the-” They were interrupted by Spike holding his hands up, trying to show he was backing off with his motions. 

  “You’re right, you’re right. Look, I-”

  “I TOLD YOU TWO-”

  “OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP CLENT! Jesus Christ, I swear, everyone else here can dick around, however, and whenever, but the moment I just breathe he fucking bites my head off.” They hadn’t realized how hard they had been gripping the lip of the sink behind them until a noise of metal crushing got their attention. They looked towards the now bent sink before looking back to Spike, already wanting the night to be over with. 

  “Listen, I get you want to do the whole human thing, but at least go after a different job. You’re fucking miserable, and coming from me that’s saying something. All these centuries I’ve tortured people and not once was I evil enough to put them into food service.” Spike shook his head as he watched Clent leave the area, his attention only being drawn from him when he heard Y/N bark out a laugh. A smile spread across his face at the pleasant sound that accompanied their smile. God, he’d kill to be able to hear that for the rest of his undead life.

  They stayed quiet for a moment before they shrugged. 

  “Fine. I’ll at least quit this shit job. But I’m still not being a bad guy with you and I’m getting another job when I can.” Y/N couldn’t keep their smile down, small chuckles continuing to escape them as they untied their apron. Spike clapped his hands together, standing up straighter. 

  “Good to hear. Now let’s get the hell out of here!” 

[malicerewatchesdoctorwho]

The Ice Warriors - Episode One

Written by - Brian Hayles Director - Derek Martinus Producer - Innes Lloyd

Episode One

("The helmet is wrong.  When this man was frozen to death, only primitive cavemen existed." - The Doctor to Clent, Jamie and the excavator team.)

Likes

- Women in powerful positions is always a nice thing to see.  Miss Garrett's got ambition.

- The guys at the excavation of the Ice Warrior.  None of them care what big bad boss man says, they're there to work and they will work. They want to excavate, they will excavate.  I like how playful and joking they all are with each other.  They could die, they know it, so they have fun while they can.

- Haha, I love how utterly amazed both Jamie and Victoria are of a building made entirely of hard plastic is.  Since none of them have seen such a thing before.  Not looking anything like that at any rate.

- The Doctor is sciencing it up in this episode. 

- The Doctor telling his companions to wait there and not touch anything, while touching controls while on his way out XD  

Dislikes

- No bad computer voice. I can barely understand all its saying...

- Guy with the broken arm...being helped back on his feet by...another man grabbing at his broken arm (and back support)  I'm sure that'll help with the pain and the break.

- Wouldn't the lack of oxygen also be a problem with less and less plants?  And there would be more carbon dioxide?  I am confused by the science in this episode. 

- Victoria's "Oh no, not Africa." line. Did something happen to her family there (did her mother die of disease picked up there or something)  or does she just not like Africa?  

Awesome

- First thing that sounds right after the title sequence.  The music.  No, really. All I could think of was did these people visit the Oodsphere, because this sounds like the Ood from Modern Who mixed with Star Trek and I love it dearly.

- I like how the room that we are introduced to first is like a TARDIS in its layout but so different. Nice set.

- I really like the round doors and how they open and close on the dome in this place.  Nice little bit of design there.

Shitty

- Yeah, as said above, the voice of the computer is too electronic for me to catch everything it says.

- How come the women who are working the computer banks are all wearing different types of eye wear? I get if it was all goggles, or all visors, but why all over the place?  Is it personal preference at work?

- Sometimes the sound effects don’t seem to match what is going on.

In Conclusion

Not much was written, mainly because I am just enjoying having an episode that is not missing to take much notes this time around XD

I enjoyed this.  It wasn't anything amazing, but it was alright as a starter episode.  We have the Ice Warrior waking up right at the end for a nice cliff hanger.  We have issues of global problems in which the humans are trying to stop another ice age.

Basically, this set out the problems to come.  And the problems are bound to both be big ones.

I look forward to seeing what the animation on this serial looks like next episode.

Body count - 1. Davis.  He died in an avalanche.

[speckofglitter]

get it together - kny

→ word count ; 1.3k

→ genre ; fluff | angst if you squint ??

→ pairings ; artistl!yoshinori x artistl!y/n

everything is an art form. yet you always seemed to have the wrong paintbrushes or a shaky hand.

yoshinori is lying on his bed, watching you paint. he's admiring you, eyebrows furrowed and tongue poking out as you try to mix the right shades together. you've been working on this painting for the past 3 hours and it still doesn't look quite right. you step away from your canvas, observing it at a different angle before giving up.

you sigh, settling down onto the bed next to yoshinori as he gives you an encouraging smile.

'i'm tired.' you sigh out.

'then let's sleep.'

'yoshi?' you mutter.

'hmm?' he responds.

'can you give me a goodnight kiss?' you plead. he widens his eyes in disbelief, making you laugh out loud.

'fine.' he moves closer, placing a quick kiss on your cheek before licking your cheek and running away.

'argh yoshi that's disgusting!' you yell out, running after him.

yoshinori is your best friend and lifeline. he's the only one keeping you sane. you rant to him about your struggles as an art student, the exorbitant prices of art supplies and about how much your art teacher absolutely hates your guts. you sleep over at his apartment anytime you have a big assignment due. he keeps you calm. you still remember the day you met him. you were in the campus art studio, having a panic attack. you looked like a shell of a human being, shoulders hunched over as you cried over your sketchbook. yoshinori had walked in, choosing to sit beside you, softly stroking your hair as you cried and explained your frustrations. if he hadn't been there you probably would have ended up breaking your expensive crayons and brushes in half. he was so approachable and warm. you supposed there were no strangers in yoshinori's world, only new friends. you two quickly became inseparable after that day.

-

you wake up to an amazing smell. yoshinori's side of the bed is empty so you look around, trying to find him. he always makes your favorite nutella pancakes when you sleep over. it's become a tradition.

'come in.' he says, turning around to find you peeking from behind the kitchen door.

'good morning, thanks for the breakfast.' you smile, giving him a quick hug as he flips another pancake. his hair is still slightly damp from his shower, the smell of his cotton candy shampoo engulfing you.

you settle down onto the table, scrolling through your instagram feed as yoshinori finishes making the pancakes.

'yoshi, do you think i can make it as an artist?' you ask in between bites.

yoshinori looks at you, stunned by your sudden question. you take a huge bite of pancake, nervously waiting for his answer.

'i know you will.' he answers after a moment.

'you do know mr. clent hates me right? i haven't gotten a single grade above a B this whole semester...' you whisper.

'it's not always about the grades, especially in a creative field. when i see your art, i feel like it's going to jump off the canvas and come alive. your art tells stories that no one else can tell. that's your weapon.' he explains.

he smiles at you and it's that smile. the smile that makes you feel like all of your dreams can come true and everything will be okay. you stuff another bite of pancake in your mouth, desperately trying to ignore the way your heart is pounding inside your chest.

'you're a really good talker mr. kanemoto' you shake your head, trying to hide your smile.

-

after a quick shower, you're back to painting. a weak stream of light peers through the small window in yoshinori's room, making you look angelic.

you hear beeping and turn around to see yoshinori on his phone texting. sometimes, you wished yoshinori wasn't so popular. he wasn't only liked by students, he was also mr. clent's favorite student. the promising art prodigy. whenever there was an art exhibition, girls would flock to his side. they would ask irrelevant questions about his artworks, mostly interested in the way he would sip white wine and arch his perfect eyebrows as he talked about technique and color theory. surprisingly, he never worked on his drawings in front of you. he probably didn't want you to have a mental breakdown over how talented he was compared to you. you turn back around, painting more aggressively this time.

is it normal to feel slightly envious?

-

'wanna get some coffee?' he asks.

'yes please, i feel like i'm going to go insane if i see one more speck of gold' you laugh, grabbing your cardigan from his chair.

you walk towards the campus café, noticing the cold breeze as you wonder how yoshinori can wear ripped jeans in this weather.

-

yoshinori rests his hand on his chin, staring at you with an endearing look. you're ranting about yet another annoying professor as he swirls his straw around, taking frequent sips of his matcha latte. you talk with your hands, bright eyes twinkling as you get to the key point in your story.

yoshinori thinks about how fitting your drink choice is, a caramel macchiato. you pretend to be a bitter artist yet deep down you're the sweetest person he has ever met. you're always frustrated because you run on hope. hope that the world would be a little better, a little kinder. he memorizes the way your lips purse as you take a sip, planning to make you his next project. for him, it came easily. the lines and the shapes came together in his head as soon as he saw you.

-

summer is settling in and you no longer have to worry about strict professors and artist statements. it's 9pm when you burst into yoshinori's apartment, a tiny bottle of red wine in your front jean pocket. yoshinori doesn't bother asking questions as he lets you in.

'you know that guy i went on a date with last week? i can't believe that jerk ghosted me.. you know what? fuck him he looked like a noodle anyways.' you yell out, walking past yoshinori to sprawl yourself onto his couch. yoshinori chuckles to himself, watching you drink straight out of the tiny red wine bottle. even during rough times you absolutely refused to drink hard liquor.

you notice that yoshinori is drying his hair with a fluffy looking pink towel as he sits next to you. you try not to stare but he looks really, really good.

'not to put you down when you're having a rough time but could you take some of your skincare products home? your 13 bottles of rosewater and clay masks are taking up all the counter space in my bathroom.' he says, running a hand through his damp hair.

'fine. guess i'll just be bae-less and ugly.' you scoff, placing your legs over his.

'you're neither of those,' he whispers.

'what did you just say?' you raise an eyebrow.

he freezes, pink towel in hand as he realizes his mistake.

'i said... you're neither of those. you're beautiful y/n, i've told you that countless time.' voice not coming out nearly as steady as he would have hoped.

'yeah but i'm still bae-less' you whine.

'i could be your bae...' he mutters.

you picked a horrible time to take a swig of wine because the moment yoshinori says that you spit a mouthful of red wine right into his face.

'oh my god i'm so so sorry' you say as you grab the pink towel in his hands, dabbing onto his skin. you didn't realize you were so close until yoshinori places his hand above yours, taking the towel before kissing you softly. he hooks his hands around the back of your thighs as you wrap your legs tightly around his torso. your palms splay across his chest, pressing into him. you taste a little bitter and a little sour from the wine but yoshinori doesn't mind. you let out a small whine of protest as your lips separate.

'i can't do this anymore.  i can't pretend not to be into you anymore.'

'i like you too yoshi.... we could be together but you know... i should really to get my shit together before i try to be in a relationship...' you mumble.

'i don't need you to get your shit together y/n. but if you need help, i'll always be here for you. as your friend or as your bae. you call the shots.' he winked.

-

you thought it over for a few days, isolating yourself in your room as you survived on cubes of cheese. yoshinori was beginning to think he had made a huge mistake by confessing to you. maybe you just weren't ready.

yoshinori had always been there for you, a little too generous if you were honest. you weren't scared of him breaking your heart. you were scared that one day he would wake up and realize he could do better. knowing him, he would probably break it to you in the kindest way possible. your mind wandered back to the first day you met him. if he wasn't ready to be in your life, he wouldn't have sat and comforted you for hours. he wouldn't put so much time and effort into making you pancakes every time you were at his apartment. he wouldn't have been the one and only person who motivated you as an artist.

you suddenly get up, putting on your sneakers as you rush to your kitchen cabinet, grabbing a bottle of vodka. you had never run so fast in your entire life. by the time yoshinori opens the door, you're out of breath and glowing with sweat.

'what are you doing here?' he questions.

'you said i could call the shots so i'm here.' you say, walking past him and into his kitchen as you look for shot glasses.

'let's cheers to us, being baes or whatever the kids say these days' you laugh, pouring him a shot.

as yoshinori watches you down your shot, he silently thanks whatever or whoever guided him to the art room on that day.

masterlist - requests are open !! - ya girl tiyi ❤️

[terriwriting]

This is fucking hilarious. I interned at the Planet and I’ve met Clark Kent. That man stutters when the barista asks him for his order. No idea who Batman is (Agree it’s not Brucie Wayne) but it’s not the guy who walked out of Starbucks with a cup marked ‘Clent’.

I’m so fucking sick of it

Bruce Wayne IS NOT BATMAN!!! Leave the damn man alone! No offense but Bruce Wayne is a fucking idiot

Have any of your seen a single interview with him? The man legitimately didn’t believe narwhals existed

[bassfishinnnva]

For Immediate Release Cal Coast Fishing @calcoastfishing Adds 2018 Forrest Wood Cup Champion Clent Davis @clentdavisfishing Carpentaria, Calif. – September 11, 2018 – Cal Coast Fishing, a fishing accessories manufacturer from Carpentaria, Calif., has the signing of 2018 Forrest Wood Cup Clent Davis of Montevallo, Ala. to their national pro team. The addition adds to a staff that includes Elite Series pros Ish Monroe @ish_monroe and Caleb Sumrall @caleb.sumrall , FLW pros James Watson @therealjameswatson , Jimmy Reese @jimmyreesefishing , Jeff Dobson @jeff.dobson.921 and Kyle Cortiana @kcortiana , as well as kayak fishing stalwarts Ron Champion and Jay Wallen. Cal Coast Fishing has become known for their innovative products, such as the Bait Sack, Rod mule and the Clip ‘n Cull 2.0 culling system. The product line has found its way into the boats of pros and recreational anglers everywhere, and the growing pro staff will help that product line to become even more necessary. Dave Romanus, CEO of Cal Coast Fishing, said that product development was a strong consideration for adding Davis, but there was a more important reason. “Everything I have ever heard about Clent was that he was a great guy, and one that would fit our team very well,” said Romanus. “He was highly recommended to me by people I consider family, and in a short time, he has already proven that to be true. Couple that with his fishing product knowledge and the fact that he just won the Forrest Wood Cup, made the decision a no-brainer for us. We are thrilled to welcome him to our family.” Davis said he felt the same about joining Cal Coast Fishing, and the products he has already used. “I’ve really enjoyed all of my interactions with Dave and his team,” said Davis. “I know what they stand for as a company, and the products they make are really high quality. The Clip ‘n Cull system is easy to use, and makes culling a breeze; I look forward to working with them to build more great products and working with them like a family.” The partnership has shown productivity in the short time they have been collaborating, with Davis having input in projects already in the works. https://www.instagram.com/p/BnuVEpnnQPr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rqadtcfqeg6c

[monsterbass]

A lot of people ask me, “Rick, who’s going to help you pick some of the baits you put in the box?” I usually pause and then name someone on the team. Today I’m letting you know that Forrest Wood Cup Champ Clent Davis is one of the guys helping me. We’ve sold nearly 5,000 boxes and the remaining supplies are limited. Reserve your box today! Link to sign up in bio. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwfpCv7AbIz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1baroza7234do

[wormfinger]

DJ Clent is one of the big guys, check out this mix for JBW!

[theguardian911]

Man sentenced to prison for beating puppy to death after drinking all day at party.

On Thursday, the owner of an Australian shepherd puppy was sentenced to prison for five years after beating his dog to death during an all day drinking binge on St. Patrick’s Day last year. Thyren Clent Justus, 36, pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty, but states he doesn’t remember breaking the puppy’s leg and stomping on him until its lung collapsed.

According to the Dallas News, a neighbor heard loud banging and stomping noises while a dog cried and barked near the Wheeler Street apartments. When authorities arrived at Justus’ apartment, they followed a trail of dog feces and came upon Justus who had been crying telling them his small five-month-old black and white puppy named Luke was dead. The puppy was found slumped in front of the toilet, bleeding from its mouth with an obvious broken back leg.  Police stated the dog’s head had been crushed and his teeth were broken along with other serious injuries. When asked what happened, Justus originally told police the dog, he had owned for the last six months, had defecated in his kennel and he had punished the dog by “popping it on the nose” and shaking it. He then told police he accidentally fell over the 20-pound pup killing it.

When questioned the next morning, Justus said he couldn’t remember beating the puppy; telling police he had been drinking everything from “beer to jello shots to vodka – I couldn’t tell you,” he said. He only remembered flashes of his dog and the officers arresting him.

Prosecutor Felicia Kerney argued that Justus should have been given the maximum ten-year sentence, while the defendant’s attorney argued his client should receive probation because he’s a recovering alcoholic. Since the death of the Luke, Justus began drinking again and was arrested on a driving while drunk charge. Ms. Kerney argued stating alcoholism doesn’t make people brutally beat and kill their pets, and just because he came home and the untrained puppy had defecated on the floor was no excuse for the cruelty. Justus claims he now attends regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Rest in peace Luke. At least you received a little justice, but nothing can bring back the life you deserved to live.

(Photo of Justus sentenced to prison – booking photo via Dallas News) Hey Justus say hi to Bubba and when you get out we have to get together and play a really fun drinking game.

I am trying really hard to keep a professional detached emotional response to little punks like Justus. When I read, see or hear about incidents like the one above it makes me want to go back to my outlaw way and just stomp his punk ass into the ground, takes everything I have in me not to jump on a plane or in the car and pay visits to special guys like him or reach out to people I Know locked up or still in the club life. Beware assholes like justus my patience with losers like you guys are running thin. I have been known to travel hundreds of miles to right a wrong. Trust me none of you want this. Just a friendly warning….. TheGuardian

[malicerewatchesdoctorwho]

The Ice Warriors - Episode Four

Written by - Brian Hayles   Director - Derek Martinus   Producer - Innes Lloyd  

Episode Four

("Someone has to get to the spacecraft, find out what sort of propulsion unit it has and bring the information back to you, or we can't use the ioniser!" - The Doctor to Clent and Garrett about why he is the only one fit to go, since he is the only expendable one there.  )

Likes

- Victoria following the Doctor's decision and trying to get away from the Ice Warriors instead of just meekly going back with them.  Victoria chooses life, damn it.

- The Doctor dialling up water XD  They use a rotary phone dial too.  I remember them. We had a rotary phone all the way up until it broke in my mum's room during high school.  Way past them being in use.  And yes, we actually used it.

- Victoria doing her hardest to trick the Ice Warrior so she could get her communicator back.  And then getting stuck in a landslide with him. Damn, she has none of the luck.  But she tried and kudos to her.   Quite a few people in her shoes probably would have left the communicator behind and just ran. She may be a screamer, but you can't say she's not brave. 

- I like Jamie panicking and then bonding with Storr over Penley because he's a loyalist and not a scientist.  It's the little things.  Jamie doesn't trust the drugs, neither does Storr.  Bonding happens and for the first time Storr lightens up, because he finds a kindred spirit.

- I never thought I'd say this, but I liked Storr in this episode.  He found someone more like himself in Jamie and decides to go talk to the aliens to ask for their help not knowing if they're aggressive or not or simply defensive of their ship.  He helps Victoria out even though he think she's aligned with the scientists, who he hates. I can understand his choices.  

Dislikes

- Victoria, don't make a lot of loud noise in a place where an avalanche can happen, especially if one already has.  I live in a place without snow, so I don't know if that is just a trope or a real life thing, but it is not safe for a television character, I'll give you that much XD  Either way, help did come to get her, so yay.  

Awesome

- I am really liking the way the Ice Warrior suits act like suits in the show too and a bit like a turtle shell when they duck their mouths under the collar.  I think that's a nice little bit of added reptile to them from just what they look like.  Nice.

- Never really got a good look at it until now, but Garrett's uniform is awesome.  I just really like the look of it.  

Shitty

- The camera during the scene which introduces the title and episode is shaky.  It bounces all around the place.  That naturally wasn't in the animated episodes and I don't recall it happening in the first episode either.

In Conclusion

Yes.  I liked this one a lot too.  It gave Storr some much needed character, before his death. Clent is desperate and an idiot who thinks everyone will fall to do his bidding.  Garrett gets a lot more screen time and is becoming disillusioned by Clent by the looks of it and is going to take the hard decisions into her own hands if I am reading her right.  Yes, you go girl.

Jamie has lost the use of his legs, but is otherwise alright.  Victoria was almost killed three times and survived.  The Doctor almost got struck by an avalanche before almost being pressurised to death in the air lock of the alien ship.  It's like none of the TARDIS team can be lucky in this one and I kind of love that a tiny little bit.  The stakes feel high in this one. 

Seriously the main bad guy in this isn't the Ice Warriors, though they are baddies, at least right now.  No, the real danger is nature itself.  I'm Australian, I can appreciate a good the Earth and nature wants to kill you story :P

Body count - 1. Storr.  Killed by the Ice Warriors once they determine he's useless because while he knows the area well, he's not any use to them as he doesn't know the machines the scientists use. 

[robin674]

The HelloBaden Show Jokes

The HelloBaden Show Jokes

What did the blonde say to Clent EastWood? go ahead make me laugh. What did the fire chef say to his squid as they went into the burning house? hang on it’s getting hot in here. What did the police offcer say to the other when they cought the bad guys? Another one bites the dust another one down another one down another one bites the dust. What is black andwhite and red all over? A news paper.…

[malicerewatchesdoctorwho]

The Ice Warriors - Episode Two

Written by - Brian Hayles Director - Derek Martinus Producer - Innes Lloyd Animation Director - Chris Chatterton Animation Producers - Chris Chapman and Niel Bushnell

Episode Two

("The warrior's come alive!" - Jamie to the people in the meeting he gate crashes to share the worrying news.)

Likes

- Getting right into the action.  Jamie is just knocked out after his own hits are totally ineffectual (going by the fact his opponent is wearing armour, yeah, given) and is out in one hit.  And Victoria is just slowly backing away as it reaches for her.  Ooh.

- Jamie constantly pushing his way between people in the middle of conversations because he doesn't understand and one of his is in danger. 

- I like that the Ice Warrior took Victoria thinking she would have all the answers. This is probably where the Martians having a female ruling class comes into play in the Modern Era.  He went and took the most important person in the room. 

- Arden and Jamie bonding over not liking Clent XD

- The Doctor rolling his eyes at Clent's idiocy. 

-  Hah!  No one willing to do what Clent says for once in his life. Yes.  I like he is now seeing what being himself does to people and that he is the one causing conflict in the team. 

- Penley being just a little bit unhinged.  

Dislikes

- This is a weird thing that is going here but...I don't like the way Clent uses his cane.  Seriously, it looks better in the animated version than it does in the real one.  I don't use a cane, but my mum does and has since I was very young.  It's something I am just used to seeing, I suppose.  I can't even tell what leg is supposed to be injured or if it is something to do with his back.  Is he using it right, or is he using it like House?

- How is that Storr guy going to die if he doesn't get drugs from a broken arm?  Shock from the pain?  I am so confused by that guy and I don't much like him.

- Wow, Clent is a huge, idiotic moron and I don't like him either.  Wow. Just...wow. He never called in an expert because he chose not to and doesn't trust anyone?  What an asshole...

- How is Victoria not freezing her ass off?  At least when Jamie went out he was wearing one of the protective suits over his kilt. Victoria is just wearing her skirt and some pants under it.

Awesome

- I like the animation in this one.

- I like how the Ice Warrior here has that rasping noise and there is a reason for it.  It's because he's talking while in a suit.  While his mouth is uncovered and his voice is breathy and hissy in places, that's normal, the rasping is from the suit.  I actually like the design of the Ice Warriors.

- Hahaha, from a top down view point, the computer in the animated version looks like a nipple :P

- That pitch black microphone in the middle of a fully white except for a few screens and buttons desk.  It stands out so much I just really liked the look of it.  Weird, yes, but hey.  No one is not going to need to be pointed to where to scream for help, that's for sure XD

Shitty

- Oh my word, no! Please I cannot stand that computer's electronic voice.  I can barely understand two words it says and have trouble string together what it is saying because of it.  Oddly I do not have this problem with the Ice Warrior.  Huh.

- People talking over people all over the place in this one.  Stop that, Doctor Who, please...

In Conclusion

Oh yeah, this is much more like it.  I really liked this one.  There's a bit of action right at the start, though not much.  Most of this episode is people talking...and I'm fine with that.  No one is happy with Clent and the way he runs things, Arden is curious about everything, Jamie wants Victoria back, damn the consequences, the Doctor is trying to help everyone, Penley seems to be crazy or he just talks to himself to think out loud. 

The Ice Warrior has Victoria, who he took back to the other Ice Warriors and is keeping Victoria hostage, while telling her his whole plan.  Not because she is weak but because he thinks she's more important. Just, hell yes.  I like having important Victoria thoughts. 

I don't like that Miss Garrett seemed to be chucked to the side this episode.  Let the ambitious woman lead the project.  She'd do a much better job than Clent and is much more well liked by the rest of the crew by what I can see.

I have no idea if Storr is dead, alive and unconscious, or a figment of Penley's mind right now, so I am not putting anything in the body count, but we'll soon find out. 

This episode is purely for building characters, plot and suspense and for me at least, it works really well.  The characters are fleshing out well for the most part, the plot is well under way now and the suspense was nice.

Body count - 0.  Storr is stuck in Schrodinger’s Box right now.  Is he alive, dead, or a figment of Penley’s imagination?  I don’t remember and it’s marvellous.  Don't tell me.

[malicerewatchesdoctorwho]

The Ice Warriors - Episode Six

Written by - Brian Hayles     Director - Derek Martinus     Producer - Innes Lloyd  

Episode Six

("What good's your precious computer done anyway!" - Walters giving the crew of the base some well earned truth.  Clent doesn't like very much.)

Likes

- I like that the Ice Warriors use Clent's name after attacking the base.  Just...hahaha, you brought this on yourself, dude.  Now face everyone's wrath.

- Walters just going off. Yes, my good man, you do that. Tell them not to blindly follow the computer.  Get them to see reason. 

- Clent being useless while Bennet is not because she has skill.  Yes. 

- Clent screwing up his computer by giving it a problem it couldn't solve without destroying itself and so it refused to answer.  Hahaha, and then Penley takes control with some help from Bennett.

- Yeah, that's heat and it is destroying your ship.  That's four Ice Warriors destroyed.

Dislikes

- Bennett, WTF is up with you?  You used to be my fave.  You're turning into a Clent.

- Oh, I'm sorry, are we seriously supposed to LIKE Clent by the end?  Ummm, how about no, he is still the asshole he has always been, he's just got a whole lot less pressure to yell at people.  He still insults Penley for doing his job for him.

Awesome

- Wavy camera for when Penley mucks with the environmental controls.  That usually would annoy me, but here it fits quite well and I liked it.

- Slow panning shot of everyone's faces at the end in silence as they just watch and wait. I thought that was a nice, long shot.

- While it is quite rare in this episode, I do like the music they play, when they play it.

Shitty

- I still am not very happy with Clent needing that walking stick.  Half the time he doesn't even bother with it and forgets to limp.  It just seems a useless prop to try and make a horrible human being seem less horrible because disabled. 

- When did Bennett change her uniform?  The other one looked so good on her.

- I didn't much like the effects at the destruction of the Ice Warriors.  With the exception of their controls catching on fire.  That part was a nice practical effect.  The special effect and camera work just...didn't work for me.

In Conclusion

I have very little I wrote down for this episode in terms of notes.  I was too busy watching the chaos happen on screen.  If I stopped to write, I lost track, so I needed to pay a little more attention than I usually do.

My biggest take away from this episode was how disappointed I am in Bennett.  She started off such a great character and devolved in the last few minutes of the fifth episode into female Clent. Just...why?  What a waste of a great character.

I am not falling for Clent's nice guy act either.  Sorry, you're an asshole, everyone said it before you went off the rails and on other jobs you've done.  You don't get on the nice list by laughing with Penley at the end.  Nope, you, not a nice guy. 

I did enjoy the parts with the Ice Warriors attacking the base and the Doctor infiltrating their ship. Those were great.  Jamie had nothing to do in the episode at all.  Victoria had very little to do either but she was at least active and in it with the Doctor.  Though I do wish she got that Ice Warrior as a kill, because that would have been awesome.

Body count - 5.  Walters.  Killed by Varga, leader of the Ice warriors.  And the four Ice Warriors who were killed by the ioniser inside their ship.  

The Ice Warriors as a Whole

I really enjoyed this story.  A nice little base under siege story, which is common in Two's era.  We are introduced to a new, still used bad guy in the Ice Warriors. 

We get interesting character dynamics.  We get great characters to love and hate.  The TARDIS team is fun as always and gets things done, even though there is very little Jamie in this story, since he is taken out quite early in it. Victoria gets quite a bit to do and helps save the day though. 

All up, if you like the base under siege stories, I like this one quite a bit and would recommend. There are a lot of characters in it, but they're easy to keep track of. 

So, yeah, this one is a plus.  Watch it and be entertained.